The Cloud Upon the Sanctuary[1]

8/3/2019 The Cloud Upon the Sanctuary[1]

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The Cloud Upon the Sanctuary

by Karl Eckartshausen

[1909]

Translated by Isabel de Steiger

Introduction by A.E. Waite

Third issue, revised and enlarged

London, William Rider & Son, ltd.

[1909]

Karl von Eckhartshausen (1752-1803) was an 18th century German mystic who wroteetensively on esoteric to!ics" #his work$ The Cloud Upon the Sanctuary$ is %hristianmysticism veile& in hermetic co&e" Eckhartshausen was 'riely a mem'er o the avarian*lluminati$ 'ut let or s!iritual reasons" +e cry!tically mentions a ,society o the Elect,which has eiste& rom the very 'einnin o time$ ,the invisi'le celestial %hurch", +e


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!re&icte& that ,it is the society whose mem'ers orm a theocratic re!u'lic$ which one &aywill 'e the .eent /other o the whole orl&", #his 'ook later inluence& the r&er othe Gol&en awn$ an& most nota'ly$ leister %rowley"--4"" +are

Karl on Ekhartshauen (1752-1803 ) hriscanski teoso 'io 6e naa6an i utica6an

!re&stavnik rano nemacko romantima . Njegov rad o prirodnoj filoyofiji I hrisanskojteoyofiji su itani I komentarisani od strane mnogih dobro poznatih evropskih pisaca I pesnikatoga vremena. U nemakoj Johan olfgang !ete" #ridrih $iler" Johan !otfrid %ereder &koji ga jeproglasio prorokom '%armonije u moralu I prirodi( a vi)e od drugih Novalis je poynavao njegovrad. U *usiji" gde se njegov rad pojavio u prevodu" bio je pominjan u romanima NIkolaja !ogolja +,rtve du)e &" -ava olstoja +*at I mir &. /ar 0leksadar 1rvi bio je veran italac njegovih radova. U#rancuskoj Ekhartshauenje uticao na savremene misticne mislioce i 2ohemijanske teozofe kao)to je -uj34lod de 5en ,areten. I na druge lanove martinistilkog kruga.

CONTENTS

GE

*9#.:%#*9 vii

;E##E. * 1

;E##E. ** 15

;E##E. *** 30

;E##E. *< =1

;E##E. < >1

;E##E.


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!hiloso!hical an& mystical reliion$ an& it was aterwar&s re!u'lishe& in volume orm$ owhich e&ition this is a new issue" *t has attracte& very consi&era'le attention an& &eserve&it@ it has even 'een translate& into Arench$ un&er the aus!ices o the late %ountess o%aithness$ or the !aes oLAurore" #hese ew wor&s o 'i'liora!hy are notunnecessary 'ecause they esta'lish the act that there has 'een some little sentiment o

interest workin within a restricte& circle$ as one may ho!e$ towar&s a more eneral&iusion an& knowle&e o a &ocument which is at once suestive rom the literarystan&!oint an& !rooun&ly movin rom other an& hiher consi&erations"

!" viii

B!arara!h continuesC*t encouraes me to think that many !ersons who know an& a!!reciate itnow$ or may come un&er its inluence in the uture$ will learn with !leasure the little that* can tell them o its author$ the %ouncillor Eckartshausen$ an& o certain other 'ooks noto his writin$ which$ as * think$ connect therewith$ an& the stu&y o which may hel! us toun&erstan& its messae"

erha!s the most interestin thin that * can say at the 'einnin concerninEckartshausen is that he connects with that rou! o #heoso!hists o which ;avater wasso im!ortant a iure$ the aron Kirch'erer an accom!lishe& an& interestin recor&er$an& ;ouis %lau&e &e ?aint-/artin a corres!on&ent in Arance an& a certain source olea&in" *n his letters to ?aint-/artin$ Kirch'erer says that Eckartshausen$ with whomhe was in reDuent communication$ was a man o immense rea&in an& won&erulertility@ he rear&e& him in other res!ects as an etraor&inary !ersonae$ ,whatever way!rovi&ence may have le& him", *t woul& a!!ear that at this !erio&$ namely$ in 175$Eckartshausen was lookin or an& o'tainin his chie liht rom the mystical stu&y onum'ers$ 'ut was also$ to use the veile& an& cautious lanuae o the corres!on&ence$ inen6oyment o more &irect avours" ?aint-/artin conesses on his own !art that he was

more intereste& in Eckartshausen than he coul& e!ress" Kirch'erer must have hel& himin even hiher estimation$ an& un&ertook a 6ourney to the ?wiss rontier actually or the!ur!ose o receivin rom him the !ersonal communication o the ;ost or&@ 'ut theillness o the !ro!ose& communicator rustrate& this !ro6ect" #he !oint is im!ortant'ecause it esta'lishes the !retensions o Eckartshausen" s to the %ouncillor o erne soto us$ he comes s!eakin with authority@ an& whatever may 'e our o!inion as to the kin&o sacramentalism or economy which was conveye& in a !ro!osal to

!" i

communicate the incommunica'le name$ there are some o us who know$ at least within

certain limits$ that the little 'ook which * am here intro&ucin is not one o vain!retension" ?aint-/artin acknowle&es that !art o the numerical system oEckartshausen was in astonishin areement with thins that he ha& learne& lon ao inhis own school o initiationFthat o /artines &e asDually" ltoether the Arench mysticha& orme& the 'est o!inion !ossi'le o his German 'rother$ an& his ?wiss corres!on&enturther tells us that Eckartshausen$ althouh a courtier$ walke& in the narrow way o theinner lie" *n a letter to Kirch'erer &ate& /arch 1th$ 175$ Eckartshausen 'ears witnessto his own !ersonal e!erience an& instructions receive& rom a'ove$ his consciousness


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o a hiher !resence$ the answers which he ha& receive& an& the visions$ with the ste!s 'ywhich he ha& a&vance& even to the attainment o what he terms ,the ;aw in its ullness",* have thouht it well to ive these &ata &erive& rom !rivate corres!on&ence$ the!u'lication o which was never &esine& or e!ecte& at the time$ 'ecause they constitutea sketch o Eckartshausen taken to some etent unawares$ when there coul& 'e the least

reason to su!!ose that he was a&o!tin an attitu&e" ;et us now com!are the very stronclaim which they incor!orate with that o ,#he %lou& u!on the ?anctuary, itsel$ an& thelittle analysis which * shall ive here will$ * think$ 'e otherwise servicea'le to rea&ers as asummary o the chie !ur!ort o the work" *t is !ossi'le 'y seekin inwar&ly to a!!roachthe essential wis&om$ an& this wis&om is 4esus %hrist who is also the essence o lovewithin us" #he truth o this statement can 'e e!erimentally !rove& 'y any one$ thecon&ition o the e!erience 'ein the awakenin within us o a s!iritual aculty coniins!iritual o'6ects as o'6ectively an& naturally as the outwar& senses !erceive natural

!"

!henomenon" #his oran is the intuitive sense o the transcen&ental worl&$ an& its

awakenin$ which is the hihest o'6ect o reliion$ takes !lace in three staes ( a)morally$ 'y the way o ins!iration@ (b) intellectually$ 'y the way o illumination@ (c)s!iritually$ 'y the way o revelation" #he awakenin o this oran is the litin o theclou& rom the sanctuary$ ena'lin our hearts to 'ecome rece!tive o Go&$ even in thisworl&" #he knowle&e o these mysteries has 'een always !reserve& 'y an a&vance&school$ illuminate& inwar&ly 'y the ?aviour$ an& continue& rom the 'einnin o thinsto the !resent time" #his community is the *nvisi'le %elestial %hurch$ oun&e&imme&iately ater the Aall$ an& receivin a irst-han& revelation or the raisin ohumanity" ut the weakness o men as they multi!lie& necessitate& an eternal society$namely$ the utwar& %hurch$ which$ in the course o time$ 'ecame se!arate& rom the*nner %hurch$ also throuh human weakness" #he eternal church was oriinally

consecrate& in 'raham$ 'ut receive& its hihest !erection in the mystery o 4esus%hrist" #he *nterior %hurch is invisi'le an& yet overns all@ it is !er!etuate& in silence 'utin real activity$ ,an& unite& the science o the tem!le o the ancient alliance with the s!irito the ?aviour$, or o the interior alliance" #his community o liht is the reunion o allthose ca!a'le o receivin liht$ an& is known as the %ommunion o ?aints" *t !ossessesits school$ its chair$ its &octor$ an& a rule or stu&ents$ with orms an& o'6ects o stu&y$an& in short a metho& 'y which they stu&y$ toether with &erees or successive&evelo!ment to hiher altitu&es" e must not$ however$ rear& it as a secret society$meetin at certain times$ choosin its el&ers an& mem'ers$ an& unite& 'y s!ecial o'6ects@or even the chie &oes not invaria'ly know all the mem'ers$ an& those who are ri!e are6oine& to the eneral mem'ers when they

!" i

thouht least likely$ an& at a !oint o which they knew nothin" #he society orms atheocratic re!u'lic$ which one &ay will 'e the .eent-/other o the whole worl&" *tsmem'ers are eactly acDuainte& with the innermost o reliions an& o the +oly/ysteries$ 'ut these treasures are conceale& in so sim!le a manner that they 'aleunDualiie& research"


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#his &octrine o the interior church must 'e inter!rete& 'y everyone ater his own lihts@it is !resente& 'y Eckartshausen as one havin ull knowle&e an& am'assa&orial !owers$as one s!eakin rom the centre" /y !ur!ose is solely to show that he was sincere$ an&this sincerity urnishes us with one more !roo$ out o many which are to 'e &erive& romother an& in&e!en&ent sources$ that there is a reat e!eriment !ossi'le$ an& that some

have !erorme& it" #he sincerity o which * s!eak is * think illustrate& 'y his lie$ which *will now summarise 'riely" %arl


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sai& to have a won&erul charm$ thouh its intense mysticism is also state& to have!ule& some o its a&mirers@ it has in&ee& 'een &escri'e& as s!eakin the lanuae an&e!ressin the soul o Aenelon" Eckartshausen$ however$ as alrea&y in&icate&$ wrote otheran& very &ierent 'ooks$ some on maic an& some on the !ro!erties o num'ers$ an& heis even accre&ite& with a certain knowle&e o lchemy" Ainally$ he was the author o

,#he %lou& u!on the ?anctuary$, thouh the 'iora!hers to whom * am in&e'te& almostor the wor&s o this notice have scarcely mentione& this last an& crownin !ro&uction ohis intellectual lie" *n his !rivate ca!acity he was ecee&inly amia'le an& charita'le$&evotin every month the result o his economies to the !oor$ an& his whole time to the!ractice o virtue" +e was marrie& three times$ an& let several chil&ren" +e &ie& on /ay13th$ 1813$ ater a !ainul illness" #he monora!hs o his !erio& mention him as one othe 'est writers o avaria"

#here are two matters to which 'eore conclu&in * wish to &raw attention 'riely$ an&$ asrear&s the irst$ in a very !articular manner" #he !oint o view rom which ,#he %lou&u!on the ?anctuary, shoul& 'e rear&e& is im!ortant rom the claim which it makes"

hat is this inner church o which Eckartshausen s!eaks$ is a Duestion which rea&ersmust answer or themselves$ accor&in to their 'est &irection" ne thin which it is nothas 'een in&icate& 'y Eckartshausen himsel" *t is not any cor!orate 'o&y eistin merelywithin the church an& controllin an& lea&in it rom a s!eciic local centre" #his!ossi'ility 'ein neative& 'y the 'est o all authority on the su'6ect$ * shoul& like on myown res!onsi'ility to neative also its most &irect an& clearest antithesis" *t &oes notanswer to the collective min& or oversoul o the most a&vance& mem'ers o the visi'lechurch$ nor is it the consensus

!" iv

omnium sanctorumwhich$ accor&in to the ol& church maim$ issensus spiritus Sancti"

es!ite the a'sence o all cor!orate 'on&s$ there is in the claim itsel too &irect asuestion o conscious association occurrin somehow in this !resent !hysical lie" emust take the key which Eckartshausen himsel oers$ namely$ that there is within all ous a &ormant aculty$ the awakenin o which within us ives entrance$ as it &evelo!s$into a new worl& o consciousness$ which is one o the initial staes o that state whichhe$ in common with all other mystics$ terms union with the ivine" *n that union$ outsi&eall ormal sects$ all ortho&o 'on&s o ellowshi! an& veils an& we's o sym'olism$ weshall orm or &o orm actually a reat conreation$ the irst ruits o immortality$ an& invirtue o the soli&arity o humanity$ an& in virtue o the reat &octrine o thecommunication o all thins holy with all that seeks or holiness$ the a'ove an& the'elow$ this conreation is$ in very truth$ the lea&er o the visi'le church o aith$

as!iration an& strule$ the church trium!hant over-watchin the church militant$ an& thechannel throuh which the races an& the 'ene&ictions o the holy an& lorious Iion area&ministere& to the Iion which is on earth"

#he secon& !oint concerns certain 'ooks which * have !romise& to mention as connectinwith the claim o Eckartshausen$ an& !erha!s in some measure assistin us to et in touchwith that claim" :nortunately$ in this restricte& notice$ * can &o little more than namethem" #he irst is ,#he /ystery o the %ross$, oriinally !u'lishe& in 1732$


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anonymously$ in the Arench lanuae$ 'ut evi&ently written 'y a oreiner" *t is a!rooun& an& 'eautiul work which$ unknown to the worl& at lare$ has in !rivate$ i *may so s!eak$ inluence& many to their a&vancement$ an& to the &ee!er un&erstan&inan& ruition o the hi&&en truth" ?tronly em'e&&e& in this

!" v

'ook will 'e oun& several o the overnin i&eas an& as!irations o schools o mysticthouht which 'ecame illustrious in later years" * may a&& that * am acDuainte& with theeistence o a translation ma&e many years ao$ 'ut still remainin in manuscri!t" #henet 'ooks which * woul& note come at irst siht a little stranely in the !roesse&connection$ 'ut they enter none the less into the series@ they are the two &ramatic !oemso the German !oet$ erner$ namely$ ,#he #em!lars in %y!rus, an& ,#he rothers o the%ross", #hey are the work o a man who was intimately acDuainte& with the occultmovement o his !erio&Fthat o the Arench .evolutionFan& a !artici!ant therein" terall his e!erience he carrie& his reat enius an& ece!tional knowle&e into the ol& othe ;atin %hurch an& 'ecame a !riest" +is two !lays convey many movin suestions o

a ui&in 'ut unknown han& lea&in the %hristian %hurch" #he net 'ook is o .ussianoriin$ 'ut was translate& into Arench an& !u'lishe& in aris in 1801@ o this translation are!rint was issue& recently at ;yons" *t is entitle& ,?ome %haracteristics o the *nterior%hurch", *t connects the !oint o view which is met with in ,#he /ystery o the %ross ,with that o Eckartshausen$ an& is interestin on account o its oriin$ an& also or certain/artinistic associations$ 'ut it is less suestive an& less !rooun&" Ainally$ there is avery remarka'le an& * may a&& a very rare series o works !u'lishe& at erle'ur in the!rovince o est!halia in seven volumes$ &ate& 1738" *t is entitle& ,9ew ?!iritualiscourses on various matters o the *nterior ;ie an& the octrines o the %hristian.eliion$ or testimony o a %hil& o #ruth concernin the ays o the ?!irit", #hese&iscourses occu!y three volumes@ two others contain a commentary on the !ocaly!se@

the sith volume is a literal an& mystical e!lanation o the e!istle to the .omans$

with some su!!lementary !a!ers an& a catechism o the science o %hristian reliion" #heseventh volume is another commentary$ verse or verse$ on the irst three cha!ters oGenesis" #he collection as a whole may !erha!s 'e 'est &escri'e& as an a!!eal rometernal cree&s with their &ierences$ their aruments an& their 6ustiications$ to thewitness o the heart itsel" *t is an a!!eal also to the mystical &octors o the church$ an& itcites many o the reat mystics rom #auler an& .uys'roek to Enel'recht$ ntoinette &eourinon an& /a&ame &e Guyon" #he &iscourses on the union o the %hurch o %hristan& the s!iritual union o the chil&ren o Go&$ as also on a new church$ in the secon&volume$ will 'e oun& very interestin to stu&ents o Eckartshausen" #here are also

etraor&inary analoies with ?aint-/artin$ Eckartshausen an& the ,/ystery o the %ross,to 'e oun& in the thir& volume$ an& havin rear& to the !roimity o the &ate o!u'lication to that o the last work$ * incline to the o!inion that there may have 'een someconnection also in the authorshi!" hen all these works have 'een stu&ie&$ not in theletter 'ut in the s!irit$ alon with ,#he %lou& u!on the ?anctuary$, the s!iritual truthswhich Eckartshausen has to some etent veile&$ an& his motives or &oin so$ will not 'e'eyon& &iscernment$ nor the line o his e!eriences in all cases 'eyon& !ursuit" * shoul&a&& that$ so ar as * can trace$ Eckartshausen always remaine& in loyal communication


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with the eternal church in which he was oriinally traine&$ an& &i& not thereore rear&a!ostasy an& re'ellion as amon the irst evi&ences o !ersonal illumination" erha!s$like one o the Eastern teachers$ he thouht that some thins coul& 'e chane& romwithin$ an& essentially$ without alterin outwar& names an& orms"

" E" *#E"

THE CLOUD UPON THE SANCTUA!

LETTER I

#+E.Eis no ae more remarka'le to the Duiet o'server than our own" Everywhere thereis a ermentation in the min&s o men@ everywhere there is a 'attle 'etween liht an&&arkness$ 'etween e!lo&e& thouht an& livin i&eas$ 'etween !owerless wills an& livinactive orce@ in short everywhere is there war 'etween animal man an& rowin s!iritual

man"

*t is sai& that we live in an ae o liht$ 'ut it woul& 'e truer to say that we are livin inan ae o twiliht@ here an& there a luminous ray !ierces throuh the mists o &arkness$'ut &oes not liht to ull clearness either our reason or our hearts" /en are not o onemin&$ scientists &is!ute$ an& where there is &iscor&$ truth is not yet a!!rehen&e&"

#he most im!ortant o'6ects or humanity are still un&etermine&" 9o one is aree& eitheron the !rinci!le o rationality or on the !rinci!le o morality$ or on the cause o the will"#his !roves

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that thouh we are &wellin in an ae o liht$ we &o not well un&erstan& what emanatesrom our heartsFan& what rom our hea&s" ro'a'ly we shoul& have this inormationmuch sooner i we &i& not imaine that we have the liht o knowle&e alrea&y in ourhan&s$ or i we woul& cast a look on our weakness$ an& reconise that we reDuire a more'rilliant illumination" e live in the times o i&olatry o the intellect$ we !lace a commontorchliht u!on the altar an& we lou&ly !roclaim the aurora$ that now &ayliht is reallya'out to a!!ear$ an& that the worl& is emerin more an& more out o o'scurity into theull &ay o !erection$ throuh the arts$ sciences$ culture& taste$ an& even rom a !urerun&erstan&in o reliion"

oor mankin&J #o what stan&!oint have you raise& the ha!!iness o man +as there ever'een an ae which has counte& so many victims to humanity as the !resent +as thereever 'een an ae in which immorality an& eotism have 'een reater or more &ominantthan in this one #he tree is known 'y its ruits" /a& menJ ith your imainary naturalreason$ rom whence have you the liht 'y which you are so willin to enlihten othersre not all your i&eas 'orrowe& rom your senses which &o not ive you the reality 'utmerely its !henomena *s it not true that in time an& s!ace all knowle&e is 'ut relative


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*s it not true that all which we call reality is 'ut relative$ or a'solute truth is not to 'eoun& in the

!" 3

!henomenal worl&" #hus your natural reason &oes riot !ossess its true essence$ 'ut onlythe a!!earance o truth an& liht@ an& the more this a!!earance increases an& s!rea&s$ themore the essence of lightinwar&ly a&es$ an& the man conuses himsel with thisa!!earance an& ro!es vainly ater the &alin !hantasmal imaes he con6ures"

#he !hiloso!hy o our ae raises the natural intellect into in&e!en&ent o'6ectivity$ an&ives it 6u&icial !ower$ she eem!ts it rom any su!erior authority$ she makes itvoluntary$ convertin it into &ivinity 'y closin all harmony an& communication withGo&@ an& this o& .eason$ which has no other law 'ut its own$ is to overn /an an&make him ha!!yJ " " "

" " " arkness a'le to s!rea& lihtJ " " " eath ca!a'le o ivin ;ieJ " " "

#he truth lea&s man to ha!!iness" %an you ive it

#hat which you call truth is a orm o conce!tion em!ty o real matter$ the knowle&e owhich is acDuire& rom without an& throuh the senses$ an& the un&erstan&in co-or&inates them 'y o'serve& synthetic relationshi! into science or o!inion"

Lou a'stract rom the ?cri!tures an& #ra&ition their moral$ theoretical an& !ractical truth@'ut as in&ivi&uality is the !rinci!le o your intellience$ an& as eotism is the incentive toyour will$ you &o not see$ 'y your liht$ the moral law which &ominates$ or you re!el itwith your will" *t is to

!" =

this lenth that the liht o to-&ay has !enetrate&" *n&ivi&uality un&er the cloak o alse!hiloso!hy is a chil& o corru!tion"

ho can !reten& that the sun is in ull enith i no 'riht rays illuminate the earth$ an& nowarmth vitalises veetation * wis&om &oes not 'eneit man$ i love &oes not make himha!!y$ 'ut very little has 'een &one or him on the whole"

hJ i only natural man$ that is$ sensuous man$ woul& only learn to see that the source o

his intellience an& the incentive o his will are only his in&ivi&uality$ he woul& then seekinteriorly or a hiher source$ an& he woul& there'y a!!roach that which alone can ivethis true element$ 'ecause it is wisdom in its essential substance"

4esus %hrist is that is&om$ #ruth$ an& ;ove" +e$ as is&om$ is the rinci!le o reason$an& the ?ource o the !urest intellience" s ;ove$ +e is the rinci!le o morality$ thetrue an& !ure incentive o the will"


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;ove an& is&om 'eet the s!irit o truth$ interior liht@ this liht illuminates us an&makes su!ernatural thins o'6ective to us"

*t is inconceiva'le to what &e!ths o error a man alls when he a'an&ons sim!le truths oaith 'y o!!osin his own o!inions"

ur century tries to &eci&e 'y its ('rain) intellience$ wherein lies the !rinci!le or roun&o reason an& morality$ or the roun& o the will@ i the scientists were min&ul$ theywoul& see that these

!" 5

thins are 'etter answere& in the heart o the sim!lest man$ than throuh their most'rilliant casuistry" #he !ractical %hristian in&s this incentive to the will$ the !rinci!le oall morality$ really an& o'6ectively in his heart@ an& this incentive is e!resse& in theollowin ormulaF,;ove Go& with all thy heart$ an& thy neih'our as thysel",

#he love o Go& an& his neih'our is the motive or the %hristianHs will$ an& the essenceo love itsel is 4esus %hrist in us"

*t is in this way the !rinci!le o reason is wis&om in us@ an& the essence o wis&om$wis&om in its su'stance$ is aain 4esus %hrist$ the liht o the worl&" #hus we in& in +imthe !rinci!le o reason an& o morality"

ll that * am now sayin is not hy!er!hysical etravaance@ it is reality$ a'solute truth$that everyone can !rove or himsel 'y e!erience$ as soon as he receives in himsel the!rinci!le o all reason an& moralityF4esus %hrist$ 'ein wis&om an& love in essence"

ut the eye o the man o sensuous !erce!tion only is irmly close& to the un&amental'asis o all that is true an& to all that is transcen&ental"

#he intellience which many woul& ain raise to leislative authority is only that o thesenses$ whose liht &iers rom that o transcen&ental reason$ as &oes the !hos!horescentlimmer o &ecaye& woo& rom the lories o sunshine"

'solute truth &oes not eist or sensuous man@

!" >

it eists only or interior an& s!iritual man who !ossesses a suita'le sensorium@ or$ tos!eak more correctly$ who !ossesses an interior sense to receive the a'solute truth o thetranscen&ental worl&$ a s!iritual aculty which conises s!iritual o'6ects as o'6ectivelyan& naturally as the eterior senses !erceive eternal !henomena"

#his interior aculty o the man s!iritual$ this sensorium or the meta!hysical worl&$ isunortunately not known to those who conise only outsi&e o itFor it is a mystery othe kin&om o Go&"


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#he current incre&ulity towar&s everythin which is not conise& o'6ectively 'y oursenses is the e!lanation or the misconce!tion o truths which are$ o all$ most im!ortantto man"

ut how can this 'e otherwise *n or&er to see one must have eyes$ to hear$ one must

have ears" Every a!!arent o'6ect reDuires its a!!ro!riate senses" ?o it is thattranscen&ental o'6ects reDuire their sensoriumFan& this sai& sensorium is close& in mostmen" +ence men 6u&e the meta!hysical worl& throuh the intellience o their senses$even as the 'lin& imaine colours an& the &ea 6u&e tonesFwithout suita'le senses"

#here is an o'6ective an& su'stantial roun& o reason$ an o'6ective an& su'stantialmotive or the will" #hese two toether orm the new !rinci!le of life$ an& morality isthere essentially inherent" #his !ure su'stance o reason an& will$ re-unitin in us the&ivine an& the human$ is 4esus %hrist$ the liht

!" 7

o the worl&$ who must enter into &irect relationshi! with us$ to 'e really reconie&"

#his real knowle&e is actual aith$ in which everythin takes !lace in s!irit an& in truth"#hus one ouht to have a sensorium itte& or this communication$ an oranise& s!iritualsensorium$ a s!iritual an& interior aculty a'le to receive this liht@ 'ut it is close& to mostmen 'y their senses"

#his interior oran is the intuitive sense o the transcen&ental worl&$ an& until thisintuitive sense is eective in us we can have no certainty o more loty truths"

#his oranism is naturally inactive since the Aall$ which &era&e& man to the worl& o

!hysical senses alone" #he ross matter which envelo!s this interior sensorium is a ilmwhich veils the internal eye$ an& thereore !revents the eterior eye rom seein intos!iritual realms" #his same matter mules our internal hearin$ so that we are &ea to thesoun&s o the meta!hysical worl&@ it so !aralyses our s!iritual s!eech that we canscarcely stammer wor&s o sacre& im!ort$ words we fully pronounced once$ an& 'y virtueo which we hel& authority over the elements an& the eternal worl&"

#he o!enin o this s!iritual sensorium is the mystery o the 9ew /anFthe mystery o.eeneration$ an& o the vital union 'etween Go& an& manFit is the no'lest o'6ect oreliion on earth$ that reliion whose su'lime oal is none

!" 8

other than to unite men with Go& in ?!irit an& in #ruth"

e can thereore easily see 'y this how it is that reliion ten&s always towar&s thesu'6ection o the senses" *t &oes so 'ecause it &esires to make the s!iritual man &ominant$in or&er that the s!iritual or truly rational man may overn the man o sense" hiloso!hy


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eels this truth$ only its error consists in not a!!rehen&in the true source o reason$ an&'ecause she woul& re!lace it 'y in&ivi&uality 'y sensuous reason"

s man has internally a s!iritual oran an& a sensorium to receive the true !rinci!le o&ivine wis&om$ or a true motive or the will or &ivine love$ he has also eteriorly a

!hysical an& material sensorium to receive the appearanceo liht an& truth" s eternalnature can have no a'solute truth$ 'ut only !henomenally relative$ thereore$ humanreason cannot conise !ure truth$ it can 'ut a!!rehen& throuh the a!!earance o!henomena$ which ecites the lust o the eye$ an& in this as a source o action consists thecorru!tion o sensuous man an& the &era&ation o nature"

#his eterior sensorium in man is com!ose& o rail matter$ whereas the internalsensorium is oranie& un&amentally rom incorru!ti'le$ transcen&ental$ an&meta!hysical su'stance"

#he irst is the cause o our &e!ravity an& our mortality$ the secon& the cause o our

incorru!ti'ility an& o our immortality"!"

*n the reions o material an& corru!ti'le nature mortality hi&es immortality$ thereore allour trou'le results rom corru!ti'le mortal matter" *n or&er that man shoul& 'e release&rom this &istress$ it is necessary that the immortal an& incorru!ti'le !rinci!le$ which&wells within$ shoul& e!an& an& a'sor' the corru!ti'le !rinci!le$ so that the envelo!e othe senses shoul& 'e o!ene&$ an& man a!!ear in his !ristine !urity"

#his natural envelo!e is a truly corru!ti'le su'stance oun& in our 'loo&$ ormin theleshly 'on&s 'in&in our immortal s!irits un&er the servitu&e o the mortal lesh"

#his envelo!e can 'e rent more or less in every man$ an& this !laces him in reaters!iritual li'erty$ an& makes him more conisant o the transcen&ental worl&"

#here are three &ierent &erees in the o!enin o our s!iritual sensorium"

#he irst &eree reaches to the moral !lane only$ the transcen&ental worl& enerisesthrouh us in 'ut 'y interior action$ calle& ins!iration"

#he secon& an& hiher &eree o!ens this sensorium to the rece!tion o the s!iritual an&the intellectual$ an& the meta!hysical worl& works in us 'y interior illumination"

#he thir& &eree$ which is the hihest an& most sel&om attaine&$ o!ens the whole innerman" *t 'reaks the crust which ills our s!iritual eyes an& ears@ it reveals the kin&om os!irit$ an& ena'les

!" 10


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us to see o'6ectively$ meta!hysical$ an& transcen&ental sihts@ hence all visions aree!laine& un&amentally"

#hus we have an internal sense o o'6ectivity as well as eternally" nly the o'6ects an&the senses are &ierent" Eteriorly animal an& sensual motives act in us an& corru!ti'le

sensuous matter enerises" *nteriorly it is meta!hysical an& in&ivisi'le su'stance whichains a&mittance within$ an& the incorru!ti'le an& immortal essence o our ?!irit receivesits inluence" 9evertheless$ enerally thins !ass much in the same way interiorly as they&o eternally" #he law is everywhere the same" +ence$ as the s!irit or our internal manhas Duite other senses$ an& Duite another o'6ective siht rom the rational man@ one nee&not 'e sur!rise& that it (the s!irit) shoul& remain an enima or the scientists o our ae$or those who have no o'6ective sense o the transcen&ental an& s!iritual worl&" +encethey measure the su!ernatural 'y the measurement o the senses" +owever$ we owe a&e't o ratitu&e towar&s the !hiloso!her Kant or his view o the truths we have!romulate&"

Kant has shown incontesta'ly that the natural reason can know a'solutely nothin owhat is su!ernatural$ an& that it can never un&erstan& analytically or synthetically$ neithercan it !rove the !ossi'ility o the reality o ;ove$ ?!irit$ or o the eity"

#his is a reat truth$ loty an& 'eneicial or our

!" 11

e!och$ thouh it is true that ?t aul has alrea&y enunciate& it (1 %or" i" 2M2=)" ut theaan !hiloso!hy o %hristian scientists has 'een a'le to overlook it u! to Kant" #hevirtue o this truth is &ou'le" Airst$ it !uts insurmounta'le limits to the sentiment$ to theanaticism an& to the etravaance o carnal reason" #hen it shows 'y &alin contrast

the necessity an& &ivinity o .evelation" *t !roves that our human reason$ in its state ounol&ment$ has no othero'6ective source or the su!ernatural than revelation$ the onlysource o instruction in ivine thins or o the s!iritual worl&$ the soul an& itsimmortality@ hence it ollows that without revelation it is a'solutely im!ossi'le tosu!!ose or con6ecture anythin rear&in these matters"

e are$ thereore$ in&e'te& to Kant or !rovin !hiloso!hically now-a-&ays$ what lonao was tauht in a more a&vance& an& illuminate& school$ that without revelation noknowledge of God neither any doctrine touching the soul could be at all possible"

*t is thereore clear that a universal .evelation must serve as a un&amental 'asis to all

mun&ane reliion"

+ence$ ollowin Kant$ it is clear that the transmun&ane knowle&e is whollyinaccessi'le to natural reason$ an& that Go& inha'its a worl& o liht$ into which nos!eculation o the unol&e& reason can !enetrate" #hus the rational man$ or man o humanreason$ has no sense o transcen&ental reality$ an&

!" 12


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thereore it was necessary that it shoul& 'e reveale& to him$ or which aith is reDuire&$'ecause the means are iven to him 'y aith where'y his inner sensorium unol&s$ an&throuh which he can a!!rehen& the reality o truths otherwise inca!a'le o 'einun&erstoo& 'y the natural man"

*t is Duite true that with new senses we can acDuire sense o urther reality" #his realityeists alrea&y$ 'ut is not known to us$ 'ecause we lack the oran 'y which to conise it"ne must not lay the ault to the !erce!t$ 'ut on the rece!tive oran"

ith$ however$ the &evelo!ment o the new oran we have a new !erce!tion$ a sense onew reality" ithout it the s!iritual worl& cannot eist or us$ 'ecause the oran ren&erinit o'6ective to us is not &evelo!e&"

ith$ however$ its unol&ment$ the curtain is all at once raise&$ the im!enetra'le veil istorn away$ the clou& 'eore the ?anctuary lits$ a new worl& su&&enly eists or us$ scalesall rom the eyes$ an& we are at once trans!orte& rom the !henomenal worl& to the

reions o truth"

Go& alone issubstance$ a'solute truth@ +e alone is +e who is$ an& we are what +e hasma&e us" Aor +im$ all eists in :nity@ or us$ all eists in multi!licity"

reat many men have no more i&ea o the &evelo!ment o the inner sensorium thanthey have o the true an& o'6ective lie o the s!irit$ which

!" 13

they neither !erceive nor oresee in any manner" +ence it is im!ossi'le to them to knowthat one can com!rehen& the s!iritual an& transcen&ental$ an& that one can 'e raise& to

the su!ernatural$ even to vision"

#he reat an& true work o 'uil&in the #em!le consists solely in &estroyin themisera'le &amic hut an& in erectin a &ivine tem!le@ this means$ in other wor&s$ to&evelo! in us the interior sensorium$ or the oran to receive Go&" ter this !rocess$ themeta!hysical an& incorru!ti'le !rinci!le rules over the terrestrial$ an& man 'eins to live$not any loner in the !rinci!le o sel-love$ 'ut in the ?!irit an& in the #ruth$ o which heis the #em!le"

#he moral law then evolves into love or oneHs neih'our in &ee& an& in truth$ whereasor the natural man it is 'ut a sim!le attitu&e o thouht@ an& the s!iritual man$

reenerate& in s!irit$ sees all in its essence$ o which the natural man has only the ormsvoi& o thouht$ mere em!ty soun&s$ sym'ols an& letters$ which are all &ea& imaeswithout interior s!irit" #he loty aim o reliion is the intimate union o man with Go&@an& this union is !ossi'le in this worl&@ 'ut it only can 'e 'y the o!enin o our innersensorium$ which ena'les our hearts to 'ecome rece!tive to Go&"

#herein are mysteries that our !hiloso!hy &oes not &ream o$ the key to which is not to 'eoun& in scholastic science"


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/eanwhile$ a more a&vance& school has always

!" 1=

eiste& to whom this &e!osition o all science has 'een coni&e&$ an& this school was thecommunity illuminate& interiorly 'y the ?aviour$ the society o the Elect$ which hascontinue& rom the irst &ay o creation to the !resent time@ its mem'ers$ it is true$ arescattere& all over the worl&$ 'ut they have always 'een unite& in the s!irit an& in onetruth@ they have ha& 'ut one intellience an& one source o truth$ 'ut one &octor an& onemaster@ 'ut in whom resi&es su'stantially the whole !lenitu&e o Go&$ an& who aloneinitiates them into the hih mysteries o 9ature an& the ?!iritual orl&"

#his community o liht has 'een calle& rom all time the invisi'le celestial %hurch$ orthe most ancient o all!" 15

LETTER II

*#is necessary$ my &ear 'rothers in the ;or&$ to ive you a clear i&ea o the interior%hurch@ o that illuminate& %ommunity o Go& which is scattere& throuhout the worl&$'ut which is overne& 'y one truth an& unite& in one s!irit"

#his enlihtene& community has eiste& since the irst &ay o the worl&Hs creation$ an& its&uration will 'e to the last &ay o time"

#his community !ossesses a ?chool$ in which all who thirst or knowle&e are instructe&'y the ?!irit o is&om itsel@ an& all the mysteries o Go& an& o nature are !reserve& inthis ?chool or the chil&ren o liht" " " " erect knowle&e o Go&$ o nature$ an& ohumanity are the o'6ects o instruction in this school" *t is rom her that all truths!enetrate into the worl&$ she is the ?chool o the ro!hets$ an& o all who search orwis&om$ an& it is in this community alone that truth an& the e!lanation o all mystery isto 'e oun&" *t is the most hi&&en o communities yet !ossesses mem'ers rom manycircles@ o such is this ?chool" Arom all time there has 'een an eterior school 'ase& onthe interior one$ o which it is 'ut the outer e!ression" Arom all time$ thereore$ there

!" 1>

has 'een a hi&&en assem'ly$ a society o the Elect$ o those who souht or an& ha&ca!acity or liht$ an& this interior society was calle& the interior ?anctuary or %hurch"ll that the eternal %hurch !ossesses in sym'ol ceremony or rite is the letter e!ressive

outwar&ly o the s!irit o truth resi&in in the interior ?anctuary

+ence this ?anctuary com!ose& o scattere& mem'ers$ 'ut tie& 'y the 'on&s o !erectunity an& love$ has 'een occu!ie& rom the earliest aes in 'uil&in the ran& #em!lethrouh the reeneration o humanity$ 'y which the rein o Go& will 'e maniest" #hissociety is in the communion o those who have most ca!acity or liht$ i!e!$ the Elect" #he


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Elect are unite& in truth$ an& their %hie is the ;iht o the orl& himsel$ 4esus %hrist$the ne nointe& in liht$ the sinle me&iator or the human race$ the ay$ the #ruth$an& the ;ieFrimitive liht$ wis&om$ an& the only medium'y which man can return toGo&"

#he interior %hurch was orme& imme&iately ater the all o man$ an& receive& romGo& at irst-han& the revelation o the means 'y which allen humanity coul& 'e aainraise& to its rihts an& &elivere& rom its misery" *t receive& the !rimitive chare o allrevelation an& mystery@ it receive& the key o true science$ 'oth &ivine an& natural"

ut when men multi!lie&$ the railty o man an& his weakness necessitate& an eteriorsociety

!" 17

which veile& the interior one$ an& conceale& the s!irit an& the truth in the letter" ecausemany !eo!le were not ca!a'le o com!rehen&in reat interior truth$ an& the &aner

woul& have 'een too reat in coni&in the most +oly to inca!a'le !eo!le" #hereore$interior truths were wra!!e& in eternal an& !erce!ti'le ceremonies$ so that men$ 'y the!erce!tion o the outer$ which is the sym'ol o the interior$ miht 'y &erees 'e ena'le&saely to a!!roach the interior s!iritual truths"

ut the inner truth has always 'een coni&e& to him who in his &ay ha& the most ca!acityor illumination$ an& he 'ecame the sole uar&ian o the oriinal #rust$ as +ih riest othe ?anctuary"

hen it 'ecame necessary that interior truths shoul& 'e enol&e& in eterior ceremonyan& sym'ol$ on account o the real weakness o men who were not ca!a'le o 'earin the

;iht o ;iht$ then eterior worshi! 'ean" *t was$ however$ always the ty!e an& sym'olo the interior$ that is to say$ the sym'ol o the true homae oere& to Go& in spiritan&in truth"

#he &ierence 'etween s!iritual an& animal man$ an& 'etween rational an& sensual man$ma&e the eterior an& interior im!erative" *nterior truth !asse& into the eternal wra!!e&in sym'ol an& ceremony$ so that sensuous man coul& o'serve$ an& 'e ra&ually there'yle& to interior truth" +ence eternal worshi! was sym'olically ty!ical o interior truths$an& o the true relationshi! 'etween man

!" 18

an& Go& 'eore an& ater the Aall$ an& o his most !erect reconciliation" ll the sym'olso eternal worshi! are 'ase& u!on the three un&amental relationsFthe Aall$ the.econciliation$ an& the %om!lete tonement"

#he care o the eternal service was the occu!ation o !riests$ an& every ather o aamily was in the ancient times chare& with this &uty" Airst ruits an& the irst 'ornamon animals were oere& to Go&$ sym'oliin that all that !reserves an& nourishes us


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comes rom +im@ also that animal man must 'e kille& to make room or rational an&s!iritual man"

#he eternal worshi! o Go& woul& never have 'een se!arate& rom interior service 'utor the weakness o man which ten&s too easily to oret the s!irit in the letter$ 'ut the

s!irit o Go& is viilant to note in every nation those who are a'le to receive liht$ an&they are em!loye& as aents to s!rea& the liht accor&in to manHs ca!acity$ an& toreviviy the &ea& letter"

#hrouh these &ivine instruments the interior truths o the ?anctuary were taken intoevery nation$ an& mo&iie& sym'olically accor&in to their customs$ ca!acity orinstruction$ climate$ an& rece!tiveness" ?o that the eternal ty!es o every reliion$worshi!$ ceremonies an& ?acre& ooks in eneral have more or less clearly$ as theiro'6ect o instruction$ the interior truths o the ?anctuary$ 'y which man$ 'ut only in thelatter &ays$ will 'e

!" 1

con&ucte& to the universal knowle&e o the one 'solute #ruth"

#he more the eternal worshi! o a !eo!le has remaine& unite& with the s!irit o esoterictruth$ the !urer its reliion@ 'ut the wi&er the &ierence 'etween the sym'olic letter an&the invisi'le truth$ the more im!erect has 'ecome the reliion@ even so ar amon somenations as to &eenerate into !olytheism" #hen the eternal orm entirely !arte& rom itsinner truth$ when ceremonial o'servances without soul or lie remaine& alone"

hen thegermso the most im!ortant truths ha& 'een carrie& everywhere 'y Go&Hsaents$ +e chose a certain !eo!le to raise u! a vital symbol&estine& 'y +im to maniest

orth the means 'y which +e inten&e& to overn the human race in its !resent con&ition$an& 'y which it woul& 'e raise& into com!lete !uriication an& !erection"

Go& +imsel communicate& to this !eo!le its eterior reliious leislation$ +e ave allthe sym'ols an& enacte& all the ceremonies$ an& they containe& the im!ress$ as it were$ othe reat esoteric truth o the ?anctuary"

Go& consecrate& this eternal %hurch in 'raham$ ave comman&ments throuh /oses$an& it receive& its hihest !erection in the &ou'le messae o 4esus %hrist$ eistin!ersonally in !overty an& suerin$ an& 'y the communication o +is ?!irit in the loryo the .esurrection"

9ow$ as Go& +imsel lai& the oun&ation o the

!" 20

eternal %hurch$ the whole o the sym'ols o eternal worshi! orme& the science o the#em!le an& o the riests in those &ays$ 'ecause the mysteries o the most sacre& truths'ecame eternal throuh revelation alone" #he scientiic acDuaintance o this holy


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sym'olism was the science to unite allen man once more with Go&$ hence reliionreceive& its name rom 'ein the science o re'in&in man with Go&$ to 'rin man 'ackto his oriin"

ne sees !lainly 'y this !ure i&ea o reliion in eneral that unity in reliion is within the

inner ?anctuary$ an& that the multi!licity o eternal reliions can never alter the trueunity which is at the 'ase o every eterior"

#he wis&om o the ancient tem!le alliance was !reserve& 'y !riests an& 'y !ro!hets"

#o the !riests was coni&e& the eternal$Fthe letter o the sym'ol$ hieroly!hics" #he!ro!hets ha& the chare o the inner truth$ an& their occu!ation was to continually recallthe !riest to the s!irit in the letter$ when incline& to lose it" #he science o the !riests wasthat o the knowle&e o eterior sym'ol"

#hat o the !ro!hets was e!erimental !ossession o the truth o the sym'ols" *n the

interior the s!irit live&" #here was$ thereore$ in the ancient alliance a school o !ro!hetsan& o !riests$ the one occu!yin itsel with the s!irit in the em'lem$ the other with theem'lem itsel" #he !riests ha&

!" 21

the eternal !ossession o the rk$ o the shew'rea&$ o the can&lesticks$ o the manna$ oaronHs ro&$ an& the !ro!hets were in interior !ossession o the inner s!iritual truth whichwas re!resente& eteriorly 'y the sym'ols 6ust mentione&"

#he eternal %hurch o the ancient alliance was visi'le$ the interior %hurch was alwaysinvisi'le$ must 'e invisi'le$ an& yet must overn all$ 'ecause orce an& !ower are alone

coni&e& to her"

hen the &ivine eternal Nworshi! a'an&one& the interior worshi!$ it ell$ an& Go&!rove& 'y a remarka'le chain o circumstances that the letter coul& not eist without thes!irit$ that it is only there to lea& to the s!irit$ an& it is useless an& even re6ecte& 'y Go& iit ails in its o'6ect"

s the s!irit o nature eten&s to the most sterile &e!ths to viviy an& !reserve an& causerowth in everythin susce!ti'le to its inluence$ likewise the s!irit o liht s!rea&s itselinteriorly amon nations to animate everywhere the &ea& letter 'y the livin s!irit"

#his is why we in& a 4o' amon i&olators$ a /elchie&ek amon strane nations$ a4ose!h with the Ey!tian !riests$ a /oses in the country o /i&ian$ as livin !roos theinterior community o those who are ca!a'le o receivin liht was unite&

!" 22

'y one s!irit an& one truth in all times an& in all nations"
http://www.sacred-texts.com/eso/cuts/cuts04.htm#fn_0http://www.sacred-texts.com/eso/cuts/cuts04.htm#fn_0


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#o these aents o liht rom the one inner community was unite& the %hie o all aents$4esus %hrist +imsel$ in the mi&st o time as royal priestater the or&er o /elchie&ek"

#he &ivine aents o the ancient alliance hitherto re!resente& only s!ecialise& !erectionso Go&@ thereore a !owerul movement was reDuire& which shoul& show all at onceFall

in one" universal ty!e a!!eare&$ which ave the real touch o !erect unity to the!icture$ which o!ene& a resh &oor$ an& &estroye& the num'er o the slavery o humanity"

#he law o love 'ean when the imae emanatin rom wis&om itsel showe& to man allthe reatness o his 'ein$ viviie& him anew$ assure& him o his immortality$ an& raise&his intellectual status to that o 'ein the true tem!le or the s!irit"

#his %hie ent o all$ this ?aviour o the orl& an& universal .eenerator$ claime&manHs whole attention to the !rimitive truth$ where'y he can !reserve his eistence an&recover his ormer &inity" #hrouh the con&itions o +is own a'asement +e lai& the'ase o the re&em!tion o man$ an& +e !romise& to accom!lish it com!letely one &ay

throuh +is ?!irit" +e showe& also truly in !art amon +is a!ostles all that shoul& cometo !ass in the uture to all the Elect"

+e linke& the chain o the community o liht amon the Elect$ to whom +e sent thes!irit o

!" 23

truth$ an& coni&e& to them the true !rimitive instruction in all &ivine an& natural thins$as a sin that +e woul& never orsake +is community"

hen the letter an& sym'olic worshi! o the eternal %hurch o the ancient alliance ha&

'een realise& 'y the *ncarnation o the ?aviour$ an& veriie& in +is !erson$ new sym'ols'ecame reDuisite #or eternal use$ which showe& us throuh the letter the utureaccom!lishment o universal re&em!tion"

#he rites an& sym'ols o the eternal %hristian %hurch were orme& ater the !attern othese unchanea'le an& un&amental truths$ announcin thins o a strenth an& o anim!ortance im!ossi'le to &escri'e$ an& reveale& only to those who knew the innermost?anctuary"

#his ?anctuary remains chaneless$ thouh eternal reliion receives in the course otime an& circumstances varie& mo&iication$ entailin se!aration rom the interior s!irit

which can alone !reserve the letter" #he !roane i&ea o wishin to ,secularie, all that is%hristian$ an& to %hristianise all that is !olitical$ chane& the eterior e&iice$ an&covere& with the sha&ow o &eath all that was interior liht an& lie" +ence &ivisions an&heresies$ an& the s!irit o ?o!histry rea&y to e!oun& the letter when it ha& alrea&y lostthe essence o truth"

%urrent incre&ulity increase& corru!tion to its utmost !oint$ attackin the e&iice o%hristianity in its un&amental !arts$ an& the sacre& interior


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!" 2=

was minle& with the eterior$ alrea&y enee'le& 'y the inorance o weak man"

#hen was 'orn eism@ this 'rouht orth materialism$ which looke& on the union o manwith su!erior orces as imainary@ then inally came orth$ !artly rom the hea& an& !artlyrom the heart$ the last &eree o manHs &era&ationFtheism"

*n the mi&st o all this$ truth re!oses inviola'le in the inner ?anctuary"

Aaithul to the s!irit o truth$ which !romise& never to a'an&on its community$ themem'ers o the interior %hurch live& in silence$ 'ut in real activity$ an& unite& thescience o the tem!le o the ancient alliance with the s!irit o the reat saviour o manFthe s!irit o the interior alliance$ waitin hum'ly the reat moment when the ;or& willcall them$ an& will assem'le his community in or&er to ive every &ea& letter eternalorce an& lie"

#his interior community o liht is the reunion o all those ca!a'le o receivin liht asElect$ an& it is known as the Communion of Saints" #he !rimitive rece!tacle or allstrenth an& truth$ coni&e& to it rom all timeFit alone$ says ?t aul$ is in the !ossessiono the science o the ?aints"

y it the aents o Go& were orme& in every ae$ !assin rom the interior to theeterior$ an& communicatin s!irit an& lie to the &ea& letter as alrea&y sai&"

#his illuminate& community has 'een throuh

!" 25

time the true school o Go&Hs s!irit$ an& consi&ere& as school$ it has its %hair$ its octor$it !ossesses a rule or stu&ents$ it has orms an& o'6ects or stu&y$ an&$ in short$ a metho&'y which they stu&y"

*t has$ also$ its &erees or successive &evelo!ment to hiher altitu&es"

#he irst an& lowest &eree consists in the moral oo&$ 'y which the sinle will$su'or&inate& to Go&$ is le& to Go& 'y the !ure motive o willin with an& to 4esus %hrist$which it &oes throuh aith" #he means 'y which the s!irit o this school acts are calle&ins!irations"

#he secon& &eree consists in the rational intellectuality$ 'y which the un&erstan&in othe man o virtue$ who is unite& to Go&$ is crowne& with wis&om an& the liht oknowle&e$ an& the means which the s!irit uses to !ro&uce this is calle& interiorillumination"

#he thir& an& hihest &eree is the entire o!enin o our inner sensorium$ 'y which theinner man !erceives o'6ectively an& really$ meta!hysical verities" #his is the hihest


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&eree when aith !asses into o!en vision$ an& the means the s!irit uses or this are realvisions"

#hese are the three &erees o the school or true interior wis&omFthat o the illuminate&?ociety" #he same s!irit which ri!ens men or this community also &istri'utes its &erees

'y the co-action o the ri!ene& su'6ect"

#his school o wis&om has 'een orever most

!" 2>

secretly hi&&en rom the worl&$ 'ecause it is invisi'le an& su'missive solely to &ivineovernment"

*t has never 'een e!ose& to the acci&ents o time an& to the weakness o man" ecauseonly the most ca!a'le were chosen or it$ an& the s!irits who selecte& ma&e no error"

#hrouh this school were &evelo!e& the erms o all the su'lime sciences$ which wereirst receive& 'y eternal schools$ then clothe& in other orms$ an& hence &eeneratin"

#his society o saes communicate&$ accor&in to time an& circumstances$ unto theeterior societies their sym'olic hieroly!hs$ in or&er to attract man to the reat truths otheir interior"

ut all eterior societies su'sist throuh this interior one ivin them its s!irit" s soonas eternal societies wish to 'e in&e!en&ent o the interior one$ an& to transorm a tem!leo wis&om into a !olitical e&iice$ the interior society retires an& leaves only the letterwithout the s!irit" *t is thus that secret eternal societies o wis&om were nothin 'ut

hieroly!hic screens$ the truth remainin inviola'le in the sanctuary so that she mihtnever 'e !roane&"

*n this interior society man in&s wis&om an& with herFllFnot the wis&om o thisworl& which is 'ut scientiic knowle&e$ which revolves roun& the outsi&e 'ut nevertouches the centre (in which is containe& all strenth)$ 'ut true wis&om an& men o'eyinher"

!" 27

ll &is!utes$ all controversies$ all the thins 'elonin to the alse cares o this worl&$

ruitless &iscussions$ useless erms o o!inions which s!rea& the see&s o &isunion$ allerror$ schisms$ an& systems are 'anishe&" 9either calumny nor scan&al are known" Everyman is honoure&" ?atire$ that s!irit which loves to make its neih'our smart$ is unknown";ove alone reins"

ant an& ee'leness are !rotecte&$ an& re6oicins are ma&e at the elevation an& reatnesswhich man acDuires"


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e must not$ however$ imaine this society resem'les any secret society$ meetin atcertain times$ choosin its lea&ers an& mem'ers$ unite& 'y s!ecial o'6ects" ll societies$'e what they may$ can 'ut come ater this interior illuminate& circle" #his society knowsnone o the ormalities which 'elon to the outer rins$ the work o man" *n this kin&omo !ower all outwar& orms cease"

Go& himsel is the ower always !resent" #he 'est man o his times$ the chie himsel$&oes not always know all the mem'ers$ 'ut the moment when it is the ill o Go& that heshoul& accom!lish any o'6ect$ he in&s them in the worl& with certainty to work or that!ur!ose"

#his community has no outsi&e 'arriers" +e who may 'e chosen 'y Go& is as the irst$ he!resents himsel amon the others without !resum!tion$ an& he is receive& 'y the otherswithout 6ealousy"

!" 28

* it 'e necessary that real mem'ers shoul& meet toether$ they in& an& reconise eachother with !erect certainty"

9o &isuise can 'e use&$ neither hy!ocrisy nor &issimulation coul& hi&e the characteristicDualities o this society$ they are too enuine" ll illusion is one$ an& thins a!!ear intheir true orm"

9o one mem'er can choose another$ unanimous choice is reDuire&" ll men are calle&$the calle& may 'e chosen$ i they 'ecome ri!e or entrance"

ny one can look or the entrance$ an& any man who is within can teach another to seek

or it@ 'ut only he who is it can arrive insi&e"

:n!re!are& men occasion &isor&er in a community$ an& &isor&er is not com!ati'le withthe ?anctuary" #his thrusts out all who are not homoeneous"

orl&ly intellience seeks this ?anctuary in vain$ ruitless also will 'e the eorts omalice to !enetrate these reat mysteries@ all is un&eci!hera'le to him who is not ri!e$ hecan see nothin$ rea& nothin in the interior"

+e who is ri!e is 6oine& to the chain$ !erha!s oten where he thouht least likely$ an& at a!oint o which he knew nothin himsel"

?eekin to 'ecome ri!e$ shoul& 'e eort o him who sees wis&om"

ut there are metho&s 'y which ri!eness is attaine&$ or in this holy communion is the!rimitive storehouse o the most ancient an& oriinal

!" 2


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science o the human race$ with the !rimitive mysteries also o all science" *t is the uniDuean& really illuminate& community which is a'solutely in !ossession o the key to allmystery$ which knows the centre an& source o all nature an& creation" *t is a societywhich unites su!erior strenth to its own$ an& counts its mem'ers rom more than oneworl&" *t is the society whose mem'ers orm a theocratic re!u'lic$ which one &ay will 'e

the .eent /other o the whole orl&"N

Footnotes

21N* canHt 'ut think here that the wor&s interior an& eterior are trans!ose& in translatinrom the oriinal German to the Arench rom which * translate it$ 'ut * !ut it as * in& inthe tet o the very valua'le e&ition to which * have access"F*" &e ?"

2N%a!itals are rarely em!loye&" * always Duote them$ 'ut occasionally use them inother !laces when the sense reDuires them$ so as not to conuse the cases an& en&ers$ or

instance$ es!rit evi&ently reDuires to 'e written occasionally ?!irit$ not s!irit"

communities$ o which we will s!eak more ully in our net letter"

!" 30

LETTER III

#+Ea'solute truth lyin in the centre o /ystery is like the sun$ it 'lin&s or&inary sihtan& man sees only the sha&ow" #he eale alone can ae at the &alin liht$ likewiseonly the !re!are& soul can 'ear its lustre" 9evertheless the reat Somethingwhich is theinmost o the +oly /ysteries has never 'een hi&&en rom the !iercin ae o him whocan 'ear the liht"

Go& an& nature have no mysteries or their chil&ren" #hey are cause& 'y the weakness oour nature$ una'le to su!!ort liht$ 'ecause it is not yet oranise& to 'ear the chaste lihto unveile& truth"

#his weakness is the %lou& that covers the ?anctuary@ this is the curtain which veils the+oly o +olies"

ut in or&er that man may recover the veile& liht$ strenth an& &inity$ ivinity 'en&s tothe weakness o its creatures$ an& writes the truth that is interior an& eternal mystery onthe outside of things$ so that man can trans!ort himsel throuh this to their s!irit"

ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
http://www.sacred-texts.com/eso/cuts/cuts04.htm#fn_1http://www.sacred-texts.com/eso/cuts/cuts04.htm#fn_1http://www.sacred-texts.com/eso/cuts/cuts04.htm#fr_0http://www.sacred-texts.com/eso/cuts/cuts04.htm#fr_1http://www.sacred-texts.com/eso/cuts/cuts04.htm#fn_1http://www.sacred-texts.com/eso/cuts/cuts04.htm#fr_0http://www.sacred-texts.com/eso/cuts/cuts04.htm#fr_1


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#hese letters are the ceremonies or the rituals o reliion$ which lea& man to the interiorlie o union with Go&"

!" 31

/ystic hieroly!hs are these letters also@ they are sketches an& &esins hol&in interioran& holy truth"

.eliion an& the /ysteries o han& in han& to lea& our 'rethren to truth$ 'oth have oro'6ect the reversin an& renewin o our natures$ 'oth have or the en& the re-'uil&in oa tem!le inha'ite& 'y is&om an& ;ove$ or Go& with man"

ut reliion an& the /ysteries woul& 'e useless !henomena i ivinity ha& not alsoaccor&e& means to attain these reat en&s"

ut these means are only in the innermost o the sanctuary" #he /ysteries are reDuire& to'uil& a tem!le to .eliion$ an& reliion is reDuire& to unite /an with Go&"

?uch is the reatness o reliion$ an& such the ealte& &inity o the /ysteries rom alltime"

*t woul& 'e un6ust to you$ 'elove& 'rothers$ that we shoul& think that you have neverrear&e& the +oly /ysteries in this realas!ect$ the one which shows them as the onlymeans a'le to !reserve in !urity an& interity the &octrine o the im!ortant truthsconcernin Go&$ nature$ an& man" #his &octrine was couche& in holy sym'olic lanuae$an& the truths which it containe& havin 'een ra&ually translate& amon the outer circleinto the or&inary lanuaes o man$ 'ecame in conseDuence more o'scure an&unintellii'le"

#he /ysteries$ as you know$ 'elove& 'rothers$ !romise thins which are an& which willremain

!" 32

always the heritae o 'ut a small num'er o men@ these are the mysteries which canneither 'e 'ouht nor sol& !u'licly$ an& can only 'e acDuire& 'y a heart which hasattaine& to wis&om an& love"

+e in whom this holy lame has 'een awakene& lives in true ha!!iness$ content with

everythin an& in everythin ree" +e sees the cause o human corru!tion an& knows thatit is inevita'le" +e hates no criminal$ he !ities him$ an& seeks to raise him who has allen$an& to restore the wan&erer$ 'ecause he eels notwithstan&in all the corru!tion$ in thewholethere is no taint"

+e sees with a clear eye the un&erlyin truth in the oun&ation o all reliion$ he knowsthe sources o su!erstition an& o incre&ulity$ as 'ein cause& 'y modificationso truthwhich have not attaine& !erect eDuili'rium"


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e are assure&$ my esteeme& 'rothers$ that you consi&er the true /ystic rom this as!ect$an& that you will not attri'ute to his royal art$ that which the mis&irecte& enery o someisolate& in&ivi&uals have ma&e o this art"

*t is$ thereore$ with these views$ which accor& eactly with ours$ that you will com!are

reliion$ an& the mysteries o the holy schools o is&om$ to lovin sisters who havewatche& over the oo& o mankin& since the necessity o their 'irth"

.eliion &ivi&es itsel into eterior an& interior reliion$ eterior siniyin ceremony@an& interior$ worshi! in s!irit an& in truth@ the outer schools

!" 33

!ossessin the letter an& the sym'ol$ the inner ones$ the s!irit an& meaninF'ut the outerschools were unite& to the inner ones 'y ceremonies$ as also the outer schools o themysteries were linke& with the inner one 'y means o sym'ol"

#hus reliion can never 'e merelyceremony$ 'ut hi&&en an& holy mysteries !enetratethrouh sym'ol into the outer worshi! to !re!are men !ro!erly or the worshi! o Go& ins!irit an& in truth"


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ith this measure all reliions an& all or&ers o man must 'e measure&" /ulti!licity is inthe ceremony o the eterior@ truth only in the interior" #he tren& o these 'rotherhoo&s isin the variety o e!lanation o the sym'ols cause& 'y the la!se o time$ nee&s o the &ay$an& other circumstances" #he true %ommunity o ;iht can 'e only one"

#he eterior sym'ol is only the sheath which hol&s the inner@ it may chane an& multi!ly$'ut it can never weaken the truth o the interior@ moreover$ it was necessary@ we ouht toseek it an& try to &eci!her it to &iscover the meanin o the s!iritual interior"

ll errors$ &ivisions$ all mis-un&erstan&ins in .eliion an& in secret societies onlyconcern the letter" hat rests 'ehin& it remains always !ure an& holy"

?oon the time or those who seek the liht will 'e accom!lishe&$ or the &ay comes whenthe ol& will 'e unite& to the new$ the outer to the inner$ the hih with the low$ the heartwith the 'rain$ man with Go&$ an& this e!och is &estine& or the !resent

!" 35

ae" o not ask$ 'elove& 'rothers$ " " " why the !resent ae " " "

Everythin has its time or 'eins su'6ect to time an& s!ace" *t is in such wise accor&into the unvaryin law o the is&om o Go&$ who has co-or&inate& all in harmony an&!erection"

#he elect shoul& irst la'our to acDuire 'oth wis&om an& love$ in or&er to earn the it o!ower$ which unchanea'le ivinity ives only to those who knowan& those who love"

/ornin ollows niht$ an& the sun rises$ an& all moves on to ull mi&-&ay$ where all

sha&ows &isa!!ear in his vertical s!len&our" #hus$ the letter o truth must eist@ thencomes the !ractical e!lanation$ then the truth itsel@ only truth can comprehend truth#then alone can the s!irit o truth a!!ear which sets the seals closin the liht" +e whonow can receive the truth will un&erstan&" *t is to you$ much love& 'rothers$ you whola'our to reach truth$ you who have so aithully !reserve& the ly!h o the holymysteries in your tem!le$ it is to you that the irst ray o truth will 'e &irecte&@ this raywill !ierce throuh the clou& o mystery$ an& will announce the ull &ay an& the treasurewhich it 'rins"

o not ask whothose are who write to you@ look at the s!irit not the letter$ the thin$ notat !ersons"

9either !ri&e$ nor sel seekin$ neither &oes any unworthy motive$ eist in our retreats@we know the

!" 3>

o'6ect an& the &estination o man$ an& the liht which lihts us works in all our actions"


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e are es!ecially calle& to write to you$ &ear 'rothers o liht@ an& that which ives!ower to our commission is the truth which we !ossess$ an& which we !ass on to you onthe least sin$ an& accor&in to the measure o the ca!acity o each"

;iht is a!t or communication$ where there is rece!tion an& ca!acity$ 'ut it constrains no

one$ an& waits its rece!tion tranDuilly"

ur &esire$ our aim$ our oice is to reviviy the &ea& letter$ an& to s!iritualise thesym'ols$ turn the !assive into the active$ &eath into lie@ 'ut this we cannot &o byourselves$ 'ut throuh the s!irit o liht o +im who is is&om an& the ;iht o theworl&"

:ntil the !resent time the *nner ?anctuary has 'een se!arate& rom the #em!le$ an& the#em!le 'eset with those who 'elon only to the !recincts@ 'ut the time is comin whenthe *nnermost will 'e re-unite& with the #em!le$ in or&er that those who are in the#em!le can inluence those who are in the outer courts$ so that the outer !ass in"

*n our sanctuary all the hi&&en mysteries are !reserve& intact$ they have never 'een!roane&"

#his sanctuary is invisi'le$ as is a orce which is only known throuh its action"

y this short &escri!tion$ my &ear 'rothers$ you can tell who we are$ an& it will 'esu!erluous to

!" 37

assure you that we &o not 'elon to those restless natures who seek to 'uil& in this

common lie an i&eal ater their own antastic imainations" 9either &o we 'elon tothose who wish to !lay a reat !art in the worl&$ an& who !romise miracles that theythemselves &o not un&erstan&" e &o not re!resent either that class o min&s$ who$resentin the con&ition o certain thins$ have no o'6ect 'ut the &esire o &ominatinothers$ an& who love a&venture an& eaeration"

e can also assure you that we 'elon to no other sect or association than the one truean& reat one o those who are a'le to receive the liht" e are not also o those whothink it their riht to moul& all ater their own mo&el$ the arroance to seek to re-mo&elall other societies@ we assure you aithully that we know e$actlythe innermost oreliion an& o the +oly /ysteries@ an& that we !ossess with a'solute certainty$ all that

has 'een surmise& to 'e in the &ytum$ an& that this sai& !ossession ives us the strenthto 6ustiy our commission$ an& to im!art to the &ea& letter an& hieroly!hic everywhere'oth s!irit an& lie" #he treasures in our sanctuary are many@ we un&erstan& the s!irit an&meanin o all sym'ols an& all ceremony which have eiste& since the &ay o %reation tothe !resent time$ as well as the most interior truths o all the +oly ooks$ with the lawsan& customs o !rimitive !eo!le"

e !ossess a liht 'y which we are anointe&$ an&


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!" 38

'y means o which we rea& the hi&&en an& secret thins o nature"

e !ossess a ire which ee&s us$ an& which ives us the strenth to act u!on everythinin nature" e !ossess a key to openthe ate o mystery$ an& a key to shutnatureHsla'oratory" e know o the eistence o a 'on& which will unite us to the :!!er orl&s$an& reveal to us their sihts an& their soun&s" ll the marvels o nature arc su'or&inate toour will 'y its'ein unite& with ivinity"

e have mastere& the science which &raws &irectly rom nature$ whence there is noerror$ 'ut truth an& liht only"

*n our ?chool we are instructe& in all thins 'ecause our /aster is the ;iht itsel an& itsessence" #he !lenitu&e o our scholarshi! is the knowle&e o this tie 'etween the &ivinean& s!iritual worl&s an& o the s!iritual worl& with the elementary$ an& o the elementaryworl& with the material worl&"

y these knowle&es we are in con&ition to co-or&inate the s!irits o nature an& the hearto man"

ur science is the inheritance !romise& to the Elect@ otherwise$ those who are &uly!re!are& or receivin the liht$ an& the !ractice o our science is in the com!letion o theivine union with the chil& o man"

sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss

e coul& oten tell you$ 'elove& 'rothers$ o

!" 3

marvels relatin to the hi&&en thins in the treasury o the ?anctuary$ which woul& amaean& astonish you@ we coul& s!eak to you a'out i&eas concernin which the !rooun&est!hiloso!hy is as remove& as the earth rom the sun$ 'ut to which we arc near 'ein onewith the liht o the innermost"

ut our o'6ect is not to ecite your curiosity$ 'ut to raise your &esires to seek the liht atits source$ where your search or wis&om will 'e rewar&e& an& your lonin or lovesatisie&$ or wis&om an& love &well in our retreats" #he stimulus o their reality an& o

their truth is our maical !ower"

e assure you that our treasures$ thouh o ininite value$ are conceale& in so sim!le amanner that they entirely 'ale the researches o o!inionate& science$ an& also thouhthese treasures woul& 'rin to carnal min&s 'oth ma&ness an& sorrow$ nevertheless$ theyare$ an& they ever remain to us the treasures o the hihest wis&om"


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/y 'est 'lessin u!on you$ my 'rothers$ i you un&erstan& these reat truths" #herecovery o the triple wordan& o its !ower will 'e your rewar&"

Lour ha!!iness will 'e in havin the strenth to hel! to re-unite man with man$ an& withnature an& with Go&$ which is the real work o every workman who has not re%ected the

Corner Stone"

9ow we have ulille& our trust an& we have announce& the a!!roach o ull &ay$ an& the6oinin

!" =0

o the inner ?anctuary with the #em!le@ we leave the rest to your own ree will"

e know well$ to our 'itter rie$ that even as the ?aviour was not un&erstoo& in his!ersonality$ 'ut was ri&icule& an& con&emne& in his humility$ likewise also +is s!iritwhich will a!!ear in lory will also 'e re6ecte& an& &es!ise& 'y many" 9evertheless the

comin o +is ?!irit shoul& 'e announce& in the #em!les in or&er that these wor&sshoul& 'e ulille&"

,* have knocke& at your &oors an& you have not o!ene& them to me@ * have calle& an&you have not listene& to my voice@ * have invite& you to the we&&in$ 'ut you were 'usywith other thins",

/ay eace an& the liht o the ?!irit 'e with youJ

LETTER I

?ininity in num'ers loses itsel in the unit$ an& as the innumera'le rays o a circle areunite& in one sinle centre only$ it is likewise with the /ysteries@ their hieroly!hics an&ininite num'er o em'lems have the o'6ect o eem!liyin 'ut one sinle truth" +e whoknows this has oun& the key to un&erstan& everythin all at once"

#here is 'ut one Go&$ 'ut one truth$ an& one way which lea&s to this ran& #ruth" #hereis 'ut one means o in&in it"

+e who has oun& this way !ossesses everythin in its !ossession all wis&om in one'ook alone$ all strenth in one orce$ every 'eauty in one sinle o'6ect$ all riches in onetreasure only$ every ha!!iness in one !erect elicity" n& the sum o all these !erectionsis 4esus %hrist$ who was cruciie& an& who live& aain" 9ow$ this reat truth$ e!resse&thus$ is$ it is true$ only an o'6ect o aith$ 'ut it can 'ecome also one o e$perimentalknowledge$ as soon as we are instructe& how4esus %hrist can 'e or 'ecome all this"

#his reat mystery was always an o'6ect o instruction in the Secret School of theinvisible and interior Church#this reat knowle&e was un&erstoo&

!" =2


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in the earliest &ays o %hristianity un&er the name o &isciplina Arcana" Arom this secretschool are &erive& all the rites an& ceremonies etant in the uter %hurch" ut the s!irito these ran& an& sim!le verities was with&rawn into the *nterior$ an& in our &ay it isentirely lost as to the eterior"

*t has 'een !ro!hesie& lon ao$ &ear 'rothers$ that all which is hi&&en shall 'e reveale&in these latter &ays@ 'ut it has also 'een !re&icte& that many alse !ro!hets will arise$ an&the aithul are warne& not to 'elieve every s!irit$ 'ut to !rove them i they really comerom Go&$ i 4ohn iv" 5" #he a!ostle himsel e!lains how this truth is ascertaine&" +esays$ ,+ere'y know ye the ?!irit o Go&$ every s!irit which conesseth that 4esus %hristis come in the lesh is o Go&$ an& every s!irit which conesseth not is not o Go&", #hatis to say$ the s!irit who se!arates in +im the ivine an& human is not from God"

e coness that 4esus %hrist is come in the lesh$ an& hence the s!irit o truth s!eaks 'yus" ut the mystery that 4esus %hrist is come in the fleshis o wi&e etent an& reat&e!th$ an& in it is containe& the knowle&e o the &ivine-human$ an& it is this knowle&e

that we are choosin to-&ay as o'6ect or our instruction"

s we are not s!eakin to neo!hytes in matters o aith$ it will 'e much easier or you$&ear 'rothers$ to receive the su'lime truths which we will !resent

!" =3

to you$ as without &ou't you have alrea&y chosen as o'6ect or your holy me&itationvarious !re!aratory su'6ects"

.eliion consi&ere& scientiically is the &octrine o the re-union o man se!arate& romGo& to man re-unite& to Go&" +ence its sole o'6ect is to unite every human 'ein to Go&$

throuh which union alone can humanity attain its hihest elicity 'oth tem!orally an&s!iritually"

#his &octrine$ thereore$ o re'unionis o the most su'lime im!ortance$ an& 'ein a&octrine it necessarily must have a metho& 'y which it lea&s an& teaches us" #he irst isthe knowle&e o the correct means o re-union$ an& secon&ly the teachin$ ater theknowle&e o the correct means$ how these means shoul& 'e suita'ly co-or&inate& to theen&"

#his ran& conce!t o re-union$ on which all reliious &octrine is concentrate&$ coul&never have 'een known to man withoutrevelation" *t has always 'een altoether outsi&e

the s!here o scientiic knowle&e$ 'ut this veryinoranceo man has ma&e revelationa'solutely necessary to us$ otherwise we coul&$ unassiste&$ never have oun& the meanso risin out o this state o inorance"

.evelation entails the necessity o aith in revelation$ 'ecause he who has no e!erienceor knowle&e whatsoever o a thin must necessarily 'elieve that he wishes to know an&have e!erience" * aith ails$ there is no &esire or revelation$ an& the
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!" ==

min& o man closes 'y itsel$ its own &oor an& roa& or &iscoverin the metho&s reveale&'y .evelation only" s action an& re-action ollow each other in nature$ so also inevita'lyrevelation an& aith act an& re-act" ne cannot eist without the other$ an& the more aitha man has the more will revelation 'e ma&e to him o matters which lie in o'scurity" *t is

true$ an& very true$ that all the veile& truths o reliions$ even those heavily veile& ones$the most &iicult ones to us$ will one &ay 'e reveale& an& 6ustiie& 'eore a tri'unal othe most rii& 4ustice@ 'ut the weakness o men$ the lack o !enetration in !erceivin therelation an& corres!on&ence 'etween !hysical an& s!iritual nature$ reDuires that thehihest truths shoul& only 'e im!arte& ra&ually" #he holy o'scurity o the mysteries isthus on account o ourweakness$ 'ecause our eyes are ena'le& only ra&ually to 'eartheir ull an& &alin liht" *n every ra&e at which the 'eliever in .evelation arrives$ heo'tains clearer liht$ an& this !roressive illumination continues the more convincin$'ecause every truth o aith so acDuire& 'ecomes more an& more vitalise&$ !assin inallyinto conviction"

+ence aith is oun&e& on our weakness$ an& also on the ull liht o revelation whichwill$ in its communication with us$ &irect us accor&in to our ca!a'ilities to the ra&ualun&erstan&in o thins$ so that in &ue or&er the conisance o the most elevate& truthswill 'e ours"

!" =5

#hose o'6ects which are Duite unknown to human sense are necessarily 'elonin to the&omain o aith"

/an can only a&ore an& 'e silent$ 'ut i he wishes to &emonstrate matters which cannot

'e manieste& o'6ectively$ he necessarily alls into error"

/an shoul& a&ore an& 'e silent$ thereore$ until such time arrives when these o'6ects inthe &omain o aith 'ecome clearer$ an&$ thereore$ more easily reconise&" Everythin!roves itsel 'y itsel as soon as we have acDuire& the interior e$perienceo the truthsreveale& throuh aith$ so soon as we are le& 'y aith to vision$ that is to say$ to ullconisance"

*n all time have there 'een men illuminate& o Go& who ha& this interior knowle&e othe thins o aith &emonstrate& o'6ectively either in ull or !artly$ accor&in as the truthso aith !asse& into their un&erstan&in or their hearts" #he irst kin& o vision was calle&

divine illumination" #he secon& was entitle& divine inspiration"

#he inner sensorium was o!ene& in many to &ivine an& transcen&ental vision$ calle&ecstacy 'ecause this inner sensorium was so enlare& that it entirely &ominate& the outer!hysical senses"


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ut this kin& o man is always ine!lica'le$ an& he must remain such always to the mano mere sense who has no orans rece!tive to the transcen&ental an& su!ernatural$ ,thenatural man receiveth

!" =>

not the thins o the ?!irit o Go&$ or they are oolishness unto him an& he cannot knowthem$ 'ecause they are s!iritually 6u&e&$, 1 %or" i" 1=$ i!e!$ 'ecause his s!iritual sensesare not o!en to the transcen&ental worl&$ so that he can have no more o'6ectiveconisance o such worl& than a 'lin& man has o colour@ thus the natural man has lostthese interior senses$ or rather$ the ca!acity or their &evelo!ment is nelecte& almost toatro!hy"

#hus mere !hysical man is$ in eneral$ s!iritually 'lin&$ one o the urther conseDuenceso the Aall" /an then is &ou'ly misera'le@ he not only has his eyes 'lin&ol&e& to thesiht o hih truths$ 'ut his heart also lanuishes a !risoner in the 'on&s o lesh an&'loo&$ which conine him to animal an& sensuous !leasures to the hurt o more elevate&

an& enuine ones" #hereore$ are we slaves to concu!iscence$ to the &omination otyrannical !assions$ an&$ thereore$ &o we &ra ourselves as !aralyse& suerers su!!orte&on crutches@ the one crutch 'ein the weak one o mere human reason$ an& the other$sentimentFthe one &aily ivin us a!!earance instea& o reality$ the other makin usconstantly choose evil$ imainin it to 'e oo&" #his is$ thereore$ our unha!!y con&ition"

/en can only 'e ha!!y when the 'an&ae which interce!ts the true liht alls rom theireyes$ an& when the etters o slavery are loosene& rom their hearts" #he 'lin& must see$the lame must walk$

!" =7

'eore ha!!iness can 'e un&erstoo&" ut the reat an& all-!owerul law to which theelicity or ha!!iness o man is in&issolu'ly attache& is the one ollowinF,/an$ letreason rule over your !assionsJ,

Aor aes has man striven to teach an& to !reach$ with$ however$ the result$ ater so manycenturies$ o 'ut the 'lin& always lea&in the 'lin&@ or in all the oolishness o miseryinto which we have allen$ we &o not yet see that man wants more than man to raise usrom this con&ition"

re6u&ices an& errors$ crimes an& vices$ only chane rom century to century@ they are

never etir!ate& rom humanity@ reason without illumination lickers aintly in every ae$in the heavy air o s!iritual &arkness@ the heart$ ehauste& with !assions$ is also the samecentury ater century"

#here is 'ut ne who can heal these evils$ 'ut ne who is a'le to o!en our inner eyes$'ut ne who can ree us rom the 'on&s o sensuality"


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#his ne is 4esus %hrist$ the Saviour of (an$ the Saviour'ecause +e wishes to o'literaterom us all the conseDuences which ollow as result rom the 'lin&ness o our naturalreason$ or the errors arisin rom the !assions o unoverne& hearts"


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ur reason here 'orrows all its i&eas rom the senses$ hence they are lieless an& &ea&"e &raw everythin rom eternal o'6ectivity$ an& our reason is like an a!e who imitateswhat nature shows him outwar&ly" #hus the liht o the senses is the!rinci!le o our earthly reason$ sensuality the motive or our will$ ten&in thereore toanimal wants an& their satisaction" *t is true$ however$ that we eel hiher motives

im!erative$ 'ut u! to the !resent we &o not know either where to seek or where to in&"

*n this worl& everythin is corru!ti'le@ it is useless to seek here or a !ure principleoreason an& morality or motive or the ill" #his must 'e souht or in a more ealte&worl&Fthere$ where

!" 50

all is !ure an& in&estructi'le$ where there reins a ein all wis&om an& all love" #husthe worl& neither can nor will 'ecome ha!!y until this .eal ein can 'e receive& 'yhumanity in ull an& 'ecome its ll in ll"

/an$ &ear 'rothers$ is com!ose& o in&estructi'le an& meta!hysical su'stance$ as well aso material an& &estructi'le su'stance$ 'ut in such a manner that the in&estructi'le an&eternal is$ as it were$ imprisonedin the &estructi'le matter"

#hus two contra&ictory natures are com!rehen&e& in the same man" #he &estructi'lesu'stance enchains us to the sensi'le$ the other seeks to &eliver us rom these chains$ an&to raise us to the s!iritual" +ence the incessant com'at 'etween oo& an& evil"

#he un&amental cause o human corru!tion is to 'e oun& in the corru!ti'le matter romwhich man is orme&" Aor this ross matter o!!resses the action o the transcen&ental an&s!iritual !rinci!le$ an& is the true cause$ hence$ o the 'lin&ness o our un&erstan&in$ an&

the errors o our inclinations"

#he raility o a china vessel &e!en&s u!on the clay rom which it is orme&" #he most'eautiul orm that clay o any sort is a'le to receive must always remain raile 'ecausethe matter o which it is orme& is also raile" #hus &o men remain likewise railnotwithstan&in all our eternal cult

The Cloud Upon the Sanctuary[1]

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Transcript of The Cloud Upon the Sanctuary[1]