talking with Jesus Christ. In Passive Contemplation is the beginning
of real activity; mind and soul without effort (though in a secret state
of great love-activity) raise themselves, focussing themselves upon
the all-unseen Godhead: now is no longer any possible picture in the
mind, of anyone nor anything, not even of the gracious figure or of
the ways of Christ: here, because of love, must begin the sheer
straight drive of will and heart, mind and soul, to the Godhead, and
here we may be said first to commence to breathe the air of heaven.

There is no prayer, no beseeching, and no asking--there are no
words and no thoughts save those that intrude and flash unwanted
over the mind, but a great undivided attention and waiting upon God:
God near, yet never touching. This state is no ecstasy, but smooth,
silent, high living in which we learn heavenly manners. This is
Passive or Quiet Contemplation.

High Contemplation ends in Contact with God, in ecstasy and
rapture. In it the activity of the soul (though entirely without effort
on her part) is immensely increased. It is not to be sought for, and
we cannot reach it for ourselves; but it is to be enjoyed when God
calls, when He assists the soul, when He energises her.

And then our cry is no more, Oh, that I had wings! but, Oh, that I
might fold my wings and stay!

IV

Having come so far as this on the Soul's Great Adventure all alone
as far as human guidance and companionship was concerned, and
having for more than a year known the wonders of the joy of Union
with God--which I did not know or understand to call Union, but
called it to myself Finding God and coming into Contact with Him,
because this is how it _feels,_ and the unscholarly creature
understands and knows it in that way--well, having come so far, I
had a great longing to share this knowledge, this exquisite balm,
with my fellows, and I desired immensely to speak about it, to know
how they fell about it, if they had yet come to it, or how far on the
way they were to it, because I was all filled with the beauty of it, as
lovers are filled with the beauty of their love. But I was frightened to
speak to them, something held me back: also they felt to me to be so
exceedingly full of the merest trifles--clothes and tea-parties and
fashionable friends; and each time I tried to speak, in some
mysterious way I found myself stopped. So I thought that I would
speak to a friend that I had in the Church. Several ti