第31章

The chemist, in his analysis of the various component parts of anyform of matter, knows also the proportional combinations; and thus, by the Law of Correspondence, could, by the same use of the spiritual laws of Alchemy, analyze and combine the same elements from the atmosphere, to produce the corresponding expression of crystallized form.By the same laws, are affinities and antipathies discovered and applied, in every department of Nature's wonderful laboratory.

Chemistry is the physical expression of Alchemy, and any true knowledge of chemistry is:--not the knowing of the names of the extracts and essences, and the plants themselves, and that certain combinations produce certain results, obtained from blind experiments, yet, prompted by the Divine spirit within; but, knowledge born from knowing the why and wherefore of such effects.What is called the oil of olives is not a single, simple substance, but it is more or less combined with other essential elements, and will fuse and coalesce with other oils and essences of similar nature.The true chemist will not confine his researches for knowledge to the mere examination, analysis, and experiments, in organic life; but will inform himself equally, in physical astrology; and learn the nature, attributes, and manifested influences of the planets, that constitute our universe; and, under which, every form of organic matter is subject, and especially, controlled by.Then, by learning the influence of the planets upon the human family; and that special planetary vibration that influences the individual; he can intelligently and unerringly administer medicines to remove disease in man.

A familiarity with the mere chemical relations of the planet to man, makes still more apparent, the mutual affinity of both to the soil, from which they appear to spring, and to which, they ultimately return; so much so that, we have become conscious, that, the food we eat is valuable or otherwise as a life sustainer, in proportion to the amount of life it contains.We are so complex in our organization that, we require a great variety of the different elements to sustain all the active functions and powers within us.Man, being a microcosm, or a miniature universe, must sustain that universe, by taking into the system the various elements, which combine to make up the Infinite Universe of God.Animal flesh is necessary to certain organized forms, both animal and man.When I say necessary, I donot mean an acquired taste and habit of consuming just so much flesh a day; but a constitution, which would not be complete in its requirements, without animal flesh.I am thankful such do not constitute the masses.

Science would say, you only require certain combinations of oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, and carbon, to sustain all the activities of the physical body.Apparently, this is true.Upon the surface it is, but in reality it is not; because if it were really true there could be no famines.Science could make bread out of stones, as was suggested at the temptation of Christ in the wilderness.And yet, no one knows better than the academies of Science, themselves, that their learned professors would quickly starve to death, if they were compelled to produce their food from the chemical properties of the rocks.They can make a grain of wheat chemically perfect, but they cannot make the invisible germ by which it will grow, become fruitful, and reproduce itself.They can reproduce from the stones in the street the same chemical equivalents that go to compose gluten, albumen, and starch--the trinity which must always be present to sustain life; but they cannot, by any known process, make such chemical equivalents of these substances, do the same thing.Now, if not, why not? Science cannot answer this.A very mysterious shake of the head and profound silence is the only answer.Ask Science HOW THE PLANT GROWS, what causes the atoms of matter to build up root, stem, leaf, bud and flower, true to the parent species from which the germinal atom came.What is there behind the plant that stamps it with such striking individuality? And why, from the same soil, the deadly aconite and nutritious vegetable can grow, each producing qualities in harmony with its own nature, so widely different in their effects upon the human organism, YET, SO COMPLETELY IDENTICAL AS REGARDS THE SOURCE FROM WHICH THEYAPPEAR TO SPRING.There must be a something to account for this, and this something, ancient Alchemy alone can scientifically reveal and expound; and, this knowledge lies just beyond that line which calls a halt to material scientists, and says: "You can go no farther; this is beyond your purview.The end of the material thread has been reached, and unless you can connect it with the thread of the next plane, your researches must stop."Before entering upon and answering these vital questions, we must digress a little, and make ourselves perfectly familiar with the ideas and revelations of advanced physical science upon the subject, and for this purpose no more trustworthy guide can be consulted than the new edition of "The Chemistry of Common Life," by the late James F.W.Johnson, M.A., England, and revised by Arthur Herbert Church, M.A.In chapter IV on page 56 of this work, upon the anatomy of plant life, we read: