The spiritual life

128 The SpiritualLife.

finally disappears, and only an all-abounding

compassion remains, so that the very sorrow

becomesdearerthanallthattheworldcallsjoy,

and the gloom is but a tendertwilight, fairer

and sweeterthan thebrillianceof thenoonday

sun.

Sharper and keener isthe suffering that he

faceswhenhe"turnshisbackonthelight and

goesdownaloneinto the darknesstomeet and

overcome the Powers of Evil." This is the

work of the world's Saviours, and the hour

comes for the disciple when this solemn and

gloriousdutydevolves on him. Heis trained

for its more arduous struggles by gradually

learningtodrawintohimself inharmonious and

disruptiveforces,sothattheyexhaustthemselves

in him, often tearing and rendinghim in the

process, and are then sent forth, harmonised

andrhythmical,forcesforbuildingupinsteadof

forcesthatdestroy. Disciples arethecrucibles

of nature, wherein compounds that are mis-

chievous are dissociated, and are recombined

intocompoundsthatpromote thegeneralgood.

As the seething compounds break up with

explosiveviolence,thesensitive human crucible

quivers under the terrible strain, and little

wonderthat,attimes,itbreaks,unabletoendure.

Bysuch discipline,long-continued,the disciple