Pagan worshippers offered sacrifices and supplications to those evil propensities, which from the corruption of our nature mingle with our best intentions, and against which we are charged, in the spirit of Christian watchfulness, to keep the heart with all diligence, since out of it are the issues of life. They beheld with dismay the fatal influence of those vices, which we are taught, not so much to dread as to subdue, not to sink under but to conquer; and we are expressly enjoined by St. Paul, "not to be overcome with evil but to overcome evil with good." Inspired with terror at the appearance of misfortunes, the cause of which they were ignorant of, they addressed even their apprehensions as a Deity. Fear had temples and altars raised to her, and with the spirit of prophetic dread, they named her with the sacred Divinities by whom they swore, lest mingling her influence with their best wishes, and their purest motives, she might appal the most courageous. Support, encouragement, and consolation, were not

Rom. XII. 21,

the attributes of Pagan philosophy, to revive the sinking, to cheer the drooping, and banish terror from the troubled mind, is the gentle spirit of the Gospel of Jesus. "Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favor with God," was the cheering apostrophe of the Holy Angel, when she was troubled in mind at the glorious salutation which hailed her the future mother of our Lord. "Fear not, for behold I bring you good tidings of

2

great joy;" were the grateful sounds which

struck the ear of the astonished shepherds, to whom this Saviour was announced. "Be not affrighted," was the encouraging voice of that Saviour to the pious women, who came with devoted affection to visit the sepulchre of their crucified Lord, who having overcome the power of death and hell, and burst the confines of the tomb, confirmed by his own resurrection the promise of that immortality he died to establish. "For as in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive."4

Luke 1. 30.

2 Luke 11. 10.

3 Mark xvI. 6.

4 1 Cor. xvi. 22.

SEVENTH DIVISION.

HEROES AND DEMI-GODS.

The heroes and Demi-Gods of profane history were, strictly speaking, the offspring of a Divinity and a mortal. But this appellation was afterwards conferred upon all those distinguished characters, who had acquired any celebrity. Among whom we may reckon the leaders of the Grecian Colonies, the conquerors of the Golden Fleece, and warriors who fought in the Theban and Trojan wars. The worship of the Heroes and Demi-Gods consisted in the celebration of games to their honor, at which their most illustrious

achievements were sung. They were supposed to enjoy continued existence, and interest themselves in the affairs of mortals. The most celebrated were Inachus, Cecrops, Cadmus, Pelops, Perseus, Theseus, Dadalus, Hercules, Jason, Castor and Pollux, Orpheus, Esculapius, Prometheus, Achilles, and Ulysses.

INACHUS.

Inachus came from Phoenicia into Greece 1880 years before the Christian Era. He founded the city of Argos in the Morea, anciently called Peloponnesus, situated on a river to which he gave his name. From this prince a long succession of monarchs descended, named Inachides. The Isthmus, which joins Morea to Greece, was famous for the Isthmian games, celebrated in honor of Neptune.

CECROPS AND CODRUS.

Cecrops came from Egypt to establish himself in Attica, where he founded the 12 towns which composed the kingdom of Athens. He introduced the laws, religious ceremonies, and customs of the Egyptians, and laid the foundations of those improvements, which afterwards rendered Athens the seat of arts, science, and politeness. The kingdom of Athens continued above 500 years, and ended in Codrus, who devoted himself to death to save his country. It was afterwards governed by perpetual magistrates, called Archontes.

CADMUS.

Cadmus was one of the most celebrated leaders of the Grecian Colonies, and has been immortalised for the introduction of the use of