ine Ego."

There is one more matter of which we desire to speak in this lesson, and
that comes very near to an invasion of the Metaphysical field of
speculation, although our purpose is merely to show the futility of such
speculation. We allude to the question which inevitably comes to the
mind of all thinkers who have ventured to seek the Truth. The question
is: "WHY does THE ALL create Universes" The question may be asked in
different forms, but the above is the gist of the inquiry.

Men have striven hard to answer this question, but still there is no
answer worthy of the name. Some have imagined that THE ALL had something
to gain by it, but this is absurd, for what could THE ALL gain that it
did not already possess? Others have sought the answer in the idea that
THE ALL "wished something to love" and others that it created for
pleasure, or amusement; or because it "was lonely" or to manifest its
power;--all puerile explanations and ideas, belonging to the childish
period of thought.

Others have sought to explain the mystery by assuming that THE ALL found
itself "compelled" to create, by reason of its own "internal
nature"--its "creative instinct." This idea is in advance of the others,
but its weak point lies in the idea of THE ALL being "compelled" by
anything, internal or external. If its "internal nature," or "creative
instinct," compelled it to do anything, then the "internal nature" or
"creative instinct" would be the Absolute, instead of THE ALL, and so
accordingly that part of the proposition falls. And, yet, THE ALL does
create and manifest, and seems to find some kind of satisfaction in so
doing. And it is difficult to escape the conclusion that in some
infinite degree it must have what would correspond to an "inner nature,"
or "creative instinct," in man, with correspondingly infinite Desire and
Will. It could not act unless it Willed to Act; and it would not Will to
Act, unless it Desired to Act and it would not Desire to Act unless it
obtained some Satisfaction thereby. And all of these things would belong
to an "Inner Nature," and might be postulated as existing according to
the Law of Correspondence. But, still, we prefer to think of THE ALL as
acting entirely FREE from any influence, internal as well as external.
That is the problem which lies at the root of difficulty--and the
difficulty that lies at the root of the problem.

Strictly speaking, there cannot be said to be any "Reason" whatsoever
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