"And every one that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit, cometh unto God, even the Father;"[A]

[Footnote A: Doc. and Cov., Sec. lxxxiv:45-47. See also St. John i:3-12.]

6. The Immanent Spirit's Relationship to a Race of Divine, Exalted Intelligences: We may now say from the analysis of the scriptures so far developed that God Immanent in the world—"The Light of Christ"—the "Spirit of Christ"—is the power creative; the sustaining power; the life-giving power; and the intelligence-inspiring power. It is the active principle in all these respects; and is omnipresent.

As observed in the opening paragraph of this lesson, however, God immanent in the world is associated with a personality; it is directly associated with the personality of Christ. It is called "The Light of Christ"—it "proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space." It is not then a personality in itself, that is in the sense of being of individual form, but proceeds forth from a personality; it is a presence rather than a person; an influence, a spiritual atmosphere, a power proceeding from another, and therefore is dependent on that other for its existence rather than being an independent existence; but as that "Other" on which it depends is eternal, so too this that proceeds forth from the personal presence to fill the immensity of space "is likewise eternal."[A]

[Footnote A: From the nature of things one has to develop his subject gradually, "line upon line," and the writer suggests that the student, if he finds the statement not fully established as here made, that he await its fuller statement in later pages.]

Again: This God Immanent, as we have seen, is called the "Light of Christ," "The Spirit of Christ." For which reason I have said above that the God Immanent is associated with the personality of the Christ. But if the God Immanent may be associated with the Christ, may it not also be associated with God, the Father, as well as with God the son? If God the Son has a spiritual influence, a light, an holy atmosphere radiating forth from him into space, in some manner analogous to the manner in which rays of light radiate from luminous suns in the physical world—may it not be reasonably concluded that God, the Father, also has such an influence, such a spiritual atmosphere proceeding forth from him? And if Father and Son have such a spiritual light proceeding forth from their presence, may it not be that all divine Intelligences have, similarly proceeding forth from their presence, such divine "light"?

7. The Spirit Atmosphere of Men: Our discussion may be helped here by an appeal to a matter of common experience. We know that every man and woman has an individual influence, a personal atmosphere extending beyond the personal self, more or less pronounced, according to the strength or weakness of his individuality. So generally is this conceded to be true that we designate its kind, or dominating character; as good or bad; refined or coarse; intellectual or boorish; spiritual or carnal. If, then, one may argue, the intelligences we know as men possess this atmosphere of personal influence extending beyond the personal self, how much more angels, arch-angels, and the higher Intelligences who have taken on, or participated in, the Divine Nature and entered into their exaltation and glory with other innumerable Divine Intelligences whom we call Gods—with how much more reason may we expect that these may have such spiritual influence proceeding forth from their presence?

8. The Identity of Spirit Influence Proceeding from all Divine Beings: From the scriptures we learn of the perfect oneness subsisting between God, the Father, and God, the Son. "I and my Father are one," is the oft repeated declaration of the Christ.[A] "I in thee, and thou in me,"[B] is the emphasis he lays upon the oneness of himself and the Father. Granting this moral and spiritual oneness—not physical oneness, for physically our theology holds Father and Son to be distinct and separate individuals[C]—but granting this moral, intellectual and spiritual alikeness—then it must follow that the spiritual influence of each, the intellectual and moral atmosphere of each, will be the same. "The Light of Christ" will be the same or identical with the light of the Father; and with the light of all Intelligences who have participated in the divine nature and become one with the Father and the Son. So that it might be properly held that the God Immanent is as much the "Light of the Father" as "The Light of Christ;" and since that light would be identical with the light of all perfected and holy beings, participating in the Divine nature, it could receive a name that would generalize it—the "Divine Spirit, Immanent in the Universe;" or, "God, the Spirit of the Gods,[D] Immanent in the Universe;" any of these characterizations would doubtless be admissible; but since it is through the Christ that the Divine nature and spirit is manifested in our world, it is but proper that this Divine Light which lighteth every man into the world—which is creative, sustaining, vital, and intelligence-inspiring power, should bear the name of Christ—and henceforth we shall recognize it as our modern revelations do, primarily, as "The Light of Christ." But there has always been a race of divine beings in existence, an eternal race, from whom such a divine influence or atmosphere has proceeded forth to "fill the immensity of space;" and that is what I meant a few paragraphs back when I said that as the source whence the God Immanent proceeded is eternal, so too is the immanence eternal, has always existed, and will always exist by whatsoever name it might have been or may be known.

[Footnote A: St. John x:30; xvii:22, et seq.]

[Footnote B: Ibid, verse 21.]