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Idea of Absolute

ing.

MR. ALCOTT. John, having seen Jesus bap

and Derived Betized and visited by the dove, said " And I saw and bare record that he was the Son of God."

SEVERAL. He was God without the body.

MR. ALCOTT. Take away the body and would he be God?

Do

(Many rose.)

any of you think that if the body were taken away, still there would be some difference?

LUCIA and JOSIAH. He had not quite so much power as God.

MR. ALCOTT. Do any of you think, that if your bodies were taken away, you should be God ?

(No answer.)

Do any of you think that if a baby's body was taken away, its soul would be God?

A part of God.

EMMA.
AUGUSTINE.

We are all parts of God.

RECORDER. (Aside.) What are you pursuing with these questions? you seem to wish them to come to the idea that purity of spirit is identity with God?

MR. ALCOTT. I am ascertaining their views of the difference between the absolute and derived, of God in man, and the Idea of Absolute Being typified in Derivative. There is a sense in which God and man are One.

If all the good there ever was in men were put together, would it be God?

FRANKLIN. It would be part of God.

MR. ALCOTT. In what sense was Jesus the Son of God?

FRANKLIN. There was no bad in him. (More questions ensued, and the idea of identity of being, between Jesus and God was expressed by the larger number, Lucia, George K., and Josiah pre

served the idea of difference of identity, but moral union.)

MR. ALCOTT. In these conversations I Test of Opinions. have asked you many questions, in order to find your views about them. Have you formed any notion regarding my opinions of the subjects talked about, from the questions asked you? Do you know what I think? All may rise who do.

(All rose.)

Who think that I believe Jesus was at first like ourselves in all respects?

(Lucia, Josiah, and George K.)

Who think that I egard him as God in a body? (All the rest except Charles.)

CHARLES. I cannot tell what you think ;you sometimes talk on one side, and sometimes on the other. What do you think?

MR. ALCOTT. I prefer not to reply to such questions, because I do not wish to influence your opinions by mine. I teach what every pure person believes. Reflect upon these subjects, and come to your own conclusions.

You will remember that when we began Synopsis of the preceding these conversations, we said we were going Conversations. to study Spirit. And first we talked about Spirit in God; then, of Spirit in a new born Infant, brought by Angels, worshipped by Wise Men, taken care of by good Parents; then we talked of Spirit in the Temple conversing, though yet in a Child, with Learned Men, and astonishing them; then, of Spirit going to an humble Home and living in retirement obeying Parents and Laws; then of Spirit baptized and called Son by God; then of Spirit tempted and victorious;

then, of Spirit recognised as the Lamb of God, and Teacher of Men; and in our next conversation we shall speak of Spirit making Disciples. Do you think these

conversations are of any use to you?

CHARLES. Yes; they teach us a great deal.
MR. ALCOTT. What do they teach you?

GEORGE K. To know ourselves.

MR. ALCOTT. And this is the most important knowledge. He who shall know himself shall know God, and his Fellow Men, and Nature, for all these are Imaged in his Soul. We have been studying a perfect Spirit manifesting itself in a Body like ours, and yet without sinning. The use of these conversations is to give us an Idea of this Perfect Man, this God in Flesh, and inspire us to strive to be like him.

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APPENDIX.

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