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the Spirit is in itself the Principle of Increase。 They will grow out of
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present conditions for the simple reason that if you are to reach some
further point it can only be by starting from where you are now。 Therefore
it is written； 〃Despise not the day of small things。〃 There is only one
proviso attached to this forward movement of the Spirit in the world of our
own surroundings； and that is that we shall co…operate with it； and this co…
operation consists in making the best use of existing conditions in cheerful
reliance on the Spirit of Increase to express itself through us； and for us；
because we are in harmony with it。 This mental attitude will be found of
immense value in setting us free from worry and anxiety； and as a
consequence our work will be done in a much more efficient manner。 We
shall do the present work FOR ITS OWN sake； knowing that herein is the
principle of unfoldment； and doing it simply for its own sake we shall
bring to bear upon it a power of concentration which cannot fail of good
resultsand this quite naturally and without any toilsome effort。 We shall
then find that the secret of co…operation is to have faith in ourselves
because we first have faith in God； and we shall discover that this Divine
self…confidence is something very different from a boastful egotism which
assumes a personal superiority over others。 It is simply the assurance of a
man who knows that he is working in accordance with a law of nature。 He
does not claim as a personal achievement what the Law does FOR him：
but on the other hand he does not trouble himself about outcries against
his presumptuous audacity raised by persons who are ignorant of the Law
which he is employing。 He is therefore neither boastful nor timorous； but
simply works on in cheerful expectancy because he knows that his
reliance is upon a Law which cannot be broken。
In this way； then； we must realize the Life of the Spirit as being also
the Law of the Spirit。 The two are identical； and cannot deny themselves。
Our recognition of them gives them a new starting point through our own
mentality； but they still continue to be the same in their nature； and unless
limited or inverted by our mental affirmation of limited or inverted
conditions； they are bound to work out into fuller and continually fuller
expression of the Life； Love； and Beauty which the Spirit is in itself。 Our
path； therefore； is plain； it is simply to contemplate the Life； Love； and
Beauty of the Originating Spirit and affirm that we are already giving
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expression to it in our thoughts and in our actions however insignificant
they may at present appear。 This path may be very narrow and humble in
its beginning； but it ever grows wider and mounts higher； for it is the
continually expanding expression of the Life of the Spirit which is infinite
and knows no limits。
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ALPHA AND OMEGA。
Alpha and Omega； the First and the Last。 What does this mean？ It
means the entire series of causation from the first originating movement to
the final and completed result。 We may take this on any scale from the
creation of a cosmos to the creation of a lady's robe。 Everything has its
origin in an idea； a thought； and it has its completion in the manifestation
of that thought in form。 Many intermediate stages are necessary； but the
Alpha and Omega of the series are the thought and the thing。 This shows
us that in essence the thing already existed in the thought。 Omega is
already potential in Alpha； just as in the Pythagorean system all numbers
are said to proceed from unity and to be resolvable back again into it。 Now
it is this general principle of the already existence of the thing in the
thought that we have to lay hold of； and as we find it true in an architect's
design of the house that is to be； so we find it true in the great work of the
Architect of the Universe。 When we see this we have realized a general
principle； which we find at work everywhere。 That is the meaning of a
general principle： it can be applied to any sort of subject； and the use of
studying general principles is to give them particular application to
anything we may have to deal with。 Now what we have to deal with most
of all is ourselves； and so we come to the consideration of Alpha and
Omega in the human being。 In the vision of St。 John； the speaker of the
words； 〃I am Alpha and Omega； the First and the Last；〃 is described as
〃Like unto a son of man〃that is； however transcendent the appearance in
the vision； it is essentially human； and thus suggests to us the presence of
the universal principle at the human level。 But the figure in the apocalyptic
vision is not that of man as we ordinarily know him。 It is that of Omega as
it subsists enshrined in Alpha： it is the ideal of humanity as it subsists in
the Divine Mind which was manifested in objective form to the eyes of the
seer； and therefore presented the Alpha and Omega of that idea in all the
majesty of Divine glory。
But if we grasp the truth that the thing is already existent in the
thought； do we not see that this transcendent Omega must be already
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existent in the Divine ideal of every one of us？ If on the plane of the
absolute time is not； then does it not follow that this glorified humanity is
a present fact in the Divine Mind？ And if this is so； then this fact is
eternally true regarding every human being。 But if it is true that the thing
exists in the thought； it is equally true that the thought finds form in the
thing； and since things exist under the relative conditions of time and
space； they are necessarily subject to a law of Growth； so that while the
subsistence of the thing in the thought is perfect ab initio； the expression
of the thought in the thing is a matter of gradual development。 This is a
point which we must never lose sight of in our studies； and we must never
lose sight of the perfection of the thing in the thought because we do not
yet see the perfection of the thought in the thing。 Therefore we must
remember that man； as we know him now； has by no means reached the
ultimate of his evolution。 We are only yet in the making； but we have now
reached a point where we can facilitate the evolutionary process by
conscious co…operation with the Creative Spirit。 Our share in this work
commences with the recognition of the Divine ideal of man； and thus
finding the pattern by which we are to be guided。 For since the person to
be created after this pattern is ourself； it follows that； by whatever
processes the Divine ideal transforms itself into concrete reality； the place
where those processes are to work must be within ourselves； in other
words； the creative action of the Spirit takes place through the laws of our
own mentality。 If it is a true maxim that the thing must take form in the
thought before the thought can take form in the thing； then it is plain that
the Divine Ideal can only be externalized in our objective life in
proportion as it is first formed in our thought； and it takes form in our
thought only to the extent to which we apprehend its existence in the
Divine Mind。 By the nature of the relation between the individual mind
and the Universal Mind it is strictly a case of reflection； and in proportion
as the mirror of our own mind blurs or clearly reflects the image of the
Divine ideal； so will it give rise to a correspondingly feeble or vigorous
reproduction of it in our external life。