y darkness, radiance shall
appear. For just as the night, when it becomes excessively dark, precedes
the dawn of a new day, so likewise when the darkness of religious apathy
and heedlessness overtakes the world, when human souls become negligent of
God, when materialistic ideas overshadow spirituality, when nations become
submerged in the world of matter and forget God--at such a time as this
shall the divine Sun shine forth and the radiant morn appear.

Consider to what a remarkable extent the spirituality of people has been
overcome by materialism so that spiritual susceptibility seems to have
vanished, divine civilization become decadent, and guidance and knowledge
of God no longer remain. All are submerged in the sea of materialism.
Although some attend churches and temples of worship and devotion, it is
in accordance with the traditions and imitations of their fathers and not
for the investigation of reality. For it is evident they have not found
reality and are not engaged in its adoration. They are holding to certain
imitations which have descended to them from their fathers and ancestors.
They have become accustomed to passing a certain length of time in temple
worship and conforming to imitations and ceremonies. The proof of this is
that the son of every Jewish father becomes a Jew and not a Christian; the
son of every Muslim becomes a follower of Islam; the son of every
Christian proves to be a Christian; the son of every Zoroastrian is a
Zoroastrian, etc. Therefore, religious faith and belief is merely a
remnant of blind imitations which have descended through fathers and
ancestors. Because this man's father was a Jew, he considers himself a
Jew. Not that he has investigated reality and proved satisfactorily to
himself that Judaism is right--nay, rather, he is aware that his
forefathers have followed this course; therefore, he has held to it
himself.

The purpose of this is to explain that the darkness of imitations
encompasses the world. Every nation is holding to its traditional
religious forms. The light of reality is obscured. Were these various
nations to investigate reality, there is no doubt they would attain to it.
As reality is one, all nations would then become as one nation. So long as
they adhere to various imitations and are deprived of reality, strife and
warfare will continue and rancor and sedition prevail. If they investigate
reality, neither enmity nor rancor will remain, and they will attai