adventism; and the facts of the case justify the charge that the
clergy, by teaching that the prophecies refer to events yet to occur,
are perpetuating a most stupendous fraud upon Christendom, and an
earnest and efficient protest should be inaugurated against the further
agitation of the monstrous delusion of second adventism, which is
frightening thousands of weak-minded people into insanity and causing a
vast amount of social distress.



ROMAN OR MODERN CHRISTIANITY.

Having presented the evidences that the Jewish, or ancient
Christianity, originated at the University of Alexandria, under Greek
rule, we now propose to show that its modern form emanated from the
same source, under Roman rule; but, before entering upon this
investigation, it is important to become conversant with the sentiments
manifested towards religion by the cultured element of Roman society in
that enlightened era, which, designated as the golden age of
literature, was adorned by such distinguished orators, philosophers,
historians, poets and naturalists as Cicero, Tacitus, Pliny, Horace and
Virgil. In reference to this subject, Gibbon, in his history of The
Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, vol. I., chapter 2, says: "The
various modes of worship which prevailed in the Roman world were all
considered by the people as equally true, by the philosophers as
equally false and by the magistrate as equally useful. Both the
interests of the priests and the credulity of the people were
sufficiently respected. In their writings and conversation the
philosophers of antiquity asserted the independent dignity of reason,
but they resigned their actions to the commands of law and custom.