The Hidden Church of the Holy Graal: Its Legends and Symbolism Considered in Their Affinity with Certain Mysteries of Initiation and Other Traces of a Secret Tradition in Christian TimesRebman, 1909 - 713 pages The reader who would reach to motives and inspirations, who would seek to understand the subtle and secret forces that have moved all history, it would be difiicult to name a work of greater interest or value than this. To the rarer reader who has come upon traces of an undying tradition--a Hidden Church or Wisdom--the book will be a very revelation. The Graal legend, even as it is known to the general reader, woven into the Arthurian epic, is one of rarest beauty and most profound meaning. But when its rich symbolism is revealed in full, the signicance of the great quest, in the which pure-miuded and self-sacricing valor is alone successful---the 'magnitude of meaning is made evident. Perhaps no other man living is so well fitted as Mr. Waite to approach this subject. Under the ruder methods of materialistic critics the delicate beauty and subtle meanings would be lost. Our author combines the grasp of scholarship with the sympathetic attitude and the deep-lying knowledge of hidden things. |
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Common terms and phrases
adventures antecedents Blanchefleur blood Book Britain Brons carried Celtic Celtic Church chalice chivalry Chrétien Chrétien de Troyes Christ Christian Church claim concerning connection consecration Conte del Graal Didot Perceval Dish Diu Crône Divine doctrine Dolorous Stroke elements enchantment Epiclesis Eucharist external Fisher King folk-lore follows Gautier Gawain Gerbert German cycle Graal Castle Graal legend Graal literature Greater Chronicles Guiot Hallows hand healing heaven hermit hero Holy Graal Holy Vessel hypothesis implicits Joseph of Arimathæa keeper King Arthur knight Lance later Lesser Chronicles Longer Prose Perceval maiden maimed King Manessier manifested manner Merlin metrical romance mystery mystic pageant Parsifal passed Pellehan Peredur poem Precious prose Lancelot Quest of Galahad question regards relics Reliquary respect Robert de Borron sacramental Sacred Vessel sanctity sanctuary Sarras secret words seems sense soul speak spiritual story Sword symbolism term texts therein thereof things tion tradition transubstantiation Welsh
Popular passages
Page 574 - Epistle. 1 Cor. x. 1. BRETHREN, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud, and in the sea; and did all eat the same spiritual meat, and did all drink the same spiritual drink; (for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them; and that Rock was CHRIST.) But with many of them GOD was not well pleased ; for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
Page 10 - Joseph, journeying brought To Glastonbury, where the winter thorn Blossoms at Christmas, mindful of our Lord. And there awhile it bode; and if a man Could touch or see it, he was heal'd at once, By faith, of all his ills. But then the times Grew to such evil that the holy cup Was caught away to Heaven, and disappear'd.
Page 135 - The appearance, instantaneously disclosed, Was of a mighty city - boldly say A wilderness of building, sinking far And self-withdrawn into a wondrous depth, Far sinking into splendour - without end! Fabric it seemed of diamond, and of gold, With alabaster domes, and silver spires, And blazing terrace upon terrace, high Uplifted...
Page 455 - And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid.
Page 11 - I saw the spiritual city and all her spires And gateways in a glory like one pearl— No larger, tho' the goal of all the saints — Strike from the sea; and from the star there shot A rose-red sparkle to the city, and there Dwelt, and I knew it was the Holy Grail, Which never eyes on earth again shall see.
Page 495 - I HAVE come to cast fire upon the earth, and what will I but that it be kindled?
Page 186 - ... their meaning nor their cause. Hadst thou done so, the king would have been restored to health, and his dominions to peace. Whereas from henceforth he will have to endure battles and conflicts, and his knights will perish, and wives will be widowed, and maidens will be left portionless, and all this is because of thee.
Page 163 - Domine, non sum dignus ut intres sub tectum meum : sed tantum die verbo, et sanabitur puer meus.
Page 100 - The ladder foot of heaven — where shadowy shapes In white apparel glided up and down! His home was like a garner, full of corn And wine and oil ; a granary of God ! Young men, that no one knew, went in and out, With a far look in their eternal eyes!