od.

"Blessed are they that have been persecuted for
righteousness' sake; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are ye when men shall reproach you, and persecute
you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my
sake. Rejoice and be exceeding glad; for great is your
reward in heaven; for so persecuted they the prophets that
were before you." (_Matt. 5:10-12._)

In these words Jesus sought to comfort and encourage those who would
be called upon to carry the Message in the centuries to follow. And
one has but to look over the list of names of the courageous souls who
have sought to keep the flame alight--to preserve the teachings in
their original purity--to protect them from the cant, hypocrisy,
self-seeking and formalism of those who sought and obtained places of
power in the Church. The gibbet; the stake; the dungeon;--was their
reward. But the Faith that was called into manifestation during the
persecutions served to bring them to the realization of the Spirit,
and thus indeed "theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

"But ye are the salt of the earth; but if the salt have lost its
savor wherewith shall it be salted? It is henceforth good for nothing,
but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men." (_Matt. 5:13._)

Here Jesus warned against the failure of the Illumined to serve as the
yeast which should leaven the mass of men by their thoughts and
actions. The use of the term "salt" in this connection is familiar to
all students of ancient mysticism. Food without salt was deemed
unpalatable and undesirable. The Few were the salt of the earth,
designed to render it worthy and perfect as a whole. But where a grain
of salt had parted with its savor, there was naught else that could
impart saltiness to it, and it became worthless and fit only for the
refuse heap. The duty of the "salt" is to impart savor--the duty of
the Elect is to impart savor to the race of men.

"Ye are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot
be hid. Neither do men light a lamp and put it under a
bushel, but on the stand; and it shineth unto all that are
in the house. Even so let your light shine before men; that
they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is
in heaven." (_Matt. 5:14-16._)

These words, like those preceding it, teach the Elect to shed abroad
the light which has come to them. They are warned against concealing
it beneath the