Pagan Origin of Partialist Doctrines

by John Claudius Pitrat

1st, It can be proved that the Pagans believed in a first judgment, by a god, immediately after the separation of the soul from the body.

We extract the following from the History of the Egyptians, by Rollin. Article—Funerals: "Before the dead were admitted in the sacred asylum of the tomb, they underwent a solemn judgment. And this circumstance of the funerals among the Egyptians, is one of the most remarkable things in the ancient history. It is a consolation to us to leave behind us, when we die, a name honored among men; and of all blessings it is the only one of which we cannot be deprived by death. But in Egypt, it was not permitted to indistinctly praise the dead; this honor was conferred only after a favorable public judgment. The assembly of the judges was held on the other side of a lake, which they crossed on a bark. He who conducted the bark was called, in the Egyptian tongue, Charon; and it is from this name that the Greeks, instructed by Orpheus, who had been in Egypt, had invented the fable of the bark of Charon.

"When a man died he was brought to judgment. The public accuser was heard. If he proved that the conduct of the dead had been wicked, his memory was stigmatized, and he was deprived of the honor of funerals. The people admired the power of the laws, which extended even beyond death; and everybody, influenced by the example of others, was afraid to dishonor his family, and his own memory. If the dead was not convicted of any crime, he was honorably buried. What was the most astonishing in this judgment of the dead was that royalty itself was not spared. The kings were not judged during their life, the public good demanded it; but they were not exempted from the after death's judgment, and several of them were deprived of honorable funerals. This custom passed among the Israelites. We read in the Old Testament that wicked kings were not buried in the tombs of their fathers. Thus kings learned, that, if their majesty places them above the judgments of men, it is so no longer when death has placed them on the same level with their fellow-men.

"When the judgment, which had been pronounced, was favorable to the dead, they proceeded to the ceremony of the burial. A panegyric was delivered in which nothing was said of his birth, because every Egyptian was considered to be a noble man. His personal virtues only were praised. Then the whole assembly supplicated the gods to welcome him in the assembly of the virtuous dead, and to associate him to their eternal bliss."

This judgment gave birth to the fable of a judgment rendered by the gods, immediately after the separation of the soul from the body. Charon was represented carrying the souls of the dead on board his bark, across the Styx river, to be judged by the great judge, Minos. This became a general belief among the Pagans, not only in Egypt, but in Greece, in Italy, and in nearly all the Oriental countries; as proved by the unanimous consent of the mythological authors. This belief has been perpetuated among the Pagans of those countries. Even in our days, the Indians believe in this judgment, and call the great judge, Zomo, or according to others, Jamen. The Japanese, followers of Buda, also believe in this judgment; and they call the great judge, Zomo. Likewise the Lamas believe in this judgment, and call the great judge Erlik-kan.

Therefore the Pagans believed in a first judgment, by a god, immediately after the separation of the soul from the body.

2d. It can be proved that the particulars of this first judgment, believed in by the Partialist Christian Churches, present a striking similarity with the particulars of the first judgment, believed in by the Pagans:

The Pagans believed that their great judge, Minos, sat on a throne, to judge the souls immediately after their separation from the bodies that they animated; so the Partialist Christian Churches believe that Jesus Christ sits on a throne, to judge the souls, immediately after their separation from the bodies that they animated. The Pagans believed that, near to Minos' throne, and at his right hand, good geniuses, or spirits, stood; so the Partialist Christian Churches believe that, near to Jesus Christ's throne, and at his right hand, good angels stand. The Pagans believed that, near to Minos' throne, and at his left hand, furies stood; so the Partialist Christian Churches believe that, near to Jesus Christ's throne, and at his left hand, devils stand.

The Pagans believed that the souls were driven to the redoubtable tribunal of Minos by their respective guardian angel, who had accompanied them during their whole life on earth; had watched day and night over their conduct; and had kept a record of all they had done, right or wrong; so the Church of Rome, and some other Partialist Christian Churches, believe that the souls are driven to the redoubtable tribunal of Jesus Christ by their respective guardian angel, who has accompanied them during their whole life on earth; has watched day and night over their conduct, and has kept a record of all they have done, right or wrong. The Pagans believed that Minos based his judgments on the contents of two books, the one called book of life, and the other book of death; so the Partialist Christian Churches believe that Jesus Christ bases his judgments on the contents of two books; the one called book of life, and the other book of death. The Pagans believed that the souls who had obtained from Minos a favorable sentence, were led to the Elysium by their respective guardian angel; and that those who had been condemned to the Tartarus, were apprehended by the furies, and hurled into it; so the Partialist Christian Churches believe that the souls who obtain from Jesus Christ a favorable sentence, are led to Paradise by their respective guardian angel; or, [in the opinion of those of the Partialist Christian Churches, which do not believe in a guardian angel] by other angels.