tempted and tried. One who is engaged in the harsh struggle of
business, or who takes part in public life, may, if he does not watch
himself very carefully, become hard and callous. Of all failures this
is probably the worst. One who succeeds in other directions and
becomes a "hard man," is, after all, a sorry failure.

Again, people of the successful, striving, climbing type, are tempted
far more than those who are afraid to venture and who remain in the
valley of mediocrity. This is true, not only of those who seek to
climb the steep path of spiritual attainment, but also of those who
are successful in mundane affairs. In each case, they have placed
in their keeping great powers and influence such as the ordinary man
little dreams of. This is a grave responsibility, for if these powers
are used for self-aggrandisement the results are disastrous. Thus,
those who climb, are beset on all sides by temptations of a very
subtle kind, which, if yielded to, will ruin the life and do grave
injury to the soul.

Life is a continual battle. To the ordinary person it is generally
a fight with circumstances and the ordinary difficulties of life
which are very important in his eyes. The more advanced soul is not
troubled much by these things--he rises above them--but he is tempted
and tried to a much greater degree, and in a far more subtle manner.
Those who think that by following a certain "cult" or "ism," they
will be able to have an uneventful walk through life are merely
deluding themselves. As he learns to overcome the difficulties of
life which baffle the ordinary individual, he will be tempted and
tried in other and more subtle ways. This is because life is not for
mere passing pleasure, but is for the building up of character,
through experience. Therefore, one who would succeed must be strong,
and wise and patient. Those who aspire to make their lives really
worth while: who desire to serve their fellows more perfectly: who
want to build up character through experience and overcome all their
weaknesses, inherited or otherwise, must look within for power and