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diff --git a/43630-0.txt b/43630-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ef814b3 --- /dev/null +++ b/43630-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5941 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 43630 *** + +Note: Images of the original pages are available through + Internet Archive. See + http://archive.org/details/paganoriginofp00pitr + + +Transcriber's note: + + Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). + + Greek characters have been transliterated to English + characters. The transliterations are denoted by [Greek: + + + + + +PAGAN ORIGIN OF PARTIALIST DOCTRINES. + +by + +REV. JOHN CLAUDIUS PITRAT, + +A Member of the University of France; Author of "Jesuits +Unveiled," of "Paul and Julia," etc., and +Formerly a Romish Priest. + + + + + + + +Published by the Author. + +Cincinnati: +Longley Brothers, Printers, +168 Vine St., Above Fourth. +1857. + +Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1857, by +John Claudius Pitrat, +In the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Southern District +of Ohio. + + + + +TO BROTHER JOHN A. GURLEY. + + +_Dear Friend Gurley_,--To you, who have fed me when I was starving, +sheltered me when I was a homeless exile, and befriended me when I was +forlorn, and my life was sought by my persecutors, this volume I +inscribe, as a feeble token of my lasting gratitude and friendship. + + J. C. PITRAT. + + + + +PREFACE. + + +Two arguments can be brought forth to prove that the Partialist +doctrines are not taught in the Scriptures: the one is drawn from the +Scriptures themselves, and the other is drawn from history. + +The first argument, drawn from the Scriptures, is this: + +The Partialist doctrines are not taught in the Scriptures, if it can be +proved by the Scriptures themselves that the Partialist doctrines are +not contained therein. But it can be proved by the Scriptures themselves +that the Partialist doctrines are not contained therein. Then the +Partialist doctrines are not taught in the Scriptures. + +The second argument, drawn from history, is this: + +The Partialist doctrines are not taught in the Scriptures, if it can be +proved by history, that the origin of the Partialist doctrines is Pagan. +But it can be proved by history that the origin of the Partialist +doctrines is Pagan. Then the Partialist doctrines are not taught in the +Scriptures. + +These two arguments, as he who reflects can easily perceive, not only +corroborate each other, but their respective proving force is such, +that, if considered separately, each one is sufficient to peremptorily +prove that the Partialist doctrines are not taught in the Scriptures. +The former, till now, we Universalists have exclusively used, and it +has been efficacious in causing the scales of early and strong +prejudices to fall from the eyes of thousands. However, it is +unfortunately a fact, confirmed by daily experience, that the +conclusions arrived at through scriptural controversies are striking +only to minds of a particular bent and culture. On the contrary, the +conclusions arrived at through historical facts present themselves to +the mind of _all_, clear, vivid and irresistible. It is for this reason +that the author, in this book, presents to the consideration of the +Universalist denomination, and of the public in general, the second +argument, drawn from history. The vast number of historical facts, of +quotations, extracts, etc., contained in this volume, have been +translated from many languages, with as much accuracy as possible. + +May God bless this work, intended to confirm the Universalists in their +beloved faith; and also to break the chain of prejudice which keeps +millions of men in ignorance, in superstition, in perpetual fear, and +thereby in spiritual bondage: "Ye shall know the truth, and the truth +shall make you free." + + THE AUTHOR. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + DEDICATION. iii + + PREFACE. v + + CHAPTER I. + + TRUE SPIRIT OF PAGAN RELIGIONS. 9 + + CHAPTER II. + + PAGAN ORIGIN OF MYSTERIES. 28 + + CHAPTER III. + + PAGAN ORIGIN OF THE DOCTRINE OF A PERSONAL DEVIL. 58 + + CHAPTER IV. + + PAGAN ORIGIN OF THE DOCTRINE OF ORIGINAL SIN. 68 + + CHAPTER V. + + PAGAN ORIGIN OF THE DOCTRINE OF TRINITY. 80 + + CHAPTER VI. + + PAGAN ORIGIN OF THE DOCTRINE OF THE SUPREME DIVINITY OF + JESUS CHRIST. 87 + + CHAPTER VII. + + PAGAN ORIGIN OF THE DOCTRINE OF ENDLESS HELL. 111 + + ARTICLE I.--Metempsychosis or Transmigration of the Souls. 111 + + ARTICLE II.--Tartarus. 129 + + ARTICLE III.--Did the Christians of the First Centuries + believe in Endless Hell. 136 + + ARTICLE IV.--How the Church of Rome borrowed the doctrine + of Endless Hell from the Pagans; and how, afterwards, the + self-called Orthodox Protestant Churches borrowed it from + the Church of Rome. 170 + + CHAPTER VIII. + + PAGAN ORIGIN OF THE DOCTRINE OF A FIRST JUDGMENT, BY JESUS + CHRIST, IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE SEPARATION OF THE SOUL FROM + THE BODY. 182 + + CHAPTER IX. + + PAGAN ORIGIN OF THE DOCTRINE OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE + BODY. 190 + + CHAPTER X. + + PAGAN ORIGIN OF THE DOCTRINE OF A GENERAL JUDGMENT AT + THE END OF THE WORLD. 205 + + CHAPTER XI. + + PAGAN ORIGIN OF THE DOCTRINE OF VICARIOUS ATONEMENT. 229 + + VALEDICTORY. 246 + + + + + PAGAN ORIGIN + OF + PARTIALIST DOCTRINES. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +TRUE SPIRIT OF PAGAN RELIGIONS. + + +IT seems to be an undeniable fact, that, before the coming of Jesus +Christ, nations had immemorially and universally believed, that the +universe, or nature, was an uncreated but animated being, whose vast +body comprised the earth, the sun, the planets and the stars, to which +one great soul impressed motion and life. Also they believed that all +those principal parts, or, in other words, principal members of the body +of the universe, were animated by emanations or irradiations of the +great soul of the universe, or nature. This Pantheistic doctrine we find +recorded by the Chaldean Zoroaster, in his Zend-Avesta; by the +Phoenician Sanchoniaton in his Mythological History; by the author of +the Indian Vedam; and by the Chinese Confucius, in his Theology. Weighty +is the testimony of those authors, who lived, Confucius perhaps +excepted, at about the time of Moses. Also, the above doctrine they +themselves believed and taught. More, we find the same testimony, the +same doctrine, and the same teaching, in nearly all the works of the +celebrated poets, orators and philosophers of posterior ages. + +Pliny, the historian and naturalist, writes: "The world, or what we call +the heaven, which, in its vast embrace, encircles all beings, is a God +eternal, immense, uncreated and immortal. To seek any thing beyond it is +beyond man's reach, and is vain labor. Behold, the universe is the Being +truly sacred, the Being eternal, immense, comprising all in himself: he +is all in all, or rather he is himself all. He is the work of nature, +and nature itself." + +We read in the sixth book of Eneida, by Virgil: "Know, O my son! that +the heavens and the earth, the deep, the bright globe of the moon, and +all stars are moved by a principle of inly life, which perpetuates its +existence; that it is a great intelligent soul, extending to all the +parts of the vast body of the universe; and which, connected with all, +impresses to all an eternal movement. This soul is the source of the +life of man, of that of flocks, birds, and of all the monsters of the +deep. The bright force that animates them emanates from that eternal +fire that shines in the sky, and which, a captive in the gross matter of +bodies, develops itself only as permitted by the divers mortal +organizations that blunt its force and activity. At the death of each +animal those germs of particular life return to their source, and to the +principle of life that circulates in the starry sphere." + +This belief led men to the worship of the universe, or nature, and +became the basis of their mythology. They adored the vast body of +nature, and its great soul, under the name of Supreme Being, of Jupiter, +of Vichnou, of Pan, etc. They adored the earth, the sun, the planets and +the stars under other names. They erected temples, altars, statues and +chapels to those deities, and worshiped them--not the wood, stone, or +marble, as they are unjustly accused of, but the emanations of the great +soul of the universe, which animated all those principal members of the +vast body of nature, whose might and influence impressed them with +wonder, terror or gratitude, and thus attracted their adoration. + +The Chinese adored the heavens under the name of great Tien. The Supreme +Being in the Chou-King is designated by the name of Tien, which means +from heaven, and of Chang-Tien, supreme heaven. They had reared temples +to the sun, to the moon, and to the stars; and also one to the great +being formed of the sky, of the earth and of the elements,--being which +is the universe named by them Tay-ki. They worshiped the heavens at the +time of the two solstices. The Japanese adored the stars and planets +which they supposed to be animated by geniuses or gods. They had a +temple dedicated to the splendor of the sun. They celebrated the feast +of the moon on the 7th of September, and spent the whole night in +rejoicing by her light. The Chinese and the Japanese practice the same +worship even in our days. + +The Egyptians adored the sun under the name of Osiris, and the moon +under the name of Iris. To them both they ascribed the government of the +world. They built, to honor Osiris, the City of the Sun, or Heliopolis, +and also a splendid temple in which they placed his statue. They +worshiped all the stars and planets which compose the Zodiac. The +animals consecrated in the Egyptian temples, and religiously revered, +represented the various functions of the supreme cause; and they +referred to the sky, to the sun, to the moon, and to the constellations. + +The Phoenicians worshiped the moon and the stars. They adored the sun +under the name of Hercules. The Ethiopians adored the sun and the moon; +and Diodorus informs us, that those of their tribes who inhabited the +country above Meroe adored the sun, the moon, and the universe. They +called themselves the sons of the sun: Persina was the priestess of the +moon, and the king, her husband, was the priest of the sun. All the +Africans who were settled along the coast of Angola, and of Congo, +worshiped the sun and the moon; so the inhabitants of the island of +Teneriffe did. The oldest worship of the Arabs was Sabism, the religion +universally spread in the Orient: the heaven and the stars were objects +of veneration. The moon was more especially adored. The Saracens called +her Cabar, which means great: even now-a-days her crescent adorns the +religious monuments of the Turks. Among the Arabs each tribe was under +the invocation or patronage of a star. + +The Sabism was also the religion of the ancient Chaldeans. Even now +there is at Helle, on the ruins of Babylon, a mosque named Meshed +Eschams, or Mosque of the Sun. In this city was the temple of Belus, or +of the sun, the great deity of the Babylonians. To this same god the +Persians reared temples and consecrated images, under the name of +Mithra. They also honored the heaven under the name of Jupiter, the moon +and Venus, the fire, the earth, the air or wind, and water. The fire +ether that circulates in the whole universe, and of which the sun is the +main force, was represented in the Pyrees by the sacred fire kept +incessantly burning by the wizards, or priests. At Tymbree, in Troades, +the sun was adored under the name of Apollo. The island of Rhodes was +consecrated to the sun, to whom the colossal statue, known under the +name of the Colossus of Rhodes, was erected. The Massagetes, the +Abasges, the Derbises, the Tartars, the Moscanians, the Tchouvaches, the +Toungouses, the Huns, all the Scytic nations, the Iberians, the +Albanians, the Colchidians, the Phrygians, and the Laodiceans, worshiped +the earth, the sun, the moon, and the stars, under various emblems. + +Plato informs us that the ancient Greeks had no other gods than the sun, +the moon, the earth, the stars, water, and fire. Orpheus considered the +sun as the greatest of the gods, and adored him upon mounts at his +rise. Epicharmis, disciple of Pythagoras, called gods the sun, the moon, +the stars, the earth, water and fire. Agamemnon, in Homer, sacrificed to +the sun and to the earth. The choir, in the Oedipus of Sophocles, +invokes the sun as being the first among the gods, and their chief. The +earth was worshiped in the island of Cos. Also the earth had a temple at +Athens and at Sparta; and an altar and oracle at Olympia. + +When we read Pausanias, who has described Greece and her religious +monuments, we find everywhere traces of the worship of nature. We see +temples, altars, and statues, consecrated to the sun, to the moon, to +the earth, to the Pleiades, to the celestial auriga, to the goat, to the +bear, or Calisto, to the night, to rivers, etc. The inhabitants of +Megalopolis sacrificed to the wind Boreas, and had planted a grove in +his honor. The Macedonians adored Estia, or fire, and prayed to Bedy, or +water. Alexander, king of Macedonia, sacrificed to the sun, to the moon, +and to the earth. The oracle of Dodone, in all its answers, ordered +sacrifices to the Achelous river. Homer gave the epithet of sacred to +the waters of the Alpheus. Nestor and the Pylians sacrificed a bull to +the same river. Achilles let his hair grow in honor of Sphercius; he +also invoked the wind Boreas and the Zephyrus. + +Rivers were reputed as being sacred and divine, because of their utility +to vegetation, to animals, and to commerce; and because nations +considered water as one of the first principles of nature, and one of +the most efficacious agents of the universal life of the Great-Being in +which they believed. In Thessalia a sacred crow was fed in honor of the +sun. This bird is seen yet on the monuments of Mithra, in Persia. The +temples of old Byzantium were consecrated to the sun, to the moon, and +to Venus. Their idols represented them; also the star Arcture, and the +twelve signs of the Zodiac. Rome and Italy had also a vast number of +monuments of worship addressed to nature, and to its principal agents. +Tatius, coming to Rome to share the sceptre of Romulus, erected altars +and temples to the sun, to the moon, to Saturn, to light, and to fire. +The undying fire, or Vesta, was the most ancient object of worship of +the Romans; virgins had the care to perpetuate it in the temple of this +Goddess, as the wizards did in their Pyrees. "It was," Jornandes said, +"an image of the eternal lights which shine in the heavens." + +In Rome there was a famous temple called Tellus, or of the earth, in +which the senate often met. The earth was called mother, because it was +considered as a deity as well as the manes. There was in the Latium a +fountain of the sun, and, near it, two altars upon which Æneas, when +landing in Italy, sacrificed. Romulus established the games of the +circus to honor both the sun, who in his course measures the year, and +the four elements which he modifies by his mighty influence. Aurelian +built at Rome the temple of the sun, and decked it with gold and +precious stones. Augustus, before Aurelian, had ordered the images of +the sun and of the moon to be brought from Egypt, in order to adorn his +triumph over Anthony and Cleopatra. The moon had a temple on the mount +Aventine. + +In Sicily oxen were consecrated to the sun; and the island itself was +called the Island of the Sun. The oxen which the companions of Ulysse +ate when they landed, were consecrated to this god. The citizens of +Assora adored the Chrysas river, that bathed their walls. At Enguyum the +people revered the mother-goddesses, the same deities honored in Crete; +namely, the major and minor Ursas. In Spain the people of Betic had +built a temple to the morning star. The Accitans had erected to the god +Sun, under the name of Mars, a statue whose head imitated the rays of +the sun. At Cadix the sun was also adored, under the name of Hercules. +All the nations of northern Europe, called Celtes, worshiped fire, +water, the air, the sun, the moon, the stars, the trees, and the +springs. The conqueror of Gaul, Cæsar, writes that the Germans +immemorially adored the visible cause, and its principal agents, the +sun, the moon, fire or Vulcain, and the earth, under the name of Herta. +Near Narbonne, a city of Gaul, a temple was dedicated to the wind +Circius which purified the atmosphere. At Toulouse there was a temple +of the sun. The Franks professed the same religion. + +In America the Incas of Peru called themselves the sons of the sun: they +dedicated temples and altars to this god, and had instituted feasts in +his honor. The moon was associated to his worship, and was considered as +the mother of all the sublunar productions; and as the spouse and sister +of the sun. In Peru, the star Venus was adored, and also the meteors, +the thunder, and Iris, or rainbow. Virgins had the care of keeping alive +the perpetual fire. In Mexico the same religion existed. The inhabitants +of the Isthmus of Panama, of Brazil, of Florida; the Indians of the +coast of Cumana, the Floridians, Virginians, and the Canadians believed +that there was a god in the heavens, and that this god was the sun, the +spouse of the moon. They worshiped them as the two supreme causes which +ruled the world. + +The above historical facts lead us to the conclusion that the adoration +of the vast body of nature, together with the great soul which was +supposed to animate it; and of its principal parts or members, together +with the multifarious emanations of the great soul, which was supposed +to animate them, was the former and universal religion of mankind, +before the coming of Jesus Christ. Therefore the heathens did not +worship the idols themselves, to which they had given such and such +forms to represent the objects of their adorations; but they worshiped +what in their mind they represented, the universe taken collectively, +as in the idol of Pan; and the universe taken separately; namely, the +important parts of the universe, as in their innumerable idols of the +planets, stars, rivers, etc. + +As we wish to leave no doubt in the minds of the reader in regard to the +certainty of these two great facts, which are a key to the origin of the +dogma of endless misery, and of others which we are to trace out, we +will bring forth other proofs from the religious and political monuments +of ancient peoples; from their celebrations, and from the opinions of +their philosophers. + +The famous labyrinth of Egypt was dedicated to the sun. It formed twelve +palaces, representing the twelve signs of the Zodiac. There were in +Heliopolis, or City of the Sun, twelve columns adorned with symbols +relating to the elements, and to the twelve signs. These gigantic piles +had a pyramidal shape to better represent the rays of the sun, and the +form of his rising blaze. The statue of Apollo Agyeus was pyramidal. In +Egypt, artists were not entrusted with determining the form of the +images and statues of the gods. It was one of the prerogatives of the +Hierophants, or priests, who were more familiar with astronomy. This +fact explains why the number seven, which represented the number of +planets, and the number twelve, which represented the number of the +signs, were sacred numbers, and were reproduced under all kinds of +forms. So the twelve altars of Janus; the twelve works of Hercules or +sun; the twelve shields of Mars; the twelve brothers Arvaux; the twelve +gods Consentes; the twelve rays of light; the twelve governors in the +Manichean system; the twelve adeetyas of the Indians; the twelve azes of +the Scandinaves; the twelve wards of the city planned by Plato; the four +tribes of Athens subdivided into three _frateries_ according to Cecrops' +division; the twelve cushions on which the creator sits, in the theogony +of the Japanese; the twelve cantons of the Etruse league, and their +twelve Lucumons, or chiefs of cantons; the confederation of the twelve +cities of Ionia, and that of the twelve cities of Eolia; the twelve +Tcheou into which Chun divided China; the twelve countries into which +the Coreans divided the world; the twelve officers chosen to draw the +coffin at the funeral of the King of Tunquin; the twelve horses; the +twelve elephants, etc., used in that ceremony. + +It was the same with the number seven representing the planets. So the +seven divisions of the city of Ecbatane; the seven gates of the cavern +of Mithra, or sun; the seven floors of the tower of Babylon, with +another representing the heaven, and also the temple of Jupiter; the +seven gates of the city of Thebes, called each one by the name of a +planet; the seven piped flute placed in the hands of the god Pan who +represented the universe; the seven stringed lyre of Apollo, or sun; +the book of fate composed of seven memorandums; the seven prophetic +rings of the Brachmanes, on which the name of a planet was engraved; the +seven stones dedicated to planets in Laconia; the immemorial division +into seven tribes adopted by the Egyptians and the Indians; the seven +idols pompously carried every year by the Bonzes into seven different +temples; the seven mystical vowels which formed the sacred formula in +the temples of the planets; the seven Pyrees or altars of the monument +of Mithra; the seven Amshaspands, or great geniuses, invoked by the +Persians; the seven Archangels of the Chaldeans; the seven sounding +towers of old Byzantium; the week in all nations, or the period of seven +days consecrated each one to a planet, as can be illustrated. For +instance, in French, Monday is called Lundi, which is derived from the +latin Luna, meaning moon. Tuesday is called Mardi, meaning Mars. +Wednesday is called Mercredi, meaning Mercury. Thursday is called Jeudi, +meaning Jupiter. Friday is called Vendredi, meaning Venus. Saturday is +called Samedi, meaning Saturn. It could also be illustrated by other +languages derived from the Latin. + +The number three hundred and sixty, which is that of the days of the +year, not comprising, however, the epagomenes or complementary days, was +also retraced by the three hundred and sixty days comprised in the +theology of Orpheus; by the three hundred and sixty cups of the water of +the Nile, of which one was poured every day, by the Egyptian priests, +in a sacred cask, in the city of Achante; by the three hundred and sixty +Eons, or geniuses of the Gnostics; by the three hundred and sixty idols +placed in the palace of the Daïri in Japan; by the three hundred and +sixty saints, or geniuses, who, the Papists believe, preside to each day +of the year, (as seen in their almanacs,) dogma borrowed from the +heathens; by the three hundred and sixty minor statues which surrounded +that of Hebal, or the god sun, Belus, adored by the ancient Arabs; by +the three hundred and sixty chapels built around the mosque of Balk, +erected by the care of the chief of the family of the Barmecides; by the +three hundred and sixty temples built on the mountain Louham, in China; +by the wall of three hundred and sixty stadiums with which Semiramis +encompassed the city of Belus, or of the sun, the famous Babylon. In +fine, the division of the Zodiac into twenty-seven parts, which express +the stations of the moon, and into thirty-six which is that of the +_decans_, was also the object of the political and religious +distributions. + +Not only the divisions of the heaven, but the constellations themselves +were represented in the temples, and their images consecrated among the +religious monuments, and on the medals of the cities. The bright star +Capella, in the constellation Auriga, had a statue of brass gilt in the +city of the Phliassians. To the constellation Auriga statues and other +monuments had been erected in Greece under the names of Myrtile, of +Hippolyte, of Spheroeus, of Cillas, of Erectee, etc. There were seen, +also, the statues and tombs of the Atlantides. Near Argos was seen a +mound, which was said to cover the head of the famous Medusa, whose type +is in the heaven, under the feet of Perseus. The moon, or Diana of +Ephesus, was adorned with the figure of the Cancer, which is one of the +twelve signs, and the mansion of this planet. The Ursa, adored under the +name of Calisto, and the Bootes, under that of Arcas, had their tombs on +Arcadia, near the altars of the sun. To the same Bootes a statue was +erected at Byzantium, and also to Orion, the famous Nembrod of the +Assyrians. + +The Syrians had consecrated in their temples the images of Pisces, +(fishes,) one of the signs. The constellations Nesra, or Eagle, Aiyuk, +or Goat, Yagutho, or Pleiades, and Suwaha, or Alhouwoa, and the +Serpentarius were objects of idolatry among the ancient Sabians. These +names are found even now in Hyde's commentary on Ulug-Beigh. Lucian +writes that the whole religious system of the Egyptians was taken from +the heaven. The most of the cities were founded and built under the +inspection and protection of one of the signs of the Zodiac. Their +horoscope was drawn; hence the images of stars on their medals. The +medals of Antioch represent the Ram, (Aries) with the crescent of the +moon; those of the Mamertines the image of the Bull, (Taurus); those of +the kings of Comargene, the image of the Scorpion; and those of Zeugma +and of Anazarba, the image of the Goat, (Capricornus). Nearly all the +signs are found on the medals of the Antonines. The star Hesperus was on +the national seal of the Locrians, of the Ozoles, and of the Opuntians. + +Likewise we shall remark that the ancient feasts, or celebrations, were +connected with the principal epochs of nature, and with the heavenly +system. Everywhere the solsticial and equinoxial celebrations are found; +even in our days the Catholics celebrate the beginning of each season of +the year by fasting and abstaining from meat. Fohi, one of the most +ancient emperors of China, ordered sacrifices to be offered to the gods +at the commencement of each season. Four pavilions were erected to the +moons of the four seasons. The ancient Chinese, Confucius says, +established a sacrifice in honor of Chang-Ty, at the winter solstice, +and one in the spring. The emperor alone has the privilege to preside at +these two ceremonies, as being the son of heaven. The Greeks and the +Romans did the same for like reasons. + +The Persians have their Neurouz, or feast of the sun, when this king of +the day passes under the Ram, or under the sign of the equinox of the +spring. It is even now one of the greatest festivities in Persia. At the +winter's solstice the ancient Egyptians led the sacred cow seven times +around the temple; and at the equinox of the spring they solemnly +celebrated the coming of the sun to once more vivify nature. The +celebration of the triumph of fire and light took place in the city of +the sun, in Assyria, and was called the celebration of wood-piles. The +Catholic Church has borrowed this celebration from the heathen, and has +fixed it on the Saturday before Easter. + +The feasts celebrated by the Sabians to honor the planets, were fixed +under the sign of their exaltation; sometimes under that of their +mansion; so the feast of Saturn was celebrated by the Romans in +December, under the Capricornus (Goat), mansion of this planet. All the +celebrations of the old calendar of the Pontiffs were connected with the +rise or setting of some constellation or star, as can be ascertained by +reading the _Fastes_ of Ovide. The religious genius of the Romans, and +the relations of their celebrations with nature, are more especially +seen in the games of the circus. The sun, the moon, the planets, the +elements, the universe and its principal parts, were represented with +emblems analagous to their nature. In the Hippodrome the sun was seen +with steeds which imitated its course in the heavens. + +The fields of Olympia were represented by a vast arena consecrated to +the sun. In the middle there was a temple of this god, crowned with his +image. The limits of the course of the sun, the Orient and the Occident, +were traced, and marked by limits placed at the extremities of the +circus. The races took place from the east to the west seven times, +because of the seven planets. The sun, the moon, Jupiter and Venus, had +each one a chariot. The Aurigæ or drivers, wore garments representing +the colors of the elements. The chariot of the sun was drawn by four +steeds, and that of the moon by two. The Zodiac was represented in the +circus by twelve gates; and also the revolution of the major and minor +Ursas. The sea, or Neptune, the earth, or Ceres, and the other elements, +were personified in actors who contended for the prize. + +The phases of the moon were also celebrated, and particularly the +neomeny or new-moon; for temples images and mysteries had been dedicated +to the god Month, or Mensis. All the ceremonial of the procession of +Isis, described in Apuleo, refers to nature and its parts. The sacred +hymns of the ancients had the same object, if we may judge of them by +those of Orpheus. Chun, one of the most ancient emperors of China, +ordered many hymns to be composed to honor the sun, the moon, the stars, +etc. All the prayers contained in the books Zends had the same objects. +The poetical chants of ancient authors, who have transmitted to us the +theogonies of Orpheus, of Linus, of Hesiod, etc., relate to nature and +its agents. Hesiod thus addresses the Muses: "Sing the gods immortal, +sons of the earth and of the starry sky; gods born from the bosom of +night, and nursed by the Ocean; the bright stars, the immense vault of +the firmament, and the gods sprung from them; the sea, the rivers, etc." + +The songs of Iopas, in the banquet offered by Dido to the Trojans, +contain the lessons of the learned Atlas about the course of the sun and +of the moon; about the origin of men, of animals, etc. In the Pastorals +of Virgil, the old Silene sings the chaos and the organization of the +world. Orpheus does the same in the Argonautics of Apollonius. The +cosmogony of Sanchoniaton, or of the Phoenicians, conceals under the +veil of allegories the great secrets of nature which were taught to +those initiated. The philosophers who succeeded to the poets called all +the parts of the universe divine. In the opinion of Pythagoras the +celestial bodies were immortal and divine. The sun, the moon, and all +the stars superabundantly contained heat, or principle of life. He +placed the substance of the deity in the ethereal fire, of which the +sun, he said, was the main focus. + +Parmenides imagined a halo around the world, and called it the substance +of the deity; the stars partook of the nature thereof. Alimeon of +Crotona taught that the sun, the moon, and the stars were the gods. +Antisthenes acknowledged but one deity, nature. Plato attributed +divinity to the world, to the sky, to the stars, and to the earth. +Xenocrates and Heraclides admitted eight great gods, the seven planets +and the heaven of the fixed stars. Theophrastes called the stars and the +celestial signs first causes. Zenon said that the ether, the stars, time +and its parts were gods. Cleanthes admitted the dogma of the divinity of +the universe, and more especially of the ethereal fire that envelops +the spheres, and penetrates them. Diogene, the Babylonian, related the +whole mythology to nature. Chrysippus held that the world was God. He +placed the divine substance in the ethereal fire, in the sun, in the +moon, in the stars, in one word, in nature and its principal parts. +Anaximandre, Anaximenes and Zenon had the same belief. + +From this exposition of the religious and political monuments of ancient +peoples, of their celebrations, and of the opinions of their +philosophers; and also of the historical facts brought forth before, we +draw these two logical and vital conclusions:-- + +1st. Therefore the adoration of the vast body of nature, together with +the great soul which was supposed to animate it; and of its principal +parts and members, together with the multifarious emanations of the +great soul which was supposed to animate them, was the former and +universal religion of mankind (excepting the Hebrews) before the coming +of Jesus Christ. + +2d. Therefore the heathens did not worship the idols themselves, to +which they had given such and such forms to represent the objects of +their adorations, but they worshiped what in their mind they +represented, the universe taken collectively, as in the idol of Pan; and +the universe taken separately, namely, the important parts of the +universe, as in their innumerable idols of the planets, stars, rivers, +etc. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +PAGAN ORIGIN OF MYSTERIES. + + +WHETHER the word mystery is derived from the Greek _muo_, I close, or +from _mueo_, I teach, is not an important question, for the word mystery +has always implied the double idea of secrecy and of instruction. Kings, +emperors, and even the most liberal of the legislators, seem to have +believed, from the very cradle of nations, that people ought to be +governed with fables, because they are too weak minded, and too ignorant +to understand and bear the truth. Of all the errors which have +enshrouded the human race, none has been more injurious to progress, +virtue, and happiness among men. Even in our days, of all the existing +governments, there is but one, if any at all, which does not place its +strength upon the erroneous basis that the people, being not able to +understand and bear the truth, are more easily ruled by being kept in +their ignorance and superstition. This great error gave birth to +mysteries. + +When men constituted themselves into national bodies, they chose men, +and vested them with the power of administering their interests. Those +men forfeited their mandate, and became the tyrants of their +constituents. In order to secure and perpetuate their sway, they +associated to their personal interests hierophants, priests of all +kinds, astronomers, philosophers, and poets, who composed fables, +intended to have a moral bearing upon the people, and to make their +masses believe them as being the truth. Those fables they called +mysteries. + +Egypt had her initiations, known under the name of mysteries of Osiris +and Isis; from which those of Bacchus and Ceres were mostly copied. When +we compare the courses and adventures of the Ceres of the Greek, with +those of the Egyptian Isis, we can not but see the filiation of these +two fables. The poems whose Bacchus is the hero, and the history of the +Osiris, the ceremonies practiced to honor these two deities, and the +identity of both acknowledged by the ancients, evidently prove that the +mysteries of the latter have given birth to the former. Cybele and Atys +had their initiations, and the Cabires also. + +The Chinese had and still have mysteries on Foë, and Pousa; the Japanese +upon Xaca and Amida; the Siamois on Sommonacodom; the Indians on Brama +and Rudra; the Parsis upon Ormuzd and Ahriman. The Selles studied the +mysterious words of the doves of Dodone; Persia, Ethiopia, Scythia, +Gaul, and Scandinavia, had their caverns, their holy mounts, their +sacred oaks, where the brahmanes, the astrologers, the gymnosophists +and the druids, pronounced the inexplicable oracle of the immortals. The +Mahomedans have mysteries on the miracles of Mahomet. + +We hope to interest and instruct the reader in translating the following +extract from the Voyage of Anacharsis, a reliable work. Anacharsis is +supposed to have traveled in Greece, in the fourth century before the +Christian era. He thus relates the mysteries of Eleusis: + +"I shall speak of the most important point of the religion of the +Athenians, of those mysteries whose origin is lost in the night of ages; +whose ceremonies inspire no less terror than veneration; and whose +secret has never been revealed, except by a few persons who were +immediately devoted to death, and to public execration; for the law not +only pronounces against them the confiscation of their property and the +loss of their life, but it orders that a column be erected, to +perpetuate the rememberance of their crime and of their punishment. + +"Of all the mysteries established in honor of the gods, none were more +celebrated than those of Ceres. This goddess herself, it is said, +regulated them, while she was wandering on the earth for the purpose of +finding Proserpine, ravished by Pluto, she arrived in the plain of +Eleusis. Pleased with the welcome extended to her by the inhabitants, +she presented them with two signaled blessings, agriculture, and +initiation to a sacred doctrine. It is added, that the minor mysteries +which are preparatory to the major, were instituted to the honor of +Hercules. + +"People believe, that, wherever the Athenians established the mysteries +of Eleusis, the spirit of union and humanity became more general; +because they free the soul from ignorance and stains; procure the +particular assistance of the gods; the means of arriving at the +perfection of virtue; the sweets of a holy life; the hope of a peaceable +death, and of an endless bliss. Those initiated will occupy a +distinguished place in the Elysian fields; they will enjoy a pure light, +and they will dwell in the bosom of the Deity; whereas, those who are +profane will dwell hereafter in abodes of darkness and of horror. + +"In order to avoid such an alternative the Greeks flocked from +everywhere to Eleusis to find the promised bliss. Though young, the +Athenians are admitted to the ceremonies of the initiation; and those +who never participated to them ask this favor before they die; the +menaces and the pictures of the sufferings of another life, before +considered as a subject of derision, cause a more vivid impression on +the mind; and then terror generates weakness. However, there are +enlightened men who do not believe that there is any need for them to be +initiated in order to be virtuous. Socrates constantly declined joining +the mysteries; and, one day, Diogenes being solicited, in my presence, +to ask for initiation, answered: 'Patæcion, a famous thief, was +initiated; Epaminondas and Agesilas never asked for it. Can I believe +that the former will go to the Elysian fields and the latter to the +Tartarus.' + +"All the Greeks can aspire to participate to the mysteries: an ancient +law excludes the foreigners. The major mysteries are celebrated every +year on the fifteenth of the month of Boedromion. The celebration of the +minor mysteries is also annual, and takes place six months before. +During the celebration of the major mysteries the tribunals are closed. +The day following, the senate pronounces the penalty of death against +those who have willfully disturbed the ceremonies. This severity is +required to maintain order among the immense multitude of people. In +time of war the Athenians send to their foes safe conducts to induce +them to assist at the celebration. + +"On the fourteenth of Boedromion, in the second year of the one hundred +and ninth Olympiad, I left Athens with several of my friends. The gate +through which the Athenians pass to go to Eleusis is called sacred. The +space between these two cities is of about one hundred stadiums. After +crossing a high hill decked with rosy laurels, we entered the territory +of Eleusis; and we arrived on the banks of two small brooks consecrated, +the one to Ceres, and the other to Proserpine. I mention them because +the priests of the temple are the only ones who are permitted to fish in +them; and because their waters are salted, and are used in the +ceremonies of initiation. Farther, on the bridge of a river named +Cephize, we had to bear the mockeries of a numerous populace, who stand +there to criticize the comers, and more especially the most +distinguished men of the Republic. It is an old tradition that Ceres had +been welcomed on this very spot by an old woman, called Yambe. + +"At a short distance from the sea there is a high and long hill, at the +eastern end of which the famous temple of Ceres and Proserpine has been +reared. Further down is the small city of Eleusis. In the vicinity, and +on the hill itself, there are chapels and altars, and rich +country-seats. The temple, built under the care of Pericles, on the bare +rock, is of pantelic marble; and is turned towards the Orient. It is so +vast as magnificent; its enclosure at the south is of about three +hundred and eighty-four feet, and at the east of three hundred and +twenty-five. The most celebrated artists have adorned this temple with +master-pieces of art. + +"Among the numerous priests who officiate in the temple, there are four +principal. The first is the Hierophant; his name designates the one who +reveals the sacred things, and his main office is to initiate the +postulants to the mysteries. He appears with a distinguished tunic; his +forehead is decked with a diadem, and his hair is floating on his +shoulders. His age must be mature enough to correspond with the gravity +of his ministry, and his voice fine enough to be pleasing to the ears. +His priesthood is for life; and he is obliged to keep celibacy. The +second priest carries the sacred flambeau in the ceremonies, and +purifies the candidates; he has also the privilege of wearing a diadem. +The two others are the sacred herald, and the assistant at the altar. + +"The holiness of their ministry is rendered even more respectable by +their noble birth. The Hierophant is chosen in the family of the +Eumolpides, one of the most ancient of Athens; the sacred herald in that +of the Ceryces, which is a collateral branch of the other; the two other +priests belong also to illustrious families. These four priests have +under their command other ministers, such as the interpreters, the +singers, and other officers, who have the direction of the processions +and other ceremonies. Also there are at Eleusis priestesses consecrated +to Ceres and to Proserpine. They have the privilege of initiating +certain persons on particular days, and to offer sacrifices. + +"The celebrations are presided by the second of the Archontes, whose +duty is to keep order, and to prevent any change or alteration in the +worship. They last several days. Sometimes those initiated interrupt +their sleep to continue their pious exercises: we saw them during the +night crossing the enclosure, walking in silence two by two, and holding +each one a lighted torch. When they reentered the sacred asylum they +hastened their march; and I learned that they were going to figure the +courses of Ceres and of Proserpine; and that, in their rapid evolutions, +they shook their torches, and handed them to each other. The light which +springs out, it is said, has the virtue of purifying the souls, and +becomes the symbol of the light which ought to instruct them. + +"One day games were celebrated in the honor of the two goddesses. Famous +champions had come from various parts of Greece, and the prize was a +measure of barley, raised in the neighboring plain, whose inhabitants +hold from Ceres the art of cultivating this sort of wheat. On the sixth +day, the most brilliant of all, the priests of the temple, and those +initiated, carried from Athens to Eleusis, the statue of Iacchus, said +to be the son of Ceres or of Proserpine. The god, crowned with myrtle, +held a flambeau. About thirty thousand people followed, making the air +resound with the name of Iacchus. The march, led by the sound of +instruments and the singing of hymns, was sometimes suspended to perform +dances and sacrifices. The statue was introduced in the temple of +Eleusis, and then taken back in his own, with the same splendors, and +the same ceremonies. + +"Many of those who composed the procession had been initiated only to +the minor mysteries, annually celebrated in a small temple, situated +near the Illissus. There a priest examines and prepares the candidates; +he excludes them if they are guilty of enormous crimes, and particularly +if they have committed murder, even without purpose. He imposes upon +the others frequent expiations, and teaches them the first rudiments of +the sacred doctrine. This noviciate sometimes lasts several years, but +generally one only. During the time of probation, the candidates assist +at the celebration of the major mysteries; but they remain at the door +of the temple. + +"The initiation to the great mysteries had been appointed for the night +following. One of the preparatory ceremonies was the offering of +sacrifices, for the prosperity of the state, presided by the second of +the Archontes. The novices were crowned with myrtle. Their robes seem to +contract such a holiness that many of them wear them until they are worn +out; others make of them swaddling-clothes for their children, or hang +them in the temple. We saw them enter in the sacred hall; and, on the +next morning, one of my friends, who had been newly initiated, related +to me many of the ceremonies which he had witnessed. + +"He told me, 'We found the ministers of the temple dressed in their +pontifical robes. The Hierophant, who, in that moment, represents the +author of the universe, had symbols which designated the power supreme. +The flambeau-bearer and the assistant to the altar appeared with the +attributes of the sun and of the moon; and the sacred herald with those +of Mercury. We had just taken our seats when the herald exclaimed: 'Away +from here ye profane and impious men, and all those whose souls are +contaminated with crimes!' The penalty of death was decreed against +those who had the temerity of remaining in the temple without being +entitled to it, after this admonition. The second of the priests ordered +that the skins of the victims be spread beneath our feet; and he +purified us anew. The rituals of initiation were loudly read, and hymns +in the honor of Ceres were sung. + +"Soon after a roar was heard. The earth seemed to shake. Amid lightning +and thunder phantoms and spectres were seen roaming in darkness. They +filled the holy hall with soul-rending groans and howlings. Sufferings, +cares, diseases, poverty, and death, under hideous forms, struck our +gaze. The Hierophant explained these various emblems, and his vivid +pictures added to our terror. However, guided by a feeble light, we were +advancing towards the regions of the Tartarus, where the souls get +purified before they reach the abode of bliss. Amidst sorrowful voices +we heard the bitter regrets of those who had committed suicide. They are +punished, the Hierophant said, because they have deserted the posts +assigned to them by the gods. + +"He had scarcely pronounced these words, when brass gates were thrown +open before us with a frightful roar, and then we saw the horrors of the +Tartarus. It resounded with the rattle of chains, and the yells of its +unfortunate inmates. Learn from us, did they say, to respect the gods, +and to be just and grateful. We saw the furies, armed with whips, +unmercifully torturing the criminals. These frightening pictures, made +more so by the sonorous and imposing voice of the Hierophant, who seemed +to exercise the ministry of divine vengeance, filled our soul with +terror. In fine, we were introduced in delightful thickets; in enameled +meadows; fortunate abodes, image of the Elysean fields, where a pure +light shone, where charming voices were heard. We passed into the +sanctuary, where we saw the statue of the goddess resplendent with +brightness, and dressed in the richest attire. In this sanctuary our +trials ended; there our eyes saw, and our ears heard, what we are +forbidden to reveal. I will simply confess that in the delirium of a +holy joy we sung hymns of joy.' + +"Such was the recital of the newly-initiated. Another told me a +circumstance which the other omitted. One day, during the celebrations, +the Hierophant uncovered the mysterious baskets, which are carried in +the procession, and which are the object of the public veneration. They +contained the sacred symbols, whose sight is prohibited to those +uninitiated, and which are but cakes of various forms, grains of salt, +and other objects, which relate to the history of Ceres, and to the +dogmas taught in the mysteries. When those initiated have taken them +from a basket, and put them in another, they say that they have fasted +and drank the Ciceon. + +"I often met with men who were not initiated, and who freely expressed +their opinions about the secret doctrines taught in the mysteries. One +of the disciples of Plato said: 'It seems to be certain that the +Hierophant teaches the necessity of pains and rewards beyond the grave; +and that he represents to the postulants the various destinies of men +here below and hereafter. Also it seems to be certain that he teaches +them, that, among the great number of deities adored by the multitude, +the ones are pure spirits, who, ministers of the will of the god +supreme, regulate under his command the motion of the universe; and the +others have been simple mortals, whose tombs are kept yet in several +parts of Greece. Is it not natural to think, that, in order to give a +more accurate idea of the Deity, the institutors of mysteries endeavored +to maintain, and to thus perpetuate a dogma, whose vestiges are more or +less visible in the opinions, and ceremonies, of nearly all +nations--that of a God, who is the principal and end of all things? Such +is, in my opinion, the august secret revealed to those initiated.' + +"No doubt political ends encouraged the institution of this religious +association. Polytheism was generally spread, and was pleasing the +people, but on account of the multiplicity of the gods it was dangerous +to society. It was thought wiser not to destroy this belief, but to +counterbalance it by a purer religion. As the people are more restrained +by the laws than by abstract principles of morals, the legislators +contrived to harmonize the superstition of the people with purer +religious and moral principles, which they should simultaneously teach. +'Thus,' the disciple of Plato added, 'you understand why the gods are +represented on the theatre of Athens: the magistrates who do not believe +the false doctrines of Polytheism are very careful not to repress a +superstition and a license, which amuse the people, and whose repression +would indispose them. + +"'Also you understand how two religions, though opposed in their dogmas, +conjointly exist in peace and harmony in the same cities. The reason of +it is, that, though their dogmas are different, these religions use the +same language, and that the truth has for the error the same tolerance, +and courtesy, which the truth should obtain from the error. Externally +the mysteries present but the worship adopted by the people. The hymns +sung in public, and the most of the ceremonies retrace to the masses +many circumstances of the rape of Proserpine, of the courses of Ceres, +of her arrival and sojourn at Eleusis. The vicinity of this city is full +of monuments reared in the honor of the goddess, and the priests show, +as yet, the stone upon which, tradition relates, she rested when +exhausted with fatigue. Thus, on one hand, the ignorant people believe +appearances as if they were realities; and on another hand, those who +have been initiated, having a clear sight of the spirit of the +mysteries, think they are right on account of the purity of their +intentions.' + +"Whatever it may be of the supposition I have related, the initiation is +now but a vain ceremony. Those who have been initiated are not more +virtuous than the others; every day they violate their pledge of +abstaining from fowl, from fish, from pomegranates, from beans, and +several other kinds of fruits, and of vegetables. Several have +contracted this sacred engagement through unworthy means; for, not long +ago, we have seen the government permitting the sale of the privilege of +participating to the mysteries; and, for a long while, women of ill fame +have been admitted to initiation." + +As it would require volumes to describe the ceremonies of all these +Pagan mysteries, we shall only examine their general character; show +forth their end; group together their common features, and glance at the +means used by political and religious leaders, to give a full scope to +this powerful governmental engine. + +The mysteries of Eleusis, and in general of all mysteries, aimed at the +amelioration of mankind, at the reformation of morals, and at taking +hold of the souls of men with more power than through the means of the +laws. If the means used was not lawful, we must however confess that the +aim was laudable, not in the minds of kings, emperors, hierophants and +other priests, but in itself. Cicero, the illustrious Roman orator, +said, that the institution of mysteries was one of the most useful to +humanity; at least the mysteries of Eleusis, whose effects, he added, +have been to civilize nations; to soften the barbarous and ferocious +habits and morals of the first societies of men; and to make known the +most important principles of morals, which initiate man to a sort of +life that is worthy of his nature. + +The same was said of Orpheus, who introduced in Greece the mysteries of +Bacchus. Poets wrote of him, that he had tamed tigers and lions; and +that he attracted even trees and rocks with the melodious strains of his +lyre. Mysteries aimed at the establishment of the reign of justice and +of religion, in the system of the rulers, who, from policy, maintained +the one by the other. This double end is contained in this verse of +Virgil:--"Learn from me to respect justice and the gods;" this was the +great lesson given by the Hierophant when the postulants were initiated. + +Those initiated learned in those profound sanctuaries, under the dark +and deep veil of fables, their duties towards their fellow men; +pretended duties which they were taught to the gods, and, more +unfortunately yet, pretended duties towards their political and +religious leaders, or rather tyrants. + +Rulers used all imaginable means to give a supernatural character to +their laws, and to make the people believe that they had this character. +The imposing picture of the universe, and the poetry of mythological +conceptions, gave to the legislators the subject of the varied and +wonderful scenes which were represented in the temples of Egypt, of +Asia, and of Greece. All that can produce illusion, all the resources of +witchcraft and of theatrical exhibitions, which were but the secret +knowledge of the effects of nature, and the art of imitating them; the +brilliant pomp of festivities; the variety and riches of decorations and +costumes; the majesty of the ceremonial; the captivating power of music; +the choirs; the chants; the dances; the electrifying sounds of cymbals, +calculated to produce enthusiasm and delirium, and more favorable to +religious exaltation than the calm of reason, all was brought to action +to attract the people to the celebration of the mysteries; and to create +in their souls a want, a desire for them. + +Under the charms of pleasure, of rejoicings and of celebrations, +legislators and other rulers oftentimes concealed a salutary aim; and +they treated the people like a child, which can never be more +efficaciously instructed, than when he thinks that his preceptor intends +only to amuse him. They resorted to great institutions to shape society; +to form habits; and to direct public opinion and morals. + +How magnificent was the procession of those initiated advancing to the +temple of Eleusis! The banners, the sacred chants, the music, the +costumes, and the dances, had a rapturous effect on the masses. They +thronged an immense temple; we say immense, for if we judge the number +of those initiated by the number of those who assembled in the plains +of Thriase, when Xerxes went to Attic, they were more than thirty +thousand. The costly and glowing ornaments which decked the vast hall, +the symbolic statues, which were master-pieces of sculpture, and the +mysterious pictures which were symmetrically arranged in the rotunda of +the sanctuary, filled the soul with amazement, and with a religious +respect. + +All that was seen in the temple, the decorations, costumes, ceremonies, +splendor; and all that was heard, the sacred chants, the melody of +instruments, the mythological teaching, the elevating poetry and the +eloquence of orators, struck the spectators with wonder, produced and +left in their souls the most profound impressions. Not only the universe +was presented to their gaze under the emblem of an egg divided into +twelve parts, representing the months of the year, but also the division +of the universe into cause active and cause passive, and its division +into the Principle of light, or good god, and the Principle of darkness, +or bad god. + +Varron informs us that the great gods adored at Samothrace were the +heaven and the earth, considered, the first as the cause active, and the +second as the cause passive of generation. In other mysteries the same +idea was retraced by the exposition of the Phallus and of the Cteis. It +is the Lingham of the Indians. + +The same was done in regard to the division of the world into two +Principles, the one of light, or good god, and the other of darkness, +or bad god. Plutarch writes, that this religious dogma had been +consecrated in the initiations, and in the mysteries of all nations; and +the example which he puts forth, extracted from both the theology of the +Chaldeans, and from the dogma of the symbolic egg produced by these two +Principles, is a proof of it. In the temple of Eleusis there were scenes +of darkness and of light, which were successively presented to the eyes +of the candidates to initiation: those scenes retraced the combats of +the Principle of light, or good god, and of the Principle of darkness, +or bad god. + +In the cavern of the god Sun, or Mithra, the priests had represented, +among the mysterious pictures of the initiation, the descent of the +souls to the earth, and their return to the heavens through the seven +planetary spheres. Also were exhibited the phantoms of invisible powers, +which chained them to bodies, or freed them from their bonds. Several +millions of men witnessed those various spectacles, of which they were +most severely forbidden to speak before the public. However the poets, +the orators, and the historians give us in their writings some idea of +what were those scenes, formulas, ceremonies, fables, and morals,--as, +for instance, in what they have written about the adventures of Ceres, +and of her daughter. There was seen the chariot of this goddess drawn by +dragons; it seemed to hover above the earth and the seas. It was a true +theatrical exhibition. The variety of the scenes was pleasing, and the +play of machines was attractive. Grave were the actors, majestic the +ceremonial, and passion-stirring the fables and representations. + +The hierophants, or priests, profoundly versed in the knowledge of the +genius of the people, and in the art of leading them, availed of the +minutest circumstances to create in them the desire to be initiated to +their mysteries. Night seems to be the mother of secrecy and the emblem +of mystery; it is favorable to prestige and illusion; in consequence +they celebrated their mysteries in the night. The fifth day of the +celebration of the mysteries of Eleusis was renowned by the superb +torchlight procession, in which those initiated, holding each one a +bright torch, walked two by two wearing enigmatic emblems. + +It was during the night, that the Egyptians solemnly and processionally +went to the shore of a lake; they embarked, and landed in an island +beautifully situated in the middle of the lake; and there they +celebrated the mysteries of the passion of Osiris. At other times those +celebrations took place in vast and dark grottos, or in retired and +shady thickets. Even now, in France, are seen caverns where the Druids +celebrated their mysteries; and forests where the Gauls assembled at +midnight; hung the heads of their vanquished enemies; immolated a young +virgin on the altar of Teutates; and celebrated their mysteries under +the leadership of the Druids. + +The ceremonial of the mysteries was ordained, particularly among the +civilized and populous nations, in such a manner that it could not fail +to excite the curiosity of the people, who naturally eagerly desire and +seek to know what is held in secrecy. Legislators and hierophants +rendered this curiosity more intense by the extremely stringent law of +secrecy imposed upon those initiated. Thus the profane, namely, those +uninitiated, were the more desirous to be acquainted with the mysteries, +and thus they joined them in large numbers. Legislators gave to this +spirit of secrecy the most specious pretext. It was proper, they said, +to imitate the gods who concealed themselves from man's gaze, for the +purpose of creating in his soul the desire to find them; and who have +made the phenomena of nature a profound secret to them, in order to +stimulate them to the study of the universe. Those initiated were not +permitted to speak of the mysteries except among themselves. The penalty +of death had been decreed against the one who would have revealed them, +even without purpose; and also against any one who would have entered +the sacred temple before having been previously initiated. + +Aristoteles was accused of impiety by the hierophant Eurymedon, for +having sacrificed to the manes of his wife, according to the rite +practiced in the worship of Ceres. He had to flee, and to retire at +Chalcis to save his life; and in order to clear his name from this stain +he ordered his heirs to erect a statue to Ceres. Eschyles, having been +charged with having written about mysterious subjects, saved his life +only by proving that he had never been initiated. The entry of the +temple of Ceres, and the participation to her mysteries, were prohibited +to the slaves, and to those whose birth was not legal; to women of ill +fame, to the philosophers who denied a Providence, such as the +Epicureans, etc. This interdiction was considered as a great +deprivation, for it was generally believed among the people that +initiation was the greatest blessing. + +In fact, those initiated were taught that they belonged to a class of +privileged beings, and were the favorites of the gods. The priests of +Samothrace credited their initiation by promising favorable winds, a +speedy and safe navigation to travelers who were candidates to their +mysteries. Those initiated to the mysteries of Orpheus believed that +they were no longer under the rule of the evil principle; that +initiation made them holy, and secured to them future happiness. After +the ceremonies of the initiation the candidate thus answered to the +priest: "I have rejected the evil and found the good." After that he +considered himself, and was considered by his fellows, wholly purified. + +Those who were initiated to the mysteries of Eleusis believed that the +sun shone brighter and purer to their eyes than to the sight of other +men; also that the goddesses inspired and gave them counsels from the +heaven, as seen by the example of Pericles. Initiation was considered as +freeing the soul from the darkness of error; as preventing misfortunes; +and as securing happiness on earth. + +One of the greatest blessings and privileges of the initiation, the +hierophant and other priests taught, was to secure here below a direct +communion with the gods, and more especially beyond the grave. According +to Cicero, Isocrates, and the rhetor Aristides, when he who had been +initiated departed from this earthly life he inhabited meadows enameled +with flowers of a celestial beauty, and lighted with a sun brighter and +purer than the one we see. In that charming abode he was to live +centuries, and long preserve his youth. When arrived at an old age, he +was to become young again. There was no labor, no sorrow, but all was +rapture and delight. + +In the Greek and Roman mysteries the unity and also the trinity of God +were consecrated dogmas. Jupiter was adored as the father of the gods +and of men, and as filling the whole universe with his power. He was the +supreme monarch of nature: the names of gods ascribed to the other +deities were more of an association in the title than in the nature of +their power, for each one of them had a particular work to perform under +the command of the supreme God. In the mysteries of the religion of the +Greeks, a hymn expressing the unity of God or Jupiter was sung; and the +High Priest, turning towards the worshipers, said: "Admire the master +of the universe; he is one; he is everywhere." It was acknowledged by +Eusebius, St. Augustine, Lactance, Justin, Athenagoras, and many other +Fathers of the Church, that the dogma of the unity of God was admitted +by ancient philosophers, and was the basis of the religion of Orpheus, +and of all the mysteries of the Greeks. + +The Platonicians believed in the unity of the archetype, or model on +which God formed the world; also they believed in the unity of +demiourgos, or god-forming, by a consequence of the same philosophical +principles, namely, from the unity itself of the universe, as can be +seen in Proclus, and in the writings of the Platonician authors. + +Trinity also, (see chapter fifth) was taught in the mysteries. +Pythagoras, and many other philosophers, explained the unity and trinity +of God by the theory of numbers. They called the monade cause, or +principle. They expressed by the number one, or unit, the first cause, +and they concluded to the unity of God from mathematical abstractions. +Next to this unity they placed triades, which expressed faculties or +powers emanated from them, and also intelligences of a second order. The +triple incarnation of the god Wichnou into the body of a virgin was one +of the doctrines taught in the mysteries of Mithra. + +So much for the mysteries of Paganism; however, we shall, in the course +of this work, refer to them several times. Let us now examine the +origin of the mysteries, which, the Partialists say, Jesus Christ has +taught. Mysteries suppose secrecy; but Jesus Christ preached his Gospel +in the open air to his apostles, to his disciples, to crowds of people, +and to all who were willing to hear his doctrines. He urged upon his +disciples to preach above the roofs what he taught them. When, after his +death, his apostles spread his gospel, they spoke in open air, +everywhere, to masses of people; Paul to the Areopagus, to thousands in +Jerusalem, etc. How then can it be supposed that Jesus Christ taught +mysteries? Indeed, he did not, but afterwards several Christian churches +did. + +The Protestant historian, Mosheim, cites in his History of the Church, +several authors, who state, that, in the second century, several +Christian churches imitated the mysteries of Paganism. The profound +respect, they say, that the people entertained for those mysteries, and +the extraordinary sacredness ascribed to them were for the Christians a +motive sufficient to give a mysterious appearance to their religion, so +as to command as much respect to the public as the religion of the +Pagans. To this effect they called mysteries the institutions of the +Gospel, particularly the Eucharist. They used in this ceremony, and in +that of baptism, several words and rites consecrated in the mysteries of +the Pagans. This abuse commenced in Orient, chiefly in Egypt; Clement of +Alexandria, in the beginning of the third century, was one of those who +contributed the most to this innovation, which then spread in Occident +when Adrian had introduced the mysteries in that portion of the Empire. +Hence, a large portion of the service of the Church hardly differed from +that of Paganism. + +That the Church of Rome copied many of the ceremonies, rites, customs, +and fables of Pagan mysteries is certain, for they have been perpetuated +in that Church down to our days. From the Pagan mysteries the Roman +Church borrowed the following: + +In the initiation to the Pagan mysteries there were degrees; so in the +Roman Church there are the degrees of porter or door-keeper, of acolyte, +of reader and of exorcist; the latter degree confers the power of +expelling the devil. The ecclesiastical ornaments in the Church of Rome, +with the difference of the cross represented on them and of some +trimming, are like those used in the mysteries of the Pagans, at least +in Rome, and in Greece. The long floating gown, the girdle, the casula, +the stola, the dalmatica, the round and pyramidal cap, the capa, and +several other garments and ornaments, are alike to those used in the +temples, where the mysteries of the Pagans were celebrated. + +In those temples there was an altar richly decorated; so it is in the +Church of Rome. In those temples there were twelve flambeaux, +representing the twelve months of the year: so there are in Catholic +churches, upon the first degree above the altar, six chandeliers with +six tapers burning during the celebration of the mysteries or mass; six +others are on the second degree. The vestals kept a light constantly +burning in the Pagan temples: so a lamp is kept burning, day and night, +near the altar, in the Catholic churches. In the Pagan temples the disc +of the sun and his beams were represented: so they are in the Catholic +churches. Upon the altar, in the Pagan temples, there was an image of +the god Osiris or Bacchus, and the emblems of an aries or lamb: so upon +the altar, in Catholic churches, there is a tabernacle in which God is +said to dwell, and the door of the tabernacle represents a bleeding +lamb. + +The Pagans solemnly and processionally carried the image of Osiris, or +Bacchus, around the head of which there was a halo representing the rays +of the sun: so in the Romish church the priests processionally and with +great pomp, carry, both in the aisles of the churches and on the +streets, a wafer which they call God. It is encased in a silver or gold +ostenserium, whose circular centre, in which their pretended God is seen +between two crystals, is shaped like the disc of the sun; and the +outside, of which called halo or glory, is shaped like his rays. In the +Pagan temples there was a sanctuary exclusively reserved to the +high-pontiff, and to the priests: so it is in the Catholic churches. In +the Pagan temples the sanctuary was turned towards the Orient: so it is +in the Catholic churches. + +The Pagans did not permit their candidates to initiation to assist at +the celebration of the mysteries, which was always preceded by this +formula, solemnly and loudly spoken by an officer, "Away from here ye +profane and impious men, and all those whose soul is contaminated with +crimes!" So in Catholic churches, not now, but from the first centuries +down to the middle age, the deacon arose after the homily, turned toward +the assistant, and ordered the catechumens to leave the church, because +the celebration of the mysteries was to commence. Those mysteries are +the mass, during which the priest who officiates commands Jesus Christ +to descend from heaven into a wafer, which he, (priest,) holds in his +hands, and to change it into his own blood, flesh, soul, and divinity. +The Pagans initiated the candidates near the front door of their +temples: so in the Catholic churches, the baptismal fonts where the +catechumens are initiated, namely, baptized, are placed near the portal. +Here we shall remark, that, for many centuries, children are baptized, +(even now parents are obliged under the pain of mortal sin to have their +children taken to the church to be baptized) three days after they are +born. The Pagans initiated candidates chiefly on the eve of great +celebrations: so, in the Romish church, catechumens are baptized chiefly +on the eve of Easter, and of Pentecost. + +The Pagans believed that initiation made them holy; so the Romish church +holds that baptism remits the original and all other sins, and makes +holy. The Pagans revered in their temples the statue of Pan, in whose +hands was a seven-pipe flute; also, they revered other emblems of the +seven planets: so in the Romish Church holds the doctrine of the seven +gifts of the Holy Spirit, and of the doctrine of the seven sacraments. +In the month of February the Pagans celebrated the Lupercales, and the +feast of Proserpine: so the Church of Rome celebrates the Candlemas-day. +We cite the very words of Bergier, a Catholic priest, and an ultra +Papist, who writes thus in his Theological Dictionary; article +Candlemas: + +"Several authors ascribe the institution of Candlemas-day to the pope +Gelase, for the purpose of opposing it to the Lupercales of the Pagans, +who went processionally out in the fields making exorcisms. It is the +opinion of the venerable Bede. 'The Church,' he says, 'has happily +changed the lustrations of the Pagans, which took place in February +around the fields. She has substituted to them processions, in which the +people carry in their hands burning tapers.' Others ascribe this +institution to the pope Vigil, and say that it has been substituted to +the feast of Proserpine, which the Pagans celebrated in the first days +of February with torches.' + +The Pagans worshiped Juno as the wife of the god Jupiter: so the Church +of Rome worships the virgin Mary as the wife of God. The Pagans +celebrated the exaltation of the virgo or virgin, the sixth sign and +seventh constellation in the ecliptic; so the Romish Church has +established the feast of Assumption, namely, of the ascension of the +virgin Mary to heaven. The Pagans made solemn processions to honor the +goddess Ceres; so the Romish Church has instituted pompous processions +in the honor of the virgin Mary. + +REMARK.--All the above institutions and doctrines of the Romish Church, +and also those which we shall examine in the following chapters, date +from the first centuries. All the Catholic doctors, theologians, and +historians, confess it. + +From the numerous and undeniable historical facts summed up in this +chapter we legitimately draw the conclusions, 1st. That, in the first +centuries of the Christian era, the Church of Rome established +mysteries; 2d. That the Church of Rome borrowed her mysteries from the +mysteries of the Pagans; and, 3d. That a law of secrecy was binding the +catechumens after their initiation, though this law was not so stringent +as it was among the Pagans. + +When, in the sixteenth century, the Protestants shook the yoke of the +Pope, they rejected many of the mysteries of the Church of Rome; +however, they kept several of them, such as the mystery of Trinity, +namely, of three Gods composing but one God; the mystery of incarnation, +namely of God himself descending from the heavens, vesting our mortal +clay in the womb of a woman for the purpose of being persecuted and +slain on a cross by men, thus pay to himself the debt owed to him by +men who had disobeyed him, (though they did not live yet,) in the person +of Adam. These, we say, and other mysteries of the Romish Church, the +Protestants or Heterodox in the opinion of the Catholics, preserved and +transmitted them to their sons, or Partialists, who now call the Roman +Catholics heathens; call the liberal Christian Churches heterodox, and +call themselves most emphatically Evangelical Churches, Orthodox +Churches. + +The final and strictly logical conclusion of this chapter is this: + +_Therefore the mysteries of the Romish Church, and those of the +self-called Orthodox Protestant Churches, are of Pagan origin._ + +_Corollary._ Since mysteries are of Pagan origin, and since Jesus Christ +and his apostles did not establish mysteries, there ought not to be +mysteries in Christianity. Since Jesus Christ and his apostles preached +the Gospel in open air to all, everywhere, there cannot be any mysteries +in their teaching, and there cannot be any mysteries in their writings, +we mean in the New Testament. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +PAGAN ORIGIN OF THE DOCTRINE OF A PERSONAL DEVIL. + + +THE celebrated Plutarch, historian, philosopher, and priest of Apollo, +in the first century of the Christian era, thus writes: "We ought not to +believe that the Principles of the universe are not animated, as +Democrite and Epicure thought; nor that an inert matter be organized, +and ordained by a Providence that disposes of all, as the Stoicians +taught. It is impossible that one sole being, either good or bad, be the +author of all, for God can cause no evil. The harmony of the world is a +combination of contraries like the strings of a lyre, or like the string +of a bow capable of being bent and unbent. In no case, the poet +Euripedes says, good is separated from evil: there must be a mixture of +the one and of the other. This opinion is of immemorial antiquity, and +has been held by theologians, legislators, poets, and philosophers. Its +inventor is unknown, but it is verified by the traditions of mankind; it +is consecrated by mysteries and sacrifices among the Barbarians, as well +as among the Greeks. They all acknowledge the dogma of two opposite +Principles in nature, who, by their opposition, produce the mixture of +good and evil. + +"Therefore it may not be said, that a single dispenser draws events like +a liquor from two casks to mix them together; for this mixture is found +in all the phenomena of nature. We must admit two opposite causes, two +contrary powers, bearing the one to the right, and the other to the +left; and who thus govern our life and the whole sublunar world, which +for this reason is subject to all the irregularities and vicissitudes we +witness, for nothing is done without a cause. As the good cannot produce +evil, then there is a principle causing evil, as one causing good." + +We see by this passage of Plutarch, that the true origin of two +Principles proceeds from the difficulty which men, in all times, found +in explaining, by one sole cause, good and evil in nature, and in making +flow from one sole spring, virtue and crime, light and darkness. "This +dogma," Plutarch adds, "has been admitted by nearly all nations, and +more especially by those renowned by their wisdom. They believed in two +gods of different trade, if I may say so, who caused, the one good, and +the other evil. They called the first God by excellence, and the second +Demon." + +In fact the Persians, disciples of Zoroaster admitted, and even in our +days, the Parsis, their successors, admit two principles, the one called +Oromaze, and the other Ahriman. Plutarch says: "The Persians believed +that the first was of the nature of light, and the second of that of +darkness. Among the Egyptians the first was called Osiris, and the +second Typhon, eternal foe to the first." + +All the sacred books of the Persians, and of the Egyptians, contain the +marvellous and allegorical recital of the various combats given by +Ahriman and his angels to Oromaze, and by Typhon to Osiris. These fables +have been rehearsed by the Greeks in the war of the Titans against the +Giants, against Jupiter, or Principle of good and light; for Jupiter, +Plutarch remarks, was the Oromaze of the Persians, and the Osiris of the +Egyptians. + +To these examples quoted by Plutarch, and which he extracted from the +Theogony of the Persians, of the Egyptians, of the Greeks, and of the +Chaldeans, we shall add others, which are living yet, at least the most +of them. The inhabitants of the kingdom of Pegu admit two Principles; +the one author of good, and the other of evil. They particularly +endeavor to obtain the favor of the latter. The Indians of Java +acknowledge a chief supreme of the universe, and address offerings and +prayers to the evil genius lest he harm them. The Indians of the Moluc +and Philippine islands do the same. The natives of the island of Formose +worshiped a good god, Ishy, and demons, Chouy; they sacrifice to the +latter, but seldom to the former. + +The negroes of the Cote-d'or admit two Gods, the one good, and the +other bad; the one white, and the other black and evil. They do not +adore the former often, whereas they try to appease the latter with +prayers and sacrifices; the Portuguese have named him Demon. The +Hottentots call the good Principle the Captain of above, and the bad +principle the Captain of below. The ancients believed that the source of +evil was in the underneath matter of the earth. The Giants and Typhon +were sons of the Earth. The Hottentots say, that, whether the good +Principle is prayed to or not he does good; whereas it is necessary to +pray to the evil Principle, lest he might do harm. They call the bad god +Touquoa, and represent him small, crooked, irritable, a foe to them; and +they say that from him all evils flow to this world. + +The natives of Madagascar believe in two Principles. They ascribe to the +bad one the form and badness of a serpent, they call him Angat: they +name the good one Jadhar, which means great, omnipotent God. They rear +no temple to the latter because he is good. The Mingrelians more +particularly honor the one of their idols, which they think to be the +most cruel. The Indians of the island of Teneriffe believe in a supreme +God, whom they call Achguaya-Xerax, which means the greatest, the most +sublime, the preserver of all things. Also they admit an evil genius +named Guyotta. + +The Scandinaves have their god Locke, who wars against the gods, and +particularly against Thor. He is the slanderer of the gods, Edda says, +the great forger of deceit. His spirit is evil; he engendered three +monsters; the wolf Feuris, the serpent Midgard, and Hela, or death. He +causes the earthquakes. The Tsouvaches and the Morduans recognize a +supreme being, who gave men all the blessings they enjoy. They also +admit evil spirits whose occupation is to injure mankind. + +The Tartars of Katzchinzi adore a benevolent god, in kneeling towards +the Orient; but they fear another god, Toüs, to whom they pray to disarm +his wrath; and to whom, in the spring, they sacrifice a stallion. The +Ostiaks and the Vogouls name that evil god Koul; the Samoyedes name him +Sjoudibe; the Motores, Huala; the Kargasses, Sedkyr. The Thibetans admit +evil spirits which they place in the regions above. The religion of the +Bonzes supposes two Principles. The Siamoeses sacrifice to an evil +spirit, whom they consider as being the cause of all the misfortunes of +mankind. + +The Indians have their Ganga and their Gournatha, spirits whom they try +to appease with prayer, sacrifices, and processions. The inhabitants of +Tolgony, India, believe that two Principles govern the universe; the one +good, he is light; and the other bad, he is darkness. The ancient +Assyrians, as well as the Persians, admitted two Principles; and they +honored, Augustine says, two gods, the one good, and the other bad. The +Chaldeans also had their good and bad stars, animated by geniuses or +intelligences also good and bad. + +In America the dogma of two Principles, and of good and bad spirits, is +also found. The Peruvians revered Pacha-Camac as being a good god, and +Cupaï as being a bad god. The Caraïbs admitted two sorts of spirits; the +one benevolent, who dwell in the heaven; and the other evil, who hover +over us to lead us to temptation. The former, on the contrary, invite us +to do good, and each of us is guarded by one of them. Those of +Terra-Firma think that there is a god in the heaven, namely, the sun. +Besides they admit a bad Principle, who is the author of all evils; they +present him with flowers, fruits, corn, and perfumes. The Tapayas, +situated in America by about the same latitude as the Madegasses in +Africa, believe also in two Principles. + +The natives of Brazil believe in a bad genius: they call him Aguyan; and +they have conjurors who can, they say, divert his wrath. The Indians of +Florida and of Louisiana adored the sun, the moon, and the stars. They +also believed in an evil spirit named Toïa. The Canadians, and the +savage tribes of the Bay of Hudson, revered the sun, the moon, the +stars, and the thunder; but they more particularly prayed to the evil +spirits. The Esquimaux believe in a god supremely good, whom they call +Ukouma, and in another, Ouikan, who is the author of all evils; who +causes the tempests, and who capsizes the boats. The savages of the +strait of Davis believe in beneficent and malignant spirits. + +This distinction of two Principles, of a god, and of geniuses or +spirits, authors of good and light; and of a god and geniuses, authors +of evil and darkness, is immemorial. This opinion has been so +universally adopted for the only reason, that those who observed the +opposite phenomena of nature could not account for them, and could not +reconcile them with the existence of a single cause. As there are good +and bad men, they believed that there were good and bad gods, the ones +dispensers of good, and the others authors of evil. + +Such was the universal belief when Jesus Christ came to the world. The +Jews themselves, since the captivity of Babylon, generally believed in +those two Principles. They went so far as to immolate their own children +on the altars of evil deities, in order to appease them. Jesus preached +his Gospel, died, and left on earth his apostles with the trust of +continuing, among men, his saving mission. As in the writings of the +Evangelists the word demon, or devil, was used figuratively, meaning +lust, wrong desire, etc., some of the first Christians understood the +true sense of these figurative words, and others did not. In the third +century the Church of Rome, which had been tending to supremacy over +other churches, and which, from policy, to gain more adepts, was +compromising with Paganism, understood the word demon, or devil, +literally, and preserved the heathen doctrine, which, as she grew, +became widely spread, and afterwards an article of faith. + +The Fathers of the Church, of that age, believed that the demons, or +devils, were innumerable; that their chief, Lucifer, had entrusted a +demon to accompany each man through life, to tempt him to sin; that +Lucifer had as many bad angels, or demons, under his command, as God had +good angels; that all those demons were corporeal, and that those male +committed fornication and adultery with the daughters of men; and those +female with the sons of men; that they had generated the giants; and +that they had incited the oppressors of the Christians to persecute +them. Thus thought Justin, Tatian, Minutius-Felix, Athenagoras, +Tertullian, Julius-Firmicus, Origen, Synesius, Arnobe, St. Gregory of +Nazianze, Lactance, St. Jerome, St. Augustine, etc., as seen in their +works in either edition of the Benedictines, or of the canon Caillot, of +Migne, a priest, now editor in Paris. Even in our days the most of the +superstitious practices of the Pagans, in regard to evil spirits, are +preserved in the Papal Church,--conjurations, exorcisms, Agnus Dei, holy +water, etc., and others which they have added, such as the sign of the +cross, the expulsion of the devil from houses, barns, wells, wagons, +beasts, fields, etc. These ceremonies are oftentimes performed, as a +matter of course, for money. + +The same took place in the Church of Rome in reference to the heathen +dogma of good angels being under the command of the good spirit, or God; +this dogma was generally believed even by the Jews, at least since the +captivity of Babylon. We say _generally_, because the Sadduceans did not +believe it; and perhaps, also, the Samaritans and the Caraïtes, for we +have but two testimonies that prove they partook of the opinion of the +Samaritans on this point, namely, the testimony of Abusaïd, author of an +Arabic version of the Pentateuch, and that of Aaron, in his commentaries +of the same. The Papal Church holds still that the angels form three +hierarchies, or choirs. The first is that of the Seraphims, Cherubims, +and thrones; the second comprises the dominations, the virtues, and the +powers; and the third is composed of the principalities, of the +archangels, and of the angels. One of these angels, called guardian, is +obliged to stand by each one of us all the days of our life. Temples, +altars, prayers and sacrifices are offered to them. + +Tertullian, Origen, Clement of Alexandria, etc., thought that the bodies +of the good angels were formed of a very thin, subtle matter. Other +Fathers, Basile, Athanase, Cyrille, Gregory of Nysse, John-Chrysostomus, +etc., considered them as spiritual beings; however, they believed that +they may take a body when they please. The Church of Rome holds, as an +article of faith, that the good angels ought to be adored. + +As seen above, the Church of Rome has preserved, with a very slight +modification, if any, the heathen dogma of two Principles, the one good, +God; and the other bad, Lucifer, or the devil; also the nomenclature of +geniuses, or spirits, or angels, which are, the ones under the command +of God, and the others under the command of Lucifer. When, in the +sixteenth century, the Protestants parted with the Church of Rome, they +cut off many branches of this dogma; but they kept its body, namely, +instead of understanding the words demon, or devil, as meaning lust, +abuse of free agency, wrong desire, etc., they understood them of +personal beings, either material or immaterial, but existing, tempting +each man to sin; and relentlessly seeking the ruin of mankind. + +_Therefore the doctrine of a Personal Devil is of Pagan origin._ + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +PAGAN ORIGIN OF THE DOCTRINE OF ORIGINAL SIN. + + +THE Roman Catholic writers are unanimous in the opinion that it was the +belief of a large number of Pagans that man had fallen from a higher +state of existence. St. Augustine, more especially, lengthily and +emphatically insists upon the general belief of the Pagans in original +sin, when he writes against Pelage. However, we shall bring forth other +testimonies, which will not leave, in the mind of the reader, any doubt +that the Pagans generally believed in original sin. + +Cicero, in his work De Republica, book third, after painting the +grandeur of the human nature, and then contrasting its subjection to +miseries, to diseases, to sorrow, to fear, and to the most degrading +passions, was at a loss to define man. He called him _a soul in ruins_. +It was for the same reason that, in Plato, Socrates reminds to his +disciples that those who had established mysteries, and who, he said, +were not to be despised, taught that according to their ancestors, any +one who dies without having been purified is plunged into the mire of +the Tartarus; whereas, he who has been purified dwells with the gods. +Clement of Alexandria, in his Stromata, book third, writes, that, +according to the testimony of Philolaüs, the Pythagorician, all the +ancient theologians and poets said that the soul was buried in the body, +as in a grave, as a punishment for some sin. It was also the doctrine of +the Orphics, as can be seen in Plat., Cratyl., Opera, tome third. + +In the pages 48, 50, and 51, of the treatise of Plutarch, on the Delays +of Divine Justice, we read: "A State, for instance, is one same thing +continued, a whole, alike to an animal which is ever the same, and the +age thereof does not change the identity. The State then being one, as +long as the association maintains the unity, the merit and the demerit, +the reward and the punishment for all that is done in common are justly +ascribed to it, as they are to a single individual. But if a State is to +be considered in this point of view, it ought to be the same with a +family proceeding from the same stock, from which it holds I do not know +what sort of hidden strength; I do not know what sort of communication +of essence and qualities, which extend to all the individuals of the +race. Beings produced through the medium of generation are not similar +to the productions of arts. In regard to the latter, when the work is +completed it is immediately separated from the hand of the workman, and +it no longer belongs to him: true it is done by him, but not from him. +On the contrary, what is engendered proceeds from the substance itself +of the generating being; so that it holds from him something which is +justly rewarded or punished in his stead, for that something is +himself." + +According to the doctrine of the Persians, Meshia and Meshiane, or the +first man and first woman, were first pure, and submitted to Ormuzd, +their maker. Ahriman saw them and envied their happiness. He approached +them under the form of a serpent, presented fruits to them, and +persuaded them that he was the maker of man, of animals, of plants, and +of the beautiful universe in which they dwelled. They believed it; and +since that Ahriman was their master. Their nature became corrupt, and +this corruption infected their whole posterity. This we find in +Vendidat-Sade, pages 305, and 428. + +Thus sin does not originate from Ormuzd; but, Zoroaster says, from the +being hidden in crime. This testimony is found in the Exposition of the +Theological System of the Persians, extracted from the books Zends, +Pehlvis, and Parsis, by Anquetil du Perron. The following passage, +"There are stains brought by man when he comes to life," is found in the +69th tome of the Memoirs of the Academy of Inscriptions. + +We read in the Ezour-Vedam, book 1, chapter 4, tome 1, pages 201 and +202: "God never created vice. He cannot be its author; and God, who is +holiness and wisdom, can be the author but of virtue. He gave us his law +in which he prescribes what we ought to do. Sin is a transgression of +this law by which it is prohibited. If sin reigns on the earth, we +ourselves are its authors. Our perverse inclinations have induced us to +transgress the law of God; hence, the first sin which has induced us to +commit others." The same author in book 5, chapter 5, tome 2, +acknowledges that the first man was created in a state of innocence; and +that he was happy because he controlled his passions and desires. + +Maurice in his Indiæ Antiquitates, vol. 6, page 53, proves that the +Indians had a knowledge of the fall of the first man and of the first +woman; he proves also that the dogma of original sin was taught by the +Druids. Voltaire, on the seventeenth page of his work, Additions to +General History, confesses that the Bramas believed that man was fallen +and degenerated: "this idea," he adds, "is found among all the ancient +peoples." + +The Father Jesuit Bouchet, in a letter to the Bishop of Avranches, +writes: "The gods," our Indians say, "tried by all means to obtain +immortality. After many inquiries and trials, they conceived the idea +that they could find it in the tree of life, which was in the Chorcan. +In fact they succeeded; and in eating once in a while of the fruits of +that tree, they kept the precious treasure they so much valued. A famous +snake, named Cheiden, saw that the tree of life had been found by the +gods of the second order. As probably he had been entrusted with +guarding that tree, he became so angry because his vigilance had been +deceived, that he immediately poured out an enormous quantity of poison, +which spread over the whole earth." + +In the Ta-Hio, or Moral of Confucius, page 50, Confucius, after saying +that reason is a gift from heaven, adds, "Concupiscence has corrupted +it, and it is now mixed with many impurities. Therefore take off those +impurities so that it resume its first luster, and all its former +perfection." The philosopher Tchouangse taught, in conformity with the +doctrine of King or sacred books of the Chinese, "that in the former +state of heaven, man was inly united to the supreme reason; and that he +practiced all the works of justice. The heart relished the truth. There +was in man no alloy of falsity. Then the four seasons of the year were +regular. Nothing was injurious to man, and man was injurious to nothing. +Universal harmony reigned in all nature. But the columns of the +firmament having been broken, the earth was shaken in its very +foundations. Man having rebelled against the heavens the system of the +universe was deranged; evils and crimes flooded the earth." This +testimony is extracted from the Discourse of Ramsey on Mythology, pages +146, and 148. + +M. de Humboldt, in the tome 1, pages 237 and 274, and also in the tome +2, page 198 of his Views of the Cordilleras and of the monuments of +America, says, "That the mother of our flesh; the serpent Cihuacohuati, +and her are famous in the Mexican traditions. Those traditions +represent the mother of our flesh fallen from her first state of +innocence and happiness." Voltaire, in Questions on Encyclopedia, says; +"The fall of man degenerated is the basis of the theology of all the +ancient nations." + +There were nearly among all nations expiatory rites, to purify infants +when they were born. Usually this ceremony was done in the day when the +child was named. Macrob informs us, in his Saturn, book 1, that "that +day, among the Romans, was the ninth for the boys and the eighth for the +girls. That day was called lustricus, because of the lustral water used +to purify the new born child." In the Analysis of the Insc. of Rosette, +page 145, we read that the Egyptians, the Persians, and the Greeks had a +similar practice. In Yucatan the new born child was brought in the +temple, where the priest poured on his head the waters destined to this +use; and then he gave him a name. In the Canary islands the women +performed this priestly function. Caril, in his American Letters, tome +1, pages 146, and 147, speaks of these ceremonies. A law prescribed +these expiatory rites among the Mexicans. + +M. de Humboldt, Views of the Cordilleras, and of the Monuments of +America, tome 1, page 223, writes: "The midwife, in invoking the god +Ometeuctly, (the god of celestial paradise,) and the goddess Omecihuatl, +who live in the abode of the blessed, poured water on the forehead and +on the breast of the new-born child. After pronouncing several prayers, +in which water was considered as the symbol of the purification of the +soul, the midwife called near her the children who had been invited to +give a name to the new-born child. In some provinces a fire was kindled +at the same time, and they did as if really the child was passed through +the flame to purify him both with water and fire. This ceremony reminds +the practices whose origin, in Asia, seems to be immemorial." + +Likewise, the Thibetans have similar expiatory rites: this we find in +the thirty-first page of the preface of the Thibetan Alphabet. We +extract the following from the Works of the Society of Calcutta: "In +India, when a name is given to a child, his name is written on his +forehead, and he is plunged three times into the water of the river. +Then the Brama exclaims, 'O God, pure, one, invisible and perfect! to +thee we offer this offspring of a holy tribe, anointed with an +incorruptible oil, and purified with water.'" + +In the mysteries, the Hierophant taught the doctrine that our nature had +been corrupted by a first sin. The sixth book of the poem Eneida is +nothing but a brilliant exposition of this doctrine; and perhaps +antiquity offers nothing that proves more the power of tradition on the +human mind, than the passage in which the poet, following Eneas in the +abode of the dead, describes in magnificent verses the dismal spectacle +which first strikes his gaze. If there is any thing in the world that +wakes up in our mind the idea of innocence, assuredly it is a child who +has been unable neither to know nor to commit sin; and the supposition +that he is subject to punishment and to suffering, is a thought which +our soul abhors. However, Virgil, in the 6th book, verses 426, and 429, +places the children dead when yet nursing, at the entry of the sad +kingdoms, where he represents them in a state of pain, weeping and +moaning--vagitus ingens. Why those tears, those cries of sufferings? +Which faults do those children, to whom their mothers had not smiled, +expiate? (Virgil, Ecloga 4, verse 62.) What has inspired the poet with +this surprising fiction? On what does it rest? Whence does it originate, +if not from the ancient belief that man was born in sin? + +Therefore, the doctrine of original sin was generally believed by the +Pagans. + +We stated, at the commencement of this chapter, that the Roman Catholic +writers are unanimous in the opinion that it was the belief of a large +number of Pagans, that man had fallen from a higher state of existence. +However, a small number only of the same writers are of the opinion that +the Jews believed in the doctrine of original sin; and they find no +other proof of the assertion than the ceremony of circumcision, which, +as is familiar to all, was a mere legal and national observance, and had +not the virtue of remitting sin. In the first centuries of the +Christian era, baptism was considered as a mere ceremony for initiating +catechumens to the Christian profession. + +It was only towards the end of the third century, that the belief of the +transmission of Adam's sin to all his descendants was introduced in the +Church of Rome, which already considered herself the mistress of the +other churches. Soon afterwards the dogma that baptism had the virtue of +remitting original sin was established. As proof of these two facts, we +have the testimony of more than twenty-three Christian sects of the +first centuries, which did not admit the dogma of original sin; and did +not believe that baptism had the virtue of remitting sin. We quote a few +of those sects: the Simonians, the Nicolaïtes, the Valentinians, the +Basilidians, the Carpocratians, the Ophites, the Sethians, the +Pelagians, all the Gnostic sects, etc. + +Therefore, the Church of Rome borrowed the dogma of original sin from +the Pagans. To this many Roman Catholic writers say: true the Pagans +held this doctrine, but we did not borrow it from them; we found it in +the first chapters of Genesis. We rejoin that even the fathers of the +fourth century did not understand those chapters literally, and thereby +as teaching the dogma of original sin. St. Augustine, in his work, City +of God, avers that it was a general opinion among Christians, that the +first three chapters of Genesis are allegorical, and that he himself is +inclined to think so. He confesses that it is impossible to take them +literally without hurting piety, and ascribing to God unworthy actions. +Origen says: "Where is the man of good sense, who can ever believe that +there have been a first, a second, and a third days, and that those days +had each an evening and morning, though there were not yet neither sun, +nor moon, nor stars? Where is the man credulous enough to believe, that +God was working like a gardener, and that he planted a garden in Orient; +that the tree of life was a real tree, whose fruit would preserve life?" + +Origen compared the temptation of Adam to that of the birth of Love, +whose father was Porus, or Abundance, and whose mother was Poverty. He +adds that there are in the Old Testament facts, which, if understood +literally, are absurd, and which, if understood allegorically, contain +valuable truths. We refer the reader for the above to the following +works: See St. Augustine, De Civitate Dei, liber xi, cap. 6, et liber 2, +cap. xi, No. 24.--De Genesi ad Litteram, liber 4, No. 44.--De Catechis +Rudibus, cap. 13. The opinion of St. Athanase can be found in his Oratio +Contra Arium, No. 60.--That of Origen, in his work De Principiis, liber +iv, No. 16, contra Celsum, liber 6, No. 50, 51. That of St. Ambrosius, +in his Hexam, liber one, cap. 7, et Sequentia. That of Theodoret, in his +Quest. in Genes. interpr. cap. v. et Sequentia, and that of St. Gregory +in his Moral, in Job, liber 32, cap. 9. + +The Fathers and the Christian sects named above, did not take the first +three chapters of Genesis literally, because it would imply absurdity +and blasphemy. The idea of God, namely, of the supreme and eternal +cause, who clothes our clay for the pleasure of walking in a garden; the +idea of a woman conversing with a serpent; listening to its counsels and +heeding them; that of a man and a woman organized for reproduction, and +yet destined to be immortal on earth, and to procreate a mathematical +infinity of beings, immortal like themselves, who also will infinitely +multiply, and will all find their food in the fruits of the trees of a +garden where they will all dwell; a fruit culled that is to kill Adam +and Eve, and to be transmitted as a hereditary crime to all their +descendants, who did not participate to their disobedience, crime which +will be forgiven only in as much as men will commit another crime, +infinitely greater, a deicide--if such a crime might exist; the woman +who since that time is condemned to bring forth with pain, as if the +pains of childbirth were not natural to her organization, and were not +common to her, as well as to the other animals which have not tasted the +forbidden fruit; the serpent forced to crawl, as if a footless reptile +could move any other way: so many absurdities and follies, heaped in +those first three chapters, they could not believe and ascribe them to +God. + +Maimonide, one of the most learned Rabbins of the Jews, thus wrote in +the twelfth century: "We ought not to understand literally what is +written in the books of the creation; nor entertain about the creation +the opinions generally agreed. It is for this reason that our wise men +urged upon us to keep their true teaching secret, and not to lift up the +veil of allegory which conceals the truths they contain. If taken +literally the relation of the creation gives us the most absurd and +extravagant ideas of the Deity. Whoever will find out their true +teaching, ought to keep it to himself; this is the earnest +recommendation of our wise men, and more especially in regard to the +first six days. Those who know ought to speak about it but obscurely, as +I do myself, so as to let their hearers guess if they can." + +The above facts and proofs lead us to the conclusion that the Church of +Rome borrowed the dogma of original sin from the Pagans. + +As the Protestants, who call themselves Orthodox, borrowed it in the +sixteenth century from the Church of Rome, it follows that they also +hold it from the Pagans. + +_Therefore, the doctrine of Original Sin is of Pagan origin._ + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +PAGAN ORIGIN OF THE DOCTRINE OF TRINITY. + + +THE Roman Catholic writers themselves confess that the Pagans believed +in Trinity; also the most of the self-called Protestant Orthodox +historians and authors. The neutral authors are unanimous on this point. +The following facts and proofs we shall impartially extract from those +three classes of writers: + +The Egyptians believed in Trinity; the Greek inscription of the great +Obelisk of the major circus, at Rome, reads thus: Megas Theos, the great +god, Theogentos, the begotten of god; and Pamphegges, the all-bright, +(Apollo, the Spirit.) Heraclide, of Pont, and Porphyre relate a famous +oracle of Serapis: Prota Theos, metepeita logos, kai pneuma soun autois. +Sumphuta de tria panta, kai eis en eonta. [Translation:] All is God in +the beginning; then the word and the spirit; three Gods coengendered +together and united in one. + +The Chaldeans had a sort of Trinity in their Metris, Oromasis, and +Araminis, or Mithra, Oromase and Aramine. The Chinese had also, and +still have, a mysterious Trinity. The first god generates the second +one, and both generate the third one. The Chinese say that the great +term, or great unity, contains three, one is three, and three are one. +In India Trinity was immemorially known. The Father Jesuit Calmet +writes: "What I have seen mostly surprising is a text extracted from +Lamaastambam, one of the books of the Indians.... It begins thus: The +Lord, the good, the great God, in his mouth is the word. (The term which +they use personifies the word.) Then it speaks of the Holy Spirit in +these words: Ventus seu spiritus perfectus; [translation] breath or +perfect spirit,--and it ends by the creation, ascribing it to God +alone." + +The Jesuit Calmet says, writing about the Thibetans: "I learned the +following about their religion. They call God Konciosa, and they seem to +have some idea of the adorable Trinity; for they call God sometimes +Konsikosick, God-one, and at other times Kocioksum, God-three. They use +a kind of bead on which they pronounce these words: _om_, _ha_, _hum_. +When they are asked the explanation, they answer that _om_ signifies the +intelligence, or arm, namely power; that _ha_ is the word; that _hum_ is +the heart or love, and that these three words signify God." + +The Father Bouchet, a Roman Catholic missionary in India, wrote the +following to the bishop of Avranches: "I commence by the confused idea +which the Indians preserve about the adorable Trinity. My Lord, I have +spoken to you of the three principal deities of the Indians, Bruma, +Wishnou, and Routren. The greater portion of the people say, it is true, +that they are three different gods, and really separate. But several +Nianigneuls, or spiritual men, assure that these three gods, apparently +distinct, compose in reality but one god: that this god is called Bruma, +when he creates and exercises his all-power; that he is called Wishnou, +when he preserves the created beings, and does them good; and that, +finally, he takes the name of Routren, when he destroys the cities, +chastises the wicked, and makes men feel his just anger." + +English missionaries have found at Otaïti some traces of the Trinity +among the religious dogmas of the natives. + +Plato refers to this doctrine in several passages of his works. "Not +only," says Dacier in his translation, "it is believed that he knew +about the Word, eternal Son of God; but also that he knew about the Holy +Spirit, for he thus writes to the young Denis: + +"'I must declare to Archedemus what is much more precious and more +divine, and which you so eagerly desire to know; for you sent him to me +for this express purpose. According to what he told me, you think that I +have not sufficiently explained to you my opinion about the first +Principle, therefore I shall write it to you, enigmatically, however, in +order that, if my epistle is intercepted at sea or on land, he who will +read it will be unable to understand it. All things are around their +king; they exist through him, and he is the only cause of good things, +second for the second things, and third for the third things.' + +"In the Epinomis," continues Dacier, "Plato establishes as Principle, +the first good, the Word, or intelligence and the soul. The first good +is God;... the Word, or intelligence, is the son of this first good, who +begets him similar to himself; and the soul, which is the term between +the Father and the Son, is the Holy Spirit." + +Plato had borrowed this doctrine about Trinity from Timee of Locre, who +held it from the Italian philosophical school. Marsile Ficin, in one of +his remarks on Plato, shows from the testimonies of Jamblic, Porphyre, +Plato and Maxim of Tyr, that the Pythagoricians knew also the excellence +of the Ternary; Pythagoras himself indicated it in this symbol: Protima +to Schema, kai Bema, kai Triobolon. The Jesuit Kirker, dissenting about +the unity and trinity of the first Principle, traces vestiges of the +doctrine of Trinity up to Pythagoras, and to the Egyptians. + +St. Augustine himself, though the staunchest defender of the dogma of +Trinity, confessed that, among all the nations of the world, a Trinity, +nearly similar to the one he believed in, had been held. He added that +the Pythagoricians, the Platonicians, and that a great number of +Atlantes, Lybian, Egyptian, Persian, Chaldean, Scythian, Gallenses, and +Hibernian philosophers, held several dogmas about the unity of the God, +Light, and Good, in common with the Church of Rome. + +Macrobe gives us a summary of ancient or Platonician theology, which +contains a true Trinity, of which that of the Papists and of the +self-called Protestant Orthodox is but a copy. According to this +summary, the world has been formed by the universal soul: this soul is +the same as their spiritus, or spirit. They also call the Holy Spirit +Creator: "Veni Creator spiritus," etc., [translation,] Come Spirit +Creator, etc., (Catholic hymn.) Macrobe adds, that from this spirit or +soul the intelligence, which he calls _men's_ proceeds. Is this not the +Father, the Son, or wisdom, and the Spirit that creates and vivifies +all? Even is not the expression _to proceed_ common to the ancient and +to the Papist and Protestant Orthodox Churches in the filiation of the +first three beings? + +Macrobe goes farther. He recalls the three Principles to a primitive +unit, who is the sovereign God. After resting his theory on this Trinity +he adds: "You see how this unit, or original monade of the first cause, +is preserved entire and indivisible up to the soul, or spirit, which +animates the world." This testimony of Macrobe has so much more bearing, +that he wrote in the beginning of the fifth century; that he was the +first Chamberlain of the emperor Theodose, and was the most learned +antiquarian of that age. + +Another most important fact we shall record. It is beyond any doubt +that before the coming of Jesus Christ the Jews did not hold the dogma +of Trinity, nor do they now. Their Rabbins, and all the Roman Catholic +theologians, agree on this point. + +During the first three centuries of the Christian era the dogma of +Trinity was not generally believed. The Simonians, the Nicholaïtes, the +Valentinians, the Basilidians, the Carpocratians, the Ophites, the +Sethians, all the Gnostics, and many other Christian sects rejected it. +It was only in the fourth century, that Arius and the above sects were +condemned in the council of Nice, because they denied the divinity of +Jesus Christ. This council was assembled by the order of the emperor +Constantine I., who was urged to it by the Bishop of Rome, (or Pope,) +whose Church held the dogma of Trinity. As a matter of course the +bishops of the council had to decide according to the will of those two +leaders; for Constantine threatened them with deposition and exile: in +fact he banished Arius, and deposed seventeen bishops, who did not +subscribe to the decision of the council. + +The doctrine that Jesus Christ was not God himself was so generally +spread, and so deeply rooted in the minds, that several successors of +Constantine I. embraced Arianism; and it was only after centuries that +Arianism, which was spread nearly all over the East, was crushed by the +papal and the imperial power. + +Now let us draw our conclusions. Since the Jews had no knowledge of the +dogma of Trinity, the Church of Rome could not borrow it from them; +since the generality of the Christian sects during the first three +centuries did not believe in the divinity of Jesus Christ, the Church of +Rome did not find the dogma of Trinity in the Gospel; (besides, the +Catholic theologians never pretended that the Scriptures teach it--they +simply pretended, and still pretend, that it was a tradition.) Since the +dogma of Trinity was believed by many Pagan sects, then the Roman Church +borrowed it from them. + +In turns, the self-called Orthodox Protestant Churches borrowed this +doctrine from the Church of Rome, in the sixteenth century. + +_Therefore the doctrine of Trinity is of Pagan origin._ + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +PAGAN ORIGIN OF THE DOCTRINE OF THE SUPREME DIVINITY OF JESUS CHRIST. + + +IT will be demonstrated that the doctrine of the supreme divinity of +Jesus Christ is of Pagan origin, if it can be proved, 1st, That the +Church of Rome, from which the self-called Orthodox Protestant Churches +borrowed this doctrine, in the sixteenth century, did not hold it from +the apostles of Jesus Christ; and, 2d, That the Church of Rome uses, in +her adoration to Jesus Christ, rites and ceremonies of a striking +similarity with those used by the Pagans, in their adoration to the sun, +under the names of Bacchus, Hercules, Osiris, Mithra, Atys, etc. + +But it can be proved, 1st, That the Church of Rome, from which the +self-called Orthodox Protestant Churches, in the sixteenth century, +borrowed the doctrine of the supreme divinity of Jesus Christ, did not +hold it from the apostles of Jesus Christ; and, 2d, That the Church of +Rome uses, in her adoration to Jesus Christ, rites and ceremonies of a +striking similarity with those used by the Pagans in their adoration to +the sun, under the names of Bacchus, Hercules, Osiris, Mithra, Atys, +etc. + +1st. We prove that the Church of Rome, from which the self-called +Orthodox Protestant Churches, in the sixteenth century, borrowed the +doctrine of the supreme divinity of Jesus Christ, did not hold it from +the apostles of Jesus Christ. + +It will be evident that the Church of Rome, from which the self-called +Orthodox Protestant Churches, in the sixteenth century, borrowed the +doctrine of the supreme divinity of Jesus Christ, did not hold it from +the apostles of Jesus Christ, if, until nearly the end of the third +century, the various Christian denominations, or sects, did not believe +the doctrine of the supreme divinity of Jesus Christ. But, until nearly +the end of the third century, the various Christian denominations, or +sects, did not believe the doctrine of the supreme divinity of Jesus +Christ. + +This we prove:-- + +We request the readers to bear in mind, in reading this chapter, that +we have extracted all the proofs and statements brought forth therein, +from the works of the Roman Catholic priest Bergier, which we have +studied in our Catholic theological school; from the works of +the Rev. Father Jesuit Feller; from the History of the Church, +by Berrault-Ber-Castel, a Roman Catholic priest; and from the +Ecclesiastical History, by the Roman Catholic clergyman Fleury. Those +proofs and statements can be verified, in the first two writers, at the +articles of the sects, and of their authors, arranged in alphabetical +order; and in the other authors at the dates of the centuries and years. + +Bergier says: "The Cerinthians pretended that Jesus Christ was born from +Joseph and Mary like other men; but that he was endowed with a superior +wisdom and holiness; that when he was baptized, Christ, or the Son of +God, had descended on him under the form of a dove, and had revealed to +him God the Father, till then unknown, in order that he might make him +known to men." The Cerinthians sprung up, according to St. Epiphane, in +the middle of the first century, but according to St. Ireneus, at about +the year 88. + +Therefore the Cerinthians did not believe the doctrine of the supreme +divinity of Jesus Christ. + +Bergier says: "The Carpocratians supposed the pre-existence of the +souls; pretended that they had sinned in an anterior life; that as a +punishment of their crimes they had been condemned to be shut up in +bodies.... In their belief, the soul of Jesus Christ, before her +incarnation, had been more faithful to God than the others. It is for +this reason that God had endowed her with more knowledge than the souls +of other men; also with more strength both to defeat the geniuses +opposed to humanity, and to return to heaven against their will. God, +they said, grants the same favor to those who love Jesus Christ; and +who, like him, know the dignity of their souls. Thus the Carpocratians +considered Jesus Christ as being simply a man, though more perfect than +the others; they believed that he was the son of Joseph and Mary, and +confessed his miracles and sufferings. They are not accused of denying +the resurrection, but of denying the general resurrection; and of +holding that the soul only (not the body) of Jesus Christ, had ascended +to the heavens." The sect of the Carpocratians commenced towards the end +of the first century. + +Therefore the Carpocratians did not believe the doctrine of the supreme +divinity of Jesus Christ. + +Bergier writes thus about the Ebionites: "It is very probable that +(although some authors say that they date from the year 72 of the first +century) they commenced to be known only in the year 103, or even later, +under the reign of Adrian, after the total ruin of Jerusalem, in the +year 119; that the Ebionites and the Nazarenes are two different sects; +it is the opinion of Mosheim, Hist. Christ., soec. 1, par. 58, soec. 2, +par. 39.... The Ebionites considered Jesus Christ as being simply a man +born from Joseph and Mary." + +Consequently the Ebionites did not believe the doctrine of the supreme +divinity of Jesus Christ. + +The Christian sect of the Basilidians was founded in the beginning of +the second century by Basilide of Alexandria, Feller says; he had been +converted from the philosophy of Pythagoras and Plato to Christianism. +Bergier writes about the Basilidians: "They believed that God had sent +his Son, or intelligence, under the name of Jesus Christ, to liberate +those who would believe in him; that Jesus Christ had really performed +the miracles ascribed to him by the Christians; but that he had only a +fantastical body and the appearances of a man." + +Therefore the Basilidians did not believe the doctrine of the supreme +divinity of Jesus Christ. + +The sect of the Marcionites was established, in the middle of the second +century, by Marcio, the son of a bishop of Pontus. The Marcionites held +that God, principle of the spirits, had given to one of them, Jesus +Christ, the appearances of humanity; and had sent him to the earth to +abolish the law and the prophets; to teach to men that their souls come +from heaven, and that they cannot be restored to happiness except in +reuniting to God. + +Therefore the Marcionites did not believe the doctrine of the supreme +divinity of Jesus Christ. + +Valentin founded the sect of Valentinians in 140. He was an Egyptian, +and had been converted from philosophy to Christianism. Bergier, after +lengthily exposing the doctrines of his sect, says, "Consequently the +Valentinians neither admitted the eternal generation of the Word, nor +his incarnation, nor the divinity of Jesus Christ, nor the redemption of +mankind, in the proper sense. In their opinion, the redemption of +mankind by Jesus Christ did not extend farther than this--Jesus Christ +had come to the world to liberate men from the tyranny of the Eons, and +had given them examples and lessons of virtue, and had taught them the +true means of obtaining eternal happiness." + +Therefore the Valentinians did not believe the doctrine of the supreme +divinity of Jesus Christ. + +The Ptolemaïtes did not believe the doctrine of Jesus Christ, and held +that he was but the Son of God. + +St. Epiphane in his work Hære. 36, and Bergier, inform us that the +Heracleonites, whose chief was Heracleon, and who were widely spread, +particularly in Sicily, believed that the Word divine did not create the +world, but that it had been created by one of the Eons, or spirits. In +their opinion, there were two worlds, the one corporeal and visible, and +the other spiritual and invisible, and they only ascribed the formation +of the latter to Jesus Christ, who was one of the greatest Eons, or +spirits. The Heracleonites were organized as a sect in the year 140. + +The Colarbasians did not believe the doctrine of the supreme divinity of +Jesus Christ. + +Sanderus and Bergier say, that the Barules professed to believe that the +Son of God had but a fantastical body; that there was no original sin; +that all our souls had been created before the world, and all had sinned +in that former state of existence; and that Jesus Christ was not God. + +The Bardesanists, thus named from their founder, Bardesanes, a Syrian, +who lived in the second century, became a large sect. Beausobre in his +History of Manicheanism, tome 2, book 4, chap. 9, writes, that they +believed in two Principles, originators of all things, the one good and +the other bad. They denied that the eternal Word, or Son of God, had +taken a human flesh; they said that he had taken only a celestial and +aerial body. They denied the future resurrection of the body. Bergier, +Feller, etc., say the same. + +Then the Bardesanists did not believe the doctrine of the supreme +divinity of Jesus Christ. + +The Marcosians rejected the doctrine of the supreme divinity of Jesus +Christ, and held only that he was one of the principal Eons, or spirits. +The Marcosians were founded by Marc in the second century. + +The Theodotians, Bergier says, believed that Jesus Christ was not God +but a man; that he was above the other men only by his miraculous birth, +and by his extraordinary virtues. Theodote, a native of Bysance, founded +them in the second century. + +The Artemonians also denied the doctrine of the supreme divinity of +Jesus Christ. + +The Docetes held that Jesus Christ was only the Son of God, and that he +had but apparently suffered humiliations, torments, and death. + +The Tatianists did not believe the doctrine of the supreme divinity of +Jesus Christ. Tatian gave them his name when he organized them as a +Christian denomination, in the second century. Bergier pretends that +some passages of the writings of this learned author can be understood +of the supreme divinity of Jesus Christ, but Fauste Socin, and others, +in the Bibliotheca Fratrum Polonorum, in ten volumes, in folio, proves +the contrary; and at the same time they prove that Clement of Alexandria +and other Fathers of the second century disbelieved the doctrine of the +supreme divinity of Jesus Christ. Bergier confesses, however, that it is +doubtful that Tatian had been Orthodox about the generation of the Word. + +The Apellites denied the doctrine of the supreme divinity of Jesus +Christ. In their belief there was but one God, who sent to the world his +Son, who took a body not in the womb of the virgin Mary, but from the +four elements. Their sect widely spread in the East during the second +century. + +Bergier says, writing about the doctrines of the Ophites, a Christian +sect of the second century: "In their belief, matter was eternal; the +world was created against the will of God, and was governed by a +multitude of spirits who govern the world. Christ united to the man +Jesus to destroy the empire of the Demiourge, or creator of the world." + +Therefore the Ophites did not believe the doctrine of the supreme +divinity of Jesus Christ. + +One of the doctrines of the Cainites was, that Jesus Christ was a spirit +sent by God to save the world. + +The Hermogenians, or followers of Hermogene, a Stoician philosopher, +converted to Christianism at the end of the second century, believed +that matter was eternal; that there was but one God, who had sent a +spirit, Jesus Christ, to correct the evil that was among men. + +"The Hermians, or disciples of Hermias," Bergier says, "taught that +matter is eternal; that God is the soul of the world; that Jesus Christ, +ascending to the heavens left his body in the Sun, from whom he had +taken it; that the soul of man is composed of fire and of subtle air; +that the birth of children is the resurrection, and that the world is +hell." Bergier adds, in another article, that they believed that there +was but one God, who had sent to the world a spirit, Jesus Christ. + +Therefore the Hermians did not believe the doctrine of the supreme +divinity of Jesus Christ. + +Bergier, writing about the Sethians, says: "They said that the soul of +Seth had passed to the body of Jesus Christ, and that Seth and Jesus +Christ were the same person." + +St. Augustine informs us that the Severians did not believe the doctrine +of the resurrection of the flesh, and rejected the Old Testament. They +did not believe that Jesus Christ was God himself. + +The Encratites never held that Jesus Christ was God. Bergier says, "They +did not believe that the Son of God was truly born from the virgin +Mary." + +The Valesians rejected the doctrine that Jesus Christ was God himself. + +Bergier writes: "The Hieracites, heretics of the third century, were +established by Hierax, or Hieracas, a physician by profession, born at +Leontium, or Leontople, in Egypt. St. Epiphane, who relates and refutes +the errors of this Sectarian, confesses that the austerity of his morals +was exemplary; that he was familiar with the Greek and Egyptian +sciences; that he had thoroughly studied the Scriptures, and that he was +gifted with a persuasive eloquence. He denied the resurrection of the +body, and admitted but a spiritual resurrection of the souls. He +confessed that Jesus Christ had been generated by the Father; that the +Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father as well as the Son; but he had +dreamed that the Holy Ghost had taken a human body under the form of +Melchisedek. He denied that Jesus Christ had a true human body." + +Therefore the Hieracites denied the supreme divinity of Jesus Christ. + +Bergier thus writes about the Samosatians: "They were disciples and +followers of Paul of Samosate, bishop of Antioch, at or about the year +262. This heretic taught that there is in God one sole person, namely, +the Father; that the Son and the Holy Spirit are only two attributes of +God, under which he manifested himself to men: that Jesus Christ is not +God, but a man to whom God has communicated his wisdom in an +extraordinary manner." + +Therefore the Samosatians did not believe the doctrine of the supreme +divinity of Jesus Christ. + +The Manicheans denied the divinity of Jesus Christ, and believed that +Jesus Christ had not a real body while on earth. His soul, they said, +was of a nature similar to the nature of the souls of other men, though +more perfect. He was the Son of God. + +Therefore the Manicheans denied the doctrine of the supreme divinity of +Jesus Christ. + +All the above sects composed nearly the whole Christian body, during the +first three centuries; and, as shown to the reader, every one either +ignored or denied the doctrine of the supreme divinity of Jesus Christ. + +Then it remains evident that the Church of Rome, from which the +self-called Orthodox Protestant Churches, in the sixteenth century, +borrowed the doctrine of the supreme divinity of Jesus Christ, did not +hold it from the apostles of Jesus Christ. + +_Confirmatur._--As a confirmation of this last and very important +consequence, we are to prove, + +1st. That in the Church of Rome, herself, the doctrine of the supreme +divinity of Jesus Christ was established only at about the year 180. + +_Remark._--By the Church of Rome, we mean only the church whose bishop +(who after centuries assumed the title of Pope,) was at Rome, and which, +then, did not extend farther than the province of Rome, and a few other +occidental places. + +2d. That in the council of Nice, held in 325, despite the efforts of +the Bishop of Rome; and despite the tyranny of the emperor Constantine +I., who invoked the council at his own expense, attended, surrounded, +and enforced it with military force, it was with the greatest difficulty +that the Church of Rome obtained, from the bishops who composed it, a +decision in favor of the doctrine she held, that Jesus Christ was God +himself. + +3d. That it was only long after the council of Nice that its decision, +in favor of the doctrine of the supreme divinity of Jesus Christ, +prevailed among the churches which depended on the Emperor of +Constantinople, and on the Bishop of Rome. + +4th. We will also present a succinct view of the large number of +Christians, who, without the pale of the communion of Rome, preserved +the former belief that Jesus Christ was not God. + +1st. We prove that in the Church of Rome herself, the doctrine of the +supreme divinity of Jesus Christ was established only at about the year +180. + +Bergier himself makes the following confession: "An ancient author, who +is believed to be Caïus, bishop of Rome, who had written against +Artemon, and of whom Eusebe has related the words, Ecclesiastical +History, book 5, chap. 22, seems to confound together the Theodotians +and the Artemonians.... They maintain, he says, that their doctrine is +not new; that it has been taught by the apostles, and that it has been +followed in the church until the pontificates of Victor and of Zephyrine +his successor, but that since that time the truth has been altered." + +Bergier adds, "The Theodotians believed that Jesus Christ was a man, and +not God, that Jesus Christ was above the other men only by his +miraculous birth, and by his extraordinary virtues." Also, Bergier says, +that, although Theodote was a native of Bysance, he resided in Rome, +where he preached the same doctrine as Theodote, at least in regard to +Jesus Christ being a man and not God. + +Therefore in the Church of Rome herself, the doctrine of the supreme +divinity of Jesus Christ was established only at about the year 180. + +2d. We prove that in the council of Nice, held in 325, despite the +efforts of the Bishop of Rome; and despite the tyranny of the emperor +Constantine I., who convoked the council at his own expense, attended, +surrounded, and enforced it with military force, it was with the +greatest difficulty that the Church of Rome obtained, from the bishops +who composed it, a decision in favor of the doctrine she held, that +Jesus Christ was God. + +Arius, a priest of Alexandria, surprised at hearing Alexander, his +bishop, teaching in an assembly of priests, that Jesus Christ was God, +protested against this new doctrine. An animated controversy between him +and Alexander, and then between the friends of the Church of Rome, +which held this doctrine, and other churches which did not, ensued. The +council of Nice assembled, and there seventeen bishops boldly faced the +legate of Sylvestre, the emperor Constantine and his military force; and +they sided with Arius. Eusebe, bishop of Cesarea, the most learned of +the bishops who composed the council, sided with Arius. He is the same +Eusebe who wrote the Evangelical Preparation and Demonstration, in two +volumes in folio; who wrote an Ecclesiastical History, the Life of +Constantine, a Chronic and a Commentary on the Psalms and on Isaiah. +Constantine forced them either to yield and to acquiesce to the doctrine +of the supreme divinity of Jesus Christ, or to be expelled from their +episcopal sees; and Arius, exiled, had to retire in Palestine. + +Consequently, in the council of Nice, held in 325, despite the efforts +of the Bishop of Rome; and despite the tyranny of the emperor +Constantine I., who convoked the council at his own expense, attended, +surrounded, and enforced it with military force, it was with the +greatest difficulty that the Church of Rome obtained, from the bishops +who composed it, a decision in favor of the doctrine she held, that +Jesus Christ was God himself. + +3d. We prove that it was only long after the council of Nice, that its +decision in favor of the doctrine of the supreme divinity of Jesus +Christ, prevailed among the churches which depended on the Emperor of +Constantinople, and on the Bishop of Rome. + +Bergier, despite his partiality in favor of the Church of Rome, is +obliged to make the following avowal: + +"The anathema pronounced against Arianism did not destroy it; _the +larger portion of those_ (bishops) _who had signed the decision of the +council, only for fear of being exiled, remained attached to the party +of Arius_. Constantine himself, influenced by an Arian priest, +recommended to him by his sister Constantia, at her death bed, and who +had gained his confidence, consented to the repeal of Arius from his +exile, in 328. This heretic reunited to his partisans, and commenced +spreading his errors with even more earnestness than before. But St. +Athanase, who had succeeded to Alexander in the episcopal see of +Alexandria, constantly refused to commune with him, and by this firmness +displeased Constantine I. + +"Since that time the Arians became a redoubtable party. They held +several councils where they obtained the majority.... Arius died in a +tragic manner, in the year 337. After the death of Constantine I., in +337, the party of the Arians was alternatively the stronger, in ratio of +the less or greater protection extended to them or to the Orthodox by +the Emperors. Under Constance, who favored them, they filled the Orient +with seditions and troubles; but Constantine Junior and Constant, who +reigned in Occident, prevented Arianism from spreading. In 351, +Constance, who had become the master of the whole empire by the death of +his two brothers, protected Arianism more openly than before. Several +councils were held in Italy, in which the Arians had the majority; and +others, in which the Catholics had the superiority.... Julian, who was +emperor in 362, sided neither with one party nor with the other. Valens, +emperor of the Orient, in 364, favored and embraced Arianism; whereas +Valentinian, his brother, did all in his power to extirpate it from the +Occident. + +"Gratian, and afterwards Theodose, proscribed Arianism from the whole +empire.... In the beginning of the fifth century, the Goths, the +Burgundians, and the Vandals, spread it in Gaul and in Africa. The +Visigoths introduced it in Spain, where it subsisted as long as the +kings of that country were Arians themselves, until the year 660. + +"Arianism was to be revived in the sixteenth century. It is probable +that Arianism would have invaded the whole Orient if the Arians had been +united." + +Therefore, it was only long after the Council of Nice, that its +decision, in favor of the doctrine of the supreme divinity of Jesus +Christ, prevailed among the churches which depended on the Emperor of +Constantinople, and on the Bishop of Rome. + +4th. We will also present a succinct view of the large number of +Christians, who, without the pale of the communion of Rome, preserved +the former belief that Jesus Christ was not God. + +We have proved, in the course of this chapter, that the following +Christian sects, or denominations, did not believe the doctrine of the +divinity of Jesus Christ: the Corinthians, the Carpocratians, the +Ebionites, the Basilidians, the Marcionites, the Valentinians, the +Ptolemaïtes, the Heracleonites, the Colarbasians, the Barules, the +Bardesanists, the Marcosians, the Theodotians, the Artemonians, the +Docetes, the Tatianists, the Apellites, the Ophites, the Cainites, the +Hermogenians, the Hermians, the Sethians, the Severians, the Encratites, +the Valesians, the Hieracites, the Samosatians, and the Manicheans. But +nearly all these Christian sects of the first three centuries outlived +the Council of Nice, and preserved through centuries the doctrine that +Jesus Christ was not God himself: this is the unanimous testimony of +historians. + +From the four heads of convincing historical proofs brought forth in +this _confirmatur_, we draw once more the conclusion: + +1st. Then the Church of Rome, from which the self-called Orthodox +Protestant Churches, in the sixteenth century, borrowed the doctrine of +the divinity of Jesus Christ, did not hold it from the apostles of Jesus +Christ. + +2d. We prove the second proposition of the argument of this chapter, +namely, that the Church of Rome uses, in her adoration to Jesus Christ, +rites and ceremonies of a striking similarity with those used by the +Pagans in their adoration to the sun, under the names of Bacchus, +Hercules, Osiris, Mithra, Atys, etc. + +Every year the Pagans celebrated with pomp the death of Bacchus. Those +celebrations were called Titanical, and celebrations of the perfect +night. They supposed that this god had been slain by the Giants; but +that his mother, or Ceres, had reunited his bones. To retrace his death +they killed a bull, whose raw flesh they ate, because Bacchus, +represented with the horns of an ox, had been thus torn by the Titans. +Julius-Firmicus, an orthodox author of the fourth century, who wrote +about the legend of Bacchus, says that the Pagans considered those +fictions as solar fables. He adds that the sun was irritated at being +thus worshiped: here, in being immersed into the Nile river, under the +names of Osiris and of Horus; there, in being mutilated under the names +of Atys and of Adonis; and in other places, in being boiled or roasted, +like Bacchus. The Bacchanals, or disorderly, noisy, tumultuous, and +frantic scenes took place. + +St. Athanase, St. Augustine, Theophile, Athenagoras, Minutius-Felix, +Lactance, Firmicus, and other Christian writers of the first centuries, +as well as more ancient authors, describe the general mourning of the +Egyptians in the anniversary day of the death of Osiris. They describe +the ceremonies practiced on his tomb, and the tears shed thereon during +several days. The mysteries in which the representation of his death was +exhibited, and which took place during the night, were called mysteries +of night. + +Likewise the death of Mithra was celebrated. To the usual magnificence +of his temples succeeded a gloomy sight. The priests, during the night, +carried his image in a tomb, and laid it on a litter, in the same manner +as the Phoenicians laid the image of Adonis. This ceremony was +accompanied with dismal songs, and with groans. The priests, after this +feigned expression of grief, kindled a flambeau, called sacred; anointed +the image of Mithra with chrisma, or with perfumes; and then one of +them, in a solemn and loud voice, pronounced these words: "Cheer up, +holy mourners, your god is come again to life; his sorrows and his +sufferings will save you." + +Julius Firmicus, who relates this, exclaims: "Why do you exhort those +unfortunate to rejoice? Why do you deceive them with false promises? The +death of your god is known; but his new life is not proved. There is no +oracle that ascertains his resurrection; he has not appeared to men +after his resurrection to prove his divinity. An idol you bury; upon an +idol you mourn; an idol you lift up from the tomb, and having expressed +your grief you rejoice," etc. + +The Church of Rome practices alike ceremonies in celebrating the +anniversary day of the death of Jesus Christ. All the ornaments of each +church, the statues and images of saints, etc., are clothed in black. In +one of the chapels of the church a tomb is prepared, in which, on the +Holy Thursday morning, Jesus Christ--namely, a wafer which has been +consecrated--is laid, shut up, not in the ostensorium, but in a +ciborium, as a sign of mourning. The priests perform this ceremony. +During the whole day the church is thronged with people, who come to +express to Jesus Christ their sympathy in his sufferings. At about eight +o'clock in the evening, a gloomy procession, composed of the priests and +the people, march along the streets in the dark (this procession takes +place only in Catholic countries,) now and then reciting in a low and +dismal tone a verse of the psalm, _Miserere mei Deus_, [translation,] +Lord have mercy on me. When this procession has taken place, hymns of +suffering and of death are sung in the church, around the tomb in which +Jesus Christ lays. At eleven o'clock a priest goes to the pulpit, and in +an affecting manner relates to the sobbing and weeping multitude the +sufferings and death of Jesus Christ. This address is called Passion's +sermon. + +The people spend the whole night in the church to keep company to Jesus +Christ in his sufferings, they say, and to relieve him by their +sympathy. In the morning of the Holy Friday the church is yet filled +with mourners. The priests, processionally, but in silence, go to the +tomb where Jesus Christ lays, take him out, and carry him into the +tabernacle, where they shut him up, but without leaving any taper +burning in the whole church. In the evening, after the recitation of the +_Officium Tenebrarum_, [translation,] Office of Darkness, boys, men, +women and all, fill the church with their yells, with the sharp sound of +rattles, with the blows they strike on boards with small and large +sticks, and with sounding, sonorous instruments, such as horns, etc. A +few days after they eat the wafer, which they pretend to be the raw +flesh and blood of Jesus Christ. + +The Pagans, in celebrating the resurrection of Bacchus, Osiris, etc., +who represented the sun, lighted the lamps of their temples with a fire, +which the priests obtained by striking a piece of steel with silex, and +was called new fire. That day the priests were clothed in white +ornaments; the lustral waters were renewed, and also the decorations of +the temples: so in every church the Romish priests strike a piece of +steel with silex, and obtain a fire called new fire; with it they light +the lamps, and the taper called Paschal taper. They renew the holy +water, which the people piously carry to their homes, and keep for +protection during the storms, etc. The priests change their priestly +garments, and clothe in white. + +The Pagans worshiped the sun under the name of Aries, because the Aries +was one of the celestial signs: so the Church of Rome worships Jesus +Christ under the form of a lamb. Formerly, the Roman Catholic parents +suspended on the necks of their children the symbolic image of a lamb; +and the women, instead of wearing a cross, as they do now, wore a lamb. +This practice had been introduced by the Romish priests, who sold, as +they sell now, Agnus Dei, which have been consecrated with prayers and +sprinkled with holy water, as being the emblems of Jesus Christ. + +A lamb was represented bleeding, and under it was a vessel in which the +blood dropped. This practice was in use till the year 680, under the +pontificate of the pope Agathon, and under the reign of the emperor +Constantine III., surnamed Pogonat. Then it was ordered by the sixth +council of Constantinople, canon 82, that a man nailed to a cross should +be substituted to the ancient symbol of a lamb. However, this symbol was +partly preserved in the church, as seen above. The symbol of a lamb is +yet seen on the tabernacle, or small box of marble, or of wood, richly +wrought upon, placed on the altar; also on the ostensorium, and on the +forepart of the altars. + +The Pagans placed a sunlike halo around the heads of the statues of +Osiris, Bacchus, and other gods, who, in their opinion, represented the +sun: likewise in the Church of Rome the priests place the wafer, which, +they think, is Jesus Christ himself, in an ostensorium, which is shaped +like the disc of the sun; and which represents his beams; the wafer +itself is circular. This ostensorium is of silver, or of gold, and +adorned with diamonds, or gems. Above the altar a large sun is +generally either painted, or carved, or formed with draperies. The +Pagans kept in their temples a lamp burning, in the honor of the sun: +so, in the Roman Catholic churches a lamp is kept burning, day and +night, near the altar, in the honor of Jesus Christ. + +The Pagans built their temples so that the sanctuary was turned towards +the rising sun: likewise, the Roman Catholic churches are built so that +the sanctuary be turned towards the rising sun. + +The Pagans carried in triumph, processionally, and with the most +brilliant pomp, the statues of Bacchus, Osiris, and other gods, +representing the sun: likewise, on the feast day of the body of Jesus +Christ, the consecrated wafer is carried in triumph, processionally, and +with the most brilliant pomp. The priestly and other ornaments are of a +tissue of silver, or of gold. A multitude of people follow: the various +confraternities of Penitents, the ones grey, the others blue, the others +white, etc., and the many confraternities of virgins, of married women, +all in variegated costumes, march before the consecrated wafer. The +civil, judiciary, and military authorities, regiments of soldiers with +brass bands, with drums beating, with banners and flags unfurled, escort +the consecrated wafer, which is carried by the first priest of the +parish, under a canopy of the most costly and magnificent tissue. + +The Pagans burnt flambeaux before the statues of Osiris, Bacchus, etc., +to represent the planets; and sometimes to represent the signs of the +Zodiac: so, in the Roman Catholic churches, upon the altar, there are +six chandeliers, with candles burning around the consecrated wafer, +namely, Jesus Christ, who is in the middle. + +From all the above facts we may legitimately draw the conclusion, that +the Church of Rome uses, in her adoration to Jesus Christ, rites and +ceremonies of a striking similarity with those used by the Pagans in +their adoration to the sun, under the names of Bacchus, Hercules, +Osiris, Mithra, Atys, etc. + +We now come to the general conclusions of the present chapter. + +It has been proved, 1st, That the Church of Rome, from which the +self-called Orthodox Protestant Churches, in the sixteenth century, +borrowed the doctrine of the divinity of Jesus Christ, did not hold it +from the apostles of Jesus Christ. + +2d. It has been proved that the Church of Rome uses, in her adoration to +Jesus Christ, rites and ceremonies of a striking similarity with those +used by the Pagans in their adoration to the sun, under the names of +Bacchus, Hercules, Osiris, Mithra, Atys, etc. + +Then the Church of Rome, from which, in the sixteenth century, the +self-called Orthodox Protestant Churches borrowed the doctrine of the +supreme divinity of Jesus Christ had borrowed it from the Pagans. + +_Therefore the doctrine of the supreme divinity of Jesus Christ is of +Pagan origin._ + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +PAGAN ORIGIN OF THE DOCTRINE OF ENDLESS HELL. + + +ARTICLE I. + +_Metempsychosis, or Transmigration of the Souls._ + +THE rulers of nations, and the authors of the initiations, had a +profound knowledge of the human nature, and of the genius of the people. +From the fact that an ox, unaware of his strength, yields to the leading +hand of a child, so they knew that would they let the masses ignore +their power, they could easily control them, mould their opinions, +habits, and morals. Also aware of the terror that death impressed upon +their minds, and knowing that it is an infirmity of man's nature, when +uncultivated by philosophy, to fear more a distant and indefinite, but +unavoidable misery beyond the grave, than the most excruciating tortures +on earth, they found in those prejudices of the people a sure means to +lead and rule them. Therefore they endeavored to make them believe that +those who would transgress the laws, or would commit some other crimes, +should be punished by the gods immortal in the future life. + +They had to invent the nature of that punishment, and as there were many +degrees of wickedness, they had to admit, also, various degrees in the +punishment. To more easily and more surely make the people believe their +invention, they thought it was wise to make the punishment, and its +degrees, coincide with the then universally established religion, which +was but one, though there were many systems of theology. That religion +was the one we have examined in the first chapter of this work, and +which consisted in the belief that nature was an uncreated but animated +being, whose vast body comprised the earth, the sun, the planets, and +the stars, to which one great soul impressed motion and life; and that +those principal parts, or members, of the body of the universe were +animated by emanations or irradiations of the great soul of the +universe, or nature. + +This pantheistic doctrine was materialist; for it supposed that the +great soul of the universe was the purest substance of the fire ether, +and thereby man's soul was of the same nature. It was the belief even of +the famous philosopher Pythagoras, and of his disciples. All animals, +according to Servius, the commentator of Virgil, draw their flesh from +the earth, their humors from water, their breath from the air, and their +soul from the breath of the Deity. Thus the bees have a small portion of +the Deity. Our soul is like a drop of water which is not annihilated, +whether it evaporates in the air, or condenses and falls again in rain, +or rolls into the sea to add its littleness to the massy waters. When we +die our life melts, reenters into the great soul of the universe, and +the remains of our body mix again with the elements of the air. + +Virgil believed that our death is not annihilation, but that it is a +separation of two sorts of matters, the one thereof remains here below, +and the other reunites to the sacred fire of the stars, as soon as the +matter of which our soul is composed has reacquired all the purity of +the subtle matter, from which it had emanated, _auræ simplicis ignem_. +Nothing, Servius says, is lost in the great whole, and in the pure fire +which constitutes the substance of the soul. Virgil says of the souls: +_igneus est ollis vigor, et coelestis origo_; that they are formed of +the active fire that shines in the heaven, and that they return thither +when they are separated from the body by death. + +The same doctrine we find in the dream of Scipio: "It is from there," he +says, speaking of the regions of the fixed stars, "that the souls +descended, thereto they shall return; they were emanated from those +eternal fires we name stars. What ye call death is but a return to true +life; the body is but a prison, in which the soul is momentarily +chained. Death breaks her ties, and restores her to liberty, and to her +true state of existence." + +From this pantheistic doctrine, it followed that man's soul is immortal +though material. + +Upon this sort of immortality of our soul, the rulers built a system of +punishment, called Metempsychosis, or transmigration of the souls. This +system was so much the better adapted to the then received religion, +that all the souls being simply different emanations from the same fire +ether, the consequence was that all the souls were homogeneous, and +differed only in appearance, and by the nature of the bodies to which +the fire-principle, which composed their substance, united. Virgil said +that the souls of all animals are an emanation of the fire ether, and +that the difference of their operations on earth is to be ascribed only +to the difference of vases, or organized bodies, which receive this +substance; or, according to the words of Servius, the lesser or greater +perfection of their operations is in ratio of the nature of the bodies. + +The Indians, among whom, even in our days, the system of Metempsychosis +prevails, think that man's soul is absolutely of the same nature as that +of other animals. They say that man is superior to them, not in his soul +but in his body, whose organization is more perfect and more apt to +receive the action of the great Being, viz., of the universe, than +theirs are. They ground their opinion on the example of children and of +old men, whose organs being too weak yet, or having been weakened, do +not permit their senses to have the same activity which is displayed in +a mature age. + +The soul, in the exercise of her operations, being necessarily in +submission to the body which she animates; and all souls flowing from +the immense reservoir called universal soul, it follows that the portion +of the fire ether which animates a man, might as well animate an ox, a +lion, an eagle, a whale, or any other beast. Fate caused that she would +animate a man, and such a man; but when the soul will be disengaged from +this first body, and will return to her source, she will be able to pass +into the body of another animal; and her activity will be lesser or +greater, in ratio of the organization of the new body into which she +will pass. + +All the great work of nature being reduced to successive organizations +and destructions, in which the same matter is ten thousand times used +under ten thousand forms, the subtle matter of the soul, carried in that +current, brings life to all the moulds which open to receive her. Thus +the same water flown from a same reservoir, enters the various pipes +which are opened, rolls on and empties either as a fountain, or as a +cascade, according to the forms of the orifices of the pipes; then it +congregates, evaporates, and forms clouds which brings it back down to +the earth, to experience again an infinity of modifications. It is the +same of the fluid of the soul spread in the various canals of the animal +organization, flowing from the bright mass of which the ethereal +substance is composed; thence being carried to the earth by the +generating force distributed among the animals, continually ascending +and descending in the universe, and circulating within new bodies +diversely organized. + +Such was the basis of Metempsychosis, which became one of the most +powerful political engines in the hands of the ancient rulers, +legislators and mystagogues. Pythagoras brought this doctrine from the +Orient to Greece, and to Italy. This philosopher, and Empedocles after +him, taught that the souls of the criminals, when death separated them +from the bodies they animated, passed into the bodies of beasts in order +to suffer, under those divers forms the punishment of their wickedness, +until they might recover, by expiation, their native purity. So this +transmigration of the souls was a punishment of the gods. The Stoicians +held this doctrine; and the emperor Marcus-Aurelius, in the ninth book +of his Works, said: "The spiritus, or breath, which animates us, passes +from one body into another." + +To give the reader a general idea of what was the belief of the +ancients, and of their philosophers, in regard to Metempsychosis, we +take from the tenth and last book of the Republic of Plato the following +lengthy but instructive extract:-- + +"It is not the narration of Alcinoüs (namely, a false story, such as the +one of Ulysse to the Pheacians,) that I will tell you; but that of a +noble man, of Her, the Armenian, a native of Pamphily. He had been +killed in a battle; but when, ten days after, the dead bodies were taken +away for inhumation, his, instead of being in putrefaction like the +others, was found natural and entire. It was carried to his house, and, +on the twelfth day, when laid on the wood-pile, he came again to life; +and he related to the assistants what he had seen in the other world. + +"'As soon,' he says, 'as my soul left my body, I arrived, in company +with a great number of souls, at a mysterious place, where were seen two +openings near each other, and two others corresponding in the sky. +Between these two regions were judges sitting: when they had pronounced +their sentence they ordered the righteous to take the right hand side +route through one of the openings of the sky, after having previously +placed on their breast a mark containing the judgment rendered in their +favor; also they ordered the wicked to take the left hand side route +through one of the openings of the earth, carrying on their back a mark +containing all their evil actions. When I was presented to the judges, +they decided that I should return to the earth to inform men of what was +done in the other world; and they bade me listen and observe all I was +to witness. + +"'First I saw the souls of those who had been judged, the ones ascending +to the heavens, and the others descending below the earth through the +two corresponding openings. Withal I saw, through the other opening of +the earth, many souls coming out, covered with filthiness and dust; and +also, through the other opening in the sky, I saw souls pure and +spotless descending: they seemed to return from a long voyage, and to +stop with pleasure in the meadow, as if in a place of reunion. Those who +knew each other mutually inquired what they had seen in the heaven, and +in the earth. The ones related their adventures with groans and tears, +caused by the recollection of the sufferings they had endured, or seen +others endure, during their voyage below the earth, whose duration was +of a thousand years. The others, who returned from the heaven, related +the rapturous pleasures they had enjoyed, and the marvellous things they +had seen.' + +"It would be too long, my dear Glaucon, to relate the whole discourse of +Her on this subject. It might be summed up in saying that the souls were +punished ten times for each injustice they had committed while on earth; +that the duration of each punishment was of one hundred years, natural +length of man's life, in order that the punishment be ever tenfold for +each crime. Thus those who had contaminated themselves with murder; who +had betrayed States and armies, and reduced them to servitude; or who +had committed similar crimes, were punished tenfold for each one of +those crimes. Whereas those who had done good to their fellow men, who +had been holy and virtuous, received in the same proportion the reward +of their good deeds. In regard to children who die immediately, or a +short time after they are born, Her gave details which it is useless to +relate. According to his narration there were great recompenses for +those who had honored the gods, and had respected their parents; and +also there were extraordinary tortures for the parricides, and for +impious men. + +"'I was present,' said he, 'when a soul asked another where was the +great Ardiee. This Ardiee had tyrannized over a city of Pamphily a +thousand years before; he had killed his father, who was an old man, and +he was guilty, it was said, of many other atrocious crimes. He does not +come, the soul answered, and he will never come here. We all have +witnessed, in relation to him, the most dreadful spectacle. When we were +about leaving the subterraneous abyss after our pains ended, we saw +Ardiee, and a great number of others, the most of whom had been tyrants +like himself; there were also others, who, though in a private +condition, had been great criminals. + +"'When those souls were about going out, the opening was closed; and +whenever one of those wretched souls, whose crimes were irremissible, +tried to get out of the abyss, she howled. Thereupon hideous and +firelike beings came. They violently wrested away several of those +criminals; then they seized Ardiee and others, tied their feet, their +hands and their heads; and after throwing them on the ground and +torturing them with lashes, they dragged them through bleeding thorns, +telling the shadows which they met on their route the reason why they +treated so those souls, and adding that they were going to throw them +into the Tartarus. Those souls added, that of the various fears they +had on the route none was so horrible as that of hearing that howl; and +that it had been an inexpressible pleasure for them not to have heard it +when they were released from the abyss. + +"'Behold what took place in regard to the judgments, tortures, and +rewards. After each one of those souls had spent seven days in the +meadow they left on the eighth, and arrived, after a march of four days, +at a designated spot, wherefrom was seen a light crossing the heaven and +the earth, as straight as a column, and similar to the rainbow, but +brighter and purer. They reached this light in one day's march. There +they saw that the extremities of the heaven meet at the middle of this +light, which united them fast, and which embraced all the circumference +of the heaven, in nearly the same manner as the beams which girdle the +sides of galleys, and which bear their frame. At the extremities the +spindle of Necessity hung, and determined the revolutions of the +celestial spheres.'" + +Here Her describes the spindle. This description we omit, for it does +not relate to our subject. + +Her continues:-- + +"'Near the spindle, and at equal distances, sat on thrones the three +Parques, daughters of Necessity, Lachesis, Clotho, and Atropos, dressed +in white, and their heads crowned with a bandelet. They united their +chant to that of the Sirenes; Lachesis sung the past, Clotho the +present, and Atropos the future. Clotho, now and then, touched the +spindle with her right hand, and made it revolve externally. Atropos, +with her left hand, impressed motion to each one of the interior whirls, +and Lachesis, with both hands, touched now the spindle, and then the +interior whirls. When the souls arrived they appeared before Lachesis. +First a Hierophant assigned a rank to each one; then taking from the lap +of Lachesis the fates and the various conditions of human life, he +mounted on a high stand, and spake thus:-- + +"'This is what the virgin Lachesis, daughter of Necessity, says: +Voyaging souls you are to commence another career, and return into a +mortal body. The genius will not choose for you: each one of you shall +choose hers. The first one that fate will designate shall choose first, +and her choice shall be irrevocable. Virtue has no master; she clings to +him who honors her, and flies from him who despises her. The error of +the choice shall fall on you. God is innocent. + +"'Thereupon the Hierophant casting the fates, each soul picked up the +one that fell before her, except myself who had been forbidden it. Each +one knew then in which rank she had to choose. Then the same Hierophant +placed before them callings of all kinds, whose number was greater than +that of the souls who were to choose; for all the conditions of men and +beasts were assembled therein. There were tyrannies, the ones were to +last till death; and the others were to be suddenly interrupted, and +were to end by exile, poverty and indigence. Also there were seen +conditions of illustrious men, the ones for beauty, for strength, for +fame in the combats; and the others by their nobleness, and the great +qualities of their ancestors; there were seen also obscure conditions. +There were destinies of women of the same variety. But there was no +regulation for the rank of the souls, because each one was necessarily +to change of nature according to her choice. Besides, wealth, poverty, +and diseases, were found in all conditions: here without any mixture, +there in a just proportion of advantages and disadvantages.' + +"But this is evidently, my dear Glaucon, the redoubtable trial for +mankind.... The Hierophant added: he who chooses the last, provided he +be judicious, and then be consistent in his conduct, may hope to be +blessed in life. Therefore let him who is to have the first choice, be +not presumptuous; and let him who has the last choice, despair not. When +the Hierophant had thus spoken, he to whom the first fate had been +devolved, hastily advanced, and took, without any deliberation, the +greatest tyranny; but when he had considered it, and seen that his +destiny was to eat his own children, and to commit other enormous +crimes, he lamented; and, forgetting the recommendation of the +Hierophant, charged upon the fortune and the gods, with the wretchedness +of his fate. This soul was one of those who came from heaven; she had +previously lived in a well governed state, and had been virtuous more +from temper and habit, than from philosophy. + +"On the contrary, the souls who had sojourned in the subterranean +region, and who had both the experience of their own sufferings, and the +knowledge of the misfortunes of others, were cautious in their choice. +This experience on one side, and that inexperience on the other, +together with the fate which decided the rank for the choice, were the +cause that the most of the souls exchanged a good condition for a bad +one, and a bad one for a good one. He also said, that it was a strange +spectacle to see in what manner each soul made her choice, nothing was +more extraordinary, nor more pitiful; the most of them were guided in +their choice by the habits they had contracted in their previous life. +He had seen the soul of Orpheus choosing the condition of a swan, from +hatred to women who had killed him, and from whom he did not wish to +receive birth. He saw the soul of Thamyris choosing the condition of +nightingale; likewise he saw a swan and several other birds choosing the +human condition. + +"Another soul had chosen the condition of a lion; it was that of Ajax, +son of Telamon, who, remembering the offense she had received in the +judgments rendered about the arms of Achilles, refused to take again a +human body. Then came the soul of Agamemnon, who, from antipathy against +mankind on account of her past sufferings, chose the condition of an +eagle. The soul of Atalante, desirous of the athletic honors, chose to +be a champion. The soul of Epee, son of Panope, preferred the condition +of a woman skillful in handiworks. The soul of the buffoon Thersite came +one of the last, and entered the body of a monkey. There were, Her +added, souls of animals which exchanged their condition against ours, +and human souls which passed into bodies of beasts. The souls +indistinctly passed from the bodies of animals into human bodies, and +from human bodies into bodies of animals; those of the righteous into +species of a higher order. + +"When all the souls had chosen their new condition of existence, +according to the rank determined by fate, they came to Lachesis in the +same order. She gave to each one the genius of her choice, and this +genius was to be her guardian during her mortal life, and was to aid her +in the accomplishment of her destiny. This genius first led her to +Clotho, who, with her hand, and with a revolution of the spindle +confirmed the chosen destiny. When the soul had touched the spindle, the +genius took her to Atropos, who rolled the thread in her fingers, to +render irrevocable what had been already spun by Clotho. After that, the +soul proceeded to the throne of Necessity, under which the soul and her +genius, or demon, passed together. When all had passed, they went to the +plain of the Lethe river, where they were oppressed by an intense heat; +for there was in this plain, neither tree nor shrub. The evening came +and they spent the night near the river Ameles, whose water can be +contained in no vessel. Every soul was obliged to drink some of its +water. They fell asleep; but at about midnight the thunder roared, and +all the souls suddenly waking up were dispersed, like shooting stars, +towards the various places where they were to commence their new life. + +"As to Her, he had been forbidden to drink of the water of the Lethe +river; nevertheless, he knew not in what manner his soul had returned +into his body, but having opened his eyes in the morning, he had seen +that he was laying on a wood-pile. + +"This tradition, my dear Glaucon, has been handed down to us; and if we +believe it, it is very apt to save us; we will safely cross the Lethe +river, and we will preserve our soul free from stain." + +The reader has undoubtedly remarked the last sentence of this extract, +which proves the antiquity of the doctrine of the transmigration of the +souls. Burnet wrote, that it was so ancient and so universally spread in +Egypt, Persia, India, and other countries of the Orient, that it seemed +it had descended from heaven, and been believed by the first inhabitants +of the earth. Herodote found it established in Egypt in the remotest +ages. It was the basis of the theology of the Indians, and the subject +of the celebrated Metamorphosis and incarnations of their legends. +Metempsychosis has been immemorially believed in Japan, where the +people, even in our days, according to Koempsfer, abstain from meat, and +live exclusively upon fruits and vegetables. In Siam, where the +Talapoins or monks hold it as a sacred dogma; in China by the Tao-See; +also among the Kalbouls and the Mongols, and among the Thibetans, who +admit that the souls pass even into the plants, into the trees, and even +into the roots. However, the Thibetans believe that it is only by +uniting to human bodies, that the souls can, after successive changes, +be restored to their former purity. + +The aim of the doctrine of Metempsychosis was to accustom man to detach +himself from the gross matter, to which he is tied here below, and to +excite in him the desire of promptly returning there, wherefrom he had +formerly descended. The rulers of the people frightened them with the +pictures of humiliating transformations of their souls, as the Catholic +priests and the Partialist preachers do among us, with their teaching of +an endless hell. The people, amazed and terrified, for the masses were +ignorant, believed all those politico-religious fables. They firmly +believed that the souls of the wicked passed into vile bodies; that they +were punished with cruel and loathesome diseases; that those who did not +reform after a certain number of transmigrations were delivered up to +the Furies and to the evil spirits (or devils) to be tortured; and that, +after that, they were sent again to the earth, as in a new school, and +were obliged to run a new race. Thus we see that the whole system of +Metempsychosis rested on the false supposition, that it was necessary, +in order to govern the people here below, to frighten them with absurd +and visionary tales of atrocious tortures beyond the grave, which were +the more terrifying for the very reason of their absurdity and +atrociousness. + +Timee of Locre, one of the disciples of Socrates, wrote, that among the +various means of governing those who are not able to reach the truth of +the principles, on which nature has established justice and morals, +Metempsychosis is an efficacious one. He said: "Let them be taught those +dogmas which inform us that the souls of effeminate and pusillanimous +men transmigrate into female bodies; those of murderers into bodies of +wild beasts; those of licentious men into bodies of wild boars and hogs; +those of fickle and inconstant men into bodies of birds; those of idle, +ignorant and silly men into bodies of fishes. The just Nemesis regulates +those pains in the future life conjointly with the gods of the earth, +avengers of the crimes they have witnessed. The supreme God has +entrusted them with the government of this inferior world. Let them be +frightened, even, by the religious terrors conveyed to the soul by those +discourses which describe the vengeance of the celestial gods, and the +unavoidable torments reserved to the criminals in the Tartarus; and also +by the other fictions which Homer has found in the ancient sacred +opinions. Sometimes the body is cured by poisonous substances; so the +souls can be ruled by fables when they cannot be governed by truth." + +This philosopher plainly gives us his secret, which has been, and still +is, the secret of all legislators and priests. True, the belief of these +fables has restrained many from vice and crime; nevertheless we firmly +believe that men ought to be led to justice by the bright light of the +truth, and not by the dismal light of error, and of superstition: the +one elevates man, but the other keeps him in an eternal infancy and +ignorance. How sad it is to see, even now-a-days, in free and +enlightened America, priests, and Protestant ministers themselves, +keeping down in intellectual, moral and religious bondage, millions of +Christians, who, from fear of endless curse, kiss the very chains which +heavily they drag through life; who believe that God will endlessly +roast men--his children--in an undying fire! More surely, and more +easily, could those purely minded, but unfortunate Christians, be guided +to love God, if they knew that he is not worse than a tiger; that, on +the contrary, he is truly good and loving; more virtuous they would be +if they were taught that virtue is the source, and the only true source, +of happiness. Truer fraternity would reign in our communities, if +priests and pretended Protestants, who tyrannize over the souls of their +misled victims, and, like the Pharisees of old, lay upon their shoulders +a burden they would not be willing to touch with their own +fingers--yea, they lay upon their mind and heart the leaden weight of +the dogma of endless misery, which they, at least the leaders of the +leaders, reject--truer fraternity would exist, we say, for there would +not be in our communities, a class of Christians, believing that they +are the elect of God for righteousness and eternal bliss, while all the +others shall be endlessly damned. Hence their indifference, or rather +aversion for them; hence a spirit of Pharisaism: hence a spirit of +religious aristocracy, which unfortunately ramifies into a social +aristocracy! + + +ARTICLE II. + +_Tartarus._ + +When legislators, priests and philosophers had invented the doctrine of +Metempsychosis, the mystagogues and the poets took hold of it, and +endeavored to spread it among the people, in consecrating it, the ones +in their chants, and the others in the celebration of their mysteries. +They clothed it with the charms of poetry, and presented it with magical +illusions. All united to deceive the people, under the specious pretext +of bettering and governing them with a surer hand. The widest field was +opened to fictions; and the genius of the poets, as well as the cunning +of the priests, were inexhaustible in portraying the bliss of the +righteous hereafter, and the horror of the horrible prisons wherein +crime was to be punished. + +Each one portrayed them according to his own fancy, and added new scenes +and views to the descriptions of those unknown lands; of that world of +new creation, which the imagination of poets peopled with shadows, +chimeras and phantoms, for the purpose of frightening the people: for +rulers wrongly thought that their minds could not rise up to the +abstract notions of metaphysics and morals. The Elysium and the Tartarus +were more pleasing and more vividly striking to the imagination of the +people: therefore darkness and light were successively presented to the +gaze of those initiated to the mysteries. To the darkest night, and to +frightful spectres, succeeded a bright day, whose light shone around the +statue of the Deity: one could not help feeling a mysterious terror, +when entering that sanctuary, where all was disposed to represent the +Tartarus and the Elysium. It was in this sanctuary that the one +initiated, being finally introduced, saw the picture of charming +meadows, lighted by a pure sky: there he heard harmonious voices, and +the majestic chants of sacred choirs. It was then that, entirely free, +and rid of all evils, he joined the multitude of those initiated; and +that, a crown of flowers on his head, he celebrated the holy orgies. + +Thus the ancients represented here below, in their initiations, what +was, they said, to happen hereafter to the souls, when they would be +disengaged from their bodies; and would be liberated from the obscure +prison, wherein fate had chained them by uniting them to terrestrial +matter. In the mysteries of Isis, of which we hold the details from +Apuleo, the candidate passed through the dark region of the empire of +the dead; thence into a vast enclosure, which represented the elements; +and then he was admitted into the bright region, where the brightest sun +succeeded to the darkness of the night, namely, in the three worlds, the +terrestrial, the elementary, and the celestial. He who had been +initiated said: "I have approached the boundaries of death in treading +the thresh hold of Proserpine; therefrom I have returned through the +elements. Then I saw a bright light, and I found myself in the presence +of the gods." This was the autopsy. + +What mystagogy exhibited in the sanctuaries, poets, and even +philosophers, in their fictions, publicly taught to the people: hence +the descriptions of the Elysium and of the Tartarus found in Homer, +Virgil and Plato, and all those given us by many systems of theology. We +never had a description of the earth and of its inhabitants, a +description as complete as that transmitted to us, by the ancients, +about those countries of new creation, known under the names of Hell, +Tartarus, and Elysium. Those men, whose geographical knowledge was so +limited, have given us the minutest details of the abode of the souls +beyond the grave; of the government of each one of the two empires, +which form the domain of the shadows; of their habits; of their diet; of +their pains and pleasures; and even of the costume of the inhabitants +of these two regions. The same poetical imagination which had invented +that new world, arbitrarily traced out its plan and distribution. + +Socrates, in the Phædo of Plato, a work intended to prove the +immortality of our soul, and the necessity of practicing virtue, speaks +of the place where the souls go after death. He imagines a sort of +ethereal land, superior to the one we inhabit, and situated in a sunnier +region. There is nothing on our earth that can compare to the beauties +of this wonderful abode. There colors are brighter, the vegetation +richer; the trees, flowers and fruits are infinitely superior to those +of our earth. There precious stones are so bright that those of our +earth are but their shadow. This ethereal land is strewed with pearls of +the purest crystal; everywhere gold and silver are dazzling. There +beasts are more beautiful, and more perfectly organized than ours. There +the air is the sea, and ether is the air. There seasons are so +harmoniously combined, that the fortunate inhabitants are not subject to +infirmities and to diseases. There the temples are inhabited by the gods +themselves, who familiarly converse with men. The inmates of this +delightful mansion are the only ones who see the sun, the moon, and the +stars, as they truly are. + +To this Socrates adds, that men, who, here below, distinguish themselves +for their piety and exactitude in discharging their social duties, will +be admitted in this abode of happiness when death destroys their mortal +form. There all those whom philosophy has led to wisdom will dwell. +Socrates concludes thus: + +Then it is for us a strong inducement to study wisdom, and to practice +virtue, while we are on earth. These expectations are high enough for us +to risk the chances of this opinion, and not to break its charms. + +This is a plain avowal of the motive of the fiction: such is the secret +of nearly all legislators, and the deceitfulness of the most renowned +philosophers. + +The second part of the land of the dead, called Tartarus, the leaders of +the people also minutely described. According to their description, this +abode of the wicked presents the horrid view of precipices, caverns, and +abysses, more frightful than those we see on earth. Those caverns +communicate to each other in the profundities of the earth, through the +medium of sinuosities vast and dark, and of subterraneous canals, in +which waters flow; the ones cold, and the others warm: also in several +of those canals flow torrents of fire, and in others the filthiest mire. +The vastest of those caverns is in the center; and into it four main +rivers ebb, to spring out again. The first is the Acheron, which forms +beneath the earth a shoreless marsh, wherein the souls assemble. The +second is the Pyriphlegeton, which rolls torrents of burning sulphur. +The third is the Cocyte; and the fourth is the Styx. + +In this horrible abode divine justice tortures the criminals. At the +gate of the Tartarus the frightful Tisiphon, whose gown is reeking with +blood, watches day and night. The gate is also defended by a strong +tower, backed by three walls, which are surrounded by the burning waves +of the Phlegeton river, that rolls huge stones on fire. There are +incessantly heard the rattle of chains dragged by wretched victims; +their groans; and the strokes of lashes that tear their flesh. There is +seen an hydra with a hundred heads, whose mouths are ever gaping for new +victims to be devoured. There a vulture is constantly feeding on the +ever re-growing entrails of a criminal. Other victims carry a heavy rock +to the summit of a mountain, where they must set it; but, vain are their +efforts, it rolls down to the bottom of the valley. Other criminals, +tied to a wheel, relentlessly revolving, are not permitted the slightest +rest in their torture. Others, placed near refreshing waters, and near +trees loaded with fruit, are ever devoured with unquenchable thirst and +hunger. If they stoop to drink the water flies from their mouth, and a +stinking mire sticks to their lips. If they lower a limb to cull a +fruit, the limb slips from their hand. + +Farther, fifty female victims are forced to fill up with water a cask, +whose bottom is riddled. Indeed, there is no sort of torment that was +not invented by legislators, mystagogues, poets, and philosophers, to +frighten the people, under the false assumption of making them better; +but the truth is that it was rather to keep them down in subjection. +Those terrifying pictures were painted on the walls of the temple of +Delphos. Those fables were repeated to infants by nurses and mothers. +Thus their souls grew weak and pusillanimous, for strong and durable are +the first impressions, and more especially, when the general opinion, +the example of the credulity of others, the authority of philosophers, +of poets, of learned Hierophants, and the sight of pompous rites, and +ceremonies in the overpowering sacredness of sanctuaries; when the +monuments of arts, music, statues, and pictures, in short, when all +tends to insinuate in the soul, through the senses stricken with hope +and terror, a great error presented as a sacred truth revealed by the +gods themselves for man's bliss. + +Such was the general teaching and belief of the Pagans in regard to +future punishment, before the coming of Jesus Christ, and the preaching +of his Gospel. + +As to the Jewish nation, not the slightest vestiges of any kind of +belief regarding future punishment, can be traced out, neither in the +Old Testament, nor in Josephus, nor in the writings of other historians, +at least before the captivity of Babylon, which took place in the year +598 before the Christian era. Afterwards the Jews divided into four +sects, the Essenes, the Sadducees, the Samaritans, who denied the +existence of any future punishment, and the Pharisees, who, according to +the testimony of Josephus, adopted the belief of Metempsychosis, or +transmigration of the souls. + + +ARTICLE III. + +_Did the Christians of the First Centuries believe in Endless Hell?_ + +We emphatically answer, no. If the Christian Fathers of the first +centuries, have neither taught the dogma of endless hell, nor mentioned, +in their writings, that their fellow-Christians knew or believed it, and +if the same is proved by the testimony of the then existing Christian +sects or denominations, it is evident that the first Christians did not +believe in endless hell. But the Christian Fathers of the first +centuries have neither taught the dogma of endless hell, nor mentioned, +in their writings, that their fellow-Christians knew or believed it; and +the same is proved by the testimony of the then existing Christian +sects. These two members of the proposition we are to successively +prove: 1st _member_: In the first century the four Gospels, and other +books of the New Testament were written by the apostles, but history +does not inform us of any other Christian writing, or author, in that +age, except perhaps Clement, bishop of Rome, who, it is said, has left a +letter to the Corinthians: critics call it Apocryphal. We have not read +it. Therefore in order to know whether the first Christians believed in +endless hell or not, we must recur to the works of the Christian Fathers +who lived and wrote in the following centuries, and particularly to +those who lived and wrote during the second. + +St. Ignatius, bishop of Antioch, who suffered martyrdom at Rome, in the +year 107, was the first apostolic Father of the second century. There +are in the collection of the works of the holy Fathers, six letters +ascribed to him by some authors; some others, Saumaise, Blondel, Daillé, +etc., say that they are apocryphal. Mosheim, in his Histor. Christ., +says, that it is doubtful whether they are of Ignatius or not. We have +read those six letters, of which five are addressed to different +Churches, and one to Polycarpus. Although they treat of the most +important points of the Christian faith and duties, they are silent upon +the question of endless hell. In the year 131, St. Quadratus presented +to the emperor Adrian an apology of the Christian religion, which +contained the principal Christian doctrines. Adrian was so pleased with +this apology, that, if we must believe what Lampride says in his Life of +Alexander Severus, he designed to rear a temple to Jesus Christ, and to +place him among the gods of the empire. A fragment of this apology can +be found in the works of Eusebe; but not a word is said about the dogma +of endless hell. + +St. Justin, a Platonician philosopher, was born at Naplouse, Palestine, +in 103. He was converted to Christianity in 133. He wrote the following +works: Exhortation to Gentiles; two Apologies of the Christian religion, +the one to the emperor Antonine, and the other to the emperor +Marcus-Aurelius; a Dialogue with the Jew Triphon; a treatise on +Monarchy, or Unity of God; and an Epistle to Diognet, in which he states +the reasons why Christians left the worship of the gods, and did not +adopt that of the Jews. He composed other works, but they exist no more. +The main editions of his works are those of Robert Etienne in 1551 and +1771, in Greek and Latin; that of Commelin in 1593, in Greek and Latin; +that of Morel in 1656, and that of Don Marand in 1742, in folio. All +these editions, and afterwards that of Migne, we have compared in the +voluminous library of the theological seminary of Brou, France, where we +have been ordained a priest. Although there were alterations of the +text, we did not find any passage referring to the dogma of endless +hell. True, addressing the Romans, he says: "Come, O Romans, to find +instruction! Formerly I was like you, now be what I am. The power of the +Christian religion has enlightened me, and freed me from servitude to my +senses and passions: it has afforded me peace and serenity. The soul +thus free is sure to reunite to her Creator, because it is right that +she return to him from whom she emanated." But this passage neither +explicitly nor implicitly supposes that he believed, or that the first +Christians believed, in endless hell; it is simply a Platonician and +Christian doctrine, in regard to the purity of our soul which is worthy +of God only when unstained. However Bailly, a Catholic theologian, says +that on page 74 of the first Apology there is a passage proving his +belief in endless hell. We did not find it. + +Meliton, bishop of Sardes, Lybia, under the reign of Marcus-Aurelius, +presented to this emperor an Apology of the Christian religion, in 171. +Eusebe and several other authors praise it. Only a few fragments of it +are found in the Bibliotheca Patrum; in none of them is a question of +the dogma of endless hell. + +Athenagoras, a Platonician philosopher, was converted to the Christian +religion, and presented, in 177, an Apology of the Christian doctrines +to the emperors Marcus-Aurelius and Lucius-Aurelius-Commode. He +justified the Christians, who were charged by the Pagans with atheism: +with sacrificing and eating a child in their assemblies; and with +indulging to impudicity. In this Apology he ascribed to God but a +general providence; and he expressed the Platonician opinion, that +angels, or spirits, had the government of this world. He admitted that +there were pains and rewards in the future life. Let us not infer from +this that he referred to the dogma of endless hell. No; he merely meant, +by those pains and rewards, the Platonician doctrine about +Metempsychosis. + +Ireneus was born in Greece, in 140. He became bishop of Lyons, Gaul. He +wrote several theological works in the Greek language. He believed in a +general judgment, and in the millenium, namely, in a temporal kingdom of +Jesus Christ on earth, which was to last one thousand years immediately +before the general judgment. During this reign of Jesus Christ, the +Christians were to enjoy a happiness which was to be a foretaste of the +happiness they should enjoy after the general judgment. Not only this +Father did not teach the dogma of endless hell, but according to the +ultramontane Bergier, he has been charged by the pretended Orthodox +divines with having expressed himself in an heterodox manner upon the +divinity of the Word; upon the spirituality of the angels and of the +human soul; upon free agency and the necessity of grace; and upon the +state of the souls after death. He seemed to be inclined to believe +Metempsychosis--this, however, is our private opinion, resting on his +general views on the state of the souls after death. The Catholics +invoke but one passage of his writings against this opinion. Grabe, a +Protestant, published at Oxford, in 1702, an edition of his works; it is +quite different from the Catholic editions. + +Theophile was promoted to the episcopal see of Antioch, in 168. We have +from his pen but three Books to Autolic; they have been edited by Don +Prudent Marand. He is the first Father who used the word Trinity. His +works are a refutation of Paganism, and an apology of Christianism. We +could not find in them the dogma of endless hell; he only vaguely +speaks of rewards and pains hereafter. + +We have seen that the above Fathers, who compose the complete list of +the Fathers of the second century, neither taught the dogma of endless +hell, nor have recorded that the first Christians held such a dogma. +Therefore we may draw the conclusion that the first Christians did not +believe the doctrine of endless hell. + +We pass to the Fathers of the third century. Titus Flavius Clement, of +Alexandria, a Platonician philosopher, became a Christian, and succeeded +to Pantenus, a professor of the school of Alexandria, in 190; and he +died in 217. Alexander of Jerusalem and the celebrated Origen were his +disciples. He wrote many works, the principal thereof are: Exhortations +to Pagans; his Pedagogue; his Hypotyposes; and his Stromatas, which are +divided into eight books. It is said that the best edition of his works +is that of Potter, published at Oxford, in 1715, in two vols. folio. I +read only the Paris edition, published in 1696. In his Exhortations to +Pagans, he pointed out the absurdity of idolatry, and of the fables of +Paganism. In his Stromatas he compared the doctrines of the philosophers +with those of Jesus Christ. In the treatise headed, Which rich man will +be saved? he shows that he who will use his riches properly will obtain +salvation: he does not say salvation from endless hell. His Pedagogue is +a treatise of morals in which he relates how the first Christians +righteously lived and fervently served the Lord. In all these works it +is not a question of the dogma of endless hell, either taught to the +Christians or believed by them. + +According to Le Clerc, Beausobre, d'Argens, Barbeyrac, Scultet, Daillé, +Mosheim, Brucker, Semler, etc., this Father did not believe the +spirituality of God and of man's soul.... It is a fact that, in his +Stromatas, he says that God is composed of a body and of a soul, and +that so is our soul. He believed in the Pagan fable that the angels had +sexual intercourse with human females, and had begotten giants; he +refers probably to the Giants who had fought against the Titans. All the +Catholic theologians themselves admit the above, and say, that, though a +Christian, he was too much of a Platonician philosopher. This is the +reason why the Pope, Benedict XIV., opposed his worship, as a saint, in +the Romish Church. These statements show how far this Father was from +holding the dogma of endless hell. + +Tertullian was one of the Fathers who wrote at the end of the second +century; however, as he died in 216, we class him among the Fathers of +the beginning of the third century. His works are on Prayer, on Baptism; +also he wrote Exhortation to Patience; two Books to his Wife; Testimony +of the Soul; treatises on Spectacles and Idolatry; treatise on +Prescription; two books against the Gentiles; one against the Jews; one +against Hermogenes; one against the Valentinians; one against the +Gnostics; one on the Crown; one to Scapula; books against Praxeas; books +on Pudicity, on Persecutions, on Fast, against the Physics, on Monogamy. +These works we had not the advantage to read; but we have studied the +following in our theological school: his treatise on Penance; his five +books against Marcion; his treatise on the Flesh of Jesus Christ; his +book on the Resurrection of the Flesh; and his Apology of the Christian +Religion. + +In these works which, let this be cursorily said, were written in Latin, +for Tertullian was the first Father who wrote in this language, we read +several times the word _infernus_, synonimous to _Tartarus_, and the +words _ignem eternum_, used in speaking of pains, which will be +inflicted upon the wicked after the general judgment; but nothing +positive in regard to the duration of the punishment, for he might have +used the adjective _æternum_ hyperbolically; nor anything in regard to +the belief of the first Christians in regard to it, nor even of his +contemporaneous Christians. If the dogma of endless hell had been +generally believed by the Christians, he would have certainly mentioned +it in his Apology of the Christian Religion; for one of the main charges +of the Pagans against them was that they were Atheists; and thereby +denied the Elysium and the Tartarus. However, in no one of the fifty +arguments which compose the Apology does he say a word about endless +hell, even about any punishment beyond the grave. He only, in the +forty-eighth argument, says, that there will be a resurrection of the +flesh. + +Sextus Julius Africanus, a Christian historian, who wrote in the +beginning of the third century, is altogether silent about the dogma of +endless hell, at least in the fragments of his works which have been +preserved by Eusebe. + +Origen was born at Alexandria, in 185. He has been one of the most +talented and learned among the Fathers. He wrote the following works: +Exhortation to Martyrdom; Commentaries on the Holy Scriptures. He +undertook an edition of the Bible in six columns, and headed it +Hexaples. The first column contained the Hebrew text in hebraic letters; +the second, the same text in Greek letters; the third contained the +version of Aquila; the fourth column, the version of Symmaque; the +fifth, that of the Septuagint; and the sixth, that of Theodotion. He +considered the version of the Septuagint as the most authentical. The +Octaples contained, also, two Greek versions, which had been recently +found, and whose authors were unknown. He wrote more than one thousand +sermons; he wrote his celebrated work about Principles, and a treatise +against Celse. + +All the above works have not been transmitted to us entire, though the +most of them are, as can be seen in the Bibliotheca Sanctorum Patrum, +published in Paris, in 1826. This Catholic edition, we positively know, +is not as impartial as it ought to be. So much has been written, for +centuries, against Origen and for his justification, that a mere +summary of those writings would fill volumes. Besides, would we make +this summary we might perhaps be suspected of partiality, because +Origen's doctrines are favorable to the bearing of this work; therefore +we shall extract from the works of Feller, a Romish priest and a Jesuit, +what we have to write about his accusation and justification, and about +the summary of his doctrines. + +Feller says, Article Origen: "In the fourth century, the Arians invoked +his authority to prove that Jesus Christ was not God. St. Athanase, St. +Basile, and St. Gregory of Nazianze, defended him. Hilaire, Tite de +Bostres, Didyme, Ambrosius, Eusebe of Verceil, and Gregory of Nysse have +laudably spoken of his works; whereas, Theodor of Mopsueste, Apollinary, +and Cesary, have disparagingly written of them. Origen was condemned in +the fifth general council, held at Constantinople, in 553. The pope +Vigil condemned him anew. St. Epiphane, Anastase the Sinaïte, St. John +Climaque, Leonce of Byzantium, Sophronius, patriarch of Jerusalem, and +Antipater, bishop of Bostres, violently denounced his writings; the pope +Pelage II. said that heretical works were not worse than Origen's +writings. There are, in the acts of the sixth council, an edict of the +emperor Constantine Pogonat, and a letter of the pope Leon II., in which +he is counted with Didyme and Evagrius among the Theomaques, or enemies +of God. + +"The pope St. Martin I., anathematized him in the first council of +Latran, in 649. St. Augustine, St. John of Damas, and St. Jerome, wrote +against the Origenists, namely, the sect of Christians who believed the +doctrines of Origen. In the same century, when a dispute arose about the +orthodoxy of Origen, John of Jerusalem, and Rufin made his apology, and +St. John Chrysostomus did the same. St. Pamphyle also took his part. +Theotime of Tomi refused to condemn him, and Didyme tried to give an +orthodox meaning to his doctrine on Trinity; others in condemning the +errors contained in his books pretended that they had been added by the +heretics. Theophile of Alexandria accused the monks of Nitria of +Origenism, and condemned them in a council held at Alexandria; the pope +Anastasius ratified the sentence. In the seventh century, the emperor +Justinian declared himself hostile to the memory of Origen; wrote a +letter to Memnas against his doctrine; issued an edict against him, in +640; and obtained his condemnation in a council held the same year at +Constantinople, whose acts were added to those of the fifth general +council." + +We read in the acts of the fifth general council of Constantinople, held +in 553, that Origen was condemned by the council for having taught the +following doctrines: 1st, That in the dogma of Trinity the Father is +greater than the Son, and the Son greater than the Holy Spirit. 2d, That +human souls have been created before the bodies, to which they have +been chained as a punishment for sins, which they had committed in an +anterior state of existence. 3d, That the soul of Jesus Christ had been +united to the Word before his incarnation. 4th, That the planets and +stars are animated, and contain a soul intelligent and endowed with +reason. 5th, That, after the resurrection, all bodies will have a +spheroidal shape. 6th, _That the punishment of the wicked in a future +life will not be endless_; and that Jesus Christ, who has been crucified +to save the world, will be crucified once more to save the devils. + +According to this testimony of the Romish Church--which carries +fanaticism farther than any other sect, in regard to the dogma of +endless hell, for it holds as an article of faith even that the +reprobates are tortured in hell, in their bodies and in their souls, +though their bodies are in the grave, and though a material fire cannot +burn an immortal soul--according to the above testimony of the Romish +Church, we say, it is an established, an undeniable fact, that Origen +taught the doctrine of Metempsychosis, or transmigration of the souls; +and also the doctrine that the punishment of the wicked in a future life +would not be endless. + +From this testimony we draw the following argument, which we invite the +reader to attentively examine, and to carefully weigh, for this +argument, _alone_, would unanswerably prove that the Christians of the +first, of the second, of the third, and even of the fourth, and of the +fifth centuries, did not generally believe the dogma of endless hell. + +Argument: In the beginning of the third century, Origen (he was born in +185) taught the doctrine of Metempsychosis, or transmigration of the +souls, and the doctrine that the punishment of the wicked in a future +life would not be endless; these two doctrines were condemned only in +the sixth century by the fifth general council held at Constantinople, +in 553, and composed of 151 bishops. But if the Christians of the first, +of the second, of the third, and even of the fourth, and of the fifth +centuries, had generally believed the dogma of endless hell, the above +two doctrines would have certainly been condemned before the sixth +century. This minor proposition we prove: + +By the orders of the bishop of Rome, Sylvester, and of the emperor +Constantine I., an oecumenical council, composed of 381 bishops, was +held at Nice, in 325, to frame a symbol of faith, and to condemn Arius. + +In 381, a second general council, composed of 150 bishops, was held at +Constantinople, to condemn Macedonius, who denied the divinity of the +Holy Spirit; and to alter the symbol of Nice, (striking inconsistency of +the Romish Church which holds as an article of faith that a general +council is infallible in its decisions.) + +In 431, the bishop of Rome, Celestine I., assembled a general council at +Ephesus, to obtain the condemnation of Nestorius, who denied that Mary +was, strictly speaking, the mother of God. + +In 451, a general council was held at Chalcedony, Asia Minor, for the +condemnation of Eutyches, and of Dioscorus, bishop of Alexandria, who +held the doctrine that there was in Jesus Christ but one nature. + +From the beginning of the second century, the time when Origen taught +the above two doctrines, up to the year 553, several thousand synods and +principal councils were held. + +Thereupon we say: The doctrine of Metempsychosis, or transmigration of +the souls; and the doctrine that the punishment of the wicked in a +future life will not be endless, were as important as the most of the +doctrines discussed in those councils; and Origen had a weightier +influence upon the Christian communities by his talents, learning, +virtue, and fame, and by the diffusion of his works, than Arius, +Macedonius, Nestorius, Eutiches, Dioscorus and others put together. +Therefore, if the dogma of endless hell had been generally believed by +the Christians of the first, of the second, of the third, of the fourth, +and of the fifth centuries, the doctrine of Metempsychosis, and the +doctrine that the punishment of the wicked in a future life will not be +endless, held and taught by Origen, would have been called up, +discussed, and condemned in the above councils. But they were called up, +discussed, and condemned, _only_ in the fifth general council, held at +Constantinople, in 553. Therefore, it is an irrefutable fact that the +Christians of the first, of the second, of the third, of the fourth, and +of the fifth centuries, did not generally believe the dogma of endless +hell. + +Gregory of Neocesaree, was a disciple of Origen, and was promoted to the +episcopal see of Neocesaree, in 240. He wrote the following works: +Thanks to Origen, Profession of Faith on the Dogma of Trinity, Canonical +Epistle, and Paraphrase of the Book of Ecclesiastes. In these works the +spirit of the doctrines of Origen is seen at every page; and the dogma +of endless hell is neither taught, nor declared to have been the belief +of the first Christians, nor of the Christians of the third century. St. +Cyprian, made bishop of Carthage in 248, is silent about the dogma of +endless hell. + +We pass to the Fathers of the fourth century. + +Pamphile Eusebe obtained the bishopric of Cesarea in 313. He wrote the +Panegyric, and the Life of Constantine; a Chronicle, viz: a compilation +of Pagan authors, and several other works, whose fragments have +remained. His principal work is his Ecclesiastical History, which we +have studied in our theological school. If the dogma of endless hell had +been the belief of the first Christians, and had been generally believed +in his age, he would have certainly mentioned it therein: however, he +has not. Therefore, the first Christians, and those of his age, did not +hold the dogma of endless hell. + +Athanase succeeded to Alexander on the episcopal see of Alexandria, in +326. His works are: Defense of Trinity and of Incarnation; apologies; +letters; and treatises against the Arians, the Melecians, the +Apollinarists, and the Macedonians. In these works there is not a word +concerning the dogma of endless hell being believed by the first +Christians, or by his contemporaries. The famous symbol which is headed +symbol of Athanase, which the Romish priests read every Sunday in the +Psalms-Breviary, is not from his composition nor from his pen; every one +of the Catholic theologians and authors confesses it. + +Basile, bishop of Cesarea, was born in 329. He has left several letters, +homilies, treatises of morals, and sermons on the six days of the +creation. We have examined the Latin edition of his works, or rather of +the fragments of his works, for they are not entire, by Don Gamier and +Don Prudent; but though in many passages he speaks of salvation, of +eternal bliss, and of the punishment of the wicked hereafter, he does +not positively declare that the punishment will be endless; and he does +not say that the first Christians believed it, nor that it was a dogma +of the Church in his age. Theodor of Mopsueste, who wrote in the fifth +century, is charged by the Catholic writers to have taught that future +punishment will not be endless. + +Since that time, down to the sixth century, the question of the eternal +duration of the punishment of the wicked in a place called hell, was +discussed by the ecclesiastical writers, who, nevertheless, did not +assert that it was the belief of the first Christians. Ambrosius +supposed that it would be infinite in duration; so Augustine, his +disciple, wrote in his work, De Civitate Dei, book 21; St. Fulgence; the +pope Gregorius, etc. The opinion of those leading doctors was preached, +and, little by little, it became the belief of a large number of +Christians. They even designated the place where hell was: some thought +it was in the profundities of the earth; Augustine opposed them; then he +recanted himself, and agreed that it was there. Finally, in 553, a +general council was held in Constantinople, and it was decided that the +dogma of endless hell shall be henceforth an article of faith. It was +only many years after that this council was considered oecumenical. + +We have proved by the testimony of the Fathers themselves, that the +Christians of the first, of the second, of the third, of the fourth, and +of the fifth centuries, did not believe the dogma of endless hell; we +shall now prove it by the various Christian sects, which existed, and +were organized religious denominations, in those centuries. + +Lest we might be suspected of partiality in the exposition of the belief +of those Christian sects in regard to future punishment, we will +_exclusively_ make our extracts from the works of Bergier, Feller, and +other Catholic theologians and historians. + +The Cerinthians did not believe the doctrine of endless hell. The +Basilidians believed in Metempsychosis, or transmigration of the souls. +In consequence they did not hold the dogma of endless hell. Eusebe +informs us, in his Ecclesiastical History, that Basilide had written on +the four Gospels twenty-four books; and that his sect was numerous. It +flourished till the fourth century. + +The Millenaries, who existed mainly in the second and third centuries, +believed that Jesus Christ would soon come from heaven, to reign one +thousand years over the righteous; that this reign would be temporal; +and that it would be followed by a general judgment: but they did not +hold that future punishment would be endless, for they were silent about +its nature. + +The Marcionites believed in a good principle, God, and in a bad one, the +Devil; the latter had created our body. Jesus Christ had but an apparent +flesh. Our body should not come again to life; they believed like +Pythagoras, of whom Marcion was a follower, in the doctrine of +Metempsychosis: such was their belief. They made so many proselytes, +that, even in the fifth century, their sect was numerous in Italy, in +Egypt, in Palestine, in Syria, in Arabia, in Persia, and in other +oriental countries. + +The Valentinians held that Jesus Christ was not God; that he had +redeemed the world only from sin, by freeing men of the empire of evil +Eons, or geniuses, who had the government of the universe. They believed +in the doctrine of Metempsychosis, or transmigration of the souls. In +consequence, they neither knew nor believed the dogma of endless hell. +Valentin had an immense number of disciples, and his sect spread in +Asia, and in Africa; in Europe it extended as far as Gaul, where, +according to the testimony of Ireneus, bishop of Lyons, the Valentinians +were very numerous. + +The Marcosians formed a numerous religious body towards the end of the +second century. Their sect spread as far as Gaul. They believed the +doctrine of Metempsychosis. + +The Theodotians and the Artemonians, in the second century, professed +that Jesus Christ was not God, and believed in Metempsychosis. + +The Carpocratians believed in the pre-existence of the souls, and taught +that they had sinned in an anterior state of existence; that, as a +punishment for those crimes, they had been condemned to animate other +bodies, and would pass into other bodies as long as they would not have +been sufficiently purified by this expiation. They denied the divinity +of Jesus Christ, and the belief of the resurrection of the body. +Carpocrate, of Alexandria, founded this sect in the second century. + +The Docetes professed the same belief as the Carpocratians, with the +difference that they did not admit that Jesus Christ had a natural body. +They had exactly the same belief in regard to Metempsychosis. This sect +existed in the second century. The Patripassians, the Noetians, the +Praxeans, and the Sabellians have been silent on the dogma of endless +hell. + +Tatian, one of the most prominent ecclesiastical writers of the second +century, established the sect of the Tatianists, who believed that Jesus +Christ had not really suffered, and that he had not redeemed the world +by his blood. They also held the doctrine of Metempsychosis. Of the many +works of Tatian we have only his Discourse against the Pagans, and his +Diatessaron. + +Apelles established a sect of his name, in 145. The Apellites denied the +resurrection of the body; believed in Metempsychosis; and also that God +had entrusted a spirit of fire to create the world. + +In the second century, Montan, a native of Ardaban, in Mysia, +established the sect of the Montanists, which split and ramified into +the Artotyrites, the Ascites, Ascodrutes, etc. They all believed the +doctrine of Metempsychosis. + +The Ophites, a sect of the second century, professed that the world had +been created, and was governed by evil Eons or geniuses, and that God +had sent Jesus Christ, his Son, to oppose the evil geniuses. They held +the doctrine of Metempsychosis. + +In the second century the sect of the Cainites denied the resurrection +of the body, and believed in Metempsychosis. + +The above sects compose the large body of Christians in the second +century; and yet we do not find in their doctrines anything like the +dogma of endless hell. They all, except perhaps the Millenaries, +believed in the doctrine of Metempsychosis. And as those extracts are +from Roman Catholic authors, who had the greatest interest in disguising +the true doctrines of those sects, it follows that it is an undeniable +fact, that the Christians of the second century neither did believe nor +knew any thing about such a dogma as endless hell. + +_Corollary._ Since the Christians of the second century neither believed +the dogma of endless hell, nor knew anything about it, therefore the +Christians of the first century neither believed this dogma, nor knew +anything about it; for had they believed it, or known any thing about +it, the Christians of the second century would have preserved that +belief, or at least would have mentioned it. Consequently, it is an +undeniable fact that the Christians of the first century were not taught +by the apostles the dogma of endless hell. + +Let us examine, now, the doctrines of the various Christian sects, which +sprung up in the third century. + +Tertullian, one of the Fathers of whom we have spoken above, had joined +the Montanist sect; but afterwards he disagreed with them, and he +founded, at about the fifth year of the third century, another sect, +called Tertullianists. This sect lived several centuries, for in the +time of St. Augustine, towards the end of the fourth century, they had a +denominational organization at Carthage, Africa. Probably they held the +same belief as Tertullian, in regard to the dogma of endless hell. + +The Hermogenians believed that the earth and the whole universe have +been uncreated, and are eternal. Hermogene said: "God has either taken +evil from himself, or from nothing, or from a pre-existing matter. He +could not take evil from himself, for he is indivisible; and, besides, +evil could not abide in a being infinitely perfect. He could not take +evil from nothing, for in this case it would have been in his power not +to produce it; therefore, evil is derived from a matter pre-existing, +co-eternal to God, and the defects of which God could not amend." The +Hermogenians believed in Metempsychosis. Their sect spread more +particularly in Galatia. + +Berylle, bishop of Ostres, in Arabia, established, in 207, the sect of +the Arabics. They believed that the soul was born and died with the +body, and that both would come again to life. Origen wrote against this +belief, and converted the most of them to his opinions. As Origen +thought and taught that the punishment of the wicked would not be +endless, and that the souls transmigrated, we may safely conclude that +the Arabics embraced his opinions. + +The Novatians were organized into a sect by Novat and Novatian, priests +of the Church of Carthage. We have perused the treatises on Trinity and +on the Viands, written by Novatian, whose fragments are found in the +works of Tertullian; but we have found no opinion expressed in regard to +the dogma of endless hell. We heard since that there is a complete +edition of his works, published in 1728, by Jackson, at London: we have +not been able to obtain it. + +According to the testimony of Epiphane, the Valesians held many of the +doctrines of the Gnostics. From this we may safely infer that they +believed in Metempsychosis. Tillemont, in his Memoirs for the +Ecclesiastical History, tome 3d, says that the Valesians sprung up in +240. St. Epiphane and Tillemont are the only authors who have referred +to them in their writings. + +The Samosatians, whose chief was Paul of Samosate, Patriarch of Antioch, +professed that the three persons of the Trinity were not three Gods, but +three attributes, under which God has manifested himself to men; that +Jesus Christ was not a God, but a man to whom wisdom had been +extraordinarily given. We did not find any thing in the Ecclesiastical +History in regard to their doctrines about future punishment. However, +as they considered Jesus Christ only as an extraordinary man, it is most +probable that they kept the immemorially, and, even then, generally +believed doctrine of Metempsychosis. This sect was established in 260. +The famous Zenobia, who then reigned in Syria, and believed the Jewish +religion, was converted to this sect. + +Manes was born in Persia, in 240. He was the father of the sect of the +Manicheans. We shall give a summary of their doctrines, and as their +sect has been one of the most numerous, one of the most widely spread, +and one whose denominational organization seems to have outlived nearly +all those of the first centuries, we will add a summary of their +history. We will find in their doctrines, and in their history, a +weighty proof that the dogma of endless hell was not generally believed +by the Christians of the first five centuries, to say the least. + +To remove the least shadow of doubt about our impartiality, we continue, +as done before, to take our extracts from Roman Catholic authors, who +had an interest to make it appear that the dogma of endless hell was +co-eval to the apostles. + +We extract from Cotelier, a Roman Catholic author, tome 1, of the +Apostolic Fathers, page 543, and following, these doctrines of the +Manicheans: + +In their opinion, the souls, or spirits, are an emanation from the good +spirit, whom they considered as an uncreated light; and all bodies have +been formed by the bad principle, whom they called Satan, and the power +of darkness. They held that there are portions of light enclosed within +all the bodies of the universe, and that they give them motion and life, +wherefore those souls cannot reunite to the good principle, except when +they have been purified by the means of various transmigrations from one +body into another. They denied the future resurrection of the body. + +It is therefore evident that the Manicheans either knew nothing about +the dogma of endless hell, or did not believe it. + +From the year 285 to the year 491, the Manicheans were persecuted. The +emperors of Orient confiscated their property, and decreed the penalty +of death against them. Thousands of them died in the most cruel +tortures, rather than to give up their faith; we read even in our days, +in the Theodosian code, the laws enacted against them. Despite those +persecutions they rapidly and widely spread. In the fourth century St. +Augustine was converted to their sect, but he afterwards left them, and +became their most powerful opponent. They formed a large body in Africa. +In 491, the mother of the emperor Anastase, who was a Manichean, +obtained the suspension of the laws enacted against them. They were +allowed, during twenty-seven years, to have churches, and to freely +worship; but during the reign of Justin, and under his successors, they +were again forbidden it. Towards the end of the seventh century, the +famous Gallinice, who was a Manichean, brought up her two sons, Paul and +John, in her belief, and sent them to Armenia as missionaries. Paul made +so many proselytes that the new converts took the name of Paulicians. + +In the beginning of the ninth century the Paulicians split; but soon +after they reunited, at the persuasion of one of their most influential +members, named Theodote. The aversion of the Manicheans for the worship +of the virgin Mary, of the cross, of the saints, and of images, pleased +the Saracens, who made frequent irruptions in the empire: through their +influence they obtained more credit among their opponents. + +In the year 841, the empress Theodora, who had declared herself in favor +of the worship of the virgin Mary, of the cross, of the saints, and of +images, went so far in her fanatical zeal for this doctrine, that she +resolved to exterminate the Manicheans, and their religion. By her +orders more than one hundred thousand of them were arrested and put to +death; nearly all expired in the most cruel tortures. Then the +Manicheans sought a refuge among the Saracens; they retired in fortified +towns, repelled the repeated assaults of the imperial armies, and +maintained themselves during about forty years; but having been defeated +in a great battle they were forced to disperse. + +Some went to Bulgaria, and since took the name of Bulgarians; others +went to Italy, and mainly settled in Lombardy, wherefrom they sent +missionaries to France, to Germany, and to other countries. In the year +1022, under the king Robert, several canons of Orleans, who had joined +the Manicheans, were burnt alive. Although the penalty of death had been +decreed against the Manicheans, they established a large number of +convents all over France, and particularly in the provinces of Provence, +of Languedoc, and, more especially, in the diocese of Albi, where they +took the name of Albigenses. + +Alanus, monk of Cîteaux, and Peter, monk of Vaux-Cernay, who wrote +against them, accused them, 1st, of admitting two principles or +creators, the one good and the other bad; the first, creator of +invisible and spiritual things, and the second, creator of bodies. 2d, +Of denying the resurrection of the body. 3d, Of denying the Purgatory. +4th, Of denying the utility of prayers for the dead. 5th, Of denying the +pains of hell. 6th, Of believing the transmigration of the souls into +other bodies of men, or of animals, according to the degree of their +guilt in an anterior state of existence, until by successive expiatory +transmigrations they become purified. 7th, Of disbelieving the seven +sacraments. 8th, Of rejecting the worship of the virgin Mary, of the +cross, of the saints, and of images, etc. + +In 1176, the council of Albi, which some authors call council of Lombez, +was held against the Manicheans, who, as said above, were called +Albigenses. In this council they were condemned under the calling of +Good Men. Fleury, who, in the seventy-second book of his Ecclesiastical +History, quotes the acts of the council, ascribes to them the above +doctrines; so does the historian Rainerius; and Bossuet, in the ninth +book of his History of Variations, cites other authors who confirm all +these accusations. The condemnation of the Manicheans, or Albigenses, +was confirmed by the general council of Latran, in 1179. A crusade was +ordered against them by the Pope, Innocent III., and a strict +inquisition was organized. Simon, count of Montford, was appointed, by +the Pope, general-in-chief of the crusaders; then the slaughter +commenced. It lasted eighteen years: the Albigenses, or Manicheans, were +exterminated, a few only secretly found their way to the Alps, where +they concealed themselves, and afterwards united to the Valdenses. +Several hundred thousands were either burnt alive, or tortured on racks, +or put to the sword; all were slain: men, old men, young men, women, +children, and infants; and during those horrible ceremonies of death, +the soldiers of the Pope sung the Veni Creator Spiritus, etc., a hymn of +invocation to the Holy Spirit. + +From the doctrines and history of the Manicheans we draw the following +argument: + +According to the unanimous testimony of the Roman Catholic authors +themselves, from about the middle of the third century to the +thirteenth, the Manicheans composed a numerous body of Christians, and +did not believe the dogma of endless hell. So constant were they in this +disbelief, that they persisted in it till nearly every one of them was +exterminated; therefore it is an undeniable historical fact that this +large denomination of Christians did not hold the dogma of hell, in the +third, fourth, fifth, etc., centuries. + +Let us examine the doctrine of the Christian sects, which sprung up in +the fourth century, in regard to endless hell. We continue to take our +extracts from Roman Catholic authors. + +Priscillian, a Spaniard, was the founder of the Christian sect of +Priscillianists, in the year 380. This denomination of Christians +believed in the doctrine of Metempsychosis. They held that the souls +passed into the bodies of other men, until they were purified, by their +transmigrations, of the sins they had committed in an anterior life. +They denied the resurrection of human bodies. Priscillian was condemned +to death, and the penalty of death was decreed against the +Priscillianists. The emperor Maxime, and the pope Leon, used fire, +racks, and swords against them; they slew thousands of them, +nevertheless they increased so that they were numerous yet in the sixth +century in Spain and in Italy. Tillemont, in his Ecclesiastical Memoir, +tome 8, refers to Sulpice-Sevère, to Ambrosius, and to St. Augustine, +for the confirmation of the above, said concerning the doctrines of the +Priscillianists. + +The other principal sects of the fourth century were the Donatists, the +Photinians, the Macedonians, the Apollinarists, the Jovinians, the +Collyridians, and the Pelagians. The Nestorians, the Eutichians, and the +Monothelites, sprang up in the fifth century. We have not found in their +writings any passages referring to the dogma of endless hell. However we +must state that we had the opportunity of perusing only about two-thirds +of the numerous and voluminous, we would add tedious, works composed pro +and con concerning their respective tenets. + +_Remark._--Let the reader bear in mind that the most of the Christian +sects, whose disbelief of the dogma of endless hell we have traced out +above, composed the majority of the Christian body; and also that they +have existed, at least, till the middle of the sixth century, the epoch +when the fifth council of Constantinople condemned the doctrine held by +Origen--that of the transmigration of the souls, and of their temporary +punishment. + +_Conclusion._ Therefore the dogma of endless hell was not generally +believed by the Christians of the third, of the fourth, and of the fifth +centuries. + +General conclusion of this third article: + +1. We have proved, by the testimony of the Fathers of the second +century, and by the doctrines of the numerous Christian sects of the +same century, that the dogma of endless hell was even unknown to the +Christians of the first and of the second centuries. Then we must +conclude that not only the first Christians, namely, the Christians of +the first and of the second centuries did not believe in endless hell, +but even that they knew nothing about such a dogma. + +2. We have proved, by the testimony of the Fathers of the third, of the +fourth, and of the fifth centuries, and also by the many Christian sects +which existed in the third, in the fourth, and in the fifth centuries, +that the Christians did not generally believe, in the said centuries, +the dogma of endless hell. Therefore the Christians of the third, of the +fourth, and of the fifth centuries, did not _generally_ believe in +endless hell. + +Therefore the proposition we were to prove in the present article, _that +the first Christians did not believe in the doctrine of endless hell_, +remains peremptorily established. + +_Objection._--Since the fourth century the Church of Rome obtained the +condemnation of the above Christian sects in five general councils. But +if the above sects had composed the majority of the body of Christians, +the Church of Rome would not have obtained their condemnation. +Consequently the above sects did not compose the majority of the body of +Christians during the third, the fourth, and the fifth centuries. + +_Answer._--We deny the minor proposition of this syllogism, which is: +But if the above sects had composed the majority of the body of +Christians, the Church of Rome would not have obtained their +condemnation--and we prove our denegation as follows:-- + +Supposing that the United States be constituted into an empire--God +forbid!--that the emperor would have the control of Church property, +would side, say with the Presbyterian Church, or any other, claiming +supremacy over the other Christian denominations; and that the emperor +would assemble councils conjointly with that Church, would attend and +even be vice-president of those councils, would enforce them with civil +and military force, and also the execution of their acts condemning +another sect arrayed before those councils, without permitting the other +sects to vote in those councils, would it follow from this that all the +other Christian sects do not compose the body of Christians in the +United States? Certainly not. + +But the case was the same with the Church of Rome. Since the end of the +second century the bishop of Rome (we do not say the Pope, for it was +only centuries after that he had the boldness, or rather impudence, to +call himself exclusively Pope,) commenced to claim a personal supremacy +over the other bishops, and also a supremacy of his church over the +other Christian churches. Vain were his efforts until the beginning of +the fourth century, when Sylvestre, bishop of Rome, obtained for himself +and for his church the favors and protection of the emperor Constantine +I., who afterwards joined it, (we will state in the last chapter of this +work the reasons why this tyrant took these steps.) In behalf of the +Church of Rome, he convoked the council of Arles, and the general +council of Nice, and defrayed the expenses of the bishops out of his own +treasure. His protection to the Church of Rome the most of his +successors on the imperial throne continued; and thus the power and +supremacy of this church grew in ratio of the persecutions directed +against the other Christian denominations, which were debarred from +voting in the councils; whose church property was oftentimes +confiscated; and which many of them were prohibited to publicly worship. +In consequence, it is not true to say that, if the various Christian +sects spoken of before had composed the majority of the body of +Christians, the Church of Rome would not have obtained their +condemnation. Therefore the various sects spoken of before composed the +majority of the body of Christians during the third, the fourth and the +fifth centuries. + + +APPENDIX + +_To the proofs that the first Christians did not believe in endless +hell._ + +From the second to the fourth centuries many Apocryphal Gospels had been +written. Some of them have been transmitted down to us, at least their +fragments; and others have not been preserved except their titles. + +Among those gospels are: 1st, the Gospel according to the Hebrews; 2d, +according to the Nazareans; 3d, according to the Twelve Apostles; 4th, +according to St. Peter. It is supposed that these four Gospels were that +of Matthew, altered by the Hebrews. This circumstance has led the +critics to believe, that the Hebrew or Syriac text of Matthew had been +abandoned, lest it might be altered; and that the Greek version had been +preserved. + +5th, The Gospel according to the Egyptians; 6th, that of the birth of +the virgin Mary: we have read it in Latin; 7th, the Protogospel of +James, written in Greek and in Latin; 8th, the Gospel of the Infancy, in +Greek and in Arabic; 9th, that of St. Thomas; 10th, the Gospel of +Nicodemus, in Latin; 11th, the Gospel Eternal; 12th, that of Andrew; +13th, that of Bartholomew; 14th, that of Apelles; 15th, that of +Basilides; 16th, that of Cerinthus; 17th, that of the Ebionites--perhaps +it was the same as that of the Hebrews; 18th, that of Tatian; 19th, that +of Eve; 20th, that of the Gnostics; 21st, that of Marcion; 22d, that of +St. Paul; 23d, the Gospel of the small and great interrogations of Mary; +24th, that of the birth of Jesus: probably the same as the Protogospel +of James; 25th, that of John, or of the death of the virgin Mary; 26th, +that of Matthias; 27th, that of Perfection; 28th, that of the Simonians; +29th, that of the Syrians; 30th, that of the Encratites: probably the +same as that of Tatian; 31st, the Gospel of Thadeus, or of Jude; 32d, +that of Valentine; 33d, that of Life, or of the Living God; 34th, that +of Philip; 35th, that of Barnabeus; 36th, that of James, the major; +37th, that of Judas; 38th, of the Truth: probably the same as that of +Valentine; 39th, the Gospels of Leucius, of Seleucus, of Lucianus, and +of Hesychius. + +For a more extensive information concerning the Apocryphal Gospels, we +refer the reader to the Codex Apocryphus Novi Testamenti Collectus, +Castigatus, published at Hamburg, in 3 vols. octavo, in 1719. The author +was John Albert Fabricius, one of the most learned antiquarians of the +17th century. + +We had the opportunity of reading, in the rich library of the +theological school of Brou, France, several of these Apocryphal +Gospels, that of the birth of the virgin Mary, the Protogospel of James; +that of the death of the virgin Mary, and that of the Twelve Apostles; +but we do not recollect to have seen in these gospels anything, in +regard to endless hell, more positive than what is found in the Gospel +concerning the ruin of Jerusalem. + +Of course this proof, drawn from the Apocryphal Gospels, has not the +same weight as if it was drawn from authentical authors, (it is for this +reason that we have not inserted it in the body of proofs,) however as +it is certain that they have been written from the second to the fourth +centuries, they at least show that their authors, and the many +Christians who used them, did not believe in endless hell. + + +ARTICLE IV. + +_How the Church of Rome borrowed the doctrine of Endless Hell from the +Pagans; and how, afterwards, the self-called Orthodox Protestant +Churches borrowed it from the Church of Rome._ + +It has been proved in the foregoing article, and, we think, to +demonstration, that the Christians of the first and of the second +centuries, neither knew nor believed the dogma of endless hell; +wherefore we may logically make this argument: + +The Christians of the first and of the second centuries neither knew nor +believed the dogma of endless hell: But if the dogma of endless hell +had been taught in the New Testament, the Christians of the first and +of the second centuries would have known and believed it. This we prove: + +Those of the apostles who wrote the New Testament certainly knew +whether, in the New Testament they wrote, they had taught the dogma of +endless hell. If they had known that, in the New Testament they wrote, +they had taught the dogma of endless hell, they would have certainly +informed the Christians of the first century, in their oral +predications, that, in the New Testament they wrote, they had taught the +dogma of endless hell, for it was one of the most important points of +doctrine. If they had informed the Christians of the first century, in +their oral predications, that they had taught, in the New Testament they +wrote, the dogma of endless hell, the Christians of the first century +would have certainly believed that they had taught, in the New Testament +they wrote, the dogma of endless hell. If the Christians of the first +century had believed that they had taught, in the New Testament they +wrote, the dogma of endless hell, they would have certainly believed in +endless hell. If the Christians of the first century had believed in +endless hell, those of the beginning of the second century would have +also believed it; for the apostle and evangelist John was still living +at the end of the year 100; (even many authors say that he died only in +104,) and therefore if any discussion had arisen in regard to the dogma +of endless hell, he would have declared whether it was taught in the +New Testament or not. If the Christians of the beginning of the second +century had also believed the dogma of endless hell, those who would +have lived in the middle and at the end of the second century would have +believed it also; because learning, from the lips, or from the writings, +of those who were co-eval to some of the apostles, the dogma of endless +hell, no traditional alteration might have taken place towards this +dogma; so much so that it would have been generally spread and believed +among Christians, owing to its importance. + +Therefore the minor proposition of our argument is true: _But if the +dogma of endless hell had been taught in the New Testament, the +Christians of the first and of the second centuries would have known and +believed it._ Wherefore we draw this logical conclusion: Then the dogma +of endless hell is not taught in the New Testament. + +Moreover, if the Christians of the third, of the fourth, and of the +fifth centuries, had thought that the dogma of endless hell was taught +in the New Testament they would have at least _generally_ believed it. +But they did not _generally_ believe it, as it has been proved, to +demonstration, in the foregoing Article: consequently the dogma of +endless hell is not taught in the New Testament. + +From the fact that, according to the Christians of the first and of the +second centuries themselves, the dogma of endless hell is not taught in +the New Testament, we draw the conclusion that the Church of Rome, +which first, and successively, introduced in the body of Christians the +dogma of hell and of endless hell, did not originate it from the New +Testament; because there would have been a general protestation against +it from all the other churches. + +It has been proved, in the second Article of this chapter, that the Jews +did not believe the dogma of endless hell. Therefore the Church of Rome +did not originate the dogma of endless hell from the Jews, or from their +Holy Writs. + +Wherefrom, then, did the Church of Rome originate the dogma of endless +hell? + +From Paganism:-- + +The Church of Rome established mysteries towards the beginning of the +third century. They were an imitation of the Pagan mysteries. + +We refer the reader for the proofs of this proposition to the last pages +of the second chapter of this work. + +Thereupon we continue. It was only successively, and to make more +proselytes, that the Church of Rome had established those ceremonies, +rites and doctrines, to the reading thereof we have invited the reader, +and which were not only unspoken of in the Scriptures, but which were a +pure imitation of those of the mysteries of the Pagans. We say, _to make +more proselytes_; for the aim of the Church of Rome was evidently to +diminish the abruptness of the transition between Paganism and +Christianity; to throw a bridge, if we may thus illustrate our idea, +over the steep, wide, and deep abyss that lies between Paganism and +Christianity. + +Now let us compare the hell of the Church of Rome with the Tartarus of +the Pagans. The Pagans called the place where the wicked were punished, +Tartarus, or Infernus; the Church of Rome called, and still calls, the +same place, Tartarus, or Infernus. The Pagans believed that the Tartarus +was in the profundities of the earth; the Church of Rome held, and still +holds, that the Tartarus, called in English, Hell, is in the +profundities of the earth. + +_Remark._--Before proceeding further, let us give the native +signification of the words Tartarus, Infernus and Hell. [Greek: +Tartaros, ou], dark and deep place: [Greek: Tartara gains], [in +Hesiode,] abysses of the earth. The word [Greek: Tartaros] has been +adopted and kept in the Latin, though with the change of the final +[Greek: os] into _us_, Tartarus, and its native meaning preserved. The +Latin word Infernus derives from the word inferior, which signifies a +place under, below an other, a cavity, a profundity. The words Tartarus, +Infernus, have been kept in French, Tartare, Enfer; in Spanish, Tartaro, +Infierno; and also in the other languages derived from the Latin. The +English word _hell_ is the genitive case of the Anglo-Saxon word _hole_, +[See Webster's Dictionary,] which means a cavity, a profundity. The word +Tartarus has been kept from the Latin, with its native signification. In +Greek [Greek: Tartaros] has a plural, as seen before. In Latin +_Tartarus_ has a plural, _Tartari_; so _Infernus_, _Inferi_. In French +_Tartare_ has a plural, _Tartares_; so, _Enfer_, _Enfers_. In Spanish +_Tartaro_ has a plural, _Tartaros_; so, _Infierno_, _Infiernos_. + +Now we continue the comparison that we have commenced between the +Infernus of the Pagans and the Infernus, or Hell, of the Church of Rome. +We will use the word Hell, to express the Tartarus, or Infernus, of both +the Pagans and the Church of Rome. + +The Pagans believed that there was a gate to their hell; so the Church +of Rome believes that there is a gate to the hell of the Christians. The +Pagans believed that the frightful Tisiphon watched day and night at the +gate of their hell; so the Church of Rome believes that Lucifer holds +the keys of the gate of hell, as St. Peter holds the keys of Paradise. + +The Pagans believed that the deepest darkness reigned in their hell; so +the Church of Rome believes that the deepest darkness reigns in the hell +of the Christians. + +The Pagans believed that, in their hell, the Phlegeton river rolled huge +stones on fire, burning the wicked without consuming them; so the Church +of Rome believed, and still believes, [even now it is an article of +faith which must be believed under the penalty of excommunication, of +being a heretic, and thereby of infallibly going to hell,] that, in the +hell of the Christians, the wicked are plunged into a corporeal, or +material, fire of sulphur, and of brimstone. St. Augustine, in his work +De Civitate Dei, Liber 21, Capitulum 10, writes: "_Gehenna illa, quod +etiam stagnum ignis et sulphuris dictum est, corporeus ignis erit._" +[Translation.--"That Gehenna, which is said to be a marsh of fire and of +sulphur, will be a corporeal fire."] + +The Pagans believed that, in their hell, the wicked were tortured in +their bodies and in their souls, although their bodies were in the +grave; so the Church of Rome believed, and still believes that, in the +hell of the Christians, the wicked are tortured in their bodies and in +their souls, although their bodies are in the grave. + +The Pagans believed that, in their hell, hideous furies were armed with +whips and other instruments of torture; so the Church of Rome believed, +and still believes, that, in the hell of the Christians, the devils are +hideous and armed with whips, tridents, harpoons, and other instruments +of torture. We invite the reader to go to Catholic stores of images, and +to see the representation of devils with tails, horns, and armed with +instruments of torture. + +The Pagans believed that, in their hell, the wicked were whipped and +tortured in various cruel manners by the furies, though their bodies +were in the grave; so the Church of Rome believed, and still believes, +that, in the hell of the Christians, the wicked are whipped and +tortured in various cruel manners by the devils, though their bodies +are in the grave. The Pagans believed that, in their hell, the wicked +dragged heavy chains; so the Church of Rome believed, and still +believes, that, in the hell of the Christians, the wicked drag heavy +chains. The Pagans believed that, in their hell, there were two +principal abodes, the one expiatory, in which the common wicked were +detained and tortured, until they had expiated their faults, and been +purified enough to be admitted in the Elysium; and the other, the +vastest, the darkest, and the deepest cavern, where great criminals were +burnt and excruciated endlessly, and without any hope of cessation or +relief in their torments; so the Church of Rome believed, and still +believes, that in the hell of the Christians, there are two principal +abodes, the one, Purgatory, where the common wicked, namely, those +guilty of venial sins, are tortured and burnt in a material fire, until +they have expiated their faults, and been purified enough to be +permitted to crave St. Peter to open to them the gate of Paradise, and +the other the vastest, the darkest, and the deepest profundity, where +the heretics, the schismatics, those who eat meat on Friday, do not pay +the tithe to the priests, or who disobey kindred laws of the Church, are +plunged, bodies and souls, (though their bodies are in the grave,) into +a devouring fire, and where they are excruciated endlessly, without any +hope of cessation or relief in their torments. + +The Pagans believed that, in the expiatory abode of their hell, there +were many different degrees of tortures; so the Church of Rome believed, +and still believes, that, in the Purgatory of the hell of the +Christians, there are many different degrees of tortures. The Pagans +believed that supplications could relieve and free from their tortures, +the common wicked detained in the expiatory abode of their hell; so the +Church of Rome believed, and still believes, that, in the Purgatory of +the hell of the Christians, the common wicked, namely, those guilty of +venial sins, can be relieved in their torments, and be freed from them +by supplications; hence the incalculable sums of money paid to the +priests, to say masses for the deliverance of those wicked; hence the +countless splendid churches, the vast number of monasteries, convents, +nunneries, abbeys, and other costly edifices, founded in behalf of those +wicked. + +The Pagans believed that there were an innumerable quantity of different +degrees of tortures in the second principal abode of their hell; so the +Church of Rome believed, and still believes, that, in the second +principal abode of the hell of the Christians, there is an innumerable +quantity of different degrees of tortures. The Pagans believed that, in +their hell, the wicked condemned to endless misery, would, mingle with +their yells of anguish, torment, and despair, vociferations, +maledictions, and curses, against the gods, and against themselves; so +the Church of Rome believed, and still believes, that, in the hell of +the Christians, the wicked, condemned to endless misery, will mingle +with their yells of anguish, torment, and despair, vociferations, +maledictions, and curses against God, and against themselves; that they +will exclaim, _Montes cadite super nos!_--Mountains fall upon us! The +Pagans believed that, in their hell, the wicked condemned to endless +misery will vainly endeavor to kill and annihilate themselves; so the +Church of Rome believed, and still believes, that the wicked condemned +to endless misery, will vainly attempt to put an end to their miserable +existence. + +Therefore there is a most striking similarity, or rather identity, +between the hell of the Pagans, and the hell of the Church of Rome. + +Therefore, since as proved above, + +1st, The Church of Rome was the first Church which introduced the dogma +of endless hell in the body of Christians; + +2d, Since, as proved above, the Church of Rome did not originate the +dogma of endless hell from the New Testament; + +3d, Since, as proved above, the Church of Rome did not borrow from the +Jews, or from their Holy Writs, the dogma of endless hell; + +4th, Since, as proved above, the Church of Rome, at the imitation of the +Pagans, established, towards the beginning of the third century, +mysteries, many of the ceremonies, rites and doctrines thereof were +alike to those ceremonies, rites and doctrines, of the mysteries of the +Pagans; + +5th, Since, as proved above, there is a most striking similarity, or +rather identity, between the hell of the Pagans, and the hell of the +Church of Rome, + +We legitimately draw this important conclusion: + +Therefore the Church of Rome borrowed from the Pagans the dogma of +endless hell. + +When the Protestants, now self-called Orthodox Churches, left the Church +of Rome, in the sixteenth century, they cut off many of the appendices +and concomitant particularities of the dogma of endless hell; but they +preserved, and even in our days profess to believe, the main features of +this dogma, namely, that in hell there is sulphur, brimstone, and fire; +that in hell there are devils; that in hell there are many degrees of +torments; that in hell the wicked are constantly burning in fire without +consuming, and are constantly tortured by the devils without any relief; +that hell shall exist forever and evermore, as long as endless eternity +shall endure; and that the torments of the wicked in hell shall no more +end than hell itself. + +That the Protestants, now self-called Orthodox Christian Churches, +borrowed from the Church of Rome, in the sixteenth century, the dogma of +endless hell; and that they preserved the above belief in regard to +endless hell, is proved by the unanimous testimony of modern historians +and of chroniclers. That they, now-a-days, profess the above belief in +regard to endless hell, is a fact which we can daily, and particularly +every Sunday, in all cities, towns, and villages of this country, and of +all Protestant countries, verify with our own eyes in their writings, +and with our own ears in their temples. + +Now we draw our general conclusions: + +1st, Therefore the Church of Rome borrowed from the Pagans the dogma of +endless hell. + +2d, Therefore the now self-called Orthodox Protestant, or Christian +Churches, borrowed from the Church of Rome the dogma of endless hell. + +Conclusion of the chapter: + +_Therefore the Partialist doctrine of endless hell is of Pagan origin._ + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +PAGAN ORIGIN OF THE DOCTRINE OF A FIRST JUDGMENT, BY JESUS CHRIST, +IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE SEPARATION OF THE SOUL FROM THE BODY. + + +IT will be evident that the origin of the doctrine of a first judgment, +by Jesus Christ, immediately after the separation of the soul from the +body, is Pagan, if it can be proved, 1st, That the Pagans believed in a +first judgment, by a god, immediately after the separation of the soul +from the body; 2d, That the particulars of this first judgment, believed +in by the Partialist Christian Churches, present a striking similarity +with the particulars of the first judgment, believed in by the Pagans; +and 3d, That the Church of Rome, which, in the sixteenth century, +transmitted to the now self-called Orthodox Christian Churches this +doctrine of a first judgment, which they accepted full and entire, did +not hold it from the apostles of Jesus Christ nor from the Jews. + +But it can be proved, 1st, That the Pagans believed in a first judgment, +by a god, immediately after the separation of the soul from the body; +2d, That the particulars of this first judgment, believed in by the +Partialist Christian Churches, present a striking similarity with the +particulars of the first judgment, believed in by the Pagans; and 3d, +that the Church of Rome, which, in the sixteenth century transmitted to +the now self-called Orthodox Christian Churches this doctrine of a first +judgment, which they accepted full and entire, did not hold it from the +Apostles of Jesus Christ nor from the Jews. + +1st, It can be proved that the Pagans believed in a first judgment, by a +god, immediately after the separation of the soul from the body. + +We extract the following from the History of the Egyptians, by Rollin. +Article--Funerals: "Before the dead were admitted in the sacred asylum +of the tomb, they underwent a solemn judgment. And this circumstance of +the funerals among the Egyptians, is one of the most remarkable things +in the ancient history. It is a consolation to us to leave behind us, +when we die, a name honored among men; and of all blessings it is the +only one of which we cannot be deprived by death. But in Egypt, it was +not permitted to indistinctly praise the dead; this honor was conferred +only after a favorable public judgment. The assembly of the judges was +held on the other side of a lake, which they crossed on a bark. He who +conducted the bark was called, in the Egyptian tongue, _Charon_; and it +is from this name that the Greeks, instructed by Orpheus, who had been +in Egypt, had invented the fable of the bark of _Charon_. + +"When a man died he was brought to judgment. The public accuser was +heard. If he proved that the conduct of the dead had been wicked, his +memory was stigmatized, and he was deprived of the honor of funerals. +The people admired the power of the laws, which extended even beyond +death; and everybody, influenced by the example of others, was afraid to +dishonor his family, and his own memory. If the dead was not convicted +of any crime, he was honorably buried. What was the most astonishing in +this judgment of the dead was that royalty itself was not spared. The +kings were not judged during their life, the public good demanded it; +but they were not exempted from the after death's judgment, and several +of them were deprived of honorable funerals. This custom passed among +the Israelites. We read in the Old Testament that wicked kings were not +buried in the tombs of their fathers. Thus kings learned, that, if their +majesty places them above the judgments of men, it is so no longer when +death has placed them on the same level with their fellow-men. + +"When the judgment, which had been pronounced, was favorable to the +dead, they proceeded to the ceremony of the burial. A panegyric was +delivered in which nothing was said of his birth, because every Egyptian +was considered to be a noble man. His personal virtues only were +praised. Then the whole assembly supplicated the gods to welcome him in +the assembly of the virtuous dead, and to associate him to their +eternal bliss." + +This judgment gave birth to the fable of a judgment rendered by the +gods, immediately after the separation of the soul from the body. Charon +was represented carrying the souls of the dead on board his bark, across +the Styx river, to be judged by the great judge, Minos. This became a +general belief among the Pagans, not only in Egypt, but in Greece, in +Italy, and in nearly all the Oriental countries; as proved by the +unanimous consent of the mythological authors. This belief has been +perpetuated among the Pagans of those countries. Even in our days, the +Indians believe in this judgment, and call the great judge, Zomo, or +according to others, Jamen. The Japanese, followers of Buda, also +believe in this judgment; and they call the great judge, Zomo. Likewise +the Lamas believe in this judgment, and call the great judge Erlik-kan. + +Therefore the Pagans believed in a first judgment, by a god, immediately +after the separation of the soul from the body. + +2d. It can be proved that the particulars of this first judgment, +believed in by the Partialist Christian Churches, present a striking +similarity with the particulars of the first judgment, believed in by +the Pagans: + +The Pagans believed that their great judge, Minos, sat on a throne, to +judge the souls immediately after their separation from the bodies that +they animated; so the Partialist Christian Churches believe that Jesus +Christ sits on a throne, to judge the souls, immediately after their +separation from the bodies that they animated. The Pagans believed that, +near to Minos' throne, and at his right hand, good geniuses, or spirits, +stood; so the Partialist Christian Churches believe that, near to Jesus +Christ's throne, and at his right hand, good angels stand. The Pagans +believed that, near to Minos' throne, and at his left hand, furies +stood; so the Partialist Christian Churches believe that, near to Jesus +Christ's throne, and at his left hand, devils stand. + +The Pagans believed that the souls were driven to the redoubtable +tribunal of Minos by their respective guardian angel, who had +accompanied them during their whole life on earth; had watched day and +night over their conduct; and had kept a record of all they had done, +right or wrong; so the Church of Rome, and some other Partialist +Christian Churches, believe that the souls are driven to the redoubtable +tribunal of Jesus Christ by their respective guardian angel, who has +accompanied them during their whole life on earth; has watched day and +night over their conduct, and has kept a record of all they have done, +right or wrong. The Pagans believed that Minos based his judgments on +the contents of two books, the one called book of life, and the other +book of death; so the Partialist Christian Churches believe that Jesus +Christ bases his judgments on the contents of two books; the one called +book of life, and the other book of death. The Pagans believed that the +souls who had obtained from Minos a favorable sentence, were led to the +Elysium by their respective guardian angel; and that those who had been +condemned to the Tartarus, were apprehended by the furies, and hurled +into it; so the Partialist Christian Churches believe that the souls who +obtain from Jesus Christ a favorable sentence, are led to Paradise by +their respective guardian angel; or, [in the opinion of those of the +Partialist Christian Churches, which do not believe in a guardian angel] +by other angels. + +Consequently the particulars of the first judgment, believed in by the +Partialist Christian Churches, present a striking similarity with the +particulars of the first judgment, believed in by the Pagans. + +3d. It can be proved that the Church of Rome, which, in the sixteenth +century, transmitted to the now self-called Orthodox Christian Churches +the doctrine of a first judgment, which they accepted full and entire, +did not hold it from the apostles of Jesus Christ, nor from the Jews:-- + +The Church of Rome does not hold the doctrine of a first judgment from +the apostles of Jesus Christ, for this doctrine implies a +blasphemy--whether Jesus Christ be considered as being God himself--and +all the Partialist Christian Churches hold that he is God himself--and +whether Jesus Christ be considered as being only the Son of God. But +the doctrine of a first judgment implies a blasphemy, whether Jesus +Christ be considered as being God himself, and whether he be considered +as being only the Son of God. + +First, it implies a blasphemy, if Jesus Christ is considered as being +God himself. Jesus Christ, being God himself, would necessarily know all +the good and bad actions done by the souls, while they animate their +respective bodies on earth, in consequence it is an insult to his +attribute of wisdom, and thereby a blasphemy, to say that the guardian +angels of the souls, as they bring them to his tribunal, inform him of +their good and bad actions, which they have recorded. Even in the case +of those of the Partialist Christian Churches, which reject the +circumstance of the guardian angels, the doctrine of a first judgment +implies an insult to the wisdom of Jesus Christ, (in their opinion God +himself), and thereby a blasphemy; for a judgment supposes a trial; a +trial supposes an investigation; an investigation supposes the ignorance +of the deeds to be pronounced upon, and the supposition that God has not +a perfect knowledge of those deeds, is an insult to his wisdom, and +thereby is a blasphemy. + +Second, The doctrine of a first judgment implies a blasphemy, if Jesus +Christ is considered as being only the Son of God. If God had vested +Jesus Christ with the power of discerning rewards and punishments to the +souls after death, he would have given him a knowledge of the good and +bad actions of the souls. But the doctrine of a first judgment supposes +that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, would come to this knowledge only +through the means of a trial, which supposition is an insult to the +wisdom of God, and thereby a blasphemy. + +Then the doctrine of a first judgment implies a blasphemy, whether Jesus +Christ be considered as being God himself, and whether Jesus Christ be +considered as being only the Son of God. + +Therefore the Church of Rome does not hold the doctrine of a first +judgment from the apostles of Jesus Christ. + +General conclusions:-- + +It has been proved in this chapter, 1st, That the Pagans believed in a +first judgment, by a god, immediately after the separation of the soul +from the body; 2d, That the particulars of this first judgment, believed +in by the Partialist Christian Churches, present a striking similarity +with the particulars of the first judgment, believed in by the Pagans; +and, 3d, That the Church of Rome, which, in the sixteenth century, +transmitted to the now self-called Orthodox Christian Churches this +doctrine of a first judgment, which they accepted full and entire, did +not hold it from the apostles of Jesus Christ; neither did she hold it +from the Jews; for not a single passage can be traced out in the Old +Testament, or in Josephus, referring to a first judgment. + +_Therefore the origin of the doctrine of a first judgment, by Jesus +Christ, immediately after the separation of the soul from the body, is +Pagan._ + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +PAGAN ORIGIN OF THE DOCTRINE OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY. + + +IF it is proved, 1st, That in the first centuries of the Christian era, +and before the coming of Jesus Christ, the doctrine of the resurrection +of the body was held by a large number of Pagans; 2d, That the Church of +Rome which, in the sixteenth century, transmitted it to the now +self-called Orthodox Christian Churches, did not hold it either from the +apostles of Jesus Christ, or from the Jews, it will remain evident that +the Church of Rome borrowed it from the Pagans, and consequently that +its origin is Pagan. + +But it can be proved, 1st, That in the first centuries of the Christian +era, and before the coming of Jesus Christ, the doctrine of the +resurrection of the body was held by a large number of Pagans; 2d, That +the Church of Rome, which, in the sixteenth century, transmitted it to +the now self-called Orthodox Christian Churches, did not hold it from +the apostles of Jesus Christ; and, 3d, That she did not hold it from the +Jews. + +1st. It can be proved that in the first centuries of the Christian era, +and before the coming of Jesus Christ, the doctrine of the resurrection +of the body was held by a large number of Pagans: + +The doctrine of the resurrection of the body had been taught by +Zoroaster. All the Persians believed it; and even now the Parsis, or +followers of the religion of Zoroaster, who live in Turkey and in +Persia, hold it. It was also one of the dogmas of the Chaldeans, and of +many other oriental countries. In India the Pagans, now-a-days, believe +that their bodies will come again to life, and it is owing to this +belief, the Roman Catholic priest Bergier says, that the wives throw +themselves on the same wood piles on which lay the dead bodies of their +husbands, to be burnt alive, and to come again to life with them. This +belief and practice are immemorial in India. Interesting particulars in +regard to the doctrine of the resurrection believed by ancient nations, +can be read in the French work, Mémoires de l'Académie des Inscriptions, +tome 69, pages 270, and following; in the work of Hyde, on the Religion +of the Persians; and also in the writings of Plutarch, article Isis and +Osiris. + +According to the testimony of Diodore, and of Herodote, the Egyptians +believed in Metempsychosis; and it was an immemorial doctrine among +them. Also, many of them believed that their bodies would come again to +life, after a sojourn of one thousand years in the grave. The Sybilline +verses treat of the resurrection of the body. Much has been written +about it by Bocchus, in Solin, chap. 8; and by Lactance, book 7, chap. +29, book 4, chap. 15, 18, and 19. The Stoicians, who were the most +learned philosophers of antiquity, and in the three centuries which +preceded the coming of Jesus Christ, and also in the three that +followed, believed in Metempsychosis; however, a portion of their school +believed in the resurrection of the body. Of this we are informed by +Seneca, Epist. 40; by Laerta, book 7; and by Plutarch, writing on the +Resignation of the Stoicians. + +Pliny, deriding Democrite, informs us that this philosopher believed in +the resurrection of the body; see book 7, chap. 45, where he says: "Vain +is the promise made by Democrite that we will live again." The doctrine +of the resurrection of the body is taught in these verses of Phocylides +about the remains of the dead: + + "[Greek: Ou kalon harmoniên analyemen anthrôpoio; + Kai tacha d' ek gaiês elpizomen es phaos elthein + Leipsan' apoichomenôn opiso te theoi telethontai.]" + +Translation:--"It is impious to disperse the remains of man; for the +ashes and the bones of the dead will come again to light, and will +become similar to the gods." + +Virgil speaks of the resurrection of the body, though in an obscure +manner, in the sixth book of his poem Eneida. + +Therefore in the first centuries of the Christian era, and before the +coming of Jesus Christ, the doctrine of the resurrection of the body was +held by a large number of Pagans. + +2d. It can be proved that the Church of Rome, which, in the sixteenth +century, transmitted the doctrine of the resurrection of the body to the +now self-called Orthodox Christian Churches, did not hold it from the +apostles of Jesus Christ:-- + +It will be evident that the Church of Rome did not hold the doctrine of +the resurrection of the body from the apostles of Jesus Christ, if it +can be proved, 1st, That the Fathers of the first centuries did not +agree on this doctrine; 2d, That nearly all the Christian denominations +of the first two centuries, and the majority, to say the least, of those +of the century following, disbelieved it; and, 3d, That this doctrine is +irrational. + +But it can be proved, 1st, That the Fathers of the first centuries did +not agree about the doctrine of the resurrection of the body; 2d, That +nearly all the Christian denominations of the first two centuries, and +the majority, to say the least, of the century following, disbelieved +it; and, 3d, That this doctrine is irrational. + +1st. It can be proved that the Fathers of the first centuries did not +agree about the doctrine of the resurrection of the body. + +Tatian believed in Metempsychosis, but not in the resurrection of the +body. St. Gregory of Nysse denied that there was anything corporeal in +the person of Jesus Christ, since the time he ascended to the heavens. +Origen admitted the resurrection of the bodies, but not that of the +flesh. Synesius, bishop of Ptolemaïda, in his Series of Epistles, +declares that the doctrine of the resurrection of the body is a mystery, +whose solution ought to be kept secret, and considered as sacred: that +it is well to teach it to the people; and that he, the bishop, would +publicly profess and preach this doctrine, though it is not his personal +belief. If the reader desires to find lengthier particulars, about the +divergency of the opinions of the Fathers concerning the doctrine of the +resurrection of the body, we refer him to the work of Beausobre, headed, +History of Manicheanism, tome 2, book 8, chap. 5, No. 3, and following. + +Therefore the Fathers of the first centuries did not agree about the +doctrine of the resurrection of the body. + +2d. It can be proved that nearly all the Christian sects, or +denominations, of the first two centuries, and the majority, to say the +least, of those of the century following, disbelieved the doctrine of +the resurrection of the body:---- + +According to the unanimous testimony of the Roman Catholic authors +themselves, Bergier, Feller, Fleury, etc., etc., the following Christian +sects of the first three centuries held the dogma of Metempsychosis: The +Basilidians, the Bardesanists, the Barules, the Barborians, the +Valentinians, the Marcionites, the Marcosians, the Theodotians, the +Artemonians, the Carpocratians, the Docetes, the Tatianists, the +Apellites, the Montanists, the Artotyrites, the Severians, the Ascites, +the Ascodrutes, the Ophites, the Cainites, the Sethians, the +Hermogenians, the Hermians, the Valesians, the Hieracites, the +Samosatians, and the Manicheans: this latter sect, Catholic authors say, +were subdivided into more than sixty sects, which professed, each one of +them, to believe in Metempsychosis. The same authors add, that many of +the other sects named above denied the resurrection of the body. Though +they do not say so of all, we may safely affirm that every one of the +above named Christian sects disbelieved the doctrine of the resurrection +of the body. This we demonstrate thus:-- + +According to the doctrine of Metempsychosis, when, at death, a soul +separates from the body, she passes into another body to animate it; and +to thus expiate, by many and successive transmigrations, the faults she +has committed in an anterior existence, and so continually. But the +doctrine of the resurrection of the body teaches that the same soul +which animated it in its prior existence, shall animate it anew when it +will come again to life. How can then this same soul animate this same +body, and at the same time the thousands of other human bodies, which +she had also animated in her various transmigrations? Therefore the +belief of the doctrine of Metempsychosis necessarily implies a disbelief +of the doctrine of the resurrection of the body. Consequently, although +the Roman Catholic authors do not positively state that all the above +named Christian sects disbelieved the doctrine of the resurrection of +the body, we may safely affirm, from the fact that they held the +doctrine of Metempsychosis, that they disbelieved the doctrine of the +resurrection of the body. + +Therefore nearly all the Christian sects, or denominations, of the first +two centuries, and the majority, to say the least, of those of the +century following, disbelieved the doctrine of the resurrection of the +body. + +3d. It can be proved that the doctrine of the resurrection of the body +is irrational. + +All the reasons which have been brought forth by St. Cyrille, bishop of +Jerusalem, in his Catechism, page 18; by St. Gregory of Nysse, in his +oratio on the Resurrection of the Flesh; by St. Augustine, in his City +of God, book 20; by St. Chrysostome, in his homily on the Resurrection +of the Flesh; by Tertullian, in his treatise on the Resurrection of the +Flesh; by St. Gregory, the Pope, in his Fourth Dialogue; by St. +Ambrosius, in his sermon on the Faith of the Resurrection of the Flesh; +and by St. Epiphane, Ancyrot, page 38, can be summed up as follows:-- + +God himself has formed with his own hands man's body; he has animated it +with the breath of his own mouth, and has placed within it a soul made +to his likeness. The flesh of the Christian is, in some manner, +associated to all the functions of its soul, and is the instrument of +all the graces of God. It is the body that is washed by baptism to +purify the soul, it is the body that in order to feed the soul receives +the Eucharist; it is the body that is immolated to God by +mortifications, by fasts, by vigils, by virginity, and by martyrdom. +Thus St. Paul reminds that our bodies are the members of Jesus Christ, +and the temples of the Holy Spirit. Would God leave in the grave forever +the work of his own hands, the master-piece of his might, the depository +of his breath, the king of the other bodies, the canal of his graces, +and the victim of his worship? + +If God has condemned the body to death as a punishment for sin, Jesus +Christ came to save all that was lost. Without this complete reparation, +we would not know how far the goodness, the mercy, and the parental +tenderness of our God, extend. The flesh of man, restored by incarnation +to its former dignity, ought to come again to life, as well as that of +Jesus Christ. Is not he who created the flesh mighty enough to bring it +again to life? Nothing entirely perishes in nature: forms change, but +all renews itself, and seems to grow young again; God has stamped +immortality upon all his works. Night follows the day, eclipsed stars +appear anew; the spring makes us forget the winter; plants grow again, +and resume their hues and perfumes; and several animals which seem to +die receive a new life. Thus, by the lessons of nature, God has prepared +the lessons of the revelation; and he has shown us the image of the +resurrection, before showing us its reality. + +God's justice demands the resurrection of our body. God ought to judge, +to reward, or to punish the whole man. The body is the instrument of +the soul for good or for evil; even the thoughts of the soul are +reflected on man's face. The soul cannot experience pleasure or pain +without the co-participation of the body, and the principal exercise of +virtue consists in the repression of the desires of the flesh. Then it +is just that the soul of the wicked be tormented, by being reunited to +the same body which has been the instrument of her crimes; and that the +soul of the saints be rewarded, by her eternal reunion to a body which +has been the instrument of her merits. + +All these reasons can be generalized thus: + +Man's body has been the instrument of our soul to do good or evil. Then +the justice of God requires that man's body come again to life, to +share, with its soul, eternal reward, or eternal punishment. + +We answer: Since man's body is but the instrument of our soul to do good +or evil, his body is capable neither of merit nor of demerit. But, since +man's body is capable neither of merit nor of demerit, it is capable +neither of reward nor of punishment. Therefore the justice of God does +not require that man's body come again to life, to share, with its soul, +eternal reward or eternal punishment. + +More, it is irrational that the same particles of matter be, at the same +time, in many places. But the doctrine of the resurrection of the body +supposes that the same particles of matter will be, at the same time, +in many places. This we prove: + +The cannibals live upon man's flesh; and they assimilate to their own +bodies the particles of flesh which compose the bodies of the men they +devour. Consequently, at the resurrection of the bodies, these particles +of flesh will compose the bodies of the cannibals, and, at the same +time, the bodies of the men they have devoured. Therefore, the doctrine +of the resurrection of the body supposes, that the same particles of +matter will be, at the same time, in many places. + +Besides, when, after death, man's body putrefies, the particles of +flesh, of which it is composed, dissolve into gases, which the plants +convert to their own nature. Those vegetables and fruits, thousands of +men eat; and thus they assimilate to themselves those same particles, +which formerly composed the bodies of other men. Consequently, at the +resurrection of the bodies, those particles will compose a multitude of +bodies. Therefore, the doctrine of the resurrection of the body +supposes, that the same particles of matter will be, at the same time, +in many places. + +Then the doctrine of the resurrection of the body is irrational. + +_Objection._--Jesus Christ came again to life with a spiritual body. +Then these proofs do not demonstrate that the doctrine of the +resurrection of the body is irrational. + +_Answer._--Jesus Christ came again to life with a spiritual body; this +we concede. Then these proofs do not demonstrate that the doctrine of +the resurrection of the body is irrational. This we deny; for it is an +article of faith in the Church of Rome; and it is nearly unanimously +believed by all the other Partialist Churches, that the bodies of the +righteous _alone_ will be spiritual bodies; and that the bodies of the +wicked will be after the resurrection, as they were while on earth. +Consequently, it does not follow, from the fact that Jesus Christ came +again to life with a spiritual body, that the above proofs do not +demonstrate that the doctrine of the resurrection of the body is +irrational. + +_Remark._--The Partialists quote passages of the Scriptures to prove the +doctrine of the resurrection of the body. We shall not discuss the true +meaning of those passages; for such a discussion does not enter in the +plan of this work, which is exclusively intended to prove historically +the true origin of the Partialist doctrines. However, in regard to those +texts we say: + +It would be a blasphemy against God to suppose that the Scriptures teach +us an irrational doctrine. But, as demonstrated above, the doctrine of +the resurrection of the body is irrational. Then the Scriptures do not +teach it. Then those texts ought not to be understood of the +resurrection of the body. + +3d. It can be proved that the Church of Rome did not hold the doctrine +of the resurrection of the body from the Jews. + +The Church of Rome did not hold from the Jews the doctrine of the +resurrection of the body, if, 1st, the Roman Catholic theologians do not +hold that this doctrine is taught in the Old Testament; 2d, If this +doctrine was traditional only among the illiterate portion of the Jewish +nation; and, 3d, If this tradition was not of an ancient and national +origin. + +But, 1st, The Roman Catholic theologians do not hold that the doctrine +of the resurrection of the body is taught in the Old Testament; 2d, This +doctrine was traditional only among the illiterate portion of the Jewish +nation; and, 3d, This tradition was not of an ancient and national +origin. + +1st, The Roman Catholic theologians do not hold that the doctrine of the +resurrection of the body is taught in the Old Testament. + +The Roman Catholic theologians do not pretend that the doctrine of the +resurrection of the body is taught in the Old Testament; they only +assert that it may be that it is taught therein. Bergier, who is their +organ, and whose works, written in the last century, were, and still now +are, classical among the priests, writes--Article, Resurrection of the +Body, page 159:--"We presume that Job, Daniel, and the seven Maccabean +brothers, had some knowledge of this essential dogma." Consequently the +Roman Catholic theologians do not hold that the doctrine of the +resurrection of the body is taught in the Old Testament. + +2d, The doctrine of the resurrection of the body was traditional only +among the illiterate portion of the Jewish nation. + +Josephus states, in his Antiq. Jud., book 18, ch. 2; and in his De Bello +Judaico, book 2, ch. 7, al. ch. 12, that the Sadducees were the literate +portion of the Jewish people; that they held nearly all the public +offices; that they were well educated, courteous, and that they avoided +public discussions and controversies on the subject of religion. He +states also that they disbelieved the doctrine of the resurrection of +the body. Therefore the doctrine of the resurrection of the body was +traditional only among the illiterate portion of the Jewish nation. + +3d, The tradition of the doctrine of the resurrection of the body was +not of an ancient and national origin. + +In the year 587 before the Christian era, in the second year of the +reign of Sedecias, Jerusalem was besieged, taken, destroyed; Sedecias +and the whole nation were led captives to Babylon. There they were +detained seventy years, until Cyrus permitted them to return to their +own country. During those seventy years of captivity, the Jewish people +borrowed from the Pagans many religious practices, ceremonies, rites, +and doctrines--this is the testimony of Josephus--and among them the +doctrine of the resurrection of the body, which, as has been proved +before, was believed by a large number of Pagans. When the people +returned from Babylon to Jerusalem a portion of them preserved some of +those religious practices, ceremonies, rites, and doctrines, and +rejected the others. Those which they preserved they transmitted to +their posterity, and among them was the doctrine of the resurrection of +the body. Therefore the tradition of the doctrine of the resurrection of +the body was not of an ancient and national origin. + +We have proved, 1st, That the Roman Catholic theologians do not hold +that the doctrine of the resurrection of the body is taught in the Old +Testament; 2d, That this doctrine was traditional only among the +illiterate portion of the Jewish nation; and, 3d, That this tradition +was not of an ancient and national origin. + +Therefore, 3d, The Church of Rome did not hold from the Jews the +doctrine of the resurrection of the body. + +We come now to the general conclusions of this chapter. + +It has been proved, 1st, that in the first centuries of the Christian +era, and before the coming of Jesus Christ, the doctrine of the +resurrection of the body was held by a large number of Pagans; 2d, That +the Church of Rome, which, in the sixteenth century, transmitted it to +the now self-called Orthodox Christian Churches, did not hold it either +from the Apostles of Jesus Christ or from the Jews. + +Therefore the Church of Rome borrowed from the Pagans the doctrine of +the resurrection of the body. + +_Therefore the origin of the doctrine of the resurrection of the body is +Pagan._ + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +PAGAN ORIGIN OF THE DOCTRINE OF A GENERAL JUDGMENT AT THE END OF THE +WORLD. + + +THE Church of Rome and the other Partialist Christian Churches profess +to believe that, at the end of the world, a general judgment of all the +then living, and of all the dead, shall take place. When, in the +sixteenth century, the great Protestant scission took place, the new +Churches formed preserved this doctrine of the Church of Rome, with only +accessory modifications; and since that time they have professed it; +even now-a-days they cling to it. We shall prove in this chapter that +the origin of this doctrine is Pagan. + +The origin of the doctrine of a general judgment of all the then living +and of all the dead, which shall take place at the end of the world, is +Pagan, 1st, If the Pagans held the doctrine of a general judgment of all +the then living and of all the dead, which shall take place at the end +of the world; 2d, If there is a striking similarity between the +particulars of the doctrine of a general judgment, as held by the +Pagans, and the doctrine of a general judgment, as held by the Church +of Rome, and by the other Partialist Christian Churches; 3d, If the +Church of Rome did not hold the doctrine of a general judgment from the +apostles of Jesus Christ; and, 4th, If the Church of Rome did not hold +this doctrine from the Jews. + +But, 1st, The Pagans held the doctrine of a general judgment of all the +then living and of all the dead, which shall take place at the end of +the world; 2d, There is a striking similarity between the +particularities of the doctrine of a general judgment, as held by the +Pagans, and the doctrine of a general judgment, as held by the Church of +Rome; 3d, The Church of Rome did not hold the doctrine of a general +judgment from the apostles of Jesus Christ; and, 4th, The Church of Rome +did not hold this doctrine from the Jews. + +These four heads of questions we are to successively prove. + +1st, We prove that the Pagans held the doctrine of a general judgment of +all the then living and of all the dead, which shall take place at the +end of the world. + +Plato, and other philosophers and writers of the Pagans, taught that a +solemn general judgment of the dead was to decide their fate. Minos sat +on a throne, and shook the fatal urn. By his side were the avenging +furies, and a host of evil spirits, executioners of the sentences of +Minos. Eacus, Rhadamante, and Triptolem, were his assistant judges. + +Even now the Indians believe that Zomo will judge the world; so the +Japanese. The Lamas ascribe this power to Erlik-kan. + +At the sound of a trumpet the earth was to deliver up her dead to be +judged. It was to be destroyed by fire after a great commotion of the +celestial spheres, and fears of the then living mortals. + +The souls, at the sound of a trumpet, assembled in a vast meadow, +adorned with asphodels, where Minos sat on his throne. The dead were led +to his redoubtable tribunal by their respective guardian angels, who had +accompanied them during their whole life; watched over their conduct; +and had kept a record of all they had done, right or wrong. This meadow, +where the dead were to be judged, was called the field of truth, because +there the whole truth about the past doings of the dead was made known, +and no crime could escape the knowledge and justice of the great judge. +The dead, once assembled, were divided into three classes. The first +class was composed of those who had been virtuous on earth: they were +the smallest number. The second class was composed of those who were +guilty of great crimes; and the third class, of those who had been +neither virtuous nor great criminals. + +This triple division, which we naturally find in society, was taught by +Plato in his Phædo, a work in which, writing about the judgment of the +dead, he divides them as said before. This same division we also find +in Plutarch, treating the same subject, and disserting, in his answer to +the Epicureans, about the state of the dead to be judged. Minos used +three books in judging the dead; the first was called book of life, it +was used for the righteous: the second was called book of death; it was +used for the great criminals: the third book was used for those who had +been neither righteous nor great criminals. The judge pronounced the +sentence only after the severest examination of the virtues and crimes +of every one of the dead; and he affixed a seal on their forehead as he +judged them. + +Social laws and duties were the particular subjects of his judgments. He +amply rewarded social virtues, and severely punished social vices. Among +the Greeks and the Romans, this great priestly fiction was intended for +the maintenance of laws; for stimulating patriotism, national and social +virtues by the hope of the rewards of the Elysium; and also to check +crime and vice in society, by the fear of terrible sufferings in the +Tartarus. Were sentenced to the Tartarus all those who had conspired +against the State, or fostered a conspiration; those who had been +bribed; those who had delivered up a city to the enemy; those who had +provided the foes of the country with weapons, vessels, provisions, +etc.; those who had contrived to enslave their fellow-citizens, or had +tyrannized over them, etc. This last dogma had been added to the others +by the free States. + +Afterwards, philosophy turned these fictions against despotism itself, +which had invented them. Plato placed in the Tartarus ferocious tyrants, +such as Ardiee of Pamphylia, who had murdered his brother, his father, +and had committed many other crimes. The soul preserved after death all +her stains, and was sentenced accordingly. Plato represented the souls +of the kings, and of other rulers, as being the most stained. Tantalus, +Tityus, and Sisiphus, who had been kings, were the greatest criminals, +and endured in the Tartarus the most excruciating pains. However, kings +did not believe those fictions, and were not restrained from oppressing +the people. + +Virgil enumerates the principal crimes which divine justice punished in +the Tartarus. He represents, here, a brother who from hatred has slain +his brother; a son who has ill-treated his father; a man who has +deceived his patrons; an avaricious man, an egotist, and a selfish man; +there, are seen an adulterer, an unfaithful servant, and a citizen who +either waged war against his fellow citizens, or sold his country for +gold, or was bribed for the enactment of unjust laws. Farther are seen +an incestuous father, and wives who have murdered their husbands. + +It is to be remarked that the authors, or originators of these fictions, +pronounced pains only against crimes which might have injured society, +whose progress and happiness was one of the great ends of the initiation +to the mysteries of Eleusis and others. + +In the Tartarus Minos punished the same crimes which he would have +punished on earth according to the wise laws of the Cretenses, supposing +that he had in reality reigned over them. If crimes against religion +were to be punished in the Tartarus, it was because religion, being +considered as a duty, and as the principal bond of society, it +necessarily followed that irreligion was to be one of the greatest +crimes, which was to be avenged by the gods. Hence the people were +taught that the great crime of many of the famous criminals, tortured in +the Tartarus, was their disrespect for the mysteries of Eleusis; that +the great crime of Salmone was to have tried to imitate Jove's thunder; +and that the great crime of Ixion, of Orion, and of Tityus, was to have +violated goddesses. + +The fiction of the Elysium was directed to the same moral and political +aim. Virgil places in the Elysium the heroes who laid down their lives +for the defense of their country; also the inventors of arts, and all +those who have been useful to their fellow men, and have a title to +their gratitude. It was to strengthen this idea that apotheosis was +instituted; hence it was taught in the mysteries that Hercules, Bacchus, +and the Dioscores were but men, who, by their virtues and their services +had obtained immortality. Afterwards the Romans placed Scipio in the +Elysium. Cicero ascribed a high station in the Elysium to the true +patriots; to the friends of justice; to good sons; to good parents; and +to good citizens. + +In the Elysium, as Plato described it, kindness and justice were +rewarded: there the true patriot, the modest and just Aristides, had +been admitted. To this divine recompense piety, eagerness in seeking for +truth, and love to it, were the surest titles. When the dead had been +judged those who had been pronounced worthy of the Elysium passed to the +right hand side, and were led to the Elysium, every one by his guardian +angel. Those who had been sentenced to the Tartarus passed to the left +hand side, and were dragged thereto, each one by the evil genius that +beguiled him while on earth. Onward they were driven, carrying on their +back their sentence of condemnation, and the enumeration of all their +crimes. Those whose vices were curable were to be released after due +expiation and reform. + +According to Plato, the dead who have been guilty of murder, sacrilege, +and other enormous crimes, shall be endlessly miserable in the Tartarus. +Those whose crimes have not been so great shall be detained therein for +a year; and, at the expiration of this time they will be brought out, +near the marsh of Acheron, by the waters of the Cocyte, and of the +Pyriphlegeton rivers. Then they shall humbly beg pardon from those they +have wronged; and, if they obtain it, they shall be released; if not +they shall be taken back to the Tartarus on the rivers. Virgil also +speaks of that state of expiation and purification of the souls of the +dead. + +Therefore the Pagans held the doctrine of a general judgment of all the +then living, and of all the dead, which shall take place at the end of +the world. + +2d. We prove that there is a striking similarity between the +particularities of the doctrine of a general judgment, as held by the +Pagans, and the doctrine of a general judgment, as held by the Church of +Rome. + +The Pagans believed that, immediately before the end of the world, there +would be mighty and frightful signs in the heavens; and that the then +living mortals would be struck with terror: likewise the Church of Rome +believes that, at the end of the world, the columns of the heavens will +be shaken; that the signs on high will be so frightful that the then +living men will be appalled: also there will be famine, pestilence, war +and murders over the whole earth. The Pagans believed that, at the sound +of a trumpet, the earth would deliver up her dead to be judged: likewise +the Church of Rome believes that four angels will sound a trumpet; and +that, when the four trumpets will resound over the earth, all the dead, +who had been buried either in the sea or in the earth, will come again +to life to be judged. + +The Pagans believed that geniuses would force men to the place of +judgment: likewise the Church of Rome believes that angels will gather, +from the four cardinal points of the earth, the multitude of men to the +place of judgment. The Pagans believed that men would be judged in a +meadow covered with astophels: likewise the Church of Rome believes that +the general judgment will take place in the valley of Josaphat. The +Pagans believed that, in the meadow, a throne would be erected, on which +Minos, the great judge, would sit: likewise the Church of Rome believes +that Jesus Christ, the great judge, will descend from heaven on clouds, +and will sit on a throne erected in the valley of Josaphat. The Pagans +believed that, near to the throne of Minos, Eacus, Rhadamante and +Triptolem, his assistant judges, and good geniuses, or spirits, would +stand: likewise the Church of Rome believes, that, near to the throne of +Jesus Christ, good angels will stand. + +The Pagans believed that, near to the throne of Minos, would stand +avenging furies, and a host of evil spirits, executioners of the +sentences of Minos against the wicked: likewise the Church of Rome +believes that there will be, at some distance from the throne of Jesus +Christ, a host of devils, executioners of the sentences of Jesus Christ +against the wicked. The Pagans believed that each man was led to the +redoubtable tribunal of Minos by the guardian spirit, who had +accompanied him during his whole life on earth: likewise the Church of +Rome believes that each man will be led to the redoubtable tribunal of +Jesus Christ by the guardian angel who has accompanied him during his +whole life on earth. + +The Pagans believed that Minos used three books in his judgments: the +first called book of life, for the righteous; the second called book of +death, for the great criminals; and the third for those who had been +neither righteous nor great criminals: likewise the Church of Rome +believes that Jesus Christ will use two books: the one called book of +life, for the righteous; and the other called book of death, for the +wicked. + +_Remark._--The Church of Rome does not hold that, at the general +judgment, Jesus Christ will use the third book; but holds that, in the +first judgment, he uses it for those of the dead who have been neither +righteous nor great criminals, and who thereby shall be sentenced to +Purgatory, which shall finish at the end of the world. Apropos of this +limitation of the duration of Purgatory, we might cursorily say that +this restriction has been wisely made by the far-sighted ministers of +the Church; for as, after the general judgment, they would be no longer +on earth, they could not say masses and other prayers, for the +deliverance of the souls detained in Purgatory; and thus it would be +quite useless to make the torments of Purgatory last any longer. + +The Pagans believed that the guardian spirit of each man, who had +accompanied him through life, and had kept a record of all his good and +bad actions, would testify to Minos in his favor, or against him: +likewise the Church of Rome believes that the guardian angel of each +man, who has accompanied him through life, and has kept a record of all +his good and bad actions, will testify to Jesus Christ in his favor, or +against him. The Pagans called the meadow of the general judgment, the +field of the truth: likewise the Church of Rome calls the valley of +Josaphat, the valley of the truth. The Pagans believed that the crimes +for which Minos was to inflict the severest punishment were those +against religion, against its hierophants, and against other ministers: +likewise the Church of Rome believes that the crimes for which Jesus +Christ is to inflict the severest punishment, are those against the +Church, against its Pope, against its bishops and its priests. The +Pagans believed that the neglect or omission of lustrations, and other +practices and teachings of the priests, would be severely punished by +Minos: likewise the Church of Rome believes that the neglect or omission +of the practices, ceremonies, and other prescriptions of the priests, +will be severely punished by Jesus Christ. + +The Pagans believed that those found righteous would be placed at the +right hand side of Minos, but the wicked at his left hand side: likewise +the Church of Rome believes that the righteous will be placed at the +right hand side of Jesus Christ, but the wicked at his left hand side. +The Pagans believed that the righteous would be destined, by Minos, to +eternal bliss in the Elysium; but that the wicked would be sentenced, by +Minos, to endless misery in the Tartarus: likewise the Church of Rome +believes that the righteous will be destined, by Jesus Christ, to +eternal bliss in Paradise; but that the wicked will be sentenced, by +Jesus Christ, to endless misery. The Pagans believed that the wicked +would carry on their back their sentence of condemnation, and the +enumeration of all their crimes: likewise the Church of Rome believes +that the wicked will carry on their back their sentence of condemnation, +and the enumeration of all their crimes. + +The Pagans believed that the guardian spirits of the righteous would +lead them to the Elysium: likewise the Church of Rome believes that the +angels of the Lord will lead them to heaven, in a procession preceded by +Jesus Christ. The Pagans believed that Furies, and other evil spirits, +would drag the wicked to the Tartarus: likewise the Church of Rome +believes that the devils will drive, with whips, the wicked to hell. The +Pagans believed that, after the general judgment, the earth would be +destroyed by fire: likewise the Church of Rome believes that the earth +will be destroyed by fire, and that then will the world end. + +Therefore there is a striking similarity between the particularities of +the doctrine of a general judgment, as held by the Pagans, and the +doctrine of a general judgment as held by the Church of Rome. + +3d. We prove that the Church of Rome did not hold the doctrine of a +general judgment from the apostles of Jesus Christ. + +The Church of Rome did not hold the doctrine of a general judgment from +the apostles of Jesus Christ, 1st, If the Roman Catholic theologians did +not understand the 24th chapter of Matthew, and the last sixteen verses +of the 25th; the 24th, 25th, 26th, and 27th verses of the 13th chapter +in Mark, and also the 25th, 26th, 27th, and 28th verses of the 21st +chapter in Luke, as meaning a general judgment; 2d, If nearly all the +Christian sects, or denominations, of the first and of the second +centuries, did not believe the doctrine of a general judgment; and, 3d, +If the doctrine of a general judgment is irrational. + +But, 1st, The Roman Catholic theologians did not understand the 24th +chapter of Matthew, and the last sixteen verses of the 25th; the 24th, +25th, 26th, and 27th verses of the 13th chapter in Mark; and also the +25th, 26th, 27th, and 28th verses of the 21st chapter in Luke, as +meaning a general judgment; 2d, Nearly all the Christian sects, or +denominations, of the first and of the second centuries, did not believe +the doctrine of a general judgment; and, 3d, The doctrine of a general +judgment is irrational. + +1st. We prove that the Roman Catholic theologians did not understand the +24th chapter of Matthew, and the last sixteen verses of the 25th; the +24th, 25th, 26th, and 27th verses of the 13th chapter in Mark; and also +the 25th, 26th, 27th, and 28th verses of the 21st chapter in Luke, as +meaning a general judgment. + +_Remark._--To save the reader the trouble of referring to his Bible, we +insert here the above passages of the Gospel, which the Partialists +suppose to teach the doctrine of a general judgment. + +Matthew, chap. 24.-1. "And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: +and his disciples came to _him_ for to show him the buildings of the +temple. 2. And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily +I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, +that shall not be thrown down. + +3. And as he sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him +privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what _shall +be_ the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? 4. And Jesus +answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5. For +many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. +6. And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not +troubled; for all _these things_ must come to pass, but the end is not +yet. 7. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against +kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, +in divers places. 8. All these _are_ the beginning of sorrows. 9. Then +shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye +shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. 10. And then shall +many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one +another. 11. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. +12. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. +13. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 14. +And this Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a +witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. 15. When ye, +therefore, shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel +the prophet, stand in the holy place; (whoso readeth, let him +understand;) 16. Then let them which be in Judea flee into the +mountains: 17. Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take +any thing out of his house: 18. Neither let him which is in the field +return back to take his clothes. 19. And wo unto them that are with +child, and to them that give suck in those days! 20. But pray ye that +your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day: 21. For +then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of +the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22. And except those days +should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's +sake those days shall be shortened. 23. Then if any man shall say unto +you, Lo, here _is_ Christ, or there; believe _it_ not. 24. For there +shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great +signs and wonders; insomuch that, if _it were_ possible, they shall +deceive the very elect. 25. Behold, I have told you before. 26. +Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go +not forth: behold, _he is_ in the secret chambers; believe _it_ not. 27. +For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the +west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 28. For wheresoever +the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together. 29. +Immediately after the tribulation of those days, shall the sun be +darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall +fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 80. And +then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall +all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man +coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31. And he +shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall +gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to +the other. + +32. Now learn a parable of the fig-tree; When his branch is yet tender, +and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: 33. So likewise +ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, _even_ at +the doors. 34. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, +till all these things be fulfilled. 35. Heaven and earth shall pass +away, but my words shall not pass away. 36. But of that day and hour +knoweth no _man_, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. 37. +But as the days of Noah _were_, so shall also the coming of the Son of +man be. 38. For as in the days that were before the flood, they were +eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that +Noah entered into the ark, 39. And knew not until the flood came, and +took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 40. +Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken and the other +left. 41. Two _women shall be_ grinding at the mill; the one shall be +taken, and the other left. + +42. Watch therefore; for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. 43. +But know this, that if the good man of the house had known in what watch +the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered +his house to be broken up. 44. Therefore be ye also ready; for in such +an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. 45. Who then is a +faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his +household, to give them meat in due season? 46. Blessed _is_ that +servant, whom his lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing. 47. Verily +I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods. 48. But +and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his +coming; 49. And shall begin to smite _his_ fellow-servants, and to eat +and drink with the drunken; 50. The lord of that servant shall come in a +day when he looketh not for _him_, and in an hour that he is not aware +of, 51. And shall cut him asunder, and appoint _him_ his portion with +the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." + +Matthew, chapter 25.-31. "When the Son of man shall come in his glory, +and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of +his glory: 32. And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he +shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth _his_ sheep +from the goats: 33. And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but +the goats on the left. 34. Then shall the King say unto them on his +right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared +for you from the foundation of the world: 35. For I was a hungered, and +ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, +and ye took me in: 36. Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye +visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37. Then shall the +righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee a hungered, and fed +_thee_? or thirsty, and gave _thee_ drink? 38. When saw we thee a +stranger, and took _thee_ in? or naked, and clothed _thee_? 39. Or when +saw we thee sick, or in prison, and come unto thee? 40. And the King +shall answer and say unto them. Verily I say unto you. Inasmuch as ye +have done _it_ unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done +_it_ unto me. 41. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand. +Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil +and his angels: 42. For I was a hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I was +thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43. I was a stranger, and ye took me +not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye +visited me not. 44. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when +saw we thee a hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, +or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45. Then shall he answer +them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did _it_ not to one +of the least of these, ye did _it_ not to me. 46. And these shall go +away into everlasting punishment; but the righteous into life eternal." + +Luke, chapter 21.-25. "And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the +moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with +perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 26. Men's hearts failing them +for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the +earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. 27. And then shall they +see the Son of man coming in a cloud, with power and great glory. 28. +And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up +your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." + +Mark, chapter 13.-24. "But in those days, after that tribulation, the +sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light. 25. And +the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall +be shaken. 26. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the +clouds with great power and glory. 27. And then shall he send his +angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from +the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost parts of heaven." + +Bergier, one of the most classical of the Roman Catholic theologians, +says, in the first volume of his works, article Agnoetes, that, in the +sixth century, the theologians answered the Agnoetes as follows: "In +these texts, it is not a question of the day of the general judgment, +but of the day when Jesus Christ was to come to punish the Jewish nation +by the sword of the Romans." Then the Roman Catholic theologians did not +understand these texts as meaning a general judgment. + +Moreover, Bergier, writing against the Millenaries, says, article +World:--"The disciples of Christ, sometime before his resurrection, +spake to him of the structure of the temple of Jerusalem, Matthew, ch. +24, Mark, ch. 13, Luke, ch. 21. Jesus Christ told them that it shall be +destroyed; and that not one of the stones will be left upon the other. +The disciples, surprised, asked him when this shall take place; what +will be the signs of his coming, and of the end of the century. Then +there will be, he said, wars and seditions, earthquakes, pests, and +famines; ye yourselves will be persecuted and put to death; Jerusalem +will be surrounded with an army; the temple will be polluted; false +prophets will appear; there will be signs in the heaven; the sun and the +moon will be darkened, and the stars will fall from the firmament. Then +the Son of man will be seen coming in the clouds with great power and +majesty; his angels will gather the elect from one end of the world to +the other, etc. He announces all this as events to be witnessed by his +apostles; and he adds: 'Verily I say unto you, this generation shall +not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.' + +"Is it a question of the end of the world in all this? Opinions are +divided on this point. Some commentators think that, in these texts, +Jesus Christ simply prophesied the ruin of the religion, republic, and +nation of the Jews; and that all the circumstances were verified when +the Romans took and destroyed the nation; that, however, a few +expressions ought not to be taken literally, such as the fall of the +stars, etc.; that Jesus Christ has used the same style, and the same +images used by prophets, when they prophesied other events. Consequently +these commentators say that these words of Jesus Christ, 'This +generation shall not pass,' etc., signify, the Jews who now live will +not all be dead when these events will take place. In fact, Jerusalem +was taken and ruined less than forty years after. In this opinion it is +not a question in these texts of the end of the world. + +"Other commentators believe that Jesus Christ has joined the signs, +which were to precede the devastation of Judea, to those which will +appear at the end of the world, and before the general judgment; that +when he says: 'This generation shall not pass,' etc., he means that the +Jewish nation will not be entirely destroyed, but will subsist till the +end of the world. It cannot be denied that the word generation is used +several times in this sense in the Gospel." + +From this passage of Bergier we draw the following argument: + +Since the Roman Catholic theologians were, and are, divided in regard to +the meaning of the above texts, it follows that the Church of Rome did +not rest her doctrine of a general judgment on the above text. Therefore +the Church of Rome did not understand the above texts, namely, the 24th +chapter of Matthew, and the last sixteen verses of the 25th:--the 24th, +25th, 26th, and 27th verses of the 13th chapter in Mark; and also the +25th, 26th, 27th, and 28th verses of the 21st chapter in Luke, as +meaning a general judgment. + +2d. We prove that nearly all the Christian sects, or denominations, of +the first and of the second centuries, did not believe the doctrine of a +general judgment. + +The Basilidians, the Valentinians, the Marcionites, the Marcosians, the +Theodotians, the Carpocratians, the Docetes, the Tatianists, the +Apellites, the Montanists, the Artotyrites, the Ascites, the Ascodrutes, +the Ophites, the Cainites, and the Hermogenians believed in +Metempsychosis, and denied the resurrection of the body. From the fact +that these sects believed in Metempsychosis, and denied the resurrection +of the body, we argue: + +The doctrine of a general judgment supposes the resurrection of all the +dead; but the above sects denied the resurrection of the dead. Therefore +they denied also the doctrine of a general judgment. Therefore nearly +all the Christian sects, or denominations, of the first and of the +second centuries, did not believe the doctrine of a general judgment. + +More, we might say all the Christian sects of the first two centuries; +for, it was only at the end of the second century, that the sect of the +Millenaries, who believed in a general judgment, sprung up; and, +besides, history is silent about the belief of the Church of Rome (which +then was confined within the boundaries of the Province of Rome,) in +regard to the doctrine of a general judgment. + +3d. The doctrine of a general judgment is irrational, because a first +judgment, by Jesus Christ, having taken place, a second one would be +useless. + +4th. We prove that the Church of Rome did not hold the doctrine of a +general judgment from the Jews. + +The Roman Catholic authors never pretended, and still now do not +pretend, that the Jews believed the doctrine of a general judgment. + +Then the Church of Rome did not hold the doctrine of a general judgment +from the Jews. + +We draw the general conclusions of this chapter: + +It has been proved, 1st, That the Pagans held the doctrine of a general +judgment of all the then living, and of all the dead, which shall take +place at the end of the world; 2d, That there is a striking similarity +between the particularities of the doctrine of a general judgment, as +held by the Pagans, and the doctrine of a general judgment, as held by +the Church of Rome; 3d, That the Church of Rome did not hold the +doctrine of a general judgment from the apostles of Jesus Christ; and, +4th, That the Church of Rome did not hold this doctrine from the Jews. + +Therefore the Church of Rome borrowed the doctrine of a general judgment +from the Pagans. + +_Therefore the doctrine of a general judgment of all the then living, +and of all the dead, which shall take place at the end of the world, is +of Pagan origin._ + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +PAGAN ORIGIN OF THE DOCTRINE OF VICARIOUS ATONEMENT. + + +THE doctrine of Vicarious Atonement supposes the dogma of a Personal +Devil, the dogma of Original Sin, the dogma of Trinity, and the dogma of +the Supreme Divinity of Jesus Christ. As in four chapters of this work +we have proved that these four dogmas are of Pagan origin, we shall +examine, in this chapter, the true origin of the body itself of the +doctrine of Vicarious Atonement, which consists in the belief that a +small number of privileged Christians obtain the forgiveness of their +sins, and are exempted from the punishment of those sins through the +medium of a substitute. Our historical researches will also lead us to +the conclusion that it is of Pagan origin. + +In the sixteenth century the Church of Rome held, and still now holds, +the doctrine that Jesus Christ had washed away with his blood all the +past, present and future sins of the men who would be within the pale of +his only true Church, which was herself, and also that he had exempted +them from the punishment of their sins. However, they were to enjoy +these two privileges only on the condition that they would obey her +prescriptions. The Partialist Protestant Churches rejected nearly all +the prescriptions of the Church of Rome; rejected the doctrine that she +was the only true Church of Jesus Christ; but they preserved the +substance of the doctrine, namely, that Jesus Christ had washed away all +the sins of those who would feel the descent of the Holy Spirit in their +souls; who would experience a supernatural change of heart, or, as they +commonly term it, would get religion; and also that through his +atonement they are exempted from the punishment of their sins. + +Consequently, the Partialist Protestant Churches, as well as the Church +of Rome, hold the doctrine that a small number of privileged Christians +obtain the forgiveness of their sins, and are exempted from the +punishment of those sins through the medium of a substitute. Then if it +is proved that the origin of the doctrine that a small number of +privileged Christians obtain the forgiveness of their sins, and are +exempted from the punishment of those sins, through the medium of a +substitute--as held by the Church of Rome--is Pagan, it will thereby be +proved that the doctrine that a small number of privileged Christians +obtain the forgiveness of their sins, and are exempted from the +punishment of those sins, through the medium of a substitute--as held by +the Partialist Protestant Churches--is also of Pagan origin. + +In this chapter we shall prove that the origin of the doctrine that a +small number of privileged Christians obtain the forgiveness of their +sins, and are exempted from the punishment of those sins through the +medium of a substitute--as held by the Church of Rome--is Pagan. + +It will be evident that the origin of the doctrine that a small number +of privileged Christians obtain the forgiveness of their sins, and are +exempted from the punishment of their sins, through the medium of a +substitute--as held by the Church of Rome--is Pagan, if it is proved, +1st, That there is a striking similarity between the practices required +by the Church of Rome to obtain the forgiveness of sins, and to be +exempted from the punishment of those sins, and those which were, and +still now are, required in the Pagan religion for the same purpose; and, +2d, That those practices were not instituted among Christians in the +first two centuries. But it can be proved, 1st, That there is a striking +similarity between the practices required by the Church of Rome to +obtain the forgiveness of sins, and to be exempted from the punishment +of those sins, through the medium of a substitute, and those which were, +and still now are, required in the Pagan religion for the same purpose; +and, 2d, That those practices were not instituted among Christians in +the first two centuries. + +1st. We prove that there is a striking similarity between the practices +required by the Church of Rome to obtain the forgiveness of sins, and +to be exempted from the punishment of those sins, through the medium of +a substitute, and those which were, and still now are, required in the +Pagan religion for the same purpose. + +The Pagans, publicly and privately, used lustral water, which, they +thought, had the virtue of purifying the soul, and of remitting the +punishment of certain impurities and sins. The Priests, in solemn +religious ceremonies, aspersed the assistants with it; and the people +kept and used it in their families. In the same manner, the Church of +Rome believes that holy water has the virtue of purifying the soul, and +of remitting the punishment of certain impurities and sins. The Roman +Catholics use it publicly and privately. Every Sunday, before the +celebration of the high mass, the priests asperse the people with holy +water for the aforesaid end; and also pour it on the coffins of the dead +at the funerals. The laymen keep and use it in their families for the +same end. + +These lustrations are practiced, even in our days, by many of the +Pagans. The Madegasses believe that they can obtain the forgiveness of +the punishment of their sins in dipping a piece of gold in a vessel full +of water, and in drinking that water. The Father Jesuit Bouchet, a +missionary in India, writes: "The Indians say that in bathing in certain +rivers sins are _entirely_ remitted; and that their mysterious waters +wash not only the bodies, but also purify the souls in an admirable +manner." + +This testimony, Chateaubriand adds, is confirmed by the Memoirs of the +English Society of Calcutta. The waters of the Ganges are reputed as +having the greatest expiatory virtue: so the Church of Rome holds that +the baptismal waters remit the original and all other sins, and exempt +those baptized from punishment. + +The Pagans believed that certain ceremonies, and their medals +representing the gods, had an expiatory virtue: so the Church of Rome +holds that genuflexions, the Agnus Dei, the beads, the medals of the +saints, and of the virgin Mary, have an expiatory virtue. The Pagans +believed that certain prayers remitted certain sins and their +punishment; so the Church of Rome believes that Novenas, indulgences, +the recitation of the first chapter of the Gospel of John, etc., remit +venial sins, and their punishment. The Pagans went in pilgrimage to +chapels, where the prayers of the priests, they thought, had an +expiatory virtue greater than in other temples; this practice and this +belief have been preserved even by the Mahomedans. Now there are at the +door of the Mosque of Ali, at Mesched-Aly, dervishes, who, for money, +expiate with their prayers the sins of the pilgrims: so the Church of +Rome believes that the expiatory virtue of the prayers made by priests, +in certain chapels of saints and of Mary, where multitudes of pilgrims +resort, is greater than that of the prayers made in other temples. + +In China, the invocation of Omyto is sufficient to remit the punishment +of the greatest crimes. It is on account of it that the followers of the +sect of Fo repeat oftentimes, every day, the words, O-myto-Fo! The +Indians believed, and still believe, that when a man expires in +pronouncing the name of God, and in holding, at the same time, the tail +of a cow, he immediately ascends to Paradise. The Bramas never failed, +and even do not now, to read every morning the mysterious legend of +Gosgendre-Mootsjam; because it is a dogma of the Indian religion that +any one who reads this legend every morning, obtains the forgiveness of +the punishment of all his sins; so the Church of Rome holds that any one +who recites the Angelus when the bell rings, in the morning, at noon, +and at sun down, or recites the acts of faith, of hope, and of charity, +obtains the remittance of the punishment of several of his venial sins; +and, also, that any one who regularly recites the prayers of Saint +Brigitte, or who, when he dies, recites with great devotion the prayer +Memorare o piissima, etc., will go to Paradise. + +Greece was flooded with rituals, ascribed to Orpheus and to Museus, +prescribing ceremonies, rites, and practices, which had the virtue of +purifying the soul, and of exempting the sinners from the punishment of +their sins. The priests of the Pagans persuaded entire towns, cities, +and nations, that they could be purified of their crimes, and be +exempted from the punishment, which the Deity would inflict upon them, +through the means of expiatory rites, of feasts, and of initiations. +They made the people believe that this purification, and this exemption, +could extend to the living and to the dead, in what they called Teletes, +or mysteries; and it was as a consequence of this belief that the +priests of Cybel, those of Isis, the Orpheotelestes and others, went +among the people to initiate them; but on the condition that they would +pay to them large sums of money. This traffic was practiced even by +priestesses, and bad women. Demosthenes informs us that the mother of +Eschine made a living by it, and also in prostituting her body. + +Likewise, the Church of Rome is flooded with rituals prescribing +ceremonies, rites, and practices, which have the virtue of purifying the +soul, and of exempting the sinners from the punishment of their sins. +The priests make towns, cities, and nations believe that they can be +purified of their crimes, and be exempted of the punishment they +deserve, by fasting, by going processionally to churches, or to chapels +of saints and of the virgin Mary. The priests, the monks, the +begging-friars, and even the nuns, go among the people; they pledge +themselves to obtain the forgiveness of their sins, and the exemption +from divine punishment, if they give them sums of money. + +The priests of the Pagans offered expiatory sacrifices for the living +and for the dead for money; so, in the Church of Rome, the priests offer +the sacrifice of Mass for the expiation of the sins of the living and +of the dead, if they are well paid. The Pagans believed that the +foundation of temples, their endowment, and other gifts presented to the +gods and to their priests, had an expiatory virtue. Socrates portrayed +the unjust man in saying, that initiation to mysteries caused them to +despise the Tartarus with all its torments. He made the following +remark: "The apologist of injustice says, they frighten us with the +threat of the pains of the Tartarus; but who ignores that we find in the +initiations a remedy to that fear? They are a great resource to us; and +they inform us that there are gods who exempt us from the punishment +deserved by crime. True, we have committed injustice, but injustice has +been pecuniarily profitable to us. We are told that the gods are +appeased by prayers, sacrifices, and offerings." Biache, one of the +interlocutors in the Ezourvedam, said, that there is in the country +called Magouodechan, a sacred spot, where, through some offerings, +ancestors can be freed from the tortures of hell. + +Likewise, the Church of Rome holds that the foundation of churches, of +priest's houses, of monasteries, of convents, and of nunneries, and +their endowment; or any other gift, presented to the saints, bishops, +priests, monks, and nuns have a virtue so much the more expiatory for +sins, as they are greater and more valuable. It is owing to this +horrible doctrine, that the Church of Rome has acquired so much church +property that its valuation is beyond any approximate calculation. The +French poet, Boileau, spoke the truth when, in his ninth satire, he +said: + + "Si l'on vient à chercher pour quel secret mystère, + Alidor, à ses frais, bâtit un monastère.... + C'est un homme d'honneur, de piété profonde, + Et qui veut rendre à Dieu ce qu'il a pris au monde." + +_Translation_: "If we wish to inquire for what secret mystery Alidor, at +his own expense, built a monastery.... He is a man of honor, of profound +piety, and who wishes to restore to God what he stole from the world." + +The Pagans believed that in piously gazing upon certain statues of the +gods their souls were purified; and that the punishment of their sins +was remitted; so, even now, the Indians believe that in simply gazing +upon the shrub Toulouschi they obtain the forgiveness of their sins, and +obtain the exemption from their punishment. Likewise the Church of Rome +holds, that, in gazing piously upon the cross, the Catholics obtain the +forgiveness of their venial sins, and the exemption from their +punishment. The ancient initiations of the Pagans had tribunals of +penance, where a priest, under the name of Koës, heard from the mouth of +the sinners themselves the avowal of their sins, of which their souls +were to be purified, and from the punishment of which they wished to be +exempted. One day the famous Lysandre, confessing his sins to one of +those Koës, was asked by him impudent questions. Lysandre answered him +with this question, "Do you address me those questions in your own name, +or in the name of the Deity?" The Koës answered: "In the name of the +Deity." "Well," Lysandre rejoined, "let me be; if God questions me, I +will answer him." Likewise the Church of Rome has tribunals of penance, +where priests hear from the mouth of the sinners themselves the avowal +of their sins, of which their souls are to be purified, and from the +punishment of which they wish to be exempted. Through the absolution of +the priests the greatest sins, without any exemption, are remitted +entirely, so that they not only are forgiven, but even their punishment. + +Even the Church of Rome goes farther in regard to the pretended virtue +of her expiatory practices, than the Pagans ever went. Indeed, it was a +common thing among the Pagans to stigmatize certain crimes, and to call +them irremissible--unexpiable. They excluded from the sanctuaries of +Eleusis, the murderers, the traitors to their country, in a word, all +those who were guilty of atrocious crimes; they were to be excluded from +the Elysium forever, and to be endlessly tortured in the Tartarus. There +were purifications for murder, it is true, but only for involuntary or +necessary murder. When the ancient heroes had committed a murder, they +resorted to expiation; after the sacrifices which were required, +lustral water was poured on the murderous hand; from that moment they +were readmitted in society; and they prepared themselves to new deeds of +bravery. Hercules resorted to expiation when he had slain the Centaurs. +But those sorts of expiations did not purify the soul from all +impurities and crimes. + +The great criminals had to dread all their lifetime the horrors of the +Tartarus, or could not expiate their crimes, except by constantly +practicing virtue, and constantly doing good to their fellow men. The +legal purifications were not considered as having the virtue of securing +to all criminals the hope of bliss, to which the righteous were +entitled. Nero did not dare present himself to the temple of Eleusis; +because he was debarred from entering its sanctuary on account of his +atrocious crimes. + +The famous Constantine I., to whom the Church of Rome is indebted for +all her past and present aggrandizement, wealth, and power; and whose +name has been, is, and shall always be, accursed by nations, because of +the rivers of blood, of the deluge of ignorance, of superstition, in one +word, of the ocean of crimes against God, against Christ, and against +mankind, which the Church of Rome, enabled by his protection, poured +over the world: Constantine, we say, guilty of all sorts of crimes; his +hands reeking with the blood of his own mother, whom he had slain; and +with the blood of the many, whom he had murdered; and guilty of many +perjuries, presented himself to the Pagan priests to obtain the +absolution of those atrocious crimes, and the exemption from their +punishment. + +Constantine was answered, that, among the various sorts of expiations, +there was not one which had the virtue of purifying his soul from so +many and so atrocious crimes, and of exempting him from the punishment +they deserved; and that no religion had resources enough to appease the +justice of the irritated gods; and, let us mark: Constantine was a +mighty emperor. One of his courtiers, seeing the trouble and agitation +of his soul, devoured by the restless and undying remorse, told him that +his sufferings were not hopeless; that there were in the Church of Rome, +purifications which had the virtue of expiating all crimes, without any +exception, that this Church held, that whoever joined it, whatever may +be his crimes, might hope that all his crimes will be forgiven by the +Deity, and that the exemption from their punishment will be obtained. + +From that time Constantine took the Church of Rome under his protection. +He was a wicked man who tried to deceive himself, and to appease the +remorse of his conscience. He gave then full scope to his +flagitiousness; and he postponed being baptized until the hour of his +death, because it was, as it is now, a dogma of the Church of Rome, that +baptism purifies the soul from the original and all other sins and +crimes, and that it has also the virtue of exempting those baptized +from the punishment of all their sins. Thus the entry of the temple of +Eleusis was interdicted to Nero; and yet the Church of Rome would have +admitted him within her pale; would have purified his soul; and would +have exempted him from the punishment of all his monstrous crimes, if he +had taken her under his protection. How abominable a Church must be, +when she deals so with tyrants and monsters with a human face! What! if +Nero had been a Roman Catholic and had protected the Church of Rome, she +would have canonized him! Why not? Constantine, as great a criminal as +he was, has been canonized. In the ninth century his name was invoked at +Rome in the ceremonies of the Church, and even now he is considered as a +saint. + +In England several churches have been built under the invocation of this +pretended Saint Constantine, who founded at Constantinople a vast and +costly establishment of ill fame. Such are the saints worshiped by the +Church of Rome when she obtains their protection. Christ, reason, and +nature, would never have absolved Nero from his crimes, and from the +punishment they deserved; and yet the Church of Rome would have done it. +Sophocles, in his Ædipe, says, that all the waters of the Danube, and of +the Phase, would have been insufficient to purify, from their crimes, +the souls of the family of Laïus; and yet the Church of Rome would have +done it. How truly the Arab poet Abu-Naovas exclaimed: "Lord, we have +indulged to sin and to crime, because we saw that forgiveness soon +followed them." + +Therefore there is a striking similarity between the practices required +by the Church of Rome, to obtain the forgiveness of sins, and to be +exempted from the punishment of those sins, through the medium of a +substitute, and those which were required in the Pagan religion for the +same purpose. + +2. We prove that the practices required by the Church of Rome to obtain +the forgiveness of sins, and to be exempted from the punishment of those +sins, through the medium of a substitute, were not instituted among +Christians in the first two centuries. + +The Roman Catholic theologians do not pretend that the Christians of the +first two centuries held those practices, nor that the Church of Rome +herself held them; but they say that the Church of Rome established them +successively, as the good of Christians required it, according to the +power of government and infallibility granted to her, and to her alone, +by Jesus Christ. + +Consequently, the practices required by the Church of Rome, to obtain +the forgiveness of sins, and to be exempted from the punishment of those +sins, were not instituted among Christians in the first two centuries. + +We draw the general conclusions of this chapter: + +It has been proved that there is a striking similarity between the +practices required by the Church of Rome to obtain the forgiveness of +sins, and to be exempted from the punishment of those sins, and those +which were, and still now are, required in the Pagan religion for the +same purpose; and that those practices were not instituted among +Christians in the first two centuries. + +Therefore the Church of Rome borrowed from the Pagans the doctrine of +Vicarious Atonement, namely, that a small number of privileged +Christians obtain the forgiveness of their sins, and are exempted from +the punishment of their sins, through the medium of a substitute. + +Since, though the other Partialist Christian Churches rejected the most +of the practices used by the Church of Rome to obtain the forgiveness of +sins, and the exemption from the punishment of those sins, they +preserved the substance of the doctrine, namely, that Jesus Christ had +washed away, or, in other words, atoned for all the sins of those who +would feel the descent of the Holy Spirit in their souls; who would +experience a supernatural change of heart, or, as they commonly term it, +would get religion; and also that through his atonement they were +exempted from the punishment of their sins--the doctrine which they hold +is nothing but the very doctrine, though modified in its circumstances, +of the Church of Rome. Therefore its origin is the same. But it has been +proved that the Church of Rome borrowed from the Pagans, the doctrine +that a small number of privileged Christians obtain the forgiveness of +their sins, and are exempted from the punishment of those sins, through +the medium of a substitute--as she holds it. Therefore it is thereby +proved, that the other Partialist Christian Churches truly borrowed, +from the Pagans, though through the medium of the Church of Rome, the +doctrine that a small number of privileged Christians obtain the +forgiveness of their sins, and are exempted from the punishment of those +sins, through the medium of a substitute--as she holds it. + +Therefore the doctrine that a small number of privileged Christians +obtain the forgiveness of their sins, and are exempted from the +punishment of those sins, through the medium of a substitute, is of +Pagan origin. And as, on another hand, it has been proved, in four other +chapters of this work, that the doctrine of a Personal Devil, the +doctrine of Original Sin, the doctrine of Trinity, and the doctrine of +the Supreme Divinity of Jesus Christ, are of Pagan origin--then we +logically draw the conclusion that all the characteristics of the +doctrine of Vicarious Atonement are of Pagan origin. Since all the +characteristics of the doctrine of Vicarious Atonement are of Pagan +origin, then the body itself of the doctrine of Vicarious Atonement is +of Pagan origin. + +_Therefore the doctrine of Vicarious Atonement is of Pagan origin._ + + + + +CONCLUSION OF ALL THE CHAPTERS. + +THEREFORE PARTIALIST DOCTRINES ARE OF PAGAN ORIGIN. + + +_Corollary._--Since the Partialist doctrines are of Pagan origin they +are not taught in the Scriptures, for the Scriptures do not reveal +Paganism. Consequently they ought to be rejected from Christian +Churches, as being Heathen doctrines. + + + + +VALEDICTORY. + + +_Dear Reader_,--Before I drop the pen permit me to address to you a few +valedictory words. If you believe the _Impartialist_, namely, +Universalist doctrines, you are now in possession of an irrefutable +historical proof corroborating your beloved faith, which is satisfactory +to your mind, and sweet to your heart. If from your infancy up to this +day you have been taught, and have believed, the Partialist doctrines, +perhaps you say to yourself: My religious creed is now shaken to its +very foundation; what then will my religious belief be, for the want of +religious principles is the most earnest longing of my soul? Friend, +study the _Impartialist_, namely, Universalist doctrines; compare them +with the teaching of the Scriptures, and you will find them recorded +therein. They truly are the embodiment of the teaching of the +Scriptures, which are themselves embodied in these two vital maxims of +Jesus Christ, written in golden letters on the Universalist banner: +"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy +soul, and with all thy mind.--This is the first and great commandment. +And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as +thyself.--On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." + + + + + * * * * * * + + + + +Transcriber's note: + + Blank pages have been eliminated. + + Variations in spelling and hyphenation have been left as in the + original. + + A few typographical errors have been corrected. + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 43630 *** |