THE INNER POLYTHEISM.

The Prophet says, “Polytheism in my followers is more imperceptible than the motion of an ant on a black stone on a dark night.” Such a polytheism, though not affecting the [exoteric] faith, injures the essence and fruit of Faith. Pure gold and an alloy of gold are both gold, but the latter cannot be as precious as the former. True Faith consists in Monotheism, which is the antithesis of polythe­ism. Real Monotheism appears only when the root of polytheism* has been destroyed. In order to secure true Faith or Monotheism, every impurity that stains it should be cast away. Such impurities constitute the inner polytheism. Looking to any save God for help or hindrance; hoping or fearing from any save Him; hypocrisy, anger and pride, even in their most subtile forms; pleasure and pain at being praised and blamed by others; regarding virtue and vice as means of union with and separa­tion from God—all these come under the inner polytheism. In short, no one can be established in Faith unless his character comes up to the stan­dard: “He is wholly from God, by God, and for God.”

Again the Prophet says: “There is no peace for the faithful except in the presence of God, and death is anything save His Presence.”—Letter 44.