ty
and agreement impossible. It is evident therefore that this condition will
not be remedied without a re-formation in the world of religion. In other
words the fundamental reality of the divine religions must be renewed,
reformed, revoiced to mankind.

From the seed of reality, religion has grown into a tree which has put
forth leaves and branches, blossoms and fruit. After a time this tree has
fallen into a condition of decay. The leaves and blossoms have withered
and perished; the tree has become stricken and fruitless. It is not
reasonable that man should hold to the old tree, claiming that its life
forces are undiminished, its fruit unequalled, its existence eternal. The
seed of reality must be sown again in human hearts in order that a new
tree may grow therefrom and new divine fruits refresh the world. By this
means the nations and peoples now divergent in religion will be brought
into unity, imitations will be forsaken and a universal brotherhood in the
reality itself will be established. Warfare and strife will cease among
mankind; all will be reconciled as servants of God. For all are sheltered
beneath the tree of His providence and mercy. God is kind to all; He is
the giver of bounty to all alike, even as His Holiness Jesus Christ has
declared that God "sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust;" that is to
say, the mercy of God is universal. All humanity is under the protection
of His love and favor, and unto all He has pointed the way of guidance and
progress.

Progress is of two kinds, material and spiritual. The former is attained
through observation of the surrounding existence and constitutes the
foundation of civilization. Spiritual progress is through the breaths of
the Holy Spirit and is the awakening of the conscious soul of man to
perceive the reality of divinity. Material progress insures the happiness
of the human world. Spiritual progress insures the happiness and eternal
continuance of the soul. The prophets of God have founded the laws of
divine civilization. They have been the root and fundamental source of all
knowledge. They have established the principles of human brotherhood or
fraternity which is of various kinds, such as the fraternity of family, of
race, of nation and of ethical motives. These forms of fraternity, these
bonds of brotherhood are merely temporal and transient in association.
They do not insure harmony and are usually productive of disagreement.
They do not prevent war