________________
12
THE KEY OF KNOWLEDGE.
attract the masses. Mankind wanted a cheap, simple recipe like a physician's draught which could be taken once a day or so to prevent or cure the disorders of spirituality, and the simpler the method the quicker were the people to respond to it. It was thus that every one who had a little smattering of religious lore managed to secure some followers to himself; and if he could perform a miracle or two in addition, his success as the founder of a religion was at once put beyond dispute. Thus, interest in religion dwindled down to a mere mockery, till at last people began to believe that all talk of God, the Ideal of Perfection, was either a pure chimera, or, if true, was a piece of news which was of no marketable value, as it could not be reduced to £. 8. d. Mammon came into existence, and just in proportion in which it became an object of devotion, the true object of adoration and worship receded into background and became lost to view. Devil and his companions have thus become regnant where there used to be the Kingdom of God.
As with the ancients, so is the case with us at present; we believe in money and the pleasures of senses, and bewail our lot when these afford us disgust. The soul is athirst for happiness and is panting for a breath of the pure atmosphere of freedom, but we still adhere to the mad worship of the god Golden Calf and its co-seducers. This is our own fault. It is not too late yet, but it will be so in a short time when Death knocks at the door to claim its victim. What will you do then ? Every moment that you neglect your opportunity for approaching God, each time that you
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
