IN THE PRESENCE OF THE HIEROPHANT.
With the first waking moments a sharp pang recalled to Sarthia the
vision and its revealments of the previous night. But her mind had
fully recovered its philosophic tone and she proceeded about her
customary routine of duties, calm and firm, and, as is often the
case, in view of some inevitable and stupendous catastrophy close at
hand, life only seemed larger, more intensely real. So, when later
in the day she received summons to meet the great Hierophant and
High Priest, what, at any other time, would have seemed a most
momentous event, appeared now only in the light of the expected and
necessary.
As she was ushered into the presence of the Holy Father the whole
apartment seemed pervaded by an atmosphere of genial warmth and
electrical-giving life which somehow emanated from the inner nature
of the Priest himself, radiating also spiritual and mental, as well
as physical force.
For some moments the Hierophant regarded the young Vestal in
silence, but Sarthia was conscious that he was reading her inmost
thought and motive like an open book, even down to her vision of the
Astrologer and his fatal announcement regarding her life.
"My child," he said at length, "are you ready for the great change
now already at hand?"
"No, Father, not ready but resigned to what seems to be the
inevitable decrees of the planets that rule my physical destiny."
"Thou hast well said thou art not ready. Your life has yet but only
begun for you. Its experiences, its many lessons and duties, are all
unlearnt and you would pass to the spirit world immatured. Your
young soul, like fruit plucked from the tree too soon, would ripen
slowly, losing many of its flavors and never attaining certain of
its best and highest qualities, for as you well know, progress in
the next stage of existence depends upon the attainments in this.
"Thou art not ready, yet say you are willing to bow to the
inevitable. This is wise, still have you not heard it said many
times that man is the arbiter of his own destiny and that the soul
was the inheritor of God-like powers by which it could rise to the
plane whereby it ruled, instead of obeying the blind or planetary
forces of Nature?"
"True, O Venerated Father, I have indeed heard all this, but I am
very ignorant. Are there such possibilities for my soul?" and
somehow imperceptibly hope began to dawn within her heart and
quicken the life forces.
"Ruling the blind forces of Nature is very like ruling the wild
beast, although the beast is much stronger than man and capable of
tearing him to pieces, yet man, by forethought, can evade or trap
and chain or otherwise overcome him. So my child, there are ways
wherein man, assisted by his own knowledge, and by the instruction
of departed spirits; aye, by the immortal Gods themselves, can
evade even the malefic planets in their devastating course.
"To my clairvoyant vision, as I now at this moment look at you,
every minute atom of your physical organism is in the subtle process
of depolarization from unity toward chaos and disintegration. You
are not yourself conscious of this condition only as it has been
revealed to you, for your soul is so alive that it has become almost
unconscious of its physical expression and for this very reason the
shock of dissolution would be all the greater when it did come; for
example, witness your unexpected collapse yesterday morning. Ah!
sudden death is a most deplorable calamity, and your pitiable state
of mind was but a foretaste of what would be the state of your soul
for many long years, if you had died then, and will yet be, to a
less extent now, unless this swift-coming blow can be evaded.
"However, in case the worst comes to worst, you have about ten days
more of this external life and under our special care and
preparation you can live years of experience in hours of physical
time, and your soul thus equipped may courageously enter upon its
journey to the spirit world. Rest assured, my child, everything
possible shall be done for you."
"Ah, thank you; thank you, kind and good Father," exclaimed Sarthia,
casting herself at the feet of the Hierophant and, with tears
streaming from her eyes, kissing the hem of his robe.
"But, truly life is sweet, especially to the young, is it not, my
child?" said the Priest, gently raising Sarthia to his side and
holding her trembling form in a firm clasp. "Happily, there is an
alternative which we have to offer for your most careful
consideration and decision.
"Listen now, and give me your closest attention. Know you the young
Princess Nu-nah?" Sarthia bowed assent.
"For now these many weeks she lies in a semi-conscious condition,
the soul hovering about its earthly temple uncertain whether to go
or stay. In some respects her condition corresponds with your own,
only that with you, as dissolution approaches, your soul grows
brighter and more active, while hers becomes more and more latent;
this result being largely the difference of environment--a contrast
of the soul unfoldment possible in Temple life and that amid the
distractions of the outside world.
"To-night, the night of the full Moon, the Princess Nu-nah will be
brought to the Temple and the Rites performed initiatory to the
soul's great change. You, also, my child, must bear her company. The
same journey lies before you both and you can go hand in hand
through the dark valley of the shadow of death.
"And now, right here is a point where all will depend upon _your_
decision. It is possible for us, by aid of the arts of Magic known
to us, to bring your two souls in such magnetic rapport that at a
certain point the vibrations of the two will, for a single instant
of time, be in unison. At that momentous instant the polarity of the
two souls can be interchanged so that the subsequent vibrations of
your soul will draw you toward Nu-nah's body, while Nu-nah's soul
will be drawn toward your organism, and thus will be accomplished
the first great step in the drama.
"This great change will hasten the physical crisis in each organism.
But your soul, while connected with Nu-nah's body, can easily
overcome the malefic planetary influences which would destroy it if
she were there; while her soul in your body renders _nil_, by its
very non-resistance, the influences which would be absolutely fatal
were you still there when the evil descends. And thus do you evade
the blind forces of Nature. Two lives are spared for the duties and
experiences of this world. This will be the second part of the
drama, and now comes the third and last point to consider, the
Result.
"In just the proportion as this is a most stupendous change in your
soul life, so indeed, perhaps, even appalling to your present
comprehension, will be the effect.
"After your soul has once entered its new temple it will be obliged
to remain there polarized by the new forces set in operation while
passing the crisis. Then, Sarthia, our bright and well-beloved
Vestal, will henceforth be known as Princess Nu-nah, and will be
obliged for a time to live the life and perform the duties of the
Princess.
"On the other hand, the Princess Nu-nah will put on the external
body of our Vestal Sarthia and enter upon the life of the Temple
Service, but with this difference; that while this change is
consciously made by you, Nu-nah will probably never know it until
she passes finally to the spirit world. Her past life has already
faded from memory while consciousness of the new life will dawn
gradually as upon an infant, and therefore, since she can not be
consulted in the matter, the decision rests solely with you.
"To-night, at midnight, your answer will be required. Until then,
fare thee well, and God be with you."