t of such teaching expressions like 〃I know that my Redeemer liveth〃 would be traced to their origin； and men would understand that notwithstanding the mass of rubbish； cant and humbug which has collected round them they really do mean something and represent the age…long instinct of Humanity feeling its way towards a more extended revelation； a new order of being； a third stage of consciousness and illumination。 In such a Church or religious organization EVERY quality of human nature would have to be represented； every practice and custom allowed for and its place accordedthe magical and astronomical meanings； the rites connected with sun…worship； or with sex； or with the worship of animals； the consecration of corn and wine and other products of the ground； initiations； sacrifices； and so forthall （if indeed it claimed to be a World…religion） would have to be represented and recognized。 For they all have their long human origin and descent in and through the pagan creeds； and they all have penetrated into and become embodied to some degree in Christianity。 Christianity therefore； as I say； must either now come frankly forward and； acknowledging its parentage from the great Order of the past； seek to rehabilitate THAT and carry mankind one step forward in the path of evolutionor else it must perish。 There is no other alternative。＇1＇
＇1＇ Comte in founding his philosophy of Positivism seems to have had in view some such Holy Human Church； but he succeeded in making it all so profoundly dull that it never flourished； The seed of Life was not in it。
Let me give an instance of how a fragment of ancient ritual which has survived from the far Past and is still celebrated； but with little intelligence or understanding； in the Catholic Church of to…day； might be adopted in such a Church as I have spoken of； interpreted； and made eloquent of meaning to modern humanity。 When I was in Ceylon nearly 30 years ago I was fortunate enough to witness a night…festival in a Hindu Templethe great festival of Taipusam； which takes place every year in January。 Of course； it was full moon； and great was the blowing up of trumpets in the huge courtyard of the Temple。 The moon shone down above from among the fronds of tall coco…palms； on a dense crowd of native worshipersmen and a few womenthe men for the most part clad in little more than a loin…cloth； the women picturesque in their colored saris and jewelled ear and nose rings。 The images of Siva and two other gods were carried in procession round and round the templethree or four times； nautch girls danced before the images； musicians； blowing horns and huge shells； or piping on flageolets or beating tom…toms； accompanied them。 The crowd carrying torches or high crates with flaming coco…nuts； walked or rather danced along on each side； elated and excited with the sense of the present divinity； yet pleasantly free from any abject awe。 The whole thing indeed reminded one of some bas…relief of a Bacchanalian procession carved on a Greek sarcophagusand especially so in its hilarity and suggestion of friendly intimacy with the god。 There were singing of hymns and the floating of the chief actors on a raft round a sacred lake。 And then came the final Act。 Siva； or his image； very weighty and borne on the shoulders of strong men； was carried into the first chamber or hall of the Temple and placed on an altar with a curtain hanging in front。 The crowd followed with a rush； and then there was more music； recital of hymns； and reading from sacred books。 From where we stood we could see the rite which was performed behind the curtain。 Two five…branched candlesticks were lighted； and the manner of their lighting was as follows。 Each branch ended in a little cup； and in the cups five pieces of camphor were placed； all approximately equal in size。 After offerings had been made； of fruit； flowers and sandalwood； the five camphors in each candlestick were lighted。 As the camphor flames burned out the music became more wild and exciting； and then at the moment of their extinction the curtains were drawn aside and the congregation outside suddenly beheld the god revealed and in a blaze of light。 This burning of camphor was； like other things in the service； emblematic。 The five lights represent the five senses。 Just as camphor consumes itself and leaves no residue behind； so should the five senses； being offered to the god； consume themselves and disappear。 When this is done； that happens in the soul which was now figured in the ritualthe God is revealed in the inner light。＇1＇
＇1＇ For a more detailed account of this Temple…festival； see Adam's Peak to Elephanta by E。 Carpenter； ch。 vii。
We are familiar with this parting or rending of the veil。 We hear of it in the Jewish Temple； and in the Greek and Egyptian Mysteries。 It had a mystically religious； and also obviously sexual； signification。 It occurs here and there in the Roman Catholic ritual。 In Spain； some ancient Catholic ceremonials are kept up with a brilliance and splendor hardly found elsewhere in Europe。 In the Cathedral； at Seville the service of the Passion； carried out on Good Friday with great solemnity and accompanied with fine music； culminates on the Saturday morningi。e。 in the interval between the Crucifixion and the Resurrection in a spectacle similar to that described in Ceylon。 A rich velvet…black curtain hangs before the High Altar。 At the appropriate moment and as the very emotional strains of voices and instruments reach their climax in the 〃Gloria in Excelsis；〃 the curtain with a sudden burst of sound （thunder and the ringing of all the bells） is rent asunder； and the crucified Jesus is seen hanging there revealed in a halo of glory。
There is also held at Seville Cathedral and before the High Altar every year； the very curious Dance of the Seises （sixes）； performed now by 16 instead of （as of old） by 12 boys； quaintly dressed。 It seems to be a survival of some very ancient ritual； probably astronomical； in which the two sets of six represent the signs of the Zodiac； and is celebrated during the festivals of Corpus Christi； the Immaculate Conception； and the Carnival。
Numerous instances might of course be adduced of how a Church aspiring to be a real Church of Humanity might adopt and re…create the rituals of the past in the light of a modern inspiration。 Indeed the difficulty would be to limit the process； for EVERY ancient ritual； we can now see； has had a meaning and a message； and it would be a real joy to disentangle these and to expose the profound solidarity of humanity and aspiration from the very dawn of civilization down to the present day。 Nor would it be necessary to imagine any Act of Uniformity or dead level of ceremonial in the matter。 Different groups might concentrate on different phases of religious thought and practice。 The only necessity would be that they should approach the subject with a real love of Humanity in their hearts and a real desire to come into touch with the deep inner life and mystic growing…pains of the souls of men and women in all ages。 In this direction M。 Loisy has done noble and excellent work； but the dead weight and selfish blinkerdom of the Catholic organization has hampered him to that degree that he has been unable to get justice done to his liberalizing designsor； perhaps； even to reveal the full extent of them。 And the same difficulty will remain。 On the one hand no spiritual movement which does not take up the attitude of a World…religion has now in this age； any chance of success； on the other； all the existing Churcheswhether Roman Catholic； or Greek； or Protestant or Secularistwhether Christian or Jewish or Persian or Hinduwill in all probability adopt the same blind and blinkered and selfish attitude as that described above； and so disqualify themselves for the great role of world…wide emancipation； which some religion at some time will certainly have to play。 It is the same difficulty which is looming large in modern World…politics； where the local selfishness and vainglorious 〃patriotisms〃 of the Nations are sadly impeding and obstructing the development of that sense of Internationalism and Brotherhood which is the clearly indicated form of the future； and which alone can give each nation deliverance from fear； and a promise of growth； and the confident assurance of power。
I say that Christianity must either frankly adopt this generous attitude and confess itself a branch of the great World…religion； anxious only to do honor to its source or else it must perish and pass away。 There is no other alternative。 The hour of its Exodus has come。 It may be； of course； that neither the Christian Church nor any branch of it； nor any other religious organization； will step into the gap。 It may bebut I do not think this is likelythat the time of rites and ceremonies and formal creeds is PAST； and churches of any kind will be no more needed in the world： not likely； I say； because of the still far backwardness of the human masses； and their considerable dependence yet on laws and forms and rituals。 Still； if it should prove that that age of dependence IS really approaching its end； that would surely be a matter for congratulation。 It would mean that mankind was moving into a knowledge of the REALITY which has underlain these outer showsthat it was coming into the Third stage of its Consciousness。 Having found this there would be no need for it to dwell any longer in the land of superstitions and formulae。 It would have come to the place of which these latter are only the outlying indications。
It may； therefore； happenand this quite independently of the growth of a World…cult such as I have described； though by no means in antagonism to itthat a religious philosophy or Theosophy might develop and spread； similar to the Gnonam of the Hindus or the Gnomsis of the pre…Christian sects； which would become； first among individuals and afterwards among large bodies over the world； the religion ofor perhaps one should say the religious approach to the Third State。 Books like the Upanishads of the Vedic seers； and the Bhagavat Gita； though garbled and obscured by priestly interferences and mystifications； do undoubtedly represent and give expression to the highest utterance of religious experience