Blue-grass blade., 1908-05-31
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NeOplatonism
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even in his day, that in the early centuries;
his "heathenism" and Platonic philosophy
were identical? Many of these sects did
not believe In the resurrection; many more
did not believe in the divinity of Jesus. The
Arians outnumbered the orthodox sect.
There were nearly forty of the Gnostic
sects. They were all indoctrinated with
Neoplatonism and were all believers in
Docetism-that Jesus was spirit only. 1T
sprang up in the first century, and had
spread over the whole civilized world in the
second century. The Gnostics had an aris-
tocrary of mind, powerful and exclusive.
And such was the fascination, Gnosticism
exercised over the mind that had it not
been for the innumerable schsms in its own
camp, which prevented its alliance with the
political power of the day, it would have
stood its ground much longer! All we know
of the Gnostics we derive from their Jewish
and Christian adversaries, VINO confessedly
took especial pride in representing them and
their beliefs in their darkest hues." "They
feigned a naive surprise at not being fully
recognized as most faithful followers of
Christianity, and members of the large
Christian body"
Chambers Encyclopedia from which the
above is taken, must, like all good
records of events, keep close to the
Catholic side of questions. The fact remains
today, that the earliest Christian writings
which have come down to us, were written
in refutations of the heresies of the early
centuries, show us what the division of ne
lief was in those days. If the reader has
followed my presentation from history he
will tinly understand that Catholicism had
many competitors in the field, who openly
denied its priority and its claim that it had
tie only true way to heaven" Now as
there is no. a rite, emblem, precept or ccre-
m)ry IN Christianity, which is not folnl in
the older religions, and as its mythical vIr-
,!n born sa' Tor is 1000 years old and as
its many phalic emblems are yet other
1000 years old, 1t behooves us to inquire who
were the transplanters of these old cults,
lrder new name, in Palestine. We know
that in Alexandria. Egypt-the first city in
the world in the first century-there was
Neoplatonist elective school where scholars
from all parts of the known world gathered
10 discuss, and disseminate their different
thoughts, and views on metaphysical and
philosophical questions. Here in this school
which began in the days of the Ptolemes,
we may without doubt find, by study oe
Neopatonism and some of it's chief ex-
ponents, some light on this important
question.
Nepolatonism.
Platonc philosophy-Neoplatonis was a
religious philosophy, the same as all philo-
sophies up to the 18th century. This school
at Alexandria, and its different branches
throughout the East, taught this philosophy
It vas,a vain endeavor to solve the mystery
of life and the cosmos, through the con-
seriousness of humanity. In a mystical way,
it endeavored to show the relation of human
ity to the author of all things, and to the
universe-to explain the mystery of creation
and its existence. The ancient religions of
the Fast had peculiar interest for the
\ eoplatonist. In the days of Plato. sus-
picon appears to have obtained that, reality,
certainty and truth, could only be attained