Page:Life in the Old World - Vol. II.djvu/273

Rh the development of human life, are two-fold; God, who above every new age, and every new human soul, speaks anew, “Let there be light!” and the human being—or the humanity, which receives and continues onward the revealed light. Of the innermost organ—the inner eye—I have already said sufficient to explain my meaning; let me now say a few words on the goal which it has in view.

Because, towards this goal, I see every human being, and all nations, from the most ancient times, striving consciously or unconsciously, and all the wise and all the good of the earth have endeavored to lead mankind nearer to it. They have given to it many different names; the most popular in all ages is that of happiness. Prophets, in ecstatic visions, have proclaimed this goal to be a state of virtue, of beauty, and of happiness, a realm of glory and perfection, as well for nature as for humanity; a state, under which every thing was good, a world of harmonies. Christ Jesus called it the kingdom of God. And ever since then, His disciples, consciously or unconsciously, have been endeavoring to introduce it into human life. We, all of us, we who acknowledge ourselves to be of His name, have learned in the prayer of prayers, that of our Lord, to pray for the coming of this kingdom on earth, as it is in heaven. And nevertheless, its image is still so dimly comprehended, both by the visible and the invisible church of Christ!

The Catholic church says that it comprehends this goal; but then it separates it from the actual, from the general life, and ever more and more incloses it within the symbolic institution, which it calls the