a disciple as Paul or Peter."

Ignatius also speaks of the High Priest or Hierophant, of whom he
asserts that he was the one "to whom the holy of holies has been
committed, and who alone has been entrusted with the secrets of God."
(_Epistles of Ignatius._)

St. Clement of Alexandria was a mystic of high rank in the Inner
Circle of the Church. His writings are full of allusions to the
Christian Mysteries. He says among other things that his writings were
"a miscellany of Gnostic notes, according to the time philosophy,"
which teachings he had received from Pontaemus, his instructor or
spiritual teacher. He says of these teachings:

"The Lord allowed us to communicate of those divine
Mysteries and of that holy light, to those who are able to
receive them. He did not certainly disclose to the many what
did not belong to the many; but to the few to whom He knew
that they belonged, who were capable of receiving and being
moulded according to them. But secret things are intrusted
to speech, not to writing, as is the case with God. And if
one say that it is written, 'There is nothing secret which
shall not be revealed, nor hidden, which shall not be
disclosed,' let him also hear from us, that to him who hears
secretly, even what is secret shall be manifested. This is
what was predicted by this oracle. And to him who is able
secretly to observe what is delivered to him, that which is
veiled shall be disclosed as truth; and what is hidden to
the many shall appear manifest to the few. The mysteries are
delivered mystically, that what is spoken may be in the
mouth of the speaker; rather not in his voice, but in his
understanding. The writing of these memoranda of mine, I
well know, is weak when compared with that spirit full of
grace, which I was privileged to hear. But it will be an
image to recall the archetype to him who was struck with the
Thyrsus."

(We may state here that the Thyrsus was the mystic-wand carried by the
Initiates in the Mystic Brotherhoods--the Initiate being first tapped
with it, and then receiving it from the Hierophant, at the ceremony of
formal Initiation.) Clement adds:

"We profess not to explain secret things sufficiently--far
from it--but only to recall them to memory, whether we have
forgot aught, or whether for the purpose of not forgetting.
Many things, well I kn