Pagan Origin of Partialist DoctrinesPitrat, John Claudius
Religion
Pagan Origin of Partialist Doctrines
Pitrat, John Claudius
Catholic Church -- Controversial literature; Future punishment; Universalism
We read in the sixth book of Eneida, by Virgil: "Know, O my son! that
the heavens and the earth, the deep, the bright globe of the moon, and
all stars are moved by a principle of inly life, which perpetuates its
existence; that it is a great intelligent soul, extending to all the
parts of the vast body of the universe; and which, connected with all,
impresses to all an eternal movement. This soul is the source of the
life of man, of that of flocks, birds, and of all the monsters of the
deep. The bright force that animates them emanates from that eternal
fire that shines in the sky, and which, a captive in the gross matter of
bodies, develops itself only as permitted by the divers mortal
organizations that blunt its force and activity. At the death of each
animal those germs of particular life return to their source, and to the
principle of life that circulates in the starry sphere."
This belief led men to the worship of the universe, or nature, and
became the basis of their mythology. They adored the vast body of
nature, and its great soul, under the name of Supreme Being, of Jupiter,
of Vichnou, of Pan, etc. They adored the earth, the sun, the planets and
the stars under other names. They erected temples, altars, statues and
chapels to those deities, and worshiped them--not the wood, stone, or
marble, as they are unjustly accused of, but the emanations of the great
soul of the universe, which animated all those principal members of the
vast body of nature, whose might and influence impressed them with
wonder, terror or gratitude, and thus attracted their adoration.
The Chinese adored the heavens under the name of great Tien. The Supreme
Being in the Chou-King is designated by the name of Tien, which means
from heaven, and of Chang-Tien, supreme heaven. They had reared temples
to the sun, to the moon, and to the stars; and also one to the great
being formed of the sky, of the earth and of the elements,--being which
is the universe named by them Tay-ki. They worshiped the heavens at the
time of the two solstices. The Japanese adored the stars and planets
which they supposed to be animated by geniuses or gods. They had a
temple dedicated to the splendor of the sun. They celebrated the feast
of the moon on the 7th of September, and spent the whole night in
rejoicing by her light. The Chinese and the Japanese practice the same
worship even in our days.
The Egyptians adored the sun under the name of Osiris, and the moon
under the name of Iris. To them both they ascribed the government of the
world. They built, to honor Osiris, the City of the Sun, or Heliopolis,
and also a splendid temple in which they placed his statue. They
worshiped all the stars and planets which compose the Zodiac. The
animals consecrated in the Egyptian temples, and religiously revered,
represented the various functions of the supreme cause; and they
referred to the sky, to the sun, to the moon, and to the constellations.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account