of that (the Jewish)
people."[85:1]

The first mention of Circumcision, in the Bible, occurs in
Genesis,[85:2] where God is said to have commanded the Israelites to
perform this rite, and thereby establish a covenant between him and his
chosen people:

"This is my _covenant_ (said the Lord), which ye shall keep,
between me and you and thy seed after thee; every male child
among you shall be circumcised."

"We _need not doubt_," says the Rev. Dr. Giles, "that a _Divine command_
was given to Abraham that all his posterity should practice the rite of
circumcision."[85:3]

Such may be the case. If we believe that the Lord of the Universe
communes with man, we _need not doubt_ this; yet, we are compelled to
admit that nations other than the Hebrews practiced this rite. The
origin of it, however, as practiced among other nations, has never been
clearly ascertained. It has been maintained by some scholars that this
rite drew its origin from considerations of health and cleanliness,
which seems very probable, although doubted by many.[85:4] Whatever may
have been its origin, it is certain that it was practiced by many of the
ancient Eastern nations, who never came in contact with the Hebrews, in
early times, and, therefore, could not have learned it from them.

The _Egyptians_ practiced circumcision at a very early period,[85:5] at
least as early as the _fourth_ dynasty--pyramid one--and therefore, long
before the time assigned for Joseph's entry into Egypt, from whom some
writers have claimed the Egyptians learned it.[86:1]

In the decorative pictures of Egyptian tombs, one frequently meets with
persons on whom the denudation of the prepuce is manifested.[86:2]

On a stone found at Thebes, there is a representation of the
circumcision of Ramses II. A mother is seen holding her boy's arms back,
while the operator kneels in front.[86:3] All Egyptian priests were
obliged to be circumcised,[86:4] and Pythagoras had to submit to it
before being admitted to the Egyptian sacerdotal mysteries.[86:5]

Herodotus, the Greek historian, says:

"As this practice can be traced both in Egypt and Ethiopia, to
the remotest antiquity, it is not possible to say which first
introduced it. The Phenicians and Syrians of Palestine
acknowledge that they borrowed it from Egypt."[86:6]

It has been recognized among the _Kaffirs_ and other tribes of
_Africa_.[86:7] It was practiced among the _Fijians_ a