“YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN."

By I. L. Harpster.

These words must have fallen like a thunderclap out of a clear sky upon the ears of Nicodemus. He little expected his visit to the Master would take this form of thought. As all Israel were looking for the Messiah to come on earth, undoubtedly this was the thought that prompted Nicodemus in seeking the Christ, to ascertain whether he (Jesus) was the Messiah, and if so, when the kingdom of God should be established. That this thought was in the mind of Nicodemus seems evident, from the remarks of Jesus in the third verse, where he says, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." From the apparent abruptness of the Master's reply, it seem quite evident that a portion of the conversation, the real thought and question propounded by Nicodemus to the Master has been omitted. These omissions often occur throughout the Scriptures, especially so far as the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven are concerned. It is God's plan in concealing truth, but these secrets may and can be understood by those guided by the Spirit of Truth.

Nicodemus could not understand the philosophy of the birth here referred to by the Christ, no more than do many of our ministers and church members at the present time. Nicodemus was a master in Israel, and no doubt was well versed in the writings of the Mosaic laws, and quite familiar with the prophecies concerning the promised coming of the Messiah; but he was unable to fathom the mystery of this birth, as the fourth verse conclusively shows. The Master endeavored to make clear this mystery to Nicodemus, in the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth

verses, and yet Nicodemus was as much perplexed as before, for in the ninth verse he inquires, "How can these things be?" Jesus seems surprised at this, and says, "Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?" Here Jesus was explaining to Nicodemus natural laws. Laws that, if rightly understood and put into practice, would enable him to ultimate a condition whereby he might perfect himself to become a resident, and enjoy all the rights, blessings, and honors, with those of God's kingdom.

This Magazine has ever held aloft the light of Truth, pointing the way, and guiding one in the narrow path which leads to ultimate victory, which prepares one to finally enter and become a resident of that city in the kingdom of God, which is to come on earth. But these teachings cannot be too strongly emphasized, for in them are embodied the true principles of immortal life.

Let us refer to the fifth verse, where Jesus says, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." In this verse the Master reveals the true secret of immortality. Here

is the thought on which the foundation of Esoteric principles and teachings are based. "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." Here then it is clear there are two things, the water and the Spirit, that are absolutely necessary for the perfection of the new birth. Our orthodox brethren may say, this referrs to conversion and water baptism. Now we do not wish to condemn, nor do we wish to speak lightly of churches, for they have done noble work in the past, and without them the world would not be what it is to-day; but it is evident in our mind that this passage which contains the secret of immortality has been generally misunderstood.

"The water of life," is not that water which the Master asked the woman of Samaria for, for he told her, "Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again." But here the Master referrs to the "water of life." This water is life itself, or, in other words the life fluid, and is the basic principle of immortality, which creates a body for the soul. A substance in which the spirit can dwell. A sublimated essence in which the spirit can dwell should there be a dissolution of the physical body. Not only this, but it will enable the soul to grow and to expand throughout all eternity.

This "water of life," is like the seed sown in poor and good soil. The seed sown in poor soil, combined with the elements, water, sunshine, and air, springs up and forms a body according to its nature, but from lack of vitality of the soil in which it is sown, it is unable to come to a maturity of growth and produce its seed, but instead, it withers and finally dies. The seed sown in good ground united with the elments requisite to its growth, soon outstrips that sown in poor soil, and in due time completes its growth and matures its seed, thereby immortalizing itself.

Conservation of the life fluid united with the spirit is that only that will make us conscious sons of God. This, and this only, can produce immortality.

We find under the regime of carnal generation, a life in which the forces are disseminated through the passions of the physical nature, the thoughts become weakened, and as the soul is that which is made from our thoughts and experiences of life, instead of adding to those thoughts a vividness and a power, the energies become weakened, and finally disintegration ensues. In the new birth we stand aloof from all carnal desires and all previous evil practices. The new birth crowds out and covers over the former carnal passions, practices and desires, and this can only be done through this refined substance and spiritual force. The one, (water) the refind body, is gradually brought into a condition from which to build entirely new

thoughts, energies and desires; and the other, (spirit) is the eternal entity, or principle, that invades this substance and rebuilds new desires and new thoughts. Thoughts of purity, and as the soil in which this spiritual energy is engulfed is of a refined nature and possessing a body of vigor, the thoughts and soul powers become intensified and which will bring to fruition powers and attainments that will be grand and noble in their ultimation.

Jesus the Christ knew the importance of this new birth, the regeneration, for he had developed to a condition where he had the power to lay down his life and the power to take it up again. He had developed a soul power, an entity, that could exist either with, or without his physical body. Jesus said, "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." He undoubtedly here referred to those living the regeneration. Not that Jesus could give them this regeneration, but by adhering to certain principles which he inculcated, and following his example, they might attain unto that condition.

The importance then, of living a life of regeneration becomes apparent, when we consider the grand attainments and powers developed by the Christ; for he not only promised that these things should we do, but, "Greater works than these shall ye do." It lies within our power by following certain methods, to rise above our environment, to immortalize ourselves, and to arrive at that condition where we can say, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" When these conditions are perfected within us, then we "Shall go no more out." That is, we have developed a soul entity, that will not necessitate us to be immerged into matter again and pass through the travail of another existence, but we will have developed into conscious sons of God, and be one with him. Do you desire this condition? If so, then obey the injunction of the Master, to Nicodemus, "Ye must be born again."

A STRANGE EXPERIENCE.

We publish the following letter received from a subscriber, and leave our readers to judge of it for themselves. Strange it is, indeed, and were it not for the fact that the experience is corroborated by facts in our own experience, we would not attempt to bring it to the attention of our people, but there is so much truth in it and perhaps some value to our readers that we publish it as it was presented to us.

[Ed.

I am thirty years of age, and I have spent ten years of my life in the Rocky Mountains. During all my stay in the mountains a well organized gang of men, in my former home community in the East, were studying the Black Arts and using them against me. They vibrated a current so strong that I could not accomplish much at anything. Many times I was stupid. In my subconscious mind I knew what was going on, but was not able to bring it into the objective mind far enough to reason about what I sensed. I seemed not to be allowed to think.

Why this persecution?—A man who had married a woman many years my senior (I was 18 when I left home), believed that his wife loved me. All his children resembled me instead of their father, and there is as much difference in looks between him and me, as is possible to be between two people. His relations and friends gathered around one learned in the Black Arts to take vengence against me. They believed death would be too easy, so allowed me to live and suffer.

I had been out prospecting and caught a severe cold, that soon laid me on a sick bed with pneumonia, after lingering for several weeks, I began to recover slowly. Mentally, an awful blackness had settled over me; I seemed hopeless. I felt separated from the world, I was so weak I could hardly live. Although I saw a light, not very distinct, it appeared as light does when one is going through a long tunnel when the light at the