The History of Ancient America, Anterior to the Time of Columbus: Proving the Identity of the Aborigines with the Tyrians and Israelites; and the Introduction of Christianity into the Western Hemisphere By The Apostle St. ThomasJones, George
History
The History of Ancient America, Anterior to the Time of Columbus: Proving the Identity of the Aborigines with the Tyrians and Israelites; and the Introduction of Christianity into the Western Hemisphere By The Apostle St. Thomas
Jones, George
America -- Antiquities; America -- Discovery and exploration -- Phoenician; Indians -- Origin
It will be observed that the above _Sculpture is the only one in
Stone_ in the interior of the Temple; and from the image of the Sun
suspended from the neck of the principal figure, whose countenance is
"calm and benevolent," and the richly-attired kneeling figure making
an offering, the Sculpture seems to represent the Apollo of the
Aborigines receiving a tributary gift. The "Table" underneath and in
front, is in the very position of an Altar-table, upon which may have
been placed the votive offerings of the living, in imitation of the
Sculpture above the Altar. In a similar manner the more modern altar
of the Christians is placed, for it is stationed beneath the
artistical object of worship or the tables of the Decalogue. A
painting over a Christian altar, of the Magii adoring the Infant
SAVIOUR, and thereby calling for similar worship from the living, will
completely illustrate the sculptured altar-piece of Palenque. We think
that this will be admitted, and being so it establishes that this
great edifice was one of the chief Temples of the Aborigines, erected
by them for the worship of their God of light and heat--viz., the Sun.
This may then have been the Mecca-shrine of the Kingdom, to which all
the nation made their annual pilgrimage; and especially do we believe
this to have been the case, from the fact of the _stucco_ being placed
upon the _stone_, and the former illustrating a later Religion than
that proved by the stone-sculpture; and the Religion being partially
changed (as will be shewn hereafter), still it was the chief Temple
for the assemblage of the people, and from which, perhaps, from the
Tower of the Temple, was promulgated not only any change in the form
of Religious worship, but also in the Laws of the country. Every thing
indicates that this edifice was the Aboriginal Temple of the Sun: if
it was the Palace, again would we ask, where is the Temple? for in all
ancient nations, the edifice in which was performed the Religion of
the country, was of more importance than any earthly residence.
Jerusalem, Athens, and Rome, possessed the Temple, the Parthenon, the
Capitol, and the Pantheon; Tyrus, Carthage, and Palmyra, their
gorgeous Temple to Apollo (_i. e._ the Sun); Italy, England, and
France, justly boast of their Churches sacred to St. Peter, St. Paul,
and the Mother of the Saviour!--and the great Mahommedan family point
with religious joy to the Shrine at Mecca; and why then should the
Aborigines of the Western Hemisphere be an exception?
The jewelled Temples of the Sun (_i. e._ of Apollo), that in Mexico
and Peru tempted the blood-stained feet of Cortez and Pizarro, were
but the types of the original at Palenque; for the latter was in ruins
when the Spanish pirates landed, and none of their historians even
allude to the desolation of past ages, so engrossed were they with
that of their own!
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