The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1860-11-16
Heathen Traditions of the After Life.

Tho traditions and oplniuns OF mankind
concerning The state after death. havoapart
from written revelation. 81 great a uniform.
ity, that tho candid enquirer must Of nc.
cessity attribute thom to ono fountain bead.
He may, If ho pleases. call this the voice of
nature; but the voice q. nature either
means the voice of God. or It means nothing.
Tho Egyptians represented tho soul as
brought, after death, into tho presence OF
its judge, attended by accusing aud ap.
proving spirits. Tho Gr,.rk mythology.
which was likewise adopted 10y their :mita.
tors in everything the Romans, carriod the
soul across tho river SIX, in th' boat Oi
Charon, to tho bar of Ihroo righteous
judges, under whose award ii passed to nj
appropriate abode, according TO its works
on Carth-those .n.
"Who suffered wounds
IN fghing for their counuy's cause; and priests
Who kept their souls uuapulttd whilst ueir lives
Endured; and piOus bnrtis who warbcd sriuins,
Did honor to Apolio those who polished
liie 10y Invented arts; and sacii as made
Their memories dear 10 others Ly their deeds
Oi goodness"
wero admitted to
The realms Of joy,
Delightful hounts Of never fading green,
The blessed seats IN graves nj happiness.
In purple glory"
Here lhoy gave themselves up to the
more rational pleasures of our nature, fol-
lowing, at tho same time, such paths to hap
pinoss, and such occupations. AS had been
doar to them in hfc But tho wicked were
cast down into hell, place Inhabited Oy
care. sorrow. disease. want, foar, hunger,
toll, &C., aud in which
- ~ bunlrnI fop0uoa
An hundred u ouihs, and speech by iron lungs
Inspired could not enumcra,e the names
OF all punishnenis"
The Scandinavians taught that the brave
were TO revol forever in the hulls of Val.
haIla. and drink mead. offered them by
maidens, from tho skulls of thcir enemies.
Somo of tho Pagan Arabs SAID. that Of tho
blood near tho brain a bird was formed,
which once 10 u coutury visited the scpul.
chrc; and others believed resurrection.
Tho first natives Of this continent seen by
tho Spaniards taught that tho souls of good
mon went TO pleasant valley, where all
kinds OF traits were abundant; aud that
tho doad walked abroad in tho night, and
Toasted with tho living. Charlcvox says
that tho Indians paid great regard to dreams
rs embracing an intercourse with spirits.
They imagined n paradise in the west, n
laOd whcro nature glowed with an eternal
snnsot. The MexicAns supposed threo
places for tho departed; the House of the
Sun, for such as foil ia battle, nr died cap
tives, and women who pcrished in child bed;
tho place of the God of Water. for the
drowned. for chifilrcn. and for those who
died Of dropsy. tumors, aud similar diseases,
or of accidental wounds; aud the place of
darkness, in the centre Of tho earth The
Patagonians, in mentioning the dead. call
then those who arc with God. and out OF
the world. The Tongo roopio suppose the
souls of their dead chiefs t. be II delightful
island OF shadows. Tho Yucatan"se repre-
sent tho abode of the good as pleasant
land OF plcnty. under the shade of u mighty
tree. The Chlckasaws believed that the
souls of rod mon walked up and down noar
tho place whore they died. o. were laid
and said they had often heard cries aud
noises where prisoners had boon burned
The Indians of Cumana supposed echo to
DO tho voice OF tho departed. 1t was q
common belief of tho Indians of America
that the spirits of the slain haunted their
tribe till they wore avenged.