6. _Inspiration by the Holy Ghost_ (Luke ii. 26.) "Holy men of God,"
including some of the prophets, are claimed to have been inspired by the
Holy Ghost (See 2 Peter i. 21; Acts xxviii. 25.) In like manner, as
we are informed by Mr. Cleland in his "Specimens" (see Appendix), the
ancient Celts were not only "moved by the Holy Ghost" in their divine
decrees and prophetic utterances, but they claimed that their Salic laws
(seventy-two in number) were inspired by the "Salo Ghost" (Holy Ghost),
known also as "the Wisdom of the Spirit, or the Voice of the Spirit."
This author several times alludes to the fact, and exhibits the proof,
that the doctrine of the Holy Ghost was known to this ancient people.
7. _The Holy Ghost imparted by "the laying on of hands_." This, too, is
an ancient oriental custom. "And by the imposition of hands on the head
of the candidate," says Mr. Cleland, speaking of the Celts, "the Holy
Ghost, or Holy Spirit, was conveyed." And thus was the Holy Spirit,
Ghost, Gas, Wind, Electrical Fire or Spirit of Authority imparted to the
hierophant or gospel novitiate. "And their public assemblies," continues
our author, "were always opened by an invocation to the Holy Ghost."
8. _Baptism by or into the Holy Ghost accompanied with fire_. (Matt.
iii. 11.) This rite, too, is traceable to a very ancient period, and was
practiced by several of the old symbolical and mythological systems.
The Tuscans, or Etrurians, baptized with fire, wind (ghost) and water.
Baptism into the first member of the Trinity (the Father) was with fire;
baptism into the second member of the Trinity (the Word) was with water;
while baptism into the third member of the Trinity (the Holy Ghost,
or Holy Spirit) consisted of the initiatory spiritual or symbolical
application of gas, gust, ghost, wind, or spirit. It appears from
"Herbert's Travels," that, in "ancient countries", the child was taken to
the priest, who named him (christened him) before the sacred fire after
which ceremony he was sprinkled with "holy water" from a vessel made of
the sacred tree known as "The Holme."
9. _The Holy Ghost imparted by breathing_. (See John xx. 22).
"Sometimes," says Mr. Higgins, relative to this custom among the ancient
heathen, "the priest blew his breath upon the child, which was then
considered baptized by _air, spiritus sanctus,_ or ghost--i. e., baptism
by the Holy Ghost." In case of baptism, a portion of the Holy Ghost
was supposed to be transferred from the priest to the candidate. "The
practice of breathing in or upon," says our author, "was quite common
among the ancient heathen."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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