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The Christian Connection

This isn’t just faith or a random divine act—it’s the result of careful preparation by mystical experts who understood sacred science, now lost to mainstream theology. The long-awaited outcome arrived: the “second Adam” emerged from the flaws of the first. Not just in visions, as before, but in a real, historical person. The divine word became flesh in this prototype of regenerated humanity. The spiritual principle, with its pure essence, merged with human nature, transforming it and creating a lasting bridge between the divine and fallen humanity. Through one person came spiritual “death” (unawareness); now, through another, came resurrection. In Adam, all lost true being; in Christ, all could be revived and restored.

With this pivotal event, the pre-Christian science of regeneration stepped back but didn’t vanish. The universal regenerator fulfilled and expanded existing methods, making a once-secret doctrine available to everyone, at least basically. He promised to draw all people to him, using his life’s story as a guide that even the simplest could follow to achieve renewal. No longer needing isolation, deep philosophy, or forced mystical experiences, everyday life—viewed through a new lens of inspiration—became the path to divine knowledge. The world itself became a sacred space, and a simple narrative like the New Testament served as the guide for initiation.

Hermeticism used magnetism: a skilled guide would induce a trance to awaken the subject’s inner light. Similarly, the universal regenerator magnetically influences those who accept his guidance, subtly transforming their inner essence. Christianity, in essence, is universalized Hermeticism—diluted for all levels of understanding, simple for beginners, profound for the advanced. Even basic calls to “conversion” echo the Hermetic “separation” of senses from spirit. Church rituals, like laying on hands or sacraments, preserve traces of this magnetic work—what is transubstantiation if not alchemical transformation?

Christian doctrine uses metaphors that align with Hermetic ideas: Christ “at the right hand of the Father” means he became the divine agent for regeneration. “Judging the quick and the dead” refers to an ongoing separation of vital from harmful energies in our being. A hand has been raised over humanity, drawing us toward unity with the divine will.

This magnetic influence shines in lives fully devoted to Christ, like St. Francis or St. Teresa. Their experiences—purifications, “dark nights of the soul,” and emergence into divine light—mirror Hermetic processes. Though expressed in Christian terms, they achieved the same inner transformation, absorbing divine grace that even altered their physical bodies, as seen in stories of incorruptible relics or glowing auras.

As Atwood notes, the most devoted alchemists compared their work to the Gospel, seeing it as a foundation for Christian beliefs. If Hermeticism promised a “philosopher’s stone,” Christianity offers a “white stone” to those who overcome. For an alternative path, see John of Ruysbroeck’s The Book of the Sparkling Stone.

The Lesser Side: Physical Alchemy

We won’t dwell on alchemy’s secondary aspect—transforming physical metals—as it’s less central. Popular views dismiss it as primitive chemistry, mocking attempts to make gold. Some of that ridicule is fair, aimed at greedy charlatans. But genuine Hermetic practitioners did succeed in such experiments, as this book shows.

Scholars debate alchemy’s nature: some see it as early chemistry, others as pure religion with chemical terms as metaphors. One writer calls it “universal development,” applying evolution to metals and hinting at human potential. Another views it as mysticism applied to the physical world. Hitchcock’s book argues it’s moral and religious, not about metal transmutation.

These views conflict and fall short of Atwood’s deep understanding. She saw alchemy as philosophy—the pursuit of inner wisdom. It’s a vital chemistry that ferments the human spirit, purifying and dissolving it into new life and awareness. The philosopher’s stone is the essence of that life, a concrete light. The process occurs in the body, reversing blood’s flow to awaken inner vitality.

Atwood clarified: Alchemical terms like salt, sulfur, mercury refer to vital principles, not borrowed from common chemistry but the reverse. True alchemy originated as spiritual transformation; physical alchemy was a later offshoot, sometimes a misuse. High truths often degrade when exposed—white magic turns black, sacred myths become jokes, gnosis becomes rigid theology.

Physical alchemy betrayed secrets from Hermetic practices, like trance-induced insights allowing molecular changes in matter. All things share a life-germ, encrusted differently. Purifying lead’s germ could advance it to gold, as fakirs accelerate plant growth. But true Hermeticists focused inward, not on physical wonders, which were mere sidelines.

Alchemical writings used baffling codes to hide knowledge from the unworthy, serving as personal reminders or guides for fellow seekers. No standard decoding works; understanding comes from grasping the universal, not piecing together details.

Final Thoughts

This book is truly suggestive, humbly offered by Atwood despite her mastery. She distrusted her era’s readiness, suppressing it soon after publication. Seventy years later, much has changed: her predicted societal upheavals have unfolded, confirming her foresight. She envisioned a shift away from modern methods toward ancient wisdom, where Hermeticism—the mother of sciences—would reveal greater truths.

To that end, this reissue invites physicists, psychologists, philosophers, and theologians to reconsider ontology: truth isn’t evolving externally but eternal and internal. Modern pursuits of outer knowledge fail; the kingdom of truth lies within.

Books have fates, and this one’s reemergence aligns with a world rebirth, breaking from old ways into a new dawn.

Walter L. Wilmshurst
Gledholt, Huddersfield
February 1918

*Note: An Alchemical Society in London (1913–1914) studied texts but showed only academic interest, missing the vital, practical essence. It soon dissolved.

A Modern Inquiry into the Hermetic Mystery

Contents

Part I: An Overview of Alchemy’s History and Theory

Chapter 1: Introduction to Hermetic Philosophy
This chapter traces the history of Hermetic philosophy and alchemy, drawing on the best historical sources. It highlights key works by ancient and modern writers, exploring their evidence for alchemy’s claims, such as transforming metals into gold.
Page 3

Chapter 2: The Theory of Transformation and the First Matter
Explores the logical basis for the possibility of transformation, with definitions from thinkers like Albertus Magnus, Thomas Aquinas, Roger Bacon, Raymond Lully, Arnold de Villanova, and Synesius. It describes the core material of alchemy and suggests connections to the ethereal nature of light.
Page 72

Chapter 3: The Golden Treatise of Hermes Trismegistus
Presents one of the oldest and most respected works of alchemical philosophy, the Golden Treatise, in seven sections. It summarizes the entire art and method of creating the philosopher’s stone, with explanatory notes drawn from related texts.
Page 105

Part II: A Deeper Look at the Hermetic Art and Its Secrets

Chapter 1: The True Focus of Hermetic Art
Reveals the hidden core of Hermetic practice, describing the unique “vessel” used by alchemists to capture and concentrate nature’s universal spirit. It explains how, when, and where this spirit can be redirected to manifest its power, outlining the Hermetic process.
Page 143

Chapter 2: The Ancient Mysteries
Examines early initiation rites to show the limits of natural life and understanding, and the methods used to overcome them. It connects alchemy to mesmerism and other ancient practices.
Page 181

Chapter 3: The Mysteries Continued
Describes the intense trials and disciplines that the vital spirit undergoes during physical regeneration, moving from the dominance of the ego through a symbolic death to a new life and awareness.
Page 202

Chapter 4: The Mysteries Concluded
Explores the ultimate goal of these initiations: achieving a pure, perfect state where the human spirit merges with its divine source, unlocking its full potential.
Page 233

Part III: The Principles and Conditions of the Hermetic Experiment

Chapter 1: The Experimental Method and the Philosophic Subject
Details the methods of Paracelsian alchemists and others, revealing how they conducted experiments to uncover the hidden light that forms gold. It explains how to cultivate and multiply this light through ethereal processes until it becomes tangible.
Page 271

Chapter 2: Analyzing the Initial Principle and Its Growth into Light
Delves into the metaphysics of alchemy, drawing on Greek philosophers and Kabbalists. It traces the journey of consciousness through stages of purification and dissolution, culminating in a transformed, radiant state.
Page 324

Chapter 3: Manifesting the Philosophic Matter
Explains how, when, and where nature’s invisible spirit is made visible through a vital distillation process, gaining the power to infuse its radiant essence and align with the universal life of nature.
Page 371

Chapter 4: Mental Requirements and Challenges in Hermetic Practice
Discusses the qualities needed for success in Hermetic art, both for teachers and students, along with practical guidance on tools, timing, and environments best suited for the work.
Page 417

Part IV: The Practice of Hermeticism

Chapter 1: The Vital Purification, or the Gross Work
Outlines the ancient methods for dissolving the vital essence and removing its flaws, along with rational techniques to draw out the spirit’s hidden light and amplify it.
Page 453

Chapter 2: The Philosophic or Subtle Work
Offers theoretical insights that lead to a practical understanding of Hermeticism’s deepest secrets, showing how reason follows a three-part method to verify and magnify the causal nature of existence.
Page 481

Chapter 3: The Six Keys of Eudoxus
Explores the most guarded secrets of Hermetic philosophy, including the multiplication and projection of the philosopher’s stone, its rewards, properties, and applications.
Page 500

Chapter 4: Conclusion
Summarizes the philosophy, its methods, relationships, and promises, comparing it to modern beliefs and practices.
Page 541