Page 27 - STOLEN LEGACY By George G. M. James

(5) Evidence of having a mission in life and (6) Evidence of a call to spiritual Orders or the
Priesthood in the Mysteries: the combination of which was equivalent to Prudence or a deep
insight and graveness that befitted the faculty of Seership.

Other requirements in the ethical system of the Egyptian Mysteries were:

(7) Freedom from resentment, when under the experience of persecution and wrong. This was
known as courage. (8) Confidence in the power of the master (as Teacher), and (9) Confidence in
one's own ability to learn; both attributes being known as Fidelity. (10) Readiness or
preparedness for initiation. There has always been this principle of the ancient mysteries of
Egypt: "When the pupil is ready, then the master will appear". This was equivalent to a condition
of efficiency at all times for less than this pointed to a weakness. It is now quite clear that Plato
drew the four Cardinal virtues from the Egyptian ten; also that Greek philosophy is the offspring
of the Egyptian Mystery System.

C. (i) There was a Grand Lodge in Egypt which had associated Schools and Lodges in the
Ancient world

There were mystery schools, or what we would commonly call lodges in Greece and other lands,
outside of Egypt, whose work was carried on according to the Osiriaca, the Grand Lodge of
Egypt. Such schools have frequently been referred to as private or philosophic mysteries, and
their founders were Initiates of the Egyptian Mysteries; the Ionian temple at Didyma; the lodge
of Euclid at Megara; the lodge of Pythagoras at Crotona; and the Orphic temple at Delphi, with
the schools of Plato and Aristotle. Consequently we make a mistake when we suppose that the
so-called Greek philosophers formulated new doctrines of their own; for their philosophy had
been handed down by the great Egyptian Hierophants through the Mysteries. (Ancient Mysteries
C. H. Vail p. 59). In addition to the control of the mysteries, the Grand Lodge permitted an
exchange of visits between the various lodges, in order to ensure the progress of the brethren in
the secret science.

We are told in the Timaeus of Plato, that aspirants for mystical wisdom visited Egypt for
initiation and were told by the priests of Sais, "that you Greeks are but children" in the Secret
Doctrine, but were admitted to information enabling them to promote their spiritual
advancement. Likewise, we are told by Jamblichus of a correspondence between Anebo and
Porphyry, dealing with the fraternal relations, existing between the various schools or lodges of
instructions in different lands, how their members visited, greeted and assisted one another in the
secret science, the more advanced being obliged to afford assistance and instruction to their
brethren in the inferior Orders. (Jamblichus: correspondence between Anebo and Porphyry)
(Plato's Timaeus) (W. L. Wilmshurst on meaning of Masonry).

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Stolen Legacy: Greek Philosophy is Stolen Egyptian Philosophy by George G. M. James
The Journal of Pan African Studies 2009 eBook