theologians make use of a very apt comparison. If, say they, you
thrust a piece of iron into the fire, it soon loses its dark color,
and becomes red and hot, like the fire. It is thus made a partaker of
the nature of fire, without, however, losing its own essential
iron-nature. This illustrates what takes place in the Beatific Vision
in relation to the soul. She is united to God, and penetrated by Him.
She becomes bright with His brightness, beautiful with His beauty,
pure with His purity, happy with His unutterable happiness, and
perfect with His divine perfections. In a word, she has become a
partaker of the "divine nature," while she retains her created nature
and personal identity.

Abstract words, however, and reasoning fail to convey a definite idea
of this glorious happiness reserved for the children of God. Let us,
therefore, have recourse to an illustration in the shape of a little
parable. It will be as a mirror, wherein we shall see faint but true
reflections of the Beatific Vision.

A kind-hearted king, while hunting in a forest, finds a blind orphan
boy, totally destitute of all that can make life comfortable. The
king, moved with compassion, takes him to his palace, adopts him as
his own, and orders him to be cared for and educated in all that a
blind person can learn. It is almost needless to say that the boy is
unspeakably grateful, and does all he can to phase the king. When he
has reached his twentieth year, a surgeon performs an operation upon
his eyes by which his sight is restored. Then the king, surrounded by
his nobles and amid all the pomp and magnificence of the court,
proclaims him one of his sons, and commands all to honor and love him
as such. And thus the once friendless orphan becomes a prince, and,
therefore, a partaker of the royal dignity, of the happiness and
glory which are to be found in the palaces of kings.

I will not attempt to describe the joys that overwhelm the soul of
this fortunate young man when he first sees that king, of whose manly
beauty, goodness, power, and magnificence he had heard so much. Nor
will I attempt to describe those other joys which fill his soul when
he beholds himself, his own personal beauty, and the magnificence of
his princely garments, whereof he had also heard so much heretofore.
Much less will I attempt to picture his exquisite unspeakable
happiness when he sees himself adopted into the royal family, honored
and loved by all, together with all