Bygone Beliefs [37]
conviction humanity in general seems to have in this belief, and the many reasons which idealistic philosophy advances in favour of it. The question of the reality of the phenomenon of "materialisation," that is, the bodily appearance of a discarnate spirit, such as is vouched for by spiritists, and which is what, it appears, was aimed at in necromancy (though why the discarnate should be better informed as to the future than the incarnate, I cannot suppose), must be regarded as _sub judice_.[1] Many cases of fraud in connection with the alleged production of this phenomenon have been detected in recent times; but, inasmuch as the last word has not yet been said on the subject, we must allow the possibility that necromancy in the past may have been sometimes successful. But as to the existence of the angels and devils of magical belief-- as well, one might add, of those of orthodox faith,--nothing can be adduced in evidence of this either from the results of psychical research or on _a priori_ grounds.
[1 The late Sir WILLIAM CROOKES' _Experimental Researches in the Phenomena of Spiritualism_ contains evidence in favour of the reality of this phenomenon very difficult to gainsay.
Pseudo-DIONYSIUS classified the angels into three hierarchies, each subdivided into three orders, as under:--
_First Hierarchy_.--Seraphim, Cherubim, and Thrones;
_Second Hierarchy_.--Dominions, Powers, and Authorities (or Virtues);
_Third Hierarchy_.--Principalities, Archangels, and Angels,--
and this classification was adopted by AGRIPPA and others. Pseudo-DIONYSIUS explains the names of these orders as follows: " . . . the holy designation of the Seraphim denotes either that they are kindling or burning; and that of the Cherubim, a fulness of knowledge or stream of wisdom.... The appellation of the most exalted and pre-eminent Thrones denotes their manifest exaltation above every grovelling inferiority, and their super-mundane tendency towards higher things; . . . and their invariable and firmly-fixed settlement around the veritable Highest, with the whole force of their powers.... The explanatory name of the Holy Lordships [Dominions] denotes a certain unslavish elevation . . . superior to every kind of cringing slavery, indomitable to every subserviency, and elevated above every dissimularity, ever aspiring to the true Lordship and source of Lordship.... The appellation of the Holy Powers denotes a certain courageous and unflinching virility . . . vigorously conducted to the Divine imitation, not forsaking the Godlike movement through its own unmanliness, but unflinchingly looking to the super-essential and powerful-making power, and becoming a powerlike image of this, as far as is attainable.... The appellation of the Holy Authorities . . . denotes the beautiful and unconfused good order, with regard to Divine receptions, and the discipline of the super-mundane and intellectual authority . . . conducted indomitably, with good order towards Divine things.... [And the appellation] of the Heavenly Principalities manifests their princely and leading function, after the Divine example...."[1] There is a certain grandeur in these views, and if we may be permitted to understand by the orders of the hierarchy, "discrete " degrees (to use SWEDENBORG'S term) of spiritual reality--stages in spiritual involution,-- we may see in them a certain truth as well. As I said, all virtue, power, and knowledge which man has from God was believed to descend to him by way of these angelical hierarchies, step by step; and thus it was thought that those of the lowest hierarchy alone were sent from heaven to man. It was such beings that white magic pretended to evoke. But the practical occultists, when they did not make them altogether fatuous, attributed to these angels characters not distinguishable from those of the devils. The description of the angels in the _Heptemeron_, or _Magical Elements_,[2] falsely attributed to PETER DE ABANO (1250-1316), may be taken as fairly characteristic. Of MICHAEL and the other spirits of Sunday he writes:
[1 The late Sir WILLIAM CROOKES' _Experimental Researches in the Phenomena of Spiritualism_ contains evidence in favour of the reality of this phenomenon very difficult to gainsay.
Pseudo-DIONYSIUS classified the angels into three hierarchies, each subdivided into three orders, as under:--
_First Hierarchy_.--Seraphim, Cherubim, and Thrones;
_Second Hierarchy_.--Dominions, Powers, and Authorities (or Virtues);
_Third Hierarchy_.--Principalities, Archangels, and Angels,--
and this classification was adopted by AGRIPPA and others. Pseudo-DIONYSIUS explains the names of these orders as follows: " . . . the holy designation of the Seraphim denotes either that they are kindling or burning; and that of the Cherubim, a fulness of knowledge or stream of wisdom.... The appellation of the most exalted and pre-eminent Thrones denotes their manifest exaltation above every grovelling inferiority, and their super-mundane tendency towards higher things; . . . and their invariable and firmly-fixed settlement around the veritable Highest, with the whole force of their powers.... The explanatory name of the Holy Lordships [Dominions] denotes a certain unslavish elevation . . . superior to every kind of cringing slavery, indomitable to every subserviency, and elevated above every dissimularity, ever aspiring to the true Lordship and source of Lordship.... The appellation of the Holy Powers denotes a certain courageous and unflinching virility . . . vigorously conducted to the Divine imitation, not forsaking the Godlike movement through its own unmanliness, but unflinchingly looking to the super-essential and powerful-making power, and becoming a powerlike image of this, as far as is attainable.... The appellation of the Holy Authorities . . . denotes the beautiful and unconfused good order, with regard to Divine receptions, and the discipline of the super-mundane and intellectual authority . . . conducted indomitably, with good order towards Divine things.... [And the appellation] of the Heavenly Principalities manifests their princely and leading function, after the Divine example...."[1] There is a certain grandeur in these views, and if we may be permitted to understand by the orders of the hierarchy, "discrete " degrees (to use SWEDENBORG'S term) of spiritual reality--stages in spiritual involution,-- we may see in them a certain truth as well. As I said, all virtue, power, and knowledge which man has from God was believed to descend to him by way of these angelical hierarchies, step by step; and thus it was thought that those of the lowest hierarchy alone were sent from heaven to man. It was such beings that white magic pretended to evoke. But the practical occultists, when they did not make them altogether fatuous, attributed to these angels characters not distinguishable from those of the devils. The description of the angels in the _Heptemeron_, or _Magical Elements_,[2] falsely attributed to PETER DE ABANO (1250-1316), may be taken as fairly characteristic. Of MICHAEL and the other spirits of Sunday he writes: