Apart from the great Brotherhoods, but in touch with them, are a number of Occult Schools under the direction of Initiates of the earlier degrees. There are a considerable number of these Initiates scattered over the world and to be found, by those who can recognize them, in every race and many walks in life. Apart from these, again, are the Neophytes and Aspirants, some in touch with an Initiate, others undergoing the often long test of unrecognized preparation. Agents, acting consciously and unconsciously, are spread like a network over the face of the Earth. Followers of special cults, devotees of so-called systems of occult training, some Yogis, fakirs galore, and mere phenomena hunters, are the rag-tag and bobtail which screen the reality from the vision of the illusioned mass of humanity. Apart from all is the organization of the Brothers of the Shadow, the followers of the Left-Hand Path. Can it be surprising that we sometimes entertain an angel in disguise?

Human Governments and institutions generally are the unconscious pawns of these foci of Human Wisdom, which periodically direct an ignorant Humanity into a Golden Age or plunge it into the confusion which marks the close of the materialistic age of Iron and the Age of Gold alike, in the spiral progress of Man towards the evolutionary goal.

The Great Lodges are unapproachable by the explorer, or even by clairvoyant faculty. For a considerable distance around the immediate locality has been established a wall of Mental Matter, impenetrable by physical and astral visitor or extended perception alike. Its effect is to create mental confusion. The “Lodges” are fully aware of all outside human movement in their locality, and are quite able to discourage inquisitiveness by apparently “unfortunate