Lectures on the Origin and Growth of Religion

Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. The religion of ancient Egypt is known to us through authentic records of various kinds, extending through a period of not less than three thousand years. It may have been in existence for many centuries anterior to the earliest of the monuments which have been preserved. Its origin is a matter, not of history, but of speculation. Its last centuries coincide with the first centuries of the Christian religion which gra dually supplanted it. During this period the zoolatry, or worship Of the sacred animals, was the feature which chiefly attracted the notice of the Christian apologists who have made any observations upon the subject.