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Religious Thoughts
by George Burgess
REWARDS & PUNISHMENT
Every man is punished for his own sins. There is no escape! The lesser sins bring less punishment than the greater sins. So that the punishment is just, and exact in its kind, and degree. Man is thus rewarded for his good works. This law, as principle of punishment is universal in Human Nature. Man no sooner sins, than his `day of judgment’ and punishment begins, and his sins will continue to affect him, in a lesser or greater degree, as long as he himself continues – in this world – or in any other world! Cause is sure, in its relative effects; in all matter – and in all spirits. Man is, apparently, sometimes punished for his physical sins, and sometimes for the sins of his spirit. But both kinds usually go to together, for the Body only sins at the bidding of the spirit. The Body is the Servant. The Spirit is master! The Spirit is the man!
No act of another can remove the punishment from the sinner. If one should work, and live, and die for the sinner – Yet that one can not save the sinner from his exact kind and degree of punishment. A man dies for his country – but his country is not saved. If we should be executed, instead of the murderer – the ghost of the victim would still ever haunt the murderer, “all the day long”, and keep a glaring, dreadful watch, around his bed by night! The sinner can find no substitutes. He, “will by no means, clear the guilty”. Everyman shall be rewarded according to his works. Whether they be “good, or whether they be bad”. Nations, and communities, and families are punished on the same principle at Individuals – their wickedness, and misery, and ruin, go hand in hand!
Suffering! Suffering and punishment are different. Punishment is always attended by suffering. But suffering is not always attended by punishment. A man suffers because of the guilt of others, without feeling their personal guilt, or their kind of punishment. Man suffers with others through sympathy – and often suffers in striving to work out some good work. The best of men suffer through persecution, and oppression – and many have been heroic unto death! Moses, and Jacob, and Jesus and the apostles, and millions of others over the face of the Globe have exercised this divine sympathy, and borne this sublime suffering. Yet, all this suffering and sacrifice never saved men from their just punishment of sins committed. There is only one way to be saved from punishment – and that is to be saved from sinning. Others can help to save a man from sinning – but in the end he must save himself, and “work out his own salvation”. A few beings may, nearly, escape guilt and its punishment. But no beings escape suffering. Suffering, is the heritage of ALL.
Reward! Every man is rewarded for his good works. No man is wholly evil, nor wholly good, and no man is punished for his evil without being rewarded for his good. So that each man is both punished and rewarded, and every being is rewarded according to the exact measure, and nature, as his good. In a greater, or lesser degree, there is a bad, and good, side to every man. And justice – or God – is impartial, and rewards man for both sides – exactly, “according to his works, both good, and bad”. This principle, or law, of rewarding every man can not be removed from any living being. However much evil a man may do – if he should do anything good at all he is rewarded for that good, whether he deserves it or not. The good deed done becomes a Cause – and is certain to produce its natural effect – pleasure – or happiness. This law, that rewards man is never suspended. Man is compelled to “reap what he has sown”. So that no sooner does he begin to live right, and to do good for himself, and for his fellow beings – than his day of Judgment and Reward begins. Therefore, his good works rewarded and bless him at ONCE – and more or less – will go on and bless him forever – in this world – and in “the world to come”.
This theory of exact and impartial rewards to the same individuals – and to all individuals, is proved by the history, facts, and experiences of all mankind, ever since the human race has existed. No other being, ever has, or ever will, remove from any man’s Body or Spirit, the punishment for his wickedness; and the reward for his goodness, either in this world, or any other world.
George Burgess – January 1899
JESUS
Jesus of Nazareth was a very remarkable being. Thousands of great, good, and divine men have lived, and taught, and spent their lives for the good of their fellows. But Jesus appears to stand out clear in his striking personality – and his self-sacrificing spirit – and in the spirituality of his teaching. It is probable that all men would be willing to say that “never a man spake like this man”.
He taught that he came from the Father into the world – and that he would again leave the world, and go to his Father.
He taught that “The Kingdom of God cometh not with observations” – but that it is “within you”. And is the reward for living a good life. He also taught that there is another “Kingdom of Heaven” – and that only those “shall enter it, who doeth the will of his Father, which is in Heaven”. So that the doctrine of Jesus is that there is no Heaven for a man, either in this world, or any other world, unless he deserves it.
Jesus talked of his own second coming – to follow his death – and that it “was near at hand” – and told his disciples that “There be some standing here, which shall not taste the death till they see the son of man coming in his Kingdom”. His disciples however, died – and did not see him so come. And the centuries since have not witnessed his second coming. And the future ages are not likely to witness it. For Jesus is “gone the way of all the earth” – and will never again return!
According to the Gospel writers, Jesus worked miracles, and so cured various bodily and mental diseases – and gave his disciples similar power. But this power has not been in the possession of his disciples of later centuries. The preachers, and followers of Jesus, at the present day (1899) too often get ill themselves – and need a miracle to cure them. But they never ask Jesus to cure them. They have more faith in a doctor – and he, often fails them! Jesus never got ill!
Referring to his expected death, Jesus said - “Now is the judgment of this world” – “Now shall the prince of this world be cast out” – “And I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto me”.
According to recent Wesleyan statistics, on a pictorial leaflet, there are in the world 1424 millions of people. Out of these, the Christians, of all Sects – are numbered at 390 millions, and over one half of these do not take any personal interest in any religion at all, and hundreds of thousands of them, in the (so called) Christian lands, and in their mighty cities – in various degrees – from the palace to the cottage – are in the depths of wickedness, and the bonds of iniquity. So, after one thousand eight hundred years – out of the world’s 1424 millions – Jesus may have, now nearly 200 millions of interested followers. And the “prince of this world” – (the prince of sin) is not “cast out” – but everywhere, and still sways his dreadful power! It appears, from the foregoing facts, that the events which Jesus predicted, in John 12, as soon to occur, have only in a small measure, come to pass – up to now, 1899.
It is written that the angel said to Joseph – that, “Jesus, shall save his people from their sins”, and of course, “his people” – and all people really, would be “saved from their sins” - if they practised his teaching concerning their love to God, and love to their neighbours. But neither the angel, nor Jesus himself, ever taught, that anybody at all could be saved from the due punishment of “sins”, already committed. The changeless laws of human Existence make that impossible. God’s eternal Rule is that there can be no Escape for any being from the punishment for evils; nor from the reward for good.
Jesus said “your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead”. Jesus here, certainly meant physical death. “I am the bread of life” – “And the bread that I will give is my flesh” – “This is the bread that a man may eat thereof, and not die” – “He that eateth of this bread shall live for ever”. In their passages the Jews naturally, and logically, considered that Jesus was referring to physical death like their fathers, who “eat the manna in the wilderness” met, and his disciples just as naturally said “This is a hand saying – who can hear it”. In due time, the Jews – and the disciples also, who ate of the bread of his “body” – and drank of the cup, of his “blood” with Jesus – all died exactly as did their “fathers who ate the manna in the wilderness”.
If Jesus was referring to another kind of life and death, besides the physical – he could have made it clear to his followers – because the Jews, and his disciples, were logical, and accurate, in their questions and reasoning’s.
But, if some of the “sayings” of Jews appear to show that he did not know all things – still, the following is true – Not one of his sayings ever tended towards evil. He was never accused of any personal evil. His life was all self-denial and loving kindness for mankind. His doctrine, if lived out, would most surely “Save the people form their sins” – and from the sure punishments which follow all sins – It would bring heaven into the heart – Heaven on earth – and Heaven in the Spirit-land of Everlasting life!
The self-sacrifice of Jesus, for the good of others, was continuous – and it included his life, and his death.
THE DEATH OF JESUS
The Jews put Jesus to death because they believed he was teaching blasphemy – or error – exactly as all other religious zealots have put their martyrs to death.
Jesus – in view of this death – which it was clearly seen the Jews would accomplish, acted exactly according to human nature everywhere, and repeatedly prayed to be delivered from it. But finally met it without a murmur.
Crucifixion – and burning alive – the sacrifice of some later martyrs are probably about equal for causing the very extreme of anguish. The actual death, by crucifixion of the martyrs, and Jesus, caused them all about equal agony – allowing for temperaments – there could be no difference; for the physical life of each ended by the operation of the same physical and organic laws and processes.
The words of Jesus on the Cross “My God – My God, why hart thou forsaken me” should not be taken to signify doubt – but a cry from the agony of the moment – and there may have been hidden within it, a regret that so short a time only was allowed him to “work the works of Him that sent me”. But his end was right at hand. He had finished his course.
Therefore he said, “It is finished” – “Father, into thy hands I command my spirit” – and “Gave up the ghost”. It was a startling death! To crucify an evil man is dreadful; to crucify a good man is awful. The death of an ordinary man is soon forgotten. The remembrance, and powerful influences arising from the death of Jesus are natural fruits of his wondrous life. His Death can never be forgotten.
George Burgess – February 1899
DID JESUS DIE INSTEAD OF MANKIND?
No: - Natural self-love is a divine quality and Gift. But many with misguided self-love, who are willing for someone else to bear the punishment for their sins in their stead, have tried to build up an impossible doctrine – namely that Jesus died instead of mankind. That his death paid the debt for man’s sins, due from men, to God. That those who truly believe in Jesus as having paid the debt for their sins will be “saved” from their own deserved punishment, and for those who do not believe that Jesus has paid the debt for their sins. Notwithstanding Jesus, as it is said – having already paid their debt, and satisfied JUSTICE.
Now – to say that God will make any portion of mankind pay Him, their debt, if Jesus has already paid it, is to allow that God is more unjust than man. The idea is illogical – is below human Reason – and below human law. But the whole debt theory is a delusion. It does not rise to a possibility.
Why – Jesus himself never taught that he should pay the debt for men’s sins, in their stead – either by his death, or in any other way. For he must have known that ever since human life began – every living being has ever borne the punishment, or the natural effects, of his own acts, or sins. There never has been, and never can be, one single exception to this eternal law of cause and effect, in its relation to every human Individuality.
Of course, Jesus suffered during his mission, and sacrificed his life in his work, for the good of others – exactly, and only, as hosts of good and divine men have also suffered and died. If it were possible that any one being could and did suffer the natural results, and pay off the debts for all men’s sins, in their stead – and die in their stead. Then all mankind would be clear, and be “saved” from the effects of their sins herein this world, and also from death itself. But no such arrangement is possible, and God’s unalterable principles of Divine Government concerning mankind, including Individual Responsibility, have always been the same. We know that all the countless millions, of all time, and of all peoples, and nations, and tongues, heathens and Christians alike have forever, on this earth, been rewarded for their own works, both good and bad, and then in their own course have died, just as though Jesus had never lived and died at all.
No other plan is possible, for in relation to every single act, in every department of human existence – Evil, Good, Sorrow, Joy, Sickness, Health, Death, and Life – “Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” – in due proportions, here in this world, and in any other world. For the same law of rewards for good and evil is bound to go with all conscious, intelligent beings, into the Spirit World to which they are hastening.
George Burgess – February 1899
SACREFICE
The natural principle of sacrifice is universal in all existence – and it acts and produces sure results according to its fixed laws.
Occasional Sacrificers are saviours, usually personal and optional, and only sometimes partly substitutionary. A sailor plunged into the Thames to save a fireman, but both were lost. A mother rushed through the flames and caught up her child, and dropped it out of an upper window, and then jumped herself. The child was saved, but the mother was lost – died! For that occasion she was the child’s saviour. So these occasional sacrifices are never sure in securing the desired results, being outside the fixed laws attached to natural sacrifice. But the occasional sacrifices prove that the Devine is in the Human.
The natural, universal and compulsory principle of sacrifice – acting by designed law – is sure in its results. But it is never substitutionary. The sea sacrifices itself to the river, but does not “save” the river from sacrificing itself again to the sea. The seed sacrifices itself to produce its own kind, but does not “save” its kind from a continual like sacrifice. The father and mother sacrifice their own substance, and their flesh and blood, and their life, to generate – But that does not “save” their offspring from an exactly similar sacrifice. The eternal processes of like know nothing of substitutes. The sacrificed father only a little while precedes the sacrificed son. Both are Gone. All shall die!
No one ever has been, and never can be, a natural substitute for others. The workings, within a man, of the principle of life and Death, and the countless millions of attendant Experiences – all centre right down on every man for himself.
Natural sacrifice however, is not all pain. It is mainly a pleasure! It is a universal organic expenditure and income, in natural and unceasing motion. The sacrifice of the “Great Deep” to the Rivers rolls up to human view as sublime grandeur and beauty. The willing sacrifice of the seeds sends forth to man bread, and fruits, and sweet odours, and flowers. And the loving sacrifice of father and mother brings them “joys unspeakable” and fills the world with “human forms divine” – beings made in the very “image of the God” – “crowned with glory and honour”. There is no happiness without sacrifice, for this natural and divine principle, wisely used, is the real, and true source of the world’s joys. “It is more blessed to give than to receive”.
There are those to try to believe that this divine and human principle of sacrifice was exercised by Jesus, to save people from the results of their sins – especially in the future world. But, all know that “no means” have been found to save people from the results of their sins in the present world. Therefore, logically, this is a sound reason for believing that here will be “no means” found for saving them from the just effects of their sins, in the future world, or in any world.
The theory of the sacrifice of Jesus instead of men seems to be mentioned, not very clearly though by some of the Apostles. Yet, Jesus himself never taught it at all, and it certainly is not true. However good a “believer” in Jesus, a man may be, it he commits a sin his punishment is sure, and it will begin at once, here in this world, and no faith and no sacrifice can save him from it. Every living good man knows this to be true, from bitter experience. Many people have an ungenerous desire that after they have done the sinning, Jesus shall bear their punishment, and this is called “believing in, and loving Jesus”!
But here is the TRUTH. Men may believe what they like, but unless they do that they ought, they are doomed to punishment. All the Prophets, and Jesus himself, taught this changeless TRUTH. And God’s eternal law of Sacrifice compels all being, who sacrifice their opportunities for doing good to reap an evil reward.
George Burgess – March 1899
A FUTURE LIFE
The Rule is – that Universal mankind - Civilised and uncivilised, believe in a future life. The Old Testament scarcely touches the great question. The New Testament contains many references to it. But the existence of a future, and better life, for mankind, after they have finished with this life is still mainly a matter of Faith.
Yet, several things are in favour of it being also a matter of fact: The existence of a Future life cannot be a greater mystery to men than the existence of the present life; if the one is possible then at least the other is possible. And the continuation of our life into a better sphere, after our present bodies are dissolved, seems probable because; THE SPIRIT IS THE MAN; MAN’S SPIRIT – WHICH IS A SUBSTANCE, of some form, is his Individuality; His spirit forms his body “out of the dust of the ground” – out of the earth with all its foods; The Body never forms, but is ever formed, as from the beginning. The Body’s material is collected around and by the spirit-Man – the Master-Within. It would appear therefore that the Spirit’s Individuality exists in some degree of development before its collection of the materials for its Body. And, it would be reasonable to say that if it exists before its Body that it can exist after its Body – and forever!
The Spirit-Individuality does not appear to change with the Body. Physiology teaches us and every day of our lives proves to us that our bodies are naturally and continually changing – wearing away, and being rebuilt – until in 70 years one man had had ten new and different bodies. But the real spirit-man has remained the same, unchanged, Individuality.
These facts truly favour the faith that if we can change and part with several bodies in this life, and still remain the same beings then conditions can exist by which we may continue our lives into another world, after we have parted will all our earthly bodies in this world.
The Spirit man – the Individuality, does not appear to die with the body. Nature’s developing changes in the human body begins with the body’s beginning. Natural decay of the body’s developing powers begins after maturity, and increases more and more with age, and the body soon dies and “returns to the earth”. But we know, as a sure truth, that all through this decaying and dying process of the body the majority of human beings, in their minds, or spirit, are as healthy and clear as ever. This fact is a universal and “common saying”, which all ears have heard, and the hosts of great leading men all over the world, in the most exalted places, are men who have passed their bodily maturity, and from that time have risen to more and more distinguished positions – and to fame, and usefulness. And at last, they usually pass on from this world speaking their clearest thoughts, and their wisest words of all.
Now – these truths concerning the known experiences of the living and dying appears to prove that after maturity, when the body more rapidly weakens, the mind, or spirit, grows stronger and clearer; and that in proportion as the Body decays and dies, the spirit ripens and becomes more free and luminous and living. “The Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak”. It the spirit is still willing, it cannot be dying, and if not dying, then Faith has sound reasons for believing that it will never die – but live and improve forever!
George Burgess – April 1899
THE CONDITIONS OF THE FUTURE LIFE
If the Inhabitants of this world are destined to continue their existence in a future world their life must be attended by certain conditions, and as mystery surrounds the great question – we must not be too bold, but reasonable, in forming our opinions. Knowledge, and experiences of this life, must be our guide.
It seems reasonable to say that the future world, for us, will be one located world only, for all conditions of beings – exactly in harmony with the plan, and facts, of the present world.
Each one of the countless millions of beings will retain his special Individuality. This is essential to a continuation of our personal future existence.
All beings will enter the future world with their various, and special, spirit characteristics, exactly as they possessed them before leaving this world.
And all these varied types of Spirit-beings, more or less good, and evil, and wise, and unwise, will be divided by the same type of influences that divide them here - There will be no other division. The members of every type have as sure tendency to gather together and form a community in this world, and in the future world, and in all worlds of conscious beings.
On this universal principle there will be a separation of the wise from the unwise, and of the good from the evil in the future world – partly, as it regards locality, but more so as it regards character – as in this world.
These God arranged divisions in the spirit-world give satisfaction to all, to the evil as will as the good. In all worlds, each being is drawn towards, and desires to be among, his own community, until he develops and grows fit for one that is higher, and better!
In the Spirit-world, as in this, often the line separating those termed evil and good is so fine as not to be seen. Some from the “left hand” are continually moving to the “right hand” and those on the “right hand” are ever moving forward and upward. ALL are rising higher. There is no going downward, in that blessed and “better country”.
Some Facts are in favour of the future world being a better world than the present one it – for `All’ beings. Even this solid Earth is progressive in its own processes and conditions, and especially in its old and new abundant supplies of every single thing and privilege that can satisfy the desires of all mankind.
And human life itself, as it has existed on this earth in its continuous development of wondrous genus, has so progressed that man now is master of the Earth and all her forces and countless riches. And he commands the winds, and even the very fires of heaven, and they obey his will. And the supposed privileges of the “favoured few” in this world, more and more have been, and more and more will be, distributed among the many – for the living “God is no respecter of persons”. This is eternal progress working within men. It would be philosophy to say that “This is the Lord’s doing”. He works unceasingly in men’s very spirits, causing them to “work out their own salvation” from everything that can hinder their everlasting progress in this world, and in the future world.
For the above facts, it is reasonable to conclude that the future world is a better world than this – For ALL beings. It is the “better Country – that is, a heavenly world”.
George Burgess – April 1899
SHALL WE HAVE FOODS IN THE SPIRIT-WORLD?
This question cannot be answered with certainty. And it will remain unsolved so long as we remain in this world. Disciples and Preachers have said little about it. But the subject must be interesting to inquiring spirits.
Jesus speaks of “drinking wine, when with his disciples, in his Father’s Kingdom”.
And in “Revelations” John mentions that in the New Jerusalem there is the Tree of Life, bearing fruit every month, for those who “Keep God’s commandments”.
These words of Jesus, and John, do not solve the question. Still – they favour the belief that there is spirit-foods in the spirit-world, and wherever and whatever kind of life exists there goes with it the idea that some suitable kind of food is required to nourish that life. At present we have no knowledge of the continuation of any kind of life, anywhere, without food or sustenance.
It may be said that God can continue the life of Spirit-Beings without food. But that cannot be proved. And, so far as we know, God always provides suitable kinds of sustenance for all forms of life, everywhere! Therefore, it would seem reasonable to believe that God provides suitable foods for the endless continuation of our Spirit-Existence, in the future world!
God provides sustenance for our Bodies here, in this world – by which they can continue with half their existence without real decay. Therefore, it must be possible that God can provide foods, or spirit-sustenance, in the future World, by which spirit-beings can continue, and live forever!
God’s need of providing us foods in the spirit-world is not a greater mystery than His need of providing us food in the World. ALL is mystery! The origin of all reality is a mystery, in the world, and in ALL WORLDS!
And – we cannot conceive a continuation of life, in any world, without sustenance. Therefore, all we know favours the belief that in that blessed Spirit-land, the “Better Country”, all the countless millions of Spirit-beings shall receive spirit-food by which they will continue, and live forever!
George Burgess – May 1899
CONVICTION
The word conviction is more often mentioned in relation to evil, than to good. But it is as easy, and it is as fair, for a man’s mind to be convinced of his good, as his evil deeds. Until he has done food or evil deeds he cannot be convinced of either kind. But the Rule is that all mankind mark their history with a little that is evil, and much that is good, and as man moves onwards he is very well convinced, in his own mind, of both his evil and his good. And generally, man is willing for even other people to convince him of his good deeds, it is an easy thing to do. But if they try to convince him of his evil deeds he is furious, and they are defeated. Still the man himself is self-convinced, for every cruel and sinful deed draws a black mark across his soul, for him to glare at in his loneliness, and in his dreadful silence. And, in proportion to the vileness of man’s sins, this miner conviction will in some degree hold him down, body and spirit, until he shall truly repent. And even then, sin’s heavy influence will long float in his memory – “For their works do follow them”.
George Burgess – June 1899
REPENTANCE
Repentance may follow, but can never precede, conviction. Man cannot repent of evil unless he is first convinced that he has committee it. And, either at once, or some time afterwards, nearly every man repents of the evil which he has committed. The laws which govern his physical nature, and his spirit, compel him to repent. At first, his repentance is wholly, selfish. He begins to find that his sins bring himself sorrow. Then also, he begins to feel unhappy, on account of himself. As yet, he is not at all unhappy on account of others, whom he has sinned against. By degrees, increased sinning takes him right away from happiness, into misery. And as misery has a loud and irritating voice it reminds him “The way of the transgressor is hard”. This gives new vigour to his repentance, and he wakes right up from his sleep of sin! Then he remembers the good times, and the sweet and happy years, now all gone away, and the loving hearts which he believes are still beating warm for him. And he can now see that his sins have brought sorrow to others, as well as to himself! This is the complete repentance, which must include sorrow for the sinner himself, and sorrow for those sinned against. The continued growth of this kind of repentance tends to end sinning, and will incline the man to “cease to do evil, and learn to do well”. Then, his next desire will be to confess his sins, and ask forgiveness. Thus we see that sinning precedes conviction – conviction precedes Repentance – and Repentance precedes Forgiveness. The whole process from sinning to Forgiveness is a gradual revelation and development of the Human Spirit, in harmony with the science and changeless laws of moral and spiritual development and perfection!
George Burgess – June 1899
FORGIVENESS
Forgiveness means relief to an offender from the displeasure of the offended. It does not secure relief from the just punishment of sin, but for a wronged man to truly and spiritually to remember that wrong no more.
In seeking forgiveness – if the offender does not intend to cease from offending then his repentance is not true. In that case, no wronged being can effectively forgive him, as the offender’s mind is not yet prepared to effectively receive forgiveness. Incomplete repentance and forgiveness never brings the offender peace because he continues to offend, never allowing the Forgiver to forget, as he continues offending proves that the repentance is not true. But Human, and Divine Nature is always willing to forgive. Therefore, then the offender’s repentance is true, and permanent, forgiveness allows the process to begin for forgetting the offence, and of removing the punishment.
The Forgiver forgets much sooner than the offender because the offender of man and God is the cause of the trouble, and punishment. Therefore, punishment clings long to the offender. But with forgiveness, and its sweet relief, during man’s existence in this world and the next, his sorrows will weaken, and end, and be forgotten. Like a small wound, which soon heals. So the sorrows for the lesser sins are soon forgotten. But man’s sorrows for any cruel and heartless past evil deeds and sins are slow to paw away, and are not soon forgotten either in this world, or the world to come.
We thus see – the inevitable and just effects or punishment of his lesser and greater offences or sins. Forgiveness – establishes peace between the offender and the offended, and between man and God. And helps to remove bitterness from the offender’s punishment, to begin within him a new life and process that will finally, in a higher world, end in his remembering his sins and sorrows no more, and forever!
This – the true view of the science of Forgiveness, agrees with every know fact of Human Existence, and with Bible history and teaching, and with the eternal laws of Cause and Effect, which rewards every man according to his evil and good works.
George Burgess – June 1899
DURATION OF PUNISHMENT
The duration of punishment for sin varies according to the nature and depth of evil in the sin. The smallest, or the greatest, disturbing moment in the material universe will cause a permanent condition that could not exist had that moment not occurred. So – man’s smallest or greatest sin or evil deed will cause an effect in that man’s whole being and existence that could exist if he had not committed the sin. And that effect or punishment will be everlasting. There is no undoing, anywhere, that which has been once done! By other acts we may modify sin’s result, but a sin once committed will remain a Fact, forever. But it does not follow that the sin will cause man everlasting unhappiness, because there is a remedial law and process ever at work in man’s organic nature, and in his spirit-being. Therefore, the mark of a wound is lasting, but the pain or punishment which it caused is gone. And man in his ceaseless existence in this world, and the world to come, will have the purifying remedy in his own being, ever at work, and he will thus grow up away from the pains of his sins. But his punishment will be that his sins as an effect or fact will forever have checked him on his upward way and have left its everlasting mark upon his immortal history. The Mark of the sin will remain, but the punishment which the sin caused will be gone!
God rewards, or punished, all of His great universal Family by the operation of exactly the same eternal laws of Cause and Effects. He does not chasten for revenge, for His punishment, like His blessing, is healing. And as God, by His very Nature, will give His blessings, and administer His gentle and remedial punishment to universal mankind. Therefore His wondrous processes working within men will finally end all their punishment and all their pains in that blessed spirit-land above.
So, we see that the duration of sin’s effects, or punishment, depend upon the degree of evil in the sin - the less the evil, the shorter the punishment, and the greater the evil the longer the punishment, or process of purifying.
Punishment does not belong to a future world anymore than it belongs to this, and not so especially as it belongs to this world. Man’s being and existence is continuous and is not separated by worlds. And man’s punishment, not wholly, but especially, belongs to this world. There is no Day of Judgment ever coming that is not already here, now! The moment a man sins he is punished. The moment the knife enters the flesh the blood runs, he is punished. Man has never yet escaped, he never can escape-instant punishment. Here, and now, is man’s day of judgment. God’s spirit smites his heart, and quenches his joys, until he “learns to do well”. As man is bound to enter the higher world with exactly the same character as he leaves this. Therefore, just but remedial punishment may continue as long as necessary, and will then cease forever.
Man, as a spirit-being, will row in perfection with more ease, in his Spirit-Home than in his earth-home. Therefore, although the effects of sins in this world may attend him in the Spirit-land for a time, his remorse will be less bitter there than on Earth. And free from Earth’s irritations and affairs, and its wants, and surrounded with the uplifting spirit-influences for a better country, then at the exact due time, in harmony with God’s universal processes of CAUSE and EFFECT mankind shall rise above all their sins, and all their sorrows, and receive a full salvation from their Father, and their God!
George Burgess – June 1899
THE DURATION OF GOOD REWARDS
The reward for Good is immediate, continuous and endless. This is different to the reward for Evil. Evil, not as an act, but as an influence diminishes, and finally dies. It is this difference between the principles and influences of Good and Evil that allows man to be an endlessly progressive being. Man’s very nature is to strive to forget his evil deeds, but he never strives to forget his Good deeds. If man should never forget his evil deeds he could never go on towards perfection! And if he should ever forget his Good deeds he could never become perfect, as his Father in Heaven is perfect. For the forgetting of evil deeds will reward and enlarge man’s higher nature, and give birth to still more nobler good deeds. Death – claims Evil. Death is its wages. Life – claims Good life, Eternal life.
During man’s continuous existence in this world, and the world to come, his evil will be finally rewarded with its own natural death. But life, and good, can never die. Therefore its rewards are everlasting “and fadeth not away”.
George Burgess – June 1899
SOME THINGS I BELIEVE
1. I believe in one, Personal God the Father of All.
2. I believe that God is all-wise, all-just, and all Good, omnipresent, and almighty.
3. I believe that God created man – the Spirit-man – in His own Personal image. And formed his Body out of the dust of the ground – out of the Earth’s foods, just as it is formed now, by the Spirit-form collecting and using the foods of the Earth, and gradually forming, and developing, the Body from within.
4. I believe that man, at the first, was marked by the absolute ignorance of inexperience. But, continuing to eat from the Tree of Knowledge, or of Experience, which he discovered for himself, he began to not “fall” but rise, and has been rising ever since, and now he occupies a very lofty position in the Universe.
5. I believe that the principle of Right and Wrong has ever existed, and that man’s expressions of both sides of this principle in his life arise mainly from his experiences in his search for knowledge, but that man is free to use, and often does use, this principle knowingly for the promotion of either, or both, Right and Wrong. There is no other “origin of evil”.
6. I believe that there has forever been much more of the Right than of the Wrong in all mankind, and that the Human Race is ever slowly, but steadily, improving, and spreading humane and Godly movements over the face of the Globe, so as to let its peoples have happiness, and heaven on earth.
7. I believe that God only desires mankind to obey his laws, to live good lives, to reverence and love Him – their Father – to love one another.
8. I believe that God, through the operation of the natural laws of human of human constitutions, rewards all beings proportionally, and exactly, according to both their good and their evil works, and that these rewards begin at once, with the good or evil Act. And that thus, all being “give an account of themselves to God” - that there is no other kind or form of rewards and punishments, either in this world or any other world, and that no beings ever have, or ever can escape from their own complete personal responsibility.
9. I believe that when man leaves this world he, his spirit-being, will go to a better one, that when his Body dies on Earth shi soul is born in Heaven. That is his day, his only day, of compete spiritual Birth. And in that spirit-land all beings will gradually, and finally, become more perfect “even as our father which is in Heaven is perfect”, WHY NOT?
I have well given my mind to these questions; and held the foregoing reasonable Beliefs for most of my life since I was age 21. I am now 70. These Beliefs appear to me to be in harmony with all the changeless laws and processes of man’s Existence in his relation to both this world, and the Spirit-World to which he is going.
George Burgess – June 1899