It is the soul’s higher self, thus in entire union with the Spirit of God, that Father Hecker spent his life in cultivating, both in his own interior and in that of others.  He insisted that in the normal condition of things the mainspring of virtue, both natural and supernatural, should be for the regenerate man the instinctive obedience of the individual soul to the voice of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

To what an extent this inner divine guidance has been obscured by more external methods is witnessed by Monsignor Gaume, who places upon the title-page of his learned work on the Holy Spirit the motto “Ignoto Deo”—­to the Unknown God!

Objections to this doctrine are made from the point of view of caution.  There is danger of exaggeration, it is said; for if in its terms it is plainly Catholic, it may sound Protestant to some ears.  And in fact to those whose glances have been ever turned outward for guidance it seems like the delusions of certain classes of Protestants about “change of heart” and “inner light.”

“But,” says Lallemant (and the reader will thank us for a detailed reply to this difficulty from so venerable an authority), “it is of faith that without the grace of an interior inspiration, in which the guidance of the Holy Spirit consists, we cannot do any good work.  The Calvinists would determine everything by their inward spirit, subjecting thereto the Church herself and her decisions. . . .  But the guidance which we receive from the Holy Ghost by means of His gifts presupposes the faith and authority of the Church, acknowledges them as its rule, admits nothing which is contrary to them, and aims only at perfecting the exercise of faith and the other virtues.  The second objection is, that it seems as if this interior guidance of the Holy Spirit were destructive of the obedience due to superiors.  We reply:  1.  That as the interior inspiration of grace does not set aside the assent which we give to the articles of faith as they are externally proposed to us, but on the contrary gently disposes the mind to believe; in like manner the guidance which we receive from the gifts of the Holy Spirit, far from interfering with obedience, aids and facilitates the practice of it. 2.  That all this interior guidance, and even [private] divine revelations, must always be subordinate to obedience; and in speaking of them this tacit condition is ever implied, that obedience enjoins nothing contrary thereto. . . .

“The third objection is that this interior direction of the Holy Spirit seems to render all deliberation and all counsel useless.  For why ask advice of men when the Holy Spirit is Himself our director?  We reply that the Holy Spirit teaches us to consult enlightened persons and to follow the advice of others, as He referred St. Paul to Ananias.  The fourth objection is made by some who complain that they are not themselves thus led by the Holy Spirit, and that they know nothing of it.  To them we reply: