“Our purposes require a certain knowledge of Hebrew,” he answered without hesitation or demur, “because that ancient language and the magical resources of sound are profoundly linked.  In the actual sounds of many of the Hebrew letters lies a singular power, unguessed by the majority, undivined especially, of course, by the mere scholar, but available for the pure in heart who may discover how to use their extraordinary values.  They constitute, in my view at least, a remnant of the original Chaldaean mysteries, the lore of that magic which is older than religion.  The secret of this knowledge lies in the psychic values of sound; for Hebrew, the Hebrew of the Bahir, remains in the hierarchy of languages a direct channel to the unknown and inscrutable forces; and the knowledge of mighty and supersensual things lies locked up in the correct utterance of many of its words, letters and phrases.  Its correct utterance, mark well.  For knowledge of the most amazing and terrible kind is there, waiting release by him who knows, and who greatly dares.

“And you shall later learn that sound is power.  The Hebrew alphabet you must know intimately, and the intricate association of its letters with number, color, harmony and geometrical form, all of which are but symbols of the Realities at the very roots of life.  The Hebrew alphabet, Mr. Spinrobin, is a ’discourse in methods of manifestation, of formation.’  In its correct pronunciation lies a way to direct knowledge of divine powers, and to conditions beyond this physical existence.”

The clergyman’s voice grew lower and lower as he proceeded, and the conviction was unavoidable that he referred to things whereof he had practical knowledge.  To Spinrobin it was like the lifting of a great veil.  As a boy he had divined something of these values of sound and name, but with the years this knowledge had come to seem fantastic and unreal.  It now returned upon him with the force of a terrific certainty.  That immense old inner playground of his youth, without boundaries or horizon, rolled up before his mental vision, inviting further and detailed discovery.

“With the language, qua language,” he continued, “you need not trouble, but the ‘Names’ of many things you must know accurately, and especially the names of the so-called ‘Angels’; for these are in reality Forces of immense potency, vast spiritual Powers, Qualities, and the like, all evocable by correct utterance of their names.  This language, as you will see, is alive and divine in the true sense; its letters are the vehicles of activities; its words, terrific formulae; and the true pronunciation of them remains today a direct channel to divine knowledge.  In time you shall see; in time you shall know; in time you shall hear.  Mr. Spinrobin,” and he thrust his great head forwards and dropped his voice to a hushed whisper, “in time we shall all together make this Experiment in sound which shall redeem us and make us as Gods!”