ge phalli, painted in
color as well. This procession called forth no particular comment and so
was probably not unusual. It is stated that this is a part of the
ancient "Shinto" religion of Japan and China.

There are frequent references to certain of the gods of the Ancients
being represented in priapic attitudes, the phallus being the prominent
and most important attribute. Thus Hermes, in Greece, was placed at
cross-roads, with phallus prominent. This was comparable to the phallus
on Japanese highways. In the festivals of Bacchus high phalli were
carried, the male organ being represented about the size of the rest of
the body. The Egyptians carried a gilt phallus, 150 cubits high, at the
festivals of Osiris. In Syria, at the entrance of the temple at
Hieropolis, was placed a human figure with a phallus 120 cubits high. A
man mounted this upright twice a year and remained seven days, offering
prayers, etc.

In Peru in the Temple of the Sun an upright pillar has been described
covered with gold leaf, very similar to those existing elsewhere and to
which has been ascribed similar significance.

A number of writers have expressed the belief that the May-pole is an
emblem of ancient phallic worship. We know that May-day festivals are of
the most remote antiquity. We are indebted to R. P. Knight for a
description of what May-day was like about four centuries ago in
England. The festival started the evening before. Men and women went out
into the woods in search of a tree and brought it back to the village in
the early morning. The night was spent in sexual excesses comparable to
those of the Roman Bacchanalia. A procession was formed, garlands were
added to the May-pole, which was set up in the village square. The
Puritans referred to it as an idol, and they did not approve of the
festivities. Until comparatively recent years there was a May-pole in
one of the squares of London, and Samuel Pepys,[10] writing of his time,
speaks of seeing May-poles in the front yards of the prominent citizens
of Holland. A festival much the same as this was held in Ancient Rome
and also in India. The May-pole properly pierces a disc and thus
conforms with the lingam-yoni of India. We also know that the first of
May was a favorite time for all nature worship with the ancients. For a
number of interesting suggestions the reader is referred to R. P.
Knight, _Worship of Priapus_ and Hargrave Jennings, _Indian Religions_
(Page 66).

Tree wo