The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1894-04-18

\ w thou ready, Harmachisi'
NJ ''Once again. | answered, II
am ready" He spoke no more; but having
lifted up his hands in prayer, led me to the
center of the Holy, and with swift motion
put out the lamp
.'Look before thee, o Harmachis" he
cried and his voice sounded hollow in the
solemn place.
gazed and saw nothing. But from the
niche that is high in the wall, wherein is
hid the sacred symbol Of the God
dess, on which few may look, there
came sound as of the rafting
rods Of the sistrum. And as | listened,
awestruck, behold l saw the outline of
the symbol drawn as with fire upon the
blaclsness Of the air. Above my head it
hung, and ratified while it hung And as it
turned, clearly saw the face Of the Mother
Isis that is craven on the one side, and sig
mites amending birth, and the face of her
holy sister, Nephthys, that is craven on the
other, and signifies the ending of all birth
in death.
Slowly it turned and swung as though
some mystic dancer trod the air above me
and shook it in her baud. But at length the
light went out, and the rafting ceased.
Then of a sudden the end Of the chamber
became luminous, and in that white lightl
beheld picture after picture. l saw the
ancient Nile rolling through deserts to the
sea- There were no men upon its banks,
nor any signs of man, nor any Temples to
the Gods Only wild BIRDS moved on Sihor's
lonely face. and monstrous brutcs plunged
and waliowed in his waters. The sun sunk
in majesty behind the Libyan Desert and
stained the waters red; the mountains
lowered up toward the silent sky; but In
mountain, desert and river there was no
sign of human life And then knew that
saw the world as it had been before man
was, and terror Of It's loneliness entered
my soul.
The picture passed and another rose up in
its place. Once again saw the banks of
Sihor, and on them crowded wild-faced
creatures, partaldng of the nature of the
ape more than of the nature of mankind.
They fought and slew each other The wild
bird sprang up in alright as the fire leapt
from reed huts given by foemen's hands to
flame and pillage. They stole and rent and
murdered, dashing out the brains of chill
oxen with axes of stone. And, though no
voice told me, knew that saw man as he
was tens Of thousands of years ago when
ncst he marched across Ihe edrJn.
Yet another picture. Once again saw
the banks Of Sihor; bat on them fair cities
bloomed like flowers. In and out their
gates went men and women, and laden
asses passing to and fro from wide, well
tnled lands. But saw no guards or armies,
and no weapors of war. All was wisdom
prosperity and peace. And, while Won
dered 81 glorious figure, clad in raiment
that shore as fame, came from the gates OF
ashfine, and the SQUAD OF music went be-
fore and followed after him. He mounted
an ivory throne which was set III a market
place facing the water, and as the sun set
called all the multitudes to prayer. With
one voice they prayed, bending in adora-
ton. And ! understood that herein was
shown the reign of the Gods on earth, which
was long before the days of Mcnes.
A change came over the dream. Still,
the same fair city, but other men
men with greed and evil on their
faces-who hated the bonds Of righteous
doing, and set their hearts on sin. The
evening came; the glorious figure mounted
the throne and called to prayer, but none
bowed themselves in alteration.
1--WE are aweary of theel" they cried
aMake Evil Kingl Stay him! Stay him !
and loose the bonds Of Evil Make Evil
Kingw
Nightly uprose the glorious shape, gaz-
ing with mild eyes upon those wicked ones.
aye know not what We ask" he cried ;
.sbut as We will, so be i'll For if die, by
me shall We once again, after much travail,
find path to the Kingdom Of GoodW
Even as he spoke form, foul and hideous
to behold, leapt upon him, cursing, slew
him, tore him limb from limb, and amidst
the clamor of the people sat himself upon
the throne and ruled. But shape whose
face was vailed passed down from Heaven
on shadowy wings, and with lamentations
gathered up the rent fragments OF the Be-
ing. moment she bent herself upon
them, then lifted up her hands and wept.
And as she wept, behold from her sides
there sprang warrior armed and with a
facc hike the face of Ra (the sun) at noon.
With shout he, the Avenger, hurled him
self upon the monster who had usurped the
throne, and they closed in battle, and strug-
cling ever in a straight embrace, passed up
ward to the skies.
Then came picture after picture l saw
powers and peoples clad in various robes
and speaking many tongues. L saw them
pass and pass and pass in millions-loving,
hating, struggling, dying. Some few were
happy and some had woe stamped upon
their faces; but most bore not the seal Of
happiness nor of woe, but rather of pa
tience. And ever as they passed from age
TO age, high above in the heavens the
Avenger fought on with the Evil Thing
while the scale Of victory swung now here
now there; but neither conquered nor wa;
it given TO me to know how the battle
ended
And understood that what had beheli
was the holy vision of the struggle between
the Good and the Evil powers. saw thai
man was created vile, but those who ART
above took pity on him and came down tc
him to make him good and happy, for the
two things are one thing. But man re
turned again to his wicked way, and ther
did the bright spirit Of Good, who is Of u:
called Osiris, but who hath many names
oner himself up for the evil doing of the
race that had dethroned him. And from hin
and the Divine Mothe r,of whom all natur !.
sprang another spirit who is the Protector
of us on earth, as Osiris is our justifer il
Amenu.
For this is the mystery of the Osiris.
OF a sudden, as saw the visions, these
things became clear TO me. The mummy
-~rloths of symbol and of ceremony tha
wrap Crisis round fell from him, and un
derstood the secret Of religion.
The picture passed, and once again thu
Priest, my guide, spoke TO me,
aHast thou understood, Harmschis, thos'
things which it hath been granted thee Il