A yellow circle of light falls on the paper and that is
all. But bring it into perfect focus, concentrating the rays to the
finest possible point, and the paper turns brown and finally bursts
into the fire that will consume it. They are the same rays that were
previously ineffective. Concentration produced results.
The mind must be brought under such complete control of the will that
it can be manipulated like a search-light, turned in this direction or
that, or flung full upon some obscure subject and held steadily there
till it illuminates every detail of it, as the search-light sends a
dazzling ray through space and shows every rock and tree on a hillside
far away through the darkness of the night.
The third necessity is keen intelligence. The force of desire,
directed by the will, must be supplemented by an alert mind. There is
a popular notion that good motives are sufficient in themselves and
that when one has the desire to attain spiritual illumination, plus
the will to achieve, nothing more is needed but purity of purpose. But
this is a misconception. It is true that the mystic makes devotion the
vital thing in his spiritual growth; and it is also true that the
three paths of action, knowledge and devotion blend and become one at
a higher stage. But while there are methods of development in which
intellect is not at first made a chief factor it can by no means be
ignored in the long-run; nor are we now considering those methods.
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