of the ancient Magian religion into two angels, and called one the angel of light, and the other the angel of darkness? But does a change of names alter the nature of things? But I ask further, where did Zoroaster learn, that at the resurrection, there is to be "a day of judgment" wherein just retribution shall be rendered to all according to their works? And where did he learn, that after the resurrection and day of judgment, "the angel of darkness, and his disciples shall go into a world of their own, where they shall suffer in everlasting darkness the punishment of their evil deeds?" Brethren, from what divine source did this arch impostor learn all these articles of his creed ?—1st. Was it from the Old Testament scriptures? This you will not affirm, for intelligent orthodox men allow, that it does not contain such articles. If it does contain them, then you can find them there as well as Zoroaster, and we call on you to prove them from this book. 2d. Did Zoroaster learn such articles from the New Testament? This was impossible, for it was not in existence for more than six hundred years after the days of Zoroaster. 3d. Did Zoroaster learn them from God, when he pretended God spoke to him out of the midst of the fire? This cannot be affirmed unless you admit him to be a true prophet of the Lord. But he is declared the greatest impostor which ever arose, Mahomet excepted. 4th. Did Zoroaster invent these articles of his creed? No other alternative is left, but to admit this, or prove that he derived them from the Old Testament, or by special revelation from God. If he invented them, then he was the author of some of the principal articles of your creeds. This we think is indisputable. 5th. Do you say, your ar ticles, so similar to his creed, were neither derived from him, nor from the Old Testament, but entirely from the New? This will not do, for even allowing

such articles to be clearly taught in the New Testament it is evident Jesus Christ and his apostles had not the honor of first revealing them to the world. Zoroaster the arch impostor had revealed them, and published them all over the East, six hundred years before Christ appeared. If such articles are found in the New Testament, Jesus Christ and his apostles were indebted to this impostor for inventing them. Should you say, that Jesus Christ and his apostles derived these articles from God by immediate revelation, permit me then to ask, who revealed them to Zoroaster six hundred years before the Christian era? Did God reveal them to him? If he did, why not allow him to have been a true prophet of the Lord? And why not frankly own, that Jesus Christ and his apostles did not first reveal such articles of faith to the world, but that God first revealed them through his great prophet Zoroaster? Perhaps you may say, such articles were communicated by inspiration to Christ and his apostles, and it is on their authority you believe them. Beware, I beseech you, of taking this ground, for this is saying, Zoroaster, a notorious impostor, invented articles of faith, which, six hundred years after their invention, God sanctioned as divine revelation. Was God indebted to an impostor for suggesting to him a religious creed suited to the Christian dispensation? For the honor of God, of Christ, and his apostles, yea, for the honor of Christianity, we hope you will not assert this. If Zoroaster learned the above articles of his creed from a divine source, it must have been from the Old Testament. But few will be found who will assert that it contains them, for this ground is abandoned by some orthodox intelligent men, and their defence is drawn from the New Testament. But if their defence can be made from the Old, we request the dif ferent articles be distinctly taken up and proved from

it. Please give book, chapter and verse, from which Zoroaster could learn them. Dan. xii. 2. is the most plausible text which can be adduced, from which he could learn the doctrine of endless punishment. This . passage will be fully considered in the Second Part, to which I refer the reader. As to satan being a fallen angel, who deceived Eve, tormented Job, and has become the Christian's devil, we leave all to form their own opinion from the evidence which has been adduced.

Let it now be remembered that while the Jews dwelt in Canaan they knew nothing about the devil. If they did, it was merely by report, that the Persians and other nations believed in such a being. They had precepts, guarding them against witchcraft, idolatry, and all the abominations of the Canaanites, but not one guarding them against that almost infinite being whom Christians call the devil. How our orthodox brethren account for this I am unable to say. On my views, it is easily and rationally accounted for. The devil was the principle of evil deified, transformed by Zoroaster into an angel of darkness, and the Jews must go to Babylon to get acquainted with him. That the Jews spent seventy years in captivity there, is a fact disputed by no one. The question which then comes forward for consideration is-Did the Jews imbibe, during their captivity, and did they bring back from it, any religious opinions which were not taught in their sacred books? Were any of those opinions derived from the creed of Zoroaster, and was that now entertained concerning the devil of this number? To see how this matter stands we solicit the reader's attention to the following particulars.

1st. The Magian religion for many ages had been the "national religion of the Medes as well as of the Persians" as stated by Prideaux. About the time the Jews were in captivity at Babylon, Zoroaster flour

ished there, in reviving and improving it. Jahn, p. 391. thus writes respecting the time when the Jews were carried there." When at length admonitions ceased to be of any great avail, and every thing was growing worse and worse, the Israelitish commonwealth was overthrown, 253 years after their separation from Judah, and 722 before Christ. The people were carried away by the Assyrians into Gozan, Chalacene, the cities of Media, and into Assyria.

"The kingdom of Judah was overthrown 387 years after the separation, 588 before Christ, by the Chaldeans, and the people were carried captive to the banks of the river Chebar in Babylonia." Prideaux says, vol. i. p. 65. that the Jews were carried to Babylon in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, which according to his chronology was six hundred and six years before Christ. It was not for want of a fair oppor tunity, if the Jews did not imbibe opinions not found in their Scriptures.

2d. When they were carried to Babylon no particular place was appointed for them, but they appear to have been dispersed throughout the provinces of that vast empire. It was not with the Jews here, as with their forefathers in Egypt, a particular spot being assigned them, where they lived all together, and could fortify each other against a departure from the religion of Jehovah. Their dispersed condition rendered them liable to forget their own religion, and insensibly imbibe the opinions of those among whom they lived.

3d. The very religion of Zoroaster had many things about it calculated to lead Jews to embrace it. It recognized the first principle of their own, the su premacy of one God; was the religion of the king, his court and of all the nobility. It was popular throughout the whole empire. These, and other things noticed by Prideaux, which I forbear particu

larizing, all concurred to make the religion of Zoroaster very fascinating to the Jews. For them to oppose it was only to render themselves as odious there, as I am likely to be among orthodox people here, in opposing their doctrine concerning the devil. Jahn, in his Archaeology, thus writes, p. 393-4: "The similitude, which existed between the system of Moses, and that of Zoroaster, which prevailed in Persia and Media, may be summed up in a single article, viz. that they both discountenanced the worship of idols. For,

"I. That original beginning of all things, called HAZARUAM, was neither the creator nor governor of the world, but the endless succession of time, which was represented by Zoroaster, as the supreme existence, ENS, or fountain of being. From HAZARUAM, proceeded Ormuz and Ahrimanes. Ormuz acted the part of creator of the world; a circumstance which caused no little envy in the mind of Ahrimanes, and induced him to mingle with the workmanship of Ormuz, the seeds or principles of evil, which exist. By the Mehestani, moreover, or followers of Zoroaster, not only Ormuz, but six AMSCHASPANDI, also innumerable spirits, dispersed every where, the sun, moon, stars, and other earthly existences, were worshipped without distinction.

"II. If the example of the Medes and Persians, who worshipped Ormuz, as the creator and governor of the world, confirmed the Hebrews in the worship of Jehovah, it was equally likely, on the other hand, to induce them to adore the stars, and spirits, which occupied so conspicuous a place in the system of those nations; also the borses and chariot of the sun, which the ancestors of king Josiah, influenced by the example of the Mehestani, had introduced at Jerusalem, and perhaps, to practise that species of Magian wór