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nt work； but the dead weight and selfish blinkerdom of the Catholic organization has hampered him to that degree that he has been unable to get justice done to his liberalizing designsor； perhaps； even to reveal the full extent of them。 And the same difficulty will remain。 On the one hand no spiritual movement which does not take up the attitude of a World…religion has now in this age； any chance of success； on the other； all the existing Churcheswhether Roman Catholic； or Greek； or Protestant or Secularistwhether Christian or Jewish or Persian or Hinduwill in all probability adopt the same blind and blinkered and selfish attitude as that described above； and so disqualify themselves for the great role of world…wide emancipation； which some religion at some time will certainly have to play。 It is the same difficulty which is looming large in modern World…politics； where the local selfishness and vainglorious 〃patriotisms〃 of the Nations are sadly impeding and obstructing the development of that sense of Internationalism and Brotherhood which is the clearly indicated form of the future； and which alone can give each nation deliverance from fear； and a promise of growth； and the confident assurance of power。
I say that Christianity must either frankly adopt this generous attitude and confess itself a branch of the great World…religion； anxious only to do honor to its source or else it must perish and pass away。 There is no other alternative。 The hour of its Exodus has come。 It may be； of course； that neither the Christian Church nor any branch of it； nor any other religious organization； will step into the gap。 It may bebut I do not think this is likelythat the time of rites and ceremonies and formal creeds is PAST； and churches of any kind will be no more needed in the world： not likely； I say； because of the still far backwardness of the human masses； and their considerable dependence yet on laws and forms and rituals。 Still； if it should prove that that age of dependence IS really approaching its end； that would surely be a matter for congratulation。 It would mean that mankind was moving into a knowledge of the REALITY which has underlain these outer showsthat it was coming into the Third stage of its Consciousness。 Having found this there would be no need for it to dwell any longer in the land of superstitions and formulae。 It would have come to the place of which these latter are only the outlying indications。
It may； therefore； happenand this quite independently of the growth of a World…cult such as I have described； though by no means in antagonism to itthat a religious philosophy or Theosophy might develop and spread； similar to the Gnonam of the Hindus or the Gnomsis of the pre…Christian sects； which would become； first among individuals and afterwards among large bodies over the world； the religion ofor perhaps one should say the religious approach to the Third State。 Books like the Upanishads of the Vedic seers； and the Bhagavat Gita； though garbled and obscured by priestly interferences and mystifications； do undoubtedly represent and give expression to the highest utterance of religious experience to be found anywhere in the world。 They are indeed the manuals of human entrance into the cosmic state。 But as I say； and as has happened in the case of other sacred books； a vast deal of rubbish has accreted round their essential teachings； and has to be cleared away。 To go into a serious explication of the meaning of these books would be far too large an affair； and would be foreign to the purpose of the present volume； but I have in the Appendix below inserted two papers； （on 〃Rest〃 and 〃The Nature of the Self〃） containing the substance of lectures given on the above books。 These papers or lectures are couched in the very simplest language； free from Sanskrit terms and the usual 'jargon of the Schools；' and may； I hope； even on that account be of use in familiarizing readers who are not specially STUDENTS with the ideas and mental attitudes of the cosmic state。 Non…differentiation （Advaita＇1＇） is the root attitude of the mind inculcated。
＇1＇ The word means 〃not…two…ness。〃 Here we see a great subtlety of definition。 It is not to be 〃one〃 with others that is urged； but to be 〃not two。〃
We have seen that there has been an age of non…differentiation in the Past…non…differentiation from other members of the Tribe； from the Animals； from Nature and the Spirit or Spirits of nature； why should there not arise a similar sense of non…differentiation in the FUTUREsimilar but more extended more intelligent？ Certainly this WILL arrive； in its own appointed time。 There will be a surpassing of the bounds of separation and division。 There will be a surpassing of all Taboos。 We have seen the use and function of Taboos in the early stages of Evolution and how progress and growth have been very much a matter of their gradual extinction and assimilation into the general body of rational thought and feeling。 Unreasoning and idiotic taboos still linger； but they grow weaker。 A new Morality will come which will shake itself free from them。 The sense of kinship with the animals （as in the old rituals）＇1＇ will be restored； the sense of kinship with all the races of mankind will grow and become consolidated； the sense of the defilement and impurity of the human body will （with the adoption of a generally clean and wholesome life） pass away； and the body itself will come to be regarded more as a collection of shrines in which the gods may be worshiped and less as a mere organ of trivial self…gratifications；＇2＇ there will be no form of Nature； or of human life or of the lesser creatures； which will be barred from the approach of Man or from the intimate and penetrating invasion of his spirit； and as in certain ceremonies and after honorable toils and labors a citizen is sometimes received into the community of his own city； so the emancipated human being on the completion of his long long pilgrimage on Earth will be presented with the Freedom of the Universe。
＇1＇ The record of the Roman Catholic Church has been sadly Callous and inhuman in this matter of the animals。
＇2＇ See The Art of Creation； by E。 Carpenter。
XVII。 CONCLUSION
In conclusion there does not seem much to say； except to accentuate certain points which may still appear doubtful or capable of being understood。
The fact that the main argument of this volume is along the lines of psychological evolution will no doubt commend it to some； while on the other hand it will discredit the book to others whose eyes； being fixed on purely MATERIAL causes； can see no impetus in History except through these。 But it must be remembered that there is not the least reason for SEPARATING the two factors。 The fact that psychologically man has evolved from simple consciousness to self…consciousness； and is now in process of evolution towards another and more extended kind of consciousness； does not in the least bar the simultaneous appearance and influence of material evolution。 It is clear indeed that the two must largely go together； acting and reacting on each other。 Whatever the physical conditions of the animal brain may be which connect themselves with simple （unreflected and unreflecting） consciousness； it is evident that these conditionsin animals and primitive manlasted for an enormous period； before the distinct consciousness of the individual and separate SELF arose。 This second order of consciousness seems to have germinated at or about the same period as the discovery of the use of Tools （tools of stone； copper； bronze； &c。）； the adoption of picture…writing and the use of reflective words （like 〃I〃 and 〃Thou〃）； and it led on to the appreciation of gold and of iron with their ornamental and practical values； the accumulation of Property； the establishment of slavery of various kinds； the subjection of Women； the encouragement of luxury and self…indulgence； the growth of crowded cities and the endless conflicts and wars so resulting。 We can see plainly that the incoming of the self…motive exercised a direct stimulus on the pursuit of these material objects and adaptations； and that the material adaptations in their turn did largely accentuate the self…motive； but to insist that the real explanation of the whole process is only to be found along one channelthe material OR the psychical is clearly quite unnecessary。 Those who understand that all matter is conscious in some degree； and that all consciousness has a material form of some kind； will be the first to admit this。
The same remarks apply to the Third Stage。 We can see that in modern times the huge and unlimited powers of production by machinery； united with a growing tendency towards intelligent Birth…control； are preparing the way for an age of Communism and communal Plenty which will inevitably be associated （partly as cause and partly as effect） with a new general phase of consciousness； involving the mitigation of the struggle for existence； the growth of intuitional and psychical perception； the spread of amity and solidarity； the disappearance of War； and the realization （in degree） of the Cosmic life。
Perhaps the greatest difficulty or stumbling…block to the general acceptance of the belief in a third