How Does Man Exercise His Highest Dominion

Jesus taught by parable. I shall imitate His method.

At one time I was an apprentice to an electrician, working in a certain city with a number of other workmen upon a large electrical advertising picture. There was a great artist in the city who had conceived the idea of a wonderful picture. This idea had unfolded and grown in his imagination until it was perfect in all its details. To the artist it was vivid and living, but there was no one to share in the joy of his creation. He needed some way to make his wonderful revelation visible to others, that their enjoyment might make his enjoyment more complete. So he commissioned our employer, a master electrician, to carry his idea into execution. He was the artist and we were the artisans; his was to conceive and ours was to make manifest.

The picture was to be quite pretentious — as large as the end of a big building — and was to be elevated high into the air. It was elaborate in design, consisting of a combination of designs, each unit separate in itself but interwoven with all the others. The whole was to be operated by a mechanical device in such a way as to produce dissolving views and illusive movements of life and action. The large force of workmen were under the direct supervision of a master electrician.

We first erected a huge framework. Upon this we nailed a background of ceiling boards. Next in order the artist showed us his design, in patterns traced upon this background in sketches and in drawings. We carried out this work of the artist by following up all the lines of his drawings with rows of small brass sockets into which would be fitted tiny electric lamps, these to be variously colored to meet the requirements of the completed work.

Last came the most important work — the laying of the wires through which would flow the currents of energy to quicken the whole picture into life. In a few days the rear of the huge structure became a vast but orderly array of fine copper wires, one to each of the tiny lamps and one to each of the operating motors. The wires were then inclosed in conduits, guided and assembled according to the various units of the whole. All were finally massed into a large cable and connected with the central power plant. The last touches were then given and the great work was complete. The whole city was expectantly awaiting the exhibition.

We workmen were all on hand to assist in trying out the device. We had made it, and it was our privilege to prove our mastery by operating it. The master was not present in person but was within call by telephone. When the hour struck, we threw in the switches that controlled the power. Something seemed to be wrong; parts of the picture appeared clearly; other parts showed but dimly; and other parts did not show at all. Discouraged, we turned off the power and tried again. Again we failed. Shameful spectacle! We, a force of intelligent workmen who had constructed this thing with our own hands, now were unable to make it perform. In despair we called up the superintendent. He answered, and after a hurried conference with him, we hung up, confident that now we knew all about it. But alas, there was no improvement in results. We concluded then to call up the superintendent and keep in touch with him until the demonstration was complete. This we did, holding the wire and executing his instructions one by one. How different now! Soon each tiny lamp was aglow. The intricate machinery began to do its part. Suddenly the whole picture took on the appearance of life, and the complete design burst into manifestation in its wondrous beauty.

The difference between failure and success is in knowing how. Our success came when we decided to hold the wire and keep in constant touch with the master electrician.

Our parable is finished. Jesus said: "My Father worketh even until now, and I work."

This picture symbolizes our world, if we have exercised our spiritual dominion and power. The artist is the Father within us, into whose image and likeness we are to unfold. The master mechanic, Jehovah God, gives us the inspiration, and if we keep in touch with Him we learn how to place our wires and to turn on the current properly, until the most intricate parts of our world express perfectly. We are the apprentices. We of ourselves can do nothing: "the Father abiding in me doeth his works." Through the inner ear we get into touch with the Cause of all that is. We listen to the instruction, and work in harmony with it; we follow the designs of the Great Artist. Man exercises his highest dominion by establishing himself in the I am, the Jehovah consciousness, and thinking God's thoughts after Him. By realizing life and then breathing this holy life into every atom of his being, man unfolds the strength, the beauty, and the perfect poise of Spirit, and thus develops the superman.