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or many, powerful above the hu-ship's hypothesis be admitted, man race, is a proposition," says either the doctrine of polytheism lord Kames, "universally admit- must be true theology, or this inted as true in all ages and among stinct or sense is of such a nature all nations. I boldly call it as to have, at different periods of universal, notwithstanding what is the world, misled all mankind. reported of some gross savages; All savage tribes are at present for reports that contradict what polytheists and idolaters; but is acknowledged to be general among savages every instinct apamong men, require more able pears in greater purity and vigour vouchers than a few illiterate than among people polished by voyagers. Among many savage arts and sciences; and instinct tribes there are no words but for never mistakes its objects. The objects of external sense is it instinct or primary impression of surprising that such people are nature which gives rise to selfincapable of expressing their reli- love, affection between the sexes, gious perceptions, or any per- &c., has, in all nations and in ception of internal sense? The every period of time, a precise conviction that men have of su- and determinate object which it perior powers, in every country inflexibly pursues. How, then, where there are words to express comes it to pass that this particuit, is so well vouched, that, in fair lar instinct, which, if real, is surely reasoning, it ought to be taken for of as much importance as any granted among the few tribes where other, should have uniformly led language is deficient." The same those who had no other guide to ingenious author shews, with great pursue improper objects to fall strength of reasoning, that the into the grossest errors, and the operations of nature and the go- most pernicious practices? vernment of this world, which to us loudly proclaim the existence of a Deity, are not sufficient to account for the universal belief of superior beings among savage tribes. He is therefore of opinion that this universality of conviction can spring only from the image of Deity stamped upon the mind of every human being, the ignorant equal with the learned. This, he thinks, may be termed the sense of Deity.

This sense of Deity, however, is objected to by others, who thus reason: All nations, except the Jews, were once polytheists and idolaters. If, therefore, his lord

For these and other reasons, which might easily be assigned, they suppose that the first religious principles must have been derived from a source different as well from internal sense as from the deductions of reason; from a source which the majority of mankind had early forgotten; and which, when it was banished from their minds, left nothing behind it to prevent the very first principle of religion from being perverted by various accidents or causes; or, in some extraordinary concurrence of circumstances, from being, perhaps, entirely obliterated. This source of relivion every con

sistent theist must believe to be race lived in one family, and were revelation. Reason could not have not spread over a large extent of introduced savages to the know- country. If any credit be due to ledge of God, and we have just the records of antiquity, the priseen that a sense of Deity is clogged meval inhabitants of this globe with insuperable difficulties. Yet lived to so great an age, that they it is undeniable that all mankind must have increased to a very have believed in superior invisible large number long before the powers; and, if reason and instinct death of the common parent, who be set aside, there remains no other would, of course, be the bond of origin of this universal belief than union to the whole society; and primeval revelation corrupted; whose dictates, especially in what indeed, as it passed from fatl:er to related to the origin of his Being son in the course of many gene- and the existence of his Creator, rations. It is no slight support to would be listened to with the utthis doctrine, that, if there really most respect by every individual be a Deity, it is highly presumable of his numerous progeny. Many that he would reveal himself to causes, however, would conspire the first men; creatures whom he to dissolve this family, after the had formed with faculties to adore death of its ancestor, into sepaand to worship him. To other rate and independent tribes, of animals the knowledge of the Deity which some would be driven by is of no importance; to man it is violence, or would voluntarily of the first importance. Were we wander to a distance from the totally ignorant of a Deity, this rest. From this dispersion great world would appear to us a mere changes would take place in the chaos. Under the government opinions of some of the tribes. of a wise and benevolent Deity, respecting the object of their relichance is excluded, and every gious worship. A single family, event appears to be the result of or a small tribe, banished into a established laws. Good men sub-desert wilderness (such as the mit to whatever happens without whole earth must then have been), repining, knowing that every event would find employment for all is ordered by Divine Providence: their time in providing the means. they submit with entire resigna- of subsistence and in defending tion; and such resignation is a themselves from beasts of prey. sovereign balsam for every misfor- In such circumstances they would tune or evil in life. have little leisure for meditation; As to the circumstances which and, being constantly conversant led to polytheism, it has been ob- with objects of sense, they would served, that, taking it for granted gradually lose the power of medithat our original progenitors were tating upon the spiritual nature of instructed by their Creator in the that Being by whom their ancestruths of genuine theism, there is tors had taught them that all no room to doubt but that those things were created. The first truths would be conveyed pure wanderers would, no doubt, refrom father to son as long as the "tain in tolerable purity their, ori

ginal notions of Deity, and they them to be in a great measure would certainly endeavour to im- the source of vegetation. From press those notions upon their looking upon the Sun as the hachildren; but in circumstances bitation of their God, they would infinitely more favourable to spe- soon proceed to consider it as his culation than their's could have body. Experiencing the effects been, the human mind dwells not of power in the Sun, they would long upon notions purely intel-naturally conceive that luminary lectual. We are so accustomed to to be animated as their bodies. sensible objects, and to the ideas were animated; they would feel. of space, extension, and figure, his influence when above the which they are perpetually im- horizon; they would see him pressing upon the imagination, moving from East to West; they that we find it extremely difficult would consider him, when set, as to conceive any being without gone to take his repose; and those assigning to him a form and a exertions and intermissions of place. Hence bishop Law sup-power being analogous to what poses that the earliest generations they experienced in themselves, of men (even those to whom he they would look upon the Sun as contends that frequent revelations a real animal. Thus would the were vouchsafed) may have been | Divinity appear to their unno better than Anthropomorphites tutored minds to be a compound in their conceptions of the Divine being like a man, partly corporeal Being. Be this as it may, it is and partly spiritual; and as soon easy to conceive that the members as they imbibed such notions, of the first colonies would quickly though perhaps not before, they lose many of the arts and much may be pronounced to have been of the science which perhaps pre-absolute idolaters. When men vailed in the parent state; and had once got into this train, their that, fatigued with the contem- gods would multiply upon them plation of intellectual objects, with wonderful rapidity. The they would relieve their over-moon, the planets, the fixed stars, strained faculties by attributing &c., would become objects of to the Deity a place of abode, if veneration. Hence we find Moses not a human form. To men to- cautioning the people of Israel tally illiterate, the place fittest for against worshipping the hosts of the habitation of the Deity would || heaven, Deut. iv, 19. Other obundoubtedly appear to be the jects, however, from which bene-. Sun, the most beautiful and glo- fits were received or dangers fearrious object of which they could ed, would likewise be deified; form any idea; an object from such as demons, departed heroes, which they could not but be sen- &c. See IDOLATRY. sible that they received the benefits of light and heat, and which experience must soon have taught

From the accounts given us by the best writers of antiquity, it seems that, though the Polytheists

believed heaven, earth, and hell, || foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves wise, they became fools, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is God, blessed for ever," Rom. i, 20, 21, 22, 25. See list of books under article

were all filled with divinities, yet there was one who was considered as supreme over all the rest, or, at most, that there were but two self-existent gods, from whom they conceived all the other divinities to have descended in a manner IDOLATRY; Prideaux's Con., v. i, analogous to human generation. p. 177, 179; Kame's Sketches of It appears, however, that the the History of Man; Bishop Law's vulgar Pagans considered each Theory of Religion, p. 58, 65 to divinity as supreme, and unac-68, 94, 296; article Polytheism in countable within his own pro- Enc. Brit.; Farmer on the Worvince, and therefore entitled to ship of Human Spirits. worship, which rested ultimately in himself. The philosophers, on the other hand, seem to have viewed the inferior gods as accountable for every part of their conduct to him who was their sire and sovereign, and to have paid to them only that inferior kind of devotion which the church of Rome pays to departed saints. The vulgar Pagans were sunk in the grossest ignorance, from which statesmen, priests, and poets, exerted their utmost influence to keep them from emerging; for it was a maxim, which, however absurd, was universally received, "that there were many things true in religion which it was not convenient for the vulgar to know; PONTIFICATE is used for and some things which, though the state or dignity of a pontiff, or false, it was expedient that they high priest; but more particularly, should believe." "It was no won-in modern writers, for the reign' der, therefore, that the vulgar of a pope. should be idolaters and polytheists. The philosophers, however, were still worse; they were wholly "without excuse, because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God; neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations, and their

PONTIFF, or HIGH PRIEST, a person who has the superintendance and direction of divine worship, as the offering of sacrifices and other religious solemnities. The Romans had a college of pontiffs, and over these a sovereign pontiff, instituted by Numa, whose function it was to prescribe the ceremonies each god was to be worshipped withal, compose the rituals, direct the vestals, and for a good while to perform the business of augury, till, on some superstitious occasion, he was prohibited intermeddling therewith. The Jews, too, had their pontiffs; and among the Romanists the pope is styled the sovereign pontiff.

POPE, a name which comes from the Greek word Пaña, and signifies Father. In the East, this appellation is given to all Christian priests; and in the West, bishops were called by it in ancient times; but now for many centuries it has been appropriated to the

bishop of Rome, whom the Roman || tholic, are allowed to present one Catholics look upon as the common father of all Christians.

each, to be made cardinal, whom the pope always admits if there be not some very great objection. These cardinals are commonly promoted from among such clergymen as have borne offices in the Roman court; some are assumed from religious orders; eminent ecclesiastics of other countries are

All in communion with the see of Rome unanimously hold that our Saviour Jesus Christ constituted St. Peter the apostle chief pastor, under himself, to watch over his whole flock here on earth, and to preserve the unity of it, giving him the power requi-likewise often honoured with this site for these ends. They also believe that our Saviour ordained that St. Peter should have successors, with the like charge and power to the end of time. Now, as St. Peter resided at Rome for their blood for the faith and many years, and suffered martyr-church, when the defence and dom there, they consider the bishops of Rome as his successors in the dignity and office of the universal pastor of the whole Catholic church.

dignity. Sons of sovereign princes have frequently been members of the sacred college. Their distinctive dress is scarlet, to signify that they ought to be ready to shed

honour of either require it. They wear a scarlet cap and hat: the cap is given to them by the pope if they are at Rome, and is sent to them if they are absent; but the hat is never given but by the pope's own hand. These cardinals form the pope's standing council, or consistory, for the management of the public affairs of church and state. They are divided into different congregations for the more easy dispatch of business; and some of them have the principal offices in the pontifical court; as that of cardinal, vicar, penitentiary, chancellor, chamberlain, prefect of the signature of justice, prefect of memorials, and secretary of state. They have the title given them of emi

The cardinals have for several ages been the sole electors of the pope. These are seventy in number, when the sacred college, as it is called, is complete. Of these, six are cardinal bishops of the six suburbicarian churches; fifty are cardinal priests, who have all titles from parish churches in Rome; and fourteen are cardinal deacons, who have their titles from churches in Rome of less note, called diaconias, or deaconries. These cardinals are created by the pope when there happen to be vacancies, and sometimes he names one or two only at a time; but com-nence and most eminent. monly he defers the promotion until there be ten or twelve vacancies, or more; and then at every second such promotion the emperor, the kings of Spain and France, and of Britain, when Ca

On the demise of a pope, his pontifical seal is immediately broken by the chamberlain, and all public business is interrupted that can be delayed; messengers are dispatched to all the Catholic

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