, 1874-11-08

vided into four parts. In the first part, he in
troduces Jewish Rabbi to attack Christianity
from tho standpoint Ct the Jewish faith. In the
second, he himself attacks the Jewish religion,
for which he has no more respect than for the
Christian. In the third, he essays q refutation
Of the main Christian doctrines, one sfter an-
other. In the fourth, and last, he defends
Heathenism as opposed to Christianity. CELSIUS
does not admit the Jews into the ranks OF civil
lied or cultured natlons. Still less will be allow
the Christians that honor. Christ he Accuses OF
having been deceiver and an adept in the arts Of
magic. He cannot conceal his disgust with the
uncomfortable crowd who constitute the Christian
Church, with their modes OF proBelytlsm+ and
their pitiable contcmpt for tho images OF the
gods. Their indifference to the cause Of the ua-
ton and to the Commonwealth 2rouse his indig-
nation and his patriotism. It he had ever OBJ
served anything Of good in the Christians OF hid
time, he takes care not to mention it. Judaism
be looked upon IA the first step In an apostacy
from the national gods, Christianity asecond and
q lower. He finds that rs people the Jews nevez
accomplished anything worth recording; that
they inhabited only small corner Of the world,
aud were never distinguished above other na-
tlons. either by position or by virtue. Strange it
would be. he holds, il such people we're Gods
chosen children, - they had tho impudence to
claim Compared with the Christians, however,
the JenB are estimated superior people. The
Christians, having and belonging to no nation,
we're like = set Of yagrAnts- There Was in Chris
tianity nothing ancient nothing venerable or
more honorable than the dogs aud goats OF the
Egyptians. Their great Church vns made
up Of recruits from the lowest orders OF society,
nf ~ md r1,f 10
the uneducAted, and the vicious. The person Of
Christ he paints in the very darkest colors. He
was born out OF wedlock, OF common woman,
learned the magic art in Egypt, performed his
wonders, and declared Himself to bo God by
its means conRregAted shout him the basest Of
men; with them led vagabond Kind OF life;
vas condemned to death by his nation and aban-
donel by His disciples, who showed them
selves mora faithless to him than 4 band Of rob-
bere to their chief. The special doctrines Of
Christianity he rejects as absurd and imposA
bic, OF the incredibility OF the Incarnation. he
has said al that science cah say. God, he tells
us, does not come down to earth He does not
leave His throne, God does not become
enamorcd Of zustie maiden, nor dwell in a
mortal woman He Is not powerless before q
carpenter, nor needs He the assistance Of angels.
116 AD6s AUb GAk% A6 AEENo 0o fu4It- LIZ ~ ~
slave. He does not hide himself, nor dee. nor
tremble At death; cannot be chastised, nor
despised; is not subject to sickness or death,
prophets to the contrary notwithstanding. He
cannot be betrayed OF the Resurrection,
CELSIUS says that, had Christ arisen. he would
have shown himself first Of al to his enemies,
not secretly to his Disciples.
The fundamental error both Of Judaism aud
-, fn H. ,at;n
that all things were made for man--in other
words, the anthropocentrio theory Of the uni
verse. This error he attacks with all the weight
Of his learning, and sill the bitterness Of his
sarcasm. He compares the Jews aud Christians
to meeting OF frogs croaking out: Everything
reveals God to us. God leaves the whole uni
versa, and settles down among us. He never
intermits Bending us messages. in order that VIC
may be with Him forever. And SO the worms
say: There is God. After Him We are next in
importance. We come from Him. and are made
in His image. All things are subject to us, and
serve u.s. And so say the Jew and the Christian,
All things are made for our service In the Old
Testament it Is related how He gave his loved
ones asses, and sheep, and camels, and how He
dug wells for them, etc. Tired OF chastising the
wicked and of threatening them, He at last, ~ il
waking from 4 dream, comes down, or sends His
Son, to punish the bad and reward the good.
CELSIUS will not admit that God has any care OF
the details OF this world, or that man ia any
dearer TO him than the meauest aud lowest
creature The world was not made for man moro
than for the worm- It ia remarkable how like to
CELSIUS objection to Christianity in this pazticu
lar are those raised in our day by certain dis
ciples Of Darwin.
Celsus' argument may be characterized as an
effort to destroy Christianity By demonstrating
that the account Of his birth Of q virgin is fe-
ton; that the SUCCESS OF Christianity was due 70
deception, practiced first by Christ and then By
his Disciples Christianity itself he considered
dangerous and Revolutionary. It's doctrines had in
them nothing original but were = mosaic OF
scraps from sl1 the religions Of tho world. BE
accused its adherents of excluding from among
them the wise aud the good. Ho takes issue
With them on Ill the main points OF their faith.
He attempts. too, to chow the reasonableness Of
Heathenism, and tho necessity OF worshiping
the CODA. No book written in ancient times
against Christianity had 80 much interest for
scholars as that Of CELSIUS Its restoration by
Theodor Keim is an achievement for which all
lovers Of antiquity will thank him. 1t is impoa-
sible to close it without realizing that there is
moro in Christianity than was dreamt OF in the
philosophy OF Celsus- Had there not been, it
would not have kept on progressing up to the
present as II CELSIUS had never lived or written
his Alsthes Logos.
The Hotel Frankfurt.
Thu above ts the name Of elegant hotel which
opened under tho most auspices list evening
By Henry Berg, Esq. m experienced and careful
host, who has tho assistance OF tasteful wife aud
daughters. Ths building is the hAndaoe four-story
on ths southeast corner ,of Randolph
stree. and Fifth avenue location alike convenient to
tle travelling public and city guests. Tho
hotel occupies three extensive floors, and, be-
Edes finely lyfurnished parlors, reading-rooms,