FOOTNOTES:

Founding of the Atlantean Race.

In concluding this sketch, a reference to the process by which the Fourth Root Race was brought into existence, will appropriately bring to an end what we know of the story of Lemuria and link it on to that of Atlantis.

It may be remembered from previous writings on the subject that it was from thefifthor Semitic sub-race of the Fourth Root Race that was chosen the nucleus destined to become our great Fifth or Aryan Root Race. It was not, however, until the time of theseventhsub-race on Lemuria that humanity was sufficiently developed physiologically to warrant the choice of individuals fit to become the parents of a new Root Race. So it was from the seventh sub-race that the segregation was effected. The colony was first settled on land which occupied the site of the present Ashantee and Western Nigeria. A reference to thesecond mapwill show this as a promontory lying to the north-west of the island-continent which embraced the Cape of Good Hope and parts of western Africa. Having been guarded for generations from any admixture with a lower type, the colony gradually increased in numbers, and the time came when it was ready to receive and to hand on the new impulse to physical heredity which the Manu was destined to impart.

Students of Theosophy are aware that, up to the present day, no one belonging to our humanity has been in a position to undertake the exalted office of Manu, though it is stated that the founding of the coming Sixth Root Race will be entrusted to the guidance of one of our Masters of Wisdom—one who, while belonging to our humanity, has nevertheless reached a most exalted level in the Divine Hierarchy.

In the case we are considering—the founding of the Fourth Root Race—it was one of the Adepts from Venus who undertook the duties of the Manu. Naturally he belonged to a very high order, for it must be understood that the Beings who came fromthe Venus system as rulers and teachers of our infant humanity didnotall stand at the same level. It is this circumstance which furnishes a reason for the remarkable fact that may, in conclusion, be stated—namely, that there existed in Lemuria a Lodge of Initiation.

A Lodge of Initiation.

Naturally it was not for the benefit of the Lemurian race that the Lodge was founded. Such of them as were sufficiently advanced were, it is true, taught by the Adept Gurus, but the instruction they required was limited to the explanation of a few physical phenomena, such as the fact that the earth moves round the sun, or to the explanation of the different appearance which physical objects assumed for them when subjected alternately to their physical sight and their astral vision.

It was, of course, for the sake of those who, while endowed with the stupendous powers of transferring their consciousness from the planet Venus to this our earth, and of providing for their use and their work while here appropriate vehicles in which to function, were yet pursuing the course of their own evolution.[24]For their sake it was—for the sake of those who, having entered the Path, had only reached the lower grades, that this Lodge of Initiation was founded.

Though, as we know, the goal of normal evolution is greater and more glorious than can, from our present standpoint, be well imagined, it is by no means synonymous with that expansion of consciousness which, combined with and alone made possible by, the purification and ennoblement of character, constitute the heights to which the Pathway of Initiation leads.

The investigation into what constitutes this purification and ennoblement of character, and the endeavour to realise what that expansion of consciousness really means are subjects which have been written of elsewhere.

Suffice it now to point out that the founding of a Lodge of Initiation for the sake of Beings who came from another scheme of evolution is an indication of the unity of object and of aim in the government and the guidance ofallthe schemes of evolution brought into existence by our Solar Logos. Apart from the normal course in our own scheme, there is, we know, a Path by which He may be directly reached, which every son of man in his progress through the ages is privileged to hear of, and to tread, if he so chooses. We find that this was so in the Venus scheme also, and we may presume it is or will be so in all the schemes which form part of our Solar system. This Path is the Path of Initiation, and the end to which leads is the same for all, and that end is Union with God.

FOOTNOTES:[2]Haeckel is correct enough in his surmise that Lemuria was the cradle of the human race as it now exists, but it was not out of Anthropoid apes that mankind developed. A reference will be made later on to the position in nature which the Anthropoid apes really occupy.[3]Ernst Haeckel's "Hist. of Creation," 2nd ed., 1876, Vol. 1., pp. 360-62.[4]Alfred Russell Wallace's "The Geographical Distribution of Animals—with a study of the relations of living and extinct Faunas as elucidating the past changes of the Earth's Surface." London: Macmillan & Co., 1876. Vol. 1., pp. 76-7.[5]Ceylon and South India, it is true, have been bounded on the north by a considerable extent of sea, but that was at a much earlier date than the Tertiary period.[6]Wallace's "Geographical Distribution, etc." Vol. 1., pp. 328-9.[7]Wallace's "Geographical Distribution, etc.," Vol. ii., p. 155.[8]H. F. Blandford "On the age and correlations of the Plant-bearing series of India and the former existence of an Indo-Oceanic Continent," see Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society, Vol. xxxi., 1875, pp. 534-540.[9]A reference to the maps will show that Mr. Blandford's estimate of date is the more correct of the two.[10]Parts of the continent of course endured, but the dismemberment of Lemuria is said to have taken place before the beginning of the Eocene Age.[11]Vol ii., pp. 325-6.[12]Dr. G. Hartlaub "On the Avifauna of Madagascar and the Mascarene Islands," see "The Ibis," a Quarterly Journal of Ornithology. Fourth Series, Vol. i., 1877, p. 334.[13]Ernst Haeckel's "History of Creation," Vol. ii., pp. 22-56.[14]Ernst Haeckel's "History of Creation," Vol. ii., pp. 226-7.[15]For a further account of the permanent atoms on all the planes, and the potentialities contained in them with reference to the processes of death and re-birth, see "Man's Place in Universe." pp. 76-80.[16]The "Standard," 8th Jan., 1904.[17]Ernst Haeckel's "The History of Creation," 2nd ed., Vol. i., pp. 193-8.[18]"The Secret Doctrine," Vol. ii., p. 197.[19]Vol. ii., pp. 683 and 689.[20]It must, however, be noted that the Chinesepeopleare mainly descended from the fourth or Turanian sub-race of the Fourth Root Race.[21]"Secret Doctrine," Vol. ii., p. 198.[22]Vol. ii., p. 317.[23]The "Times," 14th Sept., 1903.[24]The heights reached by them will find their parallel when our humanity will, countless aeons hence, have reached the Sixth Round of our chain of worlds, and the same transcendent powers will be the possession of ordinary mankind in those far-off ages.

[2]Haeckel is correct enough in his surmise that Lemuria was the cradle of the human race as it now exists, but it was not out of Anthropoid apes that mankind developed. A reference will be made later on to the position in nature which the Anthropoid apes really occupy.

[3]Ernst Haeckel's "Hist. of Creation," 2nd ed., 1876, Vol. 1., pp. 360-62.

[4]Alfred Russell Wallace's "The Geographical Distribution of Animals—with a study of the relations of living and extinct Faunas as elucidating the past changes of the Earth's Surface." London: Macmillan & Co., 1876. Vol. 1., pp. 76-7.

[5]Ceylon and South India, it is true, have been bounded on the north by a considerable extent of sea, but that was at a much earlier date than the Tertiary period.

[6]Wallace's "Geographical Distribution, etc." Vol. 1., pp. 328-9.

[7]Wallace's "Geographical Distribution, etc.," Vol. ii., p. 155.

[8]H. F. Blandford "On the age and correlations of the Plant-bearing series of India and the former existence of an Indo-Oceanic Continent," see Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society, Vol. xxxi., 1875, pp. 534-540.

[9]A reference to the maps will show that Mr. Blandford's estimate of date is the more correct of the two.

[10]Parts of the continent of course endured, but the dismemberment of Lemuria is said to have taken place before the beginning of the Eocene Age.

[11]Vol ii., pp. 325-6.

[12]Dr. G. Hartlaub "On the Avifauna of Madagascar and the Mascarene Islands," see "The Ibis," a Quarterly Journal of Ornithology. Fourth Series, Vol. i., 1877, p. 334.

[13]Ernst Haeckel's "History of Creation," Vol. ii., pp. 22-56.

[14]Ernst Haeckel's "History of Creation," Vol. ii., pp. 226-7.

[15]For a further account of the permanent atoms on all the planes, and the potentialities contained in them with reference to the processes of death and re-birth, see "Man's Place in Universe." pp. 76-80.

[16]The "Standard," 8th Jan., 1904.

[17]Ernst Haeckel's "The History of Creation," 2nd ed., Vol. i., pp. 193-8.

[18]"The Secret Doctrine," Vol. ii., p. 197.

[19]Vol. ii., pp. 683 and 689.

[20]It must, however, be noted that the Chinesepeopleare mainly descended from the fourth or Turanian sub-race of the Fourth Root Race.

[21]"Secret Doctrine," Vol. ii., p. 198.

[22]Vol. ii., p. 317.

[23]The "Times," 14th Sept., 1903.

[24]The heights reached by them will find their parallel when our humanity will, countless aeons hence, have reached the Sixth Round of our chain of worlds, and the same transcendent powers will be the possession of ordinary mankind in those far-off ages.

Please click on the Maps for larger versions.

Map_1no. 1 The world about 1,000,000 years ago, during many previous ages, and up to the Catastrophe of about 800, 000 years agoATLANTISat its prime

Map_2no 2 The world after the Catastrophe of 800,000 years ago and up to the Catastrophe of about 200,000 years agoATLANTISin its decadence

Map_3no 3 The world after the Catastrophe of 200,000 years ago and up to the Catastrophe of about 80,000 years agoruta & daitya

Map_4no 4 The world after the Catastrophe of 80000 years ago and up to the final submergence of Poseidonis in 9,564 b.cPoseidonis

Map_5No.1 LEMURIAat its greatest extent

Map_6No.2 LEMURIAat a later period

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