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ESSAYS AND ADDRESSES
preserved originally in two different ways, namely, in plain language which could be understood by everybody, and in a pictorial poetical script, which needed the interpretation of a picture or pictogram to disclose its secret sense. This latter script was the outcome of poetical fervour, and on account of its manifold attractions soon became very popular with the generality of men. The Hindus were the first in the field of metaphorical thought. The Parsis of Iran, too, adopted the flowery style; then came the Jews, the Egyptians, the Chinese and others, including Christianity. The Mahummadans came last of all, a little over thirteen hundred years ago.
Unfortunately, poetic genius failed to perceive the evil consequences that were sure to ensue from the allegorical garb. It went on allegorizing the doctrines of the spiritual science regardless of consequences. The result is that there are millions and millions of allegories to be found in the religions of the world, which are today passing current amongst their respective followers for historical facts.
As no one is born with an understanding of allegories, there soon came a time when the purpose of most of these poetical pictures became unintelligible to men. A division thus occurred between those who understood things and their hidden meanings and those who were ignorant of all such meaning, but who began to interpret the mythological compositions of their sacred books literally. The numbers of the latter increasing naturally with the lapse of time, misunderstanding and bitterness ultimately arose between these two classes of men, and finally there came a time when no knower of the meaning of the divine pictograms could openly declare them to be allegories. The Esoterists, then, had to recognize the wisdom of secret initiation, and openly declared that sacred books should not be read by certain classes of men, thereby aiming to exclude the people who were shown by experience to be incapable of sober metaphysical thought. This is why you find in the Bible the open declaration and advice: "Cast not your pearls before the swine, lest they trample them under foot and turn and rend you The fact is that the Bible, like the Vedas and all other mystical books was not intended for the generality of men. It was only intended for those who possessed
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