The Occult Sciences in the Temples of Ancient Egypt. BY GEORGIA LOUISE LEONARD. [Extracts from a Paper read at the " Fortnightly Conversation," Washington, D. C., May 5th, 1887. Egypt was an immensely rich country, and it may be a pertinent question to ask, Whence came this enormous wealth? We know that mines were worked for gold and silver, that tributes were exacted from subjugated nations, and that a goodly sum was derived from the fisheries. But all these sources could not produce a tithe of her yearly revenue. Enough was spent upon public decoration to bankrupt a state. Egypt was yellow with gold! Besides the thousands of her toys, jewels, statues and art objects of the solid metal, we learn that the sculptures on lofty walls, the ornaments of a colossus, the doorways of temples, the caps of obelisks, parts of numerous large monuments, and even the roofs of palaces and the bodies of mummies were covered with gold leaf. The statue of Minerva sent to Cyrene by Amasis and the sphinx at the pyramids are instances. Were then the learned priests makers of gold? In the reign of the Emperor Diocletian, the Egyptians rebelled against Rome, and for nine years did not lack money to carry on the war. Struck by their riches, the Emperor instituted a strict search throughout the land for all writings on alchemy. These books he ordered to be burnt, hoping thus to destroy the secret of Egypt's wealth. It is useless to deny to these strange dwellers in the old temples, a skill and a knowledge far beyond our own, and which we can only wonder at and imitate, not equal. Magic in its highest sense was a part of the daily life of the Egyptian princes. Lecky tells us that Plato, we know, studied with these priests. "whenever his philosophy has been in the ascendent it has been accompanied by a tendency to magic." This magic was practiced by the priests in divers ways, some of which we can only guess at. They were seers, clairvoyants, diviners and dreamers of dreams. They understood and manipulated the subtlest properties of matter. No wonder they were not astonished at the exhibitions of Moses, who had learned all he knew in their own temples! In their religious works, veiled as they are in symbolism, we discover a belief in an all-pervading, universal essence, -call it the astral ether, or psychic force, or od, or biogen or akas, or what you will, from which emanated all things, and which could be controlled and directed by those who were instructed and otherwise properly qualified. They believed in ghosts, and that the living under certain well known conditions could communicate with the souls of the departed. Gerald Massey in discussing Egyptian terms, says that "All that is secret, sacred, mystical, the innermost of all mystery, apparently including some relationship to or communion with the dead, is expressed by the Egyptian word Shet,'" and in speaking of the secondsight or clairvoyance, he assures us distinctly that "the ancients were quite familiar with this phenomena." No one who impartially examines the mass of evidence derived from Egyptian and classic sources, can fail to be impressed with the belief that the Egyptian priests were perfectly familiar with all classes of psychic phenomena, characterized as modern, and that they were also in possession of secrets pertaining to the so called exact sciences, as well as of the occult, of which we to-day have no knowledge or conception. We know of a surety that many of their arts are lost-perhaps beyond recovery. When shall we equal them in metallurgy? When learn how to impart elasticity to a copper blade? or to make bronze chisels capable of hewing granite? Wilkinson says, "We know of no means of tempering copper, under any form or united with any alloys, for such a purpose ;" and adds, "We must confess that the Egyptians appear to have possessed certain secrets for hardening or tempering bronze with which we are totally unacquainted." After five millenniums the brilliancy of the colors used by the Egyptian artist remains undimmed. After seven millenniums we wonder at the durability of their paper, and the lasting qualities of their wafer-like cement. We disinter the mummies which have rested undisturbed since the pyramids were built-and examine the still perfect features, and the long hair, and the very teeth filled with gold ages ago by Egyptian dentists--and we view with amazement the bandages 1000 yards in length in which these forms are swathed -and then we are obliged to confess that modern surgery cannot equal the bandaging, and modern medical art, and modern chemis try are masters of no means by which a human body may be preserved for 5,000 years. When we have undisputed evidence as to their achievements in these directions, is it the part of wisdom to deny that they may have possessed other arts and other sciences, which we are unable to equal or approximate ? It has been asserted that the Egyptian priests were frauds and charlatans--deceivers of the people, wily tricksters, and the vicious worshippers of many Gods. In the first place, none were admitted to the priesthood save such as were especially fitted by their purity of life and holiness of aspiration. The ordeals through which candidates were obliged to pass were very severe, their lives sometimes being exposed to great danger. The priests were humble and selfdenying and remarkable for simplicity and abstinence. Plutarch speaks of them as "Giving themselves up wholly to study and meditation, hearing and teaching those truths which regard the divine nature." They took great care to preserve from profanation their secret rites, and excluded all who were considered unfit to participate in solemn ceremonies. Clement says they were confined to those "who from their worth, learning and station were deemed worthy of so great a privilege." Nor was there motive, either for gain or reputation. All the great priests, scholars and sages could be, if they so desired, supported by the State--ample accommodation being provided for them within the temple precincts, where in quiet, ease and retirement, they could pursue their deep researches and subtle experiments. They were worshippers of one only God, whose very name was so sacred it was--according to Herodotus-unlawful to utter; and their various divinities but personiñed some form of the divine attributes. Inter-blended and inter-dependent we find Egyptian science and religion. To understand the one we cannot remain ignorant of the other. To the Egyptian his religion was everything. He regarded his abode upon earth as but a short journey upon the pathway of eternal life. To the future which stretched before him, he turned with hope and longing. He did not believe that when his short life closed, physical existence was ended. Again, and again, his religion taught, he would return to earth, to work out in higher forms his spiritual salvation. (This doctrine of re-incarnation often called transmigration or metempsychosis, has been generally grossly misunderstood by writers who have attempted to explain it.) With this belief was connected the doctrine of the "cycle of necessity." Can our Egytopologists say what this cycle was? or what it signified? and can they further tell what the winged scarpt symbolized? which are found by the hundreds in the tombs of Thebes! They cannot, I fear, tell us these things any more than they can explain the septenary composition of man, or his triune character; any more than they can interpret the "unpronounceable" name which Herodotus dared not disclose! Their code of ethics was singularly pure and exalted. They believed not only in the negative virtues. but the positive also; and, "A moral life, a life of holiness and benificence, was conceived of as being a matter of solemn obligation to the Deity himself." The highest principles alone were inculcated; and always in the heart of the Egyptian priest were treasured the words of his great examplethe noble prince and moralist-Ptahhotep; "Mind thee of the day when thou too shall start for the land to which one goeth to return not thence; good for thee will have been a good life; therefore be just and hate iniquity; for he who doeth what is right shall triumph!" Have modern scholars a surer guide to honor and uprightness, than the old Egyptian Magist? Have we any right to utter words of censure and condemnation? Egypt is dead. Her priests have passed away, and buried with them in the recesses of impenetrable tombs, lie her wisdom, her magic, and her glory. Her greatest of all foresaw her dread eclipse, and time has but verified the dark prophetic words of the mighty Hermes: "O, Egypt, Egypt, of thy religion there will be left remaining nothing but uncertain tales, which will be believed no more by posterity-words graven on stone and telling of thy piety." -The Open Court. ONLY imagine a man acting for one single day on the supposition that all his neighbors believe all they profess, and act upon all they believe. Imagine a man acting upon the supposition that he may safely offer the deadliest injury and insults to everybody who says revenge is sinful; or that he may safely intrust his property without security to any person who says it is wrong to steal. Such a char acter would be absurd for the wildest farce. A CHRISTMAS LEGEND. BY MATTHEW ARNOLD. Saint Brandan sails the northern seas; The brotherhoods of saints are glad ; So late! Such storms! The Saint is mad! He heard across the howling seas Chime convent-bells on wintry nights; But north, still north, Saint Brandan steered- The hurtling Polar lights are neared, At last it was the Christmas night; And on it,-Christ !—a living form! That furtive mien, that scowling eye, Palsied with terror, Brandan sate; The moon was bright, the iceberg near; "One moment wait, thou holy man! On earth my crime my death they knew; "Tell them, one blessed Christmas night- To rue my guilt in endless flame.)— "I felt, as I in torment lay 'Mid the souls plagued by heavenly power, An angel touch mine arm and say: 'Go hence and cool thyself an hour!' Vol. 68.-No. 5.-3. |