All These Things Added

ENTERING THE KINGDOM THE SOUL'S GREAT NEED I sought the world, but Peace was not there; I courted learning, but Truth was not revealed; I sojourned with philosophy, but my heart was sore with vanity. And I cried, Where is Peace to be found!

And where is the hiding-place of Truth! TT^VERY human soul is in need. The *^* expression of that need varies with in- dividuals, but there is not one soul that does not feel it in some degree. It is a spiritual and causal need which takes the form, in souls of a particular development, of a deep and inexpressible hunger that the outward things of life, however abundantly possessed, never can satisfy.

Yet the majority, im- perfect in knowledge and misled by appear- ances, seek to satisfy this hunger by striving for material possessions, believing that these will satisfy their need and bring them peace. Every soul consciously or unconsciously hungers for righteousness, and every soul 10 ENTERING THE KINGDOM seeks to gratify that hunger in its own par- ticular way and in accordance with its own particular state of knowledge.

The hun- ger is one, and the righteousness is one, but the pathways by which righteousness is sought are many. They who seek con- sciously are blessed, and shall shortly find the final and permanent satisfaction of soul that righteousness alone can give; for they have come into a knowledge of the true path.

They who seek uncon- sciously, although for a time they may bathe in a sea of pleasure, are not blest; for they are carving out for themselves pathways of suffering over which they must walk with torn and wounded feet, and their hunger will increase, and the soul cry out for its lost heritage — the eternal heritage of righteousness.

Not in any of the three worlds can the soul find lasting satisfaction, apart from the realization of righteousness, Bodied or dis- embodied, it is ceaselessly driven on by the discipline of suffering, until at last, in its extremity, it flies to its only refuge — the THE SOUL'S GREAT NEED 11 refuge of righteousness — and finds the joy, satisfaction, and peace that it had so long and so vainly sought.