25 April 1912
Talk to Theosophical Society at the home of Mr. and Mrs.
Parsons
Washington, D.C.
The greatest power in the realm and range of human existence
is spirit—the divine breath which animates and pervades all things. It is
manifested throughout creation in different degrees or kingdoms. In the
vegetable kingdom it is the augmentative spirit or power of growth, the animus
of life and development in plants, trees and organisms of the floral world. In
this degree of its manifestation spirit is unconscious of the powers which
qualify the kingdom of the animal. The distinctive virtue or plus of the animal
is sense perception; it sees, hears, smells, tastes and feels but is incapable,
in turn, of conscious ideation or reflection which characterizes and
differentiates the human kingdom. The animal neither exercises nor apprehends
this distinctive human power and gift. From the visible it cannot draw
conclusions regarding the invisible, whereas the human mind from visible and
known premises attains knowledge of the unknown and invisible. For instance,
Christopher Columbus from information based upon known and provable facts drew
conclusions which led him unerringly across the vast ocean to the unknown
continent of America. Such power of accomplishment is beyond the range of
animal intelligence. Therefore, this power is a distinctive attribute of the
human spirit and kingdom. The animal spirit cannot penetrate and discover the
mysteries of things. It is a captive of the senses. No amount of teaching, for instance,
would enable it to grasp the fact that the sun is stationary, and the earth
moves around it. Likewise, the human spirit has its limitations. It cannot
comprehend the phenomena of the Kingdom transcending the human station, for it
is a captive of powers and life forces which have their operation upon its own
plane of existence, and it cannot go beyond that boundary.