From 'The Education of Man.' By permission of Josephine Jarvis, the
translator, and A. Lovell & Co., publishers
Only in the measure that we are thoroughly penetrated by the pure,
spiritual, inward, human relations, and are faithful to them even in
the smallest detail in life, do we attain to the complete knowledge
and perception of the Divine-human relation; only in that measure do
we anticipate them so deeply, vividly, and truly, that every yearning
of our whole being is thereby satisfied,--at least receives its whole
meaning, and is changed from a constantly unfulfilled yearning to an
immediately rewarded effort....
How we degrade and lower the human nature which we should raise, how
we weaken those whom we should strengthen, when we hold up to them an
inducement to act virtuously, even though we place this inducement in
another world! If we employ an outward incentive, though it be the
most spiritual, to call forth better life, and leave undeveloped the
inner, spontaneous, and independent power of representing pure
humanity which rests in each man, we degrade our human nature.
But how wholly different every thing is, if man, especially in
boyhood, is made to observe the reflex action of his conduct, not on
his outward more or less agreeable position, but on his inner,
spontaneous or fettered, clear or clouded, satisfied or dissatisfied
condition of spirit and mind! The experiences which proceed from this
observation will necessarily more and more awaken the inner sense of
man: and then true sense, the greatest treasure of boy and man, comes
into his life.