"GREAT POSSESSIONS"

"O great Spirit of Eternal Love, we thank Thee that Thou hast taught us as to the love which Thou hast for us all; we thank Thee again that by Thy example we can express, in a measure, something of the Divine Love which is within us. We call to Thee with our better selves and we ask Thee to give us that strength which we need to carry us through the days in front, and we know that as we pray so Thou art providing that all that is necessary shall be there; and we shall go on, step by step, ever upward yet conscious not of weariness but joying in the distance that lies behind.

"Oh, grant that our eyes may be fixed ever upon Thee and let not fear touch us because of Thy perfection and the imperfection which we, at this time, express. Let the comfort be poured down upon us that through our consciousness of the difference between our holiness and the holiness of those who have gone in front, that through this consciousness we have gained a possession, something which the earth cannot take away, something which is of the bright planes themselves.

"Father, knowing all things, the troubles and trials of physical life, the weariness and the weakness, oh, grant that we may feel Thee so close that as we go on the word Christ may rise ever to our lips - Christ our Companion, the One who never fails.

"Father, we thank Thee for Thy mighty understanding and for the illumination which has been given to these Thy children gathered here. Amen...

"...My little ones, it is my privilege tonight to again call in your loving thoughts, and ere I commence that which you name the Instruction, I want you all to realise that your point of view - as well as that which your lives represent - that this, and much more, is known to me through that sight and understanding gifted by the Most High.

"And when I speak of those present, I wish to include all who read my words. I would say to this child far away: God understands, and because He understands so He has instructed that this night I send you words of cheer. To that one who is a stranger to you but nevertheless your brother or your sister under Christ, to that one I say: Oh, be of good courage. Faith planted even as the tiny seed will bring forth a harvest which, as yet, is hidden from your physical mind...

"To all I speak, and I say that around you, individually, there are those strong in the Love of God, and by your desire to get nearer to holy things so, indeed, you have fastened them to your vibrations, for it is the Father's will that aspiration should receive that which shall turn aspiration into reality.

"This point, dear children, is not as yet fully understood. There are many who love Christ and wish to do their little best, who cry out of the sorrow within: 'My ideals may be high but my actions they are second or third from the best'. And within, the conflict goes on; strength fights with weakness and sometimes overcomes, and, again, weakness seems so far-reaching that the Divine - the real self - cannot make that headway which it desires.

"Oh, grief in many aspects, as it were, like rain seems to fall upon the child who wishes to keep close to God. 'Today I fail; what about tomorrow? Does not this indicate failure again? Yesterday I tried to do better but ere night fell, the weariness of the body caused me to stumble. Can I try again, conscious of the many failures which lie in front!'...

"My little ones, these thoughts, in themselves, are a severe test upon that determination which you endeavour to make your own. When such thoughts crowd around you, put fear aside and say with faith: 'God will help me; even if I fail, God will help me to retrieve, and I shall work it out'.

"Yes, my children, to some of you this - in the language of your little world - this goes home. To many more than you can imagine, it applies in equal measure, and the great Father, the One who never misunderstands, He has instructed me this night to lead you away from the edge of the wood into the sunshine of trust in Him.

"Immediately, the physical mind conjures up that which is possessed by others: The things of the world, its so-called assets, aye, and the talents of the mind - that which the few do so easily and bring down upon them the admiration of the majority who are not gifted in the same degree. Great possessions - the capacity to hold the attention of the crowd, to be honoured by the populace, to be treated in a deferential manner by the many who, though perhaps they know it not, have set up that god of wealth and worship at its shrine...

"Yes, dear children, you all know those who have great possessions in the world's way of averaging gain and loss; and I want to speak plainly upon this point, for there are some who have gained the impression that to have treasure of any kind is a sign of weakness, a sign that Christ is not in their heart and mind.

"First, I would touch upon wealth, because there are those who have much; and at times the thought comes: 'Is this sin in the eyes of God?' Little ones, that which you name 'sin' very often is associated with possessions, yet, blame not things material but only the bondage of the one who holds. The one who has many possessions can bring down upon himself the blessing of the Christ if he is a faithful steward of that entrusted to his care - a faithful steward following the example of the Master, and holding not to himself when there are others in dire need of necessities to keep physical life within the garment that is worn.

"Such as these can look back over a life of usefulness, over a life which indeed reflects the Christ-mind, the Christ example. Simple lives many of them lead; they curtail their desires for this and for that; they treat the body as something which must have its nourishment but no more; luxury or indulgence finds no place in their plan of life. These are blest by the Father and they are preparing themselves for the fuller life Hereafter, when great possessions of another kind shall be their own.

"And while I am on this subject, I would say to those known by my children, those who have the things of the earth, that the Divine within is instructing them as to the next step and the next. Let not any within their vibrations by their influence check them in that which they seek to do.

"And then, my children, there are the talented, those whom you admire so much; the clever ones, the ones who can grapple with any subject and find few obstacles to bar the possession of the facts they seek to make their own. 'Oh, fortunate are these' you cry, 'how different my life would be if I had their mental equipment!'

"Little ones, beware, take care. Over and over again, right through the past, there have been many awakened souls, those conscious in part, who have been misled by that which their minds represented. When such as these are free from the body, so they find themselves bound by the thoughts of the body; and that which you name the 'mental plane' represents a multitude, who, as it were, have reached the first plateau of endeavour and have settled themselves in its pleasant conditions to admire the view beneath.

"Mark my words. They have that which seems as beauty and splendour to them. On each side there is that which speaks to them of the knowledge which they have made their own, and their thoughts and their eyes are ever upon that which is material rather than spiritual.

"It is even as with yourselves in physical life. You climb a hill and you admire the valley beneath. You raise your eyes to the sky but the brightness of the sun sends you back into the shade. This is a symbol of those gifted with great mental powers. They cannot raise their eyes and meet the light of illumination, for they have not been prepared. They prefer to look and ponder on that through which they have passed themselves; there is a charm in the familiar, there is a companionship in that which represents a lesson learnt, a difficulty overcome...

"Children, while in the physical body bound by physical limitations, you cannot look at the sun of your little earth; but because of the Divine within and its link with the great Creator, you have the strength to raise your eyes to the sun of revelation, and though at first bewilderment may be your own, gradually, stage by stage, you become accustomed to higher and higher vibrations, and as you become, as it were, acclimatised, so those vibrations are made your own...

"Oh, dear children, take care. I know how attractive the tools of the mind appear when in the physical body. Did I not experience this myself? For years, for a period longer than you have lived upon the earth plane, I delved and I explored, I concentrated on the knowledge of the world; and it was as a man aged as you regard time, that at last I extricated myself from the toils of knowledge and came face to face with Wisdom and Love combined (Jesus the Christ).

"Little ones, think you to yourselves how much I had to free myself from, and had it not been for the Gentle Stranger, the Saviour, I should have passed out bound by a thousand chains, unconscious of my imprisonment for many a weary year to come.

"Children, keep that high goal before your mind; set your eyes not on the plateau of knowledge but on the Cross of Wisdom, which is far, far beyond. And when you look amongst your friends and give them admiration for that which their physical mind conceives and works out, oh, remember, that unless they know in time, the planes of the Spirit will be closed to them when they pass hence...

"The way to God is simplicity itself; the way to God is keeping your own path free from obstacles and entanglements and helping others to do the same. Just the raising of the heart to God, just the trying to think strong thoughts instead of weak, and remembering to put your desires and your ideals into practice as you go along. That is all; that is the simple steep path to God.

"And if any of those who take pride in their intellect say: 'That is too simple for me', then I answer: 'Try it, my friend, and you will find it more difficult to follow than that which you have built up for yourself'. Simple it sounds but oh, so hard to follow. The strong thought instead of the weak thought, the kind thought instead of the critical thought, the helping hand when the weariness of the body cries 'rest', and, above all, faith and trust in God, the positive faith that He understands. Oh, try it, my friends - you who prefer the intricate path - try it, and you will find that all your resources will be called into play to keep you steady on that which, in outline, is simplicity itself...

"Great possessions. How strange those words seem to us once we are free from the limitation of physical things. Great possessions. Little ones, I would draw your attention to what indeed is a sweet possession: You find it here in the link of friendship which holds you fast. Never let that link be broken, for it has been blest by God; it is indeed a possession which cannot be bought and cannot be sold. It is part of the Divine within - the instinct of friendship, that give and take, that throwing out over the other love, sympathy and patience. It is a treasure that will hold revelation upon revelation when you are free.

"Great possessions lie around each one. In this little room, as always, gather those known, sensed, but sometimes unseen. They are yours and you belong to them; they are the ones who have taken the hard road in a time long past, and with joy in their hearts they come to this one and that to help them in the experiences which they have chosen for the sake of the Christ within.

"And here, dear children, I would emphasise a point which one day you will recognise as Truth itself. I speak to those with weak and suffering bodies. Child (Mrs. L. Whittaker), it is your great possession, although I know you have regarded it as a burden almost too heavy to be born, but in time to come, you will see it in its true character - as a gift, something which you, out of the aspiration within, took on so that your aspiration might not be of the mind or the soul alone, but established as concrete fact. A little while - and it will seem thus to you in the sweet tomorrow - a little while you endure with what fortitude you can draw forth, for the sake of the great possession which it will represent for all Eternity; and the pangs in that time will seem as nothing in comparison to the mighty gain...

"Oh, keep your vision clear, dear children. It was not the Father's will that the physical tabernacle should represent so much distress, but over the past, through turning from the Light, so the consequences have been worked out in the bodies which some spirits must wear. Yet out of the anguish so God restores, and in the Hereafter those who suffered shall say with the ones who suffered with them: 'God's ways are best'. The strong soul takes the hard path, the painful path, out of its desire to bring that understanding which shall indeed open the gate into the higher wisdom when the physical stage is o'er.

"Those with strong bodies, when Christ dominates their heart and mind, they delight to give of their strength to others, to be, as it were, the extra brick which saves the foundation from falling. Those with strong bodies who work for the weak, putting their great possession to just the use which the Father intended, that use which is part of the purpose and the plan.

"Oh, little ones, reinterpret life by the Light which shines from the One who loves you best. Keep your thoughts free from the earth's point of view, for it has been sadly distorted by ignorance and wilfulness over the past. Look at that which is around you through the eyes of faith, let illumination shine upon that which is ugly or miserable in its appearance, and say not to yourself: 'This repels me; that causes something akin to loathing'. But pause, consider the maimed one, the child covered with that which you name disease, and remember that though man destroys, God reconstructs and retrieves, and the blindness or the deafness or the dumbness, in time to come, shall be their great possession, for God is not mocked and His angels have guard over such as these...

"Children, I know that when I speak to you in this wise, I have your love and your thoughts and I thank you, for this represents to me my great possession, my priceless gift. And so I bring you on to that which is the treasure of our hearts, and I want you to think of Christ and His attitude towards His little ones:

"Your response brings to me a joy no words can express, yet, my children, you are not part of me, you are only my brother, my sister, under our Father and Mother God. So, try to increase your realisation of what the Saviour feels towards those who are part of Himself - the ones He yearns over, the ones who, for a long period, were completely out of touch with Him, although He was never out of touch with them.

"Think of His patience, His Love, aye, all the effort poured out over you and me; and then His joy when those who are His own at last turn to Him, only perhaps with faint affection at first, yet that first glimmer of recognition is a promise of the fullness in time to come. And then as consciousness increases as to the great Fount of Love which is ours by heritage, by gift, so in the end we claim our greatest Possessions and all else seems as naught... Christ has brought us into that Home from which we will never retreat again, the Shepherd after much seeking has found the lost lamb, and the fold is complete.

"Oh, children, try still more, and again still more, to realise something of the Love of God as expressed in that most tender One, the Saviour of the World. Stretch out your hearts and minds to Him; pray ever: 'Release Thou the love within!' For once affection turns into love, as we understand love, so sorrow, disaster, pains of the body, separation - all these things are covered o'er by the consciousness of the One who loves us best, His unceasing care, His unlimited protection of that which is the real self, the Divine within, which is part of the great Godhead and understands all things...

"And now, my children, I will leave you for a space; yet, again and again, I must return to other phases of this great subject, for the word 'possessions' hides much beneath. You know naught of its real scope, its power and its blessing, but as we go on, slowly - for true wisdom only can be made your own by gradual stages - slowly, I will impart that which the Master instructs, and as I speak and as you listen, so the Holy Spirit is enlarging your vision, expanding the borders of your understanding, and bringing consciousness of a little more and a little more of the mighty Mind of Love. And now I go..."

"...Friends, it is one of old... I am that one who had great possessions. A prince of Israel, perchance, you would name me; as a child of God I entreat you to meet me, as I speak.

"Over the past, I see a great array - I see those of my kind, those who had my equipment; but this night I stand in your presence, bowed in humility before the Great Divine... Even as the lily, in robes of white I find myself - the lily, that which is greater than Solomon in all his glory. Yet, I would speak that which has been ordained.

"Friends, when I approached the Master and put the question to Him and received His simple answer, as stated in the Record (Matt. 19: 16-22), sorrow came upon me for I had much treasure. In those days, as today - yet, methinks in greater measure - that which you name poverty was on all sides; and the thought came to me that even with that which represented my wealth, no difference would be visible, indeed it scarce would be felt. It was as taking a cup of water and pouring it upon the thirsty desert; a second and the hot sun made all dry again...

"And I thought me thus: If I hold, I lose the blessing. If I give, I am without and the benefit to others will disappear as the morning dew. And so I communed within, yet the eyes of the Stranger held me fast. I looked upon Him; dust was upon His cloak, that which protected His feet was old and worn...

"This one, a Holy Prophet, had naught; yet, from within, so the realisation came that He had a possession greater than e'er could be my own. I departed, yet I stayed, for my real self lingered behind, and it was as an empty frame I continued on my way...

"There have been many who have pondered within as to my choice, as to that great decision which was mine. Yet, I smile at their thoughts, I smile at their ignorance - for could they not guess that once I had met the eyes of the Christ, all else would be swept aside?... I left the Master but that which was my self remained.

"Friends, it is difficult to put these things into words... As time sped, so I cast off my robes and donned the pilgrim's garb, and I trod the path - that simple yet difficult path - with those you name the disciples, and I was one. Thanks be to God, praise to the All-Glorious One - I was deemed worthy to give that once soft body of mine for the Truth which was within...

"As I speak the fire seems all around, yet the flames they touch me not. The very light was symbolical of the revelation held out before me, and that which you name the stake was my greatest possession, for it bound me to the Crucified as naught else could have done. The past is present, yes, the present reflects that wonderful gift of mine in the past...

"So strange is that cloud of memory. I feel upon me once more the heavy garment that indeed was a symbol of the prisoner that I was... Ah, now it is gone and I am free - then the humble way, the peaceful way, and the agony at the end...

"Oh, wondrous are the ways of God, wondrous is His Love. The cleansing came by the flames; it was as if the past was gathered together in the faggots that were around, and when I was free it was freedom in very truth. Out of that which was my 'punishment', so the gift of purity was made my own. Man's ways - God's ways. The possessions of the earth and the possessions of the Spirit...

"Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed as the lily - that which expresses a thought of God.

"Farewell. Yet we shall meet again in this same way. I would speak to you of the child I bore in my arms through that last journey when the gate of the earth was opened wide. That child has been sensed by the instrument I use, and in time to come she shall speak, for the little ones are very 'near' to God.

"Farewell, yet give me of your thoughts, and, perchance, a little of your love. Call me not poor but rich. I am rich beyond my wildest dreams and all that I have it would be my delight to give to you in turn, but alas, we can only give in the measure that you can take, and therein lies that which is named the justice of God...

"...My dear children, over this little room something has been built up which, in time, shall strengthen your faith and harden your determination in a way that nothing of the world will have the power to destroy. Remember, that as you meet here evening by evening, bringing your dedication and your love for each other, so God, taking your contribution, has weaved it in with all those gifts which He longs to bestow upon His own. The power in these vibrations is established for all time, and as you go on with steady wills, with minds receptive to that which we would impart, so you shall bring to yourselves demonstration after demonstration of the Holy Spirit, revelation after revelation of the mighty Love of God...

"Oh, children, this gift of yours is a great possession; it has been bestowed by the One who is our Treasure. Christ dominates these conditions; He controls my words as well as my thoughts, and each one of those who speak to you in this way, each one is that much nearer to the Master by the consciousness of His Presence in your midst.

"Keep your vision clear; turn ever to the One who has enabled you to understand something of the God-Mind. Hold fast to His tenderness, and remember that this companionship will grow closer and closer as you climb the hill, and as the realisation comes of the Christ by your side, so the Christ within will gain its freedom, and in being blest so you shall scatter the blessing around.

"Great possessions are yours now and in the days to come. Thank the Giver, acknowledge the Bestower, and in peace go your way.

"I bless you with consciousness of your great gifts, with realisation of the One who gives all, and with a mighty faith to do His work in the measure that you see and understand in each stage of your development.

"The blessing of the Christ is upon you all; hold it fast and trust in His unlimited power.

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)