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CHAPTER XIV.
THE SAVIORS’ KINGDOMS NOT OF THIS WORLD.
RETIREMENT AND FORTY DAYS' FASTING.
CHRIST taught, "My kingdom is not of this world."
And we find that most of the other Saviors virtually and practically
taught the same doctrine.
The first practical evincement of it was exhibited by retiring from the
world; that is, they retired from the noise and commotion, from the busy
scenes of life, into some sequestered spot excluded from human
observation. Christ is reported to have withdrawn from society, and to
have spent some forty days in the wilderness fasting and being tempted
by Satan—a man of straw conjured up in order to furnish the hero God
something to combat with, that he might thereby exhibit practical proof
of his divine power and prowess. It was simply the two kings or rulers
of two hostile kingdoms (heaven and hell) contending for the mastery.
Lord Kingsborough tells us, "The ancient Mexicans had a forty days’ fast
in honor and memory of one of their demigods or Saviors, who was tempted
forty days on a mountain. He is called "the Morning Star." Mr.
Kingsborough (being a Christian) remarks, "These things are very curious
and mysterious."
It is said of "the Son of God" and Savior Chrishna that "he imparted his
doctrines and precepts in the silent depths of the forest." Of the
Egyptian God Osiris, we are
p. 95
informed in his sacred legends, that "he observed both fasting and
penance," while Pythagoras of Greece spent several years in meditation
and retirement in a cave, and was much given to fasting, and often
inculcated the doctrine of "forsaking the world" and "the things
thereof." He taught these things both by precept and example, even to
"the forsaking of relations." Both Confucius and the Divine Savior
Chang-ti of China, "in order to attain to a more perfect state of
holiness," spent several years in retirement and "divine meditation,"
the former in a wilderness, the latter on a mountain, and fasted, and
their disciples after them often fasted in a very devout manner. The
Persian Zoroaster also spent several years in retirement and
"contemplation on true holiness"—partly in a wilderness and partly on a
"holy mountain," "holy mountains" being the favorite places of resort of
most of the holy Saviors, holy Gods, and holy men of antiquity. One of
the most ancient Saviors, Thammuz, is reported to have spent twelve
years in devout and contemplative retirement from the busy world."
According to the Christian bible, Moses, Elijah, and Christ, each fasted
forty days, and a Mexican Savior, too (Quexalcote), spent forty days in
a similar manner, and other cases are so reported.
We may institute the inquiry here, "How happens this coincidence?"
The answer is indicated by "the Hierophant," which says, "Jesus in his
baptism and forty days' fast imitated the passage of the sun through the
constellation Aquarius, where John, Joannes, or Janus the baptizer had
his domicile, and baptized the earth with his yearly rains." Having been
baptized in Jordan, he fasted forty days in the wilderness, in imitation
of the passage of the sun from the constellation Aquarius through the
Fishes to the Lamb or Ram of March. During the forty days when the sun
is
p. 96
among the Fishes (in the sign of the Fish) the faithful Catholics,
Episcopalians and Mahommedans abstain from meat and live upon the fishes
during the season of Lent, as did the Jews and pagans, and did also
Jesus, to fulfill all righteousness."
from Crucified Saviors
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