Table of Contents


Chapter I   Seek Ye First the Kingdom
Chapter II   The Light Which Lighteth Every Man
Chapter III   I Am the Way, the Truth and the Life
Chapter IV   I Am the Door
Chapter V   I Am the Resurrection and the Life
Chapter VI   If Ye Abide in Me!
Chapter VII   I Have Chosen You!
Chapter VIII   I, If I Be Lifted Up
Chapter IX   Where Two or Three are Gathered Together
Chapter X   Except A Man Be Born Again
Chapter XI   Now Are We Sons of God
Chapter XII   We Are Come Unto Mount Zion
Chapter XIII   As A Man Thinketh In His Heart
Chapter XIV   Whom the Lord Loveth He Chasteneth
Chapter XV   The Impersonal Life
Chapter XVI   There Am I in the Midst of Them
Chapter XVII   Jesus, the Christ
Chapter XVIII   Christ, the Logos
Chapter XIX   Believe That Ye Have Received, and Ye shall Have
Chapter XX   The Comforter
Appendix Meditation No. 1
Appendix Meditation No. 2
Joseph Benner

THE WAY TO THE KINGDOM

 
 
 
 
 
 
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ISBN 978-80-272-2356-5

APPENDIX

MEDITATION NO. 1

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I ALONE AM

DEAR FRIEND:

Do you truly want to come speedily and eternally into your own—that which you came here into manifestation to express?

Then meditate earnestly and persistently day after day on the below—ten minutes or more on the first part, until you realize its Truth:

In the ONE MIND there is the consciousness only of wholeness, completion, and perfection. In it there are no ideas of lack or limitation of supply of any kind.

To every center of that Mind—and every human mind is such a center—there flows naturally every needed idea, even as air rushes into a vacuum, or as the blood carries to every cell of the body everything needed for their growth and sustenance.

Remember, that One Mind is in You—Is YOUR MIND— as there is only One Mind.

Also remember, by your realization of this great Truth, and making it the dominant fact in your consciousness, are you and your Father truly One. For it unites your consciousness with His Consciousness, He who is your REAL SELF, and Whose Mind is the ONLY Mind (of course it does for you are then in His Consciousness); and therefore You ARE all that He is, and ALL THAT HE HAS IS YOURS.

Once believe this—once KNOW it, and you will be free from ALL lack and limitation FOREVER.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Then after trying to realize intensely the Truth of the above by thus meditating and letting it soak into your subconsciousness, let the following flood your consciousness for ten minutes more:

Be still, my child, and know I am your Life, your Health, your Strength, your Understanding, your Supply, your Power, your Love.

I am all these things—all these ideals you are seeking to be and to have.

Oh, my child, can you not see you can have none of these apart from Me—can get none without getting Me,—can get them nowhere else but from Me, your Real, your ONLY Self, who am all these things Now—and therefore You also are these things Now, AND FOREVER MORE.

SEE this, beloved, and know the Truth of your Self.

Come unto Me all ye who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Can you not realize that this life in you, any portion of health or strength or power or love or understanding that you have, is not of yourself, but is of ME, who am all these things IN you.

Then why not have done with your foolish, anxious striving to be that which you are now, always were, and always will be, in supreme fullness and perfection? Why not then let go completely and let Me, your Real and Perfect Self, have full sway in your consciousness, letting no thoughts therein you know are not My thoughts?

That is all YOU need to do—I will do the rest.

Beloved, if you abide thus in Me, and let this My Word abide in you, everything your heart seeketh will surely come to pass, in blessed richness and abundance.

A PRAYER

BELOVED Father; Thou, Oh blessed Christ Jesus; and Thou, our dear Brothers of the Kingdom,—hear this our earnest prayer.

Draw us in Consciousness deep within where Thou art, where self exists not, and where we may be one with and abide with Thee in Christ.

Help us to open wide our hearts and let out the Great Love, that It may possess us utterly, may rule, motivate and inspire our every thought, word and act, merging us completely into Love, thereby enabling us to love as Thou lovest, to see as Thou seest, to hear as Thou hearest; lifting the consciousness of our human minds into complete oneness with our Christ Consciousness—Thy Consciousness; so that henceforth we can consciously, at will, be with Thee, work with Thee, commune with Thee, face to face, at all times and on all planes, when the need is in the Father’s service; and may know with Thy Understanding all things we seek and need to know.

Cleanse us of all consciousness of self and of separation from Thee, so that our Lord Christ henceforth may live His Life in us, do His Will in us, be His Self in us, without let or hindrance of any kind, for evermore.

BELOVED Father, make us to abide always in Thy Consciousness, and Thy Word to abide in us, giving us ever of Thy Wisdom to light and direct our way; Thy Will to strengthen and sustain us; and Thy Love to surround, protect and fill us; so that we may see Thee, dear Christ, may feel Thee, may know Thee, may be truly One with Thee, everywhere, in everything, and in every one of our brothers.

We thank and glorify Thee, Beloved Father, for Thy many blessings. Take us wholly unto Thyself, so that we may be selfless and perfect instruments for Thy use.

In Christ Jesus’ Name, we ask it, AMEN.

APPENDIX

MEDITATION NO. 2

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The following exercises are given for the development of mental power within yourself.

Seat yourself in a chair, in your own room if possible, or in one in which you will be undisturbed. Take a positive position, sitting upright, but comfortably, so that you will be as unconscious of your body as possible.

Now close your eyes and try to visualize the room as a mental room, or one within your mind in which you are going to fill full of and confine the mental qualities of Discrimination, Strength, the Power to Concentrate, and Truth, for your future and continuous use.

Then try to realize that you are actually a center of God’s consciousness, for in His consciousness we all live, move and have our being; and that this mind which you call your mind is a center or focal point of His Mind—just as the consciousness of each cell of your body is a center or focal point of your mind—and that therefore deep within your mind there must be always present and ever available God’s Love, Intelligence and Power; in fact, all that God Is in His Consciousness.

Now try to “see” this Consciousness—the Holy Love or Spirit of God—pouring forth from deep within and flowing through and radiating from you to all other centers of His Consciousness as a brilliant White Light; which Light in very truth is the Spiritual Self to one who has the inner sight, for It is the Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. Therefore realize that you are that Light, and that your mind being a part of God’s Mind, you can consciously and actually call forth from within that Mind—if motivated and accompanied only by unselfish Love—any needed quality, for in It of course exist all God qualities.

Therefore “see” your Light ever shining and going thus before you, lighting fully your path and making everything so clear that no possible shadow can intrude to deceive or hinder your perfect spiritual sight and hence your fullest understanding. This gives true Discrimination.

Likewise, to your right see this Light radiating and pouring forth from you into the mental atmosphere of that part of your room as the Strength of Divine Mind, ever ready to support and sustain you in any need, and to enable you to do anything you wish to do.

While on your left see the great Light of Truth likewise flowing forth to fill that part of your mentality, so that whenever you need to know anything, no matter what, it is ever ready to flood your consciousness and to make all clear to you.

And then back of you, see this great Light from within pouring forth and filling that part of your mentality with the Power to concentrate and focus it, whenever you want to direct your mind upon any given idea or to any desired end.

Just see this Light as a mighty Power ever back of you, waiting to pour through your consciousness (as through a funnel) in which is held the idea you wish clearly to understand or the picture that you wish to outmanifest— whenever you call upon this Power to direct the Light of Divine Mind upon it. See your intellect or visioning faculty (located in the front of your mind back of center of forehead) serving as a lens to focus the Light and reflect the perfect picture in the outer realms of consciousness or of physical manifestation.

Just as the light pours through the small lens of a magic lantern, when you turn on the electric power, and throws the picture on the” plate upon the screen, so will this Power, when you thus consciously direct it with intense purpose, cause the Light, Life and Substance of Divine Mind to pour into and through the idea or picture you are holding in your mind and will outmanifest it either as a perfect knowing or as the fulfillment of your desire.

Study this last carefully and prove it, for it can be used to acquire any needed wisdom, power or ability, or to create and make manifest any righteous thing or condition. But be very sure you have the approval of your Higher Self of that which you wish manifested; for it should never be attempted unless inspired by a loving desire to help someone or to fit yourself for the Father’s use.

This rounds out your mentality, filling it full of those qualities that you want ever available for use. Any other qualities can be similarly brought forth and made available. The practice of actually calling forth these qualities from within you and “seeing” them surrounding you and filling your mental room, thereby creates an aura that will always surround and protect you. For it will be of such high vibration, because of the brilliancy of its Light and the Power of Love radiating from it, that none of the forces of darkness can penetrate or even approach. The powers of Discrimination and Truth thus built into your aura will instantly detect any inimical or inharmonious vibrations and enable you to know how to deal with them.

This practice also will gradually, if you do it faithfully day after day, make you conscious of the mighty Power you are, and of the wonderful instrument you have in this mind of yours, as you learn to make it obey your slightest command. This is what is meant above where it said that these exercises are for the development of mental power within yourself; they are that you may not only develop power, but that you may become Power, may learn to know Who you are and of What you are a part. But always remember that Power and Knowledge avail nothing unless Love inspires and directs their use.

SPEAKING THE WORD

For the Soul-quickening of those you would help.

..................... (Repeat the name), dear one, in your true being you are one with the Father and with the Son, and in the Oneness of Consciousness of the Holy Spirit, your eternal abode, you walk and commune with and know with Them—know that you are Spirit, holy, harmonious, pure, powerful, perfect; that all that the Father hath is yours, and that for you an abundance of riches is waiting to outmanifest. (Or for healing,—that all that the Father Is, you are, and that perfect health. strength and happiness is yours to express.)

Then let there be perfect Peace and Understanding, and truest Love and Trust between you and Them at all times and on all planes; that you may positively and continually manifest and be, may know and see, may think and speak and do, that only which the Father wills for you.

.................... (Repeat the given name), you are not bound by any claims of the flesh, or of the world, or of Mammon, or of the separate, selfish mind; for these have no existence in Spirit.

Then let the perfection of your True Self, and all of your Divine powers and understanding, all of your soul riches (or of your true health or happiness, which you would proclaim for such), and your own Good, which the Father hath waiting for you, come forth Now, and fully manifest— that the Father may be glorified in the Son that you are.

Say this slowly and powerfully, trying to put all the meaning and love into the words that you can. Then try to realize that these words go forth—as would a beam of powerful Light into the darkness—straight to the soul consciousness of the one addressed; that the soul will surely receive them, will be awakened by them, and will be reminded by them of its Divine nature and heritage.

Then know that as soon as the brain mind gets quiet the Truth will push through from the soul into the brain consciousness as an illumined thought from the Higher Self, and the one addressed will awaken from his dream of lack, disease or limitation of whatsoever nature, and will know the Truth, when all such false claims will dissolve in his consciousness to nothingness and their outer manifestation will disappear.

After fully realizing this, sing from the heart:

“We thank Thee, beloved Father, and praise Thy Holy Word, which is Spirit, which is Truth, which is Life, which is Power to accomplish that whereunto it is sent; for we send them in the Name of Christ Jesus, our Saviour and Redeemer. AMEN”

CHAPTER 1

“SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM”

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THESE words are addressed to those who are seeking the way into the Kingdom of God—the Kingdom where a Great Love and Wisdom, the serving and the inspiring of others, and the utter forgetfulness of self, are the natural life of everyone who dwells therein.

If you who read have reached that stage on your journey through life where the world without can offer you nothing that will stay your efforts to find that Kingdom, and you welcome any directions that will clearly point you there, then you are ready for these words, and they will be to you a quickening power that will hasten you on your way and perhaps will enable you speedily to reach the goal.

One traveling in a new country is always better able to make his way if provided with maps and information about the conditions to be met and the requirements to be observed along the route. Therefore, we will first try to map out for you the various stages of the journey into the Kingdom, and to tell you of some of the conditions through which you will pass, and what will be required if you expect to reach your journey’s end without mishap or undue delay.

This naturally is no new knowledge being offered you, but is what has been learned and tabulated from the experience of many who have passed over this route—the one over which we would direct you, and which is the narrow and only way that leads straight into the Kingdom.

All may essay the journey into that far country. Indeed, many have started more or less consciously on it, but are now loitering on the way, enticed by the myriad allurements of the senses, the emotions, or the intellect, and by yielding to the appeals of the self to halt and enjoy. Only the few, the very few so far, the earnest and determined ones, and for whom these words are intended, are definitely consecrated to winning the goal. These it is our purpose to help reach it quickly, and to inspire them to help recall the loiterers to their objective and speed them on their way; for it is vitally important at this time that every soul seeking the light but whose human self is wandering in darkness, be led back upon the path.

If you are one of the earnest ones, you will recognize much of what follows as part of your own past experience. Others, it will help to understand the meaning of that through which they are passing. This journey into the Kingdom, sometimes called “The Path,” is symbolized in the allegory of the Prodigal Son, who wasted his substance in riotous living and, when he had spent all and could nowhere get anything to eat, remembered that the hired servants in his father’s home had plenty of bread and to spare; and he awoke to who and what he was, and rose up and said, “I will go to my father and will say unto him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight; make me as one of thy hired servants.’ ”

The Prodigal’s journey back to his father’s home was not as speedy as the allegory seems to depict. Jesus mentioned none of the vicissitudes of the way; He only wanted to show that the Father is always waiting and can see us coming afar off, and will lovingly welcome us and shower upon us all the good things of life when we come back consciously into His home and love.

This journey, in reality, is a long one, covering a greater or less period of years, oftentimes several lifetimes, depending upon the nature and soul status of the individual. The early stage of the journey is evidenced by a spiritual awakening similar to that of the Prodigal Son, followed by an intense and eager thirst for knowledge of the realities of life; a turning away from former sense attractions and obeying an insistent urge from within to seek Truth wherever it can be found. In this stage the urge is largely unconscious to the seeker, especially as to its meaning and purpose; only the insistent desire to know being felt and that desire has to be satisfied.

Gradually, through the deeper knowledge of the meaning of life gained as a result of the cumulative force of this urge, something unfolds in the consciousness. It can be likened to the life within the stalk, concentrating, as it were, upon the building and forming of the bud, pushing out, expanding, swelling itself, becoming big with that which is unfolding, evolving from itself. It can also be likened to the conception and growth of the child in the womb of the mother, and approaching the birthing time.

For that which is felt by the seeker is indeed a birthing—it is the stirring of the Christ-child within, the life that has concentrated in your part of the human stalk now grown to the stage where it can unfold its true nature—your Love nature, and can come forth and blossom in your life as a compelling desire to help others and especially to give to them of the truths you have found.

Such is the sure outcome of such seeking—for those who are not seeking merely for self but to use the knowledge gained for the good that may be done with it. The Christ- child is born in the heart, the bud opens into the blossom, and the fragrance and beauty of the life within shows and proves itself to all who are near.

This is the first stage of the journey back to the Father’s house. It is called the stage of the Aspirant or the Neophyte. It is necessarily a long and very gradual stage, starting with some definite experience—perhaps a physical healing by a Metaphysician, the death of one very dear, or some extreme mental suffering—which are the birth-pangs preceding the awakening of the Spiritual nature. With such there is born the urge to know for one’s self, and after many years of following this urge it develops into a final push which results in an expansion of consciousness and opens up a new world, one of which previously the seeker had been wholly unaware, although it had always been present awaiting his recognition.

There were many soul experiences leading up to this point, many steps along the Path, many vicissitudes and trials, and much mental suffering over leaving behind worn-out joys and useless habits and possessions acquired in the old state of consciousness. This may have resulted in decided changes in outer conditions and things; wealth gained by selfish, ruthless methods; health always before natural and unconsidered,—these now taken away, and their lack a constant source of concern. All or many of the old states of mind given place to new ones, thus prepared the way for the new birth.

From all this seeking, most students think that what was gained was merely some knowledge of life’s realities. But the gaining of any Truth avails little unless the living of that Truth and the building of it into soul consciousness has become the supreme desire of the Aspirant. When such a desire has been awakened, the soul dedicates itself to living a life of Truth, or consecrates itself to God or Christ in fervent prayer and supplication, after which sooner or later the birth takes place.

At the time the Aspirant most likely will not be aware of what is happening, but he will soon realize an increase of inspiration; a coming in touch with others who will open up new and higher fields of study; a clearer grasping of essential truths, and a discarding of the unimportant; and he will realize God and Christ in some intangible way as being much closer, more real, more approachable and loving. For They have in very truth heard his supplication, have accepted his dedication, and are taking him at his word. He has now deliberately consecrated himself to the Higher Life and has set his feet definitely on the Path. The finding of the Kingdom has become the goal, even if he may not be fully conscious of it in his brain mind.

After this new birth, this dedication, the Aspirant enters the second stage of the journey—he now becomes a Disciple on probation. In other words, he is given his chance to prove whether he is worthy and qualified to enter the Kingdom.

OUR IMMEDIATE PURPOSE

As our goal is the finding of the Kingdom, the aim and purpose of those back of this Work is to help and encourage all earnest seekers by providing the necessary instructions for self-discipline and training that will enable them to attain spiritual enlightenment individually. The Master within the heart of each Aspirant has called him to come within and follow Him. To all who follow and obey, His Knowledge, Love and Power are ever available and will be given freely to those who no longer seek anything for self, but only to help and serve their fellow men.

Spiritual enlightenment can be gained only upon the straight and narrow path that leads to the Kingdom. Therefore the seeking of the Kingdom must be made the first thing in your life; that sets your feet firmly upon the path. It is not impossible to find the Kingdom, no matter how long or how unsuccessfully you have sought in the past. All that it takes is earnest and determined effort under the guidance that will be given. But it must be the first and the supreme desire of your heart. No other desire can supersede it. You must want it more than any other thing in life. When that desire has become supreme, it will not be long, for all the Brothers in the Kingdom nearest you will be with you in your search, helping, inspiring, and strengthening you in every possible way.

THE KINGDOM

We will try to give you a glimpse of what the Kingdom will mean to you when you find it—not what you will find there, but how you may know when you have found it.

We all know that Jesus found it, for He tells of it with the authority of one who knows. We speak of Him as Jesus, the Christ. The Christ, or the Christos, is a title given to one who has reached a certain Spiritual unfoldment. It means “The Anointed One.” We know from certain statements of Jesus that most of His teaching was done while in the Christ Consciousness. Whenever He used the words, “I am,” in the peculiar way He did, such as, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man cometh unto the Father but by Me.” “I am the vine,” “I am the door,” etc., we know it was not from the human mind that Jesus spoke, but from the Holy Spirit within Him, or from His Christ Consciousness. We are told that when Jesus was baptized in the River Jordan, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him as a dove and abode with Him.

All these experiences will come to every seeker of the Kingdom sooner or later. After the Christ-child born in the Aspirant is grown to maturity of Discipleship during the testing and proving period of the Probationary stage, and has come to the Jordan state (beyond which lies the “Promised Land”) he is ready for baptism and to begin his lifework as an Accepted Disciple. Then will be given him the baptism of the Holy Spirit, during which the Spirit of God, which means God’s Consciousness, will descend and enter in and abide with the Disciple. This Spirit is the Christos, and the Disciple becomes the “Anointed One.” Jesus was the “first fruit” of them that slept.

Now the Christ Consciousness or the baptism of the Holy Spirit must come to all before they can enter the Kingdom. In fact, the Christ Consciousness gives the right of admission to the Kingdom, and is the Consciousness of everyone who abides in the Kingdom. And what is the nature of that Consciousness? It is Divine Love, which must be born in the heart of every seeker, must be nourished and thrive and grow until it becomes the very life of the Disciple. When in ripened maturity, after many given opportunities have proven that Love is the nature of his soul and is not of the mind only, the Disciple is permitted to enter into the joy of His Lord, the Christ, and to abide with Him in the Kingdom of His Father’s Consciousness.

All this may be beyond the present comprehension of some who read, but if something deep within impels you to seek out its real meaning, telling you that it is for you fully to know and to possess, then it is earnestly hoped you will obey, and nothing will be permitted to stop you until you have made His Consciousness your consciousness.

INNER WORK

By the foregoing you will perceive that this must be an inner work and, of necessity, an individual work; for no one can do it for you or can help you, other than to point out the way and explain the experiences through which you pass— if you cannot get their meaning direct. For remember, there is always One who is ready and waiting to explain and teach you all things—your own Higher Self, the I AM, the Christ of you, dwelling within your heart, in the Kingdom there.

We take it that all of you who read and are deeply interested are more or less acquainted with His Presence within you. If not, as we are going to speak much of Him from now on, we urge that you begin to learn to know Him intimately, if you wish fully to appreciate and profit by what is contained in these lessons. To that end we suggest a careful study of “The Impersonal Life,” for the consciousness from which its words were written is His Consciousness, which is also in you—is the Light which lighteth you, and from which consciousness each one of you may speak and teach your own self.

As a part of our work we purpose to bring out the inner meaning of certain teachings already given. All must admit that enough teachings have been given and are available to all who are ready for them. Comparatively few, however, are able to get more than an intellectual understanding of them as yet. It is only by opening up the inner meaning to the mind that the Spirit within is quickened.

All earnest ones, as they grow and unfold spiritually, through study and meditation, will receive guidance and instruction from their Higher Self in symbolic dreams and visions. They should keep a diary of such, writing down every spiritual experience, as they will prove of great value to the one receiving them when correctly interpreted. They will, in fact, aid in determining the stage on The Path of the soul to whom they are given. Assistance in the interpretation of such experiences will be gladly given on request.

THE PLAN

This being an Inner Work, no outer organization is necessary. As individuals come into the enlightenment that awaits, they will naturally enter into the realization of who they are and of what they are a part. That realization will show them that they are in very fact disciples of the Master, and that Master is even Christ, the Higher Self of them and of their brothers, and they will know that they are an integral part of the GREAT BROTHERHOOD of the Spirit of which He is the Supreme Head and Life. This finding and knowing the real Brotherhood of the Spirit that exists within and back of the personalities of their fellows is finding the Christ in His Kingdom, and this realization will prove to be a Haven of Refuge in which, while abiding in it, no outer force or circumstance can reach or affect them. Only when in this Haven can one know and be sure of the Master’s Voice and can be led, taught, guarded and cared for by Him when necessary.

Our part is to help quicken all truly earnest ones into finding and entering this Haven of Refuge—the actual consciousness of the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and to enlist them in His Service. This will link and bind them in Spirit, making them one in Christ. The only outer linking will be after the inner pattern. Wherever possible, Aspirants will form naturally into Groups for meditation and service. Each Group will thus be a Chalice serving as a cup or reservoir into which will be poured all the Love and Wisdom of the Master and of THE GREAT BROTHERHOOD, and which will flow—as water flows through a faucet turned on—to each Aspirant for use in Service as they consciously connect up with THE BROTHERHOOD of which they are a part.

The quickening of our younger brothers is our sole purpose in this book, and the carrying of the Light of the Christ to all seekers wandering in the darkness of separation is our chief endeavor. But let none of us forget that we of ourselves can do nothing. Only as we give ourselves over wholly to the Father’s will, being concerned only that we are letting Him lead and speak through us, permitting no thoughts to enter our minds that are not His thoughts, can we do His work as He intends it to be done.

Many have been expecting and longing to be given some real work, not realizing they have already been given it in the past; but because it was not something definite in the way of healing or helping others, and was instead a work of preparation, a learning to discipline and control the mind and the emotions so as to enable the Aspirant to enter the desire and mental planes of consciousness as master of self when necessary to go thence, they think they have accomplished nothing, and long for tasks for which they are not yet fitted.

It is all a part of the injunction, “Seek ye first the Kingdom, etc,” for you cannot find the Kingdom until you are able to control those forces of your emotional and mental nature that heretofore had their way with you almost unopposed. If and when you are able to command, “Be Still, and know I AM,” and be instantly obeyed on all planes of consciousness, then and then only will you be able to do the work that will be given you; for then only can you work in the Consciousness and with the Power of Christ—the Master within.

There is a real work—much real work to do, and never doubt, when you have once proven your ability to do it and to subject your self and your whole nature to the Master’s will, and when they have become an impersonal instrument which He can use, you will be given so much to do that there will be little time left to think of self and its concerns.

DEFINITE WORK

Daily meditation is the first and most important requisite of the Aspirant. No real progress can be made without it. To help prepare and start you on the right kind of meditation, study carefully and use often the Meditation No. 1, to be found in the appendix. In it is condensed the essence of Jesus’ teaching, and there is nothing that will help you more to find the Loving Christ and His Kingdom within than its illuminating words.

This Work has in it no place for laggards or for the mentally lazy. It is only for those who are imbued with an unquenchable determination and a fiery zeal to find the Master and the Kingdom.

Many think they can contrive no regular time to meditate, but in bed after retiring or early in the morning are times always available if really sought, and are often most satisfactory. There will be no danger of falling asleep when the mind learns to obey you. Again, while doing simple tasks around the home or in the office or factory, real meditation can be done and most profitably. It is really possible at such times, as you will find, to “be in the world but not of it,” for you can go in thought wherever you will, while your hands are busy at their regular work.

Instead of worrying about it, simply put it up to the Higher Self, stating that you earnestly desire the time and opportunity to do regular meditating, and if He sees you really mean it and want it, you will find it will be arranged for you in a most natural manner—if you leave it in His hands and trust it all to Him.

Therefore rouse yourself to action. The Kingdom is not for those who still crave for or are held by the allurements of the world, the flesh, or the devil—self. The time has come when all such must be left behind, if you would lift your heart and mind to Christ. When you have found—earned—Him, then you will join with the other Brothers of the Kingdom in helping those who will be sent to you also to find Him and THE BROTHERHOOD, of which you will then be a conscious integral part.

While meditating, an effort should always be made in the I AM consciousness to command the forces of the mind, the emotions, and the physical senses to be still and know that You—the God of you—speaks and must be obeyed.

Eventually, after persistent effort, you will realize that you are that Consciousness, and that these forces are listening to and obeying you. Then, in that Consciousness, you can continue speaking as in “The Impersonal Life,” and your mind will receive and accept what comes as from the God of you, and you will know Who you are.

CHAPTER 2

“THE LIGHT WHICH LIGHTETH EVERY MAN”
A THOUGHT FOR CHRISTMAS

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IT IS fitting at the Christmas season, when all Christians are celebrating the birth of the Christ, that those traveling the journey to the Kingdom should strive to realize fully what that birth has meant and now means to each one who experienced it.

Therefore try to recall that experience in your life—when you first felt the quickening of the Christ-child (Love) in the womb of your heart, when it began to stir actively there, not only making you very conscious of its presence, but compelling you to cherish, serve, and worship it; until finally, when undergoing some deep, soul-stirring experience, the day of delivery came, and there was born from within a new consciousness—a yearning to love and bless and to help everyone to come into that new world of understanding you had entered, and which now is the all compelling spirit of your life.

You will remember that this experience came when you were shepherding your thoughts during the night period, when all seemed most dark and you were sustained only by the faith born of your long seeking. It was then that a glow of wonderful light flooded your night of waiting, and a song as of angels filled your consciousness. In deepest humility, you sought to know the meaning of it all, and you soon found there was cradled in your heart a tender, beautiful, all-compelling love, that from then on filled and possessed you, and gradually grew in power until it influenced and inspired much of your thinking, speech, and actions.

Surely at the Christmas season we should remember the birth of the Christ-child, especially now that we know that It is the actual love of our Father-God—His Holy Spirit, growing, thriving, working in our hearts, seeking to merge our whole nature—body, mind and soul—with His Nature, that He may without hindrance live His life in us, do His will in us, and be His Christ-self in us.

Ah, dear ones, let us not only remember, but let us open our hearts wide that He, the Blessed One, may come forth and possess us and do with us as He wills. May we dedicate ourselves wholly to Him, letting His Love be our life, and our bodies and brain minds His perfect means of expression.

It is true that some who read may deem the above but words, it having no real meaning for them, the Christ-child not yet having been quickened in their hearts. To such we would say with Jesus, “Verily, verily I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.” Like Nicodemus, they may be masters of Israel and have great occult knowledge of the law and of the inner worlds, but unless they are born of the water of Divine Inspiration and of the spirit of Christ-Love, they can never find and enter the Kingdom.

In the preceding chapter, Aspirants were reminded of that point reached on the Path where they had more or less consciously renounced the old life and were quickened into a new consciousness; the Christ-child had been born in their hearts; the Prodigal had started on his return journey to his Father’s house; the dedication of the Aspirant to the higher life had been registered and he had become a Disciple on Probation.

It was at this point that you actually started out to seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. Whether you were aware of it or not in your brain consciousness, your soul had unfolded to the stage where it saw its Father’s house afar off; and now it no longer can find rest until it reaches home and can abide there forever.

Along with the birth of the love-nature there awakens the desire to serve selflessly, and from then on according to the extent that Love is permitted to grow and lead, will the Disciple gradually become aware of a voice within which speaks whenever it gets the attention of the conscious mind. It will be no audible voice, and there may be no actually heard words, but nevertheless something speaks within and the Disciple will hear and understand. He will also note that when he heeds and obeys a blessing in some form follows, but when he fails to obey the hints or “leadings” given, failure, trouble and often suffering result. Thus the Disciple gradually learns of his higher and inner nature, and that it is unmistakably related to Love; more and more he finds himself turning within and seeking to know more of this inner self and he strives to let it guide and direct him in all things.

As he thus definitely gives his allegiance to Love and to his better self, he is made aware of qualities in his lower nature rising unexpectedly to prominence and displaying elements of selfishness and baseness that surprise and startle him. For the lower self that had held a dominating part so long in his life is not yielding without a battle—in fact, it is fighting for its very existence.

It is then you begin to realize that the Path upon which you have entered is not an easy one. The fact is, in the conquering of the lower self, you are assuming a task that will test you to the limit of your strength and endurance. But you will gradually discover that from the same source that comes the Voice will also come the strength needed to conquer and to sustain you along the way. Also you will learn that loving and selfless service releases the strength and gives the wisdom to meet every test, for while serving you are enlisted in the Cause of Brotherhood and in such work the Great Brotherhood of the Spirit always supplies all the wisdom and the strength needed to accomplish it.

For you who are truly seeking the Kingdom, the time has come to hear certain truths, to see if your Higher Self deems you ready to receive and accept these truths and to make them a part of your soul consciousness. If so they will bring to you an illumination of understanding that will quicken your soul, free your mind from what has been holding you back perhaps for many lifetimes, and will con sequently now permit you speedily to proceed on your journey.

But if you are not yet ready to accept these truths it is well, for your Higher Self has certain necessary experiences in store for you, from which He will be enabled later to teach you to accept them and to want to follow us on our way to the Kingdom.

Consider first the real meaning of these words spoken to His Disciples by the Christ of Jesus—“I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no man cometh unto the Father but by Me.”

Can the Divinity within any man be reached by any but the Christ Way? These words of our Master tell us definitely, No.

Many of you who read may have come along the route of Theosophy, Rosicrucianism, Spiritualism, and other occult movements, and according to your study and understanding of what they teach you have an intellectual grasp of much knowledge of the constitution of man and of the Universe, of the laws of matter, and of the hidden side of life, which should be a great aid to you in governing your life and actions—up to a certain point. These, movements help man very considerably to know himself and thereby enable him to gain mastery over qualities and elements in his nature whose influence before was not understood. Such knowledge should dispose him to deal more kindly and justly with his fellows who are of like nature. But does that always result in those who have all the knowledge that these movements teach?

Those who gave this knowledge to the world through these different movements are said to be Masters of Wisdom, Adepts, Initiates, or at least very learned Teachers. Unquestionably some of them are of vast knowledge and powers, those who have far outstripped ordinary humanity—Supermen—our elder brothers, judging from what they taught and what they know. It is their due that we honor, revere and be grateful to them for all they have taught us, and we certainly should strive to use the knowledge gained wisely and for the good of all.

But who was the real teacher who pointed out in the teachings that which you were to accept and which to pass by? Who helped you to apply the truths in the teaching to the experiences of life through which you were led? And who guided and chided and cautioned, and always held before your mind’s eye the ideal toward which your face has ever been turned? Was there not One within you who did all this, and Who has a purpose for you and a part for you to play—when you are through seeking without for what the world and its teachers have to offer and you are ready to turn within and get fully acquainted with Him, and are willing to wait upon Him and to sit at His feet and to be consciously taught by Him?

We say to you who have been “born again” you within whom the Christ has been born—you Disciples on Probation, that One is your Master—even the Christ-Self of you, Who has more knowledge and power than any initiate, adept or master who has not received the anointing of the Holy Spirit—who has not yet been Christed. For such are but “masters of Israel,” like Nicodemus. They are great souls, even as John the Baptist was great, of whom Jesus said:

“This is he of whom it was written, behold I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

“For I say unto you, among them that are born of woman, there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist; but he that is least in the Kingdom of God is greater than he.”—Matthew 11:10-11.

Just as John the Baptist lost his head, so may even one of great knowledge lose his head (mentally) unless he has wedded wisdom with Love.

Such Masters who inaugurate new movements for the enlightenment of men in our modern days are as the Prophets of Old Testament times. They may be considered as the lower part of the pyramid. They represent the great body of human knowledge, or the Law, and “The Law is the schoolmaster to bring us to Christ” Jesus Christ is the capstone of the pyramid. But it often happens that He is “the stone that the Builders rejected, the same that is become the head of the corner.” The capstone itself being a perfect pyramid, Christ thus is the Apex, the Zenith, the Essence of all that lies beneath.

It shall be even as Jesus said: “He that falleth on this stone (stumbles against this truth—fails to see Christ, not merely as the Master and Teacher, but as the God-Self of every man) shall be broken to pieces; but on whomsoever it shall fall (or who shall fail to accept or admit this truth) it will scatter as dust.” For Christ is the actual life of humanity— The Light that lighteth every man, consequently they who repudiate Him, and consider and teach that He is only a Master among other Masters, remain in darkness and wander far from their Father’s house.

Theosophy, Rosierucianism, and other similar movements brought to the modern world the vision of Brotherhood. And for what purpose? It is claimed, to awaken men to their real mission on earth and to prepare them for HIM WHO IS TO COME,—for the Christ who promised to come and redeem His own.

But can you not see that not until He has been born in our hearts, has grown and thrived, and become matured in our lives, can He appear to our consciousness and can make Himself known as He Is—“The Light which shineth in the darkness” of our human minds, and which He will illumine so we may know that our minds are really His Mind, are God’s Mind shining within us.

Ah, dear comrades on this journey through life, all the vast past—all the many eons through which humanity has struggled—has been an evolving, a growing, a preparing and fitting of us for this very day and age we have now reached. The Christian Era was the final stage of our training. God, our Father, Who is responsible for all, Himself sent His Holy Spirit, the Christ, down to earth, taking on a human form, purposely to prepare us by direct teaching and example what was necessary for us to find our way back to His Home and to enter again into His Eternal Kingdom. Therefore Christ—Christ within us is our highest Teacher, and the sole Authority for every man—for He is “the Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.”

There is much said in the different occult teachings of two paths to God—the path of the occultist, and the path of the mystic, or the way of the head and the way of the heart. Yet all great teachers say that the way to Divinity is the way of Love; and surely, the way of Love is the way of the heart. But the Love that leads to God is not the intellectual concept of love that occultists speak of, but is God’s Love in the heart—the Christ Consciousness there—which cannot be simulated, and which all those in whom Christ has been born and lives know and show forth, and they can never be deceived by a substitute.

Gautama brought the teaching of Divine Wisdom and Compassion to develop and prepare the mind of humanity to comprehend God’s Love. And even as Gautama came first and brought Wisdom, so Jesus followed and brought us Divine Love to join with Wisdom and give us Understanding, thus completing the Divine Union in Christ of the twain that in the beginning were originally one.