Yet I find it quite the usual thing, especially among Spiritualists, to regard evidence of post-mortem existence as equivalent to evidence for immortality. Occultism, in common with all the great Religions, teaches that post-mortem existence is natural and imperative, while immortality is spiritual and conditional. If the shell of a nut be broken the kernel will continue to exist as nut for a considerable time. It is thus with the psychoplasm after separation from the physical body or shell. It is said of those who have attained: These are they over whom the _second death_ hath no power. The tendency to regard all that is not physical as being spiritual in its nature and constitution, is one of the greatest fallacies to which modern interpreters of psychic phenomena have contributed. A change in the sphere of activity does not involve change of character, nor does it determine the degree of spiritual consciousness of the individual. That is a matter of evolution, of knowledge and devotion. The confessed ignorance of discarnate intelligences upon matters mundane and spiritual is sufficient evidence of this fact. CHAPTER V THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM There is one star above all others which periodically sheds its light upon the world, but about which very little is known, and on the occult significance of which little or no light has been hitherto shed. I refer to what is popularly, and as I shall show, correctly known as the Star of Bethlehem. I propose to bring the facts into review with the intention of finally establishing the place of this star in cosmical symbology, and also of showing its connection with the central fact of the Christian religion—the Nativity. The Star is due to make its appearance during the present century, but at what precise date cannot be determined, owing to lack of data. It was seen in the year 945, again in 1264, and by Tycho in 1572, and after becoming visible in the daytime, so great was its lustre, it gradually faded away and disappeared. Sir J. Herschel thought from these facts, that it would reappear in 1872, but such was not the case. The appearance of a large luminous star in Perseus at the beginning of this century led to the belief that it was the long-expected visitant. The body, which was named Nova Persei, was eventually considered by astronomers to be a centre of disruption, on account of its sudden flaring up and disappearance. It may have been this or a collision of two telescopic stars. Tycho tells us that the Star gradually grew in luminosity until it outshone Sirius and even Venus, and as gradually disappeared. This seems to suggest a star of great eccentricity and vast orbit, whose major axis is at right angles to the sphere of visibility, so that it appears to us “end on.” It would thus grow and gradually disappear, without any sensible alteration of its position in the heavens, as here depicted— [Illustration: Figure 1.]