CURRENT LITERATURE.
The Faiths of the Iforld (William Bhickwood and Sons), a concise history of the groat religious systems of the world, is a series of lectures delivered in the Cathedral or St. Giles, Edin- burgh; and they have the characteristics of discourses delivered by devout and thoughtful, yet liberal-minded Scotohmen. Since Pro- fessor Max Muller first insisted on his discovery of truth and good- ness as the original foundations of religions, which have been known to us only in their corrupt state of decay, a great change has come over the general feeling of Christian Churches on this subject, which will produce, doubtless, additional points of sympathy between Mis- sionaries and those whom they desire to enlighten. As these lectures embrace the religions, not only of India, but China and Persia, as well as the ancient faiths of Egypt, Greece, and Rome, the old Teu- tonic and Scandinavian forms of belief, and include also the ancient religions of Central America, with one on Judaism, another on Mahommedanism, and a concluding one on "Christianity in Relation to other Religions," it is impossible even to allude to the numerous
subjects contained in them. We will, therefore, conclude our notice with two paragraphs specially interesting just now, in view of our doings at home and in Egypt. They occur in the lecture on the "Religion of Ancient Egypt " A remarkable feature of Egyptian social life was the honourable position accorded to woman. This was higher than in Palestine, or in any heathen nation. She was regarded as man's friend and com- panion, and had equal rights of property with him. The tombs repre- sent husband and wife seated on the same chair, or mingling on
equal terms in the same society Nowhere' except in Christian lands, has woman over possessed so much freedom, or exercised so strong an influence in domestic and national life, as in ancient Egypt With all its defects and idolatries, the reli- gion of Egypt gave forth more scintillations of what we have been taught by revelation to regard as truth than any other of the ancient faiths. Its teachings as to the formation of man ; its affirmation eonoerning death and judgment ; its antioipation of what Christianity has made clear regarding the unity of man's complex nature and the sanctity of his body; its glimmering light thrown on immortality and resurrection, raise it far above other ancient historic religions, and go far to warrant a belief that it originated in a primeval revela- tion. There is much in the legend of the death and resurrection of Osiris which seems a faint foreshadowing of truth taught by Him who is the Life and the Light of men,—much that hints at the possi- bility that it was based on some old prophecy which the Egyptians brought with them from the common cradle of the human race."
Previous page
