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diff --git a/38590.txt b/38590.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7c9272c --- /dev/null +++ b/38590.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7445 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Story of Anna Kingsford and Edward +Maitland and of the new Gospel of Interpretation, by Edward Maitland + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Story of Anna Kingsford and Edward Maitland and of the new Gospel of Interpretation + +Author: Edward Maitland + +Editor: Samuel Hopgood Hart + +Release Date: January 16, 2012 [EBook #38590] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ANNA KINGSFORD, EDWARD MAITLAND *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Ron Stephens and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + THE STORY + + OF + + ANNA KINGSFORD AND + EDWARD MAITLAND + + AND OF + + THE NEW GOSPEL OF + INTERPRETATION + + BY + + EDWARD MAITLAND. + EDITED BY SAMUEL HOPGOOD HART. + + + "The days of the Covenant of Manifestation are passing away; + The Gospel of Interpretation cometh." + + "There shall nothing new be told; but that which is ancient + shall be interpreted." + + * * * * * + + "Now is the Gospel of Interpretation come, and the kingdom + of the Mother of God."--_C.W.S._, Part I. No. ii. (part 2) 10. 11. + and Part II. No. xiii. 31. + + THIRD AND ENLARGED EDITION. + + PRICE THREE SHILLINGS AND SIXPENCE. + + BIRMINGHAM: + THE RUSKIN PRESS, STAFFORD STREET. + 1905. + + + + + _1st Edition ... Christmas, 1893._ + _2nd Edition ... Christmas, 1894._ + _3rd Edition ... Christmas, 1905._ + + + + +PREFACE + +TO THE FIRST AND SECOND EDITIONS. + + +This book is designed (1) in satisfaction of the widely-expressed desire +for a more particular account than has yet been rendered concerning the +genesis of the writings claiming to constitute a "New Gospel of +Interpretation"; and (2) in fulfilment of the duty incumbent on me as +the survivor of the two recipients of such Gospel to spare no means +which may minister to its recognition and acceptance by the world, for +whose benefit it has been vouchsafed. + +Although largely biographical in character, this book is not a history +of individuals, but of a Work, and involves only such personal +references as are necessary to such history. It is not, however, a full +or a final account that is contained in it. Such an account can be given +only in the form of the regular biography which is in course of +preparation. This book is an instalment only of that biography, being +put forth in advance of it, partly, as said above, to meet a present +need, and partly, to prevent a total loss of the record in the event of +my failure to complete it--a contingency of which, in view of the +magnitude of the task and my advanced age, I am bound to take account. + + E.M. + + + + +PREFACE + +TO THE THIRD EDITION. + + +Since the publication in 1893 of this book which, as stated in Chapter +VII., was "intended but as an epitome and instalment" of a far larger +book then in course of preparation, the full and final account of the +"New Gospel of Interpretation" has been given to the world. In 1896 +Edward Maitland published his _magnum opus_, "The Life of Anna +Kingsford," in two large volumes of 420 pages, "illustrated with +portraits, views, and facsimiles." This is, and will always be, the +biography _par excellence_ of Anna Kingsford and Edward Maitland, and it +is absolutely indispensable for those who would know all that there is +to be known of them and their work and of the "New Gospel of +Interpretation." As that book, however, on account of its great length, +must always be a costly book, and therefore beyond the means of many who +would like to have some reliable information concerning Anna Kingsford +and Edward Maitland and their work, and as there are many who, on +account of their time for reading being limited or their inclination to +read being little, require information within the compass of a small +book or go without it altogether, there will, notwithstanding the +publication of the "Life of Anna Kingsford," be a demand for this +shorter "Story," which is so admirably suited to meet the needs or +requirements of these classes of persons; for, be it noted, the +publication of "The Life of Anna Kingsford" has not in any way +depreciated the value of this book in this sense that, having been +written by one of the two recipients of the "New Gospel of +Interpretation," it is a first authority second to none for the +statements therein contained. + +The change in the title of the book from "The Story of the New Gospel of +Interpretation" to the present title calls for some explanation and +justification, because the former title was an excellent one in many +respects, and the book has become known to many by that title. The +"Gospel of Interpretation" is the name or description which was given by +its Divine Inspirers, the Hierarchy of the Spheres Celestial, to the +work of which this book tells the story, in token of its relation to the +previous "Gospel of Manifestation." The former title implied, as the +Author pointed out in his preface, that that which this book propounded +was "not really a new Gospel, but one of Interpretation only"; and this +is not really new, but, as the Author has also pointed out, "so old as +to have become forgotten and lost, being the purely spiritual sense, as +discerned from the purely spiritual standpoint originally intended and +insisted on by Scripture itself as its true sense and standpoint, and +those which alone render Scripture intelligible"[1]. But notwithstanding +this, and notwithstanding that on the front page it was expressly stated +that "There shall nothing new be told; but that which is ancient shall +be interpreted," the former title failed to convey to the minds of some +the meaning that it was intended to convey, and it gave no indication of +the biographical nature of the work. Many who otherwise would have read +the book refrained from doing so because they thought that a new Gospel, +inconsistent with and perhaps opposed to if not intended to supersede +the old Gospel, was propounded. It is necessary, therefore, for me to +state, if possible more explicitly than it was stated in the previous +editions of this book, that this is not an attempt to create a new +Gospel differing from that of Jesus Christ[2]. Anna Kingsford's and +Edward Maitland's mission and aim was to interpret the Christ, not to +rival or supersede Him. The "New Gospel" is, first and foremost, +_interpretative_, and is destructive only in the sense of +reconstructive. "It tells nothing new; it simply restores and reinforces +the old, even the Gnosis, which, as the doctrine of the Church unfallen, +is that also of the Church fallen, though the latter has lost the key to +its interpretation"[3]. Nor is the teaching represented by this book +opposed to the existence of an objective Church. Anna Kingsford and +Edward Maitland fully recognised the necessity of such an organisation +for the formulation, propagation, and exposition of religion. Their +opposition was "only to the recognition by the Church of the objective, +historical, and materialistic aspect of religion, _to the exclusion_ of +that which really constitutes religion, namely, its subjective, +spiritual, and substantial aspect, wherein alone it appeals to the mind +and soul, and is efficacious for redemption." The aim of the New Gospel +"is defined exactly," said Edward Maitland, "in the following citation +from St. Dionysius the Areopagite 'not to destroy, but to construct; or, +rather, to destroy by construction; to conquer error by the full +presentment of truth.' As will be obvious, such a design does not +necessarily involve the destruction of anything that exists whether of +symbol or ritual, or ecclesiastical organisation, but only their +regeneration by means of their translation into their spiritual and +divinely intended sense. And it is precisely because that sense has been +lost--as declared in Scripture it had long been, and would yet long be, +lost--that a new 'Gospel of Interpretation' has been vouchsafed in +fulfilment of the promises in Scripture to that effect; and this from +the source of the original Divine revelation, namely, the Church +Celestial, and by the method which always was that of such revelation, +namely, the intuition operating under special illumination.... Even the +priest, though hitherto deservedly regarded as the 'enemy of man,' will +not be destroyed under the new _regime_ whose inauguration we are +witnessing. For in becoming interpreter as well as administrator, he +will be prophet as well as priest, and speak out the things of God and +the soul instead of concealing them under a veil. So will the 'veil be +taken away,' and Cain, the priest, instead of killing Abel, the prophet, +as hitherto, will unite with him, becoming prophet and priest in one. +And instead of any longer corrupting the 'woman' Intuition, and +suppressing the 'man' Intellect, he will purify and exalt her, and +enable her to fulfil her proper function as 'the Mother of God' in man, +and will recognise the intellect, when duly conjoined with her, as the +heir of all things. Thus, becoming interpreter as well as administrator, +prophet as well as priest, and recognising interpretation as the +corollary of the understanding, the prophet-priest of the regeneration +will give to men freely of the waters of life, that only true bread of +Heaven, which is the food of the understanding, instead of the +indigestible 'stones' and poisonous 'serpents' of doctrines, the +profession of which, by divorcing assent from conviction, involves that +moral and intellectual suicide, to induce others to join him in +committing which Cardinal Newman wrote his 'Grammar of Assent,' True it +is 'faith that saves,' but the faith that is without understanding is +not faith, but credulity"[4]. It is for the above-mentioned reasons that +the title of this book has been changed. The title must be subservient +to the book, and it is hoped that, the change having been made, there +will not be any further misunderstanding--even on the part of those who +are most superficial--as to the nature and object of "The Story of the +New Gospel of Interpretation." + +Edward Maitland did not long survive the completion of the great task +that he undertook when he set himself to write a full account of his +life and that of his colleague. He retained his full mental vigour until +the publication of "The Life of Anna Kingsford"; but after that he +rapidly declined, and on the 2nd October, 1897, at the close of his +seventy-third year, a little over nine years after the death of Anna +Kingsford[5], he passed away peacefully at "The Warders" at Tonbridge, +the home (at that time) of his friends Colonel and Mrs. Currie, with +whom, and under whose loving care, he spent the last few months of his +life--a life concerning which, as also that of Anna Kingsford, I will +not say anything here, for this book will testify. Blessed are the souls +whom the just commemorate before God. + + * * * * * + +Many who read these pages will not rest until they know more of those +great prophets the story of whose lives is here told, and of the Divine +Gnosis that it was their high mission to proclaim. I have indicated +whence they can obtain this information. This "Story," interesting as it +is and much as there is in it, is little more than an indication of some +of the facts that are fully stated and dealt with in "The Life of Anna +Kingsford," and there is much of importance that (as it could not +possibly receive proper treatment in a book of this size) was passed +over here to be related in the larger biography. I have not thought it +expedient to alter the character of or to add much to this book, but I +have enlarged it by incorporating therein, from "The Life of Anna +Kingsford," some additional matter which is of interest, and which +should add to the value of the book. The most important additions are +the account of Anna Kingsford's vision of "The Doomed Train," on p.p. +43-47; the account of Anna Kingsford's vision of Adonai, on pp. 64-68; +the "Exhortation of Hermes to his Neophytes," on pp. 110-112; the verses +"Concerning the Passage of the Soul," on pp. 169-170; and the +illumination of Anna Kingsford concerning the "Work of Power," on +pp. 180-181. I have also amplified the text in some places when, on +comparing it with corresponding passages in "The Life of Anna +Kingsford," I found that I could do so with advantage. These +amplifications are not otherwise noted. Finally, I have added some notes +where I thought that further explanation was desirable or would prove +acceptable. + + SAML. HOPGOOD HART. + + Croydon, December, 1905. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[1] E.M. Letter in "Light" of 29th August, 1891. + +[2] See further as to this, an article by A.K. and E.M. in "Light" of +23rd September, 1882, reprinted in Life A.K. Vol. II. p. 77. + +[3] E.M. Letter in "Light" of 22nd July, 1893. + +[4] E.M. Letter in "Light" of 17th December, 1892. + +[5] A.K. died on the 22nd February, 1888 + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + + +There are certain introductory remarks which, in view of the prevailing +tendency to reject prior to examination whatever conflicts with strongly +cherished preconceptions--as anything purporting to be a "new Gospel" is +undoubtedly calculated to do--may be made with advantage. Those remarks +are as follows:-- + +(1) As its title implies[6], that which is propounded is not really a +new Gospel, but one of Interpretation only, which is precisely what is +admitted by all serious and thoughtful persons to be the supreme need of +the times. It was said, for instance, by the late Matthew Arnold, "At +the present moment there are two things about the Christian religion +which must be obvious to every percipient person: one, that men cannot +do without it; the other, that they cannot do with it as it is." + +(2) As also its title implies[6] nothing new is told in it, but that +only which is old is interpreted; and the appeal on its behalf is not to +authority, whether of Book, Tradition, or Institution, but to the +Understanding--a quality which accords not only with the spirit of the +times, but also--as shewn herein--with that of religion itself, properly +so called. + +(3) Scripture manifestly comprises two conflicting systems of doctrine +and practice, having for their representatives respectively the priest +and the prophet, one only of which systems, and this the system +reprobated in Scripture itself, has hitherto obtained recognition from +Christendom. It is the purpose of the New Gospel of Interpretation to +expound the system represented by the prophet and approved in Scripture, +with a view to replacing the other. + +(4) For those who attach value to the prophecies contained in the Bible, +so far from there being an _a priori_ improbability against the delivery +of a new revelation in interpretation, confirmation, or completion of +the former revelation, and in correction of the false presentment of it, +the probability ought to be all in favour of such an event. This is +because Scripture abounds in predictions of a restoration both of +faculty and of knowledge, as to take place at the present time and under +the existing conditions of Church and World; and this of such kind as +shall constitute a second and spiritual manifestation of the Christ in +rectification of the perversion of the import of His first and personal +manifestation, and in arrest of the great Apostacy, not only from the +true faith of Christ but from religion itself, of which that perversion +has been the cause. + +(5) So far from the idea of a new revelation which shall have for its +end the disclosure, as the true sense of Scripture and Dogma, of a +sense differing so widely from that hitherto accepted as to be virtually +destructive of it,--so far from this idea being universally repugnant to +orthodox ecclesiastics, it has found warm recognition from one of the +foremost of modern churchmen. This is the late Cardinal Newman. + +Said Dr Newman in his _Apologia pro vita sua_, speaking of his earlier +days, "The broad philosophy of Clement and Origen carried me away; the +philosophy, not the theological doctrine.... Some portions of their +teaching, magnificent in themselves, came like music to my inward ear, +as if the response to ideas, which, with little external to encourage +them, I had cherished so long. These were based on the mystical or +sacramental principle, and spoke of the various Economies or +Dispensations of the Eternal. I understood these passages to mean that +the exterior world, physical and historical, was but the manifestation +to our senses of realities greater than itself. Nature was a parable: +Scripture was an allegory:.... The process of change had been slow; it +had been done not rashly, but by rule and measure, 'at sundry times and +in divers manners,' first one disclosure and then another, till the +whole evangelical doctrine was brought into full manifestation. And thus +room was made for the anticipation of further and deeper disclosures of +truths still under the veil of the letter, and in their season to be +revealed. The visible world still remains without its divine +interpretation: Holy Church in her sacraments and her hierarchical +appointments, will remain, even to the end of the world, after all but a +symbol of those heavenly facts which fill eternity. Her mysteries are +but the expressions, in human language, of truths to which the human +mind is unequal"[7]. + +Dr Newman is credited also with the remark, made on visiting Rome for +his investiture, that he saw no hope for religion save in a new +revelation. + +These are utterances the value of which is in no way diminished by the +fact that their utterer failed to bring his own life into accordance +with them. He could write, indeed, the hymn "Lead, kindly light"; but +when the "kindly light" was vouchsafed him of those suggestions of a +system of thought concealed within the Christian Symbology, "magnificent +in themselves" and making "music to his inward ear," which he found in +the patristic writings; instead of following that lead, and striving to +exhume the treasures of divine truth thus buried and hidden from sight, +for the salvation of a world perishing for want of them,--he turned his +back upon it, and--entering the Church of Rome--wrote his "Grammar of +Assent," calling upon others to follow him in committing the suicide, +intellectual and moral, of renouncing the understanding and divorcing +profession from conviction. + +This was a catastrophe the explanation of which is not far to seek. Dr +Newman had in him the elements which go to make both priest and prophet. +But the former proved the stronger; and the Cain, the priest in him, +suppressed the Abel, the prophet in him. Thus was he a type of the +Church as hitherto she has been. But, happily, not as henceforth she +will be. For "now is the Gospel of Interpretation come, and the kingdom +of the Mother of God," even the "Woman," Intuition,--the mind's feminine +mode, wherein it represents the perceptions and recollections of the +Soul--who is ever "Mother of God" in man, and whose sons the prophets +ever are, the greatest of them being called emphatically, for the +fulness and purity of his intuition, the "Son of the Woman" and she a +"virgin." + + E.M. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[6] The original title of this book was "The Story of the New Gospel of +Interpretation." See preface to the present edition. S.H.H. + +[7] Apologia pro vita sua, by J. H. Newman. New edition of 1893, pp. 26, +27. + + + + +FRONTISPIECES. + + + I.--PORTRAIT OF DR. ANNA KINGSFORD. + _Born, Sep. 16th, 1846; Died, Feb. 22nd, 1888._ + + II.--PORTRAIT OF EDWARD MAITLAND (_B.A., Cantab_). + _Born, Oct. 27th, 1824; Died, Oct, 2nd, 1897._ + +TABLE OF CONTENTS. + + + PAGE + + PREFACE TO THE FIRST AND SECOND EDITIONS v. + + PREFACE TO THE THIRD EDITION vii.-xiii. + + INTRODUCTION xv.-xix. + + TABLE OF CONTENTS xx.-xxii. + + ABBREVIATIONS xxiii. + + + CHAPTER I. + + THE VOCATION. + + The Instruments--Their early lives--Their consciousness of a special + mission, and intimations of a call--Their training in respect of + circumstance, character, and faculty, until brought together + for their Joint work. 1-36 + + + CHAPTER II. + + THE INITIATION. + + A baptism of the Spirit--"At last I have found a man through whom + I can speak!"--Intimation of the nature and aim of their work--The + Doomed train, "No one on the engine!"--Instantaneous + transfer of inspiration--"Woman, what have I to do with + thee?"--The recovery of a Gospel scene, and its import--"The + woman taken in adultery"--Vision of Adonai--Source of the + opening sentences in St. John's Gospel--Chapter from the recovered + Gnosis--The Generation of the Word. 37-70 + + + CHAPTER III. + + THE COMMUNICATION. + + The perfect love that casts out fear." In the presence of celestial + visitants--A parable of the Intuition--"The Wonderful + Spectacles"--The Greek element in the work--Hermes and John the + Baptist--The "heresy of Prometheus"--The Fig-tree, a symbol of the + inward understanding; the time come for it to bear fruit--The + Seeress's faculty--Her relations with Hermes--"Thou art the + Rock" addressed to Hermes--The parable of the Fig-tree--The + Mystic Woman of Holy Writ--"Go thy way, Daniel.... + Thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days"--The + prophecy of the book of Esther--The Angel Genius, his account + of himself and his office--Divine revelation the supreme common + sense--The source and method of the New Revelation--Its chief + recipient "not a medium or a seer, but a prophet"--An instruction + and a caution concerning the survival of tendencies encouraged + in past lives--Communion with souls of the departed--The + conditions of such intercourse--An instruction concerning + Inspiration and Prophesying--The prophecy of "the kingdom of + the Mother of God." 71-108 + + + CHAPTER IV. + + THE ANTAGONISATION. + + "Ye are not yet perfected"--Our respective _Auras_--An + exhortation--The Seven Spirits of God, their co-operation + necessary for a perfect work--"You belong to us now, to do our + work and not your own"--Enforced silence--"The Powers of the Air;" + their mode of attack--A strange visitant and his communication--A + strained situation--Visions of guidance--The "refractory team," + and the "Two Stars"--The promised land reached only through + the wilderness--"The Word a Word of mystery, and they who + guard it Seven"--"One Neophyte could not save himself"--A + Horoscope--A descent into hell--Counsels of Perfection--A + "Merry Christmas"--A timely arrival--Neoplatonic recognition + of Hermes--The one Truth, never without a witness in the + world--The key of knowledge restored--Problems solved--The mystic + "Woman" of Holy Writ. 109-141 + + + CHAPTER V. + + THE RECAPITULATION. + + The key to the mystery of the Bible; the "Veil of Moses" + withdrawn--The secret laid bare of the world's sacrificial system, + and the feud between priest and prophet--The Memory of the + Soul--The Standpoint of the Bible--All that is true is + Spiritual--The revelation of "that wicked one"--The seals broken + and the books opened--The New Gospel of + Interpretation--Sacerdotalism the "Jerusalem which killed the + prophets"--The suppressed doctrines--Reincarnation the corollary + and condition of Regeneration and implicit in the + Bible--"Ye _must_ be born again of Virgin Mary and Holy + Ghost"--The doctrines of the Trinity and Divine Incarnation as now + interpreted, necessary and self-evident truths--Evolution the + manifestation of a divine inherency; accomplished only by the + realisation of Divinity--The process of regeneration, and therein + of salvation, interior to the individual--Adam and Christ the + initial and final stages in the spiritual evolution of every + man--The "Christ within" of St Paul--The _Credo_ an epitome of the + spiritual history of the Sons of God. 142-162 + + + CHAPTER VI. + + THE EXEMPLIFICATION. + + Spontaneity of the Seeress's faculty--Specific illuminations, in + illustration, chiefly, of the process of Regeneration; concerning + (1) Holy Writ; (2) Redemption; (3) Sin and death; (4) The Twelve + Gates of Regeneration; (5) The Passage of the Soul; (6) The + Mystic Exodus; (7) The Spiritual Phoibos and the order of the + Christs; (8) The Previous Lives of Jesus, and Reincarnation; + (9) The Work of Power; the land and tongue of the New + Revelation, why ours. 163-183 + + + CHAPTER VII. + + THE PROMULGATION AND RECOGNITION. + + Accordance of all the dates with those prophesied--Other + coincidences--Why our work has remained so long unknown to the + generality--Notable recognitions, by representative Kabalists, + Mystics, Occultists and Divines, Catholic, Anglican, and + others--Spiritualism, Theosophy, and the New Gospel of + Interpretation as fellow-agents in the unfoldment of the world's + spiritual consciousness, and the unsealing of the world's Bibles, + prophesied to take place at this epoch--"Abraham, Isaac, and + Jacob," the Hebrew equivalents for Brahma, Isis, and Iacchos, to + denote the mysteries of India, Egypt, and Greece, the Spirit, the + Soul, and the Body, and therein the Gnosis of which the Christ is + the fulfilment and personal demonstration, and the restoration of + which was prophesied by Jesus as to mean the Regeneration of the + Church and the establishment of the divine kingdom on + earth--Mysticism and Occultism, the distinction between them, and + the necessity of both physical and spiritual science to a perfect + system of thought and rule of life--Conclusion. 184-204 + + + + +ABBREVIATIONS. + + + A.K., for Anna Kingsford. + + B.O.A.I., for "The Bible's Own Account of Itself," by E.M.; second + edition, 1905. + + C.W.S., for "Clothed With The Sun," being the book of the + Illuminations of A.K.; edited by E.M., 1889. + + D. and D.-S., for "Dreams and Dream-Stones," by A.K., edited by + E.M.; second edition, 1888. + + E.C.U., for "The Esoteric Christian Union," founded by E.M. in + 1891. + + E. and I., for "England and Islam; or, The Counsel of Caiaphas," by + E.M., 1877. + + E.M., for Edward Maitland. + + Life A.K., for "The Life of Anna Kingsford," by E.M., 1896. + + P.W., for "The Perfect Way; or, The Finding of Christ," by A.K. and + E.M.; third edition, revised, 1890. + + Statement, E.C.U., for "The New Gospel of Interpretation; being an + Abstract of the Doctrine and Statement of the Objects of the + Esoteric Christian Union," by E.M.; revised and enlarged edition, + 1892. + + + + + BIRMINGHAM: + THE RUSKIN PRESS, RUSKIN HOUSE, + STAFFORD STREET. + 1905. + +[Illustration: Edward Maitland] + +[Illustration: Anna Kingsford] + + + + +THE + +STORY OF ANNA KINGSFORD AND + +EDWARD MAITLAND + +AND + +OF THE NEW GOSPEL OF + +INTERPRETATION. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +THE VOCATION. + + +My colleague in the work, the history of which I am about to render some +account, was the late Anna Kingsford, _nee_ Bonus, M.D. of the +University of Paris. + +There was a link between her husband's family and mine, but we were not +personally acquainted until, in the summer of 1873, she was led by +reading one of my books[8] to open a correspondence with me, which +disclosed so striking a community between us of ideas, aims, and +methods, that I accepted an invitation to visit her at her husband's +rectory at Pontesbury, Salop, in Shropshire, for the sake of a fuller +discussion of them. This visit which lasted nearly a fortnight, took +place in February, 1874[9]. + +The account I received of her history was in this wise. Born at +Stratford, in Essex, on the 16th September, 1846, long after the last of +her many brothers and sisters, and endowed with the most fragile of +constitutions and liabilities the most distressing of bodily weakness +and suffering, and differing widely, moreover, in temperament from all +with whom she was associated, her young life had enjoyed but a scanty +share of human sympathy, and was largely one of solitude and meditation, +and such as to foster the highly artistic, idealistic, and mystic +tendencies with which she was born. Singularly energetic of will, and +conscious of powers both transcending in degree and differing in kind +from any that she recognised in others, she assiduously exercised her +faculties in many and various directions in the hope of discovering the +special direction in which her mission lay. For, from her earliest +childhood she had been conscious of a mission, for the accomplishment of +which she had expressly come into the earth-life. And she claimed even +to have distinct recollection of having been strongly dissuaded from +coming, on account of the terrible suffering which awaited her in the +event of her assuming a body of flesh. Indeed, so little conscious was +she of the reality of her human parentage that she was wont to look upon +herself as a suppositious child of fairy origin; and on her first visit +to the pantomime, when the fairies made their appearance on the stage, +she declared that they were her proper people, and cried and struggled +to get to them with such vehemence that it was necessary to remove her +from the theatre. Among her amusements, her chief delight was in the +ample gardens around her homes at Stratford and Blackheath, where she +would hold familiar converse with the flowers, putting into their petals +tiny notes for her lost relatives, the fairies, who in return would +visit her in her dreams and assure her of their continued affection, and +counsel her to have patience and courage. + +The chief occupation of her girlhood was the writing of poems and +tales[10] which were tinged with an exquisite mysticism, and showed a +ripeness of soul and maturity of feeling and knowledge wholly +unaccountable for by her years, her experiences, or her physical +heredity. At school she always obtained the first prizes for +composition, and her faculty of improvisation was the delight of her +companions; the subjects of these her earlier romances being lovely +princesses, gallant knights, castles, dragons, and the like, when--as +may readily be supposed--her tall and slender frame, long golden hair, +delicacy of complexion, deep-set hazel eyes, beauty of feature, the brow +and the mouth being especially notable, the brightness of her looks, +vivacity of her manner, her musical voice, and the easy eloquence of her +diction,--all combined to make her an ideal heroine for her own +romances. She could hardly, however, be said to be a _persona grata_ +with her pastors and masters. For while her independence of character +and strength of will were apt to bring her into conflict with rules and +regulations of which she failed to recognise the need, her thirst for +knowledge, especially on religious subjects, prompted her to the +proposition of questions which were highly embarrassing to her teachers; +and nothing that they could say succeeded in convincing her that her +duty lay in believing what she was told, and not in understanding it. +She very early learnt to resent the disabilities of her sex, and to +insist that they were not real but artificial, the result of masculine +selfishness and injustice. This hatred of injustice and its correlative +cruelty, especially towards animals, attained in her the force and +dignity of a passion, her sensitiveness on this score making the chief +mental misery of her life. + +Of one gift possessed by her she early learnt to repress the +manifestation. This was the faculty for seeing apparitions and divining +the characters and fortunes of people. For she was a born seer. But the +inability of her elders to comprehend the faculty, and their consequent +ascription of it to pathological causes, were wont to lead to references +to the family doctor with results so eminently disagreeable and even +injurious to her, as soon to suggest the wisdom of keeping silence +respecting her experiences. + +Her first published compositions were written at the age of +thirteen[11], the editors who accepted her contributions to their +magazines being under the impression that they came from a grown-up +person and not from the mere child that she was. They cost her, she +assured me, little labour, especially the poems, but seemed to come to +her ready-made, and to flow through her spontaneously. And whatever the +country in which their scene lay, the local colouring and descriptions +were always faithful and vivid, as if the places and their inhabitants +were familiar and even actually visible to her. + +It was not, however, to any encouragement of her peculiar gifts that +such excellency as she exhibited was due. Rather were they severely +repressed, especially in respect of drawing, singing and music, lest she +should be tempted to follow them as a profession; a fear which had been +excited by the suggestions of her masters that she would be certain of +success in any of those lines. + +Her innate consciousness of a mission seemed to her to indicate her as +destined for some redemptive work, not only for others, but also for +herself. For, while the instincts of the Champion and the Saviour were +potent in her, she was dimly conscious of its possessing also an +expiatory element, in virtue of which her own salvation would largely +depend upon her endeavours to save others. She had as yet no theory +whereby to explain this or any other of the problems she was to herself. +All that she knew was that she possessed, or rather was possessed of, +these feelings and impulses. It was easy to see by her account of +herself that she was as one driven of the Spirit long before the Spirit +definitely revealed itself to her. The two departments of humanity which +she felt especially impelled to succour and save were her own sex and +the animals. For she would recognise no hard and fast line between +masculine and feminine, human and animal, or even between animal and +plant. In her eyes everything that lived was humanity, only in different +stages of its unfoldment. Even the flowers were persons for her. + +As she approached womanhood she found herself looking forward to +marriage far less for its own sake than as a means of emancipation from +restrictions on her choice of a career. Her father died while she was +yet wanting two or three years of her majority, leaving her mistress of +an income ample for a single woman. And when at length she became +engaged to Algernon Godfrey Kingsford, a cousin to whom she had some +time been attached, it was on the understanding that she should remain +unfettered in this respect. He held at the time a post in the Civil +Service; but soon after their marriage, which took place on the last day +of 1867, determined to read for holy orders. This gave her an +opportunity for making herself acquainted with Anglican theology, of +which--thirsting for knowledge of all kinds--she eagerly availed +herself, accompanying him in all his studies, and greatly facilitating +them by her admirable scholarly methods. This proved to be the first +great step in her religious and intellectual training for her destined +mission. + +One of the occupations of her early married life was the editing of a +lady's magazine, which she purchased with a view of making it an +instrument for the dissemination of her ideas especially in regard to +her sex. And she accordingly took an active part in the movement then +recently originated for the enfranchisement of women, achieving an +extraordinary success as a public speaker. But, becoming convinced that +their cause would be best advanced by the practical demonstration of +their fitness for the promotion they sought, and also feeling her own +need for the discipline of a severe intellectual training to balance the +emotional side of her nature, she soon withdrew from active +participation in the movement. She moreover recognised as a grave +mistake the disposition evinced by her fellow-workers to suppress their +womanliness in favour of a factitious masculinity, under the impression +that they would thereby exalt their sex; her idea being, that their true +policy lay in magnifying rather than in depreciating their womanhood. +Meanwhile she had given birth to a daughter, her only child. + +Her magazine was given up after a couple of years, the results failing +to justify the expenditure of time, labour and money, requisite for its +continuance. Not that it lacked adequate support; but the principles on +which she insisted on conducting it proved to be incompatible with +commercial success. She resolutely refused all advertisements of +articles, whether of food or of clothing, of which she disapproved; and +she had adopted the pythagorean regimen and discarded as unhygienic +sundry articles of attire ordinarily deemed indispensable by her sex. It +was in her magazine that she first struck the note which proved the +initiation of the holy warfare since waged against the horrors of the +physiological laboratory, a warfare in which she bore a foremost part +and developed the malady of which she died. + +In 1870, a long and severe illness, which compelled her return to her +mother's house at Hastings to be nursed, led to her entry upon another +phase in her inner life, and a further stage in the process of her +education for her mission. She had early recoiled from the faith in +which she had been reared. This was Protestantism in its most unlovely +form, cold, harsh, narrow, dogmatic. Her closer acquaintance with it as +a clergyman's wife had done nothing to mitigate her judgment of it. +Explaining nothing and lacking fervour and poetry, it left head and +heart alike unsatisfied. Her residence as an invalid at Hastings brought +her into intimacy with some devout Catholics, the effect of which was to +intensify the repugnance already set up. She attended the Catholic +services, and visited the sisters in the convent, reading their books of +devotion and even making an extended study of Catholic doctrine, for she +would do nothing by halves. She found what satisfied her heart and +artistic tastes. But the chief determining cause of the change upon +which she at length resolved, was her reception by night of sundry +visitations, purporting to be of angelic nature, and enjoining on her, +for the sake of the mission to which she was called--the knowledge of +which, she was told, would in due time be revealed to her--that she join +the Roman communion. Well aware that the confession of such experiences, +whether to her relations or to a minister of her own Church, would +elicit only a smile of pity or contempt, with a recommendation to seek +medical advice, and involve other contingencies equally distasteful, she +resolved to see how the same confession would be treated by a Catholic +priest. The result of the essay was that she was listened to with +respect and sympathy, and informed that the Church fully recognised such +visitations as coming within the divine order, and as being a token of +high spiritual favour and grace; and while it refrained from pronouncing +positively on them, considered that they ought not to be lightly +disregarded. She was soon afterwards received into the Roman Church, +being baptised on September 14, 1870. On June 9, 1872, she was confirmed +by Archbishop Manning, who admonished her to utilise her attractions in +making converts. And on each occasion she received additional names, in +virtue of which she now bore the names of all the five women who were by +the Cross and at the Sepulchre. + +None the less, however, did she retain her independence of mind and +conduct. She accepted no direction, and professed no tenet that she did +not understand. And it was soon made clear to her that the Spirit, of +whom she was being impelled, did not intend her to regard her adoption +of Catholicism as more than a step in her education for the work +required of her. For the following year saw her bent on seeking a +medical degree, under the impression that such a step was in some way +related to the mission of which she had received such and so many +mysterious intimations. And she had scarcely commenced her study of +medicine when this impression was reinforced by the following incident, +the scene of which was her home in Shropshire, in the parish of which +her husband had then recently become incumbent, and where I first +visited them. + +This was the receipt of a letter from a lady who was a stranger to her, +written from a distant part of the country, and saying that she, the +writer, had read with profound interest and admiration a story[12] of +Mrs Kingsford which, after appearing in her magazine, had been published +as a book, and that after reading it she had received from the Holy +Spirit a message for her which was to be delivered in person. After some +hesitation as to what reply to make, Mrs Kingsford--whose account I am +following exactly--agreed to receive her; an appointment was made, and +the stranger duly presented herself. She was tall, erect, distinguished +looking, with hair of iron-grey and strangely brilliant eyes, and was +perfectly calm and collected of demeanour. The message was to the effect +that Mrs Kingsford was to remain in retirement for five years, +continuing the studies and mode of life on which she had entered, +whatever they might be--for that the messenger did not know--and to +suffer nothing and no one to draw her aside from them. That when these +probationary five years were past, the Holy Spirit would bring her +forth from her seclusion, and a great work would be given her to do. All +this was uttered with a rapt and inspired expression, as though she had +been a Sibyl pronouncing an oracle. After delivering her message, the +messenger kissed her on both cheeks and departed, first asking only +whether she thought her mad; a question to which for a moment Mrs +Kingsford found it somewhat difficult to make reply. But only for a +moment. For then there rushed on her the conviction that it was all +genuine and true, and was but a fresh unfoldment of the mystery of her +life and destiny, and in full accordance with her own foreshadowings +from the beginning. + +Some four years later, at a time when Mrs Kingsford was in great straits +for want of a suitable home in London in which to carry on her studies, +the same lady was similarly commissioned on her behalf, while totally +ignorant both of her whereabouts and her need, and with results entirely +satisfactory. On which occasion I had the privilege of making her +acquaintance, and the satisfaction of finding her not merely perfectly +sane, but a person entitled to the highest consideration, noted for her +pious devotion to works of beneficence involving complete +self-abnegation; and in short a veritable "Mother in Israel." + +The event above related occurred in the spring of 1873, the summer of +which year saw Mrs Kingsford impelled to do what led to the most crucial +of the events upon which her destined mission hinged, namely, to write +to me the letter which led to my visit to her home. In the autumn of the +same year she passed her matriculation examination at the Apothecaries' +Hall with success so great as to fill her with high hopes of a +triumphant passage through the course of her student-life. But +immediately afterwards her hopes were dashed, for the English medical +authorities saw fit to close their schools to women, and the way to her +anticipated career was shut against her. + +Such was the position when, in February, 1874, I visited the Shropshire +rectory, and such in brief the history which was gradually unfolded to +me as my evident sympathy and appreciation gained the confidence of the +still young couple, whose senior I was by some twenty years. Both +husband and wife were at their wits' end, the situation being aggravated +by a circumstance which was first brought to my knowledge on my +suggestion of the postponement of her design until such time as the +medical authorities should come to their right minds and re-open their +schools to women. The circumstance in question was her terrible +liability on the ground of ill-health, and especially of asthma, to +which she was a martyr, life in the country being impossible to her for +the greater part of the year, when it was only in some large city that +she was able to breathe. With the schools closed against her in England, +her thoughts turned towards France, the University of Paris being open +to women. But for obvious reasons her husband, who could not absent +himself from his duties to accompany her, would not consent to her going +thither unless under suitable protection. For himself he had but one +wish, that she should follow her bent and fashion her life as seemed +best to her; for he recognised her as entitled by her endowments and +aspirations, as well as by the terms of their engagement, to full +liberty of action, while the conditions of her health claimed all +consideration from him. If, indeed, the Gods had destined her for a +mission requiring freedom of action combined with the shelter and +support of a husband's name, it seemed to me that in him they had +created a man expressly for the office. For some time, however, the +difficulty seemed insuperable, and one that would yield to no amount of +deliberation, even with the best will of all concerned. + +Meanwhile her self-revelations continued, being evidently prompted, at +least as much by the desire to obtain some explanation of herself for +herself, to whom she was, she avowed, a complete puzzle, as by the +desire to elicit answering confidences from me. And they became with +each disclosure more and more striking, until I could hardly resist the +conviction that she was possessed of some faculty in virtue of which she +was able to have direct perception of conclusions to which I had won my +way by dint of long and arduous thinking, and in some instances in +advance of me. She had read my mental history between the lines of my +books, and was fully prepared to learn that I too had a consciousness, +analogous to her own, of a mission in life perhaps also analogous to her +own. + +This, I was able to assure her, was indeed the case, and that all my +books had been written in the idea of finding my way to it by dint of +free, unfettered thinking. For, brought up in the strictest of +evangelical sects, I had even as a lad begun to be revolted by the creed +in which I was reared, and had very early come to regard its tenets, +especially of total depravity and vicarious atonement, as a libel +nothing short of blasphemous against both God and man, and to feel that +no greater boon could be bestowed on the world than its emancipation +from the bondage of a belief so degrading and so destructive of any +lofty ideal. I had felt strongly that only in such measure as I might be +the means of its abolition would my life be a success and a satisfaction +to myself. It even seemed to me that my own credit was involved in the +matter; and that in disproving such beliefs I should be vindicating my +own character. For if God were evil, as those doctrines made Him, I +could by no possibility be good, since I must have my derivation from +Him. And I knew that, however weak and unwise I might be, I was not +evil. + +Then, too, my life, like hers, had been one of much isolation and +meditation. I had felt myself a stranger even with my closest intimates. +For I was always conscious of a difference which separated me from them, +and of a side to which they could not have access. I had graduated at +Cambridge with the design of taking orders; but only to find that I +could not do so conscientiously, and to feel that to commit myself to +any conditions incompatible with absolute freedom of thought and +expression would be a treachery against both myself and my kind;--for it +was for no merely personal end that I wanted to discover the truth. I +longed to get away from all my surroundings in order, first, to think +myself out of all that I had been taught, and so to make my mind as a +clean sheet whereon to receive true impressions and at first hand; and, +next, to think myself into a condition and to a level wherein I could +see all things--myself, nature, and God--face to face, with vision +undimmed and undistorted by beliefs which, being inherited only and +traditional, instead of the result of conviction honestly arrived at, +were factitious and unreal; no living outcome of my own growth and +observation, but a veritable straitwaistcoat, stifling life and +restraining development. And so it had come that--as related in my first +novel, "The Pilgrim and the Shrine"[13], which was essentially +autobiographical--I had eagerly fallen in with a proposal to join an +expedition to the then newly-discovered placers of California, an +enterprise which, besides promising to gratify the love for adventure, +physical as well as mental, which was strong in me, would postpone if +not solve the difficulty of my position. It possessed, moreover, the +high recommendation of taking me to the world of the fresh, +unsophisticated West, instead of to that East which had been made almost +hateful to me by its association with the tenets by which existence had +been poisoned for me. + +So, setting my face towards the sunset, I became one of the band of +"Forty-niners" in California, and remained abroad in the continents and +isles of the Pacific, from America passing to Australia, until the +intended year of my absence had grown into nearly ten years, and I had +experienced well-nigh every vicissitude and extreme which might serve to +heighten the consciousness, toughen the fibre, and try the soul of man. +But throughout all, the idea of a mission remained with me, gathering +force and consistency, until it was made clear to me that not +destruction merely, but construction, not the exposure of error but the +demonstration of truth, was comprised in it. For I saw that it was +possible to reduce religion to a series of first principles, necessary +truths and self-evident propositions, and that only in such measure as +it was thus reduced and discerned, was it really true and really +believed;--in short, that faith and knowledge are identical. To accept a +religion on the ground that one had been born in it, and apart from its +appeal to the mind and moral conscience, and thus to make it dependent +upon the accident of birth and parentage, was to resemble the African +savage who for the same reason worships Mumbo Jumbo. How, moreover,--I +asked myself--could a religion which was not in accord with first +principles, represent a God, Who, to be God, must Himself be the first +of, and must comprise all principles; must account logically for all the +facts of consciousness, be it unfolded as far as it may? Granting that, +as the poet says, "an honest man's the noblest work of God," it was for +me no less true that "an honest God's the noblest work of man." And it +was precisely such a being that I longed to elaborate out of, or +discover in, my own consciousness, confident that the achievement meant +the solution of all problems, the rectification of all difficulties, the +satisfaction of all aspirations, intellectual, moral, and spiritual. +Following such trains of thought, I arrived at the assurance that I had +within my own consciousness both the truth itself and the verification +of the truth, and that it remained only to find these. + +Returning to England in 1857, and, after an interval, devoting myself to +literature, all that I wrote, whether essay or fiction, represented the +endeavour by probing the consciousness to the utmost in every direction +to discover a central, radiant, and indefeasible point from which all +things could be deduced, and on which, as a pivot they must depend and +revolve. I read largely, and went much among people, always in search of +aid in my quest; but only with the result of finding that neither from +books nor from persons could I even begin to get what I sought, but only +from thought. + +Meanwhile everything seemed ordered with a view to the end ultimately +attained. For, so far from having left behind me for ever the +vicissitudes, and struggles, and trials, and ordeals, in which the +wildernesses of the western and southern worlds had been so fruitful, I +was found of them in the old world to which I had returned; and this in +number, kind, and degree, such as to make it appear as if what I had +borne before had been inflicted expressly for the purpose of enabling me +to bear what was put upon me now. And it was only when I had learnt by +experience that the very capacity for thought is enhanced by feeling no +less than by thinking, that the "ministry of pain" found its +explanation. For the feeling required of me proved to be that of the +inner, not merely of the outer man, of the soul, not merely of the body; +and the faculty, to be the intuition, and not merely the intellect. +Hence I was made to learn by experience, long before the fact was +formulated for me in words, that only "by the bruising of the outer, the +inner is set free," and "man is alive only so far as he has felt." + +Everything seemed contrived expressly in order to force me in this +inward direction. Even in my literary work, nothing of the "trade" +element was permitted to intrude. I could not write except when writing +to or from my own centre. Faculty itself was shut off, if turned to any +other purpose. Everything I wrote must minister to and represent a step +in my own unfoldment. + +I can confidently affirm that the only books which really helped me +were, with scarcely an exception, those which I wrote myself. Of the +exceptions the chief was Emerson. His essays had been my _vade mecum_ in +all my world-wide wanderings. And there were three sentences of his +which, to use his own phrase, "found" me as no others had done. They +were these: "The talent is the call"; "I the imperfect adore my own +perfect"; and, "Beware when God lets loose a thinker on the earth." Like +Emerson himself, I had yet to learn that man's own perfect is God, and +self-culture is God-culture, provided the self be the inmost self. The +two other books which most helped me were Bailey's "Festus," and +Carlyle's "Hero-Worship." And I owed something to Tucker's "Light of +Nature." By which it will be seen that my affinity was always for the +prophets rather than the priests of literature; for the intuitionalists +rather than the externalists. + +Gradually two leading ideas took definite form in my mind, which, +however, proved to be but two aspects or applications of one and the +same idea. And that idea proved to be the keynote of all that I was +seeking after. For it finally solved the problems of existence, of +religion, of the Bible, of Being itself. Hence the necessity of this +reference to it. + +This idea was that of a duality subsisting in every unity, such as I had +nowhere read or heard of. I was, of course, aware that the theological +doctrine of the Trinity involved a Duality. But not of a kind to find a +response in my mind. And being unable to assimilate it as it stood, I +ignored it; putting it aside until it should present itself to me in an +aspect in which it was intelligible. I felt, however vaguely, that the +Duality I sought was in the Bible, though it had been missed by the +official expositors of that book. And the conviction that it was in some +way connected with my life-work was so strong that I constructed for the +covers of my two first books a monogram symbolical of Genesis i. 27. And +I looked to the unfoldment of what I felt to be the secret significance +of that utterance for the explication of all the mysteries the solution +of which engrossed me. The thought did not seem to originate in any of +my experiences, but rather to be part of my original stock of innate +ideas, supposing that there are such ideas, and to derive confirmation +and explanation from my experiences. + +Those experiences were in this wise. It had been my privilege to have +the friendship of several women of a type so noble that to know them was +at once an education and a religion; women whose perfection of character +had served more than anything else to make me believe in God, when all +other grounds had failed. I could in no wise account for them on the +hypothesis of a fortuitous concourse of unintelligent atoms. And not +only did I find that the higher the type the more richly they were +endowed with precisely the faculty of which I myself was conscious as +distinguishing me from my fellows; I found also that I was unable to +recognise any woman as of a high type as woman save in so far as she was +possessed of it. I had failed to find any who possessed the knowledge I +craved, and who were thereby able to help me in my thought. They helped +me nevertheless, but it was by _being_ what they were, rather than by +_knowing_ and _doing_, be they admirable as they might in these +respects. I recognised in them that which supplemented and complemented +my mental self in such wise as to suggest unbounded possibilities of +results to accrue from the intimate association of two minds thus +attuned to each other, and duly unfolded by thought and study. It +needed, it seemed to me, but the reverberation and intensification of +thought, induced by the apposition of two minds thus related, for the +production of the divine child Truth in the very highest spheres of +thought. So that the results would by no means be restricted to the mere +sum of the associated capacities of the two minds themselves. And in +view of such high possibilities I found myself appropriating and +applying the ejaculation which Virgil puts into the mouth of Anna when +urging the union of her sister Dido with AEneas-- + + "Quae surgere regna + Conjugio tali!" + +and I felt with Tennyson that + + "They two together well might move the world." + +So boundless seemed to me the kingdoms of Truth, Goodness, and Beauty +which would spring from such conjunction. + +It goes without saying that such relationship was contemplated by me +only as the accompaniment of a happy re-marriage. [For I had married in +Australia only to be widowered after a year's wedlock.] But such a +prospect was so long withheld as to make me dubious of its +realisation[14]. Nevertheless, some inner voice was ever saying: "Wait; +wait. Everything comes to him who waits, provided only he do so in faith +and patience, looking to the highest." But that I did wait, and +accordingly kept myself free for what ultimately was assigned to me, was +due far less to the expectation of finding that for which I waited, than +to the vivid consciousness which I had of the bitterness that would come +of finding it, only to be withheld from it through a previous disposal +of myself in some other and incompatible quarter. This was an impression +which served largely to keep my life as free as I desired my thought to +be. But that the as yet undisclosed arbiters of my destiny deemed it +insufficient as a deterrent, appeared from their reinforcement of it in +a manner which effectually debarred me from marriage save on the +condition, impossible to me, of a mercenary alliance. This was a +reversal of fortune through a succession of losses so serious as to be +the cause of reducing my means to the minimum compatible with existence +at all in my own station, which soon afterwards happened. That there +were yet further reasons for this imposition on me of the rule of +poverty, arising out of the nature of the work required of me, was in +due time made manifest, and also what those reasons were. They need not +be specified here, excepting only this one. It made impossible the +ascription to my destined colleague of mercenary motives for her +association with me. In this I came to recognise a delicate providence +for which I felt I could not be too thankful. In the meantime, even +while smarting severely from this dispensation, and others yet more +bitter which were heaped on me for no apparent cause or fault of my own +that I could discern, the thought that most of all served to sustain me +under what I felt would have utterly broken down in heart or head, or in +both of these organs, any other person whatever of whom I had +knowledge,--that thought was the surmise or suspicion that all these +things, hard to bear as they were, and undeserved as they seemed, might +prove to be blessings in disguise, in ministering to the realisation of +the controlling ambition of my life by educating me for it; and that +according to the manner in which I bore them might be the result. + +There is yet one more personal disclosure essential to this part of my +relation. It concerns my own mental standpoint at the time at which my +narrative has arrived. Bent as I was on penetrating the secret of things +at first hand, and by means of a thought absolutely free, I was never +for a moment disposed to turn, as my so-called free-thinking +contemporaries one and all had turned, a scornful back upon whatever +related to or savoured of the current religion. Scripture and dogma were +not for me necessarily either false or inscrutable because their +official exponents had presented them in an aspect which outraged my +reason and revolted my conscience. I felt bound--if only in justice to +them and myself--at least to find out what they did mean before finally +discarding them. And in this act of justice I was strangely sustained +by a sense of the possibility that the truth, if any, contained in them, +was no other than that of which I was in search. This is to say, that in +all my investigations I kept before me the idea that, if I could discern +the actual nature of existence and the intended sense of the Bible and +Christianity, independently of each other, they might prove on +comparison to be identical; in which case the latter would really +represent a true revelation. Meanwhile, I found myself constrained to +believe, as an axiomatic proposition, that the higher and nobler the +conception I framed in my imagination of the nature of existence, and +the more in accordance with my ideas of what, to be perfect, the +constitution of the universe ought to be, the nearer I should come to +the actual truth. + +Similarly with religion. For a religion to be true, it must, I felt +absolutely assured, be ideally perfect after the most perfect ideal that +we can frame. This is to say, that not only must it be in itself such as +to satisfy both head and heart, mind and moral conscience, spirit and +soul; it must also be perfectly simple, obviously reasonable, coherent, +self-evident, founded in the nature of things, incapable--when once +comprehended--of being conceived of as otherwise, absolutely equitable, +eternally true, and recognisable as being all these, invariable in +operation, independent of all accidents of time, place, persons and +events, and comparable to the demonstration of a mathematical problem in +that it needs no testimony or authority beyond those of the mind; and +requiring for its efficacious observance, nothing that is extraneous or +inaccessible to the subject-individual, but within his ability to +recognise and fulfil, provided only that he so will. It must also be +such as to enable him by the observance of it to turn his existence to +the highest possible account imaginable by him, be his imagination as +developed as it may: and all this as independently of any being other +than himself, as if he were the sole personal entity in the universe, +and were himself the universe. That is to say, the means of a man's +perfectionment must inhere in his own system, and he must be competent +of himself effectually to apply them. It is further necessary, because +equitable, that he be allowed sufficient time and opportunity for the +discovery, understanding and application of such means. + +Such are the terms and conditions of an ideally perfect religion, as I +conceived of them. It is a definition which excludes well-nigh, if not +quite, all the characteristics ordinarily regarded as appertaining to +religion, and notably to that of Christendom. For in excluding +everything extraneous to the actual subject-individual, and requiring +religion to be self-evident and necessarily true, it excludes as +superfluous and irrelevant, history, tradition, authority, revelation, +as ordinarily conceived of, ecclesiastical ordinance, priestly +ministration, mediatorial function, vicarious satisfaction, and even the +operation of Deity as subsisting without and apart from the man, all of +which are essential elements in the accepted conception of religion. +Nevertheless, profound as was my distrust of the faithfulness of the +orthodox presentation, I could not reconcile myself to a renunciation of +the originals on which that presentation was founded, until I had +satisfied myself that I had fathomed their intended and real meaning. + +I had, moreover, very early conceived a personal affection for Jesus as +a man, so strong as to serve as a deterrent both from abandoning the +faith founded on Him, and from accepting it as it is as worthy of Him. + +Such was my standpoint, intellectual and religious, at the period in +question. The time came when it found full justification; our results +being such as to verify it in everyone of its manifold aspects. And not +this only. The doctrine which had so mysteriously evolved itself out of +my consciousness to attain by slow degrees the position of a controlling +influence in my life, the doctrine, namely of a Duality subsisting in +the Original Unity of Underived Being, and as inhering therefore in +every unit of derived being, this doctrine proved to be the key to the +mysteries both of Creation and of Redemption, as propounded in the Bible +and manifested in the Christ; the key also to the nature of man, +disclosing the facts both of his possession of divine potentialities as +his birthright, and his endowment with the faculty whereby to discern +and to realise them. And while it proved constructive in respect of +Divine Truth, it proved destructive in respect of the falsification of +that truth which had passed for orthodoxy, by disclosing the source, the +motive, the method and the agents of that falsification. + +But these things were still in the future. At the time with which we are +now concerned, I had commenced a book to represent the standpoint just +described, "The Keys of the Creeds." The first and initial draft of +that book was written under the sympathetic eye of one of the order of +noble women to which reference has been made, and owed much to the +enhancement of faculty derived by me from such conjunction of minds. The +second and final draft was written under like relationship with another +member of the self-same order, even she who proved to be my destined +collaborator in the work of which this book recounts the story. It was +published in 1875. It is necessary only to say further of the book thus +produced, that notwithstanding certain defects of expression, due +chiefly to an insufficient acquaintance with the terminology of +metaphysics, it proved an invaluable help to very many, as was amply +shown by the letters of grateful appreciation received from them by me. +The keynote was that which afterwards found expression in the +utterance,-- + +"There is no enlightenment from without: the secret of things is +revealed from within. + +"From without cometh no Divine Revelation: but the Spirit within beareth +witness"[15]. + +For the lesson it contained was the lesson that the phenomenal world +cannot disclose its own secret. To find this, man must seek in that +substantial world which lies within himself, since all that is real is +within the man. From which it followed that if there is no within, or if +that within be inaccessible, either there is no reality, or man has no +organon of knowledge, and is by constitution agnostic. Meanwhile, the +very fact of my possession of an ideal exempt from the limitations of +the apparent, constituted for me a strong presumption in favour of the +reality of the ideal. + +The moment of contact between my destined colleague and myself, was as +critical for one as for the other, only that in my case the crisis was +intellectual. I could see to the end of the argument I was then +elaborating; and that it landed me close to the dividing barrier between +the two worlds of sense and spirit, supposing the latter to have any +being[16]. But I neither saw beyond, nor knew how to ascertain whether +or not there is a beyond. We were discussing the question of there being +an inner sense in Scripture, such as my book suggested; and whether, +supposing it to have such a sense, it required for its discernment any +faculty more recondite than a subtle imagination; and if it did, is +there such a faculty? and what is its nature? By which it will be seen +that I was still in ignorance of the nature of the faculty I found in +myself and recognised as especially subsisting in women, and which, for +me, really made the woman. + +The reply rendered by her to these questionings constituted the proof +positive that I had at length discovered the mind which my own had so +long craved as its sorely needed complement. In response to them she +gave me a manuscript in her own writing, asking me to read it and tell +her frankly what I thought of it. Having read and re-read it, I +enquired how and where she had got it. She replied by asking what I +thought of it. I answered, "If there is such a thing as divine +revelation, I know of nothing that comes nearer to my ideal of what it +ought to be. It is exactly what the world is perishing for want of--a +reasonable faith." She then told me that it had come to her in her +sleep, but whence or how she did not know; nor could she say whether she +had seen it or heard it, but only that it came suddenly into her mind, +without her having ever heard or thought of such teaching before. It was +an exposition of the Story of the Fall, exhibiting it as a parable +having a significance purely spiritual, wholly reasonable, and of +universal application, physical persons, things, and events described in +it disappearing in favour of principles, processes, and states +appertaining to the soul; no mere local history, therefore, but an +eternal verity. The experience, she went on to tell me, was far from +exceptional; she had received many things which had greatly struck and +pleased her in the same way, and sometimes while in the waking state in +a sort of day-dream. It was subsequently incorporated into our book, +"The Perfect Way." + +Her account of her faculty, of which she related several instances, +produced a profound impression on me. It differed altogether from any +that I had heard of as claimed by the votaries of "Spiritualism," a +creed to which neither of us had assented; such little experience as we +had of it having failed to convince us of the genuineness of its +phenomena; though she, on her part, confessed to having been somewhat at +a loss to account for some things she had seen. But though not +spiritualists, we were not materialists. Rather were we idealists, who +had yet to learn and, as the event proved, were destined shortly to +learn, that the Ideal _is_ the Real, and is Spiritual. + +The event also proved that in order to learn it and to know it +positively by experience, there were two conditions to be fulfilled, on +both of which she had already entered, but I had yet to enter. One of +these conditions was physical, the other was emotional. The former +consisted in the renunciation of flesh-food in favour of a diet derived +from the vegetable kingdom. The latter condition consisted in the +kindling of our enthusiasm for the ideal into a flame of such ardour and +intensity as to make it the dominant passion of our lives, and one in +which all others would be swallowed up. It was to be an enthusiasm at +once for Humanity, for Perfection, for God. + +Had we been in any degree instructed in spiritual or occult science, we +should have known that the renunciation of flesh-food, though in itself +a physical act, has ever been recognised by initiates as the prime +essential in the unfoldment of the spiritual faculties; since only when +man is purely nourished can he attain clearness and fulness of spiritual +perception. As it was, neither of us had ever heard of occult science, +or of the necessity of such a regimen to the perfectionment of faculty. +She had adopted it on grounds physiological, chemical, hygienic, +aesthetic, and moral; not on grounds mental or spiritual. I now undertook +to adopt it partly on the same grounds which had influenced her, and +partly with a view to enhance and consolidate the sympathy subsisting +between us. The mental and spiritual advantages of the regimen made +themselves known to us by experience. + +The other condition found its fulfilment through the knowledge I derived +from her of the methods of the physiologists. That savages, sorcerers, +brigands, religious fanatics, and corrupt priesthoods had always been +wont to make torture their gain or their pastime, I was well aware, and +believed that evolution would sweep them and their practices away in its +course. But the discovery now first made to me that identical +barbarities are systematically perpetrated by the leaders of modern +science on the pretext of benefiting humanity, in an age which claims to +represent the summit of such evolution as has yet been accomplished; and +that after all its boasts, the best that science can do for the world is +to convert it into a hell and its population into fiends, by the +deliberate renunciation of the distinctive sentiments of humanity,--this +was a discovery which filled me with unspeakable horror and amazement, +at once raising to a white heat the enthusiasm of love for the ideal +already kindled within me, and adding to it a like enthusiasm of +detestation for its opposite. From which it came that I found myself +under the impulsion simultaneously of two mighty influences, the one +attracting, the other repelling, but both operating in the same +direction. For while by the former I was drawn upwards by the beauty of +an ideal indefinitely enhanced by its contrast with the foul actual +below, by the latter I was impelled upwards by the hideousness of that +actual. The sight of the moral abyss disclosed to me in Vivisection, as +I perused volume after volume of the annals of the practice written by +the perpetrators themselves, and now first made accessible to me, +effectually purged out of my system any particle of dilettanteism that +might have still lurked in it, compelling me to regard as of the utmost +urgency all and more than all that I had hitherto contemplated doing +deliberately. + +This was the construction of a system of thought which by force of its +appeal to both those two indispensable constituents of humanity, the +head and the heart, shall compel acceptance from all persons really +human, and in presence of which the whole system of which Vivisection +was the typical outcome and symbol should vanish from off the earth. +This system was Materialism of which only now did I discern the full +significance. The systematic organisation of wholesale, protracted, +uncompensatable torture, for ends purely selfish, was--I saw with +absolute distinctness--not an accidental and avoidable outcome of +Materialism, but its logical and inevitable outcome. And it was to the +eradication of Materialism that, from that moment, I dedicated myself. +It was a rescue work for both man and beast, seeing that humanity itself +was menaced with extinction. For the materialist, of course, that which +makes the man is the form. For me it was the character, and it was this, +the character of mankind present and to come, that was at stake. For man +demonised is no longer man. In the overthrow of Materialism, I saw +absolutely, was salvation alone to be found, whether for man or beast. +The consideration that only as an abstainer from flesh-food I could with +entire consistency contend against vivisection, was a potent factor in +determining my change of diet. True, the distinction between death and +torture was a broad one. But the statistics I now for the first time +perused, of the slaughter-house and the cattle-traffic, showed beyond +question, that torture, and this prolonged and severe, is involved in +the use of animals for food as well as for science. And over and above +this was the instinctive perception of the probability that neither +would they who had them killed, whether for food, for sport, or for +clothing, be allowed the privilege of rescuing them from the hands of +the physiologist; nor would the animals be allowed to accept their +deliverance at the hands of those who thus used them. They who would +save others, we felt, must first make sacrifice in themselves. And in +the presence of the joy of working to effect such salvation, sacrifice +would cease to be sacrifice. + +This, too, we noted, and with no small satisfaction--that to make the +rescue of the animals an immediate and urgent motive, was in no way to +abandon the original motive of hatred to the tenet of vicarious +atonement. For we recognised vivisection itself as but the extension to +the domain of science, of the very principle by which we had been +inexpressibly revolted in the domain of religion;--the principle of +seeking one's own salvation by the sacrifice of another, and that the +innocent. And so we learnt that "New Scientist is but Old Priest writ +differently,"--to vary Milton's expression; and that in both domains the +tenet had its root in Materialism. When the time came for our mission to +be more particularly defined, our satisfaction was unbounded on +receiving the charge, "We mean you to lay bare the secrets of the +world's sacrificial system." It expressed with absolute conciseness and +exactitude all that we had in our minds, far better than we could have +expressed it. + +The importance of this question of vivisection in vitalising us for the +work before us, will be seen by the following fact. The time came when +we knew that the work committed to us was that revelation anew of the +Christ which was to constitute His Second Advent, inasmuch as it was the +interpretation of the truth of which He was the manifestation. It was to +be a spiritual coming; in the "clouds of heaven," the heaven of the +"kingdom within" of man's restored understanding. And, as at His first +advent so at His second, He was to have His birth among the animals. + +And so it verily was. For--as I have elsewhere stated[17]--"Their +terrible wrongs, culminating at the hands of their scientific +tormentors, were the last drops which filled to overflowing with +anguish, indignation and wrath, hearts already brimming with the sense +of the world's degradation and misery, wringing from them the cry which +rent the heavens for His descent, and in direct and immediate response +to which He came. + +"For the New Gospel of Interpretation was vouchsafed in express +recognition of the determined endeavour, by means of a thought +absolutely fearless and free, to scale the topmost heights, fathom the +lowest depths, and penetrate to the inmost recesses of Consciousness, in +search of the solution of the problem of Existence, under the assured +conviction that, when found, it would prove to be one that would make +above all things Vivisection impossible, if only by demonstrating the +constitution of things to be such that, terrible as is the lot of the +victims of the practice here, they are not without compensation +hereafter, while the lot of their tormentors will be unspeakably worse +than even that of their victims here. And so it proved, with absolute +certainty to be the case, to the full vindication at the same time of +the Divine Justice and the Divine Love;" no experience being withheld +which would qualify us to bear positive testimony thereto. For, although +at the outset we were, as I have said, in no wise believers in the +possibility of such experiences, the time came, and came quickly, when +the veil was withdrawn, and the secrets of the Beyond were disclosed to +us in plenitude, in its every sphere, from the abyss of hell to the +heights of heaven. And we learnt that this had become possible through +the passionate energy with which, in our search for the highest truth, +for the highest ends, and in purest love to redeem, we had directed our +thought inwards and upwards, living at the same time the life requisite +to qualify us for such perceptions. Thus did we obtain practical +realisation of the promise that they who do the divine will, by living +the divine life, shall know of the divine doctrine. Our whole mental +attitude had been one of prayer in its essential sense; which is not +that of _saying_ prayers, but as it came to be defined for us--"the +intense direction of the will and desire towards the Highest; an +unchanging intent to know nothing but the Highest." Because "to think +inwardly, to pray intensely, and to imagine centrally, is to hold +converse with God." And we had done this without knowing it was prayer, +or calling it by that name. For, knowing only the conventional +conception of prayer, we had recoiled from it as from other conventional +conceptions of things religious. + +Now, however, we found that we had done instinctively and spontaneously +precisely what was necessary to bring us into relations at once with our +spiritual selves and with the world of those who consist only of the +spiritual self. For, by thus becoming vitalised and sensitive in that +part of man's system which endures and passes on, we had come into open +conditions with the world of those who have thus endured and passed on, +and are no longer of the terrestrial, but of the celestial, having +surmounted all lower and intermediate planes. All this came to us +without anticipation on our part, or any conscious seeking for it; but +yet without causing dismay or surprise when it came. For it came so +gradually as to seem to be but the natural and orderly result of the +unfoldment of our own spiritual consciousness, and excited only feelings +of joy and thankfulness at finding our method and aspirations crowned +with so high a success. Thus was it made absolutely clear to us that, so +far from divine revelation involving miracle, or requiring for its +instruments persons other in kind than the ordinary, it is a prerogative +of man, belonging to him as man; and requiring for its reception only +that he be fully man, alive and sensitive in his own innermost and +highest, in his centre as in his circumference. Thus living on the quick +and finding no others who did so, it seemed to us as if we alone were +the quick, and all others were dead. + +We noted yet another way in which we supplemented and complemented each +other. It was in this wise. As I was bent on the construction of a +system of thought which should be at once a science, a philosophy, a +morality, and a religion, and recognisable by the understanding as +indubitably true; she was bent on the construction of a rule of life +equally obvious and binding, and recognisable by the sentiments as alone +according with them, its basis being that sense of perfect justice which +springs from perfect sympathy. + +By which it will be seen that while it was her aim to establish a +perfect practice, which might or might not consist with a perfect +doctrine, it was my aim to establish a perfect doctrine which would +inevitably issue in a perfect practice, by at once defining it and +supplying an all-compelling motive for its observance. + +These, as we at once recognised, were the two indispensable halves of +one perfect whole. But we had yet to learn the nature and source of the +compelling motive for its enforcement. + +The deficiency was made good by the discovery of the fact of man's +permanence as an individual. The revelation of this truth was the +demonstration to us of the inanity--not to use a stronger term--of the +system called "Positivism." In ignoring the soul, that system lacks the +motive and repudiates the source of the sentiments on which it insists, +and to the experiences of which those sentiments are due. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[8] The book was "By and By: An Historical Romance of the Future," its +object being to show a state of society in which the intuition is +supreme, and individuals follow their own ideals. It represents a step +in E.M.'s unfoldment, but not his final conclusions. In 1873 A.K., +having read a review of this book in the _Examiner_ (which also +contained a notice of one of her tales), communicated with E.M. (Life +A.K. Vol. I. p. 27.) + +[9] This was not the first time that E.M. met A.K. He had met her once +before, in January, 1874, in a picture gallery in London. "It was but +for a short time, and during a single afternoon"; but it was "sufficient +to convince" him of "the unusual character of the personality" with +which he had come into contact. (Life A.K. Vol. I. p. 32.) + +[10] Her "very first published production" was a poem in a religious +magazine, when she was "but nine years old." (Life A.K. Vol. I. p. 29.) + +[11] "Beatrice: A Tale of the Early Christians," was written by A.K. in +1859, for the _Churchman's Companion_, "but the publisher thought it +worthy to make a separate volume, and offered to bring it out in that +form, and to give her a present for it," which offer was accepted. (Life +A.K. Vol. I. p. 4.) + +[12] The Story was "In my Lady's Chamber," and purported to be a +"speculative romance touching a few questions of the day." It was +afterwards published separately as by "Colossa." (Life A.K. Vol. I. pp. +21, 22.) + +[13] The first edition of "The Pilgrim and the Shrine" was published in +1867. + +[14] E.M. did not marry again. He had one child, Charles Bradley +Maitland, and he died on the 16th February, 1901. + +[15] See p. 100 + +[16] E.M. says that "The Keys of the Creeds" brought his thought up to +the extreme limits of a thought merely intellectual, to transcend which +it would be necessary to penetrate the barrier between the worlds of +sense and of spirit. (Life A.K. Vol. I. p. 54.) + +[17] Statement E.C.U. p. 80. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +THE INITIATION. + + +My visit to the rectory resulted in an intimacy which made me to such +extent a member of the family as to remove all obstacles to the +collaboration required of us. It was soon made evident that not only our +association, but her design of seeking a medical education was for both +of us an indispensable element in our preparation for our now recognised +joint-mission. In its general aspect that mission had for its purpose +the overthrow of Materialism, and in order to qualify us for it, it was +deemed necessary that we undergo a training in the most materialistic of +the world's schools. This was the University of Paris. She alone was to +seek a diploma. For me it was enough that I accompany her in her +studies, and that we submit the teachings received by her to rigid +analysis by our combined faculties. Doing this, we found ourselves +competent to declare positively the falsity of the materialistic system +on the strength both of logical processes and of practical +demonstration, by means of the experiences of which we found ourselves +the recipients. For although we had never heard of such things as +"psychic faculties,"--the very phrase was not yet invented--we found +ourselves possessed of them in such measure that no longer did the veil +which divides the world sensible from the world spiritual constitute an +impassable barrier, but both were open to view, and the latter was as +real and accessible as the former. + +It was about the middle of 1876 that this remarkable accession of +faculty began to manifest itself in plenitude, I being the first to +experience it, notwithstanding my previous total lack of any faculty of +the kind, or of belief in the possibility of my having it. But the +purification which my physical system had undergone by means of my new +dietary regimen, and the constant and intense direction of my thought +inwards and upwards, the forcible concentration of my mind upon the +essential and substantial ideas of things, and this under impulsion of +an enthusiasm kindled to a white heat--an enthusiasm, as already said, +both of aspiration and of repulsion--and the enhancement of faculty +through sympathetic association,--these had so attenuated the veil that +it no longer impeded my vision of spiritual realities. And I found +myself--without seeking for or expecting it--spiritually sensitive in +respect of sight, hearing, and touch, and in open, palpable relations +with a world which I had no difficulty in recognising as of celestial +nature; so far did it transcend everything of which I had heard or read +in the annals of the contemporary spiritualism; so entirely did it +accord with my conceptions of the divine. + +That I refrain from employing the terms "supernatural" and "superhuman," +is because they assume the knowledge of the limits of the natural and +the human, and arbitrarily exclude from those categories regions of +being which may really belong to them. The celestial and the divine are +not necessarily either superhuman or supernatural; they may be but the +higher human and the higher natural. If they are at all, they are +according to natural order, and it is natural for them to be. + +Nevertheless, vast as was the interval it represented between my past +and present states, it came so naturally and easily as to be clearly the +result, not of any abnormal or accidental cataclysm involving a breach +of continuity, but of a perfectly orderly unfoldment every step of which +was distinctly traceable. For though the process was akin to that of the +attainment of sight by one previously blind, and the final issue was +sudden, the issue had been led up to in such wise as to render it +legitimate and normal. For its earliest indication[18] was an opening of +the mind in such wise that subjects hitherto beyond my grasp, and +problems deemed insoluble, became comprehensible and clear; while whole +vistas of thought perfectly continuous and coherent, would disclose +themselves to my view, stretching far away towards their source in the +very principles of things, so that I found myself intellectually the +master of questions which previously had baffled me. + +The experience I am about to relate was not only remarkable in itself, +it was remarkable also as striking what proved to be the keynote of all +our subsequent work, the doctrine, namely, of the _substantial_ identity +of God and man. It had suddenly flashed on my mind as a necessary and +self-evident truth, the contrary of which was absurd; and I had seated +myself at my writing-table to give it expression for a book I had lately +commenced[19]. I was alone and locked in my room in my chambers off +Pall Mall, Mrs Kingsford being at the time in Paris, accompanied by her +husband. It was past midnight, and all without was quiet; there was not +a sound to break my abstraction. This was so profound that I had written +some four pages without drawing breath, the matter seeming to flow not +merely from but through me without conscious mental effort of my own. I +_saw_ so clearly that there was no need to _think_. In the course of the +writing I became distinctly aware of a presence as of someone bending +over me from behind, and actively engaged in blending with and +reinforcing my mind. Being unwilling to risk an interruption to the flow +of my thought, I resisted the impulse to look up and ascertain who or +what it was. Of alarm at so unlooked-for a presence I had not a +particle. Be it whom it might, the accord between us was as perfect as +if it had been merely a projection of my own higher self. I had never +heard of higher selves in those days, or of the possibility of such a +phenomenon; but the idea of such an explanation occurred to me then and +there. But this solution of the problem of my visitant's personality was +presently dissipated by the event. + +The passage I had been writing concluded with these words:-- + + "The perfect man of any race is no other than the perfect + expression in the flesh of all the essential characteristics of the + soul of that race. Escaping the limitations of the individual man, + such an one represents the soul of his people. Escaping the + limitations of the individual people, he represents the soul of + all peoples, or Humanity. Escaping the limitations of Humanity, but + still preserving its essential characteristics, he represents the + soul of the system of which the earth is but an individual member. + And finally, after climbing many a further step of the infinite + ladder of existence, and escaping the limitations of all systems + whatever, he represents--nay, finds that he is--the soul of the + universe, even God Himself, once 'manifested in the flesh,' and now + 'perfected through suffering,' 'purified, sanctified, redeemed, + justified, glorified,' 'crowned with honour and glory,' and 'seated + for ever at the right hand of the Father,' 'one with God,' even God + Himself." + +At this moment--my mind being so wholly preoccupied with the utterance +and all that I saw it involved, as to make me oblivious of all else--the +presence I had felt bending over me darted itself into me just below the +cerebral bulb at the back of my neck, the sensation being that of a +slight tap, as of a finger-touch; and then in a voice full, rich, firm, +measured, and so strong that it resounded through the room, exclaimed, +in a tone indicative of high satisfaction, "At last I have found a man +through whom I can speak!" + +So powerful was the intonation that the tympana of my ears vibrated to +the sound, palpably bulging outwards, showing that they had been struck +on the inner side, and that the presence had actually projected itself +into my larynx and spoken from within me, but without using my organs of +speech, I was conscious of being in radiant health at the time, and was +unable to detect any symptom of being otherwise. My thought, too, and +observation were perfectly coherent and continuous, and I could discern +no smallest pretext for distrust of the reality of the experience. And +my delight and satisfaction, which were unbounded, found expression in +the single utterance, "Then the ancients were right, and the Gods ARE!" +so resistless was the conviction that only by a divinised being could +the wisdom and power be manifested of the presence of which I was +conscious. The words, "At last I have found a man" were incompatible +with the theory of its being an objectivation of my own particular ego, +and, moreover, they indicated the speaker as one high in authority over +the race. + +Nothing more passed on that occasion; but a vivid impression was left +with me that my visitant belonged to the order of spirits called +"Planetaries." But as I had then no knowledge of such beings, I put +aside the question of his identity for the solution which I trusted +would come of further enlightenment. This came in due time, with the +result of confirming the impression given me at the time. The +explanation, however, does not come within the scope of this present +writing. Some time afterwards, when searching at the library of the +British Museum in the writings of the old occultists for experiences +analogous to our own, I came upon one account which described the +entrance into the man of an overshadowing spirit exactly as it had +occurred to me, so far as it concerned the nape of the neck as the point +of entry and the slightness of the sensation. The only further reference +to the incident necessary here is as follows. + +A little later Mrs Kingsford had returned to England, being compelled to +quit Paris by a severe illness which she had contracted immediately on +her arrival there; and was pursuing her studies in London, making her +home with a relative in Chelsea. The event proved that she had been sent +back by the supervisors of our work expressly in order to be within +reach of me. Indeed, an intimation had been given me before she had gone +that she would not be allowed to stay abroad, as our near contiguity was +indispensable, and I had accordingly viewed her departure with +considerable disquietude, circumstances rendering it impossible for me +to leave home just then. Prior to coming back she had obtained from the +Minister of Education the exceptional privilege of a permit allowing her +attendance at a London hospital to count in her Paris course. + +The first experience received by her in relation to our work, after her +return to London, was the terrific vision of "The Doomed Train"[20]. + +On bringing it to me on the morning of its occurrence, she exclaimed as +she entered the room, "Oh, I have had such a terrific dream! It has +quite shattered me. And I have brought it for you to try and find its +meaning, if it has one. I wrote it down the moment I was able." Her +appearance fully confirmed her statement. It alarmed me. This is the +account:-- + +"I was visited, last night, by a dream of so strange and vivid a kind +that I feel impelled to communicate it to you, not only to relieve my +own mind of the oppression which the recollection of it causes me, but +also to give you an opportunity of finding the meaning, which I am still +far too much shaken and terrified to seek for myself. + +"It seemed to me that you and I were two of a vast company of men and +women, upon all of whom, with the exception of myself--for I was there +voluntarily--sentence of death had been passed. I was sensible of the +knowledge--how obtained I know not--that this terrible doom had been +pronounced by the official agents of some new reign of terror. Certain I +was that none of the party had really been guilty of any crime deserving +of death; but that the penalty had been incurred through their +connection with some regime, political, social, or religious, which was +doomed to utter destruction. It became known among us that the sentence +was about to be carried out on a colossal scale; but we remained in +absolute ignorance as to the place and method of the intended execution. +Thus far my dream gave me no intimation of the scene which next burst on +me,--a scene which strained to their utmost tension every sense of +sight, hearing, and touch in a manner unprecedented in any dream I have +previously had. + +"It was night, dark and starless, and I found myself, together with the +whole company of doomed men and women who knew that they were soon to +die, but not how or where, in a railway train hurrying through the +darkness to some unknown destination. I sat in a carriage quite at the +rear end of the train, in a corner seat, and was leaning out of the open +window, peering into the darkness, when, suddenly, a voice, which seemed +to speak out of the air, said to me in a low, distinct, intense tone, +the mere recollection of which makes me shudder,--'The sentence is being +carried out even now. You are all of you lost. Ahead of the train is a +frightful precipice of monstrous height, and at its base beats a +fathomless sea. The railway ends only with the abyss. Over that will the +train hurl itself into annihilation. THERE IS NO ONE ON THE ENGINE!' + +"At this I sprang from my seat in horror, and looked round at the faces +of the persons in the carriage with me. No one of them had spoken, or +had heard those awful words. The lamplight from the dome of the carriage +flickered on the forms about me. I looked from one to the other, but saw +no sign of alarm given by any of them. Then again the voice out of the +air spoke to me,--'There is but one way to be saved. You must leap out +of the train!' + +"In frantic haste I pushed open the carriage-door and stepped out on the +footboard. The train was going at a terrific pace, swaying to and fro as +with the passion of its speed; and the mighty wind of its passage beat +my hair about my face and tore at my garments. + +"Until this moment I had not thought of you, or even seemed conscious of +your presence in the train. Holding tightly on to the rail by the +carriage-door, I began to creep along the footboard towards the engine, +hoping to find a chance of dropping safely down on the line. +Hand-over-hand I passed along in this way from one carriage to another; +and as I did so I saw by the light within each carriage that the +passengers had no idea of the fate upon which they were being hurried. +At length, in one of the compartments, I saw _you_. 'Come out!' I +cried; 'come out! Save yourself! In another minute we shall be dashed to +pieces!' + +"You rose instantly, wrenched open the door, and stood beside me outside +on the footboard. The rapidity at which we were going was now more +fearful than ever. The train rocked as it fled onwards. The wind +shrieked as we were carried through it. 'Leap down!' I cried to you. +'Save yourself! It is certain death to stay here. Before us is an abyss; +and there is no one on the engine!' + +"At this you turned your face full upon me with a look of intense +earnestness, and said, 'No, we will not leap down; we will stop the +train.' + +"With these words you left me, and crept along the footboard towards the +front of the train. Full of half-angry anxiety at what seemed to me a +Quixotic act, I followed. In one of the carriages we passed I saw my +mother and eldest brother, unconscious as the rest. Presently we reached +the last carriage, and saw by the lurid light of the furnace that the +voice had spoken truly, and that there was no one on the engine. + +"You continued to move onwards. 'Impossible! Impossible!' I cried; 'it +cannot be done. Oh, pray, come away!' + +"Then you knelt upon the footboard, and said, 'You are right. It cannot +be done in that way; but we can save the train. Help me to get these +irons asunder.' + +"The engine was connected with the train by two great iron hooks and +staples. By a tremendous effort, in making which I almost lost my +balance, we unhooked the irons and detached the train; when, with a +mighty leap as of some mad supernatural monster, the engine sped on its +way alone, shooting back as it went a great flaming trail of sparks, and +was lost in the darkness. We stood together on the footboard, watching +in silence the gradual slackening of the speed. When at length the train +had come to a standstill, we cried to the passengers, 'Saved! Saved!' +And then, amid the confusion of opening the doors and descending and +eager talking, my dream ended, leaving me shattered and palpitating with +the horror of it." + +This vision was intended to show us the destruction, moral, +intellectual, and spiritual, towards which the world was tending by +following materialistic modes of thought, and the part we were to bear +in arresting its progress towards the fatal precipice, at all hazards to +ourselves. The startling announcement made to her by the invisible voice +when the crowded train was rushing at full speed to its doom, "There is +no one on the engine!" exactly represented the philosophy which, denying +mind in the universe, recognises only blind force. + +I had determined to include an account of this vision in the book on +which I was then engaged, "England and Islam." And I was alone in my +rooms, reading the proofs of it, my mind being occupied solely with the +letterpress, until I came to the remark ascribed to me in the vision, as +made in reply to her entreaty that I would jump out with her to save +ourselves, "No, we will not leap down, we will stop the train." At this +moment the voice which shortly before[21] had said to me, "At last I +have found a man through whom I can speak!" addressed me again, saying +in a pleased and encouraging tone, as if the speaker had been following +me in my reading, and desired to remove any doubts I might have of the +reality of our mission,--"Yes! Yes! I have trusted all to you!" This +time he spoke from without me, but apparently quite close by. And among +the impressions which at the same instant were flashed into my mind, was +the impression, amounting to a conviction, that whatever might be the +part assigned to others in the work of the new illumination in progress +and the restoration thereby to the world of one true doctrine of +existence, the exposition of its innermost and highest sphere, the head +corner-stone of the pyramid of the system which is to make the humanity +of the future, had been committed to us alone. And now, writing nearly +twenty years later, I can truly say that this conviction has never for a +moment been weakened, but on the contrary has gathered confirmation and +strength with every successive accession of experience and knowledge, +and while cognisant of and fully appreciating all that has taken place +in the unfoldment of the world's thought during the interval. + +Ever since that memorable winter of 1876-7, the conviction, shared +equally by my colleague, has been with me that the controlling spirit of +the Hebrew prophets was that also of our work, the purpose of which was +the accomplishment of their prophecies, by the promotion of the world's +spiritual consciousness to a level surpassing any yet attained by it, to +the regeneration of the church and the establishment of the kingdom of +God with power. Having which conviction, there was for us but one object +in life:--to fulfil at whatever cost to ourselves the conditions +necessary to make us fitting instruments for the perfect accomplishment +of a work which we recognised as the loftiest that could be committed to +mortals. + +My colleague's enforced return to London was promptly signalised by an +experience which served not only yet further to demonstrate the reality +and nature of our mission, and of her primacy in our work, but to +disclose its essentially Christian character, which hitherto had been an +open question for us. For that upon which we ourselves were bent was the +discovery of the nature of existence at first hand, and independently of +any existing system whatever. It was truth and truth alone that we +sought, and to this end we had laboured to make ourselves as those of +whom it is said, "Of such is the kingdom of heaven." For in divesting +ourselves of all prepossessions and prejudices, we had made ourselves as +"little children." We were neither believers nor disbelievers, but pure +sceptics in that best sense of the term in which it denotes the unbiased +seeker after God and truth. This is to say, we were, and we gloried in +being, absolutely free thinkers, a term which, in its true acceptation, +we regarded as man's noblest title. This is the sense in which it +denotes a thought able to exercise itself in all directions open to +thought, outwards and downwards to matter and negation, and inwards and +upwards to spirit and reality. And our work proved in the event to be +the supreme triumph of Free Thought. + +The experience in question was as follows. It was night and I was alone +and locked in my chambers, and was writing at full speed, lest it +should escape me, an exposition of the place and office of woman under +the coming regeneration. And I was conscious of an exaltation of faculty +such as might conceivably be the result of an enhancement of my own mind +by junction with another and superior mind. I was even conscious, though +in a far less degree than before, of an invisible presence. But I was +too much engrossed with my idea to pay heed to persons, be they whom +they might, human or divine, as well as anxious to take advantage of +such assistance. I had clearly and vividly in my mind all that I desired +to say for several pages on. Then, suddenly and completely, like the +stoppage of a stream in its flow through a tube by the quick turning of +a tap, the current of my thought ceased, leaving my mind an utter blank +as to what I had meant to say, and totally unable to recall the least +idea of it. So palpable was its withdrawal, that it seemed to me as if +it must still be hovering somewhere near me, and I looked up and +impatiently exclaimed aloud to it, "Where are you?" At length, after +ransacking my mind in vain, I turned to other work, for I was perfectly +fresh, and the desertion had been in no way due to exhaustion, physical +or mental. On taking note of the time of the disappearance, I found it +was 11.30 precisely. + +The next morning failed to bring my thought back to me as I had hoped it +would do; but it brought instead, an unusually early visit from Mrs. +Kingsford, who was--as I have said--staying in Chelsea. "Such a curious +thing happened to me last night," she began, on entering the room, "and +I want to tell you of it and see if you can explain it. I had finished +my day's work, but though it was late I was not inclined to rest, for I +was wakeful with a sense of irritation at the thought of what you are +doing, and at my exclusion from any share in it. And I was feeling +envious of your sex for the superior advantages you have over ours of +doing great and useful work. As I sat by the fire thinking this, I +suddenly found myself impelled to take a pencil and paper, and to write. +I did so, and wrote with extreme rapidity, in a half-dreamy state, +without any clear idea of what I was writing, but supposing it to be +something expressive of my discontent. I had soon covered a page and a +half of a large sheet with writing different from my own, and it was +quite unlike what was in my mind, as you will see." + +On perusing the paper I found that it was a continuation of my missing +thought, taken up at the point where it had left me, but translated to a +higher plane, the expression also being similarly elevated in accordance +both with the theme and the writer, having the exquisiteness so +characteristic of her genius. To my enquiry as to the hour of the +occurrence, she at once replied, "Half-past eleven exactly; for I was so +struck by it that I took particular notice of the time." + +What I had written was as follows:-- + + "Those of us who, being men, refuse to accord to women the same + freedom of evolution for their consciousness which we claim for + ourselves, do so in consequence of a total misconception of the + nature and functions both of Humanity and of Existence at large. + The notion that men and women can by any possibility do each + other's work, is utterly absurd. Whom God hath distinguished, none + can confound. To do the same thing is not to do the same work; + inasmuch as the spirit is more than the fact, and the spirit of man + and of woman is different. While for the production of perfect + results it is necessary that they work harmoniously together, it is + necessary also that they fulfil separate functions in regard to + that work"[22]. + +This was the point at which my thought had failed me, to be taken up by +her at the same instant two miles away, without her knowing even that I +contemplated treating that particular theme, as I had purposely reserved +it until I should have completed the expression, hoping to give her a +pleasant surprise; for it was one very near to her heart. This is her +continuation of it. It will be seen that, besides complementing my +thought, it responded remedially to her own mood:-- + + "In a true mission of redemption, in the proclamation of a gospel + to save, it is the man who must preach; it is the man who must + stand forward among the people; it is the man who, if need be, must + die. But he is not alone. If his be the glory of the full noontide, + his day has been ushered in by a goddess. Aurora has preceded + Phoibos Apollo; Mary has been before Christ. For, mark that He + shall do His first and greatest work at her suggestion. To her + shall ever belong the glory of the inauguration; of her shall the + gospel be born; from her lips shall the Christ take the bidding for + His first miracle; from her shall His earliest inspiration be + drawn. The people are athirst for the living wine, which shall be + better, sweeter, purer, stronger, than any they have yet tasted. + The festival lags, the joy slackens, for need of it. The Christ is + in their midst, but He opens not His lips; His heart is sealed, His + hour is not yet come. Mark that the first inspiration falls on the + woman by His side, on Mary the Mother of God; she saith unto Him, + 'They have no wine.' She has spoken, the impulse is given to + Divinity. His soul awakens, His pulse quickens, He utters the word + that works the miracle. Hail, Mary, full of grace; Christ is thy + gift to the world! Without thee He could not have been; but for + thine impulse He could have worked no mighty work. This shall be + the history of all time; it shall be the sign of the Christ. Mary + shall feel; Christ shall speak. Hers the glory of setting His heart + in action; hers the thrill of emotion to which His power shall + respond. But for her He shall be powerless; but for her He shall be + dumb; but for her He shall have no strength to smite, no hand to + help. It is the seed of the woman who shall bruise the serpent's + head. The Christ, the true prophet, is her child, her gift to the + world. 'Woman, behold thy Son!'" + +Such was the first intimation and the manner thereof, given us of the +truth subsequently revealed in plenitude,--the presence in Scripture of +a mystical sense concealed within the apparent sense, as a kernel in its +shell, which, and not the literal sense, is the intended sense[23]. As +was later shown us in regard to the story of the cursing of the +fig-tree, that of the marriage in Cana was a parable having a spiritual +import; and the character of Jesus was cleared from the reproaches based +on the literal sense. Striving for fuller unfoldment and enlightenment, +we were at length enabled to discern the tremendous mistake which +orthodoxy has made; the mistake of confounding, first, Jesus with +Christ, and, next, Mary the mother of Jesus, with the Virgin Mary, the +mother of Christ, and the conversion thereby of a perfect philosophy +into a gross idolatry. Meanwhile, the experience was a further +demonstration to us of the reality and accessibility not merely of the +world spiritual, but of the world celestial also, and of the high source +of the commission under which we had become associated together. It was +also an indication that as concerned ourselves our work appertained to +the spiritual, rather than to the social plane. Such application of it +would follow in due time. No other hypothesis that we could devise would +account for the facts. Nor could we imagine any source other than the +Church invisible for an interpretation so noble of the Scriptures of the +Church visible. + +Not that the hypothesis of an extraneous source accounted for all our +experiences. For besides receiving knowledge from such influences, there +were instances in which we actually saw and seemed to remember scenes, +events, and persons, long since vanished from earth, and felt at the +time that it needed only that the period of lucidity be sufficiently +prolonged to enable us to recover from personal recollection the whole +history concerned. + +I was somewhat surprised by finding the first experiences of this +nature, as well as certain others of an equally high and rare order, +occurring to me rather than to my colleague, of the superiority of whose +faculty and of whose primacy in our work I had no manner of doubt. The +explanation at length vouchsafed was in this wise. It was in order to +qualify me for recognising by my own experiences the reality and value +of hers when they should come. Not otherwise should I know enough to be +able to believe. It proved, moreover, to be part of the plan ordained +to withdraw from me, in a great measure, the faculty requisite for them, +when I had become familiar with them. The reason for according her such +preference over and above the superiority of her gifts will presently +appear. It was another and an exquisite illustration of the depth and +tenderness of the mystical element underlying Christianity as divinely +conceived and intended. + + * * * * * + +The partial withdrawal from me of faculty just alluded to took place +early in 1877, but not until I had undergone a thorough experiential +training in its varied manifestations. Among these were two which call +for relation here, by reason of their serving to show that nothing was +withheld which might minister to the completeness of the work set us. +The first was as follows:-- + +Being seated at my writing-table, and meditating on the gospel +narrative, with a strange sense of being separated by only a narrow +interval from a full knowledge of all that it implied, I found myself +impelled to seek the precise idea intended to be conveyed by the story +of the woman taken in adultery. No account that I had read of it had +satisfied me, least of all that which was proposed in the "Ecce Homo" of +Professor Seeley, a book then recent and enjoying a repute which filled +me with a strong feeling of personal resentment. For his account, +especially of the feelings excited in Jesus by the sight of the accused +woman, revolted me by its inscription to Him of a sense of impropriety +at once monkish and conventional, and of a limitation of charity +altogether incompatible with the abounding sympathy which was the +essence of His nature. It made Him that most odious of characters, a +_prude_. + +As I meditated, and in following my idea I passed into a state which, +though highly interior, was not sufficiently interior for my +purpose--for I wanted, so to speak, to _see_ my idea--a voice audible +only to the inner hearing, yet quite distinct, said to me, "You have it +within you. Seek for it." Thus encouraged, I made a further effort at +concentration, when--to my utter surprise, for I had no expectation or +conception of such a thing--the whole scene of the incident appeared +palpably before me, like a living picture in a _camera obscura_, so +natural, minute and distinct as to leave nothing to be desired, and, at +the same time, utterly unlike any pictorial representation I had ever +seen of it. Close before me, on my right hand, stood the Temple, with +Jesus seated on a stone ledge in the porch, while ranged before Him was +a crowd of persons in the costumes of the country and the time; each +costume showing the grade or calling of its wearer. Standing together in +a group in front of Him were the disciples, and immediately beside them +were the accusers, who were readily recognisable by their ample robes +and sanctimonious demeanour; and quite close to Him, between Him and +them, stood the accused woman. As I approached the scene, moving +meteor-like through the air, He was in the act of lifting Himself up +from stooping to write on the ground, and I had a perfect view of His +face. He was of middle age, but, to my surprise, the type was that of a +Murillo, rather than a Raffaelle, and the lower portion of the face was +covered with a short, dark beard. The expression was worn and anxious, +and somewhat weary. The skin was rough as from exposure to the weather. +The eyes were deep-set and lustrous, and remarkable for the tenderness +of their gaze. One of the apostles, whom I at once recognised by his +comparative youthfulness as John, though his back was towards me as I +approached, was in the act of bending forwards to read the words just +traced in the dust on the pavement; and, as if drawn to him by some +potent attraction, I at once passed unhesitatingly into him as he bent +forward, and tried to read the words through his eyes. Their exact +purport escaped me; but the impression I obtained was that they were +unimportant in themselves, having been written merely to enable Jesus to +collect and calm Himself. For He was filled with a mighty indignation, +which was directed, not against the accused woman, but against the +by-standing representatives of the conventional orthodoxies, the chief +priests and Pharisees, her sanctimonious and hypocritical +accusers,--those moral vivisectors through whose pitilessness the +shrinking woman stood there exposed to the public gaze, while her fault +was so brutally blurted out in her presence for all to hear; for her +attitude showed her ready to sink with shame into the ground, and afraid +to look either her accusers or her Judge in the face. He, her Judge, +also has heard it, and knows that they who utter it are themselves a +thousand-fold greater sinners than she, inasmuch as that which she has +yielded through exigency either of passion or of compassion, has with +them been a cold-blooded habit engendered of ingrained impurity. + +In contrast with them she stands out in His eyes an angel of innocence; +and an overwhelming indignation takes possession of Him, so that He will +not at once trust Himself to speak. His impulse is to drive them forth +with blows and reproaches from His presence, as once already He has +driven the barterers from the Temple. And so, to keep His wrath from +exploding, He stoops down and scribbles on the ground,--no matter what, +anything to keep Himself within bounds. In the exercise His spirit +calms. Indignation, He reflects, is too noble a thing to be expended +upon insensates such as they, and exhortation would be vain. He will try +sarcasm. So He raises himself up, and looks at them, very quietly, and +even assentingly. Yes, they are quite right; the law must be vindicated, +and so flagrant a sin severely punished. But, of course, only the +guiltless is entitled to inflict punishment on the guilty. Therefore He +says, "He of you who is blameless in respect of this sin, let him first +cast a stone at her." And having said this, He stoops down again to +write, this time to hide His smiles at their confusion, the sight of +which would but have incensed and hardened them. What! no rush for +ammunition wherewith to pound to death this only too human specimen of +humanity[24]! What can be the meaning of the general move among these +self-appointed censors of morals? "They which heard Him, being convicted +of their own consciences, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest +even unto the last." No wonder they crucified Him when they got their +chance. And no wonder that most of the ancient authorities omit all +mention of the incident. Even of His immediate biographers only he +records it who is styled "the Beloved," and whose name, office, and +character indicate him as the representative especially of the +love-principle in humanity. + +Such were the impressions made on me by this vision while it lasted, and +written down at the time. And so strong in me was the feeling that I +could similarly recall the whole history of Jesus, that I mentally +addressed to the presences which I felt, though I could not see, around +me an inquiry whether I should then and there begin the attempt. The +reply, similarly given, was a decided negative so far as that present +time was concerned, but accompanied by an intimation that our future +work would comprise something of the kind; a prediction which was duly +fulfilled. + +I found myself perplexed beyond measure to comprehend the _modus +operandi_ of this experience. No explanation was forthcoming, whether +from my own mind or from my illuminators, until long afterwards; and +when it came it was in reference immediately to similar experiences +received by my colleague, some of which likewise involved corresponding +personal recollections coinciding with but surpassing mine. In the +meantime the teaching given us comprised the doctrine of reincarnation, +stated so positively, systematically, and scientifically that, when +taken in conjunction with our experiences, we found that it, and it +alone, afforded a satisfactory explanation of them. And then it was +shown us that the method of the new Gospel of Interpretation, of which +we were the appointed recipients, was so ordered as to be itself a +demonstration of the truth of that doctrine, and that among the lives we +had lived, which qualified us for our mission, were those in which we +had been in association with Jesus and with each other[25]. Concerning +this doctrine, the motive for its suppression, and the fatal +consequences thereof to the religion of Christ, it will be time to speak +when describing the results attained by us. It is with our initial +experiences--those which constituted our initiation--that the present +concern lies. + +There is one supreme experience in the spiritual life, known to mystics +as "the vision of Adonai," or God as the Lord. The reception of this +vision by us was, we were assured, a conclusive proof that nothing would +be withheld that was necessary to our full equipment for a complete +work. Although described several times in the Bible as an actual +occurrence, it had failed to find any response in our own consciousness, +more than if it had no existence. Nor had it ever been the subject of +intelligent comment by any Bible-expositors known to us. Rather did it +seem to have been entirely passed over as a matter wholly apart from +human cognition. Hence, when it was vouchsafed to us, it was entirely +without anticipation of its occurrence or previous knowledge even of its +possibility. + +It was received first by myself, the manner of it being as follows. I +had observed that when I was following an idea inwards in search of its +primary meaning, and to that end concentrated my mind upon a point lying +within and beyond the apparent concept, I saw a whole vista of related +ideas stretching far away as if towards their source, in what I could +only suppose to be the Divine Mind; and I seemed at the same time to +reach a more interior region of my own consciousness; so that, supposing +man's system to consist of a series of concentric spheres, each fresh +effort to focus my mind upon a more recondite aspect of the idea under +analysis was accompanied and marked by a corresponding advance of the +perceptive point of the mind itself towards my own central sphere and +radiant point. And I was prompted to try to ascertain the extent to +which it was possible thus to concentrate myself interiorly, and what +would be the effect of reaching the mind's ultimate focus. I was +absolutely without knowledge or expectation when I yielded to the +impulse to make the attempt. I simply experimented on a faculty of +which I found myself newly possessed, with the view of discovering the +range of its capacity, being seated at my writing-table the while in +order to record the results as they came, and resolved to retain my hold +on my outer and circumferential consciousness no matter how far towards +my inner and central consciousness I might go. For I knew not whether I +should be able to regain the former if I once quitted my hold of it, or +to recollect the facts of the experience. At length I achieved my +object, though only by a strong effort, the tension occasioned by the +endeavour to keep both extremes of the consciousness in view at once +being very great. + +Once well started on my quest, I found myself traversing a succession of +spheres or belts of a medium, the tenuity and luminance of which +increased at every stage of my progress; the impression produced being +that of mounting a vast ladder stretching from the circumference towards +the centre of a system, which was at once my own system, the solar +system, and the universal system, the three systems being at once +diverse and identical. My progress in this ascent was clearly dependent +upon my ability to concentrate the rays of my consciousness into a +focus. For, while to relax the effort was to recede outwards, to +intensify it was to advance inwards. The process was like that of +travelling by will power from the orbit of Saturn to the Sun--taking +Saturn as representing the seventh and outermost sphere of the spiritual +kosmos, and the Sun its central and radiant point--with the intermediate +orbits for stepping-stones and stages, I trying the while to keep both +extremes in view. Presently, by a supreme, and what I felt must be a +final, effort--for the tension was becoming too much for me, unless I +let go my hold of the outer--I succeeded in polarising the whole of the +convergent rays of my consciousness into the desired focus. And at the +same instant, as if through the sudden ignition of the rays thus fused +into a unity, I found myself confronted with a glory of unspeakable +whiteness and brightness, and of a lustre so intense as well-nigh to +beat me back. At the same instant, too, there came to me, as by a sudden +recollection, the sense of being already familiar with the phenomenon, +as also with its whole import, as if in virtue of having experienced it +in some former and forgotten state of being. I knew it to be the "Great +White Throne" of the seer of the Apocalypse. But though feeling that I +had no need to explore further, I resolved to make assurance doubly sure +by piercing, if I could, the almost blinding lustre, and seeing what it +enshrined. With a great effort I succeeded, and the glance revealed to +me that which I had felt must be there. This was the dual form of the +Son, the Word, the Logos, the Adonai, the "Sitter on the Throne," the +first formulation of Divinity, the unmanifest made manifest, the +unformulate formulate, the unindividuate individuate, God as the Lord, +proving by His Duality that God is Substance as well as Force, Love as +well as Will, feminine as well as masculine, Mother as well as Father. + +Overjoyed at having this supreme problem solved in accordance with my +highest aspirations, my one thought was to return and proclaim the glad +news. But I had no sooner set myself to write down the things thus seen +and remembered, than I found myself constrained to maintain regarding +them the strictest silence, and this even as regarded my fellow-worker; +and all that I was permitted to say at that time was, that under a +sudden burst of illumination I had become absolutely aware of the truth +of the doctrine of the Duality in Unity of Deity to which that in +Humanity corresponds, both alike being twain in one. On seeking the +reason for the reticence thus imposed on me, I learned that the stage in +our work had not yet come when it could be given to the world, either +with safety to myself or with advantage to others; and it was necessary +that my colleague receive no intimation in advance of any experiences +which were to be given to her--of which this experience was one--in +order that her mind might be wholly free from bias or expectation. Only +so would our testimony have its due value as that of two independent +witnesses. + +In the following summer the same vision was vouchsafed to her in a +measure and with a fulness far transcending mine[26]. + +On the occasion she had been forewarned of something of unusual +solemnity as about to occur, and prompted to make certain ceremonial +preparations obviously calculated to impress the imagination. The access +came upon her while standing by the open window, gazing at the moon, +then close upon the full. The first effect of the _afflatus_ was to +cause her to kneel and pray in a rapt attitude, with her arms extended +towards the sky. It appeared afterwards, that under an access of +spiritual exaltation, she had yielded to a sudden and uncontrollable +impulse to pray that she might be taken to the stars, and shown all the +glory of the universe. Presently she rose, and after gazing upwards in +ecstasy for a few moments, lowered her eyes, and, clasping her arms +around her head as if to shut out the view, uttered in tones of wonder, +mingled with moans and cries of anguish, the following tokens of the +intolerable splendour of the vision she had unwittingly invited:-- + +"Oh, I see masses, masses of stars! It makes me giddy to look at them. O +my God, what masses! Millions and millions! WHEELS of planets! O my God, +my God, why didst Thou create? It was by Will, all Will, that Thou didst +it. Oh! what might, what might of Will! Oh, what gulfs! what gulfs! +Millions and millions of miles broad and deep! Hold me! hold me up! I +shall sink--I shall sink into the gulfs. I am sick and giddy, as on a +billowy sea. I am on a sea, an ocean--the ocean of infinite space. Oh, +what depths! what depths! I sink--I fail! I cannot, cannot bear it!" + +"I shall never come back. I have left my body for ever. I am dying; I +believe I am dead. Impossible to return from such a distance! Oh, what +colossal forms! They are the angels of the planets. Every planet has its +angel standing erect above it. And what beauty!--what marvellous beauty! +I see Raphael. I see the Angel of the Earth. He has six wings. He is a +God--the God of our planet. I see my genius, who called himself A.Z.; +but his name is Salathiel. Oh, how surpassingly beautiful he is! My +genius is a male, and his colour is ruby. Yours, Caro, is a female, and +sapphire. They are friends--they are the same--not two, but one; and for +that reason they have associated us together, and speak of themselves +sometimes as _I_, sometimes as _We_. It is the Angel of the Earth +himself that is your genius and mine, Caro. He it was who inspired you, +who spoke to you. And they call me 'Bitterness.' And I see sorrow--oh, +what unending sorrow do I behold! Sorrow, always sorrow, but never +without love. I shall always have love. How dim is this sphere!... I am +entering a brighter region now... Oh, the dazzling, dazzling brightness! +Hide me, hide me from it! I cannot, cannot bear it! It is agony supreme +to look upon. O God! O God! Thou art slaying me with Thy light. It is +the Throne itself, the Great White Throne of God that I behold! Oh, what +light! what light! It is like an emerald? a sapphire? No; a diamond! In +its midst stands Deity erect, His right hand raised aloft, and from Him +pours the light of light. Forth from His right hand streams the +universe, projected by the omnipotent repulsion of His will. Back to His +left, which is depressed and set backwards, returns the universe, drawn +by the attraction of His love. Repulsion and attraction, will and love, +right and left, these are the forces, centrifugal and centripetal, male +and female, whereby God creates and redeems. Adonai! O Adonai! Lord God +of life, made of the substance of light, how beautiful art Thou in Thine +everlasting youth! with Thy glowing golden locks, how adorable! And I +had thought of God as elderly and venerable! As if the Eternal could +grow old! And now not as Man only do I behold Thee! For now Thou art to +me as Woman. Lo, Thou art both. One, and Two also. And thereby dost Thou +produce creation. O God, O God! why didst Thou create this stupendous +existence? Surely, surely, it had been better in love to have restrained +Thy will. It was by will that Thou createdst, by will alone, not by +love, was it not?--was it not? I cannot see clearly. A cloud has come +between. + +"I see Thee now as Woman. Maria is next beside Thee. Thou art Maria. +Maria is God. Oh Maria! God as Woman! Thee, thee I adore! +Maria-Aphrodite! Mother! Mother-God! + +"They are returning with me now, I think. But I shall never get back. +What strange forms! how huge they are! All angels and archangels. Human +in form, yet some with eagles' heads. All the planets are inhabited! how +innumerable is the variety of forms! Oh! universe of existence, how +stupendous is existence! Oh! take me not near the sun; I cannot bear its +heat. Already do I feel myself burning. Here is Jupiter! It has nine +moons! Yes; nine. Some are exceedingly small. And, oh, how red it is! It +has so much iron. And what enormous men and women! There is evil there, +too. For evil is wherever are matter and limitation. But the people of +Jupiter are far better than we on earth. They know much more; they are +much wiser. There is less evil in their planet. Ah! and they have +another sense, too. What is it? No; I cannot describe it. I cannot tell +what it is. It differs from any of the others. We have nothing like it. +I cannot get back yet. I shall never get back. I believe I am dead. It +is only my body you are holding. It has grown cold for want of me. Yet +I must be approaching; it is growing shallower. We are passing out of +the depths. Yet I can never wholly return--never--never!"[27] + +The account given of the vision of Adonai in Lecture IX. of "The Perfect +Way," was written solely from our joint experiences. It was with an +interest altogether novel in kind and degree that I now turned to the +Bible narratives of the same vision, and found that in the record of its +reception by the Elders of Israel, it is stated, as if in token of the +power of the spiritual battery with which Moses had surrounded himself, +that no less than seventy of his initiates were able to receive the +vision without magnetic reinforcement by the imposition of their +master's hands. But, as we learnt from our own manifold experiences, it +does not follow that because there is no imposition of visible hands, no +extraneous aid is rendered. The seeker after God cannot, even if he +would, accomplish his quest alone; but always are there attracted to him +those angelic beings whose office it is, as ministers of God, to sustain +and illuminate souls by the imposition of hands invisible to the outer +senses. In her case such aid was palpable. There was no effort on her +part. And she held converse with those by whom she was upborne in her +stupendous flight. + +When in due course the time came for us to receive the ancient and +long-lost Gnosis which underlay the sacred religions and scriptures of +antiquity, the following was given us, and we recognised in it the +original Scripture from which the opening sentences in St John's Gospel +are drawn. + +After defining the Elohim as comprising the two original principles of +all Being, "the Spirit and the Water," or Force and Substance, and +bringing up the process whereby Deity proceeds into manifestation to the +point described in Genesis in the words, "And the Spirit of God moved +upon the face of the Waters. And God _said_,"--the utterance thus +continues,-- + + Then from the midst of the Divine Duality, the Only Begotten of God + came forth: + + Adonai, the Word, the Voice invisible. + + He was in the beginning, and by Him were all things discovered. + + Without Him was not anything made which is visible. + + For He is the Manifestor, and in Him was the life of the world. + + God the nameless hath not revealed God, but Adonai hath revealed + God from the beginning. + + He is the presentation of Elohim, and by Him the Gods are made + manifest. + + He is the third aspect of the Divine Triad: + + Co-equal with the Spirit and the heavenly deep. + + For except by three in one, the Spirits of the Invisible Light + could not have been made manifest. + + But now is the prism perfect, and the generation of the Gods + discovered in their order. + + Adonai dissolves and resumes; in His two hands are the dual powers + of all things. + + He is of His Father the Spirit, and of His Mother the great deep. + + Having the potency of both in Himself, and the power of things + material. + + Yet being Himself invisible, for He is the cause, and not the + effect. + + He is the Manifestor, and not that which is manifest. + + That which is manifest is the Divine Substance[28]. + +The reason for the suppression by the translators of the Bible of its +numerous affirmations of the Divine Duality, saving only those of +Genesis i. 26, 27, was in due time disclosed to us; as also was the +extent of the loss to man through the elimination of the feminine +principle from his conception of Original Being, and the consequent +perversion of the doctrine of the Trinity, and therein of the true +nature of Existence, in both its aspects, Creation and Redemption. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[18] In 1875. (Life A.K. Vol. I. p. 73.) + +[19] The book was "England and Islam: or The Counsel of Caiaphas," which +was published in 1877. + +[20] This vision occurred in London in November, 1876. It was merely +referred to in the previous editions of this book, but I have inserted +it here in full from "The Life of A.K." Vol. I. pp. 115-117. It is also +given in "England and Islam," pp. 438-442. S.H.H. + +[21] p. 41. + +[22] E. and I. p. 299. + +[23] It is probable that E.M. intended this statement to apply only to +the N.T., or to the Gospels, because, before February, 1874, when he +first visited A.K. at her house (p. 2), she had received in sleep "an +exposition of the Story of the Fall, exhibiting it as a parable having a +significance purely spiritual" and E.M. certainty regarded the Biblical +Story of the Fall as "Scripture." S.H.H. + +[24] The expression of which the above is an adaptation, had recently +been applied by Mr Gladstone to the Turkish power. For the period was +the eve of the Turco-Russian War; and Mr Gladstone had found vent for +his strong sacerdotal proclivities by siding fiercely against the +priest-hating and prophet-venerating Turks, and demanding their +expulsion from Europe, very much on the plea that "it was good for +Europe that one nation die for the rest." It was in recognition of the +part thus played by him that I took for the sub-title of my book +("England and Islam") "The Counsel of Caiaphas." The book--which was +written under a high degree of illumination--contained an earnest appeal +to Mr Gladstone, which, if heeded, would have saved the country from its +subsequent humiliations. Among other things I was clearly shown that the +policy which sought to detach England from the East, was of infernal +instigation, being intended to thwart the rapprochement between +Christianity and Buddhism from which the new humanity was to spring. But +the circumstances of the book's production--it was poured through me at +great speed and printed off as it came--precluded due revision and +elimination of redundant matter; and for these and other reasons, I have +suffered it to go out of print. E.M. + +[25] There is another fact, referred to in "The Life of A.K.," that must +be taken into consideration in connection with experiences of this +nature, that is, "the survival for an indefinite period of the images of +events occurring on the earth, in the astral light, or memory of the +planet, called the anima mundi, which images can be evoked and beheld." +(Life A.K. Vol I. p. 125.) S.H.H. + +[26] This "Vision of Adonai" by A.K. was merely referred to in the +previous editions of this book. I have extracted the following account +of the most interesting part of it from "The Life of A.K." (Vol. I. pp. +193-196.) S.H.H. + +[27] Speaking of this vision, E.M. says:--"Her apprehension was not +without justification; for her body was completely torpid, and several +hours passed before consciousness was fully restored to it." (C.W.S. p. +283.) + +[28] This is one of the illuminations that were received by A.K., during +the latter part of 1878, "directly from the hierarchy of the Church +Invisible and Celestial." Speaking of these illuminations, which "dealt +with the profoundest subjects of cognition," E.M. says that he and A.K. +found in them "a synthesis and an analysis combined of the sacred +mysteries of all the great religions of antiquity, and the true +_origines_ of Christianity as originally and divinely intended, together +with the secret and method of its corruption and perversion into that +which now bears its name"; and they "were at no loss to recognise in +them the destined Scriptures of the future, so long promised and at +length vouchsafed in interpretation of the Scriptures of the past." +(Life A.K. Vol. I. pp. 293, 294.) S.H.H. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE COMMUNICATION. + + +A striking feature for us was the exquisite tenderness and poetic +delicacy, both in matter and manner, which characterised all that we +received. Nor was there the intrusion of anything to suggest feelings +such as are described by Daniel when he says, "I saw this great vision, +and there remained no strength in me, neither was there breath left in +me." And not only was the element of terror so completely absent as to +make us feel as if we had entered on the dispensation of that "perfect +love which casteth out fear," but there was occasionally an element of +playfulness, and this on the part of our chiefest illuminators, the Gods +themselves. While their instructions were replete with every graceful +and delicate adornment such as could not but delight the poet and the +artist, and this without abatement of profundity or solemnity. By these +things it was intimated to us that the religion of the future was indeed +to be one of sweetness and light, and for the severe and gloomy spirit +of the Semite would be substituted the bright and joyous spirit of the +Greek. All this, we learnt, was because the new dispensation was to be +that of the "Woman," and in accord therefore with woman's nature and +sentiments. It was moreover to be introduced by means of the Woman's +faculty, the Intuition, and this as subsisting in _a_ woman. + +The following exquisite little apologue, which was given us in the early +days of our novitiate, is an instance in point:-- + + A blind man once lost himself in a forest. An angel took pity on + him, and led him into an open place. As he went he received his + sight. Then he saw the angel, and said to him, "Brother, what doest + thou here? Suffer me to go before thee, for I am thine elder." So + the man went first, taking the lead. But the angel spread his wings + and returned to heaven. And darkness fell again upon him to whom + sight had been given. + +Here was a parable which, slight as it seemed, was truly Biblical for +the depth and manifoldness of its signification. For while it applied to +ourselves both separately and jointly, and to our work, it was also an +eternal verity applicable alike to the individual, the collective, and +the universal. For as the angel was to the man, so is the intuition to +the intellect, which of itself cannot transcend the sense-nature, but +remains blind and dark and lost in the wilderness of illusion. And as +she, my colleague, had supplemented me, so were we each to supplement in +ourselves intellect by intuition, in order to become capable of +knowledge and understanding. It was, moreover, a parable of the Fall and +of the Redemption, an epitome in short of man's spiritual history. And +it had been spelt out for us by the tilting of a table in one of our +earliest essays in spiritualism! So carefully guarded and daintily +taught were we from the outset. + +The charming allegory of "The Wonderful Spectacles" which was given in +London on the 31st January, 1877, to my colleague in sleep, was not only +an instruction concerning the nature of her faculty and its +indispensableness as an adjunct to mine for the work assigned to us; it +was also a prophetic intimation of the character of that work, and of +the nature of the influences controlling it, which at the time was +altogether unsuspected by us. This is the account which she sent to me +by letter, for we were not then together:-- + + I dreamt that I was walking alone on the sea-shore. The day was + singularly clear and sunny. Inland lay the most beautiful landscape + ever seen; and far off were ranges of tall hills, the highest peaks + of which were white with glistening snow. Along the sands by the + sea towards me came a man accoutred as a postman. He gave me a + letter. It was from you. It ran thus:-- + + "I have got hold of the rarest and most precious book extant. It + was written before the world began. The text is easy enough to + read; but the notes, which are very copious and numerous, are in + such very minute and obscure characters that I cannot make them + out. I want you to get for me the spectacles which Swedenborg used + to wear; not the smaller pair--those he gave to Hans Christian + Andersen--but the large pair, and these seem to have got mislaid. I + think they are Spinoza's make. You know he was an optical-glass + maker by profession, and the best we have ever had. See if you can + get them for me"[29]. + + When I looked up after reading this letter, I saw the postman + hastening away across the sands, and I called out to him, "Stop! + how am I to send the answer? Won't you wait for me?" + + He looked round, stopped, and came back to me. + + "I have the answer here," he said, tapping his letter bag, "and I + shall deliver it immediately." + + "How can you have the answer before I have written it?" said I. + "You are making a mistake." + + "No," said he, "In the city from which I come, the replies are all + written at the office and sent out with the letters themselves. + Your reply is in my bag." + + "Let me see it," I said. He took another letter from his wallet and + gave it to me. I opened it, and read, in my own handwriting, this + answer, addressed to you:-- + + "The spectacles you want can be bought in London. But you will not + be able to use them at once, for they have not been worn for many + years, and they want cleaning sadly. This you will not be able to + do yourself in London, because it is too dark there to see, and + because your fingers are not small enough to clean them properly. + Bring them here to me, and I will do it for you." + + I gave this letter back to the postman. He smiled and nodded at me; + and I saw then to my astonishment that he wore a camel's-hair tunic + round his waist. I had been on the point of addressing him--I know + not why--as _Hermes_. But I now saw that it was John the Baptist; + and in my fright at having spoken with so great a saint, I awoke. + +This was the second suggestion of a Greek element in our work, the first +having been the slight allusion to Phoibos Apollo in the illumination +concerning the Marriage in Cana of Galilee[30]. The signification of the +connection between Hermes and John the Baptist remained unintelligible +to us until the key to it was given us in a revelation of the method of +the Bible-writers explaining their practice of representing principles +as persons. We then found that by the baptism or purification, physical +and mental, practised by John, was meant the course of life and thought +whereby alone man develops the faculty of the understanding of spiritual +things. And Hermes is the Greco-Egyptian name for the "second of the +Gods," called by Isaiah the Spirit of Understanding. Hence the adoption +of this name by the formulators of the Hermetic, or sacred books of +Egypt; and the favourite motto of the Hermetists:-- + + "Est in Mercurio quicquid quoerunt sapientes," + +All is in the understanding that the wise seek,--Mercury being the Latin +equivalent for Hermes. + +The mention of Swedenborg and Andersen implied their possession of the +faculty indispensable to our work, that of mystical insight, of which +they were the most notable recent representatives. + +A larger part was played by Hermes in another instruction received a few +months later[31]. This was also given in sleep, the vision taking the +form of a "Banquet of the Gods" in which the seeress received the +following exhortation from him, in enforcement of the necessity of pure +and natural habits of life for the perfectionment of the faculties +requisite for full spiritual perception, when, having put into her hands +a branch of a fig-tree bearing upon it ripe fruit, he said:-- + + "If you would be perfect, and able to know and to do all things, + quit the heresy of Prometheus. Let fire warm and comfort you + externally: it is heaven's gift. But do not wrest it from its + rightful purpose, as did that betrayer of your race, to fill the + veins of humanity with its contagion, and to consume your interior + being with its breath. All of you are men of clay, as was the + image which Prometheus made. Ye are nourished with stolen fire, and + it consumes you. Of all the evil uses of heaven's good gifts, none + is so evil as the internal use of fire. For your hot foods and + drinks have consumed and dried up the magnetic power of your + nerves, sealed your senses, and cut short your lives. Now, you + neither see nor hear; for the fire in your organs consumes your + senses. Ye are all blind and deaf, creatures of clay. We have sent + you a book to read. Practise its precepts, and your senses shall be + opened." + + Then, not recognising him, I said, "Tell me your name, Lord." At + this he laughed and answered, "I have been about you from the + beginning. I am the white cloud on the noon-day sky." "Do you, + then," I asked, "desire the whole world to abandon the use of fire + in preparing food and drink?" + + Instead of answering my question, he said, "We show you the + excellent way. Two places only are vacant at our table. We have + told you all that can be shown you on the level on which you stand. + But our perfect gifts, the fruits of the Tree of Life, are beyond + your reach now. We cannot give them to you until you are purified + and have come up higher. The conditions are GOD'S; the will is with + you"[32]. + +The allusion to Prometheus, and the fact that Hermes had been +represented in the Greek tragedy of that name as the executor of the +vengeance of the Gods upon Prometheus, as well also as the significance +of the fig-branch and the fact of its being the symbol of Hermes as the +Spirit of Understanding,--all these things were beyond her knowledge at +the time, some of them indeed having been long lost. But all were made +clear as our education for our work proceeded, and we learnt the +intention and recognised the necessity of restoring the Greek +presentment of the Sacred Mysteries in explanation of the Hebrew, and in +correction of the ecclesiastical presentment of Christianity. The +restoration was to be twofold, of faculty and of knowledge, the +knowledge to be recovered through the faculty by which it was originally +obtained. Hence the insistance on our adoption of the pure regimen of +the Seers of all time. Hence, too, the presentation to her by Hermes of +the fig-branch bearing ripe fruit. The parable of the cursing of the +barren fig-tree was explained to us as denoting the loss by the church +of the inward understanding, the Intuition. In the Seeress it was +restored; she was the appointed representative of it. The "time of the +end" was at hand, of the approach of which the budding of the fig-tree +was to be the sign. And here it was not merely budding and blossoming, +but bearing mature fruit to signify that in her the faculty was restored +in its perfection. + +In an instruction subsequently given to me by her Genius, he said of +her, "I have fashioned a perfect instrument," implying that the process +of her preparation under his tuition had extended over numerous lives. +And again, "The Gods have given to their own a perfect ear." + +Being desirous once to test the powers of a medium to whom she was +totally unknown even by name, she asked his controlling spirit about +herself and her faculty. "You are not a trance-medium at all!" the +spirit exclaimed in reply. "My medium is a trance-medium. You are far +beyond that. You are a spiritual lens. You are a mirror in which the +highest spirits--the Gods--can reflect their faces. You take the light +of the whole universe and divide it so that it can be understood, as it +has never been understood yet. Your gift is very extraordinary. You are +a glass to reflect the highest and the greatest to the world." This was +in 1877, before she was known in connection with the spiritual movement +of the age. + +The description given of himself by Hermes as "the white cloud in the +noon-day sky," proved to be a quotation from an ancient ritual, +subsequently recovered by her, in which the "Hymn to Hermes"[33] opens +thus:-- + + As a moving light between heaven and earth: as a white cloud + assuming many shapes; + + He descends and rises: he guides and illumines; he transmutes + himself from small to great, from bright to shadowy, from the + opaque image to the diaphanous mist. + + Star of the East, conducting the Magi; cloud from whose midst the + holy voice speaketh; by day a pillar of vapour, by night a shining + flame. + +All these are symbolic expressions for the Understanding, especially in +respect of divine things, so that Hermes is no individual soul or +spirit, but the divine spirit Itself operating as the second of the +Creative Elohim, and as a function therefore of man's own spirit when +duly unfolded and purified, in token whereof it is said in the recovered +hymn[34] to the Planet-God Iacchos-- + + Within thee, O Man, is the Universe; the thrones of all the Gods + are in thy temple.... + + And the Spirits which speak unto thee are of thine own kingdom. + +In the hymn of invocation summoning the Seeress to her mission in the +name of the two first of the "Holy Seven," the Spirits of Wisdom and +Understanding, both of whom were wont to manifest themselves to her, +Hermes is referred to as "the God who knows"; the other being +personified as Pallas Athena. "In the Celestial," we were informed, "all +things are Persons." + + "Wake, prophet-soul, the time draws near, + 'The God who knows' within thee stirs + And speaks, for His thou art, and Hers + Who bears the mystic shield and spear. + + A touch divine shall thrill thy brain, + Thy soul shall leap to life, and lo! + What she has known, again shall know, + What she has seen, shall see again. + + The ancient past through which she came...."[35] + +As the Spirit of Understanding, the name of Hermes signifies both Rock +and Interpreter. Hence the significance of the saying of Jesus, "Thou +art the Rock, and upon this Rock I will build My Church," which He +addressed not to the man Peter, but to the Spirit of Understanding whom +He discerned as the prompter of Peter's confession of faith. By this +Jesus implied that the only true and infallible church is that which is +founded on the Understanding, and not on authority whether of book, +tradition or institution. The utterance of Jesus was a citation from the +proem to the hymn to Hermes[36] recovered by us:-- + + "He is as a rock between earth and heaven, and the Lord God shall + build His Church thereon. + + As a city upon a mountain of stone, whose windows look forth on + either side." + +As our education proceeded we found indubitably that in excluding from +its curriculum the whole range of the knowledges represented by the term +"Hermetic," Ecclesiasticism has ignored the chief source of information +concerning the Christian _origines_. Doing which it has incurred the +reproach uttered by Jesus against those who took away the key of +knowledge, neither entering in themselves, nor suffering others to enter +in. And it was to restore this Gnosis, suppressed by the priests, that +the new revelation was promised, with the reception of which we found +ourselves charged, the prophecies pointing to a restoration both of +faculty and of knowledge. + +Besides the Fig-branch of Hermes, there is another symbol of the +intuitional understanding which was disclosed to us as having special +and peculiar relation to the work set us. This symbol is Woman herself. +She had already, in the instruction concerning the marriage in Cana[37], +been shown to us as the inspirer and prompter. She was now shown to us +as the interpreter. The reason why the fig-tree was the emblem of the +inward understanding will be found in the citation presently to be +given; which is a portion of an instruction received in interpretation +of the prophecy of Daniel, re-enunciated by Jesus, concerning the +recognition of the "abomination of desolation standing in the holy +place"[38], as making and marking the time of the end of that generation +which, for its materialisation of spiritual things, was called by Him an +"adulterous," meaning an idolatrous, generation. It will be seen that in +the Scripture symbology, as the soul is the feminine principle in man's +spiritual system, and is called therefore the "Woman," the spirit being +the masculine principle; so in man's mental system the intuition as the +feminine mode of the mind is called the "Woman," and the intellect, as +the masculine mode, the "Man." The following is the citation in +question:-- + + Behold the FIG-TREE, and learn her parable. When the branch thereof + shall become tender, and her buds appear, know that the day of God + is upon you." + + Wherefore, then, saith the Lord that the budding of the Fig-Tree + shall foretell the end? + + Because the Fig-Tree is the symbol of the Divine Woman, as the Vine + of the Divine Man. + + The Fig is the similitude of the Matrix, containing inward buds, + bearing blossoms on its placenta, and bringing forth fruit in + darkness. It is the Cup of Life, and its flesh is the seed-ground + of new births. + + The stems of the Fig-Tree run with milk: her leaves are as human + hands, like the leaves of her brother the Vine. + + And when the Fig-Tree shall bear figs, then shall be the Second + Advent, the new sign of the Man bearing Water, and the + manifestation of the Virgin-Mother crowned. + + For when the Lord would enter the holy city, to celebrate His Last + Supper with His disciples, He sent before Him the Fisherman Peter + to meet the Man of the Coming Sign. + + "There shall meet you a Man bearing a pitcher of Water." + + Because, as the Lord was first manifest at a wine-feast in the + morning, so must He consummate His work at a wine-feast in the + evening. + + It is His Pass-Over; for thereafter the Sun must pass into a new + Sign. + + After the Fish, the Water-Carrier; but the Lamb of God remains + always in the place of victory, being slain from the foundation of + the world. + + For His place is the place of the Sun's triumph. + + After the Vine the Fig; for Adam is first formed, then Eve. + + And because our Lady is not yet manifest, our Lord is crucified. + + Therefore came He vainly seeking fruit upon the Fig-Tree, "for the + time of figs was not yet." + + And from that day forth, because of the curse of Eve, no man has + eaten fruit of the Fig-Tree. + + For the inward understanding has withered away, there is no + discernment any more in men. They have crucified the Lord because + of their ignorance, not knowing what they did. + + Wherefore, indeed, said our Lord to our Lady:--"Woman, what is + between me and thee? For even _my_ hour is not yet come." + + Because until the hour of the Man is accomplished and fulfilled, + the hour of the Woman must be deferred. + + Jesus is the Vine; Mary is the Fig-Tree. And the vintage must be + completed and the wine trodden out, or ever the harvest of the Figs + be gathered. + + But when the hour of our Lord is achieved; hanging on His Cross, He + gives our Lady to the faithful. + + The chalice is drained, the lees are wrung out: then says He to His + Elect:--"Behold thy Mother!" + + But so long as the grapes remain unplucked, the Vine has nought to + do with the Fig-Tree, nor Jesus with Mary. + + He is first revealed, for He is the Word; afterwards shall come the + hour of its Interpretation. + + And in that day every man shall sit under the VINE and the + FIG-TREE; the Dayspring shall arise in the Orient, and the Fig-Tree + shall bear her fruit. + + For, from the beginning, the Fig-leaf covered the shame of + Incarnation, because the riddle of existence can be expounded only + by him who has the Woman's secret. It is the riddle of the Sphinx. + + Look for that Tree which alone of all Trees bears a fruit + blossoming interiorly, in concealment, and thou shalt discover the + Fig. + + Look for the sufficient meaning of the manifest universe and of the + written Word, and thou shalt find only their mystical sense. + + Cover the nakedness of Matter and of Nature with the Fig-leaf, and + thou hast hidden all their shame. For the Fig is the Interpreter. + + So when the hour of Interpretation comes, and the Fig-Tree puts + forth her buds, know that the time of the End and the dawning of + the new Day are at hand,--"even at the doors." + +On handing me the first portion of the instruction of which the +foregoing is the conclusion, "Mary"--to use the name which meanwhile had +been bestowed on her by our Illuminators in token of her office as +representative of the Soul and Intuition--confessed to some perplexity. +Her usual Illuminator for revelations of this order was Hermes, whose +Hebrew equivalent is Raphael. But on this occasion it had been a Hebrew +one, Gabriel. Her surprise and delight were great on being reminded that +Gabriel was Daniel's own inspirer in respect of the prophecy in +question, and that he had prophesied his return, saying, "Go thy way, +Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the +end.... Thou shalt rest and stand in thy lot at the end of the days." +The explanation given us was that both Daniel's own spirit and his +illuminating angel had come to her, the former serving as the vehicle of +the latter. As with all our other results similarly obtained, we judged +it entirely by its own intrinsic merits, and not by its alleged +derivation. We knew too well the propensity of low influences to +appropriate to themselves great and even divine names, and the liability +of the recipients to be deceived and to make the names the criterion +instead of the communication itself. But in no instance did it happen to +us that we had any cause to distrust the genuineness either of messenger +or of message, even when both claimed to be divine. + + * * * * * + +The difference between the two interpretations or applications given us +of the incident at the "Marriage in Cana of Galilee," was explained to +us as an instance of the manifoldness of the sense of Scripture. The +parables have a separate meaning for each of the four planes of +existence[39]. + +We wondered much whether there were any parallels in history to our work +and to the manner of it; and especially as to how far an association +such as ours coincided with the ideas of the Hebrews. It was true that +they had both prophets and prophetesses, but did they work like us in +supplement and complement of each other? As regarded the recovery of +knowledge acquired in a previous life, Ezra also had ascribed his +recovery of the long lost Law to intuitional recollection occurring +under special illumination, saying, "The Spirit strengthened my memory." +But no mention is made of a female coadjutor. Nor does it appear that +the Vestal Virgins were similarly supplemented, except to be thrown into +the magnetic trance-state. In her zeal for her sex and her corresponding +distrust of men--sentiments which seemed to be inborn in her--"Mary" was +disposed to think that most of the prophesying of old had been done by +women, but that the credit had been appropriated by men. The answer to +these questionings was of a kind altogether unexpected by us, both as +regarded its manner and its matter. For neither of us had the smallest +suspicion that the book referred to was capable of the interpretation +given us of it. This was the book of Esther. The incident was as +follows:-- + +The occasion was an Easter Sunday[40], and we were at Paris. Electing +to remain indoors rather than encounter the crowds of holiday makers, +"Mary" was moved during the afternoon to sit for some communication by +joint writing. But we were no sooner seated than it was written,-- + + "Do you, Caro[41], take a pencil and write, and let her look + inwards, and we will dictate slowly." + +"Mary" then became entranced, and delivered orally, repeating it slowly, +without break or pause, after a voice heard interiorly, the following +exposition of the book of Esther, an exposition entirely novel, as I +have said, to us, and, we believed, to the world. Some divines have +called the book a romance, but none have discovered that it is a +prophecy in the form of a parable. Luther, indeed, pronounced both it +and the Apocalypse to be so worthless that their destruction would be no +loss. + +The most important book in the Bible for you to study now, and that most +nearly about to be fulfilled, is one of the most mystic books in the Old +Testament, the book of Esther. + +This book is a mystic prophecy, written in the form of an actual +history. If I give you the key, the clue of the thread of it, it will be +the easiest thing in the world to unravel the whole. + + The great King Assuerus, who had all the world under his dominion, + and possessed the wealth of all the nations, is the genius of the + age. + + Queen Vasthi, who for her disobedience to the king was deposed from + her royal seat, is the orthodox Catholic Church. + + The Jews, scattered among the nations under the dominion of the + king, are the true Israel of God. + + Mardochi the Jew represents the spirit of intuitive reason and + understanding. + + His enemy Aman is the spirit of materialism, taken into the favour + and protection of the genius of the age, and exalted to the highest + place in the world's councils after the deposition of the orthodox + religion. + + Now Aman has a wife and ten sons. + + Esther--who, under the care and tuition of Mardochi, is brought up + pure and virgin--is that spirit of love and sympathetic + interpretation which shall redeem the world. + + I have told you that it shall be redeemed by a "woman." + + Now the several philosophical systems by which the councillors of + the age propose to replace the dethroned Church, are one by one + submitted to the judgment of the age; and Esther, coming last, + shall find favour. + + Six years shall she be anointed with oil of myrrh, that is, with + study and training severe and bitter, that she may be proficient in + intellectual knowledge, as must all systems which seek the favour + of the age. + + And six years with sweet perfumes, that is with the gracious + loveliness of the imagery and poetry of the faiths of the past, + that religion may not be lacking in sweetness and beauty. + + But she shall not seek to put on any of those adornments of dogma, + or of mere sense, which, by trick of priestcraft, former systems + have used to gain power or favour with the world and the age, and + for which they have been found wanting. + + Now there come out of the darkness and the storm which shall arise + upon the earth, two dragons[42]. + + And they fight and tear each other, until there arises a star, a + fountain of light, a queen, who is Esther[43]. + + I have given you the key. Unlock the meaning of all that is + written. + + I do not tell you if in the history of the past these voices had + part in the world of men. + + If they had, guess now who were Mardochi and Esther. + + But I tell you that which shall be in the days about to come[44]. + +On consulting the Bible-dictionary, we found this relation between +Esther and Easter. The feast of Purim, which was instituted in token of +the deliverance wrought through Esther, coincides in date with Easter. +And it was on Easter day that this was given us, by way of enhancing the +correspondence between the parts assigned to us and those of Mordecai +and Esther. Later it was shown us that the parts assigned to Joseph and +Mary were, in one aspect, also identical with those of Mordecai and +Esther. This is the aspect in which Joseph represents the mind, and Mary +the soul in the regenerated human system. + +Besides "Hermes," "Mary" received much of her illumination from her +"Genius," her relations with whom far surpassed not only my relations +with mine, but any that are recorded in history, the experiences of +Socrates, the chief instance on record, being insignificant both in +quantity and in quality as compared with hers. It is important, +therefore, to give an account of the nature and office of this order of +angels, which shall be rendered in his own words. + + Every man is a planet, having sun, moon, and stars. The Genius of a + man is his satellite; God--the God of the man--is his sun, and the + moon of this planet is Isis, its initiator or Genius. The Genius is + made to minister to the man, and to give him light. But the light + he gives is from God, and not of himself. He is not a planet but a + moon, and his function is to light up the dark places of his + planet. + + The day and night of the microcosm, man, are its positive and + passive, or protective and reflective states. In the projective + state we seek actively outwards; we aspire and will forcibly; we + hold active communion with the God without. In the reflective state + we look inwards; we commune with our own heart; we indraw and + concentrate ourselves secretly and interiorly. During this + condition the "Moon" enlightens our hidden chamber with her torch, + and shows us ourselves in our interior recess. + + Who or what, then, is this moon? It is part of ourselves and + revolves with us. It is our celestial affinity,--of whose order it + is said--as by Jesus--"Their angels do always behold the face of My + Father." + + Every human soul has a celestial affinity, which is part of his + system and a type of his spiritual nature. This angelic counterpart + is the bond of union between the man and God; and it is in virtue + of his spiritual nature that this angel is attached to him.... + + It is in virtue of man's being a planet that he has a moon. If he + were not fourfold, as is the planet, he could not have one. + Rudimentary men are not fourfold, they have not the Spirit. + + The Genius is the moon to the planet man, reflecting to him the + Sun, or God, within him. For the Divine Spirit which animates and + eternises the man, is the God of the man, the Sun that enlightens + him.... And because the Genius reflects, not the planet, but the + Sun, not the man (as do the astrals), but the God, his light is + always to be trusted.... + + The memory of the soul is recovered by a threefold operation--that + of the Soul herself, of the Moon, and of the Sun. The Genius is not + an informing spirit. He can tell nothing to the soul. All that she + receives is already within herself. But in the darkness of the + night, it would remain there undiscovered, but for the torch of the + angel who enlightens. "Yea," says the angel Genius to his client, + "I illuminate thee, but I instruct thee not. I warn thee, but I + fight not. I attend, but I lead not. Thy treasure is within + thyself. My light showeth where it lieth."... + + The voice of the Genius is the voice of God; for God speaks through + him as a man through the horn of a trumpet. Thou mayest not adore + him, for he is the instrument of God, and thy minister. But thou + must obey him, for he hath no voice of his own, but sheweth thee + the will of the Spirit. + +We noted that the inspiring angel of the Apocalypse had twice similarly +spoken when the seer was about to worship him;--"See thou do it not; for +I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them +which keep the sayings of this book: Worship God." + +The like positive injunctions were given us also against according +divine honours to Jesus. + +Besides Socrates, there is another notable historical "Spiritualist" of +whom our experiences vividly reminded us. This was Joan of Arc. The +correspondence between her and "Mary," in gifts, experiences, and +personal characteristics, was of the closest. We had no difficulty in +believing her history. Each of them, moreover, had a mission of +deliverance, the one political and national, the other spiritual and +universal. + +Although we had learned to trust our Illuminators implicitly long before +the receipt of the above instruction, we were still without assurance as +to the source and method of the revelation. Be the knowledges received +by us as new as they might to our external selves, they never failed to +be familiar as recovered memories, excepting in such cases as they were +couched in terms of which the sense, being mystical, was not at once +recognised. But such difficulties were soon overcome, and the doctrine, +when fully apprehended, was always to us as necessary and self-evident +truth, and such as to excite wonder at the potency of the glamour which +had hitherto withheld it from the world's recognition. In every detail, +the revelation represented for us Common-Sense in its loftiest mode. For +the agreement it represented was not that of all men merely, but that of +all parts of Man: of mind, soul and spirit, intellect and intuition, and +these purified and unfolded to the utmost, and perfectly equilibrated. +Whatever the manner of its communication, whether heard by the interior +ear, seen by the interior eye, flashed on the mind as vivid ideas, +whether acquired waking or sleeping, or in the intermediate state of +trance-lucidity, or given in writing, it always seemed that we knew it +before, and did not require to be told it, but only to be reminded of +it. + +The problem specially exercised myself. "Mary" had other work than the +analysis of our spiritual experiences. That was my special function. I +learnt to see in her a soul of surpassing luminousness and variousness, +who had been entrusted to my charge expressly in order that by my study +of her I might recover for the world's benefit the long-lost knowledge +of the soul's being, nature, and history. And so many and various were +her spiritual states, that she seemed to me to represent in turn every +stage of the soul's evolution, and to be "not one, but all mankind's +epitome." + +This also used to occur so frequently as to be observed by both of us +and discussed between us. When in the process of my endeavour to find +the solution of some problem, such as the meaning of a parabolic or +otherwise obscure passage in Scripture, I had exhausted my stock of +tentative hypotheses, but, through consideration for her other and +engrossing work, refrained from imparting my need to her, she would +receive in sleep the desired solution, which she wrote down on waking, +and which invariably proved satisfactory beyond my highest imaginings. +And besides showing intimate acquaintance with the course of my thought, +it was couched in language which, for simplicity, dignity, purity, and +lucidity, was without an equal in literature; the English being that of +the best period of our literature, and better than the best even of that +period. She herself had a remarkable mastery of English, but these +compositions reduced her to despair, causing her to exclaim, "Why cannot +I write as well when I am awake as I do in my sleep!" Of course the +explanation lay in the limiting influence of the physical organism. + +The frequency of this occurrence led me, in the absence of authoritative +explanation, to try the following, as an hypothesis purely tentative. +The revelations generally came to her when, through my inability to +find the interpretations which satisfied me, my work required them, and +they came independently of any desire or knowledge on her part. Might it +not be, then, that it was my own spirit who knew them and gave them to +her, finding her more sensitive to impression than myself? The +explanation was not one that either pleased or satisfied me, one reason +being that I took a delight in recognising the primacy accorded to her. +The idea occurred to me one night, and I pondered it the next day, but +did not divulge it. What happened on the evening of that day led me to +suspect that our Genii had suggested it to me in order to make it the +occasion of imparting to me the knowledge in question, namely, that of +the real source and method of the revelation. + +For the experience to be properly appreciated it must be remembered that +"Mary" had no knowledge of the explanation suggested to me, and neither +of us had as yet entertained the idea of past lives as the key to our +present work. The question of Reincarnation itself had not come before +us, and far less the possibility of recovering the memory of the things +learnt in previous existences, much as we had been puzzled to account +for our experiences in the absence of some such explanation. + +The proposal to sit for a written communication came from her, having +evidently been prompted by our illuminators. The method was one which +both they and we disliked, and it was adopted only when they desired to +address us both at once. So we sat for writing. + +The result confirmed my surmise. We had scarcely seated ourselves when +the writing began, as if we were being waited for. And this is what was +written:-- + + "We are instructed to say several things to-night. We are your + Genii. + + "(To CARO.) In the first place, you entirely misconceive the + process by which the Revelation comes to Mary. The method of this + revelation is entirely interior. Mary is not a Medium; nor is she + even a Seer as you understand the word. She is a Prophet. By this + we mean that all she has ever written or will write, is from + within, and not from without. She knows. She is not told. Hers is + an old, old spirit. She is older than you are, Caro, older by many + thousand years. Do not think that spirits other than her own are to + be credited with the authorship of the new Gospel. As a proof of + this, and to correct the false impression you have on the subject, + the holy and inner truth, of which she is the depositary, will not + in future be given to her by the former method. All she writes + henceforth, she will write consciously. Yes, she must finish the + new Evangel by conscious effort of brain and will." + +Coming from a source which we had learnt to trust implicitly, and +according with our own highest conceptions, this message was supremely +satisfactory, and was welcomed accordingly. But it was followed +forthwith by another which excited feelings of a very different +character. For, as if expressly in order to prevent her from being made +vain-glorious and uplifted by it, they added-- + + "(To MARY.) It may serve to exhibit the path by which you have + come, and to suggest the nature of some ancient tendencies which + may yet tarnish the mirror of a soul destined to attain perfection, + to learn that you dwelt within the body of ----." + +Here were given the name and character of a certain Roman dame of some +seventeen centuries ago, one of high station, but of a repute so evil as +to cause an immense shock to both of us. It does not come within the +design of this book to disclose the particular personalities with whom +we had been identified in the past[45]. Concerning this one it must +suffice to state here that, omitting from account one whole side of +"Mary's" character, we both recognised in the other side traits strongly +resembling those which had been indicated. And she subsequently +recovered distinct recollections of scenes in the life in question which +served to assure her on the point. Our discussions on the matter tended +to conclusions of which fuller knowledge brought the verification. It +was not one of those lives in virtue of which she was directly qualified +for her present work; but it was one of those lives of which the sin and +the suffering may well be conceived of as indispensable elements in the +education of a soul called to a lofty work and destiny in the future, in +accordance with the principle which finds expression in the sayings, +"The greater the sinner the greater the saint," and "_Pecca Fortiter_." +This also we discerned clearly, that, supposing it to be indeed a truth +that man is "made perfect through suffering," the experiences in the +course of which the suffering is undergone must imply sin as well as +pain and sorrow; since otherwise there would be a whole region of his +nature, namely the moral, in which he would remain unvitalised. The +lesson of which is that a man is alive only so far as he has lived. +There was yet another reflection that was prompted by the occasion in +question, and one which crowned and glorified the rest. This was the +assurance implied that none need despair. If the soul which had dwelt in +the body of the person named, could nevertheless become within +measureable time what "Mary" was now, and be "destined to attain +perfection," there is hope for all, and the doctrine of Reincarnation is +indeed a gospel of salvation. And herein we discerned a lesson hitherto +unsuspected so far as we were aware, in the parable of the Prodigal Son. +It is not the "elder brother" who stays at home that can best appreciate +the divine order; but the prodigal who has gone forth into the world of +experience to acquire knowledge for himself at first hand. They who have +been the most fully satiated with the husks of materiality, can--when +their time arrives for coming to their true selves--best estimate the +fare provided in the "Father's House." "He loveth most to whom most has +been forgiven. + +While sitting alone one day and pondering these things, and particularly +the difficulty which people often find in correcting in themselves even +the faults which they deplore, this pregnant sentence was spoken audibly +to my inner hearing by a voice which I recognised as that of my +Genius:--"Tendencies encouraged for ages cannot be cured in a single +lifetime, but may require ages." + +This further reflection also was suggested to me: that souls of +exceptional strength are reincarnated in bodies of exceptionally strong +passional natures, expressly in order to obtain the discipline which +comes of the effort to subdue them. All of which reflections tended to +exhibit the rashness of judging outward judgment in respect of others. +In order to judge righteous judgment it is necessary to know the +strength of their temptations, and of their efforts to resist them. And +these can be known only to God. The attainment of perfection, and +therein of salvation by conquest and not by flight,--this is the +principle of reincarnation. It is the _condition_ of Regeneration, which +is _from out of_ the body. + +In due time we were able to recognise the whole plan of our work as so +ordered as to make the work itself a demonstration of the doctrine of +reincarnation. When once this doctrine had become a practical question +for us, it assumed a prominent place both in our teachings and in our +experiences. One instruction given us was no less striking in itself +than in the circumstances of its communication. The messenger was one +with whom we had never anticipated coming into relations, for, besides +not courting intercourse with the souls of the departed, we had not paid +to the writings of the person concerned the heed that would entitle us +to count him among our cordial sympathisers; and still less as among our +possible visitants. This was the famous Swedish Seer, Emmanuel +Swedenborg. In the course of what we afterwards found to be a strikingly +characteristic communication from him, he informed us that owing to the +difficulty our angels had in approaching us just then, through the +condition of the spiritual atmosphere, they had charged him with a +message to us, in which "Mary's" Genius had spoken to him of her as "A +soul of vast experience, who under his tuition had so painfully +acquired the evangel of which she was the depositary"; adding that he, +her Genius, "had been promised help to recover for her, in this +incarnation, the memory of all that was in the past"; and--which was the +point of the message--that it was to be put forward, not as we were then +contemplating putting it forward, but "as fragmentary specimens of such +recollection occurring to one now a woman, but formerly an initiate, who +is beginning to recover this power." + +It will be interesting to remark on this experience, that to this day +the followers of Swedenborg set their faces against the doctrine of +reincarnation, expressly on the ground that their master denied it in +his lifetime. Whether Swedenborg really denied it is uncertain. There is +grave cause to doubt whether his writings on the subject have been +rightly understood or fairly represented. It has been maintained with +much show of reason that Swedenborg denied only the reincarnation of the +astral soul, not of the true soul; in which case he would be right. +Having once obtained access to us, his visits were for a time frequent, +the manner of them being various. For he came to us jointly and +separately, in waking and in sleeping--the latter to "Mary" only--and +audibly and visibly--the latter also to "Mary" only. He alluded to a +recent incarnation of mine, of which I have since had full and +independent proof. And he recognised our work as not only a confirmation +and continuation of his own, but also as a correction. For, as he gave +us to understand, he had been too much under the influence of the +current orthodoxy to be able to transmit the revelation given to him in +its proper purity, and unbiased by his own preconceptions. The doctrine +in respect of which he was chiefly desirous of being set right was that +of the Incarnation, the orthodox presentment of which he now saw to be +wrong, by reason of its deification of Jesus. In referring to the +perversion of the truth by the formulators of the Christian orthodoxy, +he said to us, with much emphasis, "Do not be too kind to the +Christians." + +This allusion to an experience which belongs to the category of +"spiritualism" rather than to that of our special work, may with +advantage be followed by some account of our other experiences of the +same order, partly for the sake of testifying to the genuineness of the +experiences relied on by spiritualists, and partly in order to show the +distinction between the two orders of experience, as discerned by +persons whose familiarity with both qualified them to institute +comparison between them. For, having once become sensitised in the inner +and higher regions of the consciousness, we had become sensitised also +in the intermediate regions, and were able therefore to hold palpable +converse with the denizens of these also. And the converse thus held was +of the most satisfactory character, on the ground both of the certainty +of its reality and its intrinsic nature. Father, mother, wife, brothers, +sundry dear friends, and others interested in our work, all came to me, +and some of them to my colleague, and this several times, and in a +manner impossible to be distrusted. For my mother more than once spoke +to me aloud in her own unmistakeable voice, and in tones that anyone +might have heard, as I sat alone in my study. My wife came repeatedly to +both of us, jointly and separately, audibly, visibly, and tangibly; +giving us timely warnings of dangers unsuspected by us but proving to be +real. And one of my brothers cleared up a mystery which had hung over +his death. No mere attenuated wraiths or soulless phantoms were they who +thus visited us from "beyond the veil," they were strong, distinct, +intelligent individualities, veritable souls, palpitating with vitality, +and eager to render loving service. But they came spontaneously and +unevoked, for we never sought to compel their presence. Our quest was +purely and simply for truth, not for persons. But we considered that, +when these also came, as they did come, to ourselves directly and +without intervention of any third party, to refuse to receive them on +the ground that they had put off their bodies, would be equivalent to +repulsing our friends in the flesh on the ground that they had put off +their overcoats. + +The spirit in which alone such intercourse is permissible will be seen +by the following citations from the instructions received by us. Terms +from the Hebrew, Greek, and Oriental Scriptures were used indifferently +by our illuminators. The word _Ruach_ in the following--which is Hebrew +for Spirit--is here used in a kabalistic sense to denote the astral soul +or ghost, as distinguished from the divine soul, the _Psyche_ or +_Neshamah_, and from the _Nephesh_ or mere phantom. The following is +from an instruction given to "Mary" in sleep, in direct solution of +certain perplexities. + + "Thou knowest that in the end, when Nirvana is attained, the soul + shall gather up all that it hath left within the astral of holy + memories and worthy experience, and to this end the Ruach rises in + the astral sphere, by the gradual decay and loss of its more + material affinities, until these have so disintegrated and + perished that its substance is thereby lightened and purified. But + continual commerce and intercourse with earth add, as it were, + fresh fuel to its earthly affinities, keeping these alive, and + hindering its recall to its spiritual ego. Thus, therefore, the + spiritual ego itself is detained from perfect absorption into the + divine, and union therewith. For the Ruach shall not all die, if + there be in it anything worthy of recall. The astral sphere is its + purging chamber. For Saturn, who is Time, is the trier of all + things; he devoureth all the dross; only that escapeth which in its + nature is ethereal and destined to reign. And this death of the + Ruach is gradual and natural. It is a process of elimination and + disintegration, often--as men measure time--extending over many + decades, or even centuries. And those Ruachs which appertain to + wicked and evil persons, having strong wills inclined + earthwards,--these persist longest and manifest most frequently and + vividly, because they _rise not_, but, being destined to perish + utterly, are not withdrawn from immediate contact with the earth. + They are all dross; there is in them no redeemable element. But the + Ruach of the righteous complaineth if thou disturb his evolution. + 'Why callest thou me? disturb me not. The memories of my earth-life + are chains about my neck; the desire of the past detaineth me. + Suffer me to rise towards my rest, and hinder me not with + evocations. But let thy love go after me and encompass me; so shalt + thou rise with me through sphere after sphere.' + + "For the good man upon earth can love nothing less than the divine. + Wherefore that which he loveth in his friend is the divine, that + is, the true and radiant self. And if he love it as differentiated + from God, it is only on account of its separate tincture. For in + the perfect light there are innumerable tinctures. And according to + its celestial affinity, one soul loveth this or that splendour more + than the rest. And when the righteous friend of the good man dieth, + the love of the living man goeth after the true soul of the dead; + and the strength and divinity of this love helpeth the purgation + of the astral soul, the psychic ghost. It is to this astral soul, + which ever remaineth near the living friend, an indication of the + way it must also go,--a light shining upon the upward path that + leads from the astral to the celestial and everlasting. For love, + being divine, is _towards_ the divine. 'Love exalteth, love + purifieth, love uplifteth.'" + +And this also, which was similarly obtained, represents a further +restoration of the original, pure, undistorted and unmutilated doctrine +of Christianity concerning the communion of souls. + + * * * * * + + So weepest thou and lamentest, because the Soul thou lovest is + taken from thy sight. + + And life seemeth to thee a bitter thing: yea, thou cursest the + destiny of all living creatures. + + And thou deemest thy love of no avail, and thy tears as idle drops. + + Behold, Love is a ransom, and the tears thereof are prayers. + + And if thou have lived purely, thy fervent desire shall be counted + grace to the soul of thy dead. + + For the burning and continual prayer of the just availeth much. + + Yea, thy love shall enfold the soul which thou lovest: it shall be + unto him a wedding garment and a vesture of blessing. + + The baptism of thy sorrow shall baptize thy dead, and he shall rise + because of it. + + Thy prayers shall lift him up, and thy tears shall encompass his + steps: thy love shall be to him a light shining upon the upward + way. + + And the angels of God shall say unto him, "O happy Soul, that art + so well-beloved; that art made so strong with all these tears and + sighs. + + "Praise the Father of Spirits therefor: for this great love shall + save thee many incarnations. + + "Thou art advanced thereby; thou art drawn aloft and carried upward + by cords of grace." + + For in such wise do souls profit one another and have communion, + and receive and give blessing, the departed of the living, and the + living of the departed. + + And so much the more as the heart within them is clean, and the way + of their intention is innocent in the sight of God.... + + Count not as lost thy suffering on behalf of other souls; for every + cry is a prayer, and all prayer is power. + + That thou willest to do is done; thine intention is united to the + Will of Divine Love. + + Nothing is lost of that which thou layest out for God and for thy + brother. + + And it is love alone who redeemeth, and love hath nothing of her + own[46]. + +But precious as is the communion of souls when thus conditioned, it was +not to them that we looked for light and guidance in our work. Nor, +indeed, to any persons at all in the sense in which the term is +ordinarily used. We looked steadfastly and directly to the Highest, +confidently leaving to the Highest the appointment both of the Messenger +and of the Message, but never failing to submit both manner and matter +to the keenest scrutiny of faculties which we had striven to the utmost +to attune to divine things. We were, moreover, emphatically warned from +the outset against allowing any intrusion into our work of the +influences accessible to the ordinary sensitive, the two planes being +absolutely distinct. Herein lay the significance of the saying of +"Mary's" Genius, that he had been "promised help to enable her to +recover in this incarnation the memory of all that is in the past." The +Genii themselves, although of the celestial, belong to its +circumferential and lowest sphere. They touch the astral, but do not +enter it. The help spoken of was to come from the innermost and highest +spheres. And the charge was accordingly given us, "Do not, then, seek +after 'controls.' Keep your temple for the Lord God of Hosts; and turn +out of it the money-changers, the dove-sellers, and the dealers in +curious arts, yea, with a scourge of cords if need be." + +The manner in which we received the first full and particular account +respecting the method of revelation, was as follows. I was pondering to +myself with much intentness the nature and source of inspiration, and +desiring a test whereby to distinguish between true and false +inspiration. But I refrained for various reasons from consulting my +colleague, at least until I should have exhausted my own resources. And +she was still without any intimation of my need when she received the +instruction concerning inspiration and prophesying of which the +following is a portion. It was received in sleep, and the date was +shortly before we were told that her knowledges were due to experiences +undergone in previous lives[47]. When I had read it she said, referring +to the first verse, "But I did not ask." In reply to which I told her +that I had asked. It was addressed equally to both of us, as making +together one system. + + "I heard last night in my sleep a voice speaking to me, and + saying-- + + "You ask the method and nature of Inspiration, and the means + whereby God revealeth the Truth. + + "Know that there is no enlightenment from without: the secret of + things is revealed from within. + + "From without cometh no Divine Revelation: but the Spirit within + beareth witness. + + "Think not that I tell you that which you know not: for except you + know it, it cannot be given to you. + + "To him that hath it is given, and he hath the more abundantly. + + "None is a prophet save he who knoweth: the instructor of the + people is a man of many lives. + + "Inborn knowledge and the perception of things, these are the + sources of revelation: the Soul of the man instructeth him, having + already learned by experience. + + "Intuition is inborn experience; that which the soul knoweth of old + and of former years. + + "And Illumination is the Light of Wisdom, whereby a man perceiveth + heavenly secrets. + + "Which Light is the Spirit of God within the man, showing unto him + the things of God. + + "Do not think that I tell you anything you know not; all cometh + from within: the Spirit that informeth is the Spirit of God in the + prophet. + + * * * * * + + "Inspiration may indeed be mediumship, but it is conscious; and the + knowledge of the prophet instructeth him. + + "Even though he speak in an ecstasy, he uttereth nothing that he + knoweth not." + +Then followed this apostrophe to the Prophet:-- + + "Thou who art a prophet hast had many lives: yea, thou hast taught + many nations, and hast stood before kings. + + And God hath instructed thee in the years that are past, and in the + former times of the earth. + + By prayer, by fasting, by meditation, by painful seeking, hast thou + attained that thou knowest. + + There is no knowledge but by labour: there is no intuition but by + experience. + + I have seen thee on the hills of the East: I have followed thy + steps in the wilderness: I have seen thee adore at sunrise: I have + marked thy night watches in the caves of the mountains. + + Thou hast attained with patience, O prophet! God hath revealed the + truth to thee from within." + + Thus, for the first time known to history, was given a definition + of the nature and method of inspiration and prophecy, at once + luminous, reasonable, and inexpugnable, to the full and final + solution of this stupendous problem; and comporting with and + explaining, as it did, all our own experiences, we felt that we + could bear unreserved testimony to its truth. But, vast as was the + addition thus made to the New Gospel of Interpretation, it did not + exhaust the treasures revealed and communicated on that wondrous + night; for it was followed immediately by a prophecy of the meaning + of the new dispensation on which the world is entering, and of + which our work is the introduction. At once Biblical in diction and + character, it reached in loftiness the highest level of Biblical + prophecy and inspiration, demonstrating the same world celestial + and divine as the source of both. For which reason, and the + crushing blow administered by it to the superstitions which have + made of Christianity a by-word and a reproach by their gross + materialisations of mysteries purely spiritual, it is reproduced in + full here. The heading is of our own devising:-- + +A Prophecy of the Kingdom of the Soul, mystically called the Day of the +Woman. + + "And now I show you a mystery and a new thing, which is part of the + mystery of the fourth day of creation. + + The word which shall come to save the world, shall be uttered by a + woman. + + A woman shall conceive, and shall bring forth the tidings of + salvation. + + For the reign of Adam is at its last hour; and God shall crown all + things by the creation of Eve. + + Hitherto the man hath been alone, and hath had dominion over the + earth. + + But when the woman shall be created, God shall give unto her the + kingdom; and she shall be first in rule and highest in dignity. + + Yea, the last shall be first, and the elder shall serve the + younger. + + So that women shall no more lament for their womanhood; but men + shall rather say, "O that we had been born women!" + + For the strong shall be put down from their seat, and the meek + shall be exalted to their place. + + The days of the Covenant of Manifestation are passing away: the + Gospel of Interpretation cometh. + + There shall nothing new be told; but that which is ancient shall be + interpreted. + + So that man the manifesto shall resign his office: and woman the + interpreter shall give light to the world. + + Hers is the fourth office: she revealeth that which the Lord hath + manifested. + + Hers is the light of the heavens, and the brightest of the planets + of the holy seven. + + She is the fourth dimension; the eyes which enlighten; the power + which draweth inward to God. + + And her kingdom cometh; the day of the exaltation of woman. + + And her reign shall be greater than the reign of the man: for Adam + shall be put down from his place; and she shall have dominion for + ever. + + And she who is alone shall bring forth more children to God, then + she who hath an husband. + + There shall no more be a reproach against women: but against men + shall be the reproach. + + For the woman is the crown of man, and the final manifestation of + humanity. + + She is the nearest to the throne of God, when she shall be + revealed. + + But the creation of woman is not yet complete: but it shall be + complete in the time which is at hand. + + All things are thine, O Mother of God: all things are thine, O Thou + who risest from the sea; and Thou shalt have dominion over all the + worlds[48]. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[29] A.K. knew nothing of Spinoza at this time, and was unaware that he +was an optician. Subsequent experience made it clear that the spectacles +in question were intended to represent her own remarkable faculty of +intuitional and interpretative perception. (See Life A.K. Vol. I. pp. +150-1.) S.H.H. + +[30] Page 525 + +[31] The 22nd September, 1877. + +[32] The book referred to was a treatise entitled "Fruit and Bread," +which had been sent to her anonymously the previous day. E.M. + +[33] The "Hymn to Hermes" was received by A.K. in 1878, "under +illumination occurring in sleep." She remembered it so perfectly that on +waking she wrote it without hesitation or error. Representing knowledges +long lost, by no amount of mere scholarship could it have been +reproduced. It is given at length in the P.W. pp. 357-358, and in "The +Life of A.K." Vol. I. p. 287. S.H.H. + +[34] As to the recovery by A.K. of the Hymn to the Planet-God, see p. +122-3. + +[35] These dream-verses are from "Through the Ages," a poem received by +A.K., "in sleep," in 1880. In this poem, "some of her earliest +incarnations" are referred to. (D. and D-S. p. 77.) S.H.H. + +[36] See p. 122 note. + +[37] See pp. 51-52-53 ante. + +[38] That is, in the place of God and the Soul. + +[39] The four planes being, from without inwards, those of the body, +mind, soul, and spirit. S.H.H. + +[40] The 28th March, 1880. S.H.H. + +[41] The name by which I was thus addressed had been given me by our +illuminators as an initiation name, as that of "Mary" to her. It denoted +love as the dominant note of our work, and was an equivalent for "John +the Beloved," who--we were given to understand--is one of the two +controlling "angels" of the new illumination--Daniel being the other--in +accordance with the intimations given by Jesus, one to His disciples and +the other to the Seer of the Apocalypse himself, that John should tarry +within reach of the earth-plane to bear part in the event which was to +constitute the second advent of Christ. These names had a further +correspondence in the Greek parable of Eros and Psyche, which denotes +love as the vivifying principle of the soul. E.M. + +[42] Materialism and Superstition. + +[43] The name Esther denotes a star or fountain of light, a dawn or +rising. + +[44] The spelling of the names is that of the Douay Version, the +Protestants having relegated the second part of the book of Esther, in +which the latter part of this narrative occurs, to the Apocrypha. As +also that of Ezra above cited. E.M. + +[45] These are disclosed in "The Life of A.K." The personality referred +to on this occasion was "Faustine, the Roman," the Empress of Marcus +Aurelius. (Life A.K. Vol. I. pp. 353-354.) S.H.H. + +[46] The "Hymn of Aphrodite," including the "Discourse of the Communion +of Souls, and of the Uses of Love between Creature and Creature; being +part of the Golden Book of Venus," from which latter the above is taken, +is given in full in the P.W. pp. 350-356. + +[47] The instruction concerning inspiration and prophesying was received +by A.K. in Paris on the 7th February, 1880. S.H.H. + +[48] P.W. pp. 311-314. Life A.K. Vol. I. pp. 344-345. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +THE ANTAGONISATION. + + +Even had we been disposed, which happily we were not, to exalt ourselves +on the strength of the loftiness of our mission, the constant proofs +afforded us of the paucity of our knowledge in comparison with what +remained to be known, would have effectually restrained us. But as it +was, we were from the first penetrated by the conviction that only in so +far as we succeeded in subordinating the individual to the universal, +the personal to the divine, could the work be successfully accomplished. +The man must make himself nothing that the God may be all. This was the +burden of the injunctions enforced on us throughout; the failures of +others through self-exaltation being adduced in illustration. For, as we +were plainly given to understand, "many are called but few are chosen"; +the weak point in their system, the "Judas" by whom they are betrayed +and fail, being generally vanity. They are as instruments which mistake +themselves for the mind and hand which wield them. + +Humility and Love, the violet and the red, these are the two extremes of +the prism which comprise between them all the Seven Spirits of God. +Blended, they make the royal purple; but the hue of that purple depends +on the spiritual states of the individuals themselves whose tinctures +they are. They were, we were told, the tinctures of our own souls as +indicated by the colours of our respective _auras_. "Mary's" was the +"blood-red ray of the innermost sphere," the sphere of the "first of the +Gods," wherein "love and wisdom are one." "For the Hebrews Uriel, for +the Greeks Phoibos, the Bright One of God." Mine was the violet of the +outermost sphere, that of the "last of the Gods," the "Spirit of the +Fear of the Lord," and therein of Reverence and Humility; for the Greeks +Saturn, and for the Hebrews Satan, the "Angel unfallen of the outermost +sphere." Only when man is built up of all the Gods, and bears upon him +the seal of each God, having climbed the ladder of his regeneration from +circumference to centre, from "Saturn" to the "Sun," is the "week" of +his new and spiritual creation accomplished. Similarly the co-operation +of all these divine potencies was indispensable to our work. And we were +emphatically warned of the dangers both to it and to ourselves, that +would come of the lack of the divine presence in respect of any of them. +Hence the necessity of maintaining the necessary conditions in +ourselves, and the caution addressed to us by "Hermes," in view of the +liability of mortals to appropriate to themselves the importance +appertaining to their mission when this transcends the ordinary. To this +end, in the following Exhortation, he disclosed to us the heights yet to +be ascended, saying-- + + He whose adversaries fight with weapons of steel, must himself be + armed in like manner, if he would not be ignominiously slain or + save himself by flight. + + And not only so, but forasmuch as his adversaries may be many, + while he is only one; it is even necessary that the steel he + carries be of purer temper and of more subtle point and contrivance + than theirs. + + I, Hermes, would arm you with such, that bearing a blade with a + double edge, ye may be able to withstand in the evil hour. + + For it is written that the tree of life is guarded by a sword which + turneth every way. + + Therefore I would have you armed both with a perfect philosophy and + with the power of the divine life. + + And first the knowledge; that you and they who hear you may know + the reason of the faith which is in you. + + But knowledge cannot prevail alone, and ye are not yet perfected. + + When the fulness of the time shall come, I will add unto you the + power of the divine life. + + It is the life of contemplation, of fasting, of obedience, and of + resistance. + + And afterwards the chrism, the power, and the glory. But these are + not yet. + + Meanwhile remain together and perfect your philosophy. + + Boast not, and be not lifted up; for all things are God's, and ye + are in God, and God in you. + + But when the word shall come to you, be ready to obey. + + There is but one way to power, and it is the way of obedience. + + Call no man your master or king upon the earth, lest ye forsake the + spirit for the form and become idolaters. + + He who is indeed spiritual, and transformed into the divine image, + desires a spiritual king. + + Purify your bodies, and eat no dead thing that has looked with + living eyes upon the light of Heaven. + + For the eye is the symbol of brotherhood among you. Sight is the + mystical sense. + + Let no man take the life of his brother to feed withal his own. + + But slay only such as are evil; in the name of the Lord. + + They are miserably deceived who expect eternal life, and restrain + not their hands from blood and death. + + They are miserably deceived who look for wives from on high, and + have not yet attained their manhood. + + Despise not the gift of knowledge; and make not spiritual eunuchs + of yourselves. + + For Adam was first formed, then Eve. + + Ye are twain, the man with the woman, and she with him, neither man + nor woman, but one creature. + + And the kingdom of God is within you[49]. + +The knowledge of the "Seven Spirits" whereby Deity operates in the +universe, has been completely dropped out of sight by the Christian +world. It is necessary, therefore, if only in vindication of the +importance attached to them by our illuminators, to recite the +instruction received by us concerning them, which is as follows. It is a +chapter from the recovered Gnosis[50]:-- + + "In the bosom of the Eternal were all the Gods comprehended, as the + seven spirits of the prism, contained in the Invisible Light. + + * * * * * + + By the Word of Elohim were the Seven Elohim manifest: even the + Seven Spirits of God in the order of their precedence: + + The Spirit of Wisdom, the Spirit of Understanding, the Spirit of + Counsel, the Spirit of Power, the Spirit of Knowledge, the Spirit + of Righteousness, and the Spirit of Divine Awfulness. + + All these are coequal and coeternal. + + Each has the nature of the whole in itself: and each is a perfect + entity. + + And the brightness of their manifestation shineth forth from the + midst of each, as wheel within wheel, encircling the White Throne + of the Invisible Trinity in Unity. + + These are the Divine fires which burn before the presence of God: + which proceed from the Spirit, and are one with the Spirit. + + He is divided, yet not diminished: He is All, and He is One. + + For the Spirit of God is a flame of fire which the Word of God + divideth into many: yet the original flame is not decreased, nor + the power thereof nor the brightness thereof lessened. + + Thou mayest light many lamps from the flame of one; yet thou dost + in nothing diminish that first flame. + + Now the Spirit of God is expressed by the Word of God, which is + Adonai. + + For without the Word the Will could have had no utterance. + + Thus the Divine Will divided the Spirit of God, and the seven fires + went forth from the bosom of God and became seven spiritual + entities. + + They went forth into the Divine Substance, which is the substance + of all that is." + +As already stated, Hermes is the Greek name for the Second of the +creative Elohim above enumerated. Hence his special relation to the New +Gospel of Interpretation, the appeal of which is to the Understanding. + +Being shown one day in vision the path we had to traverse for the +accomplishment of our work, "Mary" exclaimed:-- + + "What a dreadfully difficult thing it is to steer one's way amidst + such numbers of influences! I see a fine, bright-shining thread. It + is our own path, and it is a pathway of light. But, oh! so narrow, + so narrow, and all around are spirits trying to lure us from it. + Here is Hermes, shining like a silver light. My Genius says that + the way to get the utmost vitality on the spiritual plane is to + abandon the plane of the body, and keep it quite low, by not + indulging it. The time for bodily indulgence is passed with us. + Abstinence, we have been told, and watchfulness and fasting are + needful. And the time for the first of these has come. Nothing is + gained without labour or won without suffering. Fasting and + Watching and Abstinence, these are Beads and Rosary. It is a hard + way and a long way, and it makes one wishful to turn back. We are + not to be misled by the story, so much dwelt on to you by the + Astrals, of Moses and Aaron[51]. They both were failures, who + entered not into the land of Canaan. We must be patient and trust. + We have to be cultivated on both planes, the intellectual and the + spiritual, and not on the physical, for this draws from and saps + the others." + +So far as I was concerned, there was yet another rule that was made +absolute: this was the rule of Poverty. Desiring at one time to mitigate +the rigour of my enforced economies by working with a commercial intent, +and to that end endeavouring to finish a tale some time before +commenced, I found myself baffled by a complete withdrawal of power. I +was well aware that no romance I could devise would compare with the +romance I was living, and that any incidents I could invent would be +tame before those of my actual life; but it was not this that withheld +me. It was made clear to me that there was now only one direction and +one plane in which I was accessible to ideas and in which therefore I +could work, and this a direction and plane altogether incompatible with +mundane ends. But I had not fully reconciled myself to the loss of my +earning power, or resolved to refrain from further efforts in that +behalf, when I received the following experience. + +I had gone to bed, but not to sleep, for thinking over the matter, when +I became aware of the presence of a group of spiritual influences, one +of whom, speaking for them all, said to me, in tones audible only to the +inner hearing, but distinct, measured and authoritative-- + + "We whom you know as the Gods--Zeus, Phoibos, Hermes, and the + rest--are actual celestial personalities, who are appointed to + represent to mortals the principles and potencies called the Seven + Spirits of God. We have chosen you for our instrument, and have + tried you and proved you and instructed you; and you belong to us + to do our work and not your own, save in so far as you make it your + own. Only in such measure as you do this will you have any success. + For you can do nothing without us now: and it is useless for you to + attempt to do anything without our help." + +By this and manifold other experiences, we had practical demonstration +of the existence of a celestial hierarchy consisting of souls perfected +and divinised, divided into orders corresponding to the "Seven Spirits +of God," and having for their function the illumination of those souls +of men still on earth who are accessible by them; and to whom they +manifest themselves in the forms recognised in the mysteries in which +such persons have formerly been initiated. + +We had also manifold proofs of their power to arrest utterance before +persons unfit to be entrusted with the mysteries. The first instance +occurred to myself, and was in this wise. I was reading some passages in +illustration of our work to an old clerical friend who came to see me in +Paris, when I inadvertently turned to a part of the book which we had +been charged to keep secret. But before I had read a line, the air round +me became so dense with invisible presences that I was unable to see, +and my heart was clutched, as if by an invisible hand, and lifted up +towards my throat with such force as almost to choke me; while, at the +same instant, an overwhelming sense of my fault was impressed on my +mind, causing me for some hours to feel as one utterly God-forsaken and +cast off. + +Not thinking that "Mary" was liable to err in the same way, or caring to +tell her of my trespass, I kept silence respecting this experience. But +a few weeks later it was repeated for her. She was speaking of our work +to a spiritualist friend with whom we were spending the evening, and, in +her eagerness, got upon topics which I recognised as forbidden. But +before I had time to remind her, she suddenly stopped short and rose +from her seat, gasping and dazed, and insisted on returning home +forthwith, to our hostess's great amazement and disappointment. Divining +what had occurred, I refrained from questioning her until we were +outside and alone, when in reply to me she described exactly what had +happened to me, using the words, "I did not want to be choked!" There +were other occasions on which I was cut short under like circumstances, +by having all that I meant to say suddenly and completely obliterated +from my mind. + +Being desirous to know more of the adverse influences against which we +had been warned, and from which we suffered, "Mary" consulted her +illuminator respecting their origin and nature, when the following +colloquy ensued:-- + + "They are," he said, "the powers which affect and influence + Sensitives. They do not control, for they have no force.... They + are Reflects. They have no real entity in themselves. They resemble + mists which arise from the damp earth of low-lying lands, and which + the heat of the sun disperses. Again, they are like vapours in high + altitudes, upon which, if a man's shadow falls, he beholds himself + as a giant. For these spirits invariably flatter and magnify a man + to himself. And this is a sign whereby you may know them. They tell + one that he is a king; another, that he is a Christ; another, that + he is the wisest of mortals, and the like. For, being born of the + fluids of the body, they are unspiritual and live _of_ the body." + + "Do they, then," I asked, "come from within the man?" + + "All things," he replied "come from within. A man's foes are they + of his own household." + + "And how," I asked, "may we discern the Astrals from the higher + spirits?" + + "I have told you of one sign;--they are flattering spirits. Now I + will tell you of another. They always depreciate Woman. And they do + this because their deadliest foe is the Intuition. And these, too, + are signs. Is there anything strong? they will make it weak. Is + there anything wise? they will make it foolish. Is there anything + sublime? they will distort and travesty it. And this they do + because they are exhalations of matter, and have no spiritual + nature. Hence they pursue and persecute the Woman continually, + sending after her a flood of vituperation like a torrent to sweep + her away. But it shall be in vain. For God shall carry her to His + throne, and she shall tread on the necks of them. + + "Therefore the High Gods will give through a woman the + Interpretation which alone can save the world. A woman shall open + the gates of the Kingdom to mankind, because Intuition only can + redeem. Between the Woman and the Astrals there is always enmity; + for they seek to destroy her and her office, and to put themselves + in her place. They are the delusive shapes who tempted the saints + of old with exceeding beauty and wiles of love, and great show of + affection and flattery. Oh! beware of them when they flatter, for + they spread a net for thy soul." + + "Am I, then, in danger from them?" I asked. "Am I, too, a + Sensitive?" And he said,-- + + "No, you are a Poet. And in that is your strength and your + salvation. Poets are the children of the Sun, and the Sun illumines + them. No poet can be vain or self-exalted; for he knows that he + speaks only the words of God. 'I sing,' he says, 'because I must.' + Learn a truth which is known only to the sons of God. The Spirit + within you is divine. It is God. When you prophesy and when you + sing, it is the Spirit within you which gives you utterance. It is + the 'New Wine of Dionysos.' By this Spirit your body is + enlightened, as is a lamp by the flame within it. Now, the flame is + not the oil, for the oil may be there without the light. Yet the + flame cannot be there without the oil. Your body, then, is the + lamp-case into which the oil is poured. And this--the oil--is your + soul, a fine and combustible fluid. And the flame is the Divine + Spirit, which is not born of the oil, but is conveyed to it by the + hand of God. You may quench this Spirit utterly, and thenceforward + you will have no immortality; but when the lamp-case breaks, the + oil will be spilt on the earth, and a few fumes will for a time + arise from it, and then it will expend itself and leave at last no + trace. Some oils are finer and more spontaneous than others. The + finest is that of the soul of the poet. And in such a medium the + flame of God's Spirit burns more clearly and powerfully, and + brightly, so that sometimes mortal eyes can hardly endure its + brightness. Of such an one the soul is filled with holy raptures. + He sees as no other man sees, and the atmosphere about him is + enkindled. His soul becomes transmuted into flame; and when the + lamp of his body is shattered, his flame mounts and soars, and is + united to the Divine Fire. Can such an one, think you, be + vain-glorious or self-exalted, and lifted up? Oh no; he is one with + God, and knows that without God he is nothing. I tell no man that + he is a reincarnation of Moses, of Elias, or of Christ. But I tell + him that he may have the Spirit of these if, like them, he be + humble and self-abased, and obedient to the Divine Word." + +So far from our being sufficiently advanced to escape molestation from +the sources thus indicated, there were times when we suffered much from +their incursions, even to the hindrance, for the time being, of the work +on which our whole hearts were set. Knowing that everything depended on +our unanimity, they sought to make division between us, and what they +lacked in force was more than made up for by subtlety[52]. Despite all +our vigilance, they would insinuate themselves like barbed and poisoned +arrows between the joints of our armour, there to rankle and envenom, so +insidious were their suggestions. They did not flatter, but attacked +us. So that it was a satisfaction to be assured that they attack those +only who are worth attacking. The very nature of our work was such as to +invite attack from them, being what they were. + +Meanwhile, no experience was withheld that would serve to qualify us for +what proved to be an essential part of our work, the "discerning of +spirits" in the sense, not merely of perceiving them, but of +distinguishing their nature and character. And always was the lesson +given in a form which combined with its other features that of total +unexpectedness. Especially important was it for us to be able to +distinguish between the spirits _of_ the astral, against which we were +warned, and spirits _in_ the astral, namely, souls which had not yet +accomplished their emancipation, but were in course of doing so. But +while as regarded the former we were left to fight the battle for +ourselves, as regarded the latter there was a control exercised, and +none were permitted to approach us save such as had a message of service +which would minister to the solution of a present problem. Of this the +following experience was an instance. It helped us to a yet fuller +comprehension, both of the reasons which had dictated our association, +and of the liabilities to be guarded against. + +It was evening[53], and we were occupied in our respective tasks, and so +entirely engrossed by them as to be disposed to resent any interruption, +when "Mary" bent across the table, and speaking in a low tone, said to +me, "There is a spirit in the room who wants to speak to us. Shall I let +him?" I assented on the condition that he had something to tell us +really worth hearing. She then became entranced, being magnetised by his +presence; and after telling me that he spoke with a strong American +accent and professed to be a "meta-physical doctor"--meaning, she +supposed, a doctor in metaphysics--repeated the following after him; for +I could neither see nor hear him:-- + + "You two have been put together for a work which you could not do + separately. I have been shown a chart of your past histories, + containing your characters and your past incarnations. She is of a + highly active, wilful disposition, and represents the centrifugal + force. You, Caro, are her opposite, and, being contemplative and + concentrated, represent the centripetal force. Without her + expansive energy you would become altogether indrawn and inactive + in deed; and without your restraining influence she would go forth + and become dissipated in expansiveness. So extraordinary is her + outward tendency that nothing but such an organism as she now has + could repress it and keep it within bounds. It is for the work she + has to do that she has been placed in a body of weakness and + suffering. She is the man--and you the woman--element in your joint + system. I can see only her female incarnations, but she has been a + man much oftener than a woman; while you have generally been a + woman, and would be one now but for the work you have to do. Even + as a woman she has always been much more man than woman, for her + wilfulness and recklessness have led her into enterprises of + incredible daring. Nothing restrained her when her will prompted + her. She would wreck any work to follow that, and only by + combination with your centripetal tendency can she do the present + work. As a man she has been initiated, once, a long time ago, in + Thebes, afterwards in India. The things she has done in her past + lives! Well, _I_ do not say they were wrong, for I + do not hold the existence of moral evil. All things are allowed for + good ends; but this is a difficult truth to express." + +Here she spoke in her own person, having under his magnetism recovered +her own vision and recollection, saying-- + + "O Caro! I can see your past. You have been--no, it is all wiped + out. I cannot see it now. I am not allowed to see it. Why is this? + I see my own past. I see India:--a magnificent glittering white + marble temple, and elephants. How tame they are! They are all out, + and feeding in a field or enclosure. And there are such a number of + splendid red flowers, they are cactuses, and all prickly. The trees + have all their foliage on the top, and such long stems. They are + palms. The soil is of a white dust. And the sky is so clear and + blue! But the heat is terrible. I see you again. Your colour is + blue, inclining to indigo, owing to your want of expansiveness. But + I cannot see your past, except that you are mostly a woman. And now + I am by the Nile,--such a fine broad river!" + +Here she returned to her normal consciousness, our visitor having taken +his departure. + +Subsequently, in March, 1881, under the influence of a higher +illuminative power, she found herself as one of a group of initiates +making solemn procession through the aisles of a vast Egyptian temple, +and chanting in chorus the rituals which compose the marvellous "Hymn to +the Planet-God, Iacchos"[54]. For, long as it is, she was able to +reproduce it afterwards. It was thus, by her recovery of the memory of +knowledges acquired in past existences, that the divine originals were +recovered from which the Bible-writers largely derived at once their +doctrine and their diction. This is not to say that these were mere +borrowers and unilluminate. It is to say only that they recognised the +divinity of a prior revelation, and regarded it as a common heritage. +The truth is one. + +Among the uses of the painful experience we were now undergoing[55] was +this one. It put me on a track of thought of high value in enabling me +to determine our respective positions in regard to our work. It was +clearly the endeavour of the astral influences by which we were being +assailed--the "haters of the mysteries" as our Genii called them[56]--to +break down our work by destroying that perfect harmony between us which +was the first condition of it. And all my endeavours failing to discover +in myself the weak point which rendered us accessible to them, carefully +as I sought there for it, I was forced to look for it in her, and was +disposed to ascribe it to the survival from the far past of some defect +of the affectional nature. For, as we were now learning, man has a dual +heredity, that of his physical parentage and that of his spiritual +selfhood. From the former of which he derives his outward +characteristics; and from the latter his inward character. The +experience just recited served to confirm the surmise, but it did +something else besides. It suggested to me the following explanation of +the situation as growing out of the exigencies of our work. That work +had for its purpose the accomplishment of the prophesied downfall of the +"world's sacrificial system." It meant war to the knife against all the +orthodoxies at once, religious, social, scientific. It meant a +death-"wrestle, not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, +against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, +against spiritual wickedness in high places." It meant, in short, the +destruction foretold by the prophets of "that great city," the world's +materialistic system in Church, State, and Society, wherein the "Lord," +the divinity in man, is ever systematically crucified, and its +replacement by the "Holy City" or system which comes down from the +heaven of a perfect ideal. + +What, then, I asked myself, was the foremost moral need for the +instruments of such a work? Surely it was Courage. But courage subsists +under two modes. There is the courage which manifests itself in action +and aggression, and there is the courage which manifests itself in +endurance and resistance. The former is its masculine mode, the latter +its feminine mode. The former connotes Will, the latter connotes Love. +And these were the parts assigned respectively to us in our joint +system. Will and Love united had made the world; disunited, they had +ruined the world; reunited, they would redeem the world. As He and She, +King and Queen, positive and negative, centrifugal and centripetal, they +are the dual powers of all things, the constituent principles at once of +God and of Man. The whole Universe is Humanity, for it is the +manifestation of God, and they are the divine man and woman of all +being; in their conjunction omnipotent for good, in their disjunction +omnipotent for evil. And whereas it is the function of Will to inflict, +it is the function of Love to bear. It is not, then, to the lack of +these qualities that our troubles are due, but to the defect of them, +the defect of our respective qualities. + +The tension of feeling induced by the situation had for me reached a +pitch at which I had cause for serious apprehension lest my organism +prove unequal to the strain. For, resolute though I myself was to endure +to the end, come what might, the effort involved had so greatly affected +my organic system as nearly to double the number of the heart's +pulsations, to the imminent risk of a rupture fatal to life or reason. +Such was the emergency when, longing for light and aid, I received at +night[57] the following experience, which I reproduce as recorded at the +time:-- + + It seemed to me that I was sole spectator in some circus or + hippodrome. And in the arena were some horses, seven in number, + harnessed to a common centre, but all facing in different + directions like the spokes of a wheel, and pulling frantically, so + that the vehicle to which they were attached remained stationary + between them, through their counterbalancing each other; while at + the same time it seemed as if it must presently be dragged asunder + into pieces. On looking at it more closely, the vehicle seemed to + become a person who was attempting to drive the horses, but was + unable to get them into a line; and, strange to say, the driver was + one and identical both with the horses and the vehicle, so that it + was a living person who was in danger of being torn asunder by + creatures who were in reality himself. While wondering what this + meant, some one addressed me and said that if I would do any good, + I must help to control and direct the animals which were thus + pulling their owner asunder. And that the only way to do this was + by so disposing myself that I should be at one and the same time in + the centre with the driver, to help him to curb and direct his + steeds, and outside at their heads in order to compel their + submission. And not only must I be indifferent to their ramping and + chafing, I must even suffer myself to be struck and wounded and + trampled upon to any extent without flinching; for only when I was + so unconscious of self as to be indifferent as to what might happen + to me, would they cease to have power against me. And the reason + why I must be also in the centre was that only there could I + effectually co-operate with the driver to enable him to do his part + in directing what in reality were the forces, as yet unbroken in, + of his own system, into the road it was necessary for us both to + follow. We were destined to be fellow-travellers, and our journey + was to be made together and with that team. It could not be made by + one of us without the other, and the failure to effect a complete + conjunction and co-operation would bring certain ruin to the hopes + of both of us and of all who looked to us. The owner of the horses, + I was assured, could not of himself control them, and I could only + enable him to do so by an absolute surrender of myself. + +Applying this vision to the situation, the moral was obvious so far as I +was concerned, and I wondered whether "Mary" would receive anything +equally suggestive for herself. In the morning, after remaining +unusually late in her room, she silently handed me the following account +of an experience which had similarly and simultaneously been received by +her:-- + + "I was shown two stars near each other, both of them shining with a + clear bright light, only that of one the light had a purple tinge, + and of the other a blood colour; and a great Angel stood beside me + and bade me look at them attentively. I did so, and saw that the + stars were not round, but seemed to have a piece cut out of the + globe of each of them. And I said to the Angel, 'The stars are not + perfect; but instead of being round, they are uneven.' He told me + to look again; and I did so, and saw that each globe was really + perfect, but that in each a small portion remained dark so as to + present the appearance of having a piece out; and I noticed that + these dark portions of the two stars were turned towards each + other. Upon this I looked to the Angel for the explanation. + + And the Angel said to me, 'These stars derive their light not only + from the sun but from each other. If there be darkness in one of + them, the corresponding face of the other will likewise be + darkened; and how shall either reflect perfectly the image of the + sun if it be dark to its companion star? For how shall it respond + to that which is above all, if it respond not to that which is + nearest?' + + And I said, 'Lord, if the darkness in one of these stars be caused + by the darkness in its fellow, which of them was first darkened?' + + Then he answered me and said, 'These stars are of different + tinctures; one is of the sapphire, the other of the sardonyx. Of + the first the atmosphere is cool and equable; of the other it is + burning and irregular. The spirit of the first is as God towards + man; the spirit of the second is as the soul towards God. The first + loves; the second aspires. And the office of the spirit which loves + is outwards; while the office of the spirit which aspires is + upwards. The light of the first, which is blue, enfolds, and + contains, and embraces, and sustains. The light of the second, + which is red, is as a flame which scorches, and burns, and + troubles, and seeks God only, and his duty is not to the outward, + for it is not given to him to love. God, whom he seeks, _is_ love; + and therefore is he drawn upward to God only. But the spirit of his + fellow descends. She indraws, and blesses, and confers; and hers is + the office which redeems. Wherefore if she fail in her love, her + failure is greater than his who hath no love; and to be perfect she + must forgive until the seventy times seven, and be great in + humility. For the violet, which is the colour of humility, is of + the blue. And if she seek her own, or yield not in outward things, + her nature is not perfected, and her light is darkened. Let Love, + therefore, think not of herself, for she hath no self, but all that + she hath is towards others, and only in giving and forgiving is she + rich. If, on the contrary, she make a self withinwards, her light + is withdrawn and troubled, and she is not perfect, and if she + demand of another that which he hath not, then she seeketh her own, + and her light is darkened. And if she be darkened towards him, he + also will darken towards her, in respect, that is, of + enlightenment. And thus her failure of love will break the + communion with the Divine, which is through him. He cannot darken + outwardly first; for love is not of him. If he darken of himself, + it must be within towards God. But that which he receives of God, + he gives not forth himself. But he burns centrally and enlightens + his fellow, and she gives it forth according to her office. And if + she darken in any way outwardly, she cannot receive enlightenment, + but darkens the burning star likewise, and so hinders their + inter-communion.' + +Having thus spoken, the Angel looked upon me and said, 'Ye are the two +stars, and to one is given the office of the Prophet, and to the other +the office of the Redeemer. But to be Prophet and Redeemer in one, this +is the glory of the Christ.'" + +Here again was an intimation that on one plane at least of our +respective systems she was of masculine and I of feminine potency, with +functions to correspond. That these functions were capable of being +described in the terms employed was, we felt, no reason for arrogating +high places to ourselves. Rather did we consider that everything is +according to its degree; and that, as for persons, if the Gods were to +wait until they found perfect instruments, or at least perfect persons +for their instruments, they would never begin. And this also, that if +the world were in a condition to produce such persons, it would have no +need of redemption. Had not even Jesus Himself been "crucified through +weakness"? + +In view of the intensity of the distress undergone in this connection, I +found myself recalling the remark of Plato, "Many begin the mysteries, +but few complete them." My only wonder was that any should survive the +ordeals, if they approached ours in severity. Meanwhile it was said to +us by way of encouragement, "Be sure there is trouble in store. No man +ever got to the Promised Land without first going through the +wilderness." + +The instruction to "Mary" had not only justified my surmise, it also met +and corrected her in respect of the chief cause of our trouble. This was +her disposition, at astral instigation, to withhold from me the products +of her illuminations, and even to refrain from writing them down[58], on +the specious pretext that they were meant for her own exclusive +benefit, and were too sacred to be given to the world, or even to me; +and she had failed to discern the source and motive of these +suggestions. So effectually had what were really spirits of darkness +disguised themselves as angels of light. + +The importance attached to the occult significance of our "tinctures" +received illustration in this wise. Permission had been given us to make +an exception to the rule of secrecy imposed with regard to certain of +the Scriptures received by us, in favour of a friend[59] who took so +warm an interest in our work as to be eager to render it material aid in +the future should occasion arise. It was her mission, she declared, to +do so. But when the day appointed for the reading came, "Mary" was so +ill that her going seemed to be impossible, and the question accordingly +arose as to whether I might go alone and read them without her. We had +no sooner begun to consider the point than she became entranced, and was +shown a large open volume, the book of the Greater Mysteries to which +our Scriptures belonged, surrounded by an Iris composed of all the +colours of the rainbow. She was then shown the following lines, which I +wrote down as she repeated them:-- + + "The one in Red guards his privileges, and claims to be present + whatever is read. + + For the air is filled with the haters of the Mysteries. + + Therefore for your sake the chain must be complete; + + And the Light must be refracted round you seven times. + + He who is Red stands within the holy circle. + + And the Violet guards the outermost. + + For the Word is a Word of Mystery, and they who guard it are Seven. + + Beware that nothing you hear be told unless the circle be perfect. + + And this charge we lay upon you until the work be accomplished. + + Fire and sword and war are against you; you walk in the midst of + commotion. + + And your life is in peril every hour until the words be completed." + +Up to the latest moment of the interval before the appointment it seemed +impossible for her to go. She then suddenly recovered as by miracle, and +was able to attend the reading. + +The liabilities of our position subsequently[60] received this further +illustration. "Mary" was introduced in sleep, by her Genius, into an +apartment in the spiritual world which purported to be the laboratory of +William Lilly, the famous astrologer who had foretold the great plague +and fire of London in 1666, in order to have her horoscope told by him, +he still pursuing his favourite studies. On quitting him she caught +sight of a pile of books, one of which contained the Gnosis we were in +course of recovering. The following colloquy then ensued:-- + +"You also have these Scriptures!" she exclaimed. + +"Yes," said he, "but I keep them for myself alone." + +"And why so," she asked, "since, if you have them, they are for the +learning of others likewise? Will you not rather communicate these +saving truths to thirsty souls?" + +"I will communicate them," said he, fixing his eyes on her intently, +"when I can find Seven Men who for forty days have tasted no flesh, +whose hands have shed no blood, and whose tongues have tasted of none." + +"But if you find not Seven?" + +"Then, mayhap, I shall find Five." + +"And if not Five?" + +"Then, maybe, I shall meet with Three." + +"But even this may be hard to find, and if you should not meet with +Three, what then will you do?" + +"One Neophyte would not be able to protect himself." + +In communicating to her the results of his calculations, he had said +that owing to the propensities indulged in certain of her former lives, +she had made for herself a destiny which ensured suffering and failure, +except when living in a similar manner; doing which she would have a +life of unbounded success. "But," he continued, "your horoscope has +nothing for you but misfortune so long as you persist in a virtuous +course of life, and, indeed, it is now too late to adopt another. I +speak herein according to your Fortune, not in regard to your Inner +life. With that I have no concern. I tell you what is forecast for you +on the material and actual planisphere of your Nativity.... I see +nothing but misfortune before you. Yea, if you persist in virtue, it is +not unlikely that you may be stript of all your worldly goods, and of +all you possess, and this evil fortune will follow your nearest +associates." + +To her enquiry, "Can I never overcome this evil prognostic?" he replied +that she could do so only by outliving the time appointed for her +natural life in the career indicated, and added this advice, "Steel +yourself; learn to suffer; become a Stoic; care not. If Misfortune be +yours, make it your Fortune. Let Poverty become to you Riches. Let Loss +be Gain. Let Sickness be Health. Let Pain be Pleasure. Let Evil Report +be Good Report. Yea, let Death be Life. Fortune is in the Imagination. +If you believe you have all things, they are truly yours." He concluded +with an explanation reconciling destiny with free will, and vindicating +the divine justice, in a manner which removed all our difficulties on +those points, and, as we later came to learn, was entirely in accordance +with the Hindu doctrine of "Karma," of which at this time we had never +heard[61]. + +There was no exaggeration in the terms of the warning of danger. We were +constantly made aware of the presence of the malignant entities above +described focusing their influences on us to prevent the accomplishment +of our work, and requiring the utmost vigilance on our part, as well +also as on the part of our illuminators, to thwart their purpose. And we +had good reason to believe that our difficulties and dangers were +enhanced through "Mary's" attendances at the schools and hospitals, +owing to the evil nature of the influences there dominant under a +regimen grossly materialistic, and her liability to be fastened upon and +accompanied home by them. The outer walls of her spiritual system--it +was explained to us--were not yet completed, owing to the vastness of +the circuit of her selfhood; and hence her accessibility to the +incursion of noxious influences from without. The treatment of the +patients by men trained in the physiological laboratory, and bent upon +turning the hospital ward also into a laboratory with the patients +themselves for the victims of cruel and wanton experimentation, would +send her home boiling with indignation and wrath, to the destruction of +the serenity and self-control requisite for our spiritual work. + +It was clear to us that no experience was to be wanting to exhibit the +contrast between the world's actual and the world's possible. The +overthrow of "the world's sacrificial system" meant salvation for man +and beast. The condition of all really redemptive work is a "descent +into hell." The following instruction to us is a typical one:-- + + "Teach the doctrine of the Universal Soul and the Immortality of + all creatures. Knowledge of this is what the world most needs, and + this is the keynote of your joint mission. On this you must build; + it is the key-stone of the arch. The perfect life is not attainable + for man alone. The whole world must be redeemed under the new + gospel you are to teach." + +The following "Counsel of Perfection" which was received[62] by "Mary," +is an exquisite expression of the same theme:-- + + I dreamed that I was in a large room, and there were in it seven + persons, all men, sitting at one long table; and each of them had + before him a scroll, some having books also; and all were + greyheaded and bent with age save one, and this was a youth of + about twenty, without hair on his face. One of the aged men, who + had his finger on a place in a book open before him, said: + + "This spirit, who is of our order, writes in this book,--'Be ye + perfect, therefore, as your Father in heaven is perfect.' How shall + we understand this word 'perfection'?" And another of the old men, + looking up, answered, "It must mean Wisdom, for wisdom is the sum + of perfection." And another old man said, "That cannot be; for no + creature can be wise as God is wise. Where is he among us who could + attain to such a state? That which is part only, cannot comprehend + the whole. To bid a creature to be wise as God is wise would be + mockery." + + Then a fourth old man said:--"It must be Truth that is intended; + for truth only is perfection." But he who sat next the last speaker + answered, "Truth also is partial; for where is he among us who + shall be able to see as God sees?" + + And the sixth said, "It must surely be Justice; for this is the + whole of righteousness." And the old man who had spoken first, + answered him:--"Not so; for justice comprehends vengeance, and it + is written that vengeance is the Lord's alone." + + Then the young man stood up with an open book in his hand and + said:--"I have here another record of one who likewise heard these + words. Let us see whether his rendering of them can help us to the + knowledge we seek." And he found a place in the book and read + aloud:-- + + "Be ye merciful, even as your Father is merciful." + + And all of them closed their books and fixed their eyes upon me. + +That it was possible at all for her to study medicine in a school in +which vivisection was an all prevailing practice, was only because she +set her face resolutely against it, by refusing to attend any place or +occasion where or on which it took place, and relying for her own +education chiefly on private tuition. It was an essential part of her +plan to prove that such experimentation was not necessary for a degree. +And this she effectually demonstrated by accomplishing her +student-course with rare expedition and distinction, despite her many +and severe illnesses and her frequent change of professors. For one +after another resigned the office on account of her refusal to allow +them to experiment on live animals at her lessons. Not until she had +secured her diploma did she enter a physiological laboratory. And then +only in order to qualify herself by personal experience to denounce the +practice. For herself it was not necessary, she declared, to see a +murder or a robbery committed to know that it is a crime. + +The following incident shows how adverse the conditions of modern life +were to our spiritual work:-- + +Being in London one Christmas evening[63], and speaking to me under +illumination, "Mary" suddenly broke off and said-- + +"Do not ask me such deep questions just now, for I cannot see clearly, +and it hurts me to look. The atmosphere is thick with the blood shed for +the season's festivities. The Astral Belt is everywhere dense with +blood. My Genius says that if we were in some country where the +conditions of life are purer, we could live in constant communication +with the spiritual world. For the earth here whirls round as in a cloud +of blood like red fire. He says distinctly and emphatically that the +salvation of the world is impossible while people nourish themselves on +blood. The whole globe is like one vast charnel-house. The magnetism is +intercepted. The blood strengthens the bonds between the Astrals and the +Earth.... This time, which ought to be the best for spiritual communion, +is the worst, on account of the horrid mode of living. Pray wake me up: +I cannot bear looking; for I see the blood and hear the cries of the +poor slaughtered creatures." Here her distress was so extreme that she +wept bitterly, and some days passed before she fully recovered her +composure. + +Our first acquaintance with any literature kindred to our special work +took place toward the close of our sojourn in Paris[64]. It was due to +the arrival of the friend in whose favour the exception had been made in +respect of the reading of our Mysteries, and who was the possessor of an +excellent library, which she placed at our disposal, of precisely the +books it had now become necessary for us to read. This was Marie, +Countess of Caithness and Duchesse de Pomar, who had for many years been +a spiritualist of zeal so ardent that--as I now came to learn--she had +been wont to make my conversion to that faith a matter of special +prayer, long before I had been able to contemplate such an event as +within the range of probability. Of wide culture, open mind, and large +sympathies, she had an enthusiastic and intelligent appreciation of our +work, and her arrival on the scene proved so timely as to point to +superior direction. We were now able to begin to make acquaintance with +many of the seers, mystics, and occultists of past ages, from the +Neoplatonists, Hermetists, Rosicrucians, and other orders of initiates, +to Boehme, Swedenborg and "Eliphas Levi," and to see what the various +spiritualistic schools of the present day had to say for themselves. + +The following recognition of Hermes by one of the greatest of the +Neoplatonists, Proclus, who lived in the fifth century of our era, was +especially gratifying to us as proving the continuity of our experiences +with those of past ages. Proclus, it must be remembered, was so eminent +for his wisdom and powers as to be regarded by his contemporaries with a +veneration approaching to adoration. Says Proclus, "Hermes, as the +messenger of God, reveals to us His paternal Will, and--developing in us +the Intuition--imparts to us knowledge. The knowledge which descends +into the soul from above, excels any that can be attained by the mere +exercise of the intellect. Intuition is the operation of the soul. The +knowledge received through it from above, descending into the soul, +fills it with the perception of the interior causes of things. The Gods +announce it by their presence, and by illumination, and enable us to +discern the universal order." Here was exactly the doctrine received by +us, and the manner of it, only that the Intuition was further disclosed +to us as due to interior recollection, as declared by Plato, as well as +to perception. + +The results of the investigations thus begun, and afterwards continued +in the library of the British Museum, proved satisfactory and gratifying +beyond all that we could have anticipated. For while it was made clear +to us that there had never been a time when there were not some in the +world who had the witness to the truth in themselves, and this one and +the same truth, it was also made clear that whereas others had received +it in limitation, and beheld it as "through a glass darkly," we were +receiving it in plenitude and "face to face," to the realisation of the +high anticipations of the sages, saints, seers, prophets, redeemers, and +Christs of all time; and this, too, at the period, in the manner, and +under the conditions declared by them as to mark and make the "time of +the end." + +For in the illuminations vouchsafed to us the key had been restored +which unlocked the meaning of the symbols in which the doctrines of all +the churches, pre-Christian as well as Christian, had been at once +concealed and revealed, to the elucidation of all the problems which +have so sorely perplexed the world, and the verification, by actual +experience, of the truth contained in them. No longer now was there for +us any doubt as to the meaning of allegories such as the Fall, the +Deluge, the Exodus, and others were now shown us to be; or of prophecies +such as those of the crushing of the serpent's head by the Woman and her +seed; the return of Astraea with her progeny of divine sons; the fall +from heaven of Lucifer and Satan; the Return of the Gods; the reign of +Michael, "that great prince who standeth for the children of God's +people"; the breaking of the seals, and opening of the books; the +recognition of the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place; +the budding of the fig-tree, and the end of that "adulterous +generation"; the revelation of "that wicked one, the mystery of iniquity +and son of perdition, whom the Lord, at His coming in the clouds of +heaven with power and great glory, shall consume with the spirit of His +mouth, and destroy with the brightness of His coming"; the two +Witnesses, their resurrection from the dead, and their ascent into +heaven; the drying up of the great river Euphrates, and the coming of +the kings of the East by the way thus prepared; the binding of Satan, +and the acceptable year of the Lord to follow; the exaltation to heaven, +and clothing with the sun, of the mystic "Woman" of the Apocalypse; the +advent of the angel flying in mid-heaven, having an eternal gospel to +proclaim unto every nation, and tribe, and tongue, and people; the +coming of many from the East, and the West, and the North, and the +South, to sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of +heaven; and the battle of Armageddon, and the end of the world. To all +these, and other sacred enigmas of like nature, the key had been given +us. And they one and all proved to be prophecies of one and the same +event, the restoration of the faculty of inward understanding, and of +the divine knowledges which only through it are possible. And whereas +this was the faculty, the corruption and loss of which had made the +Fall, which was that of the original Church, so was it the faculty, the +purification and restoration of which was to reverse the Fall, +accomplishing the Redemption. For by it man will regain his mental +balance, in virtue of which he was "made upright," and become again +sound, whole, and sane, and be by _condition_ that which he has been +divinely declared from the first to be by _constitution_,--an instrument +of understanding, competent for the comprehension of all truth. For only +thus is he really man, and made in the divine image; seeing that he is +not really man, but infant only, until he attains his spiritual majority +and is able to understand. And that which thus makes him man on the +plane mental and spiritual, is that which makes him man on the plane +physical. It is his recognition and appropriation of the "Woman" of that +plane, the mystic "Woman" of Holy Writ, the mind's feminine mode, the +Intuition. It is of her first identification by us, as the key to the +whole mystery of the Bible, that the manner will now be recounted. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[49] The occasion of the receipt by A.K. and E.M. of the above was one +of peculiar interest. It was given in reference to a visit from the late +Laurence Oliphant, an account of which will be found in "The Life of +A.K." It will suffice to say here that, having heard of their work, +Oliphant came to them as an emissary from his chief in America, Thomas +Lake Harris, to summon them to place themselves and all that they were +and had, at his disposal as the king and Christ of the new dispensation. +The above instruction was given to them in direct reference to this +incident. It was followed by others fully exposing the delusive source +and nature of the doctrine and practice of Laurence Oliphant and Thomas +Lake Harris. The above Exhortation of Hermes to his Neophytes is now +given in full in this book for the first time. It is taken from "The +Life of A.K." Vol. I. pp. 282-283. S.H.H. + +[50] See note p. 7 + +[51] The above reference is to an experience of mine which does not call +for relation here. E.M. + +[52] Says E.M. in "The Life of A.K."--"The subtlety with which my most +sensitive places were searched out, and the mercilessness with which +they were probed by the influences which had now obtained access to us, +seemed to me to belong altogether to the infernal." (Life A.K. Vol. I. +p. 318.) S.H.H. + +[53] The date was 27th March, 1880. S.H.H. + +[54] The Hymn to the Planet-God has been referred to on p. 79. It is +given in full in the P.W. pp. 341-349: a portion of it concerning the +passage of the Soul, and concerning the Mystic Exodus, are given on pp. +169-173 post. The method of the recovery by A.K. of this most important +Hymn "was such as to constitute it a proof positive of the great +doctrine set forth in it, the doctrine of Reincarnation; for it was as +one of a band of initiates, making solemn procession through the aisles +of a vast Egyptian temple, chanting it in chorus, that 'Mary,' being +asleep, recollected it." (Life A.K. Vol. I. p. 456.) S.H.H. + +[55] That is, the "strained conditions" under which their association +was then maintained and their work carried on. (Life A.K. Vol. I. p. +374.) S.H.H. + +[56] See p. 130. + +[57] On the night of the 23rd June, 1880. This vision was received by +E.M. as he pondered and while he was awake. (Life A.K. Vol. I. pp. +376-377.) S.H.H. + +[58] Some of A.K.'s illuminations have thus been lost to the world. +(Life A.K. Vol. I. p. 374.) S.H.H. + +[59] Lady Caithness. (Life A.K. Vol. I. p. 329.) See pp. 137 and 185 +post. S.H.H. + +[60] On the 13th-14th January, 1881. (Life A.K. Vol. I. p. 435.) S.H.H. + +[61] A full account of this interview with William Lily is given in "The +Life of A.K." Vol. I. pp. 435-441. + +[62] On the 9th April, 1877, in London. (Life A.K. Vol. I. p. 172.) +S.H.H. + +[63] Christmas Day, 1880. (Life A.K. Vol. I. p. 430.) + +[64] The time referred to was September, 1878. (Life A.K. Vol. I. pp. +285-385.) + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +THE RECAPITULATION. + + +The first compendious statement of the doctrine which it was intended to +restore, was given to us at Paris in the summer of 1878, in the form of +an exposition of the principles of Biblical interpretation, under the +following circumstances. + +We had been following our respective tasks[65] for several months +without any open or special illumination, and I had written enough to +make a considerable volume in exposition of the principles which +appeared to me to be those on which, in order to be a book of the soul, +the Bible ought to be constructed, and by which, therefore, it must be +interpreted. It was not intended for publication, but as an exercise for +myself, being purely tentative; though I was conscious of being aided by +the occasional suggestion of ideas which served as points of light and +guidance. Meanwhile, I was entirely without help from books; for, +besides being desirous of evolving the whole from my own consciousness, +as in the case of the demonstration of any mathematical problem, I was +not aware of any books which would help me; the little I knew of +Swedenborg at this time--who was the only writer known to me as a worker +in a similar direction--having failed to make much impression on me. I +could accept his general principles, but not his particular applications +of them. I felt also that the sources of the knowledges vouchsafed to +us, far transcended those to which Swedenborg had access. And I +accounted for the length of the interval which had elapsed without any +larger measure of light being vouchsafed, by supposing that it was +intended for me to exhaust my own resources first. + +The time had come when these were exhausted, and I was reduced to the +conviction that if the work was to be carried any further, assistance +must be rendered, whether for confirmation, for correction, or for +extension. And on retiring to rest one night[66], painfully oppressed by +the sense of my own lack, and the prolonged absence of the needed light, +I stood at the open window, and in presence of a sky resplendent with +stars mentally addressed to those whom we were wont to speak of as the +Gods, and of whose presence I seemed to be dimly conscious, a strong +expression of my need, declaring my utter inability to advance another +step unassisted. Having done which I went to bed, but in a mood the +reverse of sanguine; so many were the months for which they had been +silent. + +In the course of the following day, "Mary"--who knew nothing either of +my need or of my adjuration of the preceding night, and could not of +herself have helped me--found herself under an access of exaltation of +faculty which she described as resembling what might be produced by a +draught of spiritual champagne. For she felt herself at her very best, +having all her knowledge at her finger-ends. The expression recurred to +my mind some time afterwards on our receiving an explanation of the "New +Wine of Dionysos" in the ancient mysteries. In this state she went down +to the schools, where an examination in her subjects was being held, in +order to see how the candidates comported themselves, and to compare +them with herself; for it was an oral examination. From this she +returned home in high delight, declaring that she could have answered +every question asked, and far better than any of the students had done. +I hoped that her state might be an indication of the renewal of her +illuminations. But the events of the evening put all thoughts in this +direction entirely out of my mind. For, as if poisoned by the atmosphere +of the schools, she was seized with an attack of sickness so intense and +prolonged as seriously to endanger her life through the exhaustion +induced. And it was a late hour--past midnight--before she could be left +alone. + +Nevertheless she was up betimes in the morning, and on our meeting +handed me a paper which she had written in pencil on waking, saying it +was something she had read in her sleep, and asking if it was anything +that I wanted, as she had written it down so rapidly that she scarcely +observed what it was about, and she had not had time to read it over and +think about it. Having read it, I found that it met my every difficulty, +and shed on the Bible a light which rendered it luminous from beginning +to end, disclosing it as pervaded by a system of thought which, when +once seen, was as obvious as it had previously been unsuspected. + +And while it confirmed me in respect of principles and method, it +corrected both of us in respect of sundry particulars. It even referred +directly to one of my tentative hypotheses, at once negativing it and +giving another altogether satisfactory. This was my supposition of Adam +and Eve as possibly denoting spirit and matter. The following is the +writing:-- + + "If, therefore, they be Mystic Books, they ought also to have a + mystic consideration. But the fault of most writers lieth in + this,--that they distinguish not between the books of Moses the + prophet, and those books which are of an historical nature. And + this is the more surprising because not a few of such critics have + rightly discerned the esoteric character, if not indeed the true + interpretation, of the story of Eden; yet have they not applied to + the remainder of the allegory the same method which they found to + fit the beginning; but so soon as they are over the earlier stanzas + of the poem, they would have the rest of it to be of another + nature. + + "It is, then, pretty well established and accepted of most authors, + that the legend of Adam and Eve, and of the miraculous tree and the + fruit which was the occasion of death, is, like the story of Eros + and Psyche, and so many others of all religions, a parable with a + hidden, that is, with a mystic meaning. But so also is the legend + which follows concerning the sons of these mystical parents, the + story of Cain and Abel his brother, the story of the Flood, of the + Ark, of the saving of the clean and unclean beasts, of the rainbow, + of the twelve sons of Jacob, and, not stopping there, of the whole + relation concerning the flight out of Egypt. For it is not to be + supposed that the two sacrifices offered to God by the sons of + Adam, were real sacrifices, any more than it is to be supposed that + the apple which caused the doom of mankind, was a real apple. It + ought to be known, indeed, for the right understanding of the + mystical books, that in their esoteric sense they deal, not with + material things, but with spiritual realities; and that as Adam is + not a man, nor Eve a woman, nor the tree a plant in its true + signification, so also are not the beasts named in the same books + real beasts, but that the mystic intention of them is implied. + When, therefore, it is written that Abel took of the firstlings of + his flock to offer unto the Lord, it is signified that he offered + that which a lamb implies, and which is the holiest and highest of + spiritual gifts. Nor is Abel himself a real person, but the type + and spiritual presentation of the race of the prophets; of whom, + also, Moses was a member, together with the Patriarchs. Were the + prophets, then, shedders of blood? God forbid; they dwelt not with + things material, but with spiritual significations. Their lambs + without spot, their white doves, their goats, their rams, and other + sacred creatures, are so many signs and symbols of the various + graces and gifts which a mystic people should offer to Heaven. + Without such sacrifices is no remission of sin. But when the mystic + sense was lost, then carnage followed, the prophets ceased out of + the land, and the priests bore rule over the people. Then, when + again the voice of the prophets arose, they were constrained to + speak plainly, and declared in a tongue foreign to their method, + that the sacrifices of God are not the flesh of bulls or the blood + of goats, but holy vows and sacred thanksgivings, their mystical + counterparts. As God is a spirit, so also are His sacrifices + spiritual. What folly, what ignorance, to offer material flesh and + drink to pure power and essential being! Surely in vain have the + prophets spoken, and in vain have the Christs been manifested! + + "Why will you have Adam to be spirit, and Eve matter, since the + mystic books deal only with spiritual entities? The tempter himself + even is not matter, but that which gives matter the precedence. + Adam is, rather, intellectual force: he is of earth. Eve is the + moral conscience: she is the mother of the living. Intellect, then, + is the male, and Intuition the female principle. And the sons of + Intuition, herself fallen, shall at last recover Truth, and redeem + all things. By her fault, indeed, is the moral conscience of + humanity made subject to the intellectual force, and thereby all + manner of evil and confusion abounds, since her desire is unto him, + and he rules over her until now. But the end foretold by the seer + is not far off. Then shall the Woman be exalted, clothed with the + Sun, and carried to the throne of God. And her sons shall make war + with the dragon, and have victory over him. Intuition, therefore, + pure and a virgin, shall be the mother and redemptress of her + fallen sons, whom she bore under bondage to her husband the + intellectual force." + +This marvellously luminous exposition, she then told me, had been read +by her in a book she had found in a library which she had visited in +sleep, the owner of which was a courtly old gentleman in the costume of +the last century. The leaves of the book were of silver and reflected +her back to herself as she read. I took this as symbolising the +Intuition. The event proved that her host was no other than Swedenborg, +and that--as her Genius informed us--she had been enabled, "under the +magnetism of Swedenborg's presence, to recover a memory of no small +value," thus confirming my surmise about its intuitional character. The +event proved also that it was Swedenborg's doctrine, but without his +limitations. We ardently desired a continuation of it, and on the next +night but one, she received the following addition to it:-- + + "Moses, therefore, knowing the mysteries of the religion of the + Egyptians, and having learned of their occultists the value and + signification of all sacred birds and beasts, delivered like + mysteries to his own people. But certain of the sacred animals of + Egypt he retained not in honour, for motives which were equally of + mystic origin. + + And he taught his initiated the spirit of the heavenly hieroglyphs, + and bade them, when they made festival before God, to carry with + them in procession, with music and with dancing, such of the sacred + animals as were, by their interior significance, related to the + occasion. Now, of these beasts, he chiefly selected males of the + first year, without spot or blemish, to signify that it is beyond + all things needful that man should dedicate to the Lord his + intellect and his reason, and this from the beginning, and without + the least reserve. And that he was very wise in teaching this, is + evident from the history of the world in all ages, and particularly + in these last days. For what is it that has led men to renounce the + realities of the spirit, and to propagate false theories and + corrupt sciences, denying all things save the appearance which can + be apprehended by the outer senses, and making themselves one with + the dust of the ground? It is their intellect which, being + unsanctified, has led them astray; it is the force of the mind in + them, which, being corrupt, is the cause of their own ruin, and of + that of their disciples. As, then, the intellect is apt to be the + great traitor against heaven, so also is it the force by which men, + following their pure intuition, may also grasp and apprehend the + truth. For which reason it is written that the Christs are subject + to their mothers. Not that by any means the intellect is to be + dishonoured; for it is the heir of all things, if only it be truly + begotten and be no bastard. + + "And besides all these symbols, Moses taught the people to have + beyond all things an abhorrence of idolatry. What, then, is + idolatry, and what are false gods? + + "To make an idol is to materialise spiritual mysteries. The + priests, then, were idolaters, who coming after Moses, and + committing to writing those things which he by word of mouth had + delivered unto Israel, replaced the true things signified, by their + material symbols, and shed innocent blood on the pure altars of the + Lord. + + "They also are idolaters who understand the things of sense where + the things of the spirit are alone implied, and who conceal the + true features of the Gods with material and spurious presentations. + Idolatry is materialism, the common and original sin of men, which + replaces spirit by appearance, substance by illusion, and leads + both the moral and intellectual being into error, so that they + substitute the nether for the upper, and the depth for the height. + It is that false fruit which attracts the outer senses, the bait of + the serpent in the beginning of the world. Until the mystic man and + woman had eaten of this fruit, they knew only the things of the + spirit, and found them suffice. But after their fall, they began to + apprehend matter also, and gave it the preference, making + themselves idolaters. And their sin, and the taint begotten of that + false fruit, have corrupted the blood of the whole race of men, + from which corruption the sons of God would have redeemed them." + +She had received this, also in sleep, as one of a class of neophytes +seated in an ancient amphitheatre of white stone, and listening to a +lecture delivered by a man in priestly garb, of which they took notes +the while. She complained that her notes had disappeared on waking, thus +preventing her from rendering what she had heard as perfectly as she +could have wished; for she had trusted to her notes for it. + +The more we pondered these communications, the higher was our +appreciation of them. We felt that the "veil of Moses" was at length +"taken away" as promised, and we had been enabled to tap a reservoir of +boundless wisdom and knowledge. For we found in them the longed-for +solution of the purpose and nature of the Bible and Christianity, and +the key to man's spiritual history. The method of the Bible-writers, the +meaning of idolatry, the secret of the Cain and Abel feud between priest +and prophet, as the ministers respectively of the sense-nature and of +the intuition, and the process whereby the religion of Jesus had become +distorted into the orthodoxy which has usurped His name;--all these +things were now clear to us as the demonstration of a proposition in +geometry, the witness of which was in our own minds. And we, too, we +rejoiced to think, were of the school of the prophets, in that with all +the force of our minds we had "exalted the Woman," Intuition, and +refused to make the word of God of none effect by priestly traditions. + +Not the least marvellous element in the case was the faculty whereby the +seeress had been able to reproduce, after waking, with such evident +faithfulness the things seen and heard at so great length in sleep. In +reply to my questionings she said that the words seemed to show +themselves to her again as she wrote[67]. + +Discoursing with her Genius on this subject of memory, she received the +following, which is valuable also for its recognition of the mystical +import of the Bible narratives, and confirmation of St Paul when he says +in reference to certain narratives in Genesis, "These things are an +allegory." + + "Concerning memory; why should there any more be a difficulty in + respect of it? Reflect on this saying,--'Man sees as he knows.' To + thee the deeps are more visible than the surfaces of things; but to + men generally the surfaces only are visible. The material can + perceive only the material, the astral the astral, and the + spiritual the spiritual. It all resolves itself, therefore, into a + question of condition and of quality. Thy hold on matter is but + slight, and thine organic memory is feeble and treacherous. It is + hard for thee to perceive the surfaces of things and to remember + their aspect. But thy spiritual perception is the stronger for this + weakness, and the profound is that which thou seest the most + readily. It is hard for thee to understand and to retain the memory + of material facts; but their meaning thou knowest instantly and by + intuition, which is the memory of the soul. For the soul takes no + pains to remember; she knows divinely. Is it not said that the + immaculate woman brings forth without a pang? The sorrow and + travail of conception belong to her whose desire is unto + 'Adam'"[68]. + +The following sentences sum up the conclusions to which, by degrees, we +were led. The first two paragraphs are from an exposition concerning the +dogma of the Immaculate Conception which we considered as one of the +most sublime and momentous of all her illuminations[69]. + +"All that is true is spiritual.... No dogma is real that is not +spiritual. If it be true, and yet seem to you to have a material +signification, know that you have not solved it. It is a mystery; seek +its interpretation. That which is true is for Spirit alone. + +"For matter shall cease and all that is of it, but the Word of the Lord +shall remain for ever. And how shall it remain except it be purely +spiritual; since, when matter ceases, it would then be no longer +comprehensible?" + +"For, though matter is eternally the mode whereby spirit manifests +itself, matter is not itself eternal." + +"The church has all the truth, but the priests have materialised it, +making religion idolatry, and themselves and their people idolaters." + +"In their real and divinely intended sense, its doctrines are eternal +verities, founded in the nature of Being. As ecclesiastically +propounded, they are blasphemous absurdities." + +"All the mistakes made about the Bible arise out of the mystic books +being referred to times, places, and persons material, instead of being +regarded as containing only eternal verities about things spiritual." + +"The Bible was written by intuitionalists, for intuitionalists, and from +the intuitionalist standpoint. It has been interpreted by externalists, +for externalists, and from the externalist standpoint. The most occult +and mystical of books, it has been expounded by persons without occult +knowledge or mystical insight"[70]. + +Thus gradually but surely we learnt that Ecclesiastical education has +rigidly excluded from its curriculum all those branches of study which +could throw light on the real nature of existence, and consists in +learning what other men have said who, themselves, did not know, but +were mere hearsay scholars lacking the witness in themselves. + +We marvelled much as to how the priesthoods will comport themselves when +compelled to recognise the fact that a New Gospel of Interpretation has +actually been vouchsafed from the world celestial in correction of their +perversion and mutilation of the former Gospel of Manifestation, and +suppression of the true doctrine of salvation. Will Cain and Caiaphas +still have the dominion, and ecclesiasticism be as ready to crucify the +Christ on His second coming as it was on His first? And if not, how will +it find courage to face the world with the humiliating confession that +all through the long ages of its history, while arrogantly claiming to +be the faithful and infallible minister of the Gospel of Christ, it has +persistently withheld that gospel, and, losing the key to its meaning, +has substituted for the wholesome "bread" of divine truth, the "stones" +of innutritious because unintelligible dogmas; and for the "fish" of the +living waters, the "serpents" of the letter which kills? and that when +men have rightly suspected that Christianity has failed, not because it +is false, but because it has been falsified, and have sought to their +own inner light for the truth of which ecclesiasticism had defrauded +them, it dealt out to them pitiless anathema and persecution, making the +earth a scene of torture and slaughter in assertion of the right of the +priesthoods to teach wrong? + +That the work committed to us implied nothing less than the fulfilment +of the prophecies of which the promise of the Second Coming of Christ +was the culmination, while intimated to us from the outset, was +gradually unfolded into full assurance, and we were enabled to see that +the very terms in which it was couched implied a spiritual advent, and +one which should disclose the perfect system at once of science, +philosophy, morality, and religion, of which Christ is both the +foundation and the consummation. For the "clouds of heaven" in which it +was to take place, were no other than the heaven of the kingdom within +man of his restored spiritual consciousness. "That wicked one," "the son +of perdition," and "mystery of iniquity" then to be revealed and +destroyed, was no other than the inspiring evil spirit of an +ecclesiasticism which had received indeed its doctrines from above, but +their interpretation and application from below. And the "Spirit of His +mouth," and the "Brightness of His Coming" were no other than a new Word +of God, in the form of a New Gospel of Interpretation, so potent in its +logic and so luminous in its exposition as to indicate the Logos Himself +as its source, and the "Woman" Intuition, "clothed with the Sun" of full +illumination, as its revealer. + +We saw, too, that with this "Woman" thus rehabilitated, God's "Two +Witnesses,"--who have so long lain dead in the streets of "that great +city" wherein the Lord, the divinity in man, is ever systematically +crucified; the city of the world's system as fashioned and controlled by +an ecclesiasticism shrouded in the threefold veil of Blood, Idolatry, +and the Curse of Eve,--will rise and stand on their feet, and ascend to +the heaven of their proper supremacy, _vice_ Lucifer deposed and fallen. +And in them Lucifer himself will regain his lost estate, vindicating his +title to be called the Light-bearer, the bright and morning star, the +herald and bringer-in of the perfect day of the Lord God. For, as the +Intellect, he is the heir of all things, if only he be begotten of the +Spirit, and be no bastard engendered of the Sense-Nature. + +For--as we had come to learn--God's Two Witnesses in man are ever the +Intellect and the Intuition, when duly unfolded and united in a pure +spirit. Under such conditions the Shiloh comes, and mounted on them man +rides triumphant as king into the holy city of his own regenerate +nature. But divorced from her, the Intuition, and--leagued with the +Sense-Nature--knowing matter only and the body, the Intellect becomes +"prince of devils" in man, the maker of men into fiends, and of the +earth into a hell. Wherefore his fall from the heaven of his power, on +the advent of that whole Humanity, of whom it is said, "the Man is not +without the Woman, nor the Woman without the Man, in the Lord," the +humanity of intellect and intuition combined, has ever been exultingly +hailed in anticipation by all true seers and prophets. + +The chief points of the doctrine, the prospect of the restoration of +which has thus been the sustaining hope of the percipient faithful in +all ages, may be summarised as follows:-- + +The doctrine which, first and foremost, it is the purpose of the Bible +to affirm, and of the Christ to demonstrate, and in which reason +entirely concurs, is no other than that of the divine potentialities of +man, belonging to him in virtue of the nature of his constituent +principles, the force and the substance of existence. These are the +duality of the "heavens" which God is said to "create," meaning to put +forth from Himself, "in the beginning," and of the mutual interaction of +which all things are the product, varying according to the plane of +operation, alike for creation and redemption, generation and +regeneration. And that which Jesus really affirmed in the memorable but +little understood words, "Ye _must_ be born again, or from above, of +Water and the Spirit," was both the possibility and the necessity to all +men of realising the potential divinity belonging to them in virtue of +the divinity of their constituent principles. And in affirming this He +affirmed both the necessity and the possibility to every man of being +born exactly as He Himself, as typical man regenerate, is said to have +been born, of Virgin Mary and Holy Ghost, and also His own identity in +kind with all other men. And He affirmed, moreover, the utter falsity of +that priest-constructed system, which, ignoring Regeneration, insists on +Substitution, as the means of salvation. For "Virgin Mary," and "Holy +Ghost," are but the mystical synonyms with "Water and the Spirit," the +substance and force, or soul and spirit, of which, man is constituted, +in their divine because pure condition, the product of which in man is +the new regenerate selfhood called, as by St Paul, the "Christ within." +Begotten in man as matrix, of the pure Spirit and Substance which are +God, this new selfhood is son at once of God and of man; and in him God +and man are "reconciled" or "at-oned." And that man is said to be saved +by his blood, is because the "blood of God" is pure spirit, and it is +the pure spirit in the man that saves him; and that he is called the +only-begotten Son of God, is not because God begets no other of his +kind, but because God, as God, begets directly none of any other kind. + +This, then, as we came to learn, and to recognise as having learned it +in our own long-past lives, is the doctrine which Jesus came to teach +and to demonstrate in His own person. Matter is spirit, being spiritual +substance, projected by force of the divine Will into conditions and +limitations, and made exteriorly cognisable. And being spirit it can +revert to the condition of spirit. In virtue of the divinity of his +constituent principles, man has within himself the seed of his own +regeneration, and the power to effectuate it. He has in him, this is to +say, the potentiality of divinity realisable at will. And the secret and +method of the achievement, which is no other than the secret and method +of Christ, is inward purification and unfoldment, the unfoldment of the +capacities, mental, moral, and spiritual, of his nature, of which inward +purification is the first and essential condition. Thus is the Finding +of Christ the realisation of the Ideal, and Christ is for every man the +summit of his own evolution. + +Stated in terms of modern science, but correcting its aberrations, the +doctrine of Christ is in this wise. Evolution is the manifestation of +inherency. Owing to the divinity of the constituent principles of +existence, its Force and its Substance, both of which are God, the +inherency of existence is divine. Wherefore, as the manifestation of a +divine inherency, evolution is accomplished only by the attainment of +divinity; and the cause of evolution is the tendency of substance to +revert from its secondary and "created" condition of matter, to its +original and divine condition of pure spirit. Wherefore evolution is +definable as the process of the individuation of Deity in and through +Humanity. + +Such is the genesis of the Christ in man. And he is called _a_ Christ +who, having accomplished this process in himself, returns into the +earth-life when he has no need to do so for his own sake, out of pure +love to redeem, by showing to others their own equal divine +potentialities and the method of the realisation thereof. + +This method consists in love, love of perfection, which is God, for its +own sake, and love for others. The process is entirely interior to the +individual. It consists in the sacrifice of the lower nature to the +higher in himself, and of himself for others in love. That which +directly saves the man is not the love of another for the man, but the +love which he has in himself. All that can be done by another is to +kindle this love in him. + +The philosophy of this doctrine of salvation by love was formulated for +us as follows:--"It is love which is the centripetal power of the +universe; it is by love that all creation returns into the bosom of God. +The force which projected all things is will, and will is the +centrifugal power of the universe. Will alone could not overcome the +evil which results from the limitations of matter; but it shall be +overcome in the end by sympathy, which is the knowledge of God in +others,--the recognition of the omnipresent Self. This is love. And it +is with the children of the spirit, the servants of love, that the +dragon of matter makes war"[71]. + +In making the means of salvation extraneous to the individual, +Sacerdotalism has defrauded man of his Saviour, making the first and +personal coming of Christ of none effect. Hence the necessity for the +second and spiritual coming represented by the New Gospel of +Interpretation as was foretold:--the coming which was to be in the +clouds of the heaven of man's restored understanding; the Hermes within. + +But the process of regeneration is a prolonged one, extending over many +earth-lives; and so also is the prior process of evolution, whereby man +reaches the stage at which he is amenable to regeneration. Wherefore +regeneration has for its corollary reincarnation. To tell man that he +"must be born again" spiritually, and deny him the requisite +opportunities of experience, which must be acquired while in the +body--seeing that regeneration is _from out of the body_--would be to +mock him. + +This doctrine of a multiplicity of earth-lives is implicit and sometimes +explicit in the Bible. The notion that the Hebrews had no belief in a +future state because of the failure of commentators to discover it in +their Scriptures, is altogether futile. The permanence of the Ego was a +matter of course with them, saving only the Sadducees. And the Bible +contemplates the persistence of the individual soul through all the +manifold stages of its evolution, from the "Adam" stage to the "Christ" +stage, saying, as by St Paul, "As in Adam all die, so in Christ shall +all be made alive." But the Christ insisted on by him was not He Who is +"after the flesh," not the man Jesus, who was but the vehicle of the +Christ, but the Christ within both Jesus and all other regenerate men. +For, as a highly illuminated follower of the Gnosis, St Paul was one who +"after the way which" his orthodox accusers "called heresy, worshipped +the God of his fathers, believing all things which are according to the +law, and are written in the prophets." Rejecting the doctrine of +regeneration, and with it that of reincarnation, in favour of +substitution, the orthodoxy which claims to be Christianity has +practically rejected both the doctrine of St Paul and that of Jesus as +declared to Nicodemus. And, as St Paul implies, the "mystery of +iniquity" was working even already in his days to annul the gospel of +Christ by substituting Jesus as the object of worship, and His physical +blood-shedding as the means of salvation. And Christendom, yielding to +sacerdotal dictation, has to this day accepted a doctrine which at once +dishonours God and robs men of their equal divine potentialities with +Jesus, thus preferring Barabbas. Professing to rest its faith on the +Bible, it has accepted the presentation of religion which the Bible +persistently condemns, that of the priests, and rejected that on which +the Bible emphatically insists, that of the prophets. That St Paul +employed sacerdotal modes of expression was in order to spiritualise +them. He was a mystic of mystics. + +Nevertheless the dogmas of the Church contain the truth, but this is not +as the Church has propounded them. And--to cite two crucial +instances--so far from the Church's supreme dogmas, the Immaculate +Conception and the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin, having any personal +or physical reference, they are prophecies of the method of redemption +for every individual soul. For, as the New Gospel of Interpretation +explicitly declares, restoring the Gnosis persistently rejected by the +builders of the orthodoxies, + + The Immaculate Conception is none other than the prophecy of the + means whereby the universe shall at last be redeemed. Maria--the + sea of limitless space--Maria the Virgin, born herself immaculate + and without spot, of the womb of the ages, shall in the fulness of + time bring forth the perfect man, who shall redeem the race. He is + not one man, but ten thousand times ten thousand, the Son of Man, + who shall overcome the limitations of matter, and the evil which is + the result of the materialisation of spirit[72]. + + By the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin + Mary we are secretly enlightened concerning the generation of the + soul, who is begotten in the womb of matter, and yet from the first + instant of her being is pure and incorrupt.... As the Immaculate + Conception is the foundation of the mysteries, so is the Assumption + their crown. + + For the entire object and end of kosmic evolution is precisely this + triumph and apotheosis of the soul. In the mystery presented by + this dogma, we behold the consummation of the whole scheme of + creation--the perpetuation and glorification of the individual + human ego. The grave--the material and astral consciousness, cannot + retain the immaculate Mother of God. She rises into the heavens; + she assumes divinity.... From end to end the mystery of the soul's + evolution--the history, that is, of humanity and of the kosmic + drama--is contained and enacted in the cultus of the Blessed Virgin + Mary. The acts and the glories of Mary are the one supreme subject + of the holy mysteries[73]. + + "Allegory of stupendous significance!" exclaimed the seeress's + illuminator when imparting to her the mystery of the Immaculate + Conception. "Allegory of stupendous significance! with which the + Church of God has so long been familiar, but which yet never + penetrated its understanding, like the holy fire which enveloped + the sacred Bush, but which nevertheless the Bush withstood and + resisted[10]. + +That such failure has been the rule and not the exception is the plea +for the New Gospel of Interpretation. For lack of comprehension of its +own symbols the Church has fallen into the disastrous errors of +mistaking the man Jesus for the Christ within every man, and Mary the +mother of Jesus for Virgin Mary the mother of that Christ, committing in +both instances idolatry by preferring the form to the substance, persons +to principles, and blinding men to the essential truth implied. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[65] A.K. was preparing for her second Doctorat, and E.M. was +elaborating out of his own consciousness "a key to the interpretation +especially of the initial chapters of Genesis." (Life A.K. Vol. I. p. +264.) + +[66] On the 4th June, 1878. (Life A.K. Vol. I. p. 265.) + +[67] E.M. says:--"Her notes, of course, disappeared with her dream, and +she had to reproduce it from memory. But this was abnormally enhanced, +for she said that the words presented themselves again to her as she +wrote, and stood out luminously to view." (Life A.K. Vol. I. p. 269.) + +[68] That is the outer sense and lower reason. + +[69] The illumination in question was received by A.K. in Paris on the +night of the 25th July, 1877, and was written down under trance. Further +portions are given on pp. 158, 159, 161. It is given in full in "The +Life of A.K." Vol. I. pp. 202-203. + +[70] See further on this most important subject "The Bible's Own Account +of Itself," by E.M., the only complete edition of which is published by +"The Ruskin Press," Ruskin House, Stafford Street, Birmingham. S.H.H. + +[71] From the exposition concerning the dogma of the Immaculate +Conception, referred to on p. 151. + +[72] From the exposition concerning the dogma of the Immaculate +Conception, referred to on p. 151. + +[73] From the exposition concerning the Christian Mysteries given in +full in "The Life of A.K." Vol. II. pp. 99-100. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +THE EXEMPLIFICATION. + + +This chapter will be devoted to some examples of the recovered Gnosis, +bearing chiefly upon the supreme doctrine of Regeneration. As with all +else received by the Seeress, they are the product of intuitional memory +regained under divine illumination occurring mostly in sleep. And here I +will take occasion to state explicitly and positively, that the states, +whether of sleep or of trance, in which her faculty was exercised, were +all natural and spontaneous, being induced by the Spirit itself; and +that in no case were artificial means employed by either of us, whether +drugs, mesmerism, hypnotism, crystal-gazing, or any other of the devices +ordinarily used to induce abnormal states of consciousness or promote +enhancement of faculty. Our work was to be a real work, done not only by +us but in us, and we had from the first a profound instinctive distrust +of results obtained by such artificial stimulation. + +Nor was any change even of a word ever made in the teachings received. +They came one and all in the finished perfection in which they are put +forth, coming down as the holy city from the heaven of the upper and the +within, and incapable of improvement. The following are the examples +proposed:-- + +(1) Concerning Holy Writ. + + All Scriptures which are the true Word of God, have a dual + interpretation, the intellectual and the intuitional, the apparent + and the hidden. + + For nothing can come forth from God save that which is fruitful. + + As is the nature of God, so is the Word of God's mouth. + + The letter alone is barren; the spirit and the letter give life. + + But that Scripture is the more excellent, which is exceeding + fruitful and brings forth abundant signification. + + For God is able to say many things in one, as the perfect ovary + contains many seeds in its chalice. + + Therefore there are in the Scriptures of God's Word certain + writings which, as richly yielding trees, bear more abundantly than + others in the self-same holy garden. + + And one of the most excellent is the history of the generation of + the heavens and the earth. + + For therein is contained in order a genealogy, which has four + heads, as a stream divided into four branches, a word exceeding + rich. + + And the first of these generations is that of the Gods. + + The second is that of the kingdom of heaven. + + The third is that of the visible world. + + And the fourth is that of the Church of Christ. + +(2) Concerning the Mystery of Redemption. + + All things in heaven and in earth are of God, both the invisible + and the visible. + + Such as is the invisible, is the visible also, for there is no + boundary line betwixt spirit and matter. + + Matter is spirit made exteriorly cognisable by the force of the + Divine Word. + + And when God shall resume all things by love, the material shall be + resolved into the spiritual, and there shall be a new heaven and a + new earth. + + Not that matter shall be destroyed, for it came forth from God, and + is of God indestructible and eternal. + + But it shall be indrawn and resolved into its true self. + + It shall put off corruption, and remain incorruptible. + + It shall put off mortality, and remain immortal. + + So that nothing be lost of the Divine substance. + + It was material entity: it shall be spiritual entity. + + For there is nothing which can go out from the presence of God. + + This is the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead: that is, the + transfiguration of the body. + + For the body, which is matter, is but the manifestation of spirit: + and the Word of God shall transmute it into its inner being. + + The will of God is the alchemic crucible: and the dross which is + cast therein is matter. + + And the dross shall become pure gold, seven times refined; even + perfect spirit. + + It shall leave behind it nothing: but shall be transformed into the + Divine image. + + For it is not a new substance: but its alchemic polarity is + changed, and it is converted. + + But except it were gold in its true nature, it could not be resumed + into the aspect of gold. + + And except matter were spirit, it could not revert to spirit. + + To make gold, the alchemist must have gold. + + But he knows that to be gold which others take to be dross. + + Cast thyself into the will of God, and thou shalt become as God. + + For thou art God, if thy will be the Divine Will. + + This is the great secret: it is the mystery of Redemption. + +(3) Concerning Sin and Death. + + As is the outer so is the inner: He that worketh is One. + + As the small is, so is the great: there is one law. + + Nothing is small and nothing is great in the Divine Economy. + + If thou wouldst understand the method of the world's corruption, + and the condition to which sin hath reduced the work of God, + + Meditate upon the aspect of a corpse; and consider the method of + the putrefaction of its tissues and humours. + + For the secret of death is the same, whether of the outer or of the + inner. + + The body dieth when the central will of its system no longer + bindeth in obedience the elements of its substance. + + Every cell is a living entity, whether of vegetable or of animal + potency. + + In the healthy body every cell is polarised in subjection to the + central will, the Adonai of the physical system. + + Health, therefore, is order, obedience, and government. + + But wherever disease is, there is disunion, rebellion, and + insubordination. + + And the deeper the seat of the confusion, the more dangerous the + malady, and the harder to quell it. + + That which is superficial may be more easily healed; or, if need + be, the disorderly elements may be rooted out, and the body shall + be whole and at unity again. + + But if the disobedient molecules corrupt each other continually, + and the perversity spread, and the rebellious tracts multiply their + elements; the whole body shall fall into dissolution, which is + death. + + For the central will that should dominate all the kingdom of the + body, is no longer obeyed; and every element is become its own + ruler, and hath a divergent will of its own. + + So that the poles of the cells incline in divers directions; and + the binding power which is the life of the body, is dissolved and + destroyed. + + And when dissolution is complete, then follow corruption and + putrefaction. + + Now, that which is true of the physical, is true likewise of its + prototype. + + The whole world is full of revolt; and every element hath a will + divergent from God. + + Whereas there ought to be but one will, attracting and ruling the + whole man. + + But there is no longer Brotherhood among you; nor order, nor mutual + sustenance. + + Every cell is its own arbiter; and every member is become a sect. + + Ye are not bound one to another: ye have confounded your offices, + and abandoned your functions. + + Ye have reversed the direction of your magnetic currents: ye are + fallen into confusion, and have given place to the spirit of + misrule. + + Your wills are many and diverse; and every one of you is an + anarchy. + + A house that is divided against itself, falleth. + + O wretched man; who shall deliver you from this body of Death? + +(4) Concerning the Twelve Gates of Regeneration. + + Now, the Kingdom of God is within us; that is, it is interior, + invisible, mystic, spiritual. + + There is a power by means of which the Outer may be absorbed into + the Inner. + + There is a power by means of which Matter may be ingested into its + original Substance. + + He who possesses this power is Christ, and He has the devil under + foot. + + For He reduces chaos to order, and indraws the external to the + centre. + + He has learnt that Matter is illusion, and that Spirit alone is + real. + + He has found His own Central Point; and all power is given unto Him + in heaven and on earth. + + Now, the Central Point is the number Thirteen: it is the number of + the Marriage of the Son of God. + + And all the members of the microcosm are bidden to the banquet of + the marriage. + + But if there chance to be even one among them which has not on a + wedding garment, + + Such a one is a Traitor, and the microcosm is found divided against + itself. + + And that it may be wholly regenerate, it is necessary that Judas be + cast out. + + Now the members of the microcosm are Twelve: of the Senses three, + of the Mind three, of the Heart three, and of the Conscience three. + + For of the Body there are four elements; and the sign of the four + is Sense, in the which are three Gates, + + The gate of the Eye, the gate of the Ear, and the gate of the + Touch[74]. + + Renounce vanity, and be poor: renounce praise, and be humble: + renounce luxury, and be chaste. + + Offer unto God a pure oblation: let the fire of the altar search + thee, and prove thy fortitude. + + Cleanse thy sight, thine hands, and thy feet: carry the censer of + thy worship into the courts of the Lord; and let thy vows be unto + the Most High. + + And for the magnetic man[75] there are four elements: and the + covering of the four is mind, in the which are three gates; + + The gate of desire, the gate of labour, and the gate of + illumination. + + Renounce the world, and aspire heavenward: labour not for the meat + which perishes, but ask of God thy daily bread: beware of wandering + doctrines, and let the Word of the Lord be thy light. + + Also of the soul there are four elements: and the seat of the four + is the heart, whereof likewise there are three gates; + + The gate of obedience, the gate of prayer, and the gate of + discernment. + + Renounce thine own will, and let the law of God only be within + thee: renounce doubt: pray always and faint not: be pure of heart + also, and thou shalt see God. + + And within the soul is the Spirit: and the Spirit is One, yet has + it likewise three elements. + + And these are the gates of the oracle of God, which is the ark of + the covenant; + + The rod, the host[76], and the law: + + The force which solves, and transmutes, and divines: the bread of + heaven which is the substance of all things and the food of angels; + the table of the law, which is the will of God, written with the + finger of the Lord. + + If these three be within thy spirit, then shall the Spirit of God + be within thee. + + And the glory shall be upon the propitiatory, in the holy place of + thy prayer. + + These are the twelve gates of regeneration: through which if a man + enter he shall have right to the tree of life. + + For the number of that Tree is Thirteen. + + It may happen to a man to have three, to another five, to another + seven, to another ten. + + But until a man have twelve, he is not master over the last enemy. + +(5) Concerning the Passage of the Soul[77]. + + Evoi, Father Iacchos, Lord God of Egypt: initiate thy servants in + the halls of thy Temple; + + Upon whose walls are the forms of every creature: of every beast of + the earth, and of every fowl of the air; + + The lynx, and the lion, and the bull: the ibis and the serpent: the + scorpion and every flying thing. + + And the columns thereof are human shapes; having the heads of + eagles and the hoofs of the ox. + + All these are of thy kingdom: they are the chambers of ordeal, and + the houses of the initiation of the soul. + + For the soul passeth from form to form; and the mansions of her + pilgrimage are manifold. + + Thou callest her from the deep, and from the secret places of the + earth; from the dust of the ground, and from the herb of the field. + + Thou coverest her nakedness with an apron of fig-leaves; thou + clothest her with the skins of beasts. + + Thou art from of old, O soul of man; yea, thou art from the + everlasting. + + Thou puttest off thy bodies as raiment; and as vesture dost thou + fold them up. + + They perish, but thou remainest: the wind rendeth and scattereth + them; and the place of them shall no more be known. + + For the wind is the Spirit of God in man, which bloweth where it + listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell + whence it cometh, nor whither it shall go. + + Even so is the spirit of man, which cometh from afar off and + tarrieth not, but passeth away to a place thou knowest not. + +(6) Concerning the Mystic Exodus[77]. + + Evoi, Iacchos, Lord of the Sphinx; who linkest the lowest to the + highest; the loins of the wild beast to the head and breast of the + woman. + + Thou holdest the chalice of divination: all the forms of nature are + reflected therein. + + Thou turnest man to destruction: then thou sayest, Come again, ye + children of my hand. + + Yea, blessed and holy art thou, O Master of Earth: Lord of the + cross and the tree of salvation. + + Vine of God, whose blood redeemeth; bread of heaven, broken on the + altar of death. + + There is corn in Egypt; go thou down into her, O my soul, with joy. + + For in the kingdom of the Body, thou shalt eat the bread of thine + initiation. + + But beware lest thou become subject to the flesh, and a bond-slave + in the land of thy sojourn. + + Serve not the idols of Egypt; and let not the senses be thy + taskmasters. + + For they will bow thy neck to their yoke; they will bitterly + oppress the Israel of God. + + An evil time shall come upon thee; and the Lord shall smite Egypt + with plagues for thy sake. + + Thy body shall be broken on the wheel of God; thy flesh shall see + trouble and the worm. + + Thy house shall be smitten with grievous plagues; blood, and + pestilence, and great darkness; fire shall devour thy goods; and + thou shalt be a prey to the locust and creeping thing. + + Thy glory shall be brought down to the dust; hail and storm shall + smite thine harvest; yea, thy beloved and thy first-born shall the + hand of the Lord destroy; + + Until the body let the soul go free; that she may serve the Lord + God. + + Arise in the night, O soul, and fly, lest thou be consumed in + Egypt. + + The angel of the understanding shall know thee for his elect, if + thou offer unto God a reasonable faith. + + Savour thy reason with learning, with labour, and with obedience. + + Let the rod of thy desire be in thy right hand: put the sandals of + Hermes on thy feet; and gird thy loins with strength. + + Then shalt thou pass through the waters of cleansing, which is the + first death in the body. + + The waters shall be a wall unto thee on thy right hand and on thy + left. + + And Hermes the Redeemer shall go before thee; for he is thy cloud + of darkness by day, and thy pillar of fire by night. + + All the horsemen of Egypt and the chariots thereof; her princes, + her counsellors, and her mighty men: + + These shall pursue thee, O soul, that fliest; and shall seek to + bring thee back into bondage. + + Fly for thy life; fear not the deep; stretch out thy rod over the + sea; and lift thy desire unto God. + + Thou hast learnt wisdom in Egypt; thou has spoiled the Egyptians; + thou hast carried away their fine gold and their precious things. + + Thou hast enriched thyself in the body; but the body shall not hold + thee; neither shall the waters of the deep swallow thee up. + + Thou shalt wash thy robes in the sea of regeneration; the blood of + atonement shall redeem thee to God. + + This is thy chrism and anointing, O soul; this is the first death; + thou art the Israel of the Lord, + + Who hath redeemed thee from the dominion of the body; and hath + called thee from the grave, and from the house of bondage, + + Unto the way of the cross, and to the path in the midst of the + wilderness; + + Where are the adder and the serpent, the mirage and the burning + sand. + + For the feet of the saint are set in the way of the desert. + + But be thou of good courage, and fail thou not; then shall thy + raiment endure, and thy sandals shall not wax old upon thee. + + And thy desire shall heal thy diseases; it shall bring streams for + thee out of the stony rock; it shall lead thee to Paradise. + + Evoi, Father Iacchos, Jehovah-Nissi[78]; Lord of the garden and of + the vineyard; + + Initiator and lawgiver; God of the cloud and of the mount. + + Evoi, Father Iacchos; out of Egypt has thou called thy Son. + +To vindicate the suppressed mysteries of the pre-Christian churches by +disclosing them as the true _origines_ of Christianity, and to replace +the false doctrine of the exclusive divinity of one man by the true +doctrine of the potential divinity of all men,--these are among the +foremost objects of the New Gospel of Interpretation. And it is +especially in order to reinforce the last named, that it has restored +the following hymn in celebration of the supreme results of +regeneration, which formed part of the ritual of the greater mysteries +of the Greeks. It is addressed to the first of the Holy Seven, the +Spirit of Wisdom, as represented by his "angel," the angel of the sun, +even "that light which Adonai created on the first day," "whose name is, +in the Hebrew, Uriel, and in the Greek, Phoibos, the Bright One of God." +Breathing both the Spirit and the letter of the Bible, from Genesis to +the Apocalypse, the hymns, of which this is one, indicate unmistakeably +the identity in source and substance of the Hebrew and the Christian +with the other sacred mysteries of antiquity, and the derivation of the +later through the earlier from their common source in the world +celestial when once again they have been restored. And they supply also +the motive which led the Christians to destroy the second Alexandrian +library, showing that motive to have been the desire to conceal, first, +the derivation of the Christian presentment from its predecessors, and +next, the perversion of their doctrine in the interests of an +unscrupulous sacerdocy. + + * * * * * + +Taken in connection with its fellow-hymns, similarly recovered, to +others of the "Holy Seven," the hymn to Phoibos throws a flood of light +on the creative week of Genesis, showing it to be no mere proem to +Scripture, or concerned with the world physical merely, but an integral +portion of Scripture, being an epitome of eternal verities ever in +process, and appertaining both to Creation and to Redemption. The Hymn +to Her who is mystically the fourth, but really the third of the Gods, +the "Spirit of Counsel" of Isaiah, is especially notable for its +solution of the problem of the inversion of the order of the third and +fourth days of creation. These hymns, moreover, show indubitably that +the order of the solar system was no secret to the hierophants of the +sacred mysteries of antiquity. + +(7) Hymn to Phoibos, the First of the Gods. + + "Strong art thou and adorable, Phoibos Apollo, who bearest life and + healing on thy wings, who crownest the year with thy bounty, and + givest the spirit of thy divinity to the fruits and precious things + of all the worlds. + + Where were the bread of the initiation of the Sons of God, except + thou bring the corn to ear; or the wine of their mystical chalice, + except thou bless the vintage? + + Many are the angels who serve in the courts of the spheres of + heaven: but thou, Master of Light and of Life, art followed by the + Christs of God. + + And thy sign is the sign of the Son of Man in heaven, and of the + Just made perfect; + + Whose path is as a shining light, shining more and more unto the + innermost glory of the day of the Lord God. + + Thy banner is blood-red, and thy symbol is a milk-white lamb, and + thy crown is of pure gold. + + They who reign with thee are the Hierophants of the celestial + mysteries; for their will is the will of God, and they know as they + are known. + + These are the sons of the innermost sphere; the Saviours of men, + the Anointed of God. + + And their name is Christ Jesus, in the day of their initiation. + + And before them every knee shall bow, of things in heaven and of + things on earth. + + They are come out of great tribulation, and are set down for ever + at the right hand of God. + + And the Lamb, which is in the midst of the seven spheres, shall + give them to drink of the river of living water. + + And they shall eat of the tree of life, which is in the centre of + the garden of the kingdom of God. + + These are thine, O Mighty Master of Light; and this is the dominion + which the Word of God appointed thee in the beginning: + + In the day when God created the light of all the worlds, and + divided the light from the darkness. + + And God called the light Phoibos, and the darkness God called + Python. + + Now the darkness was before the light, as the night forerunneth the + dawn. + + These are the evening and the morning of the first cycle of the + Mysteries. + + And the glory of that cycle is as the glory of seven days; and they + who dwell therein are seven times refined; + + Who have purged the garment of the flesh in the living waters; + + And have transmuted both body and soul into spirit, and are become + pure virgins. + + For they were constrained by love to abandon the outer elements, + and to seek the innermost which is undivided, even the Wisdom of + God. + + And wisdom and love are one. + +In view of the restoration of the Gods to recognition by the New Gospel +of Interpretation, it must be explained that the doctrines of Monotheism +and Polytheism are not necessarily incompatible. This has already been +shown in Chapter IV., in the utterance commencing--"In the bosom of the +Eternal were all the Gods comprehended, as the seven spirits of the +prism contained in the Invisible Light." For as light is one though its +rays are seven and each ray is light, so is God one though His spirits +are seven and each spirit is God. + +And yet further. The deities recognised under various names or by +various peoples are not necessarily different Gods, but may be either +the same God or different modes or aspects of the same God. Notably is +this the case with the Gods of the Hebrews, the Greeks, and the +Christians. For while by the term Elohim is denoted the two principles, +masculine and feminine, of Force and Substance, which constitute +Original Being, by Jehovah or Yahveh, Adonai and Shaddai, is denoted the +resultant of the interaction of these two principles as Father and +Mother, who is called therefore their word, expression, and Son. By the +Holy Ghost is denoted the same two principles in activity, having +procession from the "Father-Mother" through the "Son," to be the +constituent principles of creation, being Deity dynamic as distinguished +from Deity static. By the Seven Spirits of God--as by the seven great +Gods of the Greeks,--are denoted the seven potencies into which Deity +differentiates on emerging as Holy Ghost from the prism constituted of +Father, Mother, and Son, which are to each other as the force, +substance, and phenomenon of which every manifest entity consists. For +"Every entity that is manifest, is manifest by the evolution of its +trinity." And by Christ is denoted the ultimate issue of such procession +of Deity into manifestation, namely, divinity individuated by means of +its passage through matter, and elaborated by co-operation of the Seven +Spirits of God, into a perfected _spiritual_ Ego, who is at once God and +man, and subsists under two modes--the microcosmic or individual, and +the macrocosmic or universal, and who is always in process of increase, +because, in manifestation, "the Father is greater than the Son;" and +"the manifest never exhausts the unmanifest." + +Now the process of the Christ is by regeneration, and of this, as has +been said, reincarnation is the condition. The New Gospel of +Interpretation contains an utterance of Jesus on this subject which will +fitly conclude this series of examples. It was recovered by "Mary" under +illumination early in 1880, and consequently when we had not fully come +to realise the actuality of the doctrine and the possibility of the +recovery of the memories of past lives. Hence she sought from her +illuminators confirmation of the genuineness of the experience, when she +was distinctly and positively assured that the incident had actually +occurred, and that she had borne part in it, though no record of it +survives. Such is the extrinsic testimony on which it rests. We found +the intrinsic no less satisfactory, whether as regards the substance or +the form. + +(8) Concerning the previous lines of Jesus, and Reincarnation. + + This morning between sleeping and waking I saw myself, together + with many other persons, walking with Jesus in the fields round + about Jerusalem, and while He was speaking to us, a man approached, + who looked very earnestly upon Him. And Jesus turned to us and + said, "This man whom you see approaching is a seer. He can behold + the past lives of a man by looking into his face." Then, the man + being come up to us, Jesus took him by the hand and said, "What + readest thou?" And the man answered, "I see Thy past, Lord Jesus, + and the ways by which Thou hast come." And Jesus said to him, "Say + on." So the man told Jesus that he could see Him in the past for + many long ages back. But of all that he named, I remember but one + incarnation, or, perhaps, one only struck me, and that was _Isaac_. + And as the man went on speaking, and enumerating the incarnations + he saw, Jesus waved His right hand twice or thrice before his eyes, + and said, "It is enough," as though He wished him not to reveal + further. Then I stepped forward from the rest and said, "Lord, if, + as thou hast taught us, the woman is the highest form of humanity, + and the last to be assumed, how comes it that Thou, the Christ, art + still in the lower form of man? Why comest Thou not to lead the + perfect life, and to save the world as woman? For surely Thou has + attained to womanhood." And Jesus answered, "I have attained to + womanhood, as thou sayest; and + already have I taken the form of woman. But there are three + conditions under which the soul returns to the man's form; and they + are these:-- + + "1st. When the work which the Spirit proposes to accomplish is of a + nature unsuitable to the female form. + + "2nd. When the Spirit has failed to acquire, in the degree + necessary to perfection, certain special attributes of the male + character. + + "3rd. When the Spirit has transgressed, and gone back in the path + of perfection, by degrading the womanhood it had attained. + + "In the first of these cases the return to the male form is outward + and superficial only. This is my case. I am a woman in all save the + body. But had My body been a woman's, I could not have led the life + necessary to the work I have to perform. I could not have trod the + rough ways of the earth, nor have gone about from city to city + preaching, nor have fasted on the mountains, nor have fulfilled My + mission of poverty and labour. Therefore am I--a woman--clothed in + a man's body that I may be enabled to do the work set before Me. + + "The second case is that of a soul who, having been a woman perhaps + many times, has acquired more aptly and readily the higher + qualities of womanhood than the lower qualities of manhood. Such a + soul is lacking in energy, in resoluteness, in that particular + attribute of the Spirit which the prophet ascribes to the Lord when + he says, 'The Lord is a Man of war.' Therefore the soul is put back + into a man's form to acquire the qualities yet lacking. + + "The third case is that of the backslider, who, having nearly + attained perfection,--perhaps even touched it,--degrades and soils + his white robe, and is put back into the lower form again. These + are the common cases; for there are few women who are worthy to be + women"[79]. + +(9) Concerning the "Work of Power." + + You have asked me if the Work of Power is a difficult one, and if + it is open to all. + + It is open to all potentially and eventually, but not actually and + in the present. In order to regain power and the resurrection, a + man must be a Hierarch; that is to say, he must have attained the + _magical_ age of thirty-three. This age is attained by having + accomplished the Twelve Labours, passed the Twelve Gates, overcome + the Five Senses, and obtained dominion over the Four Spirits of the + elements. He must have been born Immaculate, baptised with Water + and Fire, tempted in the Wilderness, crucified and buried. He must + have borne Five Wounds on the Cross, and he must have answered the + riddle of the Sphinx. When this is accomplished he is free of + matter, and will never again have a phenomenal body. + + Who shall attain to this perfection? The Man who is without fear + and without concupiscence; who has courage to be absolutely poor + and absolutely chaste. When it is all one to you whether you have + gold or whether you have none, whether you have a house and lands + or whether you have them not, whether you have worldly reputation + or whether you are an outcast,--then you are voluntarily poor. It + is not necessary to have nothing, but it is necessary to care for + nothing. When it is all one to you whether you have a wife or + husband, or whether you are celibate, then you are free from + concupiscence. It is not necessary to be a virgin; it is necessary + to set no value on the flesh. There is nothing so difficult to + attain as this equilibrium. Who is he who can part with his goods + without regret? Who is he who is never consumed by the desires of + the flesh? But when you have ceased both to wish to retain and to + burn, then you have the remedy in your own hands, and the remedy is + a hard and a sharp one, and a terrible ordeal. Nevertheless, be not + afraid. Deny the five senses, and above all the taste and the + touch. The power is within you if you will to attain it. The Two + Seats + are vacant at the Celestial Table, if you will put on Christ. Eat + no dead thing. Drink no fermented drink. Make living elements of + all the elements of your body. Mortify the members of earth. Take + your food full of life, and let not the touch of death pass upon + it. You understand me, but you shrink. Remember that without + self-immolation, there is no power over death. Deny the touch. Seek + no bodily pleasure in sexual communion; let desire be magnetic and + soulic. If you indulge the body, you perpetuate the body, and the + end of the body is corruption. You understand me again, but you + shrink. Remember that without self-denial and restraint there is no + power over death. Deny the taste first, and it will become easier + to deny the touch. For to be a virgin is the crown of discipline. I + have shown you the excellent way, and it is the _Via Dolorosa_. + Judge whether the resurrection be worth the passion; whether the + kingdom be worth the obedience; whether the power be worth the + suffering. When the time of your calling comes, you will no longer + hesitate. + + When a man has attained power over his body, the process of ordeal + is no longer necessary. The Initiate is under a vow; the Hierarch + is free. Jesus, therefore, came eating and drinking; for all things + were lawful to Him. He had undergone, and had freed His will. For + the object of the trial and the vow is polarisation. When the fixed + is volatilised, the Magian is free. But before Christ was Christ He + was subject; and His initiation lasted thirty years. All things are + lawful to the Hierarch; for he knows the nature and value of + all[80]. + +This chapter may appropriately terminate with a few remarks in reply to +the inevitable question, why our country and language were selected as +the place and tongue of the new revelation in preference to all others. + +It is, as we were enabled to see, because the British people are +recognised in the celestial world, as possessing that peculiar quality +of soul which, in spite of their many and grievous limitations, has made +them to be the foremost witness among the nations to God and the +Conscience, in such wise as to constitute them the counterpart of Israel +in the modern world. Others besides ourselves have recognised this +characteristic. Said Milton, speaking of a crisis which, momentous as it +was, pales in presence of that which now is, seeing that Religion itself +as Religion was not menaced then as in our time-- + +"Now once again, by all concurrence of signs, and by the general +instinct of devout and holy men, as they daily and solemnly express +their thoughts, God is beginning to devise some new and great period in +His Church, even to the reforming of Reformation itself. What does He +then, but address Himself to His servants, and--as His manner is--first +to His Englishmen." + +To which we may add in reference to the present, "And having by the +hands of His Intellectualists, beaten down the false interpretation of +His holy Word, accomplishing the work of destruction, is about by the +hands of His Intuitionalists, to establish the true interpretation, +accomplishing the work of re-construction." + +Nor are there wanting specific historical facts pointing in the same +direction. To Britain it was given by a timely act of revolt against a +domination at once foreign and sacerdotal, to rescue the letter of +Scripture from suppression and virtual extinction at the hands of an +order bent only on exalting itself at whatever cost to truth and +humanity. Meanwhile, for three centuries and a half--period suggestive +of the mystical "time, times, and half a time,"--Britain has faithfully +and lovingly, albeit unintelligently and mistakenly, guarded and +cherished the letter thus rescued, even to the erecting of it into a +fetish. And it may well be that she has now, for her guerdon, been +further commissioned to be the recipient and minister of its +interpretation. + +Moreover, as Mistress of the Sea, the especial symbol of the Soul, she +has a prescriptive claim to be the vehicle of the latest and crowning +message to earth, of which the Soul herself is at once the source, the +subject, and the object. + +Nor are the universality of her language and the grandeur of her +literature elements to be left out of consideration. All things point to +her language as destined to become, practically, the language of the +world; and hence its peculiar fitness to be the vehicle of that "eternal +gospel" which it is declared should, at the end of the age, be +proclaimed "unto them that dwell on the earth, even unto every nation, +and tribe, and tongue, and people." + +FOOTNOTES: + +[74] Taste and smell being modes of touch. E.M. + +[75] _I.e._, the astral and mental part of man, which is accounted a +person or system in itself. E.M. + +[76] The Sacramental bread called by the Hebrews "showbread." + +[77] See note on p. 122, ante. + +[78] The names Nyssa, Nysa, Nysas, and Nissi are identical with each +other, and also with Sinai, Sion, and those of other sacred mounts. For +they all are names for the Mount of Regeneration, the mount or "holy +hill" of the Lord, within the man, to be on which is to be in the +Spirit. The river Hiddekel has the like import. It is the river of the +soul, herself fluidic and called Maria (waters), which, as the +receptacle of the divine nucleus, winds about and encompasses the +Spirit. Thus Daniel is said to be "on Hiddekel" when under divine +illumination. ("The Life of A.K." Vol. I. p. 459.) + +[79] A.K. was distinctly and positively assured that the incident then +shown to her was one that actually occurred, and that she had borne part +of it though no record of it survives. S.H.H. + +[80] This instruction is taken from "The Life of A.K." Vol. I, pp. +424-425. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +THE PROMULGATION AND RECOGNITION. + + +As will readily be imagined, the interest was intense with which we +watched the progress of our work, in order to see whether the crucial +event of its promulgation would coincide with the date prophesied for +the turning point between the outgoing and the incoming dispensations. +The predictions covered a period of six years, namely from 1876 to 1881 +inclusive. In this period was to be laid the foundation of a universal +kingdom of justice and knowledge, which should constitute the reign of +Michael, and spring from a new illumination, one feature of which was to +be the "return of the Gods" in 1876. It was in the autumn of this year +that they first came to us, and the intimation was given us that the +reign of Michael was then actually commencing; we having no knowledge +either of the meaning or of the fact of such predictions. For, while the +Bible references to Michael were altogether unintelligible to us, we had +not learnt to refer the event to any assignable period. The fulfilment +of this prediction disposed us to attach value to those which pointed to +the year 1881 as that in which our work--supposing our estimate of its +significance to be correct--ought to see the light. For our illuminators +observed silence respecting times and seasons, contenting themselves +with bringing under our notice the books containing the predictions, +the application being left to our own perspicacity. We were powerless to +influence events, even had we desired to do so. We could but work +steadily on, as we did, "without haste, without rest," until my +colleague had finished her university course and obtained her diploma. +This she accomplished in the summer of 1880, soon after which we +returned to England; and in the summer of 1881 we delivered in London, +to a private audience, the lectures which constituted the first +promulgation of our work. These were published in the following winter +under the title of "The Perfect Way, or the Finding of Christ," our +excellent friend at Paris faithfully fulfilling the mission she had +accepted in relation to us and our work[81]. Thus were fulfilled exactly +all the predictions respecting the dates, the character, and the manner +of our work. + +There were many other coincidences of a kind so remarkable as to make us +feel that to ascribe them to accident would require a larger measure of +credulity than to ascribe them to design. Among the most striking were +those which concerned "Mary's" names, and which were in this wise. + +When first the significance of the Apocalyptic utterance concerning the +river Euphrates and the kings of the East was flashed on my mind, I +asked her if she knew that she was mentioned, even to her very name, in +the book of Revelation. To which she replied, smiling, that she had +known it for some time, but which of her names did I mean? I said that I +meant her married surname, which fitted exactly a way made for kings +across a river, by the drying up of its waters, namely a _king's ford_; +the "Kings of the East," meaning those principles in man whereby he has +knowledge of divine things--the East being the mystical expression for +the place of the dawn of spiritual light, such as that of which she was +the revealer. While the Euphrates means, in the Apocalypse as in +Genesis, the highest principle in the fourfold kosmos of man, the Spirit +or Will[82]. Only when this principle in man is "dried up," or +sublimated by being made one with the divine Will, is man accessible to +the divine knowledges brought by the "Kings of the East." As the channel +by which these knowledges were being restored to the world, she was the +_kings' ford_ implied. She then told me, what I had not yet observed, +that her baptismal and maiden names were equally appropriate, as the +Latin for the "acceptable year of the Lord," or _good time_, announced +as to follow the restoration of the knowledges brought by the Kings of +the East, is--allowing for difference of gender--_Annus Bonus_. The +coincidence of names did not end here, for we shortly afterwards, in the +course of our researches, came upon an old prophecy declaring that the +initials of the "Messenger" of the new Avatar, due at this time, would +be A.K.! + +She further identified the "Kings of the East" as functions of the three +principles in man, the Spirit, the Soul, and the Mind; being +respectively, right aspiration, which is of the Spirit; right +perception, which is of the Soul; and right judgment, which is of the +Mind; the combination of which is the necessary and sufficient condition +of divine knowledge. + +Had we been sanguine of a favourable reception of our book by the press +at large--which we were not--our disappointment would have been great. +But we were by no means prepared either for the gross misrepresentation +and even vulgar ribaldry with which it was treated by the few organs in +the literary press which noticed it at all, or for the complete neglect +of it by that portion of the press which especially concerns itself with +religious exegesis. In no instance was any attempt made to exhibit its +plan, purpose, and real nature, or any recognition accorded to its +luminous solutions of the profound problems dealt with. The very claim +to have experiential knowledge of things spiritual was accounted an +offence; and it seemed as if the word had gone forth to adopt towards it +an attitude which should effectually restrain the public from making its +acquaintance, even though it met absolutely the need recognised on all +hands as the world's supreme need, and vindicated its claim thereto by +the presentation of teachings avowedly of divine derivation and +demonstrating their divinity by their intrinsic character to all who are +in the smallest degree spiritually percipient. To this day that attitude +has never been abandoned or relaxed; and notwithstanding the assiduous +endeavours made to counteract its influence, the whole mass of our +people, saving only a few select circles, have yet to learn that the +longed-for New Gospel of Interpretation has actually been vouchsafed, +having been for years in their midst waiting but to be recognised of +them,--a "light shining in darkness and the darkness comprehending it +not"[83]. + +In compliance with the injunctions of our illuminators, we had withheld +our names from our first edition, in order to secure for it a judgment +unbiased by any personal element. But though we ourselves thus escaped +the opprobrium attaching to our book, "Mary" was at first inclined to +repent of having exposed her pearls to such profanation; and was only +reassured by the suggestion that it showed how desperate was the need +for precisely the change our work was designed to accomplish, and how +exactly was fulfilled the prophecy which foretold the wrath of the +dragon and his angels at the advent of the "Woman" Intuition, their +destined destroyer, and the consequent shortness of their own time. We +knew of course better than to regard such criticism as being in any +sense a measure of our work. For us it was, like criticism in general, a +measure not of the thing criticised but of the critics themselves. And +these, in our case, but truly represented the condition of the age, and +knew not what they were doing. + +Such is the reason why so many will hear for the first time from this +book that a New Gospel of Interpretation has been received. To turn to +the other and compensating side. With those who were specially qualified +to judge, it was far otherwise. And among the most notable of the +recognitions received from this quarter was the weighty utterance which +appears in the preface to the second and succeeding editions, coming +from that veteran student of the "Divine Science," the friend, disciple, +and literary heir of the renowned Kabalist and magian, the late Abbe +Constant ("Eliphas Levi"), namely, Baron Spedalieri of Marseilles, who +though then an entire stranger to us, wrote to us as follows--for I +think it may with advantage be reproduced here:-- + + "As with the corresponding Scriptures of the past, the appeal on + behalf of your book is, really, to miracles, but with the + difference that in your case they are intellectual ones, and + incapable of simulation, being miracles of interpretation. And they + have the further distinction of doing no violence to common sense + by infringing the possibilities of Nature; while they are in + complete accord with all mystical traditions, and especially with + the great Mother of these, the Kabala. That miracles such as I am + describing are to be found in _The Perfect Way_, in kind and number + unexampled, they who are the best qualified to judge will be the + most ready to affirm. + + "And here, _apropos_ of these renowned Scriptures, permit me to + offer you some remarks on the Kabala as we have it. It is my + opinion-- + + "(1) That this tradition is far from being genuine, and such as it + was on its original emergence from the sanctuaries. + + "(2) That when Guillaume Postel--of excellent memory--and his + brother Hermetists of the later middle age--the Abbot Trithemius + and others--predicted that these sacred books of the Hebrews should + become known and understood at the end of the era, and specified + the present time for that event, they did not mean that such + knowledge should be limited to the mere divulgement of these + particular Scriptures, but that it would have for its base a new + illumination, which should eliminate from + them all that has been ignorantly or wilfully introduced, and + should re-unite that great tradition with its source by restoring + it in all its purity. + + "(3) That this illumination has just been accomplished, and has + been manifested in _The Perfect Way_. For in this book we find all + that there is of truth in the Kabala, supplemented by new + intuitions, such as present a body of doctrine at once complete, + homogeneous, logical and inexpungnable. + + "Since the whole tradition thus finds itself recovered or restored + to its original purity, the prophecies of Postel and his + fellow-Hermetists are accomplished; and I consider that from + henceforth the study of the Kabala will be but an object of + curiosity and erudition, like that of Hebrew antiquities. + + "Humanity has always and everywhere asked itself these three + supreme questions: Whence come we? What are we? Whither go we? Now, + these questions at length find an answer, complete, satisfactory, + and consolatory, in _The Perfect Way_"[84]. + +He subsequently wrote:-- + + "If the Scriptures of the future are to be, as I firmly believe + they will be, those which best interpret the Scriptures of the + past, these writings will assuredly hold the foremost place among + them"[85]. + +For those who are unacquainted with the Kabala, its origin, nature, and +intent, it will be well to state that it represents the transcendental +and esoteric doctrine of the Hebrews, as handed down from the remotest +times. In recognition of its divine origin, the Rabbins describe it as +having been communicated by God, first, to "Adam in Paradise," and, +next, to "Moses on Sinai." By which expressions they implied that its +doctrine was due to the highest possible illumination. + +It was also in recognition of this element in our book that Mr. +MacGregor Mathers dedicated his learned work, "The Kabala Unveiled," to +us, saying-- + + "I have much pleasure in dedicating this work to the authors of + _The Perfect Way_, as they have in that excellent and wonderful + book touched so much on the doctrines of the Kabala, and laid such + value on its teachings. _The Perfect Way_ is one of the most deeply + occult works that has been written for centuries." + +As the foregoing testimonies represent the _consensus_ of the Kabalists, +Hermetists, and other great ancient schools of spiritual science in the +West, so the following represents the _consensus_ of the corresponding +schools of the East. As will be seen, it involves a coincidence so +notable as to point to a source transcending the human and terrestrial, +as that of the great spiritual revival which our age is witnessing. That +coincidence is in this wise:-- + +Within two years of the commencement of our collaboration in the work +which proved to be that of the restoration of the _Gnosis_ of the +West--the divine doctrine of which, as we had come to learn, Christ was +the personal demonstration, and the religion called after Him ought to +have been the expression; a collaboration was commenced which had for +its end the like exposition in regard to the religious systems of the +East. This is the collaboration, also of a woman and a man, which had +its issue in the Theosophical Society. The two pairs of collaborators +worked simultaneously through the succeeding years in entire ignorance +of each other and their work, until the commencement of the publication +of our results in 1881, at which time the Theosophical Society was still +so far from having completed the system of its doctrine, that neither of +its two now fundamental tenets had yet been recognised by it, the +tenets, namely, of Reincarnation and Karma--its chief text-book, the +"Isis Unveiled" of its foundress, not containing them. We, on the +contrary, had both of these doctrines, having derived them, as already +stated herein, directly from celestial sources and wholly independently +of human authority and tradition, of spiritualism, and of our own +prepossessions. + +It was clear, both by this fact and by the avowals of the parties +concerned, that up to this time the chiefs of the Theosophical Society +had been unable to obtain from those whom they claimed as their masters +more than a very meagre instalment of their doctrine. But after the +arrival of our book in India this state of things was changed. It was +then declared on behalf of the "masters" that we had obtained, from +original and independent sources, a system of doctrine substantially +identical with that of which they had for ages been, as they supposed, +in exclusive possession, but had never been permitted to divulge, as it +had always been reserved for initiates. The revelation of it through us, +we were further informed, had "forced the hands of the masters," by +showing them that the time had come when secrecy was no longer possible, +and compelling them, if only in vindication of their own claims, to +relax their rule of silence in regard to their mysteries. + +The coincidence between their doctrine and ours comprised sundry +particulars the most recondite, including--besides the two great tenets +already named--the multiplicity of principles in the human system, and +their separation and respective conditions after death,--a subject lying +outside the cognisance of "Spiritualism." Among other points of +agreement was that of their recognition of the great antiquity of the +soul of "Mary," whom they pronounced to be "the greatest natural mystic +of the present day, and countless ages ahead of the great majority of +mankind, the foremost of whom--the most civilised--belong to the last +race of the fourth round, while she belongs to the first race of the +fifth round." + +In presence of these and other proofs of the possession by the Eastern +occultists, of knowledges which we had obtained directly at first hand +from celestial sources, we could not but pay respectful heed to the +claims of the representatives of the Theosophical Society, and welcome +any token which might indicate it as a destined fellow-agent in the +great spiritual revival of the age. So might it constitute, with +"Spiritualism" and the work represented by us, a threefold power for +accomplishing the promotion predicted for this era, of the consciousness +of the race to a level which should transcend any yet reached by it as a +race. With Spiritualism to represent the phenomenal and personal, +Theosophy the philosophical and occult, and our own work the mystical +and divine, every region of man's higher nature would find its due +recognition and unfoldment. Meanwhile, the organ of the Society in India +thus expressed itself respecting "The Perfect Way":-- + + "A grand book, keen of insight and eloquent in exposition; an + upheaval of true spirituality.... We regard its authors as having + produced one of the most--perhaps the most--important and + spirit-stirring of appeals to the highest instincts of mankind + which modern European literature has evolved"[86]. + +We had a yet further warrant, derived from Scripture itself, for looking +to the Theosophical Society as possibly a divinely appointed factor in +the spiritual evolution of the time. The unsealing of the World's Bibles +was upon us, and not of that of Christendom only. And we saw in the +following saying of Jesus an obvious allusion to the present epoch, "In +those days many shall come from the East, and the West, and the North, +and the South, and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the +kingdom of heaven." Not that the terms East, West, North, and South, +denoted for us the quarters of the physical globe. We had learnt to +understand them in their mystical sense, wherein they denote the various +human temperaments, the intuitional, the traditional, the intellectual, +and the emotional, all of which would find satisfaction in the doctrine +then to be recovered. It was in the terms Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, +that the significance of the utterance lay for us; these being in one +aspect the Hebrew equivalents for Brahma, Isis, and Iacchos, and +denoting the mysteries respectively of India, Egypt, and Greece, of the +Spirit, the Soul, and the Body, and therein of the whole Man. For these +mysteries together comprised the perfect doctrine of Existence, called +also in Scripture the "Word of God," the "Law and the Prophets," and the +"_Theou Sophia_," "Wisdom of God," and "hidden Wisdom," of which the +Christ, as the typical Man regenerate, is the fulfilment and personal +demonstration. This is to say, they constituted that Gnosis, or +Knowledge, with the taking away and withholdment of the key of which +Jesus so bitterly reproached, in the Ecclesiasticism of His time, that +of all time, and, therefore, that knowledge to the restoration of which, +in our day, through the faculty by means of which it was originally +obtained and can alone be discerned, the prophecies one and all pointed, +as to mark and to make the "time of the end" of the "adulterous," +because idolatrous, "generation," hitherto in possession in the Church, +and to introduce the "kingdom of God with power." + +Having warrant so high for anticipating the restoration at this time of +the faculties and knowledges represented by the various movements in +question, and knowing also, if only by the example of ourselves, that +the divinity of a mission is not invalidated by the limitations, real or +supposed, of its instruments, but that these must be educated by +experience, and in such sense "perfected through suffering" to be fitted +for their appointed tasks;--we had no doubt as to the attitude it was +our duty to maintain towards all candidates for a share in that which we +recognised as the greatest of all the endeavours yet made by the human +soul to regain her long-lost rightful dominion over the minds and hearts +of men, leaving it to time to determine that which was of divine +appointment, and that which was not. + +It will have been observed that I have used the terms "mystical" and +"occult" in such wise as to imply a distinction between them. It is +important to the purpose of this book to define and emphasise that +distinction. The instructions received by us from our illuminators were +explicit and positive on this point. + +This is because they refer to two different domains of man's system. +Occultism deals with transcendental physics, and is of the intellectual, +belonging to science. Mysticism deals with transcendental metaphysics, +and is of the spiritual, belonging to religion. Occultism, therefore, +has for its domain the region which, lying between the body and the +soul, is interior to the body but exterior to the soul; while Mysticism +has for its domain the region which, comprising the soul and the spirit, +is interior to the soul, and belongs to the divine. Of course, the terms +themselves, which are respectively the Latin and the Greek for the same +thing, and mean hidden from the outer senses and also from +non-initiates, do not imply such distinction, but they have come by +usage to be thus referable. + +The following citations are from the teachings received by us in this +connection. They account for the scientific part of the training imposed +on us. + + "The science of the Mysteries can be understood only by one who has + studied the physical sciences, because it is the climax and crown + of all these, and must be learned last and not first. Unless thou + understand the physical + sciences, thou canst not comprehend the doctrine of _Vehicles_, + which is the basic doctrine of occult science. 'If thou understood + not earthly things, how shall I make thee understand heavenly + things?' Wherefore, get knowledge, and be greedy of knowledge, ever + more and more. It is idle for thee to seek the inner chamber, until + thou hast passed through the outer. This, also, is another reason + why occult science cannot be unveiled to the horde. To the + unlearned no truth can be demonstrated. Theosophy is the royal + science[87]; if thou would reach the king's presence chamber, there + is no way save through the outer rooms and galleries of the + palace[88]. + + "The adept or occultist is, at best, a religious scientist; he is + not a 'saint.' If occultism were all, and held the key of heaven, + there would be no need of 'Christ.' But occultism, although it + holds the 'power,' holds neither the 'kingdom' nor the 'glory,' for + these are of Christ. The adept knows not the kingdom of heaven, and + 'the least in this kingdom are greater than he.' + + "'Desire _first_ the kingdom of God and God's righteousness; and + all these things shall be added unto you.' As Jesus said of + Prometheus[89], 'Take no thought for to-morrow. Behold the lilies + of the field and the birds of the air, and trust God as these,' For + the saint has faith; the adept has knowledge. If the adepts in + occultism or in physical science could suffice to man, I would have + committed no message to you. But the two are not in opposition. + All things are yours, even the kingdom and the power, but the glory + is to God. Do not be ignorant of their teaching, for I would have + you know all. Take, therefore, every means to know. This knowledge + is of man, and cometh from the mind. Go, therefore, to man to learn + it. 'If you will be perfect, learn also of these.' 'Yet the wisdom + which is from above, is above all.' For one man may begin from + within, that is, with wisdom, and wisdom is one with love. Blessed + is the man who chooseth wisdom, for she leaveneth all things. And + another man may begin from without, and that which is without is + power. To such there shall be a thorn in the flesh[90]. For it is + hard in such case to attain to the within. But if a man be first + wise inwardly, he shall the more easily have this also added unto + him. For he is born again and is free. Whereas at a great price + must the adept buy freedom. Nevertheless, I bid you seek;--and in + this also you shall find. But I have shown you a more excellent way + than theirs. Yet both Ishmael and Isaac are sons of one father, and + of all her children is Wisdom justified. So neither are they wrong, + nor are you led astray. The goal is the same; but their way is + harder than yours. They take the kingdom by violence, if they take + it, and by much toil and agony of the flesh. But from the time of + Christ within you, the kingdom is open to the sons of God. Receive + what you can receive; I would have you know all things. And if you + have served seven years for wisdom, count it not loss to serve + seven years for power also. For if Rachel bear the best beloved, + Leah hath many sons, and is exceeding fruitful. But her eye is not + single; she looketh two ways, and seeketh not that which is above + only. But to you Rachel is given first, and perchance her beauty + may suffice. I say not, let it suffice; it is better to know all + things, for if you know not all, how can you judge all? For as a + man heareth, so must he judge. Will you therefore be regenerate in + the without, as well as in the within? For they are renewed in the + body, but you in the soul. It is well to be baptised into John's + baptism, if a man receive also the Holy Ghost. But some know not so + much as that there is any Holy Ghost. Yet Jesus also, being Himself + regenerate in the spirit, sought unto the Baptism of John, for thus + it became Him to fulfil Himself in all things. And having + fulfilled, behold, the 'Dove' descended on Him. If then you will be + perfect, seek both that which is within and that which is without; + and the circle of being, which is the 'wheel of life,' shall be + complete in you." + +The Scriptural allusions in this teaching, which was received by "Mary" +under illumination occurring in sleep, proved to be on the lines of the +Kabala. + +There were sundry other tokens of recognition which are entitled to +reproduction here, as showing to how wide a range of educated and +intelligent opinion within the pale of Christianity our work appeals. +Their value is due to their representing a class of minds which, while +possessed of the ordinary ecclesiastical training, are not restricted to +the knowledge thereby acquired. For, seeing that such training means +little, if anything, more than the mechanical learning of what other men +have said who, themselves, had no real knowledge, the opinions, +expressed on the strength of it, are neither educated nor intelligent, +but adoptive only and perfunctory, and represent learning without +insight. And as such precisely are the opinions which constitute +ecclesiastical orthodoxy, the judgment of the representatives of that +orthodoxy on our work possesses no more real value than did that of +Caiaphas and his coadjutors on Jesus and His work[91]. Denouncing Him +as a blasphemer, they were themselves blasphemers. And inasmuch as they +were types of the votaries of ecclesiastical orthodoxy of all time, it +is obvious that the only new revelation--if any--which would find +acceptance at their hands, would be one that confirmed and reinforced +their errors, instead of exposing and correcting them. Proceeding, as +was declared by Jesus, from their "father, the devil," a +priest-constructed system ever prefers Barabbas to Christ;--prefers, +that is, a system which defrauds--hence the force of the term "robber" +as applied to Barabbas--man of the divine potentialities which Christ +came to reveal to him by demonstrating them in His own person, together +with the manner of their realisation. + +Not that all who bear the title of Ecclesiastics come under this +condemnation. In every age of the Church there have been those who, +while holding office in it, have not consented to the "Scarlet Woman" of +Sacerdotalism. And never was there a time when the proportion of these +was larger, or when their sense of the need of a New Gospel of +Interpretation was more keen and urgent than now: so intolerable to +multitudes of the clergy of all sections of the Church has become the +antagonism recognised by them as subsisting between the traditional and +official presentation of religion and their own clear perceptions of +goodness and truth[92]. + +The testimonies which remain to be added are valuable as coming from men +who, while possessed of ecclesiastical training, have been taught also +of the Spirit, and, adding to tradition intuition, and to learning +insight, have in themselves the witness to that which they utter. + +A distinguished French ecclesiastic, the Abbe Roca, writing in +_L'Aurore_, says of our books-- + + "These books seem to me to be the chosen organs of the Divine + Feminine" (_i.e._ the interpretative) "Principle, in view of the + new revelation of Revelation." + +By which it will be seen that he shared Cardinal Newman's expectation +referred to in the introduction; and accepted as realised the forecast +of Joseph de Maistre when he said "Religion and Science, in virtue of +their natural affinity, will meet in the brain of some man of +genius--perhaps of more than one--and the world will get what it needs +and cries for, _not a new religion, but the revelation of Revelation_." +As the event shows, for "the brain of some man," he should have said +"the mind and soul of a woman." + +The Rev. Dr. John Pulsford, author of "The Supremacy of Man," "Quiet +Hours," "Morgenrothe," and other works distinguished for the depth of +their piety and insight, thus wrote to me on the publication of "Clothed +with the Sun"-- + + "I cannot tell you with what thankfulness and pleasure I have read + _Clothed with the Sun_. It is impossible for a spiritually + intelligent reader to doubt that these teachings were received from + _within_ the astral veil. They are full of the concentrated and + compact wisdom of the Holy Heavens and of God. If Christians knew + their own religion, they would find in these priceless records our + Lord Christ and His vital process abundantly illustrated and + confirmed. The regret is that so few, comparatively, who read the + book, will be aware of the tithe of its pearls. But that such + communications are possible, and are permitted to be given to the + world, is a sign, and a most promising sign of our age. + + "It is no little joy to me to feel that I am so much more in + sympathy with God's daughter, the Seeress, than I supposed. The + testimony is so clearly above, and distinct from, aught that is + derived from the occult powers of the universe, rather than from + the Supreme Spirit and Father-Mother of our Spirits." + +Another notable student of spiritual science, a Priest, writing in +_Light_ of 21st October, 1882, after describing _The Perfect Way_ as +"that most wonderful of all books which has appeared since the beginning +of the Christian Era," said:--"It is a book that no student can be +without if he will know _the truth_ on these matters. It furnishes us +with a master-key to the phenomena which so perplex the minds of +enquirers, and gives a system, the like of which has not been seen for +eighteen centuries." The late Rev. John Manners, a man venerable of +years and mature of spirit, and deeply versed in the sciences of both +worlds, declared of these illuminations, "the Great I Am speaks in +every line of them. Only the Logos Himself could be their source." Lady +Caithness, already referred to, upon receiving a copy of _The Perfect +Way_, wrote: "I have got another Bible, the _most complete_ Revelation, +_certainly_, that has yet been given to man on this planet"[93]. And a +Parsee scholar, a native of India, wrote: "_The Perfect Way_ has made me +a much nobler man--a man of tranquility and calmness, due to the +knowledge of the philosophy of Being imbibed by me from it, and for +which my mind was fortunately prepared"[94]. + + * * * * * + +As stated in the preface, this present book is intended but as an +epitome and instalment of the far larger book in course of preparation. +For, as with the old Gospel of Manifestation, so with the New Gospel of +Interpretation, the excusable hyperbole is no less appropriate to +it,--"I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books +which might be written." + +For the human soul is a theme as inexhaustible as it is paramount. And, +as never in the world's history have the need and the desire for the +knowledge of it been so urgent as they now are, so never in the world's +history has there been a revelation of it comparable with that which has +been vouchsafed in our day, and is contained in the narrative, the +completion of which, and this alone, will enable me to "depart in +peace," having no apprehension of after disquietude on the score of +having left unaccomplished a portion so important of the task committed +to me. + + +THE END. + + +[Illustration] + +FOOTNOTES: + +[81] The French edition, subsequently issued at Paris, is also due to +her zeal and generosity. See p. 137, ante. + +[82] For the meaning of the "Four Rivers of Eden" see P. W., vi. par. 6. +See note on p. 172, ante as to meaning of river Hiddekel. + +[83] This indictment is as true to-day as it was twelve years ago, when +the above passage was written. S.H.H. + +[84] Cited from the preface to the second and succeeding editions of +"The P. W." + +[85] Cited from "The Life of A.K." Vol. II. p. 155. + +[86] The Theosophist, May, 1882. + +[87] The term Theosophy is here used in its Pauline and ancient sense of +the science of the realisation of man's potential divinity;--the +process, that is, of the Christ.--1 Cor. ii. 7. E.M. + +[88] From an address given on the 17th July, 1883, by A.K. to the +Theosophical Society, a full report of which is given in "The Life of +A.K." Vol. II. pp. 124-128. + +[89] A term which signifies forethought. The remonstrance is against +undue anxiety and alarm on the soul's behalf while in the path of duty, +as implying distrust of the divine sufficiency. E.M. + +[90] Meaning that in such case the flesh itself is the impediment. + +[91] In a letter on "The Church and the Bible," in the "Agnostic +Journal" of 5th January, 1895, E.M. says:-- + +"Among the fallacies to be discarded is the fallacy which consists in +believing that the Church, so vehemently denounced in its own sacred +books for its manifold, grievous, and fatal perversions of the truth +contained in those books, and so ignorant as to be unaware either of the +source or of the meaning of its own dogmas, must understand its +doctrines better than I understand them, whose high privilege it is to +have been one of the two recipients of the New Gospel of Interpretation, +which has been vouchsafed expressly to correct those perversions, and +who not only have that gospel by heart, but who know absolutely by my +own soul's experience--as also did my colleague--the truth of every word +of it." (A long extract from this letter, including the above, is +printed in the appendix to B.O.A.I. p. 83.) S.H.H. + +[92] See also E.M.'s remarks to the same effect in the "Statement +E.C.U." pp. 10-11. + +[93] See Life A.K. Vol. II. pp. 52-53. + +[94] See Life A.K. Vol. II. p. 241. + + + + +"SCRIPTURES OF THE FUTURE." + + +Books rapidly coming into use in the Roman, Greek and Anglican +communions as the text-books which represent the prophesied restoration +of the Ancient Esoteric doctrine which, by interpreting the mysteries of +religion, should reconcile faith and reason, religion and science, and +accomplish the downfall of that sacerdotal system, which--"making the +word of God of none effect by its traditions"--has hitherto usurped the +name and perverted the truth of Christianity. Their standpoint is that +Christian doctrines, when rightly understood, are necessary and +self-evident truths, recognisable as founded in and representing the +actual nature of existence, incapable of being conceived of as +otherwise, and constituting a system of thought at once scientific, +philosophic and religious, absolutely inexpugnable, and satisfactory to +man's highest aspirations, intellectual, moral and spiritual. + +=The Perfect Way;= or The Finding of Christ. By Anna Kingsford and +Edward Maitland. Third English Edition, Price 6s. net. + +=The Life of Anna Kingsford=; by Edward Maitland. A new edition in +preparation. + +=The New Gospel of Interpretation;= being an Abstract of the doctrine +and Statement of the objects of The Esoteric Christian Union, founded by +Edward Maitland, Nov., 1891. + +=The Story of Anna Kingsford and Edward Maitland, and of The New Gospel +of Interpretation=; by Edward Maitland. Third and enlarged Edition, 228 +pp., edited by Samuel Hopgood Hart, Cloth Gilt, Back and Side; Price 3s. +6d. net; Post Free 3s. 10d. The Ruskin Press, Stafford Street, +Birmingham. + +=The Bible's Own Account of Itself=; by Edward Maitland. Second Edition, +edited by Saml. Hopgood Hart, complete, with Appendix. Crown 8vo. 96 +pp., Stiff Paper Covers, Price 6d.; Post Free 7d,; or in Cloth Covers, +Gilt, 1s. 6d. net; Post Free 1s. 8d. The Ruskin Press, Birmingham. + +All the above Works may be obtained from + +=_THE RUSKIN PRESS, STAFFORD STREET, BIRMINGHAM._= + +(_Postages in addition to the above Prices._) + +=_Some Testimonies of notable profiolents in religious science._= + + "If the Scriptures of the future are to be, as I firmly believe + they will be, those which best interpret the Scriptures of the + past, these writings will assuredly hold the foremost place among + them.... They present a body of doctrine at once complete, + homogeneous, logical and inexpugnable, in which the three supreme + questions, Whence come we? What are we? Whither go we? at length + find an answer, complete, satisfactory, and consolatory."--BARON + SPEDALIERI (_The Kabalist_). + + "It is impossible for a spiritually intelligent reader to doubt + that these teachings were received from within the astral veil. + They are full of the concentrated and compact wisdom of the Holy + Heavens and of God. If Christians knew their own religion, they + would find in these priceless records our Lord Christ and His vital + process abundantly illustrated and confirmed. That such + communications are possible, and are permitted to be given to the + world, in a sign, and a most promising sign, of our age."--REV. DR. + JOHN PULSFORD. + + + + +THE BIBLE'S OWN ACCOUNT OF ITSELF. + +By EDWARD MAITLAND (_B.A., Cantab_) + + +Author of "The Keys of the Creeds," "The Story of the New Gospel of +Interpretation," "The Life of Anna Kingsford," etc.; and Joint Writer +with Dr. Anna Kingsford of "The Perfect Way," etc. + +EDITED BY SAMUEL HOPGOOD HART. + +=Second Edition, (Complete) with Appendix, PRICE SIXPENCE.= + +Or in Cloth Covers, gilt, One Shilling and Sixpence. + +"Now there come out of the darkness and the storm which shall arise upon +the earth, two dragons. And they fight and tear each other, until there +arises a star, a fountain of light, a queen, who is Esther."--The Vision +of Mordecai, as interpreted in "Clothed with the Sun," I., IX. + +BIRMINGHAM: The Ruskin Press, Stafford St., and all Booksellers. + + +SOME PRESS OPINIONS + +OF + +_The Story of Anna Kingsford and Edward Maitland and of The New Gospel +of Interpretation._ + +_Literary World_--"A strangely interesting book--very curious--few who +have any sympathy with mental phenomena of the 'occult' kind will fail +to read it with sustained interest." + +_Light_--"A psychic history of umblemished veracity and astounding +facts--supremely interesting--'full of beauty and perfect simplicity of +purpose'--and showing that the 'fig-tree of the inward understanding is +no longer barren, but has budded and blossomed and borne fruit.'" + +_Church Bells, 27th April, 1894_--"Mr. Maitland has written a +fascinating book." + +_The Gentleman's Journal, March, 1894_--"Nothing Mr. Maitland writes +would I like to miss--I never study his searching and striking pages +without profit." + +_Agnostic Journal_--"A fascinating volume--the history of a work +calculated to effect a fundamental revolution in religion--told in +language which leaves nothing to be desired." + +_The Illustrated Church News, 31st March, 1894_--"This work is to +Christians of real interest; for it enables them to study Gnosticism +alive and vigorous in the nineteenth century." + +_Brighouse Gazette_--"One of those really great books associated with +the names of Anna Kingsford and Edward Maitland." + +_The Unknown World_--"There is no man now known to be living in England +who has had such an abundant transcendental experience." + + + + +RELIGION AND MENTAL PHENOMENA. + +_From the "Christian Union."_ + + +Whatever may be said in favour or disfavour of Mr. Edward Maitland's +"Story of the New Gospel of Interpretation," it is one of the most +remarkable and most fascinating books on mental-visional perceptions of +Divine Revelation that has appeared at any time. It is a book that +carries the reader away from the materialistic to the mystical and +spiritual. The author claims to bring to the old revelation a new +interpretation, or more correctly, to restore the original and spiritual +interpretation which has been lost through literalism. According to the +narrative, the two persons concerned were for some years in reception of +revelations which convinced them that they had been enabled "to tap a +boundless reservoir of wisdom and knowledge" before the method and +source were declared to them.... At length it was made clear to them +that the knowledges they had acquired were due to intuitional +recollection occuring under Divine illumination. "Inborn knowledge and +the perception of things--these are the sources of Revelation. The soul +of the man instructeth him, having already learned by experience. +Intuition is inborn experience, that which the soul knoweth of old and +of former lives." The ordinary mind will doubtless be ready to pronounce +it to be strange mental phenomena, and nothing more. But surely mental +phenomena of an extraordinary character must have an extraordinary use +and purpose. And so few persons know enough of the psyhic powers latent +in man, to be able to believe in the reality of these manifestations.... +The nature of the results is such as to negative all materialistic +explanations. For the knowledges recovered are real, solving problems in +the profoundest domains of theology, hitherto given up as mysteries +hopeless of solution. And they are being thus recognised far and wide by +the profoundest students of spiritual science.... Judge the story of the +New Gospel of Interpretation in what light we may, it has in it all the +evidences of a marvellous work in its mental and spiritual conception, +exposition, interpretation, illustration, and Divine communication. It +stands out conspicuously as a fuller development of Biblical truth, such +as Cardinal Newman must have anticipated when he said that he saw no +hope for religion, save in a new Revelation. + +THE RUSKIN PRESS. + +STAFFORD STREET, BIRMINGHAM, + +PRINTERS. + + + * * * * * + +Transcribers notes: + +Maintained original spelling and punctuation. + +Silently corrected obvious typesetting errors. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Story of Anna Kingsford and Edward +Maitland and of the new Gospel of Interpretation, by Edward Maitland + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ANNA KINGSFORD, EDWARD MAITLAND *** + +***** This file should be named 38590.txt or 38590.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/8/5/9/38590/ + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Ron Stephens and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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