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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1867 edition. Excerpt: ... For to assert that any one has such precedence, would be to assume that it must either have been imperfect and grown to perfection, or have been originally perfect and subsequently deteriorated; but any notion of deterioration is incompatible with existence, since that must be the existence of God. The initiated amongst them, however, allow that the First Source has precedence over the Second, and the Second over the third and fourth; but they state that it is a precedence of order and mind, not of place or time; the precedence of the Sun's Orb over its rays, or of cause over effect, each having been manifested by the preceding. Summary The Unitarian theory may be summed up thus; tarian ac-' ®0 s tne First Source, He is the hidden treasure count. who desires to make Himself known; the others are manifestations of the First, and the more manifestations take place, the more the First becomes known. Sufiistic The Sufis maintain that these four Sources have a precedence the one over the other, both of time and place; such precedence as Adam has over Mohammed. The origin of the Universe is placed by them in Eternity (ami); that of the Constructive Spirit, the Second Source from which it sprung, in Eternity of Eternities (azal i azdF), whilst the Nature of God, the First Source, is Sempiternal lam yazul wa Id yuzdl). The Traveller then must overcome the restraints of time and place, before his footsteps can border on the threshold of Eternity. account. There are other Unitarians, who explain the Four Sources as follows. The First Source, the Nature of God, they call Another an Infinite and Illimitable Light, a boundless and account, fathomless sea. The Second Source, the Constructive Spirit, proceeding from Him, is likewise an Infinite...