O'BUS, an Egyptian god, son of Isis and Osiris, according to lIerodotus ; an swering to the Greek Apollo. Ile frequent ly appears in Egyptian paintings sitting on the lap of Isis_ OSI AN'Dll I ANS, in ecclesiastical his tory, a sect among the Lutherans ; so called from their founder Osiander, a celebrated divine. They differed from the followers of Luther and Calvin as to the efficient cause of the justification.
051'11[5, in mythology, one of the chief Egyptian divinities, the brother and hus band of Isis, and, together with her, the greatest benefactor of Egypt, into which ho introduced a knowledge of religion, laws, and the arts and sciences. After having accomplished great reformations at home, he visited the greater part of Europe and Asia, where he enlightened the minds of men by teaching them the worship of the gods and the arts of civilization. lie was styled "the Manifester of Good ;" and to this title he had an undisputed right, for he appeared on earth to benefit mankind ; and after having performed the duties he had come to fulfil, and fallen a sacrifice to Typhon the evil principle (which was at length overcome by his influence after his leaving the world,) he "rose again to a new life," and became the "judge of mankind in a future state." Other titles
of Osiris were, " President of the West," " Lord of the East," " Lord of Lords," " Eternal Ruler," " King of the Gods," e. Osiris has been identified with many of the Grecian divinities ; but more espe cially with Jupiter, Pluto, and with Bac chus. on account of his reputed conquest of India. Osiris was particularly wor shipped at Philae and Abydus : so sacred was the former that no one was permitted to visit it without express permission ; and the latter was regarded with such veneration that persons living at a. dis tance from it sought, and with difficulty obtained, permission to possess a sepul chre within its necropolis.