The Origin of Pagan Idolatry Ascertained from Historical Testimony and Circumstantial Evidence

tury before Christ. Therefore the Mahabadian must be the same as
the old Cuthico-Assyrian

PAGE

394

395

2. Duration of the Cuthico-Assyrian empire, as collected from the regal

catalogues of Syncellus, Polyhistor, and Ctesias

396

3. This empire is the same as the primeval Scythian empire, noticed by

Justin and Strabo as preceding the Assyrian empire known to the

Greeks

(1.) Justin's account of it

(2.) Strabo's account of it

IV. An inquiry into the character and origin of the Scythians, who founded this

early Asiatic empire

1. The Scythians or Scuthim were the Cuthim of Nimrod

2. Respecting the nature of Scythism and Ionism

(1.) Scythism and Ionism are described, not as two successive em-

pires, but as two successive heresies or apostasies from pure reli-

gion and they are respectively the same, as what I have called

Buddhism and Brahmenism

(2.) How we are to understand the termination of the Scythic nane

and succession in the days of Serug

411

(3.) How the Scythic heresy prevailed from the flood to the tower

V. Respecting the era of the old Scythic empire, and of the building of the

412

tower

413

1. The emigration from Armenia could not have taken place until after the
death of Noah and his three sons

ib.

2. The early postdiluvian chronology of the Hebrew Pentateuch shewn to

be erroneous

417

3. The early postdiluvian chronology of Josephus shewn to be erroneous

4. The early postdiluvian chronology of the lxx shewn to be erroneous

5. The early postdiluvian chronology of the Samaritan Pentateuch shewn

to be perfectly genuine

421

ib.

422

6. The dates of the commencement and termination of the Scythic empire

ascertained

424

VI. Polity of Nimrod's empire

1. Its polity consisted in an arrangement of the community into four dis-

tinct castes or tribes: the sacerdotal, the military, the mercantile, and

the servile

2. Circumstantial evidence adduced in proof of such an opinion

(1.) From Justin

(2.) From Scripture

(3.) From the Dabistan

VII, Machiavellian politics of Nimrod

Respecting the primitive division of the world among the children

of Noah, the triads of the Gentiles, the confusion of languages,

and the mode of the dispersion from Bábel

446

I. The inheritance of Japhet was the whole of Europe and northern Asia

1. Gomer

447

ib.

II. The inheritance of Shem was southern Asia intermingled with Ham

III. The inheritance or acquisitions of Ham, at the first division of the earth,
were the whole of Africa, and southern Asia intermingled with Shem

IV. The confusion of languages in some centrical region may be ascertained

even independently of Scripture

458

1. Mankind divide themselves into three great races; Hindoos, Arabs,

Tartars

6. Analogous to the three races, there are three primeval languages; Sans-

7. The three races and the three languages are all found in Iran

ib.

8. Hence Iran must have been the cradle of mankind

462

9. The confusion at Babel was a real confusion of language: but only

three different tongues were produced at the time of the dispersion

463

V. The division of the world by Noah among his sons-

466

1. This division was triple, agreeably to the number of his sons; and it

was well known to the Gentiles

466

2. From the three sons of Adam, viewed as reappearing in the three sons

of Noah, originated the divine triads of the Gentiles

468

VI. Respecting the peculiar mode of the dispersion from Babel

: 475

1. Existence of castes in various different regions

(1.) Summary of what has been learned from the inquiry

476

482

(2.) Conclusion deduced from it

2. There is sufficient evidence to prove, that the various Noëtic tribes

went off under Cuthic leaders, sacerdotal and military.. Hence the

Cuthim, as constituting the two superior orders of priests and military

nobles, were mingled with their brethren in almost every part of the

world

PAGE

494

485

(1.) Proof of the Cuthic descent of the several sacerdotal and military
classes, from historical notices

ib.

(2.) Proof of the same position, from the remarkable travels of mem-

bers of those classes

493

(3.) Proof of the same position, from the circumstance of the sacerdo-

tal orders of different nations all bearing similar family titles

(4.) Proof of the same position, from certain extraordinary names borne

by the several military classes

495

496

CHAPTER IV.

Respecting the various settlements and migrations of the unblended

part of the military caste

499

I. A large body of the Cuthim went off from Babel in an unmixed state,
owing to the schism of the two great sects

ib.

1. These were deemed excommunicated by the others

501

....

2. Their chief settlements were in the three Caucasi; or in that conti-
nuous high range of country, which stretches from the Euxine sea to

upper India, and which the Persians denominate the stony girdle of the

earth

504

II. Origin and progress of the Scuthim or Scythians

506

1. The Scythians came out of the region of Caf or Caucasus: and their

settlements extended all the way from upper India to the shores of the

Euxine

2. From Asia they passed into Europe

(1.) Here they penetrated to the utmost extremity of the west

(2.) The Germans were Scythians

(3.) But the Scythians, or Scuthim, or Cuthim, or Chusas, were the

same race as the Getes or Goths. Whence the Germans were

Goths: and, as the Indo-Scythæ or Chusas claim to this day the

patriarch Cusha as their general ancestor, the Goths were Cuths or

Cuthim

(4.) Scythians of Scandinavia

(6.) High character of the ancient Goths

ib.

3. Their opposite progress from upper India to the extreme east

(3.) The Cossais, the Siamese, the Peguers, the Burmans

4. Their progress to the south-west, briefly touched upon, and reserved

for a separate discussion

ib.

5. Division into castes was necessarily unknown among the unmixed

Cuthim

523

CHAPTER V.

Respecting the Shepherd-kings of Egypt, and the various settlements

of the military caste in consequence of their expulsion

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The Origin of Pagan Idolatry Ascertained from Historical Testimony ..., Volume 3