"THE GOSPEL OF NO DEFEAT"

"Dear beloved and fellow workers, joy fills my heart to come into your midst, but I want you to know that I have drawn close to all who love the Lord Jesus and have sought to do His Will. So to the spirit of many of you I am not a stranger, but one who is regarded as a friend, and I ask you to try to strengthen the link between us, because there is so much to be done in the little time that lies ahead.

"I would emphasise this point: There are those gathered here who have anxieties, who find that the daily road seems full of tests; their courage fails them, and sometimes the voice of the tempter asks: 'Is it worthwhile struggling on?' Because I know this, surely I delight to come into your presence, and using the Power of the Holy Spirit, to do my part to give you strength and courage, so that you may see in the years to come that although once you were in the valley, you are now upon the hillside, and sorrow can touch you no more.

"I am instructed to speak to you upon a simple theme: 'The Gospel of No Defeat'.

"Dear children, think of the Master Jesus and of His short life in the physical body when upon the earth plane. There was so much to hinder, so little understanding even from the ones who loved Him best. But again and again He had to face the test of being tempted by those who loved Him, those who wanted to protect Him from the enemies which were around.

"There were rich men - they were among my own friends - and so gladly would they have taken the Master and hidden Him from those who were determined to destroy. Again and again the Master had to fence back that outward expression of love - the love that would have saved Him from fulfilling his earthly mission.

"And, as you know, straight into the very midst of danger He went, and at last He stood alone, because even the love of His followers could not conquer their fear, for in those times authority represented a terrible force. Liberty, as you claim it, was unknown.

"There were those swift with the whip and with torture, those who were determined to suppress the masses and were prepared to take the fullest methods which evil could devise. We must not judge these humble men, who knew so little, because they forsook Jesus and fled. The Master understood, and as He looked into the future, He knew that by the contact made with Him, the time would come when their own courage would be strong enough to face martyrdom in turn.

"And this is a point so often overlooked by those on earth: The gathering together by slow methods, the endurance, the moral courage, so that there is no defeat. Although the unseen enemies may strike to the right and left, although the body may be weakened by illness, although the heart may be aching from the unkindness that is around, there is something, fragment by fragment, which has been built together by the soaring soul, which at last enables that one to stand firm of purpose, unafraid, although there seems no earthly hope for him at all.

"I want you to think for a moment or two upon your churches and temples, upon the workers there, upon the good seed that is sown, and how one here and there, is tempted to throw a few bad seeds in amongst the good seeds, and at last it seems to some that there is nothing worth fighting for, the weeds are growing so fast. You know my words are true, you know the cause of disunion in the churches arises from that very human element - jealousy and misunderstanding.

"You know also, dear children, that it is this that has cut into the religions over the generations that have passed. There has been one sect fighting against another sect, there has been no spirit of cooperation. But amongst those who believe in the teachings of Christ, there should be a meeting-ground, a possibility of cooperation upon fundamentals, each going their own way in regard to organisation and missionary work.

"The little centres and circles, as you name them, are dear to the hearts of those who work for Christ unseen around you, and because they are so dear, there are the enemies of the Christ who seek to destroy that which has been built up with so much effort over the past.

"So the challenge comes to you, and whether you have a church of your own or not, whether you even attend one of these churches or not, the matter is urgent for you. What are you doing in the way of cooperating with other disciples of the Christ?

"I know there are many here who are cooperating in a wider measure than they understand. They are kind of heart, willing to serve with love not only their own children but the children of others; and one day, when such as these are free, with what joy will they go over the past and find they were putting into operation the law of spiritual cooperation. They were working, unknown by themselves, as spiritual mediums of the Most High, aiding God to help His own upon the earth, helping God to further the mighty scheme and plan, helping God to show that there is such a thing as love, man to man, woman to woman, the love that can heal and rebuild.

"So, while I want you to take comfort, I want you to consider another point as well: It is this great question of moral courage. There are men and women who, if they saw a child in danger of fire, would forget self and dash forward at personal risk to save the little one. That is courage.

"But there are many who cannot rise to another kind of courage; they allow themselves to be over-persuaded by the unseen enemies who are around. Sometimes, dear children, when you are in a group talking together, there is one who speaks unworthily of his greater self, there may be another slandering his neighbour, there may be still another spurning the Voice of God; and because you are all good fellows together, because you are friends, sometimes the temptation comes to remain silent when spiritual courage should inspire you to speak.

"Now, I want to underline that these sins of omission are graver than man understands, because he has not been rightly taught. 'You must not!' - cries the God within - 'you must not keep silent when wrong is being done, otherwise you are an aider and abettor.' You may answer me: 'If I spoke, probably it would cause a quarrel. Is it wise to provoke disharmony?'

"I know these old arguments so well. I ask you to speak not in anger, but firmly, in love; you must not arraign yourselves on the side of the enemy. There is an unseen angel trying to rectify, trying to inspire, trying to lift the conditions. Is it not an honour to cooperate with such a one? Is it not a dishonour, for the sake of holding popularity, to allow that which is false, which is vile, to go on?

"So I am sent back to argue with those upon the earth plane. The voice of compromise and expediency is harkened to again and again and again, but we must remember that before we were friends with God, God was a friend of ours; and before we were friends with man, God showed us what friendship could represent, and our loyalty lies first with the Great Example, with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

"I ask all who will read my words, in silence and alone, to grapple with this fact, for indeed it is a spiritual fact: that moral courage - the courage to stand for the highest and the best - has yet to be developed, even in some of those who name themselves disciples of the Most High.

"Then I come to the world at large, and because you are citizens of the earthly world, this point concerns you vitally as well. There are those, using the tools of the mind, who seek to betray others. There are others who are determined, by ruthless methods, to have their own way and to work their own will; and some who work amongst them feel that the line of least resistance is the only one to follow. That word 'diplomacy' is responsible for the entrapment of many a soul who otherwise would be worthy.

"But the path of the Christian is clear, and those who have passed into the Light, find that one of the first lessons they must learn is resistance against diplomacy, to find the courage to face the truth and acclaim it.

"Often you hear that the means are justified by the end, but that is not the teaching of the Christ. He passed amongst those bound in very truth, but He did not look upon them with a flattering eye, nor did He give out words that would soothe, words that would protect Himself. No, dear children, you remember that as He stood amongst some, He had the courage to call them whited sepulchres, because He knew that they were insincere in purpose and in act.

"When you are free from the flesh and your eyes open on that which represents to you the greatest form of beauty, there will be many surprises, some so sweet, some which will make you think and cause you serious meditation. I wonder if you can imagine the awakening of souls who professed to follow the Master, and yet, when they saw a weaker one imposed upon, held their peace - the awakening of a so-called Christian who has evaded the truth in order to curry favour with another.

"Yes, these things must be faced by every soul. You are not meant to go amongst your fellows to wound by striking them with sharp words; but if you have learned the Law of Christ, you are meant to go to them and with loving understanding say: 'One day I felt as you feel today; I will tell you how I found it was wrong.' And then gently to explain, but to be firm, immovable over right and wrong.

"Then, dear children, as we think upon the complications of life, the many tests and few aspects of comfort that seem to be offered to suffering man, can you not draw to yourselves the realisation that you are in training, that long before you were flesh you were spirit? I tell you, you have had uncountable lives in other worlds, and the same law applies to the Hereafter. This is only one stage, a short stage, but an important one, because you have consciousness of right and wrong.

"Therefore I reason with you, with the men particularly, because so often rebellion arises in their heart and mind. To the practical business man comes the proposition of having a little now, and losing in time to come. The wise man, the one with experience, is willing to cut down his expenses, to cut down his pleasures, to work while the vitality is his own, if he can see that a little later on there will come to him something of security.

"Well, my beloved, the same law applies in the spirit spheres. So many, while the flesh holds, squander their divine inheritance, they are wildly extravagant with the gift of Divinity that has been made their own; but when they pass out, they find themselves as paupers - everything torn from them which could have secured a wonderful future. As you talk amongst yourselves, you say: 'Oh, the folly, the waste!'

"So I turn to the many who have had hard lives, when the joy there might have been seems to be clouded by material care - many who have suffered sore in body, and see no hope of a stronger body in time to come. For you, dear children, came the Christ with His marvellous gospel of no defeat. Only a little while longer must you struggle on, only a few more pains to be borne, only a few more betrayals by so-called friends, and then finished - the darkness of the earth life, scattered by the golden glory of the dawn. You are free, not only from the flesh, but from the sorrows of the earthly life, and joy upon joy awaits you in the Better Land.

"This is the message that I come to bring to suffering humanity upon the earth plane - the gospel of no defeat - the real courage, the moral courage to go along day after day, hour after hour, holding faith with God, although it may seem to others that He has forgotten you. But the Father of Eternal Love is honouring you by allowing you to develop upon spiritual lines, by allowing the Divinity within you to cast off its bonds, so that sweet liberty may be yours for evermore.

"I plead with you all to press on with the great Christ Mission, to face the sacrifices you have had to make, and to reason with yourselves. Today you give up the things that tempt, so that tomorrow your arms may be empty and ready to hold the treasure that God has prepared for you, a faithful child.

"In these days of misery and poverty and industrial and racial persecution, surely as never before, suffering men and women want a gospel of no defeat. There may be those arraigned against the Christ, who crucify the body and tear away the possessions striven for and suffered for, but the words of Christ ring through the conditions: No defeat! Such as these cannot touch the aspiring spirit within; the flesh has a life that is fleeting, while the Christ within you, lives on for evermore.

"Spread the Good News, go amongst your brethren who are so hard oppressed, speak with firmness, with determination; wrestle with them until they can see the light of the Love of God streaming down upon their darkened lives, and can raise themselves and give thanks that at last they have made their own the gospel of no defeat.

"Now, dear children, I must leave you, loving you so well, understanding the struggles and the temptations which are around you; yet calling to the leaders to forge on, hesitate not, show still more spiritual courage, stand for the right unafraid; and though there may be friends to pass them by, though there may be many to criticise and tear to pieces, still to have the courage to stand firm for the right, so that God can be expressed to others through that which they seek to do.

"I bless you with a greater understanding. Build your little dreams about life in the Spirit World, raise your ideals as the days go on, visualise to yourselves a condition where love and service abound on either side; and when the whip of trouble seems to flay your body, let your thoughts go out to the little by-and-by, and peace shall come, and faith shall be revived, and because of this, the light in the lantern of others shall be rekindled and so once more shall illumine this darkened world.

"Again I say: I bless you with the realisation of the glory of battling on, of the wonder of the gospel of no defeat, and I turn your eyes to the Christ, that Perfect Example of no defeat, but Love triumphant for evermore.

"Peace be with you all, dear children, but in the sleep state many of us will meet again. Farewell."

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