Egyptian belief and modern thought / by James Bonwick.

  • James Bonwick
Date:
1878
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Egyptian belief and modern thought / by James Bonwick. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    74/474 (page 60)
    punishment in purgatory shall be according to the sin. In some way Hathor, the goddess, is the Proserpine or queen of that region. But Mr. Gladstone describes the Hades of the Greeks as being in three divisions, the centre one, perhaps, answering to purgatory. There are, first, the Elysian Plains, where no rain, snow, or rough wind can trouble one. The second is the Uiiderivorld Proper, where Homer had his abode of Aides ; a dark, drear, chill locality, where Minos the Judge answers to Osiris the Judge. “Here,” says Mr. Glad- stone, “they are in general under no penal infliction.” In that way it answers to Limbo. The third is the Tartarus, far below Hades; yet where there is but “the continu- ance of the habits and propensities acquired on earth.” The Intermediate state of the primitive Christians is variously described, as there was no settled opinion on any subject during the first centuries of the Christian era. Augustine said the dead rested there as “ in a hidden receptacle;” Irenseus, “in an invisible place appointed them of God;” Justin Martyr, “in a better place, as the bad in a worse, awaiting the Day of Judgment.” Chrysostom wrote, “ The very apostles and patriarchs are not yet crowned ;” Ambrose, “ The judgment is not at once after death ;” Jerome, “ not see the face of God until after the resurrection;” and, “ is cherished in Abraham’s bosom;” again, “ the place into which souls are laid up, either in a state of refreshment, or in punishment, according to their deserts.” Several of the Fathers call it Paradise ; as Basil refers to “ Heaven and Paradise.” But Augustine thinks the souls of the blest are in Paradise, which is the “ third heaven” of Paul. Cyprian notes “Paradise and the heavenly kingdom.” Some thought all went to one place. Yet Theodoret says, “There is one Hades to all, but light to some, dark to others.” Olympiodorus thought Paradise