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＇4＇ Epist。 cvii； ad Laetam。 See Robertson's Pagan Christs； p。 350。
Nor was force the only method employed。 IMITATION is not only the sincerest flattery； but it is often the most subtle and effective way of defeating a rival。 The priests of the rising Christian Church were； like the priests of ALL religions； not wanting in craft； and at this moment when the question of a World…religion was in the balance； it was an obvious policy for them to throw into their own scale as many elements as possible of the popular Pagan cults。 Mithraism had been flourishing for 600 years； and it is； to say the least； CURIOUS that the Mithraic doctrines and legends which I have just mentioned should all have been adopted （quite unintentionally of course！） into Christianity； and still more so that some others from the same source； like the legend of the Shepherds at the Nativity and the doctrine of the Resurrection and Ascension； which are NOT mentioned at all in the original draft of the earliest Gospel （St。 Mark）； should have made their appearance； in the Christian writings at a later time； when Mithraism was making great forward strides。 History shows that as a Church progresses and expands it generally feels compelled to enlarge and fortify its own foundations by inserting material which was not there at first。 I shall shortly give another illustration of this； at present I will merely point out that the Christian writers； as time went on； not only introduced new doctrines； legends； miracles and so forthmost of which we can trace to antecedent pagan sourcesbut that they took especial pains to destroy the pagan records and so obliterate the evidence of their own dishonesty。 We learn from Porphyry＇1＇ that there were several elaborate treatises setting forth the religion of Mithra； and J。 M。 Robertson adds （Pagan Christs； p。 325）： 〃everyone of these has been destroyed by the care of the Church； and it is remarkable that even the treatise of Firmicus is mutilated at a passage （v。） where he seems to be accusing Christians of following Mithraic usages。〃 While again Professor Murray says； 〃The polemic literature of Christianity is loud and triumphant； the books of the Pagans have been DESTROYED。〃＇2＇
＇1＇ De Abstinentia； ii。 56； iv。 16。
＇2＇ Four Stages； p。 180。 We have probably an instance of this destruction in the total disappearance of Celsus' lively attack on Christianity （180 A。D。）； of which； however； portions have been fortunately preserved in Origen's rather prolix refutation of the same。
Returning to the doctrine of the Savior； I have already in preceding chapters given so many instances of belief in such a deity among the paganswhether he be called Krishna or Mithra or Osiris or Horus or Apollo or Hercules that it is not necessary to dwell on the subject any further in order to persuade the reader that the doctrine was 'in the air' at the time of the advent of Christianity。 Even Dionysus； then a prominent figure in the 'Mysteries；' was called Eleutherios； The Deliverer。 But it may be of interest to trace the same doctrine among the PRE…CHRISTIAN sects of Gnostics。 The Gnostics； says Professor Murray；＇1＇ 〃are still commonly thought of as a body of CHRISTIAN heretics。 In reality there were Gnostic sects scattered over the Hellenistic world BEFORE Christianity as well as after。 They must have been established in Antioch and probably in Tarsus well before the days of Paul or Apollos。 Their Savior； like the Jewish Messiah； was established in men's minds before the Savior of the Christians。 'If we look close；' says Professor Bousset； 'the result emerges with great clearness that the figure of the Redeemer as such did not wait for Christianity to force its way into the religion of Gnosis； but was already present there under various forms。' 〃
＇1＇ Four Stages； p。 143。
This Gnostic Redeemer； continues Professor Murray； 〃is descended by a fairly clear genealogy from the 'Tritos Soter' （'third Savior'）＇1＇ of early Greece； contaminated with similar figures； like Attis and Adonis from Asia Minor； Osiris from Egypt； and the special Jewish conception of the Messiah of the Chosen people。 He has various names； which the name of Jesus or 'Christos；' 'the Anointed；' tends gradually to supersede。 Above all； he is in some sense Man； or 'the second Man' or 'the Son of Man' 。 。 。 He is the real； the ultimate； the perfect and eternal Man； of whom all bodily men are feeble copies。〃＇2＇
＇1＇ There seems to be some doubt about the exact meaning of this expression。 Even Zeus himself was sometimes called 'Soter；' and at feasts； it is said； the THIRD goblet was always drunk in his honor。
＇2＇ See also The Gnostic Story of Jesus Christ； by Gilbert T。 Sadler （C。 W。 Daniel； 1919）。
This passage brings vividly before the mind the process of which I have spoken； namely； the fusion and mutual interchange of ideas on the subject of the Savior during the period anterior to our era。 Also it exemplifies to us through what an abstract sphere of Gnostic religious speculation the doctrine had to travel before reaching its expression in Christianity。＇1＇ This exalted and high philosophical conception passed on and came out again to some degree in the Fourth Gospel and the Pauline Epistles （especially I Cor。 xv）； but I need hardly say it was not maintained。 The enthusiasm of the little scattered Christian bodies with their communism of practice with regard to THIS world and their intensity of faith with regard to the next began to wane in the second and third centuries A。D。 As the Church （with capital initial） grew； so was it less and less occupied with real religious feeling； and more and more with its battles against persecution from outside； and its quarrels and dissensions concerning heresies within its own borders。 And when at the Council of Nicaea （325 A。D） it endeavored to establish an official creed； the strife and bitterness only increased。 〃There is no wild beast；〃 said the Emperor Julian； 〃like an angry theologian。〃 Where the fourth Evangelist had preached the gospel of Love； and Paul had announced redemption by an inner and spiritual identification with Christ； 〃As in Adam all die； so in Christ shall all be made alive〃； and whereas some at any rate of the Pagan cults had taught a glorious salvation by the new birth of a divine being within each man： 〃Be of good cheer； O initiates in the mystery of the liberated god； For to you too out of all your labors and sorrows shall come Liberation〃the Nicene creed had nothing to propound except some extremely futile speculations about the relation to each other of the Father and the Son； and the relation of BOTH to the Holy Ghost； and of all THREE to the Virgin Maryspeculations which only served for the renewal of shameful strife and animositiesriots and bloodshed and murderwithin the Church； and the mockery of the heathen without。 And as far as it dealt with the crucifixion； death and resurrection of the Lord it did not differ from the score of preceding pagan creeds； except in the thorough materialism and lack of poetry in statement which it exhibits。 After the Council of Nicaea； in fact； the Judaic tinge in the doctrines of the Church becomes more apparent； and more and more its Scheme of Salvation through Ch