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Article ANCIENT SYMBOLISM ILLUSTRATED. ← Page 3 of 4 Article ANCIENT SYMBOLISM ILLUSTRATED. Page 3 of 4 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Ancient Symbolism Illustrated.
single term , from la a day , derived from lilaclh , to turn round , in allusion to the diurnal revolution , up to blean a year , compounded of bel the sun , and din a circle , referring to its annual orbit—ivhich does not associate the idea of its derivation with the planetary courses . The Latins also derived their terms for marking time from the seven planets of our solar system annus a year , properly signifies a circle
; ( whence a-nnulus a ring ) , from the period in wliich it was supposed the sun moved round the earth , while the days of the week were dies Solis , or Sun-day ; dies Luna , or Moonday ; dies Alartis , or day of Mars , by us called Tuesday ; dies Mercurii , or day of Mercury , our Wednesday , because the Saxons worshipped Mercury by the name of Woden
, whence Wodensday or Wednesday ; dies Jovis , dies Veneris , ancl dies Batumi , the days of Jupiter , Venus , and Saturnthus completing the circle of what was then of the solar system . Of late years , since the motion of the earth around the sun has been acknowledged , the earth has been admitted among the number , and Uranus or the Georgium Sidus
discovered by Herschel , completes the seven , in accordance with whicli advancement in the science , we dejiict on our tracing board , the sun , the moon , and seven stars ; but the tracing board of our ancient brethren had only five stars , Almost all the reli gions of the East inculcated the doctrine of the metempsychosisor transmigration of the soul . Tlie
, Hindoo sacred writings represent the whole universe as an ample and august theatre for the probationary existence of millions of beings who are supposed to be so many spirits degraded from the hi g h honours of angelic distinction , and condemned to ascend through various gradations of toil and
suffering , until they shall have reached the exalted sphere of perfection and happiness which they enjoyed before their defection . The metempsychosis was after three manners ; the first when a soul enters a body already animated—thus it was that Herod the Tctrarch , imagined that the soul of John the Baptist , whom he had caused to be beheaded a little
before , was entered into the body of Jesus Christ , in order to work miracles . The second manner of transmigration was when a soul set at liberty by the death of its former bod y and floating in mid air , enters a fresh body newly formed , cither of a beast or of a man , by this means either to expiate some crime committed in another body , or to acquire a
higher degree of sanctity . Calmct indeed asserts that the Jews believe this revolution to be perpetually repeated until the soul has acquired purity . The most famous Jewish doctors , he adds , still hold this doctrine , which was that of Pythagoras , Plato , and other philosophers of old . The third method is sidereal metempsychosis , when the soul having furnished its mortal probations is received into one of the seven planets or boobuns , ancl finally merging into the essence of the sun a complete absorption of it or perfect union of
the glorified spirit with its Creator is permitted—this constituted the hi ghest or seventh heaven . One sect , however , believe that for all purposes of ordinary bliss tlie third degree of boobun is sufficient ; but that those whose piety has been very exemplary , may bo admitted as far as the fifth , while those who have died martyrs in the cause of their reli gion
are deemed worthy of the seventh . This doctrine was perhaps alluded to by St . Paul , when he speaks of having been caught up into the third heaven ; he also says , " There is one glory of the sun , ancl other glory of the moon—one star differeth from another in glory . " The river Jordan in sacred history has ever been
considered a type of baptism or regeneration from sin , and we read that Naaman was directed to wash in this river seven times , as if he hacl at each oblation undergone the metempsychosis . According to Josephus , the Tabernacle was fabricated to resemble the universe ; he affirms , that the twelve loaves , ordered by Moses to be placed on the table were emblematical of the twfclve signs upon the zodiac , while the seven lamps alluded to the seven planets . Almost every nation of the ancient world united in con-
Ancient Symbolism Illustrated.
sidering the planets to bo the residence of departed spirits . The Magi of the Persians imagined the throne of the presiding principle , or God , to be placed in the sun , ancl that ifc was the paradise of the most perfectly blessed ; it was always representedbyan orb of gold , because the sun is the sovereign of the sky , and gold the king of metals ; it was , moreover , placed by itself to indicate that its brightness was its own ,
THE SOVEREIGN OF TIIE SKV . and that the moon with the other planets derived their light from it ; even the architecture of the ancients was moulded by this doctrine .
TIJi : 1 IOON AXI ) SEVKS STABS . The palace erected by Dejoces , the first king of the Medes , seven hundred years before Christ , in the great city of Ecbatana , was surrounded by seven circular walls , these walls b y their number and decorations designated the seven planets , the five outermost were of the colours usually assigned to the
five stars , while the two innermost were most gloriously decorated , the last of these was saicl to be of burnished gold to represent the suu , while the next to it was covered with plates of silver to symbolize the moon . This doctrine of metempsychosis is undoubtedly of most ancient date . The author of the Indian Antiquities , declares
it to be plainly revealed in the Geeta , an Indian composition , supposed to be four thousand years old . And thus the sun , the moon , aud the five stars ( with us seven ) were symbols of the seven boobuns ' , or heavens , to which , in succession , according to his deserts , the soul of man migrated , until its final reception into the sun , the seventh heaven , or essence of the Deiti ' ,
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Ancient Symbolism Illustrated.
single term , from la a day , derived from lilaclh , to turn round , in allusion to the diurnal revolution , up to blean a year , compounded of bel the sun , and din a circle , referring to its annual orbit—ivhich does not associate the idea of its derivation with the planetary courses . The Latins also derived their terms for marking time from the seven planets of our solar system annus a year , properly signifies a circle
; ( whence a-nnulus a ring ) , from the period in wliich it was supposed the sun moved round the earth , while the days of the week were dies Solis , or Sun-day ; dies Luna , or Moonday ; dies Alartis , or day of Mars , by us called Tuesday ; dies Mercurii , or day of Mercury , our Wednesday , because the Saxons worshipped Mercury by the name of Woden
, whence Wodensday or Wednesday ; dies Jovis , dies Veneris , ancl dies Batumi , the days of Jupiter , Venus , and Saturnthus completing the circle of what was then of the solar system . Of late years , since the motion of the earth around the sun has been acknowledged , the earth has been admitted among the number , and Uranus or the Georgium Sidus
discovered by Herschel , completes the seven , in accordance with whicli advancement in the science , we dejiict on our tracing board , the sun , the moon , and seven stars ; but the tracing board of our ancient brethren had only five stars , Almost all the reli gions of the East inculcated the doctrine of the metempsychosisor transmigration of the soul . Tlie
, Hindoo sacred writings represent the whole universe as an ample and august theatre for the probationary existence of millions of beings who are supposed to be so many spirits degraded from the hi g h honours of angelic distinction , and condemned to ascend through various gradations of toil and
suffering , until they shall have reached the exalted sphere of perfection and happiness which they enjoyed before their defection . The metempsychosis was after three manners ; the first when a soul enters a body already animated—thus it was that Herod the Tctrarch , imagined that the soul of John the Baptist , whom he had caused to be beheaded a little
before , was entered into the body of Jesus Christ , in order to work miracles . The second manner of transmigration was when a soul set at liberty by the death of its former bod y and floating in mid air , enters a fresh body newly formed , cither of a beast or of a man , by this means either to expiate some crime committed in another body , or to acquire a
higher degree of sanctity . Calmct indeed asserts that the Jews believe this revolution to be perpetually repeated until the soul has acquired purity . The most famous Jewish doctors , he adds , still hold this doctrine , which was that of Pythagoras , Plato , and other philosophers of old . The third method is sidereal metempsychosis , when the soul having furnished its mortal probations is received into one of the seven planets or boobuns , ancl finally merging into the essence of the sun a complete absorption of it or perfect union of
the glorified spirit with its Creator is permitted—this constituted the hi ghest or seventh heaven . One sect , however , believe that for all purposes of ordinary bliss tlie third degree of boobun is sufficient ; but that those whose piety has been very exemplary , may bo admitted as far as the fifth , while those who have died martyrs in the cause of their reli gion
are deemed worthy of the seventh . This doctrine was perhaps alluded to by St . Paul , when he speaks of having been caught up into the third heaven ; he also says , " There is one glory of the sun , ancl other glory of the moon—one star differeth from another in glory . " The river Jordan in sacred history has ever been
considered a type of baptism or regeneration from sin , and we read that Naaman was directed to wash in this river seven times , as if he hacl at each oblation undergone the metempsychosis . According to Josephus , the Tabernacle was fabricated to resemble the universe ; he affirms , that the twelve loaves , ordered by Moses to be placed on the table were emblematical of the twfclve signs upon the zodiac , while the seven lamps alluded to the seven planets . Almost every nation of the ancient world united in con-
Ancient Symbolism Illustrated.
sidering the planets to bo the residence of departed spirits . The Magi of the Persians imagined the throne of the presiding principle , or God , to be placed in the sun , ancl that ifc was the paradise of the most perfectly blessed ; it was always representedbyan orb of gold , because the sun is the sovereign of the sky , and gold the king of metals ; it was , moreover , placed by itself to indicate that its brightness was its own ,
THE SOVEREIGN OF TIIE SKV . and that the moon with the other planets derived their light from it ; even the architecture of the ancients was moulded by this doctrine .
TIJi : 1 IOON AXI ) SEVKS STABS . The palace erected by Dejoces , the first king of the Medes , seven hundred years before Christ , in the great city of Ecbatana , was surrounded by seven circular walls , these walls b y their number and decorations designated the seven planets , the five outermost were of the colours usually assigned to the
five stars , while the two innermost were most gloriously decorated , the last of these was saicl to be of burnished gold to represent the suu , while the next to it was covered with plates of silver to symbolize the moon . This doctrine of metempsychosis is undoubtedly of most ancient date . The author of the Indian Antiquities , declares
it to be plainly revealed in the Geeta , an Indian composition , supposed to be four thousand years old . And thus the sun , the moon , aud the five stars ( with us seven ) were symbols of the seven boobuns ' , or heavens , to which , in succession , according to his deserts , the soul of man migrated , until its final reception into the sun , the seventh heaven , or essence of the Deiti ' ,