ist. The various circumstances surrounding
the writers, the prejudices probably actuating them, the customs they
witnessed, and their ignorance and consequent impressibility by a
stronger mind, were all taken into the account. The Rationalists,
therefore, place Christ before us as we would naturally expect him to
appear after taking everything into consideration. They do not show him
to us as he is, but as the nature of the case would lead us to expect
him to be. There were many who charged him with unworthy motives and
national prejudices. Reimarus accused him of rebellious, ambitious, and
political views. "Afterward," says Staeudlin, "came out writings enough
in Germany in which Christ was said to have performed his miracles by
secret arts or by delusions. All proofs of the truth and divinity of his
religion were taken away. He was exhibited either as a deceiver or
self-deceiving enthusiast; and every possible objection to Christian
morality as well as to the form of Christian worship was violently
urged. Among the writers of these works were even theologians and
preachers! What could be the consequence, except that they who still
held somewhat to Christianity should set it forth as pure Rationalism,
and that others should endeavor to extinguish it, and to introduce a
pure religion of reason quite independent of Christianity and separated
from it."

An anonymous publication appeared in 1825, entitled _Vindiciae Sacrae
Novi Testamenti Scriptuarum_, in which Christ was declared to have
deceived himself! Thereupon the Christians were obliged to elevate their
founder's mean condition by wonderful stories. The first myth is
concerning John the Baptist. Then follow the wonderful stories of
Christ's birth, the advent of the wise men, the baptism, temptation,
death, resurrection and ascension of Christ. There are doubts and
difficulties connected with the resurrection, and though the apostles
constantly assert its truth, the probable story is that the followers of
Jesus, enraged at his death, gave it out that, being taken from the
power of the wicked, he lived with God and enjoyed the reward of his
virtue. They represented the life of their master to themselves and
others in the most glowing colors, and so by degrees, said that he was
still living, raised from the dead, and rewarded. Then all these things
were told and believed, and it was not easy to contradict them or even
examine their value.

Paulus affirmed that Christ