Chapter II - Imposition and Demonstration
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"Hast thou forsaken me?" Had this appeal been made
"Hast thou forsaken me?" Had this appeal been made
to a person, we might have doubted the justice or affec-
tion of that father, who for an instant could withhold
the clear recognition of his presence to sustain and
bless so faithful a son. But it was not made to a per-
son, it was made to Truth, Life and Love, the Principle
he was to prove: and the momentary fear was, that his
understanding of these was not sufficient to meet that
hour of the world's hate. Jesus knew God is Love,
that He, not man, was Love, insomuch as Love is Soul,
and not personal sense; but suppose this recogni-
tion should falter under stress of circumstances, what
would his accusers say? Even what they did, that
Truth should be confounded, and there should be no
re-appearing of Jesus. The weight of mind bearing on
him at that hour from the throng of disbelievers in the
great Principle for which he was crucified, weighed
heavily; not the spear, nor the cross, but the ingrati-
tude of the world drew forth the half suppressed "ali-
sabacthani," that unpinioned for a moment the wings of
faith. The world's hatred of Truth caused that moment
of agony, harder to bear than the cross, up the hill of
grief. A Life that was Love, all the good he did, re-
warded with a cup of gall! Behold the sweat of blood
falling in holy benediction on the grass of Gethsemane,
and say, was Christianity then the privileged of earth,
and can the followers to-day of that Truth so perse-
cuted then, expect the world's approval? Principle
bestows few palms until we reach through demonstra-
tion, its fullness. Love must triumph over hate, and
Truth and Life over error and death, before the thorns
are laid off for the crown of glory, and "well done good
143:1
and faithful," bestows immortal honors. Our Master
and faithful," bestows immortal honors. Our Master
had realized and demonstrated the science of Life when
he was found talking with his disciples after the burial;
and whom the Rabbis had hoped to bury in a sepulchre,
to-day is acknowledged God! and this God, and this
Truth that Jesus taught and proved over eighteen
centuries ago, in days to come will be understood.
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Soul triumphed over personal sense, and said to
Soul triumphed over personal sense, and said to
death, where is thy sting, and where thy victory,
grave? But many who saw this phenomenon miscon-
strued it; his disciples even, called him a "spirit," but
his reply was, "Spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye
see me have;" Jesus demonstrated man's unchanged
condition after what we call death, also that Spirit is
not person or man; and to convince Thomas of this, he
caused him to examine the prints of the nails and spear;
he proved for time and eternity that death is but a
belief of personal sense, because Life is Spirit, alias
God, and God the immortality and Soul of man; but
those consenting to the martyrdom of a righteous man
were only willing out of their wicked work to make a
doctrinal platform for saving souls? His students, not
sufficiently advanced to understand the lesson of that
hour, performed not their wonderful healing until their
Master reappeared, and talked with them of its science,
and at length rose out of their sight, that is, his third
demonstration was so beyond their understanding, we
have no farther record of him to explain. Then re-
ceived they the holy ghost, in other words, the fuller
interpretation that science gives of God, and wrought
after the example of their Teacher, when they had no
longer a person, but a Principle to lean upon.