Índice Geral das Seções Índice da Seção Atual Índice da Obra Atual Anterior: Lesson IX Seguinte: Lesson XII
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LESSON X
HOW CAN WE EXPLAIN MIRACLES SCIENTIFICALLY, AND ACCOMPLISH WONDERS APPARENTLY
TRANSCENDING THE OPERATION OF NATURAL LAW?
QUESTIONS similar to the above having poured in upon us from every direction, we have felt it desirable to devote a special chapter in this work to an elucidation, as far as possible, of a problem, the very nature of which appears at first sight to challenge the ability of even the ablest intellect. But when We look carefully at time proposition, and consider thoughtfully the nature of the inquiry, we shall perceive that no so-called miracle has ever claimed to be an interference with immutable law; but only an exhibition of spiritual power overcoming the ordinary limitations assigned by human infirmity to the operation of a law, the scope of which so far transcends ordinary comprehension and discovery as to remove it as completely from the realm of general observation, as the rings belting the planet Saturn are unrevealed to unassisted mortal eyesight, but stand out in vivid distinctness before the average eye when assisted by a telescope.
Spiritual science is no more at variance with physical science than telescopes
are at war with eyes. Spiritual perception enables us to see far beyond the
limits
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of average observation,
thus the only contention there can possibly be between spiritual science and
physics is on the score of unwarrantable negative assumption on the part of many
physicists. It was always said of
No one can be justified in. supposing that any event no matter how remarkable is
due to a suspension of law, but is not lawn infinitely beyond our acquaintance
with it, we consider the time has already come for a clear forcible exposition
of the triumphs of mind over matter, not as a contribution to the literature of
dogmatic theology or speculative philosophy, but of science itself. Marie Corelli, a deservedly popular authoress, in a most
fascinating work which has had a very large sale already, A Romance of Two Worlds, has without question, in her dissertation upon the
nature and application of electricity, clone a good deal to prepare the public
mind, which reads science in the form of romance, gladly for yet more explicit
and startling disclosures which are to follow; her method of dealing with the
occult forces is far in advance of Mr. Sinnett’s
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in his theosophical novels
Karma and United, for while Sinnett deals almost exclusively when discoursing of
phenomenal results, with the wonderful and almost the terrible, Marie
Corelli
shows how in her own case especially (if her narrative is to be considered a
chapter from her own autobiography) the wonderful knowledge of the noble hero of
the tale Heliobas is directed entirely to three most important ends:
spiritual development, mental improvement and physical well being. In the same
book a chapter devoted to the
Eletric
Creed, explains very reasonably
how Peter was able to walk on the sea while faith upheld him, but when he felt
himself sinking, it was at a time when fear overcame him, and fear disturbs
electrical currents and renders danger imminent. Other wonderful doings of the
Apostles and the strange natural phenomena mentioned frequently in connection
with telling episodes in the life of Jesus are similarly explained, i. e. the electrical theory is applied throughout and it
works well, especially as human electricity is never confounded with mineral, vegetable or animal
electricity and it has always appeared to us that to attribute human force to
animal magnetism or to call it by that name is to insult manhood and womanhood
by unduly extolling the animal emanations. Man has an animal nature which links
him physically with the lower orders of existence, but this lower nature is
totally unable to accomplish those super-animal results which can spring alone
from the operation of altogether higher capabilities. With persons who refuse to
apply the scientific method of experiment or who are so satisfied with physical
limitations of the most arbitrary character that they seek no spiritual light,
also with
(p.
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those who ignorantly and pugilistically
denounce whatever is above their crude physical perception, we refuse to enter
into controversy, such people will throw down a treatise on spiritual themes
with a contemptuous sneer or they will attack vigorously what they fail to
understand in a manner which positively compliments the work they fondly imagine
they demolish, as they only succeed in advertising publicly their own shallow
irascibility and overweening self-conceit. To those alone who are in search of
light, who are dissatisfied alike with theologic and materialistic husks, who
can neither believe in antiquated supernaturalism nor be content with frozen
materalism, should teachers and healers appeal, we only waste tithe in seeking
to make proselytes; hungering and thirsty children of the Eternal, our needy
brethren and sisters who are seeking light, health and peace, and who are
willing to make material sacrifices to secure higher blessings than can possibly
flow through the channels of the senses, are the only persons to whom the new
illumination can come, or by whom it will be welcomed, and to these is now being
vouchsafed an interpretation and exposition of spiritual truth far beyond any
light, previously thrown upon life, its origin, nature and destiny, and the
power of man to control the outward elements and most certainly his own body. We
acknowledge without qualification an Infinite Supreme Power of perfect Love and
Wisdom, and to the Infinite Being alone will we submit, but while we are
absolutely certain that God is the one infinite truth in being, we do not allow
that we as men and women are unable to so utilize and manifest divine power as
to exhibit godlike
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qualities even on earth. There is a passage in the Psalms, which exactly states
our position: All the whole heaven is the Lord’s, the earth hath he given to the
children of men,” which signifies that while God is supreme in the universe as
the life and soul of all, man has it in his power to subdue the earth, and
therefore we do not raise any objection to the teachings of theosophists and
transcendentalists who declare that man has such resources within himself that
ultimately he can and will control the raging elements and show himself master
of the whole earth. Swedenborg’s
doctrine that man lives from God but appears to live from himself is perfectly
reasonable, and the necessity of man’s appearing to live from himself while in
reality he lives from God, is also made quite clear in the writings of this
greatest of modern seers. Now as we have no intention of intrenching, in this lesson, on the views of Trinitarians versus Unitarians with regard to
the deity or divinity of the personal Christ, we shall bring forward only such
instances from the New Testament as are clearly intended to refer to the
exercise of a spiritual power common to all mankind, but like every gift or
talent, susceptible to cultivation and needing careful culture for its
expansion.
It is a very great mistake to suppose that spiritual gifts are so miraculous
that they are the possession of a privileged few who have done nothing to merit
them, while all others must remain hopelessly destitute of such endowments,
however much they may desire to possess and use them. The manifestation of the
Spirit is given to everyone without exception, but to ail the same gift is not
given, and where we often fail is in seeking to
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obtain what we have not
when it would be wisdom on our part to cultivate what we have. A formal, routine
system of school discipline is fatal to normal education, as all children are
not adapted to the same pursuits, but no child, with proper care and training,
need become or remain a dunce, an idiot or an invalid. Abnormal, unhealthy,
unlovely conditions are unnatural. All works on pathology freely admit this.
Then do not fall into the error of supposing that any one exists who has not some vocation, and who can not, by
judicious treatment, be brought into a state of manifested health and harmony.
Jesus chose his immediate followers from all ranks and stations. Previous to
their call to follow him some had been fishermen, but others had belonged to the
medical profession, and sat at the receipt of custom. They continued, in some
instances at least, to ply their vocations after joining the apostolic band, as
Paul continued his trade as a tent-maker after the greatest orations had fallen
from his lips.
Concentration of mind on a given object is the open door to success and without
it genuine and stable success is impossible in any direction. Prayer and Faith
must ever go together, as aspiration without confidence is well nigh useless,
and belief without an endeavor to ascend to a higher interior realm is
practically futile. We can pray without ceasing by unceasingly desiring to
accomplish a definite result, we can continually exercise faith by refusing to
allow our thoughts to be diverted even for an instant from the good toward which
we unceasingly aspire, and we can truly fast or abstain by so subduing the lower
to the higher nature that reason is lord over passion, while reason in its turn
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is rendered subject to
the moral sense. These three necessities, faith, prayer and fasting can be so
explained as to prove to every intelligent and fair-minded student that the
words of Jesus, as recorded by the evangelists, are in exact accordance with
demonstrable fact, therefore scholarly or sciolistic
criticisms matter nothing, for while the scholar questions and the sciolist impudently denies the authenticity of the gospel
tale the enlightened spiritual scientist assumes a position far in advance of
historical controversy, a position which is in fact, utterly impregnable, for to
those who understand the law governing the production of marvelous phenomena the
recorded facts themselves are taken as illustrations of the consequences
attendant upon a certain course of action and line of development, therefore
history is of quite secondary importance so far as it refers to tine and place.
It matters not whether persons believed to be dead were raised to life in
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no claim whatever being made that they were wrought only by Jesus,
indeed, the exact opposite being positively stated in the Bible, we can afford
to dismiss without attention the silly bombast of those rabid iconoclasts, who
think they can wipe out by their absurd negations man’s confidence in what he
can prove for himself independent of history, if he only forms the acquaintance
of a great spiritual truth and harmonizes his conduct with his understanding of
it.
One of the most striking illustrations of spiritual agency overcoming what has
been universally termed incurable disease, is the story of
Elisha
directing Naaman, the Syrian, to the mystical Jordan
in whose cleansing streams every trace of leprosy was washed away. Now Elisha stood in the attitude of a guide, a teacher, a
director, but he was in no sense a mesmerist, neither did he attribute Naaman’s recovery to any, potency inhering in his
personality. Elisha was a prophet and the successor of
a prophet. His fitness to tale Elijah’s place after the latter’s translation was
determined altogether by his clear-sightedness. Elijah says to Elisha, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be
evidence to you that my mantle has fallen upon you, but if you do not see me the
hard thing you have asked can not be accomplished. Here at the outset we have
presented to us a correct view of what Christains
might call apostolic succession. Elisha had been both
servant, student and companion to Elijah, for a long time, during which period
innumerable opportunities had been afforded him of attaining the high rank of
prophet or seer which signifies one in whom the power of insight into spiritual
things is coupled with the ability
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to proclaim truth, and
lead others into paths of wisdom. Elisha had so far
profited by his discipleship to Elijah, as to have developed his spiritual
perception to the point of ability to see and describe what was occurring on
another plane than that of sense, he proves by this that his advantages have
been improved, and that he is, therefore, ready to commence his journey as a
witness to truth against every form of error and idolatry, and he testifies to
the divinity of his mission by blessing the city into which he first enters,
changing bitter and unwholesome waters into pure and sweet. If we could pause to
linger over the incidents in Elisha’s
ministry, we could, we think, convince you that his baldness was but typical of the
absence of material pomp, authority and show which ever accompanies the highest
type of spiritual worker. The children of the city who ridiculed him were those,
(plentiful in every age and land) who deem externals all important and ridicule
every truth, and all who proclaim it unless it is rendered outwardly attractive
and presented with the pomp and display ever characterizing civil and
ecclesiastical, imperialistic despotism. The children eaten by bears in the old
figurative story to be found in the Book of Kings are like multitudes in Europe
and America to-day who in consequence of slighting the only agent of redemption,
the spiritual teaching which bids them forego externals and cultivate the
spirit, find themselves devoured by the she-bears of the woods which Swedenborg
so aptly describes as human affection for earthly and dangerous things.
Elisha represents a man of unswerving integrity,
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and loyalty to principle and conviction, he therefore claims nothing for
himself, and stands to the afflicted Naaman as a wise
and helpful teacher and he tells this great Syrian captain to bathe seven times
in the river Jordan. The name
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disciples were directed to leave a sinful, sensual city, shaking its very dust
from their sandals. No work of art has ever been more admired, or portrayed
deeper pathos than Christ weeping over
If the Jordan, or what it corresponded to, possessed healing virtue, then a
prophet could point out the method whereby that regenerative force could be
applied to the cure of an otherwise incurable disorder, and not only the prophet
but the captain’s servants and friends could bring argument and moral suasion to
bear to induce the suffering ruler to enter and bathe in the healing stream, but
that was the extent of their united power. The folly of those who claim that
spiritual scientists or metaphysical practitioners ignore the law of nature, or
that those of any name who acknowledge the power of spirit as beyond that of
“force” or “matter” believe absurdly that God changes or the universal order is
reversed by prayer or any human effort, is commensurate only with their
ignorance, and were it not for the almost invincible strength of blind prejudice
it would be impossible
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196)
for the merest tyro in logic, or a child who comprehends the ordinary use
of language to fail to understand that so-called miracles are not in the
slightest degree discordant with the immutable law and order of the universe
recognized by materialists as a blind force, but by theists as the unvarying
expression of divine intelligence. Never, under any conceivable circumstances,
can two and two make other than four, never can oaks be raised except from
acorns, never can one type be changed into another in the whole economy of
nature, but nature’s resources are so little known that he is guilty of insane
bombast who undertakes in this age of electrical appliances to deny that
anything may not be accomplished which does not involve a reversal of the order
of nature, or state a mathematical impossibility. One can never be three or
seven, but at the same time the single ray of white light can be made manifest
in three primary colors and seven prismatic hues and countless tints and shades,
thus the essential life of the universe is one life, but its expression may be
both three fold, seven fold and multiform. When in the future direct telegraphic
communication is established between this earth and the planet Mars, it will be
by means of an electrical system as natural as the overland telegraph or the
sub-marine cable. What marvelous intellectual prodigies those men are who
conceive the idea of modern appliances: the Canadian Pacific Railroad running as
it sloes through a territory presenting at first sight utterly insurmountable
barriers to the skill of the engineer, is a solid working testimony to the fact
of mind surmounting any and every material barrier as it unfolds to perceive the
method of such mastery.
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Now shall one accept the
[to be continued...]
Índice Geral das Seções Índice da Seção Atual Índice da Obra Atual Anterior: Lesson IX Seguinte: Lesson XII
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