Not alone is any Soul pushed out of the Celestial Heavens, out of the whiteness of the throne of God, to seek expression in material life. Even as the mother bird gently pushes her young from the parent nest that they may learn to fly, but ever hovers near and dives beneath, spreading her wings to catch them if they fall, so the Infinite Mother Love watcheth the fledglings of the skies.

Not alone do Souls approach the earth. In all manifestations of nature there are association and groupings; atoms arranged in duads, triads, quadrads and quintads; the flora and fauna in species and families. So groups of Souls pass from the Celestial State toward a solar system for expression. Archangels and Angels, of degrees adapter1 to the states of expression intended, accompanying them.

In groups of one hundred and forty-four thousand come Souls under charge of an Archangel. This is a Kabalistic and Messianic number, is referred to in the vision of the Apocalypse in the New Testament; it here refers to such Souls as approach the earth (or any planet) at any given time for expression. Other groups of Souls each numbering one hundred and forty-four thousand approach the earth, until all are embodied that the planet can ever perfect in its expression. This largest group is divided into smaller ones, the two smallest numbering one hundred and forty-four Souls, and twelve Souls, respectively. The group of twelve is called a Family of Kindred Souls, and is in charge of a Parental Soul; i. e., a Soul having passed through the degrees of earthly expression and being, therefore one of its angels.

The number twelve is the mystical number, the sacred number of the ancients. The larger number, one hundred and forty-four, twelve times twelve, expresses also a mystical meaning, and has relation to the Twelve Angels, who, grouped in the angelic state, have charge of the twelve groups of Souls. One hundred and forty-four thousand constitute all that come in a certain period of time and begin, approximately, their lives together on the earth. One of these groups are those who first approach the earth and form what is colled the "primal nation," the beginning. These take their primary lessons and pass on through the different steps of this life, taking the same steps at the same time, though scattered far and wide upon the earth.

The indications of the relations of the groups is made manifest in the first nations of the earth, where tribes and nationalities held sway according to their physical states, and there the indications are very strong. The tribal rules of the primal nations, the absolute sway of the patriarchal form of government prove that the idea of the parental Soul was recognized, that the one who has charge of the tribe is considered the superior. Sometimes this parental rule is represented by both man and woman. This patriarchal rule, and the harmony of the tribe and family, existing among primal nations, is like the innocence of childhood, and is soon disturbed by the material selfishness that follows.

There are periods of peace in the primal conditions of the nations of the earth; after that there are discord, striving, and warfare; the groups of Souls then have become dispersed into different nationalities; the members of the same nation are no longer kindred, they quarrel in the same household. The typical Cain and Abel of Scripture are the typical aliens in the same household, not being kindred in Soul, expressing different stages of growth in connection with earth. These aliens are to be found in almost every household in any society or community. But for these illustrations, and the true causes of them, there never could have been wars among the nations and families of earth. Souls become separated, they are no longer nations of the life of the Soul, but nations' of the body.

The foregoing explains why the ties of relationship and the ties of consanguinity in the lower orders of human life are much stronger than they are in the intervening states, between the lower and higher orders, because the ties of consanguinity are the physical expression of what is termed affection. The first beginnings of strife are after the dispersion of the primal household or nation, and before the higher or spiritual recognition begins. The kindred Souls have become dispersed and only gradually, with occasional glimpses and vivid flashes, do they come together in the same household or nation. They do not usually meet until in later embodiments when there are great crises or culminating periods on the earth.

Illustrations of these groups of kindred Souls, and their recognition, are upon the earth now in great numbers, and are to be found in every period of human history. When you see, in different portions of the earth, lives spring up suddenly, with natures that resemble one another, similar in thought, alike in purpose, having corresponding sympathy, you may know they are kindred Souls, and yet they may have never met in their earthly forms. There are those who appear and act together in emergencies. Take, for instance, bodies of reformers or groups of people who are intent on carrying forward art or science; musical, artistic, scientific, patriotic lives, who are as brothers and Bisters, yet do not belong to the same earthly parents.

It has been observed by thoughtful minds very frequently, that poets and painters exist in certain countries and ages in groups. What constellations clustered around a certain period of time in Italy; the Preraphaelite period, leading up to the wonderful age of art when there seer ed to be poured out a new spirit upon the earth, an age created by the group of geniuses that clustered around imperial Borne. Then followed the Renaissance. In poetry also there was the Grecian age; afterward was the Dantean age, and later the Elizabethan age of poetry and literature; all these ages are so named because of the constellations of minds that seemed born for the same epoch, and created the art, or literature, of their period. Who other than a group of kindred Souls could have thrilled Germany with such light as finally clustered around Goethe and Schiller in the small court at Weimar?