Is this book dire or dazzling? Read my review and get the inside dope

Earth's Earliest Ages

And Their Connection with Modern Spiritualism and Theosophy
Author(s)
G. H. Pember
Edition / Year
12th Edition, 1893(?)
File under:
Christianity pre-adamites Spiritualism Satan occult powers
In the section labelled
The Religious Bent

(Please note that this article contains mockery of sincerely held Christian beliefs, albeit of the flakier variety. If that sort of thing offends you, kindly shove off).

It is interesting to observe how some misguided souls manage to build vast towers of supposition on the shakiest foundations by the power of faith alone. In his book Mr. Pember presented a vision of the world which may sound like fantastic fiction to the sceptic, but which he believed was a literal interpretation of the words of the Bible: the type of interpretation in which any assertion, however mad, however unsupported by evidence, can be 'true' if some Biblical passage can be read as confirming it.

His aim in writing the book was to communicate his views on the connections between the ancient history of the world and the then popular fads of Theosophy and Spiritualism, which he saw as demonically-inspired and liable to bring about the end of mankind. There seemed to him clear parallels between contemporary events and biblical stories such as the Fall of Adam and Eve and the great Flood.

Pember's application of the term 'literal' did not exclude the wildest interpolations between the lines where he felt like it. For example, take the first two verses of Genesis:-

  1. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
  2. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

According to Pember (following the Scottish theologian Thomas Chalmers), there is no indication of the length of time that had passed between the two verses, and so there is no contradiction between the Bible and geological observation: the vast ages of time indicated by study of rocks occurred in the gap. What is more, Pember was inclined to believe that during this time there were in existence numberless 'preadamite' races of man who were each in turn wiped out by God when they proved unable to resist the lure of sin.

In this time, too, Satan got up his rebellion against God and was duly chucked out of heaven (though how he hoped to succeed in overcoming his omnipotent adversary is never explained), to find a new home with his accomplices in the air around us:-

For the whole aerial surroundings of our planet are densely peopled with a hostile race of beings unutterably superior in wisdom and power to ourselves; having had during a vast number of years every conceivable experience of the weak points of humanity ; possessing the incalculable advantage of being themselves invisible, though as spiritual intelligences they are probably able, not merely to judge of us by our words and outward expression of countenance but even to read the innermost thoughts of our heart; co-operating with the most perfect and never-failing organization; and lastly, directed by a leader of consummate wisdom and skill, who is assisted by powerful princes, and finds his subjects so numerous, that, if we are to lay any stress on the word “legion” in the memorable narrative of Luke, he is able to spare some six thousand of them to guard one miserable captive.

(Scary, eh? Satan - the ultimate super-villain).

Pember's version of the Adam and Eve story is a little odd, too. I am not entirely sure what to make of the following passage:-

Yet another and crowning joy was in store for Adam. His benign Creator, knowing that it was not good for him to be alone, determined to bestow upon him a companion and partner of his joy. But first he brought to him the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, to see what he would call them: that is, to see if he should claim any of them as bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh. Adam gave names to all, but to none that of woman; a result which had, of course, been anticipated by God. Indeed it seems not improbable that He made the trial to stimulate in His creature a desire which He intended to gratify.

Is there not a hint of bestiality here?

Adam and Eve were tempted by a snakeskin-clad Satan, and ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge. Grumpy old God, who could anticipate that Adam would not fancy snuggling up to even the cutest of camels, but somehow failed to spot Old Nick setting up his greengrocer's cart, slung them out of the garden, and in a fit of temper cursed the Earth. Pember cites a nutty Professor Balfour, who believed that the existence of thorns and thistles were 'evidence' of His curse on the vegetable kingdom.

Having dealt with the early chapters of the Bible, Pember turned to the various modern manifestations of sin that would bring down the wrath of God as in the days of Adam. In so doing, he showed that his literalism in the reading of texts was not limited to the Bible but extended as much to the extravagant claims of his foes in the Theosophical movement, such as that mediums, by the aid of demons, are able “to hold intercourse with supernatural beings, to reveal secrets, and in some degree to foretell; can travel in a moment to any part of the world ...”. Furthermore, demonic possession is a commonplace, “a large proportion of the patients in our lunatic asylums” being such cases, and “direct communication with demons ... is now becoming prevalent”. And, proving the advanced nature of North American society even 100 years ago, “the ceremonious marriage of a woman to a demon is a thing not unknown in the United States: whether it has ever happened in England we cannot say”.

Another great evil in the world was Buddhism, which according to Pember had many more adherents than previously suspected: for, “recent investigations have made it probable that Buddha was once the god of Northern Europe, and that his name is philologically identical with that of Woden...”. Not only that, but some fifth century Chinese Buddhists “apparently” reached North America and made converts there. Most astonishingly (except to the most paranoid of protestant fundamentalists), “there can be little doubt that the Buddhist tope is the original of the Roman Church...”.

Like many before and after, Pember believed that the End Was Nigh, though sensibly he refrained from suggesting exactly how Nigh It Was, preferring darkly hinting rhetorical questions: “if the great apostasy, which will at last evolve the Lawless One, be even now spreading; who can be sure of a day or an hour? ... Are we not living through solemn times: is the air not full of warnings: does it not behove every believer to arise, gird up his loins, and trim his lamp?”. How disappointing it must have been to those of Pember's readers who responded to his call and spent the remainder of their days in loin-girding and lamp-trimming, rather than on something they might have enjoyed more, to go to their death beds without having witnessed the second coming nor having the satisfaction of seeing their sinful neighbours judged and sent down into the black and fiery mouth of Hell.

Amusing as this may be, wouldn't it be much more so if no-one nowadays believed this kind of tripe? Sadly the number of misguided loons does not appear to have diminished much over the century since it was published: indeed you can still buy this book, you poor saps.

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Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on 24 Dec 2010 - 20:36 Permalink
I understand what you are saying, and God does reveal different things to different people, but God cannot reaveal something that is contrary to His own Word, because after all He wrote it. A person that has no representation in God, will have absolutely no interest in it anyway. But there are also a lot of people that do have representation in God, but don't realise it, untill The Great Creator starts to tune in to that gene of God that they are born with. God might even bring a person right to his death-bed before he see's it. In other-words, a Salmon was born a Salmon, and a see snake, was born a see snake. all God does is cast the net. If you are a part of God, then you never did have a beginning, and you can no more go lost than God can, but God has to get His own kind to see it. He also deals with every individual in different ways, according to their personalities and gifts that they were born with. No single individual on earth, can say who they are. only God knows that. and if a person happens to be arrogant, well let me tell you, when God is finished with him, he sure won't have any interest in arrogance.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on 24 Dec 2010 - 03:44 Permalink
did you know, that omongst all the different beliefs and different philosophies there has to be a truth. A counterfeit dollar has to be someone's attempt to impersonate, or copy the orriginal. otherwise it cannot be regarded as a coutrfeit. God would not be a just God if He did not give us the truth. But the problem comes when a person cannot believe it, and God cannot show it to a person that cannot believe it. but at the same time God is obligated to show it to a person that has a serious interest in the mysteries that are hidden between the lines of the word of God in it's face value. What I have written about the book of Genesis, is what God has shown me via spiritual revelation, and that is how God will show it to anyone. It's not a question of being arrogantly proud, and ofcours there is no way of producing evedence to what God reveales to a person. what God does for someone, He has to do the exact same for anyone, if He is approached on the same basis. But one thing is true, not everyone has the ability to put it into words. we are all different in that respect. If a person cannot believe the Bible, then he is going to latch onto some other intelectual explanation about the orrigins of Man etc. and he is going to believe that, it doesn't mean that he is a bad person, but he never will know, if he really has the truth of it, and will live his whole life in constant defence of some belief that he is not sure of himself, That is why the Bible brings about so many arguments amongst people.
Submitted by Alfred Armstrong on 24 Dec 2010 - 10:30 Permalink

Funny how God reveals different things to people, isn't it? Otherwise all believers would be united. Oh, sorry, perhaps some of them aren't really from God. So again, we're back to presumption. You believe you have a channel to God, but those other guys over there, who disagree with you, surely don't. And that's not arrogant?

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on 23 Dec 2010 - 18:14 Permalink
Standing somewhere in the Shadows, you will find Jesus, and you will know Him by the nail scars in His hands” This is the opening verse of a song that is commonly sung amongst Christians around the world. Though touching as it may sound, and perhaps harmless and joyful in its presentation. A decision nevertheless needs to be made, as to the reality of God as a person in our present grace dispensation. this being in terms of Christians being under the delusion, that Jesus can perhaps be found standing in a shadow somewhere, with nail scars in His hands. It was however a possibility that could have existed, had we been anywhere near the land of Israel, two thousand years ago, where Jesus could have perhaps been found standing out of the direct Middle East sunshine. This possibility no longer existing, by reason of the fact that, Jehovah God, having completed His atonement requirement, no longer exists in a flesh and blood format, and therefore can no longer be known after the flesh, but exists only as the Holy Spirit, in His present Grace dispensation of time. This also being underscored by the fact that Jesus Christ, never was in any way lost in the first place, and does not, at any time need to be found by anyone. Therefore, if any finding is going to be done, it will be done by that Great Eagle, searching for His own kind that went missing, before the foundation of the Earth, and destined to be made manifest at the end time. Unless of course, some individual happens to be standing in a shadow somewhere, suggesting that he is in fact Jesus of Nazareth. but on closer inspection, revealing that no such nail scars exist in his hands, and obviously not Jesus of Nazareth after all, and the only burden that he would like to relieve one of, would be a small object of about three inches square, commonly referred to as a wallet. Or perhaps some individual with robes down to his feet, standing in a shadow somewhere, with the “sweetest” of voices emanating from him, in his attempt to advertize a sale or promotion, whereby the relatives of all humanity can be relieved from eternal damnation at a discounted price. Futhermore The Great Jehovah God, and His marvelous savior Characteristic, or attribute, not only made Himself known to His creation, by the written Word, commonly known as the Holy Bible. but also undertook to express Himself in His great natural creations, as a representation in type, of the whole plan of redemption for His elected few, to marvel and wonder at. His great natural creations freely given by Himself, as a gift to each of His elected few, that have lived and died, recognizing their day and age they were given to see. The first of these great manifestations, being the infinity of the universe that surrounds us, which in itself is an expression of the fact, that an awe inspiring Creator, is the author of the most mindboggling intangible reality called life. This great universe, that surrounds us, with its mathematical perfection, and staggering beauty of its constellations, is but a small portion that is visible to us, via the physicality of our human existence on Planet Earth. The great constellations starting with Virgo, the Virgin, as a representation of Christ’s first coming, born of a virgin, through Immaculate Conception. and ending with the Constellation of Leo, as a representation of Christ’s second coming, to Israel as the Lion of the tribe of Judah. God, having laid the foundations, in His creation, of a Planetary Constellation representing each and every manifested son of God that ever existed in His great thinking. This would not only apply to the present Adamic civilization on Planet Earth, but as well as all Pre-Adamic life cycles of creation on Planet Earth, and elsewhere in the infinity of the universe, which he created for His own purpose. This fact being a humbling reality, in terms of this great awe inspiring God, being so mindful of His own, who are seemingly so insignificant in comparison. The second of these masterful manifestations, being the great pyramid in Egypt. These pyramids, having been purposed by God, to be designed and built by His faithful servant Enoch, who built them as a reflection on Earth, in solid stone, of the constellation of stars in the universe, directly above them. His great plan of redemption is thereby expressed, in terms of the mathematical numeric’s of the pyramid base, which culminates to a single capstone at the top of the pyramid, this being a representation of Christ, crowned as the sovereign God over His elected bride, down through the ages. and is clearly reflected, in the most accurate construction, ever erected by man, on planet Earth. Though this capstone, being a symbolic representation of Christ, was nevertheless rejected during the pyramids construction, and was never placed on the great pyramid in Egypt, as a completion of this whole masterpiece . This capstone being rejected for some mathematical reason in its construction, and perhaps unbeknown to its builders at the time , was foreshadowing Christ’s rejection by His own ,almost three thousand years later. God having purposed this capstone to be rejected, by reason of “stone”, which was used in its construction, being a solid substance, that could not in any way, substitute for God’s own flesh and blood, that would be required to die as a permanent atonement for Adams fallen race. Christ himself, having paid the ultimate price, would one day be crowned as the lion of the tribe of Judah. This being symbolically represented by the lion of the constellation of Leo, that stands guard near the great pyramid in Egypt, as a majestic masterpiece, cut from solid stone, as it stares into eternity, as the long suffering weather beaten icon of God, patiently waiting for that glorious hour that will finally fulfill its purpose. It is however an unfortunate fact, that this great masterpiece, now being commonly referred to as the Sphinx, was later re-designed and carved by the Egyptian civilization, after the antediluvian destruction, to represent an Egyptian Pharaoh’s head, on a lion’s body. the pharaoh’s head, now replacing the original lions head, being completely out of proportion to the rest of the lion’s body. The lions body being still in its original form, as it once stood. The great pyramid in Egypt, and the staggering mathematical perfection of its construction, must have no doubt been an awesome sight to behold. with its finely fitted and highly polished casing stones, as it glistened in the sunlight, testifying of the greatness of God, as an inspiration to the ingenuity of man, and the years of toil it must have taken in its construction. This great pyramid, being positioned exactly on the four cardinal points of the compass, together with its highly polished casing stones, casted no shadow on the ground at the time, regardless of the position of the everyday sun around it. The marvelous redemption plan of God expressed in solid stone, in His compassion and love for His own elected few. Though, the great pyramid’s construction took place in a scientifically advanced age , which was ultimately destroyed by the antediluvian destruction. These pyramids, nevertheless still stand as a challenge to eternity, and can still be seen today, with the absence of the capstone on the great pyramid, clearly conspicuous, as it stands on the Giza Plateau in Cairo Egypt. It is also interesting to note, that man in his present technological and scientific advancement, still lack the capabilities, to in any way reproduce, or remove these great monuments of God, even if they were compelled to. This being, by reason of our present technological advancements, being nowhere near the technological level of the age in which these monuments were constructed, and the method of their construction , still remain a mystery to man today. The avenue of scientific knowledge, which was presented to Eve by Satan, via the Serpent, was excepted, according to her own gullible disposition, as an alternative to an existence of simplicity and innocence before God. By Michael A Wilson Winona Minnesota USA
Submitted by Lord Kefka (not verified) on 31 Dec 2010 - 05:02 Permalink
I'm pretty sure we could easily remove the pyramids. At least give a little credit to atomic tec. And what about the larger Aztec Pyramids? I think your essay lacks completeness.
Submitted by Alfred Armstrong on 23 Dec 2010 - 18:31 Permalink

Ah, the mystery of the Great Pyramid. Read carefully: http://www.science-projects.com/Pyramid.htm

The avenue of scientific knowledge, which was presented to Eve by Satan, via the Serpent, was excepted, according to her own gullible disposition, as an alternative to an existence of simplicity and innocence before God.

Where in your magic book does it mention science? The knowledge in question is that of good and evil. Your notion of simplicity and innocence is simple ignorance, a subject which you appear to have studied to degree level.

It's wonderful how you know all this stuff, without any doubt nor a shred of evidence. Ever heard of the sin of pride? That includes presuming to know things that you simply wish or feel might be true, and failing to give other views due consideration.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on 04 Dec 2010 - 01:54 Permalink
it is interesting to read peoples views on life and religion. it makes one realise that we are all kind of different. I don't think there is any harm in it. There are groups of people around the USA that believe in that particular Serpent seed doctrine, and they follow a man by the name of William Branham, who I believe expounded on the book of genesis, and pointed that Serpent seed thing out. It sounds very much by the way you write, and your understanding, that you must be one of these followers. However, there is a book that I can recomend that you read. it goes by the name of, The two Babylons, by Hyslop. I'm not sure what his innitials are,but the book is often refered to as Hyslops two babylons. It is a very interesting book explaining the orrigins of a lot of different beliefs that are around today.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on 28 Nov 2010 - 07:21 Permalink
Sir, God never did punished His creation for anything that is beyond a persons controll. and He did not cause His creation to fall. He is not an unjust God. but it is true to say that He did "Allow" His creation to fall. that is a completely different story. but He did that in order to express the redemptive saviour attribute that was in Him, as the all encompassing , self existing, intrinsic creator. You have to remember Sir, that we are not infinite. and we live in a world that is full of injustice from a natural stand point, and a world that is full of questionable things,in terms of what we would consider a perfect world ,or what we would consider the perfect existence here on earth, that God intended. God had a certain requirement back there in the beginning, when Man fell, and he "did" fall Sir. that is why His creation gets old and dies. God never did pre -program Eve to be hoodwinked by the Serpent. But God, being a just God, new that His creation could never meet His requirement on a permanent basis. He knew that His creation could not regenerate himself back to it's orriginal innocent existence. That is why God , being a just God, and a God that was mindfull of you, took on the form of flesh two thousand years back. Contrary to popular belief, God did not send some other person here, two thousand years back to die for the human race. God did not die by representation Sir. it was Jehovah God Himself that took on the form of flesh. it was Jehovah God Himself, that paid His own blood atonement reqiurement, thereby setting you free Sir, In other-words, you are free to go Sir, because , He became you, that you might become Him. Your ticket to eternal life has been paid for Sir. If there is one thing that you have to do, to add to that, then he died in vain. don't tell me he is an unjust God. It's a shocking thing to imagine, how the great creator, could be so mindfull of you and I, that He was prepared to allow His own creation to despise and reject Him, in His physical expression, two thousand years back, and submit Himself to the brutality of the Roman Empire, so that you and I Sir, don't have to face the finality of death, which was braught about , by the fall of Adams race. Humanity could not wish for a better God.
Submitted by Alfred Armstrong on 28 Nov 2010 - 14:58 Permalink

SANITY-PRESERVING CENSORSHIP NOTICE: If anyone really wants more of this sort of bollocks, they will find similar nutters handing out leaflets in their nearest shopping centre. Any further comments of this nature will be deleted as boring.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on 26 Nov 2010 - 03:10 Permalink
I don't know about flying spagetti monsters, but i'm sure there are a few indescribable things flying around in the regions of the lost. Imagine the "horrific thing" waiting for you there in that dimension. You cannot say that God hasn't bestowed any grace upon you. he kept your heart beating while you were cursing Him, didn't He? it's better to Praise God, Alfred, as apposed to cursing Him. there is a lot of eternal benefits in it, and cursing God cannot do your health any good. and i'm sure you value your health.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on 25 Nov 2010 - 17:55 Permalink
why does it not make sense sir?, you do have a free will, but because God knows the beginning from the end, He knows exactly what decisions you are going to make. The decisions you make in life will reflect the nature that is in you, and you cannot be what you are not. God has made a representation of it in nature. An Eagle is born an Eagle, and a Crow is born a Crow. An Eagle is a heavenly bird. the higher he flies, the further he can see, and no other bird is presurised to follow him. in other-words, they will both act out the charracteristics of what they are, according to the nature of their species. In the sciptures it says, ( How a man thinks in his heart, so "is" he.) If you think it's a lot of fun cursing God, then you probably won't have too trouble figureing out what side of the fence you were born on, and what, or who, your representation was back there in the beginning. You also shouldn't have too much trouble figureing out whether God has any justification for you, in terms of the price He paid for the redemption of the sons of God. ( Adams Line) Whatever your representation was in the beginning sir, you are going to act accordingly in life. Take a look at a Hybrid plant sir, very succesfull and magestic in life, but look at that same plant when its dead. it's dead and hybrid, and never did have the ability to propagate itself back to the orriginal. If it's still fun cursing God, then you shouldn't be too dissapointed on your death-bed one day. because after-all, a parden is not a parden unless it's accepted as a parden, and Gods own blood atonement is either for you, or it's not for you. What kind are you sir? I guess you know what I mean.
Submitted by pseudonym (not verified) on 27 Nov 2010 - 05:18 Permalink
If your god created me or created a system that would inevitably create me in such a way that I would for whatever reason be smart enough to not believe in myths then it is equally as likely that Allah created both of us with evil souls so that we would both believe different but equally wrong things. I point this out because I dont beleive in any god so when I call your god a fuckhead I am referring to any creator who would punish their creation because the creator made an imperfect creation or even deliberately flawed as you seem to imply. What kind am I? No I dont know what you mean, none of your analogies make sense, most plant hybrid can produce offspring unlike animal hybrids. There is a crow species the Yellow-billed chough which has been seen at the summit of everest, almost 5 times the height that most eagles reach. You keep insisting that a person has free will then saying things are pre-determined. Even if you got your facts right I agree that free will is an illusion, that why I'm calling your omniscient god an asshole, he belongs in hell. You make no sense to me because I when I argue a point using logic and reason you reply with 600 year old rhetoric and non-nonsensical babble and that is disapointing because I like to have my mistakes pointed out to me or discover new ideas.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on 14 Nov 2010 - 15:27 Permalink
There is no point in cursing God Sir, The whole life cycle of creation that has taken place here on Earth, from beggining to end, whether it's good or bad, is to bring about a certain outcome that God has planned for His creation. God is no respecter of any particular person, in terms of how succesfull in life he may be. he put man here on Earth as a "free moral agent" giving him a free will, to make his own decisions. That is why it is written that whatever you sew in life, that is what you are going to reap. God is always there to bail you out when you make a wrong decision. it's also written. "Draw near unto Me and I will draw near unto you." it doesn't serve any purpose trying to curse God, why don't you do the "opposite" to what Satan tells you to do. you will soon find out, that God has a better purpose for you, and you will soon find out why God made you a beneficiary of life in the first place. because "How, by taking thought, can you add one inch to your stature."?
Submitted by pseudonym (not verified) on 15 Nov 2010 - 14:32 Permalink
You make less sense the more you explain it Do we have free will or has god planned a certain outcome, you cant have it both ways and I realise there is no point in cursing but it's a lot of fun
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on 14 Nov 2010 - 01:51 Permalink
Come now Alfred, I don't believe you mean that. God has an apointed time for any person, and His enemy, Satan is going to get you, the moment you go out of Gods provided way. that doesn't neccesary mean some guy is going to shoot you, that is just the way it happened with John Lennon. Satan knows exactly how to destroy a person in various ways and God knows how to clean a person up, and put him to service. You are right about Joseph Stalin, he was nothing more than a deveous underhand murderer, in my opinion he was worse than Adolf Hitler. but you have to understand one thing, in terms of what Hitler and Stalin were actually purposed for. Did you know that God raised these two individuals to bring about a specific purpose, and that purpose was to force Israel back to Their ancient homeland under National forces. Did the scriptures not say that Israel would return.? The question that a lot of people ask, is why did the Jews suffer like that? and why the Haulocast on the Jewish Nation in particular. the answer is in the fact that they rejected and crucified their Mesaih, they just could not see their God veiled behind human flesh. and if anyone wants to dissagree with that, let me refresh your memory, about what happened two thousand years back. and here is the exact reason. when Pontious Pilate asked the jews, "what shall I do with this innocent Man"? the Jews responded by saying, Crucify Him, Crucify Him, let His blood be upon us, and our children, and our childrens children. and for two thousand years that is exactly what happened to them, they were finally expelled from their homeland in AD 71, by the Roman General, Titus.and were scattered into every Nation. They rejected their God, so God could not get to them via Spiritual revelation, so He had to use national forces to fulfill scripture. Stalin And Hitler murdered millions, thats right. but neither of them had any representation in God in the first place, so you can just imagine where they are now.
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