TEK SIONIFICANCK OF THE GEOGRAPHY OF PALESTINE. 179 



(5) Keligion, N"atural and Positive. 



To estimate the effect of religion upon a race, we must know 

 exactly what is meant by the term. 



In the early days of Israel there were only two forms of 

 religion in existence : namely, the natural religion of all the 

 world, differing according to tribe ; and the positive religion to 

 which the Israelites were subjected at Sinai. 



Natural religion is a method of disciplining the mind, by the 

 discipline of the body, for the purpose of ensuring the safety of 

 society. No nation can ever have existed as an organized body 

 without mental discipline. Human laws alone, the keeping of 

 which depends upon the punishment of those found breaking 

 them, cannot possibly keep a nation in order alone, as the 

 individual will only act up to them as long as he thinks he will 

 be found out. 



Natural religion consisted of ritual observances which were 

 part of the tribal organization, and which each person was bound 

 to perform or be denationalized. The god was local, belonging 

 to the land where the people dwelt, and was one with the 

 people. 



There are several interesting questions to consider. How did 

 Palestine come to be considered as the land of Jehovah, when it 

 was already occupied by the gods of the tribes dwelling there. 

 Was it handed over to the seed of Abraham at the Call of 

 Abraham, and were the Canaauites looked upon as usurpers ; or 

 was it rendered taboo to the Canaanites in later times owing to 

 the idolatries practised there ? Were the Israelites aware that 

 the God of Abraham differed from the gods of the surrounding 

 people whilst they were in Egypt ? Our historical accounts 

 recognize that God was supreme over tlie whole earth, but the 

 rank and file of the Israelites may not have been aware of it. 

 Again, what form of worship did Israel have in Egypt ? To what 

 extent were they given up to the gods of Egypt ? As the whole 

 organization of the people must have depended upon what they 

 knew about themselves, I have, in considering their condition at 

 the Exodus, assumed that there was in Egypt a tradition current 

 that they were a Chosen Eace under God, and that the Land of 

 Canaan was their rightful heritage, wrongfully held by the 

 Canaanites ; but this did not prevent their holding at the same 

 time to their natural religion, making their God local to the land 

 where they dwelt. 



N 2 



