Manly P. Hall 
Melchizedek and the Mystery of Fire 

First published in 1926, “Melchizedek and the Mystery of Fire” by Manly P. Hall is an in-depth examination of the role that fire plays in religion, mysticism, spirituality, and human anatomy. Hall was born in Ontario, Canada in 1901 and moved to Los Angeles, California in 1919. He was immediately drawn into the world of mysticism and esoteric philosophies. A lifetime of studying, writing and lecturing on the arcane and spiritual had begun and Hall became an important and influential figure in the metaphysical movement that gained in popularity in the United States in the 1920s. Hall would go on to write over 150 books and articles and give countless lectures and classes. In “Melchizedek and the Mystery of Fire”, Hall turns his formidable intellect to exploring the relationship of fire to ancient religions, spirituality, and the human body. Hall shows the powerful allegorical significance and meaning of fire in ancient symbols, alchemy, free masonry, early mystical Christianity, numerology, and in eastern religious traditions. Fire is also important in understanding man’s relationship with nature, god, and one’s own inner spirit. “Melchizedek and the Mystery of Fire” remains a fascinating and thought-provoking study on the timeless and powerful symbolism of fire in human history.