Secret Teachings of All Ages: An Encyclopedic Outline of Masonic, Hermetic, Qabbalistic and Roscrucian Symbolical Philosophy, Being an Interpretation of the Secret Teachings Concealed within the Rituals, Allegories and Mysteries of All Ages -- 16th Ed.

CCXLV pp. "Manly Palmer Hall (March 18, 1901 - August 29, 1990) was a prolific Canadian-born author and mystic. He is perhaps most famous for his work The Secret Teachings of All Ages: An Encyclopedic Outline of Masonic, Hermetic, Qabbalistic and Rosicrucian Symbolical Philosophy, which is widely regarded as his magnum opus, and which he published at the age of twenty five; the first line of which is, Philosophy is the science of estimating values. In one chapter of The Secret Teachings of All Ages, entitled Pythagorean Mathematics he discusses the mystical and occult qualities of Pythagorean mathematics. He talks about the ancient Greek mathematician Pythagoras (circa 582 BC-circa 507 BC) and the secret brotherhood known as the Pythagoreans that he started and how they influenced Rosicrucianism and Freemasonry. In the chapter before that, entitled The Life and Philosophy of Pythagoras he gives a brief biography of Pythagoras. He mentions that his father Mnesarchus was informed by a prophet of the god Apollo that his wife would have a son who would actually be the child of a god and would be a world savior and compares this to the story of Jesus. He also draws parallels between Pythagoras' parents Mnesarchus and Pythias and Jesus's parents Joseph and Mary. Hall talks about the philosophy of mathematics in The Secret Teachings of All Ages and points out that the four sciences of mathematics, geometry, astronomy, and music all are forms of arithmetic, they cannot exist without arithmetic, although arithmetic can exist without them. He also talks about how Pythagoras and his followers believed that numbers were the ultimate reality. He has been widely recognized as a leading scholar in the fields of religion, mythology, mysticism, and the occult. Carl Jung, when writing Psychology and Alchemy, borrowed material from Hall's private collection. In 1934 Manly P. Hall founded the Philosophical Research Society in Los Angeles, California, dedicating it to an idealistic approach to the solution of human problems. The PRS claims to be non-sectarian and entirely free from educational, political, or ecclesiastical control, the Society's programs stress the need for the integration of philosophy, religion, and science into one system of instruction. The PRS Library, a public facility devoted to source materials in obscure fields, has many rare and scarce items now impossible to obtain elsewhere. Manly P. Hall s exhaustive research concentrates the teachings of nearly six hundred distinguished authorities on religion and philosophy, bringing to you an interpretation of the themes underlying the ancient mythology, philosophy, religion, rituals, and arcane mysteries of all ages. In its original format designed by J. Henry Nash, this unique volume can be treasured and passed on as an heirloom with the assurance that its in-depth studies of some forty ancient and modern systems of spiritual development can contribute to each to each individual s quest for self-knowledge and philosophical awareness. First published in 1928, this volume includes fifty-four stunning full-page color plates by noted artist J. Augustus Knapp, and two hundred black and white illustrations from rare occult works and manuscripts. To this day it remains unrivaled in its scope, synthesis and graphic beauty; a must for any serious student of mystical philosophy. Includes: Dedication; Preface; Color Plates; Illustrations in the Text; Introduction; The Ancient Mysteries and Secret Societies Which Have Influenced Modern Masonic Symbolism, Parts I-III; Atlantis and the Gods of Antiquity; The Life and Writings of Thoth Hermes Trismegistus; The Initiation of the Pyramid; Isis, the Virgin of the World; The Sun, a Universal Deity; The Zodiac and Its Signs; The Bembine Table of Isis; Wonders of Antiquity; The Life and Philosophy of Pythagoras; Pythagorean Mathematics; The Human Body in Symbolism; The Hiramic Legend; The Pythagorean Theory of Music and Color; Fishes, Insects, Animals, Reptiles, and Birds, Parts I & II; Flowers, Plants, Fruits, and Trees; Stones, Metals, and Gems; Ceremonial Magic and Sorcery; The Elements and Their Inhabitants; Hermetic Pharmacology, Chemistry, and Therapeutics; The Qabbalah, the Secret Doctrine of Israel; Fundamentals of Qabbalistic Cosmogony; The Tree of the Sephiroth; Qabbalistic Keys to the Creation of Man; An Analysis of the Tarot Cards; The Tabernacle in the Wilderness; The Fraternity of the Rose Cross; Rosicrucian Doctrines and Tenets; Fifteen Roscrucian and Qabbalistic Diagrams; Alchemy and Its Exponents; The Theory and Practice of Alchemy, Parts I & II; The Chemical Marriage; Bacon, Shakspere, and the Rosicrucians; The Cryptogram as a Factor in Symbolic Philosophy; Freemasonic Symbolism; Mystic Christianity; The Cross and the Crucifixion; The Mystery of the Apocalypse; The Faith of Islam; American Indian Symbolism; The Mysteries and Their Emissaries; Conclusion; Bibliography; Index.