The Ways of the Lonely Ones: A Collection of Mystical Allegories (1925) by Manly P. Hall is a series of stories written to bring the truths of the world to the reader's heart, rather than merely to their intellect and reason. These eight tales tell the stories of seemingly ordinary people whose mystical experiences change the course of their lives and guide them to deeper truths.
In the introduction, Hall writes, "Every individual who comes into the world is a Lonely One-a stranger in a strange land." The "Lonely Ones" of these stories are united in their search for greater understanding, as are the readers.
In "Nature's Homage," Manly tells the tale of the Old Man of the Mountain, the "hermit of the mighty peaks." This man's deep connection with nature leads him to care for the mountain animals, and in return they care for him, bringing him food. He shares his story with a youth who comes to the mountain to hunt, leading the young man to foreswear hunting forever and to take responsibility for the creatures of the mountain when the hermit is gone.
"The Maker of Gods" shares the story of a potter who is blessed with the ability to mold gods from clay, which then come to life and go home to their Father. As word spreads of his great deeds, the potter is visited by many who come to watch him work. He explains, "'From the clay of the earth and all things earthy must man mold the gods of his dreams; from the sticks and stones which surround him he must form the wings to bear aloft his innermost ideals.'"
The story of "The One Who Turned Back" reveals a pure and generous philosopher who stands at the curtain between humankind and immortality after a long life of toil and care for his fellow creatures. He is told he need no longer struggle in the mortal darkness. Instead, he can step into a greater Light with "new worlds to conquer, new duties, new sorrows and a fuller understanding." But called back to the world by the broken heart of humanity, he must choose between this higher plane and returning to help those still in despair.
In "The Guardian of Light," a pilgrim wanders the earth for many years seeking an answer to the riddle of life. Spying a Light shining high atop a high peak, he climbs to the top where he finds an old man draped in flowing robes. The old man holds a mysterious flame, but he is weary. He shares the truth of the Light with the pilgrim, who chooses to relieve the old man of his burden and free him to hold his greater Light among the stars. But the task is a weary one, and the pilgrim must pass through failure and despair before he can truly hold the Light.
Manly P. Hall was just 21 years old when he wrote this impressive collection of allegories. Just three years earlier, he had moved from his native Canada to Los Angeles, where he quickly became a preacher at the Church of the People. This self-educated spiritual and mystical leader embarked on a 7-decade career of lectures, writings, and scholarship to share the truths of the greater universe. He wrote over 150 books and essays throughout his life, and gave a lecture at Carnegie Hall that set an attendance record in 1942.
In the 1930s, Hall founded the Philosophical Research Society in Los Angeles, dedicated to the study of metaphysics, religion, and mythology. Throughout his lifetime, he traveled extensively and collected many works of philosophy to add to its library. Still in operation today, the PRS has a substantial library of over 50,000 volumes.
