Thou
shalt not kill. Thou shalt do no hurt to any living thing. Thou shalt
not steal. So the man did not kill; but he was cruel, and he stole. At
the end of the day (when his beard was gray--when the night was come)
his teacher (who was God) said: Thou hast learned not to kill, but the
other lessons thou hast not learned. Come back tomorrow.

"On the morrow he came back a little boy. And his teacher (who was God)
put him in a class a little higher, and gave him these lessons to
learn: Thou shalt do no hurt to any living thing. Thou shalt not steal.
Thou shalt not cheat. So the man did no hurt to any living thing; but
he stole and cheated. And at the end of the day (when his beard was
gray--when the night was come) his teacher (who was God) said: Thou
hast learned to be merciful. But the other lessons thou hast not
learned. Come back tomorrow.

"Again, on the morrow, he came back, a little boy. And his teacher (who
was God) put him in a class yet a little higher, and gave him these
lessons to learn: Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not cheat. Thou
shalt not covet. So the man did not steal; but he cheated and he
coveted. And at the end of the day (when his beard was gray--when the
night was come) his teacher (who was God) said: Thou hast learned not
to steal. But the other lessons thou hast not learned. Come back, my
child, tomorrow.

"This is what I have read in the faces of men and women, in the book of
the world, and in the scroll of the heavens, which is writ with stars."

Under the operation of the Law of Karma every man is master of his own
destiny--he rewards himself--he punishes himself--he builds, tears down
and develops his character, always, however, under the brooding
influence of the Absolute which is Love Infinite and which is
constantly exerting the upward spiritual urge, which is drawing the
soul toward its ultimate haven of rest. Man must, and does, work out
his own salvation and destiny, but the upward urge is always
there--never tiring--never despairing--knowing always that Ultimate
Victory belongs to the soul.

Under the Law of Karma every action, yea, every thought as well, has
its Karmic effect upon the future incarnations of the soul. And, not
exactly in the nature of punishment or rewards, in the general
acceptation of the term, but as the invariable operation of the Law of
Cause and Effect. The thoughts of a person are like seeds which seek to
press forward into growth, bud, blossom and frui