Belle M. Wagner

“ Sarthia was humble externally, a Vestal of the Temple, but in her mind and soul as imperious as a Queen of the realm of Heaven. Passionately devoted to the pursuit of Wisdom and the possibilities of obtaining knowledge, even Magic was open to her, in the Temple Service. Could she leave her Temple home, her opportunities for growth, her idolized Priestess, to go into the environments of Nu-nah?
The thought seemed to her worse than death itself. "Every one has to die," she mused, "and I may as well die one time as another." ”

“ Nu-nah what is that which produces the interior longings to know? Is it not that there is something to know—something that our common brains can not grasp and analyze? Do you not think that silent, yet persistent, monitor which lies concealed somewhere within our being is excited to action from some source other than our outward selves, and that longing to go out must be accounted for by a something without that calls and attracts us to it? May this not be the stars that we see twinkling and motioning to us as we gaze into the midnight heavens? ”

“ The pleasure in preparing for its advent made days pass as minutes. Time, borne on the wings of love, passed quickly. Her soul had gained that control over the mind that it was full with pure, holy and spiritual thoughts. Her mind could not get beyond her husband and the young soul that had been transmitted to her keeping. The divine joy of love was singing in her soul. Rathunor left her alone in her happiness, knowing that in her condition any great effort on his part to draw her mind—thoughts into new channels might lead to dire results. ”

“ I saw the High Priest, the lovely Mother Priestess, the Vestals, the choir and musicians, all earnestly engaged in some holy ceremony. The music, the heavenly spiritual influence of the atmosphere, the exquisite fragrance of incense and perfumes, with the purity reflected by the Vestal attendants, so enraptured and enthralled me that the thought that I would ever have to leave its sacred boundaries caused me to lose consciousness and, when I awoke, you were bending over me. ”

“ To the penetrating eyes of the Priestess and Hermo the light of consciousness was momentarily seen and to the clairvoyant vision of the Priestess a startling scene was beheld. The vibrations of soul to soul, the love that had been kindled in Hermo's heart and soul went out with such intensity that it aroused into a vivid activity the slumbering soul of Sarthia, and the brain, being already so finely tuned to the higher vibrations of the Spirit, responded at once. ”

“ The High Priest had commanded all visitors to be excluded, except Rathunor, who was to have access at all times, and as the Hierophant's word was that of God to them, so, purely from a religious standpoint, they were strictly obeyed. While the Priestess and others of the Temple knew the secret of the Priest's strict injunctions, they likewise knew that none of Sarthia's associates dared approach, lest their presence would too suddenly awake to consciousness the slumbering soul, before the brain had yet fully responded and vibrated to the new animating spark of life. ”

“ For, it seemed to her now, that life without love would be more than the agonies of the lowest hells. Then again, to live with Rathunor as his wife, while he all the time thought her to be Nu-nah, would be an incessant torture, keener and more intense than if she were chained by, as a third person, to behold him loving the actual Nu-nah in her own body. ”

“ But, you know, O Father, all these things are as empty bubbles and child toys to one aspiring to become a Priest King, to him who hungers and thirsts, day and night for wisdom, for knowledge of the more inner secrets of Nature, guarded so jealously by the Priesthood but revealed by the very Gods themselves to those worthy to know and fit to use and assist in carrying out the plans and orderly workings of the very Universe itself. ”

“ Blessed privilege, to bring to this plane of existence a soul awaiting incarnation in human form, to live, grow and experience on this planet the last grand objective existence that the soul can know. What care, what pleasure would she take in training that little soul to know its God and the mysteries of life and in maturity stand forth to teach mankind Wisdom and Truth. ”

“ The brain was slow to respond to the wonderfully developed soul of Sarthia and it was at those times that the soul gained the supremacy, that the greatest change would manifest. You now have the true devoted love of your soul companion and the lovely form of Nu-nah for your wife. My Rathunor, are you satisfied? If a pang of disappointment cross your heart, our darling child here may blot that out as he grows and learns our mystic lore and become also a soul companion of his fathers in climbing the ladder to higher wisdom and spheres than ours. ”

“ Also, he knew, the new love that had been born in Nu-nah's heart for him was more than that love that the external only can know. Its depths he could not fathom nor its source pursue, so he was content to wait that promised time, predicted by the Astrologer, that Nu-nah would lead, guide and teach him these spiritual truths and reveal to his already awakening soul the laws of the spirit.
Now, a new joy was revealed to the Prince when the Princess made him aware that a new soul had been entrusted to their tender care and keeping. The thoughts of maternity filled her heart with bliss. ”

“ The fresh air, the green grass, the beautiful flowers and shrubbery, with the inspiring presence of Hermo, were like magic to quicken the pulsations of body and mind and bring to her cheek and eyes the flush of health and life. ”

“ Our darling children, Rathunor and Nu-nah, bear bravely the news I now impart to you. Your first born, the offspring of true inspiration and soul-love, can not remain with you long in the physical form. The stars deny a prolonged life, and my interior knowledge of the planetary influence, also tells me his life upon our Earth's plane will be of short duration. His already matured soul does not need much of Earth's experience to round out its objective existence, before entering the true life in the spiritual realm ”

“ May I hope the love that is growing within my soul will be surely recognized and reciprocated by Nu-nah on her return to physical health? Is this love a vain delusion on my part, an imagination born from sympathies that will vanish as soon as health is restored and we enter the whirl of the social world again? ”

“ To my clairvoyant vision, as I now at this moment look at you, every minute atom of your physical organism is in the subtle process of depolarization from unity toward chaos and disintegration. You are not yourself conscious of this condition only as it has been revealed to you, for your soul is so alive that it has become almost unconscious of its physical expression and for this very reason the shock of dissolution would be all the greater when it did come ”

“ In form and feature Nu-nah's image meets my highest ideal, but when I would speak of the thoughts and ambitions upon which my soul dwells, then her cold look of incomprehension appalls me with the vast difference in our natures. Her thoughts can never penetrate the realm wherein my life-forces are all centered. Never have I experienced from her the response my love would crave. ”

“ The animating spark of life was growing stronger and the vibrations from soul to body were complete; not with consciousness, but that involuntary vibratory exchange that exists with the majority of the people that make up the earth's human family. As only the higher portion of the brain of Sarthia had been active the soul must necessarily manifest itself through those organs. Often, were the much beloved Priestess, Hermo and Sarthia's attendants, surprised at her expressions and profound questions on spiritual subjects. ”

“ Here they could live and follow the bent of their minds, undisturbed and unobserved if they so wished. They kept their identity unknown yet the villagers knew from the Princess' delicate beauty of form and features she belonged to some noble family and station in life, but her kind, thoughtful bearing towards them won their love and esteem at once, and equally did they esteem the Prince for he was ever lavish with his money and attention to those who appealed to him for assistance. ”

“ Know you the young Princess Nu-nah?" Sarthia bowed assent.
"For now these many weeks she lies in a semi-conscious condition, the soul hovering about its earthly temple uncertain whether to go or stay. In some respects her condition corresponds with your own, only that with you, as dissolution approaches, your soul grows brighter and more active, while hers becomes more and more latent; this result being largely the difference of environment—a contrast of the soul unfoldment possible in Temple life and that amid the distractions of the outside world. ”

“ The life of the body it has been animating in past years was not of such a nature as to mature a healthy soul.
"The work now, with our new Sarthia, is with the Soul, to make it equal to the brain that has been cultivated and enlarged in spiritual ways; while with Nu-nah, the work will be in arousing and developing that brain to the conscious response of the matured soul. Do I make myself plain to you? In my young pupil, Hermo, we will have a most valuable assistant in our work with Sarthia, for I have discovered that the divine relation of brother and sister exists between them. ”

“ Let her imaginations and fancies play as they will for awhile; yours must be calm, loving, sympathetic and unwavering in hope and faith that all will eventually be well; and again, I assure you that not many years shall pass before you will enter the path and the life your soul is now longing for. Princess Nu-nah will more than compensate you for all the kind attentions you now bestow upon her in the guiding, teaching and leading your soul in the paths to spiritual knowledge and the spiritual life, while still inhabiting the physical form. ”

“ Purity of motive and sincerity of purpose brought its own reward to them of old as it does to those of to-day who purify themselves before seeking for the knowledge and wisdom hidden within the "Holy of Holies"—"The Temple of Isis." ”