Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1841-03-18

HuPNhl ChdHlDcTs, marriages., births, deaths,
sepulchres, trees, and gardens, they also APP
proprlated distinct and peculiar d%ei,ies. Their
principal celestial deities were Jupiter. Mars,
Mercury, Apollo, Bachus. Venus, Juno, and
Mlncrva-their terrestrial. Saturn, Ceres. Dia-
ma, Neptune, Cybelc. Prosperine. and Pluto.
Their chief idol was Jupiter, whom they call
ell the father of the gods and men and under
his authority, Neptune had the Jurisdiction Of
the sea, Juno, of the air, Cybelc, of the earth,
and Pluto, of the realms bcloic. Instead of wor-
shipping The iiring and immortal God, they
deiiied n host Of dead mcn, called heroes, dis
tingulshed for nothing so much as for murder,
adultery, sodom,, rapine, cruelty, drunken
ness, and all kinds of debauchery. To such
contemplate dlylnitIes splendid temples were
crected,N alterations addressed, costly offer
lngs presented, and rites and ceremonies per
formed, subverslve Of every principle of decen-
by and morality, and degrading to the reason
and character of man. A system of idolatry
OF a similar kind, though under a different
form. prevailed among the Egyptians. The
meanest and the most contemplate objects
sheep, cats, bulls, dogs, COWS. storks. apes,
vultures, and other birds of prey wolves, and
several sorts Of oxen, were exalted as objects
OF alteration. eff you 90 into Egypt says
Lucian, you will see Jupiter with the face of
n ram, Mercury as a fine dor, Pan is become
a goat another god is IBIS, another the croc-
odlle, and another the ape. There, many
shaven priests gravely tell us, that the gods,
being afraid of the rebellion of the giants, as
sumed these shapes Each city and district
in Egypt entertained a peculiar devotion to
some animal or other, as the object Of its ado
ration. The city of Lentopolis worshipped a
lion; the city of Mendez a goat; Memphis,
the apis; and the people Of the lake Myris
adored the crocodile. These animals were
maintained, in or near the temples, with deli
cate meats were bathed, anointed, perfum-
ed, had beds prepared for them and when
any of them happened to die, sumptuous fu-
nerals were prepared in honor of the god. OF
all these animals, the bull apis, was held in
the greatest veneration. Honors Of an extra
ordinary kind were conferred on him while he
lived, and his death gave rise to a general
mourning.
Such was the abomlnable idolatry that pre-
vailed even among the most enlightened ma.
tons of antiquity. They changed the glory
of the ~incorruptible God into the simllitudo
of an OK that eateth grass and into image,
made like to corruptiblc man, and to birds
and to four-footed beasts, and creeping things
And ifthe Egyptians, the Greeks, and the Ro'
mans, who were distinguished from the rest o
the world for their Improvements in literature
science, and the arts, had so far renowned
their allegiance to the true God, VIC may res
assured that the surrounding nations were
sunk still farther INTO the pollutions OF Idola
try and of mental debasement. The Pheni
clans, the Syrlans, the Canaanites, the Chal
deans and Babylonians, the Arabians, the
Scythians, the Ethiopians, and the Carthagin
ians, the ancient Gauls, Germans, and Brit
ons, were, If possible, more deeply debascd
and mingled with their idolatfous rites man,
cruel, obscene, and vile denominations. SucI
is still the moral dcbasement, even in modern
times, OF the greater part OF the nations which
dwell upon the earth. Even The Hindoos, tn,
Birmans, the Chinese, the Persians, and tn,
Japanese, though ranked :mong the most poi
ished nations of the heather world, are sun
into the grossest ignorance of the true Goo
and are found perpetratlng, in their religion
worship, deeds revolving TO humanity, an
stained with cruelty and injustice.
The morGi effects which were produced by
i, departure from this fundamental law of tn
Creator, were such as cores bonded with tn
denominations of that religious system who
was adopted. Man is an initiative being -
and he generally initiates the actions Of thos
! whom he conceives To be placed in n superio
RANK alu st1tlOl, w men. tnCFtIDTc, the zoo
were introduced TO his view as swollen sit
pride, mad with rage, fired with revenge, in
!, famed with lust, engaged in battles and con
. tests, dclighting in scenes Of blood and ra
y, pine. in hatred aud mutual contentious, an
> in all kinds Of riot and debauchery. IT was nal
:, ural to suppose that such passions and crime
lwould be initiated by their blinded voiarIei
!. Accordingly we find, that such vices unlyeI
- - " mr. vailed. even among the hottest ma
,stljon, of antiquity and some of their sacre
rites, slemaized in honor of their gods, wer
h so beas, isi nd shocking, as to excite horrc
,o in eyery Hlnn possessed Of the least sense {
decency and yituet Tsey gloried in the de'
., %olation and de.trpe iohg dfoeAghborlng nation
., To conquer, and ppress,fs BOD ensIave the
ed fellow-men, and TO ssrsndlze themselves b
Cd slaughter aud raplne, 'e~ the great obJec
y Of lheir ambition. TIN las Of klndness an