|
|
March 31st, 1915
Received by:James Padgett.
Washington D.C.
I am here, your grandmother, Ann Rollins,
I came to write you about the forgiveness and pardon of the Father,
and to enlighten you upon this subject which is so little understood,
since men first commenced to distort the teachings of the Master.
Forgiveness is that operation of the Divine Mind which relieves
man of the penalties of his sins that he has committed, and permits
him to turn from his evil thoughts and deeds, and seek the Love
of the Father; and if he earnestly seeks, find the happiness which
is waiting for him to obtain. It does not violate any law that God
has established to prevent man from avoiding the penalties of his
violations of the law of God controlling his conduct.
The law of compensation, that what a man sows that shall he reap,
is not set aside, but in the particular case where a man becomes
penitent and in all earnestness prays the Father to forgive him
of his sins and make a new man of him, the operation of another
and greater law is called into activity, and the old law of compensation
is nullified, and, as it were, swallowed up in the power of this
law of forgiveness and love. So you see there is no setting aside
of any of God's laws. As in the physical world certain lesser laws
are overcome by greater laws, so in the spirit world or in the operation
of spiritual things, the greater laws must prevail over the lesser.
God's laws never change but the application of these laws to particular
facts and conditions do seem to change, when two laws come into
apparent conflict, and the lesser must give away to the greater.
The spiritual laws are just as fixed as are the physical laws that
control the material universe; and no law having application to
the same condition of facts, ever is different in its operation
or in its effects.
The sun and planets in their movements are governed by fixed laws,
and they operate with such exactness that men who make a study of
these laws and comprehend them can, with almost mathematical precision,
foretell the movements of these heavenly bodies. This only means
that as long as the sun and the planets remain as they are, and
surrounded by the same influences, and meet no law operating in
a manner contrary to the laws which usually control them, these
planets and sun will repeat their movements year after year in the
same way and with like precision. But suppose that a more powerful
and contrary law should come into operation, and influence the movements
of these bodies, do you suppose for a moment that they would pursue
the same course as if such greater law had not intruded itself?
The effect of this is not to set aside the lesser law, or even
to change it, but to subordinate it to the operations of the greater
law; and if these operations were removed or ceased to act, the
lesser law would resume its operations on these planets again, and
they would move in accordance therewith, just as if its power had
never been affected by the greater law.
So, in the spirit world, when a man has committed sins on earth,
the law of compensation demands that he must pay the penalty of
these sins until there has been a full expiation, or until the law
is satisfied. And this law does not change in its operations, and
no man can avoid or run away from the inexorable demands of the
law. He cannot of himself abate one jot or tittle (scarcely detectable
amount) of the penalties, but must pay to the last farthing as the
Master said, and hence, he cannot, of himself hope to change the
operations of this law.
But, as the Creator of all law has provided another and higher
law, which, under certain conditions may be brought into operation
and causes the former law to cease to operate, and man may experience
the benefit of the workings of this higher law. So when God forgives
a man of his sins, and makes him a new creature in his nature and
love, he does not, for the particular case annihilate the law of
compensation, but removes that upon which this law may operate.
Sin is violation of God's law, and the effect of sin is the penalty
which such violation imposes. A man's suffering for sins committed
are not the results of God's special condemnation in each particular
case, but are the results of the workings and scourgings of his
conscience and recollections and as long as conscience works he
will suffer, and the greater the sins committed, the greater will
be the suffering. Now all this implies that a man's soul is filled
to a greater or lesser extent with these memories, which for the
time constitute his very existence. He lives with these memories,
and the suffering and torment, which result from them can never
leave him until the memories of these sins, or the result of them,
cease to be a part of himself and his constant companions - this
is the inexorable law of compensation, and man of himself has no
way of escaping this law except by his long expiation, which removes
these memories and satisfies the law.
Man cannot change this law, and God will not. So, as I say, the
law never changes. But remember this fact, that in order for the
law to operate, a man must have these memories, and they must be
a part of his very existence.
Now, suppose that the creator of this law has created another law,
but which under certain conditions, and upon a man doing certain
things, these memories are taken from him, and no longer constitute
a part or portion of his existence; then, I ask, what is there in
or of that man upon this law of compensation that can act or operate?
The law is not changed, it is not even set aside, but upon which
it can operate no longer exists, and consequently there is no reason
or existence of facts which call for its operation.
So, I say, as do your scientists and philosophers, that God's laws
are fixed and never change, but I further say, which they fail to
perceive, that certain conditions which may and do call for the
operations of these laws today, tomorrow change or cease to exist,
so that the laws are no longer effective.
And so when the truths of God's forgiveness of sin is declared,
many wise men hold up their hands and shout, "God's laws do not
change, and even God Himself cannot change them. And to effect a
forgiveness of sins, the great law of compensation must be violated.
God works no such miracle, or gives special dispensation. No, man
must pay the penalty of his evil deeds until the law is fulfilled."
How limited is the knowledge of mortals, and of spirits as well,
of the Power and Wisdom and Love of the Father. His Love is the
greatest thing in all the universe and the Law of Love is the greatest
law. Every other law is subordinate to It, and must work in unison
with it; and Love, Divine Love of the Father, when given to man
and he possesses it, is the fulfilling of all law. This Love frees
man from all law except the law of its Ownself - and when man possesses
this Love he is slave to no law and is free indeed.
The law of compensation and all laws not in harmony with the Law
of Love, have nothing upon which to operate in that man's case,
and God's laws are not changed but merely, as to this man, have
no existence.
Now, let all men, wise and unwise, know that God in His Love and
Wisdom, has provided a means by which, man, if he so will, may escape
the unchanging law of compensation, and become no longer subject
to its demands and penalties; and these means are simple and easy,
and within the comprehension and grasp of every living soul, be
he saint or sinner, a wise man or an ignorant one.
Intellect in the sense of being learned is not involved, but the
man who knows that God exists and provides him with food and raiment
as the result of his daily toil, as well as the great intellectual
scientist or philosopher, may learn the way to these redeeming truths.
I do not mean that a man by mere exercise of mental powers may receive
the benefit of this great provision for his redemption. The soul
must seek and it will find, and the soul of the wise may not be
as capable of receiving as the soul of the ignorant.
God is Love. Man has a natural love, but this natural love is not
sufficient to enable him to find these great means that I speak
of. Only the Divine Love of the Father, and He is willing that all
men should have this Love. It is free and waiting to be bestowed
upon all men. but strange as it may seem, God will not, and I might
say, cannot, bestow this Love unless man seeks for It, and asks
for It in earnestness and faith.
The will of man is a wonderful thing, and stands between him and
this love, if he fails to exercise this will in seeking for it.
No man can secure it against his will. What a wonderful thing is
man's will, and how he should study and learn what a great part
of his being it is.
The Love of the Father comes only into a man's soul when he seeks
It in prayer and faith, and of course this implies that he wills
It to come to him. No man is ever refused this Love when he properly
asks for It.
Now this Love is a part of the Divine Essence, and when a man possesses
It in sufficient abundance he becomes a part of Divinity Itself;
and in the Divine there is no sin or error, and, consequently, when
he becomes a part of this Divinity no sin or error can form a part
of his being.
Now, as I have said, man who is without this love has his memories
of sin and evil deeds, and, under the law of compensation, must
pay the penalties. Yet when this Divine Love comes into his soul,
it leaves no room for these memories, and as he becomes more and
more filled with this Love these memories disappear and only the
Love inhabits his soul, as it were. Hence, there remains nothing
in him upon which this law can operate, and the man is no longer
its slave or subject. This Love is sufficient of itself to cleanse
the soul from all sin and error, and make man one with the Father.
This is forgiveness of sin, or rather the result of forgiveness.
When a man prays to the Father for this forgiveness, He never turns
a deaf ear, but says, in effect, "I will remove your sins and
give you my love, I will not set aside or change my laws of compensation,
but I will remove from your soul everything upon which this law
can operate, and as to you it becomes as if it had no existence."
I know by your personal experience that this forgiveness is a real,
actual, existing thing, and when the Father forgives, sin disappears,
and Love only exists, and that Love in its fullness is the fulfilling
of the law.
So let men know that God does forgive sin, and when He forgives
the penalty disappears, and when they disappear as the result of
such forgiveness, no law of God is changed or violated.
This was the great mission of Jesus when he came to earth. Before
he came and taught this great truth, the forgiveness of sin was
not understood, even by the Hebrew teachers, but their doctrine
was an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. The Divine Love,
as I have feebly described, was not known or sought for - only the
care and protection and material benefits that God might give to
the Hebrews.
The Divine Love entering into and taking possession of the souls
of men constitute the New Birth, and without this no man can see
the Kingdom of God.
My dear son, I have written you a long but imperfect communication,
but there is sufficient in it for men to think of and meditate upon,
and if they do so and open their souls to the Divine Influence,
they will know God can forgive sin, and save men from its penalties,
so that they will not have to undergo the long period of expiation,
which in their natural state the law of compensation ever demands.
So without writing further, I will say that I love you with all
my heart and soul, and pray the Father to give you this Great Love
in all its abundance.
Your loving Grandmother,
Ann Rollins
|
|
