FROM IGNORANCE TO KNOWLEDGE
SILVER BIRCH has always stressed the note of optimism, pointing out the advance made by psychic truths in the teeth of opposition from Orthodoxy and vested interests of all kinds.
"When our work was started, men despised us,” he said once, reviewing almost a century of psychic progress. "The finger of scorn was pointed at our puny efforts. 'Table-rappers' they sneered and jeered. But it was all part of a Plan, a mighty Purpose. Slowly our influence grew and spread. We brought within the radius of our influence those who in your world commanded respect for distinguished service in their walks of life. We chose them because we knew that their testimony would be respected by all except those whose eyes were blinded by prejudice and whose reason was clouded by superstition.
"More and more were brought within the radius of spirit influence. The power of the spirit descended on more and more instruments. The circle widened and spread. Gradually we brought together men of science, of medicine, of philo-sophy, of religionーfrom every activity in the world of matter, so that all could pay their tribute to facts which denied the false materialism which had become fashionable, facts which pointed the way to a new and higher conception of life, facts which spelled death to materialism. And in a short time, a very short time, the despised 'table-rappers' have become the only movement in the world which can save religion from decay.
"See in that the lesson of what has been accomplished in less than a hundred years, and realize what will be accom-plished in the days that lie before us. But the great message to-day is: We want more instruments and we want instru-ments who will have perfect faith in the power of the spirit to guide and inspire them. We want all those who have this knowledge to use it, so that others may benefit, so that the truth may bring light into darkened lives.
"We want this truth so applied to daily life that all men may recognize its messengers by virtue of the life that they live and see that they are indeed divine messengers because of the probity and uprightness of their own characters. And then we want them all to go out into the world and to apply that knowledge to every facet of human life. We want them first to improve themselves and, having done that, to fit them-selves for the task of giving service to others. More has been
accomplished than you can see, but that is naught compared with what will be done in the days that lie before us.
"Look around your worlds. Read the signs. See the col-lapse of all old-fashioned, out-worn creeds and dogmas, and see how in your own times the fabric of theology is being destroyed. The structure built on a foundation of false faith is collapsing all around you. We have built on a foundation of knowledge, and there is no storm that can arise that will ever shake the foundations we have built on, for it is on truth, divine truth. Long after you have ceased to register in the world of matter the temple you helped to erect will stand secure, a monument to your labours."
On another occasion, making the same point, Silver Birch declared:
"Truth marches forward; the forces that belong to dark-ness, ignorance, superstition and confusion are in retreat. Victory is on the side of the power of the spirit as its forces gather strength, breaking through in places hitherto con-sidered impossible. That is the great message we repeat and repeat, for you are all labouring for this new order of being.
The transformation takes place now very slowly. As the old gives place to the new, many upheavals will occur. They all part of the Plan.
"I urge you always to remember the fundamental spiritual truths. Cling to them and build on them your religion, your science, your philosophy, your ethics, your morality. Dis-card all the fanciful trappings that come to those whose imaginations desire high-sounding philosophies. Ours is but the simple truth which in its utter simplicity can be appre-ciated and understood by all, for we strive to reveal the children of the Great Spirit as they areーpart of the Great Spirit, truly the children of God, all bound together by the infinite eternal tie of spirit, all part of a vast spiritual family, all equal in the sight of the Great Spirit.
"Those who see with the eyes of the spirit see beyond the confines of barriers of race, nationality, clime, colour and creed and discern that tie of the spirit that binds together all humanity as one. It is very necessary to remind your world of these simple truths. For too long have they floundered in creeds and dogmas, ceremonies and rituals which have nothing whatever to do with religion or the Great Spirit of life.
"We care not for creed, doctrine or dogmaーunless they enable a soul to live a better life. We are not concerned with aught but action, for it is the living of your daily lives that is of fundamental importance. No creed, no dogma and no ritual can alter by one hair's breadth the sequence of the law of cause and effect; neither can they detract one iota or add a par-ticle to your spiritual state, which is determined only by your daily lives. Our allegiance is always to the Great Spirit of life and to His eternal natural laws, not to a church, not to a book, not to a creed.
"Rejoice that an impetus has been given to the power of the spirit to manifest. See the new instruments who have been brought within the radius of spirit power. See the new lines of communication that have been made. Witness the breaking down of vested interests and obstacles that have stood in the way of progress. We are part of a victorious army who fight not with swords, not with guns, but with love in our hearts, with tolerance, with charity, with the desire to serve. Our weapons are truth and reason. We desire only to bring a richness and a greater beauty into the lives of those who are denied their rightful heritage.
"We make war on all those forces that stand between the Great Spirit and His children, wherever they may be, who-ever they may be, and we yield to none in our determination to quicken wherever we can the advancement of the King-dom of Heaven on earth. We have faced the opposition of lies, calumnies, hostility and persecution, and because valiant hearts and determined souls have stood for truth the power of the spirit has been enabled to manifest. To-day there are many soldiers standing at the outposts of the New World. I urge you to be of good cheer. Let not your hearts be troubled. See behind all the changing events the unfolding of the plans of the Great Spirit, and know that you are helping to build the New World, for truth is marching forward all the time.
"Tell the people not to be depressed or sad, for they are beginning to reap the harvest of the labours of pioneers of the past, and they are preparing the way for greater liberty and greater freedom for the children of to-morrow. Fear belongs to the darkness of men's ignorance. Strength comes with confidence, in the knowledge that the storms of life cannot upset or overwhelm the soul who knows that he is the Great Spirit.
"I have a few simple truths to teach, simple but important, for it is in the application of these truths that the world is saved from itself and the Great Spirit is enabled to be made manifest. Go forward always in the knowledge that you indeed have a priceless gift of spiritual truth, which banishes all the fogs and mists and enables you to pierce the gloom with the light of understanding. But remember always the respon-sibility that comes with knowledge, for once you know you are not the same as when you were ignorant. He who denies the power of the spirit when he knows commits a greater sin than the one who in ignorance opposes spiritual truth.
"Use your knowledge wisely and well. Strive always to bring others within the radius, to touch their souls and reach their hearts, for we are always seeking to banish the tears of sorrow, to remove the ache from the leaden heart, the blinkers that prevent the eyes from seeing the radiant spirit truths. We strive to bring the Great Spirit nearer to His children and His children nearer to the Great Spirit of all life, to bring into operation those laws that belong to the higher phases of life, so that in their manifestation selfishness may disappear and the fullness of life be the joy of all who dwell in your world."
When one member of the circle tried to compare the progress of psychic knowledge with the initial growth of other religions, Silver Birch suggested that such a comparison should not be made.
"We have made progress," he said, "but then you must remember that we do not think of Spiritualism as being com-parable with other religions. To us, it is the natural law of the universe; it is not a teaching which is to be crystallized and made into a fixed number of articles of acceptance. Christianity was but one means of expression of the natural law; so was Judaism, so was Buddhism, so was every other religion that your world has ever had. To each inspired leader there came the vision, the inspiration, the understanding of natural law, to be dispensed according to the growth, develop-ment, evolution, customs, training and understanding of the day in which he lived. As the seer received it, he transmitted it to those who were receptive. It was a portion of truth. Alas, that portion became overlaid.
"The simple truth could not stay in all its pristine beauty. It became a mixture of inspiration to which were added the current beliefs, the theological conceptions, religious practices, inherited traditions. In time that which was of the Great Spirit was completely submerged, and so a new need arose to resurrect and resuscitate that which man had buried. All the religions of the past—there are no exceptions—are part and parcel of that same inspiration which is reaching your world to-day. It is hard to compare one with another because they are aspects of one truth. Circumstances are different. You have to-day means of communication which were not available in days gone by. You do not have difficulties of transmission. You can reach one another, you can send messages to one another, you can encircle the globe in the fraction of a minute.
"What is true is that there was launched from worldーnearly 100 years ago, as you count time—an organized effort according to a plan well conceived in all its details. It was determined that this time spiritual truth had come to stay and no power on earth would prevent it. The plan is succeed-ing, for now the knowledge of spiritual realities is making itself felt in all the countries of your world, and wherever instruments are raised up there the power of the spirit flows through them and another outpost has been established.
"You know that always I have insisted on the necessity for more and more instruments. That is the great need, so that there can be more channels through whom our knowledge, our teaching, our love, our comfort, our guidance can be given to your world. Every new instrument is another nail in the coffin of materialism. Every new instrument is a victory for the Great Spirit and spiritual truth. That is why mediums are importantーbecause they are mediums. That is why I rejoice that I have found an instrument through whom I can be used to give whatever comes to me from the realms of knowledge, light and wisdom.”