ars of Taurus are in Gemini, those of
Gemini in Cancer, and so on throughout the ecliptic.

The relative positions of the signs and constellations in the zodiac and
ecliptic seem thus to have gradually changed with the revolving years;
and the worship of the three constellations, Taurus, Aries, and Pisces,
with which Christianity is so intimately connected, seems to have
changed in a corresponding degree. The worship of the bull of Egypt--the
celestial Taurus--has given place to that of the lamb of Palestine--the
celestial Aries; and under the astronomical emblem Pisces--the twelfth
sign of the zodiac--the dominant faith of to-day was appropriately
taught by the twelve apostolic fishermen.

It is from one of these chosen fishermen, St. Peter, that the Pope of
Rome claims to have derived his arbitrary power for binding and loosing
on earth those who are to be bound and loosed in heaven. (Matt. xvi,
19.) The grave responsibility of wielding with justice and equity this
tremendous power over the future destiny of mankind, seems never to have
disconcerted any of the successors of St. Peter. They have all proved
to be equally arrogant and intolerant, zealous for both temporal and
spiritual domination, and merciless to those who have opposed their
pretensions. The present incumbent of the papal chair, who modestly
claims the attribute of infallibility, seems proud of his inherited
title, The Great Fisherman! and hopes in the progress of time, with the
assistance of his monks, bishops, and cardinals, to entangle all nations
in his net of faith, and to dictate with unquestioned authority the
religious worship of the entire human race.

As the precession of the equinoxes still continues as of yore, and as
the masses still continue credulous and devout, they may in succeeding
ages be again called upon to worship the god Apis, when the sign of
Taurus shall again coincide in the zodiac and the ecliptic; and Aries,
"the lamb of God," may again be offered in the "fullness of time" as a
sacrifice for mankind, again be crucified, and again shed his redeeming
blood to wash away the sins of a believing world.

M. Dupuis has satisfactorily shown in The History of all Religions that
the twelve labors of the god and saviour Hercules were astronomical
allegories--the history of the passage of the sun through the twelve
signs of the zodiac--and these labors are so similar to the sufferings
of Jesus, that the Rev. Mr. Parkhurst has been obl