Theos-Talk Archives (September 2002 Message tt00143)

I'm glad to see that there is still an interest in this, IMO, completely
fascinating subject.  
 
In your quote below, “some scholars” is mainly an allusion to Ralston
Skinner’s, Key to the Hebrew-Egyptian Mystery in the Source of Measures
(David McKay, 1875, reprinted by Wizard’s Bookshelf, 1972.); and Samuel
Fales Dunlap’s Sod, the Son of Man (1861) and Sod, the Mysteries of
Adonai (1861); McKay’s Mythological Astronomy. HPB extensively quotes
and discusses the first mentioned work elsewhere as an example of the
mathematical/metrical key.  
 
On the other hand, my reading of Blavatsky leaves me satisfied that she
was also quite current with the Biblical scholarship of the time.
Though, her context in this quote concerns esoteric meaning, a more
comprehensive reading of Blavatsky’s writings with reference to the keys
makes it quite clear (at least to me) that a good background in Biblical
scholarship is prerequisite to grasping this subject in general. The
break from faith in the “dead letter” of the Bible began with Austin
Layard (whom she discusses), one of the pioneers of Biblical archeology.
Since that time, the faithful have been busy defending their faith from
the inconsistencies found in archeological evidence. This rift
fertilized the ground for the “Higher Biblical criticism” movement
(beginning in the 1860s), which began examining the Bible from an
historical perspective. An early landmark and (at that time)
controversial derivative work was Ernest Renan’s Vie de Jesus, which
portrayed Jesus in an historical setting and political light. For a
current and good rehash and commentary on the classical higher criticism
arguments, I recommend starting with G.A. Wells’ works: The Historical
Evidence for Jesus, Who was Jesus, and, Did Jesus Exist? G.R.S. Mead’s
writings are also important in the light of theosophically influenced
Biblical criticism. Mead’s The Gospels and the Gospel and Did Jesus
Live 100 B.C.? make it clear that he was writing from this tradition and
methodology.  
 
Now, regarding the “last couple of lines” of the quote; the scholarship
I believe she is anticipating mostly concerns Jewish esotericism and
consequently, Christian origins in Jewish esotericism and paganism.
Blavatsky discussed both subjects in some detail in Isis Unveiled, where
she exhaustively drew upon the scholarship of that time. In her later
writings, she extended her literary evidence of an esoteric tradition to
include Eastern mysticism, mythology and philosophy where she exhibits
examples of five more keys. However, that is another subject. 
 
Of the 19th and early 20th century works that Blavatsky seems to be
anticipating, I suggest that you look at Samuel Fales Dunlap’s The
Ghebers of Hebron (1894, 1898). Though the book is now little known and
difficult reading, I believe that it is one of the most important
esoteric works of the period. For Theosophically influenced works with
a psychic spin, I think that James Pryse’s writings are very important:
The Sermon on the Mount, New York: Elliott B. Page, 1999; The Magical
Message According to Ioannes, New York: Theosophical Publishing Company,
1909; The Apocalypse Unsealed Being an Esoteric Interpretation of The
Initiation of Ioannes, New York: John M. Pryse, 1909; Reincarnation in
the New Testament, New York: Theosophical Publishing Company, 1911; The
Restored New Testament, New York: John M. Pryse, 1916. Pryse, like HPB,
favors the Hellenic origin of Christian esotericism, as opposed to the
Jewish.  
 
Two other important works that further Blavatsky’s theme of pagan
origins of Christianity (thus immersed in pagan esotericism) is J.M.
Robinson’s Pagan Christs Studies in Comparative Hierology, London: Watts
& Co., 1911; and Edward Carpenter’s Pagan and Christian Creeds. The
former work especially raised the ire of Jesuit scholarship. The
editors of my 1913 edition of the Catholic Encyclopedia go out of their
way to deconstruct Robinson. Carpenter’s work gives a lot of insight
into HPB’s Astronomical key.  
 
 
Though you have only asked about works that were available immediately
after HPB’s time, I urge you to take a close look at the wealth of
translations of Medieval Jewish mystical literature that have only
become available in the last dozen years or so. Of course the Zohar and
the Sepher Yetzirah were available in translation during HPB's lifetime,
but there is so much more now, and in better translation. Our own study
group is currently busily engaged in this study. I think these works
clearly demonstrate that the Medieval Rabbis reach back to Second Temple
mysticism; were acutely aware of, and used some of the keys that HPB
discusses.  
 
-jhe 
 
 
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Martin Leiderman [mailto:martinle@mindspring.com] 
Sent: Friday, September 20, 2002 9:34 PM
To: theos-talk@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Theos-World Universal Mystery Language
 
Research question to all:
 
 
HPB wrote in the SD Vol. 1 page 318
"But while supposing that the whole cycle of the universal mystery
language
will not be mastered for whole centuries to come, even that which has
been
hitherto discovered in the Bible by some scholars is quite sufficient to
demonstrate the claim -- mathematically. Judaism having availed itself
of
two keys out of the seven, and these two keys having been now
rediscovered,
it becomes no longer a matter of individual speculation and hypothesis,
least of all of "coincidence," but one of a correct reading of the Bible
texts, as anyone acquainted with arithmetic reads and verifies an
addition
or total.* A few years longer and this system will kill the dead letter
of
the Bible, as it will that of all the other exoteric faiths, by showing
the
dogmas in their real, naked meaning."
 
Question is: Has anyone done some research on the last couple lines on
the
quote. I am looking for books written in the 1890's on this subject that
actually " will kill the dead letter of the Bible, as it will that of
all
the other exoteric faiths, by showing the dogmas in their real, naked
meaning."
 
 
Thanks in advance for your input,
 
Martin Leiderman
 
 
 
 
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