Conquest: not resignation -He who has undertaken the sublime task of overcoming himself, does not resign himself to anything that is evil
To resign oneself .
He who has undertaken the sublime task of overcoming himself does not resign himself to anything that is evil; he subjects himself only to that which is good. Resignation to evil is the lowest weakness; obedience to good is the highest power.
To resign oneself to sin and sorrow, to ignorance and suffering, is to say in effect, “I give up; I am defeated; life is evil, and I submit.” Such resignation to evil is the reverse of religion. It is a direct denial of good; it elevates evil to the position of supreme power in the universe.
Such submission to evil shows itself in a selfish and sorrowful life; a life alike devoid of strength against temptation, and of that joy and calm which are the manifestation of a mind that is dominated by good.
Man is not framed for perpetual resignation and sorrow, but for final victory and joy. All the spiritual laws of the universe are with the good man, for good preserves and shields. There are no laws of evil. Its nature is destruction and desolation.
The man of habitual self-control .
The conscious modification of the character away from evil and towards good, forms, at present, no part in the common course of education. Even our religious teachers have lost this knowledge and practice, and cannot, therefore, instruct concerning it. Moral growth is, so far, in the great mass of mankind, unconscious, and is brought about by the stress and struggle of life.
The time will come, however, when the conscious formation of character will form an important part in the education of youth, and when no man will be able to fill the position of preacher unless he be a man of habitual self-control, unblemished integrity, and exalted purity, so as to be able to give sound instruction in the making of character, which will then be the main feature of religion.
Masters of religion . – Doctrine of conquest over evil
The doctrine herein set forth by the author is the doctrine of conquest over evil; the annihilation of sin; and necessarily the permanent establishment of man in the knowledge of good, and in the enjoyment of perpetual peace. This is the teaching of the Masters of religion in all ages.
Howsoever it may have been disguised and distorted by the unenlightened if is the doctrine of all the perfect ones that were, and will be the doctrine of all the perfect ones that are to come. It is the doctrine of Truth.
Conquest is not of evil without .
And the conquest is not of evil without; not of evil men, or evil spirits, or evil things; but of the evil within; of evil thoughts, evil desires, evil deeds; for when every man has destroyed the evil within his own heart, to where in the whole vast universe will anyone be able to point, and say, “It is evil?” In that great day when all men have become good within, all traces of evil will have vanished from the earth; sin and sorrow will be unknown, and there will be universal joy forevermore.
That which is taught in this book, according to the author: victory over evil; eradication of sin; and eternal peace for mankind, are all based on this idea. The Masters of religion have always taught this.
Regardless matter how it has been perverted and camouflaged by the unenlightened, it is the teaching of all the flawless ones who have been and will be. In other words, it’s a belief in Truth.
As for the conquering, it’s not a battle against evil outside of ourselves; it’s a battle against our own inner demons. When each of us has fought and defeated our own inner demons, no one will be able to point and say, “There is evil?” Every trace of sin and sadness will be wiped away from the Earth in that magnificent day when all men have grown good within; universal happiness and peace will be the norm.