ANIMALS PROMISED A PARADISE 97 



placed man and lower animals on an equality so 

 far as future destiny was concerned. 



Many animals have special significance in the re- 

 ligious teachings of the Egyptians. The sacred bull, 

 called Apis, was kept in Memphis and treated with 

 ofreat reverence. When one died he was embalmed 

 and buried in a granite sarcophagus in the neighbor- 

 hood of the Pyramids with a suitable inscription 

 carved on a stone. On one, which is a sample of 

 many, are found the following words: "In the 

 twentieth year, the month Mesori, the twentieth 

 day, under the reign of King Psamethik I, 

 the Majesty of the living Apis departed to 

 heaven." 



The Mahometans advocate the doctrine that 

 there is a Paradise, or " Garden of Abode," beneath 

 the seventh heaven and near the throne of God, which 

 is the future abode of the righteous, and that there 

 " there shall be beasts to ride on, ready saddled and 

 bridled and adorned with rich trappings, which will 

 gallop at great speed. Birds shall sing from the 

 branches of the great tuba (tree of happiness)." 



Every nation which has attained to any degree 

 of culture has had some sort of religion ; and in 

 almost every instance where man has been con- 



