The Lost Keys of Freemasonry - RoseCroix.org.au

which sent strange flickering glows over the great stone coffer and the twelve judgesof the Egyptian dead.In the meantime, Aradamas, his hands still crossed on his breast, walked slowlyonward and upward until the last ray from the burning altar fire was lost to viewamong the shadows far behind. Through years of purification he had preparedhimself for the great ordeal, and with a purified body and a balanced mind, hewended his way in and out among the pillars that loomed about him. As he walkedalong, there seemed to radiate from his being a faint golden glow which illuminatedthe pillars as he passed the m. He seemed a ghostly form amid a grove of ancienttrees.Suddenly the pillars widened out to form another vaulted room, dimly lit by a reddishhaze. As Aradamas proceeded, there appeared around him swirling wisps of thisscarlet light. First they appeared as swiftly moving clouds, but slowly they took form,and strange misty figures in flowing draperies hovered in the air and held out longswaying arms to stay his progress. Wraiths of ruddy mist hovered about him andwhispered soft words into his ears, while weird music, like the voice of the storm andthe cries of night birds, resounded through the lofty halls. Still Aradamas walked oncalm and masterful, his fine, spiritual face outlined by his raven locks in strangecontrast to the sinuous forms that gathered around and tried to lure him from hispurpose. Unmindful of strange forms that beckoned from ghostly archways and thepleading of soft voices, he passed steadily on his way with but one thought in hismind:"Fiat Lux!" (Let there be light.)The ghastly music grew louder and louder, terminating at last in a mighty roar. Thevery walls shook; the dancing forms swayed like flickering candle shadows and, stillpleading and beckoning, vanished among the pillars of the temple.As the temple walls tottered, Aradamas paused; then with slow measured step heresumed his search for some ray of light, finding always darkness deeper thanbefore. Suddenly before him loomed another doorway, flanked on either side by anobelisk of carved marble, one black and the other white. Through the doorwayglowed a dim light, concealed by a gossamer veil of blue silk.As Aradamas slowly climbed the flight of steps leading to the doorway, therematerialized upon the ground at his feet a swirl of lurid mist. In the faint glow that itcast, it twisted like some oily gas, filling the entire chamber with a loathsomemiasma. Then out of this cloud issued a gigantic form - half human, half reptile. Inits bloodshot eyes burned ruddy pods of demon fire, while great claw-like handsreached out to enfold and crush the slender figure that confronted it. Aradamaswavered for a single instant as the horrible apparition lunged forward, its size doublymagnified in the iridescent fog. Then the white-robed neophyte again slowlyadvanced, his arms still crossed on his breast. He raised his fine face, illumined by adivine light, and courageously faced the hideous specter. As he confronted themenacing form, for an instant it loomed over him like a towering demon. SuddenlyAradamas raised the cross he carried and held it u p before the monster. As he didso, the Crux Ansata gleamed with a wondrous golden light, which, striking the oily,scaly monster, seemed to dissolve its every particle into golden sparks. As the last ofthe demon guardians vanished before the rays of the cross, a bolt of lightning