There never is any doubt in the minds of those who have attained cosmic consciousness, that they are spiritual beings and immortal—­free from the law of karma; neither is there any thought of evil or of condemnation.

They know that men are gods in embryo and that until they have been born into the cosmic consciousness—­the realization of their reality as spirit, they must travail; but this sense-conscious state is not to be condemned any more than the child is to be condemned because it has not yet grown to adultship.

The advice of St. Paul himself was simple enough and straight-forward enough.  It was devoid of all subtleties; free from complexity; free from fear, or haste, or doubt, or strife, while confidently awaiting the universal attainment of Illumination.

To the question as to what path to follow; what should be done to gain this great boon, if the law of the ancient Hebrews was not to be followed in its literal significance, Paul said: 

“Whatsoever things are honest; whatsoever things are true; whatsoever things are just; whatsoever things are pure; whatsoever things are lovely; whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, THINK ON THESE THINGS.”

Which is to say, do not seek the letter of the way of Illumination.  Do not look for forms and ceremonies and rules and systems, but look for that which is clean and pure and good wherever it may be found.

In St. Paul we have fulfilled all the points that characterize those who have been blessed with the great Illumination.

His broad outlook upon humanity, which refused to see evil or to condemn where formerly he had been noted for his zeal in bringing to condemnation all whom he believed to be heretics; his conviction of immortality; his humility, as far as personal aggrandizement was concerned; the great light in which was revealed to him the truth; the annihilation of the idea of sin and death; the realization that systems and laws and methods of worship and giving of alms and all the by-paths which formerly he had deemed necessary, were as naught compared to the great illuminating, all-embracing power of Love—­the Savior whose kingdom should sometime be established upon earth—­the time being when cosmic consciousness should be general.

CHAPTER XI

MOHAMMED

Despite the fact that the followers of Mohammed, the prophet, are among the most fanatical and prejudiced of all religious sects, Mohammed himself was unquestionably among the Illumined Ones of earth, and had attained and retained a high degree of cosmic consciousness.

The wars; the persecutions; the horrors that have been committed in the name of Islam, are perhaps a little more atrocious than any in history although the unspeakable cruelties of the Inquisition would seem to have no parallel.