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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/8855-h.zip b/8855-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..2c9f298 --- /dev/null +++ b/8855-h.zip diff --git a/8855-h/8855-h.htm b/8855-h/8855-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..bb1f880 --- /dev/null +++ b/8855-h/8855-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,3427 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<HTML> +<HEAD> +<TITLE>The Project Gutenberg eBook of Astral Worship, by J. H. Hill</TITLE> +<META HTTP-EQUIV="content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=utf-8"> +<STYLE TYPE="text/css"> +<!-- The following is known as the Caio hack to hide "IMG {float:left}" from Netscape 4 which does not always process it correctly --> +/*/*/ +IMG {float:left} +/**/ +BR.left {clear:left} +P {text-indent: 3% } +.smallcaps {font-variant: small-caps} +</STYLE> +</HEAD> +<BODY BGCOLOR="#F8F8D1"> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Astral Worship, by J. H. Hill + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere 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 + + +Title: Astral Worship + +Author: J. H. Hill + +Posting Date: April 6, 2014 [EBook #8855] +Release Date: September, 2005 +First Posted: August 14, 2003 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ASTRAL WORSHIP *** + + + + +Produced by David Deley + + + + + +</pre> + + +<CENTER><H1>Astral Worship</H1></CENTER> +<CENTER><H4>BY</H4></CENTER> +<CENTER><H3>J. H. Hill, M. D.</H3></CENTER> +<BR><BR> +<CENTER>“Now, what I want is—facts.”—<i>Boz.</i></CENTER> +<BR><BR> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<CENTER> +<TABLE> +<TR><TH COLSPAN=2 ALIGN=center>CONTENTS.</TH></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left><A HREF="#INTRODUCTION">INTRODUCTION</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#INTRODUCTION">5</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left><A HREF="#GEOCENTRIC">THE GEOCENTRIC SYSTEM OF NATURE</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#GEOCENTRIC">13</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#earth">The Earth</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#earth">13</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#firmament">The Firmament</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#firmament">13</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#planets">The Planets</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#planets">14</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#constellations">The Constellations</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#constellations">15</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#zodiac">The Zodiac</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#zodiac">15</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left><A HREF="#NUMBERS">THE SACRED NUMBERS 7 AND 12</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#NUMBERS">17</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left><A HREF="#CYCLE">THE TWELVE THOUSAND YEAR CYCLE</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#CYCLE">18</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left><A HREF="#TRIAD">THE ANCIENT TRIAD</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#TRIAD">19</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left><A HREF="#SOL">GOD SOL</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#SOL">22</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left><A HREF="#COSMOGONY">THE ANCIENT COSMOGONY</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#COSMOGONY">30</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left><A HREF="#FALL">FALL AND REDEMPTION OF MAN</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#FALL">31</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left><A HREF="#INCARNATIONS">INCARNATIONS OF GOD SOL</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#INCARNATIONS">33</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left><A HREF="#LABORS">FABLE OF THE TWELVE LABORS</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#LABORS">36</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left><A HREF="#ANNIVERSARIES">ANNIVERSARIES OF SOLAR WORSHIP</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#ANNIVERSARIES">40</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#nativity">The Nativity</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#nativity">40</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#epiphany">Epiphany or Twelfth Day</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#epiphany">41</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#lent">Lent or Lenten Season</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#lent">42</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#passion">Passion Week</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#passion">44</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#plays">Passion Plays</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#plays">45</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#resurrection">Resurrection and Easter Festival</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#resurrection">46</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#annunciation">Annunciation</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#annunciation">48</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#ascension">Ascension</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#ascension">49</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#assumption">Assumption</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#assumption">49</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#supper">The Lord's Supper</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#supper">50</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#transubstantiation">Transubstantiation</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#transubstantiation">50</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#crucifixion">Autumnal Crucifixion</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#crucifixion">51</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#michaelmas">Michaelmas</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#michaelmas">56</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left><A HREF="#TIME">PERSONIFICATIONS OF THE DIVISIONS OF TIME</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#TIME">57</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#hours">The Hours</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#hours">57</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#days">The Days</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#days">57</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#months">The Months</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#months">58</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#seasons">The Seasons</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#seasons">60</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#incdays">Half Year of Increasing Days</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#incdays">63</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#decdays">Half Year of Decreasing Days</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#decdays">63</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#lastq">Last Quarter of the Year</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#lastq">64</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left><A HREF="#ZODIACAL">ZODIACAL SYMBOLS OF SOLAR WORSHIP</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#ZODIACAL">64</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#sphinx">The Sphinx</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#sphinx">65</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#dragon">The Dragon</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#dragon">66</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#bull">The Bull</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#bull">67</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#ram">The Ram</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#ram">68</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#lamb">The Lamb</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#lamb">68</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#fish">The Fish</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#fish">71</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left><A HREF="#CROSS">SIGNS OF THE CROSS</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#CROSS">72</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left><A HREF="#PUNISHMENTS">FUTURE REWARDS AND PUNISHMENTS</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#PUNISHMENTS">74</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#oriental">The Oriental System</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#oriental">75</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#occidental">The Occidental System</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#occidental">75</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#judgment">The Second or General Judgment</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#judgment">77</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left><A HREF="#JEWISH">JEWISH, OR ANCIENT CHRISTIANITY</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#JEWISH">79</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left><A HREF="#PROPHECIES">THE PROPHECIES</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#PROPHECIES">83</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left><A HREF="#ROMAN">ROMAN OR MODERN CHRISTIANITY</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#ROMAN">88</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left><A HREF="#FREEMASONRY">FREEMASONRY AND DRUIDISM</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#FREEMASONRY">109</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left><A HREF="#SABBATH">THE SABBATH</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#SABBATH">117</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left><A HREF="#FRAUDS">PIOUS FRAUDS</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#FRAUDS">121</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left><A HREF="#CONCLUSION">CONCLUSION</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#CONCLUSION">125</A></TD></TR> +</TABLE> +</CENTER> +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> + +<CENTER><H2><A NAME=INTRODUCTION>INTRODUCTION.</A></H2></CENTER> + +<p>In an article, entitled "Then and Now," published in +the December number, 1890, of "The Arena," its<!-- original said "it", corrected to "its" --> author, +a distinguished Unitarian D.D. of Boston, Mass., says. +"Astronomy has shattered the fallacies of Astrology;" +and people have found out that the stars are minding their +own business instead of meddling with theirs." Now, +while it is true that modern Astronomy has superseded +the ancient system, and people have ceased to believe that +the stars are intervening in mundane affairs, nothing +could be further from the truth than the assertion that +"Astronomy has shattered the fallacies of Astrology; +and those of our readers who will accord to this work an +unprejudiced perusal can hardly fail to be convinced that +a large majority of the people of Christendom are dominated +as much by these fallacies as were our Pagan ancestry—the +only difference being a change of name. The +dogmatic element of religion, which was anciently designated +as Astrology, is now known as Theology. + +<P>All the evidences bearing upon the subject indicate +<!-- Page 6 --> +that the founders of the primary form of religion were a +sect of philosophers, known as Magi, or wise men, of the +Aryan race of Central Asia, who, having lived ages before +any conceptions of the supernatural had obtained in the +world, and speculating relative to the "beginnings of +things," were necessarily confined to the contemplation +and study of nature, the elements of which they believed +to be self-existent and endless in duration; but, being +wholly without knowledge of her inherent forces, they +explained her manifold processes by conceiving the idea +that she was animated by a great and inherent soul or +spirit, emanations from which impressed all her parts +with life and motion. Thus, endowing man, and other +animals, with souls emanating alike from the imaginary +great soul of nature, they believed, and taught, that immediately +after death all souls were absorbed into their +source, where, as "the dewdrop slips into the shining +sea," all personal identity was forever lost. Hence we see +that although recognizing the soul as immortal, considering +it, not as an entity existing independent of matter, but +as the spirit of matter itself, the primary religion was the +exponent of the purest form of Materialism. + +<P>Being the Astronomers of their day, and mistaking +the apparent for the real, the ancient Magi constructed +that erroneous system of nature known as the Geocentric, +<!-- Page 7 --> +and, in conformity thereto, composed a collection of Astronomical +Allegories, in which the emanations from the +imaginary great soul of nature, by which they believed +all materialities we're impressed with life and motion, were +personified and made to play their respective parts. Basing +the religion they instituted upon their system of Allegorical +Astronomy, and making its personifications the +objects of worship, they thus originated the anthropomorphic +or man-like Gods, and, claiming to have composed +them under the inspiration of these self same divinities, +they designated them as sacred records, or Scriptures, +and taught the ignorant masses that they were literal histories, +and their personifications real personages, who, +having once lived upon earth, and; for the good of mankind, +performed the wondrous works imputed to them, +were then in heaven whence they came. + +<P>Thus we see that the primary religion, which is popularly +known as Paganism, was founded in the worship +of personified nature; that, according special homage to +the imaginary genii of the stars, and inculcating supreme +adoration to the divinity supposed to reside in the sun, it +was anciently known by the general name of Astrolatry, +and by the more specific one of solar worship; and that its +founders, arrogating to themselves the title of Astrologers, +gave to its dogmatic element the name of Astrology. + +<!-- Page 8 --> +<P>In studying the primitive forms of religion it will be +found that none of them taught anything relative to a +future life, for the simple reason that their founders had +no conceptions of such a state. Hence it follows that the +laws they enacted were intended solely for the regulation +of their social relations, and, to secure their observance, +they were embodied into their sacred records and made +part of their religion. One form of that most ancient +worship was known as Sabaism, or Sabism. Another +form of the same religion was the Ancient Judaism, as +portrayed in the Old Testament, and more especially in +the Pentateuch, or first five books; in the Decalogue of +which the only promise made for the observance of one of +the Commandments is length of days on earth; and, in a +general summing up of the blessings and curses to be +enjoyed or suffered, for the observance or violation of the +laws, as recorded in the 28th chapter of Deuteronomy, it +will be seen they are all of a temporal character only. At +the beginning of the Christian era there were still in existence +a sect of Jews known as Sadducees, who were strict +adherents to the primitive form of worship, and their belief +relative to the state of the dead we find recorded in +Ecclesiastes xii., 7, which reads: "Then shall the dust return +to earth as it was, and the spirit shall return to God +who gave it." + +<!-- Page 9 --> +<P>For ages the doctrine of soul absorption, immediately +after death, constituted the belief of mankind; but ultimately +recognizing the fact that the temporal punishments +of the existing laws were wholly inadequate to the +prevention of crime, and conceiving the idea that the +ignorant and vicious masses could be governed with a +surer hand by appealing to the sentiments of hope and +fear in relation to the rewards and punishments of an +imaginary future life, the ancient Astrologers resolved to +remodel the dogmatic elements of religion so as to include +that doctrine. But realizing the necessity, of suppressing +the belief in the absorption of all souls, immediately +after death, they ceased to teach it, and ultimately it +was embodied in that secret and unwritten system known +as the Esoteric philosophy, in which the Astrologers +formulated their own private belief, and which for many +centuries was kept from the knowledge of the uninitiated +by their successors in the priestly office. As they were +the sole custodians of the Scriptures, they made do change +in their verbiage, but, adding the doctrine of future rewards +and punishments to that written and openly taught +system of faith known as the Exoteric creed, they made it +the more impressive by instituting a system of imposing +rites and ceremonies, which they designated as Mysteries, +into which they initiated the neophytes, and in which were +<!-- Page 10 --> +portrayed, in the most vivid manner, the rewards and +punishments of the imaginary future life, which they +taught were the awards of the Gods for the observance or +violation of the laws. These teachings were inculcated in +the lesser degrees only, but those who were found worthy +of so great a distinction were also inducted into the higher +degrees, in which was imparted the knowledge of the +Esoteric philosophy. In both the lesser and higher degrees +the initiates received instruction in an oral manner +only; and all were bound by the most fearful oaths not to +reveal the secrets imparted to them. + +<P>Thus were the votaries of the ancient Astral worship +divided into two distinct classes, the Esoterics, or Gnostics; +and the Exoterics, or Agnostics; the former comprising +those who knew that the Gods were mythical and +the scriptures allegorical; and the latter, those who were +taught that the Gods were real, and the scriptures historical; +or, in other words, it was philosophy for the cultured +few, and religion for the ignorant multitude. The initiates +into the secrets of these two systems recognized +them as the two Gospels; and Paul must have had reference +to them in his Epistle to the Galatians ii., 2, where he +distinguishes the Gospel which he preached on ordinary +occasions from that Gospel which he preached "privately +to them which were of reputation." + +<!-- Page 11 --> +<P>Such was the system of Astrolatry, which, originating +in the Orient, and becoming, after being remodelled +in Egypt, the prototype of all Occidental forms of worship, +was recognized, successively, as the state religion of +the Grecian and Roman Empires; and we propose to describe +the erroneous system of nature upon which it was +based, and to develop the origins of its cycles, dogmas, +ordinances, anniversaries, personifications and symbols, +with the view to proving that it was the very same system +which was ultimately perpetuated under the name of +Christianity. We also propose to present the origins and +abridged histories of its two forms, the Jewish, or ancient, +and the Roman, or modern; and to give an account of the +conflict between the votaries of the latter, and the adherents +to the established form of worship, which culminated +in the fourth century in the substitution of Christianity +as the state religion of the Roman Empire. We furthermore +propose to show the changes to which the creed and +scriptures were subjected during the Middle Ages, and at +the Reformation in the sixteenth century, through which +they assumed the phases as now taught in the theologies, +respectively of Catholicism and Orthodox Protestantism. +We also present an article relative to Freemasonry and +Druidism, for the purpose of showing that, primarily, they +were but different forms of the ancient Astrolatry. We +<!-- page 12 --> +also devote a few pages to the subjects of the Sabbath, and +to that of "Pious Frauds." + +<P><FONT SIZE=-1>Note.—For the matter published in this work, we are +principally indebted to the writings of Robert Taylor, an erudite +but recusant minister of the church of England, who flourished +about seventy years ago, and who, being too honest to +continue to preach what, after thorough investigation, he did +not believe, began to give expression to his doubts by writing +and lecturing. Not being able to cope with his arguments, the +clergy, under the charge of the impossible crime of blasphemy, +had him imprisoned for more than two years, during which +time he wrote his great work entitled "The Diegesis," which +should be read by all persons who are investigating the claim +of the Christian religion to Divine authenticity.</FONT> + +<!-- page 13 --> +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> +<CENTER><H2><A NAME=GEOCENTRIC>THE GEOCENTRIC SYSTEM OF NATURE.</A></H2></CENTER> +<P>In constructing their system of nature, the ancient +Astronomers constituted it of the Earth, the Firmament, +the Planets, the Constellations and the Zodiac, and we +will refer to them in the order named. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=earth>The Earth.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>Believing that the earth was the only world, that it +was a vast circular plane, and that it was the fixed and +immovable center around which revolved the celestial +luminaries, the ancient Astronomers, in conformity to the +requirement of the doctrine of future rewards and punishments, +as inculcated in the Egyptian Version of the +Exoteric Creed, divided it into an upper and an under, +or nether world, which they connected by a sinuous and +tenebrious passage. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=firmament>The Firmament.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>The azure dome, called the firmament in the book of +Genesis, was believed to be a solid transparency, which +<!-- Page 14 --> +we find described, in the fourth chapter and sixth verse, +of that collection of Astronomical Allegories, called the +Apocalypse, or Book of Revelation, "as a sea of glass like +unto crystal." It was represented as being supported by +four pillars, resting upon the earth, one at each of the cardinal +points, which were designated as "the pillars of +heaven." Conceiving the idea that there were windows +in the firmament, the ancient Astronomers called them +"the windows of heaven" and taught that they were +opened when it rained, and closed when it ceased to rain. +Hence it is evident that the ancient Astronomers did not +refer to these pillars and windows in a figurative sense, +but as real appurtenances to a solid firmament, as will be +seen by reference to Gen. vii. 11, and viii. 2, Job xxvi. 11, +and Malachi iii. 10. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=planets>The Planets.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>Believing that the stars were but mere flambeaux, +suspended beneath the firmament, and revolving round +the earth, for the sole purpose of giving it light and heat; +and observing that seven of these, answering to the Sun, +Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn, had +perceptible movements, in relation to the other luminaries, +the ancient astronomers designated them as planets +or wandering stars. + +<!-- page 15 --> +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=constellations>The Constellations.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>Perceiving that the other celestial luminaries maintained +the same relation to each other, and designating +them as fixed stars, the ancient astronomers grouped +those visible to them into forty-eight Constellations; and +giving names to these, they also attached names to the +stars of larger magnitude, which was done for the purpose +of locating and distinguishing them with greater +ease. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=zodiac>The Zodiac.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P><IMG SRC="images/plate1.gif" WIDTH=300 HEIGHT=281 BORDER=1 HSPACE=10 VSPACE=10 ALT="The Zodiac"><!-- frontispiece --> +Through twelve of these Constellations, mostly contained +within a belt of 16 degrees in width, and within +which the planets appeared to revolve, the ancient astronomers +inscribed a central line representing the Ecliptic, or +apparent orbit of the sun, which they divided into 360 +degrees; and quartering these to denote the seasons, they +named the cardinal points the Summer and Winter Solstices, +and the Vernal and Autumnal Equinoxes; the +former referring to the longest and shortest days of the +year; and the latter to the two periods when the days and +nights are equal. An abbreviatory sign having been attached +to each of these constellations, the great celestial +belt containing them was called "the wheel of the signs," +<!-- page 16 --> +or "a wheel in the middle of a wheel," as designated by +that old Astrologer, Ezekiel the Prophet, in chap. i. and +16th verse. But for the reason that, with only one exception, +the forms of living things, either real or mythical, +were given to them, this belt, ultimately, wad designated +as the Zodiac; or Circle of living Creatures, see Ezekiel, +chap. i. Constituting the essential feature of the ancient +Astronomy, we present, in our frontispiece, a diagram of +the Zodiac, as anciently represented, to which, as well as +to Burritts' Celestial Atlas, our readers will be necessitated +to make frequent reference. + +<P>Recent researches among the ruins of ancient cities +have developed the fact that several centuries before the +beginning of our era the astronomers had invented the +telescope, and discovered the true or heliocentric system +of nature; but for the reason that religion had been based +upon the false, or geocentric system, it was deemed prudent +not to teach it to the masses. Hence, hiding it away +among the other secrets of the Esoteric philosophy, the +knowledge of it was lost during the Middle Ages; and +when rediscovered, the hierarchy of the Church of Rome, +upon the plea that it was contrary to the teachings of +Scripture, resorted to inquisitorial tortures to suppress +its promulgation; but, in spite of all their efforts, it has +been universally accepted; and, in this otherwise enlightened +<!-- Page 17 --> +age, we have presented to us the anomaly of a religion +based upon a false system of Astronomy, while its +votaries believe in the true system. +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> +<HR width=70 align=center> +<BR CLASS=left> + +<CENTER><H2><A NAME=NUMBERS>THE SACRED NUMBERS 7 AND 12.</A></H2></CENTER> +<P>In reference to the planets, and the signs of the +Zodiac, the numbers seven and twelve were recognized +as sacred by the ancient Astrologers, and dedications +were made to them in all kinds and sorts of forms. In +the allegories, the genii of the planets were designated +as spirits or messengers to the Supreme Deity, imaginarily +enthroned above the firmament, which we find described +in Revelations iv. 5, as "Seven lamps of fire burning +before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God;" +and which were represented by lights burning in seven +branched candlesticks set before the altars in the temples; +the central light for the Sun; the Moon, Mercury and +Venus on one side; and Mars, Jupiter and Saturn on the +other. The seven branched candlesticks seen in all +Catholic churches, and in some Protestant ones, are intended +to represent the same planetary system. + +<P>Among the numerous dedications to the genii of the +planets we mention the seven days of the week, the seven +<!-- Page 18 --> +stories of the tower of Babylon, the seven gates of Thebes, +the seven piped flute of Pan, the seven stringed lyre of +Apollo, the seven books of fate, the book of seven seals, +the seven castes into which the Egyptians and East Indians +were divided, and the jubilee of seven times seven +years. Among the dedications to the twelve signs we +mention the twelve months of the year, the grand cycle +of 12,000 years, the twelve altars of James, the twelve +labors of Hercules, the twelve divisions of the Egyptian +Labyrinth, the twelve shields of Mars, the twelve precious +stones, ranged in threes to denote the seasons, in the +breastplate of High Priest, the twelve foundations of the +Sacred City, referred to in the Book of Revelation, the +twelve sons of Jacob, the twelve tribes of Israel, and the +twelve Disciples. In the Book of Revelation alone the +number 7 is repeated twenty-four times, and the number +12 fourteen times. +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> +<HR width=70 align=center> +<BR CLASS=left> + +<CENTER><H2><A NAME=CYCLE>THE TWELVE THOUSAND YEAR CYCLE.</A></H2></CENTER> +<P>In determining the duration of the period within +which were to occur the events taught in the doctrines of +the Exoteric Creed, the ancient Astrologers dedicated +a thousand years to each of the signs of the Zodiac, and +<!-- Page 19 --> +thus inaugurating the cycle of twelve thousand years, +taught that, at its conclusion, the heaven and the earth, +which they believed to be composed of the indestructible +elements of fire, air, earth and water, would, through the +agency of the first of these, be reduced to chaos, as a +preliminary to the reorganization of a new heaven and a +new earth at the beginning of the succeeding cycle. Such +was the origin of the grand cycle of the ancient Astrolatry, +and it must be borne in mind that its authors made its +conclusion to correspond in time and circumstance to the +doctrines relating to the finale of the plan of redemption. +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> +<HR width=70 align=center> +<BR CLASS=left> + +<CENTER><H2><A NAME=TRIAD>THE ANCIENT TRIAD.</A></H2></CENTER> +<P>After conceiving the idea of a primeval chaos, constituted +of four indestructible elements of which fire was +the leading one, the Oriental astrologers began to indulge +in speculations relative to the agencies which were engaged +in its organization. Having no knowledge of the +forces inherent in nature, they imputed this work to three +intelligences, which, embodying the All in All, they personified +by the figure of a man with three heads, and to +this trinity gave the names of Brahma, Vishnu and Siva. +Such a figure, carved in stone, may be seen in the island +<!-- Page 20 --> +Cave of Elephanta, near Bombay, India, and is popularly +believed to represent the Creator, Preserver and Destroyer; +but, in determining their true signification, we +must be governed by the ancient teachings that "All +things were made by one god-head with three names, and +this God is all things." Hence the conclusion is irresistible +that the first person represents neither the creator +nor organizer of chaos, but chaos itself; the second person, +its organizer and governor; and the third person, the +agent in nature which impresses all her parts with life and +motion; the latter being the imaginary great soul or +spirit inculcated in the Esoteric philosophy. In support +of this opinion it will be found that the Egyptian Triad of +Father, Son and Spirit is virtually the same we have assigned +to its Oriental prototype. Thus we see that to +the ancient Astrolatry Christendom is indebted for the +Trinity of<BR><BR> + + "God the Father, God the Son,<BR> + God the Spirit—three in one." + +<P>But, having ascribed supreme intelligence or reason +to its second person, under the name of the Logos, or +Word, and designating its third person as the Holy Ghost, +the ancient Triad was usually formulated as the Father, +the Word and the Holy Ghost, as may be seen by reference +to the text in the allegories which we find recorded +<!-- Page 21 --> +in I John v. 7, which reads that "There are three that +bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word and the +Holy Ghost, and these three are one." + +<P>Considered in some forms of Astrolatry as too +sacred to attach a name to the triune Deity, he was called +"the One," and we find him thus designated in the 4th +chapter of Revelation, where, like Zeus and Jupiter, of the +Grecian and Roman mythologies, he is represented as +seated above the firmament, upon a throne from which +"proceeded lightnings and thunderings," and to whom +all, the subordinate divinities were made to pay homage. +As the hurler of thunderbolts he was called "the Thunderer," +and as the opener of the windows of heaven, +when it rained, he was designated "Jupiter Pluvius." +Such was the ancient Triad made to say of himself, in an +inscription found in the ruins of the temple at Sais in +Egypt, "I am all that has been, all that is, and all that +shall be, and no mortal has lifted yet the veil that covers +me;" and such was the Triunity referred to as the God +Universe by Pliny, the Roman philosopher and naturalist, +who, flourishing in the first century of the Christian era, +wrote that he is "An infinite God which has never been +created, and which shall never come to an end. To look +for something else beyond it is useless labor for man and +out of his reach. Behold that truly sacred Being, eternal +<!-- Page 22 --> +and immense, which includes within itself everything; it +is All in All, or rather itself is All. It is the work of +nature, and itself is nature." + +<P>Thus we see that, although inculcating<!-- [SIC] --> homage to a +multitude of subordinate divinities, the ancient Astrolatry +was only an apparent Polytheism; its enlightened votaries, +recognizing the dogma of the unity of God, were in +reality Monotheists, paying supreme adoration to the +mythical genius of the Sun, to whom we will now direct +attention. +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> +<HR width=70 align=center> +<BR CLASS=left> + +<CENTER><H2><A NAME=SOL>GOD SOL.</A></H2></CENTER> +<P>In determining the characteristics of the supreme +divinity of astral worship, it must be borne in mind that +its founders taught that he was evolved or engendered by +the Father, or first person in the sacred Triad, from his +pure substance, which as we have shown was constituted +of chaos or the primeval fire into which they supposed all +things were reduced through the agency of that element +at the conclusion of 12,000 year cycles. Hence, designating +that mythical being as the only begotten of the +Father, they personified him as God the Son, or second +person in the sacred Triad; and recognizing the Sun as the +<!-- Page 23 --> +ruling star, very appropriately made him the presiding +genius of that luminary, under the title of God Sol. According +homage to light as his chief attribute, he is referred +to in the allegories as "The true Light, which lighteth +every man that cometh into the world," John i., 9; and, +although designated as the only begotten of the Father, +his co-existence with him, under the title of the Logos or +Word, is shown in the text which reads, "In the beginning +was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the +Word was God," John i., 1. + +<P>Personifying the principles of Good and Evil in God +Sol, the ancient Astrologers consecrated the six divisions +of the 12,000 year cycle, corresponding to the reproductive +months of Spring and Summer, to him as Lord of +Good, and symbolizing him by the constellation of the +Zodiac in which the Vernal Equinox successively occurred, +as explained hereafter, they dedicated the six divisions +of that cycle, corresponding to the destructive +months of Autumn and Winter, to him as Lord of Evil, +and as such, symbolizing him by the serpent, marked the +beginning of his reign by the constellation "Serpens," +placed in conjunction with the Autumnal Equinox. +Personifying in him the opposing principles of Good and +Evil, he was to the ancients both God and Devil, or the +varied God, who, in relation to the seasons, was described +<!-- Page 24 --> +as beautiful in Spring, powerful in Summer, beneficent in +Autumn and terrible in Winter. Thus under various +names, intended to represent God Sol in relation to the +diversified seasons, we find recorded in the Scriptures, or +solar fables, numerous portrayals of imaginary conflicts, +in which the Evil principle, triumphing during Autumn +and Winter, is conquered at the Vernal Equinox by the +Good principle, who, bringing back equal days and nights, +restores the harmony of nature. + +<BR CLASS=left> +<P><IMG SRC="images/plate2.gif" WIDTH=300 HEIGHT=483 BORDER=1 HSPACE=10 VSPACE=10 ALT="Hercules and Draco"><!-- Pages 25 & 26 --> +The eternal enmity between the principles of Good +and Evil, as manifested in the diversity of the seasons, +we find portrayed in the Constellations Hercules and +Draco, placed in the northern heavens, in which the heel +of the former, representing one of the most ancient of the +imaginary incarnations of God Sol, to which we will refer +hereafter, is resting upon the head of the latter, as referred +to in Genesis iii., 15, which makes God Sol, or the +Lord God, say to the serpent, "I will put enmity between +thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; +it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." +The woman alluded to in this text is the Virgo of the +Zodiac, as will be made apparent hereafter. + +<P>Of all the divinities of the ancient mythology God +Sol was the only one distinguished by the exalted title of +Lord or Lord God, for the reason that he was made the +<!-- Page 27 --> +organizer of chaos and governor of heaven and earth. +Hence, having constituted him the lord of light and darkness, +as well as good and evil, the ancient astrologers in +composing the solar fables made him say of himself, "I +form the light and create darkness; I make peace and +create evil, I the Lord do all these things," Isaiah xlv., 7. +"Shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not +done it?" Amos iii., 6. Besides the title of Lord or +Lord God, the solar divinity is also designated in the +allegories as the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings, +the Invincible, the Mighty God, etc. + +<BR CLASS=left> +<P><IMG SRC="images/plate3.gif" WIDTH=300 HEIGHT=331 BORDER=1 HSPACE=10 VSPACE=10 ALT="Bootes, Canes Venatici, and Virgo"><!-- Pages 28 & 29 --> +Subjecting the mythical genius of the sun, in his apparent +annual revolution round the earth, to the four +stages of human life from infancy to old age, the ancient +Magi fixed the natal day of the young God Sol at the winter +solstice, the Virgo of the Zodiac was made his mother, +and the constellation in conjunction with her, which is +now known as Bootes, but anciently called Arcturus, his +foster father. He is represented as holding in leash two +hunting dogs and driving Ursa Major, or the Great Bear, +around the north pole, thus showing that the original +occupation of the celestial foster father of the young God +Sol was that of a bear driver, and that his sons, referred to +in job xxxviii., 32, are the dogs Asterion and Chara. It +will be observed that Virgo is represented in our illustration +<!-- Page 30 --> +with a child in her arms, for the reason that she is so +represented in the ancient Zodiacs, and the fact will be +readily conceded that she is the only Virgin who could +give birth to a child and be a virgin still. +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> +<HR width=70 align=center> +<BR CLASS=left> + +<CENTER><H2><A NAME=COSMOGONY>THE ANCIENT COSMOGONY.</A></H2></CENTER> +<P>Speculating relative to the order in which chaos had +been organized, the ancient Astrologers constructed a +Cosmogony, which divided the labors of God the Son, or +second person in the Trinity, into six periods of a thousand +years each; and which, answering to the six divisions +of the 12,000 year cycle corresponding to the reproductive +months of Spring and Summer, taught that in the first +period he made the earth; in the second, the firmament; +in the third, vegetation; in the fourth, the Sun and +Moon and "the stars also;" in the fifth, the animals, fishes, +birds, etc., and in the sixth, Man. + +<P>That vegetation was made before the Sun was not an +inconsistent idea to the originators of the ancient Cosmogony. +They imagined that the heat and light, emanating +from the elementary fire, were sufficient to stimulate its +growth, after which God the Son gathered it together and +made the Celestial luminaries. In the solar fables this +<!-- Page 31 --> +imaginary element is called the fire-ether, or sacred fire of +the stars. +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> +<HR width=70 align=center> +<BR CLASS=left> + +<CENTER><H2><A NAME=FALL>FALL AND REDEMPTION OF MAN.</A></H2></CENTER> +<P>Religion having been based upon the worship of personified +nature, it is evident that its founders fabricated +its dogmatic element from their conceptions of her destructive +and reproductive processes as manifested in the +rotation and diversity of the seasons. The apparent retreat +of the sun from the earth, in winter, and his return in +the spring, suggesting the idea of a figurative death and +resurrection of the genius of that luminary, they applied +these phenomena of the year to man, and composed the +allegories relative to his fall and redemption, as inculcated +in the Exoteric Creed. In the allegory relating to the fall, +it was taught that, after making the first human pair, the +Lord of Good or the Lord God placed them in a beautiful +garden—corresponding to the seasons of fruits and flowers +or months of Spring and Summer, with the injunction, +under a penalty, not to eat of the fruit of a certain tree. +When the Lord of Evil, or Devil, symbolized by the serpent +and represented by the constellation "Serpens" +placed in conjunction with the Autumnal Equinox, meeting +<!-- Page 32 --> +them on the confines of his dominion, and tempting +the woman, and she the man, they ate of the forbidden +fruit; thus, falling from their first estate, and committing +the original sin, they involved the whole human race in the +consequences of their disobedience. Then the Lord God, +pronouncing a curse against the serpent, clothed the man +and woman with skins to protect them against the inclemency +of his, dominion as Lord of Evil, and drove them +from the garden; after which they were necessitated to +earn their bread by tilling the ground. + +<P>In, reference to the plan of redemption, the ancient +Astrologers divided the 6,000 years appropriated to man, +as the duration of his race on earth, into ten equal cycles, +and taught that at the conclusion of each God Sol, as +Lord of Good, would manifest himself in the flesh, to destroy +his works as Lord of Evil, and through suffering +and death make an atonement for sin. Thus having originated +the doctrines of original sin, incarnation and vicarious +atonement, as parts of the plan of redemption, and +making its finale correspond, in point of time, to the conclusion +of the 12,000 year cycle, their successors in the +priestly office ultimately inculcated the additional dogmas +of the general judgment and future rewards and punishments, +as we have shown in our introduction. + +<P>Having based the fables of the fall and redemption of +<!-- Page 33 --> +man upon the idea that he was impelled, without his +volition, to pass from the dominion of God to that of the +Devil, or in other words, upon his subjection to the inexorable +necessity which makes the inclement seasons +of Autumn and Winter succeed the beneficent ones of +Spring and Summer, its authors composed the original +of the text which, found in Romans viii., 20, reads that +"The creature was made subject to vanity (Evil), not willingly, +but by reason of him who hath subjected the same +in hope." + +<P>But for the popular teaching in favor of its being +literal history, no one could read the account of the fall of +man, as recorded in the third chapter of Genesis, without +recognizing it as simply an allegory; or fail to realize, the +force of the argument of no fall, no redemption, and if no +redemption, no God to reward or Devil to punish; no hell +to suffer, or heaven to enjoy. The fact is that these are +but antithetical ideas which came in together, and must +survive or perish together. They cannot be separated +without destroying the whole theological fabric. +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> +<HR width=70 align=center> +<BR CLASS=left> + +<CENTER><H2><A NAME=INCARNATIONS>INCARNATIONS OF GOD SOL.</A></H2></CENTER> +<P>Believing that God Sol was necessitated to remain at +his post to direct the course of the sun, the ancient astrologers +<!-- Page 34 --> +conceived the idea of teaching that, attended by a +retinue of subordinate genii, he descended to earth +through the medium of incarnations at the end of 600 year +cycles, to perform the work of man's redemption and, +having made Virgo of the Zodiac the mother of the Solar +divinity, they taught in their allegorical Astronomy, or +scriptures, that his incarnations were born of a Virgin. +Hence we find that God Sol, usually designated by the +title of the Word, "was made flesh, and dwelt among us." +John i., 14. + +<P>In a discourse upon this text delivered by Tillotson, +Archbishop of Canterbury, in the year 1680, published in +the fourth volume of Woodhouse's edition of his Grace's +sermons, in the year 1744, concerning the Incarnation of +our blessed Saviour, he explains the necessity of incarnation +by saying that "There was likewise a great inclination +in mankind to the worship of a visible Deity, so God was +pleased to appear in our nature, that they, who were so +fond of a visible Deity, might have one, even a true and +natural image of God the Father, the express image of +his person." It only requires a little reflection to appreciate +the Prelate's covert irony and want of faith. + +<P>Having ascribed to the imaginary incarnations of +God Sol the characteristics of heaven-descending, virgin-born, +earth-walking, wonder-working, dying, resuscitated +<!-- Page 35 --> +and ascending sons of God, the ancient Astrologers +attached to them the several titles of Saviour, Redeemer, +Avatar, Divine-Helper, Shiloh, Messiah, Christ; and, in +reference to their foster-father, that of Son of Man. +Teaching that they continued to make intercession for sin, +after their ascension to the right hand of the Father, they +were also called Intercessors, Mediators or Advocates +with the Father. From teaching their appearance every +600 years originated the Egyptian legend of the Phoenix, +a bird said to descend from the sun at these intervals, and, +after being consumed upon the altar in the temple of On, +or city of the sun—called Heliopolis by the Greeks—would +rise from its ashes and ascend to its source. According +to the civil laws of Egypt, manhood was not +attained until the age of thirty years. Hence the earthly +mission of incarnate Saviours was made to begin at that +age; and for the reason that, relating to the apparent transit +of the sun through the twelve signs of the Zodiac, it +was completed during the period of one year. + +<P>To impress the ignorant masses with the belief that +the scriptures were literal histories, and the incarnate +Saviours real personages, the ancient Astrologers caused +tombs to be erected in which it was claimed they were +buried. Such sepulchres were erected to Hercules at +Cadiz, to Apollo at Delphi, and to other Saviours at many +<!-- Page 36 --> +other places, to which their respective votaries were induced +to perform pilgrimages. In Egypt the pyramids +were built, partly for astronomical purposes, and partly +as tombs for Saviours, claimed to have been kings, who +had once ruled over the country; and why should we not +recognize that magnificent structure known as the Church +of the Holy Sepulchre, at Jerusalem, as but another of +those tombs of Saviours in which no Saviour was ever entombed? + +<P>Thus we have shown that it was God Sol, the only +begotten of the Father, or second person in the sacred +Triad, to whom supreme adoration was inculcated in all +forms of the ancient Astrolatry; and that its cultured +votaries, understanding that the doctrines pertaining to +the fall and redemption of man were evolved from the +figurative death and resurrection of the solar divinity, +recognized the doctrine of incarnation as a priestly invention +intended only for the ignorant masses. +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> +<HR width=70 align=center> +<BR CLASS=left> + +<CENTER><H2><A NAME=LABORS>FABLE OF THE TWELVE LABORS.</A></H2></CENTER> +<P><IMG SRC="images/plate4.gif" WIDTH=300 HEIGHT=226 BORDER=1 HSPACE=10 VSPACE=10 ALT="Orion the Hunter and Taurus the Bull"><!-- Pages 38 & 39 --> +The authors of the original solar fables, having lived +in that remote age in which physical prowess was recognized +as the highest attribute of humanity, conceived the +<!-- Page 37 --> +idea that God Sol, while passing through his apparent +orbit, had to fight his way with the animals of the Zodiac, +and with others in conjunction with them. Hence, designating +him as the Mighty Hunter, and calling his exploits +the twelve labors, they made the incarnate Saviours +the heroes of similar ones on earth, which they taught +were performed for the good of mankind; and that, after +fulfilling their earthly mission, they were exhaled to +heaven through the agency of fire. When these fables +were composed the Summer Solstice was in the sign of +Leo, and making the twelve labors begin in it, the first +consisted in the killing of a lion, and the second, in rescuing +a virgin (Virgo) by the destruction of a Hydra, the +constellation in conjunction with her. Upon one of the +Assyrian marbles on exhibition in the British Museum +these two labors are represented as having been performed +by a saviour by the name of Nimroud. In the constellations +of Taurus, the bull of the Zodiac, and of Orion, originally +known as Horns, in conjunction therewith, we +have groupings of stars representing the latter as one of +the mighty hunters of the ancient Astrolatry, supporting +on his left arm the shield of the lion's skin, the trophy of +the first labor, and holding a club in his uplifted right +hand, is engaged in performing the tenth labor by a conflict +with the former. + +<!-- Page 40 --> +<P>The fable of the twelve labors constituted the sacred +records or scriptures of the older forms of Astrolatry, one +version of which, written with the cuneiform character +upon twelve tablets of burnt clay, exhumed from the ruins +of an Assyrian city, and now on exhibition in the British +Museum, is ascribed to Nimroud, the prototype of the +Grecian Hercules, and of Nimrod, the Mighty Hunter of +the Old Testament. +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> +<HR width=70 align=center> +<BR CLASS=left> + +<CENTER><H2><A NAME=ANNIVERSARIES>ANNIVERSARIES OF SOLAR WORSHIP.</A></H2></CENTER> +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=nativity>The Nativity.</A></H3></CENTER> + +Applying the anniversaries inculcated in the worship +of God Sol to his imaginary incarnations, the founders of +the ancient Astrolatry made them refer to the several +stages of human existence from infancy to mature age. +Hence, comparing the first day of infantile life to the +shortest day of the year, it would naturally be expected +that they would have placed the anniversary of the Nativity +exactly at the Winter solstice; but, having conceived +the idea that the sun stood still for the space of three days +at each of the cardinal points, and making it represent the +figurative death of the genius of that luminary, they fixed +the date for its observance three days later, or on the 25th +<!-- Page 41 --> +of December. The Gnostic adherents to the ancient +solar worship, or those who were conversant with the +teachings of the Esoteric philosophy, knowing that the +dramatis personæ of the fable of incarnation were pictured +with stars upon the azure vault, recognized the +woman "clothed with the sun, and the moon under her +feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars," referred +to in Revelations xii. 1, as the Virgo of the Zodiac; they +also knew that she was the true queen of heaven and +mother of God; and that the infant, anciently represented +in her arms, and with whom, in their day, she arose on the +Eastern horizon at midnight on the 24th of December, +was the same of whom the people were taught to sing at +Christmas "Unto us a child is born this day." + +<P>With the knowledge of these facts we can readily see +that this is the Virgin and child which constituted the +originals of those exquisite paintings, by the old masters, +known as the Madonna and Child. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=epiphany>Epiphany or Twelfth Day.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>In reference to the twelve signs through which the +sun makes his apparent annual revolution, the twelfth +day after Christmas, answering to the 6th of January, was +observed by the votaries of the ancient Astrolatry as the +anniversary of the Epiphany or Twelfth Day. In the +<!-- Page 42 --> +solar fables, it was taught that a star appeared in the +heavens on that day to manifest the birthplace of the +infant Saviour to the Magi or Wise Men of the East, who +came to pay him homage, and to present him with the +gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, as related in Matthew ii. 11. + +<P>The reason for presenting these gifts is explained by +the facts that of the seven metals dedicated to the genii of +the planets, gold was the one consecrated to God Sol; and +frankincense and myrrh were the gums burned in censers +in his worship. + +<P>In reading the account of the Magi's visit to the infant +Saviour, we have but to exercise our thinking faculties to +realize that it is allegory instead of literal history. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=lent>Lent or Lenten Season.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>In the ancient solar fables it was taught that the persecutions +to which the incarnate Saviours were subjected +while passing through the dominion of God Sol as Lord of +Evil, raged with greatest fury during the forty days +preceding the festival of Easter, which period, beginning +when the days were perceptibly lengthening, was called +Lent, or the Lenten season. It was during this season +that the votaries of the ancient religion were taught to +<!-- Page 43 --> +manifest their sympathy for the Saviour in his imaginary +conflict with the Devil by abstaining from all festivities, +and by fasting and prayer; and, as that was the season +in which the flocks and herds were poor in flesh, while the +seas and rivers abounded with fish in good condition, the +ancient priests, making a virtue of necessity, enjoined a +diet principally of fish, and for that reason placed the constellation +Pisces at the point in the Zodiac in which the +Lenten season anciently began; which, without regard to +the day of the week, was always observed on the 15th day +of February, the name of that month having been derived +from the Februa, or feast of purification and expiation of +the old Roman calendar. + +<P>At the council of Nice the Lenten season was made +to begin on the fourth day of the week, and in reference to +the ancient custom of the more devout sprinkling ashes +upon their heads at the feast of the Februa, it is called Ash +Wednesday. + +<P>Hence we see that all years in which Ash Wednesday +does not come on the 15th of February, the Lenten +season must necessarily contain a greater or lesser number +than the original assignment of forty days. + +<!-- Page 44 --> +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=passion>Passion Week.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>The last seven days of Lent is called Passion Week, in +reference to the apparent passage of the sun across the +Celestial equator at the Vernal Equinox or 21st of +March; the ancient astrologers having conceived the idea +that the sun stood still for the space of three days at each +of the cardinal points, and making it represent the figurative +death of the genius of that luminary, it was observed +as the anniversary of the Vernal crucifixion or passion of +the incarnate Saviours; and in commemoration of their +imaginary sufferings and death it was the custom to expose +in the temples during the last three days of Passion +Week figures representing their dead bodies, over which +the votaries of solar worship, especially the women, made +great lamentation. It was in reference to one of these +images, laid out in the temple at Jerusalem, to which the +jealous Jehovah, considering it a great abomination in his +own house, is made to direct the attention of Ezekiel, the +prophet, who, looking, beheld "Women weeping for Tammuz" +as recorded in the eighth chapter. This divinity +was the Phoenician prototype of the Grecian Adonis, to +whom the women of Judea preferred to pay homage. + +<P>It was during the last three days of Passion Week +that the votaries of solar worship performed their severest +<!-- Page 45 --> +penance. Besides fasting and prayer, the more devout +flagellated and slashed themselves and others with knives +and thongs, and carried heavy crosses up steep acclivities. +In all ultra-Catholic countries the priests, in imitation of +the ancient custom, expose in the churches figures representing +the dead Saviour, over which the laity, especially +the women, weep and mourn; and the more devout +men cut and slash themselves, and each other, with +knives and thongs; and, in imitation of the imaginary +tramp of Jesus with his cross up Calvary's rugged side, +bear heavy crosses up steep acclivities. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=plays>Passion Plays.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>Anciently dramas representing the passion of incarnate +saviours, called Passion plays, were enacted upon the +stage. The most celebrated of these divine tragedies, +known as Prometheus Bound, and composed by the +Greek poet Æschylus, was played at Athens 500 years +before the beginning of the Christian era. To show that +this sin-atoning saviour was not chained to a rock, while +vultures preyed upon his vitals, as popularly taught, but +was nailed to a tree; we quote front Potter's translation of +the play, that passage which, readily recognized as the +original of a Christian song, reads as follows: +<!-- page 46 --> +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> + "Lo, streaming from the fatal tree,<BR> + His all atoning blood:<BR> + Is this the infinite? 'Tis he—<BR> + Prometheus and a God.<BR> + Well might the sun in darkness hide,<BR> + And veil his glories in,<BR> + When God the great Prometheus died<BR> + For man, the creature's sin." + +<P>The veiling of the sun, as represented in these plays, +having reference to the imaginary sympathy expressed by +God Sol for the sufferings of his incarnate son, was shown +upon the stage by shading the lights. The monks of the +Middle Ages enacted plays representing the passion of the +Christian Saviour, and the Bavarian peasantry, perpetuating +this custom, perform the play every tenth year. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=resurrection>Resurrection and Easter Festival.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>In conformity to the ancient teachings, the incarnate +saviours, considered as figuratively dead for the space of +three days at the Vernal Equinox, or 21st of March, were +raised to newness of life after the expiration of that time. +Hence, the 25th of March, without regard to the day of +the week, was celebrated as the anniversary of the Vernal +resurrection. On the morning of this day it was the +custom of the astrologers to say to the mourners assembled +in the temples, "Be of good cheer, sacred band of initiates; +<!-- Page 47 --> +your God has risen from the dead, his pains and his +sufferings shall be your salvation." Another form of +this admonition, quoted from an ancient poem in reference +to the Phoenician Tammuz, reads as follows: +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> + "Trust ye saints, your God restored,<BR> + Trust ye in your risen Lord,<BR> + For the pains which he endured,<BR> + Your salvation hath procured." + +<P>Then would begin the festivities of Easter, which +corrupted from Eostre, and derived from the Teutonic +mythology, was one of the many names given to the goddess +of Spring. In the observance of this festival the +temples were adorned with floral offerings; the Hilaries +sang their joyful lays; the fires upon the pyres, or the fire-altars, +were extinguished and rekindled with new fire, or +sacred fire of the stars, which the Astrologers taught was +brought down from heaven by the winged genius Perseus, +the constellation which, anciently, was in conjunction +with the Vernal Equinox; Paschal candles, lit from +the new fire, were distributed to the faithful and the Paschal +feast, Easter feast, or the feast of the passover, was +eaten in commemoration of the passion of the incarnate +saviours, or, in other words, of the passage of the sun +across the celestial equator. +<!-- page 48 --> +In ultra-Catholic countries the descent of the sacred +fire is represented by some secretly arranged pyrotechny, +and the credulous laity, believing they have witnessed a +miraculous display, eagerly solicit Paschal candles lit +from it; and in imitation of the ancient festivities in honor +of the return of spring, all Catholic churches, and most of +Protestant ones, are adorned with flowers, the bells ring +out their merriest peals, and "Gloria in Excelsis" and +other jubilant songs, similar to the lays of the ancient Hilaries, +are sung. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=annunciation>Annunciation.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>The anniversary of the Nativity having been placed +on the 25th of December, according to the course of nature, +the 25th of March was anciently celebrated as the +anniversary of the annunciation, and is still observed on +that day, and the duty of saluting the Virgin (Virgo) and +announcing her conception by the Holy Ghost or third +person in the Trinity was assigned to the genius of Spring. +In the Chaldean version of the Gospel story the name of +Gabriel was given to this personification, and in the Christian +version of that story he is made to perform the same +office; see Luke i. 26-35. + +<!-- Page 49 --> +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=ascension>Ascension.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>Celebrating the anniversary of the ascension forty +days after Easter, it was anciently observed on the 4th of +May, and it was taught that the incarnate saviours ascended +bodily into heaven, in a golden chariot drawn by +four horses caparisoned with gilded trappings, all glittering +like fire in the fervid sunlight. Hence when we read +in II. Kings ii. 11, that "There appeared a chariot of fire +and horses of fire, . . . and Elijah went up by a +whirlwind into heaven," we must accept this text as descriptive +of the imaginary ascension of one of the incarnate +saviours of ancient Judaism. + + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=assumption>Assumption.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>When the Summer solstice was in the sign of Cancer, +the sun was in that of Virgo in the month of August, and +the anniversary of the Assumption was observed on the +15th of that month, and is so observed at the present +time. The fact that the anniversary of the Ascension precedes +that of the Assumption explains why Jesus is made +to say to his mother (Virgo) soon after his resurrection, +"Touch me not: for I am not yet ascended to my Father." +John xx. 17. + +<!-- page 50 --> +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=supper>The Lord's Supper.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>In the ancient solar worship the so-called ordinance +of the Lord's Supper was observed just before the anniversary +of the autumnal crucifixion; and consisting of bread +and wine, in reference to the maturing of the crops and +completion of the vintage, was, like the modern festival of +the hardest home, a season of thankfulness to the Lord +(God Sol) as the giver of all good gifts. Hence being +observed but once a year, it was in reality not an ordinance +but an anniversary; and the fact that Christians +partake of these emblems so frequently during the year +indicates that the original signification of the Lord's Supper +has been lost. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=transubstantiation>Transubstantiation,</A></H3></CENTER> +or the conversion of the bread and wine into the veritable +blood and body of Christ, is a doctrine of the Catholic +church which was derived from the ritual of the ancient +solar worship. + +<P>In the 26th chapter of Matthew we have an account +of the Lord administering the last supper to his Disciples +on the eve of the autumnal crucifixion, and in verse 27 +it reads that "he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave +it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it." The compilers of +the modern version of the Gospel story must surely have +<!-- page 51 --> +inadvertently copied this text as it read in the ancient +versions of that old, old story, which, when observed in +remembrance of "Our Lord and Saviour Bacchus," was +called the Bacchanalia, or feast, of Bacchus. At these +orgies the participants give thanks for the wine by not +only drinking all of one cup, but many more; in fact they +kept on drinking until they fell under the table. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=crucifixion>Autumnal Crucifixion.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P> +<IMG SRC="images/plate5.gif" WIDTH=300 HEIGHT=383 BORDER=1 HSPACE=10 VSPACE=10 ALT="Savior as a vigorous young man"><!-- Pages 52 & 53 --> +<IMG SRC="images/plate6.gif" WIDTH=300 HEIGHT=383 BORDER=1 HSPACE=10 VSPACE=10 ALT="The vanquished Savior"><!-- Pages 54 & 55 --> +<BR CLASS=left> +The beneficent seasons of Spring and Summer coming +to an end at the Autumnal Equinox, the 22d of September +was made the anniversary of the Autumnal Crucifixion. +The vernal resurrection and Autumnal Crucifixion, +representing the alternate triumph of the personified +principles of Good and Evil, as manifested in the diversity +of the seasons; we find appropriately expressed in +two religious pictures. In the one, the Saviour, appealing +as a vigorous young man, surrounded by a brilliant halo, +representing the rays of the all-conquering Sun of Spring, +is rising triumphantly from the tomb, before whom the +demon of Winter, or Devil, is seen retreating in the background. +In the other, the vanquished Saviour, represented +by the figure of a lean and haggard man, with a crown of +thorns upon his head, around which appears a faint halo +of the Sun's declining rays, and above which is placarded +<!-- Page 56 --> +the letters I. N. R. I., the initial letters of Latin words, +signifying the life to come, or the eternal life, is suspended +upon the cross, at the foot of which his mother Mary +(Virgo) is represented as kneeling in a mourning attitude, +and by her side is seen a serpent and a skull, the emblems +of Evil and of Death. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=michaelmas>Michaelmas.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>In the calendar of the ancient Astral Worship, the +fourth day after the Autumnal Equinox was dedicated to +the genius of Autumn. In the Chaldean allegories the +name of Michael was given to this personification, and +called Michaelmas, or feast of Michael. In the Catholic +calendar this anniversary is placed an the 29th of September, +instead of the 26th of that month, while that +of St. Matthew, the Christian genius of Autumn, which +should be placed on the 26th of that month, is observed +on the 21st. + +<P>Thus we have shown that the anniversaries of the +ancient Astral Worship were all fixed, and from church +history we learn that they were so observed by the Christians +until the Council of Nice in the year 325, when the +Bishops assembled at that celebrated convocation, desiring +to have the festival of Easter celebrated on Sunday, +which had been made the Sabbath by the edict of Constantine, +<!-- Page 57 --> +in the year 321, ordered that it should be observed +on the Sunday of the full moon, which comes on or next +after the Vernal Equinox. Hence, converting it into a +movable festival, its allied feasts and fast days were also +made movable. + +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> +<HR width=70 align=center> +<BR CLASS=left> + +<CENTER><H2><A NAME=TIME>PERSONIFICATIONS OF THE DIVISIONS OF TIME.</A></H2></CENTER> +<p>In the ancient solar fables the several divisions of +time were personified and made to pay homage to the +Triune Deity, supposed to be enthroned above the firmament. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=hours>The Hours.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>The genii of the hours were designated as Elders, and +we find them described in the 4th chapter of Revelation +as sitting round about the throne upon four and twenty +seats, clothed in white raiment, and crowns of gold upon +their heads. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=days>The Days.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>Each day of the year was appropriately personified, +and these genii of the days constitute the saints of the +Christian calendar. Of these we will refer to but one. +<!-- Page 58 --> +According to the ancient belief that the sun stood still +for the space of three days at each of the cardinal points, +the 24th of June was made the first of the decreasing days; +and dedicating it to St. John the Baptist, he is made to say +in reference to his opposite, (the genius of the 25th of +December, and first of the increasing days,) "He must increase, +but I must decrease." This text, found in John +iii. 30, simply means that the days of the one must increase +in length, while the days of the other must decrease. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=months>The Months.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>The fable of the twelve labors having been superseded +by others, in which the genii of the twelve signs of the +Zodiac, corresponding to the months, were designated +as angels, and made to minister to God Sol while making +his apparent annual revolution; but, when constituted the +attendants of the incarnate saviours during their imaginary +earth life, they were personified as men and called +Disciples. Of these genii of the months we will refer only +to the first and the last. The first month, dedicated to the +genius known in the mythology as Janus, and from which +was derived the name January, was portrayed with two +faces, the one of an old man looking mournfully backward +over the old year, and the other of a young man looking +joyfully forward to the new year. This personification, +<!-- Page 59 --> +made the opener of the year, and represented as holding +a pair of cross-keys, was called "The carrier of the keys +of the kingdom of heaven." Hence, the Popes of Rome, +claiming apostolic succession from Peter, the Janus of the +Christian twelve, wear cross-keys as the insignia of their +office. Sometimes a crosier, or shepherd's crook, is substituted +for one of the keys, in reference to his arrogated +office of the leader of the sheep! The authority for the +assumption that the Popes are Peter's successors is found +in Matthew xvi. 18, 19; but its fallacy becomes apparent +when we bear in mind that the scriptures are but collections +of astronomical allegories, and that the Peter +referred to in the text was not a man, but the mythical +genius of the month of January. + +<P>In reference to the last month, we find that the +authors of the ancient solar fables, ever doubting whether +God Sol, after inaugurating Winter by his supposed retreat +from the earth, would return to revivify nature with +his life-giving rays, gave to the genius of the twelfth +month the title of the Doubter. In the Christian calendar +this personification is known as Thomas, and a more +specific dedication of the shortest day of the year having +been made to him, the 21st day of December is called St. +Thomas day. + +<!-- Page 60 --> +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=seasons>The Seasons.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>When the cardinal points were in the constellations +Leo, Taurus, Aquarius and Scorpio, the astrologers, objecting +to the signification of the latter, substituted the +constellation in conjunction therewith, which is known +as Aquila (Ak-we-la) or Flying Eagle. In the allegorical +astronomy of that remote period these genii of the seasons +were designated as beasts, and as such we find them +referred to in Revelation iv. 7, which reads as follows: +"And the first beast was like a lion (Leo), and the second +beast like a calf (Taurus, the bull calf), and the third +beast had a face as a man, (Aquarius, the waterman) and +the fourth beast was like a flying eagle (Aquila)." In the +first chapter of Ezekiel, the prophet, the genii of the seasons +are referred to in the same manner. + +<P><IMG SRC="images/plate7.gif" WIDTH=300 HEIGHT=281 BORDER=1 HSPACE=10 VSPACE=10 ALT="Aquila, Serpens, Scorpio"><!-- Pages 61 & 62 --> +These genii of the seasons, standing, imaginarily, at +the four corners of the heavens, were called corner-keepers, +and making them witnesses to God Sol in his apparent +annual revolution, the founders of the Astral Worship +designated them as Archangels, Evangelists, God-Spellers +or Gospel-Bearers, and claiming inspiration from +them, composed four different histories of the birth and +earth-life of the incarnate saviour, to each of which they +attached a name, and called these records the Gospel +<!-- Page 63 --> +story. In its Chaldean version, the names of Gabriel, +Michael, Raphael and Uriel were given them; but while +the first two of these are mentioned in the Christian Gospel +story, its authors gave to the Evangelists the names +of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Thus knowing the +true signification of the Disciples and Evangelists, the +very pertinent question presents itself: If they are not +the genii of the months and the seasons, why are there +just twelve of the one and four of the other? +<BR CLASS=left> + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=incdays>Half Year of Increasing Days.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>In the ancient astrolatry, the half year of increasing +days, extending from the Winter to the Summer Solstice, +was personified by the composite figure representing the +constellations of Taurus and Aquarius, which, constituted +of the winged body of a bull and the head and beard +of a man, was called the Cherubim. This personification +we find portrayed upon the Assyrian marbles on exhibition +in the British Museum. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=decdays>Half Year of Decreasing Days.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>The half year of decreasing days, extending from the +Summer to the Winter Solstice, was personified by the +figure, which, representing the constellations of Leo and +Aquila, and composed of the winged body and limbs of a +lion, with the head of an eagle, was called the Seraphim. +<!-- Page 64 --> +These last two personifications constituted the Archangels +of the ancient Astral Worship. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=lastq>Last Quarter of the Year.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>The last quarter of the year was personified in the +ancient allegories as a decrepit old man, who, stung by +a Scorpion (Scorpio), and fatally wounded by an arrow +from the quiver of an archer (Saggitarius) dies at the +Winter Solstice; and, after lying in the grave for the space +of three days, is brought to life again. Such was the personification +referred to in the Christian Gospel-story as +having been raised from the grave by the mandate, "Come +forth, Lazarus." Thus have we shown that the elders +and the saints; the angels, and the Archangels; the Cherubim +and Seraphim; and also poor old Lazarus, are but +personifications of the several divisions of time. +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> +<HR width=70 align=center> +<BR CLASS=left> + +<CENTER><H2><A NAME=ZODIACAL>ZODIACAL SYMBOLS OF SOLAR WORSHIP.</A></H2></CENTER> +<P>Having shown that the founders of the ancient astrolatry +accorded homage to God Sol as Lord of Evil, under +the symbol of the serpent, and marked the beginning of +his reign, as such, by the constellation "Serpens" placed in +conjunction with the Autumnal Equinox; we will now +<!-- Page 65 --> +direct attention to the symbols under which he was worshipped +as Lord of Good, which, corresponding to the +form of the constellation in which occurred the Vernal +Equinox, and which was changed to correspond to the +form of the succeeding constellation as that Cardinal +point passed into it, by that process, known in Astronomy, +as the precession of the Equinoxes, its explanation becomes +essential to a correct understanding of our subject. + +<P>After long observation, aided by the telescope, of +which they were undoubtedly the original inventors, the +ancient Astrologers discovered that the Sun, in making +his apparent annual revolution, did not return to the same +point in the heavens, but fell behind that of the preceding +year, at the rate of 50¼ seconds of a degree annually. At +this rate of precession, which modern, calculation has confirmed, +it requires 71 2-3 years for the Cardinal points to +pass through one degree on the Ecliptic, and 2150 years +through thirty degrees, or one sign of the Zodiac. The +knowledge of this process affording an exact chronology, +we are enabled, not only to determine the origin of these +symbols, but to approximate, very nearly, to the respective +dates of their adoption. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=sphinx>The Sphinx.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>From the teachings of Astronomy we learn that the +Summer Solstice is now occupying the point between the +<!-- Page 66 --> +signs of Taurus and Gemini, from which we know that +that Cardinal point has passed through three whole signs +since it was between the signs of Leo and Virgo, and we +have but to multiply 2,150 by 3 to determine that it has +been about 6,450 years ago. Hence, the tourist to the +Nile valley, when viewing, near the base of old Cheops, +the great Egyptian pyramid, a colossal head and bust of +a woman, carved in stone, and learns that it is attached +to a body, in the form of a lion in a crouching attitude 146 +feet long, hidden beneath the shifting sands of the Libyan +desert; if possessed of the knowledge of the precession +of the Equinoxes, he will be enabled to solve the +riddle of the Sphinx by recognizing in that grotesque +monument the mid-summer symbol of solar worship, +when the Summer Solstice was between the signs of Leo +and Virgo. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=dragon>The Dragon.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>When the Summer Solstice was between the signs +of Leo and Virgo, the Winter Solstice was between those +of Aquarius and Pisces, and the figure composed of the +body of a man with the tail of a fish became the mid-winter +symbol of solar worship. Such was the form of this +symbol to which the ancient Phoenicians paid homage +to the Lord under the name of Dagon. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=bull>The Bull.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>At the same time the Summer Solstice entered the +sign of Leo, the Vernal Equinox entered that of Taurus, +and the bull becoming the spring symbol of solar worship—the +Lord was designated in the ancient allegories as the +bull of God which taketh away the sin of the world; which, +shorn of its allegorical sense, signifies the sun in Taurus, +or sun of spring, which taketh away the evil of Winter. +Such is the purport of hieroglyphical inscriptions upon +papyrus rolls found in Egypt, and engraved upon obelisks +erected in the Nile valley, one of which has been recently +brought to the City of New York and set up in Central +Park. In the East Indies this symbol was represented by +the figure of a bull with the solar disk between his horns; +and the Egyptians, who were of Hindoo origin, perpetuating +it in their "Apis," it was reproduced in the golden calf +of the ancient Israelites. The Assyrians represented this +symbol by the figure of a winged bull with the face and +beard of a man; the Phoenicians, in their "Baal," by the +figure of a man with a bull's head and horns; and the +small silver bull's heads with golden horns, recently discovered +by Dr. Schliemann in the ruins of Mycenae, were +jewels worn by the women of that ancient city, when the +Vernal Equinox was in the sign of Taurus. + +<!-- Page 68 --> +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=ram>The Ram.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>By deducting 2,150 years from 6,450, we determine +that about 4,300 years; ago the Vernal Equinox entered the +sign of Aries, and the spring symbol of solar worship, +changing from the bull to the ram, was represented by +ram-headed figures, two of which, found in Egypt, are on +exhibition in the British Museum. Then the text which +read the bull of God, was changed to the Ram of God +which taketh away the sins of the world. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=lamb>The Lamb.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P><IMG SRC="images/plate8.gif" WIDTH=300 HEIGHT=291 BORDER=1 HSPACE=10 VSPACE=10 ALT="The Lamb of God"><!-- Pages 69 & 70 --> +Ultimately attaching a meek and lowly disposition +to the imaginary incarnations of the mythical genius of +the sun, the symbol of the ram was changed to that of the +lamb, and the text in the allegories, which read the Ram of +God, was changed to read "The Lamb of God which +taketh away the sin of the World," John i, 29. The explanation +we have given relative to the Zodiacal Symbols +of solar worship makes the assurance doubly sure that the +originals of the New Testament were composed when the +Vernal Equinox was in the sign of Aries, as will be +shown hereafter. Having adopted the symbol of the +lamb, it was represented by several forms of what is +known as Agnus Dei, or Lamb of God, one of which was +in the form of a bleeding lamb with a vase attached into +<!-- Page 71 --> +which blood is flowing, which originated in reference to +the shedding of blood as a vicarious atonement for sin. +But the most comprehensive form of this symbol in its +astronomical signification, was represented by the +figure of a lamb in a standing attitude, supporting the +circle of the Zodiac, divided into quarters to denote the +seasons. At each of the cardinal points there was a small +cross, and the lamb held in its uplifted fore-foot a larger +cross, the long arm of which was made to cut the celestial +equator at the angle of 23½ degrees, the true angle of +obliquity of the Ecliptic. This symbol is still retained in +the Catholic Church. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=fish>The Fish.</A></H3></CENTER> +By deducting 2,150 years from 4,300 we determine +that about 2,150 years ago the Vernal Equinox entered +the sign of Pisces; and although the original version of the +New Testament was founded upon the symbol of the lamb, +it is a historical fact that for centuries after the beginning +of our era, the Christians paid homage to the Lord under +the symbol of the fish; but ultimately going into desuetude, +the lamb was retained as the distinguishing symbol +of the Christian religion until the year 680, at which date +another was substituted, as will be shown under our next +heading. + +<!-- Page 72 --> +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> +<HR width=70 align=center> +<BR CLASS=left> + +<CENTER><H2><A NAME=CROSS>SIGNS OP THE CROSS.</A></H2></CENTER> +<P>Among the numerous symbols of solar worship, besides +those we have already referred to, there are three +to which we will direct attention. Two of these were of +astronomical signification: the one adopted when the +Spring Equinox was in the sign of Taurus and shaped like +the letter T, was the model after which the ancient temples +were built; and the other, shaped like the letter X, in reference +to the angle of 23½ degrees made by the crossing +of the Ecliptic and the Celestial equator, is known as St. +Andrew's Cross. The third, and most important of all the +symbols of solar worship, in its relation to the Christian +religion, which, having no astronomical signification, +originated in Egypt, in reference to the annual inundation +of the river Nile. To mark the height to which the water +should rise to secure an abundant harvest, posts were +planted upon its banks to which cross beams were attached +thus ┼. If the water should rise to the designated +height, it was called "the waters of life," or "river +of life;" and, ultimately, this form of the cross was adopted +as the symbol of the life to come, or eternal life; and the +ancient astrologers had it engraved upon stone, encircled +with a hieroglyphical inscription to that effect, one of +which was discovered in the ruins of the temple erected +<!-- Page 73 --> +at Alexandria, and dedicated to "our Lord and Saviour +Serapis." + +<P>But, if the water failed to rise to the required height, +and the horrors of starvation becoming the inevitable result, +it was the custom of the people to nail to these crosses +symbolical personifications of the Demon of Famine. To +indicate the sterility of the domain over which he reigned, +he was represented by the figure of a lean and haggard +man, with a crown of thorns upon his head; a reed cut +from the river's bank was placed in his hands, as his unreal +sceptre; and, considering the inhabitants of Judea as the +most slavish and mean-spirited race in their knowledge, +they placarded this figure with the inscription: "This is +the King of the Jews." Thus, to the ancient Egyptians, +this sign of the cross was blessed or accursed as it was +represented with, or without, this figure suspended +upon it. + +<P>When the Roman, or modern, form of Christianity +was instituted, the hieroglyphical inscription signifying +the life to come or eternal life was substituted by a placard +nailed to the cross with the letters I. N. R. I. inscribed +upon it, which are the initials of the Latin words conveying +the same meaning. But if we would learn how the +figure of a man came to be suspended upon this form of +the cross, we must refer to Mediaeval History, which +<!-- Page 74 --> +teaches that in the year 680, under the Pontificate of Agathon, +and during the reign of Constantine Pogonat, at the +sixth council of the church, and third at Constantinople, it +was ordered in Canon 82 that "Instead of a lamb, the figure +of a man nailed to a cross should be the distinguishing +symbol of the Christian religion." Now, as this figure +is represented by that of a lean and haggard man, with a +crown of thorns upon his head, does it not look as if the +old Egyptian Demon of Famine was the model after +which it was constructed? +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> +<HR width=70 align=center> +<BR CLASS=left> + +<CENTER><H2><A NAME=PUNISHMENTS>FUTURE REWARDS AND PUNISHMENTS.</A></H2></CENTER> +<P>In the ancient Astrolatry, two different systems of +future rewards and punishments were inculcated; the +Oriental or East Indian, and the Occidental or Egyptian; +the former, ignoring the resurrection of the body, taught +but one judgment immediately after death, and the latter +inculcated an individual judgment immediately after +death, the resurrection of the body, and a general judgment +at the end of the world, or conclusion of the 12,000 +year cycle. + +<!-- Page 75 --> +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=oriental>The Oriental System.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>Considering perfect happiness to consist in absolute +rest, the Oriental astrologers conceived a state of eternal +and unconscious repose, equivalent to soul absorption, +to which they gave the name of Nirvana, into which they +taught that, by the awards of the gods, the souls of the +righteous, or those who had lived what they called "the +contemplative life," would be permitted to enter immediately +after death. But, for the souls of sinners, they invented +a system of expiatory punishments which, known +as the Metempsychosis, or transmigration of souls, taught +that they would be compelled to successively animate the +bodies of beasts, birds, fishes, etc., for a thousand years +before being permitted to enter the Nirvana. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=occidental>The Occidental System.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>In concocting the doctrine of the first judgment the +Egyptian astrologers, ignoring the Nirvana, inculcated +the future sentient existence of the soul; and, while retaining +the Metempsychotial expiations of the Oriental system, +taught that its rewards, and principal punishments, +would be enjoyed or suffered in the under or nether +world, the existence of which they had conceived in constructing +their system of nature. This imaginary region, +known to the Egyptians as the Amenti, to the Greeks as +<!-- Page 76 --> +Hades, and to the Hebrews as Sheol, was divided by an +impassable gulf into the two states of happiness and +misery which were designated in the Grecian mythology +as the Elysium, or Elysian Fields, and the Tartarus. In +the lower part of the latter was located the Phlegethon, +or lake of fire and brimstone, the smoke from which ascended +into an upper apartment. + +<P>In this system it was taught that the souls of the +two extremes of society, constituted of the righteous +and the great sinners, would be consigned immediately +after the first judgment, the one to the Elysium, and the +other to the Phlegethon, where they were to remain until +the second or general judgment; while the souls of less +venial sinners, constituting the greater mass of mankind, +before being permitted to enter the Elysium would be +compelled to suffer the expiatory punishments of the +Metempsychosis, or in the upper region, or "smoky row" +of the Tartarus. Such was the Egyptian purgatory, and +its denizens constituted "the spirits in prison" referred to +in I. Peter iii. 19, from which the astrologers claimed to +have the power to release, provided their surviving friends +paid liberally for their propitiatory offices; and, from this +assumption, the clergy of the Catholic church derived the +idea of saying masses for the repose of the soul. These +doctrines were carried by Pythagoras from Egypt to +<!-- Page 77 --> +Greece about 550 years before the beginning of our era; +and passing from thence to Rome, the Greek and Latin +poets vied with each other in portraying Hades and the +joys and terrors of its two states. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=judgment>The Second or General Judgment.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>The Egyptian Astrologers, recognizing the soul as +a material entity, and conceiving the idea that in the +future life it would require a material organization for its +perfect action, taught that at the general judgment it +would be re-united to its resurrected body. In conformity +to this belief, Job is made to say in chapter xix. 25, 26, +"I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand +at the latter day upon the earth; and though worms destroy +this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God." The +higher class Egyptians, however, fearing that their existence +would continue to be of the same shadowy and intangible +character after the second judgment, as they believed +it would be in the Amenti, if worms were allowed to +destroy their bodies, hoped to preserve them until that +time by the process of embalming. + +<P>The imaginary events to occur in connection with +the second judgment, which, constituting the finale of the +plan of redemption, and inculcated in what are known as +the doctrines of Second Adventism, were to be inaugurated +<!-- Page 78 --> +by an archangel sounding a trumpet summoning +the quick and the dead to appear before the bar of the +gods to receive their final awards. At the second judgment, +designated in the allegories as "the last day," "day +of judgment," "great and terrible day of the Lord," etc., +it was taught that the tenth and last saviour would make +his second advent by descending upon the clouds, and +after the final awards, the elect being caught up "to meet +the Lord in the air" (I. Thes. iv. 17), the heaven and the +earth would be reduced to chaos through the agency of +fire. In reference to that grand catastrophe we find it +recorded in II. Peter iii. 10, that "the heavens shall pass +away with a great noise and the elements shall melt with +fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein +shall be burned up." + +<P>After the organization of a new heaven and a new earth +it was taught that upon the latter would descend a beautiful +city, with pearly gates and golden streets, called the +City of God, the Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of Heaven +or New Jerusalem, in which the host of the redeemed +would, with their Lord and Saviour, enjoy the Millennium, +or thousand years of happiness unalloyed with evil; +and such was the Kingdom for the speedy coming of +which the votaries of Astral worship were taught to pray +in what is known as the Lord's Prayer. + +<!-- Page 79 --> +<P>According to the teachings of the Allegories, there were +to be no sun, moon or stars during the Millennium, their +authors having arranged it so that the light of those luminaries +would not be needed, as we find recorded in Rev. +xxi. 23, and xxii. 5: "The city had no need of the +sun, neither of the moon to shine in it; for the glory of +God did lighten it," and "there shall be no night there; +and they need no candle, neither the light of the sun; for +the Lord God giveth them light." It must be remembered, +when reading the fanciful ideas relative to the City +of God, that they were composed by men who, living in +a very ignorant age, gave free rein to fervid imaginations. +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> +<HR width=70 align=center> +<BR CLASS=left> + +<CENTER><H2><A NAME=JEWISH>JEWISH OR ANCIENT CHRISTIANITY.</A></H2></CENTER> +<P>It is our purpose to present the evidences showing +that a system of Astral worship, which we designate as +Jewish Christianity, was in existence more than two +centuries and a half before the institution of its +modern form. In verification of this assertion we must +find the initial point of our inquiry in ancient history, +which teaches that in the division of the Grecian Empire +among his generals, after the death of Alexander the +Great, who died 332 years before the beginning of our era, +<!-- Page 80 --> +the governorship of Egypt and adjacent provinces was secured +by Ptolemy Lagus, or Soter, who, having subsequently +suppressed a revolt in Judea, removed from that +country a large body of its inhabitants to people the new +city of Alexandria, which had been laid out by order of +and named after the great Conqueror. + +<P>The Egyptian version of the Gospel story, being +more appropriate to the Nile Valley than to the region +from whence they came, the Greek colonists of Alexandria +adopted it, but preferring to pay homage to Serapis, +one of the ninth incarnations of God Sol, which they +imported from Pontus, a Greek province of Asia Minor, +they erected to his worship that celebrated temple known +as the Grand Serapium; and, transferring the culture and +refinement of Greece to the new city, it became, under the +Ptolemian dynasty, a great seat of learning; the arts and +sciences flourished, an immense library was collected, the +various forms of Astral worship were represented and +schools for the dissemination of the several phases of Grecian +philosophy and Oriental Gnosticism were founded. + +<P>Such being the environment of the Jewish residents +of Alexandria, they soon acquired the vernacular and +adopted the religion of the Greeks, who, having ever attached +to their incarnate saviours the title signifying the +Christ, or the anointed, were known as Christians. Encouraged +<!-- Page 81 --> +by the liberal policy of Philadelphus, the second +Ptolemy, a body of their learned men, who had been educated +in the Greek schools, founded a college for the education +of their own people, which institution was ultimately +known as the University of Alexandria. Under +the auspices of Philadelphus the professors of that institution +rendered their Hebrew sacred records into the Greek +language, which translation is known as the Septuagint, or +Alexandrian version of the Old Testament. + +<P>Having acquired from the Egyptian astrologers the +arts of healing, thaumaturgy and necromancy, and teaching +them in their school, the professors of the Jewish +college of Alexandria assumed the title of Essenes, or +Therapeutae, the Egyptian and Greek words signifying +Doctors, Healers or Wonder Workers. Possessed of the +sad and gloomy characteristics of their race, they adopted +the "Contemplative Life," or asceticism of the Oriental +Gnosticism, from which they derived the name of Ascetics. +Founding a church for the propagation of their +peculiar tenets, those who were set apart for the ministry +assumed the title of Ecclesiastics. Inculcating rigid temperance +and self-denial among their people, they were +known as Enchratites, Nazarites or Abstainers; and the +more devout among them retiring to monasteries, or to +the solitude of caves and other secluded places, were also +<!-- Page 82 --> +designated as Monks, Cenobites, Friars, Eremites, Hermits +or Solitaries. + +<P>The time having arrived, according to the cyclic +teachings of Astral worship, for the manifestation of the +tenth and last incarnation of God Sol, or, in other words, +to, give a new name to the mythical genius of the sun, the +professors of the Jewish school of Alexandria is resolved to +inaugurate their own form of worship. While retaining the +same title under which they had paid homage to Serapis +and known as Christians, Essenes or Therapeutae, they +substituted for their Christ the name of the Grecian Bacchus, +which, composed of the letters ΙΗΣ, signifies Yes, +Ies or Jes. In composing their version of the Gospel +story, having, like their race, no inventive genius, they appropriated +that of Serapis as its basis and laid its scene in +the land of their ancestry, but inconsistently retained the +sign of the cross and the phraseology connected there +with, which, having special reference to the Nile River and +its annual inundation, had no application whatever to the +sterile land of Judea. Selecting what they conceived to +be the best from other versions of the Gospel story, and assuming +the title of Eclectics, they designated their system +as the Eclectic Philosophy. In proof of the eclectic character +of the Gospel and Epistles of ancient Christianity, we +refer to the Asceticism inculcated therein, which, derived +<!-- Page 83 --> +from the Oriental Gnosticism, we find perpetuated in the +scriptures of modern Christianity; we also refer to the miracle +of converting water into wine, taken from the Gospel +story of Bacchus, and to the statements that the Saviour +was the son of a carpenter and was hung between two +thieves, copied from the story of Christna, the Eighth, +Avatar of the East Indian astrolatry. Thus we see that, +although the scene of the Gospel story of ancient Christianity +was laid in the land of Judea, its authors having +adopted a Greek version of that story as its basis, given a +Greek title and name to their Messiah, perpetuated a +Greek name for their sect and quoted exclusively from the +Septuagint, or Greek version of the Old Testament, the +facts show conclusively that it was not Jews of Judea, but +Hellenized Jews of Alexandria, who were the real authors +of the ancient Christianity. + +<CENTER><H2><A NAME=PROPHECIES>THE PROPHECIES.</A></H2></CENTER> +<P>The clergy having ever claimed that the prophecies +are Divine revelations of events yet to occur, and having +incessantly agitated society by preaching their speedy fulfillment, +we propose to expose the fallacy of their teachings +by showing that these scriptures are not the records +of future events, Divinely reavealed, but that they originated +with the founders of Astral worship, who predicated +<!-- Page 84 --> +them upon predetermined events of their own concoction, +relative to the general judgment, and setting up of the +kingdom of heaven, which were to occur as the finale of +the plan of redemption and from which were derived the +doctrines of second adventism; and, in determining the +exact time when then were to occur, we have but to prove +that it was coincident with the conclusion of the last half +of the grand cycle of 12,000 years, which, as we have +shown, was dedicated to man as the duration of his race +on earth. + +<P>As evidence that the founders of the Jewish or ancient +Christianity believed, like the votaries of other forms +of Astral worship, that the prophecies were soon to be fulfilled, +we find that the New Testament, of the original version +of which they were the authors, is replete with such +texts as "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand," +Matt. iv. 17; "There be some standing here which shall +not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His +kingdom," Matt. xxi. 28; "The time is fulfilled, and the +Kingdom of God is at hand," Mark i. 15. That the original +version of the New Testament was composed when the +Vernal Equinox was in the sign of Aries we are assured by +reason of the fact that it inculcates homage to the Lord +under the symbol of the Lamb; and that it was during the +last, or 30th degree of that sign, can readily be proven by +<!-- Page 85 --> +appealing to history and to astronomy, the former of which +teaches that the Jews were removed from Judea to Alexandria +twenty-five years before the accession to the throne +of Philadelphus, the Second Ptolemy, to whom we have +referred in our preceding article, and who, after reigning +thirty-nine years, died 246 years before the beginning of +our era. By reference to the Celestial atlas we will find +that the Vernal Equinox will pass out of the sign of Pisces +into that of Aquarius, or in the year 1900, and we +have but to deduct that period of time from 2150, the +number of years required for the cardinal points to pass +through one whole sign, to determine that the Spring +Equinox passed out of the sign of Aries into that of Pisces +250 years before the beginning of our era, or about 2,100 +years ago. Now, from the projections of the astrological +science, we are assured that the last half of the grand cycle +of 12,000 years, which was allotted to man as the duration +of his race on earth, was made to begin at a time corresponding +to the Autumnal Equinox, when that cardinal +point was passing out of the sign of Virgo, and that of necessity +it had to come to an end at a time corresponding +to the Vernal Equinox, when that cardinal point was passing +out of the sign of Aries; from which we know why, at +the last judgment, the office of trumpeter was assigned to +the Archangel Gabriel, the genius of Spring, and why it +<!-- Page 86 --> +was a ram's horn with which he was to "toot the crack o' +doom." + +<P>When the time arrived for the fulfillment of the prophecies +we can well imagine that, fearing the wrath of the +Lamb, there were weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth +among the terror-stricken sinners, while those who believed +they had made their calling and election sure were +looking with feverish expectancy for the second advent of +their Lord and Saviour; and, doubtless, clothed with their +ascension robes, they watched and waited, with ears alert, +to hear the sound of Gabriel's trumpet, summoning the +quick, and the dead to the general judgment. But not a +blast from the archangel's ram's horn was heard reverberating +along the skies, no Lord appeared descending +upon the clouds to meet the elect in the air, and, in the last +act of the fearful drama of "judgment day," the curtain refused +to be rung down upon a burning world. + +<P>With the non-fulfillment of the prophecies, the more +enlightened elements of society began to scoff at the +priests, who were temporarily demoralized, but true to +their deceptive instincts, soon rallying with the plea of a +mistake having been made in the calculations based upon +the prophecies, they undoubtedly concocted scripture to +meet that very emergency, for, to the taunts of the scoffers +who, in reference to the second advent of the Lord, enquired +<!-- Page 87 --> +"Where is the sign of His coming? for, since the +fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from +the beginning of creation," they answered that "The Lord +is not slack concerning His promise," but "as a thief in the +night" he would soon come and all things be fulfilled. See +II. Peter, chapter iii. + +<P>Following up the history of this interesting subject, +we find that the founders of modern Christianity, to which +we will refer in our next article, in composing their version +of the New Testament from that of the Jewish, or ancient +Christians, made no change in its verbiage relative to the +prophecies; but when Constantine I., Emperor of Rome, +became the patron of the church, her hierarchy, tired of +figuring upon them, secured a long respite from that troublesome +subject by claiming to have made other calculations, +which put off the time of fulfillment to the year 1000; +and from history we learn when the time arrived the whole +of Christendom was fearfully agitated upon the subject: +Since then every generation has been vexed with the fallacies +of second adventism; and the facts of the case justify +the charge that the clergy, by teaching that the prophecies +refer to events yet to occur, are perpetuating a +most stupendous fraud upon Christendom, and an earnest +and efficient protest should be inaugurated against the +further agitation of the monstrous delusion of second adventism, +<!-- Page 88 --> +which is frightening thousands of weak-minded +people into insanity and causing a vast amount of social +distress. +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> +<HR width=70 align=center> +<BR CLASS=left> + +<CENTER><H2><A NAME=ROMAN>ROMAN OR MODERN CHRISTIANITY.</A></H2></CENTER> +<P>Having presented the evidences that the Jewish, or +ancient Christianity, originated at the University of Alexandria, +under Greek rule, we now propose to show that its +modern form emanated from the same source, under Roman +rule; but, before entering upon this investigation, it +is important to become conversant with the sentiments +manifested towards religion by the cultured element of +Roman society in that enlightened era, which, designated +as the golden age of literature, was adorned by such distinguished +orators, philosophers, historians, poets and +naturalists as Cicero, Tacitus, Pliny, Horace and Virgil. +In reference to this subject, Gibbon, in his history of The +Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, vol. I., chapter 2, +says: "The various modes of worship which prevailed in +the Roman world were all considered by the people as +equally true, by the philosophers as equally false and by +the magistrate as equally useful. Both the interests of the +priests and the credulity of the people were sufficiently respected. +<!-- Page 89 --> +In their writings and conversation the philosophers +of antiquity asserted the independent dignity of reason, +but they resigned their actions to the commands of +law and custom. Viewing with a smile of pity and indulgence +the various errors of the vulgar, they diligently +practiced the ceremonies of their fathers, devoutly frequented +the temples of the gods, and sometimes condescending +to act a part on the theatre of superstition, they +concealed the sentiments of an atheist under the sacerdotal +robe. Reasoners of such a temper were scarcely inclined +to wrangle about their respective modes of faith or of worship. +It was indifferent to them what shape the folly of +the multitude might choose to assume, and they approached +with the same inward contempt and the same +external reverence to the altars of the Lybian, the Olympian +or the Capitoline Jupiter." Upon the same subject +Mosheim, in his church history, Book I., chapter 1, says +that "The wiser part of mankind, about the time of +Christ's birth, looked upon the whole system of religion as +a just object of contempt and ridicule." + +<P>In determining why such adverse sentiments were +entertained towards religion by "the wiser part of mankind," +about the time referred to in the foregoing quotations, +it will be found to have been owing to the extensive +spread of the Esoteric philosophy, which taught, as previously +<!-- Page 90 --> +stated, that the gods were mythical and the scriptures +allegorical. While attainable only through initiation, +it was necessarily confined to a limited number, but, ultimately +getting beyond the control of the priests and vast +numbers acquiring the knowledge of its secrets without +initiation, it became evident that it was but a question of +time when there would be no respectable element left to +sustain religion. At this juncture our attention is directed +to the University of Alexandria, which, at that time, was +in a flourishing condition. Having ceased to be an exclusively +Jewish school, students from all parts of the +Roman Empire, without regard to nationality, were attending +it, and its professors were drawn from the ranks +of both Jewish and Gentile scholars. Realizing the hopelessness +of reviving the ancient faith among the enlightened +clement of society, and the impossibility of proselyting +them to a new form of superstition, these professors +resolved to institute a system of worship exclusively for +the Jews and the lower and neglected classes of Gentiles, +including the slaves and criminals. To that end they rewrote +the scriptures of the Jewish or ancient Christianity, +which had been preserved among the secret archives of +the University. Retaining their teachings relative to the +finale of the plan of redemption, and its monasticism; also +the land of Judea as the scene of its version of the Gospel +<!-- Page 91 --> +story, and the name of its saviour, to which they added the +Latin terminal "us," thus making it Iesus or Jesus, they +perpetuated the Greek name of Bacchus—the same that +was ultimately perverted into the monogram which, consisting +of the Roman letters I. H. S., is found in all Catholic +churches, and in some Protestant ones, is falsely supposed +to stand for Jesus Hominum Salvator, or Jesus, +Saviour of Men. Conforming their version of the Gospel +story to the lowly condition of its expected votaries, they +attached to the saviour the characteristics of poverty, and +made it teach that he was born in a manger, that his disciples +were but humble fishermen and that the poor would +be the only elect in the kingdom of heaven. Dropping +the name of Essenes or Therapeutae, and retaining that of +Christian, they incorporated a thread of real history corresponding +to the reign of Augustus, and arbitrarily made +the Christian era begin at that time. Having thus completed +their scheme, they prudently destroyed the original +from which they compiled their scriptures, and sending +out missionaries to all parts of the Empire commissioned +them to preach salvation only to the Gentile rabblement +and to the Jews. + +<P>That the sacred records of the ancient Essenes or +Therapeutae constituted the basis of the scriptures of +modern Christianity we have the authority of Eusebius, +<!-- Page 92 --> +the church historian of the fourth century, from whom we +learn nearly all that is reliable of its history during the first +three centuries. In his Ecclesiastical History, Book II. +chapter 17, he makes the important admission that "Those +ancient Therapeutae were Christians, and that their writtings +are our Gospels and Epistles." As further evidence +that modern Christianity is but a survival of the Eclectic +philosophy of the ancient Therapeutae, we have another +important admission by the same historian, who, in quoting +from an apology addressed to the Roman Emperor, +Marcus Antoninus, in the year 171, by Melito, Bishop of +Sardis, in Lydia, a province of Asia Minor, makes that +apologist say, in reference to certain grievances to which +the Christians were subjected, that "the philosophy which +we profess truly flourished aforetime among the barbarous +nations; but having blossomed again in the great reign of +thy ancestor, Augustus, it proved to be, above all things, +ominous of good fortune to thy kingdom." Thus we have +indubitable evidence that it was the Eclectic philosophy of +the Jewish, or ancient Christianity, which "blossomed +again," in its modern form, during the reign of Augustus. + +<P>From the testimony of Philo, as referred to by Eusebius, +and from the writings of Josephus, the Jewish +historian, we learn that, at the beginning of our era, the +descendants of the ancient Essenes were still observing +<!-- Page 93 --> +the practices and customs of monasticism. But as Josephus +refers to them only as descendants of the ancient Essenes, +and makes no mention of Christ or Christians—except +in one paragraph which has been conceded by the +best authorities to be an interpolation it is evident that, +at that time, they had no connection with the University of +Alexandria, and nothing whatever to do with the institution +of modern Christianity. It is also apparent that the +Jews of Judea had no hand in its organization, for, if they +had instituted it, they would not have attached to the Messiah +the Greek title signifying the Christ, but, writing their +version of the Gospel story in their own dialect, would +have used the Hebrew word signifying the Shiloh (see +Gen. xlix. 10); and furthermore, having conceived the +idea that he would manifest himself as a great temporal +prince, who would re-establish the throne of David, and +deliver them from the oppression of foreign rulers, they +would not have attached to him the humble characteristics +of the Christ of the new Testament. Again, if they had +been the authors of modern Christianity, it would have +been a most surprising inconsistency for them to turn +right about and reject its conceptions of a savior, especially +when that rejection resulted in the dire persecutions +to which their race has ever been subjected by the Christians. +<!-- Page 94 --> +But the Gentile riffraff, attracted by the gracious +promises of enjoying in the world to come the felicities +denied them in this, eagerly attached themselves to the +new sect, which rapidly increased in numbers, and its +votaries, glorying in the opprobrious epithet of Ebionites, +or needy ones, made themselves so obnoxious by their aggression +and turbulent dispositions that, barely tolerated +by the Government and condemned by the cultured adherents +to the established religion, many of them, courting +the crown of martyrdom, suffered death at the hands +of the civil authorities; and thus was engendered that +spirit of hatred against their fancied oppressors which +only awaited the opportunity to manifest itself in deeds of +rapine and-bloodshed. + +<P>The fanacticism<!-- [SIC] --> which prevailed among the earlier +Christians was the direct result of their dense ignorance, +and to this sole cause we may ascribe all the trouble which +the Roman Government had with them, and to become +convinced of this fact we have but to study church history. +In reference to this subject Mosheim, in his Ecclesiastical +History; Vol. 4, part 2, chap. 1, says: "It is certain +that the greatest part both of the bishops and presbyters +were men entirely destitute of learning and education. +Besides, that savage and illiterate party, who looked upon +all sorts of erudition, particularly that of a philosophical +<!-- Page 95 --> +kind, as pernicious, and even destructive of true piety +and religion, increased both in number and authority. +The ascetics, monks and hermits augmented the strength +of this barbarous faction, and not only the women, but +also all who took solemn looks, sordid garments, and a +love of solitude, for real piety, were vehemently prepossessed +in their favor." In almost any history of England +we will find it recorded that, even in the ninth century, +King Alfred lamented that there was at that time not +a priest in his dominions who understood Latin; and even +for some centuries after the bishops and prelates of the +whole Christian community were marksmen, i. e., they +supplied by the sign of the cross the inability to write +their own names. If the bishops and priests were so +supremely ignorant what can be said in reference to the +literary attainments of the laity? + +<P>The Christians were alternately persecuted and tolerated +by the Roman Emperors until the first quarter of the +fourth century, when certain events occurred through +which the Church of Rome became the recipient of Imperial +Patronage. Constantine I., called the Great, having +made himself sole Emperor by destroying all other +claimants to the throne, applied to Sopater, one of the +priests of the established religion, for absolution, and was +informed that his crimes were of such an atrocious character +<!-- page 96 --> +that there was no absolution for him. Believing +that the Phlegethon, or lake of fire and brimstone, awaited +him in the future life, unless he could obtain absolution, he +became very much distressed when one of his courtiers, +learning the cause and referring him to the Church of +Rome, he at once applied to her Bishop, Silvester, who, +readily granting the desired absolution, he added another +victim to his butcher bill by ordering the death of the +honest priest who had refused to grant him absolution. +The Christian sect having become a powerful and dangerous +faction, Constantine conceived the idea of strengthening +his usurped and precarious position by attaching +it to his interest, and to that end he professed himself a +convert to its tenets, and, taking the Church of Rome +under his especial patronage, elevated her Bishop to the +rank of a prince of the Empire and gave him one of his +palaces for a residence. + +<P>The Christian hierarchy, knowing that it would be a +potent means of confirming the faith of the laity in the +Gospel story as a literal history to have a tomb of the +Saviour to which pilgrimages could be made, and appealing +to Constantine to provide one, he sent his mother, +Helena, to Judea to find the place and, of course, discovering +what she went to look for, he had erected, +under her supervision, over the designated spot, that +<!-- Page 97 --> +splendid edifice which, known as the church of the Holy +Sepulchre, remains to this day. Helena, good at finding +lost things, also claimed to have discovered the veritable +cross upon which the Saviour had been crucified; and her +son, worthy of such a mother, claimed, as recorded by +Eusebius, that he had seen with his own eyes the trophy of +a cross of light in the heavens, above the sun, bearing the +inscription: "In Hoc Signo Vinces," signifying "Under +this sign, conquer." Those were times of remarkable +and supernatural occurrences. + +<P>At the time Constantine became the patron of Christianity +the bishops and presbyters of the several churches, +seemingly ignorant of the teachings of the Esoteric philosophy +relative to the origin of the Trinity, were divided +into two factions in discussing the relation between the +Father and the Son. One party, headed by Athanasius, +a presbyter of Alexandria, and afterwards bishop of that +see, advocated the ancient belief that the three persons +in the godhead of Father, Son and Holy Ghost is but one +God, that Christ is consubstantial or co-eternal with the +Father, and that he became man to perform his mission +of redemption. Such, in brief, is what is known as the +Athanasian or Trinitarian Creed. The other party, +headed, by Arius, another presbyter of Alexandria, advocated +the belief in one God alone and that Christ, having +<!-- page 98 --> +no existence until begotten of the Father, is not consubstantial +or co-eternal with him. Such, in substance, constitutes +what is known to the Trinitarian or Orthodox +Christians as the Arian or Unitarian heresy. Could +stronger evidence be adduced that this controversy was +the result of ignorantly making a distinction where there +is no difference, for whether Trinitarian or Unitarian the +mythical genius of the sun is the God to whom they all +paid supreme adoration, although the Christians of to-day +would deny it most emphatically. + +<P>The faction, advocating the Trinitarian creed having +converted the Emperor to their belief, and influencing +him to enforce it as a fundamental doctrine of the Christian +theology, he, in the year 325, summoned, at his own +expense, a general council of bishops and priests to meet +at Nice, in Bithynia, a province of Asia Minor. When +they had assembled he appeared among them, clad in gorgeous +attire, with a jewel-studded diadem upon his royal +brow, and, seated upon a gilded chair, presided over their +deliberations. A minority of them, holding "most contumaciously" +to the Arian heresy, and refusing to change +their views at the bidding of the Emperor, he banished +them from their respective bishoprics, while the majority +adopted the Trinitarian creed, and appealing to Constantine +to suppress the writings of Arius he issued an edict +<!-- Page 99 --> +for that purpose, which we present as follows: "Moreover +we thought that if there can be found extant any +work or book compiled by Arius the same should be +burned to ashes, so that not only his damnable doctrine +may thereby be wholly rooted out, but also that no relic +thereof may remain unto posterity. This we also straightway +command and charge, that if any man be found to +hide or conceal any book made by Arius, and not immediately +bring forth such book, and deliver it up to be +burned, that the said offender for so doing shall die the +death. For as soon as he is taken our pleasure is that his +head shall be stricken off from his shoulders." Rather a +blood-thirsty, edict to be issued by the "puissant, the +mighty and noble Emperor," and a very inconsistent one, +considering that he soon afterwards readopted the Unitarian +faith and restored the banished bishops to their respective +sees; but, regardless of his action, the Church of +Rome sustained the Trinitarian creed and enforced the +dogma of the supreme divinity of Christ. + +<P>Thus we see that the history of Christianity, in the +first half of the fourth century, cannot be written without +incorporating considerable from the life of Constantine, +whose ensanguined record before his pretended conversion +marks him as the most brutal tyrant that ever disgraced +the imperial purple; but the appalling crimes he +<!-- Page 100 --> +perpetrated afterwards, among which were the scalding +his inoffending wife to death in a bath of boiling water, +and the murdering, without cause, of six members of his +family, one of which was his own son, justify what a +learned writer said of him, that "The most unfortunate +event that ever befell the human race was the adoption +of Christianity by the crimson-handed cut-throat in the +possession of unlimited power," and yet Constantine was +canonized by the Eastern church. + +<P>During the first three centuries, when Christianity +was but a weak sect, her bishops addressed numerous +apologies to the Roman Emperors, in which they claimed +tolerance from the government on the ground that their +form of worship was virtually the same as the established +religion. But after Constantine's pretended conversion +its hierarchy began to labor for the recognition of Christianity +as the state religion, and to give to their demand +some show of consistency they insisted that their scriptures +were really historical, and that there was no resemblance +whatever between the two forms of worship; while +theirs was of Divine authenticity the Pagans was purely a +human institution. + +<P>For centuries after the convocation of the council of +Nice the peace and harmony of the several churches were +disturbed by the rancorous discussion of the same old +<!-- Page 101 --> +questions of Trintarianism and Unitarianism, the Western +church adhering to the former while a majority of the +Eastern congregations maintained their faith in the latter; +but ultimately the Trinitarian party, gaining the ascendency, +and persecuting the adherents of the Unitarian +faith, the greater part of them retired into northern Arabia +where they founded numerous monasteries; and from history +we learn that, having impressed their Unitarian faith +upon the populace of that country, it was ultimately incorporated +into the Koran, the sacred book of Mohammedanism; +and, while becoming votaries of that form of +worship, still retained the belief that Christ was but one +of the prophets. + +<P>The cultured adherents to the established form of +worship, becoming alarmed at the growing power and influence +of the Christians and at the prospect of such an +ignorant and vicious rabble obtaining control of the government, +regardless of their pledge to keep the Gnosis +secret, publicly announced that the Gods were mythical +and the scriptures allegorical, and engaged in a heated +controversy with the Christians upon the subjects. The +character of their discussions is well, although supposititiously, +expressed by Gerald Massey, in his work entitled, +"The Historical Jesus and the Mythical Christ;" page 179, +American edition, where he makes the Gnostics say to the +<!-- Page 102 --> +Christians, "You poor ignorant idiots; you have mistaken +the mysteries of old for modern history, and accepted +literally all that was only meant mystically." To +which the Christians responded, "You spawn of Satan, +you are making the mystery by converting our accomplished +facts into your miserable fables; you are dissipating +and dispersing into thin air our only bit of solid foothold +in the world, stained with the red drops of Calvary. +You are giving a satanic interpretation of the word of +revelation and falsifying the oracles of God. You are +converting the solid facts of our history into your newfangled +allegories;" to which the Gnostics replied, "Nay, +it is you who have taken the allegories of Mythology for +historical facts." + +<P>But it was impossible to stem the rising tide; the +lessons which the priesthood had taught the ignorant +masses had been too well learned. They were sure that +their scriptures were historical; that Jesus Christ was +truly the incarnate saviour who had died and rose again +for the salvation of the elect, and that being the elect it +would be pre-eminently just and proper that the old Pagan +form of worship should be abrogated and theirs recognized +as the state religion. Thus the conflict raged +until the year 381, when, under the reign of the Emperor +Theodosius the Great, this demand having been formally +<!-- Page 103 --> +made, and the Senate, fearing the tumult a refusal would +excite, with a show of fair dealing ordered the presentation, +before that body, of the respective merits of the two +forms of worship. In that memorable discussion, which +lasted a whole week, Symmachus, a senator, advocated +the old system, and Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, the new, +which resulting, as a foregone conclusion, in the triumph +of Christianity, a decree to that effect was promulgated. + +<P>Then the long deferred opportunity having arrived, +the vengeful bishops, hounding on a no less vengeful +laity, ruthlessly murdered the priests of the old religion, +and, appropriating its emoluments to their own use, they +seized upon its temples, and demolishing some, converted +others into churches. With iconoclastic hands they destroyed +some of the statues representing the ancient divinities, +or after mutilation exposed others in public places +to the derision of the populace. Subjecting the adherents +to the older form of worship, whom they designated +as infidels, to the most diabolical indignities and persecutions, +they destroyed their works of art, burned their libraries, +suppressed their schools of learning, and either killed +or exiled their professors. Among the atrocious acts +perpetrated by these fiends in human shape none was +more barbarous than the one committed in Alexandria, in +the year 415, when Hypatia, the beautiful and accomplished +<!-- Page 104 --> +daughter of Theon, who had succeeded her father +as professor of mathematics and philosophy in the Alexandrian +University, while on her way to deliver a lecture, +was, by order of Bishop Cyril, dragged from her chariot +and murdered in a most revolting manner. + +<P>One of the successors of Theodosius justified himself +in decreeing the spoliation of the old religion upon +the grounds that "It was unbecoming a Christian government +to supply the infidels with the means of persevering +in their errors." Another one of the Emperors, more +zealous than his predecessors, decreed the death penalty +against all persons discovered practicing any of the rites +and ceremonies of the old religion. Thus the onslaught of +Christian savagery obliterated the civilization of Greece +and Rome, and inaugurated that long reign of intellectual +night known as the Dark Ages, which, materially aiding +in effecting the decline and fall of the Roman Empire, +made it possible to erect upon its ruins that Italian +Oligarchy, which, since then, has ruled the greater part of +Christendom. + +<P>The dogmatic element of the ancient astrolatry, as incorporated +into the Christian creed, underwent no material +change until the inauguration of the dark ages, when +the bishops of the several churches, in the delirium of metaphysical +speculation, concocted the previously unheard +<!-- Page 105 --> +of doctrine of pre-existence of spirit, in conformity to +which God was declared to be purely a spiritual deity, +who, existing before matter, created the universe of nothing. +Being the sole custodians of the scriptures; and +changing the six periods of a thousand years each to the +six days of creation, they altered Gen. i, 1, to read, "In +the beginning God created the heaven and the earth," +which in the original read: "In the beginning, when the +Gods (Elohim or Alehim) had made (shaped or formed) +this heaven and this earth." These radical changes necessitating +others, they made two distinct and independent +beings of the principles of Good and Evil personified +in the God Sol; the former they embodied in Jesus the +Christ and the latter in the Christian Devil, thus supplanting +old Pluto; the presiding genius of the under world. + +<P>Rejecting the ancient doctrines relative to the soul, +and teaching that, having proceeded from a purely spiritual +deity, it would exist eternally as an independent +spiritual entity, they substituted for the ancient system of +limited rewards and punishments the one inculcating their +endless duration. These changes in the creed, which +were confirmed at the general council of Constantinople, +in the year 553, necessitating further alterations of the +scriptures, the righteous were promised "eternal life" in +the Paradise of God beyond the stars; and, While consigning +<!-- Page 106 --> +great sinners to "everlasting punishment" in the +Tartarian fires of the under world, the less venial were to +expiate their crimes in the same old Purgatory. Thus, +having invented an endless heaven and an endless hell for +purely spiritual souls, and neglecting to expunge the doctrines +of the resurrection of the body, the setting up of the +kingdom of heaven upon a reorganized earth and other +materialistic teachings of the ancient religion, they made +of the creed and scriptures such a conglomeration of +"things new and old" that, without the Astrological key, +it would be impossible to determine what they originally +taught. + +<P>At the Reformation in the 16th century Luther and +his coadjutors, while projecting into the Protestant creed +all the cardinal tenets of Catholicism, excepting that of +Purgatory, made no change in the verbiage of the scriptures. +Thus retaining the awful doctrine of endless hell, +the reformers constructed a creed which they intended +for the government of Protestants for all time; but, +doing what had never been done before in the history +of the world, they gave the scriptures to the laity, and, +whether or not they secured the right of private judgment +or individual interpretation, it has been taken all the +same; and thus opening the door to investigation, it must +ultimately result not only in the abrogation of hell, but +<!-- Page 107 --> +in the relegation to the limbo of oblivion of the whole +dogmatic element of religion. + +<P>As a fitting conclusion to this article, we again direct +the attention of our readers to the subject of the primary +source of religious dogmas. Prior to the establishment +of Christianity as the state religion of the Roman Empire, +the philosophers who wrote against it invariably made the +charge that its theology was derived from the ancient Paganism. +After its establishment as the state religion of +the Empire, the hierarchy of the church, knowing that +this charge was unanswerable, instigated the Emperor +Theodosius I. to promulgate an edict decreeing the destruction +of all books antagonistic to Christianity. This +edict, directed more particularly against the writings of +Celsus, was carried out so effectually that we know nothing +of what he wrote, only as quoted by Origen, the distinguished +church father of the third century, who attempted +to answer in eight books what Celsus had written +in one, entitled "The True Discourse." In one of his +quotations from Celsus' work he makes that philosopher +say "that the Christian religion contains nothing but what +Christians held in common with heathens, nothing that +was new or truly great." See Bellamy's translation, +chapter 4. During the earlier centuries the Christians +were divided into numerous sects, entertaining very divergent +<!-- Page 108 --> +views, and each faction, holding all others to be +heretical, charged them with having derived their doctrines +from the Pagan religion. Upon this subject we +find that Epiphanius, a celebrated church father of the 4th +century, freely admits that all that differed from his own +were derived from the heathen mythology. Such was the +position of all orthodox writers during the Middle Ages, +and since the Reformation the Protestant clergy have uniformly +made the same charge against the Catholic; a few +quotations from their writings we present for the edification +of our readers. + +<P>Jean Daille, a French Protestant minister of the 17th +century, in his treatise entitled La Religion Catholique +Romaine Institute par Nama Pompile, demonstrates that +"the Papists took their idolatrous worship of images, as +well as all their ceremonies, from the old heathen religion." +Bishop Stillingfleet of the English church and a +writer of considerable eminence in the 17th century, said, +in reference to the complaisant spirit of the early church +towards the Pagans, that "it was attended by very bad +consequences, since Christianity became at last, by that +means, nothing else but reformed Paganism, as to its divine +worship." See Stillingfleet's defense of the charge +of idolatry against the Romanists, vol. 5, page 459. +M. Turrentin, of Geneva, Switzerland, a learned Protestant +<!-- Page 109 --> +writer of the 17th century, in one of his orations describing +the state of Christianity in the 4th century, says +"that it was not so much the Empire that was brought +over to the faith, as the faith that was brought over to the +Empire; not the Pagans who were converted to Christianity, +but the Christians who were converted to Paganism." +Thus, having shown that the Catholics derived +all their cardinal tenets from the Pagan mythology, the +Protestants must surely have obtained theirs from the +Catholics, for they teach all of them except that of Purgatory. +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> +<HR width=70 align=center> +<BR CLASS=left> + +<CENTER><H2><A NAME=FREEMASONRY>FREEMASONRY AND DRUIDISM.</A></H2></CENTER> +<P><IMG SRC="images/plate9.gif" WIDTH=300 HEIGHT=429 BORDER=1 HSPACE=10 VSPACE=10 ALT="The Masonic Arms"><!-- Pages 110 & 111 --> +The rites and ceremonies of Astral worship, under +the name of Druidism, were primarily observed in consecrated +groves by all peoples; which custom was retained +by the Scandinavian and Germanic races, and by +the inhabitants of Gaul and the British Islands; while the +East Indians, Assyrians, Egyptians, Grecians, Romans, +and other adjacent nations, ultimately observed their religious +services in temples; and we propose to show that +the modern societies of Freemasonry, and ancient order +of Druids, are but perpetuations of the grove and temple +<!-- Page 112 --> +forms of the ancient astrolatry. In determining the fact +that Freemasonry finds its prototype in the temple worship +of ancient Egypt, we have but to study the Masonic +arms, as illustrated in Fellows' chart, in which are pictured, +as its objects of adoration, the sun and moon, the +seven stars, known as Pleiades in the sign of Taurus; +the blazing star Sirius, or Dog-star, worshipped by the +Egyptians under the name of Anubis, and whose rising +forewarned those people of the rising of the Nile River; +the seven signs of the Zodiac from Aries to Libra, inclusive, +through which the sun was supposed to pass in making +his apparent annual revolution, and which constitutes +the Royal arch from which was derived the name of one of +its higher degrees; and its armorial bearings, consisting of +pictures of the Lion, the Bull, the Waterman, and the +Flying Eagle, which representing the signs at the cardinal +points, constituted the genii of the seasons. Besides these, +we have the checkered flooring or mosaic<!-- [SIC] --> work, representing +the earth and its variegated face, which was introduced +when temple worship succeeded its grove form; +the two columns representing the imaginary pillars of +heaven resting upon the earth at Equinoctial points, and +supporting the Royal arch; also the letter "G" standing +for Geometry, the knowledge of which was of great importance +to the natives of Egypt in establishing the boundaries +<!-- Page 113 --> +of their lands removed by the inundations of the +Nile, the square and compass, being the instruments +through which the old landmarks were restored, and +which ultimately became the symbols of justice. The +cornucopia, or horn of plenty, denoted the sun in the sign +of Capricorn, and indicated the season when the harvest +was gathered and provisions laid up for Winter use; the +cenotaph or mock coffin with the sign of the cross upon +its lid, referred to the sun's crossing of the celestial equator +at the Autumnal Equinox, and to the figurative death +of the genius of that luminary in the lower hemisphere; +whose resurrection at the Vernal Equinox is typified by +the sprig of acacia sprouting near the head of the coffin. +The serpent, issuing from the small vessel to the left, represented +the symbol of the Lord of Evil under whose +dominion was placed the seasons of Autumn and Winter; +and the figure of a box at the right hand, represented +the sacred ark in which, anciently, the symbols of solar +worship were deposited; but which is now used by the +masons as a receptacle for their papers. + +<P>After, the promulgation, in the fifth century, of the +edict by one of the Emperors of Rome, decreeing the +death penalty against all persons discovered practicing +any of the rites and ceremonies of the ancient religion, a +body of its cultured adherents, determining to observe +<!-- Page 114 --> +them secretly, banded themselves together into a society +for that purpose. With the view to masking their real +object, they took advantage of the fact that the square and +compass, the plumbline, etc., were symbols of speculative +masonry in the temple form of Astral worship, they publicly +claimed to be only a trades-union for the prosecution +of the arts of architecture and operative masonry; but, +among themselves, were known as Free and Accepted +Masons or Freemasons. In imitation of the ancient mysteries +they instituted lower and higher degrees; in the +former they taught the Exoteric creed, and in the latter +the Esoteric philosophy, as explained in our introduction. +Inculcating supreme adoration to the solar divinity the +candidates for initiation were made to personate that +mythical being and subjected to the ceremonies representing +his figurative death and resurrection, were required +to take fearful oaths not to reveal the secrets of the +order. To enable them to recognize each other, and to +render aid to a brother in emergencies, they adopted a +system of grips, signs and calls; and to guard against the +intrusion of their Christian enemies they stationed watchmen +outside of their lodges to give timely warning of their +approach. Thus was instituted the original Grand Lodge +of Freemasonry, from which charters were issued for the +organization of subordinate lodges in all the principal +cities throughout the Roman Empire. + +<!-- Page 115 --> +<P>Becoming cognizant of the true object of Freemasonry, +the Hierarchy of the Church of Rome resolved +to suppress the order, and to that end maintained such a +strict espionage upon its members that, no longer able +to assemble in their lodges, they determined to defend +themselves by an appeal to arms, and gathering together +in strongholds, for a long time successfully resisted the +armies of the church; but ultimately, being almost exterminated, +the residue disbanded, and we hear no more +of Freemasonry, as a secret order, until the conclusion +of the Dark Ages, when the Reformation, making it possible, +a form of the order, recognizing Christianity, was +revived among the Protestants; but the Church of Rome, +true to her traditions, has never ceased to hurl anathemas +against it and all other secret societies outside of her own +body. Thus, having made it apparent that Freemasonry, +as primarily instituted, was but a perpetuation of the +temple form of Astral worship, we can readily see that, +while some of its symbols are as old as the ancient Egyptian +religion, it did not, as a secret order, take its rise until +Christian persecution made it necessary. Hence it cannot +justly lay claim to a greater antiquity than the fifth +century of the Christian era. + +<P>According to Masonic annals a Grand Lodge was organized +at York, England, early in the tenth century, but, +<!-- Page 116 --> +like the lodges of Southern Europe, was suppressed by +the Church of Rome. In 1717 a Grand Lodge was organized +at London, England, and soon afterwards the old +Grand Lodge at York was revived, and its members took +the name of Free and Accepted Ancient York Masons, +from which emanated the charter of the Grand Lodge in +the United States, which was organized in Boston in 1733. +In 1813 the rivalry between the Grand Lodges of York +and London was compromised, and the supremacy of the +former was conceded. + +<P>From church history we learn that in the year 596 of +our era Pope Gregory I. dispatched Augustin, and forty +other monks of the order of St. Andrew, from Rome to +Britain, to convert the natives to Christianity; but, while +the Anglo-Saxons embraced the new faith, the Britons +rejected it, and, being persecuted by the Christians, retired +to the fastnesses of the country known as Wales, +where, for a long period, they maintained the observance +of the Druidical form of worship; and although that +country has long since become Christianized, the society +of the Ancient Order of Druids has existed with an uninterrupted +succession at Pout-y-prid, where the Arch-Druid +resides, and from, whence emanated the charter +of the Grand Lodge of the order in this country. In +reference to the Druidism on the continent, history records +<!-- Page 117 --> +the fact that when one of the reigning kings became +a convert to Christianity the whole of his subjects were +baptized into the Church of Rome by Imperial decree. +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> +<HR width=70 align=center> +<BR CLASS=left> + +<CENTER><H2><A NAME=SABBATH>THE SABBATH.</A></H2></CENTER> +<P>In determining the origin of the seventh day Sabbath, +we must of necessity refer to that source of all religious +ordinances, the ancient astrolatry, the founders of +which, having taught that God Sol was engaged in the reorganization +of Chaos during the first six periods of the +twelve thousand year cycle, corresponding to the months +of Spring and Summer, they conceived the idea that he +ceased to exert his energies, or rested from his labors on +the seventh period, corresponding to the first of the Autumn +months. Hence, deriving the suggestion from the +apparent septenary rest in nature, they taught that God +ordained the seventh day of the week as the Sabbath or +rest day for man. + +<P>In conformity to this ordinance the founders of ancient +Judaism enforced the observance of the seventh day +Sabbath in the fourth commandment of the Decalogue, +which, found in Gen. xx. 8-11,<A NAME="S1" HREF="#R1"><FONT SIZE=-1><SUP>1</SUP></FONT></A> +reads as follows, viz: "Remember +the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days shalt +thou labor and do all thy work; but the seventh day is +the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do +<!-- Page 118 --> +any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man +servant, nor thy maid servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy +stranger that is within thy gates; for in six days the Lord +made heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is, and +rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the +Sabbath day and hallowed it." Thus was the seventh +day of the week made the Sabbath of the Old Testament; +but the authors of the Jewish or ancient Christianity, looking +for the immediate fulfillment of the prophecies relative +to the second judgment, ignored its observance, as +may be seen by reference to Mark ii. 23, 27; John v. 2-18; +Romans xiv. 5; and Col. ii. 16; and the founders of +modern Christianity, perpetuating the belief in the speedy +fulfillment of those prophecies, made no change relative +to the Sabbath in their version of the New Testament. + +<P>After Constantine's pretended conversion to Christianity, +and the time for the fulfillment of the prophecies +had been put off to the year 10000, as previously stated, the +hierarchy of the church appealed to the Emperor to give +them a Sabbath, and although they knew that the seventh +day of the week was the Sabbath of the Old Testament, +and that Sunday was the first of the six working days, according +to the fourth commandment, their hatred to the +Jews for refusing to accept their Christ as the Saviour induced +them to have it placed on the first day of the week. +<!-- Page 119 --> +Hence that obliging potentate, in the year 321, promulgated +the memorable edict, which, found in that Digest +of Roman law known as the Justinian Code, Book III., +Title 12, Sec. 2 and 3, reads as follows, viz.: "Let all +judges and all people of the towns rest and all the various +trades be suspended on the venerable day of the Sun. +Those who live in the country, however, may freely and +without fault attend to the cultivation of their fields lest, +with the loss of favorable opportunity, the commodities +offered by Divine Providence shall be destroyed." Thus +we see that the primary movement towards enforcing the +observance of Sunday, or Lord's Day, as the Sabbath, did +not originate in a Divine command, but in the edict of an +earthly potentate. + +<P>This edict was ratified at the third council of Orleans, +in the year 538; and in order, "that the people might +not be prevented from attending church, and saying their +prayers," a resolution was adopted at the same time recommending +the observance of the day by all classes. +From merely "recommending," the Church of Rome soon +began to enforce the observance of the day; but, in spite +of all her efforts, it was not until the 12th century that +its observance had become so universal as to receive the +designation of "The Christian Sabbath." + +<P>Cognizant of the manner in which Sunday was made +<!-- Page 120 --> +the Sabbath, Luther issued for the government of the +Protestant communion the following mandate: "As for +the Sabbath, or Sunday, there is no necessity for keeping +it;" see Michelet's Life of Luther, Book IV., chapter 2. +Luther also said, as recorded in Table Talk, "If anywhere +the day (Sunday) is made holy for the mere day's sake; if +anywhere anyone sets up its observance upon a Jewish +foundation, then I order you to work on it, to dance on it, +to ride on it, to feast on it, and to do anything that shall +reprove this encroachment on the Christian spirit of liberty." +Melancthon, Luther's chief coadjutor in the work +of Reformation, denied, in the most emphatic language, +that Sunday was made the Sabbath by Divine ordainment; +and in reference thereto John Milton, in reply to the +Sunday Sabbatarians, makes the pertinent inquiry: "If, +on a plea of Divine command, you impose upon us the observance +of a particular day, how do you presume, without +the authority of a Divine command, to substitute +another in its place?" + +<P>During the reign of Elizabeth, Queen of England, a +sect of fanatics, known as Dissenters or Nonconformists, +basing their action upon the fallacious arguments derived +from the fourth commandment, and upon the plea that +the Saviour was raised from the dead on the first day of +the week, inaugurated what is known as the Puritan Sabbath, +<!-- page 121 --> +which having been transferred to our shores by the +voyagers in the Mayflower, and enforced by those statutory +enactments known as Blue Laws, caused the people +of New England to have a blue time of it while the +delusion lasted; and now a large body of Protestant clergy +perverting the teachings of scripture, and, ignoring the +authority of the Reformers, are disturbing the peace of society +by their efforts to enforce the code of sundry laws, +which were enacted through their connivance. Thus +have we shown that, originating with the Catholics and +adopted by the Protestants, the Sunday Sabbath is purely +and entirely a human institution, and, being such, we must +recognize all Sunday laws as grave encroachments upon +constitutional liberty; and it behooves the advocates of individual +rights to demand their immediate repeal; for unless +a vigilant watch is kept upon the conspirators who +secured their enactment, our fair land will soon be cursed +by a union of church and State, the tendency in that direction +having been indicated by the unprecedented opinion +recently handed down by one of the Justices of the +United States Supreme Court that this is a Christian +Government. +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> +<HR width=70 align=center> +<BR CLASS=left> + +<CENTER><H2><A NAME=FRAUDS>PIOUS FRAUDS.</A></H2></CENTER> +<P>By claiming to be divinely appointed for the propagation +of a divinely authenticated religion, the priesthood +<!-- Page 122 --> +of all forms of worship have ever labored to deceive and +enslave the ignorant multitude; and in support of these +fallacious assumptions have resorted to all manner of +pious frauds, in reference to which we quote from both +Pagan and Christian sources with the view to showing +that the moderns have faithfully followed the ancient +example. Euripedes, an Athenian writer, who flourished +about 450 years before the beginning of our era, maintained +that, "in the early state of society, some wise men +insisted on the necessity of darkening truth with falsehood +and of persuading men that there is an immortal +deity who hears and sees and understands our actions, +whatever we may think of that matter ourselves." +Strabo, the famous geographer and historian of Greek +extraction, who flourished about the beginning of the +Christian era, wrote that "It is not possible for a philosopher +to conduct by reasoning a multitude of women and +the low vulgar, and thus to invite them to piety, holiness +and faith; but the philosopher must make use of superstition +and not omit the invention of fables and the performance +of wonders. For the lightning and the ægis +and the trident are but fables, and so all ancient theology. +But the founders of states adopted them as bugbears to +frighten the weak-minded." Varro, a learned Roman +scholar, who also flourished about the beginning of our +<!-- Page 123 --> +era, wrote that "There are many truths which it is useless +for the vulgar to know, and many falsehoods which it is +fit that the people should not know are falsehoods." + +<P>So much from Pagan authorities relative to the necessity +of deceiving the ignorant masses. We will now +present some Christian authorities upon the same subject; +and first from Christ himself, who in addressing his +disciples is made to say, in Mark iv, 11, 12, "Unto you it +is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but +unto them that are without all these things are done in +parables, that seeing they may see and not perceive; and +hearing they may hear and not understand." Paul, in his +fourteen Epistles, inculcates and avows the principle of +deceiving the common people. He speaks of having +been upbraided by his own converts with being crafty +and catching them with guile and of his known and wilful +lies abounding to the glory of God. See Romans iii. 7, +and II. Cor. xii. 16. If Christ and Paul were guilty of +deception, their followers had good excuse for the same +course of conduct. Upon this subject Beausobre, a very +learned ecclesiastical writer, who flourished about the beginning +of the 18th century, says: "We see in the history +which I have related a sort of hypocrisy that has +been, perhaps, but too common at all times; that churchmen +not only do not say what they think, but they do say +<!-- page 124 --> +the direct contrary of what they think. Philosophers in +their cabinets; out of them they are content with fables, +though they well know that they are fables." Historie +de Manichee, vol. 2, page 568. Bishop Synesius, the distinguished +author of religious literature and Christian +father of the 5th century, said: "I shall be a philosopher +only to myself, and I shall always be a bishop to the people." +Mosheim, the distinguished author of Ecclesiastical +History, Vol. I., page 120, says: "The authors who +have treated of the innocence and sanctity of the primitive +Christians have fallen into the error of supposing +them to have been unspotted models of piety and virtue, +and a gross error indeed it is, as the strongest testimonies +too evidently prove." The same author, in Vol. I., page. +198, says in the fourth century "it was an almost universally +adopted maxim that it was an act of virtue to deceive +and lie, when by such means the interest of the +church might be promoted." In his Ecclesiastical History, +Vol. II., page 11, he says that "as regards the fifth +century, the simplicity and ignorance of the generality in +those times furnished the most favorable occasion for the +exercise of fraud; and the impudence of impostors in contriving +false miracles was artfully proportioned to the +credulity of the vulgar; while the sagacious and the wise, +who perceived these cheats, were overawed into silence +<!-- page 125 --> +by the dangers that threatened their lives and fortunes if +they should expose the artifice." Thomas Burnet, D.D., +who flourished about the beginning of the 18th century, +in his treatise entitled De Statu Mortuorum, purposely +written in Latin that it might serve for the instruction of +the clergy only, and not come to the knowledge of the +laity, because, as he says, "too much light is hurtful for +weak eyes," not only justifies, but recommends the practice +of the most consummate hypocrisy, and that, too, on +the most awful of all subjects; and would have his, clergy +seriously preach and maintain the reality and eternity of +hell torments, even though they should believe nothing +of the sort themselves. See page 304. Hugo Grotius, +the eminent writer of Holland in the 17th century, says +in his 22d Epistle: "He that reads ecclesiastical history, +reads nothing but the roguery and folly of bishops, and +churchmen." In the language of Robert Taylor, from +whom we have taken most of the quotations under this +heading, we assert that "no man could quote higher +authorities," to prove "the roguery and folly of bishops +and churchmen." +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> +<HR width=70 align=center> +<BR CLASS=left> + +<CENTER><H2><A NAME=CONCLUSION>CONCLUSION.</A></H2></CENTER> +Having presented the evidences in support of the apparently +untenable assertion that, notwithstanding the +<!-- Page 126 --> +numerous modes in which man has manifested his devotional +proclivities, the world has virtually had but the one +religion founded in the worship of personified nature, we +are necessitated to recognize the facts that the Christian +Scriptures like the sacred records of other forms of nature +worship are, but a collection of astronomical allegories; +that the gospel story is truly "the old, old story" which +had been told of a thousand other Saviours before it was +applied to the Christian Messiah; that Jesus is but one +of the many names given to imaginary incarnations of +the mythical genius of the sun; and that the Disciples and +Evangelists are but the genii of the months and the seasons. +Such being the facts, which cannot be successfully +refuted, we must believe that the Christian religion, instead +of being of Divine authenticity, as popularly +claimed, is purely and entirely of human origin, and that +all its teachings relative to a future state are but priestly +inventions, concocted for the purpose of enslaving the +ignorant masses. + +<P>When we think of the thousand millions of dollars +invested in church properties, and estimate the cost of +maintaining more than a hundred thousand priests and +ministers, in supporting foreign and domestic missions +and in publishing religious literature; besides the taxes +applied to the care of the religious insane, and realize the +<!-- Page 127 --> +fact that all of this vast sum of money is abstracted from +the resources of the people, we would not have to go outside +of our own country to appreciate the fact that religion +is the burden of all burdens to society; and when we contemplate +the great disturbance to the social relation, resulting +from sectarian strife, and the almost universal disposition +of Christians to persecute and ostracize those who +differ with them in opinion, we can readily subscribe to +the sentiment accredited to one of our revolutionary sires, +that "this would be a good world to live in if there was no +religion in it." + +If the clergy had been laboring as faithfully to impress +the observance of ethical principles as they have to +indoctrinate the people with the superstitions of religion, +we would not now be deploring the great demoralization +of society. It is a grave arraignment of the clericals to +charge them with being, indirectly, the cause of this lamentable +state of things; but it is a condition that might +have been expected, for, when entering the ministry, they +engaged themselves, not so much to teach ethics as to +propagate faith in the doctrines of their respective sects. +Thus hampered they cannot do the good to society their +better natures might desire. Hence the only hope for +improvement is for the people to wholly ignore the dogmatic +element of religion, and refusing to longer support +<!-- page 128 --> +it, demand that moral training shall be the grand essential +of education. If this course were adopted and persistently +followed, it would be but a question of time when +mankind would come into being with such a benign +heredity that crime would be almost impossible. + +<P>Then, since religion inculcates<!-- [SIC] --> a salvation that does +not save, let us rise superior to its false teachings and, +accepting science as the true saviour of mankind, find our +whole duty in the code of natural morality, the spirit of +which is embodied in that comprehensive precept known +as the golden rule, which, being the outgrowth of the +discovered necessities of association, without which society +could not exist, it necessarily constituted man's sole +rule and guide long before priest or temple; and founded +in the eternal principles of right, truth and justice must remain +as man's sole rule and guide when priest and church +are numbered among the things that were. Spirit of progress! +speed the day when all mankind, redeemed from +the bondage of superstition, will recognize the great truth +that nature, governed by her own inherent forces, is all +that has been, all that is and all that shall be; and that, +ceasing to indulge in the vain hope of a blissful immortality +in a paradise beyond the stars, will make a real paradise +of this old earth of ours. + +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> +<HR> +<A NAME="R1" HREF="#S1">[1]</A> +(Editorial note: the original text erroneously attributed this quote to +Genesis 20:8-11; actually it is from Exodus 20:8-11.) +<BR> +<BR> +<BR> +<BR> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Astral Worship, by J. H. 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H. Hill + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere 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 + + +Title: Astral Worship + +Author: J. H. Hill + +Posting Date: April 6, 2014 [EBook #8855] +Release Date: September, 2005 +First Posted: August 14, 2003 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ASTRAL WORSHIP *** + + + + +Produced by David Deley + + + + + + + + + + +Astral Worship + +by + +J. H. Hill, M. D. + + + + + + + +"Now, what I want is--facts."--_Boz._ + + + + + + CONTENTS. +INTRODUCTION 5 +THE GEOCENTRIC SYSTEM OF NATURE 13 + The Earth 13 + The Firmament 13 + The Planets 14 + The Constellations 15 + The Zodiac 15 +THE SACRED NUMBERS 7 AND 12 17 +THE TWELVE THOUSAND YEAR CYCLE 18 +THE ANCIENT TRIAD 19 +GOD SOL 22 +THE ANCIENT COSMOGONY 30 +FALL AND REDEMPTION OF MAN 31 +INCARNATIONS OF GOD SOL 33 +FABLE OF THE TWELVE LABORS 36 +ANNIVERSARIES OF SOLAR WORSHIP 40 + The Nativity 40 + Epiphany or Twelfth Day 41 + Lent or Lenten Season 42 + Passion Week 44 + Passion Plays 45 + Resurrection and Easter Festival 46 + Annunciation 48 + Ascension 49 + Assumption 49 + The Lord's Supper 50 + Transubstantiation 50 + Autumnal Crucifixion 51 + Michaelmas 56 +PERSONIFICATIONS OF THE DIVISIONS OF TIME 57 + The Hours 57 + The Days 57 + The Months 58 + The Seasons 60 + Half Year of Increasing Days 63 + Half Year of Decreasing Days 63 + Last Quarter of the Year 64 +ZODIACAL SYMBOLS OF SOLAR WORSHIP 64 + The Sphinx 65 + The Dragon 66 + The Bull 67 + The Ram 68 + The Lamb 68 + The Fish 71 +SIGNS OF THE CROSS 72 +FUTURE REWARDS AND PUNISHMENTS 74 + The Oriental System 75 + The Occidental System 75 + The Second or General Judgment 77 +JEWISH, OR ANCIENT CHRISTIANITY 79 +THE PROPHECIES 83 +ROMAN OR MODERN CHRISTIANITY 88 +FREEMASONRY AND DRUIDISM 109 +THE SABBATH 117 +PIOUS FRAUDS 121 +CONCLUSION 125 + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + +In an article, entitled "Then and Now," published in the December +number, 1890, of "The Arena," its author, a distinguished Unitarian +D.D. of Boston, Mass., says. "Astronomy has shattered the fallacies of +Astrology; and people have found out that the stars are minding their +own business instead of meddling with theirs." Now, while it is true +that modern Astronomy has superseded the ancient system, and people +have ceased to believe that the stars are intervening in mundane +affairs, nothing could be further from the truth than the assertion +that "Astronomy has shattered the fallacies of Astrology;" and those of +our readers who will accord to this work an unprejudiced perusal can +hardly fail to be convinced that a large majority of the people of +Christendom are dominated as much by these fallacies as were our Pagan +ancestry--the only difference being a change of name. The dogmatic +element of religion, which was anciently designated as Astrology, is +now known as Theology. + +All the evidences bearing upon the subject indicate that the founders +of the primary form of religion were a sect of philosophers, known as +Magi, or wise men, of the Aryan race of Central Asia, who, having lived +ages before any conceptions of the supernatural had obtained in the +world, and speculating relative to the "beginnings of things," were +necessarily confined to the contemplation and study of nature, the +elements of which they believed to be self-existent and endless in +duration; but, being wholly without knowledge of her inherent forces, +they explained her manifold processes by conceiving the idea that she +was animated by a great and inherent soul or spirit, emanations from +which impressed all her parts with life and motion. Thus, endowing man, +and other animals, with souls emanating alike from the imaginary great +soul of nature, they believed, and taught, that immediately after death +all souls were absorbed into their source, where, as "the dewdrop slips +into the shining sea," all personal identity was forever lost. Hence we +see that although recognizing the soul as immortal, considering it, not +as an entity existing independent of matter, but as the spirit of +matter itself, the primary religion was the exponent of the purest form +of Materialism. + +Being the Astronomers of their day, and mistaking the apparent for the +real, the ancient Magi constructed that erroneous system of nature +known as the Geocentric, and, in conformity thereto, composed a +collection of Astronomical Allegories, in which the emanations from the +imaginary great soul of nature, by which they believed all +materialities we're impressed with life and motion, were personified +and made to play their respective parts. Basing the religion they +instituted upon their system of Allegorical Astronomy, and making its +personifications the objects of worship, they thus originated the +anthropomorphic or man-like Gods, and, claiming to have composed them +under the inspiration of these self same divinities, they designated +them as sacred records, or Scriptures, and taught the ignorant masses +that they were literal histories, and their personifications real +personages, who, having once lived upon earth, and; for the good of +mankind, performed the wondrous works imputed to them, were then in +heaven whence they came. + +Thus we see that the primary religion, which is popularly known as +Paganism, was founded in the worship of personified nature; that, +according special homage to the imaginary genii of the stars, and +inculcating supreme adoration to the divinity supposed to reside in the +sun, it was anciently known by the general name of Astrolatry, and by +the more specific one of solar worship; and that its founders, +arrogating to themselves the title of Astrologers, gave to its dogmatic +element the name of Astrology. + +In studying the primitive forms of religion it will be found that none +of them taught anything relative to a future life, for the simple +reason that their founders had no conceptions of such a state. Hence it +follows that the laws they enacted were intended solely for the +regulation of their social relations, and, to secure their observance, +they were embodied into their sacred records and made part of their +religion. One form of that most ancient worship was known as Sabaism, +or Sabism. Another form of the same religion was the Ancient Judaism, +as portrayed in the Old Testament, and more especially in the +Pentateuch, or first five books; in the Decalogue of which the only +promise made for the observance of one of the Commandments is length of +days on earth; and, in a general summing up of the blessings and curses +to be enjoyed or suffered, for the observance or violation of the laws, +as recorded in the 28th chapter of Deuteronomy, it will be seen they +are all of a temporal character only. At the beginning of the Christian +era there were still in existence a sect of Jews known as Sadducees, +who were strict adherents to the primitive form of worship, and their +belief relative to the state of the dead we find recorded in +Ecclesiastes xii., 7, which reads: "Then shall the dust return to earth +as it was, and the spirit shall return to God who gave it." + +For ages the doctrine of soul absorption, immediately after death, +constituted the belief of mankind; but ultimately recognizing the fact +that the temporal punishments of the existing laws were wholly +inadequate to the prevention of crime, and conceiving the idea that the +ignorant and vicious masses could be governed with a surer hand by +appealing to the sentiments of hope and fear in relation to the rewards +and punishments of an imaginary future life, the ancient Astrologers +resolved to remodel the dogmatic elements of religion so as to include +that doctrine. But realizing the necessity, of suppressing the belief +in the absorption of all souls, immediately after death, they ceased to +teach it, and ultimately it was embodied in that secret and unwritten +system known as the Esoteric philosophy, in which the Astrologers +formulated their own private belief, and which for many centuries was +kept from the knowledge of the uninitiated by their successors in the +priestly office. As they were the sole custodians of the Scriptures, +they made do change in their verbiage, but, adding the doctrine of +future rewards and punishments to that written and openly taught system +of faith known as the Exoteric creed, they made it the more impressive +by instituting a system of imposing rites and ceremonies, which they +designated as Mysteries, into which they initiated the neophytes, and +in which were portrayed, in the most vivid manner, the rewards and +punishments of the imaginary future life, which they taught were the +awards of the Gods for the observance or violation of the laws. These +teachings were inculcated in the lesser degrees only, but those who +were found worthy of so great a distinction were also inducted into the +higher degrees, in which was imparted the knowledge of the Esoteric +philosophy. In both the lesser and higher degrees the initiates +received instruction in an oral manner only; and all were bound by the +most fearful oaths not to reveal the secrets imparted to them. + +Thus were the votaries of the ancient Astral worship divided into two +distinct classes, the Esoterics, or Gnostics; and the Exoterics, or +Agnostics; the former comprising those who knew that the Gods were +mythical and the scriptures allegorical; and the latter, those who were +taught that the Gods were real, and the scriptures historical; or, in +other words, it was philosophy for the cultured few, and religion for +the ignorant multitude. The initiates into the secrets of these two +systems recognized them as the two Gospels; and Paul must have had +reference to them in his Epistle to the Galatians ii., 2, where he +distinguishes the Gospel which he preached on ordinary occasions from +that Gospel which he preached "privately to them which were of +reputation." + +Such was the system of Astrolatry, which, originating in the Orient, +and becoming, after being remodelled in Egypt, the prototype of all +Occidental forms of worship, was recognized, successively, as the state +religion of the Grecian and Roman Empires; and we propose to describe +the erroneous system of nature upon which it was based, and to develop +the origins of its cycles, dogmas, ordinances, anniversaries, +personifications and symbols, with the view to proving that it was the +very same system which was ultimately perpetuated under the name of +Christianity. We also propose to present the origins and abridged +histories of its two forms, the Jewish, or ancient, and the Roman, or +modern; and to give an account of the conflict between the votaries of +the latter, and the adherents to the established form of worship, which +culminated in the fourth century in the substitution of Christianity as +the state religion of the Roman Empire. We furthermore propose to show +the changes to which the creed and scriptures were subjected during the +Middle Ages, and at the Reformation in the sixteenth century, through +which they assumed the phases as now taught in the theologies, +respectively of Catholicism and Orthodox Protestantism. We also present +an article relative to Freemasonry and Druidism, for the purpose of +showing that, primarily, they were but different forms of the ancient +Astrolatry. We also devote a few pages to the subjects of the Sabbath, +and to that of "Pious Frauds." + + +Note.--For the matter published in this work, we are principally +indebted to the writings of Robert Taylor, an erudite but recusant +minister of the church of England, who flourished about seventy years +ago, and who, being too honest to continue to preach what, after +thorough investigation, he did not believe, began to give expression to +his doubts by writing and lecturing. Not being able to cope with his +arguments, the clergy, under the charge of the impossible crime of +blasphemy, had him imprisoned for more than two years, during which +time he wrote his great work entitled "The Diegesis," which should be +read by all persons who are investigating the claim of the Christian +religion to Divine authenticity. + + + +THE GEOCENTRIC SYSTEM OF NATURE. + +In constructing their system of nature, the ancient Astronomers +constituted it of the Earth, the Firmament, the Planets, the +Constellations and the Zodiac, and we will refer to them in the order +named. + + +The Earth. + +Believing that the earth was the only world, that it was a vast +circular plane, and that it was the fixed and immovable center around +which revolved the celestial luminaries, the ancient Astronomers, in +conformity to the requirement of the doctrine of future rewards and +punishments, as inculcated in the Egyptian Version of the Exoteric +Creed, divided it into an upper and an under, or nether world, which +they connected by a sinuous and tenebrious passage. + + +The Firmament. + +The azure dome, called the firmament in the book of Genesis, was +believed to be a solid transparency, which we find described, in the +fourth chapter and sixth verse, of that collection of Astronomical +Allegories, called the Apocalypse, or Book of Revelation, "as a sea of +glass like unto crystal." It was represented as being supported by four +pillars, resting upon the earth, one at each of the cardinal points, +which were designated as "the pillars of heaven." Conceiving the idea +that there were windows in the firmament, the ancient Astronomers +called them "the windows of heaven" and taught that they were opened +when it rained, and closed when it ceased to rain. Hence it is evident +that the ancient Astronomers did not refer to these pillars and windows +in a figurative sense, but as real appurtenances to a solid firmament, +as will be seen by reference to Gen. vii. 11, and viii. 2, Job xxvi. +11, and Malachi iii. 10. + + +The Planets. + +Believing that the stars were but mere flambeaux, suspended beneath the +firmament, and revolving round the earth, for the sole purpose of +giving it light and heat; and observing that seven of these, answering +to the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn, had +perceptible movements, in relation to the other luminaries, the ancient +astronomers designated them as planets or wandering stars. + + +The Constellations. + +Perceiving that the other celestial luminaries maintained the same +relation to each other, and designating them as fixed stars, the +ancient astronomers grouped those visible to them into forty-eight +Constellations; and giving names to these, they also attached names to +the stars of larger magnitude, which was done for the purpose of +locating and distinguishing them with greater ease. + + +The Zodiac. + +Through twelve of these Constellations, mostly contained within a belt +of 16 degrees in width, and within which the planets appeared to +revolve, the ancient astronomers inscribed a central line representing +the Ecliptic, or apparent orbit of the sun, which they divided into 360 +degrees; and quartering these to denote the seasons, they named the +cardinal points the Summer and Winter Solstices, and the Vernal and +Autumnal Equinoxes; the former referring to the longest and shortest +days of the year; and the latter to the two periods when the days and +nights are equal. An abbreviatory sign having been attached to each of +these constellations, the great celestial belt containing them was +called "the wheel of the signs," or "a wheel in the middle of a wheel," +as designated by that old Astrologer, Ezekiel the Prophet, in chap. i. +and 16th verse. But for the reason that, with only one exception, the +forms of living things, either real or mythical, were given to them, +this belt, ultimately, wad designated as the Zodiac; or Circle of +living Creatures, see Ezekiel, chap. i. Constituting the essential +feature of the ancient Astronomy, we present, in our frontispiece, a +diagram of the Zodiac, as anciently represented, to which, as well as +to Burritts' Celestial Atlas, our readers will be necessitated to make +frequent reference. + +[See plate1.gif] + +Recent researches among the ruins of ancient cities have developed the +fact that several centuries before the beginning of our era the +astronomers had invented the telescope, and discovered the true or +heliocentric system of nature; but for the reason that religion had +been based upon the false, or geocentric system, it was deemed prudent +not to teach it to the masses. Hence, hiding it away among the other +secrets of the Esoteric philosophy, the knowledge of it was lost during +the Middle Ages; and when rediscovered, the hierarchy of the Church of +Rome, upon the plea that it was contrary to the teachings of Scripture, +resorted to inquisitorial tortures to suppress its promulgation; but, +in spite of all their efforts, it has been universally accepted; and, +in this otherwise enlightened age, we have presented to us the anomaly +of a religion based upon a false system of Astronomy, while its +votaries believe in the true system. + + + +THE SACRED NUMBERS 7 AND 12. + +In reference to the planets, and the signs of the Zodiac, the numbers +seven and twelve were recognized as sacred by the ancient Astrologers, +and dedications were made to them in all kinds and sorts of forms. In +the allegories, the genii of the planets were designated as spirits or +messengers to the Supreme Deity, imaginarily enthroned above the +firmament, which we find described in Revelations iv. 5, as "Seven +lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of +God;" and which were represented by lights burning in seven branched +candlesticks set before the altars in the temples; the central light +for the Sun; the Moon, Mercury and Venus on one side; and Mars, Jupiter +and Saturn on the other. The seven branched candlesticks seen in all +Catholic churches, and in some Protestant ones, are intended to +represent the same planetary system. + +Among the numerous dedications to the genii of the planets we mention +the seven days of the week, the seven stories of the tower of Babylon, +the seven gates of Thebes, the seven piped flute of Pan, the seven +stringed lyre of Apollo, the seven books of fate, the book of seven +seals, the seven castes into which the Egyptians and East Indians were +divided, and the jubilee of seven times seven years. Among the +dedications to the twelve signs we mention the twelve months of the +year, the grand cycle of 12,000 years, the twelve altars of James, the +twelve labors of Hercules, the twelve divisions of the Egyptian +Labyrinth, the twelve shields of Mars, the twelve precious stones, +ranged in threes to denote the seasons, in the breastplate of High +Priest, the twelve foundations of the Sacred City, referred to in the +Book of Revelation, the twelve sons of Jacob, the twelve tribes of +Israel, and the twelve Disciples. In the Book of Revelation alone the +number 7 is repeated twenty-four times, and the number 12 fourteen +times. + + + +THE TWELVE THOUSAND YEAR CYCLE. + +In determining the duration of the period within which were to occur +the events taught in the doctrines of the Exoteric Creed, the ancient +Astrologers dedicated a thousand years to each of the signs of the +Zodiac, and thus inaugurating the cycle of twelve thousand years, +taught that, at its conclusion, the heaven and the earth, which they +believed to be composed of the indestructible elements of fire, air, +earth and water, would, through the agency of the first of these, be +reduced to chaos, as a preliminary to the reorganization of a new +heaven and a new earth at the beginning of the succeeding cycle. Such +was the origin of the grand cycle of the ancient Astrolatry, and it +must be borne in mind that its authors made its conclusion to +correspond in time and circumstance to the doctrines relating to the +finale of the plan of redemption. + + + +THE ANCIENT TRIAD. + +After conceiving the idea of a primeval chaos, constituted of four +indestructible elements of which fire was the leading one, the Oriental +astrologers began to indulge in speculations relative to the agencies +which were engaged in its organization. Having no knowledge of the +forces inherent in nature, they imputed this work to three +intelligences, which, embodying the All in All, they personified by the +figure of a man with three heads, and to this trinity gave the names of +Brahma, Vishnu and Siva. Such a figure, carved in stone, may be seen in +the island Cave of Elephanta, near Bombay, India, and is popularly +believed to represent the Creator, Preserver and Destroyer; but, in +determining their true signification, we must be governed by the +ancient teachings that "All things were made by one god-head with three +names, and this God is all things." Hence the conclusion is +irresistible that the first person represents neither the creator nor +organizer of chaos, but chaos itself; the second person, its organizer +and governor; and the third person, the agent in nature which impresses +all her parts with life and motion; the latter being the imaginary +great soul or spirit inculcated in the Esoteric philosophy. In support +of this opinion it will be found that the Egyptian Triad of Father, Son +and Spirit is virtually the same we have assigned to its Oriental +prototype. Thus we see that to the ancient Astrolatry Christendom is +indebted for the Trinity of + + "God the Father, God the Son, + God the Spirit--three in one." + +But, having ascribed supreme intelligence or reason to its second +person, under the name of the Logos, or Word, and designating its third +person as the Holy Ghost, the ancient Triad was usually formulated as +the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost, as may be seen by reference to +the text in the allegories which we find recorded in I John v. 7, which +reads that "There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the +Word and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one." + +Considered in some forms of Astrolatry as too sacred to attach a name +to the triune Deity, he was called "the One," and we find him thus +designated in the 4th chapter of Revelation, where, like Zeus and +Jupiter, of the Grecian and Roman mythologies, he is represented as +seated above the firmament, upon a throne from which "proceeded +lightnings and thunderings," and to whom all, the subordinate +divinities were made to pay homage. As the hurler of thunderbolts he +was called "the Thunderer," and as the opener of the windows of heaven, +when it rained, he was designated "Jupiter Pluvius." Such was the +ancient Triad made to say of himself, in an inscription found in the +ruins of the temple at Sais in Egypt, "I am all that has been, all that +is, and all that shall be, and no mortal has lifted yet the veil that +covers me;" and such was the Triunity referred to as the God Universe +by Pliny, the Roman philosopher and naturalist, who, flourishing in the +first century of the Christian era, wrote that he is "An infinite God +which has never been created, and which shall never come to an end. To +look for something else beyond it is useless labor for man and out of +his reach. Behold that truly sacred Being, eternal and immense, which +includes within itself everything; it is All in All, or rather itself +is All. It is the work of nature, and itself is nature." + +Thus we see that, although inculcating homage to a multitude of +subordinate divinities, the ancient Astrolatry was only an apparent +Polytheism; its enlightened votaries, recognizing the dogma of the +unity of God, were in reality Monotheists, paying supreme adoration to +the mythical genius of the Sun, to whom we will now direct attention. + + + +GOD SOL. + +In determining the characteristics of the supreme divinity of astral +worship, it must be borne in mind that its founders taught that he was +evolved or engendered by the Father, or first person in the sacred +Triad, from his pure substance, which as we have shown was constituted +of chaos or the primeval fire into which they supposed all things were +reduced through the agency of that element at the conclusion of 12,000 +year cycles. Hence, designating that mythical being as the only +begotten of the Father, they personified him as God the Son, or second +person in the sacred Triad; and recognizing the Sun as the ruling star, +very appropriately made him the presiding genius of that luminary, +under the title of God Sol. According homage to light as his chief +attribute, he is referred to in the allegories as "The true Light, +which lighteth every man that cometh into the world," John i., 9; and, +although designated as the only begotten of the Father, his +co-existence with him, under the title of the Logos or Word, is shown +in the text which reads, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word +was with God, and the Word was God," John i., 1. + +Personifying the principles of Good and Evil in God Sol, the ancient +Astrologers consecrated the six divisions of the 12,000 year cycle, +corresponding to the reproductive months of Spring and Summer, to him +as Lord of Good, and symbolizing him by the constellation of the Zodiac +in which the Vernal Equinox successively occurred, as explained +hereafter, they dedicated the six divisions of that cycle, +corresponding to the destructive months of Autumn and Winter, to him as +Lord of Evil, and as such, symbolizing him by the serpent, marked the +beginning of his reign by the constellation "Serpens," placed in +conjunction with the Autumnal Equinox. Personifying in him the opposing +principles of Good and Evil, he was to the ancients both God and Devil, +or the varied God, who, in relation to the seasons, was described as +beautiful in Spring, powerful in Summer, beneficent in Autumn and +terrible in Winter. Thus under various names, intended to represent God +Sol in relation to the diversified seasons, we find recorded in the +Scriptures, or solar fables, numerous portrayals of imaginary +conflicts, in which the Evil principle, triumphing during Autumn and +Winter, is conquered at the Vernal Equinox by the Good principle, who, +bringing back equal days and nights, restores the harmony of nature. + +The eternal enmity between the principles of Good and Evil, as +manifested in the diversity of the seasons, we find portrayed in the +Constellations Hercules and Draco, placed in the northern heavens, in +which the heel of the former, representing one of the most ancient of +the imaginary incarnations of God Sol, to which we will refer +hereafter, is resting upon the head of the latter, as referred to in +Genesis iii., 15, which makes God Sol, or the Lord God, say to the +serpent, "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy +seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his +heel." The woman alluded to in this text is the Virgo of the Zodiac, as +will be made apparent hereafter. + +[See plate2.gif] + +Of all the divinities of the ancient mythology God Sol was the only one +distinguished by the exalted title of Lord or Lord God, for the reason +that he was made the organizer of chaos and governor of heaven and +earth. Hence, having constituted him the lord of light and darkness, as +well as good and evil, the ancient astrologers in composing the solar +fables made him say of himself, "I form the light and create darkness; +I make peace and create evil, I the Lord do all these things," Isaiah +xlv., 7. "Shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done +it?" Amos iii., 6. Besides the title of Lord or Lord God, the solar +divinity is also designated in the allegories as the Lord of Lords and +the King of Kings, the Invincible, the Mighty God, etc. + +Subjecting the mythical genius of the sun, in his apparent annual +revolution round the earth, to the four stages of human life from +infancy to old age, the ancient Magi fixed the natal day of the young +God Sol at the winter solstice, the Virgo of the Zodiac was made his +mother, and the constellation in conjunction with her, which is now +known as Bootes, but anciently called Arcturus, his foster father. He +is represented as holding in leash two hunting dogs and driving Ursa +Major, or the Great Bear, around the north pole, thus showing that the +original occupation of the celestial foster father of the young God Sol +was that of a bear driver, and that his sons, referred to in job +xxxviii., 32, are the dogs Asterion and Chara. It will be observed that +Virgo is represented in our illustration with a child in her arms, for +the reason that she is so represented in the ancient Zodiacs, and the +fact will be readily conceded that she is the only Virgin who could +give birth to a child and be a virgin still. + +[See plate3.gif] + + + +THE ANCIENT COSMOGONY. + +Speculating relative to the order in which chaos had been organized, +the ancient Astrologers constructed a Cosmogony, which divided the +labors of God the Son, or second person in the Trinity, into six +periods of a thousand years each; and which, answering to the six +divisions of the 12,000 year cycle corresponding to the reproductive +months of Spring and Summer, taught that in the first period he made +the earth; in the second, the firmament; in the third, vegetation; in +the fourth, the Sun and Moon and "the stars also;" in the fifth, the +animals, fishes, birds, etc., and in the sixth, Man. + +That vegetation was made before the Sun was not an inconsistent idea to +the originators of the ancient Cosmogony. They imagined that the heat +and light, emanating from the elementary fire, were sufficient to +stimulate its growth, after which God the Son gathered it together and +made the Celestial luminaries. In the solar fables this imaginary +element is called the fire-ether, or sacred fire of the stars. + + + +FALL AND REDEMPTION OF MAN. + +Religion having been based upon the worship of personified nature, it +is evident that its founders fabricated its dogmatic element from their +conceptions of her destructive and reproductive processes as manifested +in the rotation and diversity of the seasons. The apparent retreat of +the sun from the earth, in winter, and his return in the spring, +suggesting the idea of a figurative death and resurrection of the +genius of that luminary, they applied these phenomena of the year to +man, and composed the allegories relative to his fall and redemption, +as inculcated in the Exoteric Creed. In the allegory relating to the +fall, it was taught that, after making the first human pair, the Lord +of Good or the Lord God placed them in a beautiful garden--corresponding +to the seasons of fruits and flowers or months of Spring and Summer, +with the injunction, under a penalty, not to eat of the fruit of a +certain tree. When the Lord of Evil, or Devil, symbolized by the serpent +and represented by the constellation "Serpens" placed in conjunction +with the Autumnal Equinox, meeting them on the confines of his dominion, +and tempting the woman, and she the man, they ate of the forbidden +fruit; thus, falling from their first estate, and committing the +original sin, they involved the whole human race in the consequences +of their disobedience. Then the Lord God, pronouncing a curse against +the serpent, clothed the man and woman with skins to protect them +against the inclemency of his, dominion as Lord of Evil, and drove them +from the garden; after which they were necessitated to earn their bread +by tilling the ground. + +In, reference to the plan of redemption, the ancient Astrologers +divided the 6,000 years appropriated to man, as the duration of his +race on earth, into ten equal cycles, and taught that at the conclusion +of each God Sol, as Lord of Good, would manifest himself in the flesh, +to destroy his works as Lord of Evil, and through suffering and death +make an atonement for sin. Thus having originated the doctrines of +original sin, incarnation and vicarious atonement, as parts of the plan +of redemption, and making its finale correspond, in point of time, to +the conclusion of the 12,000 year cycle, their successors in the +priestly office ultimately inculcated the additional dogmas of the +general judgment and future rewards and punishments, as we have shown +in our introduction. + +Having based the fables of the fall and redemption of man upon the idea +that he was impelled, without his volition, to pass from the dominion +of God to that of the Devil, or in other words, upon his subjection to +the inexorable necessity which makes the inclement seasons of Autumn +and Winter succeed the beneficent ones of Spring and Summer, its +authors composed the original of the text which, found in Romans viii., +20, reads that "The creature was made subject to vanity (Evil), not +willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope." + +But for the popular teaching in favor of its being literal history, no +one could read the account of the fall of man, as recorded in the third +chapter of Genesis, without recognizing it as simply an allegory; or +fail to realize, the force of the argument of no fall, no redemption, +and if no redemption, no God to reward or Devil to punish; no hell to +suffer, or heaven to enjoy. The fact is that these are but antithetical +ideas which came in together, and must survive or perish together. They +cannot be separated without destroying the whole theological fabric. + + + +INCARNATIONS OF GOD SOL. + +Believing that God Sol was necessitated to remain at his post to direct +the course of the sun, the ancient astrologers conceived the idea of +teaching that, attended by a retinue of subordinate genii, he descended +to earth through the medium of incarnations at the end of 600 year +cycles, to perform the work of man's redemption and, having made Virgo +of the Zodiac the mother of the Solar divinity, they taught in their +allegorical Astronomy, or scriptures, that his incarnations were born +of a Virgin. Hence we find that God Sol, usually designated by the +title of the Word, "was made flesh, and dwelt among us." John i., 14. + +In a discourse upon this text delivered by Tillotson, Archbishop of +Canterbury, in the year 1680, published in the fourth volume of +Woodhouse's edition of his Grace's sermons, in the year 1744, +concerning the Incarnation of our blessed Saviour, he explains the +necessity of incarnation by saying that "There was likewise a great +inclination in mankind to the worship of a visible Deity, so God was +pleased to appear in our nature, that they, who were so fond of a +visible Deity, might have one, even a true and natural image of God the +Father, the express image of his person." It only requires a little +reflection to appreciate the Prelate's covert irony and want of faith. + +Having ascribed to the imaginary incarnations of God Sol the +characteristics of heaven-descending, virgin-born, earth-walking, +wonder-working, dying, resuscitated and ascending sons of God, the +ancient Astrologers attached to them the several titles of Saviour, +Redeemer, Avatar, Divine-Helper, Shiloh, Messiah, Christ; and, in +reference to their foster-father, that of Son of Man. Teaching that +they continued to make intercession for sin, after their ascension to +the right hand of the Father, they were also called Intercessors, +Mediators or Advocates with the Father. From teaching their appearance +every 600 years originated the Egyptian legend of the Phoenix, a bird +said to descend from the sun at these intervals, and, after being +consumed upon the altar in the temple of On, or city of the sun--called +Heliopolis by the Greeks--would rise from its ashes and ascend to its +source. According to the civil laws of Egypt, manhood was not attained +until the age of thirty years. Hence the earthly mission of incarnate +Saviours was made to begin at that age; and for the reason that, +relating to the apparent transit of the sun through the twelve signs of +the Zodiac, it was completed during the period of one year. + +To impress the ignorant masses with the belief that the scriptures were +literal histories, and the incarnate Saviours real personages, the +ancient Astrologers caused tombs to be erected in which it was claimed +they were buried. Such sepulchres were erected to Hercules at Cadiz, to +Apollo at Delphi, and to other Saviours at many other places, to which +their respective votaries were induced to perform pilgrimages. In Egypt +the pyramids were built, partly for astronomical purposes, and partly +as tombs for Saviours, claimed to have been kings, who had once ruled +over the country; and why should we not recognize that magnificent +structure known as the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, at Jerusalem, as +but another of those tombs of Saviours in which no Saviour was ever +entombed? + +Thus we have shown that it was God Sol, the only begotten of the +Father, or second person in the sacred Triad, to whom supreme adoration +was inculcated in all forms of the ancient Astrolatry; and that its +cultured votaries, understanding that the doctrines pertaining to the +fall and redemption of man were evolved from the figurative death and +resurrection of the solar divinity, recognized the doctrine of +incarnation as a priestly invention intended only for the ignorant +masses. + + + +FABLE OF THE TWELVE LABORS. + +The authors of the original solar fables, having lived in that remote +age in which physical prowess was recognized as the highest attribute +of humanity, conceived the idea that God Sol, while passing through his +apparent orbit, had to fight his way with the animals of the Zodiac, +and with others in conjunction with them. Hence, designating him as the +Mighty Hunter, and calling his exploits the twelve labors, they made +the incarnate Saviours the heroes of similar ones on earth, which they +taught were performed for the good of mankind; and that, after +fulfilling their earthly mission, they were exhaled to heaven through +the agency of fire. When these fables were composed the Summer Solstice +was in the sign of Leo, and making the twelve labors begin in it, the +first consisted in the killing of a lion, and the second, in rescuing a +virgin (Virgo) by the destruction of a Hydra, the constellation in +conjunction with her. Upon one of the Assyrian marbles on exhibition in +the British Museum these two labors are represented as having been +performed by a saviour by the name of Nimroud. In the constellations of +Taurus, the bull of the Zodiac, and of Orion, originally known as +Horns, in conjunction therewith, we have groupings of stars +representing the latter as one of the mighty hunters of the ancient +Astrolatry, supporting on his left arm the shield of the lion's skin, +the trophy of the first labor, and holding a club in his uplifted right +hand, is engaged in performing the tenth labor by a conflict with the +former. + +[See plate4.gif] + +The fable of the twelve labors constituted the sacred records or +scriptures of the older forms of Astrolatry, one version of which, +written with the cuneiform character upon twelve tablets of burnt clay, +exhumed from the ruins of an Assyrian city, and now on exhibition in +the British Museum, is ascribed to Nimroud, the prototype of the +Grecian Hercules, and of Nimrod, the Mighty Hunter of the Old +Testament. + + + +ANNIVERSARIES OF SOLAR WORSHIP. + +The Nativity. + +Applying the anniversaries inculcated in the worship of God Sol to his +imaginary incarnations, the founders of the ancient Astrolatry made +them refer to the several stages of human existence from infancy to +mature age. Hence, comparing the first day of infantile life to the +shortest day of the year, it would naturally be expected that they +would have placed the anniversary of the Nativity exactly at the Winter +solstice; but, having conceived the idea that the sun stood still for +the space of three days at each of the cardinal points, and making it +represent the figurative death of the genius of that luminary, they +fixed the date for its observance three days later, or on the 25th of +December. The Gnostic adherents to the ancient solar worship, or those +who were conversant with the teachings of the Esoteric philosophy, +knowing that the dramatis personae of the fable of incarnation were +pictured with stars upon the azure vault, recognized the woman "clothed +with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of +twelve stars," referred to in Revelations xii. 1, as the Virgo of the +Zodiac; they also knew that she was the true queen of heaven and mother +of God; and that the infant, anciently represented in her arms, and +with whom, in their day, she arose on the Eastern horizon at midnight +on the 24th of December, was the same of whom the people were taught to +sing at Christmas "Unto us a child is born this day." + +With the knowledge of these facts we can readily see that this is the +Virgin and child which constituted the originals of those exquisite +paintings, by the old masters, known as the Madonna and Child. + + +Epiphany or Twelfth Day. + +In reference to the twelve signs through which the sun makes his +apparent annual revolution, the twelfth day after Christmas, answering +to the 6th of January, was observed by the votaries of the ancient +Astrolatry as the anniversary of the Epiphany or Twelfth Day. In the +solar fables, it was taught that a star appeared in the heavens on that +day to manifest the birthplace of the infant Saviour to the Magi or +Wise Men of the East, who came to pay him homage, and to present him +with the gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, as related in Matthew +ii. 11. + +The reason for presenting these gifts is explained by the facts that of +the seven metals dedicated to the genii of the planets, gold was the +one consecrated to God Sol; and frankincense and myrrh were the gums +burned in censers in his worship. + +In reading the account of the Magi's visit to the infant Saviour, we +have but to exercise our thinking faculties to realize that it is +allegory instead of literal history. + + +Lent or Lenten Season. + +In the ancient solar fables it was taught that the persecutions to +which the incarnate Saviours were subjected while passing through the +dominion of God Sol as Lord of Evil, raged with greatest fury during +the forty days preceding the festival of Easter, which period, +beginning when the days were perceptibly lengthening, was called Lent, +or the Lenten season. It was during this season that the votaries of +the ancient religion were taught to manifest their sympathy for the +Saviour in his imaginary conflict with the Devil by abstaining from all +festivities, and by fasting and prayer; and, as that was the season in +which the flocks and herds were poor in flesh, while the seas and +rivers abounded with fish in good condition, the ancient priests, +making a virtue of necessity, enjoined a diet principally of fish, and +for that reason placed the constellation Pisces at the point in the +Zodiac in which the Lenten season anciently began; which, without +regard to the day of the week, was always observed on the 15th day of +February, the name of that month having been derived from the Februa, +or feast of purification and expiation of the old Roman calendar. + +At the council of Nice the Lenten season was made to begin on the +fourth day of the week, and in reference to the ancient custom of the +more devout sprinkling ashes upon their heads at the feast of the +Februa, it is called Ash Wednesday. + +Hence we see that all years in which Ash Wednesday does not come on the +15th of February, the Lenten season must necessarily contain a greater +or lesser number than the original assignment of forty days. + + +Passion Week. + +The last seven days of Lent is called Passion Week, in reference to the +apparent passage of the sun across the Celestial equator at the Vernal +Equinox or 21st of March; the ancient astrologers having conceived the +idea that the sun stood still for the space of three days at each of +the cardinal points, and making it represent the figurative death of +the genius of that luminary, it was observed as the anniversary of the +Vernal crucifixion or passion of the incarnate Saviours; and in +commemoration of their imaginary sufferings and death it was the custom +to expose in the temples during the last three days of Passion Week +figures representing their dead bodies, over which the votaries of +solar worship, especially the women, made great lamentation. It was in +reference to one of these images, laid out in the temple at Jerusalem, +to which the jealous Jehovah, considering it a great abomination in his +own house, is made to direct the attention of Ezekiel, the prophet, +who, looking, beheld "Women weeping for Tammuz" as recorded in the +eighth chapter. This divinity was the Phoenician prototype of the +Grecian Adonis, to whom the women of Judea preferred to pay homage. + +It was during the last three days of Passion Week that the votaries of +solar worship performed their severest penance. Besides fasting and +prayer, the more devout flagellated and slashed themselves and others +with knives and thongs, and carried heavy crosses up steep acclivities. +In all ultra-Catholic countries the priests, in imitation of the +ancient custom, expose in the churches figures representing the dead +Saviour, over which the laity, especially the women, weep and mourn; +and the more devout men cut and slash themselves, and each other, with +knives and thongs; and, in imitation of the imaginary tramp of Jesus +with his cross up Calvary's rugged side, bear heavy crosses up steep +acclivities. + + +Passion Plays. + +Anciently dramas representing the passion of incarnate saviours, called +Passion plays, were enacted upon the stage. The most celebrated of +these divine tragedies, known as Prometheus Bound, and composed by the +Greek poet AEschylus, was played at Athens 500 years before the +beginning of the Christian era. To show that this sin-atoning saviour +was not chained to a rock, while vultures preyed upon his vitals, as +popularly taught, but was nailed to a tree; we quote front Potter's +translation of the play, that passage which, readily recognized as the +original of a Christian song, reads as follows: + + "Lo, streaming from the fatal tree, + His all atoning blood: + Is this the infinite? 'Tis he-- + Prometheus and a God. + Well might the sun in darkness hide, + And veil his glories in, + When God the great Prometheus died + For man, the creature's sin." + +The veiling of the sun, as represented in these plays, having reference +to the imaginary sympathy expressed by God Sol for the sufferings of +his incarnate son, was shown upon the stage by shading the lights. The +monks of the Middle Ages enacted plays representing the passion of the +Christian Saviour, and the Bavarian peasantry, perpetuating this +custom, perform the play every tenth year. + + +Resurrection and Easter Festival. + +In conformity to the ancient teachings, the incarnate saviours, +considered as figuratively dead for the space of three days at the +Vernal Equinox, or 21st of March, were raised to newness of life after +the expiration of that time. Hence, the 25th of March, without regard +to the day of the week, was celebrated as the anniversary of the Vernal +resurrection. On the morning of this day it was the custom of the +astrologers to say to the mourners assembled in the temples, "Be of +good cheer, sacred band of initiates; your God has risen from the dead, +his pains and his sufferings shall be your salvation." Another form of +this admonition, quoted from an ancient poem in reference to the +Phoenician Tammuz, reads as follows: + + "Trust ye saints, your God restored, + Trust ye in your risen Lord, + For the pains which he endured, + Your salvation hath procured." + +Then would begin the festivities of Easter, which corrupted from +Eostre, and derived from the Teutonic mythology, was one of the many +names given to the goddess of Spring. In the observance of this +festival the temples were adorned with floral offerings; the Hilaries +sang their joyful lays; the fires upon the pyres, or the fire-altars, +were extinguished and rekindled with new fire, or sacred fire of the +stars, which the Astrologers taught was brought down from heaven by the +winged genius Perseus, the constellation which, anciently, was in +conjunction with the Vernal Equinox; Paschal candles, lit from the new +fire, were distributed to the faithful and the Paschal feast, Easter +feast, or the feast of the passover, was eaten in commemoration of the +passion of the incarnate saviours, or, in other words, of the passage +of the sun across the celestial equator. In ultra-Catholic countries +the descent of the sacred fire is represented by some secretly arranged +pyrotechny, and the credulous laity, believing they have witnessed a +miraculous display, eagerly solicit Paschal candles lit from it; and in +imitation of the ancient festivities in honor of the return of spring, +all Catholic churches, and most of Protestant ones, are adorned with +flowers, the bells ring out their merriest peals, and "Gloria in +Excelsis" and other jubilant songs, similar to the lays of the ancient +Hilaries, are sung. + + +Annunciation. + +The anniversary of the Nativity having been placed on the 25th of +December, according to the course of nature, the 25th of March was +anciently celebrated as the anniversary of the annunciation, and is +still observed on that day, and the duty of saluting the Virgin (Virgo) +and announcing her conception by the Holy Ghost or third person in the +Trinity was assigned to the genius of Spring. In the Chaldean version +of the Gospel story the name of Gabriel was given to this +personification, and in the Christian version of that story he is made +to perform the same office; see Luke i. 26-35. + + +Ascension. + +Celebrating the anniversary of the ascension forty days after Easter, +it was anciently observed on the 4th of May, and it was taught that the +incarnate saviours ascended bodily into heaven, in a golden chariot +drawn by four horses caparisoned with gilded trappings, all glittering +like fire in the fervid sunlight. Hence when we read in II. Kings ii. +11, that "There appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire, . . . +and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven," we must accept this +text as descriptive of the imaginary ascension of one of the incarnate +saviours of ancient Judaism. + + +Assumption. + +When the Summer solstice was in the sign of Cancer, the sun was in that +of Virgo in the month of August, and the anniversary of the Assumption +was observed on the 15th of that month, and is so observed at the +present time. The fact that the anniversary of the Ascension precedes +that of the Assumption explains why Jesus is made to say to his mother +(Virgo) soon after his resurrection, "Touch me not: for I am not yet +ascended to my Father." John xx. 17. + + +The Lord's Supper. + +In the ancient solar worship the so-called ordinance of the Lord's +Supper was observed just before the anniversary of the autumnal +crucifixion; and consisting of bread and wine, in reference to the +maturing of the crops and completion of the vintage, was, like the +modern festival of the hardest home, a season of thankfulness to the +Lord (God Sol) as the giver of all good gifts. Hence being observed but +once a year, it was in reality not an ordinance but an anniversary; and +the fact that Christians partake of these emblems so frequently during +the year indicates that the original signification of the Lord's Supper +has been lost. + + +Transubstantiation, + +or the conversion of the bread and wine into the veritable blood and +body of Christ, is a doctrine of the Catholic church which was derived +from the ritual of the ancient solar worship. + +In the 26th chapter of Matthew we have an account of the Lord +administering the last supper to his Disciples on the eve of the +autumnal crucifixion, and in verse 27 it reads that "he took the cup, +and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it." The +compilers of the modern version of the Gospel story must surely have +inadvertently copied this text as it read in the ancient versions of +that old, old story, which, when observed in remembrance of "Our Lord +and Saviour Bacchus," was called the Bacchanalia, or feast, of Bacchus. +At these orgies the participants give thanks for the wine by not only +drinking all of one cup, but many more; in fact they kept on drinking +until they fell under the table. + + +Autumnal Crucifixion. + +The beneficent seasons of Spring and Summer coming to an end at the +Autumnal Equinox, the 22d of September was made the anniversary of the +Autumnal Crucifixion. The vernal resurrection and Autumnal Crucifixion, +representing the alternate triumph of the personified principles of +Good and Evil, as manifested in the diversity of the seasons; we find +appropriately expressed in two religious pictures. In the one, the +Saviour, appealing as a vigorous young man, surrounded by a brilliant +halo, representing the rays of the all-conquering Sun of Spring, is +rising triumphantly from the tomb, before whom the demon of Winter, or +Devil, is seen retreating in the background. In the other, the +vanquished Saviour, represented by the figure of a lean and haggard +man, with a crown of thorns upon his head, around which appears a faint +halo of the Sun's declining rays, and above which is placarded the +letters I. N. R. I., the initial letters of Latin words, signifying the +life to come, or the eternal life, is suspended upon the cross, at the +foot of which his mother Mary (Virgo) is represented as kneeling in a +mourning attitude, and by her side is seen a serpent and a skull, the +emblems of Evil and of Death. + +[See plate5.gif & plate6.gif] + + +Michaelmas. + +In the calendar of the ancient Astral Worship, the fourth day after the +Autumnal Equinox was dedicated to the genius of Autumn. In the Chaldean +allegories the name of Michael was given to this personification, and +called Michaelmas, or feast of Michael. In the Catholic calendar this +anniversary is placed an the 29th of September, instead of the 26th of +that month, while that of St. Matthew, the Christian genius of Autumn, +which should be placed on the 26th of that month, is observed on the +21st. + +Thus we have shown that the anniversaries of the ancient Astral Worship +were all fixed, and from church history we learn that they were so +observed by the Christians until the Council of Nice in the year 325, +when the Bishops assembled at that celebrated convocation, desiring to +have the festival of Easter celebrated on Sunday, which had been made +the Sabbath by the edict of Constantine, in the year 321, ordered that +it should be observed on the Sunday of the full moon, which comes on or +next after the Vernal Equinox. Hence, converting it into a movable +festival, its allied feasts and fast days were also made movable. + + + +PERSONIFICATIONS OF THE DIVISIONS OF TIME. + +In the ancient solar fables the several divisions of time were +personified and made to pay homage to the Triune Deity, supposed to be +enthroned above the firmament. + + +The Hours. + +The genii of the hours were designated as Elders, and we find them +described in the 4th chapter of Revelation as sitting round about the +throne upon four and twenty seats, clothed in white raiment, and crowns +of gold upon their heads. + + +The Days. + +Each day of the year was appropriately personified, and these genii of +the days constitute the saints of the Christian calendar. Of these we +will refer to but one. According to the ancient belief that the sun +stood still for the space of three days at each of the cardinal points, +the 24th of June was made the first of the decreasing days; and +dedicating it to St. John the Baptist, he is made to say in reference +to his opposite, (the genius of the 25th of December, and first of the +increasing days,) "He must increase, but I must decrease." This text, +found in John iii. 30, simply means that the days of the one must +increase in length, while the days of the other must decrease. + + +The Months. + +The fable of the twelve labors having been superseded by others, in +which the genii of the twelve signs of the Zodiac, corresponding to the +months, were designated as angels, and made to minister to God Sol +while making his apparent annual revolution; but, when constituted the +attendants of the incarnate saviours during their imaginary earth life, +they were personified as men and called Disciples. Of these genii of +the months we will refer only to the first and the last. The first +month, dedicated to the genius known in the mythology as Janus, and +from which was derived the name January, was portrayed with two faces, +the one of an old man looking mournfully backward over the old year, +and the other of a young man looking joyfully forward to the new year. +This personification, made the opener of the year, and represented as +holding a pair of cross-keys, was called "The carrier of the keys of +the kingdom of heaven." Hence, the Popes of Rome, claiming apostolic +succession from Peter, the Janus of the Christian twelve, wear +cross-keys as the insignia of their office. Sometimes a crosier, or +shepherd's crook, is substituted for one of the keys, in reference to +his arrogated office of the leader of the sheep! The authority for the +assumption that the Popes are Peter's successors is found in Matthew +xvi. 18, 19; but its fallacy becomes apparent when we bear in mind that +the scriptures are but collections of astronomical allegories, and that +the Peter referred to in the text was not a man, but the mythical +genius of the month of January. + +In reference to the last month, we find that the authors of the ancient +solar fables, ever doubting whether God Sol, after inaugurating Winter +by his supposed retreat from the earth, would return to revivify nature +with his life-giving rays, gave to the genius of the twelfth month the +title of the Doubter. In the Christian calendar this personification is +known as Thomas, and a more specific dedication of the shortest day of +the year having been made to him, the 21st day of December is called +St. Thomas day. + + +The Seasons. + +When the cardinal points were in the constellations Leo, Taurus, +Aquarius and Scorpio, the astrologers, objecting to the signification +of the latter, substituted the constellation in conjunction therewith, +which is known as Aquila (Ak-we-la) or Flying Eagle. In the allegorical +astronomy of that remote period these genii of the seasons were +designated as beasts, and as such we find them referred to in +Revelation iv. 7, which reads as follows: "And the first beast was like +a lion (Leo), and the second beast like a calf (Taurus, the bull calf), +and the third beast had a face as a man, (Aquarius, the waterman) and +the fourth beast was like a flying eagle (Aquila)." In the first chapter +of Ezekiel, the prophet, the genii of the seasons are referred to in +the same manner. + +These genii of the seasons, standing, imaginarily, at the four corners +of the heavens, were called corner-keepers, and making them witnesses +to God Sol in his apparent annual revolution, the founders of the +Astral Worship designated them as Archangels, Evangelists, God-Spellers +or Gospel-Bearers, and claiming inspiration from them, composed four +different histories of the birth and earth-life of the incarnate +saviour, to each of which they attached a name, and called these +records the Gospel story. In its Chaldean version, the names of +Gabriel, Michael, Raphael and Uriel were given them; but while the +first two of these are mentioned in the Christian Gospel story, its +authors gave to the Evangelists the names of Matthew, Mark, Luke and +John. Thus knowing the true signification of the Disciples and +Evangelists, the very pertinent question presents itself: If they are +not the genii of the months and the seasons, why are there just twelve +of the one and four of the other? + +[See plate7.gif] + + +Half Year of Increasing Days. + +In the ancient astrolatry, the half year of increasing days, extending +from the Winter to the Summer Solstice, was personified by the +composite figure representing the constellations of Taurus and +Aquarius, which, constituted of the winged body of a bull and the head +and beard of a man, was called the Cherubim. This personification we +find portrayed upon the Assyrian marbles on exhibition in the British +Museum. + + +Half Year of Decreasing Days. + +The half year of decreasing days, extending from the Summer to the +Winter Solstice, was personified by the figure, which, representing the +constellations of Leo and Aquila, and composed of the winged body and +limbs of a lion, with the head of an eagle, was called the Seraphim. +These last two personifications constituted the Archangels of the +ancient Astral Worship. + + +Last Quarter of the Year. + +The last quarter of the year was personified in the ancient allegories +as a decrepit old man, who, stung by a Scorpion (Scorpio), and fatally +wounded by an arrow from the quiver of an archer (Saggitarius) dies at +the Winter Solstice; and, after lying in the grave for the space of +three days, is brought to life again. Such was the personification +referred to in the Christian Gospel-story as having been raised from +the grave by the mandate, "Come forth, Lazarus." Thus have we shown +that the elders and the saints; the angels, and the Archangels; the +Cherubim and Seraphim; and also poor old Lazarus, are but +personifications of the several divisions of time. + + + +ZODIACAL SYMBOLS OF SOLAR WORSHIP. + +Having shown that the founders of the ancient astrolatry accorded +homage to God Sol as Lord of Evil, under the symbol of the serpent, and +marked the beginning of his reign, as such, by the constellation +"Serpens" placed in conjunction with the Autumnal Equinox; we will now +direct attention to the symbols under which he was worshipped as Lord +of Good, which, corresponding to the form of the constellation in which +occurred the Vernal Equinox, and which was changed to correspond to the +form of the succeeding constellation as that Cardinal point passed into +it, by that process, known in Astronomy, as the precession of the +Equinoxes, its explanation becomes essential to a correct understanding +of our subject. + +After long observation, aided by the telescope, of which they were +undoubtedly the original inventors, the ancient Astrologers discovered +that the Sun, in making his apparent annual revolution, did not return +to the same point in the heavens, but fell behind that of the preceding +year, at the rate of 50 1/4 seconds of a degree annually. At this rate +of precession, which modern, calculation has confirmed, it requires 71 +2-3 years for the Cardinal points to pass through one degree on the +Ecliptic, and 2150 years through thirty degrees, or one sign of the +Zodiac. The knowledge of this process affording an exact chronology, we +are enabled, not only to determine the origin of these symbols, but to +approximate, very nearly, to the respective dates of their adoption. + + +The Sphinx. + +From the teachings of Astronomy we learn that the Summer Solstice is +now occupying the point between the signs of Taurus and Gemini, from +which we know that that Cardinal point has passed through three whole +signs since it was between the signs of Leo and Virgo, and we have but +to multiply 2,150 by 3 to determine that it has been about 6,450 years +ago. Hence, the tourist to the Nile valley, when viewing, near the base +of old Cheops, the great Egyptian pyramid, a colossal head and bust of +a woman, carved in stone, and learns that it is attached to a body, in +the form of a lion in a crouching attitude 146 feet long, hidden +beneath the shifting sands of the Libyan desert; if possessed of the +knowledge of the precession of the Equinoxes, he will be enabled to +solve the riddle of the Sphinx by recognizing in that grotesque +monument the mid-summer symbol of solar worship, when the Summer +Solstice was between the signs of Leo and Virgo. + + +The Dragon. + +When the Summer Solstice was between the signs of Leo and Virgo, the +Winter Solstice was between those of Aquarius and Pisces, and the +figure composed of the body of a man with the tail of a fish became the +mid-winter symbol of solar worship. Such was the form of this symbol to +which the ancient Phoenicians paid homage to the Lord under the name of +Dagon. + + +The Bull. + +At the same time the Summer Solstice entered the sign of Leo, the +Vernal Equinox entered that of Taurus, and the bull becoming the spring +symbol of solar worship--the Lord was designated in the ancient +allegories as the bull of God which taketh away the sin of the world; +which, shorn of its allegorical sense, signifies the sun in Taurus, or +sun of spring, which taketh away the evil of Winter. Such is the +purport of hieroglyphical inscriptions upon papyrus rolls found in +Egypt, and engraved upon obelisks erected in the Nile valley, one of +which has been recently brought to the City of New York and set up in +Central Park. In the East Indies this symbol was represented by the +figure of a bull with the solar disk between his horns; and the +Egyptians, who were of Hindoo origin, perpetuating it in their "Apis," +it was reproduced in the golden calf of the ancient Israelites. The +Assyrians represented this symbol by the figure of a winged bull with +the face and beard of a man; the Phoenicians, in their "Baal," by the +figure of a man with a bull's head and horns; and the small silver +bull's heads with golden horns, recently discovered by Dr. Schliemann +in the ruins of Mycenae, were jewels worn by the women of that ancient +city, when the Vernal Equinox was in the sign of Taurus. + + +The Ram. + +By deducting 2,150 years from 6,450, we determine that about 4,300 +years; ago the Vernal Equinox entered the sign of Aries, and the spring +symbol of solar worship, changing from the bull to the ram, was +represented by ram-headed figures, two of which, found in Egypt, are on +exhibition in the British Museum. Then the text which read the bull of +God, was changed to the Ram of God which taketh away the sins of the +world. + + +The Lamb. + +Ultimately attaching a meek and lowly disposition to the imaginary +incarnations of the mythical genius of the sun, the symbol of the ram +was changed to that of the lamb, and the text in the allegories, which +read the Ram of God, was changed to read "The Lamb of God which taketh +away the sin of the World," John i, 29. The explanation we have given +relative to the Zodiacal Symbols of solar worship makes the assurance +doubly sure that the originals of the New Testament were composed when +the Vernal Equinox was in the sign of Aries, as will be shown +hereafter. Having adopted the symbol of the lamb, it was represented by +several forms of what is known as Agnus Dei, or Lamb of God, one of +which was in the form of a bleeding lamb with a vase attached into +which blood is flowing, which originated in reference to the shedding +of blood as a vicarious atonement for sin. But the most comprehensive +form of this symbol in its astronomical signification, was represented +by the figure of a lamb in a standing attitude, supporting the circle +of the Zodiac, divided into quarters to denote the seasons. At each of +the cardinal points there was a small cross, and the lamb held in its +uplifted fore-foot a larger cross, the long arm of which was made to +cut the celestial equator at the angle of 23 1/2 degrees, the true +angle of obliquity of the Ecliptic. This symbol is still retained in +the Catholic Church. + +[See plate8.gif] + + +The Fish. + +By deducting 2,150 years from 4,300 we determine that about 2,150 years +ago the Vernal Equinox entered the sign of Pisces; and although the +original version of the New Testament was founded upon the symbol of +the lamb, it is a historical fact that for centuries after the +beginning of our era, the Christians paid homage to the Lord under the +symbol of the fish; but ultimately going into desuetude, the lamb was +retained as the distinguishing symbol of the Christian religion until +the year 680, at which date another was substituted, as will be shown +under our next heading. + + + +SIGNS OP THE CROSS. + +Among the numerous symbols of solar worship, besides those we have +already referred to, there are three to which we will direct attention. +Two of these were of astronomical signification: the one adopted when +the Spring Equinox was in the sign of Taurus and shaped like the letter +T, was the model after which the ancient temples were built; and the +other, shaped like the letter X, in reference to the angle of 23 1/2 +degrees made by the crossing of the Ecliptic and the Celestial equator, +is known as St. Andrew's Cross. The third, and most important of all +the symbols of solar worship, in its relation to the Christian +religion, which, having no astronomical signification, originated in +Egypt, in reference to the annual inundation of the river Nile. To mark +the height to which the water should rise to secure an abundant +harvest, posts were planted upon its banks to which cross beams were +attached thus +. If the water should rise to the designated height, it +was called "the waters of life," or "river of life;" and, ultimately, +this form of the cross was adopted as the symbol of the life to come, +or eternal life; and the ancient astrologers had it engraved upon +stone, encircled with a hieroglyphical inscription to that effect, one +of which was discovered in the ruins of the temple erected at +Alexandria, and dedicated to "our Lord and Saviour Serapis." + +But, if the water failed to rise to the required height, and the +horrors of starvation becoming the inevitable result, it was the custom +of the people to nail to these crosses symbolical personifications of +the Demon of Famine. To indicate the sterility of the domain over which +he reigned, he was represented by the figure of a lean and haggard man, +with a crown of thorns upon his head; a reed cut from the river's bank +was placed in his hands, as his unreal sceptre; and, considering the +inhabitants of Judea as the most slavish and mean-spirited race in +their knowledge, they placarded this figure with the inscription: "This +is the King of the Jews." Thus, to the ancient Egyptians, this sign of +the cross was blessed or accursed as it was represented with, or +without, this figure suspended upon it. + +When the Roman, or modern, form of Christianity was instituted, the +hieroglyphical inscription signifying the life to come or eternal life +was substituted by a placard nailed to the cross with the letters I. N. +R. I. inscribed upon it, which are the initials of the Latin words +conveying the same meaning. But if we would learn how the figure of a +man came to be suspended upon this form of the cross, we must refer to +Mediaeval History, which teaches that in the year 680, under the +Pontificate of Agathon, and during the reign of Constantine Pogonat, at +the sixth council of the church, and third at Constantinople, it was +ordered in Canon 82 that "Instead of a lamb, the figure of a man nailed +to a cross should be the distinguishing symbol of the Christian +religion." Now, as this figure is represented by that of a lean and +haggard man, with a crown of thorns upon his head, does it not look as +if the old Egyptian Demon of Famine was the model after which it was +constructed? + + + +FUTURE REWARDS AND PUNISHMENTS. + +In the ancient Astrolatry, two different systems of future rewards and +punishments were inculcated; the Oriental or East Indian, and the +Occidental or Egyptian; the former, ignoring the resurrection of the +body, taught but one judgment immediately after death, and the latter +inculcated an individual judgment immediately after death, the +resurrection of the body, and a general judgment at the end of the +world, or conclusion of the 12,000 year cycle. + + +The Oriental System. + +Considering perfect happiness to consist in absolute rest, the Oriental +astrologers conceived a state of eternal and unconscious repose, +equivalent to soul absorption, to which they gave the name of Nirvana, +into which they taught that, by the awards of the gods, the souls of +the righteous, or those who had lived what they called "the +contemplative life," would be permitted to enter immediately after +death. But, for the souls of sinners, they invented a system of +expiatory punishments which, known as the Metempsychosis, or +transmigration of souls, taught that they would be compelled to +successively animate the bodies of beasts, birds, fishes, etc., for a +thousand years before being permitted to enter the Nirvana. + + +The Occidental System. + +In concocting the doctrine of the first judgment the Egyptian +astrologers, ignoring the Nirvana, inculcated the future sentient +existence of the soul; and, while retaining the Metempsychotial +expiations of the Oriental system, taught that its rewards, and +principal punishments, would be enjoyed or suffered in the under or +nether world, the existence of which they had conceived in constructing +their system of nature. This imaginary region, known to the Egyptians +as the Amenti, to the Greeks as Hades, and to the Hebrews as Sheol, was +divided by an impassable gulf into the two states of happiness and +misery which were designated in the Grecian mythology as the Elysium, +or Elysian Fields, and the Tartarus. In the lower part of the latter +was located the Phlegethon, or lake of fire and brimstone, the smoke +from which ascended into an upper apartment. + +In this system it was taught that the souls of the two extremes of +society, constituted of the righteous and the great sinners, would be +consigned immediately after the first judgment, the one to the Elysium, +and the other to the Phlegethon, where they were to remain until the +second or general judgment; while the souls of less venial sinners, +constituting the greater mass of mankind, before being permitted to +enter the Elysium would be compelled to suffer the expiatory +punishments of the Metempsychosis, or in the upper region, or "smoky +row" of the Tartarus. Such was the Egyptian purgatory, and its denizens +constituted "the spirits in prison" referred to in I. Peter iii. 19, +from which the astrologers claimed to have the power to release, +provided their surviving friends paid liberally for their propitiatory +offices; and, from this assumption, the clergy of the Catholic church +derived the idea of saying masses for the repose of the soul. These +doctrines were carried by Pythagoras from Egypt to Greece about 550 +years before the beginning of our era; and passing from thence to Rome, +the Greek and Latin poets vied with each other in portraying Hades and +the joys and terrors of its two states. + + +The Second or General Judgment. + +The Egyptian Astrologers, recognizing the soul as a material entity, +and conceiving the idea that in the future life it would require a +material organization for its perfect action, taught that at the +general judgment it would be re-united to its resurrected body. In +conformity to this belief, Job is made to say in chapter xix. 25, 26, +"I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter +day upon the earth; and though worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh +shall I see God." The higher class Egyptians, however, fearing that +their existence would continue to be of the same shadowy and intangible +character after the second judgment, as they believed it would be in +the Amenti, if worms were allowed to destroy their bodies, hoped to +preserve them until that time by the process of embalming. + +The imaginary events to occur in connection with the second judgment, +which, constituting the finale of the plan of redemption, and +inculcated in what are known as the doctrines of Second Adventism, were +to be inaugurated by an archangel sounding a trumpet summoning the +quick and the dead to appear before the bar of the gods to receive +their final awards. At the second judgment, designated in the +allegories as "the last day," "day of judgment," "great and terrible +day of the Lord," etc., it was taught that the tenth and last saviour +would make his second advent by descending upon the clouds, and after +the final awards, the elect being caught up "to meet the Lord in the +air" (I. Thes. iv. 17), the heaven and the earth would be reduced to +chaos through the agency of fire. In reference to that grand +catastrophe we find it recorded in II. Peter iii. 10, that "the heavens +shall pass away with a great noise and the elements shall melt with +fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be +burned up." + +After the organization of a new heaven and a new earth it was taught +that upon the latter would descend a beautiful city, with pearly gates +and golden streets, called the City of God, the Kingdom of God, the +Kingdom of Heaven or New Jerusalem, in which the host of the redeemed +would, with their Lord and Saviour, enjoy the Millennium, or thousand +years of happiness unalloyed with evil; and such was the Kingdom for +the speedy coming of which the votaries of Astral worship were taught +to pray in what is known as the Lord's Prayer. + +According to the teachings of the Allegories, there were to be no sun, +moon or stars during the Millennium, their authors having arranged it +so that the light of those luminaries would not be needed, as we find +recorded in Rev. xxi. 23, and xxii. 5: "The city had no need of the +sun, neither of the moon to shine in it; for the glory of God did +lighten it," and "there shall be no night there; and they need no +candle, neither the light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them +light." It must be remembered, when reading the fanciful ideas relative +to the City of God, that they were composed by men who, living in a +very ignorant age, gave free rein to fervid imaginations. + + + +JEWISH OR ANCIENT CHRISTIANITY. + +It is our purpose to present the evidences showing that a system of +Astral worship, which we designate as Jewish Christianity, was in +existence more than two centuries and a half before the institution of +its modern form. In verification of this assertion we must find the +initial point of our inquiry in ancient history, which teaches that in +the division of the Grecian Empire among his generals, after the death +of Alexander the Great, who died 332 years before the beginning of our +era, the governorship of Egypt and adjacent provinces was secured by +Ptolemy Lagus, or Soter, who, having subsequently suppressed a revolt +in Judea, removed from that country a large body of its inhabitants to +people the new city of Alexandria, which had been laid out by order of +and named after the great Conqueror. + +The Egyptian version of the Gospel story, being more appropriate to the +Nile Valley than to the region from whence they came, the Greek +colonists of Alexandria adopted it, but preferring to pay homage to +Serapis, one of the ninth incarnations of God Sol, which they imported +from Pontus, a Greek province of Asia Minor, they erected to his +worship that celebrated temple known as the Grand Serapium; and, +transferring the culture and refinement of Greece to the new city, it +became, under the Ptolemian dynasty, a great seat of learning; the arts +and sciences flourished, an immense library was collected, the various +forms of Astral worship were represented and schools for the +dissemination of the several phases of Grecian philosophy and Oriental +Gnosticism were founded. + +Such being the environment of the Jewish residents of Alexandria, they +soon acquired the vernacular and adopted the religion of the Greeks, +who, having ever attached to their incarnate saviours the title +signifying the Christ, or the anointed, were known as Christians. +Encouraged by the liberal policy of Philadelphus, the second Ptolemy, a +body of their learned men, who had been educated in the Greek schools, +founded a college for the education of their own people, which +institution was ultimately known as the University of Alexandria. Under +the auspices of Philadelphus the professors of that institution +rendered their Hebrew sacred records into the Greek language, which +translation is known as the Septuagint, or Alexandrian version of the +Old Testament. + +Having acquired from the Egyptian astrologers the arts of healing, +thaumaturgy and necromancy, and teaching them in their school, the +professors of the Jewish college of Alexandria assumed the title of +Essenes, or Therapeutae, the Egyptian and Greek words signifying +Doctors, Healers or Wonder Workers. Possessed of the sad and gloomy +characteristics of their race, they adopted the "Contemplative Life," +or asceticism of the Oriental Gnosticism, from which they derived the +name of Ascetics. Founding a church for the propagation of their +peculiar tenets, those who were set apart for the ministry assumed the +title of Ecclesiastics. Inculcating rigid temperance and self-denial +among their people, they were known as Enchratites, Nazarites or +Abstainers; and the more devout among them retiring to monasteries, or +to the solitude of caves and other secluded places, were also +designated as Monks, Cenobites, Friars, Eremites, Hermits or +Solitaries. + +The time having arrived, according to the cyclic teachings of Astral +worship, for the manifestation of the tenth and last incarnation of God +Sol, or, in other words, to, give a new name to the mythical genius of +the sun, the professors of the Jewish school of Alexandria is resolved +to inaugurate their own form of worship. While retaining the same title +under which they had paid homage to Serapis and known as Christians, +Essenes or Therapeutae, they substituted for their Christ the name of +the Grecian Bacchus, which, composed of the letters {Greek: +IOTA, ETA, SIGMA}, signifies Yes, Ies or Jes. In composing their version +of the Gospel story, having, like their race, no inventive genius, they +appropriated that of Serapis as its basis and laid its scene in the +land of their ancestry, but inconsistently retained the sign of the +cross and the phraseology connected there with, which, having special +reference to the Nile River and its annual inundation, had no +application whatever to the sterile land of Judea. Selecting what they +conceived to be the best from other versions of the Gospel story, and +assuming the title of Eclectics, they designated their system as the +Eclectic Philosophy. In proof of the eclectic character of the Gospel +and Epistles of ancient Christianity, we refer to the Asceticism +inculcated therein, which, derived from the Oriental Gnosticism, we +find perpetuated in the scriptures of modern Christianity; we also +refer to the miracle of converting water into wine, taken from the +Gospel story of Bacchus, and to the statements that the Saviour was the +son of a carpenter and was hung between two thieves, copied from the +story of Christna, the Eighth, Avatar of the East Indian astrolatry. +Thus we see that, although the scene of the Gospel story of ancient +Christianity was laid in the land of Judea, its authors having adopted +a Greek version of that story as its basis, given a Greek title and +name to their Messiah, perpetuated a Greek name for their sect and +quoted exclusively from the Septuagint, or Greek version of the Old +Testament, the facts show conclusively that it was not Jews of Judea, +but Hellenized Jews of Alexandria, who were the real authors of the +ancient Christianity. + + + +THE PROPHECIES. + +The clergy having ever claimed that the prophecies are Divine +revelations of events yet to occur, and having incessantly agitated +society by preaching their speedy fulfillment, we propose to expose the +fallacy of their teachings by showing that these scriptures are not the +records of future events, Divinely reavealed, but that they originated +with the founders of Astral worship, who predicated them upon +predetermined events of their own concoction, relative to the general +judgment, and setting up of the kingdom of heaven, which were to occur +as the finale of the plan of redemption and from which were derived the +doctrines of second adventism; and, in determining the exact time when +then were to occur, we have but to prove that it was coincident with +the conclusion of the last half of the grand cycle of 12,000 years, +which, as we have shown, was dedicated to man as the duration of his +race on earth. + +As evidence that the founders of the Jewish or ancient Christianity +believed, like the votaries of other forms of Astral worship, that the +prophecies were soon to be fulfilled, we find that the New Testament, +of the original version of which they were the authors, is replete with +such texts as "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand," Matt. iv. +17; "There be some standing here which shall not taste death till they +see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom," Matt. xxi. 28; "The time is +fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand," Mark i. 15. That the +original version of the New Testament was composed when the Vernal +Equinox was in the sign of Aries we are assured by reason of the fact +that it inculcates homage to the Lord under the symbol of the Lamb; and +that it was during the last, or 30th degree of that sign, can readily +be proven by appealing to history and to astronomy, the former of which +teaches that the Jews were removed from Judea to Alexandria twenty-five +years before the accession to the throne of Philadelphus, the Second +Ptolemy, to whom we have referred in our preceding article, and who, +after reigning thirty-nine years, died 246 years before the beginning +of our era. By reference to the Celestial atlas we will find that the +Vernal Equinox will pass out of the sign of Pisces into that of +Aquarius, or in the year 1900, and we have but to deduct that period of +time from 2150, the number of years required for the cardinal points to +pass through one whole sign, to determine that the Spring Equinox +passed out of the sign of Aries into that of Pisces 250 years before +the beginning of our era, or about 2,100 years ago. Now, from the +projections of the astrological science, we are assured that the last +half of the grand cycle of 12,000 years, which was allotted to man as +the duration of his race on earth, was made to begin at a time +corresponding to the Autumnal Equinox, when that cardinal point was +passing out of the sign of Virgo, and that of necessity it had to come +to an end at a time corresponding to the Vernal Equinox, when that +cardinal point was passing out of the sign of Aries; from which we know +why, at the last judgment, the office of trumpeter was assigned to the +Archangel Gabriel, the genius of Spring, and why it was a ram's horn +with which he was to "toot the crack o' doom." + +When the time arrived for the fulfillment of the prophecies we can well +imagine that, fearing the wrath of the Lamb, there were weeping, +wailing and gnashing of teeth among the terror-stricken sinners, while +those who believed they had made their calling and election sure were +looking with feverish expectancy for the second advent of their Lord +and Saviour; and, doubtless, clothed with their ascension robes, they +watched and waited, with ears alert, to hear the sound of Gabriel's +trumpet, summoning the quick, and the dead to the general judgment. But +not a blast from the archangel's ram's horn was heard reverberating +along the skies, no Lord appeared descending upon the clouds to meet +the elect in the air, and, in the last act of the fearful drama of +"judgment day," the curtain refused to be rung down upon a burning +world. + +With the non-fulfillment of the prophecies, the more enlightened +elements of society began to scoff at the priests, who were temporarily +demoralized, but true to their deceptive instincts, soon rallying with +the plea of a mistake having been made in the calculations based upon +the prophecies, they undoubtedly concocted scripture to meet that very +emergency, for, to the taunts of the scoffers who, in reference to the +second advent of the Lord, enquired "Where is the sign of His coming? +for, since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were +from the beginning of creation," they answered that "The Lord is not +slack concerning His promise," but "as a thief in the night" he would +soon come and all things be fulfilled. See II. Peter, chapter iii. + +Following up the history of this interesting subject, we find that the +founders of modern Christianity, to which we will refer in our next +article, in composing their version of the New Testament from that of +the Jewish, or ancient Christians, made no change in its verbiage +relative to the prophecies; but when Constantine I., Emperor of Rome, +became the patron of the church, her hierarchy, tired of figuring upon +them, secured a long respite from that troublesome subject by claiming +to have made other calculations, which put off the time of fulfillment +to the year 1000; and from history we learn when the time arrived the +whole of Christendom was fearfully agitated upon the subject: Since +then every generation has been vexed with the fallacies of second +adventism; and the facts of the case justify the charge that the +clergy, by teaching that the prophecies refer to events yet to occur, +are perpetuating a most stupendous fraud upon Christendom, and an +earnest and efficient protest should be inaugurated against the further +agitation of the monstrous delusion of second adventism, which is +frightening thousands of weak-minded people into insanity and causing a +vast amount of social distress. + + + +ROMAN OR MODERN CHRISTIANITY. + +Having presented the evidences that the Jewish, or ancient +Christianity, originated at the University of Alexandria, under Greek +rule, we now propose to show that its modern form emanated from the +same source, under Roman rule; but, before entering upon this +investigation, it is important to become conversant with the sentiments +manifested towards religion by the cultured element of Roman society in +that enlightened era, which, designated as the golden age of +literature, was adorned by such distinguished orators, philosophers, +historians, poets and naturalists as Cicero, Tacitus, Pliny, Horace and +Virgil. In reference to this subject, Gibbon, in his history of The +Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, vol. I., chapter 2, says: "The +various modes of worship which prevailed in the Roman world were all +considered by the people as equally true, by the philosophers as +equally false and by the magistrate as equally useful. Both the +interests of the priests and the credulity of the people were +sufficiently respected. In their writings and conversation the +philosophers of antiquity asserted the independent dignity of reason, +but they resigned their actions to the commands of law and custom. +Viewing with a smile of pity and indulgence the various errors of the +vulgar, they diligently practiced the ceremonies of their fathers, +devoutly frequented the temples of the gods, and sometimes +condescending to act a part on the theatre of superstition, they +concealed the sentiments of an atheist under the sacerdotal robe. +Reasoners of such a temper were scarcely inclined to wrangle about +their respective modes of faith or of worship. It was indifferent to +them what shape the folly of the multitude might choose to assume, and +they approached with the same inward contempt and the same external +reverence to the altars of the Lybian, the Olympian or the Capitoline +Jupiter." Upon the same subject Mosheim, in his church history, Book +I., chapter 1, says that "The wiser part of mankind, about the time of +Christ's birth, looked upon the whole system of religion as a just +object of contempt and ridicule." + +In determining why such adverse sentiments were entertained towards +religion by "the wiser part of mankind," about the time referred to in +the foregoing quotations, it will be found to have been owing to the +extensive spread of the Esoteric philosophy, which taught, as +previously stated, that the gods were mythical and the scriptures +allegorical. While attainable only through initiation, it was +necessarily confined to a limited number, but, ultimately getting +beyond the control of the priests and vast numbers acquiring the +knowledge of its secrets without initiation, it became evident that it +was but a question of time when there would be no respectable element +left to sustain religion. At this juncture our attention is directed to +the University of Alexandria, which, at that time, was in a flourishing +condition. Having ceased to be an exclusively Jewish school, students +from all parts of the Roman Empire, without regard to nationality, were +attending it, and its professors were drawn from the ranks of both +Jewish and Gentile scholars. Realizing the hopelessness of reviving the +ancient faith among the enlightened clement of society, and the +impossibility of proselyting them to a new form of superstition, these +professors resolved to institute a system of worship exclusively for +the Jews and the lower and neglected classes of Gentiles, including the +slaves and criminals. To that end they rewrote the scriptures of the +Jewish or ancient Christianity, which had been preserved among the +secret archives of the University. Retaining their teachings relative +to the finale of the plan of redemption, and its monasticism; also the +land of Judea as the scene of its version of the Gospel story, and the +name of its saviour, to which they added the Latin terminal "us," thus +making it Iesus or Jesus, they perpetuated the Greek name of +Bacchus--the same that was ultimately perverted into the monogram +which, consisting of the Roman letters I. H. S., is found in all +Catholic churches, and in some Protestant ones, is falsely supposed to +stand for Jesus Hominum Salvator, or Jesus, Saviour of Men. Conforming +their version of the Gospel story to the lowly condition of its +expected votaries, they attached to the saviour the characteristics of +poverty, and made it teach that he was born in a manger, that his +disciples were but humble fishermen and that the poor would be the only +elect in the kingdom of heaven. Dropping the name of Essenes or +Therapeutae, and retaining that of Christian, they incorporated a +thread of real history corresponding to the reign of Augustus, and +arbitrarily made the Christian era begin at that time. Having thus +completed their scheme, they prudently destroyed the original from +which they compiled their scriptures, and sending out missionaries to +all parts of the Empire commissioned them to preach salvation only to +the Gentile rabblement and to the Jews. + +That the sacred records of the ancient Essenes or Therapeutae +constituted the basis of the scriptures of modern Christianity we have +the authority of Eusebius, the church historian of the fourth century, +from whom we learn nearly all that is reliable of its history during +the first three centuries. In his Ecclesiastical History, Book II. +chapter 17, he makes the important admission that "Those ancient +Therapeutae were Christians, and that their writtings are our Gospels +and Epistles." As further evidence that modern Christianity is but a +survival of the Eclectic philosophy of the ancient Therapeutae, we have +another important admission by the same historian, who, in quoting from +an apology addressed to the Roman Emperor, Marcus Antoninus, in the +year 171, by Melito, Bishop of Sardis, in Lydia, a province of Asia +Minor, makes that apologist say, in reference to certain grievances to +which the Christians were subjected, that "the philosophy which we +profess truly flourished aforetime among the barbarous nations; but +having blossomed again in the great reign of thy ancestor, Augustus, it +proved to be, above all things, ominous of good fortune to thy +kingdom." Thus we have indubitable evidence that it was the Eclectic +philosophy of the Jewish, or ancient Christianity, which "blossomed +again," in its modern form, during the reign of Augustus. + +From the testimony of Philo, as referred to by Eusebius, and from the +writings of Josephus, the Jewish historian, we learn that, at the +beginning of our era, the descendants of the ancient Essenes were still +observing the practices and customs of monasticism. But as Josephus +refers to them only as descendants of the ancient Essenes, and makes no +mention of Christ or Christians--except in one paragraph which has been +conceded by the best authorities to be an interpolation it is evident +that, at that time, they had no connection with the University of +Alexandria, and nothing whatever to do with the institution of modern +Christianity. It is also apparent that the Jews of Judea had no hand in +its organization, for, if they had instituted it, they would not have +attached to the Messiah the Greek title signifying the Christ, but, +writing their version of the Gospel story in their own dialect, would +have used the Hebrew word signifying the Shiloh (see Gen. xlix. 10); +and furthermore, having conceived the idea that he would manifest +himself as a great temporal prince, who would re-establish the throne +of David, and deliver them from the oppression of foreign rulers, they +would not have attached to him the humble characteristics of the Christ +of the new Testament. Again, if they had been the authors of modern +Christianity, it would have been a most surprising inconsistency for +them to turn right about and reject its conceptions of a savior, +especially when that rejection resulted in the dire persecutions to +which their race has ever been subjected by the Christians. But the +Gentile riffraff, attracted by the gracious promises of enjoying in the +world to come the felicities denied them in this, eagerly attached +themselves to the new sect, which rapidly increased in numbers, and its +votaries, glorying in the opprobrious epithet of Ebionites, or needy +ones, made themselves so obnoxious by their aggression and turbulent +dispositions that, barely tolerated by the Government and condemned by +the cultured adherents to the established religion, many of them, +courting the crown of martyrdom, suffered death at the hands of the +civil authorities; and thus was engendered that spirit of hatred +against their fancied oppressors which only awaited the opportunity to +manifest itself in deeds of rapine and-bloodshed. + +The fanacticism which prevailed among the earlier Christians was the +direct result of their dense ignorance, and to this sole cause we may +ascribe all the trouble which the Roman Government had with them, and +to become convinced of this fact we have but to study church history. +In reference to this subject Mosheim, in his Ecclesiastical History; +Vol. 4, part 2, chap. 1, says: "It is certain that the greatest part +both of the bishops and presbyters were men entirely destitute of +learning and education. Besides, that savage and illiterate party, who +looked upon all sorts of erudition, particularly that of a +philosophical kind, as pernicious, and even destructive of true piety +and religion, increased both in number and authority. The ascetics, +monks and hermits augmented the strength of this barbarous faction, and +not only the women, but also all who took solemn looks, sordid +garments, and a love of solitude, for real piety, were vehemently +prepossessed in their favor." In almost any history of England we will +find it recorded that, even in the ninth century, King Alfred lamented +that there was at that time not a priest in his dominions who +understood Latin; and even for some centuries after the bishops and +prelates of the whole Christian community were marksmen, i. e., they +supplied by the sign of the cross the inability to write their own +names. If the bishops and priests were so supremely ignorant what can +be said in reference to the literary attainments of the laity? + +The Christians were alternately persecuted and tolerated by the Roman +Emperors until the first quarter of the fourth century, when certain +events occurred through which the Church of Rome became the recipient +of Imperial Patronage. Constantine I., called the Great, having made +himself sole Emperor by destroying all other claimants to the throne, +applied to Sopater, one of the priests of the established religion, for +absolution, and was informed that his crimes were of such an atrocious +character that there was no absolution for him. Believing that the +Phlegethon, or lake of fire and brimstone, awaited him in the future +life, unless he could obtain absolution, he became very much distressed +when one of his courtiers, learning the cause and referring him to the +Church of Rome, he at once applied to her Bishop, Silvester, who, +readily granting the desired absolution, he added another victim to his +butcher bill by ordering the death of the honest priest who had refused +to grant him absolution. The Christian sect having become a powerful +and dangerous faction, Constantine conceived the idea of strengthening +his usurped and precarious position by attaching it to his interest, +and to that end he professed himself a convert to its tenets, and, +taking the Church of Rome under his especial patronage, elevated her +Bishop to the rank of a prince of the Empire and gave him one of his +palaces for a residence. + +The Christian hierarchy, knowing that it would be a potent means of +confirming the faith of the laity in the Gospel story as a literal +history to have a tomb of the Saviour to which pilgrimages could be +made, and appealing to Constantine to provide one, he sent his mother, +Helena, to Judea to find the place and, of course, discovering what she +went to look for, he had erected, under her supervision, over the +designated spot, that splendid edifice which, known as the church of +the Holy Sepulchre, remains to this day. Helena, good at finding lost +things, also claimed to have discovered the veritable cross upon which +the Saviour had been crucified; and her son, worthy of such a mother, +claimed, as recorded by Eusebius, that he had seen with his own eyes +the trophy of a cross of light in the heavens, above the sun, bearing +the inscription: "In Hoc Signo Vinces," signifying "Under this sign, +conquer." Those were times of remarkable and supernatural occurrences. + +At the time Constantine became the patron of Christianity the bishops +and presbyters of the several churches, seemingly ignorant of the +teachings of the Esoteric philosophy relative to the origin of the +Trinity, were divided into two factions in discussing the relation +between the Father and the Son. One party, headed by Athanasius, a +presbyter of Alexandria, and afterwards bishop of that see, advocated +the ancient belief that the three persons in the godhead of Father, Son +and Holy Ghost is but one God, that Christ is consubstantial or +co-eternal with the Father, and that he became man to perform his +mission of redemption. Such, in brief, is what is known as the +Athanasian or Trinitarian Creed. The other party, headed, by Arius, +another presbyter of Alexandria, advocated the belief in one God alone +and that Christ, having no existence until begotten of the Father, is +not consubstantial or co-eternal with him. Such, in substance, +constitutes what is known to the Trinitarian or Orthodox Christians as +the Arian or Unitarian heresy. Could stronger evidence be adduced that +this controversy was the result of ignorantly making a distinction +where there is no difference, for whether Trinitarian or Unitarian the +mythical genius of the sun is the God to whom they all paid supreme +adoration, although the Christians of to-day would deny it most +emphatically. + +The faction, advocating the Trinitarian creed having converted the +Emperor to their belief, and influencing him to enforce it as a +fundamental doctrine of the Christian theology, he, in the year 325, +summoned, at his own expense, a general council of bishops and priests +to meet at Nice, in Bithynia, a province of Asia Minor. When they had +assembled he appeared among them, clad in gorgeous attire, with a +jewel-studded diadem upon his royal brow, and, seated upon a gilded +chair, presided over their deliberations. A minority of them, holding +"most contumaciously" to the Arian heresy, and refusing to change their +views at the bidding of the Emperor, he banished them from their +respective bishoprics, while the majority adopted the Trinitarian +creed, and appealing to Constantine to suppress the writings of Arius +he issued an edict for that purpose, which we present as follows: +"Moreover we thought that if there can be found extant any work or book +compiled by Arius the same should be burned to ashes, so that not only +his damnable doctrine may thereby be wholly rooted out, but also that +no relic thereof may remain unto posterity. This we also straightway +command and charge, that if any man be found to hide or conceal any +book made by Arius, and not immediately bring forth such book, and +deliver it up to be burned, that the said offender for so doing shall +die the death. For as soon as he is taken our pleasure is that his head +shall be stricken off from his shoulders." Rather a blood-thirsty, +edict to be issued by the "puissant, the mighty and noble Emperor," and +a very inconsistent one, considering that he soon afterwards readopted +the Unitarian faith and restored the banished bishops to their +respective sees; but, regardless of his action, the Church of Rome +sustained the Trinitarian creed and enforced the dogma of the supreme +divinity of Christ. + +Thus we see that the history of Christianity, in the first half of the +fourth century, cannot be written without incorporating considerable +from the life of Constantine, whose ensanguined record before his +pretended conversion marks him as the most brutal tyrant that ever +disgraced the imperial purple; but the appalling crimes he perpetrated +afterwards, among which were the scalding his inoffending wife to death +in a bath of boiling water, and the murdering, without cause, of six +members of his family, one of which was his own son, justify what a +learned writer said of him, that "The most unfortunate event that ever +befell the human race was the adoption of Christianity by the +crimson-handed cut-throat in the possession of unlimited power," and +yet Constantine was canonized by the Eastern church. + +During the first three centuries, when Christianity was but a weak +sect, her bishops addressed numerous apologies to the Roman Emperors, +in which they claimed tolerance from the government on the ground that +their form of worship was virtually the same as the established +religion. But after Constantine's pretended conversion its hierarchy +began to labor for the recognition of Christianity as the state +religion, and to give to their demand some show of consistency they +insisted that their scriptures were really historical, and that there +was no resemblance whatever between the two forms of worship; while +theirs was of Divine authenticity the Pagans was purely a human +institution. + +For centuries after the convocation of the council of Nice the peace +and harmony of the several churches were disturbed by the rancorous +discussion of the same old questions of Trintarianism and Unitarianism, +the Western church adhering to the former while a majority of the +Eastern congregations maintained their faith in the latter; but +ultimately the Trinitarian party, gaining the ascendency, and +persecuting the adherents of the Unitarian faith, the greater part of +them retired into northern Arabia where they founded numerous +monasteries; and from history we learn that, having impressed their +Unitarian faith upon the populace of that country, it was ultimately +incorporated into the Koran, the sacred book of Mohammedanism; and, +while becoming votaries of that form of worship, still retained the +belief that Christ was but one of the prophets. + +The cultured adherents to the established form of worship, becoming +alarmed at the growing power and influence of the Christians and at the +prospect of such an ignorant and vicious rabble obtaining control of +the government, regardless of their pledge to keep the Gnosis secret, +publicly announced that the Gods were mythical and the scriptures +allegorical, and engaged in a heated controversy with the Christians +upon the subjects. The character of their discussions is well, although +supposititiously, expressed by Gerald Massey, in his work entitled, +"The Historical Jesus and the Mythical Christ;" page 179, American +edition, where he makes the Gnostics say to the Christians, "You poor +ignorant idiots; you have mistaken the mysteries of old for modern +history, and accepted literally all that was only meant mystically." To +which the Christians responded, "You spawn of Satan, you are making the +mystery by converting our accomplished facts into your miserable +fables; you are dissipating and dispersing into thin air our only bit +of solid foothold in the world, stained with the red drops of Calvary. +You are giving a satanic interpretation of the word of revelation and +falsifying the oracles of God. You are converting the solid facts of +our history into your newfangled allegories;" to which the Gnostics +replied, "Nay, it is you who have taken the allegories of Mythology for +historical facts." + +But it was impossible to stem the rising tide; the lessons which the +priesthood had taught the ignorant masses had been too well learned. +They were sure that their scriptures were historical; that Jesus Christ +was truly the incarnate saviour who had died and rose again for the +salvation of the elect, and that being the elect it would be +pre-eminently just and proper that the old Pagan form of worship should +be abrogated and theirs recognized as the state religion. Thus the +conflict raged until the year 381, when, under the reign of the Emperor +Theodosius the Great, this demand having been formally made, and the +Senate, fearing the tumult a refusal would excite, with a show of fair +dealing ordered the presentation, before that body, of the respective +merits of the two forms of worship. In that memorable discussion, which +lasted a whole week, Symmachus, a senator, advocated the old system, +and Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, the new, which resulting, as a foregone +conclusion, in the triumph of Christianity, a decree to that effect was +promulgated. + +Then the long deferred opportunity having arrived, the vengeful +bishops, hounding on a no less vengeful laity, ruthlessly murdered the +priests of the old religion, and, appropriating its emoluments to their +own use, they seized upon its temples, and demolishing some, converted +others into churches. With iconoclastic hands they destroyed some of +the statues representing the ancient divinities, or after mutilation +exposed others in public places to the derision of the populace. +Subjecting the adherents to the older form of worship, whom they +designated as infidels, to the most diabolical indignities and +persecutions, they destroyed their works of art, burned their +libraries, suppressed their schools of learning, and either killed or +exiled their professors. Among the atrocious acts perpetrated by these +fiends in human shape none was more barbarous than the one committed in +Alexandria, in the year 415, when Hypatia, the beautiful and +accomplished daughter of Theon, who had succeeded her father as +professor of mathematics and philosophy in the Alexandrian University, +while on her way to deliver a lecture, was, by order of Bishop Cyril, +dragged from her chariot and murdered in a most revolting manner. + +One of the successors of Theodosius justified himself in decreeing the +spoliation of the old religion upon the grounds that "It was unbecoming +a Christian government to supply the infidels with the means of +persevering in their errors." Another one of the Emperors, more zealous +than his predecessors, decreed the death penalty against all persons +discovered practicing any of the rites and ceremonies of the old +religion. Thus the onslaught of Christian savagery obliterated the +civilization of Greece and Rome, and inaugurated that long reign of +intellectual night known as the Dark Ages, which, materially aiding in +effecting the decline and fall of the Roman Empire, made it possible to +erect upon its ruins that Italian Oligarchy, which, since then, has +ruled the greater part of Christendom. + +The dogmatic element of the ancient astrolatry, as incorporated into +the Christian creed, underwent no material change until the +inauguration of the dark ages, when the bishops of the several +churches, in the delirium of metaphysical speculation, concocted the +previously unheard of doctrine of pre-existence of spirit, in +conformity to which God was declared to be purely a spiritual deity, +who, existing before matter, created the universe of nothing. Being the +sole custodians of the scriptures; and changing the six periods of a +thousand years each to the six days of creation, they altered Gen. i, +1, to read, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth," +which in the original read: "In the beginning, when the Gods (Elohim or +Alehim) had made (shaped or formed) this heaven and this earth." These +radical changes necessitating others, they made two distinct and +independent beings of the principles of Good and Evil personified in +the God Sol; the former they embodied in Jesus the Christ and the +latter in the Christian Devil, thus supplanting old Pluto; the +presiding genius of the under world. + +Rejecting the ancient doctrines relative to the soul, and teaching +that, having proceeded from a purely spiritual deity, it would exist +eternally as an independent spiritual entity, they substituted for the +ancient system of limited rewards and punishments the one inculcating +their endless duration. These changes in the creed, which were +confirmed at the general council of Constantinople, in the year 553, +necessitating further alterations of the scriptures, the righteous were +promised "eternal life" in the Paradise of God beyond the stars; and, +While consigning great sinners to "everlasting punishment" in the +Tartarian fires of the under world, the less venial were to expiate +their crimes in the same old Purgatory. Thus, having invented an +endless heaven and an endless hell for purely spiritual souls, and +neglecting to expunge the doctrines of the resurrection of the body, +the setting up of the kingdom of heaven upon a reorganized earth and +other materialistic teachings of the ancient religion, they made of the +creed and scriptures such a conglomeration of "things new and old" +that, without the Astrological key, it would be impossible to determine +what they originally taught. + +At the Reformation in the 16th century Luther and his coadjutors, while +projecting into the Protestant creed all the cardinal tenets of +Catholicism, excepting that of Purgatory, made no change in the +verbiage of the scriptures. Thus retaining the awful doctrine of +endless hell, the reformers constructed a creed which they intended for +the government of Protestants for all time; but, doing what had never +been done before in the history of the world, they gave the scriptures +to the laity, and, whether or not they secured the right of private +judgment or individual interpretation, it has been taken all the same; +and thus opening the door to investigation, it must ultimately result +not only in the abrogation of hell, but in the relegation to the limbo +of oblivion of the whole dogmatic element of religion. + +As a fitting conclusion to this article, we again direct the attention +of our readers to the subject of the primary source of religious +dogmas. Prior to the establishment of Christianity as the state +religion of the Roman Empire, the philosophers who wrote against it +invariably made the charge that its theology was derived from the +ancient Paganism. After its establishment as the state religion of the +Empire, the hierarchy of the church, knowing that this charge was +unanswerable, instigated the Emperor Theodosius I. to promulgate an +edict decreeing the destruction of all books antagonistic to +Christianity. This edict, directed more particularly against the +writings of Celsus, was carried out so effectually that we know nothing +of what he wrote, only as quoted by Origen, the distinguished church +father of the third century, who attempted to answer in eight books +what Celsus had written in one, entitled "The True Discourse." In one +of his quotations from Celsus' work he makes that philosopher say "that +the Christian religion contains nothing but what Christians held in +common with heathens, nothing that was new or truly great." See +Bellamy's translation, chapter 4. During the earlier centuries the +Christians were divided into numerous sects, entertaining very +divergent views, and each faction, holding all others to be heretical, +charged them with having derived their doctrines from the Pagan +religion. Upon this subject we find that Epiphanius, a celebrated +church father of the 4th century, freely admits that all that differed +from his own were derived from the heathen mythology. Such was the +position of all orthodox writers during the Middle Ages, and since the +Reformation the Protestant clergy have uniformly made the same charge +against the Catholic; a few quotations from their writings we present +for the edification of our readers. + +Jean Daille, a French Protestant minister of the 17th century, in his +treatise entitled La Religion Catholique Romaine Institute par Nama +Pompile, demonstrates that "the Papists took their idolatrous worship +of images, as well as all their ceremonies, from the old heathen +religion." Bishop Stillingfleet of the English church and a writer of +considerable eminence in the 17th century, said, in reference to the +complaisant spirit of the early church towards the Pagans, that "it was +attended by very bad consequences, since Christianity became at last, +by that means, nothing else but reformed Paganism, as to its divine +worship." See Stillingfleet's defense of the charge of idolatry against +the Romanists, vol. 5, page 459. M. Turrentin, of Geneva, Switzerland, +a learned Protestant writer of the 17th century, in one of his orations +describing the state of Christianity in the 4th century, says "that it +was not so much the Empire that was brought over to the faith, as the +faith that was brought over to the Empire; not the Pagans who were +converted to Christianity, but the Christians who were converted to +Paganism." Thus, having shown that the Catholics derived all their +cardinal tenets from the Pagan mythology, the Protestants must surely +have obtained theirs from the Catholics, for they teach all of them +except that of Purgatory. + + + +FREEMASONRY AND DRUIDISM. + +The rites and ceremonies of Astral worship, under the name of Druidism, +were primarily observed in consecrated groves by all peoples; which +custom was retained by the Scandinavian and Germanic races, and by the +inhabitants of Gaul and the British Islands; while the East Indians, +Assyrians, Egyptians, Grecians, Romans, and other adjacent nations, +ultimately observed their religious services in temples; and we propose +to show that the modern societies of Freemasonry, and ancient order of +Druids, are but perpetuations of the grove and temple forms of the +ancient astrolatry. In determining the fact that Freemasonry finds its +prototype in the temple worship of ancient Egypt, we have but to study +the Masonic arms, as illustrated in Fellows' chart, in which are +pictured, as its objects of adoration, the sun and moon, the seven +stars, known as Pleiades in the sign of Taurus; the blazing star +Sirius, or Dog-star, worshipped by the Egyptians under the name of +Anubis, and whose rising forewarned those people of the rising of the +Nile River; the seven signs of the Zodiac from Aries to Libra, +inclusive, through which the sun was supposed to pass in making his +apparent annual revolution, and which constitutes the Royal arch from +which was derived the name of one of its higher degrees; and its +armorial bearings, consisting of pictures of the Lion, the Bull, the +Waterman, and the Flying Eagle, which representing the signs at the +cardinal points, constituted the genii of the seasons. Besides these, +we have the checkered flooring or mosaic work, representing the earth +and its variegated face, which was introduced when temple worship +succeeded its grove form; the two columns representing the imaginary +pillars of heaven resting upon the earth at Equinoctial points, and +supporting the Royal arch; also the letter "G" standing for Geometry, +the knowledge of which was of great importance to the natives of Egypt +in establishing the boundaries of their lands removed by the +inundations of the Nile, the square and compass, being the instruments +through which the old landmarks were restored, and which ultimately +became the symbols of justice. The cornucopia, or horn of plenty, +denoted the sun in the sign of Capricorn, and indicated the season when +the harvest was gathered and provisions laid up for Winter use; the +cenotaph or mock coffin with the sign of the cross upon its lid, +referred to the sun's crossing of the celestial equator at the Autumnal +Equinox, and to the figurative death of the genius of that luminary in +the lower hemisphere; whose resurrection at the Vernal Equinox is +typified by the sprig of acacia sprouting near the head of the coffin. +The serpent, issuing from the small vessel to the left, represented the +symbol of the Lord of Evil under whose dominion was placed the seasons +of Autumn and Winter; and the figure of a box at the right hand, +represented the sacred ark in which, anciently, the symbols of solar +worship were deposited; but which is now used by the masons as a +receptacle for their papers. + +[See plate9.gif] + +After, the promulgation, in the fifth century, of the edict by one of +the Emperors of Rome, decreeing the death penalty against all persons +discovered practicing any of the rites and ceremonies of the ancient +religion, a body of its cultured adherents, determining to observe them +secretly, banded themselves together into a society for that purpose. +With the view to masking their real object, they took advantage of the +fact that the square and compass, the plumbline, etc., were symbols of +speculative masonry in the temple form of Astral worship, they publicly +claimed to be only a trades-union for the prosecution of the arts of +architecture and operative masonry; but, among themselves, were known +as Free and Accepted Masons or Freemasons. In imitation of the ancient +mysteries they instituted lower and higher degrees; in the former they +taught the Exoteric creed, and in the latter the Esoteric philosophy, +as explained in our introduction. Inculcating supreme adoration to the +solar divinity the candidates for initiation were made to personate +that mythical being and subjected to the ceremonies representing his +figurative death and resurrection, were required to take fearful oaths +not to reveal the secrets of the order. To enable them to recognize +each other, and to render aid to a brother in emergencies, they adopted +a system of grips, signs and calls; and to guard against the intrusion +of their Christian enemies they stationed watchmen outside of their +lodges to give timely warning of their approach. Thus was instituted +the original Grand Lodge of Freemasonry, from which charters were +issued for the organization of subordinate lodges in all the principal +cities throughout the Roman Empire. + +Becoming cognizant of the true object of Freemasonry, the Hierarchy of +the Church of Rome resolved to suppress the order, and to that end +maintained such a strict espionage upon its members that, no longer +able to assemble in their lodges, they determined to defend themselves +by an appeal to arms, and gathering together in strongholds, for a long +time successfully resisted the armies of the church; but ultimately, +being almost exterminated, the residue disbanded, and we hear no more +of Freemasonry, as a secret order, until the conclusion of the Dark +Ages, when the Reformation, making it possible, a form of the order, +recognizing Christianity, was revived among the Protestants; but the +Church of Rome, true to her traditions, has never ceased to hurl +anathemas against it and all other secret societies outside of her own +body. Thus, having made it apparent that Freemasonry, as primarily +instituted, was but a perpetuation of the temple form of Astral +worship, we can readily see that, while some of its symbols are as old +as the ancient Egyptian religion, it did not, as a secret order, take +its rise until Christian persecution made it necessary. Hence it cannot +justly lay claim to a greater antiquity than the fifth century of the +Christian era. + +According to Masonic annals a Grand Lodge was organized at York, +England, early in the tenth century, but, like the lodges of Southern +Europe, was suppressed by the Church of Rome. In 1717 a Grand Lodge was +organized at London, England, and soon afterwards the old Grand Lodge +at York was revived, and its members took the name of Free and Accepted +Ancient York Masons, from which emanated the charter of the Grand Lodge +in the United States, which was organized in Boston in 1733. In 1813 +the rivalry between the Grand Lodges of York and London was +compromised, and the supremacy of the former was conceded. + +From church history we learn that in the year 596 of our era Pope +Gregory I. dispatched Augustin, and forty other monks of the order of +St. Andrew, from Rome to Britain, to convert the natives to +Christianity; but, while the Anglo-Saxons embraced the new faith, the +Britons rejected it, and, being persecuted by the Christians, retired +to the fastnesses of the country known as Wales, where, for a long +period, they maintained the observance of the Druidical form of +worship; and although that country has long since become Christianized, +the society of the Ancient Order of Druids has existed with an +uninterrupted succession at Pout-y-prid, where the Arch-Druid resides, +and from, whence emanated the charter of the Grand Lodge of the order +in this country. In reference to the Druidism on the continent, history +records the fact that when one of the reigning kings became a convert +to Christianity the whole of his subjects were baptized into the Church +of Rome by Imperial decree. + + + +THE SABBATH. + +In determining the origin of the seventh day Sabbath, we must of +necessity refer to that source of all religious ordinances, the ancient +astrolatry, the founders of which, having taught that God Sol was +engaged in the reorganization of Chaos during the first six periods of +the twelve thousand year cycle, corresponding to the months of Spring +and Summer, they conceived the idea that he ceased to exert his +energies, or rested from his labors on the seventh period, +corresponding to the first of the Autumn months. Hence, deriving the +suggestion from the apparent septenary rest in nature, they taught that +God ordained the seventh day of the week as the Sabbath or rest day for +man. + +In conformity to this ordinance the founders of ancient Judaism +enforced the observance of the seventh day Sabbath in the fourth +commandment of the Decalogue, which, found in Gen. xx. 8-11,[1] reads +as follows, viz: "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days +shalt thou labor and do all thy work; but the seventh day is the +Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, +nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man servant, nor thy maid servant, +nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; for in six +days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is, +and rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day +and hallowed it." Thus was the seventh day of the week made the Sabbath +of the Old Testament; but the authors of the Jewish or ancient +Christianity, looking for the immediate fulfillment of the prophecies +relative to the second judgment, ignored its observance, as may be seen +by reference to Mark ii. 23, 27; John v. 2-18; Romans xiv. 5; and Col. +ii. 16; and the founders of modern Christianity, perpetuating the +belief in the speedy fulfillment of those prophecies, made no change +relative to the Sabbath in their version of the New Testament. + +After Constantine's pretended conversion to Christianity, and the time +for the fulfillment of the prophecies had been put off to the year +10000, as previously stated, the hierarchy of the church appealed to +the Emperor to give them a Sabbath, and although they knew that the +seventh day of the week was the Sabbath of the Old Testament, and that +Sunday was the first of the six working days, according to the fourth +commandment, their hatred to the Jews for refusing to accept their +Christ as the Saviour induced them to have it placed on the first day +of the week. Hence that obliging potentate, in the year 321, +promulgated the memorable edict, which, found in that Digest of Roman +law known as the Justinian Code, Book III., Title 12, Sec. 2 and 3, +reads as follows, viz.: "Let all judges and all people of the towns +rest and all the various trades be suspended on the venerable day of +the Sun. Those who live in the country, however, may freely and without +fault attend to the cultivation of their fields lest, with the loss of +favorable opportunity, the commodities offered by Divine Providence +shall be destroyed." Thus we see that the primary movement towards +enforcing the observance of Sunday, or Lord's Day, as the Sabbath, did +not originate in a Divine command, but in the edict of an earthly +potentate. + +This edict was ratified at the third council of Orleans, in the year +538; and in order, "that the people might not be prevented from +attending church, and saying their prayers," a resolution was adopted +at the same time recommending the observance of the day by all classes. +From merely "recommending," the Church of Rome soon began to enforce +the observance of the day; but, in spite of all her efforts, it was not +until the 12th century that its observance had become so universal as +to receive the designation of "The Christian Sabbath." + +Cognizant of the manner in which Sunday was made the Sabbath, Luther +issued for the government of the Protestant communion the following +mandate: "As for the Sabbath, or Sunday, there is no necessity for +keeping it;" see Michelet's Life of Luther, Book IV., chapter 2. Luther +also said, as recorded in Table Talk, "If anywhere the day (Sunday) is +made holy for the mere day's sake; if anywhere anyone sets up its +observance upon a Jewish foundation, then I order you to work on it, to +dance on it, to ride on it, to feast on it, and to do anything that +shall reprove this encroachment on the Christian spirit of liberty." +Melancthon, Luther's chief coadjutor in the work of Reformation, +denied, in the most emphatic language, that Sunday was made the Sabbath +by Divine ordainment; and in reference thereto John Milton, in reply to +the Sunday Sabbatarians, makes the pertinent inquiry: "If, on a plea of +Divine command, you impose upon us the observance of a particular day, +how do you presume, without the authority of a Divine command, to +substitute another in its place?" + +During the reign of Elizabeth, Queen of England, a sect of fanatics, +known as Dissenters or Nonconformists, basing their action upon the +fallacious arguments derived from the fourth commandment, and upon the +plea that the Saviour was raised from the dead on the first day of the +week, inaugurated what is known as the Puritan Sabbath, which having +been transferred to our shores by the voyagers in the Mayflower, and +enforced by those statutory enactments known as Blue Laws, caused the +people of New England to have a blue time of it while the delusion +lasted; and now a large body of Protestant clergy perverting the +teachings of scripture, and, ignoring the authority of the Reformers, +are disturbing the peace of society by their efforts to enforce the +code of sundry laws, which were enacted through their connivance. Thus +have we shown that, originating with the Catholics and adopted by the +Protestants, the Sunday Sabbath is purely and entirely a human +institution, and, being such, we must recognize all Sunday laws as +grave encroachments upon constitutional liberty; and it behooves the +advocates of individual rights to demand their immediate repeal; for +unless a vigilant watch is kept upon the conspirators who secured their +enactment, our fair land will soon be cursed by a union of church and +State, the tendency in that direction having been indicated by the +unprecedented opinion recently handed down by one of the Justices of +the United States Supreme Court that this is a Christian Government. + + + +PIOUS FRAUDS. + +By claiming to be divinely appointed for the propagation of a divinely +authenticated religion, the priesthood of all forms of worship have +ever labored to deceive and enslave the ignorant multitude; and in +support of these fallacious assumptions have resorted to all manner of +pious frauds, in reference to which we quote from both Pagan and +Christian sources with the view to showing that the moderns have +faithfully followed the ancient example. Euripedes, an Athenian writer, +who flourished about 450 years before the beginning of our era, +maintained that, "in the early state of society, some wise men insisted +on the necessity of darkening truth with falsehood and of persuading +men that there is an immortal deity who hears and sees and understands +our actions, whatever we may think of that matter ourselves." Strabo, +the famous geographer and historian of Greek extraction, who flourished +about the beginning of the Christian era, wrote that "It is not +possible for a philosopher to conduct by reasoning a multitude of women +and the low vulgar, and thus to invite them to piety, holiness and +faith; but the philosopher must make use of superstition and not omit +the invention of fables and the performance of wonders. For the +lightning and the aegis and the trident are but fables, and so all +ancient theology. But the founders of states adopted them as bugbears +to frighten the weak-minded." Varro, a learned Roman scholar, who also +flourished about the beginning of our era, wrote that "There are many +truths which it is useless for the vulgar to know, and many falsehoods +which it is fit that the people should not know are falsehoods." + +So much from Pagan authorities relative to the necessity of deceiving +the ignorant masses. We will now present some Christian authorities +upon the same subject; and first from Christ himself, who in addressing +his disciples is made to say, in Mark iv, 11, 12, "Unto you it is given +to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but unto them that are +without all these things are done in parables, that seeing they may see +and not perceive; and hearing they may hear and not understand." Paul, +in his fourteen Epistles, inculcates and avows the principle of +deceiving the common people. He speaks of having been upbraided by his +own converts with being crafty and catching them with guile and of his +known and wilful lies abounding to the glory of God. See Romans iii. 7, +and II. Cor. xii. 16. If Christ and Paul were guilty of deception, +their followers had good excuse for the same course of conduct. Upon +this subject Beausobre, a very learned ecclesiastical writer, who +flourished about the beginning of the 18th century, says: "We see in +the history which I have related a sort of hypocrisy that has been, +perhaps, but too common at all times; that churchmen not only do not +say what they think, but they do say the direct contrary of what they +think. Philosophers in their cabinets; out of them they are content +with fables, though they well know that they are fables." Historie de +Manichee, vol. 2, page 568. Bishop Synesius, the distinguished author +of religious literature and Christian father of the 5th century, said: +"I shall be a philosopher only to myself, and I shall always be a +bishop to the people." Mosheim, the distinguished author of +Ecclesiastical History, Vol. I., page 120, says: "The authors who have +treated of the innocence and sanctity of the primitive Christians have +fallen into the error of supposing them to have been unspotted models +of piety and virtue, and a gross error indeed it is, as the strongest +testimonies too evidently prove." The same author, in Vol. I., page. +198, says in the fourth century "it was an almost universally adopted +maxim that it was an act of virtue to deceive and lie, when by such +means the interest of the church might be promoted." In his +Ecclesiastical History, Vol. II., page 11, he says that "as regards the +fifth century, the simplicity and ignorance of the generality in those +times furnished the most favorable occasion for the exercise of fraud; +and the impudence of impostors in contriving false miracles was +artfully proportioned to the credulity of the vulgar; while the +sagacious and the wise, who perceived these cheats, were overawed into +silence by the dangers that threatened their lives and fortunes if they +should expose the artifice." Thomas Burnet, D.D., who flourished about +the beginning of the 18th century, in his treatise entitled De Statu +Mortuorum, purposely written in Latin that it might serve for the +instruction of the clergy only, and not come to the knowledge of the +laity, because, as he says, "too much light is hurtful for weak eyes," +not only justifies, but recommends the practice of the most consummate +hypocrisy, and that, too, on the most awful of all subjects; and would +have his, clergy seriously preach and maintain the reality and eternity +of hell torments, even though they should believe nothing of the sort +themselves. See page 304. Hugo Grotius, the eminent writer of Holland +in the 17th century, says in his 22d Epistle: "He that reads +ecclesiastical history, reads nothing but the roguery and folly of +bishops, and churchmen." In the language of Robert Taylor, from whom we +have taken most of the quotations under this heading, we assert that +"no man could quote higher authorities," to prove "the roguery and +folly of bishops and churchmen." + + + +CONCLUSION. + +Having presented the evidences in support of the apparently untenable +assertion that, notwithstanding the numerous modes in which man has +manifested his devotional proclivities, the world has virtually had but +the one religion founded in the worship of personified nature, we are +necessitated to recognize the facts that the Christian Scriptures like +the sacred records of other forms of nature worship are, but a +collection of astronomical allegories; that the gospel story is truly +"the old, old story" which had been told of a thousand other Saviours +before it was applied to the Christian Messiah; that Jesus is but one +of the many names given to imaginary incarnations of the mythical +genius of the sun; and that the Disciples and Evangelists are but the +genii of the months and the seasons. Such being the facts, which cannot +be successfully refuted, we must believe that the Christian religion, +instead of being of Divine authenticity, as popularly claimed, is +purely and entirely of human origin, and that all its teachings +relative to a future state are but priestly inventions, concocted for +the purpose of enslaving the ignorant masses. + +When we think of the thousand millions of dollars invested in church +properties, and estimate the cost of maintaining more than a hundred +thousand priests and ministers, in supporting foreign and domestic +missions and in publishing religious literature; besides the taxes +applied to the care of the religious insane, and realize the fact that +all of this vast sum of money is abstracted from the resources of the +people, we would not have to go outside of our own country to +appreciate the fact that religion is the burden of all burdens to +society; and when we contemplate the great disturbance to the social +relation, resulting from sectarian strife, and the almost universal +disposition of Christians to persecute and ostracize those who differ +with them in opinion, we can readily subscribe to the sentiment +accredited to one of our revolutionary sires, that "this would be a +good world to live in if there was no religion in it." + +If the clergy had been laboring as faithfully to impress the observance +of ethical principles as they have to indoctrinate the people with the +superstitions of religion, we would not now be deploring the great +demoralization of society. It is a grave arraignment of the clericals +to charge them with being, indirectly, the cause of this lamentable +state of things; but it is a condition that might have been expected, +for, when entering the ministry, they engaged themselves, not so much +to teach ethics as to propagate faith in the doctrines of their +respective sects. Thus hampered they cannot do the good to society +their better natures might desire. Hence the only hope for improvement +is for the people to wholly ignore the dogmatic element of religion, +and refusing to longer support it, demand that moral training shall be +the grand essential of education. If this course were adopted and +persistently followed, it would be but a question of time when mankind +would come into being with such a benign heredity that crime would be +almost impossible. + +Then, since religion inculcates a salvation that does not save, let us +rise superior to its false teachings and, accepting science as the true +saviour of mankind, find our whole duty in the code of natural +morality, the spirit of which is embodied in that comprehensive precept +known as the golden rule, which, being the outgrowth of the discovered +necessities of association, without which society could not exist, it +necessarily constituted man's sole rule and guide long before priest or +temple; and founded in the eternal principles of right, truth and +justice must remain as man's sole rule and guide when priest and church +are numbered among the things that were. Spirit of progress! speed the +day when all mankind, redeemed from the bondage of superstition, will +recognize the great truth that nature, governed by her own inherent +forces, is all that has been, all that is and all that shall be; and +that, ceasing to indulge in the vain hope of a blissful immortality in +a paradise beyond the stars, will make a real paradise of this old +earth of ours. + + +---------------------------- + +[1](Editorial note: the original text erroneously attributed this +quote to Genesis 20:8-11; actually it is from Exodus 20:8-11.) + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Astral Worship, by J. H. 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Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: Astral Worship + +Author: J. H. Hill + +Release Date: September, 2005 [EBook #8855] +[This file was first posted on August 14, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: utf-8 + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, ASTRAL WORSHIP *** + + + + +E-text prepared by David Deley + + + +Astral Worship + +by + +J. H. Hill, M. D. + + + + + + + +"Now, what I want is--facts."--_Boz._ + + + + + + CONTENTS. +INTRODUCTION 5 +THE GEOCENTRIC SYSTEM OF NATURE 13 + The Earth 13 + The Firmament 13 + The Planets 14 + The Constellations 15 + The Zodiac 15 +THE SACRED NUMBERS 7 AND 12 17 +THE TWELVE THOUSAND YEAR CYCLE 18 +THE ANCIENT TRIAD 19 +GOD SOL 22 +THE ANCIENT COSMOGONY 30 +FALL AND REDEMPTION OF MAN 31 +INCARNATIONS OF GOD SOL 33 +FABLE OF THE TWELVE LABORS 36 +ANNIVERSARIES OF SOLAR WORSHIP 40 + The Nativity 40 + Epiphany or Twelfth Day 41 + Lent or Lenten Season 42 + Passion Week 44 + Passion Plays 45 + Resurrection and Easter Festival 46 + Annunciation 48 + Ascension 49 + Assumption 49 + The Lord's Supper 50 + Transubstantiation 50 + Autumnal Crucifixion 51 + Michaelmas 56 +PERSONIFICATIONS OF THE DIVISIONS OF TIME 57 + The Hours 57 + The Days 57 + The Months 58 + The Seasons 60 + Half Year of Increasing Days 63 + Half Year of Decreasing Days 63 + Last Quarter of the Year 64 +ZODIACAL SYMBOLS OF SOLAR WORSHIP 64 + The Sphinx 65 + The Dragon 66 + The Bull 67 + The Ram 68 + The Lamb 68 + The Fish 71 +SIGNS OF THE CROSS 72 +FUTURE REWARDS AND PUNISHMENTS 74 + The Oriental System 75 + The Occidental System 75 + The Second or General Judgment 77 +JEWISH, OR ANCIENT CHRISTIANITY 79 +THE PROPHECIES 83 +ROMAN OR MODERN CHRISTIANITY 88 +FREEMASONRY AND DRUIDISM 109 +THE SABBATH 117 +PIOUS FRAUDS 121 +CONCLUSION 125 + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + +In an article, entitled "Then and Now," published in the December +number, 1890, of "The Arena," its author, a distinguished Unitarian +D.D. of Boston, Mass., says. "Astronomy has shattered the fallacies of +Astrology; and people have found out that the stars are minding their +own business instead of meddling with theirs." Now, while it is true +that modern Astronomy has superseded the ancient system, and people +have ceased to believe that the stars are intervening in mundane +affairs, nothing could be further from the truth than the assertion +that "Astronomy has shattered the fallacies of Astrology;" and those of +our readers who will accord to this work an unprejudiced perusal can +hardly fail to be convinced that a large majority of the people of +Christendom are dominated as much by these fallacies as were our Pagan +ancestry--the only difference being a change of name. The dogmatic +element of religion, which was anciently designated as Astrology, is +now known as Theology. + +All the evidences bearing upon the subject indicate that the founders +of the primary form of religion were a sect of philosophers, known as +Magi, or wise men, of the Aryan race of Central Asia, who, having lived +ages before any conceptions of the supernatural had obtained in the +world, and speculating relative to the "beginnings of things," were +necessarily confined to the contemplation and study of nature, the +elements of which they believed to be self-existent and endless in +duration; but, being wholly without knowledge of her inherent forces, +they explained her manifold processes by conceiving the idea that she +was animated by a great and inherent soul or spirit, emanations from +which impressed all her parts with life and motion. Thus, endowing man, +and other animals, with souls emanating alike from the imaginary great +soul of nature, they believed, and taught, that immediately after death +all souls were absorbed into their source, where, as "the dewdrop slips +into the shining sea," all personal identity was forever lost. Hence we +see that although recognizing the soul as immortal, considering it, not +as an entity existing independent of matter, but as the spirit of +matter itself, the primary religion was the exponent of the purest form +of Materialism. + +Being the Astronomers of their day, and mistaking the apparent for the +real, the ancient Magi constructed that erroneous system of nature +known as the Geocentric, and, in conformity thereto, composed a +collection of Astronomical Allegories, in which the emanations from the +imaginary great soul of nature, by which they believed all +materialities we're impressed with life and motion, were personified +and made to play their respective parts. Basing the religion they +instituted upon their system of Allegorical Astronomy, and making its +personifications the objects of worship, they thus originated the +anthropomorphic or man-like Gods, and, claiming to have composed them +under the inspiration of these self same divinities, they designated +them as sacred records, or Scriptures, and taught the ignorant masses +that they were literal histories, and their personifications real +personages, who, having once lived upon earth, and; for the good of +mankind, performed the wondrous works imputed to them, were then in +heaven whence they came. + +Thus we see that the primary religion, which is popularly known as +Paganism, was founded in the worship of personified nature; that, +according special homage to the imaginary genii of the stars, and +inculcating supreme adoration to the divinity supposed to reside in the +sun, it was anciently known by the general name of Astrolatry, and by +the more specific one of solar worship; and that its founders, +arrogating to themselves the title of Astrologers, gave to its dogmatic +element the name of Astrology. + +In studying the primitive forms of religion it will be found that none +of them taught anything relative to a future life, for the simple +reason that their founders had no conceptions of such a state. Hence it +follows that the laws they enacted were intended solely for the +regulation of their social relations, and, to secure their observance, +they were embodied into their sacred records and made part of their +religion. One form of that most ancient worship was known as Sabaism, +or Sabism. Another form of the same religion was the Ancient Judaism, +as portrayed in the Old Testament, and more especially in the +Pentateuch, or first five books; in the Decalogue of which the only +promise made for the observance of one of the Commandments is length of +days on earth; and, in a general summing up of the blessings and curses +to be enjoyed or suffered, for the observance or violation of the laws, +as recorded in the 28th chapter of Deuteronomy, it will be seen they +are all of a temporal character only. At the beginning of the Christian +era there were still in existence a sect of Jews known as Sadducees, +who were strict adherents to the primitive form of worship, and their +belief relative to the state of the dead we find recorded in +Ecclesiastes xii., 7, which reads: "Then shall the dust return to earth +as it was, and the spirit shall return to God who gave it." + +For ages the doctrine of soul absorption, immediately after death, +constituted the belief of mankind; but ultimately recognizing the fact +that the temporal punishments of the existing laws were wholly +inadequate to the prevention of crime, and conceiving the idea that the +ignorant and vicious masses could be governed with a surer hand by +appealing to the sentiments of hope and fear in relation to the rewards +and punishments of an imaginary future life, the ancient Astrologers +resolved to remodel the dogmatic elements of religion so as to include +that doctrine. But realizing the necessity, of suppressing the belief +in the absorption of all souls, immediately after death, they ceased to +teach it, and ultimately it was embodied in that secret and unwritten +system known as the Esoteric philosophy, in which the Astrologers +formulated their own private belief, and which for many centuries was +kept from the knowledge of the uninitiated by their successors in the +priestly office. As they were the sole custodians of the Scriptures, +they made do change in their verbiage, but, adding the doctrine of +future rewards and punishments to that written and openly taught system +of faith known as the Exoteric creed, they made it the more impressive +by instituting a system of imposing rites and ceremonies, which they +designated as Mysteries, into which they initiated the neophytes, and +in which were portrayed, in the most vivid manner, the rewards and +punishments of the imaginary future life, which they taught were the +awards of the Gods for the observance or violation of the laws. These +teachings were inculcated in the lesser degrees only, but those who +were found worthy of so great a distinction were also inducted into the +higher degrees, in which was imparted the knowledge of the Esoteric +philosophy. In both the lesser and higher degrees the initiates +received instruction in an oral manner only; and all were bound by the +most fearful oaths not to reveal the secrets imparted to them. + +Thus were the votaries of the ancient Astral worship divided into two +distinct classes, the Esoterics, or Gnostics; and the Exoterics, or +Agnostics; the former comprising those who knew that the Gods were +mythical and the scriptures allegorical; and the latter, those who were +taught that the Gods were real, and the scriptures historical; or, in +other words, it was philosophy for the cultured few, and religion for +the ignorant multitude. The initiates into the secrets of these two +systems recognized them as the two Gospels; and Paul must have had +reference to them in his Epistle to the Galatians ii., 2, where he +distinguishes the Gospel which he preached on ordinary occasions from +that Gospel which he preached "privately to them which were of +reputation." + +Such was the system of Astrolatry, which, originating in the Orient, +and becoming, after being remodelled in Egypt, the prototype of all +Occidental forms of worship, was recognized, successively, as the state +religion of the Grecian and Roman Empires; and we propose to describe +the erroneous system of nature upon which it was based, and to develop +the origins of its cycles, dogmas, ordinances, anniversaries, +personifications and symbols, with the view to proving that it was the +very same system which was ultimately perpetuated under the name of +Christianity. We also propose to present the origins and abridged +histories of its two forms, the Jewish, or ancient, and the Roman, or +modern; and to give an account of the conflict between the votaries of +the latter, and the adherents to the established form of worship, which +culminated in the fourth century in the substitution of Christianity as +the state religion of the Roman Empire. We furthermore propose to show +the changes to which the creed and scriptures were subjected during the +Middle Ages, and at the Reformation in the sixteenth century, through +which they assumed the phases as now taught in the theologies, +respectively of Catholicism and Orthodox Protestantism. We also present +an article relative to Freemasonry and Druidism, for the purpose of +showing that, primarily, they were but different forms of the ancient +Astrolatry. We also devote a few pages to the subjects of the Sabbath, +and to that of "Pious Frauds." + + +Note.--For the matter published in this work, we are principally +indebted to the writings of Robert Taylor, an erudite but recusant +minister of the church of England, who flourished about seventy years +ago, and who, being too honest to continue to preach what, after +thorough investigation, he did not believe, began to give expression to +his doubts by writing and lecturing. Not being able to cope with his +arguments, the clergy, under the charge of the impossible crime of +blasphemy, had him imprisoned for more than two years, during which +time he wrote his great work entitled "The Diegesis," which should be +read by all persons who are investigating the claim of the Christian +religion to Divine authenticity. + + + +THE GEOCENTRIC SYSTEM OF NATURE. + +In constructing their system of nature, the ancient Astronomers +constituted it of the Earth, the Firmament, the Planets, the +Constellations and the Zodiac, and we will refer to them in the order +named. + + +The Earth. + +Believing that the earth was the only world, that it was a vast +circular plane, and that it was the fixed and immovable center around +which revolved the celestial luminaries, the ancient Astronomers, in +conformity to the requirement of the doctrine of future rewards and +punishments, as inculcated in the Egyptian Version of the Exoteric +Creed, divided it into an upper and an under, or nether world, which +they connected by a sinuous and tenebrious passage. + + +The Firmament. + +The azure dome, called the firmament in the book of Genesis, was +believed to be a solid transparency, which we find described, in the +fourth chapter and sixth verse, of that collection of Astronomical +Allegories, called the Apocalypse, or Book of Revelation, "as a sea of +glass like unto crystal." It was represented as being supported by four +pillars, resting upon the earth, one at each of the cardinal points, +which were designated as "the pillars of heaven." Conceiving the idea +that there were windows in the firmament, the ancient Astronomers +called them "the windows of heaven" and taught that they were opened +when it rained, and closed when it ceased to rain. Hence it is evident +that the ancient Astronomers did not refer to these pillars and windows +in a figurative sense, but as real appurtenances to a solid firmament, +as will be seen by reference to Gen. vii. 11, and viii. 2, Job xxvi. +11, and Malachi iii. 10. + + +The Planets. + +Believing that the stars were but mere flambeaux, suspended beneath the +firmament, and revolving round the earth, for the sole purpose of +giving it light and heat; and observing that seven of these, answering +to the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn, had +perceptible movements, in relation to the other luminaries, the ancient +astronomers designated them as planets or wandering stars. + + +The Constellations. + +Perceiving that the other celestial luminaries maintained the same +relation to each other, and designating them as fixed stars, the +ancient astronomers grouped those visible to them into forty-eight +Constellations; and giving names to these, they also attached names to +the stars of larger magnitude, which was done for the purpose of +locating and distinguishing them with greater ease. + + +The Zodiac. + +Through twelve of these Constellations, mostly contained within a belt +of 16 degrees in width, and within which the planets appeared to +revolve, the ancient astronomers inscribed a central line representing +the Ecliptic, or apparent orbit of the sun, which they divided into 360 +degrees; and quartering these to denote the seasons, they named the +cardinal points the Summer and Winter Solstices, and the Vernal and +Autumnal Equinoxes; the former referring to the longest and shortest +days of the year; and the latter to the two periods when the days and +nights are equal. An abbreviatory sign having been attached to each of +these constellations, the great celestial belt containing them was +called "the wheel of the signs," or "a wheel in the middle of a wheel," +as designated by that old Astrologer, Ezekiel the Prophet, in chap. i. +and 16th verse. But for the reason that, with only one exception, the +forms of living things, either real or mythical, were given to them, +this belt, ultimately, wad designated as the Zodiac; or Circle of +living Creatures, see Ezekiel, chap. i. Constituting the essential +feature of the ancient Astronomy, we present, in our frontispiece, a +diagram of the Zodiac, as anciently represented, to which, as well as +to Burritts' Celestial Atlas, our readers will be necessitated to make +frequent reference. + +[See plate1.gif] + +Recent researches among the ruins of ancient cities have developed the +fact that several centuries before the beginning of our era the +astronomers had invented the telescope, and discovered the true or +heliocentric system of nature; but for the reason that religion had +been based upon the false, or geocentric system, it was deemed prudent +not to teach it to the masses. Hence, hiding it away among the other +secrets of the Esoteric philosophy, the knowledge of it was lost during +the Middle Ages; and when rediscovered, the hierarchy of the Church of +Rome, upon the plea that it was contrary to the teachings of Scripture, +resorted to inquisitorial tortures to suppress its promulgation; but, +in spite of all their efforts, it has been universally accepted; and, +in this otherwise enlightened age, we have presented to us the anomaly +of a religion based upon a false system of Astronomy, while its +votaries believe in the true system. + + + +THE SACRED NUMBERS 7 AND 12. + +In reference to the planets, and the signs of the Zodiac, the numbers +seven and twelve were recognized as sacred by the ancient Astrologers, +and dedications were made to them in all kinds and sorts of forms. In +the allegories, the genii of the planets were designated as spirits or +messengers to the Supreme Deity, imaginarily enthroned above the +firmament, which we find described in Revelations iv. 5, as "Seven +lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of +God;" and which were represented by lights burning in seven branched +candlesticks set before the altars in the temples; the central light +for the Sun; the Moon, Mercury and Venus on one side; and Mars, Jupiter +and Saturn on the other. The seven branched candlesticks seen in all +Catholic churches, and in some Protestant ones, are intended to +represent the same planetary system. + +Among the numerous dedications to the genii of the planets we mention +the seven days of the week, the seven stories of the tower of Babylon, +the seven gates of Thebes, the seven piped flute of Pan, the seven +stringed lyre of Apollo, the seven books of fate, the book of seven +seals, the seven castes into which the Egyptians and East Indians were +divided, and the jubilee of seven times seven years. Among the +dedications to the twelve signs we mention the twelve months of the +year, the grand cycle of 12,000 years, the twelve altars of James, the +twelve labors of Hercules, the twelve divisions of the Egyptian +Labyrinth, the twelve shields of Mars, the twelve precious stones, +ranged in threes to denote the seasons, in the breastplate of High +Priest, the twelve foundations of the Sacred City, referred to in the +Book of Revelation, the twelve sons of Jacob, the twelve tribes of +Israel, and the twelve Disciples. In the Book of Revelation alone the +number 7 is repeated twenty-four times, and the number 12 fourteen +times. + + + +THE TWELVE THOUSAND YEAR CYCLE. + +In determining the duration of the period within which were to occur +the events taught in the doctrines of the Exoteric Creed, the ancient +Astrologers dedicated a thousand years to each of the signs of the +Zodiac, and thus inaugurating the cycle of twelve thousand years, +taught that, at its conclusion, the heaven and the earth, which they +believed to be composed of the indestructible elements of fire, air, +earth and water, would, through the agency of the first of these, be +reduced to chaos, as a preliminary to the reorganization of a new +heaven and a new earth at the beginning of the succeeding cycle. Such +was the origin of the grand cycle of the ancient Astrolatry, and it +must be borne in mind that its authors made its conclusion to +correspond in time and circumstance to the doctrines relating to the +finale of the plan of redemption. + + + +THE ANCIENT TRIAD. + +After conceiving the idea of a primeval chaos, constituted of four +indestructible elements of which fire was the leading one, the Oriental +astrologers began to indulge in speculations relative to the agencies +which were engaged in its organization. Having no knowledge of the +forces inherent in nature, they imputed this work to three +intelligences, which, embodying the All in All, they personified by the +figure of a man with three heads, and to this trinity gave the names of +Brahma, Vishnu and Siva. Such a figure, carved in stone, may be seen in +the island Cave of Elephanta, near Bombay, India, and is popularly +believed to represent the Creator, Preserver and Destroyer; but, in +determining their true signification, we must be governed by the +ancient teachings that "All things were made by one god-head with three +names, and this God is all things." Hence the conclusion is +irresistible that the first person represents neither the creator nor +organizer of chaos, but chaos itself; the second person, its organizer +and governor; and the third person, the agent in nature which impresses +all her parts with life and motion; the latter being the imaginary +great soul or spirit inculcated in the Esoteric philosophy. In support +of this opinion it will be found that the Egyptian Triad of Father, Son +and Spirit is virtually the same we have assigned to its Oriental +prototype. Thus we see that to the ancient Astrolatry Christendom is +indebted for the Trinity of + + "God the Father, God the Son, + God the Spirit--three in one." + +But, having ascribed supreme intelligence or reason to its second +person, under the name of the Logos, or Word, and designating its third +person as the Holy Ghost, the ancient Triad was usually formulated as +the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost, as may be seen by reference to +the text in the allegories which we find recorded in I John v. 7, which +reads that "There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the +Word and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one." + +Considered in some forms of Astrolatry as too sacred to attach a name +to the triune Deity, he was called "the One," and we find him thus +designated in the 4th chapter of Revelation, where, like Zeus and +Jupiter, of the Grecian and Roman mythologies, he is represented as +seated above the firmament, upon a throne from which "proceeded +lightnings and thunderings," and to whom all, the subordinate +divinities were made to pay homage. As the hurler of thunderbolts he +was called "the Thunderer," and as the opener of the windows of heaven, +when it rained, he was designated "Jupiter Pluvius." Such was the +ancient Triad made to say of himself, in an inscription found in the +ruins of the temple at Sais in Egypt, "I am all that has been, all that +is, and all that shall be, and no mortal has lifted yet the veil that +covers me;" and such was the Triunity referred to as the God Universe +by Pliny, the Roman philosopher and naturalist, who, flourishing in the +first century of the Christian era, wrote that he is "An infinite God +which has never been created, and which shall never come to an end. To +look for something else beyond it is useless labor for man and out of +his reach. Behold that truly sacred Being, eternal and immense, which +includes within itself everything; it is All in All, or rather itself +is All. It is the work of nature, and itself is nature." + +Thus we see that, although inculcating homage to a multitude of +subordinate divinities, the ancient Astrolatry was only an apparent +Polytheism; its enlightened votaries, recognizing the dogma of the +unity of God, were in reality Monotheists, paying supreme adoration to +the mythical genius of the Sun, to whom we will now direct attention. + + + +GOD SOL. + +In determining the characteristics of the supreme divinity of astral +worship, it must be borne in mind that its founders taught that he was +evolved or engendered by the Father, or first person in the sacred +Triad, from his pure substance, which as we have shown was constituted +of chaos or the primeval fire into which they supposed all things were +reduced through the agency of that element at the conclusion of 12,000 +year cycles. Hence, designating that mythical being as the only +begotten of the Father, they personified him as God the Son, or second +person in the sacred Triad; and recognizing the Sun as the ruling star, +very appropriately made him the presiding genius of that luminary, +under the title of God Sol. According homage to light as his chief +attribute, he is referred to in the allegories as "The true Light, +which lighteth every man that cometh into the world," John i., 9; and, +although designated as the only begotten of the Father, his +co-existence with him, under the title of the Logos or Word, is shown +in the text which reads, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word +was with God, and the Word was God," John i., 1. + +Personifying the principles of Good and Evil in God Sol, the ancient +Astrologers consecrated the six divisions of the 12,000 year cycle, +corresponding to the reproductive months of Spring and Summer, to him +as Lord of Good, and symbolizing him by the constellation of the Zodiac +in which the Vernal Equinox successively occurred, as explained +hereafter, they dedicated the six divisions of that cycle, +corresponding to the destructive months of Autumn and Winter, to him as +Lord of Evil, and as such, symbolizing him by the serpent, marked the +beginning of his reign by the constellation "Serpens," placed in +conjunction with the Autumnal Equinox. Personifying in him the opposing +principles of Good and Evil, he was to the ancients both God and Devil, +or the varied God, who, in relation to the seasons, was described as +beautiful in Spring, powerful in Summer, beneficent in Autumn and +terrible in Winter. Thus under various names, intended to represent God +Sol in relation to the diversified seasons, we find recorded in the +Scriptures, or solar fables, numerous portrayals of imaginary +conflicts, in which the Evil principle, triumphing during Autumn and +Winter, is conquered at the Vernal Equinox by the Good principle, who, +bringing back equal days and nights, restores the harmony of nature. + +The eternal enmity between the principles of Good and Evil, as +manifested in the diversity of the seasons, we find portrayed in the +Constellations Hercules and Draco, placed in the northern heavens, in +which the heel of the former, representing one of the most ancient of +the imaginary incarnations of God Sol, to which we will refer +hereafter, is resting upon the head of the latter, as referred to in +Genesis iii., 15, which makes God Sol, or the Lord God, say to the +serpent, "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy +seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his +heel." The woman alluded to in this text is the Virgo of the Zodiac, as +will be made apparent hereafter. + +[See plate2.gif] + +Of all the divinities of the ancient mythology God Sol was the only one +distinguished by the exalted title of Lord or Lord God, for the reason +that he was made the organizer of chaos and governor of heaven and +earth. Hence, having constituted him the lord of light and darkness, as +well as good and evil, the ancient astrologers in composing the solar +fables made him say of himself, "I form the light and create darkness; +I make peace and create evil, I the Lord do all these things," Isaiah +xlv., 7. "Shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done +it?" Amos iii., 6. Besides the title of Lord or Lord God, the solar +divinity is also designated in the allegories as the Lord of Lords and +the King of Kings, the Invincible, the Mighty God, etc. + +Subjecting the mythical genius of the sun, in his apparent annual +revolution round the earth, to the four stages of human life from +infancy to old age, the ancient Magi fixed the natal day of the young +God Sol at the winter solstice, the Virgo of the Zodiac was made his +mother, and the constellation in conjunction with her, which is now +known as Bootes, but anciently called Arcturus, his foster father. He +is represented as holding in leash two hunting dogs and driving Ursa +Major, or the Great Bear, around the north pole, thus showing that the +original occupation of the celestial foster father of the young God Sol +was that of a bear driver, and that his sons, referred to in job +xxxviii., 32, are the dogs Asterion and Chara. It will be observed that +Virgo is represented in our illustration with a child in her arms, for +the reason that she is so represented in the ancient Zodiacs, and the +fact will be readily conceded that she is the only Virgin who could +give birth to a child and be a virgin still. + +[See plate3.gif] + + + +THE ANCIENT COSMOGONY. + +Speculating relative to the order in which chaos had been organized, +the ancient Astrologers constructed a Cosmogony, which divided the +labors of God the Son, or second person in the Trinity, into six +periods of a thousand years each; and which, answering to the six +divisions of the 12,000 year cycle corresponding to the reproductive +months of Spring and Summer, taught that in the first period he made +the earth; in the second, the firmament; in the third, vegetation; in +the fourth, the Sun and Moon and "the stars also;" in the fifth, the +animals, fishes, birds, etc., and in the sixth, Man. + +That vegetation was made before the Sun was not an inconsistent idea to +the originators of the ancient Cosmogony. They imagined that the heat +and light, emanating from the elementary fire, were sufficient to +stimulate its growth, after which God the Son gathered it together and +made the Celestial luminaries. In the solar fables this imaginary +element is called the fire-ether, or sacred fire of the stars. + + + +FALL AND REDEMPTION OF MAN. + +Religion having been based upon the worship of personified nature, it +is evident that its founders fabricated its dogmatic element from their +conceptions of her destructive and reproductive processes as manifested +in the rotation and diversity of the seasons. The apparent retreat of +the sun from the earth, in winter, and his return in the spring, +suggesting the idea of a figurative death and resurrection of the +genius of that luminary, they applied these phenomena of the year to +man, and composed the allegories relative to his fall and redemption, +as inculcated in the Exoteric Creed. In the allegory relating to the +fall, it was taught that, after making the first human pair, the Lord +of Good or the Lord God placed them in a beautiful garden--corresponding +to the seasons of fruits and flowers or months of Spring and Summer, +with the injunction, under a, penalty, not to eat of the fruit of a +certain tree. When the Lord of Evil, or Devil, symbolized by the serpent +and represented by the constellation "Serpens" placed in conjunction +with the Autumnal Equinox, meeting them on the confines of his dominion, +and tempting the woman, and she the man, they ate of the forbidden +fruit; thus, falling from their first estate, and committing the +original sin, they involved the whole human race in the consequences +of their disobedience. Then the Lord God, pronouncing a curse against +the serpent, clothed the man and woman with skins to protect them +against the inclemency of his, dominion as Lord of Evil, and drove them +from the garden; after which they were necessitated to earn their bread +by tilling the ground. + +In, reference to the plan of redemption, the ancient Astrologers +divided the 6,000 years appropriated to man, as the duration of his +race on earth, into ten equal cycles, and taught that at the conclusion +of each God Sol, as Lord of Good, would manifest himself in the flesh, +to destroy his works as Lord of Evil, and through suffering and death +make an atonement for sin. Thus having originated the doctrines of +original sin, incarnation and vicarious atonement, as parts of the plan +of redemption, and making its finale correspond, in point of time, to +the conclusion of the 12,000 year cycle, their successors in the +priestly office ultimately inculcated the additional dogmas of the +general judgment and future rewards and punishments, as we have shown +in our introduction. + +Having based the fables of the fall and redemption of man upon the idea +that he was impelled, without his volition, to pass from the dominion +of God to that of the Devil, or in other words, upon his subjection to +the inexorable necessity which makes the inclement seasons of Autumn +and Winter succeed the beneficent ones of Spring and Summer, its +authors composed the original of the text which, found in Romans viii., +20, reads that "The creature was made subject to vanity (Evil), not +willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope." + +But for the popular teaching in favor of its being literal history, no +one could read the account of the fall of man, as recorded in the third +chapter of Genesis, without recognizing it as simply an allegory; or +fail to realize, the force of the argument of no fall, no redemption, +and if no redemption, no God to reward or Devil to punish; no hell to +suffer, or heaven to enjoy. The fact is that these are but antithetical +ideas which came in together, and must survive or perish together. They +cannot be separated without destroying the whole theological fabric. + + + +INCARNATIONS OF GOD SOL. + +Believing that God Sol was necessitated to remain at his post to direct +the course of the sun, the ancient astrologers conceived the idea of +teaching that, attended by a retinue of subordinate genii, he descended +to earth through the medium of incarnations at the end of 600 year +cycles, to perform the work of man's redemption and, having made Virgo +of the Zodiac the mother of the Solar divinity, they taught in their +allegorical Astronomy, or scriptures, that his incarnations were born +of a Virgin. Hence we find that God Sol, usually designated by the +title of the Word, "was made flesh, and dwelt among us." John i., 14. + +In a discourse upon this text delivered by Tillotson, Archbishop of +Canterbury, in the year 1680, published in the fourth volume of +Woodhouse's edition of his Grace's sermons, in the year 1744, +concerning the Incarnation of our blessed Saviour, he explains the +necessity of incarnation by saying that "There was likewise a great +inclination in mankind to the worship of a visible Deity, so God was +pleased to appear in our nature, that they, who were so fond of a +visible Deity, might have one, even a true and natural image of God the +Father, the express image of his person." It only requires a little +reflection to appreciate the Prelate's covert irony and want of faith. + +Having ascribed to the imaginary incarnations of God Sol the +characteristics of heaven-descending, virgin-born, earth-walking, +wonder-working, dying, resuscitated and ascending sons of God, the +ancient Astrologers attached to them the several titles of Saviour, +Redeemer, Avatar, Divine-Helper, Shiloh, Messiah, Christ; and, in +reference to their foster-father, that of Son of Man. Teaching that +they continued to make intercession for sin, after their ascension to +the right hand of the Father, they were also called Intercessors, +Mediators or Advocates with the Father. From teaching their appearance +every 600 years originated the Egyptian legend of the Phoenix, a bird +said to descend from the sun at these intervals, and, after being +consumed upon the altar in the temple of On, or city of the sun--called +Heliopolis by the Greeks--would rise from its ashes and ascend to its +source. According to the civil laws of Egypt, manhood was not attained +until the age of thirty years. Hence the earthly mission of incarnate +Saviours was made to begin at that age; and for the reason that, +relating to the apparent transit of the sun through the twelve signs of +the Zodiac, it was completed during the period of one year. + +To impress the ignorant masses with the belief that the scriptures were +literal histories, and the incarnate Saviours real personages, the +ancient Astrologers caused tombs to be erected in which it was claimed +they were buried. Such sepulchres were erected to Hercules at Cadiz, to +Apollo at Delphi, and to other Saviours at many other places, to which +their respective votaries were induced to perform pilgrimages. In Egypt +the pyramids were built, partly for astronomical purposes, and partly +as tombs for Saviours, claimed to have been kings, who had once ruled +over the country; and why should we not recognize that magnificent +structure known as the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, at Jerusalem, as +but another of those tombs of Saviours in which no Saviour was ever +entombed? + +Thus we have shown that it was God Sol, the only begotten of the +Father, or second person in the sacred Triad, to whom supreme adoration +was inculcated in all forms of the ancient Astrolatry; and that its +cultured votaries, understanding that the doctrines pertaining to the +fall and redemption of man were evolved from the figurative death and +resurrection of the solar divinity, recognized the doctrine of +incarnation as a priestly invention intended only for the ignorant +masses. + + + +FABLE OF THE TWELVE LABORS. + +The authors of the original solar fables, having lived in that remote +age in which physical prowess was recognized as the highest attribute +of humanity, conceived the idea that God Sol, while passing through his +apparent orbit, had to fight his way with the animals of the Zodiac, +and with others in conjunction with them. Hence, designating him as the +Mighty Hunter, and calling his exploits the twelve labors, they made +the incarnate Saviours the heroes of similar ones on earth, which they +taught were performed for the good of mankind; and that, after +fulfilling their earthly mission, they were exhaled to heaven through +the agency of fire. When these fables were composed the Summer Solstice +was in the sign of Leo, and making the twelve labors begin in it, the +first consisted in the killing of a lion, and the second, in rescuing a +virgin (Virgo) by the destruction of a Hydra, the constellation in +conjunction with her. Upon one of the Assyrian marbles on exhibition in +the British Museum these two labors are represented as having been +performed by a saviour by the name of Nimroud. In the constellations of +Taurus, the bull of the Zodiac, and of Orion, originally known as +Horns, in conjunction therewith, we have groupings of stars +representing the latter as one of the mighty hunters of the ancient +Astrolatry, supporting on his left arm the shield of the lion's skin, +the trophy of the first labor, and holding a club in his uplifted right +hand, is engaged in performing the tenth labor by a conflict with the +former. + +[See plate4.gif] + +The fable of the twelve labors constituted the sacred records or +scriptures of the older forms of Astrolatry, one version of which, +written with the cuneiform character upon twelve tablets of burnt clay, +exhumed from the ruins of an Assyrian city, and now on exhibition in +the British Museum, is ascribed to Nimroud, the prototype of the +Grecian Hercules, and of Nimrod, the Mighty Hunter of the Old +Testament. + + + +ANNIVERSARIES OF SOLAR WORSHIP. + +The Nativity. + +Applying the anniversaries inculcated in the worship of God Sol to his +imaginary incarnations, the founders of the ancient Astrolatry made +them refer to the several stages of human existence from infancy to +mature age. Hence, comparing the first day of infantile life to the +shortest day of the year, it would naturally be expected that they +would have placed the anniversary of the Nativity exactly at the Winter +solstice; but, having conceived the idea that the sun stood still for +the space of three days at each of the cardinal points, and making it +represent the figurative death of the genius of that luminary, they +fixed the date for its observance three days later, or on the 25th of +December. The Gnostic adherents to the ancient solar worship, or those +who were conversant with the teachings of the Esoteric philosophy, +knowing that the dramatis personae of the fable of incarnation were +pictured with stars upon the azure vault, recognized the woman "clothed +with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of +twelve stars," referred to in Revelations xii. 1, as the Virgo of the +Zodiac; they also knew that she was the true queen of heaven and mother +of God; and that the infant, anciently represented in her arms, and +with whom, in their day, she arose on the Eastern horizon at midnight +on the 24th of December, was the same of whom the people were taught to +sing at Christmas "Unto us a child is born this day." + +With the knowledge of these facts we can readily see that this is the +Virgin and child which constituted the originals of those exquisite +paintings, by the old masters, known as the Madonna and Child. + + +Epiphany or Twelfth Day. + +In reference to the twelve signs through which the sun makes his +apparent annual revolution, the twelfth day after Christmas, answering +to the 6th of January, was observed by the votaries of the ancient +Astrolatry as the anniversary of the Epiphany or Twelfth Day. In the +solar fables, it was taught that a star appeared in the heavens on that +day to manifest the birthplace of the infant Saviour to the Magi or +Wise Men of the East, who came to pay him homage, and to present him +with the gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, as related in Matthew +ii. 11. + +The reason for presenting these gifts is explained by the facts that of +the seven metals dedicated to the genii of the planets, gold was the +one consecrated to God Sol; and frankincense and myrrh were the gums +burned in censers in his worship. + +In reading the account of the Magi's visit to the infant Saviour, we +have but to exercise our thinking faculties to realize that it is +allegory instead of literal history. + + +Lent or Lenten Season. + +In the ancient solar fables it was taught that the persecutions to +which the incarnate Saviours were subjected while passing through the +dominion of God Sol as Lord of Evil, raged with greatest fury during +the forty days preceding the festival of Easter, which period, +beginning when the days were perceptibly lengthening, was called Lent, +or the Lenten season. It was during this season that the votaries of +the ancient religion were taught to manifest their sympathy for the +Saviour in his imaginary conflict with the Devil by abstaining from all +festivities, and by fasting and prayer; and, as that was the season in +which the flocks and herds were poor in flesh, while the seas and +rivers abounded with fish in good condition, the ancient priests, +making a virtue of necessity, enjoined a diet principally of fish, and +for that reason placed the constellation Pisces at the point in the +Zodiac in which the Lenten season anciently began; which, without +regard to the day of the week, was always observed on the 15th day of +February, the name of that month having been derived from the Februa, +or feast of purification and expiation of the old Roman calendar. + +At the council of Nice the Lenten season was made to begin on the +fourth day of the week, and in reference to the ancient custom of the +more devout sprinkling ashes upon their heads at the feast of the +Februa, it is called Ash Wednesday. + +Hence we see that all years in which Ash Wednesday does not come on the +15th of February, the Lenten season must necessarily contain a greater +or lesser number than the original assignment of forty days. + + +Passion Week. + +The last seven days of Lent is called Passion Week, in reference to the +apparent passage of the sun across the Celestial equator at the Vernal +Equinox or 21st of March; the ancient astrologers having conceived the +idea that the sun stood still for the space of three days at each of +the cardinal points, and making it represent the figurative death of +the genius of that luminary, it was observed as the anniversary of the +Vernal crucifixion or passion of the incarnate Saviours; and in +commemoration of their imaginary sufferings and death it was the custom +to expose in the temples during the last three days of Passion Week +figures representing their dead bodies, over which the votaries of +solar worship, especially the women, made great lamentation. It was in +reference to one of these images, laid out in the temple at Jerusalem, +to which the jealous Jehovah, considering it a great abomination in his +own house, is made to direct the attention of Ezekiel, the prophet, +who, looking, beheld "Women weeping for Tammuz" as recorded in the +eighth chapter. This divinity was the Phoenician prototype of the +Grecian Adonis, to whom the women of Judea preferred to pay homage. + +It was during the last three days of Passion Week that the votaries of +solar worship performed their severest penance. Besides fasting and +prayer, the more devout flagellated and slashed themselves and others +with knives and thongs, and carried heavy crosses up steep acclivities. +In all ultra-Catholic countries the priests, in imitation of the +ancient custom, expose in the churches figures representing the dead +Saviour, over which the laity, especially the women, weep and mourn; +and the more devout men cut and slash themselves, and each other, with +knives and thongs; and, in imitation of the imaginary tramp of Jesus +with his cross up Calvary's rugged side, bear heavy crosses up steep +acclivities. + + +Passion Plays. + +Anciently dramas representing the passion of incarnate saviours, called +Passion plays, were enacted upon the stage. The most celebrated of +these divine tragedies, known as Prometheus Bound, and composed by the +Greek poet AEschylus, was played at Athens 500 years before the +beginning of the Christian era. To show that this sin-atoning saviour +was not chained to a rock, while vultures preyed upon his vitals, as +popularly taught, but was nailed to a tree; we quote front Potter's +translation of the play, that passage which, readily recognized as the +original of a Christian song, reads as follows: + + "Lo, streaming from the fatal tree, + His all atoning blood: + Is this the infinite? 'Tis he-- + Prometheus and a God. + Well might the sun in darkness hide, + And veil his glories in, + When God the great Prometheus died + For man, the creature's sin." + +The veiling of the sun, as represented in these plays, having reference +to the imaginary sympathy expressed by God Sol for the sufferings of +his incarnate son, was shown upon the stage by shading the lights. The +monks of the Middle Ages enacted plays representing the passion of the +Christian Saviour, and the Bavarian peasantry, perpetuating this +custom, perform the play every tenth year. + + +Resurrection and Easter Festival. + +In conformity to the ancient teachings, the incarnate saviours, +considered as figuratively dead for the space of three days at the +Vernal Equinox, or 21st of March, were raised to newness of life after +the expiration of that time. Hence, the 25th of March, without regard +to the day of the week, was celebrated as the anniversary of the Vernal +resurrection. On the morning of this day it was the custom of the +astrologers to say to the mourners assembled in the temples, "Be of +good cheer, sacred band of initiates; your God has risen from the dead, +his pains and his sufferings shall be your salvation." Another form of +this admonition, quoted from an ancient poem in reference to the +Phoenician Tammuz, reads as follows: + + "Trust ye saints, your God restored, + Trust ye in your risen Lord, + For the pains which he endured, + Your salvation hath procured." + +Then would begin the festivities of Easter, which corrupted from +Eostre, and derived from the Teutonic mythology, was one of the many +names given to the goddess of Spring. In the observance of this +festival the temples were adorned with floral offerings; the Hilaries +sang their joyful lays; the fires upon the pyres, or the fire-altars, +were extinguished and rekindled with new fire, or sacred fire of the +stars, which the Astrologers taught was brought down from heaven by the +winged genius Perseus, the constellation which, anciently, was in +conjunction with the Vernal Equinox; Paschal candles, lit from the new +fire, were distributed to the faithful and the Paschal feast, Easter +feast, or the feast of the passover, was eaten in commemoration of the +passion of the incarnate saviours, or, in other words, of the passage +of the sun across the celestial equator. In ultra-Catholic countries +the descent of the sacred fire is represented by some secretly arranged +pyrotechny, and the credulous laity, believing they have witnessed a +miraculous display, eagerly solicit Paschal candles lit from it; and in +imitation of the ancient festivities in honor of the return of spring, +all Catholic churches, and most of Protestant ones, are adorned with +flowers, the bells ring out their merriest peals, and "Gloria in +Excelsis" and other jubilant songs, similar to the lays of the ancient +Hilaries, are sung. + + +Annunciation. + +The anniversary of the Nativity having been placed on the 25th of +December, according to the course of nature, the 25th of March was +anciently celebrated as the anniversary of the annunciation, and is +still observed on that day, and the duty of saluting the Virgin (Virgo) +and announcing her conception by the Holy Ghost or third person in the +Trinity was assigned to the genius of Spring. In the Chaldean version +of the Gospel story the name of Gabriel was given to this +personification, and in the Christian version of that story he is made +to perform the same office; see Luke i. 26-35. + + +Ascension. + +Celebrating the anniversary of the ascension forty days after Easter, +it was anciently observed on the 4th of May, and it was taught that the +incarnate saviours ascended bodily into heaven, in a golden chariot +drawn by four horses caparisoned with gilded trappings, all glittering +like fire in the fervid sunlight. Hence when we read in II. Kings ii. +11, that "There appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire, . . . +and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven," we must accept this +text as descriptive of the imaginary ascension of one of the incarnate +saviours of ancient Judaism. + + +Assumption. + +When the Summer solstice was in the sign of Cancer, the sun was in that +of Virgo in the month of August, and the anniversary of the Assumption +was observed on the 15th of that month, and is so observed at the +present time. The fact that the anniversary of the Ascension precedes +that of the Assumption explains why Jesus is made to say to his mother +(Virgo) soon after his resurrection, "Touch me not: for I am not yet +ascended to my Father." John xx. 17. + + +The Lord's Supper. + +In the ancient solar worship the so-called ordinance of the Lord's +Supper was observed just before the anniversary of the autumnal +crucifixion; and consisting of bread and wine, in reference to the +maturing of the crops and completion of the vintage, was, like the +modern festival of the hardest home, a season of thankfulness to the +Lord (God Sol) as the giver of all good gifts. Hence being observed but +once a year, it was in reality not an ordinance but an anniversary; and +the fact that Christians partake of these emblems so frequently during +the year indicates that the original signification of the Lord's Supper +has been lost. + + +Transubstantiation, + +or the conversion of the bread and wine into the veritable blood and +body of Christ, is a doctrine of the Catholic church which was derived +from the ritual of the ancient solar worship. + +In the 26th chapter of Matthew we have an account of the Lord +administering the last supper to his Disciples on the eve of the +autumnal crucifixion, and in verse 27 it reads that "he took the cup, +and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it." The +compilers of the modern version of the Gospel story must surely have +inadvertently copied this text as it read in the ancient versions of +that old, old story, which, when observed in remembrance of "Our Lord +and Saviour Bacchus," was called the Bacchanalia, or feast, of Bacchus. +At these orgies the participants give thanks for the wine by not only +drinking all of one cup, but many more; in fact they kept on drinking +until they fell under the table. + + +Autumnal Crucifixion. + +The beneficent seasons of Spring and Summer coming to an end at the +Autumnal Equinox, the 22d of September was made the anniversary of the +Autumnal Crucifixion. The vernal resurrection and Autumnal Crucifixion, +representing the alternate triumph of the personified principles of +Good and Evil, as manifested in the diversity of the seasons; we find +appropriately expressed in two religious pictures. In the one, the +Saviour, appealing as a vigorous young man, surrounded by a brilliant +halo, representing the rays of the all-conquering Sun of Spring, is +rising triumphantly from the tomb, before whom the demon of Winter, or +Devil, is seen retreating in the background. In the other, the +vanquished Saviour, represented by the figure of a lean and haggard +man, with a crown of thorns upon his head, around which appears a faint +halo of the Sun's declining rays, and above which is placarded the +letters I. N. R. I., the initial letters of Latin words, signifying the +life to come, or the eternal life, is suspended upon the cross, at the +foot of which his mother Mary (Virgo) is represented as kneeling in a +mourning attitude, and by her side is seen a serpent and a skull, the +emblems of Evil and of Death. + +[See plate5.gif & plate6.gif] + + +Michaelmas. + +In the calendar of the ancient Astral Worship, the fourth day after the +Autumnal Equinox was dedicated to the genius of Autumn. In the Chaldean +allegories the name of Michael was given to this personification, and +called Michaelmas, or feast of Michael. In the Catholic calendar this +anniversary is placed an the 29th of September, instead of the 26th of +that month, while that of St. Matthew, the Christian genius of Autumn, +which should be placed on the 26th of that month, is observed on the +21st. + +Thus we have shown that the anniversaries of the ancient Astral Worship +were all fixed, and from church history we learn that they were so +observed by the Christians until the Council of Nice in the year 325, +when the Bishops assembled at that celebrated convocation, desiring to +have the festival of Easter celebrated on Sunday, which had been made +the Sabbath by the edict of Constantine, in the year 321, ordered that +it should be observed on the Sunday of the full moon, which comes on or +next after the Vernal Equinox. Hence, converting it into a movable +festival, its allied feasts and fast days were also made movable. + + + +PERSONIFICATIONS OF THE DIVISIONS OF TIME. + +In the ancient solar fables the several divisions of time were +personified and made to pay homage to the Triune Deity, supposed to be +enthroned above the firmament. + + +The Hours. + +The genii of the hours were designated as Elders, and we find them +described in the 4th chapter of Revelation as sitting round about the +throne upon four and twenty seats, clothed in white raiment, and crowns +of gold upon their heads. + + +The Days. + +Each day of the year was appropriately personified, and these genii of +the days constitute the saints of the Christian calendar. Of these we +will refer to but one. According to the ancient belief that the sun +stood still for the space of three days at each of the cardinal points, +the 24th of June was made the first of the decreasing days; and +dedicating it to St. John the Baptist, he is made to say in reference +to his opposite, (the genius of the 25th of December, and first of the +increasing days,) "He must increase, but I must decrease." This text, +found in John iii. 30, simply means that the days of the one must +increase in length, while the days of the other must decrease. + + +The Months. + +The fable of the twelve labors having been superseded by others, in +which the genii of the twelve signs of the Zodiac, corresponding to the +months, were designated as angels, and made to minister to God Sol +while making his apparent annual revolution; but, when constituted the +attendants of the incarnate saviours during their imaginary earth life, +they were personified as men and called Disciples. Of these genii of +the months we will refer only to the first and the last. The first +month, dedicated to the genius known in the mythology as Janus, and +from which was derived the name January, was portrayed with two faces, +the one of an old man looking mournfully backward over the old year, +and the other of a young man looking joyfully forward to the new year. +This personification, made the opener of the year, and represented as +holding a pair of cross-keys, was called "The carrier of the keys of +the kingdom of heaven." Hence, the Popes of Rome, claiming apostolic +succession from Peter, the Janus of the Christian twelve, wear +cross-keys as the insignia of their office. Sometimes a crosier, or +shepherd's crook, is substituted for one of the keys, in reference to +his arrogated office of the leader of the sheep! The authority for the +assumption that the Popes are Peter's successors is found in Matthew +xvi. 18, 19; but its fallacy becomes apparent when we bear in mind that +the scriptures are but collections of astronomical allegories, and that +the Peter referred to in the text was not a man, but the mythical +genius of the month of January. + +In reference to the last month, we find that the authors of the ancient +solar fables, ever doubting whether God Sol, after inaugurating Winter +by his supposed retreat from the earth, would return to revivify nature +with his life-giving rays, gave to the genius of the twelfth month the +title of the Doubter. In the Christian calendar this personification is +known as Thomas, and a more specific dedication of the shortest day of +the year having been made to him, the 21st day of December is called +St. Thomas day. + + +The Seasons. + +When the cardinal points were in the constellations Leo, Taurus, +Aquarius and Scorpio, the astrologers, objecting to the signification +of the latter, substituted the constellation in conjunction therewith, +which is known as Aquila (Ak-we-la) or Flying Eagle. In the allegorical +astronomy of that remote period these genii of the seasons were +designated as beasts, and as such we find them referred to in +Revelation iv. 7, which reads as follows: "And the first beast was like +a lion (Leo), and the second beast like a calf (Taurus, the bull calf), +and the third beast had a face as a man, (Aquarius, the waterman) and +the fourth beast was like a flying eagle (Aquila)." In the first chapter +of Ezekiel, the prophet, the genii of the seasons are referred to in +the same manner. + +These genii of the seasons, standing, imaginarily, at the four corners +of the heavens, were called corner-keepers, and making them witnesses +to God Sol in his apparent annual revolution, the founders of the +Astral Worship designated them as Archangels, Evangelists, God-Spellers +or Gospel-Bearers, and claiming inspiration from them, composed four +different histories of the birth and earth-life of the incarnate +saviour, to each of which they attached a name, and called these +records the Gospel story. In its Chaldean version, the names of +Gabriel, Michael, Raphael and Uriel were given them; but while the +first two of these are mentioned in the Christian Gospel story, its +authors gave to the Evangelists the names of Matthew, Mark, Luke and +John. Thus knowing the true signification of the Disciples and +Evangelists, the very pertinent question presents itself: If they are +not the genii of the months and the seasons, why are there just twelve +of the one and four of the other? + +[See plate7.gif] + + +Half Year of Increasing Days. + +In the ancient astrolatry, the half year of increasing days, extending +from the Winter to the Summer Solstice, was personified by the +composite figure representing the constellations of Taurus and +Aquarius, which, constituted of the winged body of a bull and the head +and beard of a man, was called the Cherubim. This personification we +find portrayed upon the Assyrian marbles on exhibition in the British +Museum. + + +Half Year of Decreasing Days. + +The half year of decreasing days, extending from the Summer to the +Winter Solstice, was personified by the figure, which, representing the +constellations of Leo and Aquila, and composed of the winged body and +limbs of a lion, with the head of an eagle, was called the Seraphim. +These last two personifications constituted the Archangels of the +ancient Astral Worship. + + +Last Quarter of the Year. + +The last quarter of the year was personified in the ancient allegories +as a decrepit old man, who, stung by a Scorpion (Scorpio), and fatally +wounded by an arrow from the quiver of an archer (Saggitarius) dies at +the Winter Solstice; and, after lying in the grave for the space of +three days, is brought to life again. Such was the personification +referred to in the Christian Gospel-story as having been raised from +the grave by the mandate, "Come forth, Lazarus." Thus have we shown +that the elders and the saints; the angels, and the Archangels; the +Cherubim and Seraphim; and also poor old Lazarus, are but +personifications of the several divisions of time. + + + +ZODIACAL SYMBOLS OF SOLAR WORSHIP. + +Having shown that the founders of the ancient astrolatry accorded +homage to God Sol as Lord of Evil, under the symbol of the serpent, and +marked the beginning of his reign, as such, by the constellation +"Serpens" placed in conjunction with the Autumnal Equinox; we will now +direct attention to the symbols under which he was worshipped as Lord +of Good, which, corresponding to the form of the constellation in which +occurred the Vernal Equinox, and which was changed to correspond to the +form of the succeeding constellation as that Cardinal point passed into +it, by that process, known in Astronomy, as the precession of the +Equinoxes, its explanation becomes essential to a correct understanding +of our subject. + +After long observation, aided by the telescope, of which they were +undoubtedly the original inventors, the ancient Astrologers discovered +that the Sun, in making his apparent annual revolution, did not return +to the same point in the heavens, but fell behind that of the preceding +year, at the, rate of 50 1/4 seconds of a degree annually. At this rate +of precession, which modern, calculation has confirmed, it requires 71 +2-3 years for the Cardinal points to pass through one degree on the +Ecliptic, and 2150 years through thirty degrees, or one sign of the +Zodiac. The knowledge of this process affording an exact chronology, we +are enabled, not only to determine the origin of these symbols, but to +approximate, very nearly, to the respective dates of their adoption. + + +The Sphinx. + +From the teachings of Astronomy we learn that the Summer Solstice is +now occupying the point between the signs of Taurus and Gemini, from +which we know that that Cardinal point has passed through three whole +signs since it was between the signs of Leo and Virgo, and we have but +to multiply 2,150 by 3 to determine that it has been about 6,450 years +ago. Hence, the tourist to the Nile valley, when viewing, near the base +of old Cheops, the great Egyptian pyramid, a colossal head and bust of +a woman, carved in stone, and learns that it is attached to a body, in +the form of a lion in a crouching attitude 146 feet long, hidden +beneath the shifting sands of the Libyan desert; if possessed of the +knowledge of the precession of the Equinoxes, he will be enabled to +solve the riddle of the Sphinx by recognizing in that grotesque +monument the mid-summer symbol of solar worship, when the Summer +Solstice was between the signs of Leo and Virgo. + + +The Dragon. + +When the Summer Solstice was between the signs of Leo and Virgo, the +Winter Solstice was between those of Aquarius and Pisces, and the +figure composed of the body of a man with the tail of a fish became the +mid-winter symbol of solar worship. Such was the form of this symbol to +which the ancient Phoenicians paid homage to the Lord under the name of +Dagon. + + +The Bull. + +At the same time the Summer Solstice entered the sign of Leo, the +Vernal Equinox entered that of Taurus, and the bull becoming the spring +symbol of solar worship--the Lord was designated in the ancient +allegories as the bull of God which taketh away the sin of the world; +which, shorn of its allegorical sense, signifies the sun in Taurus, or +sun of spring, which taketh away the evil of Winter. Such is the +purport of hieroglyphical inscriptions upon papyrus rolls found in +Egypt, and engraved upon obelisks erected in the Nile valley, one of +which has been recently brought to the City of New York and set up in +Central Park. In the East Indies this symbol was represented by the +figure of a bull with the solar disk between his horns; and the +Egyptians, who were of Hindoo origin, perpetuating it in their "Apis," +it was reproduced in the golden calf of the ancient Israelites. The +Assyrians represented this symbol by the figure of a winged bull with +the face and beard of a man; the Phoenicians, in their "Baal," by the +figure of a man with a bull's head and horns; and the small silver +bull's heads with golden horns, recently discovered by Dr. Schliemann +in the ruins of Mycenae, were jewels worn by the women of that ancient +city, when the Vernal Equinox was in the sign of Taurus. + + +The Ram. + +By deducting 2,150 years from 6,450, we determine that about 4,300 +years; ago the Vernal Equinox entered the sign of Aries, and the spring +symbol of solar worship, changing from the bull to the ram, was +represented by ram-headed figures, two of which, found in Egypt, are on +exhibition in the British Museum. Then the text which read the bull of +God, was changed to the Ram of God which taketh away the sins of the +world. + + +The Lamb. + +Ultimately attaching a meek and lowly disposition to the imaginary +incarnations of the mythical genius of the sun, the symbol of the ram +was changed to that of the lamb, and the text in the allegories, which +read the Ram of God, was changed to read "The Lamb of God which taketh +away the sin of the World," John i, 29. The explanation we have given +relative to the Zodiacal Symbols of solar worship makes the assurance +doubly sure that the originals of the New Testament were composed when +the Vernal Equinox was in the sign of Aries, as will be shown +hereafter. Having adopted the symbol of the lamb, it was represented by +several forms of what is known as Agnus Dei, or Lamb of God, one of +which was in the form of a bleeding lamb with a vase attached into +which blood is flowing, which originated in reference to the shedding +of blood as a vicarious atonement for sin. But the most comprehensive +form of this symbol in its astronomical signification, was represented +by the figure of a lamb in a standing attitude, supporting the circle +of the Zodiac, divided into quarters to denote the seasons. At each of +the cardinal points there was a small cross, and the lamb held in its +uplifted fore-foot a larger cross, the long arm of which was made to +cut the celestial equator at the angle of 23 1/2 degrees, the true +angle of obliquity of the Ecliptic. This symbol is still retained in +the Catholic Church. + +[See plate8.gif] + + +The Fish. + +By deducting 2,150 years from 4,300 we determine that about 2,150 years +ago the Vernal Equinox entered the sign of Pisces; and although the +original version of the New Testament was founded upon the symbol of +the lamb, it is a historical fact that for centuries after the +beginning of our era, the Christians paid homage to the Lord under the +symbol of the fish; but ultimately going into desuetude, the lamb was +retained as the distinguishing symbol of the Christian religion until +the year 680, at which date another was substituted, as will be shown +under our next heading. + + + +SIGNS OP THE CROSS. + +Among the numerous symbols of solar worship, besides those we have +already referred to, there are three to which we will direct attention. +Two of these were of astronomical signification: the one adopted when +the Spring Equinox was in the sign of Taurus and shaped like the letter +T, was the model after which the ancient temples were built; and the +other, shaped like the letter X, in reference to the angle of 23 1/2 +degrees made by the crossing of the Ecliptic and the Celestial equator, +is known as St. Andrew's Cross. The third, and most important of all +the symbols of solar worship, in its relation to the Christian +religion, which, having no astronomical signification, originated in +Egypt, in reference to the annual inundation of the river Nile. To mark +the height to which the water should rise to secure an abundant +harvest, posts were planted upon its banks to which cross beams were +attached thus +. If the water should rise to the designated height, it +was called "the waters of life," or "river of life;" and, ultimately, +this form of the cross was adopted as the symbol of the life to come, +or eternal life; and the ancient astrologers had it engraved upon +stone, encircled with a hieroglyphical inscription to that effect, one +of which was discovered in the ruins of the temple erected at +Alexandria, and dedicated to "our Lord and Saviour Serapis." + +But, if the water failed to rise to the required height, and the +horrors of starvation becoming the inevitable result, it was the custom +of the people to nail to these crosses symbolical personifications of +the Demon of Famine. To indicate the sterility of the domain over which +he reigned, he was represented by the figure of a lean and haggard man, +with a crown of thorns upon his head; a reed cut from the river's bank +was placed in his hands, as his unreal sceptre; and, considering the +inhabitants of Judea as the most slavish and mean-spirited race in +their knowledge, they placarded this figure with the inscription: "This +is the King of the Jews." Thus, to the ancient Egyptians, this sign of +the cross was blessed or accursed as it was represented with, or +without, this figure suspended upon it. + +When the Roman, or modern, form of Christianity was instituted, the +hieroglyphical inscription signifying the life to come or eternal life +was substituted by a placard nailed to the cross with the letters I. N. +R. I. inscribed upon it, which are the initials of the Latin words +conveying the same meaning. But if we would learn how the figure of a +man came to be suspended upon this form of the cross, we must refer to +Mediaeval History, which teaches that in the year 680, under the +Pontificate of Agathon, and during the reign of Constantine Pogonat, at +the sixth council of the church, and third at Constantinople, it was +ordered in Canon 82 that "Instead of a lamb, the figure of a man nailed +to a cross should be the distinguishing symbol of the Christian +religion." Now, as this figure is represented by that of a lean and +haggard man, with a crown of thorns upon his head, does it not look as +if the old Egyptian Demon of Famine was the model after which it was +constructed? + + + +FUTURE REWARDS AND PUNISHMENTS. + +In the ancient Astrolatry, two different systems of future rewards and +punishments were inculcated; the Oriental or East Indian, and the +Occidental or Egyptian; the former, ignoring the resurrection of the +body, taught but one judgment immediately after death, and the latter +inculcated an individual judgment immediately after death, the +resurrection of the body, and a general judgment at the end of the +world, or conclusion of the 12,000 year cycle. + + +The Oriental System. + +Considering perfect happiness to consist in absolute rest, the Oriental +astrologers conceived a state of eternal and unconscious repose, +equivalent to soul absorption, to which they gave the name of Nirvana, +into which they taught that, by the awards of the gods, the souls of +the righteous, or those who had lived what they called "the +contemplative life," would be permitted to enter immediately after +death. But, for the souls of sinners, they invented a system of +expiatory punishments which, known as the Metempsychosis, or +transmigration of souls, taught that they would be compelled to +successively animate the bodies of beasts, birds, fishes, etc., for a +thousand years before being permitted to enter the Nirvana. + + +The Occidental System. + +In concocting the doctrine of the first judgment the Egyptian +astrologers, ignoring the Nirvana, inculcated the future sentient +existence of the soul; and, while retaining the Metempsychotial +expiations of the Oriental system, taught that its rewards, and +principal punishments, would be enjoyed or suffered in the under or +nether world, the existence of which they had conceived in constructing +their system of nature. This imaginary region, known to the Egyptians +as the Amenti, to the Greeks as Hades, and to the Hebrews as Sheol, was +divided by an impassable gulf into the two states of happiness and +misery which were designated in the Grecian mythology as the Elysium, +or Elysian Fields, and the Tartarus. In the lower part of the latter +was located the Phlegethon, or lake of fire and brimstone, the smoke +from which ascended into an upper apartment. + +In this system it was taught that the souls of the two extremes of +society, constituted of the righteous and the great sinners, would be +consigned immediately after the first judgment, the one to the Elysium, +and the other to the Phlegethon, where they were to remain until the +second or general judgment; while the souls of less venial sinners, +constituting the greater mass of mankind, before being permitted to +enter the Elysium would be compelled to suffer the expiatory +punishments of the Metempsychosis, or in the upper region, or "smoky +row" of the Tartarus. Such was the Egyptian purgatory, and its denizens +constituted "the spirits in prison" referred to in I. Peter iii. 19, +from which the astrologers claimed to have the power to release, +provided their surviving friends paid liberally for their propitiatory +offices; and, from this assumption, the clergy of the Catholic church +derived the idea of saying masses for the repose of the soul. These +doctrines were carried by Pythagoras from Egypt to Greece about 550 +years before the beginning of our era; and passing from thence to Rome, +the Greek and Latin poets vied with each other in portraying Hades and +the joys and terrors of its two states. + + +The Second or General Judgment. + +The Egyptian Astrologers, recognizing the soul as a material entity, +and conceiving the idea that in the future life it would require a +material organization for its perfect action, taught that at the +general judgment it would be re-united to its resurrected body. In +conformity to this belief, Job is made to say in chapter xix. 25, 26, +"I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter +day upon the earth; and though worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh +shall I see God." The higher class Egyptians, however, fearing that +their existence would continue to be of the same shadowy and intangible +character after the second judgment, as they believed it would be in +the Amenti, if worms were allowed to destroy their bodies, hoped to +preserve them until that time by the process of embalming. + +The imaginary events to occur in connection with the second judgment, +which, constituting the finale of the plan of redemption, and +inculcated in what are known as the doctrines of Second Adventism, were +to be inaugurated by an archangel sounding a trumpet summoning the +quick and the dead to appear before the bar of the gods to receive +their final awards. At the second judgment, designated in the +allegories as "the last day," "day of judgment," "great and terrible +day of the Lord," etc., it was taught that the tenth and last saviour +would make his second advent by descending upon the clouds, and after +the final awards, the elect being caught up "to meet the Lord in the +air" (I. Thes. iv. 17), the heaven and the earth would be reduced to +chaos through the agency of fire. In reference to that grand +catastrophe we find it recorded in II. Peter iii. 10, that "the heavens +shall pass away with a great noise and the elements shall melt with +fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be +burned up." + +After the organization of a new heaven and a new earth it was taught +that upon the latter would descend a beautiful city, with pearly gates +and golden streets, called the City of God, the Kingdom of God, the +Kingdom of Heaven or New Jerusalem, in which the host of the redeemed +would, with their Lord and Saviour, enjoy the Millennium, or thousand +years of happiness unalloyed with evil; and such was the Kingdom for +the speedy coming of which the votaries of Astral worship were taught +to pray in what is known as the Lord's Prayer. + +According to the teachings of the Allegories, there were to be no sun, +moon or stars during the Millennium, their authors having arranged it +so that the light of those luminaries would not be needed, as we find +recorded in Rev. xxi. 23, and xxii. 5: "The city had no need of the +sun, neither of the moon to shine in it; for the glory of God did +lighten it," and "there shall be no night there; and they need no +candle, neither the light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them +light." It must be remembered, when reading the fanciful ideas relative +to the City of God, that they were composed by men who, living in a +very ignorant age, gave free rein to fervid imaginations. + + + +JEWISH OR ANCIENT CHRISTIANITY. + +It is our purpose to present the evidences showing that a system of +Astral worship, which we designate as Jewish Christianity, was in +existence more than two centuries and a half before the institution of +its modern form. In verification of this assertion we must find the +initial point of our inquiry in ancient history, which teaches that in +the division of the Grecian Empire among his generals, after the death +of Alexander the Great, who died 332 years before the beginning of our +era, the governorship of Egypt and adjacent provinces was secured by +Ptolemy Lagus, or Soter, who, having subsequently suppressed a revolt +in Judea, removed from that country a large body of its inhabitants to +people the new city of Alexandria, which had been laid out by order of +and named after the great Conqueror. + +The Egyptian version of the Gospel story, being more appropriate to the +Nile Valley than to the region from whence they came, the Greek +colonists of Alexandria adopted it, but preferring to pay homage to +Serapis, one of the ninth incarnations of God Sol, which they imported +from Pontus, a Greek province of Asia Minor, they erected to his +worship that celebrated temple known as the Grand Serapium; and, +transferring the culture and refinement of Greece to the new city, it +became, under the Ptolemian dynasty, a great seat of learning; the arts +and sciences flourished, an immense library was collected, the various +forms of Astral worship were represented and schools for the +dissemination of the several phases of Grecian philosophy and Oriental +Gnosticism were founded. + +Such being the environment of the Jewish residents of Alexandria, they +soon acquired the vernacular and adopted the religion of the Greeks, +who, having ever attached to their incarnate saviours the title +signifying the Christ, or the anointed, were known as Christians. +Encouraged by the liberal policy of Philadelphus, the second Ptolemy, a +body of their learned men, who had been educated in the Greek schools, +founded a college for the education of their own people, which +institution was ultimately known as the University of Alexandria. Under +the auspices of Philadelphus the professors of that institution +rendered their Hebrew sacred records into the Greek language, which +translation is known as the Septuagint, or Alexandrian version of the +Old Testament. + +Having acquired from the Egyptian astrologers the arts of healing, +thaumaturgy and necromancy, and teaching them in their school, the +professors of the Jewish college of Alexandria assumed the title of +Essenes, or Therapeutae, the Egyptian and Greek words signifying +Doctors, Healers or Wonder Workers. Possessed of the sad and gloomy +characteristics of their race, they adopted the "Contemplative Life," +or asceticism of the Oriental Gnosticism, from which they derived the +name of Ascetics. Founding a church for the propagation of their +peculiar tenets, those who were set apart for the ministry assumed the +title of Ecclesiastics. Inculcating rigid temperance and self-denial +among their people, they were known as Enchratites, Nazarites or +Abstainers; and the more devout among them retiring to monasteries, or +to the solitude of caves and other secluded places, were also +designated as Monks, Cenobites, Friars, Eremites, Hermits or +Solitaries. + +The time having arrived, according to the cyclic teachings of Astral +worship, for the manifestation of the tenth and last incarnation of God +Sol, or, in other words, to, give a new name to the mythical genius of +the sun, the professors of the Jewish school of Alexandria is resolved +to inaugurate their own form of worship. While retaining the same title +under which they had paid homage to Serapis and known as Christians, +Essenes or Therapeutae, they substituted for their Christ the name of +the Grecian Bacchus, which, composed of the letters {Greek: +IOTA,ETA,SIGMA}, signifies Yes, Ies or Jes. In composing their version +of the Gospel story, having, like their race, no inventive genius, they +appropriated that of Serapis as its basis and laid its scene in the +land of their ancestry, but inconsistently retained the sign of the +cross and the phraseology connected there with, which, having special +reference to the Nile River and its annual inundation, had no +application whatever to the sterile land of Judea. Selecting what they +conceived to be the best from other versions of the Gospel story, and +assuming the title of Eclectics, they designated their system as the +Eclectic Philosophy. In proof of the eclectic character of the Gospel +and Epistles of ancient Christianity, we refer to the Asceticism +inculcated therein, which, derived from the Oriental Gnosticism, we +find perpetuated in the scriptures of modern Christianity; we also +refer to the miracle of converting water into wine, taken from the +Gospel story of Bacchus, and to the statements that the Saviour was the +son of a carpenter and was hung between two thieves, copied from the +story of Christna, the Eighth, Avatar of the East Indian astrolatry. +Thus we see that, although the scene of the Gospel story of ancient +Christianity was laid in the land of Judea, its authors having adopted +a Greek version of that story as its basis, given a Greek title and +name to their Messiah, perpetuated a Greek name for their sect and +quoted exclusively from the Septuagint, or Greek version of the Old +Testament, the facts show conclusively that it was not Jews of Judea, +but Hellenized Jews of Alexandria, who were the real authors of the +ancient Christianity. + + + +THE PROPHECIES. + +The clergy having ever claimed that the prophecies are Divine +revelations of events yet to occur, and having incessantly agitated +society by preaching their speedy fulfillment, we propose to expose the +fallacy of their teachings by showing that these scriptures are not the +records of future events, Divinely reavealed, but that they originated +with the founders of Astral worship, who predicated them upon +predetermined events of their own concoction, relative to the general +judgment, and setting up of the kingdom of heaven, which were to occur +as the finale of the plan of redemption and from which were derived the +doctrines of second adventism; and, in determining the exact time when +then were to occur, we have but to prove that it was coincident with +the conclusion of the last half of the grand cycle of 12,000 years, +which, as we have shown, was dedicated to man as the duration of his +race on earth. + +As evidence that the founders of the Jewish or ancient Christianity +believed, like the votaries of other forms of Astral worship, that the +prophecies were soon to be fulfilled, we find that the New Testament, +of the original version of which they were the authors, is replete with +such texts as "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand," Matt. iv. +17; "There be some standing here which shall not taste death till they +see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom," Matt. xxi. 28; "The time is +fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand," Mark i. 15. That the +original version of the New Testament was composed when the Vernal +Equinox was in the sign of Aries we are assured by reason of the fact +that it inculcates homage to the Lord under the symbol of the Lamb; and +that it was during the last, or 30th degree of that sign, can readily +be proven by appealing to history and to astronomy, the former of which +teaches that the Jews were removed from Judea to Alexandria twenty-five +years before the accession to the throne of Philadelphus, the Second +Ptolemy, to whom we have referred in our preceding article, and who, +after reigning thirty-nine years, died 246 years before the beginning +of our era. By reference to the Celestial atlas we will find that the +Vernal Equinox will pass out of the sign of Pisces into that of +Aquarius, or in the year 1900, and we have but to deduct that period of +time from 2150, the number of years required for the cardinal points to +pass through one whole sign, to determine that the Spring Equinox +passed out of the sign of Aries into that of Pisces 250 years before +the beginning of our era, or about 2,100 years ago. Now, from the +projections of the astrological science, we are assured that the last +half of the grand cycle of 12,000 years, which was allotted to man as +the duration of his race on earth, was made to begin at a time +corresponding to the Autumnal Equinox, when that cardinal point was +passing out of the sign of Virgo, and that of necessity it had to come +to an end at a time corresponding to the Vernal Equinox, when that +cardinal point was passing out of the sign of Aries; from which we know +why, at the last judgment, the office of trumpeter was assigned to the +Archangel Gabriel, the genius of Spring, and why it was a ram's horn +with which he was to "toot the crack o' doom" + +When the time arrived for the fulfillment of the prophecies we can well +imagine that, fearing the wrath of the Lamb, there were weeping, +wailing and gnashing of teeth among the terror-stricken sinners, while +those who believed they had made their calling and election sure were +looking with feverish expectancy for the second advent of their Lord +and Saviour; and, doubtless, clothed with their ascension robes, they +watched and waited, with ears alert, to hear the sound of Gabriel's +trumpet, summoning the quick, and the dead to the general judgment. But +not a blast from the archangel's ram's horn was heard reverberating +along the skies, no Lord appeared descending upon the clouds to meet +the elect in the air, and, in the last act of the fearful drama of +"judgment day," the curtain refused to be rung down upon a burning +world. + +With the non-fulfillment of the prophecies, the more enlightened +elements of society began to scoff at the priests, who were temporarily +demoralized, but true to their deceptive instincts, soon rallying with +the plea of a mistake having been made in the calculations based upon +the prophecies, they undoubtedly concocted scripture to meet that very +emergency, for, to the taunts of the scoffers who, in reference to the +second advent of the Lord, enquired "Where is the sign of His coming? +for, since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were +from the beginning of creation," they answered that "The Lord is not +slack concerning His promise," but "as a thief in the night" he would +soon come and all things be fulfilled. See II. Peter, chapter iii. + +Following up the history of this interesting subject, we find that the +founders of modern Christianity, to which we will refer in our next +article, in composing their version of the New Testament from that of +the Jewish, or ancient Christians, made no change in its verbiage +relative to the prophecies; but when Constantine I., Emperor of Rome, +became the patron of the church, her hierarchy, tired of figuring upon +them, secured a long respite from that troublesome subject by claiming +to have made other calculations, which put off the time of fulfillment +to the year 1000; and from history we learn when the time arrived the +whole of Christendom was fearfully agitated upon the subject: Since +then every generation has been vexed with the fallacies of second +adventism; and the facts of the case justify the charge that the +clergy, by teaching that the prophecies refer to events yet to occur, +are perpetuating a most stupendous fraud upon Christendom, and an +earnest and efficient protest should be inaugurated against the further +agitation of the monstrous delusion of second adventism, which is +frightening thousands of weak-minded people into insanity and causing a +vast amount of social distress. + + + +ROMAN OR MODERN CHRISTIANITY. + +Having presented the evidences that the Jewish, or ancient +Christianity, originated at the University of Alexandria, under Greek +rule, we now propose to show that its modern form emanated from the +same source, under Roman rule; but, before entering upon this +investigation, it is important to become conversant with the sentiments +manifested towards religion by the cultured element of Roman society in +that enlightened era, which, designated as the golden age of +literature, was adorned by such distinguished orators, philosophers, +historians, poets and naturalists as Cicero, Tacitus, Pliny, Horace and +Virgil. In reference to this subject, Gibbon, in his history of The +Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, vol. I., chapter 2, says: "The +various modes of worship which prevailed in the Roman world were all +considered by the people as equally true, by the philosophers as +equally false and by the magistrate as equally useful. Both the +interests of the priests and the credulity of the people were +sufficiently respected. In their writings and conversation the +philosophers of antiquity asserted the independent dignity of reason, +but they resigned their actions to the commands of law and custom. +Viewing with a smile of pity and indulgence the various errors of the +vulgar, they diligently practiced the ceremonies of their fathers, +devoutly frequented the temples of the gods, and sometimes +condescending to act a part on the theatre of superstition, they +concealed the sentiments of an atheist under the sacerdotal robe. +Reasoners of such a temper were scarcely inclined to wrangle about +their respective modes of faith or of worship. It was indifferent to +them what shape the folly of the multitude might choose to assume, and +they approached with the same inward contempt and the same external +reverence to the altars of the Lybian, the Olympian or the Capitoline +Jupiter." Upon the same subject Mosheim, in his church history, Book +I., chapter 1, says that "The wiser part of mankind, about the time of +Christ's birth, looked upon the whole system of religion as a just +object of contempt and ridicule." + +In determining why such adverse sentiments were entertained towards +religion by "the wiser part of mankind," about the time referred to in +the foregoing quotations, it will be found to have been owing to the +extensive spread of the Esoteric philosophy, which taught, as +previously stated, that the gods were mythical and the scriptures +allegorical. While attainable only through initiation, it was +necessarily confined to a limited number, but, ultimately getting +beyond the control of the priests and vast numbers acquiring the +knowledge of its secrets without initiation, it became evident that it +was but a question of time when there would be no respectable element +left to sustain religion. At this juncture our attention is directed to +the University of Alexandria, which, at that time, was in a flourishing +condition. Having ceased to be an exclusively Jewish school, students +from all parts of the Roman Empire, without regard to nationality, were +attending it, and its professors were drawn from the ranks of both +Jewish and Gentile scholars. Realizing the hopelessness of reviving the +ancient faith among the enlightened clement of society, and the +impossibility of proselyting them to a new form of superstition, these +professors resolved to institute a system of worship exclusively for +the Jews and the lower and neglected classes of Gentiles, including the +slaves and criminals. To that end they rewrote the scriptures of the +Jewish or ancient Christianity, which had been preserved among the +secret archives of the University. Retaining their teachings relative +to the finale of the plan of redemption, and its monasticism; also the +land of Judea as the scene of its version of the Gospel story, and the +name of its saviour, to which they added the Latin terminal "us," thus +making it Iesus or Jesus, they perpetuated the Greek name of +Bacchus--the same that was ultimately perverted into the monogram +which, consisting of the Roman letters I. H. S., is found in all +Catholic churches, and in some Protestant ones, is falsely supposed to +stand for Jesus Hominum Salvator, or Jesus, Saviour of Men. Conforming +their version of the Gospel story to the lowly condition of its +expected votaries, they attached to the saviour the characteristics of +poverty, and made it teach that he was born in a manger, that his +disciples were but humble fishermen and that the poor would be the only +elect in the kingdom of heaven. Dropping the name of Essenes or +Therapeutae, and retaining that of Christian, they incorporated a +thread of real history corresponding to the reign of Augustus, and +arbitrarily made the Christian era begin at that time. Having thus +completed their scheme, they prudently destroyed the original from +which they compiled their scriptures, and sending out missionaries to +all parts of the Empire commissioned them to preach salvation only to +the Gentile rabblement and to the Jews. + +That the sacred records of the ancient Essenes or Therapeutae +constituted the basis of the scriptures of modern Christianity we have +the authority of Eusebius, the church historian of the fourth century, +from whom we learn nearly all that is reliable of its history during +the first three centuries. In his Ecclesiastical History, Book II. +chapter 17, he makes the important admission that "Those ancient +Therapeutae were Christians, and that their writtings are our Gospels +and Epistles." As further evidence that modern Christianity is but a +survival of the Eclectic philosophy of the ancient Therapeutae, we have +another important admission by the same historian, who, in quoting from +an apology addressed to the Roman Emperor, Marcus Antoninus, in the +year 171, by Melito, Bishop of Sardis, in Lydia, a province of Asia +Minor, makes that apologist say, in reference to certain grievances to +which the Christians were subjected, that "the philosophy which we +profess truly flourished aforetime among the barbarous nations; but +having blossomed again in the great reign of thy ancestor, Augustus, it +proved to be, above all things, ominous of good fortune to thy +kingdom." Thus we have indubitable evidence that it was the Eclectic +philosophy of the Jewish, or ancient Christianity, which "blossomed +again," in its modern form, during the reign of Augustus. + +From the testimony of Philo, as referred to by Eusebius, and from the +writings of Josephus, the Jewish historian, we learn that, at the +beginning of our era, the descendants of the ancient Essenes were still +observing the practices and customs of monasticism. But as Josephus +refers to them only as descendants of the ancient Essenes, and makes no +mention of Christ or Christians--except in one paragraph which has been +conceded by the best authorities to be an interpolation it is evident +that, at that time, they had no connection with the University of +Alexandria, and nothing whatever to do with the institution of modern +Christianity. It is also apparent that the Jews of Judea had no hand in +its organization, for, if they had instituted it, they would not have +attached to the Messiah the Greek title signifying the Christ, but, +writing their version of the Gospel story in their own dialect, would +have used the Hebrew word signifying the Shiloh (see Gen. xlix. 10); +and furthermore, having conceived the idea that he would manifest +himself as a great temporal prince, who would re-establish the throne +of David, and deliver them from the oppression of foreign rulers, they +would not have attached to him the humble characteristics of the Christ +of the new Testament. Again, if they had been the authors of modern +Christianity, it would have been a most surprising inconsistency for +them to turn right about and reject its conceptions of a savior, +especially when that rejection resulted in the dire persecutions to +which their race has ever been subjected by the Christians. But the +Gentile riffraff, attracted by the gracious promises of enjoying in the +world to come the felicities denied them in this, eagerly attached +themselves to the new sect, which rapidly increased in numbers, and its +votaries, glorying in the opprobrious epithet of Ebionites, or needy +ones, made themselves so obnoxious by their aggression and turbulent +dispositions that, barely tolerated by the Government and condemned by +the cultured adherents to the established religion, many of them, +courting the crown of martyrdom, suffered death at the hands of the +civil authorities; and thus was engendered that spirit of hatred +against their fancied oppressors which only awaited the opportunity to +manifest itself in deeds of rapine and-bloodshed. + +The fanacticism which prevailed among the earlier Christians was the +direct result of their dense ignorance, and to this sole cause we may +ascribe all the trouble which the Roman Government had with them, and +to become convinced of this fact we have but to study church history. +In reference to this subject Mosheim, in his Ecclesiastical History; +Vol. 4, part 2, chap. 1, says: "It is certain that the greatest part +both of the bishops and presbyters were men entirely destitute of +learning and education. Besides, that savage and illiterate party, who +looked upon all sorts of erudition, particularly that of a +philosophical kind, as pernicious, and even destructive of true piety +and religion, increased both in number and authority. The ascetics, +monks and hermits augmented the strength of this barbarous faction, and +not only the women, but also all who took solemn looks, sordid +garments, and a love of solitude, for real piety, were vehemently +prepossessed in their favor." In almost any history of England we will +find it recorded that, even in the ninth century, King Alfred lamented +that there was at that time not a priest in his dominions who +understood Latin; and even for some centuries after the bishops and +prelates of the whole Christian community were marksmen, i. e., they +supplied by the sign of the cross the inability to write their own +names. If the bishops and priests were so supremely ignorant what can +he said in reference to the literary attainments of the laity? + +The Christians were alternately persecuted and tolerated by the Roman +Emperors until the first quarter of the fourth century, when certain +events occurred through which the Church of Rome became the recipient +of Imperial Patronage. Constantine I., called the Great, having made +himself sole Emperor by destroying all other claimants to the throne, +applied to Sopater, one of the priests of the established religion, for +absolution, and was informed that his crimes were of such an atrocious +character that there was no absolution for him. Believing that the +Phlegethon, or lake of fire and brimstone, awaited him in the future +life, unless he could obtain absolution, he became very much distressed +when one of his courtiers, learning the cause and referring him to the +Church of Rome, he at once applied to her Bishop, Silvester, who, +readily granting the desired absolution, he added another victim to his +butcher bill by ordering the death of the honest priest who had refused +to grant him absolution. The Christian sect having become a powerful +and dangerous faction, Constantine conceived the idea of strengthening +his usurped and precarious position by attaching it to his interest, +and to that end he professed himself a convert to its tenets, and, +taking the Church of Rome under his especial patronage, elevated her +Bishop to the rank of a prince of the Empire and gave him one of his +palaces for a residence. + +The Christian hierarchy, knowing that it would be a potent means of +confirming the faith of the laity in the Gospel story as a literal +history to have a tomb of the Saviour to which pilgrimages could be +made, and appealing to Constantine to provide one, he sent his mother, +Helena, to Judea to find the place and, of course, discovering what she +went to look for, he had erected, under her supervision, over the +designated spot, that splendid edifice which, known as the church of +the Holy Sepulchre, remains to this day. Helena, good at finding lost +things, also claimed to have discovered the veritable cross upon which +the Saviour had been crucified; and her son, worthy of such a mother, +claimed, as recorded by Eusebius, that he had seen with his own eyes +the trophy of a cross of light in the heavens, above the sun, bearing +the inscription: "In Hoc Signo Vinces," signifying "Under this sign, +conquer." Those were times of remarkable and supernatural occurrences. + +At the time Constantine became the patron of Christianity the bishops +and presbyters of the several churches, seemingly ignorant of the +teachings of the Esoteric philosophy relative to the origin of the +Trinity, were divided into two factions in discussing the relation +between the Father and the Son. One party, headed by Athanasius, a +presbyter of Alexandria, and afterwards bishop of that see, advocated +the ancient belief that the three persons in the godhead of Father, Son +and Holy Ghost is but one God, that Christ is consubstantial or +co-eternal with the Father, and that he became man to perform his +mission of redemption. Such, in brief, is what is known as the +Athanasian or Trinitarian Creed. The other party, headed, by Arius, +another presbyter of Alexandria, advocated the belief in one God alone +and that Christ, having no existence until begotten of the Father, is +not consubstantial or co-eternal with him. Such, in substance, +constitutes what is known to the Trinitarian or Orthodox Christians as +the Arian or Unitarian heresy. Could stronger evidence be adduced that +this controversy was the result of ignorantly making a distinction +where there is no difference, for whether Trinitarian or Unitarian the +mythical genius of the sun is the God to whom they all paid supreme +adoration, although the Christians of to-day would deny it most +emphatically. + +The faction, advocating the Trinitarian creed having converted the +Emperor to their belief, and influencing him to enforce it as a +fundamental doctrine of the Christian theology, he, in the year 325, +summoned, at his own expense, a general council of bishops and priests +to meet at Nice, in Bithynia, a province of Asia Minor. When they had +assembled he appeared among them, clad in gorgeous attire, with a +jewel-studded diadem upon his royal brow, and, seated upon a gilded +chair, presided over their deliberations. A minority of them, holding +"most contumaciously" to the Arian heresy, and refusing to change their +views at the bidding of the Emperor, he banished them from their +respective bishoprics, while the majority adopted the Trinitarian +creed, and appealing to Constantine to suppress the writings of Arius +he issued an edict for that purpose, which we present as follows: +"Moreover we thought that if there can be found extant any work or book +compiled by Arius the same should be burned to ashes, so that not only +his damnable doctrine may thereby be wholly rooted out, but also that +no relic thereof may remain unto posterity. This we also straightway +command and charge, that if any man be found to hide or conceal any +book made by Arius, and not immediately bring forth such book, and +deliver it up to be burned, that the said offender for so doing shall +die the death. For as soon as he is taken our pleasure is that his head +shall be stricken off from his shoulders." Rather a blood-thirsty, +edict to be issued by the "puissant, the mighty and noble Emperor," and +a very inconsistent one, considering that he soon afterwards readopted +the Unitarian faith and restored the banished bishops to their +respective sees; but, regardless of his action, the Church of Rome +sustained the Trinitarian creed and enforced the dogma of the supreme +divinity of Christ. + +Thus we see that the history of Christianity, in the first half of the +fourth century, cannot be written without incorporating considerable +from the life of Constantine, whose ensanguined record before his +pretended conversion marks him as the most brutal tyrant that ever +disgraced the imperial purple; but the appalling crimes he perpetrated +afterwards, among which were the scalding his inoffending wife to death +in a bath of boiling water, and the murdering, without cause, of six +members of his family, one of which was his own son, justify what a +learned writer said of him, that "The most unfortunate event that ever +befell the human race was the adoption of Christianity by the +crimson-handed cut-throat in the possession of unlimited power," and +yet Constantine was canonized by the Eastern church. + +During the first three centuries, when Christianity was but a weak +sect, her bishops addressed numerous apologies to the Roman Emperors, +in which they claimed tolerance from the government on the ground that +their form of worship was virtually the same as the established +religion. But after Constantine's pretended conversion its hierarchy +began to labor for the recognition of Christianity as the state +religion, and to give to their demand some show of consistency they +insisted that their scriptures were really historical, and that there +was no resemblance whatever between the two forms of worship; while +theirs was of Divine authenticity the Pagans was purely a human +institution. + +For centuries after the convocation of the council of Nice the peace +and harmony of the several churches were disturbed by the rancorous +discussion of the same old questions of Trintarianism and Unitarianism, +the Western church adhering to the former while a majority of the +Eastern congregations maintained their faith in the latter; but +ultimately the Trinitarian party, gaining the ascendency, and +persecuting the adherents of the Unitarian faith, the greater part of +them retired into northern Arabia where they founded numerous +monasteries; and from history we learn that, having impressed their +Unitarian faith upon the populace of that country, it was ultimately +incorporated into the Koran, the sacred book of Mohammedanism; and, +while becoming votaries of that form of worship, still retained the +belief that Christ was but one of the prophets. + +The cultured adherents to the established form of worship, becoming +alarmed at the growing power and influence of the Christians and at the +prospect of such an ignorant and vicious rabble obtaining control of +the government, regardless of their pledge to keep the Gnosis secret, +publicly announced that the Gods were mythical and the scriptures +allegorical, and engaged in a heated controversy with the Christians +upon the subjects. The character of their discussions is well, although +supposititiously, expressed by Gerald Massey, in his work entitled, +"The Historical Jesus and the Mythical Christ;" page 179, American +edition, where he makes the Gnostics say to the Christians, "You poor +ignorant idiots; you have mistaken the mysteries of old for modern +history, and accepted literally all that was only meant mystically." To +which the Christians responded, "You spawn of Satan, you are making the +mystery by converting our accomplished facts into your miserable +fables; you are dissipating and dispersing into thin air our only bit +of solid foothold in the world, stained with the red drops of Calvary. +You are giving a satanic interpretation of the word of revelation and +falsifying the oracles of God. You are converting the solid facts of +our history into your newfangled allegories;" to which the Gnostics +replied, "Nay, it is you who have taken the allegories of Mythology for +historical facts." + +But it was impossible to stem the rising tide; the lessons which the +priesthood had taught the ignorant masses had been too well learned. +They were sure that their scriptures were historical; that Jesus Christ +was truly the incarnate saviour who had died and rose again for the +salvation of the elect, and that being the elect it would be +pre-eminently just and proper that the old Pagan form of worship should +be abrogated and theirs recognized as the state religion. Thus the +conflict raged until the year 381, when, under the reign of the Emperor +Theodosius the Great, this demand having been formally made, and the +Senate, fearing the tumult a refusal would excite, with a show of fair +dealing ordered the presentation, before that body, of the respective +merits of the two forms of worship. In that memorable discussion, which +lasted a whole week, Symmachus, a senator, advocated the old system, +and Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, the new, which resulting, as a foregone +conclusion, in the triumph of Christianity, a decree to that effect was +promulgated. + +Then the long deferred opportunity having arrived, the vengeful +bishops, hounding on a no less vengeful laity, ruthlessly murdered the +priests of the old religion, and, appropriating its emoluments to their +own use, they seized upon its temples, and demolishing some, converted +others into churches. With iconoclastic hands they destroyed some of +the statues representing the ancient divinities, or after mutilation +exposed others in public places to the derision of the populace. +Subjecting the adherents to the older form of worship, whom they +designated as infidels, to the most diabolical indignities and +persecutions, they destroyed their works of art, burned their +libraries, suppressed their schools of learning, and either killed or +exiled their professors. Among the atrocious acts perpetrated by these +fiends in human shape none was more barbarous than the one committed in +Alexandria, in the year 415, when Hypatia, the beautiful and +accomplished daughter of Theon, who had succeeded her father as +professor of mathematics and philosophy in the Alexandrian University, +while on her way to deliver a lecture, was, by order of Bishop Cyril, +dragged from her chariot and murdered in a most revolting manner. + +One of the successors of Theodosius justified himself in decreeing the +spoliation of the old religion upon the grounds that "It was unbecoming +a Christian government to supply the infidels with the means of +persevering in their errors." Another one of the Emperors, more zealous +than his predecessors, decreed the death penalty against all persons +discovered practicing any of the rites and ceremonies of the old +religion. Thus the onslaught of Christian savagery obliterated the +civilization of Greece and Rome, and inaugurated that long reign of +intellectual night known as the Dark Ages, which, materially aiding in +effecting the decline and fall of the Roman Empire, made it possible to +erect upon its ruins that Italian Oligarchy, which, since then, has +ruled the greater part of Christendom. + +The dogmatic element of the ancient astrolatry, as incorporated into +the Christian creed, underwent no material change until the +inauguration of the dark ages, when the bishops of the several +churches, in the delirium of metaphysical speculation, concocted the +previously unheard of doctrine of pre-existence of spirit, in +conformity to which God was declared to be purely a spiritual deity, +who, existing before matter, created the universe of nothing. Being the +sole custodians of the scriptures; and changing the six periods of a +thousand years each to the six days of creation, they altered Gen. i, +1, to read, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth," +which in the original read: "In the beginning, when the Gods (Elohim or +Alehim) had made (shaped or formed) this heaven and this earth." These +radical changes necessitating others, they made two distinct and +independent beings of the principles of Good and Evil personified in +the God Sol; the former they embodied in Jesus the Christ and the +latter in the Christian Devil, thus supplanting old Pluto; the +presiding genius of the under world. + +Rejecting the ancient doctrines relative to the soul, and teaching +that, having proceeded from a purely spiritual deity, it would exist +eternally as an independent spiritual entity, they substituted for the +ancient system of limited rewards and punishments the one inculcating +their endless duration. These changes in the creed, which were +confirmed at the general council of Constantinople, in the year 553, +necessitating further alterations of the scriptures, the righteous were +promised "eternal life" in the Paradise of God beyond the stars; and, +While consigning great sinners to "everlasting punishment" in the +Tartarian fires of the under world, the less venial were to expiate +their crimes in the same old Purgatory. Thus, having invented an +endless heaven and an endless hell for purely spiritual souls, and +neglecting to expunge the doctrines of the resurrection of the body, +the setting up of the kingdom of heaven upon a reorganized earth and +other materialistic teachings of the ancient religion, they made of the +creed and scriptures such a conglomeration of "things new and old" +that, without the Astrological key, it would be impossible to determine +what they originally taught. + +At the Reformation in the 16th century Luther and his coadjutors, while +projecting into the Protestant creed all the cardinal tenets of +Catholicism, excepting that of Purgatory, made no change in the +verbiage of the scriptures. Thus retaining the awful doctrine of +endless hell, the reformers constructed a creed which they intended for +the government of Protestants for all time; but, doing what had never +been done before in the history of the world, they gave the scriptures +to the laity, and, whether or not they secured the right of private +judgment or individual interpretation, it has been taken all the same; +and thus opening the door to investigation, it must ultimately result +not only in the abrogation of hell, but in the relegation to the limbo +of oblivion of the whole dogmatic element of religion. + +As a fitting conclusion to this article, we again direct the attention +of our readers to the subject of the primary source of religious +dogmas. Prior to the establishment of Christianity as the state +religion of the Roman Empire, the philosophers who wrote against it +invariably made the charge that its theology was derived from the +ancient Paganism. After its establishment as the state religion of the +Empire, the hierarchy of the church, knowing that this charge was +unanswerable, instigated the Emperor Theodosius I. to promulgate an +edict decreeing the destruction of all books antagonistic to +Christianity. This edict, directed more particularly against the +writings of Celsus, was carried out so effectually that we know nothing +of what he wrote, only as quoted by Origen, the distinguished church +father of the third century, who attempted to answer in eight books +what Celsus had written in one, entitled "The True Discourse." In one +of his quotations from Celsus' work he makes that philosopher say "that +the Christian religion contains nothing but what Christians held in +common with heathens, nothing that was new or truly great." See +Bellamy's translation, chapter 4. During the earlier centuries the +Christians were divided into numerous sects, entertaining very +divergent views, and each faction, holding all others to be heretical, +charged them with having derived their doctrines from the Pagan +religion. Upon this subject we find that Epiphanius, a celebrated +church father of the 4th century, freely admits that all that differed +from his own were derived from the heathen mythology. Such was the +position of all orthodox writers during the Middle Ages, and since the +Reformation the Protestant clergy have uniformly made the same charge +against the Catholic; a few quotations from their writings we present +for the edification of our readers. + +Jean Daille, a French Protestant minister of the 17th century, in his +treatise entitled La Religion Catholique Romaine Institute par Nama +Pompile, demonstrates that "the Papists took their idolatrous worship +of images, as well as all their ceremonies, from the old heathen +religion." Bishop Stillingfleet of the English church and a writer of +considerable eminence in the 17th century, said, in reference to the +complaisant spirit of the early church towards the Pagans, that "it was +attended by very bad consequences, since Christianity became at last, +by that means, nothing else but reformed Paganism, as to its divine +worship." See Stillingfleet's defense of the charge of idolatry against +the Romanists, vol. 5, page 459. M. Turrentin, of Geneva, Switzerland, +a learned Protestant writer of the 17th century, in one of his orations +describing the state of Christianity in the 4th century, says "that it +was not so much the Empire that was brought over to the faith, as the +faith that was brought over to the Empire; not the Pagans who were +converted to Christianity, but the Christians who were converted to +Paganism." Thus, having shown that the Catholics derived all their +cardinal tenets from the Pagan mythology, the Protestants must surely +have obtained theirs from the Catholics, for they teach all of them +except that of Purgatory. + + + +FREEMASONRY AND DRUIDISM. + +The rites and ceremonies of Astral worship, under the name of Druidism, +were primarily observed in consecrated groves by all peoples; which +custom was retained by the Scandinavian and Germanic races, and by the +inhabitants of Gaul and the British Islands; while the East Indians, +Assyrians, Egyptians, Grecians, Romans, and other adjacent nations, +ultimately observed their religious services in temples; and we propose +to show that the modern societies of Freemasonry, and ancient order of +Druids, are but perpetuations of the grove and temple forms of the +ancient astrolatry. In determining the fact that Freemasonry finds its +prototype in the temple worship of ancient Egypt, we have but to study +the Masonic arms, as illustrated in Fellows' chart, in which are +pictured, as its objects of adoration, the sun and moon, the seven +stars, known as Pleiades in the sign of Taurus; the blazing star +Sirius, or Dog-star, worshipped by the Egyptians under the name of +Anubis, and whose rising forewarned those people of the rising of the +Nile River; the seven signs of the Zodiac from Aries to Libra, +inclusive, through which the sun was supposed to pass in making his +apparent annual revolution, and which constitutes the Royal arch from +which was derived the name of one of its higher degrees; and its +armorial bearings, consisting of pictures of the Lion, the Bull, the +Waterman, and the Flying Eagle, which representing the signs at the +cardinal points, constituted the genii of the seasons. Besides these, +we have the checkered flooring or mosaic work, representing the earth +and its variegated face, which was introduced when temple worship +succeeded its grove form; the two columns representing the imaginary +pillars of heaven resting upon the earth at Equinoctial points, and +supporting the Royal arch; also the letter "G" standing for Geometry, +the knowledge of which was of great importance to the natives of Egypt +in establishing the boundaries of their lands removed by the +inundations of the Nile, the square and compass, being the instruments +through which the old landmarks were restored, and which ultimately +became the symbols of justice. The cornucopia, or horn of plenty, +denoted the sun in the sign of Capricorn, and indicated the season when +the harvest was gathered and provisions laid up for Winter use; the +cenotaph or mock coffin with the sign of the cross upon its lid, +referred to the sun's crossing of the celestial equator at the Autumnal +Equinox, and to the figurative death of the genius of that luminary in +the lower hemisphere; whose resurrection at the Vernal Equinox is +typified by the sprig of acacia sprouting near the head of the coffin. +The serpent, issuing from the small vessel to the left, represented the +symbol of the Lord of Evil under whose dominion was placed the seasons +of Autumn and Winter; and the figure of a box at the right hand, +represented the sacred ark in which, anciently, the symbols of solar +worship were deposited; but which is now used by the masons as a +receptacle for their papers. + +[See plate9.gif] + +After, the promulgation, in the fifth century, of the edict by one of +the Emperors of Rome, decreeing the death penalty against all persons +discovered practicing any of the rites and ceremonies of the ancient +religion, a body of its cultured adherents, determining to observe them +secretly, banded themselves together into a society for that purpose. +With the view to masking their real object, they took advantage of the +fact that the square and compass, the plumbline, etc., were symbols of +speculative masonry in the temple form of Astral worship, they publicly +claimed to be only a trades-union for the prosecution of the arts of +architecture and operative masonry; but, among themselves, were known +as Free and Accepted Masons or Freemasons. In imitation of the ancient +mysteries they instituted lower and higher degrees; in the former they +taught the Exoteric creed, and in the latter the Esoteric philosophy, +as explained in our introduction. Inculcating supreme adoration to the +solar divinity the candidates for initiation were made to personate +that mythical being and subjected to the ceremonies representing his +figurative death and resurrection, were required to take fearful oaths +not to reveal the secrets of the order. To enable them to recognize +each other, and to render aid to a brother in emergencies, they adopted +a system of grips, signs and calls; and to guard against the intrusion +of their Christian enemies they stationed watchmen outside of their +lodges to give timely warning of their approach. Thus was instituted +the original Grand Lodge of Freemasonry, from which charters were +issued for the organization of subordinate lodges in all the principal +cities throughout the Roman Empire. + +Becoming cognizant of the true object of Freemasonry, the Hierarchy of +the Church of Rome resolved to suppress the order, and to that end +maintained such a strict espionage upon its members that, no longer +able to assemble in their lodges, they determined to defend themselves +by an appeal to arms, and gathering together in strongholds, for a long +time successfully resisted the armies of the church; but ultimately, +being almost exterminated, the residue disbanded, and we hear no more +of Freemasonry, as a secret order, until the conclusion of the Dark +Ages, when the Reformation, making it possible, a form of the order, +recognizing Christianity, was revived among the Protestants; but the +Church of Rome, true to her traditions, has never ceased to hurl +anathemas against it and all other secret societies outside of her own +body. Thus, having made it apparent that Freemasonry, as primarily +instituted, was but a perpetuation of the temple form of Astral +worship, we can readily see that, while some of its symbols are as old +as the ancient Egyptian religion, it did not, as a secret order, take +its rise until Christian persecution made it necessary. Hence it cannot +justly lay claim to a greater antiquity than the fifth century of the +Christian era. + +According to Masonic annals a Grand Lodge was organized at York, +England, early in the tenth century, but, like the lodges of Southern +Europe, was suppressed by the Church of Rome. In 1717 a Grand Lodge was +organized at London, England, and soon afterwards the old Grand Lodge +at York was revived, and its members took the name of Free and Accepted +Ancient York Masons, from which emanated the charter of the Grand Lodge +in the United States, which was organized in Boston in 1733. In 1813 +the rivalry between the Grand Lodges of York and London was +compromised, and the supremacy of the former was conceded. + +From church history we learn that in the year 596 of our era Pope +Gregory I. dispatched Augustin, and forty other monks of the order of +St. Andrew, from Rome to Britain, to convert the natives to +Christianity; but, while the Anglo-Saxons embraced the new faith, the +Britons rejected it, and, being persecuted by the Christians, retired +to the fastnesses of the country known as Wales, where, for a long +period, they maintained the observance of the Druidical form of +worship; and although that country has long since become Christianized, +the society of the Ancient Order of Druids has existed with an +uninterrupted succession at Pout-y-prid, where the Arch-Druid resides, +and from, whence emanated the charter of the Grand Lodge of the order +in this country. In reference to the Druidism on the continent, history +records the fact that when one of the reigning kings became a convert +to Christianity the whole of his subjects were baptized into the Church +of Rome by Imperial decree. + + + +THE SABBATH. + +In determining the origin of the seventh day Sabbath, we must of +necessity refer to that source of all religious ordinances, the ancient +astrolatry, the founders of which, having taught that God Sol was +engaged in the reorganization of Chaos during the first six periods of +the twelve thousand year cycle, corresponding to the months of Spring +and Summer, they conceived the idea that he ceased to exert his +energies, or rested from his labors on the seventh period, +corresponding to the first of the Autumn months. Hence, deriving the +suggestion from the apparent septenary rest in nature, they taught that +God ordained the seventh day of the week as the Sabbath or rest day for +man. + +In conformity to this ordinance the founders of ancient Judaism +enforced the observance of the seventh day Sabbath in the fourth +commandment of the Decalogue, which, found in Gen. xx. 8-11,[1] reads +as follows, viz: "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days +shalt thou labor and do all thy work; but the seventh day is the +Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, +nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man servant, nor thy maid servant, +nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; for in six +days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is, +and rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day +and hallowed it." Thus was the seventh day of the week made the Sabbath +of the Old Testament; but the authors of the Jewish or ancient +Christianity, looking for the immediate fulfillment of the prophecies +relative to the second judgment, ignored its observance, as may be seen +by reference to Mark ii. 23, 27; John v. 2-18; Romans xiv. 5; and Col. +ii. 16; and the founders of modern Christianity, perpetuating the +belief in the speedy fulfillment of those prophecies, made no change +relative to the Sabbath in their version of the New Testament. + +After Constantine's pretended conversion to Christianity, and the time +for the fulfillment of the prophecies had been put off to the year +10000, as previously stated, the hierarchy of the church appealed to +the Emperor to give them a Sabbath, and although they knew that the +seventh day of the week was the Sabbath of the Old Testament, and that +Sunday was the first of the six working days, according to the fourth +commandment, their hatred to the Jews for refusing to accept their +Christ as the Saviour induced them to have it placed on the first day +of the week. Hence that obliging potentate, in the year 321, +promulgated the memorable edict, which, found in that Digest of Roman +law known as the Justinian Code, Book III., Title 12, Sec. 2 and 3, +reads as follows, viz.: "Let all judges and all people of the towns +rest and all the various trades be suspended on the venerable day of +the Sun. Those who live in the country, however, may freely and without +fault attend to the cultivation of their fields lest, with the loss of +favorable opportunity, the commodities offered by Divine Providence +shall be destroyed." Thus we see that the primary movement towards +enforcing the observance of Sunday, or Lord's Day, as the Sabbath, did +not originate in a Divine command, but in the edict of an earthly +potentate. + +This edict was ratified at the third council of Orleans, in the year +538; and in order, "that the people might not be prevented from +attending church, and saying their prayers," a resolution was adopted +at the same time recommending the observance of the day by all classes. +From merely "recommending," the Church of Rome soon began to enforce +the observance of the day; but, in spite of all her efforts, it was not +until the 12th century that its observance had become so universal as +to receive the designation of "The Christian Sabbath." + +Cognizant of the manner in which Sunday was made the Sabbath, Luther +issued for the government of the Protestant communion the following +mandate: "As for the Sabbath, or Sunday, there is no necessity for +keeping it;" see Michelet's Life of Luther, Book IV., chapter 2. Luther +also said, as recorded in Table Talk, "If anywhere the day (Sunday) is +made holy for the mere day's sake; if anywhere anyone sets up its +observance upon a Jewish foundation, then I order you to work on it, to +dance on it, to ride on it, to feast on it, and to do anything that +shall reprove this encroachment on the Christian spirit of liberty." +Melancthon, Luther's chief coadjutor in the work of Reformation, +denied, in the most emphatic language, that Sunday was made the Sabbath +by Divine ordainment; and in reference thereto John Milton, in reply to +the Sunday Sabbatarians, makes the pertinent inquiry: "If, on a plea of +Divine command, you impose upon us the observance of a particular day, +how do you presume, without the authority of a Divine command, to +substitute another in its place?" + +During the reign of Elizabeth, Queen of England, a sect of fanatics, +known as Dissenters or Nonconformists, basing their action upon the +fallacious arguments derived from the fourth commandment, and upon the +plea that the Saviour was raised from the dead on the first day of the +week, inaugurated what is known as the Puritan Sabbath, which having +been transferred to our shores by the voyagers in the Mayflower, and +enforced by those statutory enactments known as Blue Laws, caused the +people of New England to have a blue time of it while the delusion +lasted; and now a large body of Protestant clergy perverting the +teachings of scripture, and, ignoring the authority of the Reformers, +are disturbing the peace of society by their efforts to enforce the +code of sundry laws, which were enacted through their connivance. Thus +have we shown that, originating with the Catholics and adopted by the +Protestants, the Sunday Sabbath is purely and entirely a human +institution, and, being such, we must recognize all Sunday laws as +grave encroachments upon constitutional liberty; and it behooves the +advocates of individual rights to demand their immediate repeal; for +unless a vigilant watch is kept upon the conspirators who secured their +enactment, our fair land will soon be cursed by a union of church and +State, the tendency in that direction having been indicated by the +unprecedented opinion recently handed down by one of the Justices of +the United States Supreme Court that this is a Christian Government. + + + +PIOUS FRAUDS. + +By claiming to be divinely appointed for the propagation of a divinely +authenticated religion, the priesthood of all forms of worship have +ever labored to deceive and enslave the ignorant multitude; and in +support of these fallacious assumptions have resorted to all manner of +pious frauds, in reference to which we quote from both Pagan and +Christian sources with the view to showing that the moderns have +faithfully followed the ancient example. Euripedes, an Athenian writer, +who flourished about 450 years before the beginning of our era, +maintained that, "in the early state of society, some wise men insisted +on the necessity of darkening truth with falsehood and of persuading +men that there is an immortal deity who hears and sees and understands +our actions, whatever we may think of that matter ourselves." Strabo, +the famous geographer and historian of Greek extraction, who flourished +about the beginning of the Christian era, wrote that "It is not +possible for a philosopher to conduct by reasoning a multitude of women +and the low vulgar, and thus to invite them to piety, holiness and +faith; but the philosopher must make use of superstition and not omit +the invention of fables and the performance of wonders. For the +lightning and the aegis and the trident are but fables, and so all +ancient theology. But the founders of states adopted them as bugbears +to frighten the weak-minded." Varro, a learned Roman scholar, who also +flourished about the beginning of our era, wrote that "There are many +truths which it is useless for the vulgar to know, and many falsehoods +which it is fit that the people should not know are falsehoods." + +So much from Pagan authorities relative to the necessity of deceiving +the ignorant masses. We will now present some Christian authorities +upon the same subject; and first from Christ himself, who in addressing +his disciples is made to say, in Mark iv, 11, 12, "Unto you it is given +to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but unto them that are +without all these things are done in parables, that seeing they may see +and not perceive; and hearing they may hear and not understand." Paul, +in his fourteen Epistles, inculcates and avows the principle of +deceiving the common people. He speaks of having been upbraided by his +own converts with being crafty and catching them with guile and of his +known and wilful lies abounding to the glory of God. See Romans iii. 7, +and II. Cor. xii. 16. If Christ and Paul were guilty of deception, +their followers had good excuse for the same course of conduct. Upon +this subject Beausobre, a very learned ecclesiastical writer, who +flourished about the beginning of the 18th century, says: "We see in +the history which I have related a sort of hypocrisy that has been, +perhaps, but too common at all times; that churchmen not only do not +say what they think, but they do say the direct contrary of what they +think. Philosophers in their cabinets; out of them they are content +with fables, though they well know that they are fables." Historie de +Manichee, vol. 2, page 568. Bishop Synesius, the distinguished author +of religious literature and Christian father of the 5th century, said: +"I shall be a philosopher only to myself, and I shall always be a +bishop to the people." Mosheim, the distinguished author of +Ecclesiastical History, Vol. I., page 120, says: "The authors who have +treated of the innocence and sanctity of the primitive Christians have +fallen into the error of supposing them to have been unspotted models +of piety and virtue, and a gross error indeed it is, as the strongest +testimonies too evidently prove." The same author, in Vol. I., page. +198, says in the fourth century "it was an almost universally adopted +maxim that it was an act of virtue to deceive and lie, when by such +means the interest of the church might be promoted." In his +Ecclesiastical History, Vol. II., page 11, he says that "as regards the +fifth century, the simplicity and ignorance of the generality in those +times furnished the most favorable occasion for the exercise of fraud; +and the impudence of impostors in contriving false miracles was +artfully proportioned to the credulity of the vulgar; while the +sagacious and the wise, who perceived these cheats, were overawed into +silence by the dangers that threatened their lives and fortunes if they +should expose the artifice." Thomas Burnet, D.D., who flourished about +the beginning of the 18th century, in his treatise entitled De Statu +Mortuorum, purposely written in Latin that it might serve for the +instruction of the clergy only, and not come to the knowledge of the +laity, because, as he says, "too much light is hurtful for weak eyes," +not only justifies, but recommends the practice of the most consummate +hypocrisy, and that, too, on the most awful of all subjects; and would +have his, clergy seriously preach and maintain the reality and eternity +of hell torments, even though they should believe nothing of the sort +themselves. See page 304. Hugo Grotius, the eminent writer of Holland +in the 17th century, says in his 22d Epistle: "He that reads +ecclesiastical history, reads nothing but the roguery and folly of +bishops, and churchmen." In the language of Robert Taylor, from whom we +have taken most of the quotations under this heading, we assert that +"no man could quote higher authorities," to prove "the roguery and +folly of bishops and churchmen." + + + +CONCLUSION. + +Having presented the evidences in support of the apparently untenable +assertion that, notwithstanding the numerous modes in which man has +manifested his devotional proclivities, the world has virtually had but +the one religion founded in the worship of personified nature, we are +necessitated to recognize the facts that the Christian Scriptures like +the sacred records of other forms of nature worship are, but a +collection of astronomical allegories; that the gospel story is truly +"the old, old story" which had been told of a thousand other Saviours +before it was applied to the Christian Messiah; that Jesus is but one +of the many names given to imaginary incarnations of the mythical +genius of the sun; and that the Disciples and Evangelists are but the +genii of the months and the seasons. Such being the facts, which cannot +be successfully refuted, we must believe that the Christian religion, +instead of being of Divine authenticity, as popularly claimed, is +purely and entirely of human origin, and that all its teachings +relative to a future state are but priestly inventions, concocted for +the purpose of enslaving the ignorant masses. + +When we think of the thousand millions of dollars invested in church +properties, and estimate the cost of maintaining more than a hundred +thousand priests and ministers, in supporting foreign and domestic +missions and in publishing religious literature; besides the taxes +applied to the care of the religious insane, and realize the fact that +all of this vast sum of money is abstracted from the resources of the +people, we would not have to go outside of our own country to +appreciate the fact that religion is the burden of all burdens to +society; and when we contemplate the great disturbance to the social +relation, resulting from sectarian strife, and the almost universal +disposition of Christians to persecute and ostracize those who differ +with them in opinion, we can readily subscribe to the sentiment +accredited to one of our revolutionary sires, that "this would be a +good world to live in if there was no religion in it." + +If the clergy had been laboring as faithfully to impress the observance +of ethical principles as they have to indoctrinate the people with the +superstitions of religion, we would not now be deploring the great +demoralization of society. It is a grave arraignment of the clericals +to charge them with being, indirectly, the cause of this lamentable +state of things; but it is a condition that might have been expected, +for, when entering the ministry, they engaged themselves, not so much +to teach ethics as to propagate faith in the doctrines of their +respective sects. Thus hampered they cannot do the good to society +their better natures might desire. Hence the only hope for improvement +is for the people to wholly ignore the dogmatic element of religion, +and refusing to longer support it, demand that moral training shall be +the grand essential of education. If this course were adopted and +persistently followed, it would be but a question of time when mankind +would come into being with such a benign heredity that crime would be +almost impossible. + +Then, since religion inculcates a salvation that does not save, let us +rise superior to its false teachings and, accepting science as the true +saviour of mankind, find our whole duty in the code of natural +morality, the spirit of which is embodied in that comprehensive precept +known as the golden rule, which, being the outgrowth of the discovered +necessities of association, without which society could not exist, it +necessarily constituted man's sole rule and guide long before priest or +temple; and founded in the eternal principles of right, truth and +justice must remain as man's sole rule and guide when priest and church +are numbered among the things that were. Spirit of progress! speed the +day when all mankind, redeemed from the bondage of superstition, will +recognize the great truth that nature, governed by her own inherent +forces, is all that has been, all that is and all that shall be; and +that, ceasing to indulge in the vain hope of a blissful immortality in +a paradise beyond the stars, will make a real paradise of this old +earth of ours. + + +---------------------------- +[1](Editorial note: the original text erroneously attributed this +quote to Genesis 20:8-11; actually it is from Exodus 20:8-11.) + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, ASTRAL WORSHIP *** + +This file should be named astrl10.txt or astrl10.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, astrl11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, astrl10a.txt + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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Hill</TITLE> +<META HTTP-EQUIV="content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=utf-8"> +<STYLE TYPE="text/css"> +<!-- The following is known as the Caio hack to hide "IMG {float:left}" from Netscape 4 which does not always process it correctly --> +/*/*/ +IMG {float:left} +/**/ +BR.left {clear:left} +P {text-indent: 3% } +.smallcaps {font-variant: small-caps} +</STYLE> +</HEAD> +<BODY BGCOLOR="#F8F8D1"> +<H1>The Project Gutenberg eBook of Astral Worship, by J. H. Hill</H1> + +<pre> +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: Astral Worship + +Author: J. H. Hill + +Release Date: September, 2005 [EBook #8855] +[This file was first posted on August 14, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: utf-8 + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, ASTRAL WORSHIP *** + + + + +E-text prepared by David Deley + + + +</PRE> +<CENTER><H1>Astral Worship</H1></CENTER> +<CENTER><H4>BY</H4></CENTER> +<CENTER><H3>J. H. Hill, M. D.</H3></CENTER> +<BR><BR> +<CENTER>“Now, what I want is—facts.”—<i>Boz.</i></CENTER> +<BR><BR> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<CENTER> +<TABLE> +<TR><TH COLSPAN=2 ALIGN=center>CONTENTS.</TH></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left><A HREF="#INTRODUCTION">INTRODUCTION</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#INTRODUCTION">5</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left><A HREF="#GEOCENTRIC">THE GEOCENTRIC SYSTEM OF NATURE</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#GEOCENTRIC">13</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#earth">The Earth</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#earth">13</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#firmament">The Firmament</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#firmament">13</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#planets">The Planets</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#planets">14</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#constellations">The Constellations</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#constellations">15</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#zodiac">The Zodiac</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#zodiac">15</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left><A HREF="#NUMBERS">THE SACRED NUMBERS 7 AND 12</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#NUMBERS">17</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left><A HREF="#CYCLE">THE TWELVE THOUSAND YEAR CYCLE</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#CYCLE">18</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left><A HREF="#TRIAD">THE ANCIENT TRIAD</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#TRIAD">19</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left><A HREF="#SOL">GOD SOL</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#SOL">22</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left><A HREF="#COSMOGONY">THE ANCIENT COSMOGONY</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#COSMOGONY">30</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left><A HREF="#FALL">FALL AND REDEMPTION OF MAN</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#FALL">31</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left><A HREF="#INCARNATIONS">INCARNATIONS OF GOD SOL</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#INCARNATIONS">33</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left><A HREF="#LABORS">FABLE OF THE TWELVE LABORS</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#LABORS">36</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left><A HREF="#ANNIVERSARIES">ANNIVERSARIES OF SOLAR WORSHIP</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#ANNIVERSARIES">40</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#nativity">The Nativity</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#nativity">40</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#epiphany">Epiphany or Twelfth Day</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#epiphany">41</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#lent">Lent or Lenten Season</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#lent">42</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#passion">Passion Week</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#passion">44</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#plays">Passion Plays</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#plays">45</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#resurrection">Resurrection and Easter Festival</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#resurrection">46</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#annunciation">Annunciation</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#annunciation">48</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#ascension">Ascension</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#ascension">49</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#assumption">Assumption</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#assumption">49</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#supper">The Lord's Supper</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#supper">50</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#transubstantiation">Transubstantiation</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#transubstantiation">50</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#crucifixion">Autumnal Crucifixion</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#crucifixion">51</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#michaelmas">Michaelmas</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#michaelmas">56</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left><A HREF="#TIME">PERSONIFICATIONS OF THE DIVISIONS OF TIME</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#TIME">57</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#hours">The Hours</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#hours">57</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#days">The Days</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#days">57</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#months">The Months</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#months">58</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#seasons">The Seasons</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#seasons">60</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#incdays">Half Year of Increasing Days</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#incdays">63</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#decdays">Half Year of Decreasing Days</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#decdays">63</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#lastq">Last Quarter of the Year</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#lastq">64</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left><A HREF="#ZODIACAL">ZODIACAL SYMBOLS OF SOLAR WORSHIP</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#ZODIACAL">64</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#sphinx">The Sphinx</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#sphinx">65</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#dragon">The Dragon</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#dragon">66</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#bull">The Bull</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#bull">67</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#ram">The Ram</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#ram">68</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#lamb">The Lamb</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#lamb">68</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#fish">The Fish</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#fish">71</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left><A HREF="#CROSS">SIGNS OF THE CROSS</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#CROSS">72</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left><A HREF="#PUNISHMENTS">FUTURE REWARDS AND PUNISHMENTS</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#PUNISHMENTS">74</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#oriental">The Oriental System</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#oriental">75</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#occidental">The Occidental System</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#occidental">75</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left> <A HREF="#judgment">The Second or General Judgment</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#judgment">77</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left><A HREF="#JEWISH">JEWISH, OR ANCIENT CHRISTIANITY</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#JEWISH">79</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left><A HREF="#PROPHECIES">THE PROPHECIES</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#PROPHECIES">83</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left><A HREF="#ROMAN">ROMAN OR MODERN CHRISTIANITY</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#ROMAN">88</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left><A HREF="#FREEMASONRY">FREEMASONRY AND DRUIDISM</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#FREEMASONRY">109</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left><A HREF="#SABBATH">THE SABBATH</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#SABBATH">117</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left><A HREF="#FRAUDS">PIOUS FRAUDS</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#FRAUDS">121</A></TD></TR> +<TR><TD ALIGN=left><A HREF="#CONCLUSION">CONCLUSION</A></TD><TD ALIGN=right><A HREF="#CONCLUSION">125</A></TD></TR> +</TABLE> +</CENTER> +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> + +<CENTER><H2><A NAME=INTRODUCTION>INTRODUCTION.</A></H2></CENTER> + +<p>In an article, entitled "Then and Now," published in +the December number, 1890, of "The Arena," its<!-- original said "it", corrected to "its" --> author, +a distinguished Unitarian D.D. of Boston, Mass., says. +"Astronomy has shattered the fallacies of Astrology;" +and people have found out that the stars are minding their +own business instead of meddling with theirs." Now, +while it is true that modern Astronomy has superseded +the ancient system, and people have ceased to believe that +the stars are intervening in mundane affairs, nothing +could be further from the truth than the assertion that +"Astronomy has shattered the fallacies of Astrology; +and those of our readers who will accord to this work an +unprejudiced perusal can hardly fail to be convinced that +a large majority of the people of Christendom are dominated +as much by these fallacies as were our Pagan ancestry—the +only difference being a change of name. The +dogmatic element of religion, which was anciently designated +as Astrology, is now known as Theology. + +<P>All the evidences bearing upon the subject indicate +<!-- Page 6 --> +that the founders of the primary form of religion were a +sect of philosophers, known as Magi, or wise men, of the +Aryan race of Central Asia, who, having lived ages before +any conceptions of the supernatural had obtained in the +world, and speculating relative to the "beginnings of +things," were necessarily confined to the contemplation +and study of nature, the elements of which they believed +to be self-existent and endless in duration; but, being +wholly without knowledge of her inherent forces, they +explained her manifold processes by conceiving the idea +that she was animated by a great and inherent soul or +spirit, emanations from which impressed all her parts +with life and motion. Thus, endowing man, and other +animals, with souls emanating alike from the imaginary +great soul of nature, they believed, and taught, that immediately +after death all souls were absorbed into their +source, where, as "the dewdrop slips into the shining +sea," all personal identity was forever lost. Hence we see +that although recognizing the soul as immortal, considering +it, not as an entity existing independent of matter, but +as the spirit of matter itself, the primary religion was the +exponent of the purest form of Materialism. + +<P>Being the Astronomers of their day, and mistaking +the apparent for the real, the ancient Magi constructed +that erroneous system of nature known as the Geocentric, +<!-- Page 7 --> +and, in conformity thereto, composed a collection of Astronomical +Allegories, in which the emanations from the +imaginary great soul of nature, by which they believed +all materialities we're impressed with life and motion, were +personified and made to play their respective parts. Basing +the religion they instituted upon their system of Allegorical +Astronomy, and making its personifications the +objects of worship, they thus originated the anthropomorphic +or man-like Gods, and, claiming to have composed +them under the inspiration of these self same divinities, +they designated them as sacred records, or Scriptures, +and taught the ignorant masses that they were literal histories, +and their personifications real personages, who, +having once lived upon earth, and; for the good of mankind, +performed the wondrous works imputed to them, +were then in heaven whence they came. + +<P>Thus we see that the primary religion, which is popularly +known as Paganism, was founded in the worship +of personified nature; that, according special homage to +the imaginary genii of the stars, and inculcating supreme +adoration to the divinity supposed to reside in the sun, it +was anciently known by the general name of Astrolatry, +and by the more specific one of solar worship; and that its +founders, arrogating to themselves the title of Astrologers, +gave to its dogmatic element the name of Astrology. + +<!-- Page 8 --> +<P>In studying the primitive forms of religion it will be +found that none of them taught anything relative to a +future life, for the simple reason that their founders had +no conceptions of such a state. Hence it follows that the +laws they enacted were intended solely for the regulation +of their social relations, and, to secure their observance, +they were embodied into their sacred records and made +part of their religion. One form of that most ancient +worship was known as Sabaism, or Sabism. Another +form of the same religion was the Ancient Judaism, as +portrayed in the Old Testament, and more especially in +the Pentateuch, or first five books; in the Decalogue of +which the only promise made for the observance of one of +the Commandments is length of days on earth; and, in a +general summing up of the blessings and curses to be +enjoyed or suffered, for the observance or violation of the +laws, as recorded in the 28th chapter of Deuteronomy, it +will be seen they are all of a temporal character only. At +the beginning of the Christian era there were still in existence +a sect of Jews known as Sadducees, who were strict +adherents to the primitive form of worship, and their belief +relative to the state of the dead we find recorded in +Ecclesiastes xii., 7, which reads: "Then shall the dust return +to earth as it was, and the spirit shall return to God +who gave it." + +<!-- Page 9 --> +<P>For ages the doctrine of soul absorption, immediately +after death, constituted the belief of mankind; but ultimately +recognizing the fact that the temporal punishments +of the existing laws were wholly inadequate to the +prevention of crime, and conceiving the idea that the +ignorant and vicious masses could be governed with a +surer hand by appealing to the sentiments of hope and +fear in relation to the rewards and punishments of an +imaginary future life, the ancient Astrologers resolved to +remodel the dogmatic elements of religion so as to include +that doctrine. But realizing the necessity, of suppressing +the belief in the absorption of all souls, immediately +after death, they ceased to teach it, and ultimately it +was embodied in that secret and unwritten system known +as the Esoteric philosophy, in which the Astrologers +formulated their own private belief, and which for many +centuries was kept from the knowledge of the uninitiated +by their successors in the priestly office. As they were +the sole custodians of the Scriptures, they made do change +in their verbiage, but, adding the doctrine of future rewards +and punishments to that written and openly taught +system of faith known as the Exoteric creed, they made it +the more impressive by instituting a system of imposing +rites and ceremonies, which they designated as Mysteries, +into which they initiated the neophytes, and in which were +<!-- Page 10 --> +portrayed, in the most vivid manner, the rewards and +punishments of the imaginary future life, which they +taught were the awards of the Gods for the observance or +violation of the laws. These teachings were inculcated in +the lesser degrees only, but those who were found worthy +of so great a distinction were also inducted into the higher +degrees, in which was imparted the knowledge of the +Esoteric philosophy. In both the lesser and higher degrees +the initiates received instruction in an oral manner +only; and all were bound by the most fearful oaths not to +reveal the secrets imparted to them. + +<P>Thus were the votaries of the ancient Astral worship +divided into two distinct classes, the Esoterics, or Gnostics; +and the Exoterics, or Agnostics; the former comprising +those who knew that the Gods were mythical and +the scriptures allegorical; and the latter, those who were +taught that the Gods were real, and the scriptures historical; +or, in other words, it was philosophy for the cultured +few, and religion for the ignorant multitude. The initiates +into the secrets of these two systems recognized +them as the two Gospels; and Paul must have had reference +to them in his Epistle to the Galatians ii., 2, where he +distinguishes the Gospel which he preached on ordinary +occasions from that Gospel which he preached "privately +to them which were of reputation." + +<!-- Page 11 --> +<P>Such was the system of Astrolatry, which, originating +in the Orient, and becoming, after being remodelled +in Egypt, the prototype of all Occidental forms of worship, +was recognized, successively, as the state religion of +the Grecian and Roman Empires; and we propose to describe +the erroneous system of nature upon which it was +based, and to develop the origins of its cycles, dogmas, +ordinances, anniversaries, personifications and symbols, +with the view to proving that it was the very same system +which was ultimately perpetuated under the name of +Christianity. We also propose to present the origins and +abridged histories of its two forms, the Jewish, or ancient, +and the Roman, or modern; and to give an account of the +conflict between the votaries of the latter, and the adherents +to the established form of worship, which culminated +in the fourth century in the substitution of Christianity +as the state religion of the Roman Empire. We furthermore +propose to show the changes to which the creed and +scriptures were subjected during the Middle Ages, and at +the Reformation in the sixteenth century, through which +they assumed the phases as now taught in the theologies, +respectively of Catholicism and Orthodox Protestantism. +We also present an article relative to Freemasonry and +Druidism, for the purpose of showing that, primarily, they +were but different forms of the ancient Astrolatry. We +<!-- page 12 --> +also devote a few pages to the subjects of the Sabbath, and +to that of "Pious Frauds." + +<P><FONT SIZE=-1>Note.—For the matter published in this work, we are +principally indebted to the writings of Robert Taylor, an erudite +but recusant minister of the church of England, who flourished +about seventy years ago, and who, being too honest to +continue to preach what, after thorough investigation, he did +not believe, began to give expression to his doubts by writing +and lecturing. Not being able to cope with his arguments, the +clergy, under the charge of the impossible crime of blasphemy, +had him imprisoned for more than two years, during which +time he wrote his great work entitled "The Diegesis," which +should be read by all persons who are investigating the claim +of the Christian religion to Divine authenticity.</FONT> + +<!-- page 13 --> +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> +<CENTER><H2><A NAME=GEOCENTRIC>THE GEOCENTRIC SYSTEM OF NATURE.</A></H2></CENTER> +<P>In constructing their system of nature, the ancient +Astronomers constituted it of the Earth, the Firmament, +the Planets, the Constellations and the Zodiac, and we +will refer to them in the order named. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=earth>The Earth.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>Believing that the earth was the only world, that it +was a vast circular plane, and that it was the fixed and +immovable center around which revolved the celestial +luminaries, the ancient Astronomers, in conformity to the +requirement of the doctrine of future rewards and punishments, +as inculcated in the Egyptian Version of the +Exoteric Creed, divided it into an upper and an under, +or nether world, which they connected by a sinuous and +tenebrious passage. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=firmament>The Firmament.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>The azure dome, called the firmament in the book of +Genesis, was believed to be a solid transparency, which +<!-- Page 14 --> +we find described, in the fourth chapter and sixth verse, +of that collection of Astronomical Allegories, called the +Apocalypse, or Book of Revelation, "as a sea of glass like +unto crystal." It was represented as being supported by +four pillars, resting upon the earth, one at each of the cardinal +points, which were designated as "the pillars of +heaven." Conceiving the idea that there were windows +in the firmament, the ancient Astronomers called them +"the windows of heaven" and taught that they were +opened when it rained, and closed when it ceased to rain. +Hence it is evident that the ancient Astronomers did not +refer to these pillars and windows in a figurative sense, +but as real appurtenances to a solid firmament, as will be +seen by reference to Gen. vii. 11, and viii. 2, Job xxvi. 11, +and Malachi iii. 10. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=planets>The Planets.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>Believing that the stars were but mere flambeaux, +suspended beneath the firmament, and revolving round +the earth, for the sole purpose of giving it light and heat; +and observing that seven of these, answering to the Sun, +Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn, had +perceptible movements, in relation to the other luminaries, +the ancient astronomers designated them as planets +or wandering stars. + +<!-- page 15 --> +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=constellations>The Constellations.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>Perceiving that the other celestial luminaries maintained +the same relation to each other, and designating +them as fixed stars, the ancient astronomers grouped +those visible to them into forty-eight Constellations; and +giving names to these, they also attached names to the +stars of larger magnitude, which was done for the purpose +of locating and distinguishing them with greater +ease. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=zodiac>The Zodiac.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P><IMG SRC="plate1.gif" WIDTH=300 HEIGHT=281 BORDER=1 HSPACE=10 VSPACE=10 ALT="The Zodiac"><!-- frontispiece --> +Through twelve of these Constellations, mostly contained +within a belt of 16 degrees in width, and within +which the planets appeared to revolve, the ancient astronomers +inscribed a central line representing the Ecliptic, or +apparent orbit of the sun, which they divided into 360 +degrees; and quartering these to denote the seasons, they +named the cardinal points the Summer and Winter Solstices, +and the Vernal and Autumnal Equinoxes; the +former referring to the longest and shortest days of the +year; and the latter to the two periods when the days and +nights are equal. An abbreviatory sign having been attached +to each of these constellations, the great celestial +belt containing them was called "the wheel of the signs," +<!-- page 16 --> +or "a wheel in the middle of a wheel," as designated by +that old Astrologer, Ezekiel the Prophet, in chap. i. and +16th verse. But for the reason that, with only one exception, +the forms of living things, either real or mythical, +were given to them, this belt, ultimately, wad designated +as the Zodiac; or Circle of living Creatures, see Ezekiel, +chap. i. Constituting the essential feature of the ancient +Astronomy, we present, in our frontispiece, a diagram of +the Zodiac, as anciently represented, to which, as well as +to Burritts' Celestial Atlas, our readers will be necessitated +to make frequent reference. + +<P>Recent researches among the ruins of ancient cities +have developed the fact that several centuries before the +beginning of our era the astronomers had invented the +telescope, and discovered the true or heliocentric system +of nature; but for the reason that religion had been based +upon the false, or geocentric system, it was deemed prudent +not to teach it to the masses. Hence, hiding it away +among the other secrets of the Esoteric philosophy, the +knowledge of it was lost during the Middle Ages; and +when rediscovered, the hierarchy of the Church of Rome, +upon the plea that it was contrary to the teachings of +Scripture, resorted to inquisitorial tortures to suppress +its promulgation; but, in spite of all their efforts, it has +been universally accepted; and, in this otherwise enlightened +<!-- Page 17 --> +age, we have presented to us the anomaly of a religion +based upon a false system of Astronomy, while its +votaries believe in the true system. +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> +<HR width=70 align=center> +<BR CLASS=left> + +<CENTER><H2><A NAME=NUMBERS>THE SACRED NUMBERS 7 AND 12.</A></H2></CENTER> +<P>In reference to the planets, and the signs of the +Zodiac, the numbers seven and twelve were recognized +as sacred by the ancient Astrologers, and dedications +were made to them in all kinds and sorts of forms. In +the allegories, the genii of the planets were designated +as spirits or messengers to the Supreme Deity, imaginarily +enthroned above the firmament, which we find described +in Revelations iv. 5, as "Seven lamps of fire burning +before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God;" +and which were represented by lights burning in seven +branched candlesticks set before the altars in the temples; +the central light for the Sun; the Moon, Mercury and +Venus on one side; and Mars, Jupiter and Saturn on the +other. The seven branched candlesticks seen in all +Catholic churches, and in some Protestant ones, are intended +to represent the same planetary system. + +<P>Among the numerous dedications to the genii of the +planets we mention the seven days of the week, the seven +<!-- Page 18 --> +stories of the tower of Babylon, the seven gates of Thebes, +the seven piped flute of Pan, the seven stringed lyre of +Apollo, the seven books of fate, the book of seven seals, +the seven castes into which the Egyptians and East Indians +were divided, and the jubilee of seven times seven +years. Among the dedications to the twelve signs we +mention the twelve months of the year, the grand cycle +of 12,000 years, the twelve altars of James, the twelve +labors of Hercules, the twelve divisions of the Egyptian +Labyrinth, the twelve shields of Mars, the twelve precious +stones, ranged in threes to denote the seasons, in the +breastplate of High Priest, the twelve foundations of the +Sacred City, referred to in the Book of Revelation, the +twelve sons of Jacob, the twelve tribes of Israel, and the +twelve Disciples. In the Book of Revelation alone the +number 7 is repeated twenty-four times, and the number +12 fourteen times. +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> +<HR width=70 align=center> +<BR CLASS=left> + +<CENTER><H2><A NAME=CYCLE>THE TWELVE THOUSAND YEAR CYCLE.</A></H2></CENTER> +<P>In determining the duration of the period within +which were to occur the events taught in the doctrines of +the Exoteric Creed, the ancient Astrologers dedicated +a thousand years to each of the signs of the Zodiac, and +<!-- Page 19 --> +thus inaugurating the cycle of twelve thousand years, +taught that, at its conclusion, the heaven and the earth, +which they believed to be composed of the indestructible +elements of fire, air, earth and water, would, through the +agency of the first of these, be reduced to chaos, as a +preliminary to the reorganization of a new heaven and a +new earth at the beginning of the succeeding cycle. Such +was the origin of the grand cycle of the ancient Astrolatry, +and it must be borne in mind that its authors made its +conclusion to correspond in time and circumstance to the +doctrines relating to the finale of the plan of redemption. +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> +<HR width=70 align=center> +<BR CLASS=left> + +<CENTER><H2><A NAME=TRIAD>THE ANCIENT TRIAD.</A></H2></CENTER> +<P>After conceiving the idea of a primeval chaos, constituted +of four indestructible elements of which fire was +the leading one, the Oriental astrologers began to indulge +in speculations relative to the agencies which were engaged +in its organization. Having no knowledge of the +forces inherent in nature, they imputed this work to three +intelligences, which, embodying the All in All, they personified +by the figure of a man with three heads, and to +this trinity gave the names of Brahma, Vishnu and Siva. +Such a figure, carved in stone, may be seen in the island +<!-- Page 20 --> +Cave of Elephanta, near Bombay, India, and is popularly +believed to represent the Creator, Preserver and Destroyer; +but, in determining their true signification, we +must be governed by the ancient teachings that "All +things were made by one god-head with three names, and +this God is all things." Hence the conclusion is irresistible +that the first person represents neither the creator +nor organizer of chaos, but chaos itself; the second person, +its organizer and governor; and the third person, the +agent in nature which impresses all her parts with life and +motion; the latter being the imaginary great soul or +spirit inculcated in the Esoteric philosophy. In support +of this opinion it will be found that the Egyptian Triad of +Father, Son and Spirit is virtually the same we have assigned +to its Oriental prototype. Thus we see that to +the ancient Astrolatry Christendom is indebted for the +Trinity of<BR><BR> + + "God the Father, God the Son,<BR> + God the Spirit—three in one." + +<P>But, having ascribed supreme intelligence or reason +to its second person, under the name of the Logos, or +Word, and designating its third person as the Holy Ghost, +the ancient Triad was usually formulated as the Father, +the Word and the Holy Ghost, as may be seen by reference +to the text in the allegories which we find recorded +<!-- Page 21 --> +in I John v. 7, which reads that "There are three that +bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word and the +Holy Ghost, and these three are one." + +<P>Considered in some forms of Astrolatry as too +sacred to attach a name to the triune Deity, he was called +"the One," and we find him thus designated in the 4th +chapter of Revelation, where, like Zeus and Jupiter, of the +Grecian and Roman mythologies, he is represented as +seated above the firmament, upon a throne from which +"proceeded lightnings and thunderings," and to whom +all, the subordinate divinities were made to pay homage. +As the hurler of thunderbolts he was called "the Thunderer," +and as the opener of the windows of heaven, +when it rained, he was designated "Jupiter Pluvius." +Such was the ancient Triad made to say of himself, in an +inscription found in the ruins of the temple at Sais in +Egypt, "I am all that has been, all that is, and all that +shall be, and no mortal has lifted yet the veil that covers +me;" and such was the Triunity referred to as the God +Universe by Pliny, the Roman philosopher and naturalist, +who, flourishing in the first century of the Christian era, +wrote that he is "An infinite God which has never been +created, and which shall never come to an end. To look +for something else beyond it is useless labor for man and +out of his reach. Behold that truly sacred Being, eternal +<!-- Page 22 --> +and immense, which includes within itself everything; it +is All in All, or rather itself is All. It is the work of +nature, and itself is nature." + +<P>Thus we see that, although inculcating<!-- [SIC] --> homage to a +multitude of subordinate divinities, the ancient Astrolatry +was only an apparent Polytheism; its enlightened votaries, +recognizing the dogma of the unity of God, were in +reality Monotheists, paying supreme adoration to the +mythical genius of the Sun, to whom we will now direct +attention. +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> +<HR width=70 align=center> +<BR CLASS=left> + +<CENTER><H2><A NAME=SOL>GOD SOL.</A></H2></CENTER> +<P>In determining the characteristics of the supreme +divinity of astral worship, it must be borne in mind that +its founders taught that he was evolved or engendered by +the Father, or first person in the sacred Triad, from his +pure substance, which as we have shown was constituted +of chaos or the primeval fire into which they supposed all +things were reduced through the agency of that element +at the conclusion of 12,000 year cycles. Hence, designating +that mythical being as the only begotten of the +Father, they personified him as God the Son, or second +person in the sacred Triad; and recognizing the Sun as the +<!-- Page 23 --> +ruling star, very appropriately made him the presiding +genius of that luminary, under the title of God Sol. According +homage to light as his chief attribute, he is referred +to in the allegories as "The true Light, which lighteth +every man that cometh into the world," John i., 9; and, +although designated as the only begotten of the Father, +his co-existence with him, under the title of the Logos or +Word, is shown in the text which reads, "In the beginning +was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the +Word was God," John i., 1. + +<P>Personifying the principles of Good and Evil in God +Sol, the ancient Astrologers consecrated the six divisions +of the 12,000 year cycle, corresponding to the reproductive +months of Spring and Summer, to him as Lord of +Good, and symbolizing him by the constellation of the +Zodiac in which the Vernal Equinox successively occurred, +as explained hereafter, they dedicated the six divisions +of that cycle, corresponding to the destructive +months of Autumn and Winter, to him as Lord of Evil, +and as such, symbolizing him by the serpent, marked the +beginning of his reign by the constellation "Serpens," +placed in conjunction with the Autumnal Equinox. +Personifying in him the opposing principles of Good and +Evil, he was to the ancients both God and Devil, or the +varied God, who, in relation to the seasons, was described +<!-- Page 24 --> +as beautiful in Spring, powerful in Summer, beneficent in +Autumn and terrible in Winter. Thus under various +names, intended to represent God Sol in relation to the +diversified seasons, we find recorded in the Scriptures, or +solar fables, numerous portrayals of imaginary conflicts, +in which the Evil principle, triumphing during Autumn +and Winter, is conquered at the Vernal Equinox by the +Good principle, who, bringing back equal days and nights, +restores the harmony of nature. + +<BR CLASS=left> +<P><IMG SRC="plate2.gif" WIDTH=300 HEIGHT=483 BORDER=1 HSPACE=10 VSPACE=10 ALT="Hercules and Draco"><!-- Pages 25 & 26 --> +The eternal enmity between the principles of Good +and Evil, as manifested in the diversity of the seasons, +we find portrayed in the Constellations Hercules and +Draco, placed in the northern heavens, in which the heel +of the former, representing one of the most ancient of the +imaginary incarnations of God Sol, to which we will refer +hereafter, is resting upon the head of the latter, as referred +to in Genesis iii., 15, which makes God Sol, or the +Lord God, say to the serpent, "I will put enmity between +thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; +it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." +The woman alluded to in this text is the Virgo of the +Zodiac, as will be made apparent hereafter. + +<P>Of all the divinities of the ancient mythology God +Sol was the only one distinguished by the exalted title of +Lord or Lord God, for the reason that he was made the +<!-- Page 27 --> +organizer of chaos and governor of heaven and earth. +Hence, having constituted him the lord of light and darkness, +as well as good and evil, the ancient astrologers in +composing the solar fables made him say of himself, "I +form the light and create darkness; I make peace and +create evil, I the Lord do all these things," Isaiah xlv., 7. +"Shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not +done it?" Amos iii., 6. Besides the title of Lord or +Lord God, the solar divinity is also designated in the +allegories as the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings, +the Invincible, the Mighty God, etc. + +<BR CLASS=left> +<P><IMG SRC="plate3.gif" WIDTH=300 HEIGHT=331 BORDER=1 HSPACE=10 VSPACE=10 ALT="Bootes, Canes Venatici, and Virgo"><!-- Pages 28 & 29 --> +Subjecting the mythical genius of the sun, in his apparent +annual revolution round the earth, to the four +stages of human life from infancy to old age, the ancient +Magi fixed the natal day of the young God Sol at the winter +solstice, the Virgo of the Zodiac was made his mother, +and the constellation in conjunction with her, which is +now known as Bootes, but anciently called Arcturus, his +foster father. He is represented as holding in leash two +hunting dogs and driving Ursa Major, or the Great Bear, +around the north pole, thus showing that the original +occupation of the celestial foster father of the young God +Sol was that of a bear driver, and that his sons, referred to +in job xxxviii., 32, are the dogs Asterion and Chara. It +will be observed that Virgo is represented in our illustration +<!-- Page 30 --> +with a child in her arms, for the reason that she is so +represented in the ancient Zodiacs, and the fact will be +readily conceded that she is the only Virgin who could +give birth to a child and be a virgin still. +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> +<HR width=70 align=center> +<BR CLASS=left> + +<CENTER><H2><A NAME=COSMOGONY>THE ANCIENT COSMOGONY.</A></H2></CENTER> +<P>Speculating relative to the order in which chaos had +been organized, the ancient Astrologers constructed a +Cosmogony, which divided the labors of God the Son, or +second person in the Trinity, into six periods of a thousand +years each; and which, answering to the six divisions +of the 12,000 year cycle corresponding to the reproductive +months of Spring and Summer, taught that in the first +period he made the earth; in the second, the firmament; +in the third, vegetation; in the fourth, the Sun and +Moon and "the stars also;" in the fifth, the animals, fishes, +birds, etc., and in the sixth, Man. + +<P>That vegetation was made before the Sun was not an +inconsistent idea to the originators of the ancient Cosmogony. +They imagined that the heat and light, emanating +from the elementary fire, were sufficient to stimulate its +growth, after which God the Son gathered it together and +made the Celestial luminaries. In the solar fables this +<!-- Page 31 --> +imaginary element is called the fire-ether, or sacred fire of +the stars. +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> +<HR width=70 align=center> +<BR CLASS=left> + +<CENTER><H2><A NAME=FALL>FALL AND REDEMPTION OF MAN.</A></H2></CENTER> +<P>Religion having been based upon the worship of personified +nature, it is evident that its founders fabricated +its dogmatic element from their conceptions of her destructive +and reproductive processes as manifested in the +rotation and diversity of the seasons. The apparent retreat +of the sun from the earth, in winter, and his return in +the spring, suggesting the idea of a figurative death and +resurrection of the genius of that luminary, they applied +these phenomena of the year to man, and composed the +allegories relative to his fall and redemption, as inculcated +in the Exoteric Creed. In the allegory relating to the fall, +it was taught that, after making the first human pair, the +Lord of Good or the Lord God placed them in a beautiful +garden—corresponding to the seasons of fruits and flowers +or months of Spring and Summer, with the injunction, +under a, penalty, not to eat of the fruit of a certain tree. +When the Lord of Evil, or Devil, symbolized by the serpent +and represented by the constellation "Serpens" +placed in conjunction with the Autumnal Equinox, meeting +<!-- Page 32 --> +them on the confines of his dominion, and tempting +the woman, and she the man, they ate of the forbidden +fruit; thus, falling from their first estate, and committing +the original sin, they involved the whole human race in the +consequences of their disobedience. Then the Lord God, +pronouncing a curse against the serpent, clothed the man +and woman with skins to protect them against the inclemency +of his, dominion as Lord of Evil, and drove them +from the garden; after which they were necessitated to +earn their bread by tilling the ground. + +<P>In, reference to the plan of redemption, the ancient +Astrologers divided the 6,000 years appropriated to man, +as the duration of his race on earth, into ten equal cycles, +and taught that at the conclusion of each God Sol, as +Lord of Good, would manifest himself in the flesh, to destroy +his works as Lord of Evil, and through suffering +and death make an atonement for sin. Thus having originated +the doctrines of original sin, incarnation and vicarious +atonement, as parts of the plan of redemption, and +making its finale correspond, in point of time, to the conclusion +of the 12,000 year cycle, their successors in the +priestly office ultimately inculcated the additional dogmas +of the general judgment and future rewards and punishments, +as we have shown in our introduction. + +<P>Having based the fables of the fall and redemption of +<!-- Page 33 --> +man upon the idea that he was impelled, without his +volition, to pass from the dominion of God to that of the +Devil, or in other words, upon his subjection to the inexorable +necessity which makes the inclement seasons +of Autumn and Winter succeed the beneficent ones of +Spring and Summer, its authors composed the original +of the text which, found in Romans viii., 20, reads that +"The creature was made subject to vanity (Evil), not willingly, +but by reason of him who hath subjected the same +in hope." + +<P>But for the popular teaching in favor of its being +literal history, no one could read the account of the fall of +man, as recorded in the third chapter of Genesis, without +recognizing it as simply an allegory; or fail to realize, the +force of the argument of no fall, no redemption, and if no +redemption, no God to reward or Devil to punish; no hell +to suffer, or heaven to enjoy. The fact is that these are +but antithetical ideas which came in together, and must +survive or perish together. They cannot be separated +without destroying the whole theological fabric. +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> +<HR width=70 align=center> +<BR CLASS=left> + +<CENTER><H2><A NAME=INCARNATIONS>INCARNATIONS OF GOD SOL.</A></H2></CENTER> +<P>Believing that God Sol was necessitated to remain at +his post to direct the course of the sun, the ancient astrologers +<!-- Page 34 --> +conceived the idea of teaching that, attended by a +retinue of subordinate genii, he descended to earth +through the medium of incarnations at the end of 600 year +cycles, to perform the work of man's redemption and, +having made Virgo of the Zodiac the mother of the Solar +divinity, they taught in their allegorical Astronomy, or +scriptures, that his incarnations were born of a Virgin. +Hence we find that God Sol, usually designated by the +title of the Word, "was made flesh, and dwelt among us." +John i., 14. + +<P>In a discourse upon this text delivered by Tillotson, +Archbishop of Canterbury, in the year 1680, published in +the fourth volume of Woodhouse's edition of his Grace's +sermons, in the year 1744, concerning the Incarnation of +our blessed Saviour, he explains the necessity of incarnation +by saying that "There was likewise a great inclination +in mankind to the worship of a visible Deity, so God was +pleased to appear in our nature, that they, who were so +fond of a visible Deity, might have one, even a true and +natural image of God the Father, the express image of +his person." It only requires a little reflection to appreciate +the Prelate's covert irony and want of faith. + +<P>Having ascribed to the imaginary incarnations of +God Sol the characteristics of heaven-descending, virgin-born, +earth-walking, wonder-working, dying, resuscitated +<!-- Page 35 --> +and ascending sons of God, the ancient Astrologers +attached to them the several titles of Saviour, Redeemer, +Avatar, Divine-Helper, Shiloh, Messiah, Christ; and, in +reference to their foster-father, that of Son of Man. +Teaching that they continued to make intercession for sin, +after their ascension to the right hand of the Father, they +were also called Intercessors, Mediators or Advocates +with the Father. From teaching their appearance every +600 years originated the Egyptian legend of the Phoenix, +a bird said to descend from the sun at these intervals, and, +after being consumed upon the altar in the temple of On, +or city of the sun—called Heliopolis by the Greeks—would +rise from its ashes and ascend to its source. According +to the civil laws of Egypt, manhood was not +attained until the age of thirty years. Hence the earthly +mission of incarnate Saviours was made to begin at that +age; and for the reason that, relating to the apparent transit +of the sun through the twelve signs of the Zodiac, it +was completed during the period of one year. + +<P>To impress the ignorant masses with the belief that +the scriptures were literal histories, and the incarnate +Saviours real personages, the ancient Astrologers caused +tombs to be erected in which it was claimed they were +buried. Such sepulchres were erected to Hercules at +Cadiz, to Apollo at Delphi, and to other Saviours at many +<!-- Page 36 --> +other places, to which their respective votaries were induced +to perform pilgrimages. In Egypt the pyramids +were built, partly for astronomical purposes, and partly +as tombs for Saviours, claimed to have been kings, who +had once ruled over the country; and why should we not +recognize that magnificent structure known as the Church +of the Holy Sepulchre, at Jerusalem, as but another of +those tombs of Saviours in which no Saviour was ever entombed? + +<P>Thus we have shown that it was God Sol, the only +begotten of the Father, or second person in the sacred +Triad, to whom supreme adoration was inculcated in all +forms of the ancient Astrolatry; and that its cultured +votaries, understanding that the doctrines pertaining to +the fall and redemption of man were evolved from the +figurative death and resurrection of the solar divinity, +recognized the doctrine of incarnation as a priestly invention +intended only for the ignorant masses. +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> +<HR width=70 align=center> +<BR CLASS=left> + +<CENTER><H2><A NAME=LABORS>FABLE OF THE TWELVE LABORS.</A></H2></CENTER> +<P><IMG SRC="plate4.gif" WIDTH=300 HEIGHT=226 BORDER=1 HSPACE=10 VSPACE=10 ALT="Orion the Hunter and Taurus the Bull"><!-- Pages 38 & 39 --> +The authors of the original solar fables, having lived +in that remote age in which physical prowess was recognized +as the highest attribute of humanity, conceived the +<!-- Page 37 --> +idea that God Sol, while passing through his apparent +orbit, had to fight his way with the animals of the Zodiac, +and with others in conjunction with them. Hence, designating +him as the Mighty Hunter, and calling his exploits +the twelve labors, they made the incarnate Saviours +the heroes of similar ones on earth, which they taught +were performed for the good of mankind; and that, after +fulfilling their earthly mission, they were exhaled to +heaven through the agency of fire. When these fables +were composed the Summer Solstice was in the sign of +Leo, and making the twelve labors begin in it, the first +consisted in the killing of a lion, and the second, in rescuing +a virgin (Virgo) by the destruction of a Hydra, the +constellation in conjunction with her. Upon one of the +Assyrian marbles on exhibition in the British Museum +these two labors are represented as having been performed +by a saviour by the name of Nimroud. In the constellations +of Taurus, the bull of the Zodiac, and of Orion, originally +known as Horns, in conjunction therewith, we +have groupings of stars representing the latter as one of +the mighty hunters of the ancient Astrolatry, supporting +on his left arm the shield of the lion's skin, the trophy of +the first labor, and holding a club in his uplifted right +hand, is engaged in performing the tenth labor by a conflict +with the former. + +<!-- Page 40 --> +<P>The fable of the twelve labors constituted the sacred +records or scriptures of the older forms of Astrolatry, one +version of which, written with the cuneiform character +upon twelve tablets of burnt clay, exhumed from the ruins +of an Assyrian city, and now on exhibition in the British +Museum, is ascribed to Nimroud, the prototype of the +Grecian Hercules, and of Nimrod, the Mighty Hunter of +the Old Testament. +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> +<HR width=70 align=center> +<BR CLASS=left> + +<CENTER><H2><A NAME=ANNIVERSARIES>ANNIVERSARIES OF SOLAR WORSHIP.</A></H2></CENTER> +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=nativity>The Nativity.</A></H3></CENTER> + +Applying the anniversaries inculcated in the worship +of God Sol to his imaginary incarnations, the founders of +the ancient Astrolatry made them refer to the several +stages of human existence from infancy to mature age. +Hence, comparing the first day of infantile life to the +shortest day of the year, it would naturally be expected +that they would have placed the anniversary of the Nativity +exactly at the Winter solstice; but, having conceived +the idea that the sun stood still for the space of three days +at each of the cardinal points, and making it represent the +figurative death of the genius of that luminary, they fixed +the date for its observance three days later, or on the 25th +<!-- Page 41 --> +of December. The Gnostic adherents to the ancient +solar worship, or those who were conversant with the +teachings of the Esoteric philosophy, knowing that the +dramatis personæ of the fable of incarnation were pictured +with stars upon the azure vault, recognized the +woman "clothed with the sun, and the moon under her +feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars," referred +to in Revelations xii. 1, as the Virgo of the Zodiac; they +also knew that she was the true queen of heaven and +mother of God; and that the infant, anciently represented +in her arms, and with whom, in their day, she arose on the +Eastern horizon at midnight on the 24th of December, +was the same of whom the people were taught to sing at +Christmas "Unto us a child is born this day." + +<P>With the knowledge of these facts we can readily see +that this is the Virgin and child which constituted the +originals of those exquisite paintings, by the old masters, +known as the Madonna and Child. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=epiphany>Epiphany or Twelfth Day.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>In reference to the twelve signs through which the +sun makes his apparent annual revolution, the twelfth +day after Christmas, answering to the 6th of January, was +observed by the votaries of the ancient Astrolatry as the +anniversary of the Epiphany or Twelfth Day. In the +<!-- Page 42 --> +solar fables, it was taught that a star appeared in the +heavens on that day to manifest the birthplace of the +infant Saviour to the Magi or Wise Men of the East, who +came to pay him homage, and to present him with the +gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, as related in Matthew ii. 11. + +<P>The reason for presenting these gifts is explained by +the facts that of the seven metals dedicated to the genii of +the planets, gold was the one consecrated to God Sol; and +frankincense and myrrh were the gums burned in censers +in his worship. + +<P>In reading the account of the Magi's visit to the infant +Saviour, we have but to exercise our thinking faculties to +realize that it is allegory instead of literal history. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=lent>Lent or Lenten Season.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>In the ancient solar fables it was taught that the persecutions +to which the incarnate Saviours were subjected +while passing through the dominion of God Sol as Lord of +Evil, raged with greatest fury during the forty days +preceding the festival of Easter, which period, beginning +when the days were perceptibly lengthening, was called +Lent, or the Lenten season. It was during this season +that the votaries of the ancient religion were taught to +<!-- Page 43 --> +manifest their sympathy for the Saviour in his imaginary +conflict with the Devil by abstaining from all festivities, +and by fasting and prayer; and, as that was the season +in which the flocks and herds were poor in flesh, while the +seas and rivers abounded with fish in good condition, the +ancient priests, making a virtue of necessity, enjoined a +diet principally of fish, and for that reason placed the constellation +Pisces at the point in the Zodiac in which the +Lenten season anciently began; which, without regard to +the day of the week, was always observed on the 15th day +of February, the name of that month having been derived +from the Februa, or feast of purification and expiation of +the old Roman calendar. + +<P>At the council of Nice the Lenten season was made +to begin on the fourth day of the week, and in reference to +the ancient custom of the more devout sprinkling ashes +upon their heads at the feast of the Februa, it is called Ash +Wednesday. + +<P>Hence we see that all years in which Ash Wednesday +does not come on the 15th of February, the Lenten +season must necessarily contain a greater or lesser number +than the original assignment of forty days. + +<!-- Page 44 --> +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=passion>Passion Week.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>The last seven days of Lent is called Passion Week, in +reference to the apparent passage of the sun across the +Celestial equator at the Vernal Equinox or 21st of +March; the ancient astrologers having conceived the idea +that the sun stood still for the space of three days at each +of the cardinal points, and making it represent the figurative +death of the genius of that luminary, it was observed +as the anniversary of the Vernal crucifixion or passion of +the incarnate Saviours; and in commemoration of their +imaginary sufferings and death it was the custom to expose +in the temples during the last three days of Passion +Week figures representing their dead bodies, over which +the votaries of solar worship, especially the women, made +great lamentation. It was in reference to one of these +images, laid out in the temple at Jerusalem, to which the +jealous Jehovah, considering it a great abomination in his +own house, is made to direct the attention of Ezekiel, the +prophet, who, looking, beheld "Women weeping for Tammuz" +as recorded in the eighth chapter. This divinity +was the Phoenician prototype of the Grecian Adonis, to +whom the women of Judea preferred to pay homage. + +<P>It was during the last three days of Passion Week +that the votaries of solar worship performed their severest +<!-- Page 45 --> +penance. Besides fasting and prayer, the more devout +flagellated and slashed themselves and others with knives +and thongs, and carried heavy crosses up steep acclivities. +In all ultra-Catholic countries the priests, in imitation of +the ancient custom, expose in the churches figures representing +the dead Saviour, over which the laity, especially +the women, weep and mourn; and the more devout +men cut and slash themselves, and each other, with +knives and thongs; and, in imitation of the imaginary +tramp of Jesus with his cross up Calvary's rugged side, +bear heavy crosses up steep acclivities. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=plays>Passion Plays.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>Anciently dramas representing the passion of incarnate +saviours, called Passion plays, were enacted upon the +stage. The most celebrated of these divine tragedies, +known as Prometheus Bound, and composed by the +Greek poet Æschylus, was played at Athens 500 years +before the beginning of the Christian era. To show that +this sin-atoning saviour was not chained to a rock, while +vultures preyed upon his vitals, as popularly taught, but +was nailed to a tree; we quote front Potter's translation of +the play, that passage which, readily recognized as the +original of a Christian song, reads as follows: +<!-- page 46 --> +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> + "Lo, streaming from the fatal tree,<BR> + His all atoning blood:<BR> + Is this the infinite? 'Tis he—<BR> + Prometheus and a God.<BR> + Well might the sun in darkness hide,<BR> + And veil his glories in,<BR> + When God the great Prometheus died<BR> + For man, the creature's sin." + +<P>The veiling of the sun, as represented in these plays, +having reference to the imaginary sympathy expressed by +God Sol for the sufferings of his incarnate son, was shown +upon the stage by shading the lights. The monks of the +Middle Ages enacted plays representing the passion of the +Christian Saviour, and the Bavarian peasantry, perpetuating +this custom, perform the play every tenth year. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=resurrection>Resurrection and Easter Festival.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>In conformity to the ancient teachings, the incarnate +saviours, considered as figuratively dead for the space of +three days at the Vernal Equinox, or 21st of March, were +raised to newness of life after the expiration of that time. +Hence, the 25th of March, without regard to the day of +the week, was celebrated as the anniversary of the Vernal +resurrection. On the morning of this day it was the +custom of the astrologers to say to the mourners assembled +in the temples, "Be of good cheer, sacred band of initiates; +<!-- Page 47 --> +your God has risen from the dead, his pains and his +sufferings shall be your salvation." Another form of +this admonition, quoted from an ancient poem in reference +to the Phoenician Tammuz, reads as follows: +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> + "Trust ye saints, your God restored,<BR> + Trust ye in your risen Lord,<BR> + For the pains which he endured,<BR> + Your salvation hath procured." + +<P>Then would begin the festivities of Easter, which +corrupted from Eostre, and derived from the Teutonic +mythology, was one of the many names given to the goddess +of Spring. In the observance of this festival the +temples were adorned with floral offerings; the Hilaries +sang their joyful lays; the fires upon the pyres, or the fire-altars, +were extinguished and rekindled with new fire, or +sacred fire of the stars, which the Astrologers taught was +brought down from heaven by the winged genius Perseus, +the constellation which, anciently, was in conjunction +with the Vernal Equinox; Paschal candles, lit from +the new fire, were distributed to the faithful and the Paschal +feast, Easter feast, or the feast of the passover, was +eaten in commemoration of the passion of the incarnate +saviours, or, in other words, of the passage of the sun +across the celestial equator. +<!-- page 48 --> +In ultra-Catholic countries the descent of the sacred +fire is represented by some secretly arranged pyrotechny, +and the credulous laity, believing they have witnessed a +miraculous display, eagerly solicit Paschal candles lit +from it; and in imitation of the ancient festivities in honor +of the return of spring, all Catholic churches, and most of +Protestant ones, are adorned with flowers, the bells ring +out their merriest peals, and "Gloria in Excelsis" and +other jubilant songs, similar to the lays of the ancient Hilaries, +are sung. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=annunciation>Annunciation.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>The anniversary of the Nativity having been placed +on the 25th of December, according to the course of nature, +the 25th of March was anciently celebrated as the +anniversary of the annunciation, and is still observed on +that day, and the duty of saluting the Virgin (Virgo) and +announcing her conception by the Holy Ghost or third +person in the Trinity was assigned to the genius of Spring. +In the Chaldean version of the Gospel story the name of +Gabriel was given to this personification, and in the Christian +version of that story he is made to perform the same +office; see Luke i. 26-35. + +<!-- Page 49 --> +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=ascension>Ascension.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>Celebrating the anniversary of the ascension forty +days after Easter, it was anciently observed on the 4th of +May, and it was taught that the incarnate saviours ascended +bodily into heaven, in a golden chariot drawn by +four horses caparisoned with gilded trappings, all glittering +like fire in the fervid sunlight. Hence when we read +in II. Kings ii. 11, that "There appeared a chariot of fire +and horses of fire, . . . and Elijah went up by a +whirlwind into heaven," we must accept this text as descriptive +of the imaginary ascension of one of the incarnate +saviours of ancient Judaism. + + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=assumption>Assumption.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>When the Summer solstice was in the sign of Cancer, +the sun was in that of Virgo in the month of August, and +the anniversary of the Assumption was observed on the +15th of that month, and is so observed at the present +time. The fact that the anniversary of the Ascension precedes +that of the Assumption explains why Jesus is made +to say to his mother (Virgo) soon after his resurrection, +"Touch me not: for I am not yet ascended to my Father." +John xx. 17. + +<!-- page 50 --> +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=supper>The Lord's Supper.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>In the ancient solar worship the so-called ordinance +of the Lord's Supper was observed just before the anniversary +of the autumnal crucifixion; and consisting of bread +and wine, in reference to the maturing of the crops and +completion of the vintage, was, like the modern festival of +the hardest home, a season of thankfulness to the Lord +(God Sol) as the giver of all good gifts. Hence being +observed but once a year, it was in reality not an ordinance +but an anniversary; and the fact that Christians +partake of these emblems so frequently during the year +indicates that the original signification of the Lord's Supper +has been lost. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=transubstantiation>Transubstantiation,</A></H3></CENTER> +or the conversion of the bread and wine into the veritable +blood and body of Christ, is a doctrine of the Catholic +church which was derived from the ritual of the ancient +solar worship. + +<P>In the 26th chapter of Matthew we have an account +of the Lord administering the last supper to his Disciples +on the eve of the autumnal crucifixion, and in verse 27 +it reads that "he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave +it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it." The compilers of +the modern version of the Gospel story must surely have +<!-- page 51 --> +inadvertently copied this text as it read in the ancient +versions of that old, old story, which, when observed in +remembrance of "Our Lord and Saviour Bacchus," was +called the Bacchanalia, or feast, of Bacchus. At these +orgies the participants give thanks for the wine by not +only drinking all of one cup, but many more; in fact they +kept on drinking until they fell under the table. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=crucifixion>Autumnal Crucifixion.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P> +<IMG SRC="plate5.gif" WIDTH=300 HEIGHT=383 BORDER=1 HSPACE=10 VSPACE=10 ALT="Savior as a vigorous young man"><!-- Pages 52 & 53 --> +<IMG SRC="plate6.gif" WIDTH=300 HEIGHT=383 BORDER=1 HSPACE=10 VSPACE=10 ALT="The vanquished Savior"><!-- Pages 54 & 55 --> +<BR CLASS=left> +The beneficent seasons of Spring and Summer coming +to an end at the Autumnal Equinox, the 22d of September +was made the anniversary of the Autumnal Crucifixion. +The vernal resurrection and Autumnal Crucifixion, +representing the alternate triumph of the personified +principles of Good and Evil, as manifested in the diversity +of the seasons; we find appropriately expressed in +two religious pictures. In the one, the Saviour, appealing +as a vigorous young man, surrounded by a brilliant halo, +representing the rays of the all-conquering Sun of Spring, +is rising triumphantly from the tomb, before whom the +demon of Winter, or Devil, is seen retreating in the background. +In the other, the vanquished Saviour, represented +by the figure of a lean and haggard man, with a crown of +thorns upon his head, around which appears a faint halo +of the Sun's declining rays, and above which is placarded +<!-- Page 56 --> +the letters I. N. R. I., the initial letters of Latin words, +signifying the life to come, or the eternal life, is suspended +upon the cross, at the foot of which his mother Mary +(Virgo) is represented as kneeling in a mourning attitude, +and by her side is seen a serpent and a skull, the emblems +of Evil and of Death. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=michaelmas>Michaelmas.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>In the calendar of the ancient Astral Worship, the +fourth day after the Autumnal Equinox was dedicated to +the genius of Autumn. In the Chaldean allegories the +name of Michael was given to this personification, and +called Michaelmas, or feast of Michael. In the Catholic +calendar this anniversary is placed an the 29th of September, +instead of the 26th of that month, while that +of St. Matthew, the Christian genius of Autumn, which +should be placed on the 26th of that month, is observed +on the 21st. + +<P>Thus we have shown that the anniversaries of the +ancient Astral Worship were all fixed, and from church +history we learn that they were so observed by the Christians +until the Council of Nice in the year 325, when the +Bishops assembled at that celebrated convocation, desiring +to have the festival of Easter celebrated on Sunday, +which had been made the Sabbath by the edict of Constantine, +<!-- Page 57 --> +in the year 321, ordered that it should be observed +on the Sunday of the full moon, which comes on or next +after the Vernal Equinox. Hence, converting it into a +movable festival, its allied feasts and fast days were also +made movable. + +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> +<HR width=70 align=center> +<BR CLASS=left> + +<CENTER><H2><A NAME=TIME>PERSONIFICATIONS OF THE DIVISIONS OF TIME.</A></H2></CENTER> +<p>In the ancient solar fables the several divisions of +time were personified and made to pay homage to the +Triune Deity, supposed to be enthroned above the firmament. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=hours>The Hours.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>The genii of the hours were designated as Elders, and +we find them described in the 4th chapter of Revelation +as sitting round about the throne upon four and twenty +seats, clothed in white raiment, and crowns of gold upon +their heads. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=days>The Days.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>Each day of the year was appropriately personified, +and these genii of the days constitute the saints of the +Christian calendar. Of these we will refer to but one. +<!-- Page 58 --> +According to the ancient belief that the sun stood still +for the space of three days at each of the cardinal points, +the 24th of June was made the first of the decreasing days; +and dedicating it to St. John the Baptist, he is made to say +in reference to his opposite, (the genius of the 25th of +December, and first of the increasing days,) "He must increase, +but I must decrease." This text, found in John +iii. 30, simply means that the days of the one must increase +in length, while the days of the other must decrease. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=months>The Months.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>The fable of the twelve labors having been superseded +by others, in which the genii of the twelve signs of the +Zodiac, corresponding to the months, were designated +as angels, and made to minister to God Sol while making +his apparent annual revolution; but, when constituted the +attendants of the incarnate saviours during their imaginary +earth life, they were personified as men and called +Disciples. Of these genii of the months we will refer only +to the first and the last. The first month, dedicated to the +genius known in the mythology as Janus, and from which +was derived the name January, was portrayed with two +faces, the one of an old man looking mournfully backward +over the old year, and the other of a young man looking +joyfully forward to the new year. This personification, +<!-- Page 59 --> +made the opener of the year, and represented as holding +a pair of cross-keys, was called "The carrier of the keys +of the kingdom of heaven." Hence, the Popes of Rome, +claiming apostolic succession from Peter, the Janus of the +Christian twelve, wear cross-keys as the insignia of their +office. Sometimes a crosier, or shepherd's crook, is substituted +for one of the keys, in reference to his arrogated +office of the leader of the sheep! The authority for the +assumption that the Popes are Peter's successors is found +in Matthew xvi. 18, 19; but its fallacy becomes apparent +when we bear in mind that the scriptures are but collections +of astronomical allegories, and that the Peter +referred to in the text was not a man, but the mythical +genius of the month of January. + +<P>In reference to the last month, we find that the +authors of the ancient solar fables, ever doubting whether +God Sol, after inaugurating Winter by his supposed retreat +from the earth, would return to revivify nature with +his life-giving rays, gave to the genius of the twelfth +month the title of the Doubter. In the Christian calendar +this personification is known as Thomas, and a more +specific dedication of the shortest day of the year having +been made to him, the 21st day of December is called St. +Thomas day. + +<!-- Page 60 --> +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=seasons>The Seasons.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>When the cardinal points were in the constellations +Leo, Taurus, Aquarius and Scorpio, the astrologers, objecting +to the signification of the latter, substituted the +constellation in conjunction therewith, which is known +as Aquila (Ak-we-la) or Flying Eagle. In the allegorical +astronomy of that remote period these genii of the seasons +were designated as beasts, and as such we find them +referred to in Revelation iv. 7, which reads as follows: +"And the first beast was like a lion (Leo), and the second +beast like a calf (Taurus, the bull calf), and the third +beast had a face as a man, (Aquarius, the waterman) and +the fourth beast was like a flying eagle (Aquila)." In the +first chapter of Ezekiel, the prophet, the genii of the seasons +are referred to in the same manner. + +<P><IMG SRC="plate7.gif" WIDTH=300 HEIGHT=281 BORDER=1 HSPACE=10 VSPACE=10 ALT="Aquila, Serpens, Scorpio"><!-- Pages 61 & 62 --> +These genii of the seasons, standing, imaginarily, at +the four corners of the heavens, were called corner-keepers, +and making them witnesses to God Sol in his apparent +annual revolution, the founders of the Astral Worship +designated them as Archangels, Evangelists, God-Spellers +or Gospel-Bearers, and claiming inspiration from +them, composed four different histories of the birth and +earth-life of the incarnate saviour, to each of which they +attached a name, and called these records the Gospel +<!-- Page 63 --> +story. In its Chaldean version, the names of Gabriel, +Michael, Raphael and Uriel were given them; but while +the first two of these are mentioned in the Christian Gospel +story, its authors gave to the Evangelists the names +of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Thus knowing the +true signification of the Disciples and Evangelists, the +very pertinent question presents itself: If they are not +the genii of the months and the seasons, why are there +just twelve of the one and four of the other? +<BR CLASS=left> + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=incdays>Half Year of Increasing Days.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>In the ancient astrolatry, the half year of increasing +days, extending from the Winter to the Summer Solstice, +was personified by the composite figure representing the +constellations of Taurus and Aquarius, which, constituted +of the winged body of a bull and the head and beard +of a man, was called the Cherubim. This personification +we find portrayed upon the Assyrian marbles on exhibition +in the British Museum. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=decdays>Half Year of Decreasing Days.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>The half year of decreasing days, extending from the +Summer to the Winter Solstice, was personified by the +figure, which, representing the constellations of Leo and +Aquila, and composed of the winged body and limbs of a +lion, with the head of an eagle, was called the Seraphim. +<!-- Page 64 --> +These last two personifications constituted the Archangels +of the ancient Astral Worship. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=lastq>Last Quarter of the Year.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>The last quarter of the year was personified in the +ancient allegories as a decrepit old man, who, stung by +a Scorpion (Scorpio), and fatally wounded by an arrow +from the quiver of an archer (Saggitarius) dies at the +Winter Solstice; and, after lying in the grave for the space +of three days, is brought to life again. Such was the personification +referred to in the Christian Gospel-story as +having been raised from the grave by the mandate, "Come +forth, Lazarus." Thus have we shown that the elders +and the saints; the angels, and the Archangels; the Cherubim +and Seraphim; and also poor old Lazarus, are but +personifications of the several divisions of time. +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> +<HR width=70 align=center> +<BR CLASS=left> + +<CENTER><H2><A NAME=ZODIACAL>ZODIACAL SYMBOLS OF SOLAR WORSHIP.</A></H2></CENTER> +<P>Having shown that the founders of the ancient astrolatry +accorded homage to God Sol as Lord of Evil, under +the symbol of the serpent, and marked the beginning of +his reign, as such, by the constellation "Serpens" placed in +conjunction with the Autumnal Equinox; we will now +<!-- Page 65 --> +direct attention to the symbols under which he was worshipped +as Lord of Good, which, corresponding to the +form of the constellation in which occurred the Vernal +Equinox, and which was changed to correspond to the +form of the succeeding constellation as that Cardinal +point passed into it, by that process, known in Astronomy, +as the precession of the Equinoxes, its explanation becomes +essential to a correct understanding of our subject. + +<P>After long observation, aided by the telescope, of +which they were undoubtedly the original inventors, the +ancient Astrologers discovered that the Sun, in making +his apparent annual revolution, did not return to the same +point in the heavens, but fell behind that of the preceding +year, at the, rate of 50¼ seconds of a degree annually. At +this rate of precession, which modern, calculation has confirmed, +it requires 71 2-3 years for the Cardinal points to +pass through one degree on the Ecliptic, and 2150 years +through thirty degrees, or one sign of the Zodiac. The +knowledge of this process affording an exact chronology, +we are enabled, not only to determine the origin of these +symbols, but to approximate, very nearly, to the respective +dates of their adoption. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=sphinx>The Sphinx.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>From the teachings of Astronomy we learn that the +Summer Solstice is now occupying the point between the +<!-- Page 66 --> +signs of Taurus and Gemini, from which we know that +that Cardinal point has passed through three whole signs +since it was between the signs of Leo and Virgo, and we +have but to multiply 2,150 by 3 to determine that it has +been about 6,450 years ago. Hence, the tourist to the +Nile valley, when viewing, near the base of old Cheops, +the great Egyptian pyramid, a colossal head and bust of +a woman, carved in stone, and learns that it is attached +to a body, in the form of a lion in a crouching attitude 146 +feet long, hidden beneath the shifting sands of the Libyan +desert; if possessed of the knowledge of the precession +of the Equinoxes, he will be enabled to solve the +riddle of the Sphinx by recognizing in that grotesque +monument the mid-summer symbol of solar worship, +when the Summer Solstice was between the signs of Leo +and Virgo. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=dragon>The Dragon.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>When the Summer Solstice was between the signs +of Leo and Virgo, the Winter Solstice was between those +of Aquarius and Pisces, and the figure composed of the +body of a man with the tail of a fish became the mid-winter +symbol of solar worship. Such was the form of this +symbol to which the ancient Phoenicians paid homage +to the Lord under the name of Dagon. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=bull>The Bull.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>At the same time the Summer Solstice entered the +sign of Leo, the Vernal Equinox entered that of Taurus, +and the bull becoming the spring symbol of solar worship—the +Lord was designated in the ancient allegories as the +bull of God which taketh away the sin of the world; which, +shorn of its allegorical sense, signifies the sun in Taurus, +or sun of spring, which taketh away the evil of Winter. +Such is the purport of hieroglyphical inscriptions upon +papyrus rolls found in Egypt, and engraved upon obelisks +erected in the Nile valley, one of which has been recently +brought to the City of New York and set up in Central +Park. In the East Indies this symbol was represented by +the figure of a bull with the solar disk between his horns; +and the Egyptians, who were of Hindoo origin, perpetuating +it in their "Apis," it was reproduced in the golden calf +of the ancient Israelites. The Assyrians represented this +symbol by the figure of a winged bull with the face and +beard of a man; the Phoenicians, in their "Baal," by the +figure of a man with a bull's head and horns; and the +small silver bull's heads with golden horns, recently discovered +by Dr. Schliemann in the ruins of Mycenae, were +jewels worn by the women of that ancient city, when the +Vernal Equinox was in the sign of Taurus. + +<!-- Page 68 --> +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=ram>The Ram.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>By deducting 2,150 years from 6,450, we determine +that about 4,300 years; ago the Vernal Equinox entered the +sign of Aries, and the spring symbol of solar worship, +changing from the bull to the ram, was represented by +ram-headed figures, two of which, found in Egypt, are on +exhibition in the British Museum. Then the text which +read the bull of God, was changed to the Ram of God +which taketh away the sins of the world. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=lamb>The Lamb.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P><IMG SRC="plate8.gif" WIDTH=300 HEIGHT=291 BORDER=1 HSPACE=10 VSPACE=10 ALT="The Lamb of God"><!-- Pages 69 & 70 --> +Ultimately attaching a meek and lowly disposition +to the imaginary incarnations of the mythical genius of +the sun, the symbol of the ram was changed to that of the +lamb, and the text in the allegories, which read the Ram of +God, was changed to read "The Lamb of God which +taketh away the sin of the World," John i, 29. The explanation +we have given relative to the Zodiacal Symbols +of solar worship makes the assurance doubly sure that the +originals of the New Testament were composed when the +Vernal Equinox was in the sign of Aries, as will be +shown hereafter. Having adopted the symbol of the +lamb, it was represented by several forms of what is +known as Agnus Dei, or Lamb of God, one of which was +in the form of a bleeding lamb with a vase attached into +<!-- Page 71 --> +which blood is flowing, which originated in reference to +the shedding of blood as a vicarious atonement for sin. +But the most comprehensive form of this symbol in its +astronomical signification, was represented by the +figure of a lamb in a standing attitude, supporting the +circle of the Zodiac, divided into quarters to denote the +seasons. At each of the cardinal points there was a small +cross, and the lamb held in its uplifted fore-foot a larger +cross, the long arm of which was made to cut the celestial +equator at the angle of 23½ degrees, the true angle of +obliquity of the Ecliptic. This symbol is still retained in +the Catholic Church. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=fish>The Fish.</A></H3></CENTER> +By deducting 2,150 years from 4,300 we determine +that about 2,150 years ago the Vernal Equinox entered +the sign of Pisces; and although the original version of the +New Testament was founded upon the symbol of the lamb, +it is a historical fact that for centuries after the beginning +of our era, the Christians paid homage to the Lord under +the symbol of the fish; but ultimately going into desuetude, +the lamb was retained as the distinguishing symbol +of the Christian religion until the year 680, at which date +another was substituted, as will be shown under our next +heading. + +<!-- Page 72 --> +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> +<HR width=70 align=center> +<BR CLASS=left> + +<CENTER><H2><A NAME=CROSS>SIGNS OP THE CROSS.</A></H2></CENTER> +<P>Among the numerous symbols of solar worship, besides +those we have already referred to, there are three +to which we will direct attention. Two of these were of +astronomical signification: the one adopted when the +Spring Equinox was in the sign of Taurus and shaped like +the letter T, was the model after which the ancient temples +were built; and the other, shaped like the letter X, in reference +to the angle of 23½ degrees made by the crossing +of the Ecliptic and the Celestial equator, is known as St. +Andrew's Cross. The third, and most important of all the +symbols of solar worship, in its relation to the Christian +religion, which, having no astronomical signification, +originated in Egypt, in reference to the annual inundation +of the river Nile. To mark the height to which the water +should rise to secure an abundant harvest, posts were +planted upon its banks to which cross beams were attached +thus ┼. If the water should rise to the designated +height, it was called "the waters of life," or "river +of life;" and, ultimately, this form of the cross was adopted +as the symbol of the life to come, or eternal life; and the +ancient astrologers had it engraved upon stone, encircled +with a hieroglyphical inscription to that effect, one of +which was discovered in the ruins of the temple erected +<!-- Page 73 --> +at Alexandria, and dedicated to "our Lord and Saviour +Serapis." + +<P>But, if the water failed to rise to the required height, +and the horrors of starvation becoming the inevitable result, +it was the custom of the people to nail to these crosses +symbolical personifications of the Demon of Famine. To +indicate the sterility of the domain over which he reigned, +he was represented by the figure of a lean and haggard +man, with a crown of thorns upon his head; a reed cut +from the river's bank was placed in his hands, as his unreal +sceptre; and, considering the inhabitants of Judea as the +most slavish and mean-spirited race in their knowledge, +they placarded this figure with the inscription: "This is +the King of the Jews." Thus, to the ancient Egyptians, +this sign of the cross was blessed or accursed as it was +represented with, or without, this figure suspended +upon it. + +<P>When the Roman, or modern, form of Christianity +was instituted, the hieroglyphical inscription signifying +the life to come or eternal life was substituted by a placard +nailed to the cross with the letters I. N. R. I. inscribed +upon it, which are the initials of the Latin words conveying +the same meaning. But if we would learn how the +figure of a man came to be suspended upon this form of +the cross, we must refer to Mediaeval History, which +<!-- Page 74 --> +teaches that in the year 680, under the Pontificate of Agathon, +and during the reign of Constantine Pogonat, at the +sixth council of the church, and third at Constantinople, it +was ordered in Canon 82 that "Instead of a lamb, the figure +of a man nailed to a cross should be the distinguishing +symbol of the Christian religion." Now, as this figure +is represented by that of a lean and haggard man, with a +crown of thorns upon his head, does it not look as if the +old Egyptian Demon of Famine was the model after +which it was constructed? +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> +<HR width=70 align=center> +<BR CLASS=left> + +<CENTER><H2><A NAME=PUNISHMENTS>FUTURE REWARDS AND PUNISHMENTS.</A></H2></CENTER> +<P>In the ancient Astrolatry, two different systems of +future rewards and punishments were inculcated; the +Oriental or East Indian, and the Occidental or Egyptian; +the former, ignoring the resurrection of the body, taught +but one judgment immediately after death, and the latter +inculcated an individual judgment immediately after +death, the resurrection of the body, and a general judgment +at the end of the world, or conclusion of the 12,000 +year cycle. + +<!-- Page 75 --> +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=oriental>The Oriental System.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>Considering perfect happiness to consist in absolute +rest, the Oriental astrologers conceived a state of eternal +and unconscious repose, equivalent to soul absorption, +to which they gave the name of Nirvana, into which they +taught that, by the awards of the gods, the souls of the +righteous, or those who had lived what they called "the +contemplative life," would be permitted to enter immediately +after death. But, for the souls of sinners, they invented +a system of expiatory punishments which, known +as the Metempsychosis, or transmigration of souls, taught +that they would be compelled to successively animate the +bodies of beasts, birds, fishes, etc., for a thousand years +before being permitted to enter the Nirvana. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=occidental>The Occidental System.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>In concocting the doctrine of the first judgment the +Egyptian astrologers, ignoring the Nirvana, inculcated +the future sentient existence of the soul; and, while retaining +the Metempsychotial expiations of the Oriental system, +taught that its rewards, and principal punishments, +would be enjoyed or suffered in the under or nether +world, the existence of which they had conceived in constructing +their system of nature. This imaginary region, +known to the Egyptians as the Amenti, to the Greeks as +<!-- Page 76 --> +Hades, and to the Hebrews as Sheol, was divided by an +impassable gulf into the two states of happiness and +misery which were designated in the Grecian mythology +as the Elysium, or Elysian Fields, and the Tartarus. In +the lower part of the latter was located the Phlegethon, +or lake of fire and brimstone, the smoke from which ascended +into an upper apartment. + +<P>In this system it was taught that the souls of the +two extremes of society, constituted of the righteous +and the great sinners, would be consigned immediately +after the first judgment, the one to the Elysium, and the +other to the Phlegethon, where they were to remain until +the second or general judgment; while the souls of less +venial sinners, constituting the greater mass of mankind, +before being permitted to enter the Elysium would be +compelled to suffer the expiatory punishments of the +Metempsychosis, or in the upper region, or "smoky row" +of the Tartarus. Such was the Egyptian purgatory, and +its denizens constituted "the spirits in prison" referred to +in I. Peter iii. 19, from which the astrologers claimed to +have the power to release, provided their surviving friends +paid liberally for their propitiatory offices; and, from this +assumption, the clergy of the Catholic church derived the +idea of saying masses for the repose of the soul. These +doctrines were carried by Pythagoras from Egypt to +<!-- Page 77 --> +Greece about 550 years before the beginning of our era; +and passing from thence to Rome, the Greek and Latin +poets vied with each other in portraying Hades and the +joys and terrors of its two states. + +<CENTER><H3><A NAME=judgment>The Second or General Judgment.</A></H3></CENTER> +<P>The Egyptian Astrologers, recognizing the soul as +a material entity, and conceiving the idea that in the +future life it would require a material organization for its +perfect action, taught that at the general judgment it +would be re-united to its resurrected body. In conformity +to this belief, Job is made to say in chapter xix. 25, 26, +"I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand +at the latter day upon the earth; and though worms destroy +this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God." The +higher class Egyptians, however, fearing that their existence +would continue to be of the same shadowy and intangible +character after the second judgment, as they believed +it would be in the Amenti, if worms were allowed to +destroy their bodies, hoped to preserve them until that +time by the process of embalming. + +<P>The imaginary events to occur in connection with +the second judgment, which, constituting the finale of the +plan of redemption, and inculcated in what are known as +the doctrines of Second Adventism, were to be inaugurated +<!-- Page 78 --> +by an archangel sounding a trumpet summoning +the quick and the dead to appear before the bar of the +gods to receive their final awards. At the second judgment, +designated in the allegories as "the last day," "day +of judgment," "great and terrible day of the Lord," etc., +it was taught that the tenth and last saviour would make +his second advent by descending upon the clouds, and +after the final awards, the elect being caught up "to meet +the Lord in the air" (I. Thes. iv. 17), the heaven and the +earth would be reduced to chaos through the agency of +fire. In reference to that grand catastrophe we find it +recorded in II. Peter iii. 10, that "the heavens shall pass +away with a great noise and the elements shall melt with +fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein +shall be burned up." + +<P>After the organization of a new heaven and a new earth +it was taught that upon the latter would descend a beautiful +city, with pearly gates and golden streets, called the +City of God, the Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of Heaven +or New Jerusalem, in which the host of the redeemed +would, with their Lord and Saviour, enjoy the Millennium, +or thousand years of happiness unalloyed with evil; +and such was the Kingdom for the speedy coming of +which the votaries of Astral worship were taught to pray +in what is known as the Lord's Prayer. + +<!-- Page 79 --> +<P>According to the teachings of the Allegories, there were +to be no sun, moon or stars during the Millennium, their +authors having arranged it so that the light of those luminaries +would not be needed, as we find recorded in Rev. +xxi. 23, and xxii. 5: "The city had no need of the +sun, neither of the moon to shine in it; for the glory of +God did lighten it," and "there shall be no night there; +and they need no candle, neither the light of the sun; for +the Lord God giveth them light." It must be remembered, +when reading the fanciful ideas relative to the City +of God, that they were composed by men who, living in +a very ignorant age, gave free rein to fervid imaginations. +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> +<HR width=70 align=center> +<BR CLASS=left> + +<CENTER><H2><A NAME=JEWISH>JEWISH OR ANCIENT CHRISTIANITY.</A></H2></CENTER> +<P>It is our purpose to present the evidences showing +that a system of Astral worship, which we designate as +Jewish Christianity, was in existence more than two +centuries and a half before the institution of its +modern form. In verification of this assertion we must +find the initial point of our inquiry in ancient history, +which teaches that in the division of the Grecian Empire +among his generals, after the death of Alexander the +Great, who died 332 years before the beginning of our era, +<!-- Page 80 --> +the governorship of Egypt and adjacent provinces was secured +by Ptolemy Lagus, or Soter, who, having subsequently +suppressed a revolt in Judea, removed from that +country a large body of its inhabitants to people the new +city of Alexandria, which had been laid out by order of +and named after the great Conqueror. + +<P>The Egyptian version of the Gospel story, being +more appropriate to the Nile Valley than to the region +from whence they came, the Greek colonists of Alexandria +adopted it, but preferring to pay homage to Serapis, +one of the ninth incarnations of God Sol, which they +imported from Pontus, a Greek province of Asia Minor, +they erected to his worship that celebrated temple known +as the Grand Serapium; and, transferring the culture and +refinement of Greece to the new city, it became, under the +Ptolemian dynasty, a great seat of learning; the arts and +sciences flourished, an immense library was collected, the +various forms of Astral worship were represented and +schools for the dissemination of the several phases of Grecian +philosophy and Oriental Gnosticism were founded. + +<P>Such being the environment of the Jewish residents +of Alexandria, they soon acquired the vernacular and +adopted the religion of the Greeks, who, having ever attached +to their incarnate saviours the title signifying the +Christ, or the anointed, were known as Christians. Encouraged +<!-- Page 81 --> +by the liberal policy of Philadelphus, the second +Ptolemy, a body of their learned men, who had been educated +in the Greek schools, founded a college for the education +of their own people, which institution was ultimately +known as the University of Alexandria. Under +the auspices of Philadelphus the professors of that institution +rendered their Hebrew sacred records into the Greek +language, which translation is known as the Septuagint, or +Alexandrian version of the Old Testament. + +<P>Having acquired from the Egyptian astrologers the +arts of healing, thaumaturgy and necromancy, and teaching +them in their school, the professors of the Jewish +college of Alexandria assumed the title of Essenes, or +Therapeutae, the Egyptian and Greek words signifying +Doctors, Healers or Wonder Workers. Possessed of the +sad and gloomy characteristics of their race, they adopted +the "Contemplative Life," or asceticism of the Oriental +Gnosticism, from which they derived the name of Ascetics. +Founding a church for the propagation of their +peculiar tenets, those who were set apart for the ministry +assumed the title of Ecclesiastics. Inculcating rigid temperance +and self-denial among their people, they were +known as Enchratites, Nazarites or Abstainers; and the +more devout among them retiring to monasteries, or to +the solitude of caves and other secluded places, were also +<!-- Page 82 --> +designated as Monks, Cenobites, Friars, Eremites, Hermits +or Solitaries. + +<P>The time having arrived, according to the cyclic +teachings of Astral worship, for the manifestation of the +tenth and last incarnation of God Sol, or, in other words, +to, give a new name to the mythical genius of the sun, the +professors of the Jewish school of Alexandria is resolved to +inaugurate their own form of worship. While retaining the +same title under which they had paid homage to Serapis +and known as Christians, Essenes or Therapeutae, they +substituted for their Christ the name of the Grecian Bacchus, +which, composed of the letters ΙΗΣ, signifies Yes, +Ies or Jes. In composing their version of the Gospel +story, having, like their race, no inventive genius, they appropriated +that of Serapis as its basis and laid its scene in +the land of their ancestry, but inconsistently retained the +sign of the cross and the phraseology connected there +with, which, having special reference to the Nile River and +its annual inundation, had no application whatever to the +sterile land of Judea. Selecting what they conceived to +be the best from other versions of the Gospel story, and assuming +the title of Eclectics, they designated their system +as the Eclectic Philosophy. In proof of the eclectic character +of the Gospel and Epistles of ancient Christianity, we +refer to the Asceticism inculcated therein, which, derived +<!-- Page 83 --> +from the Oriental Gnosticism, we find perpetuated in the +scriptures of modern Christianity; we also refer to the miracle +of converting water into wine, taken from the Gospel +story of Bacchus, and to the statements that the Saviour +was the son of a carpenter and was hung between two +thieves, copied from the story of Christna, the Eighth, +Avatar of the East Indian astrolatry. Thus we see that, +although the scene of the Gospel story of ancient Christianity +was laid in the land of Judea, its authors having +adopted a Greek version of that story as its basis, given a +Greek title and name to their Messiah, perpetuated a +Greek name for their sect and quoted exclusively from the +Septuagint, or Greek version of the Old Testament, the +facts show conclusively that it was not Jews of Judea, but +Hellenized Jews of Alexandria, who were the real authors +of the ancient Christianity. + +<CENTER><H2><A NAME=PROPHECIES>THE PROPHECIES.</A></H2></CENTER> +<P>The clergy having ever claimed that the prophecies +are Divine revelations of events yet to occur, and having +incessantly agitated society by preaching their speedy fulfillment, +we propose to expose the fallacy of their teachings +by showing that these scriptures are not the records +of future events, Divinely reavealed, but that they originated +with the founders of Astral worship, who predicated +<!-- Page 84 --> +them upon predetermined events of their own concoction, +relative to the general judgment, and setting up of the +kingdom of heaven, which were to occur as the finale of +the plan of redemption and from which were derived the +doctrines of second adventism; and, in determining the +exact time when then were to occur, we have but to prove +that it was coincident with the conclusion of the last half +of the grand cycle of 12,000 years, which, as we have +shown, was dedicated to man as the duration of his race +on earth. + +<P>As evidence that the founders of the Jewish or ancient +Christianity believed, like the votaries of other forms +of Astral worship, that the prophecies were soon to be fulfilled, +we find that the New Testament, of the original version +of which they were the authors, is replete with such +texts as "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand," +Matt. iv. 17; "There be some standing here which shall +not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His +kingdom," Matt. xxi. 28; "The time is fulfilled, and the +Kingdom of God is at hand," Mark i. 15. That the original +version of the New Testament was composed when the +Vernal Equinox was in the sign of Aries we are assured by +reason of the fact that it inculcates homage to the Lord +under the symbol of the Lamb; and that it was during the +last, or 30th degree of that sign, can readily be proven by +<!-- Page 85 --> +appealing to history and to astronomy, the former of which +teaches that the Jews were removed from Judea to Alexandria +twenty-five years before the accession to the throne +of Philadelphus, the Second Ptolemy, to whom we have +referred in our preceding article, and who, after reigning +thirty-nine years, died 246 years before the beginning of +our era. By reference to the Celestial atlas we will find +that the Vernal Equinox will pass out of the sign of Pisces +into that of Aquarius, or in the year 1900, and we +have but to deduct that period of time from 2150, the +number of years required for the cardinal points to pass +through one whole sign, to determine that the Spring +Equinox passed out of the sign of Aries into that of Pisces +250 years before the beginning of our era, or about 2,100 +years ago. Now, from the projections of the astrological +science, we are assured that the last half of the grand cycle +of 12,000 years, which was allotted to man as the duration +of his race on earth, was made to begin at a time corresponding +to the Autumnal Equinox, when that cardinal +point was passing out of the sign of Virgo, and that of necessity +it had to come to an end at a time corresponding +to the Vernal Equinox, when that cardinal point was passing +out of the sign of Aries; from which we know why, at +the last judgment, the office of trumpeter was assigned to +the Archangel Gabriel, the genius of Spring, and why it +<!-- Page 86 --> +was a ram's horn with which he was to "toot the crack o' +doom" + +<P>When the time arrived for the fulfillment of the prophecies +we can well imagine that, fearing the wrath of the +Lamb, there were weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth +among the terror-stricken sinners, while those who believed +they had made their calling and election sure were +looking with feverish expectancy for the second advent of +their Lord and Saviour; and, doubtless, clothed with their +ascension robes, they watched and waited, with ears alert, +to hear the sound of Gabriel's trumpet, summoning the +quick, and the dead to the general judgment. But not a +blast from the archangel's ram's horn was heard reverberating +along the skies, no Lord appeared descending +upon the clouds to meet the elect in the air, and, in the last +act of the fearful drama of "judgment day," the curtain refused +to be rung down upon a burning world. + +<P>With the non-fulfillment of the prophecies, the more +enlightened elements of society began to scoff at the +priests, who were temporarily demoralized, but true to +their deceptive instincts, soon rallying with the plea of a +mistake having been made in the calculations based upon +the prophecies, they undoubtedly concocted scripture to +meet that very emergency, for, to the taunts of the scoffers +who, in reference to the second advent of the Lord, enquired +<!-- Page 87 --> +"Where is the sign of His coming? for, since the +fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from +the beginning of creation," they answered that "The Lord +is not slack concerning His promise," but "as a thief in the +night" he would soon come and all things be fulfilled. See +II. Peter, chapter iii. + +<P>Following up the history of this interesting subject, +we find that the founders of modern Christianity, to which +we will refer in our next article, in composing their version +of the New Testament from that of the Jewish, or ancient +Christians, made no change in its verbiage relative to the +prophecies; but when Constantine I., Emperor of Rome, +became the patron of the church, her hierarchy, tired of +figuring upon them, secured a long respite from that troublesome +subject by claiming to have made other calculations, +which put off the time of fulfillment to the year 1000; +and from history we learn when the time arrived the whole +of Christendom was fearfully agitated upon the subject: +Since then every generation has been vexed with the fallacies +of second adventism; and the facts of the case justify +the charge that the clergy, by teaching that the prophecies +refer to events yet to occur, are perpetuating a +most stupendous fraud upon Christendom, and an earnest +and efficient protest should be inaugurated against the +further agitation of the monstrous delusion of second adventism, +<!-- Page 88 --> +which is frightening thousands of weak-minded +people into insanity and causing a vast amount of social +distress. +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> +<HR width=70 align=center> +<BR CLASS=left> + +<CENTER><H2><A NAME=ROMAN>ROMAN OR MODERN CHRISTIANITY.</A></H2></CENTER> +<P>Having presented the evidences that the Jewish, or +ancient Christianity, originated at the University of Alexandria, +under Greek rule, we now propose to show that its +modern form emanated from the same source, under Roman +rule; but, before entering upon this investigation, it +is important to become conversant with the sentiments +manifested towards religion by the cultured element of +Roman society in that enlightened era, which, designated +as the golden age of literature, was adorned by such distinguished +orators, philosophers, historians, poets and +naturalists as Cicero, Tacitus, Pliny, Horace and Virgil. +In reference to this subject, Gibbon, in his history of The +Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, vol. I., chapter 2, +says: "The various modes of worship which prevailed in +the Roman world were all considered by the people as +equally true, by the philosophers as equally false and by +the magistrate as equally useful. Both the interests of the +priests and the credulity of the people were sufficiently respected. +<!-- Page 89 --> +In their writings and conversation the philosophers +of antiquity asserted the independent dignity of reason, +but they resigned their actions to the commands of +law and custom. Viewing with a smile of pity and indulgence +the various errors of the vulgar, they diligently +practiced the ceremonies of their fathers, devoutly frequented +the temples of the gods, and sometimes condescending +to act a part on the theatre of superstition, they +concealed the sentiments of an atheist under the sacerdotal +robe. Reasoners of such a temper were scarcely inclined +to wrangle about their respective modes of faith or of worship. +It was indifferent to them what shape the folly of +the multitude might choose to assume, and they approached +with the same inward contempt and the same +external reverence to the altars of the Lybian, the Olympian +or the Capitoline Jupiter." Upon the same subject +Mosheim, in his church history, Book I., chapter 1, says +that "The wiser part of mankind, about the time of +Christ's birth, looked upon the whole system of religion as +a just object of contempt and ridicule." + +<P>In determining why such adverse sentiments were +entertained towards religion by "the wiser part of mankind," +about the time referred to in the foregoing quotations, +it will be found to have been owing to the extensive +spread of the Esoteric philosophy, which taught, as previously +<!-- Page 90 --> +stated, that the gods were mythical and the scriptures +allegorical. While attainable only through initiation, +it was necessarily confined to a limited number, but, ultimately +getting beyond the control of the priests and vast +numbers acquiring the knowledge of its secrets without +initiation, it became evident that it was but a question of +time when there would be no respectable element left to +sustain religion. At this juncture our attention is directed +to the University of Alexandria, which, at that time, was +in a flourishing condition. Having ceased to be an exclusively +Jewish school, students from all parts of the +Roman Empire, without regard to nationality, were attending +it, and its professors were drawn from the ranks +of both Jewish and Gentile scholars. Realizing the hopelessness +of reviving the ancient faith among the enlightened +clement of society, and the impossibility of proselyting +them to a new form of superstition, these professors +resolved to institute a system of worship exclusively for +the Jews and the lower and neglected classes of Gentiles, +including the slaves and criminals. To that end they rewrote +the scriptures of the Jewish or ancient Christianity, +which had been preserved among the secret archives of +the University. Retaining their teachings relative to the +finale of the plan of redemption, and its monasticism; also +the land of Judea as the scene of its version of the Gospel +<!-- Page 91 --> +story, and the name of its saviour, to which they added the +Latin terminal "us," thus making it Iesus or Jesus, they +perpetuated the Greek name of Bacchus—the same that +was ultimately perverted into the monogram which, consisting +of the Roman letters I. H. S., is found in all Catholic +churches, and in some Protestant ones, is falsely supposed +to stand for Jesus Hominum Salvator, or Jesus, +Saviour of Men. Conforming their version of the Gospel +story to the lowly condition of its expected votaries, they +attached to the saviour the characteristics of poverty, and +made it teach that he was born in a manger, that his disciples +were but humble fishermen and that the poor would +be the only elect in the kingdom of heaven. Dropping +the name of Essenes or Therapeutae, and retaining that of +Christian, they incorporated a thread of real history corresponding +to the reign of Augustus, and arbitrarily made +the Christian era begin at that time. Having thus completed +their scheme, they prudently destroyed the original +from which they compiled their scriptures, and sending +out missionaries to all parts of the Empire commissioned +them to preach salvation only to the Gentile rabblement +and to the Jews. + +<P>That the sacred records of the ancient Essenes or +Therapeutae constituted the basis of the scriptures of +modern Christianity we have the authority of Eusebius, +<!-- Page 92 --> +the church historian of the fourth century, from whom we +learn nearly all that is reliable of its history during the first +three centuries. In his Ecclesiastical History, Book II. +chapter 17, he makes the important admission that "Those +ancient Therapeutae were Christians, and that their writtings +are our Gospels and Epistles." As further evidence +that modern Christianity is but a survival of the Eclectic +philosophy of the ancient Therapeutae, we have another +important admission by the same historian, who, in quoting +from an apology addressed to the Roman Emperor, +Marcus Antoninus, in the year 171, by Melito, Bishop of +Sardis, in Lydia, a province of Asia Minor, makes that +apologist say, in reference to certain grievances to which +the Christians were subjected, that "the philosophy which +we profess truly flourished aforetime among the barbarous +nations; but having blossomed again in the great reign of +thy ancestor, Augustus, it proved to be, above all things, +ominous of good fortune to thy kingdom." Thus we have +indubitable evidence that it was the Eclectic philosophy of +the Jewish, or ancient Christianity, which "blossomed +again," in its modern form, during the reign of Augustus. + +<P>From the testimony of Philo, as referred to by Eusebius, +and from the writings of Josephus, the Jewish +historian, we learn that, at the beginning of our era, the +descendants of the ancient Essenes were still observing +<!-- Page 93 --> +the practices and customs of monasticism. But as Josephus +refers to them only as descendants of the ancient Essenes, +and makes no mention of Christ or Christians—except +in one paragraph which has been conceded by the +best authorities to be an interpolation it is evident that, +at that time, they had no connection with the University of +Alexandria, and nothing whatever to do with the institution +of modern Christianity. It is also apparent that the +Jews of Judea had no hand in its organization, for, if they +had instituted it, they would not have attached to the Messiah +the Greek title signifying the Christ, but, writing their +version of the Gospel story in their own dialect, would +have used the Hebrew word signifying the Shiloh (see +Gen. xlix. 10); and furthermore, having conceived the +idea that he would manifest himself as a great temporal +prince, who would re-establish the throne of David, and +deliver them from the oppression of foreign rulers, they +would not have attached to him the humble characteristics +of the Christ of the new Testament. Again, if they had +been the authors of modern Christianity, it would have +been a most surprising inconsistency for them to turn +right about and reject its conceptions of a savior, especially +when that rejection resulted in the dire persecutions +to which their race has ever been subjected by the Christians. +<!-- Page 94 --> +But the Gentile riffraff, attracted by the gracious +promises of enjoying in the world to come the felicities +denied them in this, eagerly attached themselves to the +new sect, which rapidly increased in numbers, and its +votaries, glorying in the opprobrious epithet of Ebionites, +or needy ones, made themselves so obnoxious by their aggression +and turbulent dispositions that, barely tolerated +by the Government and condemned by the cultured adherents +to the established religion, many of them, courting +the crown of martyrdom, suffered death at the hands +of the civil authorities; and thus was engendered that +spirit of hatred against their fancied oppressors which +only awaited the opportunity to manifest itself in deeds of +rapine and-bloodshed. + +<P>The fanacticism<!-- [SIC] --> which prevailed among the earlier +Christians was the direct result of their dense ignorance, +and to this sole cause we may ascribe all the trouble which +the Roman Government had with them, and to become +convinced of this fact we have but to study church history. +In reference to this subject Mosheim, in his Ecclesiastical +History; Vol. 4, part 2, chap. 1, says: "It is certain +that the greatest part both of the bishops and presbyters +were men entirely destitute of learning and education. +Besides, that savage and illiterate party, who looked upon +all sorts of erudition, particularly that of a philosophical +<!-- Page 95 --> +kind, as pernicious, and even destructive of true piety +and religion, increased both in number and authority. +The ascetics, monks and hermits augmented the strength +of this barbarous faction, and not only the women, but +also all who took solemn looks, sordid garments, and a +love of solitude, for real piety, were vehemently prepossessed +in their favor." In almost any history of England +we will find it recorded that, even in the ninth century, +King Alfred lamented that there was at that time not +a priest in his dominions who understood Latin; and even +for some centuries after the bishops and prelates of the +whole Christian community were marksmen, i. e., they +supplied by the sign of the cross the inability to write +their own names. If the bishops and priests were so +supremely ignorant what can he said in reference to the +literary attainments of the laity? + +<P>The Christians were alternately persecuted and tolerated +by the Roman Emperors until the first quarter of the +fourth century, when certain events occurred through +which the Church of Rome became the recipient of Imperial +Patronage. Constantine I., called the Great, having +made himself sole Emperor by destroying all other +claimants to the throne, applied to Sopater, one of the +priests of the established religion, for absolution, and was +informed that his crimes were of such an atrocious character +<!-- page 96 --> +that there was no absolution for him. Believing +that the Phlegethon, or lake of fire and brimstone, awaited +him in the future life, unless he could obtain absolution, he +became very much distressed when one of his courtiers, +learning the cause and referring him to the Church of +Rome, he at once applied to her Bishop, Silvester, who, +readily granting the desired absolution, he added another +victim to his butcher bill by ordering the death of the +honest priest who had refused to grant him absolution. +The Christian sect having become a powerful and dangerous +faction, Constantine conceived the idea of strengthening +his usurped and precarious position by attaching +it to his interest, and to that end he professed himself a +convert to its tenets, and, taking the Church of Rome +under his especial patronage, elevated her Bishop to the +rank of a prince of the Empire and gave him one of his +palaces for a residence. + +<P>The Christian hierarchy, knowing that it would be a +potent means of confirming the faith of the laity in the +Gospel story as a literal history to have a tomb of the +Saviour to which pilgrimages could be made, and appealing +to Constantine to provide one, he sent his mother, +Helena, to Judea to find the place and, of course, discovering +what she went to look for, he had erected, +under her supervision, over the designated spot, that +<!-- Page 97 --> +splendid edifice which, known as the church of the Holy +Sepulchre, remains to this day. Helena, good at finding +lost things, also claimed to have discovered the veritable +cross upon which the Saviour had been crucified; and her +son, worthy of such a mother, claimed, as recorded by +Eusebius, that he had seen with his own eyes the trophy of +a cross of light in the heavens, above the sun, bearing the +inscription: "In Hoc Signo Vinces," signifying "Under +this sign, conquer." Those were times of remarkable +and supernatural occurrences. + +<P>At the time Constantine became the patron of Christianity +the bishops and presbyters of the several churches, +seemingly ignorant of the teachings of the Esoteric philosophy +relative to the origin of the Trinity, were divided +into two factions in discussing the relation between the +Father and the Son. One party, headed by Athanasius, +a presbyter of Alexandria, and afterwards bishop of that +see, advocated the ancient belief that the three persons +in the godhead of Father, Son and Holy Ghost is but one +God, that Christ is consubstantial or co-eternal with the +Father, and that he became man to perform his mission +of redemption. Such, in brief, is what is known as the +Athanasian or Trinitarian Creed. The other party, +headed, by Arius, another presbyter of Alexandria, advocated +the belief in one God alone and that Christ, having +<!-- page 98 --> +no existence until begotten of the Father, is not consubstantial +or co-eternal with him. Such, in substance, constitutes +what is known to the Trinitarian or Orthodox +Christians as the Arian or Unitarian heresy. Could +stronger evidence be adduced that this controversy was +the result of ignorantly making a distinction where there +is no difference, for whether Trinitarian or Unitarian the +mythical genius of the sun is the God to whom they all +paid supreme adoration, although the Christians of to-day +would deny it most emphatically. + +<P>The faction, advocating the Trinitarian creed having +converted the Emperor to their belief, and influencing +him to enforce it as a fundamental doctrine of the Christian +theology, he, in the year 325, summoned, at his own +expense, a general council of bishops and priests to meet +at Nice, in Bithynia, a province of Asia Minor. When +they had assembled he appeared among them, clad in gorgeous +attire, with a jewel-studded diadem upon his royal +brow, and, seated upon a gilded chair, presided over their +deliberations. A minority of them, holding "most contumaciously" +to the Arian heresy, and refusing to change +their views at the bidding of the Emperor, he banished +them from their respective bishoprics, while the majority +adopted the Trinitarian creed, and appealing to Constantine +to suppress the writings of Arius he issued an edict +<!-- Page 99 --> +for that purpose, which we present as follows: "Moreover +we thought that if there can be found extant any +work or book compiled by Arius the same should be +burned to ashes, so that not only his damnable doctrine +may thereby be wholly rooted out, but also that no relic +thereof may remain unto posterity. This we also straightway +command and charge, that if any man be found to +hide or conceal any book made by Arius, and not immediately +bring forth such book, and deliver it up to be +burned, that the said offender for so doing shall die the +death. For as soon as he is taken our pleasure is that his +head shall be stricken off from his shoulders." Rather a +blood-thirsty, edict to be issued by the "puissant, the +mighty and noble Emperor," and a very inconsistent one, +considering that he soon afterwards readopted the Unitarian +faith and restored the banished bishops to their respective +sees; but, regardless of his action, the Church of +Rome sustained the Trinitarian creed and enforced the +dogma of the supreme divinity of Christ. + +<P>Thus we see that the history of Christianity, in the +first half of the fourth century, cannot be written without +incorporating considerable from the life of Constantine, +whose ensanguined record before his pretended conversion +marks him as the most brutal tyrant that ever disgraced +the imperial purple; but the appalling crimes he +<!-- Page 100 --> +perpetrated afterwards, among which were the scalding +his inoffending wife to death in a bath of boiling water, +and the murdering, without cause, of six members of his +family, one of which was his own son, justify what a +learned writer said of him, that "The most unfortunate +event that ever befell the human race was the adoption +of Christianity by the crimson-handed cut-throat in the +possession of unlimited power," and yet Constantine was +canonized by the Eastern church. + +<P>During the first three centuries, when Christianity +was but a weak sect, her bishops addressed numerous +apologies to the Roman Emperors, in which they claimed +tolerance from the government on the ground that their +form of worship was virtually the same as the established +religion. But after Constantine's pretended conversion +its hierarchy began to labor for the recognition of Christianity +as the state religion, and to give to their demand +some show of consistency they insisted that their scriptures +were really historical, and that there was no resemblance +whatever between the two forms of worship; while +theirs was of Divine authenticity the Pagans was purely a +human institution. + +<P>For centuries after the convocation of the council of +Nice the peace and harmony of the several churches were +disturbed by the rancorous discussion of the same old +<!-- Page 101 --> +questions of Trintarianism and Unitarianism, the Western +church adhering to the former while a majority of the +Eastern congregations maintained their faith in the latter; +but ultimately the Trinitarian party, gaining the ascendency, +and persecuting the adherents of the Unitarian +faith, the greater part of them retired into northern Arabia +where they founded numerous monasteries; and from history +we learn that, having impressed their Unitarian faith +upon the populace of that country, it was ultimately incorporated +into the Koran, the sacred book of Mohammedanism; +and, while becoming votaries of that form of +worship, still retained the belief that Christ was but one +of the prophets. + +<P>The cultured adherents to the established form of +worship, becoming alarmed at the growing power and influence +of the Christians and at the prospect of such an +ignorant and vicious rabble obtaining control of the government, +regardless of their pledge to keep the Gnosis +secret, publicly announced that the Gods were mythical +and the scriptures allegorical, and engaged in a heated +controversy with the Christians upon the subjects. The +character of their discussions is well, although supposititiously, +expressed by Gerald Massey, in his work entitled, +"The Historical Jesus and the Mythical Christ;" page 179, +American edition, where he makes the Gnostics say to the +<!-- Page 102 --> +Christians, "You poor ignorant idiots; you have mistaken +the mysteries of old for modern history, and accepted +literally all that was only meant mystically." To +which the Christians responded, "You spawn of Satan, +you are making the mystery by converting our accomplished +facts into your miserable fables; you are dissipating +and dispersing into thin air our only bit of solid foothold +in the world, stained with the red drops of Calvary. +You are giving a satanic interpretation of the word of +revelation and falsifying the oracles of God. You are +converting the solid facts of our history into your newfangled +allegories;" to which the Gnostics replied, "Nay, +it is you who have taken the allegories of Mythology for +historical facts." + +<P>But it was impossible to stem the rising tide; the +lessons which the priesthood had taught the ignorant +masses had been too well learned. They were sure that +their scriptures were historical; that Jesus Christ was +truly the incarnate saviour who had died and rose again +for the salvation of the elect, and that being the elect it +would be pre-eminently just and proper that the old Pagan +form of worship should be abrogated and theirs recognized +as the state religion. Thus the conflict raged +until the year 381, when, under the reign of the Emperor +Theodosius the Great, this demand having been formally +<!-- Page 103 --> +made, and the Senate, fearing the tumult a refusal would +excite, with a show of fair dealing ordered the presentation, +before that body, of the respective merits of the two +forms of worship. In that memorable discussion, which +lasted a whole week, Symmachus, a senator, advocated +the old system, and Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, the new, +which resulting, as a foregone conclusion, in the triumph +of Christianity, a decree to that effect was promulgated. + +<P>Then the long deferred opportunity having arrived, +the vengeful bishops, hounding on a no less vengeful +laity, ruthlessly murdered the priests of the old religion, +and, appropriating its emoluments to their own use, they +seized upon its temples, and demolishing some, converted +others into churches. With iconoclastic hands they destroyed +some of the statues representing the ancient divinities, +or after mutilation exposed others in public places +to the derision of the populace. Subjecting the adherents +to the older form of worship, whom they designated +as infidels, to the most diabolical indignities and persecutions, +they destroyed their works of art, burned their libraries, +suppressed their schools of learning, and either killed +or exiled their professors. Among the atrocious acts +perpetrated by these fiends in human shape none was +more barbarous than the one committed in Alexandria, in +the year 415, when Hypatia, the beautiful and accomplished +<!-- Page 104 --> +daughter of Theon, who had succeeded her father +as professor of mathematics and philosophy in the Alexandrian +University, while on her way to deliver a lecture, +was, by order of Bishop Cyril, dragged from her chariot +and murdered in a most revolting manner. + +<P>One of the successors of Theodosius justified himself +in decreeing the spoliation of the old religion upon +the grounds that "It was unbecoming a Christian government +to supply the infidels with the means of persevering +in their errors." Another one of the Emperors, more +zealous than his predecessors, decreed the death penalty +against all persons discovered practicing any of the rites +and ceremonies of the old religion. Thus the onslaught of +Christian savagery obliterated the civilization of Greece +and Rome, and inaugurated that long reign of intellectual +night known as the Dark Ages, which, materially aiding +in effecting the decline and fall of the Roman Empire, +made it possible to erect upon its ruins that Italian +Oligarchy, which, since then, has ruled the greater part of +Christendom. + +<P>The dogmatic element of the ancient astrolatry, as incorporated +into the Christian creed, underwent no material +change until the inauguration of the dark ages, when +the bishops of the several churches, in the delirium of metaphysical +speculation, concocted the previously unheard +<!-- Page 105 --> +of doctrine of pre-existence of spirit, in conformity to +which God was declared to be purely a spiritual deity, +who, existing before matter, created the universe of nothing. +Being the sole custodians of the scriptures; and +changing the six periods of a thousand years each to the +six days of creation, they altered Gen. i, 1, to read, "In +the beginning God created the heaven and the earth," +which in the original read: "In the beginning, when the +Gods (Elohim or Alehim) had made (shaped or formed) +this heaven and this earth." These radical changes necessitating +others, they made two distinct and independent +beings of the principles of Good and Evil personified +in the God Sol; the former they embodied in Jesus the +Christ and the latter in the Christian Devil, thus supplanting +old Pluto; the presiding genius of the under world. + +<P>Rejecting the ancient doctrines relative to the soul, +and teaching that, having proceeded from a purely spiritual +deity, it would exist eternally as an independent +spiritual entity, they substituted for the ancient system of +limited rewards and punishments the one inculcating their +endless duration. These changes in the creed, which +were confirmed at the general council of Constantinople, +in the year 553, necessitating further alterations of the +scriptures, the righteous were promised "eternal life" in +the Paradise of God beyond the stars; and, While consigning +<!-- Page 106 --> +great sinners to "everlasting punishment" in the +Tartarian fires of the under world, the less venial were to +expiate their crimes in the same old Purgatory. Thus, +having invented an endless heaven and an endless hell for +purely spiritual souls, and neglecting to expunge the doctrines +of the resurrection of the body, the setting up of the +kingdom of heaven upon a reorganized earth and other +materialistic teachings of the ancient religion, they made +of the creed and scriptures such a conglomeration of +"things new and old" that, without the Astrological key, +it would be impossible to determine what they originally +taught. + +<P>At the Reformation in the 16th century Luther and +his coadjutors, while projecting into the Protestant creed +all the cardinal tenets of Catholicism, excepting that of +Purgatory, made no change in the verbiage of the scriptures. +Thus retaining the awful doctrine of endless hell, +the reformers constructed a creed which they intended +for the government of Protestants for all time; but, +doing what had never been done before in the history +of the world, they gave the scriptures to the laity, and, +whether or not they secured the right of private judgment +or individual interpretation, it has been taken all the +same; and thus opening the door to investigation, it must +ultimately result not only in the abrogation of hell, but +<!-- Page 107 --> +in the relegation to the limbo of oblivion of the whole +dogmatic element of religion. + +<P>As a fitting conclusion to this article, we again direct +the attention of our readers to the subject of the primary +source of religious dogmas. Prior to the establishment +of Christianity as the state religion of the Roman Empire, +the philosophers who wrote against it invariably made the +charge that its theology was derived from the ancient Paganism. +After its establishment as the state religion of +the Empire, the hierarchy of the church, knowing that +this charge was unanswerable, instigated the Emperor +Theodosius I. to promulgate an edict decreeing the destruction +of all books antagonistic to Christianity. This +edict, directed more particularly against the writings of +Celsus, was carried out so effectually that we know nothing +of what he wrote, only as quoted by Origen, the distinguished +church father of the third century, who attempted +to answer in eight books what Celsus had written +in one, entitled "The True Discourse." In one of his +quotations from Celsus' work he makes that philosopher +say "that the Christian religion contains nothing but what +Christians held in common with heathens, nothing that +was new or truly great." See Bellamy's translation, +chapter 4. During the earlier centuries the Christians +were divided into numerous sects, entertaining very divergent +<!-- Page 108 --> +views, and each faction, holding all others to be +heretical, charged them with having derived their doctrines +from the Pagan religion. Upon this subject we +find that Epiphanius, a celebrated church father of the 4th +century, freely admits that all that differed from his own +were derived from the heathen mythology. Such was the +position of all orthodox writers during the Middle Ages, +and since the Reformation the Protestant clergy have uniformly +made the same charge against the Catholic; a few +quotations from their writings we present for the edification +of our readers. + +<P>Jean Daille, a French Protestant minister of the 17th +century, in his treatise entitled La Religion Catholique +Romaine Institute par Nama Pompile, demonstrates that +"the Papists took their idolatrous worship of images, as +well as all their ceremonies, from the old heathen religion." +Bishop Stillingfleet of the English church and a +writer of considerable eminence in the 17th century, said, +in reference to the complaisant spirit of the early church +towards the Pagans, that "it was attended by very bad +consequences, since Christianity became at last, by that +means, nothing else but reformed Paganism, as to its divine +worship." See Stillingfleet's defense of the charge +of idolatry against the Romanists, vol. 5, page 459. +M. Turrentin, of Geneva, Switzerland, a learned Protestant +<!-- Page 109 --> +writer of the 17th century, in one of his orations describing +the state of Christianity in the 4th century, says +"that it was not so much the Empire that was brought +over to the faith, as the faith that was brought over to the +Empire; not the Pagans who were converted to Christianity, +but the Christians who were converted to Paganism." +Thus, having shown that the Catholics derived +all their cardinal tenets from the Pagan mythology, the +Protestants must surely have obtained theirs from the +Catholics, for they teach all of them except that of Purgatory. +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> +<HR width=70 align=center> +<BR CLASS=left> + +<CENTER><H2><A NAME=FREEMASONRY>FREEMASONRY AND DRUIDISM.</A></H2></CENTER> +<P><IMG SRC="plate9.gif" WIDTH=300 HEIGHT=429 BORDER=1 HSPACE=10 VSPACE=10 ALT="The Masonic Arms"><!-- Pages 110 & 111 --> +The rites and ceremonies of Astral worship, under +the name of Druidism, were primarily observed in consecrated +groves by all peoples; which custom was retained +by the Scandinavian and Germanic races, and by +the inhabitants of Gaul and the British Islands; while the +East Indians, Assyrians, Egyptians, Grecians, Romans, +and other adjacent nations, ultimately observed their religious +services in temples; and we propose to show that +the modern societies of Freemasonry, and ancient order +of Druids, are but perpetuations of the grove and temple +<!-- Page 112 --> +forms of the ancient astrolatry. In determining the fact +that Freemasonry finds its prototype in the temple worship +of ancient Egypt, we have but to study the Masonic +arms, as illustrated in Fellows' chart, in which are pictured, +as its objects of adoration, the sun and moon, the +seven stars, known as Pleiades in the sign of Taurus; +the blazing star Sirius, or Dog-star, worshipped by the +Egyptians under the name of Anubis, and whose rising +forewarned those people of the rising of the Nile River; +the seven signs of the Zodiac from Aries to Libra, inclusive, +through which the sun was supposed to pass in making +his apparent annual revolution, and which constitutes +the Royal arch from which was derived the name of one of +its higher degrees; and its armorial bearings, consisting of +pictures of the Lion, the Bull, the Waterman, and the +Flying Eagle, which representing the signs at the cardinal +points, constituted the genii of the seasons. Besides these, +we have the checkered flooring or mosaic<!-- [SIC] --> work, representing +the earth and its variegated face, which was introduced +when temple worship succeeded its grove form; +the two columns representing the imaginary pillars of +heaven resting upon the earth at Equinoctial points, and +supporting the Royal arch; also the letter "G" standing +for Geometry, the knowledge of which was of great importance +to the natives of Egypt in establishing the boundaries +<!-- Page 113 --> +of their lands removed by the inundations of the +Nile, the square and compass, being the instruments +through which the old landmarks were restored, and +which ultimately became the symbols of justice. The +cornucopia, or horn of plenty, denoted the sun in the sign +of Capricorn, and indicated the season when the harvest +was gathered and provisions laid up for Winter use; the +cenotaph or mock coffin with the sign of the cross upon +its lid, referred to the sun's crossing of the celestial equator +at the Autumnal Equinox, and to the figurative death +of the genius of that luminary in the lower hemisphere; +whose resurrection at the Vernal Equinox is typified by +the sprig of acacia sprouting near the head of the coffin. +The serpent, issuing from the small vessel to the left, represented +the symbol of the Lord of Evil under whose +dominion was placed the seasons of Autumn and Winter; +and the figure of a box at the right hand, represented +the sacred ark in which, anciently, the symbols of solar +worship were deposited; but which is now used by the +masons as a receptacle for their papers. + +<P>After, the promulgation, in the fifth century, of the +edict by one of the Emperors of Rome, decreeing the +death penalty against all persons discovered practicing +any of the rites and ceremonies of the ancient religion, a +body of its cultured adherents, determining to observe +<!-- Page 114 --> +them secretly, banded themselves together into a society +for that purpose. With the view to masking their real +object, they took advantage of the fact that the square and +compass, the plumbline, etc., were symbols of speculative +masonry in the temple form of Astral worship, they publicly +claimed to be only a trades-union for the prosecution +of the arts of architecture and operative masonry; but, +among themselves, were known as Free and Accepted +Masons or Freemasons. In imitation of the ancient mysteries +they instituted lower and higher degrees; in the +former they taught the Exoteric creed, and in the latter +the Esoteric philosophy, as explained in our introduction. +Inculcating supreme adoration to the solar divinity the +candidates for initiation were made to personate that +mythical being and subjected to the ceremonies representing +his figurative death and resurrection, were required +to take fearful oaths not to reveal the secrets of the +order. To enable them to recognize each other, and to +render aid to a brother in emergencies, they adopted a +system of grips, signs and calls; and to guard against the +intrusion of their Christian enemies they stationed watchmen +outside of their lodges to give timely warning of their +approach. Thus was instituted the original Grand Lodge +of Freemasonry, from which charters were issued for the +organization of subordinate lodges in all the principal +cities throughout the Roman Empire. + +<!-- Page 115 --> +<P>Becoming cognizant of the true object of Freemasonry, +the Hierarchy of the Church of Rome resolved +to suppress the order, and to that end maintained such a +strict espionage upon its members that, no longer able +to assemble in their lodges, they determined to defend +themselves by an appeal to arms, and gathering together +in strongholds, for a long time successfully resisted the +armies of the church; but ultimately, being almost exterminated, +the residue disbanded, and we hear no more +of Freemasonry, as a secret order, until the conclusion +of the Dark Ages, when the Reformation, making it possible, +a form of the order, recognizing Christianity, was +revived among the Protestants; but the Church of Rome, +true to her traditions, has never ceased to hurl anathemas +against it and all other secret societies outside of her own +body. Thus, having made it apparent that Freemasonry, +as primarily instituted, was but a perpetuation of the +temple form of Astral worship, we can readily see that, +while some of its symbols are as old as the ancient Egyptian +religion, it did not, as a secret order, take its rise until +Christian persecution made it necessary. Hence it cannot +justly lay claim to a greater antiquity than the fifth +century of the Christian era. + +<P>According to Masonic annals a Grand Lodge was organized +at York, England, early in the tenth century, but, +<!-- Page 116 --> +like the lodges of Southern Europe, was suppressed by +the Church of Rome. In 1717 a Grand Lodge was organized +at London, England, and soon afterwards the old +Grand Lodge at York was revived, and its members took +the name of Free and Accepted Ancient York Masons, +from which emanated the charter of the Grand Lodge in +the United States, which was organized in Boston in 1733. +In 1813 the rivalry between the Grand Lodges of York +and London was compromised, and the supremacy of the +former was conceded. + +<P>From church history we learn that in the year 596 of +our era Pope Gregory I. dispatched Augustin, and forty +other monks of the order of St. Andrew, from Rome to +Britain, to convert the natives to Christianity; but, while +the Anglo-Saxons embraced the new faith, the Britons +rejected it, and, being persecuted by the Christians, retired +to the fastnesses of the country known as Wales, +where, for a long period, they maintained the observance +of the Druidical form of worship; and although that +country has long since become Christianized, the society +of the Ancient Order of Druids has existed with an uninterrupted +succession at Pout-y-prid, where the Arch-Druid +resides, and from, whence emanated the charter +of the Grand Lodge of the order in this country. In +reference to the Druidism on the continent, history records +<!-- Page 117 --> +the fact that when one of the reigning kings became +a convert to Christianity the whole of his subjects were +baptized into the Church of Rome by Imperial decree. +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> +<HR width=70 align=center> +<BR CLASS=left> + +<CENTER><H2><A NAME=SABBATH>THE SABBATH.</A></H2></CENTER> +<P>In determining the origin of the seventh day Sabbath, +we must of necessity refer to that source of all religious +ordinances, the ancient astrolatry, the founders of +which, having taught that God Sol was engaged in the reorganization +of Chaos during the first six periods of the +twelve thousand year cycle, corresponding to the months +of Spring and Summer, they conceived the idea that he +ceased to exert his energies, or rested from his labors on +the seventh period, corresponding to the first of the Autumn +months. Hence, deriving the suggestion from the +apparent septenary rest in nature, they taught that God +ordained the seventh day of the week as the Sabbath or +rest day for man. + +<P>In conformity to this ordinance the founders of ancient +Judaism enforced the observance of the seventh day +Sabbath in the fourth commandment of the Decalogue, +which, found in Gen. xx. 8-11,<A NAME="S1" HREF="#R1"><FONT SIZE=-1><SUP>1</SUP></FONT></A> +reads as follows, viz: "Remember +the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days shalt +thou labor and do all thy work; but the seventh day is +the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do +<!-- Page 118 --> +any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man +servant, nor thy maid servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy +stranger that is within thy gates; for in six days the Lord +made heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is, and +rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the +Sabbath day and hallowed it." Thus was the seventh +day of the week made the Sabbath of the Old Testament; +but the authors of the Jewish or ancient Christianity, looking +for the immediate fulfillment of the prophecies relative +to the second judgment, ignored its observance, as +may be seen by reference to Mark ii. 23, 27; John v. 2-18; +Romans xiv. 5; and Col. ii. 16; and the founders of +modern Christianity, perpetuating the belief in the speedy +fulfillment of those prophecies, made no change relative +to the Sabbath in their version of the New Testament. + +<P>After Constantine's pretended conversion to Christianity, +and the time for the fulfillment of the prophecies +had been put off to the year 10000, as previously stated, the +hierarchy of the church appealed to the Emperor to give +them a Sabbath, and although they knew that the seventh +day of the week was the Sabbath of the Old Testament, +and that Sunday was the first of the six working days, according +to the fourth commandment, their hatred to the +Jews for refusing to accept their Christ as the Saviour induced +them to have it placed on the first day of the week. +<!-- Page 119 --> +Hence that obliging potentate, in the year 321, promulgated +the memorable edict, which, found in that Digest +of Roman law known as the Justinian Code, Book III., +Title 12, Sec. 2 and 3, reads as follows, viz.: "Let all +judges and all people of the towns rest and all the various +trades be suspended on the venerable day of the Sun. +Those who live in the country, however, may freely and +without fault attend to the cultivation of their fields lest, +with the loss of favorable opportunity, the commodities +offered by Divine Providence shall be destroyed." Thus +we see that the primary movement towards enforcing the +observance of Sunday, or Lord's Day, as the Sabbath, did +not originate in a Divine command, but in the edict of an +earthly potentate. + +<P>This edict was ratified at the third council of Orleans, +in the year 538; and in order, "that the people might +not be prevented from attending church, and saying their +prayers," a resolution was adopted at the same time recommending +the observance of the day by all classes. +From merely "recommending," the Church of Rome soon +began to enforce the observance of the day; but, in spite +of all her efforts, it was not until the 12th century that +its observance had become so universal as to receive the +designation of "The Christian Sabbath." + +<P>Cognizant of the manner in which Sunday was made +<!-- Page 120 --> +the Sabbath, Luther issued for the government of the +Protestant communion the following mandate: "As for +the Sabbath, or Sunday, there is no necessity for keeping +it;" see Michelet's Life of Luther, Book IV., chapter 2. +Luther also said, as recorded in Table Talk, "If anywhere +the day (Sunday) is made holy for the mere day's sake; if +anywhere anyone sets up its observance upon a Jewish +foundation, then I order you to work on it, to dance on it, +to ride on it, to feast on it, and to do anything that shall +reprove this encroachment on the Christian spirit of liberty." +Melancthon, Luther's chief coadjutor in the work +of Reformation, denied, in the most emphatic language, +that Sunday was made the Sabbath by Divine ordainment; +and in reference thereto John Milton, in reply to the +Sunday Sabbatarians, makes the pertinent inquiry: "If, +on a plea of Divine command, you impose upon us the observance +of a particular day, how do you presume, without +the authority of a Divine command, to substitute +another in its place?" + +<P>During the reign of Elizabeth, Queen of England, a +sect of fanatics, known as Dissenters or Nonconformists, +basing their action upon the fallacious arguments derived +from the fourth commandment, and upon the plea that +the Saviour was raised from the dead on the first day of +the week, inaugurated what is known as the Puritan Sabbath, +<!-- page 121 --> +which having been transferred to our shores by the +voyagers in the Mayflower, and enforced by those statutory +enactments known as Blue Laws, caused the people +of New England to have a blue time of it while the +delusion lasted; and now a large body of Protestant clergy +perverting the teachings of scripture, and, ignoring the +authority of the Reformers, are disturbing the peace of society +by their efforts to enforce the code of sundry laws, +which were enacted through their connivance. Thus +have we shown that, originating with the Catholics and +adopted by the Protestants, the Sunday Sabbath is purely +and entirely a human institution, and, being such, we must +recognize all Sunday laws as grave encroachments upon +constitutional liberty; and it behooves the advocates of individual +rights to demand their immediate repeal; for unless +a vigilant watch is kept upon the conspirators who +secured their enactment, our fair land will soon be cursed +by a union of church and State, the tendency in that direction +having been indicated by the unprecedented opinion +recently handed down by one of the Justices of the +United States Supreme Court that this is a Christian +Government. +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> +<HR width=70 align=center> +<BR CLASS=left> + +<CENTER><H2><A NAME=FRAUDS>PIOUS FRAUDS.</A></H2></CENTER> +<P>By claiming to be divinely appointed for the propagation +of a divinely authenticated religion, the priesthood +<!-- Page 122 --> +of all forms of worship have ever labored to deceive and +enslave the ignorant multitude; and in support of these +fallacious assumptions have resorted to all manner of +pious frauds, in reference to which we quote from both +Pagan and Christian sources with the view to showing +that the moderns have faithfully followed the ancient +example. Euripedes, an Athenian writer, who flourished +about 450 years before the beginning of our era, maintained +that, "in the early state of society, some wise men +insisted on the necessity of darkening truth with falsehood +and of persuading men that there is an immortal +deity who hears and sees and understands our actions, +whatever we may think of that matter ourselves." +Strabo, the famous geographer and historian of Greek +extraction, who flourished about the beginning of the +Christian era, wrote that "It is not possible for a philosopher +to conduct by reasoning a multitude of women and +the low vulgar, and thus to invite them to piety, holiness +and faith; but the philosopher must make use of superstition +and not omit the invention of fables and the performance +of wonders. For the lightning and the ægis +and the trident are but fables, and so all ancient theology. +But the founders of states adopted them as bugbears to +frighten the weak-minded." Varro, a learned Roman +scholar, who also flourished about the beginning of our +<!-- Page 123 --> +era, wrote that "There are many truths which it is useless +for the vulgar to know, and many falsehoods which it is +fit that the people should not know are falsehoods." + +<P>So much from Pagan authorities relative to the necessity +of deceiving the ignorant masses. We will now +present some Christian authorities upon the same subject; +and first from Christ himself, who in addressing his +disciples is made to say, in Mark iv, 11, 12, "Unto you it +is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but +unto them that are without all these things are done in +parables, that seeing they may see and not perceive; and +hearing they may hear and not understand." Paul, in his +fourteen Epistles, inculcates and avows the principle of +deceiving the common people. He speaks of having +been upbraided by his own converts with being crafty +and catching them with guile and of his known and wilful +lies abounding to the glory of God. See Romans iii. 7, +and II. Cor. xii. 16. If Christ and Paul were guilty of +deception, their followers had good excuse for the same +course of conduct. Upon this subject Beausobre, a very +learned ecclesiastical writer, who flourished about the beginning +of the 18th century, says: "We see in the history +which I have related a sort of hypocrisy that has +been, perhaps, but too common at all times; that churchmen +not only do not say what they think, but they do say +<!-- page 124 --> +the direct contrary of what they think. Philosophers in +their cabinets; out of them they are content with fables, +though they well know that they are fables." Historie +de Manichee, vol. 2, page 568. Bishop Synesius, the distinguished +author of religious literature and Christian +father of the 5th century, said: "I shall be a philosopher +only to myself, and I shall always be a bishop to the people." +Mosheim, the distinguished author of Ecclesiastical +History, Vol. I., page 120, says: "The authors who +have treated of the innocence and sanctity of the primitive +Christians have fallen into the error of supposing +them to have been unspotted models of piety and virtue, +and a gross error indeed it is, as the strongest testimonies +too evidently prove." The same author, in Vol. I., page. +198, says in the fourth century "it was an almost universally +adopted maxim that it was an act of virtue to deceive +and lie, when by such means the interest of the +church might be promoted." In his Ecclesiastical History, +Vol. II., page 11, he says that "as regards the fifth +century, the simplicity and ignorance of the generality in +those times furnished the most favorable occasion for the +exercise of fraud; and the impudence of impostors in contriving +false miracles was artfully proportioned to the +credulity of the vulgar; while the sagacious and the wise, +who perceived these cheats, were overawed into silence +<!-- page 125 --> +by the dangers that threatened their lives and fortunes if +they should expose the artifice." Thomas Burnet, D.D., +who flourished about the beginning of the 18th century, +in his treatise entitled De Statu Mortuorum, purposely +written in Latin that it might serve for the instruction of +the clergy only, and not come to the knowledge of the +laity, because, as he says, "too much light is hurtful for +weak eyes," not only justifies, but recommends the practice +of the most consummate hypocrisy, and that, too, on +the most awful of all subjects; and would have his, clergy +seriously preach and maintain the reality and eternity of +hell torments, even though they should believe nothing +of the sort themselves. See page 304. Hugo Grotius, +the eminent writer of Holland in the 17th century, says +in his 22d Epistle: "He that reads ecclesiastical history, +reads nothing but the roguery and folly of bishops, and +churchmen." In the language of Robert Taylor, from +whom we have taken most of the quotations under this +heading, we assert that "no man could quote higher +authorities," to prove "the roguery and folly of bishops +and churchmen." +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> +<HR width=70 align=center> +<BR CLASS=left> + +<CENTER><H2><A NAME=CONCLUSION>CONCLUSION.</A></H2></CENTER> +Having presented the evidences in support of the apparently +untenable assertion that, notwithstanding the +<!-- Page 126 --> +numerous modes in which man has manifested his devotional +proclivities, the world has virtually had but the one +religion founded in the worship of personified nature, we +are necessitated to recognize the facts that the Christian +Scriptures like the sacred records of other forms of nature +worship are, but a collection of astronomical allegories; +that the gospel story is truly "the old, old story" which +had been told of a thousand other Saviours before it was +applied to the Christian Messiah; that Jesus is but one +of the many names given to imaginary incarnations of +the mythical genius of the sun; and that the Disciples and +Evangelists are but the genii of the months and the seasons. +Such being the facts, which cannot be successfully +refuted, we must believe that the Christian religion, instead +of being of Divine authenticity, as popularly +claimed, is purely and entirely of human origin, and that +all its teachings relative to a future state are but priestly +inventions, concocted for the purpose of enslaving the +ignorant masses. + +<P>When we think of the thousand millions of dollars +invested in church properties, and estimate the cost of +maintaining more than a hundred thousand priests and +ministers, in supporting foreign and domestic missions +and in publishing religious literature; besides the taxes +applied to the care of the religious insane, and realize the +<!-- Page 127 --> +fact that all of this vast sum of money is abstracted from +the resources of the people, we would not have to go outside +of our own country to appreciate the fact that religion +is the burden of all burdens to society; and when we contemplate +the great disturbance to the social relation, resulting +from sectarian strife, and the almost universal disposition +of Christians to persecute and ostracize those who +differ with them in opinion, we can readily subscribe to +the sentiment accredited to one of our revolutionary sires, +that "this would be a good world to live in if there was no +religion in it." + +If the clergy had been laboring as faithfully to impress +the observance of ethical principles as they have to +indoctrinate the people with the superstitions of religion, +we would not now be deploring the great demoralization +of society. It is a grave arraignment of the clericals to +charge them with being, indirectly, the cause of this lamentable +state of things; but it is a condition that might +have been expected, for, when entering the ministry, they +engaged themselves, not so much to teach ethics as to +propagate faith in the doctrines of their respective sects. +Thus hampered they cannot do the good to society their +better natures might desire. Hence the only hope for +improvement is for the people to wholly ignore the dogmatic +element of religion, and refusing to longer support +<!-- page 128 --> +it, demand that moral training shall be the grand essential +of education. If this course were adopted and persistently +followed, it would be but a question of time when +mankind would come into being with such a benign +heredity that crime would be almost impossible. + +<P>Then, since religion inculcates<!-- [SIC] --> a salvation that does +not save, let us rise superior to its false teachings and, +accepting science as the true saviour of mankind, find our +whole duty in the code of natural morality, the spirit of +which is embodied in that comprehensive precept known +as the golden rule, which, being the outgrowth of the +discovered necessities of association, without which society +could not exist, it necessarily constituted man's sole +rule and guide long before priest or temple; and founded +in the eternal principles of right, truth and justice must remain +as man's sole rule and guide when priest and church +are numbered among the things that were. Spirit of progress! +speed the day when all mankind, redeemed from +the bondage of superstition, will recognize the great truth +that nature, governed by her own inherent forces, is all +that has been, all that is and all that shall be; and that, +ceasing to indulge in the vain hope of a blissful immortality +in a paradise beyond the stars, will make a real paradise +of this old earth of ours. + +<BR CLASS=left><BR CLASS=left> +<HR> +<A NAME="R1" HREF="#S1">[1]</A> +(Editorial note: the original text erroneously attributed this quote to +Genesis 20:8-11; actually it is from Exodus 20:8-11.) +<BR> +<BR> +<BR> +<BR> +<PRE> +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, ASTRAL WORSHIP *** + +This file should be named astrl10h.htm or astrl10h.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, astrl11h.htm +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, astrl10ah.htm + + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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