“The Hebrew is right in his belief of One; but his small and selfish ideal concerning him hath brought forth the natural fruit of uncharitableness, pride, and hollow ceremony. But I unlovingly condemn neither Roman, Greek, nor Jew. Things that are imperfect satisfy not, and therefore finally work out that which is higher. Because men believe their inner nature to be of the seen instead of spiritual, they become carnal in the dim light of such a standpoint, which is fixed among outward and deceptive appearances. The knowledge of their inner being, and that they are the offspring of, and one with, the Spirit, which is All in All, is not theirs, because they look downward. But all the children of men are slowly feeling their way towards God; and through the teaching of manifold tribulations will finally behold the Father’s goodness, which will draw all to him. Could they be persuaded that they are spirits now, no longer mistaking [pg 322]their bodies for themselves, like the lilies, they would grow naturally towards beauty and perfection. Love would drive out hatred, and inner spiritual harmony replace the prevailing lower consciousness.”
“By Pallas,—pardon the force of habit,—thy philosophy is both reasonable and well-pleasing! Behold, while it is new to mine ears, something within—peradventure the voice of the morning—seems almost to testify to its truth. But thou hast not yet interpreted the utterance which led me to turn from the Cydnus to the sea. It seemeth marvellous that, while it guided me, I felt that I freely chose the cruise.”
“That which I have spoken may help in the understanding of the voice. The mind of man is so subtly wrought that it hath many hidden forces which commonly remain latent, and of the usefulness of which men are ignorant. We may be likened to children with playthings in their hands, in which are wrapped up signs and wonders. The dominion of soul or mind extendeth to the ends of the earth, and is in no wise limited to the bodily members. The Universal Spirit, though not regarded in man’s thoughts, often speaketh to his inner nature. Like uttereth itself to like, and spirit to spirit. Of a verity, it never ceaseth its whisperings to every inner ear that is open. But few there be that listen. Peradventure in some way thou art being prepared to be a listener. I am persuaded, therefore, that this day, before the third hour, thou didst have a touch, in thine inmost soul, of the peril of the Salapiæ, and a prompting of thy free will to come to her relief. That which seemeth a mystery may be childlike and plain when its [pg 323]orderly working is made known. Thou mightest also have been moved—like as by a flash—by the outgoing of our own thought, which is a divine operation put into our own hands for ministry and service to one another.”
“Then thou dost not count the voice as marvellous?”
“Peradventure a miracle to thee, because it seemeth strange in thine eyes; but no more wonderful in itself than that the goodly Nereid is wafted along by the air of heaven.”
The theologies of all the ages have uniformly held in disregard that which has been termed “naturalism.” But it seems pertinent to inquire where its boundary lines can be drawn, and, in fact, if it does not include everything, both material and spiritual. If these terms were employed simply to designate an orderly lower and higher in the established economy, as they sometimes are, their usefulness would be obvious. But they have been set in antithesis, one seeming to imply the divine and orderly course of all sequence, and the other that economy broken into or superseded. Can the perfect and unchangeable God contradict himself? Is the spiritual realm less amenable to uniform method in the relation of cause and effect than its external and material counterpart?
Just in proportion that the normality of the summits of moral and spiritual attainment is presented, they are made attractive to the human mind and consciousness. In the very nature of things, “supernaturalism,” which savors of the unnatural and abnormal, fails to commend itself to the highest reason. In some degree it is repellent. As human ignorance, superstition, and irrational [pg 324]assumption are left behind, the hearts of men go out after an orderly Deity. They turn towards him as naturally as flowers open themselves to the sun. The book of nature contains a symmetrical revelation of God, and there is nothing common nor unclean. There is no “secular,” for all is sacred. Everything has been consecrated without the intervention of the puny rites of man.
A lawful chain of sequences is as surely found in the soul as in chemistry or physics. When the orderly beauty of individual spiritual unfoldment is seen by man, be he high or low, ignorant or learned, bond or free, black or white, Roman or Greek, pagan or Christian, his heart throbs, and his desire warms towards the upward path which opens before him.
The announcement came up from below that refreshments were served, and Marcius gracefully escorted his guests to the faultless repast. In the beauty of every detail, the triclinium of the house of a Roman senator could hardly have excelled the private dining-apartment of the Nereid. With artistic gracefulness flowers and perfumes were mingled with dainty viands. The highly polished floor, which was tinted with minium, exhaled a delicate, rose-like odor. Four serving-boys, in white robes of bissus, entered while the guests were standing, and placed upon each corner of the table a small tutelary statue, or Lar, and after all were reclining, reverently raised an amphora of wine above their heads, exclaiming in concert, “May the gods favor us!” Marcius seemed unconscious of any ostentation, nothing being unusual. His guests were quite at ease. Choice old Falernian and other wines were offered, but declined, [pg 325]and with the true instinct of a host, Marcius partook very sparingly of them himself.
The conversation turned upon the recent storm, the experiences of the Salapiæ, Tarsian life, the latest news from Rome, and other current topics.