one of the elements, and the sun blotted out
from the heavens to be again rekindled."

The priesthood comprised a large number who were skilled in astrology
and divination. The great temple of Mexico, alone, had 5,000 priests in
attendance, of whom the chief dignitaries superintended the dreadful
rites of human sacrifice. Others had management of the singing choirs
with their musical accompaniment of drums and other instruments; others
arranged the public festivals according to the calendar, and had charge
of the hieroglyphical word-painting and oral traditions. One important
section of the priesthood were teachers, responsible for the education
of the children and instruction in religion and morality. The head
management of the hierarchy or whole ecclesiastical system, was under
two high priests--the more dignified that they were chosen by the king
and principal nobles without reference to birth or social station. These
high priests were consulted on any national emergency, and in precedency
of rank were superior to every man except the king. Montezuma is said to
have been a priest.

The priestly power was more absolute than any ever experienced in
Europe. Two remarkable peculiarities were that when a sinner was
pardoned by a priest, the certificate afterward saved the culprit from
being legally punished for any offense; secondly, there could be no
pardon for an offense once atoned for if the offense were repeated.
"Long after the conquest, the simple natives when they came under the
arm of the law, sought to escape by producing the certificate of their
former confession." (Prescott, i, 33.)

The prayer of the priest-confessor, as reported by a Spanish historian,
is very remarkable:

"O, merciful Lord, thou who knowest the secrets of all hearts, let
thy forgiveness and favor descend, like the pure waters of heaven,
to wash away the stains from the soul. Thou knowest that this poor
man has sinned, _not from his own free will_, but from the
influence of the sign under which he was born...."

After enjoining on the penitent a variety of minute ceremonies by
way of penance, the confessor urges the necessity of instantly
procuring a slave for sacrifice to the Deity.

In the schools under the clergy the boys were taught by priests and the
girls by priestesses. There was a higher school for instruction in
tradition and history, the mysteries of hieroglyphs, the principles of
gov