Associate discourse 10

03/31/2011 7:23 am
Since the days of Aristotle, mankind has been striving to classify all substances living and
nonlivingon the face of the Earth. Yet, today, even science cannot furnish a satisfactory
classification for all the multitudinous objects in the world.
Martinists believe that a true classification can be reached by following nature, conforming to
her triadic pattern of mineral, vegetable, animal. But where are the demarcations between
vegetable and mineral? Between vegetable and animal? Between animal and man?
Let us first consider the difference between the vegetable and mineral kingdoms. The vegetable
kingdom includes all growing objects, originating directly or indirectly in the earth, multiplying
and reproducing either above or below ground. On the other hand, we consider objects to be of
the mineral kingdom if they have their source in the ground, are apparently passive, and cannot
reproduce themselves. Both have in common their close association with the ground; yet one has
movement and the other has not. The green vegetable shoot which grows or moves toward the
light has no counterpart among the mineral objects. Since the more abilities and powers a species
has, the more advanced it is in the scale of evolution, and it is correct to conclude that the
vegetable kingdom stands above the mineral in the realm of nature.
Let us pass next to a comparison of the vegetable and animal kingdoms. We have noted that the
vegetable kingdom possesses characteristics of growth, fructification, and reproduction. These
characteristics are also the possession of the animal kingdom. In addition to these common
characteristics, one has feeling and the other has not. The animal gives evidence of feeling not
only pleasure and pain but also fear and desire; but these are wanting in the vegetable. On the
basis of possessing more abilities and powers, then, the animal kingdom must stand above the
vegetable in the realm of nature.
Within the animal kingdom itself, man is essentially distinct because of his faculty of reason. As
animals and vegetables have certain characteristics in common, so do men and animals; yet the
additional abilities and powers possessed by man are so far in advance of those possessed by
other members of this kingdom as virtually to constitute man a kingdom in himself above the
other three.
The law of development, which Martinists call the great fourfold proposition, or Quaternary
Law, links all four kingdoms together in its four axioms. It is fundamental to the explanation of
all the kingdoms on Earth, the spheres of the spiritual world, and the constitution of man. It
provides man with the understanding whereby he may begin his journey out of the Forest of
Errors in which he finds himself. Briefly, this fourfold proposition is:

Axiom One: Evolution justifies the existence of all the kingdoms of the Earth.

Axiom Two: A definite correspondence exists between the kingdoms of the physical
world and the emanations of the spiritual world.

Axiom Three: From the lowest material manifestation to the highest spiritual emanation,
there is a continuous progression of characteristics and force.

Axiom Four: In all classifications, inverse proportion is the rule: The greater the number
of emanations or subdivisions, the less, proportionately, the life force in each and the
fewer the characteristics expressed.

So important to our progress is this Quaternary Proposition that we shall examine each of the
axioms in detail.
Axiom One states that evolution is the justification for the existence of all the kingdoms of the
Earth. In nature, it is clear that all the kingdoms of the material world grow, first, through
involution; second, through evolution. That is to say, there is a path of descent from unity to
multiplicity which might be termed disintegration; and there is a path of ascent from multiplicity
back to unity which Martinists call reintegration. In biology, the term involution is understood to
mean retrograde development, degeneration. It is the opposite of that biological process called
evolution, which is understood to mean the development of a series of lower forms into higher
ones. To Martinists, the two terms imply fall and rise. By mans fall, he moved from the centre of
Omneity in a series of descents, or downward progressions, which dissipated his original powers
although multiplying his extensions. In his rise, he will move from a multiplicity of weak and
feeble actions through reintegration back to Omneity, his true centre. This process of fall and rise
or involution and evolution is a continuous one and embraces the four kingdomsmineral,
vegetable, animal, and man. It operates by the laws inherent in itself and does not concern
Omneity directly.
Axiom Two embodies the law of correspondencesa fundamental one to all mystical students. It
is summed up in the familiar phrase, as above so below, meaning that the visible world is but a
reflection of the invisible and that the laws which operate there have their expressions here.
Likewise, it means that things terrestrial are counterparts of things divine. Consequently, the law
of analogy is everywhere used to demonstrate this fact. By analogy, even things dissimilar may
be made to serve as illustrations. Thus, the heart and brain are not similar; but in the doctrine of
correspondences, they may be considered analogousthat is, in philosophic anatomy their
functions are correspondent ones.
Axiom Three states that from the lowest material manifestation to the highest spiritual
emanation, there is a continuous progression of characteristics and force. Mystics have long
possessed the knowledge that all kingdoms of nature are related, above and below, by
progression or unbroken series. Between matter and the indefinable God, or Omneity, there are
infinitesimal gradations of energy; therefore, in the universe there are no two things alike. Nature
makes no duplicates. Progression exists from the lowest to the highest without boundary or
separation. Even the apparent gaps between kingdoms are found upon examination to be filled
with a continuous series. It is impossible, however, to know exactly all the characteristics of any
one of the terms or objects in this great stairway or progression, for such knowledge was lost
when man gave up his first status. Because he has lost all contact with the first of all of these
sources, he does not know the source or root of any one of this numerical series. This law of
progression or continuity applies equally to Beings that are above material status. In fact, Beings

in the spiritual spheres follow it with more exactness because they are not so far from the first
term or division of progression.
Axiom Four, which states that in all classifications inverse proportion is the rule, follows
logically as a result of Axiom Three. Since there is a continuous progression of characteristics
and force from the lowest to the highest, it must be clear that as the characteristics multiply, the
force decreases. In other words, the more a substance is subdivided, the less will the subdivisions
exhibit the powers of the original root. This law applies solely to the involution of creation. A
simple illustration will demonstrate this. The circle has long been a symbol of Omneity. Since a
circle is made up of 360 degrees, let us say that Omneity has 360 attributes. If, therefore, we
divide the circle in half, Omneity, which was one, now becomes two, each having only 180
attributes instead of the original 360. If we divide by four, there are four subdivisions or
classifications, but each exhibits only 90 attributes instead of 360. Thus, the farther from
Omneity we move by these subdivisions, the more numerous they become but the fewer
attributes of the original they possess. This is the rule of inverse proportion. This Quaternary
Law is a significant one, and its four axioms should be learned.
Summary

The Quaternary Law is to Martinists a fourfold law linking all four kingdoms together in
its four axioms. It is fundamental to the explanation of the kingdoms of Earth, the spheres
of the spiritual world, and the constitution of man. Its four axioms are:

Evolution justifies the existence of all the kingdoms of the Earth.

A correspondence exists between the kingdoms of the physical world and the emanations
of the spiritual world.

There is a continuous progression of characteristics and force from the lowest material
manifestation to the highest spiritual emanation.

The law of inverse proportion governs this progression: The greater the subdivisions, the
fewer the characteristics and the less the force in each.

Reference
A Brief History of the Martinist Order.

By sarumtheologian | Tagged Associate, discourse, Laws | Comments (0)

The Quaternary Law

07/29/2010 8:05 am
The Quaternary Law is fundamental to the explanation of the kingdoms of Earth, the spheres of
the spiritual world, and the constitution of man.

Its four axioms are:

Evolution justifies the existence of all the kingdoms of the Earth. All the kingdoms of the
material world grow, first, through involution; second, through evolution. That is to say, there is a
path of descent from unity to multiplicity which might be termed disintegration; and there is a
path of ascent from multiplicity back to unity which Martinists call reintegration.
A correspondence exists between the kingdoms of the physical world and the emanations of
the spiritual world.
There is a continuous progression of characteristics and force from the lowest material
manifestation to the highest spiritual emanation,
The law of inverse proportion governs this progression: The greater the subdivisions (number
of entities), the fewer the characteristics and the less the force in each.