reason the beings of all worlds are to constitute that infinitely varied host which a unifying Central Principle is to bind into one organism.

Before giving out certain truths, let us say that the astral body of man does not act directly upon its physical counterpart, for it requires as an intermediate, the semi-physical matter identical with that which exudes from the bodies of certain mediums when in the trance condition. An intermediate corresponding with this matter connects the Astral and Kama; another connects Kama and Kama-Manas; another, Kama-Manas and Manas; another Manas and Buddhi; and yet another Buddhi and Atma. These human principles and their connectives make thirteen. Likewise the seven-fold aura of our earth, together with the connectives, will total thirteen. The auras and connectives proper to the evolution of the moon, were eleven; of Mars, they are nine; of Saturn, seven; of Venus, five; and of Mercury, three. The auras and connectives of these six planets, with the single aura peculiar to the evolution of Jupiter, make a total of forty-nine.

The seven human and the seven planetary principles are each divisible into seven which, in order from highest to lowest, correspond with the chief seven. The subtle physical matter from the medium's body consists of those divisions of the physical which correspond with Atma, Buddhi, Manas. The essence of the seventh 'division of

every principle, both in man and the world, corresponds with Atma, or Spiritual Will. By reinforcing with their wills the atmic plasm from the medium's body, discarnate beings render it rigid enough to move furniture and other weighty objects. By making rigid the atmic plasm in his own body, one becomes impervious to the thrusts of deadly weapons. Of this plasm is composed the silver cord holding one to the physical body while the will to live therein remains firm. The substantial form in which Jesus appeared to his disciples in the upper room, cohered because its atmic plasm was strengthened by his spiritual will. In ordinary materialization this plasm is strengthened by the combined wills of the discarnate group associated with the medium. Furthermore, the intermediate substance of the seventh universal principle is that which the will of the Logos makes wonderfully tenacious. It is the Thread of Fohat which binds planet to planet, and even star to star.

The fact that, during incarnation, the human astral requires an intermediate when acting on the physical, is a clue to certain important matters on which we shall touch rather superficially. Evidently, the discarnate cannot contact physical organisms save through the semi-physical substance alluded to. As for the lunar Fathers, those beings who, in the scale of evolution, are just above the humanity of this world, they must

comply with conditions above mentioned, but in a less degree than the discarnate of our humanity, because the astral bodies of the moon humanity are more dense than those proper to the human race. Though at the summit of the moon evolution, Jehovah, himself, cannot transcend the law in regard to connectives. To a small degree He must conform to its requirements.

If a native Master of wisdom would be in touch with the people of a higher planet, he has in his seven-fold body the necessary connectives; but should one of that higher world attempt to reach those of a lower world, he must employ the connective peculiar to that world. While to the Israelites, and to those who take their theology from Jewish sources, Jehovah was the creator of this world, we teach-as explained in "The Heart of Things," and in the "Deeper Mysteries❞—that he was its provisional ruler until the rightful sovereign could acquire a permanent outer vehicle which, we now add, is somewhat denser than that used by Jehovah as a temporary garment.

Besides Jehovah, others of the moon fathers have at times guided the destinies of certain nations, and, because necessarily clothed with semi-material garments, they have been seen under extraordinary conditions, but, of a truth, no mortal eye has ever beheld the great Head of the lunar hierarchy. Unfortunately, certain spirits, potent in evil, have used the intermediate substance of

the material plane to contact and dominate entire nations. False gods, they have debased their priests, and through them have worked their cruel will even to requiring of their worshippers sexual abominations, and the offering up of human sacrifices. It was against these especially that Jehovah gave the imperative command, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me."

Elsewhere we have explained that the higher globes of our seven-fold world freely penetrate the lower ones; nevertheless, when a being functioning, for instance, on the astral globe, attempts to reach the one next above, he everywhere encounters a barrier composed of the seventh division or essence of astral matter. Because this essence corresponds with Spiritual Will, he is doomed to all but final failure if, in earth life, he cultivated that negative state which permitted the subordination of his will, his most precious possession, to those of incarnate or discarnate beings. Desiring to be en rapport with the planet next higher in the series comprised in our solar system, a Master of Wisdom by means of his spiritual will-conserved and strengthened during many earth lives-must penetrate that last and most difficult barrier, the atmic essence surrounding the ultimate sphere of our complex globe. So the Logos of our solar system, desiring to contact that of the next higher in the great chain of suns, must proceed in like manner. Finally, if the hierarchy of the loftiest

sun would contact a lesser sphere, it must conform to the inflexible law governing such an effort in this humble world of ours.

H.

OR

THE SILVER CORD

R ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken." In this quotation from Ecclesiastes, the tie between the higher bodies of man and their physical counterpart is called the silver cord, and that which contains the purely spiritual is the golden bowl. While these words of the Preacher are almost universally regarded as those of poetical description, we would show them to be largely true, and a proof of Solomon's wisdom concerning things far outside the scope of general knowledge.

When condensed, the purified substance of the astral sphere of our seven-fold globe becomes the metal silver. The cord connecting the human physical body with its astral other should be, and often is of the purest etheric silver, and so is capable of great elongation. This is shown by the journeys of the astral during sleep. Should this cord be over-stretched, it breaks at that weakest part where it joins the physical body. Then death ensues. When death results from natural causes, the connection is severed at the slightest strain, because the resisting power of the material body is then greatly weakened. While the material