to all they have come in contact with that there has been
no room for self. They have not been seekers after fame, or men who have
thought so much of their own particular dogmatic ways of thinking as to
spend the greater part of their time in discussing dogma, creed,
theology, in order, as is so generally true in cases of this kind, to
prove that the _ego_ you see before you is right in his particular ways
of thinking, and that his chief ambition is to have this fact clearly
understood,--an abomination, I verily believe, in the sight of God
himself, whose children in the mean time are starving, are dying for the
bread of life, and an abomination I am sure, in the sight of the great
majority of mankind. Let us be thankful, however, for mankind is finding
less use for such year by year, and the time will soon come when they
will scarcely be tolerated at all.

It is to a very great extent on account of men of this kind, especially
in the early history, that the true spirit of religion, of Christianity,
has been lost sight of in the mere form. The basket in which it has
been deemed necessary to carry it has been held as of greater import
than the rare and divinely beautiful fruit itself. The true spirit, that
that quickeneth and giveth life and power, has had its place taken by
the mere letter, that that alone blighteth and killeth. Instead of
running after these finely spun, man-made theories, this stuff,--for
stuff is the word,--this that we outgrow once every few years in our
march onward and upward, and then stand and laugh as we look back to
think that such ideas have ever been held, instead of this, thinking
that thus you will gain power, act the part of the wise man, and go each
day into the _silence_, there commune with the Infinite, there dwell for
a season with the Infinite Spirit of all life, of all power; for you can
get _true power_ in no other way.

Instead of running about here and there to have your cup filled at these
little stagnant pools, dried up as they generally are by the continual
rays of a constantly shining egoistic sun, go direct to the great
fountain-head, and there drink of the water of life that is poured out
freely to every one if he will but go there for it. One can't, however,
send and have it brought by another.

Go, then, into the _silence_, even if it be but for a short period,--a
period of not more than a quarter or a half-hour a day,--and there come
into contact with the Great Source