Forward… to the Light

A079 Sunday Address 6th October 1940 98, Hanover St, Edinburgh Sunday Service

The text of this address is as issued in the magazine Angelusafter it was given, apart from correction of errors

Text:from the printed Angelus,November 1940

Context:after the bombing of Pembroke Hall Minesta and her family removed themselves to Edinburgh, to the newly-opened Lodge in Hanover St, to continue the brotherhood work. This, therefore, is almost certainly the first Sunday service at which White Eagle spoke after the bombing. The ‘once again’ of the opening sentence nonetheless must refer to being once again in Edinburgh, rather than being able to speak again, although there may be a hint of the latter.

General notes:White Eagle’s phrase ‘We happen to be their spokesmen’ is interesting for the plural ‘spokesmen’. It may be that he felt, always, that he was more than just a solo entity, for it is continued as ‘ourselves’ in the next sentence, and in the later ‘We who come back to you’.

White Eagle speaks of the bombing of Pembroke Hall, but notably describes it as a ‘Temple’ which having been destroyed to earthly appearance is in fact complete in the etheric or heaven world and – by implication – will rise again through the work of the faithful.

There is a prediction of cosmic events that cannot be dismissed by science, and a new time of sunshine. It is not clear how far White Eagle is anticipating the end of the war, which did not happen for another five years, or whether his optimism is intended to bring the end it promotes, like the no-war prophecies.

References:‘My kingdom is not of this world’ is John 18 : 36. For the Temple of Solomon, see, particularly, 1 Kings 6 : 3-7, with the last of those verses explaining the absence of noise during the construction.

White Eagle’s Address:

Brethren, it is with joy that we speak in this Lodge once again. We trust that all feel conscious of the invisible hosts present. We happen to be their spokesmen [sic]. We use the physical body you see to make ourselves audible to you, much as you must use your own body to be audible to your companions. There is very little difference between those who dwell in the land of spirit and those who are still imprisoned in a body of flesh. We are all natural beings. We who come back to you have passed through many of the earthly experiences which are now yours. Remember this, because sometimes people think that any messenger speaking from the beyond is different from them and does not understand the heartaches and struggles of earthly existence. They are wrong. The experiences of the earthly life are not different for different people. All have to learn the same lessons and to endure the same experience, not precisely in the same form perhaps, but the ultimate effect upon the soul is the same. All earthly experiences are intended to educate and train the individual soul in the consciousness of God.

The purpose of all physical life is that the soul within man may be raised up. Man is born to a lowly estate, a helpless babe, confined in a prison house of flesh. Nevertheless, the Divine Spark within that human soul brings to the understanding the urge to aspire to heavenly things. Between the two aspects of man, the physical or terrestrial aspect and the spiritual or celestial aspect, is a continual stress. This you all know. There are times when you touch heights of aspiration and become aware of the holiness, the grandeur and the infinity of your Creator. You may be thus raised by prayer, by meditation, by great joy, by the emotion caused by listening to beautiful music, by the stimulus which comes when you gaze at a beautiful picture, a grand landscape or wind-tossed sea. Many things stir a soul to realisation of that power outside itself which is playing upon the human soul and stimulating it to infinite capacity.

On the other hand, after you have touched the heights, comes the reaction, the disappointment of finding yourselves confined and limited by conditions on earth. Your soul writhes and resents the restriction and the discipline of earthly life. Then the earthly mind would pull you down. You feel lost and bewildered. The glorious truth which was once yours seems to have far receded and you are lonely. Tests come in the earthly life, a continual testing, particularly when you have felt you are making progress. Those tests which cause you to feel discontented and disappointed and to say, ‘What is the use of all this spiritual aspiration and teaching? There is nothing in it’.

Such times as these are testing times of the spirit. If the spirit can hold fast to the truth and its real nature and purpose, the disappointment will pass away and the soul emerge stronger and more radiant.

The physical body and the material aspect of your life hold you down. There is a continual pull between the lower mind and the higher, between the terrestrial and the celestial man. We see these two forces, the material and the spiritual, continually at work upon humanity. We watch, not only the individuals – they are our very special care and we love our beloved earthly brothers – but we are also watching collective humanity, the powers of good and evil which are at work upon the nations. We can always see the possibility of the good (or the constructive force) triumphing over darkness and evil. When we see this possibility in the near future, we always encourage it and never give expression to negative thought. By contributing constructive thought we hope thereby to inspire humanity to greater effort towards the good.

The Master Christ said, ‘My Kingdom is not of this earth’. Some of His followers, especially one who eventually betrayed Him, hoped that Jesus Christ would ally Himself to an earthly kingdom and save the Jews from the oppression of the Romans. But Christ said, ‘My Kingdom is not of the earth’. He had no part with earthly kingship and domination. His ministry was directed to the enlightenment of the soul. He strove to inspire in the people a love of each other and the love of God. The time came when men crucified Him, that part of Jesus Christ which was apparent. This is what is happening today. The material aspect of Christ – the churches and centres of Christianity – are being crucified and destroyed. It has happened to our Home in the south. Our temple is apparently destroyed, but that is only so far as earthly eyes can see. The outer shell, the earthly temple, has been cast down. The spiritual temple built by the spirit of the worshippers and servers of the White Eagle Lodge still stands; a Temple in the heavens.

You are also building your Temple in the heavens. A Temple to which King Solomon referred, the temple like to that which Solomon built, silently, unseen by man. You will remember there was no sound of hammer and chisel when the Temple of Solomon was being built. We remind you that Solomon means ‘the Sun’ – Sol, the ancient word for Sun. The Temple of Solomon was the Temple built by the Sun. We do not mean that sun which you can see above, but the spiritual sun behind that physical manifestation, that sun which is the Life-giver to your souls – the Son of God. This Son of God within you is the true builder of Solomon’s Temple. This divine light is continually working in you, inspiring you to noble and kindly deeds, using all the material available to build your soul, your individual temple in the heavens. Your soul is the temple of your spirit. Your soul is your celestial body which will be untouched and unchanged by death.

This same Temple is being built on earth nationally and universally. It does not look to be so while Christ is crucified, but it is only the outer shell which is being broken. You see sorrow and devastation, broken homes, crippled people; but you only see your immediate circle of events. When your celestial body becomes stronger it will show you that what is today destroyed is unworthy in the New World, of the new universal Temple of brotherhood and love which is to come. Keep your faith in the triumphant emergence of the Temple of Christ, of the Temple of the Son, of Solomon’s Temple – even now being raised up, even now being built silently behind the veil of present happenings.

Planetary forces are now drawing very close which are destined to have a great influence upon events. We would emphasise the truth behind material happening. Nothing happens by chance. Cosmic law is at work and planetary forces are now playing their part in the laying of the foundation of the new world. Materialists cannot dismiss the effect of the cosmic forces which you will surely see manifesting within a few weeks. Later, as the weeks pass into months, you will see the glorious sun shining through. You will see constructive work behind all nations. When you hear of destruction, you witness the passing of the old order, of old buildings, of structures, unworthy of the new age. You cannot put new wine into old bottles. A new world must await the coming of the World Teacher, for the Master of Love and Wisdom is coming again. Turn your faces, then, to the Sun: to the Light, to the King.

To those who are anxious about loved ones separated from you in these days, remember that your constructive, positive thinking is sending to them that power which can protect them. It can reach their innermost spirit and bring to them also peace and happiness and surety that all is well, not only with you but also with the world. They will be led out of the wilderness into the promised land of reunion and love and happiness.

Hold fast, beloved. Hold fast to hope and to constructive spiritual thought and spiritual power. In the future all life will have to be based upon a spiritual foundation. We know that physical things have their place. There must be material considerations, but these should be secondary. The foundation of all life is spiritual. Man is spirit, he comes from the Infinite Spirit and must conduct his life on spiritual laws. The future will have to be based upon these same spiritual laws. Commercial, religious, economic – in all forms of life there must be this spiritual foundation, otherwise only chaos can result. Again there comes a fresh outpouring of spiritual truth, giving man yet another opportunity to build his life on a spiritual foundation. Each one of you can contribute your quota of right and spiritual thinking to the world. You will thus play as great a part as any man or woman in contributing to that which is eternal and lasting.

Beloved brethren, we leave you with our love and peace in your hearts. May you have the knowledge of the silent helpers around you, builders of the New World, working with you.

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