Adonis of Greece was addressed as "God Supreme," and Osiris of Egypt as
"the Lord of Life." In Phrygia, it was "Lord Atys," as Christians say,
"Lord Jesus Christ" Narayan of Bermuda was styled the "Holy Living God."
The title "Son of God" was so common in nearly all religious countries
as to excite but little awe or attention.
St. Basil says, "Every uncommonly good man was called 'the Son of God.'"
The "Asiatic Researches" says, "the Tamulese adored a divine Son of
God," and Thor of the Scandinavians was denominated "the first-born Son
of God" and so was Chrishna of India, and other demigods.
It requires, therefore, a wide stretch of faith to believe that
Jesus Christ was in any peculiar sense "the Son of God," because so
denominated, or "the only begotten Son of God," when so many others are
reported in history bearing that title.
The title Savior is found in the legends of every religious country. So
also God, Redeemer, and Mediator. "When a Mogul or Thibetan is asked
who is Chrishna," says the Christian missionary Hue, "the reply is,
instantly, 'the Savior of men.'" Budha was known as "the Savior, Creator
and Wisdom of God," and Mithra as both Mediator and Savior, also as "the
Redeemer," and Chrishna as "the Divine Redeemer," also "the Redeemer
of the World." The terms Mediator and Intercessor were also frequently
applied to him by his disciples. And both he and Quexalcote were hailed
as "the Messiah." In short, most ancient religious nations were honored
with or expected a Messiah.
Was Jesus Christ the "Lamb of God?" (John i. 9.) So was Chrishna styled
"the Holy Lamb." The Mexicans, preferring a full-grown sheep, had their
"Ram of God." The Celts had their "Heifer of God," and the Egyptians
their "Bull of God." All these terms are ludicrous emblems of Deity,
representing him as a quadruped, as the title "Lamb of God" does Jesus
Christ, a term no less ludicrous than the titles of the pagan Gods as
cited above.
And was Christ "the True Light?" (John i. 9.) So was Chrishna likewise
called "the True Light," also "the Giver of Light," "the Inward Light,"
etc. Osiris was "the Redeemer of Light," and Pythagoras was both "Light
and Truth." Apollonius was styled the "True Light of the World;" while
Simon Magus was called "the Light of all Men."
Several nations had also their Christs, though in many cases the word is
differently spelled. Chrest, the Greek mode of spelling Christ, may
be found on several of the ancient tombstones of that country. The
Christian writer Elsley, in his "Annotations of the Gospels" (vol. i. p.
25), spells the word Christ in this manner, Chrest The people of
Loretto had a black Savior, called Chrest, or Christ. Lucian, in his
"Philopatris," admits the ancient Gentiles had the name of Christ, which
shows it was a heathen title. The Chaldeans had their Chris, the Hindoos
their Chrishna, the Greeks their Chrest, and the Christians their
Christ, all, doubtless, derived from the same original root.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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