f…conscious Intellect！
Every careful reader has noticed the confusedness of Paul's mind and arguments。 Even taking only those Epistles （Galatians； Romans and Corinthians） which the critics assign to his pen； the thing is observableand some learned Germans even speak of TWO Pauls。＇1＇ But also the thing is quite natural。 There can be little doubt that Paul of Tarsus； a Jew brought up in the strictest sect of the Pharisees； did at some time fall deeply under the influence of Greek thought； and quite possibly became an initiate in the Mysteries。 It would be difficult otherwise to account for his constant use of the Mystery…language。 Reitzenstein says （p。 59）： 〃The hellenistic religious literature MUST have been read by him； he uses its terms； and is saturated with its thoughts （see Rom。 vi。 1…14。〃 And this conjoined with his Jewish experience gave him creative power。 〃A great deal in his sentiment and thought may have REMAINED Jewish； but to his Hellenism he was indebted for his love of freedom and his firm belief in his apostleship。〃 He adopts terms （like ； and ）＇2＇ which were in use among the hellenistic sects of the time； and he writes； as in Romans vi。 4； 5； about being 〃buried〃 with Christ or 〃planted〃 in the likeness of his death； in words which might well have been used （with change of the name） by a follower of Attis or Osiris after witnessing the corresponding 'mysteries'； certainly the allusion to these ancient deities would have been understood by every religionist of that day。 These few points are sufficient to acentuate｛sic｝ the two elements in Paul； the Jewish and the Greek； and to explain （so far） the seeming confusion in his utterances。 Further it is interesting to noteas showing the pagan influences in the N。 T。 writingsthe degree to which the Epistle to Philemon （ascribed to Paul） is FULLshort as it isof expressions like PRISONER of the Lord； FELLOW SOLDIER； CAPTIVE or BONDMAN；＇3＇ which were so common at the time as to be almost a cant in Mithraism and the allied cults。 In I Peter ii。 2＇4＇； we have the verse 〃As newborn babes； desire ye the sincere MILK of the word； that ye may grow thereby。〃 And again we may say that no one in that day could mistake the reference herein contained to old initiation ceremonies and the new birth （as described in Chapter VIII above）； for indeed milk was the well…known diet of the novice in the Isis mysteries； as well as On some savage tribes） of the Medicine…man when practising his calling。
＇1＇ 〃Die Mysterien…anschauungen； die bei Paulus im Hintergrunde stehen； drangen sich in dem sogenarmten Deuteropaulinismus machtig vor〃 （Reitzenstein）。
＇2＇ Remindful of our Three Stages： the Animal； the Self…conscious； and the Cosmic。
＇3＇ 。
＇4＇ See also I Cor。 iii。 2。
And here too Democracy comes instrangely foreboded from the first in all this matter。＇1＇ Not only does the Third Stage bring illumination； intuitive understanding of processes in Nature and Humanity； sympathy with the animals； artistic capacity； and so forth； but it necessarily brings a new Order of Society。 A preposterousone may almost say a hideoussocial Age is surely drawing to its end； The debacle we are witnessing to…day all over Europe （including the； British Islands）； the break…up of old institutions； the generally materialistic outlook on life； the coming to the surface of huge masses of diseased and fatuous populations； the scum and dregs created by the past order； all point to the End of a Dispensation。 Protestantism and Commercialism； in the two fields of religion and daily life have； as I have indicated before； been occupied in concentrating the mind of each man solely on his OWN welfare； the salvation of his OWN soul or body。 These two forces have therefore been disruptive to the last degree； they mark the culmination of the Self…conscious Agea culmination in War； Greed； Materialism； and the general principle of Devil… take…the…hindmostand the clearing of the ground for the new order which is to come。 So there is hope for the human race。 Its evolution is not all a mere formless craze and jumble。 There is an inner necessity by which Humanity unfolds from one degree or plane of consciousness to another。 And if there has been a great 'Fall' or Lapse into conflict and disease and 'sin' and misery； occupying the major part of the Historical period hitherto； we see that this period is only brief； so to speak； in comparison with the whole curve of growth and expansion。 We see also that； as I have said before； the belief in a state of salvation or deliverance has in the past ages never left itself quite without a witness in the creeds and rituals and poems and prophecies of mankind。 Art； in some form or other； as an activity or inspiration dating not from the conscious Intellect； but from deeper regions of sub…conscious feeling and intuition； has continually come to us as a message from and an evidence of the Third stage or state； and as a promise of its more complete realization under other conditions。
Through the long night…time where the Nations wander From Eden past to Paradise to be； Art's sacred flowers； like fair stars shining yonder； Alone illumine Life's obscurity。
O gracious Artists； out of your deep hearts 'Tis some great Sun； I doubt； by men unguessed； Whose rays come struggling thus； in slender darts； To shadow what Is； till Time shall manifest。
＇1＇ See the germs of Democracy in the yoga teaching of the Hindus； and in the Upanishads； the Bhagavat Gita； and other books。
With the Cosmic stage comes also necessarily the rehabilitation of the WHOLE of Society in one fellowship （the true Democracy）。 Not the rule or domination of one class or casteas of the Intellectual； the Pious； the Commercial or the Militarybut the fusion or at least consentaneous organization of ALL （as in the corresponding functions of the human Body）。 Class rule has been the mark of that second period of human evolution； and has inevitably given birth during that period to wars and self…agrandizements of classes and sections； and their consequent greeds and tyrannies over other classes and sections。 It is not found in the primitive human tribes and societies； and will not be found in the final forms of human association。 The liberated and emancipated Man passes unconstrained and unconstraining through all grades and planes of human fellowship； equal and undisturbed； and never leaving his true home and abiding place in the heart of all。 Equally necessarily with the rehabilitation of Society as an entirety will follow the rehabilitation of the entire physical body IN each member of Society。 We have spoken already of Nakedness： its meaning and likely extent of adoption （Ch。 XII）。 The idea that the head and the hands are the only seemly and presentable members of the organism； and that the other members are unworthy and indecent； is obviously as onesided and lopsided as that which honors certain classes in the commonwealth and despises others。 Why should the head brag of its ascendancy and domination； and the heart be smothered up and hidden？ It will only be a life far more in the open air than that which we lead at present； which will restore the balance and ultimately bring us back to sanity and health。
XVI。 THE EXODUS OF CHRISTIANITY
We have dealt with the Genesis of Christianity； we now come to the Exodus。 For that Christianity can CONTINUE to hold the field of Religion in the Western World is neither probable nor desirable。 It is true； as I have remarked already； that there is a certain trouble about defining what we mean by 〃Christianity〃 similar to that about the word 〃Civilization。〃 If we select out of the great mass of doctrines and rites favored by the various Christian Churches just those which commend themselves to the most modern and humane and rational human mind and choose to call that resulting （but rather small） body of belief and practice 'Christianity' we are； of course； entitled to do so； and to hope （as we do hope） that this residuum will survive and go forward into the future。 But this sort of proceeding is hardly fair and certainly not logical。 It enables Christianity to pose as an angel of light while at the same time keeping discreetly out of sight all its own abominations and deeds of darkness。
The Churchwhich began its career by destroying； distorting and denying the pagan sources from which it sprang； whose bishops and other ecclesiastics assassinated each other in their theological rancour 〃of wild beasts；〃 which encouraged the wicked folly of the Crusadesespecially the Children's Crusadesand the shameful murders of the Manicheans； the Albigenses； and the Huguenots； which burned at the stake thousands and thousands of poor 'witches' and 'heretics'； which has hardly ever spoken a generous word in favor or defence of the animals； which in modern times has supported vivisection as against the latter； Capitalism and Commercialism as against the poorer classes of mankind； and whose priests in the forms of its various sects； Greek or Catholic； Lutheran or Protestant； have in these last days rushed forth to urge the nations to slaughter each other with every diabolical device of Science； and to glorify the war…cry of Patriotism in defiance of the principle of universal Brotherhoodsuch a Church can hardly claim to have established the angelic character of its mission among mankind！ And if it be saidas it often IS SAID： 〃Oh！ but you must go back to the genuine article； and the Church's real origin and one foundation in the person and teaching of Jesus Christ；〃 then indeed you come back to the point which this book； as above； enforces： namely； that as to the person of Jesus； there is no CERTAINTY at all that he ever existed； and as to the teaching credited to him； it is certain that that comes down from a period long anterior to 'Christianity' and is part of what may justly be called a very ancient World…religion。 So； as in the case of 'Civilization；' we are compelled to see that it is useless to apply the word to some ideal state of affairs or doctrine （an ideal by no means the same in all people's minds； or in all localities and times）； but that the only reasonable thing to do is to apply it in each