The Dawn of Conscience and The Urantia Book
by Frederick L. Beckner
March, 2000
Introduction
The Dawn of Conscience was written by James Henry Breasted (1865-1935) in 1933 and published in 1934 by Charles Scribner’s Sons. He was born in Rockford, Illinois and was an American Orientalist, archaeologist and historian. He attended the Chicago Theological Seminary, Yale University and the University of Berlin. He was appointed as Professor of Egyptology and Oriental History at the University of Chicago in 1905. From 1919 to 1920 he headed the University’s first archaeological survey of Egypt and western Asia. Under his leadership the University of Chicago became one of America’s leading centers of archaeological study and Middle Eastern scholarship.
In 1916 he coined the term “Fertile Crescent” used to refer to the region that stretches from the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf through the Tigris and Euphrates valley. An interesting photograph of Dr. Breasted can be found in the archives of the University of Chicago using the URL www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/spcl/findaid/photofiles.
The Dawn of Conscience (DOC) was identified by Matthew Block as a source for much of the material in The Urantia Book (The Urantia Book) concerning Egyptian morals and ethics in his A Bibliographic Essay on Some Human Sources Used in The Urantia Book.(1992). The Dawn of Conscience was first recognized as a human source in the 1980’s by Scott Forsythe.
The purpose of this paper is to identify the correspondences between The Dawn of Conscience and The Urantia Book and to draw such conclusions as may be made from these correspondences.
Martin Gardner, in his book Urantia gives a number of correspondences between The Dawn of Conscience and The Urantia Book.(see pp 328-332). The majority of the correspondences given here are not cited by Gardner.
In this work I have focused primarily on quotations cited in The Urantia Book of works of the ancient Egyptians. This list of 14 positive correspondences is not exhaustive or complete, and I do not represent that others can not be found by the industrious reader. I have indicated explanatory material interposed by me by enclosing it within square brackets.
Correspondences
The following correspondences were found between The Urantia Book and The Dawn of Conscience:
1. Efficacy of spittle. This correspondence is given by Gardner (p 329). Notice that the Urantia Book passage is more specific than Breasted’s in that it specifically says the myth “spread there from to Arabia and Mesopotamia” rather than just “into Asia.”
“The battle of Horus with Set, which, as we recall, was a Solar incident, waged so fiercely that the young god lost his eye at the hands of his father’s enemy. When Set was overthrown, and the eye was finally recovered by Thoth, this wise god spat upon the wound and healed it. This method of healing the eye, which is, of course, folk-medicine reflected in the myth, evidently gained wide popularity, passed into Asia, and seems to reappear in the New Testament narrative, ... “ (DOC102:1) “The superstitions of these times are well illustrated by the general belief in the efficacy of spittle as a healing agent, an idea which had its origin in Egypt and spread therefrom to Arabia and Mesopotamia. In the legendary battle of Horus with Set the young god lost his eye, but after Set was vanquished, this eye was restored by the wise god Thoth, who spat upon the wound and healed it. (The Urantia Book1044:5)
2. Portions of Proverbs written by Amenemope. Both Breasted’s book and the The Urantia Book state that Amenemope is the author of portions of the Book of Proverbs. “Buried in the heart of Chapter 22 [of Proverbs], without any editorial indication by the translators, even of the Revised Version, we find what is obviously the beginning, if not the title, of another section (22:17), called “The Words of the Wise,” just as we found it in Chapter 24. Who were “the Wise,” for the Hebrew word (hakamim) is in the plural --- the social teachers, who wrote this section of about a chapter and a half? Until very recently no one has been able to answer this question, but the publication of a papyrus, which had long reposed in the British Museum, has revealed the author as none other than our old friend Amenemope! All Old Testament scholars of any weight or standing now recognise the fact that this whole section of about a chapter and a half of the Book of Proverbs (Chapters 22:17, to 23:11) is largely drawn verbatim from the Wisdom of Amenemope; ...” (DOC370:1) In the Book of Hebrew Proverbs, chapters fifteen, seventeen, twenty, and chapter twenty-two, verse seventeen, to chapter twenty-four, verse twenty-two, are taken almost verbatim from Amenemope’s Book of Wisdom. The first psalm of the Hebrew Book of Psalms was written by Amenemope and is the heart of the teachings of Ikhnaton. (The Urantia Book1046:6)
It is interesting that the The Urantia Book statement concerning chapters 22:17 to 24:22 is also found in the DOC on page 375. Breasted also identifies Proverbs 15:16-17 (DOC374:2), 17:1 (DOC375:1), and 20:22 (DOC376:0) as containing the works of Amenemope. Breasted does not say that the entire chapters 15, 17, and 20 are verbatim from the Book of Wisdom as does the The Urantia Book.
3. Description of the ka. The description of the ka is one of the most striking correspondences between the The Urantia Book and the DOC.
“On the walls of the temple of Luxor, where the birth of Amenhotep III was depicted in sculptured scenes late in the Fifteenth Century before Christ, we find the little prince brought in on the arm of the Nile-god, accompanied apparently by another child. This second figure, identical in appearance with that of the prince is the being called by the Egyptians the ka.” (DOC49:2)
“On the walls of a temple at Luxor, where is depicted the birth of Amenhotep III, the little prince is pictured on the arm of the Nile god, and near him is another child, in appearance identical with the prince, which is a symbol of that entity which the Egyptians called the ka. This sculpture was completed in the fifteenth century before Christ.” (The Urantia Book1215:5)
Notice that the The Urantia Book passage has been changed from “THE temple of Luxor” to “A temple IN Luxor” (emphasis added). Notice also how the information not central to the main idea concerning the ka was removed to the trailing sentence. In my opinion the The Urantia Book version is significantly superior to Breasted’s version.
4. Universality of ka. There is a similar treatment of the universality of the ka in both the DOC and the The Urantia Book:
“He (the ka) was a kind of superior genius intended especially to guide the fortunes of the individual in the hereafter, where every Egyptian who died found his ka awaiting him. It is of importance to note that in all probability the ka was originally the exclusive possession of kings, each of whom thus lived under the protection of his individual guardian genius, and that by a process of slow development the priviledge of possessing a ka became universal among all the people.” (DOC50:0)
“The ka was thought to be a superior spirit genius which desired to guide the associated mortal soul into the better paths of temporal living but more especially to influence the fortunes of the human subject in the hereafter. When an Egyptian of this period died, it was expected that his ka would be waiting for him on the other side of the Great River.
At first, only kings were supposed to have kas, but presently all righteous men were believed to possess them. “ (The Urantia Book1215:6)
The The Urantia Book treatment of this subject interjects the word “spirit” to make clear that the ka is a spirit. It also says that only righteous men were believed to possess a ka, whereas Breasted states that it was thought to be universal.
5. Sayings of an Egyptian ruler. This correspondence shows a significant difference between the The Urantia Book treatment of this subject and that of the DOC.
“To be sure, Ptahhotep’s ideas of the heart as a wise guide continued, and in the fifteenth century B.C. a court herald of the conqueror Thutmose III, in recounting his services for the king says regarding them: “It was my heart which caused that I should do them, by its guidance of my affairs. It was ... as an excellent witness. I did not disregard its speech, I feared to transgress its guidance. I prospered thereby greatly, I was successful by reason of that which it caused me to do, I was distinguished by its guidance. ‘Lo, ...’ said the people, ‘it is an oracle of God in every body. Prosperous is he whom it has guided to the good way of achievement.’ Lo, thus I was.”” (DOC254:0)
“One Egyptian ruler, speaking of the ka within his heart, said: “I did not disregard its speech; I feared to transgress its guidance. I prospered thereby greatly; I was thus successful by reason of that which it caused me to do; I was distinguished by its guidance.”” (The Urantia Book1216:1)
Here we see that the The Urantia Book says that this quotation was of a statement made by an Egyptian ruler, while Breasted appears to state that it was a court herald which made the quoted statements. Unfortunately Breasted gives no reference identifying the source of this quotation. It may be that the missing material in the quote (between “It was” and “as an excellent witness”) might indicate a change in the person speaking. If so, how did the The Urantia Book author know this?
It might be determined which of these statements is correct if the original source can be determined. It would be highly interesting to determine which statement is correct. This is a good subject for future research.
6. Oracle from God in everybody. Both books make similar statements about the ka as being in everybody.
“They [the Egyptians] see the world about them functioning intelligibly and therefore conclude that it was brought forth and is now maintained by a great all-pervading intelligence, which, by a touch of pantheism, they believe is still active in every breast and every mouth of all living creatures. It is an idea which long survived and we find the Egyptian of nearly two thousand years later believing in “the oracle of the god which is in every body”; or referring to “the god that is in thee.” (DOC38:0)
“Many believed that the ka was “an oracle from God in everybody.” Many believed that they were to “spend eternity in gladness of heart in the favor of the God that is in you.”” (The Urantia Book1216:1)
Here the The Urantia Book author has slightly changed the quotation. He states that the oracle is “from God”, while Breasted states that the oracle is “of God.”
7. Saying concerning righteousness. A very precise correspondence may be made between quotations on this saying concerning righteousness.“Perhaps the ethical spirit of the old vizier [Ptahhotep] is best summarized in his warning against avarice, when without too obvious revelancy he bursts out almost triumphantly with the assurance, “Established is the man whose standard is righteousness, who walketh according to its way.”” (DOC138:0)
“Thousands of years before the Salem gospel penetrated to Egypt, its moral leaders taught justice, fairness, and the avoidance of avarice. Three thousand years before the Hebrew scriptures were written, the motto of the Egyptians was: “Established is the man whose standard is righteousness; who walks according to its way.” (The Urantia Book1045:6) Ptahhotep is said by Breasted (DOC129:1) to have lived in the 27th century B.C. One must therefore wonder about the accuracy of the The Urantia Book statement that this saying existed “three thousand years before the Hebrew scriptures were written.”
8. Saying concerning doing right. Another strong correspondence may be found concerning the saying about doing right and dealing justly. “Finally the dominant note is a commanding moral earnestness which pervades the whole homely philosophy of the old vizier’s wisdom. The most prominent imperative throughout is “do right,” and “deal justly with all.”” (DOC139:0) “They taught gentleness, moderation, and discretion. The message of one of the great teachers of this epoch [Ptahhotep] was: “Do right and deal justly with all.”” (The Urantia Book1045:6) The The Urantia Book authors completely ignored Breasted’s statement about “moral earnestness” and “homely philosophy.”
9. Truth, Righteousness, Justice. There is a correspondence of information concerning Truth, Righteousness, and Justice between these two books. “Looking much like a tiny vase, the Egyptian hieroglyph for heart, representing the heart of Ani [or Osiris], appears on one side of the balances [the scale of Justice], while on the other side appears a feather, the symbol and hieroglyph for Truth, Righteousness, Justice (Maat).” (DOC261:0) “The Egyptian triad of this age was Truth-Justice-Righteousness.” (The Urantia Book1045:6) Here the The Urantia Book author has interchanged the order of Righteousness and Justice. None of the explanatory material contained in Breasted’s work is found in the The Urantia Book. This may just be a case where both books merely contain the same information.
10. Concept of good and evil. Both works treat the origin of the concept of good and evil. “Already at this remote stage of human development there is recognition of the fact that some conduct is approved and some disapproved. Each is treated accordingly. “Life is given to the peaceful (literally “to the one bearing peace”). and death is given to the guilty” (literally “the one bearing guilt”). It is readily noticeable that these early thinkers do not use here the terms “good and evil.” The peaceful is “he who does what is loved” and the guilty is “he who does what is hated.” These are social judgements, designating what is approved (“loved”), and what is disapproved (“hated”). These two terms, “what is loved” and “what is hated,” occurring here for the first time in human history, form the earliest known evidence of man’s ability to draw the distinction between good and bad conduct. They had a long subsequent history and continued in use for many centuries. It was long before they were displaced by right and wrong.” (DOC38:2-39:0) “The concepts of good and evil found ready response in the hearts of a people who believed that “Life is given to the peaceful and death to the guilty.” “The peaceful is he who does what is loved; the guilty is he who does what is hated.” For centuries the inhabitants of the Nile valley had lived by these emerging ethical and social standards before they ever entertained the later concepts of right and wrong—good and bad.” (The Urantia Book1045:7-1046:0) The Urantia Book.treatment of this topic can be seen to be superior to that of Breasted. It is more concise and is more clearly written.
11. Riches take wings. Both books treat the topic of the impermanance of riches. “The uncertainty of the human estate and its complete dependence upon God lead Amenemope to warn his son against the fleeting character of riches. “Let not thy heart go our after riches, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . Weary not thyself to seek for more, When thy need is (already) secure. If riches be brought to thee by robbery, They will not abide the night with thee. When the morning cometh they are no longer in thy house, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
They have made themselves wings like geese, And they have flown to heaven. In the wise conclusion that riches “make themselves wings” and fly away, Amenemope’s graphic picture of the uncertainty and perishablilty of earthly good, we recognize a figure which has come down to us through the editor of the Hebrew Book of Proverbs [Proverbs 23:5], ...” (DOC327:2-328:0) “This wise man of the Nile taught that “riches take themselves wings and fly away”—that all things earthly are evanescent.” (The Urantia Book1046:4) Here the Urantia Book.author did not actually quote the same text as Breasted. He paraphrased the meaning but did not use the same words as Amenemope. Certainly the The Urantia Book author did not plagarize the material on this topic.
12. Saved from fear. There is a correspondence between these two books in that both discuss being “saved from fear.” “Our sage regards dependence upon such fleeting human resources as futile; the only security is in God, pray to him and “thou art saved from fear.” (DOC328:0) “ His great prayer was to be “saved from fear.” (The Urantia Book1046:4) In Breasted’s book this phrase is used to signify the consequence of prayer. The Urantia Book.states that Amenemope prayed to be saved from fear. One must conclude that the The Urantia Book author did not directly copy the The Urantia Book use of this phrase from Breasted’s book.
13. Man proposes but God disposes. This common proverb is given in both books.“Slightly less literally rendered the lines run: “The words which men speak diverge And the acts of God diverge.” The contrast is obviously between “the words of men” and “the acts of God,” and when it is stated that they both “diverge” the meaning evidently is “from each other.” Thus we have here in its oldest form the world-wide proverb, “Man proposes, God disposes.”” (DOC329:1) “He exhorted all to turn away from “the words of men” to “the acts of God.” In substance he taught: Man proposes but God disposes.” (The Urantia Book1046:4) Other than the fact that both books attribute this proverb to Amenemope there is no sign of direct copying of the text discussing this proverb.
14. God creator of the whole world. Ikhnaton was identified by Breasted as giving unequivocal expression to monotheism.
“O sole God, beside whom there is no other.
Thou didst create the earth according to thy heart.
While thou wast alone:
Even men, all herds of cattle and the antelopes;
All that are upon the earth,
That go about upon their feet;
They that are on high,
That fly with their wings.
The highland countries, Syria and Kush,
And the land of Egypt;
Thou settest every man into his place,
Thou suppliest their necessities,
Everyone has his food,
And his days are reckoned.” (DOC284:0)“The fatal weakness of Ikhnaton’s gospel was its greatest truth, the teaching that Aton was not only the creator of Egypt but also of the “whole world, man and beasts, and all the foreign lands, even Syria and Kush, besides this land of Egypt. He sets all in their place and provides all with their needs.”” (The Urantia Book1048:5)
It is very interesting that the The Urantia Book quotation is not derived verbatim from the DOC. One must wonder if there is another source being quoted here rather than the DOC. Like correspondence number 11 the ideas quoted in the The Urantia Book on this topic are contained in the DOC but the words used are not quoted verbatim.
Okhban
The Urantia Book.identifies Okhban as one of Egypt’s great prophets. This name is not to be found in the DOC. Here is a case of a negative correspondence, indicating some other source for this Egyptian information.
An Alta-Vista search of the world-wide web revealed no other source of this name except the The Urantia Book. Thus the question of whether or not this name was derived from another human source remains a subject for future study. “ In six thousand years only four great prophets arose among the Egyptians. Amenemope they followed for a season; Okhban they murdered; Ikhnaton they accepted but halfheartedly for one short generation; Moses they rejected.” (The Urantia Book1046:1)
Conclusions
The extremely close correspondences cited above leave little doubt that The Dawn of Conscience was used as source material for The Urantia Book. The Urantia Book material on these topics is generally verified by Breasted’s work with the exception of the inconsistency between the ruler and court herald in topic 5 and in the name “Okhban.” In most cases the The Urantia Book treatment of these topics is an improvement over the work of Breasted and not a verbatim copying of his work.