Cause of Idolatry.

Distant causes for the veneration of the celestial bodies.

Doubtless, the custom of the Eastern peoples German: Morgenländer, literally "people of the morning lands," a historical term for cultures of the Near and Middle East to hold their national festivals at the changing of the seasons and during the new moon contributed greatly to this veneration of the stars. Admittedly, the ancients had no other intention in doing so than to calculate time according to the stars; but over time, people came to believe that the celestial bodies themselves were the actual object of worship *). The Persians offered sacrifices in high-altitude places. They had neither temples nor altars; their devotions were dedicated to the sun, the moon, and fire. Presumably, the service of fire has its basis in the fact that it was initially used to announce the festivals and assemblies of the nation.

Just as new moon festivals were customary among all nations, so they were also among the Hebrews. On this day, they offered their extraordinary sacrifices, as is expressly contained in the passages of Exodus German: 2 Buch Mos., the Second Book of Moses 18:14, 15, 16, 19; chapter 25:5; Leviticus German: 3 Buch Mos. 13:10, 14, 39; chapter 27:30, 32; Deuteronomy German: 5 Buch Mos. 14:22, 23; chapter 16:10, 16, 17; and so forth. The Phoenicians lit great fires. In Greece, Peru, Mexico, Bogota, and in various regions of Asia, this festival was announced by the blowing of horns or by shouting. In Rome, the high priests notified the people from the high Capitol.

*) Herodotus, Book 1. Strabo, Book 15. original: "Lib." is an abbreviation for Liber, the Latin word for "Book."