Blue-grass blade., 1908-05-31

AnoouooiuS IL is only Wnen tneSe, and all
otner circumstances of the case are duly
realized, that we have right to inauire how
much the essential doctrines of Christianity
contributed to the victory, and what share
must be assigned to the organization of the
church."
Prof. Harnack asks why did not the
Neoplantonists set up an Independent re.
ligious community? 1t had entirely re-
modelled the ancient religions with a view
to their restoration. Why was Neoplaton-
ism defeated by Christianity
We claim it was not; only the name was
changed to Christianity, to correspond with
thehame OF the mythical savior Christ Chres-
tos, Christus or Christina, the Hindoo savior
copied by the Neoplatonists, who, when they
were fathers of the church, brought gospels
from India. How does it happen, if this be
not true, that the birth and infancy of both
myths are identical? The Christ of the in
fancy is wholly different representation
from the Jesus, of the one to three years
ministry, in our gospels. Alas, there was
near thirty years between the two and why
God did not make any use of his saving son.
before he was thirty, as he knew the world
was being damned, and people were con-
tinually being sent to hell, is something
that is mystery.
Christian writer's, of the past are even
telling us of the mythical mysterious
beliefs of the NeOplantonist, as If II
were monstrous thing that would con-
denim any religion; but if there was ever
any belief that was more mysterious
iliogically and senseless, and cannot be
found out by observation" as Christianity
Is, 1t has never been discovered and this is
one of the best arguments that they are
Identical, with the exceptions of the
accretions after Constantine's time.
Paul knew nothing of Christians, and no
one knows the time that the Neoplatonists
were hrst called Christians at Antioch. St.
Augustine says the reason that Neoplatoo-
ism was defeated by the church was First
ana chiefly 1t wanted a religious founder"
This saint is SO unreliable and so fanatical
MS evidence is not worth much, as | show
elsewhere. Who else, in view of all shall
lay before the reader could have trans
formed the myth savior Christina, into the
mythical Christ? All Christian writer's are
careful that this Neoplatonism is securely
locked In some dark place out of the sight
OF seekers after truth. ST. Augustine is
the Dulwark for the church, and he tells us
that NeoplatOnism had no religious founder
Is why they persisted, and did not formulate
a church. This Saint Augustine was a Mani
chean a great part of his life and was
strongly tinctured with Neopatonism as all
the Gnostic sects and Manicheans were.
Augustine retained the Impressions of Neo-
piatonism and at the same time he most
clearly perceived and most fully stated
wherein Neoplatonsm and Christianity
Uttered This is what the church saws in
'egard to his evidence. This point is what
he church writer's wish to emphasize at all
lines, protestants as well as Catholics
,ieing to impress strongly on the people, and
I they cannot find good reliable witnesses
hey use such as St. Augustine. He was
in his writings, and exceptions
o most of 1t is taken, because he was un-
truthful. Many of his reasonings are based
m false and untenable premises But he
vas the best the church had at hand to help
hem out, and he was sainted. Two years