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« on: March 14, 2018, 05:55:17 PM »
240. The cross is a religious emblem in each system.
241. Both glory in “ the religion of the cross” as better than a religion without suffering.
242. Hence both teach “ the greater the cross the greater the crown.”
243. Earthly pleasures are regarded as evil by both.
244. Contempt for the body as an enemy to the soul is visi- ble in both.
245. Retirement for religious contemplation is a duty with each.
246. The forsaking of relations is also enjoined by each.
247. Spiritual relationship is superior to external relationship with both.
248. “ To die is great gain ” we are taught by each.
249. A subjugation of the passions is a religious duty with each.
250. The road to heaven is a narrow one with each.
251. The same state of religious perfection is aspired to by the disciples of each.
Y. The Doctrine of Faith or Belief.
252. Faith is an all-important element and doctrine with each.
253. Heresy, or want of faith, is a sin of great magnitude with both.
254. Faith in the Savior is a condition to salvation by both.
255. Confessing the Savior is also required in both cases.
256. “Believe or be damned ” is the condition, or profess to believe the terrible sine qua non to salvation by each.
257. Skeptics or unbelievers are with both the chief of sin- ners.
258. “ Faith can remove mountains,” either with a Budhist or a Christian.
259. Both contrast faith with works.
260. Faith without works is dead — so teach both Budhists and Christians. 236
THE WORLD'S SAVIORS.
VI. The Doctrine and Practice of Prayer.
261. Prayer is an important rite in each religion.
262. Private or secret prayer is recommended by both.
263. Each has also a formula of prayer.
264. “ Pray without ceasing is a Budhist as well as a Chris- tian injunction.
265. Praying to their respective Saviors in sickness and in health is a custom with both.
266. The custom of praying for the dead is recognized in each system.
VII. Treatment of Enemies.
267. It is a Hindoo as well as a Christian injunction to treat enemies kindly.
268. Passive submission to injuries and abuse is enjoined by both.
269. The holy Scriptures of both require us to pray for en- emies, and feed them.
270. And even love to enemies is a part of the spirit of each religion.
VIII. The Millennium.
271. Hindoos, like Christians, prophesy of a great millen- nial era.
272. There is a remarkable similarity in their notions with respect to it.
273. Both anticipate a second advent or new Savior on the occasion.
274. The destruction of the world also is to take place in both cases.
275. And an entire renovation and a new order of things are to be established in each case.
IX. Miracles.
276. There is almost a constant display of miraculous powef in each system. CHRIST AND CHRISHNA. 237
277. The disciples of both are professedly endowed with this power.
278. Miraculous cures of the lame, the 'Wind, and the sick are reported in both cases.
279. Miracles of handling poisonous reptiles with impunity are reported by both.
280. Swallowing deadly poison is enjoined by Christians and practiced by Hindoos.
281. Many cases of the miraculous ejection of devils are re- ported by both.
282. The miracle of thought-reading is displayed by both.
283. The saints in both cases are reported as raising the dead.
X. Precepts.
284. “The kingdom of heaven” was to be sought first of all things in each case.
285. Love to God is a paramount obligation under each sys- tem.
286. And the worship of God is an essential requisition in each religious polity.
287. “ Cease to do evil and learn to do well ” is virtually en- joined by each.
288. An inward knowledge of God is taught as essential by both systems.
289. A reliance on works is discouraged by both.
290. Purity of heart is inculcated by Hindoos as well as Christians.
291. Speak and think evil of no man is a gospel injunction of each.
292. A love of all beings is more prominently the spirit of Budhism than that of Christianity.
293. The practice of strict godly virtue is enjoined by both.
294. Moderation and temperance are recommended by both.
295. Patience is a virtue in each religion.
296. The duty of controlling our thoughts is taught by each.
297. Charity has a high appreciation by each. 238
THE WORLD'S SAVIORS.
298. Both make the poor special objects of attention.
299. The practice of hospitality is recommended by each.
300. Humility is a duty and a virtue under both systems.
301. Mirthfulness or light conversation is forbidden by each,
302. Purity of life is a duty with Hindoos as well as Chris- tians.
303. Chasteness in conversation is inculcated by both.
304. “Respect to persons” is a sin in the moral polity of both.
305. Alms-giving is religiously enjoined by the holy Scrip- tures of both.
306. Both teach that “ it is better to give than to receive.”
307. Loyalty to rulers is a moral requisition of each system
308. Honor to father and mother is esteemed a great virtue by both.
309. The correct training of children is with each a scrip- tural duty.
310. “ Look not upon a woman ” is more than hinted by each.
311. The reading of the holy Scriptures is enjoined by both.
312. Lying or falsehood is with each a sin of great magni- tude.
313. Swearing is discountenanced by both religions.
314. Theft or stealing is specially condemned by both.
315. Both deprecate and condemn the practice of war.
316. Both discountenance fighting.
317. Neither of them professes to believe in slavery.
318. Drunkenness and the use of wine are more specifically condemned by the Hindoo religion.
319. Adultery and fornication are heinous sins in the eyes of both.
320. Both condemn covetousness as a great sin.
321. Budhists more practically condemn anger than Chris- tians do.
XI. Miscellaneous Analogies.
322. Both have their apocryphal as well as their canonical Scriptures. CHRIST AND CHRISHNA.
239
323. Stories are found in the bible of each which would be rejected if found elsewhere.
324. Both make their bible a finality in matters of faith.
325. Both have had their councils and commentaries to reveal their bibles over again.
326. Numerous schisms, divisions, sects, and creeds have sprung up in each.
327. Various religious reforms have sprung up under each.
328. Conversion from one religious sect to another is common to both.
329. Both religions have been troubled with numerous skep- tics or infidels.
330. Both have often resorted to new interpretations for their bibles to suit the times.
331. The unconverted are stigmatized by each.
332. “Knock and it shall be opened” is the invitation of each.
333. Public confession of sins in class-meetings is known to each.
334. Death-bed repentance often witnessed under both reli- gious systems.
335. A belief in haunted houses incident to the religious countries of both.
336. A superior respect for women claimed by each.
337. An idolatrous veneration for religious ancestors by each.
338. Both sustain a numerous horde of expensive priests.
339. A divine call or illumination to preach claimed by each.
340. Religious martyrdom the glory of each.
341. Both have encountered “perils by sea and land” for their religion.
342. He who loseth his life (for his religion) shall find it, say both.
343. Both in ancient times suffered much persecution.
344. The disciples of both have suffered death without flinch- ing from the faith.
345. Each sent numerous missionaries abroad to pieach and convert. 240
THE WORLD'S SAVIORS.
346. And, finally, each cherished the hope of converting the world to their religion.
The author has in his possession historical quotations to prove the truth of each one of the above parallels. He has all the historical facts on which they were constructed found in and drawn from the sacred books of the Hindoo religion and the works of Christian writers descriptive of their religion. But they would swell the present volume to unwieldy dimensions, and far beyond its proper and prescribed limits, to present them here; they are therefore reserved for the second volume, and may be published in pamphlet form also.
In proof of the correctness of the foregoing comparative analogies, we will now summon the testimony of various au- thors setting forth the historical character of the Hindoo God Chrishna, and the essential nature of his religion, so far as it approximates in its doctrines and moral teachings to the Chris- tian religion. We will first hear from Colonel Wiseman, for ten years a Christian missionary in India.
“ There is one Indian (Hindoo) legend of considerable im- portance,” says this writer. . . . “ This is the story of Chrishna, the Indian Apollo. In native legends he is represented as an Avatar, or incarnation of the Divinity. At his birth, choirs of Devitas (angels) sung hymns of praise, while shepherds sur- rounded his cradle. It was necessary to conceal his birth from the tyrant ruler, Cansa, to whom it had been foretold that the infant Savior should destroy him. The child escaped with his parents beyond the coast of Lamouna. For a time he lived in obscurity, and then commenced a public life distinguished for prowess and beneficence. He washed the feet of the Brahmins, and preached the most excellent doctrines; but at length the power of his enemies prevailed. . . . Before dying, he foretold the miseries which would take place in the Cali-yuga, or wicked age (Dark Age) of the world.”
“ Chrishna (says another writer) taught his followers that they alone were the true believers of the saving faith; throwing down the barriers of caste, and elevating the dogmas of their faith above the sacerdotal class, he admitted every one who CHRIST AND CIIRISHNA.
241
felt an inward desire to the ministry to the preaching of their religion. A system thus associating itself with the habits, feel- ings, and personal advantages of its disciples could not fail to make rapid progress.” (Upham’s History. Doctrines of Budhism.)
“Budhism inculcates benevolence, tenderness, forgiveness of injuries, and love of enemies; and forbids sensuality, love of pleasure, and attachment to worldly objects.” (Judson.)
“ At the moment of his (Chrishna’s) conception a God left heaven to enter the womb of his mother (a virgin). Imme- diately after his birth he was recognized as a divine personage, and it was predicted that he would surpass all previous divine incarnations in holiness. Every one adored him, saluting him as ‘ the God of Gods.’ When twenty years of age he went into a desert, and lived there in the austerest retirement, pov- erty, simplicity, and virtue, spending his whole time in religious cohtemplation. He was tempted in various ways, but his self- denial resisted all the seductive approaches of sin. He declared, ‘ Religion is my essence.’ He experienced a lively opposition from the priests attached to the ancient creeds (as Christ sub- sequently did). But he triumphed over all his enemies after holding a discussion with them (as Christ did with the doctors in the Temple). He revised the existing code of morals and the social law. He reduced the main principles of morality to four, viz.: mercy, aversion to cruelty, unbounded sympathy for all animated beings, and the strictest adherence to the moral law. He also gave a decalogue of commandments, viz.: 1. Not to kill. 2. Not to steal. 3. To be chaste. 4. Not to testify falsely. 5. Not to lie. 6. Not to swear. 7. To avoid all impure words. 8. To be disinterested. 9. Not to take re- venge. 10. And not to be superstitious. This code of morals was firmly established in the hearts of his followers.” (Abridged from Hardy’s Manual of Budhism.)
“ It was prophesied in olden times that a person would arise and redeem Hindostan from 4the yoke of bondage.’ ‘At mid- night, when the birth of Chrishna was taking place, the clouds emitted low music, and poured down a rain of flowers. The celestial child was greeted with hymns by attending spirits.
16 242
THE WORLD'S SAVIORS.
The room was illuminated by his light, and the countenances of his father and mother emitted rays of glory, and they bowed in worship.’ ‘ The people believed he was a God.’ They eager- ly caught the words which fell from his lips, which taught his divine mission, and they called him the ‘Holy One,’ and finally the ‘ Living God.’ lie performed miraculous cures. At his birth a marvelous light illumed the earth. His followers bap- tized, and performed miraculous cures. And he, when a child, attracted attention by his miracles. While attending the herds with his foster-father a great serpent poisoned the river, which caused the death of cows and shepherd-boys when they drank of it, whom Chrishna restored to life by a look of divine power. His life was devoted to mercy and charity. He left paradise from pure compassion, to die for suffering sinners. He sought to lead men to better paths and lives of virtue and rectitude. He suffered to atone for the sins of the world; and the sinner, through faith in him, can be saved. Christ and Chrishna both taught the equality of man. Prayers addressed to Chrishna were after this fashion : ‘ O thou Supreme One! thy essence is inscrutable. Thou art all in all. The understanding of man cannot reach thy Almighty Power. I, who know nothing, fly to thee for protection. Show mercy unto me, and enable me to see and know thee.’ Chrishna replies, ‘Have faith in me. No one who worships me can perish. Address thyself to me as the only asylum. I will deliver thee from sin. I am ani- mated with equal benevolence toward all beings. I know neither hatred nor partiality. Those who adore me devoutly are in me and I in them’”—“Christ within you the hope of glory.” (Abridged from Mr. Tuttle.)
“ If we consider that Budhism proclaimed the equality of all men and women in the sight of God, that it denounced the impious pretensions of the most mischievous priesthood the world ever saw, and that it inculcated a pure system of practi- cal morality, we must admit that the innovation was as advan- tageous as it was extensively spread and adopted.” (Hue’s Journey through China, chap, v.)
“ To Chrishna the Hindoos were indebted for a code of pure and practical morality, which inculcated charity and chastity, CHRIST AND CHRISHNA.
243
performance of good works, abstinence from evil, and general kindness to all living things.” (Cunningham.)
“ Budhism never confounds right and wrong, and never ex- cuses any sin.” (Catharine Beecher.)
“ He (Chrishna) honored humanity by his virtues.” (St. Hi- laire.)
“ It is probable that every incident in his (Chrishna’s) life is founded in fact, which, if separated from surrounding fable, would afford a history that would scarce have an equal in the importance of the lessons it would teach.” (Hardy’s Manual of Budhism.)
“ He (Chrishna) undertakes and counsels a constant struggle against the body. In his eyes the body is the enemy of man’s soul (as Paul thought when he spoke of ‘our vile bodies’)- He aims to subdue the body and the burning passions which consume it. . . . He requires humility, disregard of worldly wealth, patience and resignation in adversity, love to enemies, religious tolerance, horror at falsehood, avoidance of frivolous conversation, consideration and esteem for women, sanctity of the marriage relation, non-resistance to evil, confession of sins, and conversion.” (St. Hilaire.)
“Budhism has been called the Christianity of the East.” (Abel Remuset.)
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THE WORLD'S SAVIORS.
16. The father of Chrishna, as well as that of Christ, was a carpenter.
17. God is claimed as the real father in both cases.
18. A Spirit or Ghost was the author of the conception of each.
19. There was rejoicing on earth when each Savior was born.
20. There was also joy in heaven at the birth and advent of each.
21. Chrishna, as well as Christ, was of royal descent.
22. Their mothers were both reputedly pious women.
23. The names of two mothers are somewhat similar — Mary and Maia.
24. Each has a special female friend — Elizabeth in the one case, and the wife of Nanda in the other.
25. Neither Savior was born in a house, but both in obscure situations.
26. Both were born on the 25th of December.
27. Both, at birth, were visited by wise men and shepherds.
28. The visitors conducted by a star in each case.
29. The rite of purification observed by the mothers of each.
30. An angel warning of impending danger in each case.
31. The incumbent ruler was hostile in each case.
32. A bloody decree in each case for the destruction of the infant Savior.
33. A flight of the parents takes place in both cases.
34. The parents of one sojourned at Muturea, the other at Mathura.
35. Each Savior had a forerunner—John the Baptist in one case, Bali Rama in the other.
36. Both were preternaturally smart in childhood.
37. Each disputed with and vanquished learned opponents.
38. Both became objects of search by their parents.
39. And both occasioned anxiety, if not sorrow, to their parents.
40. The mother of each had other children — that is, chil- dren begotten by man as well as God.
41. Both Saviors retired to, and spent considerable time in, \he wilderness. CHRIST AND CHRISHNA.
227
42. The religious rite of “fasting” was practiced by each Savior.
43. Each delivered a noteworthy sermon, or series of moral lessons.
44. Chrishna, as well as Christ, was called and considered God.
45. Each was both God and the Son of God (so regarded).
46. “ Savior ” was one of the divine titles of each.
47. Each was designated “ the Savior of man,” “ the Savior of the world,” &c.
48. Both expressed a desire to “ save all.”
49. Each sustained the character of a Messiah.
50. Chrishna, as well as Christ, was a Redeemer.
51. Each Savior was called “ Shepherd.”
52. Both were believed to be the Creator of the world.
53. Each is sometimes spoken of, also, as only an agent in the creation.
54. Both were the “ Light and Life ” of men.
55. Each “ brought life and immortality to light.”
56. Both are represented as “ the seed of the woman bruis- ing the serpent’s head ”
57. Was Christ a “ Dispenser of grace,” so was the Hindoo Savior.
58. One was “the lion of the tribe of Judah,” the other “the lion of the tribe of Sakia.”
59. Christ was “the Beginning and the End,” Chrishna “ the Beginning, the Middle, and the End.”
60. Both proclaimed, “ I am the Resurrection.”
61. Each was “ the way to the Father.”
62. Both represented emblematically “the Sun of Righteous- ness.”
63. Each is figuratively represented as being “all in all.”
64. Both speak of having existed prior to human birth.
65. A dual existence — an existence in both heaven and earth at once — is claimed by or for both.
66. Chrishna, as well as Christ, was “ without sin.”
67. Both assumed the divine prerogative of forgiving sins.
68. The mission of each was to deliver from sin. 228
THE WORLD'S SAVIORS.
69. Both came to destroy the devil and his works.
70. The doctrine of the “ atonement ” is practically realized in each case.
71. Each made a voluntary offering for the sins of the world.
72. Both were human as well as divine.
78. Chrishna, as well as Christ, was worshiped as God abso- lute.
74. Each was regarded as “the Lord from heaven.”
75. Chrishna, as well as Christ, had applied to him all the attributes of God.
76. Was Christ omniscient, so was Chrishna.
77. Was one omnipotent, so was the other (so believed).
78. And both are represented as being omnipresent.
79. Each was believed to be divinely perfect.
80. Was one “ Lord of lords,” so was the other.
81. Each embodied the “power and wisdom of God.”
82. All power was committed unto each (so claimed).
83. Chrishna performed many miracles as well as Christ.
84. One of the first miracles of each was the cure of a leper.
85. Each healed “ all manner of diseases.”
86. The work of casting out devils constitutes a part of the mission of each.
87. Each practically proved his power to raise the dead.
88. A miracle appertaining to a tree is related of both.
89. Both could read the thoughts of the people.
90. The power to detect and eject evil spirits was claimed by both.
91. Both had the keys or control of death.
92. Each led an extraordinary life.
93. Each had a character for supernatural greatness.
94. Both possessed or claimed a oneness with the Father.
95. A “ oneness with his Lord and Master” is claimed, also, for the disciples of each.
96. A strong reciprocal affection between Master and disciple *n each case.
97. Each offers to shoulder the burdens of his disciples.
98. A portion of the life of each was spent in preaching.
99. Both made converts by their miracles and preaching. CHRIST AND CHRISTINA.
229
100. A numerous retinue of believers springs up in each case.
101. Both had commissioned apostles to proclaim their reli- gion.
102. Each was an innovator upon the antecedent religion.
103. A beautiful reform in religion was inaugurated by each Savior.
104. Each opposed the existing popular priesthood.
105. Both abolished the law of lineal descent in the ancient priesthood.
106. Each was an object of conspiracy by his enemies.
107. Humility and external poverty distinguished the life of each.
108. Each denounced riches and rich men, and loathed and detested wealth.
109. Both had a character for meekness.
110. Chastity or unmarried life was a distinguishing charac- teristic of each.
111. Mercy was a noteworthy characteristic of each.
112. Both were censured for associating with sinners.
113. Each was a special friend to the poor.
114. A poor widow woman receives marked attention by each.
115. Each encounters a gentile woman at a well.
116. Both submitted unresistingly to injuries and insults.
117. General practical philanthropy and impartiality marks the life of each Savior.
118. Each took more pleasure in repentant sinners than in virtuous saints.
119. Both practically disclosed God’s attempt to reconcile the world to himself.
120. The closing incidents in the earth-life of each were strikingly similar:
121. A memorable last supper marked the closing career of both.
122. Both were put to death by “ wicked hands.”
123. Chrishna, as well as Christ, was crucified.
124. Darkness attended the crucifixion of each.
125. Both were crucified between two thieves. 230
THE WORLD'S SAVIORS.
126. Each is reported to have forgiven his enemies.
127. The age of each at death corresponds (being between thirty and thirty-six years).
128. Each, after giving up the ghost, descends into hell.
129. The resurrection from the dead is a marked period in the history of each.
180. Each ascends to heaven after his resurrection.
131. Many people are reported to have witnessed the ascen sion in each case.
132. Each is reported as having both descended and ascended.
133. The head of each, while living on earth, was anointed with oil.
II. Doctrines.
134. There is a similarity in the doctrines of their respective religions.
135. The same doctrines are propagated by the disciples of each.
136. The doctrine of future rewards and punishments is a part of each system.
137. Analogous views of heaven are found in each system.
138. A third heaven is spoken of in each system.
139. All sin must be punished according to the bible teach- ings of each.
140. Each has a hell provided for the wicked.
141. Both teach a hell of darkness and a hell of light.
142. An immortal worm finds employment in the hell of each system (“the worm that dieth not”).
143. The arch-demon of the under world uses brimstone for fuel in one case, and oil in the other.
144. The motive for future punishment is in both cases the same.
145. Each has a purgatory or sort of half-way house.
146. Special divine judgments on nations are taught by each.
147. A great and final day of judgment is taught by each.
148. A general resurrection also is taught in each religion.
149. That there is a “ Judge of the dead ” is a doctrine o/ ?ach. CHRIST AND CHRISHNA.
231
150. Two witnesses are to report on human actions in tho final assizes.
151. We are furnished in each case with the dimension of heaven or “ the holy city.”
152. Man is enjoined to strive against temptation to sin by each.
153. And repentance for sin is a doctrine taught by the bible of each.
154. Each has a prepared city for a paradise.
155. The bibles of both teach that we have no continuing city here.
156. Souls are carried to heaven by angels, as in the instance of Lazarus, in each case.
157. A belief in angels or spirits is a tenet of each religion.
158. The doctrine of fallen or evil angels is found in both systems.
159. Obsession by wicked or evil spirits is taught by each.
160. Both teach that sickness or disease is caused by evil spirits.
161. Each has a king-devil or arch-demon with a posse of subalterns or evil spirits.
162. Both bibles record the story of a “ hellaballoo ” or war in heaven.
163. Both teach that an evil man can neither do nor speak a good thing.
164. Both teach that sin is a disadvantage in the present life as well as in the future.
165. The doctrine of free will or free agency is taught by each.
166. Predestination seems to be inferentially taught by each.
167. In each case man is a prize in a lottery, with God and the devil for ticket-holders.
168. Both make the devil (or devils) a scape-goat for sin.
169. Both teach the devil or evil spirits as the primary cause of all evil.
170. The destiny of both body and soul is pointed out by each. 232
THE WORLD'S SAVIORS.
171. The true believers are known as “saints” under both systems.
172. Saints with u white robes ” are spoken of by each.
173. Both specify “ the Word or Logos ” as God.
174. Wisdom, too, is personified as God by the holy Scrip- tures of each.
175. Both teach that God may be known by his works.
176. The doctrine of one supreme God is taught in each bible.
177. Light and truth are important words in the religious nomenclature of each.
178. Both profess a high veneration for truth.
179. “ Where the treasure is, there is the heart also,” is taught by each.
180. “ Seek and ye shall find” is a condition prescribed by each.
181. Religious toleration is a virtue professed by both.
182. All nations are professedly based on an equality by each.
183. Both, however, enjoin partiality to “the household of faith.”
184. The doors of salvation are thrown open to high and low, rich and poor, by each.
185. Each professes to have “the only true and saving faith.”
186. There is a mystery in the mission of each Savior.
187. “ Rama ” is a well-known word in the bible of each.
188. “The understanding of the wise'’ is a phrase in each.
189. Both speak figuratively of “ the blind leading the blind.”
190. “A new heaven and a new earth” is spoken of by each.
191. The doctrine of a Trinity in the Godhead is taught by each.
192. Baptism by water is a tenet and ordinance of each.
193. “ Living water ” is a metaphor found in each.
194. Baptism by fire seems also to be recognized by each.
195. Fasting is emphatically enjoined by each.
196. Sacrifices are of secondary importance in each system, and are partially or wholly abandoned by each.
197. The higher law is paramount to ceremonies in each religion.
198. The bible of each religion literally condemns idolatry. CHRIST AND CHRISHNA.
233
199. Botli also make concessions to idolatry
200. Polygamy is not literally encouraged nor openly con- demned by either.
201. The power to forgive sins is conferred on the disciples of each.
202. The doctrine of blasphemy is recognized by each.
203. Pantheism, or the reciprocal in-being of God in nature and nature in God, is taught by both.
III. Bibles and Holy Scriptures.
204. Each has a bible which is the idolized fountain of all religious teaching.
205. Both have an Old Testament and a New Testament^ virtually.
206. The New Testament inaugurates a new and reform sys- tem of religion in each case.
207. /‘All Scripture is given by inspiration of God” is the faith of the disciples of each.
208. Each system claimed to have its inspired men to write its scriptures.
209. Both hold a spiritual qualification necessary to under- stand their bibles.
210. It is a sin to become “ wise beyond what is written ” in their respective bibles.
211. Both recommend knowing the Scriptures in youth.
212. Alteration of their respective bibles is divinely inter- dicted.
213. The bible is an infallible rule of faith and practice in both cases.
214. “ All Scripture is profitable for doctrine ” is the faith of each.
215. Both explain away the errors of their bibles.
IY. Spirituality of the two Religions.
216. The religion of Chrishna is pre-eminently spiritual ao less than Christ’s. 234
THE WORLD'S SAVIORS.
217. Both teach that “to be carnally minded is death.”
218. External rites are practically dispensed with in each religion.
219. The spiritual law written on the heart is recognized by each.
220. “ God is within you,” Budhists teach as well as Chris- tians.
221. Both recognize an invisible spiritual Savior.
222. “God dwells in the heart,” say Hindoos as well as Christians.
223. An inward recognition of the divine law is amply seen in both.
224. Both confess allegiance to an inward monitor.
225. The doctrine of inspiration and internal illumination is found in both.
226. The indwelling Comforter is believed in by both.
227. Both also teach that religion is an inward work.
228. Both speak of being born again —i. e., the second birth.
229. A spiritual body is also believed in by both.
230. “ Spiritual things are incomprehensible to the natural man,” say each.
231. God’s spiritually sustaining power Budhists also ac- knowledge.
232. Both give a spiritual interpretation to their bibles.
233. Each has a new and more interior law superseding the old law.
234. The spiritual cross — self-denial or asceticism — is a prominent feature of each religion.
235. The duty of renouncing and abandoning the external world is solemnly enjoined by each.
236. Budhists renounce the world more practically than Christians.
237. Withdrawal or seclusion from society is recommended by each.
238. Bodily suffering as a benefit to the soul is encouraged by each.
239. Voluntary suffering for righteousness’ sake is a virtue with each. CHRIST AND CHRISHNA.
235
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tianity were the same religion, the former name being used at an earlier period. Hear Eusebius, a standard ecclesiastical writer of the fourth century. He asserts positively, “ Those ancient Therapeuts (Essenes) were Christians, and their ancient writings were our Gospels.” (Eccl. Hist. p. 63.) Hark! hark ! my good Christian reader, here is one of your own sworn wit- nesses testifying that the Essenes originated and established the Christian religion; i. e., the religion now known by that name. Will you then give it up? If not, we have other testimony of a similar character, rendering the proposition still stronger. Robert Taylor declares, “The learned Basnage has shown that the Essenes were really Christians centuries before Christ, and that they were actually in possession of those very writings which are now our Gospels and Epistles.” (P. 81.) And then we have the declaration of the author of “Christ the Spirit” (p. 110), that “the Christians were the later Essenes — that is, the Essenes of the time of Eusebius under a changed name, that name having been made at Antioch, where the dis- ciples were first called Christian ” The same writer suggests that “ their sacred books are our sacred books.” We will now hear Eusebius again: “It is highly probable that their (the Essenes’) ancient commentaries, which Philo says the Essenes have, are the very Gospels and writings of the apostles.” Based upon this conclusion, he calls the Essenes “the first heralds of the gospel” “I find it, therefore, most probable,” says Mr. Weilting, “that Jesus and John belonged literally to the society of the Essenes.” And then the New American Cyclopedia furnishes us with the testimony of a very able English author of the last century (De Quincy), who concurs with all the writers cited above. “Mr. De Quincy (it says; identified the Essenes as being the early Christians; i. e., the early Christians were known as Essenes. Such testimony, coming from such a source, is entitled to much weight.” (Yol. i. p. 157.) And to the same effect is the testimony of Bishop Marsh, who admits that our Gospels were drawn from those of the Essenes. (See his edition of Michaelis’ translation of the New Testament.)
Thus far historical writers. We will now lay before the reader some historical facts, fraught with unanswerable logical potency, CHRISTIANITY'S ANCIENT DERIVATION 219
and pointing to the same conclusion. It is a fact, and one of deep logical import, and tending to corroborate the conclusion of some of the writers cited above, who tell us the Christian Gospels were first composed by the Essenes; that the language in which those Gospels were originally written was Greek, the language in which the Alexandrian Essenes always wrote, while the evangelical writers, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, being illiterate fishermen, could have had no knowledge of any but the Jewish, their own mother-tongue, — at least it is suscep- tible of satisfactory proof that they never wrote in any other language. Hence the conclusion is irresistible that they were not the original authors of the Gospels. The works of several authors are now lying at our elbow, who express the conviction unequivocally that the Gospels were copied, if not translated, from older writings. Mr, Le Clerc, one of the ablest writers of his time, maintained this position, and did it ably. Another writer, a Mr. Hatfield, was awarded a prize in 1793, by. the theological faculty of Gottingen, for an essay, in which the position was ably argued that Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were not the authors of the books which bear their names, but were mere copyists. Dr. Lessing and others concur with him in this conclusion. A circumstance confirming this verdict is found in the fact that the word church occurs in our Gospels, which were written before such an institution was established by those who were then called Christians.
“ Go tell it to the church ” (Matt, xviii. 17) was uttered before any steps had been taken by the then representatives of the Christian faith to organize such a body — an evidence this, that he alluded to the church of the Essenes, as there were no other churches in existence at the time; which leaves the inference patent and irresistible that he and his disciples were Essenes, perhaps then under the changed name of Christians. Centuries prior to that era the Essenes had not only churches, but their whole ecclesiastical nomenclature of bishops, deacons, elders, priests, disciples, scriptures, gospels, epistles, psalms, hymns, mystery, allegory, &c. If Christianity was re-established in the days of Christ and his apostles, they had nothing to originate, either with respect to doctrines, precepts, church 220
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polity, or ecclesiastical terras — all being established for them centuries before that era. With these facts in view, it seems impossible that the two religious orders — Essenes and Chris- tians— could have been in existence at the same time as sepa- rate institutions. The former must have ended when the latter commenced. Josephus says “ The Essenes were scattered far and wide, and were in every city,” being quite numerous in Judea in his time. But he makes no reference to any sect or religious order by the title of Christian — a strong inferential evidence, upon sound priori reasoning, that Christianity as yet was sailing under another name. Josephus must have known and named the fact, had there been a Christian sect or disciple there bearing that name. Impossible otherwise. We are then (upon the logical force of these and many other facts) driven to the conclusion that Christianity began when Essenism ended, and the change was only in name. I challenge the whole Christian world to find the historical proof that Christian- •ity commenced one hour before the termination of Essenism, or of Essenism overlapping the Christian religion so far as to survive one day beyond or after its birth. I will confront them with the logic of dates, and defy them to find any proof except their own unauthorized, unauthenticated, and fictitious chro- nology, that a Christian was ever known in any country by that name prior to the time of Tacitus, 104 A. D., who is the first of the three hundred writers of that era that makes any men- tion of Christianity, Christ, or a Christian. This was long after Josephus’ time, which accounts most satisfactorily for his omitting any allusion to Christ or Christianity. That religion had not yet dropped the name of Essenism and adopted that of Christianity.
Now, hard indeed must distorted reason fight the ramparts of logic and history to resist the conviction, in view of the fore- going facts, that Christianity is simply an outcropping of Esse- nism, either direct or through Budhism. And even if it were possible to prove that the two religions never became welded together, yet it is not possible to disprove the striking iden- tity of their doctrines, and the spirit of their precepts, and the practical lives of their disciples. And this identity, coupled CHRISTIANITY'S ANCIENT DERIVATION 221
with the fact that Essenism is the older system, is of itself most superlatively fatal to all pretension or claim to originality for the doctrines of the Christian faith. It is a matter of no impor- tance whether Christianity was originally known by another name, so long as it can be shown that its doctrines had all been preached and proclaimed to the world centuries prior to the date assigned for its origin. And this is proved by the long list of parallelisms presented in the incipient pages of this chap- ter. And this proof explodes the pretensions of Christianity to an “ original divine revelation,” and brings it down to a level with pagan orientalism. And the fact that it sprang up in a country where its doctrine had long been taught by pagans and orientalists, must produce the conviction, deep and indeli- ble, in all unbiased minds, that orientalism was the mother and heathenism the father of the Christian religion, even in the absence of any other proof. In fact, no other proof can be needed. And what are the arguments, it may be well here to inquire, with which orthodox Christians attempt to meet, com- bat, and vanquish the overwhelming mass of historical facts and historical testimonies we have presented in preceding pages, tending to prove and demonstrate the oriental origin of their religion and its identity with Essenism? Their whole argument is comprised in the naked postulate of the Rev. Mr. Prideaux, D. D., that “ the Essenes did not believe in the resur- rection of the physical body (but believed in a spiritual resur- rection), and omit from their creed the Trinity and Incarna- tion doctrine, and therefore they could not have been the originators of the Christian religion; ” but this argument is as easily demolished as a cobweb, as the following facts will prove: —
1. We have but a fragment of the Essenian religion, — but one end of their creed, — mere scraps furnished us by Philo, Josephus, and Pliny. We have none of their sacred books apart from the Christian New Testament.
2. They had secret books, as we have shown, in which doc- trines were taught which they regarded as too sacred to be thrown before the public, as “ pearls before swine.” And no doctrines were regarded as more sacred or secret in that age 222
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than the doctrines of the Trinity and Incarnation. Christ’s injunction, “See thou tell no man,” was probably their motto, which prevented the publicity of a portion of their doctrines. And as their sacred books, containing their doctrines, perished with the extinction of the sect (except those now found in the Christian New Testament), a full knowledge of their doctrines, therefore, never reached the public mind. All religious sects had secret doctrines, designated as “ Mysteries of Godliness,” including the principal Jewish sects and the earliest Christian churches. It is, therefore, highly probable that if we were in possession of all their sacred books, we would be in possession of the proof that they believed and taught in their monasteries the doctrines above named. But we are not left to mere infer- ence that the Essenes’ creed did include the doctrines of the Trinity and the Divine Incarnation. We find skeletons of these doctrines scattered along the line of their history. Philo himself, an Essene teacher, most distinctly teaches the doctrine of “the Incarnation of the Divine Word or Logos.” And “Son of God,” “ Mediator,” “ Intercessor,” and “ Messiah,” were familiar words with him. The idea often reappears in his writings, that the “Word could become flesh;” that the Son of God could appear as a personality, and return to the bosom of the Father. Moreover, one writer informs us that the Essenes celebrated the birth and death of a Divine Savior as a “Mystery of Godliness.” And they claimed in their earlier history to be “forerunners of the Messiah” — a claim which would soon bring a Messiah before the world, that is, lead them to deify and worship some great man as “ The Messiah As for the doctrine of the Trinity, we have the authority of Eusebius that they taught this doctrine too. So that it is not true that they did not recognize these two prime articles of the Christian faith, the Incarnation and Trinity doctrines. Some modern Christians assert that the Essenes not only omitted to teach these doctrines, but that, on the other hand, they taught other doctrines not taught in the Christian New Testament. This is not improbable. For the Christian religion has been characterized by frequent changes in its doctrines in every stage of its practical history, as was also the Jewish religion CHRISTIANITY'S ANCIENT DERIVATION 225
which preceded it, and from which it emanated. Judaism is a perpetual series of changes. It changed even the name of its God from Elohim to Jehovah. Its leader and founder Abram was changed to Abraham, and his grandson and suc- cessor from Jacob to Israel. And we have the works of many Christian writers in our possession who prove by their own bible that the Jews made many changes in their religious polity and religious doctrines. This is more especially observable when they came in contact with nations teaching a different re- ligion. Their whole history shows they were prone to imitate, and borrow, and always did borrow on such occasions, and engraft the new doctrines thus obtained into their own creed, and thus effected important changes in their religion. We have the authority of Dr. Campbell for saying the Jews never believed and taught the doctrine of future punishment (and other doctrines that might be named) till after they were brought in contact with Persians in Babylon who had long taught these doctrines. (See Dissertation VI.) And Dr. En- field declares their theological opinions underwent thorough changes during this period of seventy years’ captivity. Even their national title was changed at one period from Israelites to Jews. With all these changes of names, titles, and doctrines in view, it is not incredible that one of the Jewish sects should change its name from Essenes to Christians, and with this change modify some of the doctrines. And more especially as their title, according to Dr. Ginsburg, had been changed before from Chassidim to Essenes. And PLilo at one period calls them Therapeuts, while Eusebius say^j the Therapeuts were Christians. Put this and that together, and the question is forever settled.
Now, with all this overwhelming mass of historical evidence before us, “ piled mountain high,3’ tending to prove the truth of the proposition that Christianity is the offspring and out- growth of ancient Judean Essenism, we feel certain that no sophistry, from interested charlatans or stereotyped creed worshipers, can stave off or obliterate the conviction in un- prejudiced minds, that the proposition is most amply proven. 224
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We will now collate Christianity with another ancient re« ligious system, which we are certain it will not be disputed, after the comparison is critically examined, contains the sum total of the doctrines and teachings of Christianity in all their details. CHRIST AND CHRISHNA.
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CHAPTER XXXII.
THREE HUNDRED AND FORTY-SIX STRIKING ANALOGIES BETWEEN CHRIST AND CHRISHNA.
I. Their Miraculous History and Leading Principles.
1. The advent of each Savior was miraculously foretold by prophets.
2. The fallen and degenerate condition of the human race is taught in the religion of each.
3. A plan of restoration or salvation is provided for in each case.
4. A divine Savior is considered necessary in both cases.
5. The necessity of atoning for sin is taught in the religion of each.
6. A God, or Son of God, is selected as the victim for the atoning sacrifice in each case.
7. This God is sent down from heaven in each case in the form of a man.
8. The God or Savior in each case is the second person of the Trinity.
9. Chrishna, as well as Christ, was held to be really God in- carnate.
10. The mission of each Savior is the same.
11. There is a resemblance in name — Chrishna and Christ.
12. Chrishna, as well as Christ, was incarnated and born of a woman.
13. The mother in each case was a holy virgin.
14. The same peculiarities of a miraculous conception and birth are related of each.
15. Each had an adopted earthly father.
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Scripture parallel. “ If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”
22. “ Devoting themselves to the Lord, they provided not for future subsistence.”
Scripture parallel. “ Take no thought for the morrow, what ye shall eat and drink,” &c.
23. “ Regarding the body as a prison, they were ashamed to give it sustenance.” (c. ii. 71.)
Scripture parallel. “ Who shall change our vile bodies ? ” (Phil. iii. 21.)
24. “They spent nearly all their time in silent meditation and inward prayer.” (c. ii. 71.)
Scripture parallel. “ Men ought always to pray.” (Luke xviii. 1.) “ Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thess. v. 17.)
25. “ Believing the poor were the Lord’s favorites, they vowed perpetual chastity and poverty.” (c. ii. 71.)
Scripture parallel. “ Blessed be ye poor.” (Luke vi. 20.) “ Hath not God chosen the poor ? ” (James ii. 5.)
26. “ They devoted themselves entirely to contemplation in divine things.” (c. ii. 71.)
Scripture parallel. “ Meditate upon these (divine) things; give thyself wholly to them.” (1 Tim. iv. 15.)
27. “ They fasted often, sometimes tasting food but once in three or even six days.”
Scripture parallel. Christ’s disciples were “ in fastings often.” (2 Cor. xi. 27; see also v. 34.)
28. “ They offered no sacrifices, believing that a serious and devout soul was most acceptable.” (c. ii. 71.)
Scripture parallel. “ There is no more offering for sin.” (Heb. x. 18.)
29. “They believed in and practiced baptizing the dead.” (c. ii. 71.)
Scripture parallel. “ Else what shall they do which are bap- tized for the dead.” (1 Cor. xv. 29.)
30. “ They gave a mystical sense to the Scriptures, disregard- ing the letter.”
Scripture parallel. 4 The letter killeth, but the spirit maketh alive.” (1 Cor. iii. 6.) CHRISTIANITY'S ANCIENT DERIVATION 211
31. “ They taught by metaphors, symbols, and parables.”
Scripture parallel. “ Without a parable spake he not unto
them.” (Matt. xiii. 34.)
32. “ They had many mysteries in their religion which they were sworn to keep secret.”
Scripture parallel. “ To you it is given to know the myste-
ries of the kingdom; to them it is not given.” (Matt. xiii. 11.) “ Great is the mystery of godliness.”
33. “ They had in their churches bishops, elders, deacons, and priests.”
Scripture parallel. “ Ordained elders in every church.” (Acts xiv. 23.) For “ deacon,” see 1 Tim. iii. 1.
34. “ When assembled together they would often sing psalms.”
Scripture parallel. “ Teaching and admonishing one another
in psalms.” (Col. iii. 16.)
35. “ They healed and cured the minds and bodies of those who joined them.”
Scripture parallel. “ Healing all manner of sickness,” &c. (Matt. iv. 23.)
36. “ They practiced certain ceremonial purifications by water.”
Scripture parallel. “ The accomplishment of the days of purification.” (Acts xxi. 26.)
37. “ They assembled at the Sabbath festivals clothed in white garments.”
Scripture parallel. “ Shall be clothed in white garments.” (Rev. iii. 4.)
38. “They disbelieved in the resurrection of the external body.”
Scripture parallel. “ It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.” (1 Cor. xv. 44.)
39. Pliny says, “ They were the only sort of men who lived without money and without women.”
Scripture parallel. “ The love of money is the root of all evil.” (1 Tim. vi. 10.) Christ’s disciples travelled without money and without scrip, and “ eschew the lusts of the flesh.”
40. “ They practiced the extremest charity to the poor.” (c. ii. 71.) 212
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Scripture parallel. “ Bestow all thy goods to feed the poor.* (1 Cor. xiii. 3.)
41. “ They were skillful in interpreting dreams, and in fore* telling future events.”
Scripture parallel. “Your sons and daughters shall proph- esy, and your old men shall dream dreams.” (Acts ii. 17.)
42. “ They believed in a paradise, . . . and in a place of never-ending lamentations.”
Scripture parallel. “Life everlasting.” (Gal. viii. 8.) “Weep- ing, wailing, and gnashing of teeth.” (Matt. xiii. 42.)
43. “ They affirmed,” says Josephus, “that God foreordained all the events of human life.”
Scripture parallel. “ Foreordained before the foundation of the world.” (1 Peter.)
44. “ They believed in Mediators between God and the souls of men.”
Scripture parallel. “One Mediator between God and men.” (1 Tim. ii. 5.)
45. “ They practiced the pantomimic representation of the death, burial, and resurrection of God ” — Christ the Spirit.
Scripture parallel. With respect to the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, see 1 Cor. xv. 4.
46. “ They inculcated the forgiveness of injuries.”
Scripture parallel. “Father, forgive them; for they know
not what they do.” (Luke xxiii. 34.)
47. “ They totally disapproved of all war.”
Scripture parallel. “ If my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight.” (John xviii. 36.)
48. “ They inculcated obedience to magistrates, and to the civil authorities.”
Scripture parallel. “ Obey them which have the rule over you.” (Heb. xiii. 17; xxvi. 65.)
49. “ They retired within themselves to receive interior rev- elations of divine truth.” (c. ii. 71.)
Scripture parallel. “ Every one of you hath a revelation.” (1 Cor. xiv. 26.)
50. “ They were scrupulous in speaking the truth.”
Scripture parallel. “ Speaking all things in truth.” (2 Cor
vii. 14.) CHRISTIANITY'S ANCIENT DERIVATION. 213
51. “ They perform many wonderful miracles.”
Scripture parallel. Many texts teach us that Christ and his apostles did the same.
52. “Essenism put all its members upon the same level, forbidding the exercise of authority of one over another.” (Dr. Ginsburg.)
Scripture parallel. Christ did the same. For proof, see Matt. xx. 25 ; Mark ix. 35.
53. “ Essenism laid the greatest stress on being meek and lowly in spirit.” (Dr. Ginsburg.)
Scripture parallel. See Matt. v. 5 ; ix. 28.
54. “ The Essenes commended the poor in spirit, those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, and the merciful, and the pure in heart.” (Dr. Ginsburg.)
Scripture parallel. For proof that Christ did the same, see Matt.
55. “.The Essenes commended the peacemakers.” (Dr. Gins- burg*)
Scripture parallel. “ Blessed are the peacemakers.”
56. “ The Essenes declared their disciples must cast out evil spirits, and perform miraculous cures, as signs and proof of their faith.” (Dr. Ginsburg.)
Scripture parallel. Christ’s disciples were to cast out devils, heal the sick, and raise the dead, &c., as signs and proof of their faith. (Mark xvi. 17.)
57. “ They sacrificed the lusts of the flesh to gain spiritual happiness.”
Scripture parallel. “You abstain from fleshly lusts.” (1 Peter ii. 11.)
58. “ The breaking of bread was a veritable ordinance among the Essenes.”
Scripture parallel. “ He (Jesus) took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it.” (Luke xxii. 19.)
59. “ The Essenes enjoined the loving of enemies.” (Philo.)
Scripture parallel. So did Christ say, “Love your ene- mies,” &c.
60. The Essenes enjoined, “Doing unto others as you would have them do unto you.” 214
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Scripture parallel. The Confucian golden rule, as taught by Christ.
This parallel might be extended much further, but we will proceed to present the reader with a general description of Essenism, as furnished us by Philo, Josephus, and some Chris- tian writers. Philo, who was born in Alexandria 20 B. C., and lived to 60 A. D., and who was himself an Essenian Jew, in his account of them, says, “ They do not lay up treasures of gold or silver, . . . but provide themselves only with the necessities of life.” Paul afterwards, having caught the same spirit, advises the same course of life. “Having food and raiment, therewith be content.” Contentment of mind they regarded as the greatest of riches. They make no instruments of war. They repudiate every inducement to covetousness, None are held as slaves, but all are free, and serve each other. They are in- structed in piety and holiness, righteousness, economy, &c. They are guided by a threefold rule: love of God, love of virtue, and love of mankind. Of their love of God they give innumer- able demonstrations, which is found in their constant and un- alterable holiness throughout the whole of their lives, their avoidance of oaths and falsehoods, and their firm belief that God is the source of all good, but of nothing evil. “ Of their love of virtue they give proof in their contempt for money, fame, and pleasures, their continence, easy satisfying of their wants, their simplicity, modesty,” &c. Their love of man is proved by their benevolence and equality, and their having all things in common, which is beyond all deception. They rever- ence and take care of the aged, as children do their parents. (Condensed from Philo’s treatise, “Every Virtuous Man is Free”)
Josephus, 37 A. D., and who was also at one time a member of the Essenian Brotherhood, furnishes another fragmentary account of the Essenes in his “Jewish Wars,” of which the fol- lowing is the substance : —
“ They love each other more than others (that is, are “ par- tial to the household of faith ” ) ; they despise riches, and havo all things in common, so that there is neither abjectness of poverty nor distinction of riches among them; they change CHRISTIANITY'S ANCIENT DERIVATION. 215
neither garments nor shoes till they are worn out or become unfit for use; they neither buy nor sell among themselves; their piety is extraordinary; they never speak about worldly matters before sunrise; they are girt about with a linen apron, and have a baptism of cold water; they eat but one kind of food at a time, and commence with a prayer, and the priest must say grace before any one eats (that is, breaks and blesses as Christ did) ; they also return thanks after eating, and then put off their white garments; strangers were made welcome at their tables, without money and without price; they give food to the hungry and the needy, and show mercy to all; they curb their passions, restrain their anger, and claim to be min- isters of peace; an oath they regard as worse than perjury; they excommunicate offenders (‘ Go tell it to the churches,’ says Christ) ; they condemn finery in dress; though condemn- ing in most solemn terms oaths, members were admitted to the secret brotherhood by an oath (c See thou tell no man,’ said Christ); they endured pain with heroic fortitude, and regarded an honorable death as better than long life; they read and study their Holy Scriptures from youth, often prophesy, and it was very seldom they failed in their predictions.”
Dr. Ginburg’s testimony, abridged, is as follows: —
“The Essenes had a high appreciation of the inspired law of God. The highest aim of their lives was to become fit temples of the Holy Ghost (see 1 Cor. vi. 19); also to perform miraculous cures, and to be spiritually qualified for forerunners of the Messiah. They taught the duty of mortifying the flesh and the lusts thereof, and to become meek and lowly in spirit; they answered by yea, yea, and nay, nay (see Matt.), scrupu- lously avoiding oaths; they avoided impure contact with the heathen and the world’s people, and lived retired from the world, being in numbers about four thousand ; they strove to be like the angels of heaven ; there were no rich and poor, or masters and servants, amongst them; they lived peaceably with all men; a mysterious silence was observed while eating; a solemn oath was required on becoming a member of the secret order, which required three things: 1. Love to God ; 2. Merciful justice to all men, and to avoid the wicked, and help 216
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the righteous; 3. Purity of character, which implied love of truth, .hatred of falsehood, and strict observance of4 the mys- teries of godliness’ to outsiders — that is,‘heathen and publi- cans;’ they endured suffering for righteousness’ sake, with rejoicings, and even sought it; regarding the body as a prison for the soul, they desired the time to come to escape from it; they recognized eight different stages of spiritual growth and perfection: 1. Bodily purity; 2 Celibacy; 3. Spiritual purity; 4. The suppression of anger and malice, and the cultivation of a meek,lowly spirit; 5. The attainment of true holiness; 6. Be- coming fit temples for the Holy Ghost; 7. The ability to per- form miraculous cures, and raise the dead; 8. Becoming fore- runners of the Messiah; and finally, they took a solemn vow to exercise piety toward God and justice toward all men, to hate the wicked, assist the good to keep clear of theft and un- righteous gains, to conceal none of their 6 mysteries of godli- ness’ from each other, or disclose them to others. c Great is the mystery of godliness ’ (‘ See thou tell no man ’); they w’ere to walk humbly with God, shun bad society, forgive their ene- mies, sacrifice their passions, and crucify the lusts of the flesh ; they disregarded bodily suffering, and even gloried in martyr- dom, preaching and singing to God amid their sufferings ; but in their domestic habits they were extremely filthy; they wore their clothes till they became ragged, filthy, and offensive, never changing them till they were worn out; their food consisted of bread and water, and wild roots and fruits of the palm tree ; they enjoined the duty, not only of forgiving enemies, but of seeking to benefit them, and of even blessing the destroyer who took life and property.” Such was the religion, such the moral system, such the devout piety, and such the practical lives of the Essenian Jews, a religious sect which flourished in Alexandria and Judea several hundred years before the birth of Christ, and went out of history the hour Christianity came in.
Now, as the foregoing exposition shows that Essenism and Christianity are most strikingly alike in all their essential features, that the former system contains nearly every impor- tant doctrine and precept of the Christian religion, the question occurs here as one of momentous import, How is this striking CHRISTIANITY'S ANCIENT DERIVATION. 217
resemblance, this identity of character of the two religions, to be accounted for ? Does it not go far toward proving that Christianity is an outgrowth, a legitimate offspring, of Judean Essenism ? Indeed, are we not absolutely driven to such a con- clusion? Let us briefly recite some of the important facts brought to light by the investigation of the character and his- tory of these two religions, and see if those facts do not bring them together, and weld them as one system — as one and the same religion.
1. Both are alike, and Essenism is much the older system.
2. Both religions are an outgrowth of Judaism.
3. Both were known and taught in Judea and in Alexan- dria.
4. Josephus living in Judea, and Philo in Alexandria, neither of them speaks of Christianity, or refers to any such religion by that name, and yet both describe a religion inculcating the same doctrines and moral precepts, which they call Esse- nism.
Is not this very nearly conclusive proof that Essenism was only another name for Christianity — that it had not yet changed its name to Christianity ? That famous standard author, Mr. Gib- bon, was evidently of this opinion when he said, “ Whether, indeed, the first of that sect (the Essenes) took the name of Christian when the appellation of Christian had as yet been nowhere announced, it is by no means necessary to discuss.” (Book II. chap, xvi.) Here is evidence that Gibbon believed that the Essenes, after having borne that name for centuries, changed the appellation to Christian. And we find still stronger language than this in the writings of the same author expres- sive of this opinion. In a note to chapter xv. he says, “It is probable that the Therapeuts (Essenes) changed their name to Christians, as some writers affirm, and adopted some new arti- cles of faith.” Here the position is assumed that the Christian religion is an outgrowth of Essenism, that is, merely a continu- ation of that religion under a change of name, with a slight modification of its creed.
5. And then we have the declaration of Christian writers, expressed in the most positive terms, that Essenism and Chris- ‘^18
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aniel mentions only the horns. The seven heads were, in all probability, the seven auspicious months of the year in which some of the nations reveled in the enjoyment of, and praised and celebrated their fruitful, bountiful blessings, the year being divided into two seasons, seven summer months and five winter months. Now, let it be noted, St. John lived near the tenth Cycle, which answers to the ten horns of the beast. Hence is most forcibly suggested that interpretation of the figure. Daniel’s ten horns should have been translated eleven horns, as he lived in the ninth Cycle, though so near the tenth that he probably constructed his figure on the tenth. And Daniel’s prophetic declaration (so considered), found in the eighth chapter, that it would be two thousand three hundred days until the sanctuary should be closed, is explainable in the same manner. According to Mr. Irving, Mr. Frere, and other writers, there was a large fraction over the three hundred days, making it nearer four hundred, and hence might have been so rendered, which would make 2000 + 400 = 2400 ; the exact length of four Cycles, 600x4=2400. And there are other mystical figures, frightful visions, and occult metaphors found in the Apocalypse susceptible of a Cycular solution. The Cycle is the true key for unlocking many of the ancient mys- . teries of various religions. The Chinese have always reckoned by Cycles of sixty years, instead of by centuries. (See New Am. Encyclop., vol. v. p. 105.)
We will now bestow a brief notice on the Millennial Cycle: the sacred period of 6000 years, composed of ten of the smaller Cycles, 600x10=6000. Dr. Hales says, “A tradition of Mil- lennial ages prevailed throughout the east, and finally reached the west.” (Chron. vol. i. p. 44.) We are told by astronomers that if the angle which-the plane of the ecliptic forms with the plane of the equator had decreased gradually, as it was once supposed to do, the two planes would coincide in about six thousand years — a period which comprises ten of the smaller Cycles, 600 X10 = 6000. And it was very easy and very natural for an ignorant and superstitious age to conclude that such a prodigious, astounding, and awful event as that of two stupen- dous orbits or planes coming in contact with each other, should SACRED CYCLES.
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be attended with some direful and calamitous event, and with a tremendous display of divine power. Nothing less than an entire revolution, if not the total destruction of the world, could comport with the majesty and magnitude of such an event. And this great crisis was to bring down the Omnipotent Divine Judge from the throne of heaven; that is, the Almighty Being who caused it was to come down, or send his Son to call the nations to judgment, and drown the world, or set it on fire. The first destruction, according to the tradition of the Chaldeans, Persians, Assyrians, Mexicans, and some other nations, was to be by water, and the next by fire, when the oceans, seas, and lakes were to be converted into ashes. And Christ’s apostles seem to have cherished this tradition. Peter says, “whereby the world that was then, being overflowed by water, perished. But the heavens and the earth which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment.” (2 Peter iii. 6.) This was a pagan belief long prior to the era of Peter. Josephus says, “ A lam predicted that the world would be twice destroyed, once by water, next by fire.” A writer says, “ A glorious, blissful future attends the destruction of the world by fire, and the re-appearance of Vishnu (i. e., eleventh incarnation of Vishnu) has been for several thousand years the hopeful anticipation of India.” “The last coming of Vishnu in power and glory,” says another writ- er, “to consummate the final overthrow of evil, sin, and death, is so firmly fixed in the minds of the devotees, that they have an annual festival in commemoration of their prophecy referring to it, at which they exclaim, in a loud voice, “ When will the Divine Helper come? when will the Deliverer appear?” At the consummation of this event, “ a comet will roll under the moon and set the world on fire; ” so affirms their bible. And the Persian bible, the Zend-Avesta, in like manner predicts that “a star, with a tail in course of its revolution, will strike the earth and set it on fire.” Seneca predicts that “ the time will come when the world will be wrapped in flames, and the oppo site powers in conflict will mutually destroy each other.”
Ovid prophesies poetically,— 204
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“ For thus the stern, unyielding Fates decree,
That earth, air, heaven, with the capacious sea,
All shall fall victims to devouring fire,
And in fierce flames the blazing orbs expire.”
Lucian, in a b’ke spirit, exclaims, —
“ One vast, appointed flame, by Fate’s decree,
Shall waste yon azure heavens, the earth and sea.”
The Egyptians marked their houses with red, to indicate that the world would be destroyed by fire. Orpheus, 1200 B. C., at the inauguration of the eighth Cycle, entertained fearful forebodings of the speedy destruction of the world by water or tire. Some nations held that the alternate destruction of the world by water and fire had already occurred, and would occur again. Theopompus informs us that some of the orientalists believed that “the God of light and the God of darkness reigned by turn every six thousand years (commencing with an astronomical Cycle of course), and that during this period the other was held in subjection, which finally resulted in “ a war in heaven ; ” a counterpart to St. John’s story. (See Rev. chap, xii.) This accords with Yolney’s statement, that “it was recorded in the sacred books of the Persians and Chaldeans that the world, composed of a total revolution of twelve thou- sand periods, was divided into two partial revolutions of six thousand years each — one being the reign of good, and the other the reign of evil.” (Ruins, p. 244.) This belief was dis- seminated through most of the nations. One of these revolu- tions was produced, some believed, by a concussion of worlds, which displaced the oceans and seas, and thus produced a general flood, which drowned every living thing on the earth. The next revolution will be caused by a collision of worlds, which will produce fire, and burn the earth to ashes. Now, let it be noted that all these grand epochs were founded on Cycles, and accompanied by the tradition of a God being born upon the earth (conceived by a virgin maid), or descending in person ; that is, men were promoted to the Godhead. And in this way Jesus Christ was deified. Volney explains the matter thus: “Now, according to the Jewish computation, six SACRED CYCLES.
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thousand years had nearly elapsed since the supposed creation of the world (according to their chronology). This coinci- dence produced considerable fermentation in the minds of the people. Nothing was thought of but the approaching termina- tion. The great Mediator and Final Judge was expected, and his advent desired, that an end might be put to their calami- ties.” (Ruins, 'p. 168.) Mr. Higgins corroborates this state- ment, when he tells us that “ about the time of the Caesars there seems to have been a general expectation that some Great One was to appear. And finally, when the Cycle had passed, the people, the Jew-Christians, began to look about to see who that Great One was. Some fixed on Herod, some on Julius Caesar, and some on others. But finally public opinion settled on one Jesus of Nazareth, on account of his superiority in morals and intellect, while the Hindoos deified Salavahana, the Greeks Apollonius, &c. And thus science and history join hand in hand to explain most beautifully and conclusively the greatest mystery that ever brought two hundred mil ions of people daily upon their knees—the apotheosis, or deification of “ the man Christ Jesus.” 206
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CHAPTER XXXI.
CHRISTIANITY DERIVED FROM HEATHEN AND ORIENTAL SYSTEMS.
More than twenty thousand sermons are preached in the Christian pulpits, on every recurring Sabbath, to convince the people that the religion and morality taught and practiced by Jesus Christ was of divine emanation, and was never before taught in the world, — that his system of morality was without a parallel, and his practical life without a precedent, — that the doctrine of self-denial, humility, unselfishness, benevolence, and charity, — also devout piety, kind treatment of enemies, and love for the human race, which he preached and practiced, had never before been exemplified in the life and teachings of any individual or nation. But a thorough acquaintance with the history and moral systems of some of the oriental nations, and the practical lives of piety and self-denial exemplified in their leading men long anterior to the birth of Christ, and long be- fore the name of Christianity was anywhere known, must convince any unprejudiced mind that such a claim is without foundation. And to prove it, we will here institute a critical comparison between Christianity and some of the older sys- tems with respect to the essential spirit of their teachings, and observe how utterly untenable and groundless is the dogmatic assumption which claims for the Christian religion either any originality or any superiority. Of course if there is nothing new or original, there is nothing superior.
We will first arrange Christianity side by side with the an- cient system known as Essenism — a religion whose origin has never been discovered, though it is known that the Essenes exist- ed in the :lnys of Jonathan Maccabeus, B. C. 150, and that they CHRISTIANITY'S ANCIENT DERIVATION. 207
were of Jewish origin, and constituted one of the three Jewish sects (the other two being Pharisees and Sadducees). We have but fragments of their history as furnished by Philo, Josephus, Pliny, and their copyists, Eusebius, Dr. Ginsburgh, and others, on whose authority we will proceed to show that Alexandrian and Judean Essenism was identically the same system in spirit and essence as its successor Judean Christianity; in othei words, Judean Christianity teaches the same doctrines and moral precepts which had been previously inculcated by the disciples of the Essenian religion.
A Parallel Exhibition of the Precepts and Practical Lives of Christ and the Essenes.
We will condense from Philo, Josephus, and other authors.
1. Philo says, “It is our first duty to seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness;” so the Essenes believed and taught.
Scripture parallel. “ Seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all else shall be added.” (Matt. vi. 88; Luke xii. 31.)
2. Philo says, “ They abj ured all amusements, all elegances, and all pleasures of the senses.”
Scripture parallel. “Forsake the world and the things thereof.”
3. The Essenes say, “Lay up nothing on earth, but fix your mind solely on heaven ”
Scripture parallel. “ Lay not up treasures on earth,” &c.
4. “ The Essenes, having laid aside all the anxieties of life,” says Philo, “ and leaving society, they make their residence in solitary wilds and in gardens ”
Scripture parallel. “ They wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens, and in caves of the earth.” (Heb. xi. 38.)
5. Josephus says, “They neither buy nor sell among them- selves, but give of what they have to him that wanteth.”
Scripture parallel. “ And parted them (their goods) to all men as every man had need.” (Acts ii. 45.) 203
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6. Eusebeus says, “Even as it is related in the Acts of the Apostles, all (the Essenes) . . . were wont to sell their posses- sions and their substance, and divide among all according as any one had need, so that there was not one among them in want.”
Scripture parallel. “Neither was there any among them that lacked, for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the price of the things that were sold,” &c. (Acts iv. 34.)
7. Eusebius says, “ For whoever, of Christ’s disciples, were owners of estates or houses, sold them, and brought the price thereof, and laid them at the apostles’ feet, and distribution was made as every one had need. So Philo relates things exactly similar of the Essenes.”
Scripture parallel. (The text above quoted.)
8. w Philo tells us (says Eusebius) that the Essenes forsook father, mother, brothers and sisters, houses and lands, for their religion.”
Scripture parallel. “ Whosoever forsaketh not father and
mother, houses and lands,” &c., “ cannot be my disciples.”
9. “ Their being sometimes called monks was owing to their abstraction from the world,” says Eusebius.
Scripture parallel. “ They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.” (John xvii. 16.)
10. “ And the name Ascetics was applied to them on account of their rigid discipline, their prayers, fasting, self-mortification, &c., as they made themselves eunuchs.”
Scripture parallel. “ There be eunuchs which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake.”
11. “They maintained a perfect community of goods, and an equality of external rank.” (Mich. vol. iv. p. 83.)
Scripture parallel. “ Whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant.” (Matt. xx. 27.)
12. “ The Essenes had all things in common, and appointed one of their number to manage the common bag.” (Dr. Gins- burg.)
Scripture parallel. “And had all things in common.” (Acts
ii. 44; see also Acts iv. 32.) CHRISTIANITIES ANCIENT DERIVATION. 209
13. “ All ornamental dress they (Essenes) detested.” (Mich, vol. iv. p. 83.)
Scripture parallel. “ Whose adorning let it not be that out- ward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, and putting on of apparel.” (1 Peter iii. 3.)
14. “ They would call no man master.” (Mich.)
Scripture parallel. “ Be not called Rabbi, for one is your
Master. (Matt, xxiii. 8.)
15. u They said the Creator made all mankind equal.” (Mich.)
Scripture parallel, “ God hath made of one blood all them
that dwell upon the earth.”
16. “They renounced oaths, saying, He who cannot be be- lieved without swearing is condemned already.” (Mich.)
Scripture parallel. “ Swear not at all.”
17. “ They would not eat anything which had blood in it, or meat which had been offered to idols. Their food was hys- sop, and bread, and salt; and water their only drink.” (Mich.)
Scripture parallel. “ That ye abstain from meat offered to idols, and from blood.” (Acts xv. 29.)
18. “ Taking nothing with them, neither meat nor drink, nor anything necessary for the wants of the body.”
Scripture parallel. “Take nothing for your journey; neither staves nor scrip; neither bread, neither money, neither have two coats apiece.”
19. “ They expounded the literal sense of the Holy Scriptures by allegory.”
Scripture parallel. “ Which things are an allegory.” (Gal.
iv. 24.)
20. “They abjured the pleasures of the body, not desiring mortal offspring, and they renounced marriage, believing it to be detrimental to a holy life.” (Mich.)
Scripture parallel. It will be recollected that neither Jesus nor Paul ever married, and that they discouraged the marriage relation. Christ says, “ They that shall be counted worthy of that world and the resurrection neither marry nor are given in marriage.” And Paul says, “The unmarried careth for the things of the Lord.” (1 Cor. vii. 32.)
21. “They strove to disengage their minds entirely from the world.”
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men, that several nations went so far as to teach that a man might by his own natural exertions, his own voluptary powers, raise himself to a level with the Deity, and thereby become a God. Mr. Ritter, in his “History of Ancient Philosophy” (Chap. II.), tells us that some of the Budhist sect held that “ a man by freeing himself by holiness of conduct from the obsta- cles of nature, may deliver his fellows from the corruption of the times, and become a benefactor and redeemer of his race, and also even become a God”— a “Budha” — i. e., a Savior and Son of God. Singular enough that the Christian should object to this doctrine as being rather blasphemous, when his own bible abundantly and explicitly teaches the same doctrine in effect! We find the same thing substantially taught over and over again in the Christian Scriptures. “ Be ye perfect even as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matt. v. 18), requires a man to become morally perfect as God, which is all that the Budhist precept requires or contemplates, and no man can be- come perfect as God without becoming a God. But we are not left to mere inference in the matter. We have the doctrine several times expressed and unquestionably taught in the Chris- tian bible of man’s power and prerogative to become either a God or Son of God. “ Said I not that ye are Gods ? ” (Ex. iv. 16.) “ Behold, now, we are the sons of God.” (1 John i. 2.) Here is the Budhist doctrine as explicitly stated as it can be taught. It is, then, a Christian bible doctrine as well as a pagan doctrine, that man can become a God, and that God can be born of woman, and thereby invested with all the frail and imperfect attributes of man. It cannot be considered a matter of marvel, therefore, that so many of the good, the great, and the wise men of almost every country, including “the man Christ Jesus,” should be honored and adored with the titles of Deity, and worshiped as God absolute, “Son of God,” “Savior,” “Re- deemer,” “ Intercessor,” Mediator,” &c.
4. God comes down and is incarnated to fight and conquer the devil. We will proceed to enumerate other causes and motives which conspired in various cases to invest some one or more of the great men of a nation with divine honors, and adore them as veritable Gods and Saviors “ come down to us 13 194
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in the form of men.” It was a tenet of faith with most of the ancient religions, that almost at the dawn of human existence a devil or evil principle found its way into the world, to the great discomfiture of man and the no small annoyance of the Supreme Creator himself, and that hence there must needs be a Savior, a Redeemer, an Intercessor to combat and if possible “ destroy the devil and his works.” For this purpose appeared the Savior Chrishna, in India, the Savior Osiris, in Egypt, the God or Mediator Mithra, in Persia, the Redeemer Quexalcote, m Mexico, the Savior Jesus Christ, in Judea, &c. In the initia- tory chapter on the transgression and fall of man, some of the oriental bibles graphically describe the scene of “ the war in heaven ” — a counterpart to the story of St. John, as found in the twelfth chapter of Revelation, wherein Michael and the dragon are represented as the captains and commanders-in- chief of their respective embattled hosts, and in which the for- mer was crowned as victor in the contest, as he succeeded in vanquishing and “ casting out the evil one.” In the pagan mil- itary drama the scene of the war in heaven is transferred to the earth. A God, a Savior (a Son of God), comes down to put a stop to the machinations of the “ Evil One,” i. e., to u destroy the devil and his works,” as we are told Christ came for that purpose. (1 John iii. 8.) See the Author’s “ Biography of Satan.”
The Egyptian story runs thus: “ Osiris appeared on earth to benefit mankind, and after he had performed the duties of his mission, and had fallen a sacrifice to Typhon (the devil, or evil principle), which, however, he eventually overcame (‘over* came the wicked one,’ 1 John ii. 11), by rising from the dead, after being crucified, he became the judge of mankind in a fu- ture state.” (See Kerrick’s “Ancient Egypt; ” also Wilkinson’s “Egypt”)
The Budhist, or Hindoo, version of the story is on this wise: “ The prince (of darkness), or evil spirit, Ravana, or Mahesa, got into a contest and a war with the divine hero Rama, in which the latter proved victorious, and put to flight the army of ‘the wicked one,’ but not till after considerable injury had been done to the human family, and the whole'order of the urn* WORSHIP OF MEN AS GODS.
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verse subverted; to rectify which, and to achieve a final and complete triumph over Ravana (the devil) and his works, and thus save the human race from utter destruction, the gods be- sought Yishnu (the second person of the Trinity) to descend to the earth and take upon himself the form and flesh of man. And it was argued that as the mission appertained to man, the God Yishnu, when he descended to the earth in the capacity of a Savior, should become half man and half God, and that the most feasible way to accomplish this end was for him to be born of a woman. And that the glory and honor of his tri- umph over Ravana, the devil, would be greater if achieved in this capacity than if he were to come down from heaven and conquer Ravana wholly with his attributes as a God, or wholly in his divine character — i. e., as absolute God, uninvested with human nature. The suggestion was approved by Vishnu, who descended and took upon himself the form of man ” ( “the form of a servant” — Phil. ii. 7). And that his metamorphosis or earth-born life might be the purer, it was decided that he should be born of a woman wholly uncontaminated with man — that is, a virgin. And thus, far back in the midnight of mythology and fable, originated the story of divine Saviors and Gods be- ing born of virgins — a conception now found incorporated in the religious histories of various ancient nations.
And now let us observe how substantially the Christian story of a Savior conforms to the above. Jesus, like the Saviors of India and Egypt, was believed to be a man-God — half man and half God, and reputedly he came into the world, like them, to'u destroy the devil and his works,” or the works of the devil — that is, to put an end to the evil or malignant principle intro- duced into the world by the serpent in the garden of Eden ; as it is declared “the seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent’s head ” (Gen. iii. 15) — which is interpreted as referring to Christ. And like these and various other pagan Saviors Jesus is assigned the highest and most ennobling human origin — a birth from a virgin. And, as in the instances above named, Jesus had also several encounters with tire devil; first in the wilderness, then on a mountain, and finally, like them, falls a sacrifice to his insidious, malignant power acting through the 196
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agency and mediumship of Judas Iscariot; for his betrayA is ascribed wholly to Satan, whom John calls the serpent, entering into Judas and prompting the act. (See Rev. xii. 3.) And thus Christ, like the other Saviors, falls a victim to the serpentine or satanic power acting through the instrumentality of a Judas Iscariot; but finally triumphed, like the Savior of Egypt (Osiris), by rising from the dead — “ the first fruits of immor- tality.” And thus the stories run parallel — the more modern Christian with the more ancient pagan.
(For a full exposition of the belief and traditions respecting a devil and a hell in all ages and all countries, see the Author’s :i Biography of Satan.”) SACRED CYCLES.
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CHAPTER XXX.
SACRED CYJLES EXPLAINING THE ADVENT OF THE GODS,
THE MASTER-KEY TO THE DIVINITY OF JESUS CHRIST.
Extraordinary Revelations in History and Science.
Recent explorations in the field of oriental sacred history have revealed to the antiquarian some curious and deeply inter- esting facts appertaining to traditions founded on, and growing out of, astronomical phenomena and changes in the visible heavens, which throw much light on, and go far toward eluci- dating and furnishing a satisfactory explanation of many of the a mysteries ” of the Christian bible. The works which we have consulted, containing the reports and results of researches of this character, tend to elucidate and establish the following conclusions: —
1. That anciently, in religious countries, time was divided into Cycles, Aetas, or Neros.
2. That these measures of time grew out of, and represented periodical changes, or periodically occurring phenomena in the astronomical heavens.
3. That some religious nations had three Cycular periods of different lengths, representing three orders and degrees of mi- raculous births. In India the length of the first or shorter Cycle was thirty days, the length of one moon or month. Every change of the moon marked an important event in their religious history. Each change was supposed to denote the birth of some angel or celestial being, known as an Eon. The second Cycular period was of six hundred years’ duration, and was founded on a text of the sacred book of India, known as 198
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the Surya Sidhanta, which declares“ the equinoctial point moves eastward one degree in thirty times twenty years” (thirty times twenty being 600). At every occurrence of this equi- noctial change, hightened by an eclipse of the sun or moon, or some other wonder-exciting phenomenon, a God was supposed to be born. Such a marvelous and terror-inspiring event, in the apprehensions of the credulous and superstitious populace of an unscientific age, could not be designed for anything less than the birth of a God or Divine Savior. Their theology teaches that such was the wickedness of man, that a God had to descend from heaven, and suffer and die for the people, in some way, every six hundred years. And this period was announced by the God’s causing a collision of the sun and moon, or some other terror-exciting phenomena in the heavens above, or the earth beneath. When one of these six hundred Cycular periods was about to expire, and another commence, every remarkable phenomenon in the heavens was watched and interpreted as being connected with it. And some person born at that period, who exhibited any remarkable or extraordinary * traits of character, was certain to be promoted to the Godhead, as being miraculously born and brought forth for the special occasion. He was the Avatar Savior or Messiah for that Cycle. There were two extraordinary events to be accounted for — one was the display of unusual and terror-exciting phe- nomena in the heavens, and the other the birth of extraordinary men on earth. And it was natural for an ignorant age to asso- ciate them together, and make one aid in accounting for the other. And as these celestial phenomena were only witnessed at intervals distant apart, the thought naturally arose, and the conclusion was easily established, that they came periodically, and for the special purpose of heralding the birth of a God. And as tradition reported that similar events were witnessed six hun- dred years before the conviction was fixed in the popular mind, this was the established period intervening between these great epochs. And thus the six hundred year Cycular tradi- tion became established in India, and finally spread through all the Eastern countries. We find traces of it in Egypt, Syria, Persia, Chaldea, China, Italy, apd Judea. And the proof that SACRED CYCLES.
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the deification of great men in some countries grew out of this Cycular tradition is found in the fact that many of them were born at the commencement of Cycles. The Hindoos are able to recount the names of ten sin-atoning Saviors who made their appearance on earth at these regular intervals of six hundred years. The name of the first Avatar Mediator and Savior who forsook the throne of heaven to come down and die for the peo- ple was Matsa. Tradition and the sacred books fix his birth at about six thousand years B. C. The names and advent of the other sin-atoning Saviors occur in the following order: 2. Vurahay, 3. Kurma, 4. Nursu, 5. Waman, 6. Pursuram, 7. Kama, 8. Chrishna, 9. Sakia, 10. Salavahana. The last named Savior was cotemporary with Jesus Christ. The God and Savior Sakia was born six hundred years B. C. “ Our Lord and Savior” and “Son of God,” Chrishna, was immaculately conceived and miraculously born, according to Higgins, 1200 B. C.
A circumstance strongly confirming the conclusion that Cycular periods had much to do with the promotion of men to the dignity of Gods is, that most of the deified personages re- ported in history were, according to the best authorities, born near the commencement of Cycles. Recurring back to the eighth Cycle, we observe the advent at that period of Chrishna, Zoroaster 2d, Bali, Thammuz, Atys, Osiris, and sev- eral others. At the commencement of the ninth Cycle ap- peared Sakia, Quexalcote, Zoroaster 2d, Xion, Quirinus, Prome- theus, Mithra, and many others. The tenth Cycle brought in Jesus Christ, Salavahana, Apollonius, and others that might be named. Mahomet succeeded Jesus Christ just six hundred years (he was born in the year 600 A. D.}, which inaugurated another Cycle. Many facts are recorded in history proving the prevalence and sacredness of the Cycle idea in different coun- tries. The story in Egypt of the bird called the Phoenix, being hatched, according to tradition, just 600 years B. C., and living to be just six hundred years old, and having the power to re- new itself every six hundred years, shows the prevalence of the Cycular tradition in that country. We have the statement upon the records of history that when the first six hundred 200
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years after the foundation of Rome were about to expire, the people became greatly excited with the apprehension that some extraordinary event must attend the occasion. And but for the influence of the philosophers, some extraordinary man would have been hunted up and promoted to divine honor as being the God born for that Cycle. The writings of Plato, Plutarch, Ovid, Cicero, Virgil, and Aristotle, all evince a belief in Cycles, and the belief that ten Cycles, or Aetas, were the measure for the duration of the world. According to M. Faber, a new-born Savior was always expected to make his appearance at the commencement of one of these Cycles. Hence the deifi- cation of those personages above named, and many others that might be named. It is a remarkable circumstance that the Jewish bible should speak of Noah as being six hundred years old at the commencement of the flood, when it was a tradition amongst the ancient Egyptians that the ushering in of the six hundredth year Cycle was to be attended with a flood. And the time antecedent to Noah after creation, was the measure of three Cycles, according to the chronology of the Samari- tan bible, it being 600 + 600 + 600 = 1800 years from Adam to Noah. It is an interesting fact that those enigmatical figures made use of by Daniel, as also some of those found in the Apocalypse, are susceptible of a Cycular explanation. These occult prophecies, as they are supposed to be, which have puzzled and bewildered many thousands of Christian minds and bible expounders in their attempt to evolve their signifi- cation, are susceptible of a Cycular explanation. They are of easy solution on a Cycular basis, or with the Cycular key. Take, for example, Daniel’s famous prophecy (so called) of the seventy weeks, as found in the ninth chapter, announcing the advent of a Messiah at the end of that period. We find by a cal- culation based on Tyson’s “ Historical Atlas,” and Haskell’s “ Chronology and Universal History,” that Daniel lived in the hundred and tenth year of the ninth Cycle, at which time the prefigure seems to have been used. Assuming this as a basis, and multiplying seventy weeks by seven, to convert it into years, as Christian essayists are accustomed to doing, and we have as the result 70 X 7 =490, which being added to one SACRED CYCLES.
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hundred and ten, the year that gave birth to the prophecy, makes six hundred, which exactly completes the Cycle, and furnishes a simple and beautiful explanation of a mystical figure, on which many thousands of conjectures, speculations, and guesses have been founded, but on which they have failed to throw any light.
The 70x7 = 490 years, were wanting to complete the Cycle; and when this rolled away, it brought a new Cycle, and with it a new sin-atoning Savior was always expected in some countries (the country in which Daniel lived being one of this number) ; a new Messiah (or sin-atoning Savior), and some great man born at that time, was fixed upon and dei- fied as being that Messiah. Hence the Jews, in imitation of their neighbors, yielding to their strong proclivities to bor- row from and copy after heathen nations, selected “ the man Christ Jesus” as their Messiah and Savior. The mystical era of Daniel, signified by “a time, times, and the dividing of time” (Dan. vii. 25), or, as St. John has it, “a time, times, and a half time (see Rev. xii. 14), is explainable by the same Cycular key. Some writers have conjectured that Daniel was a Chal- dean priest. If so, he must have had a knowledge of their astronomical Cycle of two thousand one hundred and sixty years, which completed the period of the precession of the equinoxes. Explained by this Cycle, his “time, times, and dividing of time, or half time, or “a time, another time, and a half time,” as some writers have rendered it, would be 2160 + 2160 + 1080 = 5400; nine Cycles exactly, as 600x9 = 5400. Add this to the Cycle in which he lived, and we have 5400 + 600 = 6000, the great Millennial Cycle, when not only a new Savior and Messiah was to be born, but a new world also. Both the long and short Cycle (and one was a measure of the other) were expected to expire at that time, according to a Chaldean tradition. And thus is beautifully explained another “ deep, dark, and unfathomable mystery,” which thousands of devout minds have exhausted their ingenuity in trying to find a meaning for. Again, look at the frightful nightmare visions of Daniel and the author of the Apocalypse, in which they saw a monstrous beast with seven heads and ten horns, though 202
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Wadsworth’s Eccles. Biog. p. 172.) Here, then, we ha^e the most conclusive proof that the belief in mediators is of pagan origin. We will now hear from another archbishop on this subject. In his “ Caution to the Times ” (p. 71), Archbishop Whately says, “ As the Infinite Being ijs an object too remote and incomprehensible for our minds to dwell upon, he has manifested himself in his Son, the man Jesus Christ.” Precisely so! just the kind of reasoning employed to account for the worship of man-Gods among the heathen. This logic fits one case as well as the other. The Christian writer F. D. Maurice declares in like manner, “We accept the fact of the incarnation (of Jesus Christ), because we feel that it is impossible to know the absolute invisible God without an incarnation, as man needs to know him, and craves to know him.” (Logical Essay, p. 79.) Here is more pagan logic — the same reasoning they employed to prove the divinity of their Saviors and demigods. And the Rev. Dr. Thomas Arnold declares, “It (the incarnation of Christ) was very necessary, especially at a time when men were so accustomed to worship their highest Gods under the form of men” (Sermon on Christian Life, p. 61.) Let the reader attentively observe the explicit avowal here made, and mark well its pregnant inferences. He makes Jesus Christ come into the world in condescension to the idolatrous rivalry of the Jews to be up with the heathen nations in worshiping God in the form of man ; that is, the founders of Christianity, having been Jews, disclosed the true Jewish character in run- ning after and adopting the customs of heathen countries then so rife — that of hunting up a great man, and making him a God — which was only one case out of many of the Jews adopting some of the numerous forms of idolatry and other religious customs of their heathen neighbors. Their whole history, as set forth in the Bible, proves, as we have shown in another chapter, that they were strongly prone to such acts. It is not strange, therefore, that they should and did convert “the man Christ Jesus” into a God. We will now listen to another Christian writer, the notable and noteworthy Dr. T. Cham- bers. “ Whatever the falsely or superstitiously fearful imagina- tion conjures up because of God being at a distance, can only be WORSHIP OF MEN AS GODS.
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dispelled by God being brought nigh to us. . . . The vail which hides the unseen God from the eyes of mortals must be some- how withdrawn.” (Select Works, vol. iii. p. 161.) Most significant indeed is thi3 species of reasoning. It is the same kind of logic which had led to the promotion of more than a score of great men to the Godhead among the ancient heathen. “ The vail which hides the unseen God must be removedsays Dr. Chambers ; and so had reasoned in soliloquy a thousand pagans long before, when determined to worship men for Gods. It is simply saying, “ We are too carnally-minded to worship God in spirit; we must and will have a God of flesh and blood — a God who can be recognized by the external senses ; he must “ become flesh, and dwell amongst us.” (See John i. 14.) Our author continues: “ Now all this (removing the vail from the unseen God) has been done once, and done only once in the person of Jesus Christ.” {Ibid.) Mistake, most fatal mistake, brother Chambers! It has been done more than a score of times in various heathen countries — a fact which proves you ignorant of oriental history. Now let the reader mark the foregoing cita- tions from standard Christian authors, setting forth some of the reasons which led the founders of Christianity to adopt a visible man-God in their worship in the person of Jesus Christ. Language could hardly be used to prove more conclusively that the whole thing grew out of an idolatrous proclivity to man-worship, — that is, the gross,sensuous, carnally-minded pro- pensity to worship an external, visible God, — proving, with the corroborative evidence of many other facts, that they were not a whit above the heathen in spiritual development. The reason employed by the Thibetan for the worship of the Hindoo Chrishna as a God, tells the whole story of the worship and deification of Jesus Christ. “ We could not always have God behind the clouds; so we had him come down where we could see him.” This is the same kind of reasoning made use of by the Christian writer above quoted, all of which discloses a state of mind among both heathen and Christians that would not long rest satisfied without deifying somebody, in order to have a visible God to worship. And hence Christians deified “ the man Christ Jesus ” for this purpose. “ The more externally 188
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minded (says Fleurbach), the greater was the determination to worship a personal God ”— God in the form of man. And as the Jewish founders of Christianity (as every chapter of their history demonstrates) were dwelling on the external plane, it was not an act of direct innovation, therefore, for them to fall into the habit of worshiping the personal Jesus as a God. It involved no serious incursion on previous thoughts or habits* And warped and blinded, indeed, must be that mind which cannot here discover the true key to the apotheosis of Jesus — one of the real causes of his being stripped of his manhood, and advanced to the Godhead. It was as naturally to be expected from the then state of the religious world, and the state of the Jewish mind concerned in the founding of Christianity, as that an autumnal crop of fruit should succeed the bloom of spring. Let it be specially noted, that all the Christian writers above cited tell us, in effect, that God sent his Son Jesus Christ into the world to be worshiped as a God in condescension to the ignorance and superstitious tendencies, and we will add, idola- trous proclivities of the people. From this stand-point we challenge the world to show why God may not have sent the oriental Saviors into the world for the same reason — that is, in condescension to the prejudices of the devout worshipers under the heathen systems. Why, then, is there not as much probability that he did do so? Why would he not be as likely to accommodate their ignorance and prejudices in this way as those of the founders of the Christian system. This question we shall keep standing before the Christian world till it is answered, and we challenge them to meet it, and overthrow it if they can.
3. Men deified on account of mental and moral superiority.
The ancient nations, in their entire ignorance of the philoso- phy of the human mind, and the laws controlling its actions, always accounted for the appearance of great men amongst them by supposing them to be Gods. Every country occasion- ally produced a man, who, by virtue of natural superiority, rose so high in the scale of moral and intellectual greatness as to fill the ideal of the people with respect to the characteristics of a God. So low, so limited, so narrow, so greatly circumscribed WORSHIP OF MEN AS GODS.
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were the conceptions of deity, of the undeveloped and Ir tel- lectually dwarfed minds of all religious countries in that age, that a man had to rise but a few degrees above the common level of the populace to become a God. He could “ easily fill the bill,” and exhibit all the qualities they assigned to the highest God in the heavens. And this is as true of the Jewish mind as that of any other nation, a portion of whom adored Jesus as a God. Or if they lacked anything in natural inclina- tion, they made it up by imitation, a propensity which they possessed in no small degree, that is, a proneness to imitate the customs of other nations. Mr. Higgins tells us that “ men of brilliant intellects and high moral attainments, and great heal- ers (of which Christ was one), were almost certain to be dei- fied.” In like manner Archbishop Tillotson says, “ They dei- fied famous and eminent persons by advancing them after their death to the dignity of an inferior kind of Gods fit to be wor- shiped by men on earth.” Mark the expression, “ after their death” We have shown in another chapter that Jesus Christ was not generally considered a God, even by his followers, till more than three hundred years after his death, when Constan- tine declared him to be “ God of very God ” — a circumstance of itself sufficient to establish the conclusion that he did not possess this character. A God would be adored as such by everybody while living, but a man’s worshipers rise up after his death, as in the case of “ the man Christ Jesus.” Great men- tal endowments, or great moral attainments, would, in most countries, bring the most ignorant down on their knees to wor- ship such a man as a God. But it required years, and some- times centuries, to get him fully established among the Gods. This is as true of Jesus Christ as the other human-descended deities. Whatever amount of homage Jesus might have re- ceived while living, any person who will institute a thorough, unbiased scrutiny in the case will discover that it was his great healing powers and superior mental qualities which finally dei- fied him. His ignorant admirers knew no way of accounting for such extraordinary qualities but to suppose him to be the embodiment of infinite wisdom. Like the Chinaman who ex- claimed, “See the God in that man,” when an Englishman 190
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cured a young woman of partial blindness by anointing he! eyes with kerosene. Such a deed would deify almost any man, in almost any country, before the dawn of letters and the rec- ognition of the science of mind. The missionary Rev. D. O. Allen’s method of accounting for the deification of the Hindoo God Chrishna is so suggestive, that we here present it. He tells us that, “as the exploits ascribed to Chrishna exceed mere human power, the difficulty was removed by placing him among the incarnations of Vishnu.” (India, Ancient and Modern, p. 26.) Exactly so! We are glad of such historic information. We hope the Christian reader will note the lesson it suggests. For certainly, every reader, who has not had his reason ship- wrecked on the shoals of a blind and dogmatic theology, can see here a key to unlock the great mystery of the Christian incarnation—the divinity of Jesus Christ? As some of the exploits of Chrishna were supposed to “exceed mere human power,” we are told the difficulty was explained by imagining him to be a God. How powerful the suggestion! how conclu- sive the explanation, not only for the Godhood of this sin-aton- ing Savior, but for that of “our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” and all the other Lords, and Gods, and Saviors of antiquity! A single hint will sometimes explain whole volumes of obscure history, as does this of the Rev. Christian Hindoo missionary D. O. Allen. And surely, most deplorably blinded by super- stition must be the two hundred millions of Christ worshipers, the three hundred millions who worship Chrishna, the one hundred and twenty million adorers of Confucius, the fifty millions of suppliants of Mithra the Mediator, and the one hundred and fifty millions of followers of Mahomet, who cannot see here a satisfactory solution of the deityship of all these Gods, and all the other man-Gods of antiquity.
The question is sometimes asked, How could two hundred millions of people come to believe that Jesus was a God merely because of his superiority as a man? We will answer by point- ing to the history of the Hindoo Chrishna, and by asking the same question with respect to his Godhead. How could three hundred millions of people be brought to believe in his divinity, and worship him as a God, merely because he was a superior WORSHIP OF MEN AS GODS.
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human being? One question is as easily answered as the other, and posterity will answer both questions alike. When we ob- serve it taught as an important and easily learned lesson of his- tory, and one based on a thousand facts, that no man could rise to intellectual greatness or moral distinction in the era in which Christ was born without being advanced to the dignity of a God, and worshiped as such, it is really a source of humility and sorrow to every unshackled lover of truth and humanity to reflect that there are so many millions of people whose men- tal vision is so beclouded by a dogmatic and inexorable theol- ogy that they cannot see the logical potency of these facts, — that they cannot be even moved by this great and overwhelm- ing amount of evidence against the divinity dogma, and ob- serve that it explodes it into a thousand fragments, but still cling to the delusion that u the man Christ Jesus,” with all the human qualities and human frailties with which his own history (the Gospels) invest him, was nevertheless a God, — ay, the monstrous delusion that any being possessing a finite form could be an infinite being — a most self-evident and shocking absurdity. And we challenge all Christendom to show, or ap- proximate one inch toward showing, that there was sufficient difference between Christ and Chrishna to require us to accept one as a man and the other as a God. It cannot be done.
We have shown, then, by the foregoing exposition, that one cause of the deification of men was simply an attempt to solve the problem of human greatness, — an attempt to account for the moral and intellectual superiorty of men which enabled them to perform deeds and otherwise exhibit a character far above the capacity of the multitude to comprehend, and which they could find no other way to account for than to suppose them to be Gods, while the low and groveling conceptions which most religious nations, and especially the Jews, had formed of the character and essential attributes of the Infinite Deity (often investing him with the most ignoble human attri- butes, human passions, and human imperfections), made it per- fectly easy to convert their great men by imagination into Gods. The Jews represented God not only as coming down from heav- en in propria persona, and walking, talking, wrestling, &c., as 192
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a man (on one occasion we are told he and Jacob scuffled all night), but he is often represented as acting the part of a wicked man, such as lying (see 2 Chron. v. 22), getting mad (see Deut. i. 37), swearing, sanctioning the high-handed and demor- alizing crimes of stealing (see Ex. iii. 2), of robbery (see Ex. xii. 36), of murder (see Deut. xiii. 2), and even fornication (see Gen. xxxi. 1, and Num. xxxi.), and thus they invested Deity with such mean, low, despicable attributes as to reduce his moral char- acter to a level with the most immoral man in society. So that it was very easy, if not very natural, to elevate their great men (if it really required any elevation) to a level with their God. Men and Gods were in character and conception so nearly alike, that it was easy to bring them on a level, or to mistake one for the other. And hence it is we find an incarnated God, Savior, Son of God, Redeemer, &c., figuring in the early history of nearly every oriental religious nation whose name and history has descended to us. Indeed, the practice of deifying men, or mistaking men for Gods, was once so common, so nearly univer- sal, that it must require a mind very ignorant of oriental his- tory to adore Jesus Christ as having been the only character of this kind who figured in the religious world. It was, as before suggested, deemed the most rational way of accounting for the marked superiority among men, to suppose that some men had a divine birth, and were begotten by the great Infinite Deity himself, and descended to the earth through the purest human (virgin) channel. As Mr. Higgins remarks, “ Every person who possessed a striking superiority of mind, either for talent or goodness, was supposed anciently to have a portion of the di- vine mind or essence incorporated or incarnated in him.” The Jews had a number of men whose names imply a participation in the divine nature, among which we will cite Elijah and Eli- sha (El-i-jah and El-i-sha), El being the Hebrew name or term for God, while Jah is Jehovah (see Ps. lxviii. 4), and Sha means a Savior. Elijah, then, is an approximation to God — Jehovah, and Elisha is God — a Savior. The character of men and Gods were cast in molds so approximately similar, so nearly identical, as to make the transition, or change from one to the other, so slight and easy, either of men into Gods or Gods into WORSHIP OF MEN AS GODS.
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CHAPTER XXVIII.
ANOINTING WITH OIL OF ORIENTAL ORIGIN.
The custom and ceremony of anointing with oil by way of imparting some fancied spiritual power and religious qualifica- tion, seem to have been extensively practiced by the Jews and primitive Christians, and still more anciently by various ori- ental nations. Mark (xiv. 4), reports Jesus Christ as speaking commendingly of the practice, by which it is evident he was in favor of the superstitious custom. The apostle James not only sanctions it, but recommends it in the most specific language. “ Is any sick among you, let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.” (James v. 14.) The practice of greasing or smearing with oil, it may be noted here, was in vogue from other motives besides the one here indicated. We find the statement in the New American Cyclopedia (vol. i. p. 620), that “ anointing with perfumed oil was in common use among the Greeks and Romans as a mark of hospitality to guests. And modern travelers in the East still find it a custom for visitors to be sprinkled with rose-water, or their head, face, and beard anointed with olive oil.” “Anointing, we are also told, is an ancient and still prevalent custom throughout the East, by pouring aromatic oils on persons as a token of honor. . . . It was also employed in consecrating priests, prophets, and kings, and the places and instruments appointed for worship.” {Ibid.) Joshua anointed the ten stones he set up in Jordan, and Jacob the stone on which he slept at the time of his great vision. The early Christians were in the habit of anointing the altars, and even the walls of the churches, in the same man- ner as the images, obelisks, statues, &c., had long been conse- ORIGIN OF ANOINTING WITH OIL.
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crated by the devotees of the oriental systems. Aaron, Saul, David, Solomon, and even Jesus Christ were anointed with oil in the same way. David Malcom, in his “Essay on the Antiquity of the Britons,” p. 144, says, “ The Mexican king was anointed with Holy Unction by the high priest while dancing before the Lord.” ( Vide the case of David “ dancing before the Lord with all his might.”) Dr. Lightfoot, in his “Harmony of the New Testament,” speaks of the custom among the Jews of anointing the sick on the Sabbath day (see Works, vol. i. p. 883; also Toland, Sect. Naz. p. 54), as after- wards recommended by the apostle James, as shown above. This accords exactly with the method of treating the sick in ancient India and other heathen countries several thousand years ago. For proof, consult Hyde, Bryant, Tertullian, and other writers. The custom of anointing the sick, accompanied with prayer and other ceremonies, was quite fashionable in the East long before the birth of either Jesus or James. One writer testifies that “ the practice of anointing with oil, so much in vogue among the Jews, and sanctioned by Christ and his followers, was held in high esteem in nearly all the Eastern religions.” The foregoing historical facts furnish still fuither proof that Christianity is the offspring of heathenism. 180
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CHAPTER XXIX.
HOW MEN, INCLUDING JESUS CHRIST, CAME TO BE WORSHIPED AS GODS.
Jesus Christ a Demigod according to Christian Writers.
It is truly surprising to observe the damaging concessions of some of the early Christian writers, ruinous to the dogmas of their own faith with respect to the divinity of Jesus Christ, placing him, as they do, on an exact level with the heathen demigods, proving that the belief in his divinity originated in the same manner the belief in theirs did, by which it is clearly shown to be a pagan-derived doctrine. Several Christian writers admit the belief in earth-born Gods (called Sons of Gods), and their coming into the world by human birth was prevalent among the heathen long prior to the time of Christ. Hear the proof. We will first quote St. Justin relative to the prevalence of the belief among the ancient Greeks and Romans. Addressing them, he says, “The title of Son of God (as applied to Jesus Christ) is very justifiable upon the account of his wisdom, considering you have your Mercury in your worship, under the title of Word or Messenger of God.” (Reeves Apol. p. 76.) Here is the proof that the tradition of the Son of God coming into the world, and “the Word becoming flesh,” was established amongst the ancient Greeks and Romans long prior to the era of Christianity, or the birth of Christ. And yet more than a hundred millions of Christian professors can now be found, who, in their historic ignorance, suppose St. John was the first writer who taught the doctrine of “the Word becoming flesh,” and that Jesus Christ was “the first WORSHIP OF MEN AS GODS.
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and only begotten Son of God ” who ever made his appearance on earth. How true it is that “ ignorance is the mother of devotion” to creeds. How “the man Christ Jesus” came to be worshiped as a God, is pretty clearly indicated by Bishop Horne, who shows that the doctrine of the incarnation was of universal prevalence long before Jesus Christ came in the flesh. He says, “ That God should, in some extraordinary man- ner, visit and dwell with man, is an idea, which, as we read the writings of the ancient heathen, meets us in a thousand different forms.” If, then, the tradition of God being born into the world was so universally established in heathen countries before the Christian era, as here shown, why should not, and why will not, our good Christian brethren dismiss their preju- dices, and tear the scales from their eyes, so as to see that this universal belief wTould as naturally lead to the deification and worship of “the man Christ Jesus” as water flows down a descending plane ? And, certainly, a thousand times more reasonable is the assumption that his deification originated in this way, than that, with all his frailties and foibles, he was en- titled to the appellation of a God — a conclusion strongly cor- roborated by the testimony of that able Christian writer, Mr. Norton, who tells us that “many of the first Christians being converts from Gentileism, their imaginations were familiar with the reputed incarnation of heathen deities.” How natural it would be for such converts to worship “ the man Christ Jesus ” as a God on account of his superior manhood l Again, that ancient pillar of the Christian church, St. Justin, concedes that the ancient oriental heathen held all the cardinal doctrines of the Christian faith relating to the incarnation long prior to the introduction and establishment of Christianity. Hear him. Addressing the pagans, he says, “For by declaring the Logos the first begotten Son of God, our Master, Jesus Christ, to be born of a virgin without any human mixture,* and to be cruci- fied, and dead, and to have risen again into heaven, we say no more in this than what you say of those whom you style the sons of Jove ” (Reeves, Apol. vol. i. p. 69.) Now, Christian reader, mark the several important admissions which are made here: — 182
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1. Here is traced to ancient heathen tradition the belief in an incarnate Son of God.
2. The doctrine of a “first begotten Son of God.”
3. Of his being born of a virgin.
4. Of his crucifixion.
5. Of his resurrection.
6. Of his final ascension into heaven.
All these cardinal doctrines of Christianity are here shown to have been in existence, and to have been preached by pagan priests long anterior to the Christian era, thus entirely overset- ting the common belief of Christendom that these doctrines were never known or preached in the world until heralded by the first disciples of the Christian religion. A fatal mistake, truly ! This suicidal admission of St. Justin (a standard Chris- tian writer) thus entirely uptrips all pretensions to originality in the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith, and shows it to be a mere travesty of the more ancient heathen systems. And we have still other testimony to corroborate this conclu- sion. The French writer Bazin says, “ The most ancient his- tories are those of Gods becoming incarnate in order to govern mankind.” Again he says, “The idea sprang up everywhere from confused ideas of God, which prevailed everywhere among mankind that Gods formerly descended upon earth. The fertile imagination of the people of various nations converted men into Gods.” And to the same effect is the declaration of Mr. Higgins, that “ there were incarnate Gods in all religions.” Sadly beclouded and warped indeed must be that mind which cannot see that here is set in as plain view as the cloudless sun at noonday, the origin of the deification of “the man Christ Jesus.” No unbiased mind can possibly stave off the conclu- sion that such a universal prevalence of the practice of God- making throughout the religious world would cause such a man as Jesus Christ to be worshiped as a God—especially when we look at the various motives which promoted men to Gods, which we will now present. WORSHIP OF MEN AS GODS.
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Motives to Incarnation, or the Cause of Men being
WORSHIPED AS GODS.
The causes which led to the conception of Gods and Sons of God becoming clothed in human flesh — the manner in which the absurd idea originated of an infinite being descend- ing from heaven, assuming the form of a man, being born of a pure and spotless virgin, and finally being killed by his own children, the subjects of his own government, are palpably plain and easily understood in the light of oriental history. And at the same time it is so shockingly absurd, that the rapid march of science and civilization will soon inaugurate the era when the man or woman who shall still be found clinging to these childish and superstitious conceptions — the offspring of igno- rance, and the relics of barbarism, and a certain proof of unde- veloped or unenlightened minds — will be looked upon as deplo- rably ignorant and superstitious. We will proceed to enumer- ate some of the causes which promoted men to the dignity of Gods.
1. God must come down to suffer and sympathize with the people.
The people of all ancient religious countries were so exter- nally-minded, that they demanded a God whom they could l<now by virtue of his corporeity, really sympathized with their sorrows, their sufferings, their wrongs, and their oppressions, and, like Jesus Christ, “ touched with a feeling of our infirmi- ties” (Heb. iv. 15) — a God so far invested with human attri- butes, human frailties, and human sympathies, that he could shoulder their burdens and their infirmities, and take upon himself a portion of their sufferings. Hence it is said of Christ, “himself took our infirmities.” (Matt. iii. 17.) The same conception runs through the pagan systems. One writer sets forth the matter thus: “ The Creator occasionally assumed a mortal form to assist mankind in great emergencies ” (as Jesus Christ was afterward reported as being the Creator. See Col. i. 16.) “ And as repealed sojourners on earth in various capa-
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the sorrows and temptations of humanity, and couldjustly judge of its sins while they sympathized with its weaknesses and its sufferings. When they again returned to the higher regions (heaven), they remembered the lower forms they had dwelt amongst, and felt a lively interest in the world they had once inhabited. They could penetrate even the secret thoughts of mortals ” The people then demanding a God of sympathy and suffering (as shown above), their credulous imaginations would not be long in finding one. Let a man rise up in society en- dowed with an extraordinary degree of spirituality and sym- pathy for human suffering; let him, like Chrishna, Pythag- oras, Christ, and Mahomet, spend his time in visiting the hovels of the poor, or consoling their sorrows, laboring to miti- gate their griefs, and in performing acts of charity, disinterested alms and deeds of benevolence, kindness and love, and so cer- tain would he sooner or later command the homage of a God. For this was always the mode adopted, in an ignorant, unde- veloped, and unenlightened age, for accounting not merely for moral greatness, but for every species of mental and physical superiority, as will be hereafter shown. We will proceed to notice the second cause of men being invested with divine attributes.
2. The people must and would have an external God they could see, hear, and talk to.
All the oriental nations, as well as Christian, taught that “God was a spirit,” but no nation or class of people, not even the founders of Christianity, entertained a consistent view of the doctrine. Only a few learned philosophers saw the scien- tific impossibility of an infinite spirit being crowded into the human form. Hence they alone were contented to “ worship God in spirit and in truth.” Every religious nation went counter to the spirit of this injunction in worshiping for a God a being in the human form. Even the founders of Christianity, though making high claims to spirituality, were too gross, too sensuous in their conceptions, too externally-minded, and too idolatrous in their feelings and proclivities, to be content to “ worship God in spirit.” Hence their deification of the “man Christ Jesus91 WORSHIP OF MEN AS GOBS.
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to answer the requisition of an external worship, by which they violated the command to “ worship God as a spirit”
That the practice of promoting men to the Godhead origi- nated with minds on the external plane, and evinces a want of spiritual development, is clearly set forth by the author of “The Nineteenth Century” (a Christian writer), who tells us. “The idea of the primitive ages were wholly sensuous, and the masses did not believe in anything except that which they could touch, see, hear, and taste.” A true description, no doubt, of the ancient pagan worshipers of demigods. But we warn the Christian reader not to cast anchor here, for we have at our elbow abundance of Christian testimony from the pens of the very oracles of the church to prove that the same state of things, the same state of society, the same state of mind, the same proclivity for God-making, existed with the people among whom Christ was born, and that it was owing to this sensuous, idolatrous state of mind among his disciples that he received the homage and title of a God. Hence the famous Archbishop Tillotson says, “Another very common notion, and rife in the heathen world, and a great source of their idolatry, was their deification of great men fit to be worshiped as Gods.” . . . “ There was a great inclination in mankind to the worship of a visible Deity. So God was pleased to appear in our nature, that they who were so fond of a visible Deity might have one, even a true and natural incarnation of God the Father, the express image of his person.” Now, we enjoin the reader to mark this testimony well, and impress it indelibly upon his memory. According to this orthodox Christian bishop, Jesus Christ appeared on earth as a God in condescension to the wishes of a people too devoid of spirituality, and too strongly inclined to idolatry, to worship God as a spirit. For he admits the worship of a God-man or a man-God is a species of idolatry. This tells the whole story of the apotheosis of “the man Christ Jesus.” We have no doubt but that here is sug- gested one of the true causes of his elevation to the Deityship. Again he says, “ The world was mightily bent on addressing their requests and supplications, not to the Deity immediately, but by some Mediator between the Gods and men.” (See 186
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Jordan was considered to be “ more holy.” And Christians had their sacred pool of Bethesda, as the Hindoos had their Sahar.
The rite of baptism was at first generally practiced in caves, as were also other religious rites; and as these caves were often difficult of access, and their mouths, doors, or gates narrow and difficult to enter, they fully exemplify Christ’s declaration, “ Strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life.” (Matt. vii. 14.) And when he declared, “Except a man be born of water and of the spirit he cannot enter the king- dom of heaven” (John iii. 5), he was only seconding the exhor- tation of the priests to enter these subterranean vaults and be baptized after the oriental and Jewish custom. Thus originated baptism by water in the form of dipping, or immersion.
Baptism by Sprinkling.
Owing to the scarcity of water in some countries, and its en- tire absence in others, and the fatal effects sometimes resulting from the practice of baptizing infants and invalids by immer- sion, a new mode of baptism eventually sprung up, now known as “sprinkling,” in which sometimes water and sometimes blood was used. Virgil, Ovid, and Cicero all speak of its prevalence amongst the ancient Romans, or Latins. We are informed that the ancient Jews practiced it upon their women while in a state of nudity, the ceremony being administered by three rabbis, or priests. But the custom finally gave way to one more conso- nant with decorum. Blood, being considered “the life thereof” of man, was deemed more efficacious than water, and hence was often used in lieu of that element. The Greeks kept a “ holy vessel” for this purpose, known as the Facina. The Romans used a brush, which may now be seen engraven upon some of their ancient coins, and sculptured on their ancient temples. The Hindoos and Persians used a branch of laurel or some other shrub for sprinkling the repentant candidate, whether water or blood was used. In some countries the rite was prac- ticed as a talisman against evil spirits. The Mexicans never approached their altars without sprinkling them with blood 172
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drawn from their own bodies, as the Jews sprinkled the walls and door-posts of their temples with blood under the requisition of the Levitical code. This mode of fancied purification by sprinkling either with water or blood we find recognized, and apparently sanctioned, in the Christian bible, both in the Old and New Testaments. Ezekiel says, “I will sprinkle clean water on you.” (Ezek. xxxvi. 25.) Peter uses the phrase, “ The sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter i. 2.) And Paul makes use of the expression, “ The blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel” (Heb. xii. 24), which we regard as an indirect sanction of the senseless hea- then idea of effecting spiritual purification by drops of blood. (See Potter’s Antiquities and Herbert’s Travels.)
Baptism by Fiee.
Baptism by fire was a form or mode of application which seems to have been introduced from the belief that it was pro- ductive of a higher degree of purification. There were sev- eral ways of using fire in the baptismal rite. In some cases the candidate for immortality ran through blazing streams of fire — a custom which was called “ the baptism of fire.” M. de Hum- boldt, in his “ Views of the Cordilleras and Monuments of Amer- ica,” informs us it prevailed in India, Chaldea, and Syria, and throughout eastern Asia. It appears to have been gotten up as a substitute for sun-worship, as this luminary was believed to be constituted of fire, though in reality there never was any such thing as sun or solar worship. Christian writers represent the ancient Persians as having been addicted to solar worship. But Firdausi, Cudworth, and other authors declare that neither they nor any other nation ever worshiped the sun, but merely an imaginary Deity supposed to reside in the sun. Heathen nations have been charged with many things of which they were not guilty; though it is true that in the spirit of Christ’s exhor- tation, “ Whosoever loseth his life for my sake shall find it,” some of the candidates for the fiery ordeal voluntarily sacrificed their lives in the operation, under the persuasion that it was necessary to purify the soul, and would enable them to ascend ORIGIN OF BAPTISM.
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to higher posts or planes of enjoyment in the celestial world. And some of them were taught that sins not expurgated by fire, or some other efficaciously renovating process in this life, would be punished by fire in the life to come. Here we will mention that there is a seeming recognition of this ancient hea- then rite in both departments of the Christian’s bible. Isaiah says, “When thou wTalkest through fire thou shalt not be burned.” (lxiii. 2.) And the Baptist John recognizes three modes of baptism: “I indeed baptize you with water, but he that cometh after me shall baptize you with fire and the Holy Ghost.” (Matt. iii. 11.) And Paul teaches the necessity of being purified by fire. (See 1 Cor. iii. 15.) So it is both a hea- then and a Christian idea.
Baptism by the Holy Ghost.
This fanciful ceremony is both a Christian and a heathen rite, and is undoubtedly of heathen origin. The mode of applying it was to breathe into or upon the seeker for divine favors. This was done by the priest, who, it was believed, imparted the Spirit of God by the process. The custom, Mr. Herbert informs us, was anciently quite common in oriental countries, and was at a later date borrowed by Christ and his apostles and incorporated into the Christian ceremonies. We find that Christ not only sanctioned it, but practiced it, as it is declared that when he met his disciples after his resurrection “he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost.” (John xx. 22.) And the following language of Ezekiel is evidently a sanction of the same heathen custom : “Thus saith the Lord God, Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.” (xxxvii. 9.) Let it be borne in mind here that breath, air, wind, spirit, and ghost were used as synonymous terms, according to Mr. Parkhurst (see Chap. XXII.), and this breathing was supposed to impart spiritual life, being nothing less than the Spirit of God, the same as that breathed into Adam when “he became a living soul.” (See Gen. ii. 7.) For a fuller exposition see Chapter XXII. 174
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Baptism op or for the Dead.
It was customary among the Hindoos and other nations to postpone baptism till near the supposed terminus of life, in order that the ablution might extinguish all the sins and mis- deeds of the subject’s earthly probation. But it sometimes happened that men and women were killed, or died unexpect- edly, before the rite was administered. And as it would not do for these unfortunate souls to be deprived of the benefit of this soul-saving ordinance, the custom was devised of baptizing the defunct body, or more commonly some living person in its stead. The method of executing the latter expedient, according to St. Chrysostom, was to place some living person under the bed or couch on which the corpse was reclining, when the defunct was asked if he would be baptized. The living man, responding for the dead, answered in the affirmative. The corpse was then taken and dipped in a vessel prepared for the purpose. This silly practice was in vogue among the early Christians, and Paul seems to regard it as an important custom. “ Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all.” (1 Cor. xv. 9.) The inference derivable from this text is, that Paul held that the labor of baptizing the dead would be lost in the event of the falsification of the doctrine of the res- urrection, but otherwise it would be valid — which evinces his faith in the senseless and superstitious practice. It will be ob- served from the historical exposition of this chapter that all the various ancient heathen modes and rites of baptism have been practiced by Christians, and are sanctioned by their bible. THE SACRAMENT OF HEATHEN ORIGIN. 175
CHAPTER XXVII.
THE SACRAMENT OR EUCHARIST OE HEATHEN ORIGIN.
At the feast of the Passover, Christ is represented, while distributing bread to his disciples, to have said, “ Take, eat; this is my body ” (Matt. xxvi. 26); and while handing round the consecrated cup, he enjoined, “ Drink ye all of it, for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the re- mission of sins” (xxvi. 27). Here is a very clear and explicit indorsement of what Is generally termed “ the Eucharist or Sacrament.” And nothing can be more susceptible of proof than that this rite or ordinance is of pagan origin, and was prac- tically recognized many centuries prior to the dawn of the Christian era. So we observe, by the text above quoted, the Christian Savior and Lawgiver copied, or reproduced, an old pagan rite as a part of his professedly new and spiritual system, one of the most ancient and widely-extended formulas of pagan- dom. And stranger still, the catechisms of the Christian church represent this ordinance as having originated in the design and motive to keep the ancient Christian world in remembrance of the death, and sufferings, and sacrifice of Christ, while we find it existing long prior to his time, both among Jews and pagans, this being virtually admitted in the Bible itself, so far as re- spects the pagans, thus proving that it did not originate with Christ, and therefore is not of Christian origin. For in Gen. xiv. 18, we read, “ And Melchisedek, king of Salem, brought forth bread and wine, and he was the priest of the Most High God.” Because the Melchisedek here spoken of is represented as being “ a priest of the Most High God,” and showed so 176
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much respect to Abraham, it is presumed and assumed, by Christian writers, that he was a Jewish priest and king; and Mr. Faber (vol. i. p. 72) calls him “an incarnation of the son of God.” But there is no intimation throughout the Jewish Scriptures of the Jews ever having had a king or priest by that name. And besides, Eupolemus (vol. i. p. 39), tells us that the temple of Melchisedek was the temple of Jupi- ter, in which Pythagoras studied philosophy. Then, again, according to some writers, the name is synonymous with Moloch, the God of war among the Greeks. Strange, then, that Melchisedek should be claimed as a priest and king among the Jews. Be this as it may, the case proves that the cere- mony of offering bread and wine existed long before the era of Jesus Christ. And then we have much more and much stronger proof of this fact than is here furnished. The Christian Mr. Faber virtually admits it, when he tells us, “The devil led the heathen to anticipate Christ with respect to several things, as the mysteries of the Eucharist,” &c. w And this very so- lemnity (says St. Justin) the evil spirit introduced into the mysteries of Mithra.” (Reeves, Justin, p. 86.) Mr. Higgins observes, “It was instituted hundreds of years before the Lord’s death took place.” Amongst the ancient religious orders and nations who practiced this rite, we may name the Essenes, Persians, Pythagoreans, Gnostics, Brahmins, and Mexicans. For proof of its existence and antiquity among the last-named nation, we refer the reader to the “ Travels ” (chap, ii.) of that Christian writer, Father Acosta. Mr. Ma- rolles, in his Memoirs (p. 215), quotes Tibullus as saying, “The pagan appeased the divinity with holy bread.” And Tibullus, in a panegyric on Marsella, wrote, “ A little cake, a little morsel of bread, appeased the divinities.” And here we discover the idea which originated the ceremony. It was started, like animal sacrifices, for the purpose of appeasing the wrath or propitiating the favor of the angry Gods. Tracing the conception still further in the rear of its progress, and apparently to its primary inception, Mr. Higgins observes, “ The whole paschal supper (the Lord’s supper with the Christians) was in fact a festival of joy to celebrate the passage of the sun THE SACRAMENT OF HEATHEN ORIGIN 177
across the equinox of spring” We find one pagan writer who had intelligence enough to ridicule this senseless ceremonial custom, called “ the sacrament.” Cicero, some forty years before Christ, shows up the doctrine of the sacrament, or sub- stantiation, in its true light. He asks, “ IIow can a man be so stupid as to imagine that which he eats to be a God?” A writer quoted above says, “Mass, or the sacrifice of bread and wine, was common to many ancient nations.” (Anac. vol. ii. p. 62.) According to Alnetonae, the ancient Brahmins had a kind of Eucharist called “prajadam.” And the same writer informs us that the ancient Peruvians, “after sacrificing a lamb, mingled his blood with flour, and distributed it among the people.” Writers on Grecian mythology relate that Ceres, the goddess of corn, gave her flesh to eat, and that Bacchus, the God of wine, gave blood to drink. Nor is there any evidence that Christ and his followers made a better use, or different use, or a more spiritual application, of the sacrament, or cere- monial offering of bread and wine, than the pagans did, though some have claimed this. It was a species of symbolism with both, notwithstanding Mr. Glover, a Christian writer, de- clares, that “in the sacrament of the altar are the natural body and blood of Christ, verily and indeed.” (See Glover’s Remarks on Bishop Marsh's Compendious Review.) It may be noted here, that the Persians, Pythagoreans, Essenes, and Gnostics used water instead of wrine, and that this mode of practice was less objectionable than that of the Christians, who (as sad ex- perience proves) have too often laid the foundation for the ruin of some poor unsuspecting devotee, by luring him to the fatal fascination of the intoxicating bowl, by holding the sacred and ceremonial wine to his lips, while administering the sacra- ment, or the Lord’s supper.
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CHAPTER XXIV.
THE TRINITY VERY ANCIENTLY A CURRENT HEATHEN DOCTRINE.
“ There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one.” (1 John v. 7.) This text, which evidently discloses a belief in the existence of three separate and distinct beings in the Godhead, sets forth a doctrine which was anciently of almost universal prevalence. Nearly every nation, whether oriental or occiden- tal, whose religious faith has been commemorated in history, discloses in its creed a belief in the trifold nature and triune division of the Deity. St. Jerome testifies unequivocally, “ All the ancient nations believed in the Trinity.” And a volume of facts and figures might be cited here, if we had space for them, in proof of this statement. A text from one of the Hindoo bibles (the Puranas) will evince the antiquity and prevalence of this belief in a nation of one hundred and fifty millions of people more than two thousand years ago.
“Oyou three Lords!” ejaculated Attencion, “know that I recognize only one God. Inform me, therefore, which of you is the true divinity, that I may address to him alone my vows and adorations. The three Gods, Brahma, Yishnu, and Siva, becoming manifest to him, replied, “Learn, O devotee, that there is no real distinction between us. What to you appears such is only by semblance. The single being appears under three forms by the acts of creation, preservation, and destruc- tion, but he is one.”
Now, reader, note the remark here, that the ancient Christian fathers almost universally and unanimously proclaimed the THE TRINITT A HEATHEN DOCTRINE. 163
doctrine of the Trinity as one of the leading tenets of the Christian faith, and, as a doctrine derived directly by revela- tion from heaven. But here we find it most explicitly set forth by a disciple of a pagan religion more than three thousand years ago, as the Christian missionary D. O. Allen states, that the Hindoo bible, in which it is found, was compiled fourteen hundred years before Christ, and written at a still earlier period. And we find the same doctrine very explicitly taught in the ancient Brahmin, Persian, Chaldean, Chinese, Mexican, and Grecian systems — all much older than Christianity. No writer ever taught or avowed a belief in any tenet of religious faith more fully or plainly than Plato sets forth, the doctrine of the Trinity in his Phaedon, written four hundred years B. C. And his terms are found to be in most striking conformity to the Chris- tian doctrine on this subject, as taught in the New Testament. Plato’s first term for the Trinity was in Greek, 1. To Agathon, the supreme God or Father; 2. The Logos, which is the Greek term for the Word; and 3. Psyche, which the Greek Lexicon defines to mean “soul, spirit, or ghost” — of course, the Holy Ghost. Here we have the three terms of the Christian Trinity, Father, Word, and Holy Ghost, as plainly taught as language can express it, thus making Plato’s exposition of the Trinity and definition of its terms, published four hundred years B. C., iden- tical in meaning with those of St. John’s, as found in his Gospel, and contained in the above quoted text. Where, then, is the foundation for the dogmatic claim on the part of Christian pro- fessors for the divine origin of the Trinity doctrine. We will here cite the testimony of some Christian writers to prove that the Trinity is a pagan-derived doctrine. A Christian bishop, Mr. Powell, declares, “ I not only confess, but I maintain, such a similitude of Plato’s and John’s Trinity doctrines as bespeaks a common origin.” (Thirteenth letter to Dr. Priestley.) What is that you say, bishop ? “ A common origin.” Then you con- cede both are heaven-derived, or both heathen-derived. If the former, then revelation and heathenism are synonymous terms. If the latter, then Christianity stands on a level with heathen mythology. Which horn of the dilemma will you choose ? St. Aug istine confessed he found the beginning of John’s Gospel 164
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in Plato’s Phsedon, which is a concession of the whole ground Another writer, Chataubron, speaks of an ancient Greek in- scription on the great obelisk at Rome, which reads, “ 1. The Mighty God; 2. The Begotten of God (as Christ is declared to be “the only begotten of the Father” (John i. 14); and 3. Apollo the Spirit” — the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost; thus presenting in plain language the three terms of the Trinity. And Mr. Cud worth, in corroboration of this report, says, “ The Greeks had a first God, and second God, and third God, and the second was begotten by the first. And yet for all that,” continues Mr. Cudworth, “ they considered all these one.” In the Platonic or Grecian Trinity, the first person was considered the planner of the work of creation, the second person the creator, and the third person the ghost or spirit which moved upon the face of the waters, and infused life into the mighty deep at creation — the same Holy Ghost which descended from heaven to infuse life into the waters at Christ’s bap- tism. Thus the resemblance is complete. Mr. Basnage quotes a Christian writer of the fifth century as declaring, “ The Athe- nian sage Plato marvelously anticipated one of the most im- portant and mysterious doctrines of the Christian religion” — meaning the Trinity — an important concession truly. The oldest and probably the original form of the Trinity is that found in the Brahmin and Hindoo systems—the terms of which are, 1. Brahma, the Father or supreme God; 2. Vishnu, the incarnate Word and Creator; 3. Siva, the Spirit of God, i. e., the Holy Spirit or Ghost — each answering to correspond- ing terms of the Christian Trinity, and yet two thousand years older, according to Dr. Smith. We have not allowable space for other facts and citations (as this work is designed as a mere epitome), although we have but entered upon the threshold of the evidence tending to prove that the Christian Trinity was born of heathen parents, that it is an offspring of heathen my- thology, like other doctrines of the Christian faith, claimed by its disciples as the gift of divine revelation.
Here let it be noted as a curious chapter in sacred history, that the numerous divine Trinities, which have constituted a part of nearly every religious system ever propagated to the THE TRINITY A HEATHEN DOCTRINE.
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world, were composed in every case of male Gods. No female has ever yet been admitted into the triad of Gods composing the orthodox Trinity. Every member of the Trinity in every case is a male, and an old bachelor— a doctrine most flagrantly at war with the principles of modern philosophy. For this science teaches us that the endowment of a being with either male or female organs, presupposes the existence of the other sex; and that either sex, without the other, would be a ludi- crous anomaly, and a ludicrous distortion of nature unparalleled in the history of science. As sexual organs create an imperious desire for the other sex, no male or female being could long en- joy full happiness in the absence of the other party. What an un- happy, lonesome place, therefore, the orthodox heaven must have been, during the eternity of the past, with no society but old bachelors ! The Trinity was constituted of males simply because woman has always been considered a mere cipher in society — a mere tool for man’s convenience, an appendage to his wants. Hence, instead of having a place among the Gods, she led the practical life of a servant and a menial, which accounts for her exclusion from the Trinity. But the time is coming when she will rule both heaven and earth with the omnipotent power of her love-nature. Then we shall have no “war in heaven,’1 and no fighting on earth. 166
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CHAPTER XXV.
ABSOLUTION, AND THE CONFESSION OF SINS, OF HEATHEN ORIGIN.
Some Christian writers have labored to make it appear that this is exclusively a Christian doctrine, while others have labored as hard to get it out of their bible, or make the people believe that it is not therein taught. We shall show, upon scriptural and historical authority, that both are wrong. There can be no question as to this rite having existed outside of Christianity, or of its being much older than Christianity. History proves both. Nor can it be successfully denied that it is taught in the Christian Scriptures, both the confessing of sins and that of for- giving sins. The apostle James, with respect to the former, is quite explicit. He enjoins, emphatically, “ Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another.” (James v. 16.) The practice of forgiving sins is also enjoined. “Forgiving one an- other” is recommended both in Ephesians (iv. 32) and Colos- sians (iii. 13). “And whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matt, xviii. 18), is interpreted as con- ferring the power to forgive sins.
And then we remark that the practices both of confessing and forgiving sins are very ancient pagan rites and customs. Speaking of their prevalence in ancient India, the author of the Anacalypsis remarks, “ The person offering sacrifices made a verbal confession of his sins, and received absolution.” Au- ricular confession was also practiced among the ancient Mithri- acs, or Persians, and the Parsees proper of the same country. Mr. Volney tells us, “They observed all the Christian sacra- ments, even to the laying on of hands in the confirmation. (211.) And the Christian Tertullian also tells us that “The priests of ABSOLUTION AND CONFESSION.
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Mithra promised absolution from sin on confession and bap- tism,” while another author adds, that “on such occasions Mithra marked his followers (the servants of God) in their foreheads,” and that “he celebrated the sacrifice of bread, which is the resurrection.”
In the collection of the Jewish laws called “The Mishna,” we are told the Jews confessed their sins by placing their hands upon a calf belonging to the priest, and that this was called “the Confession of Calves.” (See Mishna, tom. ii. p. 394.) Confessing sins was practiced in ancient Mexico; also, under Numa of Rome, whose priests, we are informed, had to clear their consciences by confessing their sins before they could offer sacrifices. The practice of confessing and forgiving sins as recommended in the Christian bible, and practiced by some of the Christian sects, has been the source of much practical evil by furnishing a pretext and license, to some extent, for the commission of crime and sin. While sins can be so easily obliterated, they will be committed—perpetrated without much remorse or restraint. “ In China (says the Rev. Mr. Pitrat, 232), the invocation of Omito is sufficient to remit the punishment of the greatest crimes.” The same author tells us, “ The an- cient initiations of the pagans had tribunals of penance, where the priests, under the name of Hoes, heard from the mouth of the sinners themselves the avowal of their sins of which their souls were to be purified, and from the punishment of which they wished to be exempted.” (Page 37.) The granting of absolution for sin or misconduct among the early primitive Christians was so common, St. Cyprian informs us, that “ thou- sands of reprieves were granted daily,” which served as an indirect license to crime. And thus the doctrine of divine for- giveness, as taught by pagans and Christians, has proved to be demoralizing in its effects upon society. 168
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CHAPTER XXVI.
ORIGIN OF BAPTISM BY WATER, FIRE, BLOOD, AND THE HOLY GHOST.
Baptism, in some of its various forms, is a very ancient rite, and was extensively practiced in several oriental countries. It was administered in a great variety of forms, and with the use of different elements. Water was the most common, but fire and air, wind, spirit, or ghost, were also used; and both the living and the dead were made the subjects of its solemn and imposing ceremonies. We will notice each of these modes of baptism separately — appropriating a brief space to each.
I. Baptism by Water.
“ Baptism by water,” says Mr. Higgins, “ is a very old rite, being practiced by the followers of Zoroaster, by the Romans, the Egyptians, and other nations.” It was also in vogue among the ancient Hindoos at a still earlier date. Their mode of ad- ministering it was to dip the candidate for immersion three times in the watery element, in the same manner as is now practiced by some of the Christian sects, during the perform- ance of which the hierophant would ejaculate the following prayer and ceremony: “ O Lord, this man is impure, like the mud of this stream ! But do thou cleanse and deliver his soul from sin as the water cleanses his body.” They believed that water possessed the virtue of purifying both soul and body — the latter from filth, and the former from sin. The ancient Mexicans, Persians, Hindoos, and Jews were in the habit of baptizing their infants soon after they were born. And the water used for this purpose was called “ the water of regenera- ORIGIN OF BAPTISM.
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tion.” Paul speaks of being “ saved by the washing of regen- eration.” (See Titus iii. 5.) Those who touched these infants before they were baptized were deemed impure. And as this was unavoidable on the part of the mothers, they were required, as in the cases of the mothers of Chrislma and Christ, to pre- sent themselves on the eighth day after accouchement to the priest in the temple to be. purified. The Romans chose the eighth day for girls and the ninth for boys. The child was usually named (christened) at the time it was baptized. And in India, the name, or God’s name, or some other mark, was engraven or written on the forehead. This .custom is several times recognized in the Christian bible, both in the Old and in the New Testament. (See Ezek. ix. 4; Rev. xiv. 9; xix. 20, &c.) John speaks of a mark being made on the forehead. (See Rev- xiii. 16.) Also of the name of God being written on the fore- head. (Rev. iii. 12.)
The Dove Descending at Baptism.
At this stage of our inquiry it may be stated that several of the ancient religious orders had the legend of a dove or pigeon descending at baptism — a counterpart to the evangelical story of “ the Spirit of God descending in bodily shape like a dove,” and alighting on the head of Jesus Christ while being baptized by John in Jordan. (See Luke iii. 22.) It will be observed here that the spirit, or soul, of God descended not only in the manner, but in “ bodily shape like a dove.” This accords with the tradition anciently prevalent among the Hindoos, Mexicans, Greeks, Romans, and Persians, or Babylonians, that all souls, or spirits, possessed, or were capable of assuming, the form of a dove. Hence it is reported of Polycarp, Semiramis, Caesar, and others, that at death their souls, or spirits, were seen to leave the body in “bodily shape like a dove” and ascend to heaven. “ The Divine Love, or Eros,” says Mr. Higgins, “ was supposed by the oriental heathen to descend often in the form of a dove to bless the candidate for baptism.” These tradi- tions, doubtless, gave rise to the story of the dove descending at Christ’s baptism — that is, God in the shape of a dove, for 170
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that is clearly the meaning of the text. We are also informed by our author just quoted, that a dove stood for and represent- ed, among the orientalists, the third person of the Trinity, as it does in the gospel story of Christ — he being the second member of the Christian Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. It was considered “the regenerator, or regenerating spirit,” and persons being baptized were said to be “ born again ” into the spirit or the spirit into them; that is, the dove into or upon them.
What a master-key is furnished by these oriental religions for solving the mysteries of the Christian bible! IIow much more lucid than Divine Revelation, so called ! We will quote again from Higgins. “ Among all nations, from the very earli- est period, water has been used as a species of religious sacra- ment. Because, as it dripped from the clouds, it was observed to have the power of reviving drooping nature and creating anew, or regenerating, the whole vegetable kingdom in spring, it was hence chosen as an emblem of spiritual regeneration and a medium of baptism. Water was the element by means of which everything was born again through the agency of the Eros, Dove, or Divine Love.” And hence the ceremony of dip- ping, or plunging (or, as it is modernly termed, baptizing), came into vogue for the remission of sins and “the regeneration into a new and more holy life.” Some streams were supposed to have more efficacy in these respects than others. Hence nearly all religious nations had their “Holy Rivers,” “Holy Water,” “ Sacred Pools,” &c. The Hindoos resorted to the “ Holy Gan- ges,” the Egyptians to the “ Holy Nile,” the Chaldeans and Persians to their “ Holy Euphrates,” the Greeks to their “Holy Lustral Water,” the Italians to the river Po, and the Jews and Christians to their holy river Jordan. If Jordan was not called “ holy,” it was undoubtedly considered so, else why did Elisha order Naaman to wash seven times in that stream instead of Damascus, which was much nearer and more accessible ? And why was Christ baptized in Jordan? “And all the land of Judea, and they of Jerusalem, were baptized in Jordan, con- fessing their sins.” (Matt. iii. 6.) Why, as several streams were handier to a large portion of the candidates, simply because ORIGIN OF BAPTISM.
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Origin of the Holy Ghost Superstition.
The origin of the tradition respecting this fabulous and myth- ical being is easily traced to the ancient Brahminical trifold conception of the Deity, in which stands, in Trinity order, first, the God of power, or might — Brahma, or Brahm (the Father); second, the God of creation — the Word — answering to John’s creative Word (see John i. 3) ; and, third, the God of genera- tion and regeneration — the Holy Spirit, or Holy Ghost. The last member of the triune conception of the Deity was consid- ered, under the Brahminical theocracy, the living, vital, active, life-imparting agent in both the first and second births of men and the gods. It will be borne in mind by the reader that the Holy Ghost is represented in the Christian Scripture as being the active generating agent of Christ’s conception, he being, as Matthew declares, “ conceived by the Holy Ghost.” The Holy Ghost was also the regenerating agent at his baptism. Although the specific object of the descent of the Holy Ghost on that occasion is not stated by Luke, who relates it; although it is not stated for what purpose the Holy Spirit, after assuming the form of a bird, alighted and sat upon his head, yet the motive is fully disclosed in the older mythical religions, where we find the matter in fuller detail. Baptism itself is claimed by all its Christian votaries as regenerating or imparting a new spiritual life; and this new spiritual life was believed by several nations, as before stated, to make its appearance in the character and shape of a bird — sometimes a pigeon, sometimes a dove; and thus the origin of this tradition is most clearly and unmistak- ably exposed. As the foregoing historical exposition exhibits the Holy Ghost as performing several distinct and discordant offices, so we likewise find it possessing at least two distinct genders, the masculine and neuter, i. e., no gender — changing, ghost-like, from one to the other, as occasion seemed to require.
From all these metamorphoses it is shown and demonstrated that the sexual and other changes of this “mysterious” being equal many of the demigods of mythology. The primary windy conception of the Holy Ghost is traceable to that early THE HOLT GHOST OF ORIENTAL ORIGIN. 155
period of society when the rude and untutored denizens of the earth, in their profound ignorance of natural causes, were very easily and naturally led into the belief that wherever there was motion there was a God, or the active manifestation of a God, whether it was in the wind, breath, water, fire, or the sun. Hence the Buddhists had their god Vasus, who manifested himself variously in the shape or character of fire, wind, storms, gas, ghosts, gusts, and the breath, thus constituting a very nearly-allied counterpart to the Christian Holy Ghost, which Mr. Parkhurst tells us originally meant “air in motion.” This god was believed to have sprung from the supreme, primordial God, which the ancient Brahmins and Budhists generally be- lieved was constituted of a fine, spiritual substance, — aura, anirna, wind, ether, igneous fluid, or electrical fire, i. e., fire from the sun, — giving rise to “ baptism by fire; ” and hence the third God, or third member of the Trinity, subsequently arising out of this compound being, was also necessarily composed of, or consisted of, the same properties — all of which were be- lieved to be correlative, if not identical.
Such is a complete, though brief, historical elucidation of that mysterious, imaginary being so corporally intangible that Faus- tus, of the third century, declared respecting it, “The Holy Spirit, the third majesty, has the air for his residence.” And it is a fabulous God whose scriptural biography is invested with so many ludicrous and abstruse incidents as to incite several hundred Christian writers to labor hard and with a “godly zeal,” by a reconstruction of “God’s Word” and a rehabiliment of the ghostly texts, to effect some kind of a reconciliation of the story with reason and common sense — with what success the reader is left to judge.
The Unpardonable Sin against the Holy Ghost.
Before dismissing our ghostly narrative, it may effect some- thing in the way of mitigating the anxious fears of some of our Christian brethren and sisters to explain the nature of “the sin against the Holy Ghost,” and assign the reason for its being \mpardonable. The sin against the Holy Ghost consisted, ac- 156
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cording to the ancient Mexican traditions, in resisting its opera- tions in the second birth — that is, the regeneration of the heart or soul by the Holy Ghost. And as the rectification of the heart or soul was a prominent idea with Christ, there is scarcely any ground to doubt but that this was the notion he cherished of the nature of the sin against the Holy Ghost. And it was considered unpardonable, simply because as the pardoning and cleansing process consisted in, or was at least always accompa- nied with, baptism by water, in which operation the Holy Ghost was the agent in effecting a “ new birth,” therefore when the ministrations or operations of this indispensable agent were resisted or rejected, there was no channel, no means, no possible mode left for the sinner to find a renewed acceptance with God. When a person sinned against the Father or the Word (the Son), he could find a door of forgiveness through the baptizing processes, spiritual or elementary, of the Holy Ghost. But an offense committed against this third limb of the godhead had the effect to close and bar the door so that there could be “ no forgiveness, either in this life or that which is to come ” To sin against the Holy Ghost was to tear down the scaffold by which the door of heaven was to be reached.
And thus is explained the great “ mystery of godliness,” the “ unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost,” which, on account of the frightful penalty annexed to it, while it is impossible to learn what it consists in, — it being undefined and ?indefinable,— has caused thousands, and probably millions, of the disciples of the Christian faith the most agonizing hours of alarm and despair. THE DI VINE WORD OF ORIENTAL ORIGIN. 157
CHAPTER XXIII.
THE DIVINE “WORD” OF ORIENTAL ORIGIN.
The Word as Creator, as Second Person op the Trinity and its Pre-existence.
The Word of Oriental Origin.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word w^asGod.” (John i. 1.) The doctrine of the divine creative word (from the Greek Logos) appears to have been coeval in its origin with that of the Trinity, if not insep- arably connected with it, as it constitutes the second member of the Trinity of “Father, Word, and Holy Ghost” in most of the ancient systems of religion. Works on heathen mythology show that it was anciently a very prevalent custom to per- sonify ideas, thoughts, and words into angels and Gods. Words were first personated, and transformed into men, then into angels, and finally into Gods. And here is foreshad- owed the origin of John’s personification of “the Word made flesh.” It was simply the word of the supreme God as it escaped from his mouth, assuming the form and characteristics of a divine being like himself, and taking position as a sec- ondary God and second member of the Trinity. This was the orient conception, and it appears to have been John’s. He evidently had no thought of Christ experiencing human birth, at first, or being born of a woman, but believed, like some of the orientalists, that he came out of the mouth of the Father, and was thus “ made flesh.” (John i. 2.) Not a word of Christ being born is found in John’s Gospel, till after his existence as the Word is spoken of. (See first note on page 379.) 158
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The Word as Creator.
John also represents the Word as having been the Cieator. “All things were made by him.” (John i. 3.) And Peter de- clares, “By the word of God the heavens were of old.” (2 Peter iii. 5.) Now let it be observed here, as a notable cir- cumstance, that the Chinese bible, much older than the Chris- tian’s New Testament, likewise declares, “God pronounced the primeval Word, and his own eternal and glorious abode sprang into existence.” Mr. Guizot, in a note on Gibbon’s work, says, “ According to the Zend-Avesta (the Persian bible, more than three thousand years old), it is by the Word, more ancient than the world, that Ormuzd created the universe.” In like manner the sacred writings of the ancient Thibetans speak of “the Word which produced the world” — an exact counterpart to John’s declaration, “All things were made by him.” And the ancient Greek writer Amelias, speaking of the God Mercury, says, “And this plainly was the Logos (the Word), by whom all things were made, he being himself eternal, as Heraclitus would say, . . . He assumed to be with God, and to be God, and in him everything that was made, has its life and being, who, descending into body, and putting on flesh, took the appearance of a man, though still retaining the majesty of his nature. Here is “the Word made flesh” set forth in most explicit terms. The Psalmist exclaims, “By the Word of God were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the Breath of his mouth.” (Ps. xxxiii. 6.) Here is disclosed not only the conception of the Word as Creator, but also the Word and the Breath as synonymous terms, both of which conceptions orien- tal history amply proves to be of heathen derivation. It was anciently believed that the Word and Breath of God were the same, and possessed a vitalizing power, which, as they issued from his mouth, might be transformed into another being, known as a secondary God. Both the Jews and the Christians seem to have inherited this belief, as evinced by the foregoing quota- tions from their bible. The most ancient tradition taught that the Word emanated from the mouth of the principal God, and THE DIVINE WORD OF ORIENTAL ORIGIN 15D
“became flesh,” that is, took form, as the ancient Brahmins expressed it, for the special purpose of serving as agent in the work of creation, that is, to become the creator of the external universe. St. John evidently borrowed this idea. Read his first chapter.
Pre-existence op the Word.
The pre-existence or previous existence of the Word, ante- cedent to the date of its metamorphosis into the human form, we find taught in several of the ancient systems of religion, as well as the more modern Christian system. Several texts in the Christian New Testament set forth the doctrine quite ex- plicitly. Christ, as the Divine Word, declared, “ Before Abra- ham was I am,” and that he had an existence with the Father before the foundation of the world, &c., which is a distinct avowal of the doctrine of pre-existence. But oriental history proves the doctrine is much older than Christianity. The Hindoo very anciently taught that “the Word had existed with God from all eternity, and when spoken it became a glorious form, the aggregate embodiment of all the divine ideas, and performed the work of creation.” And of Chrishna it is affirmed, that “ while upon the earth he existed also in heaven.” (See Baghavat Gita.) In like manner it is declared of an Egyptian God, that “though he was born into the world, he existed with his father God before the world was made.” And parallel to this is the statement of the Chinese bible, that “though the Holy Word (Chang-si) will be born upon the earth, yet he existed before anything was made.” Even for Pythagoras it was claimed he existed in heaven be- fore he was born upon the earth. Mr. Higgins, in summing up the matter, declares, “All the old religions believed the world was created by the Word, and that this Word existed before creation” (Ana. vol. ii. p. 77), which clearly indicates the source of St. John’s creative Word.
The Dual or twofold Name op the Word.
In most cases the living Divine Word was known by differ- ent names and titles, prior to the era of its assuming the vnor- 160
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tal form, from that by which it was known after its fleshly in* vestment. Among the ancient Persians, the name for the divine spiritual Word was Honover. After its human birth, it was called “Mithra the Mediator.” The Hindoo oriental term for the primeval Word was Om, or Aum. After assuming its most important incarnate form, it was known as Chrishna. The Chinese Holy Interior Word was Om-i-to, and its princi- pal incarnation was Chang-ti or Ti-en-ti. The Japanese also proclaimed their belief in a Divine Word before the Christian era, which, in their language, was Amida. They taught, like John, that it came forth from the mouth of the Supreme God (Brahm) to perform the work of creation, after which it was known as Sakia. And that popular Christian writer, Mr. Mil- man, informs us that the Jewish founders of Christianity be- lieved in an original Divine Word, which they called Memra. When it descended to the earth, and “ became flesh, and dwelt amongst us” (John i. 4), according to the evangelist John, it was known as Jesus Christ. Mr. Milman states also, that “the appellation of the Word is found in the Indian (Hindoo), Per- sian, the Platonic, and the Alexandrian systems.” (Hist, of Chr. Book I. chap. 2.) Thus the question is settled by Chris- tian testimony, that the various conceptions of the Divine Word are of heathen origin.
The Word as Second Member op the Trinity.
“ There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost.” (1 John v. 7.) Observe, the Word is the second person in the Trinity. And this was its post in the Brahman, Hindoo, Persian, and other systems. “ All reli- gions,” says a writer, “ which taught the existence of the Word as a great primeval spirit, represent him as secondary to the supreme.” (P. R. 3, vol. ii. p. 386.) “The Hindoos reverenced it next to Brahm.” Mr. Higgins cuts the matter short by de- claring, “The Logos, or Word, was the second person of the Trinity in all the ancient systems, as in the Christian system,” which again indicates its heathen origin. THE DIVINE WORD OF ORIENTAL ORIGIN 161
Tiie Word as a Biblical Title.
“The Word,” “the Holy Word,” “the Divine Word,” &c. are terms now frequently applied to the Christian bible, with- out any suspicion of their heathen origin. The Zend-Avesta, the Persian bible, was always called “ The Living Word of God,” for that is the meaning of the term Zend-Avesta, and the oldest bible in the world is the Yedas, and it means both Word and Wisdom. Om, the Egyptian’s Holy Word, they frequently applied both to their incarnate Gods and to their sacred writ- ings.
The practice of calling bibles “The Word of God” origi- nated from the belief, that when the incarnate Word left the earth, and returned to heaven, he infused a portion of his living spirit into the divine writings which contained his history and his doctrines, and which he himself had prompted his disciples to write as his “Last Revelation to man.” They then must
contain a portion of him, i. e., a portion of the Holy Word,-
hence both were called “The Holy Word.” And this heathen custom Christians borrowed.
Origin op the Word as Creator.
The motive which prompted a belief in the creative Word may be styled a theological necessity. It was believed that the principal God, like the rulers of earth, was too aristocratic to labor with his own hands. Hence another God was origi- nated to perform the work of creation, and called “ The Word.” The origin of the creative Word is still further indicated by Blackwood’s Magazine. It says, “ Creation became impossible to a being already infinite, and was a derogation to a being already perfect. Some lower God, some Avatar, must be inter- posed (as an emanation from the mouth of the God supreme) to perform the subordinate task of creation Hence originated and came forth the Word as Creator.”
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CHAPTER XXIV.
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CHAPTER XXII.
THE HOLY GHOST OE ORIENTAL ORIGIN.
Of all the weird, fanciful, and fabulous stories appertaining to the Gods and other spiritual entities of the olden times, whose capricious adventures we find so profusely narrated in oriental mythology, — of all the strange, mythical, and mys- tical feats, and ever-varying and ever-diverging changes in the shape, appearance, sex, and modes of manifestation which char- acterize the hobgoblins or ghostly beings which comprise the esoteric stock of the ancient mysteries, that appertaining to the third member of “ the hypostatic union,” the Holy Ghost, seems to stand pre-eminent. And I propose here to submit the facts to show that the Holy Ghost story of the Christian Gospels, like the more ancient pagan versions of the same story, is marked by the same wild, discordant, and legendary characteristics which abound in all the accounts of gods and ghosts found recorded in the religious books of various nations.
The following brief exposition of the history and exploits of this anomalous, nondescript, chameleon-like being will clearly evince that the same fanciful, metaphorical, and fabulous changes in the size, shape, sex, and appearance of this third limb of the triune God are found in the Christian Scriptures which are disclosed in the more ancient oriental traditions. We will first exhibit a classification of the names and characteristics of this imaginary being drawn from the gospels and epistles of the Christian bible, by which it will be observed that scarcely any two references to it agree in assigning it the same character or attributes.
1. In John xiv. 26, the Holy Ghost is spoken of as a person or personal God.^ THE HOLT GHOST OF ORIENTAL ORIGIN. 147
2. In Luke iii. 22, the Holy Ghost changes, and assumes the form of a dove.
3. In Matt. xiii. 16, the Holy Ghost becomes a spirit.
4. In John i. 32, the Holy Ghost is presented as an inanimate, senseless object.
5. In 1 John v. 7, the Holy Ghost becomes a God — the third member of the Trinity.
6. In Acts ii. 1, the Holy Ghost is averred to be “ a mighty, rushing wind.”
7. In Acts x. 38, the Holy Ghost, we infer, from its mode of application, is an ointment.
8. In John xx. 22, the Holy Ghost is the breath, as we legit- imately infer by its being breathed into the mouth of the recip- ient after the ancient oriental custom.
9. In Acts ii. 3, we learn the Holy Ghost “ sat upon each of them,” probably in the form of a bird, as at Jesus’ baptism.
10. In Acts ii. 1, the Holy Ghost appears as “cloven tongues of fire.”
11. In Luke ii. 26, the Holy Ghost is the author of a revela- tion or inspiration.
12. In Acts viii. 17, the Holy Ghost is a magnetic aura im- parted by the “laying on of hands.”
13. In Mark i. 8, the Holy Ghost is a medium or element for baptism.
14. In Acts xxviii. 25, the Holy Ghost appears with vocal organs, and speaks.
15. In Heb. vi. 4, the Holy Ghost is dealt out or imparted by measure.
16. In Luke iii. 22, the Holy Ghost appears with a tangible body.
17. In Luke i. 5, and many other texts, we are taught, peo- ple are filled with the Holy Ghost.
18. In Matt. xi. 15, the Holy Ghost falls upon the people as a ponderable substance.
19. In Luke iv. 1, the Holy Ghost is a God within a God — “Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost.”
20. In Acts xxi. 11, the Holy Ghost is a being of the mascu- line or feminine gender — “ Thus saith the Holy Ghost,” &c. 118
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21. In John i. 32, the Holy Ghost is of the neuter gender — “It (the Holy Ghost) abode upon him.”
22. In Matt. i. 18, the Holy Ghost becomes a vicarious agent in the procreation of another God; that is, this third member of the Trinity aids the first member (the Father) in the crea- tion or generation of the second member of the triad of bach- elor Gods — the Word, or Savior, or Son of God.
Such are the ever-shifting scenes presented in the Scripture panorama of the Holy Ghost. Surpassing the fabulous changes of some of the more ancient demigods, the Christian Holy Ghost undergoes (as is shown by the above-quoted texts) a perpetual metathesis or metamorphosis — being variously pre- sented, on different occasions, as a personal and rational being, a dove, a spirit, an inanimate object, a God, the wind or a wind, an ointment, the breath or a breath, cloven tongues of fire, a bird, or some other flying, recumbent animal, a revelator, or divine messenger, a medium, or element for baptism, an intelli- gent, speaking being, a lifeless, bodiless, sexless being, a meas- urable fluid substance, a being possessing a body, ponderable, unconscious substance, a God dwelling within a God, and, final- ly— though really first in order — the author or agent of the incarnation of the second God in the Trinity (Jesus Christ). That many of these fabulous conceptions were drawn from mythological sources will be made manifest by the following facts of history: —
1. The Holy Ghost in the shape of a bird {a dove or pigeon). This is proven to be a very ancient pagan tradition, as it is found incorporated in several of the oriental religious systems. In ancient India, whose prolific spiritual fancies constitute the primary parentage of nearly all the doctrines, dogmas, and superstitions found incorporated in the Christian Scriptures,.a dove was uniformly the emblem of the Holy Spirit, or Spirit of God. Confirmatory of this statement, we find the declara- tion in the Anacalypsis, that “ a dove stood for or represented a third member of the Trinity, and was the regenerator or re- gen eratory power.” This meets the Christian idea of “ regen- eration and renewing of the Holy Ghost.” (Titus iii. 5.) A per- son being baptized under the Brahminical theocracy was said THE HOLT GHOST OF ORIENTAL ORIGIN 149
to be 44 regenerated and born again,” or, as the above-quoted writer expresses it, 44 They were born into the spirit, or the spirit into them — that is, the dove into or upon them ” (as vide the case of the Christian’s 44 Holy Ghost descending in bodily shape like a dove,” and alighting on Christ’s head at baptism, as related in Luke iii. 22). In ancient Rome a dove or pigeon was the emblem of the female procreative energy, and frequently a legendary spirit, the accompaniment of Venus. And hence, as a writer remarks,44 It is very appropriately rep- resented as descending at baptism in the character of the third member of the Trinity.” The same writer tells us, 44 The dove fills the Grecian oracles with their spirit and power.” We find the dove, also, in the romantic eclogues of ancient Syria. In the time-chiseled Syrian temple of Hierapolis, Semiramis is represented with a dove on her head, thus constituting the pro- totype of the dove on the head of the Christian Messiah at baptism. And a dove was in more than one of the ancient religious systems—44 The Spirit of God (Holy Ghost) moving on the face of the waters” at creation, as implied in Gen. i. 2, though a pigeon, was often indiscriminately substituted. In Howe’s 44 Ancient Mysteries” it is related that 44in St. Paul’s Cathedral, at the feast of the Whitsuntide, the descent of the Holy Ghost was performed by a white pigeon being let fly out of a hole in the midst of the roof of the great aisle.” The dove and the pigeon, being but slight variations of the same species of the feathered tribe, were used indiscriminately.
2. As evinced above, the Holy Ghost was the third member of the Trinity in several of the oriental systems. Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, or Father, Word, and Holy Ghost (1 John v. 7), are familiar Christian terms to express the divine triad, which shows the Holy Ghost to be the acknowledged third member of the Christian Trinity. And, as already suggested, the same is true of the more ancient systems. 44 The Holy Spirit and the Evil Spirit were, each in their turn (says Mr. Higgins), third member of the Trinity.” We might, if space would allow, draw largely upon the ancient defunct systems in proof of this statement. 44 In these triads (says Mr. Hillell) the third member, as might be supposed, was not of equal rank with the 150
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other two.” And hence, in the Theban Trinity, Khonso was inferior to Arion and Mant. In the Hindoo triad, Siva was subordinate to Brahma and Yishnu. And a score of similar examples might be adduced from the fancy-constructed trinities of other and older oriental religious systems (but for the inflex- ible rule of brevity which forbids their presentation here), with all of which the more modern Holy Ghost conception of the Christian world is an exact correspondence, as this imaginary, tabulous being is less conspicuous than, and has always stood third in rank with, the Father, and second to the Son, alias the Word, and is now seldom addressed in practical Christian devo- tion ; and thus the analogy is complete. Mr. Maurice says, “ This notion of a third person in the Deity (the Holy Ghost) was diffused among all the nations of the earth.” (See Ind. Antiq., vol. iv. p. 750.) And Mr. Worseley, in his “Voyage” (vol. i. p. 259), avers this doctrine to be “ of very great antiqui- ty, and generally received by all the Gothic and Celtic nations.”
8. The Holy Ghost was the Holy Breath which, in the Hindoo traditions, moved on the face of the waters at cre- ation, and imparted life and vitality into everything created. A similar conception is recognized in the Christian Scriptures. In Psalms xxxiii. 6, we read, “By the Word of the Lord were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.” Here is the Brahminical conception, square out, of the act of creation by the Divine Breath, which is the Holy Ghost, the same, also, which was breathed into Adam, by which he became “a living soul.” M. Dubois observes, “The Prana, or principle of life, of the Hindoos is the breath of life by which the Creator (Brahma) animates the clay, and man be- came a living soul.” (Page 298.)
4. Holy Ghost, Holy Breath, and Holy Wind appear to have been synonymous and convertible terms for the living vocal emanations from the mouth of the Supreme God, as memori- alized in several of the pagan traditions. The last term (Holy Wind) is suggested by “ the mighty rushing wind from heaven ” which filled the house, or church, on the day of Pentecost. (See Acts ii. 2.) Several of the old religious systems recognize “ the Holy Wind ” as a term for the Holy Ghost. The doxology THE JlOLT GHOST OF ORIENTAL ORIGIN. 151
(reported by a missionary) in the religious service of the Syrian worship runs thus: —
“Praise to the Holy Spiritual Wind, which is the Holy Ghost;
Praise to the three persons which are one true God.”
Some writers maintain that the Hebrew Huh Aliem, trans- lated “.Spirit of God” (Gen. i. 2) in our version, should read, “Wind of the Gods.” And we find that the word pneuma, of our Greek New Testament, is sometimes translated “Ghost” and sometimes “ Wind,” as best suited the fancy of the trans- lators. In John iii. 5, we find the word Spirit, and in verse 8 both Wind and Spirit are found ; and in Luke i. 35, we observe the term Holy Ghost — all translated from the same word. Let it be specially noted that in the Greek Testament the word pneuma is used in all these cases, thus proving that Spirit, Holy Ghost, and Wind are used in the Christian Scriptures as synony- mous terms; and proving, also, that an unwarranted license has been assumed by translators in rendering the same word three different ways. M. Auvaroff, in his “Essays on the Eleusinian Mysteries,” speaks of “the torch being ignited at the command of Hermes of Egypt, the spiritual agent in the workshop of creation; ” relative to which statement a writer remarks, “ Hermes appears in this instance as a personification of Wind or Spirit, as in the bible (meaning the Christian bible), God, Wind, and Spirit are often interchangeable terms, and the Word appears to be from the same windy source.”
5. The Holy Ghost as “ a tongue of fire, which sat upon each of them” {the apostles). (See Acts ii. 3.) Even this con- ception is an orientalism. Mr. Higgins tells us that “ Bud ha, an incarnate God of the Hindoos (three thousand years ago), is often seen with a glory or tongue of fire upon his head.” And the tradition of the visible manifestation of the Holy Ghost by fire was prevalent among the ancient Budhists, Celts, Druids, and Etrurians. In fact, as our author truly re- marks, “The Holy Ghost, or Holy Spirit, when visible, was always in the form of fire (or a bird), and was always accom- panied with wisdom and power.” Hence is disclosed the origin of the ancient custom amongst the Hindoos, Persians, and 152
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Chaldeans, of making offerings to the solar fire, emblem of the Holy Ghost, or Holy Spirit*
6. Inspiration by the Holy Ghost. (Luke ii. 26.) “ Holy men of God,” including some of the prophets, are claimed to have been inspired by the Holy Ghost. (See 2 Peter i. 21; Acts xxviii. 25.) In like manner, as we are informed by Mr. Cleland in his “ Specimens” (see Appendix), the ancient Celts were not only “ moved by the Holy Ghost ” in their divine decrees and prophetic utterances, but they claimed that their Salic laws (seventy-two in number) were inspired by the “ Salo Ghost” (Holy Ghost), known also as “the Wisdom of the Spirit, or the Voice of the Spirit.” This author several times alludes to the fact, and exhibits the proof, that the doctrine of the Holy Ghost was known to this ancient people.
7. The Holy Ghost imparted by “ the laying on of hands! This, too, is an ancient oriental custom. “And by the imposi- tion of hands on the head of the candidate ” says Mr. Cleland, speaking of the Celts, “the Holy Ghost, or Holy Spirit, was con- veyed.” And thus was the Holy Spirit, Ghost, Gas, Wind, Electrical Fire, or Spirit of Authority imparted to the hiero- phant or gospel novitiate. “ And their public assemblies,” con- tinues our author, “were always opened by an invocation to the Holy Ghost.”
8. Baptism by or into the Holy Ghost accompanied with fire. (Matt. iii. 11.) This rite, too, is traceable to a very ancient period, and was practiced by several of the old symbolical and mythological systems. The Tuscans, or Etrurians, baptized with fire, wind (ghost), and water. Baptism into the first member of the Trinity (the Father) was with fire; baptism into the second member of the Trinity (the Word) was with water; while baptism into the third member of the Trinity (the Holy Ghost, or Holy Spirit) consisted of the initiatory spiritual or symbolical application of gas, gust, ghost, wind, or spirit. It appears from “Herbert’s Travels,” that, in “ancient countries, the child was taken to the priest, who named him (christened him) before the sacred fire; ” after which ceremony he was sprinkled with “holy water” from a vessel made of the sacred tree known as “ The Holme.” THE HOLT GHOST OF ORIENTAL ORIGIN 158
9. The Holy Ghost imparted by breathing. (See John xx. 22.) w Sometimes,” says Mr. Higgins, relative to this custom among the ancient heathen, “ the priest blew his breath upon the child, which was then considered baptized by air, spiritus sanctus, or ghost — i. e., baptism by the Holy Ghost.” In case of baptism, a portion of the Holy Ghost was supposed to be transferred from the priest to the candidate. “ The practice of breathing in or upon,” says our author, “ was quite common among the ancient heathen.”
10, The Holy Ghost as the agent in divine conception, or the procreation of other gods. Jesus is said to have been con- ceived by the Holy Ghost (see Matt. i. 18), and we find similar claims instituted still more anciently for other incarnate demi- gods. In the Mexican Trinity, Y, Zona was the Father, JBacal the Word, and Echvah the Holy Ghost, by the last of whom Chimalman conceived and brought forth the enfleshed god Quexalcote. (See Mex. Ant., vol. vi. p. 1650.) In the Hindoo mythos, Sakia was conceived by the Holy Ghost Nara-an. Other cases might be cited proving the same point.
Thus we observe that the various heterogeneous conceptions, discordant traditions, and contradictory superstitions appertain- ing to that anomalous nondescript being known as the Holy Ghost, are traceable to various oriental countries, and to a very remote antiquity. We will only occupy space with one or two more historical citations of a general nature, tending to prove the prevalence of this ghostly myth in other countries, not yet cited. “ Tell me, O thou strong in fire! ” ejaculated Sesostris of Egypt to the oracle, as reported by Manetho, “ who before me could subjugate all things, and who shall after me?” But the oracle rebuked him, saying, “ First God, then the Word, and with them the Spirit.” (See Nimrod, vol. i. p. 119.) “ And Plutarch, in his ‘Life of Numa,’” says our oft-quoted author, “ shows that the incarnation of the Holy Spirit was known both to the ancient Romans and Egyptians.” The doctiine is thus shown to have been nearly universal. 154
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smiled, and became less rigorous in their laws, and milder in their treatment of their subjects, when they made them pres- ents of some valuable or desirable commodity. They soon learned that such offerings had the effect to check their cruel and bloody mode of governing the people; so that when their houses were shaken down, or swallowed up by earthquakes, the trees riven by lightning, and prostrated by storms, and their cattle swept away by floods, supposing it to be the work of an angry God, the thought arose in their minds at once, that perhaps his wrath could be abated by the same expedient as that which had served in the case of their mundane lords — that of making presents of property. But as this property could not be car- ried up to the celestial throne, the expedient was adopted of burning it, so that the substance or quintessence of it would be conveyed up to the heavenly Potentate in the shape of steam and smoke, which would make for him, as the Jews express it, “a sweet-smelling savor.” Abundant and conspicuous is the evidence in history to show that the custom of burnt-offer- ings and atonements for sin originated in this way. The first species of property made use of for burnt-offerings ap- pears to have been the fruits of the earth, — vegetables, fruits, roots, &c., — the lowest kind of property in point of value. But the thought soon naturally sprang up in the mind of the devotee, that a more valuable offering would sooner and more effectually secure the divine favor. Hence levies were made on living herds of cattle, sheep, goats, and other domestic animals. This was the second step in the ascend- ing scale toward Gods. And here we find the key to open and solve the mystery of Jehovah’s preferring Abel’s offer- ing to Cain’s. While the latter consisted in mere inanimate substances, the former embraced the firstlings of the flock — a higher and more valuable species of property, and quite sufficient to induce the selfish Jehovah to prefer Abel’s offer- ing to Cain’s, or rather for the selfish Jews to cherish this conception. In all nations where offerings were made, the con- clusion became established in the minds of the people that the amount of God’s favor procured in this way must be pro- oortionate to the value of the commodity or victim offered up 140
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— a conviction which, ultimately led to the seizure of human beings for the atoning offering, which brings us to the third stage of growth in the atonement doctrine. Children frequently constituted the victims in this case. The sacrifice of Jephthah’s daughter, as related in Judges xi. 30, and other cases cited by bible writers, Isaiah xxxii. 25, and modern Christian authors, prove that this practice was in vogue among “God’s holy people.” One step more (constituting the fourth stage of de- velopment) brings us to the sacrifice of Gods. The climax is now reached; the conception can go no higher. The ancient Birmese taught that while common property in burnt-offerings would procure the temporary favor of the ruling God, the sacrifice of human beings would secure his good pleasure for a thousand years, and cancel out all the sins committed in that period. And when one of the three Gods on the throne of heaven was dragged down, or voluntarily came down (as some of the sects taught), and was put to death on the cross as an atonement for sin, such was the value of the victim, such the magnitude of the offering, that it “ atoned for all sin, past, present, and future, for all the human race.” The Hin- doos, cherishing this conception, taught that the crucifixion of their sin-atoning Savior Chrishna (1200 B. C.) put an end to both animal and human sacrifices, and accordingly such offer- ings ceased in most Hindoo countries centuries ago. Thus far back in the mire and midnight of human ignorance, and amid the clouds of mental darkness, while man dwelt upon the ani- mal plane, and was governed by his brutal feelings, and “blood for blood ” was the requisition for human offenses, originated the bloody, savage, and revolting doctrine of the atonement.
Another mode of adjudicating the sins of the people in vogue in some countries anterior to the custom of shedding blood as an expiation, was that of packing them on the back, head, or horns of some animal by a formal hocus-pocus process, and then driving the animal into a wilderness, or some other place so remote that the brute could not find its way back amongst the people with its cargo of sins. The cloth or fabric used for inclosing the sins and iniquities of the people was usually of a red or scarlet color — of the semblance of blood. In fact it THE ATONEMENT.
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was generally dipped in blood. This, being lashed to the ani- mal, would, of course, be exposed to the weather and the drenching rains, would consequently, in the course of time, fade and become white. Hence we have the key to Isaiah’s decla- ration, “Though your sins be (red) as scarlet, they shall be- come (white) as wool.” (See Isaiah, i. 18.) And thus the meaning of this obscure text is clearly explained by tracing its origin to its oriental source. And there are many other texts in the Christian bible which might be elucidated in a similar manner by using oriental tradition, or oriental sacred books, as a key to unlock and explain their meaning. We have stated above that some animal was made use of by different nations to convey the imaginary load of the people’s sins out of the country. For this purpose the Jews had their “ scape-goat,” the Egyptians their “ scape-ox,” the Hindoos their “ scape-horse,” the Chaldeans their “scape-ram,” the Britons their “scape- bull,” the Mexicans their “ scape-lamb ” and “ scape-mouse,” the Tamalese their “ scape-hen,” and the Christians at a later period their scape- God. Jesus Christ may properly be termed the scape-God of orthodox Christians, as he stands in the same relation to his disciples, who believe in the atonement, as the goat did to the Jews, and performs the same end and office. The goat and the other sin-offering animals took away the sin of the nation in each case respectively. In like manner Jesus Christ takes away the sin of the world, being called “the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.” (John i.
29.) And more than two thousand years ago the Mexicans sacrificed a lamb as an atonement, which they called “the Lamb of God” — the same title scripturally applied to Jesus Christ. The conception in each case is, then, the same — that of the atonement for sin by the sacrifice of an innocent victim. . The above citations show that the present custom of orthodox Christendom, in packing their sins upon the back of a God, is just the same substantially as that of various heathen nations, who were anciently in the habit of packing them upon the backs of various dumb animals. If some of our Christian brethren should protest against our speaking of the church’s idea of atonement as that of packing their sins upon the back of a 142
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God, we will here prove the appropriateness of the terra upon the authority of the bible. Peter expressly declares Christ bore our sins upon his own body on a tree (see 1 Peter
ii. 24), just as the Jews declared the goat bore their sins on his body, and the ancient Brahmins taught that the bulls and the heifers bore theirs away, &c., which shows that the whole con- ception is of purely heathen origin. And hereafter, when they laugh at the Jewish superstition of a scape-goat, let them bear in mind that more sensible and intelligent people may laugh in turn at their superstitious doctrine of a scape-God.
These superstitious customs were simply expedients of differ- ent nations to evade the punishment of their sins — an attempt to shift their retributive consequences on to other beings. The divine atonement more especially possessed this character. This system teaches that the Son of God and Savior of the world was sent down and incarnated, in order to die for the people, and thus suffer by proxy the punishment meted out by divine wrath for the sins of the whole world. The blood of a God must atone for the sins of the whole human family, as rams, goats, bullocks, and other animals had atoned for the sins of families and nations under older systems. Thus taught Brahminism, Budhism, Persianism, and other religious systems before the dawn of Christianity. The nucleus of the atoning system is founded in the doctrine, “ Without the shedding of blood there is no remission for sin ” (Rom. v. 9) — a monstrous and morally revolting doctrine — a doctrine which teaches us that some- body's blood must be shed, somebody’s veins and arteries de- pleted, for every trivial offense committed against the moral law. Somebody must pay the penalty in blood, somebody must be slaughtered for every little foible, or peccadillo, or moral blunder into which erring man may chance to stumble while upon the pilgrimage of life, while journeying through the wilderness of time, even if a God has to be dragged from his throne in heaven, and murdered to accomplish it. Nothing less will mitigate the divine wrath. Whose soul, possessing the slightest moral sensibility, does not inwardly and instinc- tively revolt at such a doctrine? We would not teach it to the world, for it is founded in butchery and bloodshed, and is an THE ATONEMENT.
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old pagan superstition, which originated far back in the mid- night of mental darkness and heathen ignorance, when the whole human race were under the lawless sway of their brutal propensities, and when the ennobling attributes of love, mercy, and forgiveness had as yet found no place, no abiding home, in the human bosom. The bloody soul of the savage first gave it birth. We hold the doctrine to be a high-handed insult to the All-loving Father, who, we are told, is “long suffering in mercy,” and “ plentiful in forgiveness,” to charge Him with sanctioning such a doctrine, much less with originating it. There is no “mercy or forgiveness” in putting an innocent being to death for any pretext whatever. And for the Father to consent to the brutal assassination of His own innocent Son upon the cross to gratify an implacable revenge toward his own children, the workmanship of his own hands, rather than forgive a moral weakness implanted in their natures by a vol- untary act of his own, and for which consequently he alone ought to be responsible, would be nothing short of murder in the first degree. We cherish no such conception. We cannot for a moment harbor a blasphemous doctrine, which represents the Universal Father as being a bloody-minded and murderons being, instead of a being of infinite love, infinite wisdom, and infinite in all the moral virtues. Such a character would be a deep-dyed stigma upon any being. And no person actuated by a strict sense of justice would accept salvation upon any such terms as that prescribed by the Christian atonement. It is manifestly too unjust, too devoid of moral principle, besides being a flagrant violation of the first principles of civil and criminal jurisprudence. It is a double wrong to punish the innocent for the guilty. It is the infliction of injustice on the one hand, and the omission of justice on the other. It inflicts the highest penalty of the law upon an innocent being, whom that law ought to shield from punishment, while it exculpates and liberates the guilty party, whose punishment the moral law demands. It robs society of a useful man on the one hand, and turns a moral pest upon community on the other, thus committing a twofold wrong, or act of injustice. No court m any civilized country would be allowed to act upon such a 114
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principle ; and the judge who should indorse it, or favor a law, or principle, which punishes the innocent for the guilty, would be ruled off the bench at once. Here, however, we are some- times met with the plea, that the offering of Jesus Christ was a voluntary act, that it was made with his own free will. But the plea don’t do away with either the injustice or criminality of the act. No innocent person has a right to suffer for the guilty, and the courts have no right to accept the offer or admit the substitute. An illustration will show this. If Jefferson Davis had been convicted of the crime of treason, and sentenced to be hung, and Abraham Lincoln had come forward and offered to be stretched upon the gallows in his place, is there a court in . the civilized world which would have accepted the substitute, and hung Lincoln, and liberated Davis ? To ask the question is to answer it. It is an insult to reason, law, and justice, to entertain the proposition.
The doctrine of the atonement also involves the infinite ab- surdity of God punishing himself to appease his own wrath. For if “ the fullness of the godhead dwelt in Christ bodily ” (as taught in Col. ii. 9), then his death was the death of God — that is, a divine suicide, prompted and committed by a feeling of anger and revenge, which terminated the life of the Infinite Ruler — a doctrine utterly devoid of reason, science, or sense. We are sometimes told man owes a debt to his Maker, and the atonement pays that debt. To be sure ! And to whom is the debt owing, and who pays it? Why, the debt is owing to God, and God (in the person of Jesus Christ) pays it — pays it to himself. We will illustrate. A man approaches his neigh- bor, and says, “ Sir, I owe you a thousand dollars, but can never pay it.” “Very well; it makes no difference,” replies the claimant; “ I will pay it myself; ” and forthwith thrusts his hand into his right pocket and extracts the money, transfers it to the left pocket, and exclaims, “ There, the debt is paid! ” A curi- ous way of paying debts, and one utterly devoid of sense ; and yet the orthodox world have adopted it for their God. We find, however, that they carefully avoid practicing this princi- ple themselves in their dealings with each other. When they have a claim' against a neighbor, we do not find them ever THE ATONEMENT. 145
thrusting their hands into their own pockets to pay it off, but sue him, and compel him to pay, if he refuses to do it without compulsion, thus proving they do not consider it a correct prin- ciple of trade. But we find, upon further investigation, that the assumed debt is not paid, after all. When a debt is paid, it is canceled, and dismissed from memory, and nothing more said about it; but in this case the sinner is told he must still suffer the penalty for every sin he commits, notwithstand- ing Christ died to atone for and cancel that sin. Where then is the virtue of the atonement? Like other doctrines of the orthodox creed, it is at war writh reason, and common sense, and every principle of sound morality, and will be marked by coming ages as a relic of barbarism.
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alone. It will be observed, then, that the first “inspired” and “ infallible ” witness testifies there were two women ; the second that there were four; and the third witness declares there was but one. What beautiful harmony. No court in the civilized world would accept such discordant testimony.
3. And in relation to what took place at the tomb, Matthew testifies that “ the angel of the Lord ” sat upon a stone at the door of the sepulcher, and told the women their Lord was risen. But Luke steps forward here, and aveirs that instead of an angel they found two men there, not outside, but inside, and not sitting, but standing. But Mark sets the testimony of both these “inspired” witnesses aside by affirming there was but one man there, and he was sitting. While Matthew says “ they,” St. John says “she” (speaking of the person or persons who left the sepulcher.) According to Matthew the angel who rolled away the stone from the sepulcher sent a message to the disciples. But Mark affirms it was not an “ angel ” outside, but a “young man” inside, who did this. And here the ques tion naturally arises, Why was it necessary for a being who could say, “ I have power to lay down my life and take it up again ” (John), to have an angel to roll away the stone from the. sepulcher. Certainly, if he possessed such omnipotent power, he needed no aid from any being to perform such an act.
4. And relative to Peter’s visit to the tomb, there is a total disparity in the testimony of the witnesses. According to Luke, he did not go into the sepulcher, but only stooped down and looked in. But Mark affirms he did go in, and that it was the disciple who went with him who stooped down.
5. And with respect to the events which occurred immedi- ately subsequent to the resurrection, there is no less discre- pancy, no nearer agreement, in the testimony of the evangelical witnesses. Matthew says that when Christ’s disciples first met him after the resurrection, they worshiped him, and held him by the feet. (Matt, xxviii. 9.) Strange, indeed, and wholly in- credible, if John is a reliable witness, for he affirms he did not allow even his best and dearest friend (Mary) to touch him. And then John combats this testimony of his by declaring lie invited the skeptical Thomas, not only to touch him, but to thrust his hand into his side for tangible proof of his identity. 132
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6. And why, let us ask here, was not the skeptical Thomas damned for his doubting, when we, who live thousands of miles from the place, and nearly two thousand years from the time, are often told by the priesthood we must “ believe or be damned ” ?
7. And if Thomas was really convinced by this occurrence or if it ever took place, why have we no account of his subse- quent life? What good was effected by his convincement if he never said or did anything afterward ?
8. John tells us Mary first saw Christ, after his resurrection, at the tomb, but Matthew says it was on her way home she first saw him.
9. We are told by Luke (xxiv. 3G) that when Christ ap- peared to his disciples on a certain occasion' they were fright- ened, supposing it to be a spirit. But John (xx. 20) says they were glad. Which must we believe?
10. According to Matthew, the disciples were all present on this occasion ; but according to John, Thomas was not there.
11. Here let it be noted that none of the narrators claim to have seen Christ rise from the tomb, nor to have got it from anybody who did see it. The only proof in this case is their declaration, “ It came to pass.”
12. And we are prompted to ask here, how a it came to pass ” that the chief priests and pharisees cherished sufficient faith in Christ’s resurrection to set a watch for it, as Matthew reports, when his own disciples were too faithless in such an event to be present, or to believe he had risen after the report reached their ears ; for we are told some doubted. (See Matt* xxviii.)
13. And how came Matthew to know the soldiers were bribed to say Christ’s body was stolen away by his disciples, when the disclosures of such a secret would have been death under the Roman government.
14. And their confession of being asleep, as related by Mat- thew, would have subjected them to the same fatal penalty by the civil rulers of Rome.
15. And if the soldiers were all asleep, can we not suggest several ways the body may have disappeared without being restored to life ? RESURRECTION OF THE SAVIORS.
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16. And here we would ask if Christ rose f~om the dead in order to convince the world of his divine power, why did not the event take place in public ? Why was it seen only by a few credulous and interested disciples?
17. And if such an astonishing and miraculous event did occur, why does not one of the numerous cotemporary writers of those times make any allusion to it? Neither Pliny, Taci- tus, nor Josephus, who detail the events very minutely, not only of those times, but of that very country, says a word about such a wonder-exciting occurrence. This fact of itself entirely overthrows the credibility of the story.
18. And the fact that several Christian sects, which flourished near those times, as the Corinthians and Carpocratians, &c., rejected the story in toto, furnishes another powerful argument for discrediting it.
19. And then add to this the fact that his own chosen fol- lowers were upbraided for their unbelief in the matter.
20. And what was Christ doing during the forty days between his resurrection and ascension, that he should only be seen a few times, and but a few minutes at a time, and by but a few persons, and those interested ?
21. And we would ask, likewise, What more can be proved by Christ’s physical resurrection than that of the resurrection of Lazarus, the widow’s son, and several cases related in the Old Testament, or the numerous cases reported in oriental his- tory ?
22. And what analogy is there in the resurrection of the dead body of a perfect self-existent God and that of vile man?
23. And why should Christ be called “the first fruits of the resurrection,” when so many cases are reported as occurring before his ?
24. And why do Christians build their hopes of immortality almost entirely upon Christ’s alleged resurrection, in view of the numerous facts we have cited showing it to be a mere sandy foundation ?
25. Of course no person who believes in modern Spiritualism will discredit the story of Christ being visually recognized 131
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after his death as a spirit — for they have ocular proof that many such cases have occurred within the last decade of years. But it is the story of his physical resurrection we are combating — the reanimation of his flesh and bones after hav- ing been subjected for three days to the laws of decomposition. Neither science nor sense can indorse such a story.
26. It was a very easy matter, and very natural to mistake Christ’s spiritual body for his physical body; for such mis- takes have been made a thousand times in the world’s history.
27. Is it not strange, in view of the countless defects in the story of Christ’s physical resurrection as enumerated above, that the orthodox Christian world should rely upon it as the great sheet-anchor of their faith, and as their chief and almost their only hope of immortal life ? REAPPEARANCE OF THE SAVIORS.
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CHAPTER XX.
REAPPEARANCE AND ASCENSION OF THE SAVIORS.
Many cases are related by their respective sacred narratives of the ancient Saviors, and other beings possessing the form of man, and previously recognized as men reappearing to their dis- ciples and friends, after having been consigned to the tomb for three days, or a longer or shorter period of time, and of their final ascension to the house of many mansions. It is related of the Indian or Hindoo Savior Chrishna, that after having risen from the dead, he appeared again to his disciples. 44 He ascended to Yoiacantha (heaven), to Brahma,” the first person of the trinity (he himself being the second), and that as he ascended, 44 all men saw him, and exclaimed,4 Lo, Chrishna’s soul ascends its native skies.’ ” And it is further related that, 44 attended by celestial spirits, ... he pursued by his own light the journey between earth and heaven, to the bright paradise whence he had descended.” Of the ninth incarnation of India, the Savior Sakia, it is declared, that he 44 ascended to the celestial regions; ” and his pious and devout disciples point the skeptic to indelible impressions and ineffaceable footprints on the rocks of a high mountain as an imperishable proof of the declaration that he took his last leave of earth and made his ascent from that point.
It is related of the crucified Prometheus, likewise, that after having given up the ghost on the cross,46 descended to hell ” (Christ’s soul was 44 not left in hell,” see Acts ii. 81), 44 he rose again from the dead, and ascended into heaven.” And then it is declared of the Egyptian Savior Alcides, that44 after having 136
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been seen a number of times, he ascended to a higher life,” going up, like Elijah, in “ a chariot of fire ; ” and the story of the crucifixion of Quexalcote of Mexico, followed by his burial, resurrection, and ascension, is distinctly related in the “holy” and inspired “ gospels of that country, which Lord Kingsborough admitted to be more than two thousand years old. Of Laotsi of China, it is said that when “ he had completed his mission of benevolence, he ascended bodily alive into the paradise above.” (Prog, of Rel. Ideas, vol. i. 214.) And it is related of Fo of the same country, that having completed his glorious mission on earth, he u ascended back to paradise, where he had previously existed from all eternity.” It is related also in the ancient legends, that the Savior or God Xamalxis of Thrace, having died, and descended beneath the earth, and remained there three years, made his appearance again in the fourth year after his death, as he had previously foretold, and eventually ascended to heaven about 600 B. C. Even some of the Hindoo saints are reported in their “ holy ” and time-honored books to have been seen ascending to heaven. “ And impressions on the rocks are shown,” says an author, “ said to be of footprints they left when they ascended.”
It is related both by the Grecian biographer Plutarch, in his life of Romulus, and by a Roman historian, that the great founder of Rome (Romulus) suddenly ascended in a tempest during a solar eclipse, about 713 B. C. And Julius Proculus, a Roman senator of great fame and high reputation, declared, under solemn oath, that he saw him, and talked with him after his death.
Astronomical Version of the Story.
Before dismissing this chapter, we may state that, in common frith most other religious conceptions, the doctrine of the ascension has in the ancient legends an astronomical represen- tation.
Having said that a planet was buried because it sunk below the horizon, when it returned to light and gained its state of eminence, they spoke of it as dead, risen again, and ascended REAPPEARANCE OF THE SAVIORS.
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into heaven. (Volney, p. 143.) What is the story of the ascen- sion of Christ worth in view of these ancient pagan traditions of earlier origin ?
Ascension op the Christian Savior.
1. The different scriptural accounts of the ascension of Christ are, like the different stories of the resurrection, quite con- tradictory, and hence entitled to as little credit. In Luke (xxiv.) he is represented as ascending on the evening of the third day after the crucifixion. But the writer of Acts (i. 3) says he did not ascend till forty days after his resurrection; while, according to his own declaration to the thief on the cross, “ This day shalt thou be with me in paradise,” he must have ascended on the same day of his crucifixion. Which statement must we accept as inspired, or what is proved by such contra- dictory testimony ?
2. Which must we believe, Paul’s declaration that he was seen by above five hundred of the brethren at opce (1 Cor. xv. 6), or the statement of the author of the Acts (i. 15), that there were but one hundred and twenty brethren in all after that period?
3. How would his ascension do anything toward proving his divinity, unless it also proves the divinity of Enoch and Elijah, who are reported to have ascended long prior to that era ?
4. As these stories of the ascension of Christ, according to Lardner, were written many years after his crucifixion, is it not hence probable they grew out of similar stories relative to the heathen Gods long previously prevalent in oriental countries ?
5. As these gospel writers could not have been present to wit- ness the ascension, as it must have occurred before their time of active life, does not this fact of itself seriously damage the credibility of the accounts, and more especially as neither Mark nor Luke, who are the only reporters of the occurrence, were not disciples of Christ at the time, while Matthew and John, who were, say nothing about it ? — another fact which casts a shade on the credibility of the story. 138
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CHAPTER XXL
THE ATONEMENT: ITS ORIENTAL OR HEATHEN
ORIGIN.
There were various practices in vogue amongst the orien- talists, which originated with the design of appeasing the anger, and propitiating the favor of a presumed to be irascible deity. Most of these practices consisted in some kind of sacrifice or destructive offering called the “ atonement” But here let it be observed, that the doctrine of atonement for sin, by sacrifice, was unfolded by degrees, and that the crucifixion of a God was not the first practical exhibition of it. On the contrary, it appears to have commenced with the most valueless or cheap- est species of property then known; and from this starting- point ascended gradually, so as finally to embody the most costly commodities; and did not stop here, but reached for- ward till it laid its murderous hands on human beings, and immolated them upon its bloody altars. And finally, to cap the climax, it assumed the effrontery to drag a God off the throne of heaven, to stanch its bloodthirsty spirit, as evinced by Paul’s declaration, “ Without the shedding of blood there can be no remission of sin.” Rather a bloody doctrine, and one which our humanity rejects with instinctive horror. We will trace the doctrine of the atonement briefly through its successive stages of growth and development. The idea seems to have started very early in the* practical history of the human race, that the sacrifice and consequent deprivation of earthly goods, or some terrestrial enjoyment, would have the effect to mitigate the anger, propitiate the favor, and obtain the mercy of an imaginary vengeful God. This idea obviously was suggested by observing that their earthly rulers always THE ATONEMENT.
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“ In the most high and palmy days of Rome,
A little ere the mighty Julius fell,
The graves stood tenantless, and the sheeted dead Did squeak and gibber in the Roman streets.”
These historical citations strongly press the conclusion that this portion of the history of Christ was borrowed from old pagan legends.
4. Many cases are recorded in history of the light of the sun being obscured at midday so as to result in almost total dark- ness, when it was known not to be produced by an eclipse. And it is probable that these natural events furnish the basis in part for those wild legends we have brought to notice. Humboldt relates in his Cosmos, that “ in the year 358, before the earthquake of Numidia, the darkness was very dense for two or three hours.” Another obscuration of the sun took place in the year 360, which lasted five or six hours, and was so dense that the stars were visible at midday. Another circumstance of this kind was witnessed on the 19th of May, 1730, which lasted eight hours. And so great was the darkness, that candles and lamps had to be lighted at midday to dine by. Similar events are chronicled for the years 1094, 1206, 1241, 1547, and 1730. And if any such solar obscurations occurred near the mortal exit of any of the Gods above named, of course they would be seized on as a part of their practical history wrought up into hyperbole, and interwoven in their narratives, to give eclat to the pageantry of their biographies — a fact which helps to solve the mystery.
Oeigin of the Stoey of the Aphanasia at the Cetjcifixion.
There is but little ground to doubt but that the various stories of a similar character then current in different countries, as shown above, first suggested the thought to Christ’s biog- raphers of investing his history with the incredible events re- ported as being connected with the crucifixion. The principal motive, however, seems to have grown out of a desire to fulfill 124
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a prophecy of the Jewish prophet Joel, as we find many of the important miraculous events ingrafted into Christ’s history were recorded by way of fulfilling some prophecy. “ That the prophecy might be fulfilled ” is the very language his evangeli- cal biographers use. Joel’s prediction runs thus : “ And I will show wonders in the heavens, and in the earth, flood and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come.” (Joel ii. 80.) A little impartial investigation will satisfy any unprejudiced mind that this poetic rhapsody has not the most remote allusion to the closing events in the life of Christ, and was not intended to have. But his biog- raphers, writing a long time after his death, supposing and assuming that this and various other texts, which they quote from the prophets, had reference to him, and had been fulfilled, incorporated it into his history as a part of his practical life. The conviction that the prophecy must have been fulfilled, with- out knowing that it had, added to similar stories of other Gods, with which Christ’s history became confounded, misled them into the conclusion that they were warranted in assuming that the incredible events they name were really witnessed at the mortal termination of Christ’s earthly career, when they did not know it, and could not have known it. This view of the case becomes very rational and very forcible when we observe various texts quoted from the prophets by the gospel writers, or rather most butcheringly misquoted, tortured or distorted into Messianic prophecies, when the context shows they have no reference to Christ whatever. DESCENT OF THE SAVIORS INTO HELL, 125
CHAPTER XVIII.
DESCENT OE THE SAVIORS INTO HELL.
The next mo^i important event in the histories of the Saviors after their crucifixion, and the act of giving up the ghost, is that of their descent into the infernal regions. That Jesus Christ descended into hell after his crucifixion is not expressly taught in the Christian bible, but it is a matter of such obvious inference from several passages of scripture, the early Christians taught it as a scriptural doctrine. Mr. Sears, a Christian writer, tells us that “ on the doctrine of Christ’s underground mission the early Christians were united. . . . It was a point too well settled to admit of dispute.” (See Foregleams of Immortality, p. 262.) And besides this testi- mony, the “ Apostles’ Creed ” teaches the doctrine explicitly, which was once as good authority throughout Christendom as the bible itself; indeed, it may be considered as constituting a part of the bible prior to the council of Nice (A. D. 325), being supposed to have been written by the apostles themselves. It declares that “Jesus Christ suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified (dead) and buried. He descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead,” &c. This testimony is very explicit. And Peter is supposed to refer to the same event when he says, “ being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the spirit, by which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison.” (1 Peter iii. 18.) The word prison, which occurs in this text, has undoubted reference to the Christian fabled hell. For no possible sense can be attached to the word prison in this connection without such a construction. Where have spirits ever been supposed to be imprisoned but in hell ? And then we find a text in the Acts of the Apostles, which 126
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seems to remove all doubt in the case, and banishes at once all ground for dispute. It is explicitly stated that “his soul was not left in hell, neither did his flesh see corruption ” (Acts ii. 31.) Why talk about his soul not being left in hell if it had never been there ? Language could hardly be plainer. The most positive declaration that Christ did descend into hell could not make it more certainly a scriptural Christian doctrine. We then rest the case here, and proceed to enumerate other cases of Gods and Saviors descending into Pandemonium (the realms of Pluto) long before Jesus Christ walked on the water or on the earth. It is unquestionably stated in the Hindoo bible, written more than three thousand years ago, that the Savior Chrishna “went down to hell to preach to the inmates of that dark and dreary prison, with the view of re- forming them, and getting them back to heaven, and was will- ing himself to suffer to abridge the period of their torment.” And certainly, in the midst of the fire and smoke of brimstone, it could not have been hard to effect their conversion or repent- ance. One writer tells us that “ so great was his (Chrishna’s) tenderness, that he even descended into hell to teach souls in bondage.” Now observe how much “ teaching souls in bon- dage ” sounds like “ preaching to souls in prison,” as Peter rep- resents Christ as doing. And can any reader doubt that the meaning in the two cases is the same? And must we not con- fess that we are gratefully indebted to the Hindoo bible for an explanation of the two occult and mysterious texts which I have quoted from the Christian bible, and which have puzzled so many learned critics to explain, or find a meaning for? We have another case of a God descending into hell in the per- son or spirit of the Savior Quexalcote of -Mexico. (300 B. C.) The story will be found in the Codex Borgianus, wherein is related the account of his death, and burial after crucifixion, his descent into hell, and subsequent resurrection. Of Adonis of Greece it is declared, that “ after his descent into hell, he rose again to life and immortality.” Prometheus of Caucasus (600 B. C.) likewise is represented as “ suffering and descending into hell, rising again from the dead, and ascending to heaven.” Horus of Greece is described as “ first DESCENT OF THE SAVIORS INTO HELL. 12?
reigning a thousand years, then dying, and being buried for three days, at the end of which time he triumphed over Typhon, the evil principle, and rose again to life evermore.” And Osiris of Egypt also is represented as making a descent into hell, and after a period of three days rose again. Homer and Virgil speak of several cases of descent into Pluto’s dominions. Hercules, Ulysses, and^Eneas are represented as performing the hellward journey on, as we infer, benevolent missions. Hig- gins remarks, “ The Gods became incarnate, and descended into hell to teach humility and set an example of suffering.” The story of their descent into hell was doubtless invented to find employment for them during their three days of hibernation or conservation in the tomb, that they might not appear to be really dead nor idle in the time, and as a still further proof of their matchless and unrivaled capacity and fortitude for suffer- ing. And the story of the three days’ entombment is likewise clearly traceable in appearance to the astronomical incident of the sun’s lying apparently dead, and buried, and motionless, for nearly three days at the period of the vernal epoch, from the 21st to the 25th of March. It was a matter of belief or fancy, that the sun remained stationary for about three days, when he gradually rose again “ into newness of life.” And hence this period or era was chosen to figuratively represent the three days’ descent of the Gods into hell. We are told that the Per- sians have an ancient astronomical figure representing the de- scent of a God, divine, into hell, and returning at the time that Orsus, the goddess of spring, had conquered the God or genus of winter, after the manner St. John describes the Lamb of God (see Rev. xii.) as conquering the dragon, which may be inter- preted as the Scorpion or Dragon of the first month of winter (October) being conquered by the Lamb of March or spring. 128
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CHAPTER XIX.
RESURRECTION OF THE SAVIORS.
We find presented in the canonized histories of several of the demigod Saviors the following remarkable coincidences appertaining to their death: —
1. Their resurrection from the dead.
2. Their lying in the tomb just three days.
3. The resurrection of several of them about the time of the vernal equinox.
The 25th of March is the period assigned by the Christian world generally for the resurrection of Christ, though some Christian writers have assigned other dates for this event. They all agree, however, that Christ rose from the dead, and that this ocrurred three days after the entombment. Bishop Theophilus of Cesarea remarks, relative to this event, “ Since the birth of Christ is celebrated on the 25th of December, . . . so also should the resurrection of Jesus be celebrated on the 25th of March, on whatever day of the week it may fall, the Lord having risen again on that day.” (Cent.ii. Call.p. 118.) “All the ancient Christians,” says a writer, “ were persuaded that Christ was crucified on the 23d of March, and rose from the dead on the 25th.” And accordingly Constantine and cotemporary Christians celebrated the 25th of March with great eclat as the date of the resurrection. The 23d and 25th, in- cluding the 24th, would comprise a period of three days, the time of the entombment. Now mark, Quexalcote of Mexico, Chris of Chaldea, Quirinus of Rome, Prometheus of Caucasus) Osiris of Egypt, Atys of Phrygia, and “ Mitlira the Mediator5 of Persia, did, according to their respective histories, rise from RESURRECTION OF THE SAVIORS.
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the dead after three days’ burial, and the time of their resurrec tion is in several cases fixed for the 25th of March. And there is an account more than three thousand years old of the Hindoo crucified Savior Chrishna, three days after his interment, for- saking “the silent bourn, whence (as we are told) no traveler ever returns,” and laying aside the moldy cerements of the dead, again walking forth to mortal life, to be again seen, recog- nized, admired, and adored by his pious, devout, and awe- stricken followers, and thus present to the gaze of a hoping yet doubting world “the first fruits of the resurrection.” Of Tham- muz of Syria the poet says,—
“ Trust, ye saints, your God restored;
Trust ye in your risen Lord;
For the pains which Thammuz endured Your salvation have procured.”
At the annual celebration of the resurrection of the Persian • Savior “Mithra the Mediator,” more than three thousand years ago, the priests were in the habit of exclaiming in a solemn and loud voice, “Cheer up, holy mourners; your God is come again to life; his sorrows and his sufferings will save you.” (See Pitrat, p. 105.) The 25th of March was with the ancient Per- sians the commencement of a new year, and on that day was celebrated “the feast of the Neurone,” and by the ancient Romans “ the festival of the Hilaria.” And we find the ancients had both the crucifixion and resurrection of a God symbolically and astronomically represented among the plants.
“ Their foundation,” says Clement of Alexandria, “ was the ficti- tious death and resurrection of the sun, the soul of the world, the principle of life and motion.” The inauguration of spring (the 25th of March), and the summer solstice (the 25th of June)5 * were both important periods with the ancients. Hence the latter period was fixed on as the birthday of John the Baptist (as marked in the almanacs), when the sun begins to decline southward — that is, decrease. How appropriately, therefore, John is made to say, “I shall decrease, but he shall increase.” And the consecrated 25th of March is also the day marked in our calendars as the date of the conception and annunciation 9 130
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of the Blessed Virgin Mary. And it was, likewise, the period of the conception of the ancient Roman virgin Asteria, and of the ever-chaste and holy virgin Iris, as well as the time of the conjugal embrace of the solar and lunar potentates of the visible universe. May we not, then, very appropriately exclaim of re- ligion and astronomy “what God hath joined together, let no man put asunder.”
Resurrection op Jesus Christ.
With respect to the physical resurrection of the Christian Savior, it may be observed that, aside from the physical impossi- bility of such an occurrence, the account, as reported to us by his four “ inspired ” Gospel biographers, are so palpably at vari- ance with each other, so entirely contradictory in their reports, as to render their testimony as infallible writers utterly unworthy of credence, and impels us to the conclusion that the event is both physically and historically incredible. There is scarcely one incident or particular in which they all agree. They are at loggerheads, 1. With respect to the time of its discovery; 2. The persons who made the discovery (for no witness claims to have seen it) ; 8. With respect to what took place at the sepul- cher; 4. What Peter saw and did there; 5. And as to what occurred afterward, having a relation to that event.
1. Relative to the time the witness or witnesses visited the sepulcher and learned of the resurrection, Matthew (chap, xxviii.) tells us, “It was at the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn; ” but according to Mark (xvi.), the Sabbath was past, and the sun was rising; while John (chap, xx.) declares it was yet dark. Now there is certainly some difference between the three periods, “ the dawning of the day,” “ the rising of the sun,” and “ the darkness of night.” If the writers were divinely in- spired, there would be a perfect agreement.
2. With respect to the persons who first visited the sepul cher, Matthew states that it was Mary Magdalene and anothei Mary; but Luke says it was “ Mary Magdalene and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women; ” while, according to John (and he virtually reiterates it), Mary Magdalene went RESURRECTION OF THE SAVIORS.
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