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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- 59 -<br />
And you yourselves, 0 our bro<strong>the</strong>rs, understand that<br />
<strong>the</strong> highest life and <strong>the</strong> highest service is not a life <strong>of</strong><br />
solitude, spent in visions and dreams, but a life such as<br />
Jesus lived, for He came out from God's presence to shed<br />
•God's light and love and power as from a deep sweet<br />
fountain on all around. And He sends His Spirit into<br />
His people and through <strong>the</strong>m, in order that <strong>the</strong> life He<br />
lived on earth might be prolonged in <strong>the</strong>m, till He<br />
-comes again.<br />
Lastly, in this similitude <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Vine, we see that not<br />
only is each branch knit to <strong>the</strong> stern, but each to <strong>the</strong><br />
o<strong>the</strong>rs. <strong>The</strong> fur<strong>the</strong>st <strong>of</strong>f and <strong>the</strong> weakest are knit through<br />
<strong>the</strong> stem to every o<strong>the</strong>r branch, great and small.<br />
Once more we shew to you, 0 our bro<strong>the</strong>rs, that you<br />
will find in Christ <strong>the</strong> understanding <strong>of</strong> all <strong>the</strong> needs that<br />
aroused in you a desire for <strong>the</strong> Road, for you who belong<br />
to it seek, with a strong seeking, a life in which heart<br />
shall be linked with heart, and all, in one Body, with God.<br />
This, as all o<strong>the</strong>r good gifts for which you long, may<br />
be yours in Christ. If we are but a little band in any<br />
one place, we are one family with all His people <strong>of</strong> every<br />
-country, and <strong>of</strong> all <strong>the</strong> ages past. By <strong>the</strong> life current <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> One Spirit Who flows through us all, we are united<br />
with Him and with each o<strong>the</strong>r. And at <strong>the</strong> last He<br />
means to perfect us a II toge<strong>the</strong>r, in a . unity <strong>of</strong> which all<br />
~arthly symbols are but a shadow.<br />
Truly we shall all need each o<strong>the</strong>r for <strong>the</strong> perfecting<br />
-0f <strong>the</strong> whole Body <strong>of</strong> Christ in <strong>the</strong> day that is coming:<br />
but <strong>the</strong> greater thing than this,. 0 my bro<strong>the</strong>r, is that
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