ye, who have not been with us in
hell, and have had your bodies placed in paradise?" One of these "very
ancient men" answered and said: "I am _Enoch_, who was translated by the
word of God, and this man who is with me is Elijah the Tishbite, who was
translated in a fiery chariot."[213:1]

The doctrine of the descent into hell may be found alluded to in the
_canonical_ books; thus, for instance, in I. Peter:

"It is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for
well doing, than for evil doing. For Christ also hath suffered
for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to
God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the
spirit: _by which also he went and preached unto the spirits
in prison_."[213:2]

Again, in "Acts," where the writer is speaking of David as a _prophet_,
he says:

"He, seeing this before, spake of the resurrection of Christ,
_that his soul was not left in hell_, neither his flesh did
see corruption."[213:3]

The reason why Christ Jesus has been made to descend into hell, is
because _it is a part of the universal mythos_, even the _three days'_
duration. The _Saviours_ of mankind had all done so, _he_ must therefore
do likewise.

_Crishna_, the Hindoo Saviour, _descended into hell_, for the purpose of
raising the dead (the doomed),[213:4] before he returned to his heavenly
seat.

_Zoroaster_, of the Persians, _descended into hell_.[213:5]

_Osiris_, the Egyptian Saviour, _descended into hell_.[213:6]

_Horus_, the virgin-born Saviour, _descended into hell_.[213:7]

_Adonis_, the virgin-born Saviour, _descended into hell_.[213:8]

_Bacchus_, the virgin-born Saviour, _descended into hell_.[213:9]

_Hercules_, the virgin-born Saviour, _descended into hell_.[213:10]

_Mercury_, the _Word_ and Messenger of God, _descended into
hell_.[213:11]

_Baldur_, the Scandinavian god, after being killed, _descended into
hell_.[214:1]

_Quetzalcoatle_, the Mexican crucified Saviour, _descended into
hell_.[214:2]

All these gods, and many others that might be mentioned, _remained in
hell for the space of three days and three nights_. "They descended into
hell, and on the third day rose again."[214:3]

FOOTNOTES:

[211:1] Quoted by Bonwick: Egyptian Belief, p. 46.

[211:2] Strom, vi. c. 6.

[211:3] Contra Celsus, bk. ii. c. 43.

[211:4] See Jameson's Hist. of Our Lord in Art, vol. ii. pp. 354, 355.

[212:1] See Jameson's