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This is self-contradiction-it is not human nature, the gospel writers commit themselves as stupid dolts, for with such powerful miracle proofs, the people would have believed in him as a God, as he cast out many devils.

Ch. x. v. 14, 15, and 16. The curse of those not receiving the priestocracy, is to be established through the most influential power, an assumed God. 34, "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth; I came not to send peace, but a sword." It is clear enough that the worst sectarianism in the most blasphemous antagonism, was advocated by Christ in this and several ensuing verses against God of nature, as in 36 “And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.”

V.

John and Christ were only endorsers for each other, in a priestocracy sense. much is proved by the machinery of devils and angels, nonentities.

Too

Ch. xiii. v. 58, "And he did not many mighty works there, because of their unbelief!" The very reason he should have done them; that is then man's idea. If he had been a God, one would been enough. The miracle he could best have performed, was creation of belief. O stupid gospel fabricators, you involve yourselves deeper and deeper.

Ch. xvi. v. 18, "And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church: and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." And the rock was proved a perjurer by Christ, who falsifies the statement about hell, and a hypocrite by Paul, himself a murderer. What a family. All the worst against this church next to God's conservative principles, are its own elements of destruction, that are going like St. Peter's church building. 19, "And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven." This is promise of God's functions most blasphemously made, to build up the priestocracy. Functions that this one-third character at best, had not. Ch. xxvi. v. 50, "But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all his disciples forsook him and fled." What prophets are they that need fulfilment ? If crimes of blasphemy and murder are to be fulfilled, better sink prophets and scriptures. Prove the very first one. Would the disciples of a God have deserted him? That is impossible.

This is the book of those, that are bound to prove it satisfactorily. Devils and angels can be no machinery in the functions of the Almighty, hence both bibles libel him.

Mind, not tradition is for man. All such stuff satisfactorily proves that it was the peculiar gods of polytheism.

JOHN.

JOHN, ch. i. v. 18, "No man hath seen God at any time."

29 V.,

"The next day, John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world!"

This is priest sophistry Jesuiticated. What can beat that?

This is God's word.

the witness you claim.

Of course his word is supreme over man's.

Now,
Now, prove it by

You assert, what men assert about God.

Does God confirm that? No! not one single word.
Then it is convicted of being the reverse.

Next, as God does not speak, which

proves as much necessity as when it is claimed, that he first inspired all the bible works, the pretensions are nullified.

An inspiration bible, requires inspiration proof.

As God does not speak, let his works that truly represent him, proclaim the facts, and they do declare him as the Supreme Unit of the universe.

Matthew as Luke, are forgers. Imbecile vassals may adopt the forgeries. In Mark, last chapter, the impostor speaks of preternatural events, that belie him as a prophet, and prove him a lying impostor. These are in the 17th and 18th verses.

They refer to the apostles, says the sophist apologizer, who commits himself most stupidly to arrant imposture. Not at all, as St. Paul refutes that idea. But some wish to deny the plain facts of this quotation, but Paul prevents them, if the inherent proof were wanting that is clearly present.

Thus it is that this Christ is a false messiah and prophet, self-convicted before the God-creator.

Those that espouse such, commit themselves to reckless blasphemy, and brutal pagan idolatry.

Monotheism alone can exalt all to the noblest God-standard, and confer his munificent grace to the soul. The unsolved problem of religion, the consummation of principles, proves pre-eminently immortality of the soul, and if the world adopts any mansavior or messiah, it absurdly drops principles for such that violate all of them.

WAS THERE EVER SUCH A BEING AS CHRIST? IS NOT HIS CRUCIFIXION, A THEOLOGICAL DRAMA?

THE authenticity of all the bibles of tradition rests on no foundation worthy a rational mind; that of the New Testament is nullified by too many particulars, that cannot be refuted.

We have been induced to notice the authority of Flavius Josephus, by the work of Mr. William Jacobs of New York, and find that Josephus is deserving of especial notice, as he is introduced by the Christians as testimony.

We avail ourselves of Mr. Jacobs' quotations, &c., reducing the extracts to the smallest practicable_compass.

The Jerusalem Jews are accused of having scourged, crucified, and nailed to the cross on Mount Calvary, one Jesus of Nazareth, in the 18th year of the reign of Tiberius Cæsar, third emperor of the Romans, when Pontius Pilate was procurator of Judea. This fabricated accusation is put forth by the writers of the gospels, Matthew, Mack, Luke, and John, who state that they were eye-witnesses of the fact, or that they heard the relations from eye-witnesses.

This accusation is stated by Mr. Jacobs to have been first preached in the second century, about A. D. 107, against the Jerusalem Jews. At that time the Romans had dominion over the Jews, who had no temple, and whose high-priesthood was abolished, including the destruction of the principal men of that nation.

Those gospel tales matured for the space of two hundred and eighteen years, from A. D. 107, when Clement was the apostles' amanuensis, just after the death of Flavius Josephus, down to the council of Nice, A. D. 325.

To refute the accusation, many points must be embraced.

At the taking of Jerusalem by Titus Cæsar, A. D. 70, all the Hebrew records were conceded to Josephus.

These records came down until the twelfth year of the reigu of Nero, (Jos. Antiq., book xx., ch. xi., sec. 2.) as here ends the taking down of the Hebrew records by the high priests.

Josephus, as he himself informs us, translated, not wrote his Antiquities of the Jews from these very Hebrew records, a. D. 93. Have not some of these works been suppressed, or altered? Who did it? Was it not for the benefit of the New Testament? Where are all the books referred to by Josephus ?

To the tribunal of an intelligent world this investigation is submitted. Jacobs claims that the Jews had no longer their original records, to disprove this calumny. At the council of Nice, a. p. 325, about ninety gospels of tradition were destroyed-when these written gospels were retained and canonized.

In those days the Jews had to submit to awful indignities.

According to the testimony of Matthew, Jesus of Nazareth was born in the days of Herod, the king of Judea-and the same Jesus was put to the crucifixion of the cross, under Pontius Pilate! And this under God's warning, angels' warning, and fulfilment of prophecies, as evidences.

We must advert to the first three chapters, of Luke's Gospel.

ST. LUKE, CHAP. I.

VERSE 1. "Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth, in order, a declaration of those things which are most surely believed amongst us. 2. "Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eye-witnesses and ministers of the word."

Verse 5. "There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias," &c. &c. 26. "And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth. 27. To a virgin espoused," &c.-to verse 36. And behold thy cousin Elizabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age ; and this is the sixth month with her," &c.

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The birth of John the Baptist and conception of Jesus are detailed in the first chapter of Luke, and all these things happened "in the days of Herod, the king of Judea.” It was in the sixth month of Elizabeth's time, when the angel Gabriel was sent from God to Mary, the mother of Jesus of Nazareth, not yet born!!

ST. LUKE'S GOSPEL, CHAP. II.

VERSE 1. "And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Cæsar Augustus, that all the world (Syria and Judea) should be taxed.”

The second verse designates the most remarkable chronology, the precise period of time when Jesus of Nazareth was born! 2. "And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria." This whole chapter gives a different relation and evidence from the accounts given by Matthew! Here we see that Jesus of Nazareth was born in Bethlehem of Judea, "when Cyrenius was governor of Syria," and taxing the Jews: &c. 3. "And all went to be taxed, every one to his own city. 4. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth into Judea, &c. 5. To be taxed, with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. 6. And so it was, that while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 7. And she brought forth her first born son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn."

ST. LUKE, CHAP. III.

VERSE 1. "Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Cæsar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod (Antipas,) being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother (Herod,) Philip tetrarch of Iturea, and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch was of Abilene. 2. Annas and Caiaphas being high-priests; the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness,” &c. 23. "And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being, as was supposed, the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli." &c.

Matthew says Joseph was the son of Jacob.

All the other gospel writers confirm the testimony of Luke, as to his statements concerning both John the Baptist, and Jesus of Nazareth; for all say or imply that John was beheaded by Herod (Antipas,) the tetrarch of Galilee (and Peræa,) in the first or second year, (which was the 16th year of the reign of Tiberius Cæsar!) after Jesus commenced preaching!

Luke only tells us of John the Baptist's conception and birth, and his conception being in the sixth month before the conception of Jesus; therefore, the other three gospel witnesses, one and all, confirm Luke's testimony as to the conception and birth of Jesus of Nazareth.

As the New Testament writers, in their gospel relations, have made reference to Herod, the king of Judea—to Archelaus the son and successor of Herod—to Augustus Cæsar and his decree of taxation-to Herod, the tetrarch of Galilee (and Peræa,) who was one of Herod the king's sons-to Cyrenius governor of Syria-to Tiberius Cæsarand to Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judea, in the time of whose procuratorship John the Baptist is said to have been beheaded by Herod, the tetrarch of Galilee and Peræa, and Jesus of Nazareth is said to have been put to the crucifixion of the cross by the Jerusalem Jews—it therefore becomes necessary to introduce the best authentic history, to illustrate the subject, now under consideration, and to apply the whole of these things to the rules of historical and chronological criticism.

This testimony is that of Flavius Josephus, respecting the historical records. Whiston's translation of Josephus, from the Greek, is used.

In the first place, are there no interpolations in Josephus? There are three different sections in "the Antiquities of the Jews," considered spurious; to prove which, we must anticipate in other matters. When Herod was first declared king at Rome. (See Antiq. Jews, book xiv. ch. xiv., sec. 5.)

"And thus did this man receive the kingdom, having obtained it on the hundred and eighty-fourth Olympiad, when Caius Domitius Calvinus was consul the second time, and Caius Asinius Polio, the first time." (The Olympiad being a term of four years.)

Herod commenced his reign, upon the taking of Jerusalem from Antigonus—above three years after being declared king at Rome. (Antiq. Jews, book xiv., ch. xvi,, sec. 4.) This destruction befell the city of Jerusalem on the hundred and eighty-fifth Olympiad," &c.

This relation concerning Antigonus was recorded in the Jewish (sacred or holy, so called) books, translated a. D. 93, by Josephus, into Greek, who was born 73 years after the record was made, in the first year of the reign of Caius Cæsar. (Antiq. Jews, book xv., ch. v. sec. 1.)

The great battle was fought at Actium, between Octavius Cæsar, (afterwards called Augustus Cæsar) and Antony, for the supreme power of the world, "which fell into the hundred eighty and seventh Olympiad." (Same book and chapter, sec. 2.)

"At this time it was that the fight happened at Actium, in the seventh year of the reign of Herod,” &c., counting from the death of Antigonus, not when Herod obtained the kingdom, at Rome, above three years before, according to the translator's note. (Concerning Herod's death, and testament, &c.-Antiq. Jews, book xvii., ch. viii., sec. 1.)

"When he had done these things, he died, the fifth day after he had caused Antipater (his son) to be slain; having reigned since the death of Antigonus, whom he caused to be slain, thirty-four years; but since he had been declared king by the Romans, thirty-seven years," &c.

;

Josephus treats in the same book, xvii., &c of Archelaus, Herod's son, as Ethnarch and in chapter xiii., section 2, he says: "But in the tenth year of Archelaus' government, both his brethren"-Herod Antipas and Herod Philip-observing once for all, that Herod, the king, left but three sons when he died, &c.-accused him before Cæsar, (Augustus.)

Sec. 4. "Glaphyra, his wife, was married while she was a virgin, to Alexander, the son of Herod, and brother of Archelaus. Alexander was slain by his father. She was married to Juba, the king of Lydia, and when he was dead, and she lived in widowhood in Cappadocia with her father, Archelaus (the Ethnarch,) divorced his former wife, Mariamne, and married her." Sec. 5. "So Archelaus' country was laid to the province of Syria; and Cyrenius, one that had been consul, was sent by Cæsar to take an account of the people's effects in Syria, and to sell the house of Archelaus." When Cyrenius was sent, as compared with Luke's gospel. Antiq. Jews, Book xviii., c. i., sec. 1.

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Cyrenius came himself into Judea, which was now added to the province of Syria, &c., yet there was one Judas,”—of a city whose name was Gamala, &c.-became zealous to draw them (the Jews) to a revolt, &c. The time for this taxation is fixed, when Cyrenius was governor of Syria,

Antiq. Jews, Book xviii., c. ii., sec. 1:

"When Cyrenius had now disposed of Archelaus' money, and when the taxings were come to a conclusion, which taxings were made or decreed in the thirty-seventh year of Cæsar's victory over Antony, at Actium, he, Cyrenius, deprived Joazer of the highpriesthood," &c.

Concerning the life and reign of Augustus Cæsar-Antiq. Jews, Book xviii., c. ii., sec. 2, (middle of section):

After him came Annius Rufus, under whom died Cæsar Augustus, the second emperor of the Romans, the duration of whose reign was fifty-seven years, besides six months and two days, of which time Antony ruled together with him fourteen years; but the duration of his life was seventy-seven years, upon whose death, Tiberius Nero, (Tiberius Cæsar,) his wife Julia's son, succeeded. He was now the third emperor; and he sent Valerius Gratus to be procurator (governor) of Judea." Gratus deposed and made several high priests, the last was Joseph Caiaphas. "When Gratus had done these things, he went back to Rome, after he had tarried in Judea eleven years, when Pontius Pilate came as his successor.

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There was but one high priest at a time.

Under the procuratorship of Pontius Pilate, and reign of Tiberius Cæsar (in "Antiq. Jews",) is found the famous "section" of fourteen lines! concerning Jesus. As this section is spurious, as to be demonstrated, so also is that of John the Baptist and James the Just, the forerunner and brother of Jesus.

The first account, we think, which the world ever had of this famous section, was manifested about 324 A.D.

In 325 A.D. the council of Nice made from the traditions a canon, ever since that time known as the "New Testament." The Hebrew text by Josephus has nothing on the subject concerning Jesus, neither is there anything of the kind in the Greek in Josephus' own translation; neither is John the Baptist or James the Just mentioned. Antiq. Jews, Book xviii, c. iii., sec. 3 :

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Now, there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man," &c. "He was (the) Christ". "and when Pilate had condemned him to the cross," &c.

When the first whipping and nailing to the cross was done in Judea! Wars of the Jews, Book ii., c. xiv., sec. 9:

And what made this calamity the heavier was this new method of Roman barbarity; for Florus ventured then to do what no one had done before, that is, to have men of the

equestrian order whipped and nailed to the cross before his tribunal," &c. Under Gessius Florus, was the first whipping and nailing to the cross ever done in Judea, and that, too, in the sixty-sixth year of the present era!

Both whipping and crucifying were old methods. But now "For Florus ventured then to do what no one had done before," &c.

Josephus gives but one more instance, in all his "Antiquities of the Jews," and "Wars of the Jews," of whipping and nailing to the cross, &c. General reference can be made to Josephus, for this authority :

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And it was in the twelfth year of the reign of Nero, when Florus acted, as we have quoted! See “Antq. Jews,” Book xx., c. 11, sec. 1:

"Now this war began in the second year of the government of Florus, and the twelfth year of the reign of Nero." The falsehood of the gospels can be easily deduced and demonstrated.

Josephus says that Nero sent Portius Festus to succeed Felix. It is written in the "Acts of the Apostles," that it was Festus before whom "St. Paul" was brought. Luke tells us, in chapter xxv., verse 21st, "But when Paul had appealed to be reserved to the hearing of Augustus." (Cæsar is a generic name, applied to "The Twelve Cæsars," but Augustus is not!) 25. "But when I, Festus, found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and that he hath appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him."

Luke makes Portius Festus say that Paul had appealed to Augustus, when he, Augustus had been dead and buried, at this very time, about forty years; for the acts are said to have been written thirty years from the death of Jesus, in the eighth year of Nero! How could Augustus be appealed to?

Acts, chapter v., verse 34. "Then (A.D. 33) stood there up one in the councilGamaliel, a doctor of the law-had in reputation among all the people. &c. 35. And said unto them, (that is, unto Annas, the high priest, and Caiaphas, &c.) 36. For before these days (A.D. 33) rose up Theudas, (in the latter part of the fifth year of the reign of Claudius Cæsar! at least twelve years after the reputed A.D. 33 !)—and all were brought to naught. 37. After this man (Theudas) rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, (when Cyrenius was governor of Syria, in the fifty-second year of the reign of Augustus Cæsar!!) Is this divine inspiration? Is this a reliable portion of eternal truth?

“Anno Domini" commences, according to common account, in the third year after the death of Herod the Great, and consequently the "Bible Anno Domini 33" brings us to the eighteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Cæsar.

But Luke tells us, in the second chapter of his glad-tidings, that Jesus of Nazareth was born in Bethlehem of Judea, "when Cyrenius was governor of Syria," and taxing the Jews in Judea; and this was exactly in the fifty-second year of Augustus Cæsar! Then the above "Anno Domini 33" should have been, instead of falling in the eightteenth year of Tiberius Cæsar, in the second year of the reign of Claudius Cæsar! Of Theudas see Antq. Jews, Book xx., c. v., sec. 1—while Fadus was procurator of Judea :

Theudas—a certain magician, (affected) to be a prophet, and many were deluded by his words. They also took Theudas alive, and cut off his head, and carried it to Jerusalem. This was what befell the Jews in the time of Caspius Fadus' government. This is a mere abstract of the whole section. Antiq. Jews, Book xx., c. v., sec. 11: The reader will see that Theudas was "brought to naught," instead of the eighteenth year of Tiberius, A.D. 33, in the fifth year of the reign of Claudius Cæsar, A.D. 46. Upon the authority of the antiquities, we say that Vitellius, the president of Syria, sent Pontius Pilate to Rome, after Pilate had been procurator of Judea exactly ten years; and that Valerius Gratus had been his predecessor exactly eleven years, as we have already stated. These two procurators occupied twenty-one years of the reign of Tiberius Cæsar; and this brings us to the twenty-second year of the reign of Tiberius, when Vitellius went, immediately upon the dismissal of Pilate, to Jerusalem, and dismissed Joseph Caiaphas from the high priesthood! So that there now remained of

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