Ah! were it so, most humbly would I stand Before you and implore that I might gain The temple's blessing on this work of mine. I used to think it so, when first I heard The word by which I came to understand That ye would take my work beneath your care And open gateways to me, which before Only initiates could e'er approach. But as I trod the path that led to you There opened out upon my soul a world To which, at such a time ye certainly Would not have wished to lead me. Ahriman In all his greatness stood before me there. And then I saw that he it is in truth Who is the expert in real cosmic laws. What human beings think they know of him Is of no value. Only he can know Who once hath seen him in the spirit-world. It was from him alone that I could learn The truth about this work of mine in full. He showed how in the progress of the world One could not judge effects of such a work; Since its true progress cannot be appraised By those impressions men may form of it Who judge by science and strict logic's law. The final verdict cannot be pronounced Till creature from creator is set free, And, freed from him, can follow its own path Throughout the courses of the spirit-life. Yet now the work is so bound up with me That it is possible that I might turn That which I guide back from the spirit-realms To something evil, even though it were Good in itself and in its working power. I must myself from out the spirit-world Send forth afar my influence on all Which shows itself on Earth as the result Of that which I have brought forth from my mind. And if I should let evil issue forth From out the spirit-world, through these results, Then would the truth do damage greater far Than error, for men follow after truth According to their insight, error not. I shall for certain at some future time Turn the results of this my act to ill For Ahriman hath clearly shewn to me That these results must all belong to him. While I was at my work, and filled with joy That it should lead me with such certain tread Step after step, up truth's great pyramid, I only noticed in my soul that part Which lent itself to help me in my search; And all the rest I left without a guard. All those wild impulses, which formerly Were but in bud, could now in quietude Bloom forth and ripen into full grown fruits. I thought I dwelt in highest spirit-realms, But was in truth in deepest night of soul. It was the strength of these same impulses Which showed me clearly Ahriman's own realm. And so I know the effect that I shall have, For in the future all these impulses Will go to form my personality. Before I took this work in hand, I gave Myself to Lucifer, because I wished To learn to know and understand his realm.