Scene 10: The Temple of the Mystic League. The admission of Thomasius

and others.

PERSONS, APPARITIONS, AND EVENTS

The spiritual and psychic experiences of the characters, sketched in this series of scenic pictures called 'The Guardian of the Threshold,' are a continuation of those which appeared before in my life pictures called 'The Portal of Initiation' and 'The Soul's Probation,' and are supposed to take place about fifteen years later than the occurrences in 'The Portal of Initiation.'

The three plays together form an organic whole.

In 'The Guardian of the Threshold' the following persons and beings appear:

I. Representatives of the Element of Spirit:

1. Benedictus. Leader of the Temple of the Sun and the teacher of a number of people who appear in 'The Guardian of the Threshold.' 2. Hilary True-to-God, Grand Master of the Mystic League, represented in a former incarnation in 'The Soul's Probation' as the Grand Master of a Mystic Brotherhood. 3. Johannes Thomasius, a pupil of Benedictus, sometimes called Johannes and sometimes Thomasius.

II. Representatives of the Element of Sacrifice:

4. Magnus Bellicosus, Preceptor of the Mystic League, known as Germanus in 'The Portal of Initiation.' 5. Albertus Torquatus, Master of the Ceremonies in the Mystic League, known as Theodosius in 'The Portal of Initiation.' 6. Professor Capesius.

III. Representatives of the Element of Will:

7. Frederick Trustworthy, Master of the Ceremonies in the Mystic League. The Reincarnation of the Second Master of the Ceremonies of the Spirit-Brotherhood in 'The Soul's Probation'; and known as 'Romanus' in 'The Portal of Initiation.' 8. Theodora, a Seeress, in whom the Element of Will is changed into a simple gift of prophecy. 9. Doctor Strader.

IV. The Representatives of the Element of Soul:

10. Maria, a pupil of Benedictus. 11. Felix Balde. 12. Dame Felicia, his wife.

V. Beings from the Spirit World:

Lucifer. Ahriman.

VI. Beings of the Element of Human Spirit:

The Double of Thomasius. The Soul of Theodora. The Guardian of the Threshold. Philia } The spiritual beings through whose agency the human Astrid } soul forces are connected with the Cosmos. Luna } The Other Philia, the spiritual being who hinders the union of the soul-powers with the Cosmos. The Voice of Conscience.

These spiritual beings are not intended to be allegorical or symbolic, but realities, who to spiritual perception are exactly like physical persons.

The following persons are the reincarnations of the twelve peasants in 'The Soul's Probation':

1. Ferdinand Fox. 2. Michael Nobleman. 3. Bernard Straight. 4. Francesca Humble. 5. Mary Steadfast. 6. Louisa Fear-God. 7. Frederick Clear-Mind. 8. Gasper Hotspur. 9. George Candid. 10. Mary Dauntless. 11. Erminia Stay-at-Home. 12. Katharine Counsel.

In 'The Guardian of the Threshold' the nature of the reincarnation is not to be regarded as a law holding good generally, but as something which can only happen at a turning-point of time. Hence, for example, the incidents of Scene 8 between Strader and the twelve others are only possible at such a period. The spiritual entities taking part in this play are by no means to be considered as merely allegory or symbol. For any one who recognizes the spiritual world as reality, the beings there exist, just as much as physical men in the sense-world, and as such they may be portrayed. Spiritual beings do not have human form, as they are bound to have upon the stage. If the writer of these psychic incidents in pictures considered these beings to be allegories, he would not have represented them in the way he has done.

The systematic arrangement of the characters into groups (3 × 4) is not intentional or in the original plan of the play; it is a result--by way of afterthought--of the incidents, which are sketched out quite independently, and fall naturally into such a division. It would never have occurred to the author to include it in the original plan; but it may be permitted to cite it here as a result.

The scheme of stage decoration is in accordance with the planetary signs shown in Dr. Steiner's Lecture on Occult Seals and Symbols. In