PROFANE GENESIS. BY C. B. HAYDEN. CHAPTER I. (Continued.) Origin of Idolatry.-We thus find that the nations of antiquity, though ignorant of the Bible, were acquainted with the truths which it reveals, and in their primitive creeds agree with it in acknowledging the existence of one God, possessing the attributes ascribed to him by Christians, and recognizing him as the object of that reverence and worship which the Bible enjoins. "Father of all! in every age, In every clime adored, By saint, by savage, and by sage, Jehovah, Jove, or Lord." the visible symbol of God, but as God himself; just as the brazen serpent originally preserved in commemoration of the miraculous cures in the wilderness, was afterwards worshipped by the Israelites. In the language of the Book of Wisdom "either fire, or wind, or the swift air, or the circle of the stars, or the violent water, or the lights of heaven," were considered as "the Gods which govern the world." The thing formed was worshipped for Him who formed it. They changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator. The change once commenced would spread with fearful rapidity-every object, animate and inanimate, having any real or fancied influence over man would become the object of his prayers. Not only would every natural phenomenon and physical object be erected into an independent existence, and be regarded as Gods, but every pain that racked his body, every fear that haunted his imagination But how, it will naturally be inquired, did these would be personified and erected into a Deity. creeds degenerate from their original pure monothe- This perversion of symbols and personification of ism, to a corrupt and complicated system of poly-natural objects and events is undoubtedly the most theism? To answer this question in all its details, prolific source of paganism in all its protean forms. to trace the corrupt stream up to its fountain head, Accordingly, the heavenly bodies, the elements, and and show each successive source of impurity, may the most prominent natural phenomena and objects not be practicable. But it will be easy to point known in common to all nations, are common objects out the general source of this fatal change and of worship to idolatrous nations, while those pheapostacy, and by showing many of these sources of nomena and objects confined to particular countries, corruption, throw a collateral light on others. We are locally worshipped in the regions to which they have seen that the primitive creeds recognized the are peculiar. Thus the sun and moon are almost overruling and superintending agency of God; it was universal subjects of adoration among idolatrous therefore natural to associate with him those secon- nations. The sun was worshipped as Mithras by dary agents through which this controlling power the Persians, as Belus by the Assyrians, as Moloch was affected, and by which it was manifested. in the form of a calf, typifying the sun or fire, by Deity was regarded not merely as "the source and the Phonecians, as Phré by the Egyptians, as ruler of creation, but also the warm and vivifying Surya by the Hindoos, as Nahuatzin by the Mexiessence that became life in the animal and vegeta- cans and as Sol and Apollo by the classics. The tion in the plant; that infused into matter itself the Peruvians also, as is well known, worshipped the properties of spirit, and gave to spirit, at the same sun. The moon was worshipped by the Egyp time, the properties of matter, as though neither tians as Ioh and Isis, as Chandra by the Hindoos, could exist without the other; and as it bestowed as Astarte by the Phonecians, and as Luna, Diana feelings on the soul of man, it lent also, and and Astarte by the classics. Of the elements, the equally, lustre to the flower at his feet. Every earth was adored by the classics as Gaia, Ceres part of existence became an actual ray of divinity." and Terra, by the ancient Germans as Hertha, and The material objects connected with man, the ele- as Psrithivi by the Hindoos. Fire was represented ments and all natural phenomena influencing his in the classic mythology as Vulcan, in the Egyp happiness, would be regarded as the material repre- tian as Phta, and in the Hindoo as Agni. Nep sentatives of Him of whose power they were con- tune, the classic symbol of the sea, was represented sidered the manifestations. Those great elemen- by Varuna among the Hindoos, by Hai-Vang tary powers which under God govern the world, among the Chinese. In the east, Kartikeya prewhether the moon and stars, the lesser lights that sides over war, in the west Mars; there the winds rule by night, or the sun dispensing light and life are under the dominion of Vayu, here of Eurns; by day, or the rain-giving cloud, or the food-pro- there the thief invokes the aid of Ganesa, here of ducing earth,—all would be considered as typical Mercury; there Cama sways the heart, here the of their author, and as through them the blessings love-inspiring Venus. This parallelism might be were sent, so through them thanks were returned carried further between these creeds as well as to the Divine Giver. But in process of time, the extended to others, had not the source of the introrepresentative character of the emblem was for- duction of "strange gods" been sufficiently illus gotten, and adoration was no longer offered to it as 'trated. The general adoption of the great elemen tary powers, and the more prominent natural phe-image of the celestial soul bursting from the renomena by the primitive idolatrous nations, and straints of matter, and mixing again with its native their subsequent introduction into the derivative ether."* This personification and spiritualization of creeds show the operation of a common influence. nature would be aided by that warm imaginative To the deities thus derived common to all, each character so natural to man in his early stage of nation would add others peculiar to itself, origi- civilization. The bards and poets, the first hisnating in its local customs or situation. Thus, torians and teachers, would introduce into their from the influence of the Nile upon the agricul- poems and sagas the national deities in that alleture of Egypt, this river plays a prominent part in gorical dress so natural to the poet, and thus would the mythology of that nation. Similar causes modi- be gradually formed a system of mythology. In fied the creed of other nations, impressing peculiar subsequent ages the allegorical and poetical chacharacters upon each. Benevolence and gratitude, racter of these mythic fables would be forgotten, and so natural to the uncorrupted human heart, would they would be literally interpreted. Schlegel in see in every favor the gift of some presiding genius. his Philosophy of History, ascribes the strong conThe benefactor, if national, would be placed among demnation of Homer and Hesiod by the Greek the public Penates in the temple; if private, among Philosophers, to their literal interpretation of the the guardian Lares of the domestic hearth. Each mythic theology, which, when thus understood, had nation's traditions and national history would thus a tendency to corrupt and materialize the national furnish its creed with its peculiar heroes and demi- religion. Many of these myths, when viewed in gods. Those animals beneficial to man would, in their proper signification and apart from their mystic their symbolical character, be gratefully advanced or allegorical character, lose their wild absurdity to a niche in the temple, laying the foundation of and revolting cruelty, and become beautiful perthat wide-spread animal worship which tainted the sonifications symbolic of nature. Thus the fable creed of so many nations, and which subsequent of Chronos or Saturn devouring his children merely causes so widely extended. Animals were also wor- signified the consuming power of Time, of which shipped from other causes; thus the Bull, deified this deity was typical. Adonis is represented in among so many nations, from its connection with the myth as beloved of Venus, but prefering the agriculture was typical of it, and was hence, in dif- pleasures of the chase he was killed by a wild boar. ferent countries, consecrated to those deities be- Venus inconsolable for his loss gained the consent lieved to preside over this art. Thus, in Egypt, the of Proserpine, (who, according to Knight, symbull Apis as well as Mnevis was dedicated to bolized the heat which, pervading the earth, was the Osiris, who, according to their mythology, taught source of its fecundating power,) that Adonis should them husbandry. Osiris was emblematical of "the spend alternately six months with her on earth, active generating and beneficent force of nature and the remaining six in the shades. "Adonis and the elements." The Ram and Serpent were was an oriental title of the Sun, signifying Lord : respectively the symbols of Ammon, the great and the boar supposed to have killed him was the Demiurgos of the Egyptians. emblem of winter; during which the productive From some fancied resemblance, or as arbitrary powers of nature being suspended, Venus was said symbols, both animals and plants were frequently to lament the loss of Adonis until he was again regarded as typical of natural objects, or conse- restored to life." The fable "merely signifying crated to some national benefactor, frequently re- the decrease and increase of the productive powers garded, as we have seen, as the representatives of of nature as the Sun retires and advances." Zeus Deity, and hence, in this secondary symbolical char- or Jove was typical of the air or ether. To live acter, these animals and plants became the subjects under Jove, Sub Jove, is to live exposed to the of adoration. The Lotus, from its peculiar method elements or in the open air. "What is Zeus doing," of fructification, was, throughout the east, adopted is the same as "what kind of weather is it." This as emblematical of the "productive power of the Deity was regarded as superior to the others, and, waters which spread life and vegetation over the as we have seen, it was to him they ascribed the earth." "The Egyptians are said to have repre- attributes of God.-As frequent occasion will heresented the pervading spirit or the ruling Providence after occur, it is unnecessary here to enlarge upon of the Deity by the black beetle, which frequents the allegorical and symbolical character of the the shores of the Mediterranean sea." "It is of ancient Mythologies. Schlegel says, "the old Heathe Anchogynous class, and lays its eggs in a ball of thenism had a foundation in truth, and thoroughdang or other fermentable matter, which it buries ly examined and rightly understood, would serve for in the sand, where the joint operation of heat and a confirmation of the same:-were it possible, or moisture matures and vivifies the germs into new could we succeed in separating the pure intuition insects." The butterfly, from the series of gradations into nature and the simple symbols of nature that it undergoes, was assumed as the symbol of the constituted the basis of all Heathenism, from the soul, "The butterfly, breaking from its torpid chry- * Knight. + Knight, quoted by Anthon. salis and mounting in the air, afforded a natural" Philosophy of History. alloy of error, and the incumbrances of fiction, those | calf made by Aaron at the request of the Israelites, first hieroglyphical traits of the instinctive science was symbolical of the God who brought them out of the first men would not be repugnant to truth of the land of Egypt. How natural the identificaand to a true knowledge of nature; but on the con- tion of the symbol with the object itself, we have trary, an instinctive image of a freer, purer, more lamentable proof in the Romish church, whose comprehensive and more finished philosophy of image worship, originally merely typical, has delife." generated into gross and sensual idolatry. This attempt to show the origin of the ancient systems of Mythology in a common primitive creed corresponding with that of Genesis, may appropriately be concluded with the following confirming quotation from Schlegel's introduction to Prichard's Supreme Being; that the magic influence of Nature From the importance and interest which all nations attach to their early history, the individuals conspicuous in the Nation's annals, the events marking eras in its progress, would stand forth prominently in its Mythology. As Genesis professes to give an account of the origin and early history Egyptian Mythology. "In contemplating the reof the human family, it, if true, must correspond ligions of the ancient world, so many points of rewith the traditions and mythic history of the primi- semblance press upon the observer as immediately tive nations. These coincidences, in relation to the to suggest the idea that this agreement of Nations, belief in one God and his attributes, have been al- who in part were far separated and estranged from ready pointed out the correspondence in reference one another, or who have been strangers time out of to the other subjects treated of in Genesis will be mind, may be best attributed to a common origin of alluded to under their respective heads. So strik- their faith or superstition, their sacred customs and ing is the parallelism, that some have advanced the laws, in some unknown home and remote antiquity." opinion that ancient Mythology was founded on "The more I search into the ancient history of the Scriptural history, of which it was a corruption, world, the more am I convinced that the cultivated disguised and mystified by its allegorical dress.-uations commenced with a purer worship of the Crosius in his "Hebrew Homer," and Williams in his "Homerus," contend that the Illiad is a fabulous and allegorical representation of Scriptural events that Troy is Jericho, Agamemnon and the Greeks, Joshua and the Israelites, and Nestor is Abraham. Scriptural events have undoubtedly contributed extensively to the formation of the ancient systems of Mythology, but they are probably but secondary sources subsidiary to the primary one, a perversion of symbols, giving rise to a spiritualizing and personifying of nature, which nature-worship is probably the foundation of idolatry. The passage last quoted from Schlegel shows that this opinion has the support of this celebrated German scholar. Sabiism, or the worship of the host of heaven so frequently alluded to in the Scriptures, was most probably the first form of idolatry. It has, with much plausibility, been suggested that fire was originally worshipped as symbolical of the planets, thus laying the foundation of the fire-worship so extensively practised in the East. Calmet quotes from the Desatir, an ancient Persian work, the following passage-"Make figures of all the planets, and deem them proper objects to turn to in worship—that they may convey thy prayers to Mezdam." It will be seen that the planets are not recommended as the direct objects of worship, but merely as the medium of prayer, corresponding to the view already taken. Moses frequently cautions the Israelites against the worship of the host of heaven, and it was probably with the same view that he alluded so frequently to God as the creator of the planetary host, that they might worship the Creator and not the creature. Frequent allusion is made in the Scriptures to the worship of the true God under the form of an image; thus the golden AUTHOR OF ENDYMION. BY HENRY B. HIRST, "ISABELLE," "THE BURIAL OF EROS," &c. (Entered according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1844. by Henry B. Hirst, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.) Love gives itself, but is not bought. I. Longfellow's Endymion. Through a deep dell with mossy hemlocks girded— Like clustering sunlight fell his yellow tresses, A swan-like throat that thrilled to their caresses, And trembling on a breast that beamed as white |