SYMBOLISM.

A crude and inartistic symbolism is revolting to a spiritually-unfolded consciousness.  True mystic symbolisms must observe accurately the finer law of correspondences or they fail to appeal to such as these, and become to the occult a mild form of blasphemy.

LOVE.

No phase of human character—­of mental or spiritual philosophy—­has engrossed so much attention or received such a variety of treatment as has human love.  Nearly everyone who thinks at all, has been brought, at some stage of experience, to an attempt at analyzing the emotional, sentimental nature, asking:  “What is Love?”

In contradistinction to that which repels, and disintegrates, it is attraction.  Love is God, it draws elements together, and holds them in proper spheres.  It centralizes and builds up.  It is controlled by fixed laws; it is only “blind” to those who have not investigated its nature, and office unshrinkingly, with an eye to a complete understanding of its true function.  Devoted humanitarians have shown us how to feed, exercise, and rest the physical system, in order to produce health.  Ministers of the Gospel have taught souls the way of life ever-lasting.  Professors of the various sciences and arts, useful and ornamental, have instructed the intellects of men, and now and then a woman; but with all these, the affections—­the crowning—­rather the integral element of all life and being, have had few, or no exponents who have ever attempted to treat them from any basis which can be called philosophical, or which could ever serve as a guide to one uninitiated in their occult phases.

The ordinary expression of this part of the nature, is a vampyrism which is constantly on the alert to see what, and how much it can gobble up for its own delectation.  This is the lowest grade.  It begins with the selfism of the individual, its manifestations are named lust.  It seeks expression through the sensuous nature, but extends to the spirit and will.

O Love!  What crimes are committed in thy name!  What laying waste of true and tender hearts, what defacing of sweet bodies, fashioned and set up as temples of the spirit!

This vampyrism extends through every department of the affectional nature.  It exists not only among men and women recognized as lovers, married or otherwise, but parents are ghouls to their children, and friends devour each other without stint.  Attraction is that law which draws together two opposite elements or forces, positive and negative, or male and female.  As the nature and attributes of a human being are multiform, so are the attractions, or loves, numerous.  Ignorance of the laws which ought to control and adjust these loves, is the prime cause of all the misery and crime with which the earth is flooded.  Two people of the opposite sex are attracted through