disgrace of all sublunary delights. But, O blessed eternity, where our
lives are perplexed by no such thoughts, nor our joys interrupted by any
such fears! Our first paradise in Eden had a way out, but none in again;
but this eternal paradise hath a way in, but no way out again. The Lord
heal our carnal hearts lest we enter not into His eternal rest because
of our unbelief.

* * * * *



BOOK OF THE DEAD


This is probably the oldest religious book in the world.
Properly speaking, indeed, it is no book at all, but rather a
collection of hymns and litanies which have no more connection
with each other than the Psalms. Like the Psalter, too, this
so-called book has grown by degrees to the magnitude which it
now usually assumes in European and other libraries--175
chapters of varying sizes. Its Egyptian name is "The Book of
the Coming Forth by Day" (Renouf), or "The Coming Out of the
Day" (Naville); the latter being probably more correct, "day"
in this connection denoting man's life with its morning and
evening. The hymns in this collection are supposed to be
recited by the deceased person with whose body they were
commonly buried, and by the recital of these and other sacred
texts the departed was believed to be protected against injury
in his journey to the underworld, and also to have secured for
him a safe return in the form of a resurrection. It was