The Gospel in the Stars: Or, Prímeval Astronomy (1884)

Joseph Augustus Seiss (1823–1904) was an American theologian and Lutheran minister known for his religion writings on pyramidology and dispensationalism.

"The Gospel in the Stars" traces in detail a complete order and systematic connection in the framing of the constellations, and from the scriptures, the names of the stars, and classical myths and worships connected with them, Showing a primeval record of the gospel history of the virgin-born Savior, the formation and destiny of' His Church, and the consummation of all things, precisely as written in the word of Holy Scripture.

This work is offered by the author as the result of careful study of primeval astronomy and of the origin and meaning of stellar nomenclature, and in support of which he quotes and cites many distinguished astronomers and oriental scholars, such as Seyffarth, Riccioli, Josephus, Drummond and Mitchell.

Christianity was once explained by a class of speculative atheists to have originated in the astronomical myths handed down from remote ages, but Dr. Seiss takes the opposite position and undertakes to prove that the names of the constellations and their relations to each other are in reality clearly vestiges of the earliest revelations of God's plans for redeeming the world.

Taking up the signs of the Zodiac, beginning with Virgo, instead of Aries as is customary, he points out the origin of life, thence the son and seed of the woman; next Libra, or the balances, as symbolizing the eternal justice of God; then Scorpio, as typifying the serpent and the conflict between Christ and the Devil, and so on through all of the signs and their deccans or accompanying and accessory constellations.

Certain it is that the period of arranging and naming of the constellations antedates any positive knowledge that students have been able to obtain, though they have been traced back into Egyptian and Jewish history to the days of Abraham and beyond—say 3,000 years before Christ. Many new constellations have been framed and named in more modern times, but their titles merely serve to commemorate noted men and deeds of antiquity, and they are not taken into account by our author, who traces consecutively and systematically from the oldest ones the gospel history of the Saviour and of his church on earth.

The theory of the author is plausibly sustained by the facts given and texts of scripture quoted, and, whether we adopt it as fact or regard it merely as a work of fancy, it will repay careful examination and will excite intense interest in the mind of all readers.

Originally published in 1884; reformatted for the Kindle; may contain an occasional imperfection; original spellings have been kept in place.