see how gently he revealed himself to her, "I that speak unto thee, am he.” In this gradual leading up to the glad tidings for this woman, we may find a lesson which will prove a priceless jewel in the casket of gems we are collecting for the truth. Look up, and be shown the harvest-field already white and waiting; then go to work in a gentle manner, that your words may not shock your hearer; gently lead him to believe in you by showing yourself genuine. Gain his confidence, either by lifting the burden of pain from him, or in some other positive way, as did Jesus in the case above cited, when he held this woman's life up before her that she might look upon it as at her reflection in a mirror. She was unable to deny the truth of his statements. And the confidence thus established, opened the way for a greater work. Make it impossible for your subject to gainsay the presence of sin within his soul. A gentle leading produces results which will bear more perfect fruit than a reverse course can bear.

Humanity is wedded to the old methods of thought, and shadows of old thoughts; and false ideas still haunt the chambers of the human mind, and bid defiance to the entrance of the sweet dove of peace. The white-winged harbinger of joy must be let into the dark and troubled mind in a quiet manner, and there permitted to settle gently down in the darkness, resting quietly until its pure whiteness is revealed through the gloom, and error and sin are dispelled, leaving but the halo of the white light of intelligence, which attracts to its abode peace, love, and joy; then harmony reigns in the temple that once was the dwelling-place of discord, and its windows will show forth the beautiful light that dwells within, which will serve as a beacon to others groping in darkness. Thus illuminated, the children of men become the children of truth, and servants of the Good; and thus does the effulgent light of the Holy Spirit shine forth, penetrating and dispelling the clouds where error dwells.

As the upturned flower-cups catch the dew of heaven, as silently it falls earthward, so the soul of the awakened one drinks in the sweet influences of the spirit, as they fall in gentle benediction, filling its upturned chalice with the refreshing waters of life. It is under such conditions that the soul grows and expands as the flower-cup, when drinking the falling dew. Then is the exalted soul made perfect, even as the Father in heaven is perfect.

The importance of the call to work, embodied in the passage which we have chosen as the central thought of this sketch, cannot be overestimated, and should be worn in the hearts of all who are striving for unfoldment. We cannot unfold alone; we must help others, and then, through the working of divine law, aid will come to us, for are we not told that "whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance?” DU BOISE.

THERE is at present much curiosity and speculation as to the nature of the religion of the future. There seems, speaking broadly, to be but very little doubt that the present forms of religion will undergo a radical change. The nineteenth century is beginning to see, with a clearness which terrifies dogmatists, that the rites and ceremonies of the various creeds, are but the withered and empty husks of what, even hundreds of years ago, barely contained a kernel or two of corn. Form, when it ceases to be representative of mind, is repressive of growth. Orisons, originally intended for Deity, lose something of their significance when addressed to the new bonnet in the front pew. It is reasonably certain that the coming religion will be one of deeds, not creeds, and that it will hold water under all manner of rational investigation.

(Ed.)

RELIGION.

THE term religion is derived from the Latin word "religare," which may be properly translated "to bind back, or "to relate," or "rebind the spirit of man with the spirit of God," and it has, in harmony with human nature, been formulated as the spirit of the son, seeking the spirit of the Father. The religious teachers of the world claim to have sounded depths which the scientists cannot reach. Men and women are willing to make themselves miserable and unhappy in life, for the purpose of obtaining some reward after they live no more; and some waste their life in the anticipation

of joys in a life they do not possess. Many are engaged in

teaching that which they themselves do not know; and, in spite of a very great number of religious systems, there is comparatively little religion at present upon the earth.

If we take a superficial view of the various systems of the world, we find them all apparently contradicting each other. We find a great mass of apparent superstitions and absurdities, heaped upon a grain of something that may be true.

We admire the ethics and moral doctrines of our favorite religious system, and we take its theological rubbish in our bargain, forgetting that the ethics of nearly all religions is essentially the same, and that the rubbish which surrounds it is not real religion. The husk is not the kernel; the truth lies hidden beneath a more or less allegorical language; impersonal and invisible powers have been personified and represented in images carved in stone or wood, and the formless and real have been pictured in illusive All religions have an outside ornamentation which varies in character with the different systems. They have the same foundation of truth, and, if we compare the various religions with one another, looking below the surface of exterior forms, we find that this truth is, in all the systems, one and the same.

For years and years has the church been thriving on human suffering, and many, mistaking the low for the high, have dethroned the god of humanity, and worshiped the fetich of self. The fears of a devil have served to swell the coffers of the church, while the passions residing in the animal nature of man were allowed to grow.

The thoughts doled out every seventh day, are but the effluvia of the past, and he who depends on books for his inspiration, is but an exhumer of the dead.

The intent of the religious instructions of the day is to prepare men to die; that which should be advocated should prepare men never to die, to view death as an illusion, and to lead them to the attainment of that knowledge of God, and of our relation to Him, which is eternal life. In the twilight that precedes the dawn, it is no wonder that people mistake the shape of the mist itself for the eternal and changeless rock which, for a time, it merely clothes. So many of these beliefs are but changing forms of mist, stirred by the sunrise that will lift them, and show the real beauty and glory of the spiritual world! While religions or beliefs are ever changing, being neither the thing they were, nor the better thing they are to be, God remains the same.

As each Sabbath dawns, what oceans of verbiage! and how very little true Spirit is to be found in it all; what dissimulation and artful coloring to

make the mood fit the pet theory, dogma, and creed. If the devotees in many of the churches of to-day, who complain of the absence of worshipers, were to look within, they would see themselves like the decayed trunk of a sapless tree. Empty of life, vacant and tenantless of spirit, they have not kept pace with their time and age. The spirit of progress and growth has departed. The essence of all true religion is one and identical, namely. to evoke the hidden spiritual centre of the soul, and unite it with God. All esoteric and ascetic forms of religion take the same ground regarding the body, namely, that it must be brought under subjection to the soul, and rendered thereby a better temple for the use of the spirit. A great tidal wave of the spirit is now sweeping through the world. Dogmas and creeds are of the past, and are no longer believed in by the great majority of church-going people.

The greatest change of this age has been wrought among thinking people. Never since the crucifixion has there been so high regard, and so anxious search for truth in the depths of spirit-knowledge. "Prove all things," says St. Paul," and hold fast to that which is good."

There is a great tendency at this time toward the ancient religion of Buddhism. And in all ancient and Eastern religions there is but one key, one diapason, one word. In the Veda of the Brahmins, the Paranas of Siva and Vishnu, the Koran of the Mohammedans, the ZendAvesta of the Parsees, the Tripitika of the Buddhists, the main diapason, with one refrain, and one voice, is this: salvation of the soul is by works. They all say that salvation must be purchased, bought with a price, the soul-price; the ripening and growth of the soul through one's own work. We have Gautama Buddha in the East, and Jesus in the West, who may be said to teach the one great law of religion, namely; that man can only know the Divine by evoking the gifts of God, by the Divine light which lies latent within him, and by which light only, can he know his Father, and thus return to the bosom of his God.

This Wisdom-Religion has been, and is to-day, the inheritance of the saints, prophets, and seers, and of the illuminated ones of all nations, no matter to what external system of religion they may have given their adherence. It was taught by the ancient Brahmins, Egyptians, and Jews, in temples and caves. Gautama Buddha preached it, it formed the basis of the Eleusinian and Bacchic mysteries of the Greeks, and the true religion of Jesus is resting upon it. It is the religion of humanity, and has nothing to do with confessions and forms.

The tables of the Infinite are spread and loaded, but no one will be compelled to take. Help yourselves, is the law.

Daily the truth is crucified between superstition and selfishness, and laid into the tomb of ignorance, whence it will rise again.

The rules for Christian adeptship we find laid down in the sermon on the mount, and the whole code of ethics, as laid down by Jesus, is to the end that humanity should be unselfish, so that their inner and spiritual selves may be fit to associate with the Father in Heaven.

In the East we find the form religion takes is that of contemplation, repose, subtility, and entrancement; and the ascetic life, with its diet of fruits, vegetables, and cereals, and its soul-power, entrancement and magic. Life is separated from family ties, and all the anxieties and discords of the world, and the devotee must live a life of absolute chastity; and abstain from animal flesh.

At home, we find a wider range of the intellectual and practical life; and while we find the same prayer, contemplation, and sacrifice of the bodily desires, we also find more energy, and a more practical benevolence. Who are there, of all who read this, that are willing to "TRY?"

JACKSON.

THE Pisces and Taurus Genii articles which appeared in May ESOTERIC were written somewhat hastily, and lacked that consideration which had been given to preceding articles in this line. In view of this fact, we submit the following in the hope that they may be found fully satisfactory.

ALL persons born between Feb. 19th and March 21st belong to this class. The very germ of their existence began in a struggle, and their whole nature is one of restless desire, to get, to know, and to provide for the needs that are to come.

There is a consciousness of adversity always active, which creates in them a constant effort to be fully qualified for whatever sphere of use they may be called to serve; therefore, they are hard workers in whatever their mind takes hold upon, but have no faith in the unseen. Those who wish to make attainments have to conquer anxiety, and cultivate confidence in the Supreme; they need to think upon the words of Jesus, Mathew VI., 19 to 34th verses; these words will sound extraordinary to many of this Genius, and some might go to the extreme of the saying, and then condemn it; but the words, "Take no thought," should be rendered "Take no anxious thought," move in the demands of the day, always doing the best you can, always diligent, yet without anxiety. These persons have good business intuitions, but the anxiety of their mind, often misleads them. The anxiety usually takes the form of desiring to be sure they are right and safe in their movements.

The sign (Pisces) is represented by the fishes. The part of the grand body of humanity to which it belongs is the feet. The origin, no doubt, of the word "Understanding," that which stands under, and upholds the body; — the mind, placed on good foundation, knowledge of facts; thus this word sums up their nature most completely.

The Genius of this sign holds the knowledges of the body, and serves the uses of the body most faithfully. Jesus came as the Genius of this sign, for the age which was ushered in at his advent was, (as you will remember from former articles); therefore Isaiah, the Prophet, said of him " And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and FAITHFULNESS the gir dle of his reins," (Isaiah XI). Faithfulness in service is a dominant feature of these persons, and if those born in this sign can follow the above advice, and conquer passion, subduing it to their will, great and grand attainments are easily made by them, for they have natural diligence, a love of knowledge, and efficiency, which is a most essential element in all characters who would make high attainments.

The ancient Greeks say in an ancient myth of astrology, that while Venus and her son, Cupid, were one day on the banks of the Euphrates, they were greatly alarmed at the appearance of a terrible giant, named Typhon, and that, throwing themselves into the river, they be

came fishes. Venus, was the goddess of love, as in "Solar Biology" Venus is the planet that governs conjugal love. Typhon is represented as a giant with a hundred serpent heads, who is "the old serpent, the devil" of the Bible, the animal sex-principle, which was the cause of the fall from Eden into all the misery and crime of our race. Love being intimidated by that monster, cast herself into the river Euphrates, i. e. into the waters of fruitfulness, where her whole nature has been compelled to serve for ages.

Now, if these persons can let go of the present conditions of the world, and of generation, and redeem their goddess, Venus, and the offspring of that nature, Cupid, from the waters of generation, their heavenly Genius will join herself to them, and they will again enter the garden of God to go out no more, for they will form the very foundations of "The holy city, new Jerusalem," and the foundations of a new world; therefore the words of Paul, "Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid" (Cor. III.) These persons should especially study the life and character of Jesus, and try to incorporate it into themselves, and the true foundation principles will grow in them from day to day, i. e. understanding, which will enable them to justify the words of their father, Jacob, Gen., XLIX, 21. "Naphtali is a hind let loose: he giveth goodly words," and the words of Naphtali, satisfied with favor, and full with the blessing of Yahveh, pass through the west and south.

TWELVE MANNER OF GENII.

THE GENIUS OF 8 (TAURUS).

This Genius rules the twelfth part of the year from April 19th until May 20th. The part of the grand body of humanity to which it belongs is the cerebellum, neck, and lymphatic system. It is the portion of the brain that governs the sex-system and principles, and has control of "The waters of life." Its symbol, the bull, was worshiped by the Egyptians as the god of life and abundance: the Hebrews also continued the use of this symbol in their sacrificial sermons, and used it as a signifier of life.

It is somewhat strange that Greek mythology should, at so early a date, have represented Taurus by Jupiter, who took the form of a bull, because of his love of the beautiful young Europa, and who, when he had allured her on to his white back, at once proceeded across the sea to the land now called "Europe," which signifies West, according to Webster. According to the Chaldean astrologers, Jupiter's home was in the west. Undoubtedly the old astrologer saw in the horoscopes, the prophecy of what should be found in the west, and no doubt then, as now, the " course of empire" was westward. How England obtained the nickname of "Johnny Bull," I do not know, but how in harmony it is with these ancient myths. It is also a fact that the English people are largely characterized by the Taurus nature. Jupiter is the planet that embodies all that belongs to greatness, and grandeur, and excellence, and so does Taurus. This nature is better adapted to public life than any other. They care a great deal about appearance of persons and things, and are governed by externalities; they love luxury and elegance, rich food, nicely prepared, and plenty of it. They have unparalleled power of mind, and, when it is turned into sensuous gratification, they have as great ability in that direction.