on their
enemies. . . . And there was no day like that before it or after it."

There are many stories similar to this, to be found among other nations
of antiquity. We have, as an example, that which is related of Bacchus
in the Orphic hymns, wherein it says that this god-man arrested the
course of the sun and the moon.[91:5]

An Indian legend relates that the sun stood still to hear the pious
ejaculations of Arjouan after the death of Crishna.[91:6]

A holy Buddhist by the name of Matanga prevented the sun, at his
command, from rising, and bisected the moon.[91:7] Arresting the course
of the sun was a common thing among the disciples of Buddha.[91:8]

The _Chinese_ also, had a legend of the sun standing still,[91:9] and a
legend was found among the _Ancient Mexicans_ to the effect that one of
their holy persons commanded the sun to stand still, which command was
obeyed.[91:10]

We shall now endeavor to answer the question which must naturally arise
in the minds of all who see, for the first time, the similarity in the
legends of the Hebrews and those of other nations, namely: have the
Hebrews copied from other nations, or, have other nations copied from
the Hebrews? To answer this question we shall; _first_, give a brief
account or history of the Pentateuch and other books of the Old
Testament from which we have taken legends, and show about what time
they were written; and, _second_, show that other nations were possessed
of these legends long before that time, _and that the Jews copied from
them_.

The Pentateuch is ascribed, in our _modern_ translations, to _Moses_,
and he is generally supposed to be the author. This is altogether
erroneous, as Moses had _nothing whatever_ to do with these five books.
Bishop Colenso, speaking of this, says:

"The books of the Pentateuch _are never ascribed to Moses in
the inscriptions of Hebrew manuscripts, or in printed copies
of the Hebrew Bible_. Nor are they styled the '_Books of
Moses_' in the Septuagint[92:1] or Vulgate,[92:2] _but only in
our modern translations_, after the example of many eminent
Fathers of the Church, who, with the exception of Jerome, and,
perhaps, Origen, were, one and all of them, very little
acquainted with the Hebrew language, and still less with its
criticism."[92:3]

The author of "The Religion of Israel," referring to this subject, says:

"The Jews who lived _after_ the Babylonish Captivi