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The second eternal truth equally with the first distinguishes individuality as an eternal principle.

It is original government, it is also ultimate government, it is simply self-government in reason and in God.

Herein is revealed on the part of the supreme, the true Governor-Government with the consent of the governed." Zamula appeared perplexed,-presently looking up, he said, "I know not of any such government as that."

"It depends upon the free choice of the individual,” said Abram.

At that moment a servitor approached and handed Zamula a scroll, who unrolled it, and as he read it a troubled expression came into his face, then without saying anything he gave it to Abram who read it. Thus:

Istar, High Priestess of the Sun,

To Zamula, The King's Lauerate:

I desire thy presence at the banquet tonight. Bring thy guest with thee, that I may accord him a welcome.

Istar.

"What does it mean," inquired Abram greatly perplexed. "It means that we are summoned to one of Istar's midnight banquets, thou as well as I. It is an honor that falls to few, a mandate that none dare disobey."

"Tell me Zamula, how could she know that I am a guest of thine?

"How could she know?"—in the way that she knows all the secrets of the realm. Istar has her secret commissioners everywhere throughout the length and breadth of the City, who report to her each circumstance that happens; and doubtless we were followed home, tracked step by step as we

walked together, by one of her stealthy footed servitors. In this there would be nothing unusual.

"If the City thus lies under the circumspection of a woman, how can there be any freedom?" cried Abram.

"My noble friend." said Zamula,-"Freedom"-'tis a delusive word, it embodies a vain idea: there is no freedom in life; all of us are bound in cords or restricted in one way or another; he who deems himself politically free is a slave to the multitude and to his own ambition; while he who shakes himself loose from custom and creed is still the slave of Desire, mastered by his appetites and passions. I tell you there is no freedom anywhere."

Zamula turned and said to the waiting page, "Tell thy mistress we obey her mandate."

Abram continued:-"God has created all intelligences absolutely free. Freedom of choice is essential to morals. To have man unable to choose would have been to make him incapable of freedom. God made all intelligences free to choose, and he ever respects that of which he is the Creator, -freedom of choice; and when, in the exercise of this freedom of choice, he chooses that his existence, with its consequent faculties and powers shall be spent strictly subject to the will and within the design of the Creator-this choice, on the part of God, the Supreme and true Governor, reveals the principle of the government with the consent of the governed. Thus the divine government as it relates to both the Governor and the governed, the creator and the creature, is demonstrated as well as revealed to be a government of perfect freedom."

"Well, cried Zamula. "In the presence of these principles,

how came the adverse and diverse governments that dominate the earth?"

"Consider. If from the moment existence was given to the first creature, unto the present hour every intelligent being had loved God Supremely and his neighbor as himself, had freely chosen to exercise all his faculties and powers according to the will and within the purpose of God, there would have been no sin, no evil in the universe; and then if at this moment an intelligence were to choose to exercise his faculties and powers, contrary to the will of God, and outside the purpose should choose not to love God with all his heart, soul, mind and strength,-that would be a new and strange thing in the universe, it would introduce something that was not there before; and that thing would be "Sin." In this way evil did enter.'

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"Come," said Zamula. "Let us to supper, the hour grows late, and thou shalt tell me, who, was he that made that bad choice, and thus plunged the whole world in this night of woe, and may we hope for the dawning of a better day-for there are times in spite of all my fame and the sweetness of existence, I weary of earth's days and nights, and find them far too brief and mean to satisfy my longings."

Abram looked at him with feelings of brotherly love and tenderness, and said, "Yes we may hope for a full realization of our noblest aspirations." And together they ascended the steps of the stately marble terrace and passed slowly across it, re-entering the palace where the sound of a distant harp alone penetrated the perfumed stillness; "It must be Sarai who is playing," thought Abram,-and what strange and plaintive chords she swept from the vibrating strings; they seemed

laden with the tears of broken hearted women of the ages

and ages yet to come.

Night had come, and the palace was lit up from end to end by thousands of colored lamps.

A most sumptuous repast was prepared for the Laureate and his guest, in a lofty, richly frescoed banquet hall, wonderful dainties and still more wonderful wines, were served in princely profusion, and while the strangely met and sympathetically united friends ate and drank, delicious music was played on stringed instruments by unseen performers,—when at intervals these pleasing sounds ceased, they supplied the left off harmonies with conversation that was brilliant, witty, refined, sparkling with light anecdote and youthful jest.

Presently the two friends became strangely silent; a shadow of dread darkened their countenances,—

"I have yet to learn the true meaning of Istar's Summons," said Abram.

"Istar," said Zamula, "saw you this morning the only unkneeling soul in that abject multitude, and hence, perhaps her present desire for our company. Nothing is hidden from her; she reads human nature as one reads an open scroll, and with merciless analysis she judges all men as being low creatures; to her ironical humor and icy wit the wisest sages seem fools; she probes them to the core and discovers all their weaknesses;—she has no trust in virtue, no belief in honesty. The virgin priestess, strong in the knowledge of mankind's brute stupidity, governs the multitude with an iron will, intellectual force, and dictative firmness. And while she retains her magic charms she will hold the people in subjection. To the common masses she is a virgin, holy and undefiled, but there

have been strange rumors of late that if the truth were known, she counts her lovers by the score."

This Zamula said, and there was in his tones mingled pain and disdain.

"Now tell me my esteemed friend who was he, so arrogant as to assume to rule in opposition to the Ancient of Days?" "It was with Lucifer that the sentiments and the utterances of Monarchy originated, the words of inspiration are, 'How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning: how art thou cut down to the ground,—For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God.' These are the utterances of arbitrary force; in these sentiments there is no intentional liberty at all. He intended to substitute in the place of God's government of love, his own government of arbitrary force. The result of this was that there was war in heaven, and the devil, the dragon was cast out.

"To him the parents of our race gave heed;-and the long night of woe settled down upon our world.

"Amidst this gloom, a star of wondrous beauty appeared, it was the star of Hope, revealing the transcendent and abiding truth, that to every soul there is granted the right and the power to choose his own master. There are two masters contending for our allegiance. God using only the power of winning love; and the adversary, employing cunning and cruel force.

"If there had never been any sin, the history of this world as it has been would never have been at all. And it is certain that there can be no true understanding of the history of the world without an understanding of the problem of sin and

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