ions long anterior to the birth of Jesus.

Christ is said to have been God come down upon the earth. The idea of a
god coming down upon the earth was quite an old and popular idea at the
time when the Gospels were written. In the Old Testament God makes many
visits to the earth; and the instances in the Greek, Roman, and Egyptian
mythologies of gods coming amongst men and taking part in human affairs
are well known.

Christ is said to have been the Son of God. But the idea of a son-god is
very much older than the Christian religion.

Christ is said to have been a redeemer, and to have descended from a
line of kings. But the idea of a king's son as a redeemer is very much
older than the Christian religion.

Christ is said to have been born of a virgin. But many heroes before Him
were declared to have been born of virgins.

Christ is said to have been born in a cave or stable while His parents
were on a journey. But this also was an old legend long before the
Christian religion.

Christ is said to have been crucified. But very many kings, kings' sons,
son-gods, and heroes had been crucified ages before Him.

Christ is said to have been a sacrifice offered up for the salvation
of man. But thousands and thousands of men before Him had been slain
as sacrifices for the general good, or as atonements for general or
particular sins.

Christ is said to have risen from the dead. But that had been said of
other gods before Him.

Christ is said to have ascended into Heaven. But this also was a very
old idea.

Christ is said to have worked miracles. But all the gods and saints of
all the older religions were said to have worked miracles.

Christ is said to have brought to men, direct from Heaven, a new message
of salvation. But the message He brought was in nowise new.

Christ is said to have preached a new ethic of mercy and peace and
good-will to all men. But this ethic had been preached centuries before
His supposed advent.

The Christians changed the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday. Sun-day is
the day of the Sun God.

Christ's birthday was fixed on the 25th of December. But the 25th of
December is the day of the Winter solstice--the birthday, of Apollo, the
Sun God--and had been from time immemorial the birthday of the sun gods
in all religions. The Egyptians, Persians, Greeks, Phoenicians, and
Teutonic races all kept the 25th of December as the birthday of the Sun
God.

The Christians departed from the monot