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On the con- trary a few survivors are preserved, although driven away from their former homes, and reduced to "first principles of living" in order to become the parents of the new races. The new races springing from the fittest of these survivors quickly form sub-races, being composed of the better adapted souls seeking reincar- nation, while the less fit sink into barbarism, and show evidences of decay, although a remnant drags on for thousands of years, being composed of the souls of those who have not advanced sufficiently to take a part in the life of the new races. These "left-overs" are in evidence in our own times in the cases of the Austra- 240 GNANI YOGA lian savages, and some of the African tribes, as well as among the Digger Indians and others of similar grade of intelligence. In order to understand the advance of each race it must be remembered that the more advanced souls, after passing out of the body, have a much longer period of rest in the higher planes, and consequently do not present themselves for reincarnation until a period quite late when compared with the hasty rein- carnation of the less advanced souls who are hurried back to rebirth by reason of the strong earthly attach- ments and desires. In this way it happens that the earlier races of each Cycle are more primitive folk than those who follow them as the years roll by. The soul of an earth-bound person reincarnates in a few years, and sometimes in a few days, while the soul of an advanced man may repose and rest on the higher planes for centuries — nay, even for thousands of years, until the earth has reached a stage in which the appropriate environment may be afforded it. Observers, unconnected with Occultism, have noted certain laws which seem to regulate the rise and fall of nations — the procession of ruling races. They do not understand the law of Metempsychosis that alone gives the key to the problem, but nevertheless they have not failed to record the existence of the laws themselves. In order to show that these laws are recognized by persons who are not at all influenced by the Occult Teachings, we take the liberty of quoting from Draper's "History of the Intellectual Develop- ment of Europe." SPIRITUAL EVOLUTION 241 Dr. Draper writes as follows : "We are, as we often say, the creatures of circumstances. In that expres- sion there is a higher philosophy than might at first appear. From this more accurate point of view we should therefore consider the course of these events, recognizing the principle that the affairs of men pass forward in a determinate way, expanding and unfold- ing themselves. And hence we see that the things of which we have spoken as if they were matters of choice, were in reality forced upon their apparent authors by the necessity of the times. But in truth they should be considered as the presentation of a certain phase of life which nations in their onward course sooner or later assume. To the individual, how well we know that a sober moderation of action, an appropriate gravity of demeanor, belonging to the mature period of life, change from the wanton will- fulness of youth, which may be ushered in, or its be- ginnings marked by many accidental incidents ; in one perhaps by domestic bereavements, in another by the loss of fortune, in a third by ill-health. We are cor- rect enough in imputing to such trials the change of character; but we never deceive ourselves by suppos- ing that it would have failed to take place had these incidents not occurred. There runs an irresistible des- tiny in the midst of these vicissitudes. There are anal- ogies between the life of a nation, and that of an in- dividual, who, though he may be in one respect the maker of his own fortunes, for happiness or for mis- ery, for good or for evil, though he remains here or 242 GNANI YOGA goes there as his inclinations prompt, though he does this or abstains from that as he chooses, is neverthe- less held fast by an inexorable fate — a fate which brought him into the world involuntarily, so far as he was concerned, which presses him forward through a definite career, the stages of which are absolutely in- variable, — infancy, childhood, youth, maturity, old age, with all their characteristic actions and passions, — and which removes him from the scene at the ap- pointed time, in most cases against his will. So also is it with nations; the voluntary is only the outward semblance, covering but hardly hiding the predeter- mined. Over the events of life we may have control, but none whatever over the law of its progress. There is a geometry that applies to nations an equation of their curve of advance. That no mortal man can touch." This remarkable passage, just quoted, shows how the close observers of history note the rise and fall of the tides of human race progress, although ignorant of the real underlying causing energy or force. A study of the Occult Teachings alone gives one the hidden secret of human actions and throws the bright light of Truth upon the dark corners of phenomena. At the beginning of the Fifth Cycle (which is the present one) , there were not only the beginnings of the new races which always spring up at the beginning of each new cycle and which are the foundations for the coming races which take advantage of the fresh con- ditions and opportunities for growth and development SPIRITUAL EVOLUTION 243 — but there were also the descendants of the Elect saved from the destruction of Atlantis by having been led away and colonized far from the scene of danger. The new races were the descendant of the scattered survivors of the Atlantean peoples, that is, the com- mon run of people of the time. But the Elect few were very superior people, and imparted to their descendants their knowledge and wisdom. So that we see at the beginning of the Fifth Cycle hordes of new, primitive people in certain lands, and in other places advanced nations like the ancestors of the Ancient Egyptians, Persians, Chaldeans, Hindus, etc. These advanced races were old souls — advanced souls — the progressed and developed souls of Ancient Lemuria and Atlantis, who lived their lives and who are now either on higher planes of life, or else are among us to-day taking a leading part in the world's affairs, striving mightily to save the present races from the misfortunes which overtook their predeces- sors. The descendants of the people were the Assyrians and Babylonians. In due time the primitive new races developed and the great Roman, Grecian, and Car- thaginian peoples appeared. Then came the rise of other peoples and nations down to the present time. Each race or nation has its rise, its height of attain- ment, and its decline. When a nation begins to de- cline it is because its more advanced souls have passed on, and only the less progressive souls are left. The history of all nations show the truth of the Occult 244 GNANI YOGA Teachings in this respect, and the strange phenomena noted by historians is explainable in no other way. It will be seen by the careful student that the Great Law of Metempsychosis is ever urging on humanity toward higher and higher achievements. The ad- vanced souls of a race pass on to new scenes of activ- ity, and even the backward ones are not suffered to lag behind very long, for the continual change, and creation of new environments for them tend to re- awaken, sleeping energy and to stimulate the lagging one to fresh endeavor and activity. In this way the whole race is being constantly stimulated toward the advancement which is its natural heritage. But it must not be forgotten that increased power, wisdom and opportunity bring with them increased re- sponsibility. As the soul advances along the lines of Spiritual Evolution, it becomes endowed with a greater and greater opportunity of choosing between the Good and the Evil. In the earlier races the soul was not sufficiently developed to exercise this power of dis- crimination and choice, and consequently its responsi- bility was limited. But as the soul advanced and at- tained greater powers, greater things are expected of it. Power brings with it responsibilities. The present stage of Man's Spiritual Evolution is a critical one. Men are beginning to be conscious of the great spiritual questions presenting themselves be- fore them for settlement, discrimination and choice. It is like the awakening of the child into manhood or womanhood, and the confronting of problems hereto- SPIRITUAL EVOL UTION 243 fore undreamt of. Man is developing latent faculties which are bringing to him new perceptions of the Great Truths of Existence, and he can no longer plead "I do not know." In the present stage of life on this planet there is a battle royal beingwaged between the forces of Materiality and Spirituality, and all are tak- ing part in that battle. Some are ranged on one side, and some on the other, and families are divided over the great question of Spirituality vs. Carnality. But the outcome is in no danger. The Higher will always triumph over the Lower. On the one side are seen the great mass of men who look upon this present physical life as the only real one, and who regard all ideas of future existence and life as "moonshine" and "wishy-washy talk." These people devote their entire time to the satisfac- tion of sensual appetites, and the gratification of the lower instincts of the Instinctive Mind. Some few have acquired the Pride of Intellect, and forget the lower physical satisfaction in the greater satisfaction that comes from the exercise of the rational faculties of the mind. But, alas only a few, comparatively, realize the meaning of the word "Spirituality," and know it to be a thing of Strength rather than of Weak- ness.