Return Path to Eden
(Aquarian Gospel Text)
The
Aquarian Age Gospel
of Jesus,
the Christ of
the Piscean Age
transcribed
by Levi H. Dowling
The complete, uncensored, unabridged
story of The Life of Christ
skip the Foreword - go to Chapter 1
Foreword
by
Michael F. O'Keeffe
An Announcement
God has given us a
new book of scripture. The full title is
“The Aquarian Age Gospel of Jesus, the Christ of the Piscean Age.” This precious new book reveals God to the
world, and it reveals the mystery of our relationship to Him. Now we can know why we are called His
Children – during these important times (the times of Revelations).
In Chapter 129 we
read, “The veil that
separates the worlds is but an ether veil.
For those who purify their hearts by faith, the veil is rolled aside,
and they can see and know that death is an illusive
thing.” This truth (and much more) is revealed in the
Aquarian Gospel – during these times of Revelations.
A Three-paragraph Review of The Aquarian Gospel
In this marvelous
book of Christ, Jesus reveals that every living thing is a deity manifest, and
each has a soul, which is on a very long trek – from total unawareness of its
own divinity, to full consciousness.
Every creature, after many incarnations, eventually becomes fully aware
of its own divine lineage; and later, during subsequent incarnations, each one
learns more and more about developing and exercising divine Strength, Wisdom
and Love; until eventually, every one (plant, animal and human) achieves pure
perfection – oneness with God (our Father).
He said that he, Jesus, is our example of a man who achieved oneness. He also proclaimed that he is simply our elder
brother, come to teach us; and that he is our example of that which we all will
eventually become.
Jesus, the first
person of Earth’s History to conquer death, said, “You may follow me,” and
thus, he leads the way. He became
immortal. He is always with us. He and those who followed him continually
labor for us (beyond the veil), so that we too may learn, and become wise and
strong enough to follow him. As they
constantly labor for us, they also patiently wait for us.
By reading and
studying the Aquarian Gospel, we never lose sight of our destiny, because
Jesus’ life-story (including the story of his partner, Miriam) is our
beacon-light in the night. All who see
and comprehend this compelling brilliance can voyage toward the Light. We know the Way.
An in depth review
Additional comments about
the Aquarian Gospel
Regarding Levi, the transcriber
As
stated (in the FAQ’s page), The Book of God’s
Remembrance is a recording – imprinted on disc-like plates smaller than
atoms. Every event that ever occurs
leaves an imprint on these elemental particles, which continuously emit
extremely fine energy waves. Anyone who
knows how to fine-tune certain mind-receptors to the frequencies to these tiny
transmissions can witness all events that have ever occurred; and this sacred
recording can never be revised or edited.
(Thank God!)
It was
only a matter of time before someone would become strong enough to open our
Father’s Record Book. As God’s Children,
our souls grow stronger and wiser with each incarnation. (Much of the human race has now reached
adolescence of soul.) Levi H. Dowling
(1844 - 1911), an American who lived in Ohio, attained enough strength and
knowledge to open The Book of God’s Remembrance.
Levi
became strong enough (and worthy enough) sometime after his fiftieth year on
Earth. He gained the strength and
know-how through many years of practicing all-night sessions of meditation,
combined with fasting. After reaching
his goal, he was able to focus his mind on particular persons, places and
times, and clearly view ancient events – as if happening “here and now.”
Levi
concentrated on just a small portion of God’s History Book; he focused on “the
little book” – that tiny part of World History that is the record of Jesus’
life. Therefore, there is no longer any
reason to wonder who was Jesus, or to speculate or
debate what he said or did. His entire
life-story is now available in the Aquarian Gospel, and anyone who wishes may
read.
During
meditation, Levi was able to re-play events (as many times as necessary) in
order to provide us with a perfect transcript.
He spent many months transcribing the events he directly witnessed in
“The Book of God’s Remembrance” (also called The Akashic
Records). His original manuscript,
entitled “The Aquarian Age Gospel of Jesus, the Christ of the Piscean Age,” is
widely published under the title, “The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ,”
and is commonly referred to as simply, “The Aquarian Gospel.”
Have
other people verified the existence of the Akashic
Records? Yes; people who are (authentic)
psychics and remote viewers perform their remarkable feats because they are
able to catch fleeting glimpses (or impressions) of our Father’s sacred
recording. Prophets and seers have been
more successful – sometimes able to clearly view past events (and foresee
future incidents); but Levi gained complete access to Nature’s hidden
portico. He is the first person in
Earth’s History to be granted full access to the Mystic Records of Time, with
permission to write down what he witnessed.
How can one know the Aquarian Gospel
is genuine?
The
answer to this question is remarkably simple.
Just read, and
you will know.
Anyone who reads the Aquarian Gospel carefully, sincerely and
comprehensively can recognize its authenticity; and indeed, only those who read
this book carefully, sincerely and comprehensively can recognize its
authenticity, and know it is genuine. And I dare say,
anyone who discredits this book, or questions its authenticity, merely displays
an unwillingness (or inability) to perform a careful, sincere, comprehensive
reading. “None
but the pure in heart can recognize the King.”
Thus, I
can say with confidence: Just read, and you will
know. “The proof of the pudding is
in the eating.”
Levi’s
sacred transcription far outshines all previous books of divine origin. It is not filled with enigmas, secret codes
and riddles; nor does it contain long, arduous
passages that offer little insight. This
sacred book is succinct. Levi did not
mince words – each chapter gets right to the point. The parables are comprehensible, and the text
is superbly plain and clear and easy to understand.
The
careful reader will know that the return of Messiah is very near (as well as
Judgment Day) and he or she can know how to prepare. Furthermore, the Aquarian Gospel contains the
mystery, which only the wise can understand.
One may
wonder, who are “the wise?” Answer: the wise are they who sincerely
strive to live by the golden rule, and earnestly practice honesty, humility,
kindness and forgiveness’, and they are willing to carefully open their
minds to concepts not yet learned.
Thus, the wise are willing to read; they cannot fail to comprehend.
The Author
Levi is
the transcriber, but who is the author of the Aquarian Gospel? None other than Jesus, Christ Himself, wrote
this book! How can this be? Jesus knew that every word He spoke and every
act He performed was being recorded in The Book of God's Remembrance; and He
knew that 1,800 years after His lifetime, (in preparation for Christ’s return)
a man would be born into the world who would gain enough strength to open our
Father’s sacred Recording, and thereby become a direct eyewitness to all the
events of Jesus’ life; and he would transcribe a totally accurate and detailed
account of his life and teachings.
Therefore,
except for the introductory chapters and some of the narrative, Jesus is the
true author of the Aquarian Gospel. He wrote the book by living it. “His-story” is inscribed on nature’s tiny
discs (smaller than atoms), which form “the walls of time,” and Levi, through
years of practicing meditation and fasting, discovered the “password,” and he
has viewed the mystic walls, and he has transcribed. Levi has given us the most precious book ever
written.
Why a new Book of Scripture now?
Just as
John prepared the way for Christ by baptizing and teaching at the Jordan Ford,
so too, Levi’s transcription is given to us at this time to help us prepare for
Christ’s return and Judgment Day. Like
John, Levi is a harbinger. His
publication paves the way for Christ again.
Our
Father knew Levi’s soul was poised to develop enough strength to open His
sacred Book of Records, and so He sent Levi to Earth at the proper time – as
the Age of Pisces draws to a close (during these “end times”), and as The Age
of Aquarius (the “new age”) commences.
Levi is a messenger sent from God.
Furthermore,
Jesus was well aware that, during His life on Earth, few people were prepared
to comprehend and accept His precious message, and so He shared much of His
profound wisdom and understanding with only a few; but now, vast multitudes of
human souls on Earth are finally mature enough to comprehend and assimilate the
deep truths He conveyed – concerning the nature of God, the nature of Man, and
our relationship.
Thus,
by the hand of Levi, God has given us this new book of scripture, which
contains the life and teachings of Jesus; and anyone who wishes, may now
read and comprehend the deep, precious knowledge and wisdom (which our Lord
shared with only a few 2,000 years ago).
Thus, God, our Father, has given us
The Aquarian Gospel.
I
suggest that anyone who doubts this is true is well advised to read this book (carefully
and comprehensively) before he would suggest it is anything less than God’s
most recent Scriptural Gift to Mankind.
It is a mistake to assume that God would never send us a new book of
scripture.
Preparation
It is recommended that you prepare
yourself before you read the Aquarian Gospel – through deep
prayer and meditation, because through Jesus, God spoke. Indeed, through Jesus, God revealed
Himself. Thus, the book you are about to
read is nothing less than “God-Revealed.”
One needs to approach God-Revealed
with care, reverence and trepidation.
Furthermore, when one decides to read any book that claims to be
“Revelation,” it only makes sense to ask God for protection from false claims,
and for help in recognizing Truth. The
reader needs to ask for the power of discernment.
There are many “false prophets” in the
world today, and many have published.
During these “end times” of the Age, we especially need our Father’s aid
(to help us distinguish between true and false prophets – and their
publications). Our Father-God never
turns down an earnest, sincere request for the ability to discern the Truth.
The entire text of the Aquarian Gospel appears
below. Scroll down to begin reading,
or Go to Links Page to see where you can purchase
paperback and hardbound copies on line.
(The following text was downloaded from Jim Birke’s website, and reformatted.)
Jesus’ words are in red, John’s
are violet; most of the other dialogue is blue.
Scroll
down to view Aquarian Gospel Text
or visit one of these links:
Aquarian Gospel
FAQs Website
Table of Contents
Homepage
The Foreword –
Part II
Authenticity of the
Aquarian Gospel About Levi, and his other transcripts
German, French and Spanish paperback editions
The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus
the Christ
The Greatest Book Ever Written
The Greatest Story Ever Told
Transcribed from The Book of God’s Remembrance (Akashic Records)
by Levi H. Dowling (1844-1911)
The
Aquarian Gospel was originally published in 1908 in Los Angeles,
California. In the title page of the
1996 edition, published by Adventures Unlimited Press, it is stated: “This book is in the public domain and no
permission is necessary for any reproduction of materials contained
within. ISBN 0-932813-41-0”
This web page
contains Chapters 1–15. At the end of
this page, select “Chapters 16-35” and so
on.
[Scroll down to begin reading -- or read the Foreword.]
________________________
(Chapters 1 –
15)
SECTION .I
ALEPH
Birth and Early Life of Mary, Mother of Jesus
CHAPTER 1
Palestine. Birth of Mary, Joachim's
feast. Mary is blessed by the
priests.
A priest’s prophecy.
Mary abides in the temple. Is betrothed to Joseph.
AUGUSTUS
Caesar reigned and Herod Antipas was
ruler of Jerusalem.
2) Three provinces comprised the land of Palestine: Judea, Samaria and Galilee.
3) Joachim was a master of the Jewish law, a man of wealth; he lived in
Nazareth of Galilee; and Anna, of the tribe of Judah, was his wife.
4) To them was born a child, a goodly female child, and they were glad; and
Mary was the name they gave the child.
5) Joachim made a feast in honor of the child; but he invited not the rich, the
honored and the great; he called the poor, the halt, the lame, the blind, and
to each one he gave a gift of raiment, food or other needful thing.
6) He said,
The Lord has given me this wealth; I am his steward by
his grace, and if I give not to his children when in need, then he will make
this wealth a curse.
7) Now, when the child was three years old her parents took her to
Jerusalem, and in the temple she received the blessings of the priests.
8) The high priest was a prophet and a seer, and when he saw the child he said,
9) Behold, this child will be the mother of an honored
prophet and a master of the law; she shall abide within this holy temple of the
Lord.
10) And Mary did abide within the temple of the Lord; and Hillel, chief
of the Sanhedrin, taught her all the precepts of the Jews, and she delighted in
the law of God.
11) When Mary reached the age of womanhood she was betrothed to Joseph, son of
Jacob, and a carpenter of Nazareth.
12) And Joseph was an upright man, and a devoted Essene.
SECTION II
BETH
Birth and Infancy of John, the Harbinger, and of Jesus
CHAPTER 2
Zacharias and Elizabeth.
Prophetic messages of Gabriel to Zacharias,
Elizabeth and Mary. Birth
of John. Prophecy
of Zacharias.
NEAR
Hebron in the hills of Judah, Zacharias and Elizabeth abode.
2) They were devout and just, and every day they read the Law, the Prophets and
the Psalms which told of one to come, strong to redeem; and they were waiting
for the king.
3) Now, Zacharias was a priest, and in his turn he led the temple service in
Jerusalem.
4) It came to pass as Zacharias stood before the Lord and burned the incense in
the Holy Place, that Gabriel came and stood before his face.
5) And Zacharias was afraid; he thought that some great evil was about to come
upon the Jews.
6) But Gabriel said,
O man of God, fear not; I bring to you and all the
world, a message of good will, and peace on earth.
7) Behold, the Prince of Peace, the king you seek, will quickly come.
8) Your wife will bear to you a son, a holy son, of whom the prophet wrote,
9) Behold, I send Elijah unto you again before
the coming of the Lord; and he will level down the hills and fill the valleys
up, and pave the way for him who shall redeem.
10) From the beginning of the age your son has
borne the name of John, the mercy of the Lord; his name is John.
11) He will be honored in the sight of God, and he will drink no wine, and from
his birth he will be filled with Holy Breath.
12) And Gabriel stood before Elizabeth as she was in the silence of her
home, and told her all the words that he had said to Zacharias in Jerusalem.
13) When he had done the service of his course, the priest went home, and with
Elizabeth rejoiced.
14) Five months passed by and Gabriel came to Mary in her home in Nazareth and
said,
15) Hail Mary, hail! Once blessed in the name of God;
twice blessed in the name of Holy Breath; thrice blessed in the name of Christ;
for you are worthy, and will bear a son who shall be called Immanuel.
16) His name is Jesus, for he saves his people from their sins.
17) When Joseph's daily task was done he came, and Mary told him all the
words that Gabriel spoke to her, and they rejoiced; for they believed that he,
the man of God, had spoken words of truth.
18) And Mary went with haste to tell Elizabeth about the promises of Gabriel;
together they rejoiced.
19) And in the home of Zacharias and Elizabeth did Mary tarry ninety days; then
she returned to Nazareth.
20) To Zacharias and Elizabeth a son was born, and Zacharias said,
21) Most blessed be the name of God, for he has opened
up the fount of blessings for his people, Israel.
22) His promises are verified; for he has brought to pass the words which holy
prophets spoke in olden times.
23) And Zacharias looked upon infant John, and said,
24) You will be called the
prophet of the Holy One; and you will go before his face, and will prepare his
way.
25) And you will give a knowledge of salvation unto
Israel; and you will preach the gospel of repentance and the blotting out of
sins.
26) Behold, for soon the Day Star from on high will visit us, to light the way
for those who sit within the darkness of the shadow-land, and guide our feet
unto the ways of peace.
A
Publisher’s note: You may wonder: if Jesus came to guide us
to peace, how is it that now, over 2,000 years later, we have anything but
peace in the world? After you have
read the entire book, you will fully understand why the Prince of Peace cannot
bring peace to the world until his return and Judgment Day – very near.
CHAPTER 3
Birth of Jesus.
Masters honor the child. The
shepherds rejoice.
Zacharias and Elizabeth visit Mary.
Jesus is circumcised.
THE time
was nearly due for Jesus to be born, and Mary longed to see Elizabeth, and she
and Joseph turned their faces toward the Judean hills.
2) And when, upon their way, they came to Bethlehem, the day was done, and they
must tarry for the night.
3) But Bethlehem was thronged with people going to Jerusalem; the inns and
homes were filled with guests, and Joseph and his wife could find no place to
rest but in a cave where animals were kept; and there they slept.
4) At midnight came a cry,
A child is born in yonder cave among the beasts.
And lo, the promised son of man was born.
5) And strangers took the little one and wrapped him in the dainty robes that
Mary had prepared and laid him in a trough from which the beasts of burden fed.
6) Three persons clad in snow-white robes came in and stood before the child
and said,
7) All strength, all wisdom
and all love be yours, Immanuel.
8) Now, on the hills of Bethlehem were many flocks of sheep with
shepherds guarding them.
9) The shepherds were devout, were men of prayer, and they were waiting for a
strong deliverer to come.
10) And when the child of promise came, a man in snow-white robe appeared to
them, and they fell back in fear. The man stood forth and said,
11) Fear not! behold I bring
you joyful news. At midnight in a cave in Bethlehem was born the prophet and
the king that you have long been waiting for.
12) And then the shepherds all were glad; they felt that all the hills
were filled with messengers of light, who said,
13) All glory be to God on high; peace, peace on
earth, good will to men.
14) And then the shepherds came with haste to Bethlehem and to the cave,
that they might see and honor him whom men had called Immanuel.
15) Now, when the morning came, a shepherdess whose home was near, prepared a room
for Mary, Joseph and the child; and here they tarried many days.
16) And Joseph sent a messenger in haste to Zacharias and Elizabeth to say,
The child is born in Bethlehem.
17) And Zacharias and Elizabeth took John and came to Bethlehem with words of
cheer.
18) And Mary and Elizabeth recounted all the wondrous things that had
transpired. The people joined with them in praising God.
19) According to the custom of the Jews, the child was circumcised; and when
they asked,
What will you call the child?
the mother said,
His name is Jesus, as the man of God declared.
CHAPTER 4
Consecration of Jesus.
Mary offers sacrifices. Simeon
and Anna prophesy.
Anna is rebuked for worshipping the child.
The family returns to Bethlehem.
NOW,
Mary took her son, when he was forty days of age, up to the temple in
Jerusalem, and he was consecrated by the priest.
2) And then she offered purifying sacrifices for herself, according to the
custom of the Jews; a lamb and two young turtle doves.
3) A pious Jew named Simeon was in the temple serving God.
4) From early youth he had been looking for Immanuel to come,
and he had prayed to God that he might not depart until his eyes had seen
Messiah in the flesh.
5) And when he saw the infant Jesus he rejoiced and said,
I now am ready to depart in peace, for I have seen the
king.
6) And then he took the infant in his arms and said,
Behold, this child will bring a sword upon my people,
Israel, and all the world; but he will break the sword and then the nations
will learn war no more.
7) The master's cross I see upon the forehead of this
child, and he will conquer by this sign.
8) And in the temple was a widow, four and eighty years of age, and she
departed not, but night and day she worshipped God.
9) And when she saw the infant Jesus she exclaimed,
Behold Immanuel! Behold the signet cross of the
Messiah on his brow!
10) And then the woman knelt to worship him, as God with us, Immanuel; but one,
a master, clothed in white, appeared and said,
11) Good woman, stay; take heed to what you do; you
may not worship man; this is idolatry.
12) This child is man, the son of man, and worthy of all praise. You shall
adore and worship God; him only shall you serve.
13) The woman rose and bowed her head in thankfulness and worshipped
God.
14) And Mary took the infant Jesus and returned to Bethlehem.
CHAPTER 5
Three magian
priests honor Jesus. Herod is
alarmed. Calls a
council of the Jews.
Is told that prophets had foretold the coming of a king. Herod resolves to kill the child.
Mary and Joseph take Jesus and flee into Egypt.
BEYOND
the river Euphrates the magians lived; and they were
wise, could read the language of the stars, and they divined that one, a master
soul, was born; they saw his star above Jerusalem.
2) And there were three among the magian priests who
longed to see the master of the coming age; and they took costly gifts and
hastened to the West in search of him, the newborn king, that they might honor
him.
3) And one took gold, the symbol of nobility; another myrrh, the symbol of
dominion and of power; gum-thus the other took, the symbol of the wisdom of the
sage.
4) Now when the magians reached Jerusalem the people
were amazed, and wondered who they were and why they came.
5) And when they asked,
Where is the child that has been born a king?
the very throne of Herod seemed to shake.
6) And Herod sent a courtier forth to bring the magians
to his court.
7) And when they came they asked again,
Where is the newborn king?
And then they said,
While yet beyond the Euphrates we saw his star arise,
and we have come to honor him.
8) And Herod blanched with fear. He thought,
perhaps, the priests were plotting to restore the
kingdom of the Jews,
and so he said within himself,
I will know more about this child that has been born
a king.
9) And so he told the magian priests to tarry
in the city for a while and he would tell them all about the king.
10) He called in council all the Jewish masters of the law and asked,
What have the Jewish prophets said concerning such a
one?
11) The Jewish masters answered him and said,
The prophets long ago foretold that one would come to
rule the tribes of Israel; that this Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.
12) They said,
The prophet Micah wrote,
O Bethlehem Judea, a little place among the Judean
hills, yet out of you will one come forth to rule my people, Israel; yea, one
who lived in olden times, in very ancient days.
13) Then Herod called the magian priests again
and told them what the masters of the Jewish law had said; and then he sent
them on the way to Bethlehem.
14) He said,
Go search, and if you find the child that has been
born a king, return and tell me all, that I may go and honor him.
15) The magians went their way and found the child
with Mary in the shepherd's home.
16) They honored him; bestowed upon him precious gifts and gave him gold,
gum-thus and myrrh.
17) These magian priests could read the hearts of
men; they read the wickedness of Herod's heart, and knew that he had sworn to
kill the new born king.
18) And so they told the secret to the parents of the child, and bid them flee
beyond the reach of harm.
19) And then the priests went on their homeward way; they went not through
Jerusalem.
20) And Joseph took the infant Jesus and his mother in the night and fled to
Egypt land, and with Elihu and Salome in ancient Zoan they abode.
CHAPTER 6
Herod learns of the mission of
John. The infants of Bethlehem are
massacred by Herod's order. Elizabeth
escapes with John. Because Zacharias cannot
tell where his son is hidden, he is murdered.
Herod dies.
NOW,
when the magian priests did not return to tell him of
the child that had been born a king, King Herod was enraged.
2) And then his courtiers told him of another child in Bethlehem, one born to
go before and to prepare the people to receive the king.
3) This angered more and more the king; he called his guards and bid them go to
Bethlehem and slay the infant John, as well as Jesus who was born to be a king.
4) He said,
Let no mistake be made, and that you may be sure to
slay these claimants to my throne, slay all the male children in the town not
yet two years of age.
5) The guards went forth and did as Herod bade them do.
6) Elizabeth knew not that Herod sought to slay her son, and she and John were
yet in Bethlehem; but when she knew, she took the infant John and hastened to
the hills.
7) The murderous guards were near; they pressed upon her hard; but then she
knew the secret caves in all the hills, and into one she ran and hid herself
and John until the guards were gone.
8) Their cruel task was done; the guards returned and told the story to the
king.
9) They said,
We know that we have slain the infant king; but John
his harbinger, we could not find.
10) The king was angry with his guards because they failed to slay the
infant John; He sent them to the tower in chains.
11) And other guards were sent to Zacharias, father of the harbinger, while he
was serving in the Holy Place, to say,
The king demands that you shall tell where is your
son.
12) But Zacharias did not know, and he replied,
I am a minister of God, a servant in the Holy Place;
how could I know where they have taken him?
13) And when the guards returned and told the king what Zacharias said,
he was enraged and said,
14) My guards, go back and tell that wily priest that
he is in my hands; that if he does not tell the truth, does not reveal the
hiding place of John, his son, then he shall die.
15) The guards went back and told the priest just what the king had
said.
16) And Zacharias said,
I can but give my life for truth; and if the king does
shed my blood the Lord will save my soul.
17) The guards again returned and told the king what Zacharias said.
18) Now, Zacharias stood before the altar in the Holy Place engaged in prayer.
19) A guard approached and with a dagger thrust him through; he fell and died
before the curtain of the sanctuary of the Lord.
20) And when the hour of salutation came, for Zacharias daily blessed the
priests, he did not come.
21) And after waiting long the priests went to the Holy Place and found the
body of the dead.
22) And there was grief, deep grief, in all the land.
23) Now Herod sat upon his throne; he did not seem to move; his courtiers came;
the king was dead. His sons reigned in his stead.
SECTION III
GIMEL
Education of Mary and Elizabeth in Zoan
CHAPTER 7
Archelaus reigns. Mary and Elizabeth with their
sons are in Zoan and are
taught by Elihu and Salome. Elihu's introductory lesson.
Tells of a transcriber.
THE son
of Herod, Archelaus, reigned in Jerusalem. He was a
selfish, cruel king; he put to death all those who did not honor him.
2) He called in council all the wisest men and asked about the infant claimant
to his throne.
3) The council said that John and Jesus both were dead; then he was satisfied.
4) Now Joseph, Mary and their son were down in Egypt in Zoan,
and John was with his mother in the Judean Hills.
5) Elihu and Salome sent messengers in haste to find
Elizabeth and John. They found them and they brought them to Zoan.
6) Now, Mary and Elizabeth were marveling much because of their deliverance.
7) Elihu said,
It is not strange; there are no (random) happenings;
law governs all events.
8) From olden times it was ordained that you should be with us, and in this
sacred school be taught.
9) Elihu and Salome took Mary and Elizabeth
out to the sacred grove nearby where they were wont to teach.
10) Elihu said to Mary and Elizabeth,
You may esteem yourselves thrice blest, for you are
chosen mothers of long promised sons,
11) Who are ordained to lay in solid rock a sure foundation stone on which the
temple of the perfect man shall rest – a temple that shall never be destroyed.
12) We measure time by cycle ages, and the gate to every age we deem a
milestone in the journey of the (human) race.
13) An age has passed; the gate unto another age flies open at the touch of
time. This is the preparation age of soul, the kingdom of Immanuel, of God in
man;
14) And these, your sons, will be the first to tell the news, and preach the
gospel of good will to men, and peace on earth.
15) A mighty work is theirs; for carnal men want not the light, they love the
dark, and when the light shines in the dark they comprehend it not.
16) We call these sons Revealers of the Light; but they must have the light
before they can reveal the light.
17) And you must teach your sons, and set their souls on fire with love and
holy zeal, and make them conscious of their missions to the sons of men.
18) Teach them that God and man were one; but that through carnal thoughts and
words and deeds, man tore himself away from God; debased himself.
19) Teach that the Holy Breath would make them one again, restoring harmony and
peace;
20) That naught can make them one but Love; that God so loved the world that he
has clothed his son in flesh that man may comprehend.
21) The only Savior of the world is love, and Jesus, son of Mary, comes to
manifest that love to men.
22) Now, love cannot manifest until its way has been prepared, and naught can
rend the rocks and bring down lofty hills and fill the valleys up, and thus
prepare the way, but purity.
23) But purity in life, men do not comprehend; and so, it too, must come in
flesh.
24) And you, Elizabeth, are blest because your son is purity made flesh, and he
shall pave the way for love.
25) This age
will comprehend but little of the works of Purity and Love; but not a word is lost, for in the Book of
God's Remembrance a registry is made of every thought, and word, and deed;
26) And when the world is ready to receive, lo, God will send a messenger to
open up the book, and copy from its sacred pages all the messages of Purity and
Love.
27) Then every man of earth will read the words of life in language of his
native land, and men will see the light, walk in the light and be the light.
28) And man again will be at one with God.
CHAPTER 8
Elihu's lessons.
The unity of life. The two selfs. The devil. Love - the savior of men.
The David of the light. Goliath of the dark.
AGAIN Elihu met his pupils in the sacred grove and said,
2) No man lives unto himself; for every living thing
is bound by cords to every other living thing.
3) Blest are the pure in heart; for they will love and not demand love in
return.
4) They will not do to other men what they would not have other men do unto
them.
5) There are two selfs; the higher and the lower
self.
6) The higher self is human spirit clothed with soul, made in the form of God.
7) The lower self, the carnal self, the body of desires, is a reflection of the
higher self, distorted by the murky ethers of the flesh.
8) The lower self is an illusion, and will pass away; the higher self is God in
man, and will not pass away.
9) The higher self is the embodiment of truth; the lower self is truth
reversed, and so is falsehood manifest.
10) The higher self is justice, mercy, love and right; the lower self is what
the higher self is not.
11) The lower self breeds hatred, slander, lewdness, murders, theft, and
everything that harms; the higher self is mother of the virtues and the
harmonies of life.
12) The lower self is rich in promises, but poor in blessedness and peace; it
offers pleasure, joy and satisfying gains; but gives unrest and misery and
death.
13) It gives men apples that are lovely to the eye and pleasant to the smell;
their cores are full of bitterness and gall.
14) If you would ask me what to study I would say, your selfs;
and when you well had studied them, and then would ask me what to study next, I
would reply, your selfs.
15) He who knows well his lower self, knows the illusions of the world, knows
of the things that pass away; and he who knows his higher self, knows God;
knows well the things that cannot pass away.
16) Thrice blessed is the man who has made purity and love his very own; he has
been ransomed from the perils of the lower self and is himself his higher self.
17) Men seek salvation from an evil that they deem a living monster of the
nether world; and they have gods that are but demons in disguise; all powerful,
yet full of jealousy and hate and lust;
18) Whose favors must be bought with costly sacrifice of fruits, and of the
lives of birds, and animals, and human kind.
19) And yet these gods possess no ears to hear, no eyes to see, no heart to
sympathize, no power to save.
20) This evil is myth; these gods are made of air, and clothed with shadows of
a thought.
21) The only devil from which men must be redeemed is self, the lower self. If
man would find his devil he must look within; his name is self.
22) If man would find his savior he must look within; and when the demon self
has been dethroned the savior, Love, will be exulted to the throne of power.
23) The David of the light is Purity, who slays the
strong Goliath of the dark, and seats the savior, Love, upon the throne.
Salome's lessons.
The man and the woman. Philosophy of human moods.
The triune God.
The Septonate. The God Tao.
SALOME
taught the lesson of the day. She said,
All times are not alike. Today the words of man may
have the greatest power; tomorrow woman teaches best.
2) In all the ways of life the man and woman should walk hand in hand; the one
without the other is but half; each has a work to do.
3) But all things teach; each has a time and a season for its own. The sun, the
moon have lessons of their own for men; but each one
teaches at the appointed time.
4) The lessons of the sun fall down on human hearts like withered leaves upon a
stream, if given in the season of the moon; and so with lessons of the moon and
all the stars.
5) Today one walks in gloom, downhearted and oppressed; tomorrow that same one
is filled with joy.
6) Today the heavens seem full of blessedness and hope; tomorrow hope has fled,
and every plan and purpose comes to naught.
7) Today one wants to curse the very ground on which he treads; tomorrow he is
full of love and praise.
8) Today one hates and scorns and envies and is jealous of the child he loves;
tomorrow he has risen above his carnal self, and breathes forth gladness and
good will.
9) A thousand times men wonder why these heights and depths, these light hearts
and these sad, are found in every life.
10) They do not know that there are teachers everywhere, each busy with a
God-appointed task, and driving home to human hearts
the truth.
11) But this is true, and every one receives the lessons that he needs.
12) And Mary said,
Today I am in exaltation great; my thoughts and all my
life seem lifted up; why am I thus inspired?
13) Salome replied,
This is a day of exaltation; day of worship and of
praise; a day when, in a measure, we may comprehend our Father-God.
14) Then let us study God, the One, the Three, the
Seven.
15) Before the worlds were formed all things were One; just Spirit, Universal
Breath.
16) And Spirit breathed, and that which was not manifest became the Fire and
Thought of Heaven, the Father-God, the Mother-God.
17) And when the Fire and Thought of heaven in union breathed, their son, their
only son, was born. This son is Love whom men have called the Christ.
18) Men call the Thought of heaven the Holy Breath.
19) And when the Triune God breathed forth, lo, seven Spirits stood before the
throne. These are the Elohim, creative spirits of the
universe.
20) And these are they who said, Let us make man; and
in their image man was made.
21) In early ages of the world the dwellers in the farther East said, Tao is
the name of Universal Breath; and in the ancient books we read,
22) No manifesting form has Tao Great, and yet he made and keeps the heavens
and earth.
23) No passion has our Tao Great, and yet he causes sun and moon and all the
stars to rise and set.
24) No name has Tao Great, and yet he makes all things to grow; he brings in
season both the seed time and the harvest time.
25) And Tao Great was One; the One became the Two; the
Two became the Three, the Three evolved the Seven, which filled the universe
with manifests.
26) And Tao Great gives unto all, the evil and the good, the rain, the dew, the
sunshine and the flowers; from his rich stores he feeds them all.
27) And in the same old book we read of man: He has a spirit knit to Tao Great;
a soul which lives within the seven Breaths of Tao Great; a body of desires
that springs up from the soil of flesh.
28) Now spirit loves the pure, the good, the true; the body of desires extols
the selfish self; the soul becomes the battle ground between the two.
29) And blessed is the man whose spirit is triumphant and whose lower self is
purified; whose soul is cleansed, becoming fit to be the council chamber of the
manifests of Tao Great.
30) Thus closed the lesson of Salome.
CHAPTER 10
Elihu's lessons.
The Brahmic religion. Life of Abram. Jewish sacred books.
The Persian religion.
ELIHU
taught; he said,
In ancient times a people in the East were worshippers
of God, the One, whom they called Brahm.
2) Their laws were just; they lived in peace; they saw the light within; they
walked in wisdom's ways.
3) But priests with carnal aims arose, who changed the laws to suit the carnal
mind; bound heavy burdens on the poor, and scorned the rules of right; and so
the Brahms became corrupt.
4) But in the darkness of the age a few great masters stood unmoved; they loved
the name of Brahm; they were great beacon lights
before the world.
5) And they preserved inviolate the wisdom of their holy Brahm,
and you may read this wisdom in their sacred books.
6) And in Chaldea, Brahm was known. A pious Brahm named Terah lived in Ur;
his son was so devoted to the Brahmic faith that he
was called A-Brahm; and he was set apart to be the
father of the Hebrew race.
7) Now, Terah took his wife and sons and all his
flocks and herds to Haran in the West; here Terah
died.
8) And Abram took the flocks and herds, and with his kindred journeyed farther
west;
9) And when he reached the Oaks of Morah
in the land of Canaan, he pitched his tents and there abode.
10) A famine swept the land and Abram took his kindred and his flocks and herds
and came to Egypt, and in these fertile plains of Zoan
pitched his tent, and here abode.
11) And men still mark the place where Abram lived – across the plain.
12) You ask why Abram came to Egypt land? This is the cradle-land of the
initiate; all secret things belong to Egypt land; and this is why the masters
come.
13) In Zoan Abram taught his science of the stars, and in that sacred temple over there he learned the
wisdom of the wise.
14) And when his lessons all were learned, he took his kindred and his flocks and
herds and journeyed back to Canaan, and in the plains of Mamre
pitched his tent, and there he lived, and there he died.
15) And records of his life and works and of his sons, and of the tribes of
Israel, are well preserved in Jewish sacred books.
16) In Persia Brahm was known, and feared. Men saw
him as the One, the causeless Cause of all that is, and he was sacred unto
them, as Tao to the dwellers of the farther East.
17) The people lived in peace, and justice ruled.
18) But, as in other lands, in Persia priests arose imbued with self and self
desires, who outraged Force, Intelligence and Love;
19) Religion grew corrupt, and birds and beasts and creeping things were set
apart as gods.
20) In course of time a lofty soul, whom men called Zarathustra, came in flesh.
21) He saw the causeless Spirit, high and lifted up; he saw the weakness of all
man-appointed gods.
22) He spoke and all of Persia heard; and when he said, One God, one people and
one shrine, the altars of the idols fell, and Persia was redeemed.
23) But men must see their Gods with human eyes, and Zarathustra said,
24) The greatest of the Spirits standing near the
throne is the Ahura Mazda, who manifests in
brightness of the sun.
25) And all the people saw Ahura Mazda in the sun,
and they fell down and worshipped him in temples of the sun.
26) And Persia is the magian land where live the
priests who saw the star arise to mark the place where Mary's son was born, and
were the first to greet him as the Prince of Peace.
27) The precepts and the laws of Zarathustra are preserved in the Avesta which you can read and make your own.
28) But you must know that words are naught till they are made alive; until the
lessons they contain become a part of head and heart.
29) Now truth is one; but no one knows the truth until he is the truth. It is
recorded in an ancient book.
30) Truth is the leavening power of God; it can transmute the all of life into
itself; and when the all of life is truth, then man is truth.
Elihu's lessons.
Buddhism and the precepts of Buddha. The mysteries of Egypt.
AGAIN Elihu taught; he said,
The Indian priests became corrupt; Brahm
was forgotten in the streets; the rights of men were trampled in the dust.
2) And then a mighty master came, a Buddha of enlightenment, who turned away
from wealth and all the honors of the world, and found the Silence in the quiet
groves and caves; and he was blest.
3) He preached a gospel of the higher life, and taught man how to honor man.
4) He had no doctrine of the gods to teach; he just knew man, and so his creed
was justice, love and righteousness.
5) I quote for you a few of many of the helpful words which Buddha spoke:
6) Hate is a cruel word. If men hate you regard it not; and you can turn the
hate of men to love and mercy and goodwill, and mercy is as large as all the
heavens.
7) And there is good enough for all. With good destroy the bad; with generous
deeds make avarice ashamed; with truth make straight the crooked lines that
error draws, for error is but truth distorted, gone astray.
8) And pain will follow him who speaks or acts with evil thoughts, as does the
wheel the foot of him who draws the cart.
9) He is a greater man who conquers self than he who kills a thousand men in
war.
10) He is the noble man who is himself what he believes what other men should
be.
11) Return to him who does you wrong your purest love, and he will cease from
doing wrong; for love will purify the heart of him who is beloved as truly as
it purifies the heart of him who loves.
12) The words of Buddha are recorded in the Indian sacred books; attend to
them, for they are part of the instructions of the Holy Breath.
13) The land of Egypt is the land of secret things.
14) The mysteries of the ages lie lock-bound in our temples and our shines.
15) The masters of all times and climes come here to learn; and when your sons
have grown to manhood they will finish all their studies in Egyptian schools.
16) But I have said enough. Tomorrow at the rising of the sun we meet again.
CHAPTER 12
Salome's lessons.
Prayer .
Elihu's concluding lessons.
Sums up the three years' course of study.
The pupils return to their homes.
NOW,
when the morning sun arose the masters and their pupils all were in the sacred
grove.
2) Salome was the first to speak; she said,
Behold the sun! It manifests the power of God who
speaks to us through sun and moon and stars;
3) Through mountain, hill and vale; through flower,
and plant and tree.
4) God sings for us through bird, and harpsichord, and human voice; he speaks
to us through wind and rain and thunder roll; why should we not bow down and
worship at his feet?
5) God speaks to hearts apart; and hearts apart must speak to him; and this is
prayer.
6) It is not prayer to shout at God, to stand, or sit, or kneel and tell him
all about the sins of men.
7) It is not prayer to tell the Holy One how great he is, how good he is, how
strong and how compassionate.
8) God is not man to be bought up by praise of man.
9) Prayer is the ardent wish that every way of life be light; that every act be
crowned with good; that every living thing be prospered by our ministry.
10) A noble deed, a helpful word is prayer; a fervent, an effectual prayer.
11) The fount of prayer is in the heart; by thought, not words, the heart is
carried up to God, where it is blest, Then let us
pray.
12) They prayed, but not a word was said; but in that holy Silence every heart
was blest.
13) And then Elihu spoke. He said to Mary and
Elizabeth,
Our words are said; you need not tarry longer here;
the call has come; the way is clear, you may return unto your native land.
14) A mighty work is given you to do; you shall direct the minds that will
direct the world.
15) Your sons are set apart to lead men up to righteous thoughts, and words,
and deeds;
16) To make men know the sinfulness of sin; to lead them from the adoration of
the lower self, and all illusive things, and make them conscious of the self
that lives with Christ in God.
17) In preparation for their work your sons must walk in many thorny paths.
18) Fierce trials and temptations they will meet, like other men; their loads
will not be light, and they will weary be, and faint.
19) And they will know the pangs of hunger and of thirst; and without cause
they will be mocked, imprisoned, scourged.
20) To many countries they will go, and at the feet of many masters they will
sit, for they must learn like other men.
21) But we have said enough. The blessings of the Three and of the Seven, who
stand before the throne, will surely rest upon you evermore.
22) Thus closed the lessons of Elihu and
Salome. Three years they taught their pupils in the sacred grove, and if their
lessons all were written in a book, lo, it would be a mighty book; of what they
said we have the sum.
23) Now, Mary, Joseph and Elizabeth with Jesus and his harbinger, set forth
upon their homeward way. They went not by Jerusalem, for Archelaus
reigned.
24) They journeyed by the Bitter Sea, and when they reached Engedi
hills they rested in the home of Joshua, a near of kin; and here Elizabeth and
John abode.
25) But Joseph, Mary and their son went by the Jordan way, and after certain
days they reached their home in Nazareth.
SECTION IV
DALETH
Childhood and Early Education of John, the Harbinger
CHAPTER 13
Elizabeth in Engedi.
Teaches her son. John becomes the pupil of Matheno,
who reveals to him the meaning of sin and the law of forgiveness.
ELIZABETH
was blest; she spent her time with John, and gave to him the lessons that Elihu and Salome had given her.
2) And John delighted in the wildness of his home and in the lessons that he
learned.
3) Now in the hills were many caves. The cave of David was a-near in which the
Hermit of Engedi lived.
4) This hermit was Matheno, priest of Egypt, master
from the temple of Sakara.
5) When John was seven years of age Matheno took him
to the wilderness and in the cave of David they abode.
6) Matheno taught, and John was thrilled with what
the master said, and day by day Matheno opened up to
him the mysteries of life.
7) John loved the wilderness; he loved his master and his simple fare. Their
food was fruits, and nuts, wild honey and the carob bread.
8) Matheno was an Israelite, and he attended all the
Jewish feasts.
9) When John was nine years old Matheno took him to a
great feast in Jerusalem.
10) The wicked Archelaus had been deposed and exiled
to a distant land because of selfishness and cruelty, and John was not afraid.
11) John was delighted with his visit to Jerusalem. Matheno
told him all about the service of the Jews; the meaning of their sacrifices and
their rites.
12) John could not understand how sin could be forgiven by killing animals and
birds and burning them before the Lord.
13) Matheno said,
The God of heaven and earth does not require
sacrifice. This custom, with its cruel rites, was borrowed from the idol worshippers
of other lands.
14) No sin was ever blotted out by sacrifice of animal, of bird, or man.
15) Sin is the rushing forth of man into fens of wickedness. If one would get
away from sin he must retrace his steps, and find his way out of the fens of
wickedness.
16) Return and purify your hearts by love and righteousness and you shall be
forgiven.
17) This is the burden of the message that the harbinger shall bring to men.
18) What is forgiveness? John
inquired.
19) Matheno said,
It is the paying up of debts. A man who wrongs another
man can never be forgiven until he rights the wrong.
20) The Vedas says that none can right the wrong but him who does the wrong.
21) John said,
If this be true where is the power to forgive except
the power that rests in man himself? Can man forgive himself?
22) Matheno said,
The door is wide ajar; you see the way of man's return
to right, and the forgiveness of his sins.
CHAPTER 14
Matheno's lessons.
The doctrine of universal law.
The power of man to choose and to attain.
The benefits of antagonisms. Ancient sacred books.
The place of John and Jesus in the world's history.
MATHENO
and his pupil, John, were talking of the sacred books of olden times, and of
the golden precepts they contained, and John exclaimed,
2) These golden precepts are sublime; what need have
we of other sacred books?
3) Matheno said,
The Spirits of the Holy One cause every
thing to come and go in proper time.
4) The sun has his own time to set, the moon to rise, to wax and wane, the
stars to come and go, the rain to fall, the winds to blow;
5) The seed times and the harvest times to come; man to be born and man to die.
6) These mighty Spirits cause the nations to be born; they rock them in their
cradles, nurture them to greatest power, and when their tasks are done they
wrap them in their winding sheets and lay them in their tombs.
7) Events are many in a nation's life, and in the life of man, that are not
pleasant for the time; but in the end the truth appears: whatever comes is for
the best.
8) Man was created for a noble part; but he could not be made a free man filled
with wisdom, truth and might,
9) If he were hedged about, confined in straits from which he could not pass,
then he would be a toy, a mere machine.
10) Creative spirits gave to man a will; and so he has the power to choose.
11) He may attain the greatest heights, or sink to deepest depths; for what he
wills to gain he has the power to gain.
12) If he desires strength he has the power to gain that strength; but he must
overcome resistances to reach the goal; no strength is ever gained in idleness.
13) So, in the whirl of many-sided conflicts man is placed where he must strive
to extricate himself.
14) In every conflict man gains strength; with every conquest
he attains to greater heights. With every day he finds new duties and new
cares.
15) Man is not carried over dangerous pits, nor helped to overcome his foes. He
is himself his army, and his sword and shield; and he is captain of his hosts.
16) The Holy Ones just light his way. Man never has been left without a beacon
light to guide.
17) And he has ever had a lighted lamp in hand that he may see the dangerous
rocks, the turbid streams and treacherous pits.
18) And so the Holy Ones have judged; when men have needed added light a master
soul has come to earth to give the light.
19) Before the Vedic days the world had many sacred books to light the way; and
when man needed greater light the Vedas, the Avesta
and the books of Tao Great appeared to show the way to greater heights.
20) And in the proper place the Hebrew Bible, with its Law, its Prophets and
its Psalms, appeared for man's enlightenment.
21) But years have passed and men have need of greater light.
22) And now the Day Star from on high begins to shine; and Jesus is the
flesh-made messenger to show that light to men.
23) And you, my pupil, you have been ordained to harbinger the coming day.
24) But you must keep that purity of heart you now possess; and you must light
your lamp directly from the coals that burn upon the altar of the Holy Ones.
25) And then your lamp will be transmuted to a boundless flame, and you will be
a living torch whose light will shine wherever man abides.
26) But in the ages yet to come, man will attain to greater heights, and lights
still more intense will come.
27 And then, at last, a mighty master soul will come to earth to light the way
up to the throne of perfect man.
Death and burial of Elizabeth.
Matheno's lessons. The ministry of death.
The mission of John.
Institution of the rite of baptism.
Matheno takes John to Egypt, and places him in the
temple at Sakara,
where he remains eighteen years.
WHEN
John was twelve years old his mother died, and neighbors laid her body in a tomb
among her kindred in the Hebron burying ground, and near to Zacharias' tomb.
2) And John was deeply grieved; he wept. Matheno said,
It is not well to weep because of death.
3) Death is no enemy of man; it is a friend who, when the work of life is done,
just cuts the cord that binds the human boat to earth, that it may sail on
smoother seas.
4) No language can describe a mother's worth, and yours was tried and true. But
she was not called hence until her tasks were done.
5) The calls of death are always for the best, for we are solving problems
there as well as here; and one is sure to find himself where he can solve his
problems best.
6) It is but selfishness that makes one wish to call again to earth departed
souls.
7) Then let your mother rest in peace. Just let her noble life be strength and
inspiration unto you.
8) A crisis in your life has come, and you must have a clear conception of the
work that you are called to do.
9) The sages of the ages call you harbinger. The prophets look to you and say,
He is Elijah come again.
10) Your mission here is that of harbinger; for you will go before Messiah's
face to pave his way, and make the people ready to receive their king.
11) This readiness is purity of heart; none but the pure in heart can recognize
the king.
12) To teach men to be pure in heart, you must yourself be pure in heart, and
word, and deed.
13) In infancy the vow for you was made and you became a Nazarite.
The razor shall not touch your face nor head, and you
shall taste not wine nor fiery drinks.
14) Men need a pattern for their lives; they love to follow, not to lead.
15) The man who stands upon the corners of the paths and points the way, but
does not go, is just a pointer; and a block of wood can do the same.
16) The teacher treads the way; on every span of ground he leaves his
footprints clearly cut, which all can see and be assured that he, their master
went that way.
17) Men comprehend the inner life by what they see and do. They come to God
through ceremonies and forms.
18) And so when you would make men know that sins are washed away by purity in
life, a rite symbolic may be introduced.
19) In water wash the bodies of the people who would turn away from sin and
strive for purity in life.
20) This rite of cleansing is a preparation rite and they who thus are cleansed
comprise the Church of Purity.
21) And you shall say, You men of Israel, hear; Reform and wash; become the
sons of purity, and you shall be forgiven
22) This rite of cleansing and this church are but symbolic of the cleansing of
the soul by purity in life, and of the kingdom of the soul, which does not come
with outward show, but is the church within.
23) Now, you may never point the way and tell the multitudes to do what you
have never done; but you must go before and show the way.
24) You are to teach that men must wash; so you must lead the way, your body
must be washed, symbolic of the cleansing of the soul.
25) John said,
Why need I wait? May I not go at once and wash?
26) Matheno said,
'Tis well,
and then they went down to the Jordan ford, and east of Jericho, just
where the hosts of Israel crossed when first they entered Canaan, they tarried
for a time.
27) Matheno taught the harbinger, and he explained to
him the inner meaning of the cleansing rite and how to wash himself and how to
wash the multitude.
28) And in the river Jordan John was washed; then they returned unto the
wilderness.
29) Now in Engedi's hills Matheno's
work was done and he and John went down to Egypt. They rested not until they reached
the temple of Sakara in the valley of the Nile.
30) For many years Matheno was a master in this
temple of the Brotherhood, and when he told about the life of John and of his
mission to the sons of men, the hierophant with joy received the harbinger and
he was called the Brother Nazarite.
31) For eighteen years John lived and wrought within these temple gates; and
here he conquered self, became a master mind and learned the duties of the
harbinger.
Continue to next
Section - Chapters 16-35