The awakening of the mind must always come before the awakening of Soul can take place; because it is only through the efforts of the awakened mind that Soul Consciousness can be made possible.

In like manner, must the teachers of mental forces come, and prepare the way and the minds of the people, so that they will be prepared to accept the higher doctrine of the Soul when it is presented to them. But well it is for the one who baptizes with water if he admits that it is not the ultimate baptism, that it is not the all.

29. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.

He that has lived according to the Divine Law; he that has deliberately made every effort to transmute the base and the earthly within his own nature into qualities of Soul; he that, through right use of the Awakened Mind, has at last reached Soul Consciousness-such an one is like the bridegroom. He has won a bride, and his bride is the Christ.

Though his friend has not yet won a bride he rejoiceth in the good fortune of his friend; for he knoweth that he also can do as his friend has done. He recognizes the voice of him who has won his desire, and, in that voice, is his joy made complete; for it assures him that he has the same opportunity that his friend has had.

In this one statement, John shows how truly great his character was. Though himself a leader of men, he recognized and acknowledged Jesus to be the greater. He tells his followers that Jesus, like the bridegroom, has won a higher estate than himself and is therefore superior to him; and, in this knowledge, John openly rejoices.

In this did he fulfil the Law: "Love thy neighbor as thyself." For all men are our neighbors; and when we love them, jealousy and envy cannot creep in.

LESSON TWELVE

As consciousness of Soul increases, the work of the mind decreases.

St. John 3:30-36.

30. He must increase, but I must decrease.

Before the Christ can manifest himself, it is necessary for the mind to awaken to its function in the divine plan of life: it must first become convinced that material and physical things are not lasting; it must become established in the desire for higher and better things; it must be willing to put forth effort and to use its creative powers in cultivating attributes and qualities and graces of Soul. Thus, seeing its mission, even though it be dimly, the mind is become "the Voice in the wilderness." It is John, the forerunner of the Christ.

Gradually, as the mind, thus aroused to its noble purpose, seeks for that which is higher; as it endeavors to find "the Way, the Truth, and the Life;" as the divine spark becomes enlivened in the temple of man's consciousness; as, through establishing habits of thought and desire in keeping with the Christ Ideal, the mind cultivates and encourages qualities of Soul-as such processes as these continue, the mind, as a creative agency, decreases in importance in proportion as that which it creates, increases; mind, as an objective factor in Soul building, decreases in proportion as it gives place to that which it creates and builds-even the Soul, When the time comes that the Soul has become fully Conscious and man has found the Christ, the mind has accomplished its allotted task; and all authority is transferred from the intellectual center to the Soul Center. For this reason, John said: "He must increase, but I must de

crease.

Science of Mind corresponds to John the Baptist; it is the Voice in the wilderness; and, if the Voice is true to its

message and to its mission, it will gladly give place to that which is to follow. Mind itself as creative agency is mortal; while the Soul-that which results from the mind's creative activities-is Immortal.

If the mind does not give way, or admit its secondary place in the divine purpose; if it claims to be the ultimate, then, unlike John, it betrays its trust. In its false claim, it is Lucifer the Star greatest in heaven except the Father; and, because of its disobedience in respect to the Divine Law, the Law will remove it, and Lucifer shall fall. 31. He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.

The body of man is of the earth, it is earthly. The divine spark in man is of the Father, and comes from above. In order to understand this saying better, let it be supplemented by statements from Corinthians:

"It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

"And so it was written, The first man, Adam, was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

"Howbeit, that was not first which was spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterwards that which is spiritual."

There is but one visible body—that is, the form of man. It is that which comes from the earth and is of the earth. But, when the mind awakens, when the Voice cries in the wilderness, when John the forerunner of the Christ comes and teaches the truth, then is the natural body raised a spiritual body. This is a mystery that can not be comprehended by the unillumined mind of man.

That which comes from heaven is above all things. As taught by both John and Jesus, heaven is within man.. "Within man, within heaven." Man can not know heaven

until he has become Soul Conscious, until his center of consciousness has been transferred from the mind to the soul.

When Soul Consciousness has taken place, when man has become illuminated, then has he raised the natural body into a spiritual body. He is no longer the Son of man but the Son of God.

First comes the natural body; but this is raised into the spiritual body. Through the efforts and the creative activities of the awakened mind, through obedience to the teachings of John, the lower forces, the physical earth body, have been raised, or transmuted, into the spiritual, or purified, body.

32. And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony.

He whose mind has become awakened and who uses the awakened mind in the building of the Immortal Soul will "testify" that is, he will manifest to others by his daily life that which he has seen. Through the use of the awakened mind, he has received the Ineffable Light. He is the Son of God.

But the earth man-the one whose mind is not yet awakened to higher planes of thought than the physicalwill not accept his testimony; for he is blind to spiritual things. "Having eyes, they see not."

33. He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.

Those who are able to receive, to recognize the manifestation of the Father and to accept the truth, are the ones whose minds have become awakened and aroused to eternal things. To receive is to accept; to accept is to make use of; and, as men follow the teachings of John and obey the Divine Law, they will know that God is true-that he is.

34. For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the spirit by measure unto him. God is not of the flesh, but of the Soul. God can send

none to teach the Way, the Truth, and the Life" except those who have become awakened. None can teach the truth except those who know the truth; and none can know the truth except those who have become awakened.

Mortality can not manifest Immortality; but Immortality can manifest through the mortal being because it illuminates and transmutes that which is mortal.

35. The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.

To be the Son of God is to be like God. To become the Son of God gives one all the powers of God, all the Laws of God, and all the attributes of God, though in lesser degree.

God is Love, and Light, and Life. In order to manifest the Father that is within our natures, we must manifest the qualities of love, light, and life. God being love, when we become like him, we also are born in love; and, being born in love, we are part of Him. For Love recognizes Love and considers nothing apart and separate from God.

To have become the Sons of God, means not only to have become like God, but even to be gods; for Jesus said to the Jews: "Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?"

To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is "Christ in you, the hope of glory."

Only those can understand this mystery who have become awakened to the fact that the body of man is but the house of that which is greater, and have made conscious effort to illuminate this house, which is the Temple of the living God. But all men who will, may so understand it; for all men are gods in potentiality.

36. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

When we believe that it is possible to become the Son of God, we accept the Son. When we accept the Son, we will