wise men alone. A valorous sage of the "Lu Shan " mountain, meeting with a solitary pilgrim, straightway makes salutatory advances

Chinese Symbolical Tablet of Carved Jade. Four Elements: Fire, Earth, Air, Water.

by drawing a line around about his form, meaning, in the mystic language," This man reveals God," to which the stranger responds by crescenting or dividing the circle, presenting thereby a glyph of

The Primordial Egg. Chinese Emblem of the Ten Potencies, four ethereal (wings), six

mundane (feet).

the second law―plurality, power; continuing defiantly, he also draws upon the sand the terrible" Swastica," or " Fylfot," the oblique cross

of the "fixed" points of the zodiac, the sign of the tangential operation of nature, the cosmic process, the third law. Then the pilgrim modestly projects a horizontal line within a circle, when magically the "Prince" appears-transformation, unity extended, "rebirth," a just gift which nature cannot withhold, and only man can mitigate, according to Oriental theories. This last is the fourth law.

Symbol of the First Law (Spring). The Visible a type of the Invisible.

The illustrations of the four glyphs of existence given herewith are not uncommon in eastern books, and within them is enwrapped for the Oriental student the deepest esoteric mysteries, as well as profound metaphysics.

Singularly, these symbols are never anywhere explained, the fact being that their secret is humanity in the living struggle, with the

higher self as a foundation, and the neophyte initiate into the mystic rites could never see more than was already developed within him

self, for all erudition of the past, as of the present time, must of necessity bear strict relation to its Alma Mater and the degree of adeptship.

The seers of old intuitively knew that wisdom is the only panacea of the Soul and that the universe is its citadel; and furthermore, that until favors are wooed with the magic wand of the Shepherd (ex

卍

Symbol of Third Law (Autumn). Conscious Realization.

pression of want, or prayer) and macerated with the flagellum of the mind (wilful purpose, work, "Karma "), words will fail to convey the silent story of the heart.

Therefore the symbolical glyphs and festal formularies were chosen by the wise rulers of men to convince the common people and the untutored of the sacredness of " Being" and of living.

Obviously correct theories of the universe and the relationship of principles were formulated by minds of vast comprehension of inward realities long before symbols were invented; for how could the

Symbol of Fourth Law (Winter). Life extended by Rebirth.

mysteries of creation be adequately portrayed if not at first well understood? The profound truth of symbolism could never have arisen from the gaping wonderment of bucolic Accadians viewing in fear the orderly course of nature, though this is seemingly a popular theory of the present time.

The "Yang and Yin" as a glyph representing the "Monad” in manifestation, a symbol of " Becoming," new life, rebirth, when found