PERIODS OF DEVELOPMENT 143 



come to know through this means and the ever- 

 present and ever-active influence of the Holy 

 Spirit, who uses these symbols and teachings of 

 earthly guardian-spirits to make known the in- 

 visible God and His purposes for men. We have 

 no sure ground of confidence that the Holy Spirit 

 performs this office in the absence of this human 

 teaching. The spirit of obedience toward the par- 

 ents has in it the elements and essential nature of 

 yielding to the Higher Spirit, provided those par- 

 ents have recognized their true office and relation 

 to God and the child. The tastes of the character 

 have been formed on a high plane and will not 

 respond to appeals from lower levels. The feel- 

 ings of the nature have been trained to be active 

 in lines of sympathy and kindness. The control 

 of the nature, both of the animal and rational, has 

 been long disciplined and is now comparatively 

 able. Virtuous habits have been formed which 

 will steady him in trying hours when the spon- 

 taneous moral energy of the moment would not 

 be sufficient. The child enters a world that is not 

 "a friend to grace" indeed, where temptations 

 are strong, and streams of social influence are 

 against the ideals that have been implanted. But 

 that world has no dominant ally within, although 

 it will always seek an alliance with his animal 

 nature. That physical nature, however, has also 

 learned how to obey. It has been subjected to a 

 strong control and to habits the bonds of which 

 it can not of itself break. It can overcome only 



