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XVII

THE NEW BIRTH¹

There exists in almost every mind an indefinable conviction that the New Birth is a supernatural effect and that in order to understand what is meant by a new heart, or to have experience of the change implied, we must enter into a state different from the whole system which characterises the unchangeable universe. A miracle would be the development of something in antagonism with established atomic laws and atomic affinities. A change of heart, however, is no supernatural manifestation of God's grace. We believe earnestly in a new birth and a succession of new births, that there are many who need to be born and patched up a good many times, because there are many who seem to have been badly born from the first—"conceived in sin and brought forth in iniquity."² But there are other

¹ See Free Thoughts concerning Religion, pp. 126 et seq., condensed.
² Davis proposes elsewhere to substitute elimination for conversion, a change of terms which would involve one in ideas, did his references to the new birth indicate on his part an understanding of the exact spiritual meaning attaching to this form of words. He approaches it rather nearly in the text above but has forgotten something essential in the substitution here attempted. Presumably he had the very dubious evidence before him of hectic experiences at religious revivals of his period in America. According to his alternative view, to be truly converted is to rise above individual defects, imperfections and evils, which are largely a consequence of heredity. It is to eliminate such misdirections, and this is the mind's highest achievement. Individual errors must be cast out of the character before the mind is capable of true happiness and before it is qualified for the perception and expression of pure and simple truth,

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natures born in righteousness. We thank heaven for these beautiful bows of human promise, even though they come without especial intention or merit on the part of their progenitors. We do not accept the doctrine of a supernatural spiritual conception, nor a new miraculous birth. But almost every religious person in Christendom can remember to have experienced something like a change of heart, and if we were intimately acquainted with the religious experience of Mohammedans, Persians, Chinese—who have nothing essentially at war with the spirit of Christianity—we should recognise that it is the same as ours and under the same law of psychological contact with Deity. They also know the new heart, though some of them may have never heard the name of Jesus.

We find a most practical view of this question in the New Testament. Jesus did not pretend that there was anything miraculous in His gospel of the New Birth. No man can enter into the kingdom of harmony unless

All this is excellent within its own measures, and indeed obvious enough; but it is not the change of heart mentioned in the text, for the cogent reason that to purify is not to transmute. So also Davis says truly that every individual has a deep, constant, prayerful work to do for and within himself, and thereafter for and within the whole human family. Such work, however, may be a consequence of the second birth or it may be a preparation of the ground previously, but it is not the second birth itself, which comes about by awakening to a consciousness of the Eternal Presence within us. It is not a supernatural occurrence in the sense that Davis understands this word: indeed it is an entrance into the knowledge of that which is native to heart and soul. A near analogy in symbolism is the changing of water into wine, and of course Hermetic literature teems with correspondences. On the question of elimination see Views of our Heavenly Home, p. 275. See also The Great Harmonia, Vol. IV, p. 98, for a curious alternative substitution. The writer believes that he has discovered another agency of human regeneration in being generated rightly, or beginning the world with a righteous soul and body, and appears about to unfold his views on this subject but is drawn aside into the means of universal salvation, the matter of which is mere repetition of things that he has said frequently.

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he be born—first—through physiological harmony, or water, and—second—through the balance of his affections and faculties, or through the spirit of wisdom and justice. All truth is read with new eyes when the spirit is wise. If you be really born again, the world's Bible as well as Nature will be to you as new volumes. The doctrine is plain and beautiful that the new birth is not possible, "except a man be born of water and the spirit." Many of us will know something more substantial about being born again one of these coming days. Mary's Son put water before spirit—born of water, that is, of physical cleanliness, physical harmony, away from disease; and of the spirit, that is, of the balance of powers of heart and faculties of brain—such a one can enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. He said also that the Son of Man should be lifted up—the only begotten of God. What is the only begotten? It is the spirit of truth issuing from this beautiful marriage between water and spirit—the nuptial union between body and soul. The power and spirit of truth rise out, the only begotten, and thus the individual is lifted up. Out of what is he lifted? Out from his personal Satans, his unclean spirits, the pit of his demons—his passions, appetites and inversions. The only begotten is the principle of truth, rising from the secret recesses of superior faculties. A new birth lifts the mind above dependence on externals, for the only begotten in the spirit begins life by drawing upon the Infinite Father for truths and principles. When there is a true marriage between body and soul the offspring is legitimate truth. The truer your marriage the higher and more beautiful are your spiritual children, the great motives and ideas. Whatsoever is good, whatsoever is useful, whatsoever is consistent, whatsoever is beautiful, whatsoever is spiritual, whatsoever is celestial, whatsoever is heavenly and eternal—hereof is the progeny of the spirit. It is the birth of God in the heart, and in all directions it is eternal progression.

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Let us therefore go to work with water—I mean, let us cleanse out our affections, erect a high standard and set out for personal harmony.

So soon as we experience a conviction that Divine Love is cherished for us in heaven we are exalted to a high state of selfless joy and praise. When a feeling that heaven has adopted us possesses our affection and imagination, the whole soul is bathed in magnetism of spiritual enthusiasm. In some natures such a change is no less rapid than the influence of magnetism—as this passes normally between operator and subject. But very often such magnetic changes are only a temporary exaltation of religious faculties. We advocate a condign elevation of reason and intuition.¹

¹ See Answers to Ever-Recurring Questions, p. 158.