Excerpts from
"The Way to the Kingdom" by Joseph Brenner Order in Adobe PDF eBook or printed form for $11.95 (+ printing charge) Book Description This book contains Definite
and Simple Instructions for
Self-Training and Discipline, Enabling the Earnest Disciple to Find
the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness. These words are addressed to
those who are seeking the way into the Kingdom of God--the Kingdom
where a Great Love and Wisdom, the serving and the inspiring of others,
and the utter forgetfulness of self, are the natural life of everyone
who dwells therein. This ebook contains 346 pages in 20 chapters.
Contents
CHAPTER 1 "seek
ye first the kingdom"
THESE
words are addressed to those who are seeking the way into the Kingdom
of
God—the Kingdom where a Great Love and Wisdom, the serving and the
inspiring of
others, and the utter forgetfulness of self, are the natural life of
everyone
who dwells therein.
If you who
read have reached that stage on your journey through life where the
world
without can offer you nothing that will stay your efforts to find that
Kingdom,
and you welcome any directions that will clearly point you there, then
you are
ready for these words, and they will be to you a quickening power that
will
hasten you on your way and perhaps will enable you speedily to
reach the goal. One
traveling in a new country is always better able to make his way if
provided
with maps and information about the conditions to be met and the
requirements
to be observed along the route. Therefore, we will first try to
map out for
you the various stages of the journey into the Kingdom, and to tell you
of some
of the conditions through which you will pass, and what will be
required if you
expect to reach your journey's end without mishap or undue delay. This
naturally is no new knowledge being offered you, but is what has been
learned
and tabulated from the experience of many who have passed over this
route—the
one over which we would direct you, and which is the narrow and only
way that
leads straight into the Kingdom. All may
essay the journey into that far country. Indeed, many have started more
or less
consciously on it, but are now loitering on the way, enticed by the
myriad
allure-ments of the senses, the emotions, or the intellect, and by
yielding to
the appeals of the self to halt and enjoy. Only the few, the very few
so far,
the earnest and determined ones, and for whom these words are
intended,
are definitely consecrated to winning the goal. These it is our
purpose to
help reach it quickly, and to inspire them to help recall the loiterers
to
their objective and speed them on their way; for it is vitally
important at
this time that every soul seeking the light but whose human self is
wandering
in darkness, be led back upon the path. If you are one of the
earnest ones, you will recognize much of
what follows as part of your own past experience. Others, it will help
to
understand the meaning of that through which they are passing.
This journey
into the Kingdom, sometimes called "The Path," is symbolized in the
allegory of the Prodigal Son, who wasted his substance in riotous
living and,
when he had spent all and could nowhere get anything to eat, remembered
that the hired servants in his father's home had plenty of bread and to
spare;
and he awoke to who and what he was, and rose up and said, "I will go
to
my father and will say unto him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven
and in
thy sight; make me as one of thy hired servants.'" The
Prodigal's journey back to his father's home was not as speedy as the
allegory
seems to depict. Jesus mentioned none of the vicissitudes of the way;
He only
wanted to show that the Father is always waiting and can see us coming
afar
off, and will lovingly welcome us and shower upon us all the good
things of
life when we come back consciously into His home and love. This
journey, in reality, is a long one, covering a greater or less period
of years,
oftentimes several lifetimes, depending upon the nature and soul status
of the
individual. The early stage of the journey is evidenced by a spiritual
awakening similar to that of the Prodigal Son, followed by an intense
and eager
thirst for knowledge of the realities of life; a turning away from
former sense
attractions and obeying an insistent urge from within to seek Truth
wherever it
can be found. In this stage the urge is largely unconscious to the
seeker,
especially as to its meaning and purpose; only the insistent desire to
know being
felt and that desire has to be satisfied. Gradually, through the
deeper knowledge of the meaning of life
gained as a result of the cumulative force of this urge, something
unfolds in
the consciousness. It can be likened to the life within the stalk,
concentrating,
as it were, upon the building and forming of the bud, pushing out,
expanding,
swelling itself, becoming big with that which is unfolding,
evolving from
itself. It can also be likened to the conception and growth of the
child in the
womb of the mother, and approaching the birthing time. For that
which is felt by the seeker is indeed a birthing—it is the stirring of
the
Christ-child within, the life that has concentrated in your part of the
human
stalk now grown to the stage where it can unfold its true nature—your
Love
nature, and can come forth and blossom in your life as a compelling
desire to
help others and especially to give to them of the truths you have found. Such is
the sure outcome of such seeking—for those who are not seeking merely
for self
but to use the knowledge gained for the good that may be done with it.
The
Christ-child is born in the heart, the bud opens into the blossom, and
the
fragrance and beauty of the life within shows and proves itself to all
who are
near. This is the first stage
of the journey back to the Father's house.
It is called the stage of the Aspirant or the Neophyte. It is
necessarily a
long and very gradual stage, starting with some definite
experience—perhaps a
physical healing by a Metaphysician, the death of one very dear,
or some
extreme mental suffering—which are the birth-pangs preceding the
awakening of
the Spiritual nature. With such there is born the urge to know for
one's self,
and after many years of following this urge it develops into a
final push which
results in an expansion of consciousness and opens up a new world,
one of
which previously the seeker had been wholly unaware, although it
had always
been present awaiting his recognition. There were
many soul experiences leading up to this point, many steps along the
Path, many
vicissitudes and trials, and much mental suffering over leaving
behind
worn-out joys and useless habits and possessions acquired in the old
state of
consciousness. This may have resulted in decided changes in outer
conditions
and things; wealth gained by selfish, ruthless methods; health always
before
natural and unconsidered,—these now taken away, and their lack a
constant
source of concern. All or many of the old states of mind given place to
new
ones, thus prepared the way for the new birth. From all
this seeking, most students think that what was gained was merely some
knowledge of life's realities. But the gaining of any Truth avails
little
unless the living of that Truth and the building of it into soul
consciousness
has become the supreme desire of the Aspirant. When such a desire
has been
awakened, the soul dedicates itself to living a life of Truth, or
consecrates
itself to God or Christ in fervent prayer and supplication, after which
sooner
or later the birth takes place. At the time the Aspirant
most likely will not be aware of what is
happening, but he will soon realize an increase of inspiration; a
coming in
touch with others who will open up new and higher fields of study; a
clearer
grasping of essential truths, and a discarding of the unimportant; and
he will
realize God and Christ in some intangible way as being much closer,
more real,
more approachable and loving. For They have in very truth heard
his supplication,
have accepted his dedication, and are taking him at his word. He has
now
deliberately consecrated himself to the Higher Life and has set
his feet
definitely on the Path. The finding of the Kingdom has become the goal,
even if
he may not be fully conscious of it in his brain mind. After this
new birth, this dedication, the Aspirant enters the second stage of the
journey—he now becomes a Disciple on probation. In other
words, he is
given his chance to prove whether he is worthy and qualified to enter
the
Kingdom. our
immediate purpose As our goal is the
finding of the Kingdom, the aim and purpose of
those back of this Work is to help and encourage all earnest seekers by
providing the necessary instructions for self-discipline and
training that
will enable them to attain spiritual enlightenment
individually. The
Master within the heart of each Aspirant has called him to come within
and
follow Him. To all who follow and obey, His Knowledge, Love and Power
are ever
available and will be given freely to those who no longer seek anything
for
self, but only to help and serve their fellow men. Spiritual
enlightenment can be gained only upon the straight and narrow path that
leads
to the Kingdom. Therefore the seeking of the Kingdom must be made the first
thing
in your life; that sets your feet firmly upon the path. It is not
impossible to
find the Kingdom, no matter how long or how unsuccessfully you have
sought in
the past. All that it takes is earnest and determined effort under the
guidance
that will be given. But it must be the first and the supreme
desire
of your heart. No other desire can supersede it. You must want it more
than any
other thing in life. When that desire has become supreme, it
will not be
long, for all the Brothers in the Kingdom nearest you will be with you
in your
search, helping, inspiring, and strengthening you in every possible way. the
kingdom
We will
try to give you a glimpse of what the Kingdom will mean to you when you
find
it—not what you will find there, but how you may know when you have
found it. We all know that Jesus
found it, for He tells of it with the
authority of one who knows. We speak of Him as Jesus, the Christ. The
Christ,
or the Christos, is a title given to one who has reached a certain
Spiritual
unfoldment. It means "The Anointed One." We know from certain
statements of Jesus that most of His teaching was done while in the
Christ
Consciousness. Whenever He used the words, "I am," in
the peculiar way He did, such as, "I am the
Way, the Truth, and the Life.
No man cometh unto the Father but by Me." "I am the vine,"
"I am the door," etc., we know it was not from the human
mind that Jesus spoke, but from the Holy Spirit within Him, or from His
Christ
Consciousness. We are told that when Jesus was baptized in the River
Jordan,
the Holy Spirit descended upon Him as a dove and abode with Him. All these
experiences will come to every seeker of the Kingdom sooner or later.
After the
Christ-child born in the Aspirant is grown to maturity of Discipleship
during
the testing and proving period of the Probationary stage, and has come
to the
Jordan state (beyond which lies the "Promised Land") he is ready for
baptism and to begin his lifework as an Accepted Disciple. Then
will be
given him the baptism of the Holy Spirit, during which the Spirit of
God, which
means God's Consciousness, will descend and enter in and abide
with the
Disciple. This Spirit is the Christos, and the Disciple becomes the
"Anointed One." Jesus was the "first fruit" of them
that
slept. Now the Christ
Consciousness or the baptism of the Holy Spirit
must come to all before they can enter the Kingdom. In fact, the Christ
Consciousness gives the right of admission to the Kingdom, and is
the
Consciousness of everyone who abides in the Kingdom. And what is the
nature of
that Consciousness? It is Divine Love, which must be born
in the heart
of every seeker, must be nourished and thrive and grow until it becomes
the
very life of the Disciple. When in ripened maturity, after many given
opportunities have proven that Love is the nature of his soul
and is not
of the mind only, the Disciple is permitted to enter into the joy of
His Lord,
the Christ, and to abide with Him in the All this
may be beyond the present comprehension of some who read, but if
something
deep within impels you to seek out its real meaning, telling you that
it is for
you fully to know and to possess, then it is earnestly hoped you will
obey, and
nothing will be permitted to stop you until you have made His
Consciousness
your consciousness. inner
work We take it that all of
you who
read and are deeply interested are
more or less acquainted with His Presence within you. If not, as we are
going
to speak much of Him from now on, we urge that you begin to learn to
know Him
intimately, if you wish fully to appreciate and profit by what is
contained in
these lessons. To that end we suggest a careful study of "The
Impersonal Life," for the consciousness from which its words
were
written is His Consciousness, which is also in you—is the Light
which lighteth
you, and from which consciousness each one of you may speak and teach
your own
self. As a part
of our work we purpose to bring out the inner meaning of
certain
teachings already given. All must admit that enough teachings have been
given
and are available to all who are ready for them. Comparatively few,
however,
are able to get more than an intellectual understanding of them as yet.
It is
only by opening up the inner meaning to the mind that the
Spirit within
is quickened. All
earnest ones, as they grow and unfold spiritually, through study
and
meditation, will receive guidance and instruction from their Higher
Self in
symbolic dreams and visions. They should keep a diary of such, writing
down
every spiritual experience, as they will prove of great value to
the one
receiving them when correctly interpreted. They will, in fact, aid in
determining the stage on The Path of the soul to whom they are given.
Assistance
in the interpretation of such experiences will be gladly given on
request. the
plan Our part
is to help quicken all truly earnest ones into finding and entering
this Haven
of Refuge—the actual consciousness of the The quickening of our
younger
brothers is our sole purpose in this
book, and the carrying of the Light of the Christ to all seekers
wandering in
the darkness of separation is our chief endeavor. But let none of us
forget
that we of ourselves can do nothing. Only as we give ourselves over
wholly to
the Father's will, being concerned only that we are letting Him lead
and speak
through us, permitting no thoughts to enter our minds that are not His
thoughts, can we do His work as He intends it to be done. Many have
been expecting and longing to be given some real work, not realizing
they have
already been given it in the past; but because it was not something
definite in
the way of healing or helping others, and was instead a work of
preparation, a
learning to discipline and control the mind and the emotions so as to
enable
the Aspirant to enter the desire and mental planes of consciousness as
master
of self when necessary to go thence, they think they have accomplished
nothing,
and long for tasks for which they are not yet fitted. It is all a part of the
injunction, "Seek ye first the
Kingdom, etc," for you cannot find the Kingdom until you are able
to
control those forces of your emotional and mental nature that
heretofore had
their way with you almost unopposed. If and when you are able to
command,
"Be Still, and know I AM,"
and be instantly obeyed on all planes of consciousness,
then and then
only will you be able to do the work that will be given you; for then
only can
you work in the Consciousness and with the Power of Christ—the Master
within. There is a
real work—much real work to do, and never doubt, when you have once
proven your
ability to do it and to subject your self and your whole nature to
the
Master's will, and when they have become an impersonal instrument which
He can
use, you will be given so much to do that there will be little time
left to
think of self and its concerns. definite
work Daily
meditation is the first and most important requisite of the Aspirant.
No real
progress can be made without it. To help prepare and start you on the
right
kind of meditation, study carefully and use often the Meditation No. 1,
to be
found in the appendix. In it is condensed the essence of Jesus'
teaching, and
there is nothing that will help you more to find the Loving Christ and
His
Kingdom within than its illuminating words. This Work
has in it no place for laggards or for the mentally lazy. It is only
for those
who are imbued with an unquenchable determination and a fiery zeal
to find the
Master and the Kingdom. Many think they can
contrive no regular time to meditate, but in
bed after retiring or early in the morning are times always available
if really
sought, and are often most satisfactory. There will be no danger of
falling
asleep when the mind learns to obey you. Again, while doing simple
tasks around
the home or in the office or factory, real meditation can be done and
most
profitably. It is really possible at such times, as you will find,
to "be
in the world but not of it," for you can go in thought wherever you
will,
while your hands are busy at their regular work. Instead of
worrying about it, simply put it up to the Higher Self, stating that
you
earnestly desire the time and opportunity to do regular meditating, and
if He
sees you really mean it and want it, you will find it will be
arranged
for you in a most natural manner—if you leave it in His hands and trust
it all
to Him. Therefore
rouse yourself to action. The Kingdom is not for those who still
crave for or
are held by the allurements of the world, the flesh, or the devil—self.
The
time has come when all such must be left behind, if you would lift your
heart and
mind to Christ. When you have found—earned—Him, then you will
join with
the other Brothers of the Kingdom in helping those who will be sent to
you also
to find Him and THE
BROTHERHOOD, of
which you will then be a conscious integral part. While
meditating, an effort should always be made in the I AM consciousness to command
the forces of the mind, the
emotions, and the physical senses to be still and know that You—the
God of you—speaks and must be obeyed. Eventually, after
persistent effort, you will realize that you
are that Consciousness, and that these forces are listening to and
obeying
you. Then, in that Consciousness, you can continue speaking as
in "The
Impersonal Life," and your mind will receive and accept what
comes as
from the God of you, and you will know Who you are. Order complete book in
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