ogy, either near or remote, to anything real? It is an absurdity,
destructive of the term employed, because _myths_ cease to be _myths_
without some near or remote relation to realities. They _must_ sustain
some analogy to something real. And _counterfeits_ also cease to be
_counterfeits_ when it is shown that they sustain no relation, through
analogy or likeness, to anything that is genuine. In the mythical systems
of olden times we have, in the midst of a vast deal of false and fanciful
narrative concerning subordinate and secondary gods, evidence of a supreme
God presiding over all things; and the secondary gods performing many
things which belonged to the province of the "Almighty One," with many
degrading, vile and corrupting habits.

A letter written by Maximus, a Numidian, to Augustin, reads thus: "Now,
that there is a sovereign God, who is without beginning, and who, without
having begotten anything like unto Himself, is, nevertheless, the Father
and the former of all things, what man can be gross and stupid enough to
doubt? He it is of whom, under different names, we adore the eternal power
extending through every part of the world, thus honoring separately by
different sorts of worship what may be called His several members, we
adore Him entirely. May those subordinate gods preserve you under whose
names, and by whom all we mortals upon earth adore the common Father of
gods and men." In this letter we have a clear presentation of the mythical
system concerning the ancient gods, and also the "analagous relation" to
the "Master God." Each god having his particular dominion over place or
passion, appears before us as a representative of the supreme, or "Master
God;" and by worshiping each member or God they claimed to adore entirely
the "common Father of gods and men." Augustin answers, In your public
square there are _two statues_ of Mars, one naked, the other armed; and
close by the figure of a man who, with three fingers advanced towards
Mars, holds in check that divinity so dangerous to the whole town. With
regard to what you say of such gods being portions of the only "true God,"
I take the liberty you gave me to warn you not to fall into such a
sacrilege; for that only God, of whom you speak, is doubtless He who is
acknowledged by the whole world, and concerning whom, as some of the
ancients have said, the ignorant agree with the learned. Now, will you say
that Mars, whose strength is represented by an inanim