,,mystic ,,christianity ,or1 ,the ,inner ,teachings of the ,master by ,,yogi ,,ramacharaka ,author of ,fourteen ,lessons in ,yogi ,philosophy and ,oriental ,occultism1 ,hatha ,yoga1 ,science of ,breath1 ,advanced ,course in ,yogi ,philosophy1 ,raja ,yoga1 ,psychic ,healing1 ,gnani ,yogi1 etc4 ,,publishers' ,,notice4 ,the lessons which compose this volume originally appeared in monthly form1 the first of which was issued in ,october1 #aijg1 and the twelfth in ,september1 #aijh4 ,these lessons met with a hearty and generous response from the public1 and the present volume is issued in response to the demand for the lessons in a permanent and durable form4 ,there has been no change in the text4 ,the publishers take the liberty to call the attention of the readers to the great amount of information condensed within the space of each lesson4 ,students have told us that they have found it necessary to read and study each lesson carefully1 in order to absorb the varied information contained within its pages4 ,they have also stated that they have found it advisable to re-read the lessons several times1 allowing an interval between the readings1 and that at each reading they would discover information that had escaped them during the course of the previous study4 ,this has been repeated to us so often that we feel justified in mentioning it1 that others may avail themselves of the same plan of study4 ,following his usual custom1 the writer of this volume has declined to write a preface for this book1 claiming that the lessons will speak for themselves1 and that those for whom they are intended will receive the message contained within them without any prefatory talk4 ,,the ,,yogi ,,publication ,,society4 ,september #a1 #aijh4 ,,index ,,lesson #a4 ,the ,coming of the ,master #b4 ,the ,mystery of the ,virgin ,birth #c4 ,the ,mystic ,youth of ,jesus #d4 ,the ,beginning of the ,ministry #e4 ,the ,foundation of the ,work #f4 ,the ,work of ,organization #g4 ,the ,beginning of the ,end #h4 ,the ,end of the ,life ,work #i4 ,the ,inner ,teachings #aj4 ,the ,secret ,doctrine #aa4 ,the ,ancient ,wisdom #ab4 ,the ,message of the ,master ,,the ,,first ,,lesson4 ,,the ,,coming ,,of ,,the ,,master4 ,,the ,,forerunner4 ,strange rumors reached the ears of the people of ,jerusalem and the surrounding country4 ,it was reported that a new prophet had appeared in the valley of the lower ,jordan1 and in the wilderness of ,northern ,judea1 preaching startling doctrines4 ,his teachings resembled those of the prophets of old1 and his cry of ,repent6 ,repent ye6 for the ,kingdom of ,heaven is at hand1 awakened strange memories of the ancient teachers of the race1 and caused the common people to gaze wonderingly at each other1 and the ruling classes to frown and look serious1 when the name of the new prophet was mentioned4 ,the man whom the common people called a prophet1 and whom the exalted ones styled an impostor1 was known as ,john the ,baptist1 and dwelt in the wilderness away from the accustomed haunts of men4 ,he was clad in the rude garments of the roaming ascetics1 his rough robe of camel's skin being held around his form by a coarse girdle of leather4 ,his diet was frugal and elemental1 consisting of the edible locust of the region1 together with the wild honey stored by the bees of the wilderness4 ,in appearance ,john1 whom men called the ,baptist1 was tall1 wiry1 and rugged4 ,his skin was tanned a dark brown by the winds and sun which beat upon it unheeded4 ,his long black hair hung loosely around his shoulders1 and was tossed like the mane of a lion when he spoke4 ,his beard was rough and untrimmed4 ,his eyes gleamed like glowing coals1 and seemed to burn into the very soul of his hearers4 ,his was the face of the religious enthusiastic with a ,message for the world4 ,this wild prophet was most strenuous1 and his teachings were couched in the most vigorous words4 ,there was no tact1 policy1 or persuasion in his message4 ,he hurled his verbal thunderbolts right into his crowd1 the very force and earnestness emanating from him serving to charge his words with a vitality and magnetism which dashed itself into the crowd like a spark of electricity1 knocking men from off their feet1 and driving the ,truth into them as if by a charge of a powerful explosive4 ,he told them that the spiritual grain was to be gathered into the garners1 while the chaff was to be consumed as if by a fiery furnace2 that the axe was to be laid to the root of the trees which brought not forth good fruit4 ,verily1 the ,day of ,jehovah1 long promised by the prophets1 was near to hand to his hearers and followers4 ,john soon gathered to himself a following1 the people flocking to him from all parts of the country1 even from ,galilee4 ,his followers began to talk among themselves1 asking whether indeed this man were not the long promised ,master--the ,messiah for whom all ,israel had waited for centuries4 ,this talk coming to the ears of the prophet1 caused him to answer the question in his discourses1 saying3 ,there cometh one mightier than ,i1 after me1 the latchet of whose shoes ,i am not worthy to stoop down and unloose2 he that cometh after me is mightier than ,i4 ,and thus it became gradually known to his following1 and the strangers attending his meetings1 that this ,john the ,baptist1 mighty preacher though he be1 was but the herald of one much greater than he1 who should follow--that he was the forerunner of the ,master1 according to the ,oriental imagery which pictured the forerunner of the great dignitaries1 running ahead of the chariot of his master1 crying aloud to all people gathered on the road that they must make way for the approaching great man1 shouting constantly1 ,make ye a way6 make ye a way for the ,lord6 ,and accordingly there was a new wave of excitement among ,john's following1 which spread rapidly to the surrounding country1 at this promise of the coming of the ,lord--the ,master--perhaps even the ,messiah of the ,jews4 ,and many more came unto ,john1 and with him waited for the ,coming of the ,master4 ,this ,john the ,baptist was born in the hill country of ,judea1 nearly thirty years before he appeared as a prophet4 ,his father was of the priestly order1 or temple caste1 who had reached an advanced age1 and who lived with his aged wife in retirement1 away from the noise and confusion of the world1 waiting the gradual approach of that which cometh to all men alike4 ,then there came to them a child of their old age1 unexpected and unhoped for--coming as a mark of especial favor from ,god--a son1 to whom they gave the name of ,johanan1 which in the ,hebrew tongue means ,jehovah is gracious4 ,reared in the home of his parents--the house of a priest--,john saturated himself with all the ,inner ,teachings reserved for the few1 and withheld from the masses4 ,the ,secrets of the ,kaballah1 that system of ,hebrew ,occultism and ,mysticism in which the higher priests of ,judea were well versed1 were disclosed to him1 and occult tradition has it that he was initiated into the ,inner ,circle of the ,hebrew ,mystics1 composed of only priests of a certain grade1 and their sons4 ,john became an ,occultist and a ,mystic4 ,when the boy reached the age of puberty1 he departed from the home of his parents1 and went into the wilderness1 looking to the ,east1 from whence cometh all ,light4 ,in other words1 he became an ,ascetic1 living in the wilderness1 just as in ,india even to-day youths of the ,brahmin or priestly class sometimes forsake their homes1 renouncing their luxurious life1 and fly to the jungle1 where they wander about for years as ascetics1 wearing a single garment1 subsisting on the most elementary food1 and developing their spiritual consciousness4 ,john remained a recluse until he reached the age of about thirty years1 when he emerged from the wilderness to preach the ,coming of the ,lord1 in obedience to the movings of the ,spirit4 ,let us see where he was1 and what he did1 during the fifteen years of his life in the wilderness and hidden places of ,judea4 ,the traditions of the ,essenes1 preserved among ,occultists1 state that while ,john was an ascetic he imbibed the teachings of that strange ,occult ,brotherhood known as the ,essenes1 and after having served his apprenticeship1 was accepted into the order as an ,initiate1 and attained their higher degrees reserved only for those of developed spirituality and power4 ,it is said that even when he was a mere boy he claimed and proved his right to be fully initiated into the ,mysteries of the ,order1 and was believed to have been a reincarnation of one of the old ,hebrew prophets4 ,,the ,,essenes4 ,the ,essenes were an ancient ,hebrew ,occult ,brotherhood1 which had been in existence many hundred years before ,john's time4 ,they had their headquarters on the ,eastern shores of the ,dead ,sea1 although their influence extended over all of ,palestine1 and their ascetic brothers were to be found in every wilderness4 ,the requirements of the ,order were very strict1 and its rites and ceremonies were of the highest mystical and occult degree4 ,the ,neophyte was required to serve a preliminary apprenticeship of one year before being admitted to even partial recognition as a member and brother4 ,a further apprenticeship of two more years was required before he was admitted to full membership1 and extended the right hand of fellowship4 ,additional time was required for further advancement1 and even time alone did not entitle the member to certain high degrees1 the requirements being that actual knowledge1 power and attainment must first be manifested4 ,as in all true ,occult ,orders the candidate must work out his own salvation1 neither money nor influence having any weight4 ,absolute obedience to the ,rules of the ,order2 absolute poverty of material possessions2 absolute sexual continence--these were the conditions of membership to be observed by both ,neophyte and ,initiate1 as well as ,high-degree ,master4 ,understanding this1 one may imagine the disgust inspired in ,john by the amorous solicitations of ,salome1 which caused him to lose his life rather than to break the vows of his ,order1 as is so startlingly pictured in the stage productions of modern times4 ,one of the ceremonies of the ,essenes was that of ,baptism 7literally1 dipping in water7 which was administered to ,candidates1 with appropriate solemnity and rites4 ,the mystic significance of the ceremony which is understood by all members of ,occult ,orders1 even unto this day1 was a part of the ritual originated by the ,essenes1 and the rite itself was a distinctive feature of their ,order4 ,the performance of this rite by ,john the ,baptist1 in his ministry1 and its subsequent acceptance by the ,christian ,church as a distinctive ceremonial1 of which the sprinkling of infants of to-day is a reminder and substitute1 forms a clear connecting link between the ,essenes and ,modern ,christianity1 and impresses the stamp of ,mysticism and ,occultism firmly upon the latter1 as little as the general public may wish to admit it in their ignorant misunderstanding and materialistic tendencies4 ,the ,essenes believed in1 and taught the doctrine of ,reincarnation2 the ,immanence of ,god2 and many other ,occult ,truths1 the traces of which appear constantly in the ,christian ,teachings1 as we shall see as we progress with these lessons4 ,through its ,exalted ,brother1 ,john the ,baptist1 the ,order passed on its teaching to the early ,christian ,church1 thus grafting itself permanently upon a new religious growth1 newly appearing on the scene4 ,and the transplanted branches are still there6 ,of course1 the true history of the real connection between the ,essenes and ,christianity is to be found only in the traditions of the ,essenes and other ancient ,mystic ,orders1 much of which has never been printed1 but which has passed down from teacher to pupil over the centuries even unto this day1 among ,occult ,fraternities4 ,but in order to show the student that we are not making statements incapable of proof by evidence available to him1 we would refer him to any standard work of reference on the subject4 ,for instance1 if he will consult the ,new ,international ,encyclopedia 7,vol4 ,,vii1 page #bag7 article on ,essenes1 he will read the following words3 ,it is an interesting question as to how much ,christianity owes to ,essenism4 ,it would seem that there was room for definite contact between ,john the ,baptist and this ,brotherhood4 ,his time of preparation was spent in the wilderness near the ,dead ,sea2 his preaching of righteousness toward ,god1 and justice toward one's fellow men1 was in agreement with ,essenism2 while his insistence on ,baptism was in accord with the ,essenic emphasis on lustrations4 ,the same article contains the statement that the ,essenic ,brotherhood taught a certain view entertained regarding the origin1 present state1 and future destiny of the soul1 which was held to be pre-existent1 being entrapped in the body as in a prison1 etc4 7,the above italics are our own47 ,john emerged from the wilderness when he had reached the age of about thirty years1 and began his ministry work1 which extended for several years until his death at the hands of ,herod4 ,he gathered around him a large and enthusiastic following1 beginning with the humbler classes and afterward embracing a number of higher social degree4 ,he formed his more advanced followers into a band of disciples1 with prescribed rules regarding fasting1 worship1 ceremonial1 rites1 etc41 closely modeled upon those favored by the ,essenes4 ,this organization was continued until the time of ,john's death1 when it merged with the followers of ,jesus1 and exerted a marked influence upon the early ,christian church4 ,as we have stated1 one of his principal requisites enjoined upon all of his followers1 was that of ,baptism--the ,essenic rite1 from which he derived his familiar appellation1 ,the ,baptist4 ,but1 it must be remembered that to ,john this rite was a most sacred1 mystic1 symbolic ceremony1 possessing a deep occult meaning unperceived by many of his converts who submitted themselves to it under the fervor of religious emotion1 and who navely regarded it as some magical rite which washed away sin from their souls1 as the dirt was washed from their bodies1 a belief which seems to be still in favor with the multitude4 ,john worked diligently at his mission1 and the ,baptists or ,followers of ,johanan1 as they were called1 increased rapidly4 ,his meetings were events of great moment to thousands who had gathered from all ,palestine to see and hear the prophet of the wilderness--the ,essene who had emerged from his retirement4 ,his meetings were often attended with startling occurrences1 sudden conversions1 visions1 trances1 etc41 and many developed possession of unusual powers and faculties4 ,but one day there was held a meeting destined to gain world-wide fame4 ,this was the day when there came to ,john the ,baptist the ,,master1 of whose coming ,john had frequently foretold and promised4 ,,jesus ,,the ,,christ appeared upon the scene and confronted his ,forerunner4 ,the traditions have it that ,jesus came unannounced to1 and unrecognized by ,john and the populace4 ,the ,forerunner was in ignorance of the nature and degree of his guest and applicant for ,baptism4 ,although the two were cousins1 they had not met since childhood1 and ,john did not at first recognize ,jesus4 ,the traditions of the ,mystic ,orders further state that ,jesus then gave to ,john the various signs of the ,occult ,fraternities to which they both belonged1 working from the common signs up until ,jesus passed on to degrees to which ,john had not attained1 although he was an eminent high-degree ,essene4 ,whereupon ,john saw that the man before him was no common applicant for ,baptism1 but was1 instead1 a highest-degree ,mystic ,adept1 and ,occult ,master--his superior in rank and unfoldment4 ,john1 perceiving this1 remonstrated with ,jesus1 saying that it was not meet and proper1 nor in accordance with the customs of the ,brotherhoods1 for the inferior to ,baptize the superior4 ,of this event the ,new ,testament takes note in these words3 ,but ,john forbade him1 saying1 ,i have need to be baptized of thee1 and comest thou to me8 7,matt4 #c3ad47 ,but ,jesus insisted that ,john perform the rite upon him upon the ground that ,he wished to go through the ceremonial in order to set ,his stamp of approval upon it1 and to show that he considered himself as a man among men1 come forth to live the life of men4 ,in both the occult traditions and the ,new ,testament narrative1 it is stated that a mystical occurrence ensued at the baptism1 the ,spirit of ,god descending like a dove and lighting upon ,him1 and a voice from ,heaven saying3 ,this is my beloved ,son in whom ,i am well pleased4 ,and with these words the mission of ,john the ,baptist1 as ,forerunner of the ,master1 was fulfilled4 ,the ,master had appeared to take up his work4 ,,the ,,master4 ,and1 now1 let us turn back the pages of the ,book of ,time1 to a period about thirty years before the happening of the events above mentioned4 ,let us turn our gaze upon the events surrounding the birth of ,jesus1 in order that we may trace the ,mystic and ,occult forces at work from the beginning of ,christianity4 ,there are occurrences of the greatest importance embraced in these thirty years4 ,let us begin the ,mystic ,narrative of ,jesus the ,christ1 as it is told to the ,neophyte of every ,occult ,order1 by the ,master ,instructor1 by a recital of an event preceding his birth by over one year4 ,in ,matthew #b3a-b1 the following is related3 ,now when ,jesus was born in ,bethlehem of ,judea1 in the days of ,herod the king1 behold1 there came ,wise ,men from the ,east to ,jerusalem1 saying1 ,where is he that is born ,king of the ,jews8 for we have seen his star in the ,east1 and are come to worship him4 ,in these simple words is stated an event that1 expressed in a much more extended narrative1 forms an important part of the ,esoteric ,teachings of the ,mystic ,brotherhoods1 and ,occult ,orders of the ,orient1 and which is also known to the members of the affiliated secret orders of the ,western world4 ,the story of ,,the ,,magi is embedded in the traditions of the ,oriental ,mystics1 and we shall here give you a brief outline of the story as it is told by ,hierophant to ,neophyte--by ,guru to ,chela4 ,to understand the story1 you must know just who were these ,wise ,men of the ,east--,the ,magi4 ,and this you shall now be taught4 ,,the ,,magi1 ,,or ,,wise ,,men4 ,the translators of the ,new ,testament have translated the words naming these visitors from afar as the ,wise ,men from the ,east1 but in the original ,greek1 ,matthew used the words ,the ,magi as may be seen by reference to the original ,greek versions1 or the ,revised ,translation1 which gives the ,greek term in a foot-note4 ,any leading encyclopedia will corroborate this statement4 ,the term the ,magi was the exact statement of ,matthew in the original ,greek in which the ,gospel was written1 the term the ,wise ,men originating with the ,english translators4 ,there is absolutely no dispute regarding this question among ,biblical scholars1 although the general public is not aware of the connection1 nor do they identify the ,wise ,men with the ,oriental ,magians4 ,the word ,magi comes to the ,english language direct from the ,greek1 which in turn acquired it by gradual steps from the ,persian1 ,chaldean1 ,median1 and ,assyrian tongues4 ,it means1 literally1 wonder worker1 and was applied to the members of the occult priestly orders of ,persia1 ,media1 and ,chaldea1 who were ,mystic ,adepts and ,occult ,masters4 ,ancient history is full of references to this body of men4 ,they were the custodians of the world's occult knowledge for centuries1 and the priceless treasures of the ,inner ,teachings held by the race to-day have come through the hands of these men--the ,magi--who tended the sacred fires of ,mysticism and kept ,the ,flame burning4 ,in thinking of their task1 one is reminded of the words of ,edward ,carpenter1 the poet1 who sings3 ,oh1 let not the flame die out6 ,cherished age after age in its dark caverns1 in its holy temples cherished4 ,fed by pure ministers of love--let not the flame die out4 ,the title of ,magi was highly esteemed in those ancient days1 but it fell into disrepute in the latter times owing to its growing use as an appellation of the practitioners of ,black ,magic1 or evil wonder-workers or sorcerers1 of those days4 ,but as a writer in the ,new ,international ,encyclopedia 7,vol4 ,,xii1 page #fgd7 has truly said3 ,the term is employed in its true sense by ,matthew 7#b3a7 of the wise men who came from the ,east to ,jerusalem to worship ,christ4 ,the significance of this event must be observed because the ,messianic doctrine was an old and established one in ,zoroastrianism4 ,the same article says of the ,magi3 444 they believed in a resurrection1 a future life1 and the advent of a savior4 ,to understand the nature of the ,magi in connection with their occult wonder working1 we must turn to the dictionaries1 where we will see that the word ,magic is derived from the title ,magi2 the word ,magician having been originally ,magian1 which means one of the ,magi4 ,webster defines the word ,magic as follows3 ,the hidden wisdom supposed to be possessed by the ,magi2 relating to the occult powers of nature2 mastery of secret forces in nature1 etc4 ,so you may readily see that we are right in stating to you that these ,wise ,men--the ,magi who came to worship the ,christ-child1 were in reality the representatives of the great ,mystic ,brotherhoods and ,occult ,orders of the ,orient--,adepts1 ,masters1 ,hierophants6 ,and thus do we find the ,occult and ,mystic wonder workers--the high-degree brethren of the ,great ,eastern ,lodges of ,mystic ,occultism1 appearing at the very beginning of the ,story of ,christianity1 indicating their great interest in the mortal birth of the greater ,master whose coming they had long waited--the ,master of ,masters6 ,and all ,occultists and ,mystics find pleasure and just pride in the fact that the first recognition of the ,divine ,nature of this human child came from these ,magi from the ,east--from the very ,heart of the ,mystic ,inner ,circles6 ,to those so-called ,christians to whom all that is connected with ,mysticism and ,occultism savors of the fiery sulphur and brimstone1 we would call attention to this intimate early relation between ,the ,musters and ,,the ,,master4 ,,the ,,star ,,in ,,the ,,east4 ,but the ,mystic story begins still further back than the visit of the ,magi to ,bethlehem4 ,did not the ,magi say1 ,where is ,he8 ,we have seen ,his star in the ,east and have come to worship him4 ,what is meant by the words1 ,we have seen his star in the ,east8 ,to the majority of ,christians the ,star of ,bethlehem means a great star that suddenly appeared in the heavens1 like a great beacon light1 and which miraculously guided the steps of the ,magi1 mile by mile1 on their weary journey1 until at last it rested in the heavens1 stationary over the house in which the child ,jesus lived1 between the ages of one and two years4 ,in other words1 they believe that this star had constantly guided these skilled mystics1 occultists and astrologers1 in their journey from the far ,east1 which occupied over a year1 until it at last guided them to ,bethlehem and then stopped stationary over the house of ,joseph and ,mary4 ,alas6 that these vulgar traditions of the ignorant multitude should have served so long to obscure a beautiful mystic occurrence1 and which by their utter improbability and unscientific nature should have caused thousands to sneer at the very true legend of the ,star of ,bethlehem4 ,it remains for the ,mystic traditions to clear away the clouds of ignorance from this beautiful story1 and to re-establish it in the minds of men as a natural and scientific occurrence4 ,this story of the traveling star arose from the superstitious and ignorant ideas of many of the ,christians of the first1 second1 and third centuries after ,christ's death4 ,these tales were injected into the manuscripts left by the disciples1 and soon began to be regarded as a part and portion of the authentic ,gospels and ,epistles1 although the skilled ,biblical critics and scholars of to-day are rapidly discarding many of these additions as wilful forgeries and interpolations4 ,it must be remembered that the oldest manuscripts of the books of the ,new ,testament are known to ,biblical scholars to have been written not less than three hundred years after the time of the original writing1 and are merely copies of copies of the originals1 undoubtedly added to1 altered1 and adulterated by the writers through whose hands they had passed4 ,this is not merely the statement of an outside critic--it is a fact that is clearly stated in the writings of the scholars in the ,churches engaged in the work of ,biblical study1 and the ,higher ,criticism1 to which works we refer any who may have reason to doubt our statement4 ,that portion of the verse 7,matt4 #b3i47 in which it is said that and lo2 the star which they saw in the east went before them1 till it came and stood over where the young child was1 is known to the ,mystic and ,occult ,orders to be a rank interpolation into the story of the ,magi4 ,it is contrary to their own traditions and records1 and is also contrary to reason and to scientific laws1 and this distorted story alone has been the cause of the development of thousands of infidels who could not accept the tale4 ,all intelligent men know that a star is not a mere tiny point of flame in the dome which shuts us out from a ,heaven on the other side of the blue shell1 although this view was that of the ancient people1 and many ignorant men and women to-day4 ,educated people know that a star is either a planet of our solar system1 similar to the sister planet which we called the ,earth1 or else is a mighty sun1 probably many times larger than our sun1 countless millions of miles distant from our solar system4 ,and they know that planets have their invariable orbits and courses1 over which they travel1 unceasingly1 so true to their course that their movements may be foretold centuries ahead1 or calculated for centuries back4 ,and they know that even the great fixed stars1 those distant suns and centers of great solar systems akin to our own1 have their own places in the ,universe1 also their ,universal relations and movements4 ,all who have studied even the most elementary school book on astronomy know these things4 ,and yet such people are asked to swallow whole this story of the moving star1 traveling on a little ahead of the shepherds for over a year1 and at last standing right over the home of ,jesus1 and thus indicating that the search was ended4 ,let us compare this unscientific tale1 with the traditions and legends of the ,mystics1 and then take your choice4 ,had there been any such star in appearance1 the historians of that day would surely have recorded it1 for there were learned and wise men in the ,east in those days1 and as astrology was a science closely studied1 it would have been noted and passed on to posterity by both writings and tradition4 ,but no such record or tradition is to be found among the ,eastern peoples1 or the records of the astrologers4 ,but another record and tradition is preserved1 as we shall see in a moment4 ,yes1 there really was a ,star of ,bethlehem which led the feet of the ,magi to the home of the infant ,jesus4 ,we have the following proof of this fact3 7#a7 the traditions and teachings of the ,mystic ,orders which have been handed down from teacher to student for centuries2 7#b7 the statements and records of the ,ancient ,astrologers1 which may be proven by modern astronomical calculations2 and 7#c7 the calculations made by modern astronomers1 which shall be stated a few paragraphs further on4 ,these three sources of information give us the same tale1 as we shall see4 ,before proceeding to a consideration of this three-fold evidence1 let us pause for a moment and consider the relation of the ,magi to ,astrology4 ,to understand the narrative of the ,magi's ,visit to ,jesus1 we must remember that they were the very ,masters of ,astrological ,lore4 ,persia and the surrounding ,oriental countries were the fountain-head of ,astrological ,teaching4 ,and these ,magi were ,masters1 and ,adepts1 and ,hierophants1 and consequently knew all that was known to the greatest schools of ,astrology of that day4 ,much of their ,ancient ,astrological ,lore has been lost to the race of to-day1 but to these ancient learned men it was as much of a science as chemistry and astronomy are to the learned ones of our day4 ,the ,magi had long waited for the appearance and incarnation of a ,great ,master of ,masters1 whose appearance had been predicted centuries before by some of the great ,occult ,fathers of the ,mystic ,orders1 and each generation hoped that the event would come in his day4 ,they had been taught that when the event took place1 they would be informed by means of the planets1 according to the ,higher ,astrology4 ,all students of even our modern fragmentary astrology will understand this4 ,and so they waited and carefully scanned the heavens for the sign4 ,now the traditions of the ,occult ,orders inform us that at last the ,magi witnessed a peculiar conjunction of planets2 first1 the conjunction of ,saturn and ,jupiter1 in the ,constellation of ,pisces1 the two planets being afterward joined by the planet ,mars1 the three planets in close relation of position1 making a startling and unusual stellar display1 and having a deep astrological significance4 ,now1 the ,constellation of ,pisces1 as all astrologers1 ancient and modern1 know1 is the constellation governing the national existence of ,judea4 ,seeing the predicted conjunction of the planets1 occurring in the ,constellation having to do with ,judea 7as well as the relative positions of the other planets1 all of which played its part in the observation71 the ,magi knew two things1 i4e41 7#a7 that the birth of the ,master of ,masters had occurred2 and 7#b7 that ,he had been born in ,judea1 as indicated by the constellation in which the conjunction occurred4 ,and1 so1 making the calculation of the exact moment of the conjunction1 they started on their long journey toward ,judea in search of the ,master of ,masters4 ,now1 again1 the records of the ,astrologers1 preserved in the ,oriental ,occult ,brotherhoods1 in their monasteries1 etc41 show that at a period a few years before the ,christian ,era such a peculiar conjunction and combination of the planets occurred in the ,constellation symbolizing the destinies of ,judea1 which was interpreted as indicating the appearance of an ,incarnation or ,avatar of a ,great ,divine ,soul--a ,master of ,masters--a ,mystic of ,mystics4 ,it must be remembered that these ,orders are composed of non-,christians--people that the average ,christian would call heathens1 and that therefore this testimony must be regarded as free from bias toward ,christianity or the corroboration of its legends4 ,and1 in the third place1 the calculations of ,modern ,astronomy show without possibility of contradiction that in the ,roman year #gdg 7or seven years before the ,christian ,era7 the planets ,saturn and ,jupiter farmed a conjunction in the ,constellation of ,pisces1 and that these two planets1 still in close position to each other1 were joined by the planet ,mars in the ,spring of #gdh4 ,the great astronomer ,kepler first made this calculation in the year #afjd1 and it has been since verified by modern calculations4 ,to those who would object that all this occurred seven years before the commonly accepted date of the birth of ,christ1 we would say that any modern work on ,new ,testament ,chronology1 or any encyclopedia or reference work on the subject1 will show that the former calculations were several years out of the way1 and that the records of other events mentioned in the ,bible1 such as the enrollment of the people1 which brought ,joseph and ,mary to ,bethlehem1 enable modern ,biblical scholars to fix the date of the birth of ,christ at about six or seven years before the usually accepted time4 ,so that modern research fully corroborates the astrological record and the ,mystic traditions4 ,and so it would appear that the coming of the ,wise ,men--the ,magi--was in accordance with the astrological signs1 of the interpretation of which they were adepts and masters4 ,when this truth is known1 how puerile and petty seems the myth of the traveling star of the commonly accepted exoteric version8 ,and the pictures of the ,wise ,men being led by a moving heavenly body1 traveling across the skies and at last standing still over the cottage of ,joseph1 with which the ,sunday school books are filled1 must be relegated to the same waste-paper basket which contains the ,bible illustrations1 formerly so popular1 which picture ,jehovah as a bald-headed old man with a long white beard1 clad in flowing robes designed to hide his body4 ,is it any wonder that skeptics1 infidels1 and scoffers of the spiritual truths have arisen in great numbers1 when they have been asked to accept these things or be damned8 ,and is not this connection of ,astrology with ,early ,christianity a rebuke to the modern ,christian ,church which sneers and scoffs at the science of astrology as a base superstition fit only for fools and ignoramuses8 ,does not this picture of the ,magi give a clear view of that which was formerly regarded as a mere fable1 to be solemnly smiled over and taught to the children1 with whom the story has always been a favorite owing to their intuitive perception of an underlying truth4 ,and now with this ,mystic version1 cannot you enjoy the legend with the children8 ,in this connection let us once more quote from the ,new ,international ,encyclopedia 7,vol4 ,,ii1 #agj71 a standard reference work1 as you know1 which says3 ,some of the earlier ,christian ,fathers argued against the doctrines of the earlier astrology1 while others received them in a modified form2 and indeed it formed a part of the basis of their religion in the ,gospel narrative of the visit to ,bethlehem of the ,wise ,men of the ,east1 who were ,chaldean ,magi or ,astrologers4 ,here is the testimony in all of the standard reference books1 and yet how many of you have known it8 ,to understand the importance of the event which drew the steps of the ,magi to ,bethlehem1 we must realize that the ,coming of the ,master was a favorite subject of speculation and discussion among ,occultists and ,mystic organizations all over the ,oriental countries4 ,it had been foretold1 in all tongues1 that a ,great ,master would be given to the world--a mighty avatar or appearance of ,deity in human form1 who would incarnate in order to redeem the world from the materiality which threatened it4 ,the ,sacred ,writings of ,india1 ,persia1 ,chaldea1 ,egypt1 ,media1 ,assyria1 and other lands had foretold this event for many centuries1 and all the mystics and occultists longed for the day when the ,master would appear4 ,the ,jews also had many traditions regarding the coming of a ,messiah1 who would be born of the seed of ,david1 at ,bethlehem1 but their ,messiah was looked upon as likely to be an earthly king1 destined to free ,israel from the ,roman yoke4 ,and so1 the tradition of the ,jews was regarded as of inferior moment to their own predictions1 by the ,mystic and ,occult ,brotherhoods of the ,east4 ,to them it was to be an avatar of ,deity--,god in human form come to take his rightful seat as the ,grand ,master of the ,universal ,grand ,lodge of ,mystic--a descent of pure ,spirit into matter4 ,this conception certainly was very much higher than that of the ,jews4 ,and so1 knowing these things1 we may readily understand why the ,magi pursued their search with such ardor and enthusiasm4 ,they had many weary miles of travel to ,bethlehem1 over a year being consumed in the journey4 ,they reached ,bethlehem over a year after the birth of ,christ and the appearance of the ,star1 the sight of which had started them on their quest4 ,they sought not a new-born babe1 as common belief has it--they searched for a child born over a year before4 7,we refer the student to any reference work1 for a verification of this last statement4 ,the illustrations in the ,sunday school books showing the ,wise ,men worshipping a new born babe in the manger are on a par with the others mentioned4 ,the ,wise ,men had nothing to do with the stable or the manger--for ,joseph1 ,mary and the ,babe were lodged in a house by that time1 as we shall see as we proceed47 ,at last after their long and weary wandering over hill and plain1 mountain and desert1 the ,magi found themselves in ,jerusalem1 inquiring diligently as to the whereabouts of the ,master of ,masters--the ,promised ,one1 whose coming had been the subject of prophecy for centuries among the ,eastern peoples4 ,the ,jews of whom they inquired1 although not familiar with the predictions regarding a ,mystic ,master1 or avatar of ,deity1 were nevertheless thoroughly familiar with the prophecies of the coming of the ,hebrew ,messiah1 and naturally thought that it was of this expected earthly ,king of the ,jews that the ,magi inquired1 and so they reported it far and wide that these ,great ,men from the ,east had come to ,jerusalem to find the ,messiah--the ,king of the ,jews1 who was to deliver ,israel from the ,roman yoke4 ,and1 as the ,gospel of ,matthew 7#b3c7 informs us3 ,when ,herod the king heard it1 he was troubled1 and all ,jerusalem with him4 ,naturally so1 when it is remembered that it was an ,earthly ,kingdom that they expected the ,messiah would inherit4 ,and so1 gathering the chief priests and scribes of ,jerusalem around him1 he bade them tell him the particulars regarding the prophecies regarding the ,messiah--where he was expected to be born4 ,and they answered him1 saying3 ,in ,bethlehem of ,judea for so hath the prophets spoken4 ,and hearing the testimony of the scribes and priests1 the wily ,herod1 who feared the realization of this old ,hebrew prophecy which threatened to cost him his throne if fulfilled1 called the ,magi to his palace and in private consultation inquired of them the reason of their search4 ,and when they told him of the astrological indications--of the ,star--he was still more wrought up1 and wished to locate the dangerous child4 ,and so he inquired of them the exact date at which the star had appeared1 that he might be better able to find the infant1 knowing its date of birth in ,bethlehem4 7,see ,matthew #b3g47 ,and learning this he bade them go to ,bethlehem and find the child they sought1 and cunningly added1 ,and when ye have found him1 bring me word1 that ,i also may come and worship him4 ,thus craftily concealing his intentions to seize and kill the child1 he endeavored to press the ,magi into his service as detectives1 by pretending to join in their desire to locate the ,divine ,child4 ,the ,magi traveled on to ,bethlehem1 and arriving there made diligent inquiry regarding infants that had been born about the time that the star appeared4 ,there were many infants born in ,bethlehem during the same month1 of course1 and the search was difficult4 ,but they soon heard strange rumors about a babe that had been born to travelers in ,bethlehem about that time1 the birth of whom had been attended by a strange occurrence4 ,this peculiar happening is related in ,luke #b3h-bj1 in which it is stated that at the time of the birth of ,jesus in the manger1 certain shepherds keeping the night-watch over their flocks saw an angel standing by them1 and the glory of the ,lord shining around about them4 ,and the angel bade them be not afraid1 for to them was to be given tidings of great joy1 for there was born that very day1 in ,bethlehem1 one who was to be the ,anointed ,lord of the world4 ,and the angel further directed them that the babe would be found lying in a manger in a stable1 wrapped in swaddling clothes which was to be their sign4 ,and then suddenly the place was filled with a multitude of supernatural beings1 praising ,god1 singing1 ,glory to ,god in the highest1 and on earth peace and good-will among men4 ,and the shepherds flocked to the town1 and there found the child in the manger4 ,and they spread abroad the report of the wonderful event accompanying the birth of the child4 ,and consequently the child and its parents became objects of more or less public interest4 ,and so when the ,magi instituted their search they were in due time informed of this strange occurrence4 ,and they visited the house of ,joseph and ,mary and saw the ,babe4 ,making close inquiry of the parents1 they found that the time of the child's birth tallied precisely with the moment of the astrological signs4 ,then they cast the ,child's horoscope and they knew that their shepherd's vision coincided with their own science1 and that here indeed was ,he for whom the ,eastern ,occultists and ,mystics had waited for centuries4 ,they had found the ,master6 ,the ,star ,child was before them6 ,then these ,great ,men of their own lands--these ,adepts1 ,masters and ,hierophants--prostrated themselves on the ground before the child and gave him the salutation due only to the great ,occult ,master of ,masters who was come to take his seat upon the ,throne of the ,grand ,master of the ,great ,lodge4 ,but the child knew naught of this1 and merely smiled sweetly at these strange men in gorgeous foreign robes1 and reached out his little hand toward them4 ,but ,occult tradition has it that the tiny fingers and thumb of his right hand1 outstretched toward the ,magi1 unconsciously assumed the mystic symbol of the ,occult ,benediction1 used by the ,masters and ,hierophants 7and now used by the ,pope in ,papal ,benediction7 and gave to the worshippers that ,master's benediction4 ,the tiny ,master of ,masters thus gave his first blessing to his followers1 and exalted worshippers4 ,but ,his ,throne was not that of the ,great ,lodge1 but a still higher place--the knees of a ,mother6 ,and the ,magi then made mystic and symbolic offerings to the child--,gold1 ,frankincense and ,myrrh offered they ,him4 ,gold1 signifying the tribute offered to a ,ruler1 was the first symbol4 ,then came ,frankincense1 the purest and rarest incense used by the ,occult and ,mystic ,brotherhoods and ,orders1 in their ceremonies and rites1 when they were contemplating the sacred symbol of the ,absolute ,master of the ,universe--this ,frankincense was their symbol of worship4 ,then1 last symbol of all1 was the ,myrrh1 which in the occult and mystic symbolism indicated the bitterness of mortal life1 bitter though pungent1 preserving though stinging--this was the meaning of the ,myrrh1 that this child1 though ,divine in his inner nature1 was still mortal in body and brain1 and must accept and experience the bitter tang of life4 ,myrrh1 the strength of which preserves1 and prevents decay1 and yet which smarts1 and tangs1 and stings ever and ever--a worthy symbol of ,mortal ,life1 surely4 ,wise ,men1 indeed1 ye ,magi6 ,gold1 ,frankincense1 and ,myrrh--a prophecy1 symbol1 and revelation of the ,life of the ,son of ,man1 with ,his indwelling ,pure ,spirit4 ,and the ,magi1 having performed their rites and ceremonies1 departed from ,bethlehem4 ,but they did not forget the ,child--they preserved a careful watch over his movements1 until they saw him again4 ,saw ,him again8 you ask8 ,yes1 saw him again6 ,though the ,gospels say naught of this1 and are silent for a period of many years in the ,life of ,jesus1 yet the records and traditions of the ,mystics of the ,east are filled with this esoteric knowledge of these missing years1 as we shall see as we proceed4 ,left behind by the ,magi1 but still under their loving care1 the ,child waxed strong and grew in mind and body4 ,but the ,magi1 being warned by higher intelligences in a vision1 did not return to the wily and crafty ,herod1 but departed unto their own country another way4 7,matt4 #b3ab47 ,and ,herod waited in vain for their return1 and finally discovering their escape wrathfully ordered the massacre of all male children that had been born in ,bethlehem and its suburbs of two years of age and under4 ,he calculated the two years from the witnessing of the star by the ,magi4 ,matthew #b3af states the story of the fixing of the time as follows3 ,and slew all the male children that were in ,bethlehem1 and all the borders thereof1 from two years old and under1 according to the time which he exactly learned of the wise men4 ,herod sought to kill the feared ,messiah--the ,king of the ,jews1 who threatened to drive him from his earthly throne--by killing all the male infants in ,bethlehem that had been born since the astrological indication as stated by the ,magi4 ,but this plot failed1 for ,joseph had been warned by an angel in a dream 7which mystics teach was the ,astral ,form of one of the ,magi7 and was told to take the mother and child and flee into ,egypt1 and to stay there until the death of ,herod4 ,and so ,joseph1 ,mary1 and ,jesus then fled from the wrath of ,herod1 and stole silently away to ,egypt4 ,and the ,occult traditions have it that the expenses of the journey of this poor carpenter and his family--that journey into strange lands1 hurried1 and without the chance to earn money along the way--was accomplished by the means of the ,gold that the ,magi had offered to ,jesus1 and which they had insisted upon his parents storing away for ,his use4 ,and so the gold of these ,occult ,mystics saved the founder of ,christianity from massacre4 ,and how poorly has ,christianity repaid the debt1 when one thinks of the persecutions of the ,oriental heathen by the so-called ,christians of all times6 ,and note this--they carried the child to ,egypt1 the home of ,mystery and ,occultism--the land of ,isis6 ,a worthy resting place for the ,great ,occult ,master that was to be6 ,and ,occult tradition also has it that one night1 wearied with their long journey1 the family halted and passed the night in the place of the ,sphinx and ,pyramids4 ,and that the ,mother and ,babe rested between the outstretched forepaws of the mighty ,sphinx1 which held them safe and secure1 while ,joseph threw himself on the base before them1 and slept on guard4 ,what a scene--the ,master as an infant protected by the ,sphinx1 that ancient ,occult emblem and symbol1 while close by1 reared like mighty watchful sentinels1 stood the ,great ,pyramids of ,egypt1 the master work of ,egypt's ,mystics1 every line and inch of which symbolizes an ,occult ,teaching4 ,verily1 indeed is ,christianity cradled in the lap of ,mysticism4 ,thus endeth our ,first ,lesson4 ,the ,second ,lesson will take up the ,mystic ,teachings regarding the ,divine ,incarnation of the ,spirit in the mortal body of ,jesus--a subject of the greatest importance to all who are troubled with this difficult point4 ,we hope to be able to shed the ,mystic light of ,truth upon this corner which so many have found dark1 non-understandable1 and contrary to reason1 natural law and science4 ,the ,mystic ,teachings are the great ,reconciler of ,faith and ,reason4 ,,the ,,second ,,lesson4 ,,the ,,mystery ,,of ,,the ,,virgin ,,birth4 ,one of the points of conflict between ,established ,theology on the one hand and what is known as ,rationalism1 the ,higher ,criticism1 and ,comparative ,mythology1 on the other hand1 is what is known as the ,virgin ,birth of ,jesus4 ,perhaps we may show the points of difference more clearly by simply stating the opposing views and1 afterwards1 giving the traditions of the ,occult ,brotherhoods and ,societies on the subject4 ,we are enabled to state the opposing views without prejudice1 because we rest upon the ,occult ,teachings with a feeling of being above and outside of the theological strife raging between the two schools of ,christian theologians4 ,we trust that the reader will reserve his decision until the consideration of the matter in this lesson is completed4 ,we think that it will be found that the ,occult ,teachings give the ,key to the ,mystery and furnish the ,reconciliation between the opposing theological views which threaten to divide the churches into two camps1 i4e41 7#a7 the adherents of the established orthodox theology1 and 7#b7 the adherents of the views of the ,rationalists and the ,higher ,critics4 ,the school of theology which clings to the old orthodox teachings regarding the ,virgin ,birth and which teachings are commonly accepted without question by the mass of church-goers1 hold as follows3 ,mary1 a young ,jewish maiden1 or virgin1 was betrothed to ,joseph1 a carpenter of ,nazareth in ,galilee4 ,before her marriage1 she was informed by an angelic vision that she would miraculously conceive a son1 to whom she would give birth1 and who would reign on the ,throne of ,david and be called the ,son of the ,highest4 ,this teaching is based solely upon certain statements contained in the ,gospels of ,matthew and ,luke4 ,matthew's account is as follows3 ,now1 the birth of ,jesus ,christ was on this wise3 ,when as his mother ,mary was espoused to ,joseph1 before they came together1 she was found with the child of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,then ,joseph1 her husband1 being a just man1 and not willing to make her a public example was minded to put her away privily4 ,but while he thought on these things1 behold1 the angel of the ,lord appeared unto him in a dream1 saying1 ,joseph1 thou son of ,david1 fear not to take unto thee ,mary thy wife3 for that which is conceived in her is of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,and she shall bring forth a son1 and thou shalt call his name ,,jesus1 for he shall save his people from their sins4 ,and now all this was done1 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the ,lord by the prophet1 saying1 ,behold a virgin shall be with a child and shall bring forth a son1 and they shall call his name ,emmanuel1 which being interpreted is1 ,god with us4 ,then ,joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the ,lord had bidden him1 and took unto him his wife3 ,and knew her not until she had brought forth her firstborn son3 and he called his name ,jesus4 7,matt4 #a3ah-be47 ,luke's account is as follows3 ,and in the sixth month the angel ,gabriel was sent from ,god unto a city of ,galilee1 named ,nazareth1 to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was ,joseph1 of the house of ,david2 and the virgin's name was ,mary4 ,and the angel came in unto her and said1 ,hail1 thou that art highly favored1 the ,lord is with thee3 blessed art thou among women4 ,and when she saw him she was troubled at his saying1 and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be4 ,and the angel said unto her1 ,fear not1 ,mary3 for thou hast found favor with ,god4 ,and1 behold1 thou shalt conceive in thy womb1 and bring forth a son and shalt call his name ,,jesus4 ,he shall be great1 and shall be called the ,son of the ,highest2 and the ,lord ,god shall give unto him the throne of his father ,david4 ,and he shall reign over the house of ,jacob forever2 and of his kingdom there shall be no end4 ,then said ,mary unto the angel1 ,how shall this be1 seeing ,i know not a man8 ,and the angel answered and said unto her1 ,the ,holy ,ghost shall come upon thee1 and the power of the ,highest shall overshadow thee3 therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the ,son of ,god4 7,luke #a3bf-cc47 ,and so1 this then is the commonly accepted1 orthodox teachings of ,christian theology4 ,it is embodied in the two best-known creeds of the church and is made an essential article of belief by the majority of the orthodox churches4 ,in the ,apostle's ,creed1 which has been traced back to about the year ,a4,d4 #ejj1 and which is claimed to have been based on an older creed1 the doctrine is stated thusly3 444 and in ,jesus ,christ1 his only ,son1 our ,lord1 who was conceived by the ,holy ,ghost1 born of the ,virgin ,mary1 etc4 ,in the ,nicene ,creed1 which dates from ,a4,d4 #cbe1 the doctrine is stated thusly3 444 and in one ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 the only begotten ,son of ,god1 begotten of his ,father 444 and was incarnate by the ,holy ,ghost of the ,virgin ,mary1 etc4 ,and so1 the doctrine is plainly stated and firmly insisted upon by the orthodox churches of today1 although such was not always the case for the matter was one which gave rise to much conflict and difference of opinion in the early centuries of the ,church1 the present view1 however1 overcoming those who opposed it1 and finally becoming accepted as beyond doubt or question by the orthodox1 believing ,christian4 ,but the present time finds many leading minds in the churches1 who refuse to accept the doctrine as usually taught1 and the voice of the ,higher ,criticism is heard in the land in increasing volume and many doctrines unquestioningly held by the pews are being abandoned by the pulpits1 usually in the way of discreet silence being maintained4 ,but here and there courageous voices are heard stating plainly that which their reason and conscience impels4 ,we shall now consider these dissenting opinions4 ,we have to say here1 at this point1 that we have no sympathy for the so-called infidel opinion1 which holds that the whole tale of the ,virgin ,birth was invented to conceal the illegitimate birth of ,jesus4 ,such a view is based neither on intelligent investigation or criticism1 or upon the occult teachings4 ,it was merely invented itself1 by those who were unable to accept current theology and who1 when driven from the churches1 built up a crude system of reconstructed ,biblical ,history of their own4 ,and so we shall not stop to even consider this view of the matter1 but shall pass on to the scholarly objectors and their views and thence to the ,occult ,teachings4 ,in the first place1 the theologians who favor the views of the ,higher ,criticism object to the idea of the ,virgin ,birth upon several general grounds1 among which the following are the principal ones3 7#a7 ,that the story of the ,divine ,conception1 that is the conception by a woman of a child without a human father1 and by means of a miraculous act on the part of ,deity1 is one found among the traditions1 legends and beliefs of many heathen and pagan nations4 ,nearly all of the old ,oriental religions1 antedating ,christianity by many centuries1 contain stories of this kind concerning their gods1 prophets and great leaders4 ,the critics hold that the story of the ,virgin ,birth and ,divine ,conception were borrowed outright from these pagan legends and incorporated into the ,christian ,writings after the death of ,christ2 7#b7 that the idea of the ,virgin ,birth was not an original ,christian ,doctrine1 but was injected into the ,teachings at a date about one hundred years1 or nearly so1 after the beginning of the ,christian ,era2 this view being corroborated by the fact that the ,new ,testament ,writings themselves contain very little mention of the idea1 the only mention of it being in two of the ,gospels1 those of ,st4 ,matthew and ,st4 ,luke--,st4 ,mark and ,st4 ,john containing no mention of the matter1 which would not likely be the case had it been an accepted belief in the early days of ,christianity--and no mention being made of it in the ,epistles1 even ,paul being utterly silent on the question4 ,they claim that the ,virgin ,birth was unknown to the primitive ,christians and was not heard of until its borrowing from pagan beliefs many years after4 ,in support of their idea1 as above stated1 they call attention to the fact that the ,new ,testament writings1 known to ,biblical students as the oldest and earliest1 make no mention of the idea2 and that ,paul ignores it completely1 as well as the other writers2 7#c7 that the ,gospels of ,st4 ,matthew and ,st4 ,luke bear internal evidences of the introduction of the story at a later date4 ,this matter we shall now consider1 from the point of view of the ,higher ,criticism within the body of the ,church4 ,in the first place1 let us consider the ,gospel of ,st4 ,matthew4 ,the majority of people accept this as having been written by ,st4 ,matthew1 with his own hand1 during his ministry2 and that the ,gospel1 word for word1 is the work of this great apostle4 ,this idea1 however1 is not held for a moment by the educated clergy1 as may be seen by a reference to any prominent theological work of late years1 or even in the pages of a good encyclopedia4 ,the investigators have made diligent researches concerning the probable authorship of the ,new ,testament books and their reports would surprise many faithful church-goers who are not acquainted with the facts of the case4 ,there is no warrant1 outside of tradition and custom1 for the belief that ,matthew wrote the ,gospel accredited to him1 at least in its present shape4 ,without going deeply into the argument of the investigators 7which may be found in any recent work on the ,history of the ,gospels7 we would say that the generally accepted conclusion now held by the authorities is that the ,gospel commonly accredited to ,st4 ,matthew is the work of some unknown hand or hands1 which was produced during the latter part of the first century ,a4,d41 written in ,greek1 and most likely an enlargement or elaboration of certain ,aramaic writings entitled1 ,sayings of ,jesus1 which are thought to have been written by ,matthew himself4 ,in other words1 even the most conservative of the critics do not claim that the ,gospel of ,st4 ,matthew is anything more than an enlargement1 elaboration or development of ,matthew's earlier writings1 written many years before the elaboration of the present ,gospel4 ,the more radical critics take an even less respectful view4 ,this being the fact1 it may be readily seen how easy it would have been for the latter-day elaborator to introduce the then current legend of the ,virgin ,birth1 borrowed from pagan sources4 ,as a further internal evidence of such interpolation of outside matter1 the critics point to the fact that while the ,gospel of ,matthew is made to claim that ,joseph was merely the reputed father of the child of ,mary1 the same ,gospel1 in its very first chapter 7,matt4 #a7 gives the genealogy of ,jesus from ,david to ,joseph the husband of ,mary1 in order to prove that ,jesus came from the ,house of ,david1 in accordance with the ,messianic tradition4 ,the chapter begins with the words1 ,the book of the generation of ,jesus ,christ1 the son of ,david1 the son of ,abraham 7,matt4 #a71 and then goes on to name fourteen generations from ,abraham to ,david2 fourteen generations from ,david to the days of the carrying away into ,babylon2 and fourteen generations from the ,babylonian days until the birth of ,jesus4 ,the critics call attention to this recital of ,jesus's descent1 through ,joseph1 from the ,house of ,david1 which is but one of the many indications that the original ,matthew inclined quite strongly to the view that ,jesus was the ,hebrew ,messiah1 come to reign upon the throne of ,david1 rather than a ,divine ,avatar or ,incarnation4 ,the critics point to the fact that if ,joseph were not the real father of ,jesus1 where would be the sense and purpose of proving his descent from ,david through ,joseph8 ,it is pertinently asked1 ,why the necessity or purpose of the recital of ,joseph's genealogy1 as applied to ,jesus1 if indeed ,jesus were not truly the son of ,joseph8 ,the explanation of the critics is that the earlier writings of ,matthew contained nothing regarding the ,virgin ,birth1 ,matthew having heard nothing of this pagan legend1 and that naturally he gave the genealogy of ,jesus from ,david and ,abraham4 ,if one omits the verses #ah-be from ,matthew's ,gospel1 he will see the logical relation of the genealogy to the rest of the account--otherwise it is paradoxical1 contradictory and ridiculous1 and shows the joints and seams where it has been fitted into the older account4 ,but1 you may ask1 what of the ,messianic ,prophecy mentioned by ,matthew 7#a3bc78 ,surely this is a direct reference to the prophecy of ,isaiah #g3ad4 ,let us examine this so-called prophecy1 of which so much has been said and see just what reference it has to the birth of ,jesus4 ,turning back to ,isaiah #g1 we find these words1 just a little before the prophecy3 ,moreover the ,lord spake again unto ,ahaz1 saying1 ,ask thee a sign of the ,lord thy ,god2 ask it either in the depth1 or in the height above4 ,but ,ahaz said1 ,i will not ask1 neither will ,i tempt the ,lord4 ,and he said1 ,hear ye now1 ,o house of ,david2 is it a small thing for you to weary men1 but will ye weary my ,god also8 7,isaiah #f3ac47 ,then comes the prophecy3 ,therefore the ,lord himself shall give you a sign2 ,behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name ,immanuel4 ,this is the prophecy quoted by the writer of the ,gospel of ,matthew1 and which has been quoted for centuries in ,christian churches1 as a foretelling of the miraculous birth of ,jesus4 ,as a matter of fact1 intelligent theologians know that it has no reference to ,jesus at all1 in any way1 but belongs to another occurrence1 as we shall see presently1 and was injected into the ,gospel narrative merely to support the views of the writer thereof4 ,it may be well to add here that many of the best authorities hold that the ,greek translation of the ,hebrew word almah into the equivalent of virgin in the usual sense of the word is incorrect4 ,the ,hebrew word almah used in the original ,hebrew text of ,isaiah1 does not mean virgin as the term is usually employed1 but rather a young woman of marriageable age--a maiden1 the ,hebrews having an entirely different word for the idea of virginity1 as the term is generally used4 ,the word almah is used in other parts of the ,old ,testament to indicate a young woman--a maiden1 notably in ,proverbs #cj3ai1 in the reference to the way of a man with a maid4 ,but we need not enter into discussions of this kind1 say the ,higher ,critics1 for the so-called prophecy refers to an entirely different matter4 ,it appears1 say they1 that ,ahaz1 a weakling king of ,judea1 was in sore distress because ,rezin the ,syrian king1 and ,pekah the ruler of ,northern ,israel1 had formed an offensive alliance against him and were moving their combined forces toward ,jerusalem4 ,in his fear he sought an alliance with ,assyria1 which alliance was disapproved of by ,isaiah who remonstrated with ,ahaz about the proposed move4 ,the king was too much unnerved by fear to listen to ,isaiah's arguments and so the latter dropped into prophecy4 ,he prophesied1 after the manner of the ,oriental seer1 that the land would be laid waste and misery entailed upon ,israel1 should the suicidal policy be adopted4 ,but he held out a hope for a brighter future after the clouds of adversity had rolled by4 ,a new and wise prince would arise who would bring ,israel to her former glory4 ,that prince would be born of a young mother and his name would be ,immanuel1 which means ,god with us4 ,all this had reference to things of a reasonably near future and had no reference to the birth of ,jesus some seven hundred years after1 who was not a prince sitting upon the throne of ,israel1 and who did not bring national glory and renown to ,israel1 for such was not his mission4 ,hebrew scholars and churchmen have often claimed that ,isaiah's prophecy was fulfilled by the birth of ,hezekiah4 ,there is no evidence whatever in the ,jewish history of the seven hundred years between ,isaiah and ,jesus1 that the ,hebrews regarded ,isaiah's prophecy as relating to the expected ,messiah1 but on the contrary it was thought to relate to a minor event in their history4 ,as a ,jewish writer has truly said1 ,throughout the wide extent of ,jewish literature there is not a single passage which can bear the construction that the ,messiah should be miraculously conceived4 ,other writers along this line have stated the same thing1 showing that the idea of a ,virgin ,birth was foreign to the ,jewish mind1 the ,hebrews having always respected and highly honored married life and human parentage1 regarding their children as blessings and gifts from ,god4 ,another writer in the ,church has said1 ,such a fable as the birth of the ,messiah from a virgin could have arisen anywhere else easier than among the ,jews2 their doctrine of the divine unity placed an impassable gulf between ,god and the world2 their high regard for the marriage relation1 etc41 would have rendered the idea obnoxious4 ,other authorities agree with this idea1 and insist that the idea of the ,virgin ,birth never originated in ,hebrew prophecy1 but was injected into the ,christian ,doctrine from pagan sources1 toward the end of the first century1 and received credence owing to the influx of converts from the heathen peoples who found in the idea a correspondence with their former beliefs4 ,as ,rev4 ,r4,j4 ,campbell1 minister of the ,city ,temple1 ,london1 says in his ,new ,theology1 ,no ,new ,testament passage whatever is directly or indirectly a prophecy of the virgin birth of ,jesus4 ,to insist upon this may seem to many like beating a man of straw1 but if so1 the man of straw still retains a good deal of vitality4 ,let us now turn to the second account of the ,virgin ,birth1 in the ,gospels--the only other place that it is mentioned1 outside of the story in ,matthew1 above considered4 ,we find this second mention in ,luke #a3bf-ce1 the verses having been quoted in the first part of this lesson4 ,there has been much dispute regarding the real authorship of the ,gospel commonly accredited to ,luke1 but it is generally agreed upon by ,biblical scholars that it was the latest of the first three ,gospels 7generally known as the ,synoptic ,gospels74 ,it is also generally agreed upon1 by such scholars1 that the author1 whoever he may have been1 was not an eye witness of the events in the ,life of ,christ4 ,some of the best authorities hold that he was a ,gentile 7non-,hebrew71 probably a ,greek1 for his ,greek literary style is far above the average1 his vocabulary being very rich and his diction admirable4 ,it is also generally believed that the same hand wrote the ,book of ,acts4 ,tradition holds that the author was one ,luke1 a ,christian convert after the death of ,jesus1 who was one of ,paul's missionary band which traveled from ,troas to ,macedonia1 and who shared ,paul's imprisonment in ,caesarea2 and who shared ,paul's shipwreck experiences on the voyage to ,rome4 ,he is thought to have written his ,gospel long after the death of ,paul1 for the benefit and instruction of one ,theophilus1 a man of rank residing in ,antioch4 ,it is held by writers of the ,higher ,criticism that the account of the ,virgin ,birth was either injected in ,luke's narrative1 by some later writer1 or else that ,luke in his old age adopted this view which was beginning to gain credence among the converted ,christians of pagan origin1 ,luke himself being of this class4 ,it is pointed out that as ,paul1 who was ,luke's close friend and teacher1 made no mention of the ,virgin ,birth1 and taught nothing of the kind1 ,luke must have acquired the legend later1 if1 indeed1 the narrative was written by him at all in his ,gospel4 ,it is likewise noted that ,luke also gives a genealogy of ,jesus1 from ,adam1 through ,abraham1 and ,david1 and ,joseph4 ,the words in parenthesis as was supposed1 in ,luke #c3bc1 are supposed to have been inserted in the text by a later writer1 as there would be no sense or reason in tracing the genealogy of ,jesus through a supposed father4 ,the verse in question reads thusly3 ,and ,jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age1 being 7as was supposed7 the son of ,joseph1 which was the son of ,heli1 etc4 ,students1 of course1 notice that the line of descent given by ,luke differs very materially from that given by ,matthew1 showing a lack of knowledge on the part of one or the other writer4 ,on the whole1 scholars consider it most remarkable that this account of the ,virgin ,birth should be given by ,luke1 who was a most ardent ,pauline student and follower1 in view of the fact that ,paul ignored the whole legend1 if1 indeed1 he had ever heard of it4 ,surely a man like ,paul would have laid great stress upon this wonderful event had he believed in it1 or had it formed a part of the ,christian ,doctrine of his time4 ,that ,luke should have written this account is a great mystery--and many feel that it is much easier to accept the theory of the later interpolation of the story into ,luke's ,gospel1 particularly in view of the corroborative indications4 ,summing up the views of the ,higher ,criticism1 we may say that the general position taken by the opponents and deniers of the ,virgin ,birth of ,jesus is about as follows3 #a4 ,the story of the ,virgin ,birth is found only in the introductory portion of two of the four ,gospels--,matthew and ,luke--and even in these the story bears the appearance of having been fitted in by later writers4 #b4 ,even ,matthew and ,luke are silent about the matter after the statements in the introductory part of their ,gospels1 which could scarcely occur had the story been written by and believed in by the writers1 such action on their part being contrary to human custom and probability4 #c4 ,the ,gospels of ,mark and ,john are absolutely silent on the subject2 the oldest of the ,gospels--that of ,mark--bears no trace of the legend2 and the latest ,gospel--that of ,john--being equally free from its mention4 #d4 ,the rest of the ,new ,testament breathes not a word of the story or doctrine4 ,the ,book of ,acts1 generally accepted as having also been written by ,luke1 ignores the subject completely4 ,paul1 the teacher of ,luke1 and the great writer of the ,early ,church1 seems to know nothing whatever about the ,virgin ,birth1 or else purposely ignores it entirely1 the latter being unbelievable in such a man4 ,peter1 the ,first ,apostle1 makes no mention of the story or doctrine in his great ,epistles1 which fact is inconceivable if he knew of and believed in the legend4 ,the ,book of ,revelation is likewise silent upon this doctrine which played so important a part in the later history of the ,church4 ,the great writings of the ,new ,testament contain no mention of the story1 outside of the brief mention in ,matthew and ,luke1 alluded to above4 #e4 ,there are many verses in the ,gospels and ,epistles which go to prove1 either that the story was unknown to the writers1 or else not accepted by them4 ,the genealogies of ,joseph are cited to prove the descent of ,jesus from ,david1 which depends entirely upon the fact of ,joseph's actual parentage4 ,jesus is repeatedly and freely mentioned as the son of ,joseph4 ,paul and the other ,apostles hold firmly to the doctrine of the necessity of the ,death of ,jesus2 his ,rising from the ,dead2 and his ,ascension into ,heaven1 etc4 ,but they had nothing to say regarding any necessity for his ,virgin ,birth1 or the necessity for the acceptance of any such doctrine--they are absolutely silent on this point1 although they were careful men1 omitting no important detail of doctrine4 ,paul even speaks of ,jesus as of the seed of ,david4 7,rom4 #a3c47 #f4 ,the ,virgin ,birth was not a part of the early traditions or doctrine of the ,church1 but was unknown to it4 ,and it is not referred to in the preaching and teaching of the ,apostles1 as may have been seen by reference to the ,book of ,acts4 ,this book1 which relates the ,acts and ,teachings of the ,apostles1 could not have inadvertently omitted such an important doctrine or point of teaching4 ,it is urged by careful and conscientious ,christian scholars that the multitudes converted to ,christianity in the early days must have been ignorant of1 or uninformed on1 this miraculous event1 which would seem inexcusable on the part of the ,apostles had they known of it and believed in its truth4 ,this condition of affairs must have lasted until nearly the second century1 when the pagan beliefs began to filter in by reason of the great influx of pagan converts4 #g4 ,there is every reason for believing that the legend arose from other pagan legends1 the religions of other peoples being filled with accounts of miraculous births of heroes1 gods1 and prophets1 kings and sages4 #h4 ,that acceptance of the legend is not1 nor should it be1 a proof of belief in ,christ and ,christianity4 ,this view is well voiced by ,rev4 ,dr4 ,campbell1 in his ,new ,theology1 when he says ,the credibility and significance of ,christianity are in no way affected by the doctrine of the ,virgin ,birth1 otherwise than that the belief tends to put a barrier between ,jesus and the race1 and to make him something that cannot properly be called human4444 ,like many others1 ,i used to take the position that acceptance or non-acceptance of the doctrine of the ,virgin ,birth was immaterial because ,christianity was quite independent of it2 but later reflection has convinced me that in point of fact it operates as a hindrance to spiritual religion and a real living faith in ,jesus4 ,the simple and natural conclusion is that ,jesus was the child of ,joseph and ,mary1 and had an uneventful childhood4 ,the ,german theologian1 ,soltau1 says1 ,whoever makes the further demand that an evangelical ,christian shall believe in the words 'conceived by the ,holy ,ghost1 born of the ,virgin ,mary1' wittingly constitutes himself a sharer in a sin against the ,holy ,spirit and the true ,gospel as transmitted to us by the ,apostles and their school in the ,apostolic ,age4 ,and this then is the summing up of the contention between the conservative school of ,christian theologians on the one side and the liberal and radical schools on the other side4 ,we have given you a statement of the positions1 merely that you may understand the problem4 ,but1 before we pass to the consideration of the ,occult ,teachings1 let us ask one question3 ,how do the ,higher ,critics account for the undoubted doctrine of the ,divine ,fatherhood1 as clearly stated all through the ,new ,testament1 in view of the proofs against the ,virgin ,birth8 ,why the frequent and repeated mention of ,jesus as the ,son of ,god8 ,what was the ,secret ,doctrine underlying the ,divine ,parentage of ,jesus1 which the pagan legends corrupted into the story of the ,virgin ,birth of theology8 ,we fear that the answer is not to be found in the books and preachments of the ,higher ,criticism1 nor yet in those of the ,conservative ,theologians4 ,let us now see what light the ,occult ,teachings can throw on this dark subject6 ,there is an ,inner ,doctrine which explains the mystery4 ,now1 in the first place1 there is no reference in the ,occult ,teaching to any miraculous features connected with the physical birth of ,jesus4 ,it is not expressly denied1 it is true1 but the ,teachings contain no reference to the matter1 and all the references to the subject of ,jesus' parentage speak of ,joseph as being ,his father1 and ,mary ,his mother4 ,in other words1 the family is treated as being composed of father1 mother and child just as is the case with any family4 ,the ,occult ,teachings go into great detail concerning the ,spiritual ,sonship of ,jesus1 as we shall see presently1 but there is no mention of any miraculous physical conception and birth4 ,we can readily understand why the ,virgin ,birth legend would not appeal to the ,occultists1 if we will but consider the doctrines of the latter4 ,the ,occultists pay but little attention to the physical body1 except as a ,temple of the ,spirit1 and a habitation of the soul4 ,the physical body1 to the ,occultist1 is a mere material shell1 constantly changing its constituent cells1 serving to house the soul of the individual1 and which when cast off and discarded is no more than any other bit of disintegrating material4 ,they know of the existence of the soul separate from the body1 both after the death of the latter and even during its life1 in the case of ,astral ,travel1 etc4 ,and in many other ways it becomes natural for the ,occultist to regard his body1 and the bodies of others1 as mere shells1 to be treated well1 used properly1 and then willingly discarded or exchanged for another4 ,in view of the above facts1 you may readily see that any theory or doctrine which made the ,absolute--,god--overshadow a human woman's body and cause her to physically conceive a child1 would appear crude1 barbarous1 unnecessary and in defiance of the natural laws established by the ,cause of ,causes4 ,the ,occultist sees in the conception of every child1 the work of the ,divine ,will--every conception and birth a miracle4 ,but he sees ,natural ,law underlying each1 and he believes that the ,divine ,will always operates under ,natural ,laws--the seeming miracles and exceptions thereto1 resulting from the mastery and operation of some law not generally known4 ,but the ,occultist knows of no law that will operate to produce conception by other than the physiological process4 ,in short1 the ,occultist does not regard the physical body of ,jesus as ,jesus ,himself--he knows that the ,real ,jesus is something much greater than ,his body1 and1 consequently1 he sees no more necessity for a miraculous conception of ,his body than he would for a miraculous creation of ,his robe4 ,the body of ,jesus was only material substance--the ,real ,jesus was ,spirit4 ,the ,occultists do not regard ,joseph as the father of the ,real ,jesus--no human being can produce or create a soul4 ,and so1 the ,occultist sees no reason for accepting the old pagan doctrine of the physical ,virgin ,birth which has crept into ,christianity from outside sources4 ,to the ,occultist1 there is a real ,virgin ,birth of an entirely different nature1 as we shall see presently4 ,but1 not so with the people who flocked to the ranks of ,christianity toward the close of the first century--coming from pagan people1 and bringing with them their pagan legends and doctrines4 ,these people believed that the ,body was the ,real ,man1 and consequently attached the greatest importance to it4 ,these people were almost materialists as the result of their pagan views of life4 ,they began to exert an influence on the small body of original ,christians1 and soon the original teachings were smothered by the weight of the pagan doctrines4 ,for instance1 they failed to grasp the beautiful ideas of ,immortality held by the original ,christians1 which held that the soul survived the death and disintegration of the body4 ,they could not grasp this transcendental truth--they did not know what was meant by the term the soul1 and so they substituted their pagan doctrine of the resurrection of the physical body4 ,they believed that at some future time there would come a great ,day1 in which the ,dead would arise from their graves1 and become again alive4 ,the crudeness of this idea1 when compared to the beautiful doctrine of the ,immortality of the ,soul of the original ,christians1 and by the advanced ,christians to-day1 is quite painful4 ,and yet these pagan converts actually smothered out the true teachings by their crude doctrine of resurrection of the body4 ,these people could not understand how a man could live without his physical body1 and to them future life meant a resurrection of their dead bodies which would again become alive4 ,to them the dead bodies would remain dead1 until the ,great ,day1 when they would be made alive again4 ,there is no teaching among these people regarding the soul which passes out of the body and lives again on higher planes4 ,no1 nothing of this kind was known to these people--they were incapable of such high ideas and ideals--they were materialists and were wedded to their beloved animal bodies1 and believed that their dead bodies would in some miraculous way be made alive again at some time in the future1 when they would again live on earth4 ,in view of modern knowledge regarding the nature of matter1 and the fact that what is one person's body to-day1 may be a part of another's to-morrow--that matter is constantly being converted and reconverted--that the universal material is used to form bodies of animals1 plants1 men1 or else dwell in chemical gases1 or combinations in inorganic things--in view of these accepted truths the resurrection of the body seems a pitiful invention of the minds of a primitive and ignorant people1 and not a high spiritual teaching4 ,in fact1 there may be many of you who would doubt that the ,christians of that day so taught1 were it not for the undisputed historical records1 and the remnant of the doctrine itself embalmed in the ,apostle's ,creed1 in the passage ,i believe in the resurrection of the body which is read in the ,churches daily1 but which doctrine is scarcely ever taught in these days1 and is believed in by but few ,christians--in fact1 is ignored or even denied by the majority4 ,dr4 ,james ,beattie has written1 ,though mankind have at all times had a persuasion of the immortality of the soul1 the resurrection of the body was a doctrine peculiar to early ,christianity4 ,s4,t4 ,coleridge has written1 ,some of the most influential of the early ,christian writers were materialists1 holding the soul to be material--corporeal4 ,it appears that in those days some few held the soul to be incorporeal1 according to the views of ,plato and others1 but that the orthodox ,christian divines looked upon this as an impious1 unscriptural opinion4 ,justin ,martyr argued against the ,platonic nature of the soul4 ,and even some latter-day writers have not hesitated to express their views on the subject1 agreeing with the earlier orthodox brethren4 ,for instance1 ,dr4 ,r4,s4 ,candlish has said1 ,you live again in the body1--in the very body1 as to all essential properties1 and to all practical intents and purposes1 in which you live now4 ,i am not to live as a ghost1 a spectre1 a spirit1 ,i am to live then as ,i live now1 in the body4 ,the reason that the early ,church laid so much stress on this doctrine of the ,resurrection of the ,body1 was because an inner sect1 the ,gnostics1 held to the contrary1 and the partisan spirit of the majority swung them to the other extreme1 until they utterly denied any other idea1 and insisted upon the resurrection and re-vitalizing of the physical body4 ,but1 in spite of the official fostering of this crude theory1 it gradually sank into actual insignificance1 although its shadow still persists in creed and word4 ,its spirit has retreated and passed away before the advancing idea of the ,immortality of the ,soul which returned again and again to ,christianity until it won the victory4 ,and as ,prof4 ,nathaniel ,schmidt has said1 in his article on the subject in a leading encyclopaedia1 444 ,the doctrine of the natural immortality of the human soul became so important a part of ,christian thought that the resurrection naturally lost its vital significance1 and it has practically held no place in the great systems of philosophy elaborated by the ,christian thinkers in modern times4 ,and1 yet1 the ,church continues to repeat the now meaningless words1 ,i believe in the ,resurrection of the ,body4 ,and while practically no one now believes it1 still the recital of the words1 and the statement of one's belief in them1 forms a necessary requisite for admission into the ,christian ,church to-day4 ,such is the persistent hold of dead forms1 and thoughts1 upon living people4 ,and1 so you can readily see from what has been said1 why the early ,christians1 about the close of the first century ,a4,d41 attached so much importance to the physical conception and birth of ,jesus4 ,to them the physical body of ,jesus was ,jesus ,himself4 ,the rest follows naturally1 including the ,virgin ,birth and the ,physical ,resurrection4 ,we trust that you now understand this part of the subject4 ,we have heard devout ,christians shocked at the idea that ,jesus was born of a human father and mother1 in the natural way of the race4 ,they seemed to think that it savored of impurity4 ,such a notion is the result of a perverted idea of the sacredness of natural functions--a seeing of impurity--where all is pure4 ,what a perversion1 this regarding the sacredness of human ,fatherhood1 and ,motherhood1 as impure6 ,the man of true spirituality sees in the ,divine ,trinity of ,father1 ,mother and ,child1 something most pure and sacred--something that brings man very close indeed to ,god4 ,is the beautiful babe1 held close in its mother's fond embrace1 a symbol and type of impurity8 ,is the watchful care and love of the ,father of the babe1 an impure result of an impure cause8 ,does not one's own heart tell him the contrary8 ,look at the well known picture of the ,journey to ,egypt1 with ,mary carrying the babe1 and both guarded and protected by the husband and father--,joseph--is this not a beautiful symbol of the sacredness of ,parenthood8 ,we trust that the majority of those who read these pages have advanced spiritually beyond the point where ,the ,family is a thing of impure suggestion and relationship4 ,and1 now1 what are the ,occult ,teachings--the ,secret ,doctrine--regarding the ,real ,virgin ,birth of ,jesus8 ,just this3 that the ,spirit of ,jesus was fresh from the bosom of the ,absolute--,spirit of ,,spirit--a ,virgin ,birth of ,spirit4 ,his ,spirit had not traveled the weary upward path of ,reincarnation and repeated ,rebirth1 but was ,virgin ,spirit fresh from the ,,spirit--a very ,son of the ,father--begotten not created4 ,this ,virgin ,spirit was incarnated in ,his body1 and there began the life of ,man1 not fully aware of ,his own nature1 but gradually awakening into knowledge just as does every human soul1 until at last the true nature of ,his ,being burst upon him1 and he saw that he indeed was ,god incarnate4 ,in his short life of thirty-three years--thirty years of preparation1 and three years of ministry1 ,jesus typified and symbolized the ,life of the ,race4 ,just as he awakened into a perception of his ,divine ,nature1 so shall the race awaken in time4 ,every act in the ,life of ,jesus typified and symbolized the life of every individual soul1 and of the race4 ,we all have our ,garden of ,gethsemane--each is ,crucified1 and ,ascends to ,higher ,planes4 ,this is the ,occult ,doctrine of the ,virgin ,birth of ,christ4 ,is it not a worthy one--is it not at least a higher conception of the human mind1 than the physical ,virgin ,birth legend8 ,as we proceed with our lessons1 we shall bring out the details of the ,occult ,teachings concerning the ,divine ,nature of ,christ--the ,spirit within the ,human ,form4 ,and1 in these references and instruction1 you will see even more clearly that nature of the ,spiritual ,virgin ,birth of ,jesus4 ,the original ,christians were instructed in the ,truth concerning the ,virgin ,birth1 that is1 those who were sufficiently intelligent to grasp it4 ,but after the great ,teachers passed away1 and their successors became overzealous in their desire to convert the outside peoples1 the influx of the latter gradually overcame the original teachings1 and the physical ,virgin ,birth and the ,resurrection of the ,body1 became ,doctrines and ,articles of ,faith1 held of vital importance by the new orthodox leaders4 ,it has taken centuries of mental struggle1 and spiritual unfoldment to bring the ,light of the ,truth to bear upon this dark corner of the ,faith1 but the work is now fairly under way1 and the great minds in the ,church1 as well as those out of the ,church1 are beginning to lay the old legend aside as a worn out relic of primitive days when the cloud of ,ignorance overshadowed the ,light of ,truth4 ,in concluding this lesson1 let us glance once more at the words of the eminent divine1 ,dr4 ,campbell1 in his ,new ,theology1 in which he states3 ,but why hesitate about the question8 ,the greatness of ,jesus and the value of his revelation to mankind are in no way either assisted or diminished by the manner of his entry into the world4 ,every birth is just as wonderful as a virgin birth could possibly be1 and just as much a direct act of ,god4 ,a supernatural conception bears no relation whatever to the moral and spiritual worth of the person who is supposed to enter the world in this abnormal way4444 ,those who insist on the doctrine will find themselves in danger of proving too much1 for pressed to its logical conclusion1 it removes ,jesus altogether from the category of humanity in any real sense4 ,let us trust that these ,higher ,critics may become informed upon the truths of the ,occult ,teachings1 which supply the ,missing ,key1 and afford the ,reconciliation1 and which show how and why ,jesus is1 in all and very truth1 ,,the ,,son ,,of ,,god1 begotten and not created1 of one substance from the ,father--a particle of ,purest ,spirit fresh from the ,ocean of ,spirit1 and free from the ,karma of past ,incarnations--how ,he was human and yet more than human4 ,in our next lesson we shall take up the narrative of the secret life of ,jesus from the time of his appearance1 as a child at the ,temple1 among the ,elders1 until when at the age of thirty years he appeared at the scene of the ministry of ,john the ,baptist1 and began his own brief ministry of three years which was closed by the ,crucifixion and ,ascension4 ,this is a phase of the subject of intense interest1 and startling nature1 because of the lack of knowledge of the occult traditions on the part of the general public4 ,,the ,,third ,,lesson4 ,,the ,,mystic ,,youth ,,of ,,jesus4 ,in our last lesson we promised to tell you the esoteric story of the youth of ,jesus4 ,and there is such a story to tell1 although the churches know little or nothing about it4 ,the churches have nothing but the husks that have always been the property of the masses4 ,the real kernels of truth have been possessed by but the few elect ones4 ,the legends of the mystic brotherhoods and occult orders have preserved the story intact1 and you shall now be given the essence of the mystic legends and traditions4 ,at the end of our first lesson we left ,joseph1 ,mary and the infant ,jesus in ,egypt1 the land to which they had flown to escape the wrath of the tyrant ,herod4 ,they dwelt in ,egypt for a few years1 until the death of ,herod4 ,then ,joseph retraced his steps1 and returned toward his own country1 bringing with him his wife and the babe4 ,for some reasons unknown to those familiar with the legends and traditions1 ,joseph decided not to locate in ,judea1 but instead1 bent his way toward the coast and returned to ,nazareth where ,mary and he had originally met and become betrothed4 ,and1 so1 in ,nazareth1 the humble little mountain town the boyhood days of ,jesus were spent1 the grinding poverty of the family being relieved 7according to the occult legends7 by the yearly presents of gold from the hands of disguised messengers of the ,magi4 ,the traditions relate that ,jesus began ,his study of the ,hebrew ,law when ,he was but five years of age4 ,it is related that ,he displayed an unusual ability and talent in the direction of mastering not only the text1 but also the spirit of the ,hebrew ,scripture1 and far outstripped ,his fellow students4 ,it is also related that ,he displayed an early impatience at the dreary formalism of ,his ,hebrew teachers1 and a disposition to go right to the heart of the text before ,him1 that ,he might discern the spirit animating it4 ,so much was this the case that ,he frequently brought down upon ,his head the censure of ,his instructors who overlooked the spirit of the teachings in their devotion to the forms and words4 ,nazareth was an old-fashioned place and it and its inhabitants were made the target for the jests and witticisms of the people of ,judea4 ,the word ,nazarene was synonymous with lout2 boor2 peasant2 etc41 to the residents of the more fashionable regions4 ,the very remoteness of the town served to separate it in spirit from the rest of the country4 ,but this very remoteness played an important part in the early life of ,jesus4 ,nazareth1 by reason of its peculiar location1 was on the line of several caravan routes4 ,travelers from many lands traveled through the town1 and rested there overnight1 or sometimes for several days4 ,travelers from ,samaria1 ,jerusalem1 ,damascus1 ,greece1 ,rome1 ,arabia1 ,syria1 ,persia1 ,phoenicia1 and other lands mingled with the ,nazarenes4 ,and the traditions relate that ,jesus1 the child1 would steal away and talk with such of these travelers as were versed in occult and mystic lore1 and would imbibe from their varied founts of learning1 until ,he was as thoroughly informed on these subjects as many a mystic of middle age4 ,the traditions have it that the boy would often delight and astonish these traveling occultists with ,his wonderful insight into their secret doctrines and knowledge4 ,and it is also told that some of the wisest of these1 seeing the nature of the child1 would overstay their allotted time of sojourn1 that they might add here and there to the various parts of general occult lore possessed by the child4 ,it is also taught that the ,magi informed some of these travelers regarding the boy1 that they might impart to him some truth or teaching for which ,he was ready4 ,and so the boy grew in knowledge and wisdom1 day by day1 year by year1 until1 finally1 there occurred an event in ,his life1 which has since been the subject of greatest interest to all ,christians and students of the ,new ,testament1 but which without the above explanation is not readily understood4 ,the ,feast of the ,passover occurred in its allotted time of the year--,april--when ,jesus was in his thirteenth year4 ,this feast was one of the most important in the ,jewish calendar1 and its observance was held as a most sacred duty by all ,hebrews4 ,it was the feast set down for the remembrance and perpetuation of that most important event in the history of the ,jewish people when the ,angel of ,death swept over all of ,egypt's land smiting the first-born child of every house of the natives1 high and low1 but sparing all the houses of the captive ,hebrews who marked their door-sills with the sacrificial blood as a token of their faith4 ,this is no place to give the explanation of this apparently miraculous event1 which students now know to be due to natural causes4 ,we merely mention it in passing4 ,the ,law-givers of ,israel had appointed the ,feast of the ,passover as a perpetual symbol of this event so important by the nation1 and every self-respecting ,jew felt obligated to take part in the observance and sacrament4 ,every pious ,jew made it a point to perform a pilgrimage to ,jerusalem at the time of the ,feast of the ,passover1 if he could in any way manage to do so4 ,at the time of the ,passover celebration of which we are speaking1 ,jesus had just entered into ,his thirteenth year1 which age entitled ,him1 under the ecclesiastical law1 to the privilege of sitting with the adult men of ,his race at the ,passover supper1 and also to publicly join with the male congregation in the thanksgiving service in the synagogues4 ,and so1 on this year1 ,he accompanied ,his father and mother to ,jerusalem and made ,his second visit to the ,holy ,city4 ,it will be remembered that ,his first visit there was made when as an infant ,he was carried thither from ,bethlehem in ,his mother's arms in accordance with the ,jewish law1 and at which time an aged priest and an old prophetess had publicly acknowledged the divine nature of the child4 ,the father1 mother and child--the divine trinity of ,human relationship--traveled slowly over the highway that led from ,nazareth to ,jerusalem4 ,the father and mother were concerned with the details of the journey1 mingled with pious thoughts concerning the sacred feast in which they were to take part4 ,but the boy's mind was far away from the things that were occupying his parent's thoughts4 ,he was thinking over the deep mystic truths which ,he had so readily absorbed during the past few years1 and ,he was looking forward in delightful anticipation to ,his expected meeting with the older mystics in the temples and public places of ,jerusalem4 ,it must be remembered that underlying the ,jewish ecclesiastical teachings and formalism1 which were all that the mass of the people knew1 there was a great store of ,jewish occultism and ,mysticism known to the few elect4 ,the ,kaballah or ,jewish occult writings were closely studied by the learned ,jews1 and this work with other similar teachings were transmitted verbally from teacher to student1 and constituted the ,secret ,doctrine of the ,hebrew religion4 ,and it was toward the learned teachers of this ,secret ,doctrine that ,jesus directed ,his mind and steps1 although ,his parents knew it not4 ,four or five days were consumed in the journey1 and at last the ,holy ,city--,jerusalem--came into full view1 the wonderful ,temple of ,israel showing plainly above the other buildings4 ,the bands of pilgrims1 of which the family of ,joseph formed a part1 formed into orderly array and led by flute-players they solemnly marched into the streets of the ,holy ,city1 singing and chanting the ,sacred ,songs used by the faithful upon this solemn occasion4 ,and the boy walked with the rest1 with bowed head1 and eyes that seemed to see things far removed from the scene around them4 ,the ,passover rites were carried out--the duties were performed--the ceremonies were observed4 ,the ,passover ,feast extended over a full week1 of which the first two days were the most important1 and during which two days the obligatory ceremonies were performed4 ,each family made the offering of the sacrificial lamb--each family baked and ate the unleavened bread4 ,the beautiful idea of the ,passover had degenerated into a horrible feast of blood1 for it is related that upon these occasions over a quarter-million of poor innocent lambs were slaughtered and offered up as a sacrifice pleasing to ,jehovah1 who was supposed to delight in this flood of the blood of innocents4 ,in pursuance of this barbarous idea1 the altars and courts of the ,temple of the ,living ,god ran red with the life-blood of these poor creatures1 and the hands and garments of the anointed priests of ,jehovah were stained like those of butchers1 that the vanity of a barbarous conception of ,deity might be fed4 ,all this for the ,glory of ,god6 ,think of it6 ,and think of the feeling that must have been aroused in the mystic mind of ,jesus at this horrible sight4 ,how ,his soul must have been outraged at this prostitution of the sacred rite6 ,and what would have been ,his thoughts had ,he known that centuries after1 a great religion would stand1 bearing ,his name1 the followers of which would be carried away with this same false idea of sacrificial blood1 which would be voiced in hymns about ,a fountain filled with blood1 flowing from ,immanuel's veins1 and about sinners plunged beneath that bloody flood losing all their guilty stains8 ,alas1 for the prostitution of sacred truths and teachings4 ,no wonder that a people so saturated with the abominable ideas of a ,deity delighting in this flow of blood should have afterward put to death the greatest man of their race--a ,being who came to bring them the highest mystic and occult truths4 ,and their prototypes have survived through the centuries1 even unto today1 insisting upon this idea of blood sacrifice and death atonement1 unworthy of any people except the worshipers of some heathen devil-god in the remote sections of darkest ,africa4 ,disgusted and outraged by this barbarous sight1 ,jesus1 the boy1 stole away from the side of ,his parents1 and sought the remote chambers and corridors of the ,temple where were to be found the great teachers of the ,law and of the ,kaballah1 surrounded by their students4 ,here the boy sat and listened to the teachings and disputations of the teachers and exponents of the doctrines4 ,from one group to another ,he wandered1 and listened1 and pondered1 and thought4 ,he compared the teachings1 and submitted the various ideas to the touchstone of the truth as ,he found it within ,his own mind4 ,the hours rapidly passed by unnoticed by the boy1 who found ,himself amidst such congenial environments for the first time4 ,the talks with the travelers of the caravans paled into insignificance when compared with these of the great occult teachers of ,israel4 ,for be it remembered that it was the custom of the great teachers of that day to so instruct those who were attracted to their company4 ,and ,jerusalem being the centre of the culture and learning of ,israel1 the great teachers dwelt there4 ,and so it will be seen that ,jesus now found ,himself at the very fountain-head of the ,hebrew ,secret ,doctrines1 and in the actual presence of the great teachers4 ,on the third day1 there began a breaking-up of the vast gathering of the two million of people who had made the pilgrimage to the ,holy ,city4 ,those poorer in purse were the first to leave1 after the obligatory rites of the first two days had been performed4 ,and ,joseph and ,mary were among those preparing to retrace their steps to their distant homes4 ,their friends and neighbors gathered together1 and the preparations for the return were completed4 ,but at the last moment1 the parents discovered that the boy1 ,jesus1 was missing4 ,they were alarmed1 but friends told them that their boy had been seen in the company of kinsmen and neighbors traveling along the same road1 who had preceded them but a few hours4 ,somewhat reassured1 the parents left with their company1 hoping that they would overtake the boy before nightfall4 ,but when they reached the first station on the caravan route--a village called ,beroth--and the night descended upon them1 and the boy failed to appear among the neighbors and kinsmen1 the parents were sorely distressed4 ,they slept but little that night1 and when the first rays of dawn appeared1 they parted from the company1 and retraced their way back to ,jerusalem1 in search of the boy apparently lost in the great capital amid the hundreds of thousands of pilgrims4 ,every mother and father will enter into the feelings of ,joseph and ,mary in their frantic return to the city1 and in their subsequent search for the lost child4 ,they inquired here and there for the boy1 but not a trace of him was found4 ,and night came without a ray of hope4 ,and the next day was likewise barren of results4 ,and the next day after4 ,for three days the devoted parents searched high and low for their beloved child--but no word of encouragement came to them4 ,the boy had seemingly dropped out of sight in the vast crowds and winding streets4 ,the parents reproached themselves for their lack of care and caution4 ,none but a parent can imagine their anguish and terror4 ,they visited the many courts of the ,temple many times1 but no sight or word of the boy rewarded their search4 ,the bloody altars1 the showy costumes of the priests2 the chants2 the readings2 seemed like mockery to them4 ,they wished themselves back in their humble village1 with their boy by their side4 ,they prayed and besought ,jehovah to grant their hopes and desire1 but no answer came4 ,then1 on the last day1 a strange event occurred4 ,the weary and heart broken parents wandered once more into the ,temple--this time visiting one of the less frequented courts4 ,they saw a crowd gathered--something of importance was occurring4 ,almost instinctively they drew near to the crowd4 ,and then amidst the unusual silence of the people they heard a boyish voice raised to a pitch adapted to a large circle of hearers1 and speaking in the tones of authority4 ,it was the voice of the boy1 ,jesus6 ,with eager feet the couple pushed forward1 unto the very inner row of the circle4 ,and there1 wonder of wonders1 they saw their child in the centre of the most celebrated teachers and doctors of the ,law in all ,israel4 ,with a rapt expression in his eyes1 as if ,he were gazing upon things not of this world1 the boy ,jesus was standing in a position and attitude of authority1 and around him were grouped the greatest minds of the day and land1 in respectful attention1 while at a further distance stood the great circle of the common people4 ,when one remembers the ,jewish racial trait of reverence for age1 and the consequent submission of ,youth1 one will better understand the unusual spectacle that burst upon the gaze of ,joseph and ,mary4 ,a mere boy--a child--daring to even speak boldly in the presence of the aged teachers was unheard of1 and the thought of such a one actually presuming to dispute1 argue and teach1 in such an assembly1 was like unto a miracle4 ,and such it was6 ,the boy spoke with the air and in the tones of a ,master4 ,he met the most subtle arguments and objections of the ,elders with the power of the keenest intellect and spiritual insight4 ,he brushed aside the sophistries with a contemptuous phrase1 and brought back the argument to the vital point4 ,the crowd gathered in greater volume1 the gray heads and beards grew more and more respectful4 ,it was evident to all that a ,master had arisen in ,israel in the form of a boy of thirteen4 ,the ,,master was apparent in tone1 gesture1 and thought4 ,the ,mystic had found his first audience1 and his congregation was composed of the leading thinkers and teachers of the land4 ,the insight of the ,magi was verified6 ,then in a momentary pause in the argument1 the stifled cry of a woman was heard--the voice of the ,mother4 ,the crowd turned impatient1 reproachful glances upon ,mary1 who had been unable to restrain her emotion4 ,but the boy1 looking sadly but affectionately at his lost parents1 gave her a reassuring glance1 which at the same time bade her remain still until he had finished his discourse4 ,and the parents obeyed the newly awakened will of their child4 ,the teaching ended1 the boy stepped from his position with the air of one of the ,elders1 and rejoined his parents1 who passed as rapidly as possible from the wondering crowd4 ,then his mother reproached him1 telling him of their distress and wearisome search4 ,the boy listened calmly and patiently until she had finished4 ,then he asked1 with his newly acquired air of authority1 ,why sought ye me8 ,and when they answered him in the customary manner of parents1 the boy took on still a greater air of authority1 and in tones that though kindly1 were full of power1 he replied1 ,knew ye not1 that ,i must be in my ,father's ,house8 ,i must be about the things of my ,father4 ,and the parents1 feeling themselves in the presence of the ,mystery that had ever been about the child1 followed ,him silently from the ,temple grounds4 ,and here closes the ,new ,testament story of the boy ,jesus at the age of thirteen1 which story is not resumed until ,his appearance at the place of the preaching of ,john the ,baptist1 over seventeen years later1 when the boy had reached the age of a man of thirty years4 ,when and how did he spend those seventeen years8 ,the ,new ,testament is totally silent on this score4 ,can anyone who has read the above imagine that ,jesus spent these years as a growing youth and young man1 working at ,his father's carpenter bench in the village of ,nazareth8 ,would not the ,master1 having found his strength and power1 have insisted upon developing the same8 ,could the ,divine ,genius once self-recognized be content to be obscured amid material pursuits8 ,the ,new ,testament is silent1 but the ,occult ,traditions and ,mystic ,legends tell us the story of the missing seventeen years1 and these we shall now give to you4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the legends and traditions of the mystic and occult organizations and brotherhoods tell us that after the occurrence of ,jesus and the ,elders in the ,temple1 and his recovery by his parents1 the latter were approached by members of the secret organization to which the ,magi belonged1 who pointed out to the parents the injustice of the plan of keeping the lad at the carpenter's bench when ,he had shown evidences of such a marvelous spiritual development and such a wonderful intellectual grasp of weighty subjects4 ,it is told that after a long and serious consideration of the matter the parents finally consented to the plan advanced by the ,magi1 and allowed them to take the lad with them into their own land and retreats that ,he might there receive the instructions for which ,his soul craved1 and for which ,his mind was fitted4 ,it is true that the ,new ,testament does not corroborate these occult legends1 but it is likewise true that it says nothing to the contrary4 ,it is silent regarding this important period of between seventeen and eighteen years4 ,it is to be remembered that when ,he appeared upon the scene of ,john's ministration1 the latter did not recognize ,him1 whereas had ,jesus remained about ,his home1 ,john1 his cousin1 would have been acquainted with his features and personal appearance4 ,the occult teachings inform us that the seventeen or eighteen years of ,jesus' life regarding which the ,gospels are silent1 were filled with travels in far and distant lands1 where the youth and young man was instructed in the occult lore and wisdom of the different schools4 ,it is taught that ,he was taken into ,india1 and ,egypt1 and ,persia1 and other far regions1 living for several years at each important center1 and being initiated into the various brotherhoods1 orders1 and bodies having their headquarters there4 ,some of the ,egyptians' orders have traditions of a young ,master who sojourned among them1 and such is likewise the case in ,persia and in ,india4 ,even among the lamasaries hidden in ,thibet and in the ,himalayan ,mountains are to be found legends and stories regarding the marvelous young ,master who once visited there and absorbed their wisdom and secret knowledge4 ,more than this1 there are traditions among the ,brahmans1 ,buddhists and ,zoroastrians1 telling of a strange young teacher who appeared among them1 who taught marvelous truths and who aroused great opposition among the priests of the various religions of ,india and ,persia1 owing to his preaching against priestcraft and formalism1 and also by his bitter opposition to all forms of caste distinctions and restrictions4 ,and this1 too1 is in accord with the occult legends which teach that from about the age of twenty-one until the age of nearly thirty years ,jesus pursued a ministry among the people of ,india and ,persia and neighboring countries1 returning at last to his native land where ,he conducted a ministry extending over the last three years of ,his life4 ,the occult legends inform us that ,he aroused great interest among the people of each land visited by ,him1 and that ,he also aroused the most bitter opposition among the priests1 for ,he always opposed formalism and priestcraft1 and sought to lead the people back to the ,spirit of the ,truth1 and away from the ceremonies and forms which have always served to dim and becloud the ,light of the ,spirit4 ,he taught always the ,fatherhood of ,god and the ,brotherhood of ,man4 ,he sought to bring the great ,occult ,truths down to the comprehension of the masses of people who had lost the ,spirit of the ,truth in their observance of outward forms and pretentious ceremonies4 ,it is related that in ,india ,he brought down upon ,his head the wrath of the ,brahmin upholders of the caste distinctions1 that curse of ,india4 ,he dwelt in the huts of the ,sudras1 the lowest of all of the ,hindu castes1 and was therefore regarded as a pariah by the higher classes4 ,everywhere ,he was regarded as a firebrand and a disturber of established social order by the priests and high-caste people4 ,he was an agitator1 a rebel1 a religious renegade1 a socialist1 a dangerous man1 an undesirable citizen1 to those in authority in those lands4 ,but the seeds of ,his wisdom were sown right and left1 and in the ,hindu religions of today1 and in the teachings of other ,oriental countries1 may be found traces of ,truth1 the resemblance of which to the recorded teachings of ,jesus1 show that they came from the same source1 and have sorely disturbed the ,christian missionaries that have since visited these lands4 ,and so1 slowly and patiently1 ,jesus wended his way homeward toward ,israel1 where ,he was to complete ,his ministry by three years' work among ,his own race1 and where ,he was to again raise up against ,himself the opposition of the priests and the upper classes which would finally result in ,his death4 ,he was a rebel against the established order of things1 and ,he met the fate reserved for those who live ahead of their time4 ,and1 as from the first days of ,his ministry to ,his last1 so it is today1 the real teachings of the ,man of ,sorrows reach more readily the heart of the plain people1 while they are reviled and combatted by those in ecclesiastical and temporal authority1 even though these people claim allegiance to ,him and wear ,his livery4 ,he was ever the friend of the poor and oppressed1 and hated by those in authority4 ,and so1 you see the ,occult teachings show ,jesus to have been a world-wide teacher1 instead of a mere ,jewish prophet4 ,the world was his audience1 and all races ,his hearers4 ,he planted ,his seeds of ,truth in the bosom of many religions instead of but one1 and these seeds are beginning to bear their best fruit even now at this late day1 when the truth of the ,fatherhood of ,god and the ,brotherhood of ,man is beginning to be felt by all nations alike1 and is growing strong enough to break down the old which have divided brother from brother1 and creed from creed4 ,christianity--true ,christianity--is not a mere creed1 but a great human and divine ,truth that will rise above all petty distinctions of race and creed and will at last shine on all men alike1 gathering them into one fold of ,universal ,brotherhood4 ,may the ,great ,day be hastened6 99 99 99 99 99 ,and so we leave ,jesus1 wending his way slowly homeward toward ,judea1 the land of ,his father and the place of ,his birth4 ,dropping a word here--planting a seed there--onward ,he pursued ,his way4 ,visiting this mystic brotherhood1 and resting a while in another occult retreat1 ,he slowly retraced the journey of ,his youth4 ,but while ,his outward journey was that of a student traveling forth to complete ,his education1 ,he returned as a ,master and ,teacher1 bearing and sowing the seeds of a great ,truth1 which was to grow and bring forth great fruit1 and which1 in time1 would spread over all the world in its primitive purity1 notwithstanding its betrayal and corruption at the hands of those in whose keeping ,he left it when he passed away from the scene of ,his labors4 ,jesus came as a ,world ,prophet1 not as a mere ,jewish holy-man1 and still less as a ,hebrew ,messiah destined to sit upon the throne of ,his father ,david4 ,and ,he left ,his mark upon all of the great peoples of earth by ,his journey among them4 ,throughout ,persia are found many traditions of ,issa1 the young ,master who appeared in that land centuries ago1 and who taught the ,fatherhood of ,god and the ,brotherhood of ,man4 ,among the ,hindus are found strange traditions of ,jesoph or ,josa1 a young ascetic1 who passed through the ,hind long since1 denouncing the established laws of caste1 and consorting with the common people1 who1 as in ,israel1 heard him gladly4 ,even in ,china are found similar tales of the young religious firebrand1 preaching ever the ,brotherhood of ,man--ever known as the ,friend of the ,poor4 ,on and on ,he went1 sowing the seeds of human freedom and the casting off of the yoke of ecclesiastical tyranny and formalism1 which seeds are springing unto growth even at this late day4 ,yea1 the ,spirit of ,his real teachings are even now bearing fruit in the hearts of men1 and though nearly two thousand years have passed by the soul of ,his social teachings still goes marching on round and round the world4 ,,the ,,fourth ,,lesson4 ,,the ,,beginning ,,of ,,the ,,ministry4 ,when ,jesus reached his native land1 after the years of travel in ,india1 ,persia and ,egypt1 he is believed by the occultists to have spent at least one year among the various lodges and retreats of the ,essenes4 ,by reference to the first lesson of this series you will see who and what was this great mystic organization--the ,essenic ,brotherhood4 ,while resting and studying in their retreats ,his attention was diverted to the work of ,johannen--,john the ,baptist--and ,he saw there an opening wedge for the great work that ,he felt called upon to do among ,his own people4 ,dreams of converting ,his own race--the ,jews--to ,his conception of ,truth and ,life1 crept over ,him1 and he determined to make this work ,his great life task4 ,the feeling of race is hard to overcome and eradicate1 and ,jesus felt that1 after all1 here ,he was at last1 at home1 among ,his own people1 and the ties of blood and race reasserted themselves4 ,he put aside ,his previous thoughts of a world-wandering life1 and decided to plant the standard of the ,truth in ,israel1 so that from the capital of the ,chosen ,people the ,light of the ,spirit might shine forth to all the world4 ,it was ,jesus the man--,jesus the ,jew--that made this choice4 ,from the broader1 higher point of view ,he had no race2 no country2 no people2--but ,his man nature was too strong1 and in yielding to it he sowed the seeds for ,his final undoing4 ,had he merely passed through ,judea as a traveling missionary1 as had done many others before ,him1 he would have escaped the punishment of the government4 ,although ,he would have aroused the hatred and opposition of the priests1 ,he would have not laid ,himself open to the charge of wishing to become the ,king of the ,jews1 or the ,jewish ,messiah1 come to resume the throne of ,david1 ,his forefather4 ,but it avails us nought to indulge in speculations of this kind1 for who knows what part ,destiny or ,fate plays in the ,great ,universal plan--who knows where ,free-,will terminates and ,destiny moves the pieces on the board1 that the ,great ,game of ,universal ,life be played according to the plan8 ,while among the ,essenes1 as we have said1 ,jesus first heard of ,john1 and determined to use the ministry of the latter as an opening wedge for ,his own great work4 ,he communicated to the ,essenic ,fathers ,his determination to travel to ,john's field of work later on1 and the ,fathers sent word of this to ,john4 ,the legends have it that ,john did not know who was coming1 being merely informed that a great ,master from foreign parts would join him later on1 and that he1 ,john1 should prepare the people for his coming4 ,and ,john followed these instructions from his superiors in the ,essenic ,brotherhood to the letter1 as you will see by reference to our first lesson1 and to the ,new ,testament4 ,he preached repentance2 righteousness2 the ,essenic rite of ,baptism2 and above all the ,coming of the ,master4 ,he bade his hearers repent--repent ye6 for the ,kingdom of ,heaven is at hand6--repent ye6 for the ,master cometh6 cried he in forceful tones4 ,and when his people gathered around him and asked whether he1 ,john1 were not indeed the ,master1 he answered them1 saying1 ,nay1 ,i am not ,he whom thou seekest4 ,after me there cometh one whose sandals ,i am not worthy to unloose4 ,i baptize thee with water1 but ,he shall baptize thee with the ,fire of the ,spirit that is within ,him6 ,it was ever and always this exhortation toward fitness for the coming of the ,master4 ,john was a true ,mystic1 who sank his personality in the ,work he was called on to do1 and who was proud to be but the ,forerunner of the ,master1 of whose coming he had been informed by the ,brotherhood4 ,and1 as we have told you in the first lesson1 one day there came before him1 a young man1 of a dignified1 calm appearance1 gazing upon him with the expressive eyes of the true ,mystic4 ,the stranger asked to be baptized1 but ,john1 having perceived the occult rank of the stranger by means of the signs and symbols of the ,brotherhood1 rebelled at the ,master receiving baptism at the hands of himself1 one far below the occult rank of the stranger4 ,but ,jesus1 the stranger1 said to ,john1 ,suffer it to be1 and stepped into the water to receive the mystic rite again1 as a token to the people that ,he had come as one of them4 ,and then occurred that strange event1 with which you are familiar1 when a dove descended as if from ,heaven and rested over the head of the stranger1 and a soft voice1 even as the sighing of the wind through the trees1 was heard1 whispering1 ,this is my beloved son1 in whom ,i am well pleased4 ,and then the stranger1 evidently awed by the strange message from the ,beyond1 passed away from the multitude1 and bent his way toward the wilderness1 as if in need of a retreat in which he could meditate over the events of the day1 and regarding the work which ,he could now dimly see stretching its way before ,him4 ,the average student of the ,new ,testament passes over the event of ,jesus in the ,wilderness1 with little or no emotion1 regarding it as a mere incident in ,his early career4 ,not so with the mystic or occultist1 who knows1 from the teachings of his order1 that in the ,wilderness ,jesus was subjected to a severe occult test1 designed to develop ,his power1 and test ,his endurance4 ,in fact1 as every advanced member of any of the great occult orders knows1 the occult degree known as ,the ,ordeal of the ,wilderness is based upon this mystic experience of ,jesus1 and is intended to symbolize the tests to which ,he was subjected4 ,let us consider this event so fraught with meaning and importance to all true occultists4 ,the ,wilderness toward which ,jesus diverted ,his steps1 lay afar off from the river in which the rites of ,baptism had been performed4 ,leaving behind him the fertile banks1 and acres1 of cultivated land1 ,he approached the terrible ,wilderness which even the natives of that part of the country regarded with superstitious horror4 ,it was one of the weirdest and dreariest spots in even that weird and dreary portion of the country4 ,the ,jews called it ,the ,abode of ,horror2 ,the ,desolate ,place of ,terror2 ,the ,appalling ,region2 and other names suggestive of the superstitious dread which it inspired in their hearts4 ,the ,mystery of the ,desert ,places hung heavy over this place1 and none but the stoutest hearts ventured within its precincts4 ,though akin to the desert1 the place abounded in dreary and forbidding hills1 crags1 ridges and canyons4 ,those of our readers who have ever traveled across the ,american continent and have seen some of the desolate places of the ,american ,desert1 and who have read of the terrors of ,death ,valley1 or the ,alkali ,lands1 may form an idea of the nature of this ,wilderness toward which the ,master was traveling4 ,all normal vegetation gradually disappeared as ,he pressed further and further into this terrible place1 until naught remained but the scraggy vegetation peculiar to these waste places--those forms of plant life that in their struggle for existence had managed to survive under such adverse conditions as to give the naturalist the impression that the very laws of natural plant life have been defied and overcome4 ,little by little the teeming animal life of the lower lands disappeared1 until at last no signs of such life remained1 other than the soaring vultures overhead and the occasional serpent and crawling things under foot4 ,the silence of the waste places was upon the traveler1 brooding heavily over ,him and all around the places upon which ,he set ,his foot1 descending more heavily upon ,him each moment of ,his advance4 ,then came a momentary break in the frightful scene4 ,he passed through the last inhabited spot in the approach to the heart of the ,wilderness--the tiny village of ,engedi1 where were located the ancient limestone reservoirs of water which supplied the lower regions of the territory4 ,the few inhabitants of this remote outpost of primitive civilization gazed in wonder and awe at the lonely figure passing them with unseeing eyes and with gaze seemingly able to pierce the forbidding hills which loomed up in the distance hiding lonely recesses into which the foot of man had never trodden1 even the boldest of the desert people being deterred from a visit thereto by the weird tales of unholy creatures and unhallowed things1 which made these places the scene of their uncanny meetings and diabolical orgies4 ,on1 and on1 pressed the ,master1 giving but slight heed to the desolate scene which now showed naught but gloomy hills1 dark canyons1 and bare rocks1 relieved only by the occasional bunches of stringy desert grass and weird forms of cacti bristling with the protective spines which is their armor against their enemies4 ,at last the wanderer reached the summit of one of the higher foot-hills and gazed at the scene spreading itself before ,him4 ,and that scene was one that would have affrighted the heart of an ordinary man4 ,behind ,him was the country through which ,he had passed1 which though black and discouraging was as a paradise to the country which lay ahead of ,him4 ,there below and behind ,him were the caves and rude dwellings of the outlaws and fugitives from justice who had sought the doubtful advantage of security from the laws of man4 ,and far away in the distance were the scenes of ,john the ,baptist's ministry1 where ,he could see in imagination the multitude discussing the advent of the strange ,master1 who had been vouched for by the ,voice1 but who had stolen swiftly away from the scene1 and had fled the crowds who would have gladly worshipped ,him as a ,master and have obeyed ,his slightest command4 ,then as the darkness of the succeeding nights fell upon ,him1 ,he would sleep on some wild mountain cliff1 on the edge of some mighty precipice1 the sides of which dropped down a thousand feet or more4 ,but these things disturbed ,him not4 ,on and on ,he pressed at the appearance of each dawn4 ,without food ,he boldly moved forward to the ,heart of the ,hills1 where the ,spirit guided ,him to the scene of some great spiritual struggle which he intuitively knew lay before ,him4 ,the ,words of the ,voice haunted ,him still1 though ,he lacked a full understanding of them1 for ,he had not yet unfolded the utmost recesses of ,his ,spiritual ,mind4 ,this is my ,beloved ,son1 in whom ,i am well pleased--what meant these words8 ,and still1 no answer came to that cry of ,his soul which sought in vain for a freeing of that riddle4 ,and still on and on ,he pressed1 until at last ,he mounted the steep sides of the barren forbidding mountain of ,quarantana1 beyond which ,he felt that ,his struggle was to begin4 ,no food was to be found--,he must fight the battle unaided by the material sustenance that ordinary men find necessary for life and strength4 ,and still ,he had not received the answer to the cry of ,his soul4 ,the rocks beneath ,his feet--the blue sky above ,his head--the lofty peaks of ,moab and ,gilead in the distance--gave no answer to the fierce insistent desire for the answer to the ,riddle of the ,voice4 ,the answer must come from ,within1 and from ,himself only4 ,and in the ,heart of the ,wilderness ,he must remain1 without food1 without shelter1 without human companionship1 until the ,answer came4 ,and as it was with the ,master1 so is it with the follower--all who attain the point of unfoldment at which the ,answer is alone possible1 must experience that awful feeling of aloneness and spiritual hunger1 and frightful remoteness from all that the world values1 before the ,answer comes from ,within--from the ,holy of ,holies of the ,spirit4 99 99 99 99 99 ,to realize the nature of the spiritual struggle that awaited ,jesus in the ,wilderness--that struggle that would bring ,him face to face with ,his own soul1 we must understand the ,jewish longing and expectation of the ,messiah4 ,the ,messianic traditions had taken a strong hold upon the minds of the ,jewish people1 and it needed but the spark of a strong personality to set all ,israel into a blaze which would burn fiercely and destroy the foreign influences which have smothered the national spirit4 ,the idea of a ,messiah springing from the loins of ,david1 and coming to take ,his rightful place as the ,king of the ,jews1 was imbedded in the heart of every ,jew worthy of the name4 ,israel was oppressed by its conquerors1 and made subject to a foreign yoke1 but when the ,messiah would come to deliver ,israel1 every ,jew would arise to drive out the foreign invaders and conquerors--the yoke of ,rome would be thrown off1 and ,israel would once more take its place among the nations of the earth4 ,jesus knew full well the fact of this national hope4 ,it had been installed into ,his mind from childhood4 ,he had pondered over it often during the time of ,his wanderings and sojourn in foreign lands4 ,the occult legends1 however1 make no mention of ,his having ever thought of ,himself as the ,messiah until he was about to re-enter ,his own land after ,his years of foreign study and ministry4 ,it is thought that the idea of ,his being the long expected ,messiah was first suggested by some of the ,essenic teachers1 when ,he rested with them for awhile before appearing before ,john the ,baptist4 ,it was pointed out to ,him that the marvelous events surrounding ,his birth indicated that ,he was a marked individual destined to play an important part in the history of the ,world4 ,then why was it not reasonable to believe that that role was to be that of the ,messiah come to sit on the throne of ,his father ,david1 and destined to bring ,israel from her now obscure position to once more shine as a bright star in the firmament of nations8 ,why was it not reasonable that ,he was to lead the ,chosen ,people to their own8 ,jesus began to ponder over these things4 ,he had absolutely no material ambitions for ,himself and all ,his impulses and inclinations were for the life of an occult ascetic4 ,but the idea of a redeemed and regenerated ,israel was one calculated to fire the blood of any ,jew1 even though the element of personal ambition might be lacking in him4 ,he had always realized that in some way ,he was different from other men1 and that some great work lay ahead of ,him1 but ,he had never understood ,his own nature1 nor the work ,he was to do4 ,and it is not to be wondered that the talk among the ,essenes caused ,him to ponder carefully over the idea expressed by them4 ,and then the wonderful event of the dove1 and the ,voice1 upon the occasion of ,his baptism1 seemed almost to verify the idea of the ,essenes4 ,was ,he indeed the long-expected ,deliverer of ,israel8 ,surely ,he must find this out--,he must wring the answer from the inmost recesses of ,his soul4 ,and so1 ,he sought refuge in the ,wilderness1 intuitively feeling that there amidst the solitude and desolation1 ,he would fight ,his fight and receive ,his answer4 ,he felt that ,he had come to a most important phase of ,his life's work1 and the question of ,what ,am ,i8 must be settled1 once and for all1--then and there4 ,and so ,he left behind ,him the admiring and worshipful crowds of ,john's following1 and sought the solitude of the waste places of the ,wilderness1 in which ,he felt ,he would come face to face with ,his own soul1 and demand and receive its answer4 99 99 99 99 99 ,and up in the inmost recesses of the ,heart of the ,wilderness1 ,jesus wrestled in spirit with ,himself for many days1 without food or nourishment1 and without shelter4 ,and the struggle was terrific--worthy of such a great soul4 ,first the body's insistent needs were to be fought and mastered4 ,it is related that the climax of the physical struggle came one day when the ,instinctive ,mind1 which attends to the physical functions1 made a desperate and final demand upon ,him4 ,it cried aloud for bread with all the force of its nature4 ,it tempted ,him with the fact that by ,his own occult powers ,he was able to convert the very stones into bread1 and it demanded that ,he work the miracle for ,his own physical needs--a practice deemed most unworthy by all true occultists and mystics4 ,turn this stone into bread1 and eat cried the voice of the ,tempter4 ,but ,jesus resisted the temptation although ,he knew that by the power of ,his concentrated thought ,he had but first to mentally picture the stone as bread and then will that it be so materialized4 ,the miraculous power which afterward turned water into wine1 and which was again used to feed the multitude with the loaves and the fishes1 was available to ,him at that moment in order to satisfy the cravings of ,his body1 and to break ,his fast4 ,none but the advanced occultist who has known what it was to be tempted to use his mysterious powers to satisfy his personal wants1 can appreciate the nature of the struggle through which ,jesus passed1 and from which ,he emerged victorious4 ,and like the occult ,master that ,he was1 ,he summoned ,his ,inner ,forces and beat off the ,tempter4 99 99 99 99 99 ,but a still greater temptation than this arose to try ,him to the utmost4 ,he found ,himself brought face to face with the idea of ,messiahship1 and ,kingship of the ,jews1 of which we spoke4 ,was ,he the ,messiah8 ,and if so1 what must be ,his course of life and action8 ,was ,he destined to throw aside the robe and staff of the ascetic1 and to don the royal purple and the sceptre8 ,was ,he to forsake the role of the spiritual guide and teacher1 and to become the ,king and ,ruler over the people of ,israel8 ,these were the questions ,he asked ,his soul1 and for which ,he demanded an answer4 ,and the mystic legends tell us that ,his ,spirit answered by showing ,him two sets of mental pictures1 with the assurance that ,he could choose either1 at will1 and cause it to become realized4 ,the first picture showed ,him true to ,his spiritual instincts1 and loyal to ,his mission1 but which rendered ,him indeed the ,man of ,sorrows4 ,he saw himself continuing to sow the seeds of ,truth1 which would1 centuries after1 spring up1 blossom and bear fruit to nourish the world1 but which would now bring down upon ,his head the hatred and persecution of those in power and authority4 ,and ,he saw each successive step1 each showing the approach of the end1 until at last ,he saw ,himself crowned with thorns and meeting the death of a criminal on the cross1 between two base criminals of the lowest classes of men4 ,all this ,he saw and even ,his brave heart felt a deadly sickness at the ignominious end of it all--the apparent failure of ,his earthly mission4 ,but it is related that some of the mighty intelligences which dwell upon the higher planes of existence1 gathered around ,him1 and gave ,him words of encouragement and hope and resolve4 ,he found ,himself literally in the midst of the ,heavenly ,host1 and receiving the inspiration of its presence4 ,then this picture--and the ,host of ,invisible ,helpers--faded away1 and the second picture began to appear before the vision of the lonely dweller of the ,wilderness4 ,he saw the picture of ,himself descending the mountain1 and announcing ,himself as the ,messiah--the ,king of the ,jews--who had come to lead ,his ,chosen ,people to victory and deliverance4 ,he saw ,himself acclaimed as the ,promised ,one of ,israel1 and the multitude flocking to ,his banners4 ,he saw ,himself at the head of a great conquering army1 marching toward ,jerusalem4 ,he saw ,himself making use of ,his highly developed occult powers to read the minds of the enemy and thus know their every movement and intention1 and the means to overcome them4 ,he saw ,himself miraculously arming and feeding ,his hosts of battle4 ,he saw ,himself smiting the enemy with ,his occult powers and forces4 ,he saw the yoke of ,rome being cast off1 and its phalanxes fleeing across the borders in terror and disgraceful defeat4 ,he saw ,himself mounting the throne of ,david1 ,his forefather4 ,he saw ,himself instituting a reign of the highest type1 which would make of ,israel the leading nation of the world4 ,he saw ,israel's sphere of influence extending in all directions1 until ,persia1 ,egypt1 ,greece and even the once-feared ,rome1 become tributary nations4 ,he saw ,himself in the triumphant chariot on some great feast day of victory1 with ,caesar himself tied to the tail of ,his chariot--a slave to ,israel's ,king4 ,he saw ,his royal court outrivaling that of ,solomon1 and becoming the center of the world4 ,he saw ,jerusalem as the capital of the world1 and ,he1 ,jesus of ,nazareth1 son of ,david the ,king1 as its ,ruler1 its hero1 its demi-god4 ,the very apotheosis of human success showed in the picture of ,himself and ,his ,beloved ,israel in the picture4 ,and then the ,temple was seen to be the ,center of the ,religious thought of the ,world4 ,the ,religion of the ,jews1 as modified by ,his own advanced views1 would be the religion of all men4 ,and he would be the favored mouthpiece of the ,god of ,israel4 ,all the dreams of the ,hebrew ,fathers would be realized in ,him1 the ,messiah of the ,new ,israel whose capital would be ,jerusalem1 the ,queen of the ,world4 ,and all this by simply the exercise of his occult powers under the direction of ,,his ,,will4 ,it is related that accompanying this second picture and attracted by its mighty power1 came all the great thought-waves of the world which had been thought by men of all times who thought and acted out the ,dreams of ,power4 ,these clouds settled down upon ,him like a heavy fog1 and their vibrations were almost overpowering4 ,and also came the hosts of the disembodied souls of those who while living had sought or gained power4 ,and each strove to beat into ,his brain the ,desire of ,power4 ,never in the history of man have the ,powers of ,darkness so gathered together for attack upon the mind of a mortal man4 ,would it have been any wonder had even such a man as ,jesus succumbed8 ,but ,he did not succumb4 ,rallying ,his ,inner ,force to ,his rescue ,he beat back the attacking horde1 and by an effort of ,his ,will1 ,he swept both picture and tempters away into oblivion1 crying indignantly ,thou darest to tempt even me1 thy ,lord and ,master4 ,get thee behind me thou ,fiends of ,darkness6 ,and so the ,temptation of the ,wilderness failed1 and ,jesus received ,his answer from ,his soul1 and ,he descended the mountains1 back to the haunts of men--back to the scene of ,his three years' labors and suffering1 and back to ,his ,death4 ,and ,he knew full well all that awaited ,him there1 for had ,he not seen the ,first ,picture8 ,jesus had chosen ,his career4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,master descended from the mountains and forsook the ,wilderness for the place in which ,john and his followers were gathered4 ,resting for a time1 and refreshing ,himself with food and drink1 ,he gathered together ,his energies for ,his great work4 ,the followers of ,john gathered around ,him1 filled with the idea that ,he was the ,messiah come to lead them to victory and triumph4 ,but ,he disappointed them by ,his calm1 simple manner1 and ,his disavowal of royal claims4 ,what seek ye of me8 he asked them1 and many1 abashed1 left ,his circle and returned to the crowd4 ,but a few humble souls remained and around these few gathered a few more1 until at last a little band of faithful students was formed--the first band of ,christian disciples4 ,this band was composed almost entirely of fishermen and men of similar humble occupations4 ,there was an absence of people of rank or social position4 ,his people were of the plain people which have furnished the recruits for every great religion4 ,and after a time1 ,jesus moved away from the place1 followed by ,his band of disciples1 which drew new members from each place of gathering4 ,some stayed but for a short time1 while others replaced the faint hearted ones of little faith4 ,but the band steadily grew1 until it began to attract the attention of the authorities and the public4 ,jesus constantly disclaimed being the ,messiah1 but the report that such indeed ,he was1 began to spread and the authorities began that system of spying and watching which followed ,his footsteps for three years1 and which finally resulted in ,his death on the ,cross4 ,and this suspicion was encouraged by the ,jewish priesthood which began to hate the young teacher whose opposition to their tyranny and formalism was quite marked4 ,the band one day came to a small village in ,galilee1 and ,jesus began ,his usual meetings and teaching4 ,near where they gathered was a house at which preparations were being made for a wedding feast4 ,the wedding ceremony has always been an important occasion among the ,jews4 ,the most elaborate preparations consistent with the size of the purse of the girl's parents are indulged in4 ,relatives from far and near gather to the feast4 ,jesus happened to be a distant kinsman of the bride1 and according to custom ,he was bidden to the feast4 ,the guests began to gather1 each depositing his sandals in the outer court1 and entering the guest chamber barefooted1 after carefully bathing his feet and ankles after the custom still prevailing in ,oriental countries4 ,jesus was accompanied by a few of ,his faithful followers4 ,his mother1 and ,his several brothers were also among the blood-relations present at the feast4 ,his appearance caused much interest and comment among the other guests4 ,to some ,he was simply a traveling religious teacher1 not uncommon in that land1 to others ,he was an inspired prophet1 bringing a wonderful ,message to the ,jewish people1 as ,he had to the ,persians1 ,egyptians and ,hindus2 to others he was more than this1 and whispers of ,he is the ,messiah2 ,the ,king of ,israel1 etc41 began to circulate among those present1 causing interest1 uneasiness or disgust1 according to the views of the hearers4 ,but whenever ,he moved1 ,he attracted attention by ,his manner1 attitude and expression4 ,all felt that here indeed was an ,individual4 ,strange stories of ,his wanderings in strange lands added additional interest to ,his presence4 ,a feeling that something unusual was about to happen began to creep over the crowd1 as is the case often preceding such events4 ,mary1 ,his mother1 watched her son with longing eyes1 for she saw that some strange change had come over ,him1 that was beyond her comprehension4 ,toward the end of the feast1 it began to be whispered around among the near relatives that the supply of wine was about exhausted1 the attendance having been much greater than had been expected4 ,this1 to a ,jewish family1 was akin to a family disgrace1 and anxious looks began to be exchanged among the members of the immediate family4 ,tradition has it that ,jesus was besought for aid by ,his mother and other female kinswoman4 ,just what they expected ,him to do is not clear1 but it is probable that they unconsciously recognized ,his greatness1 and accorded ,him the place of the natural ,head of the ,family1 as being the most prominent member4 ,at any rate1 they asked ,his aid4 ,what arguments they used1 or what reasons they urged1 we do not know1 but whatever they were1 they succeeded in winning ,him to their side1 and gaining from ,him a promise of aid and assistance4 ,but not until after ,he had remonstrated that these things were of no concern of ,his--that ,his powers were not to be trifled away in this manner4 ,but ,his love for ,his mother1 and ,his desire to reward her devotion and faith in ,him1 prevailed over the natural disinclination of the mystic to be a wonder worker and to exhibit his occult powers to grace a wedding-feast4 ,he had long since learned the necessary but comparatively simple occult feat from ,his old ,masters in far off ,india1 that land of wonder-working4 ,he knew that even the humbler ,yogis of that land would smile at the working of such a simple miracle4 ,and so the matter seemed to ,him to be of but slight moment1 and not as a prostitution of some of the higher occult powers4 ,and feeling thus1 ,he yielded to their requests for aid4 ,then moving toward the court in which were stored a number of great jars of water1 he fixed a keen1 burning glance upon them1 one by one1 passing ,his hand rapidly over them1 in a quick succession1 ,he made the ,mental ,image that precedes all such manifestations of occult power1 and then manifesting ,his power by using ,his ,will in the manner known to all advanced occultists1 ,he rapidly materialized the elements of the wine in the water1 within the jars1 and lo6 the miracle had been wrought4 ,a wave of excitement passed over the crowded house4 ,the guests flocked around the jars to taste of the wine that had been produced by occult power4 ,the priests frowned their displeasure1 and the authorities sneered and whispered charlatan2 fraud2 shameful imposture2 and other expressions that always follow an occurrence of this kind4 ,jesus turned away1 in grief and sorrow4 ,among the ,hindus such a simple occult occurrence would have caused but little comment1 while here among ,his own people it was considered to be a wonderful miracle by some1 while others regarded it as a trick of a traveling conjurer and charlatan4 ,what manner of people were these to whom ,he had decided to deliver the ,message of ,life8 ,and1 sighing deeply1 ,he passed from the house1 and returned to ,his camp4 ,,the ,,fifth ,,lesson4 ,,the ,,foundation ,,of ,,the ,,work4 ,there is but an imperfect record in the ,gospels of the first year of ,jesus' ministry among the ,jews4 ,theologians have spoken of it as the ,year of ,obscurity1 but the ,occult traditions speak of it as a most important year of ,his ministry1 for in it ,he laid firm foundations for ,his future work4 ,he travelled all over the country1 establishing little circles of disciples and centres of interest4 ,in cities1 towns1 villages and hamlets1 ,he left behind ,him little bands of faithful students who kept alive the flame of ,truth1 which steadily kindled the lamps of others who were attracted by the light4 ,always among the humblest ,he labored1 seemingly impressed with the idea that the work must be begun on the lowest rounds of society's ladder4 ,but after a while a few of the more pretentious people began to attend the meetings1 often brought there by curiosity4 ,they came to smile and be amused1 but many were impressed and remained to pray4 ,the leaven had been well mixed in the loaf of ,jewish society and it was beginning to work4 ,once more the season of the ,feast of the ,passover arrived and found ,jesus with ,his followers in ,jerusalem and in the ,temple4 ,what memories the scene awakened in ,his mind4 ,he could see the same scenes in which ,he had participated seventeen years before4 ,once more ,he saw the pitiful slaughter of the innocent lambs1 and witnessed the flow of the sacrificed blood over the altars and the stones of the floor of the courts4 ,once more ,he saw the senseless mummery of the priestly ceremonies1 which seemed more pitiful than ever to ,his developed mind4 ,he knew that ,his vision had shown that ,he was to be slaughtered even as the sacrificial lambs1 and there arose in ,his mind that comparison which stayed with ,him ever after--that picture of ,himself as the ,lamb sacrificed on the ,altar of ,humanity4 ,as pure as was this figure in ,his mind1 it seems pitiful that in the centuries to come ,his followers would fall into the error 7as equally cruel as that of the ,hebrews7 of imagining that ,his death was a sacrifice demanded by a cruel ,deity to satisfy the ,divine ,wrath which had been kindled by the sight of ,man's shortcomings and sins4 ,the barbarous conception of a wrathful ,god whose anger against ,his people could be appeased only by the bloody slaughter of innocent creatures1 is fully equalled by the theological dogmas that the same ,divine ,wrath could be1 and was1 appeased by the blood of ,jesus1 the ,master who had come to deliver the ,message of ,truth4 ,such a conception is worthy of only the most barbarous and primitive minds4 ,and yet it has been preached and taught for centuries--in the very name of ,jesus ,himself--and men have been persecuted and put to death because they refused to believe that the ,supreme ,creator of the ,universe could be such a malignant1 cruel1 revengeful ,being1 or that the ,one ,mind of ,all could be flattered and cajoled into forgiveness by the sight of the death of the ,man of ,sorrows4 ,it seems almost incredible that such a teaching could have arisen from the pure teachings of ,jesus1 and that such has been ,man's incapacity to grasp the ,inner ,teachings1 that the ,church built upon ,jesus' ministry has adopted and insisted upon the acceptance of such dogmas4 ,but this baneful cloud of ignorance and barbaric thought is gradually lifting1 until even now the intelligent minds in the ,church refuse to accept or teach the doctrine in its original crudity1 they either passing it over in silence1 or else dressing it in a more attractive garb4 ,jesus taught no such barbarous things4 ,his conception of ,deity was of the highest1 for ,he had received the most advanced teachings of the ,mystics1 who had instructed ,him in the ,mystery of the ,immanent ,god1 abiding everywhere and in all things4 ,he had advanced far beyond the conception of ,deity which pictured the ,one as a savage1 bloodthirsty1 vengeful1 hating1 tribal deity1 ever crying for sacrifices and burnt-offerings1 and capable of the meanest of human emotions4 ,he saw this conception as ,he saw the conception of other races and peoples1 all of which had their tribal or national gods1 which loved that particular tribe or people1 and which hated all other races or nationalities4 ,he saw that back of1 and behind1 all these barbarous and primitive conceptions of ,deity there dwelt an ever calm and serene ,being1 the ,creator and ,ruler of countless ,universes--millions and millions of worlds--filling all space1 and above all of the petty attributes that had been bestowed upon the petty gods of human creation4 ,he knew that the ,god of each nation1 of each person in fact1 was but a magnified idea of the characteristics of the nation or individual in question4 ,and he knew that ,hebrew conception was no exception to this rule4 ,to anyone having grown to an appreciation of the grandeur and greatness of the idea of an ,immanent ,universal ,being1 the dogma of a ,deity demanding a blood sacrifice to appease its wrath is too pitiful and degrading to be worth even a moment's serious consideration4 ,and to such a one the prostitution of the high teachings of ,jesus by the introduction of such a base conception is a source of righteous indignation and earnest protest4 ,the ,mystics in the ,christian ,church throughout the centuries have never accepted any such teachings1 although the persecution of the church authorities have prevented their protests being made openly until of late years4 ,the ,mystics alone have kept alive the ,light of the ,truth through the ,dark ,ages of the ,christian ,church4 ,but now has come the dawn of a new day1 and the ,church itself is seeing the ,light1 and the pulpits are beginning to resound with the truth of ,mystic ,christianity4 ,and in the years to come the ,teachings of ,jesus1 the ,master1 will flow pure and clear1 once more freed from the corrupting dogmas which so long polluted the ,fount4 ,as ,jesus wandered silently through the courts and chambers of the ,temple1 ,his indignation was aroused by a sight which seemed to ,him to portray more forcibly than aught else the degradation which had fallen upon the ,temple by reason of the corruption of the priesthood4 ,grouped around the steps and outer courts of the ,temple ,he saw the groups of brokers1 money-changers and merchants who were doing a thriving business with the thousands of strangers attending the ,feast4 ,the money-changers were exchanging the coins of the realm for the inferior coins of the outlying regions1 charging a large commission for the exchange4 ,the brokers were buying articles1 or loaning money on them1 from the poor pilgrims1 who were sacrificing their personal belongings for cash with which they might purchase the animals for the sacrifice4 ,the merchants had droves of cattle1 flocks of sheep and cages of doves within the sacred precincts of the ,temple1 which they were selling to the pilgrims who wished to offer sacrifices4 ,tradition has it that the corrupt priesthood profited by the sale of these privileges granted to this horde of traffickers in the ,temple precincts4 ,the vile practice had gradually crept in and established a firm foothold in the ,temple1 although contrary to the ancient practice4 ,to ,jesus the horrible scenes of the ,temple sacrificial rites seemed to focus in this final exhibition of greed1 materialism and lack of spirituality4 ,it seemed to be blasphemy and sacrilege of the most glaring type4 ,and ,his very soul felt nauseated and outraged by the sight4 ,his fingers twitched1 and laying hold of a bundle of knotted cords which had been used by some cattle-driver to urge forward his herd1 ,he rushed forward upon the horde of traffickers1 whirling ,his instrument of chastisement over the shoulders and backs of the offenders1 driving them out in a frantic rout1 upsetting their benches and paraphernalia1 crying in a voice of authority1 ,out1 ye wretches6 ,this is the ,house of the ,lord1 and ye have made it a den of thieves4 ,the ,meek and lowly ,nazarene became an avenger of the prostitution of the ,temple4 ,the brokers1 money-changers and merchants fled before ,his mighty charge1 leaving their scattered money over the floors of the ,temple4 ,they dared not return1 for ,jesus had aroused the wrath of the people against them1 and a cry arose for the old practice of protecting the sacred place against such invasion4 ,but the traffickers sought out the ,high-priests and complained bitterly of this annulment of their privileges and franchises1 for which they had paid so highly4 ,and the ,high-priests1 being compelled to refund the price paid for the concessions1 were much wrought up over the matter1 and then and there swore vengeance against the ,master who had dared interfere with their system of what the world now calls by the suggestive name of graft4 ,and this vengeance and hatred waxed stronger each moment1 and was to a great extent the moving factor in the schemes and intrigues which two years later resulted in the frightful scene on ,calvary4 ,the succeeding months were filled with wanderings up and down the land1 spreading the work and making new converts and followers4 ,jesus did not take the position of a great preacher at this time1 but seemed to be rather a teacher of the few whom ,he gathered around ,him at each point and place4 ,he observed but few ceremonies1 that of ,baptism being the principal one1 and which1 as we have shown1 was an ,essenic rite having an occult and mystical significance4 ,the students of the ,new ,testament may read between its leaves the history of the ministry of ,jesus at this time1 noting the working of the leaven in the mass of the ,jewish mind4 ,about this time ,jesus was sorely distressed at the terrible news which reached ,him regarding the fate of his cousin1 ,john the ,baptist1 who had been ,his ,forerunner4 ,the ,baptist had dared to thrust his preachings and rebukes into the very precincts of a corrupt court1 and had brought down upon his head the natural consequences of his rashness4 ,herod had thrust him into a gloomy dungeon and there were rumors of a worse fate yet in store for him4 ,and that fate soon overtook him4 ,refusing the chance of life and liberty that was promised him if he would but break his vows of asceticism and indulge the passionate desires of a royal princess1--turning away from the base proposal with the horror of the true mystic1--he met his fate like a man knowing the ,truth1 and the head which graced the royal platter bore upon its face no expression of fear or regret4 ,john had conquered even in ,death4 ,jesus retired once more into the ,desert upon the news of ,john's death reaching him4 ,added to ,his sorrow came the conviction that there was a new work set before ,him to do4 ,john's death necessitated a combining of the work of the ,baptist with that of ,jesus' own ministry4 ,the followers of the two teachers must be combined into one great body1 under the supervision of the ,master ,himself1 aided by the most worthy and capable of ,his disciples4 ,the tragic death of ,john played a most important part in the future ministry of the ,master1 and ,he sought the solace and inspiration of the ,desert in ,his consideration of the plans and details of ,his new work4 ,students will note that from the time ,he emerged from the ,desert ,he threw off the cloak of reserve and retirement and stepped boldly before the people as an ardent preacher to multitudes and an impassioned orator and public speaker4 ,no more the little circle of appreciative students--the rostrum with the great crowds of hearers were ,his from that time4 ,returning from ,his work in ,samaria and ,judea1 ,he once more made ,galilee the scene of ,his principal work4 ,the new spirit which ,he now threw into ,his preaching attracted the attention of the public1 and enormous crowds attended ,his meetings4 ,he spoke now with a new air of authority1 differing greatly from ,his former mild tones as a teacher of the few4 ,parables and allegories and other rich ,oriental figures of speech fell from ,his lips1 and many of the educated classes flocked to hear the wonderful young orator and preacher4 ,he seemed to have an intuitive insight into the minds of ,his hearers1 and ,his appeals reached their hearts as personal calls to righteousness1 right thinking and right living4 ,from this time on ,his ministry assumed the character of an active propaganda1 instead of the usual quiet mission of the ,mystic4 ,and here began that remarkable series of wonder workings or miracles which ,he evidently employed to attract the attention of the public and at the same time to perform kindly and worthy acts4 ,not that ,he used these wonder-workings as a bid for sensational interest or self-glory--the character of ,jesus rendered such a course impossible--but ,he knew that nothing would so attract the interest of an ,oriental race as occurrences of this kind1 and ,he hoped to then awaken in them a real spiritual interest and fervor1 which would rise far above the demand for miracles4 ,in adopting this course ,jesus followed the example of the holy men in ,india1 with whose works ,he was personally familiar1 owing to ,his sojourn in that land4 ,and1 then let us say1 that advanced occultists see nothing supernatural nor incredible in these miracles of ,jesus4 ,on the contrary1 they know them to be the result of the application of certain well established natural laws1 which1 while almost unknown to the masses of people1 are still known and occasionally made use of by the advanced occultists of all lands4 ,skeptics and unbelievers may sneer at these things1 and many faint-faith ,christians may wish to apologize or explain these wonderful happenings1 but the advanced occultist needs no explanations nor apologies4 ,he has more faith than the church-goer1 for he knows of the existence and use of these occult powers latent in ,man4 ,there is no material effect or phenomenon that is supernatural--the ,laws of ,nature are in full operation on the material plane and cannot be overcome4 ,but there are among such ,natural ,laws certain phases and principles that are so little known to the average mind that when they are manifested ,nature's ,laws seemed to be transcended1 and the result is called a miracle4 ,the occult tradition tells us that ,jesus was a past-master in the knowledge and application of the occult forces of nature1 and that even the wonders that ,he wrought during ,his ,jewish ministry were but as child's play when compared with those that ,he might have manifested had ,he seen fit to do so4 ,in fact1 it is believed that some of ,his greatest wonder-workings have never been recorded1 for ,he always impressed upon ,his chosen followers the advisability of refraining from laying too much stress on these things4 ,the miracles recorded in the ,gospels were only those which were most widely known among the people4 ,the greater-wonders were deemed too sacred for common gossip4 ,when the ,master and ,his followers reached ,cana1 which1 by the way1 had been the scene of his first miracle--the changing of the water into wine at the wedding feast--one of the most striking of ,his earlier manifestations of occult power occurred4 ,an influential citizen of ,capernaum1 a town a score of miles distant1 who met ,him and besought ,his aid and power in the interest of his young son1 who lay dying at his home4 ,the man besought ,jesus to hasten to ,capernaum to heal the youth ere he die4 ,jesus smiled kindly upon him and bade him return to his son1 for the youth was even now restored to health and strength and life4 ,his hearers were astounded at the reply and the doubters smiled knowingly1 foreseeing a defeat for the young ,master when the news of the youth's death should become known4 ,those of ,his followers who were faint of heart and weak of faith felt most uncomfortable and began to whisper the if of doubt4 ,but ,jesus continued ,his working with a calm air of certainty1 without further remarks4 ,it was the seventh hour of the day when the words were spoken4 ,the father hastened homeward to see whether the ,master had succeeded or failed4 ,a day or two passed with no word from ,capernaum4 ,the scoffers of the wedding feast repeated their sneers and revilings--the word charlatan was again heard passing from lip to lip4 ,then came news from the distant village1 and upon its arrival the voice of scorn was stilled1 and the hearts of the faint again beat freely4 ,the word came that when the father had reached his house he was greeted by the household with cries of joy and news that at the seventh hour the fever had abated and the crisis had been passed4 ,and yet the miracle above recorded was no greater than many occultists have performed in all times--no greater than the many similar cures that have been performed by the modern healers of the many metaphysical cults4 ,it was simply an application of the subtle forces of nature called into operation by mental concentration4 ,it was an instance of what in modern phrase is called absent treatment along metaphysical lines4 ,in saying this we wish in no way to detract from the wonder that ,jesus had wrought1 but merely to let the student know that the power is still possessed by others and is not a supernatural thing but the operation of purely natural laws4 ,about this time there occurred another event in ,his life1 and a manifestation of ,his power which is noted in the ,new ,testament and which is told in the occult tradition with somewhat more detail4 ,it occurred when ,jesus visited his home town of ,nazareth on the eve of the ,jewish ,sabbath4 ,he rested over night and then the following morning betook ,himself to the regular services in the local synagogue4 ,he took the seat which ,he had occupied as a young boy with ,joseph4 ,no doubt the familiar scene awakened memories of ,his strange youthful history in ,his mind4 ,then1 much to ,his surprise1 ,he heard ,himself called to the platform to conduct the service4 ,it must be remembered that ,jesus was a regular rabbi1 or priest1 by birth1 education and training1 and was entitled to ,conduct the ,jewish service4 ,no doubt ,his townspeople wished to hear their young townsman address and exhort them4 ,he took the place of authority in the synagogue and proceeded to read the regular service in the accustomed manner1 as prescribed by the custom and laws of the church4 ,the prayers1 chantings and readings succeeded each other in their regular order4 ,then came the preaching of the sermon4 ,taking the sacred roll from its receptacle1 ,he read the text from ,isaiah1 ,the spirit of the ,lord is upon me because ,he hath anointed me to preach the good tidings1 etc4 ,then ,he began his exposition of the text ,he had just read4 ,but instead of the expected customary words and illustrations--technical theological hair-splitting and dreary platitudes--,he began to preach in a manner unknown to the ,nazarenes4 ,his opening sentence broke the silence and greatly startled and disturbed the congregation4 ,this day is this ,scripture fulfilled in your ears1 were his opening words4 ,and then ,he began a statement of ,his conception of ,his ministry and ,his ,message4 ,thrusting aside all precedent and musty authority1 ,he boldly proclaimed that ,he had come to establish a new conception of the ,truth--a conception that would overturn the priestly policy of formalism and lack of spirituality--a conception that would ignore forms and ceremonies1 and cleave close to the spirit of the ,sacred ,teachings4 ,and then ,he began a scathing denunciation of the lack of spiritual advancement among the ,jewish people--their materialism and desire for physical enjoyments and their drifting away from the highest ideals of the race4 ,he preached the mystic doctrine1 and insisted that they be applied to the problems of every-day life and conduct4 ,he brought down the teachings of the ,kaballah from the cloudy heights1 and set them before the people in plain1 practical form4 ,he bade them aspire to great spiritual heights1 forsaking the base ideals to which they had clung4 ,he ran counter to every custom and prejudice of the people before ,him1 and showed a lack of reverence for all of their petty forms and traditions4 ,he bade them leave the illusions of material life and follow the ,light of the ,spirit wherever it might lead them4 ,these and many other things told ,he them4 ,and then arose a disturbance among the congregation4 ,they began to interrupt and question ,him1 and many were the contradictions and denials hurled at ,him from the benches4 ,some began to sneer at ,his pretensions as the ,bearer of the ,message1 and demanded that ,he work a wonder or miracle and give them a sign4 ,this demand ,he flatly refused to grant1 not deeming the same proper1 or in accordance with the occult custom which always frowned upon wonder-working in response to such a demand4 ,then they began to abuse ,him and cries of charlatan and fraud began to resound from the walls of the synagogue4 ,they reminded ,him of ,his humble birth and condition of ,his parents1 and refused to believe that any such person as ,he had any right to claim extraordinary powers or privileges4 ,then came from ,his lips the famous saying1 ,a prophet is not without honor1 save in his own country4 ,then ,he began a fresh assault upon their prejudices and narrow views--their pet superstitions and bigotry4 ,he stripped from them their garb of hypocrisy and assumed piety1 and showed them their naked souls in all their ugliness and moral uncleanliness4 ,he poured burning invective and vitriolic denunciations into their midst1 and spared no terms that could properly be applied to them4 ,in a short time the congregation was beside itself with rage1 and the pretended righteous indignation of a flock of hypocrites and formalists who had heard themselves described in disrespectful terms by one they regarded as an upstart young man from the lower classes of their virtuous community4 ,they felt that they had bestowed a flattering honor upon ,him1 as a mark of consideration for a young townsman upon ,his return from a foreign and domestic missionary tour4 ,and now to think that ,he had thus basely betrayed their courtesy and showed in how little esteem ,he really held them--surely this was beyond human endurance4 ,and then the storm broke upon ,him4 ,leaving their seats in the synagogue1 the congregation rushed upon the young preacher1 and tearing ,him from the platform1 they pushed ,him out of the building4 ,and then the jostling1 hustling1 pushing crowd carried ,him before them along the village streets and out into the suburbs4 ,he resisted not1 deeming it unworthy to struggle with them4 ,at last1 however1 ,he was compelled to defend ,himself4 ,he perceived that it was the intention of the mob to push ,him over a precipice that had been formed on the side of a hill just beyond the town limits4 ,he waited patiently until they had urged ,him to the very brink of the decline1 and until it needed but one strong push to press ,him over its edge and into the gorge below4 ,and then ,he exerted ,his occult forces in a proper self-defense4 ,not a blow struck ,he--not a man did ,he smite with the wondrous occult power at ,his command1 which would have paralyzed their muscles or even have stretched them lifeless at ,his feet4 ,no1 he controlled ,himself with a firm hand1 and merely bent upon them a look4 ,but such a look6 ,a glance in which was concentrated the mighty ,will developed by mystic knowledge and occult practice4 ,it was the ,gaze of the ,occult ,master1 the power of which ordinary men may not withstand4 ,and the mob1 feeling its mighty force1 experienced the sensation of abject fear and terror4 ,their hair arose1 their eyes started from their sockets1 their knees shook under them1 and then1 with a wild shout of horror they began to scatter and fly1 making a wide pathway for the ,man of ,mystery who now strode through their ranks with that awful gaze which seemed to pierce the veil of mortality and to peer at things ineffable and beyond human ken4 ,and with ,his eyes refusing to look again upon the familiar scenes of ,his youth1 ,he departed from ,nazareth1 forsaking it forever as ,his home place4 ,verily1 indeed1 the ,prophet hath no honor in ,his own land4 ,those who should have been ,his staunchest supporters were the first in ,his own land to threaten ,him with violence4 ,the attempt of ,nazareth was the prophecy of ,calvary1 and ,jesus so knew it4 ,but ,he had set his feet upon ,the ,path1 and drew not back from it4 ,turning ,his back upon ,nazareth1 ,jesus established a new centre or home in ,capernaum1 which place remained the nearest approach to home to ,him during the remainder of ,his ,ministry and until ,his death4 ,the traditions have it that ,his mother came to live also at ,capernaum1 together with some of ,his brothers4 ,it is also related that his sisters and brothers1 both those remaining at ,nazareth and those removing to ,capernaum1 were sorely vexed with ,him at ,his conduct at the synagogue1 which they deemed not respectable nor proper1 and they accordingly looked upon ,him as an eccentric relative whose vagaries had brought disrepute upon the family4 ,he was regarded much in the light of a black-sheep and undesirable relation by all of ,his family except ,his mother1 who still clung to her beloved first-born4 ,the mother made her home with some of the brothers and sisters of ,jesus1 but ,he was not made welcome there1 but was looked upon as an outcast and wanderer4 ,he once spoke of this1 saying that while the birds and beasts had nests and homes1 ,he1 the ,son of ,man1 had nowhere to lay his head4 ,and so ,he wandered around in ,his own land1 as ,he had in foreign countries1 an ascetic1 living upon the alms of the people who loved ,him and listened to ,his words4 ,and in so doing ,he followed the plans and life of the ,hindu ascetics1 who even unto this day so live1 with yellow-robe and begging bowl1 and without money or scrip in their purses4 ,the ,jewish ascetic--for such was ,jesus--has ,his counterparts in the wandering holy-men of ,india and ,persia today4 ,but it must be remembered that even in ,jesus' time1 the spectacle of a rabbi living this ascetic life1 forsaking the emoluments of ,his priestly rank and deliberately taking up the roll of a poverty-stricken mendicant1 was a rare one4 ,it ran contrary to all the thrifty and prudent customs and ideals of the race4 ,it was an importation from the ,essenes1 or from the strange people of far-off lands1 and it was not relished by the ,jewish authorities1 or people who preferred the synagogues and ,temple1 with their sleek1 well-fed priests1 with fancy robes and attractive ceremonies4 ,making ,his base at ,capernaum1 ,jesus began to form ,his band of disciples with more show of a working organization4 ,to some ,he delegated certain authority1 and bade them perform certain dues of the ministry4 ,for some reason ,he selected some of ,his leading lieutenants from the ranks of the fishermen who plied their vocation along the waters of that port of the country4 ,the fishers of fish became the fishers of men4 ,jesus became very popular among the fishing fraternity1 and the legends1 as well as the ,new ,testament narratives1 tell of instances in which ,he bade ,his poor fishermen friends 7who had been unfortunate in their day's haul7 to let down their nets at some point indicated by ,him1 when to their surprise and joy their nets would be filled to overflowing4 ,little acts of kindness bestowed here and there among the humbler classes tended to have ,jesus looked upon and spoken of as a friend of the people1 but which reputation excited the jealousy of the authorities who held that such acts could be prompted by none other than a selfish motive1 and that motive the incitement of the masses to rebellion in the interest of ,himself as a ,messiah4 ,and so1 we see ,his very acts of kindness and compassion served to increase the suspicion and hatred which the authorities1 both ecclesiastical and temporal1 had always felt toward ,him4 ,his desire to alleviate the sufferings of the poor and wretched took ,him much among these people and away from the so-called higher classes4 ,the plain people were regarded by ,him as the salt of the earth1 and they1 in turn1 regarded ,him as their champion and advisor4 ,and especially to the sick did ,he devote ,his time and powers4 ,he made many marvellous cures1 a few only of which were recorded in the ,new ,testament narratives4 ,the occult legends state that these cures were of daily occurrence and that wherever ,he went ,he left behind ,him a trail of people healed of all kinds of disorders1 and that people flocked for miles to be healed of their infirmities4 ,the ,gospels relate that ,he cured great numbers of people by the simple process of laying on of hands 7a favorite method of occult healers7 he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them4 ,it is related that at ,capernaum his attention was directed toward a madman1 who suddenly cried out1 ,i know ,thee1 ,thou ,holy ,one of ,god1 whereupon ,jesus spoke a few authoritative words and cured him of his malady1 by methods that will describe the nature of the man's psychic disturbance to any advanced student of occultism4 ,demoniac possession is not believed in by orthodox ,christians of today1 but ,jesus evidently shared the belief in obsession held by students of ,psychism and similar subjects1 judging from the words ,he used in relieving this man from his malady4 ,we advise our students to read the ,gospel records in connection with these lessons1 in order to follow the subject along the old familiar paths1 but with the additional light of the interpretation of ,mystic ,christianity4 ,the growing reputation of ,jesus as a healer of the sick soon taxed ,his physical powers to the utmost4 ,he felt ,himself called upon to do the work of a dozen men1 and ,his nature rebelled at the unequal task imposed upon it4 ,it seemed as if all ,capernaum were sick4 ,her streets were crowded by seekers after health and strength4 ,at last ,he perceived that ,his work as a ,teacher was being submerged in ,his work as a ,healer4 ,and1 after a period of prayer and meditation1 ,he put aside from ,him the claims of humanity for the healing of physical ills1 and turning ,his back upon the waiting patients at ,capernaum1 ,he once more started forward on ,his pilgrimage as a ,preacher of the ,message1 and thereafter would heal physical ills only occasionally1 and1 instead1 devote the main portion of ,his time to preaching the ,truth to those who were ready to hear it4 ,it was a hard thing for a man with the tender heart of ,jesus to leave behind ,him the crowd of patients at ,capernaum1 but it was necessary for ,him to do so1 else ,he would have remained merely an occult healer of physical ailments instead of the ,messenger of the ,truth whose work it was to kindle in many places the ,flame of the ,spirit1 that would serve as the true ,light of the ,world long after the physical bodies of all then living had been again resolved to dust4 ,and so1 leaving behind ,him ,capernaum and its wailing multitudes1 ,he1 followed by ,his disciples1 moved out toward the open country1 to spread the glad tidings and to bring to the hearts of many that peace which passeth all understanding4 ,,the ,,sixth ,,lesson4 ,,the ,,work ,,of ,,organization4 ,leaving ,capernaum behind ,him1 with its crowds of invalids seeking healing1 and fighting off the demands that would have rendered ,him a professional healer instead of a ,teacher and preacher of the ,message of ,truth1 ,jesus passed on to other parts of the land1 taking with ,him the band of disciples and faithful followers who now traveled with ,him4 ,but ,he did not altogether relinquish ,his healing work4 ,he merely made it an incident of ,his ministry1 and did not allow it to interfere with ,his preaching and teaching4 ,the ,gospel narratives show a number of remarkable cures made by ,him at this time1 and the few recorded cases are1 of course1 merely occasional incidents that stand out in the minds of the people among hundreds of less noticeable cases4 ,the cure of the leper is one of such remarkable cases4 ,leprosy was a foul disease much dreaded by the people of ,oriental countries4 ,and the unfortunate person afflicted by it became an outcast and pariah from whom all others fled as from an unclean and impure thing4 ,there was a leper in the part of the country in which ,jesus was traveling and teaching4 ,he heard of the wonderful gift of healing accredited to the young preacher1 and he determined to get into ,his presence and beg ,his aid4 ,how the leper managed to get through the crowds and into the presence of ,jesus is not known1 but it must have required great strategy on his part1 for such people were not permitted to pass in and among crowds of other people4 ,but in some way the leper contrived to come face to face with ,jesus as the latter walked alone in meditation1 away from his followers4 ,the loathsome creature raised its repulsive form1 the picture of human misery and woe1 and confronting the ,master1 demanded from ,him the exercise of the ,gift of ,healing4 ,no doubt of ,his power was in the leper's mind--his face shone with faith and expectation4 ,jesus gazed earnestly into the distorted features that shone with the fire of a fervent faith such as is rarely seen on the face of man1 and touched with this testimony to ,his power and motives1 ,he moved toward the leper1 defying the laws of the country1 which forbade the same4 ,not only this1 but ,he even laid ,his hands upon the unclean flesh1 defying all the laws of reason in so doing1 and fearlessly passed ,his hand over the leper's face1 crying aloud1 ,be thou clean6 ,the leper felt a strange thrill running through his veins and over his nerves1 and every atom of his body seemed to be tingling with a peculiar burning and smarting sensation4 ,even as he looked he saw the color of his flesh changing and taking on the hue of the flesh of the healthy person4 ,the numbness departed from the affected portion of his body1 and he could actually feel the thrill and tingle of the life currents that were at work with incredible speed building up new cells1 tissue and muscle4 ,and still ,jesus held ,his hands against the flesh of the leper1 allowing the life current of highly vitalized prana to pour from ,his organism into that of the leper1 just as a storage battery of great power replenishes and recharges an electrical appliance4 ,and back of it all was the most potent1 trained ,will of the ,master ,occultist directing the work4 ,and then ,he bade the healed man depart and comply with the laws regarding purification and change of garments1 including the appearance before the priests to receive a certificate of cleanliness4 ,and ,he also bade him that nothing should be said regarding the nature or particulars of the cure4 ,for some good reason ,he wished to escape the notoriety or fame that the report of such a wonderful cure would be sure to excite4 ,but alas6 this was asking too much of human nature1 and the healed leper1 running with great leaps and bounds1 began shouting and crying aloud the glad tidings of his marvelous cure1 that all men might know what a great blessing had come to him4 ,in spite of the injunction laid upon him1 he began to sing aloud the praises of the ,master who had manifested such an unheard-of power over the foul disease that had held him in its grasp until a few hours before4 ,with wild gestures and gleaming eyes he told the story again and again1 and it was taken up and repeated from person to person1 until the whole town and countryside were familiar with the great news4 ,imagine such an event occurring in a small country town in our own land today1 and you will realize what an excitement must have been occasioned in that home place of the leper4 ,and then occurred that which ,jesus had doubtless seen when ,he forbade the leper to repeat the news of the cure4 ,the whole region became excited and immense crowds gathered around ,him and ,his disciples1 crying aloud for new wonders and miracles4 ,the curious sensation-seekers were there in full force1 crowding out those whom ,he wished to reach by ,his teachings4 ,and more than this1 great numbers of sick and crippled people crowded around ,him crying for aid and cure4 ,the scenes of ,capernaum were repeated4 ,even the lepers began flocking in1 in defiance of law and custom1 and the authorities were beside themselves with anger and annoyance4 ,not only the temporal authorities and the priests were arrayed against ,him1 as of old1 but now ,he managed to arouse the opposition of the physicians of those days1 who saw their practice ruined by this man whom they called a charlatan and deceiver threatening and destroying the health of the people1 whose physical welfare was safe only in their 7the physicians'7 hands and keeping4 ,and so ,jesus was compelled to close ,his ministry at this place and move on to another village4 ,another case which attracted much attention was that which occurred in ,galilee when ,he was preaching in a house4 ,in the midst of ,his discourse both ,he and ,his audience were startled by the sight of a figure on a bed being lowered down among the crowd of listeners from the roof surrounding the open court in the center of the house4 ,it was a poor paralyzed man whom friends had contrived to hoist up and then lower down before ,jesus in such a manner as could not escape the attention of the ,master4 ,it is related that the piteous appeal of the sufferer1 and the faith which had inspired such great energy on the part of his friends1 attracted the interest and sympathy of ,jesus1 and ,he paused in ,his discourse and made another of those instantaneous cures which are possible only to the most advanced adepts in the science of spiritual healing4 ,then came the scene of the ,wells of ,bethesda--a region abounding in healing waters to which the sick and afflicted came to regain their health4 ,the crowds of sick were being carried to the springs by friends or paid attendants1 who pushed aside the weaker ones and fought their way to the wells4 ,jesus walked among the crowds1 and at last ,his attention was attracted toward a poor fellow who lay upon his cot away off from the waters4 ,he had no friends to carry him nearer1 nor money for paid attendants4 ,and he had not strength enough to crawl there himself4 ,he filled the air with his moans and cries and bewailings of his unfortunate lot4 ,jesus walked up to him1 and holding his attention by a firm look of authority and power1 cried to him suddenly in a voice that demanded obedience1 ,take up thy bed and walk6 ,the man1 startled into obedience1 did as directed1 and much to his surprise1 and that of the crowd gathered around1 found that he was able to move about freely--a well man4 ,this cure also aroused not only the greatest interest but also the antagonism of the ecclesiastical authorities4 ,it appears that the cure had been made on the ,sabbath day1 and that it was against the ecclesiastical law to heal the sick in any way upon that day2 and also that the patient had performed manual work on the ,sabbath in carrying his bed upon the orders of the ,healer4 ,and the good pious folk1 urged on by the priests1 began to abuse and condemn the ,healer and patient1 after the manner of the formal pietists of all lands and times1 even of our own4 ,clinging to the letter of the law1 these people overlook its spirit--bound by the forms1 they fail to see the meaning lying back of all forms and ceremonies4 ,braving the storm that was arising around ,him1 ,jesus boldly walked to the ,temple4 ,he was plunged in a sea of conflicting opinions and voices4 ,on the one hand was the healed man and those who sympathized with him1 in earnest argument concerning the righteousness of the deed4 ,but arrayed against these few were the good folk of the place who loudly denounced the ,sabbath-breaker and demanded ,his punishment4 ,were the ancient laws of ,moses to be thus defied by this presumptuous ,nazarene1 whose religious ideas were sadly lacking in orthodoxy8 ,surely not6 ,punish the upstart6 ,and again ,jesus was in actual peril of bodily hurt1 or perhaps even death1 owing to the religious bigotry of the orthodox people4 ,jesus was ever a foe to the stupid formalism and ignorant fanaticism regarding holy days1 which is ever a characteristic of certain classes of mind among people4 ,on the above occasion1 as well as upon other occasions1 and notably upon the occasion of the ,sabbath when ,he directed ,his hungry disciples to pick corn to satisfy their hunger1 ,jesus opposed the strict1 ironclad law of ,sabbath observance4 ,he was ever filled with the idea that the ,sabbath was made for man1 and not man for the ,sabbath4 ,there was nothing ,puritanical about the ,master1 and in view of ,his attitude regarding this matter it is surprising to witness the attitude of some in our own time who1 wearing ,his livery1 oppose these teachings of ,his in theory and practice4 ,and so1 driven out once more by the intolerance and bigotry of the public1 ,jesus returned again to ,galilee1 ,his land of retreat and rest1 and the scene of much of ,his best work4 ,galilee was filled with ,his many followers and admirers1 and ,he was less in danger of disturbance and persecution there than in the neighborhood of ,jerusalem4 ,large congregations attended ,his ministry there1 and ,his converts were numbered by the thousand4 ,the village contained many persons healed by ,his power1 and ,his name was a household word4 ,and upon ,his return ,he entered into a new stage of ,his work4 ,he had decided to divide ,his ministry among ,his twelve most advanced disciples1 as it had now reached proportions beyond ,his ability to personally control4 ,and1 as was customary to ,him upon all great occasions1 ,he sought the solitudes for meditation and spiritual strength before finally investing ,his twelve ,apostles with the high authority of their mission4 ,he spent the night on one of the hills near ,capernaum1 from which ,he descended the following morning1 wearied in body from want of rest1 but strong in soul and spirit4 ,then ,he gathered the ,twelve around ,him1 and in a secret meeting divulged to them certain deep truths and secrets1 adding certain instructions regarding healing work1 and calling upon them for the highest allegiance to ,him and ,his work4 ,the ,gospel narratives have but very little to say regarding ,jesus' work in the instruction of the ,twelve for their future mission4 ,and the average student of the narratives goes on without thinking of the marvelous mental and spiritual development that must have been manifested by the ,apostles during their transition from humble fishermen1 and men of similar vocations1 to highly developed teachers of advanced spiritual truths4 ,to the occultist especially this ordinary view seems astounding1 for he realizes the many arduous steps necessary to be trodden by the feet of the ,neophyte before he becomes an ,initiate1 and the higher steps awaiting the ,initiate before he may become a ,master4 ,and such a one realizes the mighty task that ,jesus performed in developing and unfolding the spiritual natures of such a body of men until they become worthy to be ,his chosen representatives and teachers4 ,the occult traditions have it that ,jesus had pursued a systematic course of instruction of ,his chosen disciples1 bringing them up rapidly through degree after degree of mystic attainment and occult knowledge1 until finally they were ready for the finishing touches at ,his hands4 ,and the occasion that we are now considering was the time when the final degrees were imparted to them4 ,it must be remembered that the ,apostles were endowed with the mastery of the occult forces of nature which enabled them to perform the miracles of healing similar to those of ,jesus4 ,and it must not be supposed for a moment that an occult ,master of so high a degree of attainment as that reached by ,jesus would have allowed ,his disciples to use such mighty power without also instructing them fully in the nature of the forces they were using1 and of the best methods of employing the same4 ,and such knowledge could not be imparted without the fundamental truths of nature being understood by them1 which understanding was possible only to those who had grasped the great ,basic ,truths of the ,science of ,being4 ,in short1 the traditions are that the ,twelve ,apostles were gradually initiated into the great degrees of the ,occult ,brotherhoods of which and in which ,jesus was a ,master4 ,he gathered together a great store of occult information and mystic lore1 and condensing the same into a plain1 practical1 simple system1 ,he imparted it fully and thoroughly to those whom ,he had elected to be ,his chief co-workers and ,his successors after ,his death1 which ,he knew full well was not far off4 ,these facts must be fully understood by the student of ,mystic ,christianity who wishes to grasp the secret of the early ,christian ,church after the death of ,christ4 ,the wonderful headway manifested by the movement could not have been given by mere followers and believers in the ,master4 ,it usually follows that when the great head of an organization dies the movement disintegrates or loses power unless he has been able to communicate his spirit to some chosen followers4 ,and this ,jesus did4 ,and it was only to men who thoroughly grasped the fundamental truths and principles of ,his teachings that such spirit could have been imparted4 ,there was an exoteric teaching for the multitude1 and an esoteric teaching for the ,twelve4 ,there are many ,scriptural passages which go to show this fact1 which was well known to the early ,fathers of the ,church4 ,and upon the occasion which we have mentioned the last great ,basic ,truths were explained to the ,twelve1 and from that time henceforward they were regarded and treated as ,masters by ,jesus1 and not as mere students1 as had been the case before that time4 ,and arising from that final instruction came the ,sermon of the ,mount4 ,the ,sermon of the ,mount1 that most wonderful and complete of any of the public utterances of ,jesus1 was delivered almost immediately after the ,choosing of the ,twelve ,apostles4 ,and it was intended even more for them than for the multitudes gathered around to hear ,his preaching4 ,he knew that the ,twelve could interpret it by reason of the ,inner ,teachings that they had received from ,him4 ,and almost forgetting the congregation gathered around and about ,him1 ,he elucidated the ,inner teachings for the benefit of the ,chosen ,few4 ,the ,sermon of the ,mount can be understood only by means of the ,master ,key of the ,inner ,teachings1 which opens the door of the mind to an understanding of the hard sayings and veiled mystic import of many of ,his precepts4 ,we shall devote considerable space in one of our later lessons of this series to a consideration of the ,inner ,meaning of this great sermon and teaching1 and therefore shall not go into details regarding it in the present lesson1 deeming it better to proceed with the story of the ,master's ,work4 ,a few days after the delivery of the ,sermon of the ,mount1 the ,master left ,capernaum and traveled from town to town visiting ,his various centers of teaching1 as was ,his custom4 ,on the journey ,jesus performed a feat of occult power that proved ,him to be one of the ,highest ,adepts of the ,occult ,brotherhoods1 for to none other would such a manifestation have been possible4 ,even some of the highest ,oriental ,masters would have refused to undertake the task that ,he set before ,himself to do4 ,the company was leisurely proceeding on its way1 when nearing a small town they met a funeral procession coming in their direction4 ,preceded by the band of women chanting the mournful dirges according to the ,galileean custom1 the cortege slowly wended its way4 ,the etiquette of the land required strangers to join in the mourning when they came in contact with a funeral procession1 and the company assumed a mournful and respectful demeanor1 and many joined in the dirge which was being chanted by the procession4 ,but ,jesus invaded the privacy of the procession in a manner shocking to those who held closely to the familiar forms and customs4 ,stepping up to the bier1 ,he stood in front of it and bade the carriers halt and set it down4 ,a murmur of indignation ran through the ranks of the mourners1 and some strode forward to rebuke the presumptuous stranger who dared to violate the dignity of the funeral in this way4 ,but something in ,his face held them back4 ,then a strange feeling passed over the crowd4 ,jesus was known to a number of the mourners1 and some of those who had witnessed some of ,his wonder-workings began to whisper that strange things were about to happen1 and the ranks were broken as the people flocked around the ,master at the bier4 ,the corpse was that of a young man1 and his widowed mother stood beside the pale figure stretched upon the bier1 and spreading her arms in front of it1 she seemed to ward off the profaning touch of the strange man who confronted it4 ,but the stranger looked upon her with a look of transcendent love1 and in a voice vibrant with the tenderest feeling said unto her1 ,mother1 weep not--cease thy mourning4 ,amazed1 but impressed1 she turned an appealing gaze to ,him who had thus bidden her4 ,her mother love and instinct caught a new expression in ,his eyes1 and her heart bounded with a wonderful hope of something1 she knew not what4 ,what did the ,nazarene mean8 ,her boy was dead1 and even ,god ,himself never disturbed the slumber of the body from which the spirit had flown4 ,but still what meant that expression--why that leap and throbbing of her heart8 ,then with a gesture of authority the ,master caused the crowd to draw back from the bier1 until at last there remained only the corpse1 the mother and ,himself in a cleared space in the center4 ,then a strange and wonderful scene began4 ,with ,his gaze fixed upon the face of the corpse1 and in an attitude that indicated a supreme effort of ,his will1 the ,master was seen to be making some mighty effort which called into play the highest forces at ,his command4 ,the ,apostles1 having been instructed by ,him in ,occult power1 recognized the nature of the manifestation1 and their faces paled1 for they knew that ,he was not only pouring out ,his vital force into the body in order to recharge it with prana1 but that ,he was also essaying one of the highest and most difficult of occult feats--that of summoning back from the ,astral ,plane the higher vehicles and the ,astral ,body--the very soul of the youth--and forcing it once more into its mortal frame1 which ,he had recharged with vital energy and strength4 ,they knew that ,he1 by the mightiest effort of ,his will1 was reversing the process of death4 ,and with a full appreciation of the real nature of the wonder that was being worked before them1 their limbs trembled beneath them and their breath came from them in gasps4 ,then cried the people1 ,what saith this man to the corpse8 ,arise1 youth6 ,open thine eyes6 ,breathe freely6 ,arise1 ,i say unto thee--arise6 ,did this stranger dare to defy ,god's own decree8 ,the corpse opened its eyes and stared around in wild amaze1 the glare not fully faded away6 ,its chest heaved in great agonizing gasps as if fighting again for life6 ,then its arms were lifted up--then its legs began to move--now it raised itself upright and began to babble meaningless words--now the look of recognition came into its eyes1 and its arms clasped themselves around the mother's neck1 while sob after sob broke from its lips6 ,the dead lived--the corpse had come to life4 ,the people fell back overcome with the awful terror of the sight1 and the funeral procession scattered in all directions1 until only the sobbing mother and the youth remained1 weeping in their mutual love and joy1 and forgetting even the ,master and ,his followers in their great flood of affection4 ,and1 leaving them thus1 ,jesus and ,his followers passed away on their pilgrimage4 ,but the fame of the miracle spread from town to town1 even up to the great capital1 ,jerusalem4 ,and men wondered or doubted1 according to their natures1 while the temporal and ecclesiastical authorities began to again ask themselves and each other whether this man were not a dangerous person and an enemy to established custom and order4 ,in one of ,his journeys ,jesus found ,himself invited to the house of a leading citizen of the town in which ,he was preaching4 ,this citizen was one of the class known as ,pharisees1 whose characteristics were an extreme devotion and adherence to forms and ceremonies and a bigoted insistence upon the observance of the letter of the law4 ,the ,pharisees were the ultra-orthodox center of an orthodox people4 ,they were the straight-laced brethren who walked so erect that they leaned backward4 ,they were the people who thanked ,god that they were not like unto other men4 ,they were the uncommonly good members of church and society4 ,the very name stands even unto this day as a synonym for pious sham4 ,just why this ,pharisee had invited the ,master to dine with him is not easily understood4 ,it is likely that it was a combination of curiosity and a desire to entrap his guest into statements and admissions that might be used against him4 ,at any rate1 the invitation was given and accepted4 ,the ,master noted that certain little ceremonies usually extended by the ,hebrews to a guest of equal standing were omitted by ,his host4 ,his head was not anointed with the ceremonial oil1 as was the custom in houses of this character when the guest was honored as an equal or desirable addition to the family gathering4 ,clearly ,he was regarded as a curiosity or freak rather than as a friend1 and had been invited in such a spirit4 ,but ,he said nothing1 and passed over the slight4 ,and the meal passed along smoothly up to a certain point4 ,the host and his guests were reclining easily1 after the ,oriental fashion1 discussing various topics1 when a woman pressed her way into the banquet hall4 ,her dress proclaimed her to be one of the women of easy virtue abounding in all ,oriental towns4 ,she was clad in showy apparel and her hair fell loosely over her shoulders after the custom of the women of her kind in that land4 ,she fixed her eyes upon the ,master and moved slowly toward him1 much to the annoyance of the host1 who feared a scene1 for the ,master would most likely administer a rebuke to the woman for presuming to intrude upon the presence of ,him1 a spiritual teacher4 ,but the woman still pressed forward toward ,him1 and at last1 bending down low1 her head touching ,his feet1 she burst into tears4 ,she had heard the ,master preach some time before1 and the seeds of ,his teaching had taken root and had now blossomed within her heart2 and she had come to acknowledge her allegiance and to render an offering to ,him whom she revered4 ,the coming into ,his presence was her token of a spiritual regeneration and a desire to begin a new life4 ,her tears flowed over ,his feet1 and she dried them off with her long hair4 ,then she kissed ,his feet1 as a token of her allegiance and worship4 ,from her neck hung a chain holding a little box filled with precious perfumed oil1 which she esteemed highly1 as did all the people of her race4 ,the oil was of the nature of attar of roses and was the essential oil extracted from fragrant blossoms4 ,she broke the seal and poured the fragrant oil over the hands and feet of the ,master1 who rebuked her not1 but who accepted the tribute even from such a source4 ,the host began to indulge in thoughts not flattering to the intelligence of his guest1 and a scarcely concealed sneer appeared on his lips4 ,then ,jesus turned to ,his host and with a smile said to him3 ,simon1 in thy mind thou thinkest these words3 ',if this man be indeed a prophet1 would he not know what manner of woman this be who toucheth him1 and would he not rebuke her and drive her from him8' ,and the ,pharisee was sorely confused1 for the ,master had read his thought word for word by the method known to occultists as telepathy4 ,and then in gentle raillery the ,master called his host's attention to the fact that the woman had performed the service which he1 the host1 had neglected to observe4 ,had she not bathed and dried ,his feet1 as the ,pharisee would have done had his guest been deemed worthy of honor8 ,had she not anointed ,him with precious oil1 as the host would have anointed an honored guest8 ,had she not impressed upon even ,his feet the kiss that etiquette required the host to impress upon the cheek of the esteemed visitor to his house8 ,and as for the character of the woman1 it had been fully recognized and forgiven4 ,much hath been forgiven her1 for she hath loved greatly4 ,and1 turning to the woman1 ,he added1 ,go in peace1 for thy sins are forgiven thee4 ,and the woman departed with a new expression on her face and a firm resolve in her heart1 for the ,master had forgiven and blessed her4 ,but by this act ,jesus brought upon ,his head the hatred of the ,pharisee and his friends4 ,he had dared rebuke the host in his own palace1 and had moreover arrogated to ,himself the sacred rite to pronounce remission of sins1 a right vested solely in the high-priest of the ,temple1 upon the performance of certain ceremonies and sacrifices upon the altar4 ,he had flung defiance at vested ecclesiastical right and functions1 even in the house of one of the stanchest adherents of formalism and authority--a ,pharisee4 ,in this incident was shown not only the broadness of ,jesus' views and the universality of ,his love1 as well as ,his courage in defying the hated formalism1 even in the palace of its stanchest advocates1 but also ,his attitude toward women4 ,the ,jews as a race held women in but scant esteem4 ,they were not deemed worthy to sit with the men in the synagogue4 ,it was deemed unworthy of a man to mention his female relations in general company4 ,they were regarded as inferior in every way to men1 and were treated as almost unclean in their most sacred natural functions4 ,toward fallen women especially ,jesus was ever considerate4 ,he saw their temptation and the social cruelty of their position4 ,he resented the double standard of virtue which allowed a man to commit certain offenses and still be respected1 while the woman who committed the same offense was damned socially1 reviled and treated as a shameful outcast4 ,he was ever ready to voice a defense for women of this kind1 and seemed to be ever actuated by the sense of injustice in the attitude of men toward them1 which finally voiced itself on a notable occasion when called upon to pass judgment upon the woman taken in adultery3 ,let him among ye who is without sin cast the first stone4 ,no wonder that the outcast woman kissed ,his feet and poured out the precious ointment upon ,him4 ,he was the ,friend to such as she4 ,,the ,,seventh ,,lesson4 ,,the ,,beginning ,,of ,,the ,,end4 ,the ministry of ,jesus went on in about the same channels4 ,wandering here and there throughout the country1 preaching and teaching in this town and that village1 gathering around ,him new followers1 ,jesus continued ,his work4 ,he adapted ,himself to ,his audience1 giving to each what it needed1 and not making the mistake of speaking over the heads of the people4 ,he gave the general public the broad general teachings that they required1 but ,he reserved the ,inner ,teachings for the ,inner ,circle of ,his followers whom ,he knew to be fit to receive the same4 ,in this ,he showed a deep knowledge of men1 and a strict accordance with the established custom of the mystics1 who never make the mistake of giving the higher spiritual mathematics to the students who are learning the addition1 subtraction and division rules of the occult4 ,he cautioned ,his apostles regarding this point of teaching1 even going so far as warning them positively and strongly against casting pearls before swine4 ,one night ,he was in a boat crossing the lake of ,gennesaret1 in company with some of ,his fisherman followers4 ,tired out by the strenuous work of the day1 ,he wrapped ,himself up in ,his robe and fell into a deep sleep1 from which ,he was later awakened by a noise and commotion among the crew and passengers4 ,a terrible lake storm had sprung up1 and the little vessel was tossing and pitching about among the waves in a manner which gave concern to even the experienced fishermen who manned her4 ,the sails had been torn off1 carrying away with them a portion of the mast1 and the boat refused to respond to her rudder1 the steering gear being rendered useless4 ,the crew became panic-stricken and rushing to ,jesus besought ,him to save them from death in the storm4 ,master6 ,master6 ,help ere we perish4 ,the boat is foundering6 ,save us1 ,master6 ,the ,master arose and1 using ,his occult power1 caused the winds to cease their tempestuous activity1 and the waves to become calm4 ,he followed the ,oriental occultists' custom of voicing ,his commands in words1 not that the words had any virtue in themselves1 but because they served a vehicle for ,his concentrated thought and focused will which ,he was using in his manifestation of occult power4 ,with this knowledge of the process1 occultists smile when they read the nave account of the occurrence in the ,gospels1 where ,jesus is described as addressing and rebuking the rebellious winds and then gently and kindly soothing the waters with words of ,peace1 be still6 ,the fishermen who witnessed the occurrence1 and from whom the reports thereof spread among the people1 not understanding the nature of occult manifestations1 thought that ,he was addressing the winds as actual entities1 rebuking them and bidding them cease their vicious work1 and soothing the sea in the same manner4 ,they did not comprehend the mental processes back of the words1 and in their simplicity thought that ,he was actually rebuking the wind and soothing the waters4 ,all occultists know that in treating material conditions the process is rendered much easier and simpler if we will but think of and speak to the condition as if it had intelligence and actual being1 thus more easily directing the forces4 ,obeying the thought and will of the ,master1 the winds abated their fury and the waters ceased their troubling4 ,gradually the boat rested easily upon the bosom of the lake1 and the crew breathed freely once more1 and then began their work of righting the mast and steering gear4 ,and they wondered as they worked and asked each other ,what manner of man is this1 whom even the winds and the waters obey8 ,and ,jesus1 looking sadly at them1 voiced that cry of the mystic who knows of the inherent and latent powers of man over material conditions1 awaiting the exercise of the ,will that may be exercised only in response to a great ,faith4 ,he answered them1 saying1 ,oh1 ye of little ,faith4 ,what had you to fear8 ,to the mystic it seems strange that people are able to read the ,gospel accounts of the above and similar events and yet see no more in them than a mere recital of miracles wrought by some supernatural power4 ,to the reader who has learned the fundamental truths1 the ,new ,testament record of the wonder-working of ,jesus1 even as imperfect as that record is1 is full of advanced occult instructions stated so plainly that it seems as if even the casual reader must recognize it4 ,but no1 the old rule is still in force--each reads only that for which he is ready--each must bring something to a book1 before he may expect to take anything away from it--to him that hath shall be given4 ,ever the same old mystic truth1 manifest ever and ever1 at all times and in all places4 ,it is a fundamental law of the mind4 ,the journey across the lake was attended by another manifestation of occult power which is often passed over by the church teachers without comment1 or at least with a labored endeavor to explain the evident meaning of the narrative4 ,the modern materialistic trend of thought has invaded even the churches and has caused the preachers and teachers to endeavor to escape the accusation of believing in spirits and similar phenomena of the ,astral ,world4 ,when the company reached the coast of ,gergesa1 on the opposite side of the lake1 it disembarked and ,jesus and ,his disciples pressed in toward the coast towns4 ,as they passed among the cliffs lining the shore1 they perceived two uncanny wandering figures which1 gibbering1 followed them along4 ,the two maniacs1 for such they were1 approached the party1 and one of them began to address the ,master in a strange manner1 beseeching ,him to relieve the two of the devils possessing them4 ,he called aloud1 ,o ,master1 thou ,son of the ,living ,god1 have mercy upon us1 and drive away the unclean things that we have allowed to enter into us4 ,the ,gospels say nothing regarding the cause of this demoniac obsession1 and the preachers prefer to pass over it rapidly1 or else to treat it as a delusion of the insane1 notwithstanding the direct statement of the ,new ,testament narrative and its sequel or concluding statement4 ,but the occult traditions have it that these two men were victims of their dabbling into certain phases of psychic phenomena1 i4e41 the raising up of spirits by the arts of ,black ,magic4 ,in other words1 these men had been experimenting along the lines of ,jewish ,necromancy1 or ,invocation and ,evocation of ,disembodied ,astral ,intelligences by means of ,conjuration4 ,they had raised up ,astral ,intelligences that had then refused to retire to their own plane1 but which had taken possession of the physical organisms of their invokers and had remained in possession1 causing the men to be regarded as maniacs1 which resulted in their becoming outcasts among the caves with which the cliffs abounded1 the same places being also the tombs of the dead4 ,we do not wish to go into details here regarding this matter1 but we wish to give the occult explanation of this little understood miracle of ,jesus1 which1 however1 is clearly understood by all occultists4 ,jesus fully understood the nature of the trouble1 and began at once to drive out these invading ,astral ,intelligences by means of his occult power4 ,in a few moments1 a cry was heard from the hills near by1 and a great herd of swine were seen rushing down the hill1 and in a moment were over the precipice and were soon drowned4 ,the ,gospel narrative is perfectly plain on this subject--it states that the legions of devils had passed from the men into the swine and the latter had plunged in terror into the water and were drowned4 ,jesus had distinctly and positively spoken to the demons1 calling them unclean spirits1 and bidding them come out of the men4 ,and all advanced students of ,occultism understand why the pigs were used as intermediate instruments of the driving back of the ,astral ,intelligences to their own plane of life1 which reason1 however1 is not in place or keeping in this work intended for general public reading4 ,the maniacs were restored to their normal condition1 and the traditions say that the ,master instructed them regarding the evil courses which they had been pursuing1 and bade them desist from their nefarious practices which had wrought such evil consequences upon them4 ,the church and its preachers1 with but few exceptions1 have seen fit to ignore the frequent ,biblical allusions to devils1 demons1 etc42 their position being practically that the writers of the events of ,jesus' ministry 7whom they otherwise consider to have been inspired7 must have been superstitious1 credulous people believing in the absurd demonology of their times4 ,they ignore the fact that ,jesus ,himself repeatedly spoke to these intelligences1 bidding them depart from the people whom they had been obsessing4 ,does the church wish to hold that the ,master was also an ignorant1 credulous peasant1 sharing popular superstitions8 ,it would seem so4 ,we must except the ,catholic ,church from this criticism1 for its authorities have recognized the true state of affairs and have warned its followers against indulging in the dark practices of ,necromancy or ,invocation of ,astral ,intelligences4 ,occult science informs its students of the various planes of life1 each of which contains its inhabitants4 ,it teaches that on the ,astral ,plane there are disembodied entities which should not be transplanted to our plane4 ,and it warns all against the dark practices1 so common in ancient times and in the ,middle ,ages1 of invoking and evoking these undesirable denizens of that plane4 ,it is to be regretted that some of the modern ,psychic ,researchers ignore these plain warnings1 for some of them are laying themselves open to grave consequences by reason of their wilful folly4 ,we urge upon our readers to refrain from this dabbling in the phenomena of the ,astral ,plane4 ,some writer has well compared ,psychism to a great machine1 in the cog-wheels of which persons may become entangled only to be afterward drawn into the machine itself4 ,keep away from the wheels6 ,this miracle of ,jesus aroused great excitement1 and it was urged against ,him that ,he was going about the country driving devils into people's flocks and herds1 causing their destruction4 ,the priests fomented the popular feeling1 and encouraged the distrust1 hatred and fear which the orthodox portion of the community was beginning to entertain toward the ,master4 ,the seeds of ,calvary were being sown among the people4 ,and their awful fruit was latent in them4 ,hate and bigotry were the essence of both seed and fruit4 ,jesus returned to ,capernaum1 and once more the little town was crowded with people seeking instruction and crying to be healed4 ,the news of his wonderful healing power spread far and near1 and people were carried on litters for many miles in order that they might be touched by the hands of the ,master4 ,about this time there came to ,him one ,jairus1 a man of eminence in the community and in the church4 ,jairus had a little daughter about twelve years of age1 who was taken seriously ill1 and who had been given up as incurable by the physicians4 ,with his daughter lying at death's door1 ,jairus hastened to the scene of the ,master's meetings1 and1 throwing himself at ,his feet1 besought ,him to heal his beloved child ere she passed beyond the dark portals of the unknown4 ,the ,master1 feeling compassion for the father's great grief1 paused in ,his teaching and started toward ,jairus' home4 ,his mind charged with the concentration of healing thought1 and ,his organism filled with the vital forces aroused to perform the task1 ,he felt some one touch the hem of ,his garment in search of healing power1 and ,he at once recognized the occurrence1 saying1 ,the power hath been drawn from me4 ,who touched my garment8 ,as they approached the house of ,jairus1 the servants came running out with wild cries and lamentations1 announcing that the child had died while awaiting the coming of the ,healer4 ,the father broke down at this terrible news1 coming at the very moment of his greatest hope4 ,but ,jesus bade him to have faith and still believe4 ,then1 accompanied by three of ,his disciples--,john1 ,peter and ,james--,he entered the chamber of death4 ,waving back the weeping family and the neighbors who had gathered1 ,stand back1 ,he cried1 the child is not dead--she but sleepeth4 ,an indignant cry went up from the orthodox relatives and friends at these words of the ,master4 ,how dared ,he so mock the very presence of the dead1 whom the physicians had left1 and over whom the priests had already begun the last sacred rites8 ,but1 heeding them not1 the ,master passed ,his hands over the child's head1 and took her little cold palms within his own4 ,then began a strange happening4 ,the little chest began to heave1 and the white wan cheeks began to show traces of color4 ,then the arms and hands began to move1 and the wasted limbs drew slightly up4 ,then1 opening her eyes with a wondering look1 the child gazed at the ,healer and smiled gently at ,him4 ,then the ,master1 with a look of gentle tenderness1 withdrew from the room1 after ordering that nourishing food be brought for the child4 ,then began the usual dispute4 ,some declared that another had been raised from the dead1 while others declared that the child had but been in a trance and would have awakened anyway4 ,had not even the ,healer declared that she only slept8 ,but ,jesus heeded not the disputants1 but returned to the scene of ,his work4 ,the work went on in its accustomed way4 ,he began to send ,his apostles away on longer and more extended tours1 having fully instructed them in the occult methods of healing4 ,great success attended their efforts and the best reports came in from all sides4 ,the authorities recognized to a still greater extent the growing influence of the young ,master1 and ,his actions were still more closely watched by the spies4 ,reports of ,his teachings and work were carried to ,herod1 who1 recognizing in them the same note that had been struck by ,john the ,baptist1 who had been put to death1 perceived that though men might die1 the spirit of their teachings would still live on4 ,no wonder the guilty ruler should cry in terror1 ,this verily is the spirit of ,john1 whom ,i put to death1 risen from the grave to wreak vengeance upon me6 ,and the authorities reported to ,rome that here was a young fanatic1 whom many believed to be the ,messiah and coming ,king of the ,jews1 who had thousands of followers all over the land4 ,and word came back from ,rome1 in due time1 to watch carefully over the man1 who was undoubtedly striving to incite an insurrection1 and to imprison ,him or put ,him to death as soon as the evidence was sufficient to convict ,him4 ,jesus about this time was near a small fishing town called ,bethseda1 on the lake about seven miles from ,capernaum4 ,near this place ,his boat landed at a place on the beach where ,he had hoped to take a few days' rest4 ,but1 alas1 a great crowd had hastened to the place of disembarkation1 and now gathered around ,him1 demanding teaching and healing4 ,putting aside ,his mental and physical fatigue1 ,he attended to the wants of the crowd4 ,healing now1 and then teaching1 ,he threw ,himself into ,his work with fervor and zeal4 ,there were over five thousand people gathered together around ,him1 and toward evening the cry went up that there was not sufficient food in the camp to begin to feed the multitude4 ,a great tumult arose among the crowd1 and complaints and even curses began to be heard4 ,the spiritual wants were forgotten1 and the physical began to manifest itself in a most insistent manner4 ,what was to be done8 ,he called together those of ,his company who had been entrusted with the care of the food which the little company carried with it4 ,and1 to ,his sorrow1 ,he learned that the entire stock of food consisted of five loaves of bread and two fishes4 ,and the little band carried practically no money with it1 for they depended upon the hospitality of the country and the offerings by the faithful4 ,the disciples advised that the ,master order the crowd to disperse and return to ,bethseda for food4 ,but ,jesus felt loath to do this1 particularly when there were so many invalids in the gathering who had traveled so many miles to see ,him1 and who had not yet been healed4 ,and so ,he decided to give the company its food by means of ,his power4 ,he bade ,his people divide the multitude into little groups of fifty people1 who were then instructed to be seated for a meal4 ,then ,he ordered the scanty supply of available food to be brought before ,him1 and1 placing ,his hands over it1 ,he offered a blessing1 then ordered ,his people to serve the throng4 ,they began to serve out the food with looks of wonder and amazement4 ,had the ,master lost ,his senses8 ,but in some way the food seemed miraculously to increase and multiply1 until at last all of the five thousand had been fully supplied and their hunger appeased4 ,and then1 after all had been served and had eaten1 the scraps and fragments which were gathered up filled many wicker baskets and were distributed to the poorer people in the company for tomorrow's use4 ,but trouble arose4 ,the people1 with well filled stomachs1 feeling that here indeed was royal bounty and the power with which to feed them forever free of charge1 began to wax enthusiastic and shouts ascended4 ,the ,messiah6 ,king of the ,jews6 ,provider of the ,people6 ,son of ,david6 ,ruler over ,israel6 were the words which soon swept the crowd off of its feet4 ,and then some of the bolder ones1 or else the hired spies who wished to place ,him in a compromising position1 began to suggest that the crowd form itself into an army and march from city to city with ,jesus at its head1 until at last they would place ,him upon the throne of ,israel at ,jerusalem4 ,jesus1 recognizing the peril to ,his mission1 managed to dissuade the hot-heads from their plans1 but still fearing that the authorities might come down upon the assemblage1 ordered that the ,twelve take the boat and put out for the other side of the lake4 ,he sent them off as a precaution1 but ,he1 ,himself1 remained with the crowd and faced the threatened danger4 ,he retired to the hills near by and spent the night in meditation4 ,then early in the morning1 ,he noticed that a storm was rising over the lake and that the tiny boat containing ,his disciples would be in great danger4 ,in a few moments they might be overwhelmed4 ,he wished to be with them to comfort and re-assure them4 ,no boat being handy1 he stepped boldly out upon the water and walked rapidly toward the direction in which ,he knew the boat must be4 ,scarcely conscious of the occult power of levitation that ,he was using to overcome the power of gravitation1 ,he moved rapidly toward ,his followers4 ,soon ,he overtook them1 and they1 seeing a white figure moving swiftly over the water toward them1 were affrighted1 believing it to be a spirit or ghost4 ,it is ,i1 be not afraid6 called out the ,master to them4 ,then ,peter cried out1 ,lord1 if ,thou it be1 direct me to walk to ,thee also on the waves6 ,and the ,master1 smiling1 so directed him4 ,and ,peter1 whose latent occult power was aroused by his great faith in the ,master1 sprang over the side and took several steps toward ,him4 ,but1 suddenly losing his faith and courage1 his power also left him1 and he began to sink beneath the waves4 ,but the ,master grasped his hand and led him in safety to the boat and both entered it4 ,then the crew fell to and with great enthusiasm righted the boat and proceeded to the shore near ,capernaum4 ,in the case of ,peter and his experience in walking on the water1 we have a striking instance of the well known power of the mental attitude of ,faith in the manifestation of occult power4 ,all occultists know this1 and without feeling an implicit faith in the ,power with them1 they do not attempt certain forms of manifestation4 ,they know that with ,faith miracles may be performed which are impossible otherwise4 ,so long as ,peter held his ,faith he was able to counteract certain laws of nature by means of other laws not so well known4 ,but as soon as ,fear took the place of ,faith his power left him4 ,this is an invariable occult principle1 and in the recital of this story of ,peter on the water is to be found a whole volume of occult instruction--to those who are able to read it4 ,arriving safely on the shores of the lake1 ,jesus resumed ,his work while the ever-present gathering of people went on in its accustomed way4 ,but on the opposite shore of the lake the crowd who had been fed on the loaves and fishes were in an angry mood4 ,they cried out that they had been deserted by their leader1 and that the expected loaves and fishes--the free meals that they had expected would continue--had been denied them4 ,they also complained bitterly that the reign of miracles had not continued4 ,and they began to revile the ,master that they had acclaimed the night before4 ,and so ,jesus experienced the ingratitude and the unreasonable words of the public just as all great teachers have done4 ,the seekers after the loaves and the fishes1 demanding to be fed and clothed without their own work--the seekers after miracles1 demanding fresh wonder-workings--have ever been the bane of the great ,teachers of the ,truth4 ,it is a hard and bitter truth1 but all teachers and true lovers of the ,truth must learn to meet and understand it4 ,the mob which reveres a spiritual ,master today is equally ready to rend him to pieces tomorrow4 ,and still more trouble arose from this mistaken kindness which led ,jesus to feed the crowd by ,his occult powers1 which1 by the way1 ,he knew to be in opposition to the well-established custom of the ,occult ,brotherhoods4 ,the formalists1 ,pharisees and ,scribes1 having heard of the occurrence1 gathered about the ,master and accused ,him of violating one of the forms and ceremonies prescribed by the ecclesiastical authorities--the rite which required the faithful to wash their hands before beginning a meal4 ,they accused ,him of heresy and false teaching1 which tended to lead the people away from their accustomed ceremonies and observances4 ,jesus waxed indignant and1 turning on ,his critics1 hurled burning replies upon them4 ,ye hypocrites6 ,he cried1 ,you cling to the commandments of men and neglect the commandments of ,god6 ,you cleanse your hands but not your souls6 ,you are the blind leaders of the blind1 and both yourselves and your followers fall in the mire and ditches6 ,away with you and your hypocrisy6 ,but the adverse comment aroused by ,his actions would not down1 and1 discouraged and disheartened by the evidences of the barrenness of the soil in which ,he had been sowing the precious seeds of the ,truth1 ,he gathered together ,his followers and departed into ,tyre and ,sidon1 a quieter region1 that ,he might rest and meditate over new plans and work4 ,he could see the beginning of the end4 ,to understand the nature of the position of the ,master at this time1 it must be remembered that ,his strong hold had ever been with the masses of the people1 who were ,his enthusiastic admirers4 ,so long as ,he remained entrenched in the heart of the populace1 the temporal and ecclesiastical authorities dared not attack ,him without a popular uprising of no mean proportions4 ,but now that they had managed to wean away ,his public from ,him they pressed ,him harder and harder with their persecutions and complaints4 ,and so at last they had managed to render ,him almost an unpopular outcast4 ,they forced ,him away from the larger towns1 and now ,he was wandering among the less populous regions of the country1 and even there the spies and agents of the authorities hunted ,him down1 seeking to further entrap and compromise ,him4 ,about this time ,jesus revealed to ,his apostles the facts of ,his ,divine origin which was now plain to ,him4 ,he also told them of the fate which awaited ,him1 and which ,he had willingly chosen4 ,he told them not to expect the fruits of ,his work at this time1 for ,he was but sowing the seeds of the fruit which would not grow and bear fruit for many centuries4 ,he gave them the ,mystic secret of the nature of ,his work1 which is taught to the ,initiates of the ,occult ,brotherhoods even unto this day4 ,but even these chosen men scarcely grasped the true import of ,his teachings1 and once ,he was rendered almost broken hearted at over-hearing a discussion among them regarding high offices which they hoped to acquire4 ,jesus now felt that the time had come for ,him to move on to ,jerusalem to meet there the crowning act of ,his strange career4 ,and1 knowing full well that such a course would be virtually thrusting ,his head into the very jaws of the lion of ecclesiastical and temporal authority1 ,he set ,his feet firmly on the road which led to ,jerusalem1 the capital city1 and the center of ecclesiastical influence4 ,and that road was a hard one to travel1 for1 as ,he neared the capital1 ,his enemies increased in number and the opposition to ,him grew stronger4 ,at one village ,he had been denied the right of shelter1 an indignity almost unknown in ,oriental lands4 ,in another place a large rock was hurled at ,him and wounded ,him severely4 ,the mob had turned against ,him and was repaying ,his kind services with abuse and personal violence4 ,and this is ever the lot of the teacher of the ,truth who scatters the sacred pearls of ,truth before the swine of the unworthy multitude of people4 ,over and over again has this fact been brought home to those who would labor for the good of the world4 ,and still we hear the querulous complaint that the ,inner ,teaching is reserved for the ,few--why not scatter it broadcast among the people8 ,the stake1 the rack1 the stones1 the prison cell1 the cross and their modern prototypes--these are the silent answers to the question4 ,moving on toward ,jerusalem the little company reached ,perea1 a number of miles from ,bethany1 at which latter place dwelt a family of ,his friends--the two sisters1 ,martha and ,mary1 and their brother ,lazarus4 ,at this place ,he was met by a messenger from ,bethany1 who bore the sad news that ,his friend ,lazarus was sick unto death1 and who also begged the ,master to return to ,bethany and cure the man4 ,but this ,jesus refused to do1 and allowed several days to pass without answering the summons4 ,at the end of the several days ,he started toward ,bethany1 telling ,his disciples that ,lazarus was dead4 ,and reaching ,bethany they found that it was indeed so--,lazarus was dead and in the tomb4 ,jesus was received with scowling antagonism4 ,the people seemed to say1 ,here is this heretical imposter again4 ,he feared to come even to the aid of ,his dying friend4 ,his power has failed ,him and ,he now stands discredited and exposed6 ,then came ,martha1 who reproached the ,master with ,his indifference and delay4 ,he answered her that ,lazarus should rise again1 but she doubted ,his word4 ,then came ,mary1 whose grief brought tears even from the ,master1 who had seen so much of human suffering as to have found his eyes refuse to weep4 ,then asked the ,master1 ,where have you laid him away8 and they took ,him to the tomb1 followed by the curious mob hungering for the sight of more wonders from the man whom they feared even while hating and reviling ,him4 ,jesus stood before the dreary tomb and bade the men roll away the stone that closed the mouth of the tomb4 ,the men hesitated1 for they knew that a corpse lay within1 and they even perceived the characteristic odor of the tomb issuing therefrom4 ,but the ,master insisting upon it1 they rolled away the stone and ,jesus stood full in front of the dark opening to the cavern4 ,he stood there for a few moments wrapt in meditation and showing evidences of strong mental concentration4 ,his eyes took on a strange look1 and in every muscle ,he showed that ,he was summoning to the task every particle of the power at ,his command4 ,he was throwing off the matters that had been occupying ,his mind during the past weeks1 that ,he might hold his mind one-pointed1 as the ,oriental occultists term it--that ,he might concentrate clearly and forcibly upon the task before ,him4 ,then1 arousing ,his reserve force1 in a mighty effort1 ,he cried loudly1 in a voice of authority and power1 ,lazarus6 ,lazarus6 ,come forth6 ,the people gasped with horror at this calling forth a corpse which was in the process of disintegration and decay1 and a cry of remonstrance went up1 but ,jesus heeded it not4 ,lazarus6 ,lazarus6 ,come forth1 ,i command thee6 he cried again4 ,and then at the mouth of the cavern could be seen something startling4 ,it was a ghastly figure1 bound and clad in the grave-clothes of that country1 which was struggling to free itself and to move toward the light4 ,it was indeed ,lazarus6 ,and1 after tearing off the stained grave-clothes which still retained the horrid stench of decaying matter1 his body was found to be sweet and clean and pure as that of the infant4 ,jesus had performed a wonder-work far beyond any manifestation ,he had heretofore shown to the world4 ,the excitement occasioned by this crowning wonder1 coming to ,jerusalem after a lull in which it had thought that the ,master had retired into insignificant seclusion1 aroused again into activity the authorities1 who now determined to make an end to the matter and to suppress this pestilent charlatan once and for all4 ,raising a decaying corpse from the tomb1 indeed6 ,what new fraudulent marvels would ,he not work next in order to delude the credulous people and to bring them once more around his rebellious standard8 ,the man was dangerous without doubt1 and must be put where ,he could do no harm--and that at once4 ,within a few hours after the receipt of news that ,lazarus had walked from the tomb1 the ,sanhedrin1 the great ,jewish ecclesiastical council1 was in session1 called hastily by its officers to take vigorous action concerning this impious1 heretical imposter who had been allowed to mock at established order and religion for too long a time4 ,he must be quieted ere he arouse the people once more4 ,the ,roman authorities were warned by the ,jewish ecclesiastics that this dangerous man now approaching the capital claimed to be the ,jewish ,messiah1 and that ,his aims were to overturn the ,temple authorities first1 and then establish ,himself as ,king of the ,jews1 and place ,himself at the head of a revolutionary army which would attempt to defy and defeat the rule of mighty ,rome herself4 ,and so all the machinery was set in motion1 and the officers of the law were all on the alert to take advantage of the first overt act of ,jesus and ,his followers1 and to throw them into prison as enemies of society1 religion and of the state4 ,the ,roman authorities were agitated at the reports coming to them from the highest ,jewish authorities1 and were prepared to crush the rebellion at the first sign4 ,the ,jewish priests were in solemn convocation and at the instigation of ,caiaphas1 the high priest of the ,jews1 they determined that nothing but the death of this false ,messiah would put an end to the agitation which threatened to drive them from power and authority4 ,and so the die was cast4 ,and meanwhile ,jesus was resting in ,bethany1 surrounded by great throngs who were pouring into the place to see ,lazarus1 and to renew their allegiance to the ,master whom they had so basely forsaken4 ,time-servers ever1 the latest miracles had revived their fading interest and waning faith1 and they flocked around the ,master as noisy1 enthusiastic and as full of fulsome praise as ever4 ,and yesterday they had damned ,him1 and tomorrow they would cry ,crucify ,him6 ,for such is the nature of the multitude of men4 ,of the multitudes of ,jesus' followers1 none remained to acknowledge allegiance in ,his hour of arrest--even among the chosen twelve1 one betrayed ,him1 one denied ,him1 and all fled away when ,he was taken captive4 ,and for such the ,son of ,man lived and taught and suffered4 ,surely ,his life was the greatest miracle of all4 ,,the ,,eighth ,,lesson4 ,,the ,,end ,,of ,,the ,,life ,,work4 ,resting for a short time before ,his formal entry into ,jerusalem1 the ,master sought the seclusion of the sparsely settled districts near the wilderness4 ,in and around the village of ,ephraim1 in ,perea1 in parts of ,galilee1 ,he wandered with the ,twelve4 ,but even there ,he continued ,his work of healing and teaching4 ,but even this temporary respite from the inevitable lasted but a short time4 ,jesus determined to march direct to the seat of the ecclesiastical and temporal authority which was arrayed against ,him4 ,and so1 just before the coming of the ,passover time1 ,he gathered together the ,twelve and set out on the final stage of the journey4 ,the pilgrims journeying to the capital were burning with curiosity and excitement concerning this journey of the ,master to the home of ,his foes4 ,rumors were circulated that ,he intended to gather ,his forces together and sweep the enemy from its seats of power4 ,it was known that the ,sanhedrin intended to attempt to punish ,him1 and the people asked why should ,he move on to face ,his foes unless ,he contemplated a fight to the finish8 ,this belief in ,his determination caused a revulsion of feeling of the people in ,his favor1 and many who had deserted ,him now again gathered around ,him4 ,they dreamt again of victory1 and scented again an unfailing supply of loaves and fishes4 ,they crowded around ,him wishing to be among the victorious host4 ,but ,he encouraged them not--neither spoke ,he a word to them4 ,he knew them for the time-servers that they were4 ,the crowds of ,jerusalem hearing of ,his approach1 and moved by curiosity to witness ,his triumphant entry into the ,city1 flocked around the suburbs through which ,he would approach4 ,at last the cry went up1 ,here ,he comes6 and to their amazement and disgust the crowd saw ,him riding quietly info the ,city mounted on an ass1 without display1 pretense or pose4 ,the crowd scattered1 sneering and reviling ,him4 ,but the pilgrims were becoming more and more enthusiastic1 and they strewed ,his way with palms1 shouting1 ,blessed be our ,messiah6 ,the ,king of ,israel approacheth4 ,the ,master proceeded directly to the ,temple and performed the customary rites4 ,so amazed were the authorities by ,his fearless demeanor1 that they deferred laying violent hands upon ,him4 ,they feared a trap1 and moved cautiously4 ,they even allowed ,him to retire to ,bethany and spend the night4 ,the next morning ,he returned to the city and dwelt among ,his friends there4 ,he attended the ,temple regularly1 and pursued ,his work of teaching and healing in its very shadows4 ,meanwhile the clouds of the persecuting forces gathered closely around ,his head4 ,one of the ,twelve1 ,judas ,iscariot1 who was sorely disappointed at the ,master having refused to take advantage of the support of the crowd to assist ,his claim as the ,messiah and ,king of the ,jews1 and also fearing that he would become involved in ,his inevitable downfall1 began a series of bargainings and dickerings with the authorities1 which had for their object the betrayal of the ,master into the hands of the authorities1 the reward to be immunity from persecution for himself and a few pieces of silver for his pocket in addition4 ,and so the time passed on1 the nights being spent at ,bethany and the days at the ,temple in the capital4 ,finally the priests made an important move4 ,they confronted ,him in their official capacity and demanded that ,he prove ,his ordination as a ,jewish ,rabbi and consequent right to preach to the orthodox members of the church4 ,jesus answered them by asking questions that they feared to answer4 ,then they began to question ,him1 hoping to involve ,him in ecclesiastical heresies which would give them their excuse to arrest ,him4 ,but ,he evaded them skilfully4 ,they sought also to compel ,him to state opinions contrary to the ,roman authority1 but ,he likewise escaped this net4 ,finally1 however1 they drew from ,him a savage attack upon authority1 and ,he cried out in indignation3 ,woe unto you1 ye generation of vipers6 ,ye serpents6 ,ye hypocrites6 ,ye oppressors of the poor6 ,ye professed shepherds1 who are but as wolves in disguise1 seeking but to devour the sheep whom ye have in charge6 ,woe unto you1 ye ,scribes1 ,hypocrites1 ,pharisees6 ,then ,he left the ,temple and returned to ,bethany to spend the night1 after foretelling the destruction of the ,temple1 when there should not be left one of its stones upon another4 ,that night he had a heart-to-heart talk with the ,twelve4 ,he told them that the end was in sight--that ,he was to die before many hours had passed--that they1 the ,twelve1 were to become wanderers on the face of the earth--hunted and persecuted in ,his name and for ,his sake4 ,a terrible revelation to some among them who had dreamt of earthly grandeur and high positions for themselves6 ,and then ,judas felt that the time to act had come1 and he stole away to meet the ,high-priest and to close the frightful bargain with him which was to make his name the synonym for treachery throughout the ages4 ,the next day1 ,wednesday1 ,he rested in ,bethany the whole twenty-four hours1 evidently gathering together his reserve forces to meet the ordeal which ,he now knew was before ,him4 ,he kept apart from even ,his disciples and spent the time in meditation4 ,and likewise was passed the early part of the following day1 ,thursday4 ,but when the even time had come1 ,he sent for the ,twelve and gathered them around ,him for the ,paschal ,supper1 one of the rites of the ,passover time4 ,even this last solemn occasion was marred by a petty squabble among the disciples regarding the order of precedence to be observed in their seats at the table4 ,judas succeeded in gaining the seat of honor next to the ,master4 ,jesus startled the company by insisting upon washing the feet of the ,twelve1 an act which placed them on a pedestal above ,him4 ,this occult ceremony1 which was not comprehended by the ,twelve1 apparently was one which the ,hierophants of the ,occult ,brotherhoods performed for their associates when the latter had been chosen to carry out some important office or mission1 or when a successor was about to take the place of one of them4 ,and ,jesus evidently so intended it4 ,then ,he bade them wash one another's feet1 in token of the recognition of each of the high mission of the others4 ,then ,jesus1 overcome by the knowledge of the morrow1 burst out in anguished tones1 saying3 ,and even one of you1 my chosen ones1 shall betray me6 ,and several asked ,him in turn1 in a tone of reproach1 ,is it ,i8 ,and ,jesus shook ,his head at each question4 ,but ,judas asked not1 but overcome with confusion he reached over and took a portion of bread from the plate before the ,master4 ,then ,jesus took a bit of bread and1 moistening it from ,his plate1 handed it to ,judas1 saying to him firmly1 ,judas1 do thy work without loss of time4 ,and ,judas1 abashed1 slunk away from the table4 ,then began that remarkable conversation of the ,last ,supper1 as recorded in the ,gospels4 ,then also was performed that first celebration of the ,holy ,communion1 the ,mystic significance of which shall be explained in a later lesson4 ,then ,jesus chanted the ,passover hymn4 ,then shortly after1 the company left the room and walked into the streets1 and over the meadows near by4 ,then under the trees of the ,garden of ,gethsemane1 apart from ,his disciples1 now reduced to ,eleven1 ,he gave ,himself up to prayer and meditation4 ,he called aloud to ,the ,father to give ,him strength for the final ordeal4 ,struggling with ,his doubts and fears and misgivings--conquering ,his physical inclination and impulses--,he gave utterance to that supreme cry3 ,o ,father1 ,thy will1 not mine1 be done6 and in so saying ,he cast behind ,him forever ,his right of choice to stay the awful course of events which was pressing upon ,him4 ,resigning ,his mighty occult power of defense1 ,he laid ,himself upon the altar of sacrifice even as the ,paschal ,lamb4 ,leaving behind ,him the ,garden in which ,he had just performed this greatest miracle of all--the miracle of ,renunciation--,he stepped out among ,his disciples1 saying1 ,the hour has come--the betrayer is here to do his work4 ,then were heard sounds of clanking arms1 and martial tread1 and in a moment the military guard appeared on the scene1 accompanied by a delegation of ecclesiastics1 and with them1 walking in advance1 was ,judas ,iscariot4 ,judas1 walking as one in a trance1 approached the ,master and1 saluting ,him with a kiss1 cried1 ,hail1 ,master1 which was the signal to the guard1 arranged between ,judas and the ,high ,priest4 ,then cried ,jesus1 ,ah1 with a kiss--thou1 ,judas1 betrayeth the ,son of ,man with a kiss6 ,oh6 ,and in that moment it seemed that the ,master's grief had reached its utmost limit4 ,then the guard closed around ,him and carried ,him away4 ,but ,he resisted them not4 ,as they approached ,him ,he called out1 ,whom seek ye8 ,and the leader answered1 ,we seek him whom men call ,jesus of ,nazareth4 ,then answered the ,master1 ,i am ,he whom thou seeketh6 ,but the disciples resisted the arrest1 and ,peter cut off the ear of one of the party1 a servant of the ,high-priest4 ,but ,jesus bade ,his followers desist1 and1 approaching the wounded man1 placed his severed ear in place and healed it instantly4 ,then ,he rebuked ,his disciples1 telling them that1 had ,he so desired1 the whole of the legions of heaven would have come to ,his assistance4 ,then ,he bade the leader conduct ,him from the place4 ,but alas6 as ,he left1 ,he turned to bid farewell to ,his disciples1 and lo6 to a man they had fled and deserted ,him1 leaving ,him alone in ,his hour of trial--yea6 as every humble soul must be alone in its moments of supreme struggle--alone with its ,creator4 ,then down toward the city they led ,him--the ,master of ,all ,power1 an humble captive1 non-resistant and awaiting the course of ,the ,will4 ,they took ,him to the palace of the ,jewish ,high-priest1 where the ,sanhedrin was assembled in secret session awaiting ,his coming4 ,and there ,he stood erect before these ecclesiastical tyrants to be judged--bound with the cord as a common criminal4 ,he1 whose single effort of ,his will would have shattered the whole palace to pieces and have destroyed every human being within its walls6 ,and this was but the beginning4 ,during the next eight hours ,he was subjected to six separate trials1 if indeed such mock proceedings might be so designated4 ,subjected to blows1 and all manner of low insults1 the ,master remained a ,master4 ,perjured witnesses testified1 and all manner of crimes and heresies were charged against ,him4 ,then ,caiaphas asked ,him the all-important question1 ,art thou the ,christ8 and ,jesus broke ,his silence to answer positively1 ,i am6 ,then the ,high-priest cried out vehemently1 rending ,his sacred robes in his pious indignation1 ,he has blasphemed6 ,from that moment there was no possible chance of escape for the ,master4 ,he had virtually condemned ,himself by ,his own words4 ,there was no retreat or reprieve4 ,he was roughly pushed from the hall and like a common criminal was turned over to the taunts and revilings of the mob1 which availed itself of its privileges to the full in this case4 ,insults1 curses1 revilings1 taunts1 and even blows1 came fast and furiously upon ,him4 ,but ,he stood it all without a murmur4 ,already ,his thoughts had left earthly things behind1 and dwelt on planes of being far above the wildest dreams of men4 ,with ,his mind firmly fixed on the ,real1 the ,unreal vanished from ,his consciousness4 ,in the early part of the day following the night of ,his arrest1 ,jesus was taken before ,pontius ,pilate1 the ,roman official1 for ,his trial by the civil authorities4 ,pilate1 in his heart1 was not disposed to condemn ,jesus1 for he believed that the whole trouble consisted in theological and ecclesiastical differences with which the civil law should not concern itself4 ,his wife had warned him against becoming involved in the dispute1 for she had a secret sympathy for the ,master1 for some reason4 ,but he found arrayed against him the solid influence of the ,jewish priesthood1 whose power must not be opposed lightly1 according to the policy of ,rome4 ,then the priests had made out a civil case against ,jesus1 claiming that ,he had sought to incite a rebellion and proclaim ,himself ,king of the ,jews2 that ,he had created public disorder2 that ,he had urged the people to refuse to pay taxes to ,rome4 ,the case against ,him was weak1 and ,pilate was at a loss what to do4 ,then some one of the priests suggested that as ,jesus was a ,galilean1 ,he be turned over for trial to ,herod1 in whose territory the principal crimes were committed1 and ,pilate gladly availed himself of this technical excuse to rid himself of responsibility in the matter4 ,and so the case was transferred to ,herod1 who happened to be in ,jerusalem at that time on a visit4 ,to ,herod's palace the captive was taken1 and after suffering indignities and humiliation at the hand of the tyrant1 ,he was remanded back to ,pilate for trial1 under ,herod's orders4 ,back to ,pilate's court1 followed by the crowd1 went ,jesus4 ,pilate was greatly annoyed that ,herod should have shifted the responsibility once more upon his 7,pilate's7 court4 ,then he bethought himself of an expedient4 ,he took advantage of the ,jewish custom1 observed by the ,roman rulers1 which led to the pardoning of a notorious criminal on the occasion of the ,passover4 ,and so he announced that he would pardon ,jesus according to custom4 ,but from the ,jewish authorities came back the answer that they would not accept ,jesus as the subject of the pardon1 but demanded that ,barabbas1 a celebrated criminal1 be pardoned instead of the ,nazarene4 ,pilate found himself unable to escape the designs of the ,jewish priesthood1 and so1 yielding in disgust1 he pardoned ,barabbas1 and condemned ,jesus to death4 ,the cries of the mob1 incited by the priests1 sounded around the court4 ,crucify him6 ,crucify him6 ,pilate appeared before the priests and the populace1 and1 washing his hands in a basin1 according to the ,oriental custom1 he cried to the ,jews1 ,i wash my hands of this man's blood--upon you be it6 ,and the crowd responded with a great shout1 ,upon us and our children be his blood6 ,jesus1 in the meantime1 had been cruelly scourged by the barbarous instruments of torture of the time4 ,his body was lacerated and bleeding1 and ,he was faint from the torture and loss of blood4 ,upon ,his head had been thrust1 in ghastly mockery1 a crown of thorns which pressed deep into ,his flesh4 ,he was refused the usual respite of several days before sentence and execution--,he was to die that very day4 ,his cross was tied to ,his back and ,he was compelled to carry it1 fainting though ,he was from fatigue and torture4 ,he staggered along and fell1 unable to bear ,his heavy burden4 ,finally ,golgotha1 the place of the crucifixion1 was reached1 and the ,man of ,sorrows was nailed to the cross and raised aloft to die a lingering and painful death4 ,on either side was a criminal--two thieves--,his companions in suffering4 ,he refused to partake of the drug which was granted to criminals to relieve their intense suffering4 ,he preferred to die in full possession of ,his faculties4 ,above ,his head was a tablet bearing the inscription1 ,the ,king of the ,jews1 which had been placed there by ,pilate in a spirit of ironical mockery of the ,jews who had forced him to place this man on the cross4 ,as the cross was raised into position the ,master cried aloud1 ,o ,father1 forgive them--they know not what they do4 ,taunted by the crowds1 ,he hung and suffered the terrible agonies of the cross4 ,even one of the crucified criminals reviled ,him1 asking ,him why ,he did not save ,himself and them8 ,the crowd asked ,him why ,he who saved others could not save ,himself8 ,but ,he1 who could have brought forces to bear which would have wrought the miracle they demanded1 answered not1 but awaited the end4 ,then set in the delirium of death in which ,he cried aloud to the ,father1 asking if ,he had been forsaken in ,his misery4 ,but the end was near4 ,there arose a strange storm--darkness fell over the place--weird electrical disturbances manifested themselves4 ,the winds abated and a strange quiet fell over all the scene1 which was lighted by a ghastly glow4 ,and then came the earthquake1 with strange groanings and moanings of the earth2 with frightful stenches of sulphur and gas4 ,and the very foundations of ,jerusalem quaked and shivered4 ,the rocks before the tombs flew off1 and the dead bodies were exposed to view4 ,in the ,temple1 the veil before the ,holy of ,holies was rent in twain4 ,the cries of the people as they rushed to and fro in mortal terror took the attention of all from the cross4 ,then the ,roman officer in charge of the execution1 glancing upward1 saw that all was over1 and1 falling before the cross1 he cried out1 ,verily1 this man was a god6 ,jesus the ,master had passed out from the body which had served as ,his tenement for thirty-three years4 ,his body was borne away for burial1 in a secret place4 ,embalmed by loving friends1 it was carried to a place of last earthly rest4 99 99 99 99 99 ,and now we come to a portion of the narrative in which the occult traditions and teachings diverge from the account stated in the ,gospels4 ,we should have said apparently diverge1 for the two accounts vary only because of the varying points of view and different degrees of understanding of the teachers4 ,we allude to the events of the ,resurrection4 ,it must be remembered that ,jesus had informed ,his disciples that in three days ,he would rise from the dead and appear once more among them4 ,to the ordinary understanding these events seem to indicate that the ,master would once more occupy ,his physical body1 and that ,his reappearance was to be so understood4 ,and the ,gospel narrative certainly seems to verify this idea1 and was undoubtedly so stated that it might be more readily understood by the popular mind4 ,but the occult traditions hold otherwise4 ,they hold that ,jesus really appeared to ,his disciples three days after ,his death1 and abode with them for a time teaching and instructing them in the deeper mysteries and secret doctrines4 ,but the mystics have always held and taught that ,his reappearance was in the ,astral ,body1 and not in the discarded physical form4 ,to the popular mind the physical body was almost everything1 as we have shown in one of the earlier lessons of this series4 ,so much was this so that the mass of the people expected that all mankind would arise from the dead at the ,last ,day clad in their former physical forms4 ,and so1 any other teaching would have been unintelligible to them4 ,but to the occultists and mystics who understood the truth about the more ethereal vehicles of the soul1 such an idea appeared crude and unscientific1 and they readily grasped the ,inner ,teachings regarding the ,resurrection1 and understood the reason why ,jesus would use the ,astral ,body as the vehicle of ,his reappearance4 ,the ,gospel narrative informs us that a guard was placed around the tomb to prevent the body being stolen and a consequent assertion of the ,resurrection which the priests well knew to be expected4 ,it further states that the tomb was sealed and guarded by a squad of ,roman soldiers1 but that notwithstanding these precautions the body of the ,master actually came to life and emerged from the tomb1 and that ,his followers were disturbed by the evidences that ,his body had been stolen4 ,the occult traditions1 however1 state that the close friends of ,jesus1 aided by a prominent ,jew who was a secret believer1 obtained from the willing ,pilate a secret order which enabled them to deposit the body in a safe and secret resting place where it gradually resolved itself into the dust to which all that is mortal must return4 ,these men knew that the ,resurrection of the ,master had naught to do with mortal fleshly form or body4 ,they knew that the immaterial soul of the ,master still lived and would reappear to them clad in the more ethereal body made manifest to their mortal senses4 ,every occultist will understand this without further comment4 ,to others we advise that they read the occult teachings concerning the ,astral ,body and its characteristics4 ,this is no place in which to again describe at length the phenomena of the ,astral ,body of ,man4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the first to see the ,master in ,his ,astral ,form was ,mary of ,magdala1 a woman admirer and follower of her ,lord4 ,she was weeping beside the empty tomb1 when looking up she saw a form approaching4 ,the ,astral ,form was indistinct and unfamiliar1 and at first she did not recognize it4 ,then a voice called her name1 and looking up she saw the form growing more distinct and familiar1 and she recognized the features of her ,master4 99 99 99 99 99 ,more than this1 the occult legends assert the truth of some of the traditions of the early ,christian ,church1 namely1 that in the three days succeeding the scene of ,calvary there appeared in and around ,jerusalem the disembodied forms of many persons who had died a short time previously4 ,it is said that the ,astral ,bodies of many dead ,jews revisited the scenes of their former life1 and were witnessed by friends and relatives4 99 99 99 99 99 ,then ,jesus appeared in ,his ,astral ,body to the disciples4 ,the traditions have it that two of the eleven met ,him on the afternoon of the day when ,he first appeared to ,mary--,easter ,sunday4 ,strange to say1 they did not at first recognize ,him1 although they walked the road with ,him and afterward ate at the same table4 ,this failure to recognize the ,master is wholly beyond ordinary explanation and the churches make no real attempt to make it understandable4 ,but the occult traditions say that ,jesus had not wholly materialized ,his ,astral ,body at first1 for reason of prudence1 and that consequently ,his features were not distinctly and clearly marked2 then at the meal ,he caused ,his features to be fully materialized so that the disciples might readily recognize ,him4 ,all occultists who have witnessed the materialization of an ,astral ,body will readily understand this statement4 ,the orthodox theory of ,jesus having reappeared in ,his physical body wholly fails to explain this nonrecognition by ,his disciples1 who had been ,his everyday companions before ,his death4 ,the slightest consideration should show which statement is nearer the bounds of reasonable probability4 ,jesus remained visible to the chosen few for forty days4 ,the testimony of several hundred people attested the fact4 ,there are a number of mystic legends about some of ,his appearances1 which are not mentioned in the ,gospel narratives4 ,one of these states that ,he appeared before ,pontius ,pilate and forgave him for the part he had played in the tragedy4 ,another that ,herod witnessed ,his form in his bedchamber4 ,another that ,he confronted the ,high-priests in the ,temple and brought them to their knees in terror4 ,another that ,he came one night to the ,eleven1 who sat behind bolted doors in hiding1 and saying to them1 ,peace be unto you1 my beloved1 vanished from sight4 ,the ,gospels record another appearance before the ,eleven1 upon which occasion ,thomas1 the doubter1 satisfied himself of the identity of the ,astral ,body by placing his fingers in the wounds1 which1 of course1 were reproduced in the ,astral ,form according to the well known laws regarding the same4 ,this coming and going of ,jesus--these sudden appearances and disappearances--these manifestations of ,his form only to those whom ,he wished to see ,him1 and ,his concealment from those whom ,he desired to remain in ignorance of ,his return1 all show conclusively to every occultist the nature of the vehicle which ,he used for manifestation upon ,his return4 ,it would seem incredible that there could be any general doubt on the subject were the public informed on the laws concerning the ,astral ,world phenomena4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,gospel narrative shows that the disciples recognized that ,jesus was not a spirit in the sense of being an airy1 unsubstantial form4 ,they felt ,his body1 and saw ,him eat--but what of that8 ,the laws of materialization of ,astral forms make it possible1 under certain conditions1 that the ,astral ,form become so thoroughly materialized that it may not only be seen but actually felt4 ,even the records of the ,english ,society for ,psychical ,research prove this fact1 leaving out of account the phenomena with which all advanced occultists are familiar4 ,then1 one day ,he appeared to the disciples1 and they accompanied ,him to the hills1 ,jesus talking to them regarding their future work on earth4 ,he then bade them farewell1 and began to fade away from their sight4 ,the common account pictures ,him as ascending into the air until out of sight1 but the mystic account informs us that ,his astral form began to slowly dematerialize and ,he gradually faded away from the sight of ,his beloved followers1 who stood gazing in wistful longing at ,his form which1 each moment1 grew more and more ethereal in structure1 until finally the dematerialization was complete and ,his soul had cast off all material form1 shape and substance1 and so passed on to the higher planes of being4 99 99 99 99 99 ,in view of this explanation1 does not the commonly accepted version seem childish and crude8 ,can any one at all familiar with the laws and phenomena of the land ,behind the ,veil1 suppose that a physical body could or would pass on to the planes in which the ordinary forms of matter do not exist8 ,such ideas are fit only for minds which find it necessary to think of the resurrection of the body of all departed souls1 in order to conceive of ,immortality4 ,to the occultist1 the physical body is merely a temporary vehicle for the soul which the latter discards at the proper time4 ,it has nothing to do with the real being of the soul4 ,it is merely the shell which is discarded by the soul1 as the chrysalis shell is discarded by the butterfly when it spreads its wings for its aerial flight into a new world4 ,all these ideas about the immortality of the mortal body are the product of materialistic minds unused to thinking of the higher planes of life1 and unable to grasp even the mental concept regarding the same4 ,of the earth1 earthly1 are these conceptions and ideas4 ,and the sooner that ,christianity sheds them as discarded shells the sooner will the church experience that revival of true spirituality that devout souls see the need of1 and for which they are so earnestly praying4 ,the churches are so wedded to materialistic thought that a preacher does not even hint at the existence of phases of life above the physical lest he be termed a spiritualist or accused of being spooky4 ,in the name of ,truth1 is the teaching1 that man is a spiritual being1 inconsistent with the teachings of ,christ and the records of the ,scripture8 ,must one forego all such beliefs1 in favor of a heathenish creed of physical body resurrection of the dead--an immortality in the worn-out mortal body long since discarded8 ,which is the true spiritual teaching8 ,can there be any doubt regarding the same in a mind willing to think for itself8 ,it seems sad that the orthodox churches do not see this1 and cease forcing out of their congregations all thinkers who dare assert the existence of a soul independent of the physical body4 ,what is the use of a soul1 if the physical bodies of the dead are to be resurrected in order that their owners may enjoy immortality8 ,and where are the souls of these dead bodies now residing and abiding pending the coming of the ,last ,day8 ,are the souls of the dead with their bodies8 ,if not1 then they must be living a life independent of the physical body--and if such be the case1 why should they afterward be required to take on their worn-out physical bodies which they have managed so well without during their disembodied life8 ,what becomes of those who had diseased1 deformed or frail bodies during their mortal life--will they be compelled to inhabit these bodies through all eternity8 ,will the owners of aged1 worn out bodies be compelled to re-assume them at the ,last ,day8 ,if not1 why the necessity of a physical body at all1 in the future life8 ,do the angels have physical bodies8 ,if not1 why should souls require them on higher planes8 ,think over these questions and then realize how materialistic is the current ,christian conception1 when compared with that of ,mystic ,christianity1 which teaches spiritual evolution from lower to higher planes of being1 and on to planes of being beyond even the faintest conception of men of the present day4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the occult traditions teach that during the forty days of ,jesus' appearance in the ,astral ,body1 ,he imparted many of the ,higher ,truths to ,his disciples4 ,they state that ,he even took some of them out of their bodies and showed them the higher ,astral ,planes of ,being4 ,he also informed them regarding the real nature of ,his mission which ,he now clearly saw with ,his spiritual mind1 the cloud of ,his mortal mind being now removed4 ,he told them that the real work of ,his followers was the sowing of the seed of the ,truth1 without regard to immediate results4 ,he told them that the real fruition would not come for many centuries--yea1 not until the passing of over two thousand years or more4 ,he told them that the passage of the centuries would be like the preparing of the soil for the great work of the ,truth1 and that afar in the distance would be the real fruit season4 ,he taught them regarding the ,second ,coming of ,christ1 when the real ,truth of ,his teachings should become apparent to mankind and the true ,life of the ,spirit should be lived by the race4 ,he taught them that their work was to keep alight the ,flame of the ,spirit and to pass it on to worthy followers4 ,this and many other things ,he told them1 before ,he passed on4 ,and the mystics teach that ,he still lives in the world1 diffused among all the living souls on earth1 striving ever to lead them to a recognition of the ,real ,self--the ,spirit ,within4 ,he is with us ever as an ,abiding ,spirit1 a ,comforter1 a ,helper1 an ,elder ,brother4 ,he is not gone from us6 ,he is here with us now and forever1 in ,actual ,spirit ,communion6 ,the ,lord hath indeed ,risen--,risen from ,mortal ,form to ,immortal ,spiritual ,existence6 ,,the ,,ninth ,,lesson4 ,,the ,,inner ,,teachings4 ,the first and main phase of the ,inner ,teachings of ,mystic ,christianity is that connected with the ,mystery of the ,life of ,jesus4 ,the outer teachings give but an imperfect view of the real life and nature of the ,master1 and theologians have built up an edifice of dogmatic theory around the same4 ,the ,mystery of the ,life of ,jesus forms the subject of some important ,inner ,teachings of the ,mystic ,fraternities and ,occult ,brotherhoods1 and is considered by them to be the foundation of the other teachings4 ,and so we shall consider this phase of the subject at this point4 ,in the first place we must remember that the soul of ,jesus was different from the souls of other men4 ,his was a virgin birth--not in the commonly accepted sense of the term1 but in the occult sense as explained in the second lesson of this series4 ,his soul was fresh from the hand of the ,creator--,his spirit had not been compelled to work through repeated incarnations1 pressing forward for expression through humble and ignoble forms4 ,it was free from taint1 and as pure as the ,fountain from which is flowed4 ,it was a virgin soul in every sense of the term4 ,this being so1 it follows that it was not bound by the ,karma of previous incarnations--as is the case with the ordinary soul4 ,it had no entangling ties--it had no seeds of desire and action planted in previous lives1 which were pressing forward toward expression in ,his life4 ,he was a ,free ,spirit--an ,unbound ,soul4 ,and therefore ,he was not only unbound by any ,karma of ,his own1 but was also free 7by nature7 from the ,karma of the race or of the world4 ,the absence of personal ,karma left ,him free from the selfish personal ,desire which binds men to the wheel of action and personal ambition4 ,he had no desire or thought for personal aggrandizement or glory1 and was perfectly free 7by nature7 to work for the good of the race as an outside observer and helper1 without suffering the pains and sorrows of race-life1 had ,he so wished4 ,but ,he chose otherwise1 as we shall see in a moment4 ,the absence of ,race-,karma1 or ,world-,karma1 freed ,him from the necessity of the pains of humanity1 which are a part of its collective ,karma4 ,he would have been perfectly able to live a life absolutely free from the pains1 trials and troubles that are the common lot of ,man1 owing to the ,race-,karma4 ,he would have escaped persecution1 physical and mental pains1 and even death1 had ,he so elected4 ,but ,he chose these things of ,his own free will1 in order to accomplish the great work that ,he saw before ,him as a ,world-,savior4 ,in order for ,jesus to enact ,his part as the ,redeemer and ,savior of the race1 it was necessary for ,him to take upon ,himself ,his share of the ,karma of the race--virtually taking upon ,himself the sins of the world4 ,before ,he could lift the burden from the race of men1 ,he must become a man among men4 ,to understand this more clearly we must remember that to a being such as ,jesus--a soul free from ,karma--there would be no such thing as temptation1 longings1 desires1 or any of the mental states of the ordinary man with the ,karma of successive past incarnations resting within him as seeds of action pressing forward ever for unfoldment and expression4 ,jesus1 the free soul1 would have been practically an outside observer of the world's affairs1 and not influenced by any of its ordinary incentives to action4 ,in this state ,he could have aided the world as a teacher and instructor1 but ,he would not have been able to accomplish ,his great task of ,redeeming the world1 in its highest spiritual significance1 as we shall see as we proceed4 ,it was necessary for ,him to take upon ,himself the burden of the earth-life in order to become the ,savior of the people of the earth4 ,the occult teachings inform us that during ,his sojourn abroad1 ,jesus was simply a teacher1 with but a dim perception of ,his real mission4 ,but gradually ,he began to experience periods of ,illumination in which ,he recognized ,his real nature and the difference between ,himself and other men4 ,then came to ,him the conviction of the mighty work that lay before ,him in the redemption of the race1 and ,he began to see the necessity of entering into the ,karmic circle of the race in order to carry out the plan4 ,this came gradually1 by slow degrees1 and the final sacrifice was made only in the ,wilderness after ,his ,baptism by ,john4 ,in the ,wilderness1 after ,his long fast and ,his days of meditation1 the way opened up for ,him to take upon ,himself the burden of the ,karma of the earth people4 ,in that scene of the most tremendous spiritual struggle that the earth has ever witnessed1 ,jesus deliberately bent ,his shoulders that the weight be placed upon ,his back4 ,from that moment the earth-souls received a blessing far beyond the comprehension of the mind of the ordinary man4 ,into the ,karma-bound circle came this mighty soul1 animated by ,pure ,spirit1 for the purpose of lifting a great portion of the burden1 and of joining in the work of the actual unfoldment and redemption of the race4 ,for be it remembered that1 being a free soul animated by ,pure ,spirit1 ,jesus was ,a ,,god--not a man1 although inhabiting the fleshly garments of humanity4 ,his power was superior to that of many of the high intelligences scattered throughout the universe1 and playing important parts in the cosmic processes4 ,jesus was ,pure ,spirit incarnate in human form1 with all the powers of a ,god4 ,although of course subordinate in expression to the ,absolute--the ,great ,spirit of ,spirit--,he was in ,his essential nature the same in substance4 ,verily1 as ,he ,himself said1 ,i and the ,father are ,one4 ,his youthful mind was not able to grasp the truth of ,his real nature1 but as that human instrument became perfected by age and training1 ,he realized the ,truth and perceived ,his own ,divinity4 ,but even a ,god1 such as he1 could not raise up the world from its burden of ,karma1 by acting from the outside4 ,under the ,cosmic ,laws1 established by the ,absolute1 such work could be performed only from within the circle of earth-life4 ,and so ,jesus saw that to raise up ,man1 ,he must become a ,man4 ,that is1 to help lift the earth's ,karma1 ,he must enter into it1 and place ,himself within its ,circle of ,influence4 ,and this ,he did4 ,we wonder if our readers can realize1 even faintly1 just what this sacrifice meant8 ,think of a ,pure ,spirit--a ,free ,soul--so filled with the love for the race of men as to renounce deliberately1 for aeons of time1 total immunity from all mortal existence1 and willingly to place itself under the burden of pain1 woe1 misery and sin which formed the earth-people's ,karma4 ,it was a thousand-fold greater sacrifice than would be that of a ,man of the ,highest spiritual and mental development--an ,emerson1 for example--who1 in order to raise up the race of earth-worms1 would deliberately place himself within the being and nature of the ,group-,soul animating the race of earthworms1 and then stay within its influence1 striving ever upward and onward until finally1 after aeons and aeons of time1 he was able to bring up the earthworm ,group ,soul to the level of ,man4 ,think of this1 and then realize what a sacrifice ,jesus made of ,himself4 ,in the ,wilderness1 when ,jesus took the final steps of renunciation and sacrifice1 ,he at once passed within the circle of the ,race ,karma and laid ,himself open to all the pain1 misery1 temptations and limitations of a ,man4 ,his power1 of course1 remained with ,him1 but ,he was no longer a ,god outside of the world-life1 but an imprisoned ,god working from within the race1 using ,his mighty power1 but bound by the ,karmic ,law4 ,he became open to influences from which previously ,he had been immune4 ,for instance when ,he was tempted by the ,devil of ,personal ,attainment1 and urged to seek worldly glory and renown1 ,he was tempted only because ,he had taken on the world's ,karma and was subject to its laws4 ,as a ,god1 ,he would not have felt the temptation any more than a man would feel the temptation of the earthworm4 ,but as a man ,he was subject to the desires and ambitions that perplex and devil the race4 ,and according to the rule that the greater the mental development the greater the power of such temptation toward self-aggrandizement 7because of the mind being able to see more clearly the opportunities71 ,jesus was subjected to a test that would have been impossible to an ordinary man4 ,jesus1 knowing full well that ,he had in ,his possession the power to manifest the things with which ,he was tempted1 was compelled to fight off the temptation to place ,himself at the head of the race as its ruler--as the ,king of the ,world4 ,he was shown this picture to compare with the other whose last scene was ,calvary--and ,he was called upon to feel the desire of the race for such things1 even unto its highest degree4 ,imagine the desire for personal aggrandizement of all the world thought beating upon ,his mind demanding the expression which could be had through ,him alone4 ,and then imagine the struggle required to defeat this opposing power4 ,think of what the ordinary man has to meet and overcome to conquer the desire for ,personal ,aggrandizement--and then think of what the ,master had to fight1 with the focussed desire of the entire ,race-,thought striving to express itself through ,him6 ,truly the ,sins of the ,world bore down upon ,him with their mighty weight4 ,and yet ,he knew that ,he had taken upon ,himself this affliction by entering upon the ,life of ,man4 ,and ,he met it like a ,man of ,men4 ,it was only by fixing ,his mind fully and firmly upon what ,he knew to be ,his ,real ,self--the ,spirit ,within ,his soul1 and holding ,his mind one-pointed upon the fact--that ,he was able to fight the fight and conquer4 ,seeing the ,truth1 ,he could see the folly and illusion of all that the world had to offer1 and ,he could put forth ,his mighty ,will bidding the ,tempter retire from the scene and from ,his mind4 ,it was in this full knowledge of ,his ,spirit--,his ,real ,self--that ,he was able to rebuke the ,tempter1 saying1 ,thou shalt not tempt the ,lord1 thy ,god6 ,he held fast to ,his realization of the ,god ,within--the ,spirit that was within ,him and all men--and thus denied out of existence the power of the earth-things--the illusions of mortality--the maya of the race4 ,but not alone this and other weaknesses of man's mortal nature were constantly besieging the mind of the ,master after ,he had taken upon ,himself the ,karma of the ,earth4 ,he had also taken upon ,himself the mortal life consequent of the human frame which ,he inhabited4 ,he must live1 suffer and die--even as all men--and according to the law of mortality4 ,and so ,he moved forward toward the end1 knowing fully what lay before ,him4 ,he1 a ,god1 had taken upon ,himself all these attributes of mortality1 in order to be able to perform ,his work as the ,redeemer and ,savior of the race4 ,and so1 ,he lived1 and suffered and died--even as you and ,i4 ,he drank the cup to the dregs1 suffering as only such a finely organized mental nature could suffer4 ,and1 men1 poor creatures1 speak of ,his sufferings as terminating with the last breath upon the cross4 ,why1 they only began there6 ,for know ye1 that ,jesus the ,christ is still within the race of men1 suffering their woes1 paying with them their penalty1 every day1 every hour--yea1 and must remain so throughout the ages1 until finally the soul of every man1 yea1 even that of the last man2 the most degraded man in the world1 is fully cleansed of the ,karmic taint1 and thus fully redeemed and saved4 ,and within the soul of every man is found the ,christ ,principle1 striving ever to elevate and lift up the individual toward that realization of the ,real ,self--and this is what redemption and salvation really means4 ,not a saving from hell-fire1 but a saving from the fire of carnality1 and mortality4 ,not a redemption from imaginary sins1 but a redemption from the muck and mire of earth-life4 ,the ,god within you is like the fabled ,hindu god who descended into the body of a pig and then forgot ,himself4 ,it is to bring you to a realization that you are a god and not a pig1 that ,jesus1 the ,master1 is working within your soul as the ,christ ,principle4 ,have you never heard ,his voice1 crying from within your soul1 ,come out--come out of your pig-nature and realize the god that you verily are6 ,it is this recognition1 realization and manifestation of the god within you that constitutes salvation and redemption4 ,the ,occult ,teachings tell us that ,jesus1 after ,his final disappearance from before the eyes of ,his apostles1 passed on to the higher planes of the ,astral ,world where ,he rapidly discarded all of ,his astral and mental vehicles which the soul had used in its manifestation4 ,the ,astral ,body and its corresponding higher sheaths were cast off and discarded4 ,that is1 all except the very highest of all4 ,had ,he discarded every vestige of individual soul-existence ,his spirit would have immediately merged itself with the ,one ,spirit--the ,absolute--from which it had originally proceeded and ,jesus1 as an entity1 would have disappeared entirely within the ,ocean of the ,one ,spirit4 ,this highest state of all ,he had deliberately resigned until the passage of ages1 in order that ,he might accomplish ,his work as the ,world-,savior4 ,he retained the highest vehicle--the ,spiritual ,mind in its highest shade of expression--in order that as an entity ,he might labor for the race4 ,and so1 ,he exists at this time--one in substance with the ,father1 but yet maintaining an apparently separate entity-existence4 ,but this must be remembered1 that ,jesus1 as ,jesus the son of ,mary and ,joseph1 no longer exists4 ,when ,he cast off the lower vehicles of ,his personality1 ,his personality disappeared4 ,but ,his individuality persisted--that is1 ,he is still ,,he1 although ,his personality has disappeared1 leaving ,him--the real ,him--existing as the ,,christ ,,principle4 ,by the above statement1 we mean that when a soul reaches the highest spiritual stage short of absolute absorption into the ,one ,spirit1 it is no longer a person1 but exists as a principle4 ,but that principle is not an inanimate mechanical force--it is a living1 knowing1 acting principle of life4 ,this occult fact cannot be explained in the words of men1 for no terms have been coined by which men can speak of it4 ,it is only indirectly that we can hope to have even the advanced student grasp the fact4 ,jesus exists today1 as the ,christ ,principle which actually lives and acts1 but which is not confined in a body of any kind1 using the word body in its accustomed sense4 ,as the ,christ ,principle or ,the ,christ ,he is mingled with the life of the human race1 and may be found immanent in the mind of every man1 woman and child that has ever existed1 does now exist1 or will exist so long as ,man is ,man4 ,not only is this true of those who have lived since ,his passage from the physical body1 but it is equally true of those who lived before ,his birth4 ,this apparently paradoxical statement may be understood when we remember that these souls did not die1 but only passed on to the ,astral ,plane1 from whence they re-incarnated in due time4 ,the ,christ 7for so we shall speak of the present-state of ,jesus7 even entered into1 and still abides in1 the ,astral ,plane1 as well as upon the ,material ,plane1 for wherever the souls of men abide--or whatever place their residence may be--there is found ,the ,christ1 ever working for the salvation and redemption of the race4 ,on the ,astral ,plane ,he is working in the minds of the souls abiding there1 urging them to cast off the dross of earth-desires and to fix the aim upon higher things1 to the end that their re-incarnations may be under improved conditions4 ,on the ,physical ,plane ,he is working in the hearts and minds of the earth-people1 striving ever to uplift to higher things4 ,his aim is ever toward the liberation of the ,spirit from its material bonds--the ,realization of the ,real ,self4 ,and so1 in the hearts of all men1 ,christ is living1 suffering1 and being crucified every day1 and this must continue until ,man is redeemed and saved1 even the last man4 ,this wonderful sacrifice of ,christ far surpasses the physical sacrifice of ,jesus1 the man4 ,try to imagine1 if you can1 even the faintest pangs of a being so exalted compelled to dwell in the world of the hearts and minds of a humanity so steeped in materiality as our race1 knowing always the possibilities of the souls if they would but reach upward to higher things1 and yet constantly suffering the knowledge of the base1 carnal1 material thoughts and acts flowing from these souls4 ,is not this the extreme refinement of torture8 ,does not the agony of the cross sink into insignificance beside such spiritual agony8 ,you rail at the cruelty of the ,jews who crucified their ,savior1 and yet you crucify your ,savior1 with a thousandfold degree of torture1 every day of your life1 by your persistence in the carnalities and foolishness of mortal thought and action4 ,the mighty uplift of the world since the death of ,jesus1 of which the present is but a faint prophecy of the future1 has been due largely to the energizing influence of ,the ,christ in the hearts and minds of the race4 ,the sense of the ,fatherhood of ,god and the ,brotherhood of ,man1 which is now manifesting so powerfully in the world of ,men1 is but an instance of the work of the ,christ--the ,savior and ,redeemer4 ,and the highest dreams of the exalted souls of this generation are but inadequate visions of what the future will hold for the race4 ,the work is just beginning to bud--the blossom and the fruit will render this earth a far more glorious place than even the highest ideals of heaven entertained by the faithful in the past4 ,but even these things of the future will be poor things1 when compared with the life of the higher planes which await the race when it has demonstrated its fitness to pass on and on and on to these greater glories4 ,and ever and ever ,the ,christ is working1 and toiling and striving and suffering1 in ,his efforts to raise humanity even one petty degree in the spiritual scale of being4 ,the ,christ is always with us1 and if we but recognize ,his presence we shall be able to feel that warm1 loving response to our soul-hunger and spiritual thirst which will result in our being given that we are so longingly craving4 ,here within us dwells ,the ,christ1 ever responding to the cry of ,faith1 ,believe in ,me and ye shall be saved4 ,what a promise this is seen to be when properly understood6 ,what a source of power and comfort is opened up to every human soul when the ,inner ,truth underlying the teachings is understood6 ,mystic ,christianity brings this ,message of ,truth to each and all of you who read these lines4 ,will you accept it8 ,we would ask our students to pause at this point and contrast the teachings of ,mystic ,christianity regarding the doctrine of ,christ1 the ,savior1 with the corresponding teachings of the current ,orthodox ,theology4 ,on the one hand we have ,jesus the ,god-,man deliberately choosing the work of the ,world ,redemption and ,salvation1 and descending into the circle of the ,world-,karma1 relinquishing the privilege of ,his ,godhood and taking upon ,himself the penalties of ,manhood2 not only undergoing the sufferings of the physical man1 but also binding ,himself upon the ,cross of ,humanity for ages1 that by ,his spiritual presence in and of the race ,he might lift up humanity to godhood4 ,on the other hand1 we have a picture of an angry ,deity1 manifesting purely human emotion and temper1 bent on revenging himself upon the race which he had created1 and demanding its eternal punishment in hell-fire2 then the same ,deity creating a ,son whom he sent into the world1 that this ,son might be the victim of a blood-atonement and death upon the cross1 that the ,deity's wrath might be appeased and the blood of this ,divine ,lamb be accepted to wash out the sins of the world4 ,can you not see which is ,the ,truth and which is the perversion8 ,the one is from the pure fountain of ,spiritual knowledge--the other originated in the minds of ignorant theologians who were unable to grasp and understand the ,mystic teachings1 but who built up a system of theology in accordance with their own undeveloped minds2 making a ,god who was but a reflection of their own cruel animal natures1 demanding1 as did they themselves1 blood and pain--physical torture and death--in order to appease a most un-,divine wrath and vengeance4 ,which of the two conceptions seems most in accord with the intuitive promptings of the ,something ,within8 ,which brings the greater approval from ,the ,christ within your heart8 ,,the ,,christian ,,creed4 ,there are three creeds recognized by the ,christian ,church--the ,apostles' ,creed1 the ,nicene ,creed1 and the ,athanasian ,creed4 ,of these1 the first two are commonly used1 the third being not so well known and being seldom used4 ,the ,apostles' ,creed1 which is the most commonly used1 is believed 7in its present form7 to be of later origin than the ,nicene ,creed1 and many authorities believe it to be a corrupted rendering of the original declaration of faith of the ,early ,christians4 ,it is as follows3 ,i believe in ,god the ,father ,almighty1 ,maker of heaven and earth2 and in ,jesus ,christ his only ,son our ,lord1 who was conceived by the ,holy ,ghost1 born of the ,virgin ,mary1 suffered under ,pontius ,pilate1 was crucified1 dead and buried2 he descended into hell2 the third day he arose again from the dead2 he ascended into heaven1 and sitteth on the right hand of ,god the ,father ,almighty2 from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead4 ,i believe in the ,holy ,ghost1 the holy ,catholic ,church1 the communion of saints1 the forgiveness of sins1 the resurrection of the body1 and the life everlasting4 ,the ,nicene ,creed was drawn up and adopted by the ,council of ,nice in the year ,a4,d4 #cbe4 ,as originally adopted it ended with the words ,i believe in the ,holy ,ghost1 the present concluding clauses being added by the ,council of ,constantinople in ,a4,d4 #cha1 excepting the words and the ,son1 which were inserted by the ,council of ,toledo1 ,a4,d4 #ehi4 ,it is as follows3 ,i believe in one ,god1 the ,father1 ,almighty1 ,maker of ,heaven and earth1 and all things visible and invisible2 and in one ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 the only-begotten ,son of ,god1 begotten of his ,father before all worlds1 ,god of ,god1 ,light of ,light1 very ,god of very ,god1 begotten1 not made1 being of one substance with the ,father1 by whom all things were made2 who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate by the ,holy ,ghost of the ,virgin ,mary1 and was made man1 and was crucified also for us under ,pontius ,pilate2 he suffered and was buried and the third day he rose again according to the scriptures and ascended into heaven1 and sitteth on the right hand of the ,father2 and he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead1 whose kingdom shall have no end4 ,and ,i believe in the ,holy ,ghost1 the ,lord and ,giver of ,life1 who proceedeth from the ,father and the ,son1 who with the ,father and ,son is worshipped and glorified1 who spoke by the prophets2 and ,i believe in one catholic and apostolic church2 ,i acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins1 and ,i look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come4 ,let us now briefly examine the principal statements of these creeds1 which were compiled centuries after ,jesus' death1 viewing them by the light of ,mystic ,christianity4 ,i believe in one ,god1 the ,father ,almighty1 ,maker of heaven and earth1 and all things visible and invisible4--7,nicene ,creed47 ,the form of the above fundamental principle of ,christian belief is taken from the ,nicene ,creed1 which is somewhat fuller than the similar declaration in the ,apostles' ,creed4 ,it requires no comment4 ,it is a statement of belief in a ,one ,creative ,power1 from which all things have proceeded4 ,there is no attempt made to explain the nature of the ,absolute1 or to endow it with any of the human attributes which theologians have delighted in bestowing upon the ,one4 ,it merely asserts a belief in the existence of ,one ,supreme ,being--which is all that is possible to man--all else is ignorant impertinence4 ,and in ,jesus ,christ his only ,son our ,lord1 who was conceived by the ,holy ,ghost4--7,apostles' ,creed47 ,and in one ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 the only begotten ,son of ,god1 begotten of his ,father before all worlds1 ,god of ,god1 ,light of ,light1 very ,god of very ,god1 begotten1 not made1 being of one substance with the ,father4--7,nicene ,creed47 ,in this declaration1 the belief in the ,divinity of ,jesus is made4 ,the ,apostles' ,creed shows the cruder conception1 rather inclining toward the perverted idea of the conception of the ,virgin by the aid of the ,holy ,ghost1 similar to the origin of the hero-gods of the different religions in which the father was one of the gods and the mother a woman4 ,but the ,nicene creed gives at least a strong hint of the mystic teachings4 ,it speaks of ,him as begotten of his ,father--begotten1 not made4 ,the expressions1 ,god of ,god2 ,light of ,light2 very ,god of very ,god1 show the idea of identical spiritual substance in the ,spirit4 ,and then the remarkable expression1 being of one substance with the ,father1 shows a wonderful understanding of the ,mystery of ,the ,christ4 ,for1 as the mystic teachings show1 ,jesus was a pure ,spirit1 free from the entangling desires and clogging ,karma of the world4 ,identical in substance with the ,father4 ,the ,father and ,i are one1 as ,he said4 ,is there anything in the ,orthodox ,theology that throws such light on this subject as is shed by ,mystic ,christianity's teaching regarding the nature of the soul of ,jesus8 ,born of the ,virgin ,mary4--7,apostles' ,creed47 ,who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven1 and was incarnate by the ,holy ,ghost of the ,virgin ,mary1 and was made man4--7,nicene ,creed47 ,the ,nicene ,creed here gives a surprisingly clear statement of the ,mystic teachings4 ,who for us men and our salvation came down from heaven shows the purpose of the incarnation4 ,came down from heaven shows pre-existence in the bosom of the ,absolute4 ,and was incarnate shows the descent of the ,spirit into the flesh in the womb of ,mary4 ,and was made man shows the taking on of the physical body of the infant in the womb4 ,does not the ,mystic teaching give a clearer light on this statement of the ,creed8 ,was crucified1 dead and buried2 he descended into hell2 the third day he rose again from the dead4--7,apostles' ,creed47 ,he suffered and was buried1 and the third day he rose again according to the scriptures1 and sitteth on the right hand of the ,father4--7,nicene ,creed47 ,the descent into hell of the ,apostles' ,creed of course meant the passing to the place of disembodied souls--the lower ,astral ,plane4 ,even the orthodox teachers do not now pretend that the term hell meant the place of torture presided over by the ,devil1 which theology has invented to frighten people into the churches4 ,the third day he arose from the dead 7and the corresponding passage in the ,nicene ,creed7 refers to the appearance in the ,astral ,body--the return from the ,astral ,plane in which ,he had sojourned for the three days following the crucifixion4 ,and ascended into heaven--this passage shows the belief that ,he returned to the place from which ,he came1 for the ,nicene ,creed has stated that he came down from heaven and was incarnate 444 and was made man4 ,the passage in both creeds stating that ,he then took his place on the right hand of the ,father is intended to show that ,he took the place of the highest honor in the gift of the ,father4 ,the mystic teachings explain this by showing that ,the ,christ is separated from ,the ,father by but the most ethereal intervening of spiritual substance1 and that ,he is a ,cosmic ,principle second in importance only to the ,father4 ,truly this is the place of honor on the right hand of the ,father4 ,he shall come to fudge the quick and the dead4 ,in this passage we see the intimation that not only with the quick or living people is ,the ,christ concerned1 but also with the dead1 that is1 with those who passed out before and after ,his time and who have passed on to the ,astral ,world1 as we have explained in this lesson4 ,whether or not the framers of the ,creed so understood it--whether or not they were deluded by the tradition of the ,day of ,judgment--certainly the ,early ,christians1 or rather1 the mystics among them1 understood the teachings as we have given them and spoke of ,him as living in the dead as well as in the living1 as one of the occult records expresses it4 ,the communion of saints is the spiritual understanding of the ,mysteries by the ,illumined ,ones4 ,the forgiveness of sins is the overcoming of the carnal mind and desires4 ,the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come is the promise of life beyond the grave1 and not the crude idea of the physical resurrection of the body1 which has crept into the ,apostles' ,creed1 evidently having been inserted at a later date in order to bolster up the pet theories of a school of theologians4 ,note that the ,nicene ,creed says merely the dead and not the body4 ,the version of the teachings preserved by the ,mystics has a corresponding passage1 ,and we know the truth of the deathlessness of the soul4 7,the italics are ours47 ,the consideration of remaining passages in the creeds1 relating to the existence of the ,holy ,ghost1 must be deferred until our next lesson4 ,,the ,,tenth ,,lesson ,,the ,,secret ,,doctrine4 ,the concluding statement of the ,creeds 7brought over from the preceding lesson7 refers to the ,holy ,ghost4 ,i believe in the ,holy ,ghost4 7,apostles' ,creed47 ,and ,i believe in the ,holy ,ghost1 the ,lord and giver of life4 7,nicene ,creed47 ,to the average ,christian the nature of the ,holy ,ghost--one of the beings of the ,trinity--is veiled in obscurity1 and is generally pronounced not to be understood4 ,a careful examination of the orthodox ,christian writings will show the student that the ,church is very much at sea regarding this subject1 which should be of the greatest importance to its priests and congregations4 ,ask the average intelligent churchman regarding the nature of the ,holy ,ghost1 and see for yourself the vague1 contradictory and unsatisfactory concepts held by the person questioned4 ,then turn to the encyclopaedias and other books of reference1 and see how little is known or taught regarding this important subject4 ,it is only when the teachings of ,mystic ,christianity are consulted that one receives any light on the subject4 ,the ,occult ,teachings are quite explicit on this subject so fraught with difficulty and lack of comprehension on the part of the orthodox teachers and students4 ,the teaching of ,mystic ,christianity1 regarding the ,holy ,ghost1 may be summed up by the great general statement that3 ,the ,holy ,ghost is the ,absolute in its phase of ,manifestation1 as compared to its phase of ,unmanifestation--,manifest ,being as compared with ,unmanifest ,being--,god ,create as compared with ,god ,uncreate--,god acting as the ,creative ,principle as compared to ,god as ,the ,absolute ,being4 ,the student is asked to read over the above general statement a number of times and to concentrate his or her attention carefully upon it1 before proceeding further with the lesson4 ,to understand the above statement it is necessary for the student to remember that the ,absolute may be thought of as existing in two phases4 ,not as two persons or beings1 remember1 but as in two phases4 ,there is but ,one ,being--there can be but ,one--but we may think of that ,one as existing in two phases4 ,one of these phases is ,being ,unmanifest2 the other1 ,being ,manifest4 ,being ,unmanifest is the ,one in its phase of ,absolute ,being1 undifferentiated1 unmanifested1 uncreated2 without attributes1 qualities1 or natures4 ,it is impossible for the human mind to grasp the above concept of ,being ,manifest in the sense of being able to think of it as a ,thing1 or ,something4 ,this because of the essential being of it4 ,if it were like anything that we can think of1 it would not be the ,absolute1 nor would it be ,unmanifest4 ,everything that we can think of as a thing is a relative thing--a manifestation into objective being4 ,but we are compelled by the very laws of our reason to admit that the ,absolute ,being ,unmanifest exists1 for the ,manifest and ,relative ,universe and ,life must have proceeded and emanated from a ,fundamental ,reality1 which must be ,absolute and ,unmanifest4 ,and this ,being which our highest reason causes us to assume to exist is ,being ,unmanifest--,god the ,father--who cannot be known through the senses--whose existence is made known to us only through ,pure ,reason1 or through the workings of the ,spirit within us4 ,in the material sense ,god is ,unknowable--but in the higher sense ,he may be known to the ,spirit of ,man1 and ,his existence may be known and proven by the exercise of the highest faculties of the reason4 ,being ,unmanifest is the ,one in its actual existence and being4 ,if all the world of objective life and manifestation1 even to its highest forms1 were withdrawn from manifestation1 then there would be left--what8 ,simply and solely1 ,being ,unmanifest--,god the ,father1 alone4 ,into ,his ,being all else would be withdrawn4 ,outside of ,him there would be nothing4 ,he would be ,himself--,one--existing in the phase of ,being ,unmanifest4 ,we are aware that this idea may seem to be too abstruse for the minds of some of our students at first reading--it may appear like an assertion of a ,being who is ,non-,being4 ,but1 be not too hasty--take time--and your mind will assimilate the concept1 and will find that it has a corresponding ,truth imbedded in its inmost recesses1 and then it will know this to be the ,truth4 ,and then will it recognize the existence of ,god the ,father1 as compared with ,god1 the ,holy ,ghost4 ,the ,holy ,ghost1 as we have said1 is the ,absolute in its phase of ,manifest ,being4 ,that is1 it is ,god as manifest in the ,spirit of ,life1 which is immanent in1 and manifest in1 all objective life and phenomena in the ,cosmos or ,universe4 ,in previous series of lessons in the ,yogi ,philosophy1 we have shown you that there was a ,spirit of ,life immanent in1 and manifesting through1 all forms of life4 ,we have also shown you that everything in the ,universe is alive--down to even the minerals1 and the atoms composing matter4 ,we have shown you that inasmuch as the ,spirit of ,life is the source of all ,manifestations in the universe1 and the ,god in the machine of all phenomena of force1 matter and life1 then it naturally follows that there can be nothing dead in the world--that there is ,,life manifesting in every object1 varying only in the degree of manifestation4 ,in our ,advanced ,lessons and in ,gnani ,yoga this subject is considered in detail4 ,then what is this ,spirit of ,life8 ,if ,god is ,all1 then it cannot be ,something other than ,god4 ,but it cannot well be ,god the ,uncreate--the ,absolute in its ,absolute phase--the ,being ,unmanifest4 ,then what can it be8 ,the student will see that the natural and logical answer to the question with which we have closed the preceding paragraph must be3 ,being ,manifest--,god in ,creation--the ,holy ,ghost6 ,and this is the ,occult ,teaching concerning this great mystery of ,christianity4 ,and see how well the framers of the ,nicene ,creed grasped the traditions of the ,early ,church1 when it said3 ,and ,i believe in the ,holy ,ghost1 the ,lord and ,giver of ,life4 ,the teaching regarding the ,immanent ,god lies at the foundation of all of the ,mystic teachings of all peoples1 races1 and times4 ,no matter under what names the teaching is promulgated--no matter what the name of the creed or religion in which it is found imbedded--it is still the ,truth regarding the ,god ,immanent in all forms of life1 force1 and matter4 ,and it always is found forming the ,secret ,doctrine of the philosophy1 creed or religion4 ,the ,outer ,teaching generally confines itself to the instruction of the undeveloped minds of the people1 and cloaks the real ,truth behind some conception of a ,personal ,deity1 or ,deities--gods and demi-gods1 who are supposed to dwell afar off in some heavenly realm--some great ,being who created the world and then left it to run itself1 giving it but occasional attention1 and reserving his consideration principally for the purpose of rewarding those who gave him homage1 worship and sacrifices and punishing those who failed to conform with the said requirements4 ,these personal deities are believed generally to favor the particular people who give them their names and temples1 and accordingly to hate the enemies of the said tribe or nation4 ,but the ,secret ,doctrine or ,esoteric ,teaching of all religions has brushed aside these primitive conceptions of undeveloped minds1 and teach the ,truth of the ,immanent ,god--the ,power inherent in and abiding in all life and manifestations4 ,and ,christianity is no exception to the rule1 and in its declaration of faith in the ,holy ,ghost its esoteric principle is stated4 ,while the tendency of the orthodox churches today is to say very little about ,god the ,holy ,ghost1 for the reason that it cannot explain the meaning of the term1 ,mystic ,christianity boldly declares its allegiance to this principle of the earlier teachings and reverently repeats the words of the ,nicene ,creed1 ,i believe in the ,holy ,ghost1 ,,the ,,lord ,,and ,,giver ,,of ,,life4 99 99 99 99 99 ,that there is a ,secret ,doctrine of ,christianity is not generally known to the majority who claim the name of ,christian4 ,but it has always been known to the mystics in and out of the church1 and its flame has been kept steadily alight by a few devoted souls who were chosen for this sacred task4 ,the ,secret ,doctrine of ,christianity did not originate with ,jesus1 for ,he1 ,himself1 was an ,initiate of ,mysteries which had been known and taught for centuries before ,his birth4 ,as ,st4 ,augustine has said3 ,that which is called the ,christian ,religion existed among the ancients and never did not exist1 from the beginning of the human race until ,christ came in the flesh1 at which time the true religion which already existed began to be called ,christianity4 ,we would like to quote here a few paragraphs from the writings of a well known writer on religious subjects1 with which statement we heartily agree1 although our views on certain other points of teaching do not agree with those of this writer4 ,he says3 ,it may be said that in the present day these doctrines are simply not taught in the churches2 how is that8 ,it is because ,christianity has forgotten much of its original teachings1 because it is now satisfied with only part1 and a very small part1 of what it originally knew4 ',they still have the same scriptures1' you will say4 ,yes1 but those very scriptures tell you often of something more1 which is now lost4 ,what is meant by ,christ's constant references to the ',mysteries of the ,kingdom of ,god'--by ,his frequent statement to ,his disciples that the full and true interpretation could be given only to them1 and that to others ,he must speak in parables8 ,why does ,he perpetually use the technical terms connected with the well known mystery-teaching of antiquity8 ,what does ,st4 ,paul mean when he says1 ',we speak wisdom among them which are perfect'--a well known technical term for the men at a certain stage of initiation8 ,again and again he uses terms of the same sort2 he speaks of 'the wisdom of ,god in mystery1 the hidden wisdom which ,god ordained before the world began1 and which none even of the princes of this world know'--a statement which could not by any possibility have been truthfully made if he had been referring merely to ordinary ,christian teaching which is openly preached before all men4 ,his immediate followers1 the ,fathers of the ,church1 knew perfectly well what he meant1 for they all use precisely the same phraseology4 ,clement of ,alexandria1 one of the earliest and greatest of all1 tells us that ',it is not lawful to reveal to the profane persons the ,mysteries of the ,word4' ,another consideration shows us clearly how much of this early teaching has been lost4 ,the church now devotes herself solely to producing good men1 and points to the saint as her crowning glory and achievement4 ,but in older days she claimed to be able to do much more than that4 ,when she had made a man a saint1 her work with him was only just beginning1 for then only was he fit for the training and teaching which she could give him then1 but cannot now1 because she has forgotten her ancient knowledge4 ,then she had three definite stages in her course of training--,purification1 ,illumination and ,perfection4 ,now she contents herself with the preliminary ,purification1 and has no ,illumination to give4 ,read what ,clement says3 ',purity is only a negative state1 valuable chiefly as the condition of insight4 ,he who has been purified in ,baptism and then initiated into the ,little ,mysteries 7has acquired1 that is to say1 the habits of self-control and reflection7 becomes rife for the ,greater ,mysteries for the ,gnosis1 the scientific knowledge of ,god4' ,in another place he says3 ',knowledge is more than faith4 ,faith is a summary knowledge of urgent truths1 suitable for people who are in a hurry2 but knowledge is scientific faith4' ,and his pupil ,origen writes of 'the popular1 irrational faith' which leads to what he calls physical ,christianity1 based upon the gospel history1 as opposed to the spiritual ,christianity conferred by the ,gnosis of ,wisdom4 ,speaking of teaching founded upon historical narrative1 he says1 ',what better method could be devised to assist the masses8' ,but for those who are wise he has always the higher teachings1 which are given only to those who have proved themselves worthy of it4 ,this teaching is not lost2 the church cast it out when she expelled the great ,gnostic ,doctors1 but it has nevertheless been preserved1 and it is precisely that ,wisdom which we are studying--precisely that which we find to answer all the problems of life1 to give us a rational rule by which to live1 to be to us a veritable gospel of good news from on high4 ,st4 ,paul indicates the existence of the ,secret ,doctrine of ,christianity1 when he says to the ,corinthians3 ,and ,i1 brethren1 could not speak unto you as unto spiritual1 but as unto carnal1 as unto babes in ,christ4 ,i fed you with milk1 not with meat2 for ye were not yet able to bear it2 nay1 not even now are ye able1 for ye are yet carnal4 7,i ,cor4 #c3a47 ,jesus said3 ,give not that which is holy unto the dogs1 neither cast your pearls before the swine1 lest haply they trample them under their feet1 and turn and rend you4 7,matt4 #g3f47 ,st4 ,clement of ,alexandria has said regarding the above saying of ,jesus3 ,even now ,i fear1 as it is said1 'to cast the pearls before swine1 lest they tread them underfoot1 and turn and rend us4' ,for it is difficult to exhibit the really pure and transparent words respecting the true ,light to swinish and untrained hearers4 ,in the first century after ,christ1 the term ,the ,mysteries of ,jesus was frequently used by the ,christian teachers1 and the ,inner ,circle of ,christians was recognized as a body of advanced souls who had developed so far as to be able to comprehend these mysteries4 ,the following passage from ,st4 ,mark 7#d3aj-ab7 is interesting in this connection3 ,and when ,he was alone1 they that were about ,him with the twelve asked of ,him the parables4 ,and ,he said unto them1 ',unto you is given the mystery of the kingdom of ,god3 but unto them that are without1 all things are done in parables3 that seeing they may see1 and not perceive2 and hearing they may hear1 and not understand4' ,the same writer says 7#d3cc-cd73 ,and with many such parables spake ,he the word unto them1 as they were able to hear it2 and without a parable spake ,he not unto them2 but privately to ,his own disciples ,he expounded all things4 ,jesus said to ,his disciples 7,john #af3ab473 ,i have yet many things to say to you1 but ye cannot bear them now4 ,the ,occult ,teachings state that when ,he returned in ,his astral form1 after the crucifixion1 ,he taught them many important and advanced mystic truths1 speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of ,god4 7,acts #a3c47 ,the early ,christian ,fathers spake and wrote openly regarding the ,christian ,mysteries1 as all students of ,church ,history well know4 ,polycarp1 ,bishop of ,smyrna1 writes to certain others hoping that they are well versed in the sacred ,scriptures and that nothing is hidden from you2 but to me this privilege is not yet granted4 7,the ,epistle of ,polycarp1 chapter #g47 ,ignatius1 ,bishop of ,antioch1 says that he is not yet perfect in ,jesus ,christ4 ,for ,i now begin to be a disciple1 and ,i speak to you as my fellow disciple4 ,he also addresses them as being initiated into the ,mysteries of the ,gospel1 with ,st4 ,paul1 the holy1 the martyred4 ,again3 ,might ,i not write to you things more full of mystery8 ,but ,i fear to do so1 lest ,i should inflict injury on you who are but babes4 ,pardon me in this respect1 lest1 as not being able to receive their weighty import1 ye should be strangled by them4 ,for even ,i1 though ,i am bound and am able to understand heavenly things1 the angelic orders1 and the different sorts of angels and hosts1 the distinction between powers and dominions1 and the diversities between thrones and authorities1 the mightiness of the aeons1 and the preminence of the cherubim and seraphim1 the sublimity of the ,spirit1 the kingdom of the ,lord1 and above all the incomparable majesty of ,almighty ,god--though ,i am acquainted with these things1 yet am ,i not therefore by any means perfect1 nor am ,i such a disciple as ,paul or ,peter4 ,ignatius also speaks of the ,high ,priest or ,hierophant1 of whom he asserts that he was the one to whom the holy of holies has been committed1 and who alone has been entrusted with the secrets of ,god4 7,epistles of ,ignatius47 ,st4 ,clement of ,alexandria was a mystic of high rank in the ,inner ,circle of the ,church4 ,his writings are full of allusions to the ,christian ,mysteries4 ,he says among other things that his writings were a miscellany of ,gnostic notes1 according to the time philosophy1 which teachings he had received from ,pontaemus1 his instructor or spiritual teacher4 ,he says of these teachings3 ,the ,lord allowed us to communicate of those divine ,mysteries and of that holy light1 to those who are able to receive them4 ,he did not certainly disclose to the many what did not belong to the many2 but to the few to whom ,he knew that they belonged1 who were capable of receiving and being moulded according to them4 ,but secret things are intrusted to speech1 not to writing1 as is the case with ,god4 ,and if one say that it is written1 ',there is nothing secret which shall not be revealed1 nor hidden1 which shall not be disclosed1' let him also hear from us1 that to him who hears secretly1 even what is secret shall be manifested4 ,this is what was predicted by this oracle4 ,and to him who is able secretly to observe what is delivered to him1 that which is veiled shall be disclosed as truth2 and what is hidden to the many shall appear manifest to the few4 ,the mysteries are delivered mystically1 that what is spoken may be in the mouth of the speaker2 rather not in his voice1 but in his understanding4 ,the writing of these memoranda of mine1 ,i well know1 is weak when compared with that spirit full of grace1 which ,i was privileged to hear4 ,but it will be an image to recall the archetype to him who was struck with the ,thyrsus4 7,we may state here that the ,thyrsus was the mystic-wand carried by the ,initiates in the ,mystic ,brotherhoods--the ,initiate being first tapped with it1 and then receiving it from the ,hierophant1 at the ceremony of formal ,initiation47 ,clement adds3 ,we profess not to explain secret things sufficiently--far from it--but only to recall them to memory1 whether we have forgot aught1 or whether for the purpose of not forgetting4 ,many things1 well ,i know1 have escaped us1 through length of time1 that have dropped away unwritten4 ,there are then some things of which we have no recollection2 for the power that was in the blessed men was great4 ,there are also some things which remain unnoted long1 which have now escaped2 and others which are effaced1 having faded away in the mind itself1 since such a task is not easy to those not experienced2 these ,i revive in my commentaries4 ,some things ,i purposely omit1 in the exercise of a wise selection1 afraid to write what ,i guarded against speaking2 not grudging--for that were wrong--but fearing for my readers lest they should stumble by taking them in a wrong sense2 and1 as the proverb says1 we should be found 'reaching a sword to a child4' ,for it is impossible that what has been written should not escape1 although remaining published by me4 ,but being always revolved1 using the one only voice1 that of writing1 they answer nothing to him that makes inquiries beyond what is written2 for they require of necessity the aid of someone1 either of him who wrote or of someone else1 who walked in his footsteps4 ,some things my treatise will hint2 on some it will linger2 some it will merely mention4 ,it will try to speak imperceptibly1 to exhibit secretly1 and to demonstrate silently4 7,the ,stromata of ,st4 ,clement47 ,st4 ,clement1 in the same work from which the above quotation was taken1 has a chapter entitled ,the ,mysteries of the ,faith1 not to be ,divulged to all4 ,in it he states that inasmuch as his writings might be seen by all men1 the unwise as well as the wise1 it is requisite1 therefore1 to hide in a ,mystery the wisdom spoken1 in which the ,son of ,god is taught4 ,he then adds1 ,for it is difficult to exhibit the really pure and transparent words to swinish and untrained hearers4 ,for scarcely could anything which they could bear be more ludicrous than these to the multitude2 nor any subjects on the other hand more admirable or more inspiring to those of noble nature4 ,but the wise do not utter with their mouths what they reason in council4 ',but what ye hear in the ear1' said the ,lord1 'proclaim upon the houses2 bidding them receive the secret traditions of the true knowledge1 and expound them aloft and conspicuously2 and as we have said in the ear1 so to deliver them to whom it is requisite2 but not enjoining us to communicate to all without distinction what is said to them in parables4 ,but there is only a delineation in the memoranda1 which have the truth sown sparse and broadcast1 that it may escape the notice of those who pick up seeds like jackdaws2 but when they find a good husbandman1 each of them will germinate and will produce corn4 ,those who are still blind and dumb1 not having understanding1 or the undazzled and keen vision of the contemplative soul1 must stand outside of the divine choir4 ,wherefore1 in accordance with the method of concealment1 the truly sacred ,word1 truly divine and most necessary for us1 deposited in the shrine of truth1 was by the ,egyptians indicated by what were called among them adyta1 and by the ,hebrews 'the veil4' ,only the consecrated were allowed access to them4 ,for ,plato also thought it not lawful for 'the impure to touch the pure4' ,thence the prophecies and oracles are spoken in enigmas1 and to the untrained and uninstructed people4 ,now1 then1 it is not wished that all things should be exposed indiscriminately to all and sundry1 or the benefits of wisdom communicated to those who have not even in a dream been purified in soul1 for it is not allowable to hand to every chance comer what has been procured with such laborious efforts4 ,nor are the ,mysteries of the ,word to be expounded to the profane4 ,the ,mysteries were established for the reason that it was more beneficial that the holy and the blessed contemplation of realities be conceded4 ,so that1 on the other hand1 then1 there are the ,mysteries which were hid till the time of the apostles1 and were delivered by them as they received from the ,lord1 and1 concealed in the ,old ,testament1 were manifested to the saints4 ,and on the other hand1 there is the riches of the glory of the mysteries of the ,gentiles1 which is faith and hope in ,christ4 ,instruction1 which reveals hidden things1 is called ,illumination1 as it is the teacher only who uncovers the lid of the ark4 7,the ,stromata of ,st4 ,clement47 ,st4 ,clement also quotes approvingly the saying of ,plato1 that3 ,we must speak in enigmas2 that should the tablet come by any mischance on its leaves either by sea or land he who reads may remain ignorant4 ,he also says1 concerning certain ,gnostic writings3 ,let the specimen suffice to those who have ears4 ,for it is not required to unfold the mystery1 but only to indicate what is sufficient for those who are partakers in knowledge to bring it to mind4 ,we have quoted freely from ,st4 ,clement1 for the purpose of showing that he1 a man in a very exalted position in the ,early ,christian ,church1 recognized1 and actually taught1 the ,inner ,teachings1 or ,secret ,doctrine of ,mystic ,christianity--that the ,early ,christian ,church was an organization having a ,mystic ,centre for the few1 and ,common ,outer for the multitude4 ,can there be any doubt of this after reading the above words from his pen8 ,but not only ,st4 ,clement so wrote and taught1 but many others in authority in the ,early ,christian ,church likewise voiced their knowledge of1 and approval in1 the ,inner ,teachings4 ,for example1 ,origen1 the pupil of ,st4 ,clement1 a man whose influence was felt on all sides in the early days of the ,church4 ,origen defended ,christianity from the attacks of ,celsus1 who charged the ,church with being a secret organization which taught the ,truth only to a few1 while it satisfied the multitude with popular teachings and half-truths4 ,origen replied that1 while it was true that there were ,inner ,teachings in the ,church which were not revealed to the general public1 still the ,church1 in that respect1 was but following the example of all teachers of ,truth1 who always maintained an esoteric side of their teachings for those fitted to participate in them1 while giving the exoteric side to the general body of followers4 ,he writes3 ,and yet the ,mystery of the ,resurrection1 not being understood1 is made a subject of ridicule among unbelievers4 ,in these circumstances1 to speak of the ,christian doctrine as a secret system is altogether absurd4 ,but that there should be certain doctrines1 not made known to the multitude1 which are divulged after the exoteric ones have been taught1 is not a peculiarity of ,christianity alone1 but also of philosophic systems in which certain truths are exoteric and others esoteric4 ,some of the hearers of ,pythagoras were content with his ipse dixit2 while others were taught in secret those doctrines which were not deemed fit to be communicated to profane and insufficiently prepared ears4 ,moreover1 all the ,mysteries that are celebrated everywhere throughout ,greece and barbarous countries1 although held in secret1 have no discredit thrown upon them1 so that it is in vain he endeavors to calumniate the secret doctrines of ,christianity1 seeing that he does not correctly understand its nature4 ,i have not yet spoken of the observance of all that is written in the ,gospels1 each one of which contains much doctrine difficult to be understood1 not merely by the multitude1 but even by certain of the more intelligent1 including a very profound explanation of the parables1 which ,jesus delivered to 'those without' while reserving the exhibition of their full meaning for those who had passed beyond the stage of exoteric teaching1 and who came to ,him privately in the house4 ,and when he comes to understand it1 he will admire the reason why some are said to be 'without' and others 'in the house4' 7,origen against ,celsus47 ,in the same work ,origen considers the story of the ,syria-,phoenician woman 7,matt4 ,chap4 #ae7 and says concerning it3 ,and perhaps1 also1 of the words of ,jesus there are some loaves which it is possible to give to the more rational1 as to the children1 only2 and others as it were crumbs from the great house and table of the well-born1 which may be used by some souls like dogs4 ,and1 again1 ,he whose soul has1 for a long time1 been conscious of no evil1 especially since he yielded himself to the healing of the ,word1 let such a one hear the doctrines which were spoken in private by ,jesus to ,his genuine disciples4 ,and1 again1 ,but on these subjects much1 and that of a mystical kind1 might be said3 in keeping with which is the following3 ',it is good to keep close to the secret of a king1' in order that the doctrine of the entrance of souls into bodies may not be thrown before the common understanding1 nor what is holy given to the dogs1 nor pearls be cast before swine4 ,for such a procedure would be impious1 being equivalent to a betrayal of the mysterious declaration of ,god's wisdom4 ,it is sufficient1 however1 to represent in the style of a historic narrative what is intended to convey a secret meaning in the garb of history1 that those who have the capacity may work out for themselves all that relates to the subject4 ,he also says1 in the same work3 ,if you come to the books written after the time of ,jesus1 you will find that those multitudes of believers who hear the parables are1 as it were1 'without1' and worthy only of exoteric doctrines1 while the disciples learn in private the explanation of the parables4 ,for1 privately1 to ,his own disciples did ,jesus open up all things1 esteeming above the multitudes those who desired to know ,his wisdom4 ,and ,he promises to those who believe on ,him to send them wise men and scribes4 ,in another work1 ,origen states that3 ,the ,scriptures have a meaning1 not only such as is apparent at first sight1 but also another1 which escapes the notice of most men4 ,for such is written in the forms of certain ,mysteries1 and the image of divine things4 ,respecting which there is one opinion throughout the whole ,church1 that the whole law is indeed spiritual2 but that the spiritual meaning which the law conveys is not known to all1 but to those only on whom the grace of the ,holy ,spirit is bestowed in the word of wisdom and knowledge4 7,de ,principiis47 ,we could fill page after page with live quotations from the writings of the ,early ,christian ,fathers1 and their successors1 showing the existence of the ,inner ,teachings4 ,but we must rest content with those which we have given you1 which are clear and to the point1 and which come from undoubted authority4 ,the departure of the ,church from these ,inner ,teachings was a great calamity1 from which the ,church is still suffering4 ,as that well-known occultist1 ,eliphias ,levi1 has said3 ,a great misfortune befell ,christianity4 ,the betrayal of the ,mysteries by the false ,gnostics--for the ,gnostics1 that is1 those who know1 were the ,initiates of primitive ,christianity--caused the ,gnosis to be rejected1 and alienated the ,church from the supreme truths of the ,kabbala1 which contains all the secrets of transcendental theology4444 ,let the most absolute science1 let the highest reason become once more the patrimony of the leaders of the people2 let the sarcerdotal art and the royal art take the double sceptre of antique initiations and the social world will once more issue from its chaos4 ,burn the holy images no longer2 demolish the temples no more2 temples and images are necessary for men2 but drive the hirelings from the house of prayer2 let the blind be no longer leaders of the blind2 reconstruct the hierarchy of intelligence and holiness1 and recognize only those who know as the teachers of those who believe4 7,the ,mysteries of ,magic1 ,waite translation47 ,and now1 you ask1 what were taught in these ,christian ,mysteries--what is the ,inner ,teaching--what the ,secret ,doctrine8 ,simply this1 good students--the ,occult ,philosophy and ,mystic ,lore which has been taught to the ,elect in all times and ages1 and which is embodied in our several series of lessons on ,,the ,,yogi ,,philosophy ,,and ,,oriental ,,occultism1 plus the special teaching regarding the nature1 mission1 and sacrifice of ,jesus the ,christ1 as we have tried to explain in the present series of lessons4 ,the ,truth is the same no matter under what name it is taught1 or who teaches it4 ,strip it of the personal coloring of the teacher and it is seen to be the same--,,the ,,truth4 ,in these lessons we have tried to give you the ,key to the ,mysteries1 but unless you have studied the other lessons in which the ,occult ,teachings have been set forth1 you will not be able to see their application in ,mystic ,christianity4 ,you must bring ,knowledge to these lessons1 in order to take away knowledge4 ,,the ,,eleventh ,,lesson ,,the ,,ancient ,,wisdom4 ,the doctrine of ,metempsychosis or ,re-incarnation has its roots deeply imbedded in the soil of all religions--that is1 in the ,inner ,teachings or ,esoteric phase of all religious systems4 ,and this is true of the ,inner ,teachings of the ,christian ,church as well as of the other systems4 ,the ,christian ,mysteries comprised this as well as the other fundamental occult doctrines1 and the ,early ,church held such teachings in its ,inner ,circle4 ,and1 in its essence1 the doctrine of ,re-birth is the only one that is in full accord with the ,christian conception of ultimate justice and fairness4 ,as a well known writer has said concerning this subject3 ,it relieves us of many and great difficulties4 ,it is impossible for any one who looks around him and sees the sorrow and suffering in the world1 and the horrible inequality in the lives of men--not inequality in wealth merely1 but inequality in opportunity of progress--to harmonize these facts with the love and justice of ,god1 unless he is willing to accept this theory that this one life is not all1 but that it is only a day in the real life of the soul1 and that each soul therefore has made its place for itself1 and is receiving just such training as is best for its evolution4 ,surely the only theory which enables a man rationally to believe in ,divine justice1 without shutting his eyes to obvious facts1 is a theory worthy of study4 ,modern theology concerns itself principally with a plan for evading divine justice1 which it elects to call ',salvation1' and it makes this plan depend entirely upon what a man believes1 or rather upon what he says that he believes4 ,this whole theory of 'salvation1' and indeed the theory that there is anything to be 'saved' from1 seems to be based upon a misunderstanding of a few texts of scripture4 ,we do not believe in this idea of a so-called divine wrath2 we think that to attribute to ,god our own vices of anger and cruelty is a terrible blasphemy4 ,we hold to the theory of steady evolution and final attainment for all2 and we think that the man's progress depends not upon what he believes1 but upon what he does4 ,and there is surely very much in the bible to support this idea4 ,do you remember ,st4 ,paul's remark1 ',be not deceived1 ,god is not mocked2 whatsoever a man soweth1 that shall he also reap'8 ,and again1 ,christ said that ',they that have done good shall go unto the resurrection of life'--not they that have believed some particular doctrine4 ,and when ,he describes the day of judgment1 you will notice that no question is raised as to what anybody has believed1 but only as to the works which he has done4 ,in this connection1 we think that it is advisable to quote from the address of a well known ,english churchman upon this important subject4 ,the gentleman in question is ,the ,ven4 ,archdeacon ,colley1 ,rector of ,stockton1 ,warwickshire1 ,england1 who said3 ,in the realm of the occult and transcendental1 moved to its exploration from the ,sadducean bias of my early days1 ,i have for the best part of half a century had experiences rarely equaled by any1 and ,i am sure1 surpassed by none2 yet have they led me up till now1 ,i admit1 to no very definite conclusions4 ,with suspension of judgment1 therefore1 not being given to dogmatize on anything1 and with open mind ,i trust1 in equipoise of thought desiring to hold an even balance of opinion 'twixt this and that1 ,i am studious still of being receptive of light from every source--rejecting nothing that in the least degree makes for righteousness1 hence my taking the chair here tonight1 hoping to learn what may help to resolve a few of the many perplexities of life1 to wit3 ,why some live to the ripe old age of my dear father while others live but for a moment1 to be born1 gasp and die4 ,why some are born rich and others poor2 some having wealth only to corrupt1 defile1 deprave others therewith1 while meritorious poverty struggles and toils for human betterment all unaided4 ,some gifted with mentality2 others pitiably lacking capacity4 ,some royal-souled from the first naturally1 others with brutal1 criminal propensities from beginning to end4 ,the sins of the fathers visited upon the children unto the third and fourth generation may in heredity account for much1 but ,i want to see through the mystery of a good father at times having a bad son1 as also of one showing genius and splendid faculties--the offspring of parentage the reverse of anything suggesting qualities contributive thereto4 ,then as a clergyman1 ,i have in my reading noted texts of ,holy ,scripture1 and come across passages in the writings of the ,fathers of the ,early ,church which seem to be root-thoughts1 or survivals of the old classic idea of re-incarnation4 ,the prophet ,jeremiah 7#a3e7 writes1 ',the word of the ,lord came unto me saying1 before ,i formed thee1 ,i knew thee1 and before thou wast born ,i sanctified thee and ordained thee a prophet4' ,does this mean that the ,eternal-,uncreate chose1 from foreknowledge of what ,jeremiah would be1 the created ,ego of ,his immaterialized servant in heaven ere he clothed his soul with the mortal integument of flesh in human birth--schooling him above for the part he had to play here below as a prophet to dramatize in his life and teaching the will of the ,unseen8 ,to the impotent man at the ,pool of ,bethesda1 whose infirmity was the cruel experience of eight and thirty years1 the ,founder of our religion said 7,john #e3ad471 ',behold1 thou art made whole2 sin no more1 lest a worse thing come unto thee4' ,was it 7fitting the punishment to the crime proportionately7 some outrageous sin as a boy1 in the spring of years and days of his inexperienced youth of bodily life1 that brought on him such physical sorrow1 which youthful sin in its repetition would necessitate an even worse ill than this nearly forty years of sore affliction8 ',who did sin1 this man or his parents1 that he was born blind8' 7,john #i3b471 was the question of the disciples to ,jesus4 ,and our query is--,sinned before he was born to deserve the penalty of being born blind8 ,then of ,john the ,baptist--was he a reincarnation of ,elijah1 the prophet1 who was to come again8 7,malachi #d3e474 ,jesus said he was ,elijah1 who indeed had come1 and the evil-minded ,jews had done unto him whatsoever they listed4 ,herod had beheaded him 7,matt4 #aa3ad and #ag3ab474 ,elijah and ,john the ,baptist appear from our reference ,bibles and ,cruden's ,concordance to concur and commingle in one4 ,the eighth verse of the first chapter of the second ,book of ,kings and the fourth verse of the third chapter of ,st4 ,matthew's ,gospel note similarities in them and peculiarities of dress4 ,elijah1 as we read1 was a 'hairy man and girt a leathern girdle about his loins1' while ,john the ,baptist had 'his raiment of camel's hair and a leathern girdle about his loins4' ,their home was the solitude of the desert4 ,elijah journeyed forty days and forty nights unto ,horeb1 the mount of ,god in the ,wilderness of ,sinai4 ,john the ,baptist was in the wilderness of ,judea beyond ,jordan baptizing4 ,and their life in exile--a self-renunciating and voluntary withdrawal from the haunts of men--was sustained in a parallel remarkable way by food 7bird--brought on wing--borne74 ',i have commanded the ravens to feed thee1' said the voice of ,divinity to the prophet2 while locusts and wild honey were the food of the ,baptist4 ',and above all1' said our ,lord of ,john the ,baptist to the disciples1 'if ye will receive it1 this is ,elias which was for to come4' ,origen1 in the second century1 one of the most learned of the ,fathers of the early ,church1 says that this declares the pre-existence of ,john the ,baptist as ,elijah before his decreed later existence as ,christ's forerunner4 ,origen also says on the text1 ',jacob ,i have loved1 but ,esau ,i have hated1' that if our course be not marked out according to our works before this present life that now is1 how would it not be untrue and unjust in ,god that the elder brother should serve the younger and be hated by ,god 7though blessed of righteous ,abraham's son1 of ,isaac7 before ,esau had done anything deserving of servitude or given any occasion for the merciful ,almighty's hatred8 ,further1 on the text 7,ephesians #a3d471 ',god who hath chosen us before the foundation of the world1' ,origen says that this suggests our pre-existence ere the world was4 ,while ,jerome1 agreeing with ,origen1 speaks of our rest above1 where rational creatures dwell before their descent to this lower world1 and prior to their removal from the invisible life of the spiritual sphere to the visible life here on earth1 teaching1 as he says1 the necessity of their again having material bodies ere1 as saints and men made 'perfect as our ,father which is in heaven is perfect1' they once more enjoy in the angel-world their former blessedness4 ,justin ,martyr also speaks of the soul inhabiting the human body more than once1 but thinks as a rule 7instanced in the case of ,john the ,baptist forgetting that he had been ,elijah7 it is not permitted us to remember our former experiences of this life while yet again we are in exile here as strangers and pilgrims in an uncongenial clime away from our heavenly home4 ,clemens ,alexandrinus1 and others of the ,fathers1 refer to re-incarnation 7or transmigration or metempsychosis1 as it is called in the years that are passed of classic times and later now as re-birth7 to remind us of the vital truth taught by our ,lord in the words1 ',ye must be born again4' ,these words1 falling from the lips of a man so eminent in the staid conservative ranks of the ,church of ,england1 must attract the attention of every earnest seeker after the ,truth of ,christian ,doctrine4 ,if such a man1 reared in such an environment1 could find himself able to bear such eloquent testimony to the truth of a philosophy usually deemed foreign to his accepted creed1 what might we not expect from a ,church liberated from the narrow formal bounds of orthodoxy1 and once more free to consider1 learn and teach those noble doctrines originally held and taught by the ,early ,fathers of the ,church of ,christ8 ,while the majority of modern ,christians bitterly oppose the idea that the doctrine of ,metempsychosis ever formed any part of the ,christian ,doctrine1 and prefer to regard it as a heathenish teaching1 still the fact remains that the careful and unprejudiced student will find indisputable evidence in the writings of the ,early ,christian ,fathers pointing surely to the conclusion that the doctrine of ,metempsychosis was believed and taught in the ,inner ,circle of the ,early ,church4 ,the doctrine unquestionably formed a part of the ,christian ,mysteries1 and has faded into comparative obscurity with the decay of spirituality in the ,church1 until now the average churchman no longer holds to it1 and in fact regards as barbarous and heathenish that part of the teachings originally imparted and taught by the ,early ,fathers of the ,church--the ,saints and ,leaders4 ,the ,early ,christians were somewhat divided in their beliefs concerning the details of ,re-birth4 ,one sect or body held to the idea that the soul of man was eternal1 coming from the ,father4 ,also that there were many degrees and kinds of souls1 some of which have never incarnated in human bodies but which are living on many planes of life unknown to us1 passing from plane to plane1 world to world4 ,this sect held that some of these souls had chosen to experiment with life on the physical plane1 and were now passing through the various stages of the physical-plane life1 with all of its pains and sorrows1 being held by the ,law of ,re-birth until a full experience had been gained1 when they would pass out of the circle of influence of the physical plane1 and return to their original freedom4 ,another sect held to the more scientific occult form of the gradual evolution of the soul1 by repeated rebirth1 on the physical plane1 from ,lower to ,higher1 as we have set forth in our lessons on ,gnani ,yoga4 ,the difference in the teachings arose from the different conceptions of the great leaders1 some being influenced by the ,jewish ,occult ,teachings which held to the first above mentioned doctrine1 while the second school held to the doctrine taught by the ,greek ,mystics and the ,hindu ,occultists4 ,and each interpreted the ,inner ,teachings by the light of his previous affiliations4 ,and so1 some of the early writings speak of pre-existence1 while others speak of repeated rebirth4 ,but the underlying principle is the same1 and in a sense they were both right1 as the advanced occultists know full well4 ,the fundamental principle of both conceptions is that the soul comes forth as an emanation from the ,father in the shape of ,spirit2 that the ,spirit becomes plunged in the confining sheaths of ,matter1 and is then known as a soul1 losing for a time its pristine purity2 that the soul passes on through rebirth1 from lower to higher1 gaining fresh experiences at each incarnation2 that the advancing soul passes from world to world1 returning at last to its home laden with the varied experiences of life and becomes once more pure ,spirit4 ,the early ,christian ,fathers became involved in a bitter controversy with the ,greek and ,roman philosophers1 over the conception held by some of the latter concerning the absurd doctrine of the transmigration of the human soul into the body of an animal4 ,the ,fathers of the ,church fought this erroneous teaching with great energy1 their arguments bringing out forcibly the distinction between the true occult teachings and this erroneous and degenerate perversion in the doctrines of transmigration into animal bodies4 ,this conflict caused a vigorous denunciation of the teachings of the ,pythagorean and ,platonic schools1 which held to the perverted doctrine that a human soul could degenerate into the state of the animal4 ,among other passages quoted by ,origen and ,jerome to prove the pre-existence of the soul was that from ,jeremiah 7#a3e73 ,before thou comest from the womb ,i sanctified thee and ,i ordained thee a prophet4 ,the early writers held that this passage confirmed their particular views regarding the pre-existence of the soul and the possession of certain characteristics and qualities acquired during previous birth1 for1 they argued1 it would be injustice that a man1 before birth1 be endowed with uncarnal qualities2 and that such qualities and ability could justly be the result only of best work and action4 ,they also dwelt upon the prophecy of the return of ,elijah1 in ,malachi #d3e4 ,and also upon the 7uncanonical7 book ,the ,wisdom of ,solomon1 in which ,solomon says3 ,i was a witty child1 and had a good ,spirit4 ,yea1 rather1 being good1 ,i came into a body undefiled4 ,they also quoted from ,josephus1 in his book styled ,de ,bello ,judico1 in which the eminent ,jewish writer says3 ,they say that all souls are incorruptible2 but that the souls of good men are only removed into other bodies--but that the souls of bad men are subject to eternal punishment4 ,they also quoted from ,josephus1 regarding the ,jewish belief in ,rebirth as evidenced by the recital of the instance in which1 at the siege of the fortress of ,jotapota1 he sought the shelter of a cave in which were a number of soldiers1 who discussed the advisability of committing suicide for the purpose of avoiding being taken prisoners by the ,romans4 ,josephus remonstrated with them as follows3 ,do ye not remember that all pure spirits who are in conformity with the divine dispensation live on in the loveliest of heavenly places1 and in the course of time they are sent down to inhabit sinless bodies2 but the souls of those who have committed self-destruction are doomed to a region in the darkness of the underworld8 ,recent writers hold that this shows that he accepted the doctrine of ,re-birth himself1 and also as showing that it must have been familiar to the ,jewish soldiery4 ,there seems to be no doubt regarding the familiarity of the ,jewish people of that time with the general teachings regarding ,metempsychosis4 ,philo positively states the doctrine as forming part of the teachings of the ,jewish ,alexandrian school4 ,and again the question asked ,jesus regarding the sin of the man born blind shows how familiar the people were with the general doctrine4 ,and so1 the teachings of ,jesus on that point did not need to be particularly emphasized to the common people1 ,he reserving this instruction on the inner teachings regarding the details of ,re-birth for his chosen disciples4 ,but still the subject is mentioned in a number of places in the ,new ,testament1 as we shall see4 ,jesus stated positively that ,john the ,baptist was ,elias1 whose return had been predicted by ,malachi 7#d3e74 ,jesus stated this twice1 positively1 i4e41 ,this is ,elijah that is to come 7,matt4 #aa3ad72 and again1 ,but ,i say unto you that ,elijah is come already1 but they knew him not1 but did unto him whatsoever they would4444 ,then understood the disciples that he spoke unto them of ,john the ,baptist4 7,matt4 #ag3ab-ac47 ,the ,mystics point out that ,jesus saw clearly the fact that ,john was ,elijah re-incarnated1 although ,john had denied this fact1 owing to his lack of memory of his past incarnation4 ,jesus the ,master saw clearly that which ,john the ,forerunner had failed to perceive concerning himself4 ,the plainly perceptible characteristics of ,elijah reappearing in ,john bear out the twice-repeated1 positive assertion of the ,master that ,john the ,baptist was the re-incarnated ,elijah4 ,and this surely is sufficient authority for ,christians to accept the doctrine of ,re-birth as having a place in the ,church ,teachings4 ,but still1 the orthodox churchmen murmur ,he meant something else6 ,there are none so blind as those who refuse to see4 ,another notable instance of the recognition of the doctrine by ,jesus and ,his disciples occurs in the case of the man born blind4 ,it may be well to quote the story4 ,and as he passed by he saw a man blind from his birth4 ,and his disciples asked him1 saying1 ',rabbi1 who sinned1 this man or his parents1 that he should be born blind8' ,jesus answered1 ',neither did this man sin nor his parents4' 7,john #i3a-c47 ,surely there can be no mistake about the meaning of this question1 ,who did sin1 this man or his parents8--for how could a man sin before his birth1 unless he had lived in a previous incarnation8 ,and the answer of ,jesus simply states that the man was born blind neither from the sins of a past life1 nor from those of his parents1 but from a third cause4 ,had the idea of re-incarnation been repugnant to the teachings1 would not ,he have denounced it to ,his disciples8 ,does not the fact that ,his disciples asked ,him the question show that they were in the habit of discoursing the problems of ,re-birth and ,karma with ,him1 and receiving instructions and answers to questions propounded to ,him along these lines8 ,there are many other passages of the ,new ,testament which go to prove the familiarity of the disciples and followers of ,jesus with the doctrine of ,re-birth1 but we prefer to pass on to a consideration of the writings of the ,early ,christian ,fathers in order to show what they thought and taught regarding the matter of ,re-birth and ,karma4 ,among the great authorities and writers in the ,early ,church1 ,origen stands out pre-eminently as a great light4 ,let us quote from a leading writer1 regarding this man and his teachings3 ,in ,origen's writings we have a mine of information as to the teachings of the early ,christians4 ,origen held a splendid and grandiose view of the whole of the evolution of our system4 ,i put it to you briefly4 ,you can read it in all its carefully1 logically-worked-out arguments1 if you will have the patience to read his treatise for yourselves4 ,his view1 then1 was the evolutionary view4 ,he taught that forth from ,god came all ,spirits that exist1 all being dowered with free-will2 that some of these refused to turn aside from the path of righteousness1 and1 as a reward1 took the place which we speak of as that of the angels2 that then there came others who1 in the exercise of their free-will1 turned aside from the path of deity1 and then passed into the human race to recover1 by righteous and noble living1 the angel condition which they had not been able to preserve2 that others1 still in the exercise of their free-will1 descended still deeper into evil and became evil spirits or devils4 ,so that all these ,spirits were originally good2 but good by innocence1 not by knowledge4 ,and he points out also that angels may become men1 and even the evil ones themselves may climb up once more1 and become men and angels again4 ,some of you will remember that one of the doctrines condemned in ,origen in later days was that glorious doctrine that1 even for the worst of men1 redemption and restoration were possible1 and that there was no such thing as an eternity of evil in a universe that came from the ,eternal ,goodness1 and would return whence it came4 ,and from the writings of this great man we shall now quote4 ,in his great work ,de ,principiis1 ,origen begins with the statement that only ,god ,himself is fundamentally and by virtue of ,his essential nature1 ,good4 ,god is the only ,good--the absolute perfect ,good4 ,when we consider the lesser stages of ,good1 we find that the ,goodness is derived and acquired1 instead of being fundamental and essential4 ,origen then says that ,god bestows free-will upon all spirits alike1 and that if they do not use the same in the direction of righteousness1 then they fall to lower estates one more rapidly1 another more slowly1 one in a greater1 another in a less degree1 each being the cause of his own downfall4 ,he refers to ,john the ,baptist being filled with the ,holy ,ghost in his mother's womb and says that it is a false notion to imagine that ,god fills individuals with ,his ,holy ,spirit1 and bestows upon them sanctification1 not on the grounds of justice and according to their deserts1 but undeservedly4 ,and how shall we escape the declaration1 ',is there respect of persons with ,god8' ,god forbid4 ,or this1 ',is there unrighteousness with ,god8' ,god forbid this also4 ,for such is the defense of those who maintain that souls come into existence with bodies4 ,he then shows his belief in re-birth by arguing that ,john had earned the ,divine favor by reason of right-living in a previous incarnation4 ,then he considers the important question of the apparent injustice displayed in the matter of the inequalities existing among men4 ,he says1 ,some are barbarians1 others ,greeks1 and of the barbarians some are savage and fierce and others of a milder disposition1 and certain of them live under laws that have been thoroughly approved1 others1 again1 under laws of a more common or severe kind2 while1 some1 again1 possess customs of an inhumane and savage character rather than laws2 and certain of them1 from the hour of their birth1 are reduced to humiliation and subjection1 and brought up as slaves1 being placed under the dominion either of masters1 or princes1 or tyrants4 ,some with sound bodies1 some with bodies diseased from their early years1 some defective in vision1 others in bearing and speech2 some born in that condition1 others deprived of the use of their senses immediately after birth4 ,but why should ,i repeat and enumerate all the horrors of human misery8 ,why should this be8 ,origen then goes on to combat the ideas advanced by some thinkers of his times1 that the differences were caused by some essential difference in the nature and quality of the souls of individuals4 ,he states emphatically that all souls are essentially equal in nature and quality and that the differences arise from the various exercise of their power of free-will4 ,he says of his opponents3 ,their argument accordingly is this3 ,if there be this great diversity of circumstances1 and this diverse and varying condition by birth1 in which the faculty of free-will has no scope 7for no one chooses for himself either where1 or with whom1 or in what condition he is born72 if1 then1 this is not caused by the difference in the nature of souls1 i4e41 that a soul of an evil nature is destined for a wicked nation and a good soul for a righteous nation1 what other conclusion remains than that these things must be supposed to be regulated by accident or chance8 ,and1 if that be admitted1 then it will be no longer believed that the world was made by ,god1 or administered by ,his providence4 ,origen continues3 ,god who deemed it just to arrange ,his creatures according to their merit1 brought down these different understandings into the harmony of one world1 that ,he might adorn1 as it were1 one dwelling1 in which there ought to be not only vessels of gold and silver1 but also of wood and clay 7and some1 indeed1 to honor1 and others to dishonor7 with their different vessels1 or souls1 or understandings4 ,on which account the ,creator will neither appear to be unjust in distributing 7for the causes already mentioned7 to every one according to his wants1 nor will the happiness or unhappiness of each one's birth1 or whatever be the condition that falls to his lot1 be accidental4 ,he then asserts that the condition of each man is the result of his own deeds4 ,he then considers the case of ,jacob and ,esau1 which a certain set of thinkers had used to illustrate the unjust and cruel discrimination of the ,creator toward ,his creatures4 ,origen contended that in this case it would be most unjust for ,god to love ,jacob and hate ,esau before the children were born1 and that the only true interpretation of the matter was the theory that ,jacob was being rewarded for the good deeds of past lives1 while ,esau was being punished for his misdeeds in past incarnations4 ,and not only ,origen takes this stand1 but ,jerome also1 for the latter says3 ,if we examine the case of ,esau we may find he was condemned because of his ancient sins in a worse course of life4 7,jerome's letter to ,avitus47 ,origen says3 ,it is found not to be unrighteous that even in womb ,jacob supplanted his brother1 if we feel that he was worthily beloved by ,god1 according to the deserts of his previous life1 so as to deserve to be preferred before his brother4 ,origen adds1 ,this must be carefully applied to the case of all other creatures1 because1 as we formerly remarked1 the righteousness of the ,creator ought to appear in everything4 ,and again1 ,the inequality of circumstances preserves the justice of a retribution according to merit4 ,annie ,besant 7to whom we are indebted for a number of these quotations71 says1 concerning this position of ,origen3 ,thus we find this doctrine made the defense of the justice of ,god4 ,if a soul can be made good1 then to make a soul evil is to a ,god of justice and love impossible4 ,it cannot be done4 ,there is no justification for it1 and the moment you recognize that men are born criminal1 you are either forced into the blasphemous position that a perfect and loving ,god creates a ruined soul and then punishes it for being what ,he has made it1 or else that ,he is dealing with growing1 developing creatures whom ,he is training for ultimate blessedness1 and if in any life a man is born wicked and evil1 it is because he has done amiss and must reap in sorrow the results of evil in order that he may learn wisdom and turn to good4 ,origen also considers the story of ,pharaoh1 of whom the ,biblical writers say that his heart was hardened by ,god4 ,origen declares that the hardening of the heart was caused by ,god so that ,pharaoh would more readily learn the effect of evil1 so that in his future incarnations he might profit by his bitter experience4 ,he says3 ,sometimes it does not lead to good results for a man to be cured too quickly1 especially if the disease1 being shut up in the inner parts of the body1 rage with greater fierceness4 ,the growth of the soul must be understood as being brought about not suddenly1 but slowly and gradually1 seeing that the process of amendment and correction will take place imperceptibly in the individual instances1 during the lapse of countless and unmeasured ages1 some outstripping others1 and tending by a swifter course towards perfection1 while others1 again1 follow close at hand1 and some1 again1 a long way behind4 ,he also says3 ,those who1 departing this life in virtue of that death which is common to all1 are arranged in conformity with their actions and deserts--according as they shall be deemed worthy--some in the place called the 'infernus1' others in the bosom of ,abraham1 and in different localities or mansions4 ,so also from these places1 as if dying there1 if the expression can be used1 they come down from the 'upper world' to this 'hell4' ,for that 'hell' to which the souls of the dead are conducted from this world is1 ,i believe1 on account of this destruction1 called 'the lower hell4' ,everyone accordingly of those who descend to the earth is1 according to his deserts1 or agreeably to the position that he occupied there1 ordained to be born in this world in a different country1 or among a different nation1 or in a different mode of life1 or surrounded by infirmities of a different kind1 or to be descended from religious parents1 or parents who are not religious2 so that it may sometimes happen that an ,israelite descends among the ,scythians1 and a poor ,egyptian is brought down to ,judea4 7,origen against ,celsus47 ,can you doubt1 after reading the above quotation that ,metempsychosis1 ,re-incarnation or ,re-birth and ,karma was held and taught as a true doctrine by the ,fathers of the ,early ,christian ,church8 ,can you not see that imbedded in the very bosom of the ,early ,church were the twin-doctrine of ,re-incarnation and ,karma4 ,then why persist in treating it as a thing imported from ,india1 ,egypt or ,persia to disturb the peaceful slumber of the ,christian ,church8 ,it is but the return home of a part of the original ,inner ,doctrine--so long an outcast from the home of its childhood4 ,the ,teaching was rendered an outlaw by certain influences in the ,church in the ,sixth ,century4 ,the ,second ,council of ,constantinople 7,a4,d4 #eec7 condemned it as a heresy1 and from that time official ,christianity frowned upon it1 and drove it out by sword1 stake and prison cell4 ,the light was kept burning for many years1 however1 by that sect so persecuted by the ,church--the ,albigenses--who furnished hundreds of martyrs to the tyranny of the ,church authorities1 by reason of their clinging faith to the ,inner ,teachings of the ,church concerning ,reincarnation and ,karma4 ,smothered by the pall of superstition that descended like a dense cloud over ,europe in the ,middle ,ages1 the ,truth has nevertheless survived1 and1 after many fitful attempts to again burst out into flame1 has at last1 in this glorious ,twentieth ,century1 managed to again show forth its light and heat to the world1 bringing back ,christianity to the original conceptions of those glorious minds of the ,early ,church4 ,once more returned to its own1 the ,truth will move forward1 brushing from its path all the petty objections and obstacles that held it captive for so many centuries4 ,let us conclude this lesson with those inspiring words of the poet ,wordsworth1 whose soul rose to a perception of the ,truth1 in spite of the conventional restrictions placed upon him by his age and land4 ,our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting1 ,the soul that rises with us1 our life's star1 ,hath elsewhere had its setting1 ,and cometh from afar4 ,not in entire forgetfulness1 ,and not in utter nakedness1 ,but trailing clouds of glory do we come ,from ,god1 who is our home4 ,,the ,,twelfth ,,lesson4 ,,the ,,message ,,of ,,the ,,master4 ,running throughout nearly all of the teachings and messages of ,jesus1 is to be found the constant ,mystic ,message regarding the existence of the ,spirit within the soul of each individual--that ,something ,within to which all can turn in time of pain and trouble--that ,guide and ,monitor which stands ever ready to counsel1 advise and direct if one opens himself to the ,voice4 ,seek ye first the ,kingdom1 and all things shall be added unto you4 ,and1 again1 as if to explain3 ,the ,kingdom of ,heaven is within you4 ,this is the ,mystic ,message which gives one a key to the ,mysteries of the ,inner ,teachings4 ,let us take up a few of ,his sayings and endeavor to interpret them by the light of these teachings4 ,but before doing so we must call the attention of the student to the fact that1 in order to understand intelligently what we are saying1 he must carefully re-read the ,fourteen ,lessons in ,yogi ,philosophy wherein the details of the teachings are set forth--that is the fundamental truths are explained4 ,in the ,advanced ,course and in ,gnani ,yoga the higher phases of the teachings are presented4 ,and1 although in the said works there is little or no reference made to ,christianity1 yet the teachings are so fundamental that the ,inner ,teachings of all religions--including ,christianity--may be understood by one who has acquainted himself with these fundamental truths4 ,there is but one real ,occult ,philosophy1 and we find it in evidence everywhere--once the ,truth is grasped1 it is found to be the ,master ,key with which to unlock the various doors leading to the esoteric phase of any and all religions or philosophies4 ,the ,yogi ,fathers1 centuries and centuries ago1 solved the ,riddle of the ,universe1 and the highest efforts of the human mind since that time have but corroborated1 proven and exemplified the original ,truth as voiced by these ,venerable ,sages4 ,let us read the words of ,jesus in the light of this ,ancient ,wisdom4 ,let us consider the ,sermon on the ,mount as given in ,matthew 7,chapters #e2 #f2 #g74 ,blessed are the poor in spirit2 for theirs is the ,kingdom of ,heaven4 7,matt4 #e3c47 ,by these words ,jesus indicated the occult teachings that those who renounced the vain glory and petty ambitions of this world would be on the road to the realization of the ,real ,self--the ,something ,within--the ,spirit4 ,for is it not written that the ,kingdom of ,heaven is within you8 ,blessed are they that mourn2 for they shall be comforted4 7,matt4 #e3d47 ,by these words ,jesus pointed out the occult teachings that those who had so far advanced that they could see the folly of human ambition1 and who consequently felt the pain that comes to all who stand above the crowd1 and who mourned by reason of their realization of the folly and uselessness of all for which men strive so hard8 would1 in the end1 be comforted by that peace which passeth all understanding which comes only to those who enter into a realization of the ,kingdom of ,heaven which is within them4 ,blessed are the meek2 for they shall inherit the earth4 7,matt4 #e3e47 ,by these words ,jesus sought to teach that those who had acquired the attitude of obedience to the ,power of the ,spirit ,within them would become as ,masters of the things of earth4 ,this message is frequently misunderstood by reason of the lack of perception of the ,mystic meaning contained in the words4 ,the word meek does not mean that ,i'm so meek and humble attitude and expression of the hypocritical followers of form4 ,jesus never taught this--and never acted it4 ,he was always the ,master1 and never sought to make of his followers cringing creatures and whining and sniveling supplicants4 ,he asserted ,his ,mastery in many ways and accepted the respect due him--as for instance when the vial of precious ointment was poured upon ,him4 ,his use of the word1 which has been poorly translated as meek1 was in the sense of a calm1 dignified bearing toward the ,power of the ,spirit1 and a reverent submission to its guidance--not a hypocritical and cowardly meekness toward other men4 ,the assurance that such should inherit the earth means that they should become masters of things temporal--that is1 that they should be able to rise above them--should become lords of the earth by reason of their entering into the ,kingdom of ,heaven within them4 ,blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness2 for they shall be filled4 7,matt4 #e3f47 ,this is the promise of the ,master that they who sought the ,kingdom of ,heaven 7within them7 should find it--that their spiritual hunger and thirst should be satisfied in the only way possible4 ,blessed are the merciful2 for they shall obtain mercy4 7,matt4 #e3g47 ,here is taught the blessing for forbearance1 kindness1 tolerance and absence of bigotry1 and the reward that comes as a natural consequence of such a mental attitude4 ,blessed are the pure in heart2 for they shall see ,god4 7,matt4 #e3h47 ,here is the assurance that to those who are pure all things are pure--that the purity of one's own heart1 and the recognition of the ,god ,within1 leads to a perception of the ,god within everything4 ,he who sees ,god within himself1 sees ,him in everything1 says an old ,persian writer4 ,and verily such a one sees ,god where ,he abides--and that is ,everywhere4 ,blessed are the peacemakers2 for they shall be called sons of ,god4 7,matt4 #e3i47 ,here is the call to the disciple to use his wisdom and power in the direction of remedying the strife that arises from the differing conceptions of ,deity and ,truth prevailing among men4 ,he who is able to point out the ,truth underlying all religions and beliefs indeed becomes as a beloved son of ,god4 ,he who is able to show that under all forms and ceremonies1 under various names and titles1 behind various creeds and dogmas1 there is but one ,god1 to whom all worship ascends--he is a ,peacemaker and a ,son of ,god4 ,blessed are they that have been persecuted for righteousness' sake2 for theirs is the kingdom of heaven4 ,blessed are ye when men shall reproach you1 and persecute you1 and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake4 ,rejoice and be exceeding glad2 for great is your reward in heaven2 for so persecuted they the prophets that were before you4 7,matt4 #e3aj-ab47 ,in these words ,jesus sought to comfort and encourage those who would be called upon to carry the ,message in the centuries to follow4 ,and one has but to look over the list of names of the courageous souls who have sought to keep the flame alight--to preserve the teachings in their original purity--to protect them from the cant1 hypocrisy1 self-seeking and formalism of those who sought and obtained places of power in the ,church4 ,the gibbet2 the stake2 the dungeon2--was their reward4 ,but the ,faith that was called into manifestation during the persecutions served to bring them to the realization of the ,spirit1 and thus indeed theirs is the kingdom of heaven4 ,but ye are the salt of the earth2 but if the salt have lost its savor wherewith shall it be salted8 ,it is henceforth good for nothing1 but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men4 7,matt4 #e3ac47 ,here ,jesus warned against the failure of the ,illumined to serve as the yeast which should leaven the mass of men by their thoughts and actions4 ,the use of the term salt in this connection is familiar to all students of ancient mysticism4 ,food without salt was deemed unpalatable and undesirable4 ,the ,few were the salt of the earth1 designed to render it worthy and perfect as a whole4 ,but where a grain of salt had parted with its savor1 there was naught else that could impart saltiness to it1 and it became worthless and fit only for the refuse heap4 ,the duty of the salt is to impart savor--the duty of the ,elect is to impart savor to the race of men4 ,ye are the light of the world4 ,a city set on a hill cannot be hid4 ,neither do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel1 but on the stand2 and it shineth unto all that are in the house4 ,even so let your light shine before men2 that they may see your good works1 and glorify your ,father who is in heaven4 7,matt4 #e3ad-af47 ,these words1 like those preceding it1 teach the ,elect to shed abroad the light which has come to them4 ,they are warned against concealing it beneath the cover of conventional conduct1 but are urged to live and act so that men may perceive the light that is within them--the ,light of the ,spirit--and may see the right road by means of its rays4 ,a man having the ,light of the ,spirit shining bright within him is able to rouse the lamps of understanding in the minds of other men1 to become kindled and alight4 ,that is the experience of the majority of those who read these words--they have had their lamps of knowledge kindled by the rays of the ,spirit emanating from some soul1 either by word of mouth1 writings1 or by personal contact4 ,spirituality is contagious6 ,therefore spread it6 ,this is the meaning of this passage4 ,think not that ,i came to destroy the law of the prophets3 ,i came not to destroy1 but to fulfill4 ,for verily ,i say unto you1 ,till heaven and earth pass away1 one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass away from the law till all things be accomplished4 7,matt4 #e3ag-ah47 ,in this passage ,jesus asserted positively the fact that ,he was not teaching a new doctrine1 but had come simply to carry on the work of those who had preceded ,him4 ,he asserted the validity of the ,ancient ,wisdom1 and told that the ,law that had been in force would so continue until heaven and earth should pass away--that is1 until the end of this great ,world ,cycle4 ,in these words ,jesus proclaimed ,his allegiance to the ,occult ,teachings4 ,to those who would claim that ,he referred to the current ,jewish teachings we would point out the fact that these he did come to destroy1 for ,christianity is opposed to the ,jewish formalism and outer teachings4 ,jesus referred to the ,inner ,teachings1 not to the outer religious creeds or forms4 ,he came not to destroy the old ,teachings1 but merely to fulfill1 that is1 to give a new impetus to the ,ancient ,wisdom4 ,whoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments1 and shall teach men so1 shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven3 but whosoever shall do and teach them1 he shall be called great in the ,kingdom of ,heaven4 ,for ,i say unto you1 that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and ,pharisees1 ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven4 7,matt4 #e3ai-bj47 ,here ,jesus cautions against violating the fundamental occult teachings1 or of teaching false doctrines4 ,he also again bids men to do and preach the truth4 ,note the reference to the kingdom of heaven4 ,again ,he points out that the righteousness required to gain the kingdom of heaven is a far different thing from the formalism1 ceremonialism and churchism of the scribes and pharisees--people who1 in that day1 stood for that which the churchy preachers and their bigoted1 narrow flock of sheep-like parishioners stand for today4 ,it requires more than faithful performance of church duties to enter into the real kingdom of heaven4 ,jesus was ever a foe of the narrow formalism which clings close to the empty forms and words1 and which ignores the ,spirit4 ,were ,he to return today1 ,he would drive from the temples the horde of money-making preachers and hypocritical followers who make a mock of sacred things4 ,ye have heard that it was said to them of old time1 ,thou shall not kill2 and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment3 but ,i say unto you that every one who is angry with his brother shall be in danger of the judgment2 and whosoever shall say to his brother ',raca1' shall be in danger of the council2 and whosoever shall say ',thou fool' shall be in danger of the hell of fire4 ,if therefore thou art offering thy gift at the altar1 and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee1 leave there thy gift before the altar1 and go thy way1 first be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift4 ,agree with thine adversary quickly1 while thou art with him2 lest haply thine adversary deliver thee to the judge1 and the judge deliver thee to the officer1 and thou be cast into prison4 ,verily ,i say unto thee1 ,thou shalt by no means come out thence till thou hast paid the last farthing4 7,matt4 #e3ba-bf47 ,these verses emphasize the teachings that sin consists not only of deeds and actions performed1 but equally of thoughts and desires entertained and encouraged in the mind4 ,the desire and thought1 made welcome in the mind of a person1 is the seed and germ of the sin or crime1 even though they may never be manifested in action4 ,to wish to kill is a sin1 just as is the deed of killing4 ,this is an old occult teaching1 imparted to all candidates for ,initiation4 ,ye have heard that it was said ,thou shalt not commit adultery1 but ,i say unto you that every one that looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart4 ,and if thy right eye causeth thee to stumble pluck it out and cast it from thee2 for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish and not thy whole body be cast into hell4 ,and if thy right hand causeth thee to offend1 cut it off and cast it from thee1 for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish and not thy whole body go into hell4 ,it was said also1 ,whosoever shall put away his wife1 let him give her a writing of divorcement1 but ,i say unto you that every one that putteth away his wife1 saving for the cause of fornication1 maketh her an adulteress1 and whosoever shall marry her when she is put away committeth adultery4 7,matt4 #e3bg-cb47 ,in this passage1 ,jesus expressed the abhorrence of all advanced occultists for the abuse of the functions of sex4 ,not only the act1 but the thought behind the act was condemned by him4 ,the advanced occult teaching is that the function of the sex organization is entirely that of procreation--aught else is a perversion of nature4 ,jesus speaks in strong words to men and women1 in this passage1 regarding this great question4 ,the concluding portion of the passage is a condemnation of the abuse of the marriage relation1 and the privilege of divorce1 which was being strongly agitated in ,his time4 ,he aimed a blow at the careless contracting of marriages1 and the consequent careless dissolution of the tie4 ,jesus believed in the sacredness of the home life1 and the welfare of the family4 ,his utterance on this subject is unmistakably clear and forcible4 ,again1 ye have heard that it was said to them of old time1 ,thou shalt not forswear thyself1 but shalt perform unto the ,lord thine oaths3 but ,i say unto you1 ,swear not at all2 neither by the heaven1 for it is the throne of ,god2 nor by the earth1 for it is the footstool of ,his feet2 nor by ,jerusalem1 for it is the city of the great ,king2 neither shall thou swear by thy head1 for thou canst not make one hair white or black4 ,but let your speech be ,yea1 yea1 ,nay1 nay3 for whatever is more than these is of the evil one4 7,matt4 #e3cc-cg47 ,here ,jesus attacks the custom of swearing1 which was so prevalent in ,his time among the ,jews and other ,oriental peoples4 ,he urges simplicity and moderation of speech4 ,in this ,he is true to the ,occult traditions1 which teach the value of simple thought and simple speech to all the ,initiates and the ,neophytes4 ,ye have heard that it was said an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth1 but ,i say unto you1 ,resist not him that is evil1 but whosoever smiteth thee on thy right cheek1 turn to him the other also1 and if any man would go to law with thee and take away thy coat1 let him have4 ,and whosoever shall compel thee to go one mile1 go with him two4 ,give to him that asketh thee and from him that would borrow of thee turn not away4 7,matt4 #e3ch-db47 ,in this passage ,jesus alludes to the ,law of ,non-,resistance1 which in its esoteric aspect is fully understood by all ,initiates4 ,this law is for application on the ,mental ,plane1 and those who understand it1 know that the precepts refer to the ,mental ,attitude of the ,initiates toward others1 which attitude is in itself a defense against imposition4 ,love turneth away ,hate and ,anger4 ,the high thought neutralizes the evil designs of others4 ,ye have heard that it was said ,thou shall love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy4 ,but ,i say unto you1 ,love your enemies and pray for them that persecute you1 that ye may be sons of your ,father who is in heaven1 for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good1 and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust4 ,for if ye love them that love you1 what reward have ye8 ,do not even the publicans the same8 ,and if ye salute your brethren only1 what do ye more than others8 ,do not even the ,gentiles the same8 ,ye therefore shall be perfect as your heavenly ,father is perfect4 7,matt4 #e3dc-dh47 ,here is taught that broad tolerance1 charity and love that form such an important part of all of the mystic teachings4 ,it is a doctrine entirely at variance with the orthodox idea of tolerance only to those who agree with one1 or who may live in accordance with one's own views of life and conduct4 ,it is the great broad doctrine of ,human ,brotherhood4 ,jesus teaches that ,god's love is bestowed upon all--the just and the unjust--and that this perfect love is the aim and goal of all who desire to attain to the kingdom of ,spirit4 ,take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men1 to be seen of them2 else ye have no reward with your ,father who is in heaven4 ,when1 therefore1 thou doest alms sound not a trumpet before thee1 as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets1 that they may have glory of men4 ,verily ,i say unto you ,they have received their reward4 ,but when thou doest alms let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth1 that thine alms may be in secret and thy ,father1 who seeth in secret1 shall recompense thee4 7,matt4 #f3a-d47 ,this is another denunciation of ostentatious churchiness and goodness1 and religious posing4 ,it is a lesson needed as much today as in the time of ,jesus4 ,and when ye pray1 ye shall not be as the hypocrites1 for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets1 that they may be seen of men4 ,verily ,i say unto you1 ,they have received their reward4 ,but thou1 when thou prayest1 enter into thine inner chamber1 and having shut thy door1 pray to thy ,father1 who is in secret1 and thy ,father1 who seeth in secret1 shall recompense thee4 ,and in praying use not vain repetitions as the ,gentiles do1 for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking4 ,be not therefore like unto them1 for your ,father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask him4 ,after this manner therefore pray ye3 ,our ,father who art in heaven1 ,hallowed be thy name1 ,thy kingdom come1 ,thy will be done1 as in heaven1 so on earth4 ,give us this day our daily bread1 ,and forgive us our debts1 as we also have forgiven our debtors2 ,and bring us not into temptation1 but deliver us from the evil one4 ,for if ye forgive men their trespasses1 your heavenly ,father will also forgive you4 ,but if ye forgive not men their trespasses1 neither will your ,father forgive your trespasses4 7,matt4 #f3e-ae47 ,here are the words of ,jesus regarding the subject of ,prayer4 ,he cautions against the ostentatious exhibition of piety1 so prevalent in all churches1 in all lands1 in all times4 ,he bids one approach the ,father in a reverent spirit1 devoid of all public notice4 ,then ,he gives to his disciples the famous ,lord's ,prayer1 in which is condensed a wealth of true religious instruction and precept4 ,this glorious prayer needs no special interpretation4 ,let all students read the words themselves1 filled with the realisation of the ,spirit2 and each will receive a message fitted to his requirements and development4 ,the ,lord's ,prayer is a very ,arcanum of the ,mystic ,message4 ,moreover1 when ye fast1 be not1 as the hypocrites1 of a sad countenance3 for they disfigure their faces1 that they may be seen of men to fast4 ,verily ,i say unto you1 ,they have received their reward4 ,but1 thou1 when thou fastest1 anoint thy head and wash thy face1 that thou be not seen of men to fast1 but of thy ,father1 who is in secret1 and thy ,father1 who seeth in secret1 shall recompense thee4 7,matt4 #f3af-ah47 ,this is a caution against the sanctimonious attitude and pose assumed by certain good people of the churches1 who would make a display of their adherence to and observance of forms4 ,jesus1 as a true mystic1 detested all religious posing and neglected no opportunities to condemn the same4 ,lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth1 where moth and rust consume1 and where thieves break through and steal3 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven1 where neither moth nor rust doth consume1 and where thieves do not break through and steal3 for where thy treasure is there will thy heart be also4 ,the lamp of the body is the eye2 if therefore thine eye be single1 thy whole body shall be full of light4 ,but if thine eye be evil1 thy whole body shall be full of darkness6 ,no man can serve two masters2 for either he will hate the one and love the other1 or else he will hold to one and despise the other4 ,ye cannot serve ,god and ,mammon4 ,therefore ,i say unto you1 ,be not anxious for your life1 what ye shall eat1 or what ye shall drink2 nor yet for your body1 what ye shall put on4 ,is not the life more than the food1 and the body than the raiment8 ,behold the birds of the heaven1 that they sow not1 neither do they reap1 nor gather into barns2 and your heavenly ,father feedeth them4 ,are not ye of much more value than they8 ,and which of you by being anxious can add one cubit unto the measure of his life8 ,and why are ye anxious concerning raiment8 ,consider the lilies of the field1 how they grow2 they toil not1 neither do they spin1 yet ,i say unto you that even ,solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these4 ,but if ,god so clothe the grass of the field1 which today is1 and tomorrow is cast into the oven1 shall he not much more clothe you1 ye of little faith8 ,be not therefore anxious1 saying1 ,what shall we eat8 ,or what shall we drink8 ,or wherewithal shall we be clothed8 ,for after all these things do the ,gentiles seek2 for your heavenly ,father knoweth that ye have need of all these things4 ,but seek ye first then his kingdom1 and his righteousness1 and all these things shall be added unto you4 ,be not therefore anxious for the morrow2 for the morrow will be anxious for itself4 ,sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof4 7,matt4 #f3ai-cd47 ,this is the most remarkable passage in the ,new ,testament4 ,it is the most remarkable saying of ,jesus of ,nazareth4 ,in it is condensed the whole of the occult teachings regarding the ,conduct of ,life4 ,it condenses1 in a few lines the entire doctrine of ,karma ,yoga--that branch of the ,yogi ,philosophy4 ,it forms a veritable epitome of that which has been styled ,the ,new ,thought as taught and expounded by its various cults and schools4 ,there is no need of one reading and studying the various ,metaphysical ,sciences which have sprung into such favor of late years1 if one will but read1 ponder1 study and practice the precepts of this wonderful passage of the ,sermon on the ,mount4 ,every sentence is a gem--a crystal of the highest mystic and occult philosophy4 ,book after book could be written on this one passage1 and even then the subject would be but merely approached4 ,the doctrine of single-mindedness toward the ,spirit and the things of the ,spirit1 is taught4 ,the folly of being tied to material things is pointed out4 ,the lesson of non-attachment is forcibly put4 ,but the great ,truth expounded in this passage is the ,power of ,,faith4 ,faith is the ,great ,secret of all ,occult ,teachings and is the ,key to its ,inner ,mysteries4 ,faith is the ,master-,key that unlocks the doors of the ,castle of ,attainment4 ,we trust that all students of these lessons will take this single passage from the ,sermon on the ,mount and memorize it4 ,make it a part of yourself--make it a part of your life--make it your rule of action and living4 ,the life taught by this passage is the true life of the ,spirit4 ,here is the true ,light on the ,path1 for the guidance of the feet of all ,mystics and ,occultists6 ,judge not1 that ye be not judged4 ,for with what judgment ye judge1 ye shall be judged1 and with what measure ye mete it shall be measured unto you4 ,and why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye1 but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye8 ,or how wilt thou say to thy brother1 ,let me cast out the mote out of thine eye1 and lo1 the beam is in thine own eye8 ,thou hypocrite1 cast out first the beam out of thine own eye and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye4 7,matt4 #g3a-e47 ,here ,jesus deals another powerful blow to the self-righteousness of the ,pharisaical good people of the sects1 creeds and cults of all lands1 time and religions4 ,he warns against that ,thank ,god6 ,i am holier than thou attitude that so many vain formalists affect in their dealings with other men4 ,in these immortal words ,jesus has sent ringing down the aeons of time a scathing rebuke to the hypocritical judges of other men--those men who wish to reform others to conform to their own standards4 ,out of the mouth of their ,master are many so-called followers rebuked4 ,give not that which is holy unto the dogs1 neither cast your pearls before the swine1 lest haply they trample them under their feet and turn and rend you4 7,matt4 #g3f47 ,here is the warning to ,initiates not to spread out a feast of their highest teachings to the mob1 who with swinish instincts would defile the ,divine ,feast1 and tear to pieces those who had spread it for them4 ,the truth of this warning has been attested by the fate of those glorious souls who1 disregarding it1 attempted to give the ,truth to the animal minds of the mob and were done to death for their folly4 ,even ,jesus ,himself met ,his fate from neglecting this very rule1--for allowing ,his sympathy to overcome ,his judgment4 ,ask and it shall be given you2 seek and ye shall find2 knock and it shall be opened unto you3 for everyone that asketh receiveth1 and he that seeketh findeth1 and to him that knocketh it shall be opened4 ,or what man is there of you who if his son ask him for a loaf will give him a stone1 or if he shall ask for a fish will give him a serpent8 ,if ye then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children1 how much more shall your ,father who is in heaven give good things to them that ask him8 ,all things therefore whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you1 even so do ye also unto them1 for this is the law and the prophecy4 7,matt4 #g3g-ab47 ,here is another burning message to men to live by the light of ,faith in the ,spirit4 ,and a warning that unless one would act toward other men rightly1 he could not expect to be dealt with rightly4 ,it is the lesson of sowing and reaping--the lesson of the ,law of ,karma4 ,jesus is most emphatic in these statements4 ,he does not alone say ,do this6 ,do that6 ,he states emphatically3 ,this is the ,law6 ,and so it is--men are punished by their wrong deeds1 not for them4 ,enter ye in by the narrow gate1 for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction1 and many are they that enter in thereby4 ,for narrow is the gate and straitened the way that leadeth unto life1 and few are they that find it4 7,matt4 #g3ac-ad47 ,this is the highest occult teaching4 ,how few are they who find their way to the ,realization of their own ,divinity8 ,narrow indeed is the gate and straitened the way that leadeth to the goal4 ,the masses follow the broad path1 like fools--but few even see the narrow entrance to ,the ,path4 ,beware of false prophets1 who come to you in sheep's clothing1 but inwardly are ravening wolves4 ,by their fruits ye shall know them4 ,do men gather grapes of thorns1 or figs of thistles8 ,even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit2 but the corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit4 ,a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit1 neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit4 ,every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire4 ,therefore by their fruits ye shall know them4 ,not every one that saith unto me1 ,lord1 ,lord1 shall enter into the kingdom of heaven1 but he that doeth the will of the ,father who is in heaven4 ,many will say to me in that day1 ,lord1 ,lord1 did we not prophesy by thy name1 and by thy name cast out demons1 and by thy name do many mighty works8 ,and then will ,i profess unto them1 ,i never knew you2 depart from me1 ye that work iniquity4 7,matt4 #g3ae-bc47 ,here is the notable warning against the perverted use of the occult powers--the prostitution of the ,gifts of the ,spirit--,black ,magic1 in short4 ,for1 as all well know1 the occult forces may be applied to base as well as worthy uses4 ,by their fruits shall ye know the good from the evil4 ,he whose teachings render men weak1 sheeplike and cringing1 credulous leaners upon leaders1 is a tree that bringeth forth evil fruit4 ,such are wolves in sheep's clothing1 who fatten upon the bodies1 substance and souls of their dupes4 ,but those who lead men to be ,men--yea1 ,super-,men--bring forth the good fruit of the ,spirit4 ,be ye not deceived by names1 words1 creeds nor claims--nay1 not even by miracles4 ,look always at the effect produced--the fruits of the tree--and govern yourself accordingly4 ,every one therefore that heareth these words of mine and doeth them shall be likened unto a wise man1 who built his house upon the rock1 and the rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew1 and beat upon that house1 and it fell not1 for it was founded upon the rock4 ,and every one that heareth these words of mine and doeth them not shall be likened unto a foolish man who built his house upon the sand1 and the rain descended1 and the floods came1 and the winds blew and smote upon that house and it fell1 and great was the fall thereof4 7,matt4 #g3bd-bg47 ,in these parting words of the ,sermon on the ,mount ,jesus gave a ,message to all who would hear1 or read ,his words1 and profess to be ,his followers4 ,he bade such build upon the eternal rock of the ,truth--the rock of ages1 that had its foundations in the very basic principles of ,being4 ,he warned them against building upon the shifting sands of theology and dogmatism1 which would be surely swept away by the storms of ,time4 ,upon the eternal ,mystic ,truths is ,mystic ,christianity founded4 ,and it is still standing untouched by the storms of criticism1 opposition and knowledge that have swept away many theological edifices in the past1 and which are now beating with renewed vigor upon the remaining frail structures1 which are even this day quivering under the strain4 ,mystic ,christianity invites the ,new ,theology1 the ,higher ,criticism1 the ,criticism of ,science2 for these will only tend to prove the truths of its fundamental principles4 ,in ,mystic ,christianity1 ,religion1 ,philosophy and ,science are known to be one and the same thing4 ,there is no conflict between ,science and ,religion2 ,philosophy and ,religion2 or ,philosophy and ,science4 ,they are all but names for the ,one ,truth4 ,there be but one ,truth--there cannot be more than one4 ,and so call it by the name of ,religion--the name of ,science1 the name of ,philosophy--it matters not1 for the same thing is meant4 ,there is naught but ,truth--nothing else really exists4 ,all that is not ,truth is ,illusion1 ,maya1 ,nothing4 ,and ,mystic ,christianity is based upon the ,rock of ,truth1 fearing not the winds nor the storms that try out the stability of all structures of thought4 ,like its founder1 it has always existed--always will exist--from the ,beginningless ,beginning to the ,endless ,ending4 ,the same yesterday1 today1 and tomorrow4 ,a ,,series ,,of ,,lessons ,,in ,,gnani ,,yoga 7,,the ,,yoga ,,of ,,wisdom7 ,by ,,yogi ,,ramacharaka ,this course gives the highest ,yogi teachings regarding the ,absolute and its ,manifestations--the relations between the ,one and the ,many--the ,secret of the ,one ,life--the ,mystery of the ,evolution of the ,soul--the ,law of ,spiritual ,cause and ,effect--the ,group-,soul--the ,birth of the ,ego--the ,unfoldment of the ,self--the ,cycles of the ,race--the ,chain of ,worlds--the ,truth about ,nirvana--the ,divine ,paradox--the ,problem of ,consciousness--the ,reality and the ,illusory--the offices of ,will and ,desire--the ,future of the ,race--the ,past ,history of ,man and the ,races--the ,adepts and ,masters--the ,brotherhoods--the ,problems of ,life--the ,riddle of ,existence4 ,these and many other subjects of equal importance are taken up1 explained and the dark corners illuminated4 ,some of the teachings to be given are entirely new to the general ,western public1 and partake of the nature of the ,inner ,teachings of the occultists4 ,bound in ,blue ,silk ,cloth1 #cjb ,pages4 ,,price #a4aj ,,postpaid4 ,e4,b41 ,north ,side1 ,pittsburgh1 ,pa41 writes she has just finished reading your book ,science of ,breath1 and considers it priceless4 ,i have studied many ,occult and ,mental ,science works1 but none ,of which ever developed ,spiritual ,illumination or produced that ,tranquil state of mind that ,i derived by studying the ,yogi ,philosophy4---,n4,r4,b4 ,new ,zealand4 ,,jesus ,,the ,,last ,,great ,,initiate ,by ,,edouard ,,schure ,mr4 ,schure in this volume1 has done much to strengthen the belief that ,jesus was an ,essene1 in whom a ,messianic consciousness was awakened by special initiation4 ,a remarkable full account is given of his experiences among the ,essenes and how his early life1 7about which the ,bible is so reticent7 was spent studying with the advanced ,occult masters4 ,the problem of how ,jesus became the ,messiah1 he holds to be not capable of solution without the aid of intuition and esoteric tradition4 ,the life of the great ,teacher as pictured by the writer is one to be dreamed over and capable of imparting both knowledge and stimulus to that inner life which is in so many undeveloped and even unsuspected4 ,bound ,silk ,cloth4 ,,price #j4hj ,,postpaid4 ,,krishna ,,and ,,orpheus ,,the ,,great ,,initiates ,,of ,,the ,,east ,,and ,,west ,by ,,edouard ,,schure ,the lives and teachings of these two great ,masters who preceded ,jesus are very much like the latter's4 ,you cannot help noting the remarkable resemblance they bear to each other4 ,krishna's ,virgin ,birth1 ,his ,youth1 ,initiation1 ,the ,doctrine of the ,initiates1 ,triumph and ,death1 are all told in a fashion that shows that ,mr4 ,schure has devoted much time to thought and research work4 ,the mighty religious of ,india1 ,egypt and ,greece are passed in rapid review and the author declares that while from the outside they present nothing but chaos1 the root idea of their founders and prophets presents a key to them all4 ,bound in ,silk ,cloth4 ,,price #j4hj ,,postpaid4 ,,this ,,is ,,our ,,complete ,,list ,,of ,,publications ,,price ,,postpaid ,hatha ,yoga4 ,by ,ramacharaka4 ,cloth #a4aj ,science of ,breath4 ,by ,ramacharaka4 ,bound in paper 4#ec2 ,cloth 4#ge ,fourteen ,lessons in ,yogi-,philosophy1 and ,oriental ,occultism4 ,by ,ramacharaka4 #a4aj ,advanced ,course in ,yogi ,philosophy1 and ,oriental ,occultism4 ,by ,ramacharaka4 #a4aj ,raja ,yoga4 ,by ,ramacharaka4 #a4aj ,gnani ,yoga4 ,by ,ramacharaka4 #a4aj ,philosophies and ,religions of ,india4 ,by ,ramacharaka4 #a4ab ,psychic ,healing4 ,by ,ramacharaka4 #a4aj ,the ,hindu-,yogi ,practical ,water ,cure4 ,by ,ramacharaka4 4#ee ,mystic ,christianity4 ,by ,ramacharaka4 #a4aj ,bhavagad ,gita4 ,by ,ramacharaka4 4#hj ,kybalion4 ,by ,three ,initiates4 #a4jh ,reincarnation and ,law of ,karma4 ,by ,wm4 ,w4 ,atkinson4 #a4aj ,secret of ,success4 ,by ,wm4 ,w4 ,atkinson4 4#ej ,inner ,consciousness4 ,by ,william ,walter ,atkinson4 4#ej ,practical ,mental ,influence4 ,by ,w4,w4 ,atkinson4 4#ej ,practical ,mind ,reading4 ,by ,w4,w4 ,atkinson4 4#ej ,practical ,psychomacy and ,crystal ,gazing4 ,by ,w4,w4 ,atkinson4 4#ej ,light on the ,path and ,illumined ,way4 ,by ,m4,c4 ,cloth4 4#dd ,light on the ,path4 ,by ,m4,c4 ,paper4 4#aj ,a ,visit to ,gnani4 ,by ,edward ,carpenter4 ,paper4 4#bh ,jesus3 ,the ,last ,great ,initiate4 ,by ,edouard ,schure4 4#hj ,krishna and ,orpheus4 ,by ,edouard ,schure4 4#hj ,karma4 ,by ,a4,p4 ,sinnett4 ,occult ,novel4 ,cloth4 4#fj ,the ,spirit of the ,upanishads4 4#ee ,mystery of ,being4 ,heeralal ,dhole4 4#ej ,,directions ,,for ,,ordering ,write name of ,books desired1 plainly and fully4 ,write plainly your name1 street address 7if in city72 town or city2 and state4 ,don't forget the state1 as there are many towns of the same name in the country--yours is only one of many4 ,send money by ,post ,office ,money ,order1 or ,express ,money ,order1 or ,registered ,letter4 ,this is the only ,safe ,way4 ,if ,personal ,checks are sent add l#j;c extra for exchange4 ,write your own name and address on the upper left hand corner of the envelope 7this saves many lost letters74