In this chapter it is proposed to survey rapidly the progress of the whole heathen world in idolatrous worship from its first introduction. We have already seen how the world began with the worship of one God, but passed into the worship of the objects, powers and forces of nature; and how to these were given tangible forms in the shape of idols. Further we have noticed the gradual introduction of the worship of animals, and men, and their idols. METHODS OF GROUPING RELIGIONS. The various religions might be classified by dividing them into two groups; first, those having sacred books, and secondly, those having no sacred books. According to this method, for example, the Hindu, Parsee, Egyptian, Chinese, Buddhist and Mohammedan religions would be placed in one group, and the religions of the Japanese Shintoists, of the Indians of America, of the Pacific Islanders, of the African Fetichists and of our heathen ancestors, in another group. This is rather an arbitrary division. Another mode of arranging them is as missionary or proselyte-making religions and non-missionary religions. Thus, Brahminism, as it never went beyond India, and Confucianism, as it never sent its teachers out of China, would be in one class, while Buddhism which was spread all over Eastern Asia by its missionary priests, and Mohammedanism whose priests went over Western Asia and Northern Africa making proselytes, would be in another class. We must have some system of classifying and arranging the different religions, and the following has seemed to be the most simple and natural classification. To look at them first, as _original_ religions and as _reformed_ religions, and secondly, as _dead_ and as _living_ religions. It happens that most of the _dead_ religions were original religions, and so we take these up first. Then we notice the living original religions, and afterward the reformed religions, which are nearly all living. The religions which will be described in the following pages, from Chapters V. to X., are dead original religions; those in Chapters XI. to XIX. are living original religions; and those in Chapters XX. to XXXVI., are living reformed religions. It is proper that these terms, as they are intended to be used here should be quite clearly defined. DEAD RELIGIONS AND LIVING RELIGIONS.