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To Sons and Daughters of Vision Who Will Seize the Torch of Illumined Action and Run with It, Recognizing That
If They Do Not, the People Who Have Neither the Vision
Nor the Torch Will Surely Perish; For the Little Children
Who Place Their Hands Trustingly in His Have a Right to See God Face to Face in Trustworthy Servant-Sons:
"Where there is no vision, the people perish."1 Momentous words when understood, but seldom understood.
Think now, blessed ones. Shall men halt, content that they have known all the works of God and that all truth is already revealed? What a shroud, a smothering of progress is this. Fear has done this thing, O mankind, and it is his bonds that we would break.
Those who as little children placed their hands trustingly in the hands of God know that his truth is their shield and buckler,2 the strong arm of righteousness. Surely the limited vision of man's present theology should not be one with which men are content. Consider the many areas of destiny upon which religion is silent. Consider also the manifold mysteries which challenge man's consciousness.
Are people to treat themselves as animals and test themselves within a maze of problems based on a theology recorded in mere creed or rote? To prescribe infinity with finite bans is far worse than attempting to catch Niagara Falls in a teacup. The mighty onrush of infinity would wash away the film of reason from the mind of man; and therefore God, in his infinite wisdom and mercy, has gently tempered the wind to the shorn lamb.3
Again and again the wisdom of God is revealed from beginning unto beginning. Even while his noblest purposes are revealed by the great masters of wisdom, men seek on wings of scorn swiftly to carry those who think not as they do to an impaling spike. I say, in mercy's name, let strands of holy tolerance be woven through the planetary consciousness of all who seek God.
The mysteries of God are not gained in an instant. How shall they fathom the depths of his matchless wisdom who would keep it for themselves? Those who seek this holy privilege ought to give it graciously unto others. Much of that which is labeled as acceptable truth by mankind today was once regarded as heresy. The acceptable sacrifice of Abel was not honored by Cain. The dreams of Joseph were not honorably recognized by his brethren. The old prophets were stoned in Israel and beaten and even sawn asunder. The tortures from which the mind would quail were practiced upon them at the instigation of the wicked.
Every age has known its martyrs - some were sons of God and men of holy truth whereas others were also exploiters of mankind. Yet the infinite purposes must not be scorned. I cite here examples of the passions of men who in past ages rejected truth which was revealed unto them through the holy men of God. Ancient superstition even to the present hour holds men in bondage, and thus they attribute to evil the release of pure truth and accept as from the hand of God that which bears the taint of the shadowed ones. These who masquerade as angels of light still practice to deceive and men still vilify the true sons of God.
Man stands as in a quandary, then, and cries out, "How shall I know?" I am certain that a word to the wise is sufficient, and I hope also that a word from the truly wise will be sufficient to those who require it. Not all who cry "Lord, Lord,"4 do the will of God; but those who do, serving to the best of their ability, will be accorded by the Father of all that just recognition which the law always conveys to the righteous.
"I AM my brother's keeper" is the fulfillment of the law, but not in blind attachment or sympathy; for the latter phase of human error is a mechanical tie, a pull upon the passions of men who see in the failures of others the possibilities of their own personal loss and, by the bond of sympathy, they are pulled in a downward spiral into the maelstrom of imperfection.
Compassion is otherwise -
It would extend assistance to those who
desire it and seek to rise
And mercy to the fallen, but not at any price -
For there ought to be some longing or desire in all,
Some spark of hope or faith
That answers call
From God on high.
For men were born, not to die
But to live - and live again on higher plane
Until the soul, no longer vain,
Might pierce the veil of human pain
And see the clearer counterpane -
The window to a heaven above
Where reigns the Father of all love,
Whose holy breath does ever flow
To all mankind here below
And sees within their heart of flame
A Christly banner, never vain,
Whose every act will men redeem
And lift them to a fairer scene.
O gracious ones, the hour has come when a sense of cosmic vigor must enter into the affairs of mankind to arouse them from their vain mechanical attitudes and to teach them the efficacy of divine grace as God in action here below. If it were possible, heaven itself would have almost exhausted its toleration of men's errors on this planet. Time after time civilizations have arisen and fallen. Wonderful cultures have existed, of which but a vestige remains. Men have builded anew again and again upon the rubble of olden worlds and only the few have been able to see and retain the vision.
Now, then, I would transmit to those who are ready to receive it, by a spiritual capsulation, a treasury of heavenly wisdom. But I am fully aware that there are many who will not be able to accept this idea. I do not chastise those who cannot accept it, but I have made here an offer. If you will call to your Divine Presence on those occasions when you seem to have nothing else to do and ask me, in your own style, "O Great Divine Director, let me have this treasure of knowledge about life," I will do my part to release to you this capsule of holy wisdom.
Thus I will be able to impart to you a vision not recorded on the printed page, and I do not wish you to think that I refer here to a mere dream or a picture appearing before you. I am referring here to an inward sense or vision of the cosmos which is spiritually oriented and cannot be classified in accordance with ordinary human knowledge. This spiritual power of vision is a gift which I extend to those able to receive it for one reason alone: in order for them to understand in a higher way many of the laws of the cosmos which I have imparted in this series.
Some of you may recall that the Christ, prior to his passing from the screen of life in the ritual of his ascension, did say unto his apostles, "Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained."5 That which I seek to do, then, is to transmit unto you the power of divine vision that will enable you to derive even greater satisfaction than you have ever had before from the instruction of the ascended masters.
Heaven would enhance for mankind every opportunity of a spiritual nature. The raging of the battle at outer levels is very great, precious ones. The lack of vision in the world is so glaringly apparent - it is garish with muddied colors, it is dissonant with the drumbeats of the jungle, it is crass with inanity and absurdity, it is shattering with discord and hopelessness, it is putrid with human filth and degradation, it is vile with the stench of unreasoning minds, fidgeting in darkness.
The time has come for the children of God to shine as the sun in the midst of all this human wretchedness. And then I think a greater power of example in purity, a greater example of power in brotherliness, a greater example of power in spirituality will enable men to heal, to cast out demons, to cleanse the lepers, even to raise the dead6 and to fulfill the Christ mission now in a greatly expanded vision of divine grace which exceeds all the expectations of material science and the intricacies of human thought and reason.
Truly the rod of the Christ, the power of God unto salvation, as Aaron's rod of old,7 will swallow up the magician's rod, cast down in imitation of the victory of the pure, winged caduceus.
For expanded vision with Mercurian speed to all, I AM