Paganism Surviving in Christianity

INDEX.

A
Abespine, on use of “lights” at tombs, 264.
Achamoth, gnostic idea of, injected into N. T. exegesis, 45.
Alabaster, Henry, describes Brahmanic baptism, 93.
Allegorists, the “Fathers” as, 44.
Allegory, the mediator between philosophy and religion, 39;
existed among the Greeks before the Christian era, 39;
united paganism and Judaism, 39;
corrupted the earliest methods of Scripture exegesis, 42;
perverted the true doctrine of “inspiration,” 43;
great influence of, on “Christian exegesis,” 46;
destructive examples of, 49, 50;
foolish application of, to clean and unclean food, 51, 52;
unmeaning application of, to the “cross,” 53;
much used by Augustine, 64, 65;
prevailing influence in Scripture interpretation, after the second century, 66;
used by Barnabas in combining pagan and Christian ideas concerning baptism, 133 f;
destructive application of, to the Decalogue, 184 f.
Alzog, historian, describes the character of Constantine, 212.
Anointing, in baptism, borrowed from pagans, 123;
use of, in baptism, as shown in apostolic constitutions, 138.
Antinomianism, wholly unscriptural, 166.
Anti-Sabbathism, appeared contemporaneously with Sunday observance, 159;
wholly unscriptural, 166.
Apollo, the counterpart of Mithras and Baal, 156;
the patron deity of Constantine, 219.
Apostolic Constitutions, teach pagan theories concerning baptism, 137 f.
Aringhus, on similarity between paganism and Roman Catholicism, 11.
Aruspices, Constantine’s law concerning, associated with his Sunday edict, 222.
Astarte, worship of, reproduced in worship of the “Virgin Mary,” 28;
the worship of, at Rome, 199.
Augustine, influence of, on formation of Christian doctrines, 64;
evil effect of allegorizing Scriptures by, 64, 65;
describes corrupting influence of paganism on Christians, 224, 225;
excessive superstition of, regarding miracles wrought by baptism, 258.
Aurelian, Emperor, “Triumph” of, 199;
costly offerings to the Sun-god, 200.
Aztecs, baptism as practised by, 109 f.
B
Baal, the worship of, corrupted the Israelites, 156.
Baptism, character of, in the N. T., 71, 72;
pagans sought spiritual purity by it, 77;
mithraic and gnostic, 77;
gnostics called it a “purifying fire,” 79;
pagans initiated candidates to their “mysteries” by it, 82;
by blood, a feature of mithraicism, 82;
administered at death as a means of salvation, 83;
performed for the dead, 83;
associated with serpent worship, 85;
pagan, in Egypt, 87;
of young children in Thibet and Mongolia, 93;
pagan, of the dying, 93;
modern Buddhistic, 94 f;
various forms of, in Oriental paganism, 97;
an ancient Aryan rite, 103;
pagan ideas and forms of, reproduced in the early Church, 128;
pagano-Christian theories of, taught by Methodius, Clement of Alex., and others, 136;
sign of the cross, and anointing connected with, 249;
deemed invalid without sign of the cross upon the water and the candidate, 252;
miracles said to be wrought by it, 253;
believed to cure physical diseases, 255;
delayed until near death, 256;
“orientation” in connection with vows, 257;
superstitious acceptance of miracles in connection with, 258 f;
magical power of, 258;
cancer, paralysis, and gout cured thereby, 258, 259;
evil spirits exorcised by, 259;
conclusions concerning, 290;
pagan elements yet remaining in, 291;
should be the symbol of new spiritual life, 300.
Baptists, seventh-day, prominent in English Reformation, 293.
Barnabas, closely allied to the Gnostics, 38;
“Epistle” of, shows evil effect of allegorical interpretation, 43;
foolish exegesis of Scripture by, 49;
pagan fancies applied to the “cross,” and to baptism, by, 133 f.
Baronius, Cardinal, defends the transfer of pagan ceremonies to Christianity, 8;
on “lights” used in worship, 263, 264.
Baur, F. C., describes influence of gnosticism on Christianity, 38.
Benares, city of, surrounded by sacred wells, 89.
Bible, the, written wholly by “Jews,” 177;
must be more fully reinstated as the standard of Christian faith and practice, 283.
Bingham, Rev. Joseph, compares Sunday with other pagan festivals, 222;
uses “Lord’s day” where it does not belong, 222, 223;
on sign of the cross as an enchantment among Christians, 246 f;
on “unction” and sign of the cross in baptism, 249;
on baptism as a cure for disease, 255;
on “delayed baptism,” 256;
on “orientation” at baptism, 267.
Blake, W. W., the cross as a pagan “standard,” 241.
Blood, mithraic baptism in, 82;
baptism in, practised by the ancient Germans and Norsemen, 100.
Blunt, Rev. John James, describes pagan use of human saliva as a “charm,” 124.
Boissier, Gaston, describes Constantine the Great, 205;
describes Chi-Ro standard of Constantine, 245, note.
Bonwick, James, describes Egyptian baptism, 87.
Brock, Rev. Mourant, describes kinds of “holy water,” and how prepared, 148;
quoted on pre-Christian cross in Mexico, 242.
Bryant, Jacob, describes pagan water-worship, 73.
Buddhistic baptism, described by Sir Monier-Williams, 94 f.
Bunsen, C. C. J., summarizes teachings of Apostolic Constitutions concerning baptism, 137 f.
“Buns,” hot cross, a remnant of pagan phallicism, 238 f.
Burmah, the “New Year” in, is a great water-worship festival, 95.

C
Centuries, the early ones often misjudged, 1.
Child, Mrs. Lydia M., describes Hindu baptism, 96 f.
Children, pagans named them at baptism, 100.
Choul, de, William, defends the transfer of paganism to Christianity, 9.
Christ, his resurrection allegorically foreshadowed in the deluge, 56;
allegorically typified by a bullock, 63;
the central character in both “dispensations,” 166;
did not destroy the law, 167;
taught full obedience to the Decalogue, 167, 168;
resurrection of, not associated with Sunday observance, in the Bible, 173;
did not rise from the grave on Sunday, 173;
did not live and teach simply as a “Jew,” 176;
his attitude toward civil power, 188;
His kingdom, spiritual, 189.
Christianity, weakened in the work of reform, because corrupted, 6;
deeply corrupted by pagan influence before the fifth century, 23;
contrast between that of the N. T. and that of the fourth century, 31;
first developed within the Jewish Church, 32;
primarily and essentially a new life, born of love, 32;
immensely changed in character under influence of Greek thought, 33;
fundamentally corrupted through allegory, 48;
passed a terrible ordeal when it became united with the State, 68, 196;
first recognition by Roman law was not full toleration, 195;
was controlled and regulated by civil law under Roman Empire, 195, 196;
new era in history of, began with fourth century, 203;
deeply corrupted by paganism, 231 f;
united with the State, according to pagan theories, 295, 296;
Christ forbade its union with the state, 296;
tendency towards union with civil power in the U. S. A., 296;
proved its divine origin by surviving the conflict with paganism, 299;
what it will be when paganism is fully eliminated, 299 f.
Christians, comparatively few in number when Sunday legislation began, 218.
Christian, the, needs to be broad-viewed, 1.
Christmas, date of, borrowed from sun-worship festival, 278, 279.
Chrysostom, on the use of water for cleansing, 147;
condemns low standards of life in the Church, 232;
considers the sign of the cross the greatest of all magical charms, 247, 248.
Circumcision, spiritual meaning of, according to allegory, 50.
Clement of Alex., his philippic against the Sophists, 46, 47;
his gnostic exegesis of the N. T., 47;
his gnostic exposition of the Decalogue, 60;
gives pagan reasons for observing Sunday, 181;
defends “orientation,” 266.
Clement of Rome, examples of myth and allegory from the writings of, 59.
“Conclusion,” First, 285;
Second, 289;
Third, 291;
Fourth, 295;
Fifth, 298.
“Conclusions,” 282-300.
Congregations, the earliest Christian, were guilds for holy living, 32;
had no settled form of doctrines, 33.
Constantine the Great, was a superstitious pagan, 4;
character of, 206 ff;
murdered his own son, 206;
baptized on his death-bed, 207;
his Christianity loose and accommodative, 207;
objectionable interference with affairs of the Church, 207;
a pagan while favoring Christianity for political purposes, 214;
falsely praised by Eusebius, 214, 215;
his character not transformed by Christianity, 215;
was by no means a Christian emperor, 216;
his legislation touching Christianity was pagan, 217;
always remained pagan Pontifex Maximus, 217;
character of his Sunday edict, 321 A.D., 218 ff;
special worshipper of the Sun-god, 219;
favored Christianity from “policy,” and not from principle, 227;
made no effective legislation against paganism, 228;
established Sunday as a “market day,” 229;
how he placed the cross on his military standard, 244 f.
Creed, early Church had none, 33;
an elaborate one used at baptism, as shown in Apostolic Constitutions, 139.
Criticism, the higher, offers cure for false interpretation of Bible, 288 f;
together with study of Bible, is bringing the second stage of Protestant movement, 289;
ought to be fully applied to Bible, 290.
Cross, the, allegorically found in the O. T., 53, 54;
an ancient pagan symbol, 237 f;
known among Assyrians, Egyptians, Etruscans, etc., 239;
pagan origin of, shown in Edinburgh Review, 240;
how Constantine combined it on his military standard, 244, 245;
the “handled cross” the ancient phallic symbol of Egypt, 246;
sign of, used as a “charm,” 246 f;
the sign of, in baptism, 249;
made on all occasions, 250.
Cumbhacum, a sacred lake in Hindustan, 97.
Cyprian, condemns Christians who frequent public shows, 233;
extremely superstitious concerning baptismal regeneration, 252.
D
Dead, baptism for, of pagan origin, 83;
was transferred to Christianity, 84;
praying for, was borrowed from paganism, 275.
Decalogue, gnostic exposition of, by Clement of Alex., 60;
allegorically compared with man’s senses, 61;
Christ enforced obedience to it, 167, 168;
Paul declared it to be binding, 169;
if it be abolished there can be no sin, 170;
how it was perverted by gnostic exposition, 184.
Demi-gods, the pagan, were the progenitors of Christian “saints,” 16.
Demiurge, the, was creator of “matter” and author of evil, 48.
Devil, the, cast out by anointing one possessed, with oil, and tears of a presbyter, 261.
Diocletian, emperor, a devotee of the Sun-god, 200.
Diseases, miraculous curing of, in connection with baptism, 258 f.
Domville, Sir William, shows that early Sunday observance was not Sabbatic, 180.
Dyer, Thomas H., describes introduction of paganism into Christianity, 3.
E
Earth, sacred, from Jerusalem, cures paralysis, 260.
Easter, grew in part from Jewish passover, 279 f;
changed so as to coincide with festival of Goddess of Spring, 279 f;
primarily a Chaldean sun-worship festival, 280.
“Eighth Day,” pagan origin of argument for, 184, 185;
a day of “indulgence for the flesh,” 187.
Eleusis, city of, the chief seat of Greek “mysteries,” 117.
Elviri, synod of, condemned use of “lights” in cemeteries, 263.
Empire, the Roman, disintegrated under decay of pagan religion, 203 f.
Europe, Northern, pagan water-worship in, 98.
Eusebius, his dishonest eulogy of Constantine, 215.
Exorcism, used in baptism, 138;
resorted to in preparing “holy water,” 149.
F
Facts, denying does not remove them, 29.
Farrar, Canon, describes corruption of Christianity through syncretism, 22;
on Cyprian’s theories concerning baptism, 252.
“Fasts,” the pagan, transferred to Christianity, 26.
“Fathers,” the, were uncritical in exegesis of Scripture, 66, 67.
Fauchet, defends the introduction of paganism into Christianity, 8.
Festivals, those of pagans transferred to Christianity, 5, 28.
Fires, “Easter,” borrowed from sun-worship, 267;
described by Grimm, 268, 269;
“Midsummer,” a pagan festival identical with “St. John’s Day,” 270;
“Baal,” yet continued in Scotland, 271.
G
Gale, Theophilus, on pagan origin of “orientation,” 265.
Galerius, emperor, persecution of Christians by, and death of, 205.
Ganges, the most sacred stream in India, 88 f.
Geikie, Rev. Cunningham, shows union of sun-worship cultus with Christianity, 201.
Gibbon, Edward, describes sun-worship under Heliogabalus, 197 f;
recounts devotion of Aurelian to sun-worship, 199 f.
Gnostics, the link between Christianity and Greek culture, 37.
Gnosticism, the product of Oriental philosophy, 34;
effect on Jewish thought, 34;
claimed a hidden meaning in all things, 34, 35;
destroyed authority of the O. T. by false exegesis, 35;
permeated Greek philosophy, 35;
assailed infant Christianity, 36;
Schaff’s description of, 36, 37;
generally antinomian, 36;
“vulgarized” Christianity, and made it “worldly,” 37;
Baur’s description of, 38;
introduced allegory into N. T. exegesis, 40, 41;
sought a hidden meaning in N. T., 44;
applied numerical mysteries to the Psalms, 58;
widely spread in second century, 69;
complete supremacy would have annihilated Christianity, 69;
fundamentally antinomian, 159;
destructively applied to the Decalogue, 184.
Gould, S. Baring, describes pagan baptism in Scandinavia, 100;
on baptism among the ancient Greeks, 114.
Gratian, Emperor, edicts of, against paganism, inoperative, 212.
Greeks, named and “purified” children when seven days old, 102;
water-worship among, 112.
Greek thought, thoroughly permeated by gnosticism, 35.
Grimm, Jacob, on superstitions concerning water, 104;
on use of sacred water in Germany, 105, 106;
on “Easter fires” in Northern Europe, 268 f;
on “Midsummer fires,” 270;
on “Baal fires” in Scotland, 271.
H
Hall, Rev. E. E., on paganism in Roman Catholic Church, 208 f.
Hardwick, Rev. Charles, on the reproduction of paganism in early Christianity, 14.
Harnack, Prof. Adolph, on influence of gnosticism on Christianity, 37;
on the future of Protestantism, 288.
Hatch, Prof. Edwin, D.D., describes pagan elements in early methods of exegesis, 42;
on the rejection of O. T. by many Christians, 48;
describes effect of “Greek mysteries” on early Christianity, 119;
shows identity between the Eleusinian mysteries and Roman Catholic baptism, 122;
declares pagan origin of anointing in baptism, 123.
Heifer, the red, allegorically made a type of Christ, 49.
Heliogabalus, emperor, submitted to pagan baptism in blood, 83;
degraded character of, 197;
his costly offerings to the Sun-god, 198;
triumph of sun-worship at Rome under his reign, 199.
Herodotus, describes sun- and water-worship by Xerxes, 76.
Hippolytus, fanciful commentary on the Psalms, 57, 58.
Hislop, Rev. Alexander, on corruption of Christianity by pagan sun- and water-worship, 150;
describes pagan origin of “Mariolatry,” 274;
on “prayers for the dead,” 276;
on pagan origin of “Lent,” 281.
Holda, a German water-goddess, 107.
Holy water, pagans refused it to wrong-doers, 144;
magical virtues attributed to, 144;
catalogue of its effects, 145;
animals sprinkled with, 146;
Roman Catholics defend its use, 146 f;
methods of preparing, salt, ashes, and wine used, 148.
I
India, extent of water-worship in, 88 f.
Isis, extensively worshipped at Rome, 19.
J
Jairus, Gnostics made raising of his daughter a type of Achamoth, 45.
Jamblicus describes sacred fountains, 73, 74.
Janus, God of the Keys, and prototype of St. Peter, 277 f.
Jew, a paralytic, reported cured by means of baptism, 254;
an impostor detected by a miracle at baptism, 254.
Judaism, Christ enlarged and purified, without destroying, 31, 32;
strongly opposed by the pagan-bred “Fathers,” 165.
Justin, Martyr, educated a pagan philosopher, 44;
perverted the Scriptures by false exegesis, 54;
teaches much pagan error concerning baptism, 134, 135;
the first to teach anti-Sabbathism, and to tell of Sunday observance, 159, 178;
always partially pagan, 160;
no-Sabbathism taught in his “Dialogue with Trypho,” 161;
taught the abrogation of the Sabbath law, 162.
Juvenal, describes baptism of Roman prostitutes, 77.
K
Kabbalists, were Jewish gnostics, 81.
Keys, St. Peter’s, borrowed from pagan god Janus, 277 f.
Killen, Prof. W. D., shows that there was no paganism in the earliest Christianity, 20;
tells how baptism was corrupted by pagan influences, 21;
declares the incompetency of the “Fathers” as critics or exegetes, 67;
on character of Constantine, 206.
King, C. W., describes Mithraic baptism, 78-81;
on pagan baptism for the dead, 83;
on serpent worshippers, 85;
on Egyptian water-worship, 87.
L
Labor, prohibited on many pagan days besides Sunday, 225.
Lechler, G. V., shows the relative influence of paganism and Judaism on Christianity, 29.
“Lent,” originated in pagan fast, 280;
early character of, 281;
devoutly observed by many at present time, 281.
Lightfoot, Bishop, on the tendency to misjudge early history, 2.
“Lights,” use of in worship borrowed from pagans, 263.
Lord, Prof. John, on paganism in the early Church, 4.
M
Maitland, Dr. Charles, shows worship of martyrs borrowed from paganism, 15;
on pagan origin of “lights” in worship, 264.
Mallet, P. H., describes pagan baptism in Scandinavia, 99 f.
Mariolatry, pagan origin of, 273.
Martyr-worship, the product of paganism, 15.
“Mass,” the, derived from paganism, 274.
Maurer, Konrad, shows similarity between pagan and Christian baptism, 101 f.
Maurice, Rev. F. W., describes corrupted Christianity under Constantine, 210.
Merivale, Charles, on corruption of Christianity under Leo the Great, 23;
on Constantine’s relation to Christianity, 211 f;
on paganism under Gratian, 212.
Mexico, pagan baptism in, 109 f.
Middleton, Rev. Conyers, on paganism in the early Church, 11;
on pagan origin of “holy water,” 141 f.
Milman, Rev. H. H., describes Diocletian’s sun-worship, 200;
shows pagan character of first Sunday law, 223;
shows Constantine made little opposition to paganism, 228.
Miracles, reported as wrought through baptism, 253;
newly baptized persons reputed to work, 258 f.
Mirror, The Catholic, on paganism in Christianity, 286 f;
on inability of Protestantism to return to Bible alone, 287.
Mithraicism, extent of, in the second century, 19;
had ceremonies of purification, and a “holy table,” 119.
Monasticism, the product of Oriental paganism, 14.
Mongolia, pagan baptism in, 93.
Moses, his rod made a type of Christ, by allegory, 54-56.
“Mysteries,” the Greek, supposed to bring salvation, 117;
embodied confession, baptism, and sacrifices, 117 f;
did much to corrupt baptism and the Lord’s Supper, 120.
Müller, Prof. Max, paganism of first three Christian centuries, 11.
N
Nation, The, quoted on Teutonic baptism, pagan and Christian, 101.
Neale, E. V., shows non-Christian character of Constantine’s Sunday law, 224 f;
designates other pagan days with similar restrictions, 225.
Niebuhr, historian, shows that Constantine was not a Christian, 229.
Nile, the river, regarded as highly sacred by the Egyptians, 88.
O
“Orientation,” the product of pagan sun-worship, 157, 257;
defended by Clement of Alexandria, 266;
explained and defended by Tertullian, 267.
Osiris, regarded as the counterpart of Noah, 150.
Outlook, The, quotations from, 208, 285.
Ovid, describes water-worship and sun-worship at feast of “Pales,” 75;
describes water-worship at temple of “Themis,” 76;
describes Grecian baptism, 116;
describes god Janus, 277 f.
P
Pagans, many baptized without conversion, 24;
eminent ones as semi-Christians, 25.
Paganism, not found in Catholic Church alone, 3, 143;
some of its lowest forms mingled with Christianity, 6;
“Oriental,” in early Christianity, 6;
much, in Christianity before the “Papacy,” 18;
in “Alexandrian” Christianity, 22;
extent of, in early churches, 68;
customs of, continued under Christian names, 210;
employed various forms of baptism, 290;
opposed Sabbath-keeping, 293.
“Pales,” feast of, a combination of sun-worship and water-worship, 75.
Paul, observed and upheld “the law,” 169, 170.
Penance required for sins after baptism, 253;
demanded by pagan theory of “baptismal regeneration,” 272.
Persecution of Christians under Diocletian, 204.
Perseus satirizes the pagan use of spittle as a “charm,” 124.
Phallicism, associated with water-worship in India, 90;
a department of sun-worship, 157.
Philo blended Greek philosophy with O. T. exegesis, 40.
Phœnix, fable of, used as a type of man’s resurrection, 59.
Pilgrimages, made to sacred streams for salvation, 90.
“Pistis-Sophia,” the gnostic gospel, 78.
Pliny, the historian, describes virtue of spittle, and its use as a charm, 125 f.
Potter, Rev. John, D. D., describes Grecian water-worship and purifications, 112.
Poynder, John, quoted in “Pagano-Papismus,” 9.
Prescott describes Aztec baptism, 109.
Priestley, Dr. Joseph, on pagan origin of “holy water,” 141.
Protestants, do not understand their relation to Catholicism, 2;
work of, but fairly begun, 3.
Protestantism, an unconscious reaction against paganism in Christianity, 282 f;
has never wholly discarded “tradition,” 284;
must accept Bible wholly or be overcome, 285;
must act promptly to overcome loss already sustained, 285;
cannot survive except on purely Biblical basis, 288.
Psalms, “Fathers” made whole number of, a type of the “Trinity,” 57, 58;
meaning of, perverted by gnostic allegorizing, 65.
Purgatory, borrowed from paganism, 275.
Purification, Greeks sought, by dipping and sprinkling, 115.
Purity, spiritual, pagans sought, by bathing in sacred streams, 88 f.
R
Reformations begin when evils reach their lowest point, 283.
Regeneration, baptismal, 87.
“Relics,” faith in, borrowed from paganism, 235;
became widely spread in the Church, 236 f.
Religion, Roman, conception of, as a department of civil government, 190;
all forms recognised in Roman Empire, were regulated by civil law, 201.
Renan, Ernest, on Oriental paganism and Christianity, 18.
Residuum, pagan, minor forms of, in Christianity, 231.
Review, The Edinburgh, on pagan origin of the cross, 240.
Reville, Albert, on civil character of Roman religion, 192 f.
Rivers, confluence of, makes water sacred, 92;
banks of, sacred, 92.
Roman Catholic writers, honesty of, 7.
Romanized Christianity identical with paganized, 17.

S
Sabbath, the, observed by Christ, 168;
observance of, 174;
never associated with Christ’s resurrection, 172 f;
“change of,” never spoken of in the Bible, 173;
its recognition in the New Testament, 174;
observed by the Apostles, 174;
abolition of, taught by Tertullian, 186, 187;
divine authority necessary to create, 295.
Sabbathism, 291;
sacred time, the essence of, 292;
spiritual life the end of, 292;
Jews did not understand, 293;
Christ exalted it, 293;
destroyed by Sunday legislation, 297.
Sahagun de Bernardino, describes pagan baptism in Mexico, 110 f.
Saints, worship of, a revival of pagan mythology, 27.
Sandars on “civil” character of Roman paganism, 191, 192.
“Saturnalia,” disorder of, at Burmah’s “water-festival,” 95.
Scandinavia, ancient baptism in, 99, 100.
Schaff, Dr. Philip, description of gnosticism, 36, 37;
on Roman idea of state religion, 190 f;
describes Heliogabalus and Severus, 197;
on Constantine’s attitude towards Christianity, 213 f;
on the origin of “penance,” 272, 273.
Scotland, “Baal fires” continue there, 271.
Serpent-worship, a branch of gnosticism closely associated with water-worship, 85.
Severus, Alex., emperor, character of, 197.
Seymore, Rev. Hobart, on heathen origin of saint-worship, 16;
on pagan origin of “holy water,” 140, 141;
on virtues of “holy water,” 144;
sprinkling of animals, 146.
Simeon, a type of the Demiurge, 44.
Simon Magus, on gnostic baptism, 81.
Socrates, historian, superstition of, concerning baptism, 253 f.
Sozomen, had great faith in “relics,” 236;
relates foolish myths as facts, 236, 237.
Spelman, Sir Henry, finds origin of English “court terms” in paganism, 225 f.
Spittle, use of, in baptism borrowed from pagans, 124;
more efficacious if “fasting,” 125;
various superstitions related by Pliny, 125-7.
Springs, water of, specially sacred, 98.
Sprites, water-, superstitious fear of, 108.
State-religion, pagan origin of, 188.
Sunday law, text of Constantine’s first, 220;
permitted manumission of slaves, 220;
associated with one for consulting soothsayers, 220 f;
not unlike laws concerning other pagan days, 222 f;
designates only the “Venerable Day of the Sun,” 222;
purely pagan in form and spirit, 227.
Sunday, observance of, weakens Decalogue, 158;
first observance coupled with anti-Sabbathism, 159;
observance based on tradition, 171;
popular errors concerning, 171 f;
observance unknown before middle of second century, 171 f;
never called Sabbath in the Bible, 172 f;
definitely referred to in N. T. but three times, 172;
only six passages from N. T. quoted in favor of, 173;
observance originated outside of the Bible, 177;
first mentioned by Justin Martyr, 150 A.D., 178 f;
pagan reasons for its observance, 181 f;
the “puritan,” a compromise between the Sabbath and the Sunday, 294;
legislation concerning a prominent feature in the puritan movement, 294;
earliest laws concerning, pagan in form and concept, 294;
no scriptural or Protestant ground for its observance, 295.
Sun-worship, a myth of, used as a type of man’s resurrection, 59, 60;
excessive and costly under Heliogabalus, 197 f;
a popular cult at Rome, 201.
Superstitions, excessive pagan, associated with baptism, 258.
Syncretism, tendency to in early centuries, 12;
a large factor in corrupting Christianity, 194.
Synesius, Bishop, uncertain whether a pagan or a Christian, 24.
T
Tammuz, worship of, condemned by Jeremiah, 238.
Taylor, Isaac, on pagan element in Christianity, 6.
Tertullian, sometimes opposed allegorical interpretation of the N. T., 46;
unmeaning interpretation of “types,” 62;
teaches pagano-Christian theory of baptism, 129 f;
denies the power of pagan gods to sanctify water, 132;
taught abrogation of the Decalogue, 163 f;
ideas concerning the Sabbath, 163 f;
superstitious faith in the sign of the cross, 248;
explains “orientation,” 267.
Testament, the Old, rejected by many Christians on gnostic grounds, 48.
Teutons, pagan baptism among, 101 f.
Thebaud, Rev. Aug., on paganism at Rome in fifth century, 13.
Thibet, baptismal customs in, 93;
autumn water-worship festival in, 96.
Tiele, C. P., on Oriental paganism in Christianity, 6;
on political character of Roman religion, 193, 194.
Traditionalism largely pagan in origin, 289.
U
Uhlhorn, Dr. Gerhard, on corruption of Christianity by gnosticism, 68, 70.
Usages, pagan, adopted almost without stint by Christians, 26.
V
Virgil, Polydore, claims that Christianity “meliorated” pagan customs by accepting them, 8.
Virgil shows union of water-worship and sun-worship, 74, 75.
W
Water, pagans believed it contained divine power to cleanse the soul, 72, 73;
power to inspire, 74;
river, especially sacred, 91;
changes to wine on Easter and Christmas at midnight, 99;
“holy,” if drawn at sacred seasons, 99;
“holy,” cures evils and averts danger, 104;
“sacred,” prevents physical disease, 105;
superstitious value of, from mill-wheel, 106;
endued with divine power at creation, 129;
produces life by divine power, 131;
“holy,” borrowed directly from paganism, 140;
used at doors of heathen temples, 140, 142;
use of, by Christians condemned, 143;
use of, defended by Cardinal Wiseman, 146, 147;
“baptismal,” prepared according to pagan formula, 152;
sanctified by the sign of the cross, 251;
at first used as a “charm,” 252.
Water-worship, the pagan, corrupted Christianity fundamentally, 71;
of Oriental origin, 72;
prominent among serpent worshippers, 85;
a special feature in Egyptian religion, 86;
associated with Osiris worship, 87;
superstitions connected with, in time of drouth, 106 f;
universal in Northern Europe, 109;
coupled with sun-worship among the Greeks, 112;
summary of its influence on Christian baptism, 153-155.
Wells, “sacred,” described by Sir Monier-Williams, 89.
Westropp and Wake on gnosticism in Christianity, 27.
Wilkins, W. J., describes water-worship festival of “Dasahara,” 94.
Williams, Sir Monier-, on water-worship in India, 88;
on baptism in Thibet and Mongolia, 93;
on Buddhistic baptism, 94.
Wiseman, Cardinal, value of his testimony, 10;
defends the introduction of paganism in early Christianity, 10;
on retention of paganism in English Church, 10;
defends the use of “holy water,” 146, 147.
X
Xerxes describes water- and sun-worship at the “Hellespont,” 76.

Paganism Surviving in Christianity

About This Book

INDEX.