The spiritual life

(Martin Jones) #1

The Value ofDevotion. 107


ennially the love of men; it is the memory


of Him as Man that holds men captive; as


phrasedbyoneof Hisdevotees:-


Thecrossof Christ


IsmoretousthanallHismiracles.

And sointhe God-Menof other faiths; it


is Shri Rama the Divine King, Shri Krishna


the Friend and Lover,whowin the undying,


passionatedevotionofmillionsofhumanhearts.


They render Deity attractive by softening its


dazzling radiance intoalight that human eyes


can bear as it shines through the veil of


humanity; Theylimit the divine attributestill


they become small enough forthe human in-


telligencetograsp. These standas Objectsof


devotion,attracting lovebyTheir perfectlove-


ableness; They need only to be seen to be


loved; whereTheyare not loved it ismerely


becausetheyarenotseen. DevotiontoDivine


Menisnotamatter for discussionorforargu-


ment; the moment one of Them is seen by


the innervision the heart rushes out to Him


and fallsunbidden atHisfeet. Devotionmay


be cultivated bythe reason,may beapproved


of and nurtured by the intelligence; but its


primaryimpulsecomesfromtheheart,notfrom


the head,and flows out spontaneously to the


Object that attracts it, to the shining of the
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