CHAPTER 56.
Project Gutenberg EPUB edition
Levi
The seven sages of the world meet in Alexandria. The purposes of the meeting. The opening addresses.
In every age since time began have seven sages lived.
2 At first of every age these sages meet to note the course of nations, peoples, tribes and tongues;
3 To note how far toward justice, love and righteousness the race has gone;
4 To formulate the code of laws, religious postulates and plans of rule best suited to the coming age.
5 An age had passed, and, lo, another age had come; the sages must convene.
6 Now, Alexandria was the center of the world’s best thought, and here in Philo’s home the sages met.
7 From China came Meng-ste; from India Vidyapati came; from Persia Kaspar came; and from Assyria Ashbina came; from Greece Apollo came; Matheno was the Egyptian sage, and Philo was the chief of Hebrew thought.
8 The time was due; the council met and sat in silence seven days.
9 And then Meng-ste arose and said, The wheel of time has turned once more; the race is on a higher plane of thought.
10 The garments that our fathers wove have given out; the cherubim have woven a celestial cloth; have placed it in our hands and we must make for men new garbs.
11 The sons of men are looking up for greater light. No longer do they care for gods hewn out of wood, or made of clay. They seek a God not made with hands.
12 They see the beams of coming day, and yet they comprehend them not.
13 The time is ripe, and we must fashion well these garments for the race.
14 And let us make for men new garbs of justice, mercy, righteousness and love, that they may hide their nakedness when shines the light of coming day.
15 And Vidyapati said, Our priests have all gone mad; they saw a demon in the wilds and at him cast their lamps and they are broken up, and not a gleam of light has any priest for men.
16 The night is dark; the heart of India calls for light.
17 The priesthood cannot be reformed; it is already dead; its greatest needs are graves and funeral chants.
18 The new age calls for liberty; the kind that makes each man a priest, enables him to go alone, and lay his offerings on the shrine of God.
19 And Kaspar said, In Persia people walk in fear; they do the good for fear to do the wrong.
20 The devil is the greatest power in our land, and though a myth, he dandles on his knee both youth and age.
21 Our land is dark, and evil prospers in the dark.
22 Fear rides on every passing breeze, and lurks in every form of life.
23 The fear of evil is a myth, is an illusion and a snare; but it will live until some mighty power shall come to raise the ethers to the plane of light.
24 When this shall come to pass the magian land will glory in the light. The soul of Persia calls for light.