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The Spirit can never change its essential nature as the essence of Life；
Love； and Beauty； and if we adopt these characteristics； which constitute
the Law of the Spirit； as the basis of our own thinking； and reject all that is
contrary to them； then we afford the broad generic conditions for the
specialized thinking of the Spirit through our own minds： and the thinking
of the Spirit is that INVOLUTION； or passing of spirit into form； which is
the whole being of the creative process。
The mind which is all the time being thus formed is our own。 It is not a
case of control by an external individuality； but the fuller expression of the
Universal through an organized mentality which has all along been a less
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perfect expression of the Universal； and therefore the process is one of
growth。 We are not losing our individuality； but are coming into fuller
possession of ourselves by the conscious recognition of our personal share
in the great work of creation。 We begin in some slight measure to
understand what the Bible means when it speaks of our…being 〃partakers
of the Divine nature〃 （II。 Peter i。 4） and we realize the significance of the
〃unity of the Spirit〃 （Ephesians iv。 3）。 Doubtless this will imply changes in
our old mode of thinking； but these changes are not forced upon us； they
are brought about naturally by the new stand…point from which we now
see things。 Almost imperceptibly to ourselves we grow into a New Order
of Thought which proceeds； not from a knowledge of good and evil； but
from the Principle of Life itself。 That is what makes the difference
between our old thought and our new thought。 Our old thought was based
upon a comparison of limited facts： our new thought is based upon a
comprehension of principles。 The difference is like that between the
mathematics of the infant； who cannot count beyond the number of apples
or marbles put before him； and that of the senior wrangler who is not
dependent upon visible objects for his calculations； but plunges boldly into
the unknown because he knows that he is working by indubitable
principles。 In like manner when we realize the infallible Principle of the
Creative Law we no longer find we need to see everything cut and dried
beforehand； for if so； we could never get beyond the range of our old
experiences； but we can move steadily forward because we know the
certainty of the creative principle by which we are working； or rather；
which is working through us； and that our life； in all its minutes〃 details； is
its harmonious expression。 Thus the Spirit thinks through our thought only
its thought is greater than ours。 It is the paradox of the less containing the
greater。 Our thought will not be objectless or unintelligible to ourselves。 It
will be quite clear as far as it goes。 We shall know exactly what we want to
do and why we want to do it； and so will act in a reasonable and intelligent
manner。 But what we do not know is the greater thought that is all the time
giving rise to our smaller thought； and which will open out from it as our
lesser thought progresses into form。 Then we gradually see the greater
thought which prompted our smaller one and we find ourselves working
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along its lines； guided by the invisible hand of the Creative Spirit into
continually increasing degrees of livingness to which we need assign no
limits； for it is the expansion of the Infinite within ourselves。
This； as it appears to me； is the hidden meaning of the two trees in
Eden； the Garden of the Soul。 It is the distinction between a knowledge
which is merely that of comparisons between different sorts of conditions；
and a knowledge which is that of the Life which gives rise to and therefore
controls conditions。 Only we must remember that the control of conditions
is not to be attained by violent self…assertion which is only recognizing
them as substantive entities to be battled with； but by conscious unity with
that All…creating Spirit which works silently； but surely； on its own lines of
Life； Love； and Beauty。
〃Not by might； nor by power； but by My Spirit； saith the Lord of
Hosts。〃
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THE WORSHIP OF ISHI。
In Hosea ii。 16 we find this remarkable statement：〃And it shall be at
that day； saith the Lord； that thou shalt call Me Ishi； and shalt no more call
Me Baali〃； and with this we may couple the statement in Isaiah lxii。 4：
〃Thou shalt be called Hephzibah； and thy land Beulah； for the Lord
delighteth in thee； and thy land shall be married。〃
In both these passages we find a change of name； and since a name
stands for something which corresponds to it； and in truth only amounts to
a succinct description； the fact indicated in these texts is a change of
condition answering to the change of name。
Now the change from Baali to Ishi indicates an important alteration in
the relation between the Divine Being and the worshipper； but since the
Divine Being cannot change； the altered relation must result from a change
in the stand…point of the worshipper： and this can only come from a new
mode of looking at the Divine； that is； from a new order of thought
regarding it。 Baali means Lord； and Ishi means husband； and so the change
in relation is that of a female slave who is liberated and married to her
former master。 We could not have a more perfect analogy。 Relatively to the
Universal Spirit the individual soul is esoterically feminine； as I have
pointed out in 〃Bible Mystery and Bible Meaning；〃 because its function is
that of the receptive and formative。 This is necessarily inherent in the
nature of the creative process。 But the individual's development as the
specializing medium of the Universal Spirit will depend entirely upon his
own conception of his relation to it。 So long as he only regards it as an
arbitrary power； a sort of slave owner； he will find himself in the position
of a slave driven by an inscrutable force； he knows not whither or for what
purpose。 He may worship such a God； but his worship is only the worship
of fear and ignorance； and there is no personal interest in the matter except
to escape some dreaded punishment。 Such a worshipper would gladly
escape from his divinity； and his worship； when analyzed； will be found to
be little else than disguised hatred。 This is the natural result of a worship
based upon UNEXPLAINED traditions instead of intelligible principles；
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and is the very opposite of that worship in Spirit and in truth which Jesus
speaks of as the true worship。
But when the light begins to break in upon us； all this becomes
changed。 We see that a system of terrorism cannot give expression to the
Divine Spirit； and we realize the truth of St。 Paul's words； 〃He hath not
given us the spirit of fear； but of power； and of love； and of a sound mind。〃
As the true nature of the relation between the individual mind and the
Universal Mind becomes clearer； we find it to be one of mutual action and
re…action； a perfect reciprocity which cannot be better symbolized than by
the relation between an affectionate husband and wife。 Everything is done
from love and nothing from compulsion； there is perfect confidence on
both sides； and both are equally indispensable to each other。 It is simply
the carrying out of the fundamental maxim that the Universal cannot act
on the plane of the Particular except through the Particular； only this
philosophical axiom develops into a warm living intercourse。
Now this is the position of the soul which is indicated by the name
Hephzibah。 In com