the broad and sure foundation of Science; and this is not the basis of materia medica, as some of the most skilful and scholarly physicians openly admit.
To prevent all unpleasant and unchristian action — as we drift, by right of God's dear love, into more spiritual lines of life — let each society of practitioners, the matter-physicians and the metaphysicians, agree to disagree, and then patiently wait on God to decide, as surely He will, which is the true system of medicine.
Do we not see in the commonly accepted teachings of the day, the Christ-idea mingled with the teachings of John the Baptist? or, rather, Are not the last eighteen centuries but the footsteps of Truth being baptized of John, and coming up straightway out of the ceremonial (or ritualistic) waters to receive the benediction, of an honored Father, and afterwards to go up into the wilderness, in order to overcome mortal sense, before it shall go forth into all the cities and towns of Judea, or see many of the people from beyond Jordan? Now, if all this be a fair or correct view of this question, why does not John hear this voice, or see the dove, — or has not Truth yet reached the shore?
Every individual character, like the individual John the Baptist, at some date must cry in the desert of earthly joy; and his voice be heard divinely and humanly. In the desolation of human understanding, divine Love hears and answers the human call for help; and the voice of Truth utters the divine verities of being which deliver mortals out of the depths of ignorance and vice. This is the Father's benediction. It gives lessons to human life, guides the understanding, peoples
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