ENLIGHTENMENT
In ancient Egypt knowledge was only transmitted to men whose worth had been proved by a series of tests! (Does that appeal to members of our inquiry committee?) This transmission took place in temples, under the name of “Mysteries” and the Adept (one qualified or versed or in possession), assumed the title of Priest or initiate!
We are liable to have a misconception of both words Priest or initiate today, because we are liable to connect the first solely with religious orders, and recognise the second solely as the candidate!
For many ages in ancient Egypt (and, in fact, nearly all countries) no section of the community was as learned as its Priests. The same could be said of the early Christian era, and in many cases is true to the present day; but in ancient ages the fact was more definite, as they were the only learned section, and being the brains of their community were also the government.
As proof, today we coin the word “Minister” as the head of a government department! The deduction is too simple to need enlarging. The Priest was comparatively on the same plane as “Primo” in our Order, the junior “Adept!” If we look at a dictionary today, we find that the “initiate” means: One who is, or is to be, initiated. This word, therefore, sets up a positive and a negative. Hence it would be correct to say “the initiate, initiates the initiate!” And so we have an explanation of initiation ceremony or first introduction.
History tells us that the Initiates (in possession) fearing that their knowledge might be lost to mankind, made strenuous efforts to effect its survival. Amongst two other systems they inaugurated “Secret Societies” as a direct method of assuring continuation of the “Mysteries”.
on the writing of Herodotus, a Greek historian and philosopher of the middle ages, for all the ancient Egyptian history. The excavators unearthed a wealth of ancient hieroglyphics, but none could decipher them, and today we would probably have been very doubtful of the misty past if the position had not been clarified by a great discovery.
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