Chapter XVI
Jesus was seated at the first table and the Priest at our table, with Emil and our Chief on either side. This time there were but two long tables down the length of the room. There were no coverings but, as we were seated, the tables were covered with white linen and the service came on almost as quickly. The food seemed to come with the plates, with the exception of the bread. A loaf appeared on the table before Jesus. He picked it up and began breaking it, placing the pieces on a plate. When the plate was filled, a dim childish form lifted it and stood silent until seven plates had been filled and seven forms stood holding them. As Jesus broke the bread and filled the plates, the loaf did not diminish.
As the last plate was filled, Jesus arose and with outstretched hands said, “This bread which I present to you represents God’s pure Life. Partake of that pure Life which is always of God.” Then as the bread was handed around, he went on to say, “When I said, `I am lifted up,’ and that by being so lifted up I would draw all men to me, I knew that, in the light of that experience, some day all would see eye to eye and know full well when they could be lifted up as I am lifted. I saw heaven right here on earth among men. This is the Truth that I perceived and the Truth will make all free. Then they will find that there is but one fold and one shepherd; and if one strays, it is safe to leave all the ninety and nine, to seek the one that he may return. God may be all in all to all His children; and all are His—they are far nearer and dearer to Him than the sparrows or the lilies of the field. If He rejoices in the lilies’ growth and notes the sparrow’s fall, how much more does He note the growth of His dear children. Neither does He judge them more than He does the lilies or the sparrow, but holds them dear to His great cause and not one can be left out when His perfection is established.
“I could see that, if this ideal could be graven in letters of purest gold on the walls of the temples of the world’s great thought, it would lift men’s thoughts above the murk and mire by setting their feet on a rock, a sure foundation; where the winds and tides could lash and roar but, while men stood steadfast and true, they would be secure. Because of this security, peace, and calm they would aim to the heights where they see their true dominion. They may soar above but they will not find heaven above. They will find it right among men, and it is not reached by merely plodding on and on, in toil and sorrow and great tribulation, and then eventually finding the great Jewel. It is much more quickly reached by throwing off all materiality and the laws that thereby bind men to the eternal wheel. Then step forth, you pick up the Jewel, incorporate it, let the light shine forth, and you have gained by one direct step that which you may put off through all eternity, if you will. You will find that the soul which insists upon immediate and complete spiritual illumination and emancipation here and now and knows that his relation to God is the relation of parent and child, quickly sees that this not only makes clear the divine possibilities but that he has them to use and they will work for him as he wills. To that one, the New Testament story will not be fiction nor a vague dream that may happen after death but an ideal that is lifted up before the world, of a perfect realization of a life of love and service. That ideal is the divine accomplishment of all, here and now.
“Then will they know the vision I saw when I said, `Many shall seek to enter in and shall not, for strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to eternal life.’ For, without the true appreciation of the Christ Ideal and of the divine and perfect plan of the cooperation of man and God right here on this earth, the realization of this ideal is impossible and it becomes only a dream, a myth— nothing.
“The door giving access to this omnipotent and transforming alchemy of the Spirit in man is open to all at all times and the key to its opening is in the thoughts of all. When two ideals and methods of salvation or of securing the saving grace of God’s love, are different, it is man’s thoughts and not God that made them so. Those who close the door to the immediate blessings of God for all His children, isolate themselves from the immediate blessings that God bestows upon the Christ child and from the spiritual illumination of the transcendent alchemy of Spirit and the all-potent powers which are theirs to use as the Christ would and should use them. When men recognize this, the leper will be made whole instantly, the withered arm will be restored, and all diseases of body and mind will vanish at their touch. Through the concentration of the spoken word, they will multiply the loaves and fishes; and as they break the bread or pour the oil for the multitude, it will never diminish but there will always be an abundance left. They will calm the raging sea or tempest by their command and gravitation will be overruled by levitation, for their command is the command of God. Then will they know my thoughts when I gave forth my opening message to the world as I left the temple that day, when I said, `the time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand,’ and,`have faith in God and nothing is impossible to you.’ All who believe they can do the works that I do and will come forth and do them may do even greater works than I have done. They will know that it is a process of living the life, believing and knowing; then absolutely nothing is impossible to them.
“They will know that the Holy Spirit, the whole of the Divine Spirit in them, says today just as it did long ago that, if they hear its voice and harden not their hearts, they will find they are the light of the world and they that follow that light shall not walk in darkness. They will know that they are the door by which all enter into the light of life and those who will go in and out by that door will find eternal peace and great joy and will discover that now is the accepted time.
“They will find that the Christ but opens the door to their own souls and the spirit that dwells therein is the all-potent alchemy as limitless as the universe of God is limitless. The alchemy will dissolve and transmute all manner of sickness; will erase clean the mortal life of guilt and the effects of sin; will illuminate the soul with the perfect light of Wisdom; will emancipate from and dissolve the darkened conditions of human life into the perfect light of life. Thus, they will see they are not only children of nature but children of God as well. They will bring forth the absolute perfection of the individual and thus will perfect the race. They will bring forth the ideal and the divinely inspired prophecy concerning the final destiny of man here on earth, the identity of Father and Son, which is the second birth, the perfect mastery of man over every condition and circumstance.”
Here Jesus paused and the lights became brighter and brighter. Then pictures began to appear. The scenes were glorious bursts of splendor. The pictures would come on, a transforming hand would reach out and touch them, and they would develop into a great whole and become beautiful.
There came on a great war scene. We saw men struggling and fighting against each other. The cannons were belching forth flames and smoke. Shells burst overhead and among the great throng and men were falling on every hand. We could hear the roar and din of battle. Indeed, it was so real that it seemed certain a battle was in progress but, as the transforming hand reached out and over it, all became calm in an instant. As those who had been fighting so furiously but a moment before looked up, the hand traced in flaming letters that seemed to spread over the whole scene: “Peace, Peace, the Blessed Peace of God surrounds you. You can only hurt and destroy the mortal. But one of God’s own you can not destroy and you are all His own children. You can neither hurt nor destroy each other.”
Then, for a moment, it seemed that men were again determined that the struggle should proceed; this determination showed on many faces, especially those of the leaders. But it appeared that the more determined they became to go on, the less cause there seemed to be for a display of force. It also seemed that the more they attempted to discharge the weapons of destruction, the less effect they had; for try as they would, not a weapon could be used.
Then the hand went on to trace, “Behind every cloud of storm or war, if men will only look, they will find God. They will find that God did not create the clouds of storm or war, that man created them and, if they will look beyond and see, they will always find God’s hand upraised in peace. War is not set or ordained by God; when men war with each other they are entirely outside of God’s province or power. They are entirely immersed in a man-made realm where God cannot interfere in any way and they will be obliged to go on in this way until they see the fallacy of such strife. If one is sufficiently strong in his realization of God-power, knows his ability to cooperate with that power, and does cooperate, he can stop a war instantly, just as you saw it stopped in this picture.”
Then Jesus continued, “I chose the way of the cross. It was not my Father’s choice for me but my choice, that all might see they can so perfect the life and body that although it be destroyed it can be rebuilt and become more triumphant.”
The lights grew even brighter, until every vestige of limitation had disappeared; not a wall surrounded us, not a roof overhead, not a floor beneath. We all stood together in boundless space. The twelve disciples came and arranged themselves near the Great Master but did not surround him, for his presence stood out far more prominently than any other, with a never-to-be-forgotten brilliance and purity. The invisible choir boomed out, “His Kingdom is here, for, of, and among men. Now henceforth and forever, one man, one God.” The transforming hand again appeared and traced the words, “His Kingdom is here now, among men, henceforth, forever, one man, one God.” Then directly over Jesus’ head were traced the words, “ALL FOR ONE, ONE FOR ALL.”
Buddha then appeared, standing at Jesus’ right. The Priest and Emil walked to them and knelt before them, Emil at Buddha’s right and the Priest at Jesus’ left. Jesus clasped Buddha’s partly upraised hand. They raised their free hands until these were over and just above the heads of the two who were kneeling and said, “Peace! Peace! Peace! A glorious peace rests over all. We receive you, our dear brothers, into the great council of God’s beneficent Love; and that Love and Fellowship includes the whole world.” Then all those assembled bowed their heads and made way as the four passed through the assembly. As they passed, the disciples and a number of those assembled followed and all passed on until they disappeared from our vision.
When they had begun moving through the assembly, the invisible choir had chanted, “We make way for these mighty brothers of Love; for that Love, the mighty Love of God, redeems and unites all mankind in the great council of God’s Love, the Brotherhood of Man and God.” As they passed from view, the great bell boomed out twelve strokes. Then, for a moment, the bells pealed a merry refrain and thousands of voices joined in: “We bring the glad New Year and a brighter day for all the world.”
Our second year with these great souls had closed.
Source: http://www.horuscentre.org
