The man-god must be killed so soon as he showeth in body or mind that his native powers are beginning to feail.

And it is necessary that he be killed, according to their faith, in this ensuing fashion.
"If the man-god were to die slowly by a death in the course of nature, the ways of the world might be stopped altogether.

Hence these savages catch the soul of their god, as it were, ere it grow old and feeble, and transfer it betimes, by a magic device, to a suitable successor.

And surely, they say, this suitable successor can be none other than him that is able to take it from him.

This, then, is their horrid counsel and device--that each one of their gods should kill his antecessor.