THE age in which Christ flourished, as before remarked, was pre-eminently an age of miracle. The practice of thaumaturgy, and the legends invested with the display of the miracle-working power, both preceding and subsequent to that era, rose to a great height. "All nations of that time," says a writer, "were mightily bent on working miracles." And the disciples who acted the part of biographers for the various crucified Gods and sin-atoning Saviors, throughout the East, seemed to vie with each other in setting off the lives and histories of their favorite objects of worship respectively, with marvelous exploits and the pageantry of the most astounding prodigies. And the miracles in each case were pretty much of the same character, thus indicating a common course for their origin,--all probably having been cast in the same mold--in the theological schools of the once famous, world-renowned city of Alexandria, the capital of Egypt. Having, in the preceding chapters, presented the miraculous achievements of the Hindoo Gods, Chrishna and Saki, we will here bring to notice those of other Gods. THE MIRACLES RECORDED OF ALCIDES, OSIRIS, AND OTHER GODS OF EGYPT. 1. We have the miraculous birth by a virgin in the case of Alcides. 2. Osiris, while a sucking infant in his cradle, killed two serpents which came to destroy him. 3. Alcides performed many miraculous cures. 4. According to Ovid he cured by a miracle the daughter of Archiades. 5. Also the wife of Theogenes, after the doctors had given her up. 6. And both these Gods converted water into wine. 7. Both of them frequently cast out devils. 8. Julius declares Alcides raised Tyndarus and Hippo-litus from the dead. 9. When Zulis was crucified, the sun became dark and the moon refused to shine. 10. Both he and Osiris were resurrected by a miracle. 12. Both ascend to heaven in sight of many witnesses. 12. And finally we are told that from Alexandria the whole empire became filled with the fame of these miracle-workers, who restored the blind to sight, cured the paralytic, caused the dumb to speak, the lame to walk, &c. All these miracles were as credibly related of these Gods as similar miracles of Jesus Christ. MIRACLES PERFORMED BY PYTHAGORAS AND OTHER GODS OF GREECE. 1. Pythagoras was a spirit in heaven before he was born on earth. 2. His birth was miraculously foretold. 3. His mother conceived him by a specter (the Holy Ghost). 4. His mother (Pytheas) was a holy virgin of great moral purity. 5. Plato's mother, Paretonia (says Olympiodorus), conceived him by the God Apollo. 6. Pythagoras in his youth astonishes the doctors by his wisdom. 7. Was worshiped as the "Son of God," "Paraclete," "Child of Divinity," &c. 8. Coaid see events many ages in the future (says Richardson, his biographer). 9. Could bring down the eagle from his lofty height by command. 10. Could approach and subdue the wild, ferocious Daunian bear. 11. Could, like Christ, appear at two places at once.