All intelligent men know that a “star” is not a mere tiny point of flame in the dome which shuts us out from a Heaven on the other side of the blue shell, although this view was that of the ancient people, and many ignorant men and women to-day.  Educated people know that a “star” is either a planet of our solar system, similar to the sister planet which we called the Earth, or else is a mighty sun, probably many times larger than our sun, countless millions of miles distant from our solar system.  And they know that planets have their invariable orbits and courses, over which they travel, unceasingly, so true to their course that their movements may be foretold centuries ahead, or calculated for centuries back.  And they know that even the great fixed stars, those distant suns and centers of great solar systems akin to our own, have their own places in the Universe, also their Universal relations and movements.  All who have studied even the most elementary school book on astronomy know these things.  And yet such people are asked to swallow whole this story of the “moving star,” traveling on a little ahead of the shepherds for over a year, and at last standing right over the home of Jesus, and thus indicating that the search was ended.  Let us compare this unscientific tale, with the traditions and legends of the Mystics, and then take your choice.

Had there been any such star in appearance, the historians of that day would surely have recorded it, for there were learned and wise men in the East in those days, and as astrology was a science closely studied, it would have been noted and passed on to posterity by both writings and tradition.  But no such record or tradition is to be found among the Eastern peoples, or the records of the astrologers.  But another record and tradition is preserved, as we shall see in a moment.

Yes, there really was a “Star of Bethlehem” which led the feet of the Magi to the home of the infant Jesus.  We have the following proof of this fact: 

     (1) the traditions and teachings of the Mystic Orders which
     have been handed down from teacher to student for centuries;

     (2) the statements and records of the Ancient Astrologers,
     which may be proven by modern astronomical calculations; and

     (3) the calculations made by modern astronomers, which shall
     be stated a few paragraphs further on.  These three sources
     of information give us the same tale, as we shall see.

Before proceeding to a consideration of this three-fold evidence, let us pause for a moment and consider the relation of the Magi to Astrology.  To understand the narrative of the Magi’s Visit to Jesus, we must remember that they were the very Masters of Astrological Lore.  Persia and the surrounding Oriental countries were the fountain-head of Astrological Teaching.  And these Magi were Masters, and Adepts, and Hierophants, and consequently knew all that was known to the greatest schools of Astrology of that day.  Much of their Ancient Astrological Lore has been lost to the race of to-day, but to these ancient learned men it was as much of a science as chemistry and astronomy are to the learned ones of our day.