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Lesson X: The Riddle of the Universe.421
Infinite Time, or Eternity. In the above illustrations, the Absolute Time, and
Absolute Space, of course include the relative thing that man has measured
off or set aside, the separation or setting aside existing wholly within the
mental conception of the man, and having no actuality or reality in truth. One
may form a mental conception of a “part” of the Absolute, in the sense that
his attention is limited to that particular presentation of the thing apparent
to his immediate consciousness, just as one may see a “part” of the ocean,
by looking through a telescope pointed at it, but that “part” is not a part in
the sense of a “separate” or “divided” thing—the “separateness” or “division”
being wholly a matter of his consciousness, due to his inability to see the
whole. Likewise, one cannot separate a portion of Space or Time from the
whole—all that he can do is to form a relative conception of Time or Space
and give it a name—he cannot detach either from the whole, in reality. In
fact, both Time and Space are purely relative terms, used by man to help
him to form a finite idea of Eternity and Infinity. Both words presuppose, of
necessity, a measuring, or setting apart, while Infinity and Eternity having no
limits, cannot be measured at either end, and are Absolute terms.
This Being—Reality—Spirit—Absolute—the Thing that is—The Real
Thing—the Whole Thing—of course is inconceivable to the finite human
intellect. Man’s higher states of consciousness, as they unfold, help him to
understand the matter more fully, but none may understand the Absolute
fully, unless he be the Absolute himself. The Final Secret is insoluble to
our ordinary consciousness, or any consciousness outside of the Absolute
Consciousness. But as our consciousness unfolds, we may obtain (and do
obtain), further and fuller knowledge—as sheath after sheath is thrown off,
and the rays of the Spiritual Mind beat upon our consciousness, we are able
to know many things formerly thought to be unknowable. And, we may
make good use of the intellect in this matter. We have been told, so often,
that we must take certain things “on faith,” and that it was “no use bothering
our minds concerning them,” but this is only a partial statement of truth,
for the Intellect does give us a reliable report concerning the real nature