"CONSEQUENCES - CAUSE AND EFFECT"

"Father and Mother God, we approach Thee this night with grateful hearts and we ask Thee, out of Thy mighty Love, to bestow upon us consciousness of the protection over our lives. Grant that as we go on day by day, so the illumination may come that each step is guided by Thee, that each event that occurs irrespective of the free-will of the one concerned, is part of the plan. And if sorrow comes close oh, enable Thy children to see beyond the cloud the sunshine of Thy imperishable Love. Direct us in our thinking, and let our conversation with others be always on the courageous side, pointing out not the obstacles or the difficulties of the daily round, but the wonderful promise that when the pilgrim raises heart and mind to Thee, so the comfort comes and vision is given, by Thy grace...

"With happy, thankful hearts we commence our work this night. Father, bless us; Christ, strengthen us; and may the Holy Spirit be poured down so that as soldiers, recharged, we may continue our journey into the Light which never fades.... Amen...

"...My little children all, we are blest with the greatest gift which anyone can have, we are blest with the gift of mutual love. Oh, think not that any come here who are unknown to me or that suddenly I take on the position of guide. Away back in the far past, so your lives were linked to mine, and the Saviour, the One who loves you best, has blest the bond between us, for indeed it is of aspiration.

"Children, since we met together in this sweet way, big things, from your point of view, seem to have occurred. Sorrow, amazement, aye, that which represents pain in its deepest aspect, has touched some of my little ones; and, at the time, it appeared that those who had the guardianship of your lives - by the grace of God - that these had been lacking, had been caught unaware.

"But tonight, once more, I emphasise that nothing is due to chance, nothing has gone wrong, all is well. And although the test seemed to strain your spiritual resources almost to breaking-point, yet again I alter this and I tell you that the physical mind alone has suffered. The spirit within, linked to its Maker, is positive that all is not only 'well' but worked out on the lines of perfect Love.

"Little ones, you and I of necessity have many lessons to learn, but I would not have you take that word in an ominous way. To some, the word 'lessons' seems fraught with that which is repugnant both to the mind and to the heart, but the lessons which are connected with your spiritual progress, these, my children, bring mighty compensations; and although they appear difficult and distressing, out of the difficulties and the distress so the power comes, and through the pain, you learn to conquer that which is pain in very truth.

"Tonight, my little ones, according to the holy plan, I would speak to you on that which I name: 'Consequences' - that which perhaps you name: 'Cause and Effect'.

"I want you to think of this in connection with your lot, that which physical life holds, perhaps to your resentment. You long to do the great big deeds, and you are fettered by all that which hampers, so you think, your spiritual freedom - the trivial, the mundane, the imposition upon your time of that which, apparently, leaves no sign behind. All this, dear children, thwarts, so you think, your greater self. Yet, I would instruct you thus:

"In those stages before the physical, aye, long before the sojourn on this little earth was thought of by you, certain things took place. You know it yourself. At times you struggled and overcame, at times the opposing forces seemed too strong; and thus it was that many lessons had to be learned over again.

"Yet, remember this: That at the present time upon the physical plane, there are countless thousands who are ignoring those lessons, who are shirking their responsibilities, who are evading that which, some time, must be undertaken by them. Today, so it seems, their lives run on comparatively easy lines; yet, that big word comes up and cannot be gainsayed: Consequences - the reaping after the sowing of tares.

"And then, my little ones, many are placed thus, and, sometimes, when the shadows are too pressing, a sense of injustice seizes their minds and their attitude is logical so far as the present is concerned. But those with spiritual sight throw down upon that which seems so secure the light of revelation, and facts - the facts of physical life - crumble up under that which is Love. I speak of those whose lives have been controlled by the follies of others; I speak of those who can say with truth: 'Had my parents acted differently, how changed would my lot be now; how much happiness would have been mine if only those who went before had taken the way of obedience to their better selves'...

"I speak to countless thousands, who, in this time, are anguished through the weakness of another, whose lives are linked to one who knows not God, aye, who has forgotten that, some day, there must come a reckoning and a paying back. I speak to those amongst you who have friends so placed. They say to themselves and justly, so it sounds: 'Had I committed a folly, had I turned from good, had I broken the law, I could understand that punishment must be mine. But in my little way I have struggled, I have clung to truth, I have endeavoured to hold on to Christ; yet, in spite of this, I suffer even as the one who has committed that which is a crime against the Divine within'... So unfair it seems, and a sense of injustice creeps over the mind and chills the heart... One suffers for the weakness of another.

"This aspect of Consequences is laid out all around. As it were, you see the picture of another's life. Its beauty has been marred by the careless hand, the destructive act; yet, forget not that that which is obvious to the physical eyes and mind, is physical alone. That which is engraved there, weaved, portrayed - use what word you will - that is of the Spirit; the material is too coarse to express it and so it passes unnoticed, and even those who love their God question sometimes whether God is truly aware of their plight...

"Children, we have talked of this before and I have endeavoured to show you that humanity, as a whole, must go forward in order that the Divine purpose may be worked out. And so it is, and so it has been over the past, and so it will be in the stage to come, that the strong souls take the double burden, the brave souls not only endure the pain which is their portion but carry that portion which is ignored by others.

"This is the spiritual interpretation of the lives of those who are finding the road to God steep and difficult. Could you see as I am permitted to see, you would know as I know, that such as these bear not only their own burdens but have gathered up some of those which have been discarded by the careless, the heedless, the wilful, by those who have no wish to be strong.

"Yet, forget not the wonderful link this makes with the Beloved, with the One who has hesitated never to take on more. Cannot you see that, as it were, it is a flash of comprehension passed on from the Divine within? The physical mind half understands, but, in degree, the spirit is in control, and though the mind of the body complains, the burdens are carried until the glorious end...

"My children, send out your compassion to the wilful ones, the blind ones; for the spiritual law set into being at the creation of man in God's own image - the spiritual Law of Consequences - goes hand in hand with free-will. And though the Father and though His messengers fight and never give up, yet the gift of free-will is abused, distorted, desecrated, defiled by the individual, and consequences must be faced, if not in one stage then in another. What a man sows, that must he reap.

"But oh, my children, remember that as the word 'lessons' can be a joy so also the word 'consequences' can represent the radiance of the Realms of Light. Man, in his bondage, so oft forgets this. He sends out a message to the idle crowd or to those who will listen to him, and in his mind the word 'consequences' stands for the punishment of God.

"But we know better, we have learnt that even in the reaping of the tares, so God's mighty Love is at work. Out of the anguish which follows weakness and turning from the Father, out of that anguish so the good seeds are sown. Out of the weariness of retracing the steps, out of the distress over the unlearnt lessons, out of the effort to do a little better next time, so, my little ones, as was said, the tares are burnt up and the good grain remains.

"Even from the most sorrowful side that word 'consequences' expresses a hope which those of the physical plane have scarce considered at all. Consequences - the paying back, the inevitable retribution - what does it mean? It means the working out of that which is contrary to the progress of the individual concerned, and it means the first step, or the second or the third, towards that perfection which each one must attain in time to come...

"Oh, my children, in conversation with those you know, let this attitude be ever yours: If one comes to you who has, in your language, sinned against God and man, then say to them: 'You cannot be saved from the consequences of your act, but, out of the consequences, so you shall redeem yourself, that self which is Divine'.

"Cannot you see, my little ones, how the mighty Mind of God instituted a wonderful saving grace in the inevitable punishment which man brings upon himself? For out of the suffering, out of all that which goes contrary to desire, so a little foundation is put together for better things. If you could but grasp it, the consequences which follow on weakness or wilfulness are a precious gift in themselves, for it means, dear children, that that which has gone awry is straightened once again.

"And when you turn to that which is dear to the Heart of Christ, then you find something of the inner meaning of the word which before escaped your physical minds. Think of it as this: The kind thought, the little helpful deed, the prayer, the wanting to rise, the desire to protect another, the pangs over those who are suffering through their own folly. What of the consequences of such as this?

"Ah, you cannot understand; these things are so gigantic, because they are of God, that during the earth stage they are hidden from your sight. Yet, even so, what of the consequences of the numbness, the blindness, which makes the road more difficult still? Oh, is it not plain where Love is concerned? And thus it is that many pass out of the body and are staggered by their gifts, by their powers, by all that which has been preserved for them by the One who loves them best.

"Consequences - Cause and Effect: This, dear children, applies to every branch of life, to every form of creation. One suffers through no fault or folly of their own. For a while they reap the consequences in an adverse sense, but cannot you interpret it in the Christ sense? In a little while, the consequences of those other consequences are revealed before your gaze, and, with joy, you gather up your gifts and thank the Giver, the One who instituted so loving a plan, so constructive a law, so merciful a provision for His children...

"This relates to those, who, through bondage to self, are now encaged in that which represents darkness and sorrow. Their pangs, their distress - aye, out of that which has been self-inflicted - so, through the anguish which it brings, these, in time to come, are a little nearer to the Light, and once the longing comes for the Light, lo, the Light is there.

"Oh, condemn not God in your hearts or minds over the suffering of His many creations. Provision is made and there is a protection inconceivable to your physical minds; but God cannot force man to take, until man is willing. This, as I have said before, is the tragedy which surrounds the mighty Mind of Love: God cannot give in greater measure than man can take. Yet, because free-will must not be tampered with, even by the One who gave the gift, so All-Wisdom has provided that out of the pangs of consequences, so man, in spite of himself, shall be redeemed in the end...

"My children, think of Christ, the One so tender, the One so charged with love - the consequences of His attempt to teach and guide the people, those consequences which were shown to all upon that which you name the Cross of Calvary. Consequences - aye, but what has been brought out of those consequences? The Beloved, out of His love for humanity, gave to those in His surroundings a message which they were unwilling to receive, and the consequences were the death of the physical garment. That you know.

"But again, the scene is changed, and out of those consequences, so the restoration of man shall come to pass. Countless thousands, in visualising His patience and His humility, have found freedom for themselves; yet, in turn, perchance persecution followed hard upon the tracks of conviction. They suffered for the Truth which was within, but, out of those consequences, so many others have gained the Light which otherwise would not have been their own; and again, from the consequences of courage, though punishment from man's point of view followed fast, so those others raised their hearts to God, and the Divine purpose has been worked out. And, when such as these pass into Life, they see that which is the consequence of a life lived and laid down for their God...

"I would take you farther; I would say that even those who crucified the Master and reaped the consequences of their hatred and their blindness - that out of the suffering, out of the darkness and the hideous conditions into which they passed, so, by the pangs endured, as a 'consequence' they entered into the sunshine of Eternal Love.

"Limit not God; impose no restriction on that which has been instituted for man's redemption. God is not mocked, and though His children fall a million times, the day will come when, at the Feet of their Saviour - the One who has never given them up, the One who had faith in them from the beginning - they will receive that which is the cross of service and go on their way rejoicing.

"This is Eternal Truth, and that word 'consequences' represents a miracle of Divine Love, constructive in every part, glorious in its inner meaning, perfect in its working out. And that working out can come when the individual is willing. Man delays his liberation by his own free-will, yet God still holds liberty before him, one day to be made his own for ever and for ever...

"So, my children, I leave this for you to ponder over. The subject in itself has many aspects, many channels which I have not touched upon; but I want you to release the wisdom which is within; to work out in thought the operation of this spiritual law.

"As you ponder, so illumination will come; and as the Light is vouchsafed, so indeed it will be revelation of a Love to which there is no end. The Love of God is beyond your comprehension and beyond the comprehension of those who worked with Him upon the earth plane; the Love of God is illimitable, and, in its scope, is included every creation, every being, every plane, every condition. God created that mighty Law of Consequences so that His little ones, at last, might share in the peace and the joy which His Love expresses...

"Now, my children, I will leave you. Hold fast to these holy conditions and give out of your best, for we work not for ourselves alone but for the emancipation of thousands beyond your physical ken. I gather them in. My love is sent out into distant planes where twilight abounds. Those who are there, see a light, and out of the curiosity which they have retained as an earthly memory, they gather as near as they can to the light, and I speak to them in the Name of the great and tender Shepherd: I bid them be of good cheer and never, never go back... They are pressing in on all sides, anxious to learn yet doubting, hopeful yet fearful; but out of that faint spark of effort which they have shown, so those who work for Love pass on that love, and such as these shall rise to brighter and better things... Thus I go..."

"...My children all, we meet, and, so it appears to you, we part; but remember ever that in the Spirit no barriers exist. You think of those who love you, separated so it seems, by the loss of the physical garment. Ere the thought came, so they were instilling the thought, and this relates to us all. You are here for a purpose - to learn something as to that Truth which is permanent for ever. You learn so that you may teach in turn. The consequences of this night must be passed on, and passed on again, else the will of the Father is only done in little part.

"So, my children, with hopeful hearts continue on your way. Let sorrow and those things which tear the heart, let them be translated into spiritual truth - gain, achievement - and, in conditions fairer than your minds can conjure up, they will be found in all their beauty... Something endured, something overcome, something constructed, something worked out - that is the will of God.

"The wings of Love fold us all in; the past is past, the present, perhaps, shows consequences not akin to the heart's desire; yet, out of this, so the blossoms of the spirit emerge and spread their beauty and their fragrance over others... Out of these consequences, so the seeds in the soil of other minds are sown, and as 'result' again, so that which was barren fulfils the law of God. And thus we go on, growing in understanding, wresting out of our struggles that which is revelation. Yet, our growth and our sight is as naught, unless those gifts are used in the Master's service...

"I bless you with the missionary spirit under Christ - the will to go on, not only yourselves but by your prayers, your dedication, your acts, to make it possible for others also to have the will to go on... In the Name of the Beloved I bless you with the determination which is Divine. Amen."

All rights are reserved and may not be used or reproduced, neither in whole nor in part thereof, in or on any form of media, including the Internet. The providing of direct hyperlinks to Greater World website copyright material is welcomed, thereby fulfilling any intended aspirations for anyone concerned whilst maintaining the integrity of the well-intentioned, deeply-considered and long-standing ideals of the Greater World.

The Greater World has sole copyright for the Zodiac Messages and came into existence as the Greater World Christian Spiritualist League in 1931 (U.K. Registered Charity No. 212369). The Greater World was originally established purely because of the Zodiac Messages and their introduction into earthly life by the Christ Messenger Zodiac and the further revelations of the Christ Mission expounded therein. The inception of the Greater World was for the preservation, as received, of the Zodiac Messages and the prudent dissemination of the spiritual philosophy, consequently perpetuating the incorruptibility, distinctiveness and uniqueness of the Zodiac Messages and the teachings contained therein.

Download 9 chronologically-ordered digital books of earlier Zodiac Circle sittings (1923-1928)

Listen to a reading of this Address