Part 2 — CHAPTER XXVII.

THE MIRACLES OF CHRIST JESUS AND THE PRIMITIVE CHRISTIANS.

The legendary history of Jesus of Nazareth, contained in the books of the New Testament, is full of prodigies and wonders. These alleged prodigies, and the faith which the people seem to have put in such a tissue of falsehoods, indicate the prevalent disposition of the people to believe in everything, and it was among such a class that Christianity was propagated. All leaders of religion had the reputation of having performed miracles; the biographers of Jesus, therefore, not wishing their Master to be outdone, have made him also a wonder-worker, and a performer of miracles; without them Christianity could not prosper. Miracles were needed in those days, on all special occasions. "There is not a single historian of antiquity, whether Greek or Latin, who has not recorded oracles, prodigies, prophecies, and miracles, on the occasion of some memorable events, or revolutions of states and kingdoms. Many of these are attested in the gravest manner by the gravest writers, and were firmly believed at the time by the people."[252:1]

Hindoo sacred books represent Crishna, their Saviour and Redeemer, as in constant strife against the evil spirit. He surmounts extraordinary dangers; strews his way with miracles; raising the dead, healing the sick, restoring the maimed, the deaf and the blind; everywhere supporting the weak against the strong, the oppressed against the powerful. The people crowded his way and adored him as a God, and these miracles were the evidences of his divinity for centuries before the time of Jesus.

The learned Thomas Maurice, speaking of Crishna, tells us that he passed his innocent hours at the home of his foster-father, in rural diversions, his divine origin not being suspected, until repeated miracles soon discovered his celestial origin;[252:2] and Sir William Jones speaks of his raising the dead, and saving multitudes by his miraculous powers.[253:1] To enumerate the miracles of Crishna would be useless and tedious; we shall therefore mention but a few, of which the Hindoo sacred books are teeming.

When Crishna was born, his life was sought by the reigning monarch, Kansa, who had the infant Saviour and his father and mother locked in a dungeon, guarded, and barred by seven iron doors. While in this dungeon the father heard a secret voice distinctly utter these words: "Son of Yadu, take up this child and carry it to Gokool, to the house of Nanda." Vasudeva, struck with astonishment, answered: "How shall I obey this injunction, thus vigilantly guarded and barred by seven iron doors that prohibit all egress?" The unknown voice replied: "The doors shall open of themselves to let thee pass, and behold, I have caused a deep slumber to fall upon thy guards, which shall continue till thy journey be accomplished." Vasudeva immediately felt his chains miraculously loosened, and, taking up the child in his arms, hurried with it through all the doors, the guards being buried in profound sleep. When he came to the river Yumna, which he was obliged to cross to get to Gokool, the waters immediately rose up to kiss the child's feet, and then respectfully retired on each side to make way for its transportation, so that Vasudeva passed dry-shod to the opposite shore.[253:2]

When Crishna came to man's estate, one of his first miracles was the cure of a leper.

A passionate Brahman, having received a slight insult from a certain Rajah, on going out of his doors, uttered this curse: "That he should, from head to foot, be covered with boils and leprosy;" which being fulfilled in an instant upon the unfortunate king, he prayed to Crishna to deliver him from his evil. At first, Crishna did not heed his request, but finally he appeared to him, asking what his request was? He replied, "To be freed from my distemper." The Saviour then cured him of his distemper.[253:3]

Crishna was one day walking with his disciples, when "they met a poor cripple or lame woman, having a vessel filled with spices, sweet-scented oils, sandal-wood, saffron, civet and other perfumes. Crishna making a halt, she made a certain sign with her finger on his forehead, casting the rest upon his head. Crishna asking her what it was she would request of him, the woman replied, nothing but the use of my limbs. Crishna, then, setting his foot upon hers, and taking her by the hand, raised her from the ground, and not only restored her limbs, but renewed her age, so that, instead of a wrinkled, tawny skin, she received a fresh and fair one in an instant. At her request, Crishna and his company lodged in her house."[254:1]

On another occasion, Crishna having requested a learned Brahman to ask of him whatever boon he most desired, the Brahman said, "Above all things, I desire to have my two dead sons restored to life." Crishna assured him that this should be done, and immediately the two young men were restored to life and brought to their father.[254:2]

The learned Orientalist, Thomas Maurice, after speaking of the miracles performed by Crishna, says:

"In regard to the numerous miracles wrought by Crishna, it should be remembered that miracles are never wanting to the decoration of an Indian romance; they are, in fact, the life and soul of the vast machine; nor is it at all a subject of wonder that the dead should be raised to life in a history expressly intended, like all other sacred fables of Indian fabrication, for the propagation and support of the whimsical doctrine of the Metempsychosis."[254:3]

To speak thus of the miracles of Christ Jesus, would, of course, be heresy—although what applies to the miracles of Crishna apply to those of Jesus—we, therefore, find this gentleman branding as "infidel" a learned French orientalist who was guilty of doing this thing.

Buddha performed great miracles for the good of mankind, and the legends concerning him are full of the most extravagant prodigies and wonders.[254:4] "By miracles and preaching," says Burnouf, "was the religion of Buddha established."

R. Spence Hardy says of Buddha:

"All the principal events of his life are represented as being attended by incredible prodigies. He could pass through the air at will, and know the thoughts of all beings."[254:5]

Prof. Max Müller says:

"The Buddhist legends teem with miracles attributed to Buddha and his disciples—miracles which in wonderfulness certainly surpass the miracles of any other religion."[254:6]

Buddha was at one time going from the city of Rohita-vastu to the city of Benares, when, coming to the banks of the river Ganges, and wishing to go across, he addressed himself to the owner of a ferry-boat, thus; "Hail! respectable sir! I pray you take me across the river in your boat!" To this the boatman replied, "If you can pay me the fare, I will willingly take you across the river." Buddha said, "Whence shall I procure money to pay you your fare, I, who have given up all worldly wealth and riches, &c." The boatman still refusing to take him across, Buddha, pointing to a flock of geese flying from the south to the north banks of the Ganges, said:

He then floats through the air across the stream.

In the Lalita Vistara Buddha is called the "Great Physician" who is to "dull all human pain." At his appearance the "sick are healed, the deaf are cured, the blind see, the poor are relieved." He visits the sick man, Su-ta, and heals soul as well as body.

At Vaisali, a pest like modern cholera was depopulating the kingdom, due to an accumulation of festering corpses. Buddha, summoned, caused a strong rain which carried away the dead bodies and cured every one. At Gaudhârâ was an old mendicant afflicted with a disease so loathsome that none of his brother monks could go near him on account of his fetid humors and stinking condition. The "Great Physician" was, however, not to be deterred; he washed the poor old man and attended to his maladies. A disciple had his feet hacked off by an unjust king, and Buddha cured even him. To convert certain skeptical villagers near Srâvastî, Buddha showed them a man walking across the deep and rapid river without immersing his feet. Pûrna, one of Buddha's disciples, had a brother in imminent danger of shipwreck in a "black storm." The "spirits that are favorable to Pûrna and Arya" apprised him of this and he at once performed the miracle of transporting himself to the deck of the ship. "Immediately the black tempest ceased, as if Sumera arrested it."[255:2]

When Buddha was told that a woman was suffering in severe labor, unable to bring forth, he said, Go and say: "I have never knowingly put any creature to death since I was born; by the virtue of this obedience may you be free from pain!" When these words were repeated in the presence of the mother, the child was instantly born with ease.[256:1]

Innumerable are the miracles ascribed to Buddhist saints, and to others who followed their example. Their garments, and the staffs with which they walked, are supposed to imbibe some mysterious power, and blessed are they who are allowed to touch them.[256:2] A Buddhist saint who attains the power called "perfection," is able to rise and float along through the air.[256:3] Having this power, the saint exercises it by mere determination of his will, his body becoming imponderous, as when a man in the common human state determines to leap, and leaps. Buddhist annals relate the performance of the miraculous suspension by Gautama Buddha, himself, as well as by other saints.[256:4]

In the year 217 B. C., a Buddhist missionary priest, called by the Chinese historians Shih-le-fang, came from "the west" into Shan-se, accompanied by eighteen other priests, with their sacred books, in order to propagate the faith of Buddha. The emperor, disliking foreigners and exotic customs, imprisoned the missionaries; but an angel, genii, or spirit, came and opened the prison door, and liberated them.[256:5]

Here is a third edition of "Peter in prison," for we have already seen that the Hindoo sage Vasudeva was liberated from prison in like manner.

Zoroaster, the founder of the religion of the Persians, opposed his persecutors by performing miracles, in order to confirm his divine mission.[256:6]

Bochia of the Persians also performed miracles; the places where he performed them were consecrated, and people flocked in crowds to visit them.[256:7]

Horus, the Egyptian Saviour, performed great miracles, among which was that of raising the dead to life.[256:8]

Osiris of Egypt also performed great miracles;[256:9] and so did the virgin goddess Isis.

Pilgrimages were made to the temples of Isis, in Egypt, by the sick. Diodorus, the Grecian historian, says that:

"Those who go to consult in dreams the goddess Isis recover perfect health. Many whose cure has been despaired of by physicians have by this means been saved, and others who have long been deprived of sight, or of some other part of the body, by taking refuge, so to speak, in the arms of the goddess, have been restored to the enjoyment of their faculties."[257:1]

Serapis, the Egyptian Saviour, performed great miracles, principally those of healing the sick. He was called "The Healer of the World."[257:2]

Marduk, the Assyrian God, the "Logos," the "Eldest Son of Hea;" "He who made Heaven and Earth;" the "Merciful One;" the "Life-Giver," &c., performed great miracles, among which was that of raising the dead to life.[257:3]

Bacchus, son of Zeus by the virgin Semele, was a great performer of miracles, among which may be mentioned his changing water into wine,[257:4] as it is recorded of Jesus in the Gospels.

"In his gentler aspects he is the giver of joy, the healer of sicknesses, the guardian against plagues. As such he is even a law-giver and a promoter of peace and concord. As kindling new or strange thoughts in the mind, he is a giver of wisdom and the revealer of hidden secrets of the future."[257:5]

The legends related of this god state that on one occasion Pantheus, King of Thebes, sent his attendants to seize Bacchus, the "vagabond leader of a faction"—as he called him. This they were unable to do, as the multitude who followed him were too numerous. They succeeded, however, in capturing one of his disciples, Acetes, who was led away and shut up fast in prison; but while they were getting ready the instruments of execution, the prison doors came open of their own accord, and the chains fell from his limbs, and when they looked for him he was nowhere to be found.[257:6] Here is still another edition of "Peter in prison."

Æsculapius was another great performer of miracles. The ancient Greeks said of him that he not only cured the sick of the most malignant diseases, but even raised the dead.

A writer in Bell's Pantheon says:

"As the Greeks always carried the encomiums of their great men beyond the truth, so they feigned that Æsculapius was so expert in medicine as not only to cure the sick, but even to raise the dead."[258:1]

Eusebius, the ecclesiastical historian, speaking of Æsculapius, says:

"He sometimes appeared unto them (the Cilicians) in dreams and visions, and sometimes restored the sick to health."

He claims, however, that this was the work of the Devil, "who by this means did withdraw the minds of men from the knowledge of the true Saviour."[258:2]

For many years after the death of Æsculapius, miracles continued to be performed by the efficacy of faith in his name. Patients were conveyed to the temple of Æsculapius, and there cured of their disease. A short statement of the symptoms of each case, and the remedy employed, were inscribed on tablets and hung up in the temples.[258:3] There were also a multitude of eyes, ears, hands, feet, and other members of the human body, made of wax, silver, or gold, and presented by those whom the god had cured of blindness, deafness, and other diseases.[258:4]

Marinus, a scholar of the philosopher Proclus, relates one of these remarkable cures, in the life of his master. He says:

"Asclipigenia, a young maiden who had lived with her parents, was seized with a grievous distemper, incurable by the physicians. All help from the physicians failing, the father applied to the philosopher, earnestly entreating him to pray for his daughter. Proclus, full of faith, went to the temple of Æsculapius, intending to pray for the sick young woman to the god—for the city (Athens) was at that time blessed in him, and still enjoyed the undemolished temple of The Saviour—but while he was praying, a sudden change appeared in the damsel, and she immediately became convalescent, for the Saviour, Æsculapius, as being God, easily healed her."[258:5]

Dr. Conyers Middleton says:

"Whatever proof the primitive (Christian) Church might have among themselves, of the miraculous gift, yet it could have but little effect towards making proselytes among those who pretended to the same gift—possessed more largely and exerted more openly, than in the private assemblies of the Christians. For in the temples of Æsculapius, all kinds of diseases were believed to be publicly cured, by the pretended help of that deity, in proof of which there were erected in each temple, columns or tables of brass or marble, on which a distinct narrative of each particular cure was inscribed. Pausanias[258:6] writes that in the temple at Epidaurus there were many columns anciently of this kind, and six of them remaining to his time, inscribed with the names of men and women who had been cured by the god, with an account of their several cases, and the method of their cure; and that there was an old pillar besides, which stood apart, dedicated to the memory of Hippolytus, who had been raised from the dead. Strabo, also, another grave writer, informs us that these temples were constantly filled with the sick, imploring the help of the god, and that they had tables hanging around them, in which all the miraculous cures were described. There is a remarkable fragment of one of these tables still extant, and exhibited by Gruter in his collection, as it was found in the ruins of Æsculapius's temple in the Island of the Tiber, in Rome, which gives an account of two blind men restored to sight by Æsculapius, in the open view,[259:1] and with the loud acclamation of the people, acknowledging the manifest power of the god."[259:2]

Livy, the most illustrious of Roman historians (born B. C. 61), tells us that temples of heathen gods were rich in the number of offerings which the people used to make in return for the cures and benefits which they received from them.[259:3]

A writer in Bell's Pantheon says:

"Making presents to the gods was a custom even from the earliest times, either to deprecate their wrath, obtain some benefit, or acknowledge some favor. These donations consisted of garlands, garments, cups of gold, or whatever conduced to the decoration or splendor of their temples. They were sometimes laid on the floor, sometimes hung upon the walls, doors, pillars, roof, or any other conspicuous place. Sometimes the occasion of the dedication was inscribed, either upon the thing itself, or upon a tablet hung up with it."[259:4]

No one custom of antiquity is so frequently mentioned by ancient historians, as the practice which was so common among the heathens, of making votive offerings to their deities, and hanging them up in their temples, many of which are preserved to this day, viz., images of metal, stone, or clay, as well as legs, arms, and other parts of the body, in testimony of some divine cure effected in that particular member.[259:5]

Horace says:

It was the custom of offering ex-votos of Priapic forms, at the church of Isernia, in the Christian kingdom of Naples, during the last century, which induced Mr. R. Payne Knight to compile his remarkable work on Phallic Worship.

Juvenal, who wrote A. D. 81-96, says of the goddess Isis, whose religion was at that time in the greatest vogue at Rome, that the painters get their livelihood out of her. This was because "the most common of all offerings (made by the heathen to their deities) were pictures presenting the history of the miraculous cure or deliverance, vouchsafed upon the vow of the donor."[260:1] One of their prayers ran thus:

In Chambers's Encyclopædia may be found the following:

"Patients that were cured of their ailments (by Æsculapius, or through faith in him) hung up a tablet in his temple, recording the name, the disease, and the manner of cure. Many of these votive tablets are still extant."[260:3]

Alexander S. Murray, of the department of Greek and Roman Antiquities in the British Museum, speaking of the miracles performed by Æsculapius, says:

"A person who had recovered from a local illness would dictate a sculptured representation of the part that had been affected. Of such sculptures there are a number of examples in the British Museum."[260:4]

Justin Martyr, in his Apology for the Christian religion, addressed to the Emperor Hadrian, says:

"As to our Jesus curing the lame, and the paralytic, and such as were crippled from birth, this is little more than what you say of your Æsculapius."[260:5]

At a time when the Romans were infested with the plague, having consulted their sacred books, they learned that in order to be delivered from it, they were to go in quest of Æsculapius at Epidaurus; accordingly, an embassy was appointed of ten senators, at the head of whom was Quintus Ogulnius, and the worship of Æsculapius was established at Rome, A. U. C. 462, that is, B. C. 288. But the most remarkable coincidence is that the worship of this god continued with scarcely any diminished splendor, for several hundred years after the establishment of Christianity.[260:6]

Hermes or Mercury, the Lord's Messenger, was a wonder-worker. The staff or rod which Hermes received from Phoibos (Apollo), and which connects this myth with the special emblem of Vishnu (the Hindoo Saviour), was regarded as denoting his heraldic office. It was, however, always endowed with magic properties, and had the power even of raising the dead.[261:1]

Herodotus, the Grecian historian, relates a wonderful miracle which happened among the Spartans, many centuries before the time assigned for the birth of Christ Jesus. The story is as follows:

A Spartan couple of great wealth and influence, had a daughter born to them who was a cripple from birth. Her nurse, perceiving that she was misshapen, and knowing her to be the daughter of opulent persons, and deformed, and seeing, moreover, that her parents considered her form a great misfortune, considering these several circumstances, devised the following plan. She carried her every day to the temple of the Goddess Helen, and standing before her image, prayed to the goddess to free the child from its deformity. One day, as the nurse was going out of the temple, a woman appeared to her, and having appeared, asked what she was carrying in her arms; and she answered that she was carrying an infant; whereupon she bid her show it to her, but the nurse refused, for she had been forbidden by the parents to show the child to any one. The woman, however—who was none other than the Goddess herself—urged her by all means to show it to her, and the nurse, seeing that the woman was so very anxious to see the child, at length showed it; upon which she, stroking the head of the child with her hands, said that she would surpass all the women in Sparta in beauty. From that day her appearance began to change, her deformed limbs became symmetrical, and when she reached the age for marriage she was the most beautiful woman in all Sparta.[261:2]

Apollonius of Tyana, in Cappadocia, who was born in the latter part of the reign of Augustus, about four years before the time assigned for the birth of Jesus, and who was therefore contemporary with him, was celebrated for the wonderful miracles he performed. Oracles in various places declared that he was endowed with a portion of Apollo's power to cure diseases, and foretell events; and those who were affected were commanded to apply to him. The priests of Iona made over the diseased to his care, and his cures were considered so remarkable, that divine honors were decreed to him.[261:3]

He at one time went to Ephesus, but as the inhabitants did not hearken to his preaching, he left there and went to Smyrna, where he was well received by the inhabitants. While there, ambassadors came from Ephesus, begging him to return to that city, where a terrible plague was raging, as he had prophesied. He went immediately, and as soon as he arrived, he said to the Ephesians: "Be not dejected, I will this day put a stop to the disease." According to his words, the pestilence was stayed, and the people erected a statue to him, in token of their gratitude.[262:1]

In the city of Athens, there was one of the dissipated young citizens, who laughed and cried by turns, and talked and sang to himself, without apparent cause. His friends supposed these habits were the effects of early intemperance, but Apollonius, who happened to meet the young man, told him he was possessed of a demon; and, as soon as he fixed his eyes upon him, the demon broke out into all those horrid, violent expressions used by people on the rack, and then swore he would depart out of the youth, and never enter another.[262:2] The young man had not been aware that he was possessed by a devil, but from that moment, his wild, disturbed looks changed, he became very temperate, and assumed the garb of a Pythagorean philosopher.

Apollonius went to Rome, and arrived there after the emperor Nero had passed very severe laws against magicians. He was met on the way by a person who advised him to turn back and not enter the city, saying that all who wore the philosopher's garb were in danger of being arrested as magicians. He heeded not these words of warning, but proceeded on his way, and entered the city. It was not long before he became an object of suspicion, was closely watched, and finally arrested, but when his accusers appeared before the tribunal and unrolled the parchment on which the charges against him had been written, they found that all the characters had disappeared. Apollonius made such an impression on the magistrates by the bold tone he assumed, that he was allowed to go where he pleased.[262:3]

Many miracles were performed by him while in Rome, among others may be mentioned his restoring a dead maiden to life.

She belonged to a family of rank, and was just about to be married, when she died suddenly. Apollonius met the funeral procession that was conveying her body to the tomb. He asked them to set down the bier, saying to her betrothed: "I will dry up the tears you are shedding for this maiden." They supposed he was going to pronounce a funeral oration, but he merely took her hand, bent over her, and uttered a few words in a low tone. She opened her eyes, and began to speak, and was carried back alive and well to her father's house.[263:1]

Passing through Tarsus, in his travels, a young man was pointed out to him who had been bitten thirty days before by a mad dog, and who was then running on all fours, barking and howling. Apollonius took his case in hand, and it was not long before the young man was restored to his right mind.[263:2]

Domitian, Emperor of Rome, caused Apollonius to be arrested, during one of his visits to that city, on charge of allowing himself to be worshiped (the people having given him divine honors), speaking against the reigning powers, and pretending that his words were inspired by the gods. He was taken, loaded with irons, and cast into prison. "I have bound you," said the emperor, "and you will not escape me."

Apollonius was one day visited in his prison by his steadfast disciple, Damus, who asked him when he thought he should recover his liberty, whereupon he answered: "This instant, if it depended upon myself," and drawing his legs out of the shackles, he added: "Keep up your spirits, you see the freedom I enjoy." He was brought to trial not long after, and so defended himself, that the emperor was induced to acquit him, but forbade him to leave Rome. Apollonius then addressed the emperor, and ended by saying: "You cannot kill me, because I am not mortal;" and as soon as he had said these words, he vanished from the tribunal.[263:3] Damus (the disciple who had visited him in prison) had previously been sent away from Rome, with the promise of his master that he would soon rejoin him. Apollonius vanished from the presence of the emperor (at Rome) at noon. On the evening of the same day, he suddenly appeared before Damus and some other friends who were at Puteoli, more than a hundred miles from Rome. They started, being doubtful whether or not it was his spirit, but he stretched out his hand, saying: "Take it, and if I escape from you regard me as an apparition."[263:4]

When Apollonius had told his disciples that he had made his defense in Rome, only a few hours before, they marveled how he could have performed the journey so rapidly. He, in reply, said that they must ascribe it to a god.[264:1]

The Empress Julia, wife of Alexander Severus, was so much interested in the history of Apollonius, that she requested Flavius Philostratus, an Athenian author of reputation, to write an account of him. The early Christian Fathers, alluding to this life of Apollonius, do not deny the miracles it recounts, but attribute to them the aid of evil spirits.[264:2]

Justin Martyr was one of the believers in the miracles performed by Apollonius, and by others through him, for he says:

"How is it that the talismans of Apollonius have power in certain members of creation? for they prevent, as we see, the fury of the waves, and the violence of the winds, and the attacks of wild beasts, and whilst our Lord's miracles are preserved by tradition alone, those of Apollonius are most numerous, and actually manifested in present facts, so as to lead astray all beholders."[264:3]

So much for Apollonius. We will now speak of another miracle performer, Simon Magus.

Simon the Samaritan, generally called Simon Magus, produced marked effects on the times succeeding him; being the progenitor of a large class of sects, which long troubled the Christian churches.

In the time of Jesus and Simon Magus it was almost universally believed that men could foretell events, cure diseases, and obtain control over the forces of nature, by the aid of spirits, if they knew how to invoke them. It was Simon's proficiency in this occult science which gained him the surname of Magus, or Magician.

The writer of the eighth chapter of "The Acts of the Apostles" informs us that when Philip went into Samaria, "to preach Christ unto them," he found there "a certain man called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one. To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying: This man is the great power of God."[264:4]

Simon traveled about preaching, and made many proselytes. He professed to be "The Wisdom of God," "The Word of God," "The Paraclete, or Comforter," "The Image of the Eternal Father, Manifested in the Flesh," and his followers claimed that he was "The First Born of the Supreme."[265:1] All of these are titles, which, in after years, were applied to Christ Jesus. His followers had a gospel called "The Four Corners of the World," which reminds us of the reason given by Irenæus, for there being four Gospels among the Christians. He says:

"It is impossible that there could be more or less than four. For there are four climates, and four cardinal winds; but the Gospel is the pillar and foundation of the Church, and its breath of life. The Church, therefore, was to have four pillars, blowing immortality from every quarter, and giving life to men."[265:2]

Simon also composed some works, of which but slight fragments remain, Christian authority having evidently destroyed them. That he made a lively impression on his contemporaries is indicated by the subsequent extension of his doctrines, under varied forms, by the wonderful stories which the Christian Fathers relate of him, and by the strong dislike they manifested toward him.

Eusebius, the ecclesiastical historian, says of him:

"The malicious power of Satan, enemy to all honesty, and foe to all human salvation, brought forth at that time this monster Simon, a father and worker of all such mischiefs, as a great adversary unto the mighty and holy Apostles.

"Coming into the city of Rome, he was so aided by that power which prevaileth in this world, that in short time he brought his purpose to such a pass, that his picture was there placed with others, and he honored as a god."[265:3]

Justin Martyr says of him:

"After the ascension of our Savior into heaven, the DEVIL brought forth certain men which called themselves gods, who not only suffered no vexation of you (Romans), but attained unto honor amongst you, by name one Simon, a Samaritan, born in the village of Gitton, who (under Claudius Cæsar) by the art of devils, through whom he dealt, wrought devilish enchantments, was esteemed and counted in your regal city of Rome for a god, and honored by you as a god, with a picture between two bridges upon the river Tibris, having this Roman inscription: 'Simoni deo Sancto' (To Simon the Holy God). And in manner all the Samaritans, and certain also of other nations, do worship him, acknowledging him for their chief god."[265:4]

According to accounts given by several other Christian Fathers, he could make his appearance wherever he pleased to be at any moment; could poise himself on the air; make inanimate things move without visible assistance; produce trees from the earth suddenly; cause a stick to reap without hands; change himself into the likeness of any other person, or even into the forms of animals; fling himself from high precipices unhurt, walk through the streets accompanied by spirits of the dead; and many other such like performances.[266:1]

Simon went to Rome, where he gave himself out to be an "Incarnate Spirit of God."[266:2] He became a favorite with the Emperor Claudius, and afterwards with Nero. His Christian opponents, as we have seen in the cases cited above, did not deny the miracles attributed to him, but said they were done through the agency of evil spirits, which was a common opinion among the Fathers. They claimed that every magician had an attendant evil spirit, who came when summoned, obeyed his commands, and taught him ceremonies and forms of words, by which he was able to do supernatural things. In this way they were accustomed to account for all the miracles performed by Gentiles and heretics.[266:3]

Menander—who was called the "Wonder-Worker"—was another great performer of miracles. Eusebius, speaking of him, says that he was skilled in magical art, and performed devilish operations; and that "as yet there be divers which can testify the same of him."[266:4]

Dr. Conyers Middleton, speaking on this subject, says:

"It was universally received and believed through all ages of the primitive church, that there was a number of magicians, necromancers, or conjurors, both among the Gentiles, and the heretical Christians, who had each their peculiar demon or evil spirit, for their associates, perpetually attending on their persons and obsequious to their commands, by whose help they could perform miracles, foretell future events, call up the souls of the dead, exhibit them to open view, and infuse into people whatever dreams or visions they saw fit, all which is constantly affirmed by the primitive writers and apologists, and commonly applied by them to prove the immortality of the soul."[266:5]

After quoting from Justin Martyr, who says that these magicians could convince any one "that the souls of men exist still after death," he continues by saying:

"Lactantius, speaking of certain philosophers who held that the soul perished with the body, says: 'they durst not have declared such an opinion, in the presence of any magician, for if they had done it, he would have confuted them upon the spot, by sensible experiments; by calling up souls from the dead, and rendering them visible to human eyes, and making them speak and foretell future events."[267:1]

The Christian Father Theophilus, Bishop of Antioch, who was contemporary with Irenæus (A. D. 177-202), went so far as to declare that it was evil spirits who inspired the old poets and prophets of Greece and Rome. He says:

"The truth of this is manifestly shown; because those who are possessed by devils, even at this day, are sometimes exorcised by us in the name of God; and the seducing spirits confess themselves to be the same demons who before inspired the Gentile poets."[267:2]

Even in the second century after Christianity, foreign conjurors were professing to exhibit miracles among the Greeks. Lucian gives an account of one of these "foreign barbarians"—as he calls them[267:3]—and says:

"I believed and was overcome in spite of my resistance, for what was I to do when I saw him carried through the air in daylight, and walking on the water,[267:4] and passing leisurely and slowly through the fire?"[267:5]

He further tells us that this "foreign barbarian" was able to raise the dead to life.[267:6]

Athenagoras, a Christian Father who flourished during the latter part of the second century, says on this subject:

"We (Christians) do not deny that in several places, cities, and countries, there are some extraordinary works performed in the name of idols," i. e., heathen gods.[267:7]

Miracles were not uncommon things among the Jews before and during the time of Christ Jesus. Casting out devils was an every-day occurrence,[267:8] and miracles frequently happened to confirm the sayings of Rabbis. One cried out, when his opinion was disputed, "May this tree prove that I am right!" and forthwith the tree was torn up by the roots, and hurled a hundred ells off. But his opponents declared that a tree could prove nothing. "May this stream, then, witness for me!" cried Eliezar, and at once it flowed the opposite way.[268:1]

Josephus, the Jewish historian, tells us that King Solomon was expert in casting out devils who had taken possession of the body of mortals. This gift was also possessed by many Jews throughout different ages. He (Josephus) relates that he saw one of his own countrymen (Eleazar) casting out devils, in the presence of a vast multitude.[268:2]

Dr. Conyers Middleton says:

"It is remarkable that all the Christian Fathers, who lay so great a stress on the particular gift of casting out devils, allow the same power both to the Jews and the Gentiles, as well before as after our Saviour's coming."[268:3]

Vespasian, who was born about ten years after the time assigned for the birth of Christ Jesus, performed wonderful miracles, for the good of mankind. Tacitus, the Roman historian, informs us that he cured a blind man in Alexandria, by means of his spittle, and a lame man by the mere touch of his foot.

The words of Tacitus are as follows:

"Vespasian passed some months at Alexandria, having resolved to defer his voyage to Italy till the return of summer, when the winds, blowing in a regular direction, afford a safe and pleasant navigation. During his residence in that city, a number of incidents, out of the ordinary course of nature, seemed to mark him as the peculiar favorite of the gods. A man of mean condition, born at Alexandria, had lost his sight by a defluxion on his eyes. He presented himself before Vespasian, and, falling prostrate on the ground, implored the emperor to administer a cure for his blindness. He came, he said, by the admonition of Serapis, the god whom the superstition of the Egyptians holds in the highest veneration. The request was, that the emperor, with his spittle, would condescend to moisten the poor man's face and the balls of his eyes.[268:4] Another, who had lost the use of his hand, inspired by the same god, begged that he would tread on the part affected. . . . In the presence of a prodigious multitude, all erect with expectation, he advanced with an air of serenity, and hazarded the experiment. The paralytic hand recovered its functions, and the blind man saw the light of the sun.[268:5] By living witnesses, who were actually on the spot, both events are confirmed at this hour, when deceit and flattery can hope for no reward."[268:6]

The striking resemblance between the account of these miracles, and those attributed to Jesus in the Gospels "according to" Matthew and Mark, would lead us to think that one had been copied from the other, but when we find that Tacitus wrote his history A. D. 98,[269:1] and that the "Matthew" and Mark narrators' works were not known until after that time,[269:2] the evidence certainly is that Tacitus was not the plagiarist, but that this charge must fall on the shoulders of the Christian writers, whoever they may have been.

To come down to earlier times, even the religion of the Mahometans is a religion of miracles and wonders. Mahomet, like Jesus of Nazareth, did not claim to perform miracles, but the votaries of Mahomet are more assured than himself of his miraculous gifts; and their confidence and credulity increase as they are farther removed from the time and place of his spiritual exploits. They believe or affirm that trees went forth to meet him; that he was saluted by stones; that water gushed from his fingers; that he fed the hungry, cured the sick, and raised the dead; that a beam groaned to him; that a camel complained to him; that a shoulder of mutton informed him of its being poisoned; and that both animate and inanimate nature were equally subject to the apostle of God. His dream of a nocturnal journey is seriously described as a real and corporeal transaction. A mysterious animal, the Borak, conveyed him from the temple of Mecca to that of Jerusalem; with his companion Gabriel he successively ascended the seven heavens, and received and repaid the salutations of the patriarchs, the prophets, and the angels in their respective mansions. Beyond the seventh heaven, Mahomet alone was permitted to proceed; he passed the veil of unity, approached within two bow-shots of the throne, and felt a cold that pierced him to the heart, when his shoulder was touched by the hand of God. After a familiar, though important conversation, he descended to Jerusalem, remounted the Borak, returned to Mecca, and performed in the tenth part of a night the journey of many thousand years. His resistless word split asunder the orb of the moon, and the obedient planet stooped from her station in the sky.[269:3]

These and many other wonders, similar in character to the story of Jesus sending the demons into the swine, are related of Mahomet by his followers.

It is very certain that the same circumstances which are claimed to have taken place with respect to the Christian religion, are also claimed to have taken place in the religions of Crishna, Buddha, Zoroaster, Æsculapius, Bacchus, Apollonius, Simon Magus, &c. Histories of these persons, with miracles, relics, circumstances of locality, suitable to them, were as common, as well authenticated (if not better), and as much believed by the devotees as were those relating to Jesus.

All the Christian theologians which the world has yet produced have not been able to procure any evidence of the miracles recorded in the Gospels, half so strong as can be procured in evidence of miracles performed by heathens and heathen gods, both before and after the time of Jesus; and, as they cannot do this, let them give us a reason why we should reject the one and receive the other. And if they cannot do this, let them candidly confess that we must either admit them all, or reject them all, for they all stand on the same footing.

In the early times of the Roman republic, in the war with the Latins, the gods Castor and Pollux are said to have appeared on white horses in the Roman army, which by their assistance gained a complete victory: in memory of which, the General Posthumius vowed and built a temple to these deities; and for a proof of the fact, there was shown, we find, in Cicero's time (106 to 43 B. C.), the marks of the horses' hoofs on a rock at Regillum, where they first appeared.[270:1]

Now this miracle, with those which have already been mentioned, and many others of the same kind which could be mentioned, has as authentic an attestation, if not more so, as any of the Gospel miracles. It has, for instance: The decree of a senate to confirm it; visible marks on the spot where it was transacted; and all this supported by the best authors of antiquity, amongst whom Dionysius, of Halicarnassus, who says that there was subsisting in his time at Rome many evident proofs of its reality, besides a yearly festival, with a solemn sacrifice and procession, in memory of it.[270:2]

With all these evidences in favor of this miracle having really happened, it seems to us so ridiculous, that we wonder how there could ever have been any so simple as to believe it, yet we should believe that Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, after he had been in the tomb four days, our only authority being that anonymous book known as the "Gospel according to St. John," which was not known until after A. D. 173. Albert Barnes, in his "Lectures on the Evidences of Christianity," speaking of the authenticity of the Gospel miracles, makes the following damaging confession:

"An important question is, whether there is any stronger evidence in favor of miracles, than there is in favor of witchcraft, or sorcery, or the re-appearance of the dead, of ghosts, of apparitions? Is not the evidence in favor of these as strong as any that can be adduced in favor of miracles? Have not these things been matters of universal belief? In what respect is the evidence in favor of the miracles of the Bible stronger than that which can be adduced in favor of witchcraft and sorcery? Does it differ in nature and degrees; and if it differs, is it not in favor of witchcraft and sorcery? Has not the evidence in favor of the latter been derived from as competent and reliable witnesses? Has it not been brought to us from those who saw the facts alleged? Has it not been subjected to a close scrutiny in the courts of justice, to cross-examination, to tortures? Has it not convinced those of highest legal attainments; those accustomed to sift testimony; those who understood the true principles of evidence? Has not the evidence in favor of witchcraft and sorcery had, what the evidence in favor of miracles has not had, the advantage of strict judicial investigation? and been subjected to trial, where evidence should be, before courts of law? Have not the most eminent judges in the most civilized and enlightened courts of Europe and America admitted the force of such evidence, and on the ground of it committed great numbers of innocent persons to the gallows and to the stake? I confess that of all the questions ever asked on the subject of miracles, this is the most perplexing and the most difficult to answer. It is rather to be wondered at that it has not been pressed with more zeal by those who deny the reality of miracles, and that they have placed their objections so extensively on other grounds."

It was a common adage among the Greeks, "Miracles for fools," and the same proverb obtained among the shrewder Romans, in the saying: "The common people like to be deceived—deceived let them be."

St. Chrysostom declares that "miracles are proper only to excite sluggish and vulgar minds, men of sense have no occasion for them;" and that "they frequently carry some untoward suspicion along with them;" and Saint Chrysostom, Jerome, Euthemius, and Theophylact, prove by several instances, that real miracles had been performed by those who were not Catholic, but heretic, Christians.[271:1]

Celsus (an Epicurean philosopher, towards the close of the second century), the first writer who entered the lists against the claims of the Christians, in speaking of the miracles which were claimed to have been performed by Jesus, says:

"His miracles, granted to be true, were nothing more than the common works of those enchanters, who, for a few oboli, will perform greater deeds in the midst of the Forum, calling up the souls of heroes, exhibiting sumptuous banquets, and tables covered with food, which have no reality. Such things do not prove these jugglers to be sons of God; nor do Christ's miracles."[271:2]

Celsus, in common with most of the Grecians, looked upon Christianity as a blind faith, that shunned the light of reason. In speaking of the Christians, he says:

"They are forever repeating: 'Do not examine. Only believe, and thy faith will make thee blessed. Wisdom is a bad thing in life; foolishness is to be preferred.'"[272:1]

He jeers at the fact that ignorant men were allowed to preach, and says that "weavers, tailors, fullers, and the most illiterate and rustic fellows," set up to teach strange paradoxes. "They openly declared that none but the ignorant (were) fit disciples for the God they worshiped," and that one of their rules was, "let no man that is learned come among us."[272:2]

The miracles claimed to have been performed by the Christians, he attributed to magic,[272:3] and considered—as we have seen above—their miracle performers to be on the same level with all Gentile magicians. He says that the "wonder-workers" among the Christians "rambled about to play tricks at fairs and markets," that they never appeared in the circles of the wiser and better sort, but always took care to intrude themselves among the ignorant and uncultured.[272:4]

"The magicians in Egypt (says he), cast out evil spirits, cure diseases by a breath, call up the spirits of the dead, make inanimate things move as if they were alive, and so influence some uncultured men, that they produce in them whatever sights and sounds they please. But because they do such things shall we consider them the sons of God? Or shall we call such things the tricks of pitiable and wicked men?"[272:5]

He believed that Jesus was like all these other wonder-workers, that is, simply a necromancer, and that he learned his magical arts in Egypt.[272:6] All philosophers, during the time of the Early Fathers, answered the claims that Jesus performed miracles, in the same manner. "They even ventured to call him a magician and a deceiver of the people," says Justin Martyr,[272:7] and St. Augustine asserted that it was generally believed that Jesus had been initiated in magical art in Egypt, and that he had written books concerning magic, one of which was called "Magia Jesu Christi."[272:8] In the Clementine Recognitions, the charge is brought against Jesus that he did not perform his miracles as a Jewish prophet, but as a magician, an initiate of the heathen temples.[272:9]

The casting out of devils was the most frequent and among the most striking and the oftenest appealed to of the miracles of Jesus; yet, in the conversation between himself and the Pharisees (Matt. xii. 24-27), he speaks of it as one that was constantly and habitually performed by their own exorcists; and, so far from insinuating any difference between the two cases, expressly puts them on a level.

One of the best proofs, and most unquestionable, that Jesus was accused of being a magician, or that some of the early Christians believed him to have been such, may be found in the representations of him performing miracles. On a sarcophagus to be found in the Museo Gregoriano, which is paneled with bas-reliefs, is to be seen a representation of Jesus raising Lazarus from the grave. He is represented as a young man, beardless, and equipped with a wand in the received guise of a necromancer, whilst the corpse of Lazarus is swathed in bandages exactly as an Egyptian mummy.[273:1] On other Christian monuments representing the miracles of Jesus, he is pictured in the same manner. For instance, when he is represented as turning the water into wine, and multiplying the bread in the wilderness, he is a necromancer with a wand in his hand.[273:2]

Horus, the Egyptian Saviour, is represented on the ancient monuments of Egypt, with a wand in his hand raising the dead to life, "just as we see Christ doing the same thing," says J. P. Lundy, "in the same way, to Lazarus, in our Christian monuments."[273:3]

Dr. Conyers Middleton, speaking of the primitive Christians, says:

"In the performance of their miracles, they were always charged with fraud and imposture, by their adversaries. Lucian (who flourished during the second century), tells us that whenever any crafty juggler, expert in his trade, and who knew how to make a right use of things, went over to the Christians, he was sure to grow rich immediately, by making a prey of their simplicity. And Celsus represents all the Christian wonder-workers as mere vagabonds and common cheats, who rambled about to play their tricks at fairs and markets; not in the circles of the wiser and the better sort, for among such they never ventured to appear, but wherever they observed a set of raw young fellows, slaves or fools, there they took care to intrude themselves, and to display all their arts."[273:4]

The same charge was constantly urged against them by Julian, Porphyry and others. Similar sentiments were entertained by Polybius, the Pagan philosopher, who considered all miracles as fables, invented to preserve in the unlearned a due sense of respect for the deity.[273:5]

Edward Gibbon, speaking of the miracles of the Christians, writes in his familiar style as follows:

"How shall we excuse the supine inattention of the Pagan and philosophic world, to those evidences which were represented by the hand of Omnipotence, not to their reason, but to their senses? During the age of Christ, of his apostles, and of their first disciples, the doctrine which they preached was confirmed by innumerable prodigies. The lame walked, the blind saw, the sick were healed, the dead were raised, demons were expelled, and the laws of nature were frequently suspended for the benefit of the church. But the sages of Greece and Rome turned aside from the awful spectacle, and, pursuing the ordinary occupations of life and study, appeared unconscious of any alterations in the moral or physical government of the world."[274:1]

The learned Dr. Middleton, whom we have quoted on a preceding page, after a searching inquiry into the miraculous powers of the Christians, says:

"From these short hints and characters of the primitive wonder-workers, as given both by friends and enemies, we may fairly conclude, that the celebrated gifts of these ages were generally engrossed and exercised by the primitive Christians, chiefly of the laity, who used to travel about from city to city, to assist the ordinary pastors of the church, and preachers of the Gospel, in the conversion of Pagans, by the extraordinary gifts with which they were supposed to be indued by the spirit of God, and the miraculous works which they pretended to perform. . . .

"We have just reason to suspect that there was some original fraud in the case; and that the strolling wonder-workers, by a dexterity of jugglery which art, not heaven, had taught them, imposed upon the credulity of the pious Fathers, whose strong prejudices and ardent zeal for the interest of Christianity would dispose them to embrace, without examination, whatever seemed to promote so good a cause. That this was really the case in some instances, is certain and notorious, and that it was so in all, will appear still more probable, when we have considered the particular characters of the several Fathers, on whose testimony the credit of these wonderful narratives depends."[274:2]

Again he says:

"The pretended miracles of the primitive church were all mere fictions, which the pious and zealous Fathers, partly from a weak credulity, and partly from reasons of policy, believing some perhaps to be true, and knowing all of them to be useful, were induced to espouse and propagate, for the support of a righteous cause."[274:3]

Origen, a Christian Father of the third century, uses the following words in his answer to Celsus:

"A vast number of persons who have left those horrid debaucheries in which they formerly wallowed, and have professed to embrace the Christian religion, shall receive a bright and massive crown when this frail and short life is ended, though they don't stand to examine the grounds on which their faith is built, nor defer their conversion till they have a fair opportunity and capacity to apply themselves to rational and learned studies. And since our adversaries are continually making such a stir about our taking things on trust, I answer, that we, who see plainly and have found the vast advantage that the common people do manifestly and frequently reap thereby (who make up by far the greater number), I say, we (the Christian clergy), who are so well advised of these things, do professedly teach men to believe without examination."[275:1]

Origen flourished and wrote A. D. 225-235, which shows that at that early day there was no rational evidence for Christianity, but it was professedly taught, and men were supposed to believe "these things" (i. e. the Christian legends) without severe examination.

The primitive Christians were perpetually reproached for their gross credulity, by all their enemies. Celsus, as we have already seen, declares that they cared neither to receive nor give any reason for their faith, and that it was a usual saying with them: "Do not examine, but believe only, and thy faith will save thee;" and Julian affirms that, "the sum of all their wisdom was comprised in the single precept, 'believe.'"

Arnobius, speaking of this, says:

"The Gentiles make it their constant business to laugh at our faith, and to lash our credulity with their facetious jokes."

The Christian Fathers defended themselves against these charges by declaring that they did nothing more than the heathens themselves had always done; and reminds them that they too had found the same method useful with the uneducated or common people, who were not at leisure to examine things, and whom they taught therefore, to believe without reason.[275:2]

This "believing without reason" is illustrated in the following words of Tertullian, a Christian Father of the second century, who reasons on the evidence of Christianity as follows:

"I find no other means to prove myself to be impudent with success, and happily a fool, than by my contempt of shame; as, for instance—I maintain that the son of God was born: why am I not ashamed of maintaining such a thing? Why! but because it is a shameful thing. I maintain that the son of God died: well, that is wholly credible because it is monstrously absurd. I maintain that after having been buried, he rose again: and that I take to be absolutely true, because it was manifestly impossible."[275:3]

According to the very books which record the miracles of Jesus, he never claimed to perform such deeds, and Paul declares that the great reason why Israel did not believe Jesus to be the Messiah was that "the Jews required a sign."[276:1] He meant: "Signs and wonders are the only proofs they will admit that any one is sent by God and is preaching the truth. If they cannot have this palpable, external proof, they withhold their faith."

A writer of the second century (John, in ch. iv. 18) makes Jesus aim at his fellow-countrymen and contemporaries, the reproach: "Unless you see signs and wonders, you do not believe." In connection with Paul's declaration, given above, these words might be paraphrased: "The reason why the Jews never believed in Jesus was that they never saw him do signs and wonders."

Listen to the reply he (Jesus) made when told that if he wanted people to believe in him he must first prove his claim by a miracle: "A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign, and no sign shall be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonas."[276:2] Of course, this answer did not in the least degree satisfy the questioners; so they presently came to him again with a more direct request: "If the kingdom of God is, as you say, close at hand, show us at least some one of the signs in heaven which are to precede the Messianic age." What could appear more reasonable than such a request? Every one knew that the end of the present age was to be heralded by fearful signs in heaven. The light of the sun was to be put out, the moon turned to blood, the stars robbed of their brightness, and many other fearful signs were to be shown![276:3] If any one of these could be produced, they would be content; but if not, they must decline to surrender themselves to an idle joy which must end in a bitter disappointment; and surely Jesus himself could hardly expect them to believe in him on his bare word.

Historians have recorded miracles said to have been performed by other persons, but not a word is said by them about the miracles claimed to have been performed by Jesus.

Justus of Tiberias, who was born about five years after the time assigned for the crucifixion of Jesus, wrote a Jewish History. Now, if the miracles attributed to Christ Jesus, and his death and resurrection, had taken place in the manner described by the Gospel narrators, he could not have failed to allude to them. But Photius, Patriarch of Constantinople, tells us that it contained "no mention of the coming of Christ, nor of the events concerning him, nor of the prodigies he wrought." As Theodore Parker has remarked: "The miracle is of a most fluctuating character. The miracle-worker of to-day is a matter-of-fact juggler to-morrow. Science each year adds new wonders to our store. The master of a locomotive steam-engine would have been thought greater than Jupiter Tonans, or the Elohim, thirty centuries ago."

In the words of Dr. Oort: "Our increased knowledge of nature has gradually undermined the belief in the possibility of miracles, and the time is not far distant when in the mind of every man, of any culture, all accounts of miracles will be banished together to their proper region—that of legend."

What had been said to have been done in India was said by the "half Jew"[277:1] writers of the Gospels to have been done in Palestine. The change of names and places, with the mixing up of various sketches of Egyptian, Phenician, Greek and Roman mythology, was all that was necessary. They had an abundance of material, and with it they built. A long-continued habit of imposing upon others would in time subdue the minds of the impostors themselves, and cause them to become at length the dupes of their own deception.

FOOTNOTES: