The very earliest literature of the Scandinavian people, preserved on the island of Iceland, adds many testimonies to the Scandinavians' Israelitish origin. On this point, the Encyclopaedia Britannica says: "On entering on these ancient books, we are immediately struck with the corroborative evidence which they furnish of the eastern origin of the Goths, the fathers of the Scandinavians. As all languages, so all mythologies run in lines, which converge in one common center, * * * Central Asia. And little as we might expect it, no sooner do we open the ancient religious books of Scandinavia than we are carried back thither. Our northern people are a people of eastern origin. Odin[C] and his Asar, are Asiatics, declare themselves to be from the great Svithiod, a country which appears to have been the present Circassia, lying between the Black and Caspian Seas. The whole of their memoirs abounded with the proofs of it. They brought with them abundant eastern customs, those of burning the dead, and burying under mounds. They practiced polygamy, looked back with imperishable affection to the great Svithiod, to the primitive district of Asgord and the city of Gudahem, or the home of the gods. They transferred a religion bearing the primal features of those of Persia, India and Greece, to the snowy mountains of Scandinavia." In reading the above we were strongly impressed with the geographical idea there expressed. Without any great stretch of the imagination we could easily consider the traditions regarding the great Svithiod, to refer to Media, the primitive district of Asgord, to be the dim remembrance of their first home in the land of promise, and Gudahem, the home of the gods, to be Jerusalem, the city of the great King. The parallel we consider to be very significant.
[Footnote C: Rev. A. B. Grimaldi, M. A., states; "The Saxon kings traced themselves back to Odin, who was traced back in his descent from David, as may be seen in a very ancient MSS. in the Herald's College, London, and in Sharon Turner.">[
CHAPTER VI.
The Numerous Identifications Considered—Religion and Laws of the Ancient Northern Races—Free Masonry—Language.
It would be almost impossible to enumerate the multitude of likenesses that have been found, by authors predisposed in that direction, between the habits, manners, customs, personal appearance, etc., of the Israelites and the Anglo-Saxons. To give even a cursory glance at these "identifications" would occupy more space than we feel would be desirable. We will simply mention a few that have been advanced by various writers, and then proceed to a short consideration of their laws; it may be observed, however, that some of their identifications are very remarkable, while others, in our opinion, are puerile, and would be advanced by none but zealots. Great similarity has been claimed between the form of the Jewish and Saxon heads, and the great beauty of both races has been advanced as a proof of common ancestry. The style of dress of the early northern European nations has also been claimed to be distinctively Israelitish. The care with which both people kept their records or chronicles has also been largely commented upon. One author claims connection between the two in the manner that they mustered their forces in battle, and their love of distinctive or tribal banners, giving rise in Europe to the system of heraldry and the development of chivalry. Their division of the people into tithings, hundreds and thousands, has been a strong argument in favor of the Saxon's Jewish descent. The three great yearly convocations of the people are also said to have taken place on the same dates as the three great feasts of the Jews. The Saxons' marriage ceremonies, their respect for women, and the great misfortune which the latter esteemed it to be without children, are also adverted to as links in the chain of evidence. One author (Mr. Ed. Hine) pursues a different line of argument and makes the history of the English nation, its constitution, laws, insular position, etc., fulfill the varied prophecies of the ancient servants of God with regard to the Ten Tribes. To our mind, however, these fulfillments of ancient prophecy are often strained and frequently untenable.
In the religion of the ancient Scandinavians, terrible and bloodthirsty as were many of its rites, students have found striking analogies to the religion of ancient Israel, so much so that it is considered one of the strongest proofs of the ancestry of this people in Jacob. And it is claimed that the further we trace the matter back through the centuries, the greater does the likeness become. Least we shall be considered as straining this point we will quote the language of another: "They (the Anglo-Saxons and their brethren of the north of Europe) are described as having been acquainted with the great doctrine of one supreme Deity, the Author of everything that existeth; the eternal, the living, the ancient, the living and awful Being; the searcher into concealed things; the Being that never changeth; who liveth and governeth during the ages; directeth everything that is high, and everything that is low; of this glorious Being they had anciently esteemed it impious to make any visible representation, or to imagine it possible that he could be confined within the walls of a temple. These great truths, the same as we know were taught to Israel, had in a great measure become lost or obscured before the people's coming into Britain. But this very obscuration itself, speaks of their origin; it having chiefly taken place, it is said, in consequence of their receiving a mighty conqueror from the east as their god in human nature, correspondent to the expectation of Israel with regard to the Messiah. This supposed god incarnate is thought to have presented himself among these people about the same time as the true Messiah appeared among the Jews." (Is it probable that tidings of Jesus' visit to the Ten Tribes could have been conveyed to them or have reached them in a vague or adulterated form?) "The name of this pretender was Odin or Woden, and he was esteemed the great dispenser of happiness to his followers, as well as fury to his enemies. When Woden was removed from them they placed his image in their most holy place, where was a kind of raised place or ark, as if in imitation of that at Jerusalem, where, between the Cherubim, the divine presence was supposed to abide. * * * Before this elevation or ark, in this most holy place on which the symbols of their worship were placed, they had an altar, on which the holy fire burned continually; and near it was a vase for receiving the blood of the victims, and a brush for sprinkling the blood upon the people; reminding us again of what was done in ancient Israel. They had generally one great temple for the whole nation, and in one of these, it is particularly noticed, they had twelve priests presided over by a high priest, and having under their charge the religious concerns of the whole people. This temple is said to have been of the most splendid description—of incredible grandeur and magnificence. It was at Upsala, Sweden."
As nearly related to this branch of our subject, it has been remarked that Free Masonry was first known in Europe among these people, a fact that will have its weight among Latter-day Saints. In the middle ages these lodges of free masons built the cathedrals of Europe, and it is asserted that "the English cathedrals appear to have been built after the fashion of the temples that they frequented previous to their conversion to Christianity. And these cathedrals, it has been observed, seem evidently to be built after the design of the temple at Jerusalem. Like this, they have their most holy place, the altar, and their holy place, choir; and the court outward from thence for the body of the people." It is also somewhat remarkable that the only Gentile people of old, among whom anything like Free Masonry was found, were the Ionians, for whom we stated in a previous chapter some claim an Israelitish ancestry. Their temples dedicated to Bacchus and other heathen deities, were built by lodges, who had secret signs, etc., and conducted their affairs much after the manner of the masons of the middle ages.
But the strongest of all the supposed identifications of the two races, stronger even than the religious phases of the subject, is the peculiar Mosaic tendency of the ancient Norseman's laws. So great is the similarity that most writers on this subject have been greatly puzzled to account therefor. It is written, "To those who have attentively studied the institutions of Moses, and compared them with the Saxon, there must appear a similarity as will be apt to lead to the conclusion that the Saxon commonwealth was thus framed, after their becoming acquainted with Christianity. This, however, does not appear to have been the case. They brought these institutions with them into England, and left similar institutions among the people in the north of Europe, with whom they had been from time immemorial. Limited monarchy, constitutional law, and representative government, an efficient civil police, and trial by jury, are among the most important legacies left the English nation by their Anglo-Saxon forefathers, and these may all be easily traced to an Israelitish origin. And to this origin they have been traced * * * even by those who were obliged, in rather an unphilosophical way, to account for the connection."
Among the Anglo-Saxons the theory of their constitution seems to have been, that every ten men or heads of families, should choose one from among them, to act for them in the council of their little community, consisting generally of ten such compartments or wards. Ten of these wards formed a tything or parish. And ten of these tithings formed a hundred, the elders of which, thus chosen, were supposed to meet for the management of matters belonging to the ten tithings in general; while each tything took charge of the affairs that especially belonged to itself. The county which was still more extensive corresponded to the tribe in Israel. The word county or compte seems to be derived from the Hebrew word signifying to rise up, to stand—and refers to the rod or ensign of the tribe to which they congregated themselves in the large assemblies of the people. * * * The nation of Israel we have seen, were, at an earlier period of their history, given proper rules for their association, such as were equally adapted for a small society or for a large one. The people were given to have a mutual oversight of each other in tens; each ten had one who represented and acted for them. See 1st chapter of Deuteronomy: "So I [Moses] took the chiefs of your tribes, wise men and known, and made them heads over you, captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds and captains over fifties, and captains over tens, and officers among your tribes."