The spiritual life

Theoftophy and Ethics. 163

possibility, andso, in the Book of the Golden

Precepts, one of the most exquisite gifts that

we have received from the East through

H. P. Blavatsky, we are told, "Follow the

wheel of life; follow the wheel of duty to

raceandkin"; asthosedutiesareproperlydis-

chargedwebecomeworthyof thewiderwork.

Theheart widensoutbecauseitisneverclosed

against any. And at the very beginning of

the path, the first step the disciple is bidden

totake is to make his heartrespond toevery

cryofnature,sothat,astheheart-stringquivers
under the touch, he, as string, shall quiverto

everycryof needthatcomesfromhisbrother's

lips. Butif weconfineour lovetothosewith

whomnaturehasputus,itislowerlove. The

lower love isselfish,exclusive,taking from the

outside to give to the personallybeloved, and

carelessfor thewantsof others provided one's

own is satisfied. I mean one's own in the

family,not one's own personally. Thatisnot

truelove. Itisaform onlyof selfishness,and

whenyoufindinour teachingthatsuchloveis

to be destroyed, it means that love must be

purifiedofeverytaintof personality,andsowe

mustgrowever upward, wideningaswe grow,

because the love that we are to give to our

brotherman is to be measured byhiswantof