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The Christian Foundation, Or,
Scientific and Religious Journal
Vol. 1. No 4.
April, 1880.
CONTENTS
Is There A Counterfeit Without A Genuine? Design In Nature. An Atheist Is A Fool. Blunder On And Blunder On It Is Human To Blunder. Draper's Conflict Between Religion And Science. Facts Speak Louder Than Words, Or What Christianity Has Done For Cannibals. Are We Simply Animals? Our Relations To The Ancient Law And Prophets What Are They? The Funeral Services Of The National Liberal League. Huxley's Paradox. The Triumphing Reign Of Light.
IS THERE A COUNTERFEIT WITHOUT A GENUINE?
My object in this lesson is to present the myths, the ancient, fictitious and fanciful narratives concerning the gods, in such a manner as to enable you to see the utter absurdity of the idea that the religion of the Bible is of mythical origin. Myths are fictitious narratives, having an analogy more or less remote to something real. From this definition you discover that a myth is always a counterfeit, and as such always appears in evidence in favor of something more or less remote, that is true. Now, if the Bible had a mythical origin, it sustains some analogy to something found in the mythical or fictitious and fanciful narratives concerning the gods, and is therefore the myth of a myth; the counterfeit of a counterfeit. If such be the truth in the case, where do we find the origin of the myths from which "Bible myths" have descended? Is it found in the true God presiding over the elements of nature and the destinies of men, as well as the events of creation and providence? Or, can it be possible that we have many counterfeits without a genuine ? Many myths sustaining no analogy, either near or remote, to anything real? It is an absurdity, destructive of the term employed, because myths cease to be myths without some near or remote relation to realities. They must sustain some analogy to something real. And counterfeits also cease to be counterfeits when it is shown that they sustain no relation, through analogy or likeness, to anything that is genuine. In the mythical systems of olden times we have, in the midst of a vast deal of false and fanciful narrative concerning subordinate and secondary gods, evidence of a supreme God presiding over all things; and the secondary gods performing many things which belonged to the province of the "Almighty One," with many degrading, vile and corrupting habits.
A letter written by Maximus, a Numidian, to Augustin, reads thus: "Now, that there is a sovereign God, who is without beginning, and who, without having begotten anything like unto Himself, is, nevertheless, the Father and the former of all things, what man can be gross and stupid enough to doubt? He it is of whom, under different names, we adore the eternal power extending through every part of the world, thus honoring separately by different sorts of worship what may be called His several members, we adore Him entirely. May those subordinate gods preserve you under whose names, and by whom all we mortals upon earth adore the common Father of gods and men." In this letter we have a clear presentation of the mythical system concerning the ancient gods, and also the "analagous relation" to the "Master God." Each god having his particular dominion over place or passion, appears before us as a representative of the supreme, or "Master God;" and by worshiping each member or God they claimed to adore entirely the "common Father of gods and men." Augustin answers, In your public square there are two statues of Mars, one naked, the other armed; and close by the figure of a man who, with three fingers advanced towards Mars, holds in check that divinity so dangerous to the whole town. With regard to what you say of such gods being portions of the only "true God," I take the liberty you gave me to warn you not to fall into such a sacrilege; for that only God, of whom you speak, is doubtless He who is acknowledged by the whole world, and concerning whom, as some of the ancients have said, the ignorant agree with the learned... Continue reading book >>
