The first key that one has to use to unravel the dark secrets involved in the mystic name of Christ, is the key which unlocked the door to the ancient mysteries of the primitive Aryans, Sabeans and Egyptians. The Gnosis supplanted by the Christian scheme was universal. It was the echo of the primordial wisdom-religion which had once been the heirloom of the whole of mankind; and, therefore, one may truly say that, in its purely metaphysical aspect, the Spirit of Christ (the divine _logos_) was present in humanity from the beginning of it. The author of the Clementine Homilies is right; the mystery of Christos—now supposed to have been taught by Jesus of Nazareth—“was identical” with that which _from the first_ had been communicated “_to those who were worthy_,” as quoted in another lecture.[47] We may learn from the Gospel _according_ to Luke, that the “worthy” were those who had been initiated into the mysteries of the Gnosis, and who were “accounted worthy” to attain that “resurrection from the dead” _in this life_ ... “those who knew that they could die no more, being equal to the angels as sons of God and sons of the Resurrection.” In other words, they were the great adepts _of whatever religion_; and the words apply to all those who, without being Initiates, strive and succeed, through personal efforts to _live the life_ and to attain the naturally ensuing spiritual illumination in blending their personality—the (“Son”) with (the “Father,”) their individual divine Spirit, _the God within_ them. This “resurrection” can never be monopolized by the Christians, but is the spiritual birth-right of every human being endowed with soul and spirit, whatever his religion may be. Such individual is a _Christ-man_. On the other hand, those who choose to ignore the Christ (principle) within themselves, must die _unregenerate heathens_—baptism, sacraments, lip-prayers, and belief in dogmas notwithstanding. In order to follow this explanation, the reader must bear in mind the real archaic meaning of the paronomasia involved in the two terms _Chréstos_ and _Christos_. The former means certainly more than merely “a good,” an “excellent man,” while the latter was never applied to any one living man, but to every Initiate at the moment of _his second birth and resurrection_.[48] He who finds Christos within himself and recognises the latter as his only “way,” becomes a follower and an _Apostle of Christ_, though he may have never been baptised, nor even have met a “Christian,” still less call himself one. H. P. B. (_To be continued._) ----- Footnote 47: “Gnostic and Historic Christianity.” Footnote 48: “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man _be born again_ he cannot see the Kingdom of God.” (John iii. 4.) Here the birth _from above_, the spiritual birth, is meant, achieved at the supreme and last initiation. -----