dom, as well as a power, present in all the phenomena, which wisdom must be all-embracing in degree.

This manifestation of consciousness reveals the same Presence which appears in each of the earlier stages of unfoldment, but it reveals it in a higher or more interior degree. Like all preceding developments, it commences in the simple elements of a higher consciousness, and makes known only, and in a very feeble degree, the externals of existence. It is only the beginning of a perception in the individual of an external existence.

In the animal kingdom, different degrees of mentality are manifested, as the higher orders of animals are developed. But throughout the entire animal kingdom, the principle of mentality is not so developed as to enable the animal to perceive and study itself as a mental being. While it is able to perceive itself as a physical being, and to so perceive its needs as to instinctively seek their supply, and is thus enabled to perform its part in the great drama of immortal generation, it does not attain that higher consciousness, which enables the individual to perceive mental and spiritual existence, and to feel spiritualneeds. It has no perception of spiritual attributes. It has no conscious aspirations-no hungerings and thirstings for the Infinite and Absolute of Being and Affection.

The mission of the animal kingdom in the work of immortal generation is to develop conditions in the individuality which shall make it so receptive of, and so responsive to, the spiritual Presence as to develop therein a consciousness of the spiritual; as the sensu

ous develops a consciousness of the physical. Each advance in individualization brings the individuality to the verge of the next advance. Consequently, the highest of the lower comes into the dawn of the higher; thus the evening of the former joins upon the morning of the coming advance in individuality, and the new individuality is carried forward by an induction therein of a higher and more interior principle of action, which induction lifts the advancing individuality into a higher condition, making it responsive to higher and more interior potencies. Below the conscious and mental these incoming influences are denominated inductions; after the conscious is developed they are denominated incarnations.

The sixth advance is characterized by the manifestation of a presence which reveals a more interior consciousness; and which enables the individuality to perceive and contemplate the spirit, its attributes and requirements. At this stage of advance an individuality of Form, of Life and of MENTALITY is attained; the individuality of FORM, embracing all the elements of the material with their conditions, relations and induced potencies; the individuality of LIFE, embracing all the vital potencies found in the lower kingdoms, with the induced life of the spiritual superadded; the individuality of MIND, embracing in condition everything which can be represented to the consciousness through the perceptions of sense, the conceptions of the intellect, or the perceptions and affections of the social, the moral and the religious faculties, by means of which the individual becomes qualified to receive from, and to respond to, every pos

sible condition, relation, potency and law, existing in the material and in the spiritual universe, as portions of his own living conscious self-hood; the absolute of which must become his, at his last advance, not of individuality, but of condition; when, in consciousness, he becomes Being itself, and is qualified to perceive and know, consciously, the Infinite, the Eternal and Absolute.

This perfected individuality, which, at the sixth stage, is attained in all things, except the higher spiritual or celestial conditions, becomes immortal through its unceasing relation to, and its receptivity from, the Absolute or Self-living Presence, filling the Universe. The potencies manifested in the various stages of advance below the human, are not individualized to such an extent as to join in their individuality, upon the Self-living or Absolute Life. Although a consciousness, and an incipient individuality of spirit or mentality is found in the animal individuality, yet, in the animal, it does not extend to an individualization of the spirit. Hence, the animal consciousness extends only to a perception of the mutable and perishable of existence—those forms and potencies which have to do only with preparing matter, for giving birth to individualities capable of a higher consciousness than that which the animal can receive, and without which, immortality would be, to the individual, of no value. There lies between the highest scope of the animal consciousness and the Self-living, Self-perceiving and Absolute of the spiritual universe, the whole realm of spiritual existence and being, which has no individualized condition in the animal,

to enable the animal to receive and respond to its pres ence or its action. Therefore, should the animal be projected into the sphere of spiritual life and activity, that would be to it an eternal blank, it not being able to receive anything therefrom, or to impart anything thereto.

Thus, the history of creation and formation traced from the elemental or abysmal condition of matter to the ultimate of spiritual individuality, embraces all these stages of advance, constituting the process of immortal generation, bringing the ultimate individuality into the image of the finite, and, when perfected, into the likeness of the Infinite. The general manner in which this is done may be appropriately described, as (1), by a brooding or potentially imparting presence of the Spirit of the Universe; and, (2), by a breathing or inspiring presence of the same. The brooding Presence is that which operates upon, and potentializes matter; and is manifest in all natural principles or laws governing in the material universe, until mentality or spiritual individuality is reached. The breathing or inspiring Presence is that which gives individual or spiritual mentality; and which gives consciousness, with the faculties of perception, reflection, comprehension, understanding, affection, love, and all the attributes of the spirit. The brooding induces individuality—the breathing gives personality and character.

This orderly advance in form, life and mentality, producing the spiritual individuality, has been carried forward by the presence of law, varying as the condition and relation of the subjects thereof vary; and

constant as were the conditions and relations which attend upon them. By the term law is meant, the rule of conduct manifest in the production of phenomena whether material or spiritual. This law may be defined to be a finite manifestation of an Infinite Presence. In manifestation it is necessarily finite; in source, it must be Infinite and absolute. Thus, the laws of elective affinity are necessarily limited to elemental combinations; and are ever present, where the conditions of such combination occur. But the source of that power, must extend to the very foundations of the universe, and include the self-existent and self-sufficient cause.

Below the manifestation of that degree of force which gives birth to volition, as an attribute of consciousness, material elements seem to be absolutely obedient to the mandates of this legal presence; and they act only as they are acted upon by it. This attribute of matter is called its inertia; and by means thereof, in this department of existence, perfect obedience is maintained. This is manifest throughout the material universe, extending to the planetary systems, so far as they have come under observation. The great social force in matter, which compels the suns and planets of the universe to keep their re- Y spective orbits, and to maintain their respective relations to each other, is omnipresent throughout the universe, and proclaims the ONE SOURCE from which it proceeds.

So far as spectroscopic observations have been made upon the planets, sun, and stars, they seem to be composed of substantially the same material ele