Page:The Gospel of Râmakrishna.djvu/343

 of the neophyte or Sadhaka. Those of this class are farther advanced. They do not parade their beliefs and do not attach so much importance to external signs. Their worship is internal. They repeat the Lord's Name silently, pray without ostentation and feel some longing for God. The third stage is that of Siddha. What is a Siddha? One who is firmly con-vinced in his heart and soul that God exists, that He does everything, that He is the Omnipo-tent Being, and who has obtained a first glimpse of Him. The fourth stage is that of the Siddha of Siddhas. One who has reached this stage has not only seen God but has made acquaint-ance with Him and has established a definite relation with Him, — either that of a son to his father or that of a mother to her child, or that of friend to friend or of brother to brother, or the relation of husband and wife. To believe that fire is in the wood is faith. This is one thing, but it is another thing to bring that fire out of the wood, to cook something with it, to eat this and to attain peace and happiness afterwards. So to believe that God is in the world and to catch a distant glimpse of Him is one thing; but to come into direct communion with Him,