those who prepared for the Eternal before
the coming of Christianity, and who were transformed by the
Christ-impulse.

The opening of the seventh seal follows. It becomes evident what true
Christianity is to be in the evolution of the world. The seven angels,
"which stood before God," appear (Rev. viii. 2). Again these angels
are spirits from the ancient Mysteries transferred to Christianity.
They are the spirits who lead to the vision of God in a really
Christian way. Therefore what is next accomplished is a leading to
God: it is an "initiation" which is bestowed upon St. John. The
proclamations of the angels are accompanied by the necessary signs
during initiations. "The first angel sounded and there followed hail
and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and
the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt
up." And similar things take place when the other angels sound their
trumpets.

At this point we see that this was not merely an initiation in the
old sense, but that a new one was taking the place of the old.
Christianity was not to be confined, like the ancient Mysteries, to a
few elect ones. It was to belong to the whole of humanity. It was to
be a religion of the people; the truth was to be ready for each one
who "has ears to hear." The old Mystics were singled out from a great
number; the trumpets of Christianity sound for every one who is
willing to hear them. Whether he draws near or not depends on himself.
This is the reason why the terrors accompanying this initiation of
humanity are so enormously enhanced. What is to become of the earth
and its inhabitants in a far distant future is revealed to St. John at
his initiation. Underlying this is the thought that initiates are able
to foresee in higher worlds what is realised in the lower world only
in the future. The seven messages present the meaning of Christianity
to that age, the seven seals represent what was then being prepared
through Christianity for future accomplishment. The future is veiled
and sealed to the uninitiated; it is unsealed in initiation. When the
earthly period is over during which the seven messages hold good, a
more spiritual time will begin. Then life will no more flow on as it
appears in physical forms, but even outwardly it will be a copy of its
supersensible forms. These latter are represented by the four animals
and the other seal-pictures. In a still later future appears that form
of