298 ROSICRUCIANCOSMO-CONCEPTION
The Original Semites were the fifth and most important
of the seven Atlantean Races, because in them we find the
first germ of the corrective quality of Thought. Therefore the
Original Semitic Race become the “seed-race” for the seven
races of the present Aryan Epoch.
In the Polarian Epoch man acquired the dense body as
an instrument of action. In the Hyperborean Epoch the vital
body was added to give power of motion necessary to
action. In the Lemurian Epoch the desire body furnished
incentive to action.
The mind was given to man in the Atlantean Epoch to
give purpose to action, but as the Ego was exceedingly weak
and the desire nature strong, the nascent mind coalesced
with the desire body, the faculty of Cunning resulted and
was the cause of all the wickedness of the middle third of
the Atlantean Epoch.
In the Aryan Epoch Thought and Reason were to be
evolved by the work of the Ego in the mind to conduct
Desire into channels leading to the attainment of spiritual
perfection, which is the Goal of Evolution. This faculty of
Thought and of forming Ideas was gained by man at the
expense of loss of control over the vital forces—i.e., power
over Nature.
With Thought and Mind man can at present exercise
power over the chemicals and minerals only, for his mind is
now in the first or mineral stage of its evolution, as was his
dense body in the Saturn Period. He can exercise no power
over plant or animallife. Wood and various vegetable
substances, together with different parts of the animals, are
used by man in his industries. These substances are all in the
final analysis chemical matter ensouled by mineral life, of
which thebodies in all the kingdoms are composed, as