Chapter XIV

EEVBLATION
All the religions known to us are the custo- dians of Sacred Books, and appeal to these books for the settlement of disputed quest- ions. They always contain the teachings given by the Founder of the religion, or by later teachers regarded as possessing super- human knowledge. Even when a religion gives birth to many discordant sects, each sect will cling to the Sacred Canon, and will put upon its word the interpretation which best fits in with its own peculiar doctrines. However widely may be separated in belief the extreme Eoman Catholic and the ex- treme Protestant, they both appeal to the same Bible. However far apart may be the philosophic Vedantin and the most illit- erate Vallabhacharya. they both regard the same Vedas as supreme. However bitterly opposed to each other may be the Shias and
366
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the Sunnis, they both regard as sacred the same Kurdn. Controversies and quarrels may arise as to the meaning of texts, but the Book itself, in every case, is looked on with the utmost reverence. And rightly so ; for all such books contain fragments of The Eevelation, selected by One of the great Ones who hold it in trust ; such a fragment is embodied in what down here we call a Revelation, or a Scripture, and some part of the world rejoices in it as in a treasure of vast value. The fragment is chosen accord- ing to the needs of the time, the capacity of the people to whom it is given, the type of the race whom it is intended to instruct. It is generally given in a peculiar form, in which the outer history, or story, or song, or psalm, or prophecy, appears to the super- ficial or ignorant reader to be the whole book ; but in these deeper meanings lie con- cealed, sometimes in numbers, sometimes in words constructed on a hidden plan — a cypher, in fact — sometimes in symbols, recognisable by the instructed, sometimes in allegories written as histories, and in many other ways. These Books, indeed, have
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something of a sacramental character about them, an outer form and an inner life, an outer symbol and an inner truth. Those only can explain the hidden meaning who have been trained by those instructed in it ; hence the dictum of S. Peter that " no proph- ecy of the Scripture is of any private in- terpretation."1 The elaborate explanations of texts of the Bible, with which the vol- umes of patristic literature abound, seem fanciful and overstrained to the prosaic modern mind. The play upon numbers, upon letters, the apparently fantastic inter- pretations of paragraphs that, on the face of them, are ordinary historical statements of a simple character, exasperate the modern reader, who demands to have his facts pre- sented clearly and coherently, and above all, requires what he feels to be solid ground under his feet. He declines absolutely to follow the light-footed mystic over what seem to him to be quaking morasses, in a wild chase after dancing will-o'-the-wisps, which appear and disappear with bewilder- ing and irrational caprice. Yet the men
1 2 Pet. i. 20. 368
Revelation
who wrote these exasperating treatises were men of brilliant intellect and calm judg- ment, the master-builders of the Church. And to those who read them aright they are still full of hints and suggestions, and indi- cate many an obscure pathway that leads to the goal of knowledge, and that might otherwise be missed.
We have already seen that Origen, one of the sanest of men, and versed in occult knowledge, teaches that the Scriptures are three-fold, consisting of Body, Soul, and Spirit.1 He says that the Body of the Scrip- tures is made up of the outer words of the histories and the stories, and he does not hesitate to say that these are not literally true, but are only stories for the instruction of the ignorant. He even goes so far as to remark that statements are made in those stories that are obviously untrue, in order that the glaring contradictions that lie on the surface may stir people up to inquire as to the real meaning of these impossible rela- tions. He says that so long as men are ig- norant, the Body is enough for them; it
See ante, p. 101. 24 369
Esoteric Christianity
conveys teaching, it gives instruction, and they do not see the self-contradictions and impossibilities involved in the literal state- ments, and therefore are not disturbed by them. As the mind grows, as the intellect develops, these contradictions and impossi- bilities strike the attention, and bewilder the student ; then he is stirred up to seek for a deeper meaning, and he begins to find the Soul of the Scriptures. That Soul is the re- ward of the intelligent seeker, and he es- capes from the bonds of the letter that kill- eth.1 The Spirit of the Scriptures may only be seen by the spiritually enlightened man; only those in whom the Spirit is evolved can understand the spiritual meaning: "the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God . . . which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wis- dom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth."2
The reason for this method of Revelation is not far to seek; it is the only way in which one teaching can be made available
*2Cor. iii. 6. 2 1 Cor. ii. 11, 13.
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for minds at different stages of evolution, and thus train not only those to whom it is immediately given, but also those who, later in time, shall have progressed beyond those to whom the Eevelation was first made. Man is progressive; the outer meaning given long ago to unevolved men must needs be very limited, and unless something deeper and fuller than this outer meaning were hidden within it, the value of the Scripture would perish when a few millen- nia had passed away. Whereas by this method of successive meanings it is given a perennial value, and evolved men may find in it hidden treasures, until the day when, possessing the whole, they no longer need the part.
The world-Bibles, then, are fragments — fragments of Eevelation, and therefore are rightly described as Eevelation.
The next deeper sense of the word de- scribes the mass of teaching held by the great Brotherhood of spiritual Teachers in trust for men ; this teaching is embodied in books, written in symbols, and in these is contained an account of kosmic laws, of the 371
Esoteric Christianity
principles on which the kosmos is founded, of the methods by which it is evolved, of all the beings that compose it, of its past, its present, its future; this is The Eevelation. This is the priceless treasure which the Guardians of humanity hold in charge, and from which they select, from time to time, fragments to form the Bibles of the world.
Thirdly, the Eevelation, highest, fullest, best, is the Self -unveiling of Deity in the kosmos, the revealing of attribute after at- tribute, power after power, beauty after beauty, in all the various forms which in their totality compose the universe. He shows His splendour in the sun, His infinity in the star-flecked fields of space, His strength in mountains, His purity in snow- clad peaks and translucent air, His energy in rolling ocean-billows, His beauty in tum- bling mountain - torrent, in smooth, clear lake, in cool, deep forest and in sunlit plain, His fearlessness in the hero, His patience in the saint, His tenderness in mother-love, His protecting care in father and in king, His wisdom in the philosopher, His know- ledge in the scientist, His healing power in
372
Revelation
the physician, His justice in the judge, His wealth in the merchant, His teaching power in the priest, His industry in the artisan. He whispers to us in the breeze, He smiles on us in the sunshine, He chides us in dis- ease, He stimulates us, now by success and now by failure. Everywhere and in every- thing He gives us glimpses of Himself to lure us on to love Him, and He hides Him- self that we may learn to stand alone. To know Him everywhere is the true Wisdom ; to love Him ever}rwhere is the true Desire; to serve Him everywhere is the true Action. This Self-revealing of God is the highest Kevelation; all others are subsidiary and partial.
The inspired man is the man to whom some of this Revelation has come by the direct action of the universal Spirit on the separated Spirit that is His offspring, who has felt the illuminating influence of Spirit on Spirit. No man knows the truth so that he can never lose it, no man knows the truth so that he can never doubt it, until the Rev- elation has come to him as though he stood alone on earth, until the Divine without has
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Esoteric Christianity
spoken to the Divine within, in the temple of the human heart, and the man thus knows by himself and not by another.
In a lesser degree a man is inspired when one greater than he stimulates within him powers which as yet are normally inactive, or even takes possession of him, temporarily using his body as a vehicle. Such an illu- minated man, at the time of his inspiration, can speak that which is beyond his know- ledge, and utter truths till then unguessed. Truths are sometimes thus poured out through a human channel for the helping of the world, and some One greater than the speaker sends down his life into the human vehicle, and they rush forth from human lips ; then a great teacher speaks yet more greatly than he knows, the Angel of the Lord having touched his lips with fire.1 Such are the Prophets of the race, who at some periods have spoken with overwhelm- ing conviction, with clear insight, with com- plete understanding of the spiritual needs of man. Then the words live with a life im-
1 Isaiah vi. 6, 7. 374
Revelation
mortal, and the speaker is truly a messenger from God. The man who has thus known can never again quite lose the memory of the knowledge, and he carries within his heart a certainty which can never quite dis- appear. The light may vanish and the dark- ness come down upon him ; the gleam from heaven may fade and clouds may surround him ; threat, question, challenge, may as- sail him ; but within his heart there nestles the Secret of Peace — he knows, or knows that he has known.
That remembrance of true inspiration, that reality of the hidden life, has been put into beautiful and true words by Frederick Myers, in his well-known poem, S. Paul. The apostle is speaking of his own experi- ence, and is trying to give articulate expres- sion to that which he remembers ; he is fig- ured as unable to thoroughly reproduce his knowledge, although he knows and his cert- ainty does not waver :
So, even I, athirst for His inspiring, I, who have talked with Him, forget again ;
Yes, many days with sobs aod with desiring, Offer to God a patience and a pain. 375
Esoteric Christianity
Then through the mid complaint of my confession, Then through the pang and passion of my prayer,
Leaps with a start the shock of His possession, Thrills me and touches, and the Lord is there.
Lo, if some pen should write upon your rafter
Mene and Mene in the folds of flame, Think ye could any memories thereafter
Wholly retrace the couplet as it came?
Lo, if some strange intelligible thunder
Sang to the earth the secret of a star, Scarce should ye catch, for terror and for wonder,
Shreds of the story that was pealed so far!
Scarcely I catch the words of His revealing, Hardly I hear Him, dimly understand.
Only the power that is within me pealing Lives on my lips, and beckons to my hand.
Whoso hath felt the Spirit of the Highest Cannot confound, nor doubt Him, nor deny ;
Yea, with one voice, O world, though thou deniest, Stand thou on that side, for on this am I.
Rather the world shall doubt when her retrieving Pours in the rain and rushes from the sod ;
Rather than he in whom the great conceiving Stirs in his soul to quicken into God.
Nay, though thou then shouldst strike him from his glory,
Blind and tormented, maddened and alone, E'en on the cross would he maintain his story,
Yes, and in Hell would whisper, "I have known."
Those who have in any sense realised that
376
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God is around them, in them, and in every- thing, will be able to understand how a place or an object may become " sacred " by a slight objectivisation of this perennial uni- versal Presence, so that those become able to sense Him who do not normally feel His omnipresence. This is generally effected by some highly advanced man, in whom the inner Divinity is largely unfolded, and whose subtle bodies are therefore responsive to the subtler vibrations of consciousness. Through such a man, or by such a man, spiritual en- ergies may be poured forth, and these will unite themselves with his pure vital magnet- ism. He can then pour them forth on any object, and its ether and bodies of subtler matter will become attuned to his vibra- tions, as before explained, and further, the Divinity within it can more easily manifest. Such an object becomes "magnetised," and, if this be strongly done, the object will itself become a magnetic centre, capable in turn of magnetising those who approach it. Thus a body electrified by an electric machine will affect other bodies near which it may be placed.
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Esoteric Christianity
An object thus rendered "sacred" is a very useful adjunct to prayer and medita- tion. The subtle bodies of the worshipper are attuned to its high vibrations, and he finds himself quieted, soothed, pacified, with- out effort on his own part. He is thrown into a condition in which prayer and medi- tation are easy and fruitful instead of diffi- cult and barren, and an irksome exorcise be- comes insensibly delightful. If the object be a representation of some sacred Person — a Crucifix, a Madonna and Child, an Angel, a Saint — there is a yet further gain. The Being represented, if his magnetism has been thrown into the image by the appropriate Word and Sign of Power, can reinforce that magnetism with a very slight expendi- ture of spiritual energy, and may thus in- fluence the devotee, or even show him- self through the image, when otherwise he would not have done so. For in the spirit- ual world economy of forces is observed, and a small amount of energy will be ex- pended where a larger would be withheld.
An application of these same occult laws may be made to explain the use of all con-
378
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secrated objects — relics, amulets, &c. They are all magnetised objects, more or less powerful, or useless, according to the know- ledge, purity, and spirituality of the person who magnetises them.
Places may similarly be made sacred, by the living in them of saints, whose pure magnetism, radiating from them, attunes the whole atmosphere to peace-giving vibra- tions. Sometimes holy men, or Beings from the higher worlds, will directly magnetise a certain place, as in the case mentioned in the Fourth Gospel, where an Angel came at a certain season and touched the water, giv- ing it healing qualities.1 In such places even careless worldly men will sometimes feel the blessed influence, and will be tem- porarily softened and inclined toward higher things. The divine Life in each man is ever trying to subdue the form, and mould it into an expression of itself ; and it is easy to see how that Life will be aided by the form being thrown into vibrations sympathetic with those of a more highly evolved Being, its own efforts being reinforced by a stronger
1 S. John v. 4. 379
Esoteric Christianity
power. The outer recognition of this effect is a sense of quiet, calm, and peace; the mind loses its restlessness, the heart its anxiety. Any one who observes himself will find that some places are more conducive to calm, to meditation, to religious thought, to worship, than others. In a room, a build- ing, where there has been a great deal of worldly thought, of frivolous conversation, of mere rush of ordinary worldly life, it is far harder to quiet the mind and to concen- trate the thought, than in a place where religious thought has been carried on year after year, century after century ; there the mind becomes calm and tranquillised insen- sibly, and that which would have demanded serious effort in the first place is done with- out effort in the second.
This is the rationale of places of pilgrim- age, of temporary retreats into seclusion; the man turns inward to seek the God within him, and is aided by the atmosphere created by thousands of others, who before him have sought the same in the same place. For in such a place there is not only the magneti- sation produced by a single saint, or by the
380
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visit of some great Being of the invisible world; each person, who visits the spot with a heart full of reverence and devotion, and is attuned to its vibrations, reinforces those vibrations with his own life, and leaves the spot better than it was when he came to it. Magnetic energy slowly disperses, and a sacred object or place becomes gradually demagnetised if put aside or deserted. It becomes more magnetised as it is used or frequented. But the presence of the ignor- ant scoffer injures such objects and places, by setting up antagonistic vibrations which weaken those already existing there. As a wave of sound may be met by another which extinguishes it, and the result is silence, so do the vibrations of the scoffing thought weaken or extinguish the vibrations of the reverent and loving one. The effect pro- duced will, of course, vary with the relative strengths of the vibrations, but the mis- chievous one cannot be without result, for the laws of vibration are the same in the higher worlds as in the physical, and thought vibrations are the expression of real ener- gies.
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Esoteric Christianity
The reason and the effect of the consecra- tion of churches, chapels, cemeteries, will now be apparent. The act of consecration is not the mere public setting aside of a place for a particular purpose ; it is the mag- netisation of the place for the benefit of all those who frequent it. For the visible and the invisible worlds are inter-related, inter- woven, each with each, and those can best serve the visible by whom the energies of the invisible can be wielded.
382
AFTERWORD
We have reached the end of a small book on a great subject, and have only lifted a corner of the Veil that hides the Virgin of Eternal Truth from the careless eyes of men. The hem of her garment only has been seen, heavy with gold, richly dight with pearls. Yet even this, as it waves slowly, breathes out celestial fragrances — the sandal and rose-attar of fairer worlds than ours. What should be the unimaginable glory, if the Veil were lifted, and we saw the splendour of the Face of the divine Mother, and in Her arms the Child who is the very Truth? Be- fore that Child the Seraphim ever veil their faces; who then of mortal birth may look on Him and live?
Yet since in man abides His very Self, who shall forbid him to pass within the Veil, and to see with "open face the glory of the
Lord "? From the Cave to highest Heaven;
383
Esoteric Christianity
such was the pathway of the Word made Flesh, and known as the Way of the Cross. Those who share the manhood share also the Divinity, and may tread where He has trodden. "What Thou art, That am L"
Peace to all Beings.
384
INDEX
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Apollonius of Tyana ....
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Apostolic Fathers ....
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92
Aquinas, Thomas ....
. 110
Avians of the Fourth Century, quoted
. 101
Aristotle, Effect on Mediaeval Christianity
. Ill
Ascension, The .....
. 230, 249
Ascension and Solar Myth .
. 230
Ascension of the Christ .
. 248
Asiatic Researches, quoted .
. 256
Aspects of the One ....
. 259
Athanasius, Story of .
. 350
Athanasian Creed, quoted .
. 261, 364
Atlantis, Continent of .
. 18
At-one-ment
. 208
Atonement as one of Lesser Mysteries
. 199
" Early Church on the
. 194
25 385
Index
PAGE
Atonement, Calvinistic View of 196
" Edwards on the . . . . .195
Flavelonthe 195
" Luther's Views on the .... 195 " Dr. McLeod Campbell on the . . . 197 " F. D. Maurice on the .... 198 u Vicarious and Substitutionary . . .194 " Views of Dwight, Jeune, Jenkyn, Liddon, " Owen, Stroud, and Thomson . 196, 197
" Truth underlying the Doctrine of . .198 " Pamphlet on, quoted . . • . . 196 " Nineteenth Century quoted on . . 204
Augoeides ......... 27
Barnabas ......... 70
Baptism, A Mantra in ...... 347
A Minor Form of ..... 346
Belief in Death-bed 349
Infant .... e 350
In the Early Church 350
" In Other Religions 346
" of Initiate ....... 53
of Holy Ghost and Fire . . . .187
of Jesus ....... 132
of the Christ ...... 185
" Tertullianon ...... 346
Beatific Vision, The . . . . . . 94, 293
Bernard of Clairvaux . . . . . . .110
Bel-fires ......... 163
Bhagamd Oitd, referred to . . 50, 200, 268, 304, 316
Bible Account of Creation 178
Birth, Second . 246
Blavatsky, H. P., referred to 126
Blood of Christ symbolised in Eucharist . . . 355 Bohme, Jacob ........ 114
386
Index
PAGE
Body, Causal 238, 246
" Desire, Changes in . . . . . . 248
" Meaning of a 233
" Mental 235
" Building of . . . . .244
" Natural or Physical 234
" Natural, of St. Paul . . . . .236
" of Bliss . .239
of Desire 235
" Physical, Changes in ..... 242
" Resurrection 239
Body, Spiritual . 237
Bona ventura, Saint 110
Book of Job, quoted 266, 330
" of the Dead, referred to . . . . .337
" of Numbers, quoted 268
" of Wisdom, quoted 264
Bread, General Symbol in Sacraments . . . 355 Brihaddranyakopaiiisliat, quoted . . .49, 200
Brotherhood of Great Teachers 9
Bruno, Giordano, referred to . 5, 111, 114, 223, 320
Buddha, Birth Story of 162
Buddhist Trinity 256
Calvinistic Doctrine 196
Cardinal Nicolas of Cusa 114
Cathari, The, referred to . . . . . .112
Cave of Initiation 185
Celsus — Controversy with Origen . . . .86
Chhdndogyopanishat, quoted 251
Chrestos and Christos . . . . . . 173
Christ as Hierophant of Mysteries .... 230
" Baptism of 185
" Crucifixion of ...... 181
" Disciples of 222
387
Index
PAGE
Christ in the Spiritual Body 136
" Life of the 215
" of the Mysteries 190
"The 131, 133
" the Crucified 181
" the Historical 119, 139
" theKosmic . . . 177
the Mystic . . 169
the Mythic 144
" Sufferings of the 221
Christian Creed, referred to .... 179, 180 " quoted .... 205, 206, 228 Christian Disciples— their work . . . . . 222
Christian Becords, quoted 345
Christian Symbols, &c, not unique . . . .146
Christianity has the Gnosis 36
Christmas Day 157, 159, 160
Christmas Festival, rightly regarded . . .163 Clarke's Anti-Mcene Library, quoted . viii, 21, 58, 70, 71, 72, 73, 76, 79 et seq., 86, 88, 90 et seq., 103, 149, 150, 264 Classes of Prayer . . . . . .281
Clement of Alexandria, quoted . . . viii, 21
" " referred to . . . .73
« " on the Gnosis . . 82, 83
" " on Scripture Allegories . 82
" " on Symbols . . . .79
" " and Catechetical School . 72
" " a Pupil of Panteenus . . 72
Colossians, Epistles to, referred to . 58, 64, 80, 176 Comparative Mythologists ..... 7
" " Theory of ... 7
" Religionists 7, 8
Mythology . . ' . . . .146
Consecrated Objects 379
388
Index
PAGE
Consecration of Churches, Cemeteries, &c. . . 382
Constant, Alphonse Louis 116
Conversion, Phenomenon of . . . 311 et seq. Corinthians, Epistles to, quoted . . x, 6, 32, 55, 63,
66, 123, 174, 176, 231, 238, 239, 240, 249, 251,
268, 353, 370
Creed, taught after Baptism in Early Church . . 349
Cruden's Concordance, quoted 33
Cur Deus Homo of Anselm . . . . .194
Dangers to Christianity 124
Dark Powers in Nature 185, 186
Dean Milman, quoted .... 253 et seq.
Death of Solar Heroes 165
Be Principiis of Origen 100, 101
Deuteronomy, quoted 95, 251
Diegesis of R. Taylor, quoted 347
Die Deutsche Theologie 113
Dionysius the Areopagite . . . ... , 108
Disappearance of the Mysteries 182
Disciples, The 133
Work of the 222
" Writings of the 139
Divine Beings, Appearance in Mysteries . . .92
" Divine Grace," what it is 223
Ideation . . . . . . . .356
" Illumination ....... 374
" Incarnations . . , . . . 271, 272 Duality of Manifested Existence .... 234
of Second Person of Trinity . . . .263
Easter Festival 158
Eckhart, Teachings of . 112
Edwards on the Atonement 195
Egypt and the Mysteries . . . . . 129
389
Index
PAGE
Elizabeth, Saint ........ 112
Encyclopedia Britannica, referred to . . 22, 23, 115 " " quoted . . 110 et seq.
Ephesians, Epistle to, quoted . . 57, 64, 67, 363
Epistle of James, quoted 274
" of Peter, quoted . . 64, 120, 193, 351, 368 Esoteric Christianity, Popular Denial of . . .2 " Teaching in Early Church .... 2
Essentials of Religion 4
Eucharist, Bread and "Wine of .... 354 " Change of Substance in ... 358 " connected with Law of Sacrifice . . 354
" Meaning and Use of 354
Sacrifice of . . . . . . .352
" Unworthy Participants in . . . . 359
Exodus, Book of, quoted 90
Extasy ......... 293
F,aith Needed for Forgiveness 310
Fathers, The Christian, on Scriptures . . . 368
Festivals 146
Fish Symbol in Religions 164
Flavel on Atonement . . . . . . .195
Fludd, Robert . 115
Forgiveness of Sins ....... 299
" in Lesser Mysteries ..... 321
" in most Religions 301
" ultimately refers to Post-Mortem Penalties 305
Fourth Manifestation Feminine 259
Person . 261
Francois de Sales, Saint 114
Free-thinking in Christianity ..... 122
Friends of God in the Oberland 112
Friends, Society of .116
Future of Christianity 40
390
Index
PAGE
Galatians, Epistle to, quoted . . 63, 64, 65, 66, 123 Genesis, quoted ... 18, 178, 266, 269, 277, 355
Germain, Comte de S. 116
Gestures in Sacraments 336
Gibbon's " Decline and Fall of B. Empire11 . . . 161
Giles, Rev. Dr., quoted 344
Gnosis, The . viii, 9, 107
" in Christianity . . . . .36 Gnostic, The, of S. Clement . . . . 82 et seq. " Gnostics and their Remains " . . . .161
Gods in the Mysteries 24
Grades of Hierarchies 328
Grand Lodge of Central Asia . . . .31
Greek Cross, The 265
Guyon, Mme. de . 115
Haug, Dr., Essay on Par sis, cited .... 201 Hebrews, Epistle to, quoted . . 53, 67, 80, 90, 174, 175, 204, 215, 221, 222, 245, 268, 272, 277
Hebrew Trinity 252
Hell-fire Dogma, The 48
Heroic Enthusiast, The, quoted 321
Hidden God, The 206
" Meanings in Jewish and Christian Script- ures 99
" Side in Christianity 36
" Teaching in all Religions . . . .20
Hierarchies of Divine Beings 328
" of Superhuman Beings . . . .23
Hindu Trinity, The 255
History versus Myth .152
Holy Spirit as Creator 266
Holy Water 341, 346, 348
Human Evolution repeats Kosmic Process . . . 269 Huxley, T. H., quoted 280
391
Index
PAGE
Hyde, Dr., quoted 344
Hymn to Demeter ....... 21
Iamblichus, On the Mysteries, quoted . . 22, 23, 24,
25, 27, 28, 29, 294 et seq. Iamblichus, Life of Pythagoras, referred to . 28
Ignatius 70
Incarnation of Logos 178
Initiation and Rebirth . . . . . 51, 53 Cave of 185
" Ceremonies of ... 246 et seq.
" Conditions of 172
Mount of 90
Inspiration, True 375
Intelligences in Invisible Worlds .... 277
Inviolability of Law 302
Invisible Helpers 277
Invisible Worlds interpenetrate the Visible . . 277 Irenseus, Against Heresies, referred to ... 104
Isaiah, quoted 209, 293, 363, 374
Isomeric Compounds ....... 358
Jeremiah, Book of, quoted 260, 354
Jesus at Mount Serbal 129
" Baptism of .... e .. 132
" Date and Place of Birth 128
" His Work in Christendom 141
" in Egypt 129
" Inner Instructions of . . . . . . 136
" Master of the West 146
" Sacrifice of 132
" the Divine Teacher 182
" the Healer and Teacher 126
" training in Essene Community .... 129
" the Master 141
392
Index
PAGE
John of the Cross, Saint 114
John, Saint, Gospel of, quoted . . x, 45, 52, 53, 56,
102, 131, 132, 133, 135, 176, 179, 214, 239, 245,
248, 260, 268, 270, 271, 290, 379
Judges, Book of, quoted . 95
Juliana, Mother 116
Justin Martyr 147
" " quoted .... 148 et seq.
Kabbala, Five Books of, referred to . . . .34
Karma 286, 307
Kathopanishat, quoted 32, 49
Key to Theosophy, quoted 292
Kingdom of Heaven — real meaning . . . .52
Kings, Book of, quoted 33, 351
Kosmic Christ, The 177
" Process of becoming 266
" Sacrifice 182
Lang, Andrew, referred to ... 11, 12
Language of Symbols 152
Latin Cross, Origin of 205
" Use of, in Roman Church 335
Law of Sacrifice 200
" in Hinduism 200
" " in Nature of Logos . . . .202
" " in Zoroastrianism .... 201
" " or Manifestation . . . .201
Law, William . . . . . . . 115
Left-hand Path . . . . . . . .17
Lent . . 166
Levi, Eliphas . . . . . . . 116
Leviticus, quoted 355
Light on the Path, quoted 219
"Little Child " 64
393
Index
PAGE
Logos, Birth of the 204
" and Sacrifice 203
" Life of, in every form . . . . 206
" Meaning of the Term 171
" of Plato 181
" Perpetual Sacrifice of . . . . 208
Loss of Mystic Teaching in Christianity . . .37
Luke, Saint, Gospel of, quoted . . .45, 48, 174, 175, 262, 287, 299, 310
Luther on the Atonement 195
Madonnas 159
Magnetic Cures, Secret of 339
" Change in Sacramental Substance . . 340
" Energies in Ether 339
Magnetisation of Substances 339
Making of Religion, The, referred to . . . .11
Man as Microcosm . 269
" and Woman Complementary .... 362
" develops Second Aspect 270
Man's Manifold Nature 233
"Mantras" 333
" essential in Sacraments .... 336
" in rite of Baptism 348
" in Samskrit 334
" spoilt by translation 335
Mark, Saint, Gospel of, quoted . . . vii, 45, 47
Martin, Saint 115
Marriage, Deeper meaning of 362
" in Lesser Mysteries 365
Mystery of 363
Sacrament of ' . . . . 361
" type of union between God and Man . . 363
Mary, the World Mother 204
Master, the Jesus, 141
394
Index
PAGE
Matthew, Saint, Gospel of, quoted . . . viii, 45, 46, 49, 51, 53, 54, 90, 132, 175, 176, 185, 208, 214, 239, 269, 272, 279, 303, 317
Maurice, cited 252
Mead, G. E. S., quoted . . 26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 113 Mediator, Nature of . . ' . . . . .272
Meditation—What it is 291
Growth by 297
Men at different levels .3
Miguel de Molinos . 115
Ministry of Angels, The 285, 287
Miracles 144
Mithras, Birth of 159
Modern Spirit antagonistic to Prayer .... 274
More, Henry 115
Mother Juliana of Norwich 116
Mount Serbal 129
Mount of Initiation 90, 187
Muller, George, Case of ... 282 et seq.
Mundakopanishat, quoted . . . . .33, 201
Music in Worship 333, 335
Myers (F.), his St. Paul 375
Mystery Gods 25
" of Christ .57
Mysteries, Christian, Symbolism of ... 246
Mysteries and Yoga 31
" Christ as Hierophant of . . . . 230
" Disappearance of the 182
" Eliphas Levi on the . . . . . 116
" established by Christ 140
Greater, The ... ix, 1, 22, 27, 63
" in the Gospels 45
" in Egypt . . . . . . .129
" in relation to Myth 156
" Lesser ix, 1, 22
395
Index
PAGE
Mysteries, Lesser and Prayer 278
as to Bodies . . . .234 Teaching of . . . . . 249 " Names in Christianity . . . .47
of Bacchus 21, 27
" of Chaldsea, Egypt, Eleusis, Mithras, Or- pheus, Samothrace, Scythia . . .21
of God . . . 56
of Jesus . . . . . . . 1, 42, 93
of the Early Church . . . 68 et seq. " of Magic, quoted . . . . . . 156
" praised by Learned Greeks . . .21 Pseudo, and Sun-God Story . . .166 " source of Mystic Learning . . . .106
The 170, 177
" taught Post-mortem Existence . . .21 The True . . . . . . .177
The Christ of the . . . . .183
Theory of the . 22
" withdrawn 106
Mystic Christ, The ....... 169
" Twofold ...... 177
" Vesture, The 137
Mythic Christ, The 144
Myth, Meaning of 151, 152
" Solar 154
Mythology Comparative 146
Natural and Spiritual Bodies ..... 231
Body— of St. Paul 236
Natural Body, The 234 et seq.
Need for Graded Religion . . . . . .14
Neoplatonists 29, 111
Newman, Cardinal, quoted . . . 102 et seq. " Recognizes a Secret Tradition . . . 104
396
Index
PAGE
New Testament Proofs of Esotericisrn . 42 et seq.
Nicene Creed 180
Nicolas of Basel 112
Noachian Deluge ....... 19
Nous Demiurges of Plato 253
Object of all Religions 3
Occult Experts 126
u Knowledge, Danger of 16
" Records 18
" " and the Gospels . . . . 128
" side of Nature 277
" use of Sounds . . . . • . . 331
Old Testament Allegories 120
One Existence, The 251
One, The, Three aspects of . . . . . 259
" " Manifest 259
Origen Against Celsus 86 et seq. , 94
" on the Need of Wisdom . . . . .99
" Mysteries . 88
" Scriptures 369
" Tower of Babel . . . . . 96
" referred to 44, 72
" Shining Light of Learning . . . .86 Orpheus, Mead's, quoted ... 28, 29, 30, 113 Owen on Atonement . . . . . .196
Pantamus 72, 73
Paracelsus 114
Paradise . . . . . . . . 241
Path of Discipleship 173
Paul, Saint, quoted . . . — . Uetseq., 123, 183
" an Initiate 61
" " and Mysteries .56
" and Timothy ... 58, 59, 68
397
Index
PAGE
Paul, Saint, on Allegory 66
Paul, Saint, by F. Myers 375
Peter, Saint, quoted 193
Philippians, Epistle to, quoted 61
Physical Ailments final expression of Karma . . 308
Physical Body, Changes in . 242
" Material in Sacraments .... 338
Pilgrimages, Rationale of * 380
Pistis Sophia, quoted .... 46, 137, 138, 300 etseq., 317 et seq., 340
" " referred to 136
Plato's Cave 152
Plato initiated in Egypt .21
Platonists of Cambridge . . . . .115
Plotinus, Dying Words of 31
referred to .23
Mead's, quoted 26, 31
Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna 70
Popular Christianity, Mistake of . . . . vii " Denial of Esoteric Christianity ... 1
Porphyry, quoted 27, 54
Prayer 274
" Answers to 274
" as Will ..... . . .283
" Class B — general principle .... 290
" Failure of 285
" for Spiritual Enlightment . . . .289 " for the Student of Lesser Mysteries . . 294
" Highest form of 291
" Puzzling Facts as to 275
Prayers classified 276
Probationary Path, The 246
" Proclaim upon the houses " — Mystical meaning . 78 Proclus, Teaching of . . - . 26, 29, 50 Psalms, quoted 5, 297
398
Index
PAGE
Pseudo-Mysteries and Sun-God Drama . . . 166
Pupils of the Apostles 69
Purgatory 241
Purification 241
Pythagoras, referred to 28
in India 31
Pythagorean School, Discipline of 29, 30
Qualifications of Disciple 174
Quietists, The 115
Regions of the Invisible Worlds 238
Ee -incarnation 238
Religion, Need for graded 14
" of Ancient Persians, quoted . . . 344
Religions, Common origin of 7
" Custodians of Sacred Books . . . 366
" Essentials of 4
fitted for Stages of Growth ... 13
" Object of all 3
Source of all 7
Religious Founders 10
" Scriptures 10
Teachers 9
Resurrection and Solar Myth .... 230, 247
Body 239
of the Christ 247
" of the Dead 61
« The— Part of Lesser Mysteries . . 230
Revelation 366
" Fragments of, in Sacred Books . . 367
in Cypher 367
of Deity in Kosmos . . . .372 Revelations, Book of, quoted . . . 50, 63, 65, 248, 261, 290, 320, 329
399
Index
PAGE
Revolt against Dogma ...... 38
Roman Empire dying . . . . . .106
Romans, Epistle to, quoted 81, 360
Rosenkreutz, Christian 115
Ruling Angel of Jews . . . . . 95, 96
Ruysbroeek ......... 113
Sacrament, a kind of crucible 324
" a Pictorial Allegory . . . .322
" Change in substance at ... 340 " Link between Visible and Invisible . 324, 325 of Baptism . . . ... 344
of Eucharist ...... 344
" of Marriage ..... 344, 361
of Penance 338
Sacraments 322
" Angels connected with . . . • . 340 " defined in Church Catechism . . . 326
" Gestures used in 336
" in all Religions . . . . .322 " Lost at Reformation .... 325
" Mantras in 336
of Christian Church 325
" Peculiar Characteristics of 322 Seven, of Christianity . . . 325, 343 Signs, Seals, or Sigils in . . . .336 "Substance " and "Accidents" of . . 358 Twofold Nature of . . . 322 et seq. " Two, in Protestant Communities . 326, 343
Sacred Places and Objects 377
Sacred Quaternery, The 259
Sacrifice as Joy ...... 208 et seq.
Law of .200
Four Stages in 211
" Lessons in 211 et seq.
400
Index
PAGE
Sacrifice of Jesus 132
Samuel, Book of, quoted . . . . . .33
Savage Deities 11
Savages as Descendants of Civilisation . . .12 Saviour, The True . . . . 218 et seq.
Sayings of Jesus 53, 54, 299
Scientific Analysis of Vehicles 236
Search for God, The 5
Secret Teachings of Jesus 89
" Tradition recognised by Newman . . . 102 Second Birth .... . . 184, 246
Sepher Yetzirah, quoted 34
Sharpe's Egyptian Mythology, quoted . . . . 257
Shvetdshvataropanishat, quoted 32
" Sign of Power " 337
Society of Friends 116
Solar Gods 158
" Myth, Root of 177
Sopater, quoted 21
Sophia— The Wisdom 137
Soul— Dual 232
Sound and Form in the Invisible Worlds . . . 331
Sound, Occult use of 332
Source of Religions 7
Spirit and Matter 364
Spirit threefold 231
" manifested as triple Self ..... 328 Spiritual Body, Divisions of 237 et seq.
" Star of Initiation " 185
" Strait Gate " term of Initiation . . 49, 50, 173, 175 Stromata, or Miscellanies of S. Clement, quoted . . 58, 72 et seq.
Sufferings of the Christ 220
Superintending Spirits 96
Sun God Legend . . . . . . . . 156
26 401
Index
PAGE
Sun God Symbol of Logos . . . . . .170
" Heroes 163
" Myths, recurring ....... 167
" of Righteousness ....... 248
" Symbol of the Logos ...... 153
" Symbols 154
Survival of Christianity? ...... 40
Symbol of Jesus 164
of Trinity ....... 264
Symbols — animal, in Zodiac 164
" Language of 152
Symbols of Logoi 264 et seq.
Tatian and Theodotus, referred to . .
Tauler, John 113
Taylor, Robert, quoted ...... 347
Teachings common to all Religions .... 145
" in the hands of Spiritual Brotherhood . 371
Teresa, Saint 115
Tertullian on Baptism 150
The Christ 133
The Hidden Side of Religions 1
" of Christianity . 36
The Disciples . 135
The " Simple Gospel " . . . . . . .38
The title of Lord ........ 95
The Testimony of the Scriptures . . . .36
The Tower of Babel 96
The Thyrsus 74
The True Exstasis ....... 107
The Trinity 251
" " among the Hebrews .... 252
Hindu 255
in Buddhism 256
" " in Chaldaea 257
402
Index
PAGE
The Trinity in China 257
in Extinct Religions . . . . 256
" " in Egypt 256
in Man 176, 232
" " in Manifestation 252
" " in Zoroastrianism 255
The Word of Wisdom, of Knowledge . . .101
Theological Hell 305
Theosophical Review, quoted 227
Thessalonians, Epistle to, quoted .... 232
Three Worlds, The 240
Timothy, Epistle to, quoted . . 59, 60, 61, 65, 133, 228 Tradition of Post-mortem Teaching of Jesus . . 46 Transubstantiation— Truth Underlying . . . 357
Triangle as a Symbol of Trinity 265
Trinity, A Second 231
of Spirit 232
Trinity in Christian agrees with other Faiths . . 253
Triple Aspect of Matter 261, 282
Triplicity in Nature 258
True Theosophy defined x
Two Schools of Christian Interpretation . . . 121 Two-fold Division of Man Insufficient . . . 231
Vaivasvata Manu 19
Valentinus 137
Vaughan, Thomas . . . . . . .115
Vehicles of Consciousness, Need for Different . . 237
Vibrations . 332
Vibratory Effects of Mass 335
Virgin Matter 263
" " and Third Person of Trinity, . . 263 " " and Second Person of Trinity, . . 263
" Mother 262
Virgin's Womb, Meaning of 179
403
Index
PAGE
Virgo, Zodiacal Sign of 157, 159
Virtues in the Mysteries . . . . . .27
Voice of the Silence, quoted ...... 248
Voice Figures — Mrs. Watts Hughes, referred to . . 331
Williamson's Great Law, quoted . 160, 162 et seq.,
165, 166, 201, 253, 257, 345, 355 Will as Prayer . . . . . . . .283
Word of Power 333
Work of the Holy Spirit 178, 266
" Second Person .... 178, 267 First Person . . . . .268
Working of Logos in Matter 181
Workers in Kosmos 281
the Invisible Worlds .... 151, 278 World Bibles, fragments of Revelation . . . 371
World Soul, The 23
World Symbols 264
Writings of the Disciples 139
Zechariah, quoted . • 266
Zodiac, The 195
404
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