r after year,
century after century.

They have a "working hypothesis," but no definite _theorem_, and they may
work till doomsday on this line without a glimmer of real scientific
knowledge of the human soul, yet with mountains of "facts" or of
"rubbish."

They can never prove the existence of a _spiritual entity_ in terms of
matter on the physical plane.

Their work has been, and still is, of great interest and value, but it is
in no scientific sense, _Constructive_, backed by the laws of proportion
and harmony, nor the "Canon of Architecture."

The apotheosis of Natural Science is like the "canon of proportion" in
architecture, introduced by Vitruvius (an Initiate) centuries ago. It is
the verification of Plato's saying, "God geometrizes," and his concept of
"the World of Divine Ideas."

Plato further declares, "He who knows not the common things of life is a
brute among men. He who knows the common things of life is a man among
brutes. But he who knows all that can be learned by diligent inquiry is a
god among men."

Natural Science, as shown in the Great Work, includes scientific knowledge
on all planes of being on which the soul of man functions: The physical,
moral, psychical, and spiritual; for man is a composite being.

The apotheosis of Natural Science, therefore, is Fact, Law, Demonstration,
and Knowledge; before theory, conjecture, creed, dogma, superstition, or
fear, intuition, inspiration, revelation, and "holy men" or "holy books"
that must be accepted without evidence, or "believed" against evidence.

The _Avatars_ of all the past have originated great reformations which
have at last degenerated into dogma and superstition.

The people, incapable of understanding the Law, have been taught in
parables, while the few in all religions and in every age have apprehended
the law and learned the "Secret Doctrine."

To-day, for the first time in centuries, for the reasons already assigned,
and in keeping with the scientific spirit of the age, and because
superstition in power, dogma, and persecution are politically dethroned,
these great truths, this Great Work, is openly declared and outlined so
that he who wills may apprehend.

Let no one say, "This is an effort to _deify_ an individual." It _is_ an
effort to enthrone Truth; to remove the barriers to the rights of
conscience, the shackles of reason, private judgment and Individual
Responsibility, and to free the soul of man from all the fetters of