NOVUS ORDO SECLORUM
Heralding an entirely new Religious Concept
as embraced in a
Spiritualized Interpretation of the
DIVINE LAW
Henceforth the Great Work, in both its Outer Court - known as the Church of Illumination - and its Inner Circle of ac-tivities, will follow a radical and somewhat revolutionary change or departure from long established precedent. This is because it is felt that the contemplated change will help to bring about a much better understanding and make possible an easier ap-plication of the Divine, or God's Law in all the affairs of man.
This change we can hope to bring about by general use of a word common in the parlance of those engaged in business, in the professions and every other remunerative activity. That word is Compensation.
COMPENSATION
Throughout the ages there has been a conflict of opinion as to the exact meaning of such words and phrases as: (1) “Karma” (a much-abhorred, because much misunderstood word), (2) “As ye sow, so shall ye reap,” (3) the scientific law of “Action and Reaction” ... the Biblical “Punishment and Reward”, (4) the separation of “wheat” and “chaff” (5) the dictum, “By the sweat of thy brow shalt thou earn thy bread” and (6) the story of the “Fig tree that would bear no fruit,” etc.
These are but varied references to the one inevitable and unchanging law that to live we must produce and that to fail to produce is to be destroyed (burned up). This law is variously expressed in the Biblical phrase, “As a man soweth so shall he reap;” in the scientific dictum, “Action brings a REaction of like nature,” and in the business man's conception of compensation or exchange.
God does not punish! God does not reward! God instituted an all-inclusive law - The Law of Exchange! As a man sows so must he reap. He is reimbursed for every thought, desire and deed.
The reimbursement for evil thoughts, desires and deeds is the Biblical “chaff,” which should, and must be burned up - destroyed. The compensation for good thoughts, desires and deeds is “wheat” which is life; not only temporal, but eternal.
The Church of Illumination is gradually eliminating the phrase, “reward and punishment,” and replacing it with the one word: Compensation. This cannot but make the under-standing of the Law much easier, for the reason that this is a word long and universally used. It is a word of definite and unmistakable meaning. No honest person seeks to be com-pensated for services unperformed, nor are they willing to com-pensate any one for labor yet to be done.
People are gardeners, whether they will or not. Some are good gardeners. Some are not so good. Many are failures because of lack of desire and application or a general mis-conception of their part in the game of life. Individuals have free Will, but only to the extent that they chooses either good (con-structive), or evil (destructive) work. All other “choices” result from the outworking of the Law o f Exchange, which, with its reciprocal action and REaction, opens the way for increasing happiness and success or yields the deserved measure of sorrow and suffering.
The wise gardener gathers up the weeds in their garden and plows them under to serve as food for their flowers and vegetables. If the choice of location was wisely made, the gardner will not seek to find a better one, knowing that the garden of weeds can be reclaimed and made to blossom by the transmutation of the weeds. Assuredly, if the soil will grow weeds, it will as readily grow flowers and vegetables. It is in the prepara-tion and the sowing; the working out of the Law of Exchange or Compensation, as the result of proper choice and action . . . that makes the difference.
To repeat and re-emphasize: Whatever an individual’s efforts may be, the reward or "reaping" will rightly and justly be accord-ing to the sowing. The reaping, whatever its nature, is the Compensation- the Just or Merited Reward. Those who fail or refuse to make effort, who offers nothing of worth, cannot honestly receive a benefit; nor would an honest person have it otherwise. The Law of Compensation is - must be - Absolute, or there is No Law. Without law, there could be no God and man would be without a Spiritual self - bereft of Soul.
Give, and you shall receive accordingly in full measure and running over. Labor, and you shall be compensated. Procure, in one way or another, that which you have not earned and those whom you have thereby defrauded, shall be com-pensated, while you will be made to pay “to the uttermost farthing” with heavy interest.
Many there are who, when compelled to face up to obligations created in this manner, complain bitterly of their lament-able plight and blame everyone but themselves for their dire misfortune.