the direct action of the universal Spirit on the separated Spirit that
is His offspring, who has felt the illuminating influence of Spirit on
Spirit. No man knows the truth so that he can never lose it, no man
knows the truth so that he can never doubt it, until the Revelation has
come to him as though he stood alone on earth, until the Divine without
has spoken to the Divine within, in the temple of the human heart, and
the man thus knows by himself and not by another.

In a lesser degree a man is inspired when one greater than he stimulates
within him powers which as yet are normally inactive, or even takes
possession of him, temporarily using his body as a vehicle. Such an
illuminated man, at the time of his inspiration, can speak that which is
beyond his knowledge, and utter truths till then unguessed. Truths are
sometimes thus poured out through a human channel for the helping of the
world, and some One greater than the speaker sends down his life into
the human vehicle, and they rush forth from human lips; then a great
teacher speaks yet more greatly than he knows, the Angel of the Lord
having touched his lips with fire.[354] Such are the Prophets of the
race, who at some periods have spoken with overwhelming conviction, with
clear insight, with complete understanding of the spiritual needs of
man. Then the words live with a life immortal, and the speaker is truly
a messenger from God. The man who has thus known can never again quite
lose the memory of the knowledge, and he carries within his heart a
certainty which can never quite disappear. The light may vanish and the
darkness come down upon him; the gleam from heaven may fade and clouds
may surround him; threat, question, challenge, may assail him; but
within his heart there nestles the Secret of Peace--he knows, or knows
that he has known.

That remembrance of true inspiration, that reality of the hidden life,
has been put into beautiful and true words by Frederick Myers, in his
well-known poem, _S. Paul_. The apostle is speaking of his own
experience, and is trying to give articulate expression to that which he
remembers; he is figured as unable to thoroughly reproduce his
knowledge, although he knows and his certainty does not waver:

So, even I, athirst for His inspiring,
I, who have talked with Him, forget again;
Yes, many days with sobs and with desiring,
Offer to God a patience and a pain.

Then through the mid complaint of my confes