The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-09-08
Antiquarian.
NATURE WORSHIP IN ANCIENT AND
PREHISTORIC RELIGIONS.
BY REV. WIN. TUCKER, d. d.
mt. Gilead, o.

ship, origin, and development properly
belongs to science. Religion is very
large and very important part of the
phenomena presented in human life
and history. 1t is the function of
science to account for and explain all
phenomena by giving their causes,
laws and relations. This is demanded
by the universal human reason, and it
will not be satisfied by anything short
of this.
Nature worship has been almost if
not quite universal. What was its
origin? What were the causes and in
fuences contributing to its growth and
development? Was it the first form
Of religious worship or is it corruption
Of a purer form Of religion? think
the evidence derived from the study of
comparative religions ancient, histor-
ic and prehistoric preponderates in
favor of its being corruption of the
doctrine and worship of an older and
purer form Of religious faith.
Mr.. Tylor says that idolatry is not
found among the lowest grade of saw
ages. Idol worship is the product Of
more advanced culture. He states that
it is conspicuous by its absence among
many of the lowest tribes. Image
worship comes plainly into view toward
the upper levels of savagery. In the
history of the race the spiritual takes
precedence of the material. The
simple worship of the invisible God
comes before idol worship.
The races of North and South Amer
lea, of Africa, of Polynesia, recogniz-
ing a number of great deities, are
usually considered Polytheist, yet
under this defnition their acknowledge
ment of Supreme Creator, as they
evidently do, entities them at the same
time to the name of Monotheist. Max
Muller has shown that fetch worship,
or nature worship is not so old as the
worship of one God. We find the
monotheistic idea among some of those
who are placed by ethnologists on the
lowest plane of human development,
such as the Hottentots and Bush men
of South Africa, the negroes of the
Gold Coast, the natives Of Australia,
the Islanders of Polynesia, the inhab-
itants of Terra del Fuego, the Indians
of the Amaz On river, the North Ameri-
can Indians, the natives Of Andaman
island in the bay Of Bengal.
Kolben, an extensive traveller and
careful investigator, testifies that these
tribes and races believe in Supreme
Being. Ofthese African tribes generally
Waity, distinguished anthropologist,
speaks thus: "a profounder investiga-
ton, such as has recently been made
with success by several eminent
scholars, leads to the surprising result
that several negro tribes, who have not
been influenced from the outside have
developed their religious ideas so far
that we call them monotheists."
'There is ample evidence" says Max
Muller, ito show that the tribes of
West Africa believe in Supreme God,
good Being. The Ashantis call him
by the same name as the sky, but mean
by it personal God, who they say,
created all things and gives all good
things. They believe him omniscient
and omnipresent."
1.-The negroes of the Gold Coast :"
says the missionary, Cruickshank,
"bslieve in Supreme God, Creator
and Governor of the world, calling
him our great Friend, or He who made
u.s." Other missionaries confirm this
statement, telling us that the negroes
speak of God as the old one, as the
greatest.
In the proceedings of the American
Philosophical Society there is an article
by DIR. BrintOn on the ancient Gods of
Central America. He tells us he finds
in old documents prayers to the Creator
of the world which date back to time
preceding the discovery of America.
Some of these he thus translates out of
the Maya tongue: Speak his name;
honor your father and mother; call him
Hurakan, soul of the earth, soul of the
sky, Creator, Maker, him who makes
us, him wh) creates US, call on him
and salute him. Hail, o Creator and
Maker. Thou seest and nearest us.
Do not leave US. Do not desert US. o
Hurakan, Voc Tepen, Atom. Grand
Mother of the Sun, Grand Mother of
the Light, hear US, help us.
The Aztecs had the idea of
Supreme being, independent and abso-
Lutte. AS they considered him invisible
they never represented him by images.
They designated him by the name of
Teotl (God). The ancient historical
religions reveal the same fact. The
primitive religion Of Egypt was mono
theistic. No scholar is better entitled
to be heard on this subject than the
late Emanuel Rouge, whose matured
judgment is as follows: No one has
called ia question the fundamental
meaning of the principal passages by
the helm of which we are able to estab-