October 15th. In dealing with a man of fine moral character, we are
dealing with the highest achievement of the organic kingdom. But in
dealing with a spiritual man we are dealing with THE LOWEST FORM OF LIFE
IN THE SPIRITUAL WORLD. To contrast the two, therefore, and marvel that
the one is apparently so little better than the other, is unscientific
and unjust. Natural Law, p. 385.
October 16th. The spiritual man is a mere unformed embryo, hidden as yet
in his earthly chrysalis-case, while the natural man has the breeding and
evolution of ages represented in his character. But what are the
possibilities of this spiritual organism? What is yet to emerge from this
chrysalis-case? The natural character finds its limits within the organic
sphere. But who is to define the limits of the spiritual? Even now it is
very beautiful. Even as an embryo it contains some prophecy of its future
glory. But the point to mark is, that "it doth not yet appear what it
shall be." Natural Law, p. 386.
October 17th. The best test for Life is just LIVING. And living consists,
as we have formerly seen, in corresponding with Environment. Those
therefore who find within themselves, and regularly exercise, the
faculties for corresponding with the Divine Environment, may be said to
live the Spiritual Life. Natural Law, p. 390.
October 18th. That the Spiritual Life, even in the embryonic organism,
ought already to betray itself to others, is certainly what one would
expect. Every organism has its own reaction upon Nature, and the reaction
of the spiritual organism upon the community must be looked for. In the
absence of any such reaction, in the absence of any token that it lived
for a higher purpose, or that its real interests were those of the
Kingdom to which it professed to belong, we should be entitled to
question its being in that Kingdom. Natural Law, p. 390.
October 19th. Man's place in Nature, or his position among the Kingdoms,
is to be decided by the characteristic functions habitually discharged by
him. Now, when the habits of certain individuals are closely observed,
when the total effect of their life and work, with regard to the
community, is gauged, . . . there ought to be no difficulty in deciding
whether they are living for the Organic or for the Spiritual; in plainer
language, for the world or for God. Natural Law, p. 391.
October 20th. No matter what may be the moral uprightness of man's life,
the honourableness of his career, or the orthodoxy of his creed, if he
exercises the function of loving the world, that defines his world--he
belongs to the Organic Kingdom. He cannot in that case belong to the
higher Kingdom. "If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not
in him." After all, it is by the general bent of a man's life, by his
heart-impulses and secret desires, his spontaneous actions and abiding
motives, that his generation is declared. Natural Law, p. 393.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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