4. Holy Ghost, Holy Breath and Holy Wind appear to have been synonymous
and convertible terms for the living vocal emanations from the mouth of
the Supreme God, as memorialized in several of the pagan traditions.
The last term (Holy Wind) is suggested by "the mighty rushing wind from
heaven" which filled the house, or church, on the day of Pentecost. (See
Acts ii. 2.) Several of the old religious systems recognize "the
Holy Wind" as a term for the Holy Ghost. The doxology (reported by a
missionary) in the religious service of the Syrian worship runs thus:--
"Praise to the Holy Spiritual Wind, which is the Holy Ghost;
Praise to the three persons which are one true God."
Some writers maintain that the Hebrew _Ruk Aliem._ translated "Spirit of
God" (Gen. i. 2) in our version, should read, "Wind of the Gods." And
we find that the word _pneuma_ of our Greek New Testament, is sometimes
translated "Ghost" and sometimes "Wind," as best suited the fancy of the
translators. In John iii. 5, we find the word Spirit, and in verse eight
both Wind and Spirit are found; and in Luke i. 35, we observe the term
Holy Ghost--all translated from the same word. Let it be specially
noted that in the Greek Testament the word _pneuma_ is used in all these
cases, thus proving that Spirit, Holy Ghost and Wind are used in the
Christian Scriptures as synonymous terms; and proving, also, that an
unwarranted license has been assumed by translators in rendering the
same word three different ways. M. Auvaroff, in his "Essays on the
Eleusinian Mysteries," speaks of "the torch being ignited at the command
of Hermes of Egypt, the spiritual agent in the workshop of creation,"
relative to which statement a writer remarks, "Hermes appears in
this instance as a personification of Wind or Spirit, as in the
bible (meaning the Christian bible), God, Wind and Spirit are often
interchangeable terms, and the Word appears to be from the same windy
source."
5. _The Holy Ghost as "a tongue of fire, which sat upon each of
them" (the apostles)_. (See Acts. ii. 3.) Even this conception is an
orientalism. Mr. Higgins tells us that "Budha, an incarnate God of the
Hindoos (three thousand years ago), is often seen with a glory or tongue
of fire upon his head." And the tradition of the visible manifestation
of the Holy Ghost by fire was prevalent among the ancient Budhists,
Celts, Druids and Etrurians. In fact, as our author truly remarks, "The
Holy Ghost, or Holy Spirit, when visible, was always in the form of fire
(or a bird), and was always accompanied with wisdom and power." Hence,
is disclosed the origin of the ancient custom amongst the Hindoos,
Persians and Chaldeans, of making offerings to the solar fire, emblem of
the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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