In the ancient solar fables the several divisions of time were
personified and made to pay homage to the Triune Deity, supposed to be
enthroned above the firmament.
The Hours.
The genii of the hours were designated as Elders, and we find them
described in the 4th chapter of Revelation as sitting round about the
throne upon four and twenty seats, clothed in white raiment, and crowns
of gold upon their heads.
The Days.
Each day of the year was appropriately personified, and these genii of
the days constitute the saints of the Christian calendar. Of these we
will refer to but one. According to the ancient belief that the sun
stood still for the space of three days at each of the cardinal points,
the 24th of June was made the first of the decreasing days; and
dedicating it to St. John the Baptist, he is made to say in reference
to his opposite, (the genius of the 25th of December, and first of the
increasing days,) "He must increase, but I must decrease." This text,
found in John iii. 30, simply means that the days of the one must
increase in length, while the days of the other must decrease.
The Months.
The fable of the twelve labors having been superseded by others, in
which the genii of the twelve signs of the Zodiac, corresponding to the
months, were designated as angels, and made to minister to God Sol
while making his apparent annual revolution; but, when constituted the
attendants of the incarnate saviours during their imaginary earth life,
they were personified as men and called Disciples. Of these genii of
the months we will refer only to the first and the last. The first
month, dedicated to the genius known in the mythology as Janus, and
from which was derived the name January, was portrayed with two faces,
the one of an old man looking mournfully backward over the old year,
and the other of a young man looking joyfully forward to the new year.
This personification, made the opener of the year, and represented as
holding a pair of cross-keys, was called "The carrier of the keys of
the kingdom of heaven." Hence, the Popes of Rome, claiming apostolic
succession from Peter, the Janus of the Christian twelve, wear
cross-keys as the insignia of their office. Sometimes a crosier, or
shepherd's crook, is substituted for one of the keys, in reference to
his arrogated office of the leader of the sheep! The authority for the
assumption that the Popes are Peter's successors is found in Matthew
xvi. 18, 19; but its fallacy becomes apparent when we bear in mind that
the scriptures are but collections of astronomical allegories, and that
the Peter referred to in the text was not a man, but the mythical
genius of the month of January.
In reference to the last month, we find that the authors of the ancient
solar fables, ever doubting whether God Sol, after inaugurating Winter
by his supposed retreat from the earth, would return to revivify nature
with his life-giving rays, gave to the genius of the twelfth month the
title of the Doubter. In the Christian calendar this personification is
known as Thomas, and a more specific dedication of the shortest day of
the year having been made to him, the 21st day of December is called
St. Thomas day.
The Seasons.
When the cardinal points were in the constellations Leo, Taurus,
Aquarius and Scorpio, the astrologers, objecting to the signification
of the latter, substituted the constellation in conjunction therewith,
which is known as Aquila (Ak-we-la) or Flying Eagle. In the allegorical
astronomy of that remote period these genii of the seasons were
designated as beasts, and as such we find them referred to in
Revelation iv. 7, which reads as follows: "And the first beast was like
a lion (Leo), and the second beast like a calf (Taurus, the bull calf),
and the third beast had a face as a man, (Aquarius, the waterman) and
the fourth beast was like a flying eagle (Aquila)." In the first chapter
of Ezekiel, the prophet, the genii of the seasons are referred to in
the same manner.
These genii of the seasons, standing, imaginarily, at the four corners
of the heavens, were called corner-keepers, and making them witnesses
to God Sol in his apparent annual revolution, the founders of the
Astral Worship designated them as Archangels, Evangelists, God-Spellers
or Gospel-Bearers, and claiming inspiration from them, composed four
different histories of the birth and earth-life of the incarnate
saviour, to each of which they attached a name, and called these
records the Gospel story. In its Chaldean version, the names of
Gabriel, Michael, Raphael and Uriel were given them; but while the
first two of these are mentioned in the Christian Gospel story, its
authors gave to the Evangelists the names of Matthew, Mark, Luke and
John. Thus knowing the true signification of the Disciples and
Evangelists, the very pertinent question presents itself: If they are
not the genii of the months and the seasons, why are there just twelve
of the one and four of the other?
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Half Year of Increasing Days.
In the ancient astrolatry, the half year of increasing days, extending
from the Winter to the Summer Solstice, was personified by the
composite figure representing the constellations of Taurus and
Aquarius, which, constituted of the winged body of a bull and the head
and beard of a man, was called the Cherubim. This personification we
find portrayed upon the Assyrian marbles on exhibition in the British
Museum.
Half Year of Decreasing Days.
The half year of decreasing days, extending from the Summer to the
Winter Solstice, was personified by the figure, which, representing the
constellations of Leo and Aquila, and composed of the winged body and
limbs of a lion, with the head of an eagle, was called the Seraphim.
These last two personifications constituted the Archangels of the
ancient Astral Worship.
Last Quarter of the Year.
The last quarter of the year was personified in the ancient allegories
as a decrepit old man, who, stung by a Scorpion (Scorpio), and fatally
wounded by an arrow from the quiver of an archer (Saggitarius) dies at
the Winter Solstice; and, after lying in the grave for the space of
three days, is brought to life again. Such was the personification
referred to in the Christian Gospel-story as having been raised from
the grave by the mandate, "Come forth, Lazarus." Thus have we shown
that the elders and the saints; the angels, and the Archangels; the
Cherubim and Seraphim; and also poor old Lazarus, are but
personifications of the several divisions of time.