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88:6.1 [[Magic]] was [[practiced]] through the use of [[wands]], "[[medicine]]" [[ritual]], and incantations, and it was [[customary]] for the practitioner to [[work]] [[unclothed]]. [[Women]] outnumbered the [[men]] among [[primitive]] magicians. In [[magic]], "medicine" means [[mystery]], not treatment. The savage never doctored himself; he never used medicines except on the [[advice]] of the specialists in magic. And the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voodoo voodoo] doctors of the twentieth century are typical of the magicians of old.

88:6.1 [[Magic]] was [[practiced]] through the use of [[wands]], "[[medicine]]" [[ritual]], and incantations, and it was [[customary]] for the practitioner to [[work]] [[unclothed]]. [[Women]] outnumbered the [[men]] among [[primitive]] magicians. In [[magic]], "medicine" means [[mystery]], not treatment. The savage never doctored himself; he never used medicines except on the [[advice]] of the specialists in magic. And the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voodoo voodoo] doctors of the twentieth century are typical of the magicians of old.

88:6.2 There was both a [[public]] and a [[private]] phase to [[magic]]. That [[performed]] by the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medicine_man medicine man], [[shaman]], or [[priest]] was supposed to be for the [[good]] of the whole [[tribe]]. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witchcraft Witches], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_(paranormal) sorcerers], and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wizard_(fantasy) wizards] dispensed [[private]] magic, [[personal]] and selfish magic which was employed as a coercive [[method]] of bringing [[evil]] on one's enemies. The concept of [[dual]] spiritism, good and bad spirits, gave rise to the later [[beliefs]] in white and black [[magic]]. And as [[religion]] evolved, magic was the term applied to [[spirit]] operations outside one's own [[cult]], and it also referred to older [[ghost]] [[beliefs]].

88:6.2 There was both a [[public]] and a [[private]] phase to [[magic]]. That [[performed]] by the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medicine_man medicine man], [[shaman]], or [[priest]] was supposed to be for the [[good]] of the whole [[tribe]]. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witchcraft Witches], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_(paranormal) sorcerers], and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wizard_(fantasy) wizards] dispensed [[private]] magic, [[personal]] and selfish magic which was employed as a coercive [[method]] of bringing [[evil]] on one's enemies. The concept of [[dual]] spiritism, good and bad spirits, gave rise to the later [[beliefs]] in white and black [[magic]]. And as [[religion]] evolved, magic was the term applied to [[spirit]] operations outside one's own [[cult]], and it also referred to older [[ghost]] [[beliefs]].

88:6.3 [[Word]] combinations, the [[ritual]] of [[chants]] and [[incantations]], were highly magical. Some early incantations finally evolved into [[prayers]]. Presently, imitative magic was practiced; prayers were acted out; magical [[dances]] were nothing but [[dramatic]] [[prayers]]. Prayer gradually displaced [[magic]] as the associate of [[sacrifice]].

88:6.3 [[Word]] combinations, the [[ritual]] of [[chants]] and [[incantations]], were highly magical. Some early incantations finally evolved into [[prayers]]. Presently, imitative magic was practiced; prayers were acted out; magical [[dances]] were nothing but [[dramatic]] [[prayers]]. Prayer gradually displaced [[magic]] as the associate of [[sacrifice]].

88:6.4 [[Gesture]], being older than [[speech]], was the more [[holy]] and [[magical]], and mimicry was believed to have strong magical [[power]]. The red men often staged a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_Dance buffalo dance] in which one of their number would play the part of a buffalo and, in being caught, would insure the success of the impending [[hunt]]. The [[sex]] festivities of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_Day May Day] were simply imitative magic, a suggestive appeal to the [[sex]] [[passions]] of the [[plant]] world. The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doll doll] was first employed as a [[magic]] talisman by the barren [[wife]].

88:6.4 [[Gesture]], being older than [[speech]], was the more [[holy]] and [[magical]], and mimicry was believed to have strong magical [[power]]. The red men often staged a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_Dance buffalo dance] in which one of their number would play the part of a buffalo and, in being caught, would insure the success of the impending [[hunt]]. The [[sex]] festivities of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_Day May Day] were simply imitative magic, a suggestive appeal to the [[sex]] [[passions]] of the [[plant]] world. The [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doll doll] was first employed as a [[magic]] talisman by the barren [[wife]].

88:6.5 [[Magic]] was the branch off the evolutionary religious tree which [[eventually]] bore the fruit of a [[scientific]] age. [[Belief]] in [[astrology]] led to the [[development]] of [[astronomy]]; [[belief]] in a [[philosopher's stone]] led to the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metallurgy mastery of metals], while [[belief]] in [[magic]] [[numbers]] founded the [[science]] of [[mathematics]].

88:6.5 [[Magic]] was the branch off the evolutionary religious tree which [[eventually]] bore the fruit of a [[scientific]] age. [[Belief]] in [[astrology]] led to the [[development]] of [[astronomy]]; [[belief]] in a [[philosopher's stone]] led to the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metallurgy mastery of metals], while [[belief]] in [[magic]] [[numbers]] founded the [[science]] of [[mathematics]].

88:6.6 But a world so filled with [[charms]] did much to destroy all [[personal]] [[ambition]] and [[initiative]]. The fruits of extra labor or of [[diligence]] were looked upon as magical. If a man had more grain in his field than his [[neighbor]], he might be haled before the chief and charged with enticing this extra grain from the [[indolent]] neighbor's field. Indeed, in the days of [[barbarism]] it was [[dangerous]] to know very much; there was always the [[chance]] of being executed as a black artist.

88:6.6 But a world so filled with [[charms]] did much to destroy all [[personal]] [[ambition]] and [[initiative]]. The fruits of extra labor or of [[diligence]] were looked upon as magical. If a man had more grain in his field than his [[neighbor]], he might be haled before the chief and charged with enticing this extra grain from the [[indolent]] neighbor's field. Indeed, in the days of [[barbarism]] it was [[dangerous]] to know very much; there was always the [[chance]] of being executed as a black artist.

88:6.7 [[Gradually]] [[science]] is removing the [[gambling]] element from life. But if [[modern]] [[methods]] of [[education]] should fail, there would be an almost [[immediate]] reversion to the [[primitive]] [[beliefs]] in [[magic]]. These [[superstitions]] still linger in the [[minds]] of many so-called civilized people. [[Language]] contains many [[fossils]] which testify that the [[race]] has long been steeped in magical [[superstition]], such words as spellbound, ill-starred, [[possessions]], [[inspiration]], spirit away, ingenuity, entrancing, thunderstruck, and astonished. And [[intelligent]] [[human beings]] still believe in good [[luck]], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evil_eye evil eye], and [[astrology]].

88:6.7 [[Gradually]] [[science]] is removing the [[gambling]] element from life. But if [[modern]] [[methods]] of [[education]] should fail, there would be an almost [[immediate]] reversion to the [[primitive]] [[beliefs]] in [[magic]]. These [[superstitions]] still linger in the [[minds]] of many so-called civilized people. [[Language]] contains many [[fossils]] which testify that the [[race]] has long been steeped in magical [[superstition]], such words as spellbound, ill-starred, [[possessions]], [[inspiration]], spirit away, ingenuity, entrancing, thunderstruck, and astonished. And [[intelligent]] [[human beings]] still believe in good [[luck]], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evil_eye evil eye], and [[astrology]].

88:6.8 [[Ancient]] [[magic]] was the cocoon of [[modern]] [[science]], indispensable in its time but now no longer useful. And so the phantasms of [[ignorant]] [[superstition]] agitated the [[primitive]] [[minds]] of men until the [[concepts]] of [[science]] could be born. Today, [[Urantia]] is in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twilight twilight] zone of this [[intellectual]] [[evolution]]. One half the world is grasping eagerly for the [[light]] of [[truth]] and the [[facts]] of [[scientific]] [[discovery]], while the other half languishes in the arms of [[ancient]] [[superstition]] and but thinly disguised [[magic]].

88:6.8 [[Ancient]] [[magic]] was the cocoon of [[modern]] [[science]], indispensable in its time but now no longer useful. And so the phantasms of [[ignorant]] [[superstition]] agitated the [[primitive]] [[minds]] of men until the [[concepts]] of [[science]] could be born. Today, [[Urantia]] is in the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twilight twilight] zone of this [[intellectual]] [[evolution]]. One half the world is grasping eagerly for the [[light]] of [[truth]] and the [[facts]] of [[scientific]] [[discovery]], while the other half languishes in the arms of [[ancient]] [[superstition]] and but thinly disguised [[magic]].

88:6.9 Presented by a [[Brilliant Evening Star]] of [[Nebadon]].

88:6.9 Presented by a [[Brilliant Evening Star]] of [[Nebadon]].