The Washington herald., 1914-12-20
Occultisnl and Christianity
THE MYSTIC PATH OF HUMAN PROGRESS.
THE CHRIST LIFE.


have,
He must get rid OF all sense Of Doubt
not that rightful attitude OF tne mind to
be doubtful OF that which ID doubtful,
because at present improved; that re-
mains ever necessary, else were there
danger of credulity and folly-but doubt
as TO certain great facts in nature, the
fact of reincarnation he can not doubt
for now he knows his past: the fact OF
Rarma, the great law of action and re-
action, he can not doubt-he can look
back and see its working in the past and
trace IL in the present; the fact OF the
Existence of the Masters he can not
doubt-he has stood in that wonderous
circle when he was initiated; the fact
of the Path he can not doubt-he Is
treading IT, ..
The third great fetter is superstition:
the belief that particular rite or cera-
mony Is necessary for the attainment OF
the result that by IL u sought He no
longer needs the bridge which cere-
mony Is intended to be to those who can
not yet reach the higher worlds by their
own power. by their own knowledge. He
Tealises that the ceremonies OF all the
religions are equally useful for the ad-
herents OF each, but that none are neces-
sary for him. He knows he can no
longer depend upon any ceremony; he
ucptnus only on lne ArOu Nllnin. Useful
beautiful. helpful, as they may be to
those who have not passed the Portal.
their value is over for him.
When those three fetteG are cast aside.
and no longer have power to hold him
back. he has grown to young manhood,
and Is ready to pass the second Of the
great limitations. In the Christian drama
II Is called the Baptism. II Is written
that the Spirit OF God came down upon
Jesus. and abode with him. That is the
Christian form; the Spirit came down,
the Spirit Of Intuition, and before he can
go further, to the third Initiation. he
must learn TO bring it down TO his ply
sical consciousness. So that II may "abide
on him." and guide him.
After this Initiation. the man has not
to get rid Of weaknesses but to add pow
ers. all those superphysical powers which
belong to the perfection Of the super
physical bodies the man has now TO Gre
ate in himself. in order that he may
more perfectly serve: for that great
Spiritual world. the intuitional world. is
being conquered step by step. and he
must be ready to serve in that as in the
mental and emotional worlds. During
the time that ~ stays in this stage of
his prOgrcss. he Is perfectng all the
bodies, building them for the great work.
When lac approaches the third great
Portal, that which in the Christian story
is called the TRANSPORTATION. among
the Hindus the Swan. the bird OF heaven.
the symbol of the recognition OF the 'I'
as one with God. In that the manifest
cd Deity shines out Illuminating for
moment the Path in front, which Is to
go down into the depths OF suffering.
which Is to lead him through the valley
OF the shadow of death: for you may re-
member that In the GOSPEL drama the
TRANSPORTATION on the Mount OF Olivet
is Immediately followed hy the steadfast
turning OF the face to Jerusalem, to the
Garden of Gethsemane. the Mount of
Calvary. the divine light shining on the
darkness. that the human heart may be
able to pass on. UndaUnted.
During the time which intervenes be
tween the third and fourth limitations.
two more weaknesses have to be got rid
of for ever. in the gospel alleGory how
the attraction was thrown aside of all
that would hold Christ back from the
approaching Passion. And Won may see
how all repulsion had ended. when the
woman who was a sinner was allowed
to approach Him to bathe His feet with
her tears. to wipe them with her hair:
for attraction and repulsion for all eX-
terrsl things must die befOra the last
great trial comes. else would the road
remain untrotden. else would the last or
deal he too great And so the disciple
learns in this stage TO rise above attrac-
tions and reDulsions. to cast them aside
for ever: they no longer have power to
touch him.
He prepares himself for the going to
Jerusalem. for the betrayal by one Apos-
tie. the desertiOn 10y all. the loneliness
in which the last great sufTerings have 10
be- faced: for hctw'c1 the third Initiation
and the fourth thpr" is that gulf OF
silence. where the disciple hangs alone
in the void with nothing ON earth 10
trust to. NOTHING in heaven to look to- no
friend whose heart can be relied upon.
even the vision Of the supreme blurred
and dinm"G. Il is symbolised 10y the
agony in tho Garden. where the human
heart cries out. If it be possible. let
this cup PASS away and still the human
will arises. strong in renunciation:
Nevertheless. not my will but Thine
he done