The physical beauty of this place is very wonderful. We hope that a
spiritual charm may surround and halo it; then its beauty will be perfect.
There is a spiritual atmosphere manifest here particularly at sunset.
In cities like New York the people are submerged in the sea of
materialism. Their sensibilities are attuned to material forces, their
perceptions purely physical. The animal energies predominate in their
activities; all their thoughts are directed to material things; day and
night they are devoted to the attractions of this world, without
aspiration beyond the life that is vanishing and mortal. In schools and
temples of learning knowledge of the sciences acquired is based upon
material observations only; there is no realization of Divinity in their
methods and conclusions--all have reference to the world of matter. They
are not interested in attaining knowledge of the mysteries of God or
understanding the secrets of the heavenly Kingdom; what they acquire is
based altogether upon visible and tangible evidences. Beyond these
evidences they are without susceptibilities; they have no idea of the
world of inner significances and are utterly out of touch with God,
considering this an indication of reasonable attitude and philosophical
judgement whereof they are self-sufficient and proud.
As a matter of fact, this supposed excellence is possessed in its
superlative degree by the animals. The animals are without knowledge of
God; so to speak, they are deniers of Divinity and understand nothing of
the Kingdom and its heavenly mysteries. As deniers of the Kingdom, they
are utterly ignorant of spiritual things and uninformed of the
supernatural world. Therefore, if it be a perfection and virtue to be
without knowledge of God and His Kingdom, the animals have attained the
highest degree of excellence and proficiency. Then the donkey is the
greatest scientist and the cow an accomplished naturalist, for they have
obtained what they know without schooling and years of laborious study in
colleges, trusting implicitly to the evidence of the senses and relying
solely upon intuitive virtues. The cow, for instance, is a lover of the
visible and a believer in the tangible, contented and happy when pasture
is plenty, perfectly serene, a blissful exponent of the transcendental
school of philosophy. Such is the status of the material philosophers, who
glory in sharing the condition of the cow, imagining themselves in a lofty
station. Reflect upon their ignorance and blindness.
Nay, rather, the virtue of man is this: that he can investigate the ideals
of the Kingdom and attain knowledge which is denied the animal in its
limitation. The station of man is this: that he has the power to attain
those ideals and thereby differentiate and consciously distinguish himself
an infinite degree above the kingdoms of existence below him.
The station of man is great, very great. God has created man after His own
image and likeness. He has endowed him with a mighty power which is
capable of discovering the mysteries of phenomena. Through its use man is
able to arrive at ideal conclusions instead of being restricted to the
mere plane of sense impressions. As he possesses sense endowment in common
with the animals, it is evident that he is distinguished above them by his
conscious power of penetrating abstract realities. He acquires divine
wisdom; he searches out the mysteries of creation; he witnesses the
radiance of omnipotence; he attains the second birth--that is to say, he is
born out of the material world just as he is born of the mother; he
attains to everlasting life; he draws nearer to God; his heart is replete
with the love of God. This is the foundation of the world of humanity;
this is the image and likeness of God; this is the reality of man;
otherwise, he is an animal. Verily, God has created the animal in the
image and likeness of man, for though man outwardly is human, yet in
nature he possesses animal tendencies.
You must endeavor to understand the mysteries of God, attain the ideal
knowledge and arrive at the station of vision, acquiring directly from the
Sun of Reality and receiving a destined portion from the ancient bestowal
of God.
17 August 1912
Talk at Green Acre
Eliot, Maine