(Artisan JUNE, 1914 CONTENTS Seize Thy God 1 From the Mountain Top 2 Pledge Fever 2 Stanzas of Dzyan 4 Theogenesis 7 Important Notice 8 Editorial Mirror 10 Children's Department 11 Temple Activities and Notices 13 mysticism, Social Science and etbics PUBLISHED AT HALCYON, CALIFORNIA Price, 10 Cents $1.00 Per Year PRIMARILY, The Temple is a eosmie organic centre, the constituent parts of which are the units of collective humanity. Coincident with the original impulse, the first emanation from the Cen tral Spiritual Sun — the Universal Heart — came into manifestation, the Father-Mother-Son, the triangular corner stone of The Temple, upon wbie' is rising, age by age, a geometrically perfect edifice. The cap stones the pillars of the porch, and the outer walls are now being laid, preliminai to the work of the roof-builders — the humanity of the sixth great root-race. The place of each stone is determined by the law of selection, and the same law determines the different Degrees and Orders which lead to and from the great Stone of Sacrifice which rests upon the pavement of the Central Square. The development of outer conditions, planes and personalities must keep pace with and correspond to the development of the interior man, or evohf tionary force would be diverted from its proper channels. When the Craftsman or Apprentice to any Degree has finished his term of service, and has mastered all the details of the work, he is "recognized" by the Master Builder, and raised to a higher Degree, although he may never be conscious of the presence of that Master, until his apprenticeship is completed, and he in turn becomes a Master of a lower Degree. The organization of The Temple, the members of which belong by evolu tionary right to a certain Degree of Cosmic Life, which Degree is subdivided into seven Orders, is the continuation and expansion of the work of the Masters revivified in this country a quarter of a century ago by certain chelae or disciples. To the efforts of the Masters is due the impulse which has caused the great advance in scientific, philosophical and social endeavor; for they are the guardians of Ancient Wisdom and Knowledge, in which lies the root j of all progress; and the work of The Temple is to cultivate and embody the highest principles of all such endeavor in one stupendous living organic whole. It is a common belief that the fires on the altars of the Ancient Temples have been permitted to die out: but "those who know" say this is not true; that they are but hidden from the view of the masses, awaiting the time when the veil of ignorance and corruption hanging before the hearts of the humanity of this transitory period, shall be rent asunder, and the light of the. ages become manifest to all. The time is comparatively close at hand when the doors of ' ' The Temple of the Mysteries ' ' shall once more swing outward. The Site of that once wonderful structure has been rediscovered, ; and when the Lord, the Saviour, the Elder Brother »f the human race once ; more reappears to claim his own, He will find a place prepared for him by those who, having heard this eall, "Come over and help us," have faithfully - responded, and have taken up their share of the burden of responsibility. Are you of that number t Address THE TEMPLE, Halcyon, California. \ The Temple Artisan COPYRIGHT. 1914, BY THE TEMPLE OF THE PEOPLE. INC ALL RIGHTS RESERVED vj 1 Vol. XV. JUNE. 1914 No. 1 Behold, T give unto thee a key. THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY SEIZE THY GOD 707513 A ASTOR, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONS R 1034 L Beaten, betrayed, discouraged scion bf ir past "biuvd race! lift up thy head, call back the spirit of thy for bears, and bathe in the light of the storm centers of life. Snatch the laurel wreath of victory and crown thyself king — ruler over thine own self! Knowest thou not that HUMILITY, the negative side of the universal war is no more requisite than is COURAGE, the positive side of the same war? SEIZE THY GOD, and refuse to let Him go until He hath endowed thee with like power and endurance to that which hath made Him a (rod. "The kingdom of God is taken by violence," and taken by him whose weapons of warfare are forged in the fire of Love. I III- I KM Pl.K AN I l> \ X FROM THE MOUNTAIN TOP. Many weary centuries have passed since we took up our pres ent position to wait for the few who would be able to carry out our instructions and assist in performing the great mission en trusted to us by the Dhyan Chohans of the present human race. Like as shepherdless sheep follow the ram with a bell on its neck, the masses of the people, indifferent to the call of their shepherd, follow the loud mouthed, foresworn Egotist, into Hadean darkness ; always forgetful of their true fold, always forgetful of the trust placed in their hands ; or yielding up that trust to be torn to pieces by the wolves of the world ; forgetful of the fact that the same fate must meet them as a result of their indifference or faithlessness. Yet must we "possess our souls in patience" knowing that here and there one will turn aside from the crowd to seek out the wait ing shepherd. Having heard his low sweet call they can no more be content to run with the irresponsible followers of the Egotist. In days to come we shall gather these enlightened ones together and the great mission will then be accomplished. PLEDGE FEVER. Temple Teachings. Open Series. No. CXLIII. Many references have been made in the past both in Temple Teachings and in earlier esoteric teachings, to the effects which inevitably fall upon the signing of a pledge by a Student of Occult ism. Notwithstanding the warning always given by all true lead ers of esoteric schools to those who come under their guidance and supervision, these warnings are very frequently superficially con sidered and eventually ignored ; consequently the student is left without the protection, earnest consideration obedience would give, and he finally reaches a condition comparable to that of a bird whose feathers have all been plucked leaving its unclothed skin subject to the icy blasts of the Storm King and the burning heat of the sun. While there remains a subconscious memory of the warning received, but little effort is made by the majority of students to revive it on the exterior plane. Like many other laws which seem made to be broken, the laws of discipleship often suffer the same fate. When, at the close of his long, hard struggle, a disciple has reached a certain degree of the Great White Lodge and can look THE TEMPLE ARTISAN. 3 back on the path he has trodden, he may be able to see that his disobedience in that one respect has been mercifully overruled to his advantage, for the reason that the icy blasts on his bare skin, figuratively speaking, the burning heat of the Sun, — the heavy blows on the unprotected flesh, the stabs of enemies and all the other calamities which threatened to overwhelm him, were so many necessary tests jof his power of endurance, his vital energy, and ability to maintain a state of equilibrium in the face of every dis turbing condition, and were all essential to the unfoldment of his spiritual nature. All this does not militate against the reality and importance of the aforementioned law and the inevitable results of disobedience. His development has taken place notwithstanding his disobedience and thoughtlessness ; and because of an overplus of good Karma or because he has deliberately or carelessly chosen the hard rough way instead of the normal, wise and protected way. While he might have had to meet tests fully as difficult to pass on this protected way, he would have had more power to meet them ; his strength would not have been frittered away on trifles, and he would not have been led into so many blind trails and lost his way so many times. The eventual result of like disobedience and thoughtlessness may be discerned today by any advanced disciple, in the many in stances of failure to reach a desired goal by some of the adherents of the first Theosophical bodies to be formed in Europe and Amer ica, as well as in many instances of less antiquity. The great ma jority of the above mentioned have never advanced a single step on the true path since their first novitiate was passed. They have either sunken into a state of spiritual coma, or are still feverishly discussing the first principles of Occultism in their waking hours with all who will listen, for the reason that they have failed to grasp those of deeper moment or they have deserted the ranks of discipleship and been added to the flotsam and jetsam on the de ceptive currents of Maya. The terrible responsibility they assumed in the sacred pledges they took in esoteric orders has been shirked, and instead of the beacons of light to a drowning multitude that they might have be come, they are poor foresworn spiritual or psychic wrecks endan gering the safety of other human vessels ploughing the waves of life's ocean and seeking for harbor against the heavy storms they intuitively feel are close upon them. When a disciple is told that with the taking of a pledge to the Great White Lodge every latent tendency of good or evil in his na 4 THE TEMPLE ARTISAN.