The Secret Fire - An Alchemical Study by EJ Langford Garstin - first published 1932 (2010).pdf - EJ Langford Garstin - morefaya2006

The SECRET FIRE

An Alchemical Study:

By E. J. LANGFORD GARSTIN

The Secret Fire of the Alchemists has been described by them as "The All in All,"

and, next to the solution of the Sophic salt, it is said to be the greatest difficulty in

the whole art, Without knowledge of the Fire nothing can be attained, even if the

Matter be known.

This copy was scanned by hermetics.org. from the original 1932 copy.

Edward John Langford Garstin was a prominent member of the A:.O:.,

a later development of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. He was

the author of two published works primarily on Spiritual Alchemy. The

other being "Theurgy" (1931), which we also plan to publish in the near

future.

1932

THE SEARCH PUBLISHING COMPANY Ltd.

6 Old Gloucester Street, LONDON, W.C.1

MADE AND PRINTED IN ENGLAND BY,

THE GARDEN CITY PRESS LTD., LETCHWORTH

By the Same Author

THEURGY : OR THE HERMETIC ART

---

PREFACE

In a previous work entitled Theurgy, or the Hermetic Practice, we have endeavoured broadly to indicate

the Telestic or

Perfecting ground of Alchemy in its Spiritual aspect. In the present short treatise the object we have

proposed for ourselves is a more particular consideration of one of the great principles underlying the Art

than was previously possible.

In this we shall employ much the same methods as those brought to bear in the more general analysis,

and would, therefore, reiterate our previous statement that our attention has been focussed principally

upon the Egyptian, Semitic and Greek systems, rather than upon the sacred and mystical writings of the

East. Also that of these three, the Qabalah has been our chief guide.

That the Qabalistic Tradition is of extreme antiquity is steadily becoming more and more evident, and in

this connection we would refer the reader to The Tittled Bible, by Dr. Moses Gaster, whose researches

regarding the relationship between the Tittles and the Oral Law are of very great interest and importance.

At the same time we do not wish to suggest that the value of this Key is in any sense directly proportional

to its age, for it is, on the contrary, our firm opinion that its worth is an inherent quality, independent of its

date, but self-evident to those who are familiar with it. And though the Sephiroth have been described by

some as arbitrary distinctions and a gratuitous multiplication of entities, we feel that such criticism arises

rather from a lack of familiarity with the subject than from any real understanding.

For the word " arbitrary " is an assertion that we are convinced requires considerable qualification, so that

the alleged "gratuitous multiplication" hardly arises. At the same time the Qabalah deals with Mathesis, or

the doctrine of the Whole, as well as with Ontology, or that of the Parts or Singulars, of which latter the

whole creation is an example, the apparent, real or material being, as Oken phrases it in his Physio-

Philosophy, the ideal, non-apparent or spiritual in a state of definition and limitation of Form, dissevered

and become finite. While, therefore, the ideal, which is the object of our quest, exists under an indefinite,

eternal, single form, the Real exists, ipso facto, under the form of multiplicity.

This fact we cannot afford to ignore, and we conceive ourselves, consequently, to be justified in taking the

system of the Sephiroth with their connecting Paths as having some real existence in the sense outlined

above. The even greater reality that they may assume as a result of study and further knowledge, hardly

falls within the scope of our present subject; but if they do nothing more than furnish us with a key to the

Art under investigation, they will have fulfilled their purpose as far as we are here concerned.

INTRODUCTION

Many secrets appear to have been carefully concealed by the old Alchemists, and not the least jealously

guarded of these was their Fire. This is described as the all in all and, next to the solution of the sophic

salt, it is said to be the greatest difficulty of the whole Art.

Obscurity of terminology is a charge frequently laid against alchemical writers, and it would be idle to

deny the truth of such assertions. On the other hand the difficulties arising from such methods are largely

superficial, at least as far as the genuine student is concerned; for familiarity with the so-called "envious"

style adopted by the various authors, coupled, it must be admitted, with some glimmering of

understanding as to the end proposed, enables the careful and methodical reader to gather together the

scattered clues, which were deliberately distributed through the different portions of their works.

Nor can the masters of the Art be blamed if the unskilled practitioner, taking their recipes and instructions

literally, fails to achieve any result; for time and again the warning is repeated not to mistake the shadow

for the substance, not to imagine that in the preparations of the apothecary is to be found the First Matter.

Nevertheless, even though armed with some clue or intuition as to the meanings which underlie the

written words, progress is not easy ; for some essential was always reserved, without knowledge of which

nothing can be accomplished. These reservations varied to some extent, however, with the different

authorities, so that much may be discovered by meticulous comparison; but it would appear that with

regard to two points at least, there was complete unanimity. These were the secrets of the Fire and of the

Solution, which, in fact, are mutually dependent upon one another.

Since, however, without the knowledge of the Fire, nothing can be attained, even if the Matter be known

to the student, it may be of interest to see what information concerning it may be gleaned from a study of

a few of the sources available. Such an inquiry, owing to limits of space, must of necessity be more or

less superficial, as anything in the nature of a complete survey would require a volume of some

considerable size. On the other hand, although thus circumscribed, it is to be hoped that the present

endeavour will prove of assistance to some, while its very condensation may render it more acceptable

than the more diffuse and prolix originals.

Let us, as a preliminary, make it quite clear that in our present quest, at any rate, we are concerned with

Spiritual and not Material Alchemy. Indeed, we would give it as our considered opinion and firm conviction

that the physical practice is impossible for those who have not already made some progress along

theurgical lines, and may, in fact, prove to be full of danger.

Nor need the reader suppose that the imposition of such limits to our inquiry is in the nature of a

restriction. On the contrary, it will be obvious that the problem we are to investigate is the greater of the

two, and infinitely the more important. And that it was thus regarded by the philosophers is everywhere

apparent when we come to study their writings seriously. Not that the work has not been dealt with from

the point of view of physical transmutation, to deny which would be an absurdity, but simply because

allusions to the spirit and to the Spiritual are of constant occurrence even in the more material treatises.

As bearing on the foregoing, we will, before proceeding to our main theme, quote an extract from the New

Pearl of Great Price, by Peter Bonus of Ferrara, edited by Janus Lacinius, the Calabrian Minorite Friar.

He says: "Our Art is more noble and precious than any other science. Art or system, with the single

exception of the glorious doctrine of Redemption through our Saviour Jesus Christ. it must be studied,

not, like other Arts, for gain, but for its own sake; because itself has power to bestow gold and silver, and

knowledge more precious than either gold or silver. It may be called noble, because there is in it a Divine

and supernatural element, it is the key of all good things, the Art of Arts, the science of sciences. There

are, according to Aristotle, four noble sciences: Astrology, Physics, Magic and Alchemy — but Alchemy

bears the palm from them all. Moreover, it is a science which leads to still more glorious knowledge; nor

can there be found a branch of human wisdom, either speculative or practical, to equal it. We naturally

desire, says Aristotle (de Animal., 10), to know a little of a noble and profound science, rather than to

understand thoroughly some commonplace branch of knowledge. Our Art frees not only the body, but

also the soul from the snares of servitude and bondage; it ennobles the rich, and comforts and relieves

the poor. indeed, it may be said to supply every human want, and to provide a

remedy for every form of suffering."

Now three principles are everywhere admitted to be the foundations of this Art, namely the Salt, the

Sulphur and the Mercury of the Adepts; and it will be at once apparent that, from its very nature, this

Sulphur, which we know in advance to be no common Sulphur, will be our principal interest, although it is,

naturally, impossible to deal with it entirely apart from the others.

Even though this is the case, before proceeding to attempt any detailed analysis of the many statements

about Sulphur to which the Sages have committed themselves, it may be as well to review some of the

information relating to this subject, which is to be found outside the purely Alchemical writings, amplifying

it where need be, however, by reference to the latter. From such considerations we may hope to find

some clue to the maze that confronts us, some guidance enabling us to penetrate its dim recesses.

With this object in view, it will be necessary for us to devote a certain amount of space to Fire when

considered in its principal aspects, such as Divine, Creative, Spiritual, Solar, Purificatory, Sacrificial,

Baptismal and Elemental, together with its symbolical forms as Lion and Serpent. In addition to these we

must also mention Kundalini Shakti and its Western counterpart, the Speirema.

And such a search, although at first sight a departure from a theme avowedly alchemical, is none the less

in harmony with it. For the Great Work, though variously described as Alchemy, Theurgy or Yoga; as the

Telestic, Spagyric or Separative Art; as Esotericism, Occultism or Mysticism; is everywhere in essence

one and the same, a striving towards union with the Higher. Nor is it possible to make those distinctions

between the Mystic and the Occultist that have from time to time been attempted; as when it is averred

that the former follows the path of Love and the latter the path of Power and Knowledge. For such alleged

differences are, in reality, purely superficial, the true Occultist — as distinguished from the dilettante

dabbler, the merely curious, and those in search of power only — is of necessity a Mystic, and, to

succeed in his quest, must be every whit as much actuated by the power of Love as the earnest Mystic,

who says he is not an Occultist — who, again, must be distinguished from those whose mysticism is

merely a cloak for idleness or woolly-mindedness.

We will, we trust, be pardoned these remarks by those to whom they will seem too obvious, as well as by

any to whom, unintentionally, they may give offence, but Alchemy and Magic are out of favour in these

days. And though, in the light of modern scientific discoveries, the former is, as it were, a candidate for

rehabilitation, the latter is still looked at askance, despite the fact, which passes unrecognised, that many

of the processes of Alchemy cannot be brought to a successful conclusion without the aid of the despised

Magic.

And lest, after such a statement, we may be asked why we have omitted the Magical Fire from our

catalogue of the principal aspects of Fire, which we have proposed to discuss, we hasten to assert that

we have not, in fact, been guilty of any such neglect, as we shall hope to show in the chapters which

follow.

CHAPTER I

On examining the Bible we find that without any apparent regard for portraying Him as being wrathful or

otherwise, the appearances of God to mortal man seem almost always to have been in Fire or Flame,

frequently synonyrnous with what is termed the Glory of the Lord. And the same applies to His Angelic

Messengers in many cases, as, in fact, it is written (Ps. civ, 4): "He maketh His Angels

spirits (winds or breaths) and His Ministers a flaming Fire." Such instances are very frequent, as when the

Angel of the Lord appeared to Moses in a flame of fire on Horeb (Exod. iii, 2) and the Lord called to him

out of the burning bush (ibid. 4), and when the Lord descended upon Sinai in Fire (ibid. xvii, 18).

The appearances, also, of the Angel of the Presence Divine, who is Metatron, and of that Divine Person

who represented God, namely the Shekinah, were always in brightness—if not actually in Fire—and

surrounded with Glory. And the Lord or His Angel led the Children of Israel through the wilderness under

the form of a Pillar of Fire (Exod. xiii, 21). Furthermore God appears to have

shown himself to Isaiah, Ezekiel and St. John in the midst of Fire (Isa. vi, 4; Ezek. i, 4; and Rev. i, 14),

and the second coming of the Messiah is expected by some in a similar fashion (II Thess. i, 8). The

Throne of God is as a fiery flame, and His wheels as burning fire, and a fiery stream came forth before

Him (Dan. vii, 9-10), while the Word of God is compared to a fire (Jer. xxiii, 29): "Is not My Word like as a

fire?" while the Word is the Second Person, as is instanced by the Proem to the Fourth Gospel.

It is not, therefore, surprising that Fire was taken not merely as a symbol of the holiness and justice of

God, but that some of those of old were given occasion to imagine that God dwelt in fire and that the

heaven world was primarily a realm of fire. To strengthen this impression, fire from heaven appears

frequently to have fallen upon the victims sacrificed to the Lord, as a mark of His presence and

approbation. It has even been hazarded, though entirely without evidence, that in this manner the

acceptance of Abel's sacrifice was expressed. At least when the Lord made a covenant with Abraham, a

fire passed through the divided pieces of the sacrifice and consumed them (Gen. xv, 17) ; and fire fell

upon the sacrifices that were offered at the dedication of the Tabernacle (Lev. ix, 24), upon those of

Manoah, the father of Samson (Judges xiii, 19-20), upon the holocaust of Solomon at the dedication of

the Temple (II Chron. vii, i) and in many other instances which it would be tedious to mention. We also

refrain from indicating examples of the wrath of God, which are as obvious as they are numerous.

Such stories, ideas or descriptions, therefore, being current—and not merely among the Jews—the

Eastern peoples, and particularly the Persians, evinced a tendency to worship the fire itself, or rather,

taking fire to be God's symbol, and the visible manifestation of His presence, they worshipped Him in or

through fire. Such a cult is to be found among the Assyrians and Chaldeans, and in some measure

among the Egyptians, whence it spread westwards among the Greeks, who brought it to Rome.

Away from the East we recognise it as Vesta, who was worshipped at Troy, and brought by Aeneas into

Italy :

Manibus

Vestamque

potentem,

Aeternumque adytis effert penetralibus Ignem.

(Aeneid ii, 296).

And though it was Numa who instituted the order of the Vestal Virgins, the practice was in force among

the Albans long before his time.

Vesta is, of course, properly an Oriental word, and it has even been suggested that it derives from the

Hebrew ASh, Ash, Fire, which root is distinguishable in the Phoenician Astarte and in Ashtoreth. In any

event the Hebrew letter Sh (Shin), which is one of the three Mother Letters of that alphabet, is referred to

the element of Fire. Qabalistically it is the symbol of RVCh ALHIM, Ruach Elohim, the Spirit of the Elohim,

which vibrated upon the face of the waters in Gen. i, 2, the two being, by Gematria, numerically

equivalent as Sh is 300, while the total numeration of RVCh ALHIM is the same. And this is feminine, as

is indicated in the genders of both words, and amplified in the Sepher Yetirah, or Book of Formation, i, 9 :

" AChTh RVCh ALHIM ChIIM, Achath (feminine, not AChD, Achad, masculine) Ruach Elohim Chiim, One

is She, the Spirit of the Elohim of Life." We may also remark that AShH, Ashah, is Woman, while with

other pointing it means Fire, though this is usually in the sense of Sacrificial Fire. According to the Zohar

I, fol. 7oa, in Lev. i, 17, we should read Woman and not Fire, which makes the passage read "The offering

is a woman." This is to be taken as symbolising the union of the male and female principles, for the

offering itself was a male.

In any event the custom seems to have been more or less general from the very earliest times, to

maintain a constant and ever-burning fire in honour of the God or Gods, and Porphyry suggests that this

was because Fire was most like the Gods, not actually, but in their appearance to mortals, the brightness

which was characteristic on such occasions not being most like them themselves, but like the Divine Halo,

Splendour or Glory in which they appeared enveloped.

vittas,

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