Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-12-16
CHRISTIAN SYMBOLS.
Fish an Emblem Of immortality-As
to Origins.

Fish an Emblem Of immortality--As
to Origins.
The fish has been for centuries a
most sacred symbol in Christianity.
We have found it pictured again and
again in the catacombs of Rome,
where it is assumed to be an evidence
of Christian faith, and what In addi-
ton is interesting and Instructive is
the coincidence that the symbol of the
fish is quite frequently associated both
in paganism and in Christianity with
the symbol of the dove.
Just as Lucien speaks of the sacred
ness of these two creatures in ole and
the same sentence, and as the fish and
the bird appear together, on Itinerary
basins in China, so we find them often
represented side by side on one and
the same tombstone of sthe early
Christians.
Christianity did not flash upon man
kind in a finished state 1t grew and
adapted itself rapidly. but step by
step, in a normal process of evolution.
Its sacred symbols, the cross, the
lamb and the fish, were not ready
made, and the type of the Christ ideal
in art remained undecided for many
centuries.
1t seems quite probable that for
while the pagan beliefs fingered with
the Christians. who chung to old Gus
toms as much as they cherished the
new interpretations that had become
dear to them. The more clearly Chris
tian doctrines became defined the few
er were the pagan elements retained.
and those symbols alone continued in
use which in one way or another had
adapted themselves to the new relig-
ion.
This is best seen in the fish. The fish
was dear to Christians before they
knew why. Christians were compared
TO the fish, and this is accidentally
done in the gospels. Many of the
apostles were fishermen, and Jesus
promises that they shall become fish,
ers of men. In the same connection
the kingdom of heaven is compared to
a net (Matthew xiii;4f.)
The Jonah story Is remembered in
its symbolical meaning with reference
TO immortality Matthew xii:40; Luke
Xi;32): further we read in the gospels
of fish meals taken in mystical al
most sacramental. way, with miracu-
lous multiplication of food. as also af-
ter the resurrection Of Christ in John
XXI passage where it is told that fish
are roasted on Goals and eaten.
The similarity between Christian
and pagan symbols can scarcely be
accidental, and we become more and
more assured of an historical connec-
ton by observing that among the
tombstones containing the symbols Of
the dove, and especially of the fish,
there are many which must be regard
ed as doubtful while some are un-
equivocally pagan and at least one Is
Jewish. Accordingly we have con-
Meeting link between paganism and
Christianity, and the popularity Is
that in all cases the fish serves as u
symbol of immortality and Is there
fore especially used in connection with
funeral ceremonies.
We see in the monuments of ancient
Babylonians that priests at the sick
bed engaged in keeping away the god
dess of death are dressed in fish skins.
presumably in commemoration OF
Cannes or Odakon, which indicates
that the dead have to become fish like
Cannes in order to pass together with
the setting sun through the ocean or
death and thus survive this dangerous
state of transition.
A crossing of the ocean becomes the
symbol of the conquest of death, ana
thus the ship has in the same sense,
as the fish become a symbol OF saISa-
ton. We find the emblems OF the snip
in the most ancient tombs of the Meoi-
terranean races, and the TeutonS IN
ancient times preferred to be buried In
tree boats. We have reason to peneVe
that some of these boats were never
used in the water. but had been maue
for the purpose of burial. winch goes
far to prove that the underlying IDEA
is of a religious or Symphonic cnarac-
ter.
The church is commonly represented
as ship, and in Buddhism the same
symbol has been used since the Gays
of it's founder Since Buddhism spread
and took root among the large masses
the Buddhist church accepted this in
novation by claiming to be large
vessel or Mahayanna, in contrast to
the Hinayana, the small vessel or little
boat of the older church The Bud
dhist Canon is full of references to
what is called the ocean of life and
death, symbolizing Samsara, the world
of Mara, the evil one, the deity of
death.
Nirvana is the safe shore, or the is
land on the other side of the water.
Buddha passes over the ocean of life
and death ard walks on it as one
| would walk over fiagstones: while his
disciples who are firm in the faith will
be able to follow him over the stream
| dry shod. The same story is told of
| Jesus and Peter in the Christian Cos
| pels.
Again for the same reason birds of
passage, especially cranes and wild
| geese have become symbols of trans
| migration and of Immortality We
find them pictured in the frescoes Of
the Buddhist caves in India and they
are frequently alluded to in the folk
lore of Tibet. China and Japan, hut
| they are less used as religious en-