The Secret Teachings of All Ages (1928) - Page 9


DEDICATION	3
PREFACE	5
COLOR PLATES	9
ILLUSTRATIONS IN THE TEXT	11
INTRODUCTION	12
*THE ANCIENT MYSTERIES AND SECRET SOCIETIES WHICH HAVE INFLUENCED MODERN MASONIC* SYMBOLISM** original: "Masonic"; Relating to Freemasonry, a fraternal organization that uses the tools of stonemasons as symbols for moral and philosophical instructions. Ancient systems of education—Celsus was a 2nd-century Greek philosopher known for his early opposition to Christianity.Celsus concerning the Christians—Knowledge necessary for right living—The The Druids were the high-ranking priestly class in ancient Celtic cultures, particularly in Britain and Gaul (modern France).Druidic Mysteries of Britain and Gaul—The Rites of Mithras—The Mithraism was a mystery religion practiced in the Roman Empire from about the 1st to 4th century CE, centered on the god Mithras.Mithraic and Christian Mysteries contrasted.	21
THE ANCIENT MYSTERIES AND SECRET SOCIETIES, PART II The Gnostic Mysteries Gnosticism refers to a collection of ancient religious ideas that stressed personal spiritual knowledge (gnosis) over faith in ecclesiastical authority.—Simon Magus and Basilides—Abraxas, the Gnostic concept of Deity—The Mysteries of Serapis—Labyrinth symbolism—The Relating to Odin, the chief god in Norse mythology and the "Gothic" or Germanic traditions.Odinic, or Gothic, Mysteries.	25
THE ANCIENT MYSTERIES AND SECRET SOCIETIES, PART III The The Eleusinian Mysteries were the most famous of the secret religious rites of ancient Greece, centered on the story of Demeter and Persephone.Eleusinian Mysteries—The Lesser Rites—The Greater Rites—The Orphic Mysteries—The Bacchic Mysteries—The Orphic, Bacchic, and Dionysiac mysteries were ancient Greek rites associated with the gods Orpheus and Dionysus (also known as Bacchus).Dionysiac Mysteries.	29