Religion and Astrology

The illustration below comes from "The Best of the Illustrated National Astrological Journal, 1933 - 1935" (compilation pubd.1978). It's an old volume I bought sometime ago while on our travels.

There's a network of copyrights surrounding the contents of the volume, articles from magazines. The book itself is copyrighted, and the illustration below is marked "copyrighted to Manly P. Hall", yet is also marked "redrawn from
Lenoir's La Franche-Maconnerie".

Before proceeding:

Any copyrighted material on these pages is included as "fair use", for the purpose of study, review or critical analysis only, and will be removed at the request of copyright owner(s).

The Lenoir mentioned above is French art historian and archaeologist Alexandre Lenoir (1761-1839) who attempted in his 1814 publication La Franche-Maconnerie to establish the doctrine of the direct descent of Freemasonry from the ancient Mysteries, and especially from the Egyptian. The illustration must be part of Lenoir's attempt to make his point, I guess. The artist who re-drew the illustration from Lenoir's publication isn't named, perhaps Manly P. Hall copied it himself? (The link is to an earlier post about him).

The illustration accompanied an article by Manly P. Hall: Astrology as a Religion. I don't see that as being at all a desirable proposition, though interesting enough to ponder upon. M.P. Hall finishes his piece with the following paragraph:

Ancient astrologers were wiser than their modern imitators, for they were in possession of a secret doctrine relating to the mysteries of the constellations. If this doctrine could be re-established it would go far to clarify the all-too- complicated issues of modern life, as well as re-elevate astrology to its true position of dignity as the cornerstone of the house of human learning. Pagan and Christian alike are united by astrology, for all faiths - with the possible exception of a few primitive forms - are astrological in origin. This fact alone should develop tolerance in matters of religion and incline us to study the sacred science of the stars and learn the inner import of their revelations.

For easier reading I've copy-typed, and re-spaced, the explanation included with the illustration.

"Zodiacal Symbols in World Religions"

"At the left of the plate stands Mohammed, holding aloft pages from the Koran, his left foot upon an image which he has over thrown.

Behind Mohammed the Celestial Bull - signifying the constellation of Taurus - opens the "Egg of the Year" with his horns.

At the lower right is a bas-relief of the Persion Sun God, Mithras, in an attitude signifying the conquest of the sun over the Celestial Bull at the ancient vernal equinox.

In the center stands the High Priest of Israel, his right arm encircling the base of the seven-branched candlestick - the Mosaic symbol of the Planetary Governors of the world.

To his right is the statue of the golden calf and to his left the robed figures of the Greek mystics bearing a tripod in which burns the sacrificial fire.

Behind the bull Apis, crowned with the lunar globe, and Father Nile, bearing the horn of plenty and pouring the waters of life from his urn, loom the Pyramids - the great Egyptian temples of initiation.

In the clouds at the left is the seated figure of Jupiter Ammon, brandishing a flaming thunderbolt and horned to signify that he partakes of the attributes of the zodiacal ram.

In the heavens appears the mystery of the Apocalypse. The four creatures of Ezekiel's Vision surround an altar upon which is the Book of Seven Seals and the Lamb of God. At the upper left is the band of the zodiac. The constellations of Taurus, Aries and Pisces represent the stellar influences which - according to the ancients - descending upon the earth, are responsible for the establishment of the religious and philosophical institutions herein set forth."

(Note: Unless I'm missing something he didn't mention the topmost figures, which I take to be the Virgin Mary and the angel Gabriel.)

Manly P. Hall wrote: "....all faiths - with the possible exception of a few primitive forms - are astrological in origin". That's a thought upon which to chew for a while!