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Christianity - Christian religion online book
CHAPTER VI.
STARS POINT OUT THE TIME AND THE SAVIORS’ BIRTH-PLACE.
A PROFUSION of evidence is furnished at every step, along the devious
pathway of sacred history, tending to show that all the systems of
worship which have existed in the past have had a dip in "the halo of
the heavenly orbs," and hence shine with a light derived from that
source.
We find the stars acting directly a conspicuous part at the births of
several of the Saviors, besides figuring in some cases by marking
important events in their subsequent history.
Mr. Higgins remarks that "Among the ancients there seems to have been a
very general idea that the arrival of Gods and great personages who were
expected to come, would be announced by a star." And the cases of
Abraham, Cæsar, Pythagoras, Yu, Chrishna, and Christ, may be cited in
proof of this declaration. A star figured either before or at the birth
of each, according to their respective histories.
And it is a historical fact that should be noted here that the practice
of calculating nativities by the stars was in vogue in the era and
country of Christ's birth, and had been for a long period previously in
various countries. "We have seen his star in the east, and have come to
worship him." (Matt. ii. i.) Now mark, here, it was not the star, nor a
star, but "his star;" thus disclosing its unmistakable
p. 59
astrological features. Mr. Faber (in his "Origin of Idolatry," vol. ii.
p. 77) reports Zoroaster (600 B.C.) as prophetically announcing to "the
wise men" of that country that a Savior would be born, "attended by a
star at noonday." For a fuller exposition of this case see Chapter II.
In the history of the Hindoo Savior Chrishna, we are told that "as soon
as Nared, who, having heard of his fame, had examined the stars, he
declared him to be from God; i.e., the Son of God. The Roman Calcidius
speaks of "a wonderful star, presaging the descent of a God amongst
men." (See Maurice's Indian Skeptics Refuted, p. 62.) Quite suggestive
of the star "apprising the wise men" of Christ's descent from above. And
a star is said to have foretokened the birth of the Roman Julius Cæsar.
The Chinese God Yu was not only heralded by a star, but conceived and
brought to mortal birth by a star.
In Numbers xxiv. 17, it is declared "There shall come a star out of
Jacob," etc. This is a text often quoted by Christian writers as having
a prophetic reference to the Christian Messiah. But the same text
declares further, "It shall destroy the children of Seth," a prediction
which no rational interpretation can make apply to Jesus Christ. And
then we find this star of Jacob or Judah (the same) represented on
astronomical maps as a prominent star in the constellation Virgo (the
Virgin), fancifully termed by the Hebrew Ephraim.
It was known in the Syrian, Arabian and Persian Systems of astronomy as
Messaeil (suggestive of Messiah), and was considered the ruling genius
of the constellation.
The "star of Jacob," then, was simply a figure borrowed from the ancient
pagan systems of astronomy, in which they fancifully represent a virgin
rising with an infant Messiah (Messaeil) in her arms. Messaeil is, when
analyzed, Messaeh-el (Messiah-God), and is found in the
p. 60
constellation Virgo, which commences rising at midnight, on the 25th of
December, with this "star in the east" in her arms—the star which
piloted "the wise men." The whole thing, then, is evidently an
astronomical legend.
Albert the Great, in his "Book on the Universe," tells us, "The sign of
the celestial virgin rises above the horizon, at the moment we find
fixed for the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ." To which we will add the
declaration of Sir William Drummond, who, in his "Œdipus Judaicus," p.
27, most significantly remarks, "The anointed of El, the male infant,
who rises in the arms of Virgo, was called Jesus by the Hebrews, . . .
and was hailed as the anointed king or Messiah"—still further proof of
the astrological origin of the story.
Dr. Hales, in his "Chronology," calls Christ "the star of our salvation,
the true Apollo, the sun of righteousness"—all of which are astronomical
terms.
And here we may recur to the fact that some of the early inhabitants of
the earth regarded a star as a thing of life, because it appeared to
move, and acted as though controlled by a living spirit. And this
fetchic idea we observe lurking amongst the borrowed orientalisms of the
Jewish Old Testament. The representation of the morning stars joining in
a chorus and singing together (see Job xxxviii. 9), is an instance of
this kind of fetchic conception.
And then we find a much stronger and more conclusive case in the New
Testament, where Matthew represents a star as breaking loose from its
orbit, and traveling some millions of miles, in order to stand over the
young child Jesus, as he lay amongst the oxen and asses in a stable.
(See Matt. ii. 7.) Wonderfully accommodating star indeed! How did its
inhabitants feel while thus traveling with the velocity of lightning?
This achievement would not only require life, but an active
intelligence, on the part
p. 61
of the star, as it is represented as being an act of the planet itself.
"All nations," says Mr. Higgins, "once believed that the planetary
bodies or their inhabitants controlled the affairs of men, and even
their births." Hence the cant phrases, "My stars," "He is ill-starred,"
etc., in use then, and still in use at the present day. The good or ill
luck of a person was attributed to the good or evil stars which it was
believed ruled at the hour of his birth.
We find a counterpart to the story of Matthew's traveling star in
Virgil's writings, who declares (60 B.C.) that a star guided Æneas in a
journey westward from Troy. In the days of Pliny (see his "Natural
History," Book II.), the people of Rome fancied they saw a God in a star
or comet in the form of a man. The Apocryphal book of Seth relates that
a star descended from heaven and lighted on a mountain, in the midst of
which a divine child was seen bearing a cross. Christ betrays the same
ignorance of astronomy, when he speaks of "the stars falling from heaven
to the earth." (See Matt. xxiv. 29.) For if there could be any falling
in the case, the falling would be in the other direction and the earth
would fall to the stars, as larger bodies always attract smaller ones.
As shown above, the stupendous orbs of night were represented by Jew,
Pagan and Christian as breaking away from their orbits, and running
hither and thither, like a fly on a ceiling, or a ball from a
sky-rocket, being regarded as mere jack-a-lanterns, that could appear
anywhere at any time creative fancy might dictate or require; while
science teaches that the stars are stupendous orbs, some of them a
thousand times larger than the planet on which we live, and that they
could not depart one rod from their accustomed orbits without breaking
up the whole planetary system, and destroying the universe.
And then observe the absurdity in Matthew's story,
p. 62
which teaches that the wise men followed the star in the east, when
they, coming from the east, were, as a matter of course, traveling
westward, which would place the star to their backs. That must be a sui
generis pilot or guide which follows after, instead of going before.
Omitting further citations from history, we will only observe further
that the ancient Hindoos, Egyptians, Chaldeans, Syrians, Mexicans, etc.,
took great account of stars, and employed them on all important
occasions, especially on long journeys and at the births of Gods and
great personages—a circumstance which aids in explaining the star
chapter in the gospel history of Christ.
from Crucified Saviors
Christianity - Christian religion online book
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