The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-01-18

of hands have suggested to the Salt
Lake Tribune an interesting article on
frauds practiced In the name of re-
ligion from which we take that which
follows.
The rame OF religion has been
appealed to in every age by men, some
of whom We're impostors, while others
were, no doubt, honestly self-deceived
and devoutly believed that they could
perform miracles. The oracles of
Greece and Rome were of the former
class. They professed not only an abil-
ity to foretell the future, but also a
power of healing diseases, though they
were careful to treat only such cases as
seemed, upon examination, likely to
yield to the treatment, while, whenever
the reputation of the establishment be-
gan 10 suffer. fictitious invalids and
cripples were brought into service to be
cured and shed renown on the temple.
its priests and presiding deity. The
most noted establishment of this kind
was the oracle of Delphi. whose fame
for healing was quite overshadowed by
its reputation for prophecy. Designed
to play on the credulity of mankind.
the famous Delphic oracle did 1t to the
fullest possible extent. Early in its
history, however, the miracle-curing
department was abandoned, being
|
of foretelling the future. The priests
did their work well. Every inhabitant
of the district under their control was
spy In their service, intent on learn
ing the business of the visitor. All
over Greece there We're men In their
pay, and when the council of a city
sent deputation to inquire the will of
heaven about a certain piece of busi-
ness the chances were that letter
preceded the delegation, giving their
names, native country and the nature
of the question they would ask, so that
the reply was ready before the commit
tee arrived. Every stranger was beset
with the creatures of the Delphic
priesthood. and, if possible. his errand
was wormed out of him by persons
whom he did not suspect. In case he
was not disposed to be confidential the
oracle was dumb. sometimes for weeks
at time, while guides, innkeepers and
their servants, and the whole popula-
tlon made efforts to solve the mystery.
If he finally remained obdurate and
seemed about to depart without an an
swer, the priests, rather than lose the
customary fee, caused the oracle to ut
ter one or another of the set phrases.
half negative. half affirmative, which
were kept in store for such emer-
gencles. So mercenary did the estab-
lishment become that 1t was used as
political tool. Demosthenes complained
that the oracle was on Phillips side; 1t
could not well be otherwise, for before
the trouble between Phillip and the
Greeks that monarch gave private no.
tice to the priests that he would burn
their city and pull down their temple
on the first utterance against MIN.
Among the Jews.
vr,.. Of
tory when the credulity of the chosen
people led them to turn an attentive
ear to any and every imposter who
desired to take advantage of the polit-
ical situation for his own benefit, 1t
was the stormy century from the be-
ginning of the Christian era to a. ID. l3t,
the close of the rebellion of the Bar
| Coch Bar. which ended in the utter ruin
of the province, the massacre of all the
Jews left in it and the proclamation OF
an edict' forbidding, under pain or
death, a Jew to enter Palestine Such
was the faulty of the people that they
were ready to listen to any impostor
who would promise them freedom from
the Roman yoke. Josephus gives the
names of number of men who at
tempted to play the part of national
deliverer. and every one, no matter how
shallow his DretensionS. tried to work
miracles in support of his authority and
to prove his claims to popular rever-
ence. They were alike in two respects,
that they all promised the people divine
interposition against the Romans, and
they all perished victims to Roman ven-
geance. A glance over the history Of
that day indicates a degree or popular
credullty that is absolutely incompre-
hensible. The most arrogant rogue.
,;, III l1y n
emotions and national pride of the Jew
ish people. could get a hearing and
gather a host of followers. From one
end of the Roman empire to the other
the turbulence of Palestine became a
proverb. Palestine was to Rome what
ireland formerly was to the British
empire, what Poland was to Russia, and
all because of the impostOrs who, un-
deferred by the fate of their predeces-
sors. constantly sprang up to call the
people to arms. No sooner had one re-
belljon been suppressed than another
arose. no sooner had one prophet been
beheaded than another was found
preaching in some out-of-the-way quar-
fer of the country. For nearly CEN
tury and n half scarcely a year passed
without an omen outbreak, led by some
one of these wonder workers. That
mapv were honest fanatics, who be-
iieved themselves called of God to de-
liver the nation. there can be no doubt; !;
brt among the number there were also
MANY designing Adventures, who
sought in social and political disturb
opce the advancement of personal ends
In reformation Times.
MI, .nrr, nc,isoment of religious and
MI ins thnnnht at the time of the
poiI.Ieu' arorn'ation Was the welI.im-
, nei iiiiai 80 s;n,, For tho annearance Of
proVeu s nai;,,ioms ;mnosters AS the
iost v, ns Tho ,nnvernent saws in
sleat 'T ,',s iattars ..the times seem TO
one VI ,;,,, NE ;,,,nosturec in swarms" II
pleeu ,iptn,a1,,, piou tue hs soon ns long
was sod .ae aS n,;;nin, hegsn tn feel it's own
repr,sseu r',s p,,ia up ha teschers and nraacb.
i.eeuonn mwu Wei ~ drnvas and no the
eIs ,, appeu .,,,,., ,ha,,, for nnhlic favor and
s.iils ';n, a;l,os 80 ,vo nv, nach tried Tn