Every invention of man is a duplication of some activity in the human body. The explosion of gasoline in an automobile cylinder is copied from the explosion of nerve substance in the cell centers of the body. The nerve fluid is conducted to a nerve chamber, corresponding to an automobile combustion chamber, where it is electrified and the energy liberated. In the human body spiritual zeal, that is, enthusiasm, electrifies the nerve substance, which breaks forth into energy. Thoughts build nerve and brain centers that serve as distributors of the vital substance manufactured in the body. The vitamins in the food that we eat are stored up by the body chemistry and liberated in thought and action.
Every thought and emanation of mind liberates some of this stored substance. We, the controlling intelligence, with our conscious mind direct these processes in a manner quite similar to that employed by the driver of an automobile.
An automobile driver should be familiar with the mechanism of his car. But in the great majority of cases the driver knows merely enough to perform a few mechanical motions, and the car does the rest.
So the mass of humans know but little about the delicate mind-and-body interaction. They perform a few necessary superficial acts, call in the doctor when anything goes wrong, and in the end dump the old "boat" at the junk pile.
Extraordinary zeal in the accomplishment of some ideal develops what is called genius. Jesus of Nazareth was undoubtedly the greatest genius that this earth has ever developed. He is not usually named among the geniuses of the earth, because He was a genius of such transcendental character that He is classed with the gods. He did manifest the mind of God as no other has ever done, yet He was a man, and herein lies His genius:
In His humanity He developed extraordinary ability in spiritual wisdom, love, and power. There have been men who have told us about God, but none who have demonstrated the wisdom and power of God as Jesus did. His zeal in doing the will of God made Him a spiritual genius in human form.
Like others who manifest original genius, Jesus got His genius from within. He was not known to have been taught in the theological schools of His day, yet He exhibited a mental acumen and understanding of religion that astonished His associates. They exclaimed in effect, "Where did this man get wisdom, never having studied."
Genius is the accumulated zeal of the individual in some chosen field of life action. The idea that God has arbitrarily endowed some persons with abilities superior to others is not good logic, and makes God a partisan. God has no favorites, notwithstanding the fact that the Scriptures sometimes so interpret Him. "God is no respecter of persons." "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased," is the ideal or spiritual man, the Messiah, the Christ man, who is the pattern given to every man to follow.
However, we see on every hand evidences of pronounced diversity in human character, and, looking at life superficially, we think that God has given advantages in mind, body, and affairs to some men that He has not given to others. But what we see with the eye of flesh is only the physical manifestation of man. Spirit and mind must be taken into consideration and become factors in our reasoning before we can know a man and properly estimate the whole man.
The body represents but one third of man's being. Man is spirit, soul, and body. The spirit is that in man which says I AM, and has existed from eternity. Spirit is potential man--soul is demonstrated man. Soul is man's memory, conscious and subconscious. We have carried along in our subconscious mind the memory of every experience that we have had since we began to think and act for ourselves. The soul is the mind, and the mind is the man.
The race to which we belong on this planet began thinking and acting in self-consciousness many millions of years ago. God alone knows the exact age of every man. Jesus said, "The very hairs of your head are all numbered."
Every experience, every achievement, every failure, and every success is remembered and stored up in the subconscious mind. A new soul is not created with every physical birth. A physical birth simply means that a soul is taking on another body. Every man inhabiting this earth and the psychic realms immediately surrounding it has gone through this process of dying and being reincarnated many times. You who read these lines have had experience as a thinking, free-acting soul for millions of years, instead of the score or three score that mortal man usually counts. Emerson said, "Be not deceived by dimples and curls; that child is a thousand years old."
Then the question arises, "Do we always get the fruit of our earthly acts in some future earthly life?" Certainly, "Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." Here in this earth is the place of harvest. When a man relinquishes his hold on brain and nervous system, he gives up the only avenue through which he can adequately express himself.
So death is the great enemy to be overcome, as taught in Scripture. Death came into the world through Adamic ignorance, and it must go out through Christ understanding.
Genius is the breaking forth of the accumulated achievements of a man in that field of activity for which he has been very zealous in many incarnations. Mozart at the age of four played the organ without instruction. Where did he get such marvelous musical ability? A history of his soul would show that he had cultivated music for ages, carrying from one incarnation to another his zeal for the harmony of sound, until he became the very soul of music.
The genius of Shakespeare was the accumulated experience of a man who had been poet and philosopher since the "morning stars sang together."
Let no man think that he can retire from living. Do not shirk the responsibilities of life. You have made them and you can unmake them. A way of escape has been provided for every one of us. That way is to overcome mistakes by incorporating into mind and heart the attributes of the Christ Mind. your attention for a moment at the base of your brain and quietly affirm that infinite energy and intelligence are pouring forth in zeal--enthusiasm. Then follow in imagination a set of motor nerves that lead out from the medulla to the eyes, affirming all the time the presence and power of energy and intelligence now manifesting in your eyes.
For the ears affirm energy and intelligence, adding, "Be you open."
For the nose affirm energy and intelligence, adding, "The purity of Spirit infolds you."
For the mouth carry the life current to the root of the tongue, with the thought of freedom.
At the root of the tongue is situated the throne of another disciple, Philip. When you carry the zeal current from its medulla center and connect it with the throne of Philip, a mighty vibration is set up that affects the whole sympathetic nervous system. In this treatment you will strengthen your voice, revitalize your teeth, and indirectly impart energy to your digestion.
It was at Cana of Galilee, the nerve center in the throat, that Jesus turned water into wine. Metaphysically this miracle is accomplished when we in spirit realize that the union (wedding) of the fluid life of the body with the spiritual life at this power center makes a new element, symbolized by wine.
When the chemistry of the body and the dynamics of the mind are united, a third element is brought forth, and man feels that, "in Christ, he is a new creature."
Chapter XII
Renunciation
ALL CHRISTIANS who have had experiences variously described as "change of heart," "salvation," "conversion," and "sanctification" will admit that, before they experienced the great change of consciousness represented by these names, they had been "convicted of sin" or had determined to give up the ways of the world and do the will of God. The sinners most open to reform are those who sin in the flesh. The hardest to reach are the self-satisfied moralists or religionists. Jesus said to such, "Verily I say unto you, that the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you." One who is living up to man-made morals or religious standards is not repentant, and he makes no room in his mind for new and higher ideals of life and Truth. Unless our repentance is accompanied by sacrifice we are still in our sins. "Apart from shedding of blood there is no remission."