The Equinox (Volume I, Number II)

THE TEMPLE OF SOLOMON THE KING “On turning to the left I saw that near me was a rock door, and then for the first time I became aware that I was clothed in my robes of white.* Passing through the door, I found myself on the face of a high cliff that sank away into the abysms of space below me; and my foot slipping on the slippery stone, I stumbled forward, and would of a certainty have been dashed into that endless gulf, had not the shepherd caught me and held me back. “Then wings were given me, and diving off from that great rocky cliff like a sea-bird, I winged my course through the still air and was filled with a great joy. “Now, I had travelled thus but for a short time, when in the distance there appeared before mea silver-moss rugged hill. And on its summit was there built a circular temple, fashioned of burnished silver, domed and surmounted with a crescent. And for some reason unknown to me, the sight of the crescent made me tremble so that I durst not enter; and when my guide, who was still with me, saw that I was seized with a great fear, he comforted me, bidding me be of good courage, so with him I entered. Before us in the very centre of the temple there sat a woman whose countenance was bright as the essence of many moons; and as I beheld her, fear left me, so I stepped towards her and knelt reverently at her feet. “ Then, as I knelt before her, she gave me a branch of olive and myrtle, which I folded to my heart; and as I did so, of a sudden a great pillar of smoke rose from the ground before me and carried her away through the dome of the temple. “ Slowly the pillar loosened itself, and spiral puffs of smoke, creeping away from the mighty column, began to circle round * The robes of the Neophyte in the 0° = o° Ritual of the G.+. D.°.. 303