Tag: Kosmon Era

Voice of Man

1. O Jehovih, what am I that I should supplicate Thee? Know I mine own weakness, or understand I the way of my thoughts? Thou hast placed before me most wonderful creations: They impress me, and my senses rise up in remembrance of the Almighty. Wherein have I invented one thought but by looking upon Thy works? How can I otherwise than remember my Creator, and out of Thy creations, O Jehovih, find rich food for meditation all the days of my life.

2. And yet, though I have appropriated the earth unto myself, I am not happy nor perfect withal. Misery and crime and selfishness are upon my people.

3. What is my weakness that I cannot overcome it? Or what is my strength that I succumb to the desires of the earth? I build up my belief and courage in Thee; but ere I know the way of my weakness, I stumble and fall. Am I made that I shall be forever a reproof to myself, and a censure to my own behavior?

4. How shall I say to this man or that: Be thou pure and holy, O man! Are not my flesh and blood proof that man cannot be without sin? O this corruptible self, this tendency to fall from the right way! Thou, O my Creator, hast proven before my senses every day of my life, that Thou alone art mighty in purity and truth.

5. O that I had a starting point wherefrom to estimate Thy wonderful decrees, or could find a road in which I should never stumble! But yet, O Jehovih, I will not complain because of the way of Thy works. Thou hast invented a limit to my understanding, whereby I am reminded of Thee, to call upon Thy name. I perceive my own vanity; that whereas were knowledge mine, I should become less beholding unto Thee!

6. What am I, O Jehovih, without Thee; or wherein shall I find the glory of Thy creations but by the light of Thy countenance? Thou broughtest me forth out of sin and darkness and clothed me in light. I behold the smallness of myself in Thy great works. Thou hast bound me to travel on the earth, to sojourn with beasts and all manner of creeping things; nor given me one attribute wherein I can boast over them, save in the power of destruction. The high firmament placed Thou above me; the stars and moon and sun! I know Thou hast been thither, but I am bound down in a little corner of Thy works! I have not power to rise up to Thy distant places, nor to know Thy extended heavens.

7. Nay, I have not power to shape my own size and stature; but all things take form and dimension whether I will or no. In Thine own way are built the walls of the world; by their magnitude am I confounded; by the majesty of Thy hand appalled. Why have I vainly set up myself as the highest of Thy works? My failures are worse than any other living creature under the sun. I cannot build my house in perfection like a bird’s; my ingenuity cannot fashion a spider’s net; I cannot sail up in the air like a bird, nor live in the water like the fish, nor dwell in harmony like the bee. The half of my offspring die in infancy; the multitude of my household are quarrelers, fighters, drunkards and beggars; the best of my sons and daughters are less faithful than a dog! I go forth to war, to slay my brother, even whilst Thy wide earth hath room for all. Yea, I curse the earth with starvation and sin and untimely death. O that I could school myself to boast not of my greatness; that I should be forever ashamed in Thy sight, Jehovih!

8. But I will make a clean breast of my iniquities; I can hide nothing from the eye of my Creator. Hear me then, O Father!

9. I took up arms against my brother. With great armies I encompassed him about to despoil him.

10. His widows and orphans I multiplied by the stroke of my sword; the cry of anguish that came out of their mouths I answered by the destruction of my brother’s harvests.

11. To my captains and generals who showed great skill in killing, I built monuments in stone and iron. Yea, I inscribed them from top to bottom with their bloody victories.

12. And in my vanity I called out to the young, saying: Behold the glory of great men! These great monuments I have built to them!

13. And the youth of my household were whetted with ambition for spoil. The example of my hand made them train themselves for warfare.

14. To my colonels and generals I gave badges of gold. I called to the damsels, saying: Come, a great honor I give to you; ye shall dance with the officers of death!

15. And they tripped up on tip-toe, elated by the honey of my words! O Jehovih, how have I not covered up my wickedness; how have I failed to make the flow of my brother’s blood the relish of satan!

16. To my destroying hosts I have given great honor and glory. In the pretense of enforcing peace I hewed my way in flesh and blood.

17. I made an igneous fatuous, a kingdom. I called out to my people, saying: We must have a kingdom. I showed them no reason for it; but I bade them take up arms and follow me for patriotism’s sake. And yet what was patriotism? Behold, I made it as something greater than Thee and Thy commandment: THOU SHALT NOT KILL.

18. Yea, by the cunning of my words, I taught them my brother was my enemy; that to fall upon him and his people and destroy them was great patriotism.

19. And they ran at the sound of my voice, for my glory in the greatness of my kingdom, and they accomplished great havoc.

20. Yea, I built colleges for training my young men in warfare. I drew a boundary hither and thither, saying: This is my kingdom! All others are my enemies!

21. I patted my young men on the head, saying: Ye dogs of war! Great shall be your glory!

22. And their judgment was turned away from peace; I made them think that righteousness was to stand up for me and my country, and to destroy my brother and his people.

23. They built me forts and castles and arsenals without number. I called unto my people, saying: Come, behold the glory of my defenses which I built for you!

24. And they gave me money and garrisons, and ships of war, and torpedoes, shouting: Hurrah for our kingdom! We have faith in these things, but not in Thee, our Creator!

25. Thus I led them away from Thee. Their eyes I turned down in the way of death. By the might of my armies, I put away righteousness.

26. I covered the earth over with drunkards, and widows and orphans; to beggary I reduced them, but I whetted their pride by saying: Behold what great standing armies we have!

27. To the man that said: There shall come a time of peace, when war shall be no more forever, I mocked and said: Thou fool!

28. I know the counts against me, O Father. I cannot hide my iniquity from Thy sight. I have said war was a necessary evil to prevent a too populous world! I turned my back toward the wide, unsettled regions of the earth. With this falsehood in my mouth I stood up before Thee! Yea, I cried out as if for the righteous, saying: I war for righteousness, and for the protection of the weak! In the destruction of my brethren I stood as a murderer, pleading this excuse. Stubbornly I persisted in not seeing justice on the other side, whilst I cut down whom Thou hadst created alive. Above the works of Thy hand I raised myself up as a pruning knife in Thy vineyard.

29. Yea, more than this, I persuaded my sons and daughters that to war for me was to war for our Father in heaven. By my blasphemy led I them into ruin. And when the battle was over for a day I cried out: Behold the glory of them that were slain for the honor of their country! Thus have I added crime to crime before Thee, Jehovih; thus destroyed Thy beautiful creation. Verily, have I not one word in justification of my deeds before Thee!

30. O that I had remained faithful with Thee, Jehovih! But I invented Gods unto the glory of the evil one. In one place I called out to my sons and daughters, saying: Be ye Brahmins; Brahma saveth whosoever professeth his name. In another place I said: Be ye Buddhists; Buddha saveth whosoever calleth on his name. In another place I said: Be ye Christians; Christ saveth whosoever calleth on his name. In another place I said: Be ye Mohammedans; whosoever saith: There is but one God and Mohammed is his prophet! shall have indulgence without sin.

31. Thus have I divided the earth, O Jehovih! Into four great idolatries have I founded them, and into their hands put all manner of weapons of destruction; and they are become more terrible against one another than are the beasts of the forest. O that I could put away these great iniquities which I raised up as everlasting torments to the earth. Verily, there is no salvation in any of these.

32. Their people are forever destroying one another. They quarrel and kill for their respective religions; setting aside Thy commandment, Thou shalt not kill. They love their own nation and hate all others. They set aside Thy commandment, Love thy neighbor as thyself.

33. They preach and pray in sufficient truth; but not one of these people practiseth peace, love and virtue in any degree commensurate with their understanding. These religions have not saved from sin any nation or city on the whole earth.

34. In vain have I searched for a plan of redemption; a plan that would make the earth a paradise, and the life of man a glory unto Thee, and a joy unto himself. But alas, the two extremes, riches and poverty, have made the prospect of a millennium a thing of mockery.

35. For one man that is rich there are a thousand poor, and their interests are at an interminable conflict with one another. Labor crieth out in pain; but capital smiteth him with a heartless blow.

36. Nation is against nation; king against king; merchant against merchant; consumer against producer; yea, man against man, in all things upon the earth.

37. Because the state is rotten, the politician feedeth thereon; because society is rotten, the lawyer and court have riches and sumptuous feasts; because the flesh of my people is rotten, the physician findeth a harvest of comfort.

38. Now, O Jehovih, I come to Thee! Thou holdest the secret of peace and harmony and good will amongst mortals. Give me of Thy light, O Father! Show me the way of proceeding, that war and crime and poverty may come to an end. Open Thou the way of peace and love and virtue and truth, that Thy children may rejoice in their lives, and glorify Thee and Thy works forever.

39. Such is the voice of man, O Jehovih! In all the nations of the earth this voice riseth up to Thee! As Thou spakest to Zarathustra, and to Abraham and Moses, leading them forth out of darkness, O speak Thou, Jehovih!

40. Man hath faith in Thee only; Thou alone wast sufficient in the olden time: Today, Thou alone art sufficient unto Thine own creation. Speak Thou, O Jehovih!

Oahspe

1. AFTER the creation of man, the Creator, Jehovih*, said unto him: That thou shalt know thou
art the work of My hand, I have given thee capacity for knowledge, power and dominion. This was the first era.

2. But man was helpless, crawling on his belly, and he understood not the voice of the Almighty. And Jehovih called his angels, who were older than the earth, and he said unto them: Go ye, raise man upright, and teach him to understand.

3. And the angels of heaven descended to the earth and raised man upright. And man wandered about on the earth. This was the second era.

4. Jehovih said to the angels that were with man: Behold, man hath multiplied on the earth. Bring ye them together; teach them to dwell in cities and nations.

5. And the angels of Jehovih taught the peoples of the earth to dwell together in cities and nations. This was the third era.

6. And in that same time the Beast* rose up before man and spake to him, saying: Possess thou whatsoever thou wilt, for all things are thine, and are good for thee.

7. And man obeyed the Beast; and war came into the world. This was the fourth era.

8. And man was sick at heart, and he called out to the Beast, saying: Thou saidst: Possess thyself of all things, for they are good for thee. Now, behold, war and death have encompassed me about on all sides. I pray thee, therefore, teach me peace!

9. But the Beast said: I do not know peace, but only war. I only wish for the destruction of all things but myself. And I shall eat of whatsoever I shall desire.

10. And man ate fish and flesh, becoming carnivorous, and darkness came upon him, and he no more heard the voice of Jehovih, or believed in Him. This was the fifth era.

11. And the Beast divided itself into four great heads, and possessed the earth about; and man fell down and worshiped them.

12. And the names* of the heads of the Beast were Brahmanism*, Buddhism, Christianity and Islam. And they divided the earth, and apportioned it between themselves, choosing soldiers and standing armies for the maintenance of their earthly aggrandizement.

13. And the Brahmins had seven million soldiers; the Buddhists twenty millions; the Christians seven millions; and the Muslims two millions, whose trade was the destruction of life. And man, in service of the Beast, gave one-sixth of his life and his labor to war and standing armies; and one-third of his life he gave to dissipation and drunkenness. This was the sixth era.

14. Jehovih called out to man to desist from evil; but man heard Him not. For the cunning of the Beast had changed man’s flesh, so that his soul was hid as if in a dark cloud, and he loved sin.

15. Jehovih called unto His angels in heaven, saying: Go ye down to the earth once more, to man, whom I created to inhabit the earth and enjoy it, and say ye to man: Thus saith Jehovih:

16. Behold, the seventh era is at hand. Thy Creator commandeth thy change from a carnivorous man of contention to an herbivorous man of peace. The four heads of the Beast shall be put away*; and war shall be no more on the earth.

17. Thy armies shall be disbanded. And, from this time forth, whosoever desireth not to war, thou shall not impress; for it is the commandment of thy Creator.

18. Neither shalt thou have any gods, nor lords, nor saviors, but only thy Creator, Jehovih! Him only shalt thou worship henceforth forever. I am sufficient unto Mine own creations.

19. And to as many as separate themselves from the dominion of the Beast, making these covenants unto Me, have I given the foundation of My kingdom on earth.

20. And all such shall be My chosen: By their covenants and by their works shall they be known henceforth on the earth as Mine, and shall be called Faithists.

21. But to as many as will not make these covenants, have I given the numbers of the Beast, and they shall be called Uzians, signifying destroyers. And these shall be henceforth the two kinds of people on earth, Faithists and Uzians.

22. And the angels of heaven descended to the earth, to man, and appeared before him face to face, hundreds of thousands of them, speaking as man* speaketh, and writing as man writeth, teaching these things of Jehovih and His works.

23. And in the thirty-third year thereof, the Ambassadors of the angel hosts of heaven prepared and revealed unto man in the Name of Jehovih, His heavenly kingdoms; and have thus herein made known the plan of His delightful creations, for the resurrection* of the peoples of the earth.

24. Not immaculate* is this Book, Oahspe; but to teach mortals how to attain to hear the Creator’s voice, and to see His heavens, in full consciousness, whilst still living on the earth; and to know of a truth the place and condition awaiting them after death.

25. Neither are, nor were, the revelations within this Oahspe wholly new to mortals. The same things have been revealed at the same time unto many, who live at remote distances from one another, but who were not in correspondence till afterward.

26. Because this light is thus comprehensive, embracing corporeal and spiritual things, it is called the beginning of the Kosmon Era. And because it relates to earth, sky and spirit, it is called Oahspe.

Notes
vs. 1. Jehovih. This is the Creator’s Name. It is used in the
Hebrew Bible more than 300 times as “Yehovih.” This
name is equivalent to Yahweh.

vs. 6. Beast. In this context, the “Beast” is referring to
man’s ego, pride, greed, desire for power and discord.
The term can also refer to false religion.

vs. 12. names, referring to various false religions, or
sectarian, nominal versions of the original. In many cases,
the original teaching of the true founders of various
religious communities, was usurped by false teachers
who came later or during the lifetime of the founder. For
example, during the time of Siddharta Gautama (the
Buddha), a false Buddha came into existence. Similarly,
there were false Jesus’ in the first century A.D., one of
which is worshiped by nominal Christians to this day. This
false Jesus usurped the teachings of Joshu (Yoshu,
Yeshua) who came to restore the Law to Israel. Essene
Faithists believe that Yoshu is the historical “Jesus” of the
first century A.D. and that his teachings can be found
primarily in the Bible book of Matthew. Additional texts
that support Yoshu’s teachings can be found in the
Didache and the epistle of James. The purest form of the
true Buddha’s teachings can be found in the
Dhammapada and a few other texts, but even these, as
history has shown, have become corrupt by the hands of
the Beast.

vs. 12. Brahmanism. Hinduism as taught through a
priesthood which practices the caste system.

vs. 16. put away. The call to abandon false religion (see
vs. 19).

vs. 22. as man. When necessary, angelic beings are given
the ability to appear in the flesh. Some angelic beings are
actually Divine Messengers sent by the Creator to teach
humanity.

vs. 23. resurrection. In this sense, the resurrection is
referring to the course of perfection in the spirit world.
This especially occurs after shedding the mortal coil. The
soul then ascends in various grades, learning as it
ascends, coming closer to the Presence of the Creator.

vs. 24. not immaculate. The Oahspe does not claim to be
infallible. All Faithists are encouraged to conduct
independent research, but personal interpretation can be
dangerous. The interpretation of the Oahspe and any
spiritual text within the context of Essene Faithism, is the
responsibility of the Divine Messenger in the spirit plane
and his Rabbah on earth.

 

Fallen Swords Day, Book of Discipline Chapter 14

GOD DISCOURSETH ON THE AUTHORITY OF HIS OWN WORDS.

1. FIRST, freedom unto all people on earth, and to the angels of heaven, to think and to speak whatever they will.

2. Second, that since no man can acquire knowledge for another, but that each and all must acquire knowledge for themselves, thou shalt dispose of whatsoever is before thee in thine own way;

3. Remembering that one man seeth Jehovih in the leaves and flowers; in the mountains and skies; in the sun and stars; or heareth Him in the wind and all corporeal sounds; yea, he knoweth his Creator in the presence of everything under the sun. And he is happy.

4. Another seeth not Jehovih, nor knoweth Him. Nay, he denieth there is any All Person in the universe. He is not happy.

5. One man distinguiseth the harmony of sounds, and he is delighted.

6. Another man cannot distinguish the harmony, and he findeth no delight therein.

7. So, of the words of thy God, one man can distinguish, and another cannot.

8. The revelations of thy God portray the harmony and glory of Jehovih’s creations, and of the organic heavens of His holy angels.

9. Whether thyself, or thy brother, or thy neighbor, shall profess to reveal the words of thy God–it is well.

10. Strive thou in this, and thou shalt improve thyself thereby.

11. In the preservation of my words for thousands of years resteth the recognition of my authority.

12. I call all people unto me and my kingdom; happiness proclaim I as a result of right-doing and good works; whoever do these are one with me in the framing of words.

13. To be one with Jehovih, this is Godliness; to be one with thy God, the way is open to all men.

14. To be organic for love and good works–this is like the fraternities in heaven.

15. Whoever striveth for this hath my authority already; his words in time shall become one with me and my works.

16. To improve thyself in these holy things is to discipline thyself to become a glory to thy Creator.

17. Let any who will, say: Thus saith God, or thus saith Jehovih, or thus say I. Truth expounded shall never die; the discrepancy from truth is short-lived.

18. Improve thyself, O man, to be sincere in thyself and in all thou doest; and, when thou hast attained this, thy words shall be with power.

19. Remember thy Creator and seek to discover Him in the best perfections; remembering that darkness knoweth Him not, but Light proclaimeth Him forever.

20. For on the foundation of an All Person, and believing in Him, lie the beginning and the way of everlasting resurrection. Without Him–none have risen.

21. These are the words and discipline; in such direction shapeth thy God the thoughts of millions. The twain are the authority vested in me, thine elder brother, by Jehovih, Creator, Ruler and Dispenser, worlds without end. Amen!

END OF BOOK OF DISCIPLINE.

END OF OAHSPE.

Seventh-Day Sabbath

Book of Discipline Chapter 13

OF DESTROYERS AND OF BUILDERS.

1. ONE goeth about preaching against heavenly revelations, and against the wisdom of Jehovih; and his daring speeches and good logic fall upon errors and blunders in the written words, and he draweth the populace, after the manner of a gladiator.

2. Yet one such man that hath organized a brotherhood for doing good–the world hath not found.

3. Another man goeth forth preaching in laudation of heavenly revelations, and on the glory of Jehovih. The errors in inspiration he heedeth not; the good he treasureth. He may draw but few unto him and his work may seem little.

4. But in time to come his work becometh mighty over all the world. He organizeth his people in love and fellowship.

5. The latter is a builder on Jehovih’s edifice.

6. Let these two examples stand before thee; and when the speech of the vain man is directed against heavenly revelations, saying: This is not of God; this is not of Jehovih, or this is not of angels–know thou that that man is not a builder.

7. But when a man saith all things are of Jehovih, either directly or indirectly; whatsoever is good in them is my delight–know thou that that man is a builder.

8. To strive continually to comprehend the right, and to do it–this is excellent discipline.

9. To be capable of judging the right, and ever to practice it within a fraternity–this is Godliness.

10. In the day thou judgest thyself, as with the eye of thy Creator, thou art as one about to start on a long journey through a delightful country.

11. In the day thou hast rendered judgment against thyself for not practicing thy highest light, thou art as one departed from a coast of breakers toward mid-ocean–like one turned from mortality toward Jehovih! like one turned from perishable things toward the Ever Eternal–the Almighty.

12. And when thou hast joined with others in a fraternity to do these things–then thou hast begun the second resurrection.

1st Quarter Moon

Book of Discipline Chapter 12

GOD DISCOURSES ON LOVE.

1. MANY will come to thee, inquiring: How sayest thou of such as are married, having children of their own? Shall they so love the fraternity and the kingdom of Jehovih that they shall set aside their filial love, assigning their children wholly to the teachers, day and night?

2. Thou shalt answer them: Nay, in all the fullness of their love, let them manifest unto their little ones. And let this be a testimony unto those who have children, how hard it is for foundlings and orphan babes that have none to love or caress them, that such parents may add unto their household others also, showing no partiality. And this is the highest of all mortal attributes–to be impartial in love.

3. Not to abridge love but to extend it, God-like, embracing all people, so shall the members of the brotherhood labor with thy God and his holy angels, for the glory of Jehovih.

Book of Discipline Chapter 11

GOD SHOWETH THAT THE RENUNCIATION OF THE UZIANS IS NECESSARY.

1. HEARKEN, O man, to the discourse of thy God upon the second resurrection in heaven, and apply thou these principles to founding Jehovih’s kingdom on earth.

2. Many come to my holy place, saying: Hear me, O God, I am weary of the first resurrection and of the earth. Open the gates of paradise unto thy servant.

3. And I say unto them: Whoso will put aside all that is below, shall dwell in this heaven; but whoso cannot in heart, and mind, and soul renounce all that is below is not prepared to enter.

4. Hath not Jehovih said on earth: Husband and wife shall be the model and key of My kingdom?

5. As woman forsaketh father, mother, brother and sister and becometh one with her husband, so do they of the first resurrection forsake all the earth and the lowest heaven in order to become one with the kingdom of thy God.

6. For, save the mind and heart be one with my holy place, the love of improvement will also depart out of that man’s soul.

7. Isolation belongeth below the second resurrection, but unity is within it.

8. He who hath disciplined himself to be honest in his own sight may be in error; he who striveth to do good on his own account may be in error as to an ultimate good; and in all cases man alone is weak.

9. Yet no man can practice the highest whilst living with those who are inclined downward.

10. In the second resurrection the angels are relieved of individual responsibility, all matters being under the wisdom of the Holy Council, whose head is thy God.

11. First on earth, monarchies, then republics, then fraternities, the latter of which is now in embryo, and shall follow after both the others.

12. Behold, how hard it is for an ignorant man to conceive of a state without a master, or for the people of a republic to understand a state without votes and majorities, and a chief ruler. Yet such shall be the fraternities.

13. Have they not resolved their colleges into teachers and pupils? By their superior knowledge do these heads receive their places, yet not as rulers, but teachers.

14. Have they not resolved jurisprudence so that testimony governs the rulings? According to evidence adduced and the knowledge of the judge, so shall he decide, and not according to his own volition.

15. Out of the wisdom of the college and the court shalt thou discover the rules of fraternity, and by relieve-watch preserve the brotherhood against caste and dictatorship.

16. See to it then, in departing out of Uz, that thou take with thee only things that have proved good–the rest leave behind.

17. As Jehovih gave woman to man, and the twain became one in their aspiration, hope and labor, and especially with reference to their offspring, so shall the members of the fraternity be such as having renounced all the world, can become one with one another, and especially for raising up the young to become the Father’s edifice on earth.

18. As the husband is the representative head of the family, yet he shall not tyrannize over them, nor by his rulings make himself a separate entity from the rest.

Memorial Sabbath

Book of Discipline Chapter 10

GOD REVEALETH THE CURE FOR REMORSE.

1. BE patient, O man, with thy neighbor and thy brother.

2. Many men are far short in righteousness, and without strength to accomplish to the extent the mind conceives;

3. And for having done wrong suffer lamentably, with none to relieve them;

4. For which reason thou shalt provide them honorable comfort.

5. In olden time, such ones confessed to a priest, and he pardoned them, whereby they were quieted and relieved of great distress.

6. In a later time, it was said: Confess ye one another.

7. But in this day neither of these is compatible with the intelligence of such as shall be of Jehovih’s kingdom.

8. If then a man have remorse for having wronged a brother or neighbor, he shall so acknowledge it to that member, and this shall be restitution, even as if the wrong had not been committed.

9. But if he hath wronged the community, then he shall acknowledge it to the whole assembly, and that shall be restitution, even as if the wrong had not been committed.

10. And in either case he shall not take further sorrow or remorse, or shame, nor shall any member ever speak of the matter afterward, save to comfort him.

11. But in all cases confession shall be made in the name of Jehovih, and forgiveness likewise. But whoso seeketh to justify himself, or to make it appear that he was but partly culpable, or that another led him into it–that man shall not be forgiven.

12. If he were led into it–then he who led him knoweth it and shall exonerate him.

13. Whoso Jehovih hath created in proximity as to time, country, place and association–the same shall not be far distant on many occasions in the next world; and in time to come they shall be as if in a house of glass, and all the deeds done while in mortality shall be read as if in an open book.

14. For which reason thou shalt not tarry by the way when thou hast wronged any man or the community, but go quickly and confess, that thy spirit become pure in the sight of Jehovih.

15. Though thou grieve, saying: Shall I humble myself?–I say unto thee this is Godliness, for it is the purification of thyself, and the beginning of power. But if a man wrong himself, as by pollution, dissipation, or otherwise, this is sin against Jehovih; and to Him shall he confess privately, making a covenant with his Creator to do so no more–which if he keep–then the wrong is forgiven him, and he shall have peace of soul.

Weekday Sabbath

Book of Discipline Chapter 9

GOD SHOWETH WHO IS AND WHO IS NOT PREPARED TO ENTER JEHOVIH’S KINGDOM ON EARTH

1. WHOSO hath said: I have searched my heart and mind, and, now before Jehovih I desire to live a higher life.

2. I desire to put away my selfishness, and passions, and sentiments of unrighteousness and unclean thoughts–and words.

3. I desire more to serve others than myself.

4. I desire no possessions, nor preference over another, nor to be a leader nor a chief.

5. I wish to discipline myself not to speak of myself.

6. I would learn to speak truth only.

7. I would that I were affiliative.

8. I desire to do good unto others continually.

9. I long for association.

10. I will not criticise any person, nor censure them, or find fault with them.

11. I will conform to the rites and discipline of the fraternity.

12. I will fulfill my covenants with Jehovih, with all my wisdom and strength.

13. I renounce isolated labor.

14. I renounce the unorganized world.

15. I renounce the Uzians.

16. I consecrate myself to Jehovih.

17. I give up all unto Him.

18. What I do henceforth shall be by and through the fraternity in His name.

19. Then that man is prepared to enter the Father’s kingdom.

20. But these are not prepared to enter the kingdom, who say: I want a home for comfort’s sake, and where I may lead an easy life.

21. I desire this because I shall have opportunity to improve myself.

22. I desire this because I cannot care for myself, and that I may be cared for.

23. Where I may shirk my responsibilities.

24. Weigh this matter, O man, and be thine own judge as to whether thou art prepared in heart and soul. Neither flatter thyself that thou canst come in unprepared and not be discovered. For soon or late thine inmost thoughts will become known, and the fraternity will not be thy place.

25. To put away flesh-food is easy, but to put away dark thoughts and words–who can do this in a day?

Book of Discipline Chapter 8

GOD SHOWETH WHAT IS MEANT BY FOLLOWING THE HIGHEST LIGHT.

1. BE considerate of thy fellow man, and weigh his standing place in the sight of thy God.

2. For one man saith: My highest light is to get money; another, to get great learning; another, to enjoy earthly pleasure; another, to contemplate sexual relations; another, to serve Buddha; another, to serve Brahma; another, to serve Christ; another, to be efficient in warfare, and so on, every one from his own standpoint.

3. Many are also under the prejudice of old things, or the influence of a neighbor, or a spirit or their surroundings, or the impulse of their own flesh, and say: I too follow my highest light.

4. Whereas they are in darkness altogether; neither know they what is meant by the term–highest light–often venturing an opinion or a vague surmise instead, and believing they are expressing their highest light.

5. For which reasons thou shalt explain that only facts well known, or comparatively proven, are light. An opinion is not light.

6. That whoso professeth light must know the matter of his own knowledge.

7. That facts, numbers, figures or axioms can demonstrate light; and that without these, then the supposed light is only darkness.

8. Pursue this philosophy and thou shalt easily discover who amongst you hath the highest light; and also what kind of judgment shall govern the chief’s rulings.

9. Some will desire to consult the angels, as to which–in a given matter–is the highest light; but I say unto thee, thou shalt weigh the words of angels even as if they were mortals, exacting similar facts and substantiation.

10. Was it not the consulting of the oracles that destroyed Vind’yu (India), Socatta, Fonece (Phoenecia), Persia, Ghem and Greece? Such consultation of angels is answered from the first resurrection; and it ever will be so, save man exact from the angels facts and substantial proof.

11. These, then, are rules of light: That which is self-evident: That which is axiomatic: That which is substantiated by facts: That which hath a parallel in known things: Things that lead to peace, order, and the uplifting of thy neighbor and thyself.

12. Also to discipline thyself to be constantly on the alert to be pure, good, truthful and gentle in thy speech; to practice right-doing–these are following the highest light.

13. This though is darkness–to express fault finding, criticism, censure, or even an opinion unsupportable by facts.