And the most striking--though not the only--examples of the forward reach of life towards freedom (that is, of conquering grace) are those persons whom we call men and women of the Spirit.

In them it is incarnate, and through them, as it were, it spreads and gives the race a lift: for their transfiguration is never for themselves alone, they impart it to all who follow them.

But the downward falling movement ever dogs the emerging life of spirit; and tends to drag back to the average level the group these have vivified, when their influence is withdrawn.

Hence the history of the Spirit--and, incidentally, the history of all churches--exhibits to us a series of strong movements towards completed life, inspired by vigorous and transcendent personalities; thwarted by the common indolence and tendency to mechanization, but perpetually renewed.

We have no reason to suppose that this history is a closed book, or that the spiritual life struggling to emerge among ourselves will follow other laws.
We desire then, if we can, to discover what it was that these transcendent personalities possessed.