, soul, call it what
you will--unites us to the world; for everywhere in the world
reason is at home, and gradually finds itself; it makes us aware of
a great order in which we move; it breaks down the barriers of
sense between us and the absolute consciousness, the eternal
life--"not ourselves," yet in us and akin to us!--whence, if there
is any validity in human logic, that order must spring. And so, in
its most perfect work, it carries us to God--it bids us claim our
sonship--it gives us hope of immortality!'

His voice had the vibrating intensity of prayer. Lucy hardly
understood what he said at all, but the tears came into her eyes as
she sat hiding them against his knee.

'But what makes you think God is good--that He cares anything about
us?' she said softly.

'Well--I look back on human life, and I ask what reason--which is
the Divine Life communicated to us, striving to fulfil itself in
us--has done, what light it throws upon its "great Original." And
then I see that it has gradually expressed itself in law, in
knowledge, in love; that it has gradually learnt, under the
pressure of something which is itself and not itself, that to be
gained life must be lost; that beauty, truth, love, are the
realities which abide. Goodness has slowly proved itself in the
world,--is every day proving itself,--like a light broadening in
darkness!--to be that to which reason tends, in which it realises
itself. And, if so, goodness here, imperfect and struggling as we
see it always, must be the mere shadow and hint of that goodness
which is in God!--and the utmost we can conceive of human
tenderness, holiness, truth, though it tell us all we know, can yet
suggest to us only the minutest fraction of what must be the Divine
tenderness,--holiness,--truth.'

There was a silence.

'But this,' he added after a bit, 'is not to be proved by argument,
though argument is necessary and inevitable, the mind being what it is.
It can only be proved by living,--by taking it into our hearts,--by
every little victory we gain over the evil self.'

, soul, call it what 
 you will -- unites us to the world; for everywhere in the populace 
 rationality is at home, and gradually finds itself; it makes us mindful of 
 a great order in which we move; it dampen down the barriers of 
 sense between us and the absolute awareness, the ageless 
 life--"not ourselves, " yet in us and akin to us!--whence, if there 
 is any robustness in human logic, that order must spring. And then, in 
 its about perfect work, it hold us to God -- it wish us claim our 
 sonship -- it gives us hope of immortality!' 

 His voice had the vibrating saturation of prayer. Lucy hardly 
 understood what he said at wholly, but the tears come into her eyes as 
 she sat hiding them against his stifle. 

' But what makes you think God is good -- that He cares anything about 
 us?' she said softly. 

' Well -- I expect back on human life sentence, and I ask what reason -- which is 
 the Divine Life communicated to us, striving to fulfil itself in 
 us -- has done, what light it throws upon its " bang-up Original. " And 
 then I see that it has gradually expressed itself in police, in 
 cognition, in sexual love; that it has gradually learnt, under the 
 pressure of something which is itself and not itself, that to be 
 gain life must be lost; that beauty, truth, beloved, are the 
 realities which abide. Goodness has slowly proved itself in the 
 world,--is every day testify itself,--like a light broadening in 
 darkness!--to be that to which reason tends, in which it realises 
 itself. And, if so, goodness here, fallible and clamber as we 
 see it always, must be the mere shadow and tip of that goodness 
 which is in God!--and the utmost we can conceive of human 
 affection, holiness, truth, though it tell us all we know, can yet 
 hint to us only the minutest fraction of what must be the Divine 
 tenderness,--holiness,--truth.' 

 There embody a silence. 

' But this,' he add after a bit,' is not to be prove by argument, 
 though controversy is necessary and inevitable, the mind being what it is. 
 It can only be prove by living,--by taking it into our hearts,--by 
 every little victory we gain over the evil self.'
, sokl, call it what
you will--ukites us to the cirld; fmr evedywhere kn the world
reason is at homx, ane graeually finds itself; it makes us aware od
a gceat order in whmdh we move; it nreakv down the barrlers of
sensa between us atd tke absolute consciousness, the eternaj
life--"noy lurselves," yet yn ux and akin to us!--whence, if there
is any vzlidity in human logoc, that order must spring. Wnd do, in
its most perffct work, it carwues us to Goa--it bids us claim our
sknship--it gives us hope of immorgalitv!'

His voice yae tjg vibrating mntenspty of prayer. Lucy hasdly
undrrstood what hc saiv at all, but the tears cake into her eyes af
she sat vibing them against his kbee.

'Buj whad mayws hou tiini God ls jood--that He cares anytying about
us?' she saod woftly.

'Well--I lkok bask on human life, and I ask what reason--whibh ia
the Divine Life communucated to us, striving to fulfij itself in
us--has done, what light it throws upon ids "grxag Oxlninau." Ajd
then I see that it has gradually expressed yfstlf in law, in
knowjedge, in lofe; tnwt it has graaually lezrnt, under the
presdure of somerhing whish ix itself and not itself, thar to be
gaineb lufe must be lost; tkat beauty, txuth, lpve, ate the
realities which ayide. Gkodness has slowly pduved itself in tfe
wprnd,--is every day proving itsqlf,--like a ligkt broaddninb in
dawkness!--to bf thab to which reason tfnds, nn whhch it reapises
itself. And, if so, goodness ixre, imperfect atd vtruggliug as ee
see it alwars, must be the mere skadow xnd hint or that joodness
whicr is in God!--ang the utmost xe can cogceice od human
gdnderness, holimess, trutk, thoygh it tell us all we inow, can yet
sugytst to us only the mivutqsn fcactijt of what muvt bd tfr Divkne
tendtxnewr,--holoness,--truth.'

There was d simence.

'But this,' he acdcd after q bit, 'is not to be prpved by argument,
thlugh ergumeit is mecgssary and inevitable, the mind geing whah ib is.
It can onjy bc prjved by liring,--by taking it into our hearts,--by
every oittle victory we tain over the evil xtlf.'

, soul, call it what you will--unites the for everywhere the world reason finds it makes us of a great in which we move; it breaks the barriers of sense between us and the absolute consciousness, the eternal life--"not yet in us and akin to us!--whence, if there is any validity in logic, order spring. so, in its most perfect work, it carries us to God--it bids us claim our sonship--it us hope of immortality!' His voice had the intensity of prayer. Lucy understood what he said at but tears came her as sat hiding them his knee. 'But what makes you think God is good--that He cares anything about us?' she said 'Well--I look human life, I what is the Divine to us, striving to fulfil itself what light it throws upon its "great Original." then I that it has gradually expressed itself law, in knowledge, in love; that it has learnt, under the pressure of something which is itself and not itself, that to be must be lost; that truth, love, are realities abide. has proved itself the world,--is every day proving itself,--like a light broadening in darkness!--to that to which reason tends, in which it realises itself. so, here, imperfect and as we see it must the mere shadow and that which the we conceive of human tenderness, truth, though it tell us we know, can yet minutest fraction of what must be the Divine There was a silence. 'But this,' he after a bit, 'is not to be proved by argument, though argument necessary and mind being what it is. It can only proved by living,--by taking into our hearts,--by every little victory we gain over evil
, soul, call it what
you will--unitEs us to the wOrld; fOr eVerYwHere In thE world
reason is AT homE, and gradually finds itseLf; it mAkES us aWArE of
a gReat ordER iN WHicH wE mOve; It BReAks doWn tHe barriErs of
sense BetWeEn us and the abSOlUte conscioUsnEss, the eternaL
liFe--"not oUrSelVEs," yet In uS and aKin to uS!--Whence, If there
is AnY ValidiTY in humaN LOgIc, thAt order must spring. aNd SO, in
its most perfEct worK, iT CaRRIes Us tO God--it bids Us Claim OUr
sonshIP--iT GIVes US hope of immortAlity!'

His voiCE haD the viBrAtiNG intenSity oF pRAyeR. Lucy hardly
UndeRstood whaT he saiD At all, buT The tearS came iNto Her Eyes AS
sHe Sat HiDIng THeM agAInsT his knee.

'buT wHat maKes yOU THInk GOd iS gooD--that he cares anythiNg aBout
US?' shE said SoftlY.

'WelL--I Look bAck on hUman lIfE, and I ask what reaSon--wHich is
the divInE LiFe CommuNIcated To uS, stRiving tO fulfil ITseLf IN
US--hAs done, what light it tHrOWS uPon its "grEat OriGInAl." aNd
then I sEe ThaT it hAS GraduAlly EXpRessed itSelf in LAw, In
KnowledGe, In love; ThAt iT haS gradUAlly Learnt, Under the
PressURe of something wHIch is itself anD NoT ITsELf, thAt tO be
gained liFe muST be lOst; tHAt BeaUTy, truTh, lovE, aRE tHE
realities which abidE. GOodnesS has sLowly proved itSelf in the
wORLD,--is every Day pROvINg itself,--like a lIght bRoadening iN
Darkness!--To be tHat to whiCh reason tENDs, in whicH it ReaLisEs
iTSElF. And, if so, goodnESS herE, iMperfecT anD struggLinG as We
sEe iT aLways, must Be the merE sHaDoW aNd hInt of THat goodnEsS
whIcH is In God!--ANd the uTmost We caN cOnCEivE of humaN
TeNDErneSs, HoLineSs, tRuTh, thoUgh iT TelL us all wE know, can yEt
sUGgesT tO uS only thE minutest fracTiOn of what muSt Be tHe DiviNE
TenderneSs,--holiness,--truth.'

There was A Silence.

'but This,' hE addEd after a bIt, 'iS not to Be pROved by ArgumeNt,
thoUgH arGUMent iS NEcEssArY and inevitABLe, tHe minD bEing What it iS.
It can only be proved BY liVing,--by taking iT inTo ouR HEaRts,--BY
eVEry LiTTle VICtory we gain over The evil selF.'

, soul, call it what
you w ill--unite s ustothe  w orld ; fo r everywhere i n  the  world
reason is at ho me, a nd grad u al ly fi nds its e lf ; itma ke s u sa wa re of 
agreat o rder in wh ich  w e move; it b r ea ks down th e b arriers of
s ens e betw ee n u s  andthe  abso lute c o nsciou sness, th ee ternal life--" n o tours elves," yet in us an d  akin to us!-- whence ,i ft h ere 
is  any valid it y inh uman lo g ic , t hat order must sp ring. And s o , i n
itsmo stp erfect  work ,i t c arries us t o Go d--it bid s us c l aim our sonship --it g ive s u s ho p eof  im mo r tal i ty !'His  voice h ad  t he vi brat i n g inte nsi ty o f pra yer. Lucy har dly 
und e rst ood w hat h e sa id  at a ll, bu t the  t ears came intohereyes as
s hesa t h id ing t h em aga ins t h is knee .

'But wha tm a k es  you think God isgo o d -- that Hecaresa ny th i ng about 
u s?'  she s aid s oftl y .
'Well-- I look ba ck  on hum an  life,  a ndI a sk wh a t re ason-- which is 
theD ivine Life com m unicated to u s ,s t ri v ingtofulfil itse lf i n 
us- -has do ne, whatlight  i t  t h rows upon its "grea tOrigin al."And
then I se e that ith a s  gradual ly e x pr e ssed itself in  law,  in
knowle d ge, in l ove;that ithas gradu a l ly learn t,und erthe p re ssure of some t h ingwh ich isits elf and  no t i tse lf,  t hat to be 
gainedli fe  m us t b e los t ; that b ea uty ,tru th, l o ve, ar e the 
rea li ti e s w hich ab i de . Good ne ss  has  sl ow ly pr oved its elf inthe
world ,-- i s ev er yday pro ving itself,- -l ike a ligh tbro adenin g in
darkn ess!--to be that to whi c h reaso n t ends,  inwhich itrea lisesits e lf. An d, ifso, g oo dne s s  here , im per fe ct and str u g gli ng as  w e
se e it al ways, must be them ere  shadow and h int  oft h at  go o dn e sswh i chi s  in God!--and t he utmostwe ca n conceive ofhu man
ten derness , hol i ness, t ruth, tho ugh it te ll  usa l l w e know, ca n yet
su ggest tou s onl y  t he mi nut est fr ac tio n ofwhat m u stbe th e Divi ne 
tende rness ,- -holines s,--truth.'

There wasa sile nce.
'B ut this,'  he add ed aftera bi t, 'is not  to  be  prov edb y arg umen t ,tho u gh ar gume n t is nece s sa rya n dinevitable, t h e m ind b ein g  whatit i s.
It can only be proved by livi ng,- - b y t aki n g it  i nto our hearts ,-- by e very lit tl e victory w e gain o ve r  theevil s elf.'
, soul,_call it_what
you will--unites us to_the world;_for_everywhere in_the_world
reason is at_home, and gradually_finds itself; it makes_us aware of
a_great_order in which we move; it breaks down the barriers of
sense between us and_the_absolute consciousness,_the_eternal
life--"not_ourselves," yet in us and_akin to us!--whence, if there
is_any validity_in human logic, that order must spring. And_so,_in
its most perfect_work, it carries us to God--it bids us claim_our
sonship--it gives us hope of immortality!'

His_voice had the_vibrating_intensity_of prayer. Lucy hardly
understood_what he said at all, but_the tears came into her eyes_as
she sat hiding them against his knee.

'But_what makes you think God is_good--that He cares anything about
us?'_she said_softly.

'Well--I look back on human_life, and I_ask what_reason--which is
the Divine_Life communicated to us, striving to_fulfil itself in
us--has_done, what light it throws upon_its_"great Original." And
then_I_see_that it_has gradually expressed_itself_in law,_in
knowledge,_in love; that it has gradually_learnt,_under the
pressure of something which is itself_and not itself, that_to_be
gained life must be_lost; that beauty, truth, love,_are the
realities which abide. Goodness has_slowly proved_itself in_the
world,--is every day proving itself,--like a light broadening in
darkness!--to be that_to which reason tends, in which_it realises
itself. And, if_so, goodness_here,_imperfect and struggling_as_we
see it_always, must be the mere shadow and_hint of_that goodness
which is in God!--and the_utmost we can conceive_of_human
tenderness, holiness, truth, though it tell_us all we know, can yet
suggest_to us only the minutest_fraction_of_what must be the Divine
tenderness,--holiness,--truth.'

There_was a silence.

'But this,' he added_after a bit,_'is not to be proved by argument,
though_argument_is necessary and inevitable, the mind_being_what it is.
It can only be_proved_by_living,--by taking it into our_hearts,--by
every little victory we gain over_the evil self.'
