The Direction of Ray VI
" 'I love and live and love again,' the frenzied Follower cried aloud, blinded by
his desire for the teacher and the truth, but seeing naught but that which lay before his
eyes. He wore on either side the blinding aids of every fanatic divine adventure. Only the
long and narrow tunnel was his home and place of high endeavor. He had no vision except of
that which was the space before his eyes. He had no scope for sight, - no height, no
depth, ho wide extension. He had but room to go one way. He went that way alone, or
dragging those who asked the way of him. He saw a vision, shifting as he moved, and taking
varying form; each vision was to him the symbol of his highest dreams, the height of his
desire.
He rushed along the tunnel, seeking that which lay ahead. He saw not much and only one
thing at a time, - a person or a truth, a bible or his picture of his God, an appetite, a
dream, but only one! Sometimes he gathered in his arms the vision that he saw, and found
it naught. Sometimes, he reached the person whom he loved and found, instead of visioned
beauty, a person like himself. And thus he tried. He wearied of his search; he whipped
himself to effort new.
The opening dimmed its light. A shutter seemed to close. The vision he had seen no
longer shone. The Follower stumbled in the dark. Life ended and the world of thought was
lost... Pendent he seemed. He hung with naught below, before, behind, above. To him,
naught was.
From deep within the temple of his heart, he heard a Word. It spoke with clarity and
power: 'Look, deep within, around on every hand. The light is everywhere, within thy
heart, in Me, in all that breathes, in all that is. Destroy thy tunnel, which thou has for
ages long constructed. Stand free, in custody of all the world.' The Follower answered:
'How shall I break my tunnel down? How can I find a way?' No answer came... [171]
Another pilgrim in the dark came up, and groping, found the Follower. 'Lead me and
others to the Light,' he cried. The Follower found no words, no indication Leader, no
formulas of truth, no forms or ceremonies. He found himself a leader, and drew others to
the light, - the light that shone on every hand. He worked and struggled forward. His hand
held others, and for their sake, he hid his shame, his fear, his hopelessness and his
despair. He uttered words of surety and faith in life, and light and God, in love and
understanding...
His tunnel disappeared. He noticed not its loss. Upon the playground of the world he
stood with many fellow-players, wide to the light of day. In the far distance stood a
mountain blue, and from its summit issued forth a voice which said: 'Come forward to the
mountain top and on its summit learn the invocation of a Savior.' To this great task the
Follower, now a leader, bent his energies. He still pursues this way..."
|