The Theoretical Brothers, or the Second Grade of the Rosicrucians

banish the coarseness of the customs of their century, and to transform the peoples into civilized nations. This was the purpose of an Osiris in Egypt, an Orpheus in Thrace, a Zoroaster in Persia, a Minos in Crete, a Cinyras in Cyprus, and an Erechtheus in Athens: such mysteries Mysterien: secret religious rites or cults of the ancient world, such as the Eleusinian Mysteries, which required initiation and promised spiritual insight were established only for the spreading of the knowledge of a single God, and for the attainment of that moral virtue which alone brings happiness to mankind.

"Fine, dear Doctor," said the yawning Shah Gebal — "but to the point, if I may—"

Danischmende, who was already accustomed to such interruptions original: Einfälle; literally "ideas" or "interjections," referring here to the Sultan's habit of breaking his train of thought, only bowed deeply — and continued undisturbed —

It was one of the most fortunate ideas of the ancients to make use of the human inclination toward the marvelous original: Hang der Menschen zum Wunderbaren; the psychological tendency to be attracted to the supernatural, mysterious, or extraordinary in order to lead them toward wisdom and virtue. For this reason, they also established certain degrees Stufen: hierarchical levels or ranks within a secret society that an initiate must progress through and ceremonies, which no one who wished to be initiated could evade; this...