Examine thy motive now, for the time will come when thy motive will examine thee. It will tear forth the secrets of thy heart and make them live in deeds; it will take thee by surprise in the hour of thy need, will spring upon thee out of the darkness of thy past.
Therefore he prepared. Turn upon thyself now, while the hour is yet with thee, and fearlessly force the issue with the array of thy thoughts. Be not deceived: no man's motive is absolutely pure till he is purity itself. He must learn to discriminate between the source of a thought and the form it assumes in his mind; for the desires of the personal man may work in harmony with the aspirations of the impersonal self — up to a certain point; then their paths separate and the combat of ages reaches its climax. But up to that point the desires of the personal man are easily mistaken for the promptings of the soul. Their immediate result is the same, and we are apt to judge by the show of things. Be not deceived!
Face thyself; calmly, indifferently, and relentlessly. Do not expect to find superiority when thou wilt find nothing but humanity. Take thyself as them art; use thyself as thou canst — and rejoice that thou art alive, one of many million travellers to the home of peace. — H. O. Smith, The Mirror of Life.