nating Spirit; and as in all other adaptations of
specific vehicles so also here, we can never correctly understand the
nature of the vehicle and use it rightly until we realize the nature of the
power for the working of which it is specially adapted. Let us, then, in
conclusion briefly consider the nature of that power.

XVI.

THE SPIRIT.

What must the Supreme All-originating Spirit be in itself? That is the
question before us. Let us start with one fact regarding it about which we
cannot have any possible doubt--it is _creative_. If it were not creative
nothing could come into existence; therefore we know that its purpose, or
Law of Tendency, must be to bring individual lives into existence and to
surround them with a suitable environment. Now a power which has this for
its inherent nature must be a kindly power. The Spirit of Life seeking
expression in individual lives can have no other intention towards them
than "that they might have life, and that they might have it more
abundantly." To suppose the opposite would be a contradiction in terms. It
would be to suppose the Eternal Principle of Life acting against itself,
expressing itself as the reverse of what it is, in which case it would not
be expressing itself but expressing its opposite; so that it is impossible
to conceive of the Spirit of Life acting otherwise than to the increase of
life. This is as yet only imperfectly apparent by reason of our imperfect
apprehension of the position, and our consequent want of conscious unity
with the ONE Eternal Life. As our consciousness of unity becomes more
perfect so will the life-givingness of the Spirit become more apparent. But
in the realm of principles the purely Affirmative and Life-giving nature of
the All-originating Spirit is an unavoidable conclusion. Now by what name
can we call such an inherent desire to add to the fulness of any individual
life--that is, to make it stronger, brighter, and happier? If this is not
Love, then I do not know what else it is; and so we are philosophically led
to the conclusion that Love is the prime moving power of the Creating
Spirit.

But expression is impossible without Form. What Form, then, should Love
give to the vehicles of its expression? By the hypothesis of the case it
could not find self-expression in forms that were hateful or repugnant to
it--therefore the only logical correlative of Love is Beauty. Beauty is not
yet universally manifested for the same rea