Bible Myths and their Parallels in other Religions Part 59

"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 b.r.e.a.s.t.s, 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 a.s.surance 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 G.o.d Apollo, whom the Pagans wors.h.i.+ped 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 furnis.h.i.+ng 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 G.o.ds, 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 G.o.d 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 wors.h.i.+p practiced by the _children of Israel_ was that of the wors.h.i.+p of _Adonis_.

Under the designation of _Tammuz_, this G.o.d was wors.h.i.+ped, 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 wors.h.i.+p; the 110th, in particular, is an account of a friendly alliance between the two G.o.ds, 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 G.o.d was wors.h.i.+ped at Byblis in Phnicia 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 cla.s.s 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 t.i.tle 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 G.o.ds 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 a.s.serting "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 wors.h.i.+pers."[221:1]

_Osiris_, the Egyptian Saviour, after being put to death, _rose from the dead_,[221:2] and bore the t.i.tle 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 wors.h.i.+p 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 astonis.h.i.+ng 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 G.o.d 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 circ.u.mstantial 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 princ.i.p.al 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 G.o.d 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 G.o.d is risen. His death, his pains, his sufferings, have worked our salvation._"[223:2]

Mons. Dupuis, speaking of the resurrection of this G.o.d, says:

"It is chiefly in the religion of _Mithras_. . . . that we find mostly these features of a.n.a.logy 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 Phnician _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 p.r.o.nounced with the gravest mien these words: '_Be of good cheer, sacred band of Initiates, your G.o.d 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 coa.r.s.est manner, on which is to be seen a female figure, standing in the att.i.tude 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 grat.i.tude 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]