Our story of Atlantis. Written down for the Hermetic Brotherhood

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o

PERKINS LIBRARY Uulce University

Kare Dooks

i. ^L-Vry^t

V

~JTirL'-

was

He

really a part of the

accounts for

in a different

its

dis-

way, but that

merely incidental. Donnelly's theory was that the land was sub-

merged by some great volcanic upheaval, and that

from those who escaped

Europe and Asia came the Sir Daniel

to the continents of

tradition of the deluge.

rejects this explanation as being dis-

proved by the fact that there are no traces of such volcanic action either on the continent or

ocean bed. tians, the

He

in

the

believes that the ancient Eg^'p-

most progressive and adventurous people

of ancient times,

discovered

the continent,

but

that in the decline both of their learning and

power,

it

became

lost to

view and existed

at the

time our knowledge of Egypt begins merely as a shado\\'y tradition. It

is

his opinion that traces of the Eg]i'ptians

of those days are to be sought in the ruined cities of Central America,

whose origin has never been

— OF ATLANTIS.

ii

determined nor even been made the basis of any reasonable

Such

theory.

a

would

discovery

furnish a substantial basis for the legend of lost

Atlantis and the theory invests those

derful

ruins

tlie

won-

with a new interest for the an-

tiquarians.

The a

St.

"Atlantis was

Louis Republic said:

continent supposed to have existed at a very

early period in the Atlantic Ocean, over against

the Pillars of Hercules," but

which was subse-

quently sunk

of

in

gives no record.

account of information

whom

it,

a cataclysm

Plato

and he

from

"Atlantis

who

the first

said to

in contact.

was

a

gives an

have obtained

some Egyptian

he had come

says:

is

is

which history

priests

his

with

Plato's account

continent

larger

Asia and Africa put together, and that at

its

than west-

ern extremity were islands which afforded easy

passage to a large continent lying this last

to be

still

beyond

mentioned continent being now supposed

South America."

Nine thousand years

be-

OUR STORY

12

fore the time of Plato, according to the tradition,

Atlantis

was

a powerful,

which extended

way over Africa and

the major

now

Europe, "even to as far

Tyrrhenian Sea."

Further progress of the

portion of as the

its

thickly settled-country

invasion

what

Greeks.

was checked by

the Atlantides

of

combined

is

efforts

of

Athenians

the

and

the

other

Shortly after the invaders were driven

from the continents of Europe and Africa earthquake shook Atlantis cumference.

First,

the

a great

from center

outlying

to

islands

cir-

sank;

Waves

then great areas of the mainland.

ran

mountain high across hundreds of square miles of

what had

the day before been

Great temples were racked and affrighted

populace climbed

fertile

riven,

fields.

and the

upon the nuns

escape the encroaching waters.

On

to

the second

day, after a night of terrors wiiich no pen could possibly describe, the earthquake shocks

were of

greatly increased violence, ending only after the entire continent

had been engulfed.

There

is

no

OF ATLANTIS. page

in history

or tradition that records a

frightful catastrophe,

more absorbing

To

more

and nothing would be of

interest than a

work

voted to giving an account of M^hat

cerning

13

is

entirely de-

known

con-

it.

the objector

who

urges that the explorers

of the world have never discovered any traces of

the great city and continent,

endeavored mit

me

to give in

of current literature, which

may

story I have

the following pages; per-

few straws

to give a

tory of past ages

whose

on our sea

floating

show

that the his-

yet be read in the Central

part of our continent:

"The

recent report that a citizen of the United

among

States has discovered

Mexican tallies

the mountains of the

State of Sinaloa a long-forgotten city

with a curious local tradition of the region.

Adjoining the State of Sinaloa on the south the State of Jallisco, and of this State,

jara

is

Jallisco,

the capital.

part

of

Living

the

great

in

is

Guadala-

the mountains of

Sierra

Madre

or

OUR STORY

14

"Mother Range" and

extends through Sinaloa

that

northward,

thence

are

unconquered

the

Yaquis, a brown-haired people with light eyes

and almost

fair

Guadalajara

complexions.

only civilized town that these Yaquis it

is

visit,

the

and

has long been believed there that the Yaquis

jMadre range conceal not

fastnesses of the Sierra

only rich mines of

No

of the Aztec race.

mountain

the

but as well the

silver,

one has hitherto pierced

wilderness,

Yaquis have an

lost city

because

the

naked

effective system of passive resist-

ance that has hitherto successfully closed the sole line of approach.

The

only

human

beings other

than the Yaquis themselves admitted to the mountains of Jallisco are a

few renegade Apaches, mur-

derous wretches, vastly more dangerous to wouldbe

explorers

than

peaceful

the

but

persistent

Yaquis."

There have

is

given

no question attention

in the

to

the

minds of those who subject,

that

the

Aztecs are the lineal descendants of the mighty

OF ATLANTIS. who

nation

sought

know beyond

to

Of

governing the created.

above mentioned,

15

we add

the

the

law

unknown

city

another description from

a different source:

"During

the frequent visits

I

have made

to

Mexico," said a mining engineer of Philadelphia an Inquirer reporter, "I have come

to

tact

in

con-

with many of the Indians resident there and

have heard some very

which

all

an enormous

by white men.

by a race similar

It

is

is

city,

that far

never yet

described as peopled

to the ancient Aztecs,

sun worshipers and offer

One

stories.

the Indians unite in telling,

in the interior exists

visited

singular

human

who

are

sacrifices to their

deity.

"The

race

civilization, full

of

is

said

to

be in a high state of

and the Indians say that the

city

is

huge structures which are miracles of

quaint but beautiful architecture, and are situated

on broad paved

streets,

the Citv of Mexico.

far

surpassing those of

OVR STORY

i6

"One

Indian,

had seen the

own

eyes,

and had

I

assured

recollect,

and

city

me

that he

inhabitants with

its

his

but had been afraid of being captured

Of

fled.

but, all the same,

course, it

I

did not believe him,

not a

is

Mexican

the accounts of the

strange that

little

Indians, relative to

the mysterious and magnificent, interior

agree

citj'

perfectly."

These are but

of

many

of the allusions

ditions pointing to the fact,

the Southwest, there

is

that

and

tra-

somewhere

in

who undoubtedly

a people

hold a complete historical record of the chain of events from Atlantis in

While

present day. city

inhabited

world of to-day

dom, we yet

and

its

there

is

down

prime,

to the

perhaps but a single

secluded

from the outside

as keepers of the

find ruins of such

Ancient Wis-

magnitude

as to

impress us more strongly with the idea that the people

not nent.

who

builded the original structures, could

have wholly disappeared

The

from

this

Conti-

following from San Diego, Cal.,

we

OF ATLANTIS.

17

offer in proof, calling attention to the fact that

the dragon

is

a favorite design in the East Indian

sculptures:

"The

ruins of a prehistoric city have just been

Yuma

discovered by a party of prospectors from

when on

the Colorado desert in search of the

Pegleg mine.

The wind had

laid bare the walls

and the remains of the stone buildings

420

of

feet

GTgantic dragons'

length

in

pillars,

heads

by 260

quaintly

and

feet

carved

rattlesnakes,

a distance

width.

in

to

represent

still

stood

in

the sands of the desert, supporting on their tops

huge

slabs of granite

frieze

weighing many

The

tons.

ornamentation resembled Egyptian sculp-

tures and exhibited a greater degree of skill than is

possessed by the Indian artisans of the present

day.

Fragments of pottery were found underneath

the debris, and together with the crumbled piece of frieze this

city.

were brought by one of the party,

One

of

his

associates

Diego and the others returned

to

came

Yuma,

to

to

San

nearly

OUR STORY

i8

two weeks

ago.

But the

story of their discovery

was

carefully guarded, in the hope that in

way

they might profit by

"The

discoverers, in

afterwards went

They were this city

it.

company with four

others,

to the desert to explore the ruins.

driven back by a sand storm, reaching

to-day, but will

make

a careful exam-

ination of the ruins in the season ditions are

From

some

when

the con-

favorable for extensive explorations.

the relics exhibited

important

is

it

archeaeological

evident that an

discovery

has

been

made." In connection with the above, there liarity

be noticed

to

sand storm.

It has

in

the

to

reach

always been

prehistoric,

men

these

or even

a pecu-

occurrence of the so.

A

some sudden natural event has warded forts

is

storm or off all ef-

wonderful remains of the the existing

cities.

shall be ready to seek them, desiring

edge and not treasure, there

is

When knowl-

no doubt the keys

for the unlocking of the mysteries of the Past,

OF ATLANTIS. will be given

into

19

worthy hands and what we

have herein written will receive ample corroboration.

We

add

still

another account of wonder-

discovery in proof of the

ful

Atlantian kingdom

tion of the old

This time,

center of the tion

is

it

immense populain

its

prime.

from the City of Mexico, the

modern Atlantian or Aztec

civiliza-

:

"What

appears to be the verification of an old

Aztec fable of a buried race of cave-dwellers and a hidden city in southwestern in

which the

present.

local

Mexico

scientists

are

is

a matter

interested

L. P. Leroyal, a French engineer,

at

who

has lived long in this republic, has just arrived

form the wilds of the Southwest and reported that he has discovered in the State of a

huge natural

cave,

greatest in Mexico, it is

much

if

which he

Guerrero

believes to be the

not in the world.

He

says

larger than the famous cavern of Caca-

huamilpa, situated some distance south of Guernavaca, which has hitherto been supposed to be

OUR STORY

20

the largest natural cave in existence in Mexico.

Mr.

Leroyal, after penetrating a considerable dis-

tance into the cave, determined to

ough investigation of

make

and accordingly a few

it,

days ago furnished himself with food

set

suflflcient

provided himself with lanterns,

for a day,

and

a thor-

out upon his task

As

alone.

all

etc.,

he went

along he made a thorough plan of the cave, but did

not

anticipate

that

At

proved.

task

his

arduous as

it

of the cave

was a gradual

the

would be

first,

slope

the bottom

downward, then

changed upward and afterward alternated

most part between descents and and

there,

ascents.

for the

Here

however, a level bottom of great width

was met.

The

height

of

several

hundred

cave

the

might naturally be expected

was

so

feet high.

;

in

varied,

some

places

as it

For some distance

from the entrance no trace of human beings was found.

Occasionally magnificent stalactites and

stalagmites, the finest

were met with.

Mr. Leroyal had

ever seen,

OF ATLANTIS.

21

"After proceeding for some hours he came upon

what had evidently been an ancient cemetery, there were at least

with ancient

400

petrified bodies, together

There was

idols, etc.

tain of beautiful clear spring

Some

found to be excellent. as

two or three

skulls,

this

of the tools, as well

now

distance

was not

of

at

Mr. Leroyal

twenty-one

least

it

shake con-

still

to

and

one-half

time to call a halt and

proceed on his return journey. the distance

to

until after he had traveled a

leagues that he thought

see

The

while hour after hour

explorations

his

It

this city.

hundreds of years was grew-

the nerves of the explorer.

passed.

in

extreme and well calculated

in the

tinued

water which was

charnel house thus lighted up

for the first time for

some

also a foun-

Mr. Leroyal brought away

with him, and they are

appearance of

as

So far

be traversed

as he could

might be

very considerable, with the chances for the cave

opening out, by

human

as the floor

feet.

He

seemed

to be well troildcn

retraccil his stops as speedily

OUR STORY

22

and after being underground for up-

as possible,

ward

of twenty-four hours,

more

at the entrance of the cave.

promised

to

long.

is

It

make

found himself once

further

Mr. Leroyal before

explorations

expected that a party fully equipped

for the exploration of this

wonderful cavern of

the dead, will soon be fitted out under the guid-

ance of the discoverer, and the outcome of the investigations will be awaited with interest.

natives of

the locality,

in

as,

The

the Indian

fact,

population in general, in Mexico, believe that at

some place near the southwestern coast there

exists

a great white city

of

Mexico

with countless

treasure which has never been seen by white men,

and the approach

to

which

is

so

intricate

and

cleverly concealed that a stranger has never en-

tered

its

With

solitary precincts." all the increasing

the subject, at collection

it

mass of information on

seems there should be some effort

under guidance, of what

about Atlantis the Mighty.

To make

is

known

a beginning

OF ATLANTIS. and thus

answer

call

attention

question

the

to

this

in

:

23

direction

"Why

this

my

is

book

is

written."

ATLANTIAN MEMORIES. Out

of the

dim

From where As

Past, old

the hght in

memories come all

to

me;

glory seemed to be,

its

the people worshiped 'near the Sun's resplendent

rays

And

lotus-crowned hailed with joy the festal days.

Golden

lyres,

sending forth

rich,

Sounding the key-note, which

harmonious

o'er

strains

the world

still

reigned.

High above

all,

the Vestal's song enchanting soars,

Mingling with the ripples on the wave-washed shores.

From

the

Temple

floats the bell's

So deep and mellow

melodious chimes,

in that old Atlantian time.

;

:

OUR STORY

24

Throughout the Ages,

And hover round me Still in

my

heart

is

linger these old

with no effort of

memories

my

still

will.

throbbing with the rythm of the

waves,

Those slumbering waves which,

became our

alas,

graves.

Again,

I

hear the glad hozannas to the Sun

Isis in the sanctuary, is veiled

Which

from human

arise.

eyes,

read no warning in the skies' celestial hue

Nor heard

it

murmured

in the

Ocean calm and blue

Neither listened to the whispering wind so

free.

Telling of the doom, fair Atlantis was to see.

I

am

thankful that the gates of

memory

ope.

That great Angels weave the scattered threads of hope

And

clothe us freshly with

While on our

The

its

robes of

snowy white;

altar shines again the mystic light,

radiant star, which once o'er Egypt shone,

Glimmers once again, with a message

all its

Humble

is

The

tho' the

bell's

Amid

Temple, the melody

sweet chiming breaks upon the

own.

there. silent air.

the incense rising from our sacred Shrine,

Old Atlantian glories round our

spirits twine.

:

CHAPTER

THERE

is

II.

more

jet a little

of the flotsam

and jetsam upon the stormy waves of

human mental tailed

two

to

now

which

supple-

is

our openint: chapter, and must be deor put entirely

distinct sources,

Mexican

old

unfoldment

we

city that has

the foot of a white

to

one

side.

From

give an account of an

never been entered by

man and which was known

to

be in existence long before the Spanish Conquest

"Mr. Juan Alvarez, who

has just

returned

froin an exploring expedition in the southwestern

part of the republic, reports that he has found a

which has never been entered by a white

city

man, and which has evidently been for

hundreds of

years,

in

existence

going back before the time

of the conquest of the countn,- by the Spaniards. It

is

an old Aztec

city,

and the approaches

to

it

OUR STORY

26

are so guarded by nature that to reach

it

it is

an impossibility

the inhabitants do not

if

want a

trav-

eler to get in.

The tains

city lies in the

the

in

country and

almost inaccessible moun-

extreme southwestern part of the is

so far

away from

few white men have ever been hood.

It

was by

tc

reach

city

and after he found it

in

the neighbor-

the purest accident that Alvarez

became aware that a vicinity,

civilization that

was anywhere it,

all

in

the

of his endeavors

were unavailing on account of the

persistent opposition of the natives.

He

had been traveling over the mountains

search of an outlet to the Pacific

came

Ocean when he

to the top of an elevated plateau

to the further edge.

He

in

and crossed

had a magnificent view,

and while looking over the country, saw what he took to be houses in a far distant valley. inspection with a glass convinced

him

A

that

close

what

he saw was really a collection of houses, and he at once set about reaching the place to see

who

OF ATLANTIS.

27

lived in that part of the country.

After

hard work climbing over

daj's of

cliffs

and mountains, he reached a point from which he obtained a good view of the city and saw that it

was regularly

pled

The

civilization.

surrounded

houses were of stone and were

by yards,

shown by

dent that he had

known

"A

in

On

flowers and shrubs. of taste

out in streets and was peo-

who knew something about

race

a

\\ith

laid

which were growing all sides

were evidences

the inhabitants, and

found a

to tiic outside

city

it

the city

evi-

which was not

world.

careful examination of the country

him that

was

was located within

showed

a natural

amphitheater and was accessible from one side only.

He saw

that the only

through a long and narrow

access

was

which led

into

means of defile

the mountains from the Pacific coast side, and he started

to

reach the place, where he could find

this entrance.

the city as

it

He made

an outline drawing of

appeared to him from the distant

OUR STORY

28

mountain there

this

is

was never allowed

"From not

and

he has to show that

all

a city within the heart of the mountains,

is

for he

top,

this

drawing

than

less

to reach the spot.

plain that the city has

it is

thousand

four

inhibitants.

The

all

of stone and are supplied with doors

and windows.

In the center was a large building,

houses are

which was undoubtedly the temple of worship, for on

its

walls could be seen sculptured designs

representing the Deity.

was

It

in

the shape of

the ancient teocalli, which are to be

many

found

in

parts of this country, and the people could

be seen passing in and out of

it

during

all

hours of

the day.

"After ten days' arduous work Alvarez found himself

at

the

of

foot

the

mountains on

the

western slope, and

set

about searching for the

canyon leading

the

city.

to

He

marked

the

cult}' in

finding the entrance, but he

la_\"

of the land that he

a band of Indians

who

refused to

let

had so well had no

diffi-

was met by him proceed.

OF ATLANTIS. They

him no

offered

He

should return.

29

violence, but insisted that he

told

them that he had come

know how

over the mountains and did not find his

way

to

back.

"After a consultation, he was told he would

have to remain awhile as a prisoner, and two runners were sent into the mountains, turned

in

Alvarez

and

was

blindfolded

He

placed on the back of a mule. this

condition

for

three

bandage removed from

On

when

days,

only having the

he did

was so,

told to

remove

had gone, leaving him with nothing

to

city

is

of America,"

the body,

We

his

he found himself on

The

This

and

traveled in

the borders of the Pacific Ocean.

to the place

in

his eyes at night.

the fourth day, he

bandage, and

back

re-

day with orders from some one

a

authority,

who

where he had seen the

Indians

guide him city."

described in full in "Future Rulers

and has been

who have

visited

by persons

in

been permitted so to do.

conclude our extracts with the description

OUR STORY

30

work

of another mighty city, the

of the powerful

nation whose capital, located on the great island of Atlantis, exercised

its

power both East and

West, of which we are trying

"The American

to tell:

who went

archaeologists

the recently discovered city in the Sierra

Mountains have returned, and hidden city

The

city.

five

tell

Madre another

of

Spanish leagues north of the

W.

leader of the party, C.

of Philadelphia, says that these cities

to

first

Pantion,

were

evi-

dently tw'in capitals of a wealthy district long before the Aztecs appeared.

The two

and

rock,

these

passages

It lies in a

exit

except

it

are

hewn out

of

was while exploring one

of

connected by underground passages solid

cities

that

the

second was discovered.

deep basin of the mountains, with no the

At

underground tunnel.

least

none has been found.

To

that

which we have thus drawn from

accessible sources in the visible,

add supplementary testimony

I

now

from

all

desire to

the

Astral

OF ATLANTIS. which

Records,

I

believe

31

be

to

reh'able

and

worthj' of credence.

Does not in

this collated

evidence of the similarity

nature and civilization west of the great

cit3^

which could not possibly have had commerce with the mother-country for centuries, prove conclu-

even to the

sively,

a

common

realistic

and

scientific

mind,

origin for religious teachings, customs,

languages, both oral and written?

All the dis-

coveries relative to this subject, confirm this con-

We

clusion.

are indebted to those

who

pelled by an irresistible desire to learn

Who,

in this

selves;

are im-

and know.

cause are willing to expatriate them-

endure danger and overcome obstructing

difficulties, if

they

may

ance, bring again to

tiie

but by some chance guidlight of day,

various records, which were left the manifested spiritual world

some of the

when

the sun of

went down

into

the shuddering earth?

To

the

Aryan

heart, there

is

people,

much

who

listen

with

a willing

that can be given concerning

;

OUR STORY

32

this ancient city.

and Religion whether

It

matters

shall accept

in a scientific

is

offered,

way, or from the unseen as

new upon

never received anything until

which

that

Science

Science and Religion have

true and of value.

of thought,

how

little

untried lines

they have been forced to the

exception.

That

why

is

the priests, of all ages, are so con-

servative and have withheld so

much more than

they should, even on their conservative line of

thought.

It has ever

been their rule, to hold fast

upon that of which they had become possessed content and

satisfied

exertion of seeking

admitting

the

without the

new

trouble

and

fields for themselves, or

possibility

of

broadening truth,

for others.

All that has ever been learned, to distinguish the savage from civilization

wise

men

upon the at

of Atlantis.

was known

Whenever

earth, a sufficient

number

one time to control a nation, or

to the

there has been of Atlantians, to

form one by

OF ATLANTIS.

33

themselves, that nation or epoch has always ex-

perienced a most wonderful growth. •f the last Egyptian splendor, school to

In the days

when

it

was

the

which the Greeks and Romans resorted

for instruction,

was the

last

time noted

of such a re-appearance in sufficient

admit of a national control.

What

in history

numbers they did,

to

we

have the pyramids; the Temple of Karnac; and all

the mighty ruins of the Nile

and the Euphrates

in evidence.

As soon were

as

the

sufficiently

Atlantians,

Anglo-Saxon speaking races

developed out of savagery, the

commenced

re-appearing,

startling

the whole world ever and anon, with their great strides

toward wisdom and knowledge,

as

they

slowly paved the

way by conquest and

for the settlement

and re-occupation of that which

belonged to them

;

their old resources,

and for the utilization of

all

under new conditions of added

strength and experience.

we account

discovery,

for the wilting

In no other

way can

and extermination of

OUR STORY

34

the red-skinned usurpers,

nor strength to maintain

who had title to

neither claim

that into which

they had strayed by accident during the temporary

absence of the real owners.

Much

sympathy has been wasted on the red

son of the forest.

Who

He

cannot dominate the resources of the en-

vironment must yield

much would our agricultural

ment,

has but obeyed the law:

if

title to

him who can.

How

vast storehouses of mineral and

wealth have helped man's unfold-

they had never been used?

The

differ-

ence between the American Indian and the Anglo-Saxon-Atlantian,

is

plain to the dullest intel-

lect.

A.S

the city of Atlantis grew, her population

was drawn

off into colonies

which had deep and

abiding influence on the whole of the Western continent, but especially centering along the belt in

which Atlantis

itself

was

located.

Between the fading away civilization,

of the last Egyptian

and the concealment of the world's

OF ATLANTIS. records at that time, there

is

35

a mysterious gap,

which can be accounted for only

When

Atlantis

was

in its

one way.

in

prime, there were other

units in

the world's category of nations which

were not

so far advanced.

on

even tenor of her way,

in the

of the world

all

would have received

been uplifted to something near point, but

cut

they

off,

When

when

this

other nations the light,

its

own

and

stand-

chance of development was

this

groped

class

had held

If Atlantis

in

comparative

of people

darkness.

incarnated

again in

force of numbers, such scenes as the conquest of

Rome of

by the Goths and Vandals

;

the overrunning

Europe by the Huns, and the eruption of the

Tartars,

times without

number, occurred.

they disappeared from the mortal vision,

we

As can

but recognize their sameness of purpose, and the

most pertinent this trouble

their

fact

that

undone duty made

for the Atlantians of the

comrades and

the lesson that no

associates.

human being

Far Past,

Have we is

all

learned

separate from

OUR STORY

36

A

ourselves? It

is

wrong once done must

the eternal

law

be righted.

of exact justice.^^

these misbegotten impedimenta to progress

As

pass out

put off

into

unseen,

the

having overborne or

heads that towered above their own,

all

intellectually, Atlantian influence revives.

by

little

Little

have these "fellows of ignorance,"

felt

the uplifting of influence of the "sons of light"

and every generation increases the widening wave of educated

and spiritualized people, which must

finally include within

it

every nation, tongue, or

people of the earth's full complement of inhabitants.

The American

nation has done a vast

deal for the enlightenment of the whole world.

Thus

it is

easy to understand

ing power of

all

why

the extinguish-

that holds the soul in chains

is

projected toward us.

In the ancient times, when the lamp of tion

burned at Rome, and Athens, or

Antioch and other

civiliza-

later, as at

cities; single centers of learn-

ing blazed out and lessened the darkness as do

OF ATLANTIS. beacon lights

on a

set

But with

hill.

A

pare the events of to-day. nationality, its

felt

spected. felt

Yet

off

from easy ap-

make

has been able to

it

name be

detested,

Not only has

everywhere, but

it

nation

this is

push the

common

its

power

Although the

power

its

is

always

made

re-

itself

founder of the

the

American nation and unites to

com-

compact, unified

throughout the whole world.

English

these

which resembles the old Atlantis, had

beginning on an island, cut

proach.

37

its

force with that,

civilization

and thought cur-

rents into every part of the globe.

The freedom

of

the

thought-body,

aptitude of the minds engendered

and

the

thereby, has

once more drawn to the American continent more Atlantians than were ever incarnated at one time, since the fall of that city.

thougb.t-force,

fected by the assimilation of

devachanic

happens that

and knowledge and wisdom and

their inventions

the results of

It thus

rest,

is

modified and

per-

hundreds of years

coming upon

in

the nation in a

OUR STORY

38

with outstretched hands they demand

as

flood,

from the Silence that which they themselves deposited in the Astral records long ages since.

We way

often

wonder

at events transpiring in the

of discoveries, or at the applications of prin-

ciples

which are perfectly

We

upon another. and begun

to guess

logical,

and linked one

have surely reached a point

about the uses and methods of

application of that vehicle of force about

the Atlantians

knew much, and

which

know

desiring to

more, found there was a limit which barred their

We

further progress.

we

another, and

already have hold upon

desire only that they

essay to advance in this direction,

body, soul and

mind

who may

may do

so with

so purified, they will not need

the reprimand of obstruction, that

came

the

to

original investigators of our nation on that line.

The

reason

why

this

others of the near past, stated.

We

age is

is

so celebrated above

due

to the facts thus

perceive in the near future, as has

been repeatedly foretold, the end of a cycle

is

at

:

OF ATLANTIS. hand. in

39

Cataclysmic results; the sinking of land

some places; and the

When

minent.

rising in others,

peculiarly

cities

im-

is

situated

are

crowded with inhabitants, who have

lost all con-

own

desires cen-

ception of everything but their

tering in selfish purpose, their thought vibrations

become inharmonious with the universal thought vibrations.

enough

If

this

inharmony continues strong

communicate

to

which the

itself to

city stands, this

of

Liquidity,

upon

foundation being sub-

ject also, to a set of vibrations

plane

the eround

serious

upon the natural

consequences

may

occur.

Just what the outcome of the present period will be none but the Council of the Seven

Builders

know.

That within

much waves.

a

shorter

But

this

hundred

time,

we have

years,

be investigated.

in

gathered

and possibly a

Atlantis will be above the

Whatever her monuments

whatever may be

Great

contain,

or

her ruined temple can then

OUR STORY

40

Within 500 years the bulk

of population will

be south of the equator; that which will

now

sea,

become dry land, and the old continent of

Lamuria

will once

inhabitants. fixed

is

when

mined.

more

Scientists all

How

sustain

tell

its

millions of

us that the time

is

the gold, silver and coal will be short-sighted!

Under

the sea

is

a

thousand-fold more than has ever been brought to light by

man's busy hands.

CHAPTER

III.

the early seventies, having by constant and

IN severe

when

point ative,

attention

mine

I

owner.

He

cargo

one of

in

Francisco,

mentioned

New York

in

offered

My

fact

who was

about to

Horn." gave

it

a friend

to

the position

the

to take a

a vessel

of superfor

San

gladly

ac-

sail I

me

both motive

for the trip.

preparations

sailed out of

City,

me

cepted the chance, for

and occupation

this

his vessels

"around

a

and change were imper-

was advised by my physician

I

sea voyage. of

rest

reached

business

to

were made

New York

rapidly.

Harbor on

We

the 15th of

June, 1872.

As

the last lighthouse sank slowly beneath the

waves, and the stood

full

moon

rose in the heavens, I

watching the receding land marks,

little

OUR STORY

42

dreaming of the momentous events

to

happen

as

a part of the voyage, nor of the marvelous re-

vealings to

come

my

to

should again touch

my

knowledge,

before

I

Of

all

upon land.

foot

these the following pages are but a feeble por-

But

trayal.

part,

it

is

come and

always so

in life,

The

go.

we meet and

consequence of

the

meeting and the pain of the parting may be expressible in spoken language

know? ly

Who

oncoming

will

tell,

or

future, with

;

hut

warn its

how

in-

we

shall

us, of the swift-

burden of weal or

woe?

As our

vessel

was devoted

to freight,

we, as

knew, carried but a single passenger, who by pecial favor of the

space

was occupied by

cluding myself.

I

man, when he had ing in

at that

The

rest

of

to

the

the officers of the ship, in-

had been introduced first

moment,

to

this

conie on board, but be-

much preconcerned about

hand

es-

owner had been permitted

occupy the one spare cabin.

I

I

the business

I

had

had simply responded

:

OF ATLANTIS.

43

with the usual meaningless phrase of: "Happ)^ to

make your acquaintance."

afterwards

an

impression

But

of

remembered

I

dignity

of

bear-

ing; of sweetness of real courtesy on his part;

and that peculiar, indescribable

thrill

shook hands, x^hich once or twice It

may

h'nes

in

we

as

a lifetime,

be our good fortune to experience, as the

of our lives cross with

sential to

those

who

are es-

our highest and best unfolding.

Standing thus, leaning meditatively over the taffrail,

I

came back

name pronounced voice,

to

distinctly,

with just the slightest

Looking around,

I

my

myself by hearing in

a

low,

musical

foreign

accent.

acknowledged the address,

as

he went on to say "I see you are leaving part of yourself behind

you."

"Oh, not

a large part," I replied,

thinkinj^ about

"but

the certainty of parting

I

was

and the

uncertainty of meeting."

"Don't you think that we part forever from

OUR STORY

44

we have

our friends, only when

we

accomplished

can do for each

or finished

all

So long

our work remains undone

as

that

other.

we

shall

certainly meet again?"

"Yes,"

human

said,

I

upon

at this

full

every word,

saw a

may

be

so,

but

the

is

to

whom, with

his

attracted,

from that time indelibly stamped

picture,

my memory.

narily kind

man,

was most indescribably

I

and almost perfectly

Tall,

Eyes black, while

proportioned.

expression,

ine their possibilities,

in

when

beard white, and worn a prescribed.

their

ordi-

one might easily imaghonest indignation or

righteous anger stirred their depths.

tom

it

uncertainty that saddens."

Looking

I

"that

little

Hair and

longer than cus-

His bearing was majestic

in

strength; serene in harmony; attractive beyond

cpmpare

in

others.

With

sion, in all if

its

he

unselfish all

said,

this,

good of

desire

for the

there

was an impres-

he could

tell

very

much more

he only would, about any subject concerning

OF ATLANTIS.

45

which he might be conversing.

was such a

It

drels

face as children love

containing within

hate,

and scounthe

itself

pitying

tenderness of a mother's love and a father's sustaining watchfulness. passed

interview,

I

from the outermost border of casual

ac-

quaintance to the

sworn

am

I

our

In

friendship.

confident

At

this,

championship

too,

I

of

marveled, for

slow to receive or offer friendship, but

come slowly be, in those

perception

the

to

who honor me with

Although we stood some

of

what might

their

little

good

will.

time longer

gazing upon the ocean, as the night and waters

met

in closer

and

into silence, with

company said,

and

still

closer embrace,

lapsed

that strange feeling of being

for each other, although no finally

we

we

word was

descended to our respective

cabins for the night.

As

my inal,

is

usual

with the position which

duties during the voyage

making up

I

held,

were almost nom-

for this leisure, however, during

OUR STORY

46

the receiving or discharging of the cargo or any

Consequently

part.

had

I

sufficient

time to im-

prove the acquaintance so curiously begun. did not take long to find out that

my

a zealous, unremitting student, and

we were

familiar with

terest,

there

versed,

of

were

many

lines of

others, in

which

was

friend

that while

common

in-

which he was well

knew comparatively

I

It

ing.

He was

talker

and readily and gladly answered

noth-

a very eloquent and instructive

my

ques-

tions.

Especially

was

this true of things in the past,

which the present generation has moved on and and a peculiarity of

forgotten,

his

descriptions

was that they were given

as

ences of his own.

knew why, but

first it

seemed that

and movement

As

Later it

I

if

was done

personal experi-

to give

at the

more

life

to the story.

a child I had always been fascinated with

whatever

I

had chanced upon,

either in reading

or conversation which related to Atlantis.

But

OF ATLANTIS. as

I

grew

older,

ideas of the

gard the

enveloped

modern that

little

the materialistic

in

schools,

47

had come

I

was known

of.

to

re-

that ancient

mistress of the seas as largely fabulous,

if

not

been out from port four or

five

wholly unworthy of credence. After days,

as

we had we

sat

chatting on

the quarter

something was said which induced

me

deck, to

ask

him the question squarely:

"Do

you believe there ever was such a coun-

try as Atlantis?"

"Most

certainly,"

was

his quiet,

decisive an-

swer.

"But you do not think

it

possible that a

whole

continent could disappear so utterly beneath the

waves

more

as

that

trace of

is

its

said

to

have done, leaving no

former existence than has been

the case with that?"

"And

whj' does this seem impossible

Does

history

stood

under ancient Troy.

know anything

of

the

Who

m

you?

city

that

knows who

OUR STORY

48

were the builders or what the design Pyramids of Egypt?

Who

can

tell

of

the

of the cities

lying strata upon strata in the valley of the Nile?

own

In your

Mound

of the

know

country,

can

What

tell

anything

does the world

Palmyra, of Babylon, or of the great

of

cities in

Builders?

who

But

for

would by

this

the Valley of the Euphrates?

the accessibility of their ruins, they

time have been as thoroughly forgotten as Atlantis

now

is."

"And," here pity,

ite

face softened with an infin-

now

"perhaps within forty years from

we may have for

his

another lesson in the opportunity

denying the existence of the past."

"But maybe," he continued, "you would to hear

some

of the actual records brought

like

down

even to your day, of an event that concerns so intimately

every

living

person

now upon our

planet."

Upon my

eager assent he

went

into his cabin

and soon returned with a small black-letter

vol-

OF ATLANTIS. ume, written after the

Far East, upon

style of the

parchment, from right

to

49

Opening

left.

it

he

read in his sweetly modulated tones, translating as he read, the following extract:

"Facing the Pillars of Hercules was an island larger than Africa and Europe put together. side

this

main

island

smaller ones, so that

one

to

there it

were

was easy

Be-

many

other

to cross

from

another as far as the further continent.

This land was indeed a continent, and the sea

was

the real ocean in comparison to which

"The

Sea" of the Greeks was but a bay with a narrow

mouth. "In the Atlantic island a powerful federation of Kings island

was formed, who subdued the larger

itself

and

many

of

smaller

islands

and also parts of the further continent.

They

the

also reduced Africa within the Straits as far as

Egypt, and Europe as far as Tyrrhenia. ther

aggression,

ho\vever,

Far-

was stopped by the

heroic action of the then inhabitants of Attica,

OUR STORY

50

who, taking the lead of the oppressed

States,

who dwelt

within

finally secured

liberty to all

the

Hercules,

of

Pillars

laces

destroyed

w-ere

mighty

by

which brought destruction night.

were

The

both

Subsequently,

in

cataclysms,

a single day

and

natural features of the Attic land

changed and the Atlantic island

entirely

sank bodily beneath the waves.

"In the center of the Atlantic Island was a fair

and beautiful

In the center of this

plain.

from

plain and nearly six miles

a low range of

Here dwelt

hills.

renowned race

erations the

the whole island and sea

or Atlantis.

down sons,

hood.

the the

The

its

of

was

many

gen-

for

of Atlan,

power

ever to

younger sons going into

They were

from

all

whom

handed

their

eldest

the

priest-

possessed of such wealth as

no dynasty ever yet obtained or will cure hereafter.

from

were named Atlantic

ruling Kings

succession

confines

easily pro-

This wealth was drawn both

foreign nations with

whom

the Atlan-

OF ATLANTIS. and from Atlantis

tians traded

especially

only

rich

minerals,

in

known mines

a mineral with

properties

—

which was

itself,

and

51

,

possessed

the

of orichalcum in the world,

most wonderful and inexhaustible

which was then second onlw

a metal

to gold in its value.

"The country was

in

timber and

gums and odorous

of elephants, spices,

every description of

also

Moreover, there were vast numbers

pasturage.

tables

rich

;

flowers,

trees

and vege-

and many other luxurious

kinds,

all

fruit

plants of

products which this wonderful Continent, ing to

its

beneficent

These were nite in

sacred,

climate,

beautiful,

Nor were

number.

brought

owforth.

curious and

infi-

the inhabitants con-

tent with simply the natural advantages of their

glorious country, but also displayed a marvelous

industry

and

structive arts.

skill

in

For,

engineering and the conin

the center of the island

they built a royal palace, every succeeding

King

trying to surpass his predecessor in adorning and

OUR STORY

5i

adding to the building, so that

it

struck

all be-

holders with the greatest admiration.

"They

cut about the Royal Palace a series of

waterways or at

intervals,

These were bridged over

canals.

while an immense canal admitted

the largest vessels from the sea, giving at once protection as a harbor, and

making

more con-

it

venient for the transportation of freight to and

from the

streams they

where

left

docks cut out of the solid rock

their triremes could land their cargoes.

"The colors,

In fashioning their interior

interior.

stone used in their building

white, black and

red,

so

was

that

of three

many

the buildings presented a gay appearance.

of

Their

walls were covered witii brass (which they used like plaster),

tin

and orichalcum, which had a

glittering appearance.

"Northeast of the center of the stood the great Temple.

The

Continent,

interior

was cov-

ered with silver, except the pediments and pinnacles,

which were

lined

with gold.

Within,

the roof

OF ATLANTIS.

S3

was a magnificent mosaic

of gold, ivory

and orichalcum, and

all

walls, pillars

and pave-

ments were covered with orichalcum.

"By tural

a system of aqueducts leading from na-

springs of hot and cold

supplies for baths,

water, they had

and for the irrigation of

their

beautiful plantations and gardens.

"The

docks were

with

filled

na\ al stores of every description at

that

The whole

time.

dense population.

city

The main

and

shipping

known

to

men

teemed with a

canal and largest

harbor were crowded with merchant shipping

re-

turned from, or making ready to

all

parts their

of

the

world.

The

commerce continued

night through as well.

din

all

Such

sail

for,

and tumult of

day long, and the is

a general sketch

of their wonderful city.

"Now,

as regards the rest of the country;

was very mountainous with exceedingly tous coasts, and

was

itself

the plain

it

precipi-

surrounding the

city

environed by a mountain chain broken

OUR STORY

54

The

only at the sea entrance.

and

level

plain

was smooth

and of an oblong shape, lying North

The

and South.

mountains were said

to be the

grandest in the world for their number, size and beauty.

The whole

country was a constant suc-

cession of prosperous

there

and wealthy

was an abundance

meadows and pasturage

for

and quantities of timber.

By

it

606

and

rivers all

kinds of cattle

dike,

broad and 1,250 miles

feet

for

lakes,

They surrounded

enormous canal or

plain with an

deep,

of

villages,

the water from the mountains

this

loi feet

in length.

was con-

ducted around the whole plain, and while a part flowed out to the

sea,

the rest

They were

for irrigation.

able,

was husbanded by raising two

crops a year, to double their productive capacity.

"In the polity of the Atlantians the Kings maintained an autocracy and the priesthood were their council State,

until

of consultation at

last

the

hands of the priesthood.

in

all

matters

power passed

into

of

the

OF ATLANTIS. "For many

generations, the rulers,

King and

remained obedient to their ancestral

priest

and exercised mildness and practical

lofty ideas

wisdom, both

in the

and

mutual

in

tra-

For they possessed true and altogether

ditions.

their

ordinary vicissitudes of

They

relations.

above everything except virtue. ered

55

things

present

of

small

They

life

looked /_ consid-

importance,

and

contentedly bore their weight of riches as a bur-

Nor were

den.

they

intoxicated

with luxury,

but clearly perceived that wealth and possessions are increased by tice

of

mutual friendship and the prac-

true virtue

;

whereas, by a too anxious

pursuit of riches the possessions themselves are

corrupted and friendship also perishes therewith.^

Thus

it

was they reached the great height

prosperity

we have

"But when, began seeking vine

to

and

described.

the last,

their mortal natures

dominate and override the Dithey

commenced

unbecoming conduct, and

to degener-

within

to display

at

of

about

them,

OUR STORY

56 ate;

thus blighting and finally

fairest of their

"This," said

destroying

most valuable possessions."

my

friend,

"is

in

whom we

an

have

was handed down from

father

the ancient Atlantian writing,

which

history, for

to son

authentic

as

account as that of any nation of

any

the

it

was perfected about 25,000

years

theV^

before

Christian era commenced.'

Just then some duty claimed

my

immediate

attention and as he rose up to return to his cabin

he looked I

me

fully in the face

mistake not, the

tim.e

is

and remarked

close at

"If

hand when

your desire for information on these be more fully gratified.

:

lines

will

CHAPTER

IV.

was a day or two before we had a chance

IT any more conversation, very busy in his like

of

an ancient cabalistic

nized, for

along that verify

for he seemed to be

own cabinwithwhat

map and

number

a

which

calculations,

for

I

looked

of diagrams fully

recog-

had some experience with researches

I

line,

and could,

to a certain

extent,

some of the simpler rules of deductions

from the Caballa. ations

But, as

I

could

see,

the oper-

upon which he was engaged were very

complex and

far reaching

and concerned some of

the mightiest secrets of planetary creation. I

also noticed while the

problems seemed very

abstruse and complicated, he did not seem at a loss

in

any sense, or puzzled.

being the result rather of process.

the

His absorption length

of

the

OUR STORY

58

At able

he appeared to have reached a favor-

last

and

conclusion

were put

awa_v.

Although

for a

his

data

Once more

memoranda

and

he came upon deck.

few days he apparently put aside

a continuation of his former talk about Atlantis,

was an

yet there

uplifted expression of content,

lending an added charm to the ever-restful dignity of the perfect face.

While he had been to

me

I

tlius

busy

had an odd volume

in

it

had occurred

my

locker

I

had

picked up in a second-hand stall in Boston, in-

tending to examine ing

my

interest

It

at

aroused

Now,

my

leisure.

I

brought

it

hav-

out and

found among much that was quite discursive, the following pertinent paragraphs:

"The

fourth

Continent,

which

it

has

been

agreed to call Atlantis, was formed by the coalescence of

many

upheaved

in the

islands

and peninsulas that were

ordinary course of evolution and

became ultimately the true home race

known

as

of

the

great

the Atlantians, a race developed

OF ATLANTIS.

59

from a nucleus of Northern Lemurians, tered,

land

generally speaking,

in

what

is

now

towards

cen-

a point

of

the mid-Atlantic Ocean.

"In connection with the Continent of Atlan-

we should

tis

has

bear in mind that the account which

come down

us

to

through the old

Greek

writers contains a confusion of statements, some

them referring

of

to

the great Continent as a

whole, and others to the Posidonis.

Plato,

for

last,

instance,

small

island

condensed

of the

whole history of the Continent of Atlantis, covering

several

millions

of

years

into

an event,

he located upon the island of Poseidonis (about as large as Ireland)

;

whereas, the priests spoke

always of Atlantis as a continent as large as

Europe and Africa put together.

Homer

of the Atlantes and their island.

The

speaks

Atlantes

and the Atlantides of mythology are based upon history.

The

story of Atlas gives clearly to us the clue.

Atlas

the

is

Atlantes

and Atlantides of

the personification in a single symbol of the

OUR STORY

6o

combined continents of Lemuria and Atlantis.

The

poets attribute to Atlas, as to Proteus, a su-

universal knowledge, and

wisdom and a

perior

especially

a

thorough

acquaintance

with

the

depths of the ocean; because both continents hav-

were each transferred

to the

where they now slumber

masters,

divine

by

ing borne races instructed

bottom of the

until

the

seas,

appointed

time shall come to reappear above the waters.

And

as both

fires,

and Atlantis submerger by the waves, per-

Lemuria, destroyed by submarine

ished in the ocean depths, Atlas

been compelled

and join

is

said

to

have

to leave the surface of the earth

his father lapetus in the depths of

Tar-

tarus.

"Atlas

West, that

then

personifies

said to support

is,

the

feet

of

a

continent

in

the

heaven and earth at once; the giants tread

the earth

while his shoulders support the sky, an allusion to the gigantic peaks of the ancient continents,

Mount

Atlas and the TenerifEe Peak.

These

OF ATLANTIS. two dwarfed were

relics

thrice as lofty

and twice

was an

high

as

of

two

the

6i lost

continents

during the day of Lemuria in

that of Atlantis.

inaccessible island

Atlas

peak in the days

of

Lemuria, when the African Continent had not yet been raised.

"Lemuria should no more be confounded with the Atlantis Continent than ica.

Europe with Amer-

Both sank and were drowned with

hifrh civilizations

and

'gods,' yet

their

between the two

two catastrophes a period of about 700,000 years elapsed.

"Why that

under the continents explored and fathomed

by them, the

should not your geologists bear in mind

in

Eocene

the bowels of which they have found age, there

may

be hidden deep in the

unfathomable ocean beds, other and far older continents whose strata have never been geologically explored, set their

and that they may some day up-

present theories."

Amazed

at this singular corroboration of

what

OUR STORY

62

my I

friend had previously read me,

I

concluded

would ask him something more about

it,

at

the first opportunity, not dreaming that the op-

was

close at hand.

time

we had

portunity of lives

During

all this

Both

time toward the South.

been making good

and men

officers

had been attracted toward our passenger, and

were ready

make tion

to give

a stranger feel at this

happened

we

the little attentions which

home anywhere.

been brisk and favorable, but

approached the Spanish

we had

Main

and when

West

Indian Archipelago, they

Our

a dead calm.

we were

day,

into

ship drifted a little to

the

tude and 42 degrees

me

if

I

fell

particular headway.

lying in about

friend asked

traversed a part of that

moon

the

they grew

awav

made no

South, but third

men-

a little later.

fitful,

the

T

explanatory of some events which

as

The winds had as

him

all

;^o

fulled

at

noon and

degrees North

West

longitude,

would

like to

On

lati-

when my

go with him

OF ATLANTIS. to visft a peculiar looking island,

of

miles

to

the

westward.

63 about a couple

Upon

rny

rather

eager assent, the captain granted us the use of

yawl, and though he proffered us the help

his

some of

of

he had been

We

the crew, our friend declined, saying

much accustomed

pushed

steering.

I

off,

I

taking a pair of oars and he

had hardly taken a couple of strokes

with the oars, uhen pulsion of the boat

glanced

at

to the water.

my

I

felt

that

was not due

companion.

to

the

my

His

rapid

im-

strength.

face

with a peculiar expression, of which

I

was

I

set

had be-

fore had experience in other directions.

A

very short time sufficed to bring us to this

island,

which on closer inspection seemed

summit of some huge

obelisk or pillar, a little

raised above the waves.

high, Avaters

The

sides,

were sheer and precipitous. the\'

to be the

although not In

the

still

extended below the surface, as far

as vision could penetrate.

How much

had no means of ascertaining.

We

farther,

I

rowed slowjy

OUR STORY

64 around

It

it.

On

ence.

face of

was about 150

feet in circumfer-

the side farthest from the vessel the

the

rock was broken jaggedly by

The

weather.

the

projections gave opportunity for

fastening the yawl, and for climbing to the sumIf there

mit.

even

this

had been any swell of the ocean

would have been

a sea of glass all about us ficult

task.

Having

impossible, but with it

was not a very

securely knotted the boat's

painter to a stout protuberance, best

we might

To my

we scrambled

it

utter surprise, instead of the

was cup-shaped

out under the hot sun. bottom.

Looking

flat,

I

solid

expected

in the center, evidently

with water during storms,

filling

as

to the top.

mass, roughened by the weather, which to find,

dif-

It

and

was now dry

closely at the sides I

drying at the

saw that

instead of being a mass of natural rock,

it

was

a structure built of masonry by cunning hands, so perfectly fierce

and

solidly as to defy, thus far, the

action of the most erosive

forces

of

na-

OF ATLANTIS. ture.

The

floor

was

laid

Almost stunned by the

my

companion, but

was checked by

my

in

with

regular

discovery,

flagging.

turned

I

to

exclamation of surprise

his actions.

the very center,

65

his

Standing

face

erect,

in

to

the North, guiding himself by a small compass and a little square of parchment, upon

which

were

and stepped forward one pace. 15

degrees more he stepped

pace.

He

due East. to dilate,

whole

characters

inscribed, he turned 15 degrees to. the East

Then

forward

turning another

repeated this operation until he faced

There standing and

his face

outline.

disc of stone

erct, his

grew

All at once

had revolved

fixed I

and

to himself he

set in its

perceived a large

at his

feet,

a flight of stone steps leading into a

Coming back

form seemed

exposing

room below.

motioned

low him, and slowly we descended the

me

to fol-

stairs into

an ante-room below, opening into a larger room.

As we stepped upon from nowhere

this floor a light

in particular, lighted

which came

up the whole

OUR STORY

66

Limitless age had laid his desecrating

interior.

hand upon everything.

But

as this

metically sealed by the waves,

had been her-

the

would otherwise have accumulated air

was not

were

My

of dust.

was

companion,

Power.

As

he did so

that

upper

I

pile

little

stepped to

made one

of the

thought

I

heard

was not

distinct

a suppressed sob of joy, but

it

enough

Then

to be unmistakable.

a

silent,

still

the East, and facing the seats, signs of

in the

"

In the center of the room

present.

stone seats, on each

five

dust

going to the

exact opposite side of the wall, which

was

par-

titioned into a series of curious entablatures, he

touched

some

mechanism,

which,

through the ages, obeyed the will of

A

derful man.

we

passed

into

found seven little piles

made

door a

seats.

of dust.

in the

slid

My

this

won-

back, through which

chamber below.

On

preserved

Here

we

each rested those curious friend repeated the sign

room above, and then a sound

like

the tremor of an Eolian harp rose in volume un-

OF ATLANTIS. til

67

the vibration filling the room, shook the walls

of the tower in which

we were

Turn-

standing.

ing to the Eastern face of the wall, from a niche therein he

drew out a

this carefully,

upper

air,

little

stone box.

he retraced his steps towards the

closely

enue, thus sealing once

more

him every av-

for future unfold-

whatever there might be of knowledge or

mystery here concealed. top had rolled into

was placed this

With

followed by myself.

the greatest care he closed behind

ing,

Holding

its

When

the disc at the

place, a roll of

pigment

hand by unseen helpers.

in his

With

he traced upon the tightly joined edges a

character which burst into a silvery flame as

appeared upon the stone, and

mark behind

where the boat without any push

off,

a

blood-red

proceeding to the side

lay waiting for us,

we managed

difficulty to seat ourselves in

it

and

he steering, as before.

Singular as certed

Then

it.

left

it

it

may

instruction

or

seem, without any precon-

word

of

warning, not a

OUR STORY

68

word had been interchanged between us from

moment

the

of our landing until

On my

motion upon the water.

in

silence

was involuntary.

I

we were

I

part

seemed to stand

vortex of recurring memory, coming

whelmingly upon me.

again

was

down

the in a

over-

too busy within

myself in attempting to readjust the

past,

the

present and the promises of the future, to leave

any time for the not

resist

I

of speech.

I

could

the feeling that these rock-ribbed cham-

bers were, in self.

frivolity

knew

some peculiar way, a part of myI

had been perfectly familiar with

the purposes of their erection, their use, and of

some

final issue, appalling

effect.

More

than that.

and benumbing

The

in its

five seats of the

upper chamber and the seven seats of the lower, to

my

inner vision,

were

filled

pant, shadowy, but so distinct

I

with an occucould recognize

the features, as one recalls the lineaments of a

long absent friend. I

Then came

the

names

had parted with them only yesterday.

as

if

Oh,

:

OF ATLANTIS. Memory

the Eternal!

was

sands of years ago since

it

yesterday, or thou-

I

looked

friend

made

the sign

I

strong-

tie

When my

overwhelmed me.

mentioned, a burden of

untold weight was lifted from

my

shoulders, as

an expiation were finished, a terrible mistake

whose consequence

rectified

that hour,

more held

that

me

its

words

silent as

came

my

all

my

utterly

friend did,

to do, taking

me

all

All this and

energies.

will

up

life,

had cramped and restrained

unfolding and

ly

some

feeling of present reality, of

er than friendship

if

upon these

and forms of comrades loving and true?

faces

The

69

as

fail

to

to

my

much

portray,

what he evident-

an involuntary ac-

complice. Sitting in

the stern of

with the stone casket resting on looked at

"My

me with

brother:

not founded edge.

Thou

in

a grave smile,

I see

my

facing me,

the boat,

knees,

his

and

he

said

confidence in thee was

simple assumption, but

in

knowl-

hast learned well the lesson whose

OUR STORY

70 closing clause

keep

to

is

Therebj^ thou

silent.

Great Broth-

hast proved also thy position in the

erhood,

whose

Atlantian Kings.

was

charter

first I

greet

thee,

by the

issued

Ancient Wise

One."

While saying if

from an inner

thetic exaltation

words

of

this his

whole face lighted up

The

fire.

action of the sympa-

on myself was beyond the power

to describe.

It

was

as

denly come to a perception of

if

one had sud-

almost

infinite

power, and without a particle of arrogance possession.

I

"I feel that

continued

in the

could only reply:

we must have

you do me great honor "Before

as

in

been brothers, but

naming me

we

reach the ship

my

comrade, "that

must

I

it

has

thus." tell

you,"

been per-

mitted you for purpose, to revisit the tower of the

Great Temple of Atlantis,

in

which were

gathered for concentration during the

last

awful

cataclysm which sent the continent beneath the

waters

all

the living

members

of the

most po-

OF ATLANTIS. tent

Brotherhood that has ever existed.

"You five

71

entered the chambers of the three, the

and the seven.

The whole The

once more.

ly rising

which was 100

feet in

continent

is slov^r-

the

tower,

top

of

diameter at the base, and

210

feet high,

The

transparent dome, which covered the cham-

has again reached the upper

air.

ber of the three has been destroyed by the action of the waves.

the

We

mason r}^ of the upper

do not

stories will

resist the erosion of fierce tropical

as little

by

little

it

know whether be able to

storms or not,

reaches the surface.

"It was thought best by the Brotherhood to rescue this

"before

it

:"

here he touched

the

little

casket,

might be overwhelmed and forever hid-

den by the insatiable

maw

of the waters.

It

contains the fullest continuous record of the last years of our once glorious country,

at

present

accessible.

"The chambers which we

entered were built

perfectly air and water-tight, and for that rea-

OUR STORY

72

son have preserved their contents to the pres-

Below

ent time.

was

that of the fifteen,

chamber of the for

and

forty-five.

was warned

I

chamber we entered

the last

still

I

below

that, the

did not enter them,

that I might thereby afford

opportunity for the waters pressing up from below, to wipe out

all

which

of the Brotherhood,

may

home

vestiges of this ancient to later

generations

be ocular demonstration of our existence.

"Obligation rested heavily on the three, the five

and the seven.

entirely

from

as either the

its

They

could not be set free

responsibility

until

such

bounds were destroyed, as

time

in

the

upper chamber, or one clothed with authority entering their resting place should their signal of release,

seven,

the

which

I

did.

give

them

Below

the

the failure of conditions above absolved

members

of

the

remaining chambers,

and

they were set free in a very short time after the cataclysm.

"You

are well

known

to

me

as to the rest of

OF ATLANTIS.

73

the Ancient Brotherhood, and have been chosen

again as in the long ago past, to be the spokes-

man to

of our beloved Order, in

mankind, and

we

are sure

its

newest appeal

that mistakes of

the intellect in the past will not be repeated in

But we

the present.

The most

are approaching the ship.

important object of our voyage, the

possession of these records,

which no person

liv-

could obtain without your actual

ing or dead

presence in the flesh

The

accomplished.

is

voy-

age was planned and undertaken for this purpose,

and will result

has been

lying over

port, at the tinent,

as

the

planned.

Our

vessel

entrance to the great

mouth draining the Atlantian Con-

from which, before the overthrow, a mag-

nificent

panorama

the

fairest

land

the

sun

was

visible.

could

not

accomplish our object until

full

moon,

ever shone on,

"We

of

near the this time.

so the

But to-night

calm has lasted until

as the

sun goes

down

a

breeze will spring up, and by to-morrow our voy-

OUR STORY

74

age will be moving rapidly forward to

its

com-

pletion."

occur to me, during

It did not

all

this recital,

to object either to the facts stated or to the certain,

quiet assumption of myself as one of the

willing accessories of the plan he had thus hastily sketched.

It

seemed quite a matter of course

that the sole object of

was

the accomplishment of

mortal I

my making

ears, for the first

felt a certain

what

I

time heard.

now, with

Nay, more,

enthusiasm, a quiet joy in being

thus permitted to do the task, whatever

be that was

might

it

me, as an integral factor of

set for

the whole, to complete. at all

voyage

this

I

know

that this

not

the thing likely to happen, according to

deduction from what

we know

But

one of facts on new

we

is

as this story

is

of

human

nature. lines,

cannot be guided by precedents, or the work-

ing of

known laws

;

as

we

seek rather in the fields

of the unexplained laws of nature, for a solution of the

phenomena

presented.

OF ATLANTIS. But we were now

men were making

close to the ship

and the

ready to hoist the yawl aboard.

As we

reached the deck

casket,

as

we had

visited.

my

friend

showed

his

a curious souvenir of the stone pile

After looking at

assented to the fact: "It looks a

75

trifle

water-worn

was a

it

casually they

nice bit of rock,

though."

And

so,

knowledge of incalculable value passed beyond their reach, forever; or at the least, until the refiner's

furnace of the ages shall have prepared

them more

may

at

fully for the perception of that

any time be offered them.

which

CHAPTER

AS

the sun sank on the

northeastern wind

our "idly flapping

Western horizon a

began to strain out sails,"

full

moon

sat

my

on the quarter-deck, chatting Suddenly, as

matters. to

the waters.

of the tropics climbed out of

the great wastes of waters, and I

him

if

friend and of

various

some one had spoken

reminder of some event, he

in

good

and the

more moved merrily over

ship once

The

V.

said

;

"Yes,

certainly; at once."

A

moment

seen in his cabin just before sunset, his hands,

coming about

else

I

had

was put

into

as fast as a

walk, out of the companion way.

no one

which

after, the stone casket

was near us on

man would

At

that time

the deck, therefore no

remarks were made. In

my

peculiar state of

mind

tliis,

too,

seemed

OF ATLANTIS. perfectly natural, as well as

Taking

the

me

out to

casket

several

to

"That

what followed. hands he pointed

his

and symbols en-

characters

Calling

my

atten-

a form of the winged globe,

he

said:

graved deeply tion

in

77

is

in

the stone.

him who was our

the signet seal of

most learned, Ancient Brother.

It

contents of the casket in trust for him the password.

"Lay

Let us

the open

palm

see if

of

holds

who

we may open

your

left

the

hath it.

hand on mine,

the fingers straight, and say as thou mayest receive out of the silence. I

have expected to meet,

it is still

He

it

is

thou art he well.

did so, a

only patience for further waiting."

left

hand upon

it,

palm

shock passed over

little

an electric

thrill,

only a

Then

I

felt

placed

I

to palm.

As

my whole

body

little

His eye shining with a piercing mine.

whom

If not,, then

held out his left hand, palm up.

my own

like

If

more

brilliancy,

I

intense.

caught

another hand lying on the

back of mine, and a form shadowed out of the

OUR STORY

78 thin air by

my

side,

and simultaneously

standing beside

could

distinctly

feels the sun's rays,

brightness

the

feel

Prominently out of

us.

when one

the shadow, as

could

most majestic

see the full, regal proportions of a

figure

I

pair of eyes similar to those of

my

I

another

of

friend in the

body.

At

the same

moment

ing through the air to

Instantly

chant.

where beneath me all

its

three

of time there

my

position.

remained together I

had

in

Without

its

my

intonation,

volition of

exactly the

the

my

same cadence

We

leagues.

in the

same

relative

any

three present,

every respect.

a single syllable from able in

many

lost all consciousness of

ference of condition in

seemed equal

up-borne

be

to

a vast city lay spread out, in

beauty and glory for still

ring-

ears a low, musical

appeared

I

came

At

this

dif-

who

instant,

friend's lips, indescrib-

arrested

my

attention.

lower consciousness, I

in

uttered a syllable, and

then, like the soft, clear ringing of a silver bell,

:

OF ATLANTIS. from the

thrilled

of our bodyless brother,

lips

the third syllable of a

79

word whose awful powers

mystics concede.

all

As

the last note rang out into space the casket

came once more

saw

it

my

fully into

consciousness.

I

open slowly, until the cover turned fully

back, and revealed a large roll of the finest papyrus,

clearly

acters of

written

in

but minute char-

plain

what we have supposed was a

transi-

tion period of Egyptian civilization.

My

friend reverently raised the scroll from

resting place.

As he

and of bewildering

from

it.

did so a fragrance inimitable

upon the senses poured

effect

Holding

its

this

record

precious

of

the

past in his hands he said

"For over 29,000

years,

my

rus has not seen the light.

brother, this papy-

When

inclosed in this casket and sealed, in

the body, looked

ment ited

of

much

that

forward

to

was beyond

mortal potency.

I

am

we

it

was

last

three, still

the accomplish-

the

power of lim-

glad to greet thee,

OUR STORY

8o

was not mistaken

my companion

and brother.

in thee, for to

no power but the presence of the

three

would the casket have yielded

When in

I

I

shall

have read

it

to

you

your hands for safe keeping.

it

its

contents.

will be left

To-morrow we

will begin our work, giving six of the early hours of the day to it."

CHAPTER

SO

VI.

on the next morning of

tale

and

transfer

translated while

we commenced our

wrote down

I

hand that which he thus gave me. it

was slowly

ing a

little

recalled

my

given,

owing

rusty in

my

skill,

that

to

a full

concerned

whose daring

At

their

the

country and

wonderful

that

many another

involved

disaster, because they lacked

my

I

and com.plete record of country,

seeking in

with impassible limitations and pulled

submit to

be-

stenography, but as

leaders, like

out their designs.

first

my

to the fact of

manifest unusual pcjwcr, have come

tact

in short-

our speed increased.

The MSS. was all

He

rescription.

But

I

all

in

con-

down

irretrievable

omnipotence

to carry

will not anticipate, but

readers the history of Atlantis and

OUR STORY

82

the story of the secret causes that led to the final

overthrow, as

have copied

I

from the notes

it

of that never-to-be-forgotten voyage.

It begins

with an invocation by the Scribe, as follows: "I,

Tlana, Scribe of the Mighty Three, to

whom

it

has been given strictly in charge so to

do, herein write the history of

This

try.

lightenment of off ages to

my

come

to recurring

beloved coun-

for the instruction

to be

is

my

people,

shall

when

and en-

they, in the far

need more than bread, help

memory.

I

demand

for this under-

and

assistance

taking, the necessary

guidance

from the Brotherhood of both the Invisible and the Visible, so soon to

become

of the Invisible;

from the gods of Wisdom and Power, and from the

Supreme Ruler of

which actions

is

best

All, that I

may

say that

and most instructive concerning the

and conditions of our nation from

beginning to now.

"Our Continent of all the others

(About

its

29,0CX) B. C.)

follows the general outline

now

in

manifestation upon the

OF ATLANTIS. Earth.

It

about 1,000 miles broad at

is

and 3,000 miles long

est point,

The

mension.

surface

is

ing of vast fertile plains.

North and East ous.

From

river with

at

mostly

But

its

its

longest di-

level,

consist-

West,

the

to

wid-

the country becomes mountain-

these mountains, as a water shed, a

branches drains nearly the whole

its

length of the Continent.

through an

83

artificial

Its

waters,

diverted

canal and locks, forms the

great port of the City of Atlantis, which extends

from

this canal, northeast of the central portion

of the continent, quite

up

to the foothills of the

Among

elevated portion of the country.

these

mountains has been built the Great Temple ded-

OM., who

icated to

"Our

records

fail

is

the

ONE,

to give us

the All.

any information

of the beginning of man's occupancy here, and is

it

only through the power of perception of our

wise ning.

men It

that is

we

gain any idea of that begin-

sufficient

Race men needed

a

to

home

say,

for

when

the

their

unfolding.

Fifth

OUR STORY

84 they found

it

here.

Their unfolding has been

along the lines of the strongest development.

may

We

therefore simply describe the conditions now-

existing as the

outcome

of the thought-forces of

known world.

the most powerful nation of the

"The

fertility of

where upon the

our

earth.

soil

is

Our

unparalleled anydifference of ele-

vation above the sea level gives variety to our climate,

and whatever grows otherwhithers on

the globe, will

grow here

also,

We

luxuriance and perfection. to

in

the greatest

have no need

import anything grown out of the ground

from other nations.

"Our

supplies of minerals

from the bosom of

the earth are incomparable in their

amount and

abundance.

We

where upon

the surface of the earth.

have

all

metals

found

We

anyalso

have one, of which none has ever been discovered in any other country. tility

iron.

It possesses the duc-

and color of copper and the strength of

We

have named

it

Orichalcum.

OF ATLANTIS. "The fauna

holds every

85

species

which from here has been carried of the earth, there to find

a

to

new

animal,

of

parts

all

habitat and

become of use to the children of men either for

This was the center of

labor or pleasure.

Whatever knowledge or wisdom on

tribution. this

them, they have

experience has given

line

freely passed

of

on

it

to

who

those

stood in need

In short, whatever mankind possesses

it.

we

any degree anywhere,

also

possess

much

of wealth

plies of all kinds, as

"No word

Temple

No

like ours,

residences

we

;

that

is,

surplus of sup-

hold to-day.

but immense, will truly describe our

public works.

of

outshine

much

our in

nation has even dreamed of a less built one.

citizens,

even

of

The

private

the

poorer

beauty of desiajn and suitable-

ness of material the kings of

Do

vast

Nation or Potentate ever before concen-

trated so

sort,

in

in

Never has any

abundance, far beyond our needs. State,

dis-

not consider that

I

am

many

other nations.

seeking to belittle

OUR STORY

86

others or to extol ourselves, but as fully

and

I

am

as candidly as I can, that

really the fact, as I

now

"The mountains have

which

is

write.

springs of hot and cold

water which act as natural

them the water

stating

reservoirs.

From

conveyed by stone pipes to the

is

public baths and to the private residences of such citizens as choose to avail themselves of the privilege

under certain conditions.

"In the center of the aces,

city are

the royal pal-

and these are protected by three immense

canals,

which are

entirely

built

around

with two intervening zones of land. nals are connected with the

them,

These

ca-

Great Sea by an-

other canal 3CX) feet wide and lOO feet deep and six miles

long to connect with the port.

"The Great Temple of the city.

Its lofty

is

in

the northeast part

tower bearing upon

its

top,

the finest observatory ever yet built, occupies the

northeast quarter of the

and the Temple

itself

is

Temple grounds. This protected from attack

OF ATLANTIS. on the North, East and

which serve both to hold

West by

as a defense

87 the mountains,

and a foundation

up the massive structures

upon

built

them.

"From in

the mountains the city of cities extends

a circular

form southward.

mense area occupied by the

proper

is

still

square

which has been cultivated from time im-

memorial, and is

city

upwards of 75,000

another, comprising; miles,

Beyond the im-

is

in fact

This

one vast garden.

from the river and from a

liberally irrigated

canal 600 feet in width and lOO feet deep, ex-

Not

tending through the country i,200 miles. only are these waters used

for

irrigation,

but

through a system of locks at the port, galleys are raised

and lowered into the grand canal, where

they both

receive and

kinds of products "It

is

the interests of

commerce.

hardly necessary to mention

population

many

in

distribute cargoes of all

of

millions.

this

plain

Never

that

and the mountains will

there be so

the is

many

OUR STORY

88

people gathered in the same place at the same time, so say our prophets

"Nor must

I

and Magi.

forget to say that the

of our population

is

volume

increased by the fact that

power

owing

to the

dominance of the

of the

spirit,

which has not been weakened yet

to

any great extent there are three or four gen-

erations of all

life-giving

men upon

the earth at the same time,

strong and vigorous.

plies for the

As

the necessary sup-

maintenance of the body at

its best,

are in the greatest profusion, nature in no sense retards the increase of population,

would

but

support to the utmost limit the most prolific

in-

crease possible.

"During the day and action that

the myriad sounds of voice

arise over the docks

ters of the city devoted to labor

is

and the quarlike

the roar

of a tornado on the sea, hurling itself against the

embattled rocks.

"The

Atlantian

galleys

have

reached

every

port and nation under the whole broad heaven.

OF ATLANTIS. They have

89 under

laid the entire surface of earth

tribute to our

We

commerce.

ask another nation

for

But they seek from us

have no need to

we

anything

have not.

the fruits of our soil and

our incomparable bronze manufactures, in whose production our artizans have become very expert, especially in clubs, axes, knives

"The

and swords.

barbarians of the Eastern world have

never been able to make these things for themselves,

and as the material and tempering of our

artizans are very fine,

The

can possibly offer.

we

in

fail

mand

is

making

we

find

market for

all

we

only article of which

the supply equal to the de-

which

a bright yellow metal,

offers

a

powerful resistance to the action of the elements. It

is

eagerly sought for purposes of decoration,

both of building and persons. of our

traders

own mines

is

total

product

thus appropriated, and our

have discovered

parts of the world.

The

that

exists

it

So they seek

and when found offer our

own

it

in

other

ever)^where,

products in ex-

OUR STORY

90 change for

it.

When

they bring

home

it

they

are offered certain immunities and privileges in

addition to the market value foj It

with

us,

is

but with

the nations of the earth.

all

predicted by our

dition,

Magi

that this peculiar con-

through the foul greed of man, will grow

into a calamity- for the

upon which

become

its

whole

gathering by us

irrepressible

The

race.

and destructive

in the

As, how-

tried to deal justly, they can hardly be

considered responsible for any such also true that

if

to come, as

we

meet

it

enough

in the

Thus

is

race

new

far, strained

for acquisition has not acquired

to injure us in

It

long ages yet

are again called to face in

bodies the lives allotted to us. intensity

evil.

come upon the

does

evil

shall be forced to

line.

more

our nation has done no intentional wrong

and have

we

desire

founded will

is

physical nations in the years to come. ever,

in a

has become a measure of value, not only

way,

It

Thus,

it.

force

our development on any

OF ATLANTIS.

91

"We

are not a nation of flesheasters, for the

warmth

of our ch'mate does not compel the con-

centration of food sought in the use of flesh.

we

because

is

efforts

we

are not

overcome the

to

can give so forces

real

bound

and

circle

to the soil in

It

our

of necessity that

much

time to the study of the

facts

of

and the

the universe,

methods by which they could be made useful

to

themselves.

"At

the

North are three high mountain

which have become landmarks for men.

In

the

way

me

written, permit the highest

summit

of

all

seafaring

review of what

my

to take

peaks,

I

have

future readers to

of the great peak Alyhlo, and

from thence point out the paradise of mountain

and

valley, hill

plateaux.

and

plain, interspersed

These are covered with

with broad

tropical vege-

tation bearing all kinds of edible fruits

known

man throughout

the

year.

sides

water

the

Limped streams from

whole the

circle of

mountain

a large portion of this vast district.

to

OUR STORY

92

"Nor

is

this all, for the

thick with

towns.

dwellings,

substantial

But above

whole picture

all,

is

dotted

is

hamlets

and

the capital as a center

of interest, and an exchange of thought, so wide, so far-reaching, that all the other centers in the

whole country seem but suburbs. "Notice also the varied greens of the vegetation fect,

and the blue of the

sky, so clear

as yet undisturbed in

its

and

so per-

vibrations by the

shock of either offense or defense.

Beyond these

can be seen the canal leading to the land-locked sea

and the great port with

its

fleets of

arriving

and departing galleys from every quarter of the globe. oar,

These

move

galleys

neither by sail nor

nor any impulsion of elemental

mounting

all

these our

Magi have imparted

secret of etheric impulse

against this,

wind nor

the fairest land that

tide

man

thus far has ever seen.

force.

Surthe

born of thought, and have no power. in all

It

is

his generations

CHAPTER

BEFORE

going forward with the descrip-

MSS.

tions of the

comparing with as

VII.

we now know

present

the

The

it.

must

do

us

let

location of the

Continent

part

the

Carribean

were

so raised as to m.ake the highest

mense inland Mexico.

seas

have

in

where now

constant

for

configuration,

there

the

the land

If

is

peak

Gulf

the old

succession

six

of

continent the

trade

upon

their

teeming population.

In

winds, bringing moisture and

broad wings,

in

have resulted two im-

Across these and the

would blow

covered

Archipelago.

there must

little

situation,

Ancient

miles high,

a

fertility

must have been a striking

resemblance to our upper lake country.

The

range of mountains to

the

West and

OUR STORY

94

North must have

constituted

backbone of

the

the Continent, whose peaks and table lands

form a chain of

On

islands.

now

the line of drainage

from the inland sea the Amazon must now be

The

located.

sult not so

must have been the

fertility

much

re-

of a torrid temperature, as of

the absence of cold winds, which gave a peculiar,

life-developing^climate,

equable, tables

both for vege-

Everything possible grew,

and animals.

because there were no drawbacks to It

was always seedtime;

Bud, blossom and

it

same

tree.

What

fruit-bearing trees.

of those

who

was always

harvest.

growing

So

soil,

partially

is

of the orange and lemon

condition of the

growth.

fruit in all their different stages

of maturity could be seen

the

its

was then

fertile

and

so

at

once on

true

to-day

true of all

was the

original

great the

wisdom

directed, that the matter of planting

seed and gathering harvest became a matter of

sequence and not of season. tion let us return

to

With

this explana*

our manuscript:

a

OF ATLANTIS. "The change is

of condition

95

from

life

to death

one accepted and welcomed by our people; not

any sense feared, because during their long

in

continued existence the monotony of physical is

fully satisfied

and the only inducement for

cepting prolongation it's

life

ac-

the increasing of the spir-

is

force and potency, with

which we are well

acquainted and fully educated as to

its

limitless

possibilities.

"Our many and

place as carriers for the world, has for

years

On

acknowledged.

been

seas

all

in every port are the galleys that supply the

world's

marts,

winged globe therefore

in

the

flying

Atlantian

—

flag

blue on a yellow ground.

happens

in

our

ample

harbor,

It

the

myriad swarms of shipping, although loaded with the products of the

"The

whole earth are

sailors of other nations

ours.

dare not

move

out into the vast wastes of waters, separating the different countries one from another.

"Great warehouses

lie

along the water's edge,

OUR STORY

96 which

bordered from the

is

sea,

for

many

miles

into the interior, by immense, solidly-built walls.

These are

high enough to be above any

raised

high-water mark of either flood from the interior

the result of changes in the for the melting of

vapor,

was

"The

snow on

amount

crease of

from

of drainage,

the mountains or in-

suddenly

iron tramways,

moved by

only our

Magi know.

moves back and is

amount

connected with

is

loads are

it

were rather

precipitated

a thing of but slight importance.

capital

kingdom by

floods

But

or tide from the ocean.

bidden by

wagons, to which

"The whole

parts of the

upon which enormous

a motive force, whose secret

forth, its

all

But

the obedient force

drawing and pushing,

as

controller, the heavily ladden

it is

city

harnessed.

is

built

of

a

pure

white

marble, taken from quarrries in the Northern Hills,

whose

supplies are used not only for build-

ing at home, but also for export.

So

fine

is

the

grain and so elegant the polish that the blocks

OF ATLANTIS.

97

are used over and over in rebuilding in the cities

This stone cannot en-

of the Mediterranean.

dure the extremes of temperature of the Northern climate, but

is

amply strong

for all that

may

be demanded under an Atlantian sky.

"From what

I

have already

will be plain, the city

is

mountains and end at

which

is

it

fitted against the

is

in

in the

radii of

the King's palace.

resentative of the nation.

labor,

man can own

or

It

is

anything

component

part.

of

no owner-

is

name

avenues, center

the

There

some representative

constitute a

other

the circle,

the

at

These are

mountains.

ship of land, save in the King's

that no

begin

semi-circle

regular intervals by

forming the

it

Northern mountain ranges.

"Broad avenues

crossed

perhaps

laid out like a disc, vi'ith

a segment wanting, where foothills of the

said,

as the rep-

held by our Magi, in

which

thereof,

All

his

own

does not

articles

of

handiwork therefore can be claimed by the contributors thereto, but

man

has not, and can never

OUR STORY

98

ownership

attain,

manifestation

—

attempt

it,

shall

the four great elements of

in

fire, air,

water, earth.

and degradation will

disaster

tend the attempt.

If he ever

man

If a

at-

builds a house or

plants a tree, or cultives a crop, then the house

or tree or harvest belong to him, and he should

be protected in his right to enjoy fully,

all that

can come from his labor.

"All lands are parceled out by

improvements only, have a

He who would

price.

like his neighbor's location must,

bor's consent,

has no

comfort.

when

with his neigh-

buy the improvements, but the land

more value than

"The

and the

lot,

the air about

it.

and

houses are built for convenience

Every family owns

a young

man

its

own home, and

takes to himself a wife, he has

a portion of land assigned him, under conditions

which make equable

all

quality or surroundings.

inequalities

No

of

crowding

place, is

lowed, not even in the thickest part of the

The

al-

city.

buildings are of permanent material, fash-

OF ATLANTIS. ioned to principle

rooms

the air and light.

let in

The

underlying

a central open court, with the living

is

all

99

about

many ways

it.

This plan

modified

is

in

and needs

to suit the individualities

of the owners.

"The

court

entered by a broad gate, swing-

is

ing easily on

its

ample

In the center

fittings.

a pool with an overflowing fountain to prevent stagnation, cools the air and helps modify the vibrations.

The water was

supplied by an acque-

duct from the mountains.

This was

so old that

no Atlantian of the present people can give

But there are records

age.

the

Temple concerning

in

ment. erally

About two

this pool the

stories,

"When

to free

its

on

accomplish-

pillars,

movement

young couple decide

the

huge

building stands, gen-

so supported

form no obstruction

the archives of

the planning of the

undertaking and the manner of

its

as to

of the air.

to locate

it

is

the custom to receive from the chief astrologer of the

Temple

a

horoscope definitely naming the

OUR STORY

100

number

of the

new

one a room was built

For each

family to come.

home.

in the

allotment prevents crowding, and

and

to the utmost, of progress

This

special

productive

is

growth on

all

lines.

"Animals herd, man individualizes ency.

At

end of the

either

in his tend-

scale, acceptation of,

or rebellion against the herding, indicates where

he stands at any given time,

as regards either his

spiritual or his physical nature. to be brutish

it

matters not

his,

he

spiritually unfolded he

propriate and use, in his

comes belonging himself.

if fifty

is

inclined

hands eating

dip into the same bowl of porridge.

with is

If he

This

to

is

the

own way,

to ap-

that which

and prepared especially for

not, as

appear, selfishness, but

work which

would prefer

If

Ego

is

it

might at the outset

the outcropping of the

takes

upon

itself

during

the earth lives, the soul-building out of the incarnations.

"The rooms on

the

first

story are larger and

OF ATLANTIS. mostly used for the family

Most

offices of living, in

and

are concerned

relations

loi

of their leisure time

is

which the perfected.

about

spent

the

fountain in the court, where there are always

The

agreeable shadows, with the blue sky above.

courts are paved in colored patterns with a kind of glass, and carpeted with rugs and mats

from vegetable

and

textiles

fancifully

These goods are made principally sides

these

furnishings,

woven dyed.

for export.

Be-

there are side by side,

products of man's thought from every part of the earth, the richest

and the

best.

None

stained as the spoils of war, for our

dustrious and honorable has

made

adventure the richest nation

upon the

"From

No

are bloodtraffic,

in-

us beyond per-

that

ever

existed

earth.

the

first,

we have

traded everywhere.

galley of ours has ever been seized

god of the

seas

and

left

lying upon

bottom whether bearing our

goods

by the

the ocean

forth

or

bringing back to us the merchandize of other

OUR STORY

102

This natural increase by labor and by

lands.

without

trade,

sufficient to

loss,

should of

have enriched

us

have been

itself

without

other

means

"Thus selves,

it is

each

perceived the families are by them-

an

is

independent

Their houses and gardens are

dom

of that

ceived.

This

community is

as

community.

much

the king-

as can possibly be con-

the rule of the spiritual and not

of the physical.

"But

I

must not forget

and roads of the

city

to speak of the streets

proper and the outlying

country.

These are

eral plan,

which once established has never been

changed.

Although they have been many years

in

construction

laid out

on a certain gen-

and extension, every foot has

been added under the direction of a master mind in

conformity to a uniform plan adopted thou-

sands of years ago. they

are finished

So far as they are extended

and

used for the road beds

lasting. is

our

The

substance

secret, of the

whole

OF ATLANTIS. Our

world.

The

waj's are

103 and

dustless

noiseless.

peculiar composition readily yields traction

to bodies

moving over them.

Never has there

been so perfect a system of easy transportation

upon the earth.

"The

public buildings are always large,

and of varied pinnacles

styles,

roomy

surmounted with domes,

and minnarets and ornamented with

statutes of artistic design

and workmanship.

material of which these are built

is

The

white marble.

Atlantis can well claim not only the honor of

being so created, but of remaining a white

There

is

no darkening effluvium

in the air

city.

nor

the climate to obscure the white walls set in the

Our Magi

great billows of surrounding green. say, that in

days to come, a nation on the Medi-

terranean Sea called the Greeks, will personify in their

tiful

works

woman

of art, our beloved city as a beau-

rising

from the

"The more important

sea.

of these buildings are

profusely decorated with gold, and

it

is

for this

OUR STORY

104

purpose that metal

is

so eagerly

Atlantian traders, a poetical

bought by the

— name

'the tears of

the sun,' has been adopted by our people, and by this

it is

Of

King; of the Great Temple,

of the

more

most widely called here.

at length

the palace

I will

speak

by and by.

"In these public buildings are rooms for cial

so-

meetings, to discuss public topics and for the

convenience of classes studying things that do not

belong to the physical plane.

A

description of

one will be a description of the general plan of

all.

They

are elliptical in form, with a foun-

tain in the center.

The

Atlantians are extrava-

gantly fond of the presence of water. of the foci are a

number

At one

of seats, arranged like

an amphitheater, built of stone and rising one above another.

At

the other of the foci stands

a Tribune, upon which the speaker stands public addresses are made. also are seats,

About the fountain

where the auditors

converse one with another.

when

sit

easily

and

OF ATLANTIS. "In

like

manner

105

are built the training schools

young; the central part of the structure

of the

being open to the sunlight and the the

young Atlantians are educated

to

make

and

Our

fathers

in the things

and

had a saying

we

to

seek

a rule of living: 'Eight years to infancy

play, eight years to

physical

Here

the family

that belong to the nation,

themselves.

air.

things,

eight

boyhood and training

years to

in

young manhood

and learning of the world outside of Atlantis,

and one thousand years visible

and

ly correct.

real.'

to learning of the

Its proportions are

in-

very near-

CHAPTER

THE

VIII.

Atlantians of either sex are almost

perfect in their physical organizations.

They

are nearly all equally trained by

the master of wisdom. are not

reply

and

times.

is

first,

Man

The

how

is

be asked

the conclusive answer of

why

all

ages

potency in exactly the same

little variation,

hardly perceptible at

increased by every increment, no matter

small, of each of the succeeding lives.

difference lectual

they

never has and never will ex-

ercise his individual

way.

may

on the same plane of development.

all

The

It

Is

This

increased also by the force of intel-

power which comes

to

a nation and of

necessity to the individuals of the nation,

who

will seek to occupy the best bodies and positions, as the returning egos claim place in the lives.

OF ATLANTIS.

107

"Because of the absolute equality of the sexes the bodies of the

women

are just as strong and

vigorous as those of the men. that in other nations, with in

contact,

women

in

But we know

which we have come

other parts of

the

world,

are inferior in size and strength.

the

This

happens because the people of those nations have allowed themselves from generation

and from age

tion,

sert

to

to age, to believe in

the inferioritj' of

women.

genera-

and

as-

This continued

thought has belittled and dwarfed her, not only in body,

but has also bound her aspirations and

her mental capacity with bonds stronger than steel.

While

row and

loss,

the barbarian races, to their sor-

have made

this

sad mistake, the

Atlantian nation, on the other hand, have constantly held to the equality of the ^exes. result

now

is,

physically, both sexes are

The models

which painter or sculptor are proud and eager to copy.

perfection

Each one is

beauty.

is

a specimen of beauty, for

The

action of the climate

OUR STORY

io8

and transmitted principles have brought lectual vigor

of perception

pediments

and daring with a marvelous grasp

upon the laws of nature and Their

themselves.

intel-

bodies,

to spiritual

of

instead of being im-

growth and advancement,

who

are helps indeed to the spirits

seek through

them experience, knowledge and

understanding.

Those who might be

common

the

called

class,

doing the necessary labor of the nation, are far

advanced beyond the

literary

class

of

the bar-

barian nations in their perception of the truth

and their knowledge will this

come

of nature's laws.

in the future

when men

The

will

day

mourn

knowledge forgotten, when the fatigue and

monotony

of burden bearing will be almost over-

whelming

in its

"We

crushing awfulness.

have schools for the development of the

physical and for the directing of the mental habits of thought.

orized

In these schools very

knowledge

is

imparted.

to so train the faculties that

if

little

The

mem-

design

is

desired or needed

OF ATLANTIS.

109

the cipher of the Astral books could easily be read.

"Sickness

deaf

blind,

halt,

We

unknown.

is

nor

dumb,

have no lame,

nor

beggars

models for maternal pre-natal mind,

and

embryos,

thus

merce,

who

speak

I

misform the

for is

true

are busy in the affairs of com-

agriculture,

of

monstrosities

This of which

public charge. of the nations

build

to

as

or

who

are

builders

and decorators of houses and public buildings.

But

there are

some who from natural impulsion

have sought more and more of the

invisible, of the

ONE,

and those who

truths which belong to the rest in

IT.

These are willing and anxious

to

devote themselves and their powers constantly to obtaining and youth.

The

attaining,

and

the

only class distinction

teaching

we have

of is

founded upon knowledge. "It has

to pass in a natural fashion that

thinkers have

these

other

come

;

gravitated

toward one an-

that they have kept records of observation,

OUR STORY

no

experiment and experience; that they are wiser in speech; in

seen;

mathematics as applied

alchemy,

in

astrology,

in

At

un-

they

are

and

which embrace the

specially wise in the physics

laws of the unseen.

to the

first

buildings were set

As

apart for these students and their teachers. city

grew each body

of students had

ing,

now known

temples.

as

its

Later,

ONE

who

might be

Magi,

all

were

in

order

on

all planes, is

of our

for everything obtained and

in

mind dwelling on

this

make

bol of the

the

ONE.

ONE,

and power

obtainable.

Thus

thought has striven

design, in material, in finishing

ing to

ALL

manifesta-

referred back to the

as the single central source of strength

the

is

perfect.

"In the teachings tion,

build-

all

gathered into the one great Temple, that the symbolism of the

the

and furnish-

Great Temple a perfected symIts

worship

in all its

imagery

and suggestion combines every element for the impressiveness of

mode and

subject,

under

dis-

OF ATLANTIS. cussion upon

any wonder

in

the minds of the student.

that there has

come

"It

is

sion of

Omnipotent

laws.

also a fact that our

Magi

most wonderful powers,

who

elemental forces their tasks,

are in posses-

in the control of

obey their will, coming to

not under confinement, but because

who

obedient to the will and behest of those singly or unitedly for their services.

known

it

to us as a na-

tion a deep-seated veneration for the

name and

Is

that this

power never

It

is

call

also

will be held except

by Atlantian born people, regardless of the changing conditions of the globe. "It

is

also true that a far greater proportion

of our people have attained to the superior light

and knowledge than any other nation upon the earth either in the past or present. less

due

to

This

is

doubt-

the fact that our incarnating egos,

having the right of choice, have again and again sought their

own

spot in which to

people as the most privileged

make advancement during

the

OUR STORY

112 lives.

"When bodies

these advanced egoes have found their

we have

the spectacle of children born old,

for the brightness of the last life

is

heavy

them, and the newness of the body does not

ways

act as a defense or shield

ous blaze.

It

is

from

not in each, but

ordinary, detailed development.

is

its

on al-

imperi-

a matter of

CHAPTER

WE

IX.

have but one basic law throughout called the 'golden rule,* or preference

the whole country and city. of another before

self.

We

have no

It

is

evils aris-

ing out of the action of selfishness, for this condition

is

tution,

the primary result of the fear of desti-

either for ourselves or others, sometime

during the position or period of they

who

Even

earth-life.

are the least advanced understand from

our teaching the true idea of Brotherhood

;

that

no man, no man's wife, no man's children, can,

under the law, suffer from deprivation of the necessities of physical

than enough trust

for

enough.

is

life.

He who

held to be always the steward in

him who temporarily But

has more

this

has

less

than

does not relieve from the ne-

OUR STORY

114

cessity for labor, of every individual in the direct

of their ability,

ratio

they are best

whatever employment

at

fitted.

"In the building of our houses, the quarrying of the stones, the transportation and the fitting is

all

done by elemental

tion of a master,

It

is

his

who

force, in

is

under the

direc-

charge of a section.

duty to educate them and to see that they

are duly provided for, out of the Astral storehouse, by the

power given

into his hands.

The

form of government has already been copied from us by a powerful nation

in the

Northern

part of Asia, but because of their* situation on the physical plane,

it

is

most

likely they will

be

able to retain only the form, and will lose the spiritual

power which

the foundation and po-

is

tent principle.

The whole

nation

is

linked

together by the

master of the families, these are classes,

those

under instruction

who

and

in

groups and

direction

are most competent to teach.

from

These

OF ATLANTIS.

115

teachers are grouped under the masters or

of the Temple.

These Magi

the

Temple

Most

Ancient,

of

are under the instruction of the

Magi

the Seven, the Five and the Three.

So, in the

hands of the Three, mightiest of

human

tellects, rests the destinies,

of

as directors

and

Karmic conditions

in-

the prosperity and the

happiness of the whole nation.

them

all

Moreover, upon

arbiters, the responsibility

rested,

as

they were en-

gendered by the currents of potency issuing from themselves and returning upon their cycle bore

with thenij whatever had been impressed upon, or mingled with them during their revolvment

among

those to

whom

the currents

"It must be apparent, to

whom

were

this

sent.

MSS. may

come, that the power of the Unseen, and their application to man's earth-life are matters of the greatest tians.

interest

There

is

and importance

to

the Atlan-

no temporal po\Aer, save

symbol of the Manifested.

as

a

Everything pertain-

ing to organized effort originates with, and

is

OUR STORY

ii6

carried forward by the Priesthood of the

Great

the dominant

power

Temple, which

represents

over matter of the

They have

spirit at its highest

specially in charge the study

velopment of

best.

and

de-

occult knowledge.

all

"Every house

independent of

is

Atlantians are Monogamists

—

the

The

itself.

one husband

This, experience has demonstrated

of one wife.

to be the best condition

for the

a strong, spiritual race.

We

polygamist

and

always

races

development of have

decrease

seen in

that

power,

strength and energy of purpose.

"In Atlantis, to be diseased or crippled

in

body, or to be at the head of a family, in which is

such a member,

people.

Therefore

interest are ditions,

only to

is

deemed a crime against the all

thought,

all

desire

and

brought to bear upon physical con-

through occult and spiritual

make

forces, not

the nation whole, but whole in

the highest and best sense.

"Those who

are

particularly

gifted

with

OF ATLANTIS. psychic qualities or

whose

117 have attained

spirits

famih'arity with the instrument intrusted to their

hands are trained for the

offices

of

Masters or

These may or may not have

Guides.

but in either case, they are persons to certain

number

council, advice

families,

whom

a

of persons or families look for

and guidance.

"For thousands of years have the Magi of the Temple, who give

their

whole time

to the

study

of the Unseen, and lay aside their bodies at their

own

volition, really placed the welfare

and best

good of the people beyond any other consideration

have no poor. necessary labor generation,

more

The

whatever.

like

nation

They have no is

honorable.

we have the gods

is

inferior class.

Generation

All after

been growing stronger and

come down

have perfect communication

world and each other.

We

to

with

know

the fairest city on this planet, and tent.

They

happy.

earth.

the

We

outside

Atlantis

we

is

are con-

:

CHAPTER

HAVING tion

thus far advanced in the descrip the most wonderful

of

man, permit me

ever

city

to

quote from

words of one who saw what he

so fluently

known the

X.

to

and graphically describes for you

"To

the Northeast of this island Continent

located the Great svTnbolism. tent,

On

Temple,

and

built both for use

many

a plateau of

where the gradually

rising

to break into the foothills, the

is

acres in ex-

ground began

whole surface had

been leveled and paved with some soft material, of which the Atlantians alone

knew

This hardened under the action atmosphere, until

it

was

like

the secret.

of the sun and

adamant.

To

the

East, a belt of country reaching to the seacoast,

but

not

on

a

level

with

it,

had

also

been

OF ATLANTIS. smoothed and paved,

119

was no

that there

so

struction to the eye, until

it

rested

on the

ob-

far-off

horizon.

"Upon enough

broad expanse of level space, close

this

to the

mountains

mighty arms, stood the ple,

to be buttressed

by their

great, white-walled

Tem-

facing the South, and the ample areas for

assemblage.

The

the cloisters of the

closed courts

Temple

and

offices,

and

faced the mountains

of the North, and thus secured for the

Temple

Dwellers the privacy needed for

Masters

the

and student Brotherhoods of the Temple,

were seeking

to

know

"The Temple the

first

out of the Silence.

proper consists of two

stories,

one consisting of pillars springing from

the rocky foundations of the

porting arches, which

in

mountain and sup-

turn, held

up immense

slabs of stone, the floors of the second story.

the

who

first floor

there

is

little

On

or no inclosure, but

within the walls of the second story

it

ranged for privacy and quiet thought.

is

all ar-

He who

OVR STORY

120

looks over the battlements of the upper story, looks

down about

ninety feet, into the beautifully

On

paved court below. the

Temple

itself,

the East and

West

of

are gardens, groves of trees,

fountains, running streams of water, domesticated

animals, and flowers of every hue and fragrance.

These are sacred

to the

Temple, but open

to the

people under the surveillance of the caretakers,

except certain reserved spots close to the Temple,

which are

for the special use of the students

teachers.

In the northeast section of the

ple building tory,

fifty

was in

feet

landmark and

and

Tem-

the great tower and observa-

diameter, rising 210

light extending

feet,

a

hundreds of miles

and ever a joy-inspirer for the sea-tossed mariners of the State.

"Looking from the plaza interior of the ests of

Temple,

white pillars and

ing roof

fills

in front,

its

vast recesses,

its

high-lifted over-arch-

the spectator with awe.

this feeling lessened

toward the

by the

its

for-

Nor was

cleanliness, the con-

OF ATLANTIS.

lit

tinuous shifting of huge masses of sunlight and

shadow, ever into new and indescribable gro-

During

tesquerie.

the

awful

the

services

sol-

emnity evoked was of a character that modified the whole Atlantian thought and national purpose.

"The

great tower

was commenced

The

below the surface.

fifteen feet

original trap rock

was

supplemented by a square block of concrete rock,

and upon

this

was

carried

up the superstructure

225

the square of

to a total height of

teen.

Upon

a raised dais of

the floor of the

was

the secret

Temple

fif-

resting on

chamber of the Holy at

High

blazed and flashed the Veil of

Isis.

Across and through

Holies.

Festivals,

feet,

Above, on a level with the upper

chamber of the

Forty-five,

and

this,

floor,

still

was the

above that

the chambers of the Fifteen, the Seven, the Five

and the Three.

In the outer, the

smooth and unpenetrated on

tom

to top.

It

its

Tower was

surface from bot-

resembled a solid block, chiseled

OUR STORY

122

out of quarries and set on end, so deft was the

workmanship and

so

the jointings and

perfect

finish,

"In the story of

cloisters

the

an^

rooms

Temple were

the

of

second

apartments

private study and class instruction. also

the

for

There were

supplemental apartments, hollowed out of

the neighboring mountains and reached by secret passages so arranged that whatever should be de-

them

posited in held, even

if

as treasuries

would be

securely

buried beneath the surface of the

sea for ages.

"Beyond the great trees

up

plaza,

toward

the

city,

and fountains shaded and beautified clear

to the

This

naked edge of the vast pavement."

is

a faint portraj^al of that

really the culmination

which was

and concentration of the

Nation's thousands of years of existence and unfolding.

"In

all

our Temples, and more especially

in the

Great Temple, the outer courts were but the sim-

OF ATLANTIS.

123

from those who have no

pie separation

inspira-

and higher.

In the outermost

court, or court of the people,

were always gath-

tion for the inner

ered those

who had

who were

undecided as to what direction they

own, and

tlioughts of their

should take in pursuit of the light' slowly dawning upon them.

"The those

court

inner

who have

of

far -perceived,

so

contained

people

the

that they are

willing to obligate themselves to carry out certain purposes, of

but

little,

whose

full intent

they can

except that the farther end

the light of

life,

this court they

it

is

who

seek

natural

striving to advance,

through their

lost in

and the halo of obligation.

must be

fitted

ing and preparation for that which

them, so

is

know

tliat

they

who

In

by train-

lies

before

linger there,

must do whatever they can

own power

of

assimilation,

by

themselves.

"At is

their

the

first,

if

the lesson

is

concentration,

individual concentration.

If

it

the lesson

OUR STORY

124 is

passivity,

It

is

it

their

is

own

when one

exactly as

beginning, the voice

is

when some

learning to sing, as a

trained to use

its

own

pe-

After this solitary prac-

culiar function alone. tice,

is

individual passivity.

aptitude has been attained and

ready

a facility of use, then they are

massing of singles for a united follow then, that

tlie

effort.

the

for

must

It

outer court of the Broth-

erhood cannot but lap over into the inner court of the

Temple.

"That which

is

done singly and alone,

is

ab-

solutely necessary for the next step in advance,

which

is

made

in

unison with another or

same way

as musical students are

to be

others, in the

trained by twos and fours for united efforts of action

and harmony.

"The shall

question considered

growth and attainment

plished?

What

is

in

all

be

is,

best

how

accom-

the basic principle?

"In music we say the sounds are tain key,

this

set to

a cer-

and however prolonged the action of the

;

OF ATLANTIS.

and time will be the same, and

vibrations, the key all

the vibrations are aligned.

when

125

the students

come

It

exactly thus,

is

act together

to

on the

occult planes, the vibrations which they produce will not, of course, be alike, but they

must chord

the parts of one vibration fitting and filling in

with the vibrations of another, so there shall be

no jangle.

"To they

get the best results

who

it

is

always best that

are in the outer court of the Brother-

hood should be watchful and careful forth

brations sent

lest the vi-

from themselves should be

hastened or intensified or even drag through the thoughtlessness of their

"When

own

carelessness.

once unity of action

this matter,

it

is

is

attempted

in

absohitely necessary to success,

that the key on which they start should remain the same.

"It

is

easy to sec

as anger, or

woidd

any of

how

intense passions, such

the

disturbing

interfere with the vibrations.

conditions It

would be

OUR STORY

126 like

a chord out of tune in a stringed

instru-

ment, where, though the strings do not give out the same sounds,

This alignment "It

is

still

they

must be

alignment.

in

the source of all music.

is

not needful that the most intense feel-

ings of one's nature should be given rein, and al-

make

lowed

to

those

whom

he

disturbance, both for himself and is

contracting.

It

is

on a

also,

small scale, like the sharping and flatting at the

wrong

whereby

points,

changed,

the

the

are

vibrations

harmony broken and

discord

be-

comes perceptible. "It

is

also absolutely necessary that all condi-

tions in the outer

which can cause a disturbance

should be held

abeyance,

in

when one

desires to

concentrate, in order that during a united effort for concentration the

not be marred.

This

harmony and strength is

true of

all

shall

work on any

occult line.

"It of the

is

not to be supposed

when two

or

Brothers are concentrating, exactly

more the

OF ATLANTIS. same process of each.

127

gone through within the mind

is

That would

The end

be impossible.

sought for can be attained by each working his

own way, with

B

exactly as

turbance

does,

same thought.

the

A

not follow because

B

that

should as

set

effect to be

"The law second, in

up a

reflected

thus in a measure destroying the

and

does

It

does not perform his task

the vibration

in

in

dis-

from A,

co-operation

produced.

Temple

of the

company with

then,

those

is

who

alone;

first,

are seeking

by united force to accomplish, as the Masters of Destiny, at plish.

fore

times,

all

have been able to accom-

Unity of action

we must guard

turb this unity.

is

most important, there-

against anything that can dis-

If

vibrations,

in

their

conditions lay along side by side, and one ened, then the

harmony

tion of the impulse in

the

is

length of their

when meeting

is

to

normal is

hast-

destroyed and the acincrease the vibrations

wave

force.

We

must,

for united effort, insist that each

128

OUR STORY

for themselves,

shall

Knowing

ans.

we must

cur,

them

become

own

guardi-

that disagreeable things will oc-

be ever prepared, at once, to put

Having done

aside.

their

Thus

stronger to continue. soul's action will

this once,

we

shall be

the music from our

not only affect ourselves, but

those about us.

"Upon built the

others

statement of principles has been

this

great

as

law of the Temple: 'Do unto

you would have

them do unto

All the teaching and training,

all

you.'

the ceremonies

and symbolism of the Temple are founded upon this

law

as the corner-stone of the religion of

Having given

people.

truths, our priesthood

on

to

of the

have

summary

of the

in charge, let us pass

a description of some of the ceremonies

Temple

will take the

more

this brief

our

service, and, as

an illustration,

Great Feast of the

New

fully including the whole, than

"The

feast of the

March, consummated

New and

we

Year, as

any other.

Year, on the 21st of

commemorated

the

OF ATLANTIS. Sun's re-birth, when, out of

129

equal

days

new Spring and Summer began

nights a

and

for the

northern hemisphere, and the promise of seedtime and harvest was renewed.

"At

this celebration

it

expected that every

is

family in the kingdom should be present, either personally or represented by some

member

of the

All the going and coming of the year

family.

planned with privilege

for

this all

made welcome

in

view.

It

is

is

considered a

the outlying population to be

in the capital at this time.

The

feast lasts seven days.

"Let

me

attempt to describe at length, for no

pen can truly portray

all

the

wonders of that

iBarvelous assemblage, one of the last feasts which

took place, the city.

ten years before

the destruction of

The government and

that time in their

people were at

most perfect unity.

"About three days before

the set date of the

feast there could be noticed a little stir of prep-

aration

all

over the country.

It

was

a

quiet

OUR STORY

130

movement toward been

participation.

had

one

If

he could have looked upon

lifted above, so

upon a map, there would have

the continent as

been perceived during these three days, long lines of travelers,

method

some on

foot,

of conveyance,

converging

As

lines.

and others by every

moving upon the the time

city in

grew shorter

the

extent of these lines grew shorter and the ways close to the city

and

in the city itself

the outlying country

who had

and

in all

tents

were spread

in

was a new appearance given

by

reflection

of linen and

from the

some

white by a process

tents,

the gardens,

Thus

to the light

which were some

of cotton, but all bleached very

known

only to the Atlantians

and never imparted to any

Only on

the houses

the parks and places of assembly.

there its

in

not some friend

When

or relative in the city proper. filled,

filled

There were but few people

to overflowing.

were

were

other

nationality.

the great plateau of the

Temple and

the areas of the outer courts, no tents

were

al-

OF ATLANTIS.

131

lowed, for that space was necessarily kept clear, that there might be

room

for the greater assem-

bly.

"As

the ceremonies

were

morning and evening, and

as the

commemoration

of

the hours of assembly were

the new-born sun,

On

meridian height.

in

at the

moment

of the

the first day of the feast,

dawn brightened

in the East, out of the

early twilight, there could be heard throughout

the whole city a low, muffled sound like the pour-

ing of a swift torrent through a smooth bed, and as soon as

it

was

light

enough

to see all the outer

courts and the great plateau of the

be perceived, crowded with those

Temple could

who had

ar-

take part in the inauguration ceremo-

rived

to

nies.

Their

faces

were turned toward the East,

between whose far horizon and the eyes of the numberless watchers no obstruction intervened.

"When

the

moment approaches

for the appear-

ance of the Ruler of the Day, a low, sweet har-

mony, sounding

in

rythmic change, welled out

OUR STORY

132

upon the

air in slow, restful time

Temple

ing tones, from the great

and far-reach-

choir,

who were

gathered in one of the porches of the Temple, so

by

raised as to be seen

all

the vast multitude.

As

the sounds of the chant gradually swelled by the voices of the worshippers, in

power and heavier

titude

seemed

to

volume,

in

to

who

one

pose.

The

cation

is

the vast mul-

all

sway, under the psychic spell

of this invocation to the

come

became more intense

Sun

;

this

returns to his

symbol of wel-

work and pur-

minutes move quickly on, the invo-

finished, a blast of

trumpets accompany-

ing the final note; the orb of day, with tropical

suddenness springs from his bed beneath the

As

his first

beams

tude, they drop

fall

upon

sea.

upon the countless multi-

With bowed

their knees.

heads, in silent adoration, they ascribe all glory, all

power,

all praise to

that which stands to

as the manifested source of

life,

of

strength, the ever sleepless eye of the

they separate.

The

them

health, of

One.

Then

hours are spent in social con-

OF ATLANTIS. verse, or the it is

of rest and quiet until

high noon.

"As streets

places

the

Sun approaches

and byways,

moment

turned

the meridian, all the

the

all

where there may be

face

his

abandonment

133

housetops,

in

all

a worshipper, behold

At

towards the Temple.

the

of meridian altitude, above the highest

pinnacle, a crystal ball, almost as dazzling in brilliancy as the sun itself, shoots up,

few moments

its

and for a

receives the concentrated

thought

of all the faithful throughout the city, as the re-

minder of the good messenger of the One, the heighth of whose glor\' in the ple.

evening there

The

is

is

now

perceived.

Tem-

a convocation at the

ceremonies of the morning are re-

peated, with the exception that the song

of farewell;

Again,

the

multiude facing the

stead of the East,

is

West

and the hushing sounds

stringed instruments attend his exit

from

one in-

of

the

Western horizon. "These ceremonies are continued

for six days.

OUR STORY

134

There are various other ceremonies which take up the time of portions of the Convocation, between

lines of

Temple

services,

of the sciences having

work and

study.

the great Brotherhood of the

braced the whole people in

who

But during

Temple.

its

The moving

its

all

these six days there

and

moving

force at the

talks

Temple

from

full

all

The hum ness

was

the city,

Temple.

after the

waning

the courts of the

so

well

fountains to the

But

inner souls, eager to be fed.

more,

their

guides or guards, lec-

from those who were

qualified to give forth

draws on

It

of a procession through the streets,

a convening of the tures

This em-

ramifications.

continually something taking place in

always having

Each

are allied in

not necessary to describe these in

minutiae.

also

appropriate place and

its

each being developed by those

is

There are

whole.

assemblies of the

these

as the evening

of the sixth day, once

Temple were thronged.

of conversation dies

grows more and more

away

intense.

as the dark-

OF ATLANTIS. "Now, when the

shall

it

have become quite dark,

Temple Choir opens

song

invocation.

of

135

the exercises with the

It

differs

from

all

the

music of the Convocation, hitherto, in key, rythm

and

time.

In this

sound vibrates

tians

swelling cadence,

in

As

the people join.

rising

amongst the echoing mountains, the

falling fect

all

was

perfectly indescribable,

were

and ef-

for the Atlan-

especially celebrated for being sweet

When

singers.

the

the singing

was

finished the chief

upon a Tribune

instructor of the people stood

high raised, and there discoursed of the things

which concerned them most intimately physical life; of whatever they stood

need; of

how

the

Sun was

most

the in

and

life

and plenty and peace, the sign and repre-

health,

sentative of all good.

tention

to

his peroration

"The

Then he

the darkness,

upon them, enforcing

Then

them

to

in

darkness

is

rest

was

directed their at-

which and

sat

so uneasily

inability to

work.

after this fashion:

death and desolation, and

OUR STORY

136

when

thus, in the beginning, the Existent saw,

he said: 'Let there be, and there was, this

word

At

light.'

millions of lights gleamed out all over

the Temple, inside, outside, even on the highest It stood forth

points.

was only one thing about

glory, for there tricity

one blaze of white marble

the Atlantians do not know, that

elecis

the

point where knowledge lays hold with potency

upon the One,

in its inmost

and supreme

integ-

rity of existence.

"There are other ceremonies of minor Importance, pertaining to the night, but this

most important.

There are no

The

the

sacrifices,

no

human

vic-

shedding of the blood of animal or tims.

is

Atlantians do not believe

it is

neces-

sary to teach destruction or destructive action by

such

sacrifice, in the

burning or destroying of any

living thing, for they say structive site.

So

shadow

and all

we ought

man

is

to teach

naturally de-

him the oppo-

our ceremonies lacked the hideous

of agony and horror, that will be sure to

OF ATLANTIS. come

if

man

forgets our teachings.

I37

But

the great

object lessons served well their purpose in ele-

vating the whole people to the same level, and

cementing them into a the next chapter

I

common Brotherhood.

will describe as well as I

the last great day of the Feast.

In

may,

CHAPTER

THAT

concerns the Atlantian nation

when

am

I

was in

for

I

glory,

warned

come power

seemingly

it

to write unguardedly, but lest there

am now

speak

beyond,

edge.

which

to

there

more

of

XI.

prosperity

of

the

with

nothing or knowl-

Unseen

not

circumspection,

for mischief, to the unob-

ligated.

"In the olden days, when step by step we had painfully and laboriously climbed the mountain

heights into the broad blaze of the everlasting truth, the

world lay

intellectual

was

and

at our feet.

ph5^sical status.

in the earth itself

That was our Whatever

there

worth having or knowing

OF ATLANTIS. was

in

our possession

as

139

the birthright of ages

and ages of previous existence.

we coming

"Furthermore,

into

come

clouded, as the generations to physical conditions

are not

life

will be, by

which will grow thicker and

heavier all along the pathway of the unrolling It will be because,

centuries.

may

whatsoever there

we

have sought

shall

having dominated

be of physical workings, also to

master that which

belongs only to the spiritual realm, that

be cut

can

There

off.

but one God.

by the thought of the Infinite

to explain that

Cause of

None

the seat of the uncreated.

sit in

exist

is

all

"In the

which

is

we

shall

created

None who

One

can hope

of itself the Existent, the

results manifested or unmanifested.

first

part of the development of the

Atlantian nation

all

communication was carried

on by outer sense vibration, even

as

now.

Per-

haps the vibrations were not as intense as at the present.

But

in

the latter days they

who

are

instructed are taught by thought transference.

"The

education of the young

is

not along the

OUR STORY

140 line of simple

memorizing.

Nor

is

only the

it

It does

unfolding of partially physical senses.

not appeal to material sense for the building of

We

the soul. ditions

we

do not hope that out of bodily con-

can bring any help to the spiritual.

For we know whatever belongs to and the line of the physical, rising to

source within

itself

can

rise

along

lies

highest

the

no higher than that

point.

More

perfect

form begets weakness and death.

than that, the physical in

can there be anything beyond

this

most

its

How

but weakness

and death?

"This

is

manifestation of that

In

one of our axiomatic doctrines.

we

simply see an exemplification

which occurred on the

"In the days

to

spiritual plane.

come the professor

of mathe-

matics will state an axiom or a proposition, and

then going to the blackboard, and upon

it,

ap-

pealing to the sense of sight, will demonstrate in

manifestation the impression he seeks to make, of the secret workings of the force beyond.

If

OF ATLANTIS, he

is

141

a chemist he will bring before his hearers

certain elements, and out of the unions of these

elements, out of the separation of the conditions,

there will tain,

grow up or manifest

themselves, cer-

But

perhaps, startling conditions.

which then takes place ing to prove;

Nor

truth.

it is

is

not the truth he

is

try-

simply a demonstration of the

the professor of mathematics try-

show you

ing to

is

that

the truth.

He

will simply be

trying to prove that to be true which

he

has

learned from the physical side.

"Do

not confound that which

with the manifested.

The

cause, reaching

we do tions,

unmanifested,

unmanifested

cause of everything manifested. exists because the

is

The

unmanifested

down through

is

all

is

the

manifested its

primal

the ages.

So

not in these days linger over demonstra-

or in any

way

try to prove by simple mani-

festation the existence of the invisible

and un-

manifested.

"But the

first

course of training our students

OUR STORY

142 receive

a line of strengthening for their

is

If there are those

tality.

who

men-

are so physically

constituted that the machinery of their thought,

the

power by which they could

force outside of themselves,

incompetent, they are of those

who

first

is

in

the

any way unfit or

treated by the thought

are about them, to bring

into a healthful condition, as

them up

termed, on the

it is

Really the condition

physical plane.

of

receive

is

simply

one of harmony."

The knowledge which days, to us

who have

manuscript, variously

has

come

the pleasure of perusing this

named "the

—mental knowing" —

itual conditions

science

—

call

science of

in these latter

it

—

science of spirscience of truth

what you

really a glimpse gotten hold of, by one

clear-sighted idea, has

It

is

and who,

in the

is

who was

development of the

manifested the bravery of the old soul.

only to these old souls are

works that of them.

will,

intrusted

the

will stir every man's heart that hears It

is,

however, by standing before the

OF ATLANTIS.

143

world and demonstrating for years and that which

is

years,

the germ-cell of a most wonderful

knowledge, the unfolding along

and

invisible

But

spiritual lines can be accomplished.

I

must

not forget to state that the privilege of giving out these truths, so that they can be understood belongs to the Atlantian-born. If these stand

in

clare their personal

that truth

is

and

afterwards. liave

knowledge

to be truth, until

—

it

thick

That

matters

not

whether

darkness

may

inclose

the

them

portion of the truth which they

put forth will stand forever and forever.

So what

we know

as

an occasional matter

healing after a miraculous fashion of ever3-day occurrence with the

Those who united the race best

and de-

recognized, they have done for them-

selves a service

clouds

their places to-day

Old

a thing

Atlantians.

for the purpose of increasing

mated themselves

knowledge belonging

those days.

was

of

Thus mated,

first,

to it

according to the

the astrologers of rarely happened as

144

OUR STORY

one of our poets hath sung: "Deformed, unfinished, sent before

my

time into

this

breathing

world, scarce half-made up," was the fate of any

When

one born of woman. this

kind appeared,

on the mental plane.

it

was

any unripeness of

treated

successfully

CHAPTER XII.

THE

students

came together

in classes, or

small assemblies to hear and the

learn of

The Wise Ones

Wise Ones.

did

not undertake to talk to the outer physical senses as

I

am

talking to you

to-day,

thought-transference, that

but

through

more vigorous and

per-

meating condition, which some day, some of you will perceive

and know, and

so largely Atlantian, will session of. to

this

come

Not only could

whole nation,

into the full pos-

the subject intended

be taught be fully and completely received, but

with more intensity and a broader wave action

on the plane of

intellect,

than you

now

receive.

Suppose, as has been said to you, in this day,

OUR STORY

146

we

while

listened

delightedly,

were

it

to give to a class of students, by asking sit

still

possible

them

to

a few moments, a demonstration of the

vibrations of color, sound or other sensed vibra-

beyond.

tion, that lies just

and you to

you

:

If I, as a professor,

and

as a class, sit listening eagerly,

"Sit

still

for a

I say

moment, turn inward your

consciousness and perceive," then I could by the force of thought directed by

my own

mentality

make

visible to

mony

that always does, and must, attend the in-

ner vision

much

you the

—how much time

when you have

which

I

it

would save; how

you would remember

better

brains the

quiet, the peace, the har-

to

words

own

symbolyzing

the

vibrations

poorly convey to you, and which no two

This was our

exactly

intellectually exceptional

alike.

and

bril-

mental training.

Whoever was

know

than now,

formulate within your

of you can conceive or perceive

liant

it,

of

all

particularly bright, desirous to

truth,

whose eyes turning

to

the

OF ATLANTIS. white tower, lifting

great,

147

itself aloft

Temple, wished within themselves day within

its

these things,

the gateway

that

some

shadow they might learn more of

were always sure

When

portunity.

above our

this

to

have the op-

eventful time

was opened wide,

there

came and

came

also

the obligation for fulfilling even as the obligations

come

to-day.

That which

a master of the later day said

new commandment

:

"A

give I unto you, that ye love

one another," was the inspiration, the

thought

and the most intense dictum of those who taught in

the

perfect

Temple.

There must be

perfect unity,

harmony, perfect love for one

another.

Oh,

that you of this latter day had never forgot-

ten,

you

who have remembered and put

tice all the

commandments

in prac-

of the "dreadful ten,"

concerning the physical, would only recall and practice the Eleventh.

Then

needed

would come.

in the visible life

Seek ye

first

all

that could be

the knowledge and potency of the

OUR STORY

148

Truth and

Unseen

in

come

you knowledge of

to

the realm of

there

will

The knowl-

all else."

edge of the physical cannot be so very much. lies

few

along the contemplation of a

foundamental principles.

make gold to

difficult

come

as

It

not so

might be considered.

simple,

difficult to

It

is

not so

do various other things which have

Every step you have

our knowledge.

to

is

climbed along the way, which seemed so cult at

its

It

first

contemplation, after

it

diffi-

has been

accomplished, grew easier with the added knowledge.

Our

records in stone, contained in the great

treasury of the waters, hold embodied fundamental principles as established truths,

which many

earnest souls groping in search along the higher lines to

discover,

lives to

know.

will

come

would

Some

give years of their

of these, sooner or later,

into knowledge.

Those willing

vance, to expend the time necessary, to sacrifices

own

to ad-

make

the

and take upon themselves the obliga-

OF ATLANTIS, which must

tion

who

rest

i49

upon the consciences of

all

are admitted to participation in the truths

world-wide

in the scope of their action, are can-

didates for

knowing and understanding.

will certainly advance beyond

They

three-fold

the

gates into the great mysteries.

That which belonged

to the Atlantians as a

nation intellectually and morally of all knowledge, except that

the origin and

One

of

whom

I

life.

the control

which belonged

to

This concerns the

alone.

Some days, I

that

power

was

lies

of you

now

knew

perceive as

as

men

women.

behind each one of you

is

in the

olden

But the

spirit

the same; the

perception that looks out of the eyes

is

the same

perception that looked out of the body or dress

you wore then, thousands of years ago.

you of

this

Oh,

if

day and generation could only un-

derstand and perceive the treachery of the physical embrace, cal

is

how

the

enwrapping

into the physi-

only a manifestation for the processes of ac-

150

OUR STORY

complishment.

If the experiences can

through the body of a man, object of the

coming back

it

come only

takes that.

into the lives can only

be accomplished through the body of a it

accepts that, with

rible

modicum

burdens of pain and

planes.

Ego

its

is

The body everything.

is

If the

mad

nothing!

woman,

of joy

and

ter-

agony

on

all

The

soul of the

CHAPTER

was a doctrine

IT body

XIII.

of the Atlantians that the

of the physical

which enwraps

adapted to the need of the

us,

Ego holding

is

it,

as a manifestation of the processes of accomplish-

ment.

If the ego

not accomplish

its

coming back

own

unfolding, save through

some particular experience, ticular experience,

From that

if

it

into the lives can-

is

it

compasses that par-

within

its possibilities.

age to age, from generation to generation,

which stands behind

That which overshadows vine Existence,

is

all,

is

all is

ever the same.

a part of the Di-

one with the

One

—a part

of

the Divine Existence, indivisible and always the

same.

This was the primary knowledge, taught

first in

the forests, amid the rocks

and afterwards

in the

these mountains.

It

and mountains;

Great Temple builded into

must be remembered that

OUR STORY

152 very

much

of the

work done

in the

Temple was

accomplished by the control of the elements or elemental forces, which the Brotherhood understood and exercised even in those far off days, for the lightening of the toil

of

the

physical.

This, you in this day and generation have some-

what

But

recovered.

instead of saying to the

force universal, do this, you chain

of

it,

and bring

These

it

under

And

so,

of

form.

tirelessly

toiling

limitation

limitations act for you,

day and night.

some portion

there does not

come out

of the surrounding conditions and vibrations the reacting powers and forces which generally tend to the physical retarding of

any great building

or other work of importance, because they are

made up toil In

of the groans and

moans

of those

who

the physical body to accomplish.

When

elemental force builds,

cause of

its

retard.

In no sense

forcefulness,

or reparation.

is

There

builds

it

and there

is

be-

nothing to

there anything for regret are no tears, there are no

OF ATLANTIS.

153

blood marks anywhere throughout

work.

It

clean.

is

It

rected by the force

tency of

man

is

set in

who

whole

motion and

which originates

the created,

the

in

di-

the po-

thus becomes a

connecting link with the potency of the

One who

manifested as the Universe. In the northeastern part of the Continent was a group of

reached far the

rocky

mountains.

down beneath

They seem

soil.

These

rocks

the ordinary level of

have been buttressed up,

to

apparently from the very center of the earth self,

but that

it

future events.

enough

to

was

But

in

not

so,

appeared by

it-

the

any event they were strong

hold tons upon tons of piled up rock in

whatever shape

it

might appear.

So, first the rocks

were cut down

to a level,

and a huge plaza was thus cleared from east to west, in such a fashion that both the rising and the setting sun could be seen of.

Also,

the

from any part

North Star and

Cross, each low in

the

the

there-

Southern

heavens could be seen

OUR STORY

154

The human

by anyone standing upon the Plaza.

view was unobstructed from horizon to horizon, so far as the

power

of the eye could penetrate.

This plaza was ample enough to hold fines every single

one

at It

is

one

time.

member

It

of the Atlantian nation

many

was

in its con-

acres in

extent.

wonderful how many people can stand on

acre, if they are only

harmonious.

This great plaza was necessary for the Convocations, and the yearly ceremonies

people

went up

to the

Temple

when

all

the

to receive guid-

ance and instruction for the coming year.

This

Convocation was always at the time of the Vernal Equinox

when renewed impetus comes both

to the vegetable

Thus

and the animal.

the mountains partly cut

space also for the facade which

from the

this excavation additional structures

added from time to time, to meet the of the

Temple Colony.

left

was tunneled

for the interior of the building

and to

down,

That

is,

into

front,

were

necessities

wings were

OF ATLANTIS. built,

and additional

155

stories added,

all

all

the whole, which ple Staf?,

At

yielded to the unification of

was

the education of the

Tem-

and through them of the whole people.

the northeast corner, as I

have

mentioned, on the foundations of reaching far

down

into

upon

already rock,

solid

was builded

the earth,

story after story a tower,

was

re-

The rooms

gard to the symmetry of the whole.

and colonnades

with

this tower's top

located the tallest observatory that has ever

known

been

in

There, they

the world.

were wise, and who were considered

who

best, after

having passed triumphantly through the intricacies,

the education and unfolding of the lower de-

grees,

kept constant

this tower, at its

ward and watch.

lower part,

proceeded

over the great area, the wall of the closing the

Temple

Out

of

forth

Temple

in-

Great Hall of Convocation, and the

proper, and from the

the bottom of the tower.

Holy

Light,

of Holies at

Strength and

Force, at times of Convocation, streamed forth

OUR STORY

156

as the result of the united

power

of the Three,

But

Five, Seven, Fifteen and Forty-five.

let

us

turn to a fuller description of the tower.

"The tower was 22^

feet in

highest point of the coping.

hewn

It

diameter at the

was

of

built

stone in the shape of the trunk of a tree,

large at

its

ameter, half

growing a

base,

way

smaller in di-

little

and then widening again.

up,

"This model from nature, was considered the strongest form. nicely cut in

and

The

stones, as

I

have

found

laid in a peculiar cement,

the southern part of the Continent,

once hardened was as firm as the rock

were

said,

which

itself.

So

were one

solid

the top, at the distance of ten feet

from

the tower bore itself aloft, as

if it

stone.

Over

the floor at the coping

was

of glass, and

was a

more than

spherical dome. that,

of a single piece, as transparent as

Through ies

this all the

it

It

was made

water

itself.

motions of the heavenly bod-

could be seen and minuted from convenient

OF ATLANTIS. chamber

points of observation, in the

The

floor of the hall

figures,

and when

may

wise

of mosaic,

its

poses to which

it

date,

was

its

object

set in the

was movable

was another "holy

to the

this

was

the secret

Three, one

the Superior

Wisdom.

spread to protect

Wisdom and Over it

Temple.

There

the symbol of the

highest person of the "Superior

woven

wall a circu-

of holies" in the great Hall

of Convocation, but that

linen,

and the pur-

constantly on duty, in attendance

on the "holy of holies," of

ferior

is

who knew

This was known only

whom was

was

who

at the time of the en-

trance or departure, for him

of

in

dedicated.

edge there was

lar disc that

spring.

wrought

reappear, he

shall

below.

read in this a history of the founding

of the temple,

At one

it

was

157

Wisdom." One the other the In-

this floor so tasselated

from injury, a carpet of heavy

so closely that

it

was almost im-

pervious to impressions from without upon

The

was

it.

usual wear and tear of things earthly, did

OUR STORY

158 not affect tightly

This was stretched

in the least.

it

upon the whole

surface of this

Upon

floor.

was drawn

a circle of the whole

circumference of the chamber. iphery were

drawn

joined

other

each

Within

and

distant

Through

from the were

these

the intersecting equilateral triangles and

the six-pointed star. scribed circles

of the Three.

the

which

their circumferences,

at

center of the great circle.

was a

this per-

three other circles,

whose centers were each equally

drawn

the upper

In the center of these

was placed a

seat,

in-

one for each

In the center of the great circle

tripod holding a censor, in

Eternal Fire.

In

their

it

when

invocations,

they were reaching out to conquer in the invisible,

which burned

new

territory

was absolutely necessary

that

the potency of the

Three should be embodied

the outer circle.

Co-ordinate with

the potency of each must guard his ticular circle, while sential should be

from the center

this

effort,

own it

in

par-

was

es-

wafted into space, the potency

OF ATLANTIS. which could

call

These were

and conquer.

used upon especial occasions.

159

These

vigils

all

were

nightly and daily and the record of their observa-

were carefully

tions

kept.

These three were

wise men, for they had risen step by step from the knowledge of earthly things and

their en-

vironments to a point where they could perceive all

that could or

lantis,

but to

They had

all

would happen, not only

to

At-

the remainder of this planet.

also attained the point

where other

furnishings were not necessary for their

assist-

ance, for in the perception of the Divine Birthright, they declared themselves

one with the All

Potency, and so acted, so demanded and so perceived.

This perception

of station,

was

finally

which conjoined

to

engendered pride their

the cause of their overthrow.

knowledge,

CHAPTER

IN

XIV.

considering the remaining secret let us

remember

that all

Chambers

knowledge comes

from the home of the Great Gods

where everything

lence

Between the

of

which

fitted

Had

it

floor of

the

si-

is.

Three

and

the

masonry, each stone

into all the others, even as one

piece of solid rock rock.

that

station of the

was a heavy

Five,

is,

—

all

is

fitted into its

been one piece

surrounding it

could not

The

have been more lasting nor more compact.

arch of the lower chamber was like the arch of the

upper chamber.

From

the

highest

cavity of the lower ceiling to the floor of

conthe

upper chamber was three and eight- tenths feet of solid

masonry.

rested

The

arch of the lower chamber

upon or sprang from

walls of the circular chamber.

five

pillars

in

the

Between each of

OF ATLANTIS. these a single piece of to

i6i

marble was

set,

polished

One was

the highest possible point.

white,

one was black, one was white, one was black and

Between the two white ones

one was white.

was a band of burnished

gold,

the art of pre-

paring which, after being lost for ages, was

re-

covered again in Etruria, whose wondrous masterpieces are the

time.

marvel and glory of the present

It glittered

and shone,

as only that

These mar-

can respond to the artizan's hand.

were turned towards the

ble mirrors

slight angle,

and

them could be

in

metal

earth, at a seen,

the pages of an open book, all things that

as in

were

happening, had happened or were about to happen.

That

these had

is

to say,

become

Whoever knew

know

by the art of the Wise Ones,

reflectors of the Astral Books.

the cipher could

the cipher they

must be able

and no person could be in

the Five,

fest this

who under

power

read,

eligible

to

but

to

to perceive,

membership

training did not mani-

of perception.

When

the love of

OUR STORY

i62

learning and the desire for understanding had

given him the

was transferred

see

and

read.

to give proof

his.

which had happened

to

whether he could

was

him was

his as

returned if

it

ap-

if

he had

it.

me

to say that the Five

were rapid and accurate readers their wills sought

to

good was perceived

which was

evil

black mirrors. greatest

in a vision,

If not, then only that

not necessary for

is

if

for further training,

peared the gift was

It

as

he failed he

If

whence he came

dreamed

Then,

hither.

was allowed

he

rudiments of the cipher, he

first

whatever

That which was

know.

in the

of

white mirrors.

or obstructive

was seen

in

So long as Atlantis was

power and

ber maintained as

I

glory, so long

have described

was it.

That

the

in

the its

num-

But dur-

ing the last twenty-five years of the existence of the

Temple

in the city, the

white had clouded over

odd mirror

in a singular

growing darker and darker,

in the

fashion,

until the final de-

OF ATLANTIS. struction,

163

and to-day, under the waters there are

three black and

two white mirrors; but when

the hour of redemption shall have struck, stain will be

more there

and two black mir-

In the records of the past, written on the

rors.

floor of the

ecy:

Once

wiped away from the white.

will be three white

the

upper chamber, there was

"When

this

proph-

the three are all black, swift de-

struction Cometh

to

the

Temple and

the

peo-

ple."

This had been well known by those whose ambition should have led things,

to

higher

and although they wondered

and

better

at the con-

tinuous change for the worse, so clouded had their

minds become by

their selfish ambitions that

no notice was taken of the dreadful warning.

Although the chamber was

solid

were neither windows nor doors,

means of ventilation by which

and

there

there

were

fresh air

was con-

veyed into and out of this apparent tomb.

means of entrance were the same

The

as those of the

OUR STORY

164 upper chamber.

Although no aperture communi-

cated with the sunlight, yet apparently the light

from the great dome overhead, passed through the solid masonry, as though

it

were

ever could be seen by the light

chamber, with

magnificent

its

glass.

What-

the

upper

in

dome

of crystal,

could just as easily be seen in the chamber of the

On

Five.

extremely

the floor of this

fine,

chamber

also

mosaic record of the nation, and of

Over

the occult happenings to the same.

was

a carpet of the

and a

circle

thirteen

same material

this

was drawn

and eight-tenths

feet

this

as that above,

twenty-two and eight-tenths

Within

diameter.

was an

on a

feet in

a pentagon,

From

side.

the center of each side of the pentagon

to

the

point of contact with the circle, a semi-circle

was

drawn. circle

In the center of the circle was a smaller

touching

all

the semi-circles,

eight-tenths feet in diameter. circles

intersected

resembling

elipses.

Where

four

and

these semi-

each other were four figures

At

the point

corresponding

OF ATLANTIS.

—

to the focus

was

the point farthest from the center,

him who

the station of

when you draw

see

165

officiated.

these lines

how

You

will

intimately

of each

bounded by the

great circle of the environment.

All were lim-

was the sustaining power

ited,

supported and sustained.

In the inner, the

smaller circle representing with the center,

power

of the

One was

semi-circle of each,

the

reached and held by the

and each was supported

in

turn by that of his brother, next to him, on the left,

and by

his

own

power, until the whole

cir-

was completed.

cle

Here the

triangle has

become the pentagon

and the symbol of the intimate relations of those

who

are brothers

pletely.

day

is

within

was

carried out fully and

com-

All the civilization the world boasts

to-

the result of the vibrations set in motion this

noted tower of the Atlantians.

Between the

divisions of

the

Three and

Five were three feet of solid masonry.

was arched

as

the

The

the

roof

heavens seem to be arched,

OUR STORY

166 and

this

arch was lined with an alloy of

silver,

gold and copper, an alloy which the citizens of the world to-day

would give much

to be able to

imitate. It

was polished

to the highest degree of finish,

but strange to say,

it

did not reflect a single thing

taking place in the chamber. in its place

by seven pilasters

one of gold, one of

silver,

It

was supported

One

:

of orichalcum,

one of lead, one of

tin,

one of copper and one of platinum.

This was used instead of

quicksilver, because

the quicksilver could not be retained in place nor

form, and the platinum was plate of platinum at

its

its

base,

On

the

was engraved

the

opposite.

proportions of the alloy used in this great concavity.

There were always sounds emanating from Sometimes they were

sweet

and

harmonious,

sometimes sonorous and turbulent; for reflect

anything within the chamber.

reflector of the nation's sounds,

it.

and of

it

did not

It all

was

a

those

OF ATLANTIS. with

whom

with

all

they had dealings.

the planets, and

that in reflecting the sounds

it

make sound produce

that in one

a curious fact

same vibrations So you

color also.

chamber attention was

working of the One

in the

touch

in

also reflected the

colors of the sounds, because the

that

was

It

was

it

167

see

called to the

Heavens, and

in the

next chamber could be perceived the operations

and

in the

chamber of the Seven, we are now about

to de-

of man's thought on the Astral plane,

scribe, the in

its

first

study was of the manifesting of thought

Thus

potency.

in

each

grade,

proaching nearer and nearer to those to they ministered, and first

who

ap-

whom

should have been their

care always, and above everything else their

supreme concern.

This chamber

also,

like the others,

was

per-

meated by the light which knows and recognizes no obstruction.

The

light

quality and quantity as that

permost chamber, and

it

was

of equal volume,

which lighted the up-

had the same peculiarity

OUR STORY

i68

and giving

of penetrating

It per-

distinct view.

vaded the whole chamber, without having any

Upon

visible source.

this floor also

chambers, a continuance

in mosaic, as in the other

of the history

was written

and progress of the nation and the

city.

Over

this,

too,

was

chambers, the carpet. circle of circle

twenty-one feet

spread, as in the

Upon

this carpet

in diameter.

was described a heptagon,

were drawn

radii,

thus

other

was a

Within

to

making each

the

this

center

side of the

heptagon the base of a triangle of which the two radii

were the other two

these triangles

each of the

was

was

sides.

sides.

Within each

touching

inscribed a circle,

The

of

center of these circles

the station of one of the Seven.

In operat-

ing they might look to the center or the circumference, or to each alternately.

was done was always with

But whatever

the utmost

harmony

and unity of potency.

There

is

still

one more chamber of potent

ef-

OF ATLANTIS. the

Chamber

of the fifteen.

of the

fort3'-five

was more

that

fort,

Chamber

169

is

school of training than a laboratory force.

The

was seven rising

was

that of a

In the center

room with

masonry

presented a square

it

Within

above the roof of the Temple.

a square

occult

of

thickness of the separating

feet.

The

it

the sides facing each of

Circular windows,

the points of the compass.

one each, pierced the walls of the four

sides.

The

one on the east was red, the one on the west was blue, the south

The

floor

was yellow, and

was

of a material

laid in tiles,

and the

tiles

were

which generations of wear could

And upon

not destroy.

the north, white.

these

was

a lesson

which

contained absolutely, from beginning to end, the

all

knowledge that man would ever need or could

The

expect to attain upon the earth. m.ight read

standing,

if

it

partially.

To

wisest

those lacking under-

they could decipher,

it

was

still

a

mystery and foolishness.

This may seem impossible, but

it is

true never-

OUR STORY

170

when man

theless,

the

One,

find the mystifies

learns that all rays

come from

will not be such a difficult task to

it

way

to the source

and origin of

all

and perplexes him on the earth.

that It

is

because he believes there are many, and that the

shadows and changing

illusions

are

of

the es-

sence and quality of the real, that he diffuses his

power and

baffles his

own

inquiries.

In this Chamber, in a semi-elipse were fifteen seats,

arch. foci

seven on each side of the keystone of the

The

was

roof

was

also square.

a crystal globe, from

emanated.

In one of the

which

In the hours of rest

it

light always

was

necessary.

In the hours of day, light from the outer per-

The

meated the room.

way from port,

floor

to

crystal globe

ceiling

hung mid-

without visible sup-

swaying gently with the movements of the

thought currents about

it.

In the other focus

of this semi-elipse three brazen

ported on their aloft in their

tails

serpents,

sup-

and rearing upwards, held

mouths a censer

in

which burned

OF ATLANTIS. the perpetual

During

fire.

the time of sessions, incense and per-

fumes fed by

invisible hands,

fects to those

ance.

was

It

171

brought peculiar

ef-

waiting for instruction and guid-

who were

here, those

fitted, after

training in the school of the forty-five and waiting,

were

selected

for admisssion

tion for further training

and

under obligaIf they

practice.

kept their obligation they then might sometime

hope for promotion. If they did not keep their obligation then they fell

back.

There was always more or

going on in

this

Fifteen, culled

chamber of

know

occupied

was

of the

Nor were

of

the

these

they allowed

their appointed leader

Elder Brother,

who

and guide.

They came and went amongst

the

From

powers beyond them, except they

the chair

were considered

change

from the whole nation, came the

Seven, Five and Three. to

trial.

less

the people, and

as persons of authority amongst

Temple Dwellers.

They were but

little re-

OUR STORY

172

moved from

the forces lying below them, which

they utterly and entirely controlled for the purpose of massing and using them for concentrated

power.

This chamber

rested

upon the massive walls

of the Forty-five by a ponderous spherical edges

met the

arch,

whose

solid rock, the buttressed

foundation of the world, seemingly uplifted for the vet}' purpose of this support.

Beneath the five

floor of the

was hewn out

the

chamber of the Forty-

"Holy

Great Hall of Convocation,

of Holies" of the

so that the mysteries

intended and desired to be communicated, could be

made manifest

to

times and seasons.

come

the people at

the

stated

This was the ultimate out-

of all this interlinking of organization.

The chamber by twenty-five feet thick.

of the Forty-five feet,

Within

was twenty-five

and the walls were twelve this wall,

impervious to sound

or impression from without, the students of this '"Tree met.

The chamber was

so arranged,

with

OF ATLANTIS. its

lofty,

arched roof and solid floor

woods brought from

all

They who were

sitting,

were

fully met.

seemed but hours,

enchantedly to that which to them.

finest

sometimes for a shorter

time, sometimes for days that

pounded

of

quarters of the earth,

that the conditions of pure air

listened

173

There was no

was

pro-

lack of under-

standing from crudeness or from any disarrange-

ment of peace,

the physical conditions of

which

all

men must

highest point of perception.

have,

harmony and to

be at the

CHAPTER XV.

THUS

sitting, the Forty-five

in four

rows of

arranged

seats,

were arranged

eleven in each row,

eliptically, facing a raised dais,

on which sat the Elder Brother, during the hours of instruction.

The rows

of seats

were

raised

one behind the other, and thus gave perfect and unobstructed liberty of sight and perception to

who

the Brothers

sat

upon them

There was always

their ages.

in the

order of

close to the seat

of the Elder Brother, another seat,

and

this,

empty always

those

who

to

personal sense;

to

could see on the psychic plane was

filled

by an

Elder Brother from the Invisible, as a mentor

and guide,

as

an influencer of the Elder Brother

of the visible, to receive \\hatever either

from

ing in touch

his

own knowledge,

more

might be given or by his com-

readily with the invisible

;

thus

OF ATLANTIS.

i75

receiving out of the realms of the Invisible that

which

vv^as

needed for instruction on any and

all

of the mortal-touched planes.

A wall,

narrow

staircase

which

led to the

was arranged chamber

and a sliding door, opening of those

who knew,

This chamber was

in the thick

of the Forty-five,

to the lightest

touch

admitted into the chamber.

ceiled

and floored

—

top

^^sides,

and bottom, with wood they obtained from the country, to be

known

in the later

days as South

America, but then a large island.

It

was

of a

peculiar hardness, dark red in color, and susceptible of the

most

was

so well

one

piece.

brilliant

fitted

and lasting

together that

They who were

trolled the elemental force,

persistently

was

and

set to do.

appeared as there

was no

if

it

polish.

seemed

the builders

which was able

It like

conto

do

manner, whatever

it

So when the door was closed,

it

in the finest

they were in a shell from which

possible escape.

There was no dan-

ger from any outer accident, except possibly an

OUR STORY

176

But

earthquake.

for

many hundred

no

years

For many years

to

come none was predicted by even the wisest

as-

earthquake had occurred.

The doorway by which

Temple.

trologers of the

they entered was in the open end of the oval upon

which the

were placed.

seats

Within

the whole

chamber, at distances far enough to protect the sight of those

who were

receiving

from any bewilderment by the

men

were composed

in the days to

of their lives to

points of

light,

emanating brilliancy were placed. points of light

instruction,

of,

What

these

hundreds of

come, will give several years

know, and never be able

to find

out.

Before these facts shall have again come into the possession of men, there will have been those

who

have come

will

hands have

and

laid,

so covet.

invisible

to

the

place

where

their

almost upon the thing they crave

These

torch-bearers,

lights,

held as

it

were by

could be perfectly

sta-

tionary for any length of time, or they could be

OF ATLANTIS. moved

as there

diffusing that

At

was

177

necessity for concentrating or

which they gave

times, in full

forth.

view of the whole number,

would come up something acting

as a reflector of

thought action and picturing either the Past or

This great transparent blackboard,

the Future.

so to speak, so

am

you may understand just what

trying to say, held

to dissolve

structing,

under the will of those

and while one could

was an impermeable through stoutly

itself in place,

it;

barrier

see to

or seemed

who were through any

While

there

though

invisible.

large enough to rising

up

as

it

of

it

still

served as an obstruction,

al-

Upon fill

the

this clear sheet, of size

whole twenty-five

feet,

might be necessary, for the accom-

of the mental conditions of those la\\-

it

was

modation of whatever was thrown upon

der the

it,

more

was nothing

that appealed to the sense of sight, there

such force that

in-

passage

no thick bar of brass could

resist.

I

set

who

up by those who

in

it,

out

taught unthe highest

OUR STORY

178

Chamber

of the

Temple, watched and waited So

through the Centuries.

in the times of in-

struction, the Elder Brother detailed whatsoever

should come to him out of his

own

mentality, or

should be given him out of the records of the Past, or out of that

which should be the

of sequence, in the Future.

demonstrated upon

this

At

the same time he

invisible screen,

as he described, both as to

result

exactly

what had already

curred, or might take place.

Did he

oc-

desire to

unfold a line of sequence, then as he talked of the sequence in a particular way, the

whole com-

pany would

were

see that all the sequences

that everything

One

moved forward on

the line of the

Creative Thought, in perfect harmony for

accomplishment of

The

alike;

all

events in

things that seemed to happen

manifestation.

were due

to

the perception of the investigator, and to the non-

manifestation at the same time of the peculiarities

appearing in the individual through which

cognizance was made.

OF ATLANTIS. But

179

us describe one session

let

Minute by

:

minute, there have been persons coming through the door into the chamber, which

held in the

pleasant twilight, not

softness of a dim,

enough for perception, except

They have

is

clear

range.

close

at

come

quietly and without speaking,

forward each

to the seats,

where they have

evi-

dently been assigned, then, sitting, have restfully

waited

have

in silence

across the space tion

from

advanced

all

was

In coming

and peace.

door

the

showing

as they

was nothing between them and passed on, and

There was not a as absenteeism

the Great

knew

single absentee.

the wonderful

power

of

broken ACTION. The hour

room.

To

semingly

in,

there

now

seated.

Such a thing

the workings of

Too

well they

coxtinuouSj un-

strikes in

came

are

all

or tardiness in

bell,

entrance

of

their seats.

Temple was unknown.

ously-toned

they

where the square of defonstra-

held, thus

They have

in,

from a sonor-

the center of the

the personal sense, no bell

is

visible.

OUR STORY

i8o It

might seem strange that we Atlantians had

an}'

idea of measuring time, but

m.embered there that will ever be

is

it

must be

re-

nothing not known; nothing

known nothing

that the world

;

will ever receive, that

was not received by

those,

who, eager for knowledge, were not only eager

We

to understand, but to use.

human knowledge.

received all

As

the hour strikes in the the

scribed,

had perceived and

fortj'-four

manner

I

have de-

and the Elder Brother

looking up, perceived a form dim and misty in outline, has filled the chair of the presiding in-

structor.

which

Sitting in the position of meditation,

in the later

times the Egyptians copied in

their

Temple work, and

their

books of stone, they concentrate on

left

us on record, on the

thought of unity.

There were

three points

upon which they con-

centrated in succession: Unity,

Love,

for

these

fested, so they

Harmony

three constitute

who were

the

and

Unmani-

in the Forty-five

were

OF ATLANTIS. When

taught.

i8i

the quickening of the Invisible

within themselves had become exalted, at a sign

from the Elder Brother, they stood, and making a sign that

recognized by both the visible and

is

repeated words having of

the invisible, selves potency,

force

them-

and intense harmonious

vi-

These words were reinforced by other

bration.

vibrations resembling the rolling sound of a great

organ.

was

It

a reverberation partly reflected

and partly responsive, out of the Invisible by

which they received answer, and thus unified in its

into

the sense and condition of desire,

most perfect form for whatever might and

could be given them. I

am

became

speaking,

the

On

this

night of which

Elder Brother commenced

describing the possibilities of unfolding in

all

who

were present; of the unfolding of the Earth's condition in the

;

way

of the things that

would bear down

of clouds and darkness

;

of limitation,

obstruction and opposition, and as he described, step by step, that

which might come under

cer-

OUR STORY

i82

tain circumstances, the screen of almost invisible

shimmmered

with

the

those

who

perceived with only the physical eye, there

was

material quivered and lights

and shades passing over

only a dancing of lurid

come

into

more

sible to perceive,

To

fires.

perfect

To

it.

who had

each

condition,

it

was

pos-

not only the play of the light,

but the varying colors and forms which lay be-

hind the colors, not only upon the pictures of the scenes, but

ture presented itself as the Eternal

dreaming

was about

that all that seemed to occur,

One

Now.

of the Forty-five, looking forward, not

in

The Fu-

upon the scenes themselves.

to

come

the close Future, hardly attempting to esti-

mate time, saw then, how the Brotherhood of

Wisdom,

for the Ages,

might find

a time

but,

under the ob-

which make the members

of the Broth-

unrepresented upon the earth ligations

itself for

;

erhood acting, living members, whether living or dead, so the membership in the invisible sought, desired and brought about the

remanifestation

OF ATLANTIS. and rehabilitation.

made and trated

went

new

183

and

All the signs

were

desired to be emphasized,

upon our on, in that

And

screen.

which was

illus-

thus, as the time

dawn

to be the

we

recreation, so to speak,

points

of a

perceived certain

gatherings of the far Future were also being pictured upon the scren. for

It

seemed, as the

the Past,

I

remember

memory comes

within myself, not only did

regarding myself, into

help

would

it

me

out of

was some responding condition

there

come

to

well,

all

it

but

that

at that time,

recall the

as ancient days,

and

I see It

feel

it,

as

would then

others

whose presence and

now, but

to

be

and they would

known

testify

then

to the

truth of the then pictured.

cannot

I

tell

you fully of

all

the drapings and

decorations and precious metals this

chamber, but you

may imagine

nothing was spared to make in

that

it

a

adorned

for yourselves fit

place,

both

the conditions of the visible and in the po-

tencies of the invisible,

drawn from

all

over the

OUR STORY

i84

world for the inculcating

In

strongest, the truth of that

They who now

verified.

and

fullest

its

which will be

know

in life,

its

fully

not only

of the lower, but also of the higher, thus perceive the apparently futile in

for

many

governing, impelling force, the strength

its

and power of the ages behind

and designed

Thus

to

All

it.

to fulfill in the completed outline, set

respects has

move on

whatever was

be accomplished.

the lessons given to the Forty-five were

either in voiced vibration, through the sense of sight,

or by thought transference.

method was

used, the vibrations

plainly visible to the sense to

intensity with

five,

there

during a sessison of the Forty-

were shadows more or

less

distinct

playing over this wonderful spectrum.

in outline,

the

which they were

which the thought was projected.

at all times,

When

made themselves

Their vividness depended upon the

addressed.

But

Whichever

instructions

Three

were being received from

the play of forms and colors

were

OF ATLANTIS.

185

something that has never been seen elsewhere the whole world.

The

in

reflections then obtained

have really so impinged upon the Great Astral

Record that the works accomplished have become mighty influences upon the Globe. of

what

Great Temple thought and

the to

these denizens of the secret

become supremely dominant

the world. will

As

did,

The

record

chambers of is

one day

in the affairs of

the cycle rises to completion,

become more and more potent.

He

w^ho

wise and able, has thus given some outline.

it

is

CHAPTER

1HAVE

tried thus far to give

Tower

of the

of the world.

by any means its

that

was one

That which was all

;

even as the

kind above the earth,

largest nor

you a

descrip-

Great Temple of Atlantis and

tion of the

after

XVI.

of the

wonders

In sight

was not

tree, is

bearing fruit

by no means the

most important part of the organic

development.

The

organs of growth and trans-

mutation are hidden from the curious eyes of the

So

idle.

we

have

in the

mid-heavens the angels

on earth mortals both

and

spirits of light;

and

invisible; beneath the earth's surface are the

beings belonging to the lower races,

visible

who have

never been subjugated by the spiritual powers of

such as held sway in the upper chambers.

These elemental beings will be later

day as Salamanders, Water

classed in the Spirits,

Ko-

— OF ATLANTIS. holds, Goblins

It

was

They

and Dwarfs.

in the Fire, the

Water and

187 are workers

the Earth or Rocks.

in the internal fires of unregisterable heat,

that during the latter days of Atlantis, the im-

mense ple

and jewels, which the

stores of gold

Treasury

held,

were

PRIMAL CONDITIONS.

under

In this also was illustrated

law of Transmutation.

the great

As

manufactured

Tem-

the Great

Tower

flung itself toward the

mid-heavens, pointing everlastingly upwards, indicated the constant search the extent of his ability,

The

tency.

part of the

man

is

making

it

to

for truth, light and po-

Tower

that sank lower

and lower into the bowels of the Earth, pypied the material and physical uses of that which

capable of transmutation. itself

It

also

held within

the lesson of the "Descent into

man's environments. concerned, Brains.

it

To

So far

as

man

Matter" himself

held also the doctrine of the all

was

was

Three

the world, both Atlantian and

foreign the lesson was:

"In the heavens above

OUR STORY

i88

and the earth beneath, and the waters under the earth." It has already

Atlantis

been said that the whole city of

was arrayed

was never

equaled.

in a splendor,

Its buildings

surpassed, either in the

whose glory

have never been

symmetry

of their archi-

tecture, in the material used, or in the tasteful-

ness of

was

its

also a

els, in

preparation and artistic designs.

There

marvelous exhibition of gold and jew-

a profusness carried

up

to the verge of the

barbaric.

These means also used

by

for personal

all

humble walks

of

adornment,

were

the people, even those in the life, if

Atlantis could be said to

have had any such, the relations of poverty and riches long since

had ceased

tention of the nation. ter days that

ply

must be

lifted

It

to press

was evident

some source of almost

easily accessible.

proudly

its

on the

at-

in the lat-

limitless sup-

The Tower which

head on high, went

down

into

the mountains the same distance, and the cellars

OF ATLANTIS.

189

and sub-cellars were occupied by beings who be-

who had

longed to the lower races,

jugated by the spiritual powers of those

sway

that

who

held

upper chambers.

in the

None

been sub-

of the uninitiated

knew

for a certainty of

which was going on within the mountain.

Three was

Only

to the

fided

by the

this

Builders.

knowledge

To

fully con-

them, long ago

all

material things which are deemed of any value

by mortals, or of any use or importance whatever,

had ceased

far as they

the

Temple

to be of consequence,

only so

might adorn or make beautiful, either or the City.

Underneath the Sanctuary, entered by a door opening into the solid rock, at the flight of stairs

leading

out of the rock.

down

Out

into a

rear,

was a

chamber hewn

of this another staircase

led into a similar chamber,

and

still

another, and

another, and yet another staircase and chamber.

Within

these

chambers were curious imple-

ments, fashioned for use

in the

operations of the

OUR STORY

190

These operations required

workers.

make

the manifesting and

certain materials,

to

finishing of their

work more

jected spirit

the use of

Their pro-

easy.

power brought back the

results pro-

Many

duced by the various combinations. these implements and operations will

come

of

into

from

the hands of the re-incarnated Atlantians,

time to time, and more of them will not be given

out except into the hands of the most trusted few.

In the First Cellar, Spirits of the Air labored

and

toiled,

doing the will of the Masters.

In the Second Cellar, the Spirits of the Earth

moved

to

and

fro, intent

which they were

on carrying out that

to

set.

In the Third Cellar, Elementals whose forms but thinly clothed the

fierce,

blazing

fires

within,

solved the varying problems of metallurgy.

In the Fourth Cellar, the lowest of

all,

Spirits of the great, \vater>' deep, fashioned

ever

man

the

what-

needs and lays hold upon from their

realm, either for use or adornment.

OF ATLANTIS.

191

Vast tunnels led into the interior of the mountains

and the Continent, from each of these

The

lars.

spirits of the air

cel-

by a spiral course,

ascended to the highest points of the mountains,

and here communicated with their fellows

in the

outer world, receiving supplies.

The its

tunnel from the Cellar of the Earth Spir-

opened into an inaccissible part of the moun-

tain,

on a

little

plateau,

which was constantly

guarded by an impenetrable

The

veil of fog.

tunnel of the Fire Spirits led under the

Continent, diagonally

down

to the volcanic fires

of the Earth.

The

tunnel of the

Water

Spirits

communi-

cated directly with the seas by the shortest feasible route.

In the center of the mountain was a cave-like

room, which was the Treasury of the Temple.

This storehouse communicated with

all

four of

the tunnels, and by a secret entrance, with the

Temple

itself.

It

was not only the Treasury

of

OUR STORY

192

the Temple, but of the nation as well.

He who knew would stand at the

the secret

of

Treasury

the

Moly Holy

in the rear of the

Place,

hour of high noon, on a certain day of

the year, and watch until by a peculiar arrange-

ment

of the polished marbles, a single ray of sun-

light

thrown from the chambers above would be

reflected

upon the wall

when

only be seen

ticular position,

the observer

one quarter

line,

this,

in

a par-

one-quarter to the

he would turn

then turning to his original

position, he took five steps more,

to

was

and move seven steps

to the right,

a straight

This could

and then but for a period of three

Having perceived

minutes.

in

at the back.

left,

and then turning

three steps brought

him

an apparently blank wall, highly ornamented.

But

to

him who had the

key, a slight pressure

on a jewel of immense value, apparently placed there for ornamentation, opened a huge door of rock,

weighing

moved

easily

tons,

but so

and without

balanced

noise,

that

it

and was screened

OF ATLANTIS.

193

from view by the shrine which stood

in

front.

Entering boldly, as soon as he stepped upon the flagging inside the door, the great stone settled

back into

first position.

its

It could be

on the inside by pressing upon a at

Thirteen

the back.

brought him again

to

times

opened

slight projection

thirteen

steps

a blank wall, through a

high, arched passage, lighted by the never-dying lights

produced by the action of positive and neg-

ative earths

combined with the rock, which gave

out an electrical phosphorescent light, the secret of

which perished with the nation, but which

may

be recovered at a later day by the chemists,

as those

who

are expert in safes, recover the for-

gotten combination of the locks thereof.

more, he

who knew

and pass within. to the

Temple

Equinox,

when

the secret spring,

Once

might open

The Treasure Chamber

opened

Inspector on the day of the Vernal the sun

went down

in the

West.

CHAPTER

was a

IT

XVII.

met

sight that

avarice-tainted soul

would never

lowed to contemplate. gold, silver

electrical

come

be very

when

was

al-

heaps

of

the result of con-

through

power, acting

charged magnets of the to

Great

be

and aluminum, the method used by

us for obtaining which,

densed

which an

his gaze,

sur-

In the times

finest steel.

the forces of induction will, for a time, little

understood.

But the day

will

come

they will have the very best method of ex-

tracting

aluminum from the

secret.

These stacked

metals were

in

original clay as their

up heaps of

the

noble

quantity sufficient to last for cen-

turies,

nor

ceased,

but every day added

had

their

continuous to

production

the increasing

store.

Beside these, were heaps upon heaps of price-

OF ATLANTIS. less jewels,

still

warm from

of earth and water, in which they

fires

tallized.

crys-

Both the polished and the uncut

glit-

and strong

Here

the

were

and shone here

tered full

some of them

195

in the light

which was as

as in the passage-way.

the workers in

the various cellars de-

From

posited the results of their labors.

here

the civil rulers received whatever they

needed,

upon sudden pressure,

all

out-

But there were

also

side nations of the earth. in

the city their

of wealth. to the

own

storehouses and treasuries

This was only that which belonged

Temple, and was the

of the servants of the sity,

with

in their traffic

Temple.

the civil rulers could

for reserves in

No human

result of the labors

In case of neces-

draw upon

the

Temple

any amount. eye hath seen, nor any tongue de-

scribed the immensity of the wealth lying to this

day,

in

that strong,

the waves.

There

is

mountain treasury beneath enough gold lying

destroy the value of the gold

now

in

in

use

it

to

upon

OUR STORY

196

But when

the earth. shall

come

it

ury

discovery

who

no karmic weight transferred from

this

finders.

its

the inner door that opens into this treas-

rests a seal.

inscription:

Upon

"The

Mighty holds

this seal

the following

is

potent Will

of

Most

the

this treasure safely, until the

of the restoration shall come.

waters has charge of

The Angel

and gold were

cupants of the

it."

all

cellars,

ers in the

jew-

manufactured by the and that

tion out of the Astral light,

clear-sighted, that

time

of the

It seems hardly necessary to say that the els

shall

from avarice that there

itself

treasure to the shoulders of

Upon

its

will belong to a nation,

have so purified shall be

the day of

made

so

it

was

oc-

the reflec-

on the vision of the

many

earnest believ-

transmutation of base metals into gold

and jewels.

CHAPTER

THE

manner

tion

was

XVIII.

of adjustment and

Convoca-

after the following fashion

:

As

has already been stated, the priesthood

had charge of the education of the people. There

were some better

fitted

for one thing than an-

But those who

other, as even at the present day.

were

especially gifted

with understanding,

combined reverence with intense desire for

who the

knowledge of that which was unseen and hidden, wherever found,

temple service, and

were transferred

this

was

to

the

the first step in the

separation of the wheat from the chaff.

Those,

Temple

who

in

family, exhibited a

intelligence

still

as part of the

higher degree of

and perception were again

for the Forty-five, for

their training,

the Fifteen.

and again

The

in the

selection

set aside

same manner

for the higher

OUR STORY

198

Chambers followed

in

the

same

work

»hose best developed and adapted to the

The

be done.

from

order,

training of the Forty-five

was

to

first,

submission to unseen guidance, in a more intense '

degree than as ordinary scholars of the Temple.

When

had reached the point where, be-

they

cause they were asked, they took pains to think

out along any line that ought or might be desired,

tion

their

power

for broad, intense contempla-

had increased until their meditations had be-

come second

The

nature.

next step was concentration.

steps,

submission,

When

the thought

Notice the

concentration.

meditation,

was well massed and

the vi-

brations were uniform and persistent, then they

were taught

to project the concentered

which had been the essence of

As

the absolute Unity,

vine Ideation,

Thought, dweller

It

their meditations.

meditates, as the Di-

concentrates,

It projects.

may

IT

thought

as

So nearly

follow this line of

the Creative as the Earth-

procedure,

so

OF ATLANTIS.

199

nearly will he be able to lay hold of the Unseen force and

make

it

available for all good

pur-

poses.

Years of discipline later in the Fifteen,

made each member

Seven ready and expert fection

was

carried

where they practiced

trolling the It

was

farther

still

in

still

of the

The

in these labors.

the

per-

Five,

the attracting of the vibra-

tions of unseen force, of

alignment with their

the Forty-five and

in

any kind whatever into

own

projection, thus con-

powers of the great names.

as

if

workmen

taking a ball of soft

metal from the crucible or furnace, should whirl it

until

it

had assumed a

and then launch

it

forth to

rapidly in the

tain form,

air,

cer-

fulfill their

will.

But

to the

Three, belonged the directing of

the force thus gathered. to be

Nor was

all

there allowed

any chance for mistake, not even a clash-

ing thought in the minds of the Three.

always determined by the casting of

It

lots,

was

who

OUR STORY

200

should control the outward moving of the vibrations at

any Convocation, and

to

the one of the Three, the other

potency.

The

the Full

Moon

the pov^^er of

two added

their

regular Convocations were under of each month.

But the

special

Convocations were under the will of the Three.

When

special

Convocation was desired, the word

given at the last Convocation

was

whispered to

each, out of the Invisible, in such a manner, that all

could recognize and understand the

At

call.

the close of the Convocation, the Elder

Brother of each Section received from the Elder

Brother of the highest Section, a word

"Myld."

like this:

This the Elder Brother communicated

to the inner sense of the instructed (it never being

spoken aloud), as the closing password of the session.

If there

was a

special

Convocation, then, to

each one, came out of the Silence, the the inner ear, and thereby not only

named, but the hour was

fixed,

Word

to

was the day

being always at a

OF ATLANTIS. certain distance

was no

from the Sun's

201

setting.

If there

special Convocation, then at the nxt regu-

one present at the opening, in

lar meeting, each

low breath, pronounced the given

succession, in

word, so that which had been given out, was again recalled.

The work was Chamber by vocation, flashed,

ranged

formally opened in the upper

the Three.

At

the "Center of

the

word

of in-

glowed

and

first

Fire"

and whatever had been planned or needing potency

for,

was

ar-

apportioned

In the chamber

amongst the lower chambers. of the Five,

the polished marble slabs reflected

the orders.

In the chamber of the Seven, the

notes of the bell,Jike the tones of

mony,

told the story.

But

some sweet har-

to the trained inner

car of the Elder Brother, in the Fifteen, as by inspiration,

came

that

which was necessary

to be

done.

There was no

hesitation

timidity in obedience, and

in

compliance,

no delay

in

no

action.

OUR STORY

202

The

gathered force of the whole nation, in charge

were sent forward to the Fif-

of the Forty-five teen,

and

there,

as intensified

was passed on

to

the Seven, where, bound together, solidified and

was again handed

shaped, the projected potency

on to the Five,

who harmonized

the activity of

the potent vibrations with the vibrations of the

Universe.

Thus

the Universal,

Three,

who

it

changed, from the Special to

was placed

this

hands of the

uniting their force in the One, stood

ready to hurl into space, in

power,

in the

all

the awfulness of

projection of the concentrated

po-

tency of a nation, by which they could really expect to hold and keep everything they had seized

upon.

The

matter of training cannot be understood

from mere

description.

Only when

students at-

tempt of themselves to bring their mental conditions

under subjugation, can be understood,

long

it

how

takes to accomplish the wonderful things

done by our Ancient Brothers.

CHAPTER

THEY who

XIX.

ruled in Atlantis, as the priest-

hood, were successful ship of State wisely

guiding

in

the

and fortunately, so

long as they considered the interests of the whole

As long

nation as one.

as they put aside the sense

of separateness, w^hile they only sought for wis-

dom, that the benfit growing out of utilized in

for light

As long

common

by

all

was

all

well.

were separate and yet one,

the only distinction being, to see

the

who

highest potency in

where he was placed, perfect

looked

Three, Five and Seven, with the

Fifteen and Forty-five

work with

might be

who

the nation,

and guidance from them, as the

it

doing and

could best

the position

satisfied that the

the acquiring of

well and

knowledge

from experience, would bring the reward that comes always

to

attainment.

OUR STORY

204

They

looked to the perfect doing, and not to

the result, and out of this desire

grew the con-

centration of potency in their hands, which

them the one nation

made

of the earth exceeding all

others in the unravelling of the hidden myster-

But

ies.

it

was not

sometimes of

fierce,

a task of idle floating, but

desperate warfare in the do-

mains of the Invisible.

As one

point after an-

other unfolded to their perceptions,

those

held guard over the hidden truths, or those

wrought ignorantly or malevolently

to

who who

confuse

mortal understanding, used every effort to upset,

and

if it

were

possible, to cut off the keys of

the Universal principles. years,

And

it

was

many

aye centuries, before they had compassed

the fact that

numbers harmoniously united and

agreed upon a certain, single point, on spiritual lines,

were just

as

powerful as the combinations

on the physical plane, with the difference that spiritual

if

conditions were once perfectly trained

and harmonized, there could be no defection noi

OF ATLANTIS. sudden weakness, for weakness

205 no sense a

in

is

While an army, or other mass

spiritual attribute.

of physical conditions might at any time be stam-

peded.

Therefore,

in

all

the work,

none were ad-

mitted to the separate and secret assemblies until the overcoming of the body and

desires

its

was

far advanced, thus leaving the Spirit a clear field in

which

to operate.

Another

point, so soon as the occult ideas

and

thoughts were strongly developed,

it

a magnet for those

on the same

lines

and

also

in or

the

incarnating

from other points upon

the

where lamps lighted from the Atlantian

torch, by

those

from

of thought, both

spheres, earth,

who were

served as

its

inspiring reflection, had stimulated

who came

more vigorous they gravitated

within

its

search. thither,

reach, to a higher

Knowing and here

of

and

Atlantis,

they

would

have remained and shared with Atlantis the fate that overtook her, blotting out for a time

from

OUR STORY

206

the earth, all the

had not

those,

who

knowledge that went before, in the Silence of the

Unseen,

watched and foreseen the cataclysm (but not cause),

worked

enough

to

to scatter

its

abroad upon the earth,

become the seed and

salt of salvation

for the generations that have followed.

In

the

all

movements

of the earlier day,

the

segregation and massin