Section 13

To understand is to believe, to not believe is not to understand.
Here we have a definition of belief that may strike many as being unusual. Belief, is in reality that action of the mind by which a statement is accepted as being true. There is no connection between true belief and credulity. It is impossible for any one to believe that which he does not un- derstand, and likewise, it is impossible for one to avoid belief in that which he understands. The function of the understanding is to trace out the relationship between a statement and the synthesis of truth of which one is conscious. To understand a statement is therefore, to trace out the relation- ship which that statement bears to the truth of which one is aware. When the mind has indicated this relationship, and has shown that there is no point at which the relationship is not perfect, one has understood the statement. Belief is that action
THE HERMETIC ART
of the mind, by which, when a statement is under- stood, it is registered as being true. In a word, that which we believe we accept as being real, while up to the point of belief, it was merely apparent. It might be true, or it might not. How- ever, belief is the act of mind by which that which is understood becomes certain. We are sure of what we believe. One never believes any thing on the testimony of another. The testimony of others may establish a presumption in favor of a state- ment of fact, but it is not sufficient to establish a belief. We do not believe a thing until the under- standing has indicated why it is true. In a word, to believe is to accept the connection between the fact and the Law of Nature that is operative in the establishing of that fact. We will go a step farther, it is not at all easy to believe any thing that is not true. Belief as we have indicated is a condition of mind resulting from an understand- ing of the thing to be believed, and is in all cases, a condition subsequent to the understanding of the proposition. To accept a statement on the author- ity of another, is not to believe it, but to admit that the other has a mind superior to your own, and therefore, what he says must be true, but you can never realize that it is true, and that is what you have to do if you are to believe it. This certitude of belief is the result of the understanding of the statement.
My word (logos) doth go before [thee] to the truth. But mighty is the mind, and when it hath been led by word up to a certain point, it hath the power to come before [thee] to the truth.
When the truth is taught in the form of words, it will give a statem.ent of the truth, which one
138
THE HERMETIC ART
cannot at the moment accept as the truth. In other words, one can have stated to him in the form of words, a truth which he does not as yet under- stand as sucli. The purpose of such teaching is to set the mind at work, and directing it along a certain line of thought, cause it, through this process, to formulate the concept, in terms of thought ere we are conscious of the fact that we have accepted it as being true. In a word, man never bel'ieves a statement because he wishes to believe it, he believes it because the belief is made manifest in his mind. In other words, we are deal- ing with a form of chemical action, and the act of listening to the teaching has the effect of confining the action of the mind to the topic under discus- sion, with the result that the understanding works it out, and the result is, the germination in the mind of a definite belief in that which has been brought to its attention. This is in fact pure alchemy. It is also true that we reach such belief at a time anterior to our becoming conscious of the fact that we have accepted it as being true. We must at ail times bear in mind that all mental oper- ations are in the nature of achievements in Alchem}^ For this reason, the purpose of instruc- tion is nothing more than the discipline of the mind, to the end that its operations may be con- fined to a certain line of thought, and in this way belief may be born within it. You can prove noth- ing to any one, you can merely lead his mind in the right direction, so that it may of its own power, create within itself the belief of the thing which you wish to impress upon it.
And having thought o'er all these things, and found them consonant with those which have already been translated by the reason, it hath [e'en now] believed, and found its rest in that Fair Faith.
THE HERMETIC ART
139
The function of the reason is to translate all things into the form of belief. It is closely con- nected with the understanding, and yet there is a distinction. The great work of reason is to analyze all statements and reducing them to their most ultimate aspect, to detect errors. It is in fact the critical faculty. By it w^e are able to detect any defects that may be present in its presentation. It is in fact, the Dweller on the Threshold which every statement must pass before it can approach the understanding. Through the exercise of the reason, all statements of views, are analyzed and are at last reduced to such form as will accommo- date them to the body of truth. They are then, being translated into this form, given to the under- standing, which assimulates them in such way that we have an understanding of them, when they take the form of belief. It is therefore the reason that translates all things into the form of belief. When all these things which we are here discussing have been carefully thought over, and as a result of such thinking, have been found to be consonant w^ith those which have already been translated by the reason, in other words, thinking on them, so that the reason has prepared them for assimilation into the understanding, so that they may become a part of what has been accepted as belief, the mind be- lieves in them. This will simply mean that the mind has made of them a portion of its own belief. They will have taken their abode in the mind, so that from this time forth, all one's thinking will be conditioned by these things. This is an oper- ation of pure Alchemy which transpires in the mind. Words have been transmuted into beliefs. It is thus that one believes the Gnosis. Thus through such belief of the teaching, one takes his rest in the Fair Faith of Gnosis. The Fair Faith is in no sense to be confused with what is com-
140
THE HERMETIC ART
monly called blind faith. To find rest in the Fair Faith means that through thinking upon the Gnostic Teaching, the reason is to translate it in terms of one's individual understanding, and thus it is to engender belief of the Gnosis. This belief in the Gnostic Teaching will so transform the mind that in all of its future thinking, it will oper- ate in that direction and in accordance with those principles, and that transformed state of mind is Gnosis, or it is the Fair Faith. This then is not in the nature of a belief, but rather in the nature of a state of mind, that will transform into its like- ness all the things that are offered to the mind. This is in fact the Golden Mind which will trans- form into its own Pure Gold all the baser thoughts that are born within it. Gnosis is therefore the Philosopher's Stone, that is to transform into Gnosis all the thoughts of the mind. After one has taken his rest in this Fair Faith, it is utterly impossible for him to ever err, for the reason that his Faith will make all his thinking after its image.
To those, then, who by God ['s good aid] do understand the things that have been said [by us] above, they're credible; but unto those who understand them not, incredible.
If one has understood this teaching, it means that his reason has translated it into terms of his think- ing, and that his understanding has united it with his previous knowledge, so that it has through the action of his mind become a belief, and hence a part of his thinking. This being true, it will fol- low that they are real to him, being part and parcel of his mental organization and hence of his think- ing. This being the case, it is quite impossible for him to doubt them any longer. On the other hand, if one has not understood them, they are no part of
THE HERMETIC ART
141
his mind, and as he does not think them, of course he cannot believe them, seeing that no such belief has been born within his mind. One repudiates these things, simply because of the fact that no such belief has been born within the mind, and in the absence of such a belief, it is futile for us to expect one to accept them. One who accepts the Gnosis is merely one who has consummated the Great Work in his mind, while one who has not consum- mated it will of course be unable to accept a belief which can only exist as a result of such consumma- tion of the Great Work in the mind. Faith in Gnosis is born within the mind, and it comes in no other way. Unless this has been born in the mind, it is useless to hope for one to see the truth in our sublime teaching. This bearing of the Fair Faith in the mind is the true purpose of the Hermetic Art. All Hermetic Disciplines lead unto this end.
Let so much, then, suffice on thought-and- sense.
What we have said in the above instructions will clearly indicate the exact nature of thought-and- sense, divine, kosmic and human. Those who will not understand our interpretation are cheap organ- isms that would not understand were we to write ten thousand volumes on the subject, and to those capable of understanding, wx have given ample instruction for their guidance in the working of the Hermetic Art and the consummation of the Great Work in their own minds. This is the Master Key to the transmutation of the mind and the generation of thought, belief and Faith. We have indicated the one and only way in which one ever attains Gnosis. Remember this, you can never learn Gnosis, it is useless to study it. Gnosis must be born within you, and it can be born only in the
142
THE HERMETIC ART
mind, and that in the way that we have here indi- cated. The attainment of Gnosis is the Magnum Opus of the mind.
With these words, we close our treatise on The Hermetic Art. Those who have understood us, will have no difficulty in going into the study of the Art of Alchemy.
(The End)
Below find complete list of the Hermetic works, by Dr. A. S. Raleigh, already published in book form and
which will be sent postpaid at prices listed :
WOMAN AND SUPER-WOMAN $ 1.50
SHEPHERD OF MEN 2.00
STANZAS OF DJYN (THEOGENESIS) . . . . 2.50
PHILOSOPHY HERMETICA 10.00
SCIENTIFICA HERMETICA 10.00
HERMETIC ART 10.00
All the above books are printed on the same beauti- ful paper as the Hermetic Art and similarly bound and stamped in gold.
The books named below will soon be in book form and ready to market on uniform paper and binding as
above :
THE PHILOSOPHY OF ALCHEMY $10.00
SCIENCE OF ALCHEMY 10.00
SPECULATIVE ALCHEMY 10.00
Send for large, handsome circular, giving contents fully outlined of each of the above books. The circular gives such a complete analysis of each book and contains so much valuable information that it will be preserved by all Mystics and Occultists. It will be sent free of cost.
The $10.00 books are the private lessons written by Dr. A. S. Raleigh for the Hermetic Brotherhood.
In addition to the above books a few sets of the following lessons may be secured at prices named below :
MOTION AND NUMBER, 12 Lessons $10.00
PSYCHOLOGY, 12 Lessons 10.00
MAGIC, 12 Lessons 10.00
PHRENOGARTEN COURSE, 12 Lessons.... 10.00 META-PHYSICAL HEALING, 12 Lessons.. 10.00
HERMETIC PUBLISHING CO.
3020 Lake Park Avenue
Chicago, IlL
Duke University Libraries
D00331950L
(