Did Jesus have any teachers?

After the festival, and at the time when his beloved young friend was about to depart from them, the Romans made an inroad on Persia's borders, which threatened war. 

Persia had no desire for war and its government despatched an embassy of chiefs to Rome. 

This presented a good opportunity of securing a safe company for young Jesus on his journey. 

His fame had at this time been spread abroad over all Persia, and not only so, but he was also known in India and in many places in Lower Asia. 

The night before he left Persia, Jesus expressed a desire to once more visit the grove that he might meet with those from whom he had received so much, not only of the treasures of knowledge and spiritual riches, but for gifts of this world's goods, earnestly longing also to be present once again at the descent of the High and Holy Messenger.

It was a night when there was no meeting held. 

The whole of the community met once monthly and the three Chief Magi thrice weekly. 

The nights and the hours of the meeting had remained unchanged for centuries and the days and the hours were all set apart for various exercises. 

By this means, they avoided jars and established quietness and due regularity in their worship. 

Notwithstanding, they met that night.

Unbending, as was their character in the matter of customs, they scrupled not to alter them to honour this great and gifted youth. 

Had Hafed, old and experienced, as he was at the time, asked such a favour—had even the King of Persia himself sought for it, it would assuredly have been denied. 

But even the spirits seemed to be working mightily, for they did not have the slightest doubt that notwithstanding their irregular assembly, the great and glorious Spirit of the Flame would descend on the altar and speak to them.

They met at the altar, and there, with their heads buried in the dust, they awaited the coming of the angelic messenger. 

The flame from the sacred oil rose brighter and brighter, but that flame was quickly dimmed by the appearance of the Shining One whose effulgence eclipsed even that of the sun at noonday. 

Hafed and those who were with him knelt with their heads bent in the dust around the altar while Jesus alone stood up to adore the High and Holy God. 

Why thus bend your heads in the dust? 

Stand erect and be men. 

Are ye not noble beings made in the image of God? 

It had always been their custom to prostrate themselves before the altar of the grove, but at Jesus' bidding, they stood up. 

Here was another law broken in Persia. 

Hafed and his two brethren now came forward and took their place beside their young friend when the voice of the angel was heard—

O ye magi of Persia, servants of the great God—ye who were honoured to be the chosen ambassadors of heaven to welcome the birth of the Prince, bearing our gifts to the feet of the holy child—ye who have succoured him and taught him that which he should know, fulfilling your mission to the very letter—look on him now before he leaves you!

On turning to obey the voice of the messenger, they were awestruck by the sight that met their dazzled eyes. 

The Prince had become equal in brightness to the Shining One of the Flame. 

Hafed had seen him many times with a halo of light around his head, but now the glory of his whole person exceeded all Hafed had ever witnessed. 

Their wonder was great. 

The Angel of the Flame bent over him. 

A voice, but not the voice of the angel was heard and each one treasured up the sacred utterances.

After this, the Spirit of the Altar took his place in the Flame when each one bent the head in reverence. 

He thanked them in the name of the great Spirit, for all that they had done. 

He then presented them with a small and curiously-formed casket, which he took from beneath the altar where it had lain concealed and said that the contents were to be devoted to the poor of Persia in return for their services to the Chosen One who was now about to leave them. 

Hafed opened the casket, which he thought he had seen before, and lo! there lay a heap of glittering metal before their wondering eyes.

The question will arise in many minds—

Why should the Heavenly One bestow gold on mortal men? 

There was a good reason for it. 

At all times, it is a hard matter to get those who are distressed in the body to listen to the voice of him who endeavours to instil truth, but at this time, on account of several bad harvests and the inroads of the Romans who had laid waste many homesteads, there was great distress existing amongst the poor families in Persia and this gift could not have been bestowed at a more needful time. 

It gladdened their hearts, for they could now go forth to their poor brethren with greater freedom, having in the one hand food for their famishing bodies, and in the other nourishment for their souls.

After giving thanks to the bright Angel of the Fire, they engaged in prayer on behalf of him who was now beside them that he might be shielded from the dangers of the coming journey—now that his student life was about to close that he might be directed and strengthened for the great mission on which he had been sent.

At the close of their supplications, on looking up, they beheld beside the altar the form of Hafed's venerable friend, the Old Egyptian Priest, clad in flowing white robes. 

As they gazed on the holy visitor, with feelings of awe and wonder, he smiled on them, and lifting up his hands, he blessed them. 

He then pointed to a place right beneath the Altar of Fire where they observed a small chest. 

Hafed was directed to open it, and on doing so, the precious gold with which it was filled was poured out. 

Hafed was then told to close it again and give it to their young friend. 

He looked at Hafed and said—

Have you seen this chest before? 

At once, it flashed on Hafed's memory that he had seen it when they were assembled with the brotherhood in their little temple in India. 

They had their attention drawn to it where it stood at the corner of the altar under the dome in the centre of the hall. 

Hafed remembered that an old priest had told them that the chest was to be given to One who was to come. 

But how did it come here? 

It must have been brought by spirit power. 

Hafed had emptied it of its contents, but being told to open it again, he found it full of gold! 

Jesus needed money for travelling to his own country and here was the needed supply—although for that matter, he did not require it, for frequently in their journeys, they travelled on very easy terms, but although gifted with power in an extraordinary measure, Jesus always, except on rare occasions, followed the ordinary way of things.

After the delivery of the chest to Jesus, the blessing of fire streamed down on each by which they received new vigour, new life. 

As they stood around the sacred altar, the bright One of the Flame held up his hands, and from the spirit fingers, there flowed forth on all like, as it were, tongues of fire [Sacred Living Fire], and for the time being, they felt young again. 

The Sacred Living Fire has this peculiarity about it—it can be used to convey spirit messages—or desires to the individual with whom the spirit wants to communicate, as if it were a living being. 

This emanation of the spirit—this magnetic current, when poured out in force on the head conveys the message of the spirit. 

You hear, as it were, a voice speaking to you. 

This blessing was poured out upon them each night before the departure of the Angel of the Fire. 

The bright Angel once more ascended to the regions of light and love and Hafed's old and venerated friend went with him. 

Hafed, Prince of Persia—His Experiences in Earth Life and Spirit Life