denly, but by slow and gradual growth and shedding off, so also in the spiritual world liberation from sin and advance towards perfection are accomplished only by steady opposition to sin-by the destruction, one by one, of its minutest particles.

379. It is not in man's power at once to free himself from sins, the habits of which have been accumulating for many years, but it is in his power to refrain from those actions which draw him into sin, to diminish the attractiveness of sin, to deprive himself of the possibility of committing it, to cut off the hand or pluck out the eye which causes him to offend. It is possible to do this every day and every minute, and, in order to be able to do so, continual prayer is necessary.

WHAT DOES THE CHRISTIAN LIFE OFFER IN THE PRESENT?

380. There are religious teachings which promise men full and complete welfare, not only in the future life, but also in the present. Some even understand the Christian teaching in this way. These men. say that one need only follow the teaching of Christ-deny himself and love othersin order to render his life one of unceasing happiness. Other religious teachings see in human life endless unavoidable sufferings, which man must bear, hoping for compensation in the future. The Christian teaching is understood in this way also. The former see in life continual happiness, the latter continual suffering.

381. Neither of these views is correct.

Life is neither happiness nor suffering. It may appear to be happiness or suffering to the man who regards his separate being as his self; but only for this self can there be happiness or suffering. Life, according to the true Christian. teaching, is neither happiness nor suffering, but the birth and growth of the true spiritual self of man, which knows neither happiness nor suffering.

382. According to the Christian teaching the life of man is the continual increase of his consciousness of love. And as the growth of man's soul—the increase of love is in continual progress, and as the work of God which is attained by this growth is continually being accomplished, the man who understands his life, according to the Christian teaching, as consisting in the increase of love, for the establishment of the kingdom of God, can never be unhappy or unsatisfied.

383. He may encounter on his way through life pleasures and sufferings for his animal personality of which he cannot help being conscious-pleasures which he

can but enjoy, and sufferings which he cannot but feel; but he can never experience complete happiness (and should not therefore desire it), and he can never be wholly unhappy (and therefore should not fear sufferings nor desire to avoid them, if they stand in his path).

384. He who lives the Christian life does not attribute great importance to his pleasures, does not look upon them as the fulfilment of his desires, but regards them as merely casual experiences to be met with on his way through life—as that which is added unto him who seeks the kingdom of God and His truth. And his suffering he regards not as something that ought not to be, but as experiences as inevitable in life as friction in work; he knows also that as friction is the sign that work is being accomplished, so also are sufferings a sign of the accomplishment of the work of God.

385. He who lives the Christian life is always free, because that which constitutes the meaning of his life-the removal of the obstacles which hinder love, and

the consequent increase of love and establishment of the kingdom of God-is precisely that which he always desires. and which is inevitably being accomplished in his life. He is always at peace, because nothing can happen to him which he does not desire.

386. It must not be supposed that a man who lives the Christian life always realises this freedom and peace, always accepts pleasures without being captivated by them, as something casual which he does not desire to retain, or sufferings as the indispensable condition of progress in life. A Christian may be temporarily captivated by pleasures, and try to produce and retain them; he may be temporarily troubled by sufferings, regarding them as something unnecessary, something that might have not happened; but while enduring the loss of pleasures and the fear and pain of sufferings a Christian recalls to mind his Christian dignity, his mission; and then both pleasures and sufferings assume their right place, and he again becomes free and peaceful.