Chapter II
Imposition and Demonstration
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PHENOMENA not understood belong to the things
PHENOMENA not understood belong to the things
that are, but which we venture not to explain, not hav-
ing gained their origin and specific character from sci-
ence. That which is real is not characterized by 'ism
or belief; and the understanding grasping a subject is
satisfied to name it only as it names itself. Phenomena
based on science produce good results only, and never
the opposite; this rule is invariable, and should meas-
ure every calculation." Whatever can work discord,
accomplish a sinister purpose, or harm our neighbor, is
not science or the phenomenon of Truth, but the mani-
festation of some belief and error. What are termed
spiritual manifestations, as progress compels the change,
will be found not mediumship, but openly defined, and
when confined within the limits of harmony and it be
found impossible to do evil by means of them, it will be
time to consider them demonstrations of science, but not
until then. These manifestations at present are the
result of tricks or belief, proceeding from the so-called
mind of man, and not the mind of God, from the mind
of body and not the mind of Soul, from person and not
Principle, from belief and not understanding; yea,
from matter and not Spirit.
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Mind is divided into idea and belief; idea is based on
Mind is divided into idea and belief; idea is based on
and represents Principle; belief has no foundation in
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science, and is illusion. What we term the mind of man
science, and is illusion. What we term the mind of man
is belief, forming the visionary basis of matter, therefore
matter embraces not the reality of man. Belief is not
a manifestation of Intelligence, but of non-intelligence.
To distinguish between the mind of Soul and the so‑
called mind of body, we must remember one is idea, and
the other belief, alias the counterfeit and claimant of
mind, even as error claims Truth. Mind is immortal,
but belief is mortal, it being the so-called mind of mor-
tal body, whereas the mind of immortal Soul is idea,
even science revealing Truth. Mediumship overlooks
the impossibility for a sensual mind to become Spirit,
or to possess a spiritual body after what we term death,
while science reveals this more inconsistent than for
stygian darkness to emit a sun-beam. When we are
Spirit we shall have gained the high import of this
Scripture, "I and the Father are one," and shall find,
too, this oneness occasions no loss of identity, but that
"I" signifies Spirit and not matter, Principle and not
person, Soul and not body, even the Intelligence repre-
sented by all ideas, symbolizing harmony from the blade
of grass to a star. The question at present is, whether
this "I" is Principle or person, Soul or body, yea, God
or man? Principle is Soul, Intelligence, the "I am,"
but where do we place the "I"; is it Spirit in matter,
Soul in body, Life in the flower, or the outside Intelli-
gence and Life, that form these; is it man or the Soul
of man, outside of matter? The science of being re-
veals God not in matter, therefore this "I" not body,
nor in body, but Soul outside of matter, the infinite, and
not finite, yea, Spirit and not person, and through this
reckoning, man gains eternal identity.