all the functions of separating the nutriment conveyed from the vehicle conveying it, and then promptly ridding itself of the vehicle when its purpose has been served. The vehicular means employed by God to convey nutriment to man's inner being is by correspondencies, parables, and types. Knowing what man is, and what is in him, it cannot be that God will allow Himself to ignore His own wise and loving provisions by employing naked truth to effect His purpose. He must furnish every faculty of that inner man with full and proper exercise, so as to allow the reciprocity of action to take place which is so essential to the health and well-being of the same. In that case he cannot employ truth to save or bless man, without selecting a fit and proper vehicle of symbol or parable, in which to hide it, and convey it to its destination. If so, then the manifestation of God in the flesh exhibits this essential characteristic, and we may clearly see that the expression "the sincere milk of the world" has a very deep, broad, and true significance. Moreover, what that very significance is, the words of Paul, as recorded in 2 Cor. v. 16, will discover to us; "Henceforth know we no man according to the flesh; yea, though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now henceforth know (or acknowledge) we him thus no more." Just as the body parts with the vehicle which brought it its nutriment, on appropriating for its uses that nutriment, so the inner man parts with the vehicle which brought to him its life, so soon as it has appropriated that very essential nutriment which it conveyed.

How very forcible is the utterance "the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life "in this strong light! It has been said of the body that onefourth of what is eaten by it keeps it, while the remaining three-fourths are kept by it at its peril. If the body could not promptly expel the vehicle which conveyed to it the nutriment it formerly held, the result would be certain and speedy deah; so then, by correspondence, if the inner man cannot appropriate the nutriment required, from the vehicle containing it, and afterwards rid himself as thoroughly and promptly of that vehicle, there is nothing then but death for it. So, "the letter killeth." "The letter" is the vehicle; the flesh of Christ is that vehicle; they both contain the life-working spirit, but if the spirit, together with that which contains it, be sought to be retained together in the system, but one effect can follow. Thus we note the extreme proneness of our common human

ity to blunder!

Death is a thing of degrees, as also is life. There is more to fear in death than that degree of it called the death of the body. The Scriptures teach that she that liveth in pleasure (voluptuously) is dead while living. They teach also that those who are risen with Christ are dead, and their life is in secret with the Christ in God. They speak also distinctly of "the second death." Death, like life then, is a thing of degrees, a relative or comparative thing. Man lives on three different planes at least, so it must be possible for him to die on the same three, or there must be some portion of the three not susceptible of death. Quite likely this is so; and yet, the death having to do with the portion not capable of dying, may become a fact, through the extinction of the personality itself, that incorruptible portion returning to its Author. The spirit is not capable of death. but it may have so vivified a personality, as to have produced genuine spiritual life; still, events are possible whereby it may become necessary that the spirit be withdrawn from the personality, and then, spiritual death would ensue. That is a possible third death; but it is remotely

possible always, because that which has not been cannot cease to be. Very few men or women have ever yet lived on the true spirit-plane of their being; they have never unfolded to it; they have opened on to the psychic or soulful plane, and erroneously accounted it the spiritual; but the actual spiritual life has not been much in danger yet; still, its turn is coming. That death is something far less tolerable than either the first or second death. The one who dies the third death will realize how much better it would have been never to have entered upon life than to encounter such an experience. The greater the height realized, the more severe must be the fall from it.

Men greatly blunder by overlooking these degrees of life and death. The lowest life possible to man is a mere, animal one; and, if a specimen of humanity exists anywhere with nothing more, but one death is possible to that specimen. We do not say such a specimen exists, but that such would be the truth concerning such, did it exist. Most men have more or less experience in the intermediary, psychic or soul-life, which is the second one in exaltation, and is very comprehensive and wonderful in many of its highest possibilities; such men are thereby capable of a second death, for they may by death lose both body and soul. But before the true spiritual life can be entered upon, to become at all real and permanent, a voluntary death (in figure) must be submitted to, called in Scriptural language "the crucifixion of the flesh with its affections and desires, and also, "the mortifying of the members of the fleshy nature." Paul, as a mystic, speaks of this when he says "I am crucified to Christ, nevertheless I live, only not I, but Christ liveth in me." When the outer man perishes, the inner man takes his place. When the selfhood is led as a lamb to the slaughter, then the inner God-germ comes to life, light, and liberty; and then is the only period when divine worship is possible. Christendom has erred, not knowing the Scriptures on this point, nor yet the power of God, as it displays itself on the genuine spiritual plane.

THEODORE WRIGHT.

MAN'S DUTY TO MAN IS HIS DUTY TO GOD.

DU BOISE.

"RENDER to Cæsar (man) the things that are Cæsar's, (man's) and to God the things that are Gods." Mark 12, XVII.

This rendering to man, thus allegorically expressed, is a command to all mankind that they give to their fellow men such spiritual aids as kind thoughts, encouraging words, helpful deeds and loving consideration. Man owes all this to his fellow because all men are brothers, children of the same Father.

If we render kindness to our fellow, we give praise to the Father, because we do what he desires us to do, and in this way do we fulfill the new commandment given us by Jesus viz.; "Love ye one another."

Unchangeable and honest kindness toward all men will bring us into close relationship with the Father, because we are then permitting the Good (God) within us to show forth: - God is good, and good is God. We not only develop our own souls, but we help our brother to expand.

Jesus referred to the coin current among those to whom he was speaking. Love is the current coin of our Father's kingdom, consequently it

is that which his children must use. The pure gold of this currency is placed in the hearts of all men: each has his own mint from which he may obtain the coin of his realm, and the King not only honors this currency, but he commands his subjects to draw and use liberally. The supply is inexhaustible, for, much as we give, more shall be given unto us. The mere act of giving out kindness increases the development of that which already lies in the heart, and soon kindness flows from the soul as the stream of living water flows from the throne of God of which John speaks in Revelations. This pure stream of the river of life is love, and, love being the mother of kindness, how easily might all men have this stream of the pure water of life flowing from their souls, if they would render to man that which is man's (fraternal love), and to God that which is His (praise and glory).

It is not a difficult task which the Christ sets for man to do. He may have his life nourished and enriched by the waters of this pure stream, if he but ask for it, believing the while that the gift is his.

The Good (God-germ) is planted in every human heart, and it is extremely sensitive to culture or neglect. If man but let the sunlight of God's love in upon this inlying germ, the dews of His blessing will come also, and he will have in his possession a plant of priceless value, which will blossom as he wills, making his life a very bower of loveliness in which the song-birds of perpetual happiness will sing their notes of praise; and, as the gentle breezes pass among the blossoms of this Eden, they will go forth freighted with the pollen of the Good, scattering it broadcast over the land; many souls will catch this life-giving essence, and other rare plants will grow and bear sweet blossoms and more seed-substance to give off.

Render to man that which is man's, and to the Good those things which are of the Good. When asked for bread do not give a stone, but give that which is asked, and more, remembering that, through the law of giving, "whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance; but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath." (Matt. 13, XII.)

Give is the key-note of the anthem of Nature. The mountain snows give to the streams that course down their sides; the streams give to the river which lends her strength to aid man in travel and commerce, and of her volume she gives to the surging sea. The rain and dew drops give to the plant creation as they nestle upon leaf, or sink into earth. In turn, the vegetable and plant worlds give to man of their store, not only to please the taste and delight the eye, bat that he may have a habitation. Give is the burden of the feathered warbler's song, as he trills his note of praise, which falls upon the ear of man giving delight, often turning sorrow to joy, or anger to gentleness. Earth gives of her store that man may be housed, fed and clothed. The beasts of the field give up their strenght that man may be served. Even the tiny honey-bee exhausts her busy life that she may give to man the fruits of her labor among the blossoms. All Nature gives to man of her best substance, and he should learn lessons of wisdom from this open book before him, and give freely of his best substance (love, praise, and thanksgiving) to his fellow-man, and to the Creator and Giver of all.

BOOK NOTES.

WE have before us "The Coming Creed of the World," by Frederick Gerhard. Many years ago the author was asked the question, "Is there not, perhaps, a faith more sublime and blissful than Christianity?" The query seems to have produced a most lasting impression, from which "The Coming Creed" is born.

The work shows great care and impartiality in the almost inexhaustible method in which the search for truthful evidence has been pursued. In every important point Mr. Gerhard seems to have always kept in mind Paul's memorable command, "Prove all things."

There are not a few who would hold, with more or less pertinacity, that the author deals rather too unsparingly with those passages of holy writ which are apparently contradictory. To this many a one would take exception, maintaining that the Scriptures, properly interpreted, savor of nothing discordant or inharmonious; and that all apparent absurdities and contradictions, if correctly understood, would be transformed into Esoteric truths with meanings of unsurpassed beauty. Many a beautiful thought in these self-same Scriptures has doubtless been so warped and changed to suit the demands of translators, that the real meaning is now lost sight of, except to those who may be able to "read between the lines."

The "Coming Creed" is far more impartial in its conclusions than other works of its stamp which have come to our notice, and we can conscientiously bring it to the notice of the readers of esoteric literature, and earnestly advise them to peruse it.

Bound in durable covers, cloth back, 526 pages. Sent from this office post-paid, on receipt of price, $1.25.

"Go to your bosom; knock there; and ask your heart what it doth know." Mrs. Nellie V. Anderson aptly employs these words of Shakespeare on the title page of her new book, "The Right Knock."

A charmingly written story in the line of Metaphysical thought. The Reader's attention is closely held to the end, by the interesting incidents surrounding the well-drawn characters, and, at the same time, the truths and principles of Christain Science are well presented and forcibly illustrated. In the preface, the author says, "It is a book of facts, not fiction. Every case of healing, every seemingly marvelous experience, has come under the observation of the writer, and can be authenticated as a veritable fact."

"The Right Knock" is neatly bound in cloth, and printed on heavy paper, 300 pages. By mail, post-paid, $1.25.

THE third edition of "Solar Biology" has just been issued, and is now ready for delivery. Additional tables of the Moon have been inserted, and the work is even more desirable than heretofore. Price, post-paid, $5.00.

N. B. We have tables on separate sheets giving the Moon's positions for 1890, and 1891, which we can furnish post-paid, at 10c. per copy.

These tables can be inserted in the first and second editions of "Solar Biology," thus making the old books as complete and useful as the latest edition.

THE "Narrow Way of Attainment" consisting of a series of eight lectures delivered before the Society Esoteric by Hiram E. Butler, is now ready. The contents of "The Narrow Way of Attainment are as follows: "Preface," "Introductory," "The Narrow Way" (1st. Lecture), "Sequel to Introduction of First Lecture," "Gathering the Good of All," "The Subjugation of the Body" (3rd. Lecture), "The Three Ways" (4th. Lecture), "The Second Way, or The Highway of Success " (5th. Lecture), "Who is Able to Walk the Narrow Way" (6th. Lecture,) "The Paradox " (7th. Lecture), and "Way-Marks in the Narrow Way" (8th. Lecture).

For all who have been students of Esotericism, this last work of the Founder of THE ESOTERIC will prove an invaluable text-book and guide. Bound in cloth 150 pages: price, post-paid, $1.00

BREVITIES.

EVERY age has its evolutionary precursors, men who are from one to five hundred years ahead of their time, men whose heads tower above those of the common throng, and catch the light of divine intendment. It is always easy for the wise, by gazing steadily upon these few illuminated countenances to prophesy, with unerring accuracy, the level of human attainment for a few hundred years to come. The Swedenborgs, the Shelleys, the Hugos, and the Emersons, are but the soul-pioneers of a nineteenth-century, frontier existence. To them, and their like, is relegated the duty of opening a breach in the brazen wall of contemporary materialism, through which they may usher in the nobler truths of a higher dispensation. They plough the human soil in midwinter that an earlier sun may reach its depths and dispel, through vapors sometimes thought miasmic, the erring and rigid dogmas of its frost. (Ed.)

THAT "faith" which leads to inaction is rather to be stigmatized than lauded. It is not enough to wait merely, one must work while they patiently and trustfully wait. The plant which waits for the spring sun to bring it its blossom, strengthens, meanwhile, its root, that it may be able the better to support its coming fruitage. When one of Mahomet's followers said to him, before retiring to his tent for the night; "I will loose my camel and trust in God," Mahomet sternly rejoined; "Tether thy camel, and then trust in God." (Ed.)

ist

TRUTH is eternal and impersonal. The logician may stoop to sophistry, the chemmay belie the testimony of his crucible, or the astronomer forswear the dictum of his telescope, but the white wings of Truth remain, for all this, immaculate, and sooner or later, be assured, every such falsehood has to face the "E pur si muove" of Galileo.

(Ed.) SOONER or later the logic of love grows into and becomes the logic of reason. Rev. P. S. Moxom.

We cannot love an abstraction or a principle. These will do for philosophy, but not for life. Ibid.

WE may be schooled by conscience; we may be dragooned by fear, bnt we do not live till we have loved.

Ibid.

THE supply of bound volumes of THE ESOTERIC advertised at $1.25, is now exhausted.

THE second volume makes a large book of over five hundred pages, exceeding Volume I. in size by about fifty pages. We have in stock a lare supply of both volumes, either one of which will be sent post-paid on receipt of two dollars.

WE are in receipt of a catalogue of foot-wear from the house of Daniel Green & Co., 122 East 13th Street, New York. We would advise our vegetarian friends, and all whose feelings revolt against the needless and wholesale slaughter of animals, to secure this catalogue, and investigate the merits of the new idea in shoes and slippers, for the material is obtained entirely from wool.

We desire once more to call the attention of all interested in our Movement to the fact that we still have several valuable state agencies for our publications as yet unassigned Our offer presents a rare opportunity to persons of enterprise, and we sincerely hope that many more of our friends will interest themselves therein. We are now in frequent receipt of applications for territory, and as these are naturally for the most valuable states untaken at the time of their receipt, it will readily be seen that, since it is "first come, first served" it is well for persons interested to lose no time in requesting their territory.