The spiritual life

(Martin Jones) #1

spiritualLifefortheManoftheWorld.^9


answerto the outerbeauty, the attractiveness,


of the endless objects that are scattered over


theworld. H theywere not meantto attract


theywould not be there; if theywere really


hindrances,whyshould theyhave been put in


ourpath? Justforthe samereasonsaswhen


a mother wants to coax her child into the


exertion thatwill induceittowalkshedangles


before its eyes, a little out of reach, some


dazzling toy, some tinsel attraction, and the


child's eyes are gained by the brilliant object,


andthechildwantstograspthe thing justout


of itsreach. He triestogetonhis feet,falls,


and rises again, endeavours to walk, struggles


toreach,and thevalueof the attractionisnot


in the tinsel that presently the child grasps,

crushes, and throws away, wanting something


more, but in the stimulus to the life within,

whichmakes himendeavour to move in order


togaintheglitteringprizethathedespiseswhen


he has won it. And the great mother-heart


by which we are trained is ever dangling in


frontofussomeattractiveobject,someprizefor


thechild-spirit,turningoutwardsthepowersthat


livewithin; and inorderto induceexertion,in


ordertowinto theeffortbywhichalonethose


inward-turned powers will turn outwards mto


manifestation, we are bribed and coaxed and

Free download pdf