8 And then he laughed and said, The chains that bind men to the carcasses of earth are forged in fancy’s shop; are made of air, and welded in illusion’s fires. 9 If man will stand erect, and use the power of will, his chains will fall, like worthless rags; for will and faith are stronger than the stoutest chains that men have ever made. 10 And Jesus stood erect among the hungry beasts, and birds, and said, What is this darkness that envelops me? 11 ’Tis but the absence of the light. And what is light? ’Tis but the breath of God vibrating in the rythm of rapid thought. 12 And then he said, Let there be light; and with a mighty will he stirred the ethers up, and their vibrations reached the plane of light; and there was light. 13 The darkness of that den of night became the brightness of a newborn day. 14 And then he looked to see the beasts, and birds, and creeping things; lo, they were not. 15 And Jesus said, Of what are souls afraid? Fear is the chariot in which man rides to death; 16 And when he finds himself within the chamber of the dead, he learns that he has been deceived; his chariot was a myth, and death a fancy child. 17 But some day all man’s lessons will be learned, and from the den of unclean, beasts and birds, and creeping things he will arise to walk in light. 18 And Jesus saw a ladder made of gold, on which he climbed, and at the top the white-robed priest awaited him. 19 Again he stood before the council bar; again no word was said; again the hierophant reached forth his hand to bless. 20 He placed in Jesus’ hand another scroll, and on this one was written, HEROISM. 21 The Logos had encountered fear and all his phantom host, and in the conflict he achieved the victory. CHAPTER 53. _Jesus passes the sixth brotherhood test and receives the sixth degree, LOVE DIVINE._ In all the land there was no place more grandly furnished than the Beauty Parlors of the temple of the sun. 2 Few students ever entered these rich rooms; the priests regarded them with awe, and called them Halls of Mysteries. 3 When Jesus had attained the victory over fear, he gained the right to enter here. 4 The guide led on the way, and after passing many richly furnished rooms they reached the Hall of Harmony; and here was Jesus left alone. 5 Among the instruments of music was a harpsichord, and Jesus sat in thoughtful mood inspecting it, when, quietly, a maiden of entrancing beauty came into the hall. 6 She did not seem to notice Jesus as he sat and mused, so busy with his thoughts. 7 She found her place beside the harpsichord; she touched the chords most gently, and she sung the songs of Israel. 8 And Jesus was entranced; such beauty he had never seen; such music he had never heard. 9 The maiden sung her songs; she did not seem to know that any one was near; she went her way