INDICATIONS OF A SCHEME IN THE UNIVERSE. 163 



the whisper of our spirit reaches His spirit in a moment. Praise, 

 prayer, love, submission to the dictates of conscience, and all 

 other foundations of true character, belong to the spirit world. 

 God himself is spirit, invisible, impalpable, infinite, eternal, 

 the fountain of all force and goodness. The word " spirit " in 

 most languages is only an illustration drawn either from the 

 movement of the air or wind which are the simplest signs 

 of an unseen force, or from the act of breathing, which is the 

 simplest expression of feeling. 



What is the bond of union between these two worlds ? It is 

 the human personality, that which is conscious, thinks, feels, 

 strives, and which takes in and gives out energy in two directions, 

 above and below. It floats like a cork on the water ; its lower 

 surface in relation to the material world, its upper in relation 

 to the pure air of heaven. Owing to the poverty of human 

 language the word "^vxn^ soul, has to do duty both for this 

 mysterious personality, and also for its capacity for dealing 

 with things earthly through the agency of brain, nerve and 

 sense, a capacity which we treat now under the words 

 psychology and physiology. But there are (in some persons 

 lying dormant and in others in full activity) energies and 

 inspirations which draw out ourselves, souls, minds and 

 activities in the direction of the spirit world, which is described 

 as " that which is above," as contrasted with that which is of 

 the earth. 



The order of human nature seems to be first the physical, 

 cosmic or psychical, then the spiritual or hyper-cosmic ; and 

 the nomenclature of the first has to do duty by way of 

 illustration to the second. Which of the two is final, permanent 

 and supreme ? Can there be any doubt ? We appreciate 

 physical excellence, but we pine for moral perfection, and 

 above all — in our best moments — for union with the Author 

 of our existence. The physical, which practically means 

 psychical, is the scaffolding, but moral and spiritual character 

 is the real building, with a view to which the scaffolding is 

 erected. Scaffolding is costly ; it takes a long time to prepare ; 

 it is all arranged for a definite purpose ; and when that purpose 

 is attained it is taken down, though marks and indications of it 

 may sometimes be detected on the surface of the completed 

 structure. The things of time and space are not useless ; they 

 supply working models and types, but after all the things 

 which are seen are temporary, the things which are not seen 

 are permanent. 



It is believed that the embryos of all animals (and plants ?) pass 



