Hiawatha takes in this regard we shall see presently. We have already studied the behavior of the pre-Asiatic gods related to Christ. Concerning the pre-existence of Christ, the Gospel of St. John is full of this thought. Thus the speech of John the Baptist:
"This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is
preferred before me; for he was before me."—John i: 30.
Also the beginning of the gospel is full of deep mythologic
significance:
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning
with God.
(3) "All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made.
(4) "In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
(5) "And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehendeth it not.
(6) "There was a man sent from God whose name was John.
(7) "The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light.
(8) "He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
(9) "That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world."
This is the proclamation of the reappearing light, the
reborn sun, which formerly was, and which will be again.
In the baptistry at Pisa, Christ is represented bringing
the tree of life to man; his head is surrounded by a sun
halo. Over this relief stand the words Introitus Solis.
Because the one born was his own procreator, the history of his procreation is strangely concealed under sym-
