The Chaldeans, as Mr. Higgins informs us, have noted in their sacred
books the account of the crucifixion of a God with the above name. He
was also known as "the Redeemer," and was styled "the Ever Blessed Son
of God," "the Savior of the Race," "the Atoning Offering for an Angry
God." And when he was offered up, both heaven and earth were shaken to
their foundations.
XV.--BALI OF ORISSA CRUCIFIED, 725 B. C.
We learn by the oriental books, that in the district of country known
as Orissa, in Asia, they have the story of a crucified God, known by
several names, including the above, all of which, we are told, signify
"Lord Second," having reference to him as the second person or second
member of the trinity, as most of the crucified Gods occupied that
position in the trial of deities constituting the trinity, as indicated
by the language "Father, Son, and Holy Ghost," the Son, in all cases,
being the atoning offering, "the crucified Redeemer," and the second
person of the trinity. This God Bali was also called Baliu, and
sometimes Bel. The Anacalypsis informs us (vol. i. 257) that monuments
of this crucified God, bearing great age, may be found amid the ruins
of the magnificent city of Mahabalipore, partially buried amongst the
figures of the temple.
XVI.--MITHRA OF PERSIA CRUCIFIED, 600 B. C.
This Persian God, according to Mr. Higgins, was "slain upon the cross to
make atonement for mankind, and to take away the sins of the world." He
was reputedly born on the twenty-fifth day of December, and crucified on
a tree. It is a remarkable circumstance that two Christian writers (Mr.
Faber and Mr. Bryant) both speak of his "being slain," and yet both omit
to speak of the manner in which he was put to death. And the same policy
has been pursued with respect to other crucified Gods of the pagans, as
we have shown elsewhere.
Our list is full, or we might note other cases of crucifixion. Devatat
of Siam, Ixion of Rome, Apollonius of Tyana in Cappadocia, are all
reported in history as having "died the death of the cross."
Ixion, 400 B. C., according to Nimrod, was crucified on a wheel, the
rim representing the world, and the spokes constituting the cross. It is
declared, "He bore the burden of the world" (that is, "the sins of
the world") on his back while suspended on the cross. Hence, he was
sometimes called "the crucified spirit of the world."
With respect to Apollonius, it is a remarkable, if not a suspicious
circumstance that should not be passed unnoticed, that several Christian
writers, while they recount a long list of miracles and remarkable
incidents in the life of this Cappadocian Savior, extending through his
whole life, and forming a parallel to similar incidents of the Christian
Savior, not a word is said about his crucifixion.
And a similar policy has been pursued with respect to Mithra and other
sin-atoning Gods, including Chrishna and Prometheus, as before noticed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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