|
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
How much more? Calculate, by the progress mind has made on this question,
and answer, how much more time will be required for the Bible to settle the
conflict? And how can the Bible settle what men unsettle? Many will not
submit to the wisdom of the Bible to determine this
SPIRIT WORLD. 133
question. Others will demur at the evidence. Others will adhere, and adhering
from a party to overcome their opponents. The Bible settles nothing with the
mind that rejects it. It does not settle many things with minds who profess to
be guided by it. It gives what it has to give, and nothing more. It preaches
peace on earth, and has for the last eighteen centuries, but war reigns the
strife is not ended by its decision. The Bible is settled, but mind is not. The
Bible is well, but who is controlled by it? Who, when a man smites him on
one cheek, turns to him the other also? We ask who? Answer me, ye, who turn
the peace of the world upside down? Ye who contend with your brethren, and
who write to overthrow what you never will accomplish, the wisdom of men
like your own. We write what we see and know. The forces of worldly
wisdom never can overthrow themselves. The more parties, or coals it makes,
the more divisions and subdivisions it creates; the more works opposed to
works are written and read, the more sects and creeds will prosper, and mind
will work against mind with no abatement of vehemence, no relaxation of
zeal, no inducement to reform without wisdom from heaven to induce, and
there is no hope of union and harmony, without hope in messengers of
superior wisdom. Who then shall aid? Who shall write, and preach, and
publish what will overcome minds and reconcile them with each other? Who?
We can see who will not do it! We can see who will do it. But who will do it?
The answer is written. God has written it. Nature is the page. Nature is the
answer. But what is nature? Hold! What is mind? Is it without nature? Is it not
a work of God in harmony with nature? Are not all his works in harmony with
each other? Has he made any mind without nature? What has nature not, then,
to do with it? Harmony of mind
134 LIGHT FROM THE
with nature is the great secret of human enjoyment. Harmony with nature is
harmony with God. Harmony with nature is harmony with mind. Harmony
with mind is reconciliation with mind. Reconciliation with mind is
reconciliation with God, and what is reconciliation with God is the unity of
the divine wisdom is his works. The unity is one. It is one in wisdom, one in
love, one in happiness. Happiness is what mind craves. It is not satisfied
without it. It is never dissatisfied with it, we say, it is never dissatisfied with
its abundance. Its abundance is infinite. What is infinite, no progress can
swallow. No mind can ever grasp infinite wisdom and infinite happiness. But
who will progress? The second circle is willing, if others will. They will as
others do. Who wills as others do not? They who are not of the second circle.
They are either opposed to progress in wisdom, or in favor of advancing in it.
If they are opposed, they are members of the first circle. If they will what
others will of wisdom, they are members of the second, or sympathetic, circle.
If they will to progress, independent of others, they are members of the third
circle. Is wisdom sought where it is not found? Let the first circle answer. Is
wisdom sought in others like itself? So judges the second circle. Is wisdom
sought of superiors, is it sought of angels, whose wisdom has been cultivated
by experience,? The third circle have found it. They have not searched in vain.
The second circle is what men call wonderful wonderful in its conceit
wonderful in its knowledge of men wonderful in its rules by which it judges
of truth and error, right and wrong wonderful in its display of words without
practice wonderful in its caution and care of self wonderful in its
operations to gratify discordant opinions wonderful in its condescension to
minds, diseased with leprosy
SPIRIT WORLD. 135
of guilt wonderful in its palliatives wonderful in its concealments
wonderful in its approbation and disapprobation and wonderful in its means
and measures to correct and improve itself in wisdom. It wonders, and still it
wonders at its wonder. It wonders why men do not do as it does. It wonders
why others venture to dissent with others. It wonders why minds sacrifice
time and money for other's good. It wonders how minds can content
themselves in search of new developments new revealments from heaven. It
wonders what good these revealments can do. It wonders how spirits can
communicate to minds in the body. It wonders what use there can be in these
communications. It wonders why men and women are not crazy, who receive
communications from spirits, and why mediums are not insane with the
tidings revealed. It wonders why men and women are not selected in
accordance with the rules which it has established. It wonders why others
have not been selected from other circles of wisdom. And we shall tell them.
Because their circle of wisdom is not the circle which spirits can employ to do
good to the world. It is not a circle in harmony with the welfare of man. It is
not a circle befitting the cause of human progress. It is not a circle which can
be made serviceable to our designs, without a change which would deliver it
from a condition that distinguishes it as the second circle in the sight of good
men and angels. It is a circle so low as to warrant no work of reform among
men, so worldly as to forbid the sacrifice necessary to other's improvement,
and so much of all things in common with all things, as to be nearly useless in
the work of human redemption. It is a circle devoid of independence, devoid
of sincerity, devoid of will without selfish gain, devoid of industry without
worldly applause, and devoid of the essentials of true wisdom. It can only
136 LIGHT FROM THE
be employed by spirits who sympathise in its debasement. It will not be
employed by spirits who will to correct the vices of society, by spirits who
will to overcome the evils of men, and who are interested in what is necessary
to secure a permanent reform. Wisdom will not select such votaries of folly to
advance its cause. It will not ask such cowards to put on the armor of service.
It will not offer pearls of wealth to minds in the mire of worldly wisdom. It
will not move hands to write what will do no good. It will not move minds to
act without controlling the action. It will not write what will please the fancy
and folly of weakness, the ignorance and wrong of misguided minds, or the
superstition and partiality of sectarian wisdom. It will write what will instruct,
what will make wise, what will do good, what will not do harm, what will not
destroy the soul. It will write the truth; and to write the truth, it must have a
medium who is not ashamed to bear witness to it, who is not afraid of it, who
is not controlled by its enemies; but who is independent in the right, and
fearless of human frowns. Such is the reason why spirits select the mediums
they have chosen to be co-workers with them in the progress of mind. Such is
the reason why they do not select the circle whose works are wisdom in
others, and who are the mere machines of corrupt wisdom, without the
independence to defend it, or the courage to forsake it.
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pldoc.pisz.plpdf.pisz.plmew.pev.pl
|