The Equinox (Volume I, Number I)

THE EQUINOX winnowed from the husks of darkness, and now as an eye of silver it glided over the dark face of the waters. Chaos was taking form—red, vague and immense. He had passed through the Ritual of Earth, Air, Water, and Fire, and now it was left to him to pass through the Ritual of the Portal, or the Ritual which completes the four elemental rituals by a fifth, the Ritual of the Spirit, before he could pass from the First Order to the Second. This ritual is an important one, as it is the connecting- link between the first two orders, and in an abridged form is as follows : THE RITUAL OF THE 24TH, 25TH, AND 26TH PATHS Leading from the First Order of theG . +. D . + . in the Outer to the 5°=6° Officers: V. H. Hierophant Inductor ; V. H. Associate Adept OPENING The Hierophant Inductor first asks the Fratres and Sorores present to assist him to open the Portal of the Vault of the Adepts. The Fratres and Sorores then give the signs of the various grades from 0° = 0° to 4°= 7°. The Hierophant Inductor then says to the Associate Adept: V. H. Associate Adept, what is the additional mystic title bestowed upon a Philo- sophus, as a link with the Second Order? Associate Adept: Phrath, Hierophant Inductor ; To what does it allude? Associate Adept : To the fourth River of Eden. Hierophant Inductor: What is this Sign? Associate Adept: The Sign of the rending of the Veil (gives it).* Hierophant Inductor ; What is the answering sign? Associate Adept: The Sign of the closing of the Veil (gives it).t Hierophant Inductor: What is the Word ? Associate Adept: Pe. ». Hierophant Inductor: Resh. 9. Associate Adept: Kaph. 3. Hierophant Inductor: Tau. p. Associate Adept: The whole word is Paroketh m575, meaning the Veil of the ‘Tabernacle. * and +. For these signs see Liber O, No. II., vol. i., Tue Equinox. 284