In every age spiritual giants have appeared - wonderful souls, that have almost continually been in perfect touch with that vast, inexhaustible world of supernal light and transcendant power that surrounds us all, and that permeates the entire cosmos in all its unbounded domains. These rare and exceptional souls have been the prophets of the race, and have been the saviors of mankind; they have beheld the vision; they have proclaimed the kingdom of higher and greater things; they have revealed the light of "another and a better world;" they have prepared the way for the whole of humanity "to come up higher" and enter the joys and the riches of pure, spiritual existence. And they have also manifested marked possession of spiritual power, the secret of which has been a mystery to the greater part of the race.

In years gone by we did not consider it possible for man to understand the inner mysteries of the kingdom; but now we know that it is for all mankind to understand these mysteries; and therefore we have begun a ceaseless and unlimited research, the end in view being nothing less than the full realization of the one eternal truth. And among the many higher and finer domains, upon which we are turning the wonderful eye of the soul, the secrets of these spiritual giants is in no wise the least.

When the soul is awakened, there comes a strong and increasing desire for higher wisdom and higher power. The spirit within begins to hunger and thirst for more light; and there is a feeling in the deeper depths of consciousness, that proclaims unmistakably the nearness of a power that is truly akin to the power of the Supreme. In truth, the awakened soul can almost touch this power, it seems so near; but many a soul continues for years on the verge of touching this power, but never being able to lay hold upon its elements, or realize its conscious possession even to a slight degree. And the cause of this strange delay has been a deep mystery to many.

To fathom this mystery we have turned our attention to the spiritual giants of every age, thinking we might find in them the secret; and we have not gone to them in vain. Their lives have revealed to us what we sought to know. They have prepared the way; and we may pursue the same course if we will learn to understand the state and the motive of the interior, spiritual life.

To begin, we must know and feel that we "live and move and have our being" in an infinite sea of pure spirit. And we must enter so deeply into the consciousness of this omnipresent spiritual world that we can actually feel the "presence" of the power in every element of body, mind and soul. In brief, the spiritual world must become so real to us that the material world appears to be mere mist in comparison.

We may know the presence of the spirit, and continue in this knowing all through life without gaining possession of the power; but when we begin to "feel" the presence of the spirit, then indeed shall we be able to lay hold upon the power, and make it our very own.

Herein we find the secret of the prophets and the mighty in spirit. They could feel the presence of this higher power in every fibre and vein; they could touch it with their hands in the atmosphere all about them; they could charge their very thoughts with the elements of this power; they could direct the tremendous forces of this power into every word they might utter or declare; and they could, through the use of divine will, give expression to this power through the higher laws of nature, and thus perform what, to the world, has seemed miraculous.

When we can feel the presence of spiritual power, then we know that we actually have en tered into the real, interior life of that power; and the law is, that whenever we "enter into" any measure or state of spiritual power, that measure of power becomes our own. Another great law that we find herein is this, that the power of the spirit obeys implicitly the desire of the higher human will. And therefore, whenever we feel the presence of the power, that power will act for us upon any purpose or goal towards which the higher will of the soul may be directed. When we actually feel the power of the spirit, that power will invariably do whatsoever we may will to do, provided the desires and motives of the will are inspired by the pure and lofty aspirations of the soul.

The first and great secret, therefore, is to feel the presence of the spirit, and enter into the very life of higher spiritual power. Having taken this important step, the steps that follow can in no wise be difficult; and the reason for this we shall understand when we find how readily these higher forces respond to the masterful attitude of the soul. The soul should be and, in truth, is the ruling principle in the human domain. And every awakened soul does lay positive hold, more and more, upon this divine prerogative. The awakened soul therefore soon comes to a place where the absolute right to govern life and destiny is fully recognized; and at that period the need of higher power becomes very great indeed.

When the awakened soul arrives at this, the parting of the ways, and learns that life can no longer drift with the stream, but must be directed, with wisdom and power, towards the supreme goal of the illumined spiritual heights - when the soul comes face to face with this astounding truth, the desire for the necessary wisdom and the necessary power becomes invincible. And there is no rest until this indispensable need is supplied. If the supply is not forthcoming, both mind and soul will continue in a state of inconsolable distress, a state that, in many instances, fails to depart during existence in this world. The cause, however, is simply the failure to gain the higher power required for the new order and the new time.

Herein we find the reason why so many among awakened souls have not realized the perfect peace of the spirit and the higher joys of divine existence. They are living in a period of unrest and distress, that frequently becomes unendurable pain; and the cause is always this, that they have awakened to the need of higher power, but have not gained conscious possession of that power. They have entered upon the responsibilities and privileges of a higher life, but have not gained the necessary power to partake of the privileges or meet the responsibilities. Their spiritual sight is opened, and they can clearly see the supreme goal of human destiny; but they have not the power to press on towards those sublime and radiant heights. They have awakened to the true meaning of life, but have not the wisdom or the power to live according to the higher light they have received. In consequence, the soul is in distress, yearning eternally for that wonderful something that seems so near, and still so utterly unattainable.

This wonderful something, however, seems to be unattainable for no other reason than this, we have not found the simple secret of entering into the very life of the spirit. We may know that we live and move and have our being in an infinite sea of pure spirit; but we may not feel the "presence" of the power. It is the "presence" of the power that we must feel; and when we do feel this presence, then indeed will the pain of the soul disappear. The great need will be supplied. The wisdom and the power that is required to live the life will be out of reach no more; and the soul can begin in earnest to press on towards the spiritual goal of glorified human destiny.