_He is only shortsighted who pronounces the world bad after looking in
his own heart._

_Many a man is waiting for an inspiration who would find success at
once if he was not so afraid of a little perspiration._


XIII

THE PRIMARY RECONCILIATION

Men in the days of the great Teacher were as we are to-day, prone to
compound for the neglect of duties near at hand by the adoration of
spiritual delights far off. They talked about getting right with God
while they continued to do wrong to men. The problem of the hypocrite
who is so thrilled with the delights of heaven that he scorns earthly
duties and decencies is not a new one.

How easy it is to substitute syllogisms for service, to think that we
do our duty by describing it, so to exhaust oneself in pleasant and
seductive dreams of a distant heaven that we have no power left to
apply to the problems of a needy present-day world.

The mockery of religion to-day is that men and women are going to the
churches, singing themselves into ecstatic complacency and imaginary
harmony with their God while their greed is crushing the hearts of the
helpless and they are blinding themselves to the world's gloom and pain
that unhindered they may enjoy spiritual delights.

Things cannot be right in our relations to the Father of spirits until