New Age
The three main channels through which the preparation for the new age is going on might be
regarded as the Church, the Masonic Fraternity and the educational field. All of them are as yet in
relatively static condition, and all are as yet failing to meet the need and to respond to the inner
pressure. But in all of these three movements, disciples of the Great Ones are to be found and
they are steadily gathering momentum and will before long enter upon their designated task.
The Masonic Movement when it can be divorced from politics and social ends and from its
present paralysing condition of inertia, will meet the need of those who can, and should, wield
power. It is the custodian of the law; it is the home of the Mysteries and the seat of initiation.
It holds in its symbolism the ritual of Deity, and the way of salvation is pictorially preserved in its
work. The methods of Deity are demonstrated in its Temples, and under the All-seeing Eye the
work can go forward. It is a far more occult organisation than can be realised, and is intended to
be the training school for the coming advanced occultists. In its ceremonials lies hid the
wielding of the forces connected with the growth and life of the kingdoms of nature and the
unfoldment of the divine aspects in man. In the comprehension of its symbolism will come the
power to cooperate with the divine plan. It meets the need of those who work on the first Ray of
Will or Power.
The Church finds its mission in the helping of the devotee, in aiding the great public which is
innately religious and of good will. It hides in its heart those who vibrate to [Page 512] the great
love ray, the second Ray of Love-Wisdom. Christ Himself works through it and by its means
seeks to contact the vast Christian public. It is the leaven in His hands to leaven the whole lump,
and being in a form comprehended by the people, it can touch the great masses of seeking souls.
By means of the educational work of the world, the Great Lord seeks to reach those of the
intelligent public who cannot be reached by means of ceremonial and symbolism, as in Masonry,
or by religious means and ritual, as in the Church. It touches the masses and those in whom the
intelligence aspect predominates to the lessening of the other two aspects. It aids those men who
are predominantly on the third Ray of Intelligent Activity. EH 511-12
In the esoteric group, which is composed of the true spiritual esotericists found in all exoteric
occult groups, in the church, by whatever name it may be called, and in Masonry you have the
three paths leading to initiation. As yet they are not used, and one of the things that will
eventuate--when the new universal religion has sway and the nature of esotericism is
understood--will be the utilisation of the banded esoteric organisms, the Masonic organism and
the Church organism as initiating centres. These three groups converge as their inner sanctuaries
are approached. There is no dissociation between the One Universal Church, the sacred inner
Lodge of all true Masons, and the innermost circles of the esoteric societies. Three types of men
have their need met, three major rays are expressed, and the three paths to the Master are
trodden, leading all three to the same portal and the same Hierophant. EH 514
The Masonic Work is an ancient and laudable attempt to preserve in some germinal form the spiritual truth anent initiation. In spite of distortion, some loss of the Ancient Landmarks and a deplorable crystallisation, the truth is there and at a later date (in the early part of the next century) a group of enlightened Masons will re-arrange the rituals and adapt the present forms and formulas in such a manner that the spiritual possibilities, symbolically indicated, will emerge with greater clarity and a deepened spiritual potency; the coming form of Masonry in the New Age will necessarily rest upon the foundation of a newly interpreted and enlightened Christianity, having no relation to theology and being universal in nature. TSR-V 534-35
