remain bound by our self-created conditions of physical existence. Intellect comes from seeing differences and comparing them; once gained, it may be used to perpetuate material existence with all its disadvantages, or as an instrument of the spirit in guiding and controlling the lower lives that constitute the kingdoms below Man.

Q. What were the "materials" that "had to be found, gathered together and fashioned in other and distant places”?

A. At the end of a Great Period, like that of a planet, all coarser forms of matter have been resolved back into the primordial substance from and within which they were formed; the experiences of the many classes of evolved beings are retained. At the next "going forth" new combinations and correlations arise from the greater knowledge acquired during the previous period of evolution, and a new construction or evolution of forms begins, based upon the advance already made. Necessarily the experience gained by the various classes of beings in fashioning form remains, and as the "material" is in a homogeneous state, formation begins in that state and is made more and more concrete as the ages roll on. All this in general. Theosophy teaches that our Moon was the planet upon which our evolution had its immediately previous field, and that as the Earth has been builded, the Moon has shrunk and disintegrated. From this we may imagine that "material" from the Moon has been and is being used in the building of the Earth and Earth forms, and that this will go on until our Seventh Round when the Moon will have disappeared. This may be taken as one of the "distant places"; and others may be understood if we bear in mind that in this vast universe of which our planet forms a small part, and under the law of Unity which pervades the whole, our planet is related to and connected with all other planets in our system. As the great purpose is the Evolution of Soul, the great reservoir of ethereal substance must be available to those Intelligences whose knowledge and power can select and guide.

Q. If we have seven planes of being, is Karma made on all of them?

A. Karma operates on all planes and upon every being. Consciousness and Life on any plane imply perception and action, and these mean Karma. There are three lines of Evolution: the Spiritual, Intellectual and Physical, and these are inter-blended at every point. Progress on all planes is possible only by action. It is incorrect to imagine that Karma pertains only to the physical plane. Q. Why is it said that Masters express Karma?

A. Because They know the ultimate results of all the actions They institute, whether these be spiritual, psychical or physical, and because all Their efforts are for the advancement of the whole mass of beings.

Q. On page 19 it is stated that "When this day opens, cosmic evolution, so far as relates to this solar system, begins and occupies between one and two billions of years in evolving the very ethereal first matter before the astral kingdoms of mineral, vegetable, animal and men are possible". Can this be explained?

A. There must be for each Manvantara a specific primordial substance from and within which the subsequent differentiations. are formed. Each beginning of a Manvantara must have as its basic substance what might be called a differentiation within the One Infinite Universal Substance, as a result of the operation of Intelligence upon it; this is brought about by the inter-action and inter-relation of all the beings involved in the previous evolutionary stream, and as a preliminary to further differentiation.

SUMMARY.

The First Chapter treats of the Masters of Wisdom who are the results of Evolutionary progress, and the custodians of accumulated wisdom of the past. The Second Chapter presents the general principles that govern the cosmos. The seven-fold differentiation

of the system is shown to be universal in its operation, every atom as well as every being having seven principles, either latent or expressed as the case may be. Mind, or Intelligence, represents the acquired knowledge of the totality of beings involved, the higher intelligences being the guides and impellers of the lower. Each great period of evolution has its specific beginning based upon past achievements, and has its ending in order to co-ordinate the general advance and form a new basis for another great period; these periods are called the Days of Brahma, each such period being followed by a Night of similar duration for assimilation and readjustment. Evolution is accomplished solely by the self-conscious Egos within, who guiding and impelling the lower lives-the builders of form-finally occupy those forms when they are ready. The story of the building of Solomon's Temple is that of the evolution of Man "wherein no sound of hammer, nor voice of workman is heard". Each of the seven principles of Man is derived from one of the seven great Divisions of the Universe; he therefore is directly connected with and related to every state of substance and every plane of being through these principles. Man is not his principles: they are his instruments or embodiments. "For the Soul's sake alone the Universe exists".

FROM THE SECRET DOCTRINE*

Matter is Eternal. It is the Upadhi (the physical basis) for the One infinite Universal Mind to build thereon its ideations. Therefore, the Esotericists maintain that there is no inorganic or dead matter in nature, the distinction between the two made by Science being as unfounded as it is arbitrary and devoid of reason. Whatever Science may think, however-and exact Science is a fickle dame, as we all know by experience-Occultism knows and teaches differently from time immemorial-from Manu and Hermes down to Paracelsus and his successors.

* From the Original Edition Vol. I, pp. 280-281; see Vol. I, p. 301, Third Edition.

AROUND THE TABLE

LEASANT to sit and talk this way", remarked Doctor, stifling a yawn, "but we ought to be asleep, every one of us, this very minute."

It was in fact getting a bit late for busy people to be unnecessarily awake. The Family had attended a theosophical meeting that evening, and now lingered in the comfortable living-room to "talk things over." Mentor was as alert as ever, for the clock never seems to exist for him. Mother had picked up her knitting, utilizing every moment as is her habit. Spinster was unusually bright-eyed, declaring that sleep had no immediate charms for her.

"Funny thing I heard tonight", remarked Doctor, with a reminiscent chuckle-"a pitiful thing, too", he continued more soberly. "One man I talked with after the meeting was an old-time student of the philosophy, he said, and came out to the West to join a certain group of students who have established a community here. He found things so different from what he expected, so completely out of line with the common-sense teachings of Theosophy that he at last left the community, poorer in health and purse.'

"I don't see why you call that 'funny'," said Mother warmly, as the Doctor paused in his remarks. "For a man long past middle life to break away from his friends and old associations and then meet such a bitter disappointment seems to me anything but 'funny"."

"The amusing part comes later, Mother", resumed Doctor. "I gave you the pitiful part first. This man told me that the woman who was pointed to as the 'occult head' of this group of students, used to go into some sort of a trance now and then, and imitate what she supposed to be H. P. B.'s tone and manner. The implication was, of course, that this 'medium' was getting messages from H. P. B. And the students believed it, swallowed it as readily as a child takes candy. Can you credit such a thing among theosophical students in this day and age, Mentor?"

"I haven't the slightest doubt of it, Doctor", answered Mentor gravely. "For I have heard before of this particular case you mention. There are plenty of credulous people in the ranks of the Theosophical organizations today-this fact indeed keeps most of these societies in existence."

"But would you think that anything so crudely pretentious could possibly fool people intelligent enough to grasp even the simplest theosophical concepts?" insisted Doctor earnestly.

"The fact remains that it does", was the answer, "and students will thus permit themselves to be deceived as long as they continue to follow persons, and refuse to stand upon the philosophy itself as their basis.

"Somebody writes a few cryptic sentences, signs a pen name to them and prints them in a theosophical magazine", continued Mentor with a smile. "The matter itself is either a weak rearrangement of

some of the true old writings, or perhaps a bit of twaddle of the 'sweetness and light' type. 'Ah! here is a message from the Master', cry some sentimental students, and no denial being made, all writings that appear thereafter over that pen name are accredited to some high and holy source."

"It's old human superstition coming to the surface, isn't it", remarked Spinster interestedly. "Why, I read something of the sort not long ago in a theosophical magazine. The implication was that the Masters had communicated the article through some.personal channel, that They were struggling for the right in this world war, and so forth-all that silly kind of sentimentality, you know”, she continued with a gesture of gushing words running on and on"quite out of line with H. P. P.'s and W. Q. J.'s teachings, direct and indirect, in regard to Masters. Why, you'd think to read it that They were actually struggling with 'dark powers' on the 'astral plane'—it was almost as materialistic as some of Mr. Sinnett's later writings", she ended with a smile.

"What's the cause of that kind of nonsense, Mentor?" asked Doctor, earnestly.

"Two human tendencies", answered the latter briefly: "the desire of some people to appear as possessing high occult preferment; and the great capacity of average human nature to believe anything and everything read or heard. If students would only take to heart what Mr. Judge pointed out in regard to these various 'messages'-utilize the same kind of good common-sense they employ in ordinary matters of life-there would be more real Theosophy, and less of 'astral gossip', in theosophical circles."

"Why, he said the message itself told its own story, didn't he, Mentor?" remarked Doctor briskly. "Seems to me I remember the advice he gave to students condenses to just about that."

"Well, I'll tell you a true incident", answered Mentor, with a reminiscent smile, "and you can draw your own deductions from it. I was myself present at the meeting I will describe, together with Mr. Judge and a half dozen or more students-their names do not matter. The place was Chicago; the year 1894, or thereabouts.

"A prominent member in Chicago", Mentor continued, "had received a 'message', and at the meeting I am speaking of asked Mr. Judge if he would say whether it was a genuine Master's message, or not. Mr. Judge, after examining the paper, handed it to a lady sitting near him and asked her to state if the message were genuine. This lady was a very prominent theosophical worker whose writings had helped thousands of students and who was considered by many as very far advanced' in an occult way. She took the paper, held it against her solar plexus for a few moments, looking very intently off into space-quite with the air of a seeress-emerging from 'the silence' with an audible sigh and declaring the message 'genuine'.

"Mr. Judge then handed the paper to another student-a professional man of high standing who was devoting his life and fortune to theosophical work, was widely known as a lecturer, and who

was considered by many a deeply versed 'esotericist'. This student placed the paper against his forehead, closed his eyes, looking very solemn and impressive for quite a few moments. He then declared the message not 'genuine'.

"Several other students were then asked to pronounce upon the matter; and each of them went through some sort of performance like those I have mentioned: one held the paper behind his back against his spine, I remember-please understand, Family, I am not romancing, but describing what went on before my own eyesand Mr. Judge was as grave and serious through it all as you can imagine.

"Well, opinions were conflicting and about equally divided in regard to the paper, when Mr. Judge handed it to another student— this one a man of no pretentions but considerable common-sense. I remember he had a high, thin, piping voice, and I can hear him now as clearly as if he were presently speaking. He took the paper, read it, and handed it back to Mr. Judge. 'What do you say?' asked the latter. 'Why, I don't know', was the answer, 'but the advice in it seems excellent'. His thin piping voice fairly shrilled through the

room.

"That's good, Louie', said Mr. Judge-and went on talking about other matters, as if the question of the message were at last settled. He had been serious and unsmiling through all the psychic 'flip-flaps' and posturings of the students present, but I caught the glint of a twinkle in his eye now and then. A little later some of the students asked him if the message were indeed genuine. 'What difference does it make', was his answer, 'it may be or may not be; but as Louie has said, the advice in it seems excellent'; and with this remark the incident closed."

"I wonder how many of those students got the lesson", chuckled Doctor.

"Did Mr. Judge ask you, Mentor, to pass upon the genuineness of the message?" Mother enquired innocently.

Mentor laughed delightedly. "No, he did not, Mother-but 'Louie' had been doing theosophical work under my direction for some five or six years", he added, "if that information helps you any."

There was a general laugh at this, and the Family group broke up, to get some much needed rest.

"I never hear you 'giving out' any messages, Mentor", said Spinster, turning back at the door for a moment, with a little appreciative smile for her old friend.

"No, my dear", was the answer, "they're all given out-that is, the genuine ones. And you'll find them in the standard theosophical books-the writings of H. P. B. and W. Q. J. Full directions there for any and every student who wants to get on his own feet, theosophically speaking. We sure won't get any special 'messages' from Masters until we take full advantage of the general and easily accessible ones to be found in the printed words.'