the dore lectures on mental science-第14部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


great　work；　and　by　a　logical　consequence　begins　to　grow　on　new　lines　of　development　for　the　simple　reason　that　a　new　principle　necessarily　produces　new　modes　of　manifestation。　If　the　reader　will　think　over　these　things　he　will　see　that　the　promises　contained　in　the　Bible　whether　national　or　personal；　are　nothing　else　than　statements　of　the　universal　law　of　Cause　and　Effect　applied　to　the　inmost　principles　of　our　being；　and　that　therefore　it　is　not　mere　rhapsody；　but　the　figurative　expression　of　a　great　truth　when　the　Psalmist　says　‘〃The　Lord　is　my　Shepherd；〃　and　〃Thou　art　my　God　and　the　Rock　of　my　salvation。〃



SALVATION　IS　OF　THE　JEWS。

What　does　this　saying　of　the　Master's　mean？　Certainly　not　a　mere　arrogant　assumption　in　favour　of　His　own　nationalitysuch　an　idea　is　negatived；　not　only　by　the　universality　of　all　His　other　teaching；　but　also　by　the　very　instruction　in　which　these　words　occur；　for　He　declared　that　the　Jewish　temple　was　equally　with　the　Samaritan　of　no　account　in　the　matter。　He　said　that　the　true　worship　was　purely　spiritual　and　entirely　independent　of　places　and　ceremonies；　while　at　the　same　time　He　emphasized　the　Jewish　expectation　of　a　Messiah；　so　that　in　this　teaching　we　are　met　by　the　paradox　of　a　universal　principle　combined　with　what　at　first　sight　appears　like　a　tribal　tradition　quite　incompatible　with　any　recognition　of　the　universal　reign　of　law。　How　to　reconcile　these　apparent　opposites；　therefore；　seems　to　be　the　problem　which　He　here　sets　before　us。　Its　solution　is　to　be　found　in　that　principle　which　I　have　endeavoured　to　elucidate　throughout　these　lectures；　the　specializing　of　universal　law。　Opinions　may　differ　as　to　whether　the　Bible　narrative　of　the　birth　of　Christ　is　to　be　taken　literally　or　symbolically；　but　as　to　the　spiritual　principle　involved　there　can；　I　think；　be　no　difference　of　opinion。　It　is　that　of　the　specialization　by　the　individual　of　the　generic　relation　of　the　soul　to　the　Infinite　Spirit　from　which　it　proceeds。　The　relation　itself　is　universal　and　results　from　the　very　nature　of　the　creative　process；　but　the　law　of　the　universal　relation　admits　of　particular　specialization　exactly　in　the　same　way　as　all　other　natural　lawsit　is　simply　applying　to　the　supreme　Law　of　Life　the　same　method　by　which　we　have　learnt　to　make　iron　float；　that　is　to　say　by　a　fuller　recognition　of　what　the　Law　is　in　itself。　Whatever　other　meanings　we　may　apply　to　the　name　Messiah；　it　undoubtedly　stands　for　the　absolutely　perfect　manifestation　in　the　individual　of　all　the　infinite　possibilities　of　the　Principle　of　Life。

Now　it　was　because　this　grand　ideal　is　the　basis　on　which　the　Hebrew　nationality　was　founded　that　Jesus　made　this　statement。　This　foundation　had　been　lamentably　misconceived　by　the　Jewish　people；　but　nevertheless；　however　imperfectly；　they　still　held　by　it；　and　from　them　this　ideal　has　spread　throughout　the　Christian　world。　Here　also　it　continues　to　be　lamentably　misconceived；　nevertheless　it　is　still　retained；　and　only　needs　to　be　recognized　in　its　true　light　as　a　universal　principle；　instead　of　an　unintelligible　dogma；　to　become　the　salvation　of　the　world。　Hence；　as　affording　the　medium　through　which　this　supreme　ideal　has　been　preserved　and　spread；　it　is　true　that　〃Salvation　is　of　the　Jews。〃

Their　fundamental　idea　was　right　but　their　apprehension　of　it　was　wrongthat　is　why　the　Master　at　the　same　time　sweeps　away　the　national　worship　of　the　temple　and　preserves　the　national　idea　of　the　Messiah；　and　this　is　equally　true　of　the　Christian　world　at　the　present　day。　If　salvation　is　anything　real　it　must　have　its　cause　in　some　law；　and　if　there　is　a　law　it　must　be　founded　upon　some　universal　principle：　therefore　it　is　this　principle　which　we　must　seek　if　we　would　understand　this　teaching　of　the　Master's。

Now　whether　we　take　the　Bible　story　of　the　birth　of　Christ　literally　or　symbolically；　it　teaches　one　great　lesson。　It　teaches　that　the　All…originating　Spirit　is　the　true　Parent　of　the　individual　both　in　soul　and　body。　This　is　nothing　else　than　realizing　from　the　stand…point　of　the　individual　what　we　cannot　help　realizing　in　regard　to　the　original　creation　of　the　cosmos　it　is　the　realization　that　the　All…originating　Spirit　is　at　once　the　Life　and　the　Substance　in　each　individual　here　and　now；　just　as　it　must　have　been　in　the　origin　of　all　things。　Human　parentage　counts　for　nothingit　is　only　the　channel　through　which　Universal　Spirit　has　acted　for　the　concentration　of　an　individual　centre；　but　the　ultimate　cause　of　that　centre；　both　in　life　and　substance；　continues　at　every　moment　to　be　the　One　same　Originating　Spirit。

This　recognition　cuts　away　the　root　of　all　the　power　of　the　negative；　and　so　in　principle　it　delivers　us　from　all　evil；　for　the　root　of　evil　is　the　denial　of　the　power　of　the　Spirit　to　produce　good。　When　we　realize　that　the　Spirit　is　finding　its　own　individualization　in　us　in　its　two…fold　essence　as　Life　and　Substance；　then　we　see　that　it　must　be　both　able　and　willing　to　create　for　us　all　good。　The　only　limit　is　that　which　we　ourselves　impose　by　denying　its　operation；　and　when　we　realize　the　inherent　creativeness　of　Spirit　we　find　that　there　is　no　reason　why　we　should　stop　short　at　any　point　and　say　that　it　can　go　no　further。　Our　error　is　in　looking　on　the　life　of　the　body　as　separate　from　the　life　of　the　Spirit；　and　this　error　is　met　by　the　consideration　that；　in　its　ultimate　nature；　Substance　must　emanate　from　Spirit　and　is　nothing　else　than　the　record　of　Spirit's　conception　of　itself　as　finding　expression　in　space　and　time。　And　when　this　becomes　clear　it　follows　that　Substance　need　not　be　taken　into　calculation　at　all。　The　material　form　stands　in　the　same　relation　to　Spirit　that　the　image　projected　on　the　screen　stands　to　the　slide　in　the　lantern。　If　we　wish　to　change　the　exhibited　subject　we　do　not　manipulate　the　reflection　on　the　screen；　but　we　alter　the　slide；　and　in　like　manner；　when　we　come　to　realize　the　true　nature　of　the　creative　process；　we　learn　that　the　exterior　things　are　to　be　changed　by　a　change　of　the　interior　spiritual　attitude。　Our　spiritual　attitude　will　always　be　determined　by　our　conception　of　our　relation　to　God　or　Infinite　Spirit；　and　so　when　we　begin　to　see　that　this　relation　is　one　of　absolute　reciprocitythat　it　is　the　self…recognition　of　Infinite　Spirit　from　our　own　centre　of　consciousnessthen　we　find　that　the　whole　Secret　of　Life　consists　in　simple　reliance　upon　the　Allcreating　Spirit　as　consciously　identifying　itself　with　us。　It　has；　so　to　say；　awakened　to　a　new　mode　of　self…recognition　peculiar　to　ourselves；　in　which　we　individually　form　the　centre　of　its　creative　energy。　To　realize　this　is　to　specialize　the　Principle　of　Life。　The　logic　of　it　is　simple。　We　have　found　that　the　originating　movement　of　Spirit　from　which　all　creation　proceeds　can　only　be　Self…contemplation。　Then；　since　the　Original　Spirit　cannot　change　its　nature　its　self…contemplation　through　our　own　minds　must　be　as　creative　in；　for；　and　through　us　as　it　ever　was　in　the　beginning；　and　consequently　we　find　the　original　creative　process　repeated　in　ourselves　and　directed　by　the　conscious　thought　of　our　own　minds。

In　all　this　there　is　no　place　for　the　consideration　of　　outward　conditions；　whether　of　body　or　　circumstances；　for　they　are　only　effects　and　not　the　　cause；　and　therefore　when　we　reach　this　stand…point　　we　cease　to　take　them　into　our　calculations。　Instead　　we　employ　the　method　of　self…contemplation　knowing　　that　this　is　the　creative　method；　and　so　we　　contemplate　ourselves　as　allied　to　the　infinite　Love　　and　Wisdom　of　the　Divine　Spirit　which　will　take　form　　through　our　conscious　thought；　and　so　act　creatively　　as　a　Special　Providence　entirely　devoted　to　guarding；　　guiding；　providing　for；　and　illuminating　us。　The　whole　　thing　is　perfectly　natural　when　seen　from　a　clear　　recognition　of　what　the　creative　working　of　Spirit　　must　be　in　itself；　and　when　it　is　realized　in　this　　perfectly　natural　manner　all　strain　and　effort　to　　compel　its　action　ceaseswe　are　at　one　with　the　All…creating　Power　which　has　now　found　a　new　centre　in　　ourselves　from　which　to　continue　its　creative　work　to　　more　perfect　manifestation　than　could　be　attained　　through　the　unspecialized　generic　conditions　of　the　　merely　cosmic　order。

Now　this　is　what　Messiah　stands　for；　and　therefore　it　is　written　that　〃to　them　gave　He　power　to　become　sons　of　God；　even　to　as　many　as　believe　on　His　Name。〃　This　〃belief〃　is　the　recognition　of　a　universal　principle　and　personal　reliance　upon　it　as　a　law　which　cannot　be　broken；　for　it　is　the　Law　of　the　whole　creative　process　specialized　in　our　own　individuality。　Then；　too；　however　great　may　be　the　mystery；　the　removal　and　cleansing　away　of　all　sin　follows　as　an　essential　part　of　this　realization　of　new　life；　and　it　is　in　this　sense　that　we　may　read　all　that　the　Bible　tells　us　on　this　aspect　of　the　subject。　The　PRINCIPLE　of　it　is　Love；　for　when　we　are　reunited　to　the　Parent　Spirit　in　mutual　confidence　and　love；　what　room　is　there　on　either　side　for　any　remembrance　of　our　past　failures？

This；　then　is　what　Messiah　stands　for　to　the　individual；　but　if　we　can　conceive　a　nation　based　upon　such　a　recognition　of　its　special　relation　to　the　Directing　Power　of　the　Universe；　such　a　people　must　of　necessity　become　the　leader　of　the　nations；　and　those　who　oppose　it　must　fail　by　a　self…destructive　principle　inherent　in　the　very　nature　of　the　position　they　take　up。　The　leadership　resulting　from　such　a　national　self…recognition；　will　not　be　based　upon　conquest　and　compulsion；　but　will　come　naturally。　Other　nations　will　enquire　the　reason　for　the　phenomenal　success　and　prosperity　of　the　favoured　people；　and　finding　this　reason　in　a　universal　Law；　they　will　begin　to　apply　the　same　law　in　the　same　manner；　and　thus　the　same　results　will　spread　from　country　to　country　until　at　last　the　whole　earth　will　be　full　of　the　glory　of　the　Lord。　And　such　a　nation；　and　rather　company　of　nations；　exists。　To　trace　its　present　development　from　its　ancient　beginnings　is　far　beyond　the　scope　of　this　volume；　and　still　more　to　speculate　upon　its　further　growth；　but　to　my　readers　on　both　sides　of　the　Atlantic　I　may　say　that　this　people　is　the　Anglo…Saxon　race　throughout　the　world。　I　write　these　lines　upon　the　histor