Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1882-05-25
MAGIC.
Origin and Development of the Belief
in SOrcery.

Magic had its beginning in devil wor-
ship. Savages in all countries fear de-
mons and wicked scrcerers before thew
they think of good God, many of them,
indeed, looking down with contempt
upon a supreme being who could be
friendly to them, just as boys sneer at a
too indulgent sehoolmaster. AS Dean
Swift says, whereas, our desires prompt
US to pray, the wild Indian is oftener
put upon his knees by his fears. Hence
religion in its primitive manifestations
is pure magic, and nothing but magic,
consisting, as we still find it in surviv-
ing forms of primeval Shamanism, in
exorcisms or propitiations of evil
spirits.
So long as mems own actions and i'm
pulses are the only law they know, they,
like children, attribute human feelings
and intentions to all substances, ami
mate or inanimate, and even to the nat
ural elements. There is no actual diff
ference between the logic of the child
who beats the floor because, when he
fell on it, he bumped his head and that
of the savage or ignorant Christian who
maltreats and browns the statue of a
god or saint because his prayers have not
been answered. The human struggle
for existence is at first as severe as that
of the lower animals, and before a man
can worry himself as to his future des-
tiny he must concern himself about the
present. Before he seeks to provide for
his soul, he must overcome the obstacles
that lie in the way of his body; and, his
associative powers being in their infan-
cy, his manner of accomplishing this is
Illogical. Priests among savages are ma.
gicians, because their authority rests on
imaginary and dreaded power. They
are supposed to control the elements. to
send health and disease, and to give both
life and death, some savages saving that
If there were no wizards then would men
live forever. Thus they are honored as
the holders of the keys to human happi-
ness and prosperity. Butler says truly
in Huldibras-
DouDtless the pleasure is as great
Of being cheated as to cheat;"
for, in proportion as there are men ready
to invent absurd reasenings, credulous
people show their willingness to accept
their absurdities. Primitive magicians
invest sticks and stones with supernatu-
raj power, and their followers at once
place all their faith therein, they declare
that screams and noises as of Bedlam
let loose will influence and Danish the
demons, and the people celebrate relig-
ious ceremonies, which consist of yells
and dances, contortions and gesticula-
tlons. In primitive magic there NAV be
a germ of the etranseendeutal philosophy
OF the mystics, who could only describe
the Infinite as Numerically opposed to
the finite. If savages shrink before
shadows, then must shadows or spirits
cover before substances, their fear in
creasing in proportion as these are life
less and worthless. Man lives in world
of noise; hence the land of shadow is, as
New Zealanders believe and European
poets sing, silent one, and at the beat
ing of drums. the blowing of whistles,
the ringing of bells. and the shouting of
human voices, the evil spirits are bewil-
dered and vanquished There is a very
beautiful and strange South Sea poem,
reminding one of picture BY Carpaccio
and which, like Sails poem of "The ST.
ent Land" describes the invisible world
IS one of utter Stiffness May Atlantic.