The San Francisco call., 1896-05-31
What is True Companionship?

oI NE oil every other one. But without ever
releasing from the obligations which human
ity-wide kinship poses, there is divinely
appointed relationship which transcends the
demands OF the ties of eonsanguinity and OF
universal brotherhood
Inc heart, in obedience to the law OF its own
nature in rejecting an attribute of Deity, goes
out in search OF its other self, SO to speak, and
Inere is restlessness of the spirit until con-
tentment. which lies in the harmony OF KIN
ored aspirations, is found. However deep and
Nlue the fountain of human afectlon may
now, It's waters return as the rain returns to
the sea when their seeking for COM mpanlonship p
Is not rewarded by full realization. Ihat
wnlen stimulates desire for companionshlp Is
the same Cause that stands behind natural
law, but its highest manifestations not bound
to or by physical substance
De thls understood: companionsh1p gathers
happiness from peace and not peace from hap
Plness' The incentive behind every human
desire and passion, ana for which effort is
made, Is hope OF happiness, but happiness is
llluslVe II 1t does not come as the harvest OF
the contentment of peace. Thus, one may
thlnk ne viii secure happiness by avenging a
wrong done hira, or he may think he Will ind
happiness in the possession of things obtained
contrary to sound and honest commercial u.s.
ages He will find it, but it will be his lower
nature and not the real man; moreover, such
happiness, being the offspring Of evil 1nclina-
lions ana evil acts, is restless under the
searching eye of conscience.
Ihe companionship of evil creates and fur
nlshes moral ana mental commotion, conse-
quently its product is the antithesis of spirit
ual peace. Every companionship is the fruit
OF the lntermingling of sympathetic mental
forces, and that which accrues therefrom
makes easier or harder the journey of life.
Happiness that comes of willful wrongdoing
poisons and causes the fruit to decay and the
journey to become wearisome. Those who
complain because the flowers on their way lose
their fragrance, the grass withers and the road
grows sleeper and rougher, seek happiness first
and peace afterward. 1t is their own fault that
they are not in the Path.
Butsome will say the mind and body are in
separable, and that the body exerts an inf1u-
enoe coequai with the mind in seeking COM
panionship. They are mistaken. The mind
and body are separate and distinct factors in
what Is called individualized lives, such as
man, and although their relations are intimate
and cooperative, the mind dominates the
body in all things. In truth the body may be
said to be merely the instrument employed by
the mind to accomplish given ends which
could not be reached without cooperative
physical agencies. Not only so, but the mind
is largely responsible for the state of the bodys
health. The body could be diseased, however,
ana the mind remain uninfiuenced, except
that its activity might be lessened.
II is a common saying that "the mind is i'm
paired by overwork" or that il is ''diseased," !"
but neither could be true. The mind has no
conception of the meaning of the words
"tired" and diseased" as concerning itself.
The minds physical instrument the brain,
may become impaired, but to say the mind is
impaired is to say that God could be impaired.
In sense the body, like the mind, is an attri-
butte OF Deity, but the body may be dissolved
and analyzed, whereas the mind cannot be ap-
pretended at all except by consciousness. 1t
is consciousness that makes one say myself"
meaning something quite distinct from his
legs and arms and brain.
Mind is in vibration all the time, as is the
physical body; but there are two kinds OF
mental vibrations, one constructive and the
other destructive, and they are potent for good
and for harm. Vibrations that proceed from
the truly moral mind are constructive and are
calculated to foster resolves in the minds of
others to cultivate desire to lead correct life.
On the other hand, vibrations proceeding from
anger, hatred, greed, avarice, licentiousness
and the like are destructive, and their possi-
bilities for harm are alarmingly great. Hence
ones physical condition, as 10 inviting eonta-
gious and Infectious diseases, more especially,
is largely a reflection of the state of the mind.
may have a very deprayed mind-the prize
fighter, for instance. But, after all, It is not a
healthy body, for artificial methods are en-
plOyed to bring il up TO fighting trim," and il
collApses as soon as it is left TO ordinary care
Every one is sending out constructive or de-
structiye vibrations-mental vibrations-con-
tinually, and believe that true companion
ship is more conducive to uninterrupted con-
str1ctive vibrations than any other condit ton
N n wi Ia mil nd haa - nara ba fafn
One must know the law of ethical causation
to reach the blessedness of true companion.
ship. The wisdom of Job was great and his
soul bu billed over with sublime poetry, but he
was an uncompropising pessimist and an ag-
nostic. He was sure that the tree would sprout
again and put forth branches If it were cut off
from among its companions, but 'if man
dies shall he live again?' He asked that ques-
ton sincerely, no doubt, and yet the doctrine
of Karma, and reincarnation, in fact, was his
theme, only that it stopped at the new
branches OF the tree. Hence, he knew nothing
OF true eompanionship because he did not OBJ
serve the cord which bound his life to the life
in the tree below and to the Eternal Cause
above.
There is nothing mysterious or vague about
true companionship. Each party to it feels
like two personalities-two selves in one-with
co-equal and co-existent inspirations and as
pirations, or mutual Identification with God.
In true companionship the highest attributes
of the soul express themselves with enthusi-
asm. yet with simplicity always, but never
fragmentary. The deepest problem of life finds
its solution in such relationship. There is no
religion in such companionship: it is higher,
broader, deeper than religion, but its faith is
as boundless as eternity. 1t is under law, GER
tain, as is everything animate and inanimate,
but true companionship is in harmony with
law.
Buddhist metaphysicians define this law as
that (which is without name, or color, or
hands or feet; which is smallest of the least,
and largest OF the large; all, knowing all
things; which hears without ears, sees without
eyes, moves without feet, and handles without
hands"
In the soul of man it is called "inspiration," !"
in the mind of man it is called aspiration" :"
in the heart of man it is called "love," and in
the highest relation between soul and soul it
is called "true companionship."
In the field, in the forest and upon the water
1t is called mature" in the worlds and system
of worlds it is called Supreme Intelligence -
but at its last analysis it is the divinity of
God, which is everything.
And the soul of everything says: "Cultivate
g passion for truth for art for order for the