The Magic and Science of Jewels and Stones

CHAPTER I. Study of Precious Stones in

STUDY OF PRECIOUS STONES IN EARLY TIMES

“A thing of beauty is a joy forever; Its loveliness increases; it will never Pass into nothingness.” KEATS.

INSPIRATION AND KNOWLEDGE: EXPERIMENTS ON SENSITIVES: GEMS AND COLOUR ATTRACTIONS: ANCIENT GEM CLASSIFICATION: SCIENCE HERMETIC AMONG ANCIENT NATIONS: PUNISHMENT OF THE PEACH TREE: MODERN CLASSIFICATION.

The study of the precious and semi-precious stones of the earth has commanded the attention of man from the mists of ages when, according to Enoch, the angel Azazzel came to the earth plane to teach him the use of them. Hence man considered the actual benefit to himself of these stones until his natural curiosity led him to study more deeply the marvel of their existence. There can be little doubt that the indicated use was talismanic, and that the pure wisdom of divine inspiration and a clear faith rendered man’s intuition so keen that he was quite able to know the virtue of various stones without chemical analysis. Dr. Ennemoser has recorded the effects of precious stones on certain psychic subjects, giving the opinion that “it is not improbable that in the early ages the belief in the virtues of talismans was induced by similar observations.” This, no doubt, is true and indicates to us that certain observed phenomena compelled a closer study. We are then reminded of the experiments which have been attributed to the schools of Pythagoras and of the observed effects of certain stones in the hands of sensitives by Baron Reichenbach in the middle of the nineteenth century and of the still more recent experiments in the schools at Nancy. There are records of these experiments being carried out on magnetic somnambulists when diamonds, emeralds, rubies, loadstones, beryls, jaspers and other stones were found to produce varied and strange effects. Gems in common with all manifestations of nature have the power of attracting certain colours to themselves: and so persistent are these colours that it has been observed that when they are changed by art they are liable to revert slowly (for the action of the stone world is slow) to their original colours. This can be noticed especially with Topaz which may on this account alone have been identified with the stubborn and indomitable Mars. The attraction of diverse colours by the various chemical compounds which are cohesive in the various stones must be a certain indication of vibratory power. Indeed, the ancients have indicated that the rates of vibration in the gems differ with the needs of the chemical entities composing them, and it may as well be emphasized here that life exists in a gem just as it does in another form in a plant or an animal. It need scarcely be repeated that colour is vibration. Colour is crystallized in a gem and immense vibration defies the material senses of man. A violet amethyst vibrates at the enormous rate of 750 trillions per second whilst a red ruby vibrates at 460 trillions. Hence we can scientifically demonstrate distinct powers by the evidence of known vibratory action. The people of antiquity classified gems in a manner different from that of the people of to-day, for they regarded colour of primary importance and bracketed stones of similar shades thus establishing the first points of agreement in the department of vibratory power. It is inconceivable however, that the great masters were unacquainted with chemical components, for chemistry was one of the secret arts, and it is well known that the priests of Egypt experimented secretly in their temples and that the betrayal of scientific secrets was followed by the mysterious “punishment of the peach tree” (supposed to be death from prussic acid). Modern groupings are arranged with regard to chemical affinities so far as can be traced by close analytical investigations and experiments.

CHAPTER II. The Most Ancient Science

THE MOST ANCIENT SCIENCE

“And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the Heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years.” Genesis 1:14.

ASTROLOGY: COLOURS OF THE HEAVENS.

The old science of Astrology was known amongst the Hebrews as the Wisdom of Foreknowledge (HOK MAT HA NISSAYON), and with it was included Astronomy or Star Knowledge (HOK MAT HA HOZZAYON). It is spoken of as of heavenly origin having been communicated to man by the angels after he had lost Eden. It was written that:

KOKABEL communicated Astrology, Wisdom of the Stars.

RAKIEL or BARAKEL communicated Astronomy, Star Gazing.

SHEHAKEEL communicated The Wisdom of the Clouds.

ARKIEL communicated The Symbols of the Earth.

SAMSIEL communicated The Symbols of the Sun.

SCURIEL or SAHRIEL communicated The Symbols of the Moon.

From the observed influences of the Sun and Moon the old scholars were enabled to classify the influence of these orbs in the various parts of the heavens and to formulate special rules, which extended observation rendered more convincing and complete. The simple consideration of the lunar phases brought grains of knowledge, which included the calculation of tidal action, eclipses, etc. The unity of the forces of Nature was then demonstrated in the actions and influences of the planets and stars, and the blending of such influences with their zodiacal positions and aspects. Universal unity was insisted on and the statements of the ancient scholars have not been discredited by the revelations of modern scientific discoveries. The Talmud calls the planets “moving stars” and sets down that Alexander of Macedon was pictured with a ball in his hand to symbolize the spherical shape of the Earth. The planets were indicated as follows:

Mercury the Planet of Mind is The Star Venus the Planet of Beauty is Splendour Mars the Planet of Contention is Ruddiness Jupiter the Planet of Prosperity is Benevolence Saturn the Planet of Restraint is The Star of Sabbath

Comets are represented as arrows of flame bearing messages to mankind.

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The various colours ascribed to the planets are:

Sun Yellow, Golden, Orange Moon White, Silvery, pale opalescent Green Mercury Dove Grey Venus Delicate Colour Tints, Shades of Green, pale Blue, etc. Mars Red Jupiter Purple Saturn Black Uranus Mixed Colours Neptune Doubtful

The colours ascribed to the 12 Signs of the Zodiac and the planets associated with them are:

Aries White and Red Mixed Mars Taurus White and Lemon Mixed Venus Gemini White and Red Mixed Mercury Cancer Green or Russet Moon Leo Red and Green Sun Virgo Black and Blue Mercury Libra Dark Crimson Venus Scorpio Dark Brown Mars Sagittarius Sanguine Green Jupiter Capricorn Black Saturn Aquarius Sky Blue Uranus Pisces Glistening White Neptune

The approximate date of the Sun’s entry into the various zodiacal signs enabled astrologers to select the Solar Talismanic Gem.

The Sun enters Aries about March 21 The Sun enters Taurus about April 21 The Sun enters Gemini about May 22 The Sun enters Cancer about June 22 The Sun enters Leo about July 23 The Sun enters Virgo about August 24 The Sun enters Libra about September 24 The Sun enters Scorpio about October 24 The Sun enters Sagittarius about November 23 The Sun enters Capricorn about December 20 The Sun enters Aquarius about January 20 The Sun enters Pisces about February 19

This brief statement of the most ancient science must suffice. It will enable the reader to understand the philosophy on which the wearing of talismanic jewels rests and may induce him to delve a little into the “wisdom of the fathers.”

CHAPTER III. The Ephod of the High Priest

THE EPHOD OF THE HIGH PRIEST

“And yet, as angels in some brighter dreams Call to the soul when men doth sleep, So may some strange thoughts transcend our wonted themes And into glory peep.” HENRY VAUGHAN.

THE EPHOD OF THE HIGH PRIEST: THE HEAVENS, THE GATES, THE CAVES: THE FOUR WORLDS.

In the 28th chapter of Exodus we learn that those that are “wise hearted” and “filled with the spirit of wisdom” were selected to make for Aaron consecrated garments—a breastplate and an ephod, a broidered coat, a mitre and a girdle. On the shoulders of the Ephod (Hebrew, Hepod) which was to be made “of gold, of blue, and of purple, of scarlet”—these being the colours of divinity—“and fine twined linen, with cunning work” were to be placed two stones, each to be engraved after the manner of a signet, with six names of the children of Israel. Authorities generally agree with the translations in classifying these two stones as Onyx, and there are very important reasons from an occult point of view why they should be so identified even though Josephus accounts them Sardonyx which, he says, represents the sun and the moon. These onyx stones were to be worn “for stones of memorial unto the children of Israel.” The ephod was similar to an upper body-garment of the Greeks (Josephus says it resembled the Epomis) and may be described as a kind of waistcoat held by straps which passed over the shoulders and were twined round the waist with the cunningly woven band. The two large onyx stones were set on the shoulder-straps, and on each stone were engraved the names of the children of Israel—“Six of their names on one stone, and the other six names of the rest on the other stone, according to their birth.” In astrology, to which science perhaps on its more esoteric side we are impelled, we can quickly recognize the twelve signs of the Zodiac—six Northern and six Southern—in the twelve tribes of the children of Israel, more distinctly emphasized on the breastplate of the High Priest. The engraving on the two onyx stones, one of which would necessarily be somewhat lighter in colour than the other, can never be explained in our prosaic terms for they were attuned to the whisperings of the Heavenly Hosts and typified the eternal wanderings of the Soul.

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