1nCnVqgFI

—
—
—
PATER OMNIPOTENS ^THER. 353
^ther," and "Magnus ^ther," in its collective aggregate. The septenar>'
gradation, and the innumerable sub-divisions and differences,
made by the Ancients between the powers of Ether collectively—from
its outward fringe of effects, with which our Science is so familiar, up
to the "Imponderable Substance," once admitted as the "Ether of
Space," but now about to be rejected—have been ever a vexing riddle
for eveiy branch of knowledge. The Mythologists and Symbologists
of our day, confused by this incomprehensible glorification on the one
hand, and degradation on the other, of the same deified
Entity and in
the same religious systems, are often driven to the most ludicrous
mistakes. The Church, firm as a rock in each and all of her early
errors of interpretation, has made of Ether the abode of her Satanic
legions. The w^hole Hierarchy of the "Fallen" Angels is there; Cosmocratores,
the "World Bearers," according to Bossuet; Mundi Tenentes,
the "World Holders," as Tertullian calls them; Mundi Domini,
"World Dominations," or rather Dominators; the Curbati, or "Curved,"
etc.; thus making of the stars and celestial orbs in their courses
Devils!
For it is thus that the Church has interpreted the verse: "For we
wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against
powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world."*' Further,^
St. Paul mentions the spiritual malices ("wickedness," in English
texts), in the Air spiritualia nequitice coelestibus—the Latin texts giving
various names to these "malices," the innocent "Elementals." But
the Church is right this time, though wrong in calling them all Devils.
The Astral Eight, or lower Ether, is full of conscious, semi-conscious
and unconscious entities; only the church has less power over them
than over invisible microbes or mosquitoes.
The difference made between the seven states of Ether—itself one of
the Seven Cosmic Principles, whereas the ^ther of the ancients is
Universal Fire—may be seen in the injunctions by Zoroaster and
Psellus, respectively. The former said: "Consult it only when it is
without form or figure"
absque forma et figurd—which means, without
flames or burning coals. "When it has a form, heed it 7tof'; teaches
Psellus, "but when it is formless, obey it, for it is then sacred fire,
and all it will reveal thee shall be true."t This proves that Ether,
itself an aspect of Akasha, has in its turn several aspects or "principles."
All the ancient nations deified ^ther in its imponderable aspect and
• Ephesians, \i. 12. + Oracles of Zoroaster, " Effatum," xvi.
24