Faith and Courage

FOR those who will fight bravely, and not yield, there is triumphant victory over all the dark things of life. I state this at the beginning, that the reader may know there is no uncertainty about it; and in the course of this book I shall show what are the elements, in character and conduct, which go to build up the life of calm strength and superlative victory.

Those who fight bravely and do not give up can triumph over all the dark things in life. I say this at the beginning so readers know there is no doubt about it. In this book, I will show what qualities of character and conduct build a life of calm strength and supreme victory.

To stand face to face with Truth; to arrive, after innumerable wanderings and pains, at wisdom and bliss; not to be finally defeated and cast out, but to ultimately triumph over every inward foe—such is man’s divine destiny, such his glorious goal; and this, every saint, sage, and saviour has declared.

It is humanity’s divine destiny and glorious goal to stand face to face with Truth. After countless wanderings and hardships, we will reach wisdom and bliss. We will not be defeated and cast out in the end, but will ultimately triumph over every enemy within. Every saint, sage, and savior has declared this.

In the present stage of the life of humanity, comparatively few reach this place of triumph—though all will reach it at last—yet there is a glorious company of perfect ones who have attained in the past, and their number is being added to with each succeeding age. Men are as yet learners in the school of life, and most men die learners; but some there are who, in this life, through fixity of purpose and strenuous fighting against darkness, pain, and ignorance, acquire a right knowledge of life, and pass joyfully beyond the pupil stage. Man is not to remain for ever a schoolboy in the universe, to be whipped for follies and errors; when he wills and wishes, he can set his mind upon his task, and master the lessons of life, becoming a confidant and skilled scholar, living in understanding and peace, and not in ignorance and misery.

At humanity’s present stage of life, relatively few reach this state of triumph, though all will reach it in the end. Yet a glorious company of perfected people reached it in the past. Their number grows with every age. People are still learners in the school of life, and most die as learners. But some, through firm purpose and a strenuous fight against darkness, pain, and ignorance, gain a true understanding of life. In this life, they joyfully move beyond the stage of being pupils. No one must remain a schoolchild in the universe forever, to be whipped for foolishness and mistakes. When people choose and wish to, they can focus on their task and master life’s lessons. They can become confident and skilled scholars, living in understanding and peace rather than ignorance and misery.

The sorrows of life are profound and deeply rooted, but they can be fathomed and rooted out; the passions and emotions of human nature are, in their ungoverned state, overwhelming and painfully conflicting, but they can be so softened down, harmonized, and wisely directed and understood, as to become obedient servants for the outworking of enlightened purposes. The difficulties of life are great, its battle fierce, and its wished-for issues are uncertain and elusive; so much so, that every hour men and women are breaking down under the strain; yet these conditions have no objective and arbitrary existence; in their true nature they are subjective and purely mental, and can be transcended. There is no inherent and permanent evil in the universal order; and the mind can be lifted up to that moral altitude where evil can touch it no more.

The sorrows of life are deep and deeply rooted, but they can be understood and rooted out. Human passions and emotions, when uncontrolled, are overwhelming and painfully at odds with one another. But they can be calmed, harmonized, wisely directed, and understood. Then they can serve us obediently as we carry out enlightened purposes. Life’s difficulties are great, its battle is fierce, and the outcomes we hope for are uncertain and elusive. The strain is so great that every hour men and women break down under it. Yet these conditions have no objective or arbitrary existence. Their true nature is subjective and purely mental, and they can be overcome. There is no inherent and permanent evil in the universal order. The mind can be raised to a moral height where evil can no longer touch it.

A steadfast faith in an Eternal and Universal Justice, in an over-ruling Good, is the prelude to the Life Triumphant. The man who aims to become strong, serene, and steadfast at heart, must, at the outset, have no doubt that the Heart of Life is good. He who is to gaze upon the Cosmic Order, and experience the rapture of emancipation, must realize that there is no disorder in his life but that which he creates. This realization is difficult, so prone is the mind, in its imperfect stages, to self-pity and self-justification, but it can be attained, and must be attained by him who is to live the freed life. At first it must be believed, and the belief must be adhered to until it ripens into realization and knowledge.

A steadfast faith in Eternal and Universal Justice, in a Good that governs all, is the beginning of the Life Triumphant. Anyone who aims to become strong, calm, and steadfast at heart must begin without doubt that the Heart of Life is good. Anyone who hopes to see the Cosmic Order and experience the joy of freedom must realize one thing. The only disorder in their life is the disorder they create. This is difficult to realize because the mind, in its imperfect stages, is so prone to self-pity and self-justification. But this realization is possible, and anyone who hopes to live a free life must attain it. At first, one must believe that the only disorder in one's life is self-created. One must hold to that belief until it becomes realization and knowledge.

The sufferings of life are greatly reduced when they are accepted as disciplinary experiences, and the man of faith does so accept them. The sufferings of life are transcended and put away when all experiences are accounted good, and are utilized in the development of character, and the man of knowledge does so regard and utilize them.

Life's suffering is greatly reduced when it is accepted as a lesson in discipline. A person of faith accepts it this way. Life's suffering is overcome and put aside when all experiences are seen as good and used to build character. A person of knowledge sees and uses all experiences this way.

Faith is the grey dawn which precedes the full and perfect day of knowledge. Without it there can be no attainment of strength, no permanent security of heart. The man of faith does not succumb when difficulties present themselves; he does not despair when troubles overtake him. However steep and dark his path may seem, he looks forward to a brighter pathway ahead; sees a destination of rest and light beyond.

Faith is the gray dawn that comes before the full and perfect day of knowledge. Without faith, no one can gain strength or lasting peace of heart. A person with faith does not give up when facing difficulties or despair when troubles arise. However steep and dark the path may seem, that person looks ahead to a brighter path. Beyond it lies a place of rest and light.

They who have no faith in the triumph of good, ignominiously succumb to the elements of evil. And this must be so; for he who does not elevate good, elevates evil, and, seeing evil as the master of life, he receives the wages of evil.

Those who have no faith in the triumph of good shamefully give in to the forces of evil. This must be so, because anyone who does not raise up good raises up evil. Seeing evil as the master of life, that person receives evil's reward.

There are those who, having yielded to defeat in the battle of life, talk thoughtlessly about the wrongs they have suffered at the hands of others. They believe—and try to make others believe—that they would have been successful, or rich, or famous but for the treachery and villainy of those about them. They tell, for the thousandth time, how they have been deceived, defrauded, and degraded by others. They imagine that they themselves are all trust, all innocence, all honesty and good nature, and that nearly everybody else is all that is bad and malicious. They tell how they would have been just as prosperous and honoured as others if they had been as selfish as those others; and that their great drawback, and the chief source, in themselves, of their failures, is that they were born with too great an endowment of unselfishness. Such self-praising complainers cannot distinguish between good and evil, and their faith in human nature and the goodness of the universe is dead. Looking upon others, they have eyes for evil only; looking upon themselves, they see only suffering innocence. Rather than discover any evil in themselves, they would have all humanity bad. In their hearts they have enthroned the wretched Demon of Evil as the Lord of Life, and see in the course of things only a selfish scramble in which the good is always crushed, and evil rises triumphant. Blind to their own folly and ignorance and weakness, they see nothing but injustice in their fate, nothing but misery and wretchedness in their present condition.

Some people give up in the battle of life and speak thoughtlessly about the wrongs others have done them. They believe they would have been successful, rich, or famous if those around them had not betrayed and harmed them. They try to make others believe this too. For the thousandth time, they tell how others have deceived, cheated, and degraded them. They imagine that they themselves are wholly trusting, innocent, honest, and good-natured. They imagine that nearly everyone else is wholly bad and malicious. They say they would have been just as prosperous and honored as others if they had been as selfish. They claim that their great disadvantage, and the main cause of their failures within themselves, is their excessive unselfishness. These self-praising complainers cannot tell good from evil. Their faith in human nature and the goodness of the universe is dead. They see only evil in others and only suffering innocence in themselves. Rather than find any evil in themselves, they would have all humanity be bad. In their hearts, they have put the wretched Demon of Evil on the throne as the Lord of Life. They see life as nothing but a selfish scramble in which good is always crushed and evil triumphs. Blind to their own folly, ignorance, and weakness, they see nothing but injustice in their fate. They see nothing but misery and suffering in their present condition.

He who would have even a useful and successful life—much more so a spiritually noble and victorious one—must at once root out and cast away this wretched condition of mind that negatives all that is good and pure, and gives the preeminence to all that is base and impure. Misfortune, misery, and defeat most surely await the man who believes that dishonesty, deceit, and selfishness are the best weapons whereby to achieve a successful life. What courage, and strength can a man develop, and what quiet and happiness can he enjoy, who believes that in order to keep pace with others he must continually deny and discourage the better qualities of his nature? The man who believes that evil is more powerful than good, and that bad men have the best of life, is still involved in the elements of evil; and, being so involved, he suffers—must necessarily suffer—defeat.

Anyone who wants even a useful and successful life must immediately root out and throw away this miserable state of mind. All the more must someone do so who wants a spiritually noble and victorious life. This state of mind denies everything good and pure and gives first place to everything base and impure. Misfortune, misery, and defeat surely await anyone who believes dishonesty, deceit, and selfishness are the best weapons for achieving a successful life. What courage and strength can a person develop while believing they must constantly deny and discourage their better qualities to keep up with others? What peace and happiness can they enjoy? Anyone who believes evil is stronger than good, and that bad people have the best of life, is still caught up in evil. And because they are caught up in evil, they suffer defeat. They must necessarily suffer it.

It may appear to you that the world is given over to wickedness; that the bad prosper, and the good fail; that there is nothing but chance, injustice, and disorder; but do not believe this: regard it as an illusive appearance; conclude that you do not see life as it really is; that you have not yet fathomed the causes of things, and that when you can look upon life through a purer heart and a wiser mind, you will see and understand its equity. And truly when you do so look at life, you will see good where you now see evil, order where now appears disorder, justice where now injustice seems to prevail.

It may seem to you that the world is given over to evil, that the wicked prosper and the good fail. It may seem that there is nothing but chance, injustice, and disorder. But do not believe this. Regard it as a false appearance. Recognize that you do not see life as it really is and have not yet understood the causes of things. When you can look at life with a purer heart and a wiser mind, you will see and understand its fairness. And when you do look at life that way, you will indeed see good where you now see evil. You will see order where there now appears to be disorder, and justice where injustice now seems to prevail.

The universe is a cosmos, not a chaos, and the bad do not prosper. It is true there is much evil in the world, otherwise there would be no necessity for moral aims, but there is also much misery in the world, and the evil and misery are related as cause and effect. It is equally true that there is much good in the world, and much abiding gladness, and the good and gladness are related as cause and effect.

The universe is orderly, not chaotic, and bad people do not prosper. There is much evil in the world. If there were not, there would be no need for moral goals. But there is also much misery in the world, and evil causes misery. There is just as surely much good in the world, and much lasting happiness. Good causes happiness.

He who has acquired that faith in the power and supremacy of good which no apparent injustice, no amount of suffering, and no catastrophe can shake, will pass through all emergencies, all trials and difficulties, with a sublime courage that defies the demons of doubt and despair. He may not succeed in all his plans; he may even encounter much failure; but when he fails, it will be that he may frame nobler purposes and ascend to higher achievements. He will only fail in order to reach a success greater than that of which he at first dreamed. His life will not, cannot, be a failure; some of its details may fail, but this will be but the breaking of weak links in the chain of character and events, in order that the whole may be made more strong and complete.

A person may gain a faith in the power and supremacy of good that no apparent injustice, suffering, or catastrophe can shake. Such a person will face every emergency, trial, and difficulty with a great courage that defies the demons of doubt and despair. He may not succeed in all his plans. He may even fail often. But when he fails, it will be so that he can form nobler purposes and rise to greater achievements. He will fail only to reach a success greater than he first dreamed of. His life will not, and cannot, be a failure. Some parts of it may fail, but this will only break weak links in the chain of character and events, making the whole stronger and more complete.

There is an animal courage which can calmly face the fire of an enemy in battle, or the fierce rage of wild beasts, but which fails in the battle of life, and breaks down when confronted with the beasts that rage within one's own heart. It requires a higher, diviner courage to remain calm in the hour of deprivation and calamity than in the heat of battle, to overcome self than to overcome another. And this diviner courage is the companion of faith.

There is an animal courage that can calmly face enemy fire in battle or the fierce rage of wild beasts. But this courage fails in the battle of life. It breaks down when faced with the beasts raging in one's own heart. It takes a higher, more divine courage to remain calm in times of hardship and disaster than in battle. It also takes greater courage to overcome yourself than to overcome another person. And this divine courage is the companion of faith.

A mere theological belief (commonly confounded with faith) will not avail. Beliefs about God, Jesus, Creation, etc., are mere surface opinions (derived chiefly from custom) which do not reach down to the real life of a man, and have no power to bestow faith. Such beliefs may accompany faith, but they are distinct from it. Frequently those who hold most tenaciously to particular beliefs about God, Jesus, and the Bible, are most. lacking in faith—that is, they give way to complaint, despondency, and grief immediately some petty trouble overtakes them. If one is given to irritability, anxiety, hopelessness, and lamentation over the untoward things of life, let him know that, in spite of his religious belief or metaphysical philosophy, he lacks faith; for where faith is there is courage, there is fortitude, there is steadfastness and strength.

A mere theological belief, often confused with faith, is not enough. Beliefs about God, Jesus, Creation, and so on are merely surface opinions, drawn mainly from custom. They do not reach into a person’s real life and cannot give anyone faith. Such beliefs may accompany faith, but they are distinct from it. Often, those who hold most tightly to particular beliefs about God, Jesus, and the Bible lack faith the most. At the first sign of some minor trouble, they give way to complaint, despair, and grief. If you are prone to irritability, anxiety, hopelessness, and lamenting life’s misfortunes, know that you lack faith. This is true despite your religious beliefs or metaphysical philosophy. For where there is faith, there is courage, fortitude, steadfastness, and strength.

The opinions of men are lightly to be considered, for they are changing with every new breeze of thought. They have very little part in the reality of things, being the bubbles of a surface effervescence; but behind all opinions there is the same human heart. The “godless” are they who are goodless, even though they be members of churches and make great profession of faith in God. The “godly” are they who are goodly even though they make no profession of religion. The complainers and bewailers are the faithless and unbelieving. Those who deny or belittle the power of good, and in their lives and actions affirm and magnify the power of evil, are the only real atheists. Faith bestows that sublime courage that rises superior to the petty and selfish disappointments and troubles of life, that acknowledges no defeat except as a step to victory; that is strong to endure, patient to wait, and energetic to struggle; that perceives the benign law of Truth in all things, and is assured of the final triumph of the heart, of the kingly power of the mind.

People’s opinions deserve little weight, for they change with every new breeze of thought. They have little to do with the reality of things. They are bubbles on a foaming surface. But behind all opinions lies the same human heart. The “godless” are those who lack goodness, even if they belong to churches and loudly profess their faith in God. The “godly” are those who are good, even if they profess no religion. Those who complain and lament are the faithless and unbelieving. The only real atheists are those who deny or belittle the power of good. In their lives and actions, they affirm and magnify the power of evil. Faith gives us a sublime courage that rises above life’s petty and selfish disappointments and troubles. It sees defeat only as a step toward victory. It gives us strength to endure, patience to wait, and energy to struggle. It sees the kind law of Truth in all things. It is certain of the heart’s final triumph and the kingly power of the mind.

Light up, then, O man! the lamp of faith in your heart, and walk through the darkness guided by its illuminating rays. Its light is dim, and cannot be compared with the sun-like effulgence of knowledge, but it suffices to lead one safely through the mists of doubt and the black darkness of despair; along the narrow, thorny ways of sickness and sorrow, and over the treacherous places of temptation and uncertainty; it enables him to ward off and outstrip the foul beasts that rage in the jungle of his heart, and to safely reach the open plains of a pure life and the mountain levels of conquest where the dim light of faith is no longer needed, for, leaving behind him all the darkness, all the doubt and error and sorrow, he enters into a new consciousness and upon a higher round of life, and works, acts, and lives self-contained and peaceful, in the full and glorious light of knowledge.

So, light the lamp of faith in your heart, and walk through the darkness guided by its rays. Its light is dim and cannot compare with the brilliant sunlight of knowledge. But it is enough to lead you safely through the mists of doubt and the deep darkness of despair. It guides you along the narrow, thorny paths of sickness and sorrow, and over the treacherous ground of temptation and uncertainty. It enables you to fend off and outrun the foul beasts raging in the jungle of your heart. It leads you safely to the open plains of a pure life and the mountain heights of conquest. There, the dim light of faith is no longer needed. You leave behind all darkness, doubt, error, and sorrow, and enter a new awareness and a higher stage of life. You work, act, and live, self-contained and peaceful, in the full and glorious light of knowledge.