CHAPTER 105.
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Levi
Under the patronage of a number of wealthy women, the Christines make a grand missionary tour. In his teaching Jesus lauds sincerity and rebukes hypocrisy. He speaks concerning the sin against the Holy Breath.
Now, many women who possessed much wealth, and who abode in other towns of Galilee, implored that Jesus and the twelve, together with the masters from the foreign lands, would thither go and preach and heal.
2 Among these anxious ones were Mary Magdalene, who was obsessed by seven homeless spirits of the air, which had been driven out by the Omnific Word which Jesus spoke;
3 Susanna, who owned vast estates at Cæsarea-Philippi;
4 Johanna, wife of Chuza, one of Herod’s court;
5 And Rachel from the coast of Tyre;
6 And others from beyond the Jordan and the sea of Galilee.
7 And they provided ample means and three times seven men went forth.
8 They preached the gospel of the Christ, and they baptized the multitudes who made confession of their faith; they healed the sick and raised the dead.
9 And Jesus wrought and taught from early morn until the day had gone, and then into the night; he did not stop to eat.
10 His friends became alarmed lest he should fail from loss of strength, and they laid hold of him and would, by force, have taken him away to place of rest.
11 But he rebuked them not; he said, Have you not read that God will give his angels charge concerning me?
12 That they would hold me fast and suffer not that I should come to want?
13 I tell you, men, while I am giving out my strength unto these anxious, waiting throngs I find myself at rest within the arms of God,
14 Whose blessed messengers bring down to me the bread of life.
15 There is a tide just once in human life.
16 These people now are willing to receive the truth; their opportunity is now: our opportunity is now.
17 And if we do not teach them while we may, the tide will ebb;
18 They may not care again to hear the truth; then tell me, Who will bear the guilt?
19 And so he taught and healed.
20 Among the multitudes were men of every shade of thought. They were divided in their views concerning everything that Jesus said.
21 Some saw in him a God, and would have worshipped him; and others saw in him a devil of the nether world and would have cast him in a pit.
22 And some were trying hard to lead a double life; like little lions of the ground that take upon themselves the color of the thing they rest upon.
23 These people without anchorage of any sort, are friends or foes as seemed to serve them best.
24 And Jesus said, No man can serve two masters at a time. No man can be a friend and foe at once.
25 All men are rising up, or sinking down; are building up, or tearing down.
26 If you are gathering not the precious grain, then you are throwing it away.
27 He is a coward who would feign to be a friend, or foe, to please another man.
28 You men, do not deceive yourselves in thought; your hearts are known;
29 Hypocrisy will blight a soul as surely as the breath of Beelzebul. An honest evil man is more esteemed by guardians of the soul than a dishonest pious man.
30 If you would curse the son of man, just curse him out aloud.
31 A curse is poison to the inner man, and if you hold and swallow down a curse it never will digest; lo, it will poison every atom of your soul.
32 And if you sin against a son of man, you may be pardoned and your guilt be cleansed by acts of kindness and of love;
33 But if you sin against the Holy Breath by disregarding her when she would open up the doors of life for you;
34 By closing up the windows of the soul when she would pour the light of love into your hearts, and cleanse them with the fires of God;
35 Your guilt shall not be blotted out in this, nor in the life to come.
36 An opportunity has gone to come no more, and you must wait until the ages roll again.
37 Then will the Holy Breath again breathe on your fires of life, and fan them to a living flame.
38 Then she will open up the doors again, and you may let her in to sup with you forevermore, or you may slight her once again, and then again.
39 You men of Israel, your opportunity is now.