The Value ofDevotion. 109
liberation,they will shortly passinto the class
beyondthem,and,asspirituallinksareimperish-
able, will then be able, with added force, to
drawtheirdevoteesafterthem. Lovegivento
them strengthens and expands the nature of
their lovers, and there is no surer path to
devotion,in its highest meaning, than the love
andtrustgiventotheearthlyGuru. Nowhere
hasthisbeenrealisedsostronglyasintheEast,
where the love and service of the Guru have
everbeenheldasnecessarytospiritualprogress.
Muchof the decay of modern Indiaisdueto
the ignorance, the pride, the unspirituality of
those who still wear the ancient name while
devoidof allthe qualities once implied byit
;forasthebestwinemakesthesharpestvinegar,
soisthe degradation of the highestthe lowest
depth.