PROFANE

In the religions of Pagan aiitiquity.the secret rites and ceremonies performed by a select few in honour of some divinity were so called. " Each of the Pagan gods," says Bishop War burton, " had, besides the public and open, a secret worship paid them, into which none were admitted but those who had been selected by preparatory ceremonies, called initiation; and this secret worship was termed the mysteries." The first mysteries of which we have any account were those of Isis and Osiris in Egypt; whence they were introduced into Greece and Italy, and in proce of time di eminated through the northern and western nations of Europe. A very clear and concise account of the Egyptian mysteries has been given by Sir G. Wilkinson, m his Manners and Customs of the Ancient Egyptians, of which the following abstract will convey their peculiarities and importance: — " The Egyptian mysteries consisted of two degrees, denominated greater and le ; and to become qualified for admi ion into the higher cla the aspirant must have pa ed through those of the inferior degree. The priests alone could arrive at a thorough knowledge of the greater mysteries; but so sacred were these secrets held that many members of the sacerdotal order were not admitted to a participation in them at all, and those alone were selected for initiation who had proved themselves virtuous and deserving of the honour." " The Egyptians," says Clement of Alexandria, "neither intrusted their mysteries to every one, nor degraded the secrets of divine matters by disclosing them to the profane, reserving them for the heir-apparent* of the throne, and for such of the priests as excelled in virtue and wisdom." But there can be little doubt that at a later period the same liberality as to the admi ion of the laity which characterized the Eleusinian and other mysteries prevailed in Egypt, and that many laymen, and even some foreigners, were admitted to the le er mysteries. Of the origin of the Orphean and Eleusinian mysteries we have already spoken briefly, under their respective heads; but it has occurred to us that a more detailed account of the nature and ceremonies of the latter, more especially as with a few modifications, arising from the different habits of different nations, they constitute the great models on which all succeeding mysteries were formed, might not be considered out of place. These festivals were instituted at Eleusis, in honour of Ceres and Proser pine; the former of whom was believed to have taught the inhabitants the art of agriculture and the holy doctrine, — a doctrine which was said not only to purify the heart from sin, and expel ignorance from the mind, but to insure also the favour of the gods, and to open the gates of immortal felicity to the initiated. The mysteries, like those of Egypt, were of two kinds, — the le and the greater, — held at two different periods of the year, and at two different places: the le er, which were introductory to the greater, being celebrated at Agrae, on the banks of the Ily us; the greater at Eleusis. The * The kings of Egypt were the high priests of the nation, and by virtue of this ofKce were partakers of ihese secrets; but if previously to ascending the throne they had been, which was frequently the case, members of the military cla (one of the four great castes into which the Egyptians, like the Hindoos, were divided), they were required by the law to be admitted into the sacerdotal order, and instructed in all the secret leaniing of the priests, previously to exercising their priestly office. [s. 815]