THE EVOLUTION OF THE SOUL.

BY JANE W. YARNALL.

Every individual should know something of what is meant by the soul's unfoldment, and first of all should know and realize in the fullest sense that every aspect or quality that may be considered divine is involved in every soul.

We should begin with the infant to educate the soul, and to give a brief explanation of the process, we must know that much responsibility rests with parents and teachers in forming the character of the child. The character and soul may be said to be identical. When a child has been carefully taught that truth is the greatest factor in the character of the child, and that sentiment is kept carefully unsullied from childhood to youth, and from youth to manhood, or maturity, there will be very little danger of a departure from that principle. Truth in act as well as in words, Truth in thought as well as in speech, Truth according to principle in every act, and in every word, is a very rare thing on the plane on which we live, hence the frequent inquiries as to the character, or soul, of certain individuals.

It is common for people to speak of the smallness of the soul, or the greatness of certain souls, without really knowing what the soul is, or that it is capable of any change, or of evolving from its first consciousness of principle to the various phases it will meet in its evolution. The child should be taught to analyze all the statements used by the teacher in its education, and shown how to apply them. If it is taught the statement of Jesus that knowing truth will make it free, it should be taught to analyze that statement, and it will see that knowing truth depends upon keeping the sayings and continuing in his words. The same is true of other well known statements of the Master.

If all these promises are fully understood it will

not be so difficult for the child mind to comprehend, and as one truth after another dawns upon the consciousness the child will find that what has always been involved in his being, is being evolved to his comprehension. The same is true of the maturer minds. Many have never considered the subject of soul development, or thought of the possibilities of an awakened soul. If we only remember that we live, move and have our being in God, and that every aspect that represents God is within us, waiting to be evolved and acknowledged, we shall realize our powers. This is the one great secret of a peaceful life. It is the Evolution of the Soul within us, and there is no end to the soul's discoveries in its evolution.

MISS NOT A CHANCE.

BY HARRY T. FEE.

Miss not a chance to smile,

For it will go

And bring some heart the while

Life's brighter glow;
Call back some joy again

From out the gloom,
And bring life's barren plain
To verdant bloom.

Miss not a chance to do

Some kindly deed;

A noble tree oft grew

From lowly seed.

Stretch forth thy hand to aid

Where e'er it may,

Then, ah, the dawn you 've made
Of brighter day.

Miss not a chance to say

A kindly word;

Who knows what depths it may

Have somewhere stirred

A soul despairing, and

God counts the part

You play; your voice, your hand,

Your inmost heart.

BY C. F.

(Text from the Revised Version.) Lesson 13. September 24.

REVIEW.

GOLDEN TEXT-Jehovah is thy keeper.-Ps. 121:5. LESSON I. — Sennacherib's Invasion.-II. Chron.

32:9-23.

Central Truth: When Faith and spiritual Understanding join the demonstration is sure, regardless of seeming power of opposing forces.

LESSON II.-Hezekiah's Prayer.-Isaiah 38:1-8.

Central Truth: We must face every wall of materiality and pray it away.

LESSON III.

-The Suffering Savior.-Isa. 15:13-15,

53:1-12..

Central Truth: The conscious understanding of Spirit and spiritual man will redeem us from the effects of sin.

LESSON IV.-The Gracious Invitation.

Isa. 55:1-13.

Central Truth: Thoughts based upon the Absolute are higher than those of the personal. When we think from the standpoint of the Absolute, the real Source of all things is revealed to us.

LESSON V.-Manasseh's Sin and Repentance.— II. Chron. 33:1-13.

Central Truth: Affirming and denying, with spiritual ideals constantly before us, gradually raises the whole man on a spiral of ascending mind-force until he attains the Christ-consciousness, and is free from all thoughts of duality.

LESSON VI.-Josiah's Good Reign.-II. Chron. 34:1-13.

Central Truth: The transforming, cleansing, reconstructing power of Spirit must be carried into every material limitation.

LESSON VII.-Josiah and the Book of the Law. — II. Chron. 34:14-28.

Central Truth: Regeneration must be complete redemption of soul and body.

LESSON VIII.-Jehoiakim Burns the Word of God.Jer. 36:21-32.

Central Truth: We may temporarily evade the Divine Law, but it is written deep in our consciousnsss, and must eventually be worked out.

LESSON IX.-Jeremiah in the Dungeon.-Jer. 38:1-13

Central Truth: If you prophesy evil you put yourself in material bondage.

LESSON X.-The Captivity of Judah.-II. Chron. 36:11-21.

Central Truth: Spiritual egotism stops revelation and guidance, and man loses his hold upon God. LESSON XI.-The Life-Giving Stream.- Ezek. 47:1-12.

Central Truth: There is a thought-centre near the heart, which concentrated upon, will reveal this "stream of life."

LESSON XII.-Daniel in Babylon.- Dan. 1:8-20.

Central Truth: Mastery of appetite is a necessary step in body perfection.

Lesson 1. October 1.

DANIEL AND BELSHAZZAR.- Dan. 5:17-30.

17. Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; nevertheless I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation.

18. O thou king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father the kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and majesty: 19. And because of the greatness that he gave him, all the

peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew, and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he raised up, and whom he would he put down.

20. But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened that he dealt proudly, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him:

21.

And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses; he was fed with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven: until he knew that the Most High God ruleth in the kingdom of men, and that he setteth up over it whomsoever he will.

42. And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thy heart, though thou knewest all this;

23. But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee. and thou and thy lords, thy wives and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified:

24. Then was the part of the hand sent from before him, and this writing was inscribed.

25. And this is the writing that was inscribed, Mene, mene, tekel, upharsin.

26. This is the interpretation of the thing: Mene; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and brought it to an end.

27. Tekel; thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.

28. Peres; thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.

29. Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with purple, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

30. In that night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was slain.

GOLDEN TEXT- The face of Jehovah is against them that do evil.-Ps. 34:16.

This is a lesson on judgment. Daniel represents spiritual judgment; Nebuchadnezzar, progressive soul judgment, and Belshazzar, mere sense judgment, or instinct. These all derive their existence from the Most High, and are given in their turn the power to guide the consciousness.

In order that we properly bring out and express the Principle of Being, it is necessary that we have free reign and unhampered power. Although we may do the wrong thing, it is better than inaction, because only through the use of our powers can we ever develop character.

The Hebrew meaning of Nebuchadnezzar is,