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tion with the religion of mankind at large, may still prove useful. ST. ANDREWS, _June_ 1907. PREFACE TO THE FOURTH EDITION This book is now being reprinted in a somewhat larger type, and an opportunity is given, less restricted than the last, for making changes in it. It is impossible for me at present to re-write it; it appears substantially as it was. Some alterations and additions have been made in the earlier chapters, and the bibliographies have been brought more nearly up to date. I would take this opportunity of directing the attention of readers of this book to the published Proceedings of the Oxford Congress of the History of Religion, held in September 1908. They will there see how large this field of study has now grown, and what varied life and movement every part of it contains. I have given references only to the addresses of the Presidents of the Sections of the Congress, in which a fresh review will be found of recent progress in the study of each of the great religions. ST. ANDREWS, _July_ 1910. CONTENTS PART I THE RELIGION OF THE EARLY WORLD CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION PAGE Position of the science--Unity of all religion--The growth of religion continuous--Preliminary definition of religion-- Criticism of other definitions--Fuller definition--Religion and civilisation advance together . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18 CHAPTER II THE BEGINNING OF RELIGION Origin of civilisation--It was from the savage state that civilisation was by degrees produced--The religion of savages--All savages have religion--It is a psychological necessity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-28 CHAPTER III THE EARLIEST OBJECTS OF WORSHIP Nature-worship--Ancestor-worship--Fetish-worship--A supreme being--Which gods were first worshipped?--Fetish-gods came first--Spirits, human or quasi-human, came first--Theories of Mr. Spencer and Mr. Tylor--Animism--The minor nature-worship came first--Theories of Mr. M. Mueller and of Ed. von Hartmann--The great nature-powers came first--Both nature-worship and the worship of spirits are sources of early religion--Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29-50 CHAPTER IV EARLY DEVELOPMENTS--BELIEF Growth of the great gods--Polytheism--Kathenotheism--The minor nature-worship--The worship of animals--Trees, wells, stones--The state after death--
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