THE ANCIENT TRIAD.

After conceiving the idea of a primeval chaos, constituted of four
indestructible elements of which fire was the leading one, the Oriental
astrologers began to indulge in speculations relative to the agencies
which were engaged in its organization. Having no knowledge of the
forces inherent in nature, they imputed this work to three
intelligences, which, embodying the All in All, they personified by the
figure of a man with three heads, and to this trinity gave the names of
Brahma, Vishnu and Siva. Such a figure, carved in stone, may be seen in
the island Cave of Elephanta, near Bombay, India, and is popularly
believed to represent the Creator, Preserver and Destroyer; but, in
determining their true signification, we must be governed by the
ancient teachings that "All things were made by one god-head with three
names, and this God is all things." Hence the conclusion is
irresistible that the first person represents neither the creator nor
organizer of chaos, but chaos itself; the second person, its organizer
and governor; and the third person, the agent in nature which impresses
all her parts with life and motion; the latter being the imaginary
great soul or spirit inculcated in the Esoteric philosophy. In support
of this opinion it will be found that the Egyptian Triad of Father, Son
and Spirit is virtually the same we have assigned to its Oriental
prototype. Thus we see that to the ancient Astrolatry Christendom is
indebted for the Trinity of

"God the Father, God the Son,
God the Spirit--three in one."