ten, banished, cursed, spat upon and led forth to be killed, we
shall accept all this joyfully, loving those who hate and wound us." All
the disciples replied, "Surely we will--it is agreed; this is right." Then
they descended from the summit of the mountain, and each went forth in a
different direction upon his divine mission.

This was true consultation. This was spiritual consultation and not the
mere voicing of personal views in parliamentary opposition and debate.

2 May 1912
Talk to Federation of Women's Clubs
Hotel La Salle, Chicago, Illinois

Notes by Joseph H. Hannen

One of the functions of the sun is to quicken and reveal the hidden
realities of the kingdoms of existence. Through the light and heat of the
great central luminary, all that is potential in the earth is awakened and
comes forth into the realm of the visible. The fruit hidden in the tree
appears upon its branches in response to the power of the sun; man and all
other organisms live, move and have their being under its developing rays;
nature is resplendent with countless evolutionary forms through its
pervading impulse--so that we can say a function of the sun is the
revelation of the mysteries and creative purposes hidden within the
phenomenal world.

The outer sun is a sign or symbol of the inner and ideal Sun of Truth, the
Word of God. Inasmuch as this is the century of light, it is evident that
the Sun of Reality, the Word, has revealed itself to all humankind. One of
the potentialities hidden in the realm of humanity was the capability or
capacity of womanhood. Through the effulgent rays of divine illumination
the capacity of woman has become so awakened and manifest in this age that
equality of man and woman is an established fact. In past ages woman was
wronged and oppressed. This was especially the case in Asia and Africa. In
certain parts of Asia women were not considered as members of humankind.
They were looked upon as inferior, unworthy creatures, subordinate and
subject to man. A certain people known as the Nusayris held to the belief
for a long period that woman was the incarnation of the evil spirit, or
Satan, and that man alone was the manifestation of God, the Merciful. At
last this century of light dawned, the realities shone forth, and the
mysteries long hidden from human vision were revealed. Among these
revealed realities was the great principle of the equality of man and
woman, which is now finding recognition th