1:5]

Alexander Murray says:

"The worship of _Osiris_ was universal throughout Egypt, where
he was gratefully regarded as the great exemplar of
_self-sacrifice_--in giving his life for others--as the
manifestor of good, as the opener of truth, and as being full
of goodness and truth. _After being dead, he was restored to
life._"[221:6]

Mons. Dupuis says on this subject:

"The Fathers of the Church, and the writers of the Christian
sect, speak frequently of these feasts, celebrated in honor of
Osiris, _who died and arose from the dead_, and they draw a
parallel with the adventurers of _their_ Christ. Athanasius,
Augustin, Theophilus, Athenagoras, Minucius Felix, Lactantius,
Firmicius, as also the ancient authors who have spoken of
_Osiris_ . . . all agree in the description of the universal
mourning of the Egyptians at the festival, when the
commemoration of that death took place. They describe the
ceremonies which were practiced at his sepulchre, the tears,
which were there shed during several days, and the festivities
and rejoicings, which followed after that mourning, at the
moment when his resurrection was announced."[222:1]

Mr. Bonwick remarks, in his "Egyptian Belief," that:

"It is astonishing to find that, at least, five thousand years
ago, men trusted an _Osiris_ as the '_Risen Saviour_,' and
confidently hoped to rise, as he arose, from the
grave."[222:2]

Again he says:

"Osiris was, unquestionably, the popular god of Egypt. . . .
Osiris was dear to the hearts of the people. He was
pre-eminently '_good_.' He was in life and death their friend.
His birth, death, burial, resurrection and ascension, embraced
the leading points of Egyptian theology." "In his efforts to
do good, he encounters evil. In struggling with that, he is
overcome. He is killed. The story, entered into in the account
of the Osiris myth, is a circumstantial one. Osiris is buried.
His tomb was the object of pilgrimage for thousands of years.
_But he did not rest in his grave. At the end of three days,
or forty, he arose again_, and ascended to heaven. This is the
story of his humanity." "As the _invictus Osiris_, his tomb
was illuminated, as is the holy sepulchre of Jerusalem now.
The mourning song, whose plaintive tones were noted by
Herodot