It was Pope John XIV., say they, who, towards the middle of the tenth century, instituted the feast of the dead. From that fact, however, I only conclude that they were prayed for before; for if they then took measures to pray for all, it is reasonable to believe that they had previously5 prayed for some of them; in the same way as the feast of All Saints was instituted, because the feast of many of them had been previously celebrated6. The difference between the feast of All Saints and that of the dead, is, that in the first we invoke7, and that in the second we are invoked8; in the former we commend ourselves to the blessed, and in the second the unblessed commend themselves to us.
The most ignorant writers know, that this feast was first instituted at Cluny, which was then a territory belonging to the German Empire. Is it necessary to repeat, “that St. Odilon, abbot of Cluny, was accustomed to deliver many souls from purgatory by his masses and his prayers; and that one day a knight9 or a monk4, returning from the holy land, was cast by a tempest, on a small island, where he met with a hermit10, who said to him, that in that island existed enormous caverns11 of fire and flames, in which the wicked were tormented12; and that he often heard the devils complain of the Abbot Odilon and his monks, who every day delivered some soul or other; for which reason it was necessary to request Odilon to continue his exertions13, at once to increase the joy of the saints in heaven and the grief of the demons14 in hell?”
It is thus that Father Gerard, the Jesuit, relates the affair in his “Flower of the Saints,” after Father Ribadeneira. Fleury differs a little from this legend, but has substantively15 preserved it. This revelation induced St. Odilon to institute in Cluny the feast of the dead, which was then adopted by the Church.
Since this time, purgatory has brought much money to those who possess the power of opening the gates. It was by virtue16 of this power that English John, that great landlord, surnamed Lackland, by declaring himself the liegeman of Pope Innocent III., and placing his kingdom under submission17, delivered the souls of his parents, who had been excommunicated: “Pro1 mortuo excommunico, pro quo supplicant18 consanguinei.”
The Roman chancery had even its regular scale for the absolution of the dead; there were many privileged altars in the fifteenth century, at which every mass performed for six liards delivered a soul from purgatory. Heretics could not ascend19 beyond the truth, that the apostles had the right of unbinding all who were bound on earth, but not under the earth; and many of them, like impious persons, doubted the power of the keys. It is however to be remarked, that when the pope is inclined to remit20 five or six hundred years of purgatory, he accords the grace with full power: “Pro potestate a Deo accepta concedit.”
Of the Antiquity21 of Purgatory.
It is pretended that purgatory was, from time immemorial, known to the famous Jewish people, and it is founded on the second book of the Maccabees, which says expressly, “that there being found concealed22 in the vestments of the Jews (at the battle of Adullam), things consecrated23 to the idols24 of Jamma, it was manifest that on that account they had perished; and having made a gathering25 of twelve thousand drachms of silver, Judas, who thought religiously of the resurrection, sent them to Jerusalem for the sins of the dead.”
Having taken upon ourselves the task of relating the objections of the heretics and infidels, for the purpose of confounding them by their own opinions, we will detail here these objections to the twelve thousand drachms transmitted by Judas; and to purgatory. They say: 1. That twelve thousand drachms of silver was too much for Judas Maccabeus, who only maintained a petty war of insurgency26 against a great king.
2. That they might send a present to Jerusalem for the sins of the dead, in order to bring down the blessing27 of God on the survivors28.
3. That the idea of a resurrection was not entertained among the Jews at this time, it being ascertained29 that this doctrine30 was not discussed among them until the time of Gamaliel, a little before the ministry31 of Jesus Christ.
4. As the laws of the Jews included in the “Decalogue,” Leviticus and Deuteronomy, have not spoken of the immortality32 of the soul, nor of the torments33 of hell, it was impossible that they should contain the doctrine of purgatory.
5. Heretics and infidels make the greatest efforts to demonstrate in their manner, that the books of the Maccabees are evidently apocryphal34. The following are their pretended proofs:
The Jews have never acknowledged the books of the Maccabees to be canonical35, why then should we acknowledge them? Origen declares formally that the books of the Maccabees are to be rejected, and St. Jerome regards them as unworthy of credit. The Council of Laodicea, held in 567, admits them not among the canonical books. The Athanasiuses, the Cyrils, and the Hilarys, have also rejected them. The reasons for treating the foregoing books as romances, and as very bad romances, are as follows:
The ignorant author commences by a falsehood, known to be such by all the world. He says: “Alexander called the young nobles, who had been educated with him from their infancy36, and parted his kingdom among them while he still lived.” So gross and absurd a lie could not issue from the pen of a sacred and inspired writer.
The author of the Maccabees, in speaking of Antiochus Epiphanes, says: “Antiochus marched towards Elymais, and wished to pillage37 it, but was not able, because his intention was known to the inhabitants, who assembled in order to give him battle, on which he departed with great sadness, and returned to Babylon. Whilst he was still in Persia, he learned that his army in Jud?a had fled . . . . and he took to his bed and died.”
The same writer himself, in another place, says quite the contrary; for he relates that Antiochus Epiphanes was about to pillage Persepolis, and not Elymais; that he fell from his chariot; that he was stricken with an incurable38 wound; that he was devoured39 by worms; that he demanded pardon of the god of the Jews; that he wished himself to be a Jew: it is there where we find the celebrated versicle, which fanatics40 have applied41 so frequently to their enemies; “Orabet scelestus ille veniam quam non erat consecuturus.” The wicked man demandeth a pardon, which he cannot obtain. This passage is very Jewish; but it is not permitted to an inspired writer to contradict himself so flagrantly.
This is not all: behold42 another contradiction, and another oversight43. The author makes Antiochus die in a third manner, so that there is quite a choice. He remarks that this prince was stoned in the temple of Nanneus; and those who would excuse the stupidity pretend that he here speaks of Antiochus Eupator; but neither Epiphanes nor Eupator was stoned.
Moreover, this author says, that another Antiochus (the Great) was taken by the Romans, and that they gave to Eumenes the Indies and Media. This is about equal to saying that Francis I. made a prisoner of Henry VIII., and that he gave Turkey to the duke of Savoy. It is insulting the Holy Ghost to imagine it capable of dictating44 so many disgusting absurdities45.
The same author says, that the Romans conquered the Galatians; but they did not conquer Galatia for more than a hundred years after. Thus the unhappy story-teller did not write for more than a hundred years after the time in which it was supposed that he wrote: and it is thus, according to the infidels, with almost all the Jewish books.
The same author observes, that the Romans every year nominated a chief of the senate. Behold a well-informed man, who did not even know that Rome had two consuls46! What reliance, say infidels, can be placed in these rhapsodies and puerile47 tales, strung together without choice or order by the most imbecile of men? How shameful48 to believe in them! and the barbarity of persecuting49 sensible men, in order to force a belief of miserable50 absurdities, for which they could not but entertain the most sovereign contempt, is equal to that of cannibals.
Our answer is, that some mistakes which probably arose from the copyists may not affect the fundamental truths of the remainder; that the Holy Ghost inspired the author only, and not the copyists; that if the Council of Laodicea rejected the Maccabees, they have been admitted by the Council of Trent; that they are admitted by the Roman Church; and consequently that we ought to receive them with due submission.
Of the Origin of Purgatory.
It is certain that those who admitted of purgatory in the primitive51 church were treated as heretics. The Simonians were condemned52 who admitted the purgation of souls — Psuken Kadaron.
St. Augustine has since condemned the followers53 of Origen who maintained this doctrine. But the Simonians and the Origenists had taken their purgatory from Virgil, Plato and the Egyptians. You will find it clearly indicated in the sixth book of the “?neid,” as we have already remarked. What is still more singular, Virgil describes souls suspended in air, others burned, and others drowned:
?Ali? panduntur inanes
Suspens? ad ventos: aliis sub gurgite vasto
Infectum eluitur scelus, aut exuritur igni.
— ?neid, book vi, 740-742.
For this are various penances54 enjoined55,
And some are hung to bleach56 upon the wind;
Some plunged57 in waters, others purged58 in fires,
Till all the dregs are drained, and all the rust59 expires.
— Dryden.
And what is more singular still, Pope Gregory, surnamed the great, not only adopts this doctrine from Virgil, but in his theology introduces many souls who arrive from purgatory after having been hanged or drowned.
Plato has spoken of purgatory in his “Ph?don,” and it is easy to discover, by a perusal60 of “Hermes Trismegistus,” that Plato borrowed from the Egyptians all which he had not borrowed from Tim?us of Locris.
All this is very recent, and of yesterday, in comparison with the ancient Brahmins. The latter, it must be confessed, invented purgatory in the same manner as they invented the revolt and fall of the genii or celestial61 intelligences.
It is in their Shasta, or Shastabad, written three thousand years before the vulgar era, that you, my dear reader, will discover the doctrine of purgatory. The rebel angels, of whom the history was copied among the Jews in the time of the rabbin Gamaliel, were condemned by the Eternal and His Son, to a thousand years of purgatory, after which God pardoned and made them men. This we have already said, dear reader, as also that the Brahmins found eternal punishment too severe, as eternity62 never concludes. The Brahmins thought like the Abbé Chaulieu, and called upon the Lord to pardon them, if, impressed with His bounties63, they could not be brought to conceive that they would be punished so rigorously for vain pleasures, which passed away like a dream:
Pardonne alors, Seigneur, si, plein de tes bontés,
Je n’ai pu concevoir que mes fragilités,
Ni tous ces vains plaisirs que passent comme un songe,
Pussent être l’objet de tes sévérités;
Et si j’ai pu penser que tant des cruautés.
Puniraient un peu trop la douceur d’un mensonge.
— Ep?tre sur la Mort, au Marquis de la Fare.
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pro
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| n.赞成，赞成的意见，赞成者 | |
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purgatory
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| n.炼狱；苦难；adj.净化的，清洗的 | |
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monks
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| n.修道士，僧侣( monk的名词复数 ) | |
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monk
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| n.和尚，僧侣，修道士 | |
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previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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invoke
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| v.求助于(神、法律)；恳求，乞求 | |
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invoked
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| v.援引( invoke的过去式和过去分词 )；行使（权利等）；祈求救助；恳求 | |
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knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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hermit
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| n.隐士，修道者；隐居 | |
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caverns
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| 大山洞，大洞穴( cavern的名词复数 ) | |
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tormented
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| 饱受折磨的 | |
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exertions
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| n.努力( exertion的名词复数 )；费力；（能力、权力等的）运用；行使 | |
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demons
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| n.恶人( demon的名词复数 )；恶魔；精力过人的人；邪念 | |
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substantively
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| adv.真实地；实质上 | |
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virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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submission
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| n.服从，投降；温顺，谦虚；提出 | |
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supplicant
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| adj.恳求的n.恳求者 | |
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ascend
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| vi.渐渐上升，升高；vt.攀登，登上 | |
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remit
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| v.汇款，汇寄；豁免（债务），免除（处罚等） | |
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antiquity
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| n.古老；高龄；古物，古迹 | |
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concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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consecrated
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| adj.神圣的，被视为神圣的v.把…奉为神圣，给…祝圣( consecrate的过去式和过去分词 )；奉献 | |
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idols
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| 偶像( idol的名词复数 )； 受崇拜的人或物； 受到热爱和崇拜的人或物； 神像 | |
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gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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insurgency
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| n.起义；暴动；叛变 | |
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blessing
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| n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿 | |
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survivors
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| 幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 ) | |
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ascertained
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| v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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doctrine
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| n.教义；主义；学说 | |
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ministry
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| n.(政府的)部；牧师 | |
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immortality
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| n.不死，不朽 | |
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torments
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| （肉体或精神上的）折磨，痛苦( torment的名词复数 )； 造成痛苦的事物[人] | |
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apocryphal
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| adj.假冒的，虚假的 | |
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canonical
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| n.权威的；典型的 | |
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infancy
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| n.婴儿期；幼年期；初期 | |
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pillage
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| v.抢劫；掠夺；n.抢劫，掠夺；掠夺物 | |
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incurable
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| adj.不能医治的，不能矫正的，无救的；n.不治的病人，无救的人 | |
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devoured
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| 吞没( devour的过去式和过去分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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fanatics
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| 狂热者，入迷者( fanatic的名词复数 ) | |
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applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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oversight
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| n.勘漏，失察，疏忽 | |
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dictating
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| v.大声讲或读( dictate的现在分词 )；口授；支配；摆布 | |
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absurdities
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| n.极端无理性( absurdity的名词复数 )；荒谬；谬论；荒谬的行为 | |
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consuls
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| 领事( consul的名词复数 )； （古罗马共和国时期）执政官 （古罗马共和国及其军队的最高首长，同时共有两位，每年选举一次） | |
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puerile
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| adj.幼稚的，儿童的 | |
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shameful
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| adj.可耻的，不道德的 | |
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persecuting
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| （尤指宗教或政治信仰的）迫害(~sb. for sth.)( persecute的现在分词 )； 烦扰，困扰或骚扰某人 | |
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miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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primitive
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| adj.原始的；简单的；n.原(始)人，原始事物 | |
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condemned
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| adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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followers
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| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
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penances
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| n.（赎罪的）苦行，苦修( penance的名词复数 ) | |
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enjoined
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| v.命令( enjoin的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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bleach
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| vt.使漂白；vi.变白；n.漂白剂 | |
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plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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purged
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| 清除（政敌等）( purge的过去式和过去分词 )； 涤除（罪恶等）； 净化（心灵、风气等）； 消除（错事等）的不良影响 | |
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rust
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| n.锈；v.生锈；(脑子)衰退 | |
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perusal
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| n.细读，熟读；目测 | |
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celestial
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| adj.天体的；天上的 | |
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eternity
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| n.不朽，来世；永恒，无穷 | |
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bounties
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| （由政府提供的）奖金( bounty的名词复数 )； 赏金； 慷慨； 大方 | |
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