8 TheSpiritual Life.
house as In the jungle,as easilyfound in thestreetof the crowded cityasinthe solitudeof
the mountain peak. I donot mean thatit is
not easier for you and for me to realise the
Divinegreatnessinthesplendour,say,ofsnow-
cladmountains,the beautyof somepineforest,
the depth of some marvellous secret valley
where Nature speaks ina voice that may be
heard; but I do mean that although wehear
more clearlythere it is becausewe are deaf,
and not because the Divine voice does not
speak. Ours theweakness that therush and
thebustleof hfe in the citymakes usdeaf to
the voice that is ever speakmg; and if we
were stronger, if our ears were keener, if we
were more spiritual, then we could find the
Divine life as readily inthe rush of Holborn
Viaductasinthe fairest scenethat Naturehas
everpaintedinthe solitudeof the mountainor
the magic of the midnight sky. (Applause.)That isthe first thing to realise-that we do
notfindbecauseoureyesareblinded.But nowlet us seewhat are the conditions
bywhich the man of theworld maylead the
spiritual life, for I admit there are conditions.