The result of such explanation is to dethrone him from the altars of dogma and superstition, and enthrone him on the altar of Love in the heart of Humanity.
This is long delayed, but cannot be defeated.
SECTION ONE
STUDIES IN PSYCHOLOGY
CHAPTER I
CLASSIFICATION OF FACULTIES, CAPACITIES, AND POWERS
Starting with the Modulus of Nature– an Ideal or Archetypal Man, and coming down to practical things in daily life —
1. Man is an Individual Intelligence. This is taken as an empirical fact, patent to every intelligent individual.
The source and nature of intelligence itself need not here concern us. We may call it an ultimate that all the philosophies of the world have signally failed to explain. It is something that grows, increases or decreases, expands, becomes confused, according to the conditions of bodily organ and function, heredity, environment, personal effort and the like; but so far as we know, it is the same thing, large or small, wise or foolish. It is still, measure for measure, Individual Intelligence.
2. The term Individual means distinct, concrete, relatively separate. Man being an Individual Intelligence; God is the Universal Intelligence. Just as the organism of man is involved in, and evolved from Universal Nature; so the Intelligence of man is involved in, and evolved from Universal Intelligence.
The empirical fact of the intelligence of man presupposes a “sufficient reason” or source. Still we do not know what God and Nature and Intelligence are. We only know how they manifest. Our intelligence enables us to observe, reflect, reason, and in some measure apprehend the method and manifestation.
I am not seeking to build nor unfold a “Philosophy.” “Yes,” someone replies, “but a philosophy is implied or involved.”
Very well, let it unfold itself.
3. The next empirical fact of prime importance is, The Individual Intelligence, not of man, but which is man, is aware of itself, i.e., “self-conscious.” It is able to distinguish between the self and the non-self.
4. Again, as to consciousness, as with intelligence: We know that man has it and uses it, and what it does to some extent; but we do not know what it is, intrinsically, nor do we need to know any of these ultimates. The effort to explain them has never ended in anything but confusion. We shall herein name them, and then pass them.
5. We have now postulated a self-conscious, Individual Intelligence, as the real man. Next we find this Man can do things, or refrain from doing; act, or refrain from action. This is called Initiative, Volition, Will.
6. This power of action and of choice, inspired by intelligence, aware of the self, adapts actions to ends. This involves reason and judgment.
7. In the course of experience along the lines of action or restraint, and observing results in either case, the individual desiring or preferring certain results to others, acquires more or less self-control. He controls himself to secure desired results.
Here then, in brief outline, are the basis and the elements of our Psychology. They are drawn from common observation and experience, and are verified by the facts of daily life – generally complicated, confused, or lost sight of in treatises on psychology.
Two of these factors, viz.: Consciousness and Will, enter into all psychological phenomena such as Hypnotism and Mediumship, and into every form of mental alienation, insanity, obsession and the like.
Moreover, by building out of mental phenomena a distinct entity – largely independent of the self-conscious Intelligence, and almost equally so with consciousness – our “philosophies,” “metaphysics,” and explanations have become as confused and unreliable as the psychical phenomenon itself.
Hudson’s so-called “Law of Psychic Phenomena,” “Subliminal” and “Supraliminal Consciousness,” and the juggling with the terms “suggestion” and “hypnosis” may serve as sufficient illustrations. In each instance phenomena are made to take the place of principles and the core of the problem is ignored, confused, or lost sight of.
In the meantime these empiricists are hunting in the “rubbish of the temple” (which temple they have metaphysically destroyed), for the Human Soul – i.e. the concrete, intrinsic Individual Intelligence, which is ONE, and which the Master Builder (Universal Intelligence) placed on the Trestle-board of Creation and Time, for the building of character, and the evolution of the Human Soul.
If the Ideal, Archetypal, or Divine Man, is recognized as the Modulus of both Nature and Divinity, our Theorem must consist in adhering to the Modulus and working out the problem.
Q. E. D., if applied to man’s completion of his own individual Temple, might stand for the last words of Jesus, “It is finished,” The problem is solved; “I have finished the Work Thou gavest me to do.” Science, Religion and Philosophy have clasped hands. Divinity revealed in Humanity is triumphant over Death. “There is a Natural (physical) body and there is a Spiritual body,” and the Individual Intelligence is ONE in each, or in both; viz.: The Human-Divine Soul.
To recognize the Modulus and intelligently to apprehend the Theorem is the foundation and the first step in the scientific solution of the problem of life, and the progressive and continuous evolution of the human soul. To use the term “Science” (as applied to the study of psychology) in any other way, is pure empiricism, is wholly unscientific, and has never yet resulted in anything but confusion and in laying a foundation for belief, conjecture, theory, dogma, superstition, and fear.
The step of next importance, both in the scientific study of psychology and in individual progress and evolution, is the mental attitude of the individual; his point of view; his open-mindedness and utter refusal to prejudge anything. He will often say, “I do not know.” He will sometimes say, “I do not care.” That phase or presentation does not appeal to, nor interest him.
This is what the Vedic philosophers called, “making the mind one pointed” and like a search-light, with the ability to concentrate it on a given point or subject.
Bias, prejudice, preconceived opinion, credulity and incredulity, are all like a crooked lens to the eye of the mind, or to the perception of the simple truth.
Not only are these principles basic in the scientific study of psychology and the evolution of the individual intelligence, but their neglect and oversight are solely responsible for the confusion everywhere manifest on the subject, as well as for every form of subjective control, mediumship, psychical epidemics, and obsession, and they enter into every form and phase of insanity.
If this be true, and it is readily demonstrable, what subject is of equal importance; and what facts and considerations are so transcendent as these?
The difference is that between a mad-house with its frenzied and frightened mob of helpless victims, and a palace of the gods in which dwelleth Righteousness, Love, Peace, and Eternal Joy.
Is it not worth while?
This Modulus and Theorem of the School of Natural Science involve Religion, Regeneration, Redemption, and the well-being of Souls here and hereafter.
They separate Religion from Superstition, Duty from Dogma, cast out Fear, release the wings of aspiration and faith; and where “the mourners went about the streets” is heard a new song of rejoicing that binds up the wounds and sorrows of the brokenhearted.
Again I ask, “Is it not worth while?”
CHAPTER II
EMPIRICAL AND SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE
Let us bear in mind that man is an Individual Intelligence; that this involves self-consciousness, or awareness of Self, the innate ability to distinguish between the Self and the non-Self. Hence arises the power of choice, discernment, or discrimination.
There also arises