they term a spirit of devotion (when analyzed it is but the spirit of emotion), and who thereby obtain what they believe to be a guidance, and so it is, but many times it is the guidance of some low or sensuous influence which leads men and women to the most absurd and even vicious acts. Under the impulse of this emotional guidance a man slew his son a few years ago, believing that he was called to do as Abraham did. This matter of guidance is marked by a line sharply drawn; for unless the individual is entirely unselfish, pure in heart, desire, and motive, with high and holy aspirations, and in an attitude of perfect self-surrender to God, that which in the Bible is called "devils" will come as guide and instructor, in place of the Spirit of God.

We repeat, in order to obtain this consciousness the most careful living must obtain in every department of one's thought and action. This is the only foundation that can be laid by any man or woman for the attainment of the highest goal of human desire; it is the corner stone of the doctrine of Christ. And we are prepared to say that any individual, no matter what his sphere of life, or to what church he belongs, or whether he belongs to any church, who seeks, finds, and constantly lives in, this conscious unity with the Spirit,-that such a one need not be anxious as to where that Spirit may lead him; for if it is the Spirit of God with whom he has found unity, he will be led into harmony with the Divine purpose for which the world was made, led into loving unity and harmony with the sons of God: he will possess the Holy Ghost, the Comforter, that will lead into all truth.

We know that of such the gathering of Esoteric people will be composed, for by following such a guidance and method of life, all the truths of Esoteric doctrine were revealed; and we know that when those who have come through and by thus following the guidance of the Spirit of the Highest, are gathered together, there will be one continuous revelation of wondrous knowledge relative to God and the world of cause. It is by a life based upon such a foundation that the fullness of the light of truth and the will of God is to be revealed upon earth. By thus following the guidance of the Spirit and main

taining continuously active a desire to know the truth, the promise of the Lord's Christ will be fulfilled, who said, "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now." The time has come when many things are being revealed to the faithful. May the God of peace make you wise to your redemption. [Ed.

THE FIRE-WORSHIPERS.

CLARA G. ORTON.

'Tis night, yet morning's radiant star
Has caught its glory from the sun:
The hill-tops glimmer from afar
And speak of greater light to come.

A watchful throng, man, woman, priest,
In breathless silence long they stand;
With hopeful eyes turned toward the East
A reverent and prayerful band.

They gaze toward Heaven's golden gate,
Where enters in the Lord of Day;
His earliest message to await,
To greet the first awakening ray.

It comes, a shining, piercing dart,
It gilds the distant mountain's side,
The song of joy breaks from the heart,
Their hopes, their prayers, are satisfied.

They sing, "O symbol of all truth!
Sustainer of all life on earth!
The joy of age, the guide of youth,
The Master over death and birth!

Come, shine into the dark world's night,
Come, warm the chill earth with thy heat,
Come, scatter demons by thy might,
And show the way to faltering feet."

Thus let me stand, Lord, in the dark
With straining eyes, to catch Thy ray
Of truth, the earliest, faintest spark
That prophesies Thy coming day.

CONCERNING ESOTERIC WORK,

I feel, this morning, like presenting a few discursory thoughts rather than writing of important philosophies, doctrines, principles, or laws. Years ago, when my mind was first illuminated with the new thought, there awakened within me a consciousness that my life had been a dream, and for a time I thought that I was one of a very few who were living in this dream state. I felt, therefore, that my first work was to leave the ideal and get down to a solid foundation; that the knowledge that I really wanted was practical, useful knowledge, a knowledge of methods whereby one might change his entire conditions from the lower to the higher, and thus free himself from the sins of ignorance, which bring all the difficulties to which flesh is heir.

I feel that I obtained the keys to the situation, and, when received, I found them so simple and practical that I thought there was nothing to do but present them to the people, who would most heartily accept them. But, alas, how I was disappointed! I found a great many good listeners, who came time after time to hear the thought expressed, and many of them seemed even enthusiastic, but when I looked for those who were ready to change the whole course of their lives and to put these important methods into practical use, I was astonished to find how very few they were. Women were more enthusiastic than men, but, after eleven years work in presenting these truths to thousands of people, I find that women are the last to put the methods into practice. The whole number of whom we know that are putting into practice methods that would give them health, strength, vivacity, and everything that is desirable, can even now be counted upon one's fingers, of which there will afterwards be some left to tally with. This lack of practicality is also very common among men, but not to such an extent as it exists among women.

The ideality and dream of life has characterized the end of

every cycle of the nations that have risen and declined, as is evidenced by the form of skulls brought to scientific attention. During the Centennial I had the opportunity of examining skulls dating back to ancient nations at the time of their decline, the Egyptians, Romans, etc., and, in every instance, I found that the upper lobes of the forebrain were developed in excess of the perceptives and the base of the brain, which conclusively proved that the cause of the national fall was the ascendency of the ideal or dream state. And this condition seems to have taken possession of the very large class of people who are now turning their attention toward the higher life in its individual or social aspects.

Our present civilization appears to have forced the people into classes. There is a class that is allied to the idealistic, and another to the materialistic, and there seems to be no place for the harmoniously balanced mind, the mind that is capable of a proper attention to the things of this world, the interests of life, and at the same time of holding practical thought in regard to the interests of the spiritual and cause side of life. Public opinion is a scourge that drives the people from one extreme to the other.

Those who have an over-development of the idealistic may think their case a hopeless one, as they are organized for that particular sphere, but my personal experience does not support such a conclusion. When I began this thought the reflective organs were greatly in excess of the perceptives. Now the perceptives predominate, and the size of the head has increased nearly one-half of an inch in circumference-even the reflectives have increased in size. Therefore, if I can change the form of my head by thought and effort, surely anyone can do the same thing.

The very few who have had sufficient mental balance to put into practice the methods taught in THE ESOTERIC during the last ten years, have obtained the results in every particular, in so far as they have strictly adhered to the methods; but it is strange that we know of no one who heard these truths at the time of their first presentation who has consistently continued in their practical application to the present time. A member

of our Fraternity has been following Esoteric methods for about seven years, and I think there are no others who have been practically living the life for more than five years, and some of us for not more than two or three years.

This fact might seem a poor recommendation for the methods if one did not know the circumstances attending the efforts of those who first began to live the life. Many obtained certain powers which they realized were superior to those possessed by the people around them, and it seemed to "turn their heads," they proceeded to enjoy their newly-gained powers by using them for the advancement of their worldly interests, and they forgot to go further in the life; in many instances they retrograded. Others, after continuing for a while in the life, entered Theosophy or one of the many different "isms," leaving the sphere of their pure childlike devotion to God in order to seek powers for their own personal advantage.

No tongue or pen can picture the allurements and overwhelming inducements to renounce their determination that are offered to Esoteric students as soon as they begin to get a hold upon the vital currents of the universe. Men think they are strong and well-decided to carry the methods to the ultimates, but flesh is weak, and, sooner or later, like Esau of old, they barter their birthright for a mess of pottage; but there are some who will hold on and hold out to the end. It seemed that Jesus foreshadowed this condition to his disciples; for, according to the Gospel of St. Luke (XIII. 23, 24), they said to him, "Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able."

Because of this fact "Practical Methods" was written, for we know that there are a few of sufficientmental balance and determination to carry its truths to their ultimate, to see that if a little practice accomplishes so much, a great deal will accomplish much more. But what use may be made of Esoteric truths, it is for the people themselves to decide.