56 THE THRESHOLD OF EVOLUTION 



The reader will please bear in mind that the dawn of all 

 the attributes of the Epoch of Charity takes place in an im- 

 perfect form during the Epoch of Hope, and in a material 

 form during the Epoch of Faith, for Mind is only the child- 

 hood of Soul. Hence all through the Epoch of Hope the lower 

 forms of virtue are being evolved, but men will not become 

 truly virtuous till after the birth of Understanding in the 

 Mind of Man, which birth is now commencing. Imperfect 

 Understanding, however, has been dawning in the soul of 

 man through the second epoch of the world, just in the same 

 way as the human mind has dawned in the animal mind in 

 the Epoch of Faith, although it was not to rise above instinct 

 till the dawn of Imagination in the mind of man, which raised 

 mind above the animal mind in the Epoch of Hope. 



It will be further evolved when Comprehension gives 

 place to Religion, although it is not destined to become fully 

 evolved till the birth of the Soul, when virtue will triumph over 

 vice, as man's soul becomes sufficiently advanced in the Epoch 

 of Charity to know and understand the truths of revelation, 

 and so becomes a religion unto himself, knowing and doing 

 right for right's sake. Whereas in the age of Religion his 

 mind is only sufficiently evolved to comprehend that such 

 virtues exist, and in the majority of cases according to and 

 by the aid and direction of Religion, to believe and act up 

 to the beliefs and teachings of Religion, not to know and 

 understand how to do right of his own free will, and his will 

 (except in a few individuals who are above the average stan- 

 dard of soul or mind as compared with the average man of the 

 age) is not sufficiently developed to be able to resist the 

 temptation to do wrong when the inducement is fascinating 

 and alluring, and the gratification easy of satisfaction. 



If the reader carefully notes Table VII. he will see that the 

 first seven emotions evolve by the return of soul to creation, 

 viz., Reverence, Shyness, Inquisitiveness, Devotion, Bigotry 

 and Chivalry are the seven qualities that have already attained 

 complete development in the mind of man, and which are now 

 on the decline, whereas Music, Friendship, Love of perfection 

 or superiority, Ambition, Humility, Prevention of Crime, 

 Caution, Admiration, Mercy, Forgiveness, and Enjoyment 

 are all emotions that must be still further evolved before man 

 can overcome Indolence, Self-love, and Meanness to such an 



