The Oriental Religions in Roman Paganism [1911] - Get a Free Blog

156 THE ORIENTAL RELIGIONS.
in the religion of a soldier, whose first act upon en
listment was to pledge obedience and devotion to the
sovereign. This religion exalted loyalty and fidelity
and undoubtedly tried to inspire a feeling similar to
our modern idea of honor.
In addition to respect for authority it preached fra
ternity. All the initiates considered themselves as
sons of the same father owing to one another a broth
er s affection. It is a question whether they extended
the love of neighbor to that universal charity taught
by philosophy and Christianity. Emperor Julian, a
devoted mystic, liked to set up such an ideal, and it
is probable that the Mithraists of later paganism rose to
this conception of duty, 49 but they were not its authors.
They seemed to have attached more importance to the
virile qualities than to compassion and gentleness.
The fraternal spirit of initiates calling themselves sol
diers was doubtless more akin to the spirit of com
radeship in a regiment that has esprit de corps, than
to the love of one s neighbor that inspires works of
mercy
towards all.
All primitive people imagine nature filled with un
clean and wicked spirits that corrupt and torture
those who disturb their repose ; but dualism endowed
this universal belief with marvelous power
as well as
with a dogmatic basis. Mazdaism is governed through
out by ideas of purity and impurity. "No religion on
earth has ever been so completely dominated by an
ideal of purification. ^ This kind of perfection was
the goal of the aspiration and effort of believers. They
were obliged to guard with infinite precaution against
defiling the divine elements, for instance water or fire,
or their own persons, and to wipe out all pollution by