rship is frequently mentioned in the religions of antiquity. We
are told that the mystic power of the mistletoe comes from the fact that
it grows on the oak, a once sacred tree. The pine of the North, the palm
and the fig tree of the South, were sacred trees at one time. John
Newton made a study of tree worship, especially the Ancient Grove
Worship of Assyria. He shows that the object of veneration was a male
date palm, which represented the Assyrian god Baal. Sex was worshipped
under this deity, and it is shown that the tree of the Assyrian grove
was a phallic symbol. Palm Sunday appears to be a relic of this worship.
In France, until comparatively recent times, there was a festival, "La
Fete des Pinnes," in which palms were carried in procession, and with
the palms were carried phalli of bread which had been blessed by the
priests.

Richard Payne Knight tells us that Pan was worshipped by the Shepherds
under the form of the tall fir, and Bacchus "by sticking up the rude
trunk of a tree." It is shown throughout these pages that sexual
attributes were worshipped under both these deities. In reference to
other symbols, the writer continues;[11] "The spires and pinnacles with
which our churches are decorated come from these ancient symbols; and
the weather cocks, with which they are surmounted, though now only
employed to show the direction of the wind, were originally emblems of
the sun; for the cock is the natural herald of the day, and therefore
sacred to the fountain of light. In the symbolical writings of the
Chinese the sun is still represented by a cock in the circle; and a
modern Parsee would suffer death rather than be guilty of the crime of
killing one. It appears on many ancient coins, with some symbol of the
passive productive power on the reverse; and in other instances it is
united with priapic and other emblems and devices, signifying other
attributes combined."

Dr. Thomas Inman has made a study to show how this phallic symbolism
found its way into ancient art, and even into some designs of modern
times. Thus, many formal designs are studied in which the upright plays
a part; likewise, the oval and the circle receive a similar explanation.
The architectural ornaments spoken of as eggs and anchors, eggs and
spear heads, the so-called honeysuckle ornament of antiquity, and the
origin of some church windows and ornaments, are all studied by this
writer, and his text is accompanied by illustrations. Hargrave