What is our conscience made of?

The dictates of conscience abide with everyone—it is a part of the soul and is immortal.

Conscience is a guiding element and is the Spirit shining through the material covering, which expresses the cast—or mould of the mind.

A large degree of conscience makes an individual frank, generous and kind, and indicates a nature whose spirituality is largely developed.

The origin of conscience cannot be defined any more than that of the Spirit—both had their origin and are governed by laws cognisant by the First Great Cause.

Perverting its manifestations brings it into disrepute through subjugation to another power.

In Instructive Communications from Spirit Life, the spirit author expounds the power of conscience—

The motives by which you are governed are fluctuating and transient, but there is a monitor within, presiding with accuracy and sitting as judge upon every act, defining the position taken long before it is acted upon.

The conscience is a hidden spring and though silent assumes such a position as it is right and equitable for it to hold, possessing and governing your acts.

The conscience, when rightly acting and left to decide the course, which ought to be followed is replete with discretion, guiding aright and if not violated will direct every act, according to the internal workings of the Spirit.

It glides with perfect power of reconciliation from one emergency to another, tranquillising by the qualities possessed within itself.

Propriety and decorum are within its sphere of action.

It becomes the highest gift to you, for it is a right mediator and conductor of your ever-varying course in life.

It seemed necessary that there should be a guiding element within you as a part of your own being.

As God could not bestow powers upon you without conferring upon you some portion of His divinity, hence, this element of the divine nature was implanted within you as the implement of redemption by which you might be governed from within yourself.

Every act should be harmonious with conscience and it will surely entice from wrong when coming in contact with it, as oil is separated from water.

Its natural tendency is upward through the ranks of progression—it does not stop for a mediatorial resting place, but is so inclined toward the source whence it was given that of necessity it gravitates to that condition of existence.

If you would give this part of your spiritual nature the confidence that is its due and rely upon its infallibility, not one fault would be committed without causing suffering of the penalty through a harassed and guilty feeling.

Every besetting sin it disavows by causing repulsion of the inner feelings against it, and it keeps up a warfare, which to outside appearance would indicate no restraining influence—or that it was inured to the task.

But it is the inner—or spiritual feelings that writhe in anguish and submerge the mind in a sea of trouble analogous to hell.

It is just as impossible to violate a spiritual law without remorse of conscience, as it is to violate a physical law without pain.

It is no evidence of its non-existence—or that it is not the prognosticator of individual acts because it does not immediately raise the masses to the high standard, which its efficiency would indicate.

It only implies that its chiding voice is stifled and that it is subject to a yielding inclination to act as conditions would seem to indicate.

Its voice, spiritually, cannot be hushed, for it is God calling upon you for better ways—it is constantly whispering in the still small voice, Come ye this way and do right—it raps for admittance at the door of your heart and is heard by yourself alone.

If you turn away and do admit another guest, notwithstanding, it will rap on and will continue to do so, as long as the Spirit of which it is a part exists.

The conscience is ever active and alive to wrongs of whatever character.

It is the thinking, reflecting part and acts simultaneously with the mind.

When grievances are borne, it records every act and vibrates through sensation, reflections long dwelt upon.

When indifference to virtue shrouds the moral nature, it presents a higher position and opens a contrast between the two.

When sin entices, it arrests the inclination by rebuke.

When an alleviation of suffering is demanded, its power to relieve is felt by arousing feelings in sympathy with humanity.

Its deep, heartfelt sympathy never loses the touch of tenderness when its chords are rightly touched.

Its virtue never loses its vitality, but its susceptibility to action retains its hold upon the moral nature and chides when least expected, melting the hard, forward nature into subdued tenderness.

Every touch of the conscience meets its full counterpart in the exalted condition it produces, and shares its renovating effects with the mind, one acting in accordance with the other.

Intrigue and deception are so averse to the conscience that it is manifested in the countenance.

It permeates the feelings so effectually, working through the spiritual nature, and renders the material so transparent that the emotions of the heart are betrayed.

Who can separate it from the Spirit, showing each to have a distinct action of its own, involving the standing of the individual in this life and that of the Spirit in the world to come?

Every act is based upon progress and if the conscience should be violated, it intercepts the spiritual tendency of the immortal part, deadens its growth and keeps it upon a plane no farther in advance than its primal condition.

Why this mutual reciprocation if it does not belong to and is not a part of the Spirit?

If it is the Spirit, why not rely upon its capabilities for salvation?

Is the Spirit not competent to work out its own grace?

Is that spark of the deity not planted in you competent to hold a position worthy of its purity, holiness and godliness of purpose?

You have all confidence in its power to complete every design and work out its own salvation if you would let its current pursue a course unmolested and not submit its highest aims to violation and abuse, constantly thwarting and uprooting its hold and claims upon the spiritual direction of the inner life.

There is a false estimate of the Spirit, and false assumption, concerning God who gave it.

If He imparted to you a portion of Himself, He also gave that portion power to retain its divine essence, and if you pervert its course for a time and reap the curse, becoming degenerate, it does not prove the incompetency of this divine element to work out for itself an exceeding weight of glory.

In tendering to you salvation that must consist in the susceptibility of the spirit to good and in proportion as its manifestations are kept pure is its salvation becoming complete.

There must be a capacity in you for elevation—or no saving influences could be brought to bear.

The question arises, What may it be that is thus acted upon?

If it is the mind, it is so closely connected with the conscience that you are at a loss to know how you can imbibe it and not the other.

While coursing its way through the nature, there is no discernible difference—one bears testimony of the other and redemption is wrought through the instrumentality of the conscience as much as the mind.

When the evil disposed become penitent and desire better ways, it is mental sensitiveness, producing remorse of conscience that embraces the tenor of their acts and modifies the life anew.

When the mind is brought to a full realisation of wrong, it is no hardship to adopt a proper course and let the tide of life run smooth.

Those who are disposed to make a broad distinction between the two can test the virtue of saving grace, as brought to bear upon the heart alone, while the conscience remains shrouded in indifference.

The difference between the mind and conscience is in the superior capabilities of one for intellectual attainment, therefore, it does not comprise the mind wholly, but is its accomplice and one with it in moral pursuits.

It is an office of the mind that cannot be separated and which presents the best motive where good can be done.

Atonement represents conscientious-making amends through which piety of action is increased.

It is by a right use of these God-given powers that sin is overcome, and let other agencies interfere, these faculties must be alive to their work.

Their object and distinct properties are to transcend evil and go back to the source whence they originated.

Rapidly is this being accomplished, and its course to that effect is marked by progression, commencing with God, in whom it is destined to end.