Moon, when she makes her first appearance, after the conjunction with the Sun, and Venus when seen from the earth in a particular part of her orbit; it proves that these planets were worshipped by them, AND THAT THEY MUST ALSO HAVE HAD THE USE OF THE TELESCOPE, AS THE PLANET VENUS CANNOT BE DISCOVERED TO HAVE THAT HORNED FIGURE WITH THE NAKED

EYE. The full meaning of these words will be comprehended thus, the horned tour-making goddesses.

The septuagint render the word Ashtaroth, Αστάρτης Astarte; and karnaim, by δεδόξασται, was glorified, which may read, the glorified tour-muking goddesses, for horns, or rays are significative of glory, Hab. iii. 4.-This I say proves that these ancient people were well acquainted with astronomy, as. none of the celestial bodies assume the crescent form but the Moon and Venus, which are evidently referred to by the above words.

great perfection. The feminine noun nwy, Ashtaroth, will also be applicable to the Moon, Venus, and Mercury; for Mercury by these ancients was allowed to assume the nature and quality of those with whom it was conjoined.

THE WORSHIP OF THE ANCIENT

SYRIANS.

The scriptures inform us that the idol of the ancient Syrians was called Rimmon. 2nd Kings, v. 18. The word Rimmon means to exalt, to be able to break forth with power, on being exalted. Psalm lxvi. 17. The sacred writers used the word to sig nify the exaltation, and breaking forth of divine light, the elevation or breaking forth of infinite wisdom. This idol was a serpent idol, for as the serpent was originally considered as an emblem of infinite wisdom, as well as the wisdom, or subtilty of the sensual principle in man; so also the word was used to signify the elevation and springing forth of wisdom in man.

The Syrians had also other idols, such as their deified kings and great heroes, the adoration of which appears to have commenced, when they ceased to worship the serpent; and thus fell into a gross state of idolatry. Rimmon was altogether neglected, when a new sect sprung up and Ben-hadad the king received divine honors, as his name signifies, viz. the son of shouting, a custom among them when they met their enemies in the field of battle, by which they were intimidated, and which frequently caused them to gain the victory.

THE WORSHIP OF THE ANCIENT ASSYRIANS OR BABYLONIANS

Followed that of the Syrians. It has been said to be involved in much obscurity, but the scriptures will help us so as to determine the worship of this very ancient nation.

Nimrod appears to have been the founder of the Babylonian empire, for in the 10th chapter of Genesis, ver. 10. it is said, and the beginning of his kingdom was Babel. Some writers have given priority to Nineveh; they were both royal cities, but Babel appears by the scripture, which is the best authority, to have been the beginning of the empire of Babylon. It is said that Ashur went forth and built Nineveh, but the true reading is as follows, from that land, he (Nimrod) went forth to Assyria, and built Nineveh. So that there does not appear to have been any considerable time between the building of Babel, and the building of Nineveh.

Nisroch appears to have been the most favorite idol of the Assyrians, 2 Kings, xix. 37. and Isaiah, xxxvii. 38. Nisroch means the great one, the chief, above all others, and was originally intended to personify the majesty of heaven. They had also a number of idols of lesser note, for when the king of Assyria took the Israelites away captive to Babylon,

he brought people from Cuthah, Ava, Hamath, and Sepharvaim. And these people, who were all idolaters, but of different sects, brought with them the idols of their particular worship. Thus we read that those, who came from Babylon, made Succoth Benoth. Lexicographers have supposed that these words, Succoth Benoth, meant temples dedicated to the daughters of the heathen, where they were to prostitute themselves once in their lives to strangers, who were on that account to make a gift to the goddess. But notwithstanding all that has been said concerning such an abomination, there has not been any thing advanced that can be depended on, to prove that this was permitted to be done. It is not possible to suppose that parents would countenance the ruin of their children, which must have been inevitably the case, had this been true. The bad policy of such a proceeding is too evident to obtain credit, as it would have added to the family, which would have given birth to much distress among the poor, and it would also have vitiated the minds of all the women in the nation. We cannot suppose that the wise men of that day would meet in their temples to worship young women, who themselves also went to worship.

Succoth Benoth is only a different name for Ashtaroth karnaim, or the Moon and Venus; for as

D

Ashtaroth karnaim, means the horned circuitmaking goddesses,' so Succoth means to hide or overshadow,' and benoth, daughters;' alluding to those planets, when they assume the crescent form, as then the other parts of their bodies are hidden or overshadowed. As Ashtaroth karnaim and Succoth benoth are feminine nouns in Hebrew, it shows us that the moon and Venus being considered feminine in the European languages, is agreeable to the custom of those ancient people.

The sacred history proceeds. And the men of Cuth made Nergal, i. e. the rolling light, and the men of Hamath made Ashma, the mediator; and the Avites made Nebhaz, the examiner; and Tartak, the binder in chains, or the temple of judgment; and the Sepharvites made Adramelek, the glorious king; and Anamelek, the humble king.

Babylon was in its origin a colony of Egypt, and therefore the idolatry of Egypt passed into that country. But we find that this empire became exceedingly great, and far out-shone the mother country, both as to extent and population. As there must, therefore, have been a cause for this great prosperity, either in the religious or civil order of things, we must draw our information respecting this matter from the scriptures.

At the commencement of the colony of Babylon,