A PRAYER BY A SPIRIT

　Out of hundreds of prayers delivered by Silver Birch, all of them different yet all expressing essentially the same sentiments, I select as typical the following:

　OH, Great White Spirit, how shall we describe Thy immeasurable love, Thy infinite wisdom, Thy inexhaust-ible knowledge, Thy measureless revelation? How shall we tell Thy children to find Thee when Thou hast been mis-understood and misinterpreted for so long? How shall we tell Thy children to find Thee when Thou hast been mis-understood and misinterpreted for so long? Thou art not the jealous, despotic tyrant imagined in the mind of ignorant man, neither art Thou cruel and vindictive, bloodthirsty and murderous, partial and the favourer of the few.

　Thou art the Great Spirit of all life, Whose breath brings creation and Whose rhythm is manifested in every phase, in every motion and pulse of the eternal cosmos. We seek to reveal Thee as perfect Law that makes no mistakes, that never departs from its regular sequence, for Thy law is immutable. Thy law cannot be broken for it upholds all life, not only in its manifestation revealed in the world of matter but in the highest heights of the realms of spirit. Naught is beyond

Thee, for Thou art within everything. But Thy spirit finds its highest expression in the children of matter whom Thou hast created in Thine own likeness, for Thou hast given them spirit of Thy spirit, divinity of Thy divinity, and Thou hast endowed them with all Thy qualities. Thou hast raised them up from the abysmal slime and given them the right to par-ticipate with Thee in shaping Thy creation.

　The link that Thou hast established with Thy children can-not be severed, for they are of Thee and Thou art of them. Thy spirit broodest over them and within them, rising to its highest heights in lives of self-sacrifice and altruism, in deeds of mercy and loving kindness, in service to man, woman, child, and beast. Thou art revealed in the lives of all who strive with idealism to serve and uplift, to give hope to the weary, strength to the tired, light to those in darkness.

　We seek to reveal the laws that have been forgotten for so long, known to the few whose spiritual eyes were opened, whose spiritual ears were unstopped, whose spiritual senses stirred as they allowed the impact of spirit power to move them. We seek to reveal those laws which bring in their operation a greater understanding of Thee, of the universe and of all humanity, so that man may find in them a means by which he can raise himself up, so that in turn he can raise up others and bring them closer to Thee.

　We call to our aid the countless souls from the world of spirit, who, ranging themselves at our side, seek to work with all people of every race, colour, creed and nation whose desire is to speed the new order and to quicken the new era. That is our prayerーa prayer that comes from the heart, from the mind, from the soul, and that seeks to make the prayer actuality by serving wherever we can. To this end we labour in confidence and earnestness, knowing that if Thou art with us we cannot fail in Thy service, because Thy power sustains us, guards, guides and upholds us and directs us into those fields where our labours are most urgently needed.

　And here is a typical benediction by this guide, who always uses some such uplifting and inspiring words to close his séances:

　I go with reluctance always, realizing with gratitude to the Great Spirit the love that is expressed for the little service that I can render you. When we started our work it was accomplished with much prayer and with carnest desire. Now that we are beginning to reap the harvest of our labours we rejoice.

　I pray to the Great Spirit of all life, Whose spirit has ushered us all into being and clothed us with divinity and all the qualities of Godliness, I pray to that Great Spirit that we shall be enabled to achieve greater success, not for our sakes but for the sake of Truth and for those who need it most.

　I pray that the power of the Great Spirit which is mani-fested here may be manifested a million times in temples such as this, so that with it a realization of Thy love may be made known.

　I pray that men may learn to look within themselves to find Thee and resolve to live their lives giving expression to Thee, so that Thou art known in the daily lives of Thy children as they strive to serve one another, aid one another, and live in peace, harmony and concord in a world which has so much of Thy plenteous bounty of riches that all can enjoy them without fear, darkness, misery or war.