The spiritual life

ItsMeaning and Method.^137

readthe Upanishats, the^hagavadGila, or

the Christian ^ea; 'Testament,we find our-

selvesinexactlythesameatmosphereasregards

themeaning,the nature of thespirituallife; it

isthatwhichknowstheone-ness, thatinwhich

unityIScomplete.

Nowthisispossible formen, despiteallthe

separation of the intellect and of the various

bodieswhichbarusouttheonefromtheother,

because in the heart of our nature we are

Divine. Thatisthe greatrealityonwhichall

the beauty and powerof human life depend.

And itisnosmallthingwhether,intheordinary

thoughtofapeople,theyrestupontheideathat

theyareDivine,orhave beendeludedintothe

ideathattheyarebynaturesinful,miserableand

degraded. Nothing is so fatal to progress,

nothing so discouraging to the growth of the

innernature,asthe continual repetitionof that

whichisnottrue: thatman fundamentallyand

essentially is wicked, instead of being Divine.

Itisa poison at thevery heart of his life; it

stampshimwithabrandwhichitishardindeed

forhim to throw off; and if wewant to win

eventhelowest and most degradedto asense

of inner dignity, which will enable them to

climboutofthemudinwhichtheyareplunged

uptothedignityof aDivinehumannature,we

L