Vol. XXIV.

WHE

"Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world."

HETHER it was prophecy or poetry Renan uttered when he said that the worship of Jesus would grow young without ceasing, he defined the everlasting rejuvenescence of the human mind and heart, and described that which is actually taking place to-day in the world of art.

It has been said that "all things in the world are striving to begin as well as to finish." Though our daily experience proves the truth of this, but few realize that death is not the end. It is simply the Higher Life develop ing itself. Life, Light and Love three in one-say, "Lo, I am with you alway." Such is the verdict of of idealism.

In nature, this mystery is defined as the law of rejuvenescence; in human existence we speak of it as a growth; in mythology this regenerating force is symbolized as gods, solarheroes, and the artist's imaginative feeling elaborates it in ever beautiful forms. When he centres his attention upon the actions of the solar

hero, we get historical chronicles; when his inner eye beholds form, we see his vision in sculpture; when the sub-conscious self breaks forth in his passions, we feel his intensity as color or as music, or he moves us to dance. All these art forms are but the Higher Life emanating into our every-day existence. So powerful is this force that no features of existence escape it, or, rather, it is concealed in them.

This self-renewing life is the spring of all action, the light of all understanding, and the love in all. It is no wonder, then, that it has become the object of worth-ship in all ages, and that poets and philosophers have been "reaching out, that they might find it." Their dreams have, to a large extent, formulated "the longings of the nations." All history shows their strivings for the light.

The New Idealism is more personal than that of the past ages, hence it has come nearer to the ideals of the common people. It does not soar up away from the common consciousness by drawing pictures in forms.