Astral Worship | Page 3

in an oral manner only; and all were bound by the most
fearful oaths not to reveal the secrets imparted to them.
Thus were the votaries of the ancient Astral worship divided into two
distinct classes, the Esoterics, or Gnostics; and the Exoterics, or
Agnostics; the former comprising those who knew that the Gods were
mythical and the scriptures allegorical; and the latter, those who were
taught that the Gods were real, and the scriptures historical; or, in other
words, it was philosophy for the cultured few, and religion for the
ignorant multitude. The initiates into the secrets of these two systems
recognized them as the two Gospels; and Paul must have had reference
to them in his Epistle to the Galatians ii., 2, where he distinguishes the
Gospel which he preached on ordinary occasions from that Gospel
which he preached "privately to them which were of reputation."
Such was the system of Astrolatry, which, originating in the Orient, and
becoming, after being remodelled in Egypt, the prototype of all
Occidental forms of worship, was recognized, successively, as the state
religion of the Grecian and Roman Empires; and we propose to
describe the erroneous system of nature upon which it was based, and
to develop the origins of its cycles, dogmas, ordinances, anniversaries,
personifications and symbols, with the view to proving that it was the
very same system which was ultimately perpetuated under the name of
Christianity. We also propose to present the origins and abridged
histories of its two forms, the Jewish, or ancient, and the Roman, or
modern; and to give an account of the conflict between the votaries of
the latter, and the adherents to the established form of worship, which
culminated in the fourth century in the substitution of Christianity as

the state religion of the Roman Empire. We furthermore propose to
show the changes to which the creed and scriptures were subjected
during the Middle Ages, and at the Reformation in the sixteenth
century, through which they assumed the phases as now taught in the
theologies, respectively of Catholicism and Orthodox Protestantism.
We also present an article relative to Freemasonry and Druidism, for
the purpose of showing that, primarily, they were but different forms of
the ancient Astrolatry. We also devote a few pages to the subjects of
the Sabbath, and to that of "Pious Frauds."
Note.--For the matter published in this work, we are principally
indebted to the writings of Robert Taylor, an erudite but recusant
minister of the church of England, who flourished about seventy years
ago, and who, being too honest to continue to preach what, after
thorough investigation, he did not believe, began to give expression to
his doubts by writing and lecturing. Not being able to cope with his
arguments, the clergy, under the charge of the impossible crime of
blasphemy, had him imprisoned for more than two years, during which
time he wrote his great work entitled "The Diegesis," which should be
read by all persons who are investigating the claim of the Christian
religion to Divine authenticity.

THE GEOCENTRIC SYSTEM OF NATURE.
In constructing their system of nature, the ancient Astronomers
constituted it of the Earth, the Firmament, the Planets, the
Constellations and the Zodiac, and we will refer to them in the order
named.
The Earth.
Believing that the earth was the only world, that it was a vast circular
plane, and that it was the fixed and immovable center around which
revolved the celestial luminaries, the ancient Astronomers, in
conformity to the requirement of the doctrine of future rewards and
punishments, as inculcated in the Egyptian Version of the Exoteric

Creed, divided it into an upper and an under, or nether world, which
they connected by a sinuous and tenebrious passage.
The Firmament.
The azure dome, called the firmament in the book of Genesis, was
believed to be a solid transparency, which we find described, in the
fourth chapter and sixth verse, of that collection of Astronomical
Allegories, called the Apocalypse, or Book of Revelation, "as a sea of
glass like unto crystal." It was represented as being supported by four
pillars, resting upon the earth, one at each of the cardinal points, which
were designated as "the pillars of heaven." Conceiving the idea that
there were windows in the firmament, the ancient Astronomers called
them "the windows of heaven" and taught that they were opened when
it rained, and closed when it ceased to rain. Hence it is evident that the
ancient Astronomers did not refer to these pillars and windows in a
figurative sense, but as real appurtenances to a solid firmament, as will
be seen by reference to Gen. vii. 11, and viii. 2, Job xxvi. 11, and
Malachi iii. 10.
The Planets.
Believing that the stars were but mere flambeaux, suspended beneath
the