* Editor's Remarks on the Books of the Interlude

Here follow: First, God's Book of Ben; second, Book of Cosmogony; third, English version of Vedic Book of Praise; fourth, Book of Saphah. After these, which constitute an interlude, the history begins again, in Book of Eskra, from the time of Moses, Capilya and Chine, and continues down to the present.

The first book of the interlude would apply to any age of the earth. The nine entities mentioned, figure in all ancient literature as Gods, or Lords, or Saviors. I have omitted the word Tae or Tah, substituting the word man. Uz I have retained in preference to the word, Destroyer. Es I have used instead of the cumbrous expression, Spirit-world. Esfoma I have retained, instead of AEolean, God of the wind. I think the word man, in such an argument, is to be preferred above the word Job. People are so apt to mistake a figurative illustration in an argument for some actual person. In most modern interpretations of ancient sacred books, this has been the case. I have seen English interpretations of Vedic books that gravely assert those beautiful expressions of the Mountains of Heaven to be barbaric descriptions of places on the earth. As for the battles of the beast they have been related in all the ancient sacred books.

The Book of Cosmogony sets aside nearly all our present philosophy of the structure of the universe, and the powers and causes of the movement of the suns and planets. The attraction of gravitation, which we have been taught from our youth up, is all set aside. It was left to my option whether to call it Book of Cosmogony, or Book of Prophecy. What we call mathematics to-day, was by the ancients, called prophecy, especially as to foretelling the movements and changes of the heavenly bodies.

The Book of Praise, except as an extravaganza, is really a recapitulation of the wonders of the universe as illustrated in Oahspe.

The Book of Saphah is a discourse on philology, and on rites and mystic orders, from the earliest age of man down to the present. Many of the pass-words, signs and regulations of the degrees are omitted, out of respect to the Faithists of to-day, with whom they are sacred in the order. A sufficiency of many of the degrees is given to enable the student to perceive the qualifications necessary, in order to be a member, as well as to see the objects and aims of the ceremonies. I have witnessed many of these degrees being worked, and they surpass anything that can be written for the public. Not only in sublimity and devotion are these rites wonderful, but in the knowledge the students obtain of the dominion of Gods and Saviors over mortals, and of the different heavenly divisions of Jehovih's judgments. Only by witnessing these things can any one realize the ground on which the members know their power.