The Pathway of Roses/Finding the Lost Word
CHAPTER XII
FINDING THE LOST WORD
Illumined minds in every age have declared their belief in what may be termed the sacred word; or that formulated statement of truth through which unbounded power could be expressed. According to this belief, anyone who knew this secret word or statement, could, by the use of that word, secure anything he might desire. Through this word the sick could be healed, adversity overcome, calamities prevented, enemies turned into friends, earnest desires realized, life prolonged, and everything gained that would tend to promote the comfort and joy of existence; and those who were high in the scale of spiritual attainments, could, with this word, perform miracles. This was the belief, and this is still the belief among nearly all who recognize divine power in man. But what this word really is, is a mystery in the minds of the many, and therefore it is usually called the lost word.
The great word is not a word, as many suppose, nor a definite statement of truth. The great word is the soul of every word, the spirit of every thought and the inner power of every expressed statement. In the minds of the great majority it is a lost word, because their speech does not have soul, their thought does not have spirit, and their statements of truth, or untruth, are devoid of inner power. But those who are learning to live, think and act, not as material personalities, but as Sons of God, are finding the great word; they are beginning to speak with authority, and there is hidden power in everything they say. What they say will come true, does come true; what they think they can do they gain the power to do, and their work invariably contains some exceptional quality that the ordinary mind cannot define. The spiritually minded, however, can understand; they know the secret; they realize that the great word is the supreme power of divine being coming forth into the speech, the thought and the actions of the fully awakened soul. And if these minds will continue to enter more and more deeply into the spirit of this supreme power they will find that the great word can do everything that the ages have declared that it could do. Thousands to-day do, at times, use this secret word; that is, they give soul to what they say, and they give spirit to what they think; in consequence, their words carry weight and their thoughts have extraordinary power. But they do not, as a rule, understand how the power of the soul is given to word and thought, and therefore do not secure results whenever they may so desire. The secret, however, is simple, so simple that it can be comprehended and applied by anyone.
To begin, train yourself to feel inner power whenever you give expression to a statement of truth; and whenever you think enter into the spirit of your thought. When you speak, do not simply say words; say more. Never indulge in empty speech; that is, place yourself, your whole self, your great self into every word you utter. Let the spoken word be the body of your speech, but see that every body has a great soul. The audible word itself has no power, but that word can carry all the power that you can inwardly feel at the time it is spoken. When you give soul to your speech every word will contain hidden power, and it is this hidden power of the spoken word that constitutes the secret word, the great word, the word that works wonders for those who understand. We realize, therefore, that there is nothing mystical or mysterious about the great word; it is simply a measure of supreme spiritual power taking expression in thought or speech. Jesus Christ was the greatest master in the use of the word that we know, though there have been hundreds in every age that have discerned its power and applied it to a great degree. In this age there are more than there ever were before who are consciously using the word, but as the general understanding of its nature is not clear, results are not as great as they might be. But it is predicted that we are to do the greater works, and it is our privilege to do so now because we have received the power.
There are thousands in the world to-day who are ready to do the greater works; they understand the law; they know the truth and their desire to live the truth is becoming stronger every hour; but there is one thing more needful. We must enter more deeply into the spirit. To believe in things spiritual is not sufficient; nor will the daily effort to conform with spiritual principles supply the necessary requirements. We must do all of these things and more. We must aim to enter into the very life of the innermost power of the spirit whatever we think, say or do. When we think the truth, we must mentally feel the inner spirit of that truth. When we desire the realization of some divine quality or perfect condition, we must mentally feel the deep invincible soul of that desire. And when we speak, we must not speak as personal men, but as spiritual Sons of the Most High, endued with limitless power from the Supreme. In brief, whatever we do in body, mind or soul, we must enter more deeply into the hidden powers of the spirit, and must try to realize that that power is the very soul of all power. When we think we can feel the soul of divine power, we must try to enter into the soul of that soul; and when we realize that a deeper soul state is being felt, we must try to enter into the soul of this deeper state, and so on, ever going deeper and deeper into the limitless vastness of the spirit. Thus we shall gain the great word, the word that gives soul to every word, spirit to every thought and inner power to every statement.
Give soul to every spoken word and you can heal yourself by saying, "I Am Well;" you can emancipate yourself from every adverse condition by saying, "I Am the Freedom of Divine Truth;" and you can cause every atom in your being to thrill with life and power by saying, "I Am the Strength of the Infinite." Give spirit to every thought you think and every condition you picture in the mind will be realized in the body. Every true desire you feel will be fulfilled, and every dream of greater things will positively come true. What you think you can do you will gain the power to do, because every thought that is filled with the spirit is also filled with the limitless power of the spirit. Give inner power to every statement, and whatever you affirm to be true you will cause to come true. The great word is creative, and if the hidden power of this word is in your statement, it will create whatever your statement may affirm. Therefore, select your statements with wisdom, and pray only for that which you know that you want. When you regain the lost word, all your prayers will be answered and all your desires come true. It is therefore advisable to pray for wisdom first, to desire spirituality first, and to seek first the kingdom of God.
The power of the spirit finds full expression only through the Word; but since mankind in general does not possess the Word, it is usually spoken of as the "lost word." To the mind that is only partly awakened this Word is something vague, almost incomprehensible, yet a jewel most earnestly desired. He feels that there is something within him that can know this Word, and speak the Word, but it seems to be lost to his mind in some mysterious manner. It is the speaking of the Word, however, that heals the sick and that makes man free; it is therefore most desirable to possess. When it is stated that the Word is lost, the idea is not that the human race possessed it once, and lost it later. The entire race never did possess the Word; never had the power to speak the Word. The Word has been lost to the race from the beginning of manifested existence in this sphere, but has been found in every age by the illumined minds of that age, and through those minds declared to the world. Instead of speaking of the Word as the "lost word," it would therefore be better to speak of it as the "hidden word," hidden from the mind of personal man, but revealed to the minds of illumined souls.
Those minds that are on the borderland of the great awakening realize that immediately beyond their present mental comprehension lies a world of wisdom and light, indescribable in its marvelousness and beauty. To some minds it is so near that at times the veil is parted, and they obtain a slight glimpse of the glory and splendor that was, is and is to be. Others have crossed the border at certain periods in their lives, and have actually entered, for a time, the Father's House of the Many Mansions. But the great purpose of every soul is to some day enter this celestial world and abide there always. Many have believed that we must leave the body before we can enter that sublime realm; the truth is, however, that we may enter today, if we are ready, and live in that higher world while still living upon earth in physical form. We shall then find that the earth is not outside of the kingdom, but that the real earth, spiritually discerned and understood in truth, is also one of His secret places.
To have the spiritual discernment to look into this beautiful world, these higher realms, and behold the sublime glory of the kingdom, the Father's House of the Many Mansions, is to regain the "lost word." "It is for you to know the mysteries of the kingdom;" and whoever has sufficient spiritual power to part the veil and see those things that are prepared for them that love Him, has found the "hidden word." Now he knows the mysteries; he has seen them as they are. He has crossed the border, he has trod the shining shore and his eyes have beheld eternity. He has seen the Word, because the One Divine Word is the revelation of all that Is Eternal. Whoever can see that which Eternally Is, that to which nothing can be added, nothing taken away, that which is the foundation of all, the life of all, the all in all, can see the Word. The Word is revealed to him; divine wisdom has inspired his soul, the light of the spirit has illumined his mind, and he speaks as one having authority. He speaks, not of that which others have told him, not as the scribes; he has seen the mysteries; he bears witness to the truth because he has witnessed and beheld the truth with his own illumined mind. The heavens have opened before him; he has not only had a vision; he has seen the truth that is beyond the vision and that truth is the Word.
To reach this sublime state the secret is faith; not the faith that believes, but the faith that knows—the faith that can see with the vision of the spirit. Every soul that has some discernment of higher things has a portion of faith. This faith increases as the soul ascends, and the soul ascends as the faith becomes larger, higher and more illumined. To feel the touch of the spirit is the beginning of real faith, and the nearer the soul lives to the spirit the larger the faith. In the first stages of faith, the way is opened for the power of the spirit to come forth and prepare the human temple for the greater things that are to follow. After this period, if the mind continues in spiritual growth, illumination begins, and will continue until the Christ state is attained.
During the first stages of spiritual illumination the mind feels the nearness of a higher world, and here is the soul's opportunity to take many steps towards the heights. Whenever these sublime moments appear, enter the stillness of the spirit, and place body, mind and thought in touch with the soul's eternal calm. Then when in the peace that passeth understanding, open the eyes of the spirit, and in faith, desire to meet Him face to face. He may not appear; but be not impatient; know that He will appear, and you can wait. You can wait an eternity for such a privilege, for a single moment in His Presence is a million heavens in one. But when you do draw near enough to behold His shining glory, give thanks with all the power of heart and soul. The Redeemer has entered your life; you have found the way; you have entered the great climax of human existence and now you may begin to live. Henceforth, give your highest thought and attention to every spiritual experience that may appear, no matter how insignificant it may seem to be. Know that every manifestation of Divine Presence indicates that you are growing in the spirit, that your spiritual eyes are being opened, that you are beginning to discern His omnipresence and to know that He is always here, closer than breathing, nearer than hands and feet.
To know God is the beginning of all wisdom. To know and feel that God is here, everywhere, that we live in His spirit. His life, His wisdom, His power, His light and His love now, is to awaken the mind to real wisdom. Then we shall find the "hidden word;" then we shall enter the inner sanctuary of the soul and behold the Word of God manifested in the true being of man, eternally creating the true being of man in the likeness of the image divine. And then we behold the Word of truth in the being of truth we gain the power to speak the Word of truth. To know the Word is to have the power to speak the Word, and to speak the Word is to cause the Word to become flesh. Thus the life, the wholeness and the glory of the spirit is made real in the personal being of man.
To grow daily in the spirit is the way to the higher faith, the larger wisdom and the beautiful life. Aspire constantly to live the life of the spirit; turn all thought and attention to the more perfect understanding of the spirit; keep the eye single upon the divine perfection of the spirit, and there shall be many moments when His spirit will actually appear. When these moments come, grieve not the spirit away; receive its life and its power by entering into the stillness within; then open widely the door of the heart that the guest from On High may come in. Soon He will come again. His coming will become more and more frequent, and when you are ready to actually live the life He lives, He will not go away any more.
Whenever the spirit comes and is received, the Word is being revealed to you, and you obtain a larger glimpse of that sublime state of being where you are about to enter, never to return. Never to return to the ways of the world; never to return to the bondage of sin; but to live in the light and the freedom of the spirit while still in personal form; to walk with God while still walking the earth; to be surrounded and protected by His invisible power while still living and working in the midst of visible things. In the world and yet above the world. Whenever you discern more clearly the glory of the kingdom it means that you are drawing nearer and nearer to the pearly gates. Press on; not with force and will, but with peace and faith, the eye ever single upon the Light that leads. It is the will of God that we should enter now "there is another and a better world." That world is not a future state of existence, but an eternal state of existence; it is therefore at hand here and now. To enter the "pearly gates" is to enter that better world—God's own true world where all is well. And those gates are ajar to all who can speak the Word.
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Light within, guide thou my way, |