Initiation into the Ancient Secret Society of Egyptian Priests

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“...through it to govern your heart
“and thoughts. If you wish to
“step upon the safe path of
“bliss, then remember that
“you walk always before the eyes of
“the Almighty, who created the world.
“He is the sole Being,
“who preserves and produces all
“things and depends only upon Himself.
“He sees all. No mortal
“can behold Him, and
“no man may hide
“from His sight 15).”

Upon the conclusion of this speech, they declared to the student that the ladder, whose steps he was to ascend, was an emblem of the soul’s pilgrimageRussian: dushevnoye stranstvovaniye. This refers to the journey of the soul as it descends from the divine realm into the body and seeks to return to its source through purification and knowledge.. Furthermore, they taught him that the names of the gods possessed a meaning different from what the common people believed This reflects the 18th-century view that ancient polytheism was an "exoteric" (public) shell for a "hidden" monotheistic or philosophical truth reserved for initiates..

15. Eusebius, Preparation for the Gospel, Book 13. Clement, Exhortation to the Heathens.Eusebius (c. 263–339 AD) and Clement of Alexandria (c. 150–215 AD) were Early Christian fathers. They were frequently cited by 18th-century writers like the authors of the Crata Repoa to provide historical legitimacy, suggesting that ancient Egyptian wisdom was a precursor to Christian monotheism.