The Way of Peace | Page 5

and qualifications, and the deluded
worshipers of self vainly imagine that they can gratify every worldly desire, and at the
same time possess the Truth. But the lovers of Truth worship Truth with the sacrifice of
self, and ceaselessly guard themselves against worldliness and self-seeking.
Do you seek to know and to realize Truth? Then you must be prepared to sacrifice, to
renounce to the uttermost, for Truth in all its glory can only be perceived and known
when the last vestige of self has disappeared.
The eternal Christ declared that he who would be His disciple must "deny himself daily."
Are you willing to deny yourself, to give up your lusts, your prejudices, your opinions? If
so, you may enter the narrow way of Truth, and find that peace from which the world is
shut out. The absolute denial, the utter extinction, of self is the perfect state of Truth, and
all religions and philosophies are but so many aids to this supreme attainment.
Self is the denial of Truth. Truth is the denial of self. As you let self die, you will be
reborn in Truth. As you cling to self, Truth will be hidden from you.
Whilst you cling to self, your path will be beset with difficulties, and repeated pains,
sorrows, and disappointments will be your lot. There are no difficulties in Truth, and
coming to Truth, you will be freed from all sorrow and disappointment.
Truth in itself is not hidden and dark. It is always revealed and is perfectly transparent.
But the blind and wayward self cannot perceive it. The light of day is not hidden except
to the blind, and the Light of Truth is not hidden except to those who are blinded by self.
Truth is the one Reality in the universe, the inward Harmony, the perfect Justice, the
eternal Love. Nothing can be added to it, nor taken from it. It does not depend upon any
man, but all men depend upon it. You cannot perceive the beauty of Truth while you are
looking out through the eyes of self. If you are vain, you will color everything with your
own vanities. If lustful, your heart and mind will be so clouded with the smoke and
flames of passion, that everything will appear distorted through them. If proud and

opinionative, you will see nothing in the whole universe except the magnitude and
importance of your own opinions.
There is one quality which pre-eminently distinguishes the man of Truth from the man of
self, and that is humility. To be not only free from vanity, stubbornness and egotism, but
to regard one's own opinions as of no value, this indeed is true humility.
He who is immersed in self regards his own opinions as Truth, and the opinions of other
men as error. But that humble Truth-lover who has learned to distinguish between
opinion and Truth, regards all men with the eye of charity, and does not seek to defend
his opinions against theirs, but sacrifices those opinions that he may love the more, that
he may manifest the spirit of Truth, for Truth in its very nature is ineffable and can only
be lived. He who has most of charity has most of Truth.
Men engage in heated controversies, and foolishly imagine they are defending the Truth,
when in reality they are merely defending their own petty interests and perishable
opinions. The follower of self takes up arms against others. The follower of Truth takes
up arms against himself. Truth, being unchangeable and eternal, is independent of your
opinion and of mine. We may enter into it, or we may stay outside; but both our defense
and our attack are superfluous, and are hurled back upon ourselves.
Men, enslaved by self, passionate, proud, and condemnatory, believe their particular
creed or religion to be the Truth, and all other religions to be error; and they proselytize
with passionate ardor. There is but one religion, the religion of Truth. There is but one
error, the error of self. Truth is not a formal belief; it is an unselfish, holy, and aspiring
heart, and he who has Truth is at peace with all, and cherishes all with thoughts of love.
You may easily know whether you are a child of Truth or a worshiper of self, if you will
silently examine your mind, heart, and conduct. Do you harbor thoughts of suspicion,
enmity, envy, lust, pride, or do you strenuously fight against these? If the former, you are
chained to self, no matter what religion you may profess; if the latter, you are a candidate
for Truth, even though outwardly you may profess no religion. Are you passionate,
self-willed, ever seeking to gain your own ends, self-indulgent, and self-centered; or are
you gentle, mild, unselfish,