u.f]ry)p Toil Kvpiov, Luke 1. 43. - 'H SouAt) Kvplov, Luke i. 38. ^ Kex'^P^'Ttif^ff-ri (pass, part.), Luke i. 28. * EvAoyrjuifT] eV yvpat^iv, Luke i. 28. § 81. THE WOKSHIP OF MxlKT. MAKIOLOOr. 411 acquitted only of actual sin, afterward even of original ; though the doctrine of the immaculate conception of the Virgin was long contested, and was not established as an article of faith in the Eoinan chuix-h till 185-i. Tlius the veneration of Mary gradually degenerated into the worship of Mary ; and this took so deep hold upon the popular religious life in the Middle Age, that, in spite of all scholastic distinctions between latria, and dulia,'a.iid hyperdidia, Mariolatry practically prevailed over the worship of Christ. Hence in the innumerable Madonnas of Catholic art the human mother is the principal figure, and the divine child accessory. The Romish devotions scarcely utter a Pater Noster without an Ave Maria, and turn even more frequently and naturally to the compassionate, tender- hearted mother for her intercessions, than to the eternal Son of God, thinking that in this indirect way the desired gift is more sure to be obtained. To this day the worship of Mary is one of the principal points of separation between the Grceco- Eoman Catholicism and Evangelical Protestantism. It is one of the strongest expressions of the fundamental Romish error of unduly exalting the human factors or instruments of re- demption, and obstructing, or rendering needless, the imme- diate access of believers to Christ, by thrusting in subordinate mediators. Nor can we but agree with nearly all unbiased historians in regarding the worship of Mary as an echo of an- cient heathenism. It brings plainly to mind the worshi^^ of Ceres, of Isis, and of other ancient mothers of the gods ; as the worship of saints and angels recalls the hero-worship of Greece and Rome. Polytheism was so deeply rooted among the peo- ple, that it reproduced itself in Christian forms. The popular religious want had accustomed itself even to female deities, and very naturally betook itself first of all to Mary, the highly favored and blessed mother of the divine-human Redeemer, as the worthiest object of adoration. Let us trace now the main features in the historical devel- opment of the Catholic Mariology and Mariolatry. The New Testament contains no intimation of any worship or festival celebration of Mary. On the one hand, Mary is rightly called by Elizabeth, under the influence of the Holy 412 THIRD PEEIOD. A.D. 311-590. Ghost, " tlie mother of the Lord " ' — but nowhere " the mother of God^"^ which is at least not entirely synonymous — and is saluted by her, as well as by the angel Gabriel, as " blessed among women ; " ^ nay, she herself prophesies in her inspired song, which has since resounded through all ages of the church, that "henceforth all generations sliall call me blessed." ^ Through all the youth of Jesus she appears as a