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Article THE ROSICRUCIAN. ← Page 4 of 5 →
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The Rosicrucian.
The unknown was seated at a table when lie entered , —manuscripts of rare beauty lay before him , and instruments and machines for scientific and philosophical purposes , the uses of which were confined to the learned , scattered round the apartment . " You are punctual , " he said , as Andrea bowed in lowly reverence before him , " truth only can lead to immortality . Ere I proceed to confer upon you the treasure of my experience , it is necessary that you should examine the various systems
by which mankind have hitherto been guided—and demonstrate to me either their absurdity or justice ; thou must learn to distinguish the gem from pebble ere it be trusted to thee . Here , " he continued , pointing to a manuscript , " is the philosophy of the Grecian school ; you will find in it the ethics of Socrates , and arguments of Plato ; in the midst of gorgeous superstition , one principle of reason may be found ; take the volume , and when thou art master of its contents , and can refute its 1
errors , return . ' The painter would have spoken , would have pressed the subject nearest to his soul ; but the commanding manner of the old man , and the air of authority with which he spoke , forbade reply . Placing the manuscript within his breast , he quitted the house . In a few days he again presented himself before the stranger , who proceeded to question him upon the subject of his studies ; it required but little exercise of the powers of reason to demonstrate the absurdity ofthe Polytheism ofthe Greeks , and so far the master was satisfied with
the arguments of his pupil . They next discussed the arguments of Plato on the immortality of the soul . Andrea brought forward the usual arguments of infidelity , which were quickly dissipated by the calm reasoning of the old man : "If thy being be composed but of earth , why seek to preserve it ?—if thy principle of life be like thy frail material , that which remains of thee after death , must be possessed of all the properties of life;—for if thought or consciousness be the powers of matter , they must be so of matter generallfor matter can differ from matter
y , but in form , gravity , and density , and to which of these can consciousness be annexed ?" Andrea paused to reflect upon the arguments of the sage ; after a few moments' cogitation , he replied , " certain thought and consciousness cannot be material . '' " And if immaterial , " replied the old man , " immortal , that which has no form , must be exempt from all causes of decay ; corruption must ible to for whatever is de
have something tang operate upon , perishes - stroyed by the solution or separation of its parts . " " May not these powers proceed from the combinations of matter ?" demanded the painter . " Impossible , " replied the stranger , " can the material produce the immaterial ? Matter can only be taught to think by some new modification of it , but all the modifications which it can admit , are equally removed from cogitative powers;—here , " he continued " is the system of the Budhists ; take it , and when thou art master of its contents , again
return . In these exercises a month passed , the doctrines of the Egyptians , and other nations of antiquity , were in their turn examined , and sifted of their dross ; but still in all faiths , Andrea found that gem of truth—the promise of immortality : his scepticism was shaken , and he trembled and believed . Again he presented himself before his instructor , who , placing in his VOL . II . ¦ s s
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Rosicrucian.
The unknown was seated at a table when lie entered , —manuscripts of rare beauty lay before him , and instruments and machines for scientific and philosophical purposes , the uses of which were confined to the learned , scattered round the apartment . " You are punctual , " he said , as Andrea bowed in lowly reverence before him , " truth only can lead to immortality . Ere I proceed to confer upon you the treasure of my experience , it is necessary that you should examine the various systems
by which mankind have hitherto been guided—and demonstrate to me either their absurdity or justice ; thou must learn to distinguish the gem from pebble ere it be trusted to thee . Here , " he continued , pointing to a manuscript , " is the philosophy of the Grecian school ; you will find in it the ethics of Socrates , and arguments of Plato ; in the midst of gorgeous superstition , one principle of reason may be found ; take the volume , and when thou art master of its contents , and can refute its 1
errors , return . ' The painter would have spoken , would have pressed the subject nearest to his soul ; but the commanding manner of the old man , and the air of authority with which he spoke , forbade reply . Placing the manuscript within his breast , he quitted the house . In a few days he again presented himself before the stranger , who proceeded to question him upon the subject of his studies ; it required but little exercise of the powers of reason to demonstrate the absurdity ofthe Polytheism ofthe Greeks , and so far the master was satisfied with
the arguments of his pupil . They next discussed the arguments of Plato on the immortality of the soul . Andrea brought forward the usual arguments of infidelity , which were quickly dissipated by the calm reasoning of the old man : "If thy being be composed but of earth , why seek to preserve it ?—if thy principle of life be like thy frail material , that which remains of thee after death , must be possessed of all the properties of life;—for if thought or consciousness be the powers of matter , they must be so of matter generallfor matter can differ from matter
y , but in form , gravity , and density , and to which of these can consciousness be annexed ?" Andrea paused to reflect upon the arguments of the sage ; after a few moments' cogitation , he replied , " certain thought and consciousness cannot be material . '' " And if immaterial , " replied the old man , " immortal , that which has no form , must be exempt from all causes of decay ; corruption must ible to for whatever is de
have something tang operate upon , perishes - stroyed by the solution or separation of its parts . " " May not these powers proceed from the combinations of matter ?" demanded the painter . " Impossible , " replied the stranger , " can the material produce the immaterial ? Matter can only be taught to think by some new modification of it , but all the modifications which it can admit , are equally removed from cogitative powers;—here , " he continued " is the system of the Budhists ; take it , and when thou art master of its contents , again
return . In these exercises a month passed , the doctrines of the Egyptians , and other nations of antiquity , were in their turn examined , and sifted of their dross ; but still in all faiths , Andrea found that gem of truth—the promise of immortality : his scepticism was shaken , and he trembled and believed . Again he presented himself before his instructor , who , placing in his VOL . II . ¦ s s