The story of unfolding of the esoteric tradition in the Western Hemisphere is told, beginning with the rites and mysteries of the Mayas and Aztecs. Parallels are drawn between the miracles of the North American Indian medicine priests and those of the wonder workers of India. Also included: an account of the Incas of Peru and their possible contact with Asia. Space is devoted to the riddle of Columbus, the role of Lord Bacon in organizing the English settlements in America, and the contributions of the German mystics through the Pietists, Mennonites, Dunkers, and Quakers. The American Revolutionary period and important personalities of that time are examined, as are the Latin American patriots such as Simon Bolivar, Miguel Hidalgo, and Benito Juarez.

Manly P. Hall (1901-1990) founded the Philosophical Research Society in 1934, a non-profit organization dedicated to the dissemination of useful knowledge in the fields of philosophy, comparative religion and psychology. In his long career, spanning more than 70 years of dynamic public activity, Mr. Hall delivered over 8000 lectures in the United States and abroad, authored over 150 books and essays, and wrote countless magazine articles.

Many of Mr. Hall's lectures have been transcribed and are available as pamphlets; others were taped live, and the audio recordings are available on CD's as well. He is perhaps best known for his 1928 classic, "The Secret Teachings of All Ages," an encyclopedia of the world's wisdom traditions and symbolic disciplines.

Today, younger generations are re-discovering the works and words of Manly Hall, finding that the material he put forth so many years ago is still relevant and useful today. Mr. Hall's hope for humanity was to learn from the greatest minds of all times so that we may solve current problems - both in society and in the individual - today.