forth. Societies, large or small, united believers and the
devout in the service or ceremonials connected with their
respective deities, and in the creeds which they confessed
concerning these deities. And an extraordinarily
interesting fact, for us, is that notwithstanding great
geographical
distances and racial differences between the adherents
of these various cults, as well as differences in the
details of their services, the general outlines of their creeds
and ceremonials were--if not identical--so markedly similar
as we find them.

I cannot of course go at length into these different cults,
but I may say roughly that of all or nearly all the deities
above-mentioned it was said and believed that:

(1) They were born on or very near our Christmas Day.

(2) They were born of a Virgin-Mother.

(3) And in a Cave or Underground Chamber.

(4) They led a life of toil for Mankind.

(5) And were called by the names of Light-bringer,
Healer, Mediator, Savior, Deliverer.

(6) They were however vanquished by the Powers of
Darkness.