The Bible of Bibles; Or, Twenty-Seven "Divine" RevelationsGraves, Kersey
Religion
The Bible of Bibles; Or, Twenty-Seven "Divine" Revelations
Graves, Kersey
Free thought
ANALOGY OF THE CHINESE AND JEWISH RELIGIONS.
The Christian historian, Mr. Milne, expressed a fear that he might be
condemned for furnishing proof, that, before Jesus was born, a morality
as pure was inculcated in the celestial empire (China). As in the
Hindoo, Egyptian, and Persian religions, we find the Jewish and
Christian religions here amalgamated together. The Chinese had a
cosmogony, or story of creation similar in some respects to those
already noticed. These sacred books speak of a primitive paradise, in
which was a tree of knowledge and a tree of life; also of a deluge and
an ark. Baptism, the cross, and the miter are emblematical rites of
their religion. They also taught the doctrine of the eucharist and the
trinity, and practiced circumcision.
The Chinese have a story or tradition of an incarnate God, Natigai,
who, like Christ, was both creator and mediator. His system of religious
faith taught the doctrine of special providences, future rewards
and punishments, a general judgment-day, the duty of humility or
self-abasement, and the moral and religious obligation to observe strict
temperate habits, and to devote our whole lives to God, &c.
The Chinese religion inculcates many beautiful and sublime moral
precepts, which we have not space to notice here.
The historical books of China, comprising a hundred and fifty volumes,
and called "The Great Annals," and recently translated by a scientific
Frenchman, have a regular chronology, beginning nearly two thousand six
hundred years before the period assigned for the creation of Adam. And
they have calculations in astronomy at that remote period. The learned
men of Europe have decided that they made the calculation of an eclipse
about seven hundred years before the time of Moses. These facts are
sufficient to prove the existence of their religion long anterior to the
time of Adam.
CONCLUDING INFERENCE.
In addition to the facts and authorities we have cited to show that the
Hindoo, Egyptian, Persian, and Chinese religions were all established
prior to that of the Jews, there are other facts which demonstrate the
absolute impossibility of any of these religions obtaining any of their
religious elements or doctrines from the Jews.
1. We find both the Jewish and Christian doctrine interwoven into
each one of those Oriental systems. Hence, if they borrowed one, they
borrowed both. But that is impossible: for the Christian system is known
to be much younger.
2. Those Oriental religions are all conservative in character; so that
there has been scarcely any perceptible change in their doctrines during
the thousands of years of their known existence. Hence their very nature
would preclude them from borrowing any new doctrines.
3. On the contrary, the Jewish mind has been very vacillating. A
disposition to change their religion has been constantly manifested
through their whole history. Such facts as these settle the question.
CHAPTER IX.--BIBLES
I. THE SOFFEES' BIBLE--THE MUSNAVI.
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