104 The Spiritual Life.
showsInperfectionthecharacteristicof alllove
givento thosew^ho are greater than ourselves,
thecharacteristicofself-surrender.
Here wehave the touchstonebywhichwe
canseparate it from the fanaticism which has
inspired religious wars, religious persecutions,
religiousanimosities. Thesehavetheirrootsin
hatred,not in love; theyrepel us from others
instead of drawingus towards them. In the
nameof loveto Godmeninjure theirfellows
;
butwhenweanalysethemotivepoweroftheir
actionswedonot finditinthelove,butintheir
sense that theyare rightand others wrong,in
the separateness they feel from others,in the
feelingof repulsionfrom them becauseoftheir
supposedwrongness,i.e.,inhate. Out ofthis
come the bitter waters that sterilise the heart
overwhich they flow. Bythis wecan judge
whatwe regardas devotion in ourselves; if it
makes us humble, gentle, tolerant, friendly
to all, then it is true devotion; if it makes
us proud, harsh, separate, suspicious of all,
then, however fair its seeming,it is dross, not
gold.