Chapter I. EVOLUTION AS SHOWN IN THE ZODIAC（续 2）

Capricorn was the opposite of Cancer and embodied the ideal that as the goat climbs the mountains so man must leave the basin of Atlantis and come up from the mist.

Gemini-Sagittarius ( U — t ) Our condition during the middle third of the Atlantean Epoch is illustrated in the Sun's passage through the sign Gemini, the twins, which aptly represent infant humanity. During this age the division of soul from soul by the veil of flesh, which we call the body, became more noticeable, for the atmosphere had already cleared to a considerable extent, and the faculties of the spirit had become more focused in its physical instrument. With this delusion of the personal self, there came at once the idea of 'me' and 'thee', 'mine' and 'thine', our individual interests commenced to clash with those of others, so that a tragedy such as that recorded between Cain and Abel became possible. Nor was the shedding of blood confined to human beings, for we learn from the Bible that "Nimrod was a mighty hunter". This savage ideal was expressed in the Celestial Centaur, Sagittarius, with his bow and arrow.

But both of these pairs of opposites: Cancer- Capricorn and Gemini-Sagittarius, may be considered pre-historic hieroglyphics of a development accomplished in Sidereal years, long past, though none the less important on that account. Our own times, with the development prescribed for them, are symbolically represented in the four pairs of signs within the fixed cross: the Bull, the Lion, the Serpent and the Man.

For that reason the two pairjs of opposites comprising the fixed signs, Taurus-Scorpio, and Leo-

Aquarius, are mentioned in the Bible, and we shall find that our modern systems of religion are full of allusions to the signs which lie between them, namely, the three pairs of opposites: Aries-Libra, Pisces- Virgo, and Aquarius-Leo. These three pairs of opposites are, as already stated, emblematic of the development in the early third of the Aryan Epoch, the Sun by precession went through the sign Aries, the middle third of the Aryan Epoch finds the Sun in Pisces, by precession, and during the last third of this Epoch the Sun will go through the sign Aquarius. Then the solstitial point Capricorn will see the inauguration of a new cycle or age.

The spiritual preparation for this development commenced about thirteen thousand B. C. when the Sun by precession, was in the sign Libra, the Balance, the last time, and different phases of this germinal impregnation of the people then living were carried on during the precessional travel of the Sun through Virgo, Leo, and culminated in Cancer about eight thousand B. C. when the last of Atlantis was destroyed by water, substantially as related by the Egyptian priests to Plato, and we shall see presently how those germinal ideals, given to humanity in those far, by-gone days have grown and flowered into factors of human development and spiritual Standards of the greatest importance.

Taurus-Scorpio ( b — Til ) In the latter third of Atlantis, Egoism had df-

veloped to a far greater degree than before, the spiritual sight had been lost by the larger majority of the people who then lived entirely on the material plane and gloried particularly in their material possessions.

The Bull was very properly worshiped by them, it was an emblem of strength necessary to conquer the material world. It was, on account of its prodigious strength, an invaluable aid in all their work. The proverb about "the flesh pots of Egypt" has remained illustrative to the present day, to show how abundantly that animal supplies their physical need of food, and the milk of the female was also an important article of diet. The possession of many cattle was therefore ardently desired by the ancient infant nations, and the worship of the Bull was inaugurated under the solar precession through Taurus during earlier, sidereal years, and was continued to the comparatively modern times, when the Sun by precession went through the sign of the Celestial Bull for the last time.

At that point when the Sun entered the sign ot the Lamb, Aries, the Aryan religions were inaugurated. The Religion of the Lamb is to hold sway for the next sidereal year, while the Sun by precession passes around the twelve signs of the Zodiac, as the religion of the Bull has held dominion during the previous celestial year from the time the Sun entered Taurus, until it left the same sign on its next passage.

New religions, however, are not revealed in their

fullness at the beginning; they are started and go through a period of gestation long before the religion which they are to succeed comes into material existence, and similarly, an ancient religion about to be abrogated survives long after the religion which succeeds it has become the official source for upliftment of humanity. The original Semites, chosen to inaugurate the worship of the Lamb, Aries, during the Aryan Epoch, were taken from 'Egypt,' the home of the Bull 'Taurus.' Not our modern 'Egypt' however. The story of Pharaoh, who endeavored to prevent their emigration and was drowned, has reference to Atlantis which was submerged thousands of years before Moses is supposed to have made his escape with the Israelites through the 'Red Sea.' The facts underlying the story are that a multitude of people left the land where the bull 'Taurus' was worshiped, (Atlantis or Egypt) whose inhabitants were drowned, to seek a 'promised land' beyond the water which then engulfed an 'ungodly nation.' There they were dedicated to worship the 'Lamb' Aries. This lamb had been slain in 'Egypt' (Atlantis) ; through its blood these pioneers had been preserved from death, and- it was thus "the Lamb, slain from the foundation of the (present) World" which we call the Aryan Epocli. Noah's escape presents another phase of the same occurrence relating that the mists which had enveloped Atlantis condensed to rain, and flooded the basins of the earth, leaving a clear atmosphere in

which the Rainbow was seen for the first time at the opening of the New Age, the Aryan Epoch, where a new Covenant was made with the pioneers of the polity then ushered in.

Atlantis was the home of the Bull, Taurus, and when the Sun, by precession, was leaving that sign the last time, the Religion of the Lamb Aries was definitely ushered in. Thenceforth, the worship of the Bull was abrogated and when any of the pioneer race, brought out from the ancient Atlantean dispensation by the blood of the Lamb, Aries, backslid and worshiped the Taurean 'Calf, they acted contrary to the law of progress and were therefore 'Idolaters', and an abomination to the divine hierarchs whose task it was to guide them during the ages preceding the advent of Christ. On account, of repeated transgressions many were 'lost', and they are the Jews of today who still retain their Atlantean traits (see 'Cosmo Conception).

Apart from the Astrological key, the Bible is: truly a closed book, but with this key, the matter is different. In the Old Testament reference is made to two classes of animals: Bulls, which were Taurean, and Sheep and Goats, which were Arian. These alone were used as Sacrifices. ( Turtle doves were permitted as a concession to poverty). All the principal characters of the Old dispensation were shepherds (Arian) and Christ also announces Himself as the Great Shepherd.

In the New Testament we find another animal,

the Fish, attaining great prominence, and the apostles were called to be 'Fishers of Men,' for then the sun by precession was nearing the cusp of Pisces, the Fish, and Christ spoke of the time when the Son of Man (Aquarius) shall come. Thus our evolutionary journey is mapped out in the hidden astrological allusions of the Bible.

The student now has a line on the march of events, which it is well to keep in mind.

Jesus taught the multitudes in parables but explained the mysteries of the Kingdom to His disciples. Paul gave meat to the strong, but the milk of doctrine to the multitude, for there has always been an exoteric and an esoteric side in every religion. If we take Taurus, the sign of the Bull, to symbolize the worship of that animal as practiced in Egypt, Persia and other countries at that time, then we shall find that the opposite sign, Scorpio, symbolizes the esoteric doctrine of the priesthood, which were the guardians of these ancient Atlantean Mysteries.