174 The Spiritual Life.
you do not supplypure atomsof physical life
to build up others who in verytruth are one
withyourself.
Andsoyouhavesomethingof whatservice
of manmeansonthislowerplane,andanother
servicethatyou,aboveall, richerpeopleinthis
land andinothers,could set anexampleof,so
thatothersfromyourvoluntaryactionmaylearn
tofollowin thesamepath,youshould simplify
thephysicalhfe, youshould lessen thephysical
wants,youshouldthinklessofluxuryandmore
ofthehigherlife,less labourwastedtominister
to the artificial wants of the body, and more
timeforthesoulsof mentogrowlessencum-
bered with the anxieties of life. If youtake
such teaching to thepoor,trueas theteaching
is,onehardlydarestoputit tothemonwhom
theironyokeof povertypresses,andwho find
in so much of physical suffering one of the
miseries of their life. You should set the
example,becausewithyouitisvoluntaryaction.
You should set the ideal of plain living and
high thinking instead of the ideal of senseless
luxury,ofgrossmaterialisticlivingoneveryside.
Can you blame the poor that they think so
much of earthly pleasure, that they desire so
passionately material ease? Can you blame
themif in everycivilised countrydiscontent is
