Mystic Immanence, the Indwelling SpiritWilberforce, Basil
Religion
Mystic Immanence, the Indwelling Spirit
Wilberforce, Basil
Immanence of God; Mysticism
There is a restful universalism in this analysis, because spirit is the
true man. Spirit is "the kingdom of heaven within." Spirit is "the
Father within you." The one ever-lasting impossibility to man is to
sever himself from immanent spirit. A man’s soul may have so wrongly
"devised his way" as to be derelict; the nightmare of life may have been
so heavy that a man has not recognized that the keys of the Kingdom of
Heaven within him are committed to him. He may not yet have awakened to
the truth that God’s intensity dwells within him; he may even plunge
into animalism; he may pass out of this life still in his dream, but,
though he knows it not, whatever his mind may devise, the Lord, Immanent
Spirit, will still "direct his steps" to the ultimate issue. Into
whatever educative school a human being may pass. Spirit goes with him.
"If I go down into Hades, Thou art there; if I take the wings of the
morning and fly to the uttermost parts of the sea, even there shall Thy
right hand lead me." And where Spirit is, there is Love—tireless,
patient, remedial, effective, and "at last, far off, at last," every
wandering derelict human being will "arise and go to its Father." I
know that you cannot make another person see what you see yourself, but
I long to encourage all to believe it, to test it, to live it, to
proclaim it. Some think I err by ceaselessly reiterating the same
truth. I cannot help it; it is the ideal I am striving to attain
myself. I must give it to others. As Whittier said:
"If there be some weaker one,
Give me strength to help him on.
If a blinder soul there be,
Let me guide him nearer Thee."
I desire to encourage all to aim at conscious identification with
Spirit, and to bear witness by the peace it brings into their lives.
"That to believe these things are so,
This firm faith never to forego,
Despite of all which seems at strife
With blessing, all with curses rife,
That this is blessing, this is life."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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