Chine. Zerl.
1.Master: Who art thou, and thy business?
2. Initiate: A weaver of fabric (or whatever labor he followeth) and lover of wisdom. I have come to learn of the wisdom of the Gods and Lords of heaven.
3. For thy labor thou art honored by the Gods and Lord of heaven. But erst thou canst learn of heaven thou shalt be proved in corporeal parts. What are the elements?
4. Earth, air and the other above the air.
5. What is man and his destiny?
6. Born of the earth, earthly; freed from the earth his inner part, the soul, ascendeth and dwelleth in the soul of things.
7. What, shall a dead man live?
8. Yea, and rejoice that he so liveth. I have witnessed the souls of men returned to the earth, reclothed in corporeal substance, and talked with them face to face in presence of witnesses.
Plate79.--CEREMONIES IN SUN DEGREE.
A, Master. B, initiate. C, first gate. D, second gate. F, third gate. G, fourth sacrifice. I, oath of allegiance. J, place of death, represented by bones and skull. K, coffin. L, proof of spirit-power to overcome pain. M, submission to have the body run through with a lance. N, testimony that the initiate could endure all corporeal torture unharmed. This is the inner circle. The outside or body of the crescent representeth the jewels and places of the Gods and Lords of heaven and their mortal representatives, together with the tools, implements and kind of industry to which each and every one was assigned. These constituted the audience during the ceremonies, the workers being stationed in the inner circle.
9. Then thou fearest not to die?
10. I am in the keeping of Hong-she, Savior of man.
11. Who was Hong-she?
12. The only begotten Son of the Unseen. He was the incarnate and spiritual Son of the All Light of heaven and earth, born of the Virgin Mi, who was descended from the far-off star, Tristya.
13. For what purpose came He? And whither hath He gone?
14. He was made by Great Eolin, Creator of all things, to take charge of this corporeal world, which is His, to keep it forever. He abideth still in spirit on this corporeal world.
15. Where and when lived He?
16. In the ancient days He lived in the far east.
17. What was His labor?
18. To do good. In Him was no evil; He was the All First who taught the power of the spirit over the corporeal part. All who have faith in Him, can also work miracles, nor shall such persons ever die.
19. What became of Him?
20. First He was bound on the wheel of Eolin; but the spirits of heaven unbound Him. Then His hands were thrust through with swords, but there was no wound. He was then bound on an altar of sacrifice and burnt, but His corporeal parts would not consume, and He walked forth unharmed. Then a sword was thrust through His body, but it made no wound and gave no pain. Then He was placed in a coffin and buried, but in three days he rose up out of the grave and went forth preaching.
21. What became of Him finally?
22. He still abideth on the corporeal earth, and at times taketh on a corporeal body and showeth Himself, He and His mother Mi, also.
23. What did He preach?
24. To do good unto others; to harm no man, woman, nor child, and to pray only to the Great Eolin; to heal the sick by sacred words, and by motions of the hand. It is to learn these sacred words and signs that I have come to this holy temple.
25. Before thou canst be intrusted with such signs and words, thou shalt be proven on thy God and Savior, that thy faith be manifest. Know, then, that although thou art blindfolded and seest not, yet thou art surrounded by Gods and Lords of heaven and earth, and by a mortal priest most holy and powerful. If thou hast faith in thine own words, and thus knowest the Son of the Sun, thou hast little to fear. Follow, therefore, thy attendants to the places of sacrifice, that we may bear testimony that thou art holy. Remember, also, that all men must be tried, either in the corporeal world or in the next; without this there is no resurrection for them.
26. I trust in Thee, O my Savior, Hong-she. Let the attendants lead me forth.
(The initiate is then taken and bound down on the altar H. naked, and a fire lighted under him, and he thrusteth his right arm down into the flames until it be proved he hath power over fire and will not burn.)
27. M.: By virtue of my power received from Hong-she, Son of the All Light, Savior of men, I pronounce E'gau (i.e., he is Gau). Release him, O ye Lords of the Heavenly Host. As the All Holy Savior of men penetrateth the corporeal part, so shall the corporeal part be divided.
28. I.: In Thee, O my Savior, God of this corporeal world, put I my trust. Lead me forth, O ye of the corporeal earth, and prove my soul.
(He is next led to So-an, and there a sharp blade is thrust through his hand and withdrawn, and, if proved, there is no wound nor blood.)
29. M.: By Thy Light, Hong-she, descended in Fo'e'tse, angel messenger of the corporeal world, this is my brother of Chine and legion of Zerl. But yet a greater gift hast Thou for him. Lead him forth, O ye Lords of the corporeal world, and thrust a sword through his body.
30. I.: Go forth, O ye Lords of the corporeal world, ye know not what manner the spirit is of. Forgive them, O Almighty, Hong-she, Son of Eolin, Creator of worlds. This is Thy body, this Thy blood. Let them eat and drink of them, in remembrance of Thee. Thy hand will deliver; my soul shall never die!
(A sword is then thrust through the body and withdrawn, but there is no wound nor blood.)
31. I.: In remembrance of Him do I these things. Behold the power of faith. By faith the All Creator created.
32. M.: By thy words shalt thou be proven. O ye Lords of the corporeal world, bring him sand and water and a veil. By His command shall a rose bloom in our midst.
33. I.: O Thou, Hong-she, only first begotten Son of Du'e Mi, Mother of Eolin, Spouse of the All Light, offspring of the Creator of worlds, give me of Thy power for the blessings of the corporeal world.
(Sand and water and a veil are brought before him, and he covereth the sand and water with the veil and repeateth thus:)
34. I.: As Gau from nothing sprang and stood triumphant on the corporeal world; so, forth, come thou, the fibre of corporeal parts, and clothe the spirit-rose mine eyes behold.
(The rose or roses are then beholden, fresh grown amid the sand and water.)
35. M.: This day Thee I crown my brother He'den'loo (Magi), of the Savior empowered on the corporeal earth to dwell by holy land and water!
(The initiate then taketh of the water and sand and sprinkleth the attendants.)
36. I.: This is My blood and My Body, saith Hong-she, the All Quickener. Take ye of them in my name.
37. The Lords (together): Behold the Es that ruleth over Corpor. Be mighty in will, O children of men. Be wise of will, O children of men. Be all truth in will, O children of men. Be all good works, O children of men. In all your best thoughts and wise perceiving, O children of men, learn from Es, the world unseen.
38. (The Lords conduct him to the middle chamber, where he taketh the oath.)
39. I.: To celibacy I am sworn, for he who begetteth a child is bound in spirit, after death, unto his own offspring.
40. To the Es world I am all remembrance. To the corporeal world all forgetful henceforth forever.
41. All vain words do I renounce; all idle laughter do I renounce; all love of corporeal things do I renounce with abhorrence.
42. M.: What of the Es, the great Unseen?
43. I.: Two heavens there are: one resteth on the corporeal earth; one standeth high in the firmament.
44. Betwixt the twain lieth the bridge Chinvat, where standeth Hong-she, Savior of men. By His love can the children of men pass; by His curse must they return to the lower heaven till purged of all corporeal thoughts.
45. By the trumpet, loud sounding, of Fo'e'tses, Chief of the Heavenly Host, knowest the Son of the All Light the secrets of the souls of men.
46. (The Gods (angels) stationed at the four gates now come forward and salute. Then come the Lords (angels) of the outer host, with the working tools, and, together, they sing to the Great He'jo'is.)
47. M.: For what purpose is this coffin?
48. I.: That I may be coffined and buried in the corporeal earth.
49. M.: Let the lords of earth bury him in the name of Anra'mainyus (or Ugh'sa), the all corporeal death.
50. The initiate is then coffined and buried, and a watch set around the grave, over which a veil is thrown, and in the darkness the angels unearth him and set him free. Thereupon he is bestowed with regalia and implements, and with signs and holy words, the which can not be given outside the Sun degree of Faithists. Neither can the implements and working tools of the Lords and Gods of the outer circle be revealed save to such as have been duly prepared by fasting and by prayer, and by a knowledge of the motions and positions of the corporeal worlds. Jehovih saith: Only to the wise, the pure, and the just, do I reveal the mysteries of My kingdoms.