pagan and christian creeds-第3章

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I　cannot　of　course　go　at　length　into　these　different　cults；　but　I　may　say　roughly　that　of　all　or　nearly　all　the　deities　above…mentioned　it　was　said　and　believed　that：

（1）　They　were　born　on　or　very　near　our　Christmas　Day。

（2）　They　were　born　of　a　Virgin…Mother。

（3）　And　in　a　Cave　or　Underground　Chamber。

（4）　They　led　a　life　of　toil　for　Mankind。

（5）　And　were　called　by　the　names　of　Light…bringer；　Healer；　Mediator；　Savior；　Deliverer。

（6）　They　were　however　vanquished　by　the　Powers　of　Darkness。

（7）　And　descended　into　Hell　or　the　Underworld。

（8）　They　rose　again　from　the　dead；　and　became　the　pioneers　of　mankind　to　the　Heavenly　world。

（9）　They　founded　Communions　of　Saints；　and　Churches　into　which　disciples　were　received　by　Baptism。

（10）　And　they　were　commemorated　by　Eucharistic　meals。

Let　me　give　a　few　brief　examples。

Mithra　was　born　in　a　cave；　and　on　the　25th　December。＇1＇　He　was　born　of　a　Virgin。＇2＇　He　traveled　far　and　wide　as　a　teacher　and　illuminator　of　men。　He　slew　the　Bull　（symbol　of　the　gross　Earth　which　the　sunlight　fructifies）。　His　great　festivals　were　the　winter　solstice　and　the　Spring　equinox　（Christmas　and　Easter）。　He　had　twelve　companions　or　disciples　（the　twelve　months）。　He　was　buried　in　a　tomb；　from　which　however　he　rose　again；　and　his　resurrection　was　celebrated　yearly　with　great　rejoicings。　He　was　called　Savior　and　Mediator；　and　sometimes　figured　as　a　Lamb；　and　sacramental　feasts　in　remembrance　of　him　were　held　by　his　followers。　This　legend　is　apparently　partly　astronomical　and　partly　vegetational；　and　the　same　may　be　said　of　the　following　about　Osiris。

＇1＇　The　birthfeast　of　Mithra　was　held　in　Rome　on　the　8th　day　before　the　Kalends　of　January；　being　also　the　day　of　the　Circassian　games；　which　were　sacred　to　the　Sun。　（See　F。　Nork；　Der　Mystagog；　Leipzig。）

＇2＇　This　at　any　rate　was　reported　by　his　later　disciples　（see　Robertson's　Pagan　Christs；　p。　338）。


Osiris　was　born　（Plutarch　tells　us）　on　the　361st　day　of　the　year；　say　the　27th　December。　He　too；　like　Mithra　and　Dionysus；　was　a　great　traveler。　As　King　of　Egypt　he　taught　men　civil　arts；　and　〃tamed　them　by　music　and　gentleness；　not　by　force　of　arms〃；＇1＇　he　was　the　discoverer　of　corn　and　wine。　But　he　was　betrayed　by　Typhon；　the　power　of　darkness；　and　slain　and　dismembered。　〃This　happened；〃　says　Plutarch；　〃on　the　17th　of　the　month　Athyr；　when　the　sun　enters　into　the　Scorpion〃　（the　sign　of　the　Zodiac　which　indicates　the　oncoming　of　Winter）。　His　body　was　placed　in　a　box；　but　afterwards；　on　the　19th；　came　again　to　life；　and；　as　in　the　cults　of　Mithra；　Dionysus；　Adonis　and　others；　so　in　the　cult　of　Osiris；　an　image　placed　in　a　coffin　was　brought　out　before　the　worshipers　and　saluted　with　glad　cries　of　〃Osiris　is　risen。〃＇1＇　〃His　sufferings；　his　death　and　his　resurrection　were　enacted　year　by　year　in　a　great　mystery…play　at　Abydos。〃＇2＇

＇1＇　See　Plutarch　on　Isis　and　Osiris。

＇2＇　Ancient　Art　and　Ritual；　by　Jane　E。　Harrison；　chap。　i。


The　two　following　legends　have　more　distinctly　the　character　of　Vegetation　myths。

Adonis　or　Tammuz；　the　Syrian　god　of　vegetation；　was　a　very　beautiful　youth；　born　of　a　Virgin　（Nature）；　and　so　beautiful　that　Venus　and　Proserpine　（the　goddesses　of　the　Upper　and　Underworlds）　both　fell　in　love　with　him。　To　reconcile　their　claims　it　was　agreed　that　he　should　spend　half　the　year　（summer）　in　the　upper　world；　and　the　winter　half　with　Proserpine　below。　He　was　killed　by　a　boar　（Typhon）　in　the　autumn。　And　every　year　the　maidens　〃wept　for　Adonis〃　（see　Ezekiel　viii。　14）。　In　the　spring　a　festival　of　his　resurrection　was　heldthe　women　set　out　to　seek　him；　and　having　found　the　supposed　corpse　placed　it　（a　wooden　image）　in　a　coffin　or　hollow　tree；　and　performed　wild　rites　and　lamentations；　followed　by　even　wilder　rejoicings　over　his　supposed　resurrection。　At　Aphaca　in　the　North　of　Syria；　and　halfway　between　Byblus　and　Baalbec；　there　was　a　famous　grove　and　temple　of　Astarte；　near　which　was　a　wild　romantic　gorge　full　of　trees；　the　birthplace　of　a　certain　river　Adonisthe　water　rushing　from　a　Cavern；　under　lofty　cliffs。　Here　（it　was　said）　every　year　the　youth　Adonis　was　again　wounded　to　death；　and　the　river　ran　red　with　his　blood；＇1＇　while　the　scarlet　anemone　bloomed　among　the　cedars　and　walnuts。

＇1＇　A　discoloration　caused　by　red　earth　washed　by　rain　from　the　mountains；　and　which　has　been　observed　by　modern　travelers。　For　the　whole　story　of　Adonis　and　of　Attis　see　Frazer's　Golden　Bough；　part　iv。


The　story　of　Attis　is　very　similar。　He　was　a　fair　young　shepherd　or　herdsman　of　Phrygia；　beloved　by　Cybele　（or　Demeter）；　the　Mother　of　the　gods。　He　was　born　of　a　Virgin　Nanawho　conceived　by　putting　a　ripe　almond　or　pomegranate　in　her　bosom。　He　died；　either　killed　by　a　boar；　the　symbol　of　winter；　like　Adonis；　or　self…castrated　（like　his　own　priests）；　and　he　bled　to　death　at　the　foot　of　a　pine　tree　（the　pine　and　pine…cone　being　symbols　of　fertility）。　The　sacrifice　of　his　blood　renewed　the　fertility　of　the　earth；　and　in　the　ritual　celebration　of　his　death　and　resurrection　his　image　was　fastened　to　the　trunk　of　a　pine…　tree　（compare　the　Crucifixion）。　But　I　shall　return　to　this　legend　presently。　The　worship　of　Attis　became　very　widespread　and　much　honored；　and　was　ultimately　incorporated　with　the　established　religion　at　Rome　somewhere　about　the　commencement　of　our　Era。

The　following　two　legends　（dealing　with　Hercules　and　with　Krishna）　have　rather　more　of　the　character　of　the　solar；　and　less　of　the　vegetational　myth　about　them。　Both　heroes　were　regarded　as　great　benefactors　of　humanity；　but　the　former　more　on　the　material　plane；　and　the　latter　on　the　spiritual。

Hercules　or　Heracles　was；　like　other　Sun…gods　and　benefactors　of　mankind；　a　great　Traveler。　He　was　known　in　many　lands；　and　everywhere　he　was　invoked　as　Saviour。　He　was　miraculously　conceived　from　a　divine　Father；　even　in　the　cradle　he　strangled　two　serpents　sent　to　destroy　him。　His　many　labors　for　the　good　of　the　world　were　ultimately　epitomized　into　twelve；　symbolized　by　the　signs　of　the　Zodiac。　He　slew　the　Nemxan　Lion　and　the　Hydra　（offspring　of　Typhon）　and　the　Boar。　He　overcame　the　Cretan　Bull；　and　cleaned　out　the　Stables　of　Augeas；　he　conquered　Death　and；　descending　into　Hades；　brought　Cerberus　thence　and　ascended　into　Heaven。　On　all　sides　he　was　followed　by　the　gratitude　and　the　prayers　of　mortals。

As　to　Krishna；　the　Indian　god；　the　points　of　agreement　with　the　general　divine　career　indicated　above　are　too　salient　to　be　overlooked；　and　too　numerous　to　be　fully　recorded。　He　also　was　born　of　a　Virgin　（Devaki）　and　in　a　Cave；＇1＇　and　his　birth　announced　by　a　Star。　It　was　sought　to　destroy　him；　and　for　that　purpose　a　massacre　of　infants　was　ordered。　Everywhere　he　performed　miracles；　raising　the　dead；　healing　lepers；　and　the　deaf　and　the　blind；　and　championing　the　poor　and　oppressed。　He　had　a　beloved　disciple；　Arjuna；　（cf。　John）　before　whom　he　was　transfigured。＇2＇　His　death　is　differently　relatedas　being　shot　by　an　arrow；　or　crucified　on　a　tree。　He　descended　into　hell；　and　rose　again　from　the　dead；　ascending　into　heaven　in　the　sight　of　many　people。　He　will　return　at　the　last　day　to　be　the　judge　of　the　quick　and　the　dead。

＇1＇　Cox's　Myths　of　the　Aryan　Nations；　p。　107。

＇2＇　Bhagavat　Gita；　ch。　xi。


Such　are　some　of　the　legends　concerning　the　pagan　and　pre…Christian　deitiesonly　briefly　sketched　now；　in　order　that　we　may　get　something　like　a　true　perspective　of　the　whole　subject；　but　to　most　of　them；　and　more　in　detail；　I　shall　return　as　the　argument　proceeds。

What　we　chiefly　notice　so　far　are　two　points；　on　the　one　hand　the　general　similarity　of　these　stories　with　that　of　Jesus　Christ；　on　the　other　their　analogy　with　the　yearly　phenomena　of　Nature　as　illustrated　by　the　course　of　the　Sun　in　heaven　and　the　changes　of　Vegetation　on　the　earth。

（1）　The　similarity　of　these　ancient　pagan　legends　and　beliefs　with　Christian　traditions　was　indeed　so　great　that　it　excited　the　attention　and　the　undisguised　wrath　of　the　early　Christian　fathers。　They　felt　no　doubt　about　the　similarity；　but　not　knowing　how　to　explain　it　fell　back　upon　the　innocent　theory　that　the　Devilin　order　to　confound　the　Christianshad；　CENTURIES　BEFORE；　caused　the　pagans　to　adopt　certain　beliefs　and　practices！　（Very　crafty；　we　may　say；　of　the　Devil；　but　also　very　innocent　of　the　Fathers　to　believe　it！）　Justin　Martyr　for　instance　describes＇1＇　the　institution　of　the　Lord's　Supper　as　narrated　in　the　Gospels；　and　then　goes　on　to　say：　〃Which　the　wicked　devils　have　IMITATED　in　the　mysteries　of　Mithra；　commanding　the　same　thing　to　be　done。　For；　that　bread　and　a　cup　of　water　are　placed　with　certain　incantations　in　the　mystic　rites　of　one　who　is　being　initiated　you　either　know　or　can　learn。〃　Tertullian　also　says＇2＇　that　〃the　devil　by　the　mysteries　of　his　idols　imitates　even　the　main　part　of　the　divine　mysteries。〃　。　。　。　〃He　baptizes　his　worshippers　in　water　and　makes　them　believe　that　this　purifies　them　from　their　crimes。〃　。　。　。　〃Mithra　sets　his　mark　on　the　forehead　of　his　soldiers；　he　celebrates　the　oblation　of　bread；　he　offers　an　image　of　the　resurrection；　and　presents　at　once　the　crown　and　the　sword；　he　limits　his　chief　priest　to　a　single　marriage；　he　even　has　his　virgins　and　ascetics。〃＇3＇　Cortez；　too；　it　will　be　remembered　complained　that　the　Devil　had　positively　taught　to　the　Mexicans　the　same　things　which　God　had　taught　to　Christendom。

＇1＇　I　Apol。　c。　66。

＇2＇　De　Praescriptione　Hereticorum；　c。　40；　De　Bapt。　c。　3；　De　Corona；　c。　15。

＇3＇　For　reference　to　both　these　examples　see　J。　M。　Robertson's　Pagan　Christs；　pp。　321；　322。


Justin　Martyr　again；　in　the　Dialogue　with　Trypho　says　that　the　Birth　in　the　Stable　was　the　prototype　（！）　of　the　birth　of　Mithra　in　the　Cave　of　Zoroastrianism；　and　boasts　that　Christ　was　born　when　the　Sun　takes　its　birth　in　the　Augean　Stable；＇1＇　coming　as　a　second　Hercules　to　cleanse　a　foul　world；　and　St。　Augustine　says　〃we　hold　this　（Christmas）　day　holy；　not　like　the　pagans　because　of　the　birth　of　the　Sun；　but　because　of　the　birth　of　him　who　made　it。〃　There　are　plenty　of　other　instances　in　the　Early　Fathers　of　their　indignant　ascription　of　these　similarities　to　the　work　of　devils；　but　we　need　not　dwell　over　them。　There　is　no　need　for　US　to　be　indignant。　On　the　contrary　we　can　now　see　that　these　animadversions　of　the　Christian　writers　are　the　evidence　of　how　and　to　what　extent　in　the　spread　of　Christianity　over　the　world　it　had　become　fused　with　the　Pagan　cults　previously　existing。

＇1＇　The　Zodiacal　sign　of　Capricornus；　iii。）。


It　was　not　till　the　year　A。D。　530　or　sofive　centuries　after　the　supposed　birth　of　Christthat　a　Scythian　Monk；　Dionysius　Exiguus；　an　abbot　and　astronomer　of　Rome；　was　commissioned　to　fix　the　day　and　the　year　of　that　birth。　A　nice　problem；　considering　the　historical　science　of　the　period！　For　year　he　assigned　the　date　which　we　now　adopt；＇2＇　and　for　day　and　month　he　adopted　the　25th　December　a　date　which　had　been　in　popular　use　since　about　350　B。C。；　and　the　very　date；　within　a　day　or　two；　of　the　supposed　birth　of　the　previous　Sungods。＇3＇　From　that　fact　alone　we　may　fairly　conclude　that　by　the　year　530　or　earlier　the　existing　Nature…worships　had　become　largely　fused　into　Christianity。　In　fact　the　dates　of　the　main　pagan　religious　festivals　had　by　that　time　become　so