Book V - Snyder Bible

166
Chapter XIII: Origin of Idolatry
impiety; and on this account Torah was given by Yahweh to
instruct them in the manner of living. But in process of time,
the worship of Yahweh and righteousness were corrupted by
the unbelieving and the wicked, as we shall show more fully
by and by. Moreover, perverse and erratic religions were introduced,
to which the greater part of men gave themselves
up, by occasion of holidays and solemnities, instituting drinking
and banquets, following pipes, and flutes, and harps, and
diverse kinds of musical instruments, and indulging themselves
in all kinds of drunkenness and luxury. Hence every
kind of error took rise; hence they invented groves and altars,
fillets and victims, and after drunkenness they were agitated
as if with mad emotions. By this means power was given to the
demons to enter into minds of this sort, so that they seemed to
lead insane dances and to rave like Bacchanalians; hence were
invented the gnashing of teeth, and bellowing from the depth
of their bowels; hence a terrible countenance and a fierce aspect
in men, so that he whom drunkenness had subverted and
a demon had instigated, was believed by the deceived and the
erring to be filled with the Deity.
Chapter XIV: Yahweh Both Good and Righteous
introduced into the world, we have been sent, as good merchants,
bringing unto you the worship of the true Yahweh,
handed down from the fathers, and preserved; as the seeds of
which we scatter these words amongst you, and place it in
your choice to choose what seems to you to be right. For if you
receive those things which we bring you, you shall not only be
able yourselves to escape the incursions of the demon, but also
to drive them away from others; and at the same time you
shall obtain the rewards of eternal good things. But those who
shall refuse to receive those things which are spoken by us
shall be subject in the present life to diverse demons and dis-