Chapter III - Spirit and Matter
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sounding in our ears; marvels, calamities, perils and sin
sounding in our ears; marvels, calamities, perils and sin
much more abound now that the understanding is mak-
ing higher demands on man; and if its voice be not
suffocated, longevity will increase, sin diminish, and the
world feel the alterative effects of Truth through every
pore. Aggravation of error foretells its doom and be-
cause of the madness of sin we know Truth is nigh,
even at our doors, and "will overturn until He whose
right it is shall reign." What is Truth? is the question
that convulses the world to-day; hence its throes to
put down radicalism and free thought, which purge
better than a doctor's pills, and to have this question
decided permanently in favor of some 'ism. The march
of time we cannot stay, for progress is engraven on its
banners; those whose kingdom is of this world will
fight for their positions, and furnish their sentinels with
orders "not to let Truth pass their guard unless it sub-
scribes to their sect"; but Truth has passed already
beyond the pointed bayonet; and there is a little tumult
still, and rallying to its standard; we must labor in faith
many long years, still hoping the hour is not far off of
a higher and practical Christianity. Truth is liberty;
its followers hoist the standard of freedom; en-
graven on its banners we read, slavery is abolished,
my body is no longer my master, I claim the free-
dom of the Sons of God. What power opposed to
divine Wisdom is it that binds man to conditions of
sickness, sin, and death? Is it not the body material?
Then is not this body an enemy to man? But this
foe is not stronger than Omnipotence, and is not a ty-
rant without a master. The humble Nazarene rebelled
against its power, and through his demonstration of
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healing proved matter a fable; showing, despite the
healing proved matter a fable; showing, despite the
Rabbi's pride, his understanding of God exceeded
theirs. Intelligence is the master of sickness and sin,
else these are immortal, and evil equal to good. Away
with the belief that something outside of himself, over
which he has no control, makes man sick and a sinner,
and finally kills him, but must stop here for it proposes
to carry him no further than perdition. If man is
hopelessly at the control of matter, of sin, and death,
he is annihilated; for error is not immortal. But we
have no faith in the necessity of sin, of sickness, or
death, because God has no part in these. It is impos-
sible to hide behind the plea, "I am not advanced to
this science and higher understanding of Life, therefore
I cannot triumph over sickness, sin, and death." Then
quicken your experiences, for your tardiness is without
excuse. Every day and hour has its demands on man,
saying, "where art thou? hast thou gained some con-
quest over error to-day, or resigned thyself more con-
tentedly to its slavery?"
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We do not stand still, but are moving forward or
We do not stand still, but are moving forward or
backward, as time glides on and the centuries repeat
history. If not progressing, we must live over the
past until its poor work is erased, (if we are satisfied
with being wrong, we must become dissatisfied with it;
or if content with having done nothing, we must learn
to loathe our leisure. Undoing, in time or eternity,
the errors of sense, we learn to improve every opportu-
nity to do our work well, and bring our bodies into sub-
jection to Soul. This unwinding one's ways, learning
from experience, and partitioning between error and
Truth, means something. Nothing short of the suffer-