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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ef0ce22 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #52414 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/52414) diff --git a/old/52414-8.txt b/old/52414-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index d6e125e..0000000 --- a/old/52414-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,3091 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Christian Mythology, by Brigham Leatherbee - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - - - -Title: The Christian Mythology - -Author: Brigham Leatherbee - -Release Date: June 26, 2016 [EBook #52414] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CHRISTIAN MYTHOLOGY *** - - - - -Produced by Jeroen Hellingman and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net/ for Project -Gutenberg (This file was produced from images generously -made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) - - - - - - - - - - THE - CHRISTIAN MYTHOLOGY. - - BY - BRIGHAM LEATHERBEE - - "Knowledge is power, but ignorance - is the mother of devotion." - - - New York: - THE TRUTH SEEKER COMPANY, - 62 Vesey Street. - - - - - - - -CONTENTS. - - - I. The Virgin Birth. - II. Pagan Miracles. - III. Spurious Relics. - IV. Trial and Execution Myths. - V. Distorted Prophecies. - VI. The Resurrection. - VII. Miracles. - VIII. Atonement and Salvation by Faith. - IX. The Trinity--Mariolatry. - X. Saints--Good and Evil Spirits. - XI. Religious Holidays and Rites. - XII. The Eucharist. - XIII. Spread of Christianity. - - - - - - - -THE CHRISTIAN MYTHOLOGY. - - -That Christianity, as to-day presented by the orthodox, is far -different from the Christianity promulgated by the early fathers, few -are so blinded as to doubt. Christianity, like all other religions, -came not into the world full-grown, but from the simple conceptions of -its early followers became gradually elaborated by the introduction of -pagan forms and customs until it supplanted its early rivals and gave -its adherents a compact and solid theology not very different from -that of its predecessors. However, before considering the genealogy -of Christianity, or its heirlooms from paganism, let us turn our -attention to what were presumably the beginnings of the religious -views of mankind. - -Probably the true source of that human characteristic which is defined -as the religious instinct and which is supposed to be an elevating and -moral agent, is to be found in the superstition which originated in -fear of the unknown. The first ages of human life were so devoted to -the animal needs that little attention was given to anything else, but -later the craving for protection and help from some power greater than -himself led primitive man to look about him for something to sustain -and aid him in his struggle for existence. Surrounded by natural -phenomena of which he could give no explanation satisfactory to his -experience, he came to the conclusion that he was in an environment -permeated with bodiless intelligences who governed these matters by -supernatural power. Awed to fear by the inexplicable workings of -nature, he sought to propitiate the spiritual agencies by bribes, -and he did all things for them which he thought would be agreeable -to them to keep them in good-natured interest or indifference toward -him. And, naturally, he considered that what would be pleasing to -himself would be pleasing to them. Therefore, his offerings and his -conduct towards these spirits were such as he would have desired shown -toward himself. Death and its imitation, sleep, being the greatest -mysteries confronting him, he naturally began to consider the spirits -of the dead, with whom he seemed to have intercourse in his dreams, -as being influential factors in his career; and thus originated -ancestor-worship with its highly-developed rites and sacrifices, -which in a modified form still exists in the Roman church in the -practice of reading masses for the souls of the dead. At the same -time, noticing the great benefits derived from the warmth of the -sun, to whose rays he owed his subsistence and whose glorious and -awful presence was constantly before him, man began to feel grateful -to that mighty power which was the source of all his welfare, and, -appreciating that all terrestrial life depended upon it, he came to -recognize it as the great creative power. - -From such superstitious fear and weakness of primitive man arose -all those religious feelings which the pious call instinctive and -which have, through progress, evolution, and elaboration, controlled -certain races, and from whose union have arisen all the religious -systems that have ever flourished. Owing to the varied influences -of climate, environment, and racial character, the various forms -of worship predominating in different geographical situations have -naturally assumed different characteristics, but, when stripped -of their surrounding, and often enveloping rites, ceremonies, -and superficialities they may all be traced to the above-mentioned -fundamental sources. - -It is my intention to show, as briefly as possible, that in the -Christianity of to-day we have nothing new nor of vital difference -from what has always been taught and believed in the many epochs of -the past. In common with all religious systems, Christianity has a -hero--the personified sun-god of all time--who is of obscure origin, -who passes through various episodes common to all, who is finally -executed, and who rises once more to renewed power. In our perusal of -the subject, we shall first consider the life of Jesus as taught by -the Christian church; secondly, the dogmas affecting the source of -his power and the results of his influence; and, thirdly, the rites -and ceremonies with which his worship is performed. - - - - - - - -I--THE VIRGIN BIRTH. - - -Some two thousand years ago there is said to have appeared in the -notoriously rebellious province of Galilee, the headquarters of Hebrew -radicalism, a wandering teacher called Jesus, who passed from village -to village expounding certain ethical and socialistic ideas, which -were condemned by the Roman government and which resulted in this -man's arrest and subsequent execution. After his death, his various -pupils continued to preach his theories, and, separating, spread -these ideas over various parts of the then civilized world. These -pupils, naturally, having a firm belief in their former leader, -and desiring to strengthen in every possible manner their faith -as well as to increase the number of their proselytes, and, also, -being themselves more or less affected by the ancient messianic idea, -did not deny Jesus more than mortal powers, and allowed certain pagan -theories of deity to creep into their faith. Later, when the vicious -and crafty Constantine found it advisable for political reasons to -adopt Christianity as the state religion, the great mass of Roman -worshipers merely transferred the attributes of their ancient deities -to the objects venerated by the new sect. - -There was nothing new in bestowing a divine origin on Jesus. All the -lesser gods of antiquity were the sons of Zeus, and, in later times, -monarchs were accorded the same origin. It was a common myth of -all ancient peoples that numerous beings derived their birth from -other than natural causes. Virgins gave birth to sons without aid -of men. Zeus produced offspring without female assistance. Almost -all the extraordinary men that lived under the old heathen mythology -were reputed to have been the sons of some of the gods. The doctrine -of the virgin birth is perhaps one of the oldest of religious ideas; -it is so universal that its origin is impossible to trace. Therefore, -no wonder is excited when we find that most of the religious leaders -have been of celestial origin. - -Krishna, the Indian savior, was born of a chaste virgin called Devaki, -who, on account of her purity, was selected to become the mother of -God. Gautama Buddha was born of the virgin Maya and "mercifully left -Paradise and came down to earth because he was filled with compassion -for the sins and miseries of mankind. He sought to lead them into -better paths, and took their sufferings upon himself that he might -expiate their crimes and mitigate the punishment they must otherwise -inevitably undergo." - -The great father of gods and men sent a messenger from heaven to -the Mexican virgin, Sochiquetzal, to inform her that it was the -will of the gods that she should immaculately conceive a son. As a -result she bore Quetzalcoatl, the Mexican savior, who "set his face -against all forms of violence and bloodshed, and encouraged the arts -of peace." The Mexican god Huitzilopochtli was likewise immaculately -conceived by a woman who, while walking in a temple, beheld a ball of -feathers descending in the air. She grasped this and placed it in her -bosom. It gradually disappeared and her pregnancy resulted. The Mexican -Montezumas were later supposed to have been immaculately conceived -by a drop of dew falling on the exposed breast of the mother as she -lay asleep. - -The Siamese have a virgin-born god and savior whom they call Codom; -the Chinese have several virgin-born gods, one being the result of -his mother's having become impregnated by merely treading on the -toe-print of God; while the Egyptians bowed in worship before the -shrine of Horus, son of the virgin Isis. - -Setting aside the mythological interpretation of the miraculous -conception of Jesus and the theory that his history is entirely -fictitious, and viewing his birth from a natural human standpoint, -even admitting that he may have been a "divinely inspired man," -a little better than any other human being, there seems to be only -one explanation for his peculiar conception as recorded in Luke i. - -Some critics of the rational school have not failed to notice -a solution of the problem in the appearance of the angel Gabriel -and his private interview with Mary (Luke i, 28-38). Say they very -pertinently, why may not some libidinous young man, having become -enamoured of the youthful wife of the aged Joseph, and, knowing the -prophecy of the messiah, have visited the object of his desire in -angelic guise and, having won her confidence in this rôle, gained those -favors that produced the miraculous birth? And such an explanation -is not improbable when we consider that it is an historical fact that -young and confiding women often resorted to the pagan temples at the -instigation of the unscrupulous, where they enjoyed the embraces of -ardent but previously unsuccessful lovers, under the impression that -they were being favored by deities. - -So those Christians whose reasoning powers will not allow them -to believe in the absurdity of an unnatural conception, and whose -superstitious adoration will not permit of their believing Mary guilty -of an intentional faux pas, try in this manner to reconcile the two, -and declare Joseph the guilty man. - -According to the Gospels, Joseph, the husband, knowing Mary to be -with child, married her (Matt. i, 18); but that is no reason for -believing that he regarded the Holy Ghost's responsibility for his -wife's condition with faith. He told of a dream in which he had been -informed that such was the case (Matt. i, 20-23). He may have believed -the dream, and he may not. The most sensible view is that he, "being a -just man," took this method of preserving her reputation, and that he -himself was the actual parent. Having betrayed the girl, he honestly -married her, but, to defend her and himself from the accusation of a -serious misdemeanor among the Jews (Deut. xxii), he invented the dream -story to account for her unfortunate condition. Girls have ever told -improbable stories to explain like misfortunes. Danæ concocted the -shower of gold yarn; Leda preferred to accuse herself of bestiality -with a swan to acknowledging a lover, and Europa blamed a bull. Modern -damsels have invented more modern but just as innocent agents. - -It would seem from the subsequent actions and words of Mary that -she must have forgotten that her son was miraculously conceived of -God, for we find her reproaching him for remaining in the temple of -Jerusalem to argue with the rabbis with, "Son, why hast thou thus -dealt with us? Behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing" -(Luke ii, 48). Again, when Simeon and Anna proclaimed the messiahship -of Jesus (Luke ii, 25-32; 36-38), we are told that "Joseph and his -mother marveled at those things which were spoken of him" (Luke ii, -33). This would hardly have been the case had they already known him -as "the Son of the Highest, who shall reign over the house of Jacob -forever" (Luke i, 32-33). Neither would Mary, had she realized that -she was the mother of God, have considered it necessary to resort -to the temple (Luke ii, 22-24) to be purified from the stains of her -childbirth. Women, having borne natural children, were considered to -have become defiled in the act of parturition, through the contact -of the perpetually active agency of original sin, whereof they must -be purified. The mere fact of her submitting to such a churching is -evidence that Mary did not know that she had done anything remarkable -in bearing Jesus, and was ignorant of an unusual conception. - -Their neighbors, despite the dream, always recognized Jesus as Joseph's -son (Matt. xii, 55; Luke iv, 22; John ii, 45; vi, 42; Nicodemus i, -2). The orthodox explain this on the supposition that Joseph and -Mary kept all these things in their hearts, and did not tell the -actual facts of the case, which seems unlikely. Joseph would want -to explain the early birth of Jesus, and Mary would be desirous of -saving her reputation, and both would naturally boast of the honor -conferred by the Holy Ghost, had they known of it, for in such case -Joseph's relation to his god was the same as that of the peasant to -his seigneur in the days of the jus primæ noctis. The liaison was an -honor, and would have been related to save Jesus from the disagreeable -allusions made by his neighbors regarding his birth (John viii, 41). - -Conforming to the narrations of the miraculous conception in Luke, -Mary, and the Protevangelion, is an old miracle play called "Joseph's -Jealousy," in which we find a very natural picture of the good old -husband discovering a condition in his wife for which he is not -responsible and accusing her in plain old English of adorning his -brow with antlers. The following is the dialogue as given in Hone's -"Ancient Mysteries Described": - - -Jos. Say me, Mary, this childys fadyr who is? - I pry the telle me, and that anon? - -Mry. The Fadyr of hevyn, & se, it is, - Other fadyr hath he non. - - -To which Joseph very naturally replies in a burst of anger: - - -Jos. Goddys childe! thou lyist, in fay! - God dede nevyr rape so with may. - But yit I say, Mary whoos childe is this? - -Mry. Goddys and your, I sey, I wys. - - -Then in wrath at her obstinacy he breaks forth: - - -Jos. Ya, ya! all olde men, to me take tent, - & weddyth no wyff, in no kynnys wyse. - Alas! Alas! my name is shent; - All men may me now dyspyse, - & seyn olde cokwold. - - -Mary tries to explain and says that her child is from God alone and -that she was so informed by an angel. The suspicious Joseph will not -be deceived, and gives way to some words that have since been accepted -as a true explanation of the miraculous conception: - - -Jos. An A'gel! alas, alas! fy for schame! - Ye syn now, in that ye to say; - To puttyn an A'ngel in so gret blame. - Alas, alas! let be do way; - It was s'n boy began this game, - That closhyd was clene and gay, - & ye geve hym now an A'ngel name. - - -The old prophecy in Isaiah (vii, 14) that a virgin shall bear a son -loses its utility when we recognize that this was the sign given Ahaz -that God would preserve his kingdom, although he was then threatened -by a coalition of the kings of Ephraim and Syria. If the prophecy -referred to the Christ, how could it have any influence on Ahaz? How -could he be calmed and made to preserve his courage in the face of -danger by a sign which would not be given until centuries after he -slept with his fathers? But such was not the case. Isaiah made his sign -appear as he had promised (vii, 16), "Before the child shall know to -refuse evil, and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall -be forsaken of both her kings" (the rulers of Israel and Syria). Now, -this prophecy was fulfilled, either by the trickery of the prophet or -the compliance of a virgin, for we find in the next chapter (Isaiah -viii, 3), "And I went unto the prophetess; and she conceived and bare -a son." And that is the whole story. To apply it to the mythical -birth of Jesus is puerile. No one can doubt that so good a Jew as -Josephus believed in the prospect of a messiah, yet so little did -Isaiah's prophecy impress him that he did not even mention the virgin -episode. Probably, on the whole, he thought it a rather contemptible -bit of trickery and rather detrimental to the memory of Isaiah. - -James Orr, in his treatise written expressly to prove the historical -fact of the virgin birth, denies that the prophecy of Isaiah could be -applied to Jesus. Here we have an orthodox writer who firmly believes -in the miraculous conception, shattering the great cornerstone of the -church's foundation for this belief. He says that the word "almah" -was not Hebrew for virgin at all, but meant only a marriageable -young woman. He says it can have no connection with Jesus, and thus -he agrees with Thomas Paine, but for opposite reasons. - -While Orr evidently considers that all pagan tales of divine paternity -are legends, he affirms that the case of Jesus is genuine. Just why God -became Deus Genetrix only once, he does not explain. If God approved -of this method of creation, he would surely have performed it more -than once. That he should have chosen a woman at all seems strange, -when he could have produced Jesus without female assistance. Why -should he have given his son, coexistent with the father, and, -as such, undoubtedly of a fully developed intelligence, all the -discomfort and danger of infantile life? If Jesus were but another -phase of the godhead, one of the divine eternal trinity, it was -degrading and ridiculous to have inflicted him with the processes of -foetal life, with all the embryonic phases of development from ovule, -through vertebrate and lower form to human guise; to have given him -the dangers of human gestation and parturition, the inconvenience -of childhood, with teething and other infantile discomforts, and the -slow years of growth. Why did he inflict all these things on a part, -a third, of himself, in many years of preparation for but a few years -of preaching, when he could have produced the Christ in a wonderful -manner, full grown in all the beauty and dignity and strength of -perfect and sublime manhood? Probably some will answer that then Jesus -would have been regarded as an impostor. But no more doubt could be -cast on such an appearance than has been thrown on the doubtful story -of the purity of Mary. Orr, in his haste to prove his belief, gives a -very good argument against it (page 82) in the words, "The idea of a -Virgin birth ... was one entirely foreign to Jewish habits of thought, -which honored marriage, and set no premium on virginity." Therefore, -it could not have been of Jewish origin. The Jews never accepted it, -and it grew up only under the influence of Gentile converts. - -It was an idea of classic paganism, an adoption of universal -phallism, this conception of a divine impregnation. The doctrine -that by conjunction with a woman, God begat the Christ is merely -another phase of the phallic idea of the procreative principles of -the deity--it is another form of the deus genetrix, the generative -principle of male procreation. - - - - - - - -II.--PAGAN PARALLELS. - - -The orthodox church denies that the Christ had any brothers and -declares that Jesus was the only child of Mary, in spite of gospel -testimony to the contrary. Matthew i, 25, referring to Joseph, says, -"And he knew her not till she had brought forth her first-born son," -which implies that after his birth marital relations began between -Joseph and Mary, from which other children were born, for how, -otherwise, could Jesus have been the "first-born"? That Jesus had -both brothers and sisters is declared in Matthew xii, 46; xiii, 55, -56; Mark iii, 31; vi, 3; Luke viii, 19-20; John ii, 12; vii, 3, 5, -10, and Acts i, 14, while Paul in Galatians i, 19, expressly names -"James, the Lord's brother." - -As the veneration for Mary increased under the influence of the pagan -conceptions of an immaculate mother-queen of heaven, these simple -and natural consequences of her marriage could not be tolerated, -even allowing for the exceptional conception of Jesus, and the -orthodox began to assert that Mary was not only an uncontaminated -virgin at the birth of Jesus, but that by miracle she did not lose -her virginity by that event. They attempted to explain the above -references, first, by asserting that these children were of Joseph by -a previous marriage, and later, when they felt it necessary to endow -the consort of their pure mother with perfect celibacy, they named -them as cousins only. Jerome was so strong a champion for Joseph's -virginity that he considered Epiphanius guilty of impious invention -for supporting the earlier belief regarding Jesus' brethren. - -The Buddhists were far wiser than the Christians and eluded all such -difficulties by causing Maya to die seven days after the birth of -Sakyamuni, and by asserting such to have been the case with all the -mothers of the Buddhas. - -At the time of Jesus' birth a brilliant star is believed to have -heralded the event, and has passed into tradition as "the star -of Bethlehem." There is nothing novel in this idea, as all ancient -peoples were very superstitious about the celestial bodies, firmly -believing in astronomical influences on human affairs, and it seems -to have been a common idea that the births of great men were announced -by the presence of peculiar stars. - -In China, a new star appeared at the birth of Yu, founder of the first -dynasty, as was also the case when the sage Laoutze was born, while -in Mexico the "morning star" was the symbol of the national savior -Quetzalcoatl. The primitive Christians, however, did not have to look -so far for such an idea, but easily found a parallel in the unusual -star reported by the friends of Terah to have appeared on the night -of Abraham's birth, which they said shone so brightly in the east. - -Not only was the birth of the messiah announced by the brilliant star, -but it was also celebrated by the singing of the heavenly host. Similar -phenomena occurred at the birth of Krishna, when "the clouds emitted -low pleasing sounds and poured down a rain of flowers." On the eve -of the birth of Confucius "celestial music sounded in the ears of -his mother"; at Buddha's a "marvelous light illumined the earth"; -and at the birth of Osiris a voice was heard proclaiming that the -ruler of the earth was born. - -The savior having been born, he must necessarily be recognized, -so the myth of the wise men and their gifts follows--in a fashion -very similar to that told of the other saviors. The marvelous infant -Buddha was visited at the time of his birth by wise men who immediately -recognized in him all the characteristics of divinity. At the time of -Confucius' birth "five celestial sages entered the house whilst vocal -and instrumental music filled the air." Mithras, the Persian savior, -was visited by wise men called magi at the time of his birth, and -was presented by them with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh; and -the same story is told by Plato in relation to the birth of Socrates. - -While it is claimed for all the world's saviors that they were borne by -virgins and begotten by God, genealogies of royal descent are traced -for them through the husbands of their mothers in a most illogical -manner. As may be seen in the New Testament, the pedigree of Jesus is -most elaborately set forth in both Matthew and Luke, who claim that -through Joseph (whose parentage is denied) the Christ was a direct -descendant of King David, though, strange to relate, the connecting -generations are different in one inspired gospel from what they are -in the other. Krishna, in the male line, was of royal descent, being -of the house of Yadava, the oldest and noblest of India; and Buddha -was descended from Maha Sammata, the first monarch of the world. - -Therefore, it is not surprising to find a royal pedigree for the god -Christ, especially when the religious position occupied by the king -in rude societies is considered. The Kaffres acknowledge no other -gods than their monarch, and to him they address those prayers which -other nations are wont to prefer to the supreme deity. Every schoolboy -knows of the apotheosis of the Roman emperors, and the monarchs of -Mexico and Peru were regarded as divinities. Every king of Egypt was -added to the list of gods and declared to be the son of Ra, and even, -in some cases, was made the third person of a trinity. Each denied -that he owed his birth to the father from whom he inherited the crown, -and claimed to have been miraculously begotten. Special temples were -erected for the worship of the kings, which was conducted by special -priests. The Parthian rulers of the Arsacid house, likewise, claimed -divinity and styled themselves brothers of the sun and moon. - -The fable of the slaughter of the innocents, which was merely a -new form of the ancient myth of the dangerous child whose life is -a constant menace to some tyrant, was copied from several ancient -religions, and the flight of the holy family into Egypt has its -counterpart in other tales. King Kansa sought the life of Krishna -and sent messengers to kill all infants in the neighboring places, -but a heavenly voice warned his foster-father to fly with him across -the river Jumna, which was immediately done. Salivahana, a virgin-born -savior anciently worshiped in southern India, had a similar experience; -and fable tells that at Abraham's birth Nimrod sought his life, fearing -a prophecy that a child was born who should overthrow his power, and, -as a result, he murdered 70,000 newly-born male children. At the time -of Moses' birth, Pharaoh is said to have dreamed that a new-born child -would cause Egypt's ruin, and he ordered that all the new-born sons -of Israel should be cast into the Nile. Similar stories, familiar to -all readers of the classics, are told of Perseus, Herakles, Paris, -Jason, Bacchus, Romulus and Remus. - -All these tales of the birth and early life of Jesus are similar to -those of the other and more ancient saviors, and so is the story of -the temptation and the forty days' fast. Moses fasted "forty days and -forty nights" on the mount where he received the law (Ex. xxiv, 18; -xxxiv, 28; Deut. ix, 9, 11). Elijah fasted "forty days and forty, -nights" on Mt. Horeb (I Kings xix, 8). Joachim, in shame at being -childless, retired to the wilderness for a fast of "forty days and -forty nights" (Protevangelion i, 6, 7). Buddha fasted and held his -breath until he became extremely weak, when Mara, Prince of Evil, -appeared and tempted him to break his fast by offering to make him -emperor of the world. Quetzalcoatl was also tempted by the devil -during a forty days' fast; and the temptation of Zoroaster forms the -subject of many legends. - -All these myths readily implanted themselves in the Christian -mythology, but the execution of its hero gave a great opportunity -for mythical expansion and elaboration. - -It is taught that Jesus was crucified; whether he was or not nobody -knows, although there are more pieces of the "true cross" extant than -could ever have flourished as trees on Mount Calvary. - -If such a person as Jesus of Nazareth ever lived and was ever -executed by the Romans, it is very probable that he was hanged, and -the gallows may, very likely, have been of a form similar to that of -a rude cross. The term crucifixion does not necessarily imply that one -must be nailed outspread upon a symmetrical cross. It was the ancient -custom to use trees as gibbets for execution, or a rude cruciform -gallows, often called a "tree" (Deut. xxi, 22, 23; Nicodemus ix, -10). To be hung on such a cross was anciently called hanging on a -tree, and to be hung on a tree was crucifixion. This rough method of -execution was later modified by the Christians to the present theory -of the crucifixion, as they very naturally desired to appropriate the -cross for their own especial emblem, owing to the fact that its great -antiquity as a universal religious symbol would aid in the propagation -of their faith, and since its earliest inception, Christianity has -been ever prone to aid its proselyting by the adoption of pagan dogmas, -symbols and practices from the so-called heathen theologies. - -Of all religious symbols, the cross is the most ancient and sacred. It -has from the earliest antiquity been the mystic emblem for reverence -and awe, and appears to have been in the aboriginal possession of -every ancient people. Populations of essentially different culture, -tastes, and pursuits have vied with one another in their superstitious -adoration of it. Greek crosses of equal arms adorned the tomb of Midas -of Phrygia; and long before the time of the Eutruscans, the inhabitants -of northern Italy erected crosses over the graves of their dead. The -cross was common to Mexico; white marble crosses were found on the -island of Saint Ulloa by its discoverers; and it was greatly revered -in Paraguay and Peru. - -While the origin of the cross, shrouded as it is in the mists of the -remotest antiquity, has been the subject of much speculation which has -resulted in numerous theories, it is, undoubtedly, a conventionalized -result of primitive phallic ideas. Sexual motives underlie and permeate -all known religious systems. The idea of a creative god naturally -gave rise to characteristic symbolical expression of the male and -female principles, which were gradually modified and reduced to the -tau (a Gothic T), representing the male principle, and the ring, -representing the female principle. As a complete expression of the -creative power, these two symbols were often placed in conjunction; -and the most ancient form of the conjunction was, probably, that -of the crux ansata, known to the Egyptians as "the emblem of life," -which was very simply formed by placing the ring above the T. This -emblem is sometimes called the "cross with the handle," because in -ancient sculpture it is often represented as being carried by the -ring. (See Doane, "Bible Myths"; Inman, "Ancient Faiths," etc.). This -handled cross was also sacred to the Babylonians and occurs repeatedly -on their cylinders, bricks and gems. - -In ancient Scandinavian mythology the great warrior god Thor was always -closely associated with a cruciform hammer, this being the instrument -with which he killed the great Mitgard serpent, with which he destroyed -the giants, and performed other acts of heroism. Cruciform hammers, -with a hole at the intersection of the arms for the insertion of the -haft, have been discovered in Denmark, and were used in consecrating -victims at Thor's altars. The cross, or hammer, of Thor is still -used in Iceland as a magical sign in connection with wind and rain, -just as the corresponding sign of the cross is now used among the -German peasantry to dispel a thunderstorm; both being expressions -of the same idea that the cross is sacred to the god of thunder. As -Christians blessed the full goblet with the sign of the cross, -so the ancient Vikings made the sign of the hammer over theirs; -and the signs were identical. - -The practice of making the sign of the cross before eating, which -has, in Protestant sects, degenerated to the saying of grace, which -again has assumed the form of a prayer of thanks to God for bestowing -the sustenance, was originally merely a method of prevention against -demonical possession. It was thought that demons abounded everywhere -and that one was very likely to imbibe one of these spirits unless -he took the precaution of making the sign of the cross, which they -could not endure and from which they fled. This belief in the efficacy -of a talisman, universal among all peoples from the most barbarous -to so-called civilized communities, was not only countenanced but -encouraged by Christianity, and even today we find orthodox Christians -who--although they cannot be called educated in the highest sense, -yet are not to be classed as illiterate--who are still practicing -it. Every good Catholic wears a scapular, and many a one carries a -little image of some saint to ward off disaster. The sign of the -cross is still used in time of danger and is considered a weapon -of miraculous power. Sword hilts are still constructed in the form -of the cross to give fortune in battle, and the masts of ships with -yards were once considered the symbol of the cross. - -The burial of the dead about churches is another modern form of -the ancient superstition that within the shadow of the cross demons -dare not disturb the body, which was necessary for resurrection and -immortality. This idea is a descendant of the ancient savage notion -that bodies in the vicinity of the idol were protected. Even in our -modern Protestant cemeteries we constantly find crosses erected over -the graves in the same superstitious manner, although in most cases -it has become merely a surviving custom, the origin of which the -performers do not know. - - - - - - - -III.--SPURIOUS RELICS. - -Accompanying the worship of the cross, we find among orthodox -Christians the adoration of the three nails of the passion -which are nothing more than a union of the two Egyptian forms of -architecture--the obelisk, expressing the male idea, and the inverted -pyramid, expressing the female. - -Two of these nails are supposed to have been found in the time of -Constantine, who adorned his helmet and horse's bridle with them. Rome, -Milan and Treves each boast of possessing one of them, while still -another may be seen at the church of the Holy Cross of Jerusalem, -where it is annually exposed to the veneration of the people. In 1353 -Pope Innocent VI. appointed a festival for these holy nails. Despite -these facts, a legend arose in the latter part of the sixteenth century -that these three nails were fashioned into an iron ring three-eighths -of an inch broad and three-tenths thick and presented by the Empress -Helena to Constantine to protect him in battle, and that this ring -was later used to support the golden plates of the celebrated Iron -Crown of Lombardy. - -In reference to the practice of relic worship in the Christian church, -it is interesting to note that numerous objects of worship seem endowed -with remarkable powers of multiplication. The Church of Coulombs, -Diocese of Chârtres; the Cathedral of Pry, the Collegiate Church -of Antwerp, the Abbey of Our Savior at Charroux, and the Church of -St. John Lateran at Rome, all boast themselves the sole possessors -of the only authentic "holy prepuce," which was circumcised from -Jesus on the eighth day after his birth (Luke ii, 21), and preserved -by the midwife in oil of spikenard, which was later poured upon his -head and feet by Mary Magdalene (Infancy ii, 1-4). - -Likewise, there are numerous "holy shrouds." That at Besancon, which -was brought from Palestine by crusaders about the beginning of the -twelfth century, won fame by delivering the city from a destructive -plague in 1544, while that at Turin had a festival instituted for -it by Pope Julius II. in 1506. Other authentic shrouds may be found -at the Church of St. Cornelius at Compeigne, in Rome, Milan, Lisbon, -and Aix la Chapelle. - -Another much multiplied relic is the Virgin's ring, supposed to have -been the marriage ring used at the nuptials of Joseph and Mary. This -sacred souvenir was discovered in 996 by a jeweler of Jerusalem -and was readily recognized by its remarkable powers of healing and -self-multiplication. Many European churches claim to possess this -ring and profess to expose it to the devout for veneration, but, -undoubtedly, the most celebrated is that held by the Cathedral -of Perouse. - -Relic worship and belief in the miraculous powers residing in the -bones of departed saints, which continues, despite the more general -education of the laity, is by no means of Christian origin. In ancient -Greece the bones of heroes were superstitiously regarded and those -of Hector of Troy were sacredly preserved at Thebes; the tools used -in the construction of the Trojan horse were kept at Metapontum; -the sceptre of Pelops was held at Chæroneia; the spear of Achilles -at Phaselis; and the sword of Memnon at Nicomedia. Miraculous statues -of Minerva that brandished spears, abounded, and paintings that could -blush and images that could sweat also existed. - -In India there are numerous teeth of Buddha which his worshipers -believe capable of performing miracles; and his coat, which as -Prince Siddhatto he laid aside on entering the priesthood, has been -miraculously preserved, and is still shown. - -Jerome, in defending the worship of relics which had been attacked -by Vigilantus of Barcelona, did not deny that it was adopted from -paganism, but commended it and explained that as this reverence had -been previously "only given to idols, and was then to be detested, -was now given to martyrs, and therefore to be received." - - - - - - - -IV.--TRIAL AND EXECUTION MYTHS. - - -That Jesus should have been executed, either as an historical fact or -as a mythological theory, is not remarkable; and even when considered -in the light of his being one of the godhead, there is nothing new in -the relation of his death. The idea of a dying god is very old. The -grave of Zeus was shown at Crete, and the body of Dionyseus was -buried at Delphi. Osiris and Buddha both died, and numerous deities -were crucified. Krishna, the Indian god, suffered such execution, as -did also the Mexican savior Quetzalcoatl. Representations of Krishna -abound wherein he is depicted as nailed to a cross and having a round -hole in his side. Prometheus was nailed by hands and feet to Mount -Caucasus, with arms extended in the form of a cross. - -So immeasurably voluminous have been the writings of the orthodox -upon the trial, execution, and resurrection of Jesus that it seems -advisable to consider these matters, from a rational point of view, -upon the hypothesis that such a man really lived and suffered -experiences similar to those narrated in the Gospels. With that -premise the following views are offered: - -The attitude of Jesus before Pilate shows him to have been a willing -martyr, yea, desirous of martyrdom. In all probability his fanatical -mind believed that when the supreme moment should come, when his -execution should take place, and when his death seemed instantly -imminent, some great natural phenomenon would occur to save him. He -undoubtedly believed that he would not die, but that God would -miraculously interpose to rescue him and that at that time he would -not only be saved, but that the kingdom of heaven would be established -under his control. That this was his belief seems to be shown by his -cry of disappointment when he realized that nothing supernatural was to -prevent his death. When that moment of realization came, his surprise -was evident and, unlike many of his courageous followers who died in -calmness and bravery, he cried aloud in mental and physical anguish, -"My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Matt. xxvii, 46; Mark -xv, 34.) - -His indifferent bearing before Pilate showed this faith in his -redemption, for when the Roman procurator courteously asked him if -he were the king of the Jews, he replied ambiguously, as had always -been his practice, "Thou sayest it" (Matt. xxvii, 11; Mark xv, 2; -Luke xxiii, 3; John xviii, 37; Nicodemus iii, 10). But such ambiguity, -which had served very well among the lower classes who had flocked to -hear and question him, was of no avail before the matter-of-fact Roman, -who, as an imperial officer, desired straightforward answers, and was -little impressed by Jesus' silence, except that he was rightfully -astonished that when given the chance the prisoner should not have -availed himself of it to explain his position. Therefore, seeing Jesus -had no will to answer his questions except in an exasperating manner, -after he had shown a willingness to save him, Pilate delivered Jesus -over to the Jews according to the custom of the Romans in regard -to the theological disputes of a subject people--but not until -he had requested them to spare the preacher. Had Jesus given the -Roman a frank explanation of his position as an itinerant preacher, -Pilate would probably have saved him, but the chimerical idea of -the interposition of God by a miracle, which would glorify him above -all else that could occur, led Jesus to make a willing sacrifice of -himself and throw away the opportunity offered him by Pilate. - -There is nothing noble nor grand in this impudent conduct toward the -Roman officer, but there is a good deal of justice and consideration -in the conduct of Pilate. There is nothing noble in Jesus' willingness -to die nor in his courting death at this trial, for it was entirely -unnecessary and was desired on his part only because he expected a -miraculous salvation. According to his belief, he was to be the gainer, -and he staked his life for a heavenly glory and lost, although he was -probably keen enough to see that in any case his death would increase -his fame, for the execution of a fanatic always lends a little glory -to a cause, no matter how base, as witness the desire of anarchists -for martyrdom and the attitude with which they view those who die -for their horrible ideas. - -The only question with the Roman was as to whether Jesus had proclaimed -himself the king of the Jews, and as he declined to answer this -question, Pilate could do nothing to save him. The blind hatred of -orthodox Christianity toward Pilate is absurd. Aside from the argument -above, there is another reason why his memory should be leniently -treated. According to the Christian dogma, Jesus was the son of God, -and it was only by his sacrifice, by his actual death, that he could -save man. By dying he took the sins of mankind upon himself, and thus -became the Savior. As the eternal Son, knowing all things, as a part -of the godhead, he knew his death must occur--that was his mission on -earth. Therefore, as instruments in the accomplishment of this grand -plan, by which mankind was saved, and Jesus became the Savior, Caiaphas -and Pontius Pilate should be regarded as divine agents worthy of glory -and praise. Any other conclusion is entirely illogical. But then, -who will look for logic in the dogmas of Christianity? When one makes -a logical investigation of this faith, he abandons its unreasonable -teachings, which cannot be accepted by a logical mind. The person -who allows his reason to govern his belief cannot in any way accept -the teachings of the absurd and ridiculous Christian cult. - -While suffering his execution, Jesus, according to the Gospel -writers, lost both his moral and physical courage, and cried aloud -in agony, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" In view of this fact, it -seems impossible for reasonable creatures to accept the Christian -dogmas of the atonement and the trinity, for, if Jesus were one of -the godhead and had left his heavenly abode to descend to earth for -the especial purpose of saving mankind by shedding his blood for them, -he must necessarily have been aware of what was in store for him and -have known all the details attendant upon his execution. - -Looking at this fable rationally, Jesus was inferior in courage -to many of his followers. When we recall the innumerable martyrs -who went to meet death with smiling lips, in perfect confidence, -the wailing savior, with his doubting cry to God, presents anything -but an impressive figure. Surely, to burn at the stake, to lie under -the axe, to endure the awful tortures of the Inquisition, were fully -as agonizing as a crucifixion; and yet men--and delicate women--who -have never pretended to divinity, have borne these things silently. - -To be sure, the whole story of the Christ is largely legendary and -very uncertain, but, according to the gospels of Matthew and Mark, -Jesus was weak in his convictions, afraid to die for his own teachings, -and on the whole, his conduct at the supreme moment reminds one of -the weak French peasants of revolutionary times rather than the brave -nobility. His peasant blood rose to the surface and in his fear he -cried, "Why hast thou forsaken me?" although but a few moments before -he had assured one of the malefactors who suffered beside him that -on this day he should be in paradise (Luke xxiii, 43). - -Everything considered, it is not strange that the Jews would not accept -Jesus as the awaited messiah who should free them from the yoke of -Rome. They desired a strong and powerful leader, not a socialistic -wandering teacher, and the prophecies promised a ruler surpassing the -wisdom and power of the gorgeous Solomon. There is not one prophetic -passage in the Old Testament that can properly be applied to Jesus, -although many have been distorted for such purpose. The Jews looked -upon him as an impostor and a revolutionist who not only pretended -to be what he was not, but who disregarded their ancient laws and -preached a doctrine contrary to that held by their rabbis. - -It was not until long after his death that he was regarded as a -prophet, and it was not until every proof of his very existence had -vanished that divine honors were paid him. To the Jews he was a vagrant -revolutionist worthy of death, and the Jews knew him personally; to a -large majority of twentieth century Christians, he is a god, and they -know absolutely nothing about him, save a collection of puerile myths -which tax their credulity as children, but which as adults they accept. - -However, regarding the execution of Jesus, there is always the -legitimate doubt that it ever occurred. Aside from the fact that -the usual mode of death for criminals was by hanging, there is much -internal evidence in the gospels themselves which points to the -conclusion that the whole story of the execution and resurrection is -mythical and was composed from various Hebrew and pagan legends. The -dying cry was copied verbatim from Psalms xxii, 1, wherein David -"complaineth in great discouragement" over his diseased condition. - - - - - - - -V.--DISTORTED "PROPHECIES." - - -The Jews, desirous that the spectacle of the execution should not -pollute the sanctity of their Sabbath, requested that the death of -the victim might be hastened (John xix, 31). Therefore, according -to custom, the Roman soldiers broke the legs of the thieves, but, -finding Jesus already dead, they did not break his legs (John xix, -33). In this the writer of John sees the fulfillment of a prophecy -(John xix, 36). In Exodus xii, 46, occur the words "neither shall -ye break a bone thereof," which were nothing more than a command of -"the ordinance of the passover" (Ex. xii, 43), and applied to the -sacrificial animals to be eaten then. But the gospel writers, delving -for prophecies, saw with their queerly distorted eyes a prophecy in -this and Numbers ix, 12, regardless of the fact that for centuries, -in celebrating the passover, the Jews had conformed to this practice -of not breaking the bones of the animals eaten. But the biographers -saw Jesus as the paschal lamb, and associated him with the meat of -the passover. The tendency to regard his body as the solid of the -Eucharist has likewise aided in this construction of the passages -in Exodus and Numbers into a prophecy. In David's apostrophe to the -righteous he says that though their afflictions are many, "the Lord -delivereth him out of them all" and preserves him. "He keepeth all -his bones; not one of them is broken" (Psalm xxxiv, 19-20). This -has no reference to the Christ, but the distorted vision of the -apostolic writer saw in it such an intent. He says (John xix, 36), -"For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, -A bone of him shall not be broken." - -In order, however, to be sure that Jesus was actually dead and, in -case he was not, to hasten that event, one of the soldiers pierced -his heart with a lance. Here John sees another prophecy fulfilled -(John xix, 37), "They shall look on him whom they pierced." This -refers to Zechariah xii, 10, where we find the words, "And I will -pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, -the spirit of grace and supplications; and they shall look upon me -whom they have pierced." This was the language of a prophet in a -diatribe against the enemies of Juda. How could the writer of John -have seen a prophecy in this, when the context reads "in that day -I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem" -(Zech. xii, 9), and when at the time of the crucifixion, Jerusalem -was in the hands of the Romans? - -Likewise, the writers of Matthew and John saw in the drawing of lots by -the soldiers at the foot of the cross for the garments of Jesus--the -usual custom regarding the minor possessions of executed criminals, -which were always considered the spoil of the military guard--"the -fulfillment of a prophecy" (Matt. xxvii, 35 John xix, 23, 24) found -in Psalms xxii, 18, "They part my garments among them, and cast -lots upon my vesture," which really was a metaphorical expression -of David concerning the treatment accorded him by his enemies. In -the preceding verse 16, in the same relation and rhetorical figure, -he says "they pierced my hands and my feet." On the whole, Psalm -xxii was a particularly happy composition for the Christian adepts -at misconstruction. Neither Mark nor Luke refers to the fulfillment -of a prophecy regarding the vestments, but content themselves with -narrating the event (Mark xv, 24; Luke xxiii, 34). - -It was customary to give the condemned a drink of wine and myrrh -to stupefy him and thus decrease the sufferings of execution. When -this was offered to Jesus he refused it (Mark xv, 23), probably -because he wished to be perfectly conscious at the time when God -should miraculously reprieve him. Matthew, xxvii, 34, intentionally -falsifies the episode and calls the drink vinegar and gall, so bound is -he to see a messianic prophecy in Psalms xix, 21, "They gave me also -gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink," -which words were really applied by David to his own personal enemies. - - - - - - - -VI.--THE RESURRECTION. - - -Regarding the resurrection, it is interesting to note that, whereas -most crucified men lived a number of hours and even a day in this -torture, the wounds in the hands not being mortal and the position only -affecting the circulation, causing death by exhaustion or starvation, -Jesus lived only three hours. Therefore, it may have been that he -was not actually dead, but merely in a state of coma, or perhaps a -cataleptic condition. The custom he had of using his subjective mind -in telepathic cures, as told in the gospels, seems to point to this -conclusion, that, being strongly subjective, his condition here was -cataleptic. Many cases are known of men having been restored after -crucifixion, and, as the embalming given Jesus in the Jewish custom -consisted in nothing more than a wrapping in a shroud with myrrh and -aloes, there is nothing to oppose this hypothesis. After resting for -a while in the tomb, he may have revived and gone out and been seen -by others, after which he wandered away again to die in solitude from -exhaustion and lack of food. - -It is more probable, however, that this legend was copied from those -of other religious heroes, who likewise rose from the dead, as there -seems to be much variance between the different versions of the visit -of Mary Magdalene to the sepulchre and her meeting with Christ. Matthew -says (xxviii, 1) that Mary Magdalene and the other Mary visited the -sepulchre (3), where they saw a male angel descend from heaven during -an earthquake and roll back the stone from the door and sit upon it -(7). And he told them to "go quickly, and tell his disciples" that -he had risen, which they did. But as they were going (9) "Jesus met -them ... and they came ... and worshiped him." Mark tells a similar -story with some variations as to the angel, but he relates that Jesus -appeared first to Mary Magdalene "early the first day of the week" -(xvi, 9), and not on her visit with Mary, the mother of James, and -Salome at the tomb. According to Luke, the women went to the tomb, -where they were informed by (xxiv, 4) "two men in shining garments" -that Jesus had risen, and they left and told the apostles. No mention -is made here of the encounter of Mary Magdalene. John, however, gives -a more elaborate version. He narrates (xx) that Mary, going early and -alone to the tomb, which she found entirely empty, ran and informed -Peter, who verified her story and departed. After she was left alone -she looked into the sepulchre again, where she beheld two angels, -and on turning away saw Jesus standing by her. - -Setting aside the idea of a mythical plagiarism in these tales, -and also the cataleptic theory already mentioned, and considering -them from yet another point of view, we can still find a rational -explanation. The meeting of Jesus with Mary may have been the -hallucination of a hysterical woman. According to Mark xvi, 9, -and Luke viii, 2, Jesus had cast seven devils out of her, which is -surely sufficient proof that she was of neurotic temperament and -had been subject to delusions and hysteria. Undoubtedly after the -shock of witnessing the crucifixion and death of her master, for -three gospels agree in stating that she was present (Matt. xxvii, -56; Mark xv, 40; John xix, 25), this fond woman's mind, which seemed -more normal in his presence, again gave way and she returned to her -hysterical condition. On visiting the tomb, she found it empty because -"his disciples came by night and stole him away," that they might -declare he had risen from the dead, "as is commonly reported among -the Jews until this day" (Matt. xxviii, 11-15). As she was leaving, -she heard his voice (a common delusion of hysterical subjects) and -saw his form (another hallucination), but when she went to touch -him, she could not do so. The relation has all the marks of simple -neurosis, and yet many modern Christians base their whole faith upon -the words of Paul in 1 Corinthians xv, 14, "If Christ be not risen, -then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain." - -As noted in various parts of this work, unless Christians believe in -the possibility of miracles, the power of a personal devil, and the -physical resurrection of the body, there is no foundation for their -faith, and it is a mockery. - -Not satisfied with having executed their god according to the most -approved methods of antiquity, Christians felt the necessity of the -presence of some remarkable natural phenomena at the time of his -death, for among all ancient peoples it was customary to attribute -some remarkable natural convulsions to the death of a great man. When -Prometheus was crucified on Mount Caucasus "the earth quaked, thunder -roared, lightning flashed, wild winds rent the air and boisterous -billows rose." On the death of Romulus, there was "darkness over the -face of the earth for six hours," and when Quetzalcoatl died the -sun became black! Even in historical times, we find narrations of -similar phenomena accompanying the deaths of royalty; and we read in -many authenticated histories of the frightful thunderstorms that were -coincident with the deaths of Isabella of Castile, Charles the Fifth, -Napoleon the Great, and Oliver Cromwell. - -Therefore, it is not surprising to find mention of such occurrences -at the time of the execution of the Christian god, although we are -not prepared for such astonishing and unprecedented phenomena as -related by the ever exaggerating author of the "Gospel according to -St. Matthew," who states very seriously that "the vail of the temple -was rent in twain from top to bottom; and the earth did quake, and the -rocks rent; and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints -which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, -and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many." - -But the execution, while it completes the mortal life of the incarnate -Christian deity, by no means finishes the legend. Like the gods of -antiquity, the Christ must also descend into hell and perform wonders -similar to those of the ancient heroes. All the saviors of mankind -had done so--Zoroaster, the Persian; Osiris, the Egyptian; Baldur, -the Scandinavian; Quetzalcoatl, the Mexican; and Krishna, the Hindu; -while Ishtar voluntarily descended into the Assyrian inferno. - -Having descended into hell, resurrection was necessary, for it was -unreasonable that the savior of mankind, the son of the supreme god, -should remain perpetually in the place of punishment; and, as his life -on earth was over, he could no longer abide there, and so the only -plausible sequence was an ascension to heaven. Krishna, the crucified -Hindu savior, rose from the dead and ascended bodily into the celestial -regions, as did Rama, another avatar of Vishnu. Buddha also ascended -bodily into heaven when his mission on earth was fulfilled, and marks -on the rocks of a high mountain are shown as the last impressions of -his footsteps on earth. Zoroaster and Æsculapius also had similar -experiences, as did Elijah and Adonis. Osiris rose from the dead -and bore the title of "The Resurrected One," his ascension being -celebrated in Egypt at the vernal equinox, as is the Christ's and -as was Adonis'. Other saviors who rose from the dead were Dionysius, -Herakles, Memnon, Baldur and Quetzalcoatl. - -Modern Catholics are still taught the fables of the bodily ascension -of Jesus, Mary the Virgin, and Mary the Magdalene and many other holy -persons, as actual miraculous truths, not to be questioned nor denied. - -Very good, but how can educated Catholics of today reconcile such -truths with their actual scientific knowledge? They know that the -earth is spherical, that the stars and planets are members of solar -systems, that outside the terrestrial atmosphere is nothing but -vast space. There is no such place as a heaven anywhere in these -celestial regions, and the zenith of any geographical situation -changes every moment. Clouds are mere masses of vapor, not furniture -for the repose of the glorified dead. Then whither did these adored -beings ascend? Certainly, God in his love for them never flung them -far into space to whirl about for eternity. - -These Catholics also know the law of gravitation, which would not allow -of such a method of transportation. But why ask these questions? No -religious person is capable of thinking sensibly on the teachings -of his faith, no matter how ridiculous. He accepts, as an adult, -what he questions as a child. - -While the idea of bodily ascension of the Christ was probably copied -into his biography from that of Enoch (Gen. v, 24) and Elijah (2 Kings -ii, 11), such stories form a large part of the annals of classical -mythology, almost every hero of antiquity having been translated to -the heavens when his earthly life was spent. The custom of converting -the tombs of prominent Christians into shrines likewise aided this -belief, as, it being impossible to discover the burial places of -the most conspicuous, the idea arose that they had been physically -removed to heaven. - -The principal weakness of all the great theological systems now in -practice is that they are terrestrial in their conception of God and -man. Their foundations were laid at a period when mankind knew little, -and cared less, about the planets; at a period when it was presumed -that the sun, moon, and stars were either beneficent deities or natural -objects placed in the firmament to light the world and please the eye -of man by their beauty. Therefore God, as recognized in these systems, -takes heed of naught else than this particular world. He totally -ignores the other innumerable spheres of matter floating in space, -many of which may support life. All his interests center on this -infinitesimal portion of his creation. It is with the doings of the -inhabitants of this planet that he is engaged. For this earth alone -he creates man, animals and vegetables; to this alone, he sends his -only son, or Savior; and it is here, in the purified state, that the -souls of men shall eternally dwell after the great judgment. - -Since science has proved that our solar system is but one of the many, -and that in this system the earth is not the largest nor most important -body, should not such absurd theological ideas be abandoned and a -grander and vaster conception of the Deity be inaugurated? Should -not organized theology turn to nobler thoughts and say with Paul, -"When I was a child ... I thought as a child; but when I became a man, -I put away childish things" (1 Cor. xiii, 11)? - -All such doctrines as predestination, which are based upon the sin -of Adam, are now anachronistic. The acceptance of the theory of -evolution, which entirely destroys the reality of the mythical Adam, -sweeps away his biography and leaves no foundation for such dogmas. If -the Christian church desires to remain, she must cast aside these -worthless doctrines, founded upon false hypotheses, when the minds -of men were in darkness regarding the origin of species, and when -they saw in these the only solution of their problem. - -Having accomplished his ascension and entered on his eternal kingdom, -one of the Christ's attributes is that of judging the dead. This -idea undoubtedly came from the Alexandrian school of theology, -where so many of the Christian theories were promulgated, for one -of the best-known attributes of Osiris was that of the judge, and -he was generally represented as seated on his throne of judgment, -bearing a staff (the crozier of the modern bishop) and holding the -crux ansata. Buddha is also supposed to be the judge of the dead. - -In connection with the idea of the Christ as the divine judge of men, -certain sects of Christians have advocated that of his return to -earth at some future period, which will terminate all terrestrial -life as it is known to-day, basing this belief upon Jesus' own -proclamation of his second advent, although in his prophecy he -declared the coming of the kingdom of heaven to be soon after his -death. He even told his disciples that they could not visit all the -cities of Israel before he should come again (Matt. x, 23); that -their own generation should see these things (Matt. xxiv, 34; Mark -xiii, 30); that some of those then listening to him should live to -see his kingdom (Matt. xvi, 28; xxiii, 36; xxiv, 34; Mark viii, 38; -Luke ix, 1-27; xxi, 32). Such were his words, and it seems strange -that people, believing these words, can still regard him as a very -part of God. Such improbabilities did Jesus gradually grow to preach, -and so wild did he become in his exhortations that even his disciples -at times appear to have believed him mad (Mark iii, 21), an opinion in -which his enemies agreed (Mark iii, 22; John vii, 5-20; viii, 48-52; -x, 20). They certainly had good cause for their suspicion. Was not his -conduct in cursing the fig tree for not bearing fruit out of season -an act of lunacy (Matt. xxi, 19-20; Mark xi, 13-14), and likewise -his arrogant assertion of the power of faith (Matt. xvii, 20; xxi, -21; Mark xi, 23; Luke xvii, 6)? It is, however, quite probable that -this idea of a second advent was copied from the Persian theology, -it being one of the tenets of the Zoroastrian religion that in the -end Ormuzd, God of Light, should conquer Ahriman, God of Darkness, -and that he should then summon the good from their graves, remove all -evil from the face of nature, and permanently establish the kingdom -of righteousness and virtue upon the earth. - -But such ideas are not unique to Christians and Persians. The Hindus -believe that Vishnu will have another avatar; the Siamese live in -constant expectation of the second coming of Codom; the Buddhists -are looking forward to the return of Buddha; the Jews are awaiting -the messiah; and the disciples of Quetzalcoatl expected that deity's -second advent--and most unfortunately thought their dream realized on -the arrival of the Spaniards, who took advantage of their consequent -submissiveness to exterminate them. - - - - - - - -VII.--MIRACLES. - - -It is customary among orthodox Christians to assert that the godhead -of their Christ was fully proven by the many miracles attributed to -him in the New Testament. But one must not forget that the performance -of miracles is one of the most common attributes of founders of new -sects, and one which all religious charlatans claim. Krishna lulled -tempests, cured lepers, and restored the dead; Buddha, Zoroaster -(who walked on water on his way to Mount Iran to receive the law), -Horus, Æsculapius, and innumerable others did likewise. Mohammed, not -content with miracles of the omnipotent physician type, juggled the -moon through his sleeve. Even to-day faith in miracles is not dead, -and miracle-working attributes have been claimed for Mrs. Eddy, -founder of Christian Science, Dowie, founder of Zion City, and -Sandford, leader of the Holy Ghost and Us. - -There can be no doubt in the mind of a student of comparative theology -that Moncure D. Conway was correct when he stated in his essay on -Christianity that "among all the miracles of the New Testament not -one is original. Bacchus changed water into wine.... Moses and Elias -also fasted forty days.... Pythagoras had power to still waves and -tempests at sea. Elijah made the widow's meal and oil increase; Elisha -fed a hundred men with twenty loaves.... As for opening blind eyes, -healing diseases, walking on water, casting out demons, raising the -dead, resurrection, ascension, all these have been common myths--logic -currency of every race." - -"One of the best attested miracles of all profane history is that which -Tacitus reports of Vespasian, who cured a blind man in Alexandria by -means of his spittle, and a lame man by the mere touch of his foot, -in obedience to a vision of the god Serapis," says Hume in his "Essay -on Miracles," and we might here mention the numerous attested cures -resulting from the laying on of royal hands by divinely appointed -sovereigns. - -The rulers of France, Aragon, and England touched for scrofula, -this practice being continued by the latter from the period of its -origin with Edward the Confessor until the accession of William the -Third, whose good sense put an end to it. James the Second, the last -practitioner of this art, had so great a belief in his curative powers -that he set aside certain days on which he touched the afflicted from -his throne at Whitehall, while the sufferers came in throngs to kneel -at his feet. The princes of the house of Austria likewise held divine -power and were supposed to be capable of casting out devils and curing -stammering by the touch of their aristocratic fingers. - -Numerous cases are narrated in which Jesus, by simply touching the -person of the afflicted, effected instantaneous cures. Such were -those of the leper (Matt. viii, 2-3; Mark i, 40-42; Luke v, 12-13); -the curing of Peter's mother-in-law of a fever (Matt. viii, 14-15; -Mark i, 30-31; Luke iv, 38-39), although in the Luke version he -"rebuked" the fever; and the opening of the eyes of two blind men -(Matt. ix, 27-30). Another method seems to have been by allowing the -ill to touch him or his garments (Matt. ix, 20-22; xiv, 36; Mark iii, -10; v, 25-34; Luke vi, 19; viii, 43-48). At other times he simply told -the patient, or the agent of the patient, that faith had effected the -cure, as with the centurion's servant (Matt. viii, 5-13; Luke vii, -2-10) and the daughter of the Canaanite (Matt. xv, 22-28; Mark vii, -25-30); or told the stricken to hold forth a withered arm or pick up -his bed and walk, by which command the cure was completed (Matt. ix, -2-7; xii, 10-13; Mark ii, 3-12; Luke v, 18-25). - -Among all primitive peoples, the principal cause of disease was -supposed to lie in the displeasure of some deity toward the afflicted -person, who was punished by this deity for some offense or neglect -(Psalms xxxviii, 3). One of the favorite methods of the gods in -afflicting was sending evil and tormenting spirits into the body of -the victim. After more was learned of disease, this theory gradually -diminished in strength as regarded some troubles, but for centuries -it was the universal theory that mental derangements and nervous -afflictions were solely due to demoniacal possession, and all priests -and medicine-men resorted to various exorcisms, from the primitive -banging of gongs and tooting of trumpets to scare away the spirit, -to the prayers and sprinkling of holy water of the mediæval church -to rid the patient of the unwelcome inhabitant of his body. - -That Jesus believed in this demoniacal possession is undoubted, and -he effected his cures by ordering or calling out the devil from the -body of the possessed. For example, there is a story of Jesus driving -devils into an innocent herd of swine (Matt. viii, 28-33; Mark v, -2-14; Luke viii, 26-34). We also find him casting out and rebuking -devils in various instances (Matt. ix, 32-34; xii, 22-24; xvii, 14-18; -Mark i, 23-24, 34; iii, 11; Luke iv, 33-36, 41; ix, 37-42). - -In all probability, these medical miracles of Jesus were copied from -older legends by his biographers. But, even if they actually occurred, -they were not miracles at all, for a miracle must be, in the very -meaning of the word, performed by the suspension of a natural law, -and from all gospel accounts the mental therapeutics of the Christ -were performed, if at all, in perfect accordance with well-established -psychological laws. They had been performed years before his birth, -and they have continued to be performed years after his death, -even to the present time. Through the force of faith, the patients -were placed in passivity (hypnosis) and treated by suggestions being -impressed upon their subjective minds, when present; at a distance, -they were cured by the telepathic suggestions conveyed from the -healer to their subjective mentalities. There is no miracle here; -it is merely a demonstration of telepathic and hypnotic phenomena, -governed by psychic laws, and does not place the Christ on a higher -intellectual plane than modern hypnotists and mental healers, who -consciously and knowingly work within the dispensation of these -laws. They are anything but proofs of the godhead of Jesus. - -It would seem that the Pharisees had some such idea in mind when -they demanded an astronomical miracle and requested "a sign from -heaven." But, unable to comply, he evaded this performance by calling -them hypocrites and "an evil and adulterous generation," and saying, -"There shall no sign be given unto this generation" (Matt. xii, 38-39; -xvi, 1-4; Mark viii, 11-13; Luke xi, 16, 29; John ii, 18, 24; vi, 30). - -One of the commonest miracles ascribed to religious leaders of all -sects and times, and one which never fails to convince witnesses and -hearers of the authenticity of such a leader's claims, is that of -restoring the dead to life. Such miracles have been so well attested -that there seems little reason to suppose them entirely fictitious. - -Everyone has heard of cases of catalepsy, and medical history teems -with cases of "suspended animation"; in fact, the only actual proof -of death is the entire decomposition of the vital organs; therefore, -the cruelty and crime of embalming corpses before such a condition -is apparent. Some undertakers actually insist upon embalming before -such conditions, because the dead can then be made to "present a -better appearance"! - -There are numerous well-proven cases of people lying for days in -cataleptic conditions, even with slight signs of decomposition due -to restricted circulation, and then returning to renewed lives and -perfectly healthy states. All Eastern travelers are familiar with the -practices of Hindu fakirs who allow themselves to be buried alive for -weeks, and are "resurrected" without having suffered. Therefore, it -does not seem improbable that some such acts on the parts of various -religious leaders may have occurred which have excited wonder with -the ignorant, and interest among the educated. The early Christians -proclaimed many such wonderful works, albeit when challenged by a -wealthy pagan to produce even one such case, in payment for which he -would become a convert, a failure was the result. - -Orthodox Christians proclaim that Jesus raised from death Jairus' -daughter, in entire forgetfulness of the actual words accredited -to their leader, which were, "The maid is not dead, but sleepeth" -(Matt. ix, 24; Mark v, 39; Luke viii, 52), showing his opinion that -she was in a cataleptic condition. While neither of the first three -gospels says aught of the raising of Lazarus, we find it in John, -who seems to have substituted it for the story of Jairus' daughter, -which does not appear in his gospel. According to this hyperbolical -and probably demented authority, Jesus raised Lazarus to life after he -had been dead four days (John xi, 17), although Jesus maintained that -Lazarus was not dead (John xi, 11). He declared that "this sickness is -not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be -glorified there-by" (John xi, 4), or, in other words, Jesus believed -that the unfortunate Lazarus was obliged to undergo this frightful -experience that his seeming resurrection might cause gaping among -the vulgar, and add to the prestige of the miracle worker. For this -reason, he purposely postponed going to the dying man, whom he might -have saved, that he might later have the glory of bringing him to -life! Excellent ethics! Finally, however, when he did depart, he said -positively, "Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake -him out of sleep" (John xi, 11). Having arrived at the sepulchre, -he approached it, groaning and weeping, in a most theatrical manner, -such as would appeal to a highly strung audience, and cried in a loud -voice, "Lazarus, come forth!" whereupon the dead man arose and came -out (John xi, 33, 35, 43). - -Now, this may have been catalepsy, and it may have been the strong -voice and will of the Christ which caused the awakening, but, in -all probability, if the affair ever occurred, it was a preconceived -dramatic incident. All the actors were partisans of the professed -messiah, and the whole story reads like a play, and undoubtedly the -words "come forth" were the cue for the waiting man to appear. - -It is by such contemptible methods that religions are established. If -the tale were due to the imagination of the author of John, it is most -discreditable to him, and places his hero in a very bad light. If -it actually occurred, it shows Jesus as a vain-glorious boaster, -anxious to show his power to the vulgar, and desirous of gaining a -following by charlatanry, either by raising a hypnotized man or by -creating a cheap melodrama. - -It had been prophesied (2 Esdras xiii, 50) that the messiah should -be a miracle worker, which probably caused Jesus to affect this -rôle when he accepted the part of the messiah, and to condescend to -soil his mission by charlatanism, even to the raising of the dead in -imitation of the former prophets, Elijah and Elisha (I Kings xvii, -16-24; II Kings iv, 18-37). - -It is rather amusing to hear Theodore Christlieb, that well-named, -sturdy old German supporter of orthodoxy, boldly assert in irrevocable -simplicity and straightforwardness, in his "Modern Doubt and Christian -Belief": "However much in other respects our opponents may differ, -they all agree in the denial of miracles, and unitedly storm this -bulwark of the Christian faith; and in its defense we have to combat -them all at once. But whence this unanimity? Because with the truth -of miracles the entire citadel of Christianity stands or falls. [The -italics are his own.] For its beginning is a miracle, its author is a -miracle, its progress depends upon miracles, and they will hereafter -be its consummation. If the principle of miracles be set aside, then -all the heights of Christianity will be leveled with one stroke, and -naught will remain but a heap of ruins. If we banish the supernatural -from the Bible, there is nothing left us but the covers" (pages 285-6). - - - - - - - -VIII.--ATONEMENT AND SALVATION BY FAITH. - - -The dogma of the atonement which very naturally resulted from the -theological interpretation of the crucifixion, was readily accepted -by the Christian church. The idea of averting disasters by sacrifice -and thus causing one devoted victim to bear the load of the sins of -others, in payment of which his death was acceptable, is one of the -greatest antiquity, and we find sacrifices of various kinds offered to -propitiate the deities, from the simple offerings of primitive man to -the more elaborate sacrifices of a more complicated society. Finally -came the idea of human sacrifice and then the culminating theory of the -sacrifice of a divine being whose suffering should atone for all the -sins of mankind. The belief of redemption from sin by the sufferings -of a divine incarnation was general and popular centuries before -the time of Jesus. In the temple of the moon the Albanians of the -eastern Caucasus kept a number of sacred slaves. When one exhibited -more than usual symptoms of inspiration, the high priest maintained -him in the utmost luxury for a year, after which he was anointed and -led forth to be sacrificed. After his death, the people stood upon the -body as a purificationary ceremony, it being believed that the dead -man was possessed of a divine spirit. The ancient Greeks were also -familiar with the use of the human scapegoat, and it was customary -at Marsailles, one of the busiest and most brilliant of the Greek -colonies, to sacrifice an inspired man when the city was ravaged by -the plague. All are familiar with the old Jewish practice of using -the scapegoat as the vehicle for the expiation of sins, and the whole -theory of the atonement is little more than a modernized expression -of the old idea that the sins of the community may be delegated to -one agent to be sacrificed for the purification of the rest. - -The prophecy, as it is called by John, made by Caiaphas, the high -priest, "it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, -and that the whole nation perish not" (John xi, 50; xviii, 14), which -has been seized upon by the Christians as a reference to the vicarious -atonement, is nothing more than the opinion of an ardent orthodox Jew -that if Jesus were permitted to live and preach he would destroy the -ancient faith and his converts would abandon the old religion. The -words "it is expedient for us" qualify the whole statement. They -signified that the priesthood would be without a following were he -allowed to continue. The idea of a vicarious atonement for all the -people would have been of no expediency whatever to Caiaphas and -his class. They felt that if orthodoxy fell by Jesus' preaching, the -Romans could easily crush them, for it was only by their union and the -support of their ancient rites that they could form any front to the -imperial government; it was by these alone that they had any political -significance. Once dismembered, the Jews would be scattered to the -corners of the earth (John xi, 52). This was the meaning of Caiaphas' -words, and he was correct, for such was the actual case. When orthodoxy -was undermined, the Jewish nation was ruined. - -The doctrine that God was angry with humanity because of its ancestors' -transgressions, and would forgive its sins only on its acceptance of -belief in the godhead of Jesus, is so entirely at variance with the -Jewish teachings, which held that God freely forgave penitents on -the confession of their sins (Ex. xxxiv, 6-7; Neh. ix, 17; Ps. ciii, -3; cxxx, 4; Is. xxxiii, 24; Dan. ix, 9) that it was never accepted -by them. - -Some old Christian writers believed that it was to the devil that the -Christ was sacrificed. Their belief in the justice of the Supreme -would not allow them to think that he demanded the sacrifice of an -innocent for the sins of the guilty. Proclus of Constantinople, in the -age of Austin, wrote that "the devil held us in a state of servitude, -boasting that he had bought us. It was necessary, therefore, that -all being condemned, either they should be dragged to death, or a -sufficient price be paid; and because no angel had the wherewithal -to pay it, it remained that God should die for us." - -While such an idea is certainly of a higher moral nature than that -which states that God sacrificed his own innocent son for man, it -has the unfortunate result of attributing to the devil greater power -than to God; for if the devil could demand and receive a part of the -god-head as ransom, then God himself was weaker than the arch fiend. - -Hislop, in his "Two Babylons," commenting upon the Chaldean doctrine -that it was "by the works and merits of men themselves that they must -be justified and accepted of God," utterly condemns it, and glories in -the dogma of the atonement with great and illogical pleasure. Having -reviewed the Egyptian belief that Anubis weighed the merits and -defects of departed souls, so that Osiris, in accordance with the -result, might judge and sentence them; and the Parsee belief that the -Angel of Justice sat on the bridge of Chinevad, which connected heaven -and earth, weighing souls to decide whether or not they should enter -paradise, he condemns such theories as "utterly demoralizing," and -asserts that no believer can ever have "any solid feeling of comfort, -or assurance as to his prospects in the eternal world," which very fact -would seem conducive to clean lives and good deeds. Then he continues -in ecstasy to exalt the immoral Christian doctrine of "justification -by faith alone," which he declares alone "can produce a life of loving, -filial, hearty obedience to the law and commands of God," and by which -man may reach salvation "absolutely irrespective of human merits, -simply and solely through the righteousness of Christ." - -This is one of the most absurd and immoral doctrines of all the -absurd and immoral doctrines of Christianity, and one which leads to -all varieties of crime and misery. A man who believes that simple -faith alone is a perfect and acceptable passport to eternal bliss -will take no pains to lead either a decent or useful life. He is at -liberty to commit all the crimes known to his nature; he may murder, -steal, rape, and lie with impunity, for his faith in Christ will -save him from his well-deserved punishment; while a man of high -ethical standards and immaculate moral principles, who spends his -whole life in self-sacrifice for the progress of humanity is doomed -to damnation, unless he believe! What a horrible doctrine! What a -blasphemous conception of the justice of God! - -Every student of comparative theology knows that such views of -atonement were centuries old at the date of the supposed birth of -the Christ, and that all sorts of sacrifices were made at the altars -of different gods with the same idea of atonement; but, aside from -this, is there not something cowardly and mean in trying to shirk the -responsibilities of one's actions upon either an animal, a man, or a -god? Is it not contemptible to suppose that the death and suffering -of another will allow one to go unpunished, or that such suffering is -a license for humanity to sin? All that is ridiculous, blasphemous, -and illogical appears in this stupid dogma. - - - - - - - -IX.--THE TRINITY--MARIOLATRY. - - -The dogma of the trinity, which was introduced, strongly advocated, -and finally successfully lobbied through the famous Council of Nicaæ -in 315, by that astute theological politician Athanasius, Bishop of -Alexandria, split the Christian church in twain and threw Europe into -turmoil and bloodshed. - -Athanasius was the leader of the Alexandrian school of Christian -theology which drew its inspirations and ideas largely--one -might almost say, exclusively--from ancient Egyptian sources. The -Egyptians were an essentially religious people whose deistic ideas -were surrounded by ceremony, priestcraft, and mysticism, all of which -made such a deep impression upon the pliant minds of the Alexandrian -Christians that they molded their new faith in the form of their old. - -The Egyptians highly revered the number three, which they generally -represented under the form of a triangle. To the Egyptians nothing -could be perfect or complete unless it was of three component -parts. Therefore, their gods were generally grouped in sets of three, -many cities having their own especial trinities. Horus was divided -into three persons, and Osiris, Isis and Horus were worshiped under -the sign of the triangle. - -But Egypt was not alone in her trinitarian ideas. The theory of sex -worship had a strong hold on all the peoples of antiquity, and it is -not surprising to find similar religious expressions in India. One -of the most prominent features of Indian theology is the doctrine -of the divine triad governing all things. This triad is called the -Tri-murti and consists of Brahma, the creator, Vishnu, the preserver, -and Siva, the destroyer. It is an inseparable unity though three in -form. The inhabitants of China and Japan, most of whom are Buddhists, -worship God in the form of a trinity. The Persians have a similar -triad composed of Ormuzd, the creator, Mithras, the son, and Ahriman, -the destroyer. The ancient Scandinavians likewise worshiped a triple -deity who was yet one god, and consisted of Odin, Thor, and Frey. - -One of the many weak points in the doctrine of the trinity, and one -that must be noticeable even to Christians, is that, according to the -New Testament, the apostles themselves never seem to have recognized -the divinity of Jesus, but always treated him as a human Jew like -themselves. This attitude of the early Christian disciples is noted by -Priestley, who remarks in his "Corruptions of Christianity" (page 136): -"It can never be thought that Peter and the others would have made -so free with our Lord, as they sometimes did, if they had considered -him as their maker, and the being who supported the whole universe; -and therefore must have been present in every part of creation, giving -his attention to everything, and exerting his power upon everything, -at the same time that he was familiarly conversing with them. Moreover, -the history of the temptation must be altogether improbable in such -a supposition. For what could be the offer of the kingdoms of this -world to him who made the world, and was already in possession of it?" - -Numerous texts which tend to affirm the humanity of Jesus have been -stumbling blocks in the paths of the trinitarians, and they have -taken great pains to explain away these embarrassing texts, even at -the cost of much ingenuity and absurdity. Paul, the real founder of -the faith, in his first epistle to Timothy, says: "For there is one -God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" -(1 Tim. ii, 5); and again in his first epistle to John he remarks: -"No man hath seen God" (1 John iv, 12). Such phrases as "Why callest -thou me good? There is none good but one, that is God" (Matt. xix, -17), and "But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the -truth, which I have heard of God" (John viii, 40), do not appear to be -fitting remarks for the second person of the trinity. Again, the words, -"My Father is greater than I" (John xiv, 28), were likewise difficult -of explanation by those who held that every member of the trinity is -coequal, but Austin got around this by declaring that "Christ having -emptied himself of his former glory, and being in form of a servant, -was then less, not only than his Father, but even than himself"! - -The same writer asserts that the words, "that the Son knew not the -time of the day of judgment, but only the Father" (Mark xiii, 32), -means that while Jesus did know something of the trinity, he would -not make it known to others--thus making a downright liar of his God. - -The whole of trinitarianism is epitomized in the phrase of Peter -Lombard, who, having made the impossible arithmetical assertion -that no one person of the trinity is less than the other two, says: -"He that can receive this, let him receive it; but he that cannot, -let him, however, believe it; and let him pray that what he believes -he may understand." - -Jesus having been ordained one of the godhead, the only begotten son -of the most high god, the worship of his mother naturally followed; -for who could reasonably refuse to bend the knee to the one virgin -of all humanity, considered worthy of the honor of bearing the -incarnate deity? It was all the easier for the Christian church to -adopt this practice, that it had been one of the principal features -of the ancient theologies. All nations have worshiped a pure, chaste -queen of heaven, a personification of that beautiful celestial body -that smiles so benignly down on earth every month. In every land the -moon was worshiped as a mother goddess, pure, beautiful, and loving; -for there is not the slightest doubt that the virgin queen of heaven, -so commonly worshiped by all nations, was merely a personification -of the moon. - -Isis, mother of the Egyptian savior Horus, was worshiped as a virgin -and was styled "Our Lady," "Queen of Heaven," "Mother of God," -"Intercessor," and "Immaculate Virgin." She was commonly represented -with the divine infant seated on her lap, or standing on a crescent -moon, and having a glory of twelve stars about her head. - -With the adoption of the worship of Isis to Christianity, the crescent -moon became a sacred symbol of Mary, who was often portrayed standing -upon one. It was held peculiarly sacred by the Greek church and -a large crescent moon of gold adorned the dome of St. Sophia at -Constantinople. When the city fell in 1453 before the Turkish arms, -the Sultan adopted the crescent as a symbol of his victorious power -and as a humiliation to his Christian enemies, and thus again the -religious significance of the crescent changed, and as an emblem of a -Mohammedan power soon came to be regarded by the forgetful Christians -with horror and a deadly hatred. - -The ancient Chaldees believed in a celestial virgin-mother to whom -the erring sinner might appeal, and Shin-moo, the mother goddess, -occupies a conspicuous place in Chinese worship. The Babylonians and -Assyrians worshiped a goddess called Mylitta, whose son Tammuz is -said to have arisen from the dead. - -In India they have worshiped for ages Devaki, the mother of Krishna, -and Maya, the mother of Buddha, both of whom are represented with the -infant saviors in their arms. Their statues, similar to the Christian -madonnas, are found in Hindu temples, and their portraits are always -accompanied by halos. - -Sochiquetzal, mother of Quetzalcoatl, was worshiped in Mexico as -the mother of their crucified savior. As queen of heaven and the -chaste and immaculate protectress of women, the Greek Hera and her -Roman prototype, Juno, were worshiped by the ancient classical world, -while the virtuous Diana of Ephesus held a similar place in Phoenician -mythology. - -All the ancient beliefs in the virgin queen of heaven and her -miraculous child probably had more or less effect on the growth -of virgin worship in the Christian church; but it was undoubtedly -Egyptian influence which was most powerful in the adoption of it, -just as it was in regard to the trinitarian dogma. The worship of -Isis and Horus was introduced into Rome during the early days of -the empire and was readily accepted. And with its introduction came -those basalt images of the goddess and her child which have since -been adopted by the Christians as ancient representations of Mary and -Jesus, albeit they are as black as Ethiopians. Many centuries before, -the worship of the Greek goddess Hera had been instituted at Rome -under the name of Juno, and she was especially regarded as the chaste -and immaculate protectress of women. And it was the combination of -the worship offered to these two deities that the Christian church -condensed into the worship of the mother of Jesus, to which it added -the attributes of Diana, making Mary the patroness of chastity as -well as fruitfulness! In Dante's day it was customary to invoke the -Virgin Mary at childbirth just as Juno Lucina was invoked by the -pagan ancestors of the Italians. - -The worship of the virgin as theotokos, the mother of god, was -promulgated at the general council of Ephesus, which was called by -the Emperor Theodosius II in 431, and, after that date, and up to -the present time, we find this lowly Jewish peasant girl delineated -in all the insignia of royalty and portrayed in the most beautiful -and patrician type of classical beauty. - -With the adoration of Mary rose the legend that she, too, had ascended -bodily into heaven and was there crowned by her son and bidden to -sit eternally upon his right hand that she might plead with him to -mitigate the punishments of sinners, thus allowing that the judgment -of this second member of the holy trinity might be fallible, or at -least open to influence. - -Having raised the virgin to this immense height, the natural sequence -was to go a step farther and grant to her also immaculate origin. This -idea was first noticed in the eleventh century and steadily grew -until in 1494 Sextus the Fourth officially recognized it and gave it -the solemn sanction of the church, and in July, 1615, Paul the Fifth -instituted the office commemorating her immaculate conception. Virgin -worship has continued to grow and flourish, and even so late as 1854, -Pius the Ninth issued a bull officially declaring Mary the "Mediatrix" -between Christ and the faithful. - -Mary is not, however, the only intercessor that stands between man and -his God. There is an immense horde of saints who also occupy positions -of honor about the heavenly throne. These immortal semi-human beings -are created by a decree of the Roman pontiff and their canonization -has often been due to whimsical reasoning. That all the apostles, -martyrs, and early Christian fathers should have been raised to this -holy peerage is not so remarkable; but that such honor should have -been conferred on the wicked, unscrupulous, and vicious Constantine, -and his almost unknown mother Helena; on the powerful and warlike -Charlemagne; and on the ambitious and ungrateful Thomas à Becket, -seems strange to say the least. - - - - - - - -X.--THE SAINTS--GOOD AND EVIL SPIRITS. - - -That this army of saints was originally created to replace the body -of heroes and demi-gods of antiquity cannot be doubted. The compliance -with which the church converted pagan deities into Christian heroes is -perfectly well known, and it is shown in many ways. Ancient statues -were declared to represent newly canonized saints to whom pagan -attributes were unhesitatingly given--often most ridiculously. At -the temple of Sebona, in Nubia, the Christians replaced the figure -of the old god of the temple, which appeared in a fresco, by that of -St. Peter, thus depicting King Rameses the Second as presenting his -offering to the Christian saint! The statue of Jupiter in St. Peter's -at Rome has been declared that of the erstwhile fisherman, and its -original thunderbolts have been replaced by the keys, which the -Christian mythologists have filched from the god Janus to bestow on -their revered patron in accordance with the promise of Matthew xvi, -19. Rome is full of proofs of this conversion of heathen to Christian -deities. The temple formerly sacred to the Bona Dea was dedicated -to the Virgin Mary; the church of Saint Apollinaris stands on the -spot formerly dedicated to Apollo; and the temple of Mars was given -to St. Martina. The very names of some of the saints have an old -familiar sound--as St. Baccho, St. Quirinus, St. Romula, St. Redempta, -St. Concordia, St. Nympha, and St. Mercurius. - -The Christian symbolism of its heroes has also a decidedly pagan -flavor. The ancient winged lion of the Egyptian mythology is made to -portray St. Mark; the sacred bull denotes St. Luke; while St. John -is generously supplied with both the eagle of Jove and the hawk's -head of Horus. - -The idea of intercession, which is the principal attribute of all the -saints, is also a very ancient religious theory and probably came with -the other dogmas already mentioned from Alexandria, as we find that -the Egyptians believed that some of their gods--and particularly the -four gods of the dead--acted as mediators with the stern judge Osiris -and attempted to turn aside his wrath and the punishment of sins. - -Much akin to the saints, though differing from them in form and in -never having been mortal, are the angels. These beings combine the -wings of the Roman victories with the sweet voices of the Teutonic -elves and the classical sirens, and are in many ways similar to -the famous northern valkyries who wore shirts of swan plumage and -hovered over Scandinavian battlefields to receive the souls of -falling heroes. The Hindu apsaras and Moslem houris belong to the -same family. A few years ago a bitter controversy arose in New York -Episcopal circles as to the sex of these unearthly creatures, some -strenuously advocating their masculinity, while others gallantly -asserted that they were essentially feminine, but the earlier idea -was that they were entirely sexless, combining the characteristic -virtues of both sexes. - -Apart from both saints and angels stands another figure in the -Christian mythology--one, however, that has no actual counterpart in -the ancient faiths. This is Satan. The classical religious systems -had no such conception, their king of the dead being a gloomy and -austere deity without any of the malicious or mischievous propensities -of the more modern devil, and having no designs upon the welfare of -mankind. The medieval conception of the devil was a grotesque compound -of elements derived from all the pagan mythologies which Christianity -superseded. From the sylvan deity Pan he gets his goat-like body, his -horns and cloven hoofs; his lameness was due to his fall from heaven, -in imitation of the fall of the Roman Vulcan; and his red beard was -taken from the lightning god Thor, as was also his power over the -thunderbolts; while his pitchfork is the converted trident of Neptune. - -That much of the absurd fabric of Christianity is built upon a -belief in Satan cannot be denied, for the whole theology is based -upon the necessity of a savior whose death atones for the sins of -mankind, which were consequent upon man's fall from grace through the -machinations of the devil. Had man never fallen, there were no need -of a savior. Had man never been tempted, he would never have fallen, -and in no words was the necessity of a belief in the devil more -plainly set forth than by that most orthodox writer, des Mousseaux, -in his "Moeurs et Pratiques des Demons," published in 1852. He says: -"The Devil is the chief pillar of Faith. He is one of the grand -personages whose life is closely allied to that of the church, and -without his speech, which issued out so triumphantly from the mouth -of the serpent, the fall of man could never have taken place. Thus, -if it were not for him, the Savior, the Crucified, the Redeemer, -would be but the most ridiculous of supernumeraries and the cross an -insult to good sense!" In his preface to "Les Hauts Phenomènes de la -Magie," des Mousseaux repeats this theory: "If magic and spiritualism -were both but chimeras, we would have to bid an eternal farewell -to all the rebellious angels now troubling the world; for thus we -would have no more demons down here.... And if we lost our demons, -we would lose our Savior likewise; for, from whom did that Savior -save us? And then there would be no more Redeemer; for, from whom -or what could that Redeemer redeem us? Hence, there would be no more -Christianity." He evidently regards Satan as "the prince of this world" -(John xii, 31; xvi, 11); "the god of this world" (Cor. iv, 4); and -"the prince of the power of the air" (Eph. ii, 2). - -The universally accepted belief of Christendom in the almost absolute -power of the devil was the cause of the most awful persecution -of innocence that the world has ever seen. While the tortures of -the heretics by the Inquisition had some cause of a political as -well as ecclesiastical nature, the houndings of those accused of -witchcraft and sorcery had no foundation save in superstition and -gross ignorance. During the Christian era millions of persons have -been destroyed for this crime in conformity to the command, "Thou -shalt not suffer a witch to live" (Ex. xxii, 18). The Roman church -recognized and punished the crime; Luther approved of the burning of -witches; the Scotch reformers did likewise, and the Puritans of New -England delighted in the persecution. - -While all religiously orthodox people accept the narrative of -scriptural miracles with unquestioning faith and never cast a doubt -on the greatest improbabilities so long as they are told of biblical -heroes, these very people assign all the seeming supernatural affairs -of post-scriptural times to the devil. Psychical phenomena which, if -performed two thousand years ago by Jesus (such as the resurrection -of Lazarus and the materialization to the Magdalene), they accept -without hesitation, they brand as trickery or a delusion or Satan, -when placed before them by a professed Spiritualist. - -Witches and wizards were condemned to horrible deaths by the medieval -church for performing the very identical acts for which the same church -canonized departed saints and instituted offices for their adoration -and worship; and modern Christians smile and sneer derisively at -fortune tellers, but condemn in holy horror as heretics those who -refuse to believe in the foreseeing powers of the ancient Hebrew -prophets. - -This Christian devil-worship, for it can be called little else, crept -into Judaism during the Babylonian captivity, and was originally a -recognition of the dual powers of good and evil, seemingly coequal. By -placing Satan in opposition to God, in giving him eternal life, and -endowing him with miraculous powers, and even allowing him to upset -and vanquish the plans of God, Christians have made Satan equal, if not -superior, to the Deity. A Puritan bigot hanging witches in New England -was admitting in the plainest manner his faith in Satan's power, though -it never occurred to him for an instant that these curious happenings -might be attributed to God. The power of God to perform miracles was -then, as now, a matter of the past. With the Protestant Reformation -came the idea that no longer did God interfere for the benefit of -man. In the seventeenth century God had ceased to work by other than -natural agencies. His miraculous powers, if not lost, were at least -suspended. But not so Satan--that archfiend was as powerful as ever, -if not more so. He could inflict magical tortures on God's divinely -elect and make them writhe in agony. Pious Cotton Mather had ceased -to believe in divine miracles, but he had no doubt of devilish ones, -and it appears to all students of that dark and shameful period of our -history that the belief was rampant among the majority that God was -vanquished and Satan ruled. Never was belief in the dual principles -of good and evil more surely set forth in ancient Persia than it was -in New England by such harsh, cruel, and bigoted priests as Mather -and Parrish. - -Today, while all churchmen have grown more liberal, we still find -both in pulpit and pew innumerable believers in the power of Satan -to tempt and force erring humanity into wrong and sinful paths in -miraculous salvation from which by God they have no faith. Today, -instead of earthly and present salvation by the Deity from the -clutches of Satan, the belief seems prevalent that a post-mortem -salvation is more efficacious, and that all that is required for -eternal bliss is belief in the vicarious atonement of the Christ. To -hear our orthodox friends declaim on the powers of Satan almost makes -one ready to believe that God is dead and Satan rules supreme. Such -is the blasphemy of demonic faith. - -While Satan, as the arch-enemy, is somewhat similar to the Persian -Ahriman, he is not alone in his wickedness. When Christianity came -into power and supplanted paganism as the Roman state religion, -it immediately debased all of the pagan gods, whom it did not -appropriate to itself as saints, to devils and assigned them -subordinate positions in hell, under command of the great Satan. And -thus, all the beautiful water sprites, sylvan nymphs, spirits of the -air, and other lesser deities, became the associates of wickedness, -and, as such, continued, until a very recent date, to hold sway over -the superstitious imaginations of the majority of Europeans. - -The mediæval church likewise invented the famous succubæ and incubi, -the former demons impersonating the beautiful nymphs of the old -mythology and attacking the virtue of youths with their seductive -arts, while the latter, in imitation of the ancient satyrs, sought the -virginity of unsuspecting maidens; all of which may readily be learned -of in accounts of the many trials held by "the Holy Inquisition," -in which such were condemned as had held intercourse with these demons. - -In many cases, women swearing to have had intercourse with incubi -were merely suffering from erotic and nymphomaniac hallucinations, -while others may have found it a convenient excuse for explaining -illicit impregnations. Men, falling under the charms of women, -found it a convenient method for disposing of their loves, after the -infatuation had passed, by declaring them succubæ; and monks, who had -contracted venereal diseases, laid their sufferings to these same fair -demons. In the case of the monks, however, the succubæ were often of -purely hallucinary origin, due to excessive asceticism together with -the suppression of natural desires and a too faithful conformity to -the ordinance of celibacy. Nymphomania is also prevalent in convents, -owing to the unnatural sexual lives led by the nuns, who either -remain truly chaste or abandon themselves to all sorts of debauchery -and perverted lubricities. In former times these rages of demented -women were supposed to have been caused by possession of demons, -which tormented them at the orders of magicians, and advantage was -often taken by the unscrupulous to accuse their enemies of the crime -of sorcery, and thus cause their execution. - -One of the most famous of these horrible affairs was that of Loudin in -Poitiers, where the nuns of the Ursuline convent, becoming hysterical -and demented, swore themselves afflicted by Urbain Grandier, a priest -of the local church, and despite the attempts of the rational bailiff -and sensible civil lieutenants, some enemies of the curé among the -exorcists managed to secure the arrest, torture, and final burning -of the unfortunate man in 1632. Later, it was discovered that, being -personally attractive, handsome and gallant, Grandier, who never -denied his numerous amours, had incurred the enmity of the Loudin -nuns by entirely ignoring their advances; and hell hath no fury like -a woman scorned! These libidinous women, constantly brooding over -disappointment to their fond hopes, gave such a character of demonic -possession to their neurosis that advantage could be taken of it by -rival priests to rid themselves of an envied enemy. The writhings, -gesticulations, convulsions, etc., of these unfortunate women, -combined with the indecency of their actions on the approach of the -exorcists (caused merely by the approach of a male), were believed by -the vulgar to be demonstrations of demonic possession. Other nuns, -seeing the attention and notoriety thus gained by these sisters, -although themselves free from dementia, could not resist the temptation -to simulate its forms and thus acquire renown for themselves. - -Thus arose those horrible demonical scenes which occupied the attention -of all Europe during the seventeenth century and seemed to point to -the possession of all convents by devils. And not convents alone, for -other hysterical women, without the walls, possessed of the same rage -for notoriety, took up the character of demonic possessed and spread -the vulgar superstition until it seems that every woman in Europe who -was so unfortunate as to be in any way afflicted with tendencies to -hysteria, neurosis, idiocy, or dementia of any character whatever, -came to be regarded as in the power of a demon, which in turn was -the slave of some magician. And thus, through the influence of an -ignorant and unscrupulous priesthood, a powerful engine was placed -at its disposal for the removal of enemies. Executions for sorcery -continued until their very number and barbarity palled, and the wearied -people were ready for their abolition, when the Reformation opened and -with the accession of power, Protestantism, in this matter, at least, -swayed the masses to reason once more. - -Dr. Figuier, in his "Histoire du Merveilleux," explains these -demonical possessions as entirely due to hypnotism, and, ignoring the -nymphomaniac theory, asserts that the exorcists themselves hypnotized -the nuns for their own glory and for purposes of vengeance. One page -234 of volume I he says: "L'appareil deployé par les exorcistes, -leurs adjurations, leurs gestes imposants et forcenés, tenaient -lieu des manipulations que nos magnetiseurs emploient pour endormir -leurs sujets. Operant sur des jeunes filles nerveuses, malades, -melancoliques, les exorcistes produisaient chez elles une partie des -phenomènes auxquels donné lieu le somnambulisme artificiel." - -The universal belief in evil spirits became a powerful engine for the -advancement of the church. By its use all those who were inimical to -the church could be put out of the way as comrades of devils, and, -furthermore, the theory was advanced that only by the exorcisms of -the church could man be protected from malevolent powers. Holy water, -signs of the cross, repetitions of the name of Mary had full power -to annul all the machinations of the demons, but only in the hands -of the true believers was this efficacious. To preserve one from the -dangers of demonic spite, absolute orthodoxy was essential, and thus -a great premium was imposed upon strict adherence to the church. Thus -was gross superstition a most powerful factor in the growth and spread -of Christianity. According to Lecky: "There was scarcely a village or -a church that had not, at some time, been the scene of supernatural -interposition. The powers of light and the powers of darkness were -regarded as visibly struggling for the mastery. Saintly miracles, -supernatural cures, startling judgments, visions, prophecies, and -prodigies of every order, attested the activity of the one, while -witchcraft and magic, with all their attendant horrors, were the -visible manifestations of the other.... Tens of thousands of victims -perished by the most agonizing and protracted torments, without -exciting the slightest compassion.... Nations that were separated -by position, by interests, and by character, on this question were -united." And the germ of all this evil lay in the very foundation of -Christianity--the faith held in supernatural agencies. - -The belief in the supernatural agency in the temptation of Eve, the -temptations of Jesus, the possibility of the miraculous conception, -and the miracles of Christ, were but stepping-stones to faith in -innumerable invisible but potent powers. One who can conscientiously -believe in the supernatural as found between the covers of the -Bible can, by but a slight stretch of the imagination, believe any -preposterous tale that is woven about a supernatural agency. If one -can believe a woman can conceive without contact with semen, one -can believe some old woman can dry up his cow. If one can believe -that Jesus actually raised Lazarus from the dead, one can believe -that a man can kill him by sticking pins in a wax effigy. If one -can believe that Elijah ascended to heaven in a fiery chariot, one -can believe that Goody Jones rode a broomstick through the air. If -one can believe that the Christ was actually tempted by the devil, -one can believe in succubæ and incubi. It is all a matter of logical -reasoning. As soon as a Christian's intellectual powers develop to -a point where he can find no place for the miraculous in the world -about him, he begins to doubt that which was in the world before him; -but, regarding theological tales, he either places them in another -category or ignores them, unless faced with them, when he crawls and -calls them "sacred mysteries." That an old woman can sour his milk -or kill his child by the evil eye he does not believe, for reason has -taught him otherwise. And for the same reason he would not believe his -daughter if she told him she was pregnant with a miraculous child. He -did not believe Josephine Woodbury when she made a similar statement -in Boston a few years ago. But he does believe it of Mary, because it -is a "holy mystery," and is in another category. He has inherited his -faith from a long line of orthodox ancestors, and he has never stopped -to consider it by the light of pure reason. It is fortunate for the -dogma of the virgin birth that it took root when people believed such -things, otherwise Mary would have been adorned with the scarlet letter. - -Feasts, fasts and elaborate ceremonials were important features of -the most ancient worships, and it is not, therefore, strange to find -somewhat modified adaptations of them in the Christian church. For, -wherever Christianity wandered and found firmly implanted religious -theories and customs, it immediately gave them new significations and -accepted them, until finally the greater part of paganism was gathered -from all parts of the civilized world and amalgamated into one strong -theological organization. Finding in almost every nation a festival -at the winter solstice, in commemoration of the accouchement of the -celestial, virgin queen of heaven, and the birth of the sun-god, -the Christian fathers decided to adopt the 25th of December as the -natal day of their Christ. - -Mithras, Osiris, Horus, Bacchus, Adonis and Buddha were all said to -have been born on this day, and it is the date of one of the greatest -religious festivals of India, during which the people decorate their -houses with garlands and make presents to relatives and friends; -a custom adopted by the Christians in much the same manner as was -that of the ancient German yule-log, burned in honor of the sun-god. - - - - - - - -XI.--RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS AND RITES. - - -The winter solstice was also the time of the great Scandinavian -festival in honor of Frey, son of Odin and Frigga, who was supposed -to have been born at this time. The Jews, likewise, have a feast -beginning on the 25th of December, which lasts eight days, and is in -memory of the victory of the Maccabees over the Greeks. It is called -the feast of Hanuca. - -A great annual festival, called the "feast of lamps," was held by the -Egyptians in the early part of the year in honor of the goddess Neith, -during which lamps of oil were burned all night before the houses. This -festival was renamed Candlemas or the "purification of the virgin," -and was adopted by the Christian church. - -The ancient pagan inhabitants of Europe annually celebrated a spring -festival which began with a week's indulgence in all kinds of sports -and was called the carne-vale, or taking farewell of meat, because a -fast of forty days immediately followed. In Germany this was held in -honor of the Saxon goddess Hertha, or Ostara, or Eostre--as you may -prefer to call her--whose name was adopted as Easter by the Christians -as the name to be applied to the end of their lenten period. Among -the Syrians it was the custom to celebrate an elaborate festival -at the time of the spring equinox in honor of the glorious Adonis, -beloved of the great goddess Astarte. This worship was later introduced -into Greece, whence it traveled to Rome with the majority of Grecian -mythological theories. It was later introduced into Egypt, where it was -annually celebrated at Alexandria, the cradle of Christianity, until -the latter part of the fourth century, when a Christian significance -was given it. - -The myth of Adonis is too well known to need repetition here, and -its parallel to that of the Christ is readily seen. The ceremonies -now held in Rome at Easter are but slightly different from those -held there at the same time of year centuries ago. This similarity -was explained away by the assertion of the Christian fathers "that -a long time before there were Christians in existence, the devil had -taken pleasure to have their future mysteries and ceremonies copied -by his worshipers"--a very simple and satisfactory explanation! - -That Easter is in reality an astronomical festival in honor of the -sun-god seems conclusive from the fact that it occurs on no settled -date, but takes place on the first Sunday after the first full moon -after the passing of the vernal equinox, which, for convenience, -is fixed at March 21. - -Among the many Christian fasts of pagan origin none is more familiar -to all than the weekly Friday abstinence from meat. Under the old -mythology, Friday, the dies veneris, was sacred to Venus, and on that -day the devout worshipers of this charming goddess ate nothing but -fish, as all the "finny tribe" were sacred to her, and considered -proper diet for those that worshiped at her shrine. - -When the Bishop of Rome assumed the power and dignity of head of -the western church, he also assumed all the prerogatives of the -ancient pontifex maximus (who was supposed to be the direct physical -communication between the people and the deities), and many of the -attributes of the emperors. He adopted the gorgeous vestments of the -ancient high priest and even stretched forth a foot to be kissed, as -Heliogabalus had done. He considered himself capable of raising such as -he saw fit to semi-divine honors by canonization, just as the emperors -had raised altars to their favorites, and he claimed precedence over -every monarch of the earth, just as they also had done. But the Roman -pontiff is not unique in his position of viceroy of the deity. The -grand lama of Thibet is considered as the representative of Buddha -and has the power of dispensing divine blessings on whomsoever he -will. Taoism also has a pope who resides on the Lung-hû mountain, -in the department of Kwang-hsi, who bears the surname Chang and is -called "Heavenly Master." - -The best known rites of the Christian church are probably those of -baptism, confession and communion, with which are associated the -ideas of purification, prayer and transubstantiation. - -The rite of baptism, like all ideas which refer to the purification -of sin by water, is a most ancient one. Rivers, as sources of -purification, were at an early date invested with a sacred character, -and every great river was supposed to be permeated with a divine -essence and its waters were believed to cleanse from all mortal -guilt and contamination. The Ganges and the Jordan are well known -examples of this faith, and vases of Ganges water are to be found in -almost every dwelling in India for religious purposes. In Mongolia -and Thibet children are named by the priests, who immerse them in -holy water while reading a prescribed prayer, after which the name is -bestowed. Baptism preceded initiation into the mysteries of both the -Egyptian Isis and the Persian Mithras, and was held to be the means -of regeneration and of remission of sins. - -Tertullian, noticing the great similarity between the Christian and -pagan baptisms, naïvely remarked that the devil "baptizes some, of -course, such as believe in him and are faithful to him; he promises -expiation of sins from the bath, and, if my memory of Mithras serves -me still, in this rite he signs his soldiers on their foreheads." - -Much akin to baptism is the general use by the Christian church of -so-called holy water, which is ascribed to Pope Alexander the First, -who ruled during the first century. This pontiff probably did little -more than officially to condone, by his papal sanction, the very -general use of lustral water, which the Romans had inherited from -their pagan ancestors; for lustral water was always kept in vases -at the entrance of the Roman temples, that those passing in and out -might sprinkle themselves with it; and the priests used a sprinkling -brush called the aspersorium with which they threw the purifying -water over their congregations, in the same manner as modern priests -use the hyssop. The druids gave, or sprinkled upon, the worshipers -water in which mistletoe had been immersed or steeped. - -Similar to the idea of purification by baptism is that of purification -by confession and prayer. The idea involved in confession is -that the declaration of the crime relieves the conscience of its -criminality. In Iceland and among the Scandinavian and Teutonic -peoples in general, murder ceased to be a crime when the slayer had -declared himself guilty. Among the Jews confession was practiced, -the purpose of its institution being that the priest might judge of -the sacrifice required for the expiation of the sin committed, and, -also, that every crime might be rehearsed over the scapegoat. The -Peruvians confessed their sins to their priests with the exception -of the Incas, who confessed to the sun. At the famous Samothracian -mysteries a priest was especially charged with hearing the confessions -of great criminals and with granting them absolution. - -Among Protestant Christians confession is often made directly to -the supreme deity in the form of prayer, which, like most other -religious practices, is an eminently pagan custom. The Assyrians, -Babylonians, Greeks, Romans, Persians, and most other ancient peoples -offered sacrifices on the altars of their gods to propitiate them, -and accompanied these offerings with prayers. Today, instead of -presenting wines and viands to his god, the devout Christian offers -verbal expressions of a contrite spirit or, more often, asks a -favor. He demands, begs, or advises through this method, according -to his own nature and disposition. - -The expression used in modern orthodox Protestant prayers, "through -our Lord, Jesus Christ," is merely the concrete expression of the -idea of mediation. The great supreme God was looked upon by most -nations of antiquity as being too great, too sublime, too holy, to -be addressed directly; and, in this lofty conception of the deity, -they prayed for favors to mediators whom they created to request -boons from the real ruler of heaven and earth. - -Among the Hindus, supplications were addressed to the various -apotheosized incarnations of Vishnu, rather than to the great Brahma; -the Greeks made supplication to numerous lesser gods, rather than to -Zeus; Persians addressed Mithras instead of Ormuzd; and the modern -Romanist kneels to saints and martyrs, or Jesus or his mother, at -whose shrines they place offerings which are bribes for favors; but -almost never do they immediately supplicate the supreme God. In this -they are certainly less blasphemous than their Protestant fellows, who -do not hesitate to talk familiarly to God of the most trivial affairs. - -Belief in the efficacy of prayer is an absurdity which owes its -origin to a hereditary trait of humanity, descended through a long -line of superstitious ancestors. Primitive man prayed to his dead -fathers for their good will, believing them more powerful in their -post mortem state than during life. The ancients offered prayers -at the shrines of their various gods and, among all nations, from -time immemorial, deities have been supplicated to bestow gifts and -avert misfortunes. The overcharged mind of the superstitious has -ever found relief in expressing its troubles to the imaginary beings -on whom it has bestowed superhuman attributes. All over the world, -in all languages, have arisen various petitions to the deities, -and still do they continue to arise. Savages pray to their idols, -Moslems crouch facing Mecca to pray to Allah, Hindus pray to the -avatars of Vishnu, and all Christendom besieges the throne of God in -constant supplication. - -Can any rational mind believe that these numerous, varied and even -antagonistic petitions will be answered? Some are praying for rain, -some for a cessation of it, some for health, some for happiness, -some for material blessings, and some for spiritual welfare. Vain -repetitions! The material universe is governed by immutable laws which -all the breath in creation wasted in prayer cannot in any way affect; -while such spiritual benefits as morality, character and virtue "are -equally dependent on the invariable laws of cause and effect." Prayers -for forgiveness of sins are perhaps the most common, as well as the -most absurd, that are daily offered. Sin is the breaking of a material -or moral law, and no law can be broken without the transgressor's -incurring the penalty. Is it not absurd of the church to preach the -immutable justice of God, and at the same time declare that sinners -may escape punishment by prayer? - -Communion, or union with the deity, is an idea of great antiquity -and has been common to all religions; although the methods practiced -are numerous and varied. The more common mode, however, is by the -consumption of consecrated foods and drinks, with the idea that these -have acquired (by the act of consecration) a divine character of which -the communicant becomes a partaker through their reception. The dogma -of the eucharist was instituted many centuries before the Christian era -and was believed in by the ancient Egyptians (from whom the Christians -probably received it through the Alexandrian school), who, at the -time of the celebration of the resurrection of Osiris, ate a sacred -wafer, which, after consecration by a priest, was declared the flesh -of the god. In ancient Greece, bread was worshiped as Ceres and wine -as Bacchus; and, when the devout ate the bread and drank the wine, -they claimed they were eating the flesh and drinking the blood of -their deities. The ancient Mexicans used bread of corn meal mixed -with blood, which, after, having been consecrated by the priests, -was given to the people to eat as the flesh of Quetzalcoatl, much -to the surprise and horror of the first Spanish missionaries, who -ascribed it to mockery of their holy eucharist due to Satan. - - - - - - - -XII--THE EUCHARIST. - - -The primal origin of the eucharist probably occurred far back in the -period of universal anthropophagy. Most savage and semi-savage peoples -have practiced cannibalism because they believed that by eating the -flesh of the dead they gained the qualities of the deceased. Just as -some Africans eat tiger to become brave, savages ate their courageous -foes to attain their virtues. Following this same idea further, -the belief was established that by consuming the flesh of a god, -supernatural powers might be acquired. Thus the early Christian -missionaries to the New World found such customs in Peru and Mexico. - -Father Acosta described one of these festivals which occurred annually -each May in Mexico, wherein the statue of a god was made of dough, and -"killed" by an arrow in the hand of a priest. The god was then broken -in pieces which by means of "certain ceremonies ... were blessed and -consecrated for the flesh and bones of this idoll." These pieces the -priest gave "to the people in manner of a communion who received it -with such feare, and reverence, as it was an admirable thing, saying -that they did eate the flesh and bones of God." - -Likewise came the idea that sacrifices to the gods in some way attained -godlike characteristics, and so the Guatemalan priests ate the bodies -of the sacrificed. - -The words of the modern Roman priest, "hoc est corpus meum," -which are supposed, by some magical influence, to cause the actual -transubstantiation in the celebration of the eucharist, remind one -forcibly of the dotting of the memorial Chinese tablet by a mandarin, -by which official act the spirit of the departed, to whom it is -dedicated, is presumed to take up residence in the new abode. - -As a logical deduction from a given hypothesis, any Roman priest -is greater than the virgin. She conceived God but once, while the -priest may through his mass create the body of the Christ whenever -he so desires. Every time a priest performs this function he is the -father of God. - -However, in spite of the absurdity of the practice, to deprive the -communion of the real presence is to make it a senseless and useless -ceremony. While the communicants believe in the efficacy of the wafer -as the actual body, there is reason for absorbing it, as they thus -unite themselves with the actual spirit of the Christ. But the moment -this dogma is rejected, the rite becomes futile, and nothing is more -ridiculous than its perpetuation in the Protestant churches. The -quibble that it is performed in memory of Jesus is a fallacy. In -Unitarian churches it is an arrant absurdity (one that is retained -in many cases simply because the old historical churches of that -denomination have inherited fine old communion plate which is proudly -displayed), and one can only respect and admire Ralph Waldo Emerson's -stand in the matter, when he preferred to relinquish his remunerative -and honorable pastorate in the Second Church of Boston (the only -pulpit he ever filled) rather than celebrate this anachronistic and -indefensible rite. - -Jerome carried his reverence for the Eucharistic bread [1] so -far that he considered that the table on which it was consecrated, -together with the cloth in which it was wrapped, and the other utensils -connected with its service, were to be worshiped with equal respect as -that given the body and blood of the Savior. This theory led to the -consecration of altars, which by a decree of the Council of Epaone, -in 517, in imitation of the Jewish and pagan sacrificial altars, were -ordered to be of stone, which material had been originally chosen -as the most suitable material for the execution of the sacrifices, -whose blood should flow over it, without danger of absorption. - -Another of the ancient pagan ideas which took a strong hold upon -Christianity and rose to an abnormal power during the middle ages -was that of monasticism with its accompanying asceticism. There is -scarcely a religion of ancient and modern times that does not recognize -asceticism as an element of its system. Buddha taught his disciples a -religion of abstinence, and, among the Buddhists, there are ordained -and tonsured priests, living in monasteries under vows of celibacy, -while there are similar asylums for women. Brahmanism also has its -orders of ascetics and Hinduism has its fakirs. Fasting and self-denial -were observances required by the Greeks of those who desired initiation -into the mysteries; the Jews observed many fasts; and the Egyptian -priests passed their novitiate in the deserts engaged in prayer and -living in caves. Like many other Christian customs, the monastic habit -probably came from Egypt, and it was considered by Gibbon to have -had a potent influence on the fall of the western empire, in that it -removed from active and useful life so many able-bodied men and women. - - - - - - - -XIII.--SPREAD OF CHRISTIANITY. - - -Having now shown that there is nothing new in Christianity; nothing -in which it differs essentially from the older faiths; having shown -that it brought no new ideas in its dogmas, practices, or morality, -but a few words are necessary to explain its marvelous growth and rapid -acceptance. Christianity grew so rapidly, and was adopted so readily -in many parts of the world simply because it was so cosmopolitan and -elastic. It went forth to proselyte in a very conciliatory manner, -embracing and absorbing every deeply rooted theological idea and -custom which obstructed its path, and, in every way, exerting itself -to propitiate its converts. And it was not until it became strong -and powerful and was well supported by fanatical adherents that it -dared to assume the rôle of conqueror. Then, when the period of its -strength was full, its tone changed and, strong in self-confidence, -Christianity became militant and strode forth in armor to vanquish -with the sword and fill the world with blood. - -One of the reasons for the rapid acceptance of Christianity among the -Romans and its remarkable growth in their dependencies was that for -centuries the people had ceased to take their religion seriously. The -vulgar masses, undoubtedly then as now, and at all times, unthinkingly -swallowed all that was taught them of their deities, but the writings -of cultivated men show clearly that for centuries the worship and -reverence of their ancestral gods had but slight influence upon their -ethical ideas. - -Lucretius (95-52 B. C.), the exponent of the Epicurean doctrines, -regarded the gods as the creations of human fear. Ennius (239-169 -B. C.) translated and expounded the writings of Euhemerus (316 B. C.), -wherein it was claimed that all the ancient myths were historical -events, that the gods were originally kings who were accorded post -mortem worship by their grateful subjects. The Stoics regarded the -gods as personifications of the different attributes of nature. Cicero -adopted the Platonic conception of the deity as mind freed from all -taint of matter, while Ovid made the gods ridiculous in his mocking -"Metamorphoses," and, in his lascivious descriptions of their amours, -degraded them forever as ethical models. Horace likewise mocked them. - -The glorious military conquests of the Roman arms in Asia and Africa -brought the soldiers into contact with alien religions, and the germs -instilled in the minds of the armies spread among all the peoples of -Rome's domains, upon their return. Likewise the ever-increasing influx -of foreigners, bringing with them their native gods and theological -systems, had more or less influence, while the apotheoses of the -emperors gave a powerful impetus to the degradation of the ancient -faith. - -The vulgar clung to their ancient shrines and the cultured sneered -at them for so doing. They bent the knee in public and they laughed -mockingly in private. In such a state was the religion of Rome when -the first Christians began to proselyte; and on such fertile ground, -amid the ruins of an ancient faith, the seed readily took root and -rapidly spread out. Any other faith, supported by sturdy, conscientious -and indomitable missionaries, would have done the same. The old faith -was dead and the time was ripe for something new and vigorous. - -As the civilized world was then under one powerful government, which -allowed no political discord within its borders and which granted -absolute religious freedom, the Christian missionaries could travel in -safety from one province to another and, without fear of molestation, -could propagate their doctrines among the people through the media -of the Greek and Latin tongues, which were universal throughout the -empire. Early Christianity was merely a sect of Judaism, and as the -Jews were scattered all through the Roman provinces, every Jewish -settlement having its synagogue which the Christian missionaries -visited in order to preach their message, "the new religion, which was -undertaken in the name of the God of Abraham, and Moses, found a sphere -already prepared for itself." The new sect was naturally welcomed by -the Roman Jews, as it was a purely national religion, founded upon -the teachings of a Jewish peasant for the Jewish people. There is -nothing in the gospels which portrays Jesus as anything other than -a prophet to his own nation. While his moral doctrines, like all -ethical principles, are applicable to all races, he was ignorant of -all peoples save his own, and it was to them alone that he preached, -proclaiming his messiahship for them only. He was content to remain -within the boundaries of his own country and expressed no wish -nor desire to visit other lands. Had it remained as Jesus desired, -Christianity would never have been separated from Judaism. It was -owing to the direct disobedience of Peter and Paul in this particular, -that Christianity spread among the gentiles (Acts xiv, 46). In sending -forth his apostles to preach his mission, Jesus commanded, "Go not -into the way of the gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans -enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" -(Matt. x, 5-6). When appealed to by the Canaanite woman, he said, -"I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel" -(Matt. xv, 24). It was to the Jews that he spoke when he said, "Ye are -the salt of the earth" (Matt. v. 13). "Ye are the light of the world" -(Matt. v, 14). It was in reference to the twelve tribes of Israel -that he so numbered his apostles (Matt. xix, 28). And it was of his -compatriots that he thought when prophesying his resurrection, "Ye -shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of Man -be come" (Matt. x, 23). There is no thought of a universal mission -in all this. His mission and sacrifice were for his own nation, and, -as Paul writes to Titus, he "gave himself that he might purify unto -himself a peculiar people" (Tit. ii, 14). - -Thinking probably of the political strife which his messiahship would -cause, Jesus said, "I came not to bring peace, but a sword" (Matt. x, -34), in which remark he was a truer prophet than the heavenly host -that sang at his birth "on earth peace, good will toward men" (Luke -ii, 14). "The Church of Rome has shed more innocent blood than any -other institution that ever existed among mankind," says Lecky in his -"Rationalism in Europe" (vol. ii, p. 40). The Holy Office in Spain -burned over 31,000 persons and condemned to punishment hardly less -severe 290,000. During the reign of Charles the Fifth 50,000 heretics -were executed in the Netherlands and on February 16, 1508, the Holy -Office condemned all the inhabitants, numbering 3,000,000 of people, -to death as heretics, and Philip the Second confirmed the decree and -ordered its instant execution. - -The whole history of Christianity, in all its forms, reeks with blood -and smells to heaven with carrion. In the first centuries Christians -persecuted pagans or, divided among themselves, persecuted each other -as heretics. Later arose the feuds of orthodox and Arian, then came -a united Christendom against Islam, followed by Protestant wars. In -these Catholics murdered, pillaged, and devastated Protestants and -burned and tortured them as heretics by ecclesiastical tribunals; -Protestants persecuted and executed Catholics and, divided among -themselves, persecuted one another. In the sixteenth century Anglican -Episcopalians persecuted Catholics and Nonconformists. In the -seventeenth century Puritans persecuted Catholics, Episcopalians, -and Quakers, and so on. The whole history of this religion is a -long narration of blasphemous and degrading theories propagated by -violence, hypocrisy and crime. Christian charity is a delusion which -is found only among the persecuted, who, the instant the scale turns, -become the ruling faction, forget its meaning, and hasten to avenge -their sufferings in persecutions. No other religion has so bloody -a history as Christianity. The old heathen religions went calmly on -their way, indifferent to one another and showing the most perfect -toleration. Rival gods of rival nations were worshiped in temples side -by side, without conflict or ill feeling. Buddhists and Brahmins mildly -flourish in proximity. But Christians who believe that the Christ was -sacrificed for love of humanity, that their gospel is one of love, -peace, and good will, vie with one another to outstrip the ferocity -of wild beasts. - -While many students believe that Jesus was a purely mythical being, -without actual existence save in the brains of religious Christians, -I see no reason to doubt that a certain Jewish rabbi may have come out -of the rebellious province of Galilee about the time of Herod. Such -messiahs had come before him and such have succeeded him. Some of -the messiahs subsequent to Jesus were: one who appeared in Persia in -1138, another in Arabia in 1167, and one in Moravia at the close of -the twelfth century. Eldavid proclaimed himself messiah in Persia in -1199, Sabathai Tzevi assumed the title of "King of Kings" in 1666 -and was executed at Constantinople by the Sultan. So late as 1829 -there appeared in India the eight-year-old son of a peasant who was -a wonderful serpent charmer and was called Marayum Powar. It was an -ancient belief that the ability to handle serpents unharmed was a -proof that one had become perfectly holy--absorbed in God! Therefore, -numerous people came to believe Powar a god and in ten months ten -thousand followers were about him, baptizing and performing miraculous -cures--and his cult seemed well on the road to establishment when, -over-confident of his power, he was bitten by a serpent and died. His -followers, after vainly awaiting his resurrection, dispersed. - -That Jesus' whole career is lost in encircling myth is no proof that -the original figure never existed. There is plenty of historical -evidence to show that the central portion of Europe was once ruled by -a king named Karl, and we do not doubt this simply because a great -cloud of myths has been gathered about the name of St. Charlemagne, -any more than we feel bound to believe that because he once lived he -must now necessarily exist, sleeping in a mountain, until it shall -be necessary for him to spring forth and save the German fatherland. - -One set of students assert that the Christ was merely the -personification of vegetable life, claiming that his death and -resurrection typify the death and revivification of vegetation. Others -hold that he is the modern phase of the eternal sun-god. To sustain -this hypothesis the following allegorical interpretation of his -supposed career is offered as an explanation. He was born on the -early dawn of the twenty-fifth day of December, the day on which -commences the sun's apparent revolution around the earth; his birth -was announced by the brilliant morning star; his virgin mother was -the pure and beautiful dawn; his temptation was his struggle with -the adverse clouds which he dispersed; his trial, execution, and -death were emblematic of the solar decline and crucifixion at the -beginning of winter; his descent into hell was typical of the three -days of the winter solstice; and his resurrection and ascension refer -to the return of the sun after its seeming extinction. - -I have now shown that among the great majority of the nations of -antiquity, no matter as to how they may have differed in the details, -all held one general idea of faith in a savior-mediator between man -and the supreme deity. Some such medium seemed necessary to them, for -they had not reached that intellectual plane on which one feels able -to hold direct communication with the creator. Modern Christianity, -in all its forms, still panders to this ancient superstition that man -must needs have an agent between himself and his God. He must have -an intercessor between his weakness and God's power--and vengeance. - -But when the human mind is freed from superstition and men learn -that right living and a clean ethical code is all that is required, -then they will cease to bow, either physically or mentally, to -any humanly invented mediator, and their enlarged ideas of the -justice of the supreme deity will prohibit any belief in impossible -demi-gods. However, for the majority, that happy time of emancipation -is still in the distant future, and, until its dawn lightens the -general intelligence, men will continue to adore and supplicate the -mediator whom inheritance and environment have taught them to revere, -as Krishna, Buddha, Mithras, or the Christ, as the case may be. - - - - - - - -BIBLIOGRAPHY. - - -Apocryphal New Testament, Being All the Gospels, Epistles and Other -Pieces Now Extant, Attributed in the First Four Centuries to Jesus -Christ, His Apostles, and their Companions, and not Included in the -New Testament by its Compilers. London. Printed for William Hone, 1821. - -Baring-Gould, S.--Curious Myths of the Middle -Ages. London. 1877. Legends of the Patriarchs and Prophets, and other -Old Testament Characters. New York. 1872. The Origin and Development -of Religious Beliefs. New York. 1870. 2 vols. - -Blavatsky, H. P.--Isis Unveiled: A Master-key to the Mysteries of -Ancient and Modern Science and Mythology. 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Boston. - - - - - - - -NOTE - - -[1] The use of unleavened bread by the Greek church caused great -disputes between it and the Latin in the eleventh century, but -the latter finally accepted it on the argument that as the Christ -instituted the supper during the passover, he must have used it, -as there was no leaven procurable at that time. - - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's The Christian Mythology, by Brigham Leatherbee - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CHRISTIAN MYTHOLOGY *** - -***** This file should be named 52414-8.txt or 52414-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/2/4/1/52414/ - -Produced by Jeroen Hellingman and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net/ for Project -Gutenberg (This file was produced from images generously -made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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-column-count: 3; -} -div.index p { -margin-left: 1em; -text-indent: -1em; -margin-top: 0; -margin-bottom: 0; -} -/* CSS rules generated from @rend attributes in TEI file */ -.xd21e96width -{ -width:462px; -} -.xd21e103width -{ -width:437px; -} -.xd21e112width -{ -width:439px; -} -.xd21e409 -{ -text-indent:2em; -} -.xd21e566width -{ -width:324px; -} -.xd21e618width -{ -width:432px; -} -.xd21e633width -{ -width:467px; -} -.xd21e847width -{ -width:467px; -} -.xd21e1249width -{ -width:459px; -} -.xd21e1256width -{ -width:466px; -} -.xd21e1369width -{ -width:318px; -} -.xd21e1420width -{ -width:416px; -} -.xd21e1434width -{ -width:403px; -} -.xd21e1552width -{ -width:463px; -} -.xd21e1559width -{ -width:378px; -} -.xd21e1638width -{ -width:285px; -} -.xd21e1649width -{ -width:286px; -} -.xd21e1673width -{ -width:339px; -} -@media handheld -{ -} -</style> -</head> -<body> - - -<pre> - -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Christian Mythology, by Brigham Leatherbee - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - - - -Title: The Christian Mythology - -Author: Brigham Leatherbee - -Release Date: June 26, 2016 [EBook #52414] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CHRISTIAN MYTHOLOGY *** - - - - -Produced by Jeroen Hellingman and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net/ for Project -Gutenberg (This file was produced from images generously -made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) - - - - - - -</pre> - -<div class="front"> -<div class="div1 cover"><span class="pagenum">[<a href= -"#toc">Contents</a>]</span> -<div class="divBody"> -<p class="par first"></p> -<div class="figure xd21e96width"><img src="images/cover.jpg" alt= -"Original Front Cover." width="462" height="720"></div> -<p class="par"></p> -</div> -</div> -<div class="div1 frontispiece"><span class="pagenum">[<a href= -"#toc">Contents</a>]</span> -<div class="divBody"> -<p class="par first"></p> -<div class="figure xd21e103width"><img src="images/frontispiece.jpg" -alt="THE CHINESE MADONNA." width="437" height="720"> -<p class="figureHead">THE CHINESE MADONNA.</p> -<p class="par first">The features of the child evince its nationality. -The book in its hand identifies it with the Chinese conception of an -infant sage. The picture was found by Mr. Berthold Laufer in the -mansion of an official in Si-ngan, China, and is of unknown age.</p> -</div> -<p class="par"></p> -</div> -</div> -<div class="div1 titlepage"><span class="pagenum">[<a href= -"#toc">Contents</a>]</span> -<div class="divBody"> -<p class="par first"></p> -<div class="figure xd21e112width"><img src="images/titlepage.png" alt= -"Original Title Page." width="439" height="720"></div> -<p class="par"></p> -</div> -</div> -<div class="titlePage"> -<div class="docTitle"> -<div class="mainTitle">THE<br> -CHRISTIAN MYTHOLOGY.</div> -</div> -<div class="byline">BY<br> -<span class="docAuthor">BRIGHAM LEATHERBEE</span><br> -“Knowledge is power, but ignorance is the mother of -devotion.”</div> -<div class="docImprint"><span class="sc">New York</span>:<br> -THE TRUTH SEEKER COMPANY,<br> -62 <span class="sc">Vesey Street</span>.</div> -</div> -<div id="toc" class="div1 contents"><span class="pagenum">[<a href= -"#toc">Contents</a>]</span> -<div class="divHead"> -<h2 class="main">CONTENTS.</h2> -<table class="tocList"> -<tr> -<td class="tocDivNum">I.</td> -<td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><span class="sc"><a href="#ch1" id= -"xd21e152" name="xd21e152">The Virgin Birth.</a></span></td> -<td class="tocPageNum"></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tocDivNum">II.</td> -<td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><span class="sc"><a href="#ch2" id= -"xd21e160" name="xd21e160">Pagan Miracles.</a></span></td> -<td class="tocPageNum"></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tocDivNum">III.</td> -<td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><span class="sc"><a href="#ch3" id= -"xd21e168" name="xd21e168">Spurious Relics.</a></span></td> -<td class="tocPageNum"></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tocDivNum">IV.</td> -<td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><span class="sc"><a href="#ch4" id= -"xd21e176" name="xd21e176">Trial and Execution Myths.</a></span></td> -<td class="tocPageNum"></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tocDivNum">V.</td> -<td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><span class="sc"><a href="#ch5" id= -"xd21e184" name="xd21e184">Distorted Prophecies.</a></span></td> -<td class="tocPageNum"></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tocDivNum">VI.</td> -<td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><span class="sc"><a href="#ch6" id= -"xd21e192" name="xd21e192">The Resurrection.</a></span></td> -<td class="tocPageNum"></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tocDivNum">VII.</td> -<td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><span class="sc"><a href="#ch7" id= -"xd21e200" name="xd21e200">Miracles.</a></span></td> -<td class="tocPageNum"></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tocDivNum">VIII.</td> -<td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><span class="sc"><a href="#ch8" id= -"xd21e208" name="xd21e208">Atonement and Salvation by -Faith.</a></span></td> -<td class="tocPageNum"></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tocDivNum">IX.</td> -<td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><span class="sc"><a href="#ch9" id= -"xd21e216" name="xd21e216">The -Trinity—Mariolatry.</a></span></td> -<td class="tocPageNum"></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tocDivNum">X.</td> -<td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><span class="sc"><a href="#ch10" -id="xd21e224" name="xd21e224">Saints—Good and Evil -Spirits.</a></span></td> -<td class="tocPageNum"></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tocDivNum">XI.</td> -<td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><span class="sc"><a href="#ch11" -id="xd21e232" name="xd21e232">Religious Holidays and -Rites.</a></span></td> -<td class="tocPageNum"></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tocDivNum">XII.</td> -<td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><span class="sc"><a href="#ch12" -id="xd21e241" name="xd21e241">The Eucharist.</a></span></td> -<td class="tocPageNum"></td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="tocDivNum">XIII.</td> -<td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="7"><span class="sc"><a href="#ch13" -id="xd21e249" name="xd21e249">Spread of Christianity.</a></span></td> -<td class="tocPageNum"></td> -</tr> -</table> -<p><span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb3" href="#pb3" name= -"pb3">3</a>]</span></p> -</div> -</div> -</div> -<div class="body"> -<div class="div1 introduction"><span class="pagenum">[<a href= -"#toc">Contents</a>]</span> -<div class="divHead"> -<h2 class="main">THE CHRISTIAN MYTHOLOGY.</h2> -</div> -<div class="divBody"> -<p class="par first">That Christianity, as to-day presented by the -orthodox, is far different from the Christianity promulgated by the -early fathers, few are so blinded as to doubt. Christianity, like all -other religions, came not into the world full-grown, but from the -simple conceptions of its early followers became gradually elaborated -by the introduction of pagan forms and customs until it supplanted its -early rivals and gave its adherents a compact and solid theology not -very different from that of its predecessors. However, before -considering the genealogy of Christianity, or its heirlooms from -paganism, let us turn our attention to what were presumably the -beginnings of the religious views of mankind.</p> -<p class="par">Probably the true source of that human characteristic -which is defined as the religious instinct and which is supposed to be -an elevating and moral agent, is to be found in the superstition which -originated in fear of the unknown. The first ages of human life were so -devoted to the animal needs that little attention was given to anything -else, but later the craving for protection and help from some power -greater than himself led primitive man <span class="pagenum">[<a id= -"pb4" href="#pb4" name="pb4">4</a>]</span>to look about him for -something to sustain and aid him in his struggle for existence. -Surrounded by natural phenomena of which he could give no explanation -satisfactory to his experience, he came to the conclusion that he was -in an environment permeated with bodiless intelligences who governed -these matters by supernatural power. Awed to fear by the inexplicable -workings of nature, he sought to propitiate the spiritual agencies by -bribes, and he did all things for them which he thought would be -agreeable to them to keep them in good-natured interest or indifference -toward him. And, naturally, he considered that what would be pleasing -to himself would be pleasing to them. Therefore, his offerings and his -conduct towards these spirits were such as he would have desired shown -toward himself. Death and its imitation, sleep, being the greatest -mysteries confronting him, he naturally began to consider the spirits -of the dead, with whom he seemed to have intercourse in his dreams, as -being influential factors in his career; and thus originated -ancestor-worship with its highly-developed rites and sacrifices, which -in a modified form still exists in the Roman church in the practice of -reading masses for the souls of the dead. At the same time, noticing -the great benefits derived from the warmth of the sun, to whose rays he -owed his subsistence and whose glorious and awful presence was -constantly before him, man began to feel grateful to that mighty power -which <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb5" href="#pb5" name= -"pb5">5</a>]</span>was the source of all his welfare, and, appreciating -that all terrestrial life depended upon it, he came to recognize it as -the great creative power.</p> -<p class="par">From such superstitious fear and weakness of primitive -man arose all those religious feelings which the pious call instinctive -and which have, through progress, evolution, and elaboration, -controlled certain races, and from whose union have arisen all the -religious systems that have ever flourished. Owing to the varied -influences of climate, environment, and racial character, the various -forms of worship predominating in different geographical situations -have naturally assumed different characteristics, but, when stripped of -their surrounding, and often enveloping rites, ceremonies, and -superficialities they may all be traced to the above-mentioned -fundamental sources.</p> -<p class="par">It is my intention to show, as briefly as possible, that -in the Christianity of to-day we have nothing new nor of vital -difference from what has always been taught and believed in the many -epochs of the past. In common with all religious systems, Christianity -has a hero—the personified sun-god of all time—who is of -obscure origin, who passes through various episodes common to all, who -is finally executed, and who rises once more to renewed power. In our -perusal of the subject, we shall first consider the life of Jesus as -taught by the Christian church; secondly, the dogmas affecting the -source of his power and the results of his <span class= -"pagenum">[<a id="pb6" href="#pb6" name="pb6">6</a>]</span>influence; -and, thirdly, the rites and ceremonies with which his worship is -performed.</p> -</div> -</div> -<div id="ch1" class="div1 chapter"><span class="pagenum">[<a href= -"#xd21e152">Contents</a>]</span> -<div class="divHead"> -<h2 class="main"><span class="sc">I—The Virgin Birth.</span></h2> -</div> -<div class="divBody"> -<p class="par first">Some two thousand years ago there is said to have -appeared in the notoriously rebellious province of Galilee, the -headquarters of Hebrew radicalism, a wandering teacher called Jesus, -who passed from village to village expounding certain ethical and -socialistic ideas, which were condemned by the Roman government and -which resulted in this man’s arrest and subsequent execution. -After his death, his various pupils continued to preach his theories, -and, separating, spread these ideas over various parts of the then -civilized world. These pupils, naturally, having a firm belief in their -former leader, and desiring to strengthen in every possible manner -their faith as well as to increase the number of their proselytes, and, -also, being themselves more or less affected by the ancient messianic -idea, did not deny Jesus more than mortal powers, and allowed certain -pagan theories of deity to creep into their faith. Later, when the -vicious and crafty Constantine found it advisable for political reasons -to adopt Christianity as the state religion, the great mass of Roman -worshipers merely transferred the attributes of their ancient deities -to the objects venerated by the new sect.</p> -<p class="par">There was nothing new in bestowing a divine origin on -Jesus. All the lesser gods of antiquity <span class="pagenum">[<a id= -"pb7" href="#pb7" name="pb7">7</a>]</span>were the sons of Zeus, and, -in later times, monarchs were accorded the same origin. It was a common -myth of all ancient peoples that numerous beings derived their birth -from other than natural causes. Virgins gave birth to sons without aid -of men. Zeus produced offspring without female assistance. Almost all -the extraordinary men that lived under the old heathen mythology were -reputed to have been the sons of some of the gods. The doctrine of the -virgin birth is perhaps one of the oldest of religious ideas; it is so -universal that its origin is impossible to trace. Therefore, no wonder -is excited when we find that most of the religious leaders have been of -celestial origin.</p> -<p class="par">Krishna, the Indian savior, was born of a chaste virgin -called Devaki, who, on account of her purity, was selected to become -the mother of God. Gautama Buddha was born of the virgin Maya and -“mercifully left Paradise and came down to earth because he was -filled with compassion for the sins and miseries of mankind. He sought -to lead them into better paths, and took their sufferings upon himself -that he might expiate their crimes and mitigate the punishment they -must otherwise inevitably undergo.”</p> -<p class="par">The great father of gods and men sent a messenger from -heaven to the Mexican virgin, Sochiquetzal, to inform her that it was -the will of the gods that she should immaculately conceive a son. -<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb8" href="#pb8" name= -"pb8">8</a>]</span>As a result she bore Quetzalcoatl, the Mexican -savior, who “set his face against all forms of violence and -bloodshed, and encouraged the arts of peace.” The Mexican god -Huitzilopochtli was likewise immaculately conceived by a woman who, -while walking in a temple, beheld a ball of feathers descending in the -air. She grasped this and placed it in her bosom. It gradually -disappeared and her pregnancy resulted. The Mexican Montezumas were -later supposed to have been immaculately conceived by a drop of dew -falling on the exposed breast of the mother as she lay asleep.</p> -<p class="par">The Siamese have a virgin-born god and savior whom they -call Codom; the Chinese have several virgin-born gods, one being the -result of his mother’s having become impregnated by merely -treading on the toe-print of God; while the Egyptians bowed in worship -before the shrine of Horus, son of the virgin Isis.</p> -<p class="par">Setting aside the mythological interpretation of the -miraculous conception of Jesus and the theory that his history is -entirely fictitious, and viewing his birth from a natural human -standpoint, even admitting that he may have been a “divinely -inspired man,” a little better than any other human being, there -seems to be only one explanation for his peculiar conception as -recorded in <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lk%201">Luke i</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Some critics of the rational school have not failed to -notice a solution of the problem in the appearance of the angel Gabriel -and his private <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb9" href="#pb9" name= -"pb9">9</a>]</span>interview with Mary (<a class="biblink xd21e43" -title="Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lk%201:28-38">Luke i, -28–38</a>). Say they very pertinently, why may not some -libidinous young man, having become enamoured of the youthful wife of -the aged Joseph, and, knowing the prophecy of the messiah, have visited -the object of his desire in angelic guise and, having won her -confidence in this rôle, gained those favors that produced the -miraculous birth? And such an explanation is not improbable when we -consider that it is an historical fact that young and confiding women -often resorted to the pagan temples at the instigation of the -unscrupulous, where they enjoyed the embraces of ardent but previously -unsuccessful lovers, under the impression that they were being favored -by deities.</p> -<p class="par">So those Christians whose reasoning powers will not -allow them to believe in the absurdity of an unnatural conception, and -whose superstitious adoration will not permit of their believing Mary -guilty of an intentional <i lang="fr">faux pas</i>, try in this manner -to reconcile the two, and declare Joseph the guilty man.</p> -<p class="par">According to the Gospels, Joseph, the husband, knowing -Mary to be with child, married her (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%201:18">Matt. i, -18</a>); but that is no reason for believing that he regarded the Holy -Ghost’s responsibility for his wife’s condition with faith. -He told of a dream in which he had been informed that such was the case -(<a class="biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" -href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%201:20-23">Matt. -i, 20–23</a>). He may have believed the dream, and he may not. -The most sensible view <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb10" href="#pb10" -name="pb10">10</a>]</span>is that he, “being a just man,” -took this method of preserving her reputation, and that he himself was -the actual parent. Having betrayed the girl, he honestly married her, -but, to defend her and himself from the accusation of a serious -misdemeanor among the Jews (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Dt%2022">Deut. xxii</a>), -he invented the dream story to account for her unfortunate condition. -Girls have ever told improbable stories to explain like misfortunes. -Danæ concocted the shower of gold yarn; Leda preferred to accuse -herself of bestiality with a swan to acknowledging a lover, and Europa -blamed a bull. Modern damsels have invented more modern but just as -innocent agents.</p> -<p class="par">It would seem from the subsequent actions and words of -Mary that she must have forgotten that her son was miraculously -conceived of God, for we find her reproaching him for remaining in the -temple of Jerusalem to argue with the rabbis with, “Son, why hast -thou thus dealt with us? Behold, thy father and I have sought thee -sorrowing” (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lk%202:48">Luke ii, -48</a>). Again, when Simeon and Anna proclaimed the messiahship of -Jesus (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lk%202:25-32">Luke ii, -25–32</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lk%202:36-38">36–38</a>), -we are told that “Joseph and his mother marveled at those things -which were spoken of him” (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lk%202:33">Luke ii, -33</a>). This would hardly have been the case had they already known -him as “the Son of the Highest, who shall reign over the house of -Jacob forever” (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lk%201:32-33">Luke i, -32–33</a>). Neither would Mary, had she realized that she was the -mother <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb11" href="#pb11" name= -"pb11">11</a>]</span>of God, have considered it necessary to resort to -the temple (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lk%202:22-24">Luke ii, -22–24</a>) to be purified from the stains of her childbirth. -Women, having borne natural children, were considered to have become -defiled in the act of parturition, through the contact of the -perpetually active agency of original sin, whereof they must be -purified. The mere fact of her submitting to such a churching is -evidence that Mary did not know that she had done anything remarkable -in bearing Jesus, and was ignorant of an unusual conception.</p> -<p class="par">Their neighbors, despite the dream, always recognized -Jesus as Joseph’s son (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%2012:55">Matt. xii, -55</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lk%204:22">Luke iv, -22</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jn%202:45">John ii, -45</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jn%206:42">vi, 42</a>; -Nicodemus i, 2). The orthodox explain this on the supposition that -Joseph and Mary kept all these things in their hearts, and did not tell -the actual facts of the case, which seems unlikely. Joseph would want -to explain the early birth of Jesus, and Mary would be desirous of -saving her reputation, and both would naturally boast of the honor -conferred by the Holy Ghost, had they known of it, for in such case -Joseph’s relation to his god was the same as that of the peasant -to his seigneur in the days of the <i lang="la">jus primæ -noctis</i>. The liaison was an honor, and would have been related to -save Jesus from the disagreeable allusions made by his neighbors -regarding his birth (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jn%208:41">John viii, -41</a>).</p> -<p class="par">Conforming to the narrations of the miraculous -conception in Luke, Mary, and the Protevangelion, <span class= -"pagenum">[<a id="pb12" href="#pb12" name="pb12">12</a>]</span>is an -old miracle play called “Joseph’s Jealousy,” in which -we find a very natural picture of the good old husband discovering a -condition in his wife for which he is not responsible and accusing her -in plain old English of adorning his brow with antlers. The following -is the dialogue as given in Hone’s “Ancient Mysteries -Described”:</p> -<div class="sp"> -<p class="speaker"><i>Jos.</i></p> -<p class="line">Say me, Mary, this childys fadyr who is?</p> -<p class="line">I pry the telle me, and that anon?</p> -</div> -<div class="sp"> -<p class="speaker"><i>Mry.</i></p> -<p class="line">The Fadyr of hevyn, & se, it is,</p> -<p class="line">Other fadyr hath he non.</p> -</div> -<p class="par">To which Joseph very naturally replies in a burst of -anger:</p> -<div class="sp"> -<p class="speaker"><i>Jos.</i></p> -<p class="line">Goddys childe! thou lyist, in fay!</p> -<p class="line">God dede nevyr rape so with may.</p> -<p class="line">But yit I say, Mary whoos childe is this?</p> -</div> -<div class="sp"> -<p class="speaker"><i>Mry.</i></p> -<p class="line">Goddys and your, I sey, I wys.</p> -</div> -<p class="par">Then in wrath at her obstinacy he breaks forth:</p> -<div class="sp"> -<p class="speaker"><i>Jos.</i></p> -<p class="line">Ya, ya! all olde men, to me take tent,</p> -<p class="line xd21e409">& weddyth no wyff, in no kynnys wyse.</p> -<p class="line">Alas! Alas! my name is shent;</p> -<p class="line xd21e409">All men may me now dyspyse,</p> -<p class="line">& seyn olde cokwold.</p> -</div> -<p class="par">Mary tries to explain and says that her child is from -God alone and that she was so informed by an angel. The suspicious -Joseph will not be deceived, and gives way to some words that have -since been accepted as a true explanation of the miraculous -conception:</p> -<div class="sp"> -<p class="speaker"><i>Jos.</i></p> -<p class="line">An A’gel! alas, alas! fy for schame!</p> -<p class="line xd21e409">Ye syn now, in that ye to say;</p> -<p class="line">To puttyn an A’ngel in so gret blame.</p> -<p class="line xd21e409">Alas, alas! let be do way;</p> -<p class="line">It was s’n boy began this game, <span class= -"pagenum">[<a id="pb13" href="#pb13" name="pb13">13</a>]</span></p> -<p class="line xd21e409">That closhyd was clene and gay,</p> -<p class="line">& ye geve hym now an A’ngel name.</p> -</div> -<p class="par">The old prophecy in Isaiah (<a class="biblink xd21e43" -title="Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Is%207:14">vii, 14</a>) -that a virgin shall bear a son loses its utility when we recognize that -this was the sign given Ahaz that God would preserve his kingdom, -although he was then threatened by a coalition of the kings of Ephraim -and Syria. If the prophecy referred to the Christ, how could it have -any influence on Ahaz? How could he be calmed and made to preserve his -courage in the face of danger by a sign which would not be given until -centuries after he slept with his fathers? But such was not the case. -Isaiah made his sign appear as he had promised (<a class= -"biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Is%207:16">vii, 16</a>), -“Before the child shall know to refuse evil, and choose the good, -the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings” -(the rulers of Israel and Syria). Now, this prophecy <i>was</i> -fulfilled, either by the trickery of the prophet or the compliance of a -virgin, for we find in the next chapter (<a class="biblink xd21e43" -title="Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Is%208:3">Isaiah viii, -3</a>), “And I went unto the prophetess; and she conceived and -bare a son.” And that is the whole story. To apply it to the -mythical birth of Jesus is puerile. No one can doubt that so good a Jew -as Josephus believed in the prospect of a messiah, yet so little did -Isaiah’s prophecy impress him that he did not even mention the -virgin episode. Probably, on the whole, he thought it a rather -contemptible bit of trickery and rather detrimental to the memory of -Isaiah.</p> -<p class="par">James Orr, in his treatise written expressly to -<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb14" href="#pb14" name= -"pb14">14</a>]</span>prove the historical fact of the virgin birth, -denies that the prophecy of Isaiah could be applied to Jesus. Here we -have an orthodox writer who firmly believes in the miraculous -conception, shattering the great cornerstone of the church’s -foundation for this belief. He says that the word “almah” -was not Hebrew for virgin at all, but meant only a marriageable young -woman. He says it can have no connection with Jesus, and thus he agrees -with Thomas Paine, but for opposite reasons.</p> -<p class="par">While Orr evidently considers that all pagan tales of -divine paternity are legends, he affirms that the case of Jesus is -genuine. Just why God became Deus Genetrix only once, he does not -explain. If God approved of this method of creation, he would surely -have performed it more than once. That he should have chosen a woman at -all seems strange, when he could have produced Jesus without female -assistance. Why should he have given his son, coexistent with the -father, and, as such, undoubtedly of a fully developed intelligence, -all the discomfort and danger of infantile life? If Jesus were but -another phase of the godhead, one of the divine eternal trinity, it was -degrading and ridiculous to have inflicted him with the processes of -fœtal life, with all the embryonic phases of development from -ovule, through vertebrate and lower form to human guise; to have given -him the dangers of human gestation and parturition, the inconvenience -of childhood, with teething and <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb15" -href="#pb15" name="pb15">15</a>]</span>other infantile discomforts, and -the slow years of growth. Why did he inflict all these things on a -part, a third, of himself, in many years of preparation for but a few -years of preaching, when he could have produced the Christ in a -wonderful manner, full grown in all the beauty and dignity and strength -of perfect and sublime manhood? Probably some will answer that then -Jesus would have been regarded as an impostor. But no more doubt could -be cast on such an appearance than has been thrown on the doubtful -story of the purity of Mary. Orr, in his haste to prove his belief, -gives a very good argument against it (page 82) in the words, -“The idea of a Virgin birth ... was one entirely foreign to -Jewish habits of thought, which honored marriage, and set no premium on -virginity.” Therefore, it could not have been of Jewish origin. -The Jews never accepted it, and it grew up only under the influence of -Gentile converts.</p> -<p class="par">It was an idea of classic paganism, an adoption of -universal phallism, this conception of a divine impregnation. The -doctrine that by conjunction with a woman, God begat the Christ is -merely another phase of the phallic idea of the procreative principles -of the deity—it is another form of the <i lang="la">deus -genetrix</i>, the generative principle of male procreation. -<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb16" href="#pb16" name= -"pb16">16</a>]</span></p> -</div> -</div> -<div id="ch2" class="div1 chapter"><span class="pagenum">[<a href= -"#xd21e160">Contents</a>]</span> -<div class="divHead"> -<h2 class="main">II.—<span class="sc">Pagan -Parallels.</span></h2> -</div> -<div class="divBody"> -<p class="par first">The orthodox church denies that the Christ had any -brothers and declares that Jesus was the only child of Mary, in spite -of gospel testimony to the contrary. <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%201:25">Matthew i, -25</a>, referring to Joseph, says, “And he knew her not till she -had brought forth her first-born son,” which implies that -<i>after</i> his birth marital relations began between Joseph and Mary, -from which other children were born, for how, otherwise, could Jesus -have been the “first-born”? That Jesus had both brothers -and sisters is declared in <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%2012:46">Matthew xii, -46</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%2013:55-56">xiii, 55, -56</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mk%203:31">Mark iii, -31</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mk%206:3">vi, 3</a>; -<a class="biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" -href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lk%208:19-20">Luke -viii, 19–20</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jn%202:12">John ii, -12</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jn%207:3-10">vii, 3, 5, -10</a>, and <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%201:14">Acts i, -14</a>, while Paul in <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Gal%201:19">Galatians i, -19</a>, expressly names “James, the Lord’s -brother.”</p> -<p class="par">As the veneration for Mary increased under the influence -of the pagan conceptions of an immaculate mother-queen of heaven, these -simple and natural consequences of her marriage could not be tolerated, -even allowing for the exceptional conception of Jesus, and the orthodox -began to assert that Mary was not only an uncontaminated virgin at the -birth of Jesus, but that by miracle she did not lose her virginity by -that event. They attempted to explain the above references, first, by -asserting that these children were of Joseph by a previous marriage, -and later, when they felt it necessary to endow the consort of their -pure mother with perfect celibacy, they named them as cousins only. -Jerome was so strong a champion for Joseph’s virginity -<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb17" href="#pb17" name= -"pb17">17</a>]</span>that he considered Epiphanius guilty of impious -invention for supporting the earlier belief regarding Jesus’ -brethren.</p> -<p class="par">The Buddhists were far wiser than the Christians and -eluded all such difficulties by causing Maya to die seven days after -the birth of Sakyamuni, and by asserting such to have been the case -with all the mothers of the Buddhas.</p> -<p class="par">At the time of Jesus’ birth a brilliant star is -believed to have heralded the event, and has passed into tradition as -“the star of Bethlehem.” There is nothing novel in this -idea, as all ancient peoples were very superstitious about the -celestial bodies, firmly believing in astronomical influences on human -affairs, and it seems to have been a common idea that the births of -great men were announced by the presence of peculiar stars.</p> -<p class="par">In China, a new star appeared at the birth of Yu, -founder of the first dynasty, as was also the case when the sage -Laoutze was born, while in Mexico the “morning star” was -the symbol of the national savior Quetzalcoatl. The primitive -Christians, however, did not have to look so far for such an idea, but -easily found a parallel in the unusual star reported by the friends of -Terah to have appeared on the night of Abraham’s birth, which -they said shone so brightly in the east.</p> -<p class="par">Not only was the birth of the messiah announced by the -brilliant star, but it was also celebrated by the singing of the -heavenly host. Similar phenomena <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb18" -href="#pb18" name="pb18">18</a>]</span>occurred at the birth of -Krishna, when “the clouds emitted low pleasing sounds and poured -down a rain of flowers.” On the eve of the birth of Confucius -“celestial music sounded in the ears of his mother”; at -Buddha’s a “marvelous light illumined the earth”; and -at the birth of Osiris a voice was heard proclaiming that the ruler of -the earth was born.</p> -<p class="par">The savior having been born, he must necessarily be -recognized, so the myth of the wise men and their gifts -follows—in a fashion very similar to that told of the other -saviors. The marvelous infant Buddha was visited at the time of his -birth by wise men who immediately recognized in him all the -characteristics of divinity. At the time of Confucius’ birth -“five celestial sages entered the house whilst vocal and -instrumental music filled the air.” Mithras, the Persian savior, -was visited by wise men called magi at the time of his birth, and was -presented by them with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh; and the -same story is told by Plato in relation to the birth of Socrates.</p> -<p class="par">While it is claimed for all the world’s saviors -that they were borne by virgins and begotten by God, genealogies of -royal descent are traced for them through the husbands of their mothers -in a most illogical manner. As may be seen in the New Testament, the -pedigree of Jesus is most elaborately set forth in both Matthew and -Luke, who claim that through Joseph (whose parentage is denied) -<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb19" href="#pb19" name= -"pb19">19</a>]</span>the Christ was a direct descendant of King David, -though, strange to relate, the connecting generations are different in -one inspired gospel from what they are in the other. Krishna, in the -male line, was of royal descent, being of the house of Yadava, the -oldest and noblest of India; and Buddha was descended from Maha -Sammata, the first monarch of the world<span class="corr" id="xd21e528" -title="Source: ..">.</span></p> -<p class="par">Therefore, it is not surprising to find a royal pedigree -for the god Christ, especially when the religious position occupied by -the king in rude societies is considered. The Kaffres acknowledge no -other gods than their monarch, and to him they address those prayers -which other nations are wont to prefer to the supreme deity. Every -schoolboy knows of the apotheosis of the Roman emperors, and the -monarchs of Mexico and Peru were regarded as divinities. Every king of -Egypt was added to the list of gods and declared to be the son of Ra, -and even, in some cases, was made the third person of a trinity. Each -denied that he owed his birth to the father from whom he inherited the -crown, and claimed to have been miraculously begotten. Special temples -were erected for the worship of the kings, which was conducted by -special priests. The Parthian rulers of the Arsacid house, likewise, -claimed divinity and styled themselves brothers of the sun and -moon.</p> -<p class="par">The fable of the slaughter of the innocents, which was -merely a new form of the ancient myth of the <span class= -"pagenum">[<a id="pb20" href="#pb20" name= -"pb20">20</a>]</span>dangerous child whose life is a constant menace to -some tyrant, was copied from several ancient religions, and the flight -of the holy family into Egypt has its counterpart in other tales. King -Kansa sought the life of Krishna and sent messengers to kill all -infants in the neighboring places, but a heavenly voice warned his -foster-father to fly with him across the river Jumna, which was -immediately done. Salivahana, a virgin-born savior anciently worshiped -in southern India, had a similar experience; and fable tells that at -Abraham’s birth Nimrod sought his life, fearing a prophecy that a -child was born who should overthrow his power, and, as a result, he -murdered 70,000 newly-born male children. At the time of Moses’ -birth, Pharaoh is said to have dreamed that a new-born child would -cause Egypt’s ruin, and he ordered that all the new-born sons of -Israel should be cast into the Nile. Similar stories, familiar to all -readers of the classics, are told of Perseus, Herakles, Paris, Jason, -Bacchus, Romulus and Remus.</p> -<p class="par">All these tales of the birth and early life of Jesus are -similar to those of the other and more ancient saviors, and so is the -story of the temptation and the forty days’ fast. Moses fasted -“forty days and forty nights” on the mount where he -received the law (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ex%2024:18">Ex. xxiv, -18</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ex%2034:28">xxxiv, -28</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Dt%209:9-11">Deut. ix, 9, -11</a>). Elijah fasted “forty days and forty, nights” on -Mt. Horeb (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Kgs%2019:8">I Kings -xix, 8</a>). Joachim, in shame at being childless, retired to the -wilderness <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb21" href="#pb21" name= -"pb21">21</a>]</span>for a fast of “forty days and forty -nights” (Protevangelion i, 6, 7). Buddha fasted and held his -breath until he became extremely weak, when Mara, Prince of Evil, -appeared and tempted him to break his fast by offering to make him -emperor of the world. Quetzalcoatl was also tempted by the devil during -a forty days’ fast; and the temptation of Zoroaster forms the -subject of many legends.</p> -<p class="par">All these myths readily implanted themselves in the -Christian mythology, but the execution of its hero gave a great -opportunity for mythical expansion and elaboration.</p> -<p class="par">It is taught that Jesus was crucified; whether he was or -not nobody knows, although there are more pieces of the “true -cross” extant than could ever have flourished as trees on Mount -Calvary.</p> -<p class="par">If such a person as Jesus of Nazareth ever lived and was -ever executed by the Romans, it is very probable that he was hanged, -and the gallows may, very likely, have been of a form similar to that -of a rude cross. The term crucifixion does not necessarily imply that -one must be nailed outspread upon a symmetrical cross. It was the -ancient custom to use trees as gibbets for execution, or a rude -cruciform gallows, often called a “tree” (<a class= -"biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Dt%2021:22-23">Deut. xxi, -22, 23</a>; Nicodemus ix, 10). To be hung on such a cross was anciently -called hanging on a tree, and to be hung on a tree was crucifixion. -This rough method of execution was later modified by <span class= -"pagenum">[<a id="pb22" href="#pb22" name="pb22">22</a>]</span>the -Christians to the present theory of the crucifixion, as they very -naturally desired to appropriate the cross for their own especial -emblem, owing to the fact that its great antiquity as a universal -religious symbol would aid in the propagation of their faith, and since -its earliest inception, Christianity has been ever prone to aid its -proselyting by the adoption of pagan dogmas, symbols and practices from -the so-called heathen theologies.</p> -<p class="par"></p> -<div class="figure xd21e566width"><img src="images/p022.png" alt= -"THE CRUX ANSATA." width="324" height="593"> -<p class="figureHead">THE CRUX ANSATA.</p> -<p class="par first">This figure is as useful a key to religious -symbolism as the triangle is to plane geometry. In its outlines are -involved the cross, the trinity, and the male and female principles of -creation. It is the mitre of the pope, the crucifix, and the key, and -is seen in the vestments of the ancient Romish confessor. The modern -pallium of the priest preserves only the suggestion of the female, -appropriate to his feminine apparel—lace, painted garments, and -millinery.</p> -</div> -<p class="par"></p> -<p class="par">Of all religious symbols, the cross is the most ancient -and sacred. It has from the earliest antiquity been the mystic emblem -for reverence and awe, and appears to have been in the aboriginal -possession of every ancient people. Populations of essentially -different culture, tastes, and pursuits have vied with one another in -their superstitious adoration of it. Greek crosses of equal arms -adorned the tomb of Midas of Phrygia; and long before the time of the -Eutruscans, the inhabitants of northern Italy erected crosses over the -graves of their dead. The cross was common to Mexico; white marble -crosses were found on the island of Saint Ulloa by its discoverers; and -it was greatly revered in Paraguay and Peru.</p> -<p class="par">While the origin of the cross, shrouded as it is in the -mists of the remotest antiquity, has been the subject of much -speculation which has resulted in numerous theories, it is, -undoubtedly, a conventionalized result of primitive phallic ideas. -Sexual motives underlie and permeate all known religious <span class= -"pagenum">[<a id="pb23" href="#pb23" name="pb23">23</a>]</span>systems. -The idea of a creative god naturally gave rise to characteristic -symbolical expression of the male and female principles, which were -gradually modified and reduced to the tau (a Gothic T), representing -the male principle, and the ring, representing the female principle. As -a complete expression of the creative power, these two symbols were -often placed in conjunction; and the most ancient form of the -conjunction was, probably, that of the <i lang="la">crux ansata</i>, -known to the Egyptians as “the emblem of life,” which was -very simply formed by placing the ring above the T. This emblem is -sometimes called the “cross with the handle,” because in -ancient sculpture it is often represented as being carried by the ring. -(See Doane, “Bible Myths”; Inman, “Ancient -Faiths,” etc.). This handled cross was also sacred to the -Babylonians and occurs repeatedly on their cylinders, bricks and -gems.</p> -<p class="par">In ancient Scandinavian mythology the great warrior god -Thor was always closely associated with a cruciform hammer, this being -the instrument with which he killed the great Mitgard serpent, with -which he destroyed the giants, and performed other acts of heroism. -Cruciform hammers, with a hole at the intersection of the arms for the -insertion of the haft, have been discovered in Denmark, and were used -in consecrating victims at Thor’s altars. The cross, or hammer, -of Thor is still used in Iceland as a magical sign in connection -<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb24" href="#pb24" name= -"pb24">24</a>]</span>with wind and rain, just as the corresponding sign -of the cross is now used among the German peasantry to dispel a -thunderstorm; both being expressions of the same idea that the cross is -sacred to the god of thunder. As Christians blessed the full goblet -with the sign of the cross, so the ancient Vikings made the sign of the -hammer over theirs; and the signs were identical.</p> -<p class="par">The practice of making the sign of the cross before -eating, which has, in Protestant sects, degenerated to the saying of -grace, which again has assumed the form of a prayer of thanks to God -for bestowing the sustenance, was originally merely a method of -prevention against demonical possession. It was thought that demons -abounded everywhere and that one was very likely to imbibe one of these -spirits unless he took the precaution of making the sign of the cross, -which they could not endure and from which they fled. This belief in -the efficacy of a talisman, universal among all peoples from the most -barbarous to so-called civilized communities, was not only countenanced -but encouraged by Christianity, and even today we find orthodox -Christians who—although they cannot be called educated in the -highest sense, yet are not to be classed as illiterate—who are -still practicing it. Every good Catholic wears a scapular, and many a -one carries a little image of some saint to ward off disaster. The sign -of the cross is still used in time of danger and is considered a weapon -of <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb25" href="#pb25" name= -"pb25">25</a>]</span>miraculous power. Sword hilts are still -constructed in the form of the cross to give fortune in battle, and the -masts of ships with yards were once considered the symbol of the -cross.</p> -<p class="par">The burial of the dead about churches is another modern -form of the ancient superstition that within the shadow of the cross -demons dare not disturb the body, which was necessary for resurrection -and immortality. This idea is a descendant of the ancient savage notion -that bodies in the vicinity of the idol were protected. Even in our -modern Protestant cemeteries we constantly find crosses erected over -the graves in the same superstitious manner, although in most cases it -has become merely a surviving custom, the origin of which the -performers do not know.</p> -</div> -</div> -<div id="ch3" class="div1 chapter"><span class="pagenum">[<a href= -"#xd21e168">Contents</a>]</span> -<div class="divHead"> -<h2 class="main">III.—<span class="sc">Spurious -Relics</span>.</h2> -</div> -<div class="divBody"> -<p class="par first">Accompanying the worship of the cross, we find -among orthodox Christians the adoration of the three nails of the -passion which are nothing more than a union of the two Egyptian forms -of architecture—the obelisk, expressing the male idea, and the -inverted pyramid, expressing the female.</p> -<p class="par">Two of these nails are supposed to have been found in -the time of Constantine, who adorned his helmet and horse’s -bridle with them. Rome, Milan and Treves each boast of possessing one -of them, while still another may be seen at the church of the Holy -Cross of Jerusalem, where it is annually <span class="pagenum">[<a id= -"pb26" href="#pb26" name="pb26">26</a>]</span>exposed to the veneration -of the people. In 1353 Pope Innocent VI. appointed a festival for these -holy nails. Despite these facts, a legend arose in the latter part of -the sixteenth century that these three nails were fashioned into an -iron ring three-eighths of an inch broad and three-tenths thick and -presented by the Empress Helena to Constantine to protect him in -battle, and that this ring was later used to support the golden plates -of the celebrated Iron Crown of Lombardy.</p> -<p class="par">In reference to the practice of relic worship in the -Christian church, it is interesting to note that numerous objects of -worship seem endowed with remarkable powers of multiplication. The -Church of Coulombs, Diocese of <span class="corr" id="xd21e605" title= -"Source: Châtres">Chârtres</span>; the Cathedral of Pry, -the Collegiate Church of Antwerp, the Abbey of Our Savior at Charroux, -and the Church of St. John Lateran at Rome, all boast themselves the -sole possessors of the only authentic “holy prepuce,” which -was circumcised from Jesus on the eighth day after his birth (<a class= -"biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lk%202:21">Luke ii, -21</a>), and preserved by the midwife in oil of spikenard, which was -later poured upon his head and feet by Mary Magdalene (Infancy ii, -1–4).</p> -<p class="par">Likewise, there are numerous “holy shrouds.” -That at Besancon, which was brought from Palestine by crusaders about -the beginning of the twelfth century, won fame by delivering the city -from a destructive plague in 1544, while that at Turin had a festival -instituted for it by Pope <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb27" href= -"#pb27" name="pb27">27</a>]</span>Julius II. in 1506. Other authentic -shrouds may be found at the Church of St. Cornelius at Compeigne, in -Rome, Milan, Lisbon, and Aix la Chapelle.</p> -<p class="par">Another much multiplied relic is the Virgin’s -ring, supposed to have been the marriage ring used at the nuptials of -Joseph and Mary. This sacred souvenir was discovered in 996 by a -jeweler of Jerusalem and was readily recognized by its remarkable -powers of healing and self-multiplication. Many European churches claim -to possess this ring and profess to expose it to the devout for -veneration, but, undoubtedly, the most celebrated is that held by the -Cathedral of Perouse.</p> -<p class="par"></p> -<div class="figure xd21e618width"><img src="images/p027.png" alt= -"RELICS." width="432" height="668"> -<p class="figureHead">RELICS.</p> -<p class="par first">“It is interesting to note that numerous -objects of worship seem endowed with remarkable powers of -multiplication.”</p> -</div> -<p class="par"></p> -<p class="par">Relic worship and belief in the miraculous powers -residing in the bones of departed saints, which continues, despite the -more general education of the laity, is by no means of Christian -origin. In ancient Greece the bones of heroes were superstitiously -regarded and those of Hector of Troy were sacredly preserved at Thebes; -the tools used in the construction of the Trojan horse were kept at -Metapontum; the sceptre of Pelops was held at Chæroneia; the -spear of Achilles at Phaselis; and the sword of Memnon at Nicomedia. -Miraculous statues of Minerva that brandished spears, abounded, and -paintings that could blush and images that could sweat also -existed.</p> -<p class="par">In India there are numerous teeth of Buddha which his -worshipers believe capable of performing <span class="pagenum">[<a id= -"pb28" href="#pb28" name="pb28">28</a>]</span>miracles; and his coat, -which as Prince Siddhatto he laid aside on entering the priesthood, has -been miraculously preserved, and is still shown.</p> -<p class="par">Jerome, in defending the worship of relics which had -been attacked by Vigilantus of Barcelona, did not deny that it was -adopted from paganism, but commended it and explained that as this -reverence had been previously “only given to idols, and was then -to be detested, was now given to martyrs, and therefore to be -received.”</p> -<p class="par"></p> -<div class="figure xd21e633width"><img src="images/p028.png" alt= -"WITH THE BLEST." width="467" height="708"> -<p class="figureHead">WITH THE BLEST.</p> -</div> -<p class="par"></p> -</div> -</div> -<div id="ch4" class="div1 chapter"><span class="pagenum">[<a href= -"#xd21e176">Contents</a>]</span> -<div class="divHead"> -<h2 class="main">IV.—<span class="sc">Trial and Execution -Myths</span>.</h2> -</div> -<div class="divBody"> -<p class="par first">That Jesus should have been executed, either as an -historical fact or as a mythological theory, is not remarkable; and -even when considered in the light of his being one of the godhead, -there is nothing new in the relation of his death. The idea of a dying -god is very old. The grave of Zeus was shown at Crete, and the body of -Dionyseus was buried at Delphi. Osiris and Buddha both died, and -numerous deities were crucified. Krishna, the Indian god, suffered such -execution, as did also the Mexican savior Quetzalcoatl. Representations -of Krishna abound wherein he is depicted as nailed to a cross and -having a round hole in his side. Prometheus was nailed by hands and -feet to Mount Caucasus, with arms extended in the form of a cross.</p> -<p class="par">So immeasurably voluminous have been the writings of the -orthodox upon the trial, execution, and <span class="pagenum">[<a id= -"pb29" href="#pb29" name="pb29">29</a>]</span>resurrection of Jesus -that it seems advisable to consider these matters, from a rational -point of view, upon the hypothesis that such a man really lived and -suffered experiences similar to those narrated in the Gospels. With -that premise the following views are offered:</p> -<p class="par">The attitude of Jesus before Pilate shows him to have -been a willing martyr, yea, desirous of martyrdom. In all probability -his fanatical mind believed that when the supreme moment should come, -when his execution should take place, and when his death seemed -instantly imminent, some great natural phenomenon would occur to save -him. He undoubtedly believed that he would not die, but that God would -miraculously interpose to rescue him and that at that time he would not -only be saved, but that the kingdom of heaven would be established -under his control. That this was his belief seems to be shown by his -cry of disappointment when he realized that nothing supernatural was to -prevent his death. When that moment of realization came, his surprise -was evident and, unlike many of his courageous followers who died in -calmness and bravery, he cried aloud in mental and physical anguish, -“My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (<a class= -"biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%2027:46">Matt. xxvii, -46</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mk%2015:34">Mark xv, -34</a>.)</p> -<p class="par">His indifferent bearing before Pilate showed this faith -in his redemption, for when the Roman procurator courteously asked him -if he were the king <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb30" href="#pb30" -name="pb30">30</a>]</span>of the Jews, he replied ambiguously, as had -always been his practice, “Thou sayest it” (<a class= -"biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%2027:11">Matt. xxvii, -11</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mk%2015:2">Mark xv, -2</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lk%2023:3">Luke xxiii, -3</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jn%2018:37">John xviii, -37</a>; Nicodemus iii, 10). But such ambiguity, which had served very -well among the lower classes who had flocked to hear and question him, -was of no avail before the matter-of-fact Roman, who, as an imperial -officer, desired straightforward answers, and was little impressed by -Jesus’ silence, except that he was rightfully astonished that -when given the chance the prisoner should not have availed himself of -it to explain his position. Therefore, seeing Jesus had no will to -answer his questions except in an exasperating manner, after he had -shown a willingness to save him, Pilate delivered Jesus over to the -Jews according to the custom of the Romans in regard to the theological -disputes of a subject people—but not until he had requested them -to spare the preacher. Had Jesus given the Roman a frank explanation of -his position as an itinerant preacher, Pilate would probably have saved -him, but the chimerical idea of the interposition of God by a miracle, -which would glorify him above all else that could occur, led Jesus to -make a willing sacrifice of himself and throw away the opportunity -offered him by Pilate.</p> -<p class="par">There is nothing noble nor grand in this impudent -conduct toward the Roman officer, but there is a good deal of justice -and consideration in the conduct of Pilate. There is nothing noble in -<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb31" href="#pb31" name= -"pb31">31</a>]</span>Jesus’ willingness to die nor in his -courting death at this trial, for it was entirely unnecessary and was -desired on his part only because he expected a miraculous salvation. -According to his belief, he was to be the gainer, and he staked his -life for a heavenly glory and lost, although he was probably keen -enough to see that in any case his death would increase his fame, for -the execution of a fanatic always lends a little glory to a cause, no -matter how base, as witness the desire of anarchists for martyrdom and -the attitude with which they view those who die for their horrible -ideas.</p> -<p class="par">The only question with the Roman was as to whether Jesus -had proclaimed himself the king of the Jews, and as he declined to -answer this question, Pilate could do nothing to save him. The blind -hatred of orthodox Christianity toward Pilate is absurd. Aside from the -argument above, there is another reason why his memory should be -leniently treated. According to the Christian dogma, Jesus was the son -of God, and it was only by his sacrifice, by his actual death, that he -could save man. By dying he took the sins of mankind upon himself, and -thus became the Savior. As the eternal Son, knowing all things, as a -part of the godhead, he knew his death must occur—that was his -mission on earth. Therefore, as instruments in the accomplishment of -this grand plan, by which mankind was saved, and Jesus became the -Savior, <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb32" href="#pb32" name= -"pb32">32</a>]</span>Caiaphas and Pontius Pilate should be regarded as -divine agents worthy of glory and praise. Any other conclusion is -entirely illogical. But then, who will look for logic in the dogmas of -Christianity? When one makes a logical investigation of this faith, he -abandons its unreasonable teachings, which cannot be accepted by a -logical mind. The person who allows his reason to govern his belief -cannot in any way accept the teachings of the absurd and ridiculous -Christian cult.</p> -<p class="par">While suffering his execution, Jesus, according to the -Gospel writers, lost both his moral and physical courage, and cried -aloud in agony, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” In view of -this fact, it seems impossible for reasonable creatures to accept the -Christian dogmas of the atonement and the trinity, for, if Jesus were -one of the godhead and had left his heavenly abode to descend to earth -for the especial purpose of saving mankind by shedding his blood for -them, he must necessarily have been aware of what was in store for him -and have known all the details attendant upon his execution.</p> -<p class="par">Looking at this fable rationally, Jesus was inferior in -courage to many of his followers. When we recall the innumerable -martyrs who went to meet death with smiling lips, in perfect -confidence, the wailing savior, with his doubting cry to God, presents -anything but an impressive figure. Surely, to burn at the stake, to lie -under the axe, to endure <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb33" href= -"#pb33" name="pb33">33</a>]</span>the awful tortures of the -Inquisition, were fully as agonizing as a crucifixion; and yet -men—and delicate women—who have never pretended to -divinity, have borne these things silently.</p> -<p class="par">To be sure, the whole story of the Christ is largely -legendary and very uncertain, but, according to the gospels of Matthew -and Mark, Jesus was weak in his convictions, afraid to die for his own -teachings, and on the whole, his conduct at the supreme moment reminds -one of the weak French peasants of revolutionary times rather than the -brave nobility. His peasant blood rose to the surface and in his fear -he cried, “Why hast thou forsaken me?” although but a few -moments before he had assured one of the malefactors who suffered -beside him that on this day he should be in paradise (<a class= -"biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lk%2023:43">Luke xxiii, -43</a>).</p> -<p class="par">Everything considered, it is not strange that the Jews -would not accept Jesus as the awaited messiah who should free them from -the yoke of Rome. They desired a strong and powerful leader, not a -socialistic wandering teacher, and the prophecies promised a ruler -surpassing the wisdom and power of the gorgeous Solomon. There is not -one prophetic passage in the Old Testament that can properly be applied -to Jesus, although many have been distorted for such purpose. The Jews -looked upon him as an impostor and a revolutionist who not only -pretended to be what he was not, but who <span class="pagenum">[<a id= -"pb34" href="#pb34" name="pb34">34</a>]</span>disregarded their ancient -laws and preached a doctrine contrary to that held by their rabbis.</p> -<p class="par">It was not until long after his death that he was -regarded as a prophet, and it was not until every proof of his very -existence had vanished that divine honors were paid him. To the Jews he -was a vagrant revolutionist worthy of death, and the Jews knew him -personally; to a large majority of twentieth century Christians, he is -a god, and they know absolutely nothing about him, save a collection of -puerile myths which tax their credulity as children, but which as -adults they accept.</p> -<p class="par">However, regarding the execution of Jesus, there is -always the legitimate doubt that it ever occurred. Aside from the fact -that the usual mode of death for criminals was by hanging, there is -much internal evidence in the gospels themselves which points to the -conclusion that the whole story of the execution and resurrection is -mythical and was composed from various Hebrew and pagan legends. The -dying cry was copied verbatim from <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ps%2022:1">Psalms xxii, -1</a>, wherein David “complaineth in great discouragement” -over his diseased condition.</p> -</div> -</div> -<div id="ch5" class="div1 chapter"><span class="pagenum">[<a href= -"#xd21e184">Contents</a>]</span> -<div class="divHead"> -<h2 class="main">V.—<span class="sc">Distorted -“Prophecies.”</span></h2> -</div> -<div class="divBody"> -<p class="par first">The Jews, desirous that the spectacle of the -execution should not pollute the sanctity of their Sabbath, requested -that the death of the victim might be hastened (<a class= -"biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jn%2019:31">John xix, -31</a>). Therefore, according to custom, the Roman soldiers broke the -legs of <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb35" href="#pb35" name= -"pb35">35</a>]</span>the thieves, but, finding Jesus already dead, they -did not break his legs (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jn%2019:33">John xix, -33</a>). In this the writer of John sees the fulfillment of a prophecy -(<a class="biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" -href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jn%2019:36">John -xix, 36</a>). In <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ex%2012:46">Exodus xii, -46</a>, occur the words “neither shall ye break a bone -thereof,” which were nothing more than a command of “the -ordinance of the passover” (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ex%2012:43">Ex. xii, -43</a>), and applied to the sacrificial animals to be eaten then. But -the gospel writers, delving for prophecies, saw with their queerly -distorted eyes a prophecy in this and <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Nm%209:12">Numbers ix, -12</a>, regardless of the fact that for centuries, in celebrating the -passover, the Jews had conformed to this practice of not breaking the -bones of the animals eaten. But the biographers saw Jesus as the -paschal lamb, and associated him with the meat of the passover. The -tendency to regard his body as the solid of the Eucharist has likewise -aided in this construction of the passages in Exodus and Numbers into a -prophecy. In David’s apostrophe to the righteous he says that -though their afflictions are many, “the Lord delivereth him out -of them all” and preserves him. “He keepeth all his bones; -not one of them is broken” (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ps%2034:19-20">Psalm -xxxiv, 19–20</a>). This has no reference to the Christ, but the -distorted vision of the apostolic writer saw in it such an intent. He -says (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jn%2019:36">John xix, -36</a>), “For these things were done, that the scripture should -be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.”</p> -<p class="par">In order, however, to be sure that Jesus was -<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb36" href="#pb36" name= -"pb36">36</a>]</span>actually dead and, in case he was not, to hasten -that event, one of the soldiers pierced his heart with a lance. Here -John sees another prophecy fulfilled (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jn%2019:37">John xix, -37</a>), “They shall look on him whom they pierced.” This -refers to <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Zec%2012:10">Zechariah -xii, 10</a>, where we find the words, “And I will pour upon the -house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of -grace and supplications; and they shall look upon me whom they have -pierced.” This was the language of a prophet in a diatribe -against the enemies of Juda. How could the writer of John have seen a -prophecy in this, when the context reads “in that day I will seek -to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem” -(<a class="biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" -href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Zec%2012:9">Zech. -xii, 9</a>), and when at the time of the crucifixion, Jerusalem was in -the hands of the Romans?</p> -<p class="par">Likewise, the writers of Matthew and John saw in the -drawing of lots by the soldiers at the foot of the cross for the -garments of Jesus—the usual custom regarding the minor -possessions of executed criminals, which were always considered the -spoil of the military guard—“the fulfillment of a -prophecy” (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%2027:35">Matt. xxvii, -35</a> <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jn%2019:23-24">John xix, -23, 24</a>) found in <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ps%2022:18">Psalms xxii, -18</a>, “They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my -vesture,” which really was a metaphorical expression of David -concerning the treatment accorded him by his enemies. In the preceding -verse 16, in the same relation and rhetorical figure, he says -“they pierced my hands and <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb37" -href="#pb37" name="pb37">37</a>]</span>my feet.” On the whole, -<a class="biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" -href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ps%2022">Psalm -xxii</a> was a particularly happy composition for the Christian adepts -at misconstruction. Neither Mark nor Luke refers to the fulfillment of -a prophecy regarding the vestments, but content themselves with -narrating the event (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mk%2015:24">Mark xv, -24</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lk%2023:34">Luke xxiii, -34</a>).</p> -<p class="par">It was customary to give the condemned a drink of wine -and myrrh to stupefy him and thus decrease the sufferings of execution. -When this was offered to Jesus he refused it (<a class= -"biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mk%2015:23">Mark xv, -23</a>), probably because he wished to be perfectly conscious at the -time when God should miraculously reprieve him. <a class= -"biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%2027:34">Matthew, -xxvii, 34</a>, intentionally falsifies the episode and calls the drink -vinegar and gall, so bound is he to see a messianic prophecy in -<a class="biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" -href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ps%2019:21">Psalms -xix, 21</a>, “They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my -thirst they gave me vinegar to drink,” which words were really -applied by David to his own personal enemies.</p> -</div> -</div> -<div id="ch6" class="div1 chapter"><span class="pagenum">[<a href= -"#xd21e192">Contents</a>]</span> -<div class="divHead"> -<h2 class="main">VI.—<span class="sc">The -Resurrection.</span></h2> -</div> -<div class="divBody"> -<p class="par first">Regarding the resurrection, it is interesting to -note that, whereas most crucified men lived a number of hours and even -a day in this torture, the wounds in the hands not being mortal and the -position only affecting the circulation, causing death by exhaustion or -starvation, Jesus lived only three hours. Therefore, it may have been -that he was not actually dead, but merely in a state of coma, or -perhaps a cataleptic condition. The custom he <span class= -"pagenum">[<a id="pb38" href="#pb38" name="pb38">38</a>]</span>had of -using his subjective mind in telepathic cures, as told in the gospels, -seems to point to this conclusion, that, being strongly subjective, his -condition here was cataleptic. Many cases are known of men having been -restored after crucifixion, and, as the embalming given Jesus in the -Jewish custom consisted in nothing more than a wrapping in a shroud -with myrrh and aloes, there is nothing to oppose this hypothesis. After -resting for a while in the tomb, he may have revived and gone out and -been seen by others, after which he wandered away again to die in -solitude from exhaustion and lack of food.</p> -<p class="par">It is more probable, however, that this legend was -copied from those of other religious heroes, who likewise rose from the -dead, as there seems to be much variance between the different versions -of the visit of Mary Magdalene to the sepulchre and her meeting with -Christ. Matthew says (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%2028:1">xxviii, 1</a>) -that Mary Magdalene and the other Mary visited the sepulchre (<a class= -"biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%2028:3">3</a>), where -they saw a male angel descend from heaven during an earthquake and roll -back the stone from the door and sit upon it (<a class= -"biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%2028:7">7</a>). And he -told them to “go quickly, and tell his disciples” that he -had risen, which they did. But as they were going (<a class= -"biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%2028:9">9</a>) -“Jesus met them ... and they came ... and worshiped him.” -Mark tells a similar story with some variations as to the angel, but he -relates that Jesus appeared first to Mary Magdalene “early the -first day of the <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb39" href="#pb39" name= -"pb39">39</a>]</span>week” (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mk%2016:9">xvi, 9</a>), -and not on her visit with Mary, the mother of James, and Salome at the -tomb. According to Luke, the women went to the tomb, where they were -informed by (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lk%2024:4">xxiv, 4</a>) -“two men in shining garments” that Jesus had risen, and -they left and told the apostles. No mention is made here of the -encounter of Mary Magdalene. John, however, gives a more elaborate -version. He narrates (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jn%2020">xx</a>) that -Mary, going early and alone to the tomb, which she found entirely -empty, ran and informed Peter, who verified her story and departed. -After she was left alone she looked into the sepulchre again, where she -beheld two angels, and on turning away saw Jesus standing by her.</p> -<p class="par">Setting aside the idea of a mythical plagiarism in these -tales, and also the cataleptic theory already mentioned, and -considering them from yet another point of view, we can still find a -rational explanation. The meeting of Jesus with Mary may have been the -hallucination of a hysterical woman. According to <a class= -"biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mk%2016:9">Mark xvi, -9</a>, and <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lk%208:2">Luke viii, -2</a>, Jesus had cast seven devils out of her, which is surely -sufficient proof that she was of neurotic temperament and had been -subject to delusions and hysteria. Undoubtedly after the shock of -witnessing the crucifixion and death of her master, for three gospels -agree in stating that she was present (<a class="biblink xd21e43" -title="Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%2027:56">Matt. xxvii, -56</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mk%2015:40">Mark xv, -40</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jn%2019:25">John xix, -25</a>), this fond woman’s mind, which seemed more normal in his -presence, again gave way and she returned to her hysterical -<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb40" href="#pb40" name= -"pb40">40</a>]</span>condition. On visiting the tomb, she found it -empty because “his disciples came by night and stole him -away,” that they might declare he had risen from the dead, -“as is commonly reported among the Jews until this day” -(<a class="biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" -href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%2028:11-15">Matt. -xxviii, 11–15</a>). As she was leaving, she heard his voice (a -common delusion of hysterical subjects) and saw his form (another -hallucination), but when she went to touch him, she could not do so. -The relation has all the marks of simple neurosis, and yet many modern -Christians base their whole faith upon the words of Paul in <a class= -"biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Cor%2015:14">1 -Corinthians xv, 14</a>, “If Christ be not risen, then is our -preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.”</p> -<p class="par"></p> -<div class="figure xd21e847width"><img src="images/p040.png" alt= -"A MESSIAH WHO “IS RISEN.”" width="467" height="622"> -<p class="figureHead">A MESSIAH WHO “IS RISEN.”</p> -<p class="par first">The drawing of this ancient deity, the Lord Hesus, -is from a monument in the Cluny Museum, Paris. He was the messiah of -the Gauls in Europe and Asia, and his worship has been traced to 2112 -B. C. He is fabled to have suffered crucifixion, arisen from the dead, -and ascended into heaven.</p> -</div> -<p class="par"></p> -<p class="par">As noted in various parts of this work, unless -Christians believe in the possibility of miracles, the power of a -personal devil, and the physical resurrection of the body, there is no -foundation for their faith, and it is a mockery.</p> -<p class="par">Not satisfied with having executed their god according -to the most approved methods of antiquity, Christians felt the -necessity of the presence of some remarkable natural phenomena at the -time of his death, for among all ancient peoples it was customary to -attribute some remarkable natural convulsions to the death of a great -man. When Prometheus was crucified on Mount Caucasus “the earth -quaked, thunder roared, lightning flashed, wild winds rent the air and -boisterous billows rose.” On the death of Romulus, there was -“darkness over <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb41" href="#pb41" -name="pb41">41</a>]</span>the face of the earth for six hours,” -and when Quetzalcoatl died the sun became black! Even in historical -times, we find narrations of similar phenomena accompanying the deaths -of royalty; and we read in many authenticated histories of the -frightful thunderstorms that were coincident with the deaths of -Isabella of Castile, Charles the Fifth, Napoleon the Great, and Oliver -Cromwell.</p> -<p class="par">Therefore, it is not surprising to find mention of such -occurrences at the time of the execution of the Christian god, although -we are not prepared for such astonishing and unprecedented phenomena as -related by the ever exaggerating author of the “Gospel according -to St. Matthew,” who states very seriously that “the vail -of the temple was rent in twain from top to bottom; and the earth did -quake, and the rocks rent; and the graves were opened; and many bodies -of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his -resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto -many.”</p> -<p class="par">But the execution, while it completes the mortal life of -the incarnate Christian deity, by no means finishes the legend. Like -the gods of antiquity, the Christ must also descend into hell and -perform wonders similar to those of the ancient heroes. All the saviors -of mankind had done so—Zoroaster, the Persian; Osiris, the -Egyptian; Baldur, the Scandinavian; <span class="corr" id="xd21e863" -title="Source: Quetzacoatl">Quetzalcoatl</span>, the Mexican; and -<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb42" href="#pb42" name= -"pb42">42</a>]</span>Krishna, the Hindu; while Ishtar voluntarily -descended into the Assyrian inferno.</p> -<p class="par">Having descended into hell, resurrection was necessary, -for it was unreasonable that the savior of mankind, the son of the -supreme god, should remain perpetually in the place of punishment; and, -as his life on earth was over, he could no longer abide there, and so -the only plausible sequence was an ascension to heaven. Krishna, the -crucified Hindu savior, rose from the dead and ascended bodily into the -celestial regions, as did Rama, another avatar of Vishnu. Buddha also -ascended bodily into heaven when his mission on earth was fulfilled, -and marks on the rocks of a high mountain are shown as the last -impressions of his footsteps on earth. Zoroaster and Æsculapius -also had similar experiences, as did Elijah and Adonis. Osiris rose -from the dead and bore the title of “The Resurrected One,” -his ascension being celebrated in Egypt at the vernal equinox, as is -the Christ’s and as was Adonis’. Other saviors who rose -from the dead were Dionysius, Herakles, Memnon, Baldur and -Quetzalcoatl.</p> -<p class="par">Modern Catholics are still taught the fables of the -bodily ascension of Jesus, Mary the Virgin, and Mary the Magdalene and -many other holy persons, as actual miraculous truths, not to be -questioned nor denied.</p> -<p class="par">Very good, but how can educated Catholics of today -reconcile such <i>truths</i> with their actual scientific <span class= -"pagenum">[<a id="pb43" href="#pb43" name= -"pb43">43</a>]</span>knowledge? They know that the earth is spherical, -that the stars and planets are members of solar systems, that outside -the terrestrial atmosphere is nothing but vast space. There is no such -place as a heaven anywhere in these celestial regions, and the zenith -of any geographical situation changes every moment. Clouds are mere -masses of vapor, not furniture for the repose of the glorified dead. -Then whither did these adored beings ascend? Certainly, God in his love -for them never flung them far into space to whirl about for -eternity.</p> -<p class="par">These Catholics also know the law of gravitation, which -would not allow of such a method of transportation. But why ask these -questions? No religious person is capable of thinking sensibly on the -teachings of his faith, no matter how ridiculous. He accepts, as an -adult, what he questions as a child.</p> -<p class="par">While the idea of bodily ascension of the Christ was -probably copied into his biography from that of Enoch (<a class= -"biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Gn%205:24">Gen. -v</a><a id="xd21e886" name="xd21e886"></a>, 24) and Elijah (<a class= -"biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Kgs%202:11">2 Kings -ii, 11</a>), such stories form a large part of the annals of classical -mythology, almost every hero of antiquity having been translated to the -heavens when his earthly life was spent. The custom of converting the -tombs of prominent Christians into shrines likewise aided this belief, -as, it being impossible to discover the burial places of the most -conspicuous, the idea arose that they had been physically removed to -heaven. <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb44" href="#pb44" name= -"pb44">44</a>]</span></p> -<p class="par">The principal weakness of all the great theological -systems now in practice is that they are terrestrial in their -conception of God and man. Their foundations were laid at a period when -mankind knew little, and cared less, about the planets; at a period -when it was presumed that the sun, moon, and stars were either -beneficent deities or natural objects placed in the firmament to light -the world and please the eye of man by their beauty. Therefore God, as -recognized in these systems, takes heed of naught else than this -particular world. He totally ignores the other innumerable spheres of -matter floating in space, many of which may support life. All his -interests center on this infinitesimal portion of his creation. It is -with the doings of the inhabitants of <i>this</i> planet that he is -engaged. For this earth alone he creates man, animals and vegetables; -to <i>this</i> alone, he sends his only son, or Savior; and it is here, -in the purified state, that the souls of men shall eternally dwell -after the great judgment.</p> -<p class="par">Since science has proved that our solar system is but -one of the many, and that in this system the earth is not the largest -nor most important body, should not such absurd theological ideas be -abandoned and a grander <span class="corr" id="xd21e903" title= -"Source: annd">and</span> vaster conception of the Deity be -inaugurated? Should not organized theology turn to nobler thoughts and -say with Paul, “When I was a child ... I thought as a child; -<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb45" href="#pb45" name= -"pb45">45</a>]</span>but when I became a man, I put away childish -things” (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Cor%2013:11">1 Cor. -xiii, 11</a>)?</p> -<p class="par">All such doctrines as predestination, which are based -upon the sin of Adam, are now anachronistic. The acceptance of the -theory of evolution, which entirely destroys the reality of the -mythical Adam, sweeps away his biography and leaves no foundation for -such dogmas. If the Christian church desires to remain, she must cast -aside these worthless doctrines, founded upon false hypotheses, when -the minds of men were in darkness regarding the origin of species, and -when they saw in these the only solution of their problem.</p> -<p class="par">Having accomplished his ascension and entered on his -eternal kingdom, one of the Christ’s attributes is that of -judging the dead. This idea undoubtedly came from the Alexandrian -school of theology, where so many of the Christian theories were -promulgated, for one of the best-known attributes of Osiris was that of -the judge, and he was generally represented as seated on his throne of -judgment, bearing a staff (the crozier of the modern bishop) and -holding the crux ansata. Buddha is also supposed to be the judge of the -dead.</p> -<p class="par">In connection with the idea of the Christ as the divine -judge of men, certain sects of Christians have advocated that of his -return to earth at some future period, which will terminate all -terrestrial life as it is known to-day, basing this belief upon -<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb46" href="#pb46" name= -"pb46">46</a>]</span>Jesus’ own proclamation of his second -advent, although in his prophecy he declared the coming of the kingdom -of heaven to be soon after his death. He even told his disciples that -they could not visit all the cities of Israel before he should come -again (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%2010:23">Matt. x, -23</a>); that their own generation should see these things (<a class= -"biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%2024:34">Matt. xxiv, -34</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mk%2013:30">Mark xiii, -30</a>); that some of those then listening to him should live to see -his kingdom (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%2016:28">Matt. xvi, -28</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%2023:36">xxiii, -36</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%2024:34">xxiv, 34</a>; -<a class="biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" -href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mk%208:38">Mark -viii, 38</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lk%209:1-27">Luke ix, -1–27</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lk%2022:32">xxi, 32</a>). -Such were his words, and it seems strange that people, believing these -words, can still regard him as a very part of God. Such improbabilities -did Jesus gradually grow to preach, and so wild did he <span class= -"corr" id="xd21e947" title="Source: becomes">become</span> in his -exhortations that even his disciples at times appear to have believed -him mad (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mk%203:21">Mark iii, -21</a>), an opinion in which his enemies agreed (<a class= -"biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mk%203:22">Mark iii, -22</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jn%207:5-20">John vii, -5–20</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jn%208:48-52">viii, -48–52</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jn%2010:20">x, 20</a>). -They certainly had good cause for their suspicion. Was not his conduct -in cursing the fig tree for not bearing fruit out of season an act of -lunacy (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%2021:19-20">Matt. xxi, -19–20</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mk%2011:13-14">Mark xi, -13–14</a>), and likewise his arrogant assertion of the power of -faith (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%2017:20">Matt. xvii, -20</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%2021:21">xxi, 21</a>; -<a class="biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" -href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mk%2011:23">Mark xi, -23</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lk%2017:6">Luke xvii, -6</a>)? It is, however, quite probable that this idea of a second -advent was copied from the Persian theology, it being one of the tenets -of the Zoroastrian religion that in the end Ormuzd, God of Light, -should conquer Ahriman, God of Darkness, and that he should then summon -the good from their graves, remove all <span class="pagenum">[<a id= -"pb47" href="#pb47" name="pb47">47</a>]</span>evil from the face of -nature, and permanently establish the kingdom of righteousness and -virtue upon the earth.</p> -<p class="par">But such ideas are not unique to Christians and -Persians. The Hindus believe that Vishnu will have another avatar; the -Siamese live in constant expectation of the second coming of Codom; the -Buddhists are looking forward to the return of Buddha; the Jews are -awaiting the messiah; and the disciples of Quetzalcoatl expected that -deity’s second advent—and most unfortunately thought their -dream realized on the arrival of the Spaniards, who took advantage of -their consequent submissiveness to exterminate them.</p> -</div> -</div> -<div id="ch7" class="div1 chapter"><span class="pagenum">[<a href= -"#xd21e200">Contents</a>]</span> -<div class="divHead"> -<h2 class="main"><span class="sc">VII.—Miracles.</span></h2> -</div> -<div class="divBody"> -<p class="par first">It is customary among orthodox Christians to -assert that the godhead of their Christ was fully proven by the many -miracles attributed to him in the New Testament. But one must not -forget that the performance of miracles is one of the most common -attributes of founders of new sects, and one which all religious -charlatans claim. Krishna lulled tempests, cured lepers, and restored -the dead; Buddha, Zoroaster (who walked on water on his way to Mount -Iran to receive the law), Horus, Æsculapius, and innumerable -others did likewise. Mohammed, not content with miracles of the -omnipotent physician type, juggled the moon through his sleeve. Even -to-day faith in miracles <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb48" href= -"#pb48" name="pb48">48</a>]</span>is not dead, and miracle-working -attributes have been claimed for Mrs. Eddy, founder of Christian -Science, Dowie, founder of Zion City, and Sandford, leader of the Holy -Ghost and Us.</p> -<p class="par">There can be no doubt in the mind of a student of -comparative theology that Moncure D. Conway was correct when he stated -in his essay on Christianity that “among all the miracles of the -New Testament not one is original. Bacchus changed water into wine.... -Moses and Elias also fasted forty days.... Pythagoras had power to -still waves and tempests at sea. Elijah made the widow’s meal and -oil increase; Elisha fed a hundred men with twenty loaves.... As for -opening blind eyes, healing diseases, walking on water, casting out -demons, raising the dead, resurrection, ascension, all these have been -common myths—logic currency of every race.”</p> -<p class="par">“One of the best attested miracles of all profane -history is that which Tacitus reports of Vespasian, who cured a blind -man in Alexandria by means of his spittle, and a lame man by the mere -touch of his foot, in obedience to a vision of the god Serapis,” -says Hume in his “Essay on Miracles,” and we might here -mention the numerous attested cures resulting from the laying on of -royal hands by divinely appointed sovereigns.</p> -<p class="par">The rulers of France, Aragon, and England touched for -scrofula, this practice being continued by the latter from the period -of its origin with Edward <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb49" href= -"#pb49" name="pb49">49</a>]</span>the Confessor until the accession of -William the Third, whose good sense put an end to it. James the Second, -the last practitioner of this art, had so great a belief in his -curative powers that he set aside certain days on which he touched the -afflicted from his throne at Whitehall, while the sufferers came in -throngs to kneel at his feet. The princes of the house of Austria -likewise held divine power and were supposed to be capable of casting -out devils and curing stammering by the touch of their aristocratic -fingers.</p> -<p class="par">Numerous cases are narrated in which Jesus, by simply -touching the person of the afflicted, effected instantaneous cures. -Such were those of the leper (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%208:2-3">Matt. viii, -2–3</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mk%201:40-42">Mark i, -40–42</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lk%205:12-13">Luke v, -12–13</a>); the curing of Peter’s mother-in-law of a fever -(<a class="biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" -href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%208:14-15">Matt. -viii, 14–15</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mk%201:30-31">Mark i, -30–31</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lk%204:38-39">Luke iv, -38–39</a>), although in the Luke version he “rebuked” -the fever; and the opening of the eyes of two blind men (<a class= -"biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%209:27-30">Matt. ix, -27–30</a>). Another method seems to have been by allowing the ill -to touch him or his garments (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%209:20-22">Matt. ix, -20–22</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%2014:36">xiv, 36</a>; -<a class="biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" -href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mk%203:10">Mark iii, -10</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mk%205:25-34">v, -25–34</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lk%206:19">Luke vi, -19</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lk%208:43-48">viii, -43–48</a>). At other times he simply told the patient, or the -agent of the patient, that faith had effected the cure, as with the -centurion’s servant (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%208:5-13">Matt. viii, -5–13</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lk%207:2-10">Luke vii, -2–10</a>) and the daughter of the Canaanite (<a class= -"biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%2015:22-28">Matt. xv, -22–28</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mk%207:25-30">Mark vii, -25–30</a>); or told the stricken to hold forth a withered arm or -pick up his bed and walk, by which command the cure was completed -<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb50" href="#pb50" name= -"pb50">50</a>]</span>(<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%209:2-7">Matt. ix, -2–7</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%2012:10-13">xii, -10–13</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mk%202:3-12">Mark ii, -3–12</a><span class="corr" id="xd21e1071" title= -"Source: :">;</span> <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lk%205:18-25">Luke v, -18–25</a>).</p> -<p class="par">Among all primitive peoples, the principal cause of -disease was supposed to lie in the displeasure of some deity toward the -afflicted person, who was punished by this deity for some offense or -neglect (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ps%2038:3">Psalms -xxxviii, 3</a>). One of the favorite methods of the gods in afflicting -was sending evil and tormenting spirits into the body of the victim. -After more was learned of disease, this theory gradually diminished in -strength as regarded some troubles, but for centuries it was the -universal theory that mental derangements and nervous afflictions were -solely due to demoniacal possession, and all priests and medicine-men -resorted to various exorcisms, from the primitive banging of gongs and -tooting of trumpets to scare away the spirit, to the prayers and -sprinkling of holy water of the mediæval church to rid the -patient of the unwelcome inhabitant of his body.</p> -<p class="par">That Jesus believed in this demoniacal possession is -undoubted, and he effected his cures by ordering or calling out the -devil from the body of the possessed. For example, there is a story of -Jesus driving devils into an innocent herd of swine (<a class= -"biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%208:28-33">Matt. viii, -28–33</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mk%205:2-14">Mark v, -2–14</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lk%208:26-34">Luke viii, -26–34</a>). We also find him casting out and rebuking devils in -various instances (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%209:32-34">Matt. ix, -32–34</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%2012:22-24">xii, -22–24</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%2017:14-28">xvii, -14–18</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mk%201:23-24">Mark i, -23–24</a>, <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mk%201:34">34</a>; -<a class="biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" -href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mk%203:11">iii, -11</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lk%204:33-36">Luke iv, -33–36</a>, <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lk%204:41">41</a>; -<a class="biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" -href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lk%209:37-42">ix, -37–42</a>). <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb51" href="#pb51" -name="pb51">51</a>]</span></p> -<p class="par">In all probability, these medical miracles of Jesus were -copied from older legends by his biographers. But, even if they -actually occurred, they were not miracles at all, for a miracle must -be, in the very meaning of the word, performed by the suspension of a -natural law, and from all gospel accounts the mental therapeutics of -the Christ were performed, if at all, in perfect accordance with -well-established psychological laws. They had been performed years -before his birth, and they have continued to be performed years after -his death, even to the present time. Through the force of faith, the -patients were placed in passivity (hypnosis) and treated by suggestions -being impressed upon their subjective minds, when present; at a -distance, they were cured by the telepathic suggestions conveyed from -the healer to their subjective mentalities. There is no miracle here; -it is merely a demonstration of telepathic and hypnotic phenomena, -governed by psychic laws, and does not place the Christ on a higher -intellectual plane than modern hypnotists and mental healers, who -consciously and knowingly work within the dispensation of these laws. -They are anything but proofs of the godhead of Jesus.</p> -<p class="par">It would seem that the Pharisees had some such idea in -mind when they demanded an astronomical miracle and requested “a -sign from heaven.” But, unable to comply, he evaded this -performance by calling them hypocrites and “an evil and -adulterous <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb52" href="#pb52" name= -"pb52">52</a>]</span>generation,” and saying, “There shall -no sign be given unto this generation” (<a class= -"biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%2012:38-39">Matt. xii, -38–39</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%2016:1-34">xvi, -1–4</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mk%208:11-13">Mark viii, -11–13</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lk%2011:16">Luke xi, -16</a>, <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lk%2011:29">29</a>; -<a class="biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" -href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jn%202:18">John ii, -18</a>, <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jn%202:24">24</a>; -<a class="biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" -href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jn%206:30">vi, -30</a>).</p> -<p class="par">One of the commonest miracles ascribed to religious -leaders of all sects and times, and one which never fails to convince -witnesses and hearers of the authenticity of such a leader’s -claims, is that of restoring the dead to life. Such miracles have been -so well attested that there seems little reason to suppose them -entirely fictitious.</p> -<p class="par">Everyone has heard of cases of catalepsy, and medical -history teems with cases of “suspended animation”; in fact, -the only actual proof of death is the entire decomposition of the vital -organs; therefore, the cruelty and crime of embalming corpses before -such a condition is apparent. Some undertakers actually insist upon -embalming before such conditions, because the dead can then be made to -“present a better appearance”!</p> -<p class="par">There are numerous well-proven cases of people lying for -days in cataleptic conditions, even with slight signs of decomposition -due to restricted circulation, and then returning to renewed lives and -perfectly healthy states. All Eastern travelers are familiar with the -practices of Hindu fakirs who allow themselves to be buried alive for -weeks, and are “resurrected” without having suffered. -Therefore, it does not seem improbable that some such acts on the parts -of various religious leaders may <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb53" -href="#pb53" name="pb53">53</a>]</span>have occurred which have excited -wonder with the ignorant, and interest among the educated. The early -Christians proclaimed many such wonderful works, albeit when challenged -by a wealthy pagan to produce even one such case, in payment for which -he would become a convert, a failure was the result.</p> -<p class="par">Orthodox Christians proclaim that Jesus raised from -death Jairus’ daughter, in entire forgetfulness of the actual -words accredited to their leader, which were, “The maid is not -dead, but sleepeth” (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%209:24">Matt. ix, -24</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mk%205:39">Mark v, -39</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lk%208:52">Luke viii, -52</a>), showing his opinion that she was in a cataleptic condition. -While neither of the first three gospels says aught of the raising of -Lazarus, we find it in John, who seems to have substituted it for the -story of Jairus’ daughter, which does not appear in his gospel. -According to this hyperbolical and probably demented authority, Jesus -raised Lazarus to life after he had been dead four days (<a class= -"biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jn%2011:17">John xi, -17</a>), although Jesus maintained that Lazarus was <i>not</i> dead -(<a class="biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" -href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jn%2011:11">John xi, -11</a>). He declared that “this sickness is not unto death, but -for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified -there-by” (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jn%2011:4">John xi, -4</a>), or, in other words, Jesus believed that the unfortunate Lazarus -was obliged to undergo this frightful experience that his seeming -resurrection might cause gaping among the vulgar, and add to the -prestige of the miracle worker. For this reason, he purposely postponed -going to <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb54" href="#pb54" name= -"pb54">54</a>]</span>the dying man, whom he might have saved, that he -might later have the glory of bringing him to life! Excellent ethics! -Finally, however, when he did depart, he said positively, “Our -friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of -sleep” (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jn%2011:11">John xi, -11</a>). Having arrived at the sepulchre, he approached it, groaning -and weeping, in a most theatrical manner, such as would appeal to a -highly strung audience, and cried in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come -forth!” whereupon the dead man arose and came out (<a class= -"biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jn%2011:33-35">John xi, -33, 35</a>, <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jn%2011:43">43</a>).</p> -<p class="par">Now, this may have been catalepsy, and it may have been -the strong voice and will of the Christ which caused the awakening, -but, in all probability, if the affair ever occurred, it was a -preconceived dramatic incident. All the actors were partisans of the -professed messiah, and the whole story reads like a play, and -undoubtedly the words “come forth” were the cue for the -waiting man to appear.</p> -<p class="par">It is by such contemptible methods that religions are -established. If the tale were due to the imagination of the author of -John, it is most discreditable to him, and places his hero in a very -bad light. If it actually occurred, it shows Jesus as a vain-glorious -boaster, anxious to show his power to the vulgar, and desirous of -gaining a following by charlatanry, either by raising a hypnotized man -or by creating a cheap melodrama.</p> -<p class="par">It had been prophesied (<a class="biblink xd21e43" -title="Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Esd%2013:50">2 Esdras -xiii, 50</a>) that the messiah should be a miracle worker, which -<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb55" href="#pb55" name= -"pb55">55</a>]</span>probably caused Jesus to affect this rôle -when he accepted the part of the messiah, and to condescend to soil his -mission by charlatanism, even to the raising of the dead in imitation -of the former prophets, Elijah and Elisha (<a class="biblink xd21e43" -title="Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Kgs%2017:16-24">I -Kings xvii, 16–24</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Kgs%204:18-34">II -Kings iv, 18–37</a>).</p> -<p class="par">It is rather amusing to hear Theodore Christlieb, that -well-named, sturdy old German supporter of orthodoxy, boldly assert in -irrevocable simplicity and straightforwardness, in his “Modern -Doubt and Christian Belief”: “However much in other -respects our opponents may differ, they all agree in the denial of -miracles, and unitedly storm this bulwark of the Christian faith; and -in its defense we have to combat them all at once. But whence this -unanimity? Because <i>with the truth of miracles the entire citadel of -Christianity stands or falls</i>. [The italics are his own.] For its -beginning is a miracle, its author is a miracle, its progress depends -upon miracles, and they will hereafter be its consummation. If the -principle of miracles be set aside, then all the heights of -Christianity will be leveled with one stroke, and naught will remain -but a heap of ruins. If we banish the supernatural from the Bible, -there is nothing left us but the covers” (pages 285–6).</p> -</div> -</div> -<div id="ch8" class="div1 chapter"><span class="pagenum">[<a href= -"#xd21e208">Contents</a>]</span> -<div class="divHead"> -<h2 class="main">VIII.—<span class="sc">Atonement and Salvation -by Faith</span>.</h2> -</div> -<div class="divBody"> -<p class="par first">The dogma of the atonement which very naturally -resulted from the theological interpretation <span class= -"pagenum">[<a id="pb56" href="#pb56" name="pb56">56</a>]</span>of the -crucifixion, was readily accepted by the Christian church. The idea of -averting disasters by sacrifice and thus causing one devoted victim to -bear the load of the sins of others, in payment of which his death was -acceptable, is one of the greatest antiquity, and we find sacrifices of -various kinds offered to propitiate the deities, from the simple -offerings of primitive man to the more elaborate sacrifices of a more -complicated society. Finally came the idea of human sacrifice and then -the culminating theory of the sacrifice of a divine being whose -suffering should atone for all the sins of mankind. The belief of -redemption from sin by the sufferings of a divine incarnation was -general and popular centuries before the time of Jesus. In the temple -of the moon the Albanians of the eastern Caucasus kept a number of -sacred slaves. When one exhibited more than usual symptoms of -inspiration, the high priest maintained him in the utmost luxury for a -year, after which he was anointed and led forth to be sacrificed. After -his death, the people stood upon the body as a purificationary -ceremony, it being believed that the dead man was possessed of a divine -spirit. The ancient Greeks were also familiar with the use of the human -scapegoat, and it was customary at Marsailles, one of the busiest and -most brilliant of the Greek colonies, to sacrifice an inspired man when -the city was ravaged by the plague. All are familiar with the old -Jewish practice of using the <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb57" href= -"#pb57" name="pb57">57</a>]</span>scapegoat as the vehicle for the -expiation of sins, and the whole theory of the atonement is little more -than a modernized expression of the old idea that the sins of the -community may be delegated to one agent to be sacrificed for the -purification of the rest.</p> -<p class="par">The prophecy, as it is called by John, made by Caiaphas, -the high priest, “it is expedient for us that one man should die -for the people, and that the whole nation perish not” (<a class= -"biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jn%2011:50">John xi, -50</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jn%2018:14">xviii, -14</a>), which has been seized upon by the Christians as a reference to -the vicarious atonement, is nothing more than the opinion of an ardent -orthodox Jew that if Jesus were permitted to live and preach he would -destroy the ancient faith and his converts would abandon the old -religion. The words “it is expedient <i>for us</i>” qualify -the whole statement. They signified that the priesthood would be -without a following were he allowed to continue. The idea of a -vicarious atonement for all the people would have been of no expediency -whatever to Caiaphas and his class. They felt that if orthodoxy fell by -Jesus’ preaching, the Romans could easily crush them, for it was -only by their union and the support of their ancient rites that they -could form any front to the imperial government; it was by these alone -that they had any political significance. Once dismembered, the Jews -would be scattered to the corners of the earth (<a class= -"biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jn%2011:52">John xi, -52</a>). This was the meaning of Caiaphas’ words, and he was -correct, <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb58" href="#pb58" name= -"pb58">58</a>]</span>for such was the actual case. When orthodoxy was -undermined, the Jewish nation was ruined.</p> -<p class="par"></p> -<div class="figure xd21e1249width"><img src="images/p058-1.png" alt= -"ANUBIS OR THOTH." width="459" height="317"> -<p class="figureHead">ANUBIS OR THOTH.</p> -<p class="par first">He “weighed the defects and merits of -departed souls, so that Osiris might judge and sentence -them.”</p> -</div> -<p class="par"></p> -<p class="par"></p> -<div class="figure xd21e1256width"><img src="images/p058-2.png" alt= -"RAISING THE DEAD." width="466" height="357"> -<p class="figureHead">RAISING THE DEAD.</p> -<p class="par first">In the Egyptian religion, Horus, son of Osiris, -raises the dead by communicating the life-giving principle. Note that -he employs the <i>crux ansata</i>.</p> -</div> -<p class="par"></p> -<p class="par">The doctrine that God was angry with humanity because of -its ancestors’ transgressions, and would forgive its sins only on -its acceptance of belief in the godhead of Jesus, is so entirely at -variance with the Jewish teachings, which held that God freely forgave -penitents on the confession of their sins (<a class="biblink xd21e43" -title="Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ex%2034:6-7">Ex. xxxiv, -6–7</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Neh%209:17">Neh. ix, -17</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ps%20103:3">Ps. ciii, -3</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ps%20130:4">cxxx, 4</a>; -<a class="biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" -href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Is%2033:24">Is. -xxxiii, 24</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Dn%209:9">Dan. ix, 9</a>) -that it was never accepted by them.</p> -<p class="par">Some old Christian writers believed that it was to the -devil that the Christ was sacrificed. Their belief in the justice of -the Supreme would not allow them to think that he demanded the -sacrifice of an innocent for the sins of the guilty. Proclus of -Constantinople, in the age of Austin, wrote that “the devil held -us in a state of servitude, boasting that he had bought us. It was -necessary, therefore, that all being condemned, either they should be -dragged to death, or a sufficient price be paid; and because no angel -had the wherewithal to pay it, it remained that God should die for -us.”</p> -<p class="par">While such an idea is certainly of a higher moral nature -than that which states that God sacrificed his own innocent son for -man, it has the unfortunate result of attributing to the devil greater -power than to God; for if the devil could demand and receive a part of -the god-head as ransom, then God himself was weaker than the arch -fiend. <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb59" href="#pb59" name= -"pb59">59</a>]</span></p> -<p class="par">Hislop, in his “Two Babylons,” commenting -upon the Chaldean doctrine that it was “by the works and merits -of men themselves that they must be justified and accepted of -God,” utterly condemns it, and glories in the dogma of the -atonement with great and illogical pleasure. Having reviewed the -Egyptian belief that Anubis weighed the merits and defects of departed -souls, so that Osiris, in accordance with the result, might judge and -sentence them; and the Parsee belief that the Angel of Justice sat on -the bridge of Chinevad, which connected heaven and earth, weighing -souls to decide whether or not they should enter paradise, he condemns -such theories as “utterly demoralizing,” and asserts that -no believer can ever have “any solid feeling of comfort, or -assurance as to his prospects in the eternal world,” which very -fact would seem conducive to clean lives and good deeds. Then he -continues in ecstasy to exalt the immoral Christian doctrine of -“justification by faith alone,” which he declares -<i>alone</i> “can produce a life of loving, filial, hearty -obedience to the law and commands of God,” and by which man may -reach salvation “absolutely irrespective of human merits, simply -and solely through the righteousness of Christ.”</p> -<p class="par">This is one of the most absurd and immoral doctrines of -all the absurd and immoral doctrines of Christianity, and one which -leads to all varieties of crime and misery. A man who believes that -simple faith <i>alone</i> is a perfect and acceptable passport -<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb60" href="#pb60" name= -"pb60">60</a>]</span>to eternal bliss will take no pains to lead either -a decent or useful life. He is at liberty to commit all the crimes -known to his nature; he may murder, steal, rape, and lie with impunity, -for his faith in Christ will save him from his well-deserved -punishment; while a man of high ethical standards and immaculate moral -principles, who spends his whole life in self-sacrifice for the -progress of humanity is doomed to damnation, unless he believe! What a -horrible doctrine! What a blasphemous conception of the justice of -God!</p> -<p class="par">Every student of comparative theology knows that such -views of atonement were centuries old at the date of the supposed birth -of the Christ, and that all sorts of sacrifices were made at the altars -of different gods with the same idea of atonement; but, aside from -this, is there not something cowardly and mean in trying to shirk the -responsibilities of one’s actions upon either an animal, a man, -or a god? Is it not contemptible to suppose that the death and -suffering of another will allow one to go unpunished, or that such -suffering is a license for humanity to sin? All that is ridiculous, -blasphemous, and illogical appears in this stupid dogma.</p> -</div> -</div> -<div id="ch9" class="div1 chapter"><span class="pagenum">[<a href= -"#xd21e216">Contents</a>]</span> -<div class="divHead"> -<h2 class="main">IX.—<span class="sc">The -Trinity—Mariolatry</span>.</h2> -</div> -<div class="divBody"> -<p class="par first">The dogma of the trinity, which was introduced, -strongly advocated, and finally successfully lobbied through the famous -Council of Nicaæ in 315, by that astute theological politician -Athanasius, Bishop <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb61" href="#pb61" -name="pb61">61</a>]</span>of Alexandria, split the Christian church in -twain and threw Europe into turmoil and bloodshed.</p> -<p class="par">Athanasius was the leader of the Alexandrian school of -Christian theology which drew its inspirations and ideas -largely—one might almost say, exclusively—from ancient -Egyptian sources. The Egyptians were an essentially religious people -whose deistic ideas were surrounded by ceremony, priestcraft, and -mysticism, all of which made such a deep impression upon the pliant -minds of the Alexandrian Christians that they molded their new faith in -the form of their old.</p> -<p class="par">The Egyptians highly revered the number three, which -they generally represented under the form of a triangle. To the -Egyptians nothing could be perfect or complete unless it was of three -component parts. Therefore, their gods were generally grouped in sets -of three, many cities having their own especial trinities. Horus was -divided into three persons, and Osiris, Isis and Horus were worshiped -under the sign of the triangle.</p> -<p class="par">But Egypt was not alone in her trinitarian ideas. The -theory of sex worship had a strong hold on all the peoples of -antiquity, and it is not surprising to find similar religious -expressions in India. One of the most prominent features of Indian -theology is the doctrine of the divine triad governing all things. This -triad is called the Tri-murti and consists of Brahma, the creator, -Vishnu, the preserver, and Siva, the destroyer. It is an inseparable -unity <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb62" href="#pb62" name= -"pb62">62</a>]</span>though three in form. The inhabitants of China and -Japan, most of whom are Buddhists, worship God in the form of a -trinity. The Persians have a similar triad composed of Ormuzd, the -creator, Mithras, the son, and Ahriman, the destroyer. The ancient -Scandinavians likewise worshiped a triple deity who was yet one god, -and consisted of Odin, Thor, and Frey.</p> -<p class="par">One of the many weak points in the doctrine of the -trinity, and one that must be noticeable even to Christians, is that, -according to the New Testament, the apostles themselves never seem to -have recognized the divinity of Jesus, but always treated him as a -human Jew like themselves. This attitude of the early Christian -disciples is noted by Priestley, who remarks in his “Corruptions -of Christianity” (page 136): “It can never be thought that -Peter and the others would have made so free with our Lord, as they -sometimes did, if they had considered him as their <i>maker</i>, and -the being who supported the whole universe; and therefore must have -been present in every part of creation, giving his attention to -everything, and exerting his power upon everything, at the same time -that he was familiarly conversing with them. Moreover, the history of -the <i>temptation</i> must be altogether improbable in such a -supposition. For what could be the offer of the kingdoms of this world -to him who made the world, and was already in possession of it?” -<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb63" href="#pb63" name= -"pb63">63</a>]</span></p> -<p class="par">Numerous texts which tend to affirm the humanity of -Jesus have been stumbling blocks in the paths of the trinitarians, and -they have taken great pains to explain away these embarrassing texts, -even at the cost of much ingenuity and absurdity. Paul, the real -founder of the faith, in his first epistle to Timothy, says: “For -there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the <i>man</i> -Christ Jesus” (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Tm%202:5">1 Tim. ii, -5</a>); and again in his first epistle to John he remarks: “No -man hath seen God” (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Jn%204:12">1 John iv, -12</a>). Such phrases as “Why callest thou me good? There is none -good but one, that is God” (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%2019:17">Matt. xix, -17</a>), and “But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told -you the truth, which I have heard of God” (<a class= -"biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jn%208:40">John viii, -40</a>), do not appear to be fitting remarks for the second person of -the trinity. Again, the words, “My Father is greater than -I” (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jn%2014:28">John xiv, -28</a>), were likewise difficult of explanation by those who held that -every member of the trinity is coequal, but Austin got around this by -declaring that “Christ having emptied himself of his former -glory, and being in form of a servant, was then less, not only than his -Father, but even than himself”!</p> -<p class="par">The same writer asserts that the words, “that the -Son knew not the time of the day of judgment, but only the -Father” (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mk%2013:32">Mark xiii, -32</a>), means that while Jesus did know something of the trinity, he -would not make it known to others—thus making a downright liar of -his God. <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb64" href="#pb64" name= -"pb64">64</a>]</span></p> -<p class="par">The whole of trinitarianism is epitomized in the phrase -of Peter Lombard, who, having made the impossible arithmetical -assertion that no one person of the trinity is less than the other two, -says: “He that can receive this, let him receive it; but he that -cannot, let him, however, believe it; and let him pray that what he -believes he may understand.”</p> -<p class="par">Jesus having been ordained one of the godhead, the only -begotten son of the most high god, the worship of his mother naturally -followed; for who could reasonably refuse to bend the knee to the one -virgin of all humanity, considered worthy of the honor of bearing the -incarnate deity? It was all the easier for the Christian church to -adopt this practice, that it had been one of the principal features of -the ancient theologies. All nations have worshiped a pure, chaste queen -of heaven, a personification of that beautiful celestial body that -smiles so benignly down on earth every month. In every land the moon -was worshiped as a mother goddess, pure, beautiful, and loving; for -there is not the slightest doubt that the virgin queen of heaven, so -commonly worshiped by all nations, was merely a personification of the -moon.</p> -<p class="par">Isis, mother of the Egyptian savior Horus, was worshiped -as a virgin and was styled “Our Lady,” “Queen of -Heaven,” “Mother of God,” “Intercessor,” -and “Immaculate Virgin.” She was commonly represented with -the divine infant seated on <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb65" href= -"#pb65" name="pb65">65</a>]</span>her lap, or standing on a crescent -moon, and having a glory of twelve stars about her head.</p> -<p class="par"></p> -<div class="figure xd21e1369width"><img src="images/p064.png" alt= -"ISIS AND HORUS." width="318" height="660"> -<p class="figureHead">ISIS AND HORUS.</p> -<p class="par first">The Egyptians frankly surmounted the effigies of -their Virgin Mother with the figure of a fish, the form of which -suggests the reason. The fish was associated with Isis, representing -the female element in creation. It is associated with the <i lang= -"la">dies Veneris</i> (day of Venus). Friday is fish day, and Friday is -named after Friga, a goddess of the ancient Scandinavians, -Anglo-Saxons, and Germans, corresponding to the Roman Venus. That Roman -Catholics profess to eat fish on Friday by way of abstinence in -commemoration of the crucifixion does not mislead those acquainted with -the antiquity of the symbol.</p> -</div> -<p class="par"></p> -<p class="par">With the adoption of the worship of Isis to -Christianity, the crescent moon became a sacred symbol of Mary, who was -often portrayed standing upon one. It was held peculiarly sacred by the -Greek church and a large crescent moon of gold adorned the dome of St. -Sophia at Constantinople. When the city fell in 1453 before the Turkish -arms, the Sultan adopted the crescent as a symbol of his victorious -power and as a humiliation to his Christian enemies, and thus again the -religious significance of the crescent changed, and as an emblem of a -Mohammedan power soon came to be regarded by the forgetful Christians -with horror and a deadly hatred.</p> -<p class="par">The ancient Chaldees believed in a celestial -virgin-mother to whom the erring sinner might appeal, and Shin-moo, the -mother goddess, occupies a conspicuous place in Chinese worship. The -Babylonians and Assyrians worshiped a goddess called Mylitta, whose son -Tammuz is said to have arisen from the dead.</p> -<p class="par">In India they have worshiped for ages Devaki, the mother -of Krishna, and Maya, the mother of Buddha, both of whom are -represented with the infant saviors in their arms. Their statues, -similar to the Christian madonnas, are found in Hindu temples, and -their portraits are always accompanied by halos. <span class= -"pagenum">[<a id="pb66" href="#pb66" name="pb66">66</a>]</span></p> -<p class="par">Sochiquetzal, mother of Quetzalcoatl, was worshiped in -Mexico as the mother of their crucified savior. As queen of heaven and -the chaste and immaculate protectress of women, the Greek Hera and her -Roman prototype, Juno, were worshiped by the ancient classical world, -while the virtuous Diana of Ephesus held a similar place in -Phœnician mythology.</p> -<p class="par">All the ancient beliefs in the virgin queen of heaven -and her miraculous child probably had more or less effect on the growth -of virgin worship in the Christian church; but it was undoubtedly -Egyptian influence which was most powerful in the adoption of it, just -as it was in regard to the trinitarian dogma. The worship of Isis and -Horus was introduced into Rome during the early days of the empire and -was readily accepted. And with its introduction came those basalt -images of the goddess and her child which have since been adopted by -the Christians as ancient representations of Mary and Jesus, albeit -they are as black as Ethiopians. Many centuries before, the worship of -the Greek goddess Hera had been instituted at Rome under the name of -Juno, and she was especially regarded as the chaste and immaculate -protectress of women. And it was the combination of the worship offered -to these two deities that the Christian church condensed into the -worship of the mother of Jesus, to which it added the attributes of -Diana, making Mary the patroness of chastity as well as fruitfulness! -<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb67" href="#pb67" name= -"pb67">67</a>]</span>In Dante’s day it was customary to invoke -the Virgin Mary at childbirth just as Juno Lucina was invoked by the -pagan ancestors of the Italians.</p> -<p class="par">The worship of the virgin as <i>theotokos</i>, the -mother of god, was promulgated at the general council of Ephesus, which -was called by the Emperor Theodosius II in 431, and, after that date, -and up to the present time, we find this lowly Jewish peasant girl -delineated in all the insignia of royalty and portrayed in the most -beautiful and patrician type of classical beauty.</p> -<p class="par">With the adoration of Mary rose the legend that she, -too, had ascended bodily into heaven and was there crowned by her son -and bidden to sit eternally upon his right hand that she might plead -with him to mitigate the punishments of sinners, thus allowing that the -judgment of this second member of the holy trinity might be fallible, -or at least open to influence.</p> -<p class="par">Having raised the virgin to this immense height, the -natural sequence was to go a step farther and grant to her also -immaculate origin. This idea was first noticed in the eleventh century -and steadily grew until in 1494 Sextus the Fourth officially recognized -it and gave it the solemn sanction of the church, and in July, 1615, -Paul the Fifth instituted the office commemorating her immaculate -conception. Virgin worship has continued to grow and flourish, and even -so late as 1854, Pius the Ninth <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb68" -href="#pb68" name="pb68">68</a>]</span>issued a bull officially -declaring Mary the “Mediatrix” between Christ and the -faithful.</p> -<p class="par">Mary is not, however, the only intercessor that stands -between man and his God. There is an immense horde of saints who also -occupy positions of honor about the heavenly throne. These immortal -semi-human beings are created by a decree of the Roman pontiff and -their canonization has often been due to whimsical reasoning. That all -the apostles, martyrs, and early Christian fathers should have been -raised to this holy peerage is not so remarkable; but that such honor -should have been conferred on the wicked, unscrupulous, and vicious -Constantine, and his almost unknown mother Helena; on the powerful and -warlike Charlemagne; and on the ambitious and ungrateful Thomas -à Becket, seems strange to say the least.</p> -</div> -</div> -<div id="ch10" class="div1 chapter"><span class="pagenum">[<a href= -"#xd21e224">Contents</a>]</span> -<div class="divHead"> -<h2 class="main">X.—<span class="sc">The Saints—Good and -Evil Spirits</span>.</h2> -</div> -<div class="divBody"> -<p class="par first">That this army of saints was originally created to -replace the body of heroes and demi-gods of antiquity cannot be -doubted. The compliance with which the church converted pagan deities -into Christian heroes is perfectly well known, and it is shown in many -ways. Ancient statues were declared to represent newly canonized saints -to whom pagan attributes were unhesitatingly given—often most -ridiculously. At the temple of Sebona, in Nubia, the Christians -replaced the figure of the old god of the temple, which appeared in a -fresco, by <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb69" href="#pb69" name= -"pb69">69</a>]</span>that of St. Peter, thus depicting King Rameses the -Second as presenting his offering to the Christian saint! The statue of -Jupiter in St. Peter’s at Rome has been declared that of the -erstwhile fisherman, and its original thunderbolts have been replaced -by the keys, which the Christian mythologists have filched from the god -Janus to bestow on their revered patron in accordance with the promise -of <a class="biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" -href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%2016:19">Matthew -xvi, 19</a>. Rome is full of proofs of this conversion of heathen to -Christian deities. The temple formerly sacred to the Bona Dea was -dedicated to the Virgin Mary; the church of Saint Apollinaris stands on -the spot formerly dedicated to Apollo; and the temple of Mars was given -to St. Martina. The very names of some of the saints have an old -familiar sound—as St. Baccho, St. Quirinus, St. Romula, St. -Redempta, St. Concordia, St. Nympha, and St. Mercurius.</p> -<p class="par">The Christian symbolism of its heroes has also a -decidedly pagan flavor. The ancient winged lion of the Egyptian -mythology is made to portray St. Mark; the sacred bull denotes St. -Luke; while St. John is generously supplied with both the eagle of Jove -and the hawk’s head of Horus.</p> -<p class="par"></p> -<div class="figure xd21e1420width"><img src="images/p069.png" alt= -"THE PALLIUM." width="416" height="418"> -<p class="figureHead">THE PALLIUM.</p> -<p class="par first">The symbolism of that part of the dress of the -priest and nun which conforms to the superimposed portion of the -<i>crux ansata</i> is too plain to need explanation. The idea of the -creative parts and of birth is involved.</p> -</div> -<p class="par"></p> -<p class="par">The idea of intercession, which is the principal -attribute of all the saints, is also a very ancient religious theory -and probably came with the other dogmas already mentioned from -Alexandria, as we find that the Egyptians believed that some of their -gods—and particularly the four gods of the -dead—<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb70" href="#pb70" name= -"pb70">70</a>]</span>acted as mediators with the stern judge Osiris and -attempted to turn aside his wrath and the punishment of sins.</p> -<p class="par"></p> -<div class="figure xd21e1434width"><img src="images/p070.png" alt= -"ENLIGHTENMENT AND IGNORANCE." width="403" height="720"> -<p class="figureHead">ENLIGHTENMENT AND IGNORANCE.</p> -</div> -<p class="par"></p> -<p class="par">Much akin to the saints, though differing from them in -form and in never having been mortal, are the angels. These beings -combine the wings of the Roman victories with the sweet voices of the -Teutonic elves and the classical sirens, and are in many ways similar -to the famous northern valkyries who wore shirts of swan plumage and -hovered over Scandinavian battlefields to receive the souls of falling -heroes. The Hindu <i>apsaras</i> and Moslem <i>houris</i> belong to the -same family. A few years ago a bitter controversy arose in New York -Episcopal circles as to the sex of these unearthly creatures, some -strenuously advocating their masculinity, while others gallantly -asserted that they were essentially feminine, but the earlier idea was -that they were entirely sexless, combining the characteristic virtues -of both sexes.</p> -<p class="par">Apart from both saints and angels stands another figure -in the Christian mythology—one, however, that has no actual -counterpart in the ancient faiths. This is Satan. The classical -religious systems had no such conception, their king of the dead being -a gloomy and austere deity without any of the malicious or mischievous -propensities of the more modern devil, and having no designs upon the -welfare of mankind. The medieval conception of the devil was a -grotesque compound of elements derived <span class="pagenum">[<a id= -"pb71" href="#pb71" name="pb71">71</a>]</span>from all the pagan -mythologies which Christianity superseded. From the sylvan deity Pan he -gets his goat-like body, his horns and cloven hoofs; his lameness was -due to his fall from heaven, in imitation of the fall of the Roman -Vulcan; and his red beard was taken from the lightning god Thor, as was -also his power over the thunderbolts; while his pitchfork is the -converted trident of Neptune.</p> -<p class="par">That much of the absurd fabric of Christianity is built -upon a belief in Satan cannot be denied, for the whole theology is -based upon the necessity of a savior whose death atones for the sins of -mankind, which were consequent upon man’s fall from grace through -the machinations of the devil. Had man never fallen, there were no need -of a savior. Had man never been tempted, he would never have fallen, -and in no words was the necessity of a belief in the devil more plainly -set forth than by that most orthodox writer, des Mousseaux, in his -“<span lang="fr">Moeurs et Pratiques des Demons</span>,” -published in 1852. He says: “The Devil is the chief pillar of -Faith. He is one of the grand personages whose life is closely allied -to that of the church, and without his speech, which issued out so -triumphantly from the mouth of the serpent, the fall of man could never -have taken place. Thus, if it were not for him, the Savior, the -Crucified, the Redeemer, would be but the most ridiculous of -supernumeraries and the cross an insult to good sense!” In his -preface to “<span lang="fr">Les Hauts Phenomènes de la -Magie</span>,” <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb72" href="#pb72" -name="pb72">72</a>]</span>des Mousseaux repeats this theory: “If -magic and spiritualism were both but chimeras, we would have to bid an -eternal farewell to all the rebellious angels now troubling the world; -for thus we would have no more demons down here.... And if we lost our -demons, we would lose our Savior likewise; for, from whom did that -Savior save us? And then there would be no more Redeemer; for, from -whom or what could that Redeemer redeem us? Hence, there would be no -more Christianity.” He evidently regards Satan as “the -prince of this world” (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jn%2012:31">John xii, -31</a>; <a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jn%2016:11">xvi, 11</a>); -<span class="corr" id="xd21e1467" title= -"Source: ‘">“</span>the god of this world” (<a class= -"biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Cor%204:4">Cor. iv, -4</a>); and “the prince of the power of the air” (<a class= -"biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Eph%202:2">Eph. ii, -2</a>).</p> -<p class="par">The universally accepted belief of Christendom in the -almost absolute power of the devil was the cause of the most awful -persecution of innocence that the world has ever seen. While the -tortures of the heretics by the Inquisition had some cause of a -political as well as ecclesiastical nature, the houndings of those -accused of witchcraft and sorcery had no foundation save in -superstition and gross ignorance. During the Christian era millions of -persons have been destroyed for this crime in conformity to the -command, “Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live” (<a class= -"biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ex%2022:18">Ex. xxii, -18</a>). The Roman church recognized and punished the crime; Luther -approved of the burning of witches; the Scotch reformers did likewise, -and the Puritans of New England delighted in the persecution. -<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb73" href="#pb73" name= -"pb73">73</a>]</span></p> -<p class="par">While all religiously orthodox people accept the -narrative of scriptural miracles with unquestioning faith and never -cast a doubt on the greatest improbabilities so long as they are told -of biblical heroes, these very people assign all the seeming -supernatural affairs of post-scriptural times to the devil. Psychical -phenomena which, if performed two thousand years ago by Jesus (such as -the resurrection of Lazarus and the materialization to the Magdalene), -they accept without hesitation, they brand as trickery or a delusion or -Satan, when placed before them by a professed Spiritualist.</p> -<p class="par">Witches and wizards were condemned to horrible deaths by -the medieval church for performing the very identical acts for which -the same church canonized departed saints and instituted offices for -their adoration and worship; and modern Christians smile and sneer -derisively at fortune tellers, but condemn in holy horror as heretics -those who refuse to believe in the foreseeing powers of the ancient -Hebrew prophets.</p> -<p class="par">This Christian devil-worship, for it can be called -little else, crept into Judaism during the Babylonian captivity, and -was originally a recognition of the dual powers of good and evil, -seemingly coequal. By placing Satan in opposition to God, in giving him -eternal life, and endowing him with miraculous powers, and even -allowing him to upset and vanquish the plans of God, Christians have -made Satan equal, if not superior, to the Deity. A Puritan <span class= -"pagenum">[<a id="pb74" href="#pb74" name="pb74">74</a>]</span>bigot -hanging witches in New England was admitting in the plainest manner his -faith in Satan’s power, though it never occurred to him for an -instant that these curious happenings might be attributed to God. The -power of God to perform miracles was then, as now, a matter of the -past. With the Protestant Reformation came the idea that no longer did -God interfere for the benefit of man. In the seventeenth century God -had ceased to work by other than natural agencies. His miraculous -powers, if not lost, were at least suspended. But not so -Satan—that archfiend was as powerful as ever, if not more so. He -could inflict magical tortures on God’s divinely elect and make -them writhe in agony. Pious Cotton Mather had ceased to believe in -divine miracles, but he had no doubt of devilish ones, and it appears -to all students of that dark and shameful period of our history that -the belief was rampant among the majority that God was vanquished and -Satan ruled. Never was belief in the dual principles of good and evil -more surely set forth in ancient Persia than it was in New England by -such harsh, cruel, and bigoted priests as Mather and Parrish.</p> -<p class="par">Today, while all churchmen have grown more liberal, we -still find both in pulpit and pew innumerable believers in the power of -Satan to tempt and force erring humanity into wrong and sinful paths in -miraculous salvation from which by God they have no faith. Today, -instead of earthly and <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb75" href="#pb75" -name="pb75">75</a>]</span>present salvation by the Deity from the -clutches of Satan, the belief seems prevalent that a post-mortem -salvation is more efficacious, and that all that is required for -eternal bliss is belief in the vicarious atonement of the Christ. To -hear our orthodox friends declaim on the powers of Satan almost makes -one ready to believe that God is dead and Satan rules supreme. Such is -the blasphemy of demonic faith.</p> -<p class="par">While Satan, as the arch-enemy, is somewhat similar to -the Persian Ahriman, he is not alone in his wickedness. When -Christianity came into power and supplanted paganism as the Roman state -religion, it immediately debased all of the pagan gods, whom it did not -appropriate to itself as saints, to devils and assigned them -subordinate positions in hell, under command of the great Satan. And -thus, all the beautiful water sprites, sylvan nymphs, spirits of the -air, and other lesser deities, became the associates of wickedness, -and, as such, continued, until a very recent date, to hold sway over -the superstitious imaginations of the majority of Europeans.</p> -<p class="par">The mediæval church likewise invented the famous -<i>succubæ</i> and <i>incubi</i>, the former demons impersonating -the beautiful nymphs of the old mythology and attacking the virtue of -youths with their seductive arts, while the latter, in imitation of the -ancient satyrs, sought the virginity of unsuspecting maidens; all of -which may readily be learned of in accounts <span class= -"pagenum">[<a id="pb76" href="#pb76" name="pb76">76</a>]</span>of the -many trials held by “the Holy Inquisition,” in which such -were condemned as had held intercourse with these demons.</p> -<p class="par">In many cases, women swearing to have had intercourse -with <i>incubi</i> were merely suffering from erotic and nymphomaniac -hallucinations, while others may have found it a convenient excuse for -explaining illicit impregnations. Men, falling under the charms of -women, found it a convenient method for disposing of their loves, after -the infatuation had passed, by declaring them <i>succubæ</i>; and -monks, who had contracted venereal diseases, laid their sufferings to -these same fair demons. In the case of the monks, however, the -<i>succubæ</i> were often of purely hallucinary origin, due to -excessive asceticism together with the suppression of natural desires -and a too faithful conformity to the ordinance of celibacy. Nymphomania -is also prevalent in convents, owing to the unnatural sexual lives led -by the nuns, who either remain truly chaste or abandon themselves to -all sorts of debauchery and perverted lubricities. In former times -these rages of demented women were supposed to have been caused by -possession of demons, which tormented them at the orders of magicians, -and advantage was often taken by the unscrupulous to accuse their -enemies of the crime of sorcery, and thus cause their execution.</p> -<p class="par">One of the most famous of these horrible affairs was -that of Loudin in Poitiers, where the nuns of <span class= -"pagenum">[<a id="pb77" href="#pb77" name="pb77">77</a>]</span>the -Ursuline convent, becoming hysterical and demented, swore themselves -afflicted by Urbain Grandier, a priest of the local church, and despite -the attempts of the rational bailiff and sensible civil lieutenants, -some enemies of the curé among the exorcists managed to secure -the arrest, torture, and final burning of the unfortunate man in 1632. -Later, it was discovered that, being personally attractive, handsome -and gallant, Grandier, who never denied his numerous amours, had -incurred the enmity of the Loudin nuns by entirely ignoring their -advances; and hell hath no fury like a woman scorned! These libidinous -women, constantly brooding over disappointment to their fond hopes, -gave such a character of demonic possession to their neurosis that -advantage could be taken of it by rival priests to rid themselves of an -envied enemy. The writhings, gesticulations, convulsions, etc., of -these unfortunate women, combined with the indecency of their actions -on the approach of the exorcists (caused merely by the approach of a -male), were believed by the vulgar to be demonstrations of demonic -possession. Other nuns, seeing the attention and notoriety thus gained -by these sisters, although themselves free from dementia, could not -resist the temptation to simulate its forms and thus acquire renown for -themselves.</p> -<p class="par">Thus arose those horrible demonical scenes which -occupied the attention of all Europe during the seventeenth century and -seemed to point to the possession <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb78" -href="#pb78" name="pb78">78</a>]</span>of all convents by devils. And -not convents alone, for other hysterical women, without the walls, -possessed of the same rage for notoriety, took up the character of -demonic possessed and spread the vulgar superstition until it seems -that every woman in Europe who was so unfortunate as to be in any way -afflicted with tendencies to hysteria, neurosis, idiocy, or dementia of -any character whatever, came to be regarded as in the power of a demon, -which in turn was the slave of some magician. And thus, through the -influence of an ignorant and unscrupulous priesthood, a powerful engine -was placed at its disposal for the removal of enemies. Executions for -sorcery continued until their very number and barbarity palled, and the -wearied people were ready for their abolition, when the Reformation -opened and with the accession of power, Protestantism, in this matter, -at least, swayed the masses to reason once more.</p> -<p class="par">Dr. Figuier, in his “Histoire du -Merveilleux,” explains these demonical possessions as entirely -due to hypnotism, and, ignoring the nymphomaniac theory, asserts that -the exorcists themselves hypnotized the nuns for their own glory and -for purposes of vengeance. One page 234 of volume I he says: -“<span lang="fr">L’appareil deployé par les -exorcistes, leurs adjurations, leurs gestes imposants et -forcenés, tenaient lieu des manipulations que nos magnetiseurs -emploient pour endormir leurs sujets. Operant sur des jeunes filles -nerveuses, malades, melancoliques, <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb79" -href="#pb79" name="pb79">79</a>]</span>les exorcistes produisaient chez -elles une partie des phenomènes auxquels donné lieu le -<i>somnambulisme artificiel</i>.</span>”</p> -<p class="par">The universal belief in evil spirits became a powerful -engine for the advancement of the church. By its use all those who were -inimical to the church could be put out of the way as comrades of -devils, and, furthermore, the theory was advanced that only by the -exorcisms of the church could man be protected from malevolent powers. -Holy water, signs of the cross, repetitions of the name of Mary had -full power to annul all the machinations of the demons, but only in the -hands of the true believers was this efficacious. To preserve one from -the dangers of demonic spite, absolute orthodoxy was essential, and -thus a great premium was imposed upon strict adherence to the church. -Thus was gross superstition a most powerful factor in the growth and -spread of Christianity. According to Lecky: “There was scarcely a -village or a church that had not, at some time, been the scene of -supernatural interposition. The powers of light and the powers of -darkness were regarded as visibly struggling for the mastery. Saintly -miracles, supernatural cures, startling judgments, visions, prophecies, -and prodigies of every order, attested the activity of the one, while -witchcraft and magic, with all their attendant horrors, were the -visible manifestations of the other.... Tens of thousands of victims -perished by the most agonizing and protracted <span class= -"pagenum">[<a id="pb80" href="#pb80" name= -"pb80">80</a>]</span>torments, without exciting the slightest -compassion.... Nations that were separated by position, by interests, -and by character, on this question were united.” And the germ of -all this evil lay in the very foundation of Christianity—the -faith held in supernatural agencies.</p> -<p class="par">The belief in the supernatural agency in the temptation -of Eve, the temptations of Jesus, the possibility of the miraculous -conception, and the miracles of Christ, were but stepping-stones to -faith in innumerable invisible but potent powers. One who can -conscientiously believe in the supernatural as found between the covers -of the Bible can, by but a slight stretch of the imagination, believe -any preposterous tale that is woven about a supernatural agency. If one -can believe a woman can conceive without contact with semen, one can -believe some old woman can dry up his cow. If one can believe that -Jesus actually raised Lazarus from the dead, one can believe that a man -can kill him by sticking pins in a wax effigy. If one can believe that -Elijah ascended to heaven in a fiery chariot, one can believe that -Goody Jones rode a broomstick through the air. If one can believe that -the Christ was actually tempted by the devil, one can believe in -<i>succubæ</i> and <i>incubi</i>. It is all a matter of logical -reasoning. As soon as a Christian’s intellectual powers develop -to a point where he can find no place for the miraculous in the world -about him, he begins to doubt that which was in the world <span class= -"pagenum">[<a id="pb81" href="#pb81" name="pb81">81</a>]</span>before -him; but, regarding theological tales, he either places them in another -category or ignores them, unless faced with them, when he crawls and -calls them “sacred mysteries.” That an old woman can sour -his milk or kill his child by the evil eye he does not believe, for -reason has taught him otherwise. And for the same reason he would not -believe his daughter if she told him she was pregnant with a miraculous -child. He did not believe Josephine Woodbury when she made a similar -statement in Boston a few years ago. But he does believe it of Mary, -because it is a “holy mystery,” and is in another category. -He has inherited his faith from a long line of orthodox ancestors, and -he has never stopped to consider it by the light of pure reason. It is -fortunate for the dogma of the virgin birth that it took root when -people believed such things, otherwise Mary would have been adorned -with the scarlet letter.</p> -<p class="par"></p> -<div class="figure xd21e1552width"><img src="images/p081.png" alt= -"JUDGING THE DEAD." width="463" height="456"> -<p class="figureHead">JUDGING THE DEAD.</p> -<p class="par first">Like the Christian demi-god, the Egyptian deity -Osiris is represented upon his judgment seat. His resurrection and -ascension were celebrated in early spring, at about the time known in -Christian countries as Easter.</p> -</div> -<p class="par"></p> -<p class="par"></p> -<div class="figure xd21e1559width"><img src="images/p082.png" alt= -"VULCAN." width="378" height="720"> -<p class="figureHead">VULCAN.</p> -</div> -<p class="par"></p> -<p class="par">Feasts, fasts and elaborate ceremonials were important -features of the most ancient worships, and it is not, therefore, -strange to find somewhat modified adaptations of them in the Christian -church. For, wherever Christianity wandered and found firmly implanted -religious theories and customs, it immediately gave them new -significations and accepted them, until finally the greater part of -paganism was gathered from all parts of the civilized world and -amalgamated into one strong theological organization. Finding -<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb82" href="#pb82" name= -"pb82">82</a>]</span>in almost every nation a festival at the winter -solstice, in commemoration of the accouchement of the celestial, virgin -queen of heaven, and the birth of the sun-god, the Christian fathers -decided to adopt the 25th of December as the natal day of their -Christ.</p> -<p class="par">Mithras, Osiris, Horus, Bacchus, Adonis and Buddha were -all said to have been born on this day, and it is the date of one of -the greatest religious festivals of India, during which the people -decorate their houses with garlands and make presents to relatives and -friends; a custom adopted by the Christians in much the same manner as -was that of the ancient German yule-log, burned in honor of the -sun-god.</p> -</div> -</div> -<div id="ch11" class="div1 chapter"><span class="pagenum">[<a href= -"#xd21e232">Contents</a>]</span> -<div class="divHead"> -<h2 class="main">XI.—<span class="sc">Religious Holidays and -Rites</span>.</h2> -</div> -<div class="divBody"> -<p class="par first">The winter solstice was also the time of the great -Scandinavian festival in honor of Frey, son of Odin and Frigga, who was -supposed to have been born at this time. The Jews, likewise, have a -feast beginning on the 25th of December, which lasts eight days, and is -in memory of the victory of the Maccabees over the Greeks. It is called -the feast of Hanuca.</p> -<p class="par">A great annual festival, called the “feast of -lamps,” was held by the Egyptians in the early part of the year -in honor of the goddess Neith, during which lamps of oil were burned -all night before the houses. This festival was renamed <span class= -"pagenum">[<a id="pb83" href="#pb83" name= -"pb83">83</a>]</span>Candlemas or the “purification of the -virgin,” and was adopted by the Christian church.</p> -<p class="par">The ancient pagan inhabitants of Europe annually -celebrated a spring festival which began with a week’s indulgence -in all kinds of sports and was called the <i>carne-vale</i>, or taking -farewell of meat, because a fast of forty days immediately followed. In -Germany this was held in honor of the Saxon goddess Hertha, or Ostara, -or Eostre—as you may prefer to call her—whose name was -adopted as Easter by the Christians as the name to be applied to the -end of their lenten period. Among the Syrians it was the custom to -celebrate an elaborate festival at the time of the spring equinox in -honor of the glorious Adonis, beloved of the great goddess Astarte. -This worship was later introduced into Greece, whence it traveled to -Rome with the majority of Grecian mythological theories. It was later -introduced into Egypt, where it was annually celebrated at Alexandria, -the cradle of Christianity, until the latter part of the fourth -century, when a Christian significance was given it.</p> -<p class="par">The myth of Adonis is too well known to need repetition -here, and its parallel to that of the Christ is readily seen. The -ceremonies now held in Rome at Easter are but slightly different from -those held there at the same time of year centuries ago. This -similarity was explained away by the assertion of the Christian fathers -“that <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb84" href="#pb84" name= -"pb84">84</a>]</span>a long time before there were Christians in -existence, the devil had taken pleasure to have their future mysteries -and ceremonies copied by <i>his</i> worshipers”—a very -simple and satisfactory explanation!</p> -<p class="par">That Easter is in reality an astronomical festival in -honor of the sun-god seems conclusive from the fact that it occurs on -no settled date, but takes place on the first Sunday after the first -full moon after the passing of the vernal equinox, which, for -convenience, is fixed at March 21.</p> -<p class="par">Among the many Christian fasts of pagan origin none is -more familiar to all than the weekly Friday abstinence from meat. Under -the old mythology, Friday, the <i lang="la">dies veneris</i>, was -sacred to Venus, and on that day the devout worshipers of this charming -goddess ate nothing but fish, as all the “finny tribe” were -sacred to her, and considered proper diet for those that worshiped at -her shrine.</p> -<p class="par">When the Bishop of Rome assumed the power and dignity of -head of the western church, he also assumed all the prerogatives of the -ancient <i lang="la">pontifex maximus</i> (who was supposed to be the -direct physical communication between the people and the deities), and -many of the attributes of the emperors. He adopted the gorgeous -vestments of the ancient high priest and even stretched forth a foot to -be kissed, as Heliogabalus had done. He considered himself capable -<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb85" href="#pb85" name= -"pb85">85</a>]</span>of raising such as he saw fit to semi-divine -honors by canonization, just as the emperors had raised altars to their -favorites, and he claimed precedence over every monarch of the earth, -just as they also had done. But the Roman pontiff is not unique in his -position of viceroy of the deity. The grand lama of Thibet is -considered as the representative of Buddha and has the power of -dispensing divine blessings on whomsoever he will. Taoism also has a -pope who resides on the Lung-hû mountain, in the department of -Kwang-hsi, who bears the surname Chang and is called “Heavenly -Master.”</p> -<p class="par">The best known rites of the Christian church are -probably those of baptism, confession and communion, with which are -associated the ideas of purification, prayer and -transubstantiation.</p> -<p class="par">The rite of baptism, like all ideas which refer to the -purification of sin by water, is a most ancient one. Rivers, as sources -of purification, were at an early date invested with a sacred -character, and every great river was supposed to be permeated with a -divine essence and its waters were believed to cleanse from all mortal -guilt and contamination. The Ganges and the Jordan are well known -examples of this faith, and vases of Ganges water are to be found in -almost every dwelling in India for religious purposes. In Mongolia and -Thibet children are named by the priests, who immerse them in holy -water while <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb86" href="#pb86" name= -"pb86">86</a>]</span>reading a prescribed prayer, after which the name -is bestowed. Baptism preceded initiation into the mysteries of both the -Egyptian Isis and the Persian Mithras, and was held to be the means of -regeneration and of remission of sins.</p> -<p class="par">Tertullian, noticing the great similarity between the -Christian and pagan baptisms, naïvely remarked that the devil -“baptizes some, of course, such as believe in him and are -faithful to him; he promises expiation of sins from the bath, and, if -my memory of Mithras serves me still, in this rite he signs his -soldiers on their foreheads.”</p> -<p class="par">Much akin to baptism is the general use by the Christian -church of so-called holy water, which is ascribed to Pope Alexander the -First, who ruled during the first century. This pontiff probably did -little more than officially to condone, by his papal sanction, the very -general use of lustral water, which the Romans had inherited from their -pagan ancestors; for lustral water was always kept in vases at the -entrance of the Roman temples, that those passing in and out might -sprinkle themselves with it; and the priests used a sprinkling brush -called the <i lang="la">aspersorium</i> with which they threw the -purifying water over their congregations, in the same manner as modern -priests use the hyssop. The druids gave, or sprinkled upon, the -worshipers water in which mistletoe had been immersed or steeped. -<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb87" href="#pb87" name= -"pb87">87</a>]</span></p> -<p class="par">Similar to the idea of purification by baptism is that -of purification by confession and prayer. The idea involved in -confession is that the declaration of the crime relieves the conscience -of its criminality. In Iceland and among the Scandinavian and Teutonic -peoples in general, murder ceased to be a crime when the slayer had -declared himself guilty. Among the Jews confession was practiced, the -purpose of its institution being that the priest might judge of the -sacrifice required for the expiation of the sin committed, and, also, -that every crime might be rehearsed over the scapegoat. The Peruvians -confessed their sins to their priests with the exception of the Incas, -who confessed to the sun. At the famous Samothracian mysteries a priest -was especially charged with hearing the confessions of great criminals -and with granting them absolution.</p> -<p class="par">Among Protestant Christians confession is often made -directly to the supreme deity in the form of prayer, which, like most -other religious practices, is an eminently pagan custom. The Assyrians, -Babylonians, Greeks, Romans, Persians, and most other ancient peoples -offered sacrifices on the altars of their gods to propitiate them, and -accompanied these offerings with prayers. Today, instead of presenting -wines and viands to his god, the devout Christian offers verbal -expressions of a contrite spirit or, more <span class="pagenum">[<a id= -"pb88" href="#pb88" name="pb88">88</a>]</span>often, asks a favor. He -demands, begs, or advises through this method, according to his own -nature and disposition.</p> -<p class="par">The expression used in modern orthodox Protestant -prayers, “through our Lord, Jesus Christ,” is merely the -concrete expression of the idea of mediation. The great supreme God was -looked upon by most nations of antiquity as being too great, too -sublime, too holy, to be addressed directly; and, in this lofty -conception of the deity, they prayed for favors to mediators whom they -created to request boons from the real ruler of heaven and earth.</p> -<p class="par">Among the Hindus, supplications were addressed to the -various apotheosized incarnations of Vishnu, rather than to the great -Brahma; the Greeks made supplication to numerous lesser gods, rather -than to Zeus; Persians addressed Mithras instead of Ormuzd; and the -modern Romanist kneels to saints and martyrs, or Jesus or his mother, -at whose shrines they place offerings which are bribes for favors; but -almost never do they immediately supplicate the supreme God. In this -they are certainly less blasphemous than their Protestant fellows, who -do not hesitate to talk familiarly to God of the most trivial -affairs.</p> -<p class="par">Belief in the efficacy of prayer is an absurdity which -owes its origin to a hereditary trait of humanity, descended through a -long line of <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb89" href="#pb89" name= -"pb89">89</a>]</span>superstitious ancestors. Primitive man prayed to -his dead fathers for their good will, believing them more powerful in -their post mortem state than during life. The ancients offered prayers -at the shrines of their various gods and, among all nations, from time -immemorial, deities have been supplicated to bestow gifts and avert -misfortunes. The overcharged mind of the superstitious has ever found -relief in expressing its troubles to the imaginary beings on whom it -has bestowed superhuman attributes. All over the world, in all -languages, have arisen various petitions to the deities, and still do -they continue to arise. Savages pray to their idols, Moslems crouch -facing Mecca to pray to Allah, Hindus pray to the avatars of Vishnu, -and all Christendom besieges the throne of God in constant -supplication.</p> -<p class="par"></p> -<div class="figure xd21e1638width"><img src="images/p089-1.png" alt= -"BACCHUS." width="285" height="193"> -<p class="figureHead">BACCHUS.</p> -<p class="par first">The first miracle attributed to Jesus, that of -changing water into wine, was in imitation of this Roman -deity—Dionysus in Greek mythology. Because as the god of wine his -disciples drank to his memory, Christians celebrate their savior in the -wine of the sacrificial ceremony of mass and communion.</p> -</div> -<p class="par"></p> -<p class="par">Can any rational mind believe that these numerous, -varied and even antagonistic petitions will be answered? Some are -praying for rain, some for a cessation of it, some for health, some for -happiness, some for material blessings, and some for spiritual welfare. -Vain repetitions! The material universe is governed by immutable laws -which all the breath in creation wasted in prayer cannot in any way -affect; while such spiritual benefits as morality, character and virtue -“are equally dependent on the invariable laws of cause and -effect.” Prayers for forgiveness <span class="pagenum">[<a id= -"pb90" href="#pb90" name="pb90">90</a>]</span>of sins are perhaps the -most common, as well as the most absurd, that are daily offered. Sin is -the breaking of a material or moral law, and no law can be broken -without the transgressor’s incurring the penalty. Is it not -absurd of the church to preach the immutable justice of God, and at the -same time declare that sinners may escape punishment by prayer?</p> -<p class="par"></p> -<div class="figure xd21e1649width"><img src="images/p089-2.png" alt= -"KRISHNA." width="286" height="493"> -<p class="figureHead">KRISHNA.</p> -<p class="par first">Otherwise Christna, this Hindu savior, at a date -earlier than 900 B. C., anticipated in his life much of the history of -the Christ.</p> -</div> -<p class="par"></p> -<p class="par">Communion, or union with the deity, is an idea of great -antiquity and has been common to all religions; although the methods -practiced are numerous and varied. The more common mode, however, is by -the consumption of consecrated foods and drinks, with the idea that -these have acquired (by the act of consecration) a divine character of -which the communicant becomes a partaker through their reception. The -dogma of the eucharist was instituted many centuries before the -Christian era and was believed in by the ancient Egyptians (from whom -the Christians probably received it through the Alexandrian school), -who, at the time of the celebration of the resurrection of Osiris, ate -a sacred wafer, which, after consecration by a priest, was declared the -flesh of the god. In ancient Greece, bread was worshiped as Ceres and -wine as Bacchus; and, when the devout ate the bread and drank the wine, -they claimed they were eating the flesh and drinking the blood of their -deities. The ancient Mexicans used bread of <span class= -"pagenum">[<a id="pb91" href="#pb91" name="pb91">91</a>]</span>corn -meal mixed with blood, which, after, having been consecrated by the -priests, was given to the people to eat as the flesh of Quetzalcoatl, -much to the surprise and horror of the first Spanish missionaries, who -ascribed it to mockery of their holy eucharist due to Satan.</p> -</div> -</div> -<div id="ch12" class="div1 chapter"><span class="pagenum">[<a href= -"#xd21e241">Contents</a>]</span> -<div class="divHead"> -<h2 class="main">XII—<span class="sc">The Eucharist.</span></h2> -</div> -<div class="divBody"> -<p class="par first">The primal origin of the eucharist probably -occurred far back in the period of universal anthropophagy. Most savage -and semi-savage peoples have practiced cannibalism because they -believed that by eating the flesh of the dead they gained the qualities -of the deceased. Just as some Africans eat tiger to become brave, -savages ate their courageous foes to attain their virtues. Following -this same idea further, the belief was established that by consuming -the flesh of a god, supernatural powers might be acquired. Thus the -early Christian missionaries to the New World found such customs in -Peru and Mexico.</p> -<p class="par">Father Acosta described one of these festivals which -occurred annually each May in Mexico, wherein the statue of a god was -made of dough, and “killed” by an arrow in the hand of a -priest. The god was then broken in pieces which by means of -“certain ceremonies ... were blessed and consecrated for the -flesh and bones of this idoll.” These pieces the priest gave -“to the people in manner of a communion who received <span class= -"pagenum">[<a id="pb92" href="#pb92" name="pb92">92</a>]</span>it with -such feare, and reverence, as it was an admirable thing, saying that -they did eate the flesh and bones of God.”</p> -<p class="par">Likewise came the idea that sacrifices to the gods in -some way attained godlike characteristics, and so the Guatemalan -priests ate the bodies of the sacrificed.</p> -<p class="par"></p> -<div class="figure xd21e1673width"><img src="images/p090.png" alt= -"A BUDDHIST “TEMPTATION.”" width="339" height="427"> -<p class="figureHead">A BUDDHIST “TEMPTATION.”</p> -</div> -<p class="par"></p> -<p class="par">The words of the modern Roman priest, “hoc est -corpus meum,” which are supposed, by some magical influence, to -cause the actual transubstantiation in the celebration of the -eucharist, remind one forcibly of the dotting of the memorial Chinese -tablet by a mandarin, by which official act the spirit of the departed, -to whom it is dedicated, is presumed to take up residence in the new -abode.</p> -<p class="par">As a logical deduction from a given hypothesis, any -Roman priest is greater than the virgin. She conceived God but once, -while the priest may through his mass create the body of the Christ -whenever he so desires. Every time a priest performs this function he -is the father of God.</p> -<p class="par">However, in spite of the absurdity of the practice, to -deprive the communion of the real presence is to make it a senseless -and useless ceremony. While the communicants believe in the efficacy of -the wafer as the actual body, there is reason for absorbing it, as they -thus unite themselves with the actual spirit of the Christ. But -<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb93" href="#pb93" name= -"pb93">93</a>]</span>the moment this dogma is rejected, the rite -becomes futile, and nothing is more ridiculous than its perpetuation in -the Protestant churches. The quibble that it is performed in memory of -Jesus is a fallacy. In Unitarian churches it is an arrant absurdity -(one that is retained in many cases simply because the old historical -churches of that denomination have inherited fine old communion plate -which is proudly displayed), and one can only respect and admire Ralph -Waldo Emerson’s stand in the matter, when he preferred to -relinquish his remunerative and honorable pastorate in the Second -Church of Boston (the only pulpit he ever filled) rather than celebrate -this anachronistic and indefensible rite.</p> -<p class="par">Jerome carried his reverence for the Eucharistic -bread<a class="noteref" id="xd21e1687src" href="#xd21e1687" name= -"xd21e1687src">1</a> so far that he considered that the table on which -it was consecrated, together with the cloth in which it was wrapped, -and the other utensils connected with its service, were to be worshiped -with equal respect as that given the body and blood of the Savior. This -theory led to the consecration of altars, which by a decree of the -Council of Epaone, in 517, in imitation of the Jewish and pagan -sacrificial altars, were ordered <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb94" -href="#pb94" name="pb94">94</a>]</span>to be of stone, which material -had been originally chosen as the most suitable material for the -execution of the sacrifices, whose blood should flow over it, without -danger of absorption.</p> -<p class="par">Another of the ancient pagan ideas which took a strong -hold upon Christianity and rose to an abnormal power during the middle -ages was that of monasticism with its accompanying asceticism. There is -scarcely a religion of ancient and modern times that does not recognize -asceticism as an element of its system. Buddha taught his disciples a -religion of abstinence, and, among the Buddhists, there are ordained -and tonsured priests, living in monasteries under vows of celibacy, -while there are similar asylums for women. Brahmanism also has its -orders of ascetics and Hinduism has its fakirs. Fasting and self-denial -were observances required by the Greeks of those who desired initiation -into the mysteries; the Jews observed many fasts; and the Egyptian -priests passed their novitiate in the deserts engaged in prayer and -living in caves. Like many other Christian customs, the monastic habit -probably came from Egypt, and it was considered by Gibbon to have had a -potent influence on the fall of the western empire, in that it removed -from active and useful life so many able-bodied men and women. -<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb95" href="#pb95" name= -"pb95">95</a>]</span></p> -</div> -<div class="footnotes"> -<hr class="fnsep"> -<div class="footnote-body"> -<p class="par footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= -"xd21e1687" href="#xd21e1687src" name="xd21e1687">1</a></span> The use -of unleavened bread by the Greek church caused great disputes between -it and the Latin in the eleventh century, but the latter finally -accepted it on the argument that as the Christ instituted the supper -during the passover, he must have used it, as there was no leaven -procurable at that time. <a class="fnarrow" href= -"#xd21e1687src">↑</a></p> -</div> -</div> -</div> -<div id="ch13" class="div1 chapter"><span class="pagenum">[<a href= -"#xd21e249">Contents</a>]</span> -<div class="divHead"> -<h2 class="main">XIII.—<span class="sc">Spread of -Christianity</span>.</h2> -</div> -<div class="divBody"> -<p class="par first">Having now shown that there is nothing new in -Christianity; nothing in which it differs essentially from the older -faiths; having shown that it brought no new ideas in its dogmas, -practices, or morality, but a few words are necessary to explain its -marvelous growth and rapid acceptance. Christianity grew so rapidly, -and was adopted so readily in many parts of the world simply because it -was so cosmopolitan and elastic. It went forth to proselyte in a very -conciliatory manner, embracing and absorbing every deeply rooted -theological idea and custom which obstructed its path, and, in every -way, exerting itself to propitiate its converts. And it was not until -it became strong and powerful and was well supported by fanatical -adherents that it dared to assume the rôle of conqueror. Then, -when the period of its strength was full, its tone changed and, strong -in self-confidence, Christianity became militant and strode forth in -armor to vanquish with the sword and fill the world with blood.</p> -<p class="par">One of the reasons for the rapid acceptance of -Christianity among the Romans and its remarkable growth in their -dependencies was that for centuries the people had ceased to take their -religion seriously. The vulgar masses, undoubtedly then as now, and at -all times, unthinkingly swallowed all that was taught them of their -deities, but the writings <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb96" href= -"#pb96" name="pb96">96</a>]</span>of cultivated men show clearly that -for centuries the worship and reverence of their ancestral gods had but -slight influence upon their ethical ideas.</p> -<p class="par">Lucretius (95–52 B. C.), the exponent of the -Epicurean doctrines, regarded the gods as the creations of human fear. -Ennius (239–169 B. C.) translated and expounded the writings of -Euhemerus (316 B. C.), wherein it was claimed that all the ancient -myths were historical events, that the gods were originally kings who -were accorded post mortem worship by their grateful subjects. The -Stoics regarded the gods as personifications of the different -attributes of nature. Cicero adopted the Platonic conception of the -deity as mind freed from all taint of matter, while Ovid made the gods -ridiculous in his mocking “Metamorphoses,” and, in his -lascivious descriptions of their amours, degraded them forever as -ethical models. Horace likewise mocked them.</p> -<p class="par">The glorious military conquests of the Roman arms in -Asia and Africa brought the soldiers into contact with alien religions, -and the germs instilled in the minds of the armies spread among all the -peoples of Rome’s domains, upon their return. Likewise the -ever-increasing influx of foreigners, bringing with them their native -gods and theological systems, had more or less influence, while the -apotheoses of the emperors gave a powerful impetus to the degradation -of the ancient faith. <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb97" href="#pb97" -name="pb97">97</a>]</span></p> -<p class="par">The vulgar clung to their ancient shrines and the -cultured sneered at them for so doing. They bent the knee in public and -they laughed mockingly in private. In such a state was the religion of -Rome when the first Christians began to proselyte; and on such fertile -ground, amid the ruins of an ancient faith, the seed readily took root -and rapidly spread out. Any other faith, supported by sturdy, -conscientious and indomitable missionaries, would have done the same. -The old faith was dead and the time was ripe for something new and -vigorous.</p> -<p class="par">As the civilized world was then under one powerful -government, which allowed no political discord within its borders and -which granted absolute religious freedom, the Christian missionaries -could travel in safety from one province to another and, without fear -of molestation, could propagate their doctrines among the people -through the media of the Greek and Latin tongues, which were universal -throughout the empire. Early Christianity was merely a sect of Judaism, -and as the Jews were scattered all through the Roman provinces, every -Jewish settlement having its synagogue which the Christian missionaries -visited in order to preach their message, “the new religion, -which was undertaken in the name of the God of Abraham, and Moses, -found a sphere already prepared for itself.” The new sect was -naturally welcomed by the Roman Jews, as it was a purely national -religion, founded upon the teachings of a Jewish peasant for the -<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb98" href="#pb98" name= -"pb98">98</a>]</span>Jewish people. There is nothing in the gospels -which portrays Jesus as anything other than a prophet to his own -nation. While his moral doctrines, like all ethical principles, are -applicable to all races, he was ignorant of all peoples save his own, -and it was to them alone that he preached, proclaiming his messiahship -for them only. He was content to remain within the boundaries of his -own country and expressed no wish nor desire to visit other lands. Had -it remained as Jesus desired, Christianity would never have been -separated from Judaism. It was owing to the direct disobedience of -Peter and Paul in this particular, that Christianity spread among the -gentiles (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2014:46">Acts xiv, -46</a>). In sending forth his apostles to preach his mission, Jesus -commanded, “Go not into the way of the gentiles, and into any -city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of -the house of Israel” (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%2010:5-6">Matt<span class="corr" -id="xd21e1723" title="Source: ,">.</span> x, 5–6</a>). When -appealed to by the Canaanite woman, he said, “I am not sent but -unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (<a class= -"biblink xd21e43" title="Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%2015:24">Matt. xv, -24</a>). It was to the Jews that he spoke when he said, “Ye are -the salt of the earth” (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%205:13">Matt<span class="corr" -id="xd21e1732" title="Source: ,">.</span> v. 13</a>). “Ye are the -light of the world” (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%205:14">Matt. v, -14</a>). It was in reference to the twelve tribes of Israel that he so -numbered his apostles (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%2019:28">Matt. xix, -28</a>). And it was of his compatriots that he thought when prophesying -his resurrection, “Ye shall not have gone over the cities of -Israel, till the Son of Man be come” (<a class="biblink xd21e43" -title="Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%2010:23">Matt<span class="corr" -id="xd21e1745" title="Not in source">.</span> x, 23</a>). There is no -thought <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb99" href="#pb99" name= -"pb99">99</a>]</span>of a universal mission in all this. His mission -and sacrifice were for his own nation, and, as Paul writes to Titus, he -“gave himself that he might purify unto himself a peculiar -people” (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Tit%202:14">Tit. ii, -14</a>).</p> -<p class="par">Thinking probably of the political strife which his -messiahship would cause, Jesus said, “I came not to bring peace, -but a sword” (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mt%2010:34">Matt. x, -34</a>), in which remark he was a truer prophet than the heavenly host -that sang at his birth “on earth peace, good will toward -men” (<a class="biblink xd21e43" title= -"Link to cited location in Bible" href= -"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lk%202:14">Luke ii, -14</a>). “The Church of Rome has shed more innocent blood than -any other institution that ever existed among mankind,” says -Lecky in his “Rationalism in Europe” (vol. ii, p. 40). The -Holy Office in Spain burned over 31,000 persons and condemned to -punishment hardly less severe 290,000. During the reign of Charles the -Fifth 50,000 heretics were executed in the Netherlands and on February -16, 1508, the Holy Office condemned all the inhabitants, numbering -3,000,000 of people, to death as heretics, and Philip the Second -confirmed the decree and ordered its instant execution.</p> -<p class="par">The whole history of Christianity, in all its forms, -reeks with blood and smells to heaven with carrion. In the first -centuries Christians persecuted pagans or, divided among themselves, -persecuted each other as heretics. Later arose the feuds of orthodox -and Arian, then came a united Christendom against Islam, followed by -Protestant wars. <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb100" href="#pb100" -name="pb100">100</a>]</span>In these Catholics murdered, pillaged, and -devastated Protestants and burned and tortured them as heretics by -ecclesiastical tribunals; Protestants persecuted and executed Catholics -and, divided among themselves, persecuted one another. In the sixteenth -century Anglican Episcopalians persecuted Catholics and Nonconformists. -In the seventeenth century Puritans persecuted Catholics, -Episcopalians, and Quakers, and so on. The whole history of this -religion is a long narration of blasphemous and degrading theories -propagated by violence, hypocrisy and crime. Christian charity is a -delusion which is found only among the persecuted, who, the instant the -scale turns, become the ruling faction, forget its meaning, and hasten -to avenge their sufferings in persecutions. No other religion has so -bloody a history as Christianity. The old heathen religions went calmly -on their way, indifferent to one another and showing the most perfect -toleration. Rival gods of rival nations were worshiped in temples side -by side, without conflict or ill feeling. Buddhists and Brahmins mildly -flourish in proximity. But Christians who believe that the Christ was -sacrificed for love of humanity, that their gospel is one of love, -peace, and good will, vie with one another to outstrip the ferocity of -wild beasts.</p> -<p class="par">While many students believe that Jesus was a purely -mythical being, without actual existence save in the brains of -religious Christians, I see no reason <span class="pagenum">[<a id= -"pb101" href="#pb101" name="pb101">101</a>]</span>to doubt that a -certain Jewish rabbi may have come out of the rebellious province of -Galilee about the time of Herod. Such messiahs had come before him and -such have succeeded him. Some of the messiahs subsequent to Jesus were: -one who appeared in Persia in 1138, another in Arabia in 1167, and one -in Moravia at the close of the twelfth century. Eldavid proclaimed -himself messiah in Persia in 1199, Sabathai Tzevi assumed the title of -“King of Kings” in 1666 and was executed at Constantinople -by the Sultan. So late as 1829 there appeared in India the -eight-year-old son of a peasant who was a wonderful serpent charmer and -was called Marayum Powar. It was an ancient belief that the ability to -handle serpents unharmed was a proof that one had become perfectly -holy—absorbed in God! Therefore, numerous people came to believe -Powar a god and in ten months ten thousand followers were about him, -baptizing and performing miraculous cures—and his cult seemed -well on the road to establishment when, over-confident of his power, he -was bitten by a serpent and died. His followers, after vainly awaiting -his resurrection, dispersed.</p> -<p class="par">That Jesus’ whole career is lost in encircling -myth is no proof that the original figure never existed. There is -plenty of historical evidence to show that the central portion of -Europe was once ruled by a king named Karl, and we do not doubt this -simply because a great cloud of myths has been <span class= -"pagenum">[<a id="pb102" href="#pb102" name= -"pb102">102</a>]</span>gathered about the name of St. Charlemagne, any -more than we feel bound to believe that because he once lived he must -now necessarily exist, sleeping in a mountain, until it shall be -necessary for him to spring forth and save the German fatherland.</p> -<p class="par">One set of students assert that the Christ was merely -the personification of vegetable life, claiming that his death and -resurrection typify the death and revivification of vegetation. Others -hold that he is the modern phase of the eternal sun-god. To sustain -this hypothesis the following allegorical interpretation of his -supposed career is offered as an explanation. He was born on the early -dawn of the twenty-fifth day of December, the day on which commences -the sun’s apparent revolution around the earth; his birth was -announced by the brilliant morning star; his virgin mother was the pure -and beautiful dawn; his temptation was his struggle with the adverse -clouds which he dispersed; his trial, execution, and death were -emblematic of the solar decline and crucifixion at the beginning of -winter; his descent into hell was typical of the three days of the -winter solstice; and his resurrection and ascension refer to the return -of the sun after its seeming extinction.</p> -<p class="par">I have now shown that among the great majority of the -nations of antiquity, no matter as to how they may have differed in the -details, all held one general idea of faith in a savior-mediator -between man and the supreme deity. Some such medium <span class= -"pagenum">[<a id="pb103" href="#pb103" name= -"pb103">103</a>]</span>seemed necessary to them, for they had not -reached that intellectual plane on which one feels able to hold direct -communication with the creator. Modern Christianity, in all its forms, -still panders to this ancient superstition that man must needs have an -agent between himself and his God. He must have an intercessor between -his weakness and God’s power—and vengeance.</p> -<p class="par">But when the human mind is freed from superstition and -men learn that right living and a clean ethical code is all that is -required, then they will cease to bow, either physically or mentally, -to any humanly invented mediator, and their enlarged ideas of the -justice of the supreme deity will prohibit any belief in impossible -demi-gods. However, for the majority, that happy time of emancipation -is still in the distant future, and, until its dawn lightens the -general intelligence, men will continue to adore and supplicate the -mediator whom inheritance and environment have taught them to revere, -as Krishna, Buddha, Mithras, or the Christ, as the case may be. -<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb104" href="#pb104" name= -"pb104">104</a>]</span></p> -</div> -</div> -</div> -<div class="back"> -<div class="div1 bibliography"><span class="pagenum">[<a href= -"#toc">Contents</a>]</span> -<div class="divHead"> -<h2 class="main">BIBLIOGRAPHY.</h2> -</div> -<div class="divBody"> -<p class="par first"><span class="sc">Apocryphal New Testament</span>, -Being All the Gospels, Epistles and Other Pieces Now Extant, Attributed -in the First Four Centuries to Jesus Christ, His Apostles, and their -Companions, and not Included in the New Testament by its Compilers. -London. Printed for William Hone, 1821.</p> -<p class="par"><span class="sc">Baring-Gould</span>, -S.—<i><a class="pglink xd21e43" title= -"Link to Project Gutenberg ebook" href= -"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/36127">Curious Myths of the Middle -Ages</a></i>. London. 1877. <i>Legends of the Patriarchs and Prophets, -and other Old Testament Characters</i>. New York. 1872. <i>The Origin -and Development of Religious Beliefs.</i> New York. 1870. 2 vols.</p> -<p class="par"><span class="sc">Blavatsky</span>, H. P.—<i>Isis -Unveiled: A Master-key to the Mysteries of Ancient and Modern Science -and Mythology</i>. New York. 1891. 2 vols.</p> -<p class="par"><span class="sc">Bourke</span>, John -G.—<i>Scatalogic Rites of All Nations</i>. Washington. 1891.</p> -<p class="par"><span class="sc">Bunsen, Christian Charles -Josias</span>.—<i>Christianity and Mankind; Their Beginnings and -Prospects</i>. London. 1854. 7 vols. <i>God in History; or, The -Progress of Man’s Faith in the Moral Order of the World</i>. -London. 1868. 3 vols.</p> -<p class="par"><span class="sc">Castan, L’Abee -Em.</span>—<i>Les Origines du Christianisme d’apres la -tradition catholique</i>. Paris. 1869. 2 vols. <i>Les Origines du -Christianisme d’apres la critique rationaliste contemporaine</i>. -Paris. 1868.</p> -<p class="par"><span class="sc">Chantepepie de la Saussaye</span>, P. -D.—<i>The Religion of the Teutons</i>. Boston. 1902.</p> -<p class="par"><span class="sc">Cheetham</span>, S.—The -Mysteries—<i>Pagan and Christian</i>. London. 1897.</p> -<p class="par"><span class="sc">Christlieb, -Theodore.</span>—<i>Modern Doubt and Christian Belief</i>. New -York. 1874.</p> -<p class="par"><span class="sc">Clodd, -Edward</span>.—<i><a class="pglink xd21e43" title= -"Link to Project Gutenberg ebook" href= -"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/43813">Myths and Dreams</a></i>. -London. 1885.</p> -<p class="par"><span class="sc">Colenso, John -William</span>.—<i>Lectures on the Pentateuch and Moabite -Stone</i>. London. 1873.</p> -<p class="par"><span class="sc">Conway, Moncure -Daniel</span>.—<i>Idols and Ideals</i>, with an essay on -<i>Christianity</i>. New York. 1877.</p> -<p class="par"><span class="sc">Doane</span>, T. W.—<i><a class= -"pglink xd21e43" title="Link to Project Gutenberg ebook" href= -"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/31885">Bible Myths and Their -Parallels in Other Religions</a></i>. New York.</p> -<p class="par"><span class="sc">Dorman, Rushton</span> M.—<i>The -Origin of Primitive Superstitions, etc</i>. Philadelphia. 1881.</p> -<p class="par"><span class="sc">Draper, John -William</span>.—<i><a class="pglink xd21e43" title= -"Link to Project Gutenberg ebook" href= -"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1185">History of the Conflict between -Religion and Science</a></i>. New York. 1881. <i><span class= -"pagenum">[<a id="pb105" href="#pb105" name= -"pb105">105</a>]</span><a class="pglink xd21e43" title= -"Link to Project Gutenberg ebook" href= -"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/31345">History of the Intellectual -Development of Europe</a></i>. New York. 1878. 2 vols.</p> -<p class="par"><span class="sc">Farrar</span>, J. A.—<i>Paganism -and Christianity</i>. London. 1891. <i>Primitive Manners and -Customs</i>. New York. 1879.</p> -<p class="par"><span class="sc">Figuier, -Louis</span>.—<i>Histoire du Merveilleux dans les temps -modernes</i>. Paris. 1880. 4 vols.</p> -<p class="par"><span class="sc">Fiske, John</span>.—<i><a class= -"pglink xd21e43" title="Link to Project Gutenberg ebook" href= -"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1061">Myths and Myth-Makers</a></i>. -Boston. 1901.</p> -<p class="par"><span class="sc">Frazer</span>, J. C.—<i><a class= -"pglink xd21e43" title="Link to Project Gutenberg ebook" href= -"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/41082">The Golden Bough</a></i>. -London. 1890. 2 vols.</p> -<p class="par"><span class="sc">Frothingham, Octavius -Brook</span>s.—<i><a class="pglink xd21e43" title= -"Link to Project Gutenberg ebook" href= -"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/36767">The Cradle of the -Christ</a></i>. New York. 1877.</p> -<p class="par"><span class="sc">Gibbon, -Edward</span>.—<i><a class="pglink xd21e43" title= -"Link to Project Gutenberg ebook" href= -"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/25717">The History of the Decline and -Fall of the Roman Empire</a></i>. Philadelphia. 1876. 6 vols.</p> -<p class="par"><span class="sc">De Gubernatis, -Angelo</span>.—<i><a class="pglink xd21e43" title= -"Link to Project Gutenberg ebook" href= -"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/38687">Zoological Mythology</a></i>; -or, <i>The Legends of Animals</i>. London. 1872. 2 vols.</p> -<p class="par"><span class="sc">Hardwick, -Charles</span>.—<i>Christ and Other Masters</i>. London. -1874.</p> -<p class="par"><span class="sc">Hargraves, -Jennings</span>.—<i>The Rosicrucians. Their Rites and -Mysteries</i>. London. 1870. 2 vols.</p> -<p class="par"><span class="sc">Harnack, Adolph</span>.—<i>The -Expansion of Christianity in the First Three Centuries</i>. Translated -by James Moffatt. New York. 1904. 2 vols.</p> -<p class="par"><span class="sc"><a class="pglink xd21e43" title= -"Link to Project Gutenberg ebook" href= -"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/2707">Herodotus</a></span>.—Translation -of G. C. Macauley. London. 1890. 2 vols.</p> -<p class="par"><span class="sc">Hislop, Alexander</span>.—<i>The -Two Babylons</i>; or, <i>The Papal Worship, etc</i>. Edinburgh. -1862.</p> -<p class="par"><span class="sc">Hone, William</span>.—<i>Ancient -Mysteries Described, etc</i>. London. 1823.</p> -<p class="par"><span class="sc">Hudson, Thompson -Jay</span>.—<i>The Law of Psychic Phenomena</i>. Chicago. -1896.</p> -<p class="par"><span class="sc">Inman, -Thomas</span>.—<i><a class="pglink xd21e43" title= -"Link to Project Gutenberg ebook" href= -"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/38100">Ancient Faiths and -Modern</a></i>. London. 1876. <i><a class="pglink xd21e43" title= -"Link to Project Gutenberg ebook" href= -"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/38485">Ancient Pagan and Modern -Christian Symbolism</a></i>. London. 1869.</p> -<p class="par"><span class="sc">Jameson, Mrs.</span>—<i><a class= -"pglink xd21e43" title="Link to Project Gutenberg ebook" href= -"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/12047">Legends of the -Madonna</a></i>. London. 1852.</p> -<p class="par"><span class="sc">Jevons, Frank Byron</span>.—<i>An -Introduction to the History of Religion</i>. London. 1896.</p> -<p class="par"><span class="sc">Lang, Andrew</span>.—<i><a class= -"pglink xd21e43" title="Link to Project Gutenberg ebook" href= -"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/14080">Custom and Myth</a></i>. -London. 1884. <i><a class="pglink xd21e43" title= -"Link to Project Gutenberg ebook" href= -"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/2832">Myth, Ritual, and -Religion</a></i>. London. 1887. 2 vols.</p> -<p class="par"><span class="sc">Lecky, William Edward -Hartpole</span>.—<i><a class="pglink xd21e43" title= -"Link to Project Gutenberg ebook" href= -"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/39273">History of European Morals -from Augustus to Charlemagne</a></i>. London. 1877. 2 vols. <i>History -of the Rise and Influence of the Spirit of Rationalism in Europe</i>. -New York. 1866. 2 vols.</p> -<p class="par"><span class="sc">Kundy</span>, J. P.—<i>Monumental -Christianity</i>. London. 1889.</p> -<p class="par"><span class="sc">Macdonald, -James</span>.—<i>Religion and Myth</i>. London. 1893.</p> -<p class="par"><span class="sc">Middleton, Conyers</span>.—<i>A -Letter from Rome</i>. London. 1847.</p> -<p class="par"><span class="sc">Des Mousseaux</span>.—<i>Les -Haunts Phenomenes de la Magie Moeurs et Pratiques des Demons</i>. 1852. -<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb106" href="#pb106" name= -"pb106">106</a>]</span></p> -<p class="par"><span class="sc">Muller, Max.</span>—<i><a class= -"pglink xd21e43" title="Link to Project Gutenberg ebook" href= -"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/24686">Chips from a German -Workshop</a></i>. London. 1867. 2 vols.</p> -<p class="par"><span class="sc">Orr, James.</span>—<i>The Virgin -Birth of Christ</i>. New York. 1907.</p> -<p class="par"><span class="sc">Picart, Bernard.</span>—<i>The -Ceremonies and Religious Customs of the Various Nations of the Known -World</i>, etc. London. 1733. 7 vols.</p> -<p class="par"><span class="sc">Priestley, Joseph.</span>—<i>An -History of the Corruptions of Christianity</i>. Birmingham. 1793. 2 -vols.</p> -<p class="par"><span class="sc">Renan, -Ernest.</span>—<i><a class="pglink xd21e43" title= -"Link to Project Gutenberg ebook" href= -"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/16581">The Life of Jesus</a></i>. -Translated by C. E. Wilboir. New York. 1865.</p> -<p class="par"><span class="sc">Sharpe, -Samuel.</span>—<i>Egyptian Mythology and Egyptian -Christianity</i>. London. 1863.</p> -<p class="par"><span class="sc">Smith, W. -Robertson.</span>—<i>Lectures on the Religion of the Semites</i>. -Edinburgh. 1889.</p> -<p class="par"><span class="sc">Strauss, David -Friedrich.</span>—<i>The Life of Jesus</i>. Translated by George -Eliot. London. 1892.</p> -<p class="par"><span class="sc">Tuttle, Hudson.</span>—<i>The -Career of the Christ-Idea in History</i>. Boston. <i>The Career of the -God-Idea in History.</i> Boston. <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb107" -href="#pb107" name="pb107">107</a>]</span></p> -</div> -</div> -<div class="div1 index"><span class="pagenum">[<a href= -"#toc">Contents</a>]</span> -<div class="divHead"> -<h2 class="main">INDEX.</h2> -</div> -<div class="divBody"> -<p class="par first">Abraham, <a href="#pb17" class="pageref">17</a>, -<a href="#pb20" class="pageref">20</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Æsculapius, <a href="#pb42" class= -"pageref">42</a>, <a href="#pb47" class="pageref">47</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Acosta, <a href="#pb91" class="pageref">91</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Adonis, <a href="#pb42" class="pageref">42</a>, <a href= -"#pb82" class="pageref">82</a>, <a href="#pb83" class= -"pageref">83</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Ahriman, <a href="#pb46" class="pageref">46</a>, -<a href="#pb62" class="pageref">62</a>, <a href="#pb75" class= -"pageref">75</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Alexander I, <a href="#pb86" class="pageref">86</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Angels, <a href="#pb70" class="pageref">70</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Anubis, <a href="#pb59" class="pageref">59</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Astarte, <a href="#pb83" class="pageref">83</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Atonement, <a href="#pb55" class="pageref">55</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Austin, <a href="#pb63" class="pageref">63</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Bacchus, <a href="#pb48" class="pageref">48</a>, -<a href="#pb82" class="pageref">82</a>, <a href="#pb90" class= -"pageref">90</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Baldur, <a href="#pb41" class="pageref">41</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Baptism, <a href="#pb85" class="pageref">85</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Brahma, <a href="#pb61" class="pageref">61</a>, <a href= -"#pb88" class="pageref">88</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Buddha, <a href="#pb7" class="pageref">7</a>, <a href= -"#pb18" class="pageref">18</a>, <a href="#pb19" class="pageref">19</a>, -<a href="#pb21" class="pageref">21</a>, <a href="#pb27" class= -"pageref">27</a>, <a href="#pb28" class="pageref">28</a>, <a href= -"#pb42" class="pageref">42</a>, <a href="#pb45" class="pageref">45</a>, -<a href="#pb47" class="pageref">47</a>, <a href="#pb65" class= -"pageref">65</a>, <a href="#pb82" class="pageref">82</a>, <a href= -"#pb94" class="pageref">94</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Caiaphas, <a href="#pb32" class="pageref">32</a>, -<a href="#pb57" class="pageref">57</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Ceres, <a href="#pb90" class="pageref">90</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Chaldean doctrine, <a href="#pb59" class= -"pageref">59</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Charlemagne, <a href="#pb68" class="pageref">68</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Christlieb, <a href="#pb55" class="pageref">55</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Cicero, <a href="#pb96" class="pageref">96</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Codom, <a href="#pb8" class="pageref">8</a>, <a href= -"#pb47" class="pageref">47</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Communion, <a href="#pb90" class="pageref">90</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Confession, <a href="#pb87" class="pageref">87</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Confucius, <a href="#pb18" class="pageref">18</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Constantine, <a href="#pb6" class="pageref">6</a>, -<a href="#pb25" class="pageref">25</a>, <a href="#pb68" class= -"pageref">68</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Conway, <a href="#pb48" class="pageref">48</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Cross, <a href="#pb22" class="pageref">22</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Crucifixion, <a href="#pb21" class="pageref">21</a>, -<a href="#pb28" class="pageref">28</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Danæ, <a href="#pb10" class="pageref">10</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Demons, <a href="#pb24" class="pageref">24</a>, <a href= -"#pb25" class="pageref">25</a>, <a href="#pb72" class="pageref">72</a>, -<a href="#pb75" class="pageref">75</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Devaki, <a href="#pb7" class="pageref">7</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Devil, see Satan.</p> -<p class="par">Diana, <a href="#pb66" class="pageref">66</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Eddy, <a href="#pb48" class="pageref">48</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Elias, <a href="#pb48" class="pageref">48</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Elijah, <a href="#pb42" class="pageref">42</a>, <a href= -"#pb43" class="pageref">43</a>, <a href="#pb48" class="pageref">48</a>, -<a href="#pb55" class="pageref">55</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Elisha, <a href="#pb48" class="pageref">48</a>, <a href= -"#pb55" class="pageref">55</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Emerson, <a href="#pb93" class="pageref">93</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Ennius, <a href="#pb96" class="pageref">96</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Enoch, <a href="#pb43" class="pageref">43</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Eostre, <a href="#pb83" class="pageref">83</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Eucharist, <a href="#pb91" class="pageref">91</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Euhemerus, <a href="#pb96" class="pageref">96</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Europa, <a href="#pb10" class="pageref">10</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Fasts, <a href="#pb81" class="pageref">81</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Feasts, <a href="#pb81" class="pageref">81</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Figuier, <a href="#pb78" class="pageref">78</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Frey, <a href="#pb62" class="pageref">62</a>, <a href= -"#pb82" class="pageref">82</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Frigga, <a href="#pb82" class="pageref">82</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Grandier, <a href="#pb77" class="pageref">77</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Grand lama, <a href="#pb85" class= -"pageref">85</a><span class="corr" id="xd21e2545" title= -"Not in source">.</span></p> -<p class="par">Helena, <a href="#pb26" class="pageref">26</a>, <a href= -"#pb68" class="pageref">68</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Heliogabalus, <a href="#pb84" class= -"pageref">84</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Hera, <a href="#pb66" class="pageref">66</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Hertha, <a href="#pb83" class="pageref">83</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Hislop, <a href="#pb59" class="pageref">59</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Holy water, <a href="#pb86" class="pageref">86</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Horus, <a href="#pb8" class="pageref">8</a>, <a href= -"#pb47" class="pageref">47</a>, <a href="#pb61" class="pageref">61</a>, -<a href="#pb64" class="pageref">64</a>, <a href="#pb66" class= -"pageref">66</a>, <a href="#pb69" class="pageref">69</a>, <a href= -"#pb82" class="pageref">82</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Huitzilopochtli, <a href="#pb8" class= -"pageref">8</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Hume, <a href="#pb48" class="pageref">48</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Incubi, <a href="#pb75" class="pageref">75</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Intercession, <a href="#pb69" class= -"pageref">69</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Ishtar, <a href="#pb42" class="pageref">42</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Isis, <a href="#pb8" class="pageref">8</a>, <a href= -"#pb61" class="pageref">61</a>, <a href="#pb64" class="pageref">64</a>, -<a href="#pb66" class="pageref">66</a>, <a href="#pb86" class= -"pageref">86</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Janus, <a href="#pb69" class="pageref">69</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Joseph, <a href="#pb9" class="pageref">9</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Juno, <a href="#pb66" class="pageref">66</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Kaffres, <a href="#pb19" class="pageref">19</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Krishna, <a href="#pb7" class="pageref">7</a>, <a href= -"#pb18" class="pageref">18</a>, <a href="#pb19" class="pageref">19</a>, -<a href="#pb20" class="pageref">20</a>, <a href="#pb28" class= -"pageref">28</a>, <a href="#pb41" class="pageref">41</a>, <a href= -"#pb42" class="pageref">42</a>, <a href="#pb47" class="pageref">47</a>, -<a href="#pb65" class="pageref">65</a>. <span class="pagenum">[<a id= -"pb108" href="#pb108" name="pb108">108</a>]</span></p> -<p class="par">Lazarus, <a href="#pb53" class="pageref">53</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Lecky, <a href="#pb79" class="pageref">79</a>, <a href= -"#pb99" class="pageref">99</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Leda, <a href="#pb10" class="pageref">10</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Loudin nuns, <a href="#pb76" class="pageref">76</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Lucretius, <a href="#pb96" class="pageref">96</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Lustral water, <a href="#pb86" class= -"pageref">86</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Luther, <a href="#pb72" class="pageref">72</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Mariolatry, <a href="#pb64" class="pageref">64</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Mary, <a href="#pb9" class="pageref">9</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Mary Magdalene, <a href="#pb38" class="pageref">38</a>, -<a href="#pb39" class="pageref">39</a>, <a href="#pb42" class= -"pageref">42</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Mather, <a href="#pb74" class="pageref">74</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Maya, <a href="#pb17" class="pageref">17</a>, <a href= -"#pb65" class="pageref">65</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Messiahs, <a href="#pb101" class="pageref">101</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Miracles, <a href="#pb47" class="pageref">47</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Mithras, <a href="#pb18" class="pageref">18</a>, -<a href="#pb62" class="pageref">62</a>, <a href="#pb82" class= -"pageref">82</a>, <a href="#pb86" class="pageref">86</a>, <a href= -"#pb88" class="pageref">88</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Mohammed, <a href="#pb47" class="pageref">47</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Monasticism, <a href="#pb94" class="pageref">94</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Moses, <a href="#pb20" class="pageref">20</a>, <a href= -"#pb48" class="pageref">48</a>.</p> -<p class="par">des Mousseaux, <a href="#pb71" class="pageref">71</a>, -<a href="#pb72" class="pageref">72</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Mylitta, <a href="#pb65" class="pageref">65</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Neith, <a href="#pb82" class="pageref">82</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Neptune, <a href="#pb71" class="pageref">71</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Odin, <a href="#pb62" class="pageref">62</a>, <a href= -"#pb82" class="pageref">82</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Ormuzd, <a href="#pb46" class="pageref">46</a>, <a href= -"#pb62" class="pageref">62</a>, <a href="#pb88" class= -"pageref">88</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Orr, <a href="#pb13" class="pageref">13</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Osiris, <a href="#pb18" class="pageref">18</a>, <a href= -"#pb28" class="pageref">28</a>, <a href="#pb41" class="pageref">41</a>, -<a href="#pb42" class="pageref">42</a>, <a href="#pb45" class= -"pageref">45</a>, <a href="#pb59" class="pageref">59</a>, <a href= -"#pb61" class="pageref">61</a>, <a href="#pb70" class="pageref">70</a>, -<a href="#pb82" class="pageref">82</a>, <a href="#pb90" class= -"pageref">90</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Ostara, <a href="#pb83" class="pageref">83</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Ovid, <a href="#pb96" class="pageref">96</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Pan, <a href="#pb71" class="pageref">71</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Parrish, <a href="#pb74" class="pageref">74</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Paul, <a href="#pb44" class="pageref">44</a>, <a href= -"#pb98" class="pageref">98</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Paul V, <a href="#pb67" class="pageref">67</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Peter Lombard, <a href="#pb64" class= -"pageref">64</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Pilate, <a href="#pb29" class="pageref">29</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Pius IX, <a href="#pb67" class="pageref">67</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Priestley, <a href="#pb62" class="pageref">62</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Prometheus, <a href="#pb28" class="pageref">28</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Prayer, <a href="#pb87" class="pageref">87</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Pythagoras, <a href="#pb48" class="pageref">48</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Quetzalcoatl, <a href="#pb8" class="pageref">8</a>, -<a href="#pb17" class="pageref">17</a>, <a href="#pb21" class= -"pageref">21</a>, <a href="#pb28" class="pageref">28</a>, <a href= -"#pb41" class="pageref">41</a>, <a href="#pb42" class="pageref">42</a>, -<a href="#pb47" class="pageref">47</a>, <a href="#pb66" class= -"pageref">66</a>, <a href="#pb91" class="pageref">91</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Rama, <a href="#pb42" class="pageref">42</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Relics, <a href="#pb25" class="pageref">25</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Resurrection, <a href="#pb37" class= -"pageref">37</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Saints, <a href="#pb68" class="pageref">68</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Sandford, <a href="#pb48" class="pageref">48</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Satan, <a href="#pb58" class="pageref">58</a>, <a href= -"#pb70" class="pageref">70</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Sextus IV, <a href="#pb67" class="pageref">67</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Shin-moo, <a href="#pb65" class="pageref">65</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Siva, <a href="#pb61" class="pageref">61</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Slaughter of the Innocents, <a href="#pb19" class= -"pageref">19</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Sochiquetzal, <a href="#pb66" class= -"pageref">66</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Socrates, <a href="#pb18" class="pageref">18</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Star of Bethlehem, <a href="#pb17" class= -"pageref">17</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Stoics, <a href="#pb96" class="pageref">96</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Succubæ, <a href="#pb75" class= -"pageref">75</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Tammuz, <a href="#pb65" class="pageref">65</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Temptation, <a href="#pb20" class="pageref">20</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Thomas a Becket, <a href="#pb68" class= -"pageref">68</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Thor, <a href="#pb23" class="pageref">23</a>, <a href= -"#pb62" class="pageref">62</a>, <a href="#pb71" class= -"pageref">71</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Tri-murti, <a href="#pb61" class="pageref">61</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Trinity, <a href="#pb60" class="pageref">60</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Vespasian, <a href="#pb48" class="pageref">48</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Virgin birth, <a href="#pb6" class="pageref">6</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Vishnu, <a href="#pb61" class="pageref">61</a>, <a href= -"#pb88" class="pageref">88</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Vulcan, <a href="#pb71" class="pageref">71</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Witches, <a href="#pb72" class="pageref">72</a>.</p> -<p class="par">Zoroaster, <a href="#pb21" class="pageref">21</a>, -<a href="#pb41" class="pageref">41</a>, <a href="#pb42" class= -"pageref">42</a>, <a href="#pb47" class="pageref">47</a>.</p> -</div> -</div> -<div class="transcribernote"> -<h2 class="main">Colophon</h2> -<h3 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These -links may not work for you.</p> -<h3 class="main">Corrections</h3> -<p>The following corrections have been applied to the text:</p> -<table class="correctiontable" summary= -"Overview of corrections applied to the text."> -<tr> -<th>Page</th> -<th>Source</th> -<th>Correction</th> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="width20"><a class="pageref" href="#xd21e528">19</a></td> -<td class="width40 bottom">..</td> -<td class="width40 bottom">.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="width20"><a class="pageref" href="#xd21e605">26</a></td> -<td class="width40 bottom">Châtres</td> -<td class="width40 bottom">Chârtres</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="width20"><a class="pageref" href="#xd21e863">41</a></td> -<td class="width40 bottom">Quetzacoatl</td> -<td class="width40 bottom">Quetzalcoatl</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="width20"><a class="pageref" href="#xd21e886">43</a></td> -<td class="width40 bottom">.</td> -<td class="width40 bottom">[<i>Deleted</i>]</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="width20"><a class="pageref" href="#xd21e903">44</a></td> -<td class="width40 bottom">annd</td> -<td class="width40 bottom">and</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="width20"><a class="pageref" href="#xd21e947">46</a></td> -<td class="width40 bottom">becomes</td> -<td class="width40 bottom">become</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="width20"><a class="pageref" href="#xd21e1071">50</a></td> -<td class="width40 bottom">:</td> -<td class="width40 bottom">;</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="width20"><a class="pageref" href="#xd21e1467">72</a></td> -<td class="width40 bottom">‘</td> -<td class="width40 bottom">“</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="width20"><a class="pageref" href="#xd21e1723">98</a>, -<a class="pageref" href="#xd21e1732">98</a></td> -<td class="width40 bottom">,</td> -<td class="width40 bottom">.</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td class="width20"><a class="pageref" href="#xd21e1745">98</a>, -<a class="pageref" href="#xd21e2545">107</a></td> -<td class="width40 bottom">[<i>Not in source</i>]</td> -<td class="width40 bottom">.</td> -</tr> -</table> -</div> -</div> - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's The Christian Mythology, by Brigham Leatherbee - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CHRISTIAN MYTHOLOGY *** - -***** This file should be named 52414-h.htm or 52414-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/2/4/1/52414/ - -Produced by Jeroen Hellingman and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net/ for Project -Gutenberg (This file was produced from images generously -made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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