ch the view of the great Hermetic thinkers of all
times, as well as of those illumined souls who have reached higher
planes of being, both of whom assert that the inner nature of THE ALL is
UNKNOWABLE. This must be so, for naught by THE ALL itself can comprehend
its own nature and being.

The Hermetists believe and teach that THE ALL, "in itself," is and must
ever be UNKNOWABLE. They regard all the theories, guesses and
speculations of the theologians and metaphysicians regarding the inner
nature of THE ALL, as but the childish efforts of mortal minds to grasp
the secret of the Infinite. Such efforts have always failed and will
always fail, from the very nature of the task. One pursuing such
inquiries travels around and around in the labyrinth of thought, until
he is lost to all sane reasoning, action or conduct, and is utterly
unfitted for the work of life. He is like the squirrel which frantically
runs around and around the circling treadmill wheel of his cage,
traveling ever and yet reaching nowhere--at the end a prisoner still,
and standing just where he started.

And still more presumptuous are those who attempt to ascribe to THE ALL
the personality, qualities, properties, characteristics and attributes
of themselves, ascribing to THE ALL the human emotions, feelings, and
characteristics, even down to the pettiest qualities of mankind, such as
jealousy, susceptibility to flattery and praise, desire for offerings
and worship, and all the other survivals from the days of the childhood
of the race. Such ideas are not worthy of grown men and women, and are
rapidly being discarded.

(At this point, it may be proper for me to state that we make a
distinction between Religion and Theology--between Philosophy and
Metaphysics. Religion, to us, means that intuitional realization of the
existence of THE ALL, and one's relationship to it; while Theology means
the attempts of men to ascribe personality, qualities, and
characteristics to it; their theories regarding its affairs, will,
desires, plans, and designs, and their assumption of the office of ''
middle-men'' between THE ALL and the people. Philosophy, to us, means
the inquiry after knowledge of things knowable and thinkable; while
Metaphysics means the attempt to carry the inquiry over and beyond the
boundaries and into regions unknowable and unthinkable, and with the
same tendency as that of Theology. And consequently, both Religion and
Philosophy mean to us things h