Esoteric V10: July 1896 - Iapsop.com

HG
[October
and earnest application of the method!'~ taught by Christ,
are the only safe and certain mean!'~ whereby man can be
trul,v redeemed and elevated from his present condition of
servitude and matet·iali8tic manner of living to the high and
exalted one of a truly redeemed man, a master in deed and
in truth.
The majority of the son!S of men ar·e still mu·edeemed, ar·e in
the sense of being limited and bound by cit•Cltnl>4tal1Ct'S anJ COilditions,-s}aves.
They are slave>~ of appetite and pa>4sion, bound
by astral conditions, sw:\yed by the seen aurl unseen forces,
which combinedly Mmpel them to under·go trials and hardships
without number·. These un8een forces which are pressing
in from every side are t~e cause of the mistake!! which man, in
his ignorance, is continually making, and which men term sins;
but, when we un•lerstand the ultimate good th:tt is accomplished
through them, we perceive that in reality they are not evils,
but are wi11e methotll! t>mplo.ved by a ju>4t and far-seein~ Cr·eator,
whereby mau ill t~ompt>lletl to str·nggle in or,Jet· that he may
grow strong and vigorous, both in miml and hody.
Dear fr·iend11, we 1lesi•·e to place this thonght dt>at·l.v lwfnre
yom· minds; and our e:lrnest pt·a,vet· i>4, that Uotl m:ty illuminate
our mulerst:tntling. !'IO that we may m:1ke dear tu
you the trend of our reasu11ing. \V e tlt•sir·e not tu tnrn yon
ft·om the Gn1l of your dlil.lhoofl :11111 e:tdy tr·aining. but, by a
preseutation of pm·e ancl simple IIIPt.l~eulll, to l~a,] you dos .. t· tn
him, so that yon may he ahle to '"""~' to an llllllet·:o~t:nulin~r of
his ever watchful, tlevotetl love. Ilis love is far l!rl•atet· than
the love uf an e:u·thly pat·ent ; bnt. at the s:une time, his laws
are fixed anti nm~hangeahle. Olwy them, atul f1·eedom and
power· are tha tmtnral t't>snlts: disobey them, atul the penalty
of bt·oken law, w hidt i!-1 si 11, s•>rt·ow. :uul death, mnst he paid i u
full.
F1·eqnently the unseen fot·ces appear· to eombine and labor
in man's interests, often lifting a favm·etl one to the highest
pinnacle. of earthly emint·m~e. bringing to him houm·, fame, and
wealth. 'Vhat does it profit a man, however, if be gain all
these, and has not fonutl the pead of great twice'! At he11t,
tlwy can only last for a few shot·t, tleeting years; and then,
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