The Bible of Bibles; Or, Twenty-Seven "Divine" Revelations. Kersey Graves
and both were too holy to eat with barbarians.
22. Each had a ceremonial law prescribing numerous rites. The church ceremonies were performed by priests in each.
23. The priests were forbidden to eat meat in both cases.
24. Both Jews and Brahmins worshiped by bloody sacrifices. Both had their favorite sacred animals. Animal sacrifices were by each to arrest public calamities.
25. One interdicted beef, and the other pork, as food.
26. Both prescribed purification after touching dead bodies; and each religion had a law of purification. Bathing was a mode of purification in each religion.
27. Each has its "holy" places, times, days, cities, mountains, rivers, &c. India, as well as Judea, was considered a holy land.
28. Each had its holy ground. Both drew off their shoes on entering upon holy ground or holy places.
29. Both had their holy days, and the same in most cases.
30. Mount Mera was no less holy than Mount Sinai or Mount Horeb. Jordan was a sacred river in one case, and Ganges in the other. Jerusalem was a "holy" city with the Jews, and Benares with the Hindoos.
31. Holy fasts and feasts were a part of each religion. Both made u holy feast at full moon.
32. Each had its holy fires.
33. Both had their holy mysteries kept sacredly guarded.
34. Each prepared and kept holy water for ceremonial purposes.
35. Both anointed themselves with "holy ointment."
36. Each claimed to have the only true and "holy faith."
37. "Holy temples" were familiar terms to each. Their temples were constructed in a similar manner. Each had a "sanctum sanctorum," or "holy of holies." Only the holy priest of both entered the interior sanctum.
38. Both had their drink-offerings (called turpin by the Hindoos).
39. Both sprinkled their door-posts with blood.
40. One had a scape-goat, and the other a scape-horse.
41. Both taught that the sins of the father were visited upon the children.
42. Religious pilgrimages were practiced by each.
43. Both acknowledge and teach one supreme God. Inferior deities, or angels, are believed in by each. God's omniscience, omnipotence, and omnipresence are taught in both Bibles.
44. God is represented to be invisible by each. And "God is a spirit," and infinitely wise and good, is taught in each.
45. To love God supremely is recommended by each.
46. Both taught that God was a God of power, and assisted them in their battles.
47. Both taught that a knowledge of God is essential.
48. Silent meditation upon the Lord is recommended by each.
49. God was to each a refuge in danger and trouble.
50. The government of each was a theocracy, God the executive.
51. Both religions were constituted largely of external rites. In each the priest was the expounder of the holy books and laws. "Patriarchs" was one of the sacred orders of each system. Holy "prophets" figure conspicuously in each system. Both priests and people were in each case believed to be inspired.
52. And each had its witnesses to prove the truth and fulfillment of its prophecies.
53. Both held their Holy Bibles as an inspired guide of right and wrong.
54. One Bible was from Jehovah, and the other from Brahma.
55. Ezra was inspired to compile the Jewish Bible, and Vyas the Brahmin.
56. Each religious order had a holy ark containing something sacred.
57. A story of a deluge is found in the Bible of each.
58. The corruption or wickedness of society caused the flood in each case.
59. The Brahmins had their patriarch Satyavrata, answering to Noah.
60. Each was forewarned of the flood.
61. Eight persons were saved in each case.
62. In each story a large vessel is prepared. Animals were saved by pairs in each case. A rainbow is spoken of in each flood story.
63. For Shem, Ham, and Japhet, the Hindoos have a Sherma, Charma, and Jyapheta.
64. Charma was condemned to be "a servant of servants," like Ham.
65. Human life was in each traditionally spun out to nearly a thousand years.
66. One day a thousand years with God, in each system.
67. Both have stories of persons ascending to heaven.
68. Budha was cast into the fiery furnace like the three holy children.
69. Musavod was a giant in strength like Samson.
70. Rhambha was changed to a pillar of stone, like Lot's wife to salt.
71. Mahendra was carried through the air like Habakkuk.
72. A story of Budha answers to that of Darnel in the lions' den.
73. Idolatry is discouraged, but occasionally practiced by each
74. Witchcraft was believed in by each.
75. Here are presented eighty-eight striking analogies.
VII. ANTIQUITY OF INDIA.
Having presented a long list of analogies between the Hindoo and Jewish religions, we will proceed to prove the prior existence of the Hindoo system, and leave the reader to deduce his own inferences. "In times coeval with the earliest authentic records," says a writer, "the Hindoos calculated eclipses, and were venerated for their attainments in some of the arts and sciences." According to the learned astronomer Baily, their calculations in astronomy extended back to the remote period of seventeen hundred years before Moses; and some of the ancient monuments and inscriptions of India bespeak for its religion a very remote antiquity. Some of our modern learned antiquarians have expressed the opinion that the Sanscrit language of the Brahmins is the oldest language that can be traced in the history of the human race. They also state that this language was extant before the Jews were known as a nation; and neither it nor their religion has ever been known to change. These facts are sufficient to establish the existence of the Brahmin and Budhist systems of religion long prior to the earliest records of the Jewish nation.
Note.—Here we desire to call the attention of the reader to the very remarkable statement of Col. Dow in his "History of India." He tells us that "the Hindoos give a very particular account of the origin of the Jewish religion" (pref. v.). They say that a pious Hindoo by the name of Rajah Tara apostatized from the faith, for which he was banished to the West, where he established a system of religion, which became afterwards known as the Jewish religion. Tura only needs a change of one letter to make Tera, the father of Abraham. Let the reader make a note of this.
CHAPTER VI.—THE EGYPTIAN BIBLE.
THE "HERMAS."