Divine Order, or The Science of Expression

The science of expression is from within, out, or from Spirit to nature. Nature, or form, is external appearance or mask, in which the law of revealment reaches its ultimate in demonstration; and expression or form is not endowed with creative power, for the reason that

form is the most external manifestation or out-picturing of the creative power of the idea. That which is produced by the action of power, is not the power, but is forever subject to the action of the power which produced it. Thus, we see that form is passive and ever changing, therefore not real, and is neither life, understanding, or power, for they are silent and formless. The act of thinking is the action of power, and is powerful, and gives form in thought to the formless, and makes visible the invisible or eternal idea. The act of speaking is an appearance of the action of power, and makes the form of thought apparent to the senses. Therefore the form or spoken word which seems so real and substantial to sense, is but appearance of thought, and thought is a representation of an eternal idea. Therefore, seek to get understanding, to "know thyself," and live in life - be the Father’s idea.

As grand and sublime as nature is, with all her planets and systems of planets, and all things thereon contained, yet she and all her forms are but symbols or spoken words representative of the ideas that are forever resting in that which is symboled - the Speaker.

Creation therefore represents the divine ideas which are forever resting in the Creator. If nature, the appearance, be so sublime, how more transcendently so must be the reality or Creator; hence the eternal truth conveyed in the words, "thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory forever," so let it be. What is it to find the kingdom of heaven and dwell therein? but to get understanding, and to become fully conscious that we live and move and have our being in God. To thus know that the kingdom of heaven is at hand is to live in the realization of the power and glory of Being.

The reason why the wisdom and power of Being is not more fully manifest, is because the attention is occupied with beliefs which are the opposite of Being, and which deny its presence.

The ignorance of the world is due to idolatry, and idolatry consists in placing on form the estimate and worth that belongs alone to Being. Awaken, Oh, slumbering humanity, to thine own inheritance, Being, lay hold upon it, it is thine to use and to enjoy. Be passive in thought, and free from anxiety and fear, and look steadfastly into the Unity of Being, and thou wilt see that all that is, is divine, and more than human. "Be still and know that I am God."

The power to think is the power of being. I am, therefore it is necessary that I think, that my possibilities may be manifest. As the white ray of light contains all possibilities of color and shades of color within itself, so also does Spirit or Infinite Being contain within itself all possibilities of universal nature with all forms therein contained; and as the possibilities of the white ray are not recognized by the individual consciousness until they are brought forth in the manifestation of various colors, so the possibilities of Infinite Spirit are unrecognized or unknown to the individual consciousness until they are made apparent in manifestation or brought forth in expression. The white ray, therefore, is fullness of color within itself, as Divine Being is fullness of power and goodness within itself. As long as we permit the things of sense to form a basis for our conclusions, we see external things as real, through our beliefs in them. Argument and error of understanding are brought about and maintained by this false method of thinking.

Negation is said to bring forth bitter fruit, but even that is nothing, for nothing cannot produce something. The bitter fruit is non-expression of Spirit, hence the belief in weakness. So those who allow appearances to form a basis for their thought and conclusions, will be heard to

judge themselves and others from the standpoint of appearance; yet it is written, judge not according to appearances, but judge righteous judgment. Such persons are heard to say, I am sick to-day and to-morrow I am better, and the next day well - thus showing that they have no other basis for their thought and conclusion than feeling and sensation. As long as appearances are permitted to be a basis from which to reason, we cannot prevent ourselves from feeling agreeable or disagreeable, happy or unhappy, for feeling will accord with the plane, premise, and reason of our thought. Thus controlling and guiding thought, we express life eternal; but when thought is based in and on the images resulting from life, it shows forth its kind - no life, substance or power; verily both have their reward. They who permit the external to sway their thought, have strong likes and dislikes for people, places and conditions; their judgment being according to appearances, their thought and conclusions serve appearances or mammon. Such persons are heard to say, I like or dislike the weather; I like or dislike certain environments or conditions; I believe a certain kind of food is digestible or indigestible; I believe if I were in a certain climate I would be healthy and happy, and be a power to bless others; and according to their own statements of themselves they are wholly and entirely mortal, and are subject to every mortal thing on the face of the planet; such have wandered out of the way of wisdom, in thought, and are in the congregation of the dead, materiality, or dead effects: that is, they believe that matter is life.

The power to bless others comes not from this realm or line of thought and reasoning. Therefore those who would bless others must first bless themselves by claiming and being that which is real and permanent, and not subject to effects.

A copy of a painting is never as good as the original, for the reason that the original is the image and likeness of an eternal idea, resting within the painter, and it represents that idea. The idea is imaged in mentality by thought; so, a copy of the painting only represents the symbol of an idea, and is a copy or picture of a symbol; a copy or picture of a symbol is forever dead. As external forms are symbolic of ideas, all beliefs based on the testimony of the senses are based on symbols of an idea, and are mental copies or symbols, and are, therefore, dead pictures. The original idea is the only living picture. Therefore form your mental images from the living idea, not from the dead symbol. A full understanding of the above, which is illustrative of the science of expression, enables us to set our house in order, to have a place for everything, and everything in its place - that is, to place the true worth on Being, and to see expression or creation as forever subject to it. It is not well, even then, to momentarily turn to the shadowy side, or taste the forbidden fruit; for if tempted by the serpent of sense to make appearances the object of love, we are deceived by giving them a place in thought instead of Being, and we partake of forbidden fruit; all who partake of it are cast out of the garden, which is in Eden.