sacramental. It is literally and exactly an expression in the terms of
the body of something which is already a spiritual fact. Nothing
satisfies real love except this complete mingling of two personalities.
It is not satisfied without physical intimacy, and yet physical
intimacy alone is not enough. That which is satisfied by mere physical
intimacy is not love. The full human passion which alone deserves that
name calls also for intimacies of mind and spirit--for the interplay of
two personalities through the whole stretch of their powers. But it
cannot be too strongly said that on the terms I have indicated the
ultimate bodily union of two lovers is a beautiful and happy thing. It
is felt to be something with large spiritual consequences. In some
mysterious way it really does bind souls together. Each knows that
henceforth he or she is bound to the other for life, and a man is
usually moved by a glowing sense of reverent gratitude to the woman who
has thus trod with him the strange paths of that new country.
Considered apart from love, such an experience may seem to be gross,
because apart from love it is gross. But as an incident in the
communion of two loyal hearts it is realized as a pure and natural
thing. Through it the flesh is caught up into harmony with the spirit
and is thereby redeemed. A certain new balance and repose of being is
attained whereby a whole personality will experience a wonderful sense
of liberation. [Footnote: I do not think the creative instinct often
enters into consciousness at this point. It does so with some women,
but with very few men. As a rule the real content of the experience is
just an ardent desire in each for utter nearness to the other. It is
the expression of their love that they desire. It is each other that
they love--not as yet any third person.]

6. And then, sixthly, from love that has thus run its natural and
ordained course a new life results. Even human love has creative value,