brate to a higher octave of being. The vibration thus set up in his own life will bring him in touch with nature's higher vibrations. Not only will he see with new eyes, but hear with new ears; for seeing and hearing are both indications of a progressive state of being. The man who closes his eyes to the beauties of nature will eventually be unable to perceive such beauties. The man who closes his ears to the melody, rhythm, and harmony of life will gradually lose what hearing he has. For "unto every one that hath, shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him." "He that hath eyes, let him see; and he that hath ears, let him hear." Through such seeing and hearing, greater desires and larger ideals will enter into life, for everything that is true in man's consciousness is there in order that it shall be realised. All inner truths are capable of outer expression. The beauties of colour and music have for us a thousand times more value than either eye hath seen or ear hath heard. It will be through fostering the love of colour, and seeing all there is to see in it that the new octave of colour will come. First of all, it will be seen by the mind's eye; later it will take on an outward manifestation. The rainbow is most assuredly a symbol of hope, and the double rainbow gives us the assurance that we may hope for a new octave of colour, and that our hope shall be fully realised. Most people, at one time or another, have been thrilled and inspired by some glorious sunrise or sunset. Sometimes we feel as though we were almost in the presence of God, and we lose all desire to speak, caring only to drink in the beauty of the scene. This is not merely a passing incident, but it is one that the mind continues to retain. The writer has in mind a sunset that he can never forget, a sunset that stirred him to greater depths of feeling than any sermon he has ever heard. Surely that which can produce such a lasting effect upon the mind must also leave its impress upon the body. I believe that, as man becomes more attuned to nature, through the love of all that is beautiful, not only will his mind be benefited, but his whole being-soul, mind, and body-will be quickened and renewed. The trouble with us all to-day is that we are out of tune, that we are not adjusted in a harmonious way either to nature or to our fellow-men, and it will be only through becoming adjusted that we can come into harmony with the Universal Spirit, because man works from that which is partial to that which is whole and complete. We know that plants and trees are constantly giving off something which is helpful to the life of man, and that man is, as constantly exhaling or giving out something that is beneficial to the growth of plants and trees. Without doubt we are giving in a limited way, both consciously and unconsciously, not only to the tree and plant, but also to our fellow-man as well. But are we giving to each other all that we might give? Does there exist that full reciprocity of giving and receiving that should be constantly going on between man and his fellow-man? It seems as though this giving and receiving should become an ever-increasing thing in the life of man; but, in order to make it so, a conscientious effort toward a new and a better adjustment will prove necessary. Man can hope to enter into the Kingdom of God only through the use of his love nature. In the Kingdom of God only that which is beautiful, that which is harmonious, that which is true can be said to exist. If he bring the best to it, he will receive the best from it. The spirit of love in man ever makes for oneness. Whatever we love we become one with, and there is at once set up a reciprocal giving and receiving, which makes quite as much for our own good as it does for the good of the person who is loved by us. This love should not be a selfish one wherein the thought uppermost is that of receiving, because all real receiving must come because of previous giving. An honest effort to appreciate the beauties of nature will bring to us far more than we could possibly hope to get through the lack of appreciation. The more we are able to see of good in others or of beauty in nature, the more we shall continue to see in both. Nature yields her secrets to those only who are in love with her. "O pure of heart! thou need'st not ask of me Joy, virtuous Lady! Joy that ne'er was given, Life, and life's effluence, cloud at once and shower, Undreamt of by the sensual and the proud— And thence flows all that charms or ear or sight, All colours a suffusion from that light." There is a deep significance in the Bible statement about the kings and princes being clothed in purple and fine linen. Purple represented, at that time, the highest degree of colour. It signified power and all that was highest in life. The fine linen was of purest white. It is the white that gives us all the colours. The white stands for purity and the purple was its highest manifestation, and represented spiritual power. The real prince or king only becomes so through overcoming, and all overcoming is the result of inner purity of mind and purpose, and the outer expression evidenced by power. Before one can be clothed in purple and fine linen, the battle of self-control must be fought and won. Solomon has said that: "He that ruleth his spirit is greater than he that taketh a city." For the real battle of life is not a warfare with others as much as it is a battle within one's self to overcome false thoughts and unreal emotions; a constant putting behind of the old, and as constant a pressing forward to that which is new. It is only in this way that one attains the real Kingship and becomes conscious of lasting power. CHAPTER X KEYNOTE TO HEALTH-HARMONY "And ever against eating cares Such as the meeting soul may pierce, The melting voice through mazes running; "Since then, though heard on earth no more, Still bid the bursting spirit soar To sounds that seem as from above, -MILTON. In dreams that day's broad light can not remove." -BYRON. It is a well-known fact that music may be made to quicken or retard the beating of the pulse. This shows something of its action upon the heart and consequently upon other parts of the body. Under the influence of music we readily see that new states of vibration are set up. When the vibration is excessive it will be followed by a reactionary condition, for Nature is always trying to establish equilibrium. If we are led to one extreme, then, before poise can be established, we swing over to the other extreme; therefore, that which may prove beneficial up to a certain point, beyond that point may become harmful. All unnatural or excessive stimulation induced by the seeker after health cannot bring about the desired end. Temperance must be observed in music |