AT THE BEGINNING OF THE ARTICLE IS A PICTURE IN SYMBOLISM which shows the lighted entrance to a tomb with the bright Star of Bethlehem above the raised Light is of a man with white wings, and a Lion’s head, and above the raised right hand are 8, 5 pointed stars, and above the Lion’s head is a golden key. In the left hand a sword with a golden handle is to be seen, and wrapped around this figure from the feet upward is a red serpent whose head reaches up and over the golden key, and in the centre of the key, but not over the lock. Three bowing figures are below the block on which the figure stands on an illuminated globe.
Now; this is the explanation of that picture which is entitled ‘Mithra’, (Quote) ‘At the pinnacle of the Divine hierarchy, writes Franz Cumot, and at the origin of all things, the Mithraic theology the heir of that Zervanitic Magi is boundless time. Sometimes they called it Saturnus, but he was considered ineffable, bereft alike of name, sex and passions. The figure signifies the inevitable victory of boundless time (eternity) over every creature and condition. In time all beings reach completion, in time all wrongs are righted, in time salvation is assured to all.
The head of the Lion signifies that the mortal concept of time is the despotic ruler of the animal or irrational creation; that its strength is supreme, and that it devours all the lesser powers which exist temporarily without it. The coils of the Serpent represent the motion of Heavenly Spheres through the Zodiac, which is shown by the Human Body. The golden key indicates that time is the key to the mysteries of existence.
The sword is the instrument by which the demon of man made time is slain, and his body divided into past, and future, while to the gods is given rulership of the everlasting now. The double set of wings signifies the flight of time through the inferior worlds of four elements. The 8 stars are the spheres upheld by time. The Dome of the Mithraic cave is ornamented with stars to typify the Universality of the Divine cult, and the radiant globe upon which the figure stands is the Universe. The resurrection of the figure from the darkness of the tomb reveals the ascension of boundless duration from the narrow limitations of the three dimensional world which is length, breadth, and thickness, which bow before the limitless aeon. (Unquote)