The Highest Symbolic Degree of Magic.

A manuscript left behind by a wise man to his son.

[1] In 1774, on the twenty-eighth of June, my father gave me a sealed parcel with the following headline: My son, do not open this parcel earlier than in the thirty-third year of your age on your birthday – I instruct you to do so according to the obedience you owe me, if you were to open it earlier against my will, all my good intentions, which I have as I present these papers to you, would be thwarted. But if you are obedient and fulfil my command, God will bless you and my purpose will be achieved.

So take this parcel, and seal it in the iron box I gave you, and place the herbs next to it which I told you, and bury this box by the big oak tree in the Breitwald, not far from the church on the hill where we often used to sit, bury it three feet deep, and every year inspect it and put fresh herbs, which you are aware of, to the paper so that it will not rot. – I order you to do this so that these papers will not fall into the hands of an unworthy person. He would not understand the secrets because he does not know the cipher – but it is better if it does not happen at all.

Take this gift, dear son, from me on your twenty-second birthday, and if I will not live to see the joy of wishing you happiness on your thirty-third birthday, then open the parcel and accept my blessing in that world by an invisible hand.

In the year 1785, the twenty-eighth of June, I had my box, which I had visited annually, opened it and found in it the following text, next to a second parcel that was sealed again.

My son! You are now at the age of man, and if you have been faithful to my teachings which I gave you in your youth, you will be worthy of the great mysteries which I will teach you. From your youth you have had joy in strange and fantastical things; but you were not yet at an age mature enough to become acquainted with the higher secrets of nature, so I had to save my teaching until your more mature age, and so I gave you these papers; if I should live no longer, they will teach you.

With this package that you are opening, you will find another one that is locked inside – do not open the latter until you have read what is written here – I implore you, for it would bring you to ruin.

Before you go on reading, bow down before the Infinite and pray:

Prayer.

“You God of my fathers, and most merciful Lord! You, who created all things by your word. [2] And by thy wisdom hast ordained that man shall reign over the natures created by thee, that he shall also rule the world with equity and righteousness, and judge with sincerity of heart. – Grant me the wisdom which stands before thy throne, and cast me not away from the number of thy servants. I am your servant, a son of your handmaid, and a weak man; I can do nothing without you, and all the wisdom of men without your divine wisdom is folly in your eyes. – Send me then the wisdom from your holy heavens, and from the throne of your sovereignty, that it may always be with me, working with me, that I may know what is pleasing to you. Amen.”

Now when you have finished this prayer, read on: I was, my son, [a member] of the society of those who seek wisdom. Our motto was: Truth and mercy: our number 75. Our word: Vaudahat. Our nomination Thiphereth: the sealed package will explain the rest.

The symbol of our remembrance is four hearts, which are concentrated in the center and form the shape of a cross, a chain unites these hearts and makes a whole. This symbol is the sign that should constantly remind us of the high duties of the human profession, which I will explain further.

Our society, dear son, has no bond with any society that has ever existed, or that may exist – we are not connected by oaths – we have no constitutions or written rules, no convents or lodges, our work is the active love of God and man – our order is the order of God – of the saints – of magic – of the wise.

We do not accept anyone, everyone accepts himself according to the degree of love he gives himself through his actions, according to this he transfers himself into the higher or lower degree of Divine Approximation. We have no superiors, we are all equal among ourselves – our directorate is God.

We do not keep a secretary nor keep a seal keeper; the angel who enters the good deeds of men in the book of eternity is our secretary, and our seal we keep is the stamp of the purest intention, which prints the seal of love on our actions.

No one has to command the other; each one of us commands himself accord- ing to the degree of his knowledge. We exclude no one; each excludes himself by the degree of distance to which he descends again when he leaves truth and mercy. We do not form a state within a state, but we are good people among people.

[3] There are no ceremonies with us; our initiation is active love of God and man. We teach each other without seeing each other, we know each other through active love, and according to the purity of love one shows each one can tell the degree of wisdom the other has.

Honours, precedence and special merits are not with us, they are signs of the still uneducated work in the temple of God; the master builder alone determines our value, we cannot appropriate merits for ourselves, nor determine the degree of merit of our brothers.

The true Mason's lodges (but they are few) are planting schools, from which man emerges when he comes to knowledge to higher wisdom, he comes from the material into the spiritual, or from the visible into the invisible. Only the young man, who is also not a mason, can reach this degree of height, because if his will is good, God leads him to wisdom.

Since material man could seldom think his way into such great truths, our ancestors believed that sensual man could gradually be formed into non-sensual man, and therefore they concealed the truth of great mysteries in figures to gradually lead man to knowledge, and thus masonry came into being.

But the polished stone, which wants to tell the truth, soon showed crevices, because people degenerated and made false intentions for their purposes and the truth got lost in ceremonies. Unfortunately, that is how most of the masons’s lodges are still today, they promise to lead people to the light and are groping around in darkness. So beware my son! and do not let the outward appearance blind your eye, but follow my advice, and wisdom will receive you into her bosom.

The highest degree of wisdom knows no ceremony – the angels closest to the Godhead are naked, the garment is the sign of knowledge of our nakedness.

I will lead you to the highest level of the temple – I will show you the truth in its light, and I will tear away the emblematic curtain from its abode, which hitherto covered it in front of your more foolish eyes because you might not have been able to bear its light.

Learn, my son, to germinate the highest levels of man's happiness – this happiness is the true in knowledge and the good in practice – and at the same time enjoy the benefits that the true and good grant to you. Receive the final symbol of the highest degree of magic, which shall be an eternal reminder of your highest duties, and which I will explain to you hereafter.

[4] You are now passing into the company of the wise; in that moment when your will is firm, your love pure, you are connected with them, and an angel whom Wisdom sends to guide you will now guide you; never make yourself unworthy of his guidance. We do not have ceremonies now, nor a temple, – our temple is the world, our ceremonies are the practice of the works of love.

Our work is the true and the good, and truth and mercy is wisdom; our highest Master is God, our co-workers are angels and wise men. Our bond is the bond of love that unites man with man, and man with angels and God.

My son! Similar is chained to similar – alike to alike – you are now connected with your alike, with your similar, according to the degree of your love.

Without knowing how, you will become acquainted with people of high nature, for neither salvation nor death separates the wise man from the wise, for there is neither space nor time for him. The more your spirituality opens you up, the more you will receive supernatural knowledge; you will be guided by exalted beings.

In the society you are now entering, you can neither cheat nor be cheated – where there is truth, the false cannot stand the test – and pretence cannot stand the test. The society of the wise is the account that separates the weeds from the grain. It is a house in which the evil one cannot dwell. You shut yourself out again when you become contemptible – when you move away from the light, it is again your fault when blindness darkens the eyes of your soul.

Walk with courage and confidence, an invisible being will guide you – the greatest secrets of nature, miracles, healing will be your part. – Wisdom grants these gifts, and one receives them without envy, without resentment.

I now explain to you, my son, the last and supreme symbol. This symbol consists of 4 hearts, which are chained to each other. In the middle is a rounding with the inscription "The True". On the other side it says: "The Good". The 4 hearts are the square of love, through which everything exists. Love God – your prince and your country – the people – your brothers, your enemies. Love God without self-love – your prince and your country without self-interest – the people, your brothers, without intention of reward, your enemies without hope that they will ever become your friends. These additions characterise the highest degree of love, and make us more like the Godhead.

[5] The front and reverse parts.

The pure gold of which this symbol is made means the purity of our soul, which man should strive for.
The polish is the sign that one should cleanse oneself of all blemishes that could prevent one from receiving the light of the eternal sun. The 4 hearts on the chain are the symbol of love, the centre means the Godhead, the first of all good things – from which everything comes, where everything is aimed.

The number 4 means the duration of the permanence of things – so the number IV is the magic of being – of existence – of deeds – the balance of nature, according to which everything weighs itself. So take this sign, my son, from your father's hand, and bind it to your side with a band of fire-coloured ribbon, and wear it as a constant reminder of your duties. The colour of the ribbon reminds you that your zeal shall never cool down, like the fire of your love. Purify your heart, gather your soul, choose solitude, and pray to God – and make yourself worthy to receive the highest degree of the holy magic.

Let the above symbol be placed in a seal with the inscription “totum unitur amore” (from love it unites) – and if you are in correspondence with a good man, he will know you, but do not forget to press the seal of true love in every one of your actions – for what would the symbol be without truth.

Now open the second package, and from it learn the way to the great secrets according to the cipher which I did not teach you; you can read it for yourself; if you have read it, so burn all my papers, and only keep the holy secrets in your heart. [6] But you can copy this my introduction, even if you find it suitable according to your time to communicate to the lovers of truth, to give them healthy concepts of true wisdom. But keep the secrets to yourself – and think that the crumbs that fall from the table of the Godhead are not for the pigs that rummage in the dung. Also do not worry that you will forget my secrets. On the contrary, if you are faithful to my counsel, the angel of light will always lead you further.

Use everything according to the rules of love, and if you find a good, tested person, tell him as much as he can bear – because not everything that is good is also good for everyone, says Paul.

I opened, read and was amazed, I threw myself to the ground and prayed to the God of love: O, God, all our wisdom is folly in thy sight. Only you alone, my God, are truth, with you all I want to remain and nothing shall separate me from you. Amen!

Initiation.

When you have chosen the day to initiate yourself into the great and holy mysteries of magic, gather your mind a few days before and reflect on the great truth of eternity, pray to God with confidence for wisdom. Separate yourself for a few days from the affairs of the world and the people, and consider the importance of solitude and silence. Decide on a Sunday for your sanctification. The evening before, spread a pure cloth in a meadow of the evening, and in the morning, collect the dew that falls from the sky. Then go to your room and prepare the altar, light the wax candles and repeat the prayer for wisdom to God. When you have prayed then, undress and wash your body 7 times with fresh water and speak:

You my God! Let me take off the old man as I took off my clothes, and let my soul be cleansed of the 7 major burdens as I cleanse my body 7 times with this water.

If you have washed in this manner, repeat the prayer to God. Repentance, knowledge, faith, hope and love. Then burn incense 7 times and ask God for the 7 gifts of the Spirit of Sanctification.

The incense consist of:

• Sunday ..................... Mastic

• Monday ..................... Myrrh

• Tuesday ..................... Aloe

• Wednesday ............... Cinnamon

• Thursday .................. Nutmeg

• Friday ........................ Saffron

• Saturday .................. Costus (Costus speciosus or Saussurea costus)

[7] With the burning of each incense take the seal and table of the spirit in your hand, and ask God for the respective degree of sanctification. Then wash yourself with the dew of heaven and speak: “Holy God let your blessing and your power descend upon me as the dew descends upon the flowers, which you sustain for the adornment of the earth.”

Then put on a pure white dress, which you have thoroughly exposed to the smoke, and speak: “My God give me the garment of innocence, and as I put on this white garment, I will put on a new man, you gird me with your wisdom and grace.” Then kneel before the altar at the entrance to the temple and pray as follows [Agrippa of Nettesheim, De Occulta, Book 3, Chapter X; Sephiroth and angel names corrected]:

1. Holy God Eheieh! whose number is Sceptre, Crown and Diadem, who streams in through the order of Seraphim, called Hayot Hakodesh, send me your holy intelligence Metatron, whose duty is to bring the angels before your countenance, and through whom you spoke with Moses, and enlighten me the same in the affairs of my body.

2. Mighty God Tetragramaton Yod, whose number is Chokmah, wisdom, you who exercises your power through the Cherubim, called Ophanim, send me your wisdom from heaven, and let your angel Raziel, who was the leader to Adam, be at my aid in all matters of my life, in which I call upon him through your holy name, to grant me help and the enlightenment of my soul.

3. Mighty God Tetragramaton Elohim, whose number is Binah, or Prudence and Insight, who through the Orders of the Throne exalts your influence, called Aralim, send me your Holy Angel Zaphkiel, who was the leader Noah, and your Holy Angel Jophiel, the leader of Shem, and give me clear knowledge of my sins and forgiveness, also grant me the assistance of these, your Holy Angels in every urgent matter of my life.

4. Holy God El! whose number is Chesed, or Goodness and Mercy, you, who streams in through the Order of Dominions, called Chashmalim, send me your Holy Angel Zadkiel, the leader of Abraham, and give me peace, justice and goodness.

5. Holy God, Elohim Gibbor, whose number is Geburah, or Strength and Power, you, who flows in through the Order of Powers, called Seraphim, send me your holy angel, Camael, the leader of Simson, and give me strength, courage and victory in the affairs of my life.

6. Holy God Eloha Vedaath, whose number is Tiphareth, or Ornament and Beauty, you, who exerts your influence through the Order of Virtue [Forces], [8] called Malachim, send me your Holy Angel Raphael, the leader Isaac and Tobias, your Holy Angel Peliel, the leader Jacob, and give me life, virtue, pleasure and beauty.

7. Holy God Tetragramaton Zebaoth or Adonai Zebaoth, God of Hosts, whose number is Netzach, or Victory and Triumph, you, who streams in through the princes, called Elohim, send me your Holy Haniel and Cerviel, the leader of David and grant me triumph over my passions, victory in my affairs.

8. Holy God Elohim Zebaoth! God of Hosts, whose number is Hod, you, who flows in through the Order of Archangels, called Bene Elohim, send me your Holy Angel Michael, the Leader of Solomon, and let me learn from him in the sciences and mysteries of nature.

9. Holy God Sadai [the Almighty, as well as] ElChai [the Living God] – whose number is Yesod, you, who streams in through the order of Angels, called Cherubim – send me your Holy Angel Gabriel, the leader of Joseph, Joshua and Daniel, and grant me that through your Holy Correspondences I may grant hearing to your angels and obey them, and through them let me keep from misfortune and be warned of future things.

10. Holy God Adonai Melek, Lord and King! Whose number is Malkuth, who you enter through the Order of the Holy Souls, called Issim, or Heroes and Princes, send me your Holy Intelligence Metatron, and grant me through it the gift of prophecy, miracles and the sciences of the prophets.

When you have finished these prayers, take the seven sigils of the angels and net them with the dew of heaven and smoke each one with the smoke that belongs to it. Then take from silk the 7 colours of the rainbow, and bequeath each sigil, and put your seal of love on it with the prayer:

Prayer.

“Holy Angels, Cherubim, Seraphim, Hosts, Powers and Princes, I beseech you by the Holy God, do not fail to give me your assistance in any matter of my life, and promise your help and support to the presence of the Almighty in any case, just as I promise to listen to your inspirations and prompts [Einsprechungen] at all times and not to make myself unworthy of your assistance, lead me towards divine wisdom and to the supreme happiness of our destiny.

I enter with you, according to the will and intentions of the Holy God whom you worship, into the Covenant of Love, and I promise and vow, to the best of my ability, to fulfil all that love for [10] God and my neighbour requires of me; as a sign of our union and your consecrated assistance, I seal 7 sigils with the seal of love. Amen.”

After this prayer, take the ring of the seven angels, wash it with the dew, and incense it with the smoke of the seven, then speak: “Let this ring be the bond of union between me and the Holy Angels of the Godhead. It shall serve as a safeguard in all dangers and as an everlasting memorial of the heavenly union.”

Then dress yourself completely and take three ribbons, one white, one rose-red and one sky-blue, and bind them together and say: "My God! Grant me your grace that I may unite my physical, visible and spiritual life according to your holy intentions and become worthy of the great grace of sanctification.”

Then burn this ribbon and say: "As no human hand has broken this covenant, so no earthly power can break my covenant with God and the Angels.

When you have prayed this, take the black ribbon and tear it and speak: “As I tear this black ribbon, so shall be torn from this hour the bond that chained me to the darknesses and this world; I therefore renounce for ever the lords of the darknesses of the world and their lusts and the flesh.”

Then burn this ribbon and tie a white ribbon around your forehead and speak: “My God! Purify my soul and bind me with the bond of innocence with your Holy Angels.”

Then light the altar of sacrifice and say: “Everything is vain except loving and serving God alone.”

Then destroy the altar, and say: “From now on my heart shall be the temple of God, and my altar [shall be] my love. Amen.”

Q. Where are you from?
Answer: From Bensalem.
Q. Where is the place?
Answer: In the orient apart from the people.
Q. Why in the orient [East]?
Answer: Because the light comes from the beginning.
Q. Is it daytime in Bensalem?
Answer: The sun is at high noon.
Q. Is it night in Bensalem?
Answer: No – because the sun always shines in the center.
Q. Is there a temple in Bensalem?
Answer: There is no temple in the heart of man.
Q. What is the inscription?
Answer: Truth and Goodness.
Q. What was my business in Bensalem?
Answer: To cast off the old man and be born again. [11]
Q. Explain the word Bensalem to me.
Answer: It is the progression of 1 – to 2 – and therefore each letter has 2 interpretations.

1.
Bene agere [do good]
exigere miseros [dispel misery]
Negligere Nihil [neglect nothing]
salutem aeternitatis quaerere [search salvation in eternity]
Amare omnes [love everyone]
Laborare pro Humanitate, Deo et patria [work for humanity, God and the country]
Exigere nullum pretium [levy no money]
mundana contemnere [disdain mundane matters]

2.
Bene volens esse [strive to be good]
Errores corrigere [correct errors]
nauseare fastum et voluptates [sicken at arrogance and carnal pleasures]
sobri esse et costus [be sober and ‘costus’]
arma ferre pro patria et principe [go to war for country and prince]
legibus se subjecere [subject to the law]
Exemplar esse virtutis [be an example of virtues]
Mortem non trepidare [not to fear death]

What is the great secret?