Chapter IV - Creation
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continued longer with us; history is greatly indebted
continued longer with us; history is greatly indebted
to his labors and genius, for facts relating to the belief
of Life in matter. His discoveries brought to light im-
portant points in what is termed embryotic life; the
butterfly, bee, etc., propagating their species without
the male element; and this corroborates science, prov-
ing plainly that the origin of the universe and man
depends not on material conditions. The spiritual un-
derstanding of Life, embraces neither sensuous forma-
tions nor conditions of matter. All that has a beginning
has an end; what we name life germinating in an egg,
and expanding thence to adult being, will finally go
out, which proves it never was Life, and nothing, in
fact, but a belief of Life, and this belief, mesmerism and
not man. Animals of lower organisms combine three
methods of reproduction; they multiply by eggs, buds,
and self-division, proving the conditions of Life become
less imperative in lower organisms, or where there is
less mind and belief on this subject. Prof. Agassiz says,
"Successive generations do not begin with the birth of
new individuals, but with the formation of the egg
whence these individuals proceed; and we must look
upon the egg as the starting point of the complicated
structure of man." His deep researches into material
structure culminate here in logical conclusion, and with
less hypothesis and more observation than generally at-
tend such theorems. His discovery aids the science of
Life; he has bearded error in its den, proved clearly the
origin of mortal man to be matter, and not Spirit; the
product of an egg, instead of God, and that a belief of
structural life is the sole progenitor of what is termed
mortal man; even as Truth is the origin of immortal
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man and the universe. But what availeth it to investi-
man and the universe. But what availeth it to investi-
gate this so-called life, that germinates, matures, and
decays; that is found to end even as it began, a name-
less nothing, starting in dust, or an egg, and ending in
dust. This belief and error the source of sickness, sin
and death, hides the real harmony of Life. When it is
learned that God is our Life, man will be immortal,
sinless, and perfect, and never until then. Spirit is
without beginning and without end; but admitting the
false premises of Life in matter, whence to draw our
conclusions of man, we may infer the discord and con-
fusion consequent on this error and belief with but one
signification, viz., "dust to dust." Error of thought
leads to error of action; a constant contemplation of sin
will produce it, and the ever-present belief of existence
in matter, drops the standard of man in dust. Contem-
plate Life as it is, neither man nor matter, but God,
that which is Intelligence, purity and harmony, and we
gain its happiness. If Life has a starting point, immor-
tality is a myth; commencing at a given point, signifies
a terminus. If Life has a beginning, it has an end also,
and there is no immortality. Life is spherical, without
beginning or end; the form of the globe typifies it, and
the Principle of the universe is Life, Truth, and Love.
Life is cause and not effect, universal, infinite, omnipo-
tent, producing all that really is, and never inside its
productions. An egg were a narrow boundary for God!
and matter cannot produce matter, much less can it
produce Spirit, or Spirit permeate matter. For Spirit
to enter matter would be to destroy it, and all would
be found Spirit; the immortal destroys mortality, and
death would be swallowed up in Life. That like pro-