North Park union., 1902-02-07
FRIDAY. FEBRUARY 7. 1902.
cHRIsrMAs-No. 4.

CHR RISTMAS-NO. 4.
HAVING OBSERVED THATit had
become . custom for the ancients to
depend on the recurrence OF the
lapse Of time that constituted their
cycles or neroses, and that six hun
dred years, or about that time, was
fixed time to produce an ayatsr,
or Goldman, they also argued that
when the sun had completed its
entire passage through one constlel-
lation or about 1000 years some
placed 1t at 2l6O years; still greater
physical changes would occur and
also corresponding celestial changes,
but always these phys,ca phenome-
ma would be accompanied by new
incarnation OF Deity. Aud that when
the completion of the suns passage
through the twelve consultations,
then would occur the final judgment
day. The time necessary to accom-
plish this stupendous cycle being
about $4,000 years. But rs these
natural and certain cycles would roll
round, the ply Steal changes on the
earth would result in placing what
had been the North Pole to the east
and tho original east would occupy
the place of arc and desolation, the
tabled Gahenna OF lost souls. This
would occur about every six thou
sand years, and four OF these great
cycles would usher in the great and
final day of judgment. "The elements
would melt with fervent heat, the
heaveus shrivoltogcther like q scroll,
and all the gorgeous pageantry of an
apocalyptic millennium set in.
Tho visions of an Ezekiel, Daniel,
and John, would find their realiza-
lion in the awful wrecks OF time and
space; but athe new heaven and the
new earth" would, phunix-likc, spring
up from the ashes of u destroyed
world, and the reign of triumphant
Messiah would inaugnrate the long
promised kingdom of heaven upon
earth, sending creation forward on
its path of inconceivable glory
through the unknown cycles OF ctcrn
ity."
euch was the opinions and prophe
sies of the pagan philosophers Ions
before the advent OF any well au-
thentluated divine revelation to thu
Hebrews. Let us quote few
thoughts from Emma Hardinge Brit
Tan, once a sincere christian, but lat
er conscientious searcher aftel
the truth where ever found, on chris
tian or on heathen ground. She says
"rhe more diligently We search in-
to the source of theological aiilrma
tions, tho more inevitably We are
driven to the conclusion that religi
Gus rites ana personages are embodied
astronomical ideas only. Thus,
The ancients taught that day ant
night, as the symbols Of good ant
evil, must be ruled over by good and
evil angels All the divisions Of
time, like the hours and seasons
though foundrd upon astral order
were assumed to have a moral cores
pondence in human action, and be in
iiusnced by tutelary angels from the
realms OF light or darkness. The
days OF the week were dedicated te
planets, which subsequently, became
identified with the gods supposed to
rule them. Months we're but the
records Of lunar journeys; seasons
the nilestones which marked the so
lar highway; Neroses of years, centur
ies, and ages, were regarded as in
oidents in the life and labours of a
sun deity; and the whole order Of the
heavens constituted the scenes, acts
and personages OF a grand drama, in
which the earth was the stage, the
consultations the drnniutis persona
isdnity the scene, and eternity the
psisod Of action. In word, theolo.
Is, with all Its rites and mysteries
il astronomy in action, and ,ecclesias
ticfsm is the play, composed Of its
legends and myths inpersonated I"