The Inner Side of Church Worship

7/23/2019 The Inner Side of Church Worship

1/31

The Inner Side Of Church Worship

by Father Geoffrey Hodson(1886 - 1983)

Published in 1930

Liberal Catholic Church

Theosophy

Absolution

Rev. Hodson was a Liberal Catholic priest in New Zealand

Dedicated to J!"ed#$ood in #rate%ul reco#nition o% his po$er as an inspirer and teacher o%

&en

FOREWORD

by Archbishop 'ran " i#ott

CAT*+L!C Christians clai& that the Church, $ith its three%old &inistry tracin# spiritual

descent by the layin# on o% hands %ro& the earliest Apostles o% +ur Lord, its seen sacra&ents

or &eans o% #race and its elaborate cere&onial, is a Diine .ociety/ that is to say, it is a bodycorporate $hich is ensouled by the li%e o% the Lord *i&sel%/ or, chan#in# the &etaphor

$ithout in any $ay chan#in# the sense, it is an apparatus, a piece o% intricate &echanis&, by

&eans o% $hich #race or spiritual benediction is brou#ht %ro& on hi#h and distributed %ar and

$ide on the Lord0s people here in this $orld 0in the body pent 0

!t is a hi#h clai& to &ae and, indeed, an uniue clai&/ there does not see& to be any other

society or or#ani2ation in the $orld $hich &aes uite such a clai& as that et the Catholic

Church &aes that clai& un%linchin#ly and has been &ain# it %or so&ethin# lie t$o

thousand years

!t is $orth $hile e4a&inin# the basis o% such a clai& "hat are the #rounds on $hich Catholic

Christians %or so lon# a ti&e hae dared to clai& that their Church is a Diine .ociety, and still&ae the clai&5 rie%ly they are three 'irst, there is tradition .ince the ery be#innin# the

belie% that the Lord #ies *i&sel% to *is people in *is church by the operation o% the *oly

.pirit has been held by Catholic Christians and handed on %ro& #eneration to #eneration This

is the tradition o% the Church 7e4t, there is the e4perience o% Christians the&seles 'or t$o

thousand years or thereabouts Christians hae 0%elt0 the presence o% their Lord at their

sacra&ents, at their $orship and at all the holiest &o&ents in their churches This %eelin# has

nothin# to do $ith the e4ercise o% any o% the %ie senses !t cannot be described or e4plained,

but it is a %act to those $ho no$ the e4perience Then, supple&entin# tradition and

e4perience, there is a third #round or basis %or the clai&, $hich so %ar has been reco#ni2ed as a

le#iti&ate #round %or belie% on a lar#e scale only by &e&bers o% the Liberal Catholic Church/

that third basis is the reelation $hich is the result o% clairoyant inesti#ation and research

There are people in the $orld, only a %e$ perhaps, but still so&e, $ho hae so trained their

%aculties that they can perceie that $hich is hidden %ro& nor&al people sin# this e4tended

&eans o% perception so&e inesti#ators hae been able to eri%y $hat the Church has clai&ed,

na&ely, that the li%e o% its sacra&ents does indeed proceed %ro& the Lord *i&sel% and, %urther,

that in the $or o% distribution o% *is #race the o%%iciatin# cler#y and the deout $orshippers

hae as co-operators $ith the& hosts o% an#elic bein#s

Those then are the three #rounds o% belie% on $hich Catholic Christians base their tre&endous

clai& %or their Church Any one o% the& $ithout the support o% the other t$o &i#ht $ell be

considered an insu%%icient basis %or such a clai& Tradition &i#ht err in this &atter as it has

erred in others een oer a period o% t$o thousand years !nner e4perience cannot al$ays be

relied on/ een $hen &illions o% people oer a period o% hundreds o% years testi%y to the sa&ee4perience, still caution is needed, %or e4perience can and so&eti&es does play stran#e trics

+ccult research &ay uite easily be %aulty, %or this is a co&paratiely ne$ &ethod o%
http://www.global.org/au/Geoffrey+Hodson/index.htmlhttp://www.global.org/au/Geoffrey+Hodson/index.htmlhttp://www.global.org/kw/Liberal%20Catholic%20Church/index.htmlhttp://www.global.org/kw/Theosophy/index.htmlhttp://www.global.org/kw/Absolution/index.htmlhttp://www.global.org/kw/Liberal%20Catholic%20Church/index.htmlhttp://www.global.org/kw/Theosophy/index.htmlhttp://www.global.org/kw/Absolution/index.htmlhttp://www.global.org/au/Geoffrey+Hodson/index.html


2/31

inesti#ation, and the inesti#ators are so %e$ that they cannot co&pare notes on a $ide scale,

and so eri%y and con%ir& each other0s results .o this alone, no &ore than tradition or

e4perience alone, can be taen as su%%iciently substantial #round to bear the $ei#ht o% the

tre&endous clai& that Christians &ae %or the Catholic Church ut the three to#ether, by

supple&entin# and stren#thenin# each other, do &ae a ery substantial basis $hich cannot

easily be de&olished

7o$ the i&portance o% this boo is that it proides Catholic belieers $ith ust that third

#round %or their belie%, a #round $hich $ould do so &uch, i% they could reco#ni2e its alue, to

stren#then their o$n %oundations 'ro& an alto#ether une4pected uarter there co&es this

stron# support %or the Catholics0 clai& Clairoyant inesti#ators, such as :eo%%rey *odson,

actually see the tre&endous thin#s in $hich Catholics only beliee They cannot proe it o%

course any &ore than traditional Catholics can proe their o$n e4periences o% the reality o%

their sacra&ents, but it is surely a ery stron# piece o% additional eidence that the Catholics0

belie%s are $ell %ounded

7e4t to C " Leadbeater, $hose boo The .cience o% the .acra&ents, thou#h all too little

no$n at present, is liely to beco&e a classic o% occult research $or, :eo%%rey *odson isperhaps the &ost reliable and certainly not the least deotional inesti#ator in this particular

%ield !n the %ollo$in# pa#es he both describes $hat he has seen clairoyantly as in Chapters

!!, !;, ; and ;!, and &aes use%ul su##estions %or church &e&bers and $orshippers in

Chapters ! and !!!/ su##estions $hich are aluable enou#h in the&seles but all the &ore so

since they are supported by the no$led#e acuired by the clairoyant &ethod and are o%%ered

in a truly deotional spirit

Alie then %or its eidential alue, %or its #eneral interest and %or its deotional spirit the boo

is $orthy o% the stron#est co&&endation ! can $ish %or it no hi#her re$ard than it shall

achiee that $hich its author $ishes it to achiee, na&ely, that it shall stren#then the clai&s

$hich Catholic Christians &ae %or their Church, and help the& the sooner to &ae

per&anent that union $ith their Lord $hich in so&e de#ree they e4perience at eery


3/31

!deally, eery &an should proide $ithin hi&sel% these conditions, but at the present sta#e o%

hu&an eolution only those $ho hae adanced %ar ahead o% their race are able to achiee this

end The ideal be%ore each $orshipper is that, dispensin# $ith the necessity %or an e4ternal

church, he should hi&sel% beco&e a church in &iniature, bearin# the po$er, li%e, and

consciousness o% :od to &an, and the loe, adoration, $orship, and serice o% &an to :od

ntil this ideal has been reached, churches, te&ples and and &osues $ould see& to be

necessary as channels %or the outpoured bene%icence o% the supre&e 'ather on hi#h to *is sons

traellin# on their lon# pil#ri&a#e on earth belo$

The establish&ent o% such a &a#netic and spiritual centre as a church, #reatly reduces the

resistance to the %lo$ o% spiritual po$er %ro& on hi#h, and &aes possible the presence and

serice o% the holy an#els They %ind in it a har&onious eniron&ent in $hich they are

protected %ro& the nor&al ibrations o% ordinary hu&an li%e

'our #reat strea&s o% po$er %lo$ into and throu#h a properly consecrated church These

e&anate, %irstly, %ro& the hu&an and superhu&an *ierarchy no$n to us as the :reat "hite

rotherhood o% Adepts, each &e&ber o% $hich is a channel %or the in%luence o% the three

aspects o% the *oly Trinity/ secondly, %ro& the an#elic hierarchy, reachin# ri#ht up to the.een .pirits be%ore the Throne and to the an#elic aspect o% the Lo#os *i&sel%/ thirdly, %ro&

the centre o% the earth/ and %ourthly, %ro& the sun These %our strea&s &eet in the church/ each

contributes its o$n particular in%luence, and all are used by the Lord Christ, $ho su&s the&

up in the &ost #lorious per%ection $hich *e has achieed and &aes o% the& a sin#le

instru&ent %or the particular $or $hich *e does %or the $orld throu#h the Christian %aith

+% the $or o% the :reat "hite rotherhood, and o% the au#ust +%%icial $ho is the .upre&e

Lord o% eery %aith, &uch has been $ritten else$here +% the %orces o% the earth and o% the sun

little, as yet, is no$n, but o% the holy an#els one &ay say that they are the intelli#ent a#ents

and directors o% all the %orces $hich the Church e&ploys These %orces are isible to the&, and

the &ethod o% their eolutionary pro#ress is such that it is as natural %or the& to direct super-

physical %orces and to build super-physical %or&s, as it is %or &an to d$ell in physical bodiesand to handle physical &atter

et the an#els &ust not be thou#ht o% as $holly separate %ro& the %orces $hich they control/

they are the&seles the e&bodi&ent o% the type o% ener#y $ith $hich they $or They

in%luence these %lo$in# po$ers %ro& $ithin, chan#in# a relatiely unintelli#ent %orce into an

intelli#ent one .o adept are they at this $or that, in their hands, the $hole strea& o% po$er

$hich they are &anipulatin# beco&es an intelli#ent and conscious e4pression o% the an#els0

&ind !n other $ords, they ensoul the %orces $ith $hich they deal, so that their o$n iid

intelli#ence perades the& and #oerns all the results $hich they produce This #ies to the

%lo$in# ener#ies a cohesieness and an adaptability $hich al&ost a&ount to sel%-

consciousness in the selection o% the best channels and the best &ethods o% achiein# thedesired results

The an#els labour in this $ay throu#hout the $hole solar syste&/ they are actie in eery

in#do& o% 7ature, in each o% the %our ele&ents, earth, air, %ire, and $ater/ they are present in

the sun and in all his planets, and ran#e %reely throu#hout the ast %ields o% interplanetary

space

'ro& the an#elic point o% ie$, the church is a solar syste& in &iniature !n it the spiritual

po$ers behind the solar syste& &ani%est in a hi#hly concentrated state throu#h the Lord

Christ, $ho, %ro& this point o% ie$, represents the sun The &i#hty +nes $ho co&pose the

:reat "hite rotherhood represent the super-physical planets, $hilst the &e&bers o% the

physical hierarchy o% the Church &ay be thou#ht o% as the physical planets The $alls, %loor,and ceilin# o% the buildin# %or& the rin#-pass-not, beyond $hich the ensoulin# %orces cannot


4/31

pass The an#el and nature-spirit serants o% the Church and the con#re#ation represent the

an#elic and the hu&an races, $ho side by side are usin# the solar syste& as a %ield o%

eolution

The purpose o% the e4istence o% this ecclesiastical &icrocos& is precisely that o% the

&acrocos&, na&ely, the eolution o% its inhabitants to a certain standard o% per%ection !n the

Church, that standard is =the &easure o% the stature o% the %ullness o% the Christ,= o% $hich our

Lord *i&sel% is the &ost per%ect and resplendent e4a&ple The processes by $hich the

standard is reached are the sa&e both $ithin and $ithout the Church, but as the %orces $ithin

are &ore hi#hly concentrated, so the standard &ay be &ore uicly attained


5/31

&atter, e4pressions o% the diine consciousness rather than sections, or &onads, o% that

consciousness e&bodied in &aterial %or& As $e hae seen, they are uni%ied $ith the %orces

$hich they direct and are thus able to &anipulate the& %ro& $ithin The currents o% po$er

%lo$ throu#h their bodies so %reely that %reuently the distinction bet$een the an#el and the

%orce, %or $hich he is an a#ent, al&ost disappears This close association and identi%ication

$ith the %orce enables the an#el to control and direct it $ith #reat precision and per%ection

The $hole an#elic hierarchy, %ro& the lo$est nature-spirit to the hi#hest solar archan#el,

seres the Lo#os in this $ay, in all the depart&ents o% *is actiities throu#hout *is &ani%ested

$orlds A special section o% the an#elic hierarchy is concerned al&ost e4clusiely $ith

reli#ion, and the "orld Teachers o% the arious planets recruit Their an#el serants and

&inisters lar#ely %ro& this section +ur Lord has at *is disposal #reat hosts o% the an#els o%

reli#ion, $ho& *e uses on *is planet in a si&ilar $ay to that in $hich the Lo#os e&ploys the

$hole an#elic hierarchy throu#hout the solar syste&

As the Church uniersal &ay be looed upon as a reproduction, on a sin#le planet, o% certain

aspects o% the solar syste&, so also an indiidual church is a solar syste& in &iniature The

po$ers o% the Lo#os are concentrated $ithin it, and are insulated %ro& the e4ternal $orld bythe act o% consecration The #reat strea&s o% po$er, $hich %ind e4pression in eery

consecrated reli#ious buildin#, &ay be subdiided as %ollo$s@

1 The po$er o% each o% the Three Aspects o% the Trinity

The special aspect o% :od $hich is &ani%ested throu#h the sun

The .econd Aspect o% the lessed Trinity see&s to predo&inate in this

3 A &easure o% *is po$er as *e &ani%ests in and throu#h the earth

This appertains &ore particularly to the Third Aspect !t arises %ro& the interior o% the

earth as strea&s or currents, o% %orce, and &eets the descendin# po$er %ro& the sun

These t$o strea&s are eoed and &eet in eery consecrated church/ they supply the

essential po$er, or =char#e= o% ener#y, by &eans o% $hich the &echanis& o% church

$orship is rendered capable o% e%%ectie serice

B The po$er o% the :reat "hite rotherhood The teachin# depart&ent, $ith its au#ust

*ead, the "orld Teacher, see&s to supply a lar#e proportion o% this po$er, thou#h the

*eads o% each o% the seen rays are also represented

The speci%ic in%luence o% the aster Jesus, as the Adept in char#e o% the Christian

Church

6 The po$er and presence o% certain #reat races o% an#els, &ore particularly those

$orin# on the %irst, second, and seenth rays

All the seen rays are represented in the an#elic hierarchy, and contribute to the $or

o% the Church, but these three predo&inate

E The po$er behind the tradition o% te&ple and church $orship on this planet

"ith re#ard to this last, it &ay be said that the church or te&ple &ethod o%

approachin# :od $as instituted ery early in the history o% hu&an li%e on this planet,by the :reat Lords %ro& ;enus $ho are called the Lords o% 'la&e They tau#ht the


6/31

in%ant hu&anity to approach the throne o% :od by &eans o% sacred rites, dances,

rhyth&ical #estures and &oe&ents, and by the use o% &usic, $ords, and sy&bols

!n the early reli#ions on earth, the sun $as re#arded as the physical &ani%estation o% :od

.un-$orship has e4isted throu#hout all the a#es o% hu&an deelop&ent, and &any traces o% it

are still to be %ound in the inner side o% Christianity

A reseroir o% po$er $as placed at the disposal o% the %irst $orshippers on earth As all

serices and reli#ious rituals, %ro& that day to this, hae both added to and dra$n %ro& that

ori#inal reseroir, its po$er is e4tre&ely rich and aried All the #reat ciili2ations, %ro&

Le&urian and AtlantearF ti&es do$n to the present day, hae contributed, and thereby

i&parted to it the speci%ic ibrational characteristics o% their race and ti&e The Christian

reli#ion $as placed, by its 'ounder, in the direct line o% that tradition, and lined to the

reseroir o% po$er $hich lies behind it This reseroir &ay be thou#ht o% as a synthesis o% the

po$er o% all the reli#ions that hae eer e4isted upon this planet

These seen types o% po$er, to#ether $ith their appropriate intelli#ences, or =sta%%,= are all

represented in the consecrated church, $hich, as has been said, &ay be re#arded as a&icrocos&, in $hich the Lord Christ *i&sel% is the .un *e shines upon *is syste& throu#h

the *ost, throu#h the An#el o% the resence, and throu#h *is priests The con#re#ation are the

inhabitants o% the syste&, the seeds planted in the eolutionary %ield The Lord shines %orth

upon the seeds, in order that they &ay #ro$ into the i&a#e o% *is per%ection The serices o%

the Church proide *i& $ith special opportunities %or pourin# %orth *is li%e and o% utili2in#

the seeral strea&s o% ener#y $hich are placed at *is disposal

"e &ay see, there%ore, that the reason %or the e4istence o% the Church, $ith its $onder%ul

syste&s o% po$ers and presences, hu&an and an#elic, is to proide a %orcin# house $ithin

$hich the eolution o% both &an and an#el &ay be uicened The Church brin#s the

$orshipper and the obect o% $orship into direct contact $ith each other by proidin# special

conditions in $hich that &eetin# can tae place/ it also o%%ers assistance to the $orshipper, in

his approach to the %eet o% his Lord

This relatiely e4ternal aid to co&&union is also intended to %ill the deotee $ith a thirst %or

direct interior union $ith :od This lon#in# $ill eentually beco&e so stron# and so insistent

that the $orshipper $ill be led to see union, %irst $ith the :od $ithin hi&sel%, and then $ith

the Lo#os, o% $ho& the :od $ithin hi&sel% is an inherent part

This #reat consu&&ation is the obect o% all reli#ion "orship, praise, and adoration sere to

li%t both &an and an#el nearer and nearer to the heaenly throne o% :od, and to proide

channels %or the do$npourin# o% *is blessin# and *is #race into the heart and &ind o% those

$ho thus dra$ near to *i& Althou#h $e &ay e4pect that an increasin# nu&ber o% &en $illrise aboe the need %or the special help $hich the Church proides, it is none the less eident

that the #reat &aority o% &anind $ill continue to need that help %or &any a#es yet to co&e

Church serices $ill, no doubt, beco&e richer in po$er and &ore beauti%ul in e4pression

riests and con#re#ations $ill beco&e &ore and &ore sel%-conscious in their response to that

po$er and beauty 'aith $ill beco&e less and less blind and &ore and &ore based upon direct

e4perience and no$led#e

en $ill continually arise $ho, helped by the &inistrations o% the Church, $ill hae

e&ancipated the&seles %ro& the necessity %or all %urther e4ternal spiritual support !ndeed,

the alue o% a reli#ion &ay perhaps be &easured as &uch by the nu&ber o% &en $ho are thus

liberated by its aid and recruited to the Co&&union o% .aints, as by its &ore #eneral e%%ect

upon its race and ti&e


7/31

The contribution $hich reli#ion, or#ani2ed and unor#ani2ed, &aes to the $el%are and

eolutionary pro#ress o% the hu&an race, cannot be &easured by any hu&an standard !t is

probably because the po$er and blessin# o% the Church are relatiely inisible and intan#ible

that its alue as an institution is doubted and attaced !ts assailants are, %or the &ost part,

those $ho do not possess the necessary de#ree o% sensitiity and po$er o% spiritual response to

enable the& to beco&e a$are o% the alue o% the Church0s &inistrations 'ailin# to perceie

and appreciate, they deny !n spite o% this, in ti&es o% deep su%%erin# and o% need it is still to

reli#ion that the &aority o% &anind turns

+ne concludes, there%ore, that the Church $ill endure in spite o% the challen#e o% the ti&es

THE SERVICE OF THE ANGELS

"hilst &editatin# upon the especial place o% the an#els in church $orship, the author %ound

hi&sel% in the0 presence o% a ast co&pany o% an#els #athered hi#h in the air, aboe a #reat

cathedral 'ro& their &idst he sa$ the stately procession o% priests and choristers approachin#

the chancel As they too their places, the an#els by $ho& he $as surrounded descended into

the church .o&e o% the& hoered in the air in the #reat do&e aboe the altar, &any too theirplaces beside the priest, near the or#anist, and a&on#st the choir, $hilst others dre$ near the

$orshippers

As the serice proceeded and the ans$ers to the people0s prayers descended %ro& on hi#h, the

an#els receied the&, and stroe to bear the& to their destination As they laboured thus, the

author sa$ ho$ %reuently they %ailed, %or hardly any in the con#re#ation paid heed to the

$onder%ul outpourin# o% #race $hich they had inoed As he $atched, one o% the an#els, as i%

speain# to the souls o% the hu&an $orshippers, be#an to e4plain the $or o% his brethren in

the Church as %ollo$s@

=There is an order o% an#els attached to the Christian Church, $ho, bein# dedicated to the

serice o% Christ, and serin# as channels and conserers o% *is blessin# and *is po$er,

attend eery serice held in *is na&e 'illed $ith *is loe and co&passion, they see to bear

those priceless #i%ts to the souls o% &en/ at the #reat celebration o% the &ystery o% the bread

and $ine they co&e, that eery thirstin# soul shall receie accordin# to his need en no$

and see the& not, and so the an#el serers pass unnoticed and unno$n !n the reli#ion o% the

%uture they $ill e&er#e %ro& their inisibility, and &en $ill see the& %ace to %ace et$een

the present blindness and the %uture no$led#e is a ya$nin# chas&, $hich only those $ho

hae been tau#ht the deeper truths o% reli#ion and o% li%e can brid#e

=The eternal and the unchan#in# $isdo& o% the a#es is the source o% all the $orld0s #reat

%aiths/ at the %oundin# o% each, an#els played their part Throu#hout the centuries they hae

re&ained as liin# $itnesses and #uardians o% the po$er $hich the 'ounder o% the %aithbesto$ed upon *is %ollo$ers

=The ne$ reli#ion is already bein# born, and, as o% old, the hosts o% an#els acco&pany its

'ounder, in *is #reat &ission to the $orld !t is a part o% *is plan that they should no lon#er

pass unreco#ni2ed, and that those a&on# the children o% &en $ho $ill ans$er to *is call, and

sere *i& $hen *e co&es, shall learn to no$ *is an#el &essen#ers, and to utili2e their

presence and po$er %or the %ul%il&ent o% *is labours upon earth/ %e$ $ill see the& $ith their

earthly eyes, but all &ay open $ide their hearts and &inds to the&, inoe their presence, and

salute the& as they labour %or the co&&on cause

="hen you enter a church you are in the presence o% the an#elic hosts/ turn your thou#hts to

the&, there%ore, initin# the& to share your $orship and your praise o% *i& $ho is the

Teacher both o% an#els and o% &en Gelease your &inds %ro& your &aterial concerns, that they


8/31

&ay beco&e alert, $atch%ul, and alie to the subtler %orces o% the church serice .trie to

e4alt your consciousness into reco#nition o% the splendour and beauty o% :od0s ans$er to your

prayers, that you &ay &ore deeply reerence *i&

=The presence o% *is .on upon your altars breathes %orth an in%inity o% loe, and lon#s to dra$

you nearer and nearer to *is heart *is an#els $atch, hopin# that you $ill %eel *is lon#in#,

and thro$in# aside sel%-centredness, separateness, and pride, $ith $hich so &any are i&bued,

$ill neel at *is %eet, stripped o% all that $ould eep you bac %ro& *i&/ they lon# to aid you

in this di%%icult disrobin#, but so o%ten %ind both heart and &ind enclosed in thou#hts o% sel%

The hu&an soul is so sel%-blinded, that &any leae the presence o% diine and per%ect loe

$ithout eer reali2in# the splendour in their &idst

=A$ae, + hu&an brethren, and #ie to your $orship a deep reality "ith eery po$er o% your

bein#, pour out the loe o% your hearts in ans$er to that loe, so &i#hty and so tender, $ith

$hich *e holds out *is ar&s to you Do you not reali2e the priile#e, the splendid

opportunity, $hich is yours, that eery day, throu#h *is diine co&passion, you &ay be

en%olded in the e&brace o% *is &ost per%ect loe5 et, $ee by $ee, your churches are

e&pty sae %or a %aith%ul %e$ *o$ can there be such blind in#ratitude in the presence o% suchsel%less pourin# %orth o% loe5

=!% the #ul% bet$een the past and the %uture is to be brid#ed, reli#ion &ust beco&e real/ Christ

and *is an#els &ust be no$n as liin# truths, as un%adin# realities, and $orship &ust be %ull

o% oy The 0thousand altars0 o% *is %aith &ust be approached $ith reerence and a$e *u&an

li%e and hu&an conduct &ust be &ade $orthy o% the priile#e, so ine4pressibly #reat, o% that

resence eer in its &idst


9/31

the national li%e, inspire eery #ood $or, and ceaselessly e4ert an in%luence %or the

spirituali2in# o% &anind The Church can %ul%il this &ission only $hen it is a liin# reality to

priest and laity alie As &e&bers o% the con#re#ation $e hae a #reat responsibility, %or

unless $e tae our share o% the Church0s $or and &ae our %ull contribution to its li%e, it

cannot %ul%il its #reat &ission to the nation and to the $orld

Let us, there%ore, consider ho$ $e &ay best tae our part in this all-i&portant $or

A &easure o% sel%-trainin# and sel%-preparation $ould see& to be essential Approach to the

Altar o% the ost *i#h is a priile#e o% $hich $e no$ ourseles to be un$orthy !t is o% the

ut&ost i&portance that $e should endeaour to re&oe our un$orthiness by a re#ular syste&

o% sel%-trainin#, by continuous endeaour to lie the Christian li%e day by day, and by special

preparation %or eery serice

.el%-preparation should al$ays precede participation in cere&onial !n olden days cere&onial

ablutions preceded attendance at all serices/ &eticulous care $as taen in order to ensure

per%ect physical cleanliness, both o% the body and o% the special clothin# $orn !n lie &anner

$e should prepare our subtler bodies by learnin# to cast aside at $ill all our personalproble&s, an4ieties, and di%%iculties so that $e &ay enter the church as %ree %ro& these

li&itations o% personality as it is possible to be +ur auras $ill then appear %resh, bri#ht, and

pure, instead o% dull and i&pure, as they o%ten are in these di%%icult ti&es

"e &ay, o% course, brin# our di%%iculties, lay the& at the %eet o% our Lord, and as %or *is

#uidance and help, but *e $ill be able to help us %ar &ore e%%ectiely i% $e hae %irst done our

ut&ost to oerco&e the&, and i% $e approach *i& in an attitude o% detach&ent %ro& all

personal considerations

"e receie &uch help to$ards sel%-preparation %ro& the Church hersel% At the sacra&ent o%

baptis& an an#el is #ien us to be our #uide and helper throu#hout the re&ainder o% our lies/

this occurs at the prayer@ =ay *is holy an#el #o be%ore thee, and %ollo$ a%ter thee/ &ay he be

$ith thee in thy do$nsittin# and thine uprisin#, and eep thee in all thy $ays= Thence%or$ard

$hen $e enter the church and endeaour to co&pose our &inds in preparation %or the serice,

our #uardian an#el be#ins to help us to puri%y and re%ine our e&otions *e liberates $ithin our

auras a &easure o% the %orces placed in his hands at our baptis& - %orces %or $hich he is the

intelli#ent a#ent - and uses the& to produce the results at $hich he ai&s

!n addition to this interior assistance, $e are so&eti&es &et by one o% the an#el attendants o%

the church $ho #reets us and o%%ers his help *e sees our needs and be#ins to $or %ro& the

outside to prepare us %or the serice, *e tries to eli&inate the dull and discoloured areas %ro&

our subtler ehicles, and to help us in the spirituali2ation o% our personal consciousness

"hen, be%ore tain# our seat $e neel in reerent adoration o% Christ0s presence in the

Gesered .acra&ent and &ae the si#n o% the cross, *is po$er rays %orth upon us, and

illu&ines and blesses us !t is i&portant, there%ore, that as $e &ae the si#n o% the cross $e try

to thro$ our $hole nature open to *i&, and to call out the Christ principle $ithin ourseles,

so that our response to *i& &ay be as %ull and per%ect as possible !%, ho$eer, $e co&e

co&pletely sel%-prepared into the presence o% the Lord and *is an#els, all the po$er $hich is

e4pended in this $or &ay be used to help us to #ain eleation o% &ind and an e4pansion o%

consciousness

As a ne4t step $e &ay then endeaour to achiee &ental and spiritual unity $ith our %ello$

$orshippers y steady practice $e should soon be able to e4pand our consciousness to

include eery &e&ber o% the con#re#ation, both isible and inisible, as $ell as the an#elic&inistrants As $e lie in natural unity $ith the& all in our e#o consciousness, it $ill be


10/31

help%ul i%, both in our public and priate $orship, $e try to li%t ourseles into a reali2ation o%

that hi#her sel%

+ne o% the underlyin# principles $hich #oern success in any $or is that the hi#her the leel

o% consciousness %ro& $hich the $or is done, the #reater the po$er behind it This is

especially true o% all spiritual endeaour There%ore it $ould be e4tre&ely aluable i% the

con#re#ation undertoo a de%inite syste& o% sel%-trainin#, $ith the obect o% deelopin# its

capacities in this direction to their hi#hest de#ree o% un%old&ent +ur preparatory &editations

should there%ore be directed to$ards #ainin# e4pansion o% consciousness, and deelopin# the

ability to $or %ro& the hi#her leels o% the inner $orlds

The =.hinin# Au#oeides= or i&&ortal principle in each one o% us is a bein# o% #reat splendour/

his li%e o% po$er and bliss is in &ared contrast $ith the li&itation and sel%-centredness $hich

so o%ten characteri2e us in the personality !% $e can rise into our hi#her consciousness,

there%ore, $e shall in all our $or obtain results inco&parably #reater than any $hich $e can

achiee in the lo$er consciousness een $ith the entire concentration o% our &ental and

e&otional po$ers An essential part o% our sel%-preparation %or the per%or&ance o% cere&onial

$orship, there%ore, is to contact our hi#hest principle so that $e &ay release and e&ploy ourhi#hest po$ers and %aculties

"hen $e hae achieed a &easure o% success in this endeaour, and hae sou#ht to be one

$ith all our %ello$ $orshippers, $e &ay $ell aspire to li%t the& and ourseles into the

presence o% the Lord in preparation %or the #reat consu&&ation o% *oly Co&&union, by

$hich $e shall be dra$n into union $ith *i&

As the serice opens $e should endeaour to identi%y ourseles $ith the celebrant and the

sacri%ice $hich he is about to o%%er in our na&e 'or e4a&ple, our response to the =Do&inus

;obiscu&= uttered by the priest proides a special opportunity %or this, and should al$ays be

&ade $ith de%inite intent The ter& =spirit= in this response see&s to re%er specially to the

hi#hest spiritual principle in &an, and, ideally, the #lorious, $hite, %iery radiance o% that

principle, to#ether $ith the #olden li#ht o% the Christ consciousness, should shine out in the

subtler ehicles o% the priest !% this $ere %ully achieed, his po$er o% serin# as a channel %or

the blessin# o% the Lord $ould be #reatly increased At the sa&e ti&e, each one o% us should

e4perience a &easure o% this sa&e spiritual illu&ination

"ith a hi#hly trained con#re#ation utterly deoted to the $or o% the Church, such a result

could be attained throu#hout the $hole serice Tre&endous po$er %or the spirituali2ation and

upli%t&ent o% the national li%e $ould then be liberated +ur share o% the $or $ould be#in to

be co&parable to that o% the an#els, $ho labour in %ull reali2ation o% all the beauty, po$er, and

si#ni%icance behind the outer %or& o% the cere&ony These ideal results can only be produced

by steady practice, by sel%-trainin#, and by a li%e o% continuous spiritual endeaour "e &ustlearn to eoe the spiritual $ill $ithin us, and to use it so that our deotion &ay ascend as a

liin# strea& o% %iery po$er/ then the serices o% the church $ill produce clearly de%ined and

$onder%ully bene%icent results

A deeper reali2ation o% these possibilities &ay be obtained by isuali2in# the di%%erent

ualities o% hu&an character in ter&s o% colour/ a beauti%ul sy blue %or deotion, $hite %or

purity and po$er, rose %or loe, and a co&bination o% these %or spiritual idealis& and

aspiration/ a so%t #reen %or sy&pathy and co&passion, a burnin# $hite-#old %or the Christ

consciousness, and yello$ %or intellectual understandin#


11/31

.teady practice is the only $ay to deelop these spiritual po$ers to their %ull per%ection

Co&paratiely little can be done i% $e li&it our e%%orts to the set ti&e $hen $e attend the

serices o% the Church "e &ust practise re#ularly in the priacy o% our ho&es, reerently

tryin# to li%t ourseles into the presence o% :od, o% our Lord, o% our Lady, and other &e&bers

o% the Co&&union o% .aints, and to pour %orth strea&s o% loe and deotion to$ards The&

%ro& the ery depths o% our bein# Their #i%ts to us are rich and splendid beyond all tellin#

+ur $orship and serice should, there%ore, be the ery hi#hest and noblest o%%erin# o% $hich

$e are capable "e can only achiee this in our church serices by sel%preparation be%orehand,

by sel%-trainin#, and by carryin# out as %ar as possible in our daily lies the teachin# and

#uidance $hich the Church so %reely #ies us

:reat possibilities lie in each one o% our serices/ but only a trained con#re#ation can hope to

attain the& *o$ $onder%ul it $ould be i% in eery church there $ere a #ro$in# body o%

people $ho had dedicated the&seles to the tas o% 0i&proin# and per%ectin#0 their indiidual

capacities as spiritual serants o% the Lord, and o% learnin# to sere *i& as a con#re#ation in a

per%ect blendin# o% their &any te&pera&ents and %acultiesF The results $ould then be as

splendid as possible and the outpoured blessin# $ould daily #ro$ &ore rich and &ore potent

%or the helpin# o% the $orld

+ur churches $ould uicly beco&e #reat centres o% po$er, li#ht, and blessin# The li%e o% the

nations $ould be uicened The #reat re%or&s, $hich are so ur#ently needed and so lon#

delayed, $ould be hastened The Christ principle o% the nation $ould shine %orth and #uide its

leaders to eole and pass &easures %or the a&elioration o% su%%erin#, the eli&ination o%

cruelty in eery %or&, and %or the #radual i&proe&ent o% the standard o% the nation0s li%e

.uch, in part, is the #reat opportunity $hich the Church puts be%ore us as &e&bers o% the

con#re#ation

" THE E#ES OF THE SOUL

=As soon as the :ospel is announced all sin# the %ollo$in#, &ain# the si#n o% the cross $ith

the ri#ht thu&b upon the %orehead, lips and breast successiely@ ! :lory be to Thee, + Lord0 =

> The Litur#y o% the Liberal Catholic Church ?

!n this instruction our attention is directed to the i&portance o% the si#n and the $ord o%

po$er, both o% $hich hae a de%inite and distinctie place in the cere&ony

There is a sta#e in occult deelop&ent $hen the oice beco&es a channel %or certain de%inite

%orces This sta#e is reached in its %ullness only $hen the hidden %orce-centres in the subtler

counterpart o% the body are ii%ied These %orce-centres e4ist at seen points in the body, one

o% $hich is at the throat This, $hen actie, rather rese&bles a spinnin# and %la&e-lie

conolulus %lo$er, risin# out o% the spinal cord as a %lo$er #ro$s upon a ste& !n the nor&aluna$aened condition it is isible in outline, the centre bein# %illed $ith a pith-lie substance

This is the hi#her creatie centre in the hu&an body, and $hen it is actie the po$er o% sound

can be used to create and ensoul %or&s $hich $ill act as channels %or in%luence and a#ents %or

po$er *i#her %orces &ay then be liberated and the oice beco&es a ehicle %or the

enor&ously potent creatie po$ers o% the &ind and $ill !n addition, the openin# o% this centre

is said to besto$ the %aculty o% clairaudience

The si#n o% the cross, &ade in the $ay prescribed at this part o% the cere&ony, and $ith

intention, te&porarily opens the %orce-centre at the throat 'or this reason $e should neer

&ae it, or indeed any other &oe&ent in cere&onial, in a per%unctory &anner 'e$ o% us, at

present, are ready to hae our %orce-centres per&anently opened, %or $e should then beco&e


12/31

pre&aturely susceptible to the in%luence o% super-physical intelli#ences and po$ers/ and so,

&erci%ully, these sense-or#ans o% the soul are closed

They &ay, ho$eer, be te&porarily sti&ulated $ith sa%ety and then sere as channels %or

super-physical ener#ies This sti&ulation &ay be achieed by a ariety o% &eans, one o% $hich

is the cere&onial use o% sy&bols and $ords o% po$er, as prescribed in the passa#e in the

Liberal Catholic Litur#y uoted at the be#innin# o% this chapter The openin# o% the throat-

centre at this point in the serice has a spiritually uicenin# and sti&ulatin# e%%ect upon us

and enables us to participate &ore e%%ectiely in the cere&ony $hich %ollo$s !t is &ost

i&portant that, side by side $ith this deelop&ent $hich $e are priile#ed to receie %ro& the

Church, $e should practise control o% speech, lest $e &isuse the #i%t $hich is thus besto$ed

upon us The ancient rule concernin# speech control is that be%ore $e spea, $e should as

ourseles $hether $hat $e are #oin# to say is necessary, ind, sensible, and true

'orce-centres also e4ist bet$een the eyes, and at the heart These also should beco&e ii%ied

by the cere&onial si#nin# o% the cross oer the&@ The centre bet$een the eyes, $hen opened,

increases the ran#e o% our ision by addin# to it the si#ht o% the hi#her $orlds The result o%

that $ider ision should be to #ie us a deeper understandin# o% the &ysteries o% li%e andreli#ion

The openin# o% the heart-centre increases the po$er o% hu&an loe by addin# to it the uality

o% diine co&passion !t is so&eti&es called the ystic Gose $hich blosso&s in the heart

Thou#h it is not unlie a loely %lo$er built o% li#ht and #lo$in# strea&s o% colour, the true

interpretation o% the sy&bol o% the rose is that it represents the un%oldin# o% diine loe and

co&passion in the hu&an heart !ts un%old&ent presa#es the birth o% the Christ Child, $ho

&ust be born in the heart o% eery &an be%ore he &ay enter into the in#do& o% heaen y a

due and proper obserance o% the instruction #ien us by the Church, $e &ay hasten the ti&e

$hen that #reat consu&&ation shall be achieed

+ne day that Christ Child in each one o% us $ill #ro$ into =the &easure o% the stature o% the

%ullness o% Christ= and $e in our turn shall beco&e .aiours o% &en The purpose o% reli#ion

is to help us uicly to attain to that #reat #oal and to #uide and inspire us in treadin# the ath

$hich leads to the %ul%il&ent o% li%e

$ THE HOL# ANGELS

e "atchers and ye *oly +nes,

ri#ht .eraphs, Cherubi& and Thrones,

Gaise the #lad strain, AlleluyaF

Cry out Do&inions, rincedo&s, o$ers,

;irtues, Archan#els, An#els0 choirs,Alleluya, Alleluya, Alleluya, Alleluya, Alleluya,

+ hi#her than the Cherubi&,

ore #lorious than the .eraphi&,

Lead their praises, AlleluyaF

Thou bearer o% the eternal "ord,

ost #racious, &a#ni%y the Lord,

Alleluya, Alleluya, Alleluya, Alleluya, Alleluya

Gespond, ye souls in endless rest,

e atriarchs and rophets blest,

Alleluya, Alleluya

e *oly T$ele, ye artyrs stron#,

All saints triu&phant, raise the son#,Alleluya, Alleluya, Alleluya, Alleluya, Alleluya


13/31

+ %riends, in #ladness let us sin#,

.upernal anthe&s echoin#,

Alleluya, Alleluya

To :od the 'ather, :od the .on,

And :od the .pirit, Three in +ne,

Alleluya, Alleluya, Alleluya, Alleluya, Alleluya

This #lorious hy&n proides us $ith a &ost aluable &eans o% linin# ourseles $ith the holy

an#els The %irst erse directs our attention to the #reat hosts o% the nine orders o% the

hierarchy o% the an#els/ i% $e can sin# this erse $ith no$led#e, reali2ation, and po$er, $e

shall undoubtedly &ae de%inite lins $ith the& and secure their co-operation in all our $or

The underlyin# thou#ht o% the second erse carries us een beyond the nine #reat orders o%

an#els/ the third erse li%ts us into the presence o% the blessed Co&&union o% .aints, $hile the

%ourth erse unites .aints, an#els and &en in $orship o% the lessed Trinity

The $hole hy&n could ery pro%itably be used %or priate &editation !ndeed, it is necessary

to hae &editated thereupon, and to hae obtained so&e reali2ation o% its po$er and

si#ni%icance, be%ore it can be sun# $ith %ull e%%ect De%inite &editation upon a ritual, inpreparation %or its use as part o% a cere&onial, is o% #reat alue to each one o% us y such

preparatory &editation $e can discoer the reality behind the $ords/ then, $hen $e say or

sin# the& to#ether as an act o% united $orship, $e &ay hope to produce the &a4i&u& results

both o% in$ard reali2ation and the radiation o% blessin# oer the $orld

Contact $ith an#elic consciousness is a priile#e o% inesti&able alue An#elic co-operation

&aes eerythin# $e try to do, in both the spiritual and &aterial $orlds, %ar &ore ital and

potent than it $ould other$ise be

+n a recent occasion, $hen the author $as tryin# to obsere the e%%ect produced in the inner

$orlds durin# the sin#in# o% this hy&n, it see&ed that durin# the %irst t$o erses $e had

de%initely beco&e lined $ith representaties o% the #reat orders o% the an#els $ho $ere

attracted by and to our $or They had turned their attention upon us, and united $ith us as

closely as possible

"hen $e san# the third erse, the an#els $ho had been sin#in# $ith us, and $ho $ere intent

upon union and co-operation, $ithdre$ their attention %ro& us, beca&e silent and bo$ed in

&ost pro%ound reerence %or the &e&bers o% the :reat "hite rotherhood to $ho& it is

addressed The author $as #reatly i&pressed by the chan#e o% at&osphere produced by this

erse 'or a &o&ent $e turned our attention a$ay %ro& the an#elic to$ards the superhu&an

in#do&, and it $as enli#htenin# to %ollo$ the chan#e o% consciousness and rate o% ibration

$hich occurred in the church At the %ourth erse, the $hole o% the po$er $hich the hy&n had

eoed %lo$ed up$ards in a &i#hty, &any, coloured strea& o% blended an#el and hu&an$orship to the Three ersons o% the lessed Trinity to $ho& it is addressed !n the hi#her

$orlds choirs o% an#els san# $ith their hu&an brethren on earth so that a #lorious hy&n o%

adoration and o% praise $as borne up $ith the %lo$in# strea&, to the ery throne o% :od

*i&sel%

+nly the &erest #li&pse $as #ained o% this hidden #lory and o% the do$npourin# o% our

'ather0s blessin# in response, but it held $ithin it a pro&ise o% &uch #reater thin#s, o% spiritual

reali2ation and un%old&ent $hich the Church o%%ers to all $ho $ill accept the treasures $hich

she #ies to her people $ith such prodi#al bene%icence .urely $e o% the con#re#ation should

strie our ut&ost to #ain the e4pansion o% consciousness $hich $ill brin# this $onder%ul inner

li%e and hidden beauty $ithin our personal e4perience


14/31

The an#elic hosts see& to lie %or eer in that #reat reali2ation They hae not lost, as $e hae

done, the sense o% unity $ith :od and $ith all that lies nity o% ideal, o% thou#ht, and o%

action is e4traordinarily close in the an#el hierarchy They blend their $ills, their no$led#e,

and their loe so closely that their consciousness al&ost rese&bles that o% the #roup-soul > see

A .tudy in Consciousness, by Annie esant ? o% the ani&al, e#etable, and &ineral in#do&s

o% 7ature +ur hu&an eolution di%%ers %ro& theirs in this respect/ our pil#ri&a#e taes us one

$hole sta#e deeper into the &aterial $orlds, and our encase&ent in bodies built o% physical

&aterial ineitably produces a te&porary sense o% separateness %ro& each other and %ro& :od

This separateness is the root-cause o% eery hu&an sorro$ "e can, ho$eer, liberate

ourseles %ro& the =#reat heresy,= as separateness has been called, by &editation upon unity

and by the continual practice o% per%ect co-operation $ith the an#els and $ith each other in

our $or An an#el once #ae the author &uch use%ul adice on this subect/ this is published

in his boo e e er%ect, %ro& $hich he &ay perhaps appropriately uote@

=!n order to achiee this #reat result and $in the pri2e o% bliss eternal, he (the aspirant to the

spiritual li%e) &ust undertae the tas o% e&ancipatin# hi&sel% %ro& the a#e-lon# delusion o%

separateness *e &ust learn to pierce the eil o% illusion, &ust no$ that &any shado$s &ay

be cast by the one Li#ht, that thou#h the shado$s &ay be as countless as the sands upon theshore, the Li#ht is +ne/ into that Li#ht he &ust rise, &ust discoer hi&sel% therein, and %or

eer $in release %ro& sel%-identi%ication $ith the shado$s o% the shado$-$orld, throu#h

$hich he has eoled *e &ust learn to pass 0%ro& the unreal to the real, %ro& darness to

li#ht, %ro& death to i&&ortality0

=To aid hi& in this #reat tas he &ust practise continually the art o% ni%ication, the supre&e

art %ro& $hich all other arts are born *e &ust learn to see hi&sel% in eery %or&, to %ind

hi&sel% in eery #uise, to reco#ni2e the li#ht $hich is hi&sel% behind eery shado$ $hich is

cast upon the eer-&oin# sands o% space and ti&e *e &ay be#in $ith &en, $ith ani&als,

$ith plants or #e&s, $ith rocs, trees, %lo$ers, birds, his o$n race or another, the

do$ntrodden, the %allen, the saint, or the .aiour/ he &ay tae the &ass or the indiidual, the

tree or the sin#le lea%, the ocean or a sin#le #rain o% sand !n his lon# pil#ri&a#e he $ill hae%ound an a%%inity $ith 7ature or $ith &en $hich &ay sere as a startin# place, %ro& $hich he

&ay co&&ence the ourney %ro& a%%inity to unity, %ro& unity to identity

=sin# the obect to $hich he %eels &ost dra$n, he $ill &editate, seein# to %ind hi&sel%

therein, to no$ and %eel in and $ith another0s &ind and heart editatin#, he $ill strie to

catch the rhyth& o% another0s li%e, and blend his o$n there$ith *e $ill listen to the &usic,

search %or the ision, and %eel the pulse o% another0s soul, and, hain# %ound, no$ the& as his

o$n

=Li%e thus beco&es %or hi& a #reat e4peri&ent/ the $orld, %or hi&, a studio in $hich he

practises his art 7o lon#er does he as $hat his brother thins or %eels/ no lon#er does hed$ell on colour or on %or& o% landscape or o% lea%, o% shell or diato&, %or he no$s that that

$hich once see&ed to reeal, no$ seres but to conceal, the no$led#e he desires

=*e sees the soul o% all thin#s, #reat or s&all/ to %ind it he &ust beco&e the shell, the

dia&ond, the blade o% #rass, the %lo$eret, the ea#le, or the doe/ he &ust beco&e his brother

&an, &ust no$ hi& better than he no$s hi&sel%, &ust see &ore clearly than he the ision o%

his li%e *e &ust learn to drop a portion o% hi&sel% do$n throu#h the $orlds into another0s

heart/ he &ust %all into the depths o% another0s soul, as a pebble %alls into a $ell !% the aried

#arb o% 7ature dra$s %orth s$eet beauty %ro& his soul, then to 7ature he &ust retire .eated

beneath the $idespreadin# branches o% an ancient tree, he &ay see to pass into its soul/ he

&ay learn to %eel the &i#hty %orces $hich sur#e %ro& root to trun, %ro& trun to ste&, %ro&

ste& to lea%, and throu#h the lea% %lo$ out$ards in radiant and &a#netic strea&s into the air/he &ay learn to s$ay $ith the tree under the pressure o% the $inds, to %eel the strain and


15/31

leera#e by $hich its upri#htness is &aintained, &ay %eel the eolin# consciousness $ithin,

stretchin# alon# the lines o% %orce $hich #oern its #ro$th, ans$erin# to the %or$ard driin#

i&pulse o% the "ill Diine/ &ay %eel !ts po$er pulsin# throu#h ato& and throu#h cell !% a lea%

%all %ro& a tree, he too &ust %all, no$in# hi&sel% one $ith the lea%, and as it spins and %loats,

cau#ht by the eddies o% $ind, he, too, &ust spin and %loat, and no$ the %eelin# een o% the

li#htest pressure o% air-strea&s striin# into the lea%-cures aboe and belo$/ he &ust sin

$ith the lea%, %lutterin# to the #round, and there %ind rest, &er#ed $ith a thousand other leaes

=Thus, day by day, $ith un$aerin# patience, he $ill &editate, seein# to enter the in&ost

heart, the ery li%e, o% the tree "ith intensity o% desire, $ith concentrated and un$aerin#

&ind, he $ill rise to that leel o% unity $here li%e o% tree and li%e o% &an are no$n as one

ntil achiee&ent has been reached, this &ust be the daily practice o% his li%e/ eery crain#

%or the obect o% desire, eery lon#in# %or union $ith the obect o% his loe $hich he has eer

no$n, &ust be trans&uted and directed $ith %la&e-lie aspiration, unconuerable

deter&ination, to union $ith the li%e beyond all %or&, to %ind the soul o% unity, the ery

essence o% union, to lose hi&sel% in the ocean o% the one li%e, to unite hi&sel% $ith :od= > +p

cit, pp 18, 19 ?

!n all #roup $or - and our church serices &ay %itly be re#arded as #roup $or - $e should

do $ell to be#in by &ain# a conscious and deliberate atte&pt to %ollo$ this adice At

present $e are %ar too indiidual in all our e%%orts The an#el directin# the serice has,

there%ore, to atte&pt to uni%y us/ he e4tends his aura round us, dra$s all the &any separate

strea&s o% %orce to#ether and blends the& into one The priest, too, &ust e4perience a si&ilar

necessity, so that a certain a&ount o% his attention and po$er is $ithdra$n %ro& his other

$or in order to do %or us $hat $e ou#ht to be able to do %or ourseles

"e &ay %irst try to uni%y ourseles $ith each other, then $ith the priests and serers, and then

$ith the an#els, thus %or&in# one unit, one liin# or#anis& dedicated to the serice o% the

Lord and ulti&ately to be united $ith *i& This act o% uni%ication is a %unda&ental and basic

necessity in all our church li%e and $or "e &ust #et closer to#ether in ter&s o%consciousness, so that $e produce one #reat strea& o% %orce $hich shall %lo$ up$ards to :od,

and sere as one per%ect chalice %or the reception and distribution o% the spiritual po$er and

blessin# $hich *e pours do$n in response

Thou#h $e &ay not be a$are o% it, one person in a #roup $ho is out o% har&ony $ith his

brethren, depressed, critical, or sel%-centred, &ay seriously &ar a piece o% $or *o$eer hard

the rest o% the con#re#ation, the priests, and the an#els &ay $or, per%ect result is not possible

under such conditions

+ur responsibility, as $ell as our priile#e as church &e&bers, is there%ore ery #reat, and it is

i&portant that $e should co&e to church in a spirit o% loe, o% unity, o% reerence and sel%-e%%ace&ent to sere and to $orship the Lord !% $e %ail in this respect, and hae to be carried

alon# by the %orce o% another0s deotion, $e &ay act as a dra# on the $hole serice, and

preent the achiee&ent o% that %la$less beauty and per%ection o% cere&onial by $hich alone

our ideal o% true $orship &ay be reached

!% $e $ill endeaour to unite our consciousness $ith that o% the an#els, $e &ay learn &uch

%ro& the& Their attitude, %or e4a&ple, to$ards our Lord and our Lady and to the Gesered

.acra&ent, is one o% intense reerence, hu&ility, adoration, and co&plete sel%-e%%ace&ent in

the presence o% transcendent #lory and splendour Geerence shines throu#h all their $or, so

that it tin#es eerythin# they do $ith holiness and beauty, and $ith that inde%inable

spirituality, $hich is so &ared a characteristic o% the an#elic hosts


16/31

in#led $ith their utter reerence there is also a oyousness $hich per&eates their li%e and

$or ay $e not learn %ro& the&, and ourseles try to achiee this ideal state5 .o o%ten

$hen $e are reerent $e are not ery oy%ul, and $hen $e are happy $e are prone to lose our

reerence "e %or#et the inherent diinity o% all people and all thin#s/ the an#els see& neer to

%or#et the resence o% the !&&anent :od The diinity and holiness o% eerythin# see& to be

continually apparent to the& "hether they are per%or&in# a purely reli#ious tas, directin#

strea&s o% %orce, or $orin# %or one o% the other in#do&s o% 7ature, there is al$ays this

reerence paid to the :od $ithin, $hich see&s to be a %unda&ental uality o% their

consciousness This does not &ae the& pious in a narro$ sense, because there is al$ays loe,

#ladness, and oy in their hearts

"e shall do $ell, there%ore, both in our daily lies and upon our entry into the church, to

co&bine reerence $ith oy !% $e $ill but try to build into our characters these ualities

$hich the an#els possess in so &ared a de#ree, co-operation $ith the& $ill be &ore easily

attainable and all the $or $hich $e strie to do %or our Lord $ill be itali2ed and enriched

by union $ith our brethren o% the an#elic hosts

The author has $ritten &ore %ully upon this subect in his boos, The rotherhood o% An#elsand o% en and Thus *ae ! *eard

% THE GOAL OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE

The ai& o% all church $orship and the #oal o% all spiritual endeaour is to enter into union

$ith the obect o% deotion 'or Christians, there%ore, the #oal is sel%-identi%ication $ith the

Christ principle $ithin us, and, throu#h that, $ith our Lord *i&sel%, and hence $ith all

&ani%ested li%e

!t is not enou#h that $e should deelop certain occult po$ers, open the hidden centres, or

learn to pour out strea&s o% %orce The possession o% special abilities increases our use%ulness

as serants o% the Lord, but in their deelop&ent and use, our attention &ust neer be $holly

$ithdra$n %ro& the real purpose o% church $orship and o% the Christian li%e

"hile payin# due attention to the e4ternal acts o% $orship, to the pourin# %orth o% loe and

deotion to :od as &ani%ested in our Lord and our Lady, in the co&&union o% saints and the

*oly An#els, it is i&portant that $e should al$ays re&e&ber our o$n inherent diinity $hich

it is our supre&e duty continually to &ae &ani%est on earth lti&ately $e &ust be united

$ith the :od $ithin us, %or by the po$er o% that in&ost deity alone &ay $e beco&e saiours

o% the $orld

To attain this #oal there is, in reality, no need %or church $orship, %or :od is eery$here

present *e is present in eery liin# thin#, in our ho&es, in the streets, in the country or in theslu&s, as *e is also present in a special &easure upon *is *oly Altar !% $e hae once learned

to see *i& in any o% these places $e shall see *i& eery$here "e cannot do this, ho$eer,

until $e hae be#un to %ind *i& $ithin ourseles, %or it is only $ith the eyes o% the :od

$ithin that $e shall see the :od $ithout !n a *indu .cripture, *e &ost beauti%ully says- =*e

$ho seeth e in eerythin# and eerythin# in e, o% hi& $ill ! neer lose hold and he shall

neer lose hold o% e= > The ha#aad-:ita ?

.uch diine ision &ust not be con%used $ith the sli#htly e4tended po$ers o% co#nition to

$hich the psychic attains nless $e can see :od in the physical $orld, clairoyance $ill not

help us to see *i& in the super-physical sychis& &ay een proe a serious stu&blin#-bloc

Thou#ht-control and a special capacity %or the proection o% po$er are o% little real alue to us

as church $orshippers i% $e allo$ the& to beco&e ends in the&seles and %or#et that they areonly steps, and by no &eans essential steps, on the path$ay to diinity +n the other hand, i%


17/31

$e al$ays eep the #oal in ie$, all our $or, $hether in the spiritual, psychical, or &aterial

$orlds, $ill be enriched by eery ne$ po$er $hich the Church assists us to un%old

"e shall beco&e &ore e%%icient in our church $or i% $e continually endeaour to reali2e the

liin# presence o% :od around and $ithin each one o% us, and see to be united $ith *i&

there The ideal &e&ber o% a con#re#ation is surely one $ho $ors continually to brin# all his

po$ers and %aculties to their hi#hest de#ree o% un%old&ent and per%ection, and $ho, at the

sa&e ti&e, enters into an eer-deepenin# reali2ation o% the :od $ithin hi&sel% and in all &en

!% $e hae the ri#ht ision - the Christ ision $e shall see *i& throu#h the eyes o% all people

*o$eer lo$ly or apparently de#raded a person &ay appear, the Christ is $ithin hi&, and,

could $e but pierce the eil/ $e should see *i& there, perchance looin# to us %or that serice

o% $hich the %allen are so ur#ently in need .uch serice is rendered not only to i#norant and

$ea hu&anity, but to the Christ $ho d$ells $ithin and is the =hope o% #lory= o% all &anind

Did *e not say@ =!nas&uch as ye hae done it unto the least o% these &y little ones, ye hae

done it unto &e=5 "hen that ision o% the Christ in &an be#ins to da$n upon us $e are indeed

dra$in# nearer to the ti&e o% union, and the day o% atone&ent is not %ar a$ay

The path to that #lorious consu&&ation is lon# and di%%icult to tread The Church, ho$eer, is

our un%ailin# #uide and support !n her serices and her li%e $e &ay obtain the necessary

upli%t&ent and stren#th, and year by year $e &ay &ae a de%inite adance to$ards the #oal o%

our e4istence

As $e cli&b up$ards $e bear all &en $ith us, as did our Lord .plendid indeed $ill be the

$or o% the Church in the $orld $hen she nu&bers a&on# her %ollo$ers a rapidly increasin#

nu&ber o% &en and $o&en o% true spiritual ision, po$er, and sel%no$led#e Then $ill she

be#in to tae her true place in the nation0s li%e, as the inspirer o% eery re%or& and the un%ailin#

source o% that po$er $hich shall uicen the eolution o% &anind

AN INVISI&LE CONGREGATION

The inner e%%ects o% the Geuie& ass, er%or&ed on All .ouls0 Day in .t ary0s ro-

cathedral o% the Liberal Catholic Church, London

D!.CAG7AT< .+L. %reuently attend physical church serices, but on this especial

occasion o% the per%or&ance o% the Geuie& ass a ery lar#e nu&ber $ere seen to be

present any o% these arried so&e ti&e be%ore the serice be#an/ #atherin# %or the &ost part

round the sides o% the church and in the #allery and %illin# &uch o% the space under the roo%

!n their hi#her consciousness &any &e&bers o% the physical con#re#ation $ere able to #reettheir super-physical %riends The enoy&ent o% the &any happy reunions $hich thus occurred,

$as in no $ay a%%ected by the %act that little or no no$led#e o% the& $as brou#ht throu#h

into the $ain# brainconsciousness ost o% the physical con#re#ation had &ade clear

thou#ht-%or&s o% their o$n particular departed %riends and these $ere replaced later on by the

%riends the&seles !n so&e cases the discarnate brou#ht $ith the& those $ith $ho& they had

%or&ed %riendships on the other side These, to#ether $ith other isitors and the usual super-

physical attendants, hu&an and an#elic, o% the church, %or&ed a ery lar#e con#re#ation in the

inner $orlds

The super-physical con#re#ation %aced to$ards the altar as the serice be#an, and %ro& that

ti&e on$ards $ere #radually dra$n nearer and nearer to the physical $orld 'ro& the %irstthey sa$ the candles clearly, %or the li#ht %ro& a $a4 candle is isible in the inner $orlds and

is so&eti&es used as a si#nal to those on the other side o% the eil The bla2e o% li#ht and


18/31

po$er %ro& the Gesered .acra&ent $as also clearly seen, as $ell as the an#el &inistrants and

the strea&s o% %orce %lo$in# throu#h the arious sy&bols and e$els .o&e, ho$eer, $ere

stran#ely blind, in spite o% the %act that their ision is not li&ited, lie ours, by the possession

o% a physical body

The #eneral e%%ect, ho$eer, $as to reeal the physical plane interior o% the church as thou#h a

sta#e curtain had been dra$n aside This $ithdra$al o% the eil did not e4tend outside the

church to the sa&e e4tent The $hole o% the con#re#ation $as insulated %ro& the ibrations

and pheno&ena o% the outer $orld A #reat an#el, to $ho& re%erence $ill be &ade later,

#uarded this insulation and held the super-physical con#re#ation $ithin his aura and thus

helped to proide conditions in $hich the eil could be sa%ely dra$n aside

The


19/31

protection upon the discarnate, his e4ternal appearance $as such as to &ae one thin o% the

An#el o% Death *e appeared to be a representatie o% the #reat :od o% Death, $hose &i#hty

hand seers the siler cord $hich binds the soul to the body durin# earth-li%e *is %ace $as

stron# and a$e-inspirin# $ith its inscrutable e4pression o% po$er and o% &ystery *e $as dar

#reen in colour and as tall as the body o% the church *e held the inisible con#re#ation ery

closely $ithin his consciousness and e4ercised a stron# protectie in%luence upon the&, so

that no har& &i#ht co&e either to the liin# or to the dead *e stood &otionless and

i&passie, #uardin#, as be%ore &entioned, the insulation o% the church %ro& the outer $orld,

and #iin# the i&pression o% a hu#e, dar #reen, liin# statue o% the An#el o% Death

!n the a%ter-death $orld, as in this $orld, there are &any undesirable bein#s $ho $ould tae

i&&ediate adanta#e o% the special conditions o% close interplay o% %orce bet$een the t$o

$orlds This an#elic protection $as, there%ore, added to the insulation proided by the ori#inal

consecration o% the church, and by the =$alls= o% the


20/31

and the s&ile o% the An#el o% the resence are $onder%ul to behold The s&ile reeals so &uch

&ore than any hu&an s&ile can e4press/ it includes a oy%ul reco#nition o% an old and &uch

loed %riend, a deeply spiritual co&prehension o% all his hi#hest hopes and possibilities, and

the tender co&passionate loe o% a parent %or a %aourite child The e4pression on the %ace o%

the An#el o% the resence is al$ays one o% spiritual e4altation, $hile radiant po$er, li%e, and

loe pour %orth throu#h hi& continually "hen he s&iles, there%ore, the beauty and pro%oundly

co&passionate loe $hich are reealed are beyond all hu&an conception, and no $ords can

%itly portray the $onder o% this #lorious an#elic Gepresentatie o% +ur Lord

.uch a ision o% the :ood .hepherd and *is an#elic serants and *is %loc sho$s at once that

*e no$s eery indiidual on this planet, that all &en are en%olded in the e&brace o% *is

loe, and that indeed =underneath are the eerlastin# ar&s= The An#el o% the resence

reco#ni2ed, #reeted, blessed, and sent %orth loe to eery indiidual $ho arried, and dre$

%orth the hi#hest $ithin each one in response

The &easure o% this response aried considerably .o&e $ere preoccupied and sel%-centred at

the ti&e and did not respond ery %ully/ all $ere de%initely helped, each to the e4tent to $hich

he $as able to receie and assi&ilate the outpoured blessin# and the ind$ellin# Christ couldbe a$aened Those $ho $ere $restlin# $ith #reat di%%iculties $hen the blessin# reached

the& - %reuently acco&panied by an an#el - suddenly %ound the&seles released %ro& the

strain and illu&ined $ith the solutions o% their proble&s To &any it $as a distinct turnin#

point in the lon# cycle o% incarnations/ it &ay een in%luence the re&ainder o% their pil#ri&a#e

to$ards per%ection As did the rodi#al .on, %ro& this ti&e they $ill =arise and #o to their

'ather= A ery real conersion too place, and they deter&ined %ro& that day on$ard to

deote the&seles to the spiritual li%e and to #ood $or

+ne sees, %ro& this %act alone, the alue not only o% spiritual cere&onial as a $hole, but

especially o% the Geuie& ass and o% prayers %or the dead/ %or &any $ho are unresponsie

and spiritually asleep durin# the $hole o% their earth-li%e &ay chan#e co&pletely a%ter death

To$ards the end o% the serice, the inisible con#re#ation $ere dra$n nearer and nearer to the

.anctuary, and a #reat &any o% the& see&ed to receie the .acra&ent throu#h their %riends

The auras o% all o% the& #lo$ed $ith increasin# intensity as the &o&ents passed, and at the

close &any o% the& $ere spiritually e4alted and illu&ined

.oon a%ter the =!te, &issa est,= the eil bet$een the isible and inisible see&ed to #ro$ &ore

dense, as i% the curtain $ere dra$n a#ain oer the sta#e o% earthly li%e .o&e, thou#h not all,

o% the deceased re&ained %or the %inal benediction, stayed $ith their particular physical %riends

%or so&e ti&e, and een acco&panied the& out o% the church ossibly they $ere able to enter

into their li%e %or the rest o% the day in a $ay $hich is not nor&ally possible A %e$ re&ained

in the church to pray, but the &ain part o% the inisible con#re#ation dispersed a%ter the %inalblessin# had been #ien

"atchin# these thin#s, it see&ed that in &any $ays reli#ion &i#ht be &uch easier %or the

discarnate than %or the liin#, %or they can see %ar &ore o% the inner side o% the serice than $e

can The #lo$in# radiance o% the *ost, and the outpourin# o% the po$er o% the Christ throu#h

the Cross, the splendour and beauty o% the An#el o% the resence, are clearly &ani%ested

be%ore their eyes

Their response to the serice $as %ar #reater, on the $hole, than ours +ne reali2ed ho$ &uch

the physical body preents our reali2ation o%, and response to, the #reat spiritual truths and

%orces $hich are e&bodied in the church, and ho$ &uch po$er, beauty, and no$led#e the

physical brain and body preent us %ro& perceiin#


21/31

art o% the alue o% the church serice is that it sti&ulates and uicens our bodies and brains

into a #reater de#ree o% sensitieness and po$er o% response/ so that the eil #ro$s thinner as

$e are led by our spiritual other deeper and deeper into the reli#ious li%e A%ter so&e years

o% serice and o% prayer $e ou#ht to beco&e as responsie to the deeper thin#s as the

discarnate &e&bers o% the con#re#ation !n the end, our reali2ation $ill eual that o% the holy

an#els the&seles and $e shall need the Church no &ore, sae as a #lorious %ield o% serice to

the $orld

THE HEALING SERVICE

The underlyin# principle by $hich all spiritual healin# produces its results see&s to be that a

per%ect relationship bet$een the spiritual and the natural &an is essential to per%ect health

!n aryin# de#ree, accordin# to the su%%erers0 po$er o% response, a healin# serice re&oes

%ro& the ehicles o% consciousness those obstructions $hich preent or &ar the per%ection o%

that relationship A%ter the serice the natural and the spiritual &an are in a state o% accord

$hich is as har&onious and as per%ect as possible The de#ree in $hich this is achieed

depends lar#ely upon the per%ection and reali2ation $ith $hich the serice is per%or&ed, theposition in eolution o% the su%%erer, his ar&a and his inherent &ental, e&otional, and

physical tendencies

!n all cases, ho$eer, his hi#her consciousness is de%initely illu&ined and e&po$ered/ this

upli%t&ent helps hi& to continue &ore e%%ectiely the process o% adust&ent in $hich he has

already been en#a#ed and to %ill in the de%iciencies o% character $hich &ade possible the

ar&a producin# trans#ressions This e%%ect is lar#ely achieed by a descent o% po$er %ro& the

hi#hest principle $ithin the supplicant %or healin# #race

!n the nor&al indiidual the po$er o% the hi#hest spiritual principle, that o% diine $ill in &an,

ery rarely, i% eer, reaches the personality The reason %or this is that the Christ-consciousness

or diine loe in &an is not su%%iciently a$aened and deeloped at this period o% hu&an

eolution to coney that po$er !n the serices o% the church, and especially at *oly

Co&&union, ho$eer, our Lord in *is tender loe and care %or &anind dra$s so near to, and

uni%ies *i&sel% so closely $ith, *is people, that *e *i&sel% beco&es the Christ-principle

actiely a$ae in the& y this =at-one-&ent= *e proides the& $ith a icarious contact $ith

those hi#hest spiritual $orlds $hich are nor&ally beyond their reach This hastens the ti&e

$hen the Christ child shall be born in the hu&an heart and &aes i&&ediately possible a

descent o% po$er and blessin# %ro& the ery hi#hest and &ost diine aspects o% hu&an nature,

an occurrence $hich tends #reatly to &odi%y aderse ar&a !n cases o% sudden and co&plete

healin#, the aderse ar&a is entirely neutrali2ed

The i&&ediate e%%ect o% these in%luences is naturally %ar &ore apparent at the hi#her leels o%consciousness than in the body The spiritual &an receies the %ull po$er o% the healin#

serice, and the e4altation o% spirit $hich it produces enables hi& to liberate %orces $hich

#reatly &odi%y his ar&ic responsibilities Durin# the period in $hich he is able to &aintain

this e4alted state, he is both addin# to his %aourable ar&a and neutrali2in# that $hich is

aderse/ %or he liberates po$er%ul bene%icent %orces, and %or the ti&e bein# beco&es the

e&bodi&ent o% the irtues $hich oppose the trans#ressions and errors %ro& $hich the aderse

ar&a ori#inated

A #reat deal depends, there%ore, upon the depth o% reali2ation o% the supplicant as $ell as upon

the len#th o% ti&e durin# $hich, as both the natural and spiritual &an, he is able to &aintain

the e4alted state into $hich he has been li%ted by his Lord and the serice o% the church !n

order to achiee the #reatest possible results, participation in a serice should al$ays bepreceded by a special preparation, both o% body and o% &ind/ it should also be %ollo$ed by a


22/31

period o% &editation to the end that *is =:race &ay be so #ra%ted in$ardly in our hearts that it

&ay continually be &ade &ani%est in our lies= 'or the rest o% the day the $orshipper should

be liin# in the &e&ory o% his e4perience, and endeaourin# to &ae per&anent the

e4pansion o% consciousness $hich it has produced

Let us no$ consider the healin# serice o% the Liberal Catholic Church in detail, notin# so&e

o% the e%%ects produced at each part o% the ritual

OPENING PRAYER

=! pray our heaenly 'ather that *e $ill send *is healin# An#el to &inister unto these Thy

serants here present, that they &ay be restored to health o% &ind and body Throu#h Christ

our Lord=

A nu&ber o% an#els o% the hierarchy o% healin# an#els appear as the $ords@ =! pray our

*eaenly 'ather that *e $ill send *is healin# An#el,= are uttered Clairoyantly, this response

appears as a line o% an#elic presences reachin# %ro& the sanctuary up to the causal $orlds and

presu&ably ter&inatin# in the &i#hty Archan#el Gaphael hi&sel% These an#els are chie%ly o%a brilliant sapphire blue colour, and a strea& o% po$er o% that particular hue descends da$n

the colu&n or channel into $hich their #lorious and shinin# bodies are %or&ed This adds a

ne$ note and a ne$ colour to the arious %orces already present, and %or the ti&e bein# this

type o% po$er predo&inates

THE CONFITEOR

=+ Lord, Thou bast created &an to be i&&ortal, and &ade hi& to be an i&a#e o% Thine o$n

eternity/ yet o%ten $e %or#et the #lory o% our herita#e, and $ander %ro& the path $hich leads to

ri#hteousness ut Thou, + Lord, bast &ade us %or Thysel%, and our hearts are eer restless till

they %ind their rest in Thee Loo $ith the eyes o% Thy loe upon our &ani%old i&per%ections,

and pardon all our shortco&in#s, that $e &ay be %illed $ith the bri#htness o% the eerlastin#

li#ht, and beco&e the unspotted &irror o% Thy po$er and the i&a#e o% Thy #oodness Throu#h

Christ our Lord A&en=

The Con%iteor, i% repeated sincerely and $ith a contrite heart, is a surrender o% the natural to

the spiritual &an The &aterial interests and &oties $hich nor&ally tend to do&inate the

daily li%e are transcended and the $orshipper turns to$ards his Creator in deep hu&ility As a

result o% this, t$o o% the #reatest barriers bet$een :od and &an - spiritual sel%-blindin# and

pride - are te&porarily broen do$n The natural &an beco&es receptie and responsie to the

lo%ty spiritual in%luences $hich are about to %lo$ %ro& and throu#h his o$n inner nature

THE ABSOLUTION

=:od the 'ather, :od the .on, :od the *oly :host bless, presere and sancti%y you/ the Lord

in *is loin#-indness loo do$n upon you and be #racious unto you/ the Lord absole you

%ro& all your sins and #rant you the #race and co&%ort o% the *oly .pirit G A&en=

The absolution brin#s $ith it a %lood o% outpoured blessin# $hich blends the natural and

spiritual &an to#ether/ it corrects the ali#n&ent o% the ehicles o% consciousness and restores

all their broen rhyth&s so that the diine li%e &ay play %reely throu#h the&/ in addition it

tends to drie out inhar&onious and i&pure thou#hts and %eelin#s 'or a ti&e the aura is pure,

the bodies per%ectly ali#ned, and the lo$er sel% illu&ined by the li#ht o% the hi#her

THE VENI CREATOR


23/31

At the ;eni Creator %urther po$er is inoed and placed in the hands o% the healin# an#els and

the priest !t is chie%ly that o% the Third Aspect, and &ay be thou#ht o% as the &aterial or %orce

$ith $hich the an#els $or

THE EXORCIS

=+ Lord, $ho hast #ien unto &an bodily health and i#our $here$ith to sere Thee, $e pray

Thee to %ree Thy serants %ro& their sicness so %ar as &ay be e4pedient %or the&, and by the

&i#ht o% Thy blessin# to restore unto the& %ull health, both out$ardly in their bodies and

in$ardly in their souls Throu#h Christ our Lord G A&en=

The people are seated Those $ho desire to be anointed are brou#ht to the riest one by one,

and neel upon a cushion The riest no$ says oer each one/

=!n the 7a&e $hich is aboe eery na&e, in the po$er o% the 'ather and o% the .on and o% the

*oly :host, ! e4orcise all in%luences o% eil, that thou &ayest be ri#htly puri%ied to receie

this .acra&ent o% *oly nction=

The ans$er to the prayer precedin# the e4orcis& adds the po$er o% the .econd Aspect o% the

lessed Trinity to that already present, and these co&bine te&porarily to %or& a reseroir o%

po$er $hich the an#els presere until the &o&ent o% its e&ploy&ent at the unction and the

prayer $hich %ollo$s The particular %orce by $hich the e4orcis& is per%or&ed descends %ro&

the real& o% spiritual $ill $ith po$er %ro& the leel o% the Christ-consciousness as an

acco&panyin# in%luence

At this point, by the operation o% the la$ o% spiritual correspondences $hich lin to#ether the

hi#hest and the lo$est principles o% &an, the etheric double o% the patient is directly a%%ected,

as $ell as the other t$o ehicles o% the personality The etheric double o% a sic person

ineitably contains con#ested areas and a##re#ations o% i&pure and een poisonous etheric

&atter, $hich i&pede the circulation o% the ital %orces The e4orcis&, i% e%%ectie, instantly

reduces the de#ree o% con#estion and tends to drie out the poisonous &aterial %ro& the

etheric double, thereby per&ittin# a &uch %reer %lo$ o% the ital %orces throu#hout the body !%

undesirable entities, such as disease or other obsessin# ele&entals $ere present, they $ould be

instantly e4orcised both %ro& the e&otional and the etheric ehicles This a#ain te&porarily

proides the hi#her sel% o% the su%%erer $ith a %ree and uninterrupted contact $ith his physical

body A uniue opportunity is then a%%orded to the spiritual &an o% releasin# his o$n interior

healin# and correctie %orces - no$ enor&ously increased and rein%orced by the serice - and

o% chan#in# the attitude o% his personality to one &ore closely in har&ony $ith the diine la$

"ithout this inner illu&ination and the chan#e o% attitude to$ards li%e $hich it should produce

no healin#, $hether spiritual or physical, can be per&anently e%%ectie nless the lesson o%the su%%erin# has been learned and the $eaness o% character oerco&e to a considerable

e4tent there is al$ays a dan#er that the disease-producin# trans#ression $ill be repeated The

true healer &ust educate as $ell as heal

The %inal e%%ect o% the healin# serice, or o% any other %or& o% spiritual healin#, depends ery

lar#ely upon the ability o% the patient to &ae %ull use o% the priile#es he has receied/ i% he

succeeds %ully he $ill be able to establish a %ree %lo$ o% the li%e-%orces throu#h all his bodies,

and to &ae per&anent the arious te&porary chan#es $hich the serice has produced

THE UNCTION

Tain# upon his thu&b so&e o% the holy oil %or the sic, the riest anoints the person in the

%or& o% a cross upon the %orehead, sayin#


24/31

=!n the na&e o% our Lord Christ, and inoin# the help o% the holy Archan#el Gaphael, ! anoint

thee $ith oil, that thou &ayest #ain re%resh&ent, both o% soul and body=

At the unction the Archan#el Gaphael is de%initely attracted, and he &ay either attend in

person or &ani%est his po$er and his presence throu#h the an#els o% his hierarchy $ho are

already in attendance This naturally increases the a&ount o% po$er aailable and assists the

an#els in its e&ploy&ent The %orce-centres in the patient, $hich are situated $here the oil is

applied, be#in to rotate &ore rapidly and to per%or& &ore per%ectly their dual %unction as

channels %or li%e-%orce and or#ans %or the &ani%estation o% super-physical po$er and

consciousness This blends the hi#her and the lo$er sel% still &ore closely to#ether, and so

enables the %or&er to tae a #reater share in the healin# $or

THE PRAYER

The riest proceeds to anoint, in the sa&e &anner as be%ore, but in silence, the centre at the

top o% the head, the %ront o% the throat and the nape o% the nec *e then places both hands

upon the head o% the person $ith the de%inite intent to heal, sayin#

=Christ, the .on o% :od, loo do$n upon thine a%%liction and heal thee o% all thine in%ir&ities

ay the Li#ht o% *is Loe en%old thee %oreer=

A descent o% the true healin# po$er %ro& the leel o% the Christ-consciousness occurs throu#h

all the ehicles as this beauti%ul prayer is said, thus causin# the& to #lo$ $ith the &arellous

#olden yello$ li#ht $hich is characteristic o% that leel At the sa&e ti&e the po$er $hich has

been receied durin# the earlier part o% the serice is no$ liberated into and throu#h the

natural &an

At the beauti%ul closin# sentence o% the prayer, a %urther and %uller &easure o% po$er and li%e

pours throu#h the o%%iciant This $onder%ul in%luence perades and en%olds the aura o% the

su%%erer/ it surrounds hi& $ith an at&osphere o% blessin# and o% hi#hest spiritual loe, &ain#

hi& te&porarily unresponsie to the inhar&onious ibrations o% the outer $orld This helps

hi& to &aintain the e4alted state into $hich he has been li%ted, and to d$ell in the ecstasy o%

inti&ate co&&union and union $ith his Lord

As su##ested preiously, a de%inite endeaour should be &ade to &aintain this state o%

consciousness and to resist the tendency o% the aura to return to its ori#inal rate o% ibration

Gepeated prayer and &editation co&bined $ith sel%-recollectedness $ill be %ound to be the

&ost help%ul &eans o% achiein# this

THE BENE!ICTION

The riest turns to the people

=nto :od0s #racious loe and protection $e co&&it you/ the Lord bless you and eep you/

the Lord &ae *is 'ace to shine upon you and be #racious unto you/ the Lord li%t up the li#ht

o% *is Countenance upon you and #ie you *is peace, no$ and %oreer &ore G A&en=

At the enediction the $orshippers are %inally co&&itted to the protection o% the Lord A still

%urther &easure o% po$er descends upon the&, causin# their auras to increase #reatly in si2e

and lu&inosity, and li%tin# their hi#her seles into a state o% spiritual e4altation

As $e hae seen, the de#ree in $hich all these in%luences actually a%%ect the physical bodydepends a #ood deal upon the patients the&seles !% they hae already established a close

contact $ith their hi#her seles, by &eans o% preparatory prayer and &editation, then the


25/31

personality $ill receie a %ull and rich &easure o% the po$ers and blessin#s $hich are so

%reely outpoured !% they hae not done so, the serice $ill help the& to that end, and the

healin# $ill be proportionate to their response to that help The de#ree o% utter sincerity $ith

$hich the Con%iteor is pronounced #oerns to a considerable e4tent the de#ree in $hich the

healin# po$er beco&es &ani%est

The alue o% holdin# a healin# serice a%ter the celebration o% the *oly


26/31

strea&s o% %orce are united into one #reat strea&, $hich is poured %orth %irst upon the

con#re#ati

Documents

The Inner Side of Church Worship