The Washington herald., 1915-02-07
OccuItiSnl and Christianity
The Mystic Path of Human Progress-The Result
of Prayer

ball. and it might strike the mark aimed
at; in the other a second force might
strike the ball and send it entirely out
of its course. And SO with two similar
prayers: one may go on its way unop-
posed and effect its object: the other
may be flung aside by the far stronger
force Of a past wrong. One prayer is an
swercd, the other unanswered; but in
both the result is by law.
Let Us consider Class B. Prayers for
help in moral and intellectual difficulties
have a double result; they act directly
to attract help, and they react on the
person who prays. They draw the at
tention OF the Angels. of the disciples
working outside the body, who are ever
seeking to help the bewidered mind
and counsel. announcement, illuminat-
tion. are thrown into the brafn-conscious.
ness, thus giving the answer to prayer
in the most direct way. And he kneeled
down and prayed . and there appear
ed an Angel unto Him from heaven
strengthening Him" Ideas are suggest.
ed which clear away an intellectual diff.
Guilty, or throw light on an obscure
moral problem. or the sweetest comfort
is poured into the distressed heart. sooth.
ing Its perturbations and calming its
dnxieties. And truly il no Angel were
passing that way. the cry of the dis.
tressed would reach the Hidden Heart
OF Heaven" and a messenger would be
sent to carry comfort, some Angel, ever
ready to fly swiftly on feeling the I'M
pulse, bearing the sDivine will to help.
There is also what Is sometimes called
a subjective answer to such prayers. the
reaction OF the prayer on the utterer
His prayers places his heart and mind in
the receptive attitude, and this stills the
lower nature, and thus allows the
strength and illuminative power of the
higher stream into II unchecked. The
currents of energy which normally flow
downward. or outward. from the Inner
Man, are, as a rule. directed to the ex.
ternal world. and are utilized in the or
dinary affairs OF the life by the brain
consciousness, for the carrying on of its
daily activities. But when this brain.
consciousness turns away from the outer
world, and shutting its outward going
doors. directs its gaze inward; when Il
deliberately closes itself to the outer and
opens itself to the inner; then IT becomes
vessel able to receive and to hold, in
stead of n mere conduit-pipe between
the interior and exterior worlds In the
silence obtained by the cessation of the
noises of external activities, the still
small voice" of the Spirit can make it.
self heard, and the concentrated atten-
hANil Vi Nllt tNptINsllll Illlllu enables
catch the soft whisper Of the Inner self.
Even more markedly does help come
from without and from within, when the
prayer is for spiritual enlightenment, for
spiritual growth. Not only do all help
ers, angelic and humaA most eagerly
seek to forward spiritual progress, seiz-
ing on every opportunity offered by the
upward-aspiring soul; but the longing for
such growth liberates energy of n high
kind the spiritual longing calling forth
an answer from the spirital realm. Once
more the law of sympathetic vibrations
asserts itself, and the note of lofty as
piration is answered by a note of its own
order, by n vibration synchronous with
itself. The Divine Life Is ever pressing
from above against the limits that bind
II, and when the upward-rising force
strikes against those limits from below.
the separating wall is broken through.
and the Divine Life floods the Soul.
When a man feels that inflow of spirit
ual life. he cries: My PRAYER has been
answered, and God has sent down His
Spirit into my heart" Truely so: yet he
rarely understands that that Spirit is
ever seeking entrance. but that coming
TO His own, His own receive Him not.
Behold. / stand at the door. and knock;
II any man hear my voice, and open the
door, l will come in to him.
Concluded next Sunday