not like the darnel, which the fire reduces to ashes. It will be purified by this regenerative action, and it bears the germ of the good corn in itself. The consumed darnel gives birth to the fruitful seed, and harvests of good corn will spring from its ashes. The darnel will still be burned as often as necessary to change it into good corn, that the "children of iniquity" may become the "children of the kingdom," and thus, in their turn, the "just."

We again desire to impress upon you that wherever such expressions are used as "furnace of fire; Gehenna; fire of Gehenna; wailing, and gnashing of teeth," they invariably signify the expiation of the spirit, which is following by reincarnation and new experiences, and are always used in an emblematical sense.

(V. 43.) These words are figurative. The light with which the children of the Lord shine is truth, faith. and love. The just are the children of the Lord; the purified spirits, whose perisprit, moreover, has become more luminous from the effects of this purification, and radiates a light of purity and brightness corresponding to the degree of elevation which they have acquired. The kingdom of their Father denotes the superior worlds in space; and your planet will form a portion of it when it has attained the requisite degree of elevation; and will then become, to employ a human comparison, a province of the kingdom of God.

MATTHEW, CHAP. XIII.-Verse 44.

The Hidden Treasure.

(44) Again, the kingdom of the heavens is like a treasure hidden in the field; which a man finding hideth, and from joy thereat goes away and selleth everything whatsoever that he hath, and buyeth that field.

§ 168. He who receives the word of God should experience the same delight (if one may compare such different feelings) as he who finds a treasure. He should cherish this source of eternal riches in his heart, and use every effort to prevent any of the vices of humanity from robbing him of it. He should cast aside his errors, his evil instincts and desires, and his vices; and in short everything which

sinks him to matter, as earthly wealth binds men to the soil to which they are attached; and should make every sacrifice which humanity requires to preserve this spiritual treasure.

MATTHEW, CHAP. XIII.-Verses 45, 46.
The Pearl of Great Price.

(45) Again, the kingdom of the heavens is like unto a merchant man, seeking fine pearls. (46) Who finding a costly pearl, goes away and barters everything whatsoever that he hath, and buyeth it.

§ 169. This parable has nearly the same signification as the last. It represents the man who seeks after truth sincerely, and when he has found it, accepts it, and rids himself without hesitation of his evil propensities and material appetites, which previously formed his false riches, and uses every effort to preserve the pearl of great price, which, like the treasure, is the truth which he found when he received the word of God.

MATTHEW, CHAP. XIII.-VERSES 47-52.

The Parable of the Fishing Net.

(47) Again, the kingdom of the heavens is like a drag-net cast into the sea, and it gathered up of all kinds. (48) When it was full, it was drawn up on the beach, and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, and threw the worthless away. (49) So shall it be in the end of the age; the angels shall bring out and separate the wicked from among the just. (50) And shall cast them into the furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. (51) Jesus says to them, Did you understand all these things? They say to him, Yea, Lord. (52) And he said to them, Therefore every Scribe who is instructed in the kingdom of the heavens, is like a man who is an householder, and brings forth from his treasure things new and old.

§ 170. We need not explain the parable of the net. You will readily understand that it refers to the separation of the good from the bad, and is to be explained in precisely the same way as the parable of the darnel. You may notice that many parables have the same signification. They were spoken at different times and addressed to different men, but the object was the same.

Jesus asked his disciples if they had understood all these things, and they answered "Yes." They understood the

parable of the net, as far as it was given them to do so; that is, as an image of the selection which would be gradually effected among spirits, that there might at length be no more rebellious spirits left to be removed.

(V. 52.)-Jesus means here by the word Scribe any man who is more enlightened than the masses, and is called upon to shed the light of his learning and intelligence among them. You know that the Scribes were the wise and learned men of that period. They diffused, or rather they ought to have diffused, light around them, but they more frequently hid their light under a bushel. He who

brings forth from his treasure things new and old is he who avails himself of the knowledge which he has previously acquired to confirm and recommend what he desires to establish.

Thus you, Spiritists, ought, within the limits of your instruction and faculties, to turn over old chronicles, investigate libraries, and seek to discover old manuscripts which have been lost sight of in the secular libraries or the greedy convents which possess them; and, strengthened by the old documents which you yourselves possess, establish the authenticity and antiquity of your science in the eyes of the timid, the incredulous, and the half-instructed.

MATTHEW, CHAP. XIII.-VERSES 53-58. MARK, CHAP. VI.-VERSES 1-6.

A Prophet is not without Honour save in his own Country.

Matth. xiii. (53) And when Jesus had ended these parables, he departed thence. (54) And coming into his native country, he taught them in their synagogues, so that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man his wisdom and his mighty works? (55) Is not this the carpenter's son; is not his mother called Mary, and his brethren James and Joses and Simon and Judas? (56) And his sisters, are they not all with us? whence therefore hath this man all these things? (57) And they were offended at him. But Jesus said to them, A prophet is not without honour, except in his native country, and in his own house. (58) And he did not perform many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.

Mark vi. (1) And he departed thence, and came into his native country, and his disciples followed him. (2) And npon the Sabbath, he began to preach in the synagogue, and many who heard were

amazed, and said, Whence hath this man these things? and what manner of power is given to him that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands? (3) Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. (4) And Jesus said to them, A prophet is not without honour, except in his native country, and among his relations, and in his own house. (5) And he was unable to perform any miracle there, except that he laid his hands upon a few sick persons, and healed them. (6) And he wondered at their unbelief, and he went round the villages, teaching in the assembling-place.

§ 171. (Matth. xiii. 57; Mark vi. 4.)—Jesus desired to remind his hearers of the prophetic character and mission ascribed to him by others. They regarded him as one of themselves, and as limited to the same human powers and faculties; but they were, nevertheless, profoundly amazed at the wisdom contained in his doctrine, his sayings, and his teachings; and at the actions which he performed, which appeared to them to be miraculous. From the spiritual point of view, these words are a thoroughly philosophical reflection; and you have often had opportunities of verifying their accuracy.

(Matth. xiii. 58.)-Are you not aware that the opposition of spirits, whether incarnate or not, impedes the influence which you might otherwise exert? If Jesus had wished, he could have overcome this opposing influence; but to what purpose? To compel conviction in the wilfully blind, who would have persisted in closing their eyes, and would thus have deserved a severer punishment. The gentle Jesus. never desired to drive a spirit to rebel, but to save him from the sufferings caused by evil-doing.

(Mark vi. 5.)-Jesus could perform no miracles simply because he would not exert his authority over the rebellious spirits. It was not the power, but the will which was wanting; though it appeared otherwise to men. Does it not often happen that you abstain from some action because there is an impediment in the way which you do not wish to overcome?

The versions of Mark and Matthew correspond, both expressing the same idea in approximate terms. Mark adds (v. 6) that Jesus was astonished at their unbelief.

This is a human idea, expressing the opinion of men who regarded the Master as only a man like themselves. Jesus could not be surprised at their unbelief when he read the thoughts of all, and beheld the instincts and tendencies of the multitude, and the spirits who were attracted by their evil instincts and tendencies, and acted on them by their free will.

MATTHEW, CHAP. XIV.-VERSES 1-12. MARK, CHAP. VI.-VERSES 14-29. LUKE, CHAP. III. VERSES 19, 20; IX.—7—9.

Death of fohn the Baptist.-Hebrew Belief in

Reincarnation.

Matth. xiv. (1) At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the report of Jesus, and said to his servants, (2) This is John the Baptist, who has risen from the dead, and therefore miracles are wrought by him. (3) For Herod had seized John, bound him, and cast him into prison, on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife. (4) For John said to him, It is not lawful for thee to have her. (5) And when he desired to kill him, he feared the multitude, because they considered him to be a prophet. (6) But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced in the midst, and pleased Herod. (7) Wherefore he promised with an oath to give her whatever she should ask. (8) And she said, having been prompted by her mother, Give me here the head of John the Baptist on a dish. · (9) And the king was grieved; yet on account of his oaths, and of those reclining with him at table, he ordered it to be given her. (10) And he sent and beheaded John in the prison. (II) And his head was brought on a dish, and given to the little girl, and she took it to her mother. (12) And his disciples came and took up the body and buried it, and came and told Jesus.

Mark vi. (14) And king Herod heard of him, for his name was famous, and he said, John the Baptist has risen from the dead, and therefore miracles are wrought by him. (15) Others said, He is Elijah; and others said, He is a prophet, or like one of the prophets. (16) But when Herod heard it, he said, This is John whom I have beheaded; he is risen from the dead. (17) For Herod himself had sent and arrested John, and bound him in prison, on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, for he had married her. (18) For John said to Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife. (19) And Herodias was angry with him, and wished to kill him, but she could not. (20) For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and pious man, and guarded him, and when he heard him, he did many things, and listened to him gladly. (21) And when it was a convenient day, when Herod made a dinner for his great men, captains, and the chief men of Galilee, (22) And the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced, and pleased Herod, and those who were sitting with him, and the king said to the little girl, (23) Ask of me whatever thou wilt, unto the half of my kingdom. (24) And she went out, and said to her mother, What shall