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arbitrary power； a sort of slave owner； he will find himself in the position
of a slave driven by an inscrutable force； he knows not whither or for what
purpose。 He may worship such a God； but his worship is only the worship
of fear and ignorance； and there is no personal interest in the matter except
to escape some dreaded punishment。 Such a worshipper would gladly
escape from his divinity； and his worship； when analyzed； will be found to
be little else than disguised hatred。 This is the natural result of a worship
based upon UNEXPLAINED traditions instead of intelligible principles；
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and is the very opposite of that worship in Spirit and in truth which Jesus
speaks of as the true worship。
But when the light begins to break in upon us； all this becomes
changed。 We see that a system of terrorism cannot give expression to the
Divine Spirit； and we realize the truth of St。 Paul's words； 〃He hath not
given us the spirit of fear； but of power； and of love； and of a sound mind。〃
As the true nature of the relation between the individual mind and the
Universal Mind becomes clearer； we find it to be one of mutual action and
re…action； a perfect reciprocity which cannot be better symbolized than by
the relation between an affectionate husband and wife。 Everything is done
from love and nothing from compulsion； there is perfect confidence on
both sides； and both are equally indispensable to each other。 It is simply
the carrying out of the fundamental maxim that the Universal cannot act
on the plane of the Particular except through the Particular； only this
philosophical axiom develops into a warm living intercourse。
Now this is the position of the soul which is indicated by the name
Hephzibah。 In common with all other words derived from the Semitic root
〃hafz〃 it implies the idea of guarding； just as in the East a hasfiz is one
who guards the letter of the Koran by having the whole book by heart； and
in many similar expressions。 Hephzibah may therefore be translated as 〃a
guarded one；〃 thus recalling the New Testament description of those who
are 〃guarded into salvation。〃 It is precisely this conception of being
guarded by a superior power that distinguishes the worship of Ishi from
that of Baali。 A special relation has been established between the Divine
Spirit and the individual soul； one of absolute confidence and personal
intercourse。 This does not require any departure from the general law of
the universe； but is due to that specializing of the law through the
presentation of special conditions personal to the individual； of which I
have spoken before。 But all the time there has been no change in the
Universal Spirit； the only change has been in the mental attitude of the
individualhe has come into a new thought； a clearer perception of God。
He has faced the questions； What is God？ Where is God？ How does God
work？ and he has found the answer in the apostolic statement that God is
〃over all； through all； and in all；〃 and he realises that 〃God〃 is the root of
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his （the individual's） own being； ever present IN him； ever working
THROUGH him； and universally present around him。
This realization of the true relation between the Originating Spirit and
the individual mind is what is esoterically spoken of as the Mystical
Marriage in which the two have ceased to be separate and have become
one。 As a matter of fact they always were one； but since we can apprehend
things only from the stand…point of our own consciousness； it is our
recognition of the fact that makes it a practical reality for ourselves。 But an
intelligent recognition will never make a confusion of the two parts of
which the whole consists； and will never lead the individual to suppose
that he is handling a blind force or that a blind force is handling him。 He
will neither dethrone God； nor lose himself by absorption in deity； but he
will recognize the reciprocity of the Divine and the human as the natural
and logical outcome of the essential conditions of the creative process。
And what is the Whole which is thus created？ It is our conscious
PERSONALITY； and therefore whatever we draw from the Universal
Spirit acquires in us the quality of personality。 It is that process of
differentiation of the universal into the particular of which I have so often
spoken； which； by a rude analogy； we may compare to the differentiation
of the universal electric fluid into specific sorts of power by its passage
through suitable apparatus。 It is for this reason that relatively to ourselves
the Universal Spirit must necessarily assume a personal aspect； and that
the aspect which it will assume will be in exact correspondence with our
own conception of it。 This is in accordance with mental and spiritual laws
inherent in our own being； and it is on this account that the Bible seeks to
build up our conception of God on such lines as will set us free from all
fear of evil； and thus leave us at liberty to use the creative power of our
thought affirmatively from the stand…point of a calm and untroubled mind。
This stand…point can only be reached by passing beyond the range of the
happenings of the moment； and this can only be done by the discovery of
our immediate relation to the undifferentiated source of all good。 I lay
stress on these words 〃immediate〃 and 〃undifferentiated〃 because in them
is contained the secret of the whole position。 If we could not draw
immediately from the Universal Spirit our receiving would be subject to
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the limitations of the channel through which it reached us； and if the force
which we receive were not undifferentiated in itself it could not take
appropriate form in our own minds and become to each of us just what we
require it to be。 It is this power of the human soul to differentiate
limitlessly from the Infinite that we are apt to overlook； but as we come to
realize that the soul is itself a reflec