Shakespeare has embalmed some traditions of the kind exactly analogous to the present case: "In the most high and palmy state of Rome, A little ere the mightiest Julius fell, The graves stood tenantless, and the sheeted dead Did squeak and gibber in the Roman streets."1 Belief in the influence of the stars over life and death, and in special portents at the death of great men, survived, indeed, to recent times. Chaucer abounds in allusions to it, and still later Shakespeare tells us: "When beggars die there are no comets seen; The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes." It would seem that this superstition survives even to the present day, for it is well known that the dark and yellow atmosphere which settled over so much of the country, on the day of the removal of President Garfield from Washington to Long Branch, was sincerely held by hundreds of persons to be a death-warning sent from heaven, and there were numerous predictions that dissolution would take place before the train arrived at its destination. As Mr. Greg remarks, there can, we think, remain little doubt in unprepossessed minds, that the whole legend in question was one of those intended to magnify Christ Jesus, which were current in great numbers at the time the Matthew narrator wrote, and which he, with the usual want of discrimination and somewhat omnivorous tendency, which distinguished him as a compiler, admitted into his Gospel. 1 Hamlet, act 1, s. 1. CHAPTER XXII. HE DESCENDED INTO HELL." THE doctrine of Christ Jesus' descent into hell is emphatically part of the Christian belief, although not alluded to by Christian divines excepting when unavoidable. In the first place, it is taught in the Creed of the Christians, wherein it says: "He descended into hell, and on the third day he rose again from the dead." The doctrine was also taught by the Fathers of the Church. St. Chrysostom (born 347 A. D.) asks: "Who but an infidel would deny that Christ was in hell?" And St. Clement of Alexandria, who flourished at the beginning of the third century, is equally clear and emphatic as to Jesus' descent into hell. He says: "The Lord preached the gospel to those in Hades, as well as to all in earth, in order that all might believe and be saved, wherever they were. If, then, the Lord descended to Hades for no other end but to preach the gospel, as He did descend, it was either to preach the gospel to all, or to the Hebrews only. If accordingly to all, then all who believe shall be saved, although they may be of the Gentiles, on making their profession there."? Origen, who flourished during the latter part of the second, and beginning of the third centuries, also emphatically declares that Christ Jesus descended into hell.' Ancient Christian works of art represent his descent into hell.* The apocryphal gospels teach the doctrine of Christ Jesus' descent into hell, the object of which was to preach to those in bondage there, and to liberate the saints who had died before his advent on earth. On account of the sin committed by Adam in the Garden of Eden, all mankind were doomed, all had gone to hell-excepting those who had been translated to heaven-even those persons who were "after God's own heart," and who had belonged to his "chosen people." The coming of Christ Jesus into the world, however, made a change in the affairs of man. The saints were then liberated from their prison, and all those who believe in the efficacy of his name, shall escape hereafter the tortures of hell. This is the doctrine to be found in the apocryphal gospels, and was taught by the Fathers of the Church.' In the "Gospel of Nicodemus" (apoc.) is to be found the whole story of Christ Jesus' descent into hell, and of his liberating the saints. Satan, and the Prince of Hell, having heard that Jesus of Nazareth was about to descend to their domain, began to talk the matter over, as to what they should do, &c. While thus engaged, on a sudden, there was a voice as of thunder and the rushing of winds, saying: "Lift up your gates, O ye Princes, and be ye lifted up, O ye everlasting gates, and the King of Glory shall come in." When the Prince of Hell heard this, he said to his impious officers: "Shut the brass gates and make them fast with iron bars, and fight courageously." The saints having heard what had been said on both sides, immediately spoke with a loud voice, saying: "Open thy gates, that the King of Glory may come in." The divine prophets, David and Isaiah, were particularly conspicuous in this protest against the intentions of the Prince of Hell. Again the voice of Jesus was heard saying: "Lift up your gates, O Prince; and be ye lifted up, ye gates of hell, and the King of Glory will enter in." The Prince of Hell then cried out: "Who is the King of Glory?" upon which the prophet David commenced to reply to him, but while he was speaking, the mighty Lord Jesus appeared in the form of a man, and broke asunder the fetters which before could not be broken, and crying aloud, said: "Come to me, all ye saints, who were created in my image, who were condemned by the tree of the forbidden fruit live now by the word of my cross." Then presently all the saints were joined together, hand in hand, and the Lord Jesus laid hold on Adam's hand, and ascended from hell, and all the saints of God followed him.' 1 See Jameson's Hist. of Our Lord in Art, vol. ii. pp. 250, 251. 2 Nicodemus: Apoc. ch. xvi, and xix. When the saints arrived in paradise, two "very ancient men" met them, and were asked by the saints: "Who are 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." 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.” 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."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), before he returned to his heavenly seat. Zoroaster, of the Persians, descended into hell." Osiris, the Egyptian Saviour, descended into hell." 1 Nicodemus: Apoc. ch. xx. 2 I. Peter, iii. 17-19. 3 Acts, ii. 31. 4 See Asiatic Researches, vol. i. p. 237. Bonwick's Egyptian Belief, p. 168, and Maurice : Indian Antiquities, vol. ii. p. 85. See Monumental Christianity, p. 286. 7 See Chap. XXXIX. * See Bell's Pantheon, vol. i. p. 12. * See Higgins: Anacalypsis, vol. i. p. 322. Dupuis: Origin of Religious Belief, p. 257, and Dunlap's Mysteries of Adoni, p. 33. 10 See Taylor's Mysteries, p. 40, and Mysteries of Adoni, pp. 94-96. 11 See Bell's Pantheon, vol. ii. p. 72. Our Christian writers discover considerable apprehension, and a jealous caution in their language, when the resemblance between Paganism and Christianity might be apt to strike the mind too cogently. In quoting Horace's account of Mercury's descent into hell, and his causing a cessation of the sufferings there, Mr. Spence, in "Bell's Pantheon," says: "As this, perhaps, may be a mythical part of his character, we had better let it alone." Baldur, the Scandinavian god, after being killed, descended into hell.' Quetzalcoatle, the Mexican crucified Saviour, descended into hell.' 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." 1 See Bonwick: Egyptian Belief, p. 169, and Mallet, p. 448. 2 See Mexican Antiquities, vol. vi. p. 166. See the chapter on Explanation. |