CHAPTER XII

JESUS ATTAINS CHRISTHOOD
V
[aex| AVING attained the degree of Mastership 4] in the Great White Brotherhood placed 4| Joseph among the most learned of the | High Priests and second only to the ~ Hierophant of the organization. This en- titled Him to attend the highest conclaves, to have access to the most sacred and sublime ceremonies, to indulge in the transcendental experiences at cer- tain Cosmic periods of the year, and to attune Himself by the highest spiritual laws with the Con- sciousness of God.
It may be argued that since Jesus was Divinely ordained, Divinely conceived, and Divinely born, and predetermined to be the Son of God and the Saviour of the world, that no earthly power and certainly no earthly Council could either grant or fail to grant Him the privilege of such attunement with the Consciousness of God. This is unques tionably true, and nowhere in the records with which I am dealing, and nowhere in the present- day teachings of the Rosicrucians, is it intimated that if Jesus had not passed through the prepara-
tion and experiences outlined by the Great White [ 203 }
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Brotherhood, He would have been unable to at- tune Himself just as completely with the Divine Consciousness, or become conscious of the God- hood or Christhood within Him. From the very hour of His birth all of the Magi, wise men, High Priests, and most learned advisers of the Brother- hood were His inferiors in Divine attunement and soul preparation for the great mission. It was no presumption on the part of these great men to per- form their time-honored duty of accepting Joseph as a Neophyte and giving Him every one of the tests and trials and offering Him every opportunity for development as had been offered to the greatest among them. Nor did Joseph Himself consider the attitude assumed by the Brotherhood in treating Him as a Neophyte, and as one who had to be prepared, a failure of recognition, on their part, of His superior position among them. We shall see later on that even after Joseph had completed all the preparation that the Brotherhood prescribed for Him, and they had acknowledged Him ready for His mission in life, He voluntarily offered Him- self for a final act of preparation in the knowledge that all these things were necessary for the work He desired to accomplish, and which had been Cosmically planned for Him.
Naturally, I wish it were possible for me to out-
line here the further initiations, ceremonies, and [ 204 J
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steps of preparation through which Joseph passed during the years in which He remained in Egypt. These things are never revealed to those who are not high initiates of the Brotherhood; and Jesus Himself, during his entire mission, revealed them to no one but His Apostles whom He carefully selected and whom He constituted as His sacred council, and initiated as He had been initiated. I hardly think that any of my readers expect these things to be published in any book of this kind, or in any book for the general public; and I am sure that the most learned and reasonable of my readers would doubt the authenticity of any printed record which claimed to contain such details.
It is possible, however, to speak of the last and final stage of His preparation for the ministry, which was held in the chambers of the Great Pyra- mid now known as the pyramid of Cheops.
Much has been said in various books and maga- zine articles in recent years about the chambers and secret rooms of the Great Pyramid, and space in this volume does not permit even a brief explana- tion of the intricate arrangement of the passage- ways and ancient chambers that are built within and beneath this great structure. The average tourist to Egypt sees the several pyramids that are grouped almost as a unit just outside of Cairo and
close to the famous Sphinx. These tourists are [ 205 J
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generally told that the Pyramid was built as a tomb, and that it is a solid structure built over a burial chamber. Even the most ingenious of the guides who escort the tourists to the Pyramids re- fuse to admit that there are secret chambers and ceremonial rooms within this unique building. However, during my recent visit to the Pyramid, and while in the company of several high officers of the Rosicrucian Order of Egypt and a number of officers of the Order in America, we were per- mitted to enter these secret rooms and to verify the facts contained in our records.
It may be surprising to my readers to know that in the ancient times, or in the times with which we are dealing, the entrance way to the principal cere- monial rooms of the Pyramid was not through any doorway in the Pyramid itself, but through a secret passageway built between the two huge paws of the Sphinx. These paws rest upon a high founda- tion wall, forming two sides of a court in front of the Sphinx, in the center of which stood an altar. Back of this altar, still partly in ruins, and just be- neath the breast of the Sphinx, was the secret doorway, well guarded, opening only by applica- tion of certain secret contrivances which only a few knew, that led to long subterranean passage- ways under the Sphinx, under the sands, and the
foundation walls of the Pyramid, and to the great [ 206 J
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This symbol is called in Christian mysticism the “Monogram of Christ.” It is often used also as a symbol of Christianity. The author of this book traced this monogram on the face of a num- ber of the tombs in the Catacombs at Rome, and in some of the ancient carvings of Egypt. Early Christian missionaries were mis- led by the discovery of this symbol in foreign lands, and believed it indicated the presence of earlier Christian missionaries. The symbol was in use long before Christianity adopted it. It was the original monogram of Osiris. The sacred banner of Constantine called the “Labarum,” on which was placed the sign by which he was to conquer, was inscribed with the sacred monogram shown above. It was also the mystical sign of Jupiter Ammon. The monogram had a mystical origin in the mystery teachings of the Brotherhood of Egypt, and it has been found engraved on a medal of Ptolemy, King of Cyrene. An identical monogram was also found on the coins of Herod the Great, issued before the Christian Era. The Roman Catholic Encyclopedia claims that the X and the P are the first two letters of a Greek word mean- ing “Christ.” [The letter R in Greek looks like P; X is the English Ch.}] This authority also admits that the monogram was used in pre-Christian periods as a mystical emblem. The monogram composed of X.P.N. is another symbol of the title, “Our Lord Jesus Christ.”
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reception hall far below the surface surrounding the Pyramid. It was to the outer court in front of the Sphinx that the Neophytes who were well prepared and deemed worthy of the secret of the entrance way to the Pyramids were brought and given their first induction into the mysteries of the higher degrees. Such ceremonies usually occurred at midnight, when the Neophytes and the few who conducted the outer-court ceremony wended their way separately to this sacred spot, guarded and protected by trusted brethren who remained at distant points from the Sphinx and the Pyramid as watchers and sentinels. Only those who once actu- ally passed through the ceremony within the Pyra- mid knew of the secret entrance way and the existence of the rooms and passageways.
Joseph was brought before this outer court of the Sphinx and clothed in purple robes during the preliminary ceremony held at midnight. At the completion of the ceremony, He was escorted through the subterranean passageway to the re- ception room beneath the Pyramid. After further ceremony here in this room, the sublime ceremony of being raised to the highest pinnacle of initiation began. This was performed by escorting Joseph up various inclines to the several different levels within the Pyramid, on each of which was a small
chamber. After having reached the highest of [ 208 }
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these chambers, practically in the center of the Pyramid, the final ceremony took place. During this the royal diadem was placed upon the head of Joseph, indicating that He was no longer a Neo- phyte, nor even a peer among the Masters of the Brotherhood, but the greatest of them all. For over an hour a pontifical ceremony was conducted, culminating in a period of silence and meditation while Joseph knelt before the altar. Then a great light filled the chamber, which was otherwise lighted only by candles and three torches. A white dove descended in the light and rested on the head of Joseph while the Hierophant rose, and various bells in the chambers beneath began pealing the great announcement to the world. A slight figure rising behind the Hierophant like an angelic being, commanded Joseph to rise while the voice of this being proclaimed: ‘This is Jesus the Christ; arise!” And all within the chamber united in saying “Amen.”
The foregoing is but a very brief, greatly con- densed outline of the final ceremony. The com- plete details present one of the most picturesque and elaborate settings ever recorded in the secret writings of the Brotherhood, and it is known that no such ceremony has ever occurred since then.
As the ceremony ended, the officers and mem-
bers of the High Council surrounded Joseph, who [ 209 }
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The symbol shown above is often called the Crucified Serpent. We find in many ancient records a cross of this kind with either a dove, a rose, the sun, or the serpent on it. The serpentine crucifix represented in this ancient symbolism the sun after it had lost its power. In some mystical writings it was used as an em- blem of the crucifixion of the Christ to indicate that through such crucifixion the Son had lost His Divine Power.
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had now attained the name Jesus and had been ac- knowledged the Christ, and paid homage to Him and proclaimed Him the incarnation of the Word, or “the Living Logos.” Then followed the cere- monial march to the chambers below, where the first of the Lord’s Suppers was held as a symbolical feast.
Messengers were sent the next day, in all direc- tions from Egypt to every land in which branches of the Brotherhood were located, to proclaim the coming of the Saviour and the announcement of His mission of redemption. Among these was one John from the Essene Brotherhood in Palestine, who had been a student at the schools in Egypt, preparing for his mission in life. He was known to be the reincarnation of Elijah, and he was sent to Palestine, the land in which, as Elijah, he had once before served as an Avatar and had attended the monastery at Carmel. It was his mission, like that of the other messengers sent to other lands, to proclaim the coming of the Christ.
And so all the peoples who were ready for the coming of the Lord were duly notified, and the great work of Jesus the Christ began.
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Cuapter XIII THE MYSTIC BEGINNING OF CHRIST’S MISSION V
HEN John reached Palestine he appeared in public in the most humble clothing and with great humility. His work was to announce among the lowly and the hum-
" ble in spirit the coming of the great Re-
deemer. He presented an entirely new idea inas-
much as he preached the doctrine of baptism for redemption or regeneration.
It may not be out of place here to state that Baptism, or the immersion in water and the use of water for purification in a symbolical or Cosmic sense, was introduced into the rites and ceremonies of the Great White Brotherhood in Egypt by one who was known as El-Moria. He was one of the great Avatars in the early days of the Brother- hood, and learned through meditation and Cosmic Illumination that water would cleanse in a Cosmic sense as well as in a physical sense. It was through his learned discussions before the High Council of the Brotherhood in this regard that pools of puri- fied water were introduced in front of every altar
in the mystery temples of Egypt and other lands. [ 213 J
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It was this same great Avatar who first intro- duced public Baptism for spiritual regeneration by holding such ceremonies at Lake Moeris, in the Fayum district of Egypt, around which centered one of the earliest of the advanced civilizations of Egypt.
Recently I made a trip to this place in company with others of our Brotherhood, and there saw the beautiful lake which is still a mystery to those who have tried to discover the source of its beautiful water, far from the Nile and in the very heart of desert lands. Here many of us re-enacted in the utmost sublimity the early form of Baptism, and symbolically celebrated the ancient rite. According to the records of the Rosicrucian Brotherhood, this is the first time that scores of men and women united in one reverential party to participate in this ceremonial rite since the days before Christ, and of course it was the first time in the history of the world that such a group of persons from America ever received Baptism at the shore of Lake Moeris. For hundreds of years this beautiful lake has been unvisited by European or American tourists, and for a thousand years its history and its connection with the Christian rite of Baptism has remained unknown except to those in the Rosicrucian Order and those in the high branches of the Brotherhood in Tibet, India, and Egypt.
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John was looked upon by the Jewish people as one of the sturdy race of Judah. Since he came from wilderness into their midst in pious clothing, they looked upon him as an ascetic. His camel’s hair cloak was a symbol of penitence, and his words were those of an ancient prophet. John picked out the banks of the Jordan as his special territory for the work he wished to do. Appealing, as he in- tended, to the lowly and the humble, he attracted the attention of multitudes, who seemed to drink in his words and find hope in his proclamations. In selecting the valley of the Jordan he had chosen a place that seemed to be separated from the rest of the world, and filled with terrifying contrasts to the rest of Palestine. Around about was the rough land of volcanic formation and volcanic destruc- tion. In fact, the part of the shores selected by John was known as the Sea of Solitude, but it was here that the Essenes had originally held such won- derful ceremonies and had established one of their first communities. It was truly Holy ground to John.
John’s message was that which most of the Jews had hoped to hear in their lifetimes—the coming of the Messiah. But he warned them that they must prepare for His coming and prepare for it in a true spirit of repentance. His earnestness and the
power with which He proclaimed that only the [215]
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repentant, the purified, and those who were purged of all sin would see the Messiah, shocked the holy ones and antagonized the strictly orthodox.
From all parts of Palestine came those who wanted to hear the message of John, and witness his strange ceremonies in the waters of the river. About this time word came from other lands that other prophets were foretelling the coming of the Messiah. Over and over was repeated the ancient prophecy that out of the land of Egypt would come the Son of God.
Camps were built around the lake where earnest souls remained for weeks, many of them hoping that the Messiah would appear in the midst of the thousands who gathered there on feast days. A number asked permission to form a group to take up the work of John and to serve under him in the beginning of a holy war. Rumors of this plan reached the rulers of Palestine, and the priests at Jerusalem began to feel uneasy at the excitement of the populace. Other conditions in Palestine seemed to indicate that a great crisis was at hand. Tiberius, now seventy-four years of age, was in- dulging in such debauchery at Capri as was rapidly hastening his transition. Pontius Pilate was con- tinuing his persecution of the Jews and becoming
more furious. [ 216 ]
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It was in the midst of these conditions that Jesus the Christ quietly and without recognition re- turned to Galilee and greeted His mother, brothers and sisters in their little home, and awaited pa- tiently the hour when the first message was to be given. To Jesus came the reports of the work being done by John, and how John was insisting that all who were worthy of regeneration and redemption must be Baptized by water. Finally Jesus decided that He should set the great example among the Gentiles of Galilee, and proceed to the Jordan and submit Himself to John’s Baptism. And so it was that Jesus entered the throngs of those standing by the shores of the Jordan listening to the preachments of John. Here He heard the voice of John thundering, “Repent ye, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His path straight.” As he baptized each applicant, he made his famous prophecy of the coming of the Messiah, saying: “T baptize you with water only, but He will bap- tize you with fire.”
Jesus stepped forward and He and John faced each other for the first time since they had met in one of the conclaves in Egypt. Instantly John knew that he was in the presence of the Christ, and he folded his arms across his chest with the right hand over his heart, and the left hand over
his right breast, making the salutation common [217]
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among the Essenes, and Jesus replied by making a similar sign. Words passed between John and Jesus which have been variously recorded, but which constituted the formal recognition on the part of John that was due the great Master before him. Then Jesus stepped into the water and submitted voluntarily to the baptism. As stated in the pre- ceding chapter, this act clearly shows that Jesus recognized the necessity of formal preparation and ceremonial procedure, even though He knew of the Divine, Cosmic appointment of His Messiah- ship.
It is one of the important doctrines of the Great White Brotherhood that spiritual illumination and Cosmic Consciousness enter the being of man only after he is ready. There is an ancient belief based upon the mystic teachings of the Orient that when each individual is ready for the coming of the Master, who is to guide and instruct him in the higher things of life, the Master will appear. But the emphasis here should be placed upon readiness, which includes worthiness and sincerity of pur- pose. Unless one is truly ready and properly pre- pared by instruction, guidance, and the help that lies in the process based upon spiritual laws, no Master will appear, no bursting of inner Cosmic Consciousness will become manifest, and no great
Illumination of transcendental light will come. [218 ]
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Worthiness must be attained, preparedness made manifest, and readiness earned by voluntary effort. Just as John was sent ahead to prepare the way, just as the great Avatars of the past found it nec- essary to preach and teach in order to prepare the many for spiritual regeneration, and just as Jesus taught His disciples and hosts of others that they might mentally comprehend and spiritually appre- hend the laws and principles leading to spiritual awakening, so have the teachers and Masters in the mystery schools of the Brotherhood in all lands maintained the systems of instruction and methods of preparation that have proved to be adequate and efficient. The seeker for Divine effulgence and Cosmic Consciousness who attempts to await the coming of the Master and the brightness of Illumi- nation without study and preparation, and with- out association with those who are likewise quali- fied to aid and assist, delays the coming of the great day and often closes the door to the coming of the Master. It is in this fact that we find warrant for the establishment of the churches and for the main- tenance of the secret brotherhoods and societies devoted to the spiritual preparation of man. - So Jesus entered the water and immersed His body in it, while John stood by ready to give Him humble benediction. As Jesus rose erectly in the
water, and before John could speak, a great light [ 219}
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HS
Another monogram for Christ is that formed of three letters, supposed to be the first two and last letters of the Greek word for “Jesus,” but the last letter was finally changed to the Latin letter “S" so that the I. H. S. stood for “Jesus, Hominum, Salva- tor’—‘‘Jesus, the Saviour of Man.” The letters were also used to mean “In Hoc Salus” and “In Hoc Signo,” meaning “In this Cross, is Salvation,” or “By This Sign, Conquer.” The I and J in the early Latin language were identical in form, and in the early monograms composed of the letters, I. H. S., the mark of abbreviation was put above the letters. These abbreviation marks were later misunderstood or so crudely carved that they were considered to be a cross over the H, and in this wise a new monogram was evolved appearing as shown above, with the cross resting on the letter H. This monogram is now the official em- blem as adopted by the Jesuits.
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came down from the heavens and surrounded Jesus and remained with Him as a magnificent, blinding aura of iridescent illumination. John stepped back, more in fear of the brilliancy of the light than through astonishment, and the multitudes stood aghast, speechless, and spellbound by the sight be- fore their eyes. Then from out of the heavens there descended a great, white, luminous dove, as bright as molten silver, and as magnificent as the spiritual light which surrounded the body of Christ. The dove lighted upon the shoulder of Jesus, and while all stood silent and motionless, a voice came from the center of their attention, melodious but resounding like a trumpet call, pro- claiming: “This is my beloved Son!” John knew, as did the other Essenes who were assembled there, that the Holy Ghost had descended upon Jesus as it had descended upon Mary, and had created in Him a new being—the Divine being of Christhood and Sonship with God—as it had created in Mary a new being and a Sonship of God.
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CuapTer XIV HIS REAL DOCTRINES AND MIRACLES
V
| HE whole public life of Jesus, from the time of His baptism up to and including the crucifixion, was an outer, objective manifestation of the series of initiations through which He had passed secretly— or more or less subjectively—during His years of preparation. This important fact is often over- looked by those who are analytical students of His mission and life work, and is certainly slighted in emphasis by those who attempt to interpret His doctrines, teachings, activities, sufferings, trials, victories, and defeats.
I have intimated in many places, in the preced- ing chapters, that the fundamental mysticism of Christianity has been unwarrantedly neglected by modern Christianity and churchanity, but is being reintroduced into Christianity by the foremost theologians and clergymen. At a recent conclave of one of the high Protestant churches of America and England, the statement was made by one of
the foremost ecclesiastical authorities that the sal- i230
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vation of the Christian church today depended upon the proper emphasis of the mystical founda- tion of Christianity.
Pristine Christianity was intended to carry on the teachings and doctrines revealed by Jesus the Christ, and these were highly mystical though re- duced to worldly parables. The Apostles of Jesus, who were carefully selected by Him because of their previous experience in life and their worthi- ness, were carefully initiated by Him and spiritu- ally developed during the secret conclaves which He held, and which never became a part of the public records of His life. The work that these Apostles carried on, and which was later taken up by the Holy Fathers of the Christian church, was dual in nature. There was the secret or inner circle of students of Christianity, who were gradually developed in the mystical principles involved in the doctrines revealed by Jesus; and there was the outer circle which heard only the parables and preachments given to the multitudes by Jesus and amplified by His followers.
For many centuries after the life of Jesus the early Christian church was more of a secret mys’ tery school than a public place or system of general religious worship. It was not until the conclaves of the Holy Fathers in the fourth, fifth, sixth, and
seventh centuries, that the present-day system of [ 224}
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churchanity, separate from mystical Christianity, was adopted. And even so, the few in every land who were deemed worthy and properly qualified were permitted to enter the little-known inner circle and bask in the brilliant light of transcen- dental illumination. That the outer circle, with its churchanity, had a glorious work to do is un questionable, and I do not mean to criticize the plans which permitted the outer work to grow with greater strength or to a more enlarged form than the work of the inner circle. Even today the proportion of those who are ready to enter the inner circle is so small, as compared with those who are only partially ready for the broader and more general work of the outer circle, that it often seems like a hopeless task to make the inner circle sufficiently large to carry on the great work that must be carried on to retain the mystical ele- ments of Christianity for future development. I cannot agree altogether with those who criticize the Church and claim that system and organization have eaten away the heart of Christianity, or that outer pomp and ceremony, structure, and opera- tions, have denied any place at all to the mystical work of the inner chamber. Spiritual development is a matter of evolution, and progressive evolution is rapid only with the few. The greatest work
must be among the masses in order that the occa- [ 225}
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sional one in every thousand persons may find the Path that leads to the inner circle.
Before Jesus could begin His great work in life, and before He could lay the foundation of this work by the establishment of His personal school and personal council, composed of selected Neo phytes who would be His trusted Apostles, He had to face once again the tests and trials of higher initiation. This time, however, He would not ap- proach these things as a Neophyte, but as the or- dained Christ. And since his work would be in the objective world, so would His tests, trials, and initiatory experiences be of the objective world. For this reason, we see why it was that the first incident of His public career was His retirement into the silence for meditation.
In a previous part of this book I have referred to this principle of entering the silence and have commented upon the benefits of silent meditation. In the Books of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, of the Christian Bible, we find reference to Jesus entering the silence, or going into the wilderness, whereas nothing is said of it in the Book of John. John was the most mystical of the writers of the New Testament, and His gospel emphasizes more of the mystical principles of Christianity than any of the others. His reason for skipping over the incidents
of Jesus’ meditation in the wilderness is probably [ 226 }
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because of its personal nature, and because it had no bearing upon the work of Jesus with the public.
Throughout the Christian Bible we find so many references in both the Old and New Testaments regarding those who went up on a mountain for illumination or for intimate contact with God or God’s Consciousness. The proof that these refer- ences to mountains of inspiration or mountains of illumination have not been considered in their true mystical light is found in the fact that expeditions composed of scientists and ecclesiastical authorities have sought for many of these “mountains” in the Holy Land, and have labored diligently to select the proper one to fit the various incidents described in the Bible. In many cases, the “mountains” se- lected have proved to be mere hills, much like thousands of others to be found in such a rolling country; and surprise has been expressed by a great many that such places should have been called “mountains” at all. The truth of the matter is that going up onto a mountain for illumination is a symbolical, mystical statement, indicating no actual, physical mountain, and referring to no physical height at all. We are surprised to find that the ancients who lived in lands where there were no mountains or even large hills, referred, in their writings, to the illuminations which they
received upon mountaintops. Even some of the [227]
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early Christians in Egypt spoke of the illumination which came to them out in the desert on the moun- taintop. Going up onto a mountain meant, in the mystical terminology of the Great White Brother- hood, and in all of the mystical writings of the Avatars and Masters of the past, the raising of one’s inner spiritual self to a great height where Cosmic contact, or Cosmic Consciousness, was definite and complete. We find that all such ex- periences in the Old Testament, including the one regarding Moses and the spiritual contact he made with God, were for the purpose of attaining spir- itual illumination or the development and test of some spiritual principle. Logically, the very oppo- site of this expression was also true. Whenever one of the great mystics or Masters of the past had to contact or come in contest with one of the earthly, nonspiritual phases of life and wrestle with a problem that was purely worldly, he went into the valley or into the wilderness, and not to the mountaintop.
Thus we see why the first incident of the life of Jesus, which concerned objective principles and earthly trials and tribulations, took Him into the desert wilderness instead of onto a mountaintop. We read in the Christian writings that He spent forty days and forty nights in this wilderness.
During this time He fasted and hungered, and in [ 228 J
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other ways suffered the conditions of the body and flesh.
It is interesting to note that the numbers seven and forty are the numbers mostly used in mystical literature, because they have a mystical signifi- cance. I will not take the time to recall, to my readers, the number of times the number seven is used in the Old and New Testament, beginning with the creation of the world and the number of days in the week, and the fact that the seventh day was made the Holy day; for I am sure that a few minutes’ reflection will bring to mind many such uses of this symbolical number. The number forty is used so many times that its significance be- comes apparent, even to the casual student of the Bible. It is found very frequently in the most an- cient of sacred writings in many lands. The Egyp- tians claimed that the body was not completely freed of the soul until after forty days of prepara- tion. Moses abstained from bread and water for forty days and forty nights, during his period of Cosmic contact. Moses was on the mount for forty days and forty nights; and was on Mount Sinai the second time for forty days and forty nights. The men who went to Canaan were forty days on their spiritual journey. It was prophesied that no foot of man or beast would pass through
Egypt for forty years. [ 229 ]
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Elijah was forty days and forty nights on Mount Horeb, and was the same number of days and nights on Mount Carmel. The children of Israel were in the hands of the Philistines for forty years; and for forty years, the children of Israel ate manna. The people of Nineveh had to repent for forty days. We find that Saul, David, Solomon, and Joash reigned as kings for forty years. So we should not be surprised to find that Jesus went into the wilderness for forty days and forty nights.
We must also remember that both Moses and Elijah began their public ministrations by fasting for forty days and forty nights, and preparing for their final acts. In the case of Jesus, however, His first acts were to be those dealing with material, earthly affairs, while with Moses and Elijah they were to be of a spiritual nature, dealing with spir- itual problems. Hence, Jesus went into the low- lands of a wilderness while Moses and Elijah went up on the mountaintop.
We find from the Christian accounts of the ex- periences of Jesus during His forty days in the wilderness that it was a period of temptation, and the story being told symbolically, the temptations of the earth are personified as coming from the per- son of Satan. The temptations, however, through which Jesus had to pass were symbolical of those presented to Him during His initiation in Egypt,
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when He was being prepared for the ministry. Ac’ cording to the old records Jesus Himself meditated upon what form of temptations the world would present to Him during His ministry, and one by one these temptations were stated by Himself as though being spoken by the “tempter.” Then He reviewed the nature of the temptation, analyzed it carefully, and formulated what answer He would be able to give and what attitude He would be able to maintain throughout His life, if ever brought face to face with such temptations. Therefore, the entire process was one of self-examination; and it is recorded that the ultimate result of the self- examination, and a consideration of the conditions that Jesus would have to face brought Him to the point where He realized that He would come to the final close of His career during a public attack upon His methods and life, culminating in His crucifixion. Therefore, we understand why Jesus made prophetic reference, a number of times, to the sad close of His life, and why He anticipated and was more or less prepared for what actually occurred. In truth, He knew that He would not be the first of the Avatars who had been crucified, and who had been accused wrongly by the very people who would have benefited the most from
the instructions and teachings offered. [ 231]
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In fact, we find that as soon as Jesus had com- pleted His forty days of meditation and self- examination, and had outlined His plans for His ministry, He learned that John, who had baptized Him, was already in prison because of his mission- ary work. So we know that Jesus was aware of the fate that awaited Him, and yet it did not deter Him nor discourage Him, for all these things were tests of His sincerity.
So Jesus began to preach the doctrine of repent- ance. This doctrine was not unique with Jesus but it was a new form of preachment for the public in Palestine. El-Moria in Egypt, centuries before, had introduced the doctrine of regeneration as the re- ward for repentance, and it had been a doctrine with the Great White Brotherhood in all lands; but Jesus added an inspired hope to the hearts and minds of all—*The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!”
Analyzing all of the doctrines introduced by Jesus, we find that each and every one of them had a mystical principle as its basis, and these mys- tical principles were natural, spiritual laws. Com- paring the pristine doctrines of Christ and the gen- eral tone of His message, to the present-day Chris- tian doctrines and messages, we find an outstand- ing difference. Jesus preached a message of hope
which might be expressed in these words: “Believe [232
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in me and my teachings, love and act in love to- ward all and let hope be the soul of your deeds, for beyond this present existence there is a more perfect life to come. I know this for I have come therefrom, and thither I will lead you. Aspiration alone will not serve you. To attain the more per- fect life of the future, you must begin by realizing it now, first by finding it within yourselves, in the Kingdom of Heaven that is within, then after- wards finding it in humanity through the acts of love and charity.” The present-day doctrines preach a message of despair which must be phrased briefly in these words: “Ye are all sons of evil, born in sin and living in sin, and in sin shall ye die. The Kingdom of Heaven is far from thee, and can never be attained except ye are born again and through regeneration become purified and saved from the sins which ye have inherited.” We can understand, then, why the multitudes of Palestine followed Him and found peace and renewed life in His words. Nowhere in the rec- ords of the Brotherhood do we find that the mira- cles of Jesus nor the wonderful demonstrations of healing which He performed attracted as much attention or brought as much hope and happiness into the lives of the public as did His message. Those of the Brotherhood who are well acquainted
with the principles involved, rightfully feel that [ 233]
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the present-day emphasis upon the miraculous healing of Jesus is a mistake, for in His time these things were but mere incidents and not the objec tives of His mission, nor the paramount benefit which He bestowed. His cordial message of ““Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest,” was one which meant more to the multitudes than the raising of the dead or the healing of the sick. Think again of the con- tentions, the struggles, the bitter disappointments, the blasted hopes, and the peaceful aspirations of the people of Palestine at this time, and you will realize what such a message meant to them. Jesus’ famous sermon on the Mount represents an image of the Kingdom of Heaven which He was already bringing into consciousness in the hearts of the people. Did He require them to do great fast- ing, make unusual sacrifices, or suffer public pen- ance? None of these were recommended by Jesus; He merely said that all should lift up their eyes and attune their spirits with the new Kingdom. “Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven,” was the consolation that He offered to the downtrodden, and those who were forlorn and in despair. His presentation of the four Beatitudes: the marvelous power of humil- ity, sorrow for others, the inner goodness of the
heart, and hunger and thirst after righteousness [ 234}
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were the mystical doctrines or spiritual principles which He taught as being the Way to the King- dom of Heaven. And like the sound of a mystic, silver bell in the temples of old, resounded the pure, pristine principle of “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God!”
Even His doctrine of regeneration called for no material, physical sacrifice as demanded by others who had left the multitudes in despondency. ‘Ex- cept a man be born again, he cannot see the King- dom of God,” meant no difficult thing for those who understood the spiritual, mystical laws in- volved; for Jesus explained, “Verily I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.” These words are recorded in the Book of John; for John was careful to preserve the mystical state- ments of Jesus, knowing the importance of this part of the Divine messages. Regeneration by water, rebirth through Baptism, and awakening of the Divine Consciousness within through the Holy Spirit, was the Way to the new Kingdom.
In the Great White Brotherhood and in the Rosicrucian Brotherhood of today all of the doc- trines, teachings, thoughts for meditation, and principles for experience are intended to enable the student to awaken that inner consciousness
and permit the Holy Spirit to bring about the [ 235]
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attunement which leads to the finding of the Holy Kingdom. With the coming of Cosmic Conscious ness, through the awakening of the Holy Spirit, comes illumination of the mind, peace to the soul and body, power to the mental faculties, intuition, the healing touch, the ability to master and accom- plish, and the prowess to overcome the earthly, material obstacles to success and happiness. These are the offerings of the Brotherhood in all lands, and freely are they offered and freely must they be accepted, in sincerity, and with an open mind. No material price can be placed upon these things, nor can they be commercialized in books and public manuscripts. For ages have the Rosicrucians pre- served these teachings and carried on with the Divine principles without bias, without price, or prejudice. To the few who are worthy, these things are accessible. To those who are curious and demand a sign or a symbol, nothing is shown and nothing is given.
The miracles performed by Jesus were never supernatural in the sense that they extended be- yond the limitations of natural law, or found their manifestation through a unique application of an unusual law. To the mystics of old and to Jesus, the Master of these things, all laws were Divine laws, all principles were Godly, and there was
nothing supernatural, nothing superdivine, unique, [ 236 ]
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or extraordinary, in what He did. His power to perform miracles was dual: mental apprehension and comprehension of the laws involved, with the ability to apply them properly and direct their operation; and the Divine within Him which en- abled Him efficiently to direct the creative proc esses of the God Consciousness in His soul. Half of His power was a Divine gift born in Him; the other half, a power developed through study, train- ing, and experience. To some degree all men and women are born with the Divine power to per- form, and to some degree all men and women may attain the mental mastership necessary for the ap- plication of the Divine power. Jesus Himself is the authority for the statement that others could do the things which He did—even greater things. Great Avatars before Him had performed similar miracles, and even today there are those who heal and who raise those who are literally dead, through the Divine power that is God’s greatest gift to man. Jesus did not teach that so-called death or transition was something which might be stayed, continually prevented, or completely eliminated from the life of man, but that it was an inevitable event in the life of all beings. In this we see a dis- tinct contradiction of the unsound and unnatural doctrine that transition may be avoided and life
made continuous in one body. “There is no [237]
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death!” is true of the real part of man, and of the physical part as well; but Jesus and His Disciples taught that there is a change in all material things and that transition of the soul and body are mani- festations of the spiritual law. However, disease and suffering are abnormal and preventable, and this Jesus demonstrated. Also, He taught how to live that the physical body might be free of suffer- ing, and the mind free of the tortures of sin. The Rosicrucians of today teach how man may live in harmony with natural law, and avoid the suffering of the flesh and the sins of the body, so that man may dwell in peace and happiness until the hour of transition comes.
It is easily understood that the teachings and demonstrations of Jesus antagonized those of the orthodox faith. Jesus was a modernist in every sense of the word, and He came into the land of fundamentalists with doctrines and demonstrations of doctrines that were contrary to all that had been taught to and believed by the multitudes.
In my recent journey through Palestine I noted the contest between the various sects, and espe- cially the determination of the strictly orthodox to adhere to the ancient customs and rites of their forefathers. It was quite evident that if Jesus came to Jerusalem today and preached once again as He
did before, and made demonstrations of the truth [ 238]
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of His teachings, he would be crucified again by incarceration, by rejection on the part of the strict- ly orthodox, and by ridicule on the part of the skeptics and doubters. Undoubtedly the same would result if He came to the Western world and right into the midst of those who are at pres ent discussing the evolution of man’s thinking, and the advancement of his comprehension, which effects a change in his beliefs and faiths.
During the period of the public ministry of Jesus, He passed through four ancient, traditional stages of initiation as outlined centuries before by Pythagoras, which were: The first degree or prep- aration, culminating in the sermon on the Mount; the second degree or purification, represented by the miraculous healings and the demonstrations of Christian mystical therapeutics; the third degree or illumination, manifested by the raising of Laza- rus; and the fourth degree or spiritual vision, mani- fested by the transfiguration.
How these events and stages of His mission culminated, and what they meant to this great Master, I will present in the next and following chapters.
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