tans and
Constantius that Julius Firmicius wrote concerning the rites celebrated
by the heathens in commemoration of the resurrection of Adonis. In his
tide of eloquence he breaks away into indignant objurgation of the
priest who officiated in those _heathen mysteries_, which, he admitted,
resembled the _Christian sacrament_ in honor of the death and
resurrection of Christ Jesus, so closely that there was really no
difference between them, except that no sufficient proof had been given
to the world of the resurrection of Adonis, _and no divine oracle had
borne witness to his resurrection_, nor had he shown himself alive
after his death to those who were concerned to have assurance of the
fact that they might believe.

The _divine oracle_, be it observed, which Julius Firmicius says had
borne testimony to Christ Jesus' resurrection, _was none other than the
answer of the god Apollo, whom the Pagans worshiped at Delphos_, which
this writer derived from Porphyry's books "_On the Philosophy of
Oracles_."[219:1]

Eusebius, the celebrated ecclesiastical historian, has also condescended
to quote this claimed testimony from _a Pagan oracle_, as furnishing one
of the most convincing proofs that could be adduced in favor of the
resurrection of Christ Jesus.

"But thou at least (says he to the Pagans), _listen to thine
own gods, to thy oracular deities themselves_, who have borne
witness, and ascribed to our Saviour (Jesus Christ) not
imposture, but piety and wisdom, and ascent into heaven."

This was vastly obliging and liberal of the god Apollo, but, it happens
awkwardly enough, that the whole work (consisting of several books)
ascribed to Porphyry, in which this and other admissions equally
honorable to the evidences of the Christian religion are made, was _not_
written by Porphyry, but is altogether the pious fraud of Christian
hands, who have kindly fathered the great philosopher with admissions,
which, as he would certainly never have made himself, they have very
charitably made for him.[219:2]

The festival in honor of the resurrection of Adonis was observed in
Alexandria in Egypt--_the cradle of Christianity_--in the time of St.
Cyril, Bishop of Alexandria (A. D. 412), and at Antioch--the ancient
capital of the Greek Kings of Syria--even as late as the time of the
Emperor Julian (A. D. 361-363), whose arrival there, during the
solemnity of the festival, was taken as an ill omen.[219:3]

It is mo