of which have often proven erroneous. The concept you get from an observation of the objects, in an experimental way, are direct revelations from YAHVEH, and to the extent that you understand them, it is your most sacred duty to obey them as far as they explain or point out your duties and opportunities; and to the extent that you cannot understand, you cannot feel a responsibility. When once you see that making a body one eighth its former size causes it to oscillate twice as fast as before, then you will have one fact in your mind given you directly from the Omnipresent One, the truth of which you can never be led to doubt, and which will be evidence sufficient in your mind to overthrow any creed, if the philosophy of that creed happens to contradict it. That one single fact, has from that time on, more authority than any creed, any philosophy, or the opinion of any man or book. When you once see that sound cannot be transmitted through an atomic vacuum, and when you understand why it cannot, you will be in possession of another word from God, which you know to be true without doubt; and when once you acquire a sufficient number of such facts distinctly impressed upon your mind, you will commence to classify the knowledge thus obtained, and by so doing you will acquire concepts of concepts (generalizations). The list of facts in your mind are simply items of knowledge, the guides and materials of reason. The classification of these facts according to similarities between them, constitutes natural history; but the generalization of these phenomena, under their proper forces, and according to specific principles constitutes the sciences; sciences are unified knowledges. Their progress consists in successively relegating former unifications, and forces, and principles under more and more comprehensive generalizations; and completely unified knowledges and sciences, would be philosophy.

The basis of all this progress must necessarily be accurate knowledge of the phenomena and objects of ALL that Is; and the way to get this knowledge is to observe and experiment, and to take your evidence not from the word of man, but directly from the teachings of the Omniscient ALL. The word and teachings of man can point out directions for the search of higher truth, and indicate the direction of the beacon light of progress; and can tell you what they saw upon the sacred mountain; and to the extent that they aid you in understanding what you have seen, or in seeing that which you have not seen, or in preparing you for seeing and understanding, to that extent they are the mediators of the Infinite, and in fact portions of the ALL; but the revelation cannot come from the highest source until you drink from the fountain with your own lips, until you see the facts for yourself. You cannot examine any one object carefully without obtaining a special message from God, a message you could not have obtained from books, for your own special developments, and your own individuality and personality will be affected differently from that of your neighbor, and there will be revealed to you that which could not have come to him, and which will be particularly suited to your own needs. There comes with these investigations those peculiar mental and emotional conditions which can not be derived from a text-book or a teacher, for are you not in confidential conversation with Infinite Love?

Under such circumstances Nature will whisper into your ear her choic est secrets. If you do not thoroughly comprehend the full meaning of these facts, and know from your own standpoint whether they be true or

false as you proceed, this paper will fail in its mission with you. Before entering into the sphere of the occult phenomena connected with Sound, the well known phenomena must be understood, and to that end we present the phenomena connected with the hearing of sounds and their effects upon the body, mind, emotions, and soul-conditions.

(To be continued.)

PRACTICAL INSTRUCTION FOR REACHING THE HIGHEST GOAL OF HUMAN ATTAINMENT.

NUMBER SEVENTEEN.

We have dwelt largely on the necessity of dedicating our life and all our interests to the guidance of our highest ideal of God, and of being absolutely obedient to its dictates; but we do not mean to say that we should be led blindly, without reason, for none of the superior ones will thus lead us, neither will they come to us presenting a personal appearance, or some great name; nor some manifestation of superior power as the sufficient reason for our believing their words and following their council. No! they come to help us as a servant. Jesus well said: "He that would be greatest among you let him be servant of all." These superior ones, sent of God, come to help us do that which we wish in our heart to do, therefore, if our heart's desire is not in harmony with the Divine plan and purpose (see Practical Instruction, September number, vol. II.), we need not expect those whose life it is to serve in that direction to serve us unless we are serving the Creator in the same work; again, they will not accept blind obedience in matters of Knowledge. The Master will send us thoughts that will serve us as keys to unlock the great mysteries of Creation, but will not unlock or open the door, that, you must do for yourself. Then in all matters of knowledge and understanding, it is not necessary that we should know whether we have any aid from the superior world or not, if our heart's desire is to know the way of our highest use, and to live the instructions we get in the directions of that use, then there are many souls who are among the "just men, made perfect" who will guide us in the way of the most effectual service.

But many of our people say: "I would gladly follow the guidance, if I could only know when I am guided, or could distinguish the voice of the Master from my own thoughts." We know it is a contradiction and therefore seems ridiculous, to talk about a voice that "speaks in silence," but we wish you to know that there is more knowledge gained through such a voice than in all other ways. There are a great number of men who are very wise and who are living in the body, on earth, who never give their knowledge by words that cause vibrations in the atmosphere (i. e. through sound to the natural ear) but know how to communicate the most sacred, (because the most valuable) information, to the soul who loves this higher sphere of life well enough to conquer all the evils and give themselves to wisdom's ways; to such as are wise enough to understand the methods of our heavenly father, are these instructions sent.

These faculties by which we hear the voice that is soundless is possessed by all; but the minds of all are not in condition to hear, neither will they heed; the habit is so thoroughly established to ignore everything that does not come through the agency of the five senses, that the most ignorant

are chosen to high positions, especially in the educational spheres, but to you who are wise enough not to ignore the most useful faculties of your nature we will give the following methods to acquire their use — faculties that will place you among those referred to by the angel who appeared to John on Patmos, when he said: "He that hath an ear let him hear what the spirit saith." This ear to hear what the Spirit saith we all have, but when He — or It speaks we will not hear, neither will we believe when we do hear. No wonder the Angel said to John, when he revealed the kingdom of heaven to him (Rev. XXI, 8.): "The fearful and unbelieving etc...... have their part in... the second death."

The method by which we become conscious of that voice, or of when we hear the voice, can be obtained most readily by a practice of psycognomy, most commonly called among spiritualists psychometry, and usually believed by them to be the voice of some spirit speaking to them, or in some mysterious way causing them to know these things; but it would be as wise to attribute ordinary hearing or seeing to some outside influence as that faculty, for it is one of your own normal senses; but not having used it, you do not know how to use it. In order to learn how, many and varied experiments must be made; by taking a letter on receiving it, open it, and before looking at the contents or even knowing who it is from, hold it between the palms of the hands, in a passive mental state, with your mind concentrated on the writer with a passive expectant state of mind and try to see the person, and try to imagine their mental and physical condition, also to sense whether it is from a male or female, and remember the feelings you get and what comes into your mind, or in other words while you hold the letter, try to guess from the conditions of mind you get into, all about the person, and repeat this, not only with letters, but with anything that comes into your possession. If you are not very sensitive you may miss it for many times trying, but persevere, you will find after a while that it will prove valuable to you even in this lower sphere; but this is not the important part of it: if you carefully observe the mental states until you know them well enough to assume the mental attitude at any moment, then, after you have gained confidence in the ability to get the correct impressions from letters etc., you can perceive the voice of the Spirit, and when a word is sent to you from high heaven, you can receive it and know what it is, for this is the same mental attribute that is requisite to receive the guidance from the unseen and unknown,and they of that realm will make all plain to your mind; if you are faithful in little things you will get great things.

There are many things in this line more wonderful than I can now give you that you will find out yourself if you are faithful to the light you have. We have given directions for stilling the senses and focalizing the mind, and, in fact, a sufficient line of practice to lead you into the fulness of the light, so that you need not be uncertain about anything, and if you allow the Spirit to lead you as it has led us in this work, you will be accepted as we have been into the work of the ages, where we shall be joint participants in the ripened fruit of all the labors of the inhabitants of the world for the ages past. Many think it wise and call it "Practical" to labor to acquire wealth and knowledge for self, through personal effort. But those who are called to this work will not only reap the fruit of their own labors but will if they give their life to God and humanity, be intrusted with the fruits of all the labors of the human race, from its beginning

until now, to administer of its abundance to the world as they need, and are able to use it.

There is no ordinary mind capable of even appreciating the greatness and grandeur of the work to which you are now called; all that is needed is honest, unselfish, faithful men, who will be assured with abundant evidences of all the needs of body and mind, to give themselves to God and humanity, and to whatever extent men are capable and trustworthy, to that extent will they be intrusted with valuables compared with which the wealth of this world sinks into insignificance. Truly, "The willing and obedient shall eat of the good of the land."

Peace be unto you.

A PRAYER.

Let there be light! O God I need it,
Let there be light! O Father speed it.
And grant that wisdom, from above,
My heart may fill with perfect love.
Lead me, heavenly Father, lead me,
And let me feel that peace doth rest
Upon my soul. Then I am blessed:
And o'er my pathway let there shine
The heavenly rays of light Divine,
To help me e'er to do thy will:

And let me hear thy "peace be still!"
Show me the work that thou hast given
Thy servant here to do for heaven:
And help me heavenly Father feel
For other's woes, and other's ills,
That I be fully fitted here

To live with Thee in your bright sphere.
Help so to live that I can say,

"Thy will be done!" without a fear;
O Lamb of God I pray thee hear
And answer this, an earnest prayer.

H. E. B.

DU BOICE.

"Powers are first developed which are afterwards harmonized. The law of human life is, that the development of differences must precede their reconciliation." "As knowledge spreads, as wealth increases, as the moral force of the world is enlarged, law, more and more, takes the place of force. Men no longer wear swords by their sides to defend themselves from attack. If attacked, they call the policeman. Towns are no longer fortified with walls, nor are the residences of noble men kept in a state of defence. They are all folded in the peaceful arms of national law. So far the atonement has prevailed; only nations still continue to fight; but the time is at hand when international law, the parliament of the world, the confederation of man, shall take the place of standing armies and ironclad navies." James Freeman Clark.

THE TRUTH OF MAN.

In our internal humanity, folded up as in some gigantic corolla of an unblown flower, are myriads of latent capacities and powers, awaiting their hour of unfoldment. "We know not what we shall be."

Man in nature is the fruit, but not the ripe fruit, of evolution. He is ephemeral, not durable, and is now vigorously preparing a rapid close to his own existence. The flower of our civilization has blown to its full, and its petals are but slackly held together. The present man is the soil from which the new race will spring, for in his existing structures are involved the germs for the appearance of a higher and normal type of our humanity. The depravity of human thought proceeds from a depravity of human structure. The form in which he is now imbedded is a form of death, and perishes in the abnormality of physical dissolution. Man has spent much time with dreams of a future life beyond the grave; let him now learn that he can abolish both death and the grave. The religion of evolution is the religion of endless life. Life eternal is to know the eternal life. Death becomes translation without putrefaction or decaying remains, and man rises into planetary relations and cosmical uses. He will then look back to this era as the times wherein men died, before spirit and flesh were interknit by the indwelling Infinite.

The higher life of the flesh involves a long series of organic transformations. It is gradual re-creation. It is the investiture of the man with his resurrection-body. He rises into dual being and life from the womb of nature. The animal man is the organized product of the first stage of evolution; he is also the basis from which proceeds the higher evolution of the second stage whose perfected product is the Androgyne. The psyche does not partake of the death which befalls all animal forms; she survives to take on other bodies, and continues so to do until she has built a human structure capable of enduring forever. This is the divine-natural body which is to be the next investiture of man. The old is man rudimentary or gradually becoming, the new is realized man.

The chrysalis no more surely moves towards a higher organic structure and a renewed advance than does man. That our organism can, in this life, be evolved from the corruptible to the incorruptible degree, is a truth well-nigh inexpressible, yet also a truth demonstrated. The dissolution of this old must precede the manifestation of that new, but the new is growing secretly in the bosom of the old. Evolution in its next outreach means an uprise into new states of being. The race now stands on the threshold of that magnificent unfolding of the Supreme Moral Purpose known as the bi-une life. It is the new gospel of hope. It is the highest product of race. The soul hungers for higher organic relations. The human heart nurses a noble dissatisfaction with the present; it is like the instinct of a plant that, rooted in a desert, creeps slowly by its roots toward the distant water-spring.

Much that should be obsolete lingers in us; many lower laws still play within us; we eat and procreate as do the brutes, and chemical action builds up and takes down our bodies. The present man is spiritually unconscious and unilluminate. His better name would be homo sylvestris, for only the most favored of us have got out of the woods. The beast from which we came, is still in conflict with the angel to which we are tending. The existing race is immersed in the complex nature-body of the planet,