mplify the actual male creative power, various
natural objects were seized upon to express the theistic idea and at the
same time point to those points of the human form. Hence, a similitude
is recognized in a pillar, a heap of stones, a tree between two rocks, a
club between two pine cones, a trident, a thyrsus tied around with two
ribbons with the end pendant, a thumb and two fingers. The caduceus
again the conspicuous part of the sacred Triad Ashur is symbolized by a
single stone placed upright,--the stump of a tree, a block, a tower, a
spire, minaret, pole, pine, poplar or pine tree."

Hargrave Jennings, the author of several books on some aspects of
religions of antiquity, among them one on phallicism, deals freely with
the phallic principles embodied in these religions. As do many other
writers, he identifies fire worship with sex worship, and the following
short paragraph shows his conception of their interrelationship, as well
as the significance of the upright of antiquity. In the Rosicrucians he
says: "Obelisks, spires, minarets, tall towers, upright stones,
(menhirs), and architectural perpendiculars of every description, and,
generally speaking, all erections conspicuous for height and slimness,
were representations of the Sworded or of the Pyramidal Fire. They
bespoke, wherever found and in whatever age, the idea of the First
Principle or the male generative emblem."

We might readily cite passages from the writings of a number of other
authors but the above paragraphs suffice to set forth the general
principle of this symbolism. As stated above, such interpretations have
not been generally advanced to explain such objects as sacred pillar
stones, obelisks, minarets, etc. It is readily seen how fully these
views are substantiated by observations from a number of independent
sources.

In a book of Travel[9] in India we are able from an independent source
to learn of the symbolism of that country. The traveller gives a
description of the caves of Elephanta, near Bombay. These are enormous
caves cut in the side of a mountain, for religious purposes to which
pilgrimages are made and where the usual festivities are held. The
worship of generative attributes is quite apparent. The numerous
sculptured female figures, as remarked by the traveller, are all
represented with greatly exaggerated breasts, a symbolism which is
frequent throughout oriental countries for expressing reproductive
attributes.

In an inne