The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-05-02

hou III IN OoS anu CaTlS 4OS WIS buUSIantlally
the same rs that of our conventions to-day.
VI. w. H.
The Mcssrs. Putnam havo published an Eng
fish translation of a remarkable treatise on the
Religion Of the Ancient Egyptians by DIR.
ALFRED WIEDEMANN, professor in the Univcr.
sity Of Bonn. As the author himself confesses
In the Introduction. the title OF the book is a
misnomer. 1t is open TO us to speak OF the re.
ligious ideas of the Egyptians. but not of an
Egyptian religion. Again and again has the
attempt been made to formulate tho cxtant
texts into a consistent system. and thus to
credit the Egyptian people with what never was
theirs. All such performances, however bril-
liant In themselves. nre now regarded as fail
ures by scientific men; they are based upon
an arbitrary choice OF passages in the
texts, which the writer has selected 10 sup.
port a preconceived view, while taking no
account Of the FAR greater number OF passages
which do not agree with 1t. Besides the i'm.
possibility of formulating any comprehensive
system at this time. there Is that OF deciding as
to which was the Oldest form OF the Egyptian
creed, and of demonstrating whether this was
monotheistic, as, on general grounds, it has often
been assumed, or whether. as others assert, it
was based upon panthe!sm, polytheism, ancestor.
worship, worship OF vegetable or animal life
and their reproductive powers, belief in the
divine power of the sun. or other religious ideas.
All these forms OF belief are to be found more or
less clearly represented in Egyptian religion.
but. in DIR. Wiedenann's opinion, II can
not be proved historically which are the
earlier and which the later. Set forth
side by sidc in single sentences or ut
length, they are all extant in the Oldest Of tho
lpnrpr rcliuipua teyts which hayn NM fyo,rn
to us, namely. the pyramid inscriptions of the
fifth and sixth dynasties. AS far rs our knowl-
edge of ancient Egypt has hitherto extended,
research has determined nothing indisputable
as TO the origins of the national religion, the
form OF government, the writing. or the racial
descent. On the contrary, the more material Is
made accessible and the more thoroughly il is
studied. the more obscure do these questions
Of origin become. One theory is disproved
after another without being supplanted by
any demonstrablc truth. In Egypt, as in
other countries. history in the widest sense of
the word knows nothing Of its own beginnings.
In tho present state OF our knowledge al. that
the science OF religion can do as regards Egypt
is to follow the same course once traycrsed
by the Egyptians, but in the reverse direction.
Where they combined we must isolate. BY
study OF the texts we must seek to disentangle
the interminglcd doctrines, to sort out tho
separate pieces composing that motley mosaic
presented by the Egyptian belief in higher
powers. In this way. the author Of this book
has been able to obtain n series of separate and
distinct doctrines, each of which comprises an
independent sphere OF thought; the combination,
however. of these doctrines though attempted
by the Egyptians. could never be logical.
Among these separate and distinct ideas, we
shall contine ourselves to the most interesting
of them all. the Osirian doctrine Of inimor-
tally to which DR.. W~iedcmann allots n chapter.
After promising that one series OF ancient
Egyptian ideas OF a future state was closely re-
lated with the myth OF the Sun God RIA and his
journey through tho underworld, tho author
points out that these formed tho belief Of n very
restricted number. For the vast majority of
Egyptians of all periods tho conviction that
there was a life beyond the grave was bound up
with the worship OF Osiris, and on this ground
wori: they pictured for themselves in detail the
fate OF soul and body and developed a doctrine
OF Immortality which. in precision and extent,
surpasscs almost any other that has been de-
vised. Tho scientific Importance OF the 0sirian
doctrine arises. first, from Its extreme nm
tiquity, for evon In pyramid times 1t was
complete in all its essential parts, and,
secondly, from its many points OF affinity to
Jewish and Christian dogma. A follower OF
the Osirian religion held that when n man had
died. when his heart had ceased to beat and his
body had become cold. nothing remained Of him
upon earth but a lifeless hulk, the corpse. This
was named the kho. and its ideogram was a
dead fish. the Sign for any noisome, putrid thing.
Tho preservation OF the kha was the first duty
OF the survivor. and shortly after death 1t was
handed over to the embalmers that they might
so manipulate IL az to render 1t proof against
corruption. In the no: climate of Egypt. how
over, 1t was impossible to preserve the body
intact. Tho intestincs. heart. lungs. and liver,
and also the brain, were removed, either to be
buried or cast away, or clsc to bc placed in vcs-
sells apart, although in some exceptional cases
they wero thickly smoared with asphalt. and In
this unnatural condition restored TO the body.
Tho body now consisted OF bones, flesh and skin
only. and. after being thoroughly dried and
shrunk by means of natron. it was coated with
asphalt and became what we call a mummy, a
black corpse, which might remain unchanged for
thousands of years In the dry climate of the
Nile Valley. but which gradually falls into de-
cay when brought into the damp atmosphere of
Europe. In tho cavities of tho body were laid
all manner of amulets; others were placed on
different parts OF tho body. especially about tho
neck, and all was then swathed in linen bandages.
Each rite which had to be performed, each
prayer Which hau 10 DO repeatou' WAS exactly
prescribed. and directions for them are contained
in several papyri which have como down to us.
It is true that the same ceremonial was not OBJ
served in all cases. The rites were more or less
complicated In proportion to the sums which
tho survivors were able or willing to devote TO
tho service Of their dead. The mummy, once
swathed, was laid In a comm inscribed with
prayers for the deceased. together with his
names and titles. and invoostions Of the diner-
enc dsities charged with his future welfare. In