Thomas County cat., 1889-12-12

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breath was the sobbinG NOES eke6qR.
6hspes, changing, mysterious wonderful
rushed up to meet me and bore ne down
till I seemed to stand upon another earth.
"Who comesr' cried great voice.
HHsrutachis," ;" answered the Shapes tina
changed continually. "Harmachis, VIII
hath been summoned from the earth b
look upon the face of Her, that Was, ant
Is, and Shall Be. Harmschis, Child O
Earthp
Throw back the Gates and open wide th'
Doors!" pealed the awful voice. ''Throv
back the Gates and open wide the Doors
Seal up his lips in silence, lest his voice jal
upon the harmonies of heaven; take away
his sight, lest he see that which may not bt
seen, and let Harmachis, who hath beer
summoned, pass down the path that lead.
to the place Of the Unchanging. Pass on
Child Of Earth; but, before thou goest, lool
UP that thou mayest learn how far thou ART
| removed from earth"
I looked up. Beyond the glory that
shone about the city was black night, and
/ high on its bosom twinkled one tiny star.
/ ssBehold the world that thou hast left, "
| said the voice. ''behold and tremble."
Then my lips and eyes were touched and
! sealed with silence and with darkness, SC
that was dumb and blind. And the gates
/ rolled back, the doors swung wide, and
was swept into the city that is in the place
of Death. Swiftly was swept know not
whittier, till at length stood upon my feet.
Again the same voice pealed:
"Draw the vail Of blackness from his
eyes, unseal the silence on his lips, that
Harmachis, Child of Earth, may see. hear
and understand. and make alteration at the
shrine of Her, that Was, and Is, and Shall
! Be-
And my lips and eyes were touched once
more, so that my sight and speech came
back.
Behold! stood within a hall Of blackest
marble, so lofty that scarce even in the rosy
light could my vision reach the great
groins Of the roof. Music walled about its
spaces, and all adown its length stood
winged spirits fashioned in living flame. and
such was the brightness Of their forms that
I could not look thereon. In its center was
an altar, small and square, and I stood be-
fore the empty altar. Then again the voice
cried:
30 Thou that hast been, art, and shalt be;
Thou who. having many names, art yet
without name; Measurer of Time; Guar.
dian of the Worlds, and the Races that
dwell thereon; Universal Mother born OF
Nothingness; Creatrix uncreated; Living
Splendor without form, Living Form with
out Substance; Servant Of the Invisible;
Child of Law; Holder of the Scales and
Sword Of Fate; Vessel of Life, from whom
all Life is, to whom it again is gathered;
Recorder of Things Done; Executor OF
Decrees-hear! Harmachis, the Egyptian,
who by Thy will hath been summoned
from the earth. waits before Thine Altar,
with ears unstopped, with eyes unsealed,
and with an open heart. Hear and de-
scend! Descend. o Many-shaped! De-
scend in Flannel Descend In Scum! De-
scend In Spirit! Hear md Descend"
The voice ceased and there was silence
Presently, moved thereto by I know not
what, raised my eyes from between my
lands wherewith I had covered them, and
l saw hanging over the altar a small dark
cloud, in and out of which fiery serpent
climbed.
Then all the Spirits clad in fame fell upon
the marble floor. and with loud voice
sdored; but what they said could not un-
derstand. Behold the dark cloud came
down and rested on the Altar, the Serpent
Of fire stretched itself toward me; and
with its forky tongue touched me on the
forehead and was gone. From within the
cloud voice, sweet and low and clear,
spoke in heavenly accents:
'Depirt, ye Ministers, leave me with my
servant whom have summoned"
Then like arrows rushing from bow the |
fame-clad Spirits leaped from the ground
and sped away.
20, Harmachis," said the voice, "be not !
afraid. I am She whom thou dost know as
Isis of the Egyptians; but what else am |
strive not thou to learnt is beyond thy |
strength. For am all things, all life is |
my spirit, all Nature is my raiment I am
the laughter Of the child, am the maiden's |
love, 1 am the mothers kiss, I am the Child |
and Servant Of the Invisible that is God, !
that is Law, that is Fate-though myself |
be not God and Fate and Law. When winds |
blow and oceans roar upon the face of Earth |
thou nearest my voice; when thou gazest |
on the starry armament. thou seest my |
countenance; when the spring blooms out
In flowers, that Is my smile, Harmach,s.
For am natures self, and all her shapes |
are shapes Of Me. I breathe in all that |
breathes. wax and wane in the changeful
moon. grow and gather in the tides. I |
rise with the Suns. fash with the light
ming and thunder in the storms. Nothing |
is too great for the measure Of my majesty, |
nothing is 50 small that ! can not find
home therein. am in thee and thou art in !
me, o Harmachis; that which bade thee
be bade Ne also be.
bowed my head-I could not speak, for
was fear-smitten.
Faithfully hast thou served me, o my
servant" went on the low, sweet voice;
'Rreatly hast thou longed to be brought
face to face with Ne here In Amenti; and
greatly hast thou dared to accomplish that
desire. For it is no small thing to cast OF
the tabernacle Of the flesh, and, before the
appointed time, if only for an hour, put on
the raiment Of the spirit. And greatly, o