17. The worshipers of the Sun-god, Serapis, were also called "Christians," and his disciples "Bishops of Christ." So much, then, for the celebrated passage in Tacitus. "We are called Christians (not, we call ourselves Christians). So, then, we are the best of men (Chrestians), and it can never be just to hate what is (Chrest) good and ktnd;" [or, "therefore to hate what is Chrestian is unjust."] (Justin Martyr: Apol. 1. c. iv.) "Some of the ancient writers of the Church have not scrupled expressly to call the Athenian Socrates, and some others of the best of the heathen moralists, by the name of Chris tians." (Clark: Evidences of Revealed Relig., p. 284. Quoted in Ibid. p. 41.) "Those who lived according to the Logos, (i. e., the Platonists), were really Christians." (Clemens Alexandrinus, in Ibid.) the whole human race participates. All those who have lived conformably to a right reason, have been Christians, notwithstanding that they have always been looked upon as Atheists.” (Justin Martyr: Apol. 1. c. xlvi.) Lucian makes a person called Triephon answer the question, whether the affairs of the Christians were recorded in heaven. "All nations are there recorded, since Chrēstus exists even among the Gentiles." 1 "Egypt, which you commended to me, my dearest Servianus, I have found to be wholly fickle and inconsistent, and continually wafted about by every breath of fame. The worshipers of SERAPIS (here) are called Christians, and those who are devoted to the god Serapis (I find), call themselves Bishops of Christ." (The Emperor Adrian to Servianus, written A.D. 134. Quoted by Dr. Giles, vol. ii. p. 86.) NOTE.-Tacitus says according to the passage attributed to him-that "those who confessed [to be Christians] were first seized, and then on their evidence a huge multitude (Ingens Multitudo) were convicted, not so much on the charge of incendiarism as for their hatred to mankind." Although M. Renan may say (Hibbert Lectures, p. 70) that the authenticity of this passage "cannot be disputed," yet the absurdity of "a huge multitude" of Christians being in Rome, in the days of Nero, A. D. 64-about thirty years after the time assigned for the crucifixion of Jesus-has not escaped the eye of thoughtful scholars. Gibbon-who saw how ridiculous the statement is attempts to reconcile it with common sense by supposing that Tacitus knew so little about the Christians that he confounded them with the Jews, and that the hatred universally felt for the latter fell upon the former. In this way he believes Tacitus gets his "huge multitude," as the Jews established themselves in Rome as early as 60 years B. C., where they multiplied rapidly, living together in the Traslevere-the most abject portion of the city, where all kinds of rubbish was put to rot-where they became "old clothes "men, the porters and hucksters, bartering tapers for broken glass, hated by the mass and pitied by the few. Other scholars, among whom may be mentioned Schwegler (Nachap Zeit., ii. 229); Köstlin (JohannLehrbegr., 472); and Baur (First Three Centuries, 1. 133); also being struck with the absurdity of the statement made by some of the early Christian writers concerning the wholesale prosecution of Christians, said to have happened at that time, suppose it must have taken place during the persecution of Trajan, A. D. 101. It is strange we hear of no Jewish martyrdoms or Jewish persecutions till we come to the times of the Jewish war, and then chiefly in Palestine! But fables must be made realities, so we have the ridiculous story of a "huge multitude" of Christians being put to death in Rome, in A. D. 64, evidently for the purpose of bringing Peter there, making him the first Pope, and having him crucified head downwards. This absurd story is made more evident when we find that it was not until about A. D. 50-only 14 years before the alleged persecution-that the first Christians-a mere handful-entered the capitol of the Empire. (See Renan's Hibbert Lectures, p. 55.) They were a poor dirty set, without manners, clad in filthy gaberdines, and smelling strong of garlic. From these, then, with others who came from Syria, we get our "huge multitude" in the space of 14 years. The statement_attributed to Tacitus is, however, outdone by Orosius, who asserts that the persecution extended "through all the provinces." (Orosius, ii. 11.) That it was a very easy matter for some Christian writer to interpolate or alter a passage in the Annals of Tacitus may be seen from the fact that the мs. was not known to the world before the 15th century, and from information which is to be derived from reading Daillé On the Right Use of the Fathers, who shows that they were accustomed to doing such business, and that these writings are, to a large extent, unreliable. INDEX. A Abraham, story of, 38; Hindoo parallel, Absolution from sin by sacrifice of ancient origin, 181; by baptism, 316; Abury, the temple at, 180. Achilleus, a personification of the Sun, Adam, was reproduced in Noah, Elijah, and other Bible celebrities, Aditi, "Mother of the Gods," 475; a olis, son of Jupiter, 125. on, Christ Jesus an, 427; there have Eschylus' Prometheus Bound, 192. Esculapius, a son of Jove, 128, wor- Agni, represented with seven arms, 32; Agnus Dei, the, succeeded the Bulla, Akiba, Rabbi, believed Bar-Cochaba to Alcmena, mother of Hercules, 124. great intellectual centre, 440; and Allegory, the story of the "Fall of All-father, the, of all nations, a personi- fication of the Sky, 478. Alpha and Omega, Jesus believed to be, Ambrose, St., affirms that the Apostles America, populated from Asia, 540; 503; personified and called the Americans, their connection with the Arimanes, the evil spirit. according to old world, 533. Persian legend, 3. Ammon, Jupiter, his temple visited by Arion, a Corinthian harper, 78. Alexander, 127. Amphion, son of Jove, 124. Amulets and Charms, worn by the Ananda, and the Matangi Girl, 294. Angel Messiah, Buddha an, 116; Crish- Angels, the fallen, 386; believed in by all nations of antiquity, 386-388. Antiquity, the, of Pagan religions, Apollo, a lawgiver, 61; son of Jove, 125; has the title of "Saviour," 194; | Apostles, the, 500. Artemon, denied the divinity of Jesus, Ascension, of Jesus, 215; of Crishna, Asia Minor, the people persecuted in Asita, the holy Rishi, visits Buddha at Asoka, the council of, 303. Assyrian Dove, the, a symbol of the Apostles' Creed, the, not written by Assyrians, the, worshiped a sun-god called Sandon, 74; had an account Astaroth, the goddess, saved the life of Astarte, or Mylitta, worshiped by the Astrology, practiced by the ancients, Astronomers, the ancient Egyptians Astronomy, understood by the ancient Athanasian Creed, the, 381. Atys, the Crucified, 190; is called the lia and Thibet, 317; by the Brah- Aurora placida, made into St. Aura Baptismal fonts, used by the Pagans, 406. Bar-Cochba, the "Son of a Star," 144; believed to be the Messiah, 432. Beads (see Rosary). Beatitudes, the, the prophet of, 527. Belief, or faith, salvation by, existed in Baal, and Moloch, worshiped by the Bellerophon, a mighty Grecian hero, 75. children of Israel, 108. Baal-peor, the Priapos of the Jews, 47. Bacab, the Son, in the Mexican Trinity, Bacchus, performed miracles, 50; pass- 66 ed through the Red Sea dry-shod, 51: Balaam, his ass speaks, 91; parallels to in Egypt, Chaldea and Greece, 91. Belus, the tower of, 34. Benares, the Hindoo Jerusalem, 296. Bible, the Egyptian, the oldest in the Birth, the Miraculous, of Jesus, 111; Birth-day, the, of the gods, on Decem- Birth-place, the, of Christ Jesus, in a Black God, the, crucified, 201, Bochica, a god of the Muyscas, 130. Brahma, the first person in Hindoo Brahmins, the, perform the rite of bap- Bread and Wine, a sacrifice with, cele- brated by the Grand Lama of Thibet, death and rises again, 224; a personi- | Blind Man, cured by Jesus, 268; by fication of the sun, 479. Bambino, the, at Rome is black, 336. the Emperor Vespasian at Alexan- Brechin, the fire tower of, 199; a cruci Buddha, born of the Virgin Maya, 115; Buddhist religion, the, compared with Buddhists, the monastic system among, Bull, the, an emblem of the sun, 476. с Cabala, the, had its Trinity, 376. 156; Apollo born in a, 156; Mithras Caves, all the oldest temples were in, Celibacy, among Pagan priests, 400-404. Cerinthus, denied the divinity of Jesus, Ceylon, never believed to have been the Chaldean, the, account of the Deluge, Chaldeans, the, Legend of the Deluge Champlain period, the, 28. Chandragupta, a dangerous child, 171. Cherokees, the, had a priest and law- giver called Wasi, 130. Cherubim, the, of Genesis, a dragon, 14. Casar (Augustus), was believed to be Child, the dangerous, 165. divine, 126. Casar (Julius), was likened to the di- Calabrian Shepherds, the, a few weeks world was deluged with water, 102. Canon, the, of the New Testament, when settled, 463. Carne-vale, a farewell to animal food, Carnutes, the, of Gaul, 198, the Lamb Castles, Lord, a ring found on his es- Catholic rites and ceremonies are imita- tions of those of the Pagans, 384. Cave, Jesus born in a, 154; Crishna born in a, 156; Abraham born in a, Chiliasm, the thousand years when Sa- Chimalman, the Mexican virgin, 334. Cholula, the tower of, 36. Christ (Buddha), compared with Je- Christ (Crishna), compared with Jesus, Christ (Jesus), born of a Virgin, 111; a |