ires as much as possible _within itself_, _taking
leave of the body_, and as far as it can, not communicating or being in
contact with it, _it aims at the discovery of that which is_."

I hold that the most valuable triumphs of science in the future lie in the
realm of psychology, and that by no means the least important contribution
in this direction will come from the study of Folklore, of which belief in
the separable soul, and the phenomena and universality of the dream state
must form a very important part.

One final consideration is suggested not without some degree of hesitation
and diffidence. If there be a soul in man destined to continued existence,
and if in any case perfection is the goal of evolution as formulated by
Herbert Spencer for a future residue of the human race, then this soul in
its essential elements is without beginning in time.

Pre-existence and evolution necessitate repeated re-embodiment on the
physical plane, and the continuity of self-consciousness in man I hold to
be the proof of life without beginning or end.

Viewed in this light, dreams and all subjective experiences in man must
mingle reminiscences of the soul with the experiences of the present life,
and the theory of innate ideas assumes a purely scientific form. We hence
arrive at the intuition of the soul to account for universal belief. The
experience of Socrates and the Fiji Islander agree as to the subjective
plane as perfectly as in regard to the beating of the heart. They differ
only in degree of evolution.

CHAPTER XIV

FROM CONFUSION TO CONSTRUCTION

A concise and detailed review of the past, in the long journey of man
toward civilization and independent self-knowledge, has not been herein
attempted. Only hints, here and there, and the barest outline have been
undertaken.

If, however, the intelligent student will follow these clews, he will find
a mass of material and abundant evidence to corroborate the general
thesis.

Every great religion has had its Avatar, its Redeemer, its _Christos_.

Each of these religions has adapted from its predecessors and transformed
the old, in whole or in part, to suit the conditions and apparent needs of
the time.

Each of these revivals of religion has been instituted on account of the
abominations of a dominant priesthood and the poverty and degradation of
the masses. What was at first claimed and instituted as a Divine
Revelation for the elevation and happiness of