form of the letter T which was used as an
emblem of creation and generation before the church adopted it as a sign
of salvation. To this representation of male reproductive power "was
sometimes added a human head, which gives it the appearance of a
crucifix, as it has on the medal of Cyzicus."

Originally the figure of a dead man on a cross typified creation
and destruction or the operations of the creative forces in Nature.
Everything dies only to live again. Although man dies, and although the
individual man becomes but a dead branch on the tree of life, still the
tree lives. Through the cross-phallus idea, or through man's power
to create, existence on the earth continues. Although the sun dies in
winter, in spring it revives again to quicken and enliven Nature and
make all things new.

There is much evidence to show that a dying figure on a cross was no new
conception at the advent of Christianity. Crishna, whose history as we
have seen is almost identical with that of Christ, and Ballaji, from
whom the thorn-crowned figures of Jesus have doubtless been copied, are
illustrations of this mythical figure of a crucified savior in India.

It seems altogether probable from the facts at hand that the Romans
worshipped a cross with a dying figure of a man upon it. Minucius
Felix, a Christian father, in defense of his religion, has the following
passage:

"You certainly, who worship wooden gods, are the most likely people to
adore wooden crosses, as being parts with the same substance as your
deities. For what else are your ensigns, flags, and standards but
crosses gilt and purified? Your victorious trophies not only represent
a simple cross, but a cross with a man upon it. When a pure worshipper
adores the true God with hands extended, he makes the figure of a cross.
Thus you see that the sign of the cross has either some foundation
in Nature, or in your own religion, and therefore not to be objected
against Christians."

Higgins says that it is proved as completely as it is possible to prove
a fact of this kind that the Romans had a crucified object of adoration,
and that this could be no other than an incarnation of the God Sol,
represented in some way to have been crucified.

An ancient medal found in Cyprus has upon one of its sides the figure of
a crucified man with the chaplet or rosary, the same as those now in
use by Romanists. From the style of workmanship it is thought that this
medal must have been anteri