But the Godhead of the Father, and of the Son, and of
the Holy Ghost _is all one_; the glory equal, the majesty
co-eternal."

As M. Reville remarks:

"The dogma of the Trinity displayed its contradictions with
true bravery. The Deity divided into _three_ divine persons,
_and yet_ these _three_ persons forming only _One_ God; of
these three _the first only_ being self-existent, the two
others _deriving their existence_ from the first, _and yet_
these three persons being considered as _perfectly equal_;
each having his special, distinct character, his individual
qualities, wanting in the other two, _and yet_ each one of the
three being supposed to possess the fullness of
perfection--here, it must be confessed, we have the
deification of the contradictory."[368:3]

We shall now see that this very peculiar doctrine of three in one, and
one in three, is of _heathen_ origin, and that it must fall with all the
other dogmas of the Christian religion.

The number _three_ is sacred in all theories derived from oriental
sources. Deity is always a trinity of some kind, or the successive
emanations proceeded in threes.[369:1]

If we turn to _India_ we shall find that one of the most prominent
features in the Indian theology is the doctrine of a divine triad,
governing all things. This triad is called _Tri-murti_--from the
Sanscrit word _tri_ (three) and _murti_ (form)--and consists of Brahma,
Vishnu, and Siva. It is an _inseparable_ unity, though three in
form.[369:2]

"When the universal and infinite being Brahma--the only really existing
entity, wholly without form, and unbound and unaffected by the three
Gunas or by qualities of any kind--wished to create for his own
entertainment the phenomena of the universe, he assumed the quality of
activity and became a male person, as _Brahma_ the creator. Next, in the
progress of still further self-evolution, he willed to invest himself
with the second quality of goodness, as _Vishnu_ the preserver, and with
the third quality of darkness, as _Siva_ the destroyer. This development
of the doctrine of triple manifestation (_tri-murti_), which appears
first in the Brahmanized version of the Indian Epics, had already been
adumbrated in the Veda in the triple form of fire, and in the triad of
gods, Agni, Surya, and Indra; and in other ways."[369:3]

This divine _Tri-murti_--says the Brahmans and the sacred books--is
indi