Page:The Classical Heritage of the Middle Ages.djvu/115

 k V] MYSTERIES AND SYMBOLISM 97 fact symbolized. Such magic and such confusion were no part of Christ's teachings; but they had always been part of the religions of heathen peoples from India to Rome. The treatment of these two chief acts of Christian worship as magic-mysteries, by all the authoritative leaders of the churches, opened the door to many other pagan elements which more slowly gained authoritative sanction. As the bap- tismal water and the bread of the Eucharist have magic virtue, so other material objects, to wit, the bones and relics of the saints and martyrs, acquire magic power. And despite some feeble protests and qualifications by the Fathers,^ many ideas and prac- tices from poljrtheism passed into the beliefs and prac- tices of Christianity — only with saints and angels and the Virgin Mary substituted for heroes and gods and goddesses. All of this, important as it is for the transition centuries and for the Middle Ages, calls for no special mention here.* But the relation of magic-mystery and confused symbolism to allegorical interpretation may be noticed,' and something said regarding the last. Allegorical interpretation represents that conserva- tive religious progress which avoids a breach with the past and clings to the statements of ancient seers. This was a fundamental reason for allegorical inter- pretation with Greeks, with Jews, and with Christians. Homer and Hesiod made the gods ; their writings 1 Aagufltine, for example, Civ. Dei, Vin. 27. < Cf. Hamack, Dogmengeschiehte, 2d Ed., II. 41.WI2. • Many of the ritee of the pagan mytteriee were Intended at allegoriee.