the immaculate conception and birth of Pythagoras. That truly learned and candid scholar, Godfrey Higgins, writes (Anac. c. iv. p. 150,):

"The first striking circumstance in which the history of Pythagoras agrees with the history of Jesus, is, that they were natives nearly of the same country; the former being born at Sidon, the latter at Bethlehem, both in Syria. The father of Pythagoras, as well as the father of Jesus, was prophetically informed that his wife should bring forth a son, who should be a benefactor to mankind. They were both born when their mothers were from home on journeys; Joseph and his wife having gone up to Bethlehem to be taxed, and the father of Pythagoras having traveled from Samos, his residence, to Sidon, about his mercantile concerns. Pythias, the mother of Pythagoras, had a connexion with an Apolloniacal specter, or ghost, of the god Apollo, which afterward appeared to her husband, and told him that he must have no connexion with his wife during her pregnancy-a story evidently the same as that relating to Joseph and Mary. From these peculiar circumstances, Pythagoras was known by the same identical title as Jesus, namely, the Son of God, and was supposed by the multitude to be under the influence of divine inspiration.

"When young, he was of a very grave deportment, and was celebrated for his philosophical appearance and wisdom. He wore his hair long, after the manner of the Nazarites, whence he was called the long-haired Samian."

Jamblichus himself says: "The Pythian oracle foretold to Mnesarchus, the father of Pythagoras, that his wife would bring forth a son, surpassing in beauty and wisdom all that ever lived, and who would be of the greatest advantage to the human race, in everything pertaining to the life of man. The infant, upon coming into existence, was called Pythagoras; signifying by this appellation that such an offspring was predicted to him by the Pythian Apollo.

Pythagoras professed to visit the spiritual world, and hold converse with departed spirits, and described the condition of Homer, Hesiod and others there. His pure, holy and divinely wonderful life, makes it impossible to doubt his sincerity. It was said of him, that he "knew every thing, and was right in every thing." It was asserted by many that he was "the Son of God."

Underlying all mythoses are pearls of wisdom and sprinklings of truth. The crucified reformers of to-day become

the gods of to-morrow. This applies to the Nazarene. From the lives of Chrishna and Pythagoras, were gathered and woven the principal events connected with the historic Jesus of the Evangelists. He is a copy of prior saviors. This was the work of the Church Fathers of the first centuries, and in perfect keeping with their general character! Ambrose, Augustine, St. Jerome, and others, were corrupted with the villainous idea, that "it was right to lie for the sake of religion." Mosheim tells us (Vol. i. p. 130,) the doctrine," that it was not only lawful, but commendable to deceive and lie for the sake of truth and piety, early spread among the Christians of the second century!" This church historian further admits (Vol. i. p. 155,)" that pious frauds and impositions were among the causes of the extension of Christianity!"

CHAPTER XII.

THEOLOGIC.

"The ages sweep around him with their wings,
Like angered eagles cheated of their prey."

"One rosy drop from Jesus' heart

Was worlds of seas to quench God's ire."

The accepted "Savior" of Christian nations to-day, is the theologic Christ; a strange Hebraic hybrid; half God, half man-a church monster, shapen by the old ecclesiastic Fathers and Roman Bishops, from the most worthless portion of the cast-off drippings of Pagan traditions.

There is no prophecy of this Christ of the church in the Old Testament Scriptures. Saying nothing of the writings of Colenso, that so completely undermine the Pentateuch, nor of those deep thinking German divines that have shaken the canonical-voted books of the Old Testament to their very foundations, we merely refer to some eminent English divines. Dr. Ekerman and Dr. Geo. S. Clark clearly show that the Old Testament contains no prophecy relating to the person, Jesus Christ. (Class. Jour. vol, xxxiii. p. 47.) Dr. Adam Clark, the annotater of the Bible, contends that the prophecy of Isaiah-" A Virgin shall conceive and bear a son," and "call his name Immanuel," does not mean Christ; but Isaiah's own son!" Dr. Clark further observes:

"It is humbly apprehended that the young woman usually called the virgin is the same with the prophetess, and Immanuel is to be named

by his mother, the same with the prophet's son, whom he was ordered to name Maher-shalal-hash-baz." (Class. Jour. vol. i. p. 637.)

That there were general and dimly defined prophecies enunciated by the more mediumistic of the Hebrew seers, relating to coming saviors, and looking to the future spiritual illumination of their nation, is evidently true.

The Arian controversy concerning the derivation and deity of Christ, commencing early in the fourth century, between Alexander, Bishop of Alexandria, and Arius, one of his presbyters, finally terminated by the Bishop's asserting: "That the Son was not only of the same eminence and dignity, but also of the same essence with the Father." (Mosh. vol. i.) Accordingly, we have, in the Athanasian creed, received by all evangelical Christians, this, concerning Jesus Christ:

"The Son is of the Father alone, not created, but begotten.

*

*

*

"The God-head of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is all one, the glory equal, the majesty co-eternal. "Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Ghost.

"The Father is Almighty, the Son is Almighty, and the Holy Ghost Almighty.

"And yet there are not three Almighties, but one Almighty. * * He, therefore, that would be saved, must thus think of the Trinity."

After God had made the world in "six days," and Adam from the "dust of the ground," he placed him in a garden, and causing a "deep sleep" to fall upon him, "took one of his ribs and made he a woman." The Bible says it. This woman "frail," and conversing with, was tempted by the "serpent," which serpent, the Methodist, Dr. Adam Clarke, thinks was an ape, or an orang-outang! (Com. vol. i. c. iii. p. 47.)

Eve yielding to the temptation, and finding the fruit pleasant, "gave to Adam." They fell! And being the federal heads of the race, falling, they involved all their unborn posterity, even universal humanity, subjecting it to

the "miseries of this life, death itself, and the pains of Hell forever." So affirms the creed.

It was a fearful crisis. God was exceedingly angry at Adam and Eve for doing just what he knew they would do. The sword of divine justice was raised. The Throne was in danger!

"'Twas a seat of dreadful wrath,

And shot devouring flame;

Our God appeared consuming fire,
And vengeance was his name."

Deific justice had been wronged. Atonement must be made. The threatened penalty must be inflicted upon the race of man, or some substitute. A "plan" is devised. God, the Son, equal with the Father, stepping in between an offended God and offending man, says: "Spare the guilty race of humanity! open a way! glut thy vengeance upon me! I will take upon myself the penalty! I will die a substitute!" God the Father hears-relents. God the Son, corresponding to incarnations of India, shapes himself in human form; is born of the Virgin Mary; suffers under Pontius Pilot-"dead and buried." Watts versifies the Christian idea thus:

"Well might the sun in darkness hide,

And shut his glories in,

When Christ, the mighty Maker, died
For man, the creature's sin."

Mark the phrase the "mighty Maker died"—a dead God! dying for the purpose of permitting rebellious sinners to go unpunished, to escape the penalty of the law, providing they believe in this "divine mystery"-the atonement. After this sacrificial death of an innocent Son, opening the way for the guilty to escape the demands of justice, God the Father becomes reconciled-pleased. Watts sings it:

"Rich were the drops of Jesus' blood

That calmed his frowning face,

That sprinkled o'er the burning throne,
And turned his wrath to grace."