Page:The astral world, higher occult powers; (IA astralworldhighe00tiff).pdf/165

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world, let him look after his own lusts. So in respect to every thing necessary to make a truly upright man, a man who shall live in all good conscience before God and the world, and before the inmost of his own soul. Let him see to it that after he has made a perfect examination of his own breast, there is nothing found lacking. Let him be so satisfied with his examination of his own character, that he will be content to have mankind redeemed up to the plane he occupies. Then let his life be the incarnation of the principle. Let the world, when they look upon him, be constrained to say, "He has been with Jesus," if Jesus is to be the model of the church. Let his life correspond exactly to the high and beautiful ideal of the church he is wishing to have established; and then an influence will go out from him which will become attractive to all who, like him, are thirsting for that life. He will find it unnecessary to throw out catechisms, because there will be the true affinity which will come forth from the character, and attract all who, like him, are hungering and thirsting after righteousness. Form a church by the application of external tests, and there will be conflict all the time; while concord will characterize one formed in accordance with the natural principle of organization.

Spiritualists have become very numerous. I doubt whether there is any other class of believers so numerous as those now known as Spiritualists. They now number millions, and they are men and women who have come from under the restraints of authority—of external law—a "thus saith the Lord"—and have assumed the prerogative of acting for themselves.