Esoteric Christianity by Annie Besant (interesting books to read for teens .txt) 📕

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closely resemble that of a refined product of a coarse idea, and the only method of deciding between degeneration and evolution would be the examination, if possible, of intermediate and remote ancestors. The evidence brought forward by believers in the Wisdom is of this kind. They allege: that the Founders of religions, judged by the records of their teachings, were far above the level of average humanity; that the Scriptures of religions contain moral precepts, sublime ideals, poetical aspirations, profound philosophical statements, which are not even approached in beauty and elevation by later writings in the same religions--that is, that the old is higher than the new, instead of the new being higher than the old; that no case can be shown of the refining and improving process alleged to be the source of current religions, whereas many cases of degeneracy from pure teachings can be adduced; that even among savages, if their religions be carefully studied, many traces of lofty ideas can be found, ideas whi

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[69] Ante-Nicene Library, Vol. XII. Clement of Alexandria. Stromata, bk. V. ch. x. Some additional sayings of the Apostles will be found in the quotations from Clement, showing what meaning they bore in the minds of those who succeeded the apostles, and were living in the same atmosphere of thought.

[70] I. Tim. iii. 9, 16.

[71] I. Tim. i. 18.

[72] Ibid., iv. 14.

[73] Ibid., vi. 13.

[74] Ibid., 20.

[75] II. Tim. i. 13, 14.

[76] Ibid., ii. 2.

[77] Phil. iii. 8, 10-12, 14, 15.

[78] Rev. i. 18. "I am He that liveth, and was dead; and behold, I am alive for evermore. Amen."

[79] II. Cor. v. 16.

[80] Gal. iii. 27.

[81] Gal. iv. 19.

[82] I. Cor. iv. 15.

[83] I. S. Pet. iii. 4.

[84] Eph. iv. 13.

[85] Col. i. 24.

[86] II. Cor. iv. 10.

[87] Gal. ii. 20.

[88] II. Tim. iv. 6, 8.

[89] Rev. iii. 12.

[90] Gal. iv. 22-31.

[91] I Cor. x. 1-4.

[92] Eph. v. 23-32.

[93] Vol. I. The Martyrdom of Ignatius, ch. iii. The translations used are those of Clarke's Ante-Nicene Library, a most useful compendium of Christian antiquity. The number of the volume which stands first in the references is the number of the volume in that Series.

[94] Ibid. The Epistle of Polycarp, ch. xii.

[95] Ibid. The Epistle of Barnabas, ch. i.

[96] Ibid. ch. x.

[97] Ibid. The Martyrdom of Ignatius, ch. i.

[98] Ibid. Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians, ch. iii.

[99] Ibid. ch. xii.

[100] Ibid. to the Trallians, ch. v.

[101] Ibid. to the Philadelphians, ch. ix.

[102] Vol. IV. Clement of Alexandria Stromata, bk. I. ch. i.

[103] Vol. IV. Stromata, bk. I. ch. xxviii.

[104] It appears that even in those days there were some who objected to any truth being taught secretly!

[105] Ibid. bk. I, ch. i.

[106] Ibid. bk. V., ch. iv.

[107] Ibid. ch. v.-viii.

[108] Ibid. ch. ix.

[109] Ibid. bk. V., ch. x.

[110] Loc. Cit. xv. 29.

[111] Ibid. xvi. 25, 26; the version quoted differs in words, but not in meaning, from the English Authorised Version.

[112] Stromata, bk. V., ch. x.

[113] Ibid. bk. VI., ch. vii.

[114] Ibid. bk. VII., ch. xiv.

[115] Ibid. bk. VI., ch. xv.

[116] Ibid. bk. VI. x.

[117] Ibid. bk. VI. vii.

[118] Ibid. bk. I. ch. vi.

[119] Ibid. ch. ix.

[120] Ibid. bk. VI. ch. x.

[121] Ibid. bk. I. ch. xiii.

[122] Vol XII. Stromata, bk. V. ch. iv.

[123] Ibid. bk. VI. ch. xv.

[124] Book I. of Against Celsus is found in Vol. X. of the Ante-Nicene Library. The remaining books are in Vol. XXIII.

[125] Vol. X. Origen against Celsus, bk. I. ch. vii.

[126] Ibid.

[127] Ex. xxv. 40, xxvi. 30, and compare with Heb. viii. 5, and ix. 25.

[128] Origen against Celsus, bk. IV. ch. xvi.

[129] Ibid. bk. III. ch. lix.

[130] Ibid. ch. lxi.

[131] Ibid. ch. lxii.

[132] Ibid., ch. lx.

[133] Vol. XXIII. Origen against Celsus, bk. V. ch. xxv.

[134] Ibid. ch. xxviii.

[135] Ibid. ch. xxix.

[136] Ibid. ch. xx xi.

[137] Ibid. ch. xxxii.

[138] Ibid. ch. xlv.

[139] Ibid. ch. xlvi.

[140] Ibid. chs. xlvii.-liv.

[141] Ibid. ch. lxxiv.

[142] Ibid. bk. IV., ch. xxxix.

[143] Vol. X. Origen against Celsus, bk. I., ch. xvii, and others.

[144] Ibid. ch. xlii.

[145] Vol. X. De Principiis, Preface, p. 8.

[146] Ibid. ch. i.

[147] S. John xiv. 18-20.

[148] Loc. cit. ch. i. sec. III. p. 55.

[149] Ibid. ch. I. Sec. III. pp. 55, 56.

[150] Ibid. pp. 54, 55.

[151] "Seems to have been" is a somewhat weak expression, after what is said by Clement and Origen, of which some specimens are given in the text.

[152] Ibid., p. 62.

[153] Article on "Mysticism."—Encyc. Britan.

[154] Article "Mysticism." Encyclopædia Britannica.

[155] Orpheus, pp. 53, 54.

[156] Obligation must be here acknowledged to the Article "Mysticism," in the Encyc. Brit., though that publication is by no means responsible for the opinions expressed.

[157] The Mysteries of Magic. Trans. by A. E. Waite, pp. 58 and 60.

[158] II. S. Peter i. 5.

[159] Gal. iv. 19.

[160] II. Cor. v. 16.

[161] S. John i. 14.

[162] S. John i. 32.

[163] S. Matt. iii. 17.

[164] Ibid. iv. 17.

[165] I. Tim. iii. 16.

[166] S. John x. 34-36.

[167] S. John xiv. 18, 19.

[168] Valentinus. Trans. by G. R. S. Mead. Pistis Sophia, bk. i., I.

[169] Ante, p. 72.

[170] Ibid. 60.

[171] Ibid. bk. ii., 218.

[172] Ibid. 230.

[173] Ibid. 357.

[174] Ibid. 377.

[175] Vol. II. Justin Martyr. First Apology, §§ liv., lxii., and lxvi.

[176] Vol. II. Justin Martyr. Second Apology, § xiii.

[177] Vol. VII. Tertullian, On Baptism, ch. v.

[178] The student might read Plato's account of the "Cave" and its inhabitants, remembering that Plato was an Initiate. Republic, Bk. vii.

[179] Eliphas Lévi The Mysteries of Magic, p. 48.

[180] Bonwick. Egyptian Belief, p. 157. Quoted in Williamson's Great Law, p. 26.

[181] The festival "Natalis Solis Invicti," the birthday of the Invincible Sun.

[182] Williamson. The Great Law, pp. 40-42. Those who wish to study this matter as one of Comparative Religion cannot do better than read The Great Law, whose author is a profoundly religious man and a Christian.

[183] Ibid. pp. 36, 37.

[184] The Great Law, p. 116.

[185] Ibid. p. 58.

[186] Ibid. p. 56.

[187] Ibid. pp. 120-123.

[188] See on this the opening of the Johannine Gospel, i. 1-5. The name Logos, ascribed to the manifested God, shaping matter—"all things were made by Him"—is Platonic, and is hence directly derived from the Mysteries; ages before Plato, Vâk, Voice, derived from the same source, was used among Hindus.

[189] See Ante, pp. 124.

[190] See Ante, pp. 93-94.

[191] See Ante, p. 85.

[192] II. Cor. iv. 18.

[193] II. Cor. v. 7.

[194] Heb. v. 14.

[195] S. Luke xv. 16.

[196] Ibid. xiv. 26.

[197] S. Matt. v. 28.

[198] Heb. xi. 27.

[199] S. Matt v. 45.

[200] S. Luke ix. 49, 50.