THE BIG STICK
COUNTERPARTS. Vol. XVI of THE BROTHERHOOD OF THE NEW LIFE. An
Epitome of the Work and Teaching of Thomas Lake Harris. By
RESPIRO. 2s. 6d. net. A New Edition. C. W. Pearce and Co., 139, West
Regent Street, Glasgow.
If we are in any way to shadow forth the Ineffable, it must be by a degrada-
tion. Every symbol is a blasphemy against the Truth that it indicates. A
painter to remind us of the sunlight has no better material than dull ochre.
So we need not be surprised if the Unity of Subject and Object in Con-
sciousness which is Samadhi, the uniting of the Bride and the Lamb which is
Heaven, the uniting of the Magus and the God which is Evocation, the uniting
of the Man and his Holy Guardian Angel which is the seal upon the work of
the Adeptus Minor, is symbolized by the geometrical unity of the circle and
the square, the arithmetical unity of the 5 and the 6, and (for more universality
of comprehension) the uniting of the Lingam and the Yoni, the Cross and the
Rose, For as in earth-life the sexual ecstasy is the loss of self in the Beloved,
the creation of a third consciousness transcending its parents, which is again
reflected into matter as a child; so, immeasurably higher, upon the Plane of
Spirit, Subject and Object join to disappear, leaving a transcendent unity. This
third is ecstasy and death; as below, so above.
It is then with no uncleanness of mind that all races of men have adored an
ithyphallic god; to those who can never lift their eyes above the basest plane
the sacrament seems filth.
Much, if not all, of the attacks upon Thomas Lake Harris and his worthy
successor “Respiro” is due to this persistent misconception by prurient and
degraded minds.
When a sculptor sees a block of marble he thinks “ How beautiful a statue is
hidden in this! I have only to knock off the chips, and it will appear!”
This being achieved, the builder comes along, and says: “I will burn this,
and get lime for my mortar.” There are more builders than sculptors in
England.
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