Levi H. Dowling

“ And Jesus said, Your great success in all your former work has made you careless, and you forgot to recognise the power of God.
18. Without the spirit of the Word, the Word is like an idle tale; and you forgot to pray.
19. There is no faith without the prayer of faith. Faith is the wings of prayer; but wings alone fly not.
20. By prayer and faith you can bring down the mountain peaks, and cast them in the sea; the little hills will skip about like lambs at your command.
21. This failure may be well for you. The great lessons that are learned in life come through the failures that are made. ”

“ Grandmother Anna loved the child; she laid her hand on Jesus' head and said, I saw you stand beside the sea; I saw you touch the sand and waves; I saw them turn to living things and then I knew the meaning of the dream.
11. The sea of life rolls high; the storms are great. The multitude of men are idle, listless, waiting, like dead sand upon the beach.
12. Your wand is truth. With this you touch the multitudes, and every man becomes a messenger of holy light and life.
13. You touch the waves upon the sea of life; their turmoils cease; the very winds become a song of praise. ”

“ And then the priests laid down the scourge, and Jesus said,
27. Prepare, O Israel, prepare to meet your king! But you can never see the king while you press sin as such a precious idol to your hearts.
28. The king is God; the pure in heart alone can see the face of God and live.
29. And then the priests cried out, This fellow claims to be the God. Is not this sacrilege! away with him!
30. But Jesus said, No man has ever heard me say, I am a king. Our Father-God is king. With every loyal Jew I worship God. ”

“ My mother taught that grief and selfish love, and hopes and fears are but reflexes from the lower self;
22. That what we sense are but small waves upon the rolling billows of a life.
23. These all will pass away; they are unreal.
24. Tears flow from hearts of flesh; the spirit never weeps; and I am longing for the day when I will walk in light, where tears are wiped away.
25. My mother taught that all emotions are the sprays that rise from human loves, and hopes, and fears; that perfect bliss cannot be ours till we have conquered these. ”

“ I came as man to manifest this love to men,
35. As man I have been subject unto all the trials and temptations of the human race; but I have overcome the flesh, with all its passions and its appetites.
36. What I have done all men can do.
37. And I am now about to demonstrate the power of man to conquer death; for every man is God made flesh.
38. I will lay down my life, and I will take it up again, that you may know the mysteries of life, of death, and of the resurrection of the dead. ”

“ A hireling flees to save his life when wolves infest the fold; and then the tender lambs are snatched away, the sheep are scattered everywhere.
22. I am the shepherd of the sheep; I know the sheep of God; they know my voice, as God knows me and I know him.
23. The Father loves me with a deathless love, because I lay my life down for the sheep.
24. I lay my life down when I will, but I may take it up again; for every son of God by faith has power to lay his mortal flesh aside and take it up again. ”

“ The manna and the quail were symbols of the flesh of Christ; the waters of the rock were symbols of the blood.
12. But, lo, the Christ has come; he is the bread of life that God has given to the world.
13. Whoever eats the flesh of Christ and drinks his blood shall never die; and he will hunger nevermore; and he will thirst no more.
14. And they who eat this bread of heaven, and drink these waters from the spring of life cannot be lost; these feed the soul, and purify the life.
15. Behold, for God has said, When man has purified himself I will exalt him to the throne of power. ”

“ And then he spoke unto the people who believed in him and said, If you abide in Christ, and Christ abide in you, and if you keep my words within your heart,
20. You are the way, you are disciples in the way, and you shall know what is the truth, and truth shall make you free.
21. And still the people did not understand; they said, We are the seed of Abraham and are already free; we never were the slaves of any man; why do you say, We shall be free?
22. And Jesus said, Do you not know that every one committing sin is slave of sin? abides in bondage unto sin? ”

“ I thought the temple was the house of God where love and kindness dwell.
10. Do you not hear the bleating of those lambs, the pleading of those doves that men are killing over there? Do you not smell that awful stench that comes from burning flesh?
11. Can man be kind and just, and still be filled with cruelty?
12. A God that takes delight in sacrifice, in blood and burning flesh, is not my Father-God.
13. I want to find a God of love, and you, my master, you are wise, and surely you can tell me where to find the God of love. ”

“ This is the seed that fell within the beaten paths of men.
18. And others hear the words of life, and with a fiery zeal receive them all; they seem to comprehend the truth and promise well;
19. But troubles come; discouragements arise; there is no depth of thought; their good intentions wither up and die.
20. These are the seeds that fell in stony ground.
21. And others hear the words of truth and seem to know their worth; but love of pleasure, reputation, wealth and fame fill all the soil; the seeds are nourished not and they are lost. ”

“ And Jesus said, Let not your hearts be sad; you all believe in God; believe in me.
16. Behold, for there are many mansions in my Fatherland. If there were not I would have told you so.
17. I will go unto my Fatherland, and I will prepare a place for you that where I am there you may be. But now you do not know the way unto my Fatherland.
18. And Thomas said, We do not know where you intend to go; how could we know the way?
19. And Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, the life; I manifest the Christ of God. No man can reach my Fatherland except he comes with me through Christ. ”

“ And when he saw them, Jesus said, Behold the honoured men of all Samaria! the men ordained to lead the people in the way of right.
20. And I am come to help, and not to hinder in their work.
21. There are two classes of the sons of men; they who would build the human race upon the sure foundation stones of justice, truth, equality and right,
22. And they who would destroy the holy temple where the Spirit dwells and bring their fellows down to beggary and crime.
23. The holy brotherhood of right must stand united in the stirring conflicts of the hour. ”

“ One day Apollo said to Jesus as they sat alone, This sacred Delphic Oracle has spoken many a helpful word for Greece.
16. Pray tell me what it is that speaks. Is it an angel, man, or living god?
17. And Jesus said, It is not angel, man, nor god that speaks. It is the matchless wisdom of the master minds of Greece, united in a master mind.
18. This giant mind has taken to itself the substances of soul, and thinks, and hears, and speaks.
19. It will remain a living soul while master minds feed it with thought, with wisdom and with faith and hope. ”

“ Is it enough for you to say that you are heirs of Abraham? I tell you, no.
13. The heirs of Abraham are just as wicked in the sight of God when they do wrong as any heathen man.
14. Behold the axe! and every tree that bears not wholesome fruit is cut down at the roots and cast into the fire.
15. And then the people asked, What must we do?
16. And John replied, Accept the ministry of helpfulness for all mankind; spend not upon your selfish selves all that you have.
17. Let him who has two coats give one to him who has no coat; give part of all the food you have to those in need. ”

“ And when the harvest time came on the busy neighbors came again; they were surprised.
12. The naked stalks had put forth branch and leaf, and heavy clusters of delicious grapes weighed every branch to earth.
13. The gatherers rejoiced as, day by day, they carried the rich fruitage to the press.
14. Behold the vineyard of the Lord! the earth is spread with human vines.
15. The gorgeous forms and rites of men are branches, and their words are leaves; and these have grown so great that sunlight can no longer reach the heart; there is no fruit. ”

“ And when she saw the infant Jesus she exclaimed, Behold Immanuel! Behold the signet cross of the Messiah on his brow!
10. And then the woman knelt to worship him, as God with us, Immanuel; but one, a master, clothed in white, appeared and said,
11. Good woman, stay; take heed to what you do; you may not worship man; this is idolatry.
12. This child is man, the son of man, and worthy of all praise. You shall adore and worship God; him only shall you serve.
13. The woman rose and bowed her head in thankfulness and worshipped God.
14. And Mary took the infant Jesus and returned to Bethlehem. ”

“ And after many days he found himself and said unto himself, My father is a man of wealth; he has a score of servants who are bountifully fed while I, his son, am starving in the fields among the swine.
10. I do not hope to be received again as son, but I will rise and go straight to my father's house, and I will make confession of my waywardness;
11. And I will say, My father, I am come again; I am profligate, and I have lost my wealth in ways of sin; I am not worthy to be called your son. ”

“ And Jesus said to him, He who has taken first his bath is clean, and has no need to wash, except his feet.
20. The feet are truly symbols of the understanding of the man, and he who would be clean must, in the living stream of life, wash well his understanding every day.
21. Then Jesus sat with his disciples at the table of the feast and said, Behold the lesson of the hour:
22. You call me master; such I am. If, then, your Lord and master kneel and wash your feet, should you not wash each other's feet and thus show forth your willingness to serve? ”

“ And Jesus said, The kingdom of the Holy One is in the soul; men cannot see it with their carnal eyes; with all their reasoning powers they comprehend it not.
16. It is a life deep hid in God; its recognition is the work of inner consciousness.
17. The kingdoms of the world are kingdoms of the sight; the kingdom of the Holy One is that of faith; its king is love.
18. Men cannot see the love of God unmanifest, and so our Father-God has clothed this love with flesh—flesh of a son of man.
19. And that the world may see and know this love made manifest, the son of man must needs be lifted up. ”

“ I tell you, men, what you have done to these, my kindred, you have done to me.
22. You have insulted me in your own home; I cannot stay. I will go forth and find that child, that woman and that man, and give them help until my life's blood all has ebbed away.
23. I call it pleasure when I help the helpless, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, heal the sick, and speak good words of cheer to those unloved, discouraged and depressed. ”

“ At midnight in a cave in Bethehem was born the prophet and the king that you have long been waiting for.
12. And then the shepherds all were glad; they felt that all the hills were filled with messengers of light, who said,
13. All glory be to God on high; peace, peace on earth, good will to men.
14. And then the shepherds came with haste to Bethlehem and to the cave, that they might see and honour him whom men had called Immanuel. ”

“ And Peter said, Yea, Lord, I love the Lord my God with all my heart; I love my neighbour as I love myself.
14. And Jesus said, Then feed my sheep.
15. And then he said to James, Do you love her, the Holy Breath, with all your heart, and do you love your neighbour as you love yourself?
16. And James replied, Yea, Lord, I love the Holy Breath with all my heart; I love my neighbour as I love myself.
17. Then Jesus said, Protect my sheep.
18. And then he said to John, Do you love Christ, the love divine made manifest, with all your heart, and do you love your neighbour as you love yourself? ”

“ We use the hammer to drive home the truth, and pound it in until it is a part of every part.
18. We use the plane to smooth the rough, uneven surfaces of joint, and block, and board that go to build the temple for the truth.
19. The chisel, line, the plummet and the saw all have their uses in the workshop of the mind.
20. And then this ladder with its trinity of steps, faith, hope and love; on it we climb up to the dome of purity in life.
21. And on the twelve-step ladder we ascend until we reach the pinnacle of that which life is spent to build--the Temple of Perfected Man. ”

“ There is no power in intellect to turn the key; philosophy and science both have toiled to get a glimpse behind the veil; but they have failed.
25. The secret spring that throws ajar the door of soul is touched by nothing else than purity in life, by prayer and holy thought.
26. Return, O mystic stream of Grecian thought, and mingle your clear waters with the flood of Spirit-life; and then the spirit consciousness will sleep no more, and man will know, and God will bless. ”

“ When Jesus saw them come he said to those who followed him, You need not say, It is four months before the harvest time;
7. Behold, the harvest time is now. Lift up your eyes and look; the fields are golden with the ripened grain.
8. Lo, many sowers have gone forth to sow the seeds of life; the seed has grown; the plants have strengthened in the summer sun; the grain has ripened, and the master calls for men to reap. ”

“ The wealth, the honour, and the fame of earth are but the baubles of an hour.
17. When this short span of earthly life has all been measured out, man's bursting baubles will be buried with his bones,
18. Yea, what a man does for his selfish self will make no markings on the credit side of life.
19. The good that men for other men shall do becomes a ladder strong on which the soul may climb to wealth, and power and fame of God's own kind, that cannot pass away. ”

“ And in his might he rose, and what he thought were chains were only worthless cords that parted at his touch.
8. And then he laughed and said, The chains that bind men to the carcasses of earth are forged in fancy's shop; are made of air, and welded in illusion's fires.
9. If man will stand erect, and use the power of will, his chains will fall, like worthless rags; for will and faith are stronger than the stoutest chains that men have ever made.
10. And Jesus stood erect among the hungry beasts, and birds, and said, What is this darkness that envelops me? ”