“Seek ye FIRST the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.” (The original Greek says, will be superadded.)

These instructions of our Lord Jesus Christ are explicit and very definite, which means they cannot be controverted or explained away, and our readers would be wise always to remember them, so they will be fortified when tempted to go otherwise.

This should enable anyone who believes in the authority of Jesus Christ to realize that the truest and highest mystery teachings must pattern after and follow strictly the way He taught, even to recognizing Him, the Christ in every man, as the only way, the only truth, and the only life that leads to the Kingdom.

AFTER having thus shown what are the true Mystery Schools, and how to detect the spurious ones, there will be indicated some of the purposes and accomplishments of the Ancient Schools, those of which history has acquainted inquiring students. Such have heard of the Schools of Philosophy of the Greeks and Romans, and perhaps of the Mystery Teachings of the Egyptians and Chaldeans. One of the best known of Philosophy is that of Pythagoras at Crotona, where no candidate was accepted who had not spent five years in self-purification and had proved himself capable of devoting his life to spiritual pursuits. All such Schools required from two to five years probationary study and self-discipline before a candidate for membership was accepted, thus proving that he was deeply in earnest and determined and persistent enough to win the goal. And then he was accepted only after passing severe tests as to his purity of motive, sincerity of purpose, and strength and quality of mentality.

Such Schools were common in ancient times and were administered by the State; for the need of authoritative schools of spiritual instruction was recognized, and to insure the highest possible teaching being given, the state sponsored and wisely controlled their work, as well as provided the necessary means, even as is done today for ordinary educational institutions.

Up through the ages since those ancient Schools flourished there have undoubtedly been many secret Schools in existence, but very few were known except to the fortunate ones chosen as members—certainly they were not known to the public. Practically all of these Schools were of an occult nature; that is, they taught