Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1893-03-17
WAS HE A MYTH:
AN lCONOCLAST'S VIEW OF THE
ORIGIN OF CHRISTIANITY.

lie Does Not Believe That the Sav.
iOur Ever Lived or That There ia
Amy Solid Ground for the Chris.
ttan Religion.
Ed. STANDARD:
AS the theological question was pro.
pounded and discussed 10y the Rev. J.
j. McCallum, viz: Was Jesus myth?
the writer, having outgrown the
mythical teachings of early life, would
like to ask a few questions in relation
to the matter.
Passing by the sermon published as
being very we'll OF its kind, would
ask what evidence does history furnish,
aside from the New Testament, that
| such a person as Jesus of Nazareth
ever existed? Historians OF the first
two centuries OF our era would GER
tainly have mentioned him had he ex-
listed as alleged. Lecky, in his History
of European Morals, speaking of Chris
tianity, says: Plutarch and the elder
Pliny. who probably surpass all other
writers OF their time in the range of
their illustrations, and Seneca, who
was certainly the most illustrious NOR
alist of his age, never even mention it."
Volume l, page 357. DIR. Lardner,
an eminent critic and commentator,
complains that Philostratus, one of
the historians of the second century,
in his history Of Appolonius of Tyana,
never speaks of Jesus or even of any
Christians whatever. Appolonius is
said by Philostratus to have been q
wonder worker, of worldwide repute.
He healed the sick, restored sight to
the blind, was wise teacher, and even
raised from the dead certain Roman
lady of noble birth. He would have
been considered rival to Jesus, for
he visited Jerusalem about the same
time that Jesus is said to have been
engaged in his public work. The only
difference is, that Appollonius is an
historical character, and Jesus is not.
This can prove by the admissions Of
our best Christian writer's.
The eminent Richard Watson, in
his Theological Institutes, the text
book of the Methodist clergy, when
writing on the evidences of Christian.
ity, says Il quote from memory
"The only direct reference in all his.
tory to Jesus Christ is in Josephus,"
And he admits that that short para.
graph, that would make out Josephua
to be Christian rather than Jew, is
believed by eminent scholars to be an
Interpolation, and was never penned
by JOsephus at all. Of course there
are indirect references in several other
histories to Christians, etc., interpola-
tions prove the existence OF the Chris
tian church at an earlier period than
the truth would warrant.
1t is agreed without question that
when Mahomedanism was started,
Mahomet, during the seventh cen.
tury, entered a cave and wrote the
Koran. No councils were convened
from century TO century to contend
and wrangle over it, as to which books
were genuine or spurious. 1t was re-
ceived on its merits, and passed on
down to posterity unaltered and un-
challenged. Not so with Christianity.
The first two centuries were blanks.
1t, the church, made but little progress
in the third century. And from the
Council of Nice, A. d. 1926, on to the
Council of Chalcedon, A. D. 451, when
the present books OF the New Testa.
ment were finally agreed upon, many
Of the books had been rejected as
spurious by former Councils. l refer
to Adam Clarke's Commentaries and
to standard ecclesiastical histories for
affirmation OF these statements. The
usual mode of proving the truth of
Christianity is by claiming that the
New Testament is authentic history
itself. On that ground, the book of
Mormon will be all-sufficient proof of
the truth OF Mormonism 500 years
hence.
The truth is, all systems Of religion
are outgrowths of older ones. Chris
tianity is compound of Buddhism,
Platonism, Gnosticism and other
shades of belief. The idea of virgin.
born deities was q common belief
among many nations. The ambitious
priesthood of Pagan Rome, who under
took to start a new religion, might
have rendered better service to man.
kind, had they not claimed despotic
power and authority for themselves.
Whatsoever we bind on earth shall
be bound in Heaven" and whatso-
ever we loose on earth shall be loosened
in Heaven" Such passages as those,
and many Others, so that mankind
might be subservient to their behests,
have sadly msrred the beauty and
symmetry of the Golden Rule, the Ser.
mon on the Mount, and probably the
greater part Of the gospels and epistles
which Appollonious is said to have
brought from India, and which We as
a people have been taught from our
infancy to revere as a revelation from
God. B. F. Brown.
The Carterites, q religious band in
COloma, Mich, are casting out devils
by a system OF worrying and abusing
the persons supposed to be possessed. F"
The people are rising to put d stop to
these practices which have in some
| instances become 40 OutrapeOuS as 70