What is a sacrifice in faith?

Each individual has two branches of work—both equally important to himself as a progressive soul.

One pertains to his smaller individual development.

The other is what is required of him as a citizen.

When spirit-lives are willing to become citizens of the world they live upon, certain sacrifices are demanded as a guarantee of faith.

Spirit-lives must serve their fellows as a community, as well as individually.

Each unit has two sorts of duty—the larger being the secondary in case of personal emergency only.

One may never lose sight of his civic—or impersonal duty because his future life can be assured through that alone—whereas the smaller duty is not sufficient to insure him against individual extinction, as it may be purely selfish.

A public service cannot so be if it is sincerely performed.

One presupposes sincerity in either case.

Your duty is defined by that same test—capacity to do—be better than some other less richly endowed.

The plan of the entire universe seems to entail working each individual up to his capacity without either strain—or slack—just an even steady pull—each according to his ability—no more, no less.

As soon as the soul is illumined by a glimpse of truth, it must assume the obligation of such illumination—must live it.

No one is responsible until he has comprehension.

Only then does the law begin to act.

No one can tell the exact moment when the dormant unseen seed will push its way up into the air and sunshine—a living, green thing.

The greatest miracle of all is performed in the dark unseen.

Plant life is a good illustration for soul-life.

You see only after the miracle has been performed.

Its processes are secret and unseen always.

Plant your seed then, and wait with faith and hope.

What you must do will come straight before you if you have eyes to see.

Home missions always come first.

In your own house lie the materials to build your character—to perfect your soul.

Are your eyes yet open—or are you still playing happily with toys?

You must know that spirit-lives in the spirit-world live in groups—or companies, working—or studying along much the same lines—people between certain character—or brain limits, forming one group—those above—or below, belonging to other classes among those of their own sort.

When you belong to an active group—or class, you have neither opportunity, nor leisure to drift beyond—or outside, since strictly adhering to the point in hand is one of the main essentials of progress.

Without concentrated attention, you could not expect to master a study of anything—or accomplish any actual work.

This fact alone will account for much apparent ignorance along other lines of work—or study.

You attempt only that which is at the moment within your intellectual grasp.

You advance a step at a time.

You strive to take each step firmly and with absolute mastery.

You arrive on this plane of life at many different stages of development—from the sleeping infant to the sage.

Between these extremes lies a vast area peopled by students in every known stage of development.

Those who pass the death-gate may go directly beyond your reach, so that unless they happened to be personal friends in life, you never are aware that they are here.

While no place here seems crowded, yet millions pass and repass.

You might sit a lifetime watching the procession.

You pause sometimes, and glance at the long procession passing along the highroad, but duty presses and you may not tarry long in idleness there any more than you can here.

Whenever you forgive those whom you fancy have injured you, you are placing under each a stepping stone to a higher life.

It is never the injured party who needs pity, but the one who did the injury.

It is in his soul that the weakness lies.

Help those who have injured—or rather have tried to injure you.

They are groping in the dark.

Lend a hand.

Do them all the service you can.

The mean—the selfish—the miserly—these are the starving ones.

Their souls are poor and crippled.

Look deeper.

Judge more wisely in your charities.

A flannel shirt is a pleasant gift in winter to a freezing pauper—true, but a word—a look of sympathy—may save a soul from moral suicide.

Realise that the kind and patient word—the charitable judgment—is vastly more important.

See that your charity is always alert and your eyes keen to see another's need.