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THE GREATER WORLD CHRISTIAN SPIRITUALIST CHURCH
THE ZODIAC MESSAGES
"MAN'S TREATMENT OF ANIMALS"
An address given by the celestial messenger 'Zodiac',
(the unnamed scribe of the Bible and a teacher in the
Temple of Jerusalem at the time of Christ), at the
Zodiac Circle on Sunday, 18th January, 1925.
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"O UNDERSTANDING Mind of Love, with gratitude
we gather together, taking advantage once more of this
blessed privilege of communing direct with Thee and
those who are linked to Thee in aim and purpose. Father,
we cannot put into words our gratitude for all Thy
care, for Thy protection, for the power vouchsafed
again and again to lift and to restore; and more than
that, to send us a pace farther on so that we, Thy
little children, can look back and see that what we
were unable to do ourselves Thou hast done, with a
patience past all imagination.
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"Father and Mother God, help us we pray Thee.
Grant that whate'er betide we may rest secure in the
thought that faith lies between us and the enemy which
would strike.
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"O God, Thou knowest all things - the hardness
of the road, the deceptions, the many pitfalls which,
it seems to them, wait for Thy children in order to
cause them to stumble, but because Thou understandest
everything Thou canst protect; and to-night we affirm
with love and gratitude that never hast Thou failed
in time of need, and never wilt Thou fail when danger
draweth nigh.
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"O Saviour Christ, grant that this consciousness
may so penetrate the physical mind that the powers
of darkness may be thrust aside without a qualm of
fear; grant that the consciousness of Thy most tender
care and protection may bind us unto Thee in faith
for evermore. Amen.
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"MY CHILDREN, to-night, perhaps, is one of those
evenings when, from an outside point of view, it would
seem that conditions were adverse because of undue
strain upon my child. But, as you know, God is so good,
and when any one of His children has suffered, so He
sends down power and grace in order that it may never
even be thought that the Father is not mindful of both
the small and the great things which concern His little
ones. So dear children, starting perhaps a little slowly,
we shall work through that which is not up to standard,
and the evening shall show God's blessing all round.
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"To-night there are very many things which I should
like to discuss but, as usual, we are limited for time;
and so in order to distract your thoughts a little
I think I will speak to you in regard to MAN'S TREATMENT
OF ANIMALS.
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"Now all of you, and the vast majority, are singularly
compassionate towards the dumb creatures created by
God. Some there are who lavish much love upon their
pets, and, if not robbing another, then I say this
is good in the sight of the Father. But, as you know,
it could not be pleasing to that which is Love Itself
to overlook human creation in favour of any other.
I do not say a 'lower' creation, because in God's sight
these grades do not exist. Humanity and the animal,
vegetable and mineral kingdoms are separate states,
each demanding and receiving the necessary care of
which they stand in need. And in regard to plants,
later on in our studies I will try and show you how
the Love of God is shown in them and how they, in turn,
reflect the love of the Creator.
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"To-night, however, we are considering animals
and their part in the scheme of things; and I say at
once that it is not pleasing to God when excessive
love is bestowed upon these, and hardness and coldness
of heart is shown towards the little children who stand
so sorely in need of another's care. Some there are
who say they find it far easier to love a dog or a
horse than one of these little ones whom Jesus blessed
- for in blessing one child He blessed children as
a whole, and you do not need me to put it into words
in order to grasp it - in an unlimited sense.
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"Then we will turn to the other aspect, which
is terrible to some to contemplate. I mean that, now
and again, you hear of cases of intense cruelty to
one of God's dumb and helpless creatures; and I want
to give a word of warning on this subject.
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"But first of all, you must remember that death,
as death - by which I mean the taking of the life of
any animal - is, in reality, bestowing upon it a gift
of price. Now keep this point clear in your minds:
I say that the surrendering of 'life' and the suffering
entailed by the brutality of another is, by reason
of what it cost, turned into unparalleled gain to the
one concerned.
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"On the other hand, I tell you - and I emphasise
it with all the power at my disposal - that those who,
out of carelessness or cruelty, inflict one pang of
pain on another who is unable to defend itself is piling
up that which can only be worked out by much, much
effort and suffering.
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"And then I pass on to another point, which, naturally,
comes into the consideration of this subject - I speak
of the slaying of animals for food. Well, dear children,
some have debated this as it concerns the law of creation,
and I want you to do your best to follow me in what
I am going to say.
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"These animals used for food are a provision of
the Almighty for the needs of the physical body, and
there is not the slightest responsibility placed upon
anyone who kills an animal in as humane a manner as
lies at his disposal. But, mark you, that which does
not come under the heading of "humane" is
a tremendous mistake, viewed from the psychical aspect
and the evolutionary processes of the soul.
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"But I want you to hark back to the remark I made
- that the taking of the life of another does not do
anything but render a service to the creature concerned
-because according to the proportion of suffering,
and by the very fact that the carcass is of service
to others, so that greater life which was within is
helped and is added to in a way you cannot yet understand.
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"Is it not feasible that God, who is mindful of
every sparrow that falls, should be concerned with
the suffering, the persecution, and the brutalities
inflicted on those entrusted to man's care? It is a
tremendous responsibility, and many there are who on
laying the physical body aside are appalled by the
spectacle which meets their gaze - that massing together
of the small brutalities which, e'er they can continue
the upward path, have to be made as non-existent.
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"And this applies, dear children, without reserve,
to those who, under the name of 'sport' torture that
which God has created. Yes! I know it will be said
that it has been done throughout the ages, and that
it is a healthy exercise, that it is the custom of
the world. But the day will come when those who took
their amusements in this unspiritual way - when these,
with sorrow, will have to go back on their tracks and
make good that which was so sadly missing.
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"Selfishness, or rather, love of self, sometimes
can do as much harm as deliberate, preconceived evil
thinking. God is not unmindful of the hare or of the
fox; each pang suffered by them is reflected in the
Heart of Love, and because they are His creation never
would He separate Himself from that which is His own.
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"The world has to change its attitude of mind
over many of the so-called customary things of everyday
life. And I entreat you, dear children, when the opportunity
arises to put in a word for Christ on this tremendous
subject which is so misunderstood.
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"And then I must refer to another point which
in the minds of my children has caused serious misgiving
- I refer to the extermination of so-called 'pests'
which if allowed to increase unchecked, would soon
make life quite unbearable from a physical point of
view.
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"My children, a little incident in connection
with this has almost passed out of your minds but we
do not forget. I speak of the little mouse and its
distressing end which caused tears from at least one
of my children and prayers from others. Well, I want
you to know this for your comfort, that you are well
within your rights - indeed you are called upon to
so regulate your household that only that which promotes
health is allowed to obtain a footing. Yet I would
add just this: that your tenderness over the sufferings
of the helpless can be, and has been used by the Mind
of Love to mitigate that pain which follows as a natural
course.
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"You see how wonderful are the spiritual laws
that govern your life and mine, and nature in all its
forms and every living creature. No thought of compassion,
no shrinking of the heart from the pain of another
ever falls to the ground unused by the Father. So you
see dear children that even in this way you can soften
the suffering of others. There is not one of you who
has not again and again thrown over some dumb creature,
as it were, an anodyne which mitigated its suffering.
I tell you for your great comfort that God is happy
in His children when they send thoughts of healing
- which means compassion - in the direction of that
which is helpless to defend itself.
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"I think I have made the matter clear and I cannot
to-night go into the part which animals have in the
scheme of things. But you have been told that certain
animals have been seen on this side and, therefore
know that they have their place amongst those who are
free from the body.
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"Everything has its place. That is what I want
to leave on your minds to-night. To you very often
Nature appears as a cruel and pitiless monster, and
the suffering that goes on on either side, to you,
is appalling in its many ramifications.
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"But I beg you next time when such a thought arises
to remember the words which appear in your own sacred
Record - that the Father is mindful of every sparrow
that falls (St. Matt. 10: 29; St. Luke 12: 6).
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"You cannot grasp this, and neither can I, but
I see and I know that in each living thing is God (in
the sense that it was created by Him) and He acknowledges
His responsibility towards it.
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"You have much to be thankful for, my children,
and one of the things which should call forth your
greatest gratitude is that sensitiveness over the pangs
of others, which are so often overlooked by the many
who are immersed in themselves. It is a privilege to
feel for others and even - or rather because - you
suffer in so doing, so it is adding power and enlightenment
to yourself, because sympathy is an attribute of God,
and each one of us who can gather it unto ourselves
shortens the length of the bridge between us and that
which we want to be, and that which God intends us
to rise to.
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"Well, my children, I must not stay any longer
to-night because last week, as you know, the personal
messages had to be severely curtailed, and I do not
like this to occur because your dear ones so look for
the opportunity to speak direct. You cannot understand,
my little ones, what it is to us to come in this way
and to express in words the love and the understanding
that we have for you all, and for humanity at large.
And in connection with this there is one to whom I
would direct your attention. Those who are bound to
you by ties of love, of relationship and those strong
cords of friendship - these pass through your minds
with regularity, and they are able to take advantage
of their turn when it arrives, without undue struggle
to overcome the opposing forces. But there are others
who, from your point of view, are strangers, both from
a physical standpoint and also as far as their characteristics
are concerned, for as yet they have had little opportunity
to demonstrate these in person.
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"There is one to-night to whom I refer directly
- one who by long years of service, of watchfulness,
of unceasing prayer and unbroken patience, has linked
himself to your lives and to the work for evermore.
When you come here, dear children, you will be amazed
to see the close and loving friendship which exists
in the Spirit between you and what you would call 'total
strangers'. It will be a wonderful revelation, and
if a pang of compunction is felt as well, then love
will soon cover that over and all will be as God intended...
(After others had spoken Zodiac returned and continued.)
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..."Well, my children, there is so much peace
in this room to-night that could you but see things
as they are you would know that Christ is here not
only in the vibrations, with all their beauty and power,
but indeed is enshrined in every heart.
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"Sorrow may beat against the window-panes of the
soul, but safe and secure inside, that soul can look
at the tumult without and say: 'We have nothing in
common!' I want you to visualise things to yourselves
in this way: to be certain and sure that you are protected,
that you are guarded on every side; and though that
which represents destruction and danger may be outside,
yet, like a tempest that beats on the window-pane,
it never reaches that which is within.
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"And now for my closing words. They must be brief
because my child is almost spent, but I ask you to
have them written on your heart and mind: That God,
being your Father, wishes to show you what a Father's
love is like! And those things which you have laid
aside, perforce and with sorrow, yet those things,
because they were parted with with as much willingness
as you could find, they will represent treasure in
the days to come. They have provided the weapons by
which we work, for only by the negation of self (in
the sense of giving up that which the physical self
craves so much), only by that was it possible that
this work should have spread, should have thrived and
developed and produced a beauty which shall never fade.
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"Yes, dear children, the little seedling that
I told you about a long time ago has turned into a
tree, and the tree has many branches, and those branches
- in God's good time - will produce seeds and trees
of their own; and what was once a barren wilderness
shall no more be shown as such but as a place where
many may find shelter and rest and refreshment, because
God's blessing is on those who sowed in ignorance,
yet sowed in faith.
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"I bless you with courage and with renewed determination,
not only to demonstrate God upon earth, but to do your
best to reflect the Christ within. And in saying this,
dear children, I have the infinite assurance that God's
strength will be forthcoming, and that you will make
good in spite of backward thoughts - make good, when
regret no more will have a place in your heart and
mind.
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"Goodnight, my little ones."
©GWCSA
GIFT
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