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The Way of the Seven Fold Secret by Lilias Trotter

Lilias Trotter moved from England to Algiers in 1888, at the age of 35, and died there in 1928. In the latter stages of her mission there, she wrote specifically for Muslims influenced by mysticism. Lilias based The Way of the Sevenfold Secret on Christ's seven 'I am' sayings in John's gospel, and attempted to link them to the traditional seven steps taken by members of Sufi orders in their quest for union with God. This republication should enable readers to capture the essence of a woman whose legacy is vitally alive for our times

Lilias Trotter moved from England to Algiers in 1888, at the age of 35, and died there in 1928. In the latter stages of her mission there, she wrote specifically for Muslims influenced by mysticism. Lilias based The Way of the Sevenfold Secret on Christ's seven 'I am' sayings in John's gospel, and attempted to link them to the traditional seven steps taken by members of Sufi orders in their quest for union with God. This republication should enable readers to capture the essence of a woman whose legacy is vitally alive for our times

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- 32-<br />

under <strong>the</strong> leadership <strong>of</strong> his director, and yields him an<br />

obedience that is complete. Nothing is accounted too<br />

hard that his wisdom and his will appoint to <strong>the</strong> disciple.<br />

You feel that your sheikh knows you through and through,<br />

and into his hands you deliver your~elf as you express it,<br />

as a corpse into <strong>the</strong> hands <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> washer, that he may rid<br />

you <strong>of</strong> all impurity. And for this you desire a leader who<br />

is wholly trustworthy, for it is a great trust that you put in<br />

him, even <strong>the</strong> wellbeing <strong>of</strong> your soul during <strong>the</strong> time <strong>of</strong><br />

its probation here on earth.<br />

And God <strong>the</strong> Most High, who created us and you,<br />

knows that it is in our hearts to seek a Leader. · He<br />

knows that this Leader must be a man like ourselves,<br />

who has trodden <strong>the</strong> path <strong>by</strong> which He would lead us :<br />

but it is also in <strong>the</strong> counsels <strong>of</strong> God, that this Leader, to<br />

lead us aright, must be more than man, even as <strong>the</strong> sheep,<br />

who have like ourselves, <strong>the</strong> inclination to follow, are not<br />

safe when <strong>the</strong>y are following o<strong>the</strong>r sheep,'but only when<br />

<strong>the</strong>y are following <strong>the</strong> Shepherd.<br />

And <strong>the</strong>refore God chose Christ our Lord, before He<br />

was born on <strong>the</strong> earth, because in Him <strong>the</strong> Divine Leadership<br />

and <strong>the</strong> human leadership meet in one, for He is<br />

"declared to be <strong>the</strong> Son <strong>of</strong> God with power"* in <strong>the</strong> Spirit,<br />

·while in <strong>the</strong> flesh He is "<strong>the</strong> Son <strong>of</strong> Man ".t And God<br />

·spake <strong>of</strong> Him in <strong>the</strong> prophecy <strong>of</strong> Isaiah and said,-"Behold<br />

I have given. Him for a Leader•and Oommander to <strong>the</strong><br />

people.'' t He is <strong>by</strong> <strong>the</strong> authority <strong>of</strong> God <strong>the</strong> true subduer<br />

<strong>by</strong> constraint, but <strong>the</strong> constraint is <strong>the</strong> constraint <strong>of</strong> love,<br />

and whenever in His days upon earth He called to one<br />

or ano<strong>the</strong>r "Follow Me," it is told us that <strong>the</strong>y arose and<br />

left all, and followed Him.<br />

" Rom. I. 4. t John 5. 27. + Is 55. 4.

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