Levi H. Dowling - The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ

17. These magian priests could read the hearts of men; they read the wickedness of Herod's heart, and knew that he had sworn to kill the new born king.

18. And so they told the secret to the parents of the child, and bid them flee beyond the reach of harm.

19. And then the priests went on their homeward way; they went not through Jerusalem.

20. And Joseph took the infant Jesus and his mother in the night and fled to Egypt land, and with Elihu and Salome in ancient Zoan they abode.

Table of Contents

1. Now, when the magian priests did not return to tell him of the child that had been born a king, King Herod was enraged.

2. And then his courtiers told him of another child in Bethlehem, one born to go before and to prepare the people to receive the king.

3. This angered more and more the king; he called his guards and bid them go to Bethlehem and slay the infant John, as well as Jesus who was born to be a king.

4. He said, Let no mistake be made, and that you may be sure to slay these claimants to my throne, slay all the male children in the town not yet two years of age.

5. The guards went forth and did as Herod bade them do.

6. Elizabeth knew not that Herod sought to slay her son, and she and John were yet in Bethlehem; but when she knew, she took the infant John and hastened to the hills.

7. The murderous guards were near; they pressed upon her hard; but then she knew the secret caves in all the hills, and into one she ran and hid herself and John until the guards were gone.

8. Their cruel task was done; the guards returned and told the story to the king.

9. They said, We know that we have slain the infant king; but John his harbinger, we could not find.

10. The king was angry with his guards because they failed to slay the infant John; He sent them to the tower in chains.

11. And other guards were sent to Zacharias, father of the harbinger, while he was serving in the Holy Place, to say, The King demands that you shall tell where is your son.

12. But Zacharias did not know, and he replied, I am a minister of God, a servant in the Holy Place; how could I know where they have taken him?

13. And when the guards returned and told the King what Zacharias said, he was enraged and said,

14. My guards, go back and tell that wily priest that he is in my hands; that if he does not tell the truth, does not reveal the hiding place of John, his son, then he shall die.

15. The guards went back and told the priest just what the king had said.

16. And Zacharias said, I can but give my life for truth; and if the king does shed my blood the Lord will save my soul.

17. The guards again returned and told the king what Zacharias said.

18. Now, Zacharias stood before the alter in the Holy Place engaged in prayer.

19. A guard approached and with a dagger thrust him through; he fell and died before the curtain of the sanctuary of the Lord.

20. And when the hour of salutation came, for Zacharias daily blessed the priests, he did not come.

21. And after waiting long the priests went to the Holy Place and found the body of the dead.

22. And there was grief, deep grief, in all the land.

23. Now Herod sat upon his throne; he did not seem to move; his courtiers came; the king was dead. His sons reigned in his stead.

Table of Contents

1. The son of Herod, Archelaus, reigned in Jerusalem. He was a selfish, cruel king; he put to death all those who did not honour him.

2. He called in council all the wisest men and asked about the infant claimant to his throne.

3. The council said that John and Jesus both were dead; then he was satisfied.

4. Now Joseph, Mary and their sons were down in Egypt in Zoan, and John was with his mother in the Judean Hills.

5. Elihu and Salome sent messengers in haste to find Elizabeth and John. They found them and they brought them to Zoan.

6. Now, Mary and Elizabeth were marvelling much because of their deliverance.

7. Elihu said, It is not strange; there are no happenings; law governs all events.

8. From olden times it was ordained that you should be with us, and in this sacred school be taught.

9. Elihu and Salome took Mary and Elizabeth out to the sacred grove near by where they were wont to teach.

10. Elihu said to Mary and Elizabeth, You may esteem yourself thrice blest, for you are chosen mothers of long promised sons,

11. Who are ordained to lay in solid rock a sure foundation stone on which the temple of the perfect man shall rest--a temple that shall never be destroyed.

12. We measure time by cycle ages, and the gate to every age we deem a mile stone in the journey of the race.

13. An age has passed; the gate unto another age flies open at the touch of time. This is the preparation age of soul, the kingdom of Immanuel, of God in man;

14. And these, your sons, will be the first to tell the news, and preach the gospel of good will to men, and peace on earth.

15. A mighty work is theirs; for carnal men want not the light, they love the dark, and when the light shines in the dark they comprehend it not.

16. We call these sons, Revealers of the Light; but they must have the light before they can reveal the light.

17. And you must teach your sons, and set their souls on fire with love and holy zeal, and make them conscious of their missions to the sons of men.

18. Teach them that God and man are one; but that through carnal thoughts and words and deeds, man tore himself away from God; debased himself.

19. Teach that the Holy Breath would make them one again, restoring harmony and peace;

20. That naught can make them one but Love; that God so loved the world that he has clothed his son in flesh that man may comprehend.

21. The only Saviour of the world is love, and Jesus, son of Mary, comes to manifest that love to men.

22. Now, love cannot manifest until its way has been prepared, and naught can rend the rocks and bring down lofty hills and fill the valleys up, and thus prepare the way, but purity.

23. But purity in life men do not comprehend; and so, it, too, come in flesh.

24. And you, Elizabeth, are blest because your son is purity made flesh, and he shall pave the way for love.

25. This age will comprehend but little of the works of Purity and Love; but not a word is lost, for in the Book of God's Remembrance a registry is made of every thought, and word, and deed;

26. And when the world is ready to receive, lo, God will sent a messenger to open up the book and copy from its sacred pages all the messages of Purity and Love.

27. Then every man of earth will read the words of life in language of his native land, and men will see the light, walk in the light and be the light.

28. And man again will be at one with God.

Table of Contents

1. Again Elihu met his pupils in the sacred grove and said,

2. No man lives unto himself; for every living thing is bound by cords to every other living thing.

3. Blest are the pure in heart; for they will love and not demand love in return.

4. They will not do to other men what they would not have other men do unto them.

5. There are two selfs; the higher and the lower self.

6. The higher self is human spirit clothed with soul, made in the form of God.

7. The lower self, the carnal self, the body of desires, is a reflection of the higher self, distorted by the murky ethers of the flesh.

8. The lower self is an illusion, and will pass away; the higher self is God in man, and will not pass away.

9. The higher self is the embodiment of truth; the lower self is truth reversed, and so is falsehood manifest.

10. The higher self is justice, mercy, love and right; the lower self is what the higher self is not.