The flashlights of truth

Dedication

We dedicate this book and its message

TO ALL PEOPLES EVERYWHERE. It IS A

message to the low and humble and to the high and mighty.

Table Of Contents

Page

Dedication iii

Introduction ix

XXXI. I

II.

III.

IV.

V.

VI.

VII.

VIII.

IX.

X.

XL

XII.

XIII.

XIV.

Page

The Soul 343

Healing Instructions 347

Knowing the Truth 362

The Living God Almighty 374

Conscious Individuality 379

SECOND PART Dedication 385

The Lullaby of the Infinite 396

The Silence of the Infinite 400

Sublimity 402

"Jesus Sat By the Seaside" 406

The Consciousness of Jesus Christ . . . 411 The £ong of the Soul of Man, as He Stands on the Mount

of Transfiguration 417

Man, Body, Mind, Soul, Spirit — One . . . 420

When Man Sees With Other Eyes, Not Dimmed by the Mists Upon

This Shore 430

"Cleanliness Is Next to Godliness". .433

Loving Kindness 435

"Know Thou Whereof Thou

Speaketh" 437

Child of the Kingdom 440

Table of Contents vii

Chapter Page

XV. Appreciation 442

XVI. Cosmic Consciousness 445

XVII. Sublimity of Beauty 450

XVIII. Laughing in God's Law .453

XIX. Paradise 458

XX. Inspiration 461

XXI. Prayer 467

XXII. The Bounty of God 469

XXIII. The Highway of Our God 474

XXIV. Jesus Christ, the Way-Shower ;

The Divine Man in Expression 477

XXV. In the Realm of the Real 483

XXVI. Anchorage 486

XXVII. Earnest and Steadfast 488

XXVIII. Abide Thou In Abiding Trust In God . . 493

XXIX. The Village Path (An Allegory) 495

XXX. The Web of Truth,

Having Been Wrought Out, Man

Stands at Home in God, Forever

and Forever 501

THIRD PART

Dedication 511

I. Divine Conviction 513

II. Upon the Sacred Path 518

III. Practical Application of the Law .... 522

IV. The Scientific Man 526

V. Joyously LrviNG in the Sunlight

of God's Love 534

VI. Practical Deductions 543

VII. Renunciation 552

VIII. The Conclusion 555

Introduction

IN presenting the flashlights of Truth contained in this book, we claim no new Truth; neither a new interpretation of Truth.

We have gathered flashlights of Truth which have been given to the men of earth from time immemorial, and woven them into a fabric — this book.

As God is One, Truth is One. It matters not, if it is expressed through the Sacred Books of the East, the Scriptures of the Hebrews or the Bibles of the other peoples of the earth.

If anyone, in sincerity and without prejudice, will read from the beginning of this book unto the finish, he will perceive one complete web of Truth; and in this completeness the West and the East can unite.

We have emphasized the flashlights of Truth which were given by the Nazarene Master, our Elder Brother and the world-Savior, because His was that message which each individual necessarily must know and bring into expression, that he may become extricated from Maya, — the great illusion.

We have brought forth the flashlights of Jesus' message, that the practical deductions may be understood, that man can free his mentality and physical body from the false conclusions of the carnal man concerning himself.

When the individual has attained freedom through the Christ Light, he has achieved: he is at Home, the place which the Enlightened Gautama, the Buddha, called Nirvana.

x The Flashlights of Truth

Truth is One. Thus, as a symbol of the unity of the East and the West in the universal and Omnipresent Truth, we weave on the eover of this hook the Lotus, the sacred flower of the East, which is a symbol of the Divine Mother — God-Love-Essence — and the Lily, the emblem of the birth of Jesus, the Christ, in Bethlehem; that birth of Christianity whose esoteric teachings, when brought to the surface from behind the literal interpretations of the exoteric teachings of the followers of Jesus, will reveal the way — the rules — and how to gain assistance, that man can follow in the footsteps of Jesus the Christ.

The white rose we humbly unite with these, bringing the symbol of the Trinity into expression. It is a symbol of Buddha, the Enlightened One, whose message, given some five hundred years before that of Jesus, was Enlightenment into Purity, which brings man into Nirvana.

The time has arrived for the second coming of Jesus, the Christ, the great world Teacher. We send forth a web of Truth which is universal, without name, doctrinal beliefs or creeds of man.

Just the Flashlights of Truth,— the Truth of the Ages, gathered from the message which God has given to man through His chosen Son, and those of lesser Light.

Nothing new. No! For God is All. And God is Eternal.

We invite our brothers of the East and our brothers of the West to "come and dine" and catch the Flashlights of Truth which will reveal to you the unity, the oneness and wholeness of Truth Divine.

Learn that Truth is universal ; therefore, the same to all men; and in every clime, "God is no respecter of persons. ' '

We, the Spirit of Aum, and this writer, Yotis, invite all brothers of all races, colors and nationalities to glean these flashlights, given at the beginning of this New Age, and walk in that light, guided by the Light into the

Introduction xi

reconstruction period of these days; and, by gleaning deeper light continually, become enlightened sufficiently to dwell upon the earth when it is refreshed by the dewdrops of Infinite Love and the Kingdom of Heaven is reigning upon this, "God's footstool."

Again we invite all to ' ' come and dine, ' ' that the Love which is God-love may be expressed in all and the brotherhood of man be established upon the earth and all men live in the Love and Light which is God, recognizing that this is the ' ' glorious liberty of the Sons of God. ' '

ABCIAT.

Preface

1HAVE no desire to bring myself into the foreground, except to inform the readers of this book — "The Flash Lights of Truth" — that the book was written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit of Truth.

I call to remembrance that Jesus Christ ever thanked the Father for all blessings. This I sincerely do. Knowing, as I do, " That I of myself can do nothing, ' ' I therefore send this message forth with my prayer to God, our Father-Mother, that many may glean the Light which shines through every page, digest and assimilate it, so that it may become a realization, which realization, united with Love and Devotion, opens the way for the blessings which follow the gleaning of the Light.

Ten years ago I was privileged to receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit as spoken of in the Second Chapter of Acts, thereby coming into rapport with the Holy Spirit of Truth.

Many and sweet have been the trysting times and hours of deep communion with my Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit of Truth, in these past ten years.

When I renounced my self-will unto the Father's Will, I lost nothing but gained all, — by trusting in God, the Omnipresent One.

I was called by the Spirit of Truth into semi-retirement to write this book in 1913-1914; it was finished in 1915 and now published in 1918.

ELIZABETH DELVINE KING.

927 West 36th Place,

Los Angeles, California.

Chapter I

AS far back as the mind of man can reach is the time, just before creation sprang into existence, when darkness was over the face of the deep. Darkness is expressive of something which is incomprehensible to man.

But God is Light, and before the morning stars flashed forth their light "and the sons of God sang sweetly together," "God Is," as "He forever was," and will never cease to be. God is One! and will ever thus remain, filling all space. Therefore, He is limitless and boundless, — this is Aum.

For a clearer comprehension of Light, we will use the Solar Sun, whose light is warm and life-giving, as the symbol of the Light of Love, whose Light is Eternal Warmth and Life-giving.

Then, cannot one easily perceive how the universes and systems, — yes, myriads of systems of universes, — can come forth from the Impersonal God into manifestation, each in the center of God, and all living and moving and having their being in God? Then it is plain that each universe and system of universes can perceive their at-one-ment with God, — AUM.

These universes and systems of universes can live and move in their appointed places for ages, yea, aeons, and finally dissolve and retire into the Impersonal Aum, and the place which knew their form, know them no more. Yet, they are not destroyed, as every atom of their being exists now, as it did before they formed into forms.

God, the Intelligence, Life, Light, Love and Warmth that is, is not disturbed, neither divided by the forming and unforming of the myriad of systems of universes.

We make the statement that God is Light. Let us analyze Light. When we begin to dissect Light we find that it is Life, Warmth and Love ; then, too, we see that it must be Intelligence.

Then we have God as Light, Life, Love and Intelligence; and, as God is all, there is nothing to obstruct Him. Thus we see that Light fills all space; and, if Light fills all space, Life, Warmth, Love and Intelligence fill all space ; and so we see that Aum is limitless and boundless. Then each and every manifestation of God is forever in at-one-ment with God, and lives and has its being in God ; it matters not if it is a tiny grain of sand or a system of universes, a blade of grass or man, — the crowning glory and highest manifestation of God.

After the storms of winter, which have caused the earth to become bleak and barren of vegetation, the warmth of the solar sun, which has again crossed the equator, causes the life, which was concealed during the cold, wintry blasts, to burst forth; and soon a green mantle is spread over mountain sides, valleys and plains ; and the blossoms of fruit and grain announce that the harvest time will approach; and the beautiful flowers, which are the messengers of Love sent forth from the Heart of Love to cheer earth's children, sway and smile and radiate perfume, filling the air around them with the breath of Paradise.

Life, Intelligence and Love manifest in Law, Action and Order. These are impersonal, fill all space, and are limitless and boundless ; for, lo ! these are God, — Aum ! and all live and have their being in this Presence.

The mysteries of God are not past finding out to the Soul, when once it awakens to the grand varieties of Being ; but they are unfathomable to the intellect of the earth-man.

We read in Sacred Writ, "At the beginning, darkness was over the face of the deep." The mind of man extends backward, as it were, to the curtain of dawn in the beginning of creation; but it cannot penetrate the veil, because the finite mind cannot reach into the Infinite.

God existed in all His magnitude before creation came into existence, just as He now does ; and, the fact is, that in a literal sense there was no darkness at all. Unknowable, unfathomable is that which resides just beyond that dawn ; and this is darkness to the finite mind of man.

When God, after His period of repose, being unmanifest, desired to become manifest, creation sprang forth, coming from its Source, — God. As God was All, there was no other Source; therefore, creation came forth in His Wisdom and is forever unchangeable; and thus it stands and will forever be.

God being perfect, an imperfect manifestation could not come forth from Him.

When God became manifest in creation, or through creation, He set the Eternal Law of Action into action, in and through creation ; yea, He, Himself, is that Eternal Law of Action ; for, lo, in the beginning there was nothing but God. In this Eternal Law of Eternal Action, all God's Laws spring into existence, — in God's wisdom and at His desire, and all are working in His care to hold, sustain and invigorate creation as it moves on throughout the endless aeons of Eternity. Creation, which is the manifestation of God, is forever in this Law. As long as it moves in rhythm with those Laws, all is well with it as a whole, or as an individual.

The earth took form from the One and Only Substance. It came to pass in rhythmic action with the Law, and the laws contained in the Law ; and as long as it vibrates in the harmonious rhythm of the Law of God, which is Unchangeable and Eternal, all is well; but, when a discordant note is struck and the rhythm interfered with, the rate of vibration is lowered, according to the condition of the discordant note which has been struck, and it may require ages before the rate of vibration is lowered sufficiently to cause it to lose its individualized form and sink back into the unmanifest, there to remain until God wills it to come forth again. It is thus throughout the endless agons of Eternity.

As the ages roll by, God reposes. Then He becomes manifest at His Will; and all His creation moves and fulfills in His all- wise plan.

But what of man, "the crowning glory of God's creation"; yea, he whom "God created in His image and likeness"?

Man ! man ! None but the awakened Soul, the one who has been born again and has the Christ, the Holy Spirit, dwelling within him, can grasp, even in a faint way, what it means to be created in the image and likeness of God. It is as nothing to the finite man, because to him it is beyond the curtain which drapes the dawn of creation, and will there remain, hid in the unknowable, until he awakens and is born again. Then the curtain will be rent in twain and the light of the morning penetrate him through and through.

Why is it we find man in the finite state and so sound asleep that he must be awakened and born again before he can comprehend what it means that "God created man in His image and likeness"?

God has the Power and Wisdom within Him to desire a change, as He Eternally lived Himself ; and this desire came into manifestation in this which man calls creation. This change manifesting as creation did not take place instantly. We read in Sacred Writ that seven days were consumed in bringing it forth into expression. "Seven" therein is used as symbolical of the time of completeness, which was Ages and Ages, as the men of earth reckon time.

God endowed man with Intelligence, Life, Love and the Power of Desire ; which desire, when set in operation in man, causes a change to take place in man. Creation sprang forth from the only Substance there was, which was God- Substance. Man, being a manifestation of God, when he used His power of choice and desired a change, it was limited ; therefore finite ; and within the scope and power of his desire, and man began to move out from the Infinite concept to the finite. Infinite means limitless, while finite means limited.

We read in this same Sacred Writ, that God placed man in the Garden of Eden. This was a large estate, — yea, it was a blissful state in which all Souls of God's creation dwelt ; this state is Paradise. At creation, when the Souls of men became individualized, they dwelt in the bosom of God, their Creator, — yea, their Father- Mother ; and this is Eden ; it is Bliss ; it is Paradise. As long as they dwelt in contentment there it was well wfth them ; but when desire came into expression, the change began to take place in the individual. It was in the individual only ; as Paradise was in no way disturbed or affected by the change which was taking place in the individual Soul, who had desired a change.

As soon as the desire was expressed in thought or word, the vibration began to change ; just a slight change at first, 'tis true, but the change had begun ; and, as the desire increased, the vibrations became lower until they were low enough to cause this Soul to begin to look outward; and we find man (the positive and the negative part of his being) partaking of the Fruit of the Tree which stood in the midst of the Garden. When they became conscious of their nakedness, feeling that they were not in perfect rhythm with God, and not understanding concerning this change which had taken place in them, they desired a covering. As they moved along, continuing to look outward and to observe the outer things, they by and by lose sight of God as He is, and enter the illusion of seeing God as they think He is.

God. Aum, fills all space; and Jesus Christ said, "I in the Father and the Father in Me," and, referring to His works, He said, "The Father within Me, He doeth the works. ' ' He understood this ; while those who have a lesser degree of Light find it necessary to ' ' seek, ask and knock" until they, too, attain the fullness of "that Light which lighteth every man who cometh into the world."

Let us stand in imagination at the dawn of creation; yea, let the mind reach beyond the dawn into the darkness which covered "the face of the deep," and then the dawn, as creation sprang forth from the Womb of the Infinite, and the Light shone over land and sea; seeing this as the mind of man can imagine it.

This darkness which was over the face of the deep is incomprehensible until, as the morning light approaches, the curtains of night begin to drape aside, then roll back as a scroll as the full light of the sun sends its golden rays so bright and clear that they penetrate the darkness ; and, lo, all is Light.

Man, as he "Seeks, Asks and Knocks," comes more closely into the understanding of God, Aum, and steps so strongly into the Light that he sees he lives, moves and has his being in it; then, that he is filled with it; and the darkness that was over the face of the deep gradually is dispelled from his mind.

In the outer reckoning of things it is a long journey for the Soul from the time it becomes conscious that it is looking outward and begins to partake of the fruit that grew on the Tree which was in the midst of the Garden (of which Divine Wisdom had forbidden it to eat), until it reaches the place on the Path which leads through experience, where the Light of God again becomes so strong that the curtain is drawn aside and the Soul pierces the darkness with clear vision and understanding, and knows God, Aum ; and, creation as it is ; and man, the manifestation of God, as he is.

When man became conscious that he was in the Garden where the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge were, he moved peacefully along into the evening whence his mind was enough confused to feel that he was separated from God; and, in this dulled condition of his mind, he perceived God walking in the midst of the Garden and calling, "Adam! Where art thou?" The Infinite Intelligence knew where man was; knew, also, the change which had come into man's mind through the vibrations becoming lowered by his looking away from God, the Source of his being, to outer things. But man did not comprehend this ; therefore, he continued looking outward until there was such a distance in his consciousness between himself and the Father that he was removed from the Garden of Eden and a Flaming Sword placed between him and the Tree of Life. This Flaming Sword is the Light of Truth, the Light that is Truth.

No man, after he has partaken of the Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, which brought men into the school of earth-experience, can again come unto the Tree of Life until he is pierced by that Flaming Sword, and can understand it and handle it with Love and Wisdom.

When man has reached the place where he ' ' knows the Truth," and knows that he is "lighted by that Light which lighteth every man who cometh into the world," he will have passed through the school of earth 's experience and come from the state of the Adam-man unto the glorious Light of Jesus the Christ.

We read, "As in Adam all die, so in Jesus Christ all are made alive. ' ' Adam represents the Soul as it, through the lowering of its vibrations, finds itself in the Garden of Eden and the vibrations low enough to have caused man to lose the consciousness of Bliss which he enjoyed in the higher state of concept, or vibration. Man in this state began to depend upon himself for happiness, food and raiment and all that belongs to this, his life of separation.

As man ate more freely of the Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, he passed further into the self-will and, finally, he endeavors to depend upon self for the ability to live and enjoy life. Thus the carnal mind was formed ; and, in time, the thoughts and desires of the selfishness in it caused man to become conscious of the outer mind only; and mankind has walked down the centuries, becoming as barbarous as it was possible for this carnal mind (the Adversary) to make him. The Divine Man, whom God created, has become encased, as it were, with this carnal concept ; the outer and the inner of it (the conscious and subconscious) ; but the Divine or Super-conscious man remains, and is the man which God created.

As long as man lives under the sway of the carnal mind, which is the mind of earth only, he cannot see the beauty, sweetness and glory which is in the two-edged sword (the Light of Truth) which guards the Tree of Life.

It is not in the Desire or Will of the Father, the Creator, that man should live forever in the carnal concept of himself; therefore, he is not permitted to come unto Eternal Life consciousness until he is born again.

Jesus Christ, in answer to Nicodemus' question, said, ' ' Ye must be born again. ' '

A Prophet of God, letting the voice of the Infinite speak through him, said, "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh nor whither it goeth." So man, in his carnal state, cannot tell the Rhythm and Action of the Law and Love of God. "Ye must be born again." Jesus also said to Nicodemus, "Ye must be born from above. ' '

As the carnal mind and its expressions in man are of the earth, earthy, so the God-man, the one "created in the Image and likeness of God," is of Heaven, Heavenly. Man's quickening, also his new Birth, comes from above. Then God sets His seal upon him, and the vibrations of his being are so quickened and raised that the things of earth and the love of worldly pleasure can no longer

The Mystery op God 23

influence him or hold him in bondage. Then his eyes are turned upon the Flaming Sword, and he, guided by the Holy Spirit, which comes into his being at the New Birth, will come unto and into, and, finally, will become that Light and consciously stand, not only near the Tree of Life, but he, too, is a tree of Life and, knowingly, stands in the midst of Paradise, a Redeemed Son of God. He has then finished with earth's experience for himself; but he now is ready and prepared to assist those who are living in the carnal man's concept of themselves and the earth.

The Soul in Paradise dwells in perfect bliss and remains in that state until he chooses to desire to know how it might be to be other than Blissful. It is as an innocent babe, filled with the ecstasy of resting on the Father's Bosom and covered and surrounded with His Love. But, when the Soul has partaken of the Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and has moved out on the path which leads through carnal experiences and travelled thereon until it has pressed to its completeness the wine-press of woe, heartaches and sorrow, which express in sickness, old age, death and poverty; then, like a tired child, it pauses long enough to consider ; and, in this consideration, it discerns that these glittering desires, which man seeks to achieve, are only shadows, which change as the sun rises and sets; are only the will-o'-the-wisp, leading man further into the marsh of the carnal man's will and ways.

When man has reached this point on the path and realizes he has eaten to his full of the Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and turns and faces the Flaming Sword and, through prayer, seeks to learn the Father's will and, through Prayer, Devotion and Love, desires to lay down and cast aside his own self-will, (the carnal mind), and come into the concept of his Divine-Self, which is God individualized, he reaches the Paradisiacal state again and is then no longer the innocent babe on the Father's Bosom, but a Redeemed Son.

As long as man 's bark is on a placid sea or calm lake, the sky blue, the sunshine clear and warm, he is content in carnality. If one should speak to him of God, perchance he will say, "There is no God. Nature is all I see, and nature's laws I have learned, and know the seasons as they come and go with their seed-time and harvest. ' ' However, there will come a day to every Soul when the quiet summer day will come to a close and the evening shadows of autumn gather around and, by and by, the storms of winter.

A Redeemed Son of God, one who has passed over the path which leads through experience and has the full Light of Truth, sees the clouds, storms and wintery blasts, but is not disturbed by them; because he is vibrating in the Love and Warmth of the Presence of his Heavenly Father. He, thus endued, can assist those who are still lost in the maze and confusions which surround the path that leads through carnality and the school of experience.

No man is a Redeemed Son of God until he has passed out from Paradise, partaken of the Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, which stood in the midst of the Garden, passed through the school of experience, been born again and partaken of Life Eternal and thereby become a conscious redeemed Son of God. How long a time this requires for a Soul "No man knoweth, not even the Son; but the Father." None will be forever lost ; no, not one !

Some may loiter a long time by the side of babbling brooks, or in the shade in the midst of green pastures, or stop to gather the tender flowers of spring-time, or the more sturdy ones of summer. Some may, through the Law of Cause and Effect, find themselves in barren places, and the chains, which they themselves have forged, bind them until "They have paid unto the very last farthing ' ' ; but, in the fullness of time, they will be free and again take up their problem and continue to study its mystery until they have solved it. Then they will understand the deep Laws of God, which are contained in the One Law, — God's Law.

As the finite man, or the man in the finite concept, looks at this stupendous task, the curtain hangs thick and low, and darkness is over the face of the deep.

Again we say, "man in his finite state cannot pierce the gloom of ignorance and superstition which has formed in the finite mind ; this is impossible, as the finite cannot comprehend the Infinite. "

There is a way of escape from the finite state, so that man may cause the curtains to be draped aside and step into the higher concept and fathom the depths beyond and know. This is through first awakening, then getting understanding, then attaining unto the New Birth ; then on, and on!

Jesus Christ said, "When he the Spirit of Truth, 'The Comforter,' is come, He will guide and lead you into all Truth."

Man can then see that it is with man to work his way through the maze of the experiences of the carnal life and learn the Truth and "Seek, ask and knock" until he has arrived at Home, Redeemed.

Man, himself, is responsible for his having desired a change which brought him unto the Tree of Knowledge, and, contrary to the whispering of Divine Wisdom, ate thereof. God endued man at creation with this power to desire a change, or, as designated by some, free-will.

This free-will is that which keeps man from the perfect expression of God. As he is "God's Image and Likeness," this free-will is the only thing which man really has, and is the one thing which God requires. When man's self-will is surrendered unto God's Will, or merged thereunto, man, then, will be happy and content, having Divine Satisfaction.