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45
who attends the death-bed simply because it is his
professional duty to do so, can only be of scant benefit
to the departed.
The Oil or Cheisma, with which the dying man is
anointed, is a symbol of Peace ; but Peace and Good-
will are inseparable companions. If Good-will was
not generated during earth-life, there can be no Peace
in the Beyond. The Soul will suffer, and must suffer,
not because a wrathful Deity claims vengeance, but
because Pain is the great cleansing Agent : the Soul
will suffer neither more nor less than is absolutely
necessary for its purification. Those who attempt to
avoid pain resemble naughty children who decline to be
washed. It is not desirable to abbreviate the pangs of
Purgatory: the flames must not be extinguished until all
the dross in us is consumed and only noble metal left.
As a rule, the painful process of purification takes
place after death, but those souls who are eager to
ascend the Ladder have the faculty of entering the
burning furnace while they are still in the flesh. The
voluntary descent into Hades for 3J days was the
Central part of the Ancient Mysteries : each Initiate
had to cross the Chamber of Fiery Ordeal. The Sacra-
ment of Extreme Unction was not conferred on poor
wrecks of humanity who drifted against their will
towards the dark shores : the Chrisma was administered
to those strong souls who, of their own free will, left
the flesh-pots of Egypt and went into the desert to be
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