ckground of the Universe of Matter, Energy and
Mind, is as they describe. In fact, the description of those who have had
glimpses of this state would indicate that they see the Universe as All
Mind--that All is Mind at the last. This form of consciousness has been
experienced by men here and there--only a few--in moments of
"Illumination," the period lasting but a very short space of time, then
fading away, leaving but a memory. In the moment of the "Illumination"
there came to those experiencing it a sense of "intouch-ness" with
Universal Knowledge and Life, impossible to describe, accompanied by a
Joy beyond understanding.

Regarding this last, "Cosmic Consciousness," we would state that it means
more than an intellectual conviction, belief or realization of the facts
as stated, for an actual _vision_ and _consciousness_ of these things
came in the moment of Illumination. Some others report that they have a
deep abiding sense of the reality of the facts described by the report of
the Illumined, but have not experienced the "vision" or ecstasy referred
to. These last people seem to have with them always the same mental state
as that possessed by those who had the "vision" and passed out of it,
carrying with them the remembrance and feeling, but not the actual
consciousness attained at the moment. They agree upon the essential
particulars of the reports. Dr. Maurice Bucke, now passed out of this
plane of life, wrote a book entitled "Cosmic Consciousness," in which he
describes a number of these cases, including his own, Walt Whitman's and
others, and in which he holds that this stage of consciousness is before
the race and will gradually come to it in the future. He holds that the
manifestation of it which has come to some few of the race, as above
stated, is but the first beams of the sun which are flashing upon us and
which are but prophecies of the appearance of the great body of light
itself.

We shall not here consider at length the reports of certain great
religious personages of the past, who have left records that in moments
of great spiritual exaltation they became conscious of "being in the
presence of the Absolute," or perhaps within the radius of "the light of
Its countenance." We have great respect for these reports, and have every
reason for believing many of them authentic, notwithstanding the
conflicting reports that have been handed down to us by those
experiencing them. These reports are conflicting b