from the time that felkin assumed leadership of the stella matutina, he came increasingly under the influence of the "sun masters", the fabled secret chiefs of the order, and other supposed adepts on the astral plane. having these supposed contacts reinforced his position as leader in the order. around 1908 he also claimed to have contacted an "arab teacher" called ara ben shemesh ("lion son of the sun"), one of the "sons of fire" inhabiting a near eastern "temple in the desert", who had been given special permission to contact and teach western students. his first contact with ara ben shemesh seems to be recounted in "a wayfaring man", which describes how a conversation between felkin and waite was interrupted by the appearance of a "shadowy presence". felkin called for harriet, who was clairvoyant, and she saw "a tall man in eastern dress, kuftan, galabieh, and turban. he has a smooth olive face, and large dark eyes." apparently this figure, described in the account as "the chaldean", was seeking someone to help in uniting eastern and western teaching. upon learning that he "believed in the lord jesus christ", felkin and waite agreed to collaborate with him.