ven_ altars of the monument of
Mithras. The _seven_ great spirits invoked by the Persians. The _seven_
archangels of the Chaldeans. The _seven_ archangels of the Jews.[31:6]

The _seven_ days in the week.[32:1] The _seven_ sacraments of the
Christians. The _seven_ wicked spirits of the Babylonians. The
sprinkling of blood _seven_ times upon the altars of the Egyptians. The
_seven_ mortal sins of the Egyptians. The hymn of _seven_ vowels chanted
by the Egyptian priests.[32:2] The _seven_ branches of the Assyrian
"Tree of Life." Agni, the Hindoo god, is represented with _seven_ arms.
Sura's[32:3] horse was represented with _seven_ heads. _Seven_ churches
are spoken of in the Apocalypse. Balaam builded _seven_ altars, and
offered _seven_ bullocks and _seven_ rams on each altar. Pharaoh saw
_seven_ kine, &c., in his dream. The "Priest of Midian" had _seven_
daughters. Jacob served _seven_ years. Before Jericho _seven_ priests
bare _seven_ horns. Samson was bound with _seven_ green withes, and his
marriage feast lasted _seven_ days, &c., &c. We might continue with as
much more, but enough has been shown to verify the statement that, "in
all religions of antiquity, the number SEVEN is a _sacred_ number."

FOOTNOTES:

[19:1] See "The Deluge in the Light of Modern Science," by Prof. Wm.
Denton: J. P. Mendum, Boston.

[19:2] "There were _giants_ in the earth in those days." It is a
scientific fact that most races of men, in former ages, instead of being
_larger_, were _smaller_ than at the present time. There is hardly a
suit of armor in the Tower of London, or in the old castles, that is
large enough for the average Englishman of to-day to put on. Man has
grown in stature as well as intellect, and there is no proof
whatever--in fact, the opposite is certain--that there ever was a race
of what might properly be called _giants_, inhabiting the earth. Fossil
remains of large animals having been found by primitive man, _and a
legend invented to account for them_, it would naturally be that: "There
were giants in the earth in those days." As an illustration we may
mention the story, recorded by the traveller James Orton, we believe (in
"The Andes and the Amazon"), that, near Punin, in South America, was
found the remains of an extinct species of the horse, the mastodon, and
other large animals. This discovery was made, owing to the assurance of
the natives that _giants_ at one time had lived in that country, _and
that they had