s, and the Romans; and if at that time the
Greeks and Romans were still _supposed_ to have borrowed their
language and their religion from Jewish quarters, _the same
conclusion could hardly be avoided with regard to the language
and the religion of the Brahmans of India_. . . .

"The student of Pagan religion as well as Christian
missionaries were bent on discovering more striking and more
startling coincidences, _in order to use them in confirmation
of their favorite theory that some rays of a primeval
revelation, or some reflection of the Jewish religion, had
reached the uttermost ends of the world_."[107:1]

The result of all this is summed up by Prof. Mueller as follows:

"_It was the fate of all (these) pioneers, not only to be left
behind in the assault which they had planned, but to find that
many of their approaches were made in a false direction, and
had to be abandoned._"[107:2]

Before closing this chapter, we shall say a few words on the religion of
Israel. It is supposed by many--in fact, we have heard it asserted by
those who should know better--that the Israelites were always
_monotheists_, that they worshiped One God only--_Jehovah_.[107:3] This
is altogether erroneous; they were not different from their
neighbors--the Heathen, so-called--in regard to their religion.

In the first place, we know that they revered and worshiped a _Bull_,
called _Apis_,[107:4] just as the ancient Egyptians did. They worshiped
the _sun_,[108:1] the _moon_,[108:2] the _stars_ and all the host of
heaven.[108:3]

They worshiped _fire_, and kept it burning on an altar, just as the
Persians and other nations.[108:4] They worshiped _stones_,[108:5]
revered an _oak tree_,[108:6] and "bowed down" to _images_.[108:7] They
worshiped a "Queen of Heaven" called the goddess _Astarte_ or _Mylitta_,
and "burned incense" to her.[108:8] They worshiped _Baal_,[108:9]
Moloch,[108:10] and _Chemosh_,[108:11] _and offered up human sacrifices
to them_,[108:12] after which in some instances, _they ate the
victim_.[108:13]

It was during the Captivity that idolatry ceased among the
Israelites.[108:14] The Babylonian Captivity is clearly referred to in
the book of Deuteronomy, as the close of Israel's idolatry.[108:15]

There is reason to believe that the real genius of the people was first
called into full exercise, and put on its career of development at this
time; tha