ANCIENT EGYPT.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 413, 23 October 1889, Page 5

ANCIENT EGYPT.

Auckland, October 19. Last evening, the Rev. Father D. J. O'Sullivan .delivered a lecture in the Catholic Institute on the above subject, in aid of the funds of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, which is doing so much for the poor in Auckland. The lecturer is especially well-qualified to speak on the subject, being intimately acquainted with the country, owing to his connection with the African missions of the Roman Catholic Church. - The hail was well filled \\ ith an appreciative audience, Mr Mahoney being in the c&air. His Lordship Bishop Luck was among the audience. After being introduced in a few words by j the Chairman on the good objects for which the lecture was being given, the rev. lecturer referred in the first place to the importance of the country ot whose ancient wonders he was about to speak, drawing particular attention to the geographical position of the various interesting places. He then went on to his subject proper. Egypt should be dear to every Christian and to every Irishman, to the former for its sacred associations and to the latter for its ancient ruins/ in which it resembled his own country. The museum of Baulak and its wonderful collection of wonders discovered by Egyptologists and brought together there were mentioned — its colossus (so like an Australian politican), and other statues, masterpieces of art, monumental slabs and inscriptions, royal mummies, jewellery, and other wonders of the ancient world. These works showed the high state of civilisation to which the country must have arrived. In connection with the royal mummies graphic references were made to the history~of these men and women's lives, especially to that of Rameses the Great, the great conqueror and the persecutor of the Jews. Some very appropriate observations were made on our fleeting mortality. This portion of the lecture was concluded by a humorous remark from Father O'Sullivan that a study of the mummies had led him to resolve never to become a mummy and have himself labelled in a museum. The second portion of the lecture dealt i more particularly with the wonderful j Pyramids. The history of their construction was given as revealed to light by the researches of modern antiquaries, and in this connection a brief sketch of the history of Memphis and of its great works. The Pyramids were simply the eternal resting places built by the Pharaohs in their great Necropolis ; for the Egyptains were more careful, in many cases, of the future of their souls and bodies than many Christians. The lecturer gave his impressions on his first visit to these wonderful works, to the Sphinx and temples, in the neighbourhood of which a description was given. The lecturer concluded an instructive and eloquent lecture by a reference to the moral teachings conveyed by these memorials. On the motion of the~ Chairman, a vote of. thanks was carried to the Rev. Father O'Sullivan by acclamation. During intervals in the lecture, some musical items were contributed by Miss D. Lynch and Messrs Hiscocks and Edmonds.