Forlong - Rivers of Life

Sun Worship.
Messiah, previous to a declaration which ushers in the festivities of the whole empire;”
regarding which Gregory Nazianzen says some remarkable things as to “Pagan rites
being made subserviate to the advancement of the Christian faith.” In Jul. Firmio
de Err. Profan. Relig., we read that “on a certain night in the same season of the year,
the heathens similarly laid an image in their temples, and after numbering the lamentations
accorded to the beads upon a string, thus ended the appointed days of privation
and sorrow; then light was brought in, and the high priest delivered an expression,
similar to its import, of resuscitation and deliveramce from grief.” Hindoos and many
other peoples have similar ceremonies in connection with the loss and resuscitation of
the Sun; and the celebrated Middleton, writing from Rome, observes: “We see the
people worshipping at this day in the same temples, at the same altars, sometimes at
the same images, and always with the same ceremonies, as the old Romans.” 1
Some have thought that the universal idea of the death of a principal deity, and
his glorious resurrection and ascension—which all nations of any moderate degree of
civilization have asserted—show that such races sprang from the far north, or at least
as far north as 66°, where the sun would be three days or so “under the earth.” From
Zend lore 2 we learn that the writers must have lived far beyond Persian limits, or
about 49° 20’ north lat.; for they say their longest day in summer is equal to the two
shortest in winter, and the two shortest in summer is only equal to their longest winter
night. Thus their longest day was 16 h. 10 m., and shortest, 8 h. 5 m.; so that their
dwellings must have been in highest Skythia, if in Central Asia, or in Bohemia, and
Bretony (that ancient and sacred land), if in Europe.
In Melito’s Apology—thought to belong to the second century A.C.—we are told
that “the sons of Phenicia worshipped Balthi, the Queen of Cyprus, who loved Tammuz,
son of Kuthar, the king of the Phenicians;” and on this account went to live at
Gehal. Balthi was the wife of Hephestus, and had committed adultery with Ares; so
Hephestus slew Tammuz, whom be found hunting wild boars in Lebanon. This old story,
which Greeks all believed, serves amongst other things to explain to us the meaning
of Nim-rad being “a mighty hunter.” Tammuz,” says Rabbi S. Isaki, commenting
on Ezekiel viii, signifies “the burning one,” and is also Molok; for the women made
images of him with eyes of lead, which melted when heated from the inside; and then
they demanded offerings for him, saying he wept. Others said Tammuz was like a
reptile in the water; so we may certainly conclude with the best Christian, as well as
“heathen” writers that he was the Phallic Adonis or Maha-deva. Many nations have
seen forms of Maha-Deva in various creatures, especially the amphibious otter, beaver,
seal, &c.; and of earthly denizens, the sleek weasel, and “the child of night,” the
mouse—Ganesha’s vehicle. I will conclude June festivities, by giving a description
of a Cornwall fete, which is still in force, or was so till very lately.
Threading the Needle.—A curious and significant popular play of this season, is
1 Quoted from Moor’s Oriental Frags., p. 296.
2 Boundeheesh, p. 400, trans. by A. du Perron. [In English in S.B.E. vol. V, Pahlevi Texts, trans. by E. J.
West, Oxford, 1880] Godwyn, C. and Eccles. Rites, iv. 153. Ed. 1658.
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