Page:Face to Face With the Mexicans.djvu/249

Rh grand language in an unknown tongue and its mysterious symbolism, rich vestments of the priests, its lights, incense, and strange, unearthly chants of the tonsured clergy, seemed to harmonize with the singular rites of the pagans, though so different in spirit.

The transition from the native ceremonies to the ritual of the Catholic Church was easy to a people who loved outward show and symbolism; and who were perhaps more attached to form and display and mystical devotion, than to spiritual elevation and humane sentiments. But these remarks apply only to the primitive races who so soon and readily adopted the purer faith taught by the Gospel, and abandoned those horrible, sanguinary rites that characterized them as pagans.

They have passed through many phases of mysterious and severe misfortunes, but still they present evidences that their ancient traditions have not been wholly lost; and at the present time dim traces of them are manifested in their religious symbols. Generations have glided by, with the tales of their sorrows, joys, and calamities; despotisms have held their iron sway; some of the most magnificent structures—relics of an art superior to our own—have passed away; another faith is theirs; but one may discern in the rites of catholicity, as practiced to-day in Mexico, a tinge of the Indian worship of the Aztecs. It is said that even recently garlands have been placed by them on the idols in the court-yard of the National Museum, and that also in the remote caves of the mountain regions the ancient deities are still secretly worshiped.

This is not strange. We may well imagine some remote wilds, where the old races still exist, with their endless legends and traditions; where the light of Christianity has never beamed. In these secluded fastnesses still dwell their old men and women, who keep the young in awe of the grim deities their forefathers were wont to worship.

The government of New Spain went on under the vice-royalty for nearly three centuries. At last the War of Independence came, and the yoke of foreign usurpation was thrown off. But the influence of