Christ said: "If any man come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it." In different words, all the Divine Manifestations have made this same demand from Their followers, and the history of religion shows clearly that as long as the demand has been frankly recognized and accepted, religion has flourished, despite all earthly opposition, despite affliction, persecution and martyrdom of the believers.

On the other hand, whenever compromise has crept in, and "respectability" has taken the place of complete consecration, then religion has decayed.

It has become fashionable, but it has lost its power to save and transform, its power to work miracles.

True religion has never yet been fashionable.