him that
overcometh," of whom it is said by the ascended Christ: "I will make him
a pillar in the temple of my God; and he shall go no more out."[89] For
after the "Resurrection" the Initiate has become the Perfect Man, the
Master, and He goes out no more from the Temple, but from it serves and
guides the worlds.

It may be well to point out, ere closing this chapter, that S. Paul
himself sanctions the use of the theoretical mystic teaching in
explaining the historical events recorded in the Scriptures. The history
therein written is not regarded by him as a mere record of facts, which
occurred on the physical plane. A true mystic, he saw in the physical
events the shadows of the universal truths ever unfolding in higher and
inner worlds, and knew that the events selected for preservation in
occult writings were such as were typical, the explanation of which
would subserve human instruction. Thus he takes the story of Abraham,
Sarai, Hagar, Ishmael, and Isaac, and saying, "which things are an
allegory," he proceeds to give the mystical interpretation.[90]
Referring to the escape of the Israelites from Egypt, he speaks of the
Red Sea as a baptism, of the manna and the water as spiritual meat and
spiritual drink, of the rock from which the water flowed as Christ.[91]
He sees the great mystery of the union of Christ and His Church in the
human relation of husband and wife, and speaks of Christians as the
flesh and the bones of the body of Christ.[92] The writer of the Epistle
to the Hebrews allegorises the whole Jewish system of worship. In the
Temple he sees a pattern of the heavenly Temple, in the High Priest he
sees Christ, in the sacrifices the offering of the spotless Son; the
priests of the Temple are but "the example and shadow of heavenly
things," of the heavenly priesthood serving in "the true tabernacle." A
most elaborate allegory is thus worked out in chapters iii.-x., and the
writer alleges that the Holy Ghost thus signified the deeper meaning;
all was "a figure for the time."

In this view of the sacred writings, it is not alleged that the events
recorded did not take place, but only that their physical happening was
a matter of minor importance. And such explanation is the unveiling of
the Lesser Mysteries, the mystic teaching which is permitted to be given
to the world. It is not, as many think, a mere play of the imagination,
but is the outcome of a true intuition, seeing the patterns in the
heavens, and