CHAPTER XXII.
THE GODDESS LEARNS THE STORY OF THE OUTER WORLD.
Her holiness was pleased to say how honored she was by receiving us.Our advent in Atvatabar had created a profound impression upon thepeople, and she was no less curious to see us and learn from our ownlips the story of the outer world. She was greatly interested incomparing the stalwart figures of our sailors with the less vigorousframes of the Atvatabarese. It could not be expected that men whohandled objects and carried themselves in a land where gravity wasreduced to a minimum could be so vigorous as men who belonged to aland of enormous gravity, whose resistance to human activity developedgreat strength of bone and muscle.
I informed her holiness regarding the geography, climate and peoplesof the outer sphere. I gave her an account of the chief nations of theworld from Japan to the United States. I spoke of Africa, Australia,and the Pacific islands. I spoke of Adam and Eve, of the Deluge, ofAssyria and Egypt. Then I described the glory of Greece and thegrandeur of Rome. I spoke of Caesar and Hannibal, Cleopatra andAntony. I spoke of Columbus, Galileo, Michael Angelo, Faraday, Dante,and Shakespeare. I described how art reigned in one kingdom or countryand invention in another, and that the soul or spiritual nature was asyet a rare development.
"You tell me," said the goddess, "that Greece could chisel a statue,but could not invent a magnic engine, and that your own country, richin machinery, is barren in art. This tells me the outer world is yetin a state of chaos and has not yet reached the development ofAtvatabar. We have passed through all those stages. At first we werebarbarous, then, as time produced order, art began to flourish. Theartist, in his desire to glorify the few, lost sight of the misery ofthe many. Then came the reign of invention, of science, giving powerto the meanest citizen. As democracy triumphed art was despised, anda ribald press jeered at the sacred names of poet and priest. Bydegrees, as the pride and power of the wealthy few were curbed and thecondition of the masses raised to a more uniform and juster level,universal prosperity, growing rapidly richer, produced a fusion of artand progress. The physical man made powerful by science and the souldeveloped by art naturally produced the result of spiritual freedom.The enfranchised soul became free to explore the mysteries of natureand obtain a mastery over the occult forces residing therein."
"In the outer sphere," I informed the goddess, "there has also existedin all ages an ardent longing for spiritual power over matter. Butthis power, which in many periods of history was really obtained, hadbeen purchased by putting in practice the severest austerities of thebody. Force of soul was the price of subjugation of passion and thevarious appetites of the body. The fakirs, yogis, jugglers, and adeptsof India; the magicians, sorcerers and astrologers of Mesopotamia andEgypt; the alchemists, cabalists, and wizards of the middle ages, andthe theosophists, spiritualists, clairvoyants, and mesmerists of thepresent time, were members of the same fraternity who have obtainedtheir psychological powers from a study and practice of mysticphilosophy or magic."
"You say that the outer-world magicians derived their powers of soulfrom abnegation of the body," said the goddess. "Now the soul priestsof Atvatabar can do quite as wonderful things, I dare say, as yourmagicians, and they have never practised austerities, but, on thecontrary, have developed the body as well as the soul. In the worshipof the gods of science and invention, art and spirituality, both body,mind, and soul are exercised to their utmost capability. In all stagesthere is exultance, exercise, development. But I am deeply interestedin your remarks. Tell me just what the principles of the worshippersof your Harikar are!"
"Spiritual culture in the outer world," I explained, "is obtained by avariety of religious beliefs, but the belief that most nearlyresembles that of Atvatabar is that of the soul-worshippers, who denythe existence of any power beyond the human soul, teaching that it isonly by our own inward light that we can rise to higher planes andreach at last to Nirvana, or passive blessedness. This inward lightcan only be truly followed by self-obliteration, fastings, penances,and repression of desires and appetites of all kinds, carried onthrough an endless series of reincarnations. The final blessedness isa beatific absorption into the ocean of existence which pervades theuniverse."
"That is a different creed to that of Harikar in Atvatabar," said thegoddess, "which is worship of body, mind, and soul. We believe withyour Greeks in perfection of body and also with your Hindoos inperfection of soul. We re-enforce the powers of body and mind byscience and invention, and the soul powers by art and spiritual love.We believe in magic and sorcery. Our religion is a state of ecstaticjoy, chiefly found in the cultured friendship of counterpart souls,who form complete circles with each other. Enduring youth is theconsummate flower of civilization. With us it lasts one hundred years,beginning with our twentieth birthday. There is no long and crucialstage of bodily abstinence from the good things of life; there is onlyabstinence from evil, from vice, selfishness, and unholy desire. Ourreligion is the trinity of body, mind, and spirit, in their utmostdevelopment. Such is the faith of Atvatabar."
"And such a faith," I replied, "with such a deity as your holiness,must profoundly sway the hearts of your people."
The goddess was a woman of intuition. Almost before I was aware of itmyself she evidently discovered a sentiment underlying my words. Shepaused a moment, and before I could question her further regarding thepeculiar creed of Atvatabar, said: "We will discuss these things morefully hereafter."
At a signal from the goddess the trumpets rang a blast announcing theaudience at an end. With the summons music uttered a divine throbbingthroughout the chamber, while the singers marched and sang gloriouslyin the cloisters.
As I sat, my soul swimming in a sea of ecstasy born of the blessedenvironment, I felt possessed of splendors and powers hitherto unknownand unfelt. A thrill of joy made hearts tremble beneath the crystaldome. It was a new lesson in art's mysterious peace.