THE NON-CHRISTIAN CROSS
An Enquiry Into The Origin And History Of
The Symbol Eventually Adopted As
That Of Our Religion

BY
JOHN DENHAM PARSONS

LONDON

1896


"O CRUX, SPLENDIDIOR CUNCTIS ASTRIS, MUNDO
CELEBRIS, HOMINIBUS MULTUM AMABILIS, SANCTIOR
UNIVERSIS."
[_BREVIARIUM ROMANUM,_
_Festival of the Invention of the Holy Cross._



PREFACE.
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The history of the symbol of the cross has had an attraction for the
author ever since, as an enquiring youth, he found himself unable to
obtain satisfactory answers to four questions concerning the same which
presented themselves to his mind.

The first of those questions was why John the Baptist, who was beheaded