IT is four hundred and seventy-seven years since the trouble
in the Monastery. There were assembled many holy men
from every part of the civilised world, learned doctors, princes
of the Church, bishops, abbots, deans, all the wisdom of the
world; for the Question was important - how many teeth were
there in a horse's mouth.
For many days the debate swung this way and that, as
Father was quoted against Father, Gospel against Epistle,
Psalm against Proverb; and the summer being hot, and the
shade of the monastery gardens pleasant, a young monk
wearied of the discussion, and rising presumptuously among
those reverend men, impudently proposed that they should
examine the mouth of a horse and settle the question.
Now, there was no precedent for so bold a method, and we
are not to be surprised that those holy men arose right wrathfully
and fell upon the youth and beat him sore.
Having further immured him in a solitary cell, they
resumed debate; but ultimately "in the grievous dearth of
theological and historical opinion" declared the problem
insoluble, an everlasting mystery of the Will of God.
To-day, their successors adopt the same principle with
regard to that darkest of horses, the A∴A∴ They have not only refused to open our mouths, but have even
refused
to look into them when we ourselves have gone to the length
of opening them wide before them.
However, there have been others. Whether we were too
confident or they too easily discouraged is a question unnecessary
to discuss. We hoped to sever at one blow their
bonds; at least we should have loosened them. But their
struggle, which should have aided our efforts, seemed to them
too arduous. They have been perplexed rather than illumined
by the light which we flashed upon them; and even if it
showed a road, gave no sufficient reason why it should be
followed.
Of such we humbly crave the pardon; and in answer to a
seemingly widespread desire to know if we mean anything,
and if so, What? we request those who would know the
Truth of Scientific Illuminism to look into the open mouth of
its doctrine, to follow its simple teachings step by step and
not to turn their backs on it and, walking in the opposite
direction, declare so simple a problem to be an everlasting
mystery.
We are therefore not concerned with those who have not
examined our doctrine of sceptical Theurgy, or scientific
illuminism, or that which lies beyond. Let them examine
without prejudice.
Some, too, have raised weapons against us, thinking to
hurt us. But malice is only the result of ignorance; let them
examine us, and they will love us. The sword is not yet
forged that can divide him whose helmet is Truth. Nor is the
arrow yet fledged that will pierce the flesh of one who is
clothed in the glittering armour of mirth. So here, and now,
and with us; he who climbs the Mountain we point out to
him, and which we have climbed; he who journeys by the
chart we offer to him, and which we have followed, on his
return will come in unto us as one who has authority; for
he alone who has climbed the summit can speak with truth
of those things that from there are to be seen, for HE
KNOWS. But he who stands afar off, and jests, saying:
"It is not a Mountain, it is a cloud; it is not a cloud, it is a
shadow; it is not a shadow, it is an illusion; it is not an
illusion, it is indeed nothing at all!" - who but a fool will
heed him? for not having journeyed one step, HE KNOWS
NOT concerning those things of which he speaks.
To make ourselves now utterly plain to all such as have
misunderstood us, we will formulate our statement in many
ways, so that at least there may be found one acceptable to
each seeker who is open to conviction.
I
1. We perceive in the sensible world, Sorrow. Ultimately
that is; we admit the Existence of a Problem requiring
solution.
2. We accept the proofs of Hume, Kant, Herbert Spencer,
Fuller, and others of this thesis:
The Ratiocinative Faculty or Reason of Man contains in its
essential nature an element of self-contradiction.
3. Following on this, we say:
If any resolution there be of these two problems, the
Vanity of Life and the Vanity of Thought, it must be in the
attainment of a Consciousness which transcends both of
them. Let us call this supernormal consciousness, or, for want
of a better name, "Spiritual Experience."
4. Faith has been proposed as a remedy. But we perceive
many incompatible forms of Faith founded on Authority -
The Vedas, The Quran, The Bible; Buddha, Christ, Joseph
Smith. To choose between the we must resort to reason,
already shown to be a fallacious guide.
5. There is only one Rock which Scepticism cannot shake;
the Rock of Experience.
6. We have therefore endeavoured to eliminate from the
conditions of acquiring Spiritual Experience its dogmatic,
theological, accidental, climatic and other inessential elements.
7. We require the employment of a strictly scientific
method. The mind of the seeker must be unbiased: all
prejudice and other sources of error must be perceived as such
and extirpated.
8. We have therefore devised a Syncretic - Eclectic Method
combining the essentials of all methods, rejecting all their
trammels, to attack the Problem, through exact experiments
and not by guesses.
9. For each pupil we recommend a different method (in
detail) suited to his needs; just as a physician prescribes the
medicine proper to each particular patient.
10. We further believe that the Consummation of Spiritual
Experience is reflected into the spheres of intellect and action
as Genius, so that by taking an ordinary man we can by
training produce a Master.
This thesis requires proof: we hope to supply such proof
by producing Genius to order.
II
1. There is no hope in physical life, since death of the
individual, the race, and ultimately the planet, ends all.
2. There is no hope in reason, since it contradicts itself,
and is in any case no more than a reflection upon the facts of
physical life.
3. What hope there may be in Investigation of the
physical facts of Nature on Scientific lines is already actively
sought after by a powerful and well-organized body of men of
perfect probity and high capacity.
4. There is no hope in Faith, for there are many warring
Faiths, all equally positive.
5. The adepts of Spiritual Experience promise us
wonderful things, the Perception of Truth, and the Conquest
of Sorrow, and there is enough unity in their method to make
an Eclectic System possible.
6. We are determined to investigate this matter most
thoroughly on Scientific lines.
III
1. We are Mystics, ever eagerly seeking a solution of
unpleasant facts.
2. We are Men of Science, ever eagerly acquiring
pertinent facts.
3. We are Sceptics, ever eagerly examining those facts.
4. We are Philosophers, ever eagerly classifying and coordinating
those well-criticised facts.
5. We are Epicureans, ever eagerly enjoying the
unification of those facts.
6. We are Philanthropists, ever eagerly transmitting our
knowledge of those facts to others.
7. Further, we are Syncretists, taking truth from all
systems, ancient and modern; and Eclectics, ruthlessly
discarding the inessential factors in any one system, however
perfect.
IV
1. Faith, Life, Philosophy have failed.
2. Science is already established.
3. Mysticism, being based on pure experience, is always a
vital force; but owing to the lack of trained observation, has
always been a mass of error. Spiritual Experience, interpreted
in the terms of Intellect, is distorted; just as sunrise shows the
grass green and the sea blue. Both were invisible until sunrise;
yet the diversity of colour is not in the sun, but in the objects
on which its light falls, and their contradiction does not prove
the sun to be an illusion.
4. We shall correct Mysticism (or Illuminism) by Science,
and explain Science by Illuminism.
V
1. We have one method, that of Science.
2. We have one aim, that of Religion.
VI
There was once an Inhabitant in a land called Utopia
who complained to the Water Company that his water was
impure.
"No," answered the Water Man, "it can't be impure, for
we filter it."
"Oh indeed!" replied the Inhabitant, "but my wife died
from drinking it."
"No," said the Water Man; "I assure you that this
water comes from the purest springs in Utopia; further, that
water, however impure, cannot hurt anybody; further, that I
have a certificate of its purity from the Water Company
itself."
"The people who pay you!" sneered the Inhabitant. "For
your other points, Haeckel has proved that all water is poison,
and I believe you get your water from a cesspool. Why, look
at it!"
"And beautiful clear water it is!" said the Water Man.
"Limpid as crystal. Worth a guinea a drop!"
"About what you charge for it!" retorted the incensed
Inhabitant. "It looks fairly clear, I admit, in the twilight. But
that is not the point. A poison need not cloud water."
"But," urged the other, "one of our directors is a prophet,
and he prophesied - clearly, in so many words - that the water
would be pure this year. And besides, our first founder was
a holy man, who performed a special miracle to make it pure
for ever!"
"Your evidence is as tainted as your water," replied the
now infuriated householder.
So off they went to the Judge.
The Judge heard the case carefully. "My good friends!"
said he, "you've neither of you got a leg to stand on; for in all
you say there is not one grain of proof. - The case is
dismissed."
The Water Inspector rose jubilant, when from the body of
the Court came a still small voice.
"Might I respectfully suggest, your Worship, that the water
in question be examined through my Microscope?"
"What in thunder is a Microscope?" cried the three in
chorus.
"An instrument, your Worship, that I have constructed on
the admitted principles of optics, to demonstrate by
experience what these gentlemen are arguing about a priori
and on hearsay."
Then they both rose up against him, and cursed him.
"Unscientific balderdash!" said the Water Man, for the
first time speaking respectfully of Science.
"Blasphemous Nonsense!" said the Inhabitant, for the first
time speaking respectfully of Religion.
"Wait and see," said the Judge; for he was a just Judge.
Then the Man with the Microscope explained the uses of
this new and strange instrument. And the Judge patiently
investigated all sources of error, and concluded in the end
that the instrument was a true revealer of the secrets of the
water. And he pronounced just judgment.
But the others were blinded by passion and self-interest.
They only quarrelled more noisily, and were finally turned out
of court. But the Judge caused the Man with the Microscope
to be appointed Government Analyst at 12,000 pounds a year.
Now the Water Man is the Believer, and the Inhabitant
the Unbeliever. The Judge is the Agnostic - in Huxley's
sense of the word; and the Man with the Microscope is the
Scientific Illuminist.
Curious as it may seem, all this was most carefully explained in No. 1 of this Review, in Mr. Frank Harris's "The
Magic Glasses."
Mr. 'Allett is the Materialist, Canon Bayton the Idealist,
the Judge's daughter is the Agnostic, and Matthew Penry the
Scientific Illuminist. If the little girl had been able to
"follow up the light," she might there have seen Penry
standing, his head and his feet white like wool, and his eyes a
flaming fire!
This, then, in one language or another, is our philosophical
position. But for those who are not content with this, let it be
said that there is something more behind and beyond. Among
us are those who have experienced things of a nature so
exalted that no words ever penned could even adumbrate
them faintly. The communication of such knowledge, so far
as it is at all possible, must be a personal thing; and we offer it
with both hands.
It is simple to write to the Chancellor of the A∴A∴ at the
care of the publishers, 23 Paternoster Row, E.C.; a neophyte
of the Order will be detailed to meet the inquirer. He will
read to him the History of the Order and explain the task of
the Probationer. For we give to each inquirer a year's study;
mutual, so that he may decide whether we can indeed give
that which he wishes, and so that we may know exactly what
training is suitable for him.
Also because we are subtle of mind, many are offended.
For we wished to test the world by the touchstone of THE
EQUINOX. Those who perceived the essential gold that lay
hidden in that hard rock are now busy delving out the same;
many are thereby become rich.
So I who write this for the Brethren, with all humility and
awe, do seriously summon all men unto the Search, even
those who are offended because I laugh, gazing into the Eyes
of the Beloved; and those who are offended because I hate the
veil of words that hides the face of the Beloved; and those
who are offended because my passion for the Beloved is too
virile and eager to suit their awe; perhaps they forget that
passion means suffering.
But let them know that my Beloved is mine and I am his;
he feedeth among the lilies.
The above quote is from Equinox Volume One, Number II.
