There is a widespread legend which has been handed down for many thousands of years which is called The Golden Age. This is said to have been some period in human history when the mass of mankind showed more intelligence than now. This evening I am going to give you some of the translations from Books written during this Golden Age. These show that those who lived then were absolutely superior to us in sciences; and, although our scientists scoff at such an idea, and declare the whole thing mythical, the truth and facts remain. As the Phoenix is pictured rising above the flames of fire; so these cosmic truths will rise above the scoffing ignorants of today. I do not know on what definite lines your Society is working, or how far you have advanced. It is quite questionable whether I know enough about the subject to be of any value to you. All I can do for you is to repeat certain conversations that took place many years ago between a very learned rishi priest and myself. This priest was a great Master, the most proficient master that has lived since the time of Jesus.
Many do not know the actual meaning of Master. In olden times this title was bestowed on those who had mastered the Cosmic Sciences and learnt how to control the Cosmic Forces, and had brought his material body under the absolute control of his inner self. – James Churchward
This old Master and his two cousins, both older than himself, and he was over 70 years of age 50 years ago, were the sole survivors of the Naacal Brotherhood which had existed for 70,000 years. This Brotherhood had been formed in the Motherland, when experts of religion and the Cosmic Sciences were being sent from Mu to her various colonies. These three were the only ones left in India who understood the language of the Motherland, her symbols, alphabet and forms of writing. For seven years during all my available time, I diligently studied under this old rishi, learning the language of Mu, her symbols, alphabet and writings, with a view of finding out something about ancient man.
On one occasion he told me that there were some written records about Jesus in certain Himalayan monasteries; and gave me such letters of introduction to the heads of these monasteries, that on application I experienced no difficulty in obtaining a sight of these precious documents. In one monastery I found without question the original documents. These documents are written in Pali on Olas and bound into Patikas. Pali is a dead language corresponding with our Latin. Olas is the —– leaf of the Palmyra Palm prepared for writing. Patika is a series of these leaves, with holes, sometimes two, sometimes three, punched through them. They are then strung upon strings with the ends of the strings fastened to a pair of boards, which form the cover or binding.
In other monasteries I also found records; all of them, however, were evidently copies of those I have mentioned. In the great Hemis monastery at Ley-Cashmir there are copies written in a jumble of Pali and Tibetan. I mention this institution, because anyone using the right sort of persuasion can see all and everything there is in this monastery. I did not see an original document in the place: there may be some there, they declared, however I had been shown everything they had. On certain subjects, I have found that these old Himalayan monks have very little respect for the truth.
In the Biblical records of Jesus there is a gap of many years. In monasteries and Lamasaries in the Himalayas and Tibet there are records (without question copies) telling how Jesus spent these mysterious years. There are also many oriental legends about him. One written record states that:
“When Jesus was a young man, he left his home country and first went to Egypt. There for two years he studied the ancient Egyptian Osirian religion. From Egypt he went to India and at Benares and other religious centers studied the teachings of Gautama. He then entered a Himalayan monastery where for 12 years he studied the Sacred Inspired writings of Mu and her Cosmic Forces and Sciences. At the end of 12 years he became a master: the most proficient Master that has ever been on earth.”
His name in this monastery is more revered today than by any sect of Christian Priesthood, and simply because these Himalayan monks know him better.
In addition to the foregoing record they had another, also written in Pali on Olas and bound into a Patika. It is a very significant legend. The head of the monastery informed me that for many years it was an oral legend only: then to prevent its being forgotten or altered, those masters who were witnesses and still survived wrote down all data to accurately preserve it. The legend runs thus:
“When Jesus was about to leave the monastery to return to his own land, a controversy arose between him and the Masters on the subject of reincarnation. Jesus maintained that The Sacred Inspired Writings of the Motherland stated that it was not the material body of Man that was reincarnated out of the original atoms that formed his body, but the Soul or Spirit only that was reincarnated. The Masters maintained that it was both the Soul and the original atoms forming the previous body that were reincarnated-born over again, and not a fresh combination of elementary atoms.”
Through the great courtesy of the head of the monastery, and, as a special favor and great honor, I was allowed to see and read the tablets over which the controversy had taken place. I deciphered and translated three, all that was necessary. The first (A) over which the controversy took place reads,
“The Material body returns to mother earth from whence it came. The elements are then used by Nature for other bodies.”
The Masters insisted that “other bodies” meant the subsequent bodies of the man. So the question hinged on the meaning of “other bodies.” Did it mean the subsequent bodies of the reincarnated man or other bodies of Nature’s making?
To solve the problem I took the following tablets (B & C), deciphered and translated them; they read as follows:
“It is-The Man-The Spirit-which comes into being again. Imperishable man is a-Divine Spark-around which a house, or an encasing body is built composed of elements, brought together and joined by the Ziis of the Life Force. After the usual period, or cycle, this compound of elements wears out and returns to mother earth, setting the Divine Spark free.”
“At the appointed time (the will of the Creator) a new set of elementary cells are brought together, forming a new house, and enclosing the Divine Spark. This house like the previous one, in due time, also returns to mother earth. And so it continues on-the Divine Spark occupying one house after another until its appointed time has come. Then it has to return whence it came-to the Divine Source.”
These translations are from the Sacred Inspired Writings of Mu-The Books of the Golden Age-and in the Section on Reincarnation which were brought from Mu by the Naacals. They are very difficult to translate, as it is impossible to give in modern language every minute meaning and detail. I do not profess to have done so. I have done all that can be done; that is to give a correct general meaning. This I feel confident I have done but the little fine details are beyond my comprehension. Anyone who says he can do more with these very ancient writings has very little respect for the truth.
In studying the ancient writings I have found that the teachings of Osiris and Jesus are wonderfully alike. Many passages being identically the same, word for word and line for line. This is not to be wondered at; they were both preaching and teaching the first and Inspired Religion of Man, which they both learned from the same school: The Sacred Inspired Writings of Mu. Both Jesus and Osiris were, unquestionably, inspired instruments of the Great Nameless, sent on earth to show the children of this world the paths which lead to happiness.
Many do not know who Osiris was beyond that he was one of the old Egyptian gods. Even Egyptologists are at loggerheads about who he was. Some of them say he was a myth, others a symbol only, and yet others that he was a King who lived somewhere. In a monastery in Tibet I found some tablets referring to Atlantis and among them a history of Osiris: it reads:
“Osiris was born in Atlantis 22,000 years ago (according to reckoning of time). When a young man he went to the Motherland to study for the Priesthood. When he became a Master he returned to Atlantis. There he devoted himself to eliminating the extravagances, superstitions, misconceptions and inventions that had crept into the Atlantean Religion. He then installed again the original religion of love and simplicity. He was then made the High Priest of Atlantis, a position which he held during a long life. When he passed on the Religion was called after him The Osirian Religion.” This religion was carried to Egypt by Thoth and became the Egyptian religion.
Section: The Creation.
Extract: The 7th Command.
“Let us make man after own fashion, and let us endow him with powers to rule this earth.”
“Then the Creator of all things throughout the Universe created man, and placed within his body a living -imperishable-spirit. And man became like the Creator in intellectual powers.”
One word was exceedingly hard to determine in this translation: the name of that which was put into the body of man making him a special creation. Soul or Spirit was the nearest modern words that we could find applicable. The words living and imperishable are unquestionably correct, but-what does the phrase “after our own fashion” actually mean? Certainly not “in our own image” for in the following tablets we find it distinctly stated:
“The Creator is incomprehensible to man. Being incomprehensible, He can neither be pictured or named. He is the Nameless.”
If man is in the image of God as the Bible states, man naturally would be a picture of God: but, as the Sacred Inspired Writings from which the Biblical legend was taken say that God cannot be pictured, it clearly shows that Ezra, when writing the Bible from Moses’ records, used the wrong word in his translations. It is clear however that man was a special Creation receiving special powers from the Creator, to enable him-man-to rule the earth. It is these powers which we will consider this evening.
From various legends handed down to us, and experiences of our own during our own time, it has been definitely shown that when man has learned how to use and control the Cosmic Forces which have been given to him, he is not only capable of controlling and governing elementary matter, but the forces coming from the earth also.
The special powers of man are shown in the use of his Cosmic Forces, which Forces emanate from his inner Self. All Forces are carried in waves. These waves in turn are formed by vibrations; therefore all Forces are vibratory. Man’s cosmic Forces are carried in waves formed in the essence in which our atmosphere floats-a substance so thin and elusive that it cannot be analyzed by any of our known chemical methods. Our scientists call this essence ether. They also call that which fills space ether. They are however, totally different substances. The earth’s Central Magnet controls the essence in which our atmosphere floats, but it has no control over that which fills space. This great error had its origin in the deciphering of two symbols in the Sacred Inspired Writings, and the error has been carried down for over 3000 years.
One day I told the rishi of having read accounts of savages being able to overcome the Force of Gravity, and asked him if this could be done by man? His answer was:
“Yes, man has the power to overcome with his body what you call the Force of Gravity: which however is the attraction of the Cold Division of the earth’s Central Magnet, which has power and control over elementary matter only. This attraction is a Magnetic Force, and man has the power to control all earthly forces, when he learns how to use and control his own greater force. Man can cause his own vibrations to rise above the vibrations of the earth’s Cold Magnetic Force, and thus, either nullify or repel them.
When nullified man’s body has no weight; for, weight is only the registration of the measurement of the power or volume of the Cold Magnetic Force: thus, when the Cold Magnetic Force is nullified man can float his body anywhere. Throughout space nothing has weight, the most ponderous of the great celestial bodies, millions of times larger than our Sun, does not represent the weight of a thistledown in space.”
Jesus the great Master gave an exposition of this when he walked upon the water. He used a science which was developed over a hundred thousand years ago.
One gloriously bright tropical morning, very early, I wandered down to the Temple to gain some pearl of wisdom from the rishi. We had been sitting in silence on our favorite bench in the Temple gardens for some time when suddenly he turned his face to me and said:
“My son, it is strange how little your people understand their own Bible. Take for instance the legend which relates how Moses’ serpent swallowed up the serpents of the Priests before Pharaoh. This is regarded as miracle, whereas both Moses and the Priests were only practicing one, of the ancient sciences. You will better understand it if I call it mass hypnotism.
“Moses had the power of raising his inner vibrations higher than those of the Priests so could bring their brains under the control of his own. The Priests had their vibrations raised to a point where they had the audience under control, and then they cast their staffs on the ground concentrating on the vision of their transformation into serpents. Consequently, the people saw them as serpents. But Moses raised his vibrations to a higher pitch, gaining control both of priests and people, and was thus able to cast his own staff to the ground and make them all see it turn into a serpent and swallow up the other serpents.
“But you, my son, never see clearly without a practical demonstration, so I must give you one. Give me your hand, so that your vibrations are attuned to mine. This will prevent your coming under the influence I am about to send forth.”
About 50 feet away two coolies were sweeping up the Temple compound and just beyond were some dead branches which had fallen from a tree during the night.
The rishi smilingly said: “Watch them drop those branches as soon as they touch them.”
When the coolies came to those branches and started to pick them up, they dropped them, shouting, “Snakes Snakes Poison snakes”. They then ran off and brought back two long bamboos and began thrashing the branches for dear life; after a moment the rishi lowered his vibrations. The coolies stopped their exertions and looked dumfounded. The rishi called them over and asked them:
“What have you been drinking?”
“Arak,” they said. “But we only took two drinks, master!”
The rishi shook his head reprovingly; with profound salaams they returned to their work, declaring loudly that “never again would they ever take more than one drink of Arak at a time.”
Thus, as an object for me, was enacted the scene of Moses, the Egyptian Priests, and the serpents.
The rishi then told me that in ancient times, when India was divided into small kingdoms constantly at war with one another, mass hypnotism was used by the Priesthood to protect their temples and colleges. When a city had been taken by the enemy and was being burned and sacked by the soldiers, the Priests would assemble on the Temple steps, and as the plunderers approached, would cast a spell over them, sending demons to frighten them off. These, legend says, often took the form of huge serpents. One serpent in particular was very effective, of immense length and thickness, hissing and spitting fire it would wiggle towards the soldiers. At the sight of him the bravest of the soldiers dropped their plunder and fled. The rishi smilingly said, “I should not wonder if it was something of this sort that sent the soldiers of Alexander the Great back from India to their own country.”
Another graphic illustration of the serpent “miracle” was staged for me on a certain morning when a tall, lanky European walked into the Temple Compound, and asked to see the High Priest, announcing himself as Professor X of – University, England. He said he was writing a book on the history of India, and wanted to get all possible information. He had been told that the High Priest of this temple knew more about ancient India than any other man. He handed to the rishi a letter of introduction, which the rishi smilingly took but did not open. The rishi told him he would gladly tell him anything that was contained in the Temple Records. The rishi then ordered a table and chair to be brought for the professor’s convenience and comfort.
The scene that followed is etched on my memory, The professor laid his hat, cane and umbrella on the table; a coolie deposited beside them a large pad of paper and many sharpened pencils. The professor then sat down and said: “Now go ahead, old man, I’m ready to hear all you know.”
The rishi quietly answered, “I think it would be better for you to put such questions as you wish answered.”
Professor: “Well then, tell me about so-and-so.”
Rishi: “Our temple records say so-and-so.”
Professor: “That’s all wrong. In Professor Y’s History of India it says so-and-so.”
Rishi: “Professor Y may be right, and our Temple records wrong. I only know what the Temple Records say.”
Professor: “Well then, I next want to know so-and-so.”
The rishi answered as before, quoting the Temple records, and again the professor told him he was wrong, quoting another “authority” on the subject in question. This went on through about a dozen questions, all ending with the same result; at last, the professor banged his papers together and said:
“Here I have come these many miles to gain information, it has been a sheer waste of my time; why, old man, you know absolutely nothing, I could find out ten times as much as you know in an hour at any library.”
At this I saw the rishi’s brows slightly contract, he reached out and took my hand. From this I knew something was going to happen. The professor slammed on his hat, opened his umbrella, and took up his cane-which, with an awful yell, he threw across the compound, shouting, “Great heavens, it’s a snake. ne of the coolies picked up the cane and brought it back to the professor, who backed away from it in horror. The rishi said kindly, “Why, Professor, you must have a touch of the sun.” He then placed his hand on the professor’s forehead, who groaned and writhed and sank into the chair. The rishi then sent for a coconut of water which he gave to the professor to drink, saying, “This will no doubt straighten you out.” When the professor had swallowed the water he became normal; he held his hand out to the rishi, saying: “Although you know nothing about history, old man, you certainly are an adept at curing sunstroke.” He then went away. The rishi watched him leaving the temple grounds, then with a sigh said, “Soon, my son, we shall have another wonderful history of India. Come, let us walk in the gardens, this is all too childish.”
I kept close watch for the new and wonderful history of India. It appeared about a year later amid a wonderful flourish of scientific trumpets. I do not think there is a page in the book that is accurate; most of it consists of the most palpable absurdities. In it, the professor, however, gave the rishi credit for being a wonderful physician, and suggested that the medical faculty had much to learn from the High Priests of India!
The rishi was thoroughly familiar with our Bible: much of the earlier part he knew by heart, particularly those chapters dealing with the Cosmic Sciences.
One evening he said: “I have been thinking, my son, about the great Biblical Miracle which relates that Shadrech, Meshech and Abed Nego walked through the fiery furnace and were not touched by the fire. As I have often told you, Man has the power to raise his vibrations–the forces of his soul–above the vibrations of the earthly forces. Heat, which produces fire, is an earthly force, therefore man is able to raise his own vibrations above those of heat so that the heat force is repelled or nullified, forming a neutral zone through which the heat cannot pass. The man’s clothing partakes of his vibrations, so that even his garments cannot be touched. Those who have attained the knowledge which enables them to control these inner vibrations are termed Masters. “Shadrech, Meshech and Abed Nego were Masters. It was by the use of this method of raising vibrations that they were able to walk through the fire without injury.”
I asked how these Israelites had gained the necessary knowledge to become Masters. He answered:
“The Israelites were captives in Babylonia, where there were many colleges for the teaching of the language of the Motherland, the First Inspired Religion and the Cosmic Sciences.”
“These colleges were called Chaldi. It is from this name that the Semitic conquerors of Babylonia took their name Chaldeans and rechristened the country Chaldea.”
“The Chaldi were open and free to all who wished to come to them for learning. There was no expense to the student, and the slave was as welcome as the prince. Directly the threshold of the Chaldi was passed, everyone was on an equality. They were symbolically at the feet of the Heavenly Father, and became in fact brothers in truth. These Israelites, although in bondage, attended the Chaldi and became Masters.”
After finishing his discourse, the old rishi looked at me and smiled, and said, “Now, I suppose, I must as usual make all plain to you by giving you a physical example.” And with that he called to an attendant to bring him a large live coal. When the coal was brought in a chattie, he took my hand, deliberately picked up the red-hot coal with his fingers and placed it in the palm of my hand. He then asked me if I felt any heat from the coal. I did not. He then told me to light a cigar from it. I tried but the cigar would not light. He smiled and turned my hand over. The coal fell to the ground. He then withdrew his hand from mine and told me to pick the coal up. I innocently attempted to do so-and although I dropped it hastily, my fingers carried burns and blisters for many days. He then picked the coal up himself, put it back into the chattie, and said to me, “Now light your cigar from it.” I did so with no difficulty. The demonstration was complete.
The rishi had so often mentioned the necessity of concentration that one day I asked him what was the best way to practice concentration, so as to become efficient. His answer was: “Relieve your brain of all material work, then concentrate on the spiritual.”
I then asked him which was the best way to do this. He answered, “Recline your body in such a position that all muscles relax. This relieves your brain from any call from or care of your muscular system. Do not eat to overload your stomach, or too little to cause gnawing hunger. Both are bad and make calls on the brain for relief, which breaks the line of spiritual concentration. When in concentration it is well to shade the eyes so that no outside object can disturb your thoughts, by advancing material objects through the sense of vision.” He then strongly emphasized that, “concentration alone without absolute faith attending it, will not advance one very far. Concentration and faith are twin sisters, two flowers on a single stem.”
He was always very emphatic when speaking of faith, and always impressed me that the faith was not “to make oneself believe that he had the faith, but it must be conviction added to the faith-spiritual conviction.” At this point he would refer to the teachings of Jesus, quoting the moving of a mountain through faith. “This teaching of Jesus was symbolical. He was not referring to a mountain composed of earth and rocks, that is material, he was referring spiritually to spiritual obstructions that loomed up like mountains. These obstructive spiritual mountains are swept aside through faith.” He then referred to the healings by Jesus, saying: “Many cases where Jesus is accredited with healing, were healed by the faith of the patient. Jesus was the agent that sprung that faith into life only.”
Many people are today healed by faith but do not know it. They attribute it to some sacred object, whereas the object is only the agent that brings the faith into life. The material body in itself is incapable of creating this faith. Absolute faith emanates only from the inner or spiritual self.
During the seven years while I had the great privilege of being the only pupil of the greatest Master who has lived for the last 1900 years (and yet he was unknown to the world generally) he would gladly and willingly explain to me the laws behind the various phenomena that we call “mystic” or “cosmic.” But I could never induce him to teach me how to perform any of the bigger tasks along certain lines. Whenever I appealed to him to do so, he would invariably answer:
“My son, I am teaching you how to understand the ancient history of man. I cannot go beyond that, with you, for you have not been prepared for it.”
As I have shown, he gave me frequent practical demonstrations of his teachings, with full explanations of the phenomena, but further than this he would not go.
One day I asked him, “Is it really possible to see beings who have long since passed on through death? Do they actually appear before us, or are such visions a mirage of the brain?” He answered:
“My son, these things do not come from imagination, nor from mirage of the brain. It is an actual fact that some people, at times, do receive visitors from the world beyond. All people have not the faculty of seeing them, for this faculty depends the quality of their inner vibrations. Again, it may be that some are never visited at all.” The rishi went on:
“There are various ranks of beings who may reveal themselves to your vision: First, those who had attained the rank of Master here on earth before passing on to the world beyond. Such a one can come before you, because he has the power of lowering his vibrations to a plane where they can be tuned in with yours, and you, by vision, become aware of his presence. More often the one who appears to you is a near and dear relative or friend, with whom you have been intimately associated on earth. The reason for this is that your inner vibrations and theirs were attuned together in the earth life, and the returning visitant can easily adjust his vibrations to yours as before, and become visible to your eyes. These visitations are not infrequent when two hearts have been united as one on earth, which shows you, my son, that Love is the great ruler both on this earth and in the worlds beyond. God is Love, God rules the universe, therefore Love rules the universe. The great reflection of Love is embodied in man.”
I then said to him, “Have you not told me that by and by these visitors may cease to come? Where do they go?” He answered, “Where they have gone, I cannot say. I do not know. It may be that they have gone to other worlds; they may be reincarnated here on earth, or it may be they have returned to the Great Source. This is a closed book we cannot open.”
After waiting and meditating a little while he continued, “It is more common for people to feel the presence of visitors from the world beyond without seeing them. Occasionally they seem so close that you feel like extending your hand to welcome them.” I asked him what prevented our seeing these invisible guests. He answered, “Because their vibrations, although so closely in tune with yours, are neither close enough or powerful enough to produce vision, and sometimes it would almost appear as if they did not wish to be seen. Personally I have come to the conclusion that those who are approaching you thus are those who were great Masters, and that they wish to use you as an instrument for communication and information from the world beyond to this world.”
I asked him if there were any examples or illustrations. He answered: “Yes, it occurs among writers, artists, sculptors and musicians, but specially writers. The Master, or whoever it may be, keys his vibrations, or tunes in on the writer’s brain, and by means of these vibrations expresses his desire, or command, as to what shall be written. The brain of the writer, receiving them, while under this control, can produce nothing else. If he tries to break off, and to follow his own mundane reasoning, he pens only nonsense. He is under a spell, governed by the unseen Master. This is what the ancients termed inspired writings, which are merely writings from the world beyond, expressed through a selected agent.”
On another occasion I asked the rishi if it were actually possible for a man to so far advance himself in this ancient science as to separate the inner man from the corporeal body and send the inner man on long journeys to bring back information. He replied, “Yes, it is perfectly easy to do this, for one who has mastered the Sciences, but to one not perfectly accomplished it is more than dangerous. For, not being perfected in the learning, the inner man might possibly fail to find his way back to the body. Then the body would have to return to mother earth. It takes a lifetime to become thoroughly proficient in this part of the Sciences.” I again asked him to teach me this science. He very emphatically refused to do so, saying: “Your time with me will not be long enough to do so.”
Quietly and at unexpected times, he gave me many practical exhibitions of the ancient Sciences. One evening, when I was preparing to leave India, he addressed me, saying: “Would you like to take a long journey with me tonight?” I quickly accepted, and at the appointed time (8 p.m.) I arrived at the Temple. One of the attendants received me and took me directly to his sanctum. The room was dimly lit; some incense burners were sending their pungent smoke through the room. On my entering, he rose from a divan, came forward and took my hand. Dismissing the attendant, he gave orders that we were not to be disturbed until morning call. When the door closed he took me to the divan where he had been sitting and said: “My son, we are going back to look at ourselves during our last incarnation.”
This was the first intimation I had received from him that we had ever been on earth together before. He held my hand in his as we sat there. He told me to concentrate on him and pick up his vibrations. Gradually consciousness appeared to leave me, and suddenly he and I were floating across a great flat land with many large cities. To what appeared to be the principal one we floated. Here we came to earth and walked through its crowded streets.
Days, weeks, months and years seemed to pass. I seemed to see myself all this time on one quest or another. My whole life appeared to pass like a panorama. On many occasions, the rishi who was a high official appeared as my father. At last I came out of my trance or whatever it may have been, and shortly became my usual self. I shall make no comment on this journey. Each of you must make up your own minds for yourselves as to whether my inner self was actually separated from my material body and went back to my last incarnation or whether the whole thing was a mesmeric or hypnotic trance.