,,the ,,new ,,avatar and ,the ,destiny of the ,soul ,,the ,,findings ,,of ,,natural ,,science ,,reduced ,,to ,,practical ,,studies ,,in ,,psychology ,by ,,jirah ,d4 ,,buck1 ,m4,d4 ,author of ,mystic ,masonry1 ,a ,study of ,man1 ,christos1 ,the ,genius of ,freemasonry1 ,constructive ,psychology1 ,the ,lost ,word ,found1 ,browning's ,paracelsus1 and other ,,mss4 ,,second ,,edition #aiaf ,,indo-,,american ,,book ,,company 7,not ,inc47 #egje ,,south ,,boulevard ,,chicago ,,ill4 ,,copyright ,,stewart ,,kidd ,,co4 #aiaa ,entered at ,stationers' ,hall1 ,london1 ,england ,all ,rights ,reserved ,,to ,,the ,,great ,,friends ,,the ,,helpers--,,visible ,,and ,,invisible--,,whose ,,deepest ,,motive ,,and ,,highest ,,aim ,,are ,,to ,,encourage1 ,,uplift1 ,,and ,,inspire ,,those ,,who ,,need2 ,,that ,,all1 ,,at ,,last1 ,,may ,,stand ,,together ,,in ,,the ,,midst ,,of ,,the ,,radiant ,,splendor ,,of ,,eternal ,,truth ,,contents ,,foreword xi ,,introduction xvii ,,section ,,one ,,studies ,,in ,,psychology ,i4 ,,classification ,,of ,,faculties1 ,,capacities1 ,,and ,,powers #c ,,ii4 ,,empirical ,,and ,,scientific ,,evidence #i ,,iii4 ,,mediumship1 ,,seership1 ,,and ,,hypnosis #ah ,,iv4 ,,the ,,measure ,,of ,,values #bi ,v4 ,,summary ,,and ,,conclusions #ej ,,vi4 ,,the ,,cross ,,in ,,religion ,,and ,,the ,,crux ,,in ,,science ,,with ,,the ,,great ,,work ,,in ,,america #fh ,,vii4 ,,the ,,modulus ,,of ,,nature ,,and ,,the ,,theorem ,,of ,,psychology #ic ,,section ,,two ,,the ,,new ,,avatar ,,of ,,natural ,,science ,,viii4 ,,our ,,indebtedness ,,to ,,ancient ,,india #aaa ,,ix4 ,,hero ,,worship ,,and ,,folklore #acf ,x4 ,,corroborative ,,evidence #adf ,,xi4 ,,conceptions ,,and ,,portents ,,of ,,an ,,avatar #aea ,,xii4 ,,portents ,,of ,,the ,,present ,,time #afd ,,xiii4 ,,the ,,separable ,,soul ,,in ,,folklore #aga ,,xiv4 ,,from ,,confusion ,,to ,,construction #aia ,,xv4 ,,the ,,science ,,of ,,psychology ,,as ,a ,,knowledge ,,of ,,the ,,human ,,soul #bjh ,,xvi4 ,,the ,,new ,,avatar #bah ,,notes #bbc ,,foreword ,the reader who is willing to give the following pages a careful reading1 and a courteous hearing1 is entitled to know the basis of study1 observation or experience from which the suggestions1 inferences and conclusions proceed1 in order that he may fairly estimate their value4 ,at the age of seventy-two1 my egotism is at least softened by the discovery of the many things ,i do not know2 and my dogmatism1 so far as it ever existed1 is equally relaxed by the realization that it is a bar to light and knowledge1 which rest so largely on demonstration4 ,for more than forty-five years ,i have been engaged in the active practice of medicine with consultations extending over three ,states4 ,for an equal length of time ,i have lectured in ,medical ,colleges1 fifteen years on the subject of ,physiology1 an equal number on ,therapeutics 7including ,pathology and ,histology71 and for the last fifteen years on ,psychology1 ,mental and ,nervous ,diseases1 and all this time with a large ,college ,clinic from the poorer classes4 ,from first to last1 my ,study of ,medicine has been generically and specifically a ,study of ,man1 physical1 mental1 ethical1 and psychical4 ,outside of ,medicine as a ,calling or a ,profession my real interest has been to unravel the nature of man1 grasp the problem of human life1 and to apprehend the nature1 laws1 and destiny of the human soul4 ,my library covers a rather continuous thread from #aedc1 and the time of ,paracelsus1 to ,profs4 ,james1 ,ladd1 ,lombroso1 ,sir ,oliver ,lodge1 and ,mnsterberg4 ,my reading dips into the ,sacred ,books of the ,east1 the records of the ,past1 and particularly the psychic phenomena of different ages1 finding at last the ,constructive ,theorem clearer than anywhere else in the ,school of ,natural ,science1 from the fact that it is demonstrably cognizant of all preceding work1 and definitely conforms to the strict demands of ,science--,physical1 ,mental1 ,ethical1 ,psychical and ,spiritual1 and proves to be the very thing for which ,i have searched for nearly half a century4 ,the foregoing statements are not made to force credulity nor to assume authority4 ,they simply mean--,this is how1 and where1 and how long1 ,i have been searching1 largely1 also at the bedside of the sick1 the deranged and the dying2 from the first breath of the little one that comes-- ,out from the shore of the ,great ,unknown ,weeping and wailing and all alone1 to the death-damp and the last sigh of the aged2 in one case at nearly one hundred and four years4 ,once ,i found an old lady of eighty1 dying4 ,the death-damp on her brow2 the death-rattle in her throat2 the chin dropped1 and no pulse at the wrist4 ,she had a wayward son who had been promised due notice of any change1 and he had been sent for4 ,speaking distinctly in her ear ,i called her back2 the motive being the grief of her son at not bidding each other good-bye4 ,the response was immediate4 ,the rattle in her throat ceased4 ,the pulse promptly returned4 ,the mouth closed4 ,then ,i said--open your eyes1 which she promptly did with a gentle smile4 ,you are not going to do it1 ,i said4 ,no1 she replied4 ,the son soon came in and received his mother's caress and blessing4 ,at the same hour on the following day1 she passed peacefully to the beyond1 dying of old age4 ,had it been a crisis in disease1 she might have recovered4 ,as a psychic phenomenon ,i never saw anything just like it4 ,had ,i before doubted the existence of a separable soul1 it would have ended all doubt4 ,from the magnetic border of the ,great ,divide with a sufficient motive1 ,i literally called her back4 ,the evidence of the concreteness1 and wholeness and self-awareness of the ,individual ,intelligence1 functioning in and through1 and separable from the physical body1 was complete4 ,no other explanation or conclusion would fit or cover the case at all4 ,had ,i been clairvoyant and able to see the entity1 it would have been another link in a chain whose sequence pointed all one way4 ,but even here ,i was not without a witness4 ,in another case1 an old lady was dying4 ,a ,platform ,lecturer 7,mediumistic7 was present and described1 incidentally1 what she saw4 ,she was a good1 clean1 ignorant woman and only controlled on the ,platform4 ,she described a vapor emanating from the body1 as the death-damp increased1 and outer awareness failed4 ,this vapor seemed to adhere together until it stood near the head1 rounded and nearly reaching the ceiling4 ,then the spirit form passed out from the top of the head1 was inclosed in the ball of vapor1 and together they floated away4 ,i found that she had never heard of the ,auric-egg nor read a page of the old ,eastern philosophy1 and yet she had accurately described1 step by step1 what the ,masters for ages declare occurs at death4 ,science is the careful observation1 demonstration and record of ,facts1 their orderly grouping or classification1 and the logical and sequential conclusions resulting therefrom4 ,it is not a matter of opinion and belief1 nor dogma and denial1 no matter how large1 respectable1 and sincere may be the army of the dogmatists4 ,take these suggestions and conclusions--my friend--for what you think them worth1 since now you know how far they have grown from experience and the love and search for the simple ,truth4 ,the temptation to quote and annotate from many authors is very great1 but the material is so abundant that one scarcely knows where to begin1 where to end2 and as the address is solely to the reader of average intelligence1 and argument is eliminated as far as possible1 many quotations could do little more than confirm opinions1 and would extend beyond the limits designed by the author1 or the brief space and popular form more desirable for the average reader4 ,repetitions in the text seemed unavoidable for the reason1 that at every phase of the subject ,i have continually to regard the ,individual1 and that aggregate called ,society2 the inner conscious life of one1 and the associate elements and conditions regarding the many1 and from different viewpoints4 ,man1 the ,individual1 is like a wheel within a wheel1 the larger circle being ,humanity as a whole4 ,nor does the thought or concept stop here4 ,there is the relation of the ,individual ,intelligence we call ,,man to the ,universal ,intelligence we call ,,god1 which as related to ,nature is ,in ,all1 ,through ,all1 ,over ,all1 and ,above ,all4 ,not an ,absentee ,god1 but ,illuminant within and without revealing itself in what we call ,love and ,law4 ,here in brief ,i rest the case and proceed to the evidence4 ,,introduction ,in ,a ,study of ,man1 and the ,way of ,health1 first published twenty-one years ago1 as a general outline for my classes of ,medical ,students1 to enable them to grasp the real problem of life1 and to emphasize the ,study of ,man1 as basic in the ,study of ,medicine1 the following epitome was placed in the ,preface4 ,the cosmic form in which all things are created and in which all things exist is a ,universal ,duality4 ,involution and ,evolution express the two-fold process of the ,one ,law of ,development1 corresponding to the two planes of being1 the ,subjective and the ,objective4 ,consciousness is the central ,fact of ,being4 ,experience is the only method of knowing4 ,therefore1 to ,know1 is to ,become4 ,the ,modulus of ,nature1 that is1 the ,pattern1 after which she everywhere builds1 and the ,method to which she continually conforms is an ,ideal1 or ,archetypical ,man4 ,the ,perfect ,man is the anthropomorphic ,god4 ,a living1 potential ,christ in every human soul4 ,two natures meet on the human plane1 and focalize in man4 ,these are the ,animal ,ego and the ,higher ,self4 ,the one1 an inheritance from lower life4 ,the other1 an overshadowing from the next higher plane4 ,the ,animal ,principle is ,selfishness4 ,the ,divine ,principle is ,altruism4 ,however defective in other respects human nature may be1 all human endeavor must finally be measured by the principle of ,altruism and must stand or fall by the measure in which it inspires and uplifts ,humanity4 ,the highest tribunal is the criterion of ,truth1 and the test of truth is by its use and beneficence4 ',,by ,,their ,,work ,,ye ,,may ,,know ,,them4' ,superstition is not ,religion2 ,speculation is not ,philosophy2 ,materialism is not ,science2 but true religion1 true philosophy and true science are ever the handmaids of ,truth1 and will at last be found in perfect harmony4 ,after more than twenty years of continuous and careful study since the foregoing was written1 ,i must still confirm and emphasize these basic propositions to-day4 ,the attempt is herein made to apply them more particularly to the study of ,psychology4 ,to add to what was then discerned and designated as the ,modulus of ,nature1 an exact and comprehensive ,theorem of ,psychology4 ,i am well aware how presumptuous this would in certain quarters be considered1 if there were the least probability that those in authority would read these pages at all4 ,the motive is involved in the modulus1 and ,i am quite content to leave it there1 while the common people1 it is hoped1 may find herein1 as ,i have found in the search for more light1 encouragement1 inspiration1 and hope4 ,and these may lead to ,understanding4 ,it is the farthest possible from my thought or wish to ignore or belittle the labors of earnest students and writers on ,psychology4 ,but there is a habit of conservatism in ,physical ,science to-day1 that in spirit and effect differs very little from ,dogma and ,orthodoxy in ,religion4 ,it concerns methods rather than results4 ,it is generally incredulous through fear of being over-credulous4 ,it is bound by tradition1 or the records of the past1 and its dogmas are deductions from the consensus of opinions1 rather than decrees in councils or ,infallible ,popes4 ,occasionally a ,scientist1 like ,sir ,oliver ,lodge1 seems to be utterly rid of both credulity and incredulity1 and for these1 ,science really means-- the ,facts of ,nature1 demonstrated1 classified1 and systematized4 ,but for the ,common ,people1 the average intelligent student1 for whom ,science and the pursuit of ,knowledge is not a ,profession1 but a desire to know1 and to understand1 in order to be able to use wisely and well1 it is of far less importance to know what others think or believe1 deny or affirm1 on the subject of ,psychology1 than to realize what are the faculties1 capacities1 and powers of their own souls4 ,knowledge for the sake of knowledge1 like ,art for ,art's sake1 is one thing1 ,knowledge for use in daily life1 and for illuminating its pathway and revealing the purpose and destiny of man1 is something different indeed4 ,this hunger of the individual soul for real knowledge is perhaps the most patent ,sign of the ,times4 ,the average intelligent individual has broken away from the traditions of the past1 and yet found nothing to take their place4 ,one result is empty churches1 and the race for wealth1 display1 position1 and power4 ,increased idleness begets dissipation1 ,paresis and ,insanity increase1 while wasted opportunity both shortens and embitters life4 ,a very large number of intelligent men and women realizing all this1 and repelled by the almost contemptuous conservatism of so-called ,science1 swing to the side of credulity1 and are robbed and exploited by charlatans4 ,they believe the ,truth ought to be forthcoming1 and their intuitions and demands1 though oft leading to sore disappointment1 deserve a better fate4 ,it is for these1 and for these reasons1 that these pages are written1 and with no other hope of fame or reward4 ,the demand is everywhere for ,knowledge of the soul4 ,facts there are in abundance1 but how far these facts are demonstrated1 so as to constitute a basis of exact science1 and how to classify and systematize them1 the average intelligence does not know4 ,the ,psychical ,scientist claims to know1 and undoubtedly does know1 but he busies himself almost exclusively in gathering and verifying more facts4 ,when asked by the average intelligence1 ,what does it all mean8--the answer is1 ,ah6 there's the rub4 ,wait6 ,some day we may know4 ,the simple fact is that the ,scientist is bewildered1 while the theologian and the dogmatist appeal to ,faith without ,knowledge1 and invoke miracle as in all past times4 ,spiritualism has had its day and left an immense body of facts1 while ,mediumship and the dark circle are more often repudiated by intelligent professed ,spiritualists4 ,satisfied as to conscious existence after death as a fact1 they have learned how generally unreliable are many messages from departed friends1 owing to conditions beyond their control2 while the effect of surrender to so-called spirit-control contributes to neither health nor a well-balanced mind or character4 ,hypnotism maintains a precarious hold1 simply through juggling with the words1 ,suggestion and ,hypnosis4 ,the professional hypnotist1 yielding as he must to the public fear and condemnation of ,hypnotism1 advocates ,just a little of it6 under the false title ,suggestion1 for the good it is claimed to do in such cases as the drink and drug habit4 ,as though a little further weakening of the will1 would ultimately tend to restore and strengthen it6 ,one is reminded of the baby in ,pendennis4 ,the ,mother hoped the ,lord would forgive her1 because it was such a little one6 ,even the leaders in the ,emmanuel ,movement have deceived themselves by this sophistry1 and while they applaud the temporary results1 they seem unaware that they are still further weakening self-control and real character1 by dominating the ,will4 ,it is thus that ignorance1 confusion and unrest1 like waves of ocean1 ebb and flow in the great human tides4 ,through impatience and discouragement alone1 many give up the quest for knowledge as hopeless1 and while too well-balanced to drift into dissipation1 they suffer from ennui and become pessimistic4 ,real knowledge will not come all at once1 like a vision1 or a complete revelation4 ,the first real ,light that comes will be that of ,faith1 a term generally misunderstood and misused4 ,faith is the complete antithesis of blind dogma and superstition4 ,it is born within the soul1 and never imposed by outward authority enforced by fear4 ,faith is the soul's intuitive conviction of that which both reason and conscience approve4 ,to give intellectual assent to belief in ,god is one thing2 to be able to declare with light and warmth that uplifts and inspires1 ,i know that my ,redeemer liveth is another thing entirely4 ,the impatience above referred to would see the end from the beginning1 and know all about the development and destiny of the soul before it has learned the first lesson that guides and determines both4 ,when1 however1 ,science and ,religion clasp hands1 and the facts of nature guided by the light of ,faith1 build character and guide progress1 there is revealed a ,philosophy of ,life that needs little revision4 ,it is like the compass that points continually to the pole1 and gives unqualified assurance as to the direction we are going4 ,so also every step in the past enables us to get our bearings and verify our course by checking backward4 ,faith is no longer a blind dogma1 but a compass in the box of experience1 the wise mariner's guide in the voyage of life4 ,if neither ,science1 ,religion nor ,philosophy1 nor all together can thus come to the service of man1 can not do it now1 after all the weary centuries since ,plato and ,aristotle1 we may as well write qui bono on our banners and trail them in the dust6 ,even the theologies of the day1 recognizing the dilemma and the difficulties1 still cling to the miraculous1 and to make the best of a bad bargain1 offer dogma in the place of demonstration1 and contradictory and blind belief in place of the light of ,faith4 ,while they count thousands as nominally in their communion1 the intelligent among all these have many mental reservations4 ,the intelligent thought of the world flows past and beyond them4 ,the ,soul's intuitive conviction agreeing with both reason and conscience holds and guides them1 in spite of the verbal confession of faith4 ,the ,divinity of ,jesus1 the ,christ1 can be fully explained under natural and divine law1 without invoking miracle4 ,the result of such explanation is to dethrone him from the altars of dogma and superstition1 and enthrone him on the altar of ,love in the heart of ,humanity4 ,this is long delayed1 but cannot be defeated4 ,,studies ,,in ,,psychology ,,chapter ,i ,,classification ,,of ,,faculties1 ,,capacities1 ,,and ,,powers ,starting with the ,modulus of ,nature--an ,ideal or ,archetypal ,man1 and coming down to practical things in daily life-- #a4 ,man is an ,individual ,intelligence4 ,this is taken as an empirical fact1 patent to every intelligent individual4 ,the source and nature of intelligence itself need not here concern us4 ,we may call it an ultimate that all the philosophies of the world have signally failed to explain4 ,it is something that grows1 increases or decreases1 expands1 becomes confused1 according to the conditions of bodily organ and function1 heredity1 environment1 personal effort and the like2 but so far as we know1 it is the same thing1 large or small1 wise or foolish4 ,it is still1 measure for measure1 ,individual ,intelligence4 #b4 ,the term ,individual means distinct1 concrete1 relatively separate4 ,man being an ,individual ,intelligence2 ,god is the ,universal ,intelligence4 ,just as the organism of man is involved in1 and evolved from ,universal ,nature2 so the ,intelligence of man is involved in1 and evolved from ,universal ,intelligence4 ,the empirical fact of the intelligence of man presupposes a sufficient reason or source4 ,still we do not know what ,god and ,nature and ,intelligence are4 ,we only know how they manifest4 ,our intelligence enables us to observe1 reflect1 reason1 and in some measure apprehend the method and manifestation4 ,i am not seeking to build nor unfold a ,philosophy4 ,yes1 someone replies1 but a philosophy is implied or involved4 ,very well1 let it unfold itself4 #c4 ,the next empirical fact of prime importance is1 ,the ,individual ,intelligence1 not of man1 but which is man1 is aware of itself1 i4e41 self-conscious4 ,it is able to distinguish between the self and the non-self4 #d4 ,again1 as to consciousness1 as with intelligence3 ,we know that man has it and uses it1 and what it does to some extent2 but we do not know what it is1 intrinsically1 nor do we need to know any of these ultimates4 ,the effort to explain them has never ended in anything but confusion4 ,we shall herein name them1 and then pass them4 #e4 ,we have now postulated a self-conscious1 ,individual ,intelligence1 as the real man4 ,next we find this ,man can do things1 or refrain from doing2 act1 or refrain from action4 ,this is called ,initiative1 ,volition1 ,will4 #f4 ,this power of action and of choice1 inspired by intelligence1 aware of the self1 adapts actions to ends4 ,this involves reason and judgment4 #g4 ,in the course of experience along the lines of action or restraint1 and observing results in either case1 the individual desiring or preferring certain results to others1 acquires more or less self-control4 ,he controls himself to secure desired results4 ,here then1 in brief outline1 are the basis and the elements of our ,psychology4 ,they are drawn from common observation and experience1 and are verified by the facts of daily life--generally complicated1 confused1 or lost sight of in treatises on psychology4 ,two of these factors1 viz43 ,consciousness and ,will1 enter into all psychological phenomena such as ,hypnotism and ,mediumship1 and into every form of mental alienation1 insanity1 obsession and the like4 ,moreover1 by building out of mental phenomena a distinct entity--largely independent of the self-conscious ,intelligence1 and almost equally so with consciousness--our philosophies1 metaphysics1 and explanations have become as confused and unreliable as the psychical phenomenon itself4 ,hudson's so-called ,law of ,psychic ,phenomena1 ,subliminal and ,supraliminal ,consciousness1 and the juggling with the terms suggestion and hypnosis may serve as sufficient illustrations4 ,in each instance phenomena are made to take the place of principles and the core of the problem is ignored1 confused1 or lost sight of4 ,in the meantime these empiricists are hunting in the rubbish of the temple 7which temple they have metaphysically destroyed71 for the ,human ,soul--i4e4 the concrete1 intrinsic ,individual ,intelligence1 which is ,,one1 and which the ,master ,builder 7,universal ,intelligence7 placed on the ,trestle-board of ,creation and ,time1 for the building of character1 and the evolution of the ,human ,soul4 ,if the ,ideal1 ,archetypal1 or ,divine ,man1 is recognized as the ,modulus of both ,nature and ,divinity1 our ,theorem must consist in adhering to the ,modulus and working out the problem4 ,q4 ,e4 ,d41 if applied to man's completion of his own individual ,temple1 might stand for the last words of ,jesus1 ,it is finished1 ,the problem is solved2 ,i have finished the ,work ,thou gavest me to do4 ,science1 ,religion and ,philosophy have clasped hands4 ,divinity revealed in ,humanity is triumphant over ,death4 ,there is a ,natural 7physical7 body and there is a ,spiritual body1 and the ,individual ,intelligence is ,,one in each1 or in both2 viz43 ,the ,human-,divine ,soul4 ,to recognize the ,modulus and intelligently to apprehend the ,theorem is the foundation and the first step in the scientific solution of the problem of life1 and the progressive and continuous evolution of the human soul4 ,to use the term ,science 7as applied to the study of psychology7 in any other way1 is pure empiricism1 is wholly unscientific1 and has never yet resulted in anything but confusion and in laying a foundation for belief1 conjecture1 theory1 dogma1 superstition1 and fear4 ,the step of next importance1 both in the scientific study of psychology and in individual progress and evolution1 is the mental attitude of the individual2 his point of view2 his open-mindedness and utter refusal to prejudge anything4 ,he will often say1 ,i do not know4 ,he will sometimes say1 ,i do not care4 ,that phase or presentation does not appeal to1 nor interest him4 ,this is what the ,vedic philosophers called1 making the mind one pointed and like a search-light1 with the ability to concentrate it on a given point or subject4 ,bias1 prejudice1 preconceived opinion1 credulity and incredulity1 are all like a crooked lens to the eye of the mind1 or to the perception of the simple truth4 ,not only are these principles basic in the scientific study of psychology and the evolution of the individual intelligence1 but their neglect and oversight are solely responsible for the confusion everywhere manifest on the subject1 as well as for every form of subjective control1 mediumship1 psychical epidemics1 and obsession1 and they enter into every form and phase of insanity4 ,if this be true1 and it is readily demonstrable1 what subject is of equal importance2 and what facts and considerations are so transcendent as these8 ,the difference is that between a mad-house with its frenzied and frightened mob of helpless victims1 and a palace of the gods in which dwelleth ,righteousness1 ,love1 ,peace1 and ,eternal ,joy4 ,is it not worth while8 ,this ,modulus and ,theorem of the ,school of ,natural ,science involve ,religion1 ,regeneration1 ,redemption1 and the well-being of ,souls here and hereafter4 ,they separate ,religion from ,superstition1 ,duty from ,dogma1 cast out ,fear1 release the wings of aspiration and faith2 and where the mourners went about the streets is heard a new song of rejoicing that binds up the wounds and sorrows of the brokenhearted4 ,again ,i ask1 ,is it not worth while8 ,,chapter ,,ii ,,empirical ,,and ,,scientific ,,evidence ,let us bear in mind that man is an ,individual ,intelligence2 that this involves self-consciousness1 or awareness of ,self1 the innate ability to distinguish between the ,self and the non-,self4 ,hence arises the power of choice1 discernment1 or discrimination4 ,there also arises the impulse to act1 or the ,initiative1 called the ,will4 ,this also involves the power of restraint1 the act or the refraining from action4 ,this action1 under the basic endowment--intelligence--is called ,rational ,volition4 ,there is thus1 ,intelligence2 the ,power to choose2 the power to act and the adaptation of acts or restraints to ends1 or to desired objects or results4 ,experience teaches the individual1 thus endowed1 that he is responsible for all he thinks1 feels1 acts and does2 and this1 under his endowment of ,intelligence1 is what we call ,conscience4 ,we are not building up a theory1 but simply analyzing psychological facts1 demonstrated as true in the experience of every intelligent individual4 ,just as the chemist analyzes a compound he finds in his laboratory4 ,our ,modulus is the ,perfect ,man4 ,our ,theorem is the method of use that1 by experience and observation everywhere1 has been demonstrated as ,constructive1 enabling the ,individual to build toward1 and to realize the ,modulus4 ,the power to discriminate1 choose and act1 when normally exercised1 implies judgment and understanding4 ,hence1 we have perception1 rational choice1 intelligent action and desired results1 for which we recognize our personal responsibility4 ,hence arise our ability and necessity to review our actions1 motives1 aims and their results1 and to pass judgment upon them in the ,light of ,conscience 7,con-,science1 to know the ,self7 to pass judgment upon ourselves as to motives1 aims1 results1 and consequences4 ,the ,brain is a center of consciousness with avenues of perception and impulse and departments that by aggregation1 separation or association1 enable the ,individual ,intelligence to determine the relation in time1 or duration1 force and orderly relation of perceptions1 desires1 motives1 actions 7or thoughts and feelings7 as to sequence or results4 ,this whole conscious realm is the ,mind4 ,it is the inner chamber of the ,soul4 ,it is in no sense an entity4 ,the actor1 the real entity1 is the ,individual ,intelligence4 ,to say1 therefore1 that ,man is all mind1 or that the mind does this1 or that1 is simply nonsense4 ,it is like saying that the little room in which ,i am now writing1 with its books and pictures1 with my thoughts1 feelings1 emotions1 and magnetism1 is ,i6 ,perhaps it is like me1 or full of me1 but ,i am something else and something more4 ,let us get rid of this confusion of tongues2 this babel of ,psychology2 ,new ,thought 7as old as man72 ,metaphysics2 ,christian ,science et hoc genus omne1 and come down to common sense and the facts of nature4 ,the aim and the results along these lines are often good and helpful2 then why clothe them in the garb of absurdities8 ,recognize the facts1 and express them intelligently1 and they may do ten times more good1 for then we could understand them4 ,they are1 one and all1 a weak dilution of the old ,hindoo ,yoga1 thrashed over there for thousands of years2 straining after results1 while ignorant of1 or ignoring basic principles4 ,aside from the ,eight ,systems of ,philosophy now recognized in ,india1 there are hundreds of varieties and classes of ,yogis4 ,to acquire powers is one thing2 self-mastery and self-knowledge are quite another4 ,thus the one is often distorted and always transient2 the other constructive1 regenerative1 and enduring4 ,to illustrate by contrast what ,constructive ,psychology1 or the building of character1 is not1 we may now take some of the forms of diseased action known to all time1 occurring in individuals and in epidemics1 and which to-day fill our ,insane ,asylums with ,incurables4 ,the point of first importance in all these cases1 is the lack of self-control4 ,weakness1 aberration or disease of the ,will4 ,the ,individual ,intelligence fails to exercise its divine prerogative and be ,master in and of its own house4 ,in the place of this control1 sensations1 feelings1 emotions1 desires1 appetites1 passions1 and ambitions run riot4 ,the ,servants of the ,master war among themselves1 quarrel with each other1 bind the ,master hand and foot1 wreck the furniture1 and at last destroy the house4 ,the ,master has become the victim and at last the slave of his own servants4 ,his ,will is in abeyance2 his perceptions distorted2 his feelings and emotions aggravated2 his ,reason ,dethroned2 his judgment impaired2 he has an ,unbalanced ,mind4 ,what is here needed but ,christos in the ,temple1 turning over the tables of the money-changers and the seats of them that sold doves1 and restoring the ,high-,priest in the ,holy ,temple--the ,human ,soul1 viz43 the intelligent ,will of ,man1 determined to govern his own house1 and responsible for results8 ,in place of ,rational ,volition1 clear1 just and true perceptions1 sound judgment and clear understanding1 we have ,illusions1 ,hallucinations and ,delusions4 ,in other words1 the ,individual is ,insane6 ,it all goes deeper than the ,mind2 the ,soul1 the ,individual ,intelligence is dethroned in his own ,kingdom2 ,body1 ,mind1 and ,soul are out of joint4 ,not only does this condition exist without being recognized2 not only just here lies the whole secret and field of ,education in child1 woman and man1 but so ignorant are thousands as to these patent facts and basic principles1 that they covet and strive after this confusion1 this devolution1 in the vain search for knowledge1 light1 and truth4 ,these are the office1 the function and the result to the subject 7or victim7 of ,mediumship and ,hypnotism4 ,they yield the ,will1 the mastery of their own house1 to another4 ,the servants may be tractable for a while1 but an alien is seated upon the throne1 and the ,master is no longer ,king in his own realm4 ,others may indeed learn something from his undoing1 from the crimes committed upon him1 just as we learn from criminals how we ought not to live4 ,whether ignorantly1 voluntarily1 by persuasion1 or by force of a stronger will1 the medium and the hypnotic subject are victims either of ignorance or of design1 to their own undoing4 ,these psychical experiences have been found in all ages and among every people of whom we have any valid history1 from the red ,indians of the ,north to the ,voodoos of ,africa1 and from the ,hill ,tribes of ,india to the earliest ,scandinavian ,tribes and the islands of the sea4 ,as civilizations advanced1 the more intelligent and unscrupulous individuals1 ambitious of knowledge or power1 regardless of the rights or well-being of others1 and discovering these powers1 exercised them for their own aggrandizement4 ,this has been known through the ages as ,black ,magic1 and is laughed at to-day by so-called ,scientists as nothing but the fears1 credulity1 and superstitions of the ignorant multitude4 ,this was the core of ,egyptian ,paganism1 and is the very genius of ,clericalism to-day--the domination of the ,individual ,will1 through superstition and fear4 ,owing to seismic and cataclysmic shocks1 volcanic eruptions1 tidal waves1 and great epidemics of disease1 whole peoples have been dominated by fear or frenzied by superstitious dread1 so that whole villages and cities became literally mad-houses1 and were often depopulated4 ,read the story of ,peter1 the ,hermit1 and ,the ,crusades1 the ,black ,death1 the ,great ,plague that swept over ,europe in the ,thirteenth century2 or that of the ,flagellants1 and the ,dancing ,mania1 where whole villages became ,dancing ,dervishes1 samples of which may occasionally be found to-day in the cities of ,america1 the ,yogis that are ,buddhas or ,christs in ,new ,york1 and the ,dowies that were ,elijahs in ,chicago1 the ,genius of ,point ,loma1 ,obispo1 ,santa ,rosa1 ,oahspe1 ,solar-,biology1 and again1 et hoc genus omne6 ,verily6 there is nothing new under the sun4 ,contrast these individuals with an individual of sound mind1 good judgment1 and a well-ordered life1 and see how and where and why the wreck inevitably follows4 ,the pressure outside changes continually1 and these things spread and grow like all contagions4 ,nature at times seems wrathful and destructive1 and there are1 no doubt1 deep-seated conditions and changes in the magnetism of the earth and air1 not yet comprehended by modern science4 ,in stamping out contagious and epidemic disease1 simple cleanliness has been like a revelation from the gods1 and modern surgery has only stopped short of the miraculous4 ,society is but the aggregation of individuals1 and on the one principle of ,self-,control every individual is related to the negative or the positive side of psychical and physical epidemics4 ,there is scarcely an avenue along these lines that has not been more or less explored by modern science4 ,that knowledge is still incomplete2 that mistakes have been made2 that matters have been contemptuously set aside1 belittled1 or declared to be not worth investigation1 was to have been expected4 ,but the progress has been immense1 and the light shines on many obscure and difficult problems1 where before was the utter darkness of superstition and fear1 dirt1 degradation1 and death4 ,these phenomena manifest on the physical plane1 disturb the social state1 and the relations of individuals to each other4 ,they concern the environment of man in a world of matter1 sense1 and time4 ,but the ,individual ,intelligence1 which is ,man1 lives also in another world1 related to1 but within1 around1 and beyond the physical4 ,man senses or feels it as anterior to birth and extending beyond death4 ,he calls it the subjective or ,spiritual ,world4 ,the realm of his consciousness is related to it1 as the body is related to the physical plane and the things of sense and time4 ,his consciousness seems aware of both planes or both worlds1 though ignorant of the real nature and meaning of both1 and capable of interpreting neither correctly4 ,man feels his way through the life on the outer plane guided by his experience of weight1 measure1 distance1 resistance1 and the like4 ,the other world--the inner1 or subjective--seems distant1 evasive1 and unreal1 and in contemplating it he is filled with uncertainty1 dread1 fear1 and superstition4 ,our friends die and disappear2 we miss them1 and mourn for them4 ,where are they8 ,what will become of us when we die8 ,shall we ever meet them again8 ,passing by religion and revelation1 as we are dealing with facts and phenomena in the natural life of man1 rather than with creeds and dogmas that undertake to cut the ,gordian ,knot1 these questions stare everyone in the face1 and in every age man has tried to solve them by actual knowledge4 ,belief in ghosts1 angels and demons is practically universal2 and just here comes in the whole range of psychical phenomena1 facts and fantasies1 illusions1 hallucinations and delusions1 rational volition1 reason dethroned1 and the ,will in ,subjection1 already referred to4 ,as individual experiences1 subjective or objective1 all are real4 ,the fear incited by illusions and hallucination1 or by seeing a ghost1 regardless of the fact of its actual existence1 is as real to the individual as that of meeting a serpent in the grass1 or a tiger in the jungle4 ,soothsayers1 diviners1 prophets1 mediums1 conjurers1 and seers consequently have been found in every age and among every people4 ,ignorance1 fear1 dread of death1 desire to know1 have always provided them with patrons1 followers1 or disciples4 ,they have often reaped a rich harvest1 and not unfrequently dominated a race or a people1 as the ,papacy does to-day4 ,where they have failed to create belief1 they have often triumphed through fear and anathema1 and often supplemented these weapons by persecution1 imprisonment1 torture1 and death1 and so held sway4 ,revelation begs the question2 dogma forces the conclusion2 and both dominate the soul without convincing and without knowledge4 ,,chapter ,,iii ,,mediumship1 ,,seership1 ,,and ,,hypnosis ,into this arena of the inquiring soul of man1 came ,modern ,spiritualism4 ,it contained little or nothing new1 as to methods1 aims1 or results4 ,the ,church1 ,protestant and ,catholic alike1 uttered their warnings1 called it dealings with the devil1 but divested of political authority and without power to arrest or persecute1 as in the past1 were unable to stay the tide4 ,it swept the country like a whirlwind4 ,the average individual1 desiring to know and to get tidings from departed friends1 was unrestrained and unterrified4 ,he could not see why1 if the gates were really ajar1 angels might not communicate1 no less than devils4 ,then came the cry of fraud1 often amply justified1 and a cloud of uncertainty and unreliability settled over the phenomena generally4 ,unscrupulous men and women seeing their opportunity1 sophisticated and exploited it1 and exposures of these became common4 ,but in spite of all this1 there remained facts1 and groups of phenomena impossible to explain away4 ,finally1 men like ,crookes and ,wallace took up the subject and investigated the phenomena1 not from the emotional1 expectant1 or fraternal aspect1 but from the purely scientific1 and rendered their verdict1 which1 though frequently ignored or treated with contempt1 remains practically unaltered4 ,thousands became convinced of the fact of life beyond the grave1 and at the same time of the unreliability of many so-called communications4 ,finally the ,society for ,psychical ,research was formed2 phenomena were searchingly examined1 verified1 and recorded as a basis for further research4 ,the posthumous work of ,f4 ,w4 ,h4 ,myers1 ,human ,personality and its ,survival of ,bodily ,death1 added to the ,society's records and many other publications a record of verified facts in psychic phenomena such as never before existed1 and which nothing short of a cataclysm can destroy4 ,in the meantime1 the dark circle went into desuetude1 and ,spiritualism1 as a cult1 declined4 ,accepting the broad conclusion of a life after death1 and with no very clear demonstration as to exactly where1 or how1 the case rested largely4 ,the reason for this obscurity was to be found in the absence of clear conceptions as to the nature of the human soul1 and what life on the spiritual plane really signifies4 ,in other words1 the foundation was laid empirically to await classification and conclusions in a comprehensive ,philosophy of ,psychology1 consistent with a science of the soul2 and there it remains to-day with the average individual1 and the average man of physical or psychical science4 ,returning now from this brief excursion into the social status1 to the problem as related to the mental1 moral1 and physical health of individuals1 and bearing in mind our ,modulus of ,man1 and ,theorem of ,constructive ,psychology1 we find the annals of ,spiritualism1 ,mediumship1 or subjective control1 of exceeding importance4 ,another plane of life exists4 ,individuals on either plane communicate with the controlling entity on the supra-physical plane4 ,the ,medium is invariably subjective and controlled4 ,he has no choice of controls1 and often no knowledge 7never reliable knowledge7 as to who or what controls him4 ,he is sometimes informed by his guide as to the control's identity1 and learns1 often1 that he and his circle have been deceived by ignorant or lying spirits4 ,the whole process reverses our ,modulus and ,theorem of ,constructive ,psychology1 the building of character and normal evolution4 ,the most important consideration at this point is its relation to the sanity of individuals4 ,there are thousands of individuals to-day1 who1 failing in rational volition1 or self-control1 are controlled by entities on the subjective plane4 ,they are obsessed4 ,this subjective control without the knowledge or consent of the victim1 and unrecognized and generally called absurd by ,alienists and experts1 constitutes a very large per cent1 of the insane to-day1 and because ignored or unrecognized1 these cases are classed as ,incurable4 ,it should be remembered that the annals of ,spiritualism1 and the records of scientific ,psychical ,research1 have demonstrated the possibility and the fact of such control4 ,it should also be remembered that the average expert alienist is guided solely by results of such obsession1 where it occurs2 that he is blind to causes1 liable to exclude or taboo obsession1 and therefore largely liable to err4 ,in other words1 he is prejudiced2 and his bias and incredulity blind him to the facts and to the real causes4 ,he could hardly be expected to make the obsession let go1 while denying that it exists4 ,but he might help the victim gain ,self-control if he but recognized the facts and knew how4 ,realizing the fact of the connection of the two worlds1 the physical and the spiritual1 and communication between them in the subjective or irresponsible way1 the question naturally arises1 ,is there not another way of communication8 ,may not the ,individual ,intelligence on the physical plane communicate with the denizens of the spiritual plane at his own volition1 independently8 ,may he not learn to see and hear them without attempting1 or desiring to control them1 more than he does his associates1 his friends and neighbors on the physical plane1 or allowing them to control him8 ,is it not purely a question of fact1 and of scientific demonstration1 to be determined by experiment8 ,this question leads us to another phase of psychology and the records of the past4 ,there have been ,seers1 ,clairvoyants1 and ,clairaudiants in all ages4 ,unlike the psychical phenomena already referred to1--and belonging to the positive and initiative1 rather than the negative and subjective side of the psychical equation1--these seers have been fewer in number1 and are always individuals showing a high degree of self-control1 and of intellectual and moral evolution4 ,admitting the general propositions involved1 it can readily be seen that this must be so from the very nature of the case4 ,the ,masters of mankind1 in any and all directions have been few4 ,the slaves1 through ignorance1 superstition and fear1 have been legions4 ,those who have gained habitual self-control1 and finally self-mastery1 knowledge and power1 have been few2 while the majority have been controlled by their own appetites and passions1 and by other individuals4 ,this self-mastery and higher evolution also includes another element beside strength of character1 and that is1 ,refinement4 ,in other words2 it is1 from first to last1 a journey from the gross and sensuous physical plane1 toward the refined and spiritual plane1 involving all the faculties1 capacities1 and powers1 feelings1 sensations1 emotions1 intuitions1 and aspirations of man4 ,it is1 in short1 a normal1 higher evolution4 ,all the elements of this higher evolution are basic and innate in the original endowment of man4 ,by exercise1 the latent faculties1 capacities and powers grow1 expand1 and develop4 ,self-control1 rational volition1 and the sense of personal responsibility1 7conscience7 make the evolution conformatory to the ,modulus--the ,perfect ,man4 ,as this human being1 dwelling on the physical plane1 evolves1 the spiritual faculties of the ,divine ,man are involved from the spiritual plane4 ,when this simultaneous and co-ordinate development is complete1 the ,human and the ,divine are at-one in the ,individual4 ,this at-one-ment is the exact opposite of vicarious4 ,it is the result of personal effort and self-mastery4 ,the dogma of the church has so completely sophisticated it as to turn normal evolution into devolution2 and1 so far as it has any effect1 or is operative at all1 to turn man backward toward the animal1 instead of upward toward the ,divine4 ,seership and ,spiritual powers1 therefore1 as the result of ,living the ,life1 are ,evolutionary4 ,mediumship1 subjective control1 and obsession in any form1 or in whatsoever degree1 are ,devolutionary4 ,progress along either line may be very slow1 but the trend is as opposite as is the ,east from the ,west1 as ,light from ,darkness1 as ,good from ,evil4 ,by classifying these powers of man and psychical phenomena to which they give rise1 whether in the conscious1 inner realm1 in functions of the bodily organism1 or observable to others1 we are able to assign each to its proper class with considerable accuracy4 ,both evolutionary and devolutionary progress1 with the ordinary individual1 are slow processes4 ,seldom is either process a designed and straightforward climbing1 or a quick descent into the dark abyss4 ,consequently1 as the human race evolves as a whole1 relatively more and more individuals are found who get flashes of sight or sound1 more or less from the subjective or spiritual plane of being4 ,there are intuitions1 warnings1 and premonitions of coming events4 ,some seek and cultivate1 others fear and avoid them4 ,they are mostly on the border-land1 if not on the ragged-edge of insanity4 ,it is only necessary to further weaken the will1 or to indulge the passions and emotions1 in order to decide the matter1 derange the mind1 and send the individual to an asylum4 ,on the other hand1 with individuals who lead a clean1 cheerful1 well-ordered life1 these experiences may mean encouragement1 confirmation1 and progress toward the spiritual realm of being4 ,they should be observed carefully1 but not cultivated4 ,they may serve as guide-posts and as mere incidents of a day's journey4 ,the average popular cult to-day1 as often in the past1 where psychical phenomena are involved1 results in converting the normal mental realm1 the realm of normal self-consciousness1 into a vaudeville performance2 a mere ,variety ,show1 where all due sense of proportion and relation is lost4 ,in place of the normal ,individual ,intelligence1 sitting serenely on the throne of life and ruling his ,kingdom with justice1 wisdom and paternal love1 the king joins the melee of acrobats and dancing girls1 encourages the orchestra till1 in a pandemonium of revelry1 he puts out the lights1 or in wild frenzy fires the building4 ,sometimes it claims to command success by demanding it2 or wealth without earning it2 or health without regard to hygienic law2 or by taking a ,mantram to open the gates of heaven4 ,or again1 by servile obedience to the freaks or dogmas of a ,leader or ,official ,head and adulation ad nauseam1 to gain admission to the ,elect4 ,one and all of these1 from first to last1 tend toward ,devolution4 ,they are destructive1 not constructive1 in building character and true manhood and womanhood4 ,again1 the ,monk or the devotee abandons society1 becomes a recluse1 flees into the desert or the mountain1 subsists upon roots or herbs1 sits in one posture till the joints of the body become fixed1 holds the arms above the head till they become immovable1 and the finger nails turn and grow through the palms of the hands2 or sits gazing at the navel and repeating the word ,om4 ,indeed1 it would seem that the ways and means to stop normal growth1 constructive evolution and healthy living1 had been well-nigh exhausted4 ,the enthusiast1 the fanatic and the easy mark of to-day are seldom aware of any of these things1 and so they are bled1 fleeced1 and exploited accordingly4 ,all is ,mind6 ,great is ,elijah6 or ,mrs4 ,elijah1 and ,oahspe is his ,prophet6 while ,babel reigns in the place of ,natural ,science4 ,the ,theosophical ,movement inaugurated in this country by ,h4 ,p4 ,blavatsky in #ahge1 differed essentially and radically from all others2 first1 in placing ethics as the first stone in the foundation of a real knowledge of the nature of man4 ,its objects as concisely stated at the time were-- ,first3 ,to establish a nucleus for a ,universal ,brotherhood of ,man4 ,second3 ,to study ancient religions1 philosophies and sciences1 and determine their relations and values4 ,third3 ,to investigate the ,psychical ,powers latent in ,man4 ,hospitality to ,truth from any source and under any name1 was characteristic of the movement during the entire lifetime of the ,founders4 ,dogma was eliminated1 ,authority beyond facts and demonstrated truth denied1 and ,superstition regarded as only another name for ignorance4 ,while the facts and the demonstrations of ,science were recognized1 and given the largest hospitality1 nevertheless1 the ,secret ,doctrine and1 in a broad sense1 the whole movement was an effort to present to modern times1 and particularly to the ,western world1 the most ancient and pure philosophy of old ,india1 the ,vedanta or ,wisdom-,religion4 ,an immense work of rejuvenation has gone on in ,india1 particularly in the establishment and maintenance of ,schools for ,girls1 and in the relief of poverty and discouragement of the teeming millions4 ,an immense literature was created1 not yet appreciated1 except by students here and there1 who found light1 explanation1 and encouragement in their studies of the mysteries of ,nature and of life4 ,since the death of the founders of the ,society1 in this country at least1 only a few branches and fragments of the original organization now remain4 ,leaders and ,official ,heads often wholly ignorant of the ,philosophy1 which colossal egotism and exploitation could hardly supply1 have brought the very names ,theosophy and ,brotherhood into contempt and ridicule in many sections4 ,as some of these official heads are still in evidence1 final results cannot now be formulated1 and need not be here considered or forecast4 ,the evidence is not all in4 ,personally1 ,i desire to record my great indebtedness and highest appreciation of a noble life and a magnificent work accomplished by one of the most remarkable and unselfish women known to history1 and for the light and knowledge which she made accessible1 and which ,i still hold1 practically unchanged1 but with the theorems of ,natural ,science1 in place of the postulates of ,philosophy as better fitting the progressive intelligence of the present time4 ,the two lines of presentation when clearly apprehended are not antagonistic1 but supplementary4 ,their aims and purpose are the same4 ,,chapter ,,iv ,,the ,,measure ,,of ,,values ,this is a very utilitarian age4 ,start almost any subject1 propose almost any scheme1 adventure1 or investment1 and the question is asked1 ,will it pay8 ,the multitude are cautious2 the lower stratum1 the unsuccessful--the poor and the oppressed--are envious and often bitter and resentful2 the successful are often reckless1 dissipated1 and proud4 ,i am not writing an essay on ,economics1 but on ,ethics and ,psychology2 on the character1 value1 and use of the resources within ourselves2 our real possessions4 ,here only may be found actual values4 ,i am not considering the hereafter1 as to rewards and punishments2 what gods1 devils1 angels1 or men may do to us1 here or hereafter2 but what we may 7if we choose7 do for ourselves4 ,this question is practical to the last degree4 ,put the question1 does it pay8 and ,i answer3 ,it pays like nothing else on earth2 it is the only thing that is independent of time1 place1 or circumstance4 ,it concerns man's actual possessions1 of which nothing in the three worlds can ever dispossess him4 ,i know of nothing so beneficent1 in any concept of ,god or ,nature1 ,providence or ,destiny1 as this birthright and opportunity of man1 to build character1 and be what he chooses to be4 ,he who knows his power1 realizes his opportunity and utilizes his resources1 may build a ,palace of the ,soul1 in which he may dwell1 literally1 in a kingdom of heaven4 ,and because ,god is the ,architect1 and ,man the ,contractor and ,builder1 working strictly to the plans and the designs1 that house shall stand4 ,it is founded on the ,rock of ,ages4 ,did anyone ever know or see a noble character that was not built by the ,individual himself1 by personal effort1 by self-control1 by self-denial1 by justice and kindness to others2 often in the face of ,poverty2 often in spite of wealth2 often in the face of sickness1 pain and deformity2 perhaps deaf and dumb and blind2 and yet1 like ,helen ,keller1 the soul triumphant and glorified8 ,to-day1 as ,i write1 ,i went to the ,crematory to see the dissolution of a poor1 twisted1 deformed1 and tortured body of a woman past fifty1 in which had dwelt a soul so serene1 cheerful1 and patient1 that the beatitudes clustered around her1 like doves in a garden of roses4 ,it required no stretch of the imagination to determine what society she had entered4 ,like seeks like1 and each goes to his own place4 ,her motive1 the day-star of her life1 was the ,mother-,love for an only son4 ,in spite of poverty and pain1 she must reward him for love and loyalty1 by being bright and cheerful and by belittling her own discomfort to save him sorrow4 ,her reward was the growth of the soul that has now risen to its great reward1 and dearer and sweeter than all this to the ,mother-heart1 was to see and realize the growth1 the tenderness1 and the beautifying of the soul of the ,son4 ,did it pay8 ,i can almost hear her shouting for joy as she joins the anthem of the ,invisible ,choir of ,helpers that welcome her just over the border4 ,she prayed many times1 even the last time ,i saw her1 before the great change1 ,if it be possible1 let this cup pass from me4 ,i could only say1 ,wait just a little longer1 with the assurance that every shadow of darkness shall be transformed into dazzling light1 and every drop of bitterness into the nectar of the ,gods4 ,she was almost deaf and blind1 but you should have heard the sweetness in her voice and seen the radiance in her face4 ,i did not know that the end was so near4 ,to the son1 the sweetest sound on earth was that mother's voice1 but1 though silent for a thousand years1 he would not recall her to one moment of the old torture4 ,his sorrow for himself is swallowed up and glorified in his joy for her release4 ,and what is all this but a lesson in practical psychology1 the growth of the soul8 ,does it pay8 ,ask that ,mother2 ask that ,son now4 ,how do you know8 ,how do you know anything1 except as you see1 or experience it8 ,character reveals itself4 ,it cannot long hide itself4 ,when the check goes to the bank the resources are there4 ,the ,bank of ,god1 and of ,nature1 and of ,compensation1 and ,eternal ,justice1 cannot fail4 ,its resources are infinite4 ,independent of time1 place1 or circumstance1 ,i said3 ,intrinsic1 ,inalienable4 ,take another illustration almost at random4 ,a cultured soul1 winning its way alone1 and at great disadvantage4 ,in the middle of the tenth century lived ,farabi1 or ,alfarabi4 ,he did not confine himself to the ,koran1 but fathomed the most useful and interesting sciences4 ,he visited ,sifah ,doulet1 the ,sultan of ,syria4 ,the ,sultan was surrounded by the learned who were conversing with him on the sciences4 ,farabi entered the salon where they were assembled and remained standing till the ,emperor desired that he should be seated2 at which the philosopher1 by a freedom rather astonishing1 went and sat on the end of the ,sultan's sofa4 ,the ,prince1 surprised at his boldness1 called one of his officers and commanded him1 in a tongue not generally known1 to put out the intruder4 ,the philosopher heard him1 and replied in the same tongue1 ,o ,signor6 he who acts so hastily is subject to repent4 ,the ,prince was no less astonished by his reply than by his manner and assurance4 ,wishing to know more of him1 he began a conference among his philosophers1 in which ,farabi disputed with so much eloquence and energy that he reduced all the doctors to silence4 ,then the ,sultan ordered music1 and when the musicians entered1 ,farabi accompanied them upon the lute with so much delicacy as to win the admiration of all present4 ,he then drew out1 at the ,sultan's request1 a piece of his own composition1 and sang it with his own accompaniment1 and had the audience first in laughter1 and then in tears--and to complete his ,magic1 changed to another piece and put them all asleep4 ,the ,sultan in vain urged ,farabi to remain near his person1 and offered him a high position in his household4 ,voluminous writings of ,farabi are preserved in the library at ,leyden4 ,a tale of the ,arabian ,nights1 you may say1 and yet it is historic4 ,it reveals the fact that resources1 character1 and wisdom1 in the end triumph and surmount all obstacles4 ,they are intrinsic and permanent values4 ,they may remain unknown or unappreciated by others1 but they are none the less riches to him who possesses them4 ,it was during this same tenth century in which ,alfarabi lived1 that there existed at ,baghdad a ,society composed of ,mohammedans1 ,jews1 ,christians1 and ,atheists1 for the purpose of ,philosophical discussions and scientific investigation2 and it was doubtless under this influence that ,alfarabi was educated and enabled to cope with the philosophers of the world4 ,here in ,arabia was the highest culture known at the time1 in ,medicine and all the ,arts and ,sciences1 while the ,ecclesiastics were inaugurating the dark ages elsewhere1 to eventually spread over the whole of ,europe4 ,here and there have always appeared individuals superior to their age and time2 men who dug to the foundations of knowledge1 built character1 accumulated resources1 and left their impress upon all subsequent time4 ,nor has this accumulation of real knowledge been derived from books and schools1 though these resources have not been neglected4 ,real culture of the ,individual has always consisted in the realization of the latent powers of man1 in bringing these to light1 in learning by experience how to use them4 ,hence arise self-knowledge1 self-control1 and a higher evolution4 ,it is not a mere technical1 intellectual acquirement1 the ability to define principles and formulate propositions4 ,it rather consists in testing them out in actual experience2 first by self-analysis to become familiar with the real self1 its capacities and powers1 its motives and aims in life2 and having grasped and adjusted all these1 then to start consciously1 deliberately1 determinedly1 and intelligently1 on the road to the ,south1 on the upward climb toward the ,light4 ,possessions1 with the great majority of individuals1 mean something outward1 in space and time2 what we have1 and1 for the time hold1 rather than what we are4 ,the average idea of enjoyment is something altogether superficial and transient4 ,it is found1 or supposed to be found1 in variety of sensations1 emotions and feelings2 in ringing the changes on these1 till vitality fails1 disillusion or satiety supervenes1 and old age or death closes the play4 ,often the appetite remains1 when vitality fails1 and ,faust rejuvenated1 would run the same gauntlet again4 ,the pity of it is that thousands of these victims of either satiety or ,tantalus seem never to dream that there are other values1 or anything else1 or better1 in life4 ,and yet there is not one of these faculties1 capacities and powers that is useless1 or1 in itself1 evil or degrading4 ,they are1 one and all1 resources of the ,individual ,intelligence2 tools for the day's work2 materials for the building of the ,temple2 whereas1 they most frequently are made the motive and the aim of life4 ,they are means to a higher end1 and not the end itself4 ,without the latent passions1 emotions1 and feelings1 man would be a mere mechanism4 ,if all were mind1 or mere intellect1 there could be neither the creation nor the appreciation of beauty4 ,every work of art would be soulless2 music might amuse the intellect by intricate chords and variations1 like a colorless kaleidoscope1 but it could never touch the heart nor elevate the soul4 ,music and art1 in the highest sense1 through consonant vibrations in us1 open the doors and windows of the soul1 put us in touch and tune with the ,infinite1 and then1 the real harmony begins4 ,we live for the time in another world and return with a sigh and recover the bated breath1 as though we had seen a vision beyond words4 ,music is an agent1 a talisman1 a means to an end4 ,it strikes in us chords that lie at the foundation1 the combinations that unlock the doors1 and the ,imprisoned ,splendor wings in and out like the doves of ,hesperides4 ,blunt the passions1 the feelings and the emotions by over-indulgence1 by vice and dissipation1 and the royal guests desert the banquet hall1 the doors of the soul creak on their hinges2 and in place of the music of the spheres you have a devil's dance1 and the orgies of despair6 ,does it pay8 ,it all depends on use4 ,here lie the resources1 the real possessions of man4 ,here lies the ,parable of the ,talents4 ,look at the profusion1 the prodigality1 the beneficence of ,nature1 ,flowers and ,fruit1 ,beauty and ,bloom and ,fragrance everywhere4 ,where there is no eye to see1 no hand to pluck1 ,mother ,nature delights in profusion1 seemingly because she is made that way and cannot help it4 ,and yet1 in this little ,rose-garden of ours--the ,human ,soul -we tramp down the flowers1 plant loathsome weeds and poisons that kill and degrade and besot us1 set up the tables of the money-changers1 drive out the doves of ,hesperides1 and turn the temple into a shambles for wild beasts4 ,nothing pays4 ,let us curse ,god and--die6 ,is there not something after all in the ,measure of ,values1 and in the inexorable ,law of ,use8 ,and who constrains us but ourselves8 ,can ,god and ,nature be so prodigal1 noting even the sparrows fall1 and yet disregard the children of men8 ,what our resources are we can never imagine till we draw upon and begin to utilize them as others have done throughout the ages4 ,the average sinner1 seemingly to justify or excuse his own failure1 will not believe that any have ever achieved4 ,but there they stand all down the ages6 ,ecclesiastics help the deception and keep up the illusion by calling it ,miracle or ,special ,providence1 and so prevent man from entering his birthright1 to possess it2 and so we sell our birthright for a mess of pottage4 ,it is like the dissipated1 poverty-stricken spendthrift1 who shuts his eyes and refuses to believe that any1 by industry1 economy1 integrity and hard work have secured a competency4 ,and so he cries1 ,come on1 boys6 let's have another drink1 and then rob this bond-holder1 who has more than his share4 ,the ,measure of ,values1 and the ,law of ,use hold everywhere1 in every department of human life2 and the question1 ,does it pay8 is practical and scientific to the last degree1 and no one can answer but ourselves4 ,as we answer will be the results1 and nothing but ourselves can change them4 ,we must realize that the human body1 the organism of man1 with all its faculties1 capacities and powers1 is but an instrument of the ,individual ,intelligence2 and that every experience in life1 every episode in our career1 is like a day's work2 perfecting the instrument for more and better work1 if used rightly2 till we advance from height to height of being2 to larger and still larger and more glorious fields of work and experience4 ,there would seem to be no limit to this evolution1 this upward and onward journey of the human soul4 ,the more good work done1 the larger the capacity and the broader the field opening before us4 ,from height to height the spirit walks4 ,the primary endowment of man is ,life and conscious ,intelligence1 with the power to use both4 ,this would seem to be the only gratuity1 and whether we regard it as a blessing or a curse1 depends on how we regard and use them4 ,the great majority in all time1 through ignorance or recklessness1 seem to have misused them4 ,hence sickness1 disease1 deformity1 and degradation4 ,it is a wonderful thing--this ,law of ,normal ,use--from which health1 harmony1 comfort1 joy1 growth1 and development result1 while misuse and abuse degrade and destroy4 ,divinity seems to have put within the grasp of man's ,intelligence 7if he chooses and wills7 an almost infinite range in power1 variety and application1 of that subtle and basic ,principle of affinity1 balance and equilibrium1 that unites the atoms in a molecule1 or a chemical substance2 that law of attraction and repulsion--the ,parallelogram of ,force--that holds the planets in their orbits4 ,divinity seems to have taken man into council and offered him1 not only the ,kingdom of ,nature1 but the royal domain of his own soul1 as a reward for co-operation and loyal service1 on condition that he shall use wisely1 intelligently1 loyally1 and kindly1 and not misuse or abuse4 ,is it worth while8 ,will it pay8 ,nor is this all1 beneficent as it seems4 ,the whole journey of life on the physical plane here below is so designed and planned as to make the natural aging and decay of the physical body supplement1 unfold and develop the ,spiritual ,body1 through the right use of the faculties1 capacities1 and powers of the ,human ,soul--the ,individual ,intelligence4 ,these are aspects1 uses and powers of that subtle something we call ,life2 that ,principle that ,runs through all time1 extends through all extent1 ,lives undivided1 operates unspent4 ,normal use that insures growth and development1 range and power of action1 is also1 from first to last1 a refining process2 while misuse and abuse of these powers degrade and brutalize inevitably4 ,it follows1 therefore1 as the bodily structure and functions fail under normal use those of the spiritual body open1 develop and unfold4 ,first the seed1 then the plant1 then the flower and finally the fruit of a well-spent life4 ,there is no theory or guess-work about it4 ,it becomes1 step by step1 a matter of conscious1 intelligent1 individual experience4 ,we know it just as we know that fire will burn or that we are here now1 living1 breathing1 and acting4 ,if ,i thrust my finger into a flame1 all the philosophers and metaphysicians of the world could not argue me out of the experience of the fact of burn and pain2 nor could theologians succeed any better by quotations from ,scripture6 ,man is so constituted that the facts of experience are stubborn things2 and the more open to reason the individual the more convincing the facts of experience4 ,ignorance1 superstition1 and fear recede in the presence of these ,lights of man's intelligence1 as do dogma and despotism1 that seek to enslave the human soul4 ,theologians tell us that it is exceeding dangerous to take all this responsibility upon ourselves1 thus appealing to ignorance1 superstition1 and fear4 ,i would answer3 ,i refuse to take the responsibility of disregarding or disobeying the ,law which the ,divine and ,universal ,intelligence has placed at the very foundation of man's being2 and ,i am so unorthodox as to imagine and believe that ,god knew what he was about1 even better than the theologians1 or the ,infallible ,italian who misinterprets ,god1 ,nature1 and ,man4 ,to-day1 as ,i write1 ,god's ,vicegerent is instigating and promoting a ,holy ,war in ,priest-ridden ,spain1 over the temporal power of the ,vatican1 angered to the point of murder over the posting of notices of places of public worship1 other than ,catholic4 ,they would rather turn the world into one ,city of the ,dead1 than yield one point of ,freedom1 ,enlightenment1 or ,self-government to man4 ,and men still call this ,religion1 and cast aside the crucifix for the sword1 the gun and the firebrand4 ,the ,inferno has never yet been portrayed or even outlined4 ,its name is ,priestcraft and ,intolerance under the name of ,religion4 ,and is this a ,study in ,psychology8 ,yea1 verily6 ,scientific ,psychology is the only thing that goes to the very bottom of it1 and defines and classifies every element1 every fact in human experience4 ,man cannot build a home on a piece of ground where a slaughter-house disputes every square yard of ground with the tombstones of a graveyard4 ,clericalism is ever the one or the other1 and frequently both2 denying to man the right to build a home for himself anywhere1 except by its permission and according to its plans and specifications1 fixing the rent and the revenues for all future time4 ,the ,premier of ,spain to-day is disputing this prerogative of ,rome1 and the graveyard has been thrown open4 ,the pity1 the marvel of it all is1 that the people generally do not seem to care1 and call any statement of facts sensational or panicky4 ,i am told by some very good people that these references to ,popery seem irrelevant1 and by others1 that they mar the symmetry of my essay4 ,they are reminded that we are dealing with real and permanent values1 and with what man may do and ought to do for himself4 ,lying squarely across this upward pathway of man1 to be pursued by free choice and personal effort1 is the dogma of the ,vicarious ,atonement and the forgiveness of sin1 of which ,his ,holiness claims to hold the exclusive agency4 ,through appeal to superstition and fear this preposterous and sacrilegious claim to-day1 as in all the past1 paralyzes the will and discourages the personal efforts of millions of men and women4 ,between that blind credulity which makes personal effort unnecessary1 and the miracle and dogma which make it seem useless1 the upward and onward march of man is hindered or annulled1 notwithstanding the fact that many men and women lead noble lives who are yet communicants of the ,church1 both ,catholic and ,protestant4 ,true1 they may1 with little thinking1 reason and reflection from early education and lip-service1 give intellectual assent to these dogmas4 ,but the lives they lead and the personal effort put forth prove them better than their creeds4 ,they say with the lips1 ,christ has forgiven us1 or ,jesus will save us1 and while they are saying these things they go to work saving themselves by leading the life through personal effort and experience4 ,in other words1 they save themselves in spite of their creeds and superstitions4 ,it is1 therefore1 with this exact measure of values1 that we are dealing2 and the necessity and value of these considerations are nowhere so plain to-day1 or so imperative1 as just here1 in the face of these demoralizing dogmas and pretensions of men1 who contradict all natural law and steal unblushingly the prerogatives of ,god1 as his ,vicegerent4 ,the marvel of it is that it excites neither surprise nor protest1 but is treated with a smile of good-natured complacency outside its circle of dupes4 ,he who treats it seriously1 as a thing that1 more than any other1 demoralizes1 discourages and paralyzes millions1 is regarded as sensational1 emotional1 or an alarmist4 ,in the face of all the facts1 of which the daily papers are full1 and the record of the ,vatican crowded1 ,i prefer that my own arraignment shall stand4 ,no one who knows half these facts can dispute or gainsay them4 ,we are making history here to-day1 as mankind has had to make it in all the past1 in the face of these ,lions in the path of civilization and progress4 ,if ,i must choose between being superficial1 ignorant and insincere1 or being an alarmist1 ,i certainly and unhesitatingly choose to be an alarmist6 ,the strongest ally of ,superstition to-day is credulity1 or indifference4 ,the average man says1 ,i do not believe there is any danger2 and if he spoke his heart would add1 if there is1 ,i do not care4 ,i would only reply1 ,if you mean to be honest1 read1 observe1 and see4 ,you may wait too long4 ,spain and ,portugal are just awakening from the priest-ridden lethargy of centuries1 and are making history anew4 ,may a just ,god and all the angels help and protect them4 ,the great daily newspapers of the country are very conservative wherever ,rome is concerned4 ,she is too powerful and her resources too well organized and available to be disregarded4 ,it is therefore very significant that an editorial in one of the largest and most influential of these papers to-day gives a clear1 concise1 and impartial epitome of the ,row in ,spain1 clearly locating its cause and animus in the ,vatican1 and showing how unbearable this tyranny and exploitation had become to a large portion of the people of ,spain4 ,i refer to this here for a special purpose1 which involves and lies at the foundation of all other issues and considerations4 ,and that is the statement in this editorial1 that while the ,church of ,rome has held practically undisputed sway in ,spain for centuries1 with immense tracts of land1 houses and revenues1 independent of civil authority1 with #bj1jjj priests1 #e1jjj communities with #fj1jjj inmates in a population of only #bj1jjj1jjj of people--,seventy per cent4 of the people are entirely uneducated4 ,with every opportunity1 plenty of time and almost boundless resources1 ,rome has kept the people in ignorance1 the easier to rob them2 determined to own the land1 the resources1 and the people--body and soul--as the ,autocrat of heaven and earth6 ,a slavery in the name of ,religion found nowhere else on earth to-day4 ,so much for ,spain and the ,vatican to-day4 ,for the sequel1 watch the daily papers4 ,and what has this to do with ,america8 ,with ,psychology8 ,with the ,measure of ,values8 ,simply this3 ,is anyone so dense as to suppose that the ,seventy per cent4 of dense ignorance in ,spain is an accident1 or an oversight of the ,vatican and its servants8 ,there lie the policy and the secret of the power of ,rome4 ,in ,america our foundations1 our bulwarks1 and our hope and security of ,freedom1 ,enlightenment1 and ,progress lie in our ,free ,public ,schools4 ,these ,rome hates1 condemns as ,godless1 and would destroy if she could1 as continually proved by the letters and edicts of the ,popes4 ,seeing1 however1 that she cannot do this1 and fearful of losing her hold on her thirteen or fourteen million of communicants in ,america1 she rushes the building of ,parochial ,schools1 and threatens her people with dire penalties who patronize any other4 ,since she cannot prevent education here1 as in ,spain1 she must educate in her own way1 in order to retain her power over the rising generation4 ,the basis of this education are ignorance1 superstition1 and fear2 its crown1 the slavery of conscience and the ,dogma of ,obedience4 ,the brutality of ,ignorance in ,spain is the sophistry of ,priestcraft under the name of ,religion1 in ,america4 ,the ,genius of the ,vatican is ,infallibility4 ,it not only never errs1 but it never changes4 ,it dons another mask1 adopts another slogan1 and is now engaged in a great crusade to educate6 ,constructive ,psychology1 the building of ,individual ,character1 means the precise opposite of every principle1 proposition1 and practice of ,popery4 ,i desire to make this plain and unmistakable4 ,nothing on earth transcends in importance this basic1 universal1 and eternal antithesis4 ,it marks and monuments1 in all time1 the ,parting of the ,ways between ,good and ,evil2 between ,liberty and ,despotism2 between ,light and ,darkness2 between ,evolution and ,devolution2 between ,modernism and ,paganism2 between ,civilization and the ,dark ,ages2 between the ,sermon on the ,mount--the ,beatitudes1 and the ,spanish ,roman ,vatican ,inquisition6 ,and this antithesis1 this issue1 is as imminent1 as active1 as burning in ,america to-day1 as it is in ,spain4 ,it only faces different ways4 ,spain is compelled to redeem her past2 ,america to guard and protect her future4 ,it is1 from first to last1 a ,psychological ,problem4 ,it is an analysis by fire1 in the crucible of fate and destiny1 to determine accurately the measure of values to the ,individual1 to ,society1 and to ,civilization4 ,no man1 woman or child1 no society1 no civilization ever has1 or ever can1 escape this issue4 ,it is the design on the trestle-board of ,time4 ,it is the ,modulus of both ,god and ,nature regarding ,man4 ,it is the ,theorem of ,psychology4 ,it involves the ,evolution and ,destiny of the ,human ,soul4 ,as civilization in many places showed an advancing tendency from the darkness1 despotism and brutality of the ,dark ,ages1 the ,robber ,barons began to disappear4 ,their slogan was1 ,he may seize who hath the power and he may hold who can4 ,serfdom also began slowly to recede4 ,popery and ,priestcraft assumed the rle of these ,barons1 changed the slogan from brute force 7reserving that for emergencies7 to ,divine ,prerogative1 ,infallibility 7later71 and pagan mummeries in the name of ,religion4 ,the result1 to the common people1 remained unchanged to the present day--poverty1 ignorance1 and oppression4 ,popery boasts that it never changes1 never relents1 nor forgives an enemy1 nor forgets an injury1 nor fails to get even1 like any brute1 whenever she can4 ,and this ,power is not only the assumed custodian of the religion of ,jesus1 but stands in the place of it1 as a substitute1 and the world tolerates it in the name of ,religion6 ,as a problem in ,psychology1 we have been considering the nature1 use1 and measure of values of the resources1 faculties1 capacities1 and powers of man as an ,individual ,intelligence4 ,facing opportunities1 we have seen that there is a ,law of ,use and ,responsibility which cannot be evaded4 ,institutions and societies of men are1 one and all1 from first to last1 under the same law4 ,it is simply an aggregate1 into which not a new principle enters1 nor one principle is changed4 ,the recognized and scientifically determined value of man to himself1 is the measure of his value to the ,state4 ,the reverse proposition is equally true4 ,the value of any ,institution to the individual1 or to the ,state1 must be measured and determined in the same way and under the same law4 ,it may thus be seen that ,institutions1 like ,popery1 are deeply involved in this ,law of ,use and ,measure of ,values4 ,this is simply making use of1 and putting in practice1 these basic principles4 ,of what use to man1 measured by these scientific standards of value1 are ,popery and ,priestcraft8 ,i answer unhesitatingly and unqualifiedly ,an unmitigated ,curse6 ,this answer is justified by all history1 and is as true and as exact to-day1 up to the latest act and message from ,rome1 as it was during the horrors of the ,inquisition2 and there are evidence and specific statements to show that ,rome would re-establish the ,holy ,inquisition to-day1 if she dared and had the power4 ,it is this power1 exercised through fear1 on the basis of ignorance and superstition so instilled by what ,popery calls ,religious ,education1 that prevents the majority of fourteen millions in ,america to-day1 as everywhere and in all time1 from exercising their prerogative and doing their duty as ,individuals4 ,is it not plain1 therefore1 how impossible it is to separate the ,individual and the ,social status8 ,psychology and ,sociology are departments of one ,science1 viz43 the ,science of ,man1 ,anthropology4 ,individuals and ,institutions are under one law1 one law of use1 one measure of values4 ,he who ignores1 evades1 or belittles these plain issues and scientific principles1 can settle with the law in his own time1 though he cannot evade them always4 ,note4--,during the last week of the year #aiaj1 the daily papers announced that before the beginning of #aiaa every ,priest in the ,diocese was required to take an oath to oppose and resist ,modernism and to obey in all things the dictum and dogmas of ,his ,holiness4 ,as everyone knows that under the term ,modernism is included all progress1 investigation1 and civilization condemned by the ,vatican1 everything that even questions the dogmas and despotism of ,rome1 the meaning of this required oath is plain4 ,it is doubtless renewed by reason of 7among others7 a book1--,letters to ,his ,holiness by a ,modernist1 which1 written seemingly by a ,priest1 makes exceeding plain the meaning of ,modernism and the relation of the ,vatican thereto4 ,the book marks an epoch in the close of the old year and the beginning of the new1 and ,rome has acted accordingly4 ,she can delay the stream of progress as she has always done1 but she cannot turn it backward4 ,it will eventually overwhelm her4 ,,chapter ,v ,,summary ,,and ,,conclusions ,the problem of the continued conscious life of man after the death of the physical body1 concerns the where and the how1 and does not1 and need not1 concern us at all now4 ,it is1 literally1 an after consideration4 ,who and what man is1 here and now1 is the real problem4 ,only when1 or in the degree in which1 we master this problem1 can we really know anything definitely of the other4 ,the complete separation of these two problems1 and the exact definition and formulation of each1 is the first step on the road to knowledge of the ,science of the ,soul4 ,for the time being1 in the study of ,psychology1 other worldliness should be absolutely abandoned4 ,almost everyone finds it difficult to do this4 ,many find it impossible4 ,the fear and uncertainty with which almost everyone faces the inevitable1 the loss of friends1 the broken lute1 the empty chair1 the lonely life--all these make us cry out in anguish--where and how and when1 and overlook the what are we8 ,so-called ,religion in all time has almost hopelessly mixed and confused these problems4 ,the various concepts and doctrines of rewards and punishments hereafter1 have put ulterior motives in the place of actual values1 weakened the will and hindered man from doing his best4 ,a still further confusion follows1 in the measure of assets1 that leads to time-serving and false values4 ,satisfy the average individual that death ends all and he will cry1 ,let us eat1 drink1 and be merry1 for to-morrow we die1 notwithstanding the fact that he sees others who have gone the pace1 realized only dust and ashes1 declared it all a mistake1 and that if they had the chance they would do it all the other way4 ,remember1 we are dealing with actual values here and now1 divested of both fear and anticipation of the hereafter4 ,on the other hand1 who ever saw an individual die1 who had led a clean1 upright1 kindly life1 indulge in regret or remorse1 or declare life a disappointment or a failure8 ,the first is anchored to the physical plane by insatiate appetite and passion1 or desire to reform1 which might soon be forgotten4 ,the other has found sweetness and joy in life1 in conscious growth1 in doing good2 and his soul is illumined and transfigured as the body fails and he approaches another plane1 and this often independent of any formulated religious belief4 ,it all depends on what the man is within himself1 his intrinsic character1 his real self2 and no matter where he goes1 that character1 that self1 goes with him4 ,it is ,himself4 ,the change in a moment1 in the twinkling of an eye1 is not in the man and cannot be4 ,it is in the plane1 or sphere1 or world he inhabits1 or to which he goes4 ,it is a change of garments1 of habitat1 of houses in which we live--if we live at all4 ,this much we know1 and should not forget or confuse it4 ,we know it1 as we know that twice two are four2 that fire will burn1 or that bodies1 unsupported1 fall to the ground4 ,we know it from the fact of our own self-conscious identity4 ,radically or suddenly to change that essentially is to annihilate us4 ,the preacher says1 ,study the ,bible4 ,he might say1 ,study yourself6 ,the preacher says1 ,look to ,jesus4 ,he might say1 ,look within6 ,the preacher says1 ,repent and pray4 ,i would say1 ,after an inventory of your inner possessions1 clean up the house and go to work to improve it in every way4 ,when cleaning day is well under way1 if the sure-enough preacher drops in1 and you show him the house and what you are trying your best to do1 he will just start ,old ,hundred1 and will be too happy for anything else4 ,i am not criticising the preacher1 nor opposing religion1 but getting ready for it1 laying the foundation of ,morals and the building of character4 ,religion cannot do this4 ,you and ,i have to do it1 or it is never done4 ,without this work of ours1 religion is little more1 or else1 than passing emotion or lasting superstition1 lip service1 cant1 hypocrisy1 and then cold heartless dogmatism1 a measure and jingling of words that never touch the heart1 but leave the individual ready to throw stones and light brands of torture3 a case-hardening of the affections and the aspirations1 that wraps the soul like the bandages of the mummied ,pharaohs1 a mere petrifaction4 ,we know1 or may know1 as much actually and scientifically of the growth of the soul as of the growth of the body4 ,the average individual knows more of the soul than of the body1 but his knowledge is in confusion4 ,it is a matter of hourly1 daily1 life-long1 and changing experience4 ,he knows little of physiology1 except feelings1 sensations1 desires1 and results4 ,how and why the mechanism of the body works he knows not4 ,body and soul are organically identified1 intimately associated and interwoven1 and act and react on each other4 ,they are functionally synchronous in all movements4 ,the analogies between them are numberless and easily traced4 ,the physician and physiologist does not stop to inquire1 ,what is ,life and refuse to move till someone gives a satisfactory answer2 yet he is dealing with ,life in its numberless manifestations in the human1 organism continually4 ,but this same physician is likely to debate and deny the existence of the ,soul1 demanding that you define and demonstrate it4 ,the term ,individual ,intelligence is as definite1 specific1 and demonstrable in ,psychology as the term ,life in ,physiology4 ,we are alive and we possess a certain degree or measure of intelligence4 ,these are facts in our conscious experience4 ,we may shape or mold our lives4 ,we may do this according to our ideals1 or we may drift with the tides of circumstance1 or of passion and caprice1 and this is what most persons do4 ,so also with that intelligence which is the guiding light in our lives4 ,it may illumine our pathway1 or it may flash and fitfully glare1 with the shadows1 rendering our pathway obscure and uncertain1 illusory and deceitful1 or dangerous and fearful4 ,the soul is in the body2 and this light of intelligence is in the soul1 its center1 its very essence4 ,all else in us1 and round about us1 is diversity and multiplicity4 ,this light of intelligence in us is ,one and unchanging4 ,our experience in life1 however varied and diversified1 is co-ordinated and unified by this ,intelligence in us4 ,it is that which puts all our experiences together and views them through a single lens4 ,it stands by itself alone1 and all else pays tribute to it4 ,it is the pronoun ,i and it stands for1 speaks and acts for1 all else in us4 ,it is not alone the only unity in us1 but it is that which unifies all the rest1 uses the possessive case1 and may subordinate all else in us to its ,will4 ,does it1 then1 do violence to common sense and hourly experience1 or is it any stretch of the imagination to speak of this unity as an entity1 and call it the human soul8 ,if we live after the change called death1 in a spiritual world1 in place of the physical we now inhabit1 and with a spiritual or refined body to correspond with that plane of refined or etherialized substance1 the ,individual ,intelligence must function in that body and on that plane as it does now in the physical body on the physical plane4 ,either something very like this takes place1 or we cease to exist as a self-conscious individual intelligence4 ,there must remain and continue man's self-conscious identity4 ,furthermore1 if this be true1 the real nature of this individual intelligence we call the ,self1 in the last analysis1 is likely to be as much a mystery as ever4 ,we may know who we are without knowing what it is4 ,now the composite nature of man1 as we know it1 not only justifies all these analogies1 but seems to show that the modulus1 the germ at least1 of the spiritual body exists now within the physical2 that it does not disintegrate when the physical body dies1 but separates and coheres more closely than ever2 and is still inhabited or possessed by the individual intelligence4 ,moreover1 it has often been seen by clairvoyants at the time of death1 thus verifying the ,biblical declaration1 there is a natural 7physical7 body1 and there is a spiritual body4 ,the composite structures of man's organism above referred to are well known4 ,they are called systems4 ,the bony or ,osseous system1 the muscular system1 the circulatory system1 the lymphatic system1 and the two nervous systems1 serve as illustrations of the composite nature of man4 ,all of these systems more or less inter-penetrate and diffuse each other4 ,there is also a chemico-vital1 kinetic1 or magnetic body1 diffused through and inter-penetrating all the rest4 ,this gives the contrast between the living organism 7with the flush of health upon the cheek and the light of intelligence in the eyes71 and a corpse4 ,death is often instantaneous1 while decomposition often waits for days4 ,there is a still further analogy regarding a single function1 like a sensory or motor impulse1 passing to or from the central brain1 the organ of consciousness4 ,the journey is one of relays and orderly sequences4 ,this is proven in a great variety of forms of paresis4 ,i cannot1 as an individual intelligence1 directly move my hand any more than ,i can move a mountain4 ,i conceive the object or act and set the will in motion4 ,the impulse traverses the nerves1 is transferred to the muscle1 and then1 when the circuit is complete1 ,i move my hand4 ,the gap between my conscious intelligent wish and will1 and my physical hand1 is very great4 ,one is metaphysical1 the other physical4 ,there is1 therefore1 a point of correlation where the one is converted into the other4 ,the knowledge of these facts1 and of this orderly sequence and correlation1 constitutes the ,science of pathology and enables us to locate the lesion or disease4 ,i cannot move my hand1 and the pathologist locates the short-circuit in brain1 or nerve1 or terminal plate1 or muscle1 as the case may be4 ,now it is this system of composite systems that deserves special attention4 ,we know that it exists as a series of relays and refining processes4 ,in disease it is interrupted1 or out of joint1 or broken down4 ,health means harmony1 concord1 rhythm between every part1 and the power of the one individual intelligence to use it all1 to act or refrain from action1 and to hold and maintain through all1 repose1 equilibrium1 and self-mastery4 ,the physical body we know to be a thing of sense and time4 ,we know its beginning1 its gestation1 its entrance and exit on this material plane4 ,its secrets are all involved in the subtle relations it bears to the soul that inhabits1 unifies1 and utilizes it4 ,the ,individual ,intelligence1 ,ego1 ,soul1 or ,entity1 is as patent to us in our awareness of self as is the body it inhabits4 ,it is our very self4 ,our knowledge of it is a direct personal experience1 so direct1 immediate1 and constant that we overlook its significance4 ,i can see no reason to imagine that a human being1 passing from the earthly plane and consciously living on the spiritual plane and recognizing itself as the same individual1 would be any wiser as to the exact nature and origin of the ,individual ,intelligence than he is now2 though his field of vision and range of conscious experience had so immeasurably increased and expanded4 ,if he had solved this problem of ultimates1 he would be at the end of his thread of life and would compass the ,infinite4 ,he would be no longer ,man1 but ,god4 ,so1 from all these considerations1 and from all directions1 we come back to human evolution1 the upward and onward journey of the human soul4 ,as man's health1 usefulness1 and happiness here depend on the perfection and utility of the physical body he inhabits1 and its maintenance in health and harmony1 have we the least reason to imagine that the same individual1 dwelling on the spiritual plane1 will not be under the same of analogous laws and relations there1 since we have assumed the persistence and conscious identity of the soul there as here8 ,i hold1 therefore1 that man possesses1 now and here1 the structure of a ,spiritual ,body2 and that the growth of the soul and our status and relation to the soul1 and our status and relation to the life after death on the spiritual plane1 depend very largely on the character and integrity of this spiritual body1 the house we have builded4 ,the whole of life1 therefore1 here1 is what gestation of the infant body is before birth4 ,when the child is born it is a separate personality1 a distinct individuality4 ,there has been woven into its organism a distinct and synchronous correspondence with that of the mother4 ,during gestation it has passed through every plane of organic life1 from amoeba1 or mollusk1 to man4 ,it is thus in touch with every phase and quality of life4 ,it epitomizes them all1 transcends them all1 and may co-ordinate them all4 ,on the other hand1 the individual intelligence of the child1 a distinct and separate unity1 is in vital1 spiritual1 and synchronous relation to that of the mother that enfolds it4 ,it is either building or rejuvenating a new spiritual body1 as the essential form of the physical1 organic1 chemical1 and kinetic or magnetic body4 ,what we call ,life1 or ,vitality1 runs like a dominant chord in the harmonic scale of the whole4 ,each part1 organ1 and function is related to every other and to the whole by definite vibrations and the laws of harmony4 ,if1 from the beginning1 it is an unwelcome child1 the higher and subtler elements of the mother's nature1 and all her emotions are turned against it1 are discordant and not constructive and harmonic4 ,discord is thus ingrained at the foundations and woven into the subtle body of the child4 ,nature is so persistent in its determination to preserve and perpetuate the human race1 that the building of the organic body of the child goes on2 and the ,individual ,intelligence is so potent that it often triumphs over these prenatal obstructions1 but by no means always4 ,if there is a spiritual body in the mother organism during the present life1 as ,i am entirely satisfied there is2 and if the child is laying the foundation and weaving the pattern and fabric of a spiritual body of its own for the present life and that immediately beyond2 then these psychological influences and conditions are of transcendent importance and may be largely determined by our intelligent choice4 ,a higher race of beings will never inhabit this earth till these fundamental laws are recognized and regarded4 ,we may illustrate and symbolize this spiritual habitation we are building by the over-tones and the harmonics in music4 ,its nature and function and the whole process of building and development are a refining and purifying process4 ,it may be conceived in the vito-magnetic field of man1 as that which is in nearest relation and closest touch with the soul1 the ,individual ,intelligence1 and through1 and by which the soul acts4 ,being in synchronous relation with the physical organs and functions1 like a chord in music1 a high with a lower tone 7but still harmonic71 the direct vehicle and agent of the soul would be this spiritual body2 and when the physical body or vehicle dies1 or is cast off1 the spiritual body with the soul escapes4 ,empirical evidence along just these lines is so abundant in the annals of every people1 and in all ages1 that it is unnecessary to quote it here4 ,whole volumes are filled with it1 outside the annals of ,spiritualism and the ,psychical ,society1 and antedating them by centuries and millenniums4 ,the most important consideration is that the building of character by voluntary choice and personal effort1 the growth of the soul1 and the evolution of this spiritual body are inseparable4 ,this trinity which is man1 is potentially 7and may be actually7 a unity4 ,the evolutionary and devolutionary lines run in precisely opposite directions1 are easily differentiated and defined1 are usually recognized by observation and by the individual himself4 ,it is very difficult and takes a long time to deceive ourselves with regard to the upward or downward trend of our own life1 till we have blunted by misuse and degraded all the finer faculties1 capacities1 and powers of our being4 ,a quickened conscience1 a moral uplift1 a desire to do right1 a noble ideal1 mark the beginning2 but self-study1 a rigid and persistent self-analysis1 taking account of stock of all our resources and capacities1 all our real possessions and opportunities1 is the scientific process by which man may become master of his own life and evolve to higher and still higher planes of being1 even here in the present life4 ,the question of rewards and punishments hereafter1 and what we may expect1 or hope1 or fear1 that we will get1 will sink into utter nothingness before the great and ever-growing question of what we are1 and what we are determined to become4 ,incidentally with this dominating impulse and determination will be the growth and development of the spiritual body1 and the intuition and guiding light of the ,individual ,intelligence4 ,we shall become consciously aware of this as a constant personal experience demanding no further proof4 ,it is knowledge of the soul direct4 ,every faculty1 capacity1 and power of the soul will be our willing servant4 ,this is ,constructive ,psychology1 and is a normal evolution under both ,natural and ,divine ,law3 ,living the ,life that we may know the doctrine4 ,it is practical1 scientific ,psychology worked out and demonstrated in the ,laboratory of ,life4 ,religions and ,revelations will no longer be mysteries1 but open books2 for we shall be in touch with their source and at-one with their inspiration4 ,this is what is meant by ,the ,school of ,natural ,science4 ,nor is it an idle speculation1 nor merely a thing devoutly to be wished4 ,if the whole nature of man is built and operated under law2 if he is1 as he seems to be1 an aggregate of all substances1 an epitome of all principles and processes2 then it follows that to understand these laws1 processes and correspondences1 is to become master of them and of life4 ,wonderful as have been the discoveries in nature's finer forces and in applied science1 all that science has discovered or invented1 or art has devised1 is like children's toys1 when compared with the subtle and marvelous mechanism of man's organism4 ,the rhythmic beating of the heart1 synchronous with respiration and the circulation of the blood1 are sufficient illustrations4 ,but even this concerns the vehicle1 not the driver2 the instrument1 not the player upon this harp of a thousand strings4 ,when it comes to the mental and psychical realm1 cognition is direct and immediate4 ,we become aware of relations and processes1 of sequences and powers1 by intuition1 as we are aware of the ,self4 ,this is apperception in its highest sense4 ,not through the mind1 which is a process and a function1 but through that which uses1 controls and dominates the mind1 viz43 the ,individual ,intelligence1 the ,soul4 ,in the mind1 in daily life1 we weigh and measure1 reason1 choose1 compare1 and adjust4 ,in intuition or apperception it is borne in1 or comes like a flash of light1 and seems as if we always knew it4 ,we may somewhat haltingly describe the process1 but we can never impart the knowledge to another1 because it is an individual experience4 ,as easily could another feel1 sense1 and realize the pain of thrusting our finger into the fire1 as to receive vicariously1 from us1 a real physical experience4 ,here lies the difficulty1 often the impossibility1 of the teacher or the ,master1 in imparting his knowledge4 ,i am entirety satisfied that by personal effort and experience along these lines of normal higher evolution1 there comes a time and a degree of unfoldment and power when1 from knowledge and self-mastery1 the ,master--the ,individual ,intelligence--having evolved and learned to control the spiritual body1 can consciously and deliberately pass out of the physical body and return to it at will4 ,he can do this as consciously and completely as it occurs at death2 can go where he pleases1 within the range of his unfoldment or spiritual experience1 and retain conscious memory of it all after his return to the physical body4 ,and suppose this all to be true1 how can he demonstrate the fact1 or transmit the experience to another2 and particularly if that other declared to begin with that1 the whole process is absurd and impossible8 ,nor is mere credulity here a highway to knowledge4 ,it is merely the opposite pole of incredulity1 and both are begotten by ignorance4 ,analogy and the basic principles and laws of scientific psychology are very different matters indeed4 ,they point in this direction like a theorem in mathematics4 ,the principles and laws being grasped and apprehended1 the solution becomes only a question of work2 and at every step the law is verified1 ,backward and forward it still spells the same4 ,what is this but the methods of ,natural ,science applied to ,psychical ,science upon the basis of the ,unity of ,natural ,phenomena and ,universal ,law8 ,there is nothing to prevent any of us from starting on this upward journey of the soul1 if we choose2 and never till we do1 shall we really begin to know1 to realize our birthright1 and progress toward the realm of eternal day4 ,the science of ethics1 the basis of morals1 is the starting point1 the first step2 and leading the life1 the way4 ,and there is no climbing up some other way4 ,so said the ,master of ,galilee1 and so say the real ,masters in all times4 ,when ,jesus said1 ,i am the ,way1 the ,truth1 and the ,life1 he doubtless meant that these were all in him1 and he at-one with them4 ,when ,jesus said1 ,i and the ,father are one4 ,no one cometh to the ,father but by me1 he doubtless referred to this at-one-ment as the only way by which the natural man--,adam--could become the ,spiritual man--,christos4 ,when he said1 ,the kingdom of heaven is within you1 he undoubtedly meant that heaven is a condition1 a harmonic state1 and not a place4 ,we undoubtedly create our own hell and our own heaven1 and people them with devils or with angels4 ,true ,science and true ,religion clasp hands1 and are like the two hands of the one body of ,truth4 ,they check each other1 supplement each other1 harmonize each other4 ,superstition and blind dogma are the enemies of true ,science2 ,religion--never4 ,science and ,religion are the handmaids of ,truth2 because both are the children of ,divinity1 the agents of ,light and of ,eternal ,progress for ,man4 ,this building of character1 this growth of the soul1 this ,harmonic of ,evolution1 is a matter of work2 of personal endeavor1 of valid1 real1 personal experience4 ,its results are our real possessions1 our treasure in heaven that nothing can ever destroy4 ,life and ,death may ebb and flow1 and come and go2 but we may1 if we will1 go on forever2 or we may turn the other way and go down to death4 ,some day every human soul will elect1 choose1 and decide and then start on the journey1 ,north or ,south4 ,this is the meaning of ,soul1 of ,individual ,intelligence1 of ,rational ,volition1 of ,personal ,responsibility4 ,it is the ,science of ,nature aligned with ,divinity1 and compassing ,humanity4 ,the purpose of these outlines1 suggestions1 analogies1 and inferences1 is to show that this life is a period of gestation1 in close analogy and comparable with that of the child in utero2 that with the web and woof of character1 organ and function1 impulse and use1 opportunity and destiny1 we are building a spiritual body1 the immediate vehicle of the soul1 as literally as is the physical body on the outer material plane2 that the laws of ,spiritual health and vitality are as concrete1 apprehensible1 and demonstrable as those of physiology4 ,normal use under law develops health1 harmony1 and strength1 in the one case as in the other1 demonstrably2 and these laws1 accurately formulated and demonstrated1 constitute the ,school of ,natural ,science1 accessible to all prepared to receive and wisely use them2 advancement depending on progress1 thoroughness1 and loyalty1 in all preceding degrees4 ,is it worth while8 ,,chapter ,,vi ,,the ,,cross ,,in ,,religion ,,and ,,the ,,crux ,,in ,,science ,,with ,,the ,,great ,,work ,,in ,,america ,with the progress of civilization and the general growth and diffusion of intelligence everywhere1 there is one problem upon which all else focalizes1 though the fact seems to be seldom clearly apprehended or realized4 ,not only do science and religion face each other at one point1 but the life of each is at that one point involved4 ,it is not only the often recognized conflict between ,religion and ,science1 which was long ago worn threadbare4 ,it is the fact that both ,science and ,religion are out of joint with themselves4 ,the battle-ground may1 in a broad way1 be named ,psychology4 ,all problems and all discussions of the real issues arise from1 involve1 or center around1 the nature1 laws that govern1 and destiny of the ,human ,soul4 ,from the very nature of these problems1 their intricacy and diversity1 they remained the latest in the categories of ,science to be seriously investigated4 ,for the same reasons they have been the subject of dogma and revelation in religion1 with doors slammed in the face of all investigation as not only useless1 but wicked1 and often made dangerous4 ,between the agnosticism of ,science1 and the dogmatism of ,religion1 knowledge has been crucified1 and there it hangs to-day1 a crux to the one1 and the ,cross to the other3 ,the same problem1 only facing different ways4 ,and yet the ,reconciliation is not far to seek4 ,it is difficult for the average churchman1 or theologian1 to apprehend and remember1 that a fact1 in nature or in life1 is one thing2 and that the interpretation1 or explanation put upon that fact1 by any man1 or body of men1 is another thing entirely4 ,here is where ,belief1 ,dogma1 and ,heresy come in4 ,as soon as one denies the interpretation1 he is accused of denying the fact1 no matter how illogical or absurd the interpretation may be1 on the one hand1 or how openly he admits the fact as the basis of his own conclusions1 on the other4 ,few individuals will be found nowadays who deny the fact of the birth1 life1 mission1 and death of ,jesus of ,nazareth4 ,but the interpretations read into the fact differ so widely as to result in almost numberless sects1 and an endless war of words4 ,all this theological wrangling may be focalized at one point1 almost on a single word4 ,did ,jesus of ,nazareth differ in kind or in ,degree1 from the rest of ,humanity8 ,if he had a like nature with ours1 as he and his disciples took the utmost pains to declare1 and to demonstrate1 then he differed in degree of unfoldment1 and was indeed1 our ,elder ,brother2 ,he differed as the holy differs from the unholy2 as the pure differs from the impure2 as the kind and charitable differ from the unkind and the uncharitable4 ,it is just at this point that all the theological juggling comes in1 in the effort to reconcile contradictions and irreconcilable paradoxes1 under the designation--,mystery1 ,miracle1 and ,faith4 ,few theologians would admit that it is desirable1 even if possible1 that the mystery and miracle should disappear1 and that wisdom and understanding should take their place4 ,in other words1 that ,jesus should be proved an evolution under both natural and divine law1 as the result of ,living the ,life4 ,bear in mind that we are dealing with ,interpretations only1 and with the opinions of men2 and that there is nothing sacred or holy about these opinions1 no matter how they may be hedged about by dogma1 or ecclesiastic authority4 ,the ,immaculate ,conception2 the ,virgin ,birth2 the ,resurrection of the physical body1 and the ,vicarious ,atonement1 are each and all ,dogmas2 the opinions of men1 in interpreting the mystery1 and miracle1 they have assigned to the nature of ,jesus1 in what they call the plan1 or the ,scheme of ,salvation4 ,if the nature of ,jesus were radically and essentially different from ours2 if he differed from us in kind1 instead of in degree2 if he were very ,god1 instead of a perfected man1 as the result of ,living the ,life2 then he can have little in common with us2 and1 so far as like natures1 common temptations1 and human sympathies1 and destinies1 are concerned1 he might as well have been born on the planet ,mars4 ,but suppose that psychic and spiritual science could so define the faculties1 capacities1 and powers of man1 and the nature and laws of the human soul1 as to demonstrate the fact that ,jesus became ,christos through living the life1 and doing the will of the ,father1 in strict conformity to both ,natural and ,divine ,law1 thus revealing the fact that these potencies are latent in every human soul3 that it does not depend so much upon what we believe1 as upon what we do2 not so much upon what we profess1 as upon what we are2 not so much upon what ,jesus did for us1 as upon what we do for ourselves and for others1 in strict analogy with the life and the teachings of ,jesus4 ,would not ,jesus become1 indeed and in truth1 a ,living ,example1 in place of a ,blood ,offering8 ,theology ignores and sophisticates ,personal ,responsibility1 which everything else1 and every experience in life1 justifies and enforces as the basis of ,morals4 ,on the other hand1 so-called ,psychic ,science misapprehends1 belittles1 and sophisticates the ,human ,will1 the prime ,motor ,power of ,man4 ,it then confuses ,rational ,volition and ,domination by juggling with the words ,suggestion and ,hypnosis4 ,this reveals the fact that they have no rational concept whatever of the psychical nature of man1 not even a working hypothesis of the ,human ,soul4 ,theologians affirm1 ,science denies1 and so they still face each other in this ,twentieth ,century with ,a war of words1 though1 to a considerable extent1 they have ceased making faces and calling each other names1 because there is a deeper struggle going on4 ,the ,theological ,hierarchy1 worldly-wise in every generation1 has dropped the cry of ,heresy and gone to the very foundations of our civilization4 ,they are sapping and mining the foundations of civil ,liberty1 the self-evident truths1 and the ,inalienable ,rights1 upon which this government was founded4 ,here is a thoroughly-organized1 relentless determination1 openly declared1 and well under way to destroy our ,free ,public ,schools1 and substitute that ,organized ,ignorance1 the ,parochial ,schools1 as the first step in reuniting ,church and ,state1 through dogmatic authority instilled into the youths of this country4 ,not one citizen in a thousand seems to realize what is here being attempted1 how thoroughly organized it is1 or what immense progress in this direction has already been made2 or1 if they know1 they do not seem to care4 ,it may thus be seen what practical and vital issues we are facing and how much is involved in the ,cross of ,religion1 and the ,crux of ,science4 ,intelligence1 ,education1 the ,light of ,science1 and the ,illumination of true ,religion1 are pitted in a conflict with ,ignorance1 ,superstition1 and ,fear2 dogmatism1 degeneration1 and devolution4 ,science and ,religion represent different departments in human interests and the life of man4 ,so far as they are each true1 they must eventually1 and inevitably clasp hands1 instead of working at cross-purposes4 ,actual knowledge of the human soul1 as a ,science of psychology1 on the one hand2 and the duty of man to himself1 to his fellows1 and to ,god1 and the destiny of the human soul as essential religion1 on the other2 must constitute the basis of union1 and the point of agreement4 ,the accredited psychology of to-day has hitherto failed to demonstrate any actual knowledge of the human soul1 or even to postulate its existence1 as a fact in nature4 ,the theologies and religions of to-day appeal largely to superstition and fear1 and support their dogmas by revelations1 the diverse interpretations of which have segregated religions into a large number of sects with no bond of union or basis of agreement4 ,competition here1 in securing proselytes1 differs little1 except in name1 from that everywhere in evidence between commercial organizations4 ,it is hardly the survival of the fittest1 but rather1 as everywhere1 and in all ages1 the triumph of the most powerful1 aggressive1 and unscrupulous4 ,the ,roman ,hierarchy is still in the lead1 with its ,pope infallible1 and anathematizing all progress and enlightenment1 under the designation of ,modernism1 and all its energy exerted to perpetuate the ,dark ,ages4 ,it is thus that priestcraft masquerades in the name of religion to enslave the human soul4 ,still outside this ,babel of religion and science1 lie numberless cults and organizations professing both liberty and enlightenment along the lines of man's spiritual nature1 not one of which puts forth any clear and definite theorem of the human soul4 ,with mere assertions1 instead of demonstrated facts1 and appealing often to the desire for wealth1 health1 and comfort in their followers1 they often declare that one has only to demand these things1 in order to have them4 ,justice and the law of compensation are often entirely ignored1 and the methods employed are unmoral1 to say the least1 almost without exception1 unscientific1 and wholly empirical4 ,occasionally we find ,leaders1 or ,official ,heads1 whose colossal ignorance of either moral or spiritual ,law1 is only equaled by their monumental egotism1 and this does not prevent them from gaining proselytes1 and amassing fortunes in their own name4 ,it would be difficult to see how many of these cults differ1 either in principle or practice1 or in the results wrought out in their disciples1 from the ,priestcraft already referred to4 ,they advertise an open thoroughfare1 and seem to promise something for nothing1 but from the vicarious atonement1 up or down the scale1 the votaries pay in mint1 anise1 and cummin1 while ignorantly blind to the weightier matters of the law4 ,to one who for half a century has studied these personal and social problems1 and witnessed the rise and fall of many of these cults1 from the ,fox ,sisters and ,spiritualism1 to ,braid and ,hypnotism1 while ,priestcraft and ,popery1 like ,tennyson's brook1 go on forever1 it all seems pitiful that mankind must pay so dearly for freedom1 enlightenment1 and knowledge4 ,and yet1 when the real teacher comes1 the rabble so long exploited cry1 ,away with him1 ,crucify him4 ,when the rabble at last repent1 ,priestcraft shifts its tactics and deifies the sacrifice1 which it instigated1 and so perpetuates the eternal tragedy4 ,those familiar with the ,seeking after ,god1 and for real knowledge of the essential nature of man1 in all ages1 are aware that there have always been1 in every age1 those who have achieved it4 ,it has been known1 or rather concealed1 under many names4 ,its possessors and teachers have been reviled1 persecuted1 crucified1 and thus their work has been hindered and often defeated4 ,the ignorant and superstitious feared it4 ,the vicious1 ambitious1 and time-serving hated it1 because it prevented the few from dominating and exploiting the many2 liberating1 as it does1 the earnest seeker after truth and enlightenment from the bondage of ignorance1 dogma1 superstition1 and fear1 in every form4 ,hence ,institutional ,religions1 ,schools of ,philosophy1 ,coteries1 ,syndicates1 and many other organizations of men1 constituted to dominate and rule the masses1 have been the sworn foes of individual liberty and enlightenment1 and of the ,illuminati1 or real teachers in every age1 and a perpetual menace to their work4 ,real knowledge of the nature and destiny of man1 has first to be discovered1 then recovered1 and possessed4 ,to become available1 it must be simplified1 formulated1 and finally promulgated in some form1 so as to reach those ready and capable of receiving it4 ,it must be sought earnestly and deservedly4 ,the candidate must demonstrate that he is duly and truly prepared1 worthy1 and well qualified4 ,every step in advance is determined by his understanding and use of what he has hitherto received4 ,the real possession of this sublime wisdom is an evolution from within and not something communicated from without4 ,it is1 literally1 the building of character and the growth of the soul1 as the highway of knowledge4 ,to discover1 possess1 exemplify1 and promulgate this knowledge1 this higher evolution of the ,individual ,intelligence1 in the face of all obstacles and difficulties1 has been known and designated for ages as the ,magnum ,opus1 the ,great ,work4 ,it is1 indeed1 the greatest work either known1 permitted or possible to man4 ,it solves the riddle of the ,sphinx of ,life and makes ,man ,master of his own destiny4 ,such a ,master lives in a new world1 untrammeled by the things of sense and time4 ,he has indeed1 lived the life to know the doctrine1 and can say with ,jesus1 in sincerity and truth1 ,i1 and the ,father1 are ,one1 because we are at-one4 ,there is not a particle of evidence in history1 in philosophy1 or in science1 to show that anyone has ever reached such knowledge1 liberation1 and enlightenment1 in any other way than that in which ,jesus attained it2 viz43 by renouncing the ordinary ambitions of life1 wealth1 fame1 and power1 and by overcoming selfishness and the lusts of the flesh2 devoting their lives to the good of mankind1 without the hope of fee or reward4 ,as the whole work is a spiritual unfoldment1 and from beginning to end a refining process1 it is easy to see how and why the conditions are what they are1 and have always been the same4 ,this is why those who have no apprehension or conception of the process1 can see only mystery and miracle in the result4 ,if anyone cites the so-called black magicians of ,egypt1 and of antiquity1 to refute the moral code as the essential condition of attainment1 they will find that these priests and magi climbing up some other way1 and whom ,jesus designated as thieves and robbers1 could never function or pass beyond the so-called astral plane4 ,here is where the ,sibyl and the virgin seer came in4 ,this is clearly shown in that little book ,the ,idyll of the ,white ,lotus1 as in several of ,bulwer's novels4 ,hypnotism and ,ceremonial ,magic1 as revealed in the writings of ,abb ,constant1 represent ambition for knowledge and power without living the life1 and at any cost to mankind4 ,these ,margraves have often existed1 sealed their own fate1 and gone to their own place4 ,h4 ,p4 ,blavatsky referred to them as lost souls1 or soulless individuals4 ,they are also graphically described in ,the ,strange ,story of ,arinzeman4 ,there was always the ,right-hand ,path1 and the ,left-hand ,path4 ,even a slight familiarity with ancient literatures and philosophies reveals the fact1 that all these things have been known for ages4 ,the subtlety of the ,hindoo mind has been such as to leave no phase of mental or psychic phenomena uninvestigated4 ,to the casual and uninstructed reader1 it often seems like an endless and hopeless jungle1 and he is unable to bring order out of the seemingly endless confusion4 ,there is not a single percept or concept in what is now called ,new ,thought1 that may not be found repeated with almost endless variations thousands of years ago4 ,reference has already been made to the conditions imposed upon the student who aspires to know1 and to become4 ,the obligations upon the teacher are no less stringent1 for both are1 from first to last1 working under both natural and spiritual law to which they are bound to conform4 ,to be possessed of such knowledge the teacher must have abandoned worldly ambition1 the love of wealth1 and the applause of men4 ,all motives of time-serving and self-seeking must assail him in vain4 ,he becomes the almoner of the treasure-house of ,light and ,knowledge4 ,he must exemplify what he teaches4 ,if he can impart his knowledge1 or assist an aspiring and worthy brother1 it must be in the way he has himself received it1 without money and without price1 or any hope of reward or fee1 and the brother so receiving1 in his own degree1 must be ready to pass it on under precisely the same terms and conditions4 ,the teacher1 therefore1 must be in a position to give or to withhold2 promulgate or conceal2 teach or refuse to teach2 governed solely by ,truth and ,law1 and the solemn obligation under which he has himself received it4 ,the meaning of the saying1 strait is the gate and narrow is the way1 and few there be who find it1 may thus be made apparent4 ,fragments of this wisdom are found scattered through the ages1 with here and there one who has achieved it4 ,for two or three centuries the early ,christian ,church undertook to work on these lines1 and instituted three degrees1 as abundantly shown in the writings of many of the so-called ,christian1 or ,church ,fathers4 ,jesus said to his disciples1 ,i have many things to say unto you1 but ye cannot bear them now4 ,and again1 ,the works that ,i do1 ye shall do also1 and greater things than these shall ye do1 because ,i go to the ,father4 ,and again1 ,unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven1 but to them who are without1 it is not given4 ,mysteries1 indeed1 to the ignorant monks who were already wrangling over creed1 and dogmas1 and who1 in #cbe at the ,first ,council at ,nice1 fought it out surrounded by the soldiers of the ,pagan ,emperor1 ,constantine2 and thus settled the orthodox interpretation1 of what they were wholly incompetent to understand4 ,their successors are still engaged in the same wrangle of interpretation1 so far as the ,infallible ,pope1 and dogma of obedience1 at ,rome has been unable to suppress it4 ,somewhere between the middle of the first and second centuries1 an effort at union and reconciliation arose from another quarter4 ,ammonius ,saccas1 a ,neo-,platonist1 endeavored to unite men of different cults and beliefs on the lines of the ,great ,work1 precisely as the ,philalethean ,society is doing in ,new ,york to-day2 but his movement was soon engulfed and lost sight of by the tide of ,ecclesiasticism1 or suppressed by the soldiers of ,constantine4 ,i am not attempting a history1 for that would fill volumes4 ,i am only giving a few sidelights of the ,great ,work4 ,in the ,tenth ,century1 at ,baghdad1 a society was formed admitting ,jews1 ,christians1 ,mohammedans1 and atheists1 with a similar purpose4 ,during the time of ,martin ,luther1 ,john ,reuchlin made a similar attempt4 ,both ,reuchlin and ,luther were pupils of ,trithemius1 the ,abbot of ,st4 ,jacob's at ,wrzburg1 one of whose books ,i possess1 printed in the year #afjj1 and also another book1 ,the ,theosophical ,transactions of the ,philadelphian ,society1 printed in ,london in #afig4 ,browning's ,paracelsus gives a splendid outline of the philosophy and teachings of ,trithemius1 and rescues ,paracelsus with all who can understand1 from the vile slanders of his monkish enemies2 and ,robert ,browning wrote his ,paracelsus at the age of twenty-three6 ,can you wonder why so few understand ,browning8 ,for more than fifteen hundred years mankind has been involved between the speculations of ,philosophy1 on the one hand1 and the creeds and dogmas of ,theology1 on the other4 ,there was also the deliberate destruction of ancient monuments1 scrolls1 and records1 by religious fanatics4 ,diocletian1 in ,a4,d4 #bif1 burned the books of the ,egyptians4 ,csar burned #gjj1jjj ,rolls at ,alexandria1 and ,leo ,isaurus #cjj1jjj at ,constantinople in the eighth century4 ,then came the ,mohammedans1 who destroyed the remainder of the accessible scrolls at ,alexandria4 ,gangs of fanatical ,monks1 ,christian and ,pagan1 roamed over ,europe destroying and defacing everything upon which they could lay their hands1 as witnesses against their dogmas and superstitions4 ,even to-day1 in ,india1 it is difficult for ,europeans to gain access to genuine ancient records4 ,the records of these barbarities are still fresh in the minds of the guardians of sacred lore4 ,even with such a record for thousands of years1 ,ecclesiasticism is as arrogant and rampant as ever to-day4 ,the wonder is1 that there is anything left but barbarism4 ,two writers declare that the most ancient and valuable of the records of the ,alexandrian ,library were kept in secret crypts known only to the highest officials1 and preserved still in secret crypts known only to the ,illuminati4 ,in ,baalbec and all through the ,east to-day these underground temples are being explored1 and even the fragments found excite wonder and admiration4 ,ignorant ,barbarians may be destructive on general principles1 but fanatical ,ecclesiasticism has ever been destructive of all light1 knowledge and civilization1 through insane hatred or pure cussedness6 ,we need only to regard intelligently what it has done1 and is doing for ,southern ,europe to-day4 ,can you wonder that the real science of the ,human ,soul found little recognition1 or that it was denied as possible to man8 ,as already shown1 the ,science of to-day has neither recognized nor worked up to it2 and the ,theology of to-day covers it with fable1 mystery1 and miracle as of old4 ,in spite of both these the ,philalethean ,society exists1 the ,seekers after ,god were never more numerous than now1 and the ,magnum ,opus1 the ,great ,work1 was never1 in the whole history of man1 more in evidence than it is to-day4 ,truth crushed to ,earth shall rise again1 ,the ,eternal years of ,god are hers4 ,can it be that there is no great truth back of all these struggles and aspirations of the human soul8 ,that there is no possible realization back of these soulful endeavors8 ,is ,tantalus1 after all1 the creator and ,father of ,man8 inspired only by love of disappointment1 defeat1 and despair1 in his children8 ,for one1 ,i do not believe it4 ,to plant these aspirations in the soul of man1 and doom them to everlasting disappointment and defeat1 would brand the creator of man as an ,infinite ,liar1 instead of a ,loving ,father4 ,the earnest student must first learn to recognize1 and to discriminate2 for the blind leaders of the blind are always legions4 ,this power of discrimination1 to which ,i have referred1 goes deeper1 and means far more1 than most persons ever realize1 and this is why so many are continually deceived4 ,it is the light of understanding1 of spiritual intelligence1 within the soul of man4 ,it may be likened to a traveler in a foreign country1 and a strange land1 suddenly hearing one speaking fluently his own language1 his native tongue4 ,it is impossible to deceive him4 ,in this case1 however1 it is not the mere words1 the inflection or pronunciation1 but the ideas1 sentiments1 and principles expressed4 ,liberty1 ,fraternity1 ,equality1 for example2 or sympathy1 ,charity1 and loving kindness4 ,the sign of the ,master is at once recognized by one already prepared to receive and to understand it4 ,the soul that really desires truth and wisdom above all things1 has thereby developed the power to recognize it4 ,this is the discrimination referred to4 ,it is not what someone else tells you1 or what another claims4 ,it is what you discern and recognize1 and the teaching and the life are in perfect harmony1 like chords in music2 and they strike a harmonic chord in you1 that may be first a surprise1 and soon a great joy and a bright light4 ,it is not a question of authority1 and of credentials1 but of intrinsic reality4 ,you must know how to assay and test the gold yourself4 ,this is where the ,alchemy of the ,great ,work comes in1 and here lies the beginning of ,adeptship1 the preparation for the ,great ,work4 ,i can demonstrate this from a score of old books1 some of them going back many centuries4 ,it has also been symbolized and picturegraphed 'til the imagination ran riot1 and ingenuity and fancy became lost1 like ideas in a fantasy of words4 ,i know of but one place1 one ,institution1 in modern times1 where these essential truths of the ,great ,work have been preserved as a consistent whole1 and that is in the symbolism of ,free ,masonry1 but the craft long ago lost the real interpretation1 though many to-day are on the lines that lead to it4 ,the whole symbolism and ritual of the ,blue ,lodge in ,masonry is1 from beginning to end1 a symbol of the journey of the human soul on this earth1 from darkness to light2 from sin to righteousness2 from ignorance to wisdom and understanding4 ,in other words1 it is an exact theorem and solution of the ,magnum ,opus2 a symbol of the philosophy and accomplishment of the ,,great ,,work4 ,the science and the theology of the present day have been briefly contrasted4 ,neither of them pretends to give us any real science of the human soul4 ,science says frankly she does not know4 ,theology bids us believe and obey2 trust and hope4 ,philosophy speculates and reasons1 while amusing itself with the kaleidoscope of postulates and categories4 ,science must deal with facts1 demonstrate their actuality1 and classify them2 that is1 find their natural order and sequence4 ,in psychology1 the facts are within the realm of consciousness1 and therefore their demonstration is a matter of individual experience4 ,this is why psychology differs from all other sciences4 ,no one can transfer his individual experiences directly to another4 ,he can describe how he gained them1 and give the result and conclusions1 and here is where those who know nothing of the real problem1 are often both incredulous and contemptuous4 ,the only answer to these is1 they are joined to their idols1 let them alone4 ,they would not believe though one arose from the dead1 and yet we are told again and again that the ,school of ,natural ,science is the school of personal experience4 ,it may be well to reflect a moment1 and ask ourselves1 how it is that we really know anything8 ,is it not through personal experience8 ,real knowledge comes1 and can come1 in no other way4 ,no teacher of the real science of psychology can ever transmit or transfer his knowledge to another4 ,all he can do is to describe the methods1 and steps1 by which he acquired it1 and assist the student in acquiring it for himself in the same way1 or under the same processes and laws4 ,we have only to reflect on the ordinary experiences of life1 to realize that this is a universal principle and rule4 ,in the deeper science of the soul1 and the higher life1 instead of this law being relaxed1 it becomes all the more binding4 ,do not the principles that adhere in atom1 molecule and mass1 still hold in worlds and solar systems8 ,is not this precisely what is meant by ,the ,reign of ,law8 ,if man were built upon some other scheme or plan than the rest of nature1 how could he apprehend or adjust himself to ,nature8 ,the very concept of miracle is lawlessness1 and mystery is but another name for ignorance4 ,knowledge means experience and apprehension of ,law4 ,neither can the laws of ,nature and the laws of ,god be at cross-purposes1 for that would make harmony impossible and inconceivable4 ,the confusion and discord are all in us1 and the ,great ,work means adjustment1 harmony1 and then ,knowledge4 ,it is the journey of the human soul on the ,royal ,highway to ,light1 ,liberation1 and ,eternal ,day4 ,for many centuries those who have achieved this ,wisdom1 this ,great ,work1 have been trying to make it accessible to mankind1 and to place it in such form that the ethical1 scientific1 and philosophical principles involved1 and upon which it is based1 should not again be lost4 ,every such effort has hitherto failed4 ,the scientific spirit of the present age1 in a very broad way1 seemed to offer a new and a more advantageous opportunity2 for the whole process is one of strict science4 ,the ,psychology of the present day has become involved in phenomena and automatism1 and is in no sense constructive4 ,it is one thing to build theories1 and quite a different thing to systematize demonstrated facts1 through the recognition of co-ordinate relations1 and underlying law4 ,the work is open and accessible to all who manifest real interest1 an open mind1 and who have the intelligence and discrimination to recognize the character of the work4 ,it has never1 in the history of man1 been open in any other way1 on any other terms1 or to any other individuals4 ,those who can fill these requirements constitute to-day a larger number than have before existed at any one time1 for perhaps many centuries4 ,the ,school of ,natural ,science is in evidence4 ,the ,great ,work is carefully outlined4 ,there is no bar to one's making a beginning on the path1 except indifference1 incredulity1 preoccupation1 or prejudice2 and these need not be in the least disturbed1 for they will be kindly and courteously passed by4 ,arguments1 controversy1 and proselyting1 have no part in the ,great ,work1 as there is no organization1 and no personal ambitions to serve4 ,those who speak a common language1 are inspired by a common purpose1 and aspire to a common and universal good1 will1 soon or late1 find themselves associated together and co-operating4 ,it is like a chorus of voices when an old song is started that we loved in childhood4 ,each takes up the strain1 falls into his own part1 and helps to swell the harmony1 from the joy of his own heart4 ,those who never did like the song1 will quietly steal away4 ,both ,swedenborg and ,emerson have sufficiently illustrated the ,law of ,correspondencies1 and compensation1 to reveal the basis of all harmonious human associations1 whether on the earth1 or on other planes of being4 ,hence the ,harmonics of ,evolution1 was the forerunner of the ,great ,work4 ,the pitiable byplay and claptrap of ,affinities so often seen and heard nowadays1 where all previous obligations are ignored1 and personal responsibilities set at naught1 only serve to emphasize the real law of harmony and constructive evolution1 by showing what it is not4 ,the ,great ,work digs to the very foundations of life1 and all human associations1 and reveals the ,good1 the ,true1 and the ,beautiful1 in the building of character1 and the adornment of the ,temple of the ,human ,soul4 ,this is indeed---- ,eternal ,progress moving on1 ,from state to state the spirit walks4 ,death is neither the end nor the beginning4 ,it is only a change in pitch1 a shifting of keys1 and the same old ,song of ,life goes on1 if we have but learned the score1 and caught the harmony4 ,salvation is not a thing accomplished once for all4 ,we have only to consider the monotony1 the poverty of invention1 and imagination1 of those who have tried to portray the joy of the ,redeemed in heaven1 in order to realize what a bore it would soon become1 if that were all4 ,inspiration1 achievement1 and eternal progress1 with more and more helpfulness to others1 with plane after plane achieved1 revealing plane after plane beyond--does not this appeal far more strongly to the highest and best in us all8 ,and pray1 what is this1 but the ,great ,work1 that ,i have tried herein to outline1 and as taught and lived by ,jesus1 and every great ,master the world has ever known8 ,each has achieved in his own degree1 worded it in his own way1 and stepped out of sunlight into shade1 to make more room for others4 ,long before the birth of ,jesus1 it was said1 ,the wise and peaceful ones live1 renewing the earth like the coming of ,spring4 ,and having themselves crossed the ocean of embodied existence1 help all those who try to do the same thing1 without personal motive4 ,i have endeavored to give a general outline of the ,great ,work1 drawn from history1 tradition1 philosophy1 and symbolism1 down to the present year of grace4 ,i find many corroborations1 many things pointing in the same general direction4 ,but ,i find but one concise and definite formulation of the scientific theorem1 in which the outline is clear1 and the analogy complete1 and thereby made accessible and apprehensible to the open-minded and intelligent student4 ,such students need experience no real difficulty in finding a clew to the labyrinth of life1 or1 as our ancient brothers put it in regard to the ,magnum ,opus--a key to the closed palace of the king4 ,this is the purpose of the ,harmonic ,series of books4 ,they need rest upon no authority beyond the intrinsic evidence of truth1 on every page4 ,if they are not consistent in themselves1 then they must fall in pieces4 ,the only appeal to the reader is3 read them carefully1 analyze your own mind and soul1 and come to your own conclusions4 ,if they find no response1 no answering chord in you1 then they were written for someone else1 or in vain4 ,one further consideration remains to be noted at this time1 as the question is sure to arise3 ,how about woman in the ,great ,work8 ,seldom in the past has she received recognition1 since the earliest days in ,old ,india1 though here and there have been the most noble women4 ,i heard ,anna ,dickinson1 many years ago1 open one of her famous lectures with these words1 ,i claim for man and woman alike1 the right to attempt and win4 ,i claim for man and woman alike1 the right to attempt and fail4 ,it seems to me to-day1 as it did more than thirty years ago1 that this is the whole problem in a nutshell1 and that any number of words could add nothing to the statement4 ,the ,great ,work is as open to woman as to man1 and on the same terms4 ,they have perhaps more to overcome in some directions1 and men more in others4 ,this is like saying1 man and woman are different1 that is all4 ,one thing is certain2 there will never be an ideal social state on earth1 or a heaven anywhere1 except as men and women co-operate together for the happiness of each1 and the highest1 noblest1 cleanest good of all1 and this is only another phase or department of the ,great ,work4 ,,chapter ,,vii ,,the ,,modulus ,,of ,,nature ,,and ,,the ,,theorem ,,of ,,psychology ,the ,science of ,psychology1 like any other science1 must deal with demonstrated facts1 classify them1 and systematize the resulting categories4 ,strictly logical conclusions drawn from categories of facts so derived1 deserve the name of ,science4 ,science is1 therefore1 a definite method of arriving at exact conclusions4 ,no other method can legitimately bear the name of science4 ,no one pretends to dispute the conclusions logically involved in the ,binomial ,theorem2 or in the ,parallelogram of forces2 or in correlative mechanical equivalents2 or in many of the known laws of chemistry and physiology4 ,when1 however1 we come to mental processes and psychical phenomena1 the facts are so redundant1 and so differently reported and apprehended1 that argument1 belief and prejudice1 credulity and incredulity1 overshadow and drown with a war of words all clear1 scientific methods or conclusions4 ,but if man1 as a whole1 is a fact in nature2 or if ,god made ,man a ,living ,soul1 then the whole nature of man exists under law1 and is apprehensible to science4 ,man's function as a scientist is to read1 to reflect1 to weigh1 to measure1 and to understand4 ,there are those who object to ,natural ,science as applied to ,divine things4 ,they would preserve the mystery1 and seem to prefer miracle and dogma to knowledge and law4 ,their preference is to be respected1 even though ignorance and superstition result4 ,since the domain of science1 in ,america at least1 is no longer restricted by ecclesiastic law1 the conflict between ,religion and ,science has gradually disappeared1 and the conflict is rather that between knowledge and ignorance1 with ignorance on the wane4 ,things settled by long use1 if not absolutely good1 at least fit well together4 ,this transition period seems confusing to many earnest souls with its ,new ,thought1 its occultisms and its ,lo here's and ,lo there's4 ,but through and beneath it all1 may be heard a note of harmony1 the promise and the potency of the triumph of light and knowledge4 ,we may not know the final results1 but every sincere and earnest seeker may have the peaceful assurance that he is on the open highway that leads to the noblest and the best4 ,the assurance of knowledge but makes clearer the revelations of faith4 ,that absentee ,god--of which ,carlyle wrote1 has been discerned as the ,universal ,intelligence1 and equally ,love and ,law4 ,among recent writers and books on the subject of psychology1 ,professor ,hugo ,mnsterberg's ,psychotherapy occupies a very high place4 ,it appeals especially to the physician1 more familiar than others with morbid psychical states4 ,here ,i can look back on almost half a century of experience1 the most active1 in dealing with these cases4 ,but ,i am at present less concerned with mental pathology and therapy1 than with the general psychological basis2 the causative categories upon which they are based1 and which occupy the first half of ,mnsterberg's book4 ,dividing the whole subject--the content of consciousness1 all the faculties1 capacities and powers1 all processes and sequences--into two general groups or classes1 the purposive and the causal1 ,mnsterberg declares that the causal view only is the view of psychology2 the purposive view lies outside of psychology4 7,p4 #ad47 ,i hold1 that without the purposive view equally included and co-ordinated1 there can be no such thing as ,scientific ,psychology4 ,half views will hardly admit of synthetic generalizations4 ,the complete separation here instituted1 between the purposive and causal factors1 in itself1 for purposes of definition and study1 need not be objected to1 if it were consistently carried out1 which it is not4 ,he so nearly pre-empts the whole ground for the causal1 giving scant courtesy to the purposive1 merely a few crumbs of comfort1 so that it cannot be said to be ignored altogether1 and drops the scientific method entirely in dealing with it2 assenting to moral precepts and principles1 without a clew to any scientific basis1 that one must object to the name--,psychology--as being applied to it at all4 ,it contains no hint of a knowledge of the ,soul4 ,it is the ,vito-,motor mechanism of the ,mind4 ,the ,automatism of the elements1 incidents1 changes1 and sequences of our states of consciousness2 based upon1 and including all that we know of physiology4 ,along these lines1 ,mnsterberg's work has probably never been equaled4 ,it is concise1 comprehensive1 and exhaustive4 ,his physical1 physiological1 and mental syntheses are well-nigh complete4 ,whenever1 in the future1 what he calls the purposive view shall be resurrected from the obscurity and nescience to which he has assigned it1 and really habilitated in the garb of ,science1 and recognized as the lawful spouse of the causal1 we shall indeed have a true ,psychology1 a ,science of the ,human ,soul4 ,mnsterberg neither scouts nor denies the possibility of such a future discovery4 ,in the meantime1 his viewpoint1 and necessarily some of his conclusions and generalizations1 are one-sided1 and out of focus4 ,emphasizing the causal as he does1 this could hardly be otherwise2 and from this point of view1 and for this reason1 his practical ,psychotherapy is purely empirical4 ,we need not deny his facts1 or his results1 even when mixed with hypnosis1 more than he does the cures in ,christian ,science1 ,faith ,cures1 at ,lourdes1 or by the laying on of hands4 ,all these things are too well known1 and not one of them deserves the name of ,science4 ,they are solely empirical methods4 ,mnsterberg's broader view and deeper analysis give to his methods great prominence1 and he can point to no results that transcend the others4 ,these facts and these results are as old as the history of man4 ,they have1 even as he points out1 constituted epidemics of cure4 ,there is1 moreover1 a scientific view and method regarding what he calls the purposive view which he overlooks entirely1 and which by emphasis of the causal1 makes seemingly impossible4 ,it is our purpose to try and make this clear4 ,his analysis of ,suggestion1 though largely automatic1 is well-nigh exhaustive4 ,awareness1 and ,attention1 are illustrated copiously2 but not clearly differentiated as they may be1 and actually are in the experience of individual life4 ,fortunately1 and wisely1 he eliminates the ,subconscious as having no real meaning or scientific value as now used4 ,but it might be applied to the ,mental awareness of physiological automatism 7bodily habits1 often beginning in an act of will1 or attention2 writing1 speaking1 music1 dancing1 and the like1 and in less degree1 all life impulses and movements below the line of attention or awareness74 ,if1 by courtesy1 these might be called sub-conscious1 then there is another group above the habitual plane of awareness1 that1 by equal courtesy1 might be called ,supra-conscious4 ,but1 unless it is remembered1 as ,mnsterberg points out1 that1 regardless of phenomena1 ,consciousness is one1 these terms can only lead to confusion4 ,certain cases designated multiple or dissociated personalities have only served to increase this confusion still further2 and more especially1 when the effort has been made to patch them together1 or to control them from without1 by hypnosis4 ,the well-known case of ,sally1 reported by ,dr4 ,morton ,prince1 stands at last1 as a personally conducted psychological excursion1 with ,sally still preserving her incognito1 and as much a mystery as ever4 ,that automatism incident to all progressive organization and perfection of function1 and through which physical1 physiological1 mental1 and psychic synthesis becomes possible1 has been allowed to usurp the place of the ,builder of the ,temple1 the ,driver of the ,chariot1 and the ,player upon the ,harp of a thousand strings4 ,harmony and equilibrium are incidents resulting from causative processes6 ,we need only to know the construction1 relations of parts1 and principles involved in the vibrations of the ,harp1 in order to understand and appreciate the music4 ,the player1 the musician--drunk1 or sober1 tone-blind or genius--is a mere incident1 and however purposive or competent1 is admitted by courtesy only1 and warned not to interfere too much with the ,harp6 ,to build1 and keep in order1 and tune the ,harp1 constitutes the science of music4 ,some day1 when we have leisure and inclination1 we may turn our attention to the ,musician1 but that day seems far off4 ,we admit that his function is purposive4 ,he1 no doubt1 has designs on the ,harp1 and upon us1 but we are handling musical instruments at present1 and if he objects to our calling ourselves ,musicians 7psychologists7 he is impertinent1 and should study the science of music1 or keep silent4 ,i am not begging the question in regard to the human soul4 ,i am simply emphasizing the fact of the ,individual ,intelligence1 which1 at the point of equilibrium1 sweeps the strings with that harmony which is the soul of music4 ,this ,harp of a thousand strings1 is indeed1 fearfully and wonderfully made4 ,its physics and kinetics2 its consonants and dissonants2 its shifting keyboards2 its changes in pitch1 rhythm1 and harmony from atom and molecule1 to neurons1 cells and mass2 with the tides of life--blood1 plasma1 water1 air1 magnetism--sweeping the whole at every breath or pulse beat1 to the cry of the builder--,life--out with the old6 in with the new6 and yet the conscious identity in health1 typically unchanged and unchanging--causative1 designed1 scientific--yea verily6 and purposive1 human1 intelligent1 spiritual1 divine1 but a dead corpse1 given over to decomposition the moment it is bereft of that something we feel1 and know1 and name--the ,individual ,intelligence--the ,master ,musician2 or the staggering1 drunk1 crazy fiddler1 with this ,harp of a thousand strings1 twanging perhaps in a mad-house6 ,put the house in order2 analyze1 and classify2 adjust the furniture with the handmaids of science1 art1 and beauty in evidence and at call2 but for goodness' sake6 stop hypnotizing the musician--,just a little--under the fallacy or the pretense of strengthening the ,will by weakening it just a little more6 ,this is giving your patients fits1 because you are death on fits6 ,rescue ,science from this atheromatous degeneration1 and then suppress the dabblers in black magic who pose as ,hypnotists1 as ,mnsterberg advises4 ,for clear intelligence and exhaustive analysis1 ,mnsterberg's ,psychotherapy is a masterpiece1 but his psychic equation of causative and purposive1 with all his mathesis1 not only remains unsolved1 but leads to confusion1 from the false light shed on the unknown quantity1 and his failure to indicate the gnosis2 the demarcation between automatism and purposive ,intelligence4 ,that this confusion exists in the daily life of the average individual whose evolution is still incomplete2 that it constitutes a large per cent4 of all cases of dominant ideas1 obsessions1 riotous emotions and passions2 that it is nowhere recognized and defined in modern psychology1 or made synthetically clear in modern philosophy1 all these lapses make it all the more necessary that it should be clearly defined and made plain as the basis of ,scientific ,psychology4 ,in addition to all this1 if ,mnsterberg's conclusions and applications are unsound because psychologically unscientific at the point2 for example1 where he almost hesitatingly indorses hypnosis1 however qualified or safeguarded1 he is certain to be quoted as authority on the subject by those who will ignore all his qualifications to justify the practice4 ,in order to meet these imperative conditions1 the attempt to formulate any philosophy of psychology will not be made4 ,even were such an attempt made successfully1 that would remove the discussion from the field of science1 where it should by all means remain4 ,what we need is a real science of life1 and this should involve the whole mental and psychical realm1 and lead ultimately to a knowledge of the human soul4 ,recognized facts in common experience only need be appealed to1 though different values will have to be placed upon some of these facts as their importance is made plain4 ,we begin with the fact of consciousness4 ,what it is1 we do not know4 ,what it means and does1 we know very largely and broadly4 ,in itself1 it is purely passive4 ,it never acts4 ,like space1 it is the all container4 ,it is the background1 the theatre of our intelligence4 ,with the individual intelligence1 plus1 or with consciousness1 we have awareness4 ,this is perception1 or cognition1 still negative4 ,these basic conditions1 faculties and capacities1 are like a company of soldiers on parade4 ,now comes the word of command--,attention6 ,latent consciousness--awareness--now becomes concentrated1 focalized on one point1 one feeling1 or emotion1 or act4 ,the soldiers dress up1 glance down the line1 and are ready to act4 ,then comes the action1 the movement1 the drill1 or the fight4 ,the drill master is also a soldier1 but he is in command4 ,he is called the ,will4 ,without him and his recognized authority1 the soldiers may be a mob1 or a rabble4 ,with him1 they fall in line1 give attention1 dress up1 and are ready to act4 ,these are facts1 and are basic and primary in our conscious awareness and attention in consciousness2 the one negative1 though inclusive2 the other positive1 and motor1 or active4 ,in his ,psychotherapy under the heading ,the ,subconscious1 ,mnsterberg has much to say upon the meaning and differentiation of awareness1 attention1 and recognition1 but he fails to point out in direct relation1 at this point1 the primary power--the ,will1 moved by the ,individual ,intelligence4 ,later in his work the will is recognized and frequently referred to1 but from beginning to end he makes it incidental1 rather than basic4 ,when he comes to broad groups of psychic phenomena1 or pathological symptoms1 the sounding board of ,rational ,volition is cracked and there is where hypnosis slips in4 ,broad as he has laid his foundations in physical and physiological synthesis1 he loses sight of its importance in the psychological2 regarding as an incident that which is a basic principle of prime importance4 ,schopenhauer went1 perhaps1 as far to the opposite extreme4 ,perhaps the truth will be found in the middle of the road4 ,the heir apparent1 the prince regent1 the lawful ,sovereign1 by heredity1 by the laws of ,nature1 and by the ,will of ,god1 in this ,tabernacle of ,man1 is the ,individual ,intelligence2 no matter whether we recognize or dispute his rightful authority4 ,his ,prime ,minister is the ,human ,will2 whether conspiring against1 or co-operating with1 the ,king4 ,we may analyze the foundation of the kingdom1 and the affairs of state1 and designate them as causative1 or purposive4 ,we may see monarchy1 or anarchy2 democracy or republicanism2 we may dethrone the king1 and turn the state1 literally1 into a mad-house2 but all the facts of nature1 conscious awareness1 and ,scientific ,psychology1 cry1 with one voice1 ,hail to the ,king6 ,long ,live the ,king6 ,i6 ,me6 ,mine6 ,myself6 ,a fact so basic1 that it is as patent to the child as to the man4 ,now comes the ,juggler1 the little ,joker4 ,mnsterberg has sufficiently revealed the variety-stage1 the ,subconscious1 and his biography of the various individual players and troupes is very elaborate4 ,they are1 one and all1 ,suggestions4 ,and suggestion is the ,juggler1 and the little ,joker4 ,after the ,intelligence and the ,will1 our awareness finds subjects and objects1 ideas1 images1 pictures1 percepts and concepts4 ,that all these1 both within and without1 are ,suggestive2 that one idea1 or image1 or object1 suggests another1 or others1 no one will deny1 who has ever thought about his own thinking4 ,it is like saying1 all mental pictures are composite2 the elements of many kinds coming from many sources4 ,so far1 ,suggestion is all right4 ,it is awareness of an idea1 percept1 concept1 or act awakened1 called to attention by another1 with the question1 how does it strike you8 what do you think of it8 what1 if anything1 do you wish1 or propose to do about it8 ,it is purely negative1 and suggests action or inhibition1 without the slightest domination4 ,remember that the ,will--rational ,volition--is that power1 which1 from the point of attention enables the individual to act1 or refuse to consider1 as he pleases4 ,if ,i suggest to my friend here in my library1 that it is near train time2 that he can go if he chooses or remain with me all night1 he is free to act on the suggestion and go or stay as he chooses4 ,i have called to his attention certain facts of time1 place1 or circumstance1 but left his will untrammeled4 ,if ,i am tired of him and wish him to go1 or really wish him to stay1 in either case it is still a suggestion1 because ,i have left him free to act or not4 ,but in this case certain tones of my voice1 not direct by touching the will1 but coloring the feelings or emotions1 color both his preferences and my own4 ,even persuasion1 the power of another example1 the placing of certain views or considerations before another1 all these but make the more clear and specific the suggestion4 ,they reach the will through the inside1 in the realm of ideation1 and not from the outside1 in the way of domination4 ,all these things are essential elements in social intercourse4 ,if1 however1 ,i have a motive in wishing my friend to go1 or to stay1 and have determined in my own mind which it shall be2 ignoring or overriding his own choice2 and if ,i use my will1 or passes1 or touch his eyes1 or forehead1 with the purpose of concentrating his attention or will1 on my wish1 or idea1 or command1 it is no longer free choice with him1 but domination2 no longer suggestion1 but hypnosis1 pure and simple4 ,the confusion and juggling at this point has been made the sole excuse for hypnotism1 through belittling or ignoring the importance1 normal action1 and supremacy of the human will4 ,no one denies that the exchange or forcible expression of ideas1 percepts1 mental pictures1 or concepts1 is suggestive4 ,but the normal individual is free to accept or reject them4 ,education1 bias1 prejudice1 and the like1 have also much to do in determining results4 ,but the moment you interfere with the free choice of the individual and dominate toward your choice1 regardless of his own1 you enter the realm of hypnosis2 deprive him1 just to that degree1 of free choice1 and might as well call it fiddlesticks as suggestion4 ,it is domination1 the mastery1 so far as it goes or exists at all1 of the will1 voluntary powers1 and sensory organs of one individual1 by the will of another2 thus reversing completely the process of nature4 ,to dominate the will of another is to weaken it4 ,timidity1 apprehension1 fear1 are in inverse ratio to confidence1 self-assurance1 courage1 and self-control4 ,health1 happiness1 and self-development lie along the lines of man's higher evolution1 and the basic principle1 the primary power1 the minister of state1 is the rational and intelligent ,will4 ,the scientific theorem of ,psychology can be nothing else than ,nature's ,modulus of ,man1 with its root in ,universal ,intelligence4 ,man individualizes and involves this ,intelligence as he evolves form1 function1 adaptation1 and adjustment1 and at least secures and maintains perfect equilibrium4 ,this is ,nature's ,modulus1 else the whole of human life is purposeless and meaningless4 ,given1 then1 an ,individual ,intelligence1 endowed with self-consciousness2 with ,rational ,volition1 the power to choose and to act or refuse to act2 how shall it master its environment2 adapt itself to any conditions2 secure adjustment and become ,master8 ,the starting point and the keynote from first to last is ,self-,control4 ,then come high ,ideals1 intelligent choice1 and the will backed by discrimination and judgment4 ,these lead to understanding and wisdom4 ,the courage of one's convictions1 can be neither conceited nor blatant egotism1 but a readiness to assume full responsibility of motives1 acts1 and results4 ,this recognition of ,personal ,responsibility is what we call ,conscience4 ,it is the ,judgment-seat of the ,individual ,intelligence in the ,kingdom of its own ,soul1 or realm of consciousness4 ,the moment this throne totters1 or is obscured1 devolution begins1 and degeneration1 insanity1 and ,inferno lie that way4 ,it does not change one principle involved1 or weaken either ,modulus or ,theorem when we reflect that most equations are ended by death1 long before being brought to successful solution4 ,for the time they are certainly interrupted4 ,neither do the babel of tongues1 the theories1 theologies1 or philosophies change either ,modulus or ,theorem1 because they are grounded in demonstrated facts1 recognized1 either vaguely or clearly1 in the conscious experience of every intelligent thinking man and woman4 ,constructive ,psychology1 based upon ,science1 for the building of character by persistent effort1 increasing continually all personal resources1 means the normal higher evolution of man4 ,so-called religions and the life after death have been purposely left unconsidered4 ,if we really have a ,science of the ,soul--the ,individual ,intelligence--based upon psychological facts1 demonstrated in the daily experience of every healthy individual1 it touches religion at its most vital point1 viz43 ethics or morals4 ,if these ethical principles are true and demonstrable1 they must constitute the foundation of religion as of ethics4 ,if morals are strengthened and made clear1 and ,personal ,responsibility as ,conscience1 is recognized and accepted1 the ,vicarious ,atonement will have to go1 and ,theologians will have to change their mystical and miraculous interpretations from ,vicarious ,atonement to personal at-one-ment with ,christos4 ,the miraculous conception1 and virgin birth1 held equally in regard to ,christna centuries before1 and also the literal resurrection of the physical body will have to be otherwise explained4 ,the purposive view as one full term of the psychological equation1 will find uniform law and order in place of the credulous legends of ignorant and superstitious monks1 while the ,divine ,man will be taken down from the cross and restored to the heart of humanity1 as the ,modulus of ,nature1 realized as a normal evolution1 under natural and spiritual law4 ,salvation from sin1 ignorance1 superstition1 and fear1 will be recognized as the result of ,leading the ,life1 and ,vicarious only through a divine example2 or1 if you please1 legitimate ,suggestion2 with personal effort1 rational volition1 and personal responsibility working in harmony toward the desired result4 ,,section ,,two ,,the ,,new ,,avatar ,,of ,,natural ,,science ,,chapter ,,viii ,,our ,,indebtedness ,,to ,,ancient ,,india ,it is more than thirty years since in ,southern ,europe1 ,england1 and ,america1 a genuine ,renaissance of ,vedic literature1 philosophy1 and religion began to assume a popular form and to become accessible to the general reading public4 ,scholars1 like ,sir ,william ,jones1 had for the past century been familiar with the ancient civilization and the ,vedic literature and the study of ,sanscrit had made some progress in the ,universities4 ,the idea1 however1 that these antiquities had any vital interest to us1 beyond curious myths and obsolete superstitions1 had not been perceived1 much less admitted4 ,the antiquity of man1 and the ,philosophy of ,evolution1 had opened new fields for thought1 and necessitated a revision of all previous concepts of man and nature4 ,old records and interpretations were everywhere revised1 and the interpretations of the ,mosaic records were challenged at every point4 ,popular religions were up in arms and were compelled to adjust themselves to the new rgime4 ,but even after this century of progress and enlightenment1 it has scarcely yet dawned on the mind of theologians that the challenge of science was1 after all1 insignificant1 compared with that which was to come1 and for which modern science had paved the way4 ,the whole realm of theology1 and the foundations of religion1 were to undergo revision4 ,facts incontestable were being gathered and proofs established beyond all possible denial1 or controversy1 that all modern theologies and religions were copied and adapted from ,vedic and ante-,vedic sources1 antedating our present era by more than two thousand years4 ,the superficial and devout churchman1 whose faith is fortified on the one hand by superstition1 and on the other at least borders on fanaticism1 is apt to be resentful in the presence of these facts1 and1 falling back on the infallibility and plenary inspiration of the ,bible1 to declare that if his own superficial interpretations are questioned or denied1 ,religion will be done for and mankind left in utter darkness4 ,he does not perceive that the facts of nature and the essentials of religion are one thing1 and man's interpretation of them another thing entirely4 ,he does not perceive how these ignorant and superstitious interpretations of men have set at naught the real life of ,jesus and the teachings of the ,christ4 ,he does not realize how doctrine has usurped the place of duty1 and dogmatism has hardened the soul of man4 ,one thing1 however1 is inevitable4 ,facts and evidence as to origin1 analogies1 and adaptation of the ,christian ,mysteries from ancient ,india1 are widely known1 and the time has come when these mysteries are being examined as to their intrinsic meaning and their bearing on the daily life of man and the progress of the human race4 ,the author of this little book has only attempted a bare outline of these great facts1 and to put them in such shape that the reader may perceive their general bearing1 and the sources whence they are derived4 ,the following extracts made almost at random1 the quantity of evidence being so redundant1 from ,jacolliot's ,bible in ,india1 a translation of which was made in this country as early as #ahgc1 and ,prof4 ,max ,mller's ,lectures1 ,india1 ,what ,can ,it ,teach ,us8 printed here more than a quarter of a century ago1 will give the reader the evidence and the assurance that these ancient sources of wisdom are scarcely yet known in outline to the ,western ,world4 ,jacolliot spent many years in ,india1 studying its present civilization and its ancient lore1 while ,prof4 ,max ,mller derived his knowledge largely from study of ,sanscrit and the ,vedanta4 ,soil of ,ancient ,india1 cradle of humanity1 hail6 ,hail1 venerable and efficient nurse1 whom centuries of brutal invasion have not yet buried under the dust of oblivion6 ,hail1 fatherland of faith1 of love1 of poetry1 and of science4 ,may we hail a revival of thy past in our ,western future4 ,i have dwelt 'midst the depths of your mysterious forests1 seeking to comprehend the language of your lofty nature1 and the evening airs that murmured 'midst the foliage of banyans and tamarinds whispered to my spirit these three magic words3 ,zeus1 ,jehovah1 ,brahma4 ,i have inquired of ,brahmins and priests under the porches of temples and ancient pagodas1 and they have replied3 ',to live is to think1 and to think is to study ,god1 who is all1 and in all4444 ',to live is to learn1 to learn is to examine and to fathom in all their perceptible forms the innumerable manifestations of celestial power4 ',to live is to be useful2 to live is to be just2 and we learn to be useful and just in studying this book of the ,vedas1 which is the word of eternal wisdom1 the principle of principles as revealed to our fathers4' 7,the ,bible in ,india1 p4 #ae47 ,plotinus1 the ,neoplatonist1 said3 ,god is not the principal of beings1 but the principle of principles4 ,this was the ,hindoo concept of ,para ,brahm two thousand years before4 ,in the whole world there is no study so beneficial and so elevating as that of the ,upanishads4 ,it has been the solace of my life--it will be the solace of my death4 ,schopenhauer1 quoted by ,max ,mller4 444 ,if ,i were to look over the whole world to find out the country most richly endowed with all the wealth1 power and beauty that nature can bestow--in some parts a very paradise on earth--,i should point to ,india4 ,if ,i were asked under what sky the human mind had most fully developed some of its choicest gifts1 has most deeply pondered on the greatest problems of life1 and has found solutions of some of them which well deserve the attention even of those who have studied ,plato and ,kant--,i should point to ,india4 ,and if ,i were to ask myself from what literature we1 here in ,europe1 we who have been nurtured almost exclusively on the thoughts of ,greeks and ,romans1 and of one ,semitic race1 the ,jewish1 may draw that corrective which is most wanted in order to make our inner life more perfect1 more comprehensive1 more universal1 in fact more truly human1 a life1 not for this life only1 but a transfigured and eternal life--again ,i should point to ,india4 ,the reader should remember that this is not the opinion of an ignorant enthusiast1 but the mature judgment of one of the most profound scholars and ,sanscritists in ,europe in his day--,prof4 ,max ,mller4 ,the study of ,mythology has assumed an entirely new character1 chiefly owing to the light that has been thrown on it by the ancient ,vedic ,mythology of ,india4 ,buddhism is now known to have been the principal source of our legends and parables4 ,the story of the two women who claimed each to be the mother of the same child is found literally in the ,kanjur1 translated from the ,buddhist ,tripitake1 and the ,judgment of ,solomon is only a copy of the older story4 ,the history of all histories1 and yet the mystery of all mysteries--take religion1 and where can you study its true origin1 its natural growth and its inevitable decay better than in ,india1 the home of ,brahmanism1 the birthplace of ,buddhism1 and the refuge of ,zoroastrianism4 ,take any of the burning questions of the day--popular education1 higher education1 parliamentary representation1 codification of laws1 finance1 emigration1 poor-law1 and whether you have anything to teach and to try1 or anything to observe and to learn1 ,india will supply you with a laboratory such as exists nowhere else4 ,and in the study of the history of the human mind1 and the study of ourselves1 of our true selves1 ,india occupies a place second to no other country4 ,whatever sphere of the human mind you may select for your special study1 whether it be language1 or religion1 or mythology1 or philosophy1 whether it be laws or customs1 primitive art or primitive science1 everywhere1 you have to go to ,india1 whether you like it or not1 because some of the most valuable and most instructive materials in the history of man are treasured up in ,india1 and in ,india only4 ,sleeman tells us men 7in ,india7 adhere habitually and religiously to the truth1 and ',i have had before me hundreds of cases1' he says1 'in which a man's property1 liberty1 and life have depended upon his telling a lie1 and he has refused to tell it4' ,could many an ,english judge say the same8 7,remarks by ,prof4 ,mller47 ,prof4 ,mller quotes from an ,arabian writer of the thirteenth century1 ,the ,indians are innumerable1 like grains of sand1 free from all deceit and violence4 ,they fear neither death nor life4 ,and again1 from ,marco ,polo1 in the thirteenth century1 ,you must know1 ,marco ,polo says1 that these ,abralaman 7,hindoos7 are the best merchants in the world1 and the most truthful1 for they would not tell a lie for anything on earth4 ,in the sixteenth century ,abu ,fazl1 the minister of the ,emperor ,akbar1 says in his ',ayin ,akbari1' ',the ,hindus are religious1 affable1 cheerful1 lovers of justice1 given to retirement1 able in business1 admirers of truth1 grateful and of unbounded fidelity1 and their soldiers know not what it is to fly from the field of battle4' 7,how badly these poor heathen were in need of the ,jesuit missionary1 and the ,british government and civilization67 ,prof4 ,mller quotes ,warren ,hastings regarding the ,hindus in general1 as follows1 ,they are gentle and benevolent1 more susceptible of gratitude for kindness shown them1 and less prompted to vengeance for wrongs inflicted1 than any people on the face of the earth--faithful1 affectionate1 submissive to legal authority4 ,bishop ,heber said1 ,the ,hindus are brave1 courteous1 intelligent1 most eager for knowledge and improvement1 sober1 industrious1 dutiful to parents1 affectionate to their children1 uniformly gentle and patient1 and more easily affected by kindness and attention to their wants and feelings than any people ,i ever met with4 ,elphinstone said1 ,no set of people among the ,hindus are so depraved as the dregs of our own great towns4 7,it might have been wiser to have employed ,english missionaries at home47 ,sir ,thomas ,munro bears even stronger testimony4 ,he writes1 ,if a good system of agriculture1 unrivaled manufacturing-skill1 a capacity to produce whatever can contribute to either convenience or luxury1 schools established in every village for teaching reading1 writing and arithmetic1 the general practice of hospitality1 and charity among each other1 and above all1 a treatment of the female sex full of confidence1 respect1 and delicacy1 are among the signs which denote a civilized people--then the ,hindus are not inferior to the nations of ,europe--and if civilization is to become an article of trade between ,england and ,india1 ,i am convinced that ,england will gain by the import cargo4 ,even at the present moment1 after a century of ,english rule and ,english teaching1 ,i believe that ,sanskrit is more widely understood in ,india1 than ,latin was in ,europe at the time of ,dante4 ,there are thousands of ,brahmans1 even now1 when so little inducement exists for ,vedic studies1 who know the whole of the ,rig-,veda by heart1 and can repeat it1 and what applies to the ,rig-,veda1 applies to many other books4 7,ten thousand and seventeen hymns47 ,speaking of other and later literature1 ,prof4 ,mller says1 ,it is different with the ancient literature of ,india1 the literature dominated by the ,vedic and ,buddhistic religions4 ,that literature opens to us a chapter in what has been called the ,education ,,of ,,the ,,human ,,race1 ,,to ,,which ,,we ,,can ,,find ,,no ,,parallel anywhere else4 ,whoever cares for the historical growth of our language1 that is1 of our thoughts2 whoever cares for the intelligible development of religion and mythology1 whoever cares for the first foundation of what in later times we call the sciences of astronomy1 metronomy1 grammar and etymology2 whoever cares for the first intimations of philosophical thought2 for the first attempts at regulating family life1 village life1 and state life1 as founded on religion1 ceremonial1 tradition and contact 7,samaya71 must in future pay the same attention to the literature of the ,vedic period as to the literature of ,greece and ,rome and ,germany4 ,i maintain then that for a study of man1 or1 if you like1 for a study of ,aryan humanity1 there is nothing in the world equal in importance with the ,veda4 ,the aristocracy of those who know--di color che sanno--or try to know1 is open to all who are willing to enter1 to all who have a feeling for the past2 an interest in the genealogy of our thoughts1 and a reverence for the ancestry of our intellect1 who are1 in fact1 historians in the true sense of the word1 i4e4 inquirers into that which is past1 but not lost4 ,but if we mean by primitive the people who have been the first of the ,aryan race to leave behind literary relics of their existence on earth1 then ,i say the ,vedic poets are primitive2 the ,vedic language is primitive2 the ,vedic religion is primitive1 and1 taken as a whole1 more primitive than anything else that we are ever likely to recover in the whole history of our race4444 ,for this reason1 because the religion of the ,veda was so completely guarded from all strange infection1 it is full of lessons which the student of religion could learn nowhere else4 ,the foregoing quotations have been made from a little volume1 ,india3 ,what ,can ,it ,teach ,us8 published by ,funk and ,wagnalls in #ahhc1 and sold at #be cents1 so that these statements of ,prof4 ,max ,mller have been accessible for more than a quarter of a century4 ,since #ahhc1 however1 we have heard more and more of the ,wisdom of ,old ,india4 ,the whole ,theosophical movement1 degenerate as it may have become in some directions1 and much as it has been misinterpreted1 and ridiculed and exploited in others1 was primarily a sincere and earnest attempt to bring the ,secret ,doctrine of ancient ,india within reach of ,western students1 to promote the brotherhood of man2 the study of ancient philosophy and the psychical powers latent in man4 ,there are thousands of intelligent and earnest students all over the world who have been uplifted1 illuminated1 and encouraged by these studies4 ,when the true history of the present epoch comes to be written1 there can be no shadow of doubt as to the recognition that will be accorded to ,h4 ,p4 ,blavatsky and her aims1 her life1 and her work4 ,but such movements as are going on in the world1 continually change their base1 their methods1 and their prospective4 ,while the new awakening unmistakably goes back to old ,india1 and compels a review and a readjustment of all our knowledge1 and all our hopes and aims1 another spirit has entered our intellectual realm1 and compelled attention and recognition4 ,it has made for itself a habitation and a name1 and nothing less than a cataclysm can altogether overthrow it4 ,it is the ,genius of ,scientific ,criticism1 ,research1 and ,demonstration4 ,the ,mistakes of ,moses may indeed be paralleled by those of modern physical science1 and these are being revealed side by side with those of theology and dogmatic assertion4 ,it has hardly yet dawned upon the mind of the physical scientist that the concept of the psychical and spiritual life and nature of man comprises1 with the world of matter and form1 a complete theorem of human life4 ,he is often as incredulous1 resentful1 and contemptuous as the creed-bound religionist at the approach of more light1 and the suggestion that all these essential problems were included and solved ages ago in ancient ,aryavarta2 and that the few who know1 the ancient order of the ,illuminati1 now designated the ,school of ,natural ,science1 has treasured this knowledge for ages4 ,the ,vedas are not only ancient1 but complicated and diffuse1 and the busy life of the modern student will hardly suffice for the mastery of their wisdom1 or the understanding of their secrets4 ,when1 however1 this ancient wisdom is condensed and epitomized1 in perfect harmony with the concepts1 the methods1 and the demonstrations of ,natural ,science1 the ,jewel in the ,lotus1--to use a ,vedic synonym1--will appear in all its beauty and glory1 to all who have eyes to see1 and ears to hear1 with determination to honor every truth by use1 and loyal service4 ,in the foregoing quotations it may be seen what this real knowledge did for the people of ancient ,india in building character on constructive lines1 promoting justice1 equity1 charity1 and kindness among the common people1 and the teeming millions of ,india1 when our ,saxon and ,norman ancestors were still barbarians1 and before the ,jew or the ,christian were even dreamed of4 ,in the following quotations from ,jacolliot's ,bible in ,india1 an outline will be given as to the source of some of our myths1 pantheons1 and religions4 ,these brief and imperfect outlines from two small and generally forgotten books1 ought to satisfy any intelligent and unbiased student how completely the general thesis may be demonstrated from the ancient records themselves4 ,the books from which these quotations are made are like kindergarten primers for the use of beginners4 ,the present writer's interest in and study of ,theosophy and the ,secret ,doctrine were instigated by ,schopenhauer's ,world as ,will and ,idea4 ,he found how largely ,schopenhauer had drawn from the ,upanishads 7see previous quotation71 and how little1 after all1 his ,philosophy had utilized the ancient ,wisdom4 ,hence he resolved to seek the ancient sources of knowledge1 and has been trying his best to apprehend and utilize them1 the hoarded wisdom of the ages4 ,he is not in the least anxious to gain recognition for1 or to seek to rehabilitate old ,india1 for its own sake4 ,she speaks for herself1 through the centuries of the past1 and will continue to speak and to influence all coming time4 ,jacolliot shows1 however1 a little irritation at this point over the suppression of facts1 the brutality of marauding invaders1 and the wholesale and brazen appropriation without the least credit to ,india's store of wisdom4 ,the present writer is1 however1 exceedingly desirous that his fellow-students in the ,west should discover1 recognize1 and utilize this ancient mine of wisdom for themselves4 ,its day of recognition is just now at the dawn1 and the most pressing problems concerning the real nature1 the spiritual possibilities1 and the eternal destiny of the soul of man1 are pressing and burning questions to-day4 ,that these problems do not wait solution by modern physical science and physio-psychology1 but await only the understanding and acceptance of every earnest and intelligent student1 is easily demonstrated4 ,it challenges the world to-day1 as it has not done before for many millenniums1 and the issues are to be tried out to a scientific demonstration4 ,the preferences and prejudices of partisans will not be consulted1 nor will they in the least interrupt the progress1 nor interfere with the solution4 ,the question is no longer1 ,what think ye of ,jesus8 but ,what know ye of your own soul8 ,a new faith will supersede the old superstitions4 ,faith1 from the viewpoint of ,natural ,science1 is the soul's intuitive conviction of that which both reason and conscience approve4 ,blind faith1 or belief1 is ever the handmaid of superstition4 ,the new faith is the harbinger1 the promise1 and the potency of knowledge1 the anchor of the soul1 and the armor of righteousness4 ,this is indeed the language of confidence1 and it should be put to the test of science and experience4 ,the scornful and the contemptuous are not even invited6 ,they are left alone with their ,idols4 ,coming now more directly to the splendid work of ,jacolliot1 one thing ,i think ought to be apparent to every honest and intelligent reader of ,the ,bible in ,india1 and that is1 that its author is in no sense a partisan of ,hinduism1 but a searcher and witness for the simple ,truth as he finds and apprehends it4 ,he puts aside mystery1 miracle1 and ,divine ,revelation1 as dispassionately in the ,vedic1 ,brahmanical1 and ,buddhistic cults1 as in the ,mosaic and ,christian4 ,belief in ,god1 and reverence for ,truth in the light of reason and conscience1 shine from every page of his work4 ,to flippantly call him an atheist1 or a destroyer of holy things1 as though that were in any sense an answer to his thesis1 and which formerly was the rule1 and may even now be attempted in certain quarters1 will simply brand the bigot as by no means intelligent--if indeed honest--who attempts it4 ,the majority of such sectarians have grown wise or prudent enough to ignore all such issues4 ,there has been a great change in public sentiment since ,jacolliot went to ,india as an earnest student of these subjects1 and in the nearly forty years since he wrote this book4 ,the saying that ,truth passes through three phases before being accepted1 specially applies here4 ,first1 people say1 ,it is not true4 ,second1 ,it contradicts ,scripture1 and when it at last is triumphant1 that ,everybody knew it before4 ,the truths of which ,jacolliot writes have already reached at least the beginning of the third stage4 ,of course1 ,everybody here means those who read1 and think1 and dare to use conscience and reason4 ,in referring to a religious debate between a missionary and a ,brahman1 and the universal interest manifested among all classes as to the outcome of the encounter1 hooting the vanquished in either case with strict impartiality1 ,jacolliot adds1 ,we shall be less surprised at this when it is known that there is not a ,hindoo1 whatever his rank or caste1 who does not know the principles of the ,holy ,scripture1 that is1 the ,vedas1 and who does not perfectly know how to read and write4 ,three hundred and forty millions of people1 thousands of them pariahs and outcasts1 sharing refuse with the dogs1 with no rights that any one else is bound to respect1 bowing their faces in the dust when a ,brahman passes ten paces away--and yet everyone can read and write6 ,max ,mller said he had had in his study at ,oxford a young ,hindoo who could repeat the whole of the ,mahabharata without missing a word or an inflection from beginning to end4 ,these are some of the remnants in the decline of old ,india after thousands of years of ,brahman rule and slavish domination of the people to preserve their own exclusive caste and exploitation4 ,western people have yet to learn the inevitable tendency1 and the invariable rule of exploitation of the people1 by a dominant priesthood1 and the poverty and degradation of the masses that always results4 ,it has never once failed in this result in three thousand years4 ,the whole of ,southern ,europe is already awakening to a realization of this result to-day4 ,it is accomplished in the name of ,religion by those who call themselves ,viceregents of ,god1 and who arrogantly trample on the rights of conscience1 and the freedom of man4 ,brahmanism first set the example as originators of this slavish abomination4 ,the studies and investigations of ,jacolliot in ,india1 go back to the ,vedic or pre-,brahmanic age2 then to the rise1 development1 and slow decline of ,brahmanism2 then the epoch of ,christna2 the influence of ,buddha1 and his being driven out of ,india by the powerful ,brahmans2 and finally1 to the present poverty and degradation of the millions through foreign invasion and domination4 ,the ruling ,brahmans had neither thought nor desire for ,constructive ,nationality4 ,in their pride and lust for power and gold1 even in their just pride over their inheritance from ,vedic ancestors1 and wisdom1 ,patriotism was unknown to them4 ,invaders contended with them in robbing and enslaving the people4 ,the people who despised and hated the foreign invader dare not1 even yet1 to rise against their real despoilers--the ,brahmans--or defy or break their power4 ,it is the ,vedic literature1 and the earliest1 or pre-,brahmanic time that ,jacolliot lauds so highly1 and in which he finds and demonstrates1 the existence of the sources of all human knowledge4 ,it will be ignorant folly1 therefore1 for the bigot and the sectarian to attempt to answer or oppose him1 by referring to the condition of the people of ,india as it is to-day4 ,jacolliot simply shows the causes that have led to the present degradation4 ,it is priestcraft1 despite the ,vedic wisdom1 and the missions and teaching of ,christna and ,buddha4 ,all this ,jacolliot demonstrates beyond all controversy4 ,the bulk of his work consists in demonstrating the source of ,greek and ,roman ,mythology1 ,language1 ,law1 ,philosophy1 etc41 and equally of every ,jewish and ,christian doctrine and tradition4 ,jacolliot shows that as the ,french code is copied or adapted from the ,justinian1 so equally the ,justinian was derived from that of ,manu1 many centuries previously4 ,and what is true of ,law is equally true of philosophy1 theology1 morals1 and the principles of science1 art1 architecture1 and all the rest4 ,the ,hindoos were demoralized by the priests1 but the moral degradation extended even to them1 and the arms they employed were turned against themselves4 ,the first result of the baneful domination of priests in ,india was the abasement and moral degradation of woman1 so respected and honored during the ,vedic period4 ,if you would reign over the persons of slaves1 over brutalized intelligence1 the history of these infamous epochs presents a means of unequaled simplicity4 ,degrade and demoralize the woman1 and you will soon have made of man a debased creature1 without energy to struggle against the darkest despotisms2 for1 according to the fine expression of the ,vedas1 'the woman is the soul of humanity4' ,as did the ,brahman priesthood1 when through greed and ambition they forsook the ancient wisdom1 so do the priesthood of ,rome1 with their celibacy added to the abominations and opportunities of the confessional4 ,search the records of all time1 and the traditions and customs of every people1 and you will find nowhere else such recognition and reverence paid to woman as in the early ,vedic days4 ,let it be well understood1 says ,jacolliot1 that it was but sacerdotal influence and ,brahminical decay that1 in changing the primitive condition of the ,east1 reduced woman to a state of subordination which has not yet disappeared from our social system4 ,let us read these maxims taken at hazard from the sacred books of ,india4 7,i quote only a few47 ,man is strength--woman is beauty2 he is the reason that governs1 but she is the wisdom that moderates2 the one cannot exist without the other1 and hence the ,lord created them two1 for the one purpose4 ,he who despises woman1 despises his mother4 ,who is cursed by a woman1 is cursed by ,god4 ,the tears of woman call down the fire of heaven on those who make them flow4 ,the songs of women are sweet in the ears of the ,lord2 men should not1 if they wish to be heard1 sing the praise of ,god without women4 ,women should be protected with tenderness1 and gratified with gifts1 by all who wish for length of days4 ,it was at the prayer of a woman that the ,creator pardoned man2 cursed be he who forgets it4 7,see the ,vedic ,garden of ,eden47 ,moses1 trained only in the decay of the old religion by the degenerate priests of ,egypt1 while drawing his legend of creation from the ancient ,vedic source1 reverses all this and places the blame of the ,fall on woman1 and the women of the ,bible are more often concubines and prostitutes than ,love's pure evangels as in the ancient days4 ,jacolliot proves this from many citations1 as witness also the following3 7,numbers1 ,chapter ,,xxi47 ,and ,moses was enraged against the chief officers of the army1 against the tribunes1 and the centurions who returned from battle4 ,and he said unto them1 ,why have you saved the women and the children8 ,slay therefore all the males amongst the children1 and the women who have been married4 ,but reserve for yourselves all the young girls who are still virgins4 ,moses spoke in the name of ,god1 as does his ,holiness at ,rome to-day4 ,comment is hardly necessary4 ,a few more quotations from the ,vedas3 ,a virtuous woman needs no purification1 for she is never defiled1 even by contact with impurity4 ,women should be shielded by fostering solicitude by their fathers1 their brothers1 their husbands1 and the brothers of their husbands1 if they hope for great prosperity4 ,when women are honored1 the divinities are content1 but where they are not honored1 all undertakings fail4 ,the sacerdotal caste in ,egypt followed the inspiration of the ,brahmans1 and took care to make no change in that situation4 ,and ,moses followed the example of the priests of ,egypt1 where woman was a slave or a prostitute in the temples as out4 ,the degeneracy of a people1 the decay of religion1 and the degradation of woman are inseparable1 and it is so-called religion that institutes the change1 and sets the pace1 down the steep descent4 ,the ,brahmans forgot ,god and instituted the worship of saints and holy men1 and mythological characters1 just as ,rome does to-day4 ,the women of ,america to-day by a consensus of public opinion should make auricular confession disreputable4 ,excommunication1 which is such a power in the hands of ,rome1 is merely a subterfuge and substitute for the degradation of outcasts1 and pariahs1 instituted by the ,brahman priests to terrify the disobedient and retain their power4 ,if the reader cares to know the danger and the degradation to woman fostered and protected through the ,confessional by the ,celibate ,roman priesthood1 he should read ,the ,history of ,auricular ,confession1 by ,de ,lasteyrie1 translated into ,english and printed in ,london in #ahdh4 ,now and then a ,pope or a council undertook to institute reform1 but found1 as in ,spain1 prostitution of women by priests through the confessional so widespread and universal that they more often gave up the attempt through fear of scandal and contempt for the ,church itself4 ,lecky1 in his ,history of ,european ,morals1 records the case of the abbot-elect of ,st4 ,augustine1 at ,canterbury1 who in #aaga was found on investigation to have seventeen illegitimate children in a single village2 or1 an abbot of ,st4 ,pelayo1 in ,spain1 who in #aacj was proved to have kept no less than seventy concubines2 or ,henry ,,iii1 ,bishop of ,lige1 who was deposed in #abgd for having sixty-five illegitimate children4 7,history of ,european ,morals4 ,p4 #cej47 ,if the reader remarks that this is ancient history1 he should remember that a celibate priesthood to-day have the same opportunity1 through the secrecy and power of the ,confessional1 as ever4 ,i have barely touched on this disgusting but all-important question on the general thesis of ,jacolliot1 viz43 ,the first result of the baneful domination of priests in ,india was the abasement and moral degradation of woman4 ,rome1 who derived her religious code from paganized ,egypt1 added celibacy to the opportunities and inducements for the degradation of woman4 ,rome never attained the heights from which the ,brahman priesthood plunged into debauchery4 ,even to-day in the festivals in the ,brahman temples wholesale orgies of prostitution are sometimes found1 as witnessed and recorded by ,jacolliot4 ,from the first1 ,brahman priests have married and reared families4 ,their degradation and debauchery1 therefore1 cannot be charged to their original ,divine ,revelation1 but to their corruption of it4 ,i have given a few brief quotations among hundreds recorded by ,jacolliot as to the respect and veneration accorded to woman in early ,vedic times1 and in the ,laws of ,manu4 ,the ,brahman may not approach the altar of sacrifice but with a soul pure1 in a body undefiled4 ,spirituous liquors beget drunkenness1 neglect of duty1 and they profane prayer4 ,the antiquity of ,india stands forth to establish its priority of religious legislation in prohibiting to priests the use of spirituous liquors1 and especially in forbidding the pleasures of love when they are about to offer sacrifice4 ,the woman whose words and thoughts and person are pure is a celestial balm4 ,happy shall he be whose choice is approved by all the good4 ,it is ordained that a devotee shall choose a wife from his own class4 ,the ,brahman who marries a woman who is not a virgin1 who is a widow1 or divorced by her husband1 or who is not known as a virtuous woman1 cannot be permitted to offer sacrifice1 for he is impure1 and nothing can cleanse him from his impurities4 ,and ,jacolliot adds1 ,it is not recorded1 says the divine ,manu1 that a ,brahman has ever1 even by compulsion1 married a girl of low class4 ,let the ,brahman espouse a ,brahmine1 says the ,veda4 ,let him take a well-formed virgin1 of an agreeable name1 of the graceful carriage of the swan1 or of the young elephant1 whose body is covered with light down1 her hair fine1 her teeth small1 and her limbs charmingly graceful4 ,jacolliot compares these early ,vedic injunctions with ,leviticus1 ,chapter ,,xxi1 and the absurdities introduced by ,moses as to a crooked nose or a squint eye4 ,woman here in the ,west is just emerging from the slavery and degradation of ages1 and she ought to know that that degradation was not the handicap of barbaric and undeveloped races1 so far as the ,aryan race is concerned1 but a demoralization and degradation instituted by priests1 in the name of religion1 through which they have sought to rule the world1 and so far as institutional religions are concerned1 woman has had to progress in spite of them4 ,without the aid and influence of woman to-day1 neither ,protestant nor ,roman ,church could exist at all1 as witness almost any ,sabbath service where women outnumber men often ten to one4 ,one day woman will be wise enough and brave enough to dictate terms1 as she did ages ago in old ,aryavarta4 ,when that day comes1 and the really ,divine ,motherhood planted in every true woman's soul is recognized by man and woman alike1 ,god grant that she may thenceforth hold the fort till the ,kali-,yuga is at full tide1 and the ,spiritual ,evolution of our present ,humanity is fully accomplished4 ,in the meantime the world will have learned to know ,jesus1 who and what he was1 and how he became the ,christ1 and will have joined in his ,divine ,mission to man1 as the teeming millions joined in old ,india under ,christna ages ago4 ,,chapter ,,ix ,,hero ,,worship ,,and ,,folklore ,the history of every people1 of all time1 and of every religion of which we have any record1 reveals a similar origin1 course1 and destiny4 ,we of the present day have the advantage of these records upon which to institute comparisons1 ascertain relations1 and draw conclusions4 ,true1 the partisans and postulants of all these religions at the present day will claim exception in favor of their own cult1 and regard as sacrilegious and profane any attempt to institute comparisons and draw general conclusions4 ,any attempt to persuade them of their error would be useless4 ,the essentials of their religion will not be called in question1 but on the other hand1 they will find that it is impossible to escape from the habitual and universal tendencies in which they are involved4 ,however veritable may have been the original revelations1 the tendencies and habits of weaving around them the traditions and superstitions of folklore seem to have been inevitable and universal4 ,it is the province of ,science to ascertain the facts in any given case1 to institute comparisons1 and to draw deductions and generalizations dispassionately and relentlessly4 ,it is thus that every tradition1 superstition1 creed1 dogma1 and revelation comes under review1 and is placed on trial4 ,true science has no preconceived notion1 no foregone conclusion4 ,each subject examined must tell its own story and in its own way1 and stand or fall measured by intrinsic evidence and revealed fact4 ,to this tribunal every episode in the life of man and the history of the human race must at last come4 ,what are the facts8 ,what do they reveal and signify8 ,to most religionists this method and aim of science seem as relentless and dogmatic as their own creed or dogmas4 ,it is a sifting and discriminative process1 that1 while relentless1 is in the end eminently ,just1 and in the end will be found to be the revealer of all that is essential and true in religion itself4 ,in itself1 science is not and never can be a religion4 ,it is a method only1 which1 like a search-light1 reveals all religions in all their essentials1 and places them in their true light4 ,religion per se is an essential element in the nature and life of man and of the human race4 ,science is a method1 a way of procedure in the intelligent mind of man in its search for truth4 ,religion is vital1 essential1 basic4 ,it is born of the relation which inheres in the kinship of the individual intelligence to the ,universal ,spirit of ,nature and of all life4 ,science is the intelligent and rational use of the mental powers of man4 ,religion is intuitional1 spiritual perception1 involving the heart1 the affections4 ,man aspires1 worships1 adores1 and by the light of ,faith or intuitive conviction1 recognizes that which he cannot explain and cannot get rid of if he tries4 ,science is the just weight and measure of things seen1 and of the natural causes of phenomena4 ,religion--the evidence of things unseen4 ,religion1 as a fact1 can never be explained away by ,science4 ,the so-called science that assumes or undertakes to do that1 is materialism and nescience4 ,superstition is the false interpretation of religion1 and folklore and tradition are the accretions that gather around the foundations and original revelations of religion1 and lead at last to obscuration and the need of a new revelation4 ,each genuine new revelation is but the rehabilitation of the primeval religion in which accretions1 false interpretations1 and dogmatic assertions are cast aside4 ,religion represents man's endeavor to apprehend and interpret the unseen2 that something more and something beyond the visible1 the sensuous1 and the tangible4 ,it is this conscious awareness of something more and something beyond the visible and the tangible1 that furnishes man with a conception of ,god and of the human soul4 ,this is a natural intuition1 inseparable from the awareness of self4 ,it lies at the foundation like man's self-conscious identity1 and can neither be explained nor explained away4 ,here lies the root of all religions4 ,the imagery of man's imagination1 in his effort to apprehend the unseen1 and to formulate the unknown1 gives rise to myths1 allegory1 tradition1 folklore1 and in the end1 to superstition1 creed1 and dogma4 ,then come priestcraft1 oppression1 persecution4 ,the death of religion1 the deification of the revealer or ,avatar1 and the substitution of the priesthood as of divine authority1 in place of the revealer or the revelation4 ,jove1 ,orpheus1 ,jehovah1 and at last ,jesus1 are enthroned beyond the clouds1 and priest or church assume the earthly prerogative1 speak in their place1 assume dogmatic authority1 promise heaven and happiness for obedience1 and dire penalties for disobedience1 and resort to persecution to maintain their authority4 ,the traditions1 mythologies1 and folklore of all the past have thus arisen4 ,the creeds and dogmas of the present constitute the effort of man to assume exclusive dominion1 and to exercise divine authority over the masses of mankind4 ,it is only another form of the ambition of individuals for wealth1 fame or power1 lifting them to a class above the toiling1 suffering1 and sorrowing masses4 ,there are exceptional individuals all along the way1 who conceive1 hold1 and exercise the spirit of the ,master1 and sink self in the service of man1 and but for these the organized priesthood would be execrated by mankind long before4 ,the organized church deifies1 where the true disciple humanizes and helps mankind in the name and in the spirit of the ,master4 ,this is the spirit1 the origin1 the genius and the history of every ,avatar1 of ,christna1 and all the ,buddhas1 the ,saviors and ,redeemers of history4 ,the orthodox ,christian of to-day1 whether ,catholic or ,protestant1 will be likely to admit the foregoing outline except as it applies to his own religion4 ,whereas it is abundantly proven to-day regarding his own religion as nowhere else in history4 ,the histories of former religions are vague1 distant1 and so covered over by tradition1 myth1 and folklore1 as to be difficult to trace4 ,the beginnings1 history1 and progress of the ,christian religion are comparatively nearer at hand1 and the process above outlined readily demonstrable4 ,not only so1 but the recognition of the facts and processes is everywhere in evidence4 ,this fact1 however1 by no means ends the controversy4 ,traditions1 creeds1 and dogmas die hard1 and fight to the last extremity4 ,nothing else known to man fights so desperately and dies so hard as an organized priesthood1 and beyond this1 they are upheld by the ignorance1 superstition1 the fear1 and the faith of the masses4 ,their adherents often believe and assume that they have discovered final truths1 essential and unalterable verities4 ,they undertake to support and to maintain these by dogmatic authority1 a holy book1 a thus sayeth the ,lord4 ,there it is1 down in black and white4 ,no further evidence is required4 ,to question such authority is to be damned4 ,to believe1 accept1 and to conform1 is to be saved4 ,difference of opinion and of interpretation inevitably arise1 even among those who dare not question the ultimate authority and genuineness of the original revelation4 ,hence arise sects1 schisms1 and theological warfare4 ,notwithstanding all this1 the original revelation becomes a matter of thorough investigation and of criticism4 ,the so-called higher criticism had already discovered errors in translation1 and contradictions in interpretation1 resulting in a revised edition of the sacred books1 while under the name ,pragmatism1 certain metaphysical writers and accredited teachers have undertaken to determine essential meanings and interpretations1 and to submit religious revelations1 creeds1 dogmas1 and theologies to critical analysis4 ,how far this analysis has gone1 and how little of the original interpretation actually remains1 only they are aware who keep abreast of current thought1 and who with open mind care more for the simple truth than for custom1 tradition1 theologies1 and the folklore of the past4 ,dogmatic theological authority is completely undermined1 and its days are numbered4#a ,with the masses there is the habitual unrest1 the feeling of uncertainty1 the social upheaval1 with the inevitable tendency to confusion and anarchy4 ,a new religion is already in the formative stage1 a new ,avatar inevitable4 ,it is to be less a repudiation than a revision and rehabilitation of the old religion4 ,people everywhere are looking for the new revelation1 for the coming of ,christos1 for the new ,avatar1 and few are aware that he is already here4 ,it should be borne strictly in mind that in every instance in the past1 the advent of the ,avatar has been unattended by signs and wonders1 has come upon the stage of human action in the most commonplace way1 and that myth1 miracle1 and folklore have followed as time went on4 ,to the people of his time ,jesus was the son of the carpenter1 whose family was obscure4 ,he came eating with publicans and sinners4 ,jesus1 the demigod of to-day1 was unknown and undreamed of in ,galilee4 ,philo ,judus seems never to have heard of him4 ,what and who ,jesus was1 and what he did1 is separated from what the church and theologians have made of him by a gulf that seems almost impassable1 and yet this gulf has already been bridged and passed4 ,the new ,avatar has for its mission the rehabilitation of ,jesus as he actually existed1 divested of all myth and miracle1 while the mission for which he came1 and the doctrines for which he lived and died are to be completely restored to mankind in their purity4 ,the old ,hindoos would call this transformation a reincarnation of ,vishnu1 a new ,avatar4 ,it will mean ,jesus the divine ,man1 the master1 ,christos1 restored to the heart of ,humanity from the mysticism and miracle of monks and theologies1 from the superstitions and folklore of the multitude4 ,this means a reconstruction and a restatement of the religion of ,jesus4 ,jesus remaining what he actually was and is1 it will be the province of ,natural ,science to explain and to demonstrate by natural and spiritual law1 how1 without mystery or miracle1 ,jesus became the ,master ,christos and so remains to-day4 ,natural ,science is not the invention of man1 more than is the law of gravitation1 the law of equilibrium1 or the binomial theorem4 ,man may discover these laws from the phenomena of ,nature1 and demonstrate their existence and mode of operation like any others4 ,it is a question of dispassionate and intelligent apprehension and demonstration4 ,all actual progress of man up to the present time lies along these lines4 ,beyond this all is conjecture and guess-work4 ,natural ,science1 however1 is far more than modern physical science so-called4 ,it includes physical1 mental1 moral1 and spiritual science4 ,its methods everywhere and at all times are the same4 ,it may theorize1 but never dogmatize1 and it must demonstrate at every step4 ,facts must not only support the theorem1 but demonstrate the conclusions as inevitable1 and the basis of all such actual demonstration must be a verifiable individual experience1 with formulated laws and processes for its repetition1 just as in physical science1 in chemistry1 and mathematics4 ,nothing less than this on any plane or in any department of investigation can enable the individual to declare ,i ,know4 ,demonstration is the sign manual of knowledge2 ,dogmatism the arrogance of ignorance4 ,it is impossible to make these radical distinctions too clear and specific4 ,when this method of ,natural ,science is applied to the investigation of religions1 tradition is separated from fact1 dogma from demonstration1 miracle from natural law1 mythology and folklore are found to be the fabric woven by the imagination of mankind around the receding revelations1 deifying their authors1 and mingling fact with fable1 till the originals become unrecognizable4 ,romance and superstition become substitutes for simple ,faith1 moral law1 and social ,justice4 ,to question or to repudiate the dogmas of superstition becomes a mortal sin1 even when the most plain and specific moral or ethical obligations are entirely subverted or reversed by dogmatic authority4 ,it is thus that the original revelation is subverted and at last overthrown4 ,from first to last1 the whole fabric is claimed to be sacred and divine1 and to question it1 sacrilege and profanation of holy things4 ,thus1 that which seemed originally as wings to the toiling1 sorrowing children of men1 becomes at last a millstone about the neck1 a burden grievous to be borne4 ,then comes protest1 repudiation1 reform1 and usually a new revelation1 embodying the primitive faith1 and adapting it to modern times and conditions4 ,this is1 in brief1 the history of the ,avatars of ,ancient ,india1 the ,buddhas and the ,zoroasters of later centuries2 of the ,greek ,orpheus2 of the legends and folklore clustering around many of the sages of ,israel1 and though in a less miraculous fashion1 of ,confucius and ,laotse4 ,but most patent of all does this principle apply to the founder of the ,christian religion1 because less ancient and more readily verifiable4 ,though no new ,avatar is yet recognized1 the spirit of modern science does not hesitate to repudiate myth1 miracle1 and superstition1 and to insist on fact and natural law4 ----- #a ,see ,president ,eliot's latest utterances4 ,,chapter ,x ,,corroborative ,,evidence ,the devout and conscientious believers in the ,christian ,religion of to-day often view with sorrow and alarm the encroachments of modern science4 ,unable to prevent these encroachments1 they stubbornly resent them4 ,once admitted1 it seems to them that nothing sacred or worthy the name of ,religion would remain4 ,to shift to other and more ancient faiths can never be considered at all1 for the higher criticism and pragmatism have left them all in even a worse plight4 ,it seems to these devout souls like the death of religion itself1 and its elimination from the life of man4 ,the intuitive basis and the intrinsic necessity of religion in some form have already been considered4 ,this point is often overlooked or ignored by the ,iconoclasts4 ,their position would seem to be1 ,unravel the superstition1 disprove the possibility of miracle1 and let the deluge come if it must4 ,neither pragmatism nor higher criticism has been in any large sense constructive1 but more largely destructive4 ,the really spiritual element in all religions1 already referred to1 is generally lost sight of4 ,modern psychology is no nearer a science of the soul1 than are folklore and superstition to true religion4 ,it should be recognized and granted once for all that psychology1 as a department of modern physical science1 has no substitute whatever to offer in the place of ,religion4 ,it is gathering facts1 classifying1 and labeling psychic phenomena4 ,here and there an advanced scientist1 like ,sir ,oliver ,lodge1 ignores tradition1 repudiates orthodox scientific restraints1 and steps over the border of actual or implied nihilism4 ,this smug nihilism with its superior air of scientific wisdom1 is often only the opposite pole of the dogmatic certitude of the churchman4 ,actual knowledge of the human soul is quite as far removed from the one as from the other4 ,credulity and ,incredulity simply annul each other2 often make faces at each other2 while ,progress stalks alone in the middle of the road1 a tramp or a vagabond1 like ,paracelsus1 reading the leaves of the book of ,nature1 laughing at poverty1 fleeing from persecution1 yet knowing1 and becoming a light to man forever4 ,the consensus of opinion among the presidents and professors in the leading colleges and universities of this country1 their unhesitating and unqualified denial or repudiation of the claims set up by the church regarding revelation and the basic dogmas of the ,christian ,religion1 and which his ,holiness of the ,vatican designates as ,modernism1 reveal1 not only the signs of the times1 but show indisputably that modern education has shaken itself free from the superstitions of the past1 and repudiated the old restraints to free thought and modern progress4 ,orthodoxy in religious matters has often nothing to do in determining college curriculums1 in the selection of presidents1 or in filling the chairs4 ,bright young men and women1 the advanced students of the schools of to-day1 who are to become the leaders of thought and the teachers of to-morrow1 find little restraint and no formative element in the creeds and dogmas that in the past have been so much in evidence1 and so constraining4 ,intensity of feeling has given place to breadth and inclusiveness1 and under the name of ,comparative ,religions1 ancient faiths and modern1 are classified1 and studied like fossils in the different ages of the past4 ,the crusader impulse has rather settled down in each individual breast1 as the master passion1 to do1 to dare1 and to become something more and better than the individual1 or than the past has hitherto known4 ,such a general period of intellectual activity1 with so few restraints1 history nowhere else records1 and the world has never before known4 ,here lie the elements1 the impulses1 and the formative stage of the new ,avatar4 ,at this stage of our discussion it is of exceeding interest and importance to bear in mind one great fact4 ,the average intelligent student of to-day may take this fact tentatively1 reserving final judgment till accumulative evidence becomes satisfactory and conclusive4 ,no one who is dominated by shallow incredulity1 and who attempts to close this door contemptuously1 will ever arrive at the real truth4 ,the judgment of such individuals is simply worthless1 notwithstanding the smug conceit of their own opinions4 ,the important fact referred to1 is the demonstrated existence1 all through the ages1 of the so-called ,mysteries4 ,their existence is beyond all question4 ,what they concealed and taught is sometimes difficult to determine4 ,there were also the genuine and the spurious ,mysteries1 and a fair appreciation of their origin1 purpose1 methods1 and genius1 as illustrated by ,plato1 ,pythagoras1 ,zoroaster1 and nearly every great sage of antiquity1 leaves no possible doubt that in these ,secret ,orders were preserved the loftiest and the most profound mental and spiritual achievements of all previous human history4 ,if there were no other evidence in existence at the present day except the traditions1 landmarks1 ritual1 and ,genius of ,freemasonry1 a careful and intelligent study of that ,ancient ,order would be sufficient4 ,whether one ,mason in a thousand to-day apprehends and realizes this fact1 has nothing whatever to do with the real question4 ,the evidence is there1 and the indifference or superficial intelligence of numbers cannot alter it4 ,,chapter ,,xi ,,conceptions ,,and ,,portents ,,of ,,an ,,avatar ,the conflict between ,science and ,religion has been thoroughly thrashed out during the last half century1 and the reign of law1 and orderly1 and progressive evolution1 have made for themselves a habitation and a name that nothing is likely to overthrow4 ,it is recognized that every effect has a sufficient and a commensurate cause1 not en bloc1 but in matter1 energy1 mind1 and spirit4 ,action and reaction are definite mathematical processes4 ,the parallelogram of force tends everywhere to equilibrium and secures further action and new processes under universal law4 ,the special creation theory--everything made out of nothing by a personal ,god--is no longer regarded as tenable by intelligent individuals1 though miracle and special providence are often included in accounting for the vicissitudes of life1 just as the so-called scientist superficially and flippantly uses the word coincidence1 as though it really explained anything4 ,the rational order that pervades the universe1 as ,prof4 ,huxley defined the concept and aim of scientific discovery1 has steadily gained ascendancy1 until it dominates and measures individual intelligence4 ,the criticism is still occasionally made that this means ,pantheism1 overlooking the fact that in all mythologies and cosmologies1 an ideal and pure theism was recognized as lying back of and beyond the pantheons of the gods and the deification of the powers of ,nature4 ,this was true in the ,greek1 ,persian1 ,egyptian1 and ,hindoo mythologies4 ,back of the many1 and beyond the transient and contending divinities1 was the ,one1 postulated1 but unknown and changeless4 ,every religion known to man1 with the advancing civilization of a people1 copied1 modified1 adopted1 and adapted the mythology and folklore of some pre-existing religion and people4 ,this is readily demonstrable with the ,hebrew1 ,greek1 and later ,christian dispensations1 notwithstanding the most strenuous and persistent determination to deny1 disprove1 and destroy the ancient records4 ,it is embodied in the etymology of the very names of heroes1 gods1 and demigods4 ,a new language arising with any people de novo can nowhere be found4 ,phonetics and picturegraphs1 the various alphabets and glyphs1 are mixed and modified1 but never invented nor altogether changed4 ,complicated as they may be1 it is thus that philology1 ethnology1 theology1 and anthropology constitute a consistent whole1 the mythology and folklore of mankind4 ,this reveals the practical unity and solidarity of the human race4 ,the tradition and prophecy among the ancient ,hebrews of the coming of the ,messiah1 the portents that heralded1 and the signs and wonders that preceded or accompanied his appearance1 are merely translations or adaptations from previous eras1 ,buddhas1 or ,avatars4 ,whether ,christian or non-,christian1 the object of the advent is always identical4 ,the light of the spirit having become enfeebled or obscured1 the people are left in darkness and given over to sin and wickedness4 ,moral ruin seems inevitable unless there is a divine influx1 a new ,avatar1 or ,buddha1 or ,advent of the ,god-man4 ,god incarnates himself as the son of ,mary1 and ,jesus says1 ,i am come a light into the world that whosoever believeth in me should not abide in darkness4 ,christna says1 ,though ,i am unborn1 and my nature is eternal1 and ,i am the ,lord also of all creatures1 yet taking control of my nature-form1 ,i am born by my illusive power4 ,for whenever piety decays1 ,o son of ,bharata1 and impiety is in the ascendant1 then ,i produce myself4 ,for the protection of good men1 for the destruction of evildoers1 for the re-establishment of piety1 ,i am born from age to age4 7,bhagavadgita47 ,the historical ,buddha taught that he was only one of a long series of ,buddhas1 who appear at intervals in the world1 and who all teach the same system4 ,after the death of each ,buddha his religion flourishes for a time and then decays1 till at last it is completely forgotten and wickedness and violence rule the earth4 ,the names of twenty-four of these ,buddhas who appeared previous to ,gautama have been handed down to us1 just as the second coming of ,christ is believed in and referred to among the ,christians4 ,even the ,mohammedan ,koran refers to this succession of prophets and messengers of ,allah4 ,the same is true of the ,parsis4 ,i have said that ,i first of all chose ,abad1 and after him ,i sent thirteen prophets in succession1 all called ,abad4 ,by these fourteen prophets the world enjoyed prosperity4 ,tradition informs us that when these auspicious prophets and their successors behold evil to prevail among mankind1 they invariably withdraw from among them--as they could not endure to behold or hear wickedness4 ,this is precisely what happened to ,egypt after the ambitious priesthood had gained the ascendency4 ,the ,master ,builders retired4 ,bonwick says 7,egyptian ,belief and ,modern ,thought73 ,what is commonly called the ,christ idea of humanity1 thus appears to have been the hope and consolation of the ancient ,egyptians so many thousand years ago4 ,that which thus appears and disappears1 dies out and is born again1 is the spiritual light in the soul of man4 ,the diversity of man's intellectual activities exercise1 elaborate1 and deepen his mental perceptions1 and these largely concern the things of sense and time1 his appetites1 passions1 desires1 and ambitions4 ,back of and beyond all these lie the things of the spirit4 ,on the physical plane of life the former obscure and crowd out the latter1 which are thus continually in need of renewal4 ,in adapting the new revelation to the conditions of life on the physical plane1 it is intellectualized and theologized4 ,pundits and theologians undertake to explain what it all means and how it happened to be4 ,hence arise wrangles1 disputes1 and finally creeds1 dogmas1 and persecution4 ,men fight like devils for the love of ,god4 ,this is the ultimate history of every religion known to man4 ,meantime1 the soul of man1 a spiritual being dwelling in a material body on the physical plane1 is seeking real knowledge of spiritual things4 ,this real knowledge is an experience of the soul4 ,it concerns1 and is comprised in1 the living of a life4 ,it is more than mind or intellect4 ,it is knowledge gained by experience4 ,this only ,i know1 that whereas ,i was blind1 now ,i see4 ,whether in the body or out of the body1 ,i know not1 but ,i saw things impossible to utter4 ,gradually man's idea of ,god and his conception of ,nature have changed and enlarged4 ,man1 as a spiritual being1 is part of a spiritual universe4 ,he has been able to harmonize his concept of ,god and ,nature progressively as he has gained larger views and deeper insight of both4 ,he is no longer a puppet of infinite caprice1 nor a somewhat improved animal4 ,the idea of man as a fallen god with the capacity to regain his heavenly estate1 is far nearer the truth4 ,as man advances in knowledge through the combined experiences of his spiritual nature and his physical embodiment1 his beliefs change1 his horizon enlarges1 and his concepts become elevated and purified4 ,the past is apprehended and utilized and the future intelligently anticipated4 ,he begins to understand4 ,this means the recognition of law and order1 permanency1 ,foundation1 and stability4 ,the birth stories1 the portents1 signs and wonders that announce1 accompany1 or follow the birth of a ,messiah or ,avatar1 are almost identical4 ,a common instinct seems to have led all scripture-compilers to infer a simultaneous stimulus of nature and man upon the appearance of what the ,hindoo calls an ,avatar4 ,men1 too1 seem prepared to expect such an advent as its necessary time approaches4 ,it is an instinct which tells them that the darkest hour precedes the dawn4 ,in the ,christian scriptures the premonitions and birth stories are found largely in the ,apocryphal books4 ,doubtless the copying and substitution from the lives of ,christna and ,buddha were too plain4 ,at the death of ,jesus the seismic1 astral1 and cosmic disturbances are graphically described1 as befitting the death of a god4 ,the veil of the temple was rent in twain1 etc4 ,the simple fact is that mankind feels instinctively in the soul the far-reaching influences at work4 ,the spiritual nature is stirred to its depths1 and when he tries to describe what he sees and feels1 his emotions1 fears1 or aspirations being at white heat1 his imagination draws from the folklore of other times1 races1 and religions1 to express what he so powerfully1 but vaguely senses4 ,but beyond all this1 the time of great religious revivals and social upheavals is likely to coincide with seismic disturbance1 tidal waves and the like1 owing to the conjunction of planets under the general law of cycles4 ,man is completely involved with and evolved from the bosom of ,nature4 ,his freedom is determined by knowledge and obedience to ,law4 ,from the mystic ,hymns of ,orpheus1 with the legends of ,gods1 demigods1 and heroes1 and the personification of the varied powers of man and nature1 arose the ,greek ,pantheon1 which1 in poetic concept1 romantic and dramatic embodiment and expression1 as a concise and complete whole1 has probably never been equaled by man4 ,true1 every essential element1 under a different name and detail1 may be found elsewhere1 but never equaled in concise and constructive folklore and mythology4 ,but running underneath all this1 like a vein of gold under the mountain1 was the philosophy of ,plato4 ,grasping the ,one from the many1 ,unity from the fantastic diversity1 he came to the individual experience of the human soul and its conscious mastership over the body and the things of sense and time4 ,civic pride1 patriotism1 and heroism1 walked side by side with dialectics1 and the pantheon of the gods and the achievements of warriors rivaled each other on the stage1 as themes for the poetic philosopher and dramatist4 ,mythology and folklore here furnished a background from which the philosophy of the mysteries and the real science of life gained a hearing4 ,plato and ,pythagoras generalized1 and with many reservations represented that which they had been taught in the mysteries of ,egypt4 ,greece1 with its triumphs in literature1 in the drama and in art1 and all its magnificent civilization1 knew no ,avatar4 ,jacolliot1 in his ,bible in ,india1 has shown conclusively that not only the whole ,greek pantheon1 its folklore and mythology1 and even its civil code were adopted from the ,laws of ,manu and the far older ,aryan civilization1 including even the names of heroes4 ,the fame of ,greece rests upon its ,genius fo ,construction in ,art and ,architecture and the ,drama1 and upon the open door it gave to ,philosophy4 ,there was no dominant priesthood to close the door of progress4 ,it utilized all the past and built and beautified the present4 ,it bequeathed no creed nor dogma to the future1 and yet its civilization was transcendent and is immortal4 ,it had its canons of ,art and of ,architecture4 ,these it demonstrated by constructive work4 ,it illustrated1 explained and exemplified1 but it did not argue nor dogmatize4 ,the world for two thousand years has been going back to ,greece and trying to explain how it all happened1 just as we have been trying to explain ,goethe's ,faust4 ,genius is transcendent and immortal4 ,with the decline of ,greece there arose the ,genius of the ,tiber1 ,imperial ,rome1 and the ,csars4 ,rome created an ,avatar out of the ,babe of ,bethlehem4 ,having enthroned ,jehovah1 it proceeded to deify ,jesus1 and then by substitution to take the place of both4 ,imperial ,rome1 the ,scarlet ,mother of the ,tiber1 assumed the government and dictatorship of the world4 ,imperial1 dogmatic1 relentless1 the arbiter of the fate of humanity on earth and beyond4 ,here was arbitrary1 relentless power at any cost1 to be maintained on any terms4 ,the end always justified the means4 ,in the civilization of ,greece1 the ,individual1 the citizen was first1 and association and co-operation built the ,state4 ,with ,rome the ,individual is nothing but a pawn1 an accessory to the ,church4 ,it was and is the ,church first1 last1 and all the time4 ,the ,individual can claim no right nor prerogative except as a concession from the ,church4 ,the contrast is extreme and absolute between the ,genius of ,greece and that of ,rome4 ,as the ,genius of ,greece was adapted from the older ,aryan1 so also was that of ,rome1 from the ,brahmans1 through ,egypt4 ,among the various ,avatars of old ,india designated as ,incarnations of ,vishnu1 ,siva the destroyer1 was often in evidence4 ,rome proceeded to adopt the ,hindoo ,trinity--,brahma1 ,vishnu1 and ,siva--7the ,creator1 the ,preserver1 and the ,destroyer71 and to so shape its creed and dogmas as to secure and maintain the power of ,mother ,church1 simply with a change of names--,father1 ,son1 and ,holy ,ghost4 ,it has enslaved nations and slaughtered millions in order to maintain its power4 ,for more than fifteen hundred years it has maintained its relentless warfare against the inalienable rights of the ,individual1 and the inevitable progress of humanity4 ,it has escaped the execration of the world only by its priestly trick of deifying ,jesus and sophisticating every doctrine that he taught4 ,supporting its pretensions by ,mariolatry1 the ,auricular ,confession1 and its army of spies and inquisitors1 it has dominated mankind1 impoverished whole nations1 devastated provinces and murdered all who opposed its progress wherever and whenever it has gained civil power4 ,rome is to-day the literal and visible reincarnation of ,siva1 the ,avatar of ,destruction4 ,she has originated nothing4 ,her mass and all her ritualistic mummeries are adopted from paganism at its worst stage and in its most degenerate form1 and she awaits the fate that befell ,egypt and all her predecessors1 ,sodom1 ,gomorrah1 and the cities of the plain4 ,protestantism has hitherto protested only in part4 ,refusing ,mariolatry and auricular confession1 ,protestantism1 by accepting the miraculous conception1 the deification of ,jesus and the vicarious atonement1 has kept ,rome in countenance4 ,when these are swept away1 and their doom is already declared by the leaders of thought in nearly all our institutions of higher learning1 the ,roman ,avatar will stand revealed in all its nakedness and villainy to the execration of mankind4 ,it is this ,modernism that ,his ,holiness so much fears and is trying to arrest4 ,it is too late1 unless civilization and the march of time move backward4 ,the most amazing thing about it all is1 how the world1 with its present intelligence and culture1 can be so indifferent to this most aggressive1 cruel1 and relentless ,avatar of all the ages1 instead of repelling it with contempt and execration4 ,thirty-seven ,italian ,cardinals1#b proud and arrogant1 rule the ,church1 elect the ,pope1 and assume dictatorship of the earth1 as also arbiters of human destiny1 here and hereafter4 ,america1 the corn-bin of this modern ,egypt1 by courtesy has one cardinal1 just to keep her in countenance4 ,the effrontery is cyclopean1 but our supineness and indifference are deplorable and inexcusable4 ,shipping her impoverished1 degraded1 criminal1 and priest-ridden hordes to ,america by the million every year1 ,rome is massing her army for the overthrow of our government and all our present civilization4 ,with her dogma of obedience1 her army now votes and will1 by and by1 fight under the dictatorship of the ,cardinals at ,rome4 ,already undermining our ,public ,free ,schools1 boycotting the public press1 with their army of ,jesuit spies and secret assassins of every liberty prized by man1 the merry war goes on right under our eyes1 and we sleep and dream and blindly assume that there is no danger4 ,read the history of the ,crusaders1 of the ,protestant ,reformation and of the ,holy ,inquisition1 and if further enlightenment is needed1 study the origin1 history1 and denouement of all the ,avatars of the past1 the fate of ,egypt1 the cities of the plain1 where paganism and a degenerate priesthood usurped the place of pure and undefiled religion1 and literally wiped from the map of the world the civilizations of the past4 ,nemesis is written in letters of flame across the starry heavens1 as an atonement for the blood of nations and the degeneracy and diabolism of an ambitious1 cruel1 relentless1 and unrestrained priesthood4 ,and it is all being literally repeated to-day without the novelty of a new idea1 or method1 or device1 or motive4 ,it is ,the ,reincarnation of the ,avatar of ,siva1 the ,destroyer4 ----- #b ,at the death of ,pope ,leo there were #fe ,cardinals1 #ci of whom were ,italians4 ,,chapter ,,xii ,,portents ,,of ,,the ,,present ,,time ,there is no disguising nor denying the fact that during the past half century institutional religion in the ,west has steadily lost its hold upon the great mass of the people4 ,creeds and dogmas are denied and repudiated4 ,the higher criticism represents the reluctant yielding of theologians to the existing conditions4 ,in order to maintain any hold whatever upon the people and retain a semblance of the old faith1 they have revised and modified beliefs and interpretations1 and relaxed completely the former demand for the confession of faith and acceptance of the old creeds4 ,mere general verbal assent admitting of many mental reservations is now often deemed sufficient4 ,in the meantime1 the living of the life and the doing of the work demanded by ,jesus have come more and more into demand and general recognition4 ,the ,emmanuel ,movement1 now gaining such recognition and making such rapid progress1 is sufficient evidence at this point4 ,with the ,church of ,rome no such change is manifest4 ,by keeping its people in ignorance1 by condemning all change or any improvement under the name of ,modernism1 and by insisting upon the dogma of infallibility and blind obedience1 ,rome thus far has resisted all change and refused all compromise4 ,the change in ,protestantism represents the growth of intelligence1 the recognition of the rights of conscience1 and individual and intellectual freedom4 ,the stability so apparent in ,romanism relies solely on ,ignorance1 ,superstition1 and ,fear1 enforced by the dogma of ,infallibility1 and reinforced by the power of ,excommunication and the penalty of ,anathema4 ,the unity and stability of the ,roman ,church1 thus secured by force1 will presently be found to be apparent only4 ,it could only work and hold in the dark ages4 ,internal division and dissension1 now known to exist1 await only some fresh act of oppression1 or some new abomination1 or abuse of political power1 to disrupt its solidarity4 ,in the meantime physical science has steadily advanced1 opening new avenues of wealth1 industry1 and opportunity1 and so developing the resources of this ,western world4 ,but more important and far-reaching still have been the discoveries regarding the finer forces of nature4 ,the wonderful development and application of discoveries in ,electricity have not only opened a new world previously unknown and unsuspected1 but have seemed to endow these subtle forces almost with an intelligence of their own4 ,crass materialism is dead and space practically annihilated4 ,if a single wire or a vibrating disc cannot originate intelligent speech1 it can retain1 repeat1 and transmit the qualities1 tones and inflections of the human voice in a way that seems miraculous and uncanny4 ,it is thus that our concepts of nature have been enlarged1 refined1 and actually spiritualized4 ,brutal and dead matter are no longer in evidence nor even mentioned4 ,with the advent of modern spiritualism came another group of phenomena4 ,making the largest allowance for fraud1 self-deception1 and all the vagaries of the imagination1 no intelligent individual1 familiar with the phenomena1 will attempt to deny the extension of man's psychic world of consciousness and the manifestation of intelligence in ways and under conditions previously unknown4 ,the identification of these intelligences1 always difficult1 and generally problematical1 need not here be discussed at all4 ,the facts and the phenomena are all that we are here concerned with4 ,the most important consideration regarding all these phenomena is that they do not develop1 but on the contrary dominate the individual4 ,they are1 in fact1 altogether subjective4 ,the medium may put himself in the negative or passive condition to be controlled1 but he cannot command nor control the influence nor the entity that influences him1 and eventually he loses the power to resist it1 and likewise the power of self-control4 ,science demands facts1 and here are facts in abundance4 ,these facts supplement the discoveries in electricity and nature's finer forces1 and pass from physics to metaphysics1 from physiology to psychology1 and push back the veil of the unseen1 and hitherto unknown1 many degrees4 ,the trend of all this progress1 and of these discoveries1 is exceedingly plain4 ,our concepts of ,nature1 of ,life1 and of ,man have been almost immeasurably enlarged1 refined1 and elevated4 ,expectancy is in the air4 ,what next is going to happen8 is the question everywhere asked4 ,the conditions and portents1 in a general way1 are those that herald a new ,avatar2 an ,avatar now1 of science rather than of religion2 of knowledge rather than of faith1 and this knowledge is to be of spiritual things1 the foundations of which are already in evidence4 ,this science is not to be time-serving1 but man-serving2 not so much a renewal of faith as a revelation of knowledge2 less anxious for the glory of ,god than for the elevation of man1 which is the more direct and certain way of honoring ,divinity4 ,this does not mean the decay nor the repudiation of religion1 but a realization of true religion1 such as heretofore prophets have foretold1 revelation has forecast1 and toward which humanity has toiled and journeyed in sorrow and pain2 the very religion that ,jesus lived and taught4 ,a clean life1 an open mind1 an unveiled spiritual perception1 a brotherliness for all1 and human life a journeying upward toward the realms of eternal day1 'with no night there1 and no sorrow4' ,and why not8 ,if man can conceive it1 why may he not realize it8 ,the ,old ,adam as an excuse is exploded4 ,the ,new ,adam is indeed a quickening spirit4 ,nothing is plainer nor more demonstrable at the present day than the fact that mankind is slowly but surely shaking off the traditions and the superstitions that have bound it in the past1 rising above the myths and the folklore of every age and clime1 and awaking as if from slumber1 to behold a new day and a new world4 ,this awakening is even more in evidence and remarkable in the case of woman than of man4 ,progress here during the last decade has been such as the world has never before seen on any such scale1 and it means more to the elevation of humanity than anyone has hitherto been able to forecast or to measure4 ,in the meantime social and economic conditions with the great masses of the people are very far from what they should be4 ,unrest and confusion are strongly in evidence4 ,on the whole1 there is far less suffering and destitution than ever before4 ,oppression and abominations meet with quick and powerful protest from all classes1 when exposed1 and at least temporary relief is quick to follow4 ,the blame is confined to no one class1 rich or poor4 ,the equitable distribution of wealth1 resources1 and opportunity that have developed beyond all precedent during the last half century1 requires time4 ,justice and equity are not dead1 but everywhere in evidence1 dominating mankind at large4 ,public sentiment was never more keen and never nearer right than to-day4 ,there is general confusion1 however1 as to methods and ways and means4 ,the cunning shark and the selfish brute resort to concealment1 cunning and subterfuge1 to deceive the people and often succeed for a time1 only to meet with condemnation and execration later4 ,injustice is often in evidence1 but it is neither rampant nor dominant4 ,it stands in fear of public sentiment4 ,these1 in brief and in outline1 are the conditions1 the portents1 to-day1 everywhere in evidence3 #a4 ,the decay of creeds and dogmas4 #b4 ,great progress in ,science1 ,art1 and the ,crafts4 #c4 ,immense discoveries regarding ,nature's finer forces and the psychical powers latent in man4 #d4 ,great expectancy as to new revelations4 #e4 ,unprecedented increase in wealth and the development of natural resources4 #f4 ,enfranchisement of woman1 and immense progress as to her rights and opportunities4 #g4 ,economic ,justice recognized and aimed at1 and fortified by public sentiment1 with strong efforts to secure and maintain it4 ,the present age or epoch is not one of darkness1 but of light2 not of discouragement1 but of hope4 ,it is neither retrograde nor stagnant1 but progressive to a degree never before witnessed in the history of man on so large a scale and involving all classes and so many people at one time4 ,organized or institutional religion alone is on the wane4 ,evidence and utility are everywhere demanded4 ,nothing is sacred simply because it is old2 nor true merely because it is dogmatically asserted so to be4 ,holy books1 holy men1 and holy days are matters of evidence1 and not of blind credence4 ,what will the new religion--the new revelation--be8 and whence will it come8 ,,chapter ,,xiii ,,the ,,separable ,,soul ,,in ,,folklore ,belief in a separable soul in man is virtually universal4 ,such belief is found amongst the lowest races1 and in the few instances where it has not been clearly discovered it is admitted that it may still exist and be disguised by the native meaning of words or signs that escape the explorer4 ,the universality of this belief has often been urged as an evidence of its validity and proof of the soul's existence4 ,modern physical science deduces this belief from the phenomena of daily life and the analogies of individual experience1 thus giving precedence to material causes for mental concepts1 or universal ideas4 ,this view is1 ,i think1 entitled to the most careful consideration1 but it cannot once for all be admitted1 nor is it consistent with the general theory and progress of evolution that the phenomenal stands to the noumenal1 the actual to the ideal1 as cause to effect4 ,these two groups of experiences are alternate and coincident2 and1 as to priority1 it is only the old question in a new form1 as to which was first1 the bird that laid the egg1 or the egg that hatched the bird4 ,this distinction is particularly pertinent to the present subject1 for the reason that by the method of modern physical science1 in dealing with the belief in the existence of the soul1 the whole of this universal belief is swept away4 ,its origin is found in the ignorance1 superstition1 and false analogies of barbarous races1 and the inference is that the belief can only linger as a remnant of superstition among civilized men4 ,this method prejudges the whole question1 and 7while it must readily be admitted that the opposite method equally prejudges it71 my contention is for neither the one nor the other1 but for the careful consideration and final blending of both4 ,if at first sight these two theories1 which form the basis of the working hypothesis of the materialist and the spiritist1 seem paradoxical and wholly irreconcilable1 with careful consideration and unbiased investigation of both sides of the problem the paradox will disappear4 ,with both the lowest and the highest races not only do we find the existence of belief in the existence of a separable soul in man1 but of ghosts1 gods1 genii1 a spirit of the air1 and hierarchies of celestial and infernal beings4 ,in this regard1 philosophers like ,plato and ,pythagoras1 the intellectual giants of the human race1 may be said to have elaborated and specialized the rude conceptions of the ,fiji ,islander1 and to vie with him in peopling space with invisible entities and potencies4 ,in spite of the dictum of science1 the world1 intelligent and ignorant alike1 believes1 and will continue to believe1 in the reality of the unseen universe1 and the ,platonic doctrine of emanation and the world of divine ideas not only begin where modern physical science leaves off1 but at this very point science either begs the question1 or ignores it entirely4 ,how things come to be what they are1 and to evolve as they do1 science nowhere declares4 ,it simply takes things as it finds them1 and dubs the ultimate and antecedent causation the ,unknowable4 ,the philosophy of ,plato1 it is true1 reaches at last the unknowable and the incomprehensible1 but only after revealing another universe1 the metaphysical and spiritual1 entirely unknown to1 or ignored or derided by the materialist4 ,it is1 however1 from this invisible realm that all visible things have come forth1 the two being not only under absolute and universal law1 but bearing everywhere definite analogies to each other4 ,hence ,plato says1 ,god geometrizes4 ,absolute mathematics determines the relations of atoms to suns1 and the circulation of the blood in man to the revolutions of suns and solar systems4 ,a further general consideration remains to be noted before taking up the evidence of belief in the separable soul1 and that is1 the evolutionary life-wave of humanity on our earth4 ,the progress of man for some millions of years past has by no means been a straightforward climbing from barbarism to civilization4 ,the wave of evolution has ebbed and flowed4 ,while at one place man has slowly emerged from savagery1 at another he has as surely sunk to it4 ,continents and islands have risen from and again sunk to the bottom of the sea1 bearing the races of men in their upheavals or descent1 and cataclysmic and seismic or volcanic upheavals have blotted out in a day the accumulated progress of centuries4 ,the poles of the earth have shifted with results to the life of the globe more awful than the imagination can portray4 ,bodies of people like our ,north ,american ,indians represent the remains of many peoples1 as in ,russia or ,india to-day1 fragments of many nationalities are being absorbed in one4 ,bearing in mind1 therefore1 that owing to many causes a nation may descend to barbarism or disappear entirely1 we shall find everywhere the fragments and decay of the old belief no less than the dawn of the new4 ,a noble creed1 or a philosophical concept of a highly advanced race1 may exist as a transformed and degrading superstition with a race1 or a fragment of a people1 undergoing degeneracy4 ,every religion known to man has gone through just this transformation4 ,the tendency is innate and inevitable and no civilization or religion has ever yet been able long to resist it4 ,if we bear this in mind we shall be less surprised at anthropogeneses1 cosmogeneses or psychologies found sometimes among otherwise rude or savage peoples1 and be better able to understand the incongruities and lack of symmetry in their evolution4 ,it would be easy to cite instances and draw comparisons at this point4 ,bearing in mind1 then1 these general considerations underlying all interpretation1 and nowhere more applicable than to our present subject1 the following illustrations of belief in the separable soul1 gleaned largely from ,spencer's ,descriptive ,sociology1 may be of interest4 ,it is drawn largely from the lower civilizations1 as all are more or less familiar with the mythologies of the ,greeks1 ,babylonians1 ,phoenicians1 etc41 all of which are accessible4 ,the material available is embarrassing on account of its magnitude alone4 ,oscar ,peschel1 in his ,races of ,man1 says that perhaps the ,brazilian ,botocudos1 of all the inhabitants of the world1 are most nearly in the primitive state1 and yet1 he adds1 possibly we may be altogether mistaken in this regard1 as their languages are very imperfectly known4 ,humboldt rescued the ,caribs from such an impeachment and declares that their language combines wealth1 grace1 strength1 and gentleness4 ,it has expressions for abstract ideas1 for ,futurity1 ,eternity1 and ,existence1 and enough numerical terms to express all possible combinations of our numerals4 ,it might be noted in passing that it was these same ,brazilian natives that the ,portuguese settlers sought to decimate by spreading smallpox and scarlet fever amongst them1 as the ,english colonists in ,tasmania shot the natives when they had no better food for their dogs4 ,hariot says that many of the ,indian natives of ,north and ,south ,america believe that the soul1 after its separation from the body1 enters into a wide path crowded with spirits which are journeying toward a region of eternal repose4 ,they have to cross an impetuous river on a trembling wicker bridge which is very dangerous4 ,some ,greenlanders believe that the soul can go astray out of the body for a considerable time4 ,some believe that they can leave their souls at home when going on a journey1 and others believe in the migration of souls4 ,belief in the soul and a future state is universal among the ,indians of ,north ,america4 ,all are familiar with the tradition of the ,happy ,hunting ,ground4 ,with them the future life is patterned after the present4 ,schoolcraft says that the ,chippewas believe that there are duplicate souls1 one of which remains with the body1 while the other is free to depart on excursions during sleep4 ,after death the soul departs to the ,indian ,elysium and a fire is kept burning on the newly-made grave for four days1 the time required for the soul to reach its destination4 ,the ,dakotas stand in great fear of the spirits of the dead1 who they think have power to injure them1 and they recite prayers and give offerings to appease them4 ,the ,mandans1 according to ,schoolcraft1 have anticipated ,prof4 ,lloyd's ,etidorhpa1 even to the beautiful maiden4 ,they believe that they were the first people created on the earth1 and that they first lived inside the globe4 ,they raised many vines1 one of which having grown up through a hole in the earth1 one of the young men climbed up until he crawled out on the bank of the river where the ,mandan village stands4 7,jack and the bean stalk47 ,the young man returned to the nether world and piloted several of his companions to the outer world1 and among them two very beautiful virgins4 ,among those who tried to get up was a very large and fat woman1 who was ordered by the chiefs to remain behind4 ,her curiosity prompted her secretly to make the trial4 ,the vine broke under her weight and she was badly hurt by the fall1 but did not die1 and was ever after in disgrace for having cut off all communication with the upper world4 ,those who had already ascended built the ,mandan village1 and when these die they expect to return to the nether world from which they came4 ,they also believe the earth a great tortoise1 and have a tradition of a universal deluge4 ,the ,indians of ,guiana believe in the immortality of the soul1 as do also the ,arawaks4 ,the ,brazilians are said by ,spix and ,martins to have had no religious belief whatever before mingling with the civilized races4 ,the ,guaranis believed in a soul which remained in the grave with the body4 ,the ,patagonians believe in a country of the dead which they call ,alhue ,mapu and they kill the horses of the deceased in order that their owner may ride in ,alhue ,mapu4 ,from the beliefs of the ,negritto and ,malayo-,polynesian races1 ,i glean the following3 ,the ,fuegians believe in a superior being1 and in good and evil spirits1 in dreams1 omens1 signs1 etc4 ,fitzroy says he could not satisfy himself that they had any idea of the immortality of the soul4 ,the ,veddahs believe in the guardianship of the spirits of the dead1 who visit them in dreams and minister to them in sickness1 and they have ceremonies of invocation4 ,eyra says some at least of the ,australians believe in the existence and separability of the soul4 ,the ,tasmanians believed in a future life as a tradition of a primitive religion1 and ,bonwick says they conversed with the spirits of the dead4 ,the ,new ,caledonians believe that white men are the spirits of the dead1 and that they bring sickness4 ,they believe that the soul on leaving the body goes to the ,bush1 and every fifth month they have a spirit night or grand concert of spirits4 ,the gods of the ,new ,caledonians are their ancestors1 whose relics they keep and idolize4 ,the ,fijians believe in a separable soul1 and dying is by them described by the same terms as sunset4 ,belief in a future state among them is said by ,siemann to be universal4 ,in ,fiji heaven the inhabitants plant1 live in families1 fight1 and so repeat the incidents of life on earth4 ,they believe that the spirit of men1 while still alive1 may leave the body and trouble other people when asleep4 ,the ,sandwich ,islanders believe that the spirit of the departed hovers about his former home1 appears to his relatives in dreams1 and they worship an image which they believe to be in some way connected with the departed4 ,they regard the spirit of one of their ancient kings as a tutelar deity1 and the king and the priest were believed to be descended from the gods4 ,the ,tahitians believe in a separable soul which1 on leaving the body1 is seized by other spirits and conducted to the state of night1 where it is by degrees eaten by the gods4 ,a few escape this fate1 while others1 after being three times eaten1 become immortal4 ,the ,tongons believe that the human soul is the more ethereal part of the body and that it exists in ,bolotoo in the form and likeness of the body the moment after death4 ,the ,samoans believe that the spirits of the dead have power to return and to cause disease and death in other members of the family1 hence all are anxious to part with the dying on good terms4 ,the ,new ,zealanders believe that during sleep the mind leaves the body1 and that dreams are the objects seen during its wanderings4 ,they believe in two separate abodes for departed spirits1 the sky1 and the sea1 and that the abodes of souls are to be approached only down the face of a steep precipice--,cape ,maria ,van ,dieman4 ,the ,dyaks have great difficulty in distinguishing sleep from death4 ,they believe that the soul during sleep goes on an expedition of its own1 and sees1 hears1 and talks4 ,they believe in spirits1 omens1 and in all that occurs in dreams as real and literally true4 ,the ,sumatrans believe in spirits and superior beings1 and are said to have a vague idea of the immortality of the soul1 and the ,malays believe in spirits1 good and bad1 and seem to have a vague idea of a separable soul4 ,the ,mexicans believed in a separable soul1 and distinguished three different abodes for it after death4 ,landa says the people of ,yucatan have always believed more firmly in the immortality of the soul than other people1 though they were less advanced in civilization4 ,they believed that after death there would be a better life1 which the soul would enjoy after its separation from the body4 ,they worshiped their dead kings as gods4 ,the mythology of the people of ,guatemala1 ,honduras1 and ,nicaragua is extensive and complicated and their ,national ,book1 the ,popol ,vuh1 possesses intense interest for the student4 ,there can be no doubt that these people believed in a separable soul1 as did also the ,chibchas4 ,it was the belief of the ancient ,peruvians that the soul leaves the body during sleep1 and that the soul itself cannot sleep1 but that dreams are what the soul sees in the world while the body sleeps4 ,waitz says they believed in the transmigration of human souls into the bodies of animals4 ,in the case of the ,arabians the primitive belief1 which was ,sabianism1 has been altered far less by ,mohammedan invasion than most persons suppose4 ,burton says ,mohammed and his followers conquered only the more civilized ,bedouins1 and ,baker says that the ,arabs are unchanged1 and that the theological opinions which they now hold are the same as those which prevailed in remote ages1 and of this belief the soul and its immortality formed a part4 ,in general the ,hill ,tribes of ,india share in the universal belief in the soul1 in spirits1 gods1 and devils1 though of many of these tribes little is really known in modern times4 ,nearly all our ,north ,american ,indians 7,i can find no exceptions7 bury objects with their dead1 such as food implements1 jewelry1 etc41 and kill the horses of the deceased that he may ride in the ,happy ,hunting ,ground4 ,with the ,carib's death his wife and captives were killed1 and food utensils1 etc41 were buried with him4 ,a curious custom prevailed with some ,brazilian tribes4 ,after burying food1 utensils1 arms1 etc41 with the body1 a month after death the body was disinterred1 put in a pan over a fire1 the volatile substances driven off1 the black residue reduced to powder and mixed with water and drunk by the company4 ,the ,patagonians bury all the possessions of the deceased with the body4 ,with the ,hottentots1 widows lose one joint of a finger as an offering to the deceased husband every time they re-marry4 ,with the ,kaffirs1 the hut and utensils of the deceased are burnt4 ,the ,east ,africans offer prayer to the dead4 ,the ,congo people bury ornaments1 utensils1 arms1 etc41 and embalm the body after one or two years4 ,the body of the chief must be carried in a straight line from the hut to place of burial1 and if trees or huts impede the passage1 they are cut down4 ,the ,coast ,negroes bury property with the body and have a ceremony like an ,irish wake1 as do also the ,abyssinians4 ,with the ,ashantis1 gold dust and utensils are buried and human sacrifices occur4 ,the wives of the ,fijians are strangled that they may attend their lords in the new country4 ,the people of ,malagasy bury in vaults #ajab1 and #g feet high1 and put in a large quantity of property4 ,with the ancient ,mexicans1 wives1 slaves1 concubines1 and chaplains were slaughtered to attend the deceased4 ,the ,arabs fasten the camels to the grave of their master4 ,the ,todas cremate the dead and slaughter the whole herd of buffalo belonging to him1 in order to secure them to him in the after life4 ,i have by no means given a complete category of the primitive and barbarous peoples who believe in a separate soul1 and who believe in a future state much like the present and in conformity with that belief bury arms1 ornaments1 and utensils with the dead or place them on the grave1 and who slaughter horses1 camels1 wives1 slaves1 etc41 in order that the deceased may retain his possessions4 ,how far these customs extend in case of the death of woman ,i do not know1 but as with most of these people the women are regarded as chattels of the males1 the case is doubtless very different4 ,now as to the origin of these beliefs and customs1 their causes naturally fall into two categories1 the physical and the metaphysical4 ,modern biological science regards the whole question from the physical side almost exclusively1 and facts and experiences that belong largely or exclusively to the metaphysical realm are warped out of their natural order to fit the theory of interpretation4 ,every savage observes not only that he casts a shadow1 but that shadows attend all inanimate objects that stand so as to intercept the light1 and as shadows move as do objects that gives rise to the idea of animation4 ,hence we have genii1 dryads1 naiads1 ghosts1 angels1 demons1 etc4 ,to fortify this belief we have echoes1 which give voice to animate and inanimate objects4 ,movement and voice are the universal accompaniment of animation4 ,the part played by the breath1 and its sudden cessation at death1 are believed to contribute to the belief in invisible existences4 ,the beating of the heart1 and its cessation at death1 adds another link to the chain of phenomena1 going to show that something leaves the body at death4 ,this may be the origin of the sacrifice of the hearts of captives to the gods1 or to a deceased warrior or chief as with the ancient ,mexicans1 with the belief that the heart is the seat of the soul1 and the soul of the captive or victim shall attend the departed chief in the other world4 ,but the most important place should doubtless be assigned to dreams as giving rise to belief in the world of spirits4 ,dreams are universal amongst men1 and animals like the dog also dream4 ,most if not all primitive people are also aware that fasting promotes dreaming1 and while many of them practice long fasting1 partly1 no doubt1 to increase fortitude and bodily endurance1 in very many cases it is known to be practiced for the purpose of promoting dreams4 ,beyond this voluntary fasting there is the enforced fast due to famine or the scarcity of food4 ,it will be noticed in many of the cases cited how much stress is laid on the phenomena of dreams and how literally they are interpreted4 ,among civilized races and those wise in philosophy dreams play a very important part1 and are classified as monitorial1 prophetic1 etc41 etc4 ,the habit in modern times of regarding dreams as altogether fantastic and unreal1 is unscientific4 ,in the mingling of the real and the apparently unreal1 in the dream state1 while the experience itself is always real to the dreamer1 lies undoubtedly the source of many beliefs that influence the lives of men4 ,dreaming must be regarded as one of the states of consciousness1 and hence1 of whatsoever stuff dreams are made1 they represent an actual experience of the individual4 ,no greater mistake can be made than the belief that no experience is real save that which brings us in contact with gross matter through the agency of the five senses4 ,the world of ideas and the creations of the imagination are in fact no more evanescent than matter itself4 ,here impermanency differs only in time4 ,all in time pass away4 ,i hold that dreams1 in general1 show more clearly the nature of the soul1 and the experiences of the waking state show the office of the bodily organism1 and that each on its own plane is as valid as the other4 ,in other words1 the soul is such stuff as dreams are made of4 ,it does not hold true1 nor need it1 that the experiences in dreams shall be true and valid on the physical plane1 though this is often the case1 or that the experiences of the physical plane shall be literally repeated in dreams1 which1 nevertheless1 frequently happens4 ,it is an undeniable fact that the experiences of the conscious ego in man compass the subjective no less than the objective planes of being4 ,that the subjective avenues should be closed when the ego is functioning on the physical plane through the bodily organs by aid of the senses1 is quite as remarkable as that the physical avenues should be closed when in dreams1 or trance1 or syncope1 or under anaesthetics1 the ego functions on the subjective planes4 ,i hold1 therefore1 that here1 more than anywhere else1 is the source of not only belief in the existence of the soul1 but of the relatively uniform conceptions everywhere attained4 ,the common experience of man on the one plane is as easily accounted for as on the other1 and individual experience differs no more widely in the one case than in the other4 ,so also is the persistence of the human type1 or the genus1 involved in the one case no less than in the other4 ,all the agencies recognized in modern evolution tend to elevation only through differentiation1 and even the eternal cell of ,weismann fails in explaining permanency of form through any physical transmission4 ,when atavism and degeneracy are admitted as factors1 as they certainly must be1 the perpetuity of the human species fails from physical causes alone4 ,i hold the idea of a separable soul to be innate in the human consciousness1 as a necessary deduction from the experience of the continuity of self-consciousness which compasses both the objective and subjective states4 ,this deduction from experience occurs whenever the evolving ego has advanced sufficiently above the animal plane to reason on its own experience1 and for this reason the belief in the separable soul is universal4 ,it is no more strange that the experience of the individual should be modified by traditions and the beliefs of others regarding1 for example1 the dream state1 than that the experience of the individual should in like manner be modified or shaped by traditions and the ceremonies and usages of others on the physical plane4 ,the bond of unity and that of diversity have one common root in humanity4 ,what we need for larger knowledge is1 ,i think1 a recognition of the breadth and sweep of human experience4 ,to stop either ignoring or quibbling over one-half of all our actual experience4 ,the inner world of thought and being is really the habitat of the soul1 while the physical body1 like the diving-bell1 enables us to explore and gain experience on another plane which otherwise must remain to us forever unknown4 ,the limitations of space and time are unknown to us in dreams4 ,these are the limitations of the fleshly casket4 ,the consciousness of freedom1 the absence of pain and sorrow even under great trial1 are often experienced in the dream state4 ,the range and character of experience in the subjective state is modified1 and held in check by that of the physical plane1 and the correspondence of an emotion to an idea1 or of an act to a thought1 ought to give us the key to the two sets of experiences and reveal the underlying basis of equilibrium4 ,a universal fact and a common experience argue a universal nature4 ,like conditions everywhere come from like causes4 ,these are neither accidental nor incidental1 nor are they left to the caprice of savages1 nor to that of the more advanced civilizations4 ,it is not at all strange that a common experience should result in a universal belief4 ,the range of experience and varying vicissitudes of life on the outer physical plane differ as widely as do those of the dream plane1 and the conscious identity of the individual is equally preserved on both planes4 ,i hold that here lies the origin of belief in the existence of a soul in man1 separable from the body1 and the confines of matter1 space1 and time1 in an actual experience of every individual4 ,the beating of the heart1 the phenomena of respiration1 the cessation of these at death1 and the shadows cast by man and inanimate bodies serve as connecting links between the experiences of the individual on the subjective and objective planes of being4 ,the dream state and the experiences thence derived are subjects for psychological science to investigate4 ,the experiences allotted by du ,maurier to ,peter ,ibbetson are not altogether fantastic and unwarranted1 as the records of somnambulism and hypnotism abundantly prove4 ,when we remember that nothing deserving the name of ,psychology or ,psychic ,science exists in the western world to-day1 we need not wonder why men eminent for investigations in other departments prove themselves novices and dogmatists here4 ,the folklore1 the traditions1 and the mythology of dreams would form a very interesting subject for discussion4 ,it is true that the literature of the subject is fantastic1 mixed with fable and often altogether unreliable2 but these difficulties offer no more formidable bar to scientific investigation than many another problem already classified and formulated for systematic study4 ,i know a lady of very superior ability1 the mother of a prominent jurist1 who all her life has had distinct premonitions of many calamities and coming events1 and there are those who dream true in every community4 ,fantasies1 nightmare1 dreams from indigestion and delirium1 form a separate class where the dreamer is entangled in the meshes of the bodily functions4 ,here fasting1 either voluntary or enforced1 comes in1 and drugs known to the remotest times are found to promote and to determine the character of dreams4 ,there are furthermore processes of mental gymnastics whereby the thinker withdraws himself from the bodily avenues of sense and functions at will on the subjective plane of being4 ,when then1 said ,socrates1 in the ,phdo1 does the soul light on the truth8 for when it attempts to consider anything in conjunction with the body1 it is plain that it is led astray by it4 ,and surely1 he continues1 the soul reasons best when none of these things disturb it1 neither hearing1 nor sight1 nor pain1 nor pleasure of any kind1 but it retires as much as possible within itself1 taking leave of the body1 and as far as it can1 not communicating or being in contact with it1 it aims at the discovery of that which is4 ,i hold that the most valuable triumphs of science in the future lie in the realm of psychology1 and that by no means the least important contribution in this direction will come from the study of ,folklore1 of which belief in the separable soul1 and the phenomena and universality of the dream state must form a very important part4 ,one final consideration is suggested not without some degree of hesitation and diffidence4 ,if there be a soul in man destined to continued existence1 and if in any case perfection is the goal of evolution as formulated by ,herbert ,spencer for a future residue of the human race1 then this soul in its essential elements is without beginning in time4 ,pre-existence and evolution necessitate repeated re-embodiment on the physical plane1 and the continuity of self-consciousness in man ,i hold to be the proof of life without beginning or end4 ,viewed in this light1 dreams and all subjective experiences in man must mingle reminiscences of the soul with the experiences of the present life1 and the theory of innate ideas assumes a purely scientific form4 ,we hence arrive at the intuition of the soul to account for universal belief4 ,the experience of ,socrates and the ,fiji ,islander agree as to the subjective plane as perfectly as in regard to the beating of the heart4 ,they differ only in degree of evolution4 ,,chapter ,,xiv ,,from ,,confusion ,,to ,,construction ,a concise and detailed review of the past1 in the long journey of man toward civilization and independent self-knowledge1 has not been herein attempted4 ,only hints1 here and there1 and the barest outline have been undertaken4 ,if1 however1 the intelligent student will follow these clews1 he will find a mass of material and abundant evidence to corroborate the general thesis4 ,every great religion has had its ,avatar1 its ,redeemer1 its ,christos4 ,each of these religions has adapted from its predecessors and transformed the old1 in whole or in part1 to suit the conditions and apparent needs of the time4 ,each of these revivals of religion has been instituted on account of the abominations of a dominant priesthood and the poverty and degradation of the masses4 ,what was at first claimed and instituted as a ,divine ,revelation for the elevation and happiness of the whole people1 has openly and shamelessly degenerated into enslavement of the masses and the creation of a despotic and arrogant class who enslaved both body and soul in the name of ,religion4 ,priest1 ,prince1 and ,potentate generally1 united to terrorize through force1 and by superstition and fear1 in order to retain their power4 ,the reaction has invariably resulted from economic conditions1 as in the case of the ,protestant ,reformation1 when the gold sent to ,rome through the shameless sale of ,indulgences1 threatened to impoverish the whole of ,northern ,europe1 and ,princes broke allegiance to the ,priesthood in desperate self-protection4 ,then1 and then only1 came sufficient protest and ,reformation4 ,the religionist is apt to regard and designate ,science as profane1 and ,religion per se1 as essentially holy4 ,nothing can be really considered holy that does not elevate1 encourage1 and inspire the whole human race and promote the ,brotherhood of ,man4 ,whenever any religion fails to do this it becomes indeed a profanation of holy things4 ,the only religion that ever became the inspiration of a whole people1 so far as history records1 was that of ,christna1 with the teeming millions of ,india4 ,buddhism was driven out of ,india by the powerful and unscrupulous ,brahmans1 and took refuge in ,ceylon1 ,thibet1 and adjacent provinces4 ,the religion of ,jesus met a similar fate from the ,jews and the ,roman governors1 until ,pagan ,rome adapted and transformed it on the principle of dominance and exploitation inherent in the genius of the ,latin ,race4 ,since which time no one will pretend to claim that the ,religion of ,jesus has ever dominated the human race or any large part of it4 ,rome to-day no more represents the religion of ,jesus than the ,brahmans of to-day represent that of ,christna1 or ,buddha1 or the religion of the ,vedas4 ,nothing is so amazing to-day as that the intelligence of the present age fails to recognize this fact4 ,all of these religions of the past have adapted their teaching to the multitude through parable and allegory4 ,nothing in literature can be found more beautiful and inspiring1 and at the same time comprehensible to the commonest intelligence1 than ,christna's ,parable of the ,fisherman4 ,christna and ,buddha1 like ,jesus1 taught to their disciples a ,secret ,doctrine1 apprehensible only to the few4 ,to you it is given to know the mysteries1 but to others1 who are without1 it is not given4 ,it can readily be proven from at least a half score of the early ,church ,fathers 7see page #gj et seq4 of the author's ,mystic ,masonry71 that the early church practiced ,initiation1 patterned after those of the ,gnostics1 ,therapeutia and the ,mysteries of ,egypt1 and divided their neophytes and postulants into three degrees1 as in ,blue ,lodge ,masonry to-day4 ,while the great mass of mankind to-day are incapable of apprehending these genuine mysteries of life1 and of the individual soul of man1 it is doubtful if any civilization ever existed where so many were willing and capable of understanding them as are found here in ,america to-day4 ,the reason for this and the growth of intelligence have already been outlined4 ,a new race is slowly forming here1 designated by the ancient ,wisdom as the ,fifth ,race1 and called the ,manasic1 the growth of ,intelligence1 or ,mind4 ,it is above all things important that with this development of ,mind there should also develop that of ,buddhi1 or ,loving ,kindness1 the essential element in the ,universal ,brotherhood of ,man2 a thing largely overlooked in the modern theory of ,evolution1 and ignored1 or set at naught by ,romanism by its dogmas1 anathemas1 and persecutions4 ,instead of the brotherhood of man1 she has exhibited the cruelty and rapacity of devils4 7,establishment of ,roman ,catholic ,caste47 ,this all-around development of the whole man1 as essential to human evolution1 is everywhere insisted upon by all the great ,masters of antiquity1 and is illustrated and exemplified in the genuine ,greater ,mysteries4 ,hence1 the saying in ,kabala1 ,the wicked obey the law through fear2 the wise keep the law through knowledge4 ,the ,saviors all preached and practiced the ,good ,law1 and obedience to legal mandates4 ,the explanation usually given of an ,avatar by the ancient ,masters1 as a descent1 embodiment1 or incarnation of ,vishnu1 who is not only the ,preserver1 but the ,rejuvenator of mankind1 is rather a blind1 and was an interpretation given to the common people1 or the profane4 ,all things--even heaven and earth--pass away1 and all things are renewed4 ,this renewal1 or regeneration1 through the constructive principle of evolution1 is designed to be continually on higher and still higher planes4 ,it is not the range of experience1 nor the growth of intelligence alone1 that elevates man1 but the progressive and constructive growth of the soul1 from the physical toward the spiritual plane of ,being4 ,this actual growth means ,knowledge1 ,wisdom1 ,understanding1 ,knowledge of the ,law1 ,obedience to its ,commands1 and ,realization of its ,rewards4 ,this ,constructive ,psychology is the growth of the ,soul4 ,man passes1 therefore1 from the age of ,fable1 ,superstition1 and ,fear1 to the age of ,faith and ,obedience1 and finally to that of actual ,knowledge4 ,this age of ,knowledge--not for all of mankind1 but for a larger number who are worthy and well-qualified1 duly and truly prepared than was ever known at one time before--has at last dawned4 ,the question is continually asked1 ,why do the ,masters of ,wisdom ,conceal their ,knowledge8 ,the only adequate answer is that so few are ready1 willing1 and able to receive it in the right way1 and to use and not abuse it4 ,those who deny that any such knowledge has ever existed1 or exists to-day1 or can exist1 had better waste no time over it4 ,they cannot alter it1 nor destroy it1 as their predecessors have tried to do for ages1 often murdering or crucifying all who were even suspected of possessing it4 ,they might as well try to destroy the law of gravitation1 or imagine that by murdering the foremost mathematician of the day that they had destroyed the science of mathematics4 ,i am speaking of ,knowledge of ,spiritual things4 ,a new ,avatar1 therefore1 is not simply an individual1 though many individuals may understand and exemplify it--the ,initiated1 the ,illuminati--and one man may lead in representing it4 ,to call it the descent and embodiment1 or ,incarnation of ,vishnu1 in a metaphysical sense1 the ,spirit 7generically71 that renews1 rejuvenates1 transforms1 and regenerates1 is by no means an empty metaphor4 ,in the same sense we speak of the ,genius of ,greece1 or of ,rome1 or of ,civilization4 ,the idea is composite1 and represents an underlying and universal principle and potency4 ,but after all metaphor and generalization1 each ,avataric movement centered around an individual ,man1 and this ,man embodied the principle and undertook the special work of an evangel1 or ,christos1 or ,avatar1 amongst men4 ,not only have there been many ,avatars1 and many ,buddhas1 but when we realize the meaning of these terms and the mysteries they represent1 we discover that while it may be the special mission of one1 like ,christna1 or ,buddha1 or ,jesus1 to undertake the work of enlightening and redeeming any age2 there are other ,masters1 or ,illuminati1 engaged in other work1 on different planes1 to promote the same general results4 ,the result with each of the great ,saviors of mankind has been1 that the common people1 or the priesthood1 have eventually either crucified or deified them4 ,in the case of ,jesus they have done both4 ,eight separate and deliberate attempts have already been made to assassinate the present representative of the ,school of ,natural ,science1 who was educated in the order of the ,illuminati1 and delegated by that ,order to present these great truths to the world to-day4 ,this individual is only in the broadest metaphysical sense 7as already defined71 an ,avatar1 which1 as shown1 is a composite idea1 focused in and represented by an individual man or teacher4 ,the work of this ,master is to instruct1 to exemplify1 and to demonstrate1 the ancient ,wisdom on ,scientific lines1 in keeping with the needs1 the opportunities1 and the scientific spirit of the present age4 ,he does not preach to the multitude in parables4 ,he undertakes to instruct the few who are ready and qualified to receive such instruction1 and who will properly use and not abuse it1 and he does this without money and without price2 without the hope of fee or reward4 7,herein is the ,avataric ,spirit of ,freemasonry47 ,what his reward will be with the rabble1 or with the money changers1 he knows too well1 but to such as he1 fear is unknown4 ,i am speaking not for him1 but of him1 after the blessed privilege of seven years of the most intimate association1 and such co-operation as ,i have been capable of giving4 ,his plan and motive seem to be to get as much as possible of this knowledge of the soul1 and of spiritual things1 to the attention of the progressive intelligence of the present age1 in order that it may become exemplified and diffused among all classes1 and for the benefit of the whole human race4 ,we have passed the age of fable1 and of blind faith1 and have come to the age of fact and law4 ,kali ,yuga means the ,iron ,age4 ,as two natures1 the physical and spiritual1 meet and mingle in the constitution of man1 so do his faculties1 capacities1 and powers mingle and function on the two planes1 the physical and the spiritual1 though very largely on the former1 with the great majority in any age or time4 ,there is implanted in the very foundation of man's being the idea or the consciousness of a separable soul4 ,it would seem to be an intuition1 for with nearly every people of which we have any knowledge1 no matter how near the animal plane1 the belief or the folklore of a separable soul exists1 in many cases held to be separable during life1 and in most cases believed to survive the death of the physical body4 7,see folio editions of ,herbert ,spencer's ,descriptive ,sociology1 and ,chapter ,,xiii1 herein47 ,it has generally been held by scientists and commentators1 that this intuition1 or belief1 results largely from dreams4 ,to say that dreams1 in general1 are mere fantasies1 or the results of imagination1 and have no real basis in consciousness1 is folly2 for dreams are of many kinds1 and present great varieties4 ,they are1 moreover1 both reminiscent and prophetic1 sometimes moving like any other conscious experience1 from fact to fruition1 and in others1 we are unable to relate them to any other conscious experience4#a ,hypnosis and ,telepathy are related to the same states1 so much so1 that the modern scientist has been constrained to coin two new terms to avoid endless repetitions1 viz43 subliminal and supraliminal states of consciousness4 ,bearing in mind all these subjective states and experiences1 including the whole range of so-called mediumship1 the theorem of the ,masters and adepts of all ages may be made exceeding plain4 ,footnote #a3 ,for a very valuable and suggestive treatise on ,sleep1 see ,f4 ,w4 ,h4 ,myers ,human ,personality1 ,chap4 ,,iv4 ,it consists in the dominance of the ,will over all conscious states4 ,this is the ,alpha and the ,omega--the principle1 the potency1 and the act--of ,mastership4 ,the mind of the ,master no longer drifts in a boundless sea of fantasy1 but with rudder and compass1 he guides his ship whithersoever he would go4 ,this does not mean that there are not still degrees and related states and conditions of consciousness in his experience4 ,it does mean1 however1 that all these states and conditions1 with all his faculties1 capacities1 and powers1 are co-ordinated1 not only in his awareness of them as a whole1 but in the exercise of each and its relation to the others1 dominated by his own ,will4 ,he has ,mastered them1 and can incite or repress them1 while they can no longer dominate him4 ,can the reader imagine such a degree of ,self-,control8 ,this1 however1 is but the beginning1 as the ,secret of ,power1 and by no means the end4 ,controlling the phases and forms of consciousness1 there comes next the determination to extend their boundary and to refine and elevate the powers of the ,soul4 ,in the first case1 that of co-ordination1 the ancient ,wisdom admonishes the student or chela to make the mind one pointed1 like a light burning in a quiet place4 ,light a candle and put it in a corner where no draught can reach it1 and the flame will seem as though cut out of solid fire1 and one pointed4 ,it is at the point of refining and elevating the individual consciousness that ,ethics or ,morals come in4 ,it is just at this point also that the ,path is determined4 ,what our ancient ,brothers called the power of ,will and ,yoga--self-control--may ignore ,ethics4 ,here the paths separate1 and are called the ,right-hand ,path and the ,left-hand ,path1 determining the ,white and the ,black ,magician1 about whom so much is said in all ancient scriptures and traditions regarding ,sorcery and ,black ,magic1 of which ,egypt and ,rome and ,modern ,mediumship and ,hypnotism1 are illustrations4 ,the supreme importance of this natural division or parting of the way reveals the real and final reason why the ,masters of the right-hand path conceal their knowledge from the profane and reveal it only after an ethical formulary has been learned and once for all ingrained4 ,the ,thugs of ,india are no more an idle dream nor a bugaboo to frighten children and old women than are the ,mafia and the ,roman ,jesuit to-day4 ,in ,egypt the time came when these ,black ,magicians dominated the people and drove out those of the right-hand path who built the great pyramid and gave to ,egypt the wisdom and glory of its prime4 ,the consciousness and power of these evil men1 however1 was limited to the lower planes4 ,whenever they wished to transcend these lower planes they were powerless4 ,hence arose the ,sibyl2 young boys or virgins were hypnotized1 and being pure1 they could thus be inducted into a somewhat higher plane4 7,see ,mabel ,collins' ,idyll of the ,white ,lotus47 ,margrave1 in ,bulwer's ,strange ,story1 is a fine picture of an adept of the left-hand path4 ,he would sacrifice the whole human race in order to gain his personal and selfish ends1 just as would ,mother ,church to-day4 ,the ,master of the ,white ,lodge would readily lay down his life for the benefit of his fellowmen4 ,herein is the vital difference4 ,here lies the meaning and the complete antithesis represented by ,christos and ,satan4 ,both names are generic and ,avataric1 and yet1 may be personified4 ,this elevating and refining process to which ,i have referred is not a matter of sentiment or emotion1 but a matter of fact1 with a definite1 scientific formula4 ,in a previous chapter belief in the existence ,,and ,,separability ,,of ,,the ,,human ,,soul ,,has ,,been ,,shown to be virtually universal1 and in some cases1 even with people of very low development1 the belief is held that the soul may be separated from the body and reunited again during life4 ,this is1 however1 a belief1 and proves nothing as to fact1 science1 and law1 beyond the existence of the belief1 with all the appurtenances1 concomitants1 and subjective experiences of individuals thereunto belonging4 ,we thus arrive at the real theorem as a cold psychological problem4 ,can the existence and separability of the soul of man1 during his physical embodiment on earth1 and its survival of the death of the physical body1 be scientifically demonstrated as a fact8 ,if so1 then the principles involved1 the methods employed and the whole modus operandi must be capable of exact1 scientific formulation1 the same as any other theorem of science4 ,furthermore1 granting that this is true1 and that it can be done according to exact formulary1 the value1 the effect of such a demonstration upon the character and the normal faculties1 capacities1 and powers of the individual who undertakes and accomplishes such a demonstration1 must be revealed and taken fully into account4 ,does it elevate or degrade him8 ,is it in line with normal evolution1 and therefore1 potentially the birthright1 and finally1 through spiritual evolution1 the higher destiny of all men8 ,nor is this all4 ,the effect of the existence of such ,knowledge and of its teaching1 upon communities1 as a substitute for blind superstition1 credulity1 or belief1 must also be taken into account4 ,it may thus be seen how much even beyond the mere fact of demonstration1 is included in this transcendent problem2 this question of all ages1 ,if a man die1 shall he live again8 or1 ,does the real man ever die at all8 ,now it is a demonstrated fact1 proven in every case of a genuine ,master1 and held inviolable in the ,greater ,mysteries of every age and time1 that the ethical question above raised1 as to the effect upon individuals and society1 comes first1 and is made a test of the first step in the way of demonstration4 ,this is the meaning of the oft repeated quotation1 the candidate for initiation must first be worthy and well-qualified1 duly and truly prepared4 ,this comprises and constitutes the ,lesser ,mysteries1 as in the ,school of ,pythagoras1 viz43 the instruction of the neophyte in ethics or morals4 ,nor is this instruction sufficient in any case4 ,the candidate must himself demonstrate that he has absorbed1 apprehended1 and utilized such instruction by ,living the ,life4 ,in other words1 it must have become so ingrained in his character as to govern absolutely all his acts and impulses to action1 i4e41 automatic1 habitual1 and natural4 ,in the ,school of ,natural ,science this comprises and constitutes the ,ethical ,section of the ,general ,formulary4 ,in the ,school of ,pythagoras we are informed that students sometimes remained for years in the outer court1 and sometimes they failed entirely and hopelessly1 and went back to the outer world4 ,whereupon a white stone was erected to their memory as though they were dead4 ,they were indeed1 for the time being1 dead to the ,school4 ,this fully answers the ethical question as to the effect of this real knowledge on the individual and on mankind4 ,the real ,master sees to it that all that precaution can provide1 or human wisdom can suggest1 is done to insure beneficent use of the knowledge gained4 ,it is here that degrees in initiation become a necessity4 ,every step1 or passage of the candidate from a lower to a higher degree1 is marked and determined finally and solely by his proficiency in the preceding degree4 ,the question of ,morals1 or the ethical effect1 therefore1 is pre-determined1 and as far as possible1 solved first4 ,but even with all this wise precaution1 the unprepared and the unqualified have sometimes entered the outer courts2 and when compelled at last to reveal their character1 have turned to rend their teachers1 and have done their utmost to destroy the ,school and demoralize mankind4 ,if these moral renegades could only realize the meaning to themselves of thus entering the ,left-hand ,path of devolution and of starting voluntarily down the deep descent1 as portrayed in ,dante's ,inferno1 or in ,ahrinzeman1 they would1 indeed1 hesitate long before turning to the left1 for inevitable destruction lies that way4 ,here lies the scientific explanation of the ,fall of ,lucifer1 portrayed in some form in the pantheons and mythologies of every philosophy and religion known to man4 ,the ordinary sinner may yet possess an average of all the virtues1 and the ordinary saint an average of all the vices4 ,concerning these it was said1 ,i would have you either hot or cold1 but because ye are neither hot nor cold1 ,i have spewed you out of my mouth4 ,no lukewarm soul ever entered the ,kingdom of ,heaven4 ,but a time at last comes when the soul of man1 enmeshed in the lusts of the flesh and the deceitfulness of riches1 must make his choice4 ,he realizes that he can no longer serve two masters4 ,he will make his choice knowingly1 deliberately1 and voluntarily4 ,happy and blessed will be he if with his whole soul1 and with every impulse of his being1 he declares1 ,i know not what others may do1 but as for me and my house1 we will serve the ,lord4 ,if there are real ,masters 7and there are71 they have to work under both ,natural and ,divine ,law1 and in strict harmony with the higher evolution of the whole human race4 ,it is only a low1 feeble1 and undeveloped intelligence that finds ,god and ,nature at cross-purposes4 ,he who has found the place of peace1 harmonized his own nature1 purified his own life1 and elevated all his desires and aspirations1 has discerned the harmony of the morning stars1 and caught the symphony of the heavenly hosts4 ,in other words1 he is already functioning on the ,spiritual ,plane4 ,this would seem to make clear the ethical problem raised1 the stress placed upon it1 and how it is met and answered by every genuine ,initiate throughout the ages4 ,it has to be solved first in each individual case4 ,only he who lives the life shall know the doctrine1 or advance to power4 ,,chapter ,,xv ,,the ,,science ,,of ,,psychology ,,as ,a ,,knowledge ,,of ,,the ,,human ,,soul ,the writer of the present treatise is quite well aware that the great majority of intelligent and educated people at the present day will deny that any real knowledge of the human soul as a spiritual entity1 separable from the physical body during life and demonstrably surviving its death1 exists now1 has heretofore existed1 or1 if possible for man1 is likely to exist for some time to come4 ,some will unhesitatingly declare such a thing unknowable for man4 ,i hold the firm conviction that this knowledge has been for ages the possession of certain individuals1 few in number in any age or country1 and that this knowledge has resulted through conformity to certain definite and specific requirements1 formulated under well-known laws of man's spiritual being1 involving a definite individual experience and resulting in a scientific and exact demonstration4 ,i ask the reader to note two points in the foregoing statement3 ,first1 that for myself ,i use the word conviction1 and not knowledge2 and1 second1 that the demonstration of real knowledge referred to1 is made by1 and confined to an individual1 in each instance4 ,with these individuals the knowledge is a scientific demonstration through personal experience4 ,with me1 the firm conviction is a matter of circumstantial evidence1 supported by analogy1 and fortified by empirical testimony1 such as acquaint the world with the facts and findings of science1 and which ,i think admit of no other consistent and rational interpretation4 ,in the foregoing pages ,i have endeavored to give outlines1 analogies1 and suggestions which seem to fortify the conviction referred to4 ,while these are fragmentary and desultory1 owing to the fact that the circumstances are so varied1 the subject so vast1 and the materials so abundant1 yet1 taken as a whole1 they seem overwhelming1 and1 except to the careful1 persistent1 and intelligent student1 confusing4 ,it must be clearly apprehended that no one familiar with the subject can reasonably suppose1 nor has it ever been claimed by a real ,master of the ,art1 that this knowledge ever has been1 or can be1 communicated to1 or acquired by groups of individuals at any time1 or under any circumstances4 ,through all the past1 and at the present time1 it is designated as an individual experience4 ,true1 the ethics1 and the philosophy1 and even the principles of exact psychic science that in the past constituted the ,lesser ,mysteries1 can be1 and often have been1 taught to groups1 or classes4 ,in the present ,school of ,natural ,science1 this preparatory training constitutes the ,ethical ,section4 ,but above and beyond all the foregoing general considerations the empirical facts and the circumstantial evidence1 if we know personally one who claims to have had the specific instruction1 the personal experience1 and to have made the scientific demonstration referred to and outlined in the problem1 our opportunity for instruction1 and for the application of tests for validity and reasonableness as to the whole problem1 is exceedingly valuable4 ,this personal acquaintance may become the nearest possible criterion1 short of our own personal experience1 as to demonstration4 ,in previous chapters this phase of the subject has1 perhaps1 been sufficiently dwelt upon4 ,the ,master may say1 ,i know2 ,i have had the personal experience2 ,i have demonstrated4 ,the student may at last say1 ,i believe2 ,i am convinced2 ,i am satisfied4 ,all through the foregoing pages the effort has continually been made to preserve clearly this distinction4 ,in tracing analogies through the history of the past1 the conditions1 premonitory1 present1 and subsequent to great world-movements have often been referred to4 ,nothing is more common or more patent than the oft-repeated saying1 ,this is the age of science4 ,any great movement that undertakes at the present day to deal with the deeper problems of individual and social life1 must fit in and conform to the spirit of the present age4 ,to that platform it must appeal2 in that language it must be addressed1 and by such judgment and criterion must it stand or fall4 ,all these tests and criteria have been fully met by the ,school of ,natural ,science1 and they are clearly outlined and set forth in the ,great ,work1 addressed to the ,progressive ,intelligence of the ,age4 ,there need be no misconception or misinterpretation at this point4 ,it is true that superficial thinkers and readers1 enthusiasts and emotionalists1 are likely to infer that the science of the soul can now be had for a consideration and in a dozen easy lessons4 ,all such are doomed to disappointment4 ,it is furthermore likely1 if the average physical scientist pays any heed at all1 that he will devise a series of tests and experiments of his own1 to fit his preconceived notion of things psychical1 with the latent conviction1 at least1 that he will be able to prove the whole thing a humbug4 ,these1 also1 are doomed to disappointment4 ,physical tests of psychical and spiritual laws and processes are unscientific4 ,no spiritual problem can be solved in terms of physical matter alone4 ,so-called psychological science to-day is in the condition of one possessing a fine piece of ground1 and gathering materials for a house1 a superstructure4 ,the ground is already covered with bricks and stones1 and sand and lumber1 piled in every direction1 with the purpose of one day beginning the work of construction1 and the slogan1 ,wait6 ,not yet6 ,some day we are hoping to build4 ,no architect1 no designs on the trestle-board1 and so they go on accumulating facts and evidence day after day1 year after year1 century after century4 ,they have a working hypothesis1 but no definite theorem1 and they may work till doomsday on this line without a glimmer of real scientific knowledge of the human soul1 yet with mountains of facts or of rubbish4 ,they can never prove the existence of a spiritual entity in terms of matter on the physical plane4 ,their work has been1 and still is1 of great interest and value1 but it is in no scientific sense1 ,constructive1 backed by the laws of proportion and harmony1 nor the ,canon of ,architecture4 ,the apotheosis of ,natural ,science is like the canon of proportion in architecture1 introduced by ,vitruvius 7an ,initiate7 centuries ago4 ,it is the verification of ,plato's saying1 ,god geometrizes1 and his concept of the ,world of ,divine ,ideas4 ,plato further declares1 ,he who knows not the common things of life is a brute among men4 ,he who knows the common things of life is a man among brutes4 ,but he who knows all that can be learned by diligent inquiry is a god among men4 ,natural ,science1 as shown in the ,great ,work1 includes scientific knowledge on all planes of being on which the soul of man functions3 ,the physical1 moral1 psychical1 and spiritual2 for man is a composite being4 ,the apotheosis of ,natural ,science1 therefore1 is ,fact1 ,law1 ,demonstration1 and ,knowledge2 before theory1 conjecture1 creed1 dogma1 superstition1 or fear1 intuition1 inspiration1 revelation1 and holy men or holy books that must be accepted without evidence1 or believed against evidence4 ,the ,avatars of all the past have originated great reformations which have at last degenerated into dogma and superstition4 ,the people1 incapable of understanding the ,law1 have been taught in parables1 while the few in all religions and in every age have apprehended the law and learned the ,secret ,doctrine4 ,to-day1 for the first time in centuries1 for the reasons already assigned1 and in keeping with the scientific spirit of the age1 and because superstition in power1 dogma1 and persecution are politically dethroned1 these great truths1 this ,great ,work1 is openly declared and outlined so that he who wills may apprehend4 ,let no one say1 ,this is an effort to deify an individual4 ,it is an effort to enthrone ,truth2 to remove the barriers to the rights of conscience1 the shackles of reason1 private judgment and ,individual ,responsibility1 and to free the soul of man from all the fetters of ignorance1 superstition1 and fear1 in order that he may be first a man1 then a ,master1 and at length on a higher plane of being1 something more than man has yet realized1 or ever dreamed4 ,something that eye hath not seen1 nor ear heard1 nor hath it yet entered into the heart of man to conceive the glory that shall be revealed4 ,the beginning is here and now1 when man shall achieve the ,mastery of ,self and really possess his own soul1 and not hold it tremblingly as a pawn of some pretentious potentate of the soul4 ,the right of ,light1 ,knowledge1 and further progress by ,being a ,man1 and not a chattel1 an asset1 a pawn1 or a slave4 ,this is the coming ,avatar1 and the dawn is already here4 ,will the day darken1 the ,light be quenched8 ,who can tell8 ,the redemption of ,woman from the slavery of all the past is well under way1 and it is indeed a glorious sign4 ,no lesson in history is plainer nor more readily demonstrated than the fact that the degeneracy of a religion and the degradation of woman go hand in hand4 ,demonstrate to-day in any country on earth the status of woman as a whole1 and no mistake need be made as to the prevailing religion4 ,woman's political disability is another matter entirely2 for she is dominated by man only because1 and only so far as1 she is handicapped or degraded by the dominant religion4 ,take woman from the churches1 ,protestant or ,romish1 to-day1 and no church could do business for a twelvemonth4 ,for these reasons the immense and rapidly growing movements1 ,women's ,clubs and the like1 to-day1 are of great significance1 backed and illuminated as they are by all past history4 ,in the new movement1 the ,school of ,natural ,science1 the door is as wide open to woman as to man4 ,i might paraphrase the slogan of the ,robber ,barons of the middle ages4 ,she may seize who hath the power1 ,she may hold who can4 ,in the coming ,illuminati woman will stand by the side of man in all opportunity1 endeavor1 or achievement4 ,in the new age woman will be something few men have even yet dreamed of4 ,we might call this new age the ,woman's ,avatar1 without doing violence to either religion1 tradition1 history1 or science2 while the sacred ,hymns of the ,vedas1 with the angel of the household and the inspirer of the soul of man1 the worship of ,divinity1 by both men and women1 opened a new heaven on this old earth4 ,and then--such children as will be born1 without pain1 not through chance1 caprice1 nor under protest1 but even as they were in ,greece1 as an offering of ,love on the altar of divine man-womanhood1 with a song of joy to heaven4 ,prof4 ,fiske somewhere said1 ,the evolution of man by ,natural ,selection draws near its close1 to be followed by that of ,divine ,selection4 ,the ,divinity in man is ,christos1 the son of the ,father1 the ,divine and ,eternal ,avatar4 ,belief is rather a superficial process1 the intellect 7mortal mind7 mingled with the emotions1 changing and evanescent4 ,now you see it1 and now you don't4 ,it is mingled with hope that alternates with fear and doubt4 ,faith1 when once analyzed and apprehended1 is another thing entirely1 though nearly every one1 and most writers1 confuse belief and faith4 ,faith is the soul's intuitive conviction of that which both ,reason and ,conscience approve4 ,genuine faith rarely wavers or changes1 because it is an evolution1 a growth of the soul1 a spiritual experience1 and it becomes the dominant chord in the symphony of life1 determining ,harmony4 ,it is in this deliberate and discriminative sense that ,i have used the term conviction in relation to the ,master and his ,great ,work4 ,he never dogmatizes1 nor undertakes to indoctrinate4 ,in answer to a question on some deep and perplexing problem of the soul or of the spiritual plane1 he replies1 ,so far as we know1 it is so and so4 ,a new experience1 or an added light1 may alter our conclusion4 ,the average individual scarcely realizes what absolute sincerity1 with no motive save ,love of ,truth1 and beneficence to man guided by clear intelligence1 and dominated by the rational ,will1 means1 or can accomplish4 ,these are the natural powers of the human soul4 ,there is nothing mysterious or miraculous about them1 more than in the art of music of a ,beethoven or a ,paganini1 or in gymnastics and the winner of the ,marathon4 ,to shape and use1 arise and fly1 ,the reeling ,faun1 the sensual feast1 ,move upward1 working out the beast1 ,and let the ape and tiger die4 ,my conviction is strong1 and my ,faith unwavering4 ,the great and peaceful ones live1 regenerating the world like the coming of spring3 and having themselves crossed the ocean of embodied existence1 help those who try to do the same thing without personal motive4 7,crest ,jewel of ,wisdom47 ,,chapter ,,xvi ,,the ,,new ,,avatar ,from all the foregoing general considerations it may be discerned that the ,new ,avatar is strictly that of ,scientific ,demonstration4 ,as we use terms in vogue at the present day1 it pertains to the field of ,natural ,science4 ,this does not imply that it is irreligious1 nor unreligious1 nor sacrilegious4 ,when it is clearly apprehended it will be found to be the only thing that harmonizes--not the ,institutions of man--but ,science1 ,philosophy1 and ,religion per se1 as departments in human intelligence4 ,man will thus discern the rational order that pervades the universe4 ,the purpose and result of such knowledge to man are ,harmony1 ,enlightenment1 ,courage1 and ,hope4 ,man is the arbiter of his own destiny4 ,he may become the ,master of his own ,fate4 ,such are the ,illuminati1 the ,masters of the ,great ,white ,lodge1 the ,benefactors of the whole human race1 the members of the ,school of ,natural ,science4 ,what would ,i have my readers do8 ,i answer1 ,investigate6 ,study6 ,think6 ,wait6 ,hope6 ,anticipate6 ,careful1 intelligent1 and conscientious investigation will determine the fact that we possess in ,america to-day one who can fill all the requirements that ,i have endeavored to designate and portray--not as a reincarnation of ,buddha or ,jesus1 but as a ,master--one who has been duly instructed and prepared1 who has had the personal experience1 and has made a practical demonstration1 that determines ,mastership4 ,he has demonstrated that there is no death1 but transition only 7except through conscious and determined devolution1 or suicide of the soul74 ,man is1 after all1 and in the last analysis1 a free moral agent4 ,as a ,member of the ,great ,school he was educated and initiated many years ago1 and has consecrated his life to this service4 ,he has demonstrated the separability of the soul by leaving and returning to his body at will4 ,the ,school of ,natural ,science2 the ,great ,work2 the ,individual ,representative2 the conditions of the present age2 the opportunities offered2 the demand for real knowledge everywhere2 the falling in pieces of creeds and dogmas2 the expectancy so often voiced--all of these correspond intimately with what the ancient ,aryans designated as ,avataric4 ,it is not now the deification of any ,individual1 but the apotheosis of ,natural ,science1 as the foundation and method in the achievement of actual knowledge4 ,from this actual knowledge will arise a new ,faith1 not a new religion1 but the old ,religion of ,humanity1 precisely as taught and lived by ,jesus1 ,christna1 ,buddha1 and all the other ,redeemers1 and real ,avatars of the past4 ,the ,enemy of all ,righteousness1 as already said1 have made many attempts to assassinate this ,representative of the ,great ,school1 but he goes steadily about his own work4 ,these enemies realize the danger to their unholy work1 but not the ,power back of this great movement4 ,this they can never destroy4 ,the day of enlightenment has come1 and the cry has gone forth1 ,ho6 all ye who are heavy-laden1 involved in fear and doubt and uncertainty2 bewildered1 discouraged1 despairing1 and committing suicide6 ,there is no death6 ,man is the ,arbiter of his own ,fate6 ,look up and ,live1 and ,hope and ,realize6 ,and there shall dawn for you a new heaven and a new earth in which dwelleth ,love and ,peace and ,righteousness2 with ,jesus--the ,christos--your elder ,brother1 leading the way1 and the downtrodden1 the poor and despised children of men1 shouting ,hosanna6 for the ,loving ,kindness that will have taken the place of selfishness1 strife1 cruelty1 superstition1 and ,dogma4 ,religion will no longer be a matter of mere sentiment1 nor of emotion1 of blind belief1 nor of fear1 superstition1 dogma1 nor creed--but a ,great ,work4 ,so ,mote it be4 ,the author of this volume can lay no claim for it as a systematic treatise on ,psychology1 either according to the rules of composition or the orderly sequence of science4 ,it is rather a number of essays1 some of which were written without reference to publication1 or the design1 at the time1 of putting them together in a single volume4 ,there is1 therefore1 more or less repetition1 the same subject under a different title1 viewed from a different aspect1 yet involving the same principles1 motives1 and aims4 ,but the subject of ,psychology is so vast1 so intricate1 so interesting and important1 and yet1 in the average mind1 so confused1 and so little known1 that considerations from many sides1 and even repetitions in the application of a given principle in various ways1 are believed more likely to make the whole subject apprehensible to the general reader to whom it is addressed4 ,moreover1 the author believes that the time has come when ,psychology1 as a ,constructive ,science of the nature1 laws1 and destiny of the ,human ,soul1 need no longer be regarded as unknown or unattainable1 but open to all who seek it in the right way1 giving to it the consideration1 time1 and loyalty it so amply deserves4 ,to such as these1 it is hoped1 the foregoing pages may give many clews and sidelights1 suggestions1 encouragement1 and hope4 ,psychology1 to the ,author of this volume1 means literally ,a ,knowledge of the ,human ,soul1 rather than of treatises upon the subject1 or of the opinions1 beliefs1 or dogmas of men4 ,,notes ,the oligarchy of creeds1 and the autocrats of ,rome no more represent the ,coming of the ,son of ,man1 the ,divine ,logos that was and is in the bosom of the ,father in heaven1 than do the ,rockefellers1 the ,morgans and the ,harrimans1 constituting the oligarchy of wealth1 or than the political grafters and bosses of our municipalities represent the ,new ,commandment1 that ye love one another4 ,the barons of wealth have not yet resorted directly to murder1 as has ,rome for ages4 ,st4 ,augustine says1 ,what is now called the ,christian religion existed among the ancients and was not absent from the human race until ,christ came1 from which time1 the true ,religion1 which existed already1 began to be called ',christian4' 7,see ,heckethorne's ,secret ,societies1 page #ab1 ,introduction47 ,as to the basis of scientific chronology regarding the ,wisdom of the ,masters1 and their indestructible records1 ,i quote the following from a modern student of ,astrology4 ,his method of reckoning is correct1 even though his dates may not be absolutely exact1 as he is not a ,master4 ,,chronology ,,and ,,the ,,riddle ,,of ,,the ,,sphinx4 ,ancient religious symbols bear a striking resemblance to the constellations of the heavens1 especially those of the ,zodiac1 and if this be their true meaning1 we have an infallible key to their chronology4 ,at the beginning of the ,christian ,era1 the constellation ,aries1 or ,ram1 occupied the equinoctial place1 being in the first degree of that constellation4 ,about #baej ,b4,c4 the first degree of ,taurus1 or ,bull1 contained the ,equinox4 ,when the constellation ,taurus1 or the ,bull1 was in the first division1 or the equinoctial place1 the people used a symbol representing a bull1 described as giving fecundity1 a deity of vegetation as at ,dodona1 in their religious ceremonies4 ,one of the statuettes found recently in the excavations of ,crete1 was a woman figured between bulls and lions1 with a dove or eagle on her head1 and holding serpents in her hand4 ,this figure would seem to represent mother earth between the constellations ,taurus1 ,leo1 ,scorpio1 and ,aquarius4 ,she is figured between ,taurus 7the ,bull7 on one side1 ,leo 7the ,lion7 at her feet1 ,aquila 7or ,eagle7 in the constellation1 ,aquarius on her head1 and ,scorpio 7or the ,serpent7 in her hand2 all forming the sacred cross or ',swastika1' with the constellations ,taurus in the vernal ,equinox2 ,leo beneath the earth1 the ,eagle or ,aquarius overhead1 and ,scorpio held in her hand toward the west4 ,archologists place the date in which this symbol was in use in ,crete at #aajj to #aejj ,b4,c4 ,these dates are included between #baej ,b4,c4 and the year #a ,a4,d4 ,by the same method we are enabled to calculate the age of the ,sphinx4 ,this ,sphinx apparently represents the constellations ,leo 7the ,lion7 and ,virgo 7the ,virgin74 ,it has a lion's body1 and a woman's head and breast4 ,when the ,sphinx was built1 it seems the spring equinox occupied a point between these two constellations1 and as the spring1 or ,easter1 festivals of the ancients were held on or about ,march #bast of our calendar1 this ,sphinx was the representation of ,leo and ,virgo1 the point in which the ,sun crossed the equator1 or equinoctial line4 ,now as the equinox retrogrades from east to west in the reverse order of the constellations1 as well as the reverse order of the movement of the planets1 the ,sun will not cross the equator at the same point each year1 but at a point a little to the west1 amounting to about fifty and a third seconds of arc4 ,at this rate the equinox will pass backward through the constellations1 making a complete revolution in a little less than twenty-six thousand years1 or at the rate of about twenty-one hundred and fifty years to a constellation of thirty degrees4 ,now by taking the present position of the equinox in the constellation ,pisces1 we find that it has nearly reached the constellation ,aquarius4 ,about #aiji years ago it was in the first point of ,aries4 ,if we begin at its present point in ,pisces1 and count back to the ,junction of ,leo-,virgo1 we will have to count #aiji years to first point of ,aries2 #baej years to the first point of ,taurus2 #baej years to ,camini2 #baej years to ,cancer2 #baej years to ,leo and #baej years to the constellation ,virgo4 ,this indicates that the ,sphinx was built #ab1fei years ago1 or approximately #aj1gej ,b4,c4 7,john ,kilduff47 ,,the ,,harmonic ,,series ,these are the text books of that ,ancient ,school of ,wisdom whose members have ever been ,masters of the ,law of ,life and of ,death1 able at will1 independently at all times1 to travel in the ,spiritual ,world and communicate with those who live there--your friends and our friends1--who have passed through the gates of death and now live another life beyond the grave4 ,vol4 ,i4 ,,harmonics ,,of ,,evolution ,by ,florence ,huntley ,this book is a clear statement of the philosophy of ,individual ,life1 as taught by modern ,masters of the ,law4 ,its teachings mean the dawn of a ,new ,day in the intellectual and ethical evolution of the whole world4 ,mrs4 ,huntley has sensed the very soul of mankind and understands and explains its yearnings for what ,drummond names the greatest thing in the world1 ,,love4 #dfc pages2 illustrated4 ,vol4 ,,ii4 ,,the ,,great ,,psychological ,,crime ,by ,,tk ,this remarkable book deals with the imminent dangers of the day1 and covers the most mysterious and fascinating phenomena and experiences of human life4 ,the author's analysis of ,hypnotism and ,mediumship is masterly and complete4 ,for fifteen chapters1 by the most relentless and unanswerable facts1 he proves that ,hypnotism and subjective ,mediumship are vitally destructive to the physical body and the human soul4 ,this volume carries a hope1 a message1 a suggestion and a warning to all who are honestly1 patiently and persistently seeking to prove that ,death does not end all4 #dfd pages2 illustrated4 ,vol4 ,,iii4 ,,the ,,great ,,work ,by ,,tk ,this is the book which tells how one must live and what he must do to become able himself to demonstrate the fact of another life4 ,the ,great ,work and ,the ,great ,psychological ,crime were written by the ,american ,representative of that ,venerable ,school of ,wisdom1 whose records are the most ancient at this time known to man1 and which for many thousands of years1 has influenced the civilization and work of every great nation of earth4 #dfd pages2 illustrated4 ,these books are founded upon an exact science4 ,more impressive1 more fascinating and stranger than fiction4 ,when a man dies1 he shall live again1 is the inspiring message of the ,great ,work in ,america1--and this message is written in clear1 concise1 simple and easily readable ,english4 ,bound in red silk1 gold stamped4 ,price single copy1 #b4jj4 ,per set #f4jj1 express prepaid4 ,in ,persian ,morocco1 de luxe edition #c4ej each4 ,the set at one time1 #aj4jj4 ,illustration ,,three-,,in-,,one ,as beautiful a volume as the mind can imagine4 ,the ,,harmonic ,,series--,three ,volumes--,bound in ,,full1 ,,persian ,,morocco 7,oxford ,bible style71 round corners1 silk head-bands and markers1 red-under-gold edges1 ,genuine ,gold ,stamped4 ,printed on ,japan ,french paper2 several beautiful full-page half-tones4 ,durable1 practical1 artistic4 ,name stamped on cover in pure gold1 if desired4 ,price de luxe edition1 all charges prepaid1 #ab4jj4 ,all orders filled the same day they are received4 ,,indo-,,american ,,book ,,co4 #egje ,south ,boulevard1 ,chicago1 ,ill4 ,,questions ,,on ,,natural ,,science ,illustration ,this volume is an aid to the study of the ,harmonic ,series4 ,while it commands the attention of the casual reader of the ,text ,books1 it is intended more especially for those who contemplate a closer relationship with the philosophy and for those who have been admitted to studentship4 ,to the aspiring student it opens up the entire ,harmonic ,philosophy in a manner that invites and facilitates the most intense interest1 satisfaction and progress4 #cee pages1 #bj chapters1 and #c1heg carefully formulated questions1 all of which are authoratatively answered in the ,text ,books4 ,three-quarter leather1 price #b4jj4 ,,key ,,to ,,questions ,,on ,,natural ,,science4 ,leather1 #a4jj4 -------------------- ,,the ,,spirit ,,of ,,the ,,work ,illustration ,by ,,tk4 ,these beautiful and inspiring essays by the ,beloved ,elder ,brother are now printed in book form1 for ready reference1 and will prove to be quite as interesting and helpful to the beginner in ,natural ,science1 as they are useful to instructors and regularly admitted students4 ,they unfold in simple language a wealth of spiritual light that leads at once to a most searching soul--analysis and readjustment of the entire intelligence to the ,constructive ,principle in ,nature4 ,every page breathes the very inmost meaning and spirit of the educational work of the ,great ,school4 ,if you are in earnest this book will help you4 #cca pages1 cloth1 price #a4jj4 -------------------- ,,the ,,question ,,box ,,series ,illustration ,by ,,tk4 ,these two volumes consist of ,questions from ,students and ,friends of the ,work of the ,great ,school1 touching all manner of interesting subjects1 together with answers by the ,,tk4 ,volume ,i contains about #dj general topics1 #bag pages4 ,volume ,,ii has over #ge topics and #bde pages4 ,charming and valuable aids to readers1 students and instructors1 and strictly authoritative in their teaching4 ,large1 clear1 beautiful type2 carefully indexed1 and attractively arranged4 ,price1 #a4jj each4 -------------------- ,,harmonic ,,birthday ,,book ,illustration ,a large book--#caj pages4 ,there are quotations from the ,harmonic ,philosophy for every day in the year 7with space for writing7 and the following valuable and unique features3 ,a section devoted to ,birthstones2 ,wedding ,anniversaries2 the ,meaning of ,flowers2 section devoted to the deaths of ,relatives and ,friends1 and a frontispiece and beautiful half-tone portrait of ,florence ,huntley4 ,it is really a family record1 that will increase in value with the years and become priceless to the fortunate owner4 ,bound in leather1 gold stamped and embossed1 gold edges and printed on heavy parchment paper4 ,without doubt the most beautiful gift book ever sold4 ,price1 #b4jj4 ,,the ,,dream ,,child 7,,gift ,,edition7 ,illustration ,by ,florence ,huntley ,this is doubtless one of the most beautiful1 masterful and mystical books ever written4 ,the descriptive incidents in this book could only emanate from the brilliant and fertile brain of ,florence ,huntley4 ,florence ,huntley was the first instructed student of the ,,tk1 dating from the year #ahhg2 and from #ahid the ,work commanded her undivided time and effort4 ,the ,dream ,child--the first result of that interest--was written in #ahhi1 and stands for that earlier and therefore more poetic and less exact treatment of the ,great ,law than her later writings4 ,a book that ,,everybody reads and re-reads with the keenest appreciation and enthusiasm4 ,price #a4jj -------------------- ,,the ,,gay ,,gnani ,,of ,,gingalee4 ,illustration ,by ,florence ,huntley ,only those who knew ,mrs4 ,huntley's earlier humorous writings will be prepared for such a book from the serious ,author of ,harmonics of ,evolution4 ,the publishers feel entirely safe in saying there is nothing like ,the ,gay ,gnani in the whole range of modern satirical fiction4 ,the most extraordinary feature of this indescribable satire lies in ,chapter ,,xii1 ,,the ,,wages ,of ,,sin ,,is ,,death1 contributed by the ,,tk4 ,this chapter is a masterpiece of concept1 treatment and beauty1 setting forth the meaning and purpose of the whole extravaganza4 ,don't miss reading this book4 ,red cloth1 gold stamped4 ,price1 #a4jj4 -------------------- ,,zanoni ,,and ,,zicci ,illustration ,by ,sir ,edward ,bulwer ,lytton ,as a work of art this romance is one of great power and original conception4 ,no other works of this great author have provoked such diversity of criticism as ,zanoni4 ,to some1 this book represents a temporary aberration of genius without definite purpose4 ,to others it represents surpassing1 bold and original speculation1 profound analysis of character and thrilling interest2 but to the one who knows1 every character in this book is recognized by a familiar sign and symbol which1 though hidden1 is nevertheless patent to the initiated4 ,the ,,two books1 ,zanoni and ,zicci in one1 ,,special ,,edition1 cloth1 gold stamped4 ,price1 #a4jj4 -------------------- ,a ,,strange ,,story and ,,the ,,haunted ,,and ,,the ,,haunters ,illustration ,this is another of those marvelous books by ,sir ,edward ,bulwer ,lytton4 ,a ,strange ,story is the antithesis of ,zanoni4 ,it is a most absorbingly interesting story depicting the destructive psychic practices and possibilities against which ,the ,great ,psychological ,crime so timely warns the human race4 ,as a matter of fact1 both ,a ,strange ,story and ,zanoni are carefully veiled exposes of the two oldest and most powerful centers of ,spiritual knowledge extant1 and are revelations of the loftiest pursuits and the most malign practices known to human ,intelligence4 ,be sure to read both of these books4 ,special edition4 ,price1 #a4jj4