Various Teachings

H E R M E T I C W I S D O M A N D M Y S T I C A L P R A Y E R world calls good and holy-but those whom the world calls evil are a part of His body and move with His Will-the outer and uninitiated unconsciously-the Adept consciously and willingly. The Pharisees and Scribes despised Mary Magdalene-the woman who was a sinner, yet was she at that very time developing towards the highest Adeptship to which she afterwards attained, and why? 'Because she loved much.' She yielded herself willingly through her love to be a vessel-whether to honour or dishonour, in Her Master's hands.

Few can attain to this height but one lesson ye can learn of infinite importance in this Fire Tatwa. Any person so ye see, may for aught you know be on the path of Adeptship, and in love yielding himself to the Master's Will, though seeming evil to you-as Mary Magdalene seemed to the Pharisees-therefore condemn not and ye shall not be condemned.

238

Various Teaching on Church for Second Grade only

Some notes on the Sun Order and the Church.

The first foundation of our Order was long pre-Christian-but seeing that our highest Adepts always maintained (as did the

Hebrew seers and Prophets-many of whom were also members of Our Order) an intercourse with the spirit world. Our Order recognised only those faiths which had acted on a direct Divine Revelation. Such a revelation was, as all Christians admit, given to the Hebrews. It was also given to some before the Hebrews, as Enoch and Noah. Further it was given to the

Egyptians, since Moses was learned in all their wisdom-which would not have been the case had their Revelation been false.

And the same may be said of other faiths, whose revelation, though in them it degenerated and became corrupt, yet at first was pure. In all these faiths there were members of our Order, and it was known to us and is recorded in our ancient Archives that in all of them was the prophecy of the coming of the Incarnate Word in Human Flesh. To this, therefore, we ever looked forward, and when the Master came, Our Order all over the world knew and recognised

Him, that is our Higher Adepts did so, and the knowledge was communicated to every Temple throughout the World-there then being some thousands. The chief of the whole Order-whose title is never revealed to the lower grades-did homage and laid down his office a t the feet of the Master-who became the actual Living Head. Thus every word of the Master became and remained for ever an infallible and unalterable part of our teachings. When a society was formed to promulgate those teachings many of the most eminent and advanced of our Order assisted therein. By reason of our Organisation-its secrecy, its detachment from all material considerations and by the preservation of our ancient M.S.S. we believe that we have been able to preserve all the pure doctrines of the Catholic Church and to know 239

H E R M E T I C W I S D O M A N D M Y S T I C A L P R A Y E R and reject those which have been introduced· by corruption, or for material or political ends, most of which have already been discarded by the true Catholic Church in its Three Great Branches.

Our Order then-meaning thereby the governing and teaching body, is absolutely therein, as all its members are actually members of the Holy Catholic Church. Yet we do not refuse to teach Neophytes of any other faith. Only they cannot advance to higher grades unless they be Christians and members of one of the Branches of the Catholic Church.

When the Master came, the question was definitely raised by what title should He be referred to in our Rituals-and should the existing system of Initiation be changed. After careful consideration it was resolved to make no change. One strong reason being the desire to emphasise the fact that His coming was in fact revealed to all the great revealed Religions on Earth-as was shown in the Homage of the Three Holy Kings-Magi-or Wise Men.

To neglect, as some have neglected, all the history of the prophecies of His coming and to commence Christian doctrine with the Birth of Christ is to disregard the Master's own teaching and the place of that Supreme event in the World's history. To confine these prophecies, as some others have done, to the seers of the Hebrew Faith is to disregard the evidence of history and the Master's own teachings and both these errors give great occasion to those who impugn the justice of the Father in leaving the greater part of mankind in intentional darkness and ignorance.

It is certain that some of the immediate followers of the Master were parties to this decision. Indeed some think that the Master Himself was consulted-but of this there is no evidence. Yet are we fully persuaded that the course resolved on was the only one consistent with His teachings-and with the doctrines of His Incarnation; it was further said that when in time to come Neophytes should ask 'What mean ye by these ceremonies? ' the explanation given would bring them to a dearer understanding of the Father's dealings with the world and the purpose of the coming of the Master.

240

V A R I O U S T E A C H I N G F O R S E C O N D G R A D E O N L Y

Dost thou not know that there are many titles belonging to the pre-Christian systems in constant use in the Liturgies of the Church as applied to Christ-and still more to Our Blessed Lady, who is frequently invoked with the very titles of the Greek Aphrodite? The images and symbols used are also drawn, almost always, from some pre-Christian system-and in every case the occult reason is to connect the coming of the Master with the preparations made for His coming in all Nations of the World. He who came 'not to destroy but to fulfil'.

How canst thou greet the Master as the Sun of Righteousness and Our Lady as the Star of the Sea-if thou thinkest i t is a transgression of Scripture? Know that the whole of our teachings as applied to that Branch of Our Order whereto thou belongest is founded first, on the very words and acts of Christthe Master-second, on the Words of His Apostles-third, on the earliest Fathers of the Church-fourth, on the Decrees of General Councils as setting forth the voice of the Living Church -fifth, on the Decrees of certain other Councils setting forth the voice of the Church as applied to certain of Her Branchessixth, on Catholic Tradition-and in the whole of our teachings there is nothing contrary thereto.

Now in the messages and replies to queries these principles are applied to particular cases-and herein is much instruction -for wheresoever thou, or any Companion of Our Order, seest or fanciest any divergence from the true teaching of the Master and His Church-then thou mayest be sure thou hast misunderstood either our teaching or the authorities whereon thou restest-and thy duty as a Companion of the Order is at once to set forth such fancied divergence-and thereby wouldst thou receive full explanation. And know, that for this purpose, are continually labouring a group of learned theologians, all Companions of the Order of the second and higher Grades-many of whom are priests devoted to the service of the Master and His Church-who gave their labours ungrudgingly with no thought of fee or reward to bring wandering souls and those in difficulty to a more perfect knowledge of Him.

And now when we say that in no iota do any teachings of ours differ from the teaching of Christ and His Church, we say it

241