THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION AND THE BIRTH OF SON OF GOD

                                   THE  IMMACULATE  CONCEPTION  AND  THE  BIRTH  OF  THE  SON  OF  GOD. 

THE IMMACULATE conception is not only meant in a physical sense, but is more especially meant in a purely spiritual sense, like so much else in the Bible. Only he who recognises and perceives that the spiritual world really exists and is in vital activity can find the key to an understanding of the Bible; this alone will make the Word come to life! 

To all others it will always remain a book with seven seals! 

Every conception arising out of ''pure'' love and a heartfelt looking upwards to the Creator, in which the sensual instinct is only an adjunct and not the basis, is an immaculate conception in the physical sense.

 In reality this occurs so seldom that there was every justification for laying special stress upon it. 

The relegation of sensual instincts into the background was assured by the fact of the Annunciation, which for this reason is especially mentioned, because otherwise a link in the chain of natural happenings and strict co - operation with the spiritual world would be missing. 

The Virgin Mary, already provided with all the gifts needed to fulfil her high mission, was at the requisite time led through spiritual guidance into contact with persons who had deeply penetrated into the revelations and prophesies about the coming Messiah. 

This was the first preparation on earth which urged Mary on the path leading to her real goal, and acquainted her with all the circumstances in which she herself was later destined to play such an important role, without being aware of it at that time. 

The bandage which blindfolds the eye of the specially chosen ones is only carefully and gradually loosened so as not to disturb the necessary process of development, for every intermediary step must be seriously experienced in order finally to ensure the possibility of fulfilment. 

To be conscious of the actual task too early would leave gaps in their development which would render a later fulfilment more difficult.

 To have the goal constantly in sight incurs the danger of pressing forward too rapidly, whereby much that must absolutely be experienced in all seriousness to qualify for the appointed task would be overlooked or learned too easily. 

However, a man can only experience seriously what at any particular time he regards as his real life's task. 

So it was with Mary! 

Thus, during a moment of perfect rest and psychic tranquillity, after her preparation had been completed both inwardly and outwardly, she became clairvoyant and clairaudient, that is, her inmost being opened itself to the world of different substance and she experienced the Annunciation described in the Bible. 

The bandage fell from her eyes of the spiritual world and she consciously entered into her mission! 

The Annunciation became such a stupendous and shaking spiritual experience for Mary that from that hour it completely filled the life of her soul. 

From that time it was only concentrated in one direction, to be allowed to expect a high Divine Grace. 

Through the Annunciation the Light ''wanted to'' bring about this condition of her soul so as to drive back from the very outset all base instincts, and create the soil upon which a pure physical vessel ( child's body ) could come into being for the immaculate spiritual conception. 

Through this exceptionally strong psychic adjustment Mary's physical conception, in accordance with the Laws of Nature, became an ''immaculate one''! For those who have some knowledge of the spiritual world and its tremendously widespread activities, which easily span thousands of years in preparing for all great events, it is not difficult to understand that Mary came already equipped with all the gifts needed for her mission, that is, she was pre - natally chosen to become the earthly mother of Jesus, the coming Bringer of the Truth! 

With the child's body developing in such circumstances as the purest vessel, the earthly conditions were provided for an ''immaculate spiritual conception'', the incarnation, which takes place in the middle of pregnancy. 

In this case it was not a question of the incarnation of one of the many waiting souls or spirit - sparks who wish or are compelled for the sake of development to live a life on earth, and whose ethereal bodies or garments are more or less tarnished and soiled, so that their direct connection with the Light is dimmed and times completely severed! 

Here it was a process of radiation from God, given out of love to mankind erring in darkness, which was strong enough to prevent the direct connection with Primordial Light ever being broken! 

This resulted in a close connection between the Godhead and mankind through this One, Who resembled a shining pillar of inexhaustible purity and power before which all baseness was forced to retreat. 

The possibility was thus created for the transmission of undimmed Truth direct from the Light, and also of the power for the actions which appeared to be miracles. 

The account of the temptation in the wilderness shows how the attempts of dark influences to defile Him were repelled by the purity of His intuition without being able to do any harm.

 After Mary's immaculate physical conception the incarnation which occurs in the middle of pregnancy could take place from the Light with a strength which excluded the possibility of any dimming on the intermediate steps between the Light and the mother's body, thus bringing about an ''immaculate 'spiritual'  conception'' as well. 

Therefore it is quite right to speak of an immaculate conception, which occurred both physically and spiritually without the necessity of circumventing, altering or remodelling a Law of Creation for this particular case! 

Now man must not think that because it had been promised that the Saviour should be born of a virgin that therein lies a contradiction! 

The contradiction lies solely in the wrong interpretation of the word ''virgin'' mentioned in the prophecy.

 If this prophecy speaks of a virgin, it does not infer a limited conception of the word, much less the opinion of any State, but it can only be question of a broad conception concerning all mankind! 

Putting aside all thought of procreation, those who take a limited view of the word should note the fact that pregnancy and birth of themselves exclude virginity in its ordinary sense! 

The prophecy, however, does not mean such things! 

It meant that Christ would definitely be born as the ''first'' child of a virgin, that is, of a woman who had never been a mother.

 In such a case all the organs that have to do with development of the human body ''are'' virginal, that is, they have never before come into activity in this way, meaning that no child has issued from this womb. 

The organs of the mother's body must be virginal in the case of ''every'' first - born child. 

Only in this sense could such a far - reaching prophecy be understood, because every prophecy can only be fulfilled within the strict logic of the active Laws of Creation and is so made on the basis of such reliable foresight. 

Thus in this prophecy ''the first child'' is meant, and therefore a distinction has been made between ''virgin'' and ''mother''! 

Any other distinction is out of the question because the conceptions of virgin and married woman have merely arisen out of purely civil or social institution of marriage, which are in no case meant by such a prophecy! 

The very perfection of Creation as the Work of God makes the act of procreation absolutely necessary, because the All - Wisdom of the Creator has ordered all things in Creation from the Primordial beginning so that there should be nothing too much or superfluous! 

He who thinks otherwise must also hold that the Work of Creator is imperfect! 

It is the same with the person who affirms that the birth of Christ occurred ''without'' there first being a normal procreation, as is prescribed by the Creator for all mankind. 

A normal procreation through a human being of flesh and blood ''must have'' taken place! 

Even in this case! 

Every man who truly understands this praises his Lord and Creator more than he who wants to permit other possibilities! 

The former shows such unshaken faith in the Perfection of his God as to be convinced that any exception or change in the Laws He has ordained is absolutely impossible.

 And ''that is the greater'' faith! 

Besides, all the other events entirely agree with this! 

Christ became a ''human being on earth''. 

It having been thus resolved, as the Perfection of God ordained, He was obliged to submit to all the Laws God had decreed for physical procreation! 

If it should be objected that ''with God nothing is impossible'', such a concealed explanation brings no satisfaction, for again another and quite different meaning lies in these words than that which so many people imagine in their indolence. 

In order to refute the ''wording'' of this sentence as commonly understood, it need only be said that imperfection, want of logic, injustice, arbitrariness and many other things are impossible with God!

 It could further be argued that if  in ''this'' sense nothing is impossible with God, He could just as easily with a single act of His Will have made every man on earth a believer!

 Then He need not have permitted His Son to become man and exposed Him to earthly hardships and death on the cross! 

He would have been spared that stupendous sacrifice!

 That things happened ''as they did'' shows the inflexible nature of the Divine Laws which have been in Creation from the very beginning and the perfection of which makes a forced intervention for the purpose of changing them in one way or another quite impossible.

 The blind and contentious opponents could now stubbornly assert that the way it happened was according to God's Will. 

That is quite right, but in no way a counter - proof!

 On the contrary it merely ''confirms'' the previous reasoning, provided one drops the more naive  interpretation and follows the deeper explanation necessarily demanded by all utterances of a spiritual nature. 

It was the Will of God! 

However, that has nothing in common with arbitrariness! 

On the contrary, it means nothing les than the confirmation of the laws God placed in Creation and which bear His Will; it means absolute obedience to them, allowing no exception or circumvention whatever!

 It ''is just in the necessity for compliance that the Will of God reveals and manifests itself''! 

Otherwise Jesus need not have been born of a woman on earth, but could quite simply have made a sudden appearance! 

In order to fulfil His Mission Christ had therefore inevitably to submit to all the Natural Laws, that is, to the Will of His Father.

 That Christ did so is proved by His whole life - His normal birth and growth, His feeling both of hunger and fatigue, His suffering and finally His death on the cross. 

He was subject to everything to which man's earthly body is subject. 

Why then should HIs procreation alone have been different, when there was absolutely no necessity for it?

 It is just because of the naturalness of everything that the Saviour's task appears even greater, by no means smaller! 

Likewise Mary was no less blessed in her high calling on that account!

                                                THE  CRUCIFIXION  OF  THE  SON  OF  GOD  AND  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER.

AT THE death of Christ the veil which shut out the Holy of Holies from mankind was rent in twain. 

This happening is taken as a symbol that the separation between Divinity and mankind ceased at the moment of the Saviour's sacrifice on the cross, and that direct communication was established in its stead. 

However, this interpretation is ''wrong''!

 Through His crucifixion men rejected the Son of God as their expected Messiah, and this made the separation all the ''greater''!

 The veil was rent because henceforth the Holy of Holies was no longer necessary! 

It was exposed to all eyes as well as to impure currents because, symbolically speaking, after this deed Divinity would no longer set foot on this earth, thus rendering the Holy of Holies superfluous! 

This is the exact contrary of the existing interpretations, which express nothing but a great presumption on the part of the human spirit! 

Neither was the death on the cross a ''necessary'' sacrifice, but a murder, a dastardly crime! 

Every other explanation is a misinterpretation which either has its origin in ignorance or is meant as an excuse. 

Christ certainly did not come to this earth with the intention of letting Himself be crucified; ''neither does redemption lie in the crucifixion''! 

Christ was crucified because of His teaching, as a troublesome Bringer of Truth! 

It was not His death on the cross that could and should bring redemption, but the ''Truth'' He gave to mankind ''in His Words''! 

The Truth, however, was irksome to the religious leaders and heads of the temples of that time. 

It was an annoyance because it severely undermined their influence.

 It ''would be exactly the same today in many places''! 

Mankind has not changed in this respect. 

The teachers of that time took their standing, it is true, on the good old traditions as do those of today, but through those who practised and interpreted them these traditions had become nothing but rigid and empty forms, wholly wanting in life, the same as may often be observed today! 

But He Who wanted to bring the necessary life into the existing Word naturally also ''upset'' their practices and explanations, but He did not upset the Word itself. 

He liberated and redeemed the people from the debasing rigidity and emptiness, and this was naturally a great vexation to those who soon recognised how effectively this would interfere with their false leadership! 

For this reason the Bringer of Truth, the Liberator from the burden of erroneous interpretations, had to be rendered suspect and persecuted. 

As in spite of all their efforts they did not succeed in ridiculing Him, they sought to discredit Him. 

His ''earthly upbringing'' as the son of a carpenter served to brand Him as ''unlearned and therefore incompetent to give explanations'', as ''a layman''! Just as it is today with everyone who exposes the rigid dogma that chokes every free and vital aspiration from the very start! 

His opponents carefully avoided going into His explanations as such, because they quite rightly felt that they would lose in a purely ''objective'' discussion. They contended themselves with slandering Him maliciously through their bribed agents, and finally did not shrink from availing themselves of an opportune moment to accuse Him publicly and falsely and bring Him to the cross, in order to remove the danger He represented to their authority and power!  

His violent death, in the form at the time used by the Romans to execute people, was not itself the redemption, nor did it bring redemption. 

''It atoned for none of mankind's guilt'', liberated them from nothing, but ''burdened them still more with a dastardly murder''! 

If still here and there a cult has arisen which sees in this murder a necessary and principal part of the Son of God's Work of Redemption, this only distracts man's attention from the greater value which alone could bring this redemption.

 It diverts him from the ''true'' mission of the Saviour, from that which necessitated His coming from the Divine Sphere to the earth! 

The purpose of His Mission, however, was not to suffer death on the cross, ''but to bring the Truth into the maze of dogmatic rigidity and emptiness'' which debase the human spirit, and to explain the relations between God, the Creation and mankind as they actually are! 

Through this knowledge the illusions which the constricted spirit of man added, and which covered up the reality, had feebly to fall away of their own accord.

 Not till then could man see clearly before him the way leading upwards! 

''Redemption lies solely'' in the bringing of the Truth and the consequent liberation from errors! 

It is redemption from obscured vision, from blind faith! 

The word ''blind'' most suitably depicts this false state! 

The Last Supper before Christ's death was a farewell meal. 

When He said : ''Take, eat, this is my body!'' and : ''Drink ye all of it, this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins'', He declared thereby that he was willing even to embrace death on the cross if only as an opportunity of bringing the Truth to erring mankind through His teaching, which alone shows the way to the forgiveness of sins! 

He says expressly": ''Forgiveness for many'', not ''forgiveness for all!''

 Thus only for those who take His teachings to heart and make vital use of them! 

The destruction of His body and the shedding of His blood through death on the cross are meant to help mankind recognise the necessity for and seriousness of the explanation He gave. 

The ''repeated'' celebration of Holy Communion and the taking of Holy Communion as such are merely intended to emphasise this urgency! 

That the Son of God did not shrink even from such enmity on the part of mankind, the ''probability'' of which was already recognised before His coming, should especially indicate the desperate plight of the human spirits who could only be dragged back from the perdition if they grasped the rope of salvation, of undimmed Truth. 

''When during the Last Supper the Son of God referred to His death on the cross, it was only to lay special emphasis for the last time on the compelling necessity of the teaching He had come to bring!'' 

In partaking of Holy Communion each person should always realise afresh that the Son of God did not even shun the probability of death on the cross through mankind, and actually sacrificed His body and His blood so that, mankind might have the opportunity to receive an explanation of the actual happenings in the cosmos, which clearly show the operation of the inflexible Laws of Creation that bear the Divine Will! 

With this realisation of the profound gravity of the situation, emphasising as it does the burning necessity of the Message of Salvation, ever new strength should arise in man, a new encouragement ''truly to live'' the clear teaching of Christ, not only to understand it aright, but also to act accordingly in everything. 

''Through this'' he will also find redemption and forgiveness for his sins.

 Not otherwise! 

And also not immediately!

 But he will surely find them through following the way Christ pointed out in His Message! 

For this reason Holy Communion is meant to vitalise this process ever again, so that the zeal to follow the teaching brought at the cost of so great a sacrifice, which could free him, does not weaken; for once indifference or mere outward ceremony develops people lose their hold on the rope of salvation and sink back into errors and perdition! 

It is great mistake for men to believe that through the death on the cross the forgiveness of their sins is guaranteed. 

This thought is followed by the terrible harm that all those who believe this are ''held back'' from the true road to redemption, which lies ''only and solely'' in  ''living the Word'' of the Saviour, according to the explanations given by Him, Who knew and could overlook all.

 And these explanations give practical examples of the need to obey and observe the Divine Will as expressed in the Laws of Creation, and also show what happens if It is obeyed and what follows on disobedience!

 His Work of Redemption lay in bringing this enlightenment, which exposed the defects and abuses of religious practices because it carried the Truth within itself and thus brought Light into the ever - increasing darkness of the human spirit. 

His Work of Redemption did not lie in His death on the cross, neither can Holy Communion nor Consecrated Host bring immediate forgiveness of sins! 

Such a thought is contrary to all Divine Law!

 And consequently the power of men to forgive sins falls away! 

A man only has the right and also the power to forgive what he personally suffered at the hands of another, and then only when, quite freely, his heart bids him to do it. 

He who seriously reflects upon these things will recognise the Truth and thus the true path!

 Those, however, who are too indolent to think and who, like the foolish virgins in the parable, are too lazy to exercise the necessary care and attention to keep in constant order and readiness the little lamp left to them by the Creator, i.e., their ability to examine and illuminate, may easily miss the hour when the ''Word of Truth'' comes to them! 

As they allowed themselves to be lulled into inert ease and blind faith they will consequently through their slothfulness be incapable of recognising the Bringer of Truth, the Bridegroom! 

They will then perforce stay behind when the wakeful enter into the Kingdom of Bliss!

                                                                                    COME    DOWN    FROM    THE     CROSS.

''IF THOU art the Son of God, come down from the cross and save Thyself and us!'' 

These were the  scornful words addressed to the Son of God as He hung in agony on the cross in the burning rays of the sun! 

Those who shouted this considered themselves specially clever! 

They scoffed, they triumphed and they laughed hatefully without any real cause, for surely Christ's sufferings were no reason for mockery and ridicule, much less for laughter!

 If but for one moment they could have ''seen'' the simultaneous happenings in the Ethereal and Spiritual Realms, where their souls were being firmly bound for thousands of years, their laughter would have ceased!

 Even though their punishment could not become immediately visible in the material world, it did come in ''all'' the subsequent earth - lives which these wicked souls were forced to live on account of it! 

The scoffers of that time thought themselves clever, but they could have given no better proof of their limitation than these words, for they reveal the most - childish view one can think of.

 Those who speak thus are far from understanding Creation and the Will of God operating therein! 

How depressing and sad it therefore is to know that even today a great number of those who still believe in God and in the Mission of His Son at that time are quite convinced that Jesus of Nazareth could have come down from the cross if He had only so willed! 

After two thousand years there still the same sluggish obtuseness - no change or progress! 

According to the naive opinions of many believers Christ, having issued from God, must be unrestricted in His actions here on earth! 

To expect this shows both poverty of intellect and inertia in thinking! 

Through becoming flesh the Son of God was also ''placed under the law'', that is, He subjected Himself to the Laws of Creation, the unalterable Will of God in Creation. 

There could be no change in connection with the physical and earthbound body. 

In obedience to the Will of God Christ voluntarily submitted to this Law.

 He did not come to overthrow it, but to fulfil it through becoming flesh on this earth. 

He was therefore bound to everything in the same way as man on earth is bound!

 Even as the Son of God, with all His Divine Might and Power, He could not come down from the cross as long as He was in a physical body of flesh and blood! That would have been equivalent to upsetting these Divine Will in Creation!

 This Divine Will, however, has been perfect from the very beginning; everywhere, not only in the World of Gross Matter here on earth, but also and in the Ethereal World and in the Worlds of  Animistic and Spiritual Substantiality, with all their sub - divisions and transitional stages! 

Just the same as in the Divine Sphere and also in God Himself! 

Divine activity, Divine Power and Might, never unduly obtrude themselves.

 The Divine only lives in the strict fulfilment of the Divine Will, and never wishes to do anything else. 

The same holds true for the human being who is highly developed spiritually. 

The more highly matured he is the more strictly will he submit to the Divine Laws in Creation, voluntarily and joyfully! 

But he will never expect arbitrary acts which lie outside the valid Laws of Creation, because he believes in the perfection of the Divine Will. 

If a physical body is firmly nailed to a cross it cannot free itself without extraneous physical help. 

That is the Law according to the Divine Will in Creation, which permits of no exceptions. 

He who thinks differently and expects something else does not believe in the Perfection of God and in the immutability of His Will. 

That men still have not changed despite their alleged progress in the sciences and in their abilities, that they still stand where they stood in those times, is demonstrated when today they again call out : ''if He be the Son of Man He can bring about the catastrophes that have been prophesied as soon as He so wills!'' 

To them this is a foregone conclusion!

 In other words, however, this means that ''if He cannot do so He is not the Son of Man''!

 Yet men are very well aware, as Christ the Son of God Himself already pointed out, that no one but God the Father knows the hour in which the Judgment begins. 

Therefore if men now utter the afore - mentioned words they express a double doubt! 

They doubt the Son of Man and doubt the Son of God's word! 

It is also a proof of their lack of understanding of the entire Creation, and of their complete ignorance just in all those questions which it is so urgently necessary for every man to know! 

If in becoming man the Son of God had to submit to the Will of God in Creation, it is evident that the Son of Man also cannot stand above these Laws. 

Indeed it is utterly impossible to stand above Laws in Creation! 

He who enters Creation thereby also becomes subject to the Law of the Divine Will, which never changes!

 Thus also the Son of God and the Son of Man! 

A great handicap to their ability to comprehend all things is imposed upon men by the fact that they have never sought these Laws in Creation and thus, except for small fragments upon which they happened to stumble here and there, they have had no knowledge of them up to today.

 When Christ performed miracles that are quite beyond man's ability this does not justify the thought that He did not need to observe the Laws of the Divine Will resting in Creation, that He reached out beyond them. 

That is impossible!

Even with miracles He acted in complete accordance with the Laws of God, and not arbitrarily! 

He only proved thereby that He worked in ''Divine'' Power, not in spiritual power, and naturally the effects also far surpassed what is possible to men. Nevertheless these miracles were not performed independent of the Laws in Creation, but were completely in accord with them! 

Man is so far lagging behind in his spiritual development that he cannot even fully develop the spiritual powers at his command. 

Otherwise he, too, would achieve results that would appear miraculous in the present times! 

Naturally, however, it is possible to create quite different works with Divine Power, which can never be attained with spiritual power, and which even differ in their nature from those done with the highest spiritual power. 

But despite this every happening remains within the bounds of Divine lawfulness, and nothing goes beyond it! 

Men are the only beings guilty of arbitrary actions within the limits of the free will given to them, for where they do have a certain liberty to act in accordance with their own will, they have never really subjected themselves to the Will of God.

 They have always put their own will first. 

And in so doing they paralysed themselves and could never soar above what was permitted by their own earthbound intellectual will! 

Thus men do not even know those laws in Creation which release and set free their spiritual power, those laws in which they can unfold their spiritual power! 

And then they are all the more amazed at the display of Divine Power! 

For the same reason they are unable to recognise the Divine Power or expect it to accomplish things that lie outside the Divine Laws of Creation. 

This would include the descent of a physical body from a cross made of material substance. 

The raising of the dead through the Divine Power is ''not'' beyond Divine Laws as long as it happens within a certain time after death, the length of which differs for each human being. 

The more spiritually mature the soul is when severing itself from the physical body the quicker it will be released, and the shorter will be the time during which the lawful opportunity exists to recall it, because this can only happen while the soul is still connected with the body! 

The soul, which is animated by the spirit, must obey the Divine Will, i.e., the Divine Power, and must upon Its call return along the ethereal bridge, as long as this bridge has not been pulled down, and re - enter the already forsaken physical body. 

When we speak of Divine Power and spiritual power, this does not refute the fact that in reality there is but ''one'' Power which has issued from God and which permeates all Creation. 

Yet there is a difference between Divine Power and spiritual power! 

The spiritual power is dominated by the Divine Power from which it has issued. 

It is not really a weakened Divine Power but rather a ''transformed'' power which, through its transformation, has taken on a different nature, and the effectiveness of which has thereby been somewhat limited. 

Thus there are two species working differently, yet in reality only one power!

 In addition to these we have animistic power. 

Hence there are three basic powers, of which the spiritual and the animistic powers are nourished and governed by the Divine Power! 

All three may be called one! 

There are no other powers, only many sub - species which have arisen through the basic spiritual and basic animistic species, and each of which is also different in its effect.

 Each species in its own way again produces correspondingly changed laws which, however, are always a logical consequence of the fundamental species although, due to the change of power that has taken place, they may appear somewhat different outwardly. 

All the species, however, including the fundamental species, are bound to the highest Divine Law of Power, and within their own changed laws can only be different in their outward forms. 

They appear different because, with the exception of the Divine Will Itself, every species and every sub - species form only part - species, thus piecework, which can naturally also only have part - laws. 

These strive to unite with the perfect whole, the Pure Divine Power from which they are derived, and which is identical with Divine Will and become manifest as immutable adamantine law. 

Each power with all its sub - species works in the existing ethereal and gross material substances according to its nature, forming therein on account of its own particular variety ''different'' worlds or planes. 

Individually judged, each of these worlds or planes, if compared with the whole of Creation, is in each case no more than piecework, because the power that formed it is also only a correspondingly altered part of the perfect Power of God, containing not complete but only part - laws.

 ''Only when all the laws'' of the various world planes ''are combined'' do they again result in the perfect laws which were established through the Divine Will in Primordial Creation, in the Primordial Spiritual Realm.

 Therefore the seed - germ of the human spirit has to traverse all the world - planes in order personally to experience their individual laws and bring them to life within itself. 

When it has gathered all the good possible out of them, these laws will really have become a part of its inner consciousness. 

If it makes proper use of them according to the Will of God it may then enter Paradise; indeed these laws will bear it there in the course of their normal activity. 

From there it will consciously work, helping and furthering, in the part - planes below, this being the highest task of every mature human spirit. 

There can never be overcrowding because, as they float in the Infinite, the world - planes now existing can be extended without limit. 

Thus the Kingdom of God will become larger and larger, forever being developed and extended by the power of the pure human spirits, whose field of activity will be Subsequent Creation.

 This they will be able to direct from Paradise, having themselves already wandered through all its parts and thereby become thoroughly acquainted with them. 

These explanations are only given here so that no misconceptions will arise through the reference to Divine Power and spiritual power, for in reality there exists but one Power which has issued from God and lout of which the different species are formed. 

He who knows of all these processes will never childishly expect things to happen which can never happen because they lie outside the various laws in question. 

Thus neither will the Son of Man stretch forth His hand to give rise to catastrophes which are supposed to come about ''immediately''! 

That would be against the existing and immutable Laws of Nature! 

The spiritual is more mobile and lighter, and therefore also faster, than the animistic.

 For this reason the animistic will require more time to manifest than does the spiritual. 

Consequently the animistic, i.e., the elemental, happening must naturally also take place after the spiritual happening.

 Likewise ethereal matter can be moved faster through these powers than gross matter.

 All these laws must be fulfilled; they can neither be circumvented or overridden! 

These laws are known to the Light, and the despatch of the executive messenger or of special orders are ''so'' arranged that the final effects converge as God willed it!

 An apparatus of a magnitude far beyond man's power of comprehension has been necessary for the Judgment that is now at hand. 

But it works so exactly that in reality there are no delays - except in those points where human volition is required to co - operate! 

With foolish obstinacy men alone forever try to remain outside every fulfilment, or even malevolently interfere with its accomplishment . . . . in earth - binding vanity! 

But fortunately this was taken into account after the great failure of mankind during the life on earth of the Son of God! 

Through their failure men can only make the earthly path of the Son of Man more difficult up to a certain point, causing Him to wander on by - ways and make detours. 

They cannot, however, prevent the happening ordained by God, not in any way postpone the predestined outcome, for the backing of the Darkness which gave them strength for their folly has already been taken away  from them! 

And as for that bulwark of intellectual activity behind which they shelter while shooting off their poisoned arrows, it will soon collapse under the pressure of the advancing Light! 

Then all will tumble about their ears, and no mercy will be shown to them after all the evil they have constantly created in their thoughts! 

Thus the day so ardently longed for by those who strive for the Light will come not one hour later than was originally ordained!    

                                                                        THIS   IS    MY     BODY!     THIS    IS    MY     BLOOD!

THE SON of God said to His disciples : ''He who absorbs My Word absorbs Me. 

He really eats of My Body and drinks of My Blood!''  

Such is the sense of the words the Son of God spoke when He instituted the Last Supper; words which, through the Last Supper, He symbolised as a remembrance of His Life on earth! 

How then could it happen that they were the cause of the violent conflicts between the learned and the churches? 

Their sense is so simple and so clear when man bases them on the fact that the Son of God, Christ Jesus, was the Word of God which had ''become flesh''! How could He express Himself more clearly than by simply saying : He who absorbs My Word eats of My Body and drinks of My Blood!'' 

 Also when He said : ''The Word is truly My Body and My Blood.'' 

He had to speak in this way because He Himself was the Living Word in flesh and blood. 

But when such words were passed on the most important point was always omitted again and again - the reference to ''the Word'' which was ''walking'' on earth! 

Because they did not understand it they thought it of secondary importance. 

Through this the whole Mission of Christ was misunderstood, mutilated and distorted!

 Despite their belief, even the disciples of the Son of God were not at that time capable of understanding the words of their Master aright, just as they had never fully grasped so much of what He had said! 

Indeed Christ Himself often enough expressed sorrow at this! 

They simply portrayed the meaning of the Last Supper according to ''the'' manner in which, in their childlike simplicity, they had understood it. 

It is therefore quite natural that they passed on words which were not quite clear to them merely as they comprehended them, and not as the Son of God had meant them! 

Jesus was the Word of God become flesh! 

Thus he who absorbed His Word aright also received Jesus Himself! 

And if a man lets this Word of God that is offered to him come to life within himself so that it becomes an integral part of himself, of his thoughts and his actions, he thereby lets the spirit of Christ come to life within himself, for the Son of God was the incarnate living Word of God! 

Man must at last make an effort really to fathom this train of thought ''aright''! 

He should not merely read and talk about it, but he must also try to animate it by quietly experiencing its meaning in living pictures.

 Then he will also ''truly'' experience the Last Supper, providing he recognises that what he receives is the Living Word of God, and that he has already made himself thoroughly familiar with Its meaning and purpose.

 It is not quite so easy as many believers think. 

To partake of Holy Communion apathetically will bring no profit! 

For what is living, as is the Word of God, must be ''taken'' in by a man who is fully alive!

 The Church cannot animate Holy Communion unless the communicant has prepared himself beforehand to receive it in the ''right frame of mind''!

 One also sees pictures intended to illustrate the beautiful words : ''I am knocking!'' 

Such pictures are quite right! 

The Son of God is standing at the door of the hut and knocking, desiring admittance.

 But here already man has again added some of his own thoughts, for through the partly - open door one can see a table laid in the hut. 

This gives rise to the idea that no one who begs for food and drink should be turned away. 

The thought is beautiful and also corresponds to Christ's Word, but it has been interpreted in too narrow a sense. 

''I am knocking'' means much more! 

Charity forms but a small part of the contents of God's Word! 

When Christ says : ''I am knocking'' He means that the Word of God embodied in Him is knocking at the door of the human soul, not ''begging'' to be admitted, but ''demanding'' admittance! 

The Word in its entirety, as it has been given to man, is to be received by him! 

His ''soul'' is to open its door to admit the Word and have the table within itself prepared for it! 

The word ''table'' is here identical with altar.

 If the soul complies with this demand, the physical actions of the earth - man will naturally accord with what the ''Word'' demands. 

Man invariably tries to grasp a question with his intellect only, which means that he analyses and thus belittles it, compressing it into narrow limits, and thereby always running the risk of only recognising fragments of all that is great, just as happened in this case! 

The incarnation of the Living Word of God is always bound to remain a mystery to man on earth because the beginning of this happening lies in the Divine Sphere! 

The human spirit does not possess the perceptive capacity to penetrate into the Divine Sphere, and therefore the forging of the first link in the chain of events which led to the later Incarnation will always remain closed to human understanding. 

It is therefore not surprising that just ''this'' symbolic action of the Son of God, as expressed in the distribution of the bread and wine, could not up till now be understood by mankind. 

However, if after this explanation, which enables him to construct a picture in his mind, man still persists in inveighing against it, he merely proves that the limit of his perception ceases in the Spiritual Sphere! 

In defending the absolutely unnatural explanation of the Words of Christ which has hitherto prevailed he would only indicate an unscrupulous obstinacy!

                 I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE, NO MAN COMETH TO THE FATHER BUT BY ME!

AS JESUS came from the Divine He was right in using these words because He was the only One who could overlook and really explain everything.

 His Message, which cannot be separated from Him personally, shows the ''clear'' path up to the Light amid the confusion arising from erroneous views.

 For all human spirits this means the possibility of rising or ''resurrection from the World of Matter'' into which they have been immersed for their further development. 

Such resurrection means ''life'' for everyone!

 Now listen attentively! 

All that is base and all that is evil, i.e., all that is called Darkness, exists ''only'' in the World of Matter, both in the gross matter and in ethereal matter.

 He who grasps ''this'' aright has  already gained much! 

As soon as a man thinks in an evil or base manner he does immense harm to ''himself''. 

The main strength of his volition then flows forth like a magnetic ray towards all that is base where it attracts ethereal matter which, due to its weight, is denser and thus darker.

 As a result the human spirit from which this volition issues is enveloped in this dense kind of matter. 

Even if a human mind is primarily bent on worldly things, i.e., if a man is under the spell of a passion for something which not necessarily be immorality, gambling or drinking, but can also be a marked partiality for anything of an earthly nature, his spirit will be covered by a more or less dense ethereal cloak through the process I have already mentioned.

 This dense and consequently dark covering ;prevents all possibility of the spirit rising upwards, and ''remains'' with it as long as kit does not change the nature of its volition. 

Only an earnest volition and an earnest striving for ''sublime spirituality'' can loosen and at last completely detach such a cloak, because it then no longer receives a supply of strength of a like nature and gradually loosens its grip.

 Finally it is dissolved and sinks away, thus freeing the spirit for its ascent.

 Ethereal matter must not be regarded as refinement of visible gross matter, for it is a species quite ''alien'' to gross matter and of ''different'' consistency, which however can still be called matter. 

It forms a transition to animistic substantiality from which the animal soul originates.

 If men remain in the World of Matter they must naturally be drawn at some time or other into the disintegration to which all matter is subject, because owing to his cloak they can no longer free themselves from matter in time. 

Those who of their own desire have descended into the World of Matter for their development will remain bound in it ''unless they continue on the right path''! 

They are unable to sever themselves from it, which if they did would be tantamount to a resurrection towards the Light! 

It should be further explained that ''every'' development of a spirit - germ longing for personal consciousness ''necessitates'' a descent into the World of Matter.

 ''Only through experiences in the World of Matter can it so develop''. 

No other way is open to it! 

The spirit - germ, however, is not forced to make this descent, it only happens when its ''own desire'' to do so awakens within it. 

Its own ''wishes'' then impel it towards the necessary course of development, out of the so - called Paradise of unconsciousness and thus out its state of non - responsibility.

 If through their wrong desires men lose the right path which leads upwards again, back to the Light, they remain wandering about in the World of Matter. Now try and observe the happenings in the ''World of Gross Matter'', the development and the decaying in your immediate and visible surroundings! Observe in the germination, growing, ripening and decaying how the process of forming goes on, i.e., how the basic substances become merged, the development which takes place, followed again by deterioration into the same basic substances through disintegration, that is, through the falling apart in the process of decaying of what has been formed!

 You can distinctly see this with water, also with the so - called decomposition of stones, with plants and also with animals and human bodies.

 And in the same way that this happens with small things it also happens with great things, and ultimately with all world events! 

And not only in the Gross Material World  which is ''visible'' to man on earth, but also in the Ethereal World, in the so - called beyond which, however, has nothing to do with Paradise! 

As the lowest part of Creation the entire World of Matter hangs like a huge wreath, rotating in an immense circle which takes millions of years to complete. Thus in the great cosmic happenings everything not only revolves around itself, but the whole of Creation also continually rotates in an immense circle. 

Just as this great cycle ''resulted'' from the first union and development to its present perfection, so it ''continues'' unswervingly on its course ''in the same manner'' until disintegration sets in and returns the component parts to their primeval substance. 

The circle, however, calmly continues to rotate along with this primeval substance in order to form new worlds with new and virgin powers through newly - effected unions. 

Such is the great process of evolution, eternally repeating itself on the smallest as well as on the greatest scale! 

And ''above'' this rotating circle there stands firmly anchored the first spiritually pure Creation, the so - called Paradise. in contrast to the formed World of Matter, Paradise is ''not'' subject to disintegration.

 In this eternal Spiritual Sphere, which stands luminously above the rotating circle, lies the origin of the unconscious spirit - germ of man.

 This spiritual sphere again becomes the ''final goal'' of the human spirit after it has become self - conscious and thus ''personal'' in the World of Matter.

 It comes forth as an unconscious and non - responsible germ. 

It returns as a self - conscious and therefore responsible personality provided that . . . it does not get lost on its necessary journey through the World of Matter ( thereby becoming entangled in it ) , but celebrates its resurrection from it as a human spirit which has become fully conscious.

 A joyful emergence from the World of Matter towards this luminous and eternal part of Creation! 

As long as the human spirit remains in the World of Matter it joins in part of this great and eternal rotating movement without, of course, realising it. 

Thus one day it will at last arrive at the boundary line where that part of Creation inhabited by the human spirits slowly drifts towards disintegration! Then, however, it is high time for all human spirits which are still ''within'' the World of Matter to make haste and improve themselves to ''such'' an extent that they can ascend to the safe and luminous haven of the Eternal Kingdom, which means to find the right way and above all the ''shortest'' way of escape from the impending dangers in the World of Matter before being overtaken by them! 

With all the rest they will then be slowly drawn into disintegration, in which process the ''personal''  ''ego'' they have acquired will be torn to pieces. Suffering a thousand torments they will again become unconscious spirit - germs, the most dreadful fate which can befall a spirit that has attained self - consciousness! 

This concerns all those who have developed their personality in the wrong direction. 

As their personality is both useless and detrimental it must therefore again be forfeited. 

It should be noted that disintegration is not the same as destruction. 

Nothing can be destroyed! 

It only relapses into a primeval state. 

What will be destroyed in these lost ones is the personal ''ego'' they had acquired up to that time, and this will be accompanied by unspeakable torments! Such lost or damned ones then ceased to be complete human spirits, while the others are permitted to return home to the Eternal Kingdom of Joy and Light as self - conscious spirits, consciously enjoying all its splendour. 

In the same way as a field after a number of years yields ever - decreasing harvests of grain, and only receives new strength through planting different crops, so it is with the World of Matter. 

This, too, becomes exhausted after a time and must refresh its strength through disintegration and a new composition. 

Such events, however, cover millions of years, but even in happenings extending over many millions of years there comes ''one definite year'' which is absolutely decisive for the necessary separation of what is useful from what is useless.

 ''And the earth has now reached this point of time in the great cycle''! 

The human spirit still dwelling in the World of Matter ''must'' at last decide to make its ascent, or the World of Matter will clasp it firmly for the ensuing disintegration. 

This is the eternal damnation from which it will never be possible to rise as a conscious spiritual personality and ascend towards the luminous eternal part of Creation which stands above such disintegration!

 In the natural development of the whole every possibility that spirit - germs striving to become conscious can incarnate upon this over - ripe earth - plane has long since been forfeited, because they would require too long a period to make a timely departure from the World of Matter as personal self - conscious spirits.

 In the natural course of events the spirit - germs can only flow to ''such parts of the cosmos'' as are of the same nature ''in respect of the fact'' that their necessary development requires just as much time as a spirit - germ also needs if it were to use all the time allotted to it to gain perfection. 

Only the fact that they are on the same stage of development opens the way for a spirit - germ, while if any part of the cosmos were of greater maturity it would create quite insurmountable barriers. 

Thus here too there can be absolutely no question of an injustice and a deficiency!

 Every human spirit can therefore stand equally matured with the greatest maturity of the material environment in which it has its being, at the same point as that now reached by the particular part  of the World of Matter we at present inhabit. 

There is not one human being who could not be mature! 

The disparity among men  is but the necessary consequence of their own free volition. 

Because it is over - ripe the world of Matter is now entering a period of disintegration and simultaneously drifting towards a new birth. 

For the human spirits, however, the time of harvesting has arrived, and with it the separation! 

That which is mature will be uplifted towards the Light through the effects of the Natural Laws which permit the ethereal cloak gradually to be cast off, leaving the spirits thus freed from its burden consciously to swing upwards to the realm of its own nature, of all that is eternally spiritual. 

That which is useless, however, will be retained in the World of Matter by the self - imposed density of their ethereal bodies. 

The fate of these latter is that their ethereal bodies will remain subject to the changes now beginning in the World of Matter, and they will have to suffer under the most painful disintegration covering thousands of years. 

The magnitude of their suffering will finally affect the human spirit in such a manner as to make it lose its self - consciousness. 

And with it the form of the image of God, the from of man, acquired in the course of becoming conscious, again disintegrates! 

After the complete disintegration of matter back into primeval substance, that which has become ''unconscious'' spiritual substance is again set free and, in accordance with its nature, rises upwards.

 Then, however, it does not return as a conscious human spirit, but an unconscious seed which at some time or other, through a newly - awakened desire, sets out from the very beginning on a  new course of development in a new part of the world.

 Looking down from His infinitely high standpoint, that is, from ''On High'', Christ, ''as always'', chose His words in such a way as to describe the quite natural process of the spirit rising out of the World of Matter into which it had descended as a spirit - germ. 

Try to imagine yourself standing ''above'' the World of Matter! 

Below you, spread out like a field, ''lies the'' World of Matter in its many varieties! 

The spirit - germs, coming from above, now descended into the World of Matter. 

After a long time and at many different intervals there gradually emerges a number of complete human spirits which have become self - conscious through their experiences in the World oof Matter, and which through their urge to strive upwards have been able to cast off all that is material and leave it behind. These then celebrate their resurrection from the World of Matter! 

But not all germs rise as matured spirits above the surface. 

A good many of them never emerge and must perish without being of any use! 

It is exactly the same as with a field of grain! 

Just as with the seed of wheat all mysterious and ''real'' development takes place ''in'' the soil needed for the purpose, so the principal development of the spirit - germ takes place in the general World of Matter. 

In ''each one'' of His sentences Christ invariably ''illustrates'' some natural happening in Creation! 

Whether He said : ''No man cometh to the Father but by My Message, or by My Word, or by Me'', it is one and the same thing! 

It means : ''No man can find the way except through what I say!''  

One expression means the same as the other! 

It is also the same whether He says : ''Through My Message I bring you the possibility of resurrection from the World of Matter and with it life'' or ''I am, by My Word, resurrection and life for you!''

 Men should grasp the ''meaning'' and not persist in confusing themselves by haggling over words! 

The processes in the cycle of the World of Matter indicated here only in broad outline may also produce a few exceptions which, however, are not caused by any changes or distortions in the effective Laws of Creation, but which contain complete and inexorable fulfilment.

 In order to avoid errors creeping in I now wish to give a few brief explanations in advance of later lectures where the subject is dealt with more fully.

 The afore - mentioned periodic disintegration of all matter at a certain definite point in its cycle is a consequence of the fact that the human spirit - germs, which have the capacity to make a free decision, are permitted to develop in the World of Matter. 

Since with this ability to make a free decision the spirit - germs do not always choose the way upwards to the Light, a certain increase in the density of the World of Matter not willed by the Light takes place, causing it to become heavier and forcing it down onto a course that leads to over - ripeness and to the funnel which acts like a cleaning filter upon everything, and in which disintegration simultaneously occurs. 

Any part of the cosmos or any celestial body in the World of Matter in which developing human spirits adjust all their desires and pure volitions only to the Light remains more luminous and therefore lighter, on a plane where it can uninterruptedly absorb the living radiating powers out of the Light. 

It always remains fresh and healthy and swings in the Laws of Creation, thus avoiding a course which must otherwise lead to over - ripeness and disintegration. 

Such parts quite naturally, i.e., by the Will of the Light, wing their way high above the boundary where disintegration sets in. 

Unfortunately there are only very few of these! 

The guilt for this must lie at the door of the spirit of man which is allowed to develop but which chose wrong paths and, despite all admonitions, clung to them persistently! 

Where, however, by an act of Grace the Creator wishes to offer help when distress is at its highest, that is, shortly before the particular part enters the sucking power of the vortex of disintegration, there the process is changed! 

Without the participation of the human spirits the anchoring of the Light through the coming of an Envoy of God so strengthens the Power of the Light that a purification takes place which then, in the last moment, pulls up the thus blessed part of the World of Matter towards more luminous regions so that it passes above the funnel of disintegration and thereby remain in existence. 

The purification naturally sweeps away all that is dark along with all its creatures, its servants and all their abominations, while the human spirits which still remain must gratefully strive upwards to the Light with all their strength! 

Even this extraordinary event swings completely in the Laws of Creation and its effects do not deviate from them by a hair's breadth. 

The compulsory purification connected with the anchoring of the Light is the same as an absolutely new birth!