CHAPTER XXI.
THE DARKNESS AT THE CRUCIFIXION.
The Luke narrator informs us that at the time of the death of Christ Jesus, the sun was darkened, and there was darkness over the earth from the sixth until the ninth hour; also the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.[206:1]
The Matthew narrator, in addition to this, tells us that:
"The earth did quake, and the rocks were rent, and the graves were opened, and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of their graves . . . and went into the holy city and appeared unto many."[206:2]
"His star" having shone at the time of his birth, and his having been born in a miraculous manner, it was necessary that at the death of Christ Jesus, something miraculous should happen. Something of an unusual nature had happened at the time of the death of other supernatural beings, therefore something must happen at his death; the myth would not have been complete without it. In the words of Viscount Amberly: "The darkness from the sixth to the ninth hour, the rending of the temple veil, the earthquake, the rending of the rocks, are altogether like the prodigies attending the decease of other great men."[206:3]
The Rev. Dr. Geikie, one of the most orthodox writers, says:[206:4]
"It is impossible to explain the origin of this darkness. The passover moon was then at the full, so that it could not have been an eclipse. The early Fathers, relying on a notice of an eclipse that seemed to coincide in time, though it really did not, fancied that the darkness was caused by it, but incorrectly."
Perhaps "the origin of this darkness" may be explained from what we shall now see.
At the time of the death of the Hindoo Saviour Crishna, there came calamities and bad omens of every kind. A black circle surrounded the moon, and the sun was darkened at noon-day; the sky rained fire and ashes; flames burned dusky and livid; demons committed depredations on earth; at sunrise and sunset, thousands of figures were seen skirmishing in the air; spirits were to be seen on all sides.[207:1]
When the conflict began between Buddha, the Saviour of the World, and the Prince of Evil, a thousand appalling meteors fell; clouds and darkness prevailed. Even this earth, with the oceans and mountains it contains, though it is unconscious, quaked like a conscious being—like a fond bride when forcibly torn from her bridegroom—like the festoons of a vine shaken under the blast of a whirlwind. The ocean rose under the vibration of this earthquake; rivers flowed back toward their sources; peaks of lofty mountains, where countless trees had grown for ages, rolled crumbling to the earth; a fierce storm howled all around; the roar of the concussion became terrific; the very sun enveloped itself in awful darkness, and a host of headless spirits filled the air.[207:2]
When Prometheus was crucified on Mount Caucasus, the whole frame of nature became convulsed. The earth did quake, thunder roared, lightning flashed, the wild winds rent the vexed air, the boisterous billows rose, and the dissolution of the universe seemed to be threatened.[207:3]
The ancient Greeks and Romans, says Canon Farrar,[207:4] had always considered that the births and deaths of great men were announced by celestial signs. We therefore find that at the death of Romulus, the founder of Rome, the sun was darkened, and there was darkness over the face of the earth for the space of six hours.[207:5]
When Julius Cæsar, who was the son of a god, was murdered, there was a darkness over the earth, the sun being eclipsed for the space of six hours.[207:6]
This is spoken of by Virgil, where he says:
"He (the Sun) covered his luminous head with a sooty darkness,
And the impious ages feared eternal night."[207:7]
It is also referred to by Tibullus, Ovid, and Lucian (poets), Pliny, Appian, Dion Cassius, and Julius Obsequenes (historians.)[207:8]
When Æsculapius the Saviour was put to death, the sun shone dimly from the heavens; the birds were silent in the darkened groves; the trees bowed down their heads in sorrow; and the hearts of all the sons of men fainted within them, because the healer of their pains and sickness lived no more upon the earth.[208:1]
When Hercules was dying, he said to the faithful female (Iole) who followed him to the last spot on earth on which he trod, "Weep not, my toil is done, and now is the time for rest. I shall see thee again in the bright land which is never trodden by the feet of night." Then, as the dying god expired, darkness was on the face of the earth; from the high heaven came down the thick cloud, and the din of its thunder crashed through the air. In this manner, Zeus, the god of gods, carried his son home, and the halls of Olympus were opened to welcome the bright hero who rested from his mighty toil. There he now sits, clothed in a white robe, with a crown upon his head.[208:2]
When Œdipus was about to leave this world of pain and sorrow, he bade Antigone farewell, and said, "Weep not, my child, I am going to my home, and I rejoice to lay down the burden of my woe." Then there were signs in the heaven above and on the earth beneath, that the end was nigh at hand, for the earth did quake, and the thunder roared and echoed again and again through the sky.[208:3]
"The Romans had a god called Quirinius. His soul emanated from the sun, and was restored to it. He was begotten by the god of armies upon a virgin of the royal blood, and exposed by order of the jealous tyrant Amulius, and was preserved and educated among shepherds. He was torn to pieces at his death, when he ascended into heaven; upon which the sun was eclipsed or darkened."[208:4]
When Alexander the Great died, similar prodigies are said to have happened; again, when foul murders were committed, it is said that the sun seemed to hide its face. This is illustrated in the story of Atreus, King of Mycenae, who foully murdered the children of his brother Thyestes. At that time, the sun, unable to endure a sight so horrible, "turned his course backward and withdrew his light."[208:5]
At the time of the death of the virgin-born Quetzalcoatle, the Mexican crucified Saviour, the sun was darkened, and withheld its light.[209:1]
Lord Kingsborough, speaking of this event, considers it very strange that the Mexicans should have preserved an account of it among their records, when "the great eclipse which sacred history records" is not recorded in profane history.
Gibbon, the historian, speaking of this phenomenon, says:
"Under the reign of Tiberius, the whole earth,[209:2] or at least a celebrated province of the Roman empire,[209:3] was involved in a perpetual darkness of three hours. Even this miraculous event, which ought to have excited the wonder, the curiosity, and the devotion of mankind, passed without notice in an age of science and history. It happened during the life-time of Seneca[209:4] and the elder Pliny,[209:5] who must have experienced the immediate effects, or received the earliest intelligence, of the prodigy. Each of these philosophers, in a laborious work, has recorded all the great phenomena of nature, earthquakes, meteors, comets and eclipses, which his indefatigable curiosity could collect.[209:6] But the one and the other have omitted to mention the greatest phenomenon to which the mortal eye has been witness since the creation of the globe."[209:7]
This account of the darkness at the time of the death of Jesus of Nazareth, is one of the prodigies related in the New Testament which no Christian commentator has been able to make appear reasonable. The favorite theory is that it was a natural eclipse of the sun, which happened to take place at that particular time, but, if this was the case, there was nothing supernatural in the event, and it had nothing whatever to do with the death of Jesus. Again, it would be necessary to prove from other sources that such an event happened at that time, but this cannot be done. The argument from the duration of the darkness—three hours—is also of great force against such an occurrence having happened, for an eclipse seldom lasts in great intensity more than six minutes.
Even if it could be proved that an eclipse really happened at the time assigned for the crucifixion of Jesus, how about the earthquake, when the rocks were rent and the graves opened? and how about the "saints which slept" rising bodily and walking in the streets of the Holy City and appearing to many? Surely, the faith that would remove mountains,[209:8] is required here.
Shakespeare has embalmed some traditions of the kind exactly analogous to the present case:
"In the most high and palmy state of Rome,
A little ere the mightiest Julius fell,
The graves stood tenantless, and the sheeted dead
Did squeak and gibber in the Roman streets."[210:1]
Belief in the influence of the stars over life and death, and in special portents at the death of great men, survived, indeed, to recent times. Chaucer abounds in allusions to it, and still later Shakespeare tells us:
"When beggars die there are no comets seen;
The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes."
It would seem that this superstition survives even to the present day, for it is well known that the dark and yellow atmosphere which settled over so much of the country, on the day of the removal of President Garfield from Washington to Long Branch, was sincerely held by hundreds of persons to be a death-warning sent from heaven, and there were numerous predictions that dissolution would take place before the train arrived at its destination.
As Mr. Greg remarks, there can, we think, remain little doubt in unprepossessed minds, that the whole legend in question was one of those intended to magnify Christ Jesus, which were current in great numbers at the time the Matthew narrator wrote, and which he, with the usual want of discrimination and somewhat omnivorous tendency, which distinguished him as a compiler, admitted into his Gospel.
FOOTNOTES:
[206:1] Luke, xxiii. 44, 45.
[206:2] Matthew, xxvii. 51-53.
[206:3] Amberly: Analysis of Religious Belief, p. 268.
[206:4] Life of Christ, vol. ii. p. 643.
[207:1] See Prog. Relig. Ideas, vol. i. p. 71.
[207:2] Rhys David's Buddhism, pp. 36, 37.
[207:3] See Potter's Æschylus, "Prometheus Chained," last stanza.
[207:4] Farrar's Life of Christ, p. 52.
[207:5] See Higgins: Anacalypsis, vol. i. pp. 616, 617.
[207:6] See Ibid. and Gibbon's Rome, vol. i. pp. 159 and 590, also Josephus: Jewish Antiquities, book xiv. ch. xii. and note.
"Cum caput obscura nitidum ferrugine texit
Impiaquæ æternam timuerunt sæcula noctem."
[207:8] See Gibbon's Rome, vol. i. pp. 159 and 590.
[208:1] Tales of Ancient Greece, p. 46.
[208:2] Ibid. pp. 61, 62.
[208:3] Ibid. p. 270.
[208:4] Anacalypsis, vol. i. p. 822.
[208:5] See Bell's Pantheon, vol. i. p. 106.
[209:1] See Kingsborough's Mexican Antiquities, vol. vi. p. 5.
[209:2] The Fathers of the Church seem to cover the whole earth with darkness, in which they are followed by most of the moderns. (Gibbon. Luke, xxiii. 44, says "over all the earth.")
[209:3] Origen (a Father of the third century) and a few modern critics, are desirous of confining it to the land of Judea. (Gibbon.)
[209:4] Seneca, a celebrated philosopher and historian, born in Spain a few years B. C., but educated in Rome, and became a "Roman."
[209:5] Pliny the elder, a celebrated Roman philosopher and historian, born about 23 A. D.
[209:6] Seneca: Quaest. Natur. l. i. 15, vi. l. vii. 17. Pliny: Hist. Natur. l. ii.
[209:7] Gibbon's Rome, i. 589, 590.
[209:8] Matt. xvi. 20.
[210:1] Hamlet, act 1, s. 1.
CHAPTER XXII.
"HE DESCENDED INTO HELL."
The doctrine of Christ Jesus' descent into hell is emphatically part of the Christian belief, although not alluded to by Christian divines excepting when unavoidable.
In the first place, it is taught in the Creed of the Christians, wherein it says:
"He descended into hell, and on the third day he rose again from the dead."
The doctrine was also taught by the Fathers of the Church. St. Chrysostom (born 347 A. D.) asks:
"Who but an infidel would deny that Christ was in hell?"[211:1]
And St. Clement of Alexandria, who flourished at the beginning of the third century, is equally clear and emphatic as to Jesus' descent into hell. He says:
"The Lord preached the gospel to those in Hades, as well as to all in earth, in order that all might believe and be saved, wherever they were. If, then, the Lord descended to Hades for no other end but to preach the gospel, as He did descend, it was either to preach the gospel to all, or to the Hebrews only. If accordingly to all, then all who believe shall be saved, although they may be of the Gentiles, on making their profession there."[211:2]
Origen, who flourished during the latter part of the second, and beginning of the third centuries, also emphatically declares that Christ Jesus descended into hell.[211:3]
Ancient Christian works of art represent his descent into hell.[211:4]
The apocryphal gospels teach the doctrine of Christ Jesus' descent into hell, the object of which was to preach to those in bondage there, and to liberate the saints who had died before his advent on earth.
On account of the sin committed by Adam in the Garden of Eden, all mankind were doomed, all had gone to hell—excepting those who had been translated to heaven—even those persons who were "after God's own heart," and who had belonged to his "chosen people." The coming of Christ Jesus into the world, however, made a change in the affairs of man. The saints were then liberated from their prison, and all those who believe in the efficacy of his name, shall escape hereafter the tortures of hell. This is the doctrine to be found in the apocryphal gospels, and was taught by the Fathers of the Church.[212:1]
In the "Gospel of Nicodemus" (apoc.) is to be found the whole story of Christ Jesus' descent into hell, and of his liberating the saints.
Satan, and the Prince of Hell, having heard that Jesus of Nazareth was about to descend to their domain, began to talk the matter over, as to what they should do, &c. While thus engaged, on a sudden, there was a voice as of thunder and the rushing of winds, saying: "Lift up your gates, O ye Princes, and be ye lifted up, O ye everlasting gates, and the King of Glory shall come in."
When the Prince of Hell heard this, he said to his impious officers: "Shut the brass gates . . . and make them fast with iron bars, and fight courageously."
The saints having heard what had been said on both sides, immediately spoke with a loud voice, saying: "Open thy gates, that the King of Glory may come in." The divine prophets, David and Isaiah, were particularly conspicuous in this protest against the intentions of the Prince of Hell.
Again the voice of Jesus was heard saying: "Lift up your gates, O Prince; and be ye lifted up, ye gates of hell, and the King of Glory will enter in." The Prince of Hell then cried out: "Who is the King of Glory?" upon which the prophet David commenced to reply to him, but while he was speaking, the mighty Lord Jesus appeared in the form of a man, and broke asunder the fetters which before could not be broken, and crying aloud, said: "Come to me, all ye saints, who were created in my image, who were condemned by the tree of the forbidden fruit . . . live now by the word of my cross."
Then presently all the saints were joined together, hand in hand, and the Lord Jesus laid hold on Adam's hand, and ascended from hell, and all the saints of God followed him.[212:2]
When the saints arrived in paradise, two "very ancient men" met them, and were asked by the saints: "Who are ye, who have not been with us in hell, and have had your bodies placed in paradise?" One of these "very ancient men" answered and said: "I am Enoch, who was translated by the word of God, and this man who is with me is Elijah the Tishbite, who was translated in a fiery chariot."[213:1]
The doctrine of the descent into hell may be found alluded to in the canonical books; thus, for instance, in I. Peter:
"It is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing. For Christ also hath suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the spirit: by which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison."[213:2]
Again, in "Acts," where the writer is speaking of David as a prophet, he says:
"He, seeing this before, spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption."[213:3]
The reason why Christ Jesus has been made to descend into hell, is because it is a part of the universal mythos, even the three days' duration. The Saviours of mankind had all done so, he must therefore do likewise.
Crishna, the Hindoo Saviour, descended into hell, for the purpose of raising the dead (the doomed),[213:4] before he returned to his heavenly seat.
Zoroaster, of the Persians, descended into hell.[213:5]
Osiris, the Egyptian Saviour, descended into hell.[213:6]
Horus, the virgin-born Saviour, descended into hell.[213:7]
Adonis, the virgin-born Saviour, descended into hell.[213:8]
Bacchus, the virgin-born Saviour, descended into hell.[213:9]
Hercules, the virgin-born Saviour, descended into hell.[213:10]
Mercury, the Word and Messenger of God, descended into hell.[213:11]
Baldur, the Scandinavian god, after being killed, descended into hell.[214:1]
Quetzalcoatle, the Mexican crucified Saviour, descended into hell.[214:2]
All these gods, and many others that might be mentioned, remained in hell for the space of three days and three nights. "They descended into hell, and on the third day rose again."[214:3]
FOOTNOTES:
[211:1] Quoted by Bonwick: Egyptian Belief, p. 46.
[211:2] Strom, vi. c. 6.
[211:3] Contra Celsus, bk. ii. c. 43.
[211:4] See Jameson's Hist. of Our Lord in Art, vol. ii. pp. 354, 355.
[212:1] See Jameson's Hist. of Our Lord in Art, vol. ii. pp. 250, 251.
[212:2] Nicodemus: Apoc. ch. xvi. and xix.
[213:1] Nicodemus: Apoc. ch. xx.
[213:2] I. Peter, iii. 17-19.
[213:3] Acts, ii. 31.
[213:4] See Asiatic Researches, vol. i. p. 237. Bonwick's Egyptian Belief, p. 168, and Maurice: Indian Antiquities, vol. ii. p. 85.
[213:5] See Monumental Christianity, p. 286.
[213:6] See Dupuis: Origin of Religious Belief, p. 256, Bonwick's Egyptian Belief, and Dunlap's Mysteries of Adoni, pp. 125, 152.
[213:7] See [Chap. XXXIX].
[213:8] See Bell's Pantheon, vol. i. p. 12.
[213:9] See Higgins: Anacalypsis, vol. i. p. 322. Dupuis: Origin of Religious Belief, p. 257, and Dunlap's Mysteries of Adoni, p. 33.
[213:10] See Taylor's Mysteries, p. 40, and Mysteries of Adoni, pp. 94-96.
[213:11] See Bell's Pantheon, vol. ii. p. 72. Our Christian writers discover considerable apprehension, and a jealous caution in their language, when the resemblance between Paganism and Christianity might be apt to strike the mind too cogently. In quoting Horace's account of Mercury's descent into hell, and his causing a cessation of the sufferings there, Mr. Spence, in "Bell's Pantheon," says: "As this, perhaps, may be a mythical part of his character, we had better let it alone."
[214:1] See Bonwick: Egyptian Belief, p. 169, and Mallet, p. 448.
[214:2] See Mexican Antiquities, vol. vi. p. 166.
[214:3] See the chapter on [Explanation].
CHAPTER XXIII.
THE RESURRECTION AND ASCENSION OF CHRIST JESUS.
The story of the resurrection of Christ Jesus is related by the four Gospel narrators, and is to the effect that, after being crucified, his body was wrapped in a linen cloth, laid in a tomb, and a "great stone" rolled to the door. The sepulchre was then made sure by "sealing the stone" and "setting a watch."
On the first day of the week some of Jesus' followers came to see the sepulchre, when they found that, in spite of the "sealing" and the "watch," the angel of the Lord had descended from heaven, had rolled back the stone from the door, and that "Jesus had risen from the dead."[215:1]
The story of his ascension is told by the Mark[215:2] narrator, who says "he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God;" by Luke,[215:3] who says "he was carried up into heaven;" and by the writer of the Acts,[215:4] who says "he was taken up (to heaven) and a cloud received him out of sight."
We will find, in stripping Christianity of its robes of Paganism, that these miraculous events must be put on the same level with those we have already examined.
Crishna, the crucified Hindoo Saviour, rose from the dead,[215:5] and ascended bodily into heaven.[215:6] At that time a great light enveloped the earth and illuminated the whole expanse of heaven. Attended by celestial spirits, and luminous as on that night when he was born in the house of Vasudeva, Crishna pursued, by his own light, the journey between earth and heaven, to the bright paradise from whence he had descended. All men saw him, and exclaimed, "Lo, Crishna's soul ascends its native skies!"[215:7]
Samuel Johnson, in his "Oriental Religions," tells us that Râma—an incarnation of Vishnu—after his manifestations on earth, "at last ascended to heaven," "resuming his divine essence."
"By the blessings of Râma's name, and through previous faith in him, all sins are remitted, and every one who shall at death pronounce his name with sincere worship shall be forgiven."[216:1]
The mythological account of Buddha, the son of the Virgin Maya, who, as the God of Love, is named Cam-deo, Cam, and Cama, is of the same character as that of other virgin-born gods. When he died there were tears and lamentations. Heaven and earth are said equally to have lamented the loss of "Divine Love," insomuch that Maha-deo (the supreme god) was moved to pity, and exclaimed, "Rise, holy love!" on which Cama was restored and the lamentations changed into the most enthusiastic joy. The heavens are said to have echoed back the exulting sound; then the deity, supposed to be lost (dead), was restored, "hell's great dread and heaven's eternal admiration."[216:2]
The coverings of the body unrolled themselves, and the lid of his coffin was opened by supernatural powers.[216:3]
Buddha also ascended bodily to the celestial regions when his mission on earth was fulfilled, and marks on the rocks of a high mountain are shown, and believed to be the last impression of his footsteps on this earth. By prayers in his name his followers expect to receive the rewards of paradise, and finally to become one with him, as he became one with the Source of Life.[216:4]
Lao-Kiun, the virgin-born, he who had existed from all eternity, when his mission of benevolence was completed on earth, ascended bodily into the paradise above. Since this time he has been worshiped as a god, and splendid temples erected to his memory.[216:5]
Zoroaster, the founder of the religion of the ancient Persians, who was considered "a divine messenger sent to redeem men from their evil ways," ascended to heaven at the end of his earthly career. To this day his followers mention him with the greatest reverence, calling him "The Immortal Zoroaster," "The Blessed Zoroaster," "The Living Star," &c.[216:6]
Æsculapius, the Son of God, the Saviour, after being put to death, rose from the dead. His history is portrayed in the following lines of Ovid's, which are prophecies foretelling his life and actions:
"Once, as the sacred infant she surveyed,
The god was kindled in the raving maid;
And thus she uttered her prophetic tale:
Hail, great Physician of the world! all hail!
Hail, mighty infant, who in years to come
Shalt heal the nations, and defraud the tomb!
Swift be thy growth, thy triumphs unconfined,
Make kingdoms thicker, and increase mankind.
Thy daring art shall animate the dead,
And draw the thunder on thy guilty head;
Then shalt thou die, but from the dark abode
Shalt rise victorious, and be twice a god."[217:1]
The Saviour Adonis or Tammuz, after being put to death, rose from the dead. The following is an account given of the rites of Tammuz or of Adonis by Julius Firmicius (who lived during the reign of Constantine):
"On a certain night (while the ceremony of the Adonia, or religious rites in honor of Adonis, lasted), an image was laid upon a bed (or bier) and bewailed in doleful ditties. After they had satiated themselves with fictitious lamentations, light was brought in: then the mouths of all the mourners were anointed by the priests (with oil), upon which he, with a gentle murmur, whispered:
'Trust, ye Saints, your God restored.
Trust ye, in your risen Lord;
For the pains which he endured
Our salvation have procured.'
"Literally, 'Trust, ye communicants: the God having been saved, there shall be to us out of pain, Salvation.'"[217:2]
Upon which their sorrow was turned into joy.
Godwyn renders it:
"Trust ye in God, for out of pains,
Salvation is come unto us."[217:3]
Dr. Prichard, in his "Egyptian Mythology," tells us that the Syrians celebrated, in the early spring, this ceremony in honor of the resurrection of Adonis. After lamentations, his restoration was commemorated with joy and festivity.[217:4]
Mons. Dupuis says:
"The obsequies of Adonis were celebrated at Alexandria (in Egypt) with the utmost display. His image was carried with great solemnity to a tomb, which served the purpose of rendering him the last honors. Before singing his return to life, there were mournful rites celebrated in honor of his suffering and his death. The large wound he had received was shown, just as the wound was shown which was made to Christ by the thrust of the spear. The feast of his resurrection was fixed at the 25th of March."[218:1]
In Calmet's "Fragments," the resurrection of Adonis is referred to as follows:
"In these mysteries, after the attendants had for a long time bewailed the death of this just person, he was at length understood to be restored to life, to have experienced a resurrection; signified by the re-admission of light. On this the priest addressed the company, saying, 'Comfort yourselves, all ye who have been partakers of the mysteries of the deity, thus preserved: for we shall now enjoy some respite from our labors:' to which were added these words: 'I have scaped a sad calamity, and my lot is greatly mended.' The people answered by the invocation: 'Hail to the Dove! the Restorer of Light!'"[218:2]
Alexander Murray tells us that the ancient Greeks also celebrated this festival in honor of the resurrection of Adonis, in the course of which a figure of him was produced, and the ceremony of burial, with weeping and songs of wailing, gone through. After these a joyful shout was raised: "Adonis lives and is risen again."[218:3]
Plutarch, in his life of Alcibiades and of Nicias, tells us that it was at the time of the celebration of the death of Adonis that the Athenian fleet set sail for its unlucky expedition to Sicily; that nothing but images of dead Adonises were to be met with in the streets, and that they were carried to the sepulchre in the midst of an immense train of women, crying and beating their breasts, and imitating in every particular the lugubrious pomp of interments. Sinister omens were drawn from it, which were only too much realized by subsequent events.[218:4]
It was in an oration or address delivered to the Emperors Constans and Constantius that Julius Firmicius wrote concerning the rites celebrated by the heathens in commemoration of the resurrection of Adonis. In his tide of eloquence he breaks away into indignant objurgation of the priest who officiated in those heathen mysteries, which, he admitted, resembled the Christian sacrament in honor of the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus, so closely that there was really no difference between them, except that no sufficient proof had been given to the world of the resurrection of Adonis, and no divine oracle had borne witness to his resurrection, nor had he shown himself alive after his death to those who were concerned to have assurance of the fact that they might believe.
The divine oracle, be it observed, which Julius Firmicius says had borne testimony to Christ Jesus' resurrection, was none other than the answer of the god Apollo, whom the Pagans worshiped at Delphos, which this writer derived from Porphyry's books "On the Philosophy of Oracles."[219:1]
Eusebius, the celebrated ecclesiastical historian, has also condescended to quote this claimed testimony from a Pagan oracle, as furnishing one of the most convincing proofs that could be adduced in favor of the resurrection of Christ Jesus.
"But thou at least (says he to the Pagans), listen to thine own gods, to thy oracular deities themselves, who have borne witness, and ascribed to our Saviour (Jesus Christ) not imposture, but piety and wisdom, and ascent into heaven."
This was vastly obliging and liberal of the god Apollo, but, it happens awkwardly enough, that the whole work (consisting of several books) ascribed to Porphyry, in which this and other admissions equally honorable to the evidences of the Christian religion are made, was not written by Porphyry, but is altogether the pious fraud of Christian hands, who have kindly fathered the great philosopher with admissions, which, as he would certainly never have made himself, they have very charitably made for him.[219:2]
The festival in honor of the resurrection of Adonis was observed in Alexandria in Egypt—the cradle of Christianity—in the time of St. Cyril, Bishop of Alexandria (A. D. 412), and at Antioch—the ancient capital of the Greek Kings of Syria—even as late as the time of the Emperor Julian (A. D. 361-363), whose arrival there, during the solemnity of the festival, was taken as an ill omen.[219:3]
It is most curious that the arrival of the Emperor Julian at Antioch—where the followers of Christ Jesus, it is said, were first called Christians—at that time, should be considered an ill omen. Why should it have been so? He was not a Christian, but a known apostate from the Christian religion, and a zealous patron of Paganism. The evidence is very conclusive; the celebration in honor of the resurrection of Adonis had become to be known as a Christian festival, which has not been abolished even unto this day. The ceremonies held in Roman Catholic countries on Good Friday and on Easter Sunday, are nothing more than the festival of the death and resurrection of Adonis, as we shall presently see.
Even as late as the year A. D. 386, the resurrection of Adonis was celebrated in Judea. St. Jerome says:
"Over Bethlehem (in the year 386 after Christ) the grove of Tammuz, that is, of Adonis, was casting its shadow! And in the grotto where formerly the infant Anointed (i. e., Christ Jesus) cried, the lover of Venus was being mourned."[220:1]
In the idolatrous worship practiced by the children of Israel was that of the worship of Adonis.
Under the designation of Tammuz, this god was worshiped, and had his altar even in the Temple of the Lord which was at Jerusalem. Several of the Psalms of David were parts of the liturgical service employed in his worship; the 110th, in particular, is an account of a friendly alliance between the two gods, Jehovah and Adonis, in which Jehovah adorns Adonis for his priest, as sitting at his right hand, and promises to fight for him against his enemies. This god was worshiped at Byblis in Phœnicia with precisely the same ceremonies: the same articles of faith as to his mystical incarnation, his precious death and burial, and his glorious resurrection and ascension, and even in the very same words of religious adoration and homage which are now, with the slightest degree of variation that could well be conceived, addressed to the Christ of the Gospel.
The prophet Ezekiel, when an exile, painted once more the scene he had so often witnessed of the Israelitish women in the Temple court bewailing the death of Tammuz.[220:2]
Dr. Parkhurst says, in his "Hebrew Lexicon":
"I find myself obliged to refer Tammuz, as well as the Greek and Roman Hercules, to that class of idols which were originally designed to represent the promised Saviour (Christ Jesus), the desire of all nations. His other name, Adonis, is almost the very Hebrew word 'Our Lord,' a well-known title of Christ."[220:3]
So it seems that the ingenious and most learned orthodox Dr. Parkhurst was obliged to consider Adonis a type of "the promised Saviour (Christ Jesus), the desire of all nations." This is a very favorite way for Christian divines to express themselves, when pushed thereto, by the striking resemblance between the Pagan, virgin-born, crucified, and resurrected gods and Christ Jesus.
If the reader is satisfied that all these things are types or symbols of what the "real Saviour" was to do and suffer, he is welcome to such food. The doctrine of Dr. Parkhurst and others comes with but an ill grace, however, from Roman Catholic priests, who have never ceased to suppress information when possible, and when it was impossible for them to do so, they claimed these things to be the work of the devil, in imitation of their predecessors, the Christian Fathers.
Julius Firmicius has said: "The devil has his Christs," and does not deny that Adonis was one. Tertullian and St. Justin explain all the conformity which exists between Christianity and Paganism, by asserting "that a long time before there were Christians in existence, the devil had taken pleasure to have their future mysteries and ceremonies copied by his worshipers."[221:1]
Osiris, the Egyptian Saviour, after being put to death, rose from the dead,[221:2] and bore the title of "The Resurrected One."[221:3]
Prof. Mahaffy, lecturer on ancient history in the University of Dublin, observes that:
"The Resurrection and reign over an eternal kingdom, by an incarnate mediating deity born of a virgin, was a theological conception which pervaded the oldest religion of Egypt."[221:4]
The ancient Egyptians celebrated annually, in early spring, about the time known in Christian countries as Easter, the resurrection and ascension of Osiris. During these mysteries the misfortunes and tragical death of the "Saviour" were celebrated in a species of drama, in which all the particulars were exhibited, accompanied with loud lamentations and every mark of sorrow. At this time his image was carried in a procession, covered—as were those in the temples—with black veils. On the 25th of March his resurrection from the dead was celebrated with great festivity and rejoicings.[221:5]
Alexander Murray says:
"The worship of Osiris was universal throughout Egypt, where he was gratefully regarded as the great exemplar of self-sacrifice—in giving his life for others—as the manifestor of good, as the opener of truth, and as being full of goodness and truth. After being dead, he was restored to life."[221:6]
Mons. Dupuis says on this subject:
"The Fathers of the Church, and the writers of the Christian sect, speak frequently of these feasts, celebrated in honor of Osiris, who died and arose from the dead, and they draw a parallel with the adventurers of their Christ. Athanasius, Augustin, Theophilus, Athenagoras, Minucius Felix, Lactantius, Firmicius, as also the ancient authors who have spoken of Osiris . . . all agree in the description of the universal mourning of the Egyptians at the festival, when the commemoration of that death took place. They describe the ceremonies which were practiced at his sepulchre, the tears, which were there shed during several days, and the festivities and rejoicings, which followed after that mourning, at the moment when his resurrection was announced."[222:1]
Mr. Bonwick remarks, in his "Egyptian Belief," that:
"It is astonishing to find that, at least, five thousand years ago, men trusted an Osiris as the 'Risen Saviour,' and confidently hoped to rise, as he arose, from the grave."[222:2]
Again he says:
"Osiris was, unquestionably, the popular god of Egypt. . . . Osiris was dear to the hearts of the people. He was pre-eminently 'good.' He was in life and death their friend. His birth, death, burial, resurrection and ascension, embraced the leading points of Egyptian theology." "In his efforts to do good, he encounters evil. In struggling with that, he is overcome. He is killed. The story, entered into in the account of the Osiris myth, is a circumstantial one. Osiris is buried. His tomb was the object of pilgrimage for thousands of years. But he did not rest in his grave. At the end of three days, or forty, he arose again, and ascended to heaven. This is the story of his humanity." "As the invictus Osiris, his tomb was illuminated, as is the holy sepulchre of Jerusalem now. The mourning song, whose plaintive tones were noted by Herodotus, and has been compared to the 'miserere' of Rome, was followed, in three days, by the language of triumph."[222:3]
Herodotus, who had been initiated into the Egyptian and Grecian "Mysteries," speaks thus of them:
"At Sais (in Egypt), in the sacred precinct of Minerva; behind the chapel and joining the wall, is the tomb of one whose name I consider it impious to divulge on such an occasion; and in the inclosure stand large stone obelisks, and there is a lake near, ornamented with a stone margin, formed in a circle, and in size, as appeared to me, much the same as that in Delos, which is called the circular. In this lake they perform by night the representation of that person's adventures, which they call mysteries. On these matters, however, though accurately acquainted with the particulars of them, I must observe a discreet silence; and respecting the sacred rites of Ceres, which the Greeks call Thesmyphoria, although I am acquainted with them, I must observe silence except so far as is lawful for me to speak of them."[222:4]
Horus, son of the virgin Isis, experienced similar misfortunes. The principal features of this sacred romance are to be found in the writings of the Christian Fathers. They give us a description of the grief which was manifested at his death, and of the rejoicings at his resurrection, which are similar to those spoken of above.[222:5]
Atys, the Phrygian Saviour, was put to death, and rose again from the dead. Various histories were given of him in various places, but all accounts terminated in the usual manner. He was one of the "Slain Ones" who rose to life again on the 25th of March, or the "Hilaria" or primitive Easter.[223:1]
Mithras, the Persian Saviour, and mediator between God and man, was believed by the inhabitants of Persia, Asia Minor and Armenia, to have been put to death, and to have risen again from the dead. In their mysteries, the body of a young man, apparently dead, was exhibited, which was feigned to be restored to life. By his sufferings he was believed to have worked their salvation, and on this account he was called their "Saviour." His priests watched his tomb to the midnight of the veil of the 25th of March, with loud cries, and in darkness; when all at once the lights burst forth from all parts, and the priest cried:
"Rejoice, Oh sacred Initiated, your god is risen. His death, his pains, his sufferings, have worked our salvation."[223:2]
Mons. Dupuis, speaking of the resurrection of this god, says:
"It is chiefly in the religion of Mithras. . . . that we find mostly these features of analogy with the death and resurrection of Christ, and with the mysteries of the Christians. Mithras, who was also born on the 25th of December, like Christ, died as he did; and he had his sepulchre, over which his disciples came to shed tears. During the night, the priests carried his image to a tomb, expressly prepared for him; he was laid out on a litter, like the Phœnician Adonis.
"These funeral ceremonies, like those on Good Friday (in Roman Catholic churches), were accompanied with funeral dirges and groans of the priests; after having spent some time with these expressions of feigned grief; after having lighted the sacred flambeau, or their paschal candle, and anointed the image with chrism or perfumes, one of them came forward and pronounced with the gravest mien these words: 'Be of good cheer, sacred band of Initiates, your god has risen from the dead. His pains and his sufferings shall be your salvation.'"[223:3]
In King's "Gnostics and their Remains" (Plate XI.), may be seen the representation of a bronze medal, or rather disk, engraved in the coarsest manner, on which is to be seen a female figure, standing in the attitude of adoration, the object of which is expressed by the inscription—ORTVS SALVAT, "The Rising of the Saviour"—i. e., of Mithras.[224:1]
"This medal" (says Mr. King), "doubtless had accompanied the interment of some individual initiated into the Mithraic mysteries; and is certainly the most curious relic of that faith that has come under my notice."[224:2]
Bacchus, the Saviour, son of the virgin Semele, after being put to death, also arose from the dead. During the commemoration of the ceremonies of this event the dead body of a young man was exhibited with great lamentations, in the same manner as the cases cited above, and at dawn on the 25th of March his resurrection from the dead was celebrated with great rejoicings.[224:3] After having brought solace to the misfortunes of mankind, he, after his resurrection, ascended into heaven.[224:4]
Hercules, the Saviour, the son of Zeus by a mortal mother, was put to death, but arose from the funeral pile, and ascended into heaven in a cloud, 'mid peals of thunder. His followers manifested gratitude to his memory by erecting an altar on the spot from whence be ascended.[224:5]
Memnon is put to death, but rises again to life and immortality. His mother Eos weeps tears at the death of her son—as Mary does for Christ Jesus—but her prayers avail to bring him back, like Adonis or Tammuz, and Jesus, from the shadowy region, to dwell always in Olympus.[224:6]
The ancient Greeks also believed that Amphiaraus—one of their most celebrated prophets and demi-gods—rose from the dead. They even pointed to the place of his resurrection.[224:7]
Baldur, the Scandinavian Lord and Saviour, is put to death, but does not rest in his grave. He too rises again to life and immortality.[224:8]
When "Baldur the Good," the beneficent god, descended into hell, Hela (Death) said to Hermod (who mourned for Baldur): "If all things in the world, both living and lifeless, weep for him, then shall he return to the Æsir (the gods)." Upon hearing this, messengers were dispatched throughout the world to beg everything to weep in order that Baldur might be delivered from hell. All things everywhere willingly complied with this request, both men and every other living being, so that wailing was heard in all quarters.[225:1]
Thus we see the same myth among the northern nations. As Bunsen says:
"The tragedy of the murdered and risen god is familiar to us from the days of ancient Egypt: must it not be of equally primeval origin here?" [In Teutonic tradition.]
The ancient Scandinavians also worshiped a god called Frey, who was put to death, and rose again from the dead.[225:2]
The ancient Druids celebrated, in the British Isles, in heathen times, the rites of the resurrected Bacchus, and other ceremonies, similar to the Greeks and Romans.[225:3]
Quetzalcoatle, the Mexican crucified Saviour, after being put to death, rose from the dead. His resurrection was represented in Mexican hieroglyphics, and may be seen in the Codex Borgianus.[225:4]
The Jews in Palestine celebrated their Passover on the same day that the Pagans celebrated the resurrection of their gods.
Besides the resurrected gods mentioned in this chapter, who were believed in for centuries before the time assigned for the birth of Christ Jesus, many others might be named, as we shall see in our chapter on "[Explanation]." In the words of Dunbar T. Heath:
"We find men taught everywhere, from Southern Arabia to Greece, by hundreds of symbolisms, the birth, death, and resurrection of deities, and a resurrection too, apparently after the second day, i. e., on the third."[225:5]
And now, to conclude all, another god is said to have been born on the same day[225:6] as these Pagan deities; he is crucified and buried, and on the same day[225:7] rises again from the dead. Christians of Europe and America celebrate annually the resurrection of their Saviour in almost the identical manner in which the Pagans celebrated the resurrection of their Saviours, centuries before the God of the Christians is said to have been born. In Roman Catholic churches, in Catholic countries, the body of a young man is laid on a bier, and placed before the altar; the wound in his side is to be seen, and his death is bewailed in mournful dirges, and the verse, Gloria Patri, is discontinued in the mass. All the images in the churches and the altar are covered with black, and the priest and attendants are robed in black; nearly all lights are put out, and the windows are darkened. This is the "Agonie," the "Miserere," the "Good Friday" mass. On Easter Sunday[226:1] all the drapery has disappeared; the church is illuminated, and rejoicing, in place of sorrow, is manifest. The Easter hymns partake of the following expression:
"Rejoice, Oh sacred Initiated, your God is risen. His death, his pains, his sufferings, have worked our salvation."
Cedrenus (a celebrated Byzantine writer), speaking of the 25th of March, says:
"The first day of the first month, is the first of the month Nisan; it corresponds to the 25th of March of the Romans, and the Phamenot of the Egyptians. On that day Gabriel saluted Mary, in order to make her conceive the Saviour. I observe that it is the same month, Phamenot, that Osiris gave fecundity to Isis, according to the Egyptian theology. On the very same day, our God Saviour (Christ Jesus), after the termination of his career, arose from the dead; that is, what our forefathers called the Pass-over, or the passage of the Lord. It is also on the same day, that our ancient theologians have fixed his return, or his second advent."[226:2]
We have seen, then, that a festival celebrating the resurrection of their several gods was annually held among the Pagans, before the time of Christ Jesus, and that it was almost universal. That it dates to a period of great antiquity is very certain. The adventures of these incarnate gods, exposed in their infancy, put to death, and rising again from the grave to life and immortality, were acted on the Deisuls and in the sacred theatres of the ancient Pagans,[226:3] just as the "Passion Play" is acted to-day.
Eusebius relates a tale to the effect that, at one time, the Christians were about to celebrate "the solemn vigils of Easter," when, to their dismay, they found that oil was wanted. Narcissus, Bishop of Jerusalem, who was among the number, "commanded that such as had charge of the lights, speedily to bring unto him water, drawn up out of the next well." This water Narcissus, "by the wonderful power of God," changed into oil, and the celebration was continued.[227:1]
This tells the whole story. Here we see the oil—which the Pagans had in their ceremonies, and with which the priests anointed the lips of the Initiates—and the lights, which were suddenly lighted when the god was feigned to have risen from the dead.
With her usual policy, the Christian Church endeavored to give a Christian significance to the rites borrowed from Paganism, and in this case, as in many others, the conversion was particularly easy.
In the earliest times, the Christians did not celebrate the resurrection of their Lord from the grave. They made the Jewish Passover their chief festival, celebrating it on the same day as the Jews, the 14th of Nisan, no matter in what part of the week that day might fall. Believing, according to the tradition, that Jesus on the eve of his death had eaten the Passover with his disciples, they regarded such a solemnity as a commemoration of the Supper and not as a memorial of the Resurrection. But in proportion as Christianity more and more separated itself from Judaism and imbibed paganism, this way of looking at the matter became less easy. A new tradition gained currency among the Roman Christians to the effect that Jesus before his death had not eaten the Passover, but had died on the very day of the Passover, thus substituting himself for the Paschal Lamb. The great Christian festival was then made the Resurrection of Jesus, and was celebrated on the first pagan holiday—Sun-day—after the Passover.
This Easter celebration was observed in China, and called a "Festival of Gratitude to Tien." From there it extended over the then known world to the extreme West.
The ancient Pagan inhabitants of Europe celebrated annually this same feast, which is yet continued over all the Christian world. This festival began with a week's indulgence in all kinds of sports, called the carne-vale, or the taking a farewell to animal food, because it was followed by a fast of forty days. This was in honor of the Saxon goddess Ostrt or Eostre of the Germans, whence our Easter.[227:2]
The most characteristic Easter rite, and the one most widely diffused, is the use of Easter eggs. They are usually stained of various colors with dye-woods or herbs, and people mutually make presents of them; sometimes they are kept as amulets, sometimes eaten. Now, "dyed eggs were sacred Easter offerings in Egypt;"[228:1] the ancient Persians, "when they kept the festival of the solar new year (in March), mutually presented each other with colored eggs;"[228:2] "the Jews used eggs in the feast of the Passover;" and the custom prevailed in Western countries.[228:3]
The stories of the resurrection written by the Gospel narrators are altogether different. This is owing to the fact that the story, as related by one, was written to correct the mistakes and to endeavor to reconcile with common sense the absurdities of the other. For instance, the "Matthew" narrator says: "And when they saw him (after he had risen from the dead) they worshiped him; but some doubted."[228:4]
To leave the question where this writer leaves it would be fatal. In such a case there must be no doubt. Therefore, the "Mark" narrator makes Jesus appear three times, under such circumstances as to render a mistake next to impossible, and to silence the most obstinate skepticism. He is first made to appear to Mary Magdalene, who was convinced that it was Jesus, because she went and told the disciples that he had risen, and that she had seen him. They—notwithstanding that Jesus had foretold them of his resurrection[228:5]—disbelieved, nor could they be convinced until he appeared to them. They in turn told it to the other disciples, who were also skeptical; and, that they might be convinced, Jesus also appeared to them as they sat at meat, when he upbraided them for their unbelief.
This story is much improved in the hands of the "Mark" narrator, but, in the anxiety to make a clear case, it is overdone, as often happens when the object is to remedy or correct an oversight or mistake previously made. In relating that the disciples doubted the words of Mary Magdalene, he had probably forgotten Jesus had promised them that he should rise, for, if he had told them this, why did they doubt?
Neither the "Matthew" nor the "Mark" narrator says in what way Jesus made his appearance—whether it was in the body or only in the spirit. If in the latter, it would be fatal to the whole theory of the resurrection, as it is a material resurrection that Christianity taught—just like their neighbors the Persians—and not a spiritual.[229:1]
To put this disputed question in its true light, and to silence the objections which must naturally have arisen against it, was the object which the "Luke" narrator had in view. He says that when Jesus appeared and spoke to the disciples they were afraid: "But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed they had seen a spirit."[229:2] Jesus then—to show that he was not a spirit—showed the wounds in his hands and feet. "And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of a honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat before them."[229:3] After this, who is there that can doubt? but, if the fish and honeycomb story was true, why did the "Matthew" and "Mark" narrators fail to mention it?
The "Luke" narrator, like his predecessors, had also overdone the matter, and instead of convincing the skeptical, he only excited their ridicule.
The "John" narrator now comes, and endeavors to set matters right. He does not omit entirely the story of Jesus eating fish, for that would not do, after there had been so much said about it. He might leave it to be inferred that the "Luke" narrator made a mistake, so he modifies the story and omits the ridiculous part. The scene is laid on the shores of the Sea of Tiberias. Under the direction of Jesus, Peter drew his net to land, full of fish. "Jesus said unto them: Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord. Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise."[229:4]
It does not appear from this account that Jesus ate the fish at all. He took the fish and gave to the disciples; the inference is that they were the ones that ate. In the "Luke" narrator's account the statement is reversed; the disciples gave the fish to Jesus, and he ate. The "John" narrator has taken out of the story that which was absurd, but he leaves us to infer that the "Luke" narrator was careless in stating the account of what took place. If we leave out of the "Luke" narrator's account the part that relates to the fish and honeycomb, he fails to prove what it really was which appeared to the disciples, as it seems from this that the disciples could not be convinced that Jesus was not a spirit until he had actually eaten something.
Now, if the eating part is struck out—which the "John" narrator does, and which, no doubt, the ridicule cast upon it drove him to do—the "Luke" narrator leaves the question just where he found it. It was the business of the "John" narrator to attempt to leave it clean, and put an end to all cavil.
Jesus appeared to the disciples when they assembled at Jerusalem. "And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side."[230:1] They were satisfied, and no doubts were expressed. But Thomas was not present, and when he was told by the brethren that Jesus had appeared to them, he refused to believe; nor would he, "Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe."[230:2] Now, if Thomas could be convinced, with all his doubts, it would be foolish after that to deny that Jesus was not in the body when he appeared to his disciples.
After eight days Jesus again appears, for no other purpose—as it would seem—but to convince the doubting disciple Thomas. Then said he to Thomas: "Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side; and be not faithless, but believing."[230:3] This convinced Thomas, and he exclaimed: "My Lord and my God." After this evidence, if there were still unbelievers, they were even more skeptical than Thomas himself. We should be at a loss to understand why the writers of the first three Gospels entirely omitted the story of Thomas, if we were not aware that when the "John" narrator wrote the state of the public mind was such that proof of the most unquestionable character was demanded that Christ Jesus had risen in the body. The "John" narrator selected a person who claimed he was hard to convince, and if the evidence was such as to satisfy him, it ought to satisfy the balance of the world.[230:4]
The first that we knew of the fourth Gospel—attributed to John—is from the writings of Irenæus (A. D. 177-202), and the evidence is that he is the author of it.[230:5] That controversies were rife in his day concerning the resurrection of Jesus, is very evident from other sources. We find that at this time the resurrection of the dead (according to the accounts of the Christian forgers) was very far from being esteemed an uncommon event; that the miracle was frequently performed on necessary occasions by great fasting and the joint supplication of the church of the place, and that the persons thus restored by their prayers had lived afterwards among them many years. At such a period, when faith could boast of so many wonderful victories over death, it seems difficult to account for the skepticism of those philosophers, who still rejected and derided the doctrine of the resurrection. A noble Grecian had rested on this important ground the whole controversy, and promised Theophilus, bishop of Antioch, that if he could be gratified by the sight of a single person who had been actually raised from the dead, he would immediately embrace the Christian religion.
"It is somewhat remarkable," says Gibbon, the historian, from whom we take the above, "that the prelate of the first Eastern Church, however anxious for the conversion of his friend, thought proper to decline this fair and reasonable challenge."[231:1]
This Christian saint, Irenæus, had invented many stories of others being raised from the dead, for the purpose of attempting to strengthen the belief in the resurrection of Jesus. In the words of the Rev. Jeremiah Jones:
"Such pious frauds were very common among Christians even in the first three centuries; and a forgery of this nature, with the view above-mentioned, seems natural and probable."
One of these "pious frauds" is the "Gospel of Nicodemus the Disciple, concerning the Sufferings and Resurrection of our Master and Saviour Jesus Christ." Although attributed to Nicodemus, a disciple of Jesus, it has been shown to be a forgery, written towards the close of the second century—during the time of Irenæus, the well-known pious forger. In this book we find the following:
"And now hear me a little. We all know the blessed Simeon, the high-priest, who took Jesus when an infant into his arms in the temple. This same Simeon had two sons of his own, and we were all present at their death and funeral. Go therefore and see their tombs, for these are open, and they are risen; and behold, they are in the city of Arimathæa, spending their time together in offices of devotion."[231:2]
The purpose of this story is very evident. Some "zealous believer," observing the appeals for proof of the resurrection, wishing to make it appear that resurrections from the dead were common occurrences, invented this story towards the close of the second century, and fathered it upon Nicodemus.
We shall speak, anon, more fully on the subject of the frauds of the early Christians, the "lying and deceiving for the cause of Christ," which is carried on even to the present day.
As President Cheney of Bates College has lately remarked, "The resurrection is the doctrine of Christianity and the foundation of the entire system,"[232:1] but outside of the four spurious gospels this greatest of all recorded miracles is hardly mentioned. "We have epistles from Peter, James, John, and Jude—all of whom are said by the evangelists to have seen Jesus after he rose from the dead, in none of which epistles is the fact of the resurrection even stated, much less that Jesus was seen by the writer after his resurrection."[232:2]
Many of the early Christian sects denied the resurrection of Christ Jesus, but taught that he will rise, when there shall be a general resurrection.
No actual representation of the resurrection of the Christian's Saviour has yet been found among the monuments of early Christianity. The earliest representation of this event that has been found is an ivory carving, and belongs to the fifth or sixth century.[232:3]
FOOTNOTES:
[215:1] See Matthew, xxviii. Mark, xvi. Luke, xxiv. and John, xx.
[215:2] Mark, xvi. 19.
[215:3] Luke, xxiv. 51.
[215:4] Acts, i. 9.
[215:5] See Dupuis: Origin of Religious Belief, p. 240. Higgins: Anacalypsis, vol. ii. pp. 142 and 145.
[215:6] See Higgins: Anacalypsis, vol. i. p. 131. Bonwick's Egyptian Belief, p. 168. Asiatic Researches, vol. i. pp. 259 and 261.
[215:7] See Prog. Relig. Ideas, vol. i. p. 72. Hist. Hindostan, ii. pp. 466 and 473.
"In Hindu pictures, Vishnu, who is identified with Crishna, is often seen mounted on the Eagle Garuda." (Moore: Hindu Panth. p. 214.) And M. Sonnerat noticed "two basso-relievos placed at the entrance of the choir of Bordeaux Cathedral, one of which represents the ascension of our Saviour to heaven on an Eagle." (Higgins: Anac., vol. i. p. 273.)
[216:1] Oriental Religions, pp. 494, 495.
[216:2] Asiatic Res., vol. x. p. 129. Anacalypsis, vol. ii. p. 103.
[216:3] Bunsen: The Angel-Messiah, p. 49.
[216:4] Prog. Relig. Ideas, vol. i. p. 86. See also, Higgins: Anacalypsis, vol. i. p. 159.
[216:5] Prog. Relig. Ideas, vol. i. p. 214.
[216:6] Ibid. p. 258.
[217:1] Ovid's Metamorphoses, as rendered by Addison. Quoted in Taylor's Diegesis, p. 148.
[217:2] Quoted by Higgins: Anacalypsis, vol. ii. p. 114. See also, Taylor's Diegesis, pp. 163, 164.
[217:3] Taylor's Diegesis, p. 164.
[217:4] Prichard's Egyptian Mythology, pp. 66, 67.
[218:1] Dupuis: Origin of Religious Belief, p. 161. See also, Dunlap's Mysteries of Adoni, p. 23, and Spirit Hist. of Man, p. 216.
[218:2] Calmet's Fragments, vol. ii. p. 21.
[218:3] Murray: Manual of Mythology, p. 86.
[218:4] See Dupuis: Origin of Religious Beliefs, p. 261.
[219:1] See Dupuis: Origin of Religious Beliefs, p. 247, and Taylor's Diegesis, p. 164.
[219:2] See Taylor's Diegesis, p. 164. We shall speak of Christian forgeries anon.
[219:3] See Bell's Pantheon, vol. i. p. 2.
[220:1] Quoted in Dunlap's Son of the Man, p. vii. See also, Knight: Ancient Art and Mythology, p. xxvii.
"From the days of the prophet Daniel, down to the time when the red cross knights gave no quarter (fighting for the Christ) in the streets of Jerusalem, the Anointed was worshiped in Babylon, Basan, Galilee and Palestine." (Son of the Man, p. 38.)
[220:2] Ezekiel, viii. 14.
[220:3] Quoted in Taylor's Diegesis, p. 162, and Higgins: Anacalypsis, vol. ii. p. 114.
[221:1] See Justin: Cum. Typho, and Tertullian: De Bap.
[221:2] See Higgins: Anacalypsis, vol. ii. p. 16, and vol. i. p. 519. Also, Prichard's Egyptian Mythology, p. 66, and Bonwick's Egyptian Belief, p. 163.
[221:3] See Bonwick's Egyptian Belief, p. 166, and Dunlap's Mysteries of Adoni, pp. 124, 125.
[221:4] Prolegomena to Ancient History.
[221:5] See Higgins: Anacalypsis, vol. ii. p. 102.
[221:6] Murray: Manual of Mythology, pp. 347, 348.
[222:1] Dupuis: Origin of Religious Belief, p. 256.
[222:2] Bonwick's Egyptian Belief, p. vi.
[222:3] Ibid. pp. 150-155, 178.
[222:4] Herodotus, bk. ii. chs. 170, 171.
[222:5] See Dupuis: Origin of Religious Belief, p. 263, and Higgins: Anacalypsis, vol. ii. 108.
[223:1] See Bonwick's Egyptian Belief, p. 169. Higgins: Anacalypsis, vol. ii. p. 104. Dupuis: Origin of Religious Belief, p. 255. Dunlap's Mysteries of Adoni, p. 110, and Knight: Anct. Art and Mythology, p. 86.
[223:2] Higgins: Anacalypsis, vol. ii. p. 99. Mithras remained in the grave a period of three days, as did Christ Jesus, and the other Christs. "The Persians believed that the soul of man remained yet three days in the world after its separation from the body." (Dunlap: Mysteries of Adoni, p. 63.)
"In the Zoroastrian religion, after soul and body have separated, the souls, in the third night after death—as soon as the shining sun ascends—come over the Mount Berezaiti upon the bridge Tshinavat which leads to Garonmana, the dwelling of the good gods." (Dunlap's Spirit Hist., p. 216, and Mysteries of Adoni, 60.)
The Ghost of Polydore says:
"Being raised up this third day—light,
Having deserted my body!"
(Euripides, Hecuba, 31, 32.)
[223:3] Dupuis: Origin of Religious Beliefs, pp. 246, 247.
[224:1] King's Gnostics and their Remains, p. 225.
[224:2] Ibid. p. 226.
[224:3] See Higgins: Anacalypsis, vol. ii. p. 102. Dupuis: Origin of Religious Belief, pp. 256, 257, and Bonwick's Egyptian Belief, p. 169.
[224:4] See Dupuis: Origin of Religious Belief, p. 135, and Higgins: Anacalypsis, vol. i. 322.
[224:5] Prog. Relig. Ideas, vol. i. p. 294. See also, Goldzhier's Hebrew Mythology, p. 127. Higgins: Anacalypsis, vol. i. p. 322, and Chambers's Encyclo., art. "Hercules."
[224:6] Aryan Mytho., vol. ii. p. 90.
[224:7] See Bell's Pantheon, vol. i. p. 56.
[224:8] Aryan Mytho., vol. ii p. 94.
[225:1] Mallet's Northern Antiquities, p. 449.
[225:2] See Knight: Ancient Art and Mythology, p. 85.
[225:3] See Davies: Myths and Rites of the British Druids, pp. 89 and 208.
[225:4] See Kingsborough's Mexican Antiquities, vol. vi. p. 166.
[225:5] Quoted in Bonwick's Egyptian Belief, p. 174.
[225:6] As we shall see in the chapter on "[The Birth-day of Christ Jesus]."
[225:7] Easter, the triumph of Christ, was originally solemnized on the 25th of March, the very day upon which the Pagan gods were believed to have risen from the dead. (See Dupuis: Origin of Religious Belief, pp. 244, 255.)
A very long and terrible schism took place in the Christian Church upon the question whether Easter, the day of the resurrection, was to be celebrated on the 14th day of the first month, after the Jewish custom, or on the Lord's day afterward; and it was at last decided in favor of the Lord's day. (See Higgins: Anacalypsis, vol. ii. p. 90, and Chambers's Encyclopædia, art. "Easter.")
The day upon which Easter should be celebrated was not settled until the Council of Nice. (See Euseb. Life of Constantine, lib. 3, ch. xvii. Also, Socrates' Eccl. Hist. lib. 1, ch. vi.)
[226:1] Even the name of "Easter" is derived from the heathen goddess, Ostrt, of the Saxons, and the Eostre of the Germans.
"Many of the popular observances connected with Easter are clearly of Pagan origin. The goddess Ostara or Eastre seems to have been the personification of the morning or East, and also of the opening year or Spring. . . . With her usual policy, the church endeavored to give a Christian significance to such of the rites as could not be rooted out; and in this case the conversion was practically easy." (Chambers's Encyclo., art. "Easter.")
[226:2] Quoted in Dupuis: Origin of Religious Belief, p. 244.
[226:3] See Higgins: Anacalypsis, vol. ii. p. 340.
[227:1] Eccl. Hist., lib. 6, c. viii.
[227:2] Anacalypsis, ii. 59.
[228:1] See Bonwick's Egyptian Belief, p. 24.
[228:2] See Chambers's Encyclo., art. "Easter."
[228:3] Ibid.
[228:4] Matthew, xxviii. 17.
[228:5] See xii. 40; xvi. 21; Mark, ix. 31; xiv. 23; John, ii. 10.
[229:1] "And let not any one among you say, that this very flesh is not judged, neither raised up. Consider, in what were ye saved? in what did ye look up, if not whilst ye were in this flesh? We must, therefore, keep our flesh as the temple of God. For in like manner as ye were called in the flesh, ye shall also come to judgment in the flesh. Our one Lord Jesus Christ, who has saved us, being first a spirit, was made flesh, and so called us: even so we also in this flesh, shall receive the reward (of heaven)." (II. Corinthians, ch. iv. Apoc. See also the Christian Creed: "I believe in the resurrection of the body.")
[229:2] Luke, xxiv. 37.
[229:3] Luke, xxiv. 42, 43.
[229:4] John, xxi. 12, 13.
[230:1] John, xx. 20.
[230:2] John, xx. 25.
[230:3] John, xx. 27.
[230:4] See, for a further account of the resurrection, Reber's Christ of Paul; Scott's English Life of Jesus; and Greg's Creed of Christendom.
[230:5] See the [Chapter xxxviii].
[231:1] Gibbon's Rome, vol. i. p. 541.
[231:2] Nicodemus, Apoc. ch. xii.
[232:1] Baccalaureate Sermon, June 26th, 1881.
[232:2] Greg: The Creed of Christendom, p. 284.
[232:3] See Jameson's Hist. of Our Lord in Art, vol. ii., and Lundy's Monumental Christianity.
CHAPTER XXIV.
THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST JESUS, AND THE MILLENNIUM.
The second coming of Christ Jesus is clearly taught in the canonical, as well as in the apocryphal, books of the New Testament. Paul teaches, or is made to teach it,[233:1] in the following words:
"If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."[233:2]
He further tells the Thessalonians to "abstain from all appearance of evil," and to "be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."[233:3]
James,[233:4] in his epistle to the brethren, tells them not to be in too great a hurry for the coming of their Lord, but to "be patient" and wait for the "coming of the Lord," as the "husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth." But still he assures them that "the coming of the Lord draweth nigh."[233:5]
Peter, in his first epistle, tells his brethren that "the end of all things is at hand,"[233:6] and that when the "chief shepherd" does appear, they "shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away."[233:7]
John, in his first epistle, tells the Christian community to "abide in him" (Christ), so that, "when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him."[234:1]
He further says:
"Behold, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is."[234:2]
According to the writer of the book of "The Acts," when Jesus ascended into heaven, the Apostles stood looking up towards heaven, where he had gone, and while thus engaged: "behold, two men stood by them (dressed) in white apparel," who said unto them:
"Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go (up) into heaven."[234:3]
The one great object which the writer of the book of Revelations wished to present to view, was "the second coming of Christ." This writer, who seems to have been anxious for that time, which was "surely" to come "quickly;" ends his book by saying: "Even so, come Lord Jesus."[234:4]
The two men, dressed in white apparel, who had told the Apostles that Jesus should "come again," were not the only persons whom they looked to for authority. He himself (according to the Gospel) had told them so:
"The Son of man shall come (again) in the glory of his Father with his angels."
And, as if to impress upon their minds that his second coming should not be at a distant day, he further said:
"Verily I say unto you, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom."[234:5]
This, surely, is very explicit, but it is not the only time he speaks of his second advent. When foretelling the destruction of the temple, his disciples came unto him, saying:
"Tell us when shall these things be, and what shall be the sign of thy coming?"[234:6]
His answer to this is very plain:
"Verily I say unto you, this generation shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled (i. e, the destruction of the temple and his second coming), but of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only."[234:7]
In the second Epistle attributed to Peter, which was written after that generation had passed away,[235:1] there had begun to be some impatience manifest among the believers, on account of the long delay of Christ Jesus' second coming. "Where is the promise of his coming?" say they, "for since the fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation."[235:2] In attempting to smoothe over matters, this writer says: "There shall come in the last days scoffers, saying: 'Where is the promise of his coming?'" to which he replies by telling them that they were ignorant of all the ways of the Lord, and that: "One day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." He further says: "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise;" and that "the day of the Lord will come." This coming is to be "as a thief in the night," that is, when they least expect it.[235:3]
No wonder there should have been scoffers—as this writer calls them—the generation which was not to have passed away before his coming, had passed away; all those who stood there had been dead many years; the sun had not yet been darkened; the stars were still in the heavens, and the moon still continued to reflect light. None of the predictions had yet been fulfilled.
Some of the early Christian Fathers have tried to account for the words of Jesus, where he says: "Verily I say unto you, there be some standing here which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom," by saying that he referred to John only, and that that Apostle was not dead, but sleeping. This fictitious story is related by Saint Augustin, "from the report," as he says, "of credible persons," and is to the effect that:
"At Ephesus, where St. John the Apostle lay buried, he was not believed to be dead, but to be sleeping only in the grave, which he had provided for himself till our Saviour's second coming: in proof of which, they affirm, that the earth, under which he lay, was seen to heave up and down perpetually, in conformity to the motion of his body, in the act of breathing."[235:4]
This story clearly illustrates the stupid credulity and superstition of the primitive age of the church, and the faculty of imposing any fictions upon the people, which their leaders saw fit to inculcate.
The doctrine of the millennium designates a certain period in the history of the world, lasting for a long, indefinite space (vaguely a thousand years, as the word "millennium" implies) during which the kingdom of Christ Jesus will be visibly established on the earth. The idea undoubtedly originated proximately in the Messianic expectation of the Jews (as Jesus did not sit on the throne of David and become an earthly ruler, it must be that he is coming again for this purpose), but more remotely in the Pagan doctrine of the final triumph of the several "Christs" over their adversaries.
In the first century of the Church, millenarianism was a whispered belief, to which the book of Daniel, and more particularly the predictions of the Apocalypse[236:1] gave an apostolical authority, but, when the church imbibed Paganism, their belief on this subject lent it a more vivid coloring and imagery.
The unanimity which the early Christian teachers exhibit in regard to millenarianism, proves how strongly it had laid hold of the imagination of the Church, to which, in this early stage, immortality and future rewards were to a great extent things of this world as yet. Not only did Cerinthus, but even the orthodox doctors—such as Papias (Bishop of Hierapolis), Irenæus, Justin Martyr and others—delighted themselves with dreams of the glory and magnificence of the millennial kingdom. Papias, in his collection of traditional sayings of Christ Jesus, indulges in the most monstrous representations of the re-building of Jerusalem, and the colossal vines and grapes of the millennial reign.
According to the general opinion, the millennium was to be preceded by great calamities, after which the Messiah, Christ Jesus, would appear, and would bind Satan for a thousand years, annihilate the godless heathen, or make them slaves of the believers, overturn the Roman empire, from the ruins of which a new order of things would spring forth, in which "the dead in Christ" would rise, and along with the surviving saints enjoy an incomparable felicity in the city of the "New Jerusalem." Finally, all nations would bend their knee to him, and acknowledge him only to be the Christ—his religion would reign supreme. This is the "Golden Age" of the future, which all nations of antiquity believed in and looked forward to.
We will first turn to India, and shall there find that the Hindoos believed their "Saviour," or "Preserver" Vishnu, who appeared in mortal form as Crishna, is to come again in the latter days. Their sacred books declare that in the last days, when the fixed stars have all apparently returned to the point whence they started, at the beginning of all things, in the month Scorpio, Vishnu will appear among mortals, in the form of an armed warrior, riding a winged white horse.[236:2] In one hand he will carry a scimitar, "blazing like a comet," to destroy all the impure who shall then dwell on the face of the earth. In the other hand he will carry a large shining ring, to signify that the great circle of Yugas (ages) is completed, and that the end has come. At his approach the sun and moon will be darkened, the earth will tremble, and the stars fall from the firmament.[237:1]
The Buddhists believe that Buddha has repeatedly assumed a human form to facilitate the reunion of men with his own universal soul, so they believe that "in the latter days" he will come again. Their sacred books predict this coming, and relate that his mission will be to restore the world to order and happiness.[237:2] This is exactly the Christian idea of the millennium.
The Chinese also believe that "in the latter days" there is to be a millennium upon earth. Their five sacred volumes are full of prophesies concerning this "Golden Age of the Future." It is the universal belief among them that a "Divine Man" will establish himself on earth, and everywhere restore peace and happiness.[237:3]
The ancient Persians believed that in the last days, there would be a millennium on earth, when the religion of Zoroaster would be accepted by all mankind. The Parsees of to-day, who are the remnants of the once mighty Persians, have a tradition that a holy personage is waiting in a region called Kanguedez, for a summons from the Ized Serosch, who in the last days will bring him to Persia, to restore the ancient dominion of that country, and spread the religion of Zoroaster over the whole earth.[237:4]
The Rev. Joseph B. Gross, in his "Heathen Religion,"[237:5] speaking of the belief of the ancient Persians in the millennium, says:
"The dead would be raised,[237:6] and he who has made all things, cause the earth and the sea to return again the remains of the departed.[237:7] Then Ormuzd shall clothe them with flesh and blood, while they that live at the time of the resurrection, must die in order to likewise participate in its advantage.
"Before this momentous event takes place, three illustrious prophets shall appear, who will announce their presence by the performance of miracles.
"During this period of its existence, and till its final removal, the earth will be afflicted with pestilence, tempests, war, famine, and various other baneful calamities."[237:8]
"After the resurrection, every one will be apprised of the good or evil which he may have done, and the righteous and the wicked will be separated from each other.[238:1] Those of the latter whose offenses have not yet been expiated, will be cast into hell during the term of three days and three nights,[238:2] in the presence of an assembled world, in order to be purified in the burning stream of liquid ore.[238:3] After this, they enjoy endless felicity in the society of the blessed, and the pernicious empire of Ahriman (the devil), is fairly exterminated.[238:4] Even this lying spirit will be under the necessity to avail himself of this fiery ordeal, and made to rejoice in its expurgating and cleansing efficacy. Nay, hell itself is purged of its mephitic impurities, and washed clean in the flames of a universal regeneration.[238:5]
"The earth is now the habitation of bliss, all nature glows in light; and the equitable and benignant laws of Ormuzd reign supremely through the illimitable universe.[238:6] Finally, after the resurrection, mankind will recognize each other again; wants, cares, and passions will cease;[238:7] and everything in the paradisian and all-embracing empire of light, shall rebound to the praise of the benificent God."[238:8]
The disciples of Bacchus expected his second advent. They hoped he would assume at some future day the government of the universe, and that he would restore to man his primary felicity.[238:9]
The Esthonian from the time of the German invasion lived a life of bondage under a foreign yoke, and the iron of his slavery entered into his soul. He told how the ancient hero Kalewipoeg sits in the realms of shadows, waiting until his country is in its extremity of distress, when he will return to earth to avenge the injuries of the Esths, and elevate the poor crushed people into a mighty power.[238:10]
The suffering Celt has his Brian Boroihme, or Arthur, who will come again, the first to inaugurate a Fenian millennium, the second to regenerate Wales. Olger Dansk waits till the time arrives when he is to start from sleep to the assistance of the Dane against the hated Prussian. The Messiah is to come and restore the kingdom of the Jews. Charlemagne was the Messiah of mediæval Teutondom. He it was who founded the great German empire, and shed over it the blaze of Christian truth, and now he sleeps in the Kyffhauserberg, waiting till German heresy has reached its climax and Germany is wasted through internal conflicts, to rush to earth once more, and revive the great empire and restore the Catholic faith.[239:1]
The ancient Scandinavians believed that in the "latter days" great calamities would befall mankind. The earth would tremble, and the stars fall from heaven. After which, the great serpent would be chained, and the religion of Odin would reign supreme.[239:2]
The disciples of Quetzalcoatle, the Mexican Saviour, expected his second advent. Before he departed this life, he told the inhabitants of Cholula that he would return again to govern them.[239:3] This remarkable tradition was so deeply cherished in their hearts, says Mr. Prescott in his "Conquest of Mexico," that "the Mexicans looked confidently to the return of their benevolent deity."[239:4]
So implicitly was this believed by the subjects, that when the Spaniards appeared on the coast, they were joyfully hailed as the returning god and his companions. Montezuma's messengers reported to the Inca that "it was Quetzalcoatle who was coming, bringing his temples (ships) with him." All throughout New Spain they expected the reappearance of this "Son of the Great God" into the world, who would renew all things.[239:5]
Acosta alludes to this, in his "History of the Indies," as follows:
"In the beginning of the year 1518, they (the Mexicans), discovered a fleet at sea, in the which was the Marques del Valle, Don Fernando Cortez, with his companions, a news which much troubled Montezuma, and conferring with his council, they all said, that without doubt, their great and ancient lord Quetzalcoatle was come, who had said that he would return from the East, whither he had gone."[239:6]
The doctrine of the millennium and the second advent of Christ Jesus, has been a very important one in the Christian church. The ancient Christians were animated by a contempt for their present existence, and by a just confidence of immortality, of which the doubtful and imperfect faith of modern ages cannot give us any adequate notion. In the primitive church, the influence of truth was powerfully strengthened by an opinion, which, however much it may deserve respect for its usefulness and antiquity, has not been found agreeable to experience. It was universally believed, that the end of the world and the kingdom of heaven were at hand.[240:1] The near approach of this wonderful event had been predicted, as we have seen, by the Apostles; the tradition of it was preserved by their earliest disciples, and those who believed that the discourses attributed to Jesus were really uttered by him, were obliged to expect the second and glorious coming of the "Son of Man" in the clouds, before that generation was totally extinguished which had beheld his humble condition upon earth, and which might still witness the calamities of the Jews under Vespasian or Hadrian. The revolution of seventeen centuries has instructed us not to press too closely the mysterious language of prophecy and revelation; but as long as this error was permitted to subsist in the church, it was productive of the most salutary effects on the faith and practice of Christians, who lived in the awful expectation of that moment when the globe itself and all the various races of mankind, should tremble at the appearance of their divine judge. This expectation was countenanced—as we have seen—by the twenty-fourth chapter of St. Matthew, and by the first epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians. Erasmus (one of the most vigorous promoters of the Reformation) removes the difficulty by the help of allegory and metaphor; and the learned Grotius (a learned theologian of the 16th century) ventures to insinuate, that, for wise purposes, the pious deception was permitted to take place.
The ancient and popular doctrine of the millennium was intimately connected with the second coming of Christ Jesus. As the works of the creation had been fixed in six days, their duration in the present state, according to a tradition which was attributed to the prophet Elijah, was fixed to six thousand years.[240:2] By the same analogy it was inferred, that this long period of labor and contention, which had now almost elapsed, would be succeeded by a joyful Sabbath of a thousand years, and that Christ Jesus, with the triumphant band of the saints and the elect who had escaped death, or who had been miraculously revived, would reign upon earth until the time appointed for the last and general resurrection. So pleasing was this hope to the mind of the believers, that the "New Jerusalem," the seat of this blissful kingdom, was quickly adorned with all the gayest colors of the imagination. A felicity consisting only of pure and spiritual pleasure would have been too refined for its inhabitants, who were still supposed to possess their human nature and senses. A "Garden of Eden," with the amusements of the pastoral life, was no longer suited to the advanced state of society which prevailed under the Roman empire. A city was therefore erected of gold and precious stones, and a supernatural plenty of corn and wine was bestowed on the adjacent territory; in the free enjoyment of whose spontaneous productions, the happy and benevolent people were never to be restrained by any jealous laws of exclusive property. Most of these pictures were borrowed from a misrepresentation of Isaiah, Daniel, and the Apocalypse. One of the grossest images may be found in Irenæus (l. v.) the disciple of Papias, who had seen the Apostle St. John. Though it might not be universally received, it appears to have been the reigning sentiment of the orthodox believers; and it seems so well adapted to the desires and apprehensions of mankind, that it must have contributed in a very considerable degree to the progress of the Christian faith. But when the edifice of the church was almost completed, the temporary support was laid aside. The doctrine of Christ Jesus' reign upon earth was at first treated as a profound allegory, was considered by degrees as a doubtful and useless opinion, and was at length rejected as the absurd invention of heresy and fanaticism. But although this doctrine had been "laid aside," and "rejected," it was again resurrected, and is alive and rife at the present day, even among those who stand as the leaders of the orthodox faith.
The expectation of the "last day" in the year 1000 A. D., reinvested the doctrine with a transitory importance; but it lost all credit again when the hopes so keenly excited by the crusades faded away before the stern reality of Saracenic success, and the predictions of the "Everlasting Gospel," a work of Joachim de Floris, a Franciscan abbot, remained unfulfilled.[241:1]
At the period of the Reformation, millenarianism once more experienced a partial revival, because it was not a difficult matter to apply some of its symbolism to the papacy. The Pope, for example, was Antichrist—a belief still adhered to by some extreme Protestants. Yet the doctrine was not adopted by the great body of the reformers, but by some fanatical sects, such as the Anabaptists, and by the Theosophists of the seventeenth century.
During the civil and religious wars in France and England, when great excitement prevailed, it was also prominent. The "Fifth Monarchy Men" of Cromwell's time were millenarians of the most exaggerated and dangerous sort. Their peculiar tenet was that the millennium had come, and that they were the saints who were to inherit the earth. The excesses of the French Roman Catholic Mystics and Quietists terminated in chiliastic[242:1] views. Among the Protestants it was during the "Thirty Years' War" that the most enthusiastic and learned chiliasts flourished. The awful suffering and wide-spread desolation of that time led pious hearts to solace themselves with the hope of a peaceful and glorious future. Since then the penchant which has sprung up for expounding the prophetical books of the Bible, and particularly the Apocalypse, with a view to present events, has given the doctrine a faint semi-theological life, very different, however, from the earnest faith of the first Christians.
Among the foremost chiliastic teachers of modern centuries are to be mentioned Ezechiel Meth, Paul Felgenhauer, Bishop Comenius, Professor Jurien, Seraris, Poiret, J. Mede; while Thomas Burnet and William Whiston endeavored to give chiliasm a geological foundation, but without finding much favor. Latterly, especially since the rise and extension of missionary enterprise, the opinion has obtained a wide currency, that after the conversion of the whole world to Christianity, a blissful and glorious era will ensue; but not much stress—except by extreme literalists—is now laid on the nature or duration of this far-off felicity.
Great eagerness, and not a little ingenuity have been exhibited by many persons in fixing a date for the commencement of the millennium. The celebrated theologian, Johann Albrecht Bengel, who, in the eighteenth century, revived an earnest interest in the subject amongst orthodox Protestants, asserted from a study of the prophecies that the millennium would begin in 1836. This date was long popular. Swedenborg held that the last judgment took place in 1757, and that the new church, or "Church of the New Jerusalem," as his followers designate themselves—in other words, the millennial era—then began.
In America, considerable agitation was excited by the preaching of one William Miller, who fixed the second advent of Christ Jesus about 1843. Of late years, the most noted English millenarian was Dr. John Cumming, who placed the end of the present dispensation in 1866 or 1867; but as that time passed without any millennial symptoms, he modified his original views considerably, before he died, and conjectured that the beginning of the millennium would not differ so much after all from the years immediately preceding it, as people commonly suppose.
FOOTNOTES:
[233:1] We say "is made to teach it," for the probability is that Paul never wrote this passage. The authority of both the Letters to the Thessalonians, attributed to Paul, is undoubtedly spurious. (See The Bible of To-Day, pp. 211, 212.)
[233:2] I. Thessalonians, iv. 14-17.
[233:3] Ibid. v. 22, 23.
[233:4] We say "James," but, it is probable that we have, in this epistle of James, another pseudonymous writing which appeared after the time that James must have lived. (See The Bible of To-Day, p. 225.)
[233:5] James, v. 7, 8.
[233:6] I. Peter, iv. 7.
[233:7] I. Peter, v. 7. This Epistle is not authentic. (See The Bible of To-Day, pp. 226, 227, 228.)
[234:1] I. John, ii. 26. This epistle is not authentic. (See Ibid. p. 231.)
[234:2] I. John, v. 2.
[234:3] Acts, i. 10, 11.
[234:4] Rev. xxii. 20.
[234:5] Matt. xvi. 27, 28.
[234:6] Ibid. xxiv. 3.
[234:7] Ibid. xxiv. 34-36.
[235:1] Towards the close of the second century. (See Bible of To-Day.)
[235:2] II. Peter, iii. 4.
[235:3] II. Peter, iii. 8-10.
[235:4] See Middleton's Works, vol. i. p. 188.
[236:1] Chapters xx. and xxi. in particular.
[236:2] The Christian Saviour, as well as the Hindoo Saviour, will appear "in the latter days" among mortals "in the form of an armed warrior, riding a white horse." St. John sees this in his vision, and prophecies it in his "Revelation" thus: "And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer." (Rev. vi. 2.)
[237:1] Prog. Relig. Ideas, vol. i. p. 75. Hist. Hindostan, vol. ii. pp. 497-503. See also, Williams: Hinduism, p. 108.
[237:2] Prog. Relig. Ideas, i. 247, and Bunsen's Angel-Messiah, p. 48.
[237:3] See Prog. Relig. Ideas, vol. i. p. 209.
[237:4] See Ibid. p. 279. The Angel-Messiah, p. 287, and [chap. xiii.] this work.
[237:5] Pp. 122, 123.
[237:6] "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God." (Rev. xx. 12.)
[237:7] "And the sea gave up the dead which were in it." (Rev. xx. 13.)
[237:8] "And ye shall hear of wars, and rumors of wars." "Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there shall be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in divers places." (Matt. xxiv. 6, 7.)
[238:1] "And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats." (Matt. xxv. 32, 33.)
[238:2] "He descended into hell, the third day he rose (again) from the dead." (Apostles' Creed.)
[238:3] Purgatory—a place in which souls are supposed by the papists to be purged by fire from carnal impurities, before they are received into heaven.
[238:4] "And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years." (Rev. xx. 2.)
[238:5] "And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire." (Rev. xx. 14.)
[238:6] "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first earth, and the first heaven were passed away." (Rev. xxi. 1.)
[238:7] "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." (Rev. xxi. 1.)
[238:8] "And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, 'Alleluia; salvation, and glory, and honor, and power, unto the Lord, our God.'" (Rev. xix. 1.) "For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth." (Rev. xix. 6.)
[238:9] Dupuis: Orig. Relig. Belief.
[238:10] Baring-Gould: Orig. Relig. Belief, vol. i. p. 407.
[239:1] Baring-Gould: Orig. Relig. Belief, vol. i. p. 407.
[239:2] See Mallet's Northern Antiquities.
[239:3] Humboldt: Amer. Res., vol. i. p. 91.
[239:4] Prescott: Con. of Mexico, vol. i. p. 60.
[239:5] Fergusson: Tree and Serpent Worship, p. 87. Squire: Serpent Symbol, p. 187.
[239:6] Acosta: Hist. Indies, vol. ii. p. 513.
[240:1] Over all the Higher Asia there seems to have been diffused an immemorial tradition relative to a second grand convulsion of nature, and the final dissolution of the earth by the terrible agency of FIRE, as the first is said to have been by that of WATER. It was taught by the Hindoos, the Egyptians, Plato, Pythagoras, Zoroaster, the Stoics, and others, and was afterwards adopted by the Christians. (II. Peter, iii. 9. Hist. Hindostan, vol. ii. pp. 498-500.)
[240:2] "And God made, in six days, the works of his hands, . . . the meaning of it is this; that in six thousand years the Lord will bring all things to an end." (Barnabas. Apoc. c. xiii.)
[241:1] After the devotees and followers of the new gospel had in vain expected the Holy One who was to come, they at last pitched upon St. Francis as having been the expected one, and, of course, the most surprising and absurd miracles were said to have been performed by him. Some of the fanatics who believed in this man, maintained that St. Francis was "wholly and entirely transformed into the person of Christ"—Totum Christo configuratum. Some of them maintained that the gospel of Joachim was expressly preferred to the gospel of Christ. (Mosheim: Hist. Cent., xiii. pt. ii. sects. xxxiv. and xxxvi. Anacalypsis, vol. i. p. 695.)
[242:1] Chiliasm—the thousand years when Satan is bound.
CHAPTER XXV.
CHRIST JESUS AS JUDGE OF THE DEAD.
According to Christian dogma, "God the Father" is not to be the judge at the last day, but this very important office is to be held by "God the Son." This is taught by the writer of "The Gospel according to St. John"—whoever he may have been—when he says:
"For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son."[244:1]
Paul also, in his "Epistle to the Romans" (or some other person who has interpolated the passage), tells us that:
"In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men," this judgment shall be done "by Jesus Christ," his son.[244:2]
Again, in his "Epistle to Timothy,"[244:3] he says:
"The Lord Jesus Christ shall judge the quick and the dead, at his appearing and his kingdom."[244:4]
The writer of the "Gospel according to St. Matthew," also describes Christ Jesus as judge at the last day.[244:5]
Now, the question arises, is this doctrine original with Christianity? To this we must answer no. It was taught, for ages before the time of Christ Jesus or Christianity, that the Supreme Being—whether "Brahmá," "Zeruâné Akeréné," "Jupiter," or "Yahweh,"[244:6]—was not to be the judge at the last day, but that their sons were to hold this position.
The sectarians of Buddha taught that he (who was the Son of God (Brahmá) and the Holy Virgin Maya), is to be the judge of the dead.[244:7]
According to the religion of the Hindoos, Crishna (who was the Son of God, and the Holy Virgin Devaki), is to be the judge at the last day.[245:1] And Yama is the god of the departed spirits, and the judge of the dead, according to the Vedas.[245:2]
Osiris, the Egyptian "Saviour" and son of the "Immaculate Virgin" Neith or Nout, was believed by the ancient Egyptians to be the judge of the dead.[245:3] He is represented on Egyptian monuments, seated on his throne of judgment, bearing a staff, and carrying the crux ansata, or cross with a handle.[245:4] St. Andrew's cross is upon his breast. His throne is in checkers, to denote the good and evil over which he presides, or to indicate the good and evil who appear before him as the judge.[245:5]
Among the many hieroglyphic titles which accompany his figure in these sculptures, and in many other places on the walls of temples and tombs, are "Lord of Life," "The Eternal Ruler," "Manifester of Good," "Revealer of Truth," "Full of Goodness and Truth," &c.[245:6]
Mr. Bonwick, speaking of the Egyptian belief in the last judgment, says:
"A perusal of the twenty-fifth chapter of Matthew will prepare the reader for the investigation of the Egyptian notion of the last judgment."[245:7]
Prof. Carpenter, referring to the Egyptian Bible—which is by far the most ancient of all holy books[245:8]—says:
"In the 'Book of the Dead,' there are used the very phrases we find in the New Testament, in connection with the day of judgment."[245:9]
According to the religion of the Persians, it is Ormuzd, "The First Born of the Eternal One," who is judge of the dead. He had the title of "The All-Seeing," and "The Just Judge."[245:10]
Zeruâné Akeréné is the name of him who corresponds to "God the Father" among other nations. He was the "One Supreme essence," the "Invisible and Incomprehensible."[245:11]
Among the ancient Greeks, it was Aeacus—Son of the Most High God—who was to be judge of the dead.[245:12]
The Christian Emperor Constantine, in his oration to the clergy, speaking of the ancient poets of Greece, says:
"They affirm that men who are the sons of the gods, do judge departed souls."[246:1]
Strange as it may seem, "there are no examples of Christ Jesus conceived as judge, or the last judgment, in the early art of Christianity."[246:2]
The author from whom we quote the above, says, "It would be difficult to define the cause of this, though many may be conjectured."[246:3]
Would it be unreasonable to "conjecture" that the early Christians did not teach this doctrine, but that it was imbibed, in after years, with many other heathen ideas?
FOOTNOTES:
[244:1] John, v. 22.
[244:2] Romans, ii. 16.
[244:3] Not authentic. (See The Bible of To-Day, p. 212.)
[244:4] II. Timothy, iv. 1.
[244:5] Matt. xxv. 31-46.
[244:6] Through an error we pronounce this name Jehovah.
[244:7] See Dupuis: Origin of Religious Belief, p. 366.
[245:1] See Samuel Johnson's Oriental Religions, p. 504.
[245:2] See Williams' Hinduism, p. 25.
[245:3] See Bonwick's Egyptian Belief, p. 120. Renouf: Religions of the Ancient Egyptians, p. 110, and Prog. Relig. Ideas, vol. i. p. 152.
[245:4] See Bonwick's Egyptian Belief, p. 151, and Prog. Relig. Ideas, vol. i. p. 152.
[245:5] See Bonwick's Egyptian Belief, p. 151.
[245:6] See Prog. Relig. Ideas, vol. i. p. 154.
[245:7] Egyptian Belief, p. 419.
[245:8] See Ibid. p. 185.
[245:9] Quoted in Ibid. p. 419.
[245:10] Prog. Relig. Ideas, vol. i. p. 259.
[245:11] Ibid. p. 258.
[245:12] See Bell's Pantheon, vol. ii. p. 16.
[246:1] Constantine's Oration to the Clergy, ch. x.
[246:2] Jameson: History of Our Lord in Art, vol. ii. p. 392.
[246:3] Ibid.
CHAPTER XXVI.
CHRIST JESUS AS CREATOR, AND ALPHA AND OMEGA.
Christian dogma also teaches that it was not "God the Father," but "God the Son" who created the heavens, the earth, and all that therein is.
The writer of the fourth Gospel says:
"All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made."[247:1]
Again:
"He was in the world and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not."[247:2]
In the "Epistle to the Colossians," we read that:
"By him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all things were created by him."[247:3]
Again, in the "Epistle to the Hebrews," we are told that:
"God hath spoken unto us by his son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the world."[247:4]
Samuel Johnson, D. O. Allen,[247:5] and Thomas Maurice,[247:6] tell us that, according to the religion of the Hindoos, it is Crishna, the Son, and the second person in the ever blessed Trinity,[247:7] "who is the origin and end of all the worlds; all this universe, came into being through him, the eternal maker."[247:8]
In the holy book of the Hindoos, called the "Bhagvat Geeta," may be found the following words of Crishna, addressed to his "beloved disciple" Ar-jouan:
"I am the Lord of all created beings."[247:9] "Mankind was created by me of four kinds, distinct in their principles and in their duties; know me then to be the Creator of mankind, uncreated, and without decay."[247:10]
In Lecture VII., entitled: "Of the Principles of Nature, and the Vital Spirit," he also says:
"I am the creation and the dissolution of the whole universe. There is not anything greater than I, and all things hang on me."
Again, in Lecture IX., entitled, "Of the Chief of Secrets and Prince of Science," Crishna says:
"The whole world was spread abroad by me in my invisible form. All things are dependent on me." "I am the Father and the Mother of this world, the Grandsire and the Preserver. I am the Holy One worthy to be known; the mystic figure OM.[248:1] . . . I am the journey of the good; the Comforter; the Creator; the Witness; the Resting-place; the Asylum and the Friend."[248:2]
In Lecture X., entitled, "Of the diversity of the Divine Nature," he says:
"I am the Creator of all things, and all things proceed from me. Those who are endued with spiritual wisdom, believe this and worship me; their very hearts and minds are in me; they rejoice amongst themselves, and delight in speaking of my name, and teaching one another my doctrine."[248:3]
Innumerable texts, similar to these, might be produced from the Hindoo Scriptures, but these we deem sufficient to show, in the words of Samuel Johnson quoted above, that, "According to the religion of the Hindoos, it is Crishna who is the origin and the end of all the worlds;" and that "all this universe came into being through him, the Eternal Maker." The Chinese believed in One Supreme God, to whose honor they burnt incense, but of whom they had no image. This "God the Father" was not the Creator, according to their theology or mythology; but they had another god, of whom they had statues or idols, called Natigai, who was the god of all terrestrial things; in fact, God, the Creator of this world—inferior or subordinate to the Supreme Being—from whom they petition for fine weather, or whatever else they want—a sort of mediator.[248:4]
Lanthu, who was born of a "pure, spotless virgin," is believed by his followers or disciples to be the Creator of all things;[248:5] and Taou, a deified hero, who is mentioned about 560 B. C., is believed by some sects and affirmed by their books, to be "the original source and first productive cause of all things."[248:6]
In the Chaldean oracles, the doctrine of the "Only Begotten Son," I A O, as Creator, is plainly taught.
According to ancient Persian mythology, there is one supreme essence, invisible and incomprehensible, named "Zeruâné Akeréné" which signifies "unlimited time," or "the eternal." From him emanated Ormuzd, the "King of Light," the "First-born of the Eternal One," &c. Now, this "First-born of the Eternal One" is he by whom all things were made, all things came into being through him; he is the Creator.[249:1]
A large portion of the Zend-Avesta—the Persian Sacred Book or Bible—is filled with prayers to Ormuzd, God's First-Born. The following are samples:
"I address my prayer to Ormuzd, Creator of all things; who always has been, who is, and who will be forever; who is wise and powerful; who made the great arch of heaven, the sun, the moon, stars, winds, clouds, waters, earth, fire, trees, animals and men, whom Zoroaster adored. Zoroaster, who brought to the world knowledge of the law, who knew by natural intelligence, and by the ear, what ought to be done, all that has been, all that is, and all that will be; the science of sciences, the excellent word, by which souls pass the luminous and radiant bridge, separate themselves from the evil regions, and go to light and holy dwellings, full of fragrance. O Creator, I obey thy laws, I think, act, speak, according to thy orders. I separate myself from all sin. I do good works according to my power. I adore thee with purity of thought, word, and action. I pray to Ormuzd, who recompenses good works, who delivers unto the end all those who obey his laws. Grant that I may arrive at paradise, where all is fragrance, light, and happiness."[249:2]
According to the religion of the ancient Assyrians, it was Narduk, the Logos, the WORD, "the eldest son of Hea," "the Merciful One," "the Life-giver," &c., who created the heavens, the earth, and all that therein is.[249:3]
Adonis, the Lord and Saviour, was believed to be the Creator of men, and god of the resurrection of the dead.[249:4]
Prometheus, the Crucified Saviour, is the divine forethought, existing before the souls of men, and the creator Hominium.[249:5]
The writer of "The Gospel according to St. John," has made Christ Jesus co-eternal with God, as well as Creator, in these words:
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God." "The same was in the beginning with God."[249:6]
Again, in praying to his Father, he makes Jesus say:
"And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was."[249:7]
Paul is made to say:
"And he (Christ) is before all things."[250:1]
Again:
"Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, to-day, and forever."[250:2]
St. John the Divine, in his "Revelation," has made Christ Jesus say:
"I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end"—"which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty,"[250:3] "the first and the last."[250:4]
Hindoo scripture also makes Crishna "the first and the last," "the beginning and the end." We read in the "Geeta," where Crishna is reported to have said:
"I myself never was not."[250:5] "Learn that he by whom all things were formed" (meaning himself) "is incorruptible."[250:6] "I am eternity and non-eternity."[250:7] "I am before all things, and the mighty ruler of the universe."[250:8] "I am the beginning, the middle and the end of all things."[250:9]
Arjouan, his disciple, addresses him thus:
"Thou art the Supreme Being, incorruptible, worthy to be known; thou art prime supporter of the universal orb; thou art the never-failing and eternal guardian of religion; thou art from all beginning, and I esteem thee."[250:10] Thou art "the Divine Being, before all other gods."[250:11]
Again he says:
"Reverence! Reverence be unto thee, before and behind! Reverence be unto thee on all sides, O thou who art all in all! Infinite in thy power and thy glory! Thou includest all things, wherefore thou art all things."[250:12]
In another Holy Book of the Hindoos, called the "Vishnu Purana," we also read that Vishnu—in the form of Crishna—"who descended into the womb of the (virgin) Devaki, and was born as her son" was "without beginning, middle or end."[250:13]
Buddha is also Alpha and Omega, without beginning or end, "The Lord," "the Possessor of All," "He who is Omnipotent and Everlastingly to be Contemplated," "the Supreme Being, the Eternal One."[250:14]
Lao-kiun, the Chinese virgin-born God, who came upon earth about six hundred years before Jesus, was without beginning. It was said that he had existed from all eternity.[250:15]
The legends of the Taou-tsze sect in China declare their founder to have existed antecedent to the birth of the elements, in the Great Absolute; that he is the "pure essence of the tëen;" that he is the original ancestor of the prime breath of life; that he gave form to the heavens and the earth, and caused creations and annihilations to succeed each other, in an endless series, during innumerable periods of the world. He himself is made to say:
"I was in existence prior to the manifestation of any corporeal shape; I appeared anterior to the supreme being, or first motion of creation."[251:1]
According to the Zend Avesta, Ormuzd, the first-born of the Eternal One, is he "who is, always has been, and who will be forever."[251:2]
Zeus was Alpha and Omega. An Orphic line runs thus:
"Zeus is the beginning, Zeus is the middle, out of Zeus all things have been made."[251:3]
Bacchus was without beginning or end. An inscription on an ancient medal, referring to him, reads thus:
"It is I who leads you; it is I who protects you, and who saves you, I am Alpha and Omega."
Beneath this inscription is a serpent, with his tail in his mouth, thus forming a circle, which was an emblem of eternity among the ancients.[251:4]
Without enumerating them, we may say that the majority of the virgin-born gods spoken of in [Chapter XII.] were like Christ Jesus—without beginning or end—and that many of them were considered Creators of all things. This has led M. Dridon to remark (in his Hist. de Dieu), that in early works of art, Christ Jesus is made to take the place of his Father in creation and in similar labors, just as in heathen religions an inferior deity does the work under a superior one.
FOOTNOTES:
[247:1] John, i. 3.
[247:2] John, i. 10.
[247:3] Colossians, i.
[247:4] Hebrews, i. 2.
[247:5] Allen's India, pp. 137 and 380.
[247:6] Indian Antiq., vol. ii. p. 288.
[247:7] See the chapter on the [Trinity].
[247:8] Oriental Religions, p. 502.
[247:9] Lecture iv. p. 51.
[247:10] Geeta, p. 52.
[248:1] O. M. or A. U. M. is the Hindoo ineffable name; the mystic emblem of the deity. It is never uttered aloud, but only mentally by the devout. It signifies Brahma, Vishnou, and Siva, the Hindoo Trinity. (See Charles Wilkes in Geeta, p. 142, and King's Gnostics and their Remains, p. 163.)
[248:2] Geeta, p. 80.
[248:3] Geeta, p. 84.
[248:4] See Higgins: Anacalypsis, vol. i. p. 48.
[248:5] See Bell's Pantheon, vol. ii. p. 35.
[248:6] See Davis: Hist. China, vol. ii. pp. 109 and 113, and Thornton, vol. i. p. 137.
[249:1] See Prog. Relig. Ideas, vol. i. p. 259. In the most ancient parts of the Zend-Avesta, Ormuzd is said to have created the world by his WORD. (See Bunsen's Angel-Messiah, p. 104, and Gibbon's Rome, vol. ii. p. 302, Note by Guizot.) "In the beginning was the WORD, and the WORD was with God, and the WORD was God." (John, i. 1.)
[249:2] Quoted in Prog. Relig. Ideas, vol. i. p. 267.
[249:3] See Bonwick's Egyptian Belief, p. 404.
[249:4] See Dunlap's Mysteries of Adoni, p. 156.
[249:5] See Ibid. p. 156, and Bulfinch, Age of Fable.
[249:6] John, i. 1, 2.
[249:7] John, xvii. 5.
[250:1] Col. i. 17.
[250:2] Hebrews, xiii. 8.
[250:3] Rev. i. 8, 23, 13.
[250:4] Rev. i. 17; xii. 13.
[250:5] Geeta, p. 35.
[250:6] Geeta, p. 36.
[250:7] Lecture ix. p. 80.
[250:8] Lecture x. p. 83.
[250:9] Lecture x. p. 85.
[250:10] Lecture ix. p. 91.
[250:11] Lecture x. p. 84.
[250:12] Lecture xi. p. 95.
[250:13] See Vishnu Purana, p. 440.
[250:14] See [chapter xii].
[250:15] See Prog. Relig. Ideas, vol. i. p. 200.
[251:1] Thornton: Hist. China, vol. i. p. 137.
[251:2] Prog. Relig. Ideas, ii. p. 267.
[251:3] Müller's Chips, vol. ii. p. 15.
[251:4] "C'est moi qui vous conduis, vous et tout ce qui vous regarde. C'est moi, qui vous conserve, on qui vous sauve. Je suis Alpha et Omega. Il y a au dessous de l'inscription un serpent qui tient sa queue dans sa gueule et dans la cercle qu'il décrit, cest trois lettre Greques ΤΞΕ, qui sont le nombre 365. Le serpent, qui est'ordinaire un emblème de l'éternité est ici celui de soleil et de ses revolutions." Beausobre: Hist. de Manichee, Tom. ii. p. 56.
"I say that I am immortal, Dionysus (Bacchus), son of Deus." Aristophanes, in Myst. Of Adoni, pp. 80, and 105.
CHAPTER XXVII.
THE MIRACLES OF CHRIST JESUS AND THE PRIMITIVE CHRISTIANS.
The legendary history of Jesus of Nazareth, contained in the books of the New Testament, is full of prodigies and wonders. These alleged prodigies, and the faith which the people seem to have put in such a tissue of falsehoods, indicate the prevalent disposition of the people to believe in everything, and it was among such a class that Christianity was propagated. All leaders of religion had the reputation of having performed miracles; the biographers of Jesus, therefore, not wishing their Master to be outdone, have made him also a wonder-worker, and a performer of miracles; without them Christianity could not prosper. Miracles were needed in those days, on all special occasions. "There is not a single historian of antiquity, whether Greek or Latin, who has not recorded oracles, prodigies, prophecies, and miracles, on the occasion of some memorable events, or revolutions of states and kingdoms. Many of these are attested in the gravest manner by the gravest writers, and were firmly believed at the time by the people."[252:1]
Hindoo sacred books represent Crishna, their Saviour and Redeemer, as in constant strife against the evil spirit. He surmounts extraordinary dangers; strews his way with miracles; raising the dead, healing the sick, restoring the maimed, the deaf and the blind; everywhere supporting the weak against the strong, the oppressed against the powerful. The people crowded his way and adored him as a God, and these miracles were the evidences of his divinity for centuries before the time of Jesus.
The learned Thomas Maurice, speaking of Crishna, tells us that he passed his innocent hours at the home of his foster-father, in rural diversions, his divine origin not being suspected, until repeated miracles soon discovered his celestial origin;[252:2] and Sir William Jones speaks of his raising the dead, and saving multitudes by his miraculous powers.[253:1] To enumerate the miracles of Crishna would be useless and tedious; we shall therefore mention but a few, of which the Hindoo sacred books are teeming.
When Crishna was born, his life was sought by the reigning monarch, Kansa, who had the infant Saviour and his father and mother locked in a dungeon, guarded, and barred by seven iron doors. While in this dungeon the father heard a secret voice distinctly utter these words: "Son of Yadu, take up this child and carry it to Gokool, to the house of Nanda." Vasudeva, struck with astonishment, answered: "How shall I obey this injunction, thus vigilantly guarded and barred by seven iron doors that prohibit all egress?" The unknown voice replied: "The doors shall open of themselves to let thee pass, and behold, I have caused a deep slumber to fall upon thy guards, which shall continue till thy journey be accomplished." Vasudeva immediately felt his chains miraculously loosened, and, taking up the child in his arms, hurried with it through all the doors, the guards being buried in profound sleep. When he came to the river Yumna, which he was obliged to cross to get to Gokool, the waters immediately rose up to kiss the child's feet, and then respectfully retired on each side to make way for its transportation, so that Vasudeva passed dry-shod to the opposite shore.[253:2]
When Crishna came to man's estate, one of his first miracles was the cure of a leper.
A passionate Brahman, having received a slight insult from a certain Rajah, on going out of his doors, uttered this curse: "That he should, from head to foot, be covered with boils and leprosy;" which being fulfilled in an instant upon the unfortunate king, he prayed to Crishna to deliver him from his evil. At first, Crishna did not heed his request, but finally he appeared to him, asking what his request was? He replied, "To be freed from my distemper." The Saviour then cured him of his distemper.[253:3]
Crishna was one day walking with his disciples, when "they met a poor cripple or lame woman, having a vessel filled with spices, sweet-scented oils, sandal-wood, saffron, civet and other perfumes. Crishna making a halt, she made a certain sign with her finger on his forehead, casting the rest upon his head. Crishna asking her what it was she would request of him, the woman replied, nothing but the use of my limbs. Crishna, then, setting his foot upon hers, and taking her by the hand, raised her from the ground, and not only restored her limbs, but renewed her age, so that, instead of a wrinkled, tawny skin, she received a fresh and fair one in an instant. At her request, Crishna and his company lodged in her house."[254:1]
On another occasion, Crishna having requested a learned Brahman to ask of him whatever boon he most desired, the Brahman said, "Above all things, I desire to have my two dead sons restored to life." Crishna assured him that this should be done, and immediately the two young men were restored to life and brought to their father.[254:2]
The learned Orientalist, Thomas Maurice, after speaking of the miracles performed by Crishna, says:
"In regard to the numerous miracles wrought by Crishna, it should be remembered that miracles are never wanting to the decoration of an Indian romance; they are, in fact, the life and soul of the vast machine; nor is it at all a subject of wonder that the dead should be raised to life in a history expressly intended, like all other sacred fables of Indian fabrication, for the propagation and support of the whimsical doctrine of the Metempsychosis."[254:3]
To speak thus of the miracles of Christ Jesus, would, of course, be heresy—although what applies to the miracles of Crishna apply to those of Jesus—we, therefore, find this gentleman branding as "infidel" a learned French orientalist who was guilty of doing this thing.
Buddha performed great miracles for the good of mankind, and the legends concerning him are full of the most extravagant prodigies and wonders.[254:4] "By miracles and preaching," says Burnouf, "was the religion of Buddha established."
R. Spence Hardy says of Buddha:
"All the principal events of his life are represented as being attended by incredible prodigies. He could pass through the air at will, and know the thoughts of all beings."[254:5]
Prof. Max Müller says:
"The Buddhist legends teem with miracles attributed to Buddha and his disciples—miracles which in wonderfulness certainly surpass the miracles of any other religion."[254:6]
Buddha was at one time going from the city of Rohita-vastu to the city of Benares, when, coming to the banks of the river Ganges, and wishing to go across, he addressed himself to the owner of a ferry-boat, thus; "Hail! respectable sir! I pray you take me across the river in your boat!" To this the boatman replied, "If you can pay me the fare, I will willingly take you across the river." Buddha said, "Whence shall I procure money to pay you your fare, I, who have given up all worldly wealth and riches, &c." The boatman still refusing to take him across, Buddha, pointing to a flock of geese flying from the south to the north banks of the Ganges, said:
"See yonder geese in fellowship passing o'er the Ganges,
They ask not as to fare of any boatman,
But each by his inherent strength of body
Flies through the air as pleases him.
So, by my power of spiritual energy,
Will I transport myself across the river,
Even though the waters on this southern bank
Stood up as high and firm as (Mount) Semeru."[255:1]
He then floats through the air across the stream.
In the Lalita Vistara Buddha is called the "Great Physician" who is to "dull all human pain." At his appearance the "sick are healed, the deaf are cured, the blind see, the poor are relieved." He visits the sick man, Su-ta, and heals soul as well as body.
At Vaisali, a pest like modern cholera was depopulating the kingdom, due to an accumulation of festering corpses. Buddha, summoned, caused a strong rain which carried away the dead bodies and cured every one. At Gaudhârâ was an old mendicant afflicted with a disease so loathsome that none of his brother monks could go near him on account of his fetid humors and stinking condition. The "Great Physician" was, however, not to be deterred; he washed the poor old man and attended to his maladies. A disciple had his feet hacked off by an unjust king, and Buddha cured even him. To convert certain skeptical villagers near Srâvastî, Buddha showed them a man walking across the deep and rapid river without immersing his feet. Pûrna, one of Buddha's disciples, had a brother in imminent danger of shipwreck in a "black storm." The "spirits that are favorable to Pûrna and Arya" apprised him of this and he at once performed the miracle of transporting himself to the deck of the ship. "Immediately the black tempest ceased, as if Sumera arrested it."[255:2]
When Buddha was told that a woman was suffering in severe labor, unable to bring forth, he said, Go and say: "I have never knowingly put any creature to death since I was born; by the virtue of this obedience may you be free from pain!" When these words were repeated in the presence of the mother, the child was instantly born with ease.[256:1]
Innumerable are the miracles ascribed to Buddhist saints, and to others who followed their example. Their garments, and the staffs with which they walked, are supposed to imbibe some mysterious power, and blessed are they who are allowed to touch them.[256:2] A Buddhist saint who attains the power called "perfection," is able to rise and float along through the air.[256:3] Having this power, the saint exercises it by mere determination of his will, his body becoming imponderous, as when a man in the common human state determines to leap, and leaps. Buddhist annals relate the performance of the miraculous suspension by Gautama Buddha, himself, as well as by other saints.[256:4]
In the year 217 B. C., a Buddhist missionary priest, called by the Chinese historians Shih-le-fang, came from "the west" into Shan-se, accompanied by eighteen other priests, with their sacred books, in order to propagate the faith of Buddha. The emperor, disliking foreigners and exotic customs, imprisoned the missionaries; but an angel, genii, or spirit, came and opened the prison door, and liberated them.[256:5]
Here is a third edition of "Peter in prison," for we have already seen that the Hindoo sage Vasudeva was liberated from prison in like manner.
Zoroaster, the founder of the religion of the Persians, opposed his persecutors by performing miracles, in order to confirm his divine mission.[256:6]
Bochia of the Persians also performed miracles; the places where he performed them were consecrated, and people flocked in crowds to visit them.[256:7]
Horus, the Egyptian Saviour, performed great miracles, among which was that of raising the dead to life.[256:8]
Osiris of Egypt also performed great miracles;[256:9] and so did the virgin goddess Isis.
Pilgrimages were made to the temples of Isis, in Egypt, by the sick. Diodorus, the Grecian historian, says that:
"Those who go to consult in dreams the goddess Isis recover perfect health. Many whose cure has been despaired of by physicians have by this means been saved, and others who have long been deprived of sight, or of some other part of the body, by taking refuge, so to speak, in the arms of the goddess, have been restored to the enjoyment of their faculties."[257:1]
Serapis, the Egyptian Saviour, performed great miracles, principally those of healing the sick. He was called "The Healer of the World."[257:2]
Marduk, the Assyrian God, the "Logos," the "Eldest Son of Hea;" "He who made Heaven and Earth;" the "Merciful One;" the "Life-Giver," &c., performed great miracles, among which was that of raising the dead to life.[257:3]
Bacchus, son of Zeus by the virgin Semele, was a great performer of miracles, among which may be mentioned his changing water into wine,[257:4] as it is recorded of Jesus in the Gospels.
"In his gentler aspects he is the giver of joy, the healer of sicknesses, the guardian against plagues. As such he is even a law-giver and a promoter of peace and concord. As kindling new or strange thoughts in the mind, he is a giver of wisdom and the revealer of hidden secrets of the future."[257:5]
The legends related of this god state that on one occasion Pantheus, King of Thebes, sent his attendants to seize Bacchus, the "vagabond leader of a faction"—as he called him. This they were unable to do, as the multitude who followed him were too numerous. They succeeded, however, in capturing one of his disciples, Acetes, who was led away and shut up fast in prison; but while they were getting ready the instruments of execution, the prison doors came open of their own accord, and the chains fell from his limbs, and when they looked for him he was nowhere to be found.[257:6] Here is still another edition of "Peter in prison."
Æsculapius was another great performer of miracles. The ancient Greeks said of him that he not only cured the sick of the most malignant diseases, but even raised the dead.
A writer in Bell's Pantheon says:
"As the Greeks always carried the encomiums of their great men beyond the truth, so they feigned that Æsculapius was so expert in medicine as not only to cure the sick, but even to raise the dead."[258:1]
Eusebius, the ecclesiastical historian, speaking of Æsculapius, says:
"He sometimes appeared unto them (the Cilicians) in dreams and visions, and sometimes restored the sick to health."
He claims, however, that this was the work of the Devil, "who by this means did withdraw the minds of men from the knowledge of the true Saviour."[258:2]
For many years after the death of Æsculapius, miracles continued to be performed by the efficacy of faith in his name. Patients were conveyed to the temple of Æsculapius, and there cured of their disease. A short statement of the symptoms of each case, and the remedy employed, were inscribed on tablets and hung up in the temples.[258:3] There were also a multitude of eyes, ears, hands, feet, and other members of the human body, made of wax, silver, or gold, and presented by those whom the god had cured of blindness, deafness, and other diseases.[258:4]
Marinus, a scholar of the philosopher Proclus, relates one of these remarkable cures, in the life of his master. He says:
"Asclipigenia, a young maiden who had lived with her parents, was seized with a grievous distemper, incurable by the physicians. All help from the physicians failing, the father applied to the philosopher, earnestly entreating him to pray for his daughter. Proclus, full of faith, went to the temple of Æsculapius, intending to pray for the sick young woman to the god—for the city (Athens) was at that time blessed in him, and still enjoyed the undemolished temple of The Saviour—but while he was praying, a sudden change appeared in the damsel, and she immediately became convalescent, for the Saviour, Æsculapius, as being God, easily healed her."[258:5]
Dr. Conyers Middleton says:
"Whatever proof the primitive (Christian) Church might have among themselves, of the miraculous gift, yet it could have but little effect towards making proselytes among those who pretended to the same gift—possessed more largely and exerted more openly, than in the private assemblies of the Christians. For in the temples of Æsculapius, all kinds of diseases were believed to be publicly cured, by the pretended help of that deity, in proof of which there were erected in each temple, columns or tables of brass or marble, on which a distinct narrative of each particular cure was inscribed. Pausanias[258:6] writes that in the temple at Epidaurus there were many columns anciently of this kind, and six of them remaining to his time, inscribed with the names of men and women who had been cured by the god, with an account of their several cases, and the method of their cure; and that there was an old pillar besides, which stood apart, dedicated to the memory of Hippolytus, who had been raised from the dead. Strabo, also, another grave writer, informs us that these temples were constantly filled with the sick, imploring the help of the god, and that they had tables hanging around them, in which all the miraculous cures were described. There is a remarkable fragment of one of these tables still extant, and exhibited by Gruter in his collection, as it was found in the ruins of Æsculapius's temple in the Island of the Tiber, in Rome, which gives an account of two blind men restored to sight by Æsculapius, in the open view,[259:1] and with the loud acclamation of the people, acknowledging the manifest power of the god."[259:2]
Livy, the most illustrious of Roman historians (born B. C. 61), tells us that temples of heathen gods were rich in the number of offerings which the people used to make in return for the cures and benefits which they received from them.[259:3]
A writer in Bell's Pantheon says:
"Making presents to the gods was a custom even from the earliest times, either to deprecate their wrath, obtain some benefit, or acknowledge some favor. These donations consisted of garlands, garments, cups of gold, or whatever conduced to the decoration or splendor of their temples. They were sometimes laid on the floor, sometimes hung upon the walls, doors, pillars, roof, or any other conspicuous place. Sometimes the occasion of the dedication was inscribed, either upon the thing itself, or upon a tablet hung up with it."[259:4]
No one custom of antiquity is so frequently mentioned by ancient historians, as the practice which was so common among the heathens, of making votive offerings to their deities, and hanging them up in their temples, many of which are preserved to this day, viz., images of metal, stone, or clay, as well as legs, arms, and other parts of the body, in testimony of some divine cure effected in that particular member.[259:5]
Horace says:
"——Me tabula sacer
Votivâ paries indicat humida
Suspendisse potenti
Vestimenta maris Deo." (Lib. 1, Ode V.)
It was the custom of offering ex-votos of Priapic forms, at the church of Isernia, in the Christian kingdom of Naples, during the last century, which induced Mr. R. Payne Knight to compile his remarkable work on Phallic Worship.
Juvenal, who wrote A. D. 81-96, says of the goddess Isis, whose religion was at that time in the greatest vogue at Rome, that the painters get their livelihood out of her. This was because "the most common of all offerings (made by the heathen to their deities) were pictures presenting the history of the miraculous cure or deliverance, vouchsafed upon the vow of the donor."[260:1] One of their prayers ran thus:
"Now, Goddess, help, for thou canst help bestow,
As all these pictures round thy altars show."[260:2]
In Chambers's Encyclopædia may be found the following:
"Patients that were cured of their ailments (by Æsculapius, or through faith in him) hung up a tablet in his temple, recording the name, the disease, and the manner of cure. Many of these votive tablets are still extant."[260:3]
Alexander S. Murray, of the department of Greek and Roman Antiquities in the British Museum, speaking of the miracles performed by Æsculapius, says:
"A person who had recovered from a local illness would dictate a sculptured representation of the part that had been affected. Of such sculptures there are a number of examples in the British Museum."[260:4]
Justin Martyr, in his Apology for the Christian religion, addressed to the Emperor Hadrian, says:
"As to our Jesus curing the lame, and the paralytic, and such as were crippled from birth, this is little more than what you say of your Æsculapius."[260:5]
At a time when the Romans were infested with the plague, having consulted their sacred books, they learned that in order to be delivered from it, they were to go in quest of Æsculapius at Epidaurus; accordingly, an embassy was appointed of ten senators, at the head of whom was Quintus Ogulnius, and the worship of Æsculapius was established at Rome, A. U. C. 462, that is, B. C. 288. But the most remarkable coincidence is that the worship of this god continued with scarcely any diminished splendor, for several hundred years after the establishment of Christianity.[260:6]
Hermes or Mercury, the Lord's Messenger, was a wonder-worker. The staff or rod which Hermes received from Phoibos (Apollo), and which connects this myth with the special emblem of Vishnu (the Hindoo Saviour), was regarded as denoting his heraldic office. It was, however, always endowed with magic properties, and had the power even of raising the dead.[261:1]
Herodotus, the Grecian historian, relates a wonderful miracle which happened among the Spartans, many centuries before the time assigned for the birth of Christ Jesus. The story is as follows:
A Spartan couple of great wealth and influence, had a daughter born to them who was a cripple from birth. Her nurse, perceiving that she was misshapen, and knowing her to be the daughter of opulent persons, and deformed, and seeing, moreover, that her parents considered her form a great misfortune, considering these several circumstances, devised the following plan. She carried her every day to the temple of the Goddess Helen, and standing before her image, prayed to the goddess to free the child from its deformity. One day, as the nurse was going out of the temple, a woman appeared to her, and having appeared, asked what she was carrying in her arms; and she answered that she was carrying an infant; whereupon she bid her show it to her, but the nurse refused, for she had been forbidden by the parents to show the child to any one. The woman, however—who was none other than the Goddess herself—urged her by all means to show it to her, and the nurse, seeing that the woman was so very anxious to see the child, at length showed it; upon which she, stroking the head of the child with her hands, said that she would surpass all the women in Sparta in beauty. From that day her appearance began to change, her deformed limbs became symmetrical, and when she reached the age for marriage she was the most beautiful woman in all Sparta.[261:2]
Apollonius of Tyana, in Cappadocia, who was born in the latter part of the reign of Augustus, about four years before the time assigned for the birth of Jesus, and who was therefore contemporary with him, was celebrated for the wonderful miracles he performed. Oracles in various places declared that he was endowed with a portion of Apollo's power to cure diseases, and foretell events; and those who were affected were commanded to apply to him. The priests of Iona made over the diseased to his care, and his cures were considered so remarkable, that divine honors were decreed to him.[261:3]
He at one time went to Ephesus, but as the inhabitants did not hearken to his preaching, he left there and went to Smyrna, where he was well received by the inhabitants. While there, ambassadors came from Ephesus, begging him to return to that city, where a terrible plague was raging, as he had prophesied. He went immediately, and as soon as he arrived, he said to the Ephesians: "Be not dejected, I will this day put a stop to the disease." According to his words, the pestilence was stayed, and the people erected a statue to him, in token of their gratitude.[262:1]
In the city of Athens, there was one of the dissipated young citizens, who laughed and cried by turns, and talked and sang to himself, without apparent cause. His friends supposed these habits were the effects of early intemperance, but Apollonius, who happened to meet the young man, told him he was possessed of a demon; and, as soon as he fixed his eyes upon him, the demon broke out into all those horrid, violent expressions used by people on the rack, and then swore he would depart out of the youth, and never enter another.[262:2] The young man had not been aware that he was possessed by a devil, but from that moment, his wild, disturbed looks changed, he became very temperate, and assumed the garb of a Pythagorean philosopher.
Apollonius went to Rome, and arrived there after the emperor Nero had passed very severe laws against magicians. He was met on the way by a person who advised him to turn back and not enter the city, saying that all who wore the philosopher's garb were in danger of being arrested as magicians. He heeded not these words of warning, but proceeded on his way, and entered the city. It was not long before he became an object of suspicion, was closely watched, and finally arrested, but when his accusers appeared before the tribunal and unrolled the parchment on which the charges against him had been written, they found that all the characters had disappeared. Apollonius made such an impression on the magistrates by the bold tone he assumed, that he was allowed to go where he pleased.[262:3]
Many miracles were performed by him while in Rome, among others may be mentioned his restoring a dead maiden to life.
She belonged to a family of rank, and was just about to be married, when she died suddenly. Apollonius met the funeral procession that was conveying her body to the tomb. He asked them to set down the bier, saying to her betrothed: "I will dry up the tears you are shedding for this maiden." They supposed he was going to pronounce a funeral oration, but he merely took her hand, bent over her, and uttered a few words in a low tone. She opened her eyes, and began to speak, and was carried back alive and well to her father's house.[263:1]
Passing through Tarsus, in his travels, a young man was pointed out to him who had been bitten thirty days before by a mad dog, and who was then running on all fours, barking and howling. Apollonius took his case in hand, and it was not long before the young man was restored to his right mind.[263:2]
Domitian, Emperor of Rome, caused Apollonius to be arrested, during one of his visits to that city, on charge of allowing himself to be worshiped (the people having given him divine honors), speaking against the reigning powers, and pretending that his words were inspired by the gods. He was taken, loaded with irons, and cast into prison. "I have bound you," said the emperor, "and you will not escape me."
Apollonius was one day visited in his prison by his steadfast disciple, Damus, who asked him when he thought he should recover his liberty, whereupon he answered: "This instant, if it depended upon myself," and drawing his legs out of the shackles, he added: "Keep up your spirits, you see the freedom I enjoy." He was brought to trial not long after, and so defended himself, that the emperor was induced to acquit him, but forbade him to leave Rome. Apollonius then addressed the emperor, and ended by saying: "You cannot kill me, because I am not mortal;" and as soon as he had said these words, he vanished from the tribunal.[263:3] Damus (the disciple who had visited him in prison) had previously been sent away from Rome, with the promise of his master that he would soon rejoin him. Apollonius vanished from the presence of the emperor (at Rome) at noon. On the evening of the same day, he suddenly appeared before Damus and some other friends who were at Puteoli, more than a hundred miles from Rome. They started, being doubtful whether or not it was his spirit, but he stretched out his hand, saying: "Take it, and if I escape from you regard me as an apparition."[263:4]
When Apollonius had told his disciples that he had made his defense in Rome, only a few hours before, they marveled how he could have performed the journey so rapidly. He, in reply, said that they must ascribe it to a god.[264:1]
The Empress Julia, wife of Alexander Severus, was so much interested in the history of Apollonius, that she requested Flavius Philostratus, an Athenian author of reputation, to write an account of him. The early Christian Fathers, alluding to this life of Apollonius, do not deny the miracles it recounts, but attribute to them the aid of evil spirits.[264:2]
Justin Martyr was one of the believers in the miracles performed by Apollonius, and by others through him, for he says:
"How is it that the talismans of Apollonius have power in certain members of creation? for they prevent, as we see, the fury of the waves, and the violence of the winds, and the attacks of wild beasts, and whilst our Lord's miracles are preserved by tradition alone, those of Apollonius are most numerous, and actually manifested in present facts, so as to lead astray all beholders."[264:3]
So much for Apollonius. We will now speak of another miracle performer, Simon Magus.
Simon the Samaritan, generally called Simon Magus, produced marked effects on the times succeeding him; being the progenitor of a large class of sects, which long troubled the Christian churches.
In the time of Jesus and Simon Magus it was almost universally believed that men could foretell events, cure diseases, and obtain control over the forces of nature, by the aid of spirits, if they knew how to invoke them. It was Simon's proficiency in this occult science which gained him the surname of Magus, or Magician.
The writer of the eighth chapter of "The Acts of the Apostles" informs us that when Philip went into Samaria, "to preach Christ unto them," he found there "a certain man called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one. To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying: This man is the great power of God."[264:4]
Simon traveled about preaching, and made many proselytes. He professed to be "The Wisdom of God," "The Word of God," "The Paraclete, or Comforter," "The Image of the Eternal Father, Manifested in the Flesh," and his followers claimed that he was "The First Born of the Supreme."[265:1] All of these are titles, which, in after years, were applied to Christ Jesus. His followers had a gospel called "The Four Corners of the World," which reminds us of the reason given by Irenæus, for there being four Gospels among the Christians. He says:
"It is impossible that there could be more or less than four. For there are four climates, and four cardinal winds; but the Gospel is the pillar and foundation of the Church, and its breath of life. The Church, therefore, was to have four pillars, blowing immortality from every quarter, and giving life to men."[265:2]
Simon also composed some works, of which but slight fragments remain, Christian authority having evidently destroyed them. That he made a lively impression on his contemporaries is indicated by the subsequent extension of his doctrines, under varied forms, by the wonderful stories which the Christian Fathers relate of him, and by the strong dislike they manifested toward him.
Eusebius, the ecclesiastical historian, says of him:
"The malicious power of Satan, enemy to all honesty, and foe to all human salvation, brought forth at that time this monster Simon, a father and worker of all such mischiefs, as a great adversary unto the mighty and holy Apostles.
"Coming into the city of Rome, he was so aided by that power which prevaileth in this world, that in short time he brought his purpose to such a pass, that his picture was there placed with others, and he honored as a god."[265:3]
Justin Martyr says of him:
"After the ascension of our Savior into heaven, the DEVIL brought forth certain men which called themselves gods, who not only suffered no vexation of you (Romans), but attained unto honor amongst you, by name one Simon, a Samaritan, born in the village of Gitton, who (under Claudius Cæsar) by the art of devils, through whom he dealt, wrought devilish enchantments, was esteemed and counted in your regal city of Rome for a god, and honored by you as a god, with a picture between two bridges upon the river Tibris, having this Roman inscription: 'Simoni deo Sancto' (To Simon the Holy God). And in manner all the Samaritans, and certain also of other nations, do worship him, acknowledging him for their chief god."[265:4]
According to accounts given by several other Christian Fathers, he could make his appearance wherever he pleased to be at any moment; could poise himself on the air; make inanimate things move without visible assistance; produce trees from the earth suddenly; cause a stick to reap without hands; change himself into the likeness of any other person, or even into the forms of animals; fling himself from high precipices unhurt, walk through the streets accompanied by spirits of the dead; and many other such like performances.[266:1]
Simon went to Rome, where he gave himself out to be an "Incarnate Spirit of God."[266:2] He became a favorite with the Emperor Claudius, and afterwards with Nero. His Christian opponents, as we have seen in the cases cited above, did not deny the miracles attributed to him, but said they were done through the agency of evil spirits, which was a common opinion among the Fathers. They claimed that every magician had an attendant evil spirit, who came when summoned, obeyed his commands, and taught him ceremonies and forms of words, by which he was able to do supernatural things. In this way they were accustomed to account for all the miracles performed by Gentiles and heretics.[266:3]
Menander—who was called the "Wonder-Worker"—was another great performer of miracles. Eusebius, speaking of him, says that he was skilled in magical art, and performed devilish operations; and that "as yet there be divers which can testify the same of him."[266:4]
Dr. Conyers Middleton, speaking on this subject, says:
"It was universally received and believed through all ages of the primitive church, that there was a number of magicians, necromancers, or conjurors, both among the Gentiles, and the heretical Christians, who had each their peculiar demon or evil spirit, for their associates, perpetually attending on their persons and obsequious to their commands, by whose help they could perform miracles, foretell future events, call up the souls of the dead, exhibit them to open view, and infuse into people whatever dreams or visions they saw fit, all which is constantly affirmed by the primitive writers and apologists, and commonly applied by them to prove the immortality of the soul."[266:5]
After quoting from Justin Martyr, who says that these magicians could convince any one "that the souls of men exist still after death," he continues by saying:
"Lactantius, speaking of certain philosophers who held that the soul perished with the body, says: 'they durst not have declared such an opinion, in the presence of any magician, for if they had done it, he would have confuted them upon the spot, by sensible experiments; by calling up souls from the dead, and rendering them visible to human eyes, and making them speak and foretell future events."[267:1]
The Christian Father Theophilus, Bishop of Antioch, who was contemporary with Irenæus (A. D. 177-202), went so far as to declare that it was evil spirits who inspired the old poets and prophets of Greece and Rome. He says:
"The truth of this is manifestly shown; because those who are possessed by devils, even at this day, are sometimes exorcised by us in the name of God; and the seducing spirits confess themselves to be the same demons who before inspired the Gentile poets."[267:2]
Even in the second century after Christianity, foreign conjurors were professing to exhibit miracles among the Greeks. Lucian gives an account of one of these "foreign barbarians"—as he calls them[267:3]—and says:
"I believed and was overcome in spite of my resistance, for what was I to do when I saw him carried through the air in daylight, and walking on the water,[267:4] and passing leisurely and slowly through the fire?"[267:5]
He further tells us that this "foreign barbarian" was able to raise the dead to life.[267:6]
Athenagoras, a Christian Father who flourished during the latter part of the second century, says on this subject:
"We (Christians) do not deny that in several places, cities, and countries, there are some extraordinary works performed in the name of idols," i. e., heathen gods.[267:7]
Miracles were not uncommon things among the Jews before and during the time of Christ Jesus. Casting out devils was an every-day occurrence,[267:8] and miracles frequently happened to confirm the sayings of Rabbis. One cried out, when his opinion was disputed, "May this tree prove that I am right!" and forthwith the tree was torn up by the roots, and hurled a hundred ells off. But his opponents declared that a tree could prove nothing. "May this stream, then, witness for me!" cried Eliezar, and at once it flowed the opposite way.[268:1]
Josephus, the Jewish historian, tells us that King Solomon was expert in casting out devils who had taken possession of the body of mortals. This gift was also possessed by many Jews throughout different ages. He (Josephus) relates that he saw one of his own countrymen (Eleazar) casting out devils, in the presence of a vast multitude.[268:2]
Dr. Conyers Middleton says:
"It is remarkable that all the Christian Fathers, who lay so great a stress on the particular gift of casting out devils, allow the same power both to the Jews and the Gentiles, as well before as after our Saviour's coming."[268:3]
Vespasian, who was born about ten years after the time assigned for the birth of Christ Jesus, performed wonderful miracles, for the good of mankind. Tacitus, the Roman historian, informs us that he cured a blind man in Alexandria, by means of his spittle, and a lame man by the mere touch of his foot.
The words of Tacitus are as follows:
"Vespasian passed some months at Alexandria, having resolved to defer his voyage to Italy till the return of summer, when the winds, blowing in a regular direction, afford a safe and pleasant navigation. During his residence in that city, a number of incidents, out of the ordinary course of nature, seemed to mark him as the peculiar favorite of the gods. A man of mean condition, born at Alexandria, had lost his sight by a defluxion on his eyes. He presented himself before Vespasian, and, falling prostrate on the ground, implored the emperor to administer a cure for his blindness. He came, he said, by the admonition of Serapis, the god whom the superstition of the Egyptians holds in the highest veneration. The request was, that the emperor, with his spittle, would condescend to moisten the poor man's face and the balls of his eyes.[268:4] Another, who had lost the use of his hand, inspired by the same god, begged that he would tread on the part affected. . . . In the presence of a prodigious multitude, all erect with expectation, he advanced with an air of serenity, and hazarded the experiment. The paralytic hand recovered its functions, and the blind man saw the light of the sun.[268:5] By living witnesses, who were actually on the spot, both events are confirmed at this hour, when deceit and flattery can hope for no reward."[268:6]
The striking resemblance between the account of these miracles, and those attributed to Jesus in the Gospels "according to" Matthew and Mark, would lead us to think that one had been copied from the other, but when we find that Tacitus wrote his history A. D. 98,[269:1] and that the "Matthew" and Mark narrators' works were not known until after that time,[269:2] the evidence certainly is that Tacitus was not the plagiarist, but that this charge must fall on the shoulders of the Christian writers, whoever they may have been.
To come down to earlier times, even the religion of the Mahometans is a religion of miracles and wonders. Mahomet, like Jesus of Nazareth, did not claim to perform miracles, but the votaries of Mahomet are more assured than himself of his miraculous gifts; and their confidence and credulity increase as they are farther removed from the time and place of his spiritual exploits. They believe or affirm that trees went forth to meet him; that he was saluted by stones; that water gushed from his fingers; that he fed the hungry, cured the sick, and raised the dead; that a beam groaned to him; that a camel complained to him; that a shoulder of mutton informed him of its being poisoned; and that both animate and inanimate nature were equally subject to the apostle of God. His dream of a nocturnal journey is seriously described as a real and corporeal transaction. A mysterious animal, the Borak, conveyed him from the temple of Mecca to that of Jerusalem; with his companion Gabriel he successively ascended the seven heavens, and received and repaid the salutations of the patriarchs, the prophets, and the angels in their respective mansions. Beyond the seventh heaven, Mahomet alone was permitted to proceed; he passed the veil of unity, approached within two bow-shots of the throne, and felt a cold that pierced him to the heart, when his shoulder was touched by the hand of God. After a familiar, though important conversation, he descended to Jerusalem, remounted the Borak, returned to Mecca, and performed in the tenth part of a night the journey of many thousand years. His resistless word split asunder the orb of the moon, and the obedient planet stooped from her station in the sky.[269:3]
These and many other wonders, similar in character to the story of Jesus sending the demons into the swine, are related of Mahomet by his followers.
It is very certain that the same circumstances which are claimed to have taken place with respect to the Christian religion, are also claimed to have taken place in the religions of Crishna, Buddha, Zoroaster, Æsculapius, Bacchus, Apollonius, Simon Magus, &c. Histories of these persons, with miracles, relics, circumstances of locality, suitable to them, were as common, as well authenticated (if not better), and as much believed by the devotees as were those relating to Jesus.
All the Christian theologians which the world has yet produced have not been able to procure any evidence of the miracles recorded in the Gospels, half so strong as can be procured in evidence of miracles performed by heathens and heathen gods, both before and after the time of Jesus; and, as they cannot do this, let them give us a reason why we should reject the one and receive the other. And if they cannot do this, let them candidly confess that we must either admit them all, or reject them all, for they all stand on the same footing.
In the early times of the Roman republic, in the war with the Latins, the gods Castor and Pollux are said to have appeared on white horses in the Roman army, which by their assistance gained a complete victory: in memory of which, the General Posthumius vowed and built a temple to these deities; and for a proof of the fact, there was shown, we find, in Cicero's time (106 to 43 B. C.), the marks of the horses' hoofs on a rock at Regillum, where they first appeared.[270:1]
Now this miracle, with those which have already been mentioned, and many others of the same kind which could be mentioned, has as authentic an attestation, if not more so, as any of the Gospel miracles. It has, for instance: The decree of a senate to confirm it; visible marks on the spot where it was transacted; and all this supported by the best authors of antiquity, amongst whom Dionysius, of Halicarnassus, who says that there was subsisting in his time at Rome many evident proofs of its reality, besides a yearly festival, with a solemn sacrifice and procession, in memory of it.[270:2]
With all these evidences in favor of this miracle having really happened, it seems to us so ridiculous, that we wonder how there could ever have been any so simple as to believe it, yet we should believe that Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, after he had been in the tomb four days, our only authority being that anonymous book known as the "Gospel according to St. John," which was not known until after A. D. 173. Albert Barnes, in his "Lectures on the Evidences of Christianity," speaking of the authenticity of the Gospel miracles, makes the following damaging confession:
"An important question is, whether there is any stronger evidence in favor of miracles, than there is in favor of witchcraft, or sorcery, or the re-appearance of the dead, of ghosts, of apparitions? Is not the evidence in favor of these as strong as any that can be adduced in favor of miracles? Have not these things been matters of universal belief? In what respect is the evidence in favor of the miracles of the Bible stronger than that which can be adduced in favor of witchcraft and sorcery? Does it differ in nature and degrees; and if it differs, is it not in favor of witchcraft and sorcery? Has not the evidence in favor of the latter been derived from as competent and reliable witnesses? Has it not been brought to us from those who saw the facts alleged? Has it not been subjected to a close scrutiny in the courts of justice, to cross-examination, to tortures? Has it not convinced those of highest legal attainments; those accustomed to sift testimony; those who understood the true principles of evidence? Has not the evidence in favor of witchcraft and sorcery had, what the evidence in favor of miracles has not had, the advantage of strict judicial investigation? and been subjected to trial, where evidence should be, before courts of law? Have not the most eminent judges in the most civilized and enlightened courts of Europe and America admitted the force of such evidence, and on the ground of it committed great numbers of innocent persons to the gallows and to the stake? I confess that of all the questions ever asked on the subject of miracles, this is the most perplexing and the most difficult to answer. It is rather to be wondered at that it has not been pressed with more zeal by those who deny the reality of miracles, and that they have placed their objections so extensively on other grounds."
It was a common adage among the Greeks, "Miracles for fools," and the same proverb obtained among the shrewder Romans, in the saying: "The common people like to be deceived—deceived let them be."
St. Chrysostom declares that "miracles are proper only to excite sluggish and vulgar minds, men of sense have no occasion for them;" and that "they frequently carry some untoward suspicion along with them;" and Saint Chrysostom, Jerome, Euthemius, and Theophylact, prove by several instances, that real miracles had been performed by those who were not Catholic, but heretic, Christians.[271:1]
Celsus (an Epicurean philosopher, towards the close of the second century), the first writer who entered the lists against the claims of the Christians, in speaking of the miracles which were claimed to have been performed by Jesus, says:
"His miracles, granted to be true, were nothing more than the common works of those enchanters, who, for a few oboli, will perform greater deeds in the midst of the Forum, calling up the souls of heroes, exhibiting sumptuous banquets, and tables covered with food, which have no reality. Such things do not prove these jugglers to be sons of God; nor do Christ's miracles."[271:2]
Celsus, in common with most of the Grecians, looked upon Christianity as a blind faith, that shunned the light of reason. In speaking of the Christians, he says:
"They are forever repeating: 'Do not examine. Only believe, and thy faith will make thee blessed. Wisdom is a bad thing in life; foolishness is to be preferred.'"[272:1]
He jeers at the fact that ignorant men were allowed to preach, and says that "weavers, tailors, fullers, and the most illiterate and rustic fellows," set up to teach strange paradoxes. "They openly declared that none but the ignorant (were) fit disciples for the God they worshiped," and that one of their rules was, "let no man that is learned come among us."[272:2]
The miracles claimed to have been performed by the Christians, he attributed to magic,[272:3] and considered—as we have seen above—their miracle performers to be on the same level with all Gentile magicians. He says that the "wonder-workers" among the Christians "rambled about to play tricks at fairs and markets," that they never appeared in the circles of the wiser and better sort, but always took care to intrude themselves among the ignorant and uncultured.[272:4]
"The magicians in Egypt (says he), cast out evil spirits, cure diseases by a breath, call up the spirits of the dead, make inanimate things move as if they were alive, and so influence some uncultured men, that they produce in them whatever sights and sounds they please. But because they do such things shall we consider them the sons of God? Or shall we call such things the tricks of pitiable and wicked men?"[272:5]
He believed that Jesus was like all these other wonder-workers, that is, simply a necromancer, and that he learned his magical arts in Egypt.[272:6] All philosophers, during the time of the Early Fathers, answered the claims that Jesus performed miracles, in the same manner. "They even ventured to call him a magician and a deceiver of the people," says Justin Martyr,[272:7] and St. Augustine asserted that it was generally believed that Jesus had been initiated in magical art in Egypt, and that he had written books concerning magic, one of which was called "Magia Jesu Christi."[272:8] In the Clementine Recognitions, the charge is brought against Jesus that he did not perform his miracles as a Jewish prophet, but as a magician, an initiate of the heathen temples.[272:9]
The casting out of devils was the most frequent and among the most striking and the oftenest appealed to of the miracles of Jesus; yet, in the conversation between himself and the Pharisees (Matt. xii. 24-27), he speaks of it as one that was constantly and habitually performed by their own exorcists; and, so far from insinuating any difference between the two cases, expressly puts them on a level.
One of the best proofs, and most unquestionable, that Jesus was accused of being a magician, or that some of the early Christians believed him to have been such, may be found in the representations of him performing miracles. On a sarcophagus to be found in the Museo Gregoriano, which is paneled with bas-reliefs, is to be seen a representation of Jesus raising Lazarus from the grave. He is represented as a young man, beardless, and equipped with a wand in the received guise of a necromancer, whilst the corpse of Lazarus is swathed in bandages exactly as an Egyptian mummy.[273:1] On other Christian monuments representing the miracles of Jesus, he is pictured in the same manner. For instance, when he is represented as turning the water into wine, and multiplying the bread in the wilderness, he is a necromancer with a wand in his hand.[273:2]
Horus, the Egyptian Saviour, is represented on the ancient monuments of Egypt, with a wand in his hand raising the dead to life, "just as we see Christ doing the same thing," says J. P. Lundy, "in the same way, to Lazarus, in our Christian monuments."[273:3]
Dr. Conyers Middleton, speaking of the primitive Christians, says:
"In the performance of their miracles, they were always charged with fraud and imposture, by their adversaries. Lucian (who flourished during the second century), tells us that whenever any crafty juggler, expert in his trade, and who knew how to make a right use of things, went over to the Christians, he was sure to grow rich immediately, by making a prey of their simplicity. And Celsus represents all the Christian wonder-workers as mere vagabonds and common cheats, who rambled about to play their tricks at fairs and markets; not in the circles of the wiser and the better sort, for among such they never ventured to appear, but wherever they observed a set of raw young fellows, slaves or fools, there they took care to intrude themselves, and to display all their arts."[273:4]
The same charge was constantly urged against them by Julian, Porphyry and others. Similar sentiments were entertained by Polybius, the Pagan philosopher, who considered all miracles as fables, invented to preserve in the unlearned a due sense of respect for the deity.[273:5]
Edward Gibbon, speaking of the miracles of the Christians, writes in his familiar style as follows:
"How shall we excuse the supine inattention of the Pagan and philosophic world, to those evidences which were represented by the hand of Omnipotence, not to their reason, but to their senses? During the age of Christ, of his apostles, and of their first disciples, the doctrine which they preached was confirmed by innumerable prodigies. The lame walked, the blind saw, the sick were healed, the dead were raised, demons were expelled, and the laws of nature were frequently suspended for the benefit of the church. But the sages of Greece and Rome turned aside from the awful spectacle, and, pursuing the ordinary occupations of life and study, appeared unconscious of any alterations in the moral or physical government of the world."[274:1]
The learned Dr. Middleton, whom we have quoted on a preceding page, after a searching inquiry into the miraculous powers of the Christians, says:
"From these short hints and characters of the primitive wonder-workers, as given both by friends and enemies, we may fairly conclude, that the celebrated gifts of these ages were generally engrossed and exercised by the primitive Christians, chiefly of the laity, who used to travel about from city to city, to assist the ordinary pastors of the church, and preachers of the Gospel, in the conversion of Pagans, by the extraordinary gifts with which they were supposed to be indued by the spirit of God, and the miraculous works which they pretended to perform. . . .
"We have just reason to suspect that there was some original fraud in the case; and that the strolling wonder-workers, by a dexterity of jugglery which art, not heaven, had taught them, imposed upon the credulity of the pious Fathers, whose strong prejudices and ardent zeal for the interest of Christianity would dispose them to embrace, without examination, whatever seemed to promote so good a cause. That this was really the case in some instances, is certain and notorious, and that it was so in all, will appear still more probable, when we have considered the particular characters of the several Fathers, on whose testimony the credit of these wonderful narratives depends."[274:2]
Again he says:
"The pretended miracles of the primitive church were all mere fictions, which the pious and zealous Fathers, partly from a weak credulity, and partly from reasons of policy, believing some perhaps to be true, and knowing all of them to be useful, were induced to espouse and propagate, for the support of a righteous cause."[274:3]
Origen, a Christian Father of the third century, uses the following words in his answer to Celsus:
"A vast number of persons who have left those horrid debaucheries in which they formerly wallowed, and have professed to embrace the Christian religion, shall receive a bright and massive crown when this frail and short life is ended, though they don't stand to examine the grounds on which their faith is built, nor defer their conversion till they have a fair opportunity and capacity to apply themselves to rational and learned studies. And since our adversaries are continually making such a stir about our taking things on trust, I answer, that we, who see plainly and have found the vast advantage that the common people do manifestly and frequently reap thereby (who make up by far the greater number), I say, we (the Christian clergy), who are so well advised of these things, do professedly teach men to believe without examination."[275:1]
Origen flourished and wrote A. D. 225-235, which shows that at that early day there was no rational evidence for Christianity, but it was professedly taught, and men were supposed to believe "these things" (i. e. the Christian legends) without severe examination.
The primitive Christians were perpetually reproached for their gross credulity, by all their enemies. Celsus, as we have already seen, declares that they cared neither to receive nor give any reason for their faith, and that it was a usual saying with them: "Do not examine, but believe only, and thy faith will save thee;" and Julian affirms that, "the sum of all their wisdom was comprised in the single precept, 'believe.'"
Arnobius, speaking of this, says:
"The Gentiles make it their constant business to laugh at our faith, and to lash our credulity with their facetious jokes."
The Christian Fathers defended themselves against these charges by declaring that they did nothing more than the heathens themselves had always done; and reminds them that they too had found the same method useful with the uneducated or common people, who were not at leisure to examine things, and whom they taught therefore, to believe without reason.[275:2]
This "believing without reason" is illustrated in the following words of Tertullian, a Christian Father of the second century, who reasons on the evidence of Christianity as follows:
"I find no other means to prove myself to be impudent with success, and happily a fool, than by my contempt of shame; as, for instance—I maintain that the son of God was born: why am I not ashamed of maintaining such a thing? Why! but because it is a shameful thing. I maintain that the son of God died: well, that is wholly credible because it is monstrously absurd. I maintain that after having been buried, he rose again: and that I take to be absolutely true, because it was manifestly impossible."[275:3]
According to the very books which record the miracles of Jesus, he never claimed to perform such deeds, and Paul declares that the great reason why Israel did not believe Jesus to be the Messiah was that "the Jews required a sign."[276:1] He meant: "Signs and wonders are the only proofs they will admit that any one is sent by God and is preaching the truth. If they cannot have this palpable, external proof, they withhold their faith."
A writer of the second century (John, in ch. iv. 18) makes Jesus aim at his fellow-countrymen and contemporaries, the reproach: "Unless you see signs and wonders, you do not believe." In connection with Paul's declaration, given above, these words might be paraphrased: "The reason why the Jews never believed in Jesus was that they never saw him do signs and wonders."
Listen to the reply he (Jesus) made when told that if he wanted people to believe in him he must first prove his claim by a miracle: "A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign, and no sign shall be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonas."[276:2] Of course, this answer did not in the least degree satisfy the questioners; so they presently came to him again with a more direct request: "If the kingdom of God is, as you say, close at hand, show us at least some one of the signs in heaven which are to precede the Messianic age." What could appear more reasonable than such a request? Every one knew that the end of the present age was to be heralded by fearful signs in heaven. The light of the sun was to be put out, the moon turned to blood, the stars robbed of their brightness, and many other fearful signs were to be shown![276:3] If any one of these could be produced, they would be content; but if not, they must decline to surrender themselves to an idle joy which must end in a bitter disappointment; and surely Jesus himself could hardly expect them to believe in him on his bare word.
Historians have recorded miracles said to have been performed by other persons, but not a word is said by them about the miracles claimed to have been performed by Jesus.
Justus of Tiberias, who was born about five years after the time assigned for the crucifixion of Jesus, wrote a Jewish History. Now, if the miracles attributed to Christ Jesus, and his death and resurrection, had taken place in the manner described by the Gospel narrators, he could not have failed to allude to them. But Photius, Patriarch of Constantinople, tells us that it contained "no mention of the coming of Christ, nor of the events concerning him, nor of the prodigies he wrought." As Theodore Parker has remarked: "The miracle is of a most fluctuating character. The miracle-worker of to-day is a matter-of-fact juggler to-morrow. Science each year adds new wonders to our store. The master of a locomotive steam-engine would have been thought greater than Jupiter Tonans, or the Elohim, thirty centuries ago."
In the words of Dr. Oort: "Our increased knowledge of nature has gradually undermined the belief in the possibility of miracles, and the time is not far distant when in the mind of every man, of any culture, all accounts of miracles will be banished together to their proper region—that of legend."
What had been said to have been done in India was said by the "half Jew"[277:1] writers of the Gospels to have been done in Palestine. The change of names and places, with the mixing up of various sketches of Egyptian, Phenician, Greek and Roman mythology, was all that was necessary. They had an abundance of material, and with it they built. A long-continued habit of imposing upon others would in time subdue the minds of the impostors themselves, and cause them to become at length the dupes of their own deception.
FOOTNOTES:
[252:1] Dr. Conyers Middleton: Free Enquiry, p. 177.
[252:2] Indian Antiquities, vol. iii. p. 46.
[253:1] Asiatic Researches, vol. i. p. 237.
[253:2] Hist. Hindostan, vol. ii. p. 331.
[253:3] Ibid. p. 319.
[254:1] Hist. Hindostan, vol. ii. p. 320. Vishnu Parana, bk. v. ch. xx.
[254:2] Prog. Relig. Ideas, vol. i. p. 68.
[254:3] Hist. Hindostan, vol. ii. p. 269.
[254:4] See Hardy's Buddhist Legends, and Eastern Monachism. Beal's Romantic Hist. Buddha. Bunsen's Angel-Messiah, and Huc's Travels, &c.
[254:5] Hardy: Buddhist Legends, pp. xxi. xxii.
[254:6] The Science of Religion, p. 27.
[255:1] Beal: Hist. Buddha, pp. 246, 247.
[255:2] Dhammapada, pp. 47, 50 and 90. Bigandet, pp. 186 and 192. Bournouf: Intro. p. 156. In Lillie's Buddhism, pp. 139, 140.
[256:1] Hardy: Manual of Buddhism.
[256:2] See Prog. Relig. Ideas, vol. i. p. 229.
[256:3] See Tylor: Primitive Culture, vol. i. p. 135, and Hardy: Buddhist Legends, pp. 98, 126, 137.
[256:4] See Tylor: Primitive Culture, vol. i. p. 135.
[256:5] Thornton: Hist. China, vol. i. p. 341.
[256:6] See Dupuis: Origin of Religious Belief, p. 240, and Inman's Ancient Faiths, vol. ii. p. 460.
[256:7] See Higgins: Anacalypsis, vol. ii. p. 34.
[256:8] See Lundy: Monumental Christianity, pp. 303-405.
[256:9] See Bonwick's Egyptian Belief.
[257:1] Quoted by Baring-Gould: Orig. Relig. Belief, vol. i. p. 397.
[257:2] See Prichard's Mythology, p. 347.
[257:3] See Bonwick's Egyptian Belief, p. 404.
[257:4] See Dupuis: Origin of Religious Belief, 258, and Anacalypsis, vol. ii. p. 102. Compare John, ii. 7.
A Grecian festival called THYIA was observed by the Eleans in honor of Bacchus. The priests conveyed three empty vessels into a chapel, in the presence of a large assembly, after which the doors were shut and sealed. "On the morrow the company returned, and after every man had looked upon his own seal, and seen that it was unbroken, the doors being opened, the vessels were found full of wine." The god himself is said to have appeared in person and filled the vessels. (Bell's Pantheon.)
[257:5] Cox: Aryan Mytho., vol. ii. p. 295.
[257:6] Bulfinch: The Age of Fable, p. 225. "And they laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison; but the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth." (Acts, v. 18, 19.)
[258:1] Bell's Pantheon, vol. i. p. 28.
[258:2] Eusebius: Life of Constantine, lib. 3, ch. liv.
"Æsculapius, the son of Apollo, was endowed by his father with such skill in the healing art that he even restored the dead to life." (Bulfinch: The Age of Fable, p. 246.)
[258:3] Murray: Manual of Mythology, pp. 179, 180.
[258:4] See Prog. Relig. Ideas, vol. i. p. 304.
[258:5] Marinus: Quoted in Taylor's Diegesis, p. 151.
[258:6] Pausanias was one of the most eminent Greek geographers and historians.
[259:1] "And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying and saying: thou son of David, have mercy on us. . . . And Jesus said unto them: Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord. Then touched he their eyes, saying: According to your faith be it unto you, and their eyes were opened." (Matt. ix. 27-30.)
[259:2] Middleton's Works, vol. i. pp. 63, 64.
[259:3] Ibid. p. 48.
[259:4] Bell's Pantheon, vol. i. p. 62.
[259:5] See Middleton's Letters from Rome, p. 76.
[260:1] See Middleton's Letters from Rome, p. 76.
"Nunc Dea, nunc succurre mihi, nam posse mederi
Picta docet temptes multa tabella tuis."
(Horace: Tibull. lib. 1, Eleg. iii. In Ibid.)
[260:3] Chambers's Encyclo., art. "Æsculapius."
[260:4] Murray: Manual of Mythology, p. 180.
[260:5] Apol. 1, ch. xxii.
[260:6] Deane: Serp. Wor. p. 204. See also, Bell's Pantheon, vol. i. p. 29.
"There were numerous oracles of Æsculapius, but the most celebrated one was at Epidaurus. Here the sick sought responses and the recovery of their health by sleeping in the temple. . . . The worship of Æsculapius was introduced into Rome in a time of great sickness, and an embassy sent to the temple Epidaurus to entreat the aid of the god." (Bulfinch: The Age of Fable, p. 397.)
[261:1] Aryan Mytho. vol. ii. p. 238.
[261:2] Herodotus: bk. vi. ch. 61.
[261:3] See Philostratus: Vie d'Apo.
Gibbon, the historian, says of him: "Apollonius of Tyana, born about the same time as Jesus Christ. His life (that of the former) is related in so fabulous a manner by his disciples, that we are at a loss to discover whether he was a sage, an impostor, or a fanatic." (Gibbon's Rome, vol. i. p. 353, note.) What this learned historian says of Apollonius applies to Jesus of Nazareth. His disciples have related his life in so fabulous a manner, that some consider him to have been an impostor, others a fanatic, others a sage, and others a God.
[262:1] See Philostratus, p. 146.
[262:2] Ibid. p. 158.
[262:3] See Ibid. p. 182.
[263:1] Compare Matt. ix. 18-25. "There came a certain ruler and worshiped him, saying: 'My daughter is even now dead, but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.' And Jesus arose and followed him, and so did his disciples. . . . And when Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise, he said unto them: 'Give peace, for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth.' And they laughed him to scorn. But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose."
[263:2] See Philostratus, pp. 285-286.
[263:3] "He could render himself invisible, evoke departed spirits, utter predictions, and discover the thoughts of other men." (Hardy: Eastern Monachism, p. 380.)
[263:4] "And as they thus spoke, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and said unto them: 'Peace be unto you.' But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them: 'Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is myself; handle me and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have." (Luke, xxiv. 36-39.)
[264:1] See Philostratus, p. 342.
[264:2] Ibid. p. 5.
[264:3] Justin Martyr's "Quæst." xxiv. Quoted in King's Gnostics, p. 242.
[264:4] Acts, viii. 9, 10.
[265:1] See Mosheim, vol. i. pp. 137, 140.
[265:2] Irenæus: Against Heresies, bk. iii. ch. xi. The authorship of the fourth gospel, attributed to John, has been traced to this same Irenæus. He is the first person who speaks of it; and adding this fact to the statement that "it is impossible that there could be more or less than four," certainly makes it appear very suspicious. We shall allude to this again.
[265:3] Eusebius: Eccl. Hist. lib. 2, ch. xiv.
[265:4] Apol. 1, ch. xxiv.
[266:1] See Prog. Relig. Ideas, vol. ii. pp. 241, 242.
[266:2] According to Hieronymus (a Christian Father, born A. D. 348), Simon Magus applied to himself these words: "I am the Word (or Logos) of God; I am the Beautiful, I the Advocate, I the Omnipotent; I am all things that belong to God." (See "Son of the Man," p. 67.)
[266:3] See Prog. Relig. Ideas, vol. ii. p. 316, and Middleton's Free Inquiry, p. 62.
[266:4] Eusebius: Ecc. Hist., lib. 3, ch. xiv.
[266:5] Middleton's Works, vol. i. p. 54.
[267:1] Middleton's Works, vol. i. p. 54.
[267:2] Prog. Relig. Ideas, vol. ii. p. 312, and Middleton's Works, vol. i. p. 10.
[267:3] "The Egyptians call all men 'barbarians' who do not speak the same language as themselves." (Herodotus, book ii. ch. 158.)
"By 'barbarians' the Greeks meant all who were not sprung from themselves—all foreigners." (Henry Cary, translator of Herodotus.)
The Chinese call the English, and all foreigners from western countries, "western barbarians;" the Japanese were called by them the "eastern barbarians." (See Thornton's History of China, vol. i.)
The Jews considered all who did not belong to their race to be heathens and barbarians.
The Christians consider those who are not followers of Christ Jesus to be heathens and barbarians.
The Mohammedans consider all others to be dogs, infidels, and barbarians.
[267:4] "And in the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea." (Matt. xiv. 25.)
[267:5] Prog. Relig. Ideas, vol. ii. p. 236. We have it on the authority of Strabo that Roman priests walked barefoot over burning coals, without receiving the slightest injury. This was done in the presence of crowds of people. Pliny also relates the same story.
[267:6] Prog. Relig. Ideas, vol. ii. p. 236.
[267:7] Athenagoras, Apolog. p. 25. Quoted in Middleton's Works, vol. i. p. 62.
[267:8] Geikie: Life of Christ, vol. ii. p. 619.
[268:1] Geikie: Life of Christ, vol. i. p. 75.
[268:2] Jewish Antiquities, bk. viii. ch. ii.
[268:3] Middleton's Works, vol. i. p. 68.
[268:4] "And he cometh to Bethsaida, and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him. And he took the blind man by the hand . . . and when he had spit on his eyes, . . . he looked up and said: 'I see men and trees,' . . . and he was restored." (Mark, viii. 22-25.)
[268:5] "And behold there was a man which had his hand withered. . . . Then said he unto the man, 'Stretch forth thine hand;' and he stretched it forth, and it was restored whole, like as the other." (Matt. xii. 10-13.)
[268:6] Tacitus: Hist., lib. iv. ch. lxxxi.
[269:1] See Chambers's Encyclo., art. "Tacitus."
[269:2] See The Bible of To-Day, pp. 273, 278.
[269:3] See Gibbon's Rome, vol. i. pp. 539-541.
[270:1] Middleton's Letters from Rome, p. 102. See also, Bell's Pantheon, vol. i. p. 16.
[270:2] Dionysius of Halicarnassus, one of the most accurate historians of antiquity, says: "In the war with the Latins, Castor and Pollux appeared visibly on white horses, and fought on the side of the Romans, who by their assistance gained a complete victory. As a perpetual memorial of it, a temple was erected and a yearly festival instituted in honor of these deities." (Prog. Relig. Ideas, vol. i. p. 323, and Middleton's Letters from Rome, p. 103.)
[271:1] See Prefatory Discourse to vol. iii. Middleton's Works, p. 54.
[271:2] See Origen: Contra Celsus, bk. 1, ch. lxviii.
[272:1] See Origen: Contra Celsus, bk. 1, ch. ix.
[272:2] Ibid. bk. iii. ch. xliv.
[272:3] Ibid.
[272:4] Ibid. bk. 1, ch. lxviii.
[272:5] Ibid.
[272:6] Ibid.
[272:7] Dial. Cum. Typho. ch. lxix.
[272:8] See Isis Unveiled, vol. ii. p. 148.
[272:9] See Baring-Gould's Lost and Hostile Gospels. A knowledge of magic had spread from Central Asia into Syria, by means of the return of the Jews from Babylon, and had afterwards extended widely, through the mixing of nations produced by Alexander's conquests.
[273:1] See King's Gnostics, p. 145. Monumental Christianity, pp. 100 and 402, and Jameson's Hist. of Our Lord in Art, vol. i. p. 16.
[273:2] See Monumental Christianity, p. 402, and Hist. of Our Lord, vol. i. p. 16.
[273:3] Monumental Christianity, pp. 403-405.
[273:4] Middleton's Works, vol. i. p. 19.
[273:5] See Taylor's Diegesis, p. 59.
[274:1] Gibbon's Rome, vol. i. p. 588. An eminent heathen challenged his Christian friend Theophilus, Bishop of Antioch, a champion of the Gospel, to show him but one person who had been raised from the dead, on the condition of turning Christian himself upon it. The Christian bishop was unable to give him that satisfaction. (See Gibbon's Rome, vol. i. p. 541, and Middleton's Works, vol. i. p. 60.)
[274:2] Middleton's Works, vol. i. pp. 20, 21.
[274:3] Ibid. p. 62. The Christian Fathers are noted for their frauds. Their writings are full of falsehoods and deceit.
[275:1] Contra Celsus, bk. 1, ch. ix. x.
[275:2] See Middleton's Works, pp. 62, 63, 64.
[275:3] On The Flesh of Christ, ch. v.
[276:1] I. Corinthians, i. 22, 23.
[276:2] Matt. xii. 29.
[276:3] See for example, Joel, ii. 10, 31; iii. 15; Matt. xxiv. 29, 30; Acts, ii. 19, 20; Revelations, vi. 12, 13; xvi. 18, et seq.
[277:1] The writers of the Gospels were "I know not what sort of half Jews, not even agreeing with themselves." (Bishop Faustus.)