The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-05

ancient peoples DO i.yed In n. Cyril said that
a man who denied immortality had eaten Of
tho root which made the reason prisoner.
Plato Tim, q xii. ~: Phillsb., .. 18l nscribes
ali mis- knowledge OF God and the soul to the
ancients. to the barbarlans. viz. Chaldoes. ana
TO the Egyptian priests. Aristotle Met. xii.
~ traces belief In God to the gray mists OF
antiquity. There 10 a similarity In all religions
and beliefs, and hence they must have the
same origin. But the divine Plato and his
master were nrst to put philosophy on a prac-
teal basis. Hence the clearness with which
they speak OF Immortality. II IL true that
pla;o's doctrines OF the atar-soul system.
the pre-existence OF souls. his theory that
the universe Is an animal having body
and soul and his fanclful cosmogony appear
absurd to US to-day. but We must not forget
what Eusebius In his ''Preparutio Evan
g-lica" says OF the great philosopher: Plato
alone OF all tho Greeks had arrived at the ves-
tlbule OF truth. and stood at Its very portals:
that Augustine in City Of God" expresses his
admiration for his gigantic intellect. and that
the name OF his admirers In legion, and that
the illustrious Gladstone pours forth q flood
OF eloquence on tho great divine whose length
ening years have been but ono growing
srlendor. and who at the last has left lofty
name. a light. a landmark on the cliff. Of fame.
The Christian apologists claimed that Chris
tianity was not entirely new. Its foundations
arc found In the Old Testament. The prophets.
said they. were before Socrates anil Plato.
Moses before Homer. The apologists claimed
that Eastern traditions. A. Plato and Herod-
otus admitted. were the we'll head OF Greek
wisdom. and they tried to show that the Crock
philosophy came from tho Old Testament.
Christianity Is progressive Prudsntius. p.ri,t {;
symm.. II. 272: Ambrose. Ep. 1857.
49, t..l- NANA L-.lI A.
had q great deal OF truth mixed with error.
Justin taught that all IN whom the loRos en-
tered were Christians. He considered Hsracli-
tus and Socrates as Chr Istians. and so do I.
The New Testament was given In the Garden
Of Eden. the Old on tho Mount. Hence tho
New was before tho Cd. Moreover. I believe.
/ hope Mr.. Higgins will not be scandalizsl
that Socrates IL In heaven. for he died
martyr for the unity ~ the one true
God. Some OF tho fathers ca m that such men
were baptized In lin DO by the Apostles. origen
and Clement taught practically the same as
Justin. The great Augustine tRetrsct. I. 13).
says that Christianity existed during the In
tsrval that elapsed between the beginning OF
the human race and the coming OF Christ.
Whom Christ came ths true religion. already
existing. began to be called Christian. In fact.
We see fragments OF truth among all people.
aud her footprints on the sands Of oil TINA.
The truths Of Christianity are found Ia germ In
paganism. Zoroastsr. Buddha, Confucius and
the founders OF all religious communities pro-
pared the way for Christ. Henthenism and
Judaism made straight the paths Of Christie
anity.
The Book Of the Dead. Buddha. Con tucius.
Socrates and Plato taught Christian doctrines {"
The Book OF the Dead. translated by Birch,
contains 148 chapters. and fail to see the
Christian's own doctrines on i'm m rtality In
them. Tho authors are unknown. Ii Ia
simply = liturgy. not a theo logical treatise. The
authors speak OF two hostile iivlnities striv lng
for the souls OF the departed. and tho authors
evidently believed In the trausm igra,ion OF
souls. Forty-two deties stood by when the
souls deeds were weighed In tho balance. &c.
Let US have chapter and verse wherein 10
taught the Christian doctrine OF immo TALLY
have already dispose OF Plato. | wish
readers OF THE SuN to note that II II not very
easy to say what Plato taught on some o, matters.
Philosophers are still wrsngling over the quss-
ton whether he ever arrived at tho knowledge
OF the true God. whether he held ideas to be-
distinct entities and real existenc.s. indepsnd-
ent OF tho human mind and vine intelligence
they having served as eternal patterns accord
ing to which God moulded and framed every
thing: hut there 10 no philosopher who denies
OF souls. Buidhn. may observe. il q title
meaning wise Buddhism 10 based on tho AS.
sumption that human existence Ia a curse not
blessing. and on the doctrine OF the transmit
grafton OF sous. According to Buddhist be lief
man 10 i'm mediately born again when he d es
aud he appears in new shape. according
to his merit or demerit. Some souIa are y acsd
In slaves. plants. or disgusting animals. Some
are bora in one OF the l36 Buddhist hells. stu
atsd In tho interior 81 tho earth: others arc
horn as blessed spirits. or ev-u divlIitles In
one Of the many heavens This truly IL not
Christian. Perhaps Mr. higgins has writings
OF tho Buddhists that l have not access to.
Give us chapter aud verse anil edition OF tn,
hooks. For those who wish to see the subject
in all its phases. read Winiischrnan. History OF
Phil: Won Drey. Apol.: Girorcr. Prim His
tory; BumNlIer. Hist. OF Bah. Schlegel. Phil Of
Hist; Wssman. Revealed Religion. vol. H. 4;
Schell. Phil. Max Miller. vol. l., =. 2l2: Cyclic
p5edia OF Knowl.: and any good encyclo-
p9dia.
CONFEDERATION doubts the existence OF tho
next world. but lauds the present. A great
many say. however. that school believed a. all
the Orientals be loved. viz. in tho trausmigra-
ton ~ souls. Perhaps Mr. Higgins can en-
Tighten US. but ask for the word. In which the
Christians own doctrine is taught and the
r.
Clarke. Ten Great Religions" vol. l.. p. 5sl
that In the West the true saint must be looked
for. He was looked for there. and he came.
and all the kings Of the earth adorsd him. and
kings walked In the brightness OF his rising.
And to-day tho light shines In darkness. an
the darkness com prehends II not
But shall grant. for thu sake OF argum emit
that Christianity borrowed the doctrine OF i'm
mortality from the pagans. Surely It docs not.
therefore. folio that the Christian doctrine Is
fnls.. The reader must rsms Der that Il Is
not Christianity that is on trial. but tina asssr-
tons OF the French encyclopel SITS and Vol
taire Schopenhnuer and Kant, given to THE
SUNS readers by Mr. Higgins. Hence the OBJ
jsctions have not even the charm OF novelty
Listen to that profound thinker. Schlegsl
CPhilosophy OF History" n. 1874. Bohn's
Transl: The enemies OF Christianity
since the time OF Voltare have not failed
at the namo OF BonzIs to throw out
many malicious epigrams against re-
ligion. The similarity OF Christianity to
the religion OF Fo Is not real. but Ia that carl
caturo resemblance the ape bears to man: for
~.