Its Meaningand Method. 141
placeasmuchas in the desert,inthe houseof
commerceasmuchasin thejungle, inthelaw-
court asmuchasinthesolitarymountain,inthe
hauntsof men as wellas in the lonelyplaces.
Andalthough it betrue that the weakersouls
can more easily sense the all-pervading life
where the jangle of humanity is not around
them,that isasignof weakness and notasign
of spirituality. Itisnotthe strong,theheroic,
thewarrior, whoasksforsolitudein hisseeking
forthespirituallife.
Yetin the manylivesthatmen leadintheir
slowclimbing toperfectionthehfeofthesolitary
hasitsplace,andoften a manorwomanfora
life will go aside into some lonelyplace and
dwelltheresolitary. Butthat isneverthelast
and crowning life,it is neverthe life inwhich
the Christ walks the earth. Such a lite is
sometimesled forpreparation,for thebreaking
off of tieswhich the manisnot strongenough
otherwisetobreak. Herunsawaybecausehe
cannotbattle,heevadesbecausehecannotface.
And in the daysof theweaknessof the man,
ofhischildhood,thatisoftenawisepolicy; and
for any one overwhom temptations have still
strong power it isgood advice to avoid them.
Butthetrueheroof the spiritual lifeavoidsno
placeand shunsno person; he isnotafraidof