Bible Review V15: October 1916 - March 1918 - Iapsop.com

Self-(llnniihenrr
BY H. E. BUTLER
(Reprinted from "The Esoteric" of August 1899.)
ggffvriniegg EARLY every vital truth held by the people
'P Q of the present age has been inverted, and
'f* N *K* therefore has become a vital error. An
'P ii' error cannot be a vital one unless it be a
*'¥"*"*'¥ truth perverted. It is also true that nearly
every attribute and condition of the human mind is a
perverted one. Because of this fact the Esoterist who
starts in pursuit of perfection of life and knowledge, is
confronted by a formidable task in his work of rectifying
the errors of life. These errors are so numerous and
each individual manifests such different phases of them,
that if one wishes to find out those to which his own
organization particularly subjects him, he must go within
himself, he cannot and should not compare himself with
others. Saint Paul in his second letter to the Corinth~
ians(x. 12) says: "For we dare not make ourselves of the
number, or compare ourselves with some that commend
themselves: but they, measuring themselves by themselves,
and comparing themselves among themselves, are
not wise." The Apostle here puts the thought very
mildly, for out of this comparing ourselves with ourselves
arise the greatest errors of the age.
Among the multitude of evils actuating the people, all
unconsciously to themselves, is that of egotism. This,
again, is an inversion of a most essential principle of the