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of the All…originating Life itselfof the old maxim that 〃Nature will obey
us exactly in proportion as we first obey Nature〃； it is the old parable of
the lord who； finding his servants girt and awaiting him； then girds himself
and serves them （Luke xii。 35 to 37）。 The nation or the individual who
thus realizes the true principle of the Shepherd and the Stone； comes under
a special Divine guidance and protection； not by a favouritism
incompatible with the conception of universal Law； but by the very
operation of the Law itself。 They have come into touch with its higher
possibilities； and to recur to an analogy which I have already employed；
they learn to make their iron float by the very same law by which it sinks；
and so they become the flock of the Great Shepherd and the building of
the Great Architect； and each one； however insignificant his or her sphere
may appear； becomes a sharer in the great work； and by a logical
consequence begins to grow on new lines of development for the simple
reason that a new principle necessarily produces new modes of
manifestation。 If the reader will think over these things he will see that the
promises contained in the Bible whether national or personal； are nothing
else than statements of the universal law of Cause and Effect applied to
the inmost principles of our being； and that therefore it is not mere
rhapsody； but the figurative expression of a great truth when the Psalmist
says ‘〃The Lord is my Shepherd；〃 and 〃Thou art my God and the Rock of
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my salvation。〃
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SALVATION IS OF THE JEWS。
What does this saying of the Master's mean？ Certainly not a mere
arrogant assumption in favour of His own nationalitysuch an idea is
negatived； not only by the universality of all His other teaching； but also
by the very instruction in which these words occur； for He declared that
the Jewish temple was equally with the Samaritan of no account in the
matter。 He said that the true worship was purely spiritual and entirely
independent of places and ceremonies； while at the same time He
emphasized the Jewish expectation of a Messiah； so that in this teaching
we are met by the paradox of a universal principle combined with what at
first sight appears like a tribal tradition quite incompatible with any
recognition of the universal reign of law。 How to reconcile these apparent
opposites； therefore； seems to be the problem which He here sets before us。
Its solution is to be found in that principle which I have endeavoured to
elucidate throughout these lectures； the specializing of universal law。
Opinions may differ as to whether the Bible narrative of the birth of Christ
is to be taken literally or symbolically； but as to the spiritual principle
involved there can； I think； be no difference of opinion。 It is that of the
specialization by the individual of the generic relation of the soul to the
Infinite Spirit from which it proceeds。 The relation itself is universal and
results from the very nature of the creative process； but the law of the
universal relation admits of particular specialization exactly in the same
way as all other natural lawsit is simply applying to the supreme Law of
Life the same method by which we have learnt to make iron float； that is
to say by a fuller recognition of what the Law is in itself。 Whatever other
meanings we may apply to the name Messiah； it undoubtedly stands for
the absolutely perfect manifestation in the individual of all the infinite
possibilities of the Principle of Life。
Now it was because this grand ideal is the basis on which the Hebrew
nationality was founded that Jesus made this statement。 This foundation
had been lamentably misconceived by the Jewish people； but nevertheless；
however imperfectly； they still held by it； and from them this ideal has
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spread throughout the Christian world。 Here also it continues to be
lamentably misconceived； nevertheless it is still retained； and only needs
to be recognized in its true light as a universal principle； instead of an
unintelligible dogma； to become the salvation of the world。 Hence； as
affording the medium through which this supreme ideal has been
preserved and spread； it is true that 〃Salvation is of the Jews。〃
Their fundamental idea was right but their apprehension of it was
wrongthat is why the Master at the same time sweeps away the national
worship of the temple and preserves the national idea of the Messiah； and
this is equally true of the Christian world at the present day。 If salvation is
anything real it must have its cause in some law； and if there is a law it
must be founded upon some universal principle： therefore it is this
principle which we must seek if we would understand this teaching of the
Master's。
Now whether we take the Bible story of the birth of Christ literally or
symbolically； it teaches one great lesson。 It teaches that the All…originating
Spirit is the true Parent of the individual both in soul and body。 This is
nothing else than realizing from the stand…point of the individual what we
cannot help realizing in regard to the original creation of the cosmos it is
the realization that the All…originating Spirit is at once the Life and the
Substance in each individual here and now； just as it must have been in the
origin of all things。 Human parentage counts for nothingit is only the
channel through which Universal Spirit has acted for the concentration of
an individual centre； but the ultimate cause of that centre； both in life and
substance； continues at every moment to be the One same Originating
Spirit。
This recognition cuts away the root of all the power of the negative；
and so in principle it delivers us from all evil； for the root of evil is the
denial of the power of the Spirit to produce good。 When we realize that the
Spirit is finding its own individualization in us in its two…fold essence as
Life and Substance； then we see that it must be both able and willing to
create for us all good。 The only limit is that which we ourselves impose by
denying its operation； and when we realize the inherent creativeness of
Spirit we find that there is no reason why we should stop short at any point
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and say that it can go no further。 Our error is in looking on the life of the
body as separate from the life of the Spirit； and this error is met by the
consideration that； in its ultimate nature； Substance must emanate from
Spirit and is nothing else than the record of Spirit's conception of itself as
finding expression in space and time。 And when this becomes clear it
follows that Substance need not be taken into calculation at all。 The
material form stands in the same relation to Spirit that the image projected
on the screen stands to the slide in the lantern。 If we wish to change the
exhibited subject we do not manipulate the reflection on the screen； but we
alter the slide； and in like manner； when we come to realize the true nature
of the creative process； we learn that the exterior things are to be changed
by a change of the interior spiritual attitude。 Our spiritual attitude will
always be determined by our conception of our relation to God or Infinite
Spirit； and so when we begin to see that this relation is one of absolute
reciprocitythat it is the self…recognition of Infinite Spirit from our own
centre of consciousnessthen we find that the whole Secret of Life
consists in simple reliance u