It is an appalling thought that the teachings of Christ, the fundamental truths that he and other great souls have taught, the revelation that has been given, the works that have been done in this realization of God's will and purpose, that so much, unfortunately, has been obscured, so much has been misinterpreted, so much has been given forth that did not even emanate from him or others like him.
That you have in your world such chaos among men that they themselves unfortunately cannot see only so far. It as if they themselves in their foolishness, like children, have lost the way. 'Tis a pity and a great sadness to us. And as I look back over my life, I realize only too well how, in my own ignorance, though I thought I was a man of learning and experience, though I thought that I had truth, I realize that that which I had was but an aspect, and it had been, unfortunately, confined in such a way that it came into the world indeed to save sinners.
Imagine a world that is ofttimes destitute, for man himself can only achieve greatness, spiritual greatness by his own efforts. No other individual can do it for you. Christ and others have pointed the way and set the example, and it is for us to follow in their footsteps and to become like them. But when we consider, as so often when on Earth one does, that we are saved, in a sense that these efforts of ours, puny as they are, have some effect and yet in themselves, are pointless because another has been sent to do this, to make possible the salvation. Once we realize that we can throw ourselves upon another soul to be saved, then I am convinced that we have committed a grave error, indeed a sin. Because I am convinced that whatever achievement, whatever effort we make, that in itself is the important thing. That we must endeavor, we must strive, we must struggle, we must overcome within ourselves. No one can do this for us; we must do it ourselves. We must follow the path that has been set, and if we do that, then indeed we will find salvation, but only through our own effort not through the effort of another.
This one Jesus, that so much has been spoken of, this great soul who came into the world in such a humble way, and lived a life giving forth love, giving forth the realization of God's will and purpose. In all the things that he said and did, he endeavored to show the only way to development of spiritual consciousness. The only way to find salvation was through service and through love, through putting oneself further and further into the background. In other words, become a vessel, for greater souls, for greater teachings, for greater realization of God's will and purpose. We are instruments, and when we realize that, when we realize how much can be done through us, how much we can give out which so few ever do; whenever we realize the true meaning and purpose of our lives, then we begin to see, then we begin to grow and expand, then we begin to become at least something like Christ.
But to think that one person, that one soul, even though sent from the Highest, can save us, is a fallacy.
[Here, the sitters ask him who he is and he responds that he is Dean Inge.]
I am so anxious that Christ should be understood. Not in the narrow, creedal, mystical sense, but as a real, vital living person, as he indeed was, and is, when on Earth. A man who had the courage of his convictions, not a weak, mamby pamby as some seem to visualize him. But as a man of strength and courage of conviction. A man who, today, if he lived, would probably be jailed because of his views, because of his strength, because he had the courage of his convictions.
This man Christ is not the person that is pictureized in the minds of so many whose narrow conception is far removed from the reality. Christ was a man of action. Christ would be called a revolutionary in the modern age. He would be imprisoned, maybe even, as in his own time. He would have been killed by the mob who would have none of him. If he was among you today, if Christ came among you, you wouldn't have anything to do with him. In spite of all that the church teaches, the church itself would probably be the first to crucify him if it could. Because they do not like those who come with a message such as this. They are afeared. They would be afraid . . . They would doubt it, even as they would doubt my words.
Many who listen to my words will not accept them. Why? Because they are afraid. They are afraid that if they give up that which they hold, which they consider to be right, that I . . . would supercede and take their place. They do not like to give up that which they hold so firmly to them. Despite that fact that if many of them spoke the truth they know in their hearts that there is much error in that which they teach and preach.
I would say many things, but I will content myself by saying this, that Christ, if he were to come back among you, would be condemned by the very people who support and uphold him today. Christ did not come to make an easy path, because he, an we all know, deep in our hearts, that he who will do God's will upon Earth, could not possibly find a path that would be easy. For it is a path far removed from man's conception of things. Man, who has become so materialistically inclined, man whose ignorance and foolishness brings upon himself all kinds of suffering and misery. Man, because he will hold onto pride, considering these things more important, above humility. Only those who are humble in spirit can see truth. 'Tis not the brilliant minds, the great brains, not the high positioned who have their foolish aspect of truth. Invariably, they live with great truth, they have only a small conception to suit their own particular way of life.
We've seen it in so many ways. Often, those who have truth at the beginning, as they've progressed materially, and have more power and more position, they've lost the path, they've lost the way. They've become immersed in the material conception of things. And they cannot uphold truth. It's only a facade, it's not real truth. It's only an aspect that has benefited them but it has not benefited them necessarily spiritually or materially. Indeed, their views are a shroud, for inside there is but death.
I know, I know from my own experience, much to my regret, that many things that I preached, many things that I gave out as truth, that I sincerely believed for a long time they were true, these things have held man back and still do, unfortunately. Life is eternal. No man dies. Even Christ himself said to the thief on the cross, that "today, thou shalt be with me in Paradise." He did not say "tomorrow" or "next year" or "a thousand years hence," but today. The point is, my friends, that faith can make us whole, but we must have faith in the reality, not something that has no foundation or basis.
Christ himself was a great seer, a great prophet, a great teacher, and above all of this, he was a great humanitarian. He was more . . . than the socialists, than any socialist could ever hope to be. Christ was not concerned with material wealth or position; he was not concerned with vestment and temples as such. Christ even was human enough to lose his temper, as when he drove he moneychangers out of the temple. We must realize what Christ is. And particularly, in the aspect of what he was when on Earth. He was a man, not a myth. He was a man of reality, not a mystical creature, as the world would have you believe. He was not God himself, upon Earth. He was, obviously the Christ, a human being who came into the world in the normal way. For the . . . establish religion. Those in the established church, those who considered that they were the worried ones, the men of position, because they realized that the things that he preached were dangerous to their position.
That though it is likely as then today, that if Christ were able to come back, if he were to come back in a material body, and do the same works as he did previously, the first people to condemn him would be the church. And he would be much better received outside of it than he ever would be within. Because the people would flock to him, those whose minds are open and ready to receive, and those whose minds are closed and held back by creed and dogma would be the first to refuse him.
These things I am convinced about. That Christ, himself, was a man of great simplicity, a man of great piety, a man of great faith in the power of love, who had no consideration for the things of the Earth. How many churchmen are there in your world today who can in truth say that they fall in with this conception. How many are there who seek place and position. How many are they who are attracted by vestment, by service, by all the positions which they may hold.
I say to you, when Christ is found in the hearts of all men whose hearts are open and sincere, and anxious to understand and to see. Give me the child, as Christ himself gathering the children around him, said, "For of such is the Kingdom of Heaven." What did he really mean by that? When all around also were the adults, grown men of stature, men of experience, in the world of wisdom. What did he really mean? He meant that it is the childlike attitude, the childlike approach, the simplicity, and the faith in the child that makes revelation and spiritual unfoldment and development possible. Not the prejudiced. Not the person whose mind is already formed and made up, and convinced in himself that he is right and others are wrong. The childlike attitude is important. Indeed, I would go so far as to say that it is vital. Until man can strip himself of his preconceived ideas and shake from himself the old beliefs and the old legends. Until he can realize that he is, within himself, able to tune into the highest, if only he would make it possible by the way in which he lives. If only he would think right, he would act right, and in consequence become right.
I say to you, that man, if he wants to become an experienced person in a spiritual manner and sense. If he wants to become truly spiritualized, he must shed himself of all of these material conceptions. God is, but no man has seen God. God is a force or power, the driving force that gives life to all things.
In your world, nothing is lost. That which seems like death is but a dream. A man goes from one place to another. His thoughts are still there. And he, himself, is released from the material things which bind and confine him. And yet your world should be a place of experience, essential experience and development, and preparedness as it were for the greater life yet to come. When man leaves your world, as so often he does, with strong, fixed, prejudiced views, his task is difficult. He has to unlearn, as I did, many things, and has to become like the child, with an open mind, full of desire for real truth. Full of the desire to progress. And ofttimes is very bitter, when he realizes that for a lifetime upon Earth, he was giving forth many teachings which have proved to be erroneous, untrue, when he realized that the fundamental faith which was true, has been distorted beyond all realization. I am very conscious of all these things. Indeed, many are they with me who feel as I do, that if we could come back, with our present knowledge, how different they would think and act, how different they would speak.
The church, if it is to survive, must rid itself of many of the old fallacies. It must band itself together in a strength based on truth, and it must not be afraid to stand as Jesus stood against the mob. It must be prepared at all times, no matter what the cost, to speak truthfully and act accordingly, and not be afraid of the reaction from various quarters. When the church gives forth Christ's teachings, in its full intensity, then it will be rejuvenated and then will it begin to climb upwards. When we see your world, miseries, the uncertainties, when we see the possibilities that could be, such tremendous things that could come upon the earth and its peoples . . . When you realize that you are, in a sense, on the very brink of disaster again after two world wars. And yet the church blesses the flags, blesses the guns, blesses the men in their uniforms, each nation accordingly, all this is contrary to Christ, the teachings of Christ . . . the Prince of Peace. How can you be a subject of the Prince of Peace if you advocate these things? I say to you that man himself in his blindness, has separated himself from God and that God is reaching out through his ministering ones in your world endeavoring to help. But those who minister in your world, their ministry invariably and often is a great fault. I do not condemn; I do not blame. But I do say that they must look into their own hearts
and they must find again the Prince of Peace and they must speak his words among his children, and they must stand together as one band, solid, in his service. While they are separated, while they wrangle together among themselves as to who is right and who is wrong, "My conception is right and this other one is wrong," While they think and act as they do, so the churches become gradually more and more empty. Here and there among these peoples, there are good souls, kindly souls, sincere souls, endeavoring in their own fashion to do right.
I know much good has come from the church, but I think often of what greatness there could be. How much more could be achieved and I say to all those who may listen to my words whether they believe or whether they not believe what I say, or believe even that it is I who speak to them, I say that you have within yourselves great opportunity to do God's will, to follow the teachings of the Master, Christ, realizing his humility, so must you also be, and if you give up many of the things which you know in your heart are untrue and seek him more and more and become like him and be like the children of whom he himself was so fond, if you can be like the child, with an open heart and an open mind, with no strong preconceived ideas, if you have the faith of a child and the trust, then you can be led and guided, and out of all this evil can come a great good, and the world can be saved from itself, and you shall find the path of peace and progression.
We will come to you and link up with you again so once again your world could become truly the communion of saints. Once again can you take communion in the truest sense, and you can become one with us, and together we can overcome evil, and together we can find that peace that the world cannot find. But in our own time, with your help and our guidance, and the peace that passeth all understanding, this, indeed shall be made possible, the realization of God's will and purpose for his children, now and forever.
My love and my blessing I give to all who listen to my voice. If I have said something that seem hard, and yet to some they seem impossible, and for others, they feel that what I have said is at variance , I say to you, think on these things, turn them over in your minds and in your hearts. Seek for truth and realize that on your very doorstep knocking is Christ himself. Let him come in and make him a welcome visitor and let him become part of your lives , that you shall become truly one of the flock, one of those whose task it is to do his will among his children. Yours is a great responsibility.
Remember that if you are to do this work, to do it well, you must become like unto a child. I only wish that I could do more than I can do. I often wish that I could return to earth and do my work again. So much would I do differently. And yet I know that in my own fashion, in my own way, I did as I felt right. We are often, unfortunately, too late, and yet in a sense, it is not too late, for I'm able to return, I'm able to speak. I say to you concern yourself not with names and personalities. But concern yourselves with the text and the message, and let it become a reality in your hearts. It may change your world and indeed make it a place worthy of God's children.
My love and blessing be upon you, now and always. Peace be with you. Farewell.
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