seraphita-第31节

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Earthly　life　our　fleeting　love　is　ended　by　tribulation；　in　the

Spiritual　life　the　tribulations　of　a　day　end　in　joys　unending。　The

soul　is　ceaselessly　joyful。　We　feel　God　with　us；　in　us；　He　gives　a

sacred　savor　to　all　things；　He　shines　in　the　soul；　He　imparts　to　us

His　sweetness；　He　stills　our　interest　in　the　world　viewed　for

ourselves；　He　quickens　our　interest　in　it　viewed　for　His　sake；　and

grants　us　the　exercise　of　His　power　upon　it。　In　His　name　we　do　the

works　which　He　inspires；　we　act　for　Him；　we　have　no　self　except　in

Him；　we　love　His　creatures　with　undying　love；　we　dry　their　tears　and

long　to　bring　them　unto　Him；　as　a　loving　woman　longs　to　see　the

inhabitants　of　earth　obey　her　well…beloved。



〃The　final　life；　the　fruition　of　all　other　lives；　to　which　the　powers

of　the　soul　have　tended；　and　whose　merits　open　the　Sacred　Portals　to

perfected　man；　is　the　life　of　Prayer。　Who　can　make　you　comprehend　the

grandeur；　the　majesty；　the　might　of　Prayer？　May　my　voice；　these　words

of　mine；　ring　in　your　hearts　and　change　them。　Be　now；　here；　what　you

may　be　after　cruel　trial！　There　are　privileged　beings；　Prophets；

Seers；　Messengers；　and　Martyrs；　all　those　who　suffer　for　the　Word　and

who　proclaim　it；　such　souls　spring　at　a　bound　across　the　human　sphere

and　rise　at　once　to　Prayer。　So；　too；　with　those　whose　souls　receive

the　fire　of　Faith。　Be　one　of　those　brave　souls！　God　welcomes　boldness。

He　loves　to　be　taken　by　violence；　He　will　never　reject　those　who　force

their　way　to　Him。　Know　this！　desire；　the　torrent　of　your　will；　is　so

all…powerful　that　a　single　emission　of　it；　made　with　force；　can　obtain

all；　a　single　cry；　uttered　under　the　pressure　of　Faith；　suffices。　Be

one　of　such　beings；　full　of　force；　of　will；　of　love！　Be　conquerors　on

the　earth！　Let　the　hunger　and　thirst　of　God　possess　you。　Fly　to　Him　as

the　hart　panting　for　the　water…brooks。　Desire　shall　lend　you　its

wings；　tears；　those　blossoms　of　repentance；　shall　be　the　celestial

baptism　from　which　your　nature　will　issue　purified。　Cast　yourself　on

the　breast　of　the　stream　in　Prayer！　Silence　and　meditation　are　the

means　of　following　the　Way。　God　reveals　Himself；　unfailingly；　to　the

solitary；　thoughtful　seeker。



〃It　is　thus　that　the　separation　takes　place　between　Matter；　which　so

long　has　wrapped　its　darkness　round　you；　and　Spirit；　which　was　in　you

from　the　beginning；　the　light　which　lighted　you　and　now　brings　noon…

day　to　your　soul。　Yes；　your　broken　heart　shall　receive　the　light；　the

light　shall　bathe　it。　Then　you　will　no　longer　feel　convictions；　they

will　have　changed　to　certainties。　The　Poet　utters；　the　Thinker

meditates；　the　Righteous　acts；　but　he　who　stands　upon　the　borders　of

the　Divine　World　prays；　and　his　prayer　is　word；　thought；　action；　in

one！　Yes；　prayer　includes　all；　contains　all；　it　completes　nature；　for

it　reveals　to　you　the　mind　within　it　and　its　progression。　White　and

shining　virgin　of　all　human　virtues；　ark　of　the　covenant　between　earth

and　heaven；　tender　and　strong　companion　partaking　of　the　lion　and　of

the　lamb；　Prayer！　Prayer　will　give　you　the　key　of　heaven！　Bold　and

pure　as　innocence；　strong；　like　all　that　is　single　and　simple；　this

glorious；　invincible　Queen　rests；　nevertheless；　on　the　material　world；

she　takes　possession　of　it；　like　the　sun；　she　clasps　it　in　a　circle　of

light。　The　universe　belongs　to　him　who　wills；　who　knows；　who　prays；

but　he　must　will；　he　must　know；　he　must　pray；　in　a　word；　he　must

possess　force；　wisdom；　and　faith。



〃Therefore　Prayer；　issuing　from　so　many　trials；　is　the　consummation　of

all　truths；　all　powers；　all　feelings。　Fruit　of　the　laborious；

progressive；　continued　development　of　natural　properties　and　faculties

vitalized　anew　by　the　divine　breath　of　the　Word；　Prayer　has　occult

activity；　it　is　the　final　worshipnot　the　material　worship　of　images；

nor　the　spiritual　worship　of　formulas；　but　the　worship　of　the　Divine

World。　We　say　no　prayers；prayer　forms　within　us；　it　is　a　faculty

which　acts　of　itself；　it　has　attained　a　way　of　action　which　lifts　it

outside　of　forms；　it　links　the　soul　to　God；　with　whom　we　unite　as　the

root　of　the　tree　unites　with　the　soil；　our　veins　draw　life　from　the

principle　of　life；　and　we　live　by　the　life　of　the　universe。　Prayer

bestows　external　conviction　by　making　us　penetrate　the　Material　World

through　the　cohesion　of　all　our　faculties　with　the　elementary

substances；　it　bestows　internal　conviction　by　developing　our　essence

and　mingling　it　with　that　of　the　Spiritual　Worlds。　To　be　able　to　pray

thus；　you　must　attain　to　an　utter　abandonment　of　flesh；　you　must

acquire　through　the　fires　of　the　furnace　the　purity　of　the　diamond；

for　this　complete　communion　with　the　Divine　is　obtained　only　in

absolute　repose；　where　storms　and　conflicts　are　at　rest。



〃Yes；　Prayerthe　aspiration　of　the　soul　freed　absolutely　from　the

bodybears　all　forces　within　it；　and　applies　them　to　the　constant　and

perseverant　union　of　the　Visible　and　the　Invisible。　When　you　possess

the　faculty　of　praying　without　weariness；　with　love；　with　force；　with

certainty；　with　intelligence；　your　spiritualized　nature　will　presently

be　invested　with　power。　Like　a　rushing　wind；　like　a　thunderbolt；　it

cuts　its　way　through　all　things　and　shares　the　power　of　God。　The

quickness　of　the　Spirit　becomes　yours；　in　an　instant　you　may　pass　from

region　to　region；　like　the　Word　itself；　you　are　transported　from　the

ends　of　the　world　to　other　worlds。　Harmony　exists；　and　you　are　part　of

it！　Light　is　there　and　your　eyes　possess　it！　Melody　is　heard　and　you

echo　it！　Under　such　conditions；　you　feel　your　perceptions　developing；

widening；　the　eyes　of　your　mind　reach　to　vast　distances。　There　is；　in

truth；　neither　time　nor　place　to　the　Spirit；　space　and　duration　are

proportions　created　for　Matter；　spirit　and　matter　have　naught　in

common。



〃Though　these　things　take　place　in　stillness；　in　silence；　without

agitation；　without　external　movement；　yet　Prayer　is　all　action；　but　it

is　spiritual　action；　stripped　of　substantiality；　and　reduced；　like　the

motion　of　the　worlds；　to　an　invisible　pure　force。　It　penetrates

everywhere　like　light；　it　gives　vitality　to　souls　that　come　beneath

its　rays；　as　Nature　beneath　the　sun。　It　resuscitates　virtue；　purifies

and　sanctifies　all　actions；　peoples　solitude；　and　gives　a　foretaste　of

eternal　joys。　When　you　have　once　felt　the　delights　of　the　divine

intoxication　which　comes　of　this　internal　travail；　then　all　is　yours！

once　take　the　lute　on　which　we　sing　to　God　within　your　hands；　and　you

will　never　part　with　it。　Hence　the　solitude　in　which　Angelic　Spirits

live；　hence　their　disdain　of　human　joys。　They　are　withdrawn　from　those

who　must　die　to　live；　they　hear　the　language　of　such　beings；　but　they

no　longer　understand　their　ideas；　they　wonder　at　their　movements；　at

what　the　world　terms　policies；　material　laws；　societies。　For　them　all

mysteries　are　over；　truth；　and　truth　alone；　is　theirs。　They　who　have

reached　the　point　where　their　eyes　discern　the　Sacred　Portals；　who；

not　looking　back；　not　uttering　one　regret；　contemplate　worlds　and

comprehend　their　destinies；　such　as　they　keep　silence；　wait；　and　bear

their　final　struggles。　The　worst　of　all　those　struggles　is　the　last；

at　the　zenith　of　all　virtue　is　Resignation；to　be　an　exile　and　not

lament；　no　longer　to　delight　in　earthly　things　and　yet　to　smile；　to

belong　to　God　and　yet　to　stay　with　men！　You　hear　the　voice　that　cries

to　you；　'Advance！'　Often　celestial　visions　of　descending　Angels

compass　you　about　with　songs　of　praise；　then；　tearless；　uncomplaining；

must　you　watch　them　as　they　reascent　the　skies！　To　murmur　is　to

forfeit　all。　Resignation　is　a　fruit　that　ripens　at　the　gates　of

heaven。　How　powerful；　how　glorious　the　calm　smile；　the　pure　brow　of

the　resigned　human　creature。　Radiant　is　the　light　of　that　brow。　They

who　live　in　its　atmosphere　grow　purer。　That　calm　glance　penetrates　and

softens。　More　eloquent　by　silence　than　the　prophet　by　speech；　such

beings　triumph　by　their　simple　presence。　Their　ears　are　quick　to　hear

as　a　faithful　dog　listening　for　his　master。　Brighter　than　hope；

stronger　than　love；　higher　than　faith；　that　creature　of　resignation　is

the　virgin　standing　on　the　earth；　who　holds　for　a　moment　the　conquered

palm；　then；　rising　heavenward；　leaves　behind　her　the　imprint　of　her

white；　pure　feet。　When　she　has　passed　away　men　flock　around　and　cry；

'See！　See！'　Sometimes　God　holds　her　still　in　sight；a　figure　to　whose

feet　creep　Forms　and　Species　of　Animality　to　be　shown　their　way。　She

wafts　the　light　exhaling　from　her　hair；　and　they　see；　she　speaks；　and

they　hear。　'A　miracle！'　they　cry。　Often　she　triumphs　in　the　name　of

God；　frightened　men　deny　her　and　put　her　to　death；　smiling；　she　lays

down　her　sword　and　goes　to　the　stake；　having　saved　the　Peoples。　How

many　a　pardoned　Angel　has　passed　from　martyrdom　to　heaven！　Sinai；

Golgotha　are　not　in　this　place　nor　in　that；　Angels　are　crucified　in

every　place；　in　every　sphere。　Sighs　pierce　to　God　from