Vol 13 - Dumfriesshire & Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian ...

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4 Ancient Eoyptian Eeligion. Election of Offioe-Hearers. The following were elected office-bearers and members of the Council for the ensuing Session :—President, Sir R. T. Reid, AE.P. ; Vice-Presidents, Messrs James G. H. Starke, William J. Maxwell, Philip Sulley, and James Barbour ; Secretary, Edward J. Chinnock, LL.D. ; Treasurer, Mr John A. Moodie ; Librarians and Curators of the Museum, Rev. Wm. Andson and Mr James Lennox; Curators of the Herbarium, Mr George F. Scott-Elliot and Miss Hannay ; Members of Council, Rev. Robert Weir, Rev. John Cairns, Messrs Robert Murray, John Neilson, James S. Thomson, .Tames Davidson, George H. Robb, J. Maxwell Ross, William Dickie, and Matthew Jamieson. Communication. Ancient Egyptian Religion. By GRANT Bey. A long and interesting paper on this subject by Grant Bey was read by Mr Andson. The paper was too long to be given in extenso. But the following abstract will give a fair idea of the principal points discussed in it : — In treating of the Ancient Egyptian Religion, the author begins with the Cosmogony, or origin of the world. According to the' ancient Egyptian belief there existed from all eternity, filling the infinitude of space, both matter and spirit. The material was called Nu, which in our language means the " primordial waters," and the spiritual part was called by different names at the ilifferent periods of Egyptian history and at different religious centres. At Heliopolis, the most ancient Egyptian sanctuary, the primitive universal but latent spirit was called Atum, meaning "darkness;" at Thebes, Amon, the "concealed one;" and at Memphis, Phtah, " the one which opens," or " moulder," or " carver." After remaining for an incalculable time in a passive state, the spirit, or Phtah, moved in Nu—the primordial waters an idea probably derived from primitive tradition, and reminding us of the similar expression in Gen. i. 3. The result was the pro- jection of Shu and Tafrut, the one corresponding with the light of the day, and the other with the light of the night. We now find that the Lotus plant makes its appearance, and out of the full blown Lotus flower the primitive spirit Phtah manifested itself in a material —
Ancient Ecjyptian Relioion. 5 form as Ka, the sun-g-od, and furnished him witli material for the further creation of the earth and its contents. When Ka couimenced to create, he did not do so by tlie ordinary way of g-eneration, but by speaking- and using distinct forraulaj. And according to M. iSaville, this is one of the most important points of resemblance between the Egyptian and Hebrew Cosmogonies. The creation of man now took place, and was pictured by Khnum, the spirit of Ka, sitting at a potter's wheel and moulding a lump of clay into the form of a human body, which he afterwards animated by breathing into it the breath of life. Ka himself at this period was represented as enthroned on the Lotus fiower, dwelling on the earth, and ruling over man. Ka, therefore, was regarded as the most ancient king of Egypt in the mythical period of Egypt's history. He had his seat of power at Heliopolis, where he built a palace, called Nat-Sar, or house of the great one. Ka reigned many years over obedient, peaceful, and happy subjects, but a time arrived when they became headstrong and unruly, and ultimately they rebelled. So Ka called a council, who advised him to punish them. The task was committed to Sekhet (a personification of the red chemical rays of the sun), who proceeded to smite man- kind, first with a destructive drought and then with a deluge, from which only a few people were saved through the interven- tion of Ka, who had been appeased with a sacrifice. Here, apparently, we have the primitive tradition of the flood. Ka is then represented as having withdrawn, displeased, from the earth to circle round in the heavens, at an unapproachable distance from man, leaving him in a hopeless and helpless condition. But at length the gods had pity on him, and as he could no more raise himself to the level of the gods, the gods lowered themselves by par- taking of his nature,and thus they came again to the earth, to rule over and have friendly intercourse with man. The priests taught that Seb, the earth, and Nut, the sky, had a family of sons and daugh- ters, who were partly celestial and partly terrestrial demi-gods. The most prominent among these were Osiris, Isis, and Set. Osiris was the personification of all that was good, and Set, influenced by undue ambition, having conspired against Osiris and killed him, he (Set) became the personification of all that was evil. Isis, who i? represented as having been the wife as well as the sister of Osiris, wept in great distress over the dead body of her husband, and while thus engaged she miraculously became preo--
Page 1 and 2: THE TRANSACTIONS Journal of Proceed
Page 3 and 4: No. 13. THE TRANSACTIONS Journal op
Page 5 and 6: ^ COU NCI L— 1896-7. •# Iptesi&
Page 7 and 8: Proceedings and Transactions OF TUE
Page 9: Arrears paid ... Copie.s of Transac
Page 13 and 14: I Ancient Egyptian Religion. 7 the
Page 15 and 16: Botanical Records for 1896. 9 this
Page 17 and 18: Botanical Kecoeds for 1896. 11 vulg
Page 19 and 20: Antiquities of Eskdalemuik. 13 it i
Page 21 and 22: Antiquities of Eskdalemuir. 15 my o
Page 23 and 24: Antiquities of Eskdalemuie. 17 spec
Page 25 and 26: Antiquities of Eskdalemuir. 19 ment
Page 27 and 28: Antiquities of Eskdalemuir. 21 And
Page 29 and 30: Antiquities of Eskdalemuir. 23 myse
Page 31 and 32: Antiquities of Eskdalemuir. 25 of t
Page 33 and 34: Antiquities of Buittle. 27 See the
Page 35 and 36: Antiquities of Buittle. 29 parish w
Page 37 and 38: Notes on Rereick. 31 mill on the ot
Page 39 and 40: Meteorology. 33 prioress ; and, on
Page 41 and 42: Meteorology. 35 1895, which also oc
Page 43 and 44: Meteoeology. 37 number of days is o
Page 45 and 46: Maetyk Graves. 39 for the London di
Page 47 and 48: Martyr Graves. 41 Close to tlie .st
Page 49 and 50: f HoDDOM Old (Jhurchyaro 43 churcli
Page 51 and 52: I ElDING OF THE MARCHES. 45 uortliw
Page 53 and 54: Emit and OsiTRTCTi Faumixg. 47 a wh
Page 55 and 56: Emu and Ostrich Farming. 49 lacerat
Page 57 and 58: Emu and Ostrich Farming. 51 become
Page 59 and 60: Emu and Ostrich Farming. 53 engaged
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Emu and Ostrich Fakmin*}. 55 throes
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I Emit and Ostrich FARMiwi. 57 arra
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Emu and Ostrich Farming. 59 fontinu
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Emu and Ostrich Farming. 61 floored
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lUIt; AMI OSTIUCH FAliAHNd. 63 as m
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Emu and Ostrich Farmino. 65 the fam
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I liUiNS AND Stones ok Holywood Abb
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EuiNS AND Stones of Holywood Abbey.
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History of Dumfries Savings Bank. 7
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History of Dumfries Savings Bank. 7
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Antiquities of Girthon. 75 merly as
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Antiquities of Girthon. 77 The farm
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Antiquities of Girthon. 79 theory o
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Antiquities of Girthon. 81 Revelati
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Notes on C'itmmertrees. 83 the phys
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Notes on Cttmmertrees. 85 Brus, who
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Notes on Cummektrees. 87 the farmer
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XOTES ON CUMMERTREES. 89 tower and
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Notp:s ox Cummertreks. 91 There is
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Notes on Cummeutrees. 93 B. The fol
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II. — Castle ok Greenan. 95 Notes
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Castle of Greexan. 97 and a fortali
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Children's SiN(aN
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Children's Singing Games. 101 Like
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Children's Singing Games. 103 grasp
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Children's SiN(iiN(i Games. 105 In
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I Children's Si.vdiNci Games. 107 T
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— Children's Singing Games. 109 T
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I And we must all die, Excepting (P
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KlKKCUDBKIGHT OlD ClOCK. 113 beauti
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Glencairn Folk Riddles. 115 of clea
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Glencairn Folk PaDDLES. 117 Aus., A
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Glencaibn Folk Kiddles. 119 I'm aye
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Glencairn Folk Riddles. 121 Its str
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Battle of Sark. 123 slaae and tane,
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Battle of Sark. 125 Salisbury and c
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Battle of Sakk. 127 The Scottish fo
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Battle of Sark. 129 g-ain and press
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Influence of Habitat on Plant Habit
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139 FIELD MEETINGS 5th June—Kirkc
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FiKLD Meeting—Rttrnfoot. ]41 agri
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Field Meeting—Burnfoot. 143 Edinb
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Field Meeting—Burnfoot. 145 numer
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Field Meeting— Burnfoot. 147 been
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150 List of Membees. Samuel Arnott,
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152 Rev. Thomas Kidd, Mouiaive. Lis
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154 List of Members. (Japt. William
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Vol 13 - Dumfriesshire & Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian ...

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