s.

The potency of prayer corresponds to the power of the thought or to the
exalted aspiration of the soul projecting it. There are some who,
seeking divine aid, are too weak in this respect to realize any special
results, while the prayers of others ascend as on the wings of eagles.
This attitude of the soul is not to be confounded with the "communion
of saints." Communion indicates the existence of a degree of equality
which, in the relation of finite man with his Maker, cannot be.

An occult wave has swept round the world. The seals are being broken,
and the sphinxes are speaking wherever they find ears to hear and minds
to comprehend. The heart of the mystery is this; there is no new thing
to be proclaimed. "Spiritual things are spiritually discerned," and,
with the divine illumination vouchsafed to all, "a wayfaring man,
though a fool," may see and know the deep things of God. But no door
will be opened, no angel or "minister of grace" or "spirit friend" will
descend the ladder of light that leads to the realms supernal, no
inspiration of God will ever come to any soul on earth without
prayer--in response to either conscious supplication or unconscious
aspiration toward the Giver of every good and perfect gift. The
ultimate function and use of prayer is simply to establish our
relationship with the divine and ever-lasting forces that rule and
guide our lives. These are ever operating to help us to live above the
purely personal relationships that limit our growth and advancement
along the lines of spiritual unfoldment, and to open to our souls
vistas of perfectness on the higher planes of wisdom and understanding
of the mysteries of immortal life.

ABSURD BELIEFS.

The supreme egotism of man has been largely corrected through the
influence of education and experience which have made him conscious of
the ridiculousness of his demands for recognition of his supremacy.
Each one of those high, old eastern Emperors had to have his pedestal,
and his title of god, without reference to his real character. Modern
men do not expect to be real head-up gods. They know too much to be so
ridiculous. But there are those who seem to feel that they are at
least "little tin gods on wheels."

When the Nazarene appeared among men possessing godlike qualities, it
was entirely in line with the custom of the time to call him a god.
There was neither logic nor common sense in the role Jesus was to play.
He was God o