But rather, we must say that we have a long time--all our lives, in
which we will press facts closer and closer to our minds; and we begin
by learning the simplest. There is an idea in that home of our
inspiration--the fact that there are certain mechanical processes by
which men can acquire merit. This is perfectly true. It is by mechanical
processes that we become different; and the science of education
consists largely in systematizing these processes.
Then, just as space perceptions are necessary for the knowledge of our
fellow-men, and enable us to enter into human relationships with them in
all the organized variety of civilized life, so it is necessary to
develop our perceptions of higher space, so that we can apprehend with
our minds the relationship which we have to beings higher than
ourselves, and bring our instinctive knowledge into clearer
consciousness.
It appears to me self-evident, that in the particular disposition of any
portion of matter, that is, in any physical action, there can be neither
right nor wrong; the thing done is perfectly indifferent.
At the same time, it is only in things done that we come into
relationship with the beings about us and higher than us. Consequently,
in the things we do lies the whole importance of our lives.
Now, many of our impulses are directly signs of a relationship in us to
a being of which we are not immediately conscious. The feeling of love,
for instance, is always directed towards a particular individual; but by
love man tends towards the preservation and improvement of his race;
thus in the commonest and most universal impulses lie his relations to
higher beings than the individuals by whom he is surrounded. Now, along
with these impulses are many instincts of a modifying tendency; and,
being altogether in the dark as to the nature of the higher beings to
whom we are related, it is difficult to say in what the service of the
higher beings consists, in what it does not. The only way is, as in
every other pre-rational department of life, to take the verdict of
those with the most insight and inspiration.
And any striving against such verdicts, and discontent with them, should
be turned into energy towards finding out exactly what relation we have
towards these higher beings by the study of Space.
Human life at present is an art constructed in its regulations and rules
on the inspirations of those who love the undiscerned higher beings, of
which we are a part. They love these higher beings, and know their
service.
But our perceptions are coarser; and it is only by labour and toil that
we shall be brought also to see, and then lose the restraints that now
are necessary to us in the fulness of love.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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