138 
an annual feast of the dead ? 178. Are festivals held in 
honour of particular gods ? 179. Are festivals performed by 
particular families, classes, or castes ? 180. Are these festi¬ 
vals with relation to war, victory, or such events'? 181. Are 
there festivals at the puberty of the young men and girls or 
their initiation into the duties of life ? 182. Do families 
celebrate private festivals of a religious kind, as at birth of 
a child, manhood, marriage, &c. ? 183. Do the priests take 
part in such festivals ? are sacrifices offered, &c. ? 184. Are 
there festivals at which marriageable youths and girls mix 
and matches are made ? 185. Are any festivals specially 
connected with sexual relations ? if so, what are the social 
consequences ? 186. Do any festivals commemorate mythical 
or historical events with significant ceremonies, &c. ? 187. 
Are any at once political and religious ? do they afford means 
of moral teaching ? (Initiatory Ceremonies No. XXXIX.). 
Prayer. —188. Are formal prayers offered to souls of ances¬ 
tors or other divine spirits ? and in what terms ? 189. Is 
prayer offered by private persons, chiefs, or priests ? 190. Is 
prayer a private or public ceremony, offered in the house, 
temple, or elsewhere ? 191. Is prayer solemnly made in times 
of emergency or distress ? 192. Are only temporal benefits 
asked for, as aid against enemies, safety, abundance of food, 
children, &c. ? 193. Are the gods asked to promote virtue or 
goodness in the worshipper or others ? 
Sacrifice. —194. Is sacrifice offered? and to what deities? 
195. Is it a private or public act ? 196. May anyone, or only 
priests, sacrifice ? 197. Is sacrifice made in temples ? What 
is offered ? 198. Is an altar used and the offering placed on 
it ? 199. Does the offering consist principally of food ? 200. 
Is it exposed, destroyed, or consumed ? 201. Is the deity con¬ 
sidered to consume it or to become possessed of it ? and how ? 
202. Is it fraudulently removed under the pretence of the deity 
having taken it ? 203. Does the deity consume the essence or 
spirit of it, leaving the material part? if so, what becomes of 
this ? do the priests or worshippers consume or remove it ? 
204. Is incense used ? and with what motive ? 205. Do people 
sacrifice objects that the deity may be pleased to obtain them ? 
