69
Coming events their shadows cast, on this all have agreed;
In an endless procession that Mirror reflects the acts, the thoughts, the deeds,
Oh, happy the man who has led a good life, who fears not in that Mirror to gaze,
For he sees that virtue reward hath won, and that the wage of sin is death.
70
Some in this life would have you believe that this fate you cannot evade, for all embody here again, and thus by the law of birth outrun the actions of past lives?
Friends, you're reasoning in quicksands which in the end engulf; last night no more returns to earth though followed by countless suns;
Neither the soul once freed from clay to a body of clay returns, nor doth the Spirit inhabit again this cast off garment of earth.
This is the law; oh mortals learn, all ye who love the true.
71
This is the law of life written bold that all may read aright and learn the way of mastership!
Thoughts are the shuttle of life's works, experience the warp, and life the woof,
The cloth the deeds when spun, which cut according to right measurement fit well, and the garment of every soul becomes.
Reason measures all! And wisdom guides, and thus are the garments of life both small and great by a strict measurement made, wherein the law declares.
Thou thyself the law of life doth rule; life! Thou art ruled by all the wise;
He who thus doth know, knows all in life to be, as the future life's determined by the present one we lead.
72
[33]There is a garden of which the Wise have told, with a river that flows throughout, which when divided has four heads, Oh, Students find this out.
There is a "word" the Wise declare though "lost" it's yours to find, that would unite these four again; of this there is no doubt.
It is four-fold when opened out and the cross it brings to view; your life's engraved upon its "square" of which no erasion can be made nor "thy mark" carved there be effaced.
[33] This paragraph refers to the center of creative energy or the Garden of Iram. The Four Rivers symbolize the seasons, body, mind, soul, spirit, earth, fire, air, water, in their process of ivolution and evolution and its symbolic character is the Swastika Cross.
73
This inverted bowl we call the sky, is that Garden we've been told; the four heads there have thus been named the lion, the man, the bull, the bird.
[34]Within these names four more are found; spirit, soul, mind, and body and yet again four more you have birth, youth, manhood and age.
When added twelve all told they make, and the names of the tribes reveal, from which all things their being take, and yet there are four to spare;
Reptiles, beasts and birds of song, with fish of various kinds, when added go to make the man, of sixteen parts all told.
[34] This paragraph gives the symbolic names of the divine qualities that are found in man.
74
Who then doth hold this secret of the way, which from this carnal house of clay to freedom makes?
Or are we like the ever changing sea, impotent to change its currents or the wind?
It is only a sluggard who doth question the reason of his birth; the Brave like soaring eagles rise high above the earth,
They but know the path of duty, its golden way they tread, where trod the ancient fathers who dissolved this life of earth.
Thus look not on high the good to find, nor search for it below; good is the whole, and death but lifts the scenes as they unfold.
75
This world no more endures than thou or i, only the maker for 'twas he who loosed its soul and thine to learn,
From whence came all, to where all go, the destiny, the end.
And should'st thou not learn from whence all pain doth spring, as ripple follow ripple so doth pain forever follow pain.
Till freed from sensuous yearnings, thy heart to god returns, this is the final conquest, this is the final end.
76
And thus was man made and placed in this garden of iram fair, with his soul to comfort and give cheer, till death makes free again.
He in this inverted bowl is poured, and there must remain 'tis said, till dust to dust returns again and that freed soul has winged its way to where the deathless dwell.
77
He out of his earthly origin wrought his desire for upward striving, for the Wise the right do prefer to the sweet,
Whilst the Foolish the sweet do prefer to the right and thus they're bound on this wheel of pain till they the knot untie again,
Which is the end and the beginning of things.
78
Now in this garden a serpent was placed and a man from the hand of a woman did taste,
Not the woman of this clay nor any fruit of earthly name, but experience wrung from life and handed down from birth to birth.
God has joined these two in one, wedded here for life to come, ever faithful! Ever good! They may here be understood.
79
And after he'd tasted he stood face to face with the laws he had taken in vain.
The bitter thus changed the sweet did become, hate changed to love and sorrow to joy, strife had ceased and peace had come.
When he had thus conquered lust, he had also conquered thirst; that man from pain doth free become, who the battle wins, that conquers self.
[35] One must always taste of his thoughts, deeds or actions and whether they are sweet or sour that alone depends upon our actions; and likewise our past lives must forever stand beside us, like a loving wife sharing our joys or sorrows and comforting in the time of need.
80
And if but for the asking all wisdom could be thine, what value would'st thou place upon things thus obtained?
Work makes the value, values cares do bring, cares bring forth sorrow, Death's complaisant friend.
Few from this womb are born that to maturity arrive; it is here that all values end and it is here that they all begin.
81
And under cover of departing day, slunk hunger stricken Doubt away, and with its departure came back once more the light of reason and passed within my door.
Again strange shapes I did behold in clay, and one came forth and licked my hand; it was a dog!
And of the Potter I did ask, why sunk so low at birth was such a faithful soul?
The Potter merely turned his wheel and there upon the further side of a beauteous vase I beheld a wondrous design, executed with great skill.
It was a Temple to the Great and holding one of its main supports was a dog! And at its base was carved these words in bold relief:
"Pillar of faithfulness to man I gave; dog was thy name on earth, but faithfulness in heaven."
82
Some of the shapes were large, some small, and some were rough and some were smooth, and as the Potter turned the last, I saw it was a man.
Out of the earth had he been wrought, by experience he was taught; out of the voiceless came he here, into the voiceless will he once more pass.
Oh, Thou wondrous vessel, thou! Learn to know that god is man.
83
Shaped as a man again a vase I saw; it looked so smooth, so bright and tinted with colors rare,
All looked harmonious without, a beauteous vessel one would say, but to the Potter's knowing eye it was a fraud!!
And taking a mallet in his hand he beat it back to dust again.
And when I questioned why he had thus done, he paused and answered "It's not true."
This was the life of one on earth who never had his second birth; all things wished for had he there bound to greed! A slave to fear!!
Then the Potter a vase of modest form did show, but oh, how exquisite was it in comparison with the former ware.
The Potter answered "the same soul dwells here now in peace supreme."
Thus passed to greater things that soul of yore.
84
Then a beautiful vase of a maid I saw and by it standing in the gloom and shade was another of a man!
Both were covered deep in dust; it was a lesson thundered back to earth, how both of them from lust had died and destroyed the purpose of their lives.
And on a column reaching high these words burst forth in fiercest flame:
"The curse of life is lust of sex and the committing of acts unlawful and unfit."
85
And in the corner of the Potter's shed stood a mighty vase, in shape a BULL, and this was written o'er his head:
pillar of endurance cast in clay, thy name on earth is bull; as a sign in the heaven I placed thee there that all on earth might read
That when thou bathed in the Sun's bright rays the Spring Time would begin,
So let men their trials with endurance meet and begin their Spring Time here,
And let the Fruits of Life mature and be ripened full by fall.
86
And some were crusted with old age, and some were bright as from the Potter's hand they came,
But neither youth nor age could tell who was the pot, the potter or the mould,
They only knew that one great cause created all! And then again dissolved.
He made them all! To him again they went! This was his secret; search it out they said,
Then of the difference ye will know between the potter, pot and thee.
87
More strange, more fair, more beautiful designs I saw of leaves, of blooms, of ferns, of flowers, the choicest of the choice.
And such wild flowers, the like I had never seen before, which from the tropics and temperate zones of earth had come.
And others of color wondrous fair from the depths of the ocean were also there,
To compare with the flowers of earth the richness of their marine birth
All had been spun on the self same wheel, all to the earth their lives will yield,
Except their beauty and perfume, which with their souls to him have gone.
88
All is thus spun by the potter on his wheel, in his shop the universe, wherein he grinds, then kneads, then fires the lives of all, into shapes and things most lovable.
Naught doth he waste in all his works, for what he maketh unto today he maketh unto eternity.
89
Thus do all things speak of him in praise, lord of heaven, creator and the grave,
Thus the earth her welcome sings to the water carrier spring, who with his rain skin on his back calls to the winter, back! back! back!
Then he gently pulls the strings, comforter divine is he, sending down those warming rains on the barren thirsty plains.
This then is the holy spirit which from heaven unto man is given.
[36] This means that He is both the Container and the Contained, that before Him there can be no Priest or Warrior, for He is the Divine of all forms of Rituals and Authority.
90
The vine new leaves doth now put forth and the grapes though sour at first sweeten with the sun.
So may we bring this life of ours to close, for the grapes of youth will ripen with the frosts of years.
Then shrouded in the leaves which from the tree of life have broken forth in this vineyard of our lives we are laid away to rest.
There facing the rising sun, that resplendent messenger of him who is forever nameless,
We'll bring to age again a better grape for wine.
91
Here is where our dust is mingled with the earth that goes to nourish all unborn vines;
Think then of thy deeds, thine acts and thoughts in life, for they the nutrition form, with which the future vines are fed.
Would that all dust could return to earth as pure as when it first gave man this garment for his soul.
92
He who fashioned all so fair, he who gave that great command, he whose love is infinite, he whose breath is peace divine,
Wilt thou Doubter here declare who perishes, when and where?
Each for himself this noble path doth tread, each for himself the crown of life must win.
Unto thee, oh, doubter hear! What he created in his love shall not by wrath be here or there destroyed!
93
Let all men dwell in peace and freedom and bring forth those beauteous flowers that they have learned to cultivate.
Then thine will be a kingdom of blooms most rare, wherein the weeds of remorse and shame can no hiding find.
All will work towards that end divine, to illuminate not destroy the spiritual gardens of the mind.
Then will the vines of love, truth, peace and charity flourish, and all will be in harmony with god; this is of things the end!
94
In a Garden where such Vines do climb there can be found no infidel!!
Ah, infidel, thou art the fruit of priestly arrogance.
May peace be granted unto them who sought thy mind to here enslave.
Before him there is no priest, infidel, pagan, nor heathen; all are called friends.
No more may these hard names be spoken; they are unlawful and unfit and they the love of god deny who utter them.
95
When these names no more are heard, the rose of love puts forth, and perpetual youth doth greet the sons of every clime.
Upon the branches of the trees perch the [37]Eagle and the Dove, and the [38]Tiger with the Lamb at the River side make play.
This is a view of heaven that unto man descends; the night indeed has passed, the day has dawned.
[37] The Eagle and the Dove here describes the forces of sympathy and antipathy which form a duality within our natures, which when conquered by love cease to be active, hence we become at peace with all.
[38] The Tiger and the Lamb typify the physical and spiritual of our natures which so long as they are not absolutely controlled are at variance with ourselves, till love vanquishes greed, selfishness and avarice; then we learn that matter and spirit harmonize when properly adjusted.
96
Every desert will then have its spring, and every man and woman will have found that freedom is the goal for life to win.
Making the best of what doth here befall, and to live in that peace which comfort brings to all.
97
Ah, thou Angel, of Repose! Fan thou the brow of those who suffer pain and in their ear that magic word impart,
That turns the fear of death into living thoughts of love.
Bid all awake and rise and for evermore lay their aches and pains aside,
To this end were they born, not slaves, fearing to live, nor living, fear to die.
98
And now my pen in honor here doth write, in praise of thee thou soul divine of love.
Thou art the conquerer of this sorrow pile of life, thou art the song, the singer and the dance.
Thou art the shade of all repose and peace; better thy smile than a triumphant wreath.
Better thy friendship than a monarch's wealth, stronger thy hand than all armed force.
Fountain Divine, thou life of all that's born, thou ruby of the wine, thou perfume of the morn.
Friend and light of the wintry path, the dew drop's sparkle, and the flame that burns.
Comforter divine, thou art the wine that cheers; may we ever of thy vintage drink.
99
Once more the Moon has waned and fulled, and with each wane and full many have come and many passed away.
Still many more shall come, and many more will follow when she again in glory robes herself.
Silently she comes, silently she departs; she brings to age the life of every mortal.
And as the Night the Day removeth, so doth she the human generations.
100
Ah, Earthly Home, my last clasp now I take, of all thy pleasures and thy sorrows a fond farewell.
Oh, piteous and most fair! I've loved thee as a lover, and for my misdeeds let none other suffer.
Forgive the sins that I've committed; what I to others have done, may they in mercy pardon.
And as succeeding generations follow may they but know thee as thou art.
Farewell! farewell! Oh, father! mother! teacher! May this my dust be mingled once again with thine,
And o'er my tomb let the Flurring Petals of Autumn Blooms keep the Vigil of this my last of many sleeps.
The Murmuring Winds shall chant the mizzeran for the soul that's dead to earth,
And in thy gentle arms, Oh, mother, yield I up this life forever! Farewell!! farewell!!!
The End.
KINGSLEY, MOLES & COLLINS CO., PRINTERS
LOS ANGELES, CAL.
TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE
Archaic, unusual and inconsistent spellings have been maintained as in the original. Obvious typos have been fixed, as detailed below. Corrections are shown in the text like this. Hovering over the correction with the mouse will display a message.
The cover was developed at PGDP.org and is in the public domain.
| Table of Contents: | The entire Table of Contents was added by the transcriber. There was none in the original book. |
| Preface: | be a means to enlighten many |
| Originally: | be a means to enlighted many |
| Notes: | the great opposites |
| Originally: | the great opposities |
| Notes: | Jamshyd (all three appearances) |
| In the original text, the J had a diaeresis over it. | |
| Stanza 18 (note): | of the Celestial King |
| Originally: | of the Celestrial King |
| Stanza 25: | who biddest all perform good works |
| Originally: | who bidest all perform good works |
| Stanza 36 (note): | that through conventionalities |
| Originally: | that through conventionalties |
| Stanza 41: | from out of the depths doth speak "murmur not" |
| Originally: | from out of the dephts doth speak "murmer not" |
| Stanza 72: | though "lost" it's yours |
| Originally: | though "lost" its yours |
| Stanza 84: | "The curse of life is lust of sex...." |
| Originally this line had an opening quotation mark, but no closing quotation mark. | |
| Stanza 86: | one great cause created all! And then again dissolved. |
| Originally: | one great cause created all And then again dissolved. |
| Stanza 98: | 98 |
| In the original text, stanza 98 was numbered 68 | |
| Stanza 100: | mizzeran |
| This word means the person who chants the call to prayer. In the context of the text, azan, or the call itself, would make more sense. | |