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There was never a word uttered or a sound formed which could convey the least conception of that All-Pervading Essence, that Great Spiritual Principle and Omnipotent Mind which dwells within the Vortex whence suns, systems and universes extend through immeasurable space, the expressed thought emanating from Infinite Purity and Perfection. Concerning the many conceptions which sprang from the youthful misguided intellects first-born among human species much might be related, but I will speak only in general terms as to the origin of mythological theology. When men had lost their primitive habit of radiated expression in the manner already related and had become socially miserable as a result, it proved that they were not advanced sufficiently in intellectual discernment to discover the actual cause; but one who was superior to the rest proclaimed a pretended discovery and was regarded consequently as an inspired chieftain. He announced that the winds or breathings which came from above sent forth a malignant element. Here was the first notion as regards the origin of evil, and it remained a prevailing opinion for many ages, during which time the human species was distributed gradually over the globe. In distant

¹ The Principles of Nature, pp. 377-382, 396-399. As this is a purely psychical revelation, it is reduced here within the strict limits of its subject, The original contains characteristic declamations of Davis on the mischief of the official theologies, but their result is only to cloud the issue.

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settlements of the original family certain more advanced intellects began to search a little further, and especially into the cause accountable for these hostile breaths. Being unacquainted with the disturbances occurring constantly in the equilibrium of the atmosphere, they referred the said breathings to an unseen, undefinable evil spirit supposed to brood over the whole region or world in which they dwelt. The atmosphere itself was held to constitute this spirit. It was an advance of one step in the theology which prevailed among them.

But envy, war and deception grew with the years, and subsequent generations did not suffer the cause of evil to remain here. They abandoned the impression of their forefathers as to a cause resident in the atmosphere, adopting a belief that the sun itself was the face of an angry, unholy being who disseminated evil and caused the atmosphere to instill it into their minds. The author of the scheme was adored as the inspired son of previous generations, and people even began to fear the presence of this philosopher. They trembled at the images which he shadowed forth in hieroglyphical characters. They fell before and worshipped him, with all expressions of veneration which belonged subsequently to the ceremonies of idolatry. They erected a large and massive edifice, with apartments constructed according to his will, and raised him to the highest seat in this temple. He became prophet, emperor and god for all nations and tribes within the circle of his influence. He had discovered their chief enemy, their fiery deus, their angry and consuming antagonist, who would—as he instructed them—destroy the world on which they lived—as also their own bodies and spirits, in that invisible atmosphere by which the globe was encircled. This would transpire assuredly, if not hindered by his own almost omnipotent presence. There is an old maxim which appealed to his hearers not less appropriately than it does to dwellers on earth at the present epoch,

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and it was uttered in contemplation of a similar condition, when it said: The priests bear rule, and the people love to have it so.

Temples multiplied and corresponded, both in their interior and external construction, to the consuming vengeance of the luminary which they abhorred so much. Around these temples were placed brazen images of frightful monsters. The minor edifices were under subordinate officers, chosen of the potentate to convey his mandates to the weak and ignorant under his rule. Here were the beginnings of hieroglyphical language, in which cities embodied at once history, school and creed. Everything was constructed to represent some outward object or some conception of the mind. Thus it was with the original inhabitants of Central America and the Pompeii of the far past. At length their governor,¹ finding it possible to conceive the resting-place of their sun-god, began to improve on the long-established opinion by proclaiming that the sun represented a fountain of fire in the realms below that huge animal on the back of which dwelt all the human race. Following from this notion, it was held in succeeding ages that after the spirit of darkness had passed away, the sun arose and throughout the hours of day represented that great fountain from which it sprang and into the depths of which all must descend inevitably who did not obey the mandates of their ruler. Such was the message formulated by the sun's presence, and when it sank at the day's end this was to renew its powers in the fiery abyss, that it might have the strength again to diffuse among men the heat, the spirit, the breath which would carry the same tidings. After this manner were the wind, the atmosphere and then the light and warmth of the day-star charged with producing that which resulted solely from disunion in social interests and hence in the feelings,

¹ The reference is apparently to one of a long line of hierarchic rulers and not to the promulgator of the alleged original doctrine.

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affections and intention of the first dwellers on earth. But as intelligence advanced it became necessary to remove the source of evil from the sun itself to inconceivable nether realms, where it was thought impossible for the chimerical invention to be discovered and exposed.

So far concerning mythological theology as it developed in the distant settlements¹; but it will be remembered that the primitive family dwelt in Asia and originated the misconceptions under notice regarding the origin of evil. These were improved upon ultimately by a more enlightened mind, who referred his source of knowledge to a good spirit dwelling in one of those breaths to which all evil had been previously attributed. He spoke of the great waters which covered the face of all things, or rather existed alone, of the spirit who slept therein, of the desire conceived in his heart to have living worshippers, of his consequent awakening, of his breathing forth another spirit which moved the waters, of the great cosmic egg therein, of its expansion as a result of the motion, and how the world came forth therefrom. But there was also a spirit of evil which dwelt in the winds or breaths and sought to establish separation between the spirit of man and the creative spirit. It was from the wrath of this being that the new teacher offered to preserve his believers, who were further required to make appeasing sacrifices. By so doing they would live for ever in the presence of the spirit of good, the oldest of the sacred triad.²

The Eastern tribes received and cherished the doctrines of this new leader until the time of their separation,

¹ The account also alludes apparently to early colonisation of Europe.
² The account of this development of doctrine reflects Hindu theology at a very far distance, and indeed the original text—which at this point is distressingly confused and confusing—calls the great spirit of the waters Parama or Brahma, and the spirit which moved the waters Narasayana or Vishnu. No name is given to the evil spirit.

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when one of them migrated to China, a second to Japan¹ and a third to Egypt.² It was, however, among the aboriginals of America that human thought first took a proper, truthful and natural direction on these subjects.³ They dwelt in a beautiful garden, where all

¹ This allocation is speculative, for the original speaks of China as if it were not part of Asia and says that the second tribe went to the East of Asia.
² All this appears to have taken place before the general deluge.
³ The reference is to the Indians of Northern America, and the predilection shown in the narrative is at once interesting and curious. It is not to be accounted for by a sort of patriotic feeling towards the aboriginal inhabitants of the land to which Davis belonged. The typical American spirit of his period is not prominent in his writings, and though he may well have come in contact with several of the Indian tribes then surviving, or at least some of their members, and may have been impressed favourably under reasonable reserves, we have no record on the subject. It is not to be accounted for by the fact that he knew their traditions better than those of the old world: there is nothing to show that he was acquainted with any, except in a most cursory sense; and it is only because of their simplicity that he was spared from making out of them the impossible and deranging medley which otherwise distinguishes the text above. It is not, as I think, to be accounted for by the fact that Davis was abnormally psychic and peculiarly open as such to impressions from the past of his geographical environment. To understand it we have rather to regard the religious entourage amidst which he wrote and thought, and against which he was in violent rebellion. We have to regard New England non-conformity, the kind of moral and theological principles bequeathed by pilgrim-fathers, Salem witch-hunters and persecutors of Quakers. We have to regard the doctrinal and intellectual status of the American Episcopal Church and that which Latin Catholicism must have looked through all these glasses, as it was unknown at first hand to Davis. In respect of all and several we have to consider their eschatological position, and we shall then begin to see what it was that appealed to Davis, in and about the year 1845, when he remembered the traditions and beliefs of North American Indians. The "happy hunting-grounds," or Spirit Land—as he says, "analogous to the one on which they dwelt, in all its productions, so that they might hunt, adore the good spirits, and love one another"—were the archetype of his own Summer Land; and of all the celestial spheres superposed thereon this was the archetype in turn—not one whit less geomorphic because they were more rarefied. And when a few years later the Rochester

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things above and about them created comparisons with the doctrine received from their forefathers. They came to see that the winds or breaths were not—as they had been taught—evil and were led to suppose that they proceeded from a Good Spirit, who desired to fan their heated brows after their toils and travels. This manifestation of goodness unfolded tender dispositions, and the people dwelt in love with one another. They worshipped the sun which made the earth fertile and the moon which gave them light when the greater luminary had passed away to its rest. They were conscious of a Spirit Land of transcendent beauty, where they would behold the Good Spirit, where they would be subject to death no longer and would do no injury. It was the spontaneous teaching of Nature and the corresponding prompting of the principle within that brought them to this knowledge. Disunity was not in their midst; wickedness was therefore unknown; and their thoughts were unpremeditated, true, even celestial. On the other hand, Central America, like Southern Europe, descended from those who had removed—as we have seen—the origin of evil to an abyss below, of which the sun was a messenger. They had advanced beyond other nations in all arts and sciences, and their theology—like their language—was proportionately developed. It was after the Deluge, however, that there rose a chieftain among them who established the traditions of three generations before him, and among other things that his people—regarded as the sole survivors of this catastrophe—had been saved from destruction by a previous ruler, the latter having

knockings threw open a thousand doors to the phenomena and philosophy of modern spiritualism, its eschatological precursors were still "the placid waters," the "meandering streams," the "gardens of beauty and delight"—in a word, the paradise of Iroquois, Mohicans, et hoc genus omne. Perhaps there is no section in all the works of Davis which is so hopeless, judged by all standards, as that on mythological theology, but it deserves a place in this digest on account of the field of thought opened up by this one reference to the happy land of Indians.

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entered into a covenant with the spirit of wrath who had created the gulf of fire, and in virtue of that understanding he and his tribe were left to people the earth, while those who were wicked descended into the burning realm below.

Hereof is mythological theology in its origin and early developments.