Mysticism and its Results | Page 4

John Delafield
used as being of much earlier date than the same
tradition differently told, where the word Jehovah indicates the name of
Deity. For instance, we find in one place[11] the command of God to
Noah to take the beasts and fowls, &c., into the ark by sevens. But
again, in the same chapter,[12] we find them taken only by pairs. Are
these not variant traditions of one event? So, of the story of Abraham
passing off his wife for his sister before Pharaoh, king of Egypt,[13]
and also before Abimelech, king of Gerar,[14] and the farther tradition
of Isaac and Rebecca having done the same thing before Abimelech,
king of Gerar.[15] Are not these variant traditions of one fact? The
legal experience of the writer for many years, convinces him that no
two persons without collusion view a transaction generally exactly
alike. Frequently--and each equally sincere and honest--they widely
vary in their testimony. {18} Collusion may produce a story without
contradiction. Slight discrepancies show there is no fraud, only that the
witnesses occupied different stand points, or gave more or less
attention to what was the subject matter.
But, asking pardon for this digression, let us return to our theme.
We know little or nothing about the teaching of the patriarchs in the
Elohistic age. Neither writing nor sculpture thereof existed in the time
of Moses, except, perhaps, the lost book of Enoch, or, unless--which
we are inclined to doubt--the book of Job had just before his era been
reduced to writing by the Idumean, Assyrian, or Chaldean priesthood.
We find at that period that sacrifices were offered on mountain tops.
Why? Abraham went to such a place to offer up his son. Was it not for
secrecy in the religious rite? If the earliest instruction was from God,
whose truth is unchangeable and eternal, were not the earliest sacrifices
offered in secret by reason of the same command which subsequently
obliged the high priest of his chosen people to offer the great sacrifice
in secret within the veils, first of the Tabernacle, afterward of the
Temple? The Elohistic age ended with the first official act of Moses,
after he, also, had met with Aaron on "the mount of God."[16]
A new era then commenced. As men dispersed {19} themselves over
the earth, the original belief in the one true God (Monotheism) was lost,

and people fell into the worship of many deities (Polytheism), adoring
the visible works of creation, more particularly the sun and the stars of
heaven, or else reverencing the operative powers of nature as divine
beings. Faith in the one Great JEHOVAH was preserved by the
children of Israel alone. Idols were erected within gorgeous temples.
With the Chaldean, Phoenician, and Assyrian, Moloch began the
dreadful cruelty of human sacrifices, chiefly of children. If, at first, the
image of the idol was only a visible symbol of a spiritual conception, or
of an invisible power, this higher meaning was lost in progress of time
in the minds of most nations, and they came at length to pay worship to
the lifeless image itself. The priests alone were acquainted with any
deeper meaning, but refused to share it with the people; they reserved it
under the veil of esoteric (secret) doctrines, as the peculiar appanage of
their own class. They invented endless fables which gave rise to
Mythology. They ruled the people by the might of superstition, and
acquired wealth, honor, and power, for themselves.[17] We arrive then
at nearly the culminating point of Egyptian priestcraft, the days of
"wise men," "sorcerers," and "magicians."[18] Such men ever {20}
have, and we presume ever will employ secrecy as the chief element of
their clever jugglery. Mankind love to be deceived. Let an Adrian, Blitz,
or Alexander--while they tell you, and you well know it, that their
tricks are a deception--put forth notices of an exhibition, and they will
attract crowds, where an Arago, or a Faraday, would not be listened to.
Maelzel's automata, or Vaucanson's duck, will attract the world, when
Bacon's, or Newton's, or Laplace's works may remain in dust on the
book-shelves. Human nature is always the same, and thus it was in the
days of Moses and Pharaoh. The wise men, sorcerers, and magicians,
held undisputed sway, not only over the superstitions of the people, but
over their educated monarchs and princes. Egypt possessed, at an
inconceivably early period, numberless towns and villages, and a high
amount of civilization. Arts, sciences, and civil professions, were
cherished there, so that the Nile-land has generally been regarded as the
mysterious cradle of human culture; but the system of castes checked
free development and continuous improvement. Everything subserved a
gloomy religion and a powerful priesthood, who held the people in
terror and superstition. Their doctrine, that, after the death
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