These disciples had been with Jesus for over three years, but did not have the inspiration or power that was poured out upon them at this historical gathering, which has ever since been an outstanding example of the marvelous spiritual experiences of those who are of one mind and heart in their group worship of Jesus the Christ. It is recorded that the Spirit came upon them like a wind and sat upon each of them in"tongues . . . of fire."
To one who gains even a meager quickening of the Spirit, Christianity ceases to be a theory; it becomes a demonstrable science of the mind.
We must not anticipate better social and economic conditions until we have better men and women to institute and sustain those conditions.
Jesus said that He was the bread and substance that came down from heaven. When will our civilization begin to realize and appropriate this mighty ocean of substance and life? A finer civilization than now exists has been conceived by many from Plato in his "Republic" to Edward Bellamy in "Looking Backward." But a new and higher civilization will be developed only through the efforts of higher and finer types of men and women. Philosophers and seers have looked forward to a time when this earth would produce superior men and women, but save Jesus none has had the spiritual insight to declare, "Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, until all these things be accomplished." The Greek word genea, here translated "generation," does not mean a little span of thirty-three years of life, but covers the whole race history in its multitudinous births and deaths, incarnations and reincarnations throughout the millions of years since we began to function in creative Mind. It is out of this race that the new race is to come forth. "Ye are the people." The time is at hand for those who are spiritually ripe to stand forth and realize their spiritual identity. Jesus pointed to this when He said, "Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh the harvest? behold, I say unto you, lift up your eyes, and look on the fields, that they are white already unto harvest."
Prayer, communion with God within, realization, awakens spiritual consciousness and develops true spiritual character. It is the only way to cleanse and perfect the mind and thus permanently heal the body. It is good to get still and think about the inexhaustible resources of infinite Mind; about its presence in all its fullness and its readiness to manifest itself when the law is complied with. Pray with persistence and pray with understanding. Be instant in prayer; and never allow anything to keep you from having your daily quiet hour of communion with God, your own indwelling Father.
One day little Billy and Johnny were climbing around in an old apple tree. Finally they walked out on a limb, and were holding to the boughs above them. But the limb on which they were standing proved to be rotten and gave way, and the boys came tumbling down to the ground. Johnny was hurt and began to cry. But Billy got up with a smile on his face and began brushing the dirt off his clothes.
"Why ain't you hurt?" moaned Johnny. "You was out further on the limb than me." "I prayed," was the happy reply. "You didn't have no time to pray," retorted Johnny. "But it didn't catch me, because I was already prayed up ahead," explained Billy. "So I wasn't scared. I know'd I'd be all right."
"Behold, the man!" Jesus Christ is the type of a new race now forming in the earth. Those who incorporate into consciousness the Christ principles are its members. Sir Francis Galton, the father of eugenics, says: "There is nothing either in the history of domestic animals or in that of evolution to make us doubt that a race of sane men may be formed, who shall be as much superior mentally and morally, as the modern European is to the lowest of the primitive races." It is now being revealed in the renaissance of Christianity, which is pouring its light out upon the world, that this new race is forming in the souls of the spiritual-minded in every nation of the earth. These are "the called" of Scripture, who are being gathered together in spiritual consciousness, and will eventually come forth to rule the world with Jesus Christ. Emerson says: "Great hearts send forth steadily the secret forces that incessantly draw great events, and wherever the mind of man goes, nature will accompany him, no matter what the path."
Let us remember that God is Spirit and all that emanates from God is spiritual, including man. The dominion that God gave to man in the beginning, as recorded in Genesis, is a dominion over spiritual ideas, which are represented in the allegory by material symbols. Hence to exercise his dominion man must understand the metaphysical side of everything in existence. Mind is at the bottom of all life and substance. The mind was not "invented" by the brain, but it has evolved the brain as its most efficient instrument.
Divine Mind is the one and only reality. When we incorporate the ideas that form Divine Mind into our mind and persevere in those ideas, a mighty strength wells up within us. Then we have a foundation for the spiritual body, the body not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. When the spiritual body is established in consciousness, its strength and power is transmitted to the visible body and to all the things that we touch in the world about us.
In the economy of the future man will not be a slave to money. Humanity's daily needs will be met in ways not now thought practical.
In the new economy we shall serve for the joy of serving, and prosperity will flow to us and through us in ripplingstreams of plenty. The supply and support that love and zeal set in motion are not yet largely used by man, but those who have tested this method are loud in their praise of its efficiency.
Chapter IV - I AM - or Superconsciousness
SUPERCONSCIOUSNESS is the goal toward which humanity is working. Regardless of appearances there is an upward trend continually active throughout all creation. The superconsciousness is the realm of divine ideas. Its character is impersonal. It therefore has no personal ambitions; knows no condemnation; but is always pure, innocent, loving, and obedient to the call of God.
The superconsciousness has been perceived by the spiritually wise in every age, but they have not known how to externalize it and make it an abiding state of consciousness. Jesus accomplished this, and His method is worthy of our adoption, because as far as we know, it is the only method that has been successful. It is set forth in the New Testament, and whoever adopts the life of purity and love and power there exemplified in the experiences of Jesus of Nazareth will in due course attain the place that He attained. Jesus acknowledged Himself to be the Son of God. Living in the superconsciousness calls for nothing less on our part than a definite recognition of ourselves as sons of God right here and now, regardless of appearances to the contrary. We know that we are sons of God; then why not acknowledge it and proceed to take possession of our God heirdom?
That is what Jesus did in the face of the most adverse conditions. Conditions today are not so inertly material as they were in Jesus' time. People now know more about themselves and their relation to God. They are familiar with thought processes and how an idea held in mind will manifest itself in the body and in affairs; hence they take up this problem of spiritual realization under vastly more favorable conditions. An idea must work out just as surely as a mathematical problem, because it is under immutable law. The factors are all in our possession, and the method was demonstrated in one striking instance and is before us. By following the method of Jesus and doing day by day work that comes to us, we shall surely put on Christ as fully and completely as did Jesus of Nazareth.
The method by which Jesus evolved from sense consciousness to God consciousness was, first, the recognition of the spiritual selfhood and a constant affirmation of its supremacy and power. Jesus loved to make the highest statements: "I and the Father are one." "All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth." He made these statements, so we know that at the time He was fully aware of their reality. Secondly, by the power of His word He penetrated deeper into omnipresence and tapped the deepest resources of His mind, whereby He released the light, life, and substance of Spirit, which enabled Him to get the realization that wholly united His consciousness with the Father Mind.
In making His great overcoming Jesus applied the principles of Being scientifically, and He instructed His followers to do as He did. No one can get a copyright on the principles of Truth any more than he can get a corner on the air. Truth is free; it is Spirit, and cannot be kept from the spiritually minded, nor can