The wiser and best-instructed portion of the community selected those things that to them were most beneficial, and for which they thought they ought to be grateful--in their wonderment and admiration they made selection of that which was to them most striking--and this gradually led to a systematization of certain qualities, certain excellences. All things in nature are object-teachers. When we have seen a thing several times, we know it--learn its qualities, etc. So the forefathers of the Chaldeans, admiring nature, came to recognizing what was best, either in themselves or round about them. In order to present these ideas, powers, and excellences in the most striking manner to the senses, symbolic representations, or typical forms, were made, about in the same or similar manner as playthings are made to instruct and amuse children. All the idols and mythological gods are drawn from nature, associated and endowed with such qualities as the human beings had from time to time attained. The motives that suggested these were just as pure as any motives are now. We have symbols and idols among us at this day, four thousand years later. It makes no difference whether it is Christ on a stick, the Virgin Mary on a canvas, or the sacred heart of a saint, it amounts to precisely the same thing; it is object-teaching--an object-lesson. These Chaldeans had any number of symbols and idols, and men were assigned to watch and guard them. They had their ceremonies, their gowns or priestly garbs; they had their places for worship, out of doors or indoors--everything that gave beauty, dignity, and sanctity to their performances. In short, we may conclude that they had what may be called an established religion, with ceremonies, sacrifices, idols, as well as social, moral, and political rules to govern them. There was dissension in those days as there is now. Men differed, argued, discussed; and differences arose. New ideas were intolerated then, as they are now. The old would not yield to the new. Wrangling, anger, passion, jealousy, led to new formations, antagonistic to the old. The old systems had in all probability grown corrupt, domineering, cruel, selfish, and rapacious. A reformation of some kind was in order. Men of ability and sagacity began to grow skeptical as regards the quality and ability of these numerous idols. Something similar is agitating the world to-day. Doubtless it is always to be found.