IMMANENT SPIRIT 145 



We do not need to look for the seat of that 

 animating Activity in the empty spaces of the 

 starry heavens or anywhere beyond them. We 

 look for it in the stars themselves, in our own star, 

 in the Earth, in every particle of which the stars 

 and Sun and Earth are composed, in every 

 plant and animal, and in every human heart, 

 and in the whole together. There it is — and 

 especially in the human heart — that the soul of 

 Nature resides. There is its dwelling-place. To 

 each of us it is nearer than father is to son. It is 

 as near as "I" am to each one of the myriad 

 particles which in ^their togetherness go to make 

 up the body and soul which is "me." The spirit 

 of Nature is resident in no remoteness of cold and 

 empty space. It is deep within us and all around 

 us. It permeates everything and everybody, every- 

 where and always. And if we wish to be unmis- 

 takably aware of its presence, we have only to look 

 within ourselves, and whenever we are conscious 

 of a higher perfection which something within, 

 responding to the influences impinging insistently 

 on us, is urging us to achieve ; whenever we have 

 a vision of something more perfect, more lovely, 

 more lovable, and feel ourselves i^rged on to reach 

 after that greater perfection — we are in those 

 moments directly and unmistakably experiencing 

 the Divine Spirit of Nature. Whenever we feel 

 the Spirit within us showing us greater perfectibility 

 and prompting us to make ourselves and others 

 more perfect than we have been we are, in that 

 moment, being directly influenced by the Spirit 

 of Nature itself. We are receiving inspiration 



