EARLIEST  FORM  OF  KELIGIOX.  373

a  denial  of  the  existence  of  a  deity,  but  an  absence
of  any  definite  ideas  on  the  subject."

Second.  Fctickism.  In  the  state  of  primeval  athe-
ism men  were  "  not  without  a  belief  in  invisible  be-
ings." They  especially  believed  in  human  shadows,
ghosts,  and  the  people  seen  in  dreams,  etc.,  though
these  spirits  were  not  conceived  of  as  immortal,  or
as  possessing  any  supernatural  powers.  They  were
feared  only  because  they  were  supposed  to  have
power  and  disposition  to  inflict  disease,  or  otherwise
to  injure  men  yet  in  the  flesh.  Now,  inasmuch  as  it
was  believed  that  by  means  of  the  fetich  these  evil
spirits  could  be  controlled  and  coerced  to  the  will  of
the  worshiper,  fetichism,  viewed  in  its  relation  to
religious  development,  is  pronounced  by  Lubbock
"  a  decided  step  in  advance."  Viewed  in  itself,  "  it
is  mere  witchcraft."

Third.  Totcmisvt,  or  Nature-worship.  This  our
author  nowhere  clearly  distinguishes  from  fetich-
ism. In  this  stage  of  religious  progress,  "  the  sav-
age does  not  abandon  his  belief  in  fetichism,  from
which,  indeed,  no  race  of  men  has  yet  entirely  freed
itself,  but  he  superinduces  on  it  a  belief  in  beings
of  a  higher  and  less  material  nature.  In  this  stage
everything  maybe  worshiped, — trees,  stones,  riv-
ers, mountains,  the  heavenly  bodies,  plants,  and
animals."

Fourth.  Shaviaiiism.  "  As  totemism  overlies
fetichism,  so  does  Shamanism  overlie  totemism."
Here  the  gods  are  conceived  of  as  far  more  "  power-
ful than  men,"  as  "of  a  different  nature,"  as  residing
far  away,  and  as  "  accessible  only  to  the  Shamans,"
who  are  "  occasionally  honored  by  the  presence  of
the   deities,    or   are    allowed    to  visit    the  heavenly


374  PARADISE  FOUND.
