109
But man is different; when we want to study him we find that each individual is as a species by himself. What one does under any given circumstances is no indication of what another may do; “one man’s meat is another man’s poison”; each has different likes and dislikes. This is because man as we see him in the physical world is the expression of an individual indwelling spirit, seemingly having choice and prerogative.
But as a matter of fact man is not quite as free as he seems; all students of human nature have observed that on certain occasions a large number of people will act as though dominated by one spirit. It is also easy to see without recourse to occultism that the different nations have certain physical characteristics. We all know the German, French, English, Italian, and Spanish types. Each of these nations has characteristics which differ from those of the other nations, thus indicating that there must be a race spirit at the root of these peculiarities9. The occultist who is gifted with spiritual sight knows that such is the case, and that each nation has a different race spirit which broods as a cloud over the whole country. In it the people live and move and have their being; it is their guardian and is constantly working for their development, building up their civilization and fostering ideals of the highest nature compatible with their capacity for progress.
110
In the Bible we read that Jehovah, Elohim, who was the race spirit of the Jews, went before them in a pillar and a cloud, and in the Book of Daniel we gain considerable insight into the workings of these race spirits. The image seen by Nebuchadnezzar with its head of gold and feet of clay showed plainly how a civilization built up in the beginning with golden ideals degenerated10 more and more until in the latter part of its existence the feet were of unstable12, crumbling13 clay, and the image was doomed14 to topple. Thus all civilizations when started by the different race spirits have great and golden ideals, but humanity by reason of having some free will and choice does not follow implicitly15 the dictates of the race spirits as the animals follow the commands of the group spirits. Hence in the course of time a nation ceases to rise, and as there can be no standing16 still in the cosmos17, it begins to degenerate11 until finally the feet are of clay and it is necessary to strike a blow to shatter it, that another civilization may be built up on its ruins.
But empires do not fall without a strong physical blow, and therefore an instrument of the race spirit of a nation is always raised up at the time when that nation is doomed to fall. In the tenth and eleventh chapters of Daniel we are given an insight into the workings of the invisible government of the race spirits, the powers behind the throne. Daniel is much disturbed in spirit; he fasts, for fully18 three weeks, praying for light, and at the end of that time an arch111angel, a race spirit, appears before him and addresses him: “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days, but lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the king of Persia.” After he explains to Daniel what is to happen, he says: “Knowest thou wherefore I came unto thee? and now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone forth19, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come, and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael, your prince.” The archangel also says: “In the first year of Darius the Mede, even I stood to confirm and to strengthen him.”
So when the handwriting is on the wall, some one is raised up to administer the blow; it may be a Cyrus, a Darius, an Alexander, a Caesar, a Napoleon, or a kaiser. Such a one may think himself a prime mover, a free individual acting20 by his own choice and prerogative, but as a matter of fact he is only the instrument of the invisible government of the world, the power behind thrones, the race spirits, who see the necessity of breaking up civilizations that have outlived their usefulness, so that humanity may get a new start and evolve under a new and a higher ideal than that which ensouled it before.
112
Christ himself when upon earth, said: “I came not to bring peace, but a sword,” for it was evident to Him that as long as humanity was divided into races and nations there could be no “peace on earth and good will among men.” Only when the nations have become united in a universal brotherhood21 is peace possible. The barriers of nationalism must be done away with, and to this end the United States of America has been made a melting pot where all that is best in the old nations is being brought together and amalgamated22, so that a new race with higher ideals and feelings of universal brotherhood may be born for the Aquarian Age. In the meantime the barriers of nationalism have been partially23 broken down in Europe by the terrible conflict just past. This brings nearer the day of universal amity24 and the realization25 of the Brotherhood of Man.
There is also another object to be gained. Of all the terrors to which mankind is subjected, there is none so great as death, which separates us from those we love, because we are unable to see them after they have stepped out of their bodies. But just as surely as the day follows the night, so will every teardrop wear away some of the scale that now blinds the eyes of man to the unseen land of the living dead. We have said repeatedly and we now reaffirm that one of the greatest blessings26 which will come from the war will be the spiritual sight which a great number of people will evolve. The intense sorrow of millions of people,113 the longing27 to see again the dear ones who have so suddenly and ruthlessly been torn from us, are a force of incalculable strength and power. Likewise those who have been snatched by death in the prime of life and who are now in the invisible world are equally intense in their desires to be reunited with those near and dear to them, so that they may speak the word of comfort and assure them of their well-being28. Thus it may be said that two great armies comprising millions upon millions are tunneling with frantic29 energy and intensity30 of purpose through the wall that separates the invisible from the visible. Day by day this wall or veil is growing thinner, and sooner or later the living and the living dead will meet in the middle of the tunnel. Before we realize it, communication will have been established, and we shall find it a common experience that when our loved ones step out of their worn and sick bodies, we shall feel neither sorrow nor loss because we shall be able to see them in their ethereal bodies, moving among us as they used to do. So out of the great conflict we shall come as victors over death and be able to say:114 “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?”
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1
guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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wards
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| 区( ward的名词复数 )； 病房； 受监护的未成年者； 被人照顾或控制的状态 | |
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geographical
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| adj.地理的；地区(性)的 | |
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prerogative
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| n.特权 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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dictates
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| n.命令，规定，要求( dictate的名词复数 )v.大声讲或读( dictate的第三人称单数 )；口授；支配；摆布 | |
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prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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dictated
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| v.大声讲或读( dictate的过去式和过去分词 )；口授；支配；摆布 | |
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peculiarities
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| n. 特质, 特性, 怪癖, 古怪 | |
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degenerated
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| 衰退，堕落，退化( degenerate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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degenerate
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| v.退步，堕落；adj.退步的，堕落的；n.堕落者 | |
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12
unstable
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| adj.不稳定的，易变的 | |
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13
crumbling
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| adj.摇摇欲坠的 | |
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14
doomed
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| 命定的 | |
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implicitly
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| adv. 含蓄地, 暗中地, 毫不保留地 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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17
cosmos
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| n.宇宙；秩序，和谐 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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brotherhood
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| n.兄弟般的关系，手中情谊 | |
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amalgamated
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| v.（使）（金属）汞齐化( amalgamate的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）合并；联合；结合 | |
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partially
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| adv.部分地，从某些方面讲 | |
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24
amity
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| n.友好关系 | |
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realization
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| n.实现；认识到，深刻了解 | |
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blessings
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| n.（上帝的）祝福( blessing的名词复数 )；好事；福分；因祸得福 | |
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longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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well-being
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| n.安康，安乐，幸福 | |
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29
frantic
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| adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的 | |
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intensity
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| n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度 | |
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