perhaps a very long time after he is
dead, then naturally his chief concern is with the body of which, at any
rate, he has definite assurance. So he looks after the body, seeks
comfort and luxury for it, and strives for the necessary money with
which to gratify its whims. This means that he must get money the best
way he can, but he must get it: if it has to be at the expense of
others--well, so much the worse for them. If it has to be fought for,
then naturally the stronger wins: the "survival of the fittest" he will
say. Thus, quite logically, from the primary misconception a
superstructure of error is raised. As each body has diverse whims, the
pursuit of these must lead to the widest range and conflict of aims, and
thus materialism results in disorder, cross-purposes and confusion. On
all sides this diversity of aim, with its corresponding confusion, is
visible both in individuals and in nations to-day.

But as soon as a man realises that he is primarily a spirit, having a
body as an instrument through which to play, his point of view is
entirely altered. The pursuit of mere physical enjoyment and luxury is
recognised as having an enervating and blunting effect upon the finer
spiritual faculties: it puts the instrument out of tune and spoils its
tone. Money is seen as somewhat of a snare and a delusion, when valued
for its own sake. The object of life is recognised as spiritual growth,
and in that growth happiness is found. Quite notoriously it is sought in
vain in mere selfish pursuits. This spiritual growth can only be
attained by the practice of the law of love, manifesting itself in
unselfish service in the interests of others. The effect of this
spiritual conception is to eliminate diversity of aim, and to lead back
to the simplicity and unity of a single purpose--that of spiritual
evolution.

The body, we know, has come up the long ladder of evolution, and it
still retains in its build many traces of the climb. There are muddy
patches in the instincts and passions, and encumbrances and impedimenta
in both mind and body, as part of our heritage. But spirit has come
DOWN. As Wordsworth expresses it--"trailing clouds of glory do we come
from God." All religions claim for us an immortality, and it is
difficult for us to conceive an existence finite at one end and infinite
at the other: so if we are to claim our immortality of spirit we should
surely recognise our present spirituality which ensures that
immortali