The Portland daily press., 1878-04-29
Astrological Significance OF the Days Of
the Week.

There is one feature of the hoary astrology
which is probably almost as ancient as any
portion OF the science, yet which remains, even
to the present day, and will probably remain
for many years to come. 1 refer to the intlu.
ence which the planets were supposed to exert
on the successive hours of every day-a belief
from which the division of time into weeks of
seven days each unquestionably had its origin
though we may concede that the subdivision of
the lunar month into four equal parts was also
considered in selecting this convenient meas.
ure OF time. Every hour had its planet; and di-
VldiDg twenty-four by seven, we get three and
three over; whence, each day containing twen-
ty-four hours it follows that in each day the
complete series of seven planets was run
through three times and three planets of the
next series was used. Now, the order of the
planets was that of their distances, as indicated
above. Saturn came first, then Jupiter, Mars.
the 5 IN, Venus, Mercury and the Moon. Be-
ginning with Saturn, as ruling the first hour Of
Saturn's day Saturday., we get through the
above series three times and have for the last
three hours Of the day, Saturn, Jupiter and
Mars. Thus the next hour, the first hour of
the next day belongs to the Sun-Sunday fol-
through the series, and the three remaining
hours are governed by the sun, Venus, and
Mercury-eiving the moon as the first planet
for the next day. Monday thus follows Sunday.
The last three hours OF Monday are ruled by
the moon, Saturn and Jupiter, leaving Mars to
govern the next day-Martis dies, Mardi, Tues
day, or Tusco's day. Proceeding in the same
way we get Mercury for the next day, Mercurii
dies, Mercredi, Wednesday, or Woden's day;
Jupiter for the next day, Jovis dies, Jeudi,
Thursday, o. Thor's day. Venus for the next
day; Veners dies, Veudredi, Friday, or Freya's
day, and 50 we come to Saturday again. The
period of seven days, which had its origin in
and derived its nomenclature from astrological
ideas shows by its wide prevalence how widely
astrological superstitions were once spread
among. the nations As Whewell remarks,
(though, for reasons which will readily be
understood, he was by no means anxious to
dwell upon the true origin of the Sabbatical
week. "the usage is found over all the East;
1t existed among the Arabians, Assyrians and
Egyptians. The same week is found
in India among the Brahmips; it has
there also its days marked by the names of the
heavenly bodies; and it has been ascertained
that the same day has, in that country, the
name corresponding with its designation in
other nations . The period has oone
on without interruption or irregularity from the
INC cdriiosb rtCOrueQ tlmeS to our daye.
traverslng the extent of ages, and the revolu-
tons OF empires; the names Of ancient deities.
which were associated with the stars were re-
placed by those of the objects of the worship of
our Ieutonlc ancestors, according to their views
OF the correspondence of the two mythologes:
and the Quakers, in rejecting these names of
days, have cast aside the most ancient
existing rule of astrological as well as
idolatrous superstition" Not only do the
names remain, bat some of the obseryauces
connected with the old astrological systems
remain even to this day. As ceremonies de-
rived from Pagan worship are still continued,
though modified in form and with a different
Interpretation, in Christian aud especially
Roman Catholic observances so among the
jews and among Christians the rites aud cere-
monies of the old Egyptian and Chaldean
assrology are still continued, though no logger
Interpreted as of yore The great Jewish
lawgiver and those who followed him seem.
Tor example. to have recognized the value of
regular periods of rest (whether really required
by man or become a necessity through
long habit, but to have been somewhat in
doubt how best to continue the practice in
thus sanctioning the superstitions with which
1t had been connected. At any rate, two diff
ferent and inconsistent interpretations were
given in the earlier and later codes of law. But
whether the jews accepted the Sabbath be-
cause they believed that an all powerful Being
having created the world in six days, reanred
and took rest C'and was refreshed on the sew
enth, as stated ia Exodus (xxii. and Xxx. ~,
=
departure from Egypt, as stated in Deuterono-
my ". 15), there can be no question that
among the Egyptians the Sabbath or Saturn's
Day was day of resi- because of the malignant
nature of the powerful panet-deity who pre-
sided over that day. Nor can it be seriously
doubted that the Jews, descended from the old
Chaldeans, among whom Gas appears from the
stone Inscriptions recently discovered) the very
word Sabbath was in use for the seventh day of
rest connected with astrological observances,
were familiar with the practice even before
their soiourn in Egypt. They had then proba-
bly, regarded it as a superstltious practice to be
eschewed, like those idolatrous observances
which had caused Terah to remove with Abra-
ham and Lot from Ur of the Chaldees. At auy
rate, we find no mention of the seventh day Of
rest as religious observance until after the ex-
odus. 1t was not their only religious observ-
ance having in reality an astrological origin.
Indeed, if we examine the Jewish sacrfcial
system, as described in Numbers xviii. and
elsewhere, we shall find throughout q tacit ref
erence to the motions or Influences of the celes-
tial bodies. There was the morning and even-
ing sacrifice, guided by the movements of the
sun; the Sabbath offering, determined by the
predominance of Saturn; the offering of the
new moon, depending on the motions of the
moon; and, lastly, the Paschal sacrifice. de-
pending on the combined movements of the
sun and moon-made, in fact, during the luna
tion following the suns passage of the equator
at the rising sign of Aries.