more on Christ, 2nd coming ? never came




CHAPTER XXII,
“ HE DESCENDED INTO HELL.”

The doctrine of Christ Jesus’ descent into hell is emphatically part of the Christian belief, although not alluded to by Christian divines excepting when unavoidable.

In the first place, it is taught in the Creed of the Christians, wherein it says:

"lie descended into hell, and on the third day he rose again from the dead.”

The doctrine was also taught by the Fathers of the Church. St. Chrysostom (born 347 a. d.) asks:

“ Who but an infidel would deny that Christ was in hell ?

And St. Clement of Alexandria, who flourished at the beginning of the third century, is equally clear and emphatic as to Jesus’ descent into hell. lie says :

“ The Lord preached the gospel to those in Hades, as well as to all in earth, in order that all might believe and be saved, wherever they were. If, then, the Lord descended to Hades for no other end but to preach the gospel, as lie did descend, it was either to preach the gospel to all, or to the Hebrews only. If accordingly to all, then all who believe shall be saved, although they may be of the Gentiles, on making their profession there.”3

Origen, who flourished during the latter part of the second, and beginning of the third centuries, also emphatically declares that Christ Jesus descended into hell.'

Ancient Christian works of art represent his descent into hell.4

The apocryphal gospels teach the doctrine of Christ Jesus’ descent into hell, the object of which was to preach to those in bondage there, and to liberate the saints who had died before his advent on earth.



a Nicodemus: Apoc. ch. xvi. and xix,
 
On acconnt of tlie sin committed by Adam in the Garden of Eden, all mankind were doomed, all had gone to hell—excepting those who had been translated to heaven—even those persons who were “ after God’s own heart,” and who had belonged to his “chosen people.” The coming of Christ Jesus into the world, however, made a change in the affaire of man. The mints were then liberated from their prison, and all those who believe in the efficacy of his name, shall escape hereafter the tortures of hell. This is the doctrine to be found in the apocryphal gospels, and was taught by the Fathers of the Church.'

In the “ Gospel of Nicodemus ” (apoc.) is to be found the whole story of Christ Jesus’ descent into hell, and of his liberating the saints.

Satan, and the Prince of IIoll, having heard that Jesus of Nazareth was about to descend to their domain, began to talk the matter over, as to what they should do, &c. "While thus engaged, on a sudden, there was a voice as of thunder and the rushing of winds, saying : “ Lift up your gates, O ye Princes, and be ye lifted up, O ye everlasting gates, and the King of Glory shall come in.”

When the Prince of Hell heard this, he said to his impious officers : “Shut the brass gates .       .               . and make them fast with

iron bars, and light courageously.”

The saints having heard what had been said on both sides, immediately spoke with a loud voice, saying: “ Open thy gates, that the King of Glory may come in.” The divine prophets, David and Isaiah, were particularly conspicuous in this protest against the intentions of the Prince of Ilell.

Again the voice of Jesus was heard saying: “ Lift up your gates, O Prince; and be ye lifted up, ye gates of hell, and the King of Glory will enter in.” The Prince of Hell then cried out : “ Who is the King of Glory ? ” upon which the prophet David commenced to rep!yr to him, but while he was speaking, the mighty Lord Jesus appeared in the form of a man, and broke asunder the fetters which before could not be broken, and crying aloud, said: “ Come to me, all ye saints, who were created in my image, who were condemned by the tree of the forbidden fruit .                                                                                                               .     . live

now by the word of my cross.”

Then presently all the saints were joined together, hand in hand, and the Lord Jesus laid hold on Adam’s hand, and ascended from hell, and all the saints of God followed him.2 [525]



When the saints arrived in paradise, two “ very ancient men” met them, and were asked by the saints: “Who are ye, who have not been with us in hell, and have had your bodies placed in paradise?” One of these “very ancient men” answered and said: “ I am Enoch, who was translated by the word of God, and this man who is with mo is Elijah the Tishbite, who was translated in a fiery chariot.”1

The doctrine of the descent into hell may be found alluded to in the canonical- books ; thus, for instance, in I. Peter :

" It is better, it the will of God be so, that ye eiill'er for well doing, than for evil doing. For Christ also hath suffered for sius, the just for ilic unjust, that lie might bring us to God, being put to death in the llesh, but quickened by the spirit: by which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison.”*

Again, in u Acts,” where the writer is speaking uf David as a project-, ho says :

“ He, seeing this before, spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither bis flesh did see corruption.”[526] [527] [528]

The reason why Christ Jesus Inis been made to descend into hell, is because it is a part of' the universal niythos, even the three days' duration. The Saviours of mankind had all done so, he must therefore do likewise.

Crishna, the Hindoo Saviour, descended into hell, for the purpose of raising the dead (the doomed),* before he returned to his heavenly seat.

Zoroaster, of the Persians, descended into hell.[529] [530] [531]

Osiris, the Egyptian Saviour, descended into hell °

Ilorus, the virgin-born Saviour, descended into hell.[532]

Adonis, the virgin-born Saviour, descended into hell.*

Bacchus, the virgin-born Saviour, descended into hell .*

Hercules, the virgin-born Saviour, descended into hell.'*

Mercury, the Word and Messenger of God, descended- into hell."



 



Dunlap’s Mysteries of Adoni, p. 33.

*• See Taylor’s Mysteries, p. 40, and Mysteries of Adoni, pp. 94-90.

11    Sec Bell's Pantheon, vol. ii. p. 72. Oar Christian writers discover considerable apprehension, and a jealous caution in their language, when the resemblance between Paganism and Christianity might be apt to strike the mind too cogently. In quoting Horace’s account of Mercury's descent into hell, and his causing a cessation of the sufferings there, Mr. Spence, in ** Boll's Pantheon,'’ says : ** As this, perhaps, may be a mythical part of his character, ue had belter let it alone.”



Baldur, the Scandinavian god, after being killed, descended

into hell.'

Quetzalcoatle, the Mexican crucified Saviour, descended into hell.'

All these gods, and many others that might be mentioned, remained in hell for the space of three days and three nights. “ They descended into hell, and on the third day rose again.”’ [533]



CHAPTER XXIII.

THE RESURRECTION AND ASCENSION OF CHRIST JESUS.

Tiie story of the resurrection of Christ Jesus is related by the four Gospel narrators, and is to the effect that, after being crucified, his body was wrapped in a linen cloth, laid in a tomb, and a “ great 6tone ” rolled to the door. The sepulchre was then made sure by “ sealing the stone ” and “ setting a watch.”

On the first day of the week some of Jesus’ followers came to see the sepulchre, when they found that, in spite of the “ sealing ” and the “ watch,” the angel of the Lord had descended from heaven, had rolled back the stone from the door, and that “Jesus had risen from the dead?"

The story of his ascension is told by the Mark? narrator, who says “ he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God ; ” by Luke* who says “ he was carried up into heaven ; ” and by the writer of the Acts' who says “ he was taken up (to heaven) and a cloud received him out of sight.”

"We will find, in stripping Christianity of its robes of Paganism, that these miraculous events must be put on the same level witli those we have already examined.

1 See Matthew, xxviil. Mark, xvi. Luke, xxiv. aid John, xx.                                                     * Mark, xvl. 19.

* Luke. xxiv. 51.                      * Acts, 1.9.

0 See Dupuis : Origin of Religious Belief, p. 240. Higgins: Anacalypsie, vol. ii. pp. 142 and 145.
 
6 See Biggins: Anacalypsis^ vol. i. p. 131. Bonwick’a Egyptian Belief, p. 163. Asiatic Researches, vol i. pp. 259 and 201.

7 See Prog. Rellg. Ideas, vol. i. p. 72. Hlet. Hindostan, ii. pp. 4GG and 473.

“In Hindu pictures, Vishnu, who is identi-
 

Crishna, the crucified Hindoo Saviour, rose from the dead? and ascended bodily into heaven? At that time a great light enveloped the earth and illuminated the whole expanse of heaven. Attended by celestial spirits, and luminous as on that night when he was born in the house of Vasudeva, Crishna pursued, by his own light, the journey between earth and heaven, to the bright paradise from whence he had descended. All men saw him, and exclaimed, “ Lo, Crishna's soul ascends its native skies !



Samuel Johnson, in his “ Oriental Religions,” tells us that Iidma —an incarnation of Vishnu—after his manifestations on earth, “at last ascended to heaven” “resuming his divine essence.”

“ lly the blessings of Rama’s name, and through previous faith in him, all sins are remitted, and every one who shall at death pronounce his name with sincere worship shall be forgiven.”'

The mythological account of Buddha, the son of the Virgin Maya, who, as the God of Love, is named (Jam-deo, Gam, and Cama, is of the same character, as that of other virgin-born gods. When he died there were tears and lamentations. Heaven and earth are said equally to have lamented the loss of “Divine Love” insomuch that Mahardeo (the supreme god) was moved to pity, and exclaimed, “ Ilise, holy love!” on which Cama was restored and the lamentations changed into the most enthusiastic joy. The heavens are said to have echoed baek the exulting sound ; then the deity, supposed to be lost (dead), was restored, “ hell's great dread and heaven's eternal admiration

The coverings of the body unrolled themselves, and the lid of his coffin was opened by supernatural powers.[534]

Buddha also ascended bodily to the celestial regions when his mission on earth was fulfilled, and marks on the rocks of a high mountain are shown, and believed to be the last impression of his footsteps on this earth. By prayers in his name his followers expect to receive the rewards of paradise, and finally to become one with him, as he became one with the Source of Life.* Lao-Kiun, the virgin-born, he who had existed from all eternity, when his mission of benevolence was completed on earth, ascended bodily into the paradise above. Since this time he has been worshiped as a god, and splendid temples erected to his memory.[535]

Zoroaster, the founder of the religion of the ancient Persians, who was considered “ a divine messenger sent to redeem men from their evil ways,” ascended to heaven at the end of his earthly career. To this day his followers mention him with the greatest reverence, calling him “ The Immortal Zoroaster,” “ The Blessed Zoroaster,” “ The Living Star,” &c.6



xEsculapius, the Soil of God, the Saviour, after being put to death, rone from the dead. Ilis history is portrayed in the following lines of Ovid's, which arc prophecies foretelling his life and actions:

“ Once, as the sacred infant she surveyed.

The god was kindled in the raving maid;

And thus she uttered her prophetic tale:

Hail, great 1’hysician of the world ! all hail 1 Ilail, mighty infant, who in years to come Shalt heal the nations, and defraud the tomb !

Swift be thy growth, thy triumphs uneontined,

Make kingdoms thicker, and increase mankind.

Thy daring art shall animate the dead,

And draw the thunder on thy guilty head;

Then shall thou die, but from the dark abode Shalt rise victorious, and be twice a god."[536]

The Saviour Adonis or Tammuz, after being put to death, rose from the dead. The following is an account given of the rites of Tammuz or of Adonis by Julius Firmicius (who lived during the reign of Constantine):

“ On a certain night (while the ceremony of the Adonia, or religious rites in honor of Adonis, lasted), tin imago was laid upon a bed (or bier) and bewailed in doleful ditties. After they had satiated themselves with fictitious lamentations, light was brought in: then the mouths of all the mourners were anointed by the priests {with oil), upon which he, with a gentle murmur, whispered :

‘ Trust, ye Saints, your God restored.

Trust ye, in your risen Lord ;

For the pains which lie endured Our salvation have procured.’

“Literally, ‘Trust, ye communicants: the God having been saved, there shall be to us out of pain, Salvation.’ ”[537]

Upon which their sorrow was turned into joy.

Godwyn renders it:

“ Trust ye in God, for out of pains,

Salvation is come unto us."3

Dr. Prichard, in his “ Egyptian Mythologytells us that the Syrians celebrated, in the early spring, this ceremony in honor of the resurrection of Adonis. After lamentations, his restoration was commemorated with joy and festivity.*

Alons. Dupuis says:

“ The obsequies of Adonis were celebrated at Alexandria (in Egypt) with the utmost display. Ilis image was carried with great solemnity to a tomb, which served the purpose of rendering him the last honors. Before singing his return to life, there were mournful rites celebrated in honor of his suffering and his death. The large wound he had received was shown, just as the wound was shown which was made to Christ by the thrust of the spear. The feast of his resurrection was fixed at the 2 Hth of March."'

In Calmet’s “Fragments,” the resurrection of A donis is ref erred to as follows :

“In these mysteries, after the attendants had for a long time bewailed the death of this^'«st person, he was at length uudcrslo./d to he restored to life, to have experienced a resurrection; signified by the re-admission of light. On this the priest addressed the company, saying, ‘ Comfort yourselves, all ye who have been partakers of tlie mysteries of tiie deity, thus preserved: for we shall now enjoy some respite from our labors:’ to which were added these words: 'I have scaped a sad calamity, and my lot is greatly mended.’ The people answered by the invocation: ‘ Hail to the Dove ! the Restorer of Light I ’ ”5

Alexander Murray tells us that the ancient Greeks also celebrated this festival in honor of the resurrection of Adonis, in the course of which a figure of him was produced, and the ceremony of burial, with weeping and songs of wailing, gone through. After these a joyful shout was raised: “Adonis Lives and is risen again.''’3

Plutarch, in his life of Alcibiades and of Nicias, tells us that it was at the time of the celebration of the death of Adonis that the Athenian iieet set sail for its unlucky expedition to Sicily; that nothing but images of dead Adonises were to be met with in the streets, and that they were carried to the sepulchre in the midst of an immense train of women, crying and heating their breasts, and imitating in every particular the lugubrious pomp of interments. Sinister omens were drawn from it, which were only too much realized by subsequent events."

It was in an oration or address delivered to the Emperors Con- stans and Constantins that Julius Finnicius wrote concerning the rites celebrated by the heathens in commemoration of the resurrection of Adonis. In his tide of eloquence lie breaks away into indignant objurgation of the priest who officiated in those heathen mysteries, which, lie admitted, resembled the Christian sacrament in honor of the deatli and resurrection of Christ Jesus, so closely that there was really no difference between them, except that no sufficient proof had been given to the world of the resurrection of Adonis, and no divine oracle had home witness to his resurrection, [538]



nor had he shown himself alive after his death to those who wore concerned to have assurance of the fact that they might believe.

The dieine oracle, be it observed, which Julius Finnieius says had borne testimony to Christ Jesus’ resurrection, was iwne other than the answer of the god Apollo, whom the Payans worshiped at Delphos, which this writer derived from Porphyry’s books “ On the Philosophy of Oracles?"

Eusebius, the celebrated ecclesiastical historian, has also condescended to quote this claimed testimony from a Pajan oracle, as furnishing one of the most convincing proofs that could be adduced in favor of the resurrection of Christ Jesus.

“But thou at least (says he to the Pagans), listen to thine own gods, to thy oracular deities l/teinsdccs, who have borne witness, and ascribed to our Saviour (Jesus Christ) not imposture, but piety aud wisdom, and ascent into heaven.”

This was vastly obliging and liberal of the god Apollo, but, it happens awkwardly enough, that the whole work (consisting of several books) ascribed to Porphyry, in which this and other admissions equally honorable to the evidences of the Christian religion are made, was not written by Porphyry, but is altogether the pious fraud of Christian hands, who have kindly fathered the great philosopher with admissions, which, as he would certainly never have made himself, they have very charitably made for him.1

The festival in honor of the resurrection of Adonis was observed in Alexandria in Egypt—the cradle of Christianity—in the time of St. Cyril, Bishop of Alexandria (a. n. J12), and at Antioch—the ancient capital of the Creek Kings of Syria—even as late as the time of the Emperor Julian (a. i>. 301-303), whose arrival there, during the solemnity of the festival, was taken as an ill omen.3

It is most curious that the arrival of the Emperor Julian at Antioch—where the followers of Christ Jesus, it is said, were first called Christians—at that time, should be considered an ill omen. Why should it have been so ? lie was not a Christian, but a known apostate from the Christian religion, and a zealous patron of Paganism. The evidence is very conclusive ; the celebration in honor of the resurrection of Adonis had become to he known as a Christian festival, which has not been abolished even unto this day. The ceremonies held in Iloman Catholic; countries on (food Friday and on Easter Sunday, are nothing more than the festival of the death and resurrection of Adonis, as we shall presently see. [539] [540]

Even as late as the year a. d. 3S6, the resurrection of Adonis was celebrated in Judea. St. Jerome says:

“ Over Bethlehem (in the year 38G after Christ) the grove of Tammuz, that is,

of Adonis, was casting its shadow ! And in the grotto where formerly the infant Anointed (i. e., Christ Jesus) cried, the lover of Venus was being mourned.”[541] [542]

In the idolatrous worship practiced by the children of Israel was that of the worship of Adonis.

Under the designation oi" Tammuz, this god was worshiped, and had his altar even in the Temple of the Lord which was at Jerusalem. Several of the Psalms of David were parts of the liturgical service employed ill his worship; the 110th, in particular, is an account of a friendly alliance between the two gods, Jehovah and Adonis, in which Jehovah adorns Adonis for his priest, as sitting at his right hand, and promises to tight for him against his enemies. This god was worshiped at Byblis in Phoenicia with precisely the same ceremonies: the same articles of faith as to his mystical incarnation, his precious death and burial, and his glorious resurrection and ascension, and even in the very same words of religious adoration and homage which are now, with the slightest degree of variation that could well be conceived, addressed to the Christ, of the Gospel.

The prophet Ezekiel, when an exile, painted once more the scene he had so often witnessed of the Israelitish women in the Temple court bewailing the death of Tammuz.[543]

Dr. Parkhurst says, in his “ Hebrew Lexicon ”:

“ I find myself obliged to refer Tammuz, as well as the Greek and Homan Hercules, to that class of idols which were originally designed to represent ihe promised Saviour (Christ Jesus), the desire of all nations, llis other name, Adonis, is almost the very Hebrew word ‘ Our Lord,’ a well-known title of Christ.”[544]

So it seems that the ingenious and most learned orthodox Dr. Parkhurst was obliged to consider Adonis a type of “the promised Saviour (Christ Jesus), the desire of all nations.” This is a very favorite way for Christian divines to express themselves, when pushed thereto, by the striking resemblance between the Pagan, virgin-born, crucified, and resurrected gods and Christ Jesus.

If the reader is satisfied that all these things are types or symbols of what the “ real Saviour ” was to do and suffer, he is welcome



 



of Jerusalem, the Anointed was worshiped in Babylon, Basan, Galilee and Palestine.” (Son of the Man, p. 33.)

8 Ezekiel, viii. 14.

4 Quoted in Taylor’s DIegesiB, p. 168, And Ifiggins : Anacalypsie, vol. ii. p. 114.



 



to such food. The doctrine of Dr. Parkhurst and others comes with but an ill "race, however, from Homan Catholic priests, who have never ceased to suppress information when possible, and when it was impossible for them to do so, they claimed these things to be the work of the devil, in imitation of their predecessors, the Christian Fathers.

Julius Finuicius has said: “The devil has his Christs,” and docs not deny that Adonis was one. Tcrtullian and St. Justin explain all the conformity which exists between Christianity and Payanism, by asserting " that a long time before there were Christians in existence, the devil had taken pleasure to have their future mysteries and ceremonies copied by bis worshipers.”[545] [546] [547]

Osiris, the Egyptian Saviour, after being put to death, rose from the dead' and bore the title of “ The Resurrected One."'

Prof. Mahaffy, lecturer on ancient history in the University of Dublin, observes that:

“ The Resurrection and reign over an eternal kingdom, by an incarnate mediating deity born of a virgin, was a theological conception which pervaded the oldest religion of Egypt.”[548] [549]

The ancient Egyptians celebrated annnally, in early spring, about the time known in Christian countries as Easter, the resurrection and ascension of Osiris. During these mysteries the misfortunes and tragical death of the <! Saviour ” were celebrated in a species of drama, in which all the particulars were exhibited, accompanied with loud lamentations and every mark of sorrow. At this time his image was carried in a procession, covered—as were those in the temples—with black veils. On the 25th of March his resurrection from the dead was celebrated with great festivity and rejoicings.11

Alexander Murray says:

“ The worship of Osiris was universal throughout Egypt, where he was gratefully regarded as the great exemplar of self-sacrifice—in giving his life for others —as the manifestor of good, as the opener of truth, and as being full of goodness and truth. After being dead, he was restored to life."6

Mons. Dupuis says on this subject:

“The Fathers of the Church, and the writers of the Christian sect, speak frequently of these feasts, celebrated in honor of Osiris, who died and arose from the dead, and they draw a parallel with the adventurers of their Christ. Athanasius, Augustin, Theophilus, Athenagoras, Minucius Felix, Lactantius, Firmicius, as also the ancient authors who have spoken of Osiris ... all agree in the description of the universal mourning of the Egyptians at the festival, when the commemoration of that death took place. They describe the ceremonies which were practiced at his sepulchre, the tears, which were there shed during several days, and the festivities and rejoicings, which followed after that mourning, at the moment when his resurrection was announced.”1

Mr. Bon wick remarks, in liis “Egyptian Belief,” that:

“It is astonishing to find that, at least, five thousand years ago, men trusted an Osiris as the ‘Risen Saviour,’ and confidently hoped to rise, as he arose, from the grave.”2

Again he says :

“ Osiris was, unquestionably, the popular god of Egypt. .  . . Osiris was

dear to the hearts of the people. He was pre-eminenlly ‘good.’ lie was in life and death their friend. His birth, death, burial, resurrection and ascension, embraced the leading points of Egyptiau theology.” “In his efforts to do good, he encounters evil. In struggling with that, he is overcome. He is killed. The story, entered into in the account of the Osiris myth, is a circumstantial one. Osiris is buried. Ilis tomb was the object of pilgrimage for thousands of years. But he did not rest in his grave. At the end of three days, or forty, he arose again, and ascended to heaven. This is the story of his humanity.” “ As then) net as Osiris, his tomb was illuminated, as is the holy sepulchre of .Jerusalem now. Tlie mourning song, whose plaintive tones were noted by Herodotus, and has been compared to the ‘ miserere ’ of Rome, was followed, in three days, by the language of triumph.”3

Herodotus, who had been initiated into the Egyptian and Grecian “ Mysteries,” speaks thus of them:

“At Sais (in Egypt), in the sacred precinct of Minerva; behind the chapel and joining the wall, is the tomb of one whose name I consider it impious to divulge on such an occasion; and in the inclosure stand large stone obelisks, and there is a lake near, ornamented with a stone margin, formed in a circle, and in size, as appeared to me, much the same as that in Delos, which is called the circular. In this lake they perform by night the representation of that person’s adventures, which they call mysteries. On these matters, however, though accurately acquainted with the particulars of them, I must observe a discreet silence ; and respecting the sacred rites of Ceres, which the Greeks call Thesmy- phoria, although I am acquainted with them, I must observe silence except so far as is lawful for me to speak of them. ”4

Horns, son of the virgin Isis, experienced similar misfortunes. The principal features of this sacred romance are to be found in the writings of the Christian Fathers. They give us a description of the grief which was manifested at his death, and of the rejoicings at his resurrection, which are similar to those spoken of above.5



Atyss the Phrygian Saviour, was put to death, and rose again from, the dead. Various histories were given of him in various places, but all accounts terminated in the usual manner, lie was one of the ‘‘ Slain Ones ” who rose to life again on the 25th of March, or the “ Ililaria ” or primitive Easter.[550] [551]

Mithras, the Persian Saviour, and mediator between (Jod and man, was believed by the inhabitants of Persia, Asia Minor and Armenia, to have been put to death, and to hare risen again from the dead. In their mysteries, the body of a young man, apparently dead, was exhibited, which was feigned to be restored to life. By his suilerings be was believed to have worked their salvation, and on this account lie wascalled their “Saviour.” His priests watched his tomb to the midnight of the veil of the 25th of March, with loud cries, and in darkness; when all at once the lights burst forth from all parts, and the priest cried:

"Rejoice, Oh sacred Initiated, your god is risen. His death, his pains, his sufferings, hare worked our salvation."'1

Mons. Dupuis, speaking of the resurrection of this god, says:

“ It is ebielly in the religion of Mithras, . . . that we find mostly these features of analogy with the death and resurrection of Christ, and with the mysteries of the Christians. Mithras, who was also born on the 25th of December, like Christ, died as he did; and lie had his sepulchre, over which his disciples came to shed tears. During the night, the priests carried his image to a tomb, expressly prepared for him; he was laid out on a litter, like the Phoenician Adonis.

“These funeral ceremonies, like those on Good Friday (in Roman Catholic churches), were accompanied with funeral dirges and groans of the priests; after having spent some time with these expressions of feigned grief; after having lighted the sacred Jlambcau, or their paschal candle, and anointed the image with chrism or perfumes, one of them came forward and pronounced with the gravest mien these words: ‘ Be of good cheer, sacred band of Initiates, your god has risen from the dead. Ilis pains and his sufferings shall be your salvation.’ "[552]

In King's “ Gnostics and their Hemains” (Plate XL), may he seen the representation of a bronze medal, or rather disk, engraved



 



body have separated, the souls, in the third night after doatti—as soon as the shining sun ascends—coine over the Mount ISerosaiti upon the bridge Tshinavnt which loads to Guronmana, the dwelling of the good gods.” (Dunlap's Spirit lJist., p. 216, and Mysteries of Adoui, 60.)

The Ghost of Polydore says :

“ Being raised up this third day—light, Having deserted my body 1” (Euripides, Hecuba, 31, 32.)

8 Dupuis : Origin of Religions Beliefs, pp 246, 247.



in the coarsest manner, on which is to be seen a female figure, standing in the attitude of adoration, the object of which is expressed by the inscription—ortvs sal vat, “ The Rising of the Saviour ”—i. e., of Mithras

‘ ‘ This medal ” (says Mr. King), “ doubtless had accompanied the interment of some individual initiated into the Mithraic mysteries; and is certainly the most curious relie of that faith that has come under my notice.”4

Bacchus, the Saviour, son of the virgin Semele, after being put to death, also arose from the dead. During the commemoration of the ceremonies of this event the dead body of a young man was exhibited with great lamentations, in the same manner as the cases cited above, and at dawn on the 25th of March his resurrection from the dead was celebrated with great rejoicings.’ After having brought solace to the misfortunes of mankind, he, after his resurrection, ascended into heaven.*

Hercules, the Saviour, the son of Zeus by a mortal mother, was put to death, but arose from the funeral pile, and ascended into heaven in a cloud, ’mid peals of thunder. Ilis followers manifested gratitude to his memory by erecting an altar on the spot from whence he ascended.’

Memnon is put to death, but rises again to life and immortality. His mother Eos weeps tears at the deatli of her son—as Mary does for Christ Jesus—but her prayers avail to bring him back, like Adonis or Taimnuz, and Jesus, from the shadowy region, to dwell always in Olympus.*

The ancient Greeks also believed that Amphiaraus—one of their most celebrated prophets and demi-gods—rose from the dead. They even pointed to the place of his resurrection.7

Baldur, the Scandinavian Lord and Saviour, is put to death, but does not rest in his grave. lie too rises again to life and immortality-.8

When “ Baldur the Good,” the beneficent god, descended into hell, Ilela (Death) said to Ilermod (who mourned for Baldur): “ If all things in the world, both living and lifeless, weep for him, then shall he return to the zEsir (the gods).” Upon hearing this, messengers were dispatched throughout the world to beg every- [553] [554]



thing to weep in order that Baldur might be delivered from hell. All things everywhere willingly complied with this request, both men and every other living being, so that wailing was heard in all quarters.[555]

Thus we see the same myth among the northern nations. As Bnnsen says:

“The tragedy of tbe murdered and risen god is familiar to ns from the days of ancient Egypt: must it not be of equally primeval origin here?” [In Teutonic tradition.]

The ancient Scandinavians also worshiped a god called Frey, who was put to death, and rose again from the dead?

The ancient Druids celebrated, in the British Isles, in heathen times, the rites of the resurrected Bacchus, and other ceremonies, similar to the Greeks and Romans.'

Quetzalcoatle, the Mexican erneitied Savionr, after being put to death, rose from the dead. Ilis resurrection was represented in Mexican hieroglyphics, and may be seen in the Codex Borgianus.*

The Jews in Palestine celebrated their Passover on the same day that the Pagans celebrated the resurrection of their gods.

Besides the resurrected gods mentioned in this chapter, who were believed in for centuries before the time assigned for the birth of Christ Jesus, many others might be named, as we shall see in our chapter oil “ Explanation.” In the words of Dunbar T. Heath :

“ We find men taught everywhere, from Southern Arabia to Greece, by hundreds of symbolisms, the birth, death, and resurrection of deities, and a resurrection too, apparently after the second day, i. e., on the third.”1

And now, to conclude all, another god is said to have been born on the same day° as these Pagan deities ; he is crucified and buried, and on the same day’ rises again from the dead. Christians of Europe and America celebrate annually the resurrection of their



 



Origin of Religious Belief, pp. 244, 255.)

A very long aud terrible schism took place in the Christian Chnrch upon the question whether Easter, the day of the resurrection, was to be celebrated on the l lih day of the first month, after the Jewish custom, or on the Lord's day afterward; and it was at last decided in favor of the Lord's day. (Sec Biggins: Anacalypsis, vol. ii. p. 90, and Chambers’s Encyclopaedia, art. “ Easter.”)

The day npon which Easter should be celebrated was not settled uutil tbe Council of Nice. (Sec Euseb. Lire of Constantine, lib. 3, ch. xriL Also, Socrates’ Ecc). Hist. lib. 1, ch. vi.)



Saviour in almost the identical manner in which the Pagans celebrated the resurrection of their Saviours, centuries before the God of the Christians is said to have been born. In Roman Catholic churches, in Catholic countries, the body of a young man is laid on a bier, and placed before the altar; the wound in his side is to be seen, and his death is bewailed in mournful dirges, and the verse, Gloria Patri, is discontinued in the mass. All the images in the churches and the altar are covered with black, and the priest and attendants are robed in black ; nearly all lights are put out, and the windows are darkened. This is the “ Agonie,” the “ Miserere,” the “ Good Friday ” mass. On Easter Sunday' all the drapery has disappeared ; the church is illuminated, and rejoicing, in place of sorrow, is manifest. The Easter hymns partake of the following expression :

“ Rejoice, Oh sacred Initiated, your Qod is risen. His death, his pains, his sufferings, hare worked our salvation.”

Ccdrenus (a celebrated Byzantine writer), speaking of the 25th of March, says:

“ The first day of the first month, is the first of the month Nisan ; it corresponds to tlie 25th of March of the Romans, and the Phanienot of the Egyptians. On that day Gabriel saluted Mary, in order to make her conceive the Saviour. I observe that it is the same month, Phamenoi, that Osiris gave fecundity to Isis, according to the Egyptian theology. On the very same day, our God Saviour (Christ Jesus), after the termination of his career, arose from the dead; that is, what our forefathers called the Pass-over, or the passage of the Lord. It is also on the same day, that our ancient theologians have fixed his return, or hif second advent.”2

TVTe have seen, then, that a festival celebrating the resurrection of their several gods was annually held among the Pagans, before the time of Christ Jesus, and that it was almost universal. That it dates to a period of great antiquity is very certain. The adventures of these incarnate gods, exposed in their infancy, put to death, and rising again from the grave to life and immortality, were acted on the Deisuls and in the sacred theatres of the ancient Pagans,3 just as the “Passion Play” is acted to-day.

Eusebius relates a tale to the effect that, at one time, the Chris-



 



deavored to give a Christian significance to such of the rites as could not be rooted out; and in this case the conversion was practically easy.” (Chambers's Encyclo., art. “ Easter.”)

3   Quoted in Dupuis: Origin of Religious Belief, p, 244.

8 See Higgins : Anacalypsis, vol. ii. p. 840.



 



* Anacalypsie, ii. 59.
 
tians were about to celebrate “ the solemn vigils of Easter,” when, to their dismay, they found that oil was wanted. .Narcissus, Bishop of Jerusalem, who was among the number, “ commanded that such as had charge of the lights, speedily to bring unto him water, drawn up out of the next well.” This water Narcissus, “by the wonderful power of God,” changed into oil, and the celebration was continued.[556]

This tells the whole story. Here we see the oil—which the Pagans had in their ceremonies, and with which the priests anointed the lips of the Initiates—and the lights, which were suddenly lighted when the god was feigned to have risen from the dead.

With her usual policy, the Christian Church endeavored to give a Christian significance to the rites borrowed from Paganism, and in this case, as in many others, the conversion was particularly easy.

In the earliest times, the Christians did not celebrate the resurrection of their Lord from the grave. They made the Jewish Passovet their chief festival, celebrating it on the same day as the Jews, the 1-ttli of Nisan, no matter in what part of the week that day might fall. Believing, according to the tradition, that Jesus on the eve of his death had eaten the Passover with his disciples, they regarded such a solemnity as a commemoration of the Supper and not as a memorial of the liesnrrection. But in proportion as Christianity more and more separated itself from Judaism and imbibed paganism, this way of looking at the matter became less easy. /V. new tradition gained currency among the Roman Christians to the effect that Jesus before his death had not eaten the Passover, but had died on the very day of the Passover, thus substituting himself for the Paschal Lamb. The great Christian festival was then made the Resurrection of Jesus, and was celebrated on the first pagan holiday—Sun-day—after the Passover.

This Easter celebration was observed in China, and called a “Festival of Gratitude to Tien.”4 From there it extended over the then known world to the extreme West.

The ancient Pagan inhabitants of Europe celebrated annually this same feast, which is yet continued over all the Christian world. This festival began with a week’s indulgence in all kinds of sports, called the carnc-vale, or the taking a farewell to animal food, because it was followed by a fast of forty days. This was in honor of the Saxon goddess Ostrt or Eostre of the Germans, whence our Easter?



The most characteristic Easter rite, and the one most, widely diffused, is the use of Easter eggs. They are usually stained of various colors with dye-woods or herbs, and people mutually make presents of them ; sometimes they are kept as amulets, sometimes eaten. Now, “ dyed eggs were sacred Easter offerings in Egypt;"' the ancient Persians, “ when they kept the festival of the solar new year (in March), mutually presented each other with colored eggs;”[557] [558] [559] “ the Jews used eggs in the feast of the Passover;” and the custom prevailed in Western countries.8

The stories of the resurrection written by the Gospel narrators are altogether different. This is owing to the fact that the story, as related by one, was written to correct the mistakes and to endeavor to reconcile with common sense the absurdities of the other. For instance, the “ Matthew ” narrator says : “ And when they saw him (after he had risen from the dead) they worshiped him ; but some doubted"'

To leave the question where this writer leaves it would be fatal. In such a case there must be no doubt. Therefore, the "Mark ” narrator makes Jesus appear three times, under such circumstances as to render a mistake next to impossible, and to silence the most obstinate skepticism. He is first made to appear to Mary Magdalene, who was convinced that it was Jesus, because she went and toid the disciples that he had risen, and that she had seen him. The}7—notwithstanding that Jesus had foretold tlwm of his resurrection"—disbelieved, nor could they be convinced until he appeared to them. They in tnrn told it to the other disciples, who were also skeptical; and, that they might be convinced, Jesus also appeared to them as they sat at meat, when he upbraided them for their unbelief.

This story is much improved in the hands of the “Marrk" narrator, but, in the anxiety to make a clear case, it is overdone, as often happens when the objeet is to remedy or correct an oversight or mistake previously made. In relating that the disciples doubted the words of Mary Magdalene, lie had probably forgotten Jesus had promised them that, he should rise, for, if he had told them this, why did they doubt t

Neither the “ Matthew ” nor the “ Mark ” narrator says in what way Jesus made his appearance—whether it was in the body or only in the spirit. If in the latter, it would be fatal to the whole theory





 



4     Matthew, xxviii, 17.

6 Sec xii. 40 ; xvi. 21 ; Mark, ix. 31; xiv. 23 > John, 11.19.



of the resurrection, as it is a material resurrection that Christianity taught—just like their neighbors the Persians—and not a spiritual.[560]

To put this disputed question in its true light, and to silence the objections which must naturally have arisen against it, was the object which the “ Luke ” narrator had in view. He says that when Jesns appeared and spoke to the disciples they were afraid: “ But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed they had seen a spirit.’” Jesus then—to show that he was not a spirit— showed the wounds in his hands and feet. “ And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of a honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat before them?" After this, who is there that can doubt? but, if the fish and honeycomb story was true, why did the “ Matthew " and “ Mark ” narrators fail to mention it ?

The “ Luke ” narrator, like his predecessors, had also overdone the matter, and instead of convincing the skeptical, he only excited their ridicule.

The “ John ” narrator now comes, and endeavors to set matters right. He does not omit entirely the story of Jesus eating fislg/br that would not do, after there had been so much said about it. He might leave it to be inferred that the “Luke” narrator made a mistake, so he modifies the story and omits the ridiculous part. The scene is laid on the shores of the Sea of Tiberias. Under the direction of Jesus, Peter drew his net to land, full of fish. “Jesus said unto them : Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou ? knowing that it was the Lord. Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise.”*

It does not appear from this account that Jesus ate the fish at all. He took the fish and gave to the disciples; the inference is that they were the ones that ate. In the “ Luke ” narrator's account, the statement is reversed; the disciples gave the fish to Jesus, and he ate. The “ John ” narrator has taken out of the story that which was absurd, but he leaves us to infer that the “ Luke ” narrator was careless in stating the account of what took place. If we leave out of the “ Luke ” narrator’s account the part that relates to the fish and honeycomb, he fails to prove what it really



 



saved us, being first a spirit, was made flesh, and so called ns : even so we also in this fles\y shall receive the reward {0/ heaven). (II. Cor* iuthians, ch. iv. Apoc. See also the Christian Creed: “I believe in the resurrection of the body.")

*    Luke, xxlv. 37.

*    Luke, xxiv. 42, 43.       * John, xxi. 12,13.



was which appeared to the disciples, as it seems from this that the disciples could not be convinced that Jesus was not a spirit until he had actually eaten something.

How, if the eating part is struck out—which the “ John ” narrator does, and which, no doubt, the ridicule cast upon it drove him to do—the “ Luk.e ’’ narrator leaves the question Just where he found it. It was the business of the “ John ” narrator to attempt to leave it elean, and put an end to all cavil.

Jesus appeared to the disciples when they assembled at Jerusalem. “ And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side.”' They were satisfied, and no doubts were expressed. But Thomas was not present, and when he was told by the brethren that Jesus had appeared to them, he refused to believe; nor would lie, “ Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.”" How, if Thomas could be convinced, with all his doubts, it would be foolish after that to deny that Jesus was not in the body when he appeared to his disciples.

After eight days Jesus again appears, for no other purpose—as it would seem—but to convince the doubting disciple Thomas. Then said he to Thomas: “ Beach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side ; and be not faithless, but believing.”" This convinced Thomas, and he exclaimed : “My Lord and my God.” After this evidence, if there were still unbelievers, they were even more skeptical than Thomas himself. We should be at .a loss to understand why the writers of the first three Gospels entirely omitted the story of Thomas, if we were not aware that when the “ John ” narrator wrote the state of the public mind was such that proof of the most unquestionable character was demanded that Christ Jesus had risen in the body. The “ John ” narrator selected a person who claimed he was hard to convince, and if the evidence was such as to satisfy him, it ought to satisfy the balance of the world.4

The first that we knew of the fourth Gospel—attributed to John—is from the writings of Irenmis (a. d. 177-202), and the evidence is that he is the author of it.'' That controversies were rife in his day concerning the resurrection of Jesus, is very evident from other sources. We find that at this time the resurrection of



 



tion, lieber's Christ of Paul ; Scott’s English Life of Jesus; and Greg’s Creed of Christendom.

* See the Chapter xxsviii.



the dead (according to the accounts of the Christian forgers) was very far from being esteemed an uncommon event; that the miracle was frequently performed on necessary occasions by great fasting and the joint supplication of the church of the place, and that the persons thus restored by their prayers had lived afterwards among them many years. At such a period, when faith could boast of so many wonderful victories over death, it seems difficult to account for the skepticism of those philosophers, who still rejected and derided the doctrine of the resurrection. A noble Grecian had rested on this important ground the whole controversy, and promised Theophilus, bishop of Antioch, that if he could be gratified by the sight of a single person who had been actually raised from the dead, he would immediately embrace the Christian religion.

“ It is somewhat remarkable,” says Gibbon, the historian, from whom we take the above, “ that the prelate of the first Eastern Church, however anxious for the conversion of his friend, thought proper to decline this fair and reasonable challenge.”[561]

This Christian saint, Irenaeus, had invented many stories of others being raised from the dead, for the purpose of attempting to strengthen the belief in the resurrection of Jesus. In the words of the Rev. Jeremiah Jones:

" Such pious frauds were very common among Christians even in the first three centuries ; and a forgery of this nature, with the view above-mentioned, seems natural and probable.”

One of these ‘'pious frauds” is the “ Gospel of Nicodemus the Disciple, concerning the Sufferings and Resurrection of our Master and Saviour Jesus Christ.”                                      Although attributed to

Nicodemus, a disciple of Jesus, it has been shown to be a forgery, written towards the close of the second century—during the time of Irenaeus, the well-known pious forger. In this book we find the following:

“And now hear me a little. We all know the blessed Simeon, the high- priest, who took Jesus when an infant into his arms in the temple. This same Simeon had two sons of his own, and we were all present at their death arid f uneral. Go therefore and see their tombs, for these are open, and ttiey are risen ; and behold, they are in the city of Arimatluea, spending their time together in offices of devotion.”’

The purpose of this story is very evident. Some “ zealous believer,” observing the appeals for proof of the resurrection, wishing to make it appear that resurrections from the dead were



 



1       Nicodemus, Apoc. ch. xil.



common occurrences, invented this story towards the close of the second century, and fathered it upon Nicodemus.

We shall speak, anon, more fully on the subject of the frauds of the early Christians, the “ lying and deceiving/br the came of Christ,” which is carried on even to the present day.

As President Cheney of Bates College has lately remarked, “ The resurrection is the doctrine of Christianity and the foundation of the entire system”' but outside of the four spurious gospels this greatest of all recorded miracles is hardly mentioned. “We have epistles from Peter, James, John, and Jude—all of whom are said by the evangelists to have seen Jesus after he rose from the dead, in none of which epistles is the fact of the resurrection even stated, much less that Jesus was seen by the writer after his resurrection.’”[562]

Many of the early Christian sects denied the resurrection of Christ Jesus, but taught that he will rise, when there shall be a general resurrection.

No actual representation of the resurrection of the Christian’s Saviour has yet been found among the monuments of early Christianity. The earliest representation of this event that has been found is an ivory carving, and belongs to the ffth or sixth century."



CHAPTER XXIY.

THE SECOND COMING OF CUEIST JESUS, AND THE MILLENNIUM.

The second coming of Christ Jesus is clearly tauglit in the canonical, as well as in the apocryphal, books of the New Testament. Paul teaches, or is made to teach it,[563] in the following words:

" If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first; Then we which are alive and remain shall bo caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”[564]

lie further tolls the Thcssalonians to “abstain from all appearance of evil,” and to “be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Janies,‘ in his epistle to the brethren, tells them not to bo in too great a hurry for the coming of their Lord, but to “be patient” and wait for the “ coming of the Lord,” as the “ husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth.” Rut still he assures them that “ the coming of the Lord drawetli nigh.”[565] [566] [567] [568]

Peter, in his first epistle, tells his brethren that “ the end of all things is at hand,”' and that when the “ chief shepherd ” does appear, they “shall receive a crown of glory that fadetli not away.”[569]

John, in his first epistle, tells the Christian community to “ abide



 



we have, in this epistle of James, another pseudonymous writing which appeared after the time that James must have lived. (See The Bible of To-Day, p. 225.)

•     James, v. 7, 8.

•     I. Peter, iv. 7.

71. Peter, v. 7. This Epistle is not authentic. (See The Bible of To-Day, pp. 226, 227, 228.)



* Rev. xxii. 20.

6  Matt. xvi. 27, 28. 4 Ibid. xxiv. 3.

7  Ibid xxlv. 31-36.
 
in him” (Christ), so that, “ when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him.”1

He further says:

“Behold, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be. hut we know that, when, he shall appear, we shall he like him, for we shall see him as he is.”3

According to the writer of the book of “ The Acts,” when Jesus ascended into heaven, the Apostles stood looking up towards heaven, where he had gone, and while thus engaged : “ behold, two men stood by them (dressed) in white apparel,” who said unto them :

“ Yc men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven ? This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go (up) into heaven.”[570] [571]

The one great object which the writer of the book of Kevela- tions wished to present to view, was “ the second coming of Christ This writer, who seems to have been anxious for that time, which was “ surely ” to come “ quickly; ” ends his book by saying : “ Even so, come Lord Jesus.”*

The two men, dressed in white apparel, who had told the Apostles that Jesus should “ come again,” were not the only persons whom they looked to for authority. lie himself (according

to the Gospel) had told them so :

“ The Son of man shall come (again) in the glory of his Father with his angels.”

And, as if to impress upon their minds that his second coming should not be at a distant day, he further said:

“Verily I say unto you, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.”*

This, surely, is very explicit, but it is not the only time he speaks of his second advent. When foretelling the destruction of the temple, his disciples came unto him, saying:

“Tell us when shall these things be, and what shall be the sign of thy coming ? ”•

His answer to this is very plain:

“Verily I say unto you, this generation shall not pass tiUaU these things be fulfilled (i. e., the destruction of the temple and his second coming), but of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.”7


In the second Epistle attributed to Peter, which was written after that generation had passed away,' there had begun to be some impatience manifest among the believers, on account of the long delay of Christ Jesus’ second coming. “ Where is the promise of his coming ? ’’ say they, “ for since the fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.’” In attempting to smoothe over matters, this writer says : “ There shall come in the last days scoffers, saying : [572] [573] Where is the promise of his coming?’” to which he replies by telling them that they were ignorant of all the ways of the Lord, and that: “ One day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” lie further says : “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise and that “ the day of the Lord will come.” This coming is to be “as a thief in the night,” that is, when they least expect it.”

No wonder there should have been scoffers—as this winter calls them—the generation which was not to have passed away before his coming, had passed away; all those who stood there had been dead many years; the sun had not yet been darkened ; the stars were still in the heavens, and the moon still continued to reflect light. None of the predictions had yet been fulfilled.

Some of the early Christian Lathers have tried to account for the words of Jesus, where he says: “ Verily I say unto you, there l>e some standing here which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom,” by saying that lie referred to John only, and that that Apostle was not dead, but sleeping. This fictitious story is related by Saint Augustin, “ from the report,” as he says, “ of credible persons,” and is to the cilect that:

“ At Ephesus, where St. John the Apostle lay buried, he was not believed to be dead, but to be sleeping only in the grace, which he had provided for himself till our Saviour’s second coming: in proof of which, they affirm, that the earth, under which he lay, was seen to heave up and down perpetually, in conformity to the motion of his body, in the act of breathing.”'1

This story clearly illustrates the stupid credulity and superstition of the primitive age of the church, and the faculty of imposing any fictions upon the people, which their leaders saw fit to inculcate.

The doctrine of the millennium designates a certain period in the history of the world, lasting for a long, indefinite space (vaguely a thousand years, as the word “ millennium ” implies) during which the kingdom of Christ Jesus will be visibly established on the earth. The idea undoubtedly originated proximately in the Messianic expectation of the Jews (as Jesus did not sit on the throne of David and become an earthly ruler, it must be that he is coming again for this purpose), but more remotely in the Pagan doctrine of the final triumph of the several “ Christs ” over their adversaries.

In the first century of the Church, millenarianism was a lohis? pered belief, to which the book of Daniel, and more particularly the predictions of the Apocalypse1 gave an apostolical authority, but, when the church imbibed Paganism, their belief on this subject lent it a more vivid coloring and imagery.

The unanimity which the early Christian teachers exhibit in regard to millenarianism, proves how strongly it had laid hold of the imagination of the Church, to which, in this early stage, immortality and future rewards were to a great extent things of this world as yet. Not only did Cerinthus, but even the orthodox doctors— such as Papias (Bishop of Ilierapolis), Iren mu s, Justin Martyr and others—delighted themselves with dreams of the glory and magnificence of the millennial kingdom. Papias, in his collection of traditional sayings of Christ Jesus, indulges in the most monstrous representations of the re-building of Jerusalem, and the colossal vines and grapes of the millennial reign.

According to the general opinion, the millennium was to be preceded by great calamities, after which the Messiah, Christ Jesus, would appear, and would bind Satan for a thousand years, annihilate the godless heathen, or make them slaves of the believers, overturn the Homan empire, from the ruins of which a new order of things would spring forth, in which “ the dead in Christ” would rise, and along with the surviving saints enjoy an incomparable felicity in the city of the “ New Jerusalem.” Finally, all nations would bend their knee to him, and acknowledge him only to be the Christ—his religion would reign supreme. This is the “ Golden Age ” of the future, which all nations of antiquity believed in and looked forward to.

We will first turn to India, and shall there find that the Hindoos believed their “ Saviour,” or “ Preserver” Vishnu, who appeared in mortal form as Crishna, is to come again in the latter days. Their sacred books declare that in the last days, when the fixed stars have all apparently returned to the point whence they started, at the beginning of all things, in the month Scorpio, Vishnu will appear among mortals, in the form of an armed warrior, riding a winged white horsed In one hand he will carry a [574]



scimitar, “blazing like a comet,” to destroy all the impure who shall then dwell on the face of the earth. In the other hand he will carry a large shining ring, to signify that the great circle of Yugaa (ages) is completed, and that the end has come. At his approach the sun and moon will he darkened, the earth will tremble, and the stars fall from the firmament

The Buddhists believe that Buddha has repeatedly assumed a human form to facilitate the reunion of men with his own universal soul, so they believe that “ in the latter days ” he will come again. Their sacred books predict this coming, and relate that his mission will be to restore the world to order and happiness.’ This is exactly the Christian idea of the millennium.

The Chinese also believe that “ in the latter days ” there is to be a millennium upon earth. Their five sacred volumes are full of prophesies concerning this .“Golden Age of the Future.” It is the universal belief among them that a “ Divine Man ” will establish himself on earth, and everywhere restore peace and happiness.’

The ancient Persians believed that in the last days, there would be a millennium on earth, when the religion of Zoroaster would be accepted by all mankind. The Parsees of to-day, who are the remnants of the once mighty Persians, have a tradition that a holy personage is waiting in a region called Kanguedez, for a summons from the Ized Serosch, who in the last days will bring him to Persia, to restore the ancient dominion of that country, and spread the religion of Zoroaster over the whole earth.4

The Rev. Joseph B. Gross, in his “Heathen Religi

Jesus Christ, really ?



CHAPTER XIII.

THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM.

Being born in a miraculous manner, as other great personages had been, it was necessary that the miracles attending the births of these virgin-born gods should bo added to the history of Christ Jesus, otherwise the legend would not be complete.

The first- which we shall notice is the story of the star which is said to have heralded his birth, and which was designated “ his star.'’ It is related by the Matthew narrator as follows

“ When Jesus was horn in Bethlehem, of Judea, in (he days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying: [330] Where is he that is born King of the Jews ? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.’ ”

Herod the king, having heard these things, he privately called the wise men, and inquired of them what time the star appeared. at the same time sending them to Bethlehem to search diligently for the young child. The wise men, accordingly, departed and went on their way towards Bethlehem. “ The star which they saw in the east went before them, till it came and stood ov-r where the young child was.”

The general legendary character of this narrative—its similarity in style with those contained in the apocryphal gospels—and more especially its conformity with those astrological notions which, though prevalent in the time of the Matthew narrator, have been exploded by the sounder scientific knowledge of our days—all unite to stamp upon the story the impress of poetic or mythic fiction.

The ftict that the writer of this story speaks not of a star but of his star, shows that it was the popular belief of the people among whom he lived, that each and every person was born under a star, and that this one which had been seen was his star.

All ancient nations were very superstitious in regard to the influence of the stars upon human affairs, and this ridiculous idea



lias been handed down, in some places, even to the present day. Dr. Hooykaas, speaking on this subject, says:

“ In ancient times the Jews, like other peoples, might very well believe that there was some immediate connection between the stars and the life of man—an idea which we still preserve in the forms of speech that so-and-so was born under a lucky or under an evil star. They might therefore suppose that the birth of greatmen, such as Abraham, for instance, was announced in the heavens. In our century, however, if not before, all serious belief in astrology has ceased, and it would be regarded as tin act of the grossest superstition for any one to have his horoscope drawn; for the course, the appearance and the disappearance of the heavenly bodies have been long determined with mathematical precision by science.” ’

The Rev. Dr. Goikio says, in his Life of Christ:'

“The Jews had already, long before Christ's day, dabbled in astrology, and the various forms of magic which became connected with it. . . . They were much given to cast horoscopes from the numerical value of a name. Everywhere throughout the whole Homan Empire, Jewish magicians, dream expounders, and sorcerers, were found.

“ ‘ The life and portiou of children,’ says the Talmud, ‘hang noton righteousness, but on their star.’ ‘ The planet of the day has no virtue, but the planet of the hour (of nativity) has much.’ ‘ When the Messiah is to be revealed,’ says the book iSnhar, ‘ a star will rise in the east, shining in great brightness, and seven other stars round it will fight against it on every side.’ ‘ A star will rise in the east, which is the star of the Messiah, and will remain in the east fifteen days.’ ”

Tito moment of every man’s birth being supposed to determine every circumstance in bis life, it was only necessary to find out in what mode the celestial bodies—supposed to be the primary wheels to the universal machine—operated at that moment, in order to discover all that would happen to him afterward.

The regularity of the risings and settings of the fixed stars, though it announced the changes of the seasons and the orderly variations of nature, could not be adapted to the capricious mutability of human actions, fortunes, and adventures: wherefore the astrologers had recourse to the planets, wdiose more complicated revolutions offered more varied and more extended combinations. Their different returns to certain points of the Zodiac, their relative positions and conjunctions with each other, were supposed to influence the affairs of men; whence daring impostors presumed to foretell, not only the destinies of individuals, but also the rise and fall of empires, and the fate of the world itself.3

1 Bible for Learners, vol. iii. p. 72. * Vol. i. p. 145.
 
The inhabitants of India arc, and have always been, very superstitions concerning the stare. The Rev. D. O. Allen, who resided [331]



in India for twenty-five years, and who undoubtedly became thoroughly acquainted with the superstitions of the inhabitants, says on this subject:

“So strong are the superstitious feelings of many, concerning the supposed influence of the stars on human affairs, that some days are lucky, and others again are unlucky, that no arguments or promises would induce thorn to deviate from the course which these stars, signs, &c., indicate, as the way of safety, prosperity, and happiness. The evils and inctmveniences of these superstitions and prejudices are among the things that press heavily upon the people of India.”[332] [333]

The NaTcshatias—twenty-seven constellations which in Indian astronomy separate the moon’s path into twenty-seven divisions, as the signs of the Zodiac do that of the sun into twelve—arc regarded as deities who exert a vast influence on the destiny of men, not only at the moment of their entrance into the world, but during their whole passage through it. These formidable constellations arc consulted at births, marriages, and on all occasions of family rejoicing, distress or calamity. No one undertakes a journey or any important matter except on days which the aspect of the Nakshatias renders lucky and auspicious. If any constellation is unfavorable, it must by all means be propitiated by a ceremony called S’anti.

The Chinese were very superstitious concerning the stars. They annually published astronomical calculations of the motions of the planets, for every hour and minute of the year. They considered it important to be very exact, because the hours, and even the minutes, are lucky or unlucky, according to the aspect of the stars. Some days were considered peculiarly fortunate for marrying, or beginning to build a house; and the gods are better pleased with sacrifice offered at certain hours than they are with the same cere- mony performed at other times.4

The ancient Persians were also great astrologers, and held the stars in great reverence. They believed and taught that the destinies of men -were intimately connected with their motions, and therefore it was important to know under the influence of what star a human soul made its advent into this world. Astrologers swarmed throughout the country, and were consulted upon all important occasions.3

The ancient Egyptians were exactly the same in this respect. According to Champollion, the tomb of Ramses V., at Thebes, contains tables of the constellations, and of their influence on human beings, for every hour of every month of the year/



 



* Ibid. p. 261.

4 See Renrick's Egypt, vol. 1. p 456.



The Buddhists’ sacred books relate that the birth of Buddha was announced in the heavens by an asterim which was seen rising on the horizon. It is called the “ Messianic star.” [334]

The Fo-pen-hing says:

“The time of Bodhisatwa’s incarnation is, when the constellation Kwtsi is in conjunction with the Sun.”[335] [336]

{l Wise men,” known as “ Holy Risliis,” wore informed by these celestial signs that the Messiah was born.’

In the Ramdyana (one of the sacred books of the Hindoos) the horoscope of Rama’s birth is given. lie is said to have been born on the 9th Tithi of the month Caitra. The planet Jupiter figured at his birth; it being in Cancer at that time.[337] [338] [339] Rama was an incarnation of Vishnu. When Crishna was born“/tfs stars ” were to be seen in the heavens. They were pointed out by one Hared, a great prophet and astrologer.'

Without going through the list, we can say that the birth of every Indian Avatar was foretold by celestial signs'

The same myth is to be found in the legends of China. Among others they relate that a star figured at the birth of Tu, the founder of the first dynasty which reigned in China,1 who—as we saw in the last chapter—was of heavenly origin, having been born of a virgin. It is also said that a star figured at the birth of Laou- tsze, the Chinese sage.8

In the legends of the Jewish patriarchs and prophets, it is stated that a brilliant star shone at the time of the birth of Moses. It was seen by the Magi of Egypt, who immediately informed the king. ’

When Abraham was born “ his star ” shone in the heavens, if we may believe the popular legends, and its brilliancy outshone all the other stars.18 Rabbinic traditions relate the following:

*' Abraham was the son of Torah, general of Nimrod's army. He was born at Ur of the Chaldees 1948 years after the Creation. On the night of his birth, Terah's friends—among whom were many of Nimrod’s councillors and soothsayers—were feasting in his house. On leaving, late at night, they observed an unusual star in the east, it seemed to run from one quarter of the heavens to the other, and to devour four stars which were there. All amazed in astonishment



 



eh, iii.                   [340] See Ibid. p. 618.

6 Thornton : nist. China, vol. i. p. 137. 9SceAnac., i. p. 500, and Geikie's Life of Christ, i. 550.

10    See Ibid., and The Bible for Learners, vol. Iii p. 73, andCalmet's Fragments, art. “Abraham.”



at this wondrous sight, ‘ Truly,’ said they, ‘ this can signify nothing else but that Terah’s new-born son will become great and powerful.’

It is also related that Nimrod, in a dream, saw a star rising above the horizon, which was very brilliant. The soothsayers being consulted in regard to it, foretold that a child was born who would become a great prince.[341] [342] [343] [344]

A brilliant star, which eclipsed all the other stars, -was also to be seen at the birth of the Caesars ; in fact, as Canon Farrar remarks, “ The Greeks and Homans had always considered that the births and deaths of great men were symbolized by the appearance and disappearance of heavenly bodies, and the same belief has continued down to comparatively modern times.’”

Tacitus, the Roman historian, speaking of the reign of the Emperor Nero, says:

"A comet having appeared, in this juncture, the phenomenon, according to the popular opinion, announced that governments were to he changed, and kings dethroned. In the imaginations of men, Nero was already dethroned, and who should be his successor was the question.”'*

According to Moslem authorities, the birth of Alt—Mohammed’s great disciple, and the chief of one of the two principal sects into which Islam is divided—was foretold by celestial signs. “ A light was distinctly visible, resembling a bright column, extending from the earth to the firmament.”6 Even during the reign of the Emperor Hadrian, a hundred years after the time assigned for the death of Jesus, a certain Jew who gave himself out as the “ Messiah,” and headed the last great insurrection of his country, assumed the name of Bar-Cochba— that is, ‘‘Son of a Star.”*

This myth evidently extended to the New World, as we find that the symbol of Quetzalcoatle, the virgin-born Saviour, was the “ Morning Star'”

We see, then, that among the ancients there seems to have been a very general idea that the birth of a great person would be announced by a star. The Rev. Dr. Geikie, who maintains to his utmost the truth of the Gospel narrative, is yet constrained to admit that:

"It was, indeed, universally believed, that extraordinary events, especially



 



* Amberly’s Analysis of Religious Belief, p. 227.

9 Bible for Learners, vol. iii. p. 73.

7 Brinton: Myths of the New World, pp. 180, 181, and Squire : Serpent Symbol.



the birth and death of great men, were heralded by appearances of stars, and still more of comets, or by conjunctions of the heavenly bodies.”[345] [346]

The whole tenor of the narrative recorded by the Matthew narrator is the most complete justification of the science of astrology / that the first intimation of the birth of the Son of God was given to the worshipers of Ormuzd, who have the power of distinguishing with certainty his peculiar star; that from these heathen the tidings of his birth are received by the Jews at Jerusalem, and therefore that the theory must he right which connects great events in the life of men with phenomena in the starry heavens.

If this divine sanction of astrology is contested on the ground that this was an exceptional event, in which, simply to bring the Magi to Jerusalem, God caused the star to appear in accordance with their superstitious science, the difficulty is only pushed one degree backwards, for in this case God, it is asserted, wrought an event which was perfectly certain to strengthen the belief of the Magi, of Herod, of the Jewish priests, and of the Jews generally, in the truth of astrology.

If, to avoid the alternative, recourse be had to the notion that the star appeared hy chance, or that this chance or accident directed the Magi aright, is the position really improved ? Is chance consistent with any notion of supernatural interposition ?

We may also ask the question, why were the Magi brought to Jerusalem at all \ If they knew that the star which they saw was the star of Christ Jesus—as the narrative states’—and were by this knowledge conducted to Jerusalem, why did it not suffice to guide them straight to Bethlehem, and thus prevent the Slaughter of the Innocents'{ Why did the star desert them after its first appearance, not to be seen again till they issued from Jerusalem \ or, if it did not desert them, why did they ask of Ilcrod and the priests the road which they should take, when, by the hypothesis, the star was ready to guide them ?’

It is said that in the oracles of Zoroaster there is to be found a prophecy to the effect that, in the latter days, a virgin would conceive and bear a son, and that, at the time of his birth, a star would shine at noonday. Christian divines have seen in this a prophecy of the birth of Christ Jesus, but when critically examined, it does not stand the test. The drift of the story is this:

Ormuzd, the Lord of Light, who created the universe in six periods of time, accomplished his work by making the first man

and woman, and infusing into them the breath of life. It was not long before Ahriman, the evil one, contrived to seduce the first parents of mankind by pnrsuading them to eat of the forbidden fruit. Sin and death are now in the world; the principles of good and evil arc now in deadly strife. Onnuzd then reveals to mankind his law through his prophet Zoroaster; the strife between the two principles continues, however, and will continue until the end of a destined term. During the last three thousand years of the period Ahriman is jn-edominant. The world now hastens to its doom ; religion and virtue are nowhere to be found; mankind are plunged in sin and misery. Sosiosh is born of a virgin, and redeems them, subdues the Devs, awakens the dead, and holds the last judgment. A comet sets the world in flames; the Genii of Light combat against the Genii of Darkness, and cast them into Dnzakh, where Ahriman and the Devs and the souls of the wicked are thoroughly cleansed and purified by fire. Ahriman then submits to Onnuzd; evil is absorbed into goodness; the unrighteous, thoroughly purified, are united with the righteous, and a new earth and a new heaven arise, free from all evil, where peace and innocence will forever dwell.

"Who can fail to see that this virgin-born Sosiosh was to come, not eighteen hundred years ago, but, in the “ latter days,” when the world is to be set on fire by a comet, the judgment to take place, and the “ new heaven and new earth ” is to be established % Who can fail to see also, by a perusal of the New Testament, that the idea of a temporal Messiah (a mighty king and warrior, who should liberate and rule over his people Israel), and the idea of an Angel-Messiah (who had come to announce that the “kingdom of heaven was at hand,” that the “ stare should fall from heaven,” and that all men would shortly be judged according to their deeds), are both jumbled together in a heap ?



CHAPTER XIY.

THE SONG OF THE HEAVENLY HOST.

The story of the Song of the Heavenly Host belongs exclusively to the Luke narrator, and, in substance, is as follows :

At the time of the birth of Christ Jesus, there were shepherds abiding in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And the angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and the angel said :                “ I bring

you good tidings of groat joy, which shall be to all people; for unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the Heavenly Host, praising God in song, saying : “ Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace, good will towards men.” After this the angels went into heaven.'

It is recorded in the Yishnu Purana* that while the virgin Devaki bore Crishna, “ the protector of the world,’"' in her womb, she was eulogized by the gods, and on the day of Crishna’s birth, “ the quarters of the horizon were irradiate with joy, as if moonlight was diffused over the whole earth.” “ The spirits and the nymphs of heaven danced and sang,'' and, “at midnight,[347] [348] [349] when the support of all was born, the clouds emitted low pleasing sounds, and poured down rain of glowers.'"

Similar demonstrations of celestial delight were not wanting at the birth of Buddha. All beings everywhere were full of joy. Music was to be heard all over the land, and, as in the ease of Crishna, there fell from the skies a gentle shower of dowers and perfumes. Caressing breezes blew, and a marvellous light was produced.*



 



4     Vishnu Purana, book v. ch. iii. p. 503.

6 See Ambcrly’s Analysis, p. 226. Beal: nist. Buddha, pp. 45, 46, 47, and Bunsen’s An- gel-lleesiah, p. 35.



The Fo-pen-hing relates that:

“The attending spirits, who surrounded the Virgin Maya and the infant Saviour, singing praises of ‘ the Blessed One,’ said: ‘ All joy be to you, Queen Maya, rejoice and bo glad, for the child you have borne is holy.’ Then the Rishis and Devas who dwelt on earth exclaimed with great joy: ‘ This day Buddha is born for the good of men, to dispel the darkness of their ignorance.’ Then the lour heavenly kings took up the strain and said: ‘ Now because Bodlii- satwa is born, to give joy and bring peace to the world, therefore is there this brightness.’ Then the gods of the thirty-throe heavens took up the burden of the strain, and the Tama Devas and the Tiisita Devas, and so forth, through all the heavens of the Kama, Rupa, and Arupa worlds, even up to the Akanishta heavens, all the Devas joined in this song, and said: ‘ To-day Budhisatwa is born on earth, to give joy and peace to men and, Devas, to shed light in the dark places, and to give sight to the blind."[350]

Even the sober philosopher Confucius did not enter the world, if we may believe Chinese tradition, without premonitory symptoms of his greatness.3

Sir John Francis Davis, speaking of Confucius, says :

“Various prodigies, as in other instances, were the forerunners of the birth of this extraordinary person. On the eve of his appearance upon earth, celestial music sounded in the ears of his mother; and when he was born, this inscription appeared on his breast: ' The maker of a rule for setting the World.’ ”3

In the case of Osiris, the Egyptian Saviour, at his birth, a voice was heard proclaiming that: “ The Ruler of all the Earth is born.”4

In Plutarch’s “ Isis ” occurs the following:

“ At the birth of Osiris, there was heard a voice that the Lord of all the Earth was comiDg in being; and some say that a woman named Pamgle, as she was going to carry water to the temple of Ammon, in the city of Thebes, heard that voice, which commanded her to proclaim it with a loud voice, that the great beneficent god Osiris was born.”6

Wonderful demonstrations of delight also attended the birth of the heavenly-born Apollonius. According to Flavius Pliilostratus, who wrote the life of this remarkable man, a flock of swans surrounded his mother, and clapping their wings, as is their custom, they sang in unison, while the air was fanned by gentle breezes.

When the god Apollo was bom of the virgin Latona in the Island of Delos, there was joy among the undying gods in Olympus, and the Earth laughed beneath the smile of Heaven.6 [351] [352]


At the time of the birth of “ Hercules the Saviourhis father Zens, the god of gods, spake from heaven and said:

“This day shall a child be born ot the race of Perseus, who shall he the mightiest of the sons of men.”'

When sEsculajpius was a helpless infant, and when he was abont to be put to death, a voice from the god Apollo was heard, saying:

“ Slay not the child with the mother; he is born to do great things ; but bear him to the wise centaur Cheiron, and bid him train the boy in all his wisdom and teach him to do brave deeds, that men may praise his name in the generations that shall be hereafter.”2

As we stated above, the story of the Song of the Heavenly Host belongs exclusively to the Luke narrator; none of the other writers of the synoptic Gospels know anything about it, which, if it really happened, seems very strange.

> Ibid. p. 45.
 
If the reader will turn to the apocryphal Gospel called Prote- vangelion ” (chapter xiii.), he will there see one of the reasons why it was thought best to leave this Gospel out of the canon of the New Testament. It relates the “ Miracles at Mary's labor,” similar to the Luke narrator, but in a still more wonderful form. It is probably from this apocryphal Gospel that the Luke narrator copied. 1



THE DIVINE CniLD RECOGNIZED AND PRESENTED WITH GIFTS.

The next in order of the wonderful events which are related to have happened at the birth of Christ Jesus, is the recognition of the divine child, and the presentation of gifts.

We are informed by the Matthew narrator, that being guided by a star, the Magi' from the east came to where the young child was.

“ And wlien they were come into the house (not stable) they saw the young child, with Mary his mother, and fell down and worshiped him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts, gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”2

The Luke narrator—who seems to know nothing about the Magi from the east—informs us that shepherds came and worshiped the young child. They were keeping their flocks by night when the angel of the Lord appeared before them, saying;

"Behold, I bring you good tidings—for unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”

After the angel had left them, they said one to another:

"Let us go unto Bethlehem and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known lo us. And they came with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.’’[353]

The Luke narrator evidently borrowed this story of the shepherds from the “ Gospel of the Egyptians ” (of which we shall speak in another chapter), or from other sacred records of the biographies of Crislma or Buddha.

It, is related in the legends of Grishna that the divine child



 



to religion, and lo medicine. They were held in high esteem by the Persian court; were admitted as councilors, and followed the camps in war to give advice.” (Barnes's Notes, vol. i. p. 25.)

2     Matthew, ii. 2.     * Luke, ii. &-16.



was cradled among shepherds, to whom were first made known the stupendous feats which stamped his character with marks of the divinity, lie was recognized as the promised Saviour by Nanda, a shepherd, or cowherd, and his companions, who prostrated themselves before the heaven-born child. After the birth of Crislma, the Indian prophet Nared, having heard of his fame, visited his father and mother at Gokool, examined the stars, &c., and declared him to he of celestial descent.[354]

Not only was Crislma adored by the shepherds and Magi, and received with divine honors, but he was also presented with gifts. These gifts were “sandal wood and perfumes.”[355] [356] [357] (Why not “frankincense and myrrh ?”)

Similar stories are related of the infant Buddha. lie was visited, at the time of his birth, by wise men, who at once recognized in the marvellous infant all the characters of the divinity, and he had scarcely seen the day before ho was hailed god of gods."

“ hMongst the strangers came A grey-haired saint, Asita, one whose ears,

Long closed to earthly things, caught heavenly sounds,

And heard at prayer beneath his peepul-tree,

The Devas singing songs at Iiuudha's birth.”

Yisconnt Amberly, speaking of him, says :*

“He was visited and adored by a very eminent Jtishi, or hermit, known as Asita, who predicted his future greatness, hut wept at the thought that he himself was too old to see the day when the law of salvation would be taught by the infant whom he had come to contemplate.”

“ I weep (said Asita), because I am old and stricken in years, and shall not see all that is about to come to pass. The Buddha Bbagavat (God Almighty Buddha) comes to the world only after many kalpas. This bright boy will be Buddha. For the saltation, of the world he will teach the law. He will succor the old, the sick, the afflicted, the dying. Ho will release those who are bound in the meshes of natural corruption, lie will quicken the spiritual vision of those whose eyes are darkened by the thick darkness of ignorance. Hundreds of thousands of millions of beings will be carried by him to the ‘ other shore ’— will put on immortality. And I shall not see this perfect Buddha—this is why I weep.”[358]

He returns rejoicing, however, to his mountain-home, for his eyes had seen the promised and expected Saviour.’

Paintings in the cave of Ajunta represent Asita with the



 



*   Amberly’s Analysis, p. 177. See also, Ban- sen’s Angel-Messiah, p. 30.

*     Lillie : Buddha and Early Buddhism, p. 76. 4 Bunsen's Angel-Messiah, p. 6, and Beal:

Hist. Baddha, pp. 58, CO.



infant Buddha in his arms.[359] [360] The marvelous gifts of this child had become known to this eminent ascetic by supernatural signs?

Buddha, as well as Crishna and Jesus, was presented with “ costly jewels and precious substances.”[361] (Why not gold and perfumes?)

Rama—the seventh incarnation of Vishnu for human deliverance from evil—is also hailed by “ aged saints ”—(why not “ wise men ” ?)—who die gladly when their eyes see the long-expected one.[362] [363]

Ilow-tseich, who was one of those personages styled, in China, “ Tien-Tse,” or 1‘ Sons of Heaven,”1 and who came into the world in a miraculous manner, was laid in a narrow lane. When his mother had fulfilled her time :

“ Her first-born son (came forth) like a lamb.

There was no bursting, no rending,

No injury, no hurt—

Showing how wonderful he would be.”

When born, the sheep and oxen protected him with loving care.*

The birth of Confucius (b. o. 551), like that of all the demigods and saints of antiquity, is fabled to have been attended with allegorical prodigies, amongst which was the appearance of the Ke-lin, a miraculous quadruped, prophetic of happiness and virtue, which announced that the child would be “ a king without a throne or territory.” Five celestial sages, or “ wise men,” entered the house at the time of the child's birth, whilst vocal and instrumental music filled the air?

Mithras, the Persian Saviour, and mediator between God and man, was also visited by “ wise men ” called Magi, at the time of his birth.' lie was presented with gifts consisting of gold, frankincense and myrrh.*

According to Plato, at the birth of Socrates (469 b. c.) there came three Magi from the east to worship him, bringing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.10

Mdsculapius, the virgin-born Saviour, was protected by goatherds (why not shepherds ?), who, upon seeing the child, knew at once that he was divine. The voice of fame soon published the



 



4    See Amberly’s Analysis of Religions Belief, p. 226.

7     See Thornton’s nist. China, vol. i. p. 152.

8    King: The Gnostics and their Remains, pp. 134 and 149.

8     Inman: Ancient Faiths, vol. ii. p. 353.

18     See Higgins ; Anacalypsis, vol. ii. p. 96.



* Higg^B: Anacalypeis, toL 1. p. 822.
 
birth of this miraculous infant, upon which people flocked from all quarters to behold and worship this heaven-born child.1

Many of the Grecian and Roman demi-gods and heroes were either fostered by or worshiped by shepherds. Amongst these may be mentioned Bacchus, who was educated among shepherds,1 and Romulus, who was found on the banks of the Tiber, and educated by shepherds.’ Paris, son of Priam, was educated among shepherds,’ and LEgisthus was exposed, like iEsculapius, by his mother, found by shepherds and educated among them.’

Viscount Amberly has well said that:              “ Prognostications of

greatness in infancy are, indeed, among the stock incidents in the mythical or semi-mythical lives of eminent persons.”

We have seen that the Matthew narrator speaks of the infant Jesus, and Mary, his mother, being in a“ house’'—implying that he had been born there ; and that the Luke narrator speaks of the infant “lying in a manger'"—implying that he was born in a stable. We will now show that there is still another story related of the place in which he was born. [364] [365]



THE BIRTH-PLACE OF CHRIST JESUS.

The writer of that portion of the Gospel according to Matthew which treats of the place in which Jesus was born, implies, as we stated in our last chapter, that he was born in a house. His words are these:

“ Now whcu Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east ” to worship him. “And when they were come into the luouse, they saw the young child with Mary his mother.”1

The writer of the Luke version implies that he was born in a

stable, as the following statement will show:

“ The days being accomplished that she (Mary) should be delivered . . . she brought forth her first-born son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him, in a manger, there being no room for him in the inn."3

If these accounts were contained in these Gospels in the time of Eusebius, the first ecclesiastical historian, who flourished during the Council of Nice (a. d. 327), it is very strange that, in speaking of the birth of Jesus, he should have omitted even mentioning them, and should have given an altogether different version. lie tells us that Jesus was neither born in a house, nor in a stable, but in a cave, and that at the time of Constautine a magnificent temple was erected on the spot, so that the Christians might worship in the place where their Saviour’s feet had stood.[366] [367]

In the apocryphal Gospel called “L'rotevangelion” attributed to James, the brother of Jesus, we are informed that Mary and her husband, being away from their home in Bazareth, and when within three miles of Bethlehem, to which city they were going, Mary said to Joseph:

“Take mo down from the ass, for that which is in me presses to ccma forth.”



Joseph, replying, said:

“ Whither shall I take thee, for the place is desert t ”

Then said Mary again to Joseph:

“Take me down, for that which is within me mightily presses me.”

Joseph then took her down from off the ass, and he found there a cave and put her into it.

Joseph then left Mary in the cave, and started toward Bethlehem for a midwife, whom he found and brought hack with him. When they neared the spot a bright cloud overshadowed the cave.

“But on a sudden the cloud became a great light in the care, so their eyes could not bear it. But the light gradually decreased, until the infant appeared and sucked the breast of his mother.”[368]

Tertullian (a. n. 200), Jerome (a. d. 375) and other Fathers of the Church, also state that Jesus was born in a cave, and that the heathen celebrated, in their day, the birth and Mysteries of their Lord and Saviour Adonis in this very cave near Bethlehem.9

Canon Farrar says:

“That the actual place of Christ’s birth was a care, is a very ancient tradition, and this cave used to be shown as the scene of the event even so early as the time of Justin Martyr (a. d. 150).”[369]

Mr. King says:

“The place yet shown as the scene of their (the Magi’s) adoration at Bethlehem is a cave.’’[370]

The Christian ceremonies in the Church of the Nativity at Bethlehem are celebrated to this day in a cave‘ and are undoubtedly nearly the same as were celebrated, in the same place, in honor of Adonis, in the time of Tertullian and Jerome; and as arc yet celebrated in Rome every Christmas-day, very early in the morning.

We see, then, that there are three different accounts concerning the place in which Jesus was born. The first, and evidently true one, was that which is recorded by the Matthew narrator, namely, that he was born in a house. The stories about his being born in a stable or in a card were later inventions, caused from the desire to place him in as humble a position as possible in his infancy, and from the fact that the virgin-born Saviours who had preceded



 



4    King : The Gnostics oud their Remaius, p. 134.

4 Higgins : Anacalypsis, vol. ii. p. 05.

* Some writers have tried to connect these by saying that it was a cave-$tabley but why should a stable be in a desert place, as the narrative states ?



him had almost all been bom in a position the most humiliating —such as a cave, a c.ow-shed, a sheep-fold, &c.—or had been placed there after birth. This was a part of the universal mythos. As illustrations we may mention the following:

Crishna, the Hindoo virgin-born Saviour, was born in a cave' fostered by an honest herdsmanand, it is said, placed in a sheep- fold shortly after his birth.

IIow-Tseih, the Chinese “ Sou of Heaven,” when an infant, was left unprotected by his mother, but the sheep and oxen protected him with loving care.8

Abraham, the Father of Patriarchs, is said to have been bam in a cave.*

Bacchus, who was the son of God by the virgin Semele, is said to have been born in a cave, or placed in one shortly after his birth." Philostratus, the Greek sophist and rhetorician, says, “ the inhabitants of India had a tradition that Bacchus was born at Nisa, and was brought up in a cave on Mount Meros.”

yEsculapius, who was the son of God by the virgin Coronis, was left exposed, when an infant, on a mountain, where he was found and cared for by a goatherd.’

Romulus, who was the son of God by the virgin Khea-Sylvia, was left exposed, when an infant, on the banks of the river Tiber, where ho was found and cared for by a shepherd.7

Adonis, the “ Lord ” and “ Saviour,” was placed in a cave shortly after his birth.8

Apollo (Phoibos), son of the Almighty Zeus, was born in a cave at early dawn.'

Mitloras, the Persian Saviour, was born in a cave or grotto,'" at early dawn.

Hermes, the son of God by the mortal Haia, was bom early in the morning, in a cave or grotto of the Kyllemian hill.11

Attys, the god of the Phrygians,12 was born in a cave or grotto.18

The object is the same in all of these stories, however they may differ in detail, which is to place the heaven-born infant in the most humiliating position in infancy.

We have seen it is recorded that, at the time of the birth



 



7 See Bell’s Pantheon, vol. ii. p. 213.

6 See Ibid. vol. i. p. 12.

9     Aryan Mythology, vol. 1. pp. 72, 158.

10    See Dunlap's Mysteries of Adoni, p. 124, and Aryan Mythology, vol. ii. p. 134.

” Ibid.

12    See Dupuis : Origin of Religious Beliefs, p. 255.

13     Sec Dunlap’s Mysteries of Adoni, p, 124. j



 



of Jesus “there was a, great light in the cave, so that the eyes of Joseph and the midwife could not bear it.” This feature is also represented in early Christian art. “ Early Christian painters have represented the infant Jesus as welcoming three Kings of the East, and shining as 'brilliantly as if covered with phosphuretted

oil.'" In all pictures of the Nativity, the light is made to arise from the body of the infant, and the father and mother are often depicted with glories round their heads. This too was a part of the old mytlios, as we shall now see.

The moment Orishna was born, his mother became beautiful, and her form brilliant. The whole cave was splendidly illuminated, being filled with a heavenly light, and the countenances of his father and his mother emitted rays of glory.2

So likewise, it is recorded that, at the time of the birth of Buddha, “ the Saviour of the "World,” which, according to one account, took place in an inn, “ a divine light diffused around his person," so that “the Blessed One ” was “ heralded into the world by a supernatural light.”3

When Bacchus was born, a bright light shone round him,[371] [372] so that, “ there was a brilliant light in the cave."

When Apollo was born, a halo of serene light encircled his cradle, the nymphs of heaven attended, and bathed him in pure water, and girded a broad golden hand around his form.*

When the Saviour jEsculapius was born, his countenance shone like the sun, and he was surrounded by a fiery ray.*

In the life of Zoroaster the common mytlios is apparent. He was born in innocence of an immaculate conception of a Ray of the Divine Reason. As soon as he was bom, the glory arising from his body enlightened the whole room, and he laughed at his mother.7

It is stated in the legends of the Hebrew Patriarchs that, at the birth of Moses, a bright light appeared and shone around.'

There is still another feature which we must notice in these narratives, that is, the contradictory statements concerning the time when Jesus was born. As we shall treat of this subject more fully in the chapter on “ The Birthday of Christ Jesus,” we shall allude to it here simply as far as necessary.

The Matthew narrator informs us that Jesus was born in the days of Herod the King, and the Luke narrator says he was born when Cyrenius was Governor of Syria, or later. This is a very awkward and unfortunate statement, as Cyrenius was not Governor of Syria until some ten years after the time of Herod.1

The cause of this dilemma is owing to the fact that the Luke narrator, after having interwoven into his story, of the birth of Jesus, the old myth of the tax or tribute, which is said to have taken place at the time of the birth of some previous virgin-bom Saviours, looked among the records to see if a taxing had ever taken place in Judea, so that he might refer to it in support of his statement. He found the account of the taxing, referred to above, and without stopping to consider when this taxing took place, or whether or not it would conflict with the statement that J esus was bom in the days of Herod, he added to his narrative the words: “ And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.’”

We will now show the ancient myth of the taxing. According to the Vishnu Purana, when the infant Saviour Crishna was born, his foster-father, Kanda, had come to the city to pay his tax or yearly tribute to the king. It distinctly speaks of Nanda, and other cowherds, “bringing tribute or tax to Kansa” the reigning monarch.’

It also describes a scene which took place after the taxes had been paid.

Vasudeva, an acquaintance of Nanda’s, “ went to the wagon of Nand;:., and found Nanda there, rejoicing that a son (Crishna) had been born to him.

“ Vasudeva spoke to him kindly, and congratulated him on having a son in his old age'

“ ‘ Thy yearly tribute,’ he added, ‘ has been paid to the king . . . why do you delay, now that your affairs are settled? Up, Nanda, quickly, and set off to your own pastures.’ .                                        .     . Accordingly

Nanda and the other cowherds returned to their village.’”

Now, in regard to Buddha, the same myth is found.

Among the thirty-two signs which were to be fulfilled by the mother of the expected Messiah (Buddha), the fifth sign was recorded to be, “ that she would be on a journey at the time of her child’s birth.” Therefore, “ that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets,” the virgin Maya, in the tenth m mth after her heavenly conception, was on a journey to her father, when lo, the birth of the Messiah took place under a tree. One account says that “ she had alighted at an inn when Buddha was bom.”1

The mother of Lao-tsze, the Virgin-born Chinese sage, was away from home when her child was born. She stopped to rest under a tree, and there, like the virgin Maya, gave birth to her son."

Pythagoras '(it. c. 570), whose real father was the Iloly Ghost,' was also born at a time when his mother was away from home on a journey. She was travelling with her husband, who was about his mercantile concerns, from Samos to Sidon.[373] [374]

Apollo wras born when his mother was away from home. The Ionian legend tells the simple tale that Leto, the mother of the unborn Apollo, could find no place to receive her in her hour of travail until she came to Delos. The child was born like Buddha and Lao-tsze—under a tree!' The mother knew that he was destined to be a being of mighty power, ruling among the undying gods and mortal men.*

Thus we see that the stories, one after another, relating to the birth and infancy of Jesus, are simply old myths, and are therefore not historical.

concluding part 1 -last


•    Goldzhier: Hebrew Mythology, pp. ISO- 135, and Smith’s Chaldean Account of Gene* sis.



“ It seems,” says George Smith, “ from the indications in the (cuneiform) inscriptions, that there happened in the interval between 2000 and 1850 b. c. a general collection of the development of the various traditions of the Creation, Flood, Tower of Babel, and other similar legends.” “ These legends were, however, traditions before they were committed to writing, and were common in some form to all the country.”1

The Tower of Babel, or the confusion of tongues, is nowhere alluded to in the Old Testament outside of Genesis, where the story is related.

The next story in order is “ The Trial of Abraham's Faith.”

In this connection we have shown similar legends taken from Grecian mythology, which legends may have given the idea to the writer of the Hebrew story.

It may appear strange that the Hebrews should have been acquainted with Grecian mythology, yet we know this was the case. The fact is accounted for in the following manner:

Many of the Jews taken captive at the Edomite sack of Jerusalem were sold to the Grecians' who took them to their country. While there, they became acquainted with Grecian legends, and when they returned from " the Islands of the Sea”—as they called the Western countries—they brought them to Jerusalem.’

This legend, as wc stated in the chapter which treated of it, was written at the time when the Mosaic party in Israel were endeavoring to abolish human sacriiices and other “ abominations,” and the author of the story invented it to make it appear that the Lord had abolished them in the time of Abraham. The earliest Targum' knows nothing about the legend, showing that the story was not in the Pentateuch at the time this Targum was written.

Wo have also seen that a story written by Sanehoniathon (about b. o. 1300) of one Saturn, whom the Pheuicians called Israel, bore a resemblance to the Hebrew legend of Abraham. Now, Count de Volney tolls us that “a similar tradition prevailed among the Chaldeans,” and that they had the history of one Zerban—which means “ rieh-in-gold —that corresponded in many respects with the history of Abraham.' It may, then, have been from the Chaldean story that the Hebrew fable writer got his idea.



 



*   In Genesis xxiil. 2, Abraham is called rich In gold and in silver.

•    See Volney'b Researches in Ancient His[246] tory, pp. 144-147.



The next legend which, we examined was that of “ Jacob's Vision of the LadderWe claimed that it probably referred to the doctrine of the transmigration of souls from one body into another, and also gave the apparent reason for the invention of the story.

The next story was “ The Exodus from Egypt, and Passage through the Red Sea," in which we showed, from Egyptian history, that the Israelites were turned out of the country on account of their uncleanness, and that the wonderful exploits recorded of Moses were simply copies of legends related of the sun-god Bacchus. These legends came from “ the Islands of the Sea,” and came in very handy for the Hebrew fable writers; they saved them the trouble of inventing.

We now come to the story relating to “ The Receiving of the Ten Commandments" by Moses from the Lord, on the top of a mountain, ’mid thunders and lightnings.

All that is likely to be historical in this account, is that Moses assembled, not, indeed, the whole of the people, but the heads of the tribes, and gave them the code which he had prepared.[247] [248] The marvellous portion of the story was evidently copied from that related of the law-giver Zoroaster, by the Persians, and the idea that there were two tables of stone with the Law written thereon was evidently taken from the story of Bacchus, the Law-giver, who had his laws written on two tables of stone?

The next legend treated was that of “ Samson and his Exploits

Those who, like the learned of the last century, maintain that the Pagans copied from the Hebrews, may say that Samson was the model of all their similar stories, but now that our ideas concerning antiquity are enlarged, and when we know that Hercules is well known to have been the God Sol, whose allegorical history was spread among many nations long before the Hebrews were ever heard of, we are authorized to believe and to say that some Jewish mythologist—for what else are their so-called historians— composed the anecdote of Samson, by partly disfiguring the popular traditions of the Greeks, Plienieians and Chaldeans, and claiming that hero for his own nation.[249]

The Babylonian story of Izdubar, the lion-killer, who wandered



 



fore them. The Greeks claimed Ilercules as their countryman ; stated where he was boro, and showed his tomb. The Egyptians affirmed that he was born in their country (see Tacitus, Annals, b. ii. ch. lix.), and so did many other nations.



to the regions of the blessed (the Grecian Elysium), who crossed a great waste of land (the desert of Lybia, according to the Grecian mythos), and arrived at a region where splendid trees were laden with jewels (the Grecian Garden of the Ilespcrides), is probably the foundation for the Hercules and other corresponding myths. This conclusion is drawn from the fact that, although the story of Hercules was known in the island of Thasits, by the Phenician colony settled there, five centuries before he was known in Greece' yet its antiquity among the Babylonians antedates that.

The age of the legends of Izdubar among the Babylonians cannot be placed with certainty, yet, the cuneiform inscriptions relating to this hero, which have been found, may he placed at about 2000 years n. c.[250] [251] [252] [253] [254] “ As these stories were traditions,” says Mr. Smith, the discoverer of the cylinders, “before they were committed to writing, their antiquity as tradition is probably much greater than that.”8

With these legends before them, the Jewish priests in Babylon had no difficulty in arranging the story of Samson, and adding it to their already fabulous history.

As the Rev. Dr. Isaac M. Wise remarks, in speaking of the ancient Hebrews They adopted forms, terms, ideas and myths of all nations with whom they came in contact, and, like the Greeks, in their way, cast them all in a peculiar Jewish religious mold"

We have seen, in the chapter which treats of this legend, that it is recorded in the hook of Judges. This book was not written till after the first set of Israelites had been earned into captivity, and perhaps still later '

After this we have “ Jonah swallowed by a Big Fish " which is the last legend treated.

We saw that it was a solar myth, known to many nations of antiquity. The writer of the book—whoever he may have been—- lived in the fifth century before Christ—after the Jews had become acquainted and had mixed with other nations. The writer of this wholly fictitious story, taking the prophet Jonah—who was evidently an historical personage—for his hero, was perhaps intending to show the loving-kindness of Jehovah.8



 



4 See The Religion of Israel, p. 12; and Chadwick’s Bible of To-Day, p. 55.

6 See The Religion of Israel, p. 41, and Chadwick’s Bible of To-Day, p. 24.



We have now examined all the principal Old Testament legends, and, after what has been seen, we think that no impartial person can still consider them historical facts. That so great a number of educated persons still do so seems astonishing, in our way of thinking. They have repudiated Greek and Roman mythology with disdain; why then admit with respect the mythology of the Jews 1 Ought the miracles of Jehovah to impress us more than those of Jupiter? We think not; they should all be looked upon as relics of the past.

That Christian writers are beginning to be aroused to the idea that another tack should be taken, differing from the old, is very evident. This is clearly seen by the words of Prof. Richard A. Armstrong, the translater of Dr. Knappert’s “ Religion of Israel ” into English. In the Preface of this work, he says:

“ It appears to me to be profoundly important that the youthful English mind should be faithfully and accurately informed of the results of modem research into the early development of the Israelitish religion. Deplorable und irreparable mischief will be done to the generation now passing into manhood and womanhood, if their educators leave them ignorant or loosely informed on these topics; for they will then be rudely awakened by the enemies of Christianity from a blind and unreasoning faith in the supernatural inspiration of the Scriptures; and being suddenly and bluntly made aware that Abraham, Moses, David, and the rest did not say, do, or write what has been ascribed to them, they will fling away all care for the venerable religion of Israel and all hope that it can nourish their own religious life. How much happier will those of our children and young people be who learn what is now known of the actual origin of the Pentateuch and the Writings, from the same lips which have taught them that the Prophets indeed prepared the way for Jesus, and that God is indeed our Heavenly Father. For these will, without difficulty, perceive that God’s love is none the feebler and that the Bible is no less precious, because Moses knew nothiug of the Levitical legislation, or because it was not the warrior monarch on his semi-barbaric throne, but some far later son of Israel, who breathed forth the immortal hymn of faith, ‘The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want. ’ ”

For the benefit of those who may' think that the evidence of plagiarism on the part of the Hebrew writers has not been sufficiently substantiated, we will quote a few words from Prof. Max Muller, who is one of the best English authorities on this subject that can be produced. In speaking of this lie says :

“ The opinion that the Pagan religions were mere corruptions of the religion of the Old Testament, once supported by men of high authority and great learning, is note as completely surrendered as the attempts of explaining Greek and Latin as the corruptions of Hebrew."[255]

Again he says:

“ As soon as the ancient language and religion of India became known in Europe it was asserted that Sanskrit, like all other languages, was to he derived from Hebrew, and the ancient religion of the Brahmans from the Old Testament. There was at that time an enthusiasm among Oriental scholars, particularly at Calcutta, and an interest for Oriental antiquities in the public at large, of which we, in these (lays of apathy for Eastern literature, can hardly form an adequate idea. Everybody wished to he first in the field, and to bring to light some of the treasures which were supposed to he hidden in the sacred literature of the Brahmans. .   .               . No doubt the temptation was great. No one could look

down for a moment into the rich mine of religious and mythological lore that was suddenly opened before the eyes of scholars and theologians, without being struck by a host of similarities, not only in the languor,t•«, but also in the ancient tnulitions of the Hindoos, the Greeks, and the Romans; and if at that time the Greeks and Romans were still supposed to have borrowed their language and their religion from Jewish quarters, the same conclusion could hardly be avoided with regard to the language and the religion of the Brahmans of India, .                                                                                                                 .   .

‘The student of Pagan religion as well as Christian missionaries were bent on uiscovering more striking and more startling coincidences, in order to use them in confirmation of their favorite theory that some rays of a primeval revelation, or some reflection of the Jewish religion, had reached the uttermost ends of the icurld.”'

The result of all this is summed up by Prof. Muller as follows •

“ It was the fate of all (these) pioneers, not only to be left behind in the assault which they had planned, but to find that many of their approaches were made in a false direction, and had to be abandoned

Before closing this chapter, we shall say a few words on the religion of Israel. It is supposed by many—in fact, we have heat'd it asserted by those who should know better—that the Israelites were always monotheists, that they worshiped One God only— Jehovah.' This is altogether erroneous; they were not different from their neighbors—the Heathen, so-called—in regard to their religion.

In the first place, we know that they revered and worshiped a Bull, called Apis' just as the ancient Egyptians did. They



 



faith by one only people, while all surrounding tribes were lost in Polytheism, or something worse, has been adduced by divines in general as a proof of the truth of the sacred history, and of the divine origin of tlio Jlosaic dispensation.(Greg: The Creed of Christendom, p. Ho.)

Even such authorities as Puley and Miliuan have written in this strain. (See quotations from Paley's “ Evidences of Christianity " and Dean Milman's “ nistory of the Jews," made by Mr. Greg in hie “ Creed of Christendom f p. 145.)

? See the Bible for Learners, vol. i. p. 321. vol. ii. p. 102; and Dunlap : Mysteries of Adoni. p. 108.



worshiped the sun,' the moon ‘ the stars and all the host of heaven.8

They worshiped fire, and kept it burning on an altar, just as the Persians and other nations/ They worshiped stonesrevered an oak tree,* and “ bowed down ” to images ' They worshiped a “ Queen of Heaven ” called the goddess Astarte or Mylitta, and “burned incense” to her.8 They worshiped Baal," Moloch,10 and Chemoshfi and offered up human sacrifices to themafter which in some instances, they ate the victim.'3

It was during the Captivity that idolatry ceased among the Israelites.’* The Babylonian Captivity is clearly referred to in the book of Deuteronomy, as the close of Israel’s idolatry.18

There is reason to believe that the real genius of the people was first called into full exercise, and put on its career of development at this time; that Babylon was a forcing nursery, not a prison cell; creating instead of stifling a nation. The astonishing outburst of intellectual and moral energy that accompanied the return from the Babylonish Captivity, attests the spiritual activity of that “ mysterious and momentous'’ time. As Prof. Goldziher says: “The intellect of Babylon and Assyria exerted a more than passing influence on that of the llebren.es, not merely touching it, but entering deep into it, and leaving its own impression upon it.'"*



deans and Pheuicians or Canaanites. The word Hal, in the Punic language, signifies Lord or Master. The name Tial is often joined with sonic other, as ZJ«/-berith, 2to/-peor, Bal- zephou, &c.          “ The Israelites made him their

god, and erected altars to him on which they offered human sacrifices,” and “what is still more unnatural, they ate of the victims they offered.” (Bell’s Pantheon, vol. i. pp. 113,114.)

10    The Bible for Learners, vol. i. pp. 17, 26; vol. ii. pp. 102, 299, 300. Bunsen : Keys of St, Peter, p. 110. Mtiller: The Science of Religion, p. 2S5. Moloch was a god of the Ammonites, also worshiped among the Israelites. Solomon built a temple to him, on the Mount of Olives, atul human sacrifices were offered to him. (Bell's Pantheon, vol. 11. pp. 84, 85.)

11    The Bible for Learners, vol. i. p. 153; vol. ii. pp. 71, 83, 125. Smith's Bible Dictionary, art. “Chemosh.”

The Bible for Learners, vol. i. pp. 28, 147 148, 319, 320 ; vol. ii. pp. 16, 17, 29D, 300. Dun- lap's Spirit Hist., pp. 108,222. Inman; An cient Faiths, vol. ii. pp. 100, 101. Mflller: Science of Religion, p. 261. Bell's Pantheon, vol. i. 113, 114; vol. ii. 84, 85.

13     See note 9 above.

14     See Bunsen : Keys of St. Peter, 291.

15     Ibid, p. 27.

19 Goldziher : Hebrew Mythology, p. 319.



This impression we have already partly seen in the legends which they borrowed, and it may also be seen in the religious ideas which they imbibed.

The Assyrian colonies which came and occupied the land of the tribes of Israel filled the kingdom of Samaria with the dogma of the Magi, which very soon penetrated into the kingdom of Judah. Afterward, Jerusalem being subjugated, the defenseless country was entered by persons of different nationalities, who introduced their opinions, and in this way, the religion of Israel was doubly mutilated. Besides, the priests and great men, who were transported to Babylon, were educated in the sciences of the Chaldeans, and imbibed, during a residence of fifty years, nearly the whole of their theology. It was not until this time that the dogmas of the hostile genius (Satan), the angels Michael, Uriel, Yar, Nisan, &c., the rebel angels, the battle in heaven, the immortality of the soul, and the resurrection, were introduced and naturalized among the Jews.[256]



 



Angel Messiah, p. 285.) “ The Jews adopted, during the Captivity, the idea of angels, Michael, Raphael, Uriel, Gabriel,” &c. (Ivuight: Ancient Art and Mythology, p. 54.) See, for further information oil this Bubject, Dr. Knap* pert’s “ Religion of Israel,” or Prof. Kucnen’s “ Religion of Israel."



 



Note.—It is not generally known that the Jews were removed from their own land until the time of the Babylouiau Nebuchadnezzar, but there is evidence that Jerusalem was plundered By the Edomites about 800 U. C., who sold some of the captive Jews to the Greeks (Joel. iii. 0). When the captives returned to their country from '* the Islands which are beyond the sea ” oler. xxv. IS, 22), they would naturally bring back with them much of the Hellenic lore of their conquerors. )n Isaiah (xi. II), we liud a reference to this first captivity in the following words : “In that day the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Gush, and from Elam, and Iroiu SUinar. and from Hamath, nud from the Inlands q/‘ the sea; ” i. e., Greece.



I
 
I
 

CHAPTER VI.

The children of Israel, who were in bondage in Egypt, making bricks, and working in the field,[123] [124] [125] [126] were looked upon with compassion by the Lord.’ He heard their groaning, and remembered his covenant with Abraham,’ with Isaac, and with Jacob. He, therefore, chose Moses (an Israelite, who had murdered an Egyptian,* and who, therefore, was obliged to flee from Egypt, as Pharaoh sought to punish him), as his servant, to carry out his plans.

Moses was at this time keeping the flock of Jcruth, his father- in-law, in the land of Midian. The angel of the Lord, or the Lord himself, appeared to him there, and said unto him:

“I am the God of tliy Father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. ... I have seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their tormentors; for I know their sorrows. And I am come down to deliver them out of the hands of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land into a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey. I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.”

Then Moses said unto the Lord :

“ Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, the God of your fathers hath sent me unto you, and they shall say unto me: What is his name ? What shall I say unto them ?”

Then God said unto Moses :

” I am that I am.”[127] “ Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I am

hath sent me unto you.”[128]



 



understood by all the initiated among the Egyptians.” ‘‘The ‘I am' of the Hebrews, and the * I am * of the Egyptians are identical.” (Bunsen : Keys of St. Peter, p. 38.) The name “Jehovah" which was adopted by the He brews, was a name esteemed sacred among the Egyptians. They called it Y-ha-uo, or Y-ab-

• Exodus iii. 1,14.



 



And God said, moreover, unto Moses :

“Go and gather the Elders of Israel together, and say unto them: the Lord God of your fathers .                .               . appeared unto me, saying: ‘ T have surely visited

you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt. And I have said, I will brirg you up out of the affliction of Egypt .      .               . unto a land flowing with

milk and honey.’ And they shall hearken to thy voice, and thou shalt come, thou and the Elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him; ‘ the Lord God of the Hebrews hath met with us, and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days journey in the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God."

“ 1 am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand. And I will stretch out iny hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders, which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go. And I will give this people (the Hebrews) favor in the sight of the Egyptians, and it shall come to pass, that when ye go, ye shall not go empty. But every woman shall borrow of her neighbor, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver and jewels of gold, and raiment. And ye shall put them upon your sons and upon your daughters, and ye shall spoil the Egyptians

The Lord again appeared unto Moses, in Midian, and said:

" Go, return into Egypt, for all the men are dead which sought thy life, ^nd Moses took his wife, and his son, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the laud of Egypt. And Moses took the rod of Ood (which the Lord had given him) in his hand.”8

Upon arriving in Egypt, Moses tells his brother Aaron, “allthe words of the Lord,” and Aaron tolls all the children of Israel. Moses, who was not eloquent, but had a slow speech,* uses Aaron as his spokesman.* They then appear unto Pharaoh, and falsify, “ according to the commands of the Lord,” saying: “ Let us go, we pray thee, three days' journey in the desert, and sacrifice unto the Lord our God.”*

wbh. (See the Religion of Israel, pp. 42, 43; and Aoncalypsle vol. i. p. 329, and vol. ii. p. 17.) *4 None dare to enter the temple of Sera* pis, who did not bear on his breast or forehead the name of Jao, or J-ha-qo, a name almost equivalent in sound to that of the Hebrew Jehovah, and probably of identical import; and no name was uttered in Egypt with more reverence than this Iao.” (Trans, from the Gi*r. of Schiller, in Monthly Repos., vol. xx.; and Voltaire : Commentary on Exodus; Higgins' Anac., vol. i. p. 329; vol. ii. p. 17.) “ That this divine name was well-known to the Heathen there can be no doubt.” (Parkhurst: Hebrew Lex. in Anac., i. 327.) So also with the name El Shaddai. *‘ The extremely common Egyptian expression Nutar Nutra exactly corresponds in sense lo the Hebrew El Shaddai, the
 



very title by which God tells Moses he was known to Abraham and Isaac and Jacob.” (Prof. Rennuf: Relig. of Anc‘t Egypt, p. 99.)

1 Exodus iii. 15-1$.

*              Exodus iii. 19-22. Here is a command from the Lord to deceive, and lie, and *teal, which, according to the narrative, was carried out to the letter (Ex. xii. 35, 36) ; and yet we are told that tliisiami Lord said ; 44 Thou shall not steal." (Ex. xx. 15.) Again he says: 44 Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbor, neither rob him." (Leviticns xix. 13.) Surely this is inconsistency.

3 Exodus Iv. 19,20.

*Exodus Iv. 10.

6 Exodus iv. 18.

* Exodus v. 3.
 

The Lord hardens Pharaoh’s heart, so that he does not let the children of Israel go to sacrifice unto their God, in the desert.



Moses and Aaron continue interceding witli him, however, and, for tiie purpose of showing their miraculous powers, they change their rods into serpents, the river into blood, cause a plague of frogs and lice, and a swarm of flies, &c., &c., to appear. Most of these feats were imitated by the magicians of Egypt. Finally, the firstborn of Egypt are slain, when Pharaoh, after having had his heart hardened, by the Lord, over and over again, consents to let Moses and the children of Israel go to serve their God, as they had said, that is, for three days.

The Lord having given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, they borrowed of them jewels of silver, jewels of gold, and raiment, “ according to the commands of the lord.” And they journeyed toward Succoth, there being six hundred thousand, besides children.'

“ And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness. And the Lord went before them by day, in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light to go by day and night.”5

“ And it was told the king of Egypt, that the people flea. . .     . And he

made ready his chariot, and took his people with him. And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and ail the chariots of Egypt, .             .                                                                                 . and he pursued after the

children of Israel, and overtook them encamping beside the sea. .         .               . And

when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel .   .     . were sore afraid, and

. . . (they) cried out unto the Lord. . . . And the Lord said unto Moses, . . . speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward. But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the Red Sea, and divide it, and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. .                                                                                                                 .   .

And Moses stretched out his hand o.ver the sea,3 and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground; and the waters were a wall unto them upon the right hand, and on their left. And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh's horses, and his chariots, and his horse-men. ”

After the children of Israel had landed on the other side of the sea, the Lord said unto Moses :

“ Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horse-men. And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength. .    .               .

1 Exodus vii. 35-37. Bishop Colenso shows, in his Pentateuch Examined, how ridiculous this statement is.

2  Exodus xiii. 20,21.

* “ The sea over which Moses stretches out his hand with the staff, and which he divides, so that the waters stand up on either side like
 
walls while he passes through, must surely have been originally the Sea of Clouds. ... A German story presents a perfectly similar feature. The conception of the cloud as soa, rock and wall, recurs very frequently in mythology.” (Prof. Steinthal: The Legend of Samson, p. 429.)
 

And the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horse-men, and all the host of Pharaoh


that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them. But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea, and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left. . . . And Israel saw the great work whicli the Lord did upon the Egyptians, and the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord and his servant Moses.”[129] [130] [131] [132]

The writer of this story, whoever he may have been, was evidently familiar with the legends related of the Sun-god, Bacchus, as he has given Moses the credit of performing some of the miracles which were attributed to that god.

Is is related in the hymns of Orpheus,’ that Bacchus had a rod with which he performed miracles, and which he could change into a serpent at pleasure. lie passed the lied Sea, dry shod, at the head of his army. He divided the waters of the rivers Oron- tes and Hydaspus, by the touch of his rod, and passed through them dry-shod.[133] By the same mighty wand, he dreio water from the rock,' and wherever they marched, the land flowed with wine, milk and honey.5

Professor Steintlial, speaking of Dionysus (Bacchus), says:

Like Moses, he strikes fountains of wine and water out of the rock. Almost all the acts of Moses correspond to those of the Sun-gods.'

Mons. Dupuis says:

“Among the different miracles of Bacchus and his Bacchantes, there are prodigies very similar to those which are attributed to Moses; for instance, such as the sources of water which the former caused to sprout from the innermost of the rocks.”7

In Bell’s Pantheon of the Gods and Heroes of Antiquity,* an account of the prodigies attributed to Bacchus is given; among these, are mentioned his striking water from the rock, with his magic wand, his turning a twig of ivy into a snake, bis passing thr ugh the Bed Sea and the rivers Orontcs and Hydaspus, and of his enjoying the light of the Sun (while marching with his army in India), when the day was spent, and it was dark to others. All these are parallels too striking to be accidental.

We might also mention the fact, that Bacchus, as well as Moses



 



pass through (2 Kings ii. S>, and aUo the chil drew of Israel. (Joshua iii. 15-17.)

* Moses, with his rod, drew water from the rock. (Exodus xvii. G.)

5    See Taylor's Diegesis, p. 191, and Higgins: Anacalypsis, vol. ii. p. 19.

6     The Legend of Samson, p. 42ft.

7     Dupuis: Origin of Religious Beliefs, p. 163.

8     Vol. i. p. 122.



was called the “ Law-giver,” and that it was said of Bacchus, as well as of Moses, that his laws were written on two table[134] of stone' Bacchus was represented horned, and so was Moses.[135] [136] [137] [138] [139] Bacchus “ was picked up in a box, that floated on the water,’” and so was Moses." Bacchus had two mothers, one by nature, and one by adoption,[140] and so had Moses." And, as we have already seen, Bacchus and his army enjoyed the light of the Sun, during the night time, and Moses and his army enjoyed the light of “ a pillar of tire, by night.”[141]

In regard to the children of Israel going out from the land of Egypt, we have no doubt that such an occurrence took place, although not in the manner, and not for such reasons, as is recorded by the sacred historian. We find, from other sources, what is evidently nearer the truth.

It is related by the historian Choeremon, that, at one time, the land of Egypt was infested with disease, and through the advice of the sacred scribe Phritiphantcs, the king cansed the infected people (who were none other than the brick-making slaves, known as the children of Israel), to be collected, and driven out of the country.*

Lysimachus relates that:

“ A filthy disease broke out in Egypt, and the Oracle of Ammon, being consulted on the occasion, commanded the king to purify the land hy driving out the Jews (who were infected with leprosy, &c.), a race of men who wore hateful to the Gods. The whole multitude of the people were accordingly collected and dricen

out into the wilderness."™

Diodorus Siculus, referring to this event, says :

“In ancient times Egypt was afflicted with a great plague, which was attributed to the anger of God, on account of the multitude of foreigners in Egypt: by whom the rites of the native religion were neglected. J7<e Egyptians accordingly drove them out The most noble of them went under Cadmus and Danaus to Greece, but the greater number followed Moses, a wise and valiant leader, to Palestine.”11



 



8 Exodns ii. 1-11.

7     Exodus xiii. 20,21.

8   See Prichard’s Historical Records, p. 74; also Dunlap's Spirit Hist., p. 40; and Cory’s Ancient Fragments, pp. 80, 81, for similar accounts.

9   “All persons afflicted with leprosy were considered displeasing in the sight of the Sun- god, by the Egyptians.” (Dunlap: Spirit Hist p. 40.)

Prichard's Historical Records, p. 75.

n Ibid, p, 78.



 



After giving the different opinions concerning the origin of the Jewish nation, Tacitus, the Roman historian, says:

“ In this clash of opinions, one point seems to be unicersally admitted. A pestilential disease, disfiguring the race of man, and making the body an object of loathsome deformity, spread all over Egypt. ISocelioris, at that time the reigning monarch, consulted the oracle of Jupiter Ilaminon, and received for answer, that the kingdom must be purified, by exterminating the infected multitude, as a rare of men detested by the gods. After diligent scinch, the wretched suiferers were collected together, aud in a wild and barren desert abandoned to their misery. In that distress, while the vulgar herd was sunk in dee]) tie-pair. Moses one of their number, reminded them, that, by the wisdom of his councils, they had been already rescued out of impending danger. Deserted as they were by meu anil gods, he told them, that if they tlid not repose their confidence in him, as their chief by divine commission, they had no resource left, llis oiler was accepted. Their march began, they knew not whither. Want of water was their chief distress. Worn out with fatigue, they lay stretched on the bare earth, heart broken, ready to expire, when a troop of wild asses, returning from pasture, went up the steep ascent of a rock covered with a grove of trees. The verdure of the herbage round the place suggested the idea of springs near at hand. Moses traced the steps of the uni mils, and discovered a plentiful vein of water. Ey this relief the fainting multitude was raised from despair. They pursued their journey for six days without intermission. On the seventh day they made halt, and, having expelled the natives, took possession of the country, where they built their city, and dedicated their temple.”1

Other accounts, similar to these, might lie added, among which may be mentioned that given by Jlanctho, an Egyptian priest, which is referred to by Josephus, the Jewish historian.

Although the accounts quoted above are not exactly alike, yet the main points are the same, which are to the eifect that Egypt was infected with disease owing to the foreigners (among whom were those who were afterwards styled the children of Israel") that were in the country, and who were an unclean people, and that they were accordingly driven out into the wilderness.

When we compare this statement with that recorded in Genesis, it does not take long to decide which of the two is nearest the truth.

Everything putrid, or that had a tendency to putridity, was carefully avoided by the ancient Egyptians, and so strict were the Egyptian priests on this point, that they wore no garments made of any animal substance, circumcised themselves, and shaved their whole bodies, even to their eyebrows, lest they should unknowingly harbor any filth, excrement or vermin, supposed to he bred from putrefaction.3 We know from the laws set down in Leviticus, that the Hebrews were not a remarkably dean race. [142] *


Jewish priests, in making a history for their race, have given us but a shadow of truth here and there; it is almost wholly mythical. The author of “ The Religion of Israel,” speaking on this subject, says:

“The history of the religion of Israel must start from, the sojourn at the Israelites in Egypt.. Formerly it was usual to take a much earlier starting-point, and to begin with a religious discussion of the religious ideas of the Patriarchs. And this was perfectly right, so long as the accounts of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were considered historical. But now that a strict investigation has shown us that all these stories are entirely unhistorical, of course we have to begin the history later on.”1

The author of “ The Spirit History of Man,” says :

“The Hebrews came out of Egypt and settled among the Canaanites. They need not be traced beyond the Exodus. That is their historical beginning. It was very easy to cover up this remote event by the recital of mythical traditions, and to prefix to it an account of their origin in which the gods (Patriarchs), should figure as their ancestors.”*

Professor Goldzhier says:

“The residence of the Hebrews in Egypt, and their exodus thence under the guidance and training of an enthusiast for the freedom of his tribe, form a series of strictly historical facts, which find confirmation even in the documents of ancient Egypt (which we have just shown). But the traditional narratives of

these events (were) elaborated by the Hebrew people."3

Count de Volney also observes tliat:

“What Exodus says of their (the Israelites) servitude under the king of Heliopolis, and of the oppression of their hosts, the Egyptians, is extremely probable. It is here their history begins. All that precedes . . . is nothing but mythology and cosmogony.”4

Iii speaking of tlie sojourn of the Israelites in Egypt, Dr. Knap- pert says:

They shaved their heads, and every three days shaved their whole bodies. They bathed two or three limes a day, often in the night also. They wore garments of white linen, deeming it more cleanly than doth made from the hair of animals. If they had occasion to wear a woolen cloth or mantle, they put it off before entering a temple; so scrupulous were they that nothing impure should come into the presence of the gods.” (Prog, Relig. Ideas, i. 108.)
 
‘•Thinking it better to bo clean than handsome, the (Egyptian) priests shave their whole body every third day, that neither lice nor any other impurity may be found upon them when engaged in the service of the gods.” (Herodotus : book ii. ch. 37.)

1 The Religion of Israel, p 27. a Dunlap : Spirit Hist, of Man, p. 266.

8 Hebrew Mythology, p. 23.

4  Researches iu Aucicnt History, p. 149.
 

“According to the tradition preserved in Genesis, it was the promotion of Jacob’s son, Joseph, to be viceroy of Eg3rpt, that brought about the migration of the sous of Israel from Canaan to Goshen. The story goes that this Joseph was sold as a slave by 1) is brothers, and after many changes of fortune received the viceregal office at Pharaoh’s hands through his skill in interpreting dreams. Famine drives Iris brothers—and afterwards his father—to him, and the Egyptian prince gives them the laud of Goshen to live in. It is by imagining all this that the


legend tries to account for the fact that Israel parsed some time in Egypt. But we must look for the real explanation in a migration of certain tribes which could not establish or maintain themselves in Canaan, and were forced to move further on.

“We find a passage in Flavius Josephus, from which it appears that in Egypt, too, a recollection survived of the sojourn of some foreign tribes in the north-eastern district of the country. For this writer gives us two fragments out of a lost work by Manetlio, a priest, who lived about 200 n. c. In one of these we have a statement that pretty nearly agrees with the Israelitish tradition about a sojourn in Goshen. But the Israelites tcerc looked down on by the Egyptians as foreigners, and they are represented as lepers and unclean. Moses himself is mentioned by name, and we are told that ho was a priest and joined himself to these lepers and gave them laws.”[143]

To return now to the story of the Red Sea being divided to let Moses and his followers pass through—of which we have already seen one counterpart in the legend related of Bacchus and his army passing through the same .sea dry-shod—there is another similar story concerning Alexander the Great.

The histories of Alexander relate that the Pairiphylian Sea was divided to let him aud his army pass through. Josephus, after speaking of the Red Sea being divided for the passage of the Israelites, says:

“ For tbe sake of those who accompanied Alexander, king of Macedonia, who yet lived comparatively but a little while ago, the Pamphylian Sea retired and offered them a passage through itself, when they had no other way to go . . . and this is confessed to be true by all who have written about the actions of Alexander."'1

lie seems to consider both legends of the same authority, quoting the latter to substantiate the former.

“ Callisthenes, who himself accompanied Alexander in the expedition,” “wrote, how the Pamphylian Sea did not only open a passage for Alexander, but, rising aud elevating its waters, did pay him homage as its king.”1

It is related in Egyptian mythology that Isis was at one time on a journey with the eldest child of the king of Byblos, when coming to the liver Phcedrus, which was in a “ rough air,” and wishing to



 



by long-continued north winds; anti Alexander, taking advantage of such a moment, may have dashed on without impedimentand we accept the explanation as a matter of course. But the waters of the Red Soa are said to have miraculously opened a passage for the children of Israel; and we insist on the literal truth of Mi* story, and reject natural explanations as monstrous.” (Matthew Arnold.)



cross, she commanded the stream to be dried up. This being done she crossed without trouble.1

There is a Hindoo fable to the effect that when the infant Crislma was being sought by the reigning tyrant of Madura (King Kausa)2 his foster-father took him and departed out of the country. Coming to the river Yumna, and wishing to cross, it was divided for them by the Lord, and they passed through.

The story is related by Thomas Maurice, in his “ History of Ilindostan,” who has taken it from the Bhagavat Pooraun. It is as follows:

Yasodha took the child Crishna, and carried Uim off (from where he was born), but, coming to the river Yumna, directly opposite to Gokul, Criskna's father perceiving the current to be very strong, it being in the midst of the rainy season, and not knowing which way to pass it, Crishna commanded the water to give way on both sides to his father, w?to accordingly passed dry-footed, across the river.”3

This incident is illustrated in Plate 58 of Moore’s “ Hindu Pantheon.”

There is another Hindoo legend, recorded in the Rig Veda, and quoted by Viscount Amberly, from whose work wo take it,‘ to the effect that an Indian sage called Visvimati, having arrived at a river which lie wished to cross, that holy man said to it: “ Listen to the Bard who lias come to you from afar with wagon and chariot. Sink down, become fordable, and reach not up to our chariot axles.” The river answers: “ I will bow down to thee like a woman with full breast (suckling her child), as a maid to a man, will I throw myself open to thee.”

This is accordingly done, and the sage passes through.

We have also an Indian legend which relates that a courtesan named Bindumati, turned hack the streams of the river Ganges.'’

We see then, that the idea of seas and rivers being divided for the purpose of letting some chosen one of God pass through, is an old one peculiar to other peoples beside th • Hebrews, and the probability is that many nations had legends of this kind.

That Pharaoh and his host should have been drowned in the Bed Sea, and the fact not mentioned by any historian, is simjffy impossible, especially when they have, as we have seen, noticed the fact of the Israelites being driven out of Egypt.6 Hr. Inman, speaking of this, says:



“ \Yc seek in vain amongst the Egyptian hieroglyphs for scenes which recall such cruelties as those we read of in the Hebrew records; and in the writings which have hitherto been translated, we find nothing resembling the wholesale destructions described and applauded by the Jewish historians, as perpetrated by their own people.”1

That Pharaoh should have pursued a tribe of diseased slaves, whom he had driven out of his country, is altogether improbable, lu the words of Dr. Knappert, we may conclude, by saying that:

(Aug., 1S81), near Thebes, in Egypt, was found thirty-nine mummies of royal and priestly personages. Among these was King Ramses IT., the third king of the Nineteenth Dynasty, and the veritable Pharoah of the Jewish captivity. It is very strange that he should be here, among a number of other kings, if be bad been lost in the Red Sea. The mummy is wrapped in rose-
 
colored and yellow linen of a texture finer than the finest Indian muslin, upon which loins flowers are strewn. It is in a perfect state of perservatiou. (See a Cairo [Aug. 8th] letter to the London Times.)

1 Ancient Faiths, vol. ii. p. 58.

* The Religion of Israel, p. 41.
 

“ This story, ichick teas not written until more than fire hundred years after the exodus itself can, lay no claim to be considered historical."1



RECEIVING THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.

Tiie receiving of the Ten Commandments by Moses, fiom the Lord, is recorded in the following manner:

“In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth o'.lt of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai, . . . and there Israel camped before the Mount. .               .               .

“And it came to pass on the third day that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the .Mount, and the voice of the tempest exceedingly loud, so that all the people that was in the camp trembled. . .             .

“ And Mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in tire, and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole .Mount quaked greatly. And when the voice of the tempest sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.

“ And the Lord came down upon the Mount, and called Moses up to the top of the Mount, and Moses went up.”[144] [145]

The Lord there communed with him, and “ he gave unto Moses .... two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with

the finger of God.”'

Whoa Moses came down from off tlie Mount, lie found the children of Israel dancing around a golden calf, which his brother Aaron had made, and, as his “ singer waxed hot,” lie cast the tables of stone on the ground, and broke them.[146] Moses again saw the Lord on the Monnt, however, and received two more tables of stone.[147] When lie came down this time from off Mount Sinai, “the skin of his face did shine.”'1



 



called Chemmis, situated in the Thebaic district, near Neapolis, in which is a quadrangular temple dedicated to (the god) Ferscus, son of (the Virgin) Danae ; palm-trees grow round it, and the portico is of stone, very spacious, and over it are placed two large stone statues. In this inclosurc is a temple, and in it is placed a statue of Perseus. The Chemmit* (or inhabitants of Chemmis), qfilrm that Perseus has frequently appeared to them on earth^andfrequently within the temple(Ilerodotus, bk. ii. ch. 91.)



These two tables of stone contained the Ten Commandments,* so it is said, which the Jews and Christians of the present day are supposed to take for their standard.

They are, in substance, as follows:

1—    To have no other God blit Jehovah.

2—    To make no imago for purpose of worship.

3—     Not to take Jehovah’s name in vain.

4—     Not to work on the Sabbath-day.

5—     To honor their parents.

6—     Not to kill.

7—     Not to commit adultery.

8—     Not to steal.

9—     Not to bear false witness against a neighbor.

10—   Not to covet.3

Wo have already seen, in the last chapter, that Bacchus was called the “ Taw-giver, ” and that Ids laws were written on two tables of stone.’ This feature in the Hebrew legend was evidently copied from that related of Bacchus, bnt, the idea of his (Moses) receiving the commandments from the Lord on a mountain was obviously taken from the Persian, legend related of Zoroaster.

Brof. Max Muller says:

“ WLmt applies to the religion of Moses applies to that of Zoroaster. It is placed before us ns a complete system from the first, revealed by Ahuramazda (Ormuzd), proclaimed by Zoroaster

The disciples of Zoroaster, in their profusion of legends of the master, relate that one day, as he prayed on a high mountain, in the midst of thunders and lightnings (“fire from heaven”), the Lord himself appeared before him, and delivered unto him the “ Book of the Law.” While the King of Persia and the people were assembled together, Zoroaster came down from the mountain unharmed, bringing with him the “Book of the Law,” which had been revealed to him by Orinuzd. They call this book the Zend- Avesta, which signifies the Living Word.[148]



 



the Sabbath day. Honor your father and y<*nr mother. Commit no murder. Break not the marriage, vow. Steal not. Bear no false witness. Covet not.'1 (Bible for Learners, vol. i.

p. 18.)

3   Bell’s Pantheon, vol. i. p. 122. Higgins, vol. ii. p. l‘J. Cox : Aryan Mytho. vol. ii. p. 295.

4     Muller : Origin of Religion, p. 180.

4 See Prog, ltolig. Ideas, vol. i. pp. 2-V7. 2*8. This book, the  sta, is similar, in

many respects, to the 1 '(das of the //



According to the religion of the Cretans, Minos, tneir .uv-giver, ascended a mountain (Mount Dicta) and there received from the Supreme Lord (Zeus) the sacred laws which he brought down with him.1

Almost all nations of antiquity have legends of their holy men ascending a mountain to ask counsel of the gods, such places being invested with peculiar sanctity, and deemed nearer to the deities than other portions of the earth.''

According to Egyptian belief, it is Thotli, the Deity itself, that speaks and reveals to his elect among men the will of God and the arcana of divine things. Portions of them are expressly stated to have been written by the very linger of Tliotli himself ; to have been the work and composition of the great god.a

Diodorus, the Grecian historian, says :

The idea promulgated by the ancient. Egyptians that their laws were received direct from the Most High God, has been adopted with success by many other law-givers, who have thus insured respect for their institutions'

This has led many to believe that Zoroaster was & Brahman ; among those are Rawlinson (See Inman's Ancient Faiths, vol. ii. p. 831) and Thomas Maurice. (See Indian Antiquities, vol. ii. p. 219.)

The Persians themselves had a tradition that he came from some country to the East of them. That he was a foreigner is indicated by a passage in the Zend-Avesta which represents Ormuzd as saying to biro: “ Thou, 0 Zoroaster, by the promulgation of my law, shalt restore to me my former glory, which was pure light. Up ! haste thee to the land of Iran, which thirsteth after the law, and say, thus said Ormuzd, Ac.” (See Prog. Relig. Ideas, vol. i. p. 2U3.)

1 The Bible for Learners, vol. i.p. 301.

u“The deities of the Hindoo Pantbeou dwell on the sacred Mount Meru; the gods of Persia ruled from Albordj; the Greek Jove tkuuderod from Olympus ; and the Scandinavian gods made Asgarrt awful with their presence. . . . Profane history is full of examples attesting the attachment to high places for purpose of sacrifice.” (Squire : Serpent Symbols, p. 78.)
 
“ The offerings of the Chinese to the deities were generally on the summits of high mountains, as they seemed to them to be nearer heaven, to the majesty of which they were to he offered.” (Christmas's Mytho. p. 250, in Ibid.) “In the infancy of civilization, high places were chosen by the people to offer sacrifices to the godQ. The first altars, the first temples, were erected on mountains.” (Humboldt : American Researches.) The Himalayas are the “ Heavenly mountains.'''' In Sanscrit Ilitnaldy corresponding to the M. Gothic. Hi- mins ; Alem., Hindi; Ger., Swed., and Dan., ffimmel; Old Norse, Himin ; Dutch, Hemel; Ang.-Sax., Jleofon; Eng., Heaven. (See Mallet’s Northern Antiquities, p. 42.)

3 Bunsen's Egypt, quoted in Isis Unveiled, vol. ii. p. 3(57. Mrs. Child says : “The laws of Egypt were handed down from the earliest- times, and regarded with the utmost veneration as a portion of religion. Their first legislator represented them as dictated by the gods themselves, and framed expressly for the benefit of mankind by their secretary Thoth(Prog. Relig. Ideas, vol. i. p. 173.)

4  Quoted in Ibid.
 

The Supremo God of the ancient Mexicans was Tezcatlipoca. lie occupied a position corresponding to the Jehovah of the Jews, the Brahma of India, the Zeus of the Greeks, and the Odin of the Scandinavians, llis name is compounded of Tezcatepec, the name of a mountain (upoji which he is said to have manifested himself to man) till, dark, and poca, smoke. The explanation of this designation is given in the Codex Vaticanus, as follows:



Tozcatlipoca was one of their most potent deities; they say lie once appeared on the top of a mountain. They paid him great reverence and adoration, and addressed him, in their prayers, as *• Lord, whose servant we are." Xo man ever saw his face, for he appeared only *• as a shade.” Indeed, the Mexican idea of the godhead was similar to that of the Jews. Like Jehovah, Tezeat- lipoca dwelt in the “ midst of thick darkness." When he descended upon the mount of Tezcatepcc, darkness overshad'owed the earth, while fire and water, in mingled streams, forced from beneath his feel, from its summit.1

Thus, we see that other nations, beside the Hebrews, believed that their laws were actually received from God, that they had legends to that effect, and that a mountain figures conspicuously in the stories.

Professor Oort, speaking on this subject, says :

“ No one who lias any knowledge of antiquity will be surprised at this, for similar beliefs were very common. All peoples who hatl issued from a life of barbarism and acquired regular political institutions, more or less elaborate laws, and established worship, and maxims of morality, attributed all this— their birth as a nation, so to speak—to one or more great men, all of whom, without exception, were supposed to have received their knowledge from some deity.

“ Whence did Zoroaster, the prophet of the Persians, derive his religion? According to the beliefs of his followers, and the doctrines of their sacred writings, it was from Aliuramazda, the God of light. Why did the Egyptians represent ibegodThoth with a writing tablet and a pencil in his hand, and honor him especially as the god of the priests? I treatise lie was ‘the Lord of the divine Word,’ the foundation of all wisdom, from whose inspiration the priests, who were the scholars, the lawyers, and the religious teachers of the people, derived all their wisdom. Was not Minos, the law-giver of the Cretans, the friend of Zeus, the highest of the gods? Nay, was he not even his son. and did he not ascend to the sacred cave on Mount. Dicte to bring down the laws which his god had placed there for him? From whom did the Spartau law-giver, Lycurgus, himself say that lie had obtained his laws? From ao other.than the god Apollo. The 1 toman legend, too. in honoring Numa Pompilius as the people’s instructor, at the same time ascribed all his wisdom to his intercourse with the nymph Egeria. It was the same else where; and to make one more example,—this from later times— Mohammed not ouiy believed himself to have been called immediate!}' by God to be the prophet of the Arabs, but declared that he had received every page of the Koran from the hand of the angel Gabriel.



SAMSON AND HIS EXPLOITS.

This Israelite hero is said to have been born at a time when the children of Israel were in the hands of the Philistines. His mother, who had been barren for a number of years, is entertained by an angel, who informs her that she shall conceive, and bear a son,1 and that the child shall be a Nazar ite unto God, from the womb, and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hands of the Philistines.

According to the prediction of the angel, “ the woman bore a son, and called his name Samson j and the child grew, and the Lord blessed him.”

x The idea of a woman conceiving, and bear* ing a eon in her old age, seems to have been a Ilebrew peculiarity, as a number of their remarkable personages were born, so it is said, of parents well advanced in years, or of a woman who was supposed to have been barren. As illustrations, we may mention this case of Sain- $ony and that of Joseph being bom of Rachel. The beautiful Rachel, who was so much beloved by Jacob, her husband, was barren, and she bore him no sons. This caused grief and discontent on her part, and anger on the part of her husband. In her old age, however, she bore the wonderful child Joseph. (See Genesis, yyy. 1-29.)

Isaac was bom of a woman (Sarah) who had been barren many years. An angel appeared to her when her lord (Abraham) “ was ninety years old and nine,” and informed her that she would conceive and bear a son. (See Gen. xvi.)

Samuel, the “ holy man,” was also born of a woman (Hannah) who had been barren many years. In grief, she prayed to the Lord for % child, and was finally comforted by receiving her wish. (See 1 Samuel, i. 1-90.)

John the Baptist was also a miraculously con» ceived infant. His mother, Elizabeth, bore
 
him in her old age. An angel also informed her and her husband Zachariah, that this event would take place. (See Luke, i. 1-25.)

Mary, the mother of Jesus, was bom of a woman (Anna) who was “ old and stricken in years,” and who had been barren all her life. An angel appeared to Anna and her husband (Joachim), and told them what was about to take place. (See 4 4 The Gospel of Mary,” Apoc.)

Thus we see, that the idea of a wonderful child being born of a woman who had passed the age which nature had destined for her to bear children, and who had been barren all her life, was a favorite one among the Hebrews. The idea that the ancestors of a race lived to a fabulous old age, is also a familiar one among the ancients.

Most ancient nations relate in their fables that their ancestors lived to be very old men. For instance ; the Persian patriarch Kaiomaras reigned 560 years; Jemshid reigned 300 years ; Jabmnrasli reigned 700 years ; Dahak reigned 1000 years ; Feridun reigned 120 years ; Manu- gcher reigned 500 years; Ivaikans reigned 150 years; and Bahaman reigned 112years. (See Dunlap : Son of the Man, p. 155, note.)
 

“And Samson (after be had grown to man’s estate), went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines. And he came up and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines; now therefore get her for me to wife.”



 



Samson’s father and mother preferred that he should take a woman among the daughters of their own tribe, but Samson wished for the maid of the Philistines, “for,” said he, “she pleaseth ine well.”

The parents, after coming to the conclusion that it was the will of the Lord, that he should marry the maid of the Philistines, consented.

“ Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath, and, behold, a young lion roared against him (Samson). And the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and he rent him (the lion) as lie would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand.”

This was Samson’s first exploit, which he told not to any one, not even his father, or his mother.

lie then continued on his way, and went down and talked with the woman, and she pleased him well.

And, after a time, he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the careass of the lion, and behold, “ there was a swarm of bees, and honey, in the careass of the lion.”

Samson made a feast at his wedding, which lasted for seven days. At this feast, there were brought thirty companions to be with him, unto whom he said :                                     “ I will now put forth a riddle

unto you, if ye ean eertainly declare it me, within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then L will give you thirty sheets, and thirty changes of garments. But, if ye cannot declare it me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets, and thirty changes of garments.” And they said unto him, “Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it.” And he answered them :  “ Out of the eater came

forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness.”

This riddle the thirty companions could not solve.

“And it came t>o pass, on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson's wife:             ‘ Entiee thy husband, that he may declare unto

us the riddle.’ ”

She accordingly went to Samson, and told him that he could not love her ; if it were so, he would tell her the answer to the riddle. After she had wept and entreated of him, he finally told her, and she gave the answer to the children of her people. “ And the men of the city said unto him, on the seventh day, before the sun went down, ‘ What is sweeter than honey, and what is stronger than a lion?”’

Samson, upon hearing this, suspected liow they managed to find out the answer, whereupon ho said unto them :             “If ye had not

ploughed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle ”

Samson was then at a loss to know where to get the thirty sheets, and the thirty changes of garments ; but, “ the spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle.”

This was the hero's second exploit.

ilis anger being kindled, he went up to his father’s house, instead of returning to his wife.’ iJat ic came to pass, that, after a while, Samson repented of his actions, and returned to his wife’s house, and wished to go in to his wife in the chamber ; but her father would not suffer him to go. And her father said : “ I verily thought that thou hadst utterly hated her, therefore, I gave her to thy companion. Is not her younger sister fairer than she ? Take her, I pray thee, instead of her.”

This did not seem to please Samson, even though the younger was fairer than the older, for he “ went and caught three hundred foxes, and took iirebrands, and turned (the foxes) tail to tail, and put a iirebrand in the midst between two tails. And when he had set the brands on fire, he let them go into the standing corn of the Philistines, and burned up both the shocks and also the standing corn, with the vineyards and olives.”

This was Samson’s third exploit.

When the Philistines found their corn, their vineyards, and their olives burned, they said:          Who hath done this?”

“ And they answered, ‘ Samson, the son-in-law of the Timnite, because be bad taken his wife, and given her to his companion,’ And the Philistines came up, and burned her and her father with fire. And Samson said unto them: ‘ Though ye have done this, yet will I be avenged of you, and after that I will cease.’ And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter, and he went and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam.”

This “ great slaughter ” was Samson's fourth exploit.

“ Then the Philistines went up, and pitched in Judah, and spread themselves in Lchi. And the men of Judah said: ‘ Why are yc come up against us?’ And they answered: ‘ To bind Samson are we come up, and to do to him as he hath done to us.’ Then three thousand men of Judah went up to the top of the rock Etam, aud said to Samson:              ‘ Ivnowest thou not that the Philistines are

rulers over us? What is this that thou hast done unto us ?’ And he said unto them: ‘As they did unto me, so have I doDe unto them.’ And they said unto liim: ‘We are come dowrn to bind tbee, that we may deliver thee into the hands of the Philistines.’ And Samson said unto them: ‘Swear unto me that ye will not, fall upon me yourselves.’ And they spake unto him, saying, ‘No; but we will bind thee fast, and deliver thee into their hands: but surely we will not kill tlicc.’ And they bound him with two now cords, and

1 Judges, iiy.

biouglit him up from the rock. Ami when he came unto Lchi, the Philistines shouted against him; anil the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and the curds that mere upon his arms betmme an Jinx that was burned with fire, and his bands loosed from off hts hands. And he found a new jaw-bone of an ass, and put forth his hand and took it, and slew a thousand men with it.”

This was Satnson'syiyif/t exploit.

After slaying a thousand nieti he was ‘‘sore athirst," and called unto the Lord. And “Got! clave it hollow place that was in the jaw, and there came water thereout, and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, aud lie revived.’M

“ Then went Samson to Gaza and saw there a harlot, aud went in unto her. And it was told the Gazite.s, saying, ‘ Samson is come hillier.’ And they compassed him in, and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying: ? In the morning, when it is day, we shall kill him.’ And Samson lay (with the harlot) till midnight, aud arose at midnight, and took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar aud all, aud put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of a hill that is in llebron.”

This was Samson’s sixth exploit.

“And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Soreck, whose name was Delilah. And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her: ‘ Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him.’”

Delilah then began to entice Samson to tell her wherein his strength lay.

“ She pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed uuto death. Then he told her all his heart, and said unto her: ‘ There hath not come a razor upon mine head, fori have been a Xazarite unto God from my mother’s womb. If I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.’ And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she went and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying: ‘ Come up this onco, for he hath showed me all his heart.’ Then the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and brought money in their hands (for her).

“Aud she made him (Samson) sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the serai locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him."

The Philistines then took him, put out itis eyes, and put him in piison. And being gathered together at a great sacrifice in honor of their God, Dagon, they said: " Call for Samson, that ho may make us sport.” And they called for Samson, and lie made them sport.

" And Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house stundeth, that I may lean upon them.

Judges, xv.



“ Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Philistines were there; and there were upon the roof about three thousand men and women, that beheld while Samson made sport.

‘‘And Samson called unto the Lord, and said: ‘ O Lord God, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes. ’

“ And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood and on which it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, and of the Other with his left. And Samson said: ‘ Let me die with the Philistines.’ And he bowed himself with all his might; and (having regained his strength) the house fell upon the lords, and upon the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death, were more than they which he slew in his life.”'

Thus ended the career of the “ strong mart ” of the Hebrews.

That this story is a copy of the legends related of Hercules, or that they have both been copied from similar legends existing among some other nations,’ is too evident to bo disputed. Many churchmen have noticed the similarity between the history of Samson and that of Hercules. In Chambers's Encylopaedia, under “ Samson,” we read as follows :

“It has been matter of most contradictory speculations, how far his existence is to be taken as a reality, or, in other words, what substratum of historica. truth there may be in this supposed circle of popular legends, artistically rounded off, in the four chapters of Judges which treat of him. .                                                                                .    .

“The miraculous deeds ho performed have taxed the ingenuity of many commentators, and tire text has been twisted and turned in all directions, to explain, rationally, his slaying those prodigious numbers single-handed; his carrying the gates of Gaza, in one night, a distaneeof about fifty miles, Ac., Ac.’'

That this is simply a Solar myth, no one will doubt, we believe, who will take the trouble to investigate it.

Prof. Groldziher, who has made “ Comparative Mythology ” a special study, says of this story :

"The most complete and loundcd-off Solar myth extant in Hebrew, is that of Shimshon (Samson), a cycle of mythical conceptions fully comparable with the Greek myth of Hercules.”3

We shall now endeavor to ascertain if such is the case, by comparing the exploits of Samson with those of Hercules.

The first wonderful act performed by Samson was, as we have seen, that of slaying a lion. This is said to have happened when he was but a youth. So likewise was it with Hercules. At the age of eighteen, he slew an enormous lion.[149] [150]

The valley of Nemea was infested by a terrible lion ; Eurystheus ordered Hercules to bring him the skin of this monster. After



using in vain his clnb and arrows against the lien, Hercules strangled the animal with his hands. lie returned, carrying the dead lion on his shoulders; but Eurystheus was so frightened at the sight of it, and at this proof of the prodigious strength of the hero, that he ordered him to deliver the accounts of his exploits in the future outside the town.[151] [152] [153] [154] [155] [156]

To show the courage of Hercules, it is said that he entered the cave where the lion’s lair was, closed the entrance behind him, and at once grappled with the monster.a

Samson is said to have torn asunder the jaws of the lion, and we find him generally represented slaying the beast in that manner. So likewise was this the manner in which Hercules disposed of the Neinean lion.*

The skin of the lion, Hercules tore off with his fingers, and knowing it to be impenetrable, resolved to wear it henceforth.' The statues and paintings of Hercules either represent him carrying the lion’s skin over his arm, or wearing it hanging down his back, the skin of its head fitting to his crown like a cap, and the fore-legs knotted under his chin.'

Samson’s second exploit was when he went down to Ashkelon and slew thirty men.

Hercules, when returning to Thebes from the lion-hunt, and wearing its skin hanging from his shoulders, as a sign of his success, met the heralds of the King of the Minyse, coming from Orchomenos to claim the annual tribute of a hundred cattle, levied on Thebes. Hercules cut off the ears and noses of the heralds, bound their hands, and sent them home.'

Samson’s third exploit was when he caught three hundred foxes, and took fire-brands, and turned them tail to tail, and put a firebrand in the midst between two tails, and let them go into the standing corn of the Philistines.

There is no such feature as this in the legends of Hercules, the nearest to it in resemblance is when he encounters and kills the Learnean Hydra.[157] During this encounter a fire-brand figures conspicuously, and the neighboring wood is set on fire*



 



7    “It has many heads, one being immortal, as the etorm must constantly supply new clouds while the vapors are driven off by the Sun into space. Hence the story went that although Ilerakles could burn away its mortal heads, as the Sun burns up the clouds, still he can but hide away the mist or vapor itself, which at its appointed time must again darken tho sky.” (Cox: Aryan Mytho., vol. ii. p. 48.)

1 See Manual of Mytho,, p. 250,



Wc have, however, an explanation of this portion of the legend, in the following from Prof. Steinthal:

At the festival of Ceres, held at Rome, in the month of April, a fox-hunt through the circus was indulged in, in which burning torches were bound to the foxed tails.

Tliis was intended to be a symbolical reminder of the damage done to the fields by mildew, called the “ red fox f which was exorcised in various ways at this momentous season (the last third of April). It is the time of the Dog-Star, at which the mildew was most to be feared ; if at that time great solar heat follows too close upon the hoar-frost or dew of the cold nights, this mischief rages like a burning fox through the corn-fields.[158]

Tie also says that:

“ This is the sense of the story of the foxes, which Samson caught and sent into the Philistines’ fields, with fire-brands fastened to their tails, to burn the crops. Like the lion, the fox is an animal that indicated the solar heat, being well suited for this both by its color and by its long-haired tail.”[159]

llouchart, in his “ Ilierozoicon,” observes that:

“ At this period (s', e., the last third of April) they cut the corn in Palestine and Lower Egypt, and a few days after the setting of the Ilyads arose the Fox, in whose train or tail comes the fires or torches of the dog-days, represented among the Egyptians by red murks painted on the backs of their animals.”[160]

Count do Volney also tells us that :

“The inhabitants of Carseoles, an ancient, city of Latiurn, every year, in a religious festival, burned a number of foxes with torches lied to their tails. They gave, as the reason for this whimsical ceremony, that their corn had been formerly burnt by a fox to whose tail a young man had fastened a bundle of lighted straw.”4

He concludes his account of this peculiar “ religious festival,” by saying :

“ This is exactly the story of Samson with the Philistines, but it is a Pheni- cian tale. Car-Seol is a compound word in that tongue, signifying town of foxes. The Philistines, originally from Egypt, do not appear to have had any colonies. The Phcnicians had a great many; and it can scarcely be admitted that they borrowed this story from the Hebrews, as obscure as the Druses are in our own times, or that a simple adventure gave rise to a religious ceremony; it evidently can only he a mythological and allegorical narration.’’1

So much, then, for the foxes and fire-brands.

Samson’s fourth exploit was when he smote the Philistines “ hip and thigh,” “ with great slaughter.”

It is related of Hercules that he had a combat with an army of Centaurs, who were armed with pine sticks, rocks, axes, Ac. They llocked in wild confusion, and surrounded the cave of Pholos, where Hercules was, when a violent light ensued. Hercules was obliged to contend against this large armed force single-handed, but he came olf victorious, and slew a great number of them.[161] Hercules also encountered and fought against an army of giants, at the Phlegraean fields, near Cumae."

Samson’s next wonderful exploit was when “ three thousand men of Judah ” bound him with cords and brought him up into I .chi, when the Philistines were about to take his life. The cords with which he was bound immediately became as llax, and loosened from oil his hands. lie then, with the jaw-bone of an ass, slew one thousand Philistines.’

A very similar feature to this is found in the history of Hercules. He is made prisoner by the Egyptians, who wish to take his life, but while they are preparing to slay him, he breaks loose his bonds—having been tied with cords—and kills Iiuseris, the leader of the band, and the whole retinue.*

On another occasion, being refused shelter from a storm at Kos, he was enraged at the inhabitants, and accordingly destroyed the whole town.'

Samson, after ho had slain a thousand Philistines, was “sore athirst,’’ and called upon Jehovah, his father in heaven, to succor him, whereupon, water immediately gushed forth from “a hollow place that was in the jaw-bone.”

Hercules, departing from the Indies (or rather Ethiopia), and conducting his army through the desert of Lybia, feels a burning thirst, and conjures Ihou, his father, to succor him in his danger.



 



230; Montfaucon:                L'Antiqnitc Expliquee,

vol. i. p. 213, and Murray: Manual of MythoN Ogy, Pl>- 259-202.

It Is evident that Herorlo/its. the Grecian historian, was somewhat of a skeptic, for he says: “The Grecians say that * When Hercules anivod in Egypt, the Egyptians, having crowned him with a garland, led him in procession, as designing io sacrifice him to Jupiter, and that for some time he remained quiet, hut. when they begau the preparatory ceremonies upon him at the altar, he set about defending himself and slew every one of them.’ Now, since Hercules was bet one. and, besides, a mere man. as they confess, how is it possible that he should slay many thousauds?” (Herod* otus, book li. c.h. 45).

4 Murray: Manual of Mythology, p. 263.



Instantly the (celestial) Ram appears. Hereules follows him and arrives at a place where the Ram scrapes with his foot, and there instantly comes forth a spring of water'

Samson’s sixth exploit happened when he went to Gaza to visit a harlot. The Gazitcs, who wished to take his life, laid wait for him all night, but Samson left the town at midnight, and took with him the gates of the city, and the two posts, on his shoulders. He carried them to the top of a hill, some fifty miles away, and left them there.

This story very much resembles that of the “ Pillars of Hercules,” called the “ Gates of Cadiz.”*

Count de Yolney tells us that:

“ Hercules was represented naked, carrying on his shoulders two columns called the Gates of Cadiz.”3

“ The Pillars of Hercules ” was the name given by the ancients to the two rocks forming the entrance or gate to the Mediterranean at the Strait of Gibraltar.4 Their erection was ascribed by the Greeks to Hercules, on the occasion of his journey to the kingdom of Geryon. According to one version of the story, they had been

united, but Hercules tore them asunder.*

Fig. Ho. 3 is a representation of Hercules with the two posts or pillars on his shoulders, as alluded to by Count de Yolney. We have taken it from Montfau- eon’s “ L’Antiquite Ex- pliquee.”*

J. P. Lundy says of this:





 



temple to Jupiter, under the title of Ammon

2   Cadiz (ancient Gades), being situated near t

CHAPTER II.

THE DELUGE.[46] [47]

After “ man's shameful fall,” the earth began to be populated at a very rapid rate. The sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they

chose.................... There were giants in the earth in those days,1

and also .       .      . mighty men .           .    .     men of renown.”

But these “ giants ” and “ mighty men ” were very wicked, “ and God saw the wickedness of man .          .               .               and it repented the Lord

that he had made man upon the earth.[48] and it grieved him at his heart. And the Lord said ; I will destroy man whom 1 have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air, for it repenteth me that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord (for) Noah was a just man .               .               . and walked with God. .     .               . And

God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me, for the earth is filled with violence through them, and, behold, T will de-



 



species of the horse, the mastodon, and other large animals. This discovery was made, owing to the assurance of the natives that at one time had lived in that country, amt that they had seen their remains at this c< rftdn place. Many legends have had a similar origin. Hut the originals of all tin- Ogres and (Hants to In- found in the mythology of almost all nations of antiquity, arc the famous Hindoo demon**, the Uakshasas of our Aryan ancestors. The liakshasas were very terrible creatures indeed, and in the minds of many people, in India, are so still. Their natural form, so the stories say, is that of huge, unshapely giants, like clouds, with hair and beard of the color of the red lightning. This description explain* their origin. They are the dark, icicked and cruel clouds, porsonifi«*d.

3   »• And it rej)€tded the Lord that he had made man.” tGen. iv.) “ God is not a man that he should lie, neither the son of man that he should reixnt." (Numb, xxiii. 19.)



stroy them with the earth. Make thee an ark of gopher wood, rooms shalt thou make in the ark, (and) a window shalt thou make to the ark;                           .     .     .     . And behold I, even I, do bring a flood of

waters upon the earth, t.o destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven, and every thing that is in the earth shall die. But with thee shall I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons’ wives, with thee. And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female. Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping tiling of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come in to thee, to keep them alive. And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee and for them. Thus did Noah, according to all that God commanded him.'’’[49] [50]

When the ark was finished, the Lord said unto Noah:

“ Come thou and all thy house into the ark. ... Of every clean beast thou shalt take to tliee by sevens, the male and his female; and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female. Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female. ”[51]

Here, again, as in the Eden myth, there is a contradiction. We have seen that the Lord told Noah to brine;into the ark “of every living thing, of all flesh, two of every sort,'' and now that the ark is finished, we are told that he said to him :       “ Of every clean

beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens,” and, “ of fowls also of the air by sevens.” This is owing to the story having been written by two different writers—the Jehovistic, and the Elohistic—one of which took from, and added to the narrative of the other.3 The account goes on to say, that:

“ Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sods’ wives with him, into the ark. ... Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls, and of every thing that creepeth upon the earth, there went in two and two, unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah.''*

We sec, then, that Noah took into the ark of all kinds of beasts, of fowls, and of every thing that creepeth, two of every sort, and that this was “ as God had commanded Noah.'’'’ This clearly shows that the writer of these words knew nothing of the command



to take in clean beasts, and fowls of the air, by sevens. We are further assured, that, “ Noah did according to all that tlee Lord commanded him."

1 Gen. vi.
 
After Xoah and his family, and every beast after his kind, and all the cattle after their kind, the fowls of the air, and every creeping thing, had entered the ark, the Lord shut them in. Then " were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows oj heaven were opened. And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights       And the waters prevailed exceeding

ly upon the earth ; and all the hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered. Fifteen cubits upwards did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered. And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man. And Xoah only7 remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark."1 The object of the flood was now accomplished, “ all flesh died that moved upon the earth." The Lord, therefore, “made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters assuaged. The fountains of the deep, and the windows of heaven, were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained. And the

waters decreased continually..................... And it came to pass at

the end of forty days, that Xoah opened the window of the ark, which he had made. And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried, up from off the earth. He also sent forth a dove, .               .               . but the dove found no

rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark.” .     .               .

At the end of seven days he again '• sent forth the dove out of the ark, and the dove came in to him in the evening, and lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf, plucked off.”

At the end of another seven days, he again “sent forth the dove, which returned not again to him any more.”

And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat. Then Xoah and his wife, and his sons, and his sons’ wives, and every living thing that was in the ark, went forth out of the ark. “And Xoah builded an altar unto the Lord, . . . and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And the Lord smelled a sweet savour, and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any7 more for man’s sake.”2 3


We shall now see that there is scarcely any considerable race of men among whom there does not exist, in some form, the tradition of a great deluge, which destroyed all the human race, except their own progenitors.

The first of these which we shall notice, and the one with which the Hebrew agrees most closely, having been copied from it,' is the

Chaldean, as given by Berosns, the Chaldean historian.[52] [53] It is as follows:

“ After the death of Ardates (the ninth king of the Chaldeans), his son Xisuthrus reigned eighteen sari. In his time happened a great deluge, the history of which is thus described: The deity Cronos appeared to him (Xisuthrus) in a vision, and warned him that upon the fifteenth day of the month Desius there would be a flood, by which mankind would be destroyed. He therefore eujoined him to write a history of the beginning, procedure, and conclusion of all things, and to bury it in the City of the Sun at Sippara; and to build a vessel, and take with him into it his friends and relations, and to convey on board everything necessary to sustain life, together will: all the different animals, both birds and quadrupeds, and trust himself fearlessly' to the deep. Having asked the deity whither he was to sail, he was answered: ‘To the Gods;’ upon which lie offered up a prayer for the good of mankind. lie then obeyed the divine admonition, and built a vessel five stadia in length, and two in breadth. Into this lie put everything which he had prepared, and last of all conveyed into it. his wife, his children, and hi.s friends. After the flood had been upon the earth, and was in time abated, Xisuthrus sent out birds from the vessel; which not finding any food, nor any place whereupon they might rest their feet, returned to him again. After an interval of some days, he sent them forth a second time; and they notv returned with their feet tinged with mud. He made a trial a third time with these birds; but they returned to him no more: from whence he judged that the surface of the earth had appeared above the waiters. lie therefore made an opening in the vessel, and upon looking out found that it was stranded upon the side of some mountain; upon which he immediately quilted it with his wife, his daughter, and the pilot. Xisuthrus then paid his adoration to the earth, and, having constructed au altar, offered sacrifices to the gods."[54]

Tliis .account, given by Berosns, which .agrees in almost every particular with that found in (A ties is, and with that found by George Smith of the British Museum on terra cotta tablets in Assyria, is nevertheless different in some respects. But, says Mr. Smith:

“ When we consider the difference between the two countries of Palestine and Babylonia, these variations do not appear greater than we should expect.

.   .    . It was only' natural that, in relating the same stories, each nation should



 



3   Quoted by George Smith : Chaldean Account of Genesis, pp. 43-44 ; see also, The Pentateuch Examined, vol. iv. p. 211 ; Dunlap’s Spirit Hist, p, 138; Cory’s Ancient Fragments, p. 61, et seq. for similar accounts.



color them in accordance with its own ideas, and stress would naturally in each case be laid upon points with which they were familiar. Thus w'e should expect beforehand that there would be differences in the narrative such as we actually find, and we may also notice that the cuneiform account docs not always coincide even with the account of the same events given by Berosus from Chaldean sources.”[55]

The most important points arc the same however, i. e., in both cases tire virtuous man is informed by the Lord that a flood is about to take place, which would destroy mankind. In both cases they are commanded to build a vessel or ark, to enter it with their families, and to take in beasts, birds, and everything that ercepeth, also to provide themselves with food. In both cases they send out a bird from the ark three times—the third time it failed to return. In both cases they land on a mountain, and upon leaving the ark they offer up a sacrifice to the gods. Xisuthrus was the tenth king,[56] [57] [58] and Noah the tenth patriarch.’ Xisuthrus had three sons (Zerovanos, Titan and Japetosthes),1 and Xoali hail three sons (Sliem, I lain and Juphot).[59]

As Cory remarks in his “Ancient Fragments,'’ “ The history of the flood, as given by Derosus, so remarkably corresponds with the Biblical account of the Xoaehian Deluge, that no one can doubt that both proceeded from one source—they are evidently transcriptions, except the names, from some ancient document.[60] [61] [62]

This legend became known to the Jews from Chaldean sources,’ it was not known in the country (Egypt) out of which they evidently came.[63] Egyptian history, it is said, had gone on un-



 



Germans said that Mannus (son of the god Tntsoo) had thne sons, who were the original ancestors of the throe principal nations of Germany. The Scythians said that Targy- tagus, the founder of their nation, had three sons, from whom they wore descended. A tradition among the Romans was that the Cyclop Polyphemus had by Galatea thne sons. Saturn had three sons, .Jupiter, Neptune, and Pluto ; and Hesiod speaks of the thne sons which sprung from the marriage of heaven and uirth. (See Mallet’s Northern Antiquities, p. 3fKJ.)

*   See chap. xl.

*  " It is of no slight moment that the Egyptians, with whom the Hebrews are represented as in earliest and closest intercourse, had no traditions of a flood, while the Babylonian and Hellenic tales bear a strong resemblance in many points to the narrative in Genesis.” (Rev. George W. Cox : Tales of Ancient Greece, p. 340. See also Owen: Man’s Earliest History, p. 28, and ch. xi. this work.)



interrupted for ten thousand years before the time assigned for the birth of Jesus.[64] [65] And it is known as absolute fact that the land of Egypt was never visited by other than its annual beneficent overflow of the river Ailed The Egyptian Bible, which is by far the most ancient of all holy books,[66] kncxo nothing of the Deluge.[67] The Plira (or Pnaiaoh) Khoufou-Cheops was building his pyramid, according to Egyptian chronicle, when the whole world was under the waters of a univcrsa. deluge, according to the Hebrew chronicle.[68] [69] A number of other nations of antiquity are found destitute of any story of a flood,' which they certainly would have had if a universal deluge had ever happened. Whether this legend is of high antiquity in India has even been doubted by distinguished scholars.[70]

The Hindoo legend of the Deluge is as follows :

“Many ages after the creation of the world, Brahma resolved to destroy it with a deluge, on account of the wickedness of the people. There lived at that lime a pious man named Satyacrata, and as the lord of the universe loved this pious man, and wished to preserve him from the sea of destruction which was to appear on account of the depravity of the age, lie appeared before him iu the form of Vishnu (the Preserver) and said: In seven days from the present time .           .               . the worlds will be plunged in ail ocean of death, but iu the midst of

the destroying waves, a large vessel, sent, by me for thy use, shall stand before thee. Then shall thou take all medicinal herbs, all the variety of feeds, and, accompanied by seven saints, encircled by pairs of all brute animals, thou shall enter the spacious ark, and continue in it, secure from the flood, on one immense ocean without light, except the radiance of thy holy companions. When the ship shall be agitated by an impetuous wind, thou shall fasten it with a large sea-serpent on my horn; for I will be near thee (in the form of a fish), drawing the vessel, with thee and thy attendants. I will remain on the ocean, 0 chief of men, until a night of Brahma shall be completely ended. Thou shalt then



 



1   See Taylor’s Diogcsis, p. 198, and Knight's Ancient Art and Mythology, p. U)“. “ Plato was told that Egypt had hymns dating back ten thousand years before his time.” (Bon- wiek : Egyptian Belief, p. 185.) Tlato lived 429 b. c. Herodotus relates that the priests of Egypt informed him that from the first king to the present priest of Vulcan who last reigned, were three hundred forty and one generations of men, and during these generations there were the same number of chief priests and kings. ” Now (says he) three hundred generations are equal to ten thousand years, for three generations of men are one hundred years; and the forty-one remaining generations that were over the three hundred, make one thousand three hundred and forty years,” making eleven thousand three hundred ami forty years. 44 Conducting me into the interior of an edifice that was spacious, and showing me wooden colossuses to the number I have mentioned, they reckoned them up ; for every high



 



know my true greatness, rightly named the Supreme Godhead; hy my favor, all thy questions shall be answered, and thy mind abundantly instructed.”

Being tints directed, Satyavrata humbly waited for the time which the ruler of our senses had appointed. It was not long, however, before the sea, overwhelming its shores, began to deluge the whole earth, and it was soon perceived to be augmented by showers from immense clouds. lie, still meditating on the commands of the Lord, saw a vessel advancing, and entered it with the saints, after having carried into effect the instructions which had been given him.

Vishnu then appeared before them, in the form of a fish, as lie had said, and Satyavrata fastened a cable to his horn.

The deluge in time abated, and Satyavrata, instructed in all divine and human knowledge, was appointed, by the favor of Vishnu, the Seventh Menu. After coming forth from the ark he oilers up a sacrifice to Brahma.’

The ancient temples of Ilindostan contain representations of Vishnu sustaining the earth while overwhelmed by the waters of the deluge. A rainbow is seen on the surface of the subsiding waters.[71]

The Chinese believe the earth to have been at one time covered with water, which they described as flowing abundantly and then subsiding. This great flood divided the higher from the lower age of man. It happened during the reign of Yaou. This inundation, which is termed hungshwuy (great water), almost ruined the country, and is spoken of by Chinese writers with sentiments of horror. The Shoo-King, one of their sacred books, describes the waters as reaching to the tops of some of the mountains, covering the hills, and expanding as wide as the vault of heaven.[72]

The Parsecs say that by the temptation of the evil spirit men became wicked, and God destroyed them with a deluge, except a few, from whom the world was peopled anew.[73]

In the Zend-Avesta, the oldest sacred book of the Persians, of whom the Parsees are direct descendants, there are sixteen countries spoken of as having been given by Ormuzd, the Good Deity, for the Aryans to live in ; and these countries are described as a land of delight, which was turned by Ahriman, the Evil Deity, into a



land of death and cold, partly, it is said, by a great flood, which is described as being like Noah’s flood recorded in the Book of Genesis.[74] [75]

The ancient Greeks had records of a flood which destroyed nearly the whole human race.’ The story is as follows :

“ From Ills throne in the high Olympos, Zeus looked down on the children of men, and saw that everywhere they followed only their lusts, and cared nothing for right or for law. And ever, as their hearts waxed grosser in their wickedness, they devised for themselves new rites to appease the anger of the gods, till the whole earth was filled with blood. Far away in the hidden glens of the Arcadian hills the sons of Lykaon feasted and spake proud w'ord.s against the majesty of Zeus, and Zeus himself came down from his throne to see their way and their doings. .                                  .    . Then Zeus returned to his home on Olympos, and

ho gave the word that a flood of waters should be let loose upon the earth, (hat the sons of men might die for their great wickedness. So the west wiud rose in its might, and the dark rain-clouds veiled the whole heaven, for the winds of the non it which drive away the mists and vapors were shut up in their prison house. On hill and valley burst the merciless rain, and the rivers, loosened from their courses, rushed over the whole plains and up the mountain-side. From his home on the highlands of Plithia, Oeukalion looked forth on the angry sky, and, when he saw the waters swelling in the valle.vs beneath, he called Pyrrha, his wife, and said to her: ‘The time hits come of which my father, the wise Prometheus, forewarned me. Make ready, therefore, the ark which 1 have built, and place in it all that we may need for food w hile the flood of waiters is out upon the earth.’ .    .               . Then Pyrrha hastened to make all things ready,

and they w'aited till the waters rose up to the highlands of Phtliia and floated away the ark of Deukalion. The Ashes swam amidst the old elm-groves, and twined amongst the gnarled boughs on the oaks, while on the face of the waters were tossed the bodies of men; and Deukalion looked on the dead faces of stalwart warriors, of maidens, and of babes, as they rose and fell upon the heavy waves.”

When the flood begun to abate, the ark rested on Mount Parnassus, and Deucalion, with 1 tis wife Pyrrha, stepped forth upon the desolate earth. They then immediately constructed an altar, and offered up thanks to Zeus, the mighty being who sent the flood and saved them from its waters.[76]

According to Ovid (a Grecian writer born 43 n. c.), Deucalion docs not venture out of the ark until a dove which he sent out returns to him with an olive branch.[77]



 



c., —having mentioned Deucalion consigned to the ark, takes notice, upon his quitting it, of his offering up an immediate saciifice to God.” (Chambers* Eneyclo., art. Deluge.)

4   In Lundy's Monumental Christianity (p. 209, Fig. 137) may be seen a representation of Deucalion and Pyrrha landing from the ark. A dove and olive branch are depicted in the scene.



 



It vas at one time extensively believed, even by intelligent scholar, that the myth of Deucalion was a corrupted tradition of the Noachian deluge, but this untenable opinion is now all bat universally aba)idoned.'

The legend was found in the West among the Kelts. They bo- lieved that a great deluge overwhelmed the world and drowned all men except Drayan and Droyvach, who escaped in a boat, and colonized Britain. This boat was supposed to have been built by the “ Heavenly Lord,” and it received into it a pair of every kind of beasts.2

The ancient Scandinavians had their legend of a deluge. The Edda describes this deluge, from which only one man escapes, with his family, by means of a bark.” It was also found among the ancient Mexicans. They believed that a man named Ooxeox, and his wife, survived the deluge. Lord Kingsborough, speaking of this legend,’ informs us that the person who answered to Noah entered the ark with six others; and that the story of sending birds out of the ark, die., is the same in general character with that of the Bible.

Dr. Brinton also speaks of the Mexican tradition.' They had not only the story of sending out the bird, but related that the ark landed on a mountain. The tradition of a deluge was also found among the Brazilians, and among many Indian tribes.' The monntain upon which the ark is supposed to have rested, was pointed to by the residents in nearly every quarter of the globe. The mountain-chain of Ararat was considered to be — by the Chaldeans and Hebrews—the place where the ark landed. The Greeks pointed to Mount Parnassus; the Hindoos to the Himalayas ; and in Armenia numberless heights were pointed out with becoming reverence, as those on which the few survivors of the dreadful scenes of the deluge were preserved. On the lied River (in America), near the village of the Caddoes, there was an eminence to which the Indian tribes for a great distance around paid devout homage. The Cerro Naztarny on the Rio Grande, the peak of Old Zuni in New Mexico, that of Colhuaean on the Pacific coast, Mount Apoala in Upper Mixteca, and Mount Neba in the province of Guaymi, are some of many elevations asserted by the neighboring nations to have been places of refuge for .heir ancestors when the fountains of the great deep broke forth.

The question now may naturally be asked, IIow could such a story have originated unless there was some foundation for it ?

In answer to this question we will say that wc do not think such a story could have originated without some foundation for it, and that most, if not all, legends, have a basi of truth underlying the fabulous, although not always discernible. This story may have an astronomical basis, as some suppose,1 or it may not. At any rate, it would be very easy to transmit by memory the fact of the sinking of an island, or that of an earthquake, or a great flood, caused by overflows of rivers, &c., which, in the course of time, would be added to, and enlarged upon, and, in this way, made into quite a lengthy tale. According to one of the most ancient accounts of the deluge, we are told that at that time “ the forest trees were dashed against each other;'’ “ the mountains were involved with smoke and flame ; ” that there was “ tire, and smoke, and wind, which ascended in thick clouds replete with lightning.” “ The roaring of the ocean, whilst violently agitated with the whirling of the mountains, was like the bellowing of a mighty cloud, &c.”2

A violent earthquake, with eruptions from volcanic mountains, and the sinking of land into the sea, would evidently produce such a scene as this. We know that a one period in the earth’s history, such scenes must have been of frequent occurrence. The science of geology demonstrates this fact to us. Local deluges were of frequent occurrence, and that some persons may have been saved on one, or perhaps many, such occasions, by means of a raft or boat, and that they may have sought refuge on an eminence, or mountain, does not seem at all improbable.

During the Champlain period in the history of the world— which came after the Glacial period—the climate became warmer, the continents sank, and there were, consequently, continued local floods which must have destroyed considerable animal life, including man. The foundation of the deluge myth may have been laid at this time.



 



himself up in the ark, that the priests of Egypt shut up in their sacred coffer or ark the image of Osiris, a personification of the Sun. This was on the 17th of the month Athor, in which the Sun enters the Scorpion. (See Kenrick’s Egypt, vol. i. p. 410.) The history of Noah also corresponds, in some respects, with that of Bacchus, another personification of the Sun.

2   See Maurice’s Indian Antiquities, vol. ii. p. 268.



 



Some may suppose that this is dating the history of man to afar back, making his history too remote; but such is not the case. There is every reason to believe that man existed for ages before the Glacial epoch. It must not be supposed that wc have yet found remains of the earliest human beings; there is evidence, however, that man existed during the Pliocene, if not during the Miocene periods, when hoofed quadrupeds, and Proboscidians abounded, human remains and implements having been found mingled with remains of these animals.'

Charles Darwin believed that the animal called man, might have been properly called by that name at an epoch as remote as the Eocene period." Man had probably lost his hairy covering by that time, and had begun to look human.

Prof. Draper, speaking of the antiquity of man, says :

“ So far as investigations have gone, they i/ultsputably refer the existence of man to a date remote from us by many hundreds uf thousands of years," and that “ it is difficult to assign a shorter date from the hist glaciation of Europe than a quarter of a million of years, and human existence antedates that."*

Again he says :

1 “ In America, along with the bones of the Mastodon imbedded in the ulluviura of the Bourbense. were found arrow heads and other traces of the savages who had killed this

1 Darwin : Descent of Man, p. 156. We think it may not be out of place to iusert here what might properly be called : “ The Drama of Life," which is as follows :

Azoic: Conflict of Inorganic Forces.

Paleozoic : Age of Invertebrates.

Eozoic: Enter Protozoan4* and Protophytes.

Silurian : Enter the Army of Invertebrates.

Devonian : Euter Fishes.

Carboniferous: (Age of Coal Plants) Enter Firstar breathers. Mesozoic: Enter Reptiles.

Triassic: Enter Batrachiaus.

Jurassic : Enter huge Reptiles of Sea, Land and Air.

Cretaceons : (Age of Chalk) Enter Ammonites.

Ccnozoic : (Age of Mammals.)

Eocene: Enter Marine Mammals, aud probably Man.

Miocene: Enter Hoofed Quadrupeds.

Pliocene: Euter Proboscidians and Edentates.

Post Tertiary : Positive Age of Man.

Glacial : Ice and Drift Periods.

Champlain : Sinking Continents; Warmer; Tropical Animals goiVorfA. Terrace: Rising Continents ; ('older.

Present: Enter Science, Iconoclasts, &c., &c.
 



Act i.

Act ii.

Primary........

Act hi.

Secondary.... Act iv. Tertiary.... Act v.
 
Scene i. u it 44 iii.

44 Iv.

Scene i. 44 ii. “ HI.
 
{Scene i. 44 ii. “ Ui-
 
Post Tertiary.
 
Scene
 
iii.

iv.
 
1 Draper: Religion and Science, p. 109.
 
member of an order no longer represented in that part of the world.” (Herbert Spencer: Principle* of Sociology, vol. 1. p. 17.)
 
« Ibid. pp. 195, 196.
 

“ Recent researches give reason to believe that, under low and base grades, the existence of man can be traced back into the Tertiary times. He was contemporary with the Southern Elephant, the Khinoceros-leptorhinus, the great Hippopotamus, perhaps even in the Miocene, contemporary with the Mastodon.5’4



Prof. Huxley closes his “ Evidence as to Man’s Place in Nature,” by saying:

“Where must we look for primeval man? Was the oldest Homo Sapiens Pliocene or Miocene, or yet more ancient t ... If any form of the doctrine of progressive development is correct, we must extend by long epochs the most liberal estimate that has yet been made of the antiquity of man.”'

Prof. Oscar Pascliel, in his work on “ Mankind,” speaking of the deposits of human remains which have been discovered in caves, mingled with the bones of wild animals, says:

“ The examination of one of these caves at Brixham, by a geologist as trustworthy as Dr. Falconer, convinced the specialists of Great Britain, as early as 1858, that man was a contemporary of the Mammoth, the Woolly Rhinoceros, the Cave-lion, the Cave-hyena, the Cave-bear, and therefore of the Mammalia of the Geological period antecedent to our own.'"[78] [79] [80] [81]

The positive evidence of man’s existence during the Tertiary period, are facts which must- firmly convince every one—who is willing to be convinced—of the great antiquity of man. We might multiply our authorities, but deem it unnecessary.

The observation of shells, corals, and other remains of aquatic animals, in places above the level of the sea, and even on high mountains, may have given rise to legends of a great flood.

Fossils found imbedded in high ground have been appealed to, both in ancient and modern times, both by savage and civilized man, as evidence in support of their traditions of a flood ; and, moreover, the argument, apparently unconnected with any tradition, is to be found, that because there are marine fossils in jfiaces away from the sea, therefore the sea must once have beeti there.

It is only quite recently that the presence of fossil shells, &c., on high mountains, has been abandoned as evidence of the Noachic flood.

Mr. Tylor tells us that in the ninth edition of “ Horne’s Introduction to the Scriptures,” published in 1816, the evidence of fossils is confidently held to prove the universality of the Deluge; hut the argument disappears from the next edition, published ten years later.'

Besides fossil remains of aquatic animals, boats have been found on tops of mountains.* A discovery of this kind may have given rise to the story of an ark having been made in which to preserve the favored ones from the waters, and of its landing on a mountain.1



Before closing tills chapter, it may be well to notice a striking incident in the legend we have been treating, i. e., the frequent occurrence of the number seven in the narrative. For instance: the Lord commands Noah to take into the ark clean beasts by sevens, and fowls also by sevens, and tells him that in seven days he will cause it to rain upon the earth. We are also told that the ark rested in the seventh month, and the sm’Jiteenth day of the mouth, upon the mountains of Ararat. After sending the dove out of the ark the first time, Noah waited seven days before sending it out again. After sending the dove out the second time, ho stayed yet another seven days” ere he again sent forth the dove.

This coincidence arises from the mystic power attached to the number seven, derived from its frequent occurrence in astrology.

desert between Petra and Ilebron. the people of which hud perished for their vices, and been converted into atone. Mr. Seetzcu, who went to the spot, found no traces cf ruins, but a number of stony concretions, resembling in form and size the human head. They had been ignorantly supposed to be petrified heads, and a legend framed to account for their owners suffering so terrible a fate. Another illustration Is as follows The Kamchaduls believe that volcanic mountains are the abode of devils, who, after they have cooked their meals, fling the fire-brand* ont of the chimney. Being asked what these devils eat, they said ‘* whales Here we see, first, a story invented to account for the volcanic eruptions from the mountains ; and, second, a story invented to account for the remains qf whales found on the mountains. The savages knew that this was true, “ because their old people had said so, and believed it them
 
selves.” (Related by Mr. Tyior, in his “ Early History qf Mankind," p. 3~G.)

1 •* Everything of importance was calculated by, and fitted into, this number (seven) by the Aryan philosophers,—ideas as well as localities.” (Isis Unveiled, vol. ii. p. 407.)

3Each one being consecrated to a planet. First, to Saturn; second, to Jupiter ; third, to Mars; fourth, to the Sun ; fifth, to Venus ; sixth, to Mercury; seventh, to the Moon. (The Pentateuch Examined, vol. iv. p. j*G9. See also The Augcl Messiah, p. 100.)

9 Each of which had the name of a planet.

*              On each of which the uainc of a planet was engraved.

4” There was to be seen in Laconia, serem columns erected in honor of the seven planets (Dupuis : Origin of Religious Belief, p. 34.)

•“ The Jews believed that the Throne of Jehovati was surrounded by his seven high
 

We find that in all religions of antiquity the number seven— which applied to the sun, moon and the jive planets known to the ancients—is a sacred number, represented in all kinds and sorts of forms for instance : The candlestick with seven branches in the temple of Jerusalem. The seven inclosures of the temple. The seven doors of the cave of Mithras. The seven stories of tne tower of Babylon.3 The seven gates of Thebes.3 The flute of seven, pipes generally put into the hand of the god Fan. The lyre of seven strings touched by Apollo. The book of “ Fate,” composed of seven books. The seven prophetic rings of the Brahmans.' The seven stones—consecrated to the seven planets—in Laconia.6 The division into seven castes adopted by the Egyptians and Indians. The seven idols of the Bonzes. The seven altars of the monument of Mithras. The seven great spirits invoked by the Persians. The seven archangels of the Chaldeans. The seven archangels of the Jews.*


chiefs: Gabriel, Michael, IlapliaeJ, Uriel, &c.” (Bible for Learners, vol, iii. p, 4(1.)

1 Each one being consecrated to a planet, and the San anti Moon. Snnday, “ Dies Solis,” sacred to the sun. Monday, “Dies Lunae,” sacred to the moon. Tuesday, sacred to Tuieo or Maks. Wednesday, sacred to Odin or Woden, and to Mercury. Thursday, sacred to Thor and others. Friday, sacred to Freia and
 
Venus. Saturday, sacred to Saturn. The (ancient) Egyptians assigned a day of the week to the sun, moon, and five planets, and the number seven was held there in great rever ence,” (Kenrick: Egypt, i. 238.)

3  “The Egyptian priests chanted the seven vowels as a hymn addressed to Serapis.” (The Kosirruciana, p. 143.)

* Sura: the Son-god of the Hindoos.
 

The seven days in the week.1 The seven sacraments of the Christians. The seven wicked spirits of the Babylonians. The sprinkling of blood seven times upon the altars of the Egyptians. The seven mortal sins of the Egyptians. The hymn of seven vowels chanted by the Egyptian priests.8 The seven branches of the Assyrian “ Tree of Life.” Agni, the the Hindoo god, is represented with seven arms. Sura’s3 horse was represented with seven heads. Seven churches are spoken of m the Apocalypse. Balaam builded seven altars, and ottered seven bullocks and seven rams on each altar. Bharaoh saw seven kine, &c., in his dream. The “ Priest of Midian ” had seven daughters. Jacob served seven years. Before Jericho seven priests bare seven horns. Samson was bound with seven green withes, and his marriage feast lasted seven days, &c., &c. We might continue with as much more, but enough has been shown to verify the statement that, “ in all religions of antiquity, the number sevex is a sacred number.”






) Geuesinxi. 1-9.

3

part1

The Greatest Story Ever Sold

1. This is the sun. As far back as 10,000 B.C., history is abundant with carvings and writings reflecting people’s respect and adoration for this object.

Numerous artifacts prove these points, such as from the sun-worshipping cultures of the Egyptians, Indians, Babylonians and Greeks, among many others, including the peoples of the Levant and ancient Israel. Concerning the antiquity of sun worship, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Dr. Madanjeet Singh relates:

The tool-making hominids, as anthropologists call them, emerged about one-and-a-half million years ago. But the sun‘s identification with the animals they hunted became evident much later as in the striking circular engravings representing the sun, discovered in the Central Asian regions (thirteenth millennium BC) in Siberia and western Turkistan. They seem to have eventually influenced the earliest artifacts made in Iran and Mesopotamia… Apart from the animals depicted in the Lascaux caves in

France, at Altamira in Spain, at Adduara in Sicily (15,000 to 10,000 BC), and at the prehistoric Tassili N‘Ajjer in the Sahara region (7000 to 4000 BC), are also strange human figures such as the dancing man with horns on his head and a stallion tail, as in the cave paintings at Trois Frères in Ariège. These are comparable to similar figures seen on the third-millennium-BC Mohenjo-daro seals found in the Indus Valley— symbols that are identified with the sun….¹

Describing this ubiquitous of sun worship, professor of Archaeology at Cardiff University Dr. Miranda J. Aldhouse-Green remarks:

The evidence for the sun cult manifests itself in Europe from as long ago as the fourth millennium BC, when Neolithic farmers recognized the divine power of the solar disc...

…Solar religion manifested itself not only in acknowledgement of the overt functions of the sun—as a provider of heat and light—but also in recognition of influences that were more wide-ranging…

¹ Singh, 12-13.

The Greatest Story Ever Sold

2

To early communities, the sun was an enigma, with its nightly disappearance from the sky and the withdrawal of its heat for half the year. The sun‘s value as a life-force was revered….²

This solar religion continued for millennia, well into the common or &#38;#8213;Christian&#38;#8214; era. As stated by Dr. Lee I.A. Levine, a professor at the Jewish Theological Seminary:

On the religious plane, belief in the supremacy of the sun god was widespread. The cult of Mithra, as well as other Oriental cults in the late Roman era, identified the supreme deity with the sun. In fact, the tendency in Late Antiquity to unify the creeds allowed [the Greek sun god] Helios to be identified in many circles as the highest deity. On an intellectual level, Neoplatonic thought throughout these centuries likewise addressed the centrality of the sun... Closer to Palestine, sun-worship is amply attested...in Palmyra, among the Essenes, in Nabataea, as well as on a plethora of coins, statuettes, altars, busts, and inscriptions from the first centuries of our era.³

Dr. Levine also says:

In the late Roman era, the figure of Helios, or Sol Invictus, occupied a central role in a variety of settings, from the Imperial circles of Rome to the eastern provinces...

Throughout the Greco-Roman period generally, and especially in the first centuries of the Common Era, the cult of this sun god enjoyed enormous popularity.⁴

Sun worship persists to this day, as described in Dr. Singh‘s The Sun: Symbol of Power and Life, an extensive survey with many images of solar religious traditions and iconography from the earliest periods into the modern era. For more information on the &#38;#8213;Astrotheology of the Ages&#38;#8214; and &#38;#8213;The God Sun,&#38;#8214; see also Suns of God: Krishna, Buddha and Christ Unveiled by Acharya S/D.M. Murdock.

		Irish ‗Sun Disc‘
‗Anthropomorphized sun-god images	‗Babylonian King before the Sun God	c. 2000 BCE
in Saimaly Tash rock drawings‘	Shamash,‘	(N. Museum of Ireland, Dublin)
Bronze Age (c. 3000-600 BCE)	c. 2000 BCE
Tien Mountains, Kyrgyzstan	(Musée du Louvre, Paris)
(Singh, 15)

2. And it is simple to understand why, as every morning the sun would rise, bringing vision, warmth, and security, saving man from the cold, blind, predator-filled darkness of night. Without it, the cultures understood, the crops would not grow, and life on the planet would not survive. These realities made the sun the most adored object of all time.

Concerning the ancient reverence for the sun, UNESCO Director-General Dr. Federico Mayor remarks:

As the bestower of light and life, ancient cultures generally identified the sun as the symbol of Truth, the all-seeing &#38;#8213;one eye&#38;#8214; of justice and equality, the fountainhead of

2. Singh, 295.

2. Kalmin, 106.

2. Kalmin, 103.

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wisdom, compassion, and enlightenment, the healer of physical and spiritual maladies, and, above all, the fundamental source of fecundity, growth, and fruition, as well as of death and the renewal of life.⁵

An Egyptian hymn from the era of the pharaoh Akhenaten (d. c. 1336 BCE) expresses the intense ancient reverence for the sun:

You appear beautiful,

You living sun, lord of Endless Time, are sparkling, beautiful and strong, Love of you is great and powerful.

Your rays touch every face…

Your radiant skin animates hearts.

You have filled the Two Lands [of the horizons] with love of yourself.⁶

Pharaoh Akhenaten and wife Nefertiri worshipping the sun

3. 14^th century BCE

3. Likewise, they were also very aware of the stars.

Naturally, the ancient practice of &#38;#8213;astrotheology&#38;#8214; incorporated reverence for not only the sun but also the moon, planets, stars and constellations. In Prehistoric Lunar Astronomy, Indian scholar Dr. S.B. Roy remarks:

To the ancients...heaven was the land of gods and mystery. The sky...was itself living. The stars were the abode of the gods. The shining stars were indeed themselves luminous gods. Astronomy was the knowledge not of heavenly bodies, but of heavenly beings: It was the heavenly, celestial cosmic or divine knowledge—knowledge of devas— the bright luminous gods.⁷

Ancient stellar symbols and star maps have been found dating to many thousands of years ago, including in cave paintings and carvings. As the BBC reports in &#38;#8213;Ice Age star map discovered&#38;#8214;:

A prehistoric map of the night sky has been discovered on the walls of the famous painted caves at Lascaux in central France.

The map, which is thought to date back 16,5000 years, shows three bright stars known today as the summer Triangle...

5. Singh, 7.

5. Assman, ESRNK, 94.

5. Roy, 1.

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According to German researcher Dr. Michael Rappenglueck, of the University of Munich, the maps show that our ancestors were more sophisticated than many believe.⁸

In &#38;#8213;&#38;#8215;Oldest Star Chart‘ Found,&#38;#8214; astronomer Dr. David Whitehouse states:

The oldest image of a star pattern, that of the famous constellation of Orion, has been recognised on an ivory tablet some 32,500 years old.

The tiny sliver of mammoth tusk contains a carving of a man-like figure with arms and legs outstretched in the same pose as the stars of Orion....⁹

Ancient star map	Ivory star chart
c. 16,500 years old	c. 32,500 to 38,000 years old
Lascaux, France	Ach Valley, Alb-Danuba, Germany

4. The tracking of the stars allowed them to recognize and anticipate events which occurred over long periods of time, such as eclipses and full moons. They in turn catalogued celestial groups into what we know today as constellations.

In his book In Search of Ancient Astronomies, astronomer Dr. Edwin C. Krupp remarks:

At Stonehenge in England and Carnac in France, in Egypt and Yucatan, across the whole face of the earth are found mysterious ruins of ancient monuments, monuments with astronomical significance... Some of them built according to celestial alignments; others were actually precision astronomical observatories... Careful observations of the celestial rhythms was compellingly important to early peoples and their expertise, in some respects, was not equaled in Europe until three thousand years later.¹⁰

One of these ancient observatories—one of the world‘s oldest yet discovered—is found in Goseck, Germany:

A vast, shadowy circle sits in a flat wheat field near Goseck, Germany... The circle represents the remains of the world‘s oldest observatory, dating back 7,000 years. Coupled with an etched disk recovered last year, the observatory suggests that Neolithic and Bronze Age people measured the heavens far earlier and more accurately than scientists had imagined.¹¹

In &#38;#8213;Oldest solar Observatory in Americas Found in Peru,&#38;#8214; NPR reports:

Archeologists may have uncovered what they say is by far the oldest astronomical observatory in the America: a series of towers near a temple in coastal Peru, built in the fourth century B.C...

8. "Ice Age star map discovered," news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/871930.stm

8. &#38;#8213;&#38;#8215;Oldest Star Chart‘ Found,&#38;#8214; news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/2679675.stm

8. Krupp, ISAA, xiii.

8. Mukerjee, &#38;#8213;Circles for Space.&#38;#8214; Mukerjee mentions here what is called the &#38;#8213;Nebra Disk.&#38;#8214;

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The towers at Chankillo mark the sun‘s progress across the sky... This suggests the sun may have played an important role in religious and political life long before the appearance of the famous Inca sun cult...

[Archeologist Ivan] Ghezzi says, &#38;#8213;The Inca claimed to be the offspring of the sun. But now we have a society that is 1,800 years before the Inca that is clearly using the sun as a way to make a political, social and ideological statement.&#38;#8214;

Many more such discoveries have occurred over the past several decades.

Astronomically aligned stones,	Solar circle observatory	The Thirteen Towers
c. 7,000 years old
	6,000 to 8,500 years old	c. 14th century BCE
Goseck, Germany
	Nabta Playa, Egypt	Chankillo, Peru
(Ralf Beutragel)
		(Ivan Ghezzi)

5. This is the cross of the Zodiac, one of the oldest conceptual images in human history. It reflects the sun as it figuratively passes through the 12 major constellations over the course of a year. It also reflects the 12 months of the year, the four seasons, and the solstices and equinoxes. The term Zodiac relates to the fact that constellations were anthropomorphized, or personified, as figures, or animals.

The antiquity of the idea of a zodiac is disputed, but it may have been formulated as early as 4,000 or more years ago. As D.M. Murdock says in Christ in Egypt: The Horus Jesus Connection:

…the zodiac certainly existed in Mesopotamia millennia ago, worked over by the famed

Chaldean astronomers, with the Greeks further polishing it. In this regard, several sources—such as royal astronomer Dr. Edward Walter Maunder…, the devout Christian author of The Astronomy of the Bible—have indicated an origin of the zodiac, including the popular signs, to some 4,000 or more years ago. We also possess the relatively

recent find of the &#38;#8213;Karanovo Zodiac&#38;#8214; from Bulgaria, which has been dated to around

6,000 years ago and which seems to bear rudimentary renditions of the constellations found in the Western zodiac.¹²

The zodiac as it appears to us today was refined by the Greeks several centuries prior to the common era.

¹² Murdock, CIE, 265-266. The Karanovo Tablet has also been interpreted to be crude Egyptian hieroglyphs. See &#38;#8213;The Sacred Tablet from the village of Karanovo,&#38;#8214; [url=http://www.institutet-science.com/en/karanovoe.php]www.institutet-science.com/en/karanovoe.php[/url]

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#IAMNOTAFRAIDTOSAYIT - Religious patriarchy source of all (DOMESTIC) VIOLENCE - all religions are plagerism from Sumeria

mirror(most up to date)
https://www.reddit.com/r/russiawarinukraine/comments/4ronrg/iamnotafraidtosayit_ukrainian_social_media_users

Ancient Confession Found: 'We Invented Jesus Christ'
Biblical scholars will be appearing at the 'Covert Messiah' Conference at Conway Hall in London on
 the 19th of October to present this controversial discovery to the British public.

http://www.covertmessiah.com/
http://uk.prweb.com/releases/2013/10/prweb11201273.htm

http://www.inquisitr.com/1504964/jesus-never-existed/
http://www.jesusneverexisted.com/paulkovich.html
http://www.inquisitr.com/988571/jesus-covert-messiah-bible-scholar-romans-made-up-jesus/

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/2850/2850-h/2850-h.htm
http://sacred-texts.com/jud/josephus/
http://www.earlyjewishwritings.com/josephus.htm

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/wwjtd/2013/10/joseph-atwill-has-not-proven-that-jesus-was-made-up-by-the-romans/
http://endthelie.com/2013/10/12/joseph-atwills-caesars-messiah-debunked/