,greek3 ,epea ,aptera                   
,,unspoken ,,sermons                    
,,by                                    
,,george ,,macdonald                    
,,series ,i1 ,,ii1 ,,iii                
,,in ,,one ,,volume                     
,comfort ye1 comfort ye my people       
,,contents   ,,unspoken ,,sermons       
,,series ,,one  ,,the ,,child ,,in ,,the
 ,,midst ,,the ,,consuming ,,fire ,,the 
,,higher ,,faith ,,it ,,shall ,,not ,,be
 ,,forgiven ,,the ,,new ,,name ,,the    
,,heart ,,with ,,the ,,treasure ,,the   
,,temptation ,,in ,,the ,,wilderness    
,,the ,,eloi ,,the ,,hands ,,of ,,the   
,,father ,,love ,,thy ,,neighbour ,,love
 ,,thine ,,enemy ,,the ,,god ,,of ,,the 
,,living   ,,unspoken ,,sermons ,,series
 ,,two  ,,the ,,way ,,the ,,hardness    
,,of ,,the ,,way ,,the ,,cause ,,of     
,,spiritual ,,stupidity ,,the ,,word    
,,of ,,jesus ,,on ,,prayer ,,man',s     
,,difficulty ,,concerning ,,prayer ,,the
 ,,last ,,farthing ,,abba1 ,,father6    
,,life ,,the ,,fear ,,of ,,god ,,the    

,,voice ,,of ,,job ,,self-,,denial ,,the
 ,,truth ,,in ,,jesus   ,,unspoken      
,,sermons ,,series ,,three  ,,the       
,,creation ,,in ,,christ ,,the ,,knowing
 ,,of ,,the ,,son ,,the ,,mirrors ,,of  
,,the ,,lord ,,the ,,truth ,,freedom    
,,kingship ,,justice ,,light ,,the      
,,displeasure ,,of ,,jesus              
,,righteousness ,,the ,,final           
,,unmasking ,,the ,,inheritance         
,,unspoken ,,sermons ,,first ,,series   
,these ,ears of ,corn4  gathered and    
rubbed in my hands  upon broken         
,sabbaths1  ,i offer first to my ,wife1 
and then to my other ,friends4          
,,the ,,child ,,in ,,the ,,midst4   ,and
 he came to ,capernaum3 and1 being in   
the house1 he asked them1 ,what was it  
that ye disputed among yourselves by the
 way8 ,but they held their peace3 for by
 the way they had disputed among        
themselves who should be the greatest4  
,and he sat down1 and called the twelve1
 and saith unto them1 ,if any man desire
 to be first1 the same shall be last of 

all1 and servant of all4 ,and he took a 
child1 and set him in the midst of them3
 and when he had taken him in his arms1 
he said unto them1 ,whosoever shall     
receive one of such children in my name1
 receiveth me2 and whosoever shall      
receive me1 receiveth not me1 but him   
that sent me4----,,mark ix4 #cc-cg4  ,of
 this passage in the life of our ,lord1 
the account given by ,st ,mark is the   
more complete4 ,but it may be enriched  
and its lesson rendered yet more evident
 from the record of ,st ,matthew4       
,verily ,i say unto you1 ,except ye be  
converted1 and become as little         
children1 ye shall not enter into the   
kingdom of heaven4 ,whosoever shall     
humble himself as this little child1 the
 same is greatest in the kingdom of     
heaven4 ,and whoso shall receive one    
such little child in my name receiveth  
me4 ,but whoso shall offend one of these
 little ones that believe in me1 it were
 better for him that a millstone were   
hanged about his neck1 and that he were 

drowned in the depth of the sea4  ,these
 passages record a lesson our ,lord gave
 his disciples against ambition1 against
 emulation4 ,it is not for the sake of  
setting forth this lesson that ,i write 
about these words of our ,lord1 but for 
the sake of a truth1 a revelation about 
,god1 in which his great argument       
reaches its height4  ,he took a little  
child--possibly a child of ,peter2 for  
,st ,mark says that the incident fell at
 ,capernaum1 and in the house1--a child 
therefore with some of the              
characteristics of ,peter1 whose very   
faults were those of a childish nature4 
,we might expect the child of such a    
father to possess the childlike         
countenance and bearing essential to the
 conveyance of the lesson which ,i now  
desire to set forth as contained in the 
passage4  ,for it must be confessed that
 there are children who are not         
childlike4 ,one of the saddest and not  
least common sights in the world is the 
face of a child whose mind is so brimful

 of worldly wisdom that the human       
childishness has vanished from it1 as   
well as the divine childlikeness4 ,for  
the childlike is the divine1 and the    
very word marshals me the way that ,i   
was going4 ,but ,i must delay my ascent 
to the final argument in order to remove
 a possible difficulty1 which1 in       
turning us towards one of the grandest  
truths1 turns us away from the truth    
which the ,lord had in view here4  ,the 
difficulty is this3 ,is it like the ,son
 of man to pick out the beautiful child1
 and leave the common child unnoticed8  
,what thank would he have in that8 ,do  
not even the publicans as much as that8 
,and do not our hearts revolt against   
the thought of it8 ,shall the mother's  
heart cleave closest to the deformed of 
her little ones8 and shall ,christ as we
 believe him choose according to the    
sight of the eye8 ,would he turn away   
from the child born in sin and taught   
iniquity1 on whose pinched face hunger  
and courage and love of praise have     

combined to stamp the cunning of        
avaricious age1 and take to his arms the
 child of honest parents1 such as ,peter
 and his wife1 who could not help       
looking more good than the other8 ,that 
were not he who came to seek and to save
 that which was lost4 ,let the man who  
loves his brother say which1 in his     
highest moments of love to ,god1 which1 
when he is nearest to that ideal        
humanity whereby a man shall be a       
hiding-place from the wind1 he would    
clasp to his bosom of refuge4 ,would it 
not be the evil-faced child1 because he 
needed it most8 ,yes2 in ,god's name1   
yes4 ,for is not that the divine way8   
,who that has read of the lost sheep1 or
 the found prodigal1 even if he had no  
spirit bearing witness with his spirit1 
will dare to say that it is not the     
divine way8 ,often1 no doubt1 it will   
appear otherwise1 for the childlike     
child is easier to save than the other1 
and may come first4 ,but the rejoicing  
in heaven is greatest over the sheep    

that has wandered the farthest--perhaps 
was born on the wild hill-side1 and not 
in the fold at all4 ,for such a         
prodigal1 the elder brother in heaven   
prays thus--,lord1 think about my poor  
brother more than about me1 for ,i know 
thee1 and am at rest in thee4 ,i am with
 thee always4  ,why1 then1 do ,i think  
it necessary to say that this child was 
probably ,peter's child1 and certainly a
 child that looked childlike because it 
was childlike8 ,no amount of evil can be
 the child4 ,no amount of evil1 not to  
say in the face1 but in the habits1 or  
even in the heart of the child1 can make
 it cease to be a child1 can annihilate 
the divine idea of childhood which moved
 in the heart of ,god when he made that 
child after his own image4 ,it is the   
essential of which ,god speaks1 the real
 by which he judges1 the undying of     
which he is the ,god4  ,heartily ,i     
grant this4 ,and if the object of our   
,lord in taking the child in his arms   
had been to teach love to our neighbour1

 love to humanity1 the ugliest child he 
could have found1 would1 perhaps1 have  
served his purpose best4 ,the man who   
receives any1 and more plainly he who   
receives the repulsive child1 because he
 is the offspring of ,god1 because he is
 his own brother born1 must receive the 
,father in thus receiving the child4    
,whosoever gives a cup of cold water to 
a little one1 refreshes the heart of the
 ,father4 ,to do as ,god does1 is to    
receive ,god2 to do a service to one of 
his children is to receive the ,father4 
,hence1 any human being1 especially if  
wretched and woe-begone and outcast1    
would do as well as a child for the     
purpose of setting forth this love of   
,god to the human being4 ,therefore     
something more is probably intended     
here4 ,the lesson will be found to lie  
not in the humanity1 but in the         
childhood of the child4  ,again1 if the 
disciples could have seen that the      
essential childhood was meant1 and not a
 blurred and half-obliterated childhood1

 the most selfish child might have done 
as well1 but could have done no better  
than the one we have supposed in whom   
the true childhood is more evident4 ,but
 when the child was employed as a       
manifestation1 utterance1 and sign of   
the truth that lay in his childhood1 in 
order that the eyes as well as the ears 
should be channels to the heart1 it was 
essential-- not that the child should be
 beautiful but--that the child should be
 childlike2 that those qualities which  
wake in our hearts1 at sight1 the love  
peculiarly belonging to childhood1 which
 is1 indeed1 but the perception of the  
childhood1 should at least glimmer out  
upon the face of the chosen type4 ,would
 such an unchildlike child as we see    
sometimes1 now in a great house1 clothed
 in purple and lace1 now in a squalid   
close1 clothed in dirt and rags1 have   
been fit for our ,lord's purpose1 when  
he had to say that his listeners must   
become like this child8 when the lesson 
he had to present to them was that of   

the divine nature of the child1 that of 
childlikeness8 ,would there not have    
been a contrast between the child and   
our ,lord's words1 ludicrous except for 
its horror1 especially seeing he set    
forth the individuality of the child by 
saying1 this little child1 one of such  
children1 and these little ones that    
believe in me8 ,even the feelings of    
pity and of love that would arise in a  
good heart upon further contemplation of
 such a child1 would have turned it     
quite away from the lesson our ,lord    
intended to give4  ,that this lesson did
 lie1 not in the humanity1 but in the   
childhood of the child1 let me now show 
more fully4 ,the disciples had been     
disputing who should be the greatest1   
and the ,lord wanted to show them that  
such a dispute had nothing whatever to  
do with the way things went in his      
kingdom4 ,therefore1 as a specimen of   
his subjects1 he took a child and set   
him before them4 ,it was not1 it could  
not be1 in virtue of his humanity1 it   

was in virtue of his childhood that this
 child was thus presented as            
representing a subject of the kingdom4  
,it was not to show the scope but the   
nature of the kingdom4 ,he told them    
they could not enter into the kingdom   
save by becoming little children--by    
humbling themselves4 ,for the idea of   
ruling was excluded where childlikeness 
was the one essential quality4 ,it was  
to be no more who should rule1 but who  
should serve2 no more who should look   
down upon his fellows from the conquered
 heights of authority--even of sacred   
authority1 but who should look up       
honouring humanity1 and ministering unto
 it1 so that humanity itself might at   
length be persuaded of its own honour as
 a temple of the living ,god4 ,it was to
 impress this lesson upon them that he  
showed them the child4 ,therefore1 ,i   
repeat1 the lesson lay in the childhood 
of the child4  ,but ,i now approach my  
especial object2 for this lesson led to 
the enunciation of a yet higher truth1  

upon which it was founded1 and from     
which indeed it sprung4 ,nothing is     
required of man that is not first in    
,god4 ,it is because ,god is perfect    
that we are required to be perfect4 ,and
 it is for the revelation of ,god to all
 the human souls1 that they may be saved
 by knowing him1 and so becoming like   
him1 that this child is thus chosen and 
set before them in the gospel4 ,he who1 
in giving the cup of water or the       
embrace1 comes into contact with the    
essential childhood of the child--that  
is1 embraces the childish humanity of   
it1 7not he who embraces it out of love 
to humanity1 or even love to ,god as the
 ,father of it7--is partaker of the     
meaning1 that is1 the blessing1 of this 
passage4 ,it is the recognition of the  
childhood as divine that will show the  
disciple how vain the strife after      
relative place or honour in the great   
kingdom4  ,for it is ,in my name4 ,this 
means as representing me2 and1          
therefore1 as being like me4 ,our ,lord 

could not commission any one to be      
received in his name who could not more 
or less represent him2 for there would  
be untruth and unreason4 ,moreover1 he  
had just been telling the disciples that
 they must become like this child2 and  
now1 when he tells them to receive such 
a little child in his name1 it must     
surely imply something in common between
 them all--something in which the child 
and ,jesus meet--something in which the 
child and the disciples meet4 ,what else
 can that be than the spiritual         
childhood8 ,in my name does not mean    
because ,i will it4 ,an arbitrary       
utterance of the will of our ,lord would
 certainly find ten thousand to obey it1
 even to suffering1 for one that will be
 able to receive such a vital truth of  
his character as is contained in the    
words2 but it is not obedience alone    
that our ,lord will have1 but obedience 
to the truth1 that is1 to the ,light of 
the ,world1 truth beheld and known4 ,in 
my name1 if we take all we can find in  

it1 the full meaning which alone will   
harmonize and make the passage a whole1 
involves a revelation from resemblance1 
from fitness to represent and so reveal4
 ,he who receives a child1 then1 in the 
name of ,jesus1 does so1 perceiving     
wherein ,jesus and the child are one1   
what is common to them4 ,he must not    
only see the ideal child in the child he
 receives--that reality of loveliness   
which constitutes true childhood1 but   
must perceive that the child is like    
,jesus1 or rather1 that the ,lord is    
like the child1 and may be embraced1    
yea1 is embraced1 by every heart        
childlike enough to embrace a child for 
the sake of his childness4 ,i do not    
therefore say that none but those who   
are thus conscious in the act partake of
 the blessing4 ,but a special sense1 a  
lofty knowledge of blessedness1 belongs 
to the act of embracing a child as the  
visible likeness of the ,lord himself4  
,for the blessedness is the perceiving  
of the truth--the blessing is the truth 

itself--the ,god-known truth1 that the  
,lord has the heart of a child4 ,the man
 who perceives this knows in himself    
that he is blessed--blessed because that
 is true4  ,but the argument as to the  
meaning of our ,lord's words1 in my     
name1 is incomplete1 until we follow our
 ,lord's enunciation to its second and  
higher stage3 ,he that receiveth me1    
receiveth him that sent me4 ,it will be 
allowed that the connection between the 
first and second link of the chain will 
probably be the same as the connection  
between the second and third4 ,i do not 
say it is necessarily so2 for ,i aim at 
no logical certainty4 ,i aim at showing1
 rather than at proving1 to my reader1  
by means of my sequences1 the idea to   
which ,i am approaching4 ,for if1 once  
he beholds it1 he cannot receive it1 if 
it does not shew itself to him to be    
true1 there would not only be little use
 in convincing him by logic1 but ,i     
allow that he can easily suggest other  
possible connections in the chain1      

though1 ,i assert1 none so symmetrical4 
,what1 then1 is the connection between  
the second and third8 ,how is it that he
 who receives the ,son receives the     
,father8 ,because the ,son is as the    
,father2 and he whose heart can perceive
 the essential in ,christ1 has the      
essence of the ,father--that is1 sees   
and holds to it by that recognition1 and
 is one therewith by recognition and    
worship4 ,what1 then1 next1 is the      
connection between the first and second8
 ,i think the same4 ,he that sees the   
essential in this child1 the pure       
childhood1 sees that which is the       
essence of me1 grace and truth--in a    
word1 childlikeness4 ,it follows not    
that the former is perfect as the       
latter1 but it is the same in kind1 and 
therefore1 manifest in the child1       
reveals that which is in ,jesus4  ,then 
to receive a child in the name of ,jesus
 is to receive ,jesus2 to receive ,jesus
 is to receive ,god2 therefore to       
receive the child is to receive ,god    

himself4  ,that such is the feeling of  
the words1 and that such was the feeling
 in the heart of our ,lord when he spoke
 them1 ,i may show from another golden  
thread that may be traced through the   
shining web of his golden words4  ,what 
is the kingdom of ,christ8 ,a rule of   
love1 of truth--a rule of service4 ,the 
king is the chief servant in it4 ,the   
kings of the earth have dominion3 it    
shall not be so among you4 ,the ,son of 
,man came to minister4 ,my ,father      
worketh hitherto1 and ,i work4 ,the     
great ,workman is the great ,king1      
labouring for his own4 ,so he that would
 be greatest among them1 and come       
nearest to the ,king himself1 must be   
the servant of all4 ,it is like king    
like subject in the kingdom of heaven4  
,no rule of force1 as of one kind over  
another kind4 ,it is the rule of kind1  
of nature1 of deepest nature--of ,god4  
,if1 then1 to enter into this kingdom1  
we must become children1 the spirit of  
children must be its pervading spirit   

throughout1 from lowly subject to       
lowliest king4 ,the lesson added by ,st 
,luke to the presentation of the child  
is3 ,for he that is least among you all1
 the same shall be great4 ,and ,st      
,matthew says3 ,whosoever shall humble  
himself as this little child1 the same  
is greatest in the kingdom of heaven4   
,hence the sign that passes between king
 and subject4 ,the subject kneels in    
homage to the kings of the earth3 the   
heavenly king takes his subject in his  
arms4 ,this is the sign of the kingdom  
between them4 ,this is the all-pervading
 relation of the kingdom4  ,to give one 
glance backward1 then3  ,to receive the 
child because ,god receives it1 or for  
its humanity1 is one thing2 to receive  
it because it is like ,god1 or for its  
childhood1 is another4 ,the former will 
do little to destroy ambition4 ,alone it
 might argue only a wider scope to it1  
because it admits all men to the arena  
of the strife4 ,but the latter strikes  
at the very root of emulation4 ,as soon 

as even service is done for the honour  
and not for the service-sake1 the doer  
is that moment outside the kingdom4 ,but
 when we receive the child in the name  
of ,christ1 the very childhood that we  
receive to our arms is humanity4 ,we    
love its humanity in its childhood1 for 
childhood is the deepest heart of       
humanity--its divine heart2 and so in   
the name of the child we receive all    
humanity4 ,therefore1 although the      
lesson is not about humanity1 but about 
childhood1 it returns upon our race1 and
 we receive our race with wider arms and
 deeper heart4 ,there is1 then1 no other
 lesson lost by receiving this2 no      
heartlessness shown in insisting that   
the child was a lovable--a childlike    
child4  ,if there is in heaven a picture
 of that wonderful teaching1 doubtless  
we shall see represented in it a dim    
childhood shining from the faces of all 
that group of disciples of which the    
centre is the ,son of ,god with a child 
in his arms4 ,the childhood1 dim in the 

faces of the men1 must be shining       
trustfully clear in the face of the     
child4 ,but in the face of the ,lord    
himself1 the childhood will be          
triumphant--all his wisdom1 all his     
truth upholding that radiant serenity of
 faith in his father4 ,verily1 ,o ,lord1
 this childhood is life4 ,verily1 ,o    
,lord1 when thy tenderness shall have   
made the world great1 then1 children    
like thee1 will all men smile in the    
face of the great ,god4  ,but to advance
 now to the highest point of this       
teaching of our ,lord3 ,he that         
receiveth me receiveth him that sent me4
 ,to receive a child in the name of ,god
 is to receive ,god himself4 ,how to    
receive him8 ,as alone he can be        
received1--by knowing him as he is4 ,to 
know him is to have him in us4 ,and that
 we may know him1 let us now receive    
this revelation of him1 in the words of 
our ,lord himself4 ,here is the argument
 of highest import founded upon the     
teaching of our master in the utterance 

before us4  ,god is represented in      
,jesus1 for that ,god is like ,jesus3   
,jesus is represented in the child1 for 
that ,jesus is like the child4          
,therefore ,god is represented in the   
child1 for that he is like the child4   
,god is child-like4 ,in the true vision 
of this fact lies the receiving of ,god 
in the child4  ,having reached this     
point1 ,i have nothing more to do with  
the argument2 for if the ,lord meant    
this--that is1 if this be a truth1 he   
that is able to receive it will receive 
it3 he that hath ears to hear it will   
hear it4 ,for our ,lord's arguments are 
for the presentation of the truth1 and  
the truth carries its own conviction to 
him who is able to receive it4  ,but the
 word of one who has seen this truth may
 help the dawn of a like perception in  
those who keep their faces turned       
towards the east and its aurora2 for men
 may have eyes1 and1 seeing dimly1 want 
to see more4 ,therefore let us brood a  
little over the idea itself1 and see    

whether it will not come forth so as to 
commend itself to that spirit1 which1   
one with the human spirit where it      
dwells1 searches the deep things of     
,god4 ,for1 although the true heart may 
at first be shocked at the truth1 as    
,peter was shocked when he said1 ,that  
be far from thee1 ,lord1 yet will it1   
after a season1 receive it and rejoice  
in it4  ,let me then ask1 do you believe
 in the ,incarnation8 ,and if you do1   
let me ask further1 ,was ,jesus ever    
less divine than ,god8 ,i answer for    
you1 ,never4 ,he was lower1 but never   
less divine4 ,was he not a child then8  
,you answer1 ,yes1 but not like other   
children4 ,i ask1 ,did he not look like 
other children8 ,if he looked like them 
and was not like them1 the whole was a  
deception1 a masquerade at best4 ,i say 
he was a child1 whatever more he might  
be4 ,god is man1 and infinitely more4   
,our ,lord became flesh1 but did not    
become man4 ,he took on him the form of 
man3 he was man already4 ,and he was1   

is1 and ever shall be divinely          
childlike4 ,he could never have been a  
child if he would ever have ceased to be
 a child1 for in him the transient found
 nothing4 ,childhood belongs to the     
divine nature4 ,obedience1 then1 is as  
divine as ,will1 ,service as divine as  
,rule4 ,how8 ,because they are one in   
their nature2 they are both a doing of  
the truth4 ,the love in them is the     
same4 ,the ,fatherhood and the ,sonship 
are one1 save that the ,fatherhood looks
 down lovingly1 and the ,sonship looks  
up lovingly4 ,love is all4 ,and ,god is 
all in all4 ,he is ever seeking to get  
down to us--to be the divine man to us4 
,and we are ever saying1 ,that be far   
from thee1 ,lord6 ,we are careful1 in   
our unbelief1 over the divine dignity1  
of which he is too grand to think4      
,better pleasing to ,god1 it needs      
little daring to say1 is the audacity of
 ,job1 who1 rushing into his presence1  
and flinging the door of his            
presence-chamber to the wall1 like a    

troubled1 it may be angry1 but yet      
faithful child1 calls aloud in the ear  
of him whose perfect ,fatherhood he has 
yet to learn3 ,am ,i a sea or a whale1  
that thou settest a watch over me8  ,let
 us dare1 then1 to climb the height of  
divine truth to which this utterance of 
our ,lord would lead us4  ,does it not  
lead us up hither3 that the devotion of 
,god to his creatures is perfect8 that  
he does not think about himself but     
about them8 that he wants nothing for   
himself1 but finds his blessedness in   
the outgoing of blessedness4  ,ah6 it is
 a terrible--shall it be a lonely glory 
this8 ,we will draw near with our human 
response1 our abandonment of self in the
 faith of ,jesus4 ,he gives himself to  
us--shall not we give ourselves to him8 
,shall we not give ourselves to each    
other whom he loves8  ,for when is the  
child the ideal child in our eyes and to
 our hearts8 ,is it not when with gentle
 hand he takes his father by the beard1 
and turns that father's face up to his  

brothers and sisters to kiss8 when even 
the lovely selfishness of love-seeking  
has vanished1 and the heart is absorbed 
in loving8  ,in this1 then1 is ,god like
 the child3 that he is simply and       
altogether our friend1 our father--our  
more than friend1 father1 and           
mother--our infinite love-perfect ,god4 
,grand and strong beyond all that human 
imagination can conceive of             
poet-thinking and kingly action1 he is  
delicate beyond all that human          
tenderness can conceive of husband or   
wife1 homely beyond all that human heart
 can conceive of father or mother4 ,he  
has not two thoughts about us4 ,with him
 all is simplicity of purpose and       
meaning and effort and end--namely1 that
 we should be as he is1 think the same  
thoughts1 mean the same things1 possess 
the same blessedness4 ,it is so plain   
that any one may see it1 every one ought
 to see it1 every one shall see it4 ,it 
must be so4 ,he is utterly true and good
 to us1 nor shall anything withstand his

 will4  ,how terribly1 then1 have the   
theologians misrepresented ,god in the  
measures of the low and showy1 not the  
lofty and simple humanities6 ,nearly all
 of them represent him as a great ,king 
on a grand throne1 thinking how grand he
 is1 and making it the business of his  
being and the end of his universe to    
keep up his glory1 wielding the bolts of
 a ,jupiter against them that take his  
name in vain4 ,they would not allow     
this1 but follow out what they say1 and 
it comes much to this4 ,brothers1 have  
you found our king8 ,there he is1       
kissing little children and saying they 
are like ,god4 ,there he is at table    
with the head of a fisherman lying on   
his bosom1 and somewhat heavy at heart  
that even he1 the beloved disciple1     
cannot yet understand him well4 ,the    
simplest peasant who loves his children 
and his sheep were--no1 not a truer1 for
 the other is false1 but--a true type of
 our ,god beside that monstrosity of a  
monarch4  ,the ,god who is ever uttering

 himself in the changeful profusions of 
nature2 who takes millions of years to  
form a soul that shall understand him   
and be blessed2 who never needs to be1  
and never is1 in haste2 who welcomes the
 simplest thought of truth or beauty as 
the return for seed he has sown upon the
 old fallows of eternity1 who rejoices  
in the response of a faltering moment to
 the age-long cry of his wisdom in the  
streets2 the ,god of music1 of painting1
 of building1 the ,lord of ,hosts1 the  
,god of mountains and oceans2 whose laws
 go forth from one unseen point of      
wisdom1 and thither return without an   
atom of loss2 the ,god of history       
working in time unto christianity2 this 
,god is the ,god of little children1 and
 he alone can be perfectly1 abandonedly 
simple and devoted4 ,the deepest1 purest
 love of a woman has its well-spring in 
him4 ,our longing desires can no more   
exhaust the fulness of the treasures of 
the ,godhead1 than our imagination can  
touch their measure4 ,of him not a      

thought1 not a joy1 not a hope of one of
 his creatures can pass unseen2 and     
while one of them remains unsatisfied1  
he is not ,lord over all4  ,therefore1  
with angels and with archangels1 with   
the spirits of the just made perfect1   
with the little children of the kingdom1
 yea1 with the ,lord himself1 and for   
all them that know him not1 we praise   
and magnify and laud his name in itself1
 saying ,our ,father4 ,we do not draw   
back for that we are unworthy1 nor even 
for that we are hard-hearted and care   
not for the good4 ,for it is his        
childlikeness that makes him our ,god   
and ,father4 ,the perfection of his     
relation to us swallows up all our      
imperfections1 all our defects1 all our 
evils2 for our childhood is born of his 
fatherhood4 ,that man is perfect in     
faith who can come to ,god in the utter 
dearth of his feelings and his desires1 
without a glow or an aspiration1 with   
the weight of low thoughts1 failures1   
neglects1 and wandering forgetfulness1  

and say to him1 ,thou art my refuge1    
because thou art my home4  ,such a faith
 will not lead to presumption4 ,the man 
who can pray such a prayer will know    
better than another1 that ,god is not   
mocked2 that he is not a man that he    
should repent2 that tears and entreaties
 will not work on him to the breach of  
one of his laws2 that for ,god to give a
 man because he asked for it that which 
was not in harmony with his laws of     
truth and right1 would be to damn       
him--to cast him into the outer         
darkness4 ,and he knows that out of that
 prison the childlike1 imperturbable    
,god will let no man come till he has   
paid the uttermost farthing4  ,and if he
 should forget this1 the ,god to whom he
 belongs does not forget it1 does not   
forget him4 ,life is no series of       
chances with a few providences sprinkled
 between to keep up a justly failing    
belief1 but one providence of ,god2 and 
the man shall not live long before life 
itself shall remind him1 it may be in   

agony of soul1 of that which he has     
forgotten4 ,when he prays for comfort1  
the answer may come in dismay and terror
 and the turning aside of the ,father's 
countenance2 for love itself will1 for  
love's sake1 turn the countenance away  
from that which is not lovely2 and he   
will have to read1 written upon the dark
 wall of his imprisoned conscience1 the 
words1 awful and glorious1 ,our ,god is 
a consuming fire4                       
,,the ,,consuming ,,fire4    ,our ,god  
is a consuming fire4--,,hebrews xii4 #bi
  ,nothing is inexorable but love4 ,love
 which will yield to prayer is imperfect
 and poor4 ,nor is it then the love that
 yields1 but its alloy4 ,for if at the  
voice of entreaty love conquers         
displeasure1 it is love asserting       
itself1 not love yielding its claims4   
,it is not love that grants a boon      
unwillingly2 still less is it love that 
answers a prayer to the wrong and hurt  
of him who prays4 ,love is one1 and love
 is changeless4  ,for love loves unto   

purity4 ,love has ever in view the      
absolute loveliness of that which it    
beholds4 ,where loveliness is           
incomplete1 and love cannot love its    
fill of loving1 it spends itself to make
 more lovely1 that it may love more2 it 
strives for perfection1 even that itself
 may be perfected--not in itself1 but in
 the object4 ,as it was love that first 
created humanity1 so even human love1 in
 proportion to its divinity1 will go on 
creating the beautiful for its own      
outpouring4 ,there is nothing eternal   
but that which loves and can be loved1  
and love is ever climbing towards the   
consummation when such shall be the     
universe1 imperishable1 divine4         
,therefore all that is not beautiful in 
the beloved1 all that comes between and 
is not of love's kind1 must be          
destroyed4  ,and our ,god is a consuming
 fire4  ,if this be hard to understand1 
it is as the simple1 absolute truth is  
hard to understand4 ,it may be centuries
 of ages before a man comes to see a    

truth--ages of strife1 of effort1 of    
aspiration4 ,but when once he does see  
it1 it is so plain that he wonders he   
could have lived without seeing it4     
,that he did not understand it sooner   
was simply and only that he did not see 
it4 ,to see a truth1 to know what it is1
 to understand it1 and to love it1 are  
all one4 ,there is many a motion towards
 it1 many a misery for want of it1 many 
a cry of the conscience against the     
neglect of it1 many a dim longing for it
 as an unknown need before at length the
 eyes come awake1 and the darkness of   
the dreamful night yields to the light  
of the sun of truth4 ,but once beheld it
 is for ever4 ,to see one divine fact is
 to stand face to face with essential   
eternal life4  ,for this vision of truth
 ,god has been working for ages of ages4
 ,for this simple condition1 this apex  
of life1 upon which a man wonders like a
 child that he cannot make other men see
 as he sees1 the whole labour of ,god's 
science1 history1 poetry--from the time 

when the earth gathered itself into a   
lonely drop of fire from the red rim of 
the driving sun-wheel to the time when  
,alexander ,john ,scott worshipped him  
from its face--was evolving truth upon  
truth in lovely vision1 in torturing    
law1 never lying1 never repenting2 and  
for this will the patience of ,god      
labour while there is yet a human soul  
whose eyes have not been opened1 whose  
child-heart has not yet been born in    
him4 ,for this one condition of         
humanity1 this simple beholding1 has all
 the outthinking of ,god flowed in forms
 innumerable and changeful from the     
foundation of the world2 and for this1  
too1 has the divine destruction been    
going forth2 that his life might be our 
life1 that in us1 too1 might dwell that 
same consuming fire which is essential  
love4  ,let us look at the utterance of 
the apostle which is crowned with this  
lovely terror3 ,our ,god is a consuming 
fire4  ,wherefore1 we receiving a       
kingdom which cannot be moved1 let us   

have grace1 whereby we may serve ,god   
acceptably with reverence and godly     
fear1 for our ,god is a consuming       
fire4--,we have received a kingdom that 
cannot be moved--whose nature is        
immovable3 let us have grace to serve   
the ,consuming ,fire1 our ,god1 with    
divine fear2 not with the fear that     
cringes and craves1 but with the bowing 
down of all thoughts1 all delights1 all 
loves before him who is the life of them
 all1 and will have them all pure4 ,the 
kingdom he has given us cannot be moved1
 because it has nothing weak in it3 it  
is of the eternal world1 the world of   
being1 of truth4 ,we1 therefore1 must   
worship him with a fear pure as the     
kingdom is unshakeable4 ,he will shake  
heaven and earth1 that only the         
unshakeable may remain1 7verse #bg73 he 
is a consuming fire1 that only that     
which cannot be consumed may stand forth
 eternal4 ,it is the nature of ,god1 so 
terribly pure that it destroys all that 
is not pure as fire1 which demands like 

purity in our worship4 ,he will have    
purity4 ,it is not that the fire will   
burn us if we do not worship thus2 but  
that the fire will burn us until we     
worship thus2 yea1 will go on burning   
within us after all that is foreign to  
it has yielded to its force1 no longer  
with pain and consuming1 but as the     
highest consciousness of life1 the      
presence of ,god4 ,when evil1 which     
alone is consumable1 shall have passed  
away in his fire from the dwellers in   
the immovable kingdom1 the nature of man
 shall look the nature of ,god in the   
face1 and his fear shall then be pure2  
for an eternal1 that is a holy fear1    
must spring from a knowledge of the     
nature1 not from a sense of the power4  
,but that which cannot be consumed must 
be one within itself1 a simple          
existence2 therefore in such a soul the 
fear towards ,god will be one with the  
homeliest love4 ,yea1 the fear of ,god  
will cause a man to flee1 not from him1 
but from himself2 not from him1 but to  

him1 the ,father of himself1 in terror  
lest he should do ,him wrong or his     
neighbour wrong4 ,and the first words   
which follow for the setting forth of   
that grace whereby we may serve ,god    
acceptably are these--,let brotherly    
love continue4 ,to love our brother is  
to worship the ,consuming ,fire4  ,the  
symbol of the consuming fire would seem 
to have been suggested to the writer by 
the fire that burned on the mountain of 
the old law4 ,that fire was part of the 
revelation of ,god there made to the    
,israelites4 ,nor was it the first      
instance of such a revelation4 ,the     
symbol of ,god's presence1 before which 
,moses had to put off his shoes1 and to 
which it was not safe for him to draw   
near1 was a fire that did not consume   
the bush in which it burned4 ,both      
revelations were of terror4 ,but the    
same symbol employed by a writer of the 
,new ,testament should mean more1 not   
than it meant before1 but than it was   
before employed to express2 for it could

 not have been employed to express more 
than it was possible for them to        
perceive4 ,what else than terror could a
 nation of slaves1 into whose very souls
 the rust of their chains had eaten1 in 
whose memory lingered the smoke of the  
flesh-pots of ,egypt1 who1 rather than  
not eat of the food they liked best1    
would have gone back to the house of    
their bondage--what else could such a   
nation see in that fire than terror and 
destruction8 ,how should they think of  
purification by fire8 ,they had yet no  
such condition of mind as could generate
 such a thought4 ,and if they had had   
the thought1 the notion of the suffering
 involved would soon have overwhelmed   
the notion of purification4 ,nor would  
such a nation have listened to any      
teaching that was not supported by      
terror4 ,fear was that for which they   
were fit4 ,they had no worship for any  
being of whom they had not to be afraid4
  ,was then this show upon ,mount ,sinai
 a device to move obedience1 such as bad

 nurses employ with children8 a hint of 
vague and false horror8 ,was it not a   
true revelation of ,god8  ,if it was not
 a true revelation1 it was none at all1 
and the story is either false1 or the   
whole display was a political trick of  
,moses4 ,those who can read the mind of 
,moses will not easily believe the      
latter1 and those who understand the    
scope of the pretended revelation1 will 
see no reason for supposing the former4 
,that which would be politic1 were it a 
deception1 is not therefore excluded    
from the possibility of another source4 
,some people believe so little in a     
cosmos or ordered world1 that the very  
argument of fitness is a reason for     
unbelief4  ,at all events1 if ,god      
showed them these things1 ,god showed   
them what was true4 ,it was a revelation
 of himself4 ,he will not put on a mask4
 ,he puts on a face4 ,he will not speak 
out of flaming fire if that flaming fire
 is alien to him1 if there is nothing in
 him for that flaming fire to reveal4   

,be his children ever so brutish1 he    
will not terrify them with a lie4  ,it  
was a revelation1 but a partial one2 a  
true symbol1 not a final vision4  ,no   
revelation can be other than partial4   
,if for true revelation a man must be   
told all the truth1 then farewell to    
revelation2 yea1 farewell to the        
sonship4 ,for what revelation1 other    
than a partial1 can the highest         
spiritual condition receive of the      
infinite ,god8 ,but it is not therefore 
untrue because it is partial4           
,relatively to a lower condition of the 
receiver1 a more partial revelation     
might be truer than that would be which 
constituted a fuller revelation to one  
in a higher condition2 for the former   
might reveal much to him1 the latter    
might reveal nothing4 ,only1 whatever it
 might reveal1 if its nature were such  
as to preclude development and growth1  
thus chaining the man to its            
incompleteness1 it would be but a false 
revelation fighting against all the     

divine laws of human existence4 ,the    
true revelation rouses the desire to    
know more by the truth of its           
incompleteness4  ,here was a nation at  
its lowest3 could it receive anything   
but a partial revelation1 a revelation  
of fear8 ,how should the ,hebrews be    
other than terrified at that which was  
opposed to all they knew of themselves1 
beings judging it good to honour a      
golden calf8 ,such as they were1 they   
did well to be afraid4 ,they were in a  
better condition1 acknowledging if only 
a terror above them1 flaming on that    
unknown mountain height1 than stooping  
to worship the idol below them4 ,fear is
 nobler than sensuality4 ,fear is better
 than no ,god1 better than a god made   
with hands4 ,in that fear lay deep      
hidden the sense of the infinite4 ,the  
worship of fear is true1 although very  
low2 and though not acceptable to ,god  
in itself1 for only the worship of      
spirit and of truth is acceptable to    
him1 yet even in his sight it is        

precious4 ,for he regards men not as    
they are merely1 but as they shall be2  
not as they shall be merely1 but as they
 are now growing1 or capable of growing1
 towards that image after which he made 
them that they might grow to it4        
,therefore a thousand stages1 each in   
itself all but valueless1 are of        
inestimable worth as the necessary and  
connected gradations of an infinite     
progress4 ,a condition which of         
declension would indicate a devil1 may  
of growth indicate a saint4 ,so far then
 the revelation1 not being final any    
more than complete1 and calling forth   
the best of which they were now capable1
 so making future and higher revelation 
possible1 may have been a true one4     
,but we shall find that this very       
revelation of fire is itself1 in a      
higher sense1 true to the mind of the   
rejoicing saint as to the mind of the   
trembling sinner4 ,for the former sees  
farther into the meaning of the fire1   
and knows better what it will do to him4

 ,it is a symbol which needed not to be 
superseded1 only unfolded4 ,while men   
take part with their sins1 while they   
feel as if1 separated from their sins1  
they would be no longer themselves1 how 
can they understand that the lightning  
word is a ,saviour--that word which     
pierces to the dividing between the man 
and the evil1 which will slay the sin   
and give life to the sinner8 ,can it be 
any comfort to them to be told that ,god
 loves them so that he will burn them   
clean4 ,can the cleansing of the fire   
appear to them anything beyond what it  
must always1 more or less1 be--a process
 of torture8 ,they do not want to be    
clean1 and they cannot bear to be       
tortured4 ,can they then do other1 or   
can we desire that they should do other1
 than fear ,god1 even with the fear of  
the wicked1 until they learn to love him
 with the love of the holy4 ,to them    
,mount ,sinai is crowned with the signs 
of vengeance4 ,and is not ,god ready to 
do unto them even as they fear1 though  

with another feeling and a different end
 from any which they are capable of     
supposing8 ,he is against sin3 in so far
 as1 and while1 they and sin are one1 he
 is against them--against their desires1
 their aims1 their fears1 and their     
hopes2 and thus he is altogether and    
always for them4 ,that thunder and      
lightning and tempest1 that blackness   
torn with the sound of a trumpet1 that  
visible horror billowed with the voice  
of words1 was all but a faint image to  
the senses of the slaves of what ,god   
thinks and feels against vileness and   
selfishness1 of the unrest of           
unassuageable repulsion with which he   
regards such conditions2 that so the    
stupid people1 fearing somewhat to do as
 they would1 might leave a little room  
for that grace to grow in them1 which   
would at length make them see that evil1
 and not fire1 is the fearful thing2    
yea1 so transform them that they would  
gladly rush up into the trumpet-blast of
 ,sinai to escape the flutes around the 

golden calf4 ,could they have understood
 this1 they would have needed no ,mount 
,sinai4 ,it was a true1 and of necessity
 a partial revelation-- partial in order
 to be true4  ,even ,moses1 the man of  
,god1 was not ready to receive the      
revelation in store2 not ready1 although
 from love to his people he prayed that 
,god would even blot him out of his book
 of life4 ,if this means that he offered
 to give himself as a sacrifice instead 
of them1 it would show reason enough why
 he could not be glorified with the     
vision of the ,redeemer4 ,for so he     
would think to appease ,god1 not seeing 
that ,god was as tender as himself1 not 
seeing that ,god is the ,reconciler1 the
 ,redeemer1 not seeing that the         
sacrifice of the heart is the atonement 
for which alone he cares4 ,he would be  
blotted out1 that their names might be  
kept in4 ,certainly when ,god told him  
that he that had sinned should suffer   
for it1 ,moses could not see that this  
was the kindest thing that ,god could   

do4 ,but ,i doubt if that was what      
,moses meant4 ,it seems rather the      
utterance of a divine despair3--he would
 not survive the children of his people4
 ,he did not care for a love that would 
save him alone1 and send to the dust    
those thousands of calf-worshipping     
brothers and sisters4 ,but in either    
case1 how much could ,moses have        
understood1 if he had seen the face     
instead of the back of that form that   
passed the clift of the rock amidst the 
thunderous vapours of ,sinai8 ,had that 
form turned and that face looked upon   
him1 the face of him who was more man   
than any man2 the face through which the
 divine emotion would1 in the ages to   
come1 manifest itself to the eyes of    
men1 bowed1 it might well be1 at such a 
moment1 in anticipation of the crown    
with which the children of the people   
for whom ,moses pleaded with his life1  
would one day crown him2 the face of him
 who was bearing and was yet to bear    
their griefs and carry their sorrows1   

who is now bearing our griefs and       
carrying our sorrows2 the face of the   
,son of ,god1 who1 instead of accepting 
the sacrifice of one of his creatures to
 satisfy his justice or support his     
dignity1 gave himself utterly unto them1
 and therein to the ,father by doing his
 lovely will2 who suffered unto the     
death1 not that men might not suffer1   
but that their suffering might be like  
his1 and lead them up to his perfection2
 if that face1 ,i say1 had turned and   
looked upon ,moses1 would ,moses have   
lived8 ,would he not have died1 not of  
splendour1 not of sorrow1 7terror was   
not there17 but of the actual sight of  
the incomprehensible8 ,if infinite      
mystery had not slain him1 would he not 
have gone about dazed1 doing nothing1   
having no more any business that he     
could do in the world1 seeing ,god was  
to him altogether unknown8 ,for thus a  
full revelation would not only be no    
revelation1 but the destruction of all  
revelation4  ,may it not then hurt to   

say that ,god is ,love1 all love1 and   
nothing other than love8 ,it is not     
enough to answer that such is the truth1
 even granted that it is4 ,upon your own
 showing1 too much revelation may hurt  
by dazzling and blinding4  ,there is a  
great difference between a mystery of   
,god that no man understands1 and a     
mystery of ,god laid hold of1 let it be 
but by one single man4 ,the latter is   
already a revelation2 and1 passing      
through that man's mind1 will be so     
presented1 it may be so feebly          
presented1 that it will not hurt his    
fellows4 ,let ,god conceal as he will3  
7although ,i believe he is ever         
destroying concealment1 ever giving all 
that he can1 all that men can receive at
 his hands1 that he does not want to    
conceal anything1 but to reveal         
everything17 the light which any man has
 received is not to be put under a      
bushel2 it is for him and his fellows4  
,in sowing the seed he will not withhold
 his hand because there are thorns and  

stony places and waysides4 ,he will     
think that in some cases even a bird of 
the air may carry the matter1 that the  
good seed may be too much for the       
thorns1 that that which withers away    
upon the stony place may yet leave      
there1 by its own decay1 a deeper soil  
for the next seed to root itself in4    
,besides1 they only can receive the     
doctrine who have ears to hear4 ,if the 
selfish man could believe it1 he would  
misinterpret it2 but he cannot believe  
it4 ,it is not possible that he should4 
,but the loving soul1 oppressed by wrong
 teaching1 or partial truth claiming to 
be the whole1 will hear1 understand1    
rejoice4  ,for1 when we say that ,god is
 ,love1 do we teach men that their fear 
of him is groundless8 ,no4 ,as much as  
they fear will come upon them1 possibly 
far more4 ,but there is something beyond
 their fear1--a divine fate which they  
cannot withstand1 because it works along
 with the human individuality which the 
divine individuality has created in     

them4 ,the wrath will consume what they 
call themselves2 so that the selves ,god
 made shall appear1 coming out with     
tenfold consciousness of being1 and     
bringing with them all that made the    
blessedness of the life the men tried to
 lead without ,god4 ,they will know that
 now first are they fully themselves4   
,the avaricious1 weary1 selfish1        
suspicious old man shall have passed    
away4 ,the young1 ever young self1 will 
remain4 ,that which they thought        
themselves shall have vanished3 that    
which they felt themselves1 though they 
misjudged their own feelings1 shall     
remain-- remain glorified in repentant  
hope4 ,for that which cannot be shaken  
shall remain4 ,that which is immortal in
 ,god shall remain in man4 ,the death   
that is in them shall be consumed4  ,it 
is the law of ,nature--that is1 the law 
of ,god--that all that is destructible  
shall be destroyed4 ,when that which is 
immortal buries itself in the           
destructible--when it receives all the  

messages from without1 through the      
surrounding region of decadence1 and    
none from within1 from the eternal      
doors--it cannot1 though immortal still1
 know its own immortality4 ,the         
destructible must be burned out of it1  
or begin to be burned out of it1 before 
it can partake of eternal life4 ,when   
that is all burnt away and gone1 then it
 has eternal life4 ,or rather1 when the 
fire of eternal life has possessed a    
man1 then the destructible is gone      
utterly1 and he is pure4 ,many a man's  
work must be burned1 that by that very  
burning he may be saved--so as by fire4 
,away in smoke go the lordships1 the    
,rabbi-hoods of the world1 and the man  
who acquiesces in the burning is saved  
by the fire2 for it has destroyed the   
destructible1 which is the vantage point
 of the deathly1 which would destroy    
both body and soul in hell4 ,if still he
 cling to that which can be burned1 the 
burning goes on deeper and deeper into  
his bosom1 till it reaches the roots of 

the falsehood that enslaves             
him--possibly by looking like the truth4
  ,the man who loves ,god1 and is not   
yet pure1 courts the burning of ,god4   
,nor is it always torture4 ,the fire    
shows itself sometimes only as          
light--still it will be fire of         
purifying4 ,the consuming fire is just  
the original1 the active form of        
,purity1--that which makes pure1 that   
which is indeed ,love1 the creative     
energy of ,god4 ,without purity there   
can be as no creation so no persistence4
 ,that which is not pure is corruptible1
 and corruption cannot inherit          
incorruption4  ,the man whose deeds are 
evil1 fears the burning4 ,but the       
burning will not come the less that he  
fears it or denies it4 ,escape is       
hopeless4 ,for ,love is inexorable4 ,our
 ,god is a consuming fire4 ,he shall not
 come out till he has paid the uttermost
 farthing4  ,if the man resists the     
burning of ,god1 the consuming fire of  
,love1 a terrible doom awaits him1 and  

its day will come4 ,he shall be cast    
into the outer darkness who hates the   
fire of ,god4 ,what sick dismay shall   
then seize upon him6 ,for let a man     
think and care ever so little about     
,god1 he does not therefore exist       
without ,god4 ,god is here with him1    
upholding1 warming1 delighting1 teaching
 him--making life a good thing to him4  
,god gives him himself1 though he knows 
it not4 ,but when ,god withdraws from a 
man as far as that can be without the   
man's ceasing to be2 when the man feels 
himself abandoned1 hanging in a         
ceaseless vertigo of existence upon the 
verge of the gulf of his being1 without 
support1 without refuge1 without aim1   
without end--for the soul has no weapons
 wherewith to destroy herself--with no  
inbreathing of joy1 with nothing to make
 life good2--then will he listen in     
agony for the faintest sound of life    
from the closed door2 then1 if the moan 
of suffering humanity ever reaches the  
ear of the outcast of darkness1 he will 

be ready to rush into the very heart of 
the ,consuming ,fire to know life once  
more1 to change this terror of sick     
negation1 of unspeakable death1 for that
 region of painful hope4 ,imagination   
cannot mislead us into too much horror  
of being without ,god--that one living  
death4 ,is not this                   to
 be worse than worst            ,of     
those that lawless and incertain        
thoughts            ,imagine howling8   
,but with this divine difference3 that  
the outer darkness is but the most      
dreadful form of the consuming fire--the
 fire without light--the darkness       
visible1 the black flame4 ,god hath     
withdrawn himself1 but not lost his     
hold4 ,his face is turned away1 but his 
hand is laid upon him still4 ,his heart 
has ceased to beat into the man's heart1
 but he keeps him alive by his fire4    
,and that fire will go searching and    
burning on in him1 as in the highest    
saint who is not yet pure as he is pure4
  ,but at length1 ,o ,god1 wilt thou not

 cast ,death and ,hell into the lake of 
,fire--even into thine own consuming    
self8 ,death shall then die             
everlastingly1            ,and ,hell    
itself will pass away1            ,and  
leave her dolorous mansions to the      
peering day4   ,then indeed wilt thou be
 all in all4 ,for then our poor brothers
 and sisters1 every one--,o ,god1 we    
trust in thee1 the ,consuming           
,fire--shall have been burnt clean and  
brought home4 ,for if their moans1      
myriads of ages away1 would turn heaven 
for us into hell--shall a man be more   
merciful than ,god8 ,shall1 of all his  
glories1 his mercy alone not be         
infinite8 ,shall a brother love a       
brother more than ,the ,father loves a  
son8--more than ,the ,brother ,christ   
loves his brother8 ,would he not die yet
 again to save one brother more8  ,as   
for us1 now will we come to thee1 our   
,consuming ,fire4 ,and thou wilt not    
burn us more than we can bear4 ,but thou
 wilt burn us4 ,and although thou seem  

to slay us1 yet will we trust in thee   
even for that which thou hast not       
spoken1 if by any means at length we may
 attain unto the blessedness of those   
who have not seen and yet have believed4
                                 ,,the  
,,higher ,,faith4   ,jesus saith unto   
him1 ,thomas1 because thou hast seen me1
 thou hast believed3 blessed are they   
that have not seen1 and yet have        
believed4--,,john xx4 #bi4  ,the        
aspiring child is often checked by the  
dull disciple who has learned his       
lessons so imperfectly that he has never
 got beyond his school-books4 ,full of  
fragmentary rules1 he has perceived the 
principle of none of them4 ,the child   
draws near to him with some outburst of 
unusual feeling1 some scintillation of a
 lively hope1 some wide-reaching        
imagination that draws into the circle  
of religious theory the world of nature1
 and the yet wider world of humanity1   
for to the child the doings of the      
,father fill the spaces2 he has not yet 

learned to divide between ,god and      
nature1 between ,providence and grace1  
between love and benevolence2--the child
 comes1 ,i say1 with his heart full1 and
 the answer he receives from the dull   
disciple is--,god has said nothing about
 that in his word1 therefore we have no 
right to believe anything about it4 ,it 
is better not to speculate on such      
matters4 ,however desirable it may seem 
to us1 we have nothing to do with it4   
,it is not revealed4 ,for such a man is 
incapable of suspecting1 that what has  
remained hidden from him may have been  
revealed to the babe4 ,with the         
authority1 therefore1 of years and      
ignorance1 he forbids the child1 for he 
believes in no revelation but the       
,bible1 and in the word of that alone4  
,for him all revelation has ceased with 
and been buried in the ,bible1 to be    
with difficulty exhumed1 and1 with much 
questioning of the decayed form1        
re-united into a rigid skeleton of      
metaphysical and legal contrivance for  

letting the love of ,god have its way   
unchecked by the other perfections of   
his being4  ,but to the man who would   
live throughout the whole divine form of
 his being1 not confining himself to one
 broken corner of his kingdom1 and      
leaving the rest to the demons that     
haunt such deserts1 a thousand questions
 will arise to which the ,bible does not
 even allude4 ,has he indeed nothing to 
do with such8 ,do they lie beyond the   
sphere of his responsibility8 ,leave    
them1 says the dull disciple4 ,i cannot1
 returns the man4 ,not only does that   
degree of peace of mind without which   
action is impossible1 depend upon the   
answers to these questions1 but my      
conduct itself must correspond to these 
answers4 ,leave them at least till ,god 
chooses to explain1 if he ever will4    
,no4 ,questions imply answers4 ,he has  
put the questions in my heart2 he holds 
the answers in his4 ,i will seek them   
from him4 ,i will wait1 but not till ,i 
have knocked4 ,i will be patient1 but   

not till ,i have asked4 ,i will seek    
until ,i find4 ,he has something for me4
 ,my prayer shall go up unto the ,god of
 my life4  ,sad1 indeed1 would the whole
 matter be1 if the ,bible had told us   
everything ,god meant us to believe4    
,but herein is the ,bible itself greatly
 wronged4 ,it nowhere lays claim to be  
regarded as the ,word1 the ,way1 the    
,truth4 ,the ,bible leads us to ,jesus1 
the inexhaustible1 the ever unfolding   
,revelation of ,god4 ,it is ,christ in  
whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom
 and knowledge1 not the ,bible1 save as 
leading to him4 ,and why are we told    
that these treasures are hid in him who 
is the ,revelation of ,god8 ,is it that 
we should despair of finding them and   
cease to seek them8 ,are they not hid in
 him that they may be revealed to us in 
due time--that  is1 when we are in need 
of them8 ,is not their hiding in him the
 mediatorial step towards their         
unfolding in us8 ,is he not the         
,truth8--the ,truth to men8 ,is he not  

the ,high ,priest of his brethren1 to   
answer all the troubled questionings    
that arise in their dim humanity8 ,for  
it is his heart which                   
,contains of good1 wise1 just1 the      
perfect shape4   ,didymus answers1 ,no  
doubt1 what we know not now1 we shall   
know hereafter4 ,certainly there may be 
things which the mere passing into      
another stage of existence will         
illuminate2 but the questions that come 
here1 must be inquired into here1 and if
 not answered here1 then there too until
 they be answered4 ,there is more hid in
 ,christ than we shall ever learn1 here 
or there either2 but they that begin    
first to inquire will soonest be        
gladdened with revelation2 and with them
 he will be best pleased1 for the       
slowness of his disciples troubled him  
of old4 ,to say that we must wait for   
the other world1 to know the mind of him
 who came to this world to give himself 
to us1 seems to me the foolishness of a 
worldly and lazy spirit4 ,the ,son of   

,god is the ,teacher of men1 giving to  
them of his ,spirit--that ,spirit which 
manifests the deep things of ,god1 being
 to a man the mind of ,christ4 ,the     
great heresy of the ,church of the      
present day is unbelief in this ,spirit4
 ,the mass of the ,church does not      
believe that the ,spirit has a          
revelation for every man individually--a
 revelation as different from the       
revelation of the ,bible1 as the food in
 the moment of passing into living brain
 and nerve differs from the bread and   
meat4 ,if we were once filled with the  
mind of ,christ1 we should know that the
 ,bible had done its work1 was          
fulfilled1 and had for us passed away1  
that thereby the ,word of our ,god might
 abide for ever4 ,the one use of the    
,bible is to make us look at ,jesus1    
that through him we might know his      
,father and our ,father1 his ,god and   
our ,god4 ,till we thus know ,him1 let  
us hold the ,bible dear as the moon of  
our darkness1 by which we travel towards

 the east2 not dear as the sun whence   
her light cometh1 and towards which we  
haste1 that1 walking in the sun himself1
 we may no more need the mirror that    
reflected his absent brightness4  ,but  
this doctrine of the ,spirit is not my  
end now1 although1 were it not true1 all
 our religion would be vain1 that of ,st
 ,paul and that of ,socrates4 ,what ,i  
want to say and show1 if ,i may1 is1    
that a man will please ,god better by   
believing some things that are not told 
him1 than by confining his faith to     
those things that are expressly         
said--said to arouse in us the          
truth-seeing faculty1 the spiritual     
desire1 the prayer for the good things  
which ,god will give to them that ask   
him4  ,but is not this dangerous        
doctrine8 ,will not a man be taught thus
 to believe the things he likes best1   
even to pray for that which he likes    
best8 ,and will he not grow arrogant in 
his confidence8  ,if it be true that the
 ,spirit strives with our spirit2 if it 

be true that ,god teaches men1 we may   
safely leave those dreaded results to   
him4 ,if the man is of the ,lord's      
company1 he is safer with him than with 
those who would secure their safety by  
hanging on the outskirts and daring     
nothing4 ,if he is not taught of ,god in
 that which he hopes for1 ,god will let 
him know it4 ,he will receive1 something
 else than he prays for4 ,if he can pray
 to ,god for anything not good1 the     
answer will come in the flames of that  
consuming fire4 ,these will soon bring  
him to some of his spiritual senses4    
,but it will be far better for him to be
 thus sharply tutored1 than to go on a  
snail's pace in the journey of the      
spiritual life4 ,and for arrogance1 ,i  
have seen nothing breed it faster or in 
more offensive forms than the worship of
 the letter4  ,and to whom shall a man1 
whom the blessed ,god has made1 look for
 what he likes best1 but to that blessed
 ,god8 ,if we have been indeed enabled  
to see that ,god is our ,father1 as the 

,lord taught us1 let us advance from    
that truth to understand that he is far 
more than father--that his nearness to  
us is beyond the embodiment of the      
highest idea of father2 that the        
fatherhood of ,god is but a step towards
 the ,godhood for them that can receive 
it4 ,what a man likes best may be ,god's
 will1 may be the voice of the ,spirit  
striving with his spirit1 not against   
it2 and if1 as ,i have said1 it be not  
so--if the thing he asks is not         
according to his will--there is that    
consuming fire4 ,the danger lies1 not in
 asking from ,god what is not good1 nor 
even in hoping to receive it from him1  
but in not asking him1 in not having him
 of our council4 ,nor will the fact that
 we dare not inquire his will1 preserve 
us from the necessity of acting in some 
such matter as we call unrevealed1 and  
where shall we find ourselves then8     
,nor1 once more1 for such a disposition 
of mind is it likely that the book      
itself will contain much of a           

revelation4  ,the whole matter may      
safely be left to ,god4  ,but ,i doubt  
if a man can ask anything from ,god that
 is bad4 ,surely one who has begun to   
pray to him is child enough to know the 
bad from the good when it has come so   
near him1 and dares not pray for that4  
,if you refer me to ,david praying such 
fearful prayers against his enemies1 ,i 
answer1 you must read them by your      
knowledge of the man himself and his    
history4 ,remember that this is he who1 
with the burning heart of an eastern1   
yet1 when his greatest enemy was given  
into his hands1 instead of taking the   
vengeance of an eastern1 contented      
himself with cutting off the skirt of   
his garment4 ,it was justice and right  
that he craved in his soul1 although his
 prayers took a wild form of words4 ,god
 heard him1 and gave him what contented 
him4 ,in a good man at least1 revenge   
is1 as ,lord ,bacon says1 a kind of wild
 justice1 and is easily satisfied4 ,the 
hearts desire upon such a one's enemies 

is best met and granted when the hate is
 changed into love and compassion4  ,but
 it is about hopes rather than prayers  
that ,i wish to write4  ,what should ,i 
think of my child1 if ,i found that he  
limited his faith in me and hope from me
 to the few promises he had heard me    
utter6 ,the faith that limits itself to 
the promises of ,god1 seems to me to    
partake of the paltry character of such 
a faith in my child--good enough for a  
,pagan1 but for a ,christian a miserable
 and wretched faith4 ,those who rest in 
such a faith would feel yet more        
comfortable if they had ,god's bond     
instead of his word1 which they regard  
not as the outcome of his character1 but
 as a pledge of his honour4 ,they try to
 believe in the truth of his word1 but  
the truth of his ,being1 they understand
 not4 ,in his oath they persuade        
themselves that they put confidence3 in 
himself they do not believe1 for they   
know him not4 ,therefore it is little   
wonder that they distrust those         

swellings of the heart which are his    
drawings of the man towards him1 as sun 
and moon heave the ocean mass           
heavenward4 ,brother1 sister1 if such is
 your faith1 you will not1 must not stop
 there4 ,you must come out of this      
bondage of the law to which you give the
 name of grace1 for there is little that
 is gracious in it4 ,you will yet know  
the dignity of your high calling1 and   
the love of ,god that passeth knowledge4
 ,he is not afraid of your presumptuous 
approach to him4 ,it is you who are     
afraid to come near him4 ,he is not     
watching over his dignity4 ,it is you   
who fear to be sent away as the         
disciples would have sent away the      
little children4 ,it is you who think so
 much about your souls and are so afraid
 of losing your life1 that you dare not 
draw near to the ,life of life1 lest it 
should consume you4  ,our ,god1 we will 
trust thee4 ,shall we not find thee     
equal to our faith8 ,one day1 we shall  
laugh ourselves to scorn that we looked 

for so little from thee2 for thy giving 
will not be limited by our hoping4  ,o  
thou of little faith6 in everything1--,i
 am quoting your own ,bible2 nay1 more1 
,i am quoting a divine soul that knew   
his master ,christ1 and in his strength 
opposed apostles1 not to say christians1
 to their faces1 because they could not 
believe more than a little in ,god2     
could believe only for themselves and   
not for their fellows2 could believe for
 the few of the chosen nation1 for whom 
they had ,god's ancient word1 but could 
not believe for the multitude of the    
nations1 for the millions of hearts that
 ,god had made to search after him and  
find him2--,in everything1 says ,st     
,paul1 ,in everything1 by prayer and    
supplication1 with thanksgiving1 let    
your requests be made known unto ,god4  
,for this everything1 nothing is too    
small4 ,that it should trouble us is    
enough4 ,there is some principle        
involved in it worth the notice even of 
,god himself1 for did he not make us so 

that the thing does trouble us8 ,and    
surely for this everything1 nothing can 
be too great4 ,when the ,son of man     
cometh and findeth too much faith on the
 earth--may ,god in his mercy slay us4  
,meantime1 we will hope and trust4  ,do 
you count it a great faith to believe   
what ,god has said8 ,it seems to me1 ,i 
repeat1 a little faith1 and1 if alone1  
worthy of reproach4 ,to believe what he 
has not said is faith indeed1 and       
blessed4 ,for that comes of believing in
 ,,him4 ,can you not believe in ,god    
himself8 ,or1 confess1--do you not find 
it so hard to believe what he has said1 
that even that is almost more than you  
can do8 ,if ,i ask you why1 will not the
 true answer be--,because  we are not   
quite sure that he did say it8 ,if you  
believed in ,god you would find it easy 
to believe the word4 ,you would not even
 need to inquire whether he had said it3
 you would know that he meant it4  ,let 
us then dare something4 ,let us not     
always be unbelieving children4 ,let us 

keep in mind that the ,lord1 not        
forbidding those who insist on seeing   
before they will believe1 blesses those 
who have not seen and yet have          
believed--those who trust in him more   
than that--who believe without the sight
 of the eyes1 without the hearing of the
 ears4 ,they are blessed to whom a      
wonder is not a fable1 to whom a mystery
 is not a mockery1 to whom a glory is   
not an unreality--who are content to    
ask1 ,is it like ,him8 ,it is a         
dull-hearted1 unchildlike people that   
will be always putting ,god in mind of  
his promises4 ,those promises are good  
to reveal what ,god is2 if they think   
them good as binding ,god1 let them have
 it so for the hardness of their hearts4
 ,they prefer the ,word to the ,spirit3 
it is theirs4  ,even such will leave    
us--some of them will1 if not all--to   
the uncovenanted mercies of ,god4 ,we   
desire no less2 we hope for no better4  
,those are the mercies beyond our       
height1 beyond our depth1 beyond our    

reach4 ,we know in whom we have         
believed1 and we look for that which it 
hath not entered into the heart of man  
to conceive4 ,shall ,god's thoughts be  
surpassed by man's thoughts8 ,god's     
giving by man's asking8 ,god's creation 
by man's imagination8 ,no4 ,let us climb
 to the height of our ,alpine desires2  
let us leave them behind us and ascend  
the spear-pointed ,himmalays of our     
aspirations2 still shall we find the    
depth of ,god's sapphire above us2 still
 shall we find the heavens higher than  
the earth1 and his thoughts and his ways
 higher than our thoughts and our ways4 
,ah ,lord6 be thou in all our being2 as 
not in the ,sundays of our time alone1  
so not in the chambers of our hearts    
alone4 ,we dare not think that thou     
canst not1 carest not2 that some things 
are not for thy beholding1 some         
questions not to be asked of thee4 ,for 
are we not all thine--utterly thine8    
,that which a man speaks not to his     
fellow1 we speak to thee4 ,our very     

passions we hold up to thee1 and say1   
,behold1 ,lord6 ,think about us2 for    
thus thou hast made us4 ,we would not   
escape from our history by fleeing into 
the wilderness1 by hiding our heads in  
the sands of forgetfulness1 or the      
repentance that comes of pain1 or the   
lethargy of hopelessness4 ,we take it1  
as our very life1 in our hand1 and flee 
with it unto thee4 ,triumphant is the   
answer which thou boldest for every     
doubt4 ,it may be we could not          
understand it yet1 even if thou didst   
speak it with most miraculous organ4    
,but thou shalt at least find faith in  
the earth1 ,o ,lord1 if thou comest to  
look for it now--the faith of ignorant  
but hoping children1 who know that they 
do not know1 and believe that thou      
knowest4  ,and for our brothers and     
sisters1 who cleave to what they call   
thy word1 thinking to please thee so1   
they are in thy holy safe hands1 who    
hast taught us that whosoever shall     
speak a word against the ,son of man1 it

 shall be forgiven him2 though unto him 
that blasphemes against the ,holy       
,ghost1 it shall not be forgiven4       
,,it ,,shall ,,not ,,be ,,forgiven4     
,and whosoever shall speak a word       
against the ,son of man1 it shall be    
forgiven him3 but unto him that         
blasphemeth against the ,holy ,ghost1 it
 shall not be forgiven4--,,luke xi4 #ah4
  ,whatever belonging to the region of  
thought and feeling is uttered in words1
 is of necessity uttered imperfectly4   
,for thought and feeling are infinite1  
and human speech1 although far-reaching 
in scope1 and marvellous in delicacy1   
can embody them after all but           
approximately and suggestively4 ,spirit 
and ,truth are like the ,lady ,una and  
the ,red ,cross ,knight2 ,speech like   
the dwarf that lags behind with the     
lady's bag of needments4  ,our ,lord had
 no design of constructing a system of  
truth in intellectual forms4 ,the truth 
of the moment in its relation to him1   
,the ,truth1 was what he spoke4 ,he     

spoke out of a region of realities which
 he knew could only be suggested--not   
represented--in the forms of intellect  
and speech4 ,with vivid flashes of life 
and truth his words invade our darkness1
 rousing us with sharp stings of light  
to will our awaking1 to arise from the  
dead and cry for the light which he can 
give1 not in the lightning of words     
only1 but in indwelling presence and    
power4  ,how1 then1 must the truth fare 
with those who1 having neither glow nor 
insight1 will build intellectual systems
 upon the words of our ,lord1 or of his 
disciples8 ,a little child would better 
understand ,plato than they ,st ,paul4  
,the meaning in those great hearts who  
knew our ,lord is too great to enter    
theirs4 ,the sense they find in the     
words must be a sense small enough to   
pass through their narrow doors4 ,and if
 mere words1 without the interpreting   
sympathy1 may mean1 as they may1 almost 
anything the receiver will or can       
attribute to them1 how shall the man1   

bent at best on the salvation of his own
 soul1 understand1 for instance1 the    
meaning of that apostle who was ready to
 encounter banishment itself from the   
presence of ,christ1 that the beloved   
brethren of his nation might enter in8  
,to men who are not simple1 simple words
 are the most inexplicable of riddles4  
,if we are bound to search after what   
our ,lord means--and he speaks that we  
may understand--we are at least equally 
bound to refuse any interpretation which
 seems to us unlike him1 unworthy of    
him4 ,he himself says1 ,why do ye not of
 your own selves judge what is right8   
,in thus refusing1 it may happen that1  
from ignorance or misunderstanding1 we  
refuse the verbal form of its true      
interpretation1 but we cannot thus      
refuse the spirit and the truth of it1  
for those we could not have seen without
 being in the condition to recognize    
them as the mind of ,christ4 ,some      
misapprehension1 ,i say1 some obliquity1
 or some slavish adherence to old       

prejudices1 may thus cause us to refuse 
the true interpretation1 but we are none
 the less bound to refuse and wait for  
more light4 ,to accept that as the will 
of our ,lord which to us is inconsistent
 with what we have learned to worship in
 him already1 is to introduce discord   
into that harmony whose end is to unite 
our hearts1 and make them whole4  ,is it
 for us1 says the objector who1 by some 
sleight of will1 believes in the word   
apart from the meaning for which it     
stands1 to judge of the character of our
 ,lord8 ,i answer1 ,this very thing he  
requires of us4 ,he requires of us that 
we should do him no injustice4 ,he would
 come and dwell with us1 if we would but
 open our chambers to receive him4 ,how 
shall we receive him if1 avoiding       
judgment1 we hold this or that daub of  
authority or tradition hanging upon our 
walls to be the real likeness of our    
,lord8 ,is it not possible at least     
that1 judging unrighteous judgment by   
such while we flatter ourselves that we 

are refusing to judge1 we may close our 
doors against the ,master himself as an 
impostor1 not finding him like the      
picture that hangs in our oratory4 ,and 
if we do not judge--humbly and          
lovingly--who is to judge for us8       
,better to refuse even the truth for a  
time1 than1 by accepting into our       
intellectual creed that which our heart 
cannot receive1 not seeing its real     
form1 to introduce hesitation into our  
prayers1 a jar into our praises1 and a  
misery into our love4 ,if it be the     
truth1 we shall one day see it another  
thing than it appears now1 and love it  
because we see it lovely2 for all truth 
is lovely4 ,not to the unregenerate     
mind4 ,but at least1 ,i answer1 to the  
mind which can love that ,man1 ,christ  
,jesus2 and that part of us which loves 
him let us follow1 and in its judgements
 let us trust2 hoping1 beyond all things
 else1 for its growth and enlightenment 
by the ,lord1 who is that ,spirit4      
,better1 ,i say again1 to refuse the    

right form1 than1 by accepting it in    
misapprehension of what it really is1 to
 refuse the spirit1 the truth that      
dwells therein4 ,which of these1 ,i     
pray1 is liker to the sin against the   
,holy ,ghost8 ,to mistake the meaning of
 the ,son of man may well fill a man    
with sadness4 ,but to care so little for
 him as to receive as his what the      
noblest part of our nature rejects as   
low and poor1 or selfish and wrong1 that
 surely is more like the sin against the
 ,holy ,ghost that can never be         
forgiven2 for it is a sin against the   
truth itself1 not the embodiment of it  
in him4  ,words for their full meaning  
depend upon their source1 the person who
 speaks them4 ,an utterance may even    
seem commonplace1 till you are told that
 thus spoke one whom you know to be     
always thinking1 always feeling1 always 
acting4 ,recognizing the mind whence the
 words proceed1 you know the scale by   
which they are to be understood4 ,so the
 words of ,god cannot mean just the same

 as the words of man4 ,can we not1 then1
 understand them8 ,yes1 we can          
understand them--we can understand them 
more than the words of men4 ,whatever a 
good word means1 as used by a good man1 
it means just infinitely more as used by
 ,god4 ,and the feeling or thought      
expressed by that word takes higher and 
higher forms in us as we become capable 
of understanding him1--that is1 as we   
become like him4  ,i am far less anxious
 to show what the sin against the ,holy 
,ghost means1 than to show what the     
nonforgiveness means2 though ,i think we
 may arrive at some understanding of    
both4 ,i cannot admit for a moment that 
there is anything in the ,bible too     
mysterious to be looked into2 for the   
,bible is a revelation1 an unveiling4   
,true1 into many things uttered there ,i
 can see only a little way4 ,but that   
little way is the way of life2 for the  
depth of their mystery is ,god4 ,and    
even setting aside the duty of the      
matter1 and seeking for justification as

 if the duty were doubtful1 it is reason
 enough for inquiring into such passages
 as this before me1 that they are often 
torture to human minds1 chiefly those of
 holy women and children4 ,i knew a     
child who believed she had committed the
 sin against the ,holy ,ghost1 because  
she had1 in her toilette1 made an       
improper use of a pin4 ,dare not to     
rebuke me for adducing the diseased     
fancy of a child in a weighty matter of 
theology4 ,despise not one of these     
little ones4 ,would the theologians were
 as near the truth in such matters as   
the children4 ,diseased fancy6 ,the     
child knew1 and was conscious that she  
knew1 that she was doing wrong because  
she had been forbidden4 ,there was      
rational ground for her fear4 ,how would
 ,jesus have received the confession of 
the darling8 ,he would not have told her
 she was silly1 and never to mind4      
,child as she was1 might he not have    
said to her1 ,i do not condemn thee3 go 
and sin no more8  ,to reach the first   

position necessary for the final        
attainment of our end1 ,i will inquire  
what the divine forgiveness means4 ,and 
in order to arrive at this naturally1 ,i
 will begin by asking what the human    
forgiveness means2 for1 if there be any 
meaning in the ,incarnation1 it is      
through the ,human that we must climb up
 to the ,divine4  ,i do not know that it
 is of much use to go back to the ,greek
 or the ,english word for any primary   
idea of the act--the one meaning a      
sending away1 the other1 a giving away4 
,it will be enough if we look at the    
feelings associated with the exercise of
 what is called forgiveness4  ,a man    
will say3 ,i forgive1 but ,i cannot     
forget4 ,let the fellow never come in my
 sight again4 ,to what does such a      
forgiveness reach8 ,to the remission or 
sending away of the penalties which the 
wronged believes he can claim from the  
wrong-doer4  ,but there is no sending   
away of the wrong itself from between   
them4  ,again1 a man will say3 ,he has  

done a very mean action1 but he has the 
worst of it himself in that he is       
capable of doing so4 ,i despise him too 
much to desire revenge4 ,i will take no 
notice of it4 ,i forgive him4 ,i don't  
care4  ,here1 again1 there is no sending
 away of the wrong from between them--  
no remission of the sin4  ,a third will 
say3 ,i suppose ,i must forgive him2 for
 if ,i do not forgive him1 ,god will not
 forgive me4  ,this man is a little     
nearer the truth1 inasmuch as a ground  
of sympathy1 though only that of common 
sin1 is recognized as between the       
offender and himself4  ,one more will   
say3 ,he has wronged me grievously4 ,it 
is a dreadful thing to me1 and more     
dreadful still to him1 that he should   
have done it4 ,he has hurt me1 but he   
has nearly killed himself4 ,he shall    
have no more injury from it that ,i can 
save him4 ,i cannot feel the same       
towards him yet2 but ,i will try to make
 him acknowledge the wrong he has done  
me1 and so put it away from him4 ,then1 

perhaps1 ,i shall be able to feel       
towards him as ,i used to feel4 ,for    
this end ,i will show him all the       
kindness ,i can1 not forcing it upon    
him1 but seizing every fit opportunity2 
not1 ,i hope1 from a wish to make myself
 great through bounty to him1 but       
because ,i love him so much that ,i want
 to love him more in reconciling him to 
his true self4 ,i would destroy this    
evil deed that has come between us4 ,i  
send it away4 ,and ,i would have him    
destroy it from between us too1 by      
abjuring it utterly4  ,which comes      
nearest to the divine idea of           
forgiveness8 nearest1 though with the   
gulf between1 wherewith the heavens are 
higher than the earth8  ,for the ,divine
 creates the ,human1 has the creative   
power in excess of the ,human4 ,it is   
the ,divine forgiveness that1           
originating itself1 creates our         
forgiveness1 and therefore can do so    
much more4 ,it can take up all our      
wrongs1 small and great1 with their     

righteous attendance of griefs and      
sorrows1 and carry them away from       
between our ,god and us4  ,christ is    
,god's ,forgiveness4  ,before we        
approach a little nearer to this great  
sight1 let us consider the human        
forgiveness in a more definite          
embodiment--as between a father and a   
son4 ,for although ,god is so much more 
to us1 and comes so much nearer to us   
than a father can be or come1 yet the   
fatherhood is the last height of the    
human stair whence our understandings   
can see him afar off1 and where our     
hearts can first know that he is nigh1  
even in them4  ,there are various kinds 
and degrees of wrongdoing1 which need   
varying kinds and degrees of            
forgiveness4 ,an outburst of anger in a 
child1 for instance1 scarcely wants     
forgiveness4 ,the wrong in it may be so 
small1 that the parent has only to      
influence the child for self-restraint1 
and the rousing of the will against the 
wrong4 ,the father will not feel that   

such a fault has built up any wall      
between him and his child4 ,but suppose 
that he discovered in him a habit of sly
 cruelty towards his younger brothers1  
or the animals of the house1 how        
differently would he feel6 ,could his   
forgiveness be the same as in the former
 case8 ,would not the different evil    
require a different form of forgiveness8
 ,i mean1 would not the forgiveness have
 to take the form of that kind of       
punishment fittest for restraining1 in  
the hope of finally rooting out1 the    
wickedness8 ,could there be true love in
 any other kind of forgiveness than     
this8 ,a passing-by of the offence might
 spring from a poor human kindness1 but 
never from divine love4 ,it would not be
 remission4 ,forgiveness can never be   
indifference4 ,forgiveness is love      
towards the unlovely4  ,let us look a   
little closer at the way a father might 
feel1 and express his feelings4 ,one    
child1 the moment the fault was         
committed1 the father would clasp to his

 bosom1 knowing that very love in its   
own natural manifestation would destroy 
the fault in him1 and that1 the next    
moment1 he would be weeping4 ,the       
father's hatred of the sin would burst  
forth in his pitiful tenderness towards 
the child who was so wretched as to have
 done the sin1 and so destroy it4 ,the  
fault of such a child would then cause  
no interruption of the interchange of   
sweet affections4 ,the child is forgiven
 at once4 ,but the treatment of another 
upon the same principle would be        
altogether different4 ,if he had been   
guilty of baseness1 meanness1           
selfishness1 deceit1 self-gratulation in
 the evil brought upon others1 the      
father might say to himself3 ,i cannot  
forgive him4 ,this is beyond            
forgiveness4 ,he might say so1 and keep 
saying so1 while all the time he was    
striving to let forgiveness find its way
 that it might lift him from the gulf   
into which he had fallen4 ,his love     
might grow yet greater because of the   

wandering and loss of his son4 ,for love
 is divine1 and then most divine when it
 loves according to needs and not       
according to merits4 ,but the           
forgiveness would be but in the process 
of making1 as it were1 or of drawing    
nigh to the sinner4 ,not till his       
opening heart received the divine flood 
of destroying affection1 and his own    
affection burst forth to meet it and    
sweep the evil away1 could it be said to
 be finished1 to have arrived1 could the
 son be said to be forgiven4  ,god is   
forgiving us every day--sending from    
between him and us our sins and their   
fogs and darkness4 ,witness the shining 
of his sun and the falling of his rain1 
the filling of their hearts with food   
and gladness1 that he loves them that   
love him not4 ,when some sin that we    
have committed has clouded all our      
horizon1 and hidden him from our eyes1  
he1 forgiving us1 ere we are1 and that  
we may be1 forgiven1 sweeps away a path 
for this his forgiveness to reach our   

hearts1 that it may by causing our      
repentance destroy the wrong1 and make  
us able even to forgive ourselves4 ,for 
some are too proud to forgive           
themselves1 till the forgiveness of ,god
 has had its way with them1 has drowned 
their pride in the tears of repentance1 
and made their heart come again like the
 heart of a little child4  ,but1 looking
 upon forgiveness1 then1 as the         
perfecting of a work ever going on1 as  
the contact of ,god's heart and ours1 in
 spite and in destruction of the        
intervening wrong1 we may say that      
,god's love is ever in front of his     
forgiveness4 ,god's love is the prime   
mover1 ever seeking to perfect his      
forgiveness1 which latter needs the     
human condition for its consummation4   
,the love is perfect1 working out the   
forgiveness4 ,god loves where he cannot 
yet forgive--where forgiveness in the   
full sense is as yet simply impossible1 
because no contact of hearts is         
possible1 because that which lies       

between has not even begun to yield to  
the besom of his holy destruction4      
,some things1 then1 between the ,father 
and his children1 as between a father   
and his child1 may comparatively1 and in
 a sense1 be made light of--,i do not   
mean made light of in themselves3 away  
they must go-- inasmuch as1 evils or    
sins though they be1 they yet leave room
 for the dwelling of ,god's ,spirit in  
the heart1 forgiving and cleansing away 
the evil4 ,when a man's evil is thus    
fading out of him1 and he is growing    
better and better1 that is the          
forgiveness coming into him more and    
more4 ,perfect in ,god's will1 it is    
having its perfect work in the mind of  
the man4 ,when the man hath1 with his   
whole nature1 cast away his sin1 there  
is no room for forgiveness any more1 for
 ,god dwells in him1 and he in ,god4    
,with the voice of ,nathan1 ,thou art   
the man1 the forgiveness of ,god laid   
hold of ,david1 the heart of the king   
was humbled to the dust2 and when he    

thus awoke from the moral lethargy that 
had fallen upon him1 he found that he   
was still with ,god4 ,when ,i awake1 he 
said1 ,i am still with thee4  ,but there
 are two sins1 not of individual deed1  
but of spiritual condition1 which cannot
 be forgiven2 that is1 as it seems to   
me1 which cannot be excused1 passed by1 
made little of by the tenderness even of
 ,god1 inasmuch as they will allow no   
forgiveness to come into the soul1 they 
will permit no good influence to go on  
working alongside of them2 they shut    
,god out altogether4 ,therefore the man 
guilty of these can never receive into  
himself the holy renewing saving        
influences of ,god's forgiveness4 ,god  
is outside of him in every sense1 save  
that which springs from his creating    
relation to him1 by which1 thanks be to 
,god1 he yet keeps a hold of him1       
although against the will of the man who
 will not be forgiven4 ,the one of these
 sins is against man2 the other against 
,god4  ,the former is unforgivingness to

 our neighbour2 the shutting of him out 
from our mercies1 from our love--so from
 the universe1 as far as we are a       
portion of it--the murdering therefore  
of our neighbour4 ,it may be an         
infinitely less evil to murder a man    
than to refuse to forgive him4 ,the     
former may be the act of a moment of    
passion3 the latter is the heart's      
choice4 ,it is spiritual murder1 the    
worst1 to hate1 to brood over the       
feeling that excludes1 that1 in our     
microcosm1 kills the image1 the idea of 
the hated4 ,we listen to the voice of   
our own hurt pride or hurt affection    
7only the latter without the suggestion 
of the former1 thinketh no evil7 to the 
injury of the evil-doer4 ,in as far as  
we can1 we quench the relations of life 
between us2 we close up the passages of 
possible return4 ,this is to shut out   
,god1 the ,life1 the ,one4 ,for how are 
we to receive the forgiving presence    
while we shut out our brother from our  
portion of the universal forgiveness1   

the final restoration1 thus refusing to 
let ,god be ,all in all8 ,if ,god       
appeared to us1 how could he say1 ,i    
forgive you1 while we remained          
unforgiving to our neighbour8 ,suppose  
it possible that he should say so1 his  
forgiveness would be no good to us while
 we were uncured of our unforgivingness4
 ,it would not touch us4 ,it would not  
come near us4 ,nay1 it would hurt us1   
for we should think ourselves safe and  
well1 while the horror of disease was   
eating the heart out of us4 ,tenfold the
 forgiveness lies in the words1 ,if ye  
forgive not men their trespasses1       
neither will your heavenly ,father      
forgive your trespasses4 ,those words   
are kindness indeed4 ,god holds the     
unforgiving man with his hand1 but turns
 his face away from him4 ,if1 in his    
desire to see the face of his ,father1  
he turns his own towards his brother1   
then the face of ,god turns round and   
seeks his1 for then the man may look    
upon ,god and not die4 ,with our        

forgiveness to our neighbour1 in flows  
the ,consciousness of ,god's forgiveness
 to us2 or even with the effort1 we     
become capable of believing that ,god   
can forgive us4 ,no man who will not    
forgive his neighbour1 can believe that 
,god is willing1 yea1 wanting to forgive
 him1 can believe that the dove of      
,god's peace is hovering over a chaotic 
heart1 fain to alight1 but finding no   
rest for the sole of its foot4 ,for ,god
 to say to such a man1 ,i cannot forgive
 you1 is love as well as necessity4 ,if 
,god said1 ,i forgive you1 to a man who 
hated his brother1 and if 7as is        
impossible7 that voice of forgiveness   
should reach the man1 what would it mean
 to him8 ,how would the man interpret   
it8 ,would it not mean to him1 ,you may 
go on hating4 ,i do not mind it4 ,you   
have had great provocation1 and are     
justified in your hate8 ,no doubt ,god  
takes what wrong there is1 and what     
provocation there is1 into the account2 
but the more provocation1 the more      

excuse that can be urged for the hate1  
the more reason1 if possible1 that the  
hater should be delivered from the hell 
of his hate1 that ,god's child should be
 made the loving child that he meant him
 to be4 ,the man would think1 not that  
,god loved the sinner1 but that he      
forgave the sin1 which ,god never does4 
,every sin meets with its due           
fate--inexorable expulsion from the     
paradise of ,god's ,humanity4 ,he loves 
the sinner so much that he cannot       
forgive him in any other way than by    
banishing from his bosom the demon that 
possesses him1 by lifting him out of    
that mire of his iniquity4  ,no one1    
however1 supposes for a moment that a   
man who has once refused to forgive his 
brother1 shall therefore be condemned to
 endless unforgiveness and              
unforgivingness4 ,what is meant is1 that
 while a man continues in such a mood1  
,god cannot be with him as his friend2  
not that he will not be his friend1 but 
the friendship being all on one         

side--that of ,god--must take forms such
 as the man will not be able to         
recognize as friendship4 ,forgiveness1  
as ,i have said1 is not love merely1 but
 love conveyed as love to the erring1 so
 establishing peace towards ,god1 and   
forgiveness towards our neighbour4  ,to 
return then to our immediate text3 ,is  
the refusal of forgiveness contained in 
it a condemnation to irrecoverable      
impenitence8 ,strange righteousness     
would be the decree1 that because a man 
has done wrong-- let us say has done    
wrong so often and so much that he is   
wrong--he shall for ever remain wrong6  
,do not tell me the condemnation is only
 negative--a leaving of the man to the  
consequences of his own will1 or at most
 a withdrawing from him of the ,spirit  
which he has despised4 ,god will not    
take shelter behind such a jugglery of  
logic or metaphysics4 ,he is neither    
schoolman nor theologian1 but our       
,father in heaven4 ,he knows that that  
in him would be the same unforgivingness

 for which he refuses to forgive man4   
,the only tenable ground for supporting 
such a doctrine is1 that ,god cannot do 
more2 that ,satan has overcome2 and that
 ,jesus1 amongst his own brothers and   
sisters in the image of ,god1 has been  
less strong than the adversary1 the     
destroyer4 ,what then shall ,i say of   
such a doctrine of devils as that1 even 
if a man did repent1 ,god would not or  
could not forgive him8  ,let us look at 
the unpardonable sin1 as this mystery is
 commonly called1 and see what we can   
find to understand about it4  ,all sin  
is unpardonable4 ,there is no compromise
 to be made with it4 ,we shall not come 
out except clean1 except having paid the
 uttermost farthing4 ,but the special   
unpardonableness of those sins1 the one 
of which ,i have spoken and that which  
we are now considering1 lies in their   
shutting out ,god from his genial1 his  
especially spiritual1 influences upon   
the man4 ,possibly in the case of the   
former sin1 ,i may have said this too   

strongly2 possibly the love of ,god may 
have some part even in the man who will 
not forgive his brother1 although1 if he
 continues unforgiving1 that part must  
decrease and die away2 possibly         
resentment against our brother1 might   
yet for a time leave room for some      
divine influences by its side1 although 
either the one or the other must        
speedily yield2 but the man who denies  
truth1 who consciously resists duty1 who
 says there is no truth1 or that the    
truth he sees is not true1 who says that
 which is good is of ,satan1 or that    
which is bad is of ,god1 supposing him  
to know that it is good or is bad1      
denies the ,spirit1 shuts out the       
,spirit1 and therefore cannot be        
forgiven4 ,for without the ,spirit no   
forgiveness can enter the man to cast   
out the satan4 ,without the ,spirit to  
witness with his spirit1 no man could   
know himself forgiven1 even if ,god     
appeared to him and said so4 ,the full  
forgiveness is1 as ,i have said1 when a 

man feels that ,god is forgiving him2   
and this cannot be while he opposes     
himself to the very essence of ,god's   
will4  ,as far as we can see1 the men of
 whom this was spoken were men who      
resisted the truth with some amount of  
perception that it was the truth2 men   
neither led astray by passion1 nor      
altogether blinded by their abounding   
prejudice2 men who were not excited to  
condemn one form of truth by the love   
which they bore to another form of it2  
but men so set1 from selfishness and    
love of influence1 against one whom they
 saw to be a good man1 that they denied 
the goodness of what they knew to be    
good1 in order to put down the man whom 
they knew to be good1 because ,he had   
spoken against them1 and was ruining    
their influence and authority with the  
people by declaring them to be no better
 than they knew themselves to be4 ,is   
not this to be ,satan8 to be in hell8 to
 be corruption8 to be that which is     
damned8 ,was not this their condition   

unpardonable8 ,how1 through all this    
mass of falsehood1 could the pardon of  
,god reach the essential humanity within
 it8 ,crying as it was for ,god's       
forgiveness1 these men had almost       
separated their humanity from           
themselves1 had taken their part with   
the powers of darkness4 ,forgiveness    
while they were such was an             
impossibility4 ,no4 ,out of that they   
must come1 else there was no word of    
,god for them4 ,but the very word that  
told them of the unpardonable state in  
which they were1 was just the one form  
the voice of mercy could take in calling
 on them to repent4 ,they must hear and 
be afraid4 ,i dare not1 cannot think    
that they refused the truth1 knowing all
 that it was2 but ,i think they refused 
the truth1 knowing that it was true--not
 carried away1 as ,i have said1 by wild 
passion1 but by cold self-love1 and     
envy1 and avarice1 and ambition2 not    
merely doing wrong knowingly1 but       
setting their whole natures knowingly   

against the light4 ,of this nature must 
the sin against the ,holy ,ghost surely 
be4 ,this is the condemnation1 7not the 
sins that men have committed1 but the   
condition of mind in which they choose  
to remain17 that light is come into the 
world1 and men loved darkness rather    
than light1 because their deeds were    
evil4 ,in this sin against the ,holy    
,ghost1 ,i see no single act alone1     
although it must find expression in many
 acts1 but a wilful condition of mind1  
,as far removed from ,god and light of  
heaven1           ,as from the centre   
thrice to the utmost pole4   ,for this  
there could be no such excuse made as   
that even a little light might work     
beside it2 for there light could find no
 entrance and no room2 light was just   
what such a mind was set against1 almost
 because it was what it was4 ,the       
condition was utterly bad4  ,but can a  
man really fall into such a condition of
 spiritual depravity8  ,that is my chief
 difficulty4 ,but ,i think it may be4   

,and wiser people than ,i1 have thought 
so4 ,i have difficulty in believing it1 
,i say2 yet ,i think it must be so4 ,but
 ,i do not believe that it is a fixed1 a
 final condition4 ,i do not see why it  
should be such any more than that of the
 man who does not forgive his neighbour4
 ,if you say it is a worse offence1 ,i  
say1 ,is it too bad for the forgiveness 
of ,god8  ,but is ,god able to do       
anything more with the man8 ,or how is  
the man ever to get out of this         
condition8 ,if the ,spirit of ,god is   
shut out from his heart1 how is he to   
become better8  ,the ,spirit of ,god is 
the ,spirit whose influence is known by 
its witnessing with our spirit4 ,but may
 there not be other powers and means of 
the ,spirit preparatory to this its     
highest office with man8 ,god who has   
made us can never be far from any man   
who draws the breath of life--nay1 must 
be in him2 not necessarily in his heart1
 as we say1 but still in him4 ,may not  
then one day some terrible convulsion   

from the centre of his being1 some      
fearful earthquake from the hidden gulfs
 of his nature1 shake such a man so that
 through all the deafness of his death1 
the voice of the ,spirit may be faintly 
heard1 the still small voice that comes 
after the tempest and the earthquake8   
,may there not be a fire that even such 
can feel8 ,who shall set bounds to the  
consuming of the fire of our ,god1 and  
the purifying that dwells therein8  ,the
 only argument that ,i can think of1    
which would with me have weight against 
this conclusion1 is1 that the revulsion 
of feeling in any one who had thus      
sinned against the truth1 when once     
brought to acknowledge his sin1 would be
 so terrible that life would never more 
be endurable1 and the kindest thing ,god
 could do would be to put such a man out
 of being1 because it had been a better 
thing for him never to have been born4  
,but he who could make such a man       
repent1 could make him so sorrowful and 
lowly1 and so glad that he had repented1

 that he would wish to live ever that he
 might ever repent and ever worship the 
glory he now beheld4 ,when a man gives  
up self1 his past sins will no longer   
oppress him4 ,it is enough for the good 
of life that ,god lives1 that the       
,all-perfect exists1 and that we can    
behold him4  ,father1 forgive them1 for 
they know not what they do1 said the    
,divine1 making excuse for his          
murderers1 not after it was all over1   
but at the very moment when he was dying
 by their hands4 ,then ,jesus had       
forgiven them already4 ,his prayer the  
,father must have heard1 for he and the 
,son are one4 ,when the ,father         
succeeded in answering his prayer1 then 
his forgiveness in the hearts of the    
murderers broke out in sorrow1          
repentance1 and faith4 ,here was a sin  
dreadful enough surely-- but easy for   
our ,lord to forgive4 ,all that excuse  
for the misled populace6 ,lord ,christ  
be thanked for that6 ,that was like     
thee6 ,but must we believe that ,judas1 

who repented even to agony1 who repented
 so that his high-prized life1 self1    
soul1 became worthless in his eyes and  
met with no mercy at his own hand1--must
 we believe that he could find no mercy 
in such a ,god8 ,i think1 when ,judas   
fled from his hanged and fallen body1 he
 fled to the tender help of ,jesus1 and 
found it--,i say not how4 ,he was in a  
more hopeful condition now than during  
any moment of his past life1 for he had 
never repented before4 ,but ,i believe  
that ,jesus loved ,judas even when he   
was kissing him with the traitor's kiss2
 and ,i believe that he was his ,saviour
 still4 ,and if any man remind me of his
 words1 ,it had been good for that man  
if he had not been born1 ,i had not     
forgotten them1 though ,i know that ,i  
now offer nothing beyond a conjectural  
explanation of them when ,i say3 ,judas 
had got none of the good of the world   
into which he had been born4 ,he had not
 inherited the earth4 ,he had lived an  
evil life1 out of harmony with the world

 and its ,god4 ,its love had been lost  
upon him4 ,he had been brought to the   
very ,son of ,god1 and had lived with   
him as his own familiar friend2 and he  
had not loved him more1 but less than   
himself4 ,therefore it had been all     
useless4 ,it had been good for that man 
if he had not been born2 for it was all 
to try over again1 in some other        
way--inferior perhaps1 in some other    
world1 in a lower school4 ,he had to be 
sent down the scale of creation which is
 ever ascending towards its ,maker4 ,but
 ,i will not1 cannot believe1 ,o my     
,lord1 that thou wouldst not forgive thy
 enemy1 even when he repented1 and did  
thee right4 ,nor will ,i believe that   
thy holy death was powerless to save thy
 foe--that it could not reach to ,judas4
 ,have we not heard of those1 thine own1
 taught of thee1 who could easily       
forgive their betrayers in thy name8    
,and if thou forgivest1 will not thy    
forgiveness find its way at last in     
redemption and purification8  ,look for 

a moment at the clause preceding my     
text3 ,he that denieth me before men    
shall be denied before the angels of    
,god4 ,what does it mean8 ,does it      
mean--,ah6 you are mine1 but not of my  
sort4 ,you denied me4 ,away to the outer
 darkness8 ,not so4 ,it shall be        
forgiven to him that speaketh against   
the ,son of man2 for ,he may be but the 
truth revealed without him4 ,only he    
must have shame before the universe of  
the loving ,god1 and may need the fire  
that burneth and consumeth not4  ,but   
for him that speaketh against the       
,spirit of ,truth1 against the ,son of  
,god revealed within him1 he is beyond  
the teaching of that ,spirit now4 ,for  
how shall he be forgiven8 ,the          
forgiveness would touch him no more than
 a wall of stone4 ,let him know what it 
is to be without the ,god he hath       
denied4 ,away with him to the ,outer    
,darkness6 ,perhaps that will make him  
repent4  ,my friends1 ,i offer this as  
only a contribution towards the         

understanding of our ,lord's words4 ,but
 if we ask him1 he will lead us into all
 truth4 ,and let us not be afraid to    
think1 for he will not take it ill4     
,but what ,i have said must be at least 
a part of the truth4  ,no amount of     
discovery in his words can tell us more 
than we have discovered1 more than we   
have seen and known to be true4 ,for all
 the help the best of his disciples can 
give us is only to discover1 to see for 
ourselves4  ,and beyond all our         
discoveries in his words and being1     
there lie depths within depths of truth 
that we cannot understand1 and yet shall
 be ever going on to understand4 ,yea1  
even now sometimes we seem to have dim  
glimpses into regions from which we     
receive no word to bring away4  ,the    
fact that some things have become to us 
so much more simple than they were1 and 
that great truths have come out of what 
once looked common1 is ground enough for
 hope that such will go on to be our    
experience through the ages to come4    

,our advance from our former ignorance  
can measure but a small portion of the  
distance that lies1 and must ever lie1  
between our childishness and his        
manhood1 between our love and his love1 
between our dimness and his mighty      
vision4  ,to him ere long may we all    
come1 all children1 still children1 more
 children than ever1 to receive from his
 hand the white stone1 and in the stone 
a new name written1 which no man knoweth
 saving he that receiveth it4           
,,the ,,new ,,name4   ,to him that      
overcometh1 ,i will give a white stone1 
and in the stone a new name written1    
which no man knoweth saving he that     
receiveth it4-- ,,rev4 ii4 #ag4         
,whether the ,book of the ,revelation be
 written by the same man who wrote the  
,gospel according to ,st ,john or not1  
there is1 at least1 one element common  
to the two--the mysticism4  ,i use the  
word mysticism as representing a certain
 mode of embodying truth1 common1 in    
various degrees1 to almost all1 if not  

all1 the writers of the ,new ,testament4
 ,the attempt to define it thoroughly   
would require an essay4 ,i will hazard  
but one suggestion towards it3 ,a       
mystical mind is one which1 having      
perceived that the highest expression of
 which the truth admits1 lies in the    
symbolism of nature and the human       
customs that result from human          
necessities1 prosecutes thought about   
truth so embodied by dealing with the   
symbols themselves after logical forms4 
,this is the highest mode of conveying  
the deepest truth2 and the ,lord himself
 often employed it1 as1 for instance1 in
 the whole passage ending with the      
words1 ,if therefore the light that is  
in thee be darkness1 how great is the   
darkness6  ,the mysticism in the ,gospel
 of ,st ,john is of the simplest1 and1  
therefore1 noblest nature4 ,no dweller  
in this planet can imagine a method of  
embodying truth that shall be purer1    
loftier1 truer to the truth embodied4   
,there may be higher modes in other     

worlds1 or there may not--,i cannot     
tell2 but of all our modes these forms  
are best illustrations of the highest4  
,apparently the mysticism of ,st ,john's
 own nature enabled him to remember and 
report with sufficient accuracy the     
words of our ,lord1 always1 it seems to 
me1 of a recognizably different kind    
from those of any of the writers of the 
,new ,testament--chiefly1 perhaps1 in   
the simplicity of their poetical        
mysticism4  ,but the mysticism in the   
,book of the ,revelation is more        
complicated1 more gorgeous1 less poetic1
 and occasionally1 ,i think1 perhaps    
arbitrary1 or approaching the arbitrary2
 reminding one1 in a word1 of the       
mysticism of ,swedenborg4 ,putting aside
 both historical and literary criticism1
 in neither of which with regard to the 
authorship of these two books have ,i a 
right even to an opinion1 ,i would      
venture to suggest that possibly their  
difference in tone is just what one     
might expect when the historian of a    

mystical teacher and the recorder of his
 mystical sayings1 proceeds to embody   
his own thoughts1 feelings1 and         
inspirations2 that is1 when the         
revelation flows no longer from the lips
 of the ,master1 but through the        
disciple's own heart1 soul1 and brain4  
,for surely not the most idolatrous of  
our ,bible-worshipping brothers and     
sisters will venture to assert that the 
,spirit of ,god could speak as freely by
 the lips of the wind-swayed1 reed-like1
 rebukable ,peter1 or of the ,thomas who
 could believe his own eyes1 but neither
 the word of his brethren1 nor the      
nature of his ,master1 as by the lips of
 ,him who was blind and deaf to         
everything but the will of him that sent
 him4  ,truth is truth1 whether from the
 lips of ,jesus or ,balaam4 ,but1 in its
 deepest sense1 the truth is a condition
 of heart1 soul1 mind1 and strength     
towards ,god and towards our fellow--not
 an utterance1 not even a right form of 
words2 and therefore such truth coming  

forth in words is1 in a sense1 the      
person that speaks4 ,and many of the    
utterances of truth in the ,revelation1 
commonly called of ,st ,john1 are not   
merely lofty in form1 but carry with    
them the conviction that the writer was 
no mere trumpet of a prophecy1 but spoke
 that he did know1 and testified that he
 had seen4  ,in this passage about the  
gift of the white stone1 ,i think we    
find the essence of religion4  ,what the
 notion in the mind of the writer with  
regard to the white stone was1 is1 ,i   
think1 of comparatively little moment4  
,i take the stone to belong more to the 
arbitrary and fanciful than to the true 
mystical imagery1 although for the      
bringing out of the mystical thought in 
which it is concerned1 it is of high and
 honourable dignity4 ,for fancy itself  
will subserve the true imagination of   
the mystic1 and so be glorified4 ,i     
doubt if the writer himself associated  
any essential meaning with it4          
,certainly ,i will not allow that he had

 such a poor notion in it as that of a  
voting pebble--white1 because the man   
who receives it is accepted or chosen4  
,the word is used likewise for a        
precious stone set as a jewel4 ,and the 
writer thought of it mystically1 a mode 
far more likely to involve a reference  
to nature than to a political custom4   
,what his mystic meaning may be1 must be
 taken differently by different minds4  
,i think he sees in its whiteness       
purity1 and in its substance            
indestructibility4 ,but ,i care chiefly 
to regard the stone as the vehicle of   
the name1--as the form whereby the name 
is represented as passing from ,god to  
the man1 and what is involved in this   
communication is what ,i wish to show4  
,if my reader will not acknowledge my   
representation as ,st ,john's meaning1  
,i yet hope so to set it forth that he  
shall see the representation to be true 
in itself1 and then ,i shall willingly  
leave the interpretation to its fate4   
,i say1 in brief1 the giving of the     

white stone with the new name is the    
communication of what ,god thinks about 
the man to the man4 ,it is the divine   
judgment1 the solemn holy doom of the   
righteous man1 the ,come1 thou blessed1 
spoken to the individual4  ,in order to 
see this1 we must first understand what 
is the idea of a name1--that is1 what is
 the perfect notion of a name4 ,for1    
seeing the mystical energy of a holy    
mind here speaks of ,god as giving      
something1 we must understand that the  
essential thing1 and not any of its     
accidents or imitations1 is intended4   
,a name of the ordinary kind in this    
world1 has nothing essential in it4 ,it 
is but a label by which one man and a   
scrap of his external history may be    
known from another man and a scrap of   
his history4 ,the only names which have 
significance are those which the popular
 judgment or prejudice or humour        
bestows1 either for ridicule or honour1 
upon a few out of the many4 ,each of    
these is founded upon some external     

characteristic of the man1 upon some    
predominant peculiarity of temper1 some 
excellence or the reverse of character1 
or something which he does or has done  
well or ill enough1 or at least1        
singularly enough1 to render him1 in the
 eyes of the people1 worthy of such     
distinction from other men4 ,as far as  
they go1 these are real names1 for1 in  
some poor measure1 they express         
individuality4  ,the true name is one   
which expresses the character1 the      
nature1 the being1 the meaning of the   
person who bears it4 ,it is the man's   
own symbol1--his soul's picture1 in a   
word1--the sign which belongs to him and
 to no one else4 ,who can give a man    
this1 his own name8 ,god alone4 ,for no 
one but ,god sees what the man is1 or   
even1 seeing what he is1 could express  
in a name-word the sum and harmony of   
what he sees4 ,to whom is this name     
given8 ,to him that overcometh4 ,when is
 it given8 ,when he has overcome4 ,does 
,god then not know what a man is going  

to become8 ,as surely as he sees the oak
 which he put there lying in the heart  
of the acorn4 ,why then does he wait    
till the man has become by overcoming   
ere he settles what his name shall be8  
,he does not wait2 he knows his name    
from the first4 ,but as--although       
repentance comes because ,god           
pardons--yet the man becomes aware of   
the pardon only in the repentance2 so it
 is only when the man has become his    
name that ,god gives him the stone with 
the name upon it1 for then first can he 
understand what his name signifies4 ,it 
is the blossom1 the perfection1 the     
completion1 that determines the name2   
and ,god foresees that from the first1  
because he made it so2 but the tree of  
the soul1 before its blossom comes1     
cannot understand what blossom it is to 
bear1 and could not know what the word  
meant1 which1 in representing its own   
unarrived completeness1 named itself4   
,such a name cannot be given until the  
man is the name4  ,god's name for a man 

must then be the expression in a        
mystical word--a word of that language  
which all who have overcome             
understand--of his own idea of the man1 
that being whom he had in his thought   
when he began to make the child1 and    
whom he kept in his thought through the 
long process of creation that went to   
realize the idea4 ,to tell the name is  
to seal the success--to say1 ,in thee   
also ,i am well pleased4  ,but we are   
still in the region of symbol4 ,for     
supposing that such a form were actually
 observed between ,god and him that     
overcometh1 it would be no less a       
symbol--only an acted one4 ,we must     
therefore look deeper still for the     
fulness of its meaning4 ,up to this     
point little has been said to justify   
our expectations of discovery in the    
text4 ,let us1 ,i say1 look deeper4 ,we 
shall not look long before we find that 
the mystic symbol has for its centre of 
significance the fact of the personal   
individual relation of every man to his 

,god4 ,that every man has affairs1 and  
those his first affairs1 with ,god1     
stands to the reason of every man who   
associates any meaning or feeling with  
the words1 ,maker1 ,father1 ,god4 ,were 
we but children of a day1 with the      
understanding that some one had given us
 that one holiday1 there would be       
something to be thought1 to be felt1 to 
be done1 because we knew it4 ,for then  
our nature would be according to our    
fate1 and we could worship and die4 ,but
 it would be only the praise of the     
dead1 not the praise of the living1 for 
death would be the deepest1 the lasting1
 the overcoming4 ,we should have come   
out of nothingness1 not out of ,god4 ,he
 could only be our ,maker1 not our      
,father1 our ,origin4 ,but now we know  
that ,god cannot be the ,god of the     
dead--must be the ,god of the living2   
inasmuch as to know that we died1 would 
freeze the heart of worship1 and we     
could not say ,our ,god1 or feel him    
worthy of such worth-ship as we could   

render4 ,to him who offers unto this    
,god of the living his own self of      
sacrifice1 to him that overcometh1 him  
who has brought his individual life back
 to its source1 who knows that he is one
 of ,god's children1 this one of the    
,father's making1 he giveth the white   
stone4 ,to him who climbs on the stair  
of all his ,god-born efforts and        
,god-given victories up to the height of
 his being--that of looking face to face
 upon his ideal self in the bosom of the
 ,father--,god's him1 realized in him   
through the ,father's love in the ,elder
 ,brother's devotion--to him ,god gives 
the new name written4  ,but ,i leave    
this1 because that which follows        
embraces and intensifies this           
individuality of relation in a fuller   
development of the truth4 ,for the name 
is one which no man knoweth saving he   
that receiveth it4 ,not only then has   
each man his individual relation to     
,god1 but each man has his peculiar     
relation to ,god4 ,he is to ,god a      

peculiar being1 made after his own      
fashion1 and that of no one else2 for   
when he is perfected he shall receive   
the new name which no one else can      
understand4 ,hence he can worship ,god  
as no man else can worship him1-- can   
understand ,god as no man else can      
understand him4 ,this or that man may   
understand ,god more1 may understand    
,god better than he1 but no other man   
can understand ,god as he understands   
him4 ,god give me grace to be humble    
before thee1 my brother1 that ,i drag   
not my simulacrum of thee before the    
judgment-seat of the unjust judge1 but  
look up to thyself for what revelation  
of ,god thou and no one else canst give4
 ,as the fir-tree lifts up itself with a
 far different need from the need of the
 palm-tree1 so does each man stand      
before ,god1 and lift up a different    
humanity to the common ,father4 ,and for
 each ,god has a different response4    
,with every man he has a secret--the    
secret of the new name4 ,in every man   

there is a loneliness1 an inner chamber 
of peculiar life into which ,god only   
can enter4 ,i say not it is the         
innermost chamber--but a chamber into   
which no brother1 nay1 no sister can    
come4  ,from this it follows that there 
is a chamber also--7,o ,god1 humble and 
accept my speech7--a chamber in ,god    
himself1 into which none can enter but  
the one1 the individual1 the peculiar   
man1--out of which chamber that man has 
to bring revelation and strength for his
 brethren4 ,this is that for which he   
was made--to reveal the secret things of
 the ,father4  ,by his creation1 then1  
each man is isolated with ,god2 each1 in
 respect of his peculiar making1 can    
say1 my ,god2 each can come to him      
alone1 and speak with him face to face1 
as a man speaketh with his friend4      
,there is no massing of men with ,god4  
,when he speaks of gathered men1 it is  
as a spiritual body1 not a mass4 ,for in
 a body every smallest portion is       
individual1 and therefore capable of    

forming a part of the body4  ,see1 now1 
what a significance the symbolism of our
 text assumes4 ,each of us is a distinct
 flower or tree in the spiritual garden 
of ,god1-- precious1 each for his own   
sake1 in the eyes of him who is even now
 making us1--each of us watered and     
shone upon and filled with life1 for the
 sake of his flower1 his completed      
being1 which will blossom out of him at 
last to the glory and pleasure of the   
great gardener4 ,for each has within him
 a secret of the ,divinity2 each is     
growing towards the revelation of that  
secret to himself1 and so to the full   
reception1 according to his measure1 of 
the divine4 ,every moment that he is    
true to his true self1 some new shine of
 the white stone breaks on his inward   
eye1 some fresh channel is opened upward
 for the coming glory of the flower1 the
 conscious offering of his whole being  
in beauty to the ,maker4 ,each man1     
then1 is in ,god's sight worth4 ,life   
and action1 thought and intent1 are     

sacred4 ,and what an end lies before us6
 ,to have a consciousness of our own    
ideal being flashed into us from the    
thought of ,god6 ,surely for this may   
well give way all our paltry            
self-consciousnesses1 our               
self-admirations and self-worships6     
,surely to know what he thinks about us 
will pale out of our souls all our      
thoughts about ourselves6 and we may    
well hold them loosely now1 and be ready
 to let them go4 ,towards this result   
,st ,paul had already drawn near1 when  
he who had begun the race with a bitter 
cry for deliverance from the body of his
 death1 was able to say that he judged  
his own self no longer4  ,but is there  
not the worst of all dangers involved in
 such teaching-- the danger of spiritual
 pride8 ,if there be1 are we to refuse  
the spirit for fear of the pride8 ,or is
 there any other deliverance from pride 
except the spirit8 ,pride springs from  
supposed success in the high aim3 with  
attainment itself comes humility4 ,but  

here there is no room for ambition4     
,ambition is the desire to be above     
one's neighbour2 and here there is no   
possibility of comparison with one's    
neighbour3 no one knows what the white  
stone contains except the man who       
receives it4 ,here is room for endless  
aspiration towards the unseen ideal2    
none for ambition4 ,ambition would only 
be higher than others2 aspiration would 
be high4 ,relative worth is not only    
unknown--to the children of the kingdom 
it is unknowable4 ,each esteems the     
other better than himself4 ,how shall   
the rose1 the glowing heart of the      
summer heats1 rejoice against the       
snowdrop risen with hanging head from   
the white bosom of the snow8 ,both are  
,god's thoughts2 both are dear to him2  
both are needful to the completeness of 
his earth and the revelation of himself4
 ,god has cared to make me for himself1 
says the victor with the white stone1   
and has called me that which ,i like    
best2 for my own name must be what ,i   

would have it1 seeing it is myself4     
,what matter whether ,i be called a     
grass of the field1 or an eagle of the  
air8 a stone to build into his temple1  
or a ,boanerges to wield his thunder8 ,i
 am his2 his idea1 his making2 perfect  
in my kind1 yea1 perfect in his sight2  
full of him1 revealing him1 alone with  
him4 ,let him call me what he will4 ,the
 name shall be precious as my life4 ,i  
seek no more4  ,gone then will be all   
anxiety as to what his neighbour may    
think about him4 ,it is enough that ,god
 thinks about him4 ,to be something to  
,god--is not that praise enough8 ,to be 
a thing that ,god cares for and would   
have complete for himself1 because it is
 worth caring for--is not that life     
enough8  ,neither will he thus be       
isolated from his fellows4 ,for that we 
say of one1 we say of all4 ,it is as one
 that the man has claims amongst his    
fellows4 ,each will feel the sacredness 
and awe of his neighbour's dark and     
silent speech with his ,god4 ,each will 

regard the other as a prophet1 and look 
to him for what the ,lord hath spoken4  
,each1 as a high priest returning from  
his ,holy of ,holies1 will bring from   
his communion some glad tidings1 some   
gospel of truth1 which1 when spoken1 his
 neighbours shall receive and           
understand4 ,each will behold in the    
other a marvel of revelation1 a present 
son or daughter of the ,most ,high1 come
 forth from him to reveal him afresh4   
,in ,god each will draw nigh to each4   
,yes1 there will be danger--danger as   
everywhere2 but he giveth more grace4   
,and if the man who has striven up the  
heights should yet fall from them into  
the deeps1 is there not that fire of    
,god1 the consuming fire1 which burneth 
and destroyeth not8  ,to no one who has 
not already had some speech with ,god1  
or who has not at least felt some       
aspiration towards the fount of his     
being1 can all this appear other than   
foolishness4 ,so be it4  ,but1 ,lord1   
help them and us1 and make our being    

grow into thy likeness4 ,if through ages
 of strife and ages of growth1 yet let  
us at last see thy face1 and receive the
 white stone from thy hand4 ,that thus  
we may grow1 give us day by day our     
daily bread4 ,fill us with the words    
that proceed out of thy mouth4 ,help us 
to lay up treasures in heaven1 where    
neither moth nor rust doth corrupt4     
,,the ,,heart ,,with ,,the ,,treasure4  
,lay not up for yourselves treasures    
upon earth1 where moth and rust doth    
corrupt1 and where thieves break through
 and steal4 ,but lay up for yourselves  
treasures in heaven1 where neither moth 
nor rust doth corrupt1 and where thieves
 do not break through nor steal4 ,for   
where your treasure is1 there will your 
heart be also4--,,matt4 vi4 #ai1 #bj1   
#ba4  ,to understand the words of our   
,lord is the business of life4 ,for it  
is the main road to the understanding of
 ,the ,word himself4 ,and to receive him
 is to receive the ,father1 and so to   
have ,life in ourselves4 ,and ,life1 the

 higher1 the deeper1 the simpler1 the   
original1 is the business of life4  ,the
 ,word is that by which we live1 namely1
 ,jesus himself2 and his words          
represent1 in part1 in shadow1 in       
suggestion1 himself4 ,any utterance     
worthy of being called a truth1 is human
 food3 how much more ,the ,word1        
presenting no abstract laws of our      
being1 but the vital relation of soul   
and body1 heart and will1 strength and  
rejoicing1 beauty and light1 to ,him who
 first gave birth to them all6 ,the ,son
 came forth to be1 before our eyes and  
in our hearts1 that which he had made us
 for1 that we might behold the truth in 
him1 and cry out for the living ,god1   
who1 in the highest sense of all is ,the
 ,truth1 not as understood1 but as      
understanding1 living1 and being1 doing 
and creating the truth4 ,i am the truth1
 said our ,lord2 and by those who are in
 some measure like him in being the     
truth1 the ,word can be understood4 ,let
 us try to understand him4  ,sometimes1 

no doubt1 the ,saviour would have spoken
 after a different fashion of speech1 if
 he had come to ,englishmen1 instead of 
to ,jews4 ,but the lessons he gave would
 have been the same2 for even when      
questioned about a matter for its       
passing import1 his reply contained the 
enunciation of the great human principle
 which lay in it1 and that lies         
changeless in every variation of        
changeful circumstance4 ,with the light 
of added ages of ,christian experience1 
it ought to be easier for us to         
understand his words than it was for    
those who heard him4  ,what1 ,i ask now1
 is here the power of his word ,for3    
,for where your treasure is1 there will 
your heart be also8 ,the meaning of the 
reason thus added is not obvious upon   
its surface4 ,it has to be sought for   
because of its depth at once and its    
simplicity4 ,but it is so complete1 so  
imaginatively comprehensive1 so         
immediately operative on the conscience 
through its poetic suggestiveness1 that 

when it is once understood1 there is    
nothing more to be said1 but everything 
to be done4  ,why not lay up for        
ourselves treasures upon earth8         
,because there the moth and rust and the
 thief come4  ,and so we should lose    
those treasures6  ,yes2 by the moth and 
the rust and the thief4  ,does the ,lord
 then mean that the reason for not      
laying up such treasures is their       
transitory and corruptible nature8  ,no4
 ,he adds a ,for3 ',for where your      
treasure is1 there will your heart be   
also4'  ,of course the heart will be    
where the treasure is2 but what has that
 to do with the argument8  ,this3 that  
what is with the treasure must fare as  
the treasure2 that the heart which      
haunts the treasure-house where the moth
 and rust corrupt1 will be exposed to   
the same ravages as the treasure1 will  
itself be rusted and moth-eaten4  ,many 
a man1 many a woman1 fair and           
flourishing to see1 is going about with 
a rusty moth-eaten heart within that    

form of strength or beauty4  ,but this  
is only a figure4  ,true4 ,but is the   
reality intended1 less or more than the 
figure8 ,does not the rust and the moth 
mean more than disease8 ,and does not   
the heart mean more than the heart8     
,does it not mean a deeper heart1 the   
heart of your own self1 not of your     
body8 of the self that suffers1 not     
pain1 but misery8 of the self whose end 
is not comfort1 or enjoyment1 but       
blessedness1 yea1 ecstasy8 a heart which
 is the inmost chamber wherein springs  
the divine fountain of your being8 a    
heart which ,god regards1 though you may
 never have known its existence1 not    
even when its writhings under the       
gnawing of the moth and the slow fire of
 the rust have communicated a dull pain 
to that outer heart which sends the     
blood to its appointed course through   
your body8 ,if ,god sees that heart     
corroded with the rust of cares1 riddled
 into caverns and films by the worms of 
ambition and greed1 then your heart is  

as ,god sees it1 for ,god sees things as
 they are4 ,and one day you will be     
compelled to see1 nay1 to feel your     
heart as ,god sees it2 and to know that 
the cankered thing which you have within
 you1 a prey to the vilest of diseases1 
is indeed the centre of your being1 your
 very heart4  ,nor does the lesson apply
 to those only who worship ,mammon1 who 
give their lives1 their best energies to
 the accumulation of wealth3 it applies 
to those equally who in any way worship 
the transitory2 who seek the praise of  
men more than the praise of ,god2 who   
would make a show in the world by       
wealth1 by taste1 by intellect1 by      
power1 by art1 by genius of any kind1   
and so would gather golden opinions to  
be treasured in a storehouse of earth4  
,nor to such only1 but surely to those  
as well whose pleasures are of a more   
evidently transitory nature still1 such 
as the pleasures of the senses in every 
direction--whether lawfully or          
unlawfully indulged1 if the joy of being

 is centred in them--do these words bear
 terrible warning4 ,for the hurt lies   
not in this--that these pleasures are   
false like the deceptions of magic1 for 
such they are not3 pleasures they are2  
nor yet in this--that they pass away1   
and leave a fierce disappointment       
behind3 that is only so much the better2
 but the hurt lies in this--that the    
immortal1 the infinite1 created in the  
image of the everlasting ,god1 is housed
 with the fading and the corrupting1 and
 clings to them as its good--clings to  
them till it is infected and            
interpenetrated with their proper       
diseases1 which assume in it a form more
 terrible in proportion to the          
superiority of its kind1 that which is  
mere decay in the one becoming moral    
vileness in the other1 that which fits  
the one for the dunghill casting the    
other into the outer darkness2 creeps1  
that it may share with them1 into a     
burrow in the earth1 where its budded   
wings wither and damp and drop away from

 its shoulders1 instead of haunting the 
open plains and the high-uplifted       
table-lands1 spreading abroad its young 
pinions to the sun and the air1 and     
strengthening them in further and       
further flights1 till at last they      
should become strong to bear the        
,god-born into the presence of its      
,father in ,heaven4 ,therein lies the   
hurt4  ,he whose heart is sound because 
it haunts the treasure-house of heaven  
may be tempted of the devil1 but will be
 first led up of the ,spirit into the   
wilderness4                             
,,the ,,temptation ,,in ,,the           
,,wilderness4   ,then was ,jesus led up 
of the ,spirit into the wilderness1 to  
be tempted of the devil4 ,and when he   
had fasted forty days and forty nights1 
he was afterward an hungered4 ,and when 
the tempter came to him1 he said1 if    
thou be the ,son of ,god1 command that  
these stones be made bread4 ,but he     
answered and said1 ,it is written1 ,man 
shall not live by bread alone1 but by   

every word that proceedeth out of the   
mouth of ,god4 ,then the devil taketh   
him up into the holy city1 and setteth  
him on a pinnacle of the temple1 and    
saith unto him1 ,if thou be the ,son of 
,god1 cast thyself down2 for it is      
written1 ,he shall give his angels      
charge concerning thee1 and in their    
hands they shall bear thee up1 lest at  
any time thou dash thy foot against a   
stone4 ,jesus said unto him1 ,it is     
written again1 thou shall not tempt the 
,lord thy ,god4 ,again1 the devil taketh
 him up into an exceeding high mountain1
 and showeth him all the kingdoms of the
 world1 and the glory of them3 and saith
 unto him1 ,all these things will ,i    
give thee1 if thou wilt fall down and   
worship me4 ,then saith ,jesus unto him1
 ,get thee hence1 ,satan2 for it is     
written1 ,thou shalt worship the ,lord  
thy ,god1 and him only shalt thou serve4
 ,then the devil leaveth him2 and1      
behold1 angels came and ministered unto 
him4--,,matt4 iv4 #a-aa4  ,this         

narrative must have one of two origins4 
,either it is an invention1 such as many
 tales told of our ,lord in the earlier 
periods of ,christianity2 or it came    
from our ,lord himself1 for1 according  
to the story1 except the wild beasts1 of
 earthly presence there was none at his 
,temptation4  ,as to the former of the  
two origins3 ,the story bears upon it no
 sign of human invention4 ,the man who  
could see such things as are here       
embodied1 dared not invent such an      
embodiment for them4 ,to one in doubt   
about the matter it will be helpful1 ,i 
think1 to compare this story with the   
best of those for which one or other of 
the apocryphal gospels is our only      
authority--say the grand account of the 
,descent into ,hell in the ,gospel      
according to ,nicodemus4  ,if it have   
not this origin1 there is but the other 
that it can have-- ,our ,lord himself4  
,to this ,i will return presently4  ,and
 now1 let us approach the subject from  
another side4  ,with this in view1 ,i   

ask you to think how much ,god must know
 of which we know nothing4 ,think what  
an abyss of truth was our ,lord1 out of 
whose divine darkness1 through that     
revealing countenance1 that uplifting   
voice1 those hands whose tenderness has 
made us great1 broke all holy radiations
 of human significance4 ,think of his   
understanding1 imagination1 heart1 in   
which lay the treasures of wisdom and   
knowledge4 ,must he not have known1     
felt1 imagined1 rejoiced in things that 
would not be told in human words1 could 
not be understood by human hearts8 ,was 
he not always bringing forth out of the 
light inaccessible8 ,was not his very   
human form a veil hung over the face of 
the truth that1 even in part by dimming 
the effulgence of the glory1 it might   
reveal8 ,what could be conveyed must be 
thus conveyed3 an infinite ,more must   
lie behind4 ,and even of those things   
that might be partially revealed to men1
 could he talk to his ,father and talk  
to his disciples in altogether the same 

forms1 in altogether the same words8    
,would what he said to ,god on the      
mountain-tops1 in the dim twilight or   
the gray dawn1 never be such that his   
disciples could have understood it no   
more than the people1 when the voice of 
,god spoke to him from heaven1 could    
distinguish that voice from the         
inarticulate thunderings of the element8
  ,there is no attempt made to convey to
 us even the substance of the battle of 
those forty days4 ,such a conflict of   
spirit as for forty days absorbed all   
the human necessities of ,the ,man in   
the cares of the ,godhead could not be  
rendered into forms intelligible to us1 
or rather1 could not be in itself       
intelligible to us1 and therefore could 
not take any form of which we could lay 
hold4 ,it is not till the end of those  
forty days that the divine event begins 
to dawn out from the sacred depths of   
the eternal thought1 becomes human      
enough to be made to appear1 admits of  
utterance1 becomes capable of being     

spoken in human forms to the ears of    
men1 though yet only in a dark saying1  
which he that hath ears to hear may     
hear1 and he that hath a heart to       
understand may understand4 ,for the     
mystery is not left behind1 nor can the 
speech be yet clear unto men4  ,at the  
same moment when the approaching event  
comes within human ken1 may from afar be
 dimly descried by the ,god-upheld      
intelligence1 the same humanity seizes  
on the ,master1 and he is an hungered4  
,the first sign that he has come back to
 us1 that the strife is approaching its 
human result1 is his hunger4 ,on what a 
sea of endless life do we float1 are our
 poor necessities sustained--not the    
poorest of them dissociated from the    
divine6 ,emerging from the storms of the
 ocean of divine thought and feeling    
into the shallower waters that lave the 
human shore1 bearing with him the       
treasures won in the strife1 our ,lord  
is straightway an hungered2 and from    
this moment the temptation is human1 and

 can be in some measure understood by   
us4  ,but could it even then have been  
conveyed to the human mind in merely    
intellectual forms8 ,or1 granting that  
it might1 could it be so conveyed to    
those who were only beginning to have   
the vaguest1 most error-mingled and     
confused notions about our ,lord and    
what he came to do8 ,no4 ,the inward    
experiences of our ,lord1 such as could 
be conveyed to them at all1 could be    
conveyed to them only in a parable4 ,for
 far plainer things than these1 our     
,lord chose this form4 ,the form of the 
parable is the first in which truth will
 admit of being embodied4 ,nor is this  
all3 it is likewise the fullest2 and to 
the parable will the teacher of the     
truth ever return4 ,is he who asserts   
that the passage contains a simple      
narrative of actual events1 prepared to 
believe1 as the story1 so interpreted1  
indubitably gives us to understand1 that
 a visible demon came to our ,lord and1 
himself the prince of worldly wisdom1   

thought1 by quoting ,scripture after the
 manner of the priests1 to persuade a   
good man to tempt ,god2 thought1 by the 
promise of power1 to prevail upon him to
 cast aside every claim he had upon the 
human race1 in falling down and         
worshipping one whom he knew to be the  
adversary of ,truth1 of ,humanity1 of   
,god8 ,how could ,satan be so foolish8  
or1 if ,satan might be so foolish1      
wherein could such temptation so        
presented have tempted our ,lord8 and   
wherein would a victory over such be a  
victory for the race8  ,told as a       
parable1 it is as full of meaning as it 
would be bare if received as a          
narrative4  ,our ,lord spake then this  
parable unto them1 and so conveyed more 
of the truth with regard to his         
temptation in the wilderness1 than could
 have been conveyed by any other form in
 which the truth he wanted to give them 
might have been embodied4 ,still ,i do  
not think it follows that we have it    
exactly as he told it to his disciples4 

,a man will hear but what he can hear1  
will see but what he can see1 and1      
telling the story again1 can tell but   
what he laid hold of1 what he seemed to 
himself to understand4 ,his effort to   
reproduce the impression made upon his  
mind will1 as well as the impression    
itself1 be liable to numberless         
altering1 modifying1 even1 in a measure1
 discomposing influences4 ,but it does  
not1 therefore1 follow that the         
reproduction is false4 ,the mighty hosts
 of life-bearing worlds1 requiring for  
the freedom of their courses1 and the   
glory of their changes1 such awful      
abysses of space1 dwindle in the human  
eye to seeds of light sown upon a blue  
plain4 ,how faint in the ears of man is 
the voice of their sphere-born thunder  
of adoration6 ,yet are they lovely      
indeed1 uttering speech and teaching    
knowledge4 ,so this story may not be    
just as the ,lord told it1 and yet may  
contain in its mirror as much of the    
truth as we are able to receive1 and as 

will afford us sufficient scope for a   
life's discovery4 ,the modifying        
influences of the human channels may be 
essential to ,god's revealing mode4 ,it 
is only by seeing them first from afar  
that we learn the laws of the heavens4  
,and now arises the question upon the   
right answer to which depends the whole 
elucidation of the story3 ,how could the
 ,son of ,god be tempted8  ,if any one  
say that he was not moved by those      
temptations1 he must be told that then  
they were no temptations to him1 and he 
was not tempted2 nor was his victory of 
more significance than that of the man  
who1 tempted to bear false witness      
against his neighbour1 abstains from    
robbing him of his goods4 ,for human    
need1 struggle1 and hope1 it bears no   
meaning2 and we must reject the whole as
 a fantastic folly of crude invention2 a
 mere stage-show2 a lie for the poor    
sake of the fancied truth2 a doing of   
evil that good might come2 and1 with how
 many fragments soever of truth its mud 

may be filled1 not in any way to be     
received as a divine message4  ,but     
asserting that these were real          
temptations if the story is to be       
received at all1 am ,i not involving    
myself in a greater difficulty still8   
,for how could the ,son of ,god be      
tempted with evil--with that which must 
to him appear in its true colours of    
discord1 its true shapes of deformity8  
,or how could he then be the ,son of his
 ,father who cannot be tempted with     
evil8  ,in the answer to this lies the  
centre1 the essential germ of the whole 
interpretation3 ,he was not tempted with
 ,evil but with ,good2 with inferior    
forms of good1 that is1 pressing in upon
 him1 while the higher forms of good    
held themselves aloof1 biding their     
time1 that is1 ,god's time4 ,i do not   
believe that the ,son of ,god could be  
tempted with evil1 but ,i do believe    
that he could be tempted with good--to  
yield to which temptation would have    
been evil in him--ruin to the universe4 

,but does not all evil come from good8  
,yes2 but it has come from it4 ,it is no
 longer good4 ,a good corrupted is no   
longer a good4 ,such could not tempt our
 ,lord4 ,revenge may originate in a     
sense of justice1 but it is revenge not 
justice2 an evil thing1 for it would be 
fearfully unjust4 ,evil is evil whatever
 it may have come from4 ,the ,lord could
 not have felt tempted to take vengeance
 upon his enemies1 but he might have    
felt tempted to destroy the wicked from 
the face of the earth--to destroy them  
from the face of the earth1 ,i say1 not 
to destroy them for ever4 ,to that ,i do
 not think he could have felt tempted4  
,but we shall find illustration enough  
of what ,i mean in the matter itself4   
,let us look at the individual          
temptations represented in the parable4 
,the informing idea which led to ,st    
,matthew's arrangement seems to me      
superior to that showing itself in ,st  
,luke's4 ,in the two accounts1 the      
closes1 while each is profoundly        

significant1 are remarkably different4  
,now let us follow ,st ,matthew's       
record4  ,and we shall see how the devil
 tempted him to evil1 but not with evil4
  ,first1 ,he was hungry1 and the devil 
said1 ,make bread of this stone4  ,the  
,lord had been fasting for forty days--a
 fast impossible except during intense  
mental absorption4 ,let no one think to 
glorify this fast by calling it         
miraculous4 ,wonderful such fasts are on
 record on the part of holy men2 and    
inasmuch as the ,lord was more of a man 
than his brethren1 insomuch might he be 
farther withdrawn in the depths of his  
spiritual humanity from the outer region
 of his physical nature4 ,so much the   
slower would be the goings on of that   
nature2 and fasting in his case might   
thus be extended beyond the utmost      
limits of similar fasts in others4      
,this1 ,i believe1 was all--and this all
 infinite in its relations4 ,this is the
 grandest1 simplest1 and most           
significant1 and1 therefore1 the        

divinest way of regarding his fast4     
,hence1 at the end of the forty days1 it
 was not hunger alone that made food    
tempting to him1 but that exhaustion of 
the whole system1 wasting itself all the
 time it was forgotten1 which1 reacting 
on the mind when the mind was already   
worn out with its own tension1 must have
 deadened it so1 that 7speaking after   
the experience of his brethren1 which   
alone will explain his17 it could for   
the time see or feel nothing of the     
spiritual1 and could only believe in the
 unfelt1 the unseen4 ,what a temptation 
was here6 ,there is no sin in wishing to
 eat2 no sin in procuring food honestly 
that one may eat4 ,but it rises even    
into an awful duty1 when a man knows    
that to eat will restore the lost vision
 of the eternal2 will1 operating on the 
brain1 and thence on the mind1 render   
the man capable of hope as well as of   
faith1 of gladness as well as of        
confidence1 of praise as well as of     
patience4 ,why then should he not eat8  

,why should he not put forth the power  
that was in him that he might eat8      
,because such power was his1 not to take
 care of himself1 but to work the work  
of him that sent him4 ,such power was   
his not even to honour his ,father save 
as his ,father chose to be honoured1 who
 is far more honoured in the ordinary   
way of common wonders1 than in the      
extraordinary way of miracles4 ,because 
it was ,god's business to take care of  
him1 his to do what the ,father told him
 to do4 ,to make that stone bread would 
be to take the care out of the ,father's
 hands1 and turn the divinest thing in  
the universe into the merest commonplace
 of self-preservation4  ,and in nothing 
was he to be beyond his brethren1 save  
in faith4 ,no refuge for him1 any more  
than for them1 save in the love and care
 of the ,father4 ,other refuge1 let it  
be miraculous power or what you will1   
would be but hell to him4 ,god is       
refuge4 ,god is life4 ,was he not to eat
 when it came in his way8 ,and did not  

the bread come in his way1 when his     
power met that which could be changed   
into it8  ,regard that word changed4    
,the whole matter lies in that4 ,changed
 from what8 ,from what ,god had made it4
 ,changed into what8 ,into what he did  
not make it4 ,why changed8 ,because the 
,son was hungry1 and the ,father would  
not feed him with food convenient for   
him6 ,the ,father did not give him a    
stone when he asked for bread4 ,it was  
,satan that brought the stone and told  
him to provide for himself4 ,the ,father
 said1 ,that is a stone4 ,the ,son would
 not say1 ,that is a loaf4 ,no one      
creative fiat shall contradict another4 
,the ,father and the ,son are of one    
mind4 ,the ,lord could hunger1 could    
starve1 but would not change into       
another thing what his ,father had made 
one thing4 ,footnote3 ,there was no such
 change in the feeding of the           
multitudes4 ,the fish and the bread were
 fish and bread before4 ,i think this is
 significant as regards the true nature 

of a miracle1 and its relation to the   
ordinary ways of ,god4 ,there was in    
these miracles1 and ,i think in all1    
only a hastening of appearances2 the    
doing of that in a day1 which may       
ordinarily take a thousand years1 for   
with ,god time is not what it is with   
us4 ,he makes it4 ,and the hastening of 
a process does not interfere in the     
least with cause and effect in the      
process1 nor does it render the process 
one whit more miraculous4 ,in deed1 the 
wonder of the growing corn is to me     
greater than the wonder of feeding the  
thousands4 ,it is easier to understand  
the creative power going forth at       
once--immediately--than through the     
countless1 the lovely1 the seemingly    
forsaken wonders of the corn-field4 ,to 
the merely scientific man all this is   
pure nonsense1 or at best belongs to the
 region of the fancy4 ,the time will    
come1 ,i think1 when he will see that   
there is more in it1 namely1 a higher   
reason1 a loftier science1 how          

incorrectly soever herein indicated4    
,if we regard the answer he gave the    
devil1 we shall see the root of the     
matter at once3 ,man shall not live by  
bread alone1 but by every word that     
proceedeth out of the mouth of ,god4    
,yea even by the word which made that   
stone that stone4 ,everything is all    
right4 ,it is life indeed for him to    
leave that a stone1 which the ,father   
had made a stone4 ,it would be death to 
him to alter one word that ,he had      
spoken4  ,man shall not live by bread   
alone4 ,there are other ways of living  
besides that which comes by bread4 ,a   
man will live by the word of ,god1 by   
what ,god says to him1 by what ,god     
means between ,him and him1 by the      
truths of being which the ,father alone 
can reveal to his child1 by the         
communion of love between them4 ,without
 the bread he will die1 as men say2 but 
he will not find that he dies4 ,he will 
only find that the tent which hid the   
stars from him is gone1 and that he can 

see the heavens2 or rather1 the earthly 
house will melt away from around him1   
and he will find that he has a          
palace-home about him1 another and      
loftier word of ,god clothing upon him4 
,so the man lives by the word of ,god   
even in refusing the bread which ,god   
does not give him1 for1 instead of dying
 because he does not eat1 he rises into 
a higher life even of the same kind4    
,for ,i have been speaking of the       
consciousness of existence1 and not of  
that higher spiritual life on which all 
other life depends4 ,that of course can 
for no one moment exist save from the   
heart of ,god4 ,when a man tries to live
 by bread and not by the word that comes
 out of that heart of ,god1 he may think
 he lives1 but he begins to die or is   
dead4 ,our ,lord says1 ,i can do without
 the life that comes of bread3 without  
the life that comes of the word of my   
,father1 ,i die indeed4 ,therefore he   
does not think twice about the matter4  
,that ,god's will be done is all his    

care4 ,that done1 all will be right1 and
 all right with him1 whether he thinks  
about himself or not4 ,for the ,father  
does not forget the child who is so busy
 trusting in him1 that he cares not even
 to pray for himself4  ,in the higher   
aspect of this first temptation1 arising
 from the fact that a man cannot feel   
the things he believes except under     
certain conditions of physical          
well-being dependent upon food1 the     
answer is the same3 ,a man does not live
 by his feelings any more than by bread1
 but by the ,truth1 that is1 the ,word1 
the ,will1 the uttered ,being of ,god4  
,i am even ashamed to yield here to the 
necessity of writing what is but as milk
 for babes1 when ,i would gladly utter1 
if ,i might1 only that which would be as
 bread for men and women4 ,what ,i must 
say is this3 that1 by the ,word of ,god1
 ,i do not understand ,the ,bible4 ,the 
,bible is a ,word of ,god1 the chief of 
his written words1 because it tells us  
of ,the ,word1 the ,christ2 but         

everything ,god has done and given man  
to know is a word of his1 a will of his2
 and inasmuch as it is a will of his1 it
 is a necessity to man1 without which he
 cannot live3 the reception of it is    
man's life4 ,for inasmuch as ,god's     
utterances are a whole1 every smallest  
is essential3 he speaks no              
foolishness--there are with him no vain 
repetitions4 ,but by the word of the    
,god and not ,maker only1 who is ,god   
just because he speaks to men1 ,i must  
understand1 in the deepest sense1 every 
revelation of ,himself in the heart and 
consciousness of man1 so that the man   
knows that ,god is there1 nay1 rather1  
that he is here4 ,even ,christ himself  
is not ,the ,word of ,god in the deepest
 sense to a man1 until he is this       
,revelation of ,god to the man1--until  
the ,spirit that is the meaning in the  
,word has come to him1--until the speech
 is not a sound as of thunder1 but the  
voice of words2 for a word is more than 
an utterance-- it is a sound to be      

understood4 ,no word1 ,i say1 is fully a
 ,word of ,god until it is a ,word to   
man1 until the man therein recognizes   
,god4 ,this is that for which the word  
is spoken4 ,the words of ,god are as the
 sands and the stars1--they cannot be   
numbered2 but the end of all and each is
 this--to reveal ,god4 ,nor1 moreover1  
can the man know that any one of them is
 the word of ,god1 save as it comes thus
 to him1 is a revelation of ,god in him4
 ,it is to him that it may be in him2   
but till it is in him he cannot know    
that it was to him4 ,god must be ,god in
 man before man can know that he is     
,god1 or that he has received aright1   
and for that for which it was spoken1   
any one of his words4 ,footnote3 ,no    
doubt the humble spirit will receive the
 testimony of every one whom he reveres1
 and look in the direction indicated for
 a word from the ,father2 but till he   
thus receives it in his heart1 he cannot
 know what the word spoken of is4  ,if1 
by any will of ,god--that is1 any truth 

in him--we live1 we live by it tenfold  
when that will has become a word to us4 
,when we receive it1 his will becomes   
our will1 and so we live by ,god4 ,but  
the word of ,god once understood1 a man 
must live by the faith of what ,god is1 
and not by his own feelings even in     
regard to ,god4 ,it is the ,truth       
itself1 that which ,god is1 known by    
what goeth out of his mouth1 that man   
lives by4 ,and when he can no longer    
feel the truth1 he shall not therefore  
die4 ,he lives because ,god is true2 and
 he is able to know that he lives       
because he knows1 having once understood
 the word1 that ,god is truth4 ,he      
believes in the ,god of former vision1  
lives by that word therefore1 when all  
is dark and there is no vision4  ,we now
 come to the second attempt of the      
,enemy4 ,then if ,god is to be so       
trusted1 try him4 ,fain would ,i see the
 result4 ,shew thyself his darling4     
,here is the word itself for it3 ,he    
shall give his angels charge concerning 

thee2 not a stone shall hurt thee4 ,take
 him at his word4 ,throw thyself down1  
and strike the conviction into me that  
thou art the ,son of ,god4 ,for thou    
knowest thou dost not look like what    
thou sayest thou art4  ,again1 with a   
written word1 in return1 the ,lord meets
 him4 ,and he does not quote the        
scripture for logical purposes--to      
confute ,satan intellectually1 but as   
giving even ,satan the reason of his    
conduct4 ,satan quotes ,scripture as a  
verbal authority2 our ,lord meets him   
with a ,scripture by the truth in which 
he regulates his conduct4  ,if we       
examine it1 we shall find that this     
answer contains the same principle as   
the former1 namely this1 that to the    
,son of ,god the will of ,god is ,life4 
,it was a temptation to shew the powers 
of the world that he was the ,son of    
,god2 that to him the elements were     
subject2 that he was above the laws of  
,nature1 because he was the ,eternal    
,son2 and thus stop the raging of the   

heathen1 and the vain imaginations of   
the people4 ,it would be but to shew    
them the truth4 ,but he was the ,son of 
,god3 what was his ,father's will8 ,such
 was not the divine way of convincing   
the world of sin1 of righteousness1 of  
judgment4 ,if the ,father told him to   
cast himself down1 that moment the      
pinnacle pointed naked to the sky4 ,if  
the devil threw him down1 let ,god send 
his angels2 or1 if better1 allow him to 
be dashed to pieces in the valley below4
 ,but never will he forestall the divine
 will4 ,the ,father shall order what    
comes next4 ,the ,son will obey4 ,in the
 path of his work he will turn aside for
 no stone4 ,there let the angels bear   
him in their hands if need be4 ,but he  
will not choose the path because there  
is a stone in it4 ,he will not choose at
 all4 ,he will go where the ,spirit     
leads him4  ,i think this will throw    
some light upon the words of our ,lord1 
,if ye have faith and doubt not1 if ye  
shall say unto this mountain1 ,be thou  

removed1 and be thou cast into the sea2 
it shall be done4 ,good people1 amongst 
them ,john ,bunyan1 have been tempted to
 tempt the ,lord their ,god upon the    
strength of this saying1 just as ,satan 
sought to tempt our ,lord on the        
strength of the passage he quoted from  
the ,psalms4 ,happily for such1 the     
assurance to which they would give the  
name of faith generally fails them in   
time4 ,faith is that which1 knowing the 
,lord's will1 goes and does it2 or1 not 
knowing it1 stands and waits1 content in
 ignorance as in knowledge1 because ,god
 wills2 neither pressing into the hidden
 future1 nor careless of the knowledge  
which opens the path of action4 ,it is  
its noblest exercise to act with        
uncertainty of the result1 when the duty
 itself is certain1 or even when a      
course seems with strong probability to 
be duty4 ,footnote3 ,in the latter case 
a man may be mistaken1 and his work will
 be burned1 but by that very fire he    
will be saved4 ,nothing saves a man more

 than the burning of his work1 except   
the doing of work that can stand the    
fire4 ,but to put ,god to the question  
in any other way than by saying1 ,what  
wilt thou have me to do8 is an attempt  
to compel ,god to declare himself1 or to
 hasten his work4 ,this probably was the
 sin of ,judas4 ,it is presumption of a 
kind similar to the making of a stone   
into bread4 ,it is1 as it were1 either a
 forcing of ,god to act where he has    
created no need for action1 or the      
making of a case wherein he shall seem  
to have forfeited his word if he does   
not act4 ,the man is therein            
dissociating himself from ,god so far   
that1 instead of acting by the divine   
will from within1 he acts in ,god's     
face1 as it were1 to see what he will   
do4 ,man's first business is1 ,what does
 ,god want me to do8 not ,what will ,god
 do if ,i do so and so8 ,to tempt a     
parent after the flesh in such a manner 
would be impertinence3 to tempt ,god so 
is the same vice in its highest form--a 

natural result of that condition of mind
 which is worse than all the so-called  
cardinal sins1 namely1 spiritual pride1 
which attributes the tenderness and love
 of ,god not to man's being and man's   
need1 but to some distinguishing        
excellence in the individual himself1   
which causes the ,father to love him    
better than his fellows1 and so pass by 
his faults with a smile4 ,not thus did  
the ,son of ,god regard his relation to 
his ,father4 ,the faith which will      
remove mountains is that confidence in  
,god which comes from seeking nothing   
but his will4 ,a man who was thus       
faithful would die of hunger sooner than
 say to the stone1 ,be bread2 would meet
 the scoffs of the unbelieving without  
reply and with apparent defeat1 sooner  
than say to the mountain1 ,be thou cast 
into the sea1 even if he knew that it   
would be torn from its foundations at   
the word1 except he knew first that ,god
 would have it so4  ,and thus ,i am     
naturally brought to consider more fully

 how this should be a real temptation to
 the ,son of ,man4 ,it would be good to 
confound his adversaries2 to force      
conviction upon them that he was the    
,god-supported messenger he declared    
himself4 ,why should he have            
,adversaries a moment longer to         
interfere between him and the willing   
hearts which would believe if they      
could8 ,the answer to all this was plain
 to our ,lord1 and is plain to us now3  
,it was not the way of the ,father's    
will4 ,it would not fall in with that   
gradual development of life and history 
by which the ,father works1 and which   
must be the way to breed free1          
,god-loving wills4 ,it would be violent1
 theatrical1 therefore poor in nature   
and in result1--not ,god-like in any    
way4 ,everything in ,god's doing comes  
harmoniously with and from all the rest4
 ,son of ,man1 his history shall be a   
man's history1 shall be ,the ,man's     
history4 ,shall that begin with an      
exception8 ,yet it might well be a      

temptation to ,him who longed to do all 
he could for men4 ,he was the ,son of   
,god3 why should not the sons of ,god   
know it8  ,but as this temptation in the
 wilderness was an epitome and type of  
the temptations to come1 against which  
for forty days he had been making       
himself strong1 revolving truth beyond  
our reach1 in whose light every         
commonest duty was awful and divine1 a  
vision fit almost to oppress a ,god in  
his humiliation1 so we shall understand 
the whole better if we look at his life 
in relation to it4 ,as he refused to    
make stones bread1 so throughout that   
life he never wrought a miracle to help 
himself2 as he refused to cast himself  
from the temple to convince ,satan or   
glory visibly in his ,sonship1 so he    
steadily refused to give the sign which 
the human ,satans demanded1             
notwithstanding the offer of conviction 
which they held forth to bribe him to   
the grant4 ,how easy it seems to have   
confounded them1 and strengthened his   

followers6 ,but such conviction would   
stand in the way of a better conviction 
in his disciples1 and would do his      
adversaries only harm4 ,for neither     
could not in any true sense be convinced
 by such a show3 it could but prove his 
power4 ,it might prove so far the       
presence of a ,god2 but would it prove  
that ,god8 ,would it bring him nearer to
 them1 who could not see him in the face
 of his ,son8 ,to say ,thou art ,god1   
without knowing what the ,thou means--of
 what use is it8 ,god is a name only1   
except we know ,god4 ,our ,lord did not 
care to be so acknowledged4  ,on the    
same principle1 the very miracles which 
from their character did partially      
reveal his character to those who       
already had faith in him1 he would not  
do where unbelief predominated4 ,he     
often avoided cities and crowds1 and    
declined mighty works because of        
unbelief4 ,except for the loving help   
they gave the distressed1 revealing him 
to their hearts as the ,redeemer from   

evil1 ,i doubt if he would have wrought 
a single miracle4 ,i do not think he    
cared much about them4 ,certainly1 as   
regarded the onlookers1 he did not      
expect much to result from those mighty 
deeds4 ,a mere marvel is practically    
soon forgotten1 and long before it is   
forgotten1 many minds have begun to     
doubt the senses1 their own even1 which 
communicated it4 ,inward sight alone can
 convince of truth2 signs and wonders   
never4 ,no number of signs can do more  
than convey a probability that he who   
shews them knows that of which he       
speaks4 ,they cannot convey the truth4  
,but the vision of the truth itself1 in 
the knowledge of itself1 a something    
altogether beyond the region of signs   
and wonders1 is the power of ,god1 is   
salvation4 ,this vision was in the      
,lord's face and form to the pure in    
heart who were able to see ,god2 but not
 in his signs and wonders to those who  
sought after such4 ,yet it is easy to   
see how the temptation might for a      

moment work upon a mind that longed to  
enter upon its labours with the         
credentials of its truth4 ,how the true 
heart longs to be received by its       
brethren--to be known in its truth6 ,but
 no4 ,the truth must show itself in     
,god's time1 in and by the labour4 ,the 
kingdom must come in ,god's holy human  
way4 ,not by a stroke of grandeur1 but  
by years of love1 yea1 by centuries of  
seeming bafflement1 by aeons of labour1 
must he grow into the hearts of the sons
 and daughters of his ,father in heaven4
 ,the ,lord himself will be bound by the
 changeless laws which are the harmony  
of the ,fathers being and utterance4 ,he
 will be1 not seem4 ,he will be1 and    
thereby1 not therefore1 seem4 ,yet1 once
 more1 even on him1 the idea of         
asserting the truth in holy power such  
as he could have put forth1 must have   
dawned in grandeur4 ,the thought was    
good3 to have yielded to it would have  
been the loss of the world2 nay1 far    
worse--ill inconceivable to the human   

mind--the ,god of obedience had fallen  
from his throne1 and--all is blackness4 
,but let us not forget that the whole is
 a faint parable--faint ,i mean in      
relation to the grandeur of the reality1
 as the ring and the shoes are poor     
types 7yet how dear67 of the absolute   
love of the ,father to his prodigal     
children4  ,we shall now look at the    
third temptation4 ,the first was to help
 himself in his need2 the second1       
perhaps1 to assert the ,father2 the     
third to deliver his brethren4  ,to     
deliver them1 that is1 after the fashion
 of men--from the outside still4        
,indeed1 the whole ,temptation may be   
regarded as the contest of the seen and 
the unseen1 of the outer and inner1 of  
the likely and the true1 of the show and
 the reality4 ,and as in the others1 the
 evil in this last lay in that it was a 
temptation to save his brethren1 instead
 of doing the ,will of his ,father4     
,could it be other than a temptation to 
think that he might1 if he would1 lay a 

righteous grasp upon the reins of       
government1 leap into the chariot of    
power1 and ride forth conquering and to 
conquer8 ,glad visions arose before him 
of the prisoner breaking jubilant from  
the cell of injustice2 of the widow     
lifting up the bowed head before the    
devouring ,pharisee2 of weeping children
 bursting into shouts at the sound of   
the wheels of the chariot before which  
oppression and wrong shrunk and         
withered1 behind which sprung the       
fir-tree instead of the thorn1 and the  
myrtle instead of the brier4 ,what      
glowing visions of holy vengeance1 what 
rosy dreams of human blessedness--and   
all from his hand--would crowd such a   
brain as his6--not like the             
castles-in-the-air of the aspiring      
youth1 for he builds at random1 because 
he knows that he cannot realize2 but    
consistent and harmonious as well as    
grand1 because he knew them within his  
reach4 ,could he not mould the people at
 his will8 ,could he not1 transfigured  

in his snowy garments1 call aloud in the
 streets of ,jerusalem1 ,behold your    
,king8 ,and the fierce warriors of his  
nation would start at the sound2 the    
ploughshare would be beaten into the    
sword1 and the pruning-hook into the    
spear2 and the nation1 rushing to his   
call1 learn war yet again indeed1--a    
grand1 holy war--a crusade--no2 we      
should not have had that word2 but a war
 against the tyrants of the race--the   
best1 as they called themselves-- who   
trod upon their brethren1 and would not 
suffer them even to look to the         
heavens4--,ah6 but when were his        
garments white as snow8 ,when1 through  
them1 glorifying them as it passed1 did 
the light stream from his glorified     
body8 ,not when he looked to such a     
conquest2 but when1 on a mount like     
this1 he spake of the decease that he   
should accomplish at ,jerusalem6 ,why   
should this be the sad end of the war8  
,thou shalt worship the ,lord thy ,god1 
and him only shalt thou serve4 ,not even

 thine own visions of love and truth1 ,o
 ,saviour of the world1 shall be thy    
guides to thy goal1 but the will of thy 
,father in heaven4  ,but how would he1  
thus conquering1 be a servant of ,satan8
 ,wherein would this be a falling-down  
and a worshipping of him 7that is1 an   
acknowledging of the worth of him7 who  
was the lord of misrule and its pain8   
,i will not inquire whether such an     
enterprise could be accomplished without
 the worship of ,satan1--whether men    
could be managed for such an end without
 more or less of the trickery practised 
by every ambitious leader1 every        
self-serving conqueror--without         
double-dealing1 tact1 flattery1 finesse4
 ,i will not inquire into this1 because1
 on the most distant supposition of our 
,lord being the leader of his country's 
armies1 these things drop out of sight  
as impossibilities4 ,if these were      
necessary1 such a career for him refuses
 to be for a moment imagined4 ,but ,i   
will ask whether to know better and do  

not so well1 is not a serving of        
,satan2--whether to lead men on in the  
name of ,god as towards the best when   
the end is not the best1 is not a       
serving of ,satan2--whether to flatter  
their pride by making them conquerors of
 the enemies of their nation instead of 
their own evils1 is not a serving of    
,satan2--in a word1 whether1 to desert  
the mission of ,god1 who knew that men  
could not be set free in that way1 and  
sent him to be a man1 a true man1 the   
one man1 among them1 that his life might
 become their life1 and that so they    
might be as free in prison or on the    
cross1 as upon a hill-side or on a      
throne1--whether1 so deserting the      
truth1 to give men over to the lie of   
believing other than spirit and truth to
 be the worship of the ,father1 other   
than love the fulfilling of the law1    
other than the offering of their best   
selves the service of ,god1 other than  
obedient harmony with the primal love   
and truth and law1 freedom1-- whether1  

to desert ,god thus1 and give men over  
thus1 would not have been to fall down  
and worship the devil4 ,not all the     
sovereignty of ,god1 as the theologians 
call it1 delegated to the ,son1 and     
administered by the wisdom of the       
,spirit that was given to him without   
measure1 could have wrought the kingdom 
of heaven in one corner of our earth4   
,nothing but the obedience of the ,son1 
the obedience unto the death1 the       
absolute doing of the will of ,god      
because it was the truth1 could redeem  
the prisoner1 the widow1 the orphan4    
,but it would redeem them by redeeming  
the conquest-ridden conqueror too1 the  
stripe-giving jailer1 the unjust judge1 
the devouring ,pharisee himself with the
 insatiable moth-eaten heart4 ,the earth
 should be free because ,love was       
stronger than ,death4 ,therefore should 
fierceness and wrong and hypocrisy and  
,god-service play out their weary play4 
,he would not pluck the spreading       
branches of the tree2 he would lay the  

axe to its root4 ,it would take time2   
but the tree would be dead at           
last--dead1 and cast into the lake of   
fire4 ,it would take time2 but his      
,father had time enough and to spare4   
,it would take courage and strength and 
self-denial and endurance2 but his      
,father could give him all4 ,it would   
cost pain of body and mind1 yea1 agony  
and torture2 but those he was ready to  
take on himself4 ,it would cost him the 
vision of many sad and1 to all but him1 
hopeless sights2 he must see tears      
without wiping them1 hear sighs without 
changing them into laughter1 see the    
dead lie1 and let them lie2 see ,rachel 
weeping for her children and refusing to
 be comforted2 he must look on his      
brothers and sisters crying as children 
over their broken toys1 and must not    
mend them2 he must go on to the grave1  
and they not know that thus he was      
setting all things right for them4 ,his 
work must be one with and completing    
,god's ,creation and ,god's ,history4   

,the disappointment and sorrow and fear 
he could1 he would bear4 ,the will of   
,god should be done4 ,man should be     
free1--not merely man as he thinks of   
himself1 but man as ,god thinks of him4 
,the divine idea shall be set free in   
the divine bosom2 the man on earth shall
 see his angel face to face4 ,he shall  
grow into the likeness of the divine    
thought1 free not in his own fancy1 but 
in absolute divine fact of being1 as in 
,god's idea4 ,the great and beautiful   
and perfect will of ,god must be done4  
,get thee hence1 ,satan3 for it is      
written1 ,thou shalt worship the ,lord  
thy ,god1 and him only shalt thou serve4
  ,it was when ,peter would have        
withstood him as he set his face        
steadfastly to meet this death at       
,jerusalem1 that he gave him the same   
kind of answer that he now gave to      
,satan1 calling him ,satan too4  ,then  
the devil leaveth him1 and behold angels
 came and ministered unto him4  ,so     
saith ,st ,matthew4 ,they brought him   

the food he had waited for1 walking in  
the strength of the word4 ,he would have
 died if it had not come now4  ,and when
 the devil had ended all the temptation1
 he departed from him for a season4  ,so
 saith ,st ,luke4  ,then ,satan ventured
 once more4 ,when8  ,was it then1 when  
at the last moment1 in the agony of the 
last faint1 the ,lord cried out1 ,why   
hast thou forsaken me8 when1 having done
 the great work1 having laid it aside   
clean and pure as the linen cloth that  
was ready now to infold him1 another    
cloud than that on the mount            
overshadowed his soul1 and out of it    
came a voiceless persuasion that1 after 
all was done1 ,god did not care for his 
work or for him8  ,even in those words  
the adversary was foiled--and for ever4 
,for when he seemed to be forsaken1 his 
cry was still1 ,my ,god6 my ,god6       
,,the ,,eloi4   ,my ,god1 my ,god1 why  
hast thou forsaken me8--,,st ,,matthew  
xxvii4 #df4  ,i do not know that ,i     
should dare to approach this1 of all    

utterances into which human breath has  
ever been moulded1 most awful in import1
 did ,i not feel that1 containing both  
germ and blossom of the final devotion1 
it contains therefore the deepest       
practical lesson the human heart has to 
learn4 ,the ,lord1 the ,revealer1 hides 
nothing that can be revealed1 and will  
not warn away the foot that treads in   
naked humility even upon the ground of  
that terrible conflict between him and  
,evil1 when the smoke of the battle that
 was fought not only with garments      
rolled in blood but with burning and    
fuel of fire1 rose up between him and   
his ,father1 and for the one terrible   
moment ere he broke the bonds of life1  
and walked weary and triumphant into his
 arms1 hid ,god from the eyes of his    
,son4 ,he will give us even to meditate 
the one thought that slew him at last1  
when he could bear no more1 and fled to 
the ,father to know that he loved him1  
and was well-pleased with him4 ,for     
,satan had come at length yet again1 to 

urge him with his last temptation2 to   
tell him that although he had done his  
part1 ,god had forgotten his2 that      
although he had lived by the word of his
 mouth1 that mouth had no word more to  
speak to him2 that although he had      
refused to tempt him1 ,god had left him 
to be tempted more than he could bear2  
that although he had worshipped none    
other1 for that worship ,god did not    
care4 ,the ,lord hides not his sacred   
sufferings1 for truth is light1 and     
would be light in the minds of men4 ,the
 ,holy ,child1 the ,son of the ,father1 
has nothing to conceal1 but all the     
,godhead to reveal4 ,let us then put off
 our shoes1 and draw near1 and bow the  
head1 and kiss those feet that bear for 
ever the scars of our victory4 ,in those
 feet we clasp the safety of our        
suffering1 our sinning brotherhood4  ,it
 is with the holiest fear that we should
 approach the terrible fact of the      
sufferings of our ,lord4 ,let no one    
think that those were less because he   

was more4 ,the more delicate the nature1
 the more alive to all that is lovely   
and true1 lawful and right1 the more    
does it feel the antagonism of pain1 the
 inroad of death upon life2 the more    
dreadful is that breach of the harmony  
of things whose sound is torture4 ,he   
felt more than man could feel1 because  
he had a larger feeling4 ,he was even   
therefore worn out sooner than another  
man would have been4 ,these sufferings  
were awful indeed when they began to    
invade the region about the will2 when  
the struggle to keep consciously        
trusting in ,god began to sink in       
darkness2 when the ,will of ,the ,man   
put forth its last determined effort in 
that cry after the vanishing vision of  
the ,father3 ,my ,god1 my ,god1 why hast
 thou forsaken me8 ,never had it been so
 with him before4 ,never before had he  
been unable to see ,god beside him4 ,yet
 never was ,god nearer him than now4    
,for never was ,jesus more divine4 ,he  
could not see1 could not feel him near2 

and yet it is ,my ,god that he cries4   
,thus the ,will of ,jesus1 in the very  
moment when his faith seems about to    
yield1 is finally triumphant4 ,it has no
 feeling now to support it1 no beatific 
vision to absorb it4 ,it stands naked in
 his soul and tortured1 as he stood     
naked and scourged before ,pilate4 ,pure
 and simple and surrounded by fire1 it  
declares for ,god4 ,the sacrifice       
ascends in the cry1 ,my ,god4 ,the cry  
comes not out of happiness1 out of      
peace1 out of hope4 ,not even out of    
suffering comes that cry4 ,it was a cry 
in desolation1 but it came out of       
,faith4 ,it is the last voice of ,truth1
 speaking when it can but cry4 ,the     
divine horror of that moment is         
unfathomable by human soul4 ,it was     
blackness of darkness4 ,and yet he would
 believe4 ,yet he would hold fast4 ,god 
was his ,god yet4 ,my ,god-- and in the 
cry came forth the ,victory1 and all was
 over soon4 ,of the peace that followed 
that cry1 the peace of a perfect soul1  

large as the universe1 pure as light1   
ardent as life1 victorious for ,god and 
his brethren1 he himself alone can ever 
know the breadth and length1 and depth  
and height4  ,without this last trial of
 all1 the temptations of our ,master had
 not been so full as the human cup could
 hold2 there would have been one region 
through which we had to pass wherein we 
might call aloud upon our               
,captain-,brother1 and there would be no
 voice or hearing3 he had avoided the   
fatal spot6 ,the temptations of the     
desert came to the young1 strong man    
with his road before him and the        
presence of his ,god around him2 nay1   
gathered their very force from the      
exuberance of his conscious faith4 ,dare
 and do1 for ,god is with thee1 said the
 devil4 ,i know it1 and therefore ,i    
will wait1 returned the king of his     
brothers4 ,and now1 after three years of
 divine action1 when his course is run1 
when the old age of finished work is    
come1 when the whole frame is tortured  

until the regnant brain falls whirling  
down the blue gulf of fainting1 and the 
giving up of the ghost is at hand1 when 
the friends have forsaken him and fled1 
comes the voice of the enemy again at   
his ear3 ,despair and die1 for ,god is  
not with thee4 ,all is in vain4 ,death1 
not ,life1 is thy refuge4 ,make haste to
 ,hades1 where thy torture will be over4
 ,thou hast deceived thyself4 ,he never 
was with thee4 ,he was the ,god of      
,abraham4 ,abraham is dead4 ,whom makest
 thou thyself8 ,my ,god1 my ,god1 why   
hast thou forsaken me8 the ,master      
cries4 ,for ,god was his ,god still1    
although he had forsaken him--forsaken  
his vision that his faith might glow out
 triumphant2 forsaken himself8 no2 come 
nearer to him than ever2 come nearer1   
even as--but with a yet deeper1 more    
awful pregnancy of import--even as the  
,lord himself withdrew from the bodily  
eyes of his friends1 that he might dwell
 in their profoundest being4  ,i do not 
think it was our ,lord's deepest trial  

when in the garden he prayed that the   
cup might pass from him1 and prayed yet 
again that the will of the ,father might
 be done4 ,for that will was then       
present with him4 ,he was living and    
acting in that will4 ,but now the       
foreseen horror has come4 ,he is        
drinking the dread cup1 and the ,will   
has vanished from his eyes4 ,were that  
,will visible in his suffering1 his will
 could bow with tearful gladness under  
the shelter of its grandeur4 ,but now   
his will is left alone to drink the cup 
of ,the ,will in torture4 ,in the       
sickness of this agony1 the ,will of    
,jesus arises perfect at last2 and of   
itself1 unsupported now1 declares--a    
naked consciousness of misery hung in   
the waste darkness of the               
universe--declares for ,god1 in defiance
 of pain1 of death1 of apathy1 of self1 
of negation1 of the blackness within and
 around it2 calls aloud upon the        
vanished ,god4  ,this is the ,faith of  
the ,son of ,god4 ,god withdrew1 as it  

were1 that the perfect ,will of the ,son
 might arise and go forth to find the   
,will of the ,father4  ,is it possible  
that even then he thought of the lost   
sheep who could not believe that ,god   
was their ,father2 and for them1 too1 in
 all their loss and blindness and       
unlove1 cried1 saying the word they     
might say1 knowing for them that ,god   
means ,father and more1 and knowing now1
 as he had never known till now1 what a 
fearful thing it is to be without ,god  
and without hope8 ,i dare not answer the
 question ,i put4  ,but wherein or what 
can this ,alpine apex of faith have to  
do with the creatures who call          
themselves ,christians1 creeping about  
in the valleys1 hardly knowing that     
there are mountains above them1 save    
that they take offence at and stumble   
over the pebbles washed across their    
path by the glacier streams8 ,i will    
tell you4 ,we are and remain such       
creeping ,christians1 because we look at
 ourselves and not at ,christ2 because  

we gaze at the marks of our own soiled  
feet1 and the trail of our own defiled  
garments1 instead of up at the snows of 
purity1 whither the soul of ,christ     
clomb4 ,each1 putting his foot in the   
footprint of the ,master1 and so        
defacing it1 turns to examine how far   
his neighbour's footprint corresponds   
with that which he still calls the      
,master's1 although it is but his own4  
,or1 having committed a petty fault1 ,i 
mean a fault such as only a petty       
creature could commit1 we mourn over the
 defilement to ourselves1 and the shame 
of it before our friends1 children1 or  
servants1 instead of hastening to make  
the due confession and amends to our    
fellow1 and then1 forgetting our paltry 
self with its well-earned disgrace1 lift
 up our eyes to the glory which alone   
will quicken the true man in us1 and    
kill the peddling creature we so wrongly
 call our self4 ,the true self is that  
which can look ,jesus in the face1 and  
say ,my ,lord4  ,when the inward sun is 

shining1 and the wind of thought1       
blowing where it lists amid the flowers 
and leaves of fancy and imagination1    
rouses glad forms and feelings1 it is   
easy to look upwards1 and say ,my ,god4 
,it is easy when the frosts of external 
failure have braced the mental nerves to
 healthy endurance and fresh effort     
after labour1 it is easy then to turn to
 ,god and trust in him1 in whom all     
honest exertion gives an ability as well
 as a right to trust4 ,it is easy in    
pain1 so long as it does not pass       
certain undefinable bounds1 to hope in  
,god for deliverance1 or pray for       
strength to endure4 ,but what is to be  
done when all feeling is gone8 when a   
man does not know whether he believes or
 not1 whether he loves or not8 when art1
 poetry1 religion are nothing to him1 so
 swallowed up is he in pain1 or mental  
depression1 or disappointment1 or       
temptation1 or he knows not what8 ,it   
seems to him then that ,god does not    
care for him1 and certainly he does not 

care for ,god4 ,if he is still humble1  
he thinks that he is so bad that ,god   
cannot care for him4 ,and he then       
believes for the time that ,god loves us
 only because and when and while we love
 him2 instead of believing that ,god    
loves us always because he is our ,god1 
and that we live only by his love4 ,or  
he does not believe in a ,god at all1   
which is better4  ,so long as we have   
nothing to say to ,god1 nothing to do   
with him1 save in the sunshine of the   
mind when we feel him near us1 we are   
poor creatures1 willed upon1 not        
willing2 reeds1 flowering reeds1 it may 
be1 and pleasant to behold1 but only    
reeds blown about of the wind2 not bad1 
but poor creatures4  ,and how in such a 
condition do we generally act8 ,do we   
not sit mourning over the loss of our   
feelings8 or worse1 make frantic efforts
 to rouse them8 or1 ten times worse1    
relapse into a state of temporary       
atheism1 and yield to the pressing      
temptation8 or1 being heartless1 consent

 to remain careless1 conscious of evil  
thoughts and low feelings alone1 but too
 lazy1 too content to rouse ourselves   
against them8 ,we know we must get rid  
of them some day1 but meantime--never   
mind2 we do not feel them bad1 we do not
 feel anything else good2 we are asleep 
and we know it1 and we cannot be        
troubled to wake4 ,no impulse comes to  
arouse us1 and so we remain as we are4  
,god does not1 by the instant gift of   
his ,spirit1 make us always feel right1 
desire good1 love purity1 aspire after  
him and his will4 ,therefore either he  
will not1 or he cannot4 ,if he will not1
 it must be because it would not be well
 to do so4 ,if he cannot1 then he would 
not if he could2 else a better condition
 than ,god's is conceivable to the mind 
of ,god--a condition in which he could  
save the creatures whom he has made1    
better than he can save them4 ,the truth
 is this3 ,he wants to make us in his   
own image1 choosing the good1 refusing  
the evil4 ,how should he effect this if 

he were always moving us from within1 as
 he does at divine intervals1 towards   
the beauty of holiness8 ,god gives us   
room to be2 does not oppress us with his
 will2 stands away from us1 that we may 
act from ourselves1 that we may exercise
 the pure will for good4 ,do not1       
therefore1 imagine me to mean that we   
can do anything of ourselves without    
,god4 ,if we choose the right at last1  
it is all ,god's doing1 and only the    
more his that it is ours1 only in a far 
more marvellous way his than if he had  
kept us filled with all holy impulses   
precluding the need of choice4 ,for up  
to this very point1 for this very point1
 he has been educating us1 leading us1  
pushing us1 driving us1 enticing us1    
that we may choose him and his will1 and
 so be tenfold more his children1 of his
 own best making1 in the freedom of the 
will found our own first in its loving  
sacrifice to him1 for which in his grand
 fatherhood he has been thus working    
from the foundations of the earth1 than 

we could be in the most ecstatic worship
 flowing from the divinest impulse1     
without this willing sacrifice4 ,for    
,god made our individuality as well as1 
and a greater marvel than1 our          
dependence2 made our apartness from     
himself1 that freedom should bind us    
divinely dearer to himself1 with a new  
and inscrutable marvel of love2 for the 
,godhead is still at the root1 is the   
making root of our individuality1 and   
the freer the man1 the stronger the bond
 that binds him to him who made his     
freedom4 ,he made our wills1 and is     
striving to make them free2 for only in 
the perfection of our individuality and 
the freedom of our wills call we be     
altogether his children4 ,this is full  
of mystery1 but can we not see enough in
 it to make us very glad and very       
peaceful8  ,not in any other act than   
one which1 in spite of impulse or of    
weakness1 declares for the ,truth1 for  
,god1 does the will spring into absolute
 freedom1 into true life4  ,see1 then1  

what lies within our reach every time   
that we are thus lapt in the folds of   
night4 ,the highest condition of the    
human will is in sight1 is attainable4  
,i say not the highest condition of the 
,human ,being2 that surely lies in the  
,beatific ,vision1 in the sight of ,god4
 ,but the highest condition of the      
,human ,will1 as distinct1 not as       
separated from ,god1 is when1 not seeing
 ,god1 not seeming to itself to grasp   
him at all1 it yet holds him fast4 ,it  
cannot continue in this condition1 for1 
not finding1 not seeing ,god1 the man   
would die2 but the will thus asserting  
itself1 the man has passed from death   
into life1 and the vision is nigh at    
hand4 ,then first1 thus free1 in thus   
asserting its freedom1 is the individual
 will one with the ,will of ,god2 the   
child is finally restored to the father2
 the childhood and the fatherhood meet  
in one2 the brotherhood of the race     
arises from the dust2 and the prayer of 
our ,lord is answered1 ,i in them and   

thou in me1 that they may be made       
perfect in one4 ,let us then arise in   
,god-born strength every time that we   
feel the darkness closing1 or ,become   
aware that it has closed around us1 and 
say1 ,i am of the ,light and not of the 
,darkness4  ,troubled soul1 thou art not
 bound to feel1 but thou art bound to   
arise4 ,god loves thee whether thou     
feelest or not4 ,thou canst not love    
when thou wilt1 but thou art bound to   
fight the hatred in thee to the last4   
,try not to feel good when thou art not 
good1 but cry to ,him who is good4 ,he  
changes not because thou changest4 ,nay1
 he has an especial tenderness of love  
towards thee for that thou art in the   
dark and hast no light1 and his heart is
 glad when thou dost arise and say1 ,i  
will go to my ,father4 ,for he sees thee
 through all the gloom through which    
thou canst not see him4 ,will thou his  
will4 ,say to him3 ,my ,god1 ,i am very 
dull and low and hard2 but thou art wise
 and high and tender1 and thou art my   

,god4 ,i am thy child4 ,forsake me not4 
,then fold the arms of thy faith1 and   
wait in quietness until light goes up in
 thy darkness4 ,fold the arms of thy    
,faith ,i say1 but not of thy ,action3  
bethink thee of something that thou     
oughtest to do1 and go and do it1 if it 
be but the sweeping of a room1 or the   
preparing of a meal1 or a visit to a    
friend4 ,heed not thy feelings3 ,do thy 
work4  ,as ,god lives by his own will1  
and we live in him1 so has he given to  
us power to will in ourselves4 ,how much
 better should we not fare if1 finding  
that we are standing with our heads     
bowed away from the good1 finding that  
we have no feeble inclination to seek   
the source of our life1 we should yet   
will upwards toward ,god1 rousing that  
essence of life in us1 which he has     
given us from his own heart1 to call    
again upon him who is our ,life1 who can
 fill the emptiest heart1 rouse the     
deadest conscience1 quicken the dullest 
feeling1 and strengthen the feeblest    

will6  ,then1 if ever the time should   
come1 as perhaps it must come to each of
 us1 when all consciousness of          
well-being shall have vanished1 when the
 earth shall be but a sterile           
promontory1 and the heavens a dull and  
pestilent congregation of vapours1 when 
man nor woman shall delight us more1    
nay1 when ,god himself shall be but a   
name1 and ,jesus an old story1 then1    
even then1 when a ,death far worse than 
that phantom of grisly bone is griping  
at our hearts1 and having slain love1   
hope1 faith1 forces existence upon us   
only in agony1 then1 even then1 we shall
 be able to cry out with our ,lord1 ,my 
,god1 my ,god1 why hast thou forsaken   
me8 ,nor shall we die then1 ,i think1   
without being able to take up his last  
words as well1 and say1 ,father1 into   
thy hands ,i commend my spirit4         
,,the ,,hands ,,of ,,the ,,father4      
,father1 into thy hand ,i commend my    
spirit4--,st ,luke xxiii4 #df4  ,neither
 ,st ,matthew nor ,st ,mark tells us of 

any words uttered by our ,lord after the
 ,eloi4 ,they both1 along with ,st      
,luke1 tell us of a cry with a loud     
voice1 and the giving up of the ghost2  
between which cry and the giving up1 ,st
 ,luke records the words1 ,father1 into 
thy hands ,i commend my spirit4 ,st     
,luke says nothing of the ,eloi prayer  
of desolation4 ,st ,john records neither
 the ,eloi1 nor the ,father into thy    
hands1 nor the loud cry4 ,he tells us   
only that after ,jesus had received the 
vinegar1 he said1 ,it is finished1 and  
bowed his head1 and gave up the ghost4  
,will the ,lord ever tell us why he     
cried so8 ,was it the cry of relief at  
the touch of death8 ,was it the cry of  
victory8 ,was it the cry of gladness    
that he had endured to the end8 ,or did 
the ,father look out upon him in answer 
to his ,my ,god1 and the blessedness of 
it make him cry aloud because he could  
not smile8 ,was such his condition now  
that the greatest gladness of the       
universe could express itself only in a 

loud cry8 ,or was it but the last wrench
 of pain ere the final repose began8 ,it
 may have been all in one4 ,but never   
surely in all books1 in all words of    
thinking men1 can there be so much      
expressed as lay unarticulated in that  
cry of the ,son of ,god4 ,now had he    
made his ,father ,lord no longer in the 
might of making and loving alone1 but   
,lord in right of devotion and deed of  
love4 ,now should inward sonship and the
 spirit of glad sacrifice be born in the
 hearts of men2 for the divine obedience
 was perfected by suffering4 ,he had    
been amongst his brethren what he would 
have his brethren be4 ,he had done for  
them what he would have them do for ,god
 and for each other4 ,god was henceforth
 inside and beneath them1 as well as    
around and above them1 suffering with   
them and for them1 giving them all he   
had1 his very life-being1 his essence of
 existence1 what best he loved1 what    
best he was4 ,he had been among them1   
their ,god-brother4 ,and the mighty     

story ends with a cry4  ,then the cry   
meant1 ,it is finished2 the cry meant1  
,father1 into thy hands ,i commend my   
spirit4 ,every highest human act is just
 a giving back to ,god of that which he 
first gave to us4 ,thou ,god hast given 
me3 here again is thy gift4 ,i send my  
spirit home4 ,every act of worship is a 
holding up to ,god of what ,god hath    
made us4 ,here1 ,lord1 look what ,i have
 got3 feel with me in what thou hast    
made me1 in this thy own bounty1 my     
being4 ,i am thy child1 and know not how
 to thank thee save by uplifting the    
heave-offering of the overflowing of thy
 life1 and calling aloud1 ',it is thine3
 it is mine4 ,i am thine1 and therefore 
,i am mine4' ,the vast operations of the
 spiritual as of the physical world1 are
 simply a turning again to the source4  
,the last act of our ,lord in thus      
commending his spirit at the close of   
his life1 was only a summing up of what 
he had been doing all his life4 ,he had 
been offering this sacrifice1 the       

sacrifice of himself1 all the years1 and
 in thus sacrificing he had lived the   
divine life4 ,every morning when he went
 out ere it was day1 every evening when 
he lingered on the night-lapt mountain  
after his friends were gone1 he was     
offering himself to his ,father in the  
communion of loving words1 of high      
thoughts1 of speechless feelings2 and1  
between1 he turned to do the same thing 
in deed1 namely1 in loving word1 in     
helping thought1 in healing action      
towards his fellows2 for the way to     
worship ,god while the daylight lasts is
 to work2 the service of ,god1 the only 
divine service1 is the helping of our   
fellows4  ,i do not seek to point out   
this commending of our spirits to the   
,father as a duty3 that is to turn the  
highest privilege we possess into a     
burden grievous to be borne4 ,but ,i    
want to shew that it is the simplest    
blessedest thing in the human world4    
,for the ,human ,being may say thus with
 himself3 ,am ,i going to sleep--to lose

 consciousness--to be helpless for a    
time--thoughtless--dead8 ,or1 more awful
 consideration1 in the dreams that may  
come may ,i not be weak of will and     
scant of conscience8--,father1 into thy 
hands ,i commend my spirit4 ,i give     
myself back to thee4 ,take me1 soothe   
me1 refresh me1 'make me over again4'   
,am ,i going out into the business and  
turmoil of the day1 where so many       
temptations may come to do less         
honourably1 less faithfully1 less       
kindly1 less diligently than the ,ideal 
,man would have me do8--,father1 into   
thy hands4 ,am ,i going to do a good    
deed8 ,then1 of all times1--,father1    
into thy hands2 lest the enemy should   
have me now4 ,am ,i going to do a hard  
duty1 from which ,i would gladly be     
turned aside1--to refuse a friend's     
request1 to urge a neighbour's          
conscience8--,father1 into thy hands ,i 
commend my spirit4 ,am ,i in pain8 ,is  
illness coming upon me to shut out the  
glad visions of a healthy brain1 and    

bring me such as are troubled and       
untrue8--,take my spirit1 ,lord1 and    
see1 as thou art wont1 that it has no   
more to bear than it can bear4 ,am ,i   
going to die8 ,thou knowest1 if only    
from the cry of thy ,son1 how terrible  
that is2 and if it comes not to me in so
 terrible a shape as that in which it   
came to him1 think how poor to bear ,i  
am beside him4 ,i do not know what the  
struggle means2 for1 of the thousands   
who pass through it every day1 not one  
enlightens his neighbour left behind2   
but shall ,i not long with agony for one
 breath of thy air1 and not receive it8 
shall ,i not be torn asunder with       
dying8--,i will question no more3       
,father1 into thy hands ,i commend my   
spirit4 ,for it is thy business1 not    
mine4 ,thou wilt know every shade of my 
suffering2 thou wilt care for me with   
thy perfect fatherhood2 for that makes  
my sonship1 and inwraps and infolds it4 
,as a child ,i could bear great pain    
when my father was leaning over me1 or  

had his arm about me3 how much nearer my
 soul cannot thy hands come6--yea1 with 
a comfort1 father of me1 that ,i have   
never yet even imagined2 for how shall  
my imagination overtake thy swift heart8
 ,i care not for the pain1 so long as my
 spirit is strong1 and into thy hands ,i
 commend that spirit4 ,if thy love1     
which is better than life1 receive it1  
then surely thy tenderness will make it 
great4  ,thus may the ,human ,being say 
with himself4  ,think1 brothers1 think1 
sisters1 we walk in the air of an       
eternal fatherhood4 ,every uplifting of 
the heart is a looking up to ,the       
,father4 ,graciousness and truth are    
around1 above1 beneath us1 yea1 in us4  
,when we are least worthy1 then1 most   
tempted1 hardest1 unkindest1 let us yet 
commend our spirits into his hands4     
,whither else dare we send them8 ,how   
the earthly father would love a child   
who would creep into his room with      
angry1 troubled face1 and sit down at   
his feet1 saying when asked what he     

wanted3 ,i feel so naughty1 papa1 and ,i
 want to get good6 ,would he say to his 
child3 ,how dare you6 ,go away1 and be  
good1 and then come to me8 ,and shall we
 dare to think ,god would send us away  
if we came thus1 and would not be       
pleased that we came1 even if we were   
angry as ,jonah8 ,would we not let all  
the tenderness of our nature flow forth 
upon such a child8 ,and shall we dare to
 think that if we being evil know how to
 give good gifts to our children1 ,god  
will not give us his own spirit when we 
come to ask him8 ,will not some heavenly
 dew descend cool upon the hot anger8   
some genial rain-drop on the dry        
selfishness8 some glance of sunlight on 
the cloudy hopelessness8 ,bread1 at     
least1 will be given1 and not a stone2  
water1 at least1 will be sure1 and not  
vinegar mingled with gall4  ,nor is     
there anything we can ask for ourselves 
that we may not ask for another4 ,we may
 commend any brother1 any sister1 to the
 common fatherhood4 ,and there will be  

moments when1 filled with that spirit   
which is the ,lord1 nothing will ease   
our hearts of their love but the        
commending of all men1 all our brothers1
 all our sisters1 to the one ,father4   
,nor shall we ever know that repose in  
the ,father's hands1 that rest of the   
,holy ,sepulchre1 which the ,lord knew  
when the agony of death was over1 when  
the storm of the world died away behind 
his retiring spirit1 and he entered the 
regions where there is only life1 and   
therefore all that is not music is      
silence1 7for all noise comes of the    
conflict of ,life and ,death7--we shall 
never be able1 ,i say1 to rest in the   
bosom of the ,father1 till the          
fatherhood is fully revealed to us in   
the love of the brothers4 ,for he cannot
 be our father save as he is their      
father2 and if we do not see him and    
feel him as their father1 we cannot know
 him as ours4 ,never shall we know him  
aright until we rejoice and exult for   
our race that he is the ,father4 ,he    

that loveth not his brother whom he hath
 seen1 how can he love ,god whom he hath
 not seen8 ,to rest1 ,i say1 at last1   
even in those hands into which the ,lord
 commended his spirit1 we must have     
learned already to love our neighbour as
 ourselves4                             
,,love ,,thy ,,neighbour    ,thou shalt 
love thy neighbor as thyself4--,,st     
,,matthew xxii4 #ci4  ,the original here
 quoted by our ,lord is to be found in  
the words of ,god to ,moses1 7,leviticus
 xix4 #ah37 ,thou shalt not avenge1 nor 
bear any grudge against the children of 
thy people1 but thou shalt love thy     
neighbour as thyself3 ,i am the ,lord   
,our ,lord never thought of being       
original4 ,the older the saying the     
better1 if it utters the truth he wants 
to utter4 ,in him it becomes fact3 ,the 
,word was made flesh4 ,and so1 in the   
wondrous meeting of extremes1 the words 
he spoke were no more words1 but spirit 
and life4  ,the same words are twice    
quoted by ,st ,paul1 and once by ,st    

,james1 always in a similar mode3 ,love 
they represent as the fulfilling of the 
law4  ,is the converse true then8 ,is   
the fulfilling of the law love8 ,the    
apostle ,paul says3 ,love worketh no ill
 to his neighbour1 therefore love is the
 fulfilling of the law4 ,does it follow 
that working no ill is love8 ,love will 
fulfil the law3 will the law fulfil     
love8 ,no1 verily4 ,if a man keeps the  
law1 ,i know he is a lover of his       
neighbour4 ,but he is not a lover       
because he keeps the law3 he keeps the  
law because he is a lover4 ,no heart    
will be content with the law for love4  
,the law cannot fulfil love4  ,but1 at  
least1 the law will be able to fulfil   
itself1 though it reaches not to love4  
,i do not believe it4 ,i am certain that
 it is impossible to keep the law       
towards one's neighbour except one loves
 him4 ,the law itself is infinite1      
reaching to such delicacies of action1  
that the man who tries most will be the 
man most aware of defeat4 ,we are not   

made for law1 but for love4 ,love is    
law1 because it is infinitely more than 
law4 ,it is of an altogether higher     
region than law--is1 in fact1 the       
creator of law4 ,had it not been for    
love1 not one of the shall-nots of the  
law would have been uttered4 ,true1 once
 uttered1 they shew themselves in the   
form of justice1 yea1 even in the       
inferior and worldly forms of prudence  
and self-preservation2 but it was love  
that spoke them first4 ,were there no   
love in us1 what sense of justice could 
we have8 ,would not each be filled with 
the sense of his own wants1 and be for  
ever tearing to himself8 ,i do not say  
it is conscious love that breeds        
justice1 but ,i do say that without love
 in our nature justice would never be   
born4 ,for ,i do not call that justice  
which consists only in a sense of our   
own rights4 ,true1 there are poor and   
withered forms of love which are        
immeasurably below justice now2 but even
 now they are of speechless worth1 for  

they will grow into that which will     
supersede1 because it will necessitate1 
justice4  ,of what use then is the law8 
,to lead us to ,christ1 the ,truth1--to 
waken in our minds a sense of what our  
deepest nature1 the presence1 namely1 of
 ,god in us1 requires of us1--to let us 
know1 in part by failure1 that the      
purest effort of will of which we are   
capable cannot lift us up even to the   
abstaining from wrong to our neighbour4 
,what man1 for instance1 who loves not  
his neighbour and yet wishes to keep the
 law1 will dare be confident that never 
by word1 look1 tone1 gesture1 silence1  
will he bear false witness against that 
neighbour8 ,what man can judge his      
neighbour aright save him whose love    
makes him refuse to judge him8          
,therefore are we told to love1 and not 
judge4 ,it is the sole justice of which 
we are capable1 and that perfected will 
comprise all justice4 ,nay more1 to     
refuse our neighbour love1 is to do him 
the greatest wrong4 ,but of this        

afterwards4 ,in order to fulfil the     
commonest law1 ,i repeat1 we must rise  
into a loftier region altogether1 a     
region that is above law1 because it is 
spirit and life and makes the law3 in   
order to keep the law towards our       
neighbour1 we must love our neighbour4  
,we are not made for law1 but for       
grace--or for faith1 to use another word
 so much misused4 ,we are made on too   
large a scale altogether to have any    
pure relation to mere justice1 if indeed
 we can say there is such a thing4 ,it  
is but an abstract idea which1 in       
reality1 will not be abstracted4 ,the   
law comes to make us long for the       
needful grace1--that is1 for the divine 
condition1 in which love is all1 for    
,god is ,love4  ,though the fulfilling  
of the law is the practical form love   
will take1 and the neglect of it is the 
conviction of lovelessness2 though it is
 the mode in which a man's will must    
begin at once to be love to his         
neighbour1 yet1 that our ,lord meant by 

the love of our neighbour2 not the      
fulfilling of the law towards him1 but  
that condition of being which results in
 the fulfilling of the law and more1 is 
sufficiently clear from his story of the
 good ,samaritan4 ,who is my neighbour8 
said the lawyer4 ,and the ,lord taught  
him that every one to whom he could be  
or for whom he could do anything was his
 neighbour1 therefore1 that each of the 
race1 as he comes within the touch of   
one tentacle of our nature1 is our      
neighbour4 ,which of the inhibitions of 
the law is illustrated in the tale8 ,not
 one4 ,the love that is more than law1  
and renders its breach impossible1 lives
 in the endless story1 coming out in    
active kindness1 that is1 the           
recognition of kin1 of kind1 of         
nighness1 of neighbourhood2 yea1 in     
tenderness and loving-kindness-- the    
,samaritan-heart akin to the ,jew-heart1
 the ,samaritan hands neighbours to the 
,jewish wounds4  ,thou shalt love thy   
neighbour as thyself4  ,so direct and   

complete is this parable of our ,lord1  
that one becomes almost ashamed of      
further talk about it4 ,suppose a man of
 the company had put the same question  
to our ,lord that we have been          
considering1 had said1 ,but ,i may keep 
the law and yet not love my neighbour1  
would he not have returned3 ,keep thou  
the law thus1 not in the letter1 but in 
the spirit1 that is1 in the truth of    
action1 and thou wilt soon find1 ,o     
,jew1 that thou lovest thy ,samaritan8  
,and yet1 when thoughts and questions   
arise in our minds1 he desires that we  
should follow them4 ,he will not check  
us with a word of heavenly wisdom       
scornfully uttered4 ,he knows that not  
even his words will apply to every      
question of the willing soul2 and we    
know that his spirit will reply4 ,when  
we want to know more1 that more will be 
there for us4 ,not every man1 for       
instance1 finds his neighbour in need of
 help1 and he would gladly hasten the   
slow results of opportunity by true     

thinking4 ,thus would we be ready for   
further teaching from that ,spirit who  
is the ,lord4  ,but how1 says a man1 who
 is willing to recognize the universal  
neighbourhead1 but finds himself unable 
to fulfil the bare law towards the woman
 even whom he loves best1--,how am ,i   
then to rise into that higher region1   
that empyrean of love8 ,and1 beginning  
straightway to try to love his          
neighbour1 he finds that the empyrean of
 which he spoke is no more to be reached
 in itself than the law was to be       
reached in itself4 ,as he cannot keep   
the law without first rising into the   
love of his neighbour1 so he cannot love
 his neighbour without first rising     
higher still4 ,the whole system of the  
universe works upon this law--the       
driving of things upward towards the    
centre4 ,the man who will love his      
neighbour can do so by no immediately   
operative exercise of the will4 ,it is  
the man fulfilled of ,god from whom he  
came and by whom he is1 who alone can as

 himself love his neighbour who came    
from ,god too and is by ,god too4 ,the  
mystery of individuality and consequent 
relation is deep as the beginnings of   
humanity1 and the questions thence      
arising can be solved only by him who   
has1 practically1 at least1 solved the  
holy necessities resulting from his     
origin4 ,in ,god alone can man meet man4
 ,in him alone the converging lines of  
existence touch and cross not4 ,when the
 mind of ,christ1 the life of the ,head1
 courses through that atom which the man
 is of the slowly revivifying body1 when
 he is alive too1 then the love of the  
brothers is there as conscious life4    
,from ,christ through the neighbours    
comes the life that makes him a part of 
the body4  ,it is possible to love our  
neighbour as ourselves4 ,our ,lord never
 spoke hyperbolically1 although1 indeed1
 that is the supposition on which many  
unconsciously interpret his words1 in   
order to be able to persuade themselves 
that they believe them4 ,we may see that

 it is possible before we attain to it2 
for our perceptions of truth are always 
in advance of our condition4 ,true1 no  
man can see it perfectly until he is it2
 but we must see it1 that we may be it4 
,a man who knows that he does not yet   
love his neighbour as himself may       
believe in such a condition1 may even   
see that there is no other goal of human
 perfection1 nothing else to which the  
universe is speeding1 propelled by the  
,father's will4 ,let him labour on1 and 
not faint at the thought that ,god's day
 is a thousand years3 his millennium is 
likewise one day--yea1 this day1 for we 
have him1 ,the ,love1 in us1 working    
even now the far end4  ,but while it is 
true that only when a man loves ,god    
with all his heart1 will he love his    
neighbour as himself1 yet there are     
mingled processes in the attainment of  
this final result4 ,let us try to aid   
such operation of truth by looking      
farther4 ,let us suppose that the man   
who believes our ,lord both meant what  

he said1 and knew the truth of the      
matter1 proceeds to endeavour obedience 
in this of loving his neighbour as      
himself4 ,he begins to think about his  
neighbours generally1 and he tries to   
feel love towards them4 ,he finds at    
once that they begin to classify        
themselves4 ,with some he feels no      
difficulty1 for he loves them already1  
not indeed because they are1 but because
 they have1 by friendly qualities1 by   
showing themselves lovable1 that is     
loving1 already1 moved his feelings as  
the wind moves the waters1 that is      
without any self-generated action on his
 part4 ,and he feels that this is       
nothing much to the point2 though1 of   
course1 he would be farther from the    
desired end if he had none such to love1
 and farther still if he loved none     
such4 ,he recalls the words of our      
,lord1 ,if ye love them which love you1 
what reward have ye8 and his mind fixes 
upon--let us say--one of a second class1
 and he tries to love him4 ,the man is  

no enemy--we have not come to that class
 of neighbours yet--but he is dull1     
uninteresting--in a negative way1 he    
thinks1 unlovable4 ,what is he to do    
with him8 ,with all his effort1 he finds
 the goal as far off as ever4           
,naturally1 in his failure1 the question
 arises1 ,is it my duty to love him who 
is unlovable8  ,certainly not1 if he is 
unlovable4 ,but that is a begging of the
 question4  ,thereupon the man falls    
back on the primary foundation of       
things1 and asks--  ,how1 then1 is the  
man to be loved by me8 ,why should ,i   
love my neighbour as myself8  ,we must  
not answer ,because the ,lord says so4  
,it is because the ,lord says so that   
the man is inquiring after some help to 
obey4 ,no man can love his neighbour    
merely because the ,lord says so4 ,the  
,lord says so because it is right and   
necessary and natural1 and the man wants
 to feel it thus right and necessary and
 natural4 ,although the ,lord would be  
pleased with any man for doing a thing  

because he said it1 he would show his   
pleasure by making the man more and more
 dissatisfied until he knew why the     
,lord had said it4 ,he would make him   
see that he could not in the deepest    
sense--in the way the ,lord loves--obey 
any command until he saw the            
reasonableness of it4 ,observe ,i do not
 say the man ought to put off obeying   
the command until he see its            
reasonableness3 that is another thing   
quite1 and does not lie in the scope of 
my present supposition4 ,it is a        
beautiful thing to obey the rightful    
source of a command3 it is a more       
beautiful thing to worship the radiant  
source of our light1 and it is for the  
sake of obedient vision that our ,lord  
commands us4 ,for then our heart meets  
his3 we see ,god4  ,let me represent in 
the form of a conversation what might   
pass in the man's mind on the opposing  
sides of the question4--,why should ,i  
love my neighbour8  ,he is the same as  
,i1 and therefore ,i ought to love him4 

,why8 ,i am ,i4 ,he is he4  ,he has the 
same thoughts1 feelings1 hopes1 sorrows1
 joys1 as ,i4  ,yes2 but why should ,i  
love him for that8 ,he must mind his1 ,i
 can only do with mine4  ,he has the    
same consciousness as ,i have4 ,as      
things look to me1 so things look to    
him4  ,yes2 but ,i cannot get into his  
consciousness1 nor he into mine4 ,i feel
 myself1 ,i do not feel him4 ,my life   
flows through my veins1 not through his4
 ,the world shines into my              
consciousness1 and ,i am not conscious  
of his consciousness4 ,i wish ,i could  
love him1 but ,i do not see why4 ,i am  
an individual2 he is an individual4 ,my 
self must be closer to me than he can   
be4 ,two bodies keep me apart from his  
self4 ,i am isolated with myself4  ,now1
 here lies the mistake at last4 ,while  
the thinker supposes a duality in       
himself which does not exist1 he falsely
 judges the individuality a separation4 
,on the contrary1 it is the sole        
possibility and very bond of love4      

,otherness is the essential ground of   
affection4 ,but in spiritual things1    
such a unity is pre-supposed in the very
 contemplation of them by the spirit of 
man1 that wherever anything does not    
exist that ought to be there1 the space 
it ought to occupy1 even if but a blank1
 assumes the appearance of a separating 
gulf4 ,the negative looks a positive4   
,where a man does not love1 the         
not-loving must seem rational4 ,for no  
one loves because he sees why1 but      
because he loves4 ,no human reason can  
be given for the highest necessity of   
divinely created existence4 ,for reasons
 are always from above downwards4 ,a man
 must just feel this necessity1 and then
 questioning is over4 ,it justifies     
itself4 ,but he who has not felt has it 
not to argue about4 ,he has but its     
phantom1 which he created himself in a  
vain effort to understand1 and which he 
supposes to be it4 ,love cannot be      
argued about in its absence1 for there  
is no reflex1 no symbol of it near      

enough to the fact of it1 to admit of   
just treatment by the algebra of the    
reason or imagination4 ,indeed1 the very
 talking about it raises a mist between 
the mind and the vision of it4 ,but let 
a man once love1 and all those          
difficulties which appeared opposed to  
love1 will just be so many arguments for
 loving4  ,let a man once find another  
who has fallen among thieves2 let him be
 a neighbour to him1 pouring oil and    
wine into his wounds1 and binding them  
up1 and setting him on his own beast1   
and paying for him at the inn2 let him  
do all this merely from a sense of duty2
 let him even1 in the pride of his      
fancied1 and the ignorance of his true  
calling1 bate no jot of his ,jewish     
superiority2 let him condescend to the  
very baseness of his own lowest nature2 
yet such will be the virtue of obeying  
an eternal truth even to his poor       
measure1 of putting in actuality what he
 has not even seen in theory1 of doing  
the truth even without believing it1    

that even if the truth does not after   
the deed give the faintest glimmer as   
truth in the man1 he will yet be ages   
nearer the truth than before1 for he    
will go on his way loving that          
,samaritan neighbour a little more than 
his ,jewish dignity will justify4 ,nor  
will he question the reasonableness of  
so doing1 although he may not care to   
spend any logic upon its support4 ,how  
much more if he be a man who would love 
his neighbour if he could1 will the     
higher condition unsought have been     
found in the action6 ,for man is a      
whole2 and so soon as he unites himself 
by obedient action1 the truth that is in
 him makes itself known to him1 shining 
from the new whole4 ,for his action is  
his response to his maker's design1 his 
individual part in the creation of      
himself1 his yielding to the ,all in    
all1 to the tides of whose harmonious   
cosmoplastic life all his being         
thenceforward lies open for             
interpenetration and assimilation4 ,when

 will once begins to aspire1 it will    
soon find that action must precede      
feeling1 that the man may know the      
foundation itself of feeling4  ,with    
those who recognize no authority as the 
ground of tentative action1 a doubt1 a  
suspicion of truth ought to be ground   
enough for putting it to the test4  ,the
 whole system of divine education as    
regards the relation of man and man1 has
 for its end that a man should love his 
neighbour as himself4 ,it is not a      
lesson that he can learn by itself1 or a
 duty the obligation of which can be    
shown by argument1 any more than the    
difference between right and wrong can  
be defined in other terms than their    
own4  ,but that difference1 it may be   
objected1 manifests itself of itself to 
every mind3 it is self-evident2 whereas 
the loving of one's neighbour is not    
seen to be a primary truth2 so far from 
it1 that far the greater number of those
 who hope for an eternity of blessedness
 through him who taught it1 do not      

really believe it to be a truth2        
believe1 on the contrary1 that the      
paramount obligation is to take care of 
one's self at much risk of forgetting   
one's neighbour4  ,but the human race   
generally has got as far as the         
recognition of right and wrong2 and     
therefore most men are born capable of  
making the distinction4 ,the race has   
not yet lived long enough for its latest
 offspring to be born with the          
perception of the truth of love to the  
neighbour4 ,it is to be seen by the     
present individual only after a long    
reception of and submission to the      
education of life4 ,and once seen1 it is
 believed4  ,the whole constitution of  
human society exists for the express    
end1 ,i say1 of teaching the two truths 
by which man lives1 ,love to ,god and   
,love to ,man4 ,i will say nothing more 
of the mysteries of the parental        
relation1 because they belong to the    
teaching of the former truth1 than that 
we come into the world as we do1 to look

 up to the love over us1 and see in it a
 symbol1 poor and weak1 yet the best we 
can have or receive of the divine love4 
,footnote3 ,it might be expressed after 
a deeper and truer fashion by saying    
that1 ,god making human affairs after   
his own thoughts1 they are therefore    
such as to be the best teachers of love 
to him and love to our neighbour4 ,this 
is an immeasurably nobler and truer     
manner of regarding them than as a      
scheme or plan invented by the divine   
intellect4 ,and thousands more would    
find it easy to love ,god if they had   
not such miserable types of him in the  
self-seeking1 impulse-driven1           
purposeless1 faithless beings who are   
all they have for father and mother1 and
 to whom their children are no dearer   
than her litter is to the unthinking    
dam4 ,what ,i want to speak of now1 with
 regard to the second great commandment1
 is the relation of brotherhood and     
sisterhood4 ,why does my brother come of
 the same father and mother8 ,why do ,i 

behold the helplessness and confidence  
of his infancy8 ,why is the infant laid 
on the knee of the child8 ,why do we    
grow up with the same nurture8 ,why do  
we behold the wonder of the sunset and  
the mystery of the growing moon         
together8 ,why do we share one bed1 join
 in the same games1 and attempt the same
 exploits8 ,why do we quarrel1 vow      
revenge and silence and endless enmity1 
and1 unable to resist the brotherhood   
within us1 wind arm in arm and forget   
all within the hour8 ,is it not that    
,love may grow lord of all between him  
and me8 ,is it not that ,i may feel     
towards him what there are no words or  
forms of words to express-- a love      
namely1 in which the divine self rushes 
forth in utter self-forgetfulness to    
live in the contemplation of the        
brother--a love that is stronger than   
death1--glad and proud and satisfied8   
,but if love stop there1 what will be   
the result8 ,ruin to itself2 loss of the
 brotherhood4 ,he who loves not his     

brother for deeper reasons than those of
 a common parentage will cease to love  
him at all4 ,the love that enlarges not 
its borders1 that is not ever spreading 
and including1 and deepening1 will      
contract1 shrivel1 decay1 die4 ,i have  
had the sons of my mother that ,i may   
learn the universal brotherhood4 ,for   
there is a bond between me and the most 
wretched liar that ever died for the    
murder he would not even confess1 closer
 infinitely than that which springs only
 from having one father and mother4     
,that we are the sons and the daughters 
of ,god born from his heart1 the        
outcoming offspring of his love1 is a   
bond closer than all other bonds in one4
 ,no man ever loved his own child aright
 who did not love him for his humanity1 
for his divinity1 to the utter          
forgetting of his origin from himself4  
,the son of my mother is indeed my      
brother by this greater and closer bond 
as well2 but if ,i recognize that bond  
between him and me at all1 ,i recognize 

it for my race4 ,true1 and thank ,god6  
the greater excludes not the less2 it   
makes all the weaker bonds stronger and 
truer1 nor forbids that where all are   
brothers1 some should be those of our   
bosom4 ,still my brother according to   
the flesh is my first neighbour1 that we
 may be very nigh to each other1 whether
 we will or no1 while our hearts are    
tender1 and so may learn brotherhood4   
,for our love to each other is but the  
throbbing of the heart of the great     
brotherhood1 and could come only from   
the eternal ,father1 not from our       
parents4 ,then my second neighbour      
appears1 and who is he8 ,whom ,i come in
 contact with soever4 ,he with whom ,i  
have any transactions1 any human        
dealings whatever4 ,not the man only    
with whom ,i dine2 not the friend only  
with whom ,i share my thoughts2 not the 
man only whom my compassion would lift  
from some slough2 but the man who makes 
my clothes2 the man who prints my book2 
the man who drives me in his cab2 the   

man who begs from me in the street1 to  
whom1 it may be1 for brotherhood's sake1
 ,i must not give2 yea1 even the man who
 condescends to me4 ,with all and each  
there is a chance of doing the part of a
 neighbour1 if in no other way yet by   
speaking truly1 acting justly1 and      
thinking kindly4 ,even these deeds will 
help to that love which is born of      
righteousness4 ,all true action clears  
the springs of right feeling1 and lets  
their waters rise and flow4 ,a man must 
not choose his neighbour2 he must take  
the neighbour that ,god sends him4 ,in  
him1 whoever he be1 lies1 hidden or     
revealed1 a beautiful brother4 ,the     
neighbour is just the man who is next to
 you at the moment1 the man with whom   
any business has brought you in contact4
  ,thus will love spread and spread in  
wider and stronger pulses till the whole
 human race will be to the man sacredly 
lovely4 ,drink-debased1 vice-defeatured1
 pride-puffed1 wealth-bollen1           
vanity-smeared1 they will yet be        

brothers1 yet be sisters1 yet be        
,god-born neighbours4 ,any rough-hewn   
semblance of humanity will at length be 
enough to move the man to reverence and 
affection4 ,it is harder for some to    
learn thus than for others4 ,there are  
whose first impulse is ever to repel and
 not to receive4 ,but learn they may1   
and learn they must4 ,even these may    
grow in this grace until a countenance  
unknown will awake in them a yearning of
 affection rising to pain1 because there
 is for it no expression1 and they can  
only give the man to ,god and be still4 
,and now will come in all the arguments 
out of which the man tried in vain      
before to build a stair up to the sunny 
heights of love4 ,ah brother6 thou hast 
a soul like mine1 he will say4 ,out of  
thine eyes thou lookest1 and sights and 
sounds and odours visit thy soul as     
mine1 with wonder and tender comforting4
 ,thou too lovest the faces of thy      
neighbours4 ,thou art oppressed with thy
 sorrows1 uplifted with thy joys4       

,perhaps thou knowest not so well as ,i1
 that a region of gladness surrounds all
 thy grief1 of light all thy darkness1  
of peace all thy tumult4 ,oh1 my        
brother6 ,i will love thee4 ,i cannot   
come very near thee3 ,i will love thee  
the more4 ,it may be thou dost not love 
thy neighbour2 it may be thou thinkest  
only how to get from him1 how to gain by
 him4 ,how lonely then must thou be6 how
 shut up in thy poverty-stricken room1  
with the bare walls of thy selfishness1 
and the hard couch of thy               
unsatisfaction6 ,i will love thee the   
more4 ,thou shalt not be alone with     
thyself4 ,thou art not me2 thou art     
another life--a second self2 therefore  
,i can1 may1 and will love thee4  ,when 
once to a man the human face is the     
human face divine1 and the hand of his  
neighbour is the hand of a brother1 then
 will he understand what ,st ,paul meant
 when he said1 ,i could wish that myself
 were accursed from ,christ for my      
brethren4 ,but he will no longer        

understand those who1 so far from       
feeling the love of their neighbour an  
essential of their being1 expect to be  
set free from its law in the world to   
come4 ,there1 at least1 for the glory of
 ,god1 they may limit its expansive     
tendencies to the narrow circle of their
 heaven4 ,on its battlements of safety1 
they will regard hell from afar1 and say
 to each other1 ,hark6 ,listen to their 
moans4 ,but do not weep1 for they are   
our neighbours no more4 ,st ,paul would 
be wretched before the throne of ,god1  
if he thought there was one man beyond  
the pale of his mercy1 and that as much 
for ,god's glory as for the man's sake4 
,and what shall we say of the man       
,christ ,jesus8 ,who1 that loves his    
brother1 would not1 upheld by the love  
of ,christ1 and with a dim hope that in 
the far-off time there might be some    
help for him1 arise from the company of 
the blessed1 and walk down into the     
dismal regions of despair1 to sit with  
the last1 the only unredeemed1 the      

,judas of his race1 and be himself more 
blessed in the pains of hell1 than in   
the glories of heaven8 ,who1 in the     
midst of the golden harps and the white 
wings1 knowing that one of his kind1 one
 miserable brother in the old-world-time
 when men were taught to love their     
neighbour as themselves1 was howling    
unheeded far below in the vaults of the 
creation1 who1 ,i say1 would not feel   
that he must arise1 that he had no      
choice1 that1 awful as it was1 he must  
gird his loins1 and go down into the    
smoke and the darkness and the fire1    
travelling the weary and fearful road   
into the far country to find his        
brother8--who1 ,i mean1 that had the    
mind of ,christ1 that had the love of   
the ,father8  ,but it is a wild         
question4 ,god is1 and shall be1 ,all in
 all4 ,father of our brothers and       
sisters6 thou wilt not be less glorious 
than we1 taught of ,christ1 are able to 
think thee4 ,when thou goest into the   
wilderness to seek1 thou wilt not come  

home until thou hast found4 ,it is      
because we hope not for them in thee1   
not knowing thee1 not knowing thy love1 
that we are so hard and so heartless to 
the brothers and sisters whom thou hast 
given us4  ,one word more3 ,this love of
 our neighbour is the only door out of  
the dungeon of self1 where we mope and  
mow1 striking sparks1 and rubbing       
phosphorescences out of the walls1 and  
blowing our own breath in our own       
nostrils1 instead of issuing to the fair
 sunlight of ,god1 the sweet winds of   
the universe4 ,the man thinks his       
consciousness is himself2 whereas his   
life consisteth in the inbreathing of   
,god1 and the consciousness of the      
universe of truth4 ,to have himself1 to 
know himself1 to enjoy himself1 he calls
 life2 whereas1 if he would forget      
himself1 tenfold would be his life in   
,god and his neighbours4 ,the region of 
man's life is a spiritual region4 ,god1 
his friends1 his neighbours1 his        
brothers all1 is the wide world in which

 alone his spirit can find room4        
,himself is his dungeon4 ,if he feels it
 not now1 he will yet feel it one       
day--feel it as a living soul would feel
 being prisoned in a dead body1 wrapped 
in sevenfold cerements1 and buried in a 
stone-ribbed vault within the last      
ripple of the sound of the chanting     
people in the church above4 ,his life is
 not in knowing that he lives1 but in   
loving all forms of life4 ,he is made   
for the ,all1 for ,god1 who is the ,all1
 is his life4 ,and the essential joy of 
his life lies abroad in the liberty of  
the ,all4 ,his delights1 like those of  
the ,ideal ,wisdom1 are with the sons of
 men4 ,his health is in the body of     
which the ,son of ,man is the head4 ,the
 whole region of life is open to        
him--nay1 he must live in it or perish4 
,nor thus shall a man lose the          
consciousness of well-being4 ,far deeper
 and more complete1 ,god and his        
neighbour will flash it back upon him-- 
pure as life4 ,no more will he agonize  

with sick assay to generate it in the   
light of his own decadence4 ,for he     
shall know the glory of his own being in
 the light of ,god and of his brother4  
,but he may have begun to love his      
neighbour1 with the hope of ere long    
loving him as himself1 and              
notwithstanding start back affrighted at
 yet another word of our ,lord1 seeming 
to be another law yet harder than the   
first1 although in truth it is not      
another1 for without obedience to it the
 former cannot be attained unto4 ,he has
 not yet learned to love his neighbour  
as himself whose heart sinks within him 
at the word1 ,i say unto you1 ,love your
 enemies4                               
,,love ,,thine ,,enemy4    ,ye have     
heard that it hath been said1 ,thou     
shalt love thy  neighbour1 and hate     
thine enemy2 but ,i say unto you1 ,love 
your enemies1 bless them that curse you1
 do good to them that hate you1 and pray
 for them which despitefully use you1   
and persecute you2 that ye may be the   

children of your ,father which is in    
heaven2 for he maketh his sun to rise on
 the evil and on the good1 and sendeth  
rain on the just and on the unjust4 ,for
 if ye love them which love you1 what   
reward have ye8 do not even the         
publicans the same8 ,and if ye salute   
your brethren only1 what do ye more than
 others8 do not even the publicans so8  
,be ye therefore perfect1 even as your  
,father which is in heaven is           
perfect4--,st ,matthew v4 #dc-dh4  ,is  
not this at length too much to expect8  
,will a man ever love his enemies8 ,he  
may come to do good to them that hate   
him2 but when will he pray for them that
 despitefully use him and persecute him8
 ,when8 ,when he is the child of his    
,father in heaven4 ,then shall he love  
his neighbour as himself1 even if that  
neighbour be his enemy4 ,in the passage 
in ,leviticus 7xix4 #ah17 already       
referred to as quoted by our ,lord and  
his apostles1 we find the neighbour and 
the enemy are one4 ,thou shalt not      

avenge1 nor bear any grudge against the 
children of thy people1 but thou shalt  
love thy neighbour as thyself3 ,i am the
 ,lord4  ,look at the glorious way in   
which ,jesus interprets the scripture   
that went before him4 ,i am the         
,lord1--,that  ye may be perfect1 as    
your ,father in heaven is perfect4  ,is 
it then reasonable to love our enemies8 
,god does2 therefore it must be the     
highest reason4 ,but is it reasonable to
 expect that man should become capable  
of doing so8 ,yes2 on one ground3 that  
the divine energy is at work in man1 to 
render at length man's doing divine as  
his nature is4 ,for this our ,lord      
prayed when he said3 ,that they all may 
be one1 as thou1 ,father1 art in me1 and
 ,i in thee1 that they also may be one  
in us4 ,nothing could be less likely to 
human judgment3 our ,lord knows that one
 day it will come4  ,why should we love 
our enemies8 ,the deepest reason for    
this we cannot put in words1 for it lies
 in the absolute reality of their being1

 where our enemies are of one nature    
with us1 even of the divine nature4     
,into this we cannot see1 save as into a
 dark abyss4 ,but we can adumbrate      
something of the form of this deepest   
reason1 if we let the thoughts of our   
heart move upon the face of the dim     
profound4  ,are our enemies men like    
ourselves8 let me begin by asking4 ,yes4
 ,upon what ground8 ,the ground of their
 enmity8 ,the ground of the wrong they  
do us8 ,no4 ,in virtue of cruelty1      
heartlessness1 injustice1 disrespect1   
misrepresentation8 ,certainly not4      
,humanum est errare is a truism2 but it 
possesses1 like most truisms1 a latent  
germ of worthy truth4 ,the very word    
errare is a sign that there is a way so 
truly the human that1 for a man to leave
 it1 is to wander4 ,if it be human to   
wander1 yet the wandering is not        
humanity4 ,the very words humane and    
humanity denote some shadow of that     
loving-kindness which1 when perfected   
after the divine fashion1 shall include 

even our enemies4 ,we do not call the   
offering of human sacrifices1 the       
torturing of captives1                  
cannibalism--humanity4 ,not because they
 do such deeds are they men4 ,their     
humanity must be deeper than those4 ,it 
is in virtue of the divine essence which
 is in them1 that pure essential        
humanity1 that we call our enemies men  
and women4 ,it is this humanity that we 
are to love--a something1 ,i say1 deeper
 altogether than and independent of the 
region of hate4 ,it is the humanity that
 originates the claim of neighbourhead2 
the neighbourhood only determines the   
occasion of its exercise4 ,is this      
humanity in every one of our enemies8   
,else there were nothing to love4 ,is it
 there in very deed8--,then we must love
 it1 come between us and it what may4   
,but how can we love a man or a woman   
who is cruel and unjust to us8-- who    
sears with contempt1 or cuts off with   
wrong every tendril we would put forth  
to embrace8--who is mean1 unlovely1     

carping1 uncertain1 self-righteous1     
self-seeking1 and self-admiring8--who   
can even sneer1 the most inhuman of     
human faults1 far worse in its essence  
than mere murder8  ,these things cannot 
be loved4 ,the best man hates them most2
 the worst man cannot love them4 ,but   
are these the man8 ,does a woman bear   
that form in virtue of these8 ,lies     
there not within the man and the woman a
 divine element of brotherhood1 of      
sisterhood1 a something lovely and      
lovable1--slowly fading1 it may         
be1--dying away under the fierce heat of
 vile passions1 or the yet more fearful 
cold of sepulchral selfishness--but     
there8 ,shall that divine something1    
which1 once awakened to be its own holy 
self in the man1 will loathe these      
unlovely things tenfold more than we    
loathe them now--shall this divine thing
 have no recognition from us8 ,it is the
 very presence of this fading humanity  
that makes it possible for us to hate4  
,if it were an animal only1 and not a   

man or a woman that did us hurt1 we     
should not hate3 we should only kill4   
,we hate the man just because we are    
prevented from loving him4 ,we push over
 the verge of the creation--we          
damn--just because we cannot embrace4   
,for to embrace is the necessity of our 
deepest being4 ,that foiled1 we hate4   
,instead of admonishing ourselves that  
there is our enchained brother1 that    
there lies our enchanted1 disfigured1   
scarce recognizable sister1 captive of  
the devil1 to break1 how much sooner1   
from their bonds1 that we love them6--we
 recoil into the hate which would fix   
them there2 and the dearly lovable      
reality of them we sacrifice to the     
outer falsehood of ,satan's             
incantations1 thus leaving them to      
perish4 ,nay1 we murder them to get rid 
of them1 we hate them4 ,yet within the  
most obnoxious to our hate1 lies that   
which1 could it but show itself as it   
is1 and as it will show itself one day1 
would compel from our hearts a devotion 

of love4 ,it is not the unfriendly1 the 
unlovely1 that we are told to love1 but 
the brother1 the sister1 who is unkind1 
who is unlovely4 ,shall we leave our    
brother to his desolate fate8 ,shall we 
not rather say1 ,with my love at least  
shalt thou be compassed about1 for thou 
hast not thy own lovingness to infold   
thee2 love shall come as near thee as it
 may2 and when thine comes forth to meet
 mine1 we shall be one in the indwelling
 ,god8  ,let no one say ,i have been    
speaking in a figure merely4 ,that ,i   
have been so speaking ,i know4 ,but many
 things which we see most vividly and   
certainly are more truly expressed by   
using a right figure1 than by attempting
 to give them a clear outline of logical
 expression4 ,my figure means a truth4  
,if any one say1 ,do not make such vague
 distinctions4 ,there is the person4    
,can you deny that that person is       
unlovely8 ,how then can you love him8 ,i
 answer1 ,that person1 with the evil    
thing cast out of him1 will be yet more 

the person1 for he will be his real     
self4 ,the thing that now makes you     
dislike him is separable from him1 is   
therefore not he1 makes himself so much 
less himself1 for it is working death in
 him4 ,now he is in danger of ceasing to
 be a person at all4 ,when he is clothed
 and in his right mind1 he will be a    
person indeed4 ,you could not then go on
 hating him4 ,begin to love him now1 and
 help him into the loveliness which is  
his4 ,do not hate him although you can4 
,the personalty1 ,i say1 though clouded1
 besmeared1 defiled with the wrong1 lies
 deeper than the wrong1 and indeed1 so  
far as the wrong has reached it1 is by  
the wrong injured1 yea1 so far1 it may  
be1 destroyed4  ,but those who will not 
acknowledge the claim of love1 may yet  
acknowledge the claim of justice4 ,there
 are who would shrink with horror from  
the idea of doing injustice to those1   
from the idea of loving whom they would 
shrink with equal horror4 ,but if it is 
impossible1 as ,i believe1 without love 

to be just1 much more cannot justice    
co-exist with hate4 ,the pure eye for   
the true vision of another's claims can 
only go with the loving heart4 ,the man 
who hates can hardly be delicate in     
doing justice1 say to his neighbour's   
love1 to his neighbour's predilections  
and peculiarities4 ,it is hard enough to
 be just to our friends2 and how shall  
our enemies fare with us8 ,for justice  
demands that we shall think rightly of  
our neighbour as certainly as that we   
shall neither steal his goods nor bear  
false witness against him4 ,man is not  
made for justice from his fellow1 but   
for love1 which is greater than justice1
 and by including supersedes justice4   
,mere justice is an impossibility1 a    
fiction of analysis4 ,it does not exist 
between man and man1 save relatively to 
human law4 ,justice to be justice must  
be much more than justice4 ,love is the 
law of our condition1 without which we  
can no more render justice than a man   
can keep a straight line walking in the 

dark4 ,the eye is not single1 and the   
body is not full of light4 ,no man who  
is even indifferent to his brother can  
recognize the claims which his humanity 
has upon him4 ,nay1 the very            
indifference itself is an injustice4  ,i
 have taken for granted that the fault  
lies with the enemy so considered1 for  
upon the primary rocks would ,i build my
 foundation4 ,but the question must be  
put to each man by himself1 ,is my      
neighbour indeed my enemy1 or am ,i my  
neighbour's enemy1 and so take him to be
 mine8--awful thought6 ,or1 if he be    
mine1 am not ,i his8 ,am ,i not refusing
 to acknowledge the child of the kingdom
 within his bosom1 so killing the child 
of the kingdom within my own8 ,let us   
claim for ourselves no more indulgence  
than we give to him4 ,such honesty will 
end in severity at home and clemency    
abroad4 ,for we are accountable for the 
ill in ourselves1 and have to kill it2  
for the good in our neighbour1 and have 
to cherish it4 ,he only1 in the name and

 power of ,god1 can kill the bad in him2
 we can cherish the good in him by being
 good to it across all the evil fog that
 comes between our love and his good4   
,nor ought it to be forgotten that this 
fog is often the result of              
misapprehension and mistake1 giving rise
 to all kinds of indignations1          
resentments1 and regrets4 ,scarce       
anything about us is just as it seems1  
but at the core there is truth enough to
 dispel all falsehood and reveal life as
 unspeakably divine4 ,o brother1 sister1
 across this weary fog1 dim-lighted by  
the faint torches of our truth-seeking1 
,i call to the divine in thee1 which is 
mine1 not to rebuke thee1 not to rouse  
thee1 not to say ,why hatest thou me8   
but to say ,i love thee2 in ,god's name 
,i love thee4 ,and ,i will wait until   
the true self looks out of thine eyes1  
and knows the true self in me4  ,but in 
the working of the ,divine ,love upon   
the race1 my enemy is doomed to cease to
 be my enemy1 and to become my friend4  

,one flash of truth towards me would    
destroy my enmity at once2 one hearty   
confession of wrong1 and our enmity     
passes away2 from each comes forth the  
brother who was inside the enemy all the
 time4 ,for this ,the ,truth is at work4
 ,in the faith of this1 let us love the 
enemy now1 accepting ,god's work in     
reversion1 as it were2 let us believe as
 seeing his yet invisible triumph1      
clasping and holding fast our brother1  
in defiance of the changeful wiles of   
the wicked enchantment which would      
persuade our eyes and hearts that he is 
not our brother1 but some horrible      
thing1 hateful and hating4  ,but again  
,i must ask1 ,what if we are in the     
wrong and do the wrong1 and hate because
 we have injured8 ,what then8 ,why1     
then1 let us cry to ,god as from the    
throat of hell2 struggle1 as under the  
weight of a spiritual incubus2 cry1 as  
knowing the vile disease that cleaveth  
fast unto us2 cry1 as possessed of an   
evil spirit2 cry1 as one buried alive1  

from the sepulchre of our evil          
consciousness1 that ,he would take pity 
upon us the chief of sinners1 the most  
wretched and vile of men1 and send some 
help to lift us from the fearful pit and
 the miry clay4 ,nothing will help but  
the ,spirit proceeding from the ,father 
and the ,son1 the spirit of the ,father 
and the ,brother casting out and        
revealing4 ,it will be with tearing and 
foaming1 with a terrible cry and a lying
 as one dead1 that such a demon will go 
out4 ,but what a vision will then arise 
in the depths of the purified soul6  ,be
 ye therefore perfect1 even as your     
father which is in heaven is perfect4   
,love your enemies1 and ye shall be the 
children of the highest4 ,it is the     
divine glory to forgive4  ,yet a time   
will come when the ,unchangeable will   
cease to forgive2 when it will no more  
belong to his perfection to love his    
enemies2 when he will look calmly1 and  
have his children look calmly too1 upon 
the ascending smoke of the everlasting  

torments of our strong brothers1 our    
beautiful sisters6 ,nay1 alas6 the      
brothers are weak now2 the sisters are  
ugly now6  ,o brother1 believe it not4  
,o ,christ6 the redeemed would cry1     
where art thou1 our strong ,jesus8      
,come1 our grand brother4 ,see the      
suffering brothers down below6 ,see the 
tormented sisters6 ,come1 ,lord of      
,life6 ,monarch of ,suffering6 ,redeem  
them4 ,for us1 we will go down into the 
burning1 and see whether we cannot at   
least carry through the howling flames a
 drop of water to cool their tongues4   
,believe it not1 my brother1 lest it    
quench forgiveness in thee1 and thou be 
not forgiven1 but go down with those thy
 brothers to the torment2 whence1 if    
,god were not better than that phantom  
thou callest ,god1 thou shouldst never  
come out2 but whence assuredly thou     
shalt come out when thou hast paid the  
uttermost farthing2 when thou hast      
learned of ,god in hell what thou didst 
refuse to learn of him upon the         

gentle-toned earth2 what the sunshine   
and the rain could not teach thee1 nor  
the sweet compunctions of the seasons1  
nor the stately visitings of the morn   
and the eventide1 nor the human face    
divine1 nor the word that was nigh thee 
in thy heart and in thy mouth--the story
 of ,him who was mighty to save1 because
 he was perfect in love4  ,o ,father1   
thou art ,all-in-all1 perfect beyond the
 longing of thy children1 and we are all
 and altogether thine4 ,thou wilt make  
us pure and loving and free4 ,we shall  
stand fearless in thy presence1 because 
perfect in thy love4 ,then shall thy    
children be of good cheer1 infinite in  
the love of each other1 and eternal in  
thy love4 ,lord ,jesus1 let the heart of
 a child be given to us1 that so we may 
arise from the grave of our dead selves 
and die no more1 but see face to face   
the ,god of the ,living4                
,,the ,,god ,,of ,,the ,,living4    ,he 
is not a ,god of the dead1 but of the   
living3 for all live unto him4--,,st    

,,luke xx4 #ch4  ,it is a recurring     
cause of perplexity in our ,lord's      
teaching1 that he is too simple for us2 
that while we are questioning with      
ourselves about the design of ,solomon's
 earring upon some gold-plated door of  
the temple1 he is speaking about the    
foundations of ,mount ,zion1 yea1 of the
 earth itself1 upon which it stands4 ,if
 the reader of the ,gospel supposes that
 our ,lord was here using a verbal      
argument with the ,sadducees1 namely1 ,i
 am the ,god of ,abraham1 ,isaac1 and   
,jacob2 therefore they are1 he will be  
astonished that no ,sadducee was found  
with courage enough to reply3 ,all that 
,god meant was to introduce himself to  
,moses as the same ,god who had aided   
and protected his fathers while they    
were alive1 saying1 ,i am he that was   
the ,god of thy fathers4 ,they found me 
faithful4 ,thou1 therefore1 listen to   
me1 and thou too shalt find me faithful 
unto the death4  ,but no such reply     
suggested itself even to the ,sadducees 

of that day1 for their eastern nature   
could see argument beyond logic4 ,shall 
,god call himself the ,god of the dead1 
of those who were alive once1 but whom  
he either could not or would not keep   
alive8 ,is that the ,godhood1 and its   
relation to those who worship it8 ,the  
changeless ,god of an ever-born and     
ever-perishing torrent of life2 of which
 each atom cries with burning heart1 ,my
 ,god6 and straightway passes into the  
,godless cold6 ,trust in me1 for ,i took
 care of your fathers once upon a time1 
though they are gone now4 ,worship and  
obey me1 for ,i will be good to you for 
threescore years and ten1 or            
thereabouts2 and after that1 when you   
are not1 and the world goes on all the  
same without you1 ,i will call myself   
your ,god still4 ,god changes not4 ,once
 ,god he is always ,god4 ,if he has once
 said to a man1 ,i am thy ,god1 and that
 man has died the death of the          
,sadducee's creed1 then we have a right 
to say that ,god is the ,god of the     

dead4  ,and wherefore should he not be  
so far the ,god of the dead1 if during  
the time allotted to them here1 he was  
the faithful ,god of the living8 ,what  
,godlike relation can the ever-living1  
life-giving1 changeless ,god hold to    
creatures who partake not of his life1  
who have death at the very core of their
 being1 are not worth their ,maker's    
keeping alive8 ,to let his creatures die
 would be to change1 to abjure his      
,godhood1 to cease to be that which he  
had made himself4 ,if they are not worth
 keeping alive1 then his creating is a  
poor thing1 and he is not so great1 nor 
so divine as even the poor thoughts of  
those his dying creatures have been able
 to imagine him4 ,but our ,lord says1   
,all live unto him4 ,with ,him death is 
not4 ,thy life sees our life1 ,o ,lord4 
,all of whom all can be said1 are       
present to thee4 ,thou thinkest about   
us1 eternally more than we think about  
thee4 ,the little life that burns within
 the body of this death1 glows          

unquenchable in thy true-seeing eyes4   
,if thou didst forget us for a moment   
then indeed death would be4 ,but unto   
thee we live4 ,the beloved pass from our
 sight1 but they pass not from thine4   
,this that we call death1 is but a form 
in the eyes of men4 ,it looks something 
final1 an awful cessation1 an utter     
change4 ,it seems not probable that     
there is anything beyond4 ,but if ,god  
could see us before we were1 and make us
 after his ideal1 that we shall have    
passed from the eyes of our friends can 
be no argument that he beholds us no    
longer4 ,all live unto ,him4 ,let the   
change be ever so great1 ever so        
imposing2 let the unseen life be ever so
 vague to our conception1 it is not     
against reason to hope that ,god could  
see ,abraham1 after his ,isaac had      
ceased to see him2 saw ,isaac after     
,jacob ceased to see him2 saw ,jacob    
after some of the ,sadducees had begun  
to doubt whether there ever had been a  
,jacob at all4 ,he remembers them2 that 

is1 he carries them in his mind3 he of  
whom ,god thinks1 lives4 ,he takes to   
himself the name of ,their ,god4 ,the   
,living ,one cannot name himself after  
the dead2 when the very ,godhead lies in
 the giving of life4 ,therefore they    
must be alive4 ,if he speaks of them1   
remembers his own loving thoughts of    
them1 would he not have kept them alive 
if he could2 and if he could not1 how   
could he create them8 ,can it be an     
easier thing to call into life than to  
keep alive8  ,but if they live to ,god1 
they are aware of ,god4 ,and if they are
 aware of ,god1 they are conscious of   
their own being3 ,whence then the       
necessity of a resurrection8  ,for their
 relation to others of ,god's children  
in mutual revelation2 and for fresh     
revelation of ,god to all4--,but let us 
inquire what is meant by the            
resurrection of the body4 ,with what    
body do they come8  ,surely we are not  
required to believe that the same body  
is raised again4 ,that is against       

science1 common sense1 ,scripture4 ,st  
,paul represents the matter quite       
otherwise4 ,one feels ashamed of arguing
 such a puerile point4 ,who could wish  
his material body which has indeed died 
over and over again since he was born1  
never remaining for one hour composed of
 the same matter1 its endless activity  
depending upon its endless change1 to be
 fixed as his changeless possession1    
such as it may then be1 at the moment of
 death1 and secured to him in worthless 
identity for the ages to come8 ,a man's 
material body will be to his            
consciousness at death no more than the 
old garment he throws aside at night1   
intending to put on a new and a better  
in the morning4 ,to desire to keep the  
old body seems to me to argue a degree  
of sensual materialism excusable only in
 those pagans who in their ,elysian     
fields could hope to possess only such a
 thin1 fleeting1 dreamy1 and altogether 
funebrial existence1 that they might    
well long for the thicker1 more tangible

 bodily being in which they had         
experienced the pleasures of a          
tumultuous life on the upper world4 ,as 
well might a ,christian desire that the 
hair which has been shorn from him      
through all his past life should be     
restored to his risen and glorified     
head4  ,yet not the less is the doctrine
 of the ,resurrection gladdening as the 
sound of the silver trumpet of its      
visions1 needful as the very breath of  
life to our longing souls4 ,let us know 
what it means1 and we shall see that it 
is thus precious4  ,let us first ask    
what is the use of this body of ours4   
,it is the means of ,revelation to us1  
the camera in which ,god's eternal shows
 are set forth4 ,it is by the body that 
we come into contact with ,nature1 with 
our fellow-men1 with all their          
revelations of ,god to us4 ,it is       
through the body that we receive all the
 lessons of passion1 of suffering1 of   
love1 of beauty1 of science4 ,it is     
through the body that we are both       

trained outwards from ourselves1 and    
driven inwards into our deepest selves  
to find ,god4 ,there is glory and might 
in this vital evanescence1 this slow    
glacier-like flow of clothing and       
revealing matter1 this ever uptossed    
rainbow of tangible humanity4 ,it is no 
less of ,god's making than the spirit   
that is clothed therein4  ,we cannot yet
 have learned all that we are meant to  
learn through the body4 ,how much of the
 teaching even of this world can the    
most diligent and most favoured man have
 exhausted before he is called to leave 
it6 ,is all that remains to be lost8    
,who that has loved this earth can but  
believe that the spiritual body of which
 ,st ,paul speaks will be a yet higher  
channel of such revelation8 ,the meek   
who have found that their ,lord spake   
true1 and have indeed inherited the     
earth1 who have seen that all matter is 
radiant of spiritual meaning1 who would 
not cast a sigh after the loss of mere  
animal pleasure1 would1 ,i think1 be the

 least willing to be without a body1 to 
be unclothed without being again clothed
 upon4 ,who1 after centuries of glory in
 heaven1 would not rejoice to behold    
once more that patient-headed child of  
winter and spring1 the meek snowdrop8   
,in whom1 amidst the golden choirs1     
would not the vision of an old sunset   
wake such a song as the ancient dwellers
 of the earth would with gently         
flattened palm hush their throbbing     
harps to hear8  ,all this revelation1   
however1 would render only a body       
necessary1 not this body4 ,the fulness  
of the word ,resurrection would be ill  
met if this were all4 ,we need not only 
a body to convey revelation to us1 but a
 body to reveal us to others4 ,the      
thoughts1 feelings1 imaginations which  
arise in us1 must have their garments of
 revelation whereby shall be made       
manifest the unseen world within us to  
our brothers and sisters around us2 else
 is each left in human loneliness4 ,now1
 if this be one of the uses my body     

served on earth before1 the new body    
must be like the old4 ,nay1 it must be  
the same body1 glorified as we are      
glorified1 with all that was distinctive
 of each from his fellows more visible  
than ever before4 ,the accidental1 the  
nonessential1 the unrevealing1 the      
incomplete will have vanished4 ,that    
which made the body what it was in the  
eyes of those who loved us will be      
tenfold there4 ,will not this be the    
resurrection of the body8 of the same   
body though not of the same dead matter8
 ,every eye shall see the beloved1 every
 heart will cry1 ,my own again6--more   
mine because more himself than ever ,i  
beheld him6 ,for do we not say on earth1
 ,he is not himself to-day1 or ,she     
looks her own self2 ,she is more like   
herself than ,i have seen her for long8 
,and is not this when the heart is glad 
and the face is radiant8 ,for we carry a
 better likeness of our friends in our  
hearts than their countenances1 save at 
precious seasons1 manifest to us4  ,who 

will dare to call anything less than    
this a resurrection8 ,oh1 how the letter
 killeth6 ,there are who can believe    
that the dirt of their bodies will rise 
the same as it went down to the friendly
 grave1 who yet doubt if they will know 
their friends when they rise again4 ,and
 they call that believing in the        
resurrection6  ,what6 shall a man love  
his neighbour as himself1 and must he be
 content not to know him in heaven8     
,better be content to lose our          
consciousness1 and know ourselves no    
longer4 ,what6 shall ,god be the ,god of
 the families of the earth1 and shall   
the love that he has thus created       
towards father and mother1 brother and  
sister1 wife and child1 go moaning and  
longing to all eternity2 or worse1 far  
worse1 die out of our bosoms8 ,shall    
,god be ,god1 and shall this be the end8
  ,ah1 my friends6 what will            
resurrection or life be to me1 how shall
 ,i continue to love ,god as ,i have    
learned to love him through you1 if ,i  

find he cares so little for this human  
heart of mine1 as to take from me the   
gracious visitings of your faces and    
forms8 ,true1 ,i might have a gaze at   
,jesus1 now and then2 but he would not  
be so good as ,i had thought him4 ,and  
how should ,i see him if ,i could not   
see you8 ,god will not take you1 has not
 taken you from me to bury you out of my
 sight in the abyss of his own          
unfathomable being1 where ,i cannot     
follow and find you1 myself lost in the 
same awful gulf4 ,no1 our ,god is an    
unveiling1 a revealing ,god4 ,he will   
raise you from the dead1 that ,i may    
behold you2 that that which vanished    
from the earth may again stand forth1   
looking out of the same eyes of eternal 
love and truth1 holding out the same    
mighty hand of brotherhood1 the same    
delicate and gentle1 yet strong hand of 
sisterhood1 to me1 this me that knew you
 and loved you in the days gone by4 ,i  
shall not care that the matter of the   
forms ,i loved a thousand years ago has 

returned to mingle with the sacred      
goings on of ,god's science1 upon that  
far-off world wheeling its nursery of   
growing loves and wisdoms through space2
 ,i shall not care that the muscle which
 now sends the ichor through your veins 
is not formed of the very particles     
which once sent the blood to the        
pondering brain1 the flashing eye1 or   
the nervous right arm2 ,i shall not     
care1 ,i say1 so long as it is          
yourselves that are before me1 beloved2 
so long as through these forms ,i know  
that ,i look on my own1 on my loving    
souls of the ancient time2 so long as my
 spirits have got garments of revealing 
after their own old lovely fashion1     
garments to reveal themselves to me4    
,the new shall then be dear as the old1 
and for the same reason1 that it reveals
 the old love4 ,and in the changes      
which1 thank ,god1 must take place when 
the mortal puts on immortality1 shall we
 not feel that the nobler our friends   
are1 the more they are themselves2 that 

the more the idea of each is carried out
 in the perfection of beauty1 the more  
like they are to what we thought them in
 our most exalted moods1 to that which  
we saw in them in the rarest moments of 
profoundest communion1 to that which we 
beheld through the veil of all their    
imperfections when we loved them the    
truest8  ,lord1 evermore give us this   
,resurrection1 like thine own in the    
body of thy ,transfiguration4 ,let us   
see and hear1 and know1 and be seen1 and
 heard1 and known1 as thou seest1       
hearest1 and knowest4 ,give us glorified
 bodies through which to reveal the     
glorified thoughts which shall then     
inhabit us1 when not only shalt thou    
reveal ,god1 but each of us shall reveal
 thee4  ,and for this1 ,lord ,jesus1    
come thou1 the child1 the obedient ,god1
 that we may be one with thee1 and with 
every man and woman whom thou hast made1
 in the ,father4                        
,,end ,,of ,,first ,,series             
,,unspoken ,,sermons ,,series ,,two     

,,these ,,also                          
,,after ,,eighteen ,,years              
,,to                                    
,,my ,,wife                             
,,coraggio1 ,,bordighera                
,january #ahhe                          
,,the ,,way4        ',if thou wouldest  
be perfect4'--,,st4 ,,matthew xix #ba4  
,for reasons many and profound1 amongst 
the least because of the fragmentary    
nature of the records1 he who would read
 them without the candle of the         
,lord--that is1 the light of truth in   
his inward parts-- must not merely fall 
into a thousand errors--a thing for such
 a one of less moment--but must fail    
utterly of perceiving and understanding 
the life therein struggling to reveal   
itself--the life1 that is1 of the ,son  
of ,man1 the thought1 the feeling1 the  
intent of the ,lord himself1 that by    
which he lived1 that which is himself1  
that which he poured out for us4 ,yet   
the one thing he has to do with is this 
life of ,jesus1 his inner nature and    

being1 manifested through his outer     
life1 according to the power of sight in
 the spiritual eye that looks thereupon4
  ,in contemplating the incident        
revealing that life of which ,i would   
now endeavour to unfold the truth1 my   
readers who do not study the ,greek     
,testament must use the revised version4
 ,had ,i not known and rejoiced in it   
long before the revision appeared1 ,i   
should have owed the revisers endless   
gratitude1 if for nothing more than the 
genuine reading of ,st4 ,matthew's      
report of the story of the youth who    
came to our ,lord4 ,whoever does not    
welcome the change must fail to see its 
preciousness4  ,reading then from the   
revised version1 we find in ,st4        
,matthew the commencement of the        
conversation between ,jesus and the     
young man very different from that given
 in the ,gospels of ,st4 ,mark and ,st4 
,luke4 ,there is not for that the       
smallest necessity for rejecting either 
account2 they blend perfectly1 and it is

 to me a joy unspeakable to have both4  
,put together they give a completed     
conversation4 ,here it is as ,i read it2
 let my fellow students look to the     
differing1 far from opposing1 reports1  
and see how naturally they combine4     
',good ,master1' said the kneeling      
youth1 and is interrupted by the        
,master3--  ',why callest thou me good8'
 he returns4 ',none is good save one1   
even ,god4'  ,daring no reply to this1  
the youth leaves it1 and betakes himself
 to his object in addressing the ,lord4 
',what good thing shall ,i do1' he says1
 'that ,i may have eternal life8'  ,but 
again the ,lord takes hold of the word  
good3--  ',why askest thou me concerning
 that which is good8' he rejoins4 ',one 
there is who is good4--,but if thou     
wouldest enter into life1 keep the      
commandments4'  ',which8'  ',thou shalt 
not kill1 ,thou shalt not commit        
adultery1 ,thou shalt not steal1 ,thou  
shalt not bear false witness1 ,honour   
thy father and thy mother2 and1 ,thou   

shalt love thy neighbour as thyself4'   
',all these things have ,i observed3    
what lack ,i yet8'  ',if thou wouldest  
be perfect1 go1 sell that thou hast1 and
 give to the poor1 and thou shalt have  
treasure in heaven2 and come1 follow    
me4'  ,let us regard the story4  ,as    
,jesus went out of a house 7see ,st4    
,mark x4 #aj and #ag71 the young man    
came running to him1 and kneeling down  
in the way1 addressed him as ',good     
,master4'  ,the words with which the    
,lord interrupts his address reveal the 
whole attitude of the ,lord's being4 ,at
 that moment1 at every and each moment1 
just as much as when in the garden of   
,gethsemane1 or encountering any of     
those hours which men call crises of    
life1 his whole thought1 his whole      
delight1 was in the thought1 in the     
will1 in the being of his ,father4 ,the 
joy of the ,lord's life1 that which made
 it life to him1 was the ,father2 of him
 he was always thinking1 to him he was  
always turning4 ,i suppose most men have

 some thought of pleasure or            
satisfaction or strength to which they  
turn when action pauses1 life becomes   
for a moment still1 and the wheel sleeps
 on its own swiftness3 with ,jesus it   
needed no pause of action1 no rush of   
renewed consciousness1 to send him home2
 his thought was ever and always his    
,father4 ,to its home in the heart of   
the ,father his heart ever turned4 ,that
 was his treasure-house1 the jewel of   
his mind1 the mystery of his gladness1  
claiming all degrees and shades of      
delight1 from peace and calmest content 
to ecstasy4 ,his life was hid in ,god4  
,no vain show could enter at his eyes2  
every truth and grandeur of life passed 
before him as it was2 neither ambition  
nor disappointment could distort them to
 his eternal childlike gaze2 he beheld  
and loved them from the bosom of the    
,father4 ,it was not for himself he came
 to the world--not to establish his own 
power over the doings1 his own influence
 over the hearts of men3 he came that   

they might know the ,father who was his 
joy1 his life4 ,the sons of men were his
 ,father's children like himself3 that  
the ,father should have them all in his 
bosom was the one thought of his heart3 
that should be his doing for his        
,father1 cost him what it might6 ,he    
came to do his will1 and on the earth   
was the same he had been from the       
beginning1 the eternal first4 ,he was   
not interested in himself1 but in his   
,father and his ,father's children4 ,he 
did not care to hear himself called     
good4 ,it was not of consequence to him4
 ,he was there to let men see the       
goodness of the ,father in whom he      
gloried4 ,for that he entered the weary 
dream of the world1 in which the glory  
was so dulled and clouded4 ',you call me
 good6 ,you should know my ,father6'    
,for the ,lord's greatness consisted in 
his ,father being greater than he3 who  
calls into being is greater than who is 
called4 ,the ,father was always the     
,father1 the ,son always the ,son2 yet  

the ,son is not of himself1 but by the  
,father2 he does not live by his own    
power1 like the ,father4 ,if there were 
no ,father1 there would be no ,son4 ,all
 that is the ,lord's is the ,father's1  
and all that is the ,father's he has    
given to the ,son4 ,the ,lord's goodness
 is of the ,father's goodness2 because  
the ,father is good the ,son is good4   
,when the word good enters the ears of  
the ,son1 his heart lifts it at once to 
his ,father1 the ,father of all4 ,his   
words contain no denial of goodness in  
himself3 in his grand self-regard he was
 not the original of his goodness1      
neither did he care for his own         
goodness1 except to be good3 it was to  
him a matter of course4 ,but for his    
,father's goodness1 he would spend life1
 suffering1 labour1 death1 to make that 
known6 ,his other children must learn to
 give him his due1 and love him as did  
the primal ,son6 ,the ,father was all in
 all to the ,son1 and the ,son no more  
thought of his own goodness than an     

honest man thinks of his honesty4 ,when 
the good man sees goodness1 he thinks of
 his own evil3 ,jesus had no evil to    
think of1 but neither does he think of  
his goodness2 he delights in his        
,father's4 ',why callest thou me good8  
,none is good save one1 even ,god4'     
,checked thus1 the youth turns to the   
question which1 working in his heart1   
had brought him running1 and made him   
kneel3 what good thing shall he do that 
he may have eternal life8 ,it is        
unnecessary to inquire precisely what he
 meant by eternal life4 ,whatever shape 
the thing took to him1 that shape       
represented a something he needed and   
had not got--a something which1 it was  
clear to him1 could be gained only in   
some path of good4 ,but he thought to   
gain a thing by a doing1 when the very  
thing desired was a being3 he would have
 that as a possession which must possess
 him4  ,the ,lord cared neither for     
isolated truth nor for orphaned deed4   
,it was truth in the inward parts1 it   

was the good heart1 the mother of good  
deeds1 he cherished4 ,it was the live1  
active1 knowing1 breathing good he came 
to further4 ,he cared for no speculation
 in morals or religion4 ,it was good men
 he cared about1 not notions of good    
things1 or even good actions1 save as   
the outcome of life1 save as the bodies 
in which the primary live actions of    
love and will in the soul took shape and
 came forth4 ,could he by one word have 
set at rest all the questionings of     
philosophy as to the supreme good and   
the absolute truth1 ,i venture to say   
that word he would not have uttered4    
,but he would die to make men good and  
true4 ,his whole heart would respond to 
the cry of sad publican or despairing   
pharisee1 ',how am ,i to be good8'      
,when the ,lord says1 ',why askest thou 
me concerning that which is good8' we   
must not put emphasis on the me1 as if  
the ,lord refused the question1 as he   
had declined the epithet3 he was the    
proper person to ask1 only the question 

was not the right one3 the good thing   
was a small matter2 the good ,being was 
all in all4 ,footnote3 ,as it stands1 it
 is difficult to read the passage       
without putting emphasis on the me1     
which spoils the sense4 ,i think it     
would better be1 ',why dost thou ask me 
concerning c48' ',why ask me about the  
good thing8 ,there is one living good1  
in whom the good thing1 and all good1 is
 alive and ever operant4 ,ask me not    
about the good thing1 but the good      
person1 the good being--the origin of   
all good'--who1 because he is1 can make 
good4 ,he is the one live good1 ready   
with his life to communicate living     
good1 the power of being1 and so doing  
good1 for he makes good itself to exist4
 ,it is not with this good thing and    
that good thing we have to do1 but with 
that power whence comes our power even  
to speak the word good4 ,we have to do  
with him to whom no one can look without
 the need of being good waking up in his
 heart2 to think about him is to begin  

to be good4 ,to do a good thing is to do
 a good thing2 to know ,god is to be    
good4 ,it is not to make us do all      
things right he cares1 but to make us   
hunger and thirst after a righteousness 
possessing which we shall never need to 
think of what is or is not good1 but    
shall refuse the evil and choose the    
good by a motion of the will which is at
 once necessity and choice4 ,you see    
again he refers him immediately as      
before to his ,father4  ,but ,i am      
anxious my reader should not mistake4   
,observe1 the question in the young     
man's mind is not about the doing or not
 doing of something he knows to be      
right2 had such been the case1 the ,lord
 would have permitted no question at    
all2 the one thing he insists upon is   
the doing of the thing we know we ought 
to do4 ,in the instance present1 the    
youth looking out for some unknown good 
thing to do1 he sends him back to the   
doing of what he knows1 and that in     
answer to his question concerning the   

way to eternal life4  ,a man must have  
something to do in the matter1 and may  
well ask such a question of any teacher6
 ,the ,lord does not for a moment turn  
away from it1 and only declines the form
 of it to help the youth to what he     
really needs4 ,he has1 in truth1 already
 more than hinted where the answer lies1
 namely1 in ,god himself1 but that the  
youth is not yet capable of receiving2  
he must begin with him farther back3    
',if thou wouldest enter into life1 keep
 the commandments2'--for verily1 if the 
commandments have nothing to do with    
entering into life1 why were they ever  
given to men8 ,this is his task--he must
 keep the commandments4  ,then the road 
to eternal life is the keeping of the   
commandments6 ,had the ,lord not said   
so1 what man of common moral sense would
 ever dare say otherwise8 ,what else can
 be the way into life but the doing of  
what the ,lord of life tells the        
creatures he has made1 and whom he would
 have live for ever1 that they must do8 

,it is the beginning of the way4 ,if a  
man had kept all those commandments1 yet
 would he not therefore have in him the 
life eternal2 nevertheless1 without     
keeping of the commandments there is no 
entering into life2 the keeping of them 
is the path to the gate of life2 it is  
not life1 but it is the way--so much of 
the way to it4 ,nay1 the keeping of the 
commandments1 consciously or            
unconsciously1 has closest and essential
 relation to eternal life4  ,the ,lord  
says nothing about the first table of   
the law3 why does he not tell this youth
 as he did the lawyer1 that to love ,god
 is everything8  ,he had given him a    
glimpse of the essence of his own life1 
had pointed the youth to the heart of   
all--for him to think of afterwards3 he 
was not ready for it yet4 ,he wanted    
eternal life3 to love ,god with all our 
heart1 and soul1 and strength1 and mind1
 is to know ,god1 and to know him is    
eternal life2 that is the end of the    
whole saving matter2 it is no human     

beginning1 it is the grand end and      
eternal beginning of all things2 but the
 youth was not capable of it4 ,to begin 
with that would be as sensible as to say
 to one asking how to reach the top of  
some mountain1 ',just set your foot on  
that shining snow-clad peak1 high there 
in the blue1 and you will at once be    
where you wish to go4' ',love ,god with 
all your heart1 and eternal life is     
yours3'--it would have been to mock him4
 ,why1 he could not yet see or believe  
that that was eternal life6 ,he was not 
yet capable of looking upon life even   
from afar6 ,how many ,christians are8   
,how many know that they are not8 ,how  
many care that they are not8 ,the ,lord 
answers his question directly1 tells him
 what to do--a thing he can do--to enter
 into life3 he must keep the            
commandments6--and when he asks1        
',which8' specifies only those that have
 to do with his neighbour1 ending with  
the highest and most difficult of them4 
',but no man can perfectly keep a single

 commandment of the second table any    
more than of the first4'  ,surely       
not--else why should they have been     
given8 ,but is there no meaning in the  
word keep1 or observe1 except it be     
qualified by perfectly8 ,is there no    
keeping but a perfect keeping8  ',none  
that ,god cares for4'  ,there ,i think  
you utterly wrong4 ,that no keeping but 
a perfect one will satisfy ,god1 ,i hold
 with all my heart and strength2 but    
that there is none else he cares for1 is
 one of the lies of the enemy4 ,what    
father is not pleased with the first    
tottering attempt of his little one to  
walk8 ,what father would be satisfied   
with anything but the manly step of the 
full-grown son8  ,when the ,lord has    
definitely mentioned the commandments he
 means1 the youth returns at once that  
he has observed those from his youth up3
 are we to take his word for it8 ,the   
,lord at least takes his word for it3 he
 looked on him and loved him4 ,was the  
,lord deceived in him8 ,did he tell an  

untruth8 or did the ,master believe he  
had kept the commandments perfectly8    
,there must be a keeping of the         
commandments1 which1 although anything  
but perfect1 is yet acceptable to the   
heart of him from whom nothing is hid4  
,in that way the youth had kept the     
commandments4 ,he had for years been    
putting forth something of his          
life-energy to keep them4 ,nor1 however 
he had failed of perfection1 had he     
missed the end for which they were given
 him to keep4 ,for the immediate end of 
the commandments never was that men     
should succeed in obeying them1 but     
that1 finding they could not do that    
which yet must be done1 finding the more
 they tried the more was required of    
them1 they should be driven to the      
source of life and law--of their life   
and his law--to seek from him such      
reinforcement of life as should make the
 fulfilment of the law as possible1 yea1
 as natural1 as necessary4 ,this result 
had been wrought in the youth4 ,his     

observance had given him no             
satisfaction2 he was not at rest2 but he
 desired eternal life--of which there   
was no word in the law3 the keeping of  
the law had served to develop a hunger  
which no law or its keeping could fill4 
,must not the imperfection of his       
keeping of the commandments1 even in the
 lower sense in which he read them1 have
 helped to reveal how far they were     
beyond any keeping of his1 how their    
implicit demands rose into the          
infinitude of ,god's perfection8        
,having kept the commandments1 the youth
 needed and was ready for a further     
lesson3 the ,lord would not leave him   
where he was2 he had come to seek and to
 save4 ,he saw him in sore need of      
perfection--the thing the commonplace   
,christian thinks he can best do        
without--the thing the elect hungers    
after with an eternal hunger4           
,perfection1 the perfection of the      
,father1 is eternal life4 ',if thou     
wouldest be perfect1' said the ,lord4   

,what an honour for the youth to be by  
him supposed desirous of perfection6    
,and what an enormous demand does he1   
upon the supposition1 make of him6 ,to  
gain the perfection he desired1 the one 
thing lacking was1 that he should sell  
all that he had1 give it to the poor1   
and follow the ,lord6 ,could this be all
 that lay between him and entering into 
life8 ,god only knows what the victory  
of such an obedience might at once have 
wrought in him6 ,much1 much more would  
be necessary before perfection was      
reached1 but certainly the next step1 to
 sell and follow1 would have been the   
step into life3 had he taken it1 in the 
very act would have been born in him    
that whose essence and vitality is      
eternal life1 needing but process to    
develop it into the glorious            
consciousness of oneness with ,the      
,life4  ,there was nothing like this in 
the law3 was it not hard8--,hard to let 
earth go1 and take heaven instead8 for  
eternal life1 to let dead things drop8  

to turn his hack on ,mammon1 and follow 
,jesus8 lose his rich friends1 and he of
 the ,master's household8 ,let him say  
it was hard who does not know the ,lord1
 who has never thirsted after           
righteousness1 never longed for the life
 eternal6  ,the youth had got on so far1
 was so pleasing in the eyes of the     
,master1 that he would show him the     
highest favour he could2 he would take  
him to be with him--to walk with him1   
and rest with him1 and go from him only 
to do for him what he did for his       
,father in heaven--to plead with men1 he
 a mediator between ,god and men4 ,he   
would set him free at once1 a child of  
the kingdom1 an heir of the life        
eternal4  ,i do not suppose that the    
youth was one whom ordinary people would
 call a lover of money2 ,i do not       
believe he was covetous1 or desired even
 the large increase of his possessions2 
,i imagine he was just like most good   
men of property3 he valued his          
possessions--looked on them as a good4  

,i suspect that in the case of another1 
he would have regarded such possession  
almost as a merit1 a desert2 would value
 a man more who had means1 value a man  
less who had none--like most of my      
readers4 ,they have not a notion how    
entirely they will one day have to alter
 their judgment1 or have it altered for 
them1 in this respect3 well for them if 
they alter it for themselves6  ,from    
this false way of thinking1 and all the 
folly and unreality that accompany it1  
the ,lord would deliver the young man4  
,as the thing was1 he was a slave2 for a
 man is in bondage to what ever he      
cannot part with that is less than      
himself4 ,he could have taken his       
possessions from him by an exercise of  
his own will1 but there would have been 
little good in that2 he wished to do it 
by the exercise of the young man's will3
 that would be a victory indeed for     
both6 ,so would he enter into freedom   
and life1 delivered from the bondage of 
mammon by the lovely will of the ,lord  

in him1 one with his own4 ,by the       
putting forth of the divine energy in   
him1 he would escape the corruption that
 is in the world through lust--that is1 
the desire or pleasure of having4  ,the 
young man would not4  ,was the ,lord    
then premature in his demand on the     
youth8 ,was he not ready for it8 ,was it
 meant for a test1 and not as an actual 
word of deliverance8 ,did he show the   
child a next step on the stair too high 
for him to set his foot upon8 ,i do not 
believe it4 ,he gave him the very next  
lesson in the divine education for which
 he was ready4 ,it was possible for him 
to respond1 to give birth1 by obedience1
 to the redeemed and redeeming will1 and
 so be free4 ,it was time the demand    
should be made upon him4 ,do you say1   
',but he would not respond1 he would not
 obey6'8 ,then it was time1 ,i answer1  
that he should refuse1 that he should   
know what manner of spirit he was of1   
and meet the confusions of soul1 the sad
 searchings of heart that must follow4  

,a time comes to every man when he must 
obey1 or make such refusal--and know it4
  ,shall ,i then be supposed to mean    
that the refusal of the young man was of
 necessity final8 that he was therefore 
lost8 that because he declined to enter 
into life the door of life was closed   
against him8 ,verily1 ,i have not so    
learned ,christ4 ,and that the lesson   
was not lost1 ,i see in this1 that he   
went away sorrowful4 ,was such sorrow1  
in the mind of an earnest youth1 likely 
to grow less or to grow more8 ,was all  
he had gone through in the way of       
obedience to be of no good to him8      
,could the nature of one who had kept   
the commandments be so slight that1     
after having sought and talked with     
,jesus1 held communion with him who is  
the ,life1 he would care less about     
eternal life than before8 ,many1 alas6  
have looked upon his face1 yet have     
never seen him1 and have turned back2   
some have kept company with him for     
years1 and denied him2 but their        

weakness is not the measure of the      
patience or the resources of ,god4      
,perhaps this youth was never one of the
 ,lord's so long as he was on the earth1
 but perhaps when he saw that the       
,master himself cared nothing for the   
wealth he had told him to cast away1    
that1 instead of ascending the throne of
 his fathers1 he let the people do with 
him what they would1 and left the world 
the poor man he had lived in it1 by its 
meanest door1 perhaps then he became one
 of those who sold all they had1 and    
came and laid the money at the apostles'
 feet4 ,in the meantime he had that in  
his soul which made it heavy3 by the    
gravity of his riches the world held    
him1 and would not let him rise4 ,he    
counted his weight his strength1 and it 
was his weakness4 ,moneyless in ,god's  
upper air he would have had power       
indeed4 ,money is the power of this     
world--power for defeat and failure to  
him who holds it--a weakness to be      
overcome ere a man can be strong2 yet   

many decent people fancy it a power of  
the world to come6 ,it is indeed a      
little power1 as food and drink1 as     
bodily strength1 as the winds and the   
waves are powers2 but it is no mighty   
thing for the redemption of men2 yea1 to
 the redemption of those who have it1 it
 is the saddest obstruction4 ,to make   
this youth capable of eternal life1     
clearly--and the more clearly that he   
went away sorrowful--the first thing was
 to make a poor man of him6 ,he would   
doubtless have gladly devoted his wealth
 to the service of the ,master1 yea1 and
 gone with him1 as a rich man1 to spend 
it for him4 ,but part with it to free   
him for his service--that he could      
not--yet6  ,and how now would he go on  
with his keeping of the commandments8   
,would he not begin to see more plainly 
his shortcomings1 the larger scope of   
their requirements8 ,might he not feel  
the keeping of them more imperative than
 ever1 yet impossible without something 
he had not8 ,the commandments can never 

be kept while there is a strife to keep 
them3 the man is overwhelmed in the     
weight of their broken pieces4 ,it needs
 a clean heart to have pure hands1 all  
the power of a live soul to keep the    
law--a power of life1 not of struggle2  
the strength of love1 not the effort of 
duty4  ,one day the truth of his conduct
 must dawn upon him with absolute       
clearness4 ,bitter must be the          
discovery4 ,he had refused the life     
eternal6 had turned his back upon ,the  
,life6 ,in deepest humility and shame1  
yet with the profound consolation of    
repentance1 he would return to the      
,master and bemoan his unteachableness4 
,there are who1 like ,st4 ,paul1 can    
say1 ',i did wrong1 but ,i did it in    
ignorance2 my heart was not right1 and  
,i did not know it3' the remorse of such
 must be very different from that of one
 who1 brought to the point of being     
capable of embracing the truth1 turned  
from it and refused to be set free4 ,to 
him the time will come1 ,god only knows 

its hour1 when he will see the nature of
 his deed1 with the knowledge that he   
was dimly seeing it so even when he did 
it3 the alternative had been put before 
him4 ,and all those months1 or days1 or 
hours1 or moments1 he might have been   
following the ,master1 hearing the words
 he spoke1 through the windows of his   
eyes looking into the very gulfs of     
,godhead6  ,the sum of the matter in    
regard to the youth is this3--,he had   
begun early to climb the eternal stair4 
,he had kept the commandments1 and by   
every keeping had climbed4 ,but because 
he was well to do--a phrase of          
unconscious irony--he felt well to      
be--quite1 but for that lack of eternal 
life6 ,his possessions gave him a       
standing in the world--a position of    
consequence--of value in his eyes4 ,he  
knew himself looked up to2 he liked to  
be looked up to2 he looked up to himself
 because of his means1 forgetting that  
means are but tools1 and poor tools too4
 ,to part with his wealth would be to   

sink to the level of his inferiors6 ,why
 should he not keep it8 why not use it  
in the service of the ,master8 ,what    
wisdom could there be in throwing away  
such a grand advantage8 ,he could devote
 it1 but he could not cast it from him6 
,he could devote it1 but he could not   
devote himself6 ,he could not make      
himself naked as a little child and let 
his ,father take him6 ,to him it was not
 the word of wisdom the ',good ,master' 
spoke4 ,how could precious money be a   
hindrance to entering into life6 ,how   
could a rich man believe he would be of 
more value without his money8 that the  
casting of it away would make him one of
 ,god's ,anakim8 that the battle of ,god
 could be better fought without its     
impediment8 that his work refused as an 
obstruction the aid of wealth8 ,but the 
,master had repudiated money that he    
might do the will of his ,father2 and   
the disciple must be as his master4 ,had
 he done as the ,master told him1 he    
would soon have come to understand4     

,obedience is the opener of eyes4       
,there is this danger to every good     
youth in keeping the commandments1 that 
he will probably think of himself more  
highly than he ought to think4 ,he may  
be correct enough as to the facts1 and  
in his deductions1 and consequent       
self-regard1 be anything but fair4 ,he  
may think himself a fine fellow1 when he
 is but an ordinarily reasonable youth1 
trying to do but the first thing        
necessary to the name or honour of a    
man4 ,doubtless such a youth is         
exceptional among youths2 but the number
 of fools not yet acknowledging the     
first condition of manhood nowise alters
 the fact that he who has begun to      
recognize duty1 and acknowledge the     
facts of his being1 is but a tottering  
child on the path of life4 ,he is on the
 path2 he is as wise as at the time he  
can be2 the ,father's arms are stretched
 out to receive him2 but he is not      
therefore a wonderful being2 not        
therefore a model of wisdom2 not at all 

the admirable creature his largely      
remaining folly would1 in his worst     
moments1 that is when he feels best1    
persuade him to think himself2 he is    
just one of ,god's poor creatures4 ,what
 share this besetting sin of the good   
young man may have had in the miserable 
failure of this one1 we need not        
inquire2 but it may well be that he     
thought the ,master under-valued his    
work as well as his wealth1 and was less
 than fair to him4  ,to return to the   
summing up of the matter3--  ,the youth1
 climbing the stair of eternal life1 had
 come to a landing-place where not a    
step more was visible4 ,on the          
cloud-swathed platform he stands looking
 in vain for further ascent4 ,what he   
thought with himself he wanted1 ,i      
cannot tell3 his idea of eternal life ,i
 do not know2 ,i can hardly think it was
 but the poor idea of living for ever1  
all that commonplace minds grasp at for 
eternal life--its mere concomitant      
shadow1 in itself not worth thinking    

about1 not for a moment to be disputed1 
and taken for granted by all devout     
,jews3 when a man has eternal life1 that
 is1 when he is one with ,god1 what     
should he do but live for ever8 without 
oneness with ,god1 the continuance of   
existence would be to me the all but    
unsurpassable curse--the unsurpassable  
itself being1 a ,god other than the ,god
 ,i see in ,jesus2 but whatever his     
idea1 it must have held in it1 though   
perhaps only in solution1 all such      
notions as he had concerning ,god and   
man and a common righteousness4 ,while  
thus he stands1 then1 alone and         
helpless1 behold the form of the ,son of
 ,man6 ,it is ,god himself come to meet 
the climbing youth1 to take him by the  
hand1 and lead him up his own stair1 the
 only stair by which ascent can be made4
 ,he shows him the first step of it     
through the mist4 ,his feet are heavy2  
they have golden shoes4 ,to go up that  
stair he must throw aside his shoes4 ,he
 must walk bare-footed into life        

eternal4 ,rather than so1 rather than   
stride free-limbed up the everlasting   
stair to the bosom of the ,father1 he   
will keep his precious shoes6 ,it is    
better to drag them about on the earth1 
than part with them for a world where   
they are useless6  ,but how miserable   
his precious things1 his golden vessels1
 his embroidered garments1 his stately  
house1 must have seemed when he went    
back to them from the face of the ,lord6
 ,surely it cannot have been long before
 in shame and misery he cast all from   
him1 even as ,judas cast from him the   
thirty pieces of silver1 in the agony of
 every one who wakes to the fact that he
 has preferred money to the ,master6    
,for1 although never can man be saved   
without being freed from his            
possessions1 it is yet only hard1 not   
impossible1 for a rich man to enter into
 the kingdom of ,god4                   
,,the ,,hardness ,,of ,,the ,,way4      
,children1 how hard is it6--,st4 ,mark  
x4 #bd4  ,i suspect there is scarcely a 

young man rich and thoughtful who is not
 ready to feel our ,lord's treatment of 
this young man hard4 ,he is apt to ask1 
,why should it be difficult for a rich  
man to enter into the kingdom of heaven8
 ,he is ready to look upon the natural  
fact as an arbitrary decree1 arising1   
shall ,i say8 from some prejudice in the
 divine mind1 or at least from some     
objection to the joys of well-being1 as 
regarded from the creatures' side4 ,why 
should the rich fare differently from   
other people in respect of the world to 
come8 ,they do not perceive that the law
 is they shall fare like other people1  
whereas they want to fare as rich       
people4 ,a condition of things in which 
it would be easy for a rich man to enter
 into the kingdom of heaven is to me    
inconceivable4 ,there is no kingdom of  
this world into which a rich man may not
 easily enter--in which1 if he be but   
rich enough1 he may not be the first3 a 
kingdom into which it would be easy for 
a rich man to enter could be no kingdom 

of heaven4 ,the rich man does not by any
 necessity of things belong to the      
kingdom of ,satan1 but into that kingdom
 he is especially welcome1 whereas into 
the kingdom of heaven he will be just as
 welcome as another man4  ,i suspect    
also that many a rich man turns from the
 record of this incident with the       
resentful feeling that there lies in it 
a claim upon his whole having2 while    
there are many1 and those by no means   
only of the rich1 who cannot believe the
 ,lord really meant to take the poor    
fellow's money from him4 ,to the man    
born to riches they seem not merely a   
natural1 but an essential condition of  
well-being2 and the man who has made his
 money1 feels it his by the labour of   
his soul1 the travail of the day1 and   
the care of the night4 ,each feels a    
right to have and to hold the things he 
possesses2 and if there is a necessity  
for his entering into the kingdom of    
heaven1 it is hard indeed that right and
 necessity should confront each other1  

and constitute all but a bare           
impossibility6 ,why should he not 'make 
the best of both worlds'8 ,he would     
compromise1 if he might2 he would serve 
,mammon a little1 and ,god much4 ,he    
would not have such a 'best of both     
worlds' as comes of putting the lower in
 utter subservience to the higher--of   
casting away the treasure of this world 
and taking the treasure of heaven       
instead4 ,he would gain as little as may
 be of heaven--but something1 with the  
loss of as little as possible of the    
world4 ,that which he desires of heaven 
is not its best2 that which he would not
 yield of the world is its most         
worthless4  ,i can well imagine an      
honest youth1 educated in ,christian    
forms1 thus reasoning with              
himself3--',is the story of general     
relation8 ,is this demand made upon me8 
,if ,i make up my mind to be a          
,christian1 shall ,i be required to part
 with all ,i possess8 ,it must have been
 comparatively easy in those times to   

give up the kind of things they had6 ,if
 ,i had been he1 ,i am sure ,i should   
have done it--at the demand of the      
,saviour in person4 ,things are very    
different now6 ,wealth did not then     
imply the same social relations as now6 
,i should be giving up so much more6    
,neither do ,i love money as he was in  
danger of doing3 in all times the ,jews 
have been ,mammon-worshippers6 ,i try to
 do good with my money6 ,besides1 am ,i 
not a ,christian already8 ,why should   
the same thing be required of me as of a
 young ,jew8 ,if every one who1 like me1
 has a conscience about money1 and cares
 to use it well1 had to give up all1 the
 power would at once be in the hands of 
the irreligious2 they would have no     
opposition1 and the world would go to   
the devil6 ,we read often in the ,bible 
of rich men1 but never of any other who 
was desired to part with all that he    
had6 ,when ,ananias was struck dead1 it 
was not because he did not give up all  
his money1 but because he pretended to  

have done so4 ,st4 ,peter expressly     
says1 ',while it remained was it not    
thine own8 and after it was sold1 was it
 not in thine own power8' ,how would the
 ,lord have been buried but for the rich
 ,joseph8 ,besides1 the ,lord said1 ,if 
thou wouldst be perfect1 go1 sell that  
thou hast4 ,i cannot be perfect2 it is  
hopeless2 and he does not expect        
it4'--,it would be more honest if he    
said1 ',i do not want to be perfect2 ,i 
am content to be saved4' ,such as he do 
not care for being perfect as their     
,father in heaven is perfect1 but for   
being what they call saved4 ,they little
 think that without perfection there is 
no salvation--that perfection is        
salvation3 they are one4--',and again1' 
he adds1 in conclusion triumphant1 'the 
text says1 ,how hard is it for them that
 trust in riches to enter into the      
kingdom of ,god6 ,i do not trust in my  
riches4 ,i know that they can do nothing
 to save me6'  ,i will suppose myself in
 immediate communication with such a    

youth4 ,i should care little to set     
forth anything called truth1 except in  
siege for surrender to the law of       
liberty4 ,if ,i cannot persuade1 ,i     
would be silent4 ,nor would ,i labour to
 instruct the keenest intellect2 ,i     
would rather learn for myself4 ,to      
persuade the heart1 the will1 the       
action1 is alone worth the full energy  
of a man4 ,his strength is first for his
 own1 then for his neighbour's manhood4 
,he must first pluck out the beam out of
 his own eye1 then the mote out of his  
brother's--if indeed the mote in his    
brother's be more than the projection of
 the beam in his own4 ,to make a man    
happy as a lark1 might be to do him     
grievous wrong3 to make a man wake1     
rise1 look up1 turn1 is worth the life  
and death of the ,son of the ,eternal4  
,i say then to the youth3--  ',have you 
kept--have you been keeping the         
commandments8'  ',i will not dare to say
 that1' ,i suppose him to answer4 ',i   
ought to know better than that youth how

 much is implied in the keeping of the  
commandments6'  ',but1' ,i ask          
insisting1 'does your answer imply that1
 counting the ,lord a hard master1 you  
have taken the less pains to do as he   
would have you8 or that1 bending your   
energies to the absolute perfection he  
requires1 you have the more perceived   
the impossibility of fulfilling the law8
 ,can you have failed to note that it is
 the youth who has been for years       
observing the commandments on whom the  
further1 and to you startling1 command  
is laid1 to part with all that he has8  
,surely not6 ,are you then one on whom1 
because of correspondent condition1 the 
same command could be laid8 ,have you1  
in any sense like that in which the     
youth answered the question1 kept the   
commandments8 ,have you1 unsatisfied    
with the result of what keeping you have
 given them1 and filled with desire to  
be perfect1 gone kneeling to the ,master
 to learn more of the way to eternal    
life8 or are you so well satisfied with 

what you are1 that you have never sought
 eternal life1 never hungered and       
thirsted after the righteousness of     
,god1 the perfection of your being8 ,if 
this latter be your condition1 then be  
comforted2 the ,master does not require 
of you to sell what you have and give to
 the poor4 ,you follow him6 ,you go with
 him to preach good tidings6--you who   
care not for righteousness6 ,you are not
 one whose company is desirable to the  
,master4 ,be comforted1 ,i say3 he does 
not want you2 he will not ask you to    
open your purse for him2 you may give or
 withhold2 it is nothing to him4 ,what6 
is he to be obliged to one outside his  
kingdom--to the untrue1 the ignoble1 for
 money8 ,bring him a true heart1 an     
obedient hand3 he has given his         
life-blood for that2 but your money--he 
neither needs it nor cares for it4'     
',pray1 do not deal harshly with me4 ,i 
confess ,i have not been what ,i ought1 
but ,i want to repent1 and would fain   
enter into life4 ,do not think1 because 

,i am not prepared1 without the         
certainty that it is required of me1 to 
cast from me all ,i have that ,i have no
 regard for higher things4'  ',once     
more1 then1 go and keep the             
commandments4 ,it is not come to your   
money yet4 ,the commandments are enough 
for you4 ,you are not yet a child in the
 kingdom4 ,you do not care for the arms 
of your father2 you value only the      
shelter of his roof4 ,as to your money1 
let the commandments direct you how to  
use it4 ,it is in you but pitiable      
presumption to wonder whether it is     
required of you to sell all that you    
have4 ,when in keeping the commandments 
you have found the great reward of      
loving righteousness--the further reward
 of discovering that1 with all the      
energy you can put forth1 you are but an
 unprofitable servant2 when you have    
come to know that the law can be kept   
only by such as need no law2 when you   
have come to feel that you would rather 
pass out of being than live on such a   

poor1 miserable1 selfish life as alone  
you can call yours2 when you are aware  
of a something beyond all that your mind
 can think1 yet not beyond what your    
heart can desire--a something that is   
not yours1 seems as if it never could be
 yours1 which yet your life is worthless
 without2 when you have come therefore  
to the ,master with the cry1 ,what shall
 ,i do that ,i may inherit eternal life8
 it may be he will then say to you1     
,sell all that you have and give to the 
poor1 and come follow me4 ,if he do1    
then will you be of men most honourable 
if you obey--of men most pitiable if you
 refuse4 ,till then you would be no     
comfort to him1 no pleasure to his      
friends4 ,for the young man to have sold
 all and followed him would have been to
 accept ,god's patent of peerage3 to you
 it is not offered4 ,were one of the    
disobedient1 in the hope of the honour1 
to part with every straw he possessed1  
he would but be sent back to keep the   
commandments in the new and easier      

circumstances of his poverty4  ',does   
this comfort you8 ,then alas for you6 ,a
 thousand times alas6 ,your relief is to
 know that the ,lord has no need of     
you--does not require you to part with  
your money1 does not offer you himself  
instead6 ,you do not indeed sell him for
 thirty pieces of silver1 but you are   
glad not to buy him with all that you   
have6 ,wherein do you differ from the   
youth of the story8 ,in this1 that he   
was invited to do more1 to do           
everything1 to partake of the divine    
nature2 you have not had it in your     
power to refuse2 you are not fit to be  
invited4 ,such as you can never enter   
the kingdom4 ,you would not even know   
you were in heaven if you were in it2   
you would not see it around you if you  
sat on the very footstool of the        
throne4'  ',but ,i do not trust in my   
riches2 ,i trust in the merits of my    
,lord and ,saviour4 ,i trust in his     
finished work1 ,i trust in the sacrifice
 he has offered4'  ',yes2 yes6--you will

 trust in anything but the ,man himself 
who tells you it is hard to be saved6   
,not all the merits of ,god and his     
,christ can give you eternal life2 only 
,god and his ,christ can2 and they      
cannot1 would not if they could1 without
 your keeping the commandments4 ,the    
knowledge of the living ,god is eternal 
life4 ,what have you to do with his     
merits8 ,you have to know his being1    
himself4 ,and as to trusting in your    
riches--who ever imagined he could have 
eternal life by his riches8 ,no man with
 half a conscience1 half a head1 and no 
heart at all1 could suppose that any man
 trusting in his riches to get him in1  
could enter the kingdom4 ,that would be 
too absurd4 ,the money-confident ,jew   
might hope that1 as his riches were a   
sign of the favour of ,god1 that favour 
would not fail him at the last2 or their
 possession might so enlarge his        
self-satisfaction that he could not     
entertain the idea of being lost2 but   
trust in his riches6--no4 ,it is the    

last refuge of the riches-lover1 the    
riches-worshipper1 the man to whom their
 possession is essential for his peace1 
to say he does not trust in them to take
 him into life4 ,doubtless the man who  
thinks of nothing so much1 trusts in    
them in a very fearful sense2 but       
hundreds who do so will yet say1 ,i do  
not trust in my riches2 ,i trust in--   
this or that stock-phrase4'  ',you      
forget yourself2 you are criticizing the
 ,lord's own words3 he said1 ,how hard  
is it for them that trust in riches to  
enter into the kingdom of heaven6'  ',i 
do not forget myself2 to this ,i have   
been leading you3--our ,lord1 ,i        
believe1 never said those words4 ,the   
reading of both the ,sinaitic and the   
,vatican manuscript1 the oldest two we  
have1 that preferred1 ,i am glad to see1
 by both ,westcott and ,tischendorf1    
though not by ,tregelles or the         
,revisers1 is1 ,children1 how hard is it
 to enter into the kingdom of ,god6     
,these words ,i take to be those of the 

,lord4 ,some copyist1 with the mind at  
least of a rich man1 dissatisfied with  
the ,lord's way of regarding money1 and 
like yourself anxious to compromize1    
must forsooth affix his marginal        
gloss--to the effect that it is not the 
possessing of riches1 but the trusting  
in them1 that makes it difficult to     
enter into the kingdom6 ,difficult8     
,why1 it is eternally impossible for the
 man who trusts in his riches to enter  
into the kingdom6 it is for the man who 
has riches it is difficult4 ,is the     
,lord supposed to teach that for a man  
who trusts in his riches it is possible 
to enter the kingdom8 that1 though      
impossible with men1 this is possible   
with ,god8 ,god take the                
,mammon-worshipper into his glory6 ,no6 
the ,lord never said it4 ,the annotation
 of ,mr4 ,facingbothways crept into the 
text1 and stands in the ,english        
version4 ,our ,lord was not in the habit
 of explaining away his hard words4 ,he 
let them stand in all the glory of the  

burning fire wherewith they would purge 
us4 ,where their simplicity finds       
corresponding simplicity1 they are      
understood4 ,the twofold heart must     
mistake4 ,it is hard for a rich man1    
just because he is a rich man1 to enter 
into the kingdom of heaven4'  ,some1 no 
doubt1 comfort themselves with the      
thought that1 if it be so hard1 the fact
 will be taken into account3 it is but  
another shape of the fancy that the rich
 man must be differently treated from   
his fellows2 that as he has had his good
 things here1 so he must have them there
 too4 ,certain as life they will have   
absolute justice1 that is1 fairness1 but
 what will that avail1 if they enter not
 into the kingdom8 ,it is life they must
 have2 there is no enduring of existence
 without life4 ,they think they can do  
without eternal life1 if only they may  
live for ever6 ,those who know what     
eternal life means count it the one     
terror to have to live on without it4   
,take then the ,lord's words thus3      

',children1 how hard is it to enter into
 the kingdom of ,god6' ,it is quite like
 his way of putting things4 ,calling    
them first to reflect on the original   
difficulty for every man of entering    
into the kingdom of ,god1 he reasserts  
in yet stronger phrase the difficulty of
 the rich man3 ',it is easier for a     
camel to go through a needle's eye1 than
 for a rich man to enter into the       
kingdom of ,god4' ,it always was1 always
 will be1 hard to enter into the kingdom
 of heaven4 ,it is hard even to believe 
that one must be born from above--must  
pass into a new and unknown             
consciousness4 ,the law-faithful ,jew1  
the ceremonial ,christian1 shrinks from 
the self-annihilation1 the ,life of     
grace and truth1 the upper air of       
heavenly delight1 the all-embracing love
 that fills the law full and sets it    
aside4 ,they cannot accept a condition  
of being as in itself eternal life4 ,and
 hard to believe in1 this life1 this    
kingdom of ,god1 this simplicity of     

absolute existence1 is hard to enter4   
,how hard8 ,as hard as the ,master of   
salvation could find words to express   
the hardness3 ',if any man cometh unto  
me1 and hateth not 4444 his own life    
also1 he cannot be my disciple4' ,and   
the rich man must find it harder than   
another to hate his own life4 ,there is 
so much associated with it to swell out 
the self of his consciousness1 that the 
difficulty of casting it from him as the
 mere ugly shadow of the self ,god made1
 is vastly increased4  ,none can know   
how difficult it is to enter into the   
kingdom of heaven1 but those who have   
tried--tried hard1 and have not ceased  
to try4 ,i care not to be told that one 
may pass at once into all possible      
sweetness of assurance2 it is not       
assurance ,i desire1 but the thing      
itself2 not the certainty of eternal    
life1 but eternal life4 ,i care not what
 other preachers may say1 while ,i know 
that in ,st4 ,paul the spirit and the   
flesh were in frequent strife4 ,they    

only1 ,i repeat1 know how hard it is to 
enter into life1 who are in conflict    
every day1 are growing to have this     
conflict every hour--nay1 begin to see  
that no moment is life1 without the     
presence that maketh strong4 ,let any   
tell me of peace and content1 yea1 joy  
unspeakable as the instant result of the
 new birth2 ,i deny no such statement1  
refuse no such testimony2 all ,i care to
 say is1 that1 if by salvation they mean
 less than absolute oneness with ,god1  
,i count it no salvation1 neither would 
be content with it if it included every 
joy in the heaven of their best         
imagining4 ,if they are not righteous   
even as he is righteous1 they are not   
saved1 whatever be their gladness or    
their content2 they are but on the way  
to be saved4 ,if they do not love their 
neighbour--not as themselves3 that is a 
phrase ill to understand1 and not of    
,christ1 but--as ,christ loves him1 ,i  
cannot count them entered into life1    
though life may have begun to enter into

 them4 ,those whose idea of life is     
simply an eternal one1 best know how    
hard it is to enter into life4 ,the     
,lord said1 ',children how hard is it to
 enter into the kingdom6' the disciples 
little knew what was required of them6  
,demands unknown before are continually 
being made upon the ,christian3 it is   
the ever fresh rousing and calling1     
asking and sending of the ,spirit that  
worketh in the children of obedience4   
,when he thinks he has attained1 then is
 he in danger2 when he finds the        
mountain he has so long been climbing   
show suddenly a distant peak1 radiant in
 eternal whiteness1 and all but lost in 
heavenly places1 a peak whose           
glory-crowned apex it seems as if no    
human foot could ever reach--then is    
there hope for him2 proof there is then 
that he has been climbing1 for he       
beholds the yet unclimbed2 he sees what 
he could not see before2 if he knows    
little of what he is1 he knows something
 of what he is not4 ,he learns ever     

afresh that he is not in the world as   
,jesus was in the world2 but the very   
wind that breathes courage as he climbs 
is the hope that one day he shall be    
like him1 seeing him as he is4          
,possessions are ,things1 and ,things in
 general1 save as affording matter of   
conquest and means of spiritual         
annexation1 are very ready to prove     
inimical to the better life4 ,the man   
who for consciousness of well-being     
depends upon anything but life1 the life
 essential1 is a slave2 he hangs on what
 is less than himself4 ,he is not       
perfect who1 deprived of every thing1   
would not sit down calmly content1 aware
 of a well-being untouched2 for none the
 less would he be possessor of all      
things1 the child of the ,eternal4      
,things are given us1 this body first of
 things1 that through them we may be    
trained both to independence and true   
possession of them4 ,we must possess    
them2 they must not possess us4 ,their  
use is to mediate--as shapes and        

manifestations in lower kind of the     
things that are unseen1 that is1 in     
themselves unseeable1 the things that   
belong1 not to the world of speech1 but 
the world of silence1 not to the world  
of showing1 but the world of being1 the 
world that cannot be shaken1 and must   
remain4 ,these things unseen take form  
in the things of time and space--not    
that they may exist1 for they exist in  
and from eternal ,godhead1 but that     
their being may be known to those in    
training for the eternal2 these things  
unseen the sons and daughters of ,god   
must possess4 ,but instead of reaching  
out after them1 they grasp at their     
forms1 reward the things seen as the    
things to be possessed1 fall in love    
with the bodies instead of the souls of 
them4 ,there are good people who can    
hardly believe that1 if the young man   
had consented to give up his wealth1 the
 ,lord would not then have told him to  
keep it2 they too seem to think the     
treasure in heaven insufficient as a    

substitute4 ,they cannot believe he     
would have been better off without his  
wealth4 ',is not wealth power8' they    
ask4 ,it is indeed power1 and so is a   
wolf hid in the robe2 it is power1 but  
as of a brute machine1 of which the     
owner ill knows the handles and cranks1 
valves and governor4 ,the multitude of  
those who read the tale are of the same 
mind as the youth himself--in his worst 
moment1 as he turned and went--with one 
vast difference1 that they are not      
sorrowful4  ,things can never be really 
possessed by the man who cannot do      
without them--who would not be          
absolutely1 divinely content in the     
consciousness that the cause of his     
being is within it--and with him4 ,i    
would not be misunderstood3 no man can  
have the consciousness of ,god with him 
and not be content2 ,i mean that no man 
who has not the ,father so as to be     
eternally content in him alone1 can     
possess a sunset or a field of grass or 
a mine of gold or the love of a         

fellow-creature according to its        
nature--as ,god would have him possess  
it--in the eternal way of inheriting1   
having1 and holding4 ,he who has ,god1  
has all things1 after the fashion in    
which he who made them has them4 ,to    
man1 woman1 and child1 ,i say--if you   
are not content1 it is because ,god is  
not with you as you need him1 not with  
you as he would be with you1 as you must
 have him2 for you need him as your body
 never needed food or air1 need him as  
your soul never hungered after joy1 or  
peace1 or pleasure4  ,it is imperative  
on us to get rid of the tyranny of      
things4 ,see how imperative3 let the    
young man cling with every fibre to his 
wealth1 what ,god can do he will do2 his
 child shall not be left in the hell of 
possession6 ,comes the angel of         
death6--and where are the things that   
haunted the poor soul with such manifold
 hindrance and obstruction6 ,the world1 
and all that is in the world1 drops and 
slips1 from his feet1 from his hands1   

carrying with it his body1 his eyes1 his
 ears1 every pouch1 every coffer1 that  
could delude him with the fancy of      
possession4  ',is the man so freed from 
the dominion of things8 does ,death so  
serve him--so ransom him8 ,why then     
hasten the hour8 ,shall not the youth   
abide the stroke of ,time's clock--await
 the ,inevitable on its path to free    
him8'  ,not so6--for then first1 ,i     
presume1 does the man of things become  
aware of their tyranny4 ,when a man     
begins to abstain1 then first he        
recognizes the strength of his passion2 
it may be1 when a man has not a thing   
left1 he will begin to know what a      
necessity he had made of things2 and if 
then he begin to contend with them1 to  
cast out of his soul what ,death has    
torn from his hands1 then first will he 
know the full passion of possession1 the
 slavery of prizing the worthless part  
of the precious4  ',wherein then lies   
the service of ,death8 ,he takes the    
sting1 but leaves the poison6'  ,in     

this3 it is not the fetters that gall1  
but the fetters that soothe1 which eat  
into the soul4 ,when the fetters of gold
 are gone1 on which the man delighted to
 gaze1 though they held him fast to his 
dungeon-wall1 buried from air and       
sunshine1 then first will he feel them  
in the soreness of their lack1 in the   
weary indifference with which he looks  
on earth and sea1 on space and stars4   
,when the truth begins to dawn upon him 
that those fetters were a horror and a  
disgrace1 then will the good of saving  
death appear1 and the man begin to      
understand that having never was1 never 
could be well-being2 that it is not by  
possessing we live1 but by life we      
possess4 ,in this way is the loss of the
 things he thought he had1 a motioning1 
hardly towards1 yet in favour of        
deliverance4 ,it may seem to the man the
 first of his slavery when it is in     
truth the beginning of his freedom4     
,never soul was set free without being  
made to feel its slavery2 nothing but   

itself can enslave a soul1 nothing      
without itself free it4  ,when the      
drunkard1 free of his body1 but         
retaining his desire unable to indulge  
it1 has time at length to think1 in the 
lack of the means of destroying thought1
 surely there dawns for him then at last
 a fearful hope6--not until1 by the     
power of ,god and his own obedient      
effort1 he is raised into such a        
condition that1 be the temptation what  
it might1 he would not yield for an     
immortality of unrequited               
drunkenness--all its delights and not   
one of its penalties--is he saved4      
,thus death may give a new              
opportunity--with some hope for the     
multitude counting themselves           
,christians1 who are possessed by things
 as by a legion of devils2 who stand    
well in their church2 whose lives are   
regarded as stainless2 who are kind1    
friendly1 give largely1 believe in the  
redemption of ,jesus1 talk of the world 
and the church2 yet whose care all the  

time is to heap up1 to make much into   
more1 to add house to house and field to
 field1 burying themselves deeper and   
deeper in the ash-heap of ,things4  ,but
 it is not the rich man only who is     
under the dominion of things2 they too  
are slaves who1 having no money1 are    
unhappy from the lack of it4 ,the man   
who is ever digging his grave is little 
better than he who already lies         
mouldering in it4 ,the money the one    
has1 the money the other would have1 is 
in each the cause of an eternal         
stupidity4 ,to the one as to the other  
comes the word1 ',how is it that ye do  
not understand8'                        
,,the ,,cause ,,of ,,spiritual          
,,stupidity4        ',how is it that ye 
do not understand8'--,,st4 ,,mark viii4 
#ba4  ,after feeding the four thousand  
with seven loaves and a few small       
fishes1 on the east side of the ,sea of 
,galilee1 ,jesus1 having crossed the    
lake1 was met on the other side by      
certain ,pharisees1 whose attitude      

towards him was such that he betook     
himself again to the boat1 and recrossed
 the lake4 ,on the way the disciples    
bethought them that they had in the boat
 but a single loaf3 probably while the  
,lord was occupied with the ,pharisees1 
one of them had gone and bought it1     
little thinking they were about to start
 again so soon4 ,jesus1 still occupied  
with the antagonism of the leaders of   
the people1 and desirous of destroying  
their influence on his disciples1 began 
to warn them against them4 ,in so doing 
he made use of a figure they had heard  
him use before--that of leaven as       
representing a hidden but potent and    
pervading energy3 the kingdom of heaven1
 he had told them1 was like leaven hid  
in meal1 gradually leavening the whole  
of it4 ,he now tells them to beware of  
the leaven of the ,pharisees4 ,the      
disciples1 whose minds were occupied    
with their lack of provisions1 the      
moment they heard the word leaven1      
thought of bread1 concluded it must be  

because of its absence that he spoke of 
leaven1 and imagined perhaps a warning  
against some danger of defilement from  
,pharisaical cookery3 ',it is because we
 have taken no bread6' ,a leaven like   
that of the ,pharisees was even then at 
work in their hearts2 for the sign the  
,pharisees sought in the mockery of     
unbelief1 they had had a few hours      
before1 and had already1 in respect of  
all that made it of value1 forgotten4   
,it is to the man who is trying to live1
 to the man who is obedient to the word 
of the ,master1 that the word of the    
,master unfolds itself4 ,when we        
understand the outside of things1 we    
think we have them3 the ,lord puts his  
things in subdefined1 suggestive shapes1
 yielding no satisfactory meaning to the
 mere intellect1 but unfolding          
themselves to the conscience and heart1 
to the man himself1 in the process of   
life-effort4 ,according as the new      
creation1 that of reality1 advances in  
him1 the man becomes able to understand 

the words1 the symbols1 the parables of 
the ,lord4 ,for life1 that is1 action1  
is alone the human condition into which 
the light of the ,living can penetrate2 
life alone can assimilate life1 can     
change food into growth4 ,see how the   
disciples here fooled themselves6  ,see 
how the ,lord calls them to their       
senses4 ,he does not tell them in so    
many words where they are wrong2 he     
attacks instead the cause in themselves 
which led to their mistake--a matter    
always of infinitely more consequence   
than any mistake itself3 the one is a   
live mistake1 an untruth in the soul1   
the other a mere dead blunder born of   
it4 ,the word-connection therefore      
between their blunder and our ,lord's   
exhortation1 is not to be found2 the    
logic of what the ,lord said1 is not on 
the surface4 ,often he speaks not to the
 words but to the thought2 here he      
speaks not even to the thought1 but to  
the whole mode of thinking1 to the      
thought-matrix1 the inward condition of 

the men4  ,he addresses himself to rouse
 in them a sense of their lack of       
confidence in ,god1 which was the cause 
of their blunder as to his meaning4 ,he 
reminds them of the two miracles with   
the loaves1 and the quantity of         
fragments left beyond the need4 ,from   
one of these miracles they had just     
come2 it was not a day behind them2 yet 
here they were doubting already6 ,he    
makes them go over the particulars of   
the miracles--hardly to refresh their   
memories-they were tenacious enough of  
the marvel1 but to make their hearts    
dwell on them2 for they had already     
forgotten or had failed to see their    
central revelation--the eternal fact of 
,god's love and care and compassion4    
,they knew the number of the men each   
time1 the number of the loaves each     
time1 the number of the baskets of      
fragments they had each time taken up1  
but they forgot the ,love that had so   
broken the bread that its remnants      
twenty times outweighed its loaves4     

,having thus questioned them like       
children1 and listened as to the answers
 of children1 he turns the light of     
their thoughts upon themselves1 and1    
with an argument to the man which       
overleaps all the links of its own      
absolute logic1 demands1 ',how is it    
that ye do not understand8' ,then they  
did understand1 and knew that he did not
 speak to them of the leaven of bread1  
but of the teaching of the ,pharisees   
and of the ,sadducees4 ,he who trusts   
can understand2 he whose mind is set at 
ease can discover a reason4  ,how       
otherwise than by rebuking and quelling 
their anxiety1 could those words have   
made them see what then they saw8 ,what 
connection was there between ',how many 
baskets took ye up8' and ',how is it    
that ye do not understand8' ,what had   
the miracles to do with their           
discovering that when he spoke of       
leaven1 it was not of the leaven of     
bread8 ,if not of the leaven of bread1  
how did the reference to those miracles 

of bread make them recognize the fact8  
,the lesson he would have had them learn
 from the miracle1 the natural lesson1  
the only lesson worthy of the miracle1  
was1 that ,god cared for his children1  
and could1 did1 and would provide for   
their necessities4 ,this lesson they had
 not learned4 ,no doubt the power of the
 miracle was some proof of his mission1 
but the love of it proved it better1 for
 it made it worth proving3 it was a     
throb of the ,father's heart4 ,the      
ground of the ,master's upbraiding is   
not that they did not understand him1   
but that they did not trust ,god2 that1 
after all they had seen1 they yet       
troubled themselves about bread4        
,because we easily imagine ourselves in 
want1 we imagine ,god ready to forsake  
us4 ,the miracles of ,jesus were the    
ordinary works of his ,father1 wrought  
small and swift that we might take them 
in4 ,the lesson of them was that help is
 always within ,god's reach when his    
children want it--their design1 to show 

what ,god is--not that ,jesus was ,god1 
but that his ,father was ,god--that is1 
was what he was1 for no other kind of   
,god could be1 or be worth believing in1
 no other notion of ,god be worth       
having4 ,the mission undertaken by the  
,son1 was not to show himself as having 
all power in heaven and earth1 but to   
reveal his ,father1 to show him to men  
such as he is1 that men may know him1   
and knowing1 trust him4 ,it were a small
 boon indeed that ,god should forgive   
men1 and not give himself4 ,it would be 
but to give them back themselves2 and   
less than ,god just as he is will not   
comfort men for the essential sorrow of 
their existence4 ,only ,god the gift can
 turn that sorrow into essential joy3   
,jesus came to give them ,god1 who is   
eternal life4  ,those miracles of       
feeding gave the same lesson to their   
eyes1 their hands1 their mouths1 that   
his words gave to their ears when he    
said1 'seek not ye what ye shall eat1 or
 what ye shall drink1 neither be ye of  

doubtful mind2 for your ,father knoweth 
that ye have need of these things2'     
',seek ye first the kingdom of ,god1 and
 his righteousness1 and all these things
 shall be added unto you4' ,so little   
had they learned it yet1 that they      
remembered the loaves but forgot the    
,father--as men in their theology forget
 the very ,greek3 ,theou logos4 ,thus   
forgetting1 they were troubled about    
provision for the day1 and the moment   
leaven was mentioned1 thought of bread4 
,what else could he mean8 ,the          
connection was plain6 ,the ,lord reminds
 them of the miracle1 which had they    
believed after its true value1 they     
would not have been so occupied as to   
miss what he meant4 ,it had set forth to
 them the truth of ,god's heart towards 
them2 revealed the loving care without  
which he would not be ,god4 ,had they   
learned this lesson1 they would not have
 needed the reminder2 for their hearts  
would not have been so filled with      
discomfort as to cause them mistake his 

word4 ,had they but said with themselves
 that1 though they had but one loaf1    
they had him who makes all the loaves1  
they would never have made the foolish  
blunder they did4  ,the answer then to  
the ,lord's reproach1 ',how is it that  
ye do not understand8' is plainly this3 
their minds were so full of care about  
the day's bread1 that they could not    
think with simplicity about anything    
else2 the mere mention of leaven threw  
them floundering afresh in the bog of   
their unbelief4 ,when the ,lord reminded
 them of what their eyes had seen1 so of
 what he was and what ,god was1 and of  
the foolishness of their care--the      
moment their fear was taught to look up1
 that moment they began to see what the 
former words of the ,lord must have     
meant3 their minds grew clear enough to 
receive and reflect in a measure their  
intent4  ,the care of the disciples was 
care for the day1 not for the morrow2   
the word morrow must stand for any and  
every point of the future4 ,the next    

hour1 the next moment1 is as much beyond
 our grasp and as much in ,god's care1  
as that a hundred years away4 ,care for 
the next minute is just as foolish as   
care for the morrow1 or for a day in the
 next thousand years--in neither can we 
do anything1 in both ,god is doing      
everything4 ,those claims only of the   
morrow which have to be prepared to-day 
are of the duty of to-day2 the moment   
which coincides with work to be done1 is
 the moment to be minded2 the next is   
nowhere till ,god has made it4  ,their  
lack of bread seems to have come from no
 neglect1 but from the immediacy of the 
,lord's re-embarkation2 at the same time
 had there been a want of foresight1    
that was not the kind of thing the ,lord
 cared to reprove2 it was not this and  
that fault he had come to set right1 but
 the primary evil of life without ,god1 
the root of all evils1 from hatred to   
discourtesy4 ,certain minor virtues     
also1 prudence amongst the rest1 would  
thus at length be almost1 if not        

altogether1 superseded4 ,if a man forget
 a thing1 ,god will see to that3 man is 
not lord of his memory or his intellect4
 ,but man is lord of his will1 his      
action2 and is then verily to blame     
when1 remembering a duty1 he does not do
 it1 but puts it off1 and so forgets it4
 ,if a man lay himself out to do the    
immediate duty of the moment1           
wonderfully little forethought1 ,i      
suspect1 will be found needful4 ,that   
forethought only is right which has to  
determine duty1 and pass into action4   
,to the foundation of yesterday's work  
well done1 the work of the morrow will  
be sure to fit4 ,work done is of more   
consequence for the future than the     
foresight of an archangel4  ,with the   
disciples as with the rich youth1 it was
 ,things that prevented the ,lord from  
being understood4 ,because of possession
 the young man had not a suspicion of   
the grandeur of the call with which     
,jesus honoured him4 ,he thought he was 
hardly dealt with to be offered a patent

 of ,heaven's nobility--he was so very  
rich6 ,things filled his heart2 things  
blocked up his windows2 things          
barricaded his door1 so that the very   
,god could not enter4 ,his soul was not 
empty1 swept1 and garnished1 but crowded
 with meanest idols1 among which his    
spirit crept about upon its knees1      
wasting on them the gazes that belonged 
to his fellows and his ,master4 ,the    
disciples were a little further on than 
he2 they had left all and followed the  
,lord2 but neither had they yet got rid 
of ,things4 ,the paltry solitariness of 
a loaf was enough to hide the ,lord from
 them1 to make them unable to understand
 him4 ,why1 having forgotten1 could they
 not trust8 ,surely if he had told them 
that for his sake they must go all day  
without food1 they would not have       
minded6 ,but they lost sight of ,god1   
and were as if either he did not see1 or
 did not care for them4  ,in the former 
case it was the possession of wealth1 in
 the latter the not having more than a  

loaf1 that rendered incapable of        
receiving the word of the ,lord3 the    
evil principle was precisely the same4  
,if it be ,things that slay you1 what   
matter whether things you have1 or      
things you have not8 ,the youth1 not    
trusting in ,god1 the source of his     
riches1 cannot brook the word of his    
,son1 offering him better riches1 more  
direct from the heart of the ,father4   
,the disciples1 forgetting who is lord  
of the harvests of the earth1 cannot    
understand his word1 because filled with
 the fear of a day's hunger4 ,he did not
 trust in ,god as having given2 they did
 not trust in ,god as ready to give4 ,we
 are like them when1 in any trouble1 we 
do not trust him4 ,it is hard on ,god1  
when his children will not let him give2
 when they carry themselves so that he  
must withhold his hand1 lest he harm    
them4 ,to take no care that they        
acknowledge whence their help comes1    
would be to leave them worshippers of   
idols1 trusters in that which is not4   

,distrust is atheism1 and the barrier to
 all growth4 ,lord1 we do not understand
 thee1 because we do not trust thy      
,father--whole-hearted to us1 as never  
yet was mother to her first-born6 ,full 
of care1 as if he had none1 we think    
this and that escapes his notice1 for   
this and that he does not think6 ,while 
we who are evil would die to give our   
children bread to eat1 we are not       
certain the only ,good will give us     
anything of what we desire6 ,the things 
of thy world so crowd our hearts1 that  
there is no room in them for the things 
of thy heart1 which would raise ours    
above all fear1 and make us merry       
children in our ,father's house6 ,surely
 many a whisper of the watching ,spirit 
we let slip through brooding over a need
 not yet come to us6 ,to-morrow makes   
to-day's whole head sick1 its whole     
heart faint4 ,when we should be still1  
sleeping or dreaming1 we are fretting   
about an hour that lies a half          
sun's-journey away6 ,not so doest thou1 

,lord6 thou doest the work of thy       
,father6 ,wert thou such as we1 then    
should we have good cause to be         
troubled6 ,but thou knowest it is       
difficult1 things pressing upon every   
sense1 to believe that the informing    
power of them is in the unseen2 that out
 of it they come2 that1 where we can    
descry no hand directing1 a will1 nearer
 than any hand1 is moving them from     
within1 causing them to fulfil his word6
 ,help us to obey1 to resist1 to trust4 
,the care that is filling your mind at  
this moment1 or but waiting till you lay
 the book aside to leap upon you--that  
need which is no need1 is a demon       
sucking at the spring of your life4     
',no2 mine is a reasonable care--an     
unavoidable care1 indeed6'  ',is it     
something you have to do this very      
moment8'  ',no4'  ',then you are        
allowing it to usurp the place of       
something that is required of you this  
moment6'  ',there is nothing required of
 me at this moment4'  ',nay1 but there  

is--the greatest thing that can be      
required of man4'  ',pray1 what is it8' 
',trust in the living ,god4 ,his will is
 your life4'  ',he may not will ,i      
should have what ,i need6'  ',then you  
only think you need it4 ,is it a good   
thing8'  ',yes1 it is a good thing4'    
',then why doubt you shall have it8'    
',because ,god may choose to have me go 
without it4'  ',why should he8'  ',i    
cannot tell4'  ',must it not be in order
 to give you something instead8'  ',i   
want nothing instead4'  ',i thought ,i  
was talking to a ,christian6'  ',i can  
consent to be called nothing else4'     
',do you not1 then1 know that1 when ,god
 denies anything a child of his values1 
it is to give him something he values8' 
',but if ,i do not want it8'  ',you are 
none the less miserable just because you
 do not have it4 ,instead of his great  
possessions the young man was to have   
the company of ,jesus1 and treasure in  
heaven4 ,when ,god refused to deliver a 
certain man from a sore evil1 concerning

 which he three times besought him1     
unaccustomed to be denied1 he gave him  
instead his own graciousness1 consoled  
him in person for his pain4'  ',ah1 but 
that was ,st4 ,paul6'  ',true2 what of  
that8'  ',he was one by himself6'  ',god
 deals with all his children after his  
own father-nature4 ,no scripture is of  
private interpretation even for a ,st4  
,paul4 ,it sets forth ,god's way with   
man4 ,if thou art not willing that ,god 
should have his way with thee1 then1 in 
the name of ,god1 be miserable--till thy
 misery drive thee to the arms of the   
,father4'  ',i do trust him in spiritual
 matters4'  ',everything is an affair of
 the spirit4 ,if ,god has a way1 then   
that is the only way4 ,every little     
thing in which you would have your own  
way1 has a mission for your redemption2 
and he will treat you as a naughty child
 until you take your ,father's way for  
yours4'  ,there will be this difference1
 however1 between the rich that loves   
his riches and the poor that hates his  

poverty--that1 when they die1 the heart 
of the one will be still crowded with   
things and their pleasures1 while the   
heart of the other will be relieved of  
their lack2 the one has had his good    
things1 the other his evil things4 ,but 
the rich man who held his things        
lightly1 nor let them nestle in his     
heart2 who was a channel and no cistern2
 who was ever and always forsaking his  
money--starts1 in the new world1 side by
 side with the man who accepted1 not    
hated1 his poverty4 ,each will say1 ',i 
am free6'  ,for the only air of the     
soul1 in which it can breathe and live1 
is the present ,god and the spirits of  
the just3 that is our heaven1 our home1 
our all-right place4 ,cleansed of greed1
 jealousy1 vanity1 pride1 possession1   
all the thousand forms of the evil self1
 we shall be ,god's children on the     
hills and in the fields of that heaven1 
not one desiring to be before another1  
any more than to cast that other out2   
for ambition and hatred will then be    

seen to be one and the same             
spirit4--',what thou hast1 ,i have2 what
 thou desirest1 ,i will2 ,i give to     
myself ten times in giving once to thee4
 ,my want that thou mightst have1 would 
be rich possession4' ,but let me be     
practical2 for thou art ready to be     
miserable over trifles1 and dost not    
believe ,god good enough to care for thy
 care3 ,i would reason with thee to help
 thee rid of thy troubles1 for they hide
 from thee the thoughts of thy ,god4    
,the things readiest to be done1 those  
which lie not at the door but on the    
very table of a man's mind1 are not     
merely in general the most neglected1   
but even by the thoughtful man1 the     
oftenest let alone1 the oftenest        
postponed4 ,the ,lord of life demanding 
high virtue of us1 can it be that he    
does not care for the first principles  
of justice8 ,may a man become strong in 
righteousness without learning to speak 
the truth to his neighbour8 ,shall a man
 climb the last flight of the stair who 

has never set foot on the lowest step8  
,truth is one1 and he who does the truth
 in the small thing is of the truth2 he 
who will do it only in a great thing1   
who postpones the small thing near him  
to the great thing farther from him1 is 
not of the truth4 ,let me suggest some  
possible parallels between ourselves and
 the disciples maundering over their one
 loaf--with the ,bread of ,life at their
 side in the boat4 ,we too dull our     
understandings with trifles1 fill the   
heavenly spaces with phantoms1 waste the
 heavenly time with hurry4 ,to those who
 possess their souls in patience come   
the heavenly visions4 ,when ,i trouble  
myself over a trifle1 even a trifle     
confessed--the loss of some little      
article1 say--spurring my memory1 and   
hunting the house1 not from immediate   
need1 but from dislike of loss2 when a  
book has been borrowed of me and not    
returned1 and ,i have forgotten the     
borrower1 and fret over the missing     
volume1 while there are thousands on my 

shelves from which the moments thus lost
 might gather treasure holding relation 
with neither moth1 nor rust1 nor thief2 
am ,i not like the disciples8 ,am ,i not
 a fool whenever loss troubles me more  
than recovery would gladden8 ,god would 
have me wise1 and smile at the trifle4  
,is it not time ,i lost a few things    
when ,i care for them so unreasonably8  
,this losing of things is of the mercy  
of ,god2 it comes to teach us to let    
them go4 ,or have ,i forgotten a thought
 that came to me1 which seemed of the   
truth1 and a revealment to my heart8 ,i 
wanted to keep it1 to have it1 to use it
 by and by1 and it is gone6 ,i keep     
trying and trying to call it back1      
feeling a poor man till that thought be 
recovered--to be far more lost1 perhaps1
 in a note-book1 into which ,i shall    
never look again to find it6 ,i forget  
that it is live things ,god cares       
about--live truths1 not things set down 
in a book1 or in a memory1 or embalmed  
in the joy of knowledge1 but things     

lifting up the heart1 things active in  
an active will4 ,true1 my lost thought  
might have so worked2 but had ,i faith  
in ,god1 the maker of thought and       
memory1 ,i should know that1 if the     
thought was a truth1 and so alone worth 
anything1 it must come again2 for it is 
in ,god--so1 like the dead1 not beyond  
my reach3 kept for me1 ,i shall have it 
again4  ',these are foolish             
illustrations--not worth writing6'  ,if 
such things are not1 then the mention of
 them is foolish4 ,if they are1 then he 
is foolish who would treat them as if   
they were not4 ,i choose them for their 
smallness1 and appeal especially to all 
who keep house concerning the size of   
trouble that suffices to hide word and  
face of ,god4  ,with every haunting     
trouble then1 great or small1 the loss  
of thousands or the lack of a shilling1 
go to ,god1 and appeal to him1 the ,god 
of your life1 to deliver you1 his child1
 from that which is unlike him1         
therefore does not belong to you1 but is

 antagonistic to your nature4 ,if your  
trouble is such that you cannot appeal  
to him1 the more need you should appeal 
to him6 ,where one cannot go to ,god1   
there is something specially wrong4 ,if 
you let thought for the morrow1 or the  
next year1 or the next month1 distress  
you2 if you let the chatter of what is  
called the public1 peering purblind into
 the sanctuary of motive1 annoy you2 if 
you seek or greatly heed the judgment of
 men1 capable or incapable1 you set open
 your windows to the mosquitoes of care1
 to drown with their buzzing the voice  
of the ,eternal6  ,if you tell me that  
but for care1 the needful work of the   
world would be ill done--',what work1'  
,i ask1 'can that be1 which will be     
better done by the greedy or anxious    
than by the free1 fearless soul8 ,can   
care be a better inspirer of labour than
 the sending of ,god8 ,if the work is   
not his work1 then1 indeed1 care may    
well help it1 for its success is loss4  
,but is he worthy the name of man who1  

for the fear of starvation1 will do     
better work than for the joy that his   
labour is not in vain in the ,lord8 ,i  
know as well as you that you are not    
likely to get rich that way2 but neither
 will you block up the gate of the      
kingdom of heaven against yourself4     
,ambition in every shape has to do with 
,things1 with outward advantages for the
 satisfaction of self-worship2 it is    
that form of pride1 foul shadow of      
,satan1 which usurps the place of       
aspiration4 ,the sole ambition that is  
of ,god is the ambition to rise above   
oneself2 all other is of the devil4 ,yet
 is it nursed and cherished in many a   
soul that thinks itself devout1 filling 
it with petty cares and disappointments1
 that swarm like bats in its air1 and   
shut out the glory of ,god4 ,the love of
 the praise of men1 the desire of fame1 
the pride that takes offence1 the       
puffing-up of knowledge1 these and every
 other form of ,protean self-worship--we
 must get rid of them all4 ,we must be  

free4 ,the man whom another enslaves may
 be free as ,god2 to him who is a slave 
in himself1 ,god will not enter in2 he  
will not sup with him1 for he cannot be 
his friend4 ,he will sit by the humblest
 hearth where the daily food is         
prepared2 he will not eat in a          
lumber-room1 let the lumber be thrones  
and crowns4 ,will not1 did ,i say8      
,cannot1 ,i say4 ,men full of things    
would not once partake with ,god1 were  
he by them all the day4  ,nor will ,god 
force any door to enter in4 ,he may send
 a tempest about the house2 the wind of 
his admonishment may burst doors and    
windows1 yea1 shake the house to its    
foundations2 but not then1 not so1 will 
he enter4 ,the door must be opened by   
the willing hand1 ere the foot of ,love 
will cross the threshold4 ,he watches to
 see the door move from within4 ,every  
tempest is but an assault in the siege  
of love4 ,the terror of ,god is but the 
other side of his love2 it is love      
outside the house1 that would be        

inside--love that knows the house is no 
house1 only a place1 until it enter--no 
home1 but a tent1 until the ,eternal    
dwell there4 ,things must be cast out to
 make room for their souls-- the eternal
 truths which in things find shape and  
show4  ,but who is sufficient to cast   
them out8 ,if a man take courage and    
encounter the army of bats and          
demon-snakes that infests the place of  
the ,holy1 it is but to find the task   
too great for him2 that the temple of   
,god will not be cleansed by him2 that  
the very dust he raises in sweeping is  
full of corruptive forces4 ,let such as 
would do what they must yet cannot1 be  
what they must yet cannot1 remember1    
with hope and courage1 that he who knows
 all about our being1 once spake a      
parable to the end that they ought      
always to pray1 and not to faint4       
,,the ,,word ,,of ,,jesus ,,on ,,prayer4
        ',they ought always to          
pray4'--,,st4 ,,luke xviii4 ,i4  ,the   
impossibility of doing what we would as 

we would1 drives us to look for help4   
,and this brings us to a new point of   
departure4 ,everything difficult        
indicates something more than our theory
 of life yet embraces1 checks some      
tendency to abandon the strait path1    
leaving open only the way ahead4 ,but   
there is a reality of being in which all
 things are easy and plain--oneness1    
that is1 with the ,lord of ,life2 to    
pray for this is the first thing2 and to
 the point of this prayer every         
difficulty hedges and directs us4 ,but  
if ,i try to set forth something of the 
reasonableness of all prayer1 ,i beg my 
readers to remember that it is for the  
sake of action and not speculation2 if  
prayer be anything at all1 it is a thing
 to be done3 what matter whether you    
agree with me or not1 if you do not     
pray8 ,i would not spend my labour for  
that2 ,i desire it to serve for help to 
pray1 not to understand how a man might 
pray and yet be a reasonable soul4      
,first1 a few words about the parable   

itself4  ,it is an instance1 by no means
 solitary1 of the ,lord's use of a tale 
about a very common or bad person1 to   
persuade1 reasoning a fortiori1 of the  
way of the ,all-righteous4 ,note the    
points3 ',did the unrighteous judge1 to 
save himself from annoyance1 punish one 
with whom he was not offended1 for the  
sake of a woman he cared nothing about8 
and shall not the living ,justice avenge
 his praying friends over whose injuries
 he has to exercise a long-suffering    
patience towards their enemies8'--for so
 ,i would interpret the phrase1 as      
correctly translated in the ,revision1  
'and he is long-suffering over          
them4'--',i say unto you1 that he will  
avenge them speedily4 ,howbeit when the 
,son of ,man cometh1 shall he find faith
 on the earth8'  ,here then is a word of
 the ,lord about prayer3 it is a comfort
 that he recognizes difficulty in the   
matter--sees that we need encouragement 
to go on praying1 that it looks as if we
 were not heard1 that it is no wonder we

 should be ready to faint and leave off4
 ,he tells a parable in which the       
suppliant has to go often and often to  
the man who can help her1 gaining her   
end only at the long last4 ,actual delay
 on the part of ,god1 we know from what 
follows1 he does not allow2 the more    
plain is it that he recognizes how the  
thing must look to those whom he would  
have go on praying4 ,here as elsewhere  
he teaches us that we must not go by the
 look of things1 but by the reality     
behind the look4 ,a truth1 a necessity  
of ,god's own willed nature1 is enough  
to set up against a whole army of       
appearances4 ,it looks as if he did not 
hear you3 never mind2 he does2 it must  
be that he does2 go on as the woman did2
 you too will be heard4 ,she is heard at
 last1 and in virtue of her much going2 
,god hears at once1 and will avenge     
speedily4 ,the unrighteous judge cared  
nothing for the woman2 those who cry to 
,god are his own chosen-- plain in the  
fact that they cry to him4 ,he has made 

and appointed them to cry3 they do cry3 
will he not hear them8 ,they exist that 
they may pray2 he has chosen them that  
they may choose him2 he has called them 
that they may call him--that there may  
be such communion1 such interchange as  
belongs to their being and the being of 
their ,father4 ,the gulf of indifference
 lay between the poor woman and the     
unjust judge2 ,god and those who seek   
his help1 are closer than two hands     
clasped hard in love3 he will avenge    
them speedily4 ,it is a bold assertion  
in the face of what seems great         
delay--an appearance acknowledged in the
 very groundwork of the parable4 ,having
 made it1 why does he seem to check     
himself with a sigh1 adding1 ,howbeit   
when the ,son of ,man cometh1 shall he  
find faith on the earth8' ,after all he 
had said1 and had yet to say1 after all 
he had done1 and was going on to do1    
when he came again1 after time given for
 the holy leaven to work1 would he find 
men trusting the ,father8 ,would he find

 them1 even then1 beyond the tyranny of 
appearances1 believing in spite of them8
 ,would they be children enough towards 
,god to know he was hearing them and    
working for them1 though they could not 
hear him or see him work8--to believe   
the ways of ,god so wide1 that even on  
the breadth of his track was room for   
their understanding to lose its         
way--what they saw1 so small a part of  
what he was doing1 that it could give   
them but little clue to his end8 that it
 was because the goal ,god had in view  
for them was so high and afar1 that they
 could detect no movement of approach   
thereto8 ,the sigh1 the exclamation1    
never meant that ,god might be doing    
something more than he was doing1 but   
that the ,father would have a dreary    
time to wait ere his children would     
know1 that is1 trust in him4 ,the       
utterance recognizes the part of man1   
his slowly yielded part in faith1 and   
his blame in troubling ,god by not      
trusting in him4 ,if men would but make 

haste1 and stir themselves up to take   
hold on ,god6 ,they were so slow of     
heart to believe6 ,they could but would 
not help it and do better6  ,he seems   
here to refer to his second             
coming--concerning the time of which1 he
 refused information2 concerning the    
mode of which1 he said it would be      
unexpected2 but concerning the duty of  
which1 he insisted it was to be ready3  
we must be faithful1 and at our work4   
,do those who say1 lo here or lo there  
are the signs of his coming1 think to be
 too keen for him1 and spy his approach8
 ,when he tells them to watch lest he   
find them neglecting their work1 they   
stare this way and that1 and watch lest 
he should succeed in coming like a      
thief6 ,so throughout3 if1 instead of   
speculation1 we gave ourselves to       
obedience1 what a difference would soon 
be seen in the world6 ,oh1 the multitude
 of so-called religious questions which 
the ,lord would answer with1 'strive to 
enter in at the strait gate'6 ,many eat 

and drink and talk and teach in his     
presence2 few do the things he says to  
them6 ,obedience is the one key of life4
  ,i would meet difficulties1 not answer
 objections2 ,i would remove            
stumbling-blocks from the path of him   
who would pray2 ,i would help him to    
pray4 ,if1 seeing we live not by our own
 will1 we live by another will1 then is 
there reason1 and then only can there be
 reason in prayer4 ,to him who refuses  
that other will1 ,i have nothing to say4
 ,the hour may come when he will wish   
there were some one to pray to2 now he  
is not of those whom ,i can help4  ,if  
there be a ,god1 and ,i am his creature1
 there may be1 there should be1 there   
must be some communication open between 
him and me4 ,if any one allow a ,god1   
but one scarce good enough to care about
 his creatures1 ,i will yield him that  
it were foolish to pray to such a ,god2 
but the notion that1 with all the good  
impulses in us1 we are the offspring of 
a cold-hearted devil1 is so horrible in 

its inconsistency1 that ,i would ask    
that man what hideous and cold-hearted  
disregard to the truth makes him capable
 of the supposition6 ,to such a one     
,god's terrors1 or1 if not his terrors1 
then ,god's sorrows yet will speak2 the 
divine something in him will love1 and  
the love be left moaning4  ,if ,i find  
my position1 my consciousness1 that of  
one from home1 nay1 that of one in some 
sort of prison2 if ,i find that ,i can  
neither rule the world in which ,i live 
nor my own thoughts or desires2 that ,i 
cannot quiet my passions1 order my      
likings1 determine my ends1 will my     
growth1 forget when ,i would1 or recall 
what ,i forget2 that ,i cannot love     
where ,i would1 or hate where ,i would2 
that ,i am no king over myself2 that ,i 
cannot supply my own needs1 do not even 
always know which of my seeming needs   
are to be supplied1 and which treated as
 impostors2 if1 in a word1 my own being 
is everyway too much for me2 if ,i can  
neither understand it1 be satisfied with

 it1 nor better it--may it not well give
 me pause--the pause that ends in       
prayer8 ,when my own scale seems too    
large for my management2 when ,i reflect
 that ,i cannot account for my          
existence1 have had no poorest hand in  
it1 neither1 should ,i not like it1 can 
do anything towards causing it to cease2
 when ,i think that ,i can do nothing to
 make up to those ,i love1 any more than
 to those ,i hate1 for evils ,i have    
done them and sorrows ,i have caused    
them2 that in my worst moments ,i       
disbelieve in my best1 in my best loathe
 my worst2 that there is in me no       
wholeness1 no unity2 that life is not a 
good to me1 for ,i scorn myself--when ,i
 think all or any such things1 can it be
 strange if ,i think also that surely   
there ought to be somewhere a being to  
account for me1 one to account for      
himself1 and make the round of my       
existence just2 one whose very being    
accounts and is necessary to account for
 mine2 whose presence in my being is    

imperative1 not merely to supplement it1
 but to make to myself my existence a   
good8 ,for if not rounded in itself1 but
 dependent on that which it knows not   
and cannot know1 it cannot be to itself 
a good known as a good--a thing of      
reason and well-being3 it will be a life
 longing for a logos to be the          
interpretative soul of its cosmos--a    
logos it cannot have4 ,to know ,god     
present1 to have the consciousness of   
,god where he is the essential life1    
must be absolutely necessary to that    
life6 ,he that is made in the image of  
,god must know him or be desolate3 the  
child must have the ,father6 ,witness   
the dissatisfaction1 yea desolation of  
my soul--wretched1 alone1 unfinished1   
without him6 ,it cannot act from itself1
 save in ,god2 acting from what seems   
itself without ,god1 is no action at    
all1 it is a mere yielding to impulse4  
,all within is disorder and spasm4      
,there is a cry behind me1 and a voice  
before2 instincts of betterment tell me 

,i must rise above my present           
self--perhaps even above all my possible
 self3 ,i see not how to obey1 how to   
carry them out6 ,i am shut up in a world
 of consciousness1 an unknown ,i in an  
unknown world3 surely this world of my  
unwilled1 unchosen1 compelled existence1
 cannot be shut out from him1 cannot be 
unknown to him1 cannot be impenetrable1 
impermeable1 unpresent to him from whom 
,i am6 nay1 is it not his thinking in   
which ,i think8 is it not by his        
consciousness that ,i am conscious8     
,whatever passes in me must be as       
naturally known to him as to me1 and    
more thoroughly1 even to infinite       
degrees4 ,my thought must lie open to   
him3 if he makes me think1 how can ,i   
elude him in thinking8 ',if ,i should   
spread my wings toward the dawn1 and    
sojourn at the last of the sea1 even    
there thy hand would lead me1 and thy   
right hand would hold me6' ,if he has   
determined the being1 how shall any mode
 of that being be hidden from him8 ,if  

,i speak to him1 if ,i utter words ever 
so low2 if ,i but think words to him2   
nay1 if ,i only think to him1 surely he1
 my original1 in whose life and will and
 no otherwise ,i now think concerning   
him1 hears1 and knows1 and acknowledges6
 ,then shall ,i not think to him8 ,shall
 ,i not tell him my troubles--how he1   
even he1 has troubled me by making      
me8--how unfit ,i am to be that which ,i
 am8--that my being is not to me a good 
thing yet8--that ,i need a law that     
shall account to me for it in           
righteousness--reveal to me how ,i am to
 make it a good--how ,i am to be a good1
 and not an evil8 ,shall ,i not tell him
 that ,i need him to comfort me8 his    
breath to move upon the face of the     
waters of the ,chaos he has made8 ,shall
 ,i not cry to him to be in me rest and 
strength8 to quiet this uneasy motion   
called life1 and make me live indeed8 to
 deliver me from my sins1 and make me   
clean and glad8 ,such a cry is of the   
child to the ,father3 if there be a     

,father1 verily he will hear1 and let   
the child know that he hears6 ,every    
need of ,god1 lifting up the heart1 is a
 seeking of ,god1 is a begging for      
himself1 is profoundest prayer1 and the 
root and inspirer of all other prayer4  
,if it be reasonable for me to cry thus1
 if ,i cannot but cry1 it is reasonable 
that ,god should hear1 he cannot but    
hear4 ,a being that could not hear or   
would not answer prayer1 could not be   
,god4  ',but1 ,i ask1 all this          
admitted--is what you call a necessary  
truth an existent fact8 ,you say1 ,it   
must be so2 ,i say1 ,what if there is no
 ,god6 ,convince me that prayer is      
heard1 and ,i shall know4 ,why should   
the question admit of doubt8 ,why should
 it require to be reasoned about8 ,we   
know that the wind blows3 why should we 
not know that ,god answers prayer8'  ,i 
reply1 ,what if ,god does not care to   
have you know it at second hand8 ,what  
if there would be no good in that8      
,there is some testimony on record1 and 

perhaps there might be much were it not 
that1 having to do with things so       
immediately personal1 and generally so  
delicate1 answers to prayer would       
naturally not often be talked about2 but
 no testimony concerning the thing can  
well be conclusive2 for1 like a reported
 miracle1 there is always some way to   
daff it2 and besides1 the conviction to 
be got that way is of little value2 it  
avails nothing to know the thing by the 
best of evidence4  ,as to the evidence  
itself1 adduction of proof is scarce    
possible in respect of inward           
experience1 and to this class belongs   
the better part of the evidence3 the    
testimony may be truthful1 yet the      
testifier utterly self-deceived6 ,how am
 ,i to know the thing as he says he     
knows it8 ,how am ,i to judge of it8    
,there is king ,david3--,poetry6--old   
poetry6--and in the most indefinite     
language in the world6 ,doubtless he is 
little versed in the utterance of the   
human soul1 who does not recognize in   

many of the psalms a cry as true as ever
 came from depth of pain or height of   
deliverance2 but it may all have been   
but now the jarring and now the         
rhythmical movement of the waves of the 
psychical aether6--,i lay nothing upon  
testimony for my purpose now1 knowing   
the things that can be said1 and also   
not valuing the bare assent of the      
intellect4 ,the sole assurance worth a  
man's having1 even if the most          
incontestable evidence were open to him 
from a thousand other quarters1 is that 
to be gained only from personal         
experience--that assurance in himself   
which he can least readily receive from 
another1 and which is least capable of  
being transmuted into evidence for      
another4 ,the evidence of ,jesus ,christ
 could not take the place of that4 ,a   
truth is of enormous import in relation 
to the life--that is the heart1 and     
conscience1 and will2 it is of little   
consequence merely as a fact having     
relation to the understanding4 ,god may 

hear all prayers that ever were offered 
to him1 and a man may believe that he   
does1 nor be one whit the better for it1
 so long as ,god has no prayers of his  
to hear1 he no answers to receive from  
,god4 ,nothing in this quarter will ever
 be gained by investigation4 ,reader1 if
 you are in any trouble1 try whether    
,god will not help you2 if you are in no
 need1 why should you ask questions     
about prayer8 ,true1 he knows little of 
himself who does not know that he is    
wretched1 and miserable1 and poor1 and  
blind1 and naked2 but until he begins at
 least to suspect a need1 how can he    
pray8 ,and for one who does not want to 
pray1 ,i would not lift a straw to      
defeat such a one in the argument       
whether ,god hears or does not hear     
prayer3 for me1 let him think what he   
will6 it matters nothing in heaven or in
 earth3 whether in hell ,i do not know4 
,as to the so-called scientific         
challenge to prove the efficacy of      
prayer by the result of simultaneous    

petition1 ,i am almost ashamed to allude
 to it4 ,there should be light enough in
 science itself to show the proposal    
absurd4 ,a ,god capable of being so     
moved in one direction or another1 is a 
,god not worth believing in--could not  
be the ,god believed in by ,jesus       
,christ--and he said he knew4 ,a ,god   
that should fail to hear1 receive1      
attend to one single prayer1 the        
feeblest or worst1 ,i cannot believe in2
 but a ,god that would grant every      
request of every man or every company of
 men1 would be an evil ,god--that is no 
,god1 but a demon4 ,that ,god should    
hang in the thought-atmosphere like a   
windmill1 waiting till men enough should
 combine and send out prayer in         
sufficient force to turn his outspread  
arms1 is an idea too absurd4 ,god waits 
to be gracious not to be tempted4 ,a man
 capable of proposing such a test1 could
 have in his mind no worthy             
representative idea of a ,god1 and might
 well disbelieve in any3 it is better to

 disbelieve than believe in a ,god      
unworthy4  ',but ,i want to believe in  
,god4 ,i want to know that there is a   
,god that answers prayer1 that ,i may   
believe in him4 ,there was a time when  
,i believed in him4 ,i prayed to him in 
great and sore trouble of heart and     
mind1 and he did not hear me4 ,i have   
not prayed since4'  ,how do you know    
that he did not hear you8  ',he did not 
give me what ,i asked1 though the weal  
of my soul hung on it4'  ,in your       
judgment4 ,perhaps he knew better4  ',i 
am the worse for his refusal4 ,i would  
have believed in him if he had heard    
me4'  ,till the next desire came which  
he would not grant1 and then you would  
have turned your ,god away4 ,a desirable
 believer you would have made6 ,a worthy
 brother to him who thought nothing fit 
to give the ,father less than his all6  
,you would accept of him no decision    
against your desire6 ,that ungranted1   
there was no ,god1 or not a good one6 ,i
 think ,i will not argue with you more4 

,this only ,i will say3 ,god has not to 
consider his children only at the moment
 of their prayer4 ,should he be willing 
to give a man the thing he knows he     
would afterwards wish he had not given  
him8 ,if a man be not fit to be refused1
 if he be not ready to be treated with  
love's severity1 what he wishes may     
perhaps be given him in order that he   
may wish it had not been given him2 but 
barely to give a man what he wants      
because he wants it1 and without farther
 purpose of his good1 would be to let a 
poor ignorant child take his fate into  
his own hands--the cruelty of a devil4  
,yet is every prayer heard2 and the real
 soul of the prayer may require1 for its
 real answer1 that it should not be     
granted in the form in which it is      
requested4  ',to have a thing in another
 shape1 might be equivalent to not      
having it at all4'  ,if you knew ,god1  
you would leave that to him4 ,he is not 
mocked1 and he will not mock4 ,but he   
knows you better than you know yourself1

 and would keep you from fooling        
yourself4 ,he will not deal with you as 
the child of a day1 but as the child of 
eternal ages4 ,you shall be satisfied1  
if you will but let him have his way    
with the creature he has made4 ,the     
question is between your will and the   
will of ,god4 ,he is not one of those   
who give readiest what they prize least4
 ,he does not care to give anything but 
his best1 or that which will prepare for
 it4 ,not many years may pass before you
 confess1 ',thou art a ,god who hears   
prayer1 and gives a better answer4' ,you
 may come to see that the desire of your
 deepest heart would have been          
frustrated by having what seemed its    
embodiment then4 ,that ,god should as a 
loving father listen1 hear1 consider1   
and deal with the request after the     
perfect tenderness of his heart1 is to  
me enough2 it is little that ,i should  
go without what ,i pray for4 ,if it be  
granted that any answer which did not   
come of love1 and was not for the final 

satisfaction of him who prayed1 would be
 unworthy of ,god2 that it is the part  
of love and knowledge to watch over the 
wayward1 ignorant child2 then the       
trouble of seemingly unanswered prayers 
begins to abate1 and a lovely hope and  
comfort takes its place in the          
child-like soul4 ,to hear is not        
necessarily to grant-- ,god forbid6 but 
to hear is necessarily to attend        
to--sometimes as necessarily to refuse4 
',concerning this thing1' says ,st4     
,paul1 ',i besought the ,lord thrice1   
that it might depart from me4 ,and he   
hath said unto me1 ,my grace is         
sufficient for thee2 power is made      
perfect in weakness4' ,god had a better 
thing for ,paul than granting his prayer
 and removing his complaint3 he would   
make him strong2 the power of ,christ   
should descend and remain upon him2 he  
would make him stronger than his        
suffering1 make him a sharer in the     
energy of ,god4 ,verily1 if we have     
,god1 we can do without the answer to   

any prayer4  ',but if ,god is so good as
 you represent him1 and if he knows all 
that we need1 and better far than we do 
ourselves1 why should it be necessary to
 ask him for anything8'  ,i answer1     
,what if he knows prayer to be the thing
 we need first and most8 ,what if the   
main object in ,god's idea of prayer be 
the supplying of our great1 our endless 
need--the need of himself8 ,what if the 
good of all our smaller and lower needs 
lies in this1 that they help to drive us
 to ,god8 ,hunger may drive the runaway 
child home1 and he may or may not be fed
 at once1 but he needs his mother more  
than his dinner4 ,communion with ,god is
 the one need of the soul beyond all    
other need2 prayer is the beginning of  
that communion1 and some need is the    
motive of that prayer4 ,our wants are   
for the sake of our coming into         
communion with ,god1 our eternal need4  
,if gratitude and love immediately      
followed the supply of our needs1 if    
,god our ,saviour was the one thought of

 our hearts1 then it might be           
unnecessary that we should ask for      
anything we need4 ,but seeing we take   
our supplies as a matter of course1     
feeling as if they came out of nothing1 
or from the earth1 or our own thoughts1 
instead of out of a heart of love and a 
will which alone is force1 it is needful
 that we should be made feel some at    
least of our wants1 that we may seek him
 who alone supplies all of them1 and    
find his every gift a window to his     
heart of truth4 ,so begins a communion1 
a talking with ,god1 a coming-to-one    
with him1 which is the sole end of      
prayer1 yea1 of existence itself in its 
infinite phases4 ,we must ask that we   
may receive2 but that we should receive 
what we ask in respect of our lower     
needs1 is not ,god's end in making us   
pray1 for he could give us everything   
without that3 to bring his child to his 
knee1 ,god withholds that man may ask4  
,in regard1 however1 to the high        
necessities of our nature1 it is in     

order that he may be able to give that  
,god requires us to ask--requires by    
driving us to it--by shutting us up to  
prayer4 ,for how can he give into the   
soul of a man what it needs1 while that 
soul cannot receive it8 ,the ripeness   
for receiving is the asking4 ,the       
blossom-cup of the soul1 to be filled   
with the heavenly dews1 is its prayer4  
,when the soul is hungry for the light1 
for the truth--when its hunger has waked
 its higher energies1 thoroughly roused 
the will1 and brought the soul into its 
highest condition1 that of action1 its  
only fitness for receiving the things of
 ,god1 that action is prayer4 ,then ,god
 can give2 then he can be as he would   
towards the man2 for the glory of ,god  
is to give himself4--,we thank thee1    
,lord ,christ1 for by thy pain alone do 
we rise towards the knowledge of this   
glory of thy rather and our ,father4    
,and even in regard to lower            
things--what it may be altogether unfit 
to do for a man who does not recognize  

the source of his life1 it may be in the
 highest sense fit to grant him when he 
comes to that source to ask for it4     
,even in the case of some individual    
desire of one who in the main recognizes
 the ,father1 it may be well to give him
 asking whom1 not asking1 it would not  
benefit4 ,for the real good of every    
gift it is essential1 first1 that the   
giver be in the gift--as ,god always is1
 for he is love--and next1 that the     
receiver know and receive the giver in  
the gift4 ,every gift of ,god is but a  
harbinger of his greatest and only      
sufficing gift--that of himself4 ,no    
gift unrecognized as coming from ,god is
 at its own best2 therefore many things 
that ,god would gladly give us1 things  
even that we need because we are1 must  
wait until we ask for them1 that we may 
know whence they come3 when in all gifts
 we find him1 then in him we shall find 
all things4  ,sometimes to one praying  
will come the feeling rather than       
question3 ',were it not better to       

abstain8 ,if this thing be good1 will he
 not give it me8 ,would he not be better
 pleased if ,i left it altogether to    
him8' ,it comes1 ,i think1 of a lack of 
faith and childlikeness--taking form1   
perhaps1 in a fear lest1 asking for what
 was not good1 the prayer should be     
granted4 ,such a thought has no place   
with ,st4 ,paul2 he says1 ',casting all 
your care upon him1 for he careth for   
you2' ',in everything making your       
request known unto him4' ,it may even   
come of ambition after spiritual        
distinction4 ,in every request1 heart   
and soul and mind ought to supply the   
low accompaniment1 ',thy will be done2' 
but the making of any request brings us 
near to him1 into communion with our    
,life4 ,does it not also help us to     
think of him in all our affairs1 and    
learn in everything to give thanks8     
,anything large enough for a wish to    
light upon1 is large enough to hang a   
prayer upon3 the thought of him to whom 
that prayer goes will purify and correct

 the desire4 ,to say1 ',father1 ,i      
should like this or that1' would be     
enough at once1 if the wish were bad1 to
 make us know it and turn from it4 ,such
 prayer about things must of necessity  
help to bring the mind into true and    
simple relation with him2 to make us    
remember his will even when we do not   
see what that will is4 ,surely it is    
better and more trusting to tell him all
 without fear or anxiety4 ,was it not   
thus the ,lord carried himself towards  
his ,father when he said1 ',if it be    
possible1 let this cup pass from me'8   
,but there was something he cared for   
more than his own fear--his ,father's   
will3 ',nevertheless1 not my will1 but  
thine be done4' ,there is no            
apprehension that ,god might be         
displeased with him for saying what he  
would like1 and not leaving it all to   
his ,father4 ,neither did he regard his 
,father's plans as necessarily so fixed 
that they could not be altered to his   
prayer4 ,the true son-faith is that     

which comes with boldness1 fearless of  
the ,father doing anything but what is  
right fatherly1 patient1 and full of    
loving-kindness4 ,we must not think to  
please him by any asceticism even of the
 spirit2 we must speak straight out to  
him4 ,the true child will not fear1 but 
lay bare his wishes to the perfect      
,father4 ,the ,father may will          
otherwise1 but his grace will be enough 
for the child4  ,there could be no      
riches but for need4 ,god himself is    
made rich by man's necessity4 ,by that  
he is rich to give2 through that we are 
rich by receiving4  ,as to any notion of
 prevailing by entreaty over an         
unwilling ,god1 that is heathenish1 and 
belongs to such as think him a hard     
master1 or one like the unjust judge4   
,what so quenching to prayer as the     
notion of unwillingness in the ear that 
hears6 ,and when prayer is dull1 what   
makes it flow like the thought that ,god
 is waiting to give1 wants to give us   
everything6 ',let us therefore come     

boldly to the throne of grace1 that we  
may obtain mercy1 and find grace to help
 in time of need4' ,we shall be refused 
our prayer if that be better2 but what  
is good our ,father will give us with   
divine good will4 ,the ,lord spoke his  
parable 'to the end that they ought     
always to pray1 and not to faint4'      
,,man',s ,,difficulty ,,concerning      
,,prayer4        '--and not to          
faint4'--,,st4 ,,luke xviii4 #a4  ',how 
should any design of the ,all-wise be   
altered in response to prayer of ours6' 
,how are we to believe such a thing8    
,by reflecting that he is the ,all-wise1
 who sees before him1 and will not block
 his path4 ,such objection springs from 
poorest idea of ,god in relation to us4 
,it supposes him to have cares and plans
 and intentions concerning our part of  
creation1 irrespective of us4 ,what is  
the whole system of things for1 but our 
education8 ,does ,god care for suns and 
planets and satellites1 for divine      
mathematics and ordered harmonies1 more 

than for his children8 ,i venture to say
 he cares more for oxen than for those4 
,he lays no plans irrespective of his   
children2 and1 his design being that    
they shall be free1 active1 live things1
 he sees that space be kept for them3   
they need room to struggle out of their 
chrysalis1 to undergo the change that   
comes with the waking will1 and to enter
 upon the divine sports and labours of  
children in the house and domain of     
their ,father4 ,surely he may keep his  
plans in a measure unfixed1 waiting the 
free desire of the individual soul6 ,is 
not the design of the first course of   
his children's education just to bring  
them to the point where they shall pray8
 and shall his system appointed to that 
end be then found hard and fast1        
tooth-fitted and inelastic1 as if       
informed of no live causing soul1 but an
 unself-knowing force--so that he cannot
 answer the prayer because of the system
 which has its existence for the sake of
 the prayer8 ,true1 in many cases1 the  

prayer1 far more than the opportunity of
 answering it1 is ,god's end2 but how   
will the further end of the prayer be   
reached1 which is oneness between the   
heart of the child and of the ,father8  
how will the child go on to pray if he  
knows the ,father cannot answer him8    
,will not may be for love1 but how with 
a self-imposed cannot8 ,how could he be 
,father1 who creating1 would not make   
provision1 would not keep room for the  
babbled prayers of his children8 ,is his
 perfection a mechanical one8 ,has he   
himself no room for choice--therefore   
can give none8 ,there must be a ,godlike
 region of choice as there is a human1  
however little we may be able to        
conceive it4 ,it were a glory in such   
system that its suns themselves wavered 
and throbbed at the pulse of a new      
child-life4  ,what perfection in a      
dwelling would it be that its furniture 
and the paths between were fitted as the
 trays and pigeon-holes of a cabinet8   
,what stupidity of perfection would that

 be which left no margin about ,god's   
work1 no room for change of plan upon   
change of fact--yea1 even the mighty    
change that1 behold now at length1 his  
child is praying6 ,see the freedom of   
,god in his sunsets--never a second like
 one of the foregone6--in his moons and 
skies--in the ever-changing solid       
earth6-- all moving by no dead law1 but 
in the harmony of the vital law of      
liberty1 ,god's creative perfection--all
 ordered from within4 ,a divine         
perfection that were indeed1 where was  
no liberty6 where there could be but one
 way of a thing6 ,i may move my arm as  
,i please3 shall ,god be unable so to   
move his8 ,if but for himself1 ,god     
might well desire no change1 but he is  
,god for the sake of his growing        
creatures2 all his making and doing is  
for them1 and change is the necessity of
 their very existence4 ,they need a     
mighty law of liberty1 into which shall 
never intrude one atom of chance4 ,is   
the one idea of creation the begetting  

of a free1 grand1 divine will in us8 and
 shall that will1 praying with the will 
of the ,father1 find itself cramped1    
fettered1 manacled by foregone laws8    
,will it not rather be a new-born law   
itself1 working new things8 ,no man is  
so tied by divine law that he can nowise
 modify his work3 shall ,god not modify 
his8 ,law is but mode of life-action4   
,is it of his perfection that he should 
have no scope1 no freedom8 ,is he but   
the prisoned steam in the engine1       
pushing1 escaping1 stopped--his way     
ordered by valve and piston8 or is he an
 indwelling1 willing1 ordering power8   
,law is the slave of ,life4 ,is not a   
man's soul1 as it dwells in his body1 a 
dim-shadowing type of ,god in and       
throughout his universe8 ,if you say1 he
 has made things to go1 set them going1 
and left them-- then ,i say1 ,if his    
machine interfered with his answering   
the prayer of a single child1 he would  
sweep it from him--not to bring back    
chaos1 but to make room for his child4  

,but order is divine1 and cannot be     
obstructive to its own higher ends2 it  
must subserve them4 ,order1 free order1 
neither chaos1 nor law unpossessed and  
senseless1 is the home of ,thought4 ,if 
you say ,there can be but one perfect   
way1 ,i answer1 ,yet the perfect way to 
bring a thing so far1 to a certain      
crisis1 can ill be the perfect way to   
carry it on after that crisis3 the plan 
will have to change then4 ,and as this  
crisis depends on a will1 all cannot be 
in exact1 though in live preparation for
 it4 ,we must remember that ,god is not 
occupied with a grand toy of worlds and 
suns and planets1 of attractions and    
repulsions1 of agglomerations and       
crystallizations1 of forces and waves2  
that these but constitute a portion of  
his workshops and tools for the bringing
 out of righteous men and women to fill 
his house of love withal4 ,would he have
 let his ,son die for a law of nature1  
as we call it8 ,these doubtless are the 
outcome of willed laws of his own being2

 but they take their relations in matter
 only for the sake of the birth of sons 
and daughters1 that they may yet again  
be born from above1 and into the higher 
region whence these things issue2 and   
many a modification of the ideal1       
rendering it less than complete1 must be
 given to those whose very doom being to
 grow or perish implies their utter     
inability to lay hold of the perfect4   
,the best means cannot be the ideal     
,best4 ,the embodiment of uplifting     
truth for the low1 cannot be equal to   
that for the higher1 else it will fail1 
and prove for its object not good2 but1 
as the low ascend1 their revelation will
 ascend also4  ,that ,god cannot        
interfere to modify his plans1 interfere
 without the change of a single law of  
his world1 is to me absurd4 ,if we can  
change1 ,god can change1 else is he less
 free than we--his plans1 ,i say1 not   
principles1 not ends3 ,god himself      
forbid6--change them after divine       
fashion1 above our fashions as the      

heavens are higher than the earth4 ,and 
as in all his miracles ,jesus did only  
in miniature what his ,father does ever 
in the great--in far wider1 more        
elaborate1 and beautiful ways1 ,i will  
adduce from them an instance of answer  
to prayer that has in it a point        
bearing1 it seems to me1 most           
importantly on the thing ,i am now      
trying to set forth4 ,poor1 indeed1 was 
the making of the wine in the earthen   
pots of stone1 compared with its making 
in the lovely growth of the vine with   
its clusters of swelling grapes--the    
live roots gathering from the earth the 
water that had to be borne in pitchers  
and poured into the great vases2 but it 
is precious as the interpreter of the   
same1 even in its being the outcome of  
our ,lord's sympathy with ordinary human
 rejoicing4 ,there is however an element
 in its origin that makes it yet more   
precious to me--the regard of our ,lord 
to a wish of his mother4 ,alas1 how     
differently is the tale often received6 

how misunderstood6  ,his mother had     
suggested to him that here was an       
opportunity for appearing in his own    
greatness1 the potent purveyor of wine  
for the failing feast4 ,it was not in   
his plan1 as we gather from his words2  
for the ,lord never pretended anything1 
whether to his enemy or his mother2 he  
is ,the ,true4 ,he lets her know that he
 and she have different outlooks1       
different notions of his work3 ',what to
 me and thee1 woman8' he said3 'my hour 
is not yet come2' but there was that in 
his look and tone whence she knew that  
her desire1 scarce half-fashioned into  
request1 was granted4 ,what am ,i thence
 to conclude1 worthy of the ,son of     
,god1 and the ,son of ,mary1 but that1  
at the prayer of his mother1 he made    
room in his plans for the thing she     
desired8 ,it was not his wish then to   
work a miracle1 but if his mother wished
 it1 he would6 ,he did for his mother   
what for his own part he would rather   
have let alone4 ,not always did he do as

 his mother would have him2 but this was
 a case in which he could do so1 for it 
would interfere nowise with the will of 
his ,father4 ,was the perfect son1 for1 
being perfect1 he must be perfect every 
way1 to be the only son of man who      
needed do nothing to please his         
mother--nothing but what fell in with   
his plan for the hour8 ,not so could he 
be the root1 the living heart of the    
great response of the children to the   
,father of all6 not so could the idea of
 the grand family ever be made a        
reality6 ,alas for the son who would not
 willingly for his mother do something  
which in itself he would rather not do6 
,if it would have hurt his mother1 if it
 had been in any way turning from the   
will of his ,father in heaven1 he would 
not have done it3 that would have been  
to answer her prayer against her4 ,his  
yielding makes the story doubly precious
 to my heart4 ,the ,son then could      
change his intent1 and spoil nothing3   
so1 ,i say1 can the ,father2 for the    

,son does nothing but what he sees the  
,father do4  ,finding it possible to    
understand1 however1 that ,god may      
answer prayers to those who pray for    
themselves1 what are we to think        
concerning prayer for others8 ,one may  
well say1 ,it would surely be very      
selfish to pray only for ourselves6 but 
the question is of the use1 not of the  
character of the action3 if there be any
 good in it1 let us pray for all for    
whom we feel we can pray2 but is there  
to be found in regard to prayer for     
others any such satisfaction as in      
regard to prayer for ourselves8 ,the    
ground is changed--if the fitness of    
answering prayer lies in the praying of 
him who prays3 the attitude necessary to
 reception does not belong to those for 
whom prayer is made1 but to him by whom 
it is made4 ,what fitness then can there
 be in praying for others8 ,will ,god   
give to another for our asking what he  
would not give without it8 ,would he    
not1 if it could be done without the    

person's self1 do it without a second   
person8 ,if ,god were a tyrant1 one     
whose heart might be softened by the    
sight of anxious love2 or if he were one
 who might be informed1 enlightened1    
reasoned with2 or one in whom a setting 
forth of character1 need1 or claim might
 awake interest2 then would there be    
plain reason in prayer for              
another--which yet1 however             
disinterested and loving1 must be       
degrading1 as offered to one unworthy of
 prayer4 ,but if we believe that ,god is
 the one unselfish1 the one good being  
in the universe1 and that his one design
 with his children is to make them      
perfect as he is perfect2 if we believe 
that he not only would once give1 but is
 always giving himself to us for our    
life2 if we believe--which once ,i heard
 a bishop decline to acknowledge--that  
,god does his best for every man2 if    
also we believe that ,god knows every   
man's needs1 and will1 for love's sake1 
not spare one pang that may serve to    

purify the soul of one of his children2 
if we believe all this1 how can we think
 he will in any sort alter his way with 
one because another prays for him8 ,the 
prayer would arise from nothing in the  
person prayed for2 why should it        
initiate a change in ,god's dealing with
 him8  ,the argument ,i know not how to 
answer4 ,i can only1 in the face of it1 
and feeling all the difficulty1 say1 and
 say again1 ',yet ,i believe ,i may pray
 for my friend--for my enemy--for       
anybody6 ,yet and yet1 there is1 there  
must be some genuine1 essential good and
 power in the prayer of one man for     
another to the maker of both--and that  
just because their maker is perfect1 not
 less than very ,god4' ,i shall not     
bring authority to bear1 for authority  
can at best but make us believe reason  
there1 it cannot make us see it4 ,the   
difficulty remains the same even when we
 hear the ,lord himself pray to his     
,father for those the ,father loves     
because they have received his          

,son--loves therefore with a special    
love1 as the foremost in faith1 the     
elect of the world--loves not merely    
because they must die if he did not love
 them1 but loves from the deeps of      
divine approval4 ,those who believe in  
,jesus will be satisfied1 in the face of
 the incomprehensible1 that in what he  
does reason and right must lie2 but not 
therefore do we understand4 ,at the same
 time1 though ,i cannot explain1 ,i can 
show some ground upon which1 even had he
 not been taught to do so1 but left     
alone with his heart1 a man might yet1  
,i think1 pray for another4  ,if ,god   
has made us to love like himself1 and   
like himself long to help2 if there are 
for whom we1 like him1 would give our   
lives to lift them from the evil gulf of
 their ungodliness2 if the love in us   
would1 for the very easing of the love  
he kindled1 gift another--like himself  
who chooses and cherishes even the love 
that pains him2 if1 in the midst of a   
sore need to bless1 to give1 to help1 we

 are aware of an utter impotence2 if the
 fire burns and cannot out2 and if all  
our hope for ourselves lies in          
,god--what is there for us1 what can we 
think of1 what do1 but go to ,god8--what
 but go to him with this our own        
difficulty and need8 ,and where is the  
natural refuge1 there must be the help4 
,there can be no need for which he has  
no supply4 ,the best argument that he   
has help1 is that we have need4 ,if ,i  
can be helped through my friend1 ,i     
think ,god will take the thing up1 and  
do what ,i cannot do--help my friend    
that ,i may be helped--perhaps help me  
to help him4 ,you see1 in praying for   
another we pray for ourselves--for the  
relief of the needs of our love2 it is  
not prayer for another alone1 and thus  
it comes under the former kind4 ,would  
,god give us love1 the root of power1 in
 us1 and leave that love1 whereby he    
himself creates1 altogether helpless in 
us8 ,may he not at least expedite       
something for our prayers8 ,where he    

could not alter1 he could perhaps       
expedite1 in view of some help we might 
then be able to give4 ,if he desires    
that we should work with him1 that work 
surely helps him6  ,there are some      
things for which the very possibility of
 supposing them are an argument2 but ,i 
think ,i can go a little farther here1  
and imagine at least the where if not   
the how1 the divine conditions in which 
the help for another in answer to prayer
 is born1 the divine region in which its
 possibility must dwell4  ,god is ever  
seeking to lift us up into the sharing  
of his divine nature2 ,god's kings1 such
 men1 namely1 as with ,jesus have borne 
witness to the truth1 share his glory   
even on the throne of the ,father4 ,see 
the grandeur of the creative love of the
 ,holy6 nothing less will serve it than 
to have his children1 through his and   
their suffering1 share the throne of his
 glory6 ,if such be the perfection of   
the ,infinite1 should that perfection   
bring him under bonds and difficulties1 

and not rather set him freer to do the  
thing he would in the midst of opposing 
forces8 ,if his glory be in giving      
himself1 and we must share therein1     
giving ourselves1 why should we not     
begin here and now8 ,if he would have   
his children fellow-workers with him2 if
 he has desired and willed that not only
 by the help of his eternal ,son1 but by
 the help also of the children who      
through him have been born from above1  
other and still other children shall be 
brought to his knee1 to his fireside1 to
 the plenty of his house1 why should he 
not have kept some margin of room       
wherein their prayers may work for those
 whom they have to help1 who are of the 
same life as they8 ,i cannot tell how1  
but may not those prayers in some way   
increase ,god's opportunity for working 
his best and highest will8 ,dealing with
 his children1 the good ones may add to 
his power with the not yet good--add to 
his means of helping them4 ,one way is  
clear3 the prayer will react upon the   

mind that prays1 its light will grow1   
will shine the brighter1 and draw and   
enlighten the more4 ,but there must be  
more in the thing4 ,prayer in its       
perfect idea being a rising up into the 
will of the ,eternal1 may not the help  
of the ,father become one with the      
prayer of the child1 and for the prayer 
of him he holds in his arms1 go forth   
for him who wills not yet to be lifted  
to his embrace8 ,to his bosom ,god      
himself cannot bring his children at    
once1 and not at all except through his 
own suffering and theirs4 ,but will not 
any good parent find some way of        
granting the prayer of the child who    
comes to him1 saying1 ',papa1 this is my
 brother's birthday3 ,i have nothing to 
give him1 and ,i do love him so6 could  
you give me something to give him1 or   
give him something for me8'  ',still1   
could not ,god have given the gift      
without the prayer8 ,and why should the 
good of any one depend on the prayer of 
another8'  ,i can only answer with the  

return question1 ',why should my love be
 powerless to help another8' ,but we    
must not tie ,god to our measures of    
time1 or think he has forgotten that    
prayer even which1 apparently           
unanswered1 we have forgotten4 ,death is
 not an impervious wall2 through it1    
beyond it1 go the prayers4 ,it is       
possible we may have some to help in the
 next world because we have prayed for  
them in this3 will it not be a boon to  
them to have an old friend to their     
service8 ,i but speculate and suggest4  
,what ,i see and venture to say is this3
 ,if in ,god we live and move and have  
our being2 if the very possibility of   
loving lies in this1 that we exist in   
and by the live air of love1 namely ,god
 himself1 we must in this very fact be  
nearer to each other than by any bodily 
proximity or interchange of help2 and if
 prayer is like a pulse that sets this  
atmosphere in motion1 we must then by   
prayer come closer to each other than   
are the parts of our body by their      

complex nerve-telegraphy4 ,surely1 in   
the ,eternal1 hearts are never parted6  
surely1 through the ,eternal1 a heart   
that loves and seeks the good of        
another1 must hold that other within    
reach6 ,surely the system of things     
would not be complete in relation to the
 best thing in it--love itself1 if love 
had no help in prayer4 ,if ,i love and  
cannot help1 does not my heart move me  
to ask him to help who loves and        
can8--him without whom life would be to 
me nothing1 without whom ,i should      
neither love nor care to pray6--will he 
answer1 ',child1 do not trouble me2 ,i  
am already doing all ,i can'8 ,if such  
answer came1 who that loved would not be
 content to be nowhere in the matter8   
,but how if the eternal1 limitless      
,love1 the unspeakable1 self-forgetting 
,god-devotion1 which1 demanding all1    
gives all1 should say1 ',child1 ,i have 
been doing all ,i could2 but now you are
 come1 ,i shall be able to do more6 here
 is a corner for you1 my little one3    

push at this thing to get it out of the 
way'6 ,how if he should answer1 ',pray  
on1 my child2 ,i am hearing you2 it goes
 through me in help to him4 ,we are of  
one mind about it2 ,i help and you help4
 ,i shall have you all safe home with me
 by and by6 ,there is no fear1 only we  
must work1 and not lose heart4 ,go1 and 
let your light so shine before men that 
they may see your good things1 and      
glorify me by knowing that ,i am light  
and no darkness'6--what then8 ,oh that  
lovely picture by ,michelangelo1 with   
the young ones and the little ones come 
to help ,god to make ,adam6  ,but it may
 be that the answer to prayer will come 
in a shape that seems a refusal4 ,it may
 come even in an increase of that from  
which we seek deliverance4 ,i know of   
one who prayed to love better3 a sore   
division came between--out of which at  
length rose a dawn of tenderness4  ,our 
vision is so circumscribed1 our theories
 are so small--the garment of them not  
large enough to wrap us in2 our faith so

 continually fashions itself to the fit 
of our dwarf intellect1 that there is   
endless room for rebellion against      
ourselves3 we must not let our poor     
knowledge limit our not so poor         
intellect1 our intellect limit our      
faith1 our faith limit our divine hope2 
reason must humbly watch over           
all--reason1 the candle of the ,lord4   
,there are some who would argue for     
prayer1 not on the ground of any        
possible answer to be looked for1 but   
because of the good to be gained in the 
spiritual attitude of the mind in       
praying4 ,there are those even who1 not 
believing in any ear to hear1 any heart 
to answer1 will yet pray4 ,they say it  
does them good2 they pray to nothing at 
all1 but they get spiritual benefit4  ,i
 will not contradict their testimony4   
,so needful is prayer to the soul that  
the mere attitude of it may encourage a 
good mood4 ,verily to pray to that which
 is not1 is in logic a folly2 yet the   
good that1 they say1 comes of it1 may   

rebuke the worse folly of their         
unbelief1 for it indicates that prayer  
is natural1 and how could it be natural 
if inconsistent with the very mode of   
our being8 ,theirs is a better way than 
that of those who1 believing there is a 
,god1 but not believing that he will    
give any answer to their prayers1 yet   
pray to him2 that is more foolish and   
more immoral than praying to the        
,no-god4 ,whatever the ,god be to whom  
they pray1 their prayer is a mockery of 
him1 of themselves1 of the truth4  ,on  
the other hand1 let ,god give no assent 
to the individual prayer1 let the prayer
 even be for something nowise good      
enough to be a gift of ,god1 yet the    
soul that prays will get good of its    
prayer1 if only in being thereby brought
 a little nearer to the ,father1 and    
making way for coming again4 ,prayer    
does react in good upon the praying     
soul1 irrespective of answer4 ,but to   
pray for the sake of the prayer1 and    
without regard to there being no one to 

hear1 would to me indicate a nature not 
merely illogical but morally false1 did 
,i not suspect a vague undetected       
apprehension of a ,something diffused   
through the ,all of existence1 and some 
sort of shadowiest communion therewith4 
,there are moods of such satisfaction in
 ,god that a man may feel as if nothing 
were left to pray for1 as if he had but 
to wait with patience for what the ,lord
 would work2 there are moods of such    
hungering desire1 that petition is      
crushed into an inarticulate crying2 and
 there is a communion with ,god that    
asks for nothing1 yet asks for          
everything4 ,this last is the very      
essence of prayer1 though not petition4 
,it is possible for a man1 not indeed to
 believe in ,god1 but to believe that   
there is a ,god1 and yet not desire to  
enter into communion with him2 but he   
that prays and does not faint will come 
to recognize that to talk with ,god is  
more than to have all prayers           
granted--that it is the end of all      

prayer1 granted or refused4 ,and he who 
seeks the ,father more than anything he 
can give1 is likely to have what he     
asks1 for he is not likely to ask amiss4
  ,even such as ask amiss may sometimes 
have their prayers answered4 ,the       
,father will never give the child a     
stone that asks for bread2 but ,i am not
 sure that he will never give the child 
a stone that asks for a stone4 ,if the  
,father say1 ',my child1 that is a      
stone2 it is no bread2' and the child   
answer1 ',i am sure it is bread2 ,i want
 it2' may it not be well he should try  
his bread8  ,but now for another point  
in the parable1 where ,i think ,i can   
give some help--,i mean the ,lord's     
apparent recognition of delay in the    
answering of prayer3 in the very        
structure of the parable he seems to    
take delay for granted1 and says        
notwithstanding1 ',he will avenge them  
speedily6'  ,the reconciling conclusion 
is1 that ,god loses no time1 though the 
answer may not be immediate4  ,he may   

delay because it would not be safe to   
give us at once what we ask3 we are not 
ready for it4 ,to give ere we could     
truly receive1 would be to destroy the  
very heart and hope of prayer1 to cease 
to be our ,father4 ,the delay itself may
 work to bring us nearer to our help1 to
 increase the desire1 perfect the       
prayer1 and ripen the receptive         
condition4  ,again1 not from any        
straitening in ,god1 but either from our
 own condition and capacity1 or those of
 the friend for whom we pray1 time may  
be necessary to the working out of the  
answer4 ,god is limited by regard for   
our best2 our best implies education2 in
 this we must ourselves have a large    
share2 this share1 being human1 involves
 time4 ,and perhaps1 indeed1 the better 
the gift we pray for1 the more time is  
necessary to its arrival4 ,to give us   
the spiritual gift we desire1 ,god may  
have to begin far back in our spirit1 in
 regions unknown to us1 and do much work
 that we can be aware of only in the    

results2 for our consciousness is to the
 extent of our being but as the flame of
 the volcano to the world-gulf whence it
 issues3 in the gulf of our unknown     
being ,god works behind our             
consciousness4 ,with his holy influence1
 with his own presence1 the one thing   
for which most earnestly we cry1 he may 
be approaching our consciousness from   
behind1 coming forward through regions  
of our darkness into our light1 long    
before we begin to be aware that he is  
answering our request--has answered it1 
and is visiting his child4 ,to avenge   
speedily must mean to make no delay     
beyond what is absolutely necessary1 to 
begin the moment it is possible to      
begin4 ,because the ,son of ,man did not
 appear for thousands of years after men
 began to cry out for a ,saviour1 shall 
we imagine he did not come the first    
moment it was well he should come8 ,can 
we doubt that to come a moment sooner   
would have been to delay1 not to        
expedite1 his kingdom8 ,for anything    

that needs a process1 to begin to act at
 once is to be speedy4 ,god does not put
 off like the unrighteous judge2 he does
 not delay until irritated by the       
prayers of the needy2 he will hear while
 they are yet speaking2 yea1 before they
 call he will answer4  ,the ,lord uses  
words without anxiety as to the misuse  
of them by such as do not search after  
his will in them2 and the word avenge   
may be simply retained from the parable 
without its special meaning therein2 yet
 it suggests a remark or two4  ,of      
course1 no prayer for any revenge that  
would gratify the selfishness of our    
nature1 a thing to be burned out of us  
by the fire of ,god1 needs think to be  
heard4 ,be sure1 when the ,lord prayed  
his ,father to forgive those who        
crucified him1 he uttered his own wish  
and his ,father's will at once3 ,god    
will never punish according to the      
abstract abomination of sin1 as if men  
knew what they were doing4 ',vengeance  
is mine1' he says3 with a right         

understanding of it1 we might as well   
pray for ,god's vengeance as for his    
forgiveness2 that vengeance is1 to      
destroy the sin--to make the sinner     
abjure and hate it2 nor is there any    
satisfaction in a vengeance that seeks  
or effects less4 ,the man himself must  
turn against himself1 and so be for     
himself4 ,if nothing else will do1 then 
hell-fire2 if less will do1 whatever    
brings repentance and self-repudiation1 
is ,god's repayment4  ,friends1 if any  
prayers are offered against us2 if the  
vengeance of ,god be cried out for1     
because of some wrong you or ,i have    
done1 ,god grant us his vengeance6 ,let 
us not think that we shall get off6     
,but perhaps the ,lord was here         
thinking1 not of persecution1 or any    
form of human wrong1 but of the troubles
 that most trouble his true disciple2   
and the suggestion is comforting to     
those whose foes are within them1 for1  
if so1 then he recognizes the evils of  
self1 against which we fight1 not as    

parts of ourselves1 but as our foes1 on 
which he will avenge the true self that 
is at strife with them4 ,and certainly  
no evil is1 or ever could be1 of the    
essential being and nature of the       
creature ,god made6 ,the thing that is  
not good1 however associated with our   
being1 is against that being1 not of    
it--is its enemy1 on which we need to be
 avenged4 ,when we fight1 he will       
avenge4 ,till we fight1 evil shall have 
dominion over us1 a dominion to make us 
miserable2 other than miserable can no  
one be1 under the yoke of a nature      
contrary to his own4 ,comfort thyself   
then1 who findest thine own heart and   
soul1 or rather the things that move    
therein1 too much for thee3 ,god will   
avenge his own elect4 ,he is not        
delaying2 he is at work for thee4 ,only 
thou must pray1 and not faint4 ,ask1    
ask2 it shall be given you4 ,seek most  
the best things2 to ask for the best    
things is to have them2 the seed of them
 is in you1 or you could not ask for    

them4  ,but from whatever quarter come  
our troubles1 whether from the world    
outside or the world inside1 still let  
us pray4 ,in his own right way1 the only
 way that could satisfy us1 for we are  
of his kind1 will ,god answer our       
prayers with help4 ,he will avenge us of
 our adversaries1 and that speedily4    
,only let us take heed that we be       
adversaries to no man1 but fountains of 
love and forgiving tenderness to all4   
,and from no adversary1 either on the   
way with us1 or haunting the secret     
chamber of our hearts1 let us hope to be
 delivered till we have paid the last   
farthing4                               
,,the ,,last ,,farthing4        ',verily
 ,i say unto thee1 thou shalt by no     
means come out thence1      till thou   
have paid the last farthing4'--,,st4    
,,matthew v4 #bf4  ,there is a thing    
wonderful and admirable in the parables1
 not readily grasped1 but specially     
indicated by the ,lord himself--their   
unintelligibility to the mere intellect4

 ,they are addressed to the conscience  
and not to the intellect1 to the will   
and not to the imagination4 ,they are   
strong and direct but not definite4     
,they are not meant to explain anything1
 but to rouse a man to the feeling1 ',i 
am not what ,i ought to be1 ,i do not   
the thing ,i ought to do6' ,many        
maundering interpretations may be given 
by the wise1 with plentiful loss of     
labour1 while the child who uses them   
for the necessity of walking in the one 
path will constantly receive light from 
them4 ,the greatest obscuration of the  
words of the ,lord1 as of all true      
teachers1 comes from those who give     
themselves to interpret rather than do  
them4 ,theologians have done more to    
hide the gospel of ,christ than any of  
its adversaries4 ,it was not for our    
understandings1 but our will1 that      
,christ came4 ,he who does that which he
 sees1 shall understand2 he who is set  
upon understanding rather than doing1   
shall go on stumbling and mistaking and 

speaking foolishness4 ,he has not that  
in him which can understand that kind4  
,the gospel itself1 and in it the       
parables of the ,truth1 are to be       
understood only by those who walk by    
what they find4 ,it is he that runneth  
that shall read1 and no other4 ,it is   
not intended by the speaker of the      
parables that any other should know     
intellectually what1 known but          
intellectually1 would be for his        
injury--what knowing intellectually he  
would imagine he had grasped1 perhaps   
even appropriated4 ,when the pilgrim of 
the truth comes on his journey to the   
region of the parable1 he finds its     
interpretation4 ,it is not a fruit or a 
jewel to be stored1 but a well springing
 by the wayside4  ,let us try to        
understand what the ,lord himself said  
about his parables4 ,it will be better  
to take the reading of ,st4 ,matthew    
xiii4 #ad1 #ae1 as it is plainer1 and   
the quotation from ,isaiah 7vi4 #i1 #aj7
 is given in full--after the            

,septuagint1 and much clearer than in   
our version from the ,hebrew3--in its   
light should be read the corresponding  
passages in the other ,gospels3 in ,st4 
,mark's it is so compressed as to be    
capable of quite a different and false  
meaning3 in ,st4 ,john's reference1 the 
blinding of the heart seems attributed  
directly to the devil3--the purport is1 
that those who by insincerity and       
falsehood close their deeper eyes1 shall
 not be capable of using in the matter  
the more superficial eyes of their      
understanding4 ,whether this follows as 
a psychical or metaphysical necessity1  
or be regarded as a special punishment1 
it is equally the will of ,god1 and     
comes from him who is the live ,truth4  
,they shall not see what is not for such
 as they4 ,it is the punishment of the  
true ,love1 and is continually          
illustrated and fulfilled3 if ,i know   
anything of the truth of ,god1 then the 
objectors to ,christianity1 so far as ,i
 am acquainted with them1 do not2 their 

arguments1 not in themselves false1 have
 nothing to do with the matter2 they see
 the thing they are talking against1 but
 they do not see the thing they think   
they are talking against4  ,this will   
help to remove the difficulty that the  
parables are plainly for the teaching of
 the truth1 and yet the ,lord speaks of 
them as for the concealing of it4 ,they 
are for the understanding of that man   
only who is practical--who does the     
thing he knows1 who seeks to understand 
vitally4 ,they reveal to the live       
conscience1 otherwise not to the keenest
 intellect--though at the same time they
 may help to rouse the conscience with  
glimpses of the truth1 where the man is 
on the borders of waking4 ,ignorance may
 be at once a punishment and a kindness3
 all punishment is kindness1 and the    
best of which the man at the time is    
capable3 ',because you will not do1 you 
shall not see2 but it would be worse for
 you if you did see1 not being of the   
disposition to do4' ,such are punished  

in having the way closed before them2   
they punish themselves2 their own doing 
results as it cannot but result on them4
 ,to say to them certain things so that 
they could understand them1 would but   
harden them more1 because they would not
 do them2 they should have but          
parables--lanterns of the truth1 clear  
to those who will walk in their light1  
dark to those who will not4 ,the former 
are content to have the light cast upon 
their way2 the latter will have it in   
their eyes1 and cannot3 if they had1 it 
would but blind them4 ,for them to know 
more would be their worse condemnation4 
,they are not fit to know more2 more    
shall not be given them yet2 it is their
 punishment that they are in the wrong1 
and shall keep in the wrong until they  
come out of it4 ',you choose the dark2  
you shall stay in the dark till the     
terrors that dwell in the dark affray   
you1 and cause you to cry out4' ,god    
puts a seal upon the will of man2 that  
seal is either his great punishment1 or 

his mighty favour3 ',ye love the        
darkness1 abide in the darkness3' ',o   
woman1 great is thy faith3 be it done   
unto thee even as thou wilt6'  ,what    
special meaning may be read in the      
different parts of magistrate1 judge1   
and officer1 beyond the general         
suggestion1 perhaps1 of the tentative   
approach of the final1 ,i do not know2  
but ,i think ,i do know what is meant by
 'agree on the way1' and 'the uttermost 
farthing4' ,the parable is an appeal to 
the common sense of those that hear it1 
in regard to every affair of            
righteousness4 ,arrange what claim lies 
against you2 compulsion waits behind it4
 ,do at once what you must do one day4  
,as there is no escape from payment1    
escape at least the prison that will    
enforce it4 ,do not drive ,justice to   
extremities4 ,duty is imperative2 it    
must be done4 ,it is useless to think to
 escape the eternal law of things2 yield
 of yourself1 nor compel ,god to compel 
you4  ,to the honest man1 to the man who

 would fain be honest1 the word is of   
right gracious import4 ,to the untrue1  
it is a terrible threat2 to him who is  
of the truth1 it is sweet as most loving
 promise4 ,he who is of ,god's mind in  
things1 rejoices to hear the word of the
 changeless ,truth2 the voice of the    
,right fills the heavens and the earth1 
and makes his soul glad2 it is his      
salvation4 ,if ,god were not inexorably 
just1 there would be no stay for the    
soul of the feeblest lover of right3    
'thou art true1 ,o ,lord3 one day ,i    
also shall be true6' ',thou shalt render
 the right1 cost you what it may1' is a 
dread sound in the ears of those whose  
life is a falsehood3 what but the last  
farthing would those who love           
righteousness more than life pay8 ,it is
 a joy profound as peace to know that   
,god is determined upon such payment1 is
 determined to have his children clean1 
clear1 pure as very snow2 is determined 
that not only shall they with his help  
make up for whatever wrong they have    

done1 but at length be incapable1 by    
eternal choice of good1 under any       
temptation1 of doing the thing that is  
not divine1 the thing ,god would not do4
  ,there has been much cherishing of the
 evil fancy1 often without its taking   
formal shape1 that there is some way of 
getting out of the region of strict     
justice1 some mode of managing to escape
 doing all that is required of us2 but  
there is no such escape4 ,a way to avoid
 any demand of righteousness would be an
 infinitely worse way than the road to  
the everlasting fire1 for its end would 
be eternal death4 ,no1 there is no      
escape4 ,there is no heaven with a      
little of hell in it--no plan to retain 
this or that of the devil in our hearts 
or our pockets4 ,out ,satan must go1    
every hair and feather6 ,neither shalt  
thou think to be delivered from the     
necessity of being good by being made   
good4 ,god is the ,god of the animals in
 a far lovelier way1 ,i suspect1 than   
many of us dare to think1 but he will   

not be the ,god of a man by making a    
good beast of him4 ,thou must be good2  
neither death nor any admittance into   
good company will make thee good2       
though1 doubtless1 if thou be willing   
and try1 these and all other best helps 
will be given thee4 ,there is no        
clothing in a robe of imputed           
righteousness1 that poorest of legal    
cobwebs spun by spiritual spiders4 ,to  
me it seems like an invention of        
well-meaning dulness to soothe insanity2
 and indeed it has proved a door of     
escape out of worse imaginations4 ,it is
 apparently an old 'doctrine2' for ,st4 
,john seems to point at it where he     
says1 ',little children1 let no man lead
 you astray2 he that doeth righteousness
 is righteous even as he is righteous4' 
,christ is our righteousness1 not that  
we should escape punishment1 still less 
escape being righteous1 but as the live 
potent creator of righteousness in us1  
so that we1 with our wills receiving his
 spirit1 shall like him resist unto     

blood1 striving against sin2 shall know 
in ourselves1 as he knows1 what a lovely
 thing is righteousness1 what a mean1   
ugly1 unnatural thing is                
unrighteousness4 ,he is our             
righteousness1 and that righteousness is
 no fiction1 no pretence1 no imputation4
  ,one thing that tends to keep men from
 seeing righteousness and               
unrighteousness as they are1 is1 that   
they have been told many things are     
righteous and unrighteous1 which are    
neither the one nor the other4          
,righteousness is just fairness--from   
,god to man1 from man to ,god and to    
man2 it is giving every one his due--his
 large mighty due4 ,he is righteous1 and
 no one else1 who does this4 ,and any   
system which tends to persuade men that 
there is any salvation but that of      
becoming righteous even as ,jesus is    
righteous2 that a man can be made good1 
as a good dog is good1 without his own  
willed share in the making2 that a man  
is saved by having his sins hidden under

 a robe of imputed righteousness--that  
system1 so far as this tendency1 is of  
the devil and not of ,god4 ,thank ,god1 
not even error shall injure the true of 
heart2 it is not wickedness4 ,they grow 
in the truth1 and as love casts out     
fear1 so truth casts out falsehood4  ,i 
read1 then1 in this parable1 that a man 
had better make up his mind to be       
righteous1 to be fair1 to do what he can
 to pay what he owes1 in any and all the
 relations of life--all the matters1 in 
a word1 wherein one man may demand of   
another1 or complain that he has not    
received fair play4 ,arrange your       
matters with those who have anything    
against you1 while you are yet together 
and things have not gone too far to be  
arranged2 you will have to do it1 and   
that under less easy circumstances than 
now4 ,putting off is of no use4 ,you    
must4 ,the thing has to be done2 there  
are means of compelling you4  ',in this 
affair1 however1 ,i am in the right4'   
',if so1 very well--for this affair4    

,but ,i have reason to doubt whether you
 are capable of judging righteously in  
your own cause3--do you hate the man8'  
',no1 ,i don't hate him4'  ',do you     
dislike him8'  ',i can't say ,i like    
him4'  ',do you love him as yourself8'  
',oh1 come6 come6 no one does that6'    
',then no one is to be trusted when he  
thinks1 however firmly1 that he is all  
right1 and his neighbour all wrong1 in  
any matter between them4'  ',but ,i     
don't say ,i am all right1 and he is all
 wrong2 there may be something to urge  
on his side3 what ,i say is1 that ,i am 
more in the right than he4'  ',this is  
not fundamentally a question of things3 
it is a question of condition1 of       
spiritual relation and action1 towards  
your neighbour4 ,if in yourself you were
 all right towards him1 you could do him
 no wrong4 ,let it be with the          
individual dispute as it may1 you owe   
him something that you do not pay him1  
as certainly as you think he owes you   
something he will not pay you4'  ',he   

would take immediate advantage of me if 
,i owned that4'  ',so much the worse for
 him4 ,until you are fair to him1 it    
does not matter to you whether he is    
unfair to you or not4'  ',i beg your    
pardon--it is just what does matter6 ,i 
want nothing but my rights4 ,what can   
matter to me more than my rights8'      
',your duties--your debts4 ,you are all 
wrong about the thing4 ,it is a very    
small matter to you whether the man give
 you your rights or not2 it is life or  
death to you whether or not you give him
 his4 ,whether he pay you what you count
 his debt or no1 you will be compelled  
to pay him all you owe him4 ,if you owe 
him a pound and he you a million1 you   
must pay him the pound whether he pay   
you the million or not2 there is no     
business-parallel here4 ,if1 owing you  
love1 he gives you hate1 you1 owing him 
love1 have yet to pay it4 ,a love unpaid
 you1 a justice undone you1 a praise    
withheld from you1 a judgment passed on 
you without judgment1 will not absolve  

you of the debt of a love unpaid1 a     
justice not done1 a praise withheld1 a  
false judgment passed3 these uttermost  
farthings--not to speak of such debts as
 the world itself counts grievous       
wrongs--you must pay him1 whether he pay
 you or not4 ,we have a good while given
 us to pay1 but a crisis will come--come
 soon after all--comes always sooner    
than those expect it who are not ready  
for it--a crisis when the demand        
unyielded will be followed by prison4   
,the same holds with every demand of    
,god3 by refusing to pay1 the man makes 
an adversary who will compel him--and   
that for the man's own sake4 ,if you or 
your life say1 ',i will not1' then he   
will see to it4 ,there is a prison1 and 
the one thing we know about that prison 
is1 that its doors do not open until    
entire satisfaction is rendered1 the    
last farthing paid4  ,the main debts    
whose payment ,god demands are those    
which lie at the root of all right1     
those we owe in mind1 and soul1 and     

being4 ,whatever in us can be or make an
 adversary1 whatever could prevent us   
from doing the will of ,god1 or from    
agreeing with our fellow--all must be   
yielded4 ,our every relation1 both to   
,god and our fellow1 must be            
acknowledged heartily1 met as a reality4
 ,smaller debts1 if any debt can be     
small1 follow as a matter of course4    
,if the man acknowledge1 and would pay  
if he could but cannot1 the universe    
will be taxed to help him rather than he
 should continue unable4 ,if the man    
accepts the will of ,god1 he is the     
child of the ,father1 the whole power   
and wealth of the ,father is for him1   
and the uttermost farthing will easily  
be paid4 ,if the man denies the debt1 or
 acknowledging does nothing towards     
paying it1 then--at last--the prison6   
,god in the dark can make a man thirst  
for the light1 who never in the light   
sought but the dark4 ,the cells of the  
prison may differ in degree of darkness2
 but they are all alike in this1 that   

not a door opens but to payment4 ,there 
is no day but the will of ,god1 and he  
who is of the night cannot be for ever  
allowed to roam the day2 unfelt1        
unprized1 the light must be taken from  
him1 that he may know what the darkness 
is4 ,when the darkness is perfect1 when 
he is totally without the light he has  
spent the light in slaying1 then will he
 know darkness4  ,i think ,i have seen  
from afar something of the final prison 
of all1 the innermost cell of the debtor
 of the universe2 ,i will endeavour to  
convey what ,i think it may be4  ,it is 
the vast outside2 the ghastly dark      
beyond the gates of the city of which   
,god is the light--where the evil dogs  
go ranging1 silent as the dark1 for     
there is no sound any more than sight4  
,the time of signs is over4 ,every sense
 has its signs1 and they were all       
misused3 there is no sense1 no sign     
more--nothing now by means of which to  
believe4 ,the man wakes from the final  
struggle of death1 in absolute          

loneliness-- such a loneliness as in the
 most miserable moment of deserted      
childhood he never knew4 ,not a hint1   
not a shadow of anything outside his    
consciousness reaches him4 ,all is dark1
 dark and dumb2 no motion--not the      
breath of a wind6 never a dream of      
change6 not a scent from far-off field6 
nothing to suggest being or thing       
besides the man himself1 no sign of ,god
 anywhere4 ,god has so far withdrawn    
from the man1 that he is conscious only 
of that from which he has withdrawn4 ,in
 the midst of the live world he cared   
for nothing but himself2 now in the dead
 world he is in ,god's prison1 his own  
separated self4 ,he would not believe in
 ,god because he never saw ,god2 now he 
doubts if there be such a thing as the  
face of a man--doubts if he ever really 
saw one1 ever anything more than dreamed
 of such a thing3--he never came near   
enough to human being1 to know what     
human being really was--so may well     
doubt if human beings ever were1 if ever

 he was one of them4  ,next after doubt 
comes reasoning on the doubt3 ',the only
 one must be ,god6 ,i know no one but   
myself3 ,i must myself be ,god--none    
else6' ,poor helpless dumb devil6--his  
own glorious lord god6 ,yea1 he will    
imagine himself that same resistless    
force which1 without his will1 without  
his knowledge1 is the law by which the  
sun burns1 and the stars keep their     
courses1 the strength that drives all   
the engines of the world4 ,his fancy    
will give birth to a thousand fancies1  
which will run riot like the mice in a  
house but just deserted3 he will call it
 creation1 and his4 ,having no reality  
to set them beside1 nothing to correct  
them by2 the measured order1 harmonious 
relations1 and sweet graces of ,god's   
world nowhere for him2 what he thinks1  
will be1 for lack of what ,god thinks1  
the man's realities3 what others can he 
have6 ,soon1 misery will beget on       
imagination a thousand shapes of woe1   
which he will not be able to rule1      

direct1 or even distinguish from real   
presences--a whole world of miserable   
contradictions and cold-fever-dreams4   
,but no liveliest human imagination     
could supply adequate representation of 
what it would be to be left without a   
shadow of the presence of ,god4 ,if ,god
 gave it1 man could not understand it3  
he knows neither ,god nor himself in the
 way of the understanding4 ,for not he  
who cares least about ,god was in this  
world ever left as ,god could leave him4
 ,i doubt if any man could continue     
following his wickedness from whom ,god 
had withdrawn4  ,the most frightful idea
 of what could1 to his own              
consciousness1 befall a man1 is that he 
should have to lead an existence with   
which ,god had nothing to do4 ,the thing
 could not be2 for being that is caused1
 the causation ceasing1 must of         
necessity cease4 ,it is always in1 and  
never out of ,god1 that we can live and 
do4 ,but ,i suppose the man so left that
 he seems to himself utterly alone1 yet1

 alas6 with himself--smallest           
interchange of thought1 feeblest contact
 of existence1 dullest reflection from  
other being1 impossible3 in such evil   
case ,i believe the man would be glad to
 come in contact with the worst-loathed 
insect3 it would be a shape of life1    
something beyond and besides his own    
huge1 void1 formless being6 ,i imagine  
some such feeling in the prayer of the  
devils for leave to go into the swine4  
,his worst enemy1 could he but be aware 
of him1 he would be ready to worship4   
,for the misery would be not merely the 
absence of all being other than his own 
self1 but the fearful1 endless1         
unavoidable presence of that self4      
,without the correction1 the reflection1
 the support of other presences1 being  
is not merely unsafe1 it is a           
horror--for anyone but ,god1 who is his 
own being4 ,for him whose idea is       
,god's1 and the image of ,god1 his own  
being is far too fragmentary and        
imperfect to be anything like good      

company4 ,it is the lovely creatures    
,god has made all around us1 in them    
giving us himself1 that1 until we know  
him1 save us from the frenzy of         
aloneness--for that aloneness is ,self1 
,self1 ,self4 ,the man who minds only   
himself must at last go mad if ,god did 
not interfere4  ,can there be any way   
out of the misery8 ,will the soul that  
could not believe in ,god1 with all his 
lovely world around testifying of him1  
believe when shut in the prison of its  
own lonely1 weary all-and-nothing8 ,it  
would for a time try to believe that it 
was indeed nothing1 a mere glow of the  
setting sun on a cloud of dust1 a paltry
 dream that dreamed itself--then1 ah1 if
 only the dream might dream that it was 
no more6 that would be the one thing to 
hope for4 ,self-loathing1 and that for  
no sin1 from no repentance1 from no     
vision of better1 would begin and grow  
and grow2 and to what it might not come 
no soul can tell--of essential1 original
 misery1 uncompromising self disgust6   

,only1 then1 if a being be capable of   
self-disgust1 is there not some room for
 hope--as much as a pinch of earth in   
the cleft of a rock might yield for the 
growth of a pine8 ,nay1 there must be   
hope while there is existence2 for where
 there is existence there must be ,god2 
and ,god is for ever good1 nor can be   
other than good4 ,but alas1 the distance
 from the light6 ,such a soul is at the 
farthest verge of life's negation6--no1 
not the farthest6 a man is nearer heaven
 when in deepest hell than just ere he  
begins to reap the reward of his        
doings--for he is in a condition to     
receive the smallest show of the life   
that is1 as a boon unspeakable4 ,all his
 years in the world he received the     
endless gifts of sun and air1 earth and 
sea and human face divine1 as things    
that came to him because that was their 
way1 and there was no one to prevent    
them2 now the poorest thinning of the   
darkness he would hail as men of old the
 glow of a descending angel2 it would be

 as a messenger from ,god4 ,not that he 
would think of ,god6 it takes long to   
think of ,god2 but hope1 not yet seeming
 hope1 would begin to dawn in his bosom1
 and the thinner darkness would be as a 
cave of light1 a refuge from the horrid 
self of which he used to be so proud4   
,a man may well imagine it impossible   
ever to think so unpleasantly of        
himself6 ,but he has only to let things 
go1 and he will make it the real1 right1
 natural way to think of himself4 ,true1
 all ,i have been saying is imaginary2  
but our imagination is made to mirror   
truth2 all the things that appear in it 
are more or less after the model of     
things that are2 ,i suspect it is the   
region whence issues prophecy2 and when 
we are true it will mirror nothing but  
truth4 ,i deal here with the same light 
and darkness the ,lord dealt with1 the  
same ,st4 ,paul and ,st4 ,john and ,st4 
,peter and ,st4 ,jude dealt with4 ,ask  
yourself whether the faintest dawn of   
even physical light would not be welcome

 to such a soul as some refuge from the 
dark of the justly hated self4  ,and the
 light would grow and grow across the   
awful gulf between the soul and its     
haven--its repentance--for repentance is
 the first pressure of the bosom of     
,god2 and in the twilight1 struggling   
and faint1 the man would feel1 faint as 
the twilight1 another thought beside    
his1 another thinking ,something nigh   
his dreary self--perhaps the man he had 
most wronged1 most hated1 most          
despised--and would be glad that some   
one1 whoever1 was near him3 the man he  
had most injured1 and was most ashamed  
to meet1 would be a refuge from         
himself--oh1 how welcome6  ,so might ,i 
imagine a thousand steps up from the    
darkness1 each a little less dark1 a    
little nearer the light--but1 ah1 the   
weary way6 ,he cannot come out until he 
have paid the uttermost farthing6       
,repentance once begun1 however1 may    
grow more and more rapid6 ,if ,god once 
get a willing hold1 if with but one     

finger he touch the man's self1 swift as
 possibility will he draw him from the  
darkness into the light4 ,for that for  
which the forlorn1 self-ruined wretch   
was made1 was to be a child of ,god1 a  
partaker of the divine nature1 an heir  
of ,god and joint heir with ,christ4    
,out of the abyss into which he cast    
himself1 refusing to be the heir of     
,god1 he must rise and be raised4 ,to   
the heart of ,god1 the one and only goal
 of the human race--the refuge and home 
of all and each1 he must set out and go1
 or the last glimmer of humanity will   
die from him4 ,whoever will live must   
cease to be a slave and become a child  
of ,god4 ,there is no half-way house of 
rest1 where ungodliness may be dallied  
with1 nor prove quite fatal4 ,be they   
few or many cast into such prison as ,i 
have endeavoured to imagine1 there can  
be no deliverance for human soul1       
whether in that prison or out of it1 but
 in paying the last farthing1 in        
becoming lowly1 penitent1               

self-refusing--so receiving the sonship1
 and learning to cry1 ,father6          
,,abba1 ,,father6   '--the spirit of    
adoption1 whereby we cry1 ,abba1        
,father4'-,,romans viii4 #ae4  ,the     
hardest1 gladdest thing in the world is1
 to cry ,father6 from a full heart4 ,i  
would help whom ,i may to call thus upon
 the ,father4  ,there are things in all 
forms of the systematic teaching of     
,christianity to check this outgoing of 
the heart--with some to render it simply
 impossible4 ,the more delicate the     
affections1 the less easy to satisfy1   
the readier are they to be damped and   
discouraged1 yea quite blown aside2 even
 the suspicion of a cold reception is   
enough to paralyze them4 ,such a cold   
wind blowing at the very gate of        
heaven-- thank ,god1 outside the        
gate6--is the so-called doctrine of     
,adoption4 ,when a heart hears--and     
believes1 or half believes--that it is  
not the child of ,god by origin1 from   
the first of its being1 but may possibly

 be adopted into his family1 its love   
sinks at once in a cold faint3 where is 
its own father1 and who is this that    
would adopt it8 ,to myself1 in the      
morning of childhood1 the evil doctrine 
was a mist through which the light came 
struggling1 a cloud-phantom of repellent
 mien--requiring maturer thought and    
truer knowledge to dissipate it4 ,but it
 requires neither much knowledge nor    
much insight to stand up against its    
hideousness2 it needs but love that will
 not be denied1 and courage to question 
the phantom4  ,a devout and honest      
scepticism on ,god's side1 not to be put
 down by anything called authority1 is  
absolutely necessary to him who would   
know the liberty wherewith ,christ      
maketh free4 ,whatever any company of   
good men thinks or believes1 is to be   
approached with respect2 but nothing    
claimed or taught1 be the claimers or   
the teachers who they may1 must come    
between the soul and the spirit of the  
father1 who is himself the teacher of   

his children4 ,nay1 to accept authority 
may be to refuse the very thing the     
'authority' would teach2 it may remain  
altogether misunderstood just for lack  
of that natural process of doubt and    
inquiry1 which we were intended to go   
through by him who would have us        
understand4  ,as no scripture is of     
private interpretation1 so is there no  
feeling in human heart which exists in  
that heart alone1 which is not1 in some 
form or degree1 in every heart2 and     
thence ,i conclude that many must have  
groaned like myself under the supposed  
authority of this doctrine4 ,the refusal
 to look up to ,god as our ,father is   
the one central wrong in the whole human
 affair2 the inability1 the one central 
misery3 whatever serves to clear any    
difficulty from the way of the          
recognition of the ,father1 will more or
 less undermine every difficulty in     
life4  ',is ,god then not my ,father1'  
cries the heart of the child1 'that ,i  
need to be adopted by him8 ,adoption6   

that can never satisfy me4 ,who is my   
father8 ,am ,i not his to begin with8   
,is ,god not my very own ,father8 ,is he
 my ,father only in a sort or           
fashion--by a legal contrivance8 ,truly1
 much love may lie in adoption1 but if  
,i accept it from any one1 ,i allow     
myself the child of another6 ,the       
adoption of ,god would indeed be a      
blessed thing if another than he had    
given me being6 but if he gave me being1
 then it means no reception1 but a      
repudiation4--,o ,father1 am ,i not your
 child8'  ',no2 but he will adopt you4  
,he will not acknowledge you his child1 
but he will call you his child1 and be a
 father to you4'  ',alas6' cries the    
child1 'if he be not my father1 he      
cannot become my father4 ,a father is a 
father from the beginning4 ,a primary   
relation cannot be superinduced4 ,the   
consequence might be small where earthly
 fatherhood was concerned1 but the very 
origin of my being--alas1 if he be only 
a maker and not a father6 ,then am ,i   

only a machine1 and not a child--not a  
man6 ,it is false to say ,i was created 
in his image6  ',it avails nothing to   
answer that we lost our birthright by   
the fall4 ,i do not care to argue that  
,i did not fall when ,adam fell2 for ,i 
have fallen many a time1 and there is a 
shadow on my soul which ,i or another   
may call a curse2 ,i cannot get rid of a
 something that always intrudes between 
my heart and the blue of every sky4 ,but
 it avails nothing1 either for my heart 
or their argument1 to say ,i have fallen
 and been cast out3 can any repudiation1
 even that of ,god1 undo the facts of an
 existent origin8 ,nor is it merely that
 he made me3 by whose power do ,i go on 
living8 ,when he cast me out1 as you    
say1 did ,i then begin to draw my being 
from myself--or from the devil8 ,in whom
 do ,i live and move and have my being8 
,it cannot be that ,i am not the        
creature of ,god4'  ',but creation is   
not fatherhood4'  ',creation in the     
image of ,god1 is4 ,and if ,i am not in 

the image of ,god1 how can the word of  
,god be of any meaning to me8 ,he called
 them gods to whom the word of ,god     
came1 says the ,master himself4 ,to be  
fit to receive his word implies being of
 his kind4 ,no matter how his image may 
have been defaced in me3 the thing      
defaced is his image1 remains his       
defaced image--an image yet that can    
hear his word4 ,what makes me evil and  
miserable is1 that the thing spoiled in 
me is the image of the ,perfect4        
,nothing can be evil but in virtue of a 
good hypostasis4 ,no1 no6 nothing can   
make it that ,i am not the child of     
,god4 ,if one say1 ,look at the animals3
 ,god made them3 you do not call them   
the children of ,god6 ,i answer3 ,but ,i
 am to blame2 they are not to blame6 ,i 
cling fast to my blame3 it is the seal  
of my childhood4 ,i have nothing to     
argue from in the animals1 for ,i do not
 understand them4 ,two things only ,i am
 sure of3 that ,god is to them a        
faithful creator2 and that the sooner ,i

 put in force my claim to be a child of 
,god1 the better for them2 for they too 
are fallen1 though without blame4'      
',but you are evil3 how can you be a    
child of the ,good8'  ',just as many an 
evil son is the child of a good parent4'
  ',but in him you call a good parent1  
there yet lay evil1 and that accounts   
for the child being evil4'  ',i cannot  
explain4 ,god let me be born through    
evil channels4 ,but in whatever manner  
,i may have become an unworthy child1 ,i
 cannot thereby have ceased to be a     
child of ,god--his child in the way that
 a child must ever be the child of the  
man of whom he comes4 ,is it not proof--
 this complaint of my heart at the word 
,adoption8 ,is it not the spirit of the 
child1 crying out1 ,abba1 ,father8'     
',yes2 but that is the spirit of        
adoption2 the text says so4'  ',away    
with your adoption6 ,i could not even be
 adopted if ,i were not such as the     
adoption could reach--that is1 of the   
nature of ,god4 ,much as he may love    

him1 can a man adopt a dog8 ,i must be  
of a nature for the word of ,god to come
 to--yea1 so far1 of the divine nature1 
of the image of ,god6 ,heartily do ,i   
grant that1 had ,i been left to myself1 
had ,god dropped me1 held no            
communication with me1 ,i could never   
have thus cried1 never have cared when  
they told me ,i was not a child of ,god4
 ,but he has never repudiated me1 and   
does not now desire to adopt me4 ,pray1 
why should it grieve me to be told ,i am
 not a child of ,god1 if ,i be not a    
child of ,god8 ,if you say--,because you
 have learned to love him1 ,i           
answer--,adoption would satisfy the love
 of one who was not but would be a      
child2 for me1 ,i cannot do without a   
father1 nor can any adoption give me    
one4'  ',but what is the good of all you
 say1 if the child is such that the     
father cannot take him to his heart8'   
',ah1 indeed1 ,i grant you1 nothing6--so
 long as the child does not desire to be
 taken to the father's heart2 but the   

moment he does1 then it is everything to
 the child's heart that he should be    
indeed the child of him after whom his  
soul is thirsting4 ,however bad ,i may  
be1 ,i am the child of ,god1 and therein
 lies my blame4 ,ah1 ,i would not lose  
my blame6 in my blame lies my hope4 ,it 
is the pledge of what ,i am1 and what ,i
 am not2 the pledge of what ,i am meant 
to be1 what ,i shall one day be1 the    
child of ,god in spirit and in truth4'  
',then you dare to say the apostle is   
wrong in what he so plainly teaches8'   
',by no means2 what ,i do say is1 that  
our ,english presentation of his        
teaching is in this point very          
misleading4 ,it is not for me to judge  
the learned and good men who have       
revised the translation of the ,new     
,testament--with so much gain to every  
one whose love of truth is greater than 
his loving prejudice for accustomed     
form2--,i can only say1 ,i wonder what  
may have been their reasons for         
retaining this word adoption4 ,in the   

,new ,testament the word is used only by
 the apostle ,paul4 ,liddell and ,scott 
give the meaning--,adoption as a son1   
which is a mere submission to popular   
theology3 they give no reference except 
to the ,new ,testament4 ,the relation of
 the word ,greek3 niothesia to the form 
,greek3 thetos1 which means taken1 or   
rather1 placed as one's child1 is1 ,i   
presume1 the sole ground for the so     
translating of it3 usage plentiful and  
invariable could not justify that       
translation here1 in the face of what   
,st4 ,paul elsewhere shows he means by  
the word4 ,the ,greek word might be     
variously meant--though ,i can find no  
use of it earlier than ,st4 ,paul2 the  
,english can mean but one thing1 and    
that is not what ,st4 ,paul means4 ,the 
spirit of adoption ,luther translates   
the spirit of a child2 adoption he      
translates kindschaft1 or childship'    
,of two things ,i am sure--first1 that  
by niothesia ,st4 ,paul did not intend  
adoption2 and second1 that if the       

,revisers had gone through what ,i have 
gone through because of the word1 if    
they had felt it come between ,god and  
their hearts as ,i have felt it1 they   
could not have allowed it to remain in  
their version4  ,once more ,i say1 the  
word used by ,st ,paul does not imply   
that ,god adopts children that are not  
his own1 but rather that a second time  
he fathers his own2 that a second time  
they are born--this time from above2    
that he will make himself tenfold1 yea1 
infinitely their father3 he will have   
them back into the very bosom whence    
they issued1 issued that they might     
learn they could live nowhere else2 he  
will have them one with himself4 ,it was
 for the sake of this that1 in his ,son1
 he died for them4  ,let us look at the 
passage where he reveals his use of the 
word4 ,it is in another of his          
epistles--that to the ,galatians3 iv4   
,i-#g4  ',but ,i say that so long as the
 heir is a child1 he differeth nothing  
from a bondservant1 though he is lord of

 all2 but is under guardians and        
stewards until the term appointed of the
 father4 ,so we also1 when we were      
children1 were held in bondage under the
 rudiments of the world3 but when the   
fulness of the time came1 ,god sent     
forth his ,son1 born of a woman1 born   
under the law1 that he might redeem them
 which were under the law1 that we might
 receive the adoption of sons4 ,and     
because ye are sons1 ,god sent forth the
 ,spirit of his ,son into our hearts1   
crying1 ,abba1 ,father4 ,so that thou   
art no longer a bondservant1 but a son2 
and if a son1 then an heir through      
,god4'  ,how could the ,revisers choose 
this last reading1 'an heir through     
,god1' and keep the word adoption8 ,from
 the passage it is as plain as ,st4     
,paul could make it1 that1 by the word  
translated adoption1 he means the       
raising of a father's own child from the
 condition of tutelage and subjection to
 others1 a state which1 he says1 is no  
better than that of a slave1 to the     

position and rights of a son4 ,none but 
a child could become a son2 the idea    
is--a spiritual coming of age2 only when
 the child is a man is he really and    
fully a son4 ,the thing holds in the    
earthly relation4 ,how many children of 
good parents--good children in the main 
too--never know those parents1 never    
feel towards them as children might1    
until1 grown up1 they have left the     
house--until1 perhaps1 they are parents 
themselves1 or are parted from them by  
death6 ,to be a child is not necessarily
 to be a son or daughter4 ,the childship
 is the lower condition of the upward   
process towards the sonship1 the soil   
out of which the true sonship shall     
grow1 the former without which the      
latter were impossible4 ,god can no more
 than an earthly parent be content to   
have only children3 he must have sons   
and daughters-- children of his soul1 of
 his spirit1 of his love--not merely in 
the sense that he loves them1 or even   
that they love him1 but in the sense    

that they love like him1 love as he     
loves4 ,for this he does not adopt them2
 he dies to give them himself1 thereby  
to raise his own to his heart2 he gives 
them a birth from above2 they are born  
again out of himself and into           
himself--for he is the one and the all4 
,his children are not his real1 true    
sons and daughters until they think like
 him1 feel with him1 judge as he judges1
 are at home with him1 and without fear 
before him because he and they mean the 
same thing1 love the same things1 seek  
the same ends4 ,for this are we created2
 it is the one end of our being1 and    
includes all other ends whatever4 ,it   
can come only of unbelief and not faith1
 to make men believe that ,god has cast 
them off1 repudiated them1 said they are
 not1 yea never were1 his children--and 
he all the time spending himself to make
 us the children he designed1           
foreordained--children who would take   
him for their ,father6 ,he is our father
 all the time1 for he is true2 but until

 we respond with the truth of children1 
he cannot let all the father out to us2 
there is no place for the dove of his   
tenderness to alight4 ,he is our father1
 but we are not his children4 ,because  
we are his children1 we must become his 
sons and daughters4 ,nothing will       
satisfy him1 or do for us1 but that we  
be one with our father6 ,what else could
 serve6 ,how else should life ever be a 
good6 ,because we are the sons of ,god1 
we must become the sons of ,god4  ,there
 may be among my readers--alas for      
such6--to whom the word ,father brings  
no cheer1 no dawn1 in whose heart it    
rouses no tremble of even a vanished    
emotion4 ,it is hardly likely to be     
their fault4 ,for though as children we 
seldom love up to the mark of reason2   
though we often offend2 and although the
 conduct of some children is            
inexplicable to the parent who loves    
them2 yet1 if the parent has been but   
ordinarily kind1 even the son who has   
grown up a worthless man1 will now and  

then feel1 in his better moments1 some  
dim reflex of childship1 some faintly   
pleasant1 some slightly sorrowful       
remembrance of the father around whose  
neck his arms had sometimes clung4 ,in  
my own childhood and boyhood my father  
was the refuge from all the ills of     
life1 even sharp pain itself4 ,therefore
 ,i say to son or daughter who has no   
pleasure in the name ,father1 ',you must
 interpret the word by all that you have
 missed in life4 ,every time a man might
 have been to you a refuge from the     
wind1 a covert from the tempest1 the    
shadow of a great rock in a weary land1 
that was a time when a father might have
 been a father indeed4 ,happy you are   
yet1 if you have found man or woman such
 a refuge2 so far have you known a      
shadow of the perfect1 seen the back of 
the only man1 the perfect ,son of the   
perfect ,father4 ,all that human        
tenderness can give or desire in the    
nearness and readiness of love1 all and 
infinitely more must be true of the     

perfect ,father--of the maker of        
fatherhood1 the ,father of all the      
fathers of the earth1 specially the     
,father of those who have specially     
shown a father-heart4'  ,this ,father   
would make to himself sons and daughters
 indeed--that is1 such sons and         
daughters as shall be his sons and      
daughters not merely by having come from
 his heart1 but by having returned      
thither--children in virtue of being    
such as whence they came1 such as choose
 to be what he is4 ,he will have them   
share in his being and nature--strong   
wherein he cares for strength2 tender   
and gracious as he is tender and        
gracious2 angry where and as he is      
angry4 ,even in the small matter of     
power1 he will have them able to do     
whatever his ,son ,jesus could on the   
earth1 whose was the life of the perfect
 man1 whose works were those of         
perfected humanity4 ,everything must at 
length be subject to man1 as it was to  
,the ,man4 ,when ,god can do what he    

will with a man1 the man may do what he 
will with the world2 he may walk on the 
sea like his ,lord2 the deadliest thing 
will not be able to hurt him3--',he that
 believeth on me1 the works that ,i do  
shall he do also2 and greater than these
 shall he do4'               ,god1 whose
 pleasure brought      ,man into being1 
stands away      ,as it were1 an        
handbreath off1 to give      ,boom for  
the newly-made to live4   ,he has made  
us1 but we have to be4 ,all things were 
made through the ,word1 but that which  
was made in the ,word was life1 and that
 life is the light of men3 they who live
 by this light1 that is1 live as ,jesus 
lived--by obedience1 namely1 to the     
,father1 have a share in their own      
making2 the light becomes life in them2 
they are1 in their lower way1 alive with
 the life that was first born in ,jesus1
 and through him has been born in       
them--by obedience they become one with 
the godhead3 ',as many as received him1 
to them gave he power to become the sons

 of ,god4' ,he does not make them the   
sons of ,god1 but he gives them power to
 become the sons of ,god3 in choosing   
and obeying the truth1 man becomes the  
true son of the ,father of lights4  ,it 
is enough to read with understanding the
 passage ,i have quoted from his epistle
 to the ,galatians1 to see that the word
 adoption does not in the least fit ,st4
 ,paul's idea1 or suit the things he    
says4 ,while we but obey the law ,god   
has laid upon us1 without knowing the   
heart of the ,father whence comes the   
law1 we are but slaves--not necessarily 
ignoble slaves1 yet slaves2 but when we 
come to think with him1 when the mind of
 the son is as the mind of the ,father1 
the action of the son the same as that  
of the ,father1 then is the son of the  
,father1 then are we the sons of ,god4  
,and in both passages--this1 and that   
which1 from his epistle to the ,romans1 
,i have placed at the head of this      
sermon--we find the same phrase1 ,abba1 
,father1 showing1 if proof were needful1

 that he uses the word ,greek3 uiothesia
 the same sense in both3 nothing can    
well be plainer1 that needs             
consideration at all1 than what that    
sense is4 ,let us glance at the other   
passages in which he uses the same word3
 as he alone of the writers of the ,new 
,testament does use it1 so1 for aught ,i
 know1 he may have made it for himsef4  
,one of them is in the same eighth      
chapter of the epistle to the ,romans2  
this ,i will keep to the last4 ,another 
is in the following chapter1 the fourth 
verse2 in it he speaks of the ,greek3   
viothesia1 literally the son-placing    
7that is1 the placing of sons in the    
true place of sons71 as belonging to the
 ,jews4 ,on this ,i have but to remark  
that 'whose is the ,greek3 viothesia'   
cannot mean either that they had already
 received it1 or that it belonged to the
 ,jews more than to the ,gentiles2 it   
can only mean that1 as the              
elder-brother-nation1 they had a        
foremost claim to it1 and would         

naturally first receive it2 that1 in    
their best men1 they had always been    
nearest to it4 ,it must be wrought out  
first in such as had received the       
preparation necessary2 those were the   
,jews2 of the ,jews was the ,son1       
bringing the ,greek3 viothesia1 the     
sonship1 to all4 ,therefore theirs was  
the ,greek3 viothesia1 just as theirs   
was the gospel4 ,it was to the ,jew     
first1 then to the ,gentile--though many
 a ,gentile would have it before many a 
,jew4 ,those and only those who out of a
 true heart cry ',abba1 ,father1' be    
they of what paltry little so-called    
church1 other than the body of ,christ1 
they may1 or of no otherat all1 are the 
sons and daughters of ,god4  ,st4 ,paul 
uses the word also in his epistle to the
 ,ephesians1 the first chapter1 the     
fifth verse4 ',having predestinated us  
unto the adoption of children by ,jesus 
,christ to himself1' says the authorized
 version2 ',having foreordained us unto 
adoption as sons through ,jesus ,christ 

unto himself1' says the revised--and ,i 
see little to choose between them3      
neither gives the meaning of ,st4 ,paul4
 ,if there is anything gained by the    
addition of the words 'of children' in  
the one case1 and 'as sons' in the      
other1 to translate the word for which  
'adoption' alone is made to serve in the
 other passages1 the advantage is only  
to the minus-side1 to that of the wrong 
interpretation4  ,children we were2 true
 sons we could never be1 save through   
,the ,son4 ,he brothers us4 ,he takes us
 to the knees of the ,father1 beholding 
whose face we grow sons indeed4 ,never  
could we have known the heart of the    
,father1 never felt it possible to love 
him as sons1 but for him who cast       
himself into the gulf that yawned       
between us4 ,in and through him we were 
foreordained to the sonship3 sonship1   
even had we never sinned1 never could we
 reach without him4 ,we should have been
 little children loving the ,father     
indeed1 but children far from the       

sonhood that understands and adores4    
',for as many as are led by the spirit  
of ,god1 these are sons of ,god2' ',if  
any man hath not the spirit of ,christ1 
he is none of his2' yea1 if we have not 
each other's spirits1 we do not belong  
to each other4 ,there is no unity but   
having the same spirit4 ,there is but   
one spirit1 that of truth4  ,it remains 
to note yet another passage4  ,that     
never in anything he wrote was it ,st4  
,paul's intention to contribute towards 
a system of theology1 it were easy to   
show3 one sign of the fact is1 that he  
does not hesitate to use this word he   
has perhaps himself made1 in different1 
and apparently opposing1 though by no   
means contradictory senses3 his meanings
 always vivify each other4 ,his ideas   
are so large that they tax his utterance
 and make him strain the use of words1  
but there is no danger to the honest    
heart1 which alone he regards1 of       
misunderstanding them1 though 'the      
ignorant and unsteadfast wrest them'    

yet4 ,at one time he speaks of the      
sonship as being the possession of the  
,israelite1 at another as his who has   
learned to cry ,abba1 ,father2 and here1
 in the passage ,i have now last to     
consider1 that from the #ahth to the    
#beth verse of this same eighth chapter 
of his epistle to the ,romans1 he speaks
 of the niothesia as yet to come--and as
 if it had to do1 not with our          
spiritual1 but our bodily condition4    
,this use of the word1 however1 though  
not the same use as we find anywhere    
else1 is nevertheless entirely          
consistent with his other uses of it4   
,the #bcrd verse says1 ',and not only   
so1 but ourselves also1 which have the  
first fruits of the spirit1 even we     
ourselves groan within ourselves1       
waiting for adoption1 the redemption of 
our body4'  ,it is nowise difficult to  
discern that the ideas in this and the  
main use are necessarily associated and 
more than consistent4 ,the putting of a 
son in his true1 his foreordained place1

 has outward relations as well as inward
 reality2 the outward depends on the    
inward1 arises from it1 and reveals it4 
,when the child whose condition under   
tutors had passed away1 took his        
position as a son1 he would naturally   
change his dress and modes of life3 when
 ,god's children cease to be slaves     
doing right from law and duty1 and      
become his sons doing right from the    
essential love of ,god and their        
neighbour1 they too must change the     
garments of their slavery for the robes 
of liberty1 lay aside the body of this  
death1 and appear in bodies like that of
 ,christ1 with whom they inherit of the 
,father4 ,but many children who have    
learned to cry ,abba1 ,father1 are yet  
far from the liberty of the sons of     
,god4 ,sons they are and no longer      
children1 yet they groan as being still 
in bondage6-- ,plainly the apostle has  
no thought of working out an idea2 with 
burning heart he is writing a letter3 he
 gives1 nevertheless1 lines plentifully 

sufficient for us to work out his idea1 
and this is how it takes clear shape3-- 
,we are the sons of ,god the moment we  
lift up our hearts1 seeking to be       
sons--the moment we begin to cry        
,father4 ,but as the world must be      
redeemed in a few men to begin with1 so 
the soul is redeemed in a few of its    
thoughts and wants and ways1 to begin   
with3 it takes a long time to finish the
 new creation of this redemption4 ,shall
 it have taken millions of years to     
bring the world up to the point where a 
few of its inhabitants shall desire     
,god1 and shall the creature of this new
 birth be perfected in a day8 ,the      
divine process may indeed now go on with
 tenfold rapidity1 for the new factor of
 man's fellow-working1 for the sake of  
which the whole previous array of means 
and forces existed1 is now developed2   
but its end is yet far below the horizon
 of man's vision3--  ,the apostle speaks
 at one time of the thing as to come1 at
 another time as done--when it is but   

commenced3 our ways of thought are such4
 ,a man's heart may leap for joy the    
moment when1 amidst the sea-waves1 a    
strong hand has laid hold of the hair of
 his head2 he may cry aloud1 ',i am     
saved2'--and he may be safe1 but he is  
not saved2 this is far from a salvation 
to suffice4 ,so are we sons when we     
begin to cry ,father1 but we are far    
from perfected sons4 ,so long as there  
is in us the least taint of distrust1   
the least lingering of hate or fear1 we 
have not received the sonship2 we have  
not such life in us as raised the body  
of ,jesus2 we have not attained to the  
resurrection of the dead--by which word1
 in his epistle to the ,philippians     
7iii4 #b71 ,st4 ,paul means1 ,i think1  
the same thing as here he means by the  
sonship which he puts in apposition with
 the redemption of the body3--  ,until  
our outward condition is that of sons   
royal1 sons divine2 so long as the      
garments of our souls1 these mortal     
bodies1 are mean--torn and dragged and  

stained2 so long as we groan under      
sickness and weakness and weariness1 old
 age1 forgetfulness1 and all heavy      
things2 so long we have not yet received
 the sonship in full--we are but getting
 ready one day to creep from our        
chrysalids1 and spread the great        
heaven-storming wings of the psyches of 
,god4 ,we groan being burdened2 we      
groan1 waiting for the sonship--to wit1 
the redemption of the body--the         
uplifting of the body to be a fit house 
and revelation of the indwelling        
spirit-- nay1 like that of ,christ1 a   
fit temple and revelation of the deeper 
indwelling ,god4 ,for we shall always   
need bodies to manifest and reveal us to
 each other--bodies1 then1 that fit the 
soul with absolute truth of presentment 
and revelation4 ,hence the revealing of 
the sons of ,god1 spoken of in the #aith
 verse1 is the same thing as the        
redemption of the body2 the body is     
redeemed when it is made fit for the    
sons of ,god2 then it is a revelation of

 them--the thing it was meant for1 and  
always1 more or less imperfectly1 was4  
,such it shall be1 when truth is strong 
enough in the sons of ,god to make it   
such--for it is the soul that makes the 
body4 ,when we are the sons of ,god in  
heart and soul1 then shall we be the    
sons of ,god in body too3 'we shall be  
like him1 for we shall see him as he    
is4'  ,i care little to speculate on the
 kind of this body2 two things only ,i  
will say1 as needful to be believed1    
concerning it3 first1 that it will be a 
body to show the same self as           
before--but1 second1 a body to show the 
being truly--without the defects1 that  
is1 and imperfections of the former     
bodily revelation4 ,even through their  
corporeal presence shall we then know   
our own infinitely better1 and find in  
them endlessly more delight1 than       
before4 ,these things we must believe1  
or distrust the ,father of our spirits4 
,till this redemption of the body       
arrives1 the ,greek3 uiothesia is not   

wrought out1 is only upon the way4 ,nor 
can it come but by our working out the  
salvation he is working in us4  ,this   
redemption of the body--its deliverance 
from all that is amiss1 awry1           
unfinished1 weak1 worn out1 all that    
prevents the revelation of the sons of  
,god1 is called by the apostle1 not     
certainly the adoption1 but the ,greek3 
niothesia1 the sonship in full          
manifestation4 ,it is the slave yet left
 in the sons and daughters of ,god that 
has betrayed them into even permitting  
the word adoption to mislead them6  ,to 
see how the whole utterance hangs       
together1 read from the #ahth verse to  
the #beth1 especially noticing the      
#aith3 ',for the earnest expectation of 
the creation waiteth for the revealing' 
7the outshining7 'of the sons of ,god4' 
,when the sons of ,god show as they are1
 taking1 with the character1 the        
appearance and the place that belong to 
their sonship2 when the sons of ,god sit
 with the ,son of ,god on the throne of 

their ,father2 then shall they be in    
potency of fact the lords of the lower  
creation1 the bestowers of liberty and  
peace upon it2 then shall the creation1 
subjected to vanity for their sakes1    
find its freedom in their freedom1 its  
gladness in their sonship4 ,the animals 
will glory to serve them1 will joy to   
come to them for help4 ,let the         
heartless scoff1 the unjust despise6 the
 heart that cries ,abba1 ,father1 cries 
to the ,god of the sparrow and the oxen2
 nor can hope go too far in hoping what 
that ,god will do for the creation that 
now groaneth and travaileth in pain     
because our higher birth is delayed4    
,shall not the judge of all the earth do
 right8 ,shall my heart be more         
compassionate than his8  ,if to any     
reader my interpretation be             
unsatisfactory1 ,i pray him not to spend
 his strength in disputing my faith1 but
 in making sure his own progress on the 
way to freedom and sonship4 ,only to the
 child of ,god is true judgment         

possible4 ,were it otherwise1 what would
 it avail to prove this one or that     
right or wrong8 ,right opinion on       
questions the most momentous will       
deliver no man4 ,cure for any ill in me 
or about me there is none1 but to become
 the son of ,god ,i was born to be4     
,until such ,i am1 until ,christ is born
 in me1 until ,i am revealed a son of   
,god1 pain and trouble will endure--and 
,god grant they may6 ,call this         
presumption1 and ,i can only widen my   
assertion3 until you yourself are the   
son of ,god you were born to be1 you    
will never find life a good thing4 ,if  
,i presume for myself1 ,i presume for   
you also4 ,but ,i do not presume4 ,thus 
have both ,jesus ,christ and his        
love-slave ,paul represented ,god--as a 
,father perfect in love1 grand in       
self-forgetfulness1 supreme in          
righteousness1 devoted to the lives he  
has uttered4 ,i will not believe less of
 the ,father than ,i can conceive of    
glory after the lines he has given me1  

after the radiation of his glory in the 
face of his ,son4 ,he is the express    
image of the ,father1 by which we1 his  
imperfect images1 are to read and       
understand him3 imperfect1 we have yet  
perfection enough to spell towards the  
perfect4  ,it comes to this then1 after 
the grand theory of the apostle3--,the  
world exists for our education2 it is   
the nursery of ,god's children1 served  
by troubled slaves1 troubled because the
 children are themselves                
slaves--children1 but not good children4
 ,beyond its own will or knowledge1 the 
whole creation works for the development
 of the children of ,god into the sons  
of ,god4 ,when at last the children have
 arisen and gone to their ,father2 when 
they are clothed in the best robe1 with 
a ring on their hands and shoes on their
 feet1 shining out at length in their   
natural1 their predestined sonship2 then
 shall the mountains and the hills break
 forth before them into singing1 and all
 the trees of the field shall clap their

 hands4 ,then shall the wolf dwell with 
the lamb1 and the leopard lie down with 
the kid and the calf1 and the young lion
 and the fatling together1 and a little 
child shall lead them4 ,then shall the  
fables of a golden age1 which faith     
invented1 and unbelief threw into the   
past1 unfold their essential reality1   
and the tale of paradise prove itself a 
truth by becoming a fact4 ,then shall   
every ideal show itself a necessity1    
aspiration although satisfied put forth 
yet longer wings1 and the hunger after  
righteousness know itself blessed4 ,then
 first shall we know what was in the    
,shepherd's mind when he said1 ',i came 
that they may have life1 and may have it
 abundantly4'                           
,,life4   ',i came that they may have   
life1 and may have it abundantly4'--,st4
 ,john x4 #aj4  ,in a word1 ,he came to 
supply all our lack--from the root      
outward2 for what is it we need but more
 life8 ,what does the infant need but   
more life8 ,what does the bosom of his  

mother give him but life in abundance8  
,what does the old man need1 whose limbs
 are weak and whose pulse is low1 but   
more of the life which seems ebbing from
 him8 ,weary with feebleness1 he calls  
upon death1 but in reality it is life he
 wants4 ,it is but the encroaching death
 in him that desires death4 ,he longs   
for rest1 but death cannot rest2 death  
would be as much an end to rest as to   
weariness3 even weakness cannot rest2 it
 takes strength as well as weariness to 
rest4 ,how different is the weariness of
 the strong man after labour unduly     
prolonged1 from the weariness of the    
sick man who in the morning cries out1  
',would ,god it were evening6' and in   
the evening1 ',would ,god it were       
morning6' ,low-sunk life imagines itself
 weary of life1 but it is death1 not    
life1 it is weary of4 ,never a cry went 
out after the opposite of life from any 
soul that knew what life is4 ,why does  
the poor1 worn1 out-worn suicide seek   
death8 ,is it not in reality to escape  

from death8--from the death of          
homelessness and hunger and cold2 the   
death of failure1 disappointment1 and   
distraction2 the death of the exhaustion
 of passion2 the death of madness--of a 
household he cannot rule2 the death of  
crime and fear of discovery8 ,he seeks  
the darkness because it seems a refuge  
from the death which possesses him4 ,he 
is a creature possessed by death2 what  
he calls his life is but a dream full of
 horrible phantasms4  ',more life6' is  
the unconscious prayer of all creation1 
groaning and travailing for the         
redemption of its lord1 the son who is  
not yet a son4 ,is not the dumb cry to  
be read in the faces of some of the     
animals1 in the look of some of the     
flowers1 and in many an aspect of what  
we call ,nature8 ,all things are        
possible with ,god1 but all things are  
not easy4 ,it is easy for him to be1 for
 there he has to do with his own perfect
 will3 it is not easy for him to        
create--that is1 after the grand fashion

 which alone will satisfy his glorious  
heart and will1 the fashion in which he 
is now creating us4 ,in the very nature 
of being--that is1 ,god--it must be     
hard--and divine history shows how      
hard--to create that which shall be not 
himself1 yet like himself4 ,the problem 
is1 so far to separate from himself that
 which must yet on him be ever and      
always and utterly dependent1 that it   
shall have the existence of an          
individual1 and be able to turn and     
regard him--choose him1 and say1 ',i    
will arise and go to my ,father1' and so
 develop in itself the highest ,divine  
of which it is capable--the will for the
 good against the evil--the will to be  
one with the life whence it has come1   
and in which it still is--the will to   
close the round of its procession in its
 return1 so working the perfection of   
reunion--to shape in its own life the   
ring of eternity--to live immediately1  
consciously1 and active-willingly from  
its source1 from its own very life--to  

restore to the beginning the end that   
comes of that beginning--to be the thing
 the maker thought of when he willed1   
ere he began to work its being4  ,i     
imagine the difficulty of doing this    
thing1 of effecting this creation1 this 
separation from himself such that will  
in the creature shall be possible--,i   
imagine1 ,i say1 the difficulty of such 
creation so great1 that for it ,god must
 begin inconceivably far back in the    
infinitesimal regions of beginnings--not
 to say before anything in the least    
resembling man1 but eternal miles beyond
 the last farthest-pushed discovery in  
protoplasm--to set in motion that       
division from himself which in its grand
 result should be individuality1        
consciousness1 choice1 and conscious    
choice--choice at last pure1 being the  
choice of the right1 the true1 the      
divinely harmonious4 ,hence the final   
end of the separation is not            
individuality2 that is but a means to   
it2 the final end is oneness--an        

impossibility without it4 ,for there can
 be no unity1 no delight of love1 no    
harmony1 no good in being1 where there  
is but one4 ,two at least are needed for
 oneness2 and the greater the number of 
individuals1 the greater1 the lovelier1 
the richer1 the diviner is the possible 
unity4  ,god is life1 and the           
will-source of life4 ,in the outflowing 
of that life1 ,i know him2 and when ,i  
am told that he is love1 ,i see that if 
he were not love he would not1 could not
 create4 ,i know nothing deeper in him  
than love1 nor believe there is in him  
anything deeper than love-- nay1 that   
there can be anything deeper than love4 
,the being of ,god is love1 therefore   
creation4 ,i imagine that from all      
eternity he has been creating4 ,as he   
saw it was not good for man to be alone1
 so has he never been alone             
himself2--from all eternity the ,father 
has had the ,son1 and the never-begun   
existence of that ,son ,i imagine an    
easy outgoing of the ,father's nature2  

while to make other beings--beings like 
us1 ,i imagine the labour of a ,god1 an 
eternal labour4 ,speaking after our poor
 human fashions of thought--the only    
fashions possible to us--,i imagine that
 ,god has never been contented to be    
alone even with the ,son of his love1   
the prime and perfect idea of humanity1 
but that he has from the first willed   
and laboured to give existence to other 
creatures who should be blessed with his
 blessedness--creatures whom he is now  
and always has been developing into     
likeness with that ,son--a likeness for 
long to be distant and small1 but a     
likeness to be for ever growing3 perhaps
 never one of them yet1 though          
unspeakably blessed1 has had even an    
approximate idea of the blessedness in  
store for him4  ,let no soul think that 
to say ,god undertook a hard labour in  
willing that many sons and daughters    
should be sharers of the divine nature1 
is to abate his glory6 ,the greater the 
difficulty1 the greater is the glory of 

him who does the thing he has           
undertaken--without shadow of           
compromise1 with no half-success1 but   
with a triumph of absolute satisfaction 
to innumerable radiant souls6 ,he knew  
what it would cost6--not energy of will 
alone1 or merely that utterance and     
separation from himself which is but the
 first of creation1 though that may well
 itself be pain--but sore suffering such
 as we cannot imagine1 and could only be
 ,god's1 in the bringing out1 call it   
birth or development1 of the ,god-life  
in the individual soul--a suffering     
still renewed1 a labour thwarted ever by
 that soul itself1 compelling him to    
take1 still at the cost of suffering1   
the not absolutely best1 only the best  
possible means left him by the          
resistance of his creature4 ,man finds  
it hard to get what he wants1 because he
 does not want the best2 ,god finds it  
hard to give1 because he would give the 
best1 and man will not take it4 ,what   
,jesus did1 was what the ,father is     

always doing2 the suffering he endured  
was that of the ,father from the        
foundation of the world1 reaching its   
climax in the person of his ,son4 ,god  
provides the sacrifice2 the sacrifice is
 himself4 ,he is always1 and has ever   
been1 sacrificing himself to and for his
 creatures4 ,it lies in the very essence
 of his creation of them4 ,the worst    
heresy1 next to that of dividing        
religion and righteousness1 is to divide
 the ,father from the ,son--in thought  
or feeling or action or intent2 to      
represent the ,son as doing that which  
the ,father does not himself do4 ,jesus 
did nothing but what the ,father did and
 does4 ,if ,jesus suffered for men1 it  
was because his ,father suffers for men2
 only he came close to men through his  
body and their senses1 that he might    
bring their spirits close to his ,father
 and their ,father1 so giving them life1
 and losing what could be lost of his   
own4 ,he is ,god our ,saviour3 it is    
because ,god is our ,saviour that ,jesus

 is our ,saviour4 ,the ,god and ,father 
of ,jesus ,christ could never possibly  
be satisfied with less than giving      
himself to his own6 ,the unbeliever may 
easily imagine a better ,god than the   
common theology of the country offers   
him2 but not the lovingest heart that   
ever beat can even reflect the length   
and breadth and depth and height of that
 love of ,god which shows itself in his 
,son--one1 and of one mind1 with        
himself4 ,the whole history is a divine 
agony to give divine life to creatures4 
,the outcome of that agony1 the victory 
of that creative and again creative     
energy1 will be radiant life1 whereof   
joy unspeakable is the flower4 ,every   
child will look in the eyes of the      
,father1 and the eyes of the ,father    
will receive the child with an infinite 
embrace4  ,the life the ,lord came to   
give us is a life exceeding that of the 
highest undivine man1 by far more than  
the life of that man exceeds the life of
 the animal the least human4 ,more and  

more of it is for each who will receive 
it1 and to eternity4 ,the ,father has   
given to the ,son to have life in       
himself2 that life is our light4 ,we    
know life only as light2 it is the life 
in us that makes us see4 ,all the growth
 of the ,christian is the more and more 
life he is receiving4 ,at first his     
religion may hardly be distinguishable  
from the mere prudent desire to save his
 soul2 but at last he loses that very   
soul in the glory of love1 and so saves 
it2 self becomes but the cloud on which 
the white light of ,god divides into    
harmonies unspeakable4  ',in the midst  
of life we are in death1' said one2 it  
is more true that in the midst of death 
we are in life4 ,life is the only       
reality2 what men call death is but a   
shadow--a word for that which cannot    
be--a negation1 owing the very idea of  
itself to that which it would deny4 ,but
 for life there could be no death4 ,if  
,god were not1 there would not even be  
nothing4 ,not even nothingness preceded 

life4 ,nothingness owes its very idea to
 existence4  ,one form of the question  
between matter and spirit is1 which was 
first1 and caused the other--things or  
thoughts2 whether things without thought
 caused thought1 or thought without     
things caused things4 ,to those who     
cannot doubt that thought was first1    
causally preceding the earliest material
 show1 it is easily plain that death can
 be the cure for nothing1 that the cure 
for everything must be life--that the   
ills which come with existence1 are from
 its imperfection1 not of itself-- that 
what we need is more of it4 ,we who are1
 have nothing to do with death2 our     
relations are alone with life4 ,the     
thing that can mourn can mourn only from
 lack2 it cannot mourn because of being1
 but because of not enough being4 ,we   
are vessels of life1 not yet full of the
 wine of life2 where the wine does not  
reach1 there the clay cracks1 and aches1
 and is distressed4 ,who would therefore
 pour out the wine that is there1       

instead of filling to the brim with more
 wine6 ,all the being must partake of   
essential being2 life must be assisted1 
upheld1 comforted1 every part1 with     
life4 ,life is the law1 the food1 the   
necessity of life4 ,life is everything4 
,many doubtless mistake the joy of life 
for life itself2 and1 longing after the 
joy1 languish with a thirst at once poor
 and inextinguishable2 but even that    
thirst points to the one spring4 ,these 
love self1 not life1 and self is but the
 shadow of life4 ,when it is taken for  
life itself1 and set as the man's       
centre1 it becomes a live death in the  
man1 a devil he worships as his god2 the
 worm of the death eternal he clasps to 
his bosom as his one joy6  ,the soul    
compact of harmonies has more life1 a   
larger being1 than the soul consumed of 
cares2 the sage is a larger life than   
the clown2 the poet is more alive than  
the man whose life flows out that money 
may come in2 the man who loves his      
fellow is infinitely more alive than he 

whose endeavour is to exalt himself     
above him2 the man who strives to be    
better1 than he who longs for the praise
 of the many2 but the man to whom ,god  
is all in all1 who feels his life-roots 
hid with ,christ in ,god1 who knows     
himself the inheritor of all wealth and 
worlds and ages1 yea1 of power essential
 and in itself1 that man has begun to be
 alive indeed4  ,let us in all the      
troubles of life remember--that our one 
lack is life--that what we need is more 
life--more of the life-making presence  
in us making us more1 and more largely1 
alive4 ,when most oppressed1 when most  
weary of life1 as our unbelief would    
phrase it1 let us bethink ourselves that
 it is in truth the inroad and presence 
of death we are weary of4 ,when most    
inclined to sleep1 let us rouse         
ourselves to live4 ,of all things let us
 avoid the false refuge of a weary      
collapse1 a hopeless yielding to things 
as they are4 ,it is the life in us that 
is discontented2 we need more of what is

 discontented1 not more of the cause of 
its discontent4 ,discontent1 ,i repeat1 
is the life in us that has not enough of
 itself1 is not enough to itself1 so    
calls for more4 ,he has the victory who1
 in the midst of pain and weakness1     
cries out1 not for death1 not for the   
repose of forgetfulness1 but for        
strength to fight2 for more power1 more 
consciousness of being1 more ,god in    
him2 who1 when sorest wounded1 says with
 ,sir ,andrew ,barton in the old        
ballad3--        ,fight on my men1 says 
,sir ,andrew ,barton1         ,i am     
hurt1 but ,i am not slain2       ,i'll  
lay me down and bleed awhile1           
,and then ,i'll rise and fight again2   
--and that with no silly notion of      
playing the hero--what have creatures   
like us to do with heroism who are not  
yet barely honest6--but because so to   
fight is the truth1 and the only way4   
,if1 in the extreme of our exhaustion1  
there should come to us1 as to ,elijah  
when he slept in the desert1 an angel to

 rouse us1 and show us the waiting bread
 and water1 how would we carry          
ourselves8 ,would we1 in faint          
unwillingness to rise and eat1 answer1  
',lo ,i am weary unto death6 ,the battle
 is gone from me6 ,it is lost1 or       
unworth gaining6 ,the world is too much 
for me6 ,its forces will not heed me6   
,they have worn me out6 ,i have wrought 
no salvation even for my own1 and never 
should work any1 were ,i to live for    
ever6 ,it is enough2 let me now return  
whence ,i came2 let me be gathered to my
 fathers and be at rest6'8 ,i should be 
loth to think that1 if the enemy1 in    
recognizable shape1 came roaring upon   
us1 we would not1 like the red-cross    
knight1 stagger1 heavy sword in         
nerveless arm1 to meet him2 but1 in the 
feebleness of foiled effort1 it wants   
yet more faith to rise and partake of   
the food that shall bring back more     
effort1 more travail1 more weariness4   
,the true man trusts in a strength which
 is not his1 and which he does not feel1

 does not even always desire2 believes  
in a power that seems far from him1     
which is yet at the root of his fatigue 
itself and his need of rest--rest as far
 from death as is labour4 ,to trust in  
the strength of ,god in our weakness2 to
 say1 ',i am weak3 so let me be3 ,god is
 strong2' to seek from him who is our   
life1 as the natural1 simple cure of all
 that is amiss with us1 power to do1 and
 be1 and live1 even when we are         
weary1--this is the victory that        
overcometh the world4 ,to believe in    
,god our strength in the face of all    
seeming denial1 to believe in him out of
 the heart of weakness and unbelief1 in 
spite of numbness and weariness and     
lethargy2 to believe in the wide-awake  
real1 through all the stupefying1       
enervating1 distorting dream2 to will to
 wake1 when the very being seems athirst
 for a godless repose2--these are the   
broken steps up to the high fields where
 repose is but a form of strength1      
strength but a form of joy1 joy but a   

form of love4 ',i am weak1' says the    
true soul1 'but not so weak that ,i     
would not be strong2 not so sleepy that 
,i would not see the sun rise2 not so   
lame but that ,i would walk6 ,thanks be 
to him who perfects strength in         
weakness1 and gives to his beloved while
 they sleep6'  ,if we will but let our  
,god and ,father work his will with us1 
there can be no limit to his enlargement
 of our existence1 to the flood of life 
with which he will overflow our         
consciousness4 ,we have no conception of
 what life might be1 of how vast the    
consciousness of which we could be made 
capable4 ,many can recall some moment in
 which life seemed richer and fuller    
than ever before2 to some1 such moments 
arrive mostly in dreams3 shall soul1    
awake or asleep1 infold a bliss greater 
than its ,life1 the living ,god1 can    
seal1 perpetuate1 enlarge8 ,can the     
human twilight of a dream be capable of 
generating or holding a fuller life than
 the morning of divine activity8 ,surely

 ,god could at any moment give to a     
soul1 by a word to that soul1 by        
breathing afresh into the secret caves  
of its being1 a sense of life before    
which the most exultant ecstasy of      
earthly triumph would pale to ashes6 ,if
 ever sunlit1 sail-crowded sea1 under   
blue heaven flecked with wind-chased    
white1 filled your soul as with a new   
gift of life1 think what sense of       
existence must be yours1 if he whose    
thought has but fringed its garment with
 the outburst of such a show1 take his  
abode with you1 and while thinking the  
gladness of a ,god inside your being1   
let you know and feel that he is        
carrying you as a father in his bosom6  
,i have been speaking as if life and the
 consciousness of it were one2 but the  
consciousness of life is not life2 it is
 only the outcome of life4 ,the real    
life is that which is of and by         
itself--is life because it wills        
itself--which is1 in the active1 not the
 passive sense3 this can only be ,god4  

,but in us there ought to be a life     
correspondent to the life that is       
,god's2 in us also must be the life that
 wills itself--a life in so far         
resembling the self-existent life and   
partaking of its image1 that it has a   
share in its own being4 ,there is an    
original act possible to the man1 which 
must initiate the reality of his        
existence4 ,he must live in and by      
willing to live4 ,a tree lives2 ,i      
hardly doubt it has some vague          
consciousness1 known by but not to      
itself1 only to the ,god who made it2 ,i
 trust that life in its lowest forms is 
on the way to thought and blessedness1  
is in the process of that separation1 so
 to speak1 from ,god1 in which consists 
the creation of living souls2 but the   
life of these lower forms is not life in
 the high sense--in the sense in which  
the word is used in the ,bible3 true    
life knows and rules itself2 the eternal
 life is life come awake4 ,the life of  
the most exalted of the animals is not  

such whatever it may become1 and however
 ,i may refuse to believe their fate and
 being fixed as we see them4 ,but as    
little as any man or woman would be     
inclined to call the existence of the   
dog1 looking strange lack out of his    
wistful eyes1 an existence to be        
satisfied with--his life an end         
sufficient in itself1 as little could   
,i1 looking on the human pleasure1 the  
human refinement1 the common human      
endeavour around me1 consent to regard  
them as worthy the name of life4 ,what  
in them is true dwells amidst an        
unchallenged corruption1 demanding      
repentance and labour and prayer for its
 destruction4 ,the condition of most men
 and women seems to me a life in death1 
an abode in unwhited sepulchres1 a      
possession of withering forms by spirits
 that slumber1 and babble in their      
dreams4 ,that they do not feel it so1 is
 nothing4 ,the sow wallowing in the mire
 may rightly assert it her way of being 
clean1 but theirs is not the life of the

 ,god-born4 ,the day must come when they
 will hide their faces with such shame  
as the good man yet feels at the memory 
of the time when he lived like them4    
,there is nothing for man worthy to be  
called life1 but the life               
eternal--,god's life1 that is1 after his
 degree shared by the man made to be    
eternal also4 ,for he is in the image of
 ,god1 intended to partake of the life  
of the most high1 to be alive as he is  
alive4 ,of this life the outcome and the
 light is righteousness1 love1 grace1   
truth2 but the life itself is a thing   
that will not be defined1 even as ,god  
will not be defined3 it is a power1 the 
formless cause of form4 ,it has no      
limits whereby to be defined4 ,it shows 
itself to the soul that is hungering and
 thirsting after righteousness1 but that
 soul cannot show it to another1 save in
 the shining of its own light4 ,the     
ignorant soul understands by this life  
eternal only an endless elongation of   
consciousness2 what ,god means by it is 

a being like his own1 a being beyond the
 attack of decay or death1 a being so   
essential that it has no relation       
whatever to nothingness2 a something    
which is1 and can never go to that which
 is not1 for with that it never had to  
do1 but came out of the heart of ,life1 
the heart of ,god1 the fountain of      
being2 an existence partaking of the    
divine nature1 and having nothing in    
common1 any more than the ,eternal      
himself1 with what can pass or cease3   
,god owes his being to no one1 and his  
child has no lord but his ,father4      
,this life1 this eternal life1 consists 
for man in absolute oneness with ,god   
and all divine modes of being1 oneness  
with every phase of right and harmony4  
,it consists in a love as deep as it is 
universal1 as conscious as it is        
unspeakable2 a love that can no more be 
reasoned about than life itself--a love 
whose presence is its all-sufficing     
proof and justification1 whose absence  
is an annihilating defect3 he who has it

 not cannot believe in it3 how should   
death believe in life1 though all the   
birds of ,god are singing jubilant over 
the empty tomb6 ,the delight of such a  
being1 the splendour of a consciousness 
rushing from the wide open doors of the 
fountain of existence1 the ecstasy of   
the spiritual sense into which the surge
 of life essential1 immortal1 increate1 
flows in silent fulness from the heart  
of hearts--what may it1 what must it not
 be1 in the great day of ,god and the   
individual soul6  ,what then is our     
practical relation to the life original8
 ,what have we to do towards the        
attaining to the resurrection from the  
dead8 ,if we did not make1 could not    
have made ourselves1 how can we1 now we 
are made1 do anything at the unknown    
roots of our being8 ,what relation of   
conscious unity can be betwixt the      
self-existent ,god1 and beings who live 
at the will of another1 beings who could
 not refuse to be--cannot even cease to 
be1 but must1 at the will of that other1

 go on living1 weary of what is not     
life1 able to assert their relation to  
life only by refusing to be content with
 what is not life8  ,the self-existent  
,god is that other by whose will we     
live2 so the links of the unity must    
already exist1 and can but require to be
 brought together4 ,for the link in our 
being wherewith to close the circle of  
immortal oneness with the ,father1 we   
must of course search the deepest of    
man's nature3 there only1 in all        
assurance1 can it be found4 ,and there  
we do find it4 ,for the will is the     
deepest1 the strongest1 the divinest    
thing in man2 so1 ,i presume1 is it in  
,god1 for such we find it in ,jesus     
,christ4 ,here1 and here only1 in the   
relation of the two wills1 ,god's and   
his own1 can a man come into vital      
contact--on the eternal idea1 in no     
one-sided unity of completest           
dependence1 but in willed harmony of    
dual oneness--with the ,all-in-all4     
,when a man can and does entirely say1  

',not my will1 but thine be done'--when 
he so wills the will of ,god as to do   
it1 then is he one with ,god--one1 as a 
true son with a true father4 ,when a man
 wills that his being be conformed to   
the being of his origin1 which is the   
life in his life1 causing and bearing   
his life1 therefore absolutely and only 
of its kind1 one with it more and deeper
 than words or figures can say--to the  
life which is itself1 only more of      
itself1 and more than itself1 causing   
itself--when the man thus accepts his   
own causing life1 and sets himself to   
live the will of that causing life1     
humbly eager after the privileges of his
 origin1--thus receiving ,god1 he       
becomes1 in the act1 a partaker of the  
divine nature1 a true son of the living 
,god1 and an heir of all he possesses3  
by the obedience of a son1 he receives  
into himself the very life of the       
,father4 ,obedience is the joining of   
the links of the eternal round4         
,obedience is but the other side of the 

creative will4 ,will is ,god's will1    
obedience is man's will2 the two make   
one4 ,the root-life1 knowing well the   
thousand troubles it would bring upon   
him1 has created1 and goes on creating  
other lives1 that1 though incapable of  
self-being1 they may1 by willed         
obedience1 share in the bliss of his    
essential self-ordained being4 ,if we do
 the will of ,god1 eternal life is      
ours--no mere continuity of existence1  
for that in itself is worthless as hell1
 but a being that is one with the       
essential ,life1 and so within his reach
 to fill with the abundant and endless  
out-goings of his love4 ,our souls shall
 be vessels ever growing1 and ever as   
they grow1 filled with the more and more
 life proceeding from the ,father and   
the ,son1 from ,god the ordaining1 and  
,god the obedient4 ,what the delight of 
the being1 what the abundance of the    
life he came that we might have1 we can 
never know until we have it4 ,but even  
now to the holy fancy it may sometimes  

seem too glorious to support--as if we  
must die of very life--of more being    
than we could bear--to awake to a yet   
higher life1 and be filled with a wine  
which our souls were heretofore too weak
 to hold6 ,to be for one moment aware of
 such pure simple love towards but one  
of my fellows as ,i trust ,i shall one  
day have towards each1 must of itself   
bring a sense of life such as the utmost
 effort of my imagination can but feebly
 shadow now--a mighty glory of          
consciousness6--not to be always        
present1 indeed1 for my love1 and not my
 glory in that love1 is my life4 ,there 
would be1 even in that one love1 in the 
simple purity of a single affection such
 as we were created to generate1 and    
intended to cherish1 towards all1 an    
expansion of life inexpressible1        
unutterable4 ,for we are made for love1 
not for self4 ,our neighbour is our     
refuge2 self is our demon-foe4 ,every   
man is the image of ,god to every man1  
and in proportion as we love him1 we    

shall know the sacred fact4 ,the        
precious thing to human soul is1 and one
 day shall be known to be1 every human  
soul4 ,and if it be so between man and  
man1 how will it not be betwixt the man 
and his maker1 between the child and his
 eternal ,father1 between the created   
and the creating ,life8 ,must not the   
glory of existence be endlessly         
redoubled in the infinite love of the   
creature--for all love is infinite--to  
the infinite ,god1 the great one life1  
than whom is no other--only shadows1    
lovely shadows of him6  ,reader to whom 
my words seem those of inflation and    
foolish excitement1 it can be nothing to
 thee to be told that ,i seem to myself 
to speak only the words of truth and    
soberness2 but what if the cause why    
they seem other to thy mind be--not     
merely that thou art not whole1 but that
 thy being nowise thirsts after harmony1
 that thou art not of the truth1 that   
thou hast not yet begun to live8 ,how   
should the reveller1 issuing worn and   

wasted from the haunts where the violent
 seize joy by force to find her perish  
in their arms--how should such reveller1
 ,i say1 break forth and sing with the  
sons of the morning1 when the ocean of  
light bursts from the fountain of the   
east8 ,as little canst thou1 with thy   
mind full of petty cares1 or still more 
petty ambitions1 understand the groaning
 and travailing of the creation4 ,it may
 indeed be that thou art honestly       
desirous of saving thy own wretched     
soul1 but as yet thou canst know but    
little of thy need of him who is the    
first and the last and the living one4  
,,the ,,fear ,,of ,,god4        ',and   
when ,i saw him1 ,i fell at his feet as 
one dead4 ,and he      laid his right   
hand upon me1 saying1 ,fear not2 ,i am  
the first      and the last and the     
,living one4'--,rev4 i4 #ag1 #ah4  ,it  
is not alone the first beginnings of    
religion that are full of fear4 ,so long
 as love is imperfect1 there is room for
 torment4 ,that lore only which fills   

the heart--and nothing but love can fill
 any heart--is able to cast out fear1   
leaving no room for its presence4 ,what 
we find in the beginnings of religion1  
will hold in varying degree1 until the  
religion1 that is the love1 be          
perfected4  ,the thing that is unknown1 
yet known to be1 will always be more or 
less formidable4 ,when it is known as   
immeasurably greater than we1 and as    
having claims and making demands upon   
us1 the more vaguely these are          
apprehended1 the more room is there for 
anxiety2 and when the conscience is not 
clear1 this anxiety may well mount to   
terror4 ,according to the nature of the 
mind which occupies itself with the idea
 of the ,supreme1 whether regarded as   
maker or ruler1 will be the kind and    
degree of the terror4 ,to this terror   
need belong no exalted ideas of ,god2   
those fear him most who most imagine him
 like their own evil selves1 only beyond
 them in power1 easily able to work his 
arbitrary will with them4 ,that they    

hold him but a little higher than       
themselves1 tends nowise to unity with  
him3 who so far apart as those on the   
same level of hate and distrust8 ,power 
without love1 dependence where is no    
righteousness1 wake a worship without   
devotion1 a loathliness of servile      
flattery4 ,neither1 where the notion of 
,god is better1 but the conscience is   
troubled1 will his goodness do much to  
exclude apprehension4 ,the same         
consciousness of evil and of offence    
which gave rise to the bloody sacrifice1
 is still at work in the minds of most  
who call themselves ,christians4        
,naturally the first emotion of man     
towards the being he calls ,god1 but of 
whom he knows so little1 is fear4       
,where it is possible that fear should  
exist1 it is well it should exist1 cause
 continual uneasiness1 and be cast out  
by nothing less than love4 ,in him who  
does not know ,god1 and must be anything
 but satisfied with himself1 fear       
towards ,god is as reasonable as it is  

natural1 and serves powerfully towards  
the development of his true humanity4   
,neither the savage1 nor the            
self-sufficient sage1 is rightly human4 
,it matters nothing whether we regard   
the one or the other as degenerate or as
 undeveloped--neither ,i say is human2  
the humanity is there1 but has to be    
born in each1 and for this birth        
everything natural must do its part2    
fear is natural1 and has a part to      
perform nothing but itself could perform
 in the birth of the true humanity4     
,until love1 which is the truth towards 
,god1 is able to cast out fear1 it is   
well that fear should hold2 it is a     
bond1 however poor1 between that which  
is and that which creates--a bond that  
must be broken1 but a bond that can be  
broken only by the tightening of an     
infinitely closer bond4 ,verily1 ,god   
must be terrible to those that are far  
from him2 for they fear he will do1 yea1
 he is doing with them what they do not1
 cannot desire1 and can ill endure4     

,such as many men are1 such as all      
without ,god would become1 they must    
prefer a devil1 because of his supreme  
selfishness1 to a ,god who will die for 
his creatures1 and insists upon giving  
himself to them1 insists upon their     
being unselfish and blessed like        
himself4 ,that which is the power and   
worth of life they must be1 or die2 and 
the vague consciousness of this makes   
them afraid4 ,they love their poor      
existence as it is2 ,god loves it as it 
must be--and they fear him4  ,the false 
notions of men of low1 undeveloped      
nature both with regard to what is good 
and what the ,power requires of them1   
are such that they cannot but fear1 and 
devotion is lost in the sacrifices of   
ingratiation3 ,god takes them where they
 are1 accepts whatever they honestly    
offer1 and so helps them to outgrow     
themselves1 preparing them to offer the 
true offering1 and to know him whom they
 ignorantly worship4 ,he will not       
abolish their fear except with the truth

 of his own being4 ,till they apprehend 
that1 and in order that they may come to
 apprehend it1 he receives their        
sacrifices of blood1 the invention of   
their sore need1 only influencing for   
the time the modes of them4 ,he will    
destroy the lie that is not all a lie   
only by the truth which is all true4    
,although he loves them utterly1 he does
 not tell them there is nothing in him  
to make them afraid4 ,that would be to  
drive them from him for ever4 ,while    
they are such as they are1 there is much
 in him that cannot but affright them2  
they ought1 they do well to fear him4   
,it is1 while they remain what they are1
 the only true relation between them4   
,to remove that fear from their hearts1 
save by letting them know his love with 
its purifying fire1 a love which for    
ages1 it may be1 they cannot know1 would
 be to give them up utterly to the power
 of evil4 ,persuade men that fear is a  
vile thing1 that it is an insult to     
,god1 that he will none of it--while yet

 they are in love with their own will1  
and slaves to every movement of         
passionate impulse1 and what will the   
consequence be8 ,that they will insult  
,god as a discarded idol1 a             
superstition1 a falsehood1 as a thing   
under whose evil influence they have too
 long groaned1 a thing to be cast out   
and spit upon4 ,after that how much will
 they learn of him8 ,nor would it be    
long ere the old fear would return--with
 this difference1 perhaps1 that instead 
of trembling before a live energy1 they 
would tremble before powers which       
formerly they regarded as inanimate1 and
 have now endowed with souls after the  
imagination of their fears4 ,then would 
spiritual chaos with all its monsters be
 come again4 ,god being what he is1 a   
,god who loves righteousness2 a ,god    
who1 rather than do an unfair thing1    
would lay down his ,godhead1 and assert 
himself in ceasing to be2 a ,god who1   
that his creature might not die of      
ignorance1 died as much as a ,god could 

die1 and that is divinely more than man 
can die1 to give him himself2 such a    
,god1 ,i say1 may well look fearful from
 afar to the creature who recognizes in 
himself no imperative good2 who fears   
only suffering1 and has no              
aspiration--only wretched ambition6 ,but
 in proportion as such a creature comes 
nearer1 grows towards him in and for    
whose likeness he was begun2 in         
proportion1 that is1 as the eternal     
right begins to disclose itself to him2 
in proportion as he becomes capable of  
the idea that his kind belongs to him as
 he could never belong to himself2      
approaches the capacity of seeing and   
understanding that his individuality can
 be perfected only in the love of his   
neighbour1 and that his being can find  
its end only in oneness with the source 
from which it came2 in proportion1 ,i do
 not say as he sees these things1 but as
 he nears the possibility of seeing     
them1 will his terror at the ,god of his
 life abate2 though far indeed from     

surmising the bliss that awaits him1 he 
is drawing more nigh to the goal of his 
nature1 the central secret joy of       
sonship to a ,god who loves             
righteousness and hates iniquity1 does  
nothing he would not permit in his      
creature1 demands nothing of his        
creature he would not do himself4  ,the 
fire of ,god1 which is his essential    
being1 his love1 his creative power1 is 
a fire unlike its earthly symbol in     
this1 that it is only at a distance it  
burns--that the farther from him1 it    
burns the worse1 and that when we turn  
and begin to approach him1 the burning  
begins to change to comfort1 which      
comfort will grow to such bliss that the
 heart at length cries out with a       
gladness no other gladness can reach1   
',whom have ,i in heaven but thee8 and  
there is none upon earth that ,i desire 
besides thee6' ,the glory of being1 the 
essence of life and its joy1 shining    
upon the corrupt and deathly1 must      
needs1 like the sun1 consume the dead1  

and send corruption down to the dust2   
that which it burns in the soul is not  
of the soul1 yea1 is at utter variance  
with it2 yet so close to the soul is the
 foul fungous growth sprung from and    
subsisting upon it1 that the burning of 
it is felt through every spiritual      
nerve3 when the evil parasites are      
consumed away1 that is when the man     
yields his self and all that self's low 
world1 and returns to his lord and ,god1
 then that which1 before1 he was aware  
of only as burning1 he will feel as     
love1 comfort1 strength--an eternal1    
ever-growing life in him4 ,for now he   
lives1 and life cannot hurt life2 it can
 only hurt death1 which needs and ought 
to be destroyed4 ,god is life essential1
 eternal1 and death cannot live in his  
sight2 for death is corruption1 and has 
no existence in itself1 living only in  
the decay of the things of life4 ,if    
then any child of the father finds that 
he is afraid before him1 that the       
thought of ,god is a discomfort to him1 

or even a terror1 let him make          
haste--let him not linger to put on any 
garment1 but rush at once in his        
nakedness1 a true child1 for shelter    
from his own evil and ,god's terror1    
into the salvation of the ,father's     
arms1 the home whence he was sent that  
he might learn that it was home4 ,what  
father being evil would it not win to   
see the child with whom he was vexed    
running to his embrace8 how much more   
will not the ,father of our spirits1 who
 seeks nothing but his children         
themselves1 receive him with open arms6 
,self1 accepted as the law of self1 is  
the one demon-enemy of life2 ,god is the
 only ,saviour from it1 and from all    
that is not ,god1 for ,god is life1 and 
all that is not ,god is death4 ,life is 
the destruction of death1 of all that   
kills1 of all that is of death's kind4  
,when ,john saw the glory of the ,son of
 ,man1 he fell at his feet as one dead4 
,in what way ,john saw him1 whether in  
what we vaguely call a vision1 or in as 

human a way as when he leaned back on   
his bosom and looked up in his face1 ,i 
do not now care to ask3 it would take   
all glorious shapes of humanity to      
reveal ,jesus1 and he knew the right way
 to show himself to ,john4 ,it seems to 
me that such words as were spoken can   
have come from the mouth of no mere     
vision1 can have been allowed to enter  
no merely tranced ear1 that the mouth of
 the very ,lord himself spoke them1 and 
that none but the living present ,jesus 
could have spoken or may be supposed to 
speak them2 while plainly ,john received
 and felt them as a message he had to   
give again4 ,there are also1 strangely  
as the whole may affect us1 various     
points in his description of the ,lord's
 appearance which commend themselves    
even to our ignorance by their grandeur 
and fitness4 ,why then was ,john        
overcome with terror8 ,we recall the    
fact that something akin to terror      
overwhelmed the minds of the three      
disciples who saw his glory on the      

mount2 but since then ,john had leaned  
on the bosom of his ,lord1 had followed 
him to the judgment seat and had not    
denied his name1 had borne witness to   
his resurrection and suffered for his   
sake--and was now 'in the isle that is  
called ,patmos1 for the word of ,god and
 the testimony of ,jesus3' why1 ,i say1 
was he1 why should he be afraid8 ,no    
glory even of ,god should breed terror2 
when a child of ,god is afraid1 it is a 
sign that the word ,father is not yet   
freely fashioned by the child's         
spiritual mouth4 ,the glory can breed   
terror only in him who is capable of    
being terrified by it2 while he is such 
it is well the terror should be bred and
 maintained1 until the man seek refuge  
from it in the only place where it is   
not--in the bosom of the glory4  ,there 
is one point not distinguishable in the 
,greek3 whether is meant1 'one like unto
 the ,son of ,man1' or1 'one like unto a
 son of ,man3' the authorized version   
has the former1 the revised prefers the 

latter4 ,i incline to the former1 and   
think that ,john saw him like the man he
 had known so well1 and that it was the 
too much glory1 dimming his vision1 that
 made him unsure1 not any perceived     
unlikeness mingling with the likeness4  
,nothing blinds so much as light1 and   
their very glory might well render him  
unable to distinguish plainly the       
familiar features of ,the ,son of ,man4 
,but the appearance of ,the ,son of ,man
 was not intended to breed terror in the
 son of man to whom he came4 ,why then  
was ,john afraid8 why did the servant of
 the ,lord fall at his feet as one dead8
 ,joy to us that he did1 for the words  
that follow--surely no phantasmic       
outcome of uncertain vision or blinding 
terror6 ,they bear best sign of their   
source3 however given to his ears1 they 
must be from the heart of our great     
,brother1 the one ,man1 ,christ ,jesus1 
divinely human6  ,it was still and only 
the imperfection of the disciple1       
unfinished in faith1 so unfinished in   

everything a man needs1 that was the    
cause of his terror4 ,this is surely    
implied in the words the ,lord said to  
him when he fell6 ,the thing that made  
,john afraid1 he speaks of as the thing 
that ought to have taken from him all   
fear4 ,for the glory that he saw1 the   
head and hair pouring from it such a    
radiance of light that they were white  
as white wool--snow-white1 as his       
garments on mount ,hermon2 in the midst 
of the radiance his eyes like a flame of
 fire1 and his countenance as the sun   
shineth in his strength2 the darker glow
 of the feet1 yet as of fine brass      
burning in a furnace--as if they1 in    
memory of the twilight of his           
humiliation1 touching the earth took a  
humbler glory than his head high in the 
empyrean of undisturbed perfection2 the 
girdle under his breast1 golden between 
the snow and the brass2--what were they 
all but the effulgence of his glory who 
was himself the effulgence of the       
,father's1 the poor expression of the   

unutterable verity which was itself the 
reason why ,john ought not to be        
afraid8--',he laid his right hand upon  
me1 saying unto me1 ,fear not2 ,i am the
 first and the last1 and the living     
one4'  ,endless must be our terror1     
until we come heart to heart with the   
fire-core of the universe1 the first and
 the last and the living one6  ,but oh1 
the joy to be told1 by ,power himself1  
the first and the last1 the living      
one--told what we can indeed then see   
must be true1 but which we are so slow  
to believe--that the cure for trembling 
is the presence of ,power2 that fear    
cannot stand before ,strength2 that the 
visible ,god is the destruction of      
death2 that the one and only safety in  
the universe1 is the perfect nearness of
 the ,living ,one6 ,god is being2 death 
is nowhere6 ,what a thing to be taught  
by the very mouth of him who knows6 ,he 
told his servant ,paul that strength is 
made perfect in weakness2 here he       
instructs his servant ,john that the    

thing to be afraid of is weakness1 not  
strength4 ,all appearances of strength1 
such as might rightly move terror1 are  
but false appearances2 the true ,strong 
is the ,one1 even as the true ,good is  
the ,one4 ,the ,living ,one has the     
power of life2 the ,evil ,one but the   
power of death--whose very nature is a  
self-necessity for being destroyed4     
,but the glory of the mildest show of   
the ,living ,one is such1 that even the 
dearest of his apostles1 the best of the
 children of men1 is cowed at the sight4
 ,he has not yet learned that glory     
itself is a part of his inheritance1 yea
 is of the natural condition of his     
being2 that there is nothing in the man 
made in the image of ,god alien from the
 most glorious of heavenly shows3 he has
 not learned this yet1 and falls as dead
 before it--when lo1 the voice of him   
that was and is and is for evermore1    
telling him not to be afraid--for the   
very reason1 the one only reason1 that  
he is the first and the last1 the living

 one6 ,for what shall be the joy1 the   
peace1 the completion of him that lives1
 but closest contact with his ,life8--a 
contact close as ere he issued from that
 ,life1 only in infinitely higher kind1 
inasmuch as it is now willed on both    
sides4 ,he who has had a beginning1     
needs the indwelling power of that      
beginning to make his being             
complete--not merely complete to his    
consciousness1 but complete in          
itself--justified1 rounded1 ended where 
it began--with an 'endless ending4'     
,then is it complete even as ,god's is  
complete1 for it is one with the        
self-existent1 blossoming in the air of 
that world wherein it is rooted1 wherein
 it lives and grows4 ,far indeed from   
trembling because he on whose bosom he  
had leaned when the light of his love   
was all but shut in now stands with the 
glory of that love streaming forth1     
,john ,boanerges ought to have felt the 
more joyful and safe as the strength of 
the living one was more manifested4 ,it 

was never because ,jesus was clothed in 
the weakness of the flesh that he was   
fit to be trusted1 but because he was   
strong with a strength able to take the 
weakness of the flesh for the garment   
wherein it could best work its work3    
that strength was now shining out with  
its own light1 so lately pent within the
 revealing veil4 ,had ,john been as     
close in spirit to the ,son of ,man as  
he had been in bodily presence1 he would
 have indeed fallen at his feet1 but not
 as one dead--as one too full of joy to 
stand before the life that was feeding  
his2 he would have fallen1 but not to   
lie there senseless with awe the most   
holy2 he would have fallen to embrace   
and kiss the feet of him who had now a  
second time1 as with a resurrection from
 above1 arisen before him1 in yet       
heavenlier plenitude of glory4  ,it is  
the man of evil1 the man of self-seeking
 design1 not he who would fain do right1
 not he who1 even in his worst time1    
would at once submit to the word of the 

,master1 who is reasonably afraid of    
power4 ,when ,god is no longer the ruler
 of the world1 and there is a stronger  
than he2 when there is might inherent in
 evil1 and making-energy in that whose  
nature is destruction2 then will be the 
time to stand in dread of power4 ,but   
even then the bad man would have no     
security against the chance of crossing 
some scheme of the lawless moment1 where
 disintegration is the sole unity of    
plan1 and being ground up and destroyed 
for some no-idea of the ,power of       
darkness4 ,and then would be the time   
for the good--no1 not to tremble1 but to
 resolve with the ,lord of light to     
endure all1 to let every billow of evil 
dash and break upon him1 nor do the     
smallest ill1 tell the whitest lie for  
,god--knowing that any territory so     
gained could belong to no kingdom of    
heaven1 could be but a province of the  
kingdom of darkness4 ,if there were two 
powers1 the one of evil1 the other of   
good1 as men have not unnaturally in    

ignorance imagined1 his sense of duty   
would reveal the being born of the good 
power1 while he born of the evil could  
have no choice but be evil4 ,but ,good  
only can create2 and if ,evil were ever 
so much the stronger1 the duty of men   
would remain the same--to hold by the   
,living ,one1 and defy ,power to its    
worst--like ,prometheus on his rock1    
defying ,jove1 and for ever dying--thus 
for ever foiling the ,evil4 ,for ,evil  
can destroy only itself and its own2 it 
could destroy no enemy--could at worst  
but cause a succession of deaths1 from  
each of which the defiant soul would    
rise to loftier defiance1 to more       
victorious endurance-- until at length  
it laughed ,evil in the face1 and the   
demon-god shrunk withered before it4 ,in
 those then who believe that good is the
 one power1 and that evil exists only   
because for a time it subserves1 cannot 
help subserving the good1 what place can
 there be for fear8 ,the strong and the 
good are one2 and if our hope coincides 

with that of ,god1 if it is rooted in   
his will1 what should we do but rejoice 
in the effulgent glory of the ,first and
 the ,last8  ,the ,first and the ,last  
is the inclosing defence of the castle  
of our being2 the ,master is before and 
behind2 he began1 he will see that it be
 endless4 ,he garrisons the place2 he is
 the living1 the live-making one4  ,the 
reason then for not fearing before ,god 
is1 that he is all-glorious1            
all-perfect4 ,our being needs the       
all-glorious1 all-perfect ,god4 ,the    
children can do with nothing less than  
the ,father2 they need the infinite one4
 ,beyond all wherein the poor intellect 
can descry order2 beyond all that the   
rich imagination can devise2 beyond all 
that hungriest heart could long1 fullest
 heart thank for--beyond all these1 as  
the heavens are higher than the earth1  
rise the thought1 the creation1 the love
 of the ,god who is in ,christ1 his ,god
 and our ,god1 his ,father and our      
,father4  ,ages before the birth of     

,jesus1 while1 or at least where yet    
even ,moses and his law were unknown1   
the suffering heart of humanity saw and 
was persuaded that nowhere else lay its 
peace than with the first1 the last1 the
 living one3--   ,o that thou woudest   
hide me in the grave1444 and remember   
me6444  ,thou shalt call1 and ,i will   
answer thee3 thou wilt have a desire to 
the work of thine hands4                
,,the ,,voice ,,of ,,job4    ',o that   
thou wouldest hide me in the grave1 that
 thou wouldest keep me secret1 until thy
 wrath be past1 that thou wouldest      
appoint me a set time1 and remember me6 
,if a man die1 shall he live again8 all 
the days of my appointed time will ,i   
wait1 till my change come4 ,thou shalt  
call1 and ,i will answer thee3 thou wilt
 have a desire to the work of thine     
hands4'--,job xiv4 #ac-ae4  ,the book of
 ,job seems to me the most daring of    
poems3 from a position of the most      
vantageless realism1 it assaults the    
very citadel of the ideal6 ,its hero is 

a man seated among the ashes1 covered   
with loathsome boils from head to foot1 
scraping himself with a potsherd4 ,sore 
in body1 sore in mind1 sore in heart1   
sore in spirit1 he is the instance-type 
of humanity in the depths of its        
misery--all the waves and billows of a  
world of adverse circumstance rolling   
free over its head4 ,i would not be     
supposed to use the word humanity either
 in the abstract1 or of the mass        
concrete2 ,i mean the humanity of the   
individual endlessly repeated3 ,job1 ,i 
say1 is the human being--a centre to the
 sickening assaults of pain1 the ghastly
 invasions of fear3 these1 one time or  
another1 ,i presume1 threaten to        
overwhelm every man1 reveal him to      
himself as enslaved to the external1 and
 stir him up to find some way out into  
the infinite1 where alone he can rejoice
 in the liberty that belongs to his     
nature4 ,seated in the heart of a leaden
 despair1 ,job cries aloud to the ,might
 unseen1 scarce known1 which yet he     

regards as the ,god of his life4 ,but no
 more that of a slave is his cry1 than  
the defiance of ,prometheus hurled at   
,jupiter from his rock4 ,he is more     
overwhelmed than the ,titan1 for he is  
in infinite perplexity as well as pain2 
but no more than in that of ,prometheus 
is there a trace of the cowardly in his 
cry4 ,before the ,judge he asserts his  
innocence1 and will not grovel--knowing 
indeed that to bear himself so would be 
to insult the holy4 ,he feels he has not
 deserved such suffering1 and will      
neither tell nor listen to lies for     
,god4  ,prometheus is more stonily      
patient than ,job4 ,job is nothing of a 
,stoic1 but bemoans himself like a      
child--a brave child who seems to       
himself to suffer wrong1 and recoils    
with horror-struck bewilderment from the
 unreason of the thing4 ,prometheus has 
to do with a tyrant whom he despises1   
before whom therefore he endures with   
unbewailing unsubmission1 upheld by the 
consciousness that he is fighting the   

battle of humanity against an all but   
all-powerful ,selfishness3 endurance is 
the only availing weapon against him1   
and he will endure to the ever-delayed  
end6 ,job1 on the other hand1 is the    
more troubled because it is ,he who is  
at the head and the heart1 who is the   
beginning and the end of things1 that   
has laid his hand upon him with such a  
heavy torture that he takes his flesh in
 his teeth for pain4 ,he cannot1 will   
not believe him a tyrant2 but1 while he 
pleads against his dealing with himself1
 loves him1 and looks to him as the     
source of life1 the power and gladness  
of being4 ,he dares not think ,god      
unjust1 but not therefore can he allow  
that he has done anything to merit the  
treatment he is receiving at his hands4 
,hence is he of necessity in profoundest
 perplexity1 for how can the two things 
be reconciled8 ,the thought has not yet 
come to him that that which it would be 
unfair to lay upon him as punishment1   
may yet be laid upon him as favour--by a

 love supreme which would give him      
blessing beyond all possible prayer--   
blessing he would not dare to ask if he 
saw the means necessary to its giving1  
but blessing for which1 once known and  
understood1 he would be willing to      
endure yet again all that he had        
undergone4 ,therefore is he so sorely   
divided in himself4 ,while he must not  
think of ,god as having mistaken him1   
the discrepancy that looks like mistake 
forces itself upon him through every    
channel of thought and feeling4 ,he had 
nowise relaxed his endeavour after a    
godly life1 yet is the hand of the ,god 
he had acknowledged in all his ways     
uplifted against him1 as rarely against 
any transgressor6--nor against him      
alone1 for his sons and daughters have  
been swept away like a generation of    
vipers6 ,the possessions1 which made him
 the greatest of all the men of the     
east1 have been taken from him by fire  
and wind and the hand of the enemy6 ,he 
is poor as the poorest1 diseased as the 

vilest1 bereft of the children which    
were his pride and his strength6 ,the   
worst of all with which fear could have 
dismayed him is come upon him2 and worse
 now than all1 death is denied him6 ,his
 prayer that1 as he came naked from the 
womb1 so he may return naked and sore to
 the bosom of the earth1 is not heard2  
he is left to linger in self-loathing1  
to encounter at every turn of agonized  
thought the awful suggestion that ,god  
has cast him off6 ,he does not deny that
 there is evil in him2 for--',dost thou 
open thine eyes upon such an one1' he   
pleads1 'and bringest me into judgment  
with thee8' but he does deny that he has
 been a wicked man1 a doer of the thing 
he knew to be evil3 he does deny that   
there is any guile in him4 ,and who1    
because he knows and laments the guile  
in himself1 will dare deny that there   
was once a ,nathanael in the world8 ,had
 ,job been ,calvinist or ,lutheran1 the 
book of ,job would have been very       
different4 ,his perplexity would then   

have been--how ,god being just1 could   
require of a man more than he could do1 
and punish him as if his sin were that  
of a perfect being who chose to do the  
evil of which he knew all the enormity4 
,for me1 ,i will call no one ,master but
 ,christ--and from him ,i learn that his
 quarrel with us is that we will not do 
what we know1 will not come to him that 
we may have life4 ,how endlessly more   
powerful with men would be expostulation
 grounded1 not on what they have done1  
but on what they will not do6  ,job's   
child-like judgment of ,god had never   
been vitiated and perverted1 to the     
dishonouring of the great ,father1 by   
any taint of such low theories as1 alas6
 we must call the popular3 explanations 
of ,god's ways by such as did not       
understand ,him1 they are acceptable to 
such as do not care to know him1 such as
 are content to stand afar off and stare
 at the cloud whence issue the thunders 
and the voices2 but a burden threatening
 to sink them to ,tophet1 a burden      

grievous to be borne1 to such as would  
arise and go to the ,father4 ,the       
contradiction between ,job's idea of the
 justice of ,god and the things which   
had befallen him1 is constantly haunting
 him2 it has a sting in it far worse    
than all the other misery with which he 
is tormented2 but it is not fixed in the
 hopelessness of hell by an accepted    
explanation more frightful than itself4 
,let the world-sphinx put as many       
riddles as she will1 she can devour no  
man while he waits an answer from the   
world-redeemer4 ,job refused the        
explanation of his friends because he   
knew it false2 to have accepted such as 
would by many in the present day be     
given him1 would have been to be        
devoured at once of the monster4 ,he    
simply holds on to the skirt of ,god's  
garment--besieges his door--keeps       
putting his question again and again1   
ever haunting the one source of true    
answer and reconciliation4 ,no answer   
will do for him but the answer that ,god

 only can give2 for who but ,god can    
justify ,god's ways to his creature8    
,from a soul whose very consciousness is
 contradiction1 we must not look for    
logic2 misery is rarely logical2 it is  
itself a discord2 yet is it nothing less
 than natural that1 feeling as if ,god  
wronged him1 ,job should yet be ever    
yearning after a sight of ,god1         
straining into his presence1 longing to 
stand face to face with him4 ,he would  
confront the ,one4 ,he is convinced1 or 
at least cherishes as his one hope the  
idea1 that1 if he could but get ,god to 
listen to him1 if he might but lay his  
case clear before him1 ,god would not   
fail to see how the thing was1 and would
 explain the matter to him--would       
certainly give him peace2 the man in the
 ashes would know that the foundations  
of the world yet stand sure2 that ,god  
has not closed his eyes1 or--horror of  
all horrors-- ceased to be just6        
,therefore would he order his words     
before him1 and hear what ,god had to   

say2 surely the ,just would set the mind
 of his justice-loving creature at rest6
  ,his friends1 good men1 religious men1
 but of the pharisaic type--that is1 men
 who would pay their court to ,god1     
instead of coming into his presence as  
children2 men with traditional theories 
which have served their poor turn1      
satisfied their feeble intellectual     
demands1 they think others therefore    
must accept or perish2 men anxious to   
appease ,god rather than trust in him2  
men who would rather receive salvation  
from ,god1 than ,god their              
salvation--these his friends would      
persuade ,job to the confession that he 
was a hypocrite1 insisting that such    
things could not have come upon him but 
because of wickedness1 and as they knew 
of none open1 it must be for some secret
 vileness4 ,they grow angry with him    
when he refuses to be persuaded against 
his knowledge of himself4 ,they insist  
on his hypocrisy1 he on his             
righteousness4 ,nor may we forget that  

herein lies not any overweening on the  
part of ,job1 for the poem prepares us  
for the right understanding of the man  
by telling us in the prologue1 that ,god
 said thus to the accuser of men3 ',hast
 thou considered my servant ,job1 that  
there is none like him in the earth1 a  
perfect and an upright man1 one that    
feareth ,god1 and escheweth evil8' ,god 
gives ,job into ,satan's hand with      
confidence in the result2 and at the end
 of the trial approves of what ,job has 
said concerning himself4 ,but the very  
appearance of ,god is enough to make    
,job turn against himself3 his part was 
to have trusted ,god altogether1 in     
spite of every appearance1 in spite of  
every reality6 ,he will justify himself 
no more4 ,he sees that though ,god has  
not been punishing him for his sins1 yet
 is he far from what he ought to be1 and
 must become3 ',behold1' he says1 ',i am
 vile2 what shall ,i answer thee8 ,i    
will lay mine hand upon my mouth4'  ,but
 let us look a little closer at ,job's  

way of thinking and speaking about ,god1
 and his manner of addressing him--so   
different from the pharisaic in all     
ages1 in none more than in our own4     
,waxing indignant at the idea that his  
nature required such treatment-- ',am ,i
 a sea or a whale1' he cries out1 'that 
thou settest a watch over me8' ,thou    
knowest that ,i am not wicked4 ',thou   
settest a print upon the heels of my    
feet6'--that the way ,i have gone may be
 known by my footprints6 ,to his friends
 he cries3 ',will ye speak wickedly for 
,god8 and talk deceitfully for him8' ,do
 you not know that ,i am the man ,i say8
 ',will ye accept ,his person8'--siding 
with ,him against me8 ',will ye contend 
for ,god8'--be special pleaders for him1
 his partisains8 ',is it good that ,he  
should search you out8 or as one man    
mocketh another1 do ye so mock          
,him8'--saying what you do not think8   
',he will surely reprove you1 if ye do  
secretly accept persons6'--even the     
person of ,god himself6  ,such words are

 pleasing in the ear of the father of   
spirits4 ,he is not a ,god to accept the
 flattery which declares him above      
obligation to his creatures2 a ,god to  
demand of them a righteousness different
 from his own2 a ,god to deal           
ungenerously with his poverty-stricken  
children2 a ,god to make severest       
demands upon his little ones6 ,job is   
confident of receiving justice4 ,there  
is a strange but most natural conflict  
of feeling in him4 ,his faith is in     
truth profound1 yet is he always        
complaining4 ,it is but the form his    
faith takes in his trouble4 ,even while 
he declares the hardness and unfitness  
of the usage he is receiving1 he yet    
seems assured that1 to get things set   
right1 all he needs is admission to the 
presence of ,god--an interview with the 
,most ,high4 ,to be heard must be to    
have justice4 ,he uses language which1  
used by any living man1 would horrify   
the religious of the present day1 in    
proportion to the lack of truth in them1

 just as it horrified his three friends1
 the honest pharisees of the time1 whose
 religion was 'doctrine' and rebuke4    
,god speaks not a word of rebuke to ,job
 for the freedom of his speech3--he has 
always been seeking such as ,job to     
worship him4 ,it is those who know only 
and respect the outsides of religion1   
such as never speak or think of ,god but
 as the ,almighty or ,providence1 who   
will say of the man who would go close  
up to ,god1 and speak to him out of the 
deepest in the nature he has made1 'he  
is irreverent4' ,to utter the name of   
,god in the drama--highest of human     
arts1 is with such men blasphemy4 ,they 
pay court to ,god1 not love him2 they   
treat him as one far away1 not as the   
one whose bosom is the only home4 ,they 
accept ,god's person4 ',shall not his   
excellency'--another thing quite than   
that you admire--'make you afraid8      
,shall not his dread'--another thing    
quite than that to which you show your  
pagan respect--'fall upon you8'  ,in the

 desolation of this man1 the truth of   
,god seems to him1 yet more plainly than
 hitherto1 the one thing that holds     
together the world which by the word of 
his mouth came first into being4 ,if    
,god be not accessible1 nothing but     
despair and hell are left the man so    
lately the greatest in the east4 ,like a
 child escaping from the dogs of the    
street1 he flings the door to the wall1 
and rushes1 nor looks behind him1 to    
seek the presence of the living one4    
,bearing with him the burden of his     
death1 he cries1 ',look what thou hast  
laid upon me6 ,shall mortal man1 the    
helpless creature thou hast made1 bear  
cross like this8' ,he would cast his    
load at the feet of his maker6--,god is 
the ,god of comfort1 known of man as the
 refuge1 the life-giver1 or not known at
 all4 ,but alas6 he cannot come to him6 
,nowhere can he see his face6 ,he has   
hid himself from him6 ',oh that ,i knew 
where ,i might find him6 that ,i might  
come even to his seat6 ,i would order my

 cause before him1 and fill my mouth    
with arguments4 ,i would know the words 
which he would answer me1 and understand
 what he would say unto me4 ,will he    
plead against me with his great power8  
,no6 but he would put strength in me4   
,there the righteous might dispute with 
him2 so should ,i be delivered for ever 
from my judge4 ,behold1 ,i go forward1  
but he is not there2 and backward1 but  
,i cannot perceive him3 on the left     
hand1 where he doth work1 but ,i cannot 
behold him3 he hideth himself on the    
right hand1 that ,i cannot see him3 but 
he knoweth the way that ,i take3 when he
 hath tried me1 ,i shall come forth as  
gold4'  ,he cannot find him6 ,yet is he 
in his presence all the time1 and his   
words enter into the ear of ,god his    
,saviour4  ,the grandeur of the poem is 
that ,job pleads his cause with ,god    
against all the remonstrance of         
religious authority1 recognizing no one 
but ,god1 and justified therein4 ,and   
the grandest of all is this1 that he    

implies1 if he does not actually say1   
that ,god owes something to his         
creature4 ,this is the beginning of the 
greatest discovery of all--that ,god    
owes himself to the creature he has made
 in his image1 for so he has made him   
incapable of living without him4 ,this1 
his creatures' highest claim upon him1  
is his divinest gift to them4 ,for the  
fulfilling of this their claim he has   
sent his son1 that he may himself1 the  
father of him and of us1 follow into our
 hearts4 ,perhaps the worst thing in a  
theology constructed out of man's dull  
possible1 and not out of the being and  
deeds and words of ,jesus ,christ1 is   
the impression it conveys throughout    
that ,god acknowledges no such          
obligation4 ,are not we the clay1 and he
 the potter8 how can the clay claim from
 the potter8 ,we are the clay1 it is    
true1 but his clay1 but spiritual clay1 
live clay1 with needs and desires--and  
rights2 we are clay1 but clay worth the 
,son of ,god's dying for1 that it might 

learn to consent to be shaped unto      
honour4 ,we can have no merits--a merit 
is a thing impossible2 but ,god has     
given us rights4 ,out of him we have    
nothing2 but1 created by him1 come forth
 from him1 we have even rights towards  
him--ah1 never1 never against him6 his  
whole desire and labour is to make us   
capable of claiming1 and induce us to   
claim of him the things whose rights he 
bestowed in creating us4 ,no claim had  
we to be created3 that involves an      
absurdity2 but1 being made1 we have     
claims on him who made us3 our needs are
 our claims4 ,a man who will not provide
 for the hunger of his child1 is        
condemned by the whole world4  ',ah1    
but1' says the partisan of ,god1 'the   
,almighty stands in a relation very     
different from that of an earthly       
father3 there is no parallel4' ,i grant 
it3 there is no parallel4 ,the man did  
not create the child1 he only yielded to
 an impulse created in himself3 ,god is 
infinitely more bound to provide for his

 child than any man is to provide for   
his4 ,the relation is infinitely1       
divinely closer4 ,it is ,god to whom    
every hunger1 every aspiration1 every   
desire1 every longing of our nature is  
to be referred2 he made all our         
needs--made us the creatures of a       
thousand necessities--and have we no    
claim on him8 ,nay1 we have claims      
innumerable1 infinite2 and his one great
 claim on us is that we should claim our
 claims of him4  ,it is terrible to     
represent ,god as unrelated to us in the
 way of appeal to his righteousness4    
,how should he be righteous without     
owing us anything8 ,how would there be  
any right for the judge of all the earth
 to do if he owed nothing8 ,verily he   
owes us nothing that he does not pay    
like a ,god2 but it is of the devil to  
imagine imperfection and disgrace in    
obligation4 ,so far is ,god from        
thinking so that in every act of his    
being he lays himself under obligation  
to his creatures4 ,oh1 the grandeur of  

his goodness1 and righteousness1 and    
fearless unselfishness6 ,when doubt and 
dread invade1 and the voice of love in  
the soul is dumb1 what can please the   
father of men better than to hear his   
child cry to him from whom he came1     
',here ,i am1 ,o ,god6 ,thou hast made  
me3 give me that which thou hast made me
 needing4' ,the child's necessity1 his  
weakness1 his helplessness1 are the     
strongest of all his claims4 ,if ,i am a
 whale1 ,i can claim a sea2 if ,i am a  
sea1 ,i claim room to roll1 and break in
 waves after my kind2 if ,i am a lion1  
,i seek my meat from ,god2 am ,i a      
child1 this1 beyond all other claims1 ,i
 claim-- that1 if any of my needs are   
denied me1 it shall be by the love of a 
father1 who will let me see his face1   
and allow me to plead my cause before   
him4 ,and this must be just what ,god   
desires6 ,what would he have1 but that  
his children should claim their father8 
,to what end are all his dealings with  
them1 all his sufferings with and for   

and in them1 but that they should claim 
their birthright8 ,is not their         
birthright what he made them for1 made  
in them when he made them8 ,is it not   
what he has been putting forth his      
energy to give them ever since first he 
began them to be--the divine nature1    
,god himself8 ,the child has1 and must  
have1 a claim on the father1 a claim    
which it is the joy of the father's     
heart to acknowledge4 ,a created need is
 a created claim4 ,god is the origin of 
both need and supply1 the father of our 
necessities1 the abundant giver of the  
good things4 ,right gloriously he meets 
the claims of his child6 ,the story of  
,jesus is the heart of his answer1 not  
primarily to the prayers1 but to the    
divine necessities of the children he   
has sent out into his universe4  ,away  
with the thought that ,god could have   
been a perfect1 an adorable creator1    
doing anything less than he has done for
 his children6 that any other kind of   
being than ,jesus ,christ could have    

been worthy of all-glorifying worship6  
that his nature demanded less of him    
than he has done6 that his nature is not
 absolute love1 absolute                
self-devotion--could have been without  
these highest splendours6  ,in the light
 of this truth1 let us then look at the 
words at the head of this sermon3 ',oh  
that thou wouldest hide me in the       
grave6' ,job appeals to his creator1    
whom his sufferings compel him to regard
 as displeased with him1 though he knows
 not why4 ,we know he was not displeased
 but ,job had not read the preface to   
his own story4 ,he prays him to hide    
him1 and forget him for a time1 that the
 desire of the maker to look again upon 
the creature he had made1 to see once   
more the work of his hands1 may awake   
within him2 that silence and absence and
 loss may speak for the buried one1 and 
make the heart of the parent remember   
and long after the face of the child2   
then 'thou shalt call and ,i will answer
 thee3 thou wilt have a desire to the   

work of thine hands2' then will he rise 
in joy1 to plead with confidence the    
cause of his righteousness4 ,for ,god is
 nigher to the man than is anything ,god
 has made3 what can be closer than the  
making and the made8 that which is1 and 
that which is because the other is8 that
 which wills1 and that which answers1   
owing to the will1 the heart1 the desire
 of the other1 its power to answer8     
,what other relation imaginable could   
give claims to compare with those       
arising from such a relation8 ,god must 
love his creature that looks up to him  
with hungry eyes--hungry for life1 for  
acknowledgment1 for justice1 for the    
possibilities of living that life which 
the making life has made him alive for  
the sake of living4 ,the whole existence
 of a creature is a unit1 an entirety of
 claim upon his creator3--just          
therefore1 let him do with me as he     
will--even to seating me in the ashes1  
and seeing me scrape myself with a      
potsherd6-- not the less but ever the   

more will ,i bring forward my claim6    
assert it--insist on it--assail with it 
the ear and the heart of the father4 ,is
 it not the sweetest music ear of maker 
can hear8--except the word of perfect   
son1 ',lo1 ,i come to do thy will1 ,o   
,god6' ,we1 imperfect sons1 shall learn 
to say the same words too3 that we may  
grow capable and say them1 and so enter 
into our birthright1 yea1 become        
partakers of the divine nature in its   
divinest element1 that ,son came to     
us--died for the slaying of our         
selfishness1 the destruction of our mean
 hollow pride1 the waking of our        
childhood4 ,we are his father's debtors 
for our needs1 our rights1 our claims1  
and he will have us pay the uttermost   
farthing4 ,yes1 so true is the ,father1 
he will even compel us1 through misery  
if needful1 to put in our claims1 for he
 knows we have eternal need of these    
things3 without the essential rights of 
his being1 who can live8  ,i protest1   
therefore1 against all such teaching as1

 originating in and fostered by the     
faithlessness of the human heart1 gives 
the impression that the exceeding       
goodness of ,god towards man is not the 
natural and necessary outcome of his    
being4 ,the root of every heresy popular
 in the church draws its nourishment    
merely and only from the soil of        
unbelief4 ,the idea that ,god would be  
,god all the same1 as glorious as he    
needed to be1 had he not taken upon     
himself the divine toil of bringing home
 his wandered children1 had he done     
nothing to seek and save the lost1 is   
false as hell4 ,lying for ,god could go 
no farther4 ,as if the idea of ,god     
admitted of his being less than he is1  
less than perfect1 less than all-in-all1
 less than ,jesus ,christ6 less than    
,love absolute1 less than entire        
unselfishness6 ,as if the ,god revealed 
to us in the ,new ,testament were not   
his own perfect necessity of            
loving-kindness1 but one who has made   
himself better than1 by his own nature1 

by his own love1 by the laws which he   
willed the laws of his existence1 he    
needed to be6 ,they would have it that1 
being unbound1 he deserves the greater  
homage6 ,so it might be1 if he were not 
our father4 ,but to think of the living 
,god not as our father1 but as one who  
has condescended greatly1 being nowise1 
in his own willed grandeur of righteous 
nature1 bound to do as he has done1 is  
killing to all but a slavish devotion4  
,it is to think of him as nothing like  
the ,god we see in ,jesus ,christ4  ,it 
will be answered that we have fallen1   
and ,god is thereby freed from any      
obligation1 if any ever were4 ,it is but
 another lie4 ,no amount of wrong-doing 
in a child can ever free a parent from  
the divine necessity of doing all he can
 to deliver his child2 the bond between 
them cannot be broken4 ,it is the       
vulgar1 slavish1 worldly idea of        
freedom1 that it consists in being bound
 to nothing4 ,not such is ,god's idea of
 liberty6 ,to speak as a man--the more  

of vital obligation he lays on himself1 
the more children he creates1 with the  
more claims upon him1 the freer is he as
 creator and giver of life1 which is the
 essence of his ,godhead3 to make scope 
for his essence is to be free4 ,our     
,lord teaches us that the truth1 known  
by obedience to him1 will make us free3 
our freedom lies in living the truth of 
our relations to ,god and man4 ,for a   
man to be alone in the universe would be
 to be a slave to unspeakable longings  
and lonelinesses4 ,and again to speak   
after the manner of men3 ,god could not 
be satisfied with himself without doing 
all that a ,god and ,father could do for
 the creatures he had made--that is1    
without doing just what he has done1    
what he is doing1 what he will do1 to   
deliver his sons and daughters1 and     
bring them home with rejoicing4 ,to     
answer the cry of the human heart1      
',would that ,i could see him6 would    
that ,i might come before him1 and look 
upon him face to face6' he sent his son1

 the express image of his person4 ,and  
again1 that we might not be limited in  
our understanding of ,god by the        
constant presence to our weak and       
dullable spiritual sense of any         
embodiment whatever1 he took him away4  
,having seen him1 in his absence we     
understand him better4 ,that we might   
know him he came2 that we might go to   
him he went4 ,if we dare1 like ,job1 to 
plead with him in any of the            
heart-eating troubles that arise from   
the impossibility of loving such        
misrepresentation of him as is held out 
to us to love by our would-be teachers2 
if we think and speak out before him    
that which seems to us to be right1 will
 he not be heartily pleased with his    
children's love of righteousness--with  
the truth that will not part him and his
 righteousness8 ,verily he will not     
plead against us with his great power1  
but will put strength in us1 and where  
we are wrong will instruct us4 ,for the 
heart that wants to do and think aright1

 the heart that seeks to worship him as 
no tyrant1 but as the perfectly1        
absolutely righteous ,god1 is the       
delight of the ,father4 ,to the heart   
that will not call that righteousness   
which it feels to be unjust1 but clings 
to the skirt of his garment1 and lifts  
pleading eyes to his countenance--to    
that heart he will lay open the riches  
of his being--riches which it has not   
entered that heart to conceive4 ',o     
,lord1 they tell me ,i have so offended 
against thy law that1 as ,i am1 thou    
canst not look upon me1 but threatenest 
me with eternal banishment from thy     
presence4 ,but if thou look not upon me1
 how can ,i ever be other than ,i am8   
,lord1 remember ,i was born in sin3 how 
then can ,i see sin as thou seest it8   
,remember1 ,lord1 that ,i have never    
known myself clean3 how can ,i cleanse  
myself8 ,thou must needs take me as ,i  
am and cleanse me4 ,is it not impossible
 that ,i should behold the final        
goodness of good1 the final evilness of 

evil8 how then can ,i deserve eternal   
torment8 ,had ,i known good and evil1   
seeing them as thou seest them1 then    
chosen the evil1 and turned away from   
the good1 ,i know not what ,i should not
 deserve2 but thou knowest it has ever  
been something good in the evil that has
 enticed my selfish heart--nor mine     
only1 but that of all my kind4 ,thou    
requirest of us to forgive3 surely thou 
forgivest freely6 ,bound thou mayest be 
to destroy evil1 but art thou bound to  
keep the sinner alive that thou mayest  
punish him1 even if it make him no      
better8 ,sin cannot be deep as life1 for
 thou art the life2 and sorrow and pain 
go deeper than sin1 for they reach to   
the divine in us3 thou canst suffer1    
though thou wilt not sin4 ,to see men   
suffer might make us shun evil1 but it  
never could make us hate it4 ,we might  
see thereby that thou hatest sin1 but we
 never could see that thou lovest the   
sinner4 ,chastise us1 we pray thee1 in  
loving kindness1 and we shall not faint4

 ,we have done much that is evil1 yea1  
evil is very deep in us1 but we are not 
all evil1 for we love righteousness2 and
 art not thou thyself1 in thy ,son1 the 
sacrifice for our sins1 the atonement of
 out breach8 ,thou hast made us subject 
to vanity1 but hast thyself taken thy   
godlike share of the consequences4      
,could we ever have come to know good as
 thou knowest it1 save by passing       
through the sea of sin and the fire of  
cleansing8 ,they tell me ,i must say for
 ,christ's sake1 or thou wilt not       
pardon3 it takes the very heart out of  
my poor love to hear that thou wilt not 
pardon me except because ,christ has    
loved me2 but ,i give thee thanks that  
nowhere in the record of thy gospel1    
does one of thy servants say any such   
word4 ,in spite of all our fears and    
grovelling1 our weakness1 and our       
wrongs1 thou wilt be to us what thou    
art--such a perfect ,father as no most  
loving child-heart on earth could invent
 the thought of6 ,thou wilt take our    

sins on thyself1 giving us thy life to  
live withal4 ,thou bearest our griefs   
and carriest our sorrows2 and surely    
thou wilt one day enable us to pay every
 debt we owe to each other6 ,thou wilt  
be to us a right generous1 abundant     
father6 ,then truly our hearts shall be 
jubilant1 because thou art what thou    
art--infinitely beyond all we could     
imagine4 ,thou wilt humble and raise us 
up4 ,thou hast given thyself to us that1
 having thee1 we may be eternally alive 
with thy life4 ,we run within the circle
 of what men call thy wrath1 and find   
ourselves clasped in the zone of thy    
love6'  ,but be it well understood that 
when ,i say rights1 ,i do not mean      
merits--of any sort4 ,we can deserve    
from him nothing at all1 in the sense of
 any right proceeding from ourselves4   
,all our rights are such as the bounty  
of love inconceivable has glorified our 
being with-- bestowed for the one only  
purpose of giving the satisfaction1 the 
fulfilment of the same--rights so deep1 

so high1 so delicate1 that their        
satisfaction cannot be given until we   
desire it--yea long for it with our     
deepest desire4 ,the giver of them came 
to men1 lived with men1 and died by the 
hands of men1 that they might possess   
these rights abundantly3 more not ,god  
could do to fulfil his part--save indeed
 what he is doing still every hour1     
every moment1 for every individual4 ,our
 rights are rights with ,god himself at 
the heart of them4 ,he could recall them
 if he pleased1 but only by recalling   
us1 by making us cease4 ,while we exist1
 by the being that is ours1 they are    
ours4 ,if he could not fulfil our rights
 to us--because we would not have them1 
that is--if he could not make us such as
 to care for these rights which he has  
given us out of the very depth of his   
creative being1 ,i think he would have  
to uncreate us4 ,but as to deserving1   
that is absurd3 he had to die in the    
endeavour to make us listen and receive4
 ',when ye shall have done all the      

things that are commanded you1 say1 ,we 
are unprofitable servants2 we have done 
that which it was our duty to do4' ,duty
 is a thing prepaid3 it can never have  
desert4 ,there is no claim on ,god that 
springs from us3 all is from him4  ,but1
 lest it should be possible that any    
unchildlike soul might1 in arrogance and
 ignorance1 think to stand upon his     
rights against ,god1 and demand of him  
this or that after the will of the      
flesh1 ,i will lay before such a        
possible one some of the things to which
 he has a right1 yea1 perhaps has first 
of all a right to1 from the ,god of his 
life1 because of the beginning he has   
given him--because of the divine germ   
that is in him4 ,he has a claim on ,god1
 then1 a divine claim1 for any pain1    
want1 disappointment1 or misery1 that   
would help to show him to himself as the
 fool he is2 he has a claim to be       
punished to the last scorpion of the    
whip1 to be spared not one pang that may
 urge him towards repentance2 yea1 he   

has a claim to be sent out into the     
outer darkness1 whether what we call    
hell1 or something speechlessly worse1  
if nothing less will do4 ,he has a claim
 to be compelled to repent2 to be hedged
 in on every side2 to have one after    
another of the strong1 sharp-toothed    
sheep-dogs of the great shepherd sent   
after him1 to thwart him in any desire1 
foil him in any plan1 frustrate him of  
any hope1 until he come to see at length
 that nothing will ease his pain1       
nothing make life a thing worth having1 
but the presence of the living ,god     
within him2 that nothing is good but the
 will of ,god2 nothing noble enough for 
the desire of the heart of man but      
oneness with the eternal4 ,for this ,god
 must make him yield his very being1    
that ,he may enter in and dwell with    
him4  ,that the man would enforce none  
of these claims1 is nothing2 for it is  
not a man who owes them to him1 but the 
eternal ,god1 who by his own will of    
right towards the creature he has made1 

is bound to discharge them4 ,god has to 
answer to himself for his idea2 he has  
to do with the need of the nature he    
made1 not with the self-born choice of  
the self-ruined man4 ,his candle yet    
burns dim in the man's soul2 that candle
 must shine as the sun4 ,for what is the
 all-pervading dissatisfaction of his   
wretched being but an unrecognized      
hunger after the righteousness of his   
father4 ,the soul ,god made is thus     
hungering1 though the selfish1 usurping 
self1 which is its consciousness1 is    
hungering only after low and selfish    
things1 ever trying1 but in vain1 to    
fill its mean1 narrow content1 with     
husks too poor for its poverty-stricken 
desires4 ,for even that most degraded   
chamber of the soul which is the temple 
of the deified ,self1 cannot be filled  
with less than ,god2 even the usurping  
,self must be miserable until it cease  
to look at itself in the mirror of      
,satan1 and open the door of its        
innermost closet to the ,god who means  

to dwell there1 and make peace4  ,he    
that has looked on the face of ,god in  
,jesus ,christ1 whose heart overflows1  
if ever so little1 with answering love1 
sees ,god standing with full hands to   
give the abundance for which he created 
his children1 and those children hanging
 back1 refusing to take1 doubting the   
,god-heart which knows itself absolute  
in truth and love4  ,it is not at first 
easy to see wherein ,god gives ,job any 
answer2 ,i cannot find that he offers   
him the least explanation of why he has 
so afflicted him4 ,he justifies him in  
his words2 he says ,job has spoken what 
is right concerning him1 and his friends
 have not2 and he calls up before him1  
one after another1 the works of his     
hands4 ,the answer1 like some of our    
,lord's answers if not all of them1     
seems addressed to ,job himself1 not to 
his intellect2 to the revealing1        
,god-like imagination in the man1 and to
 no logical faculty whatever4 ,it       
consists in a setting forth of the power

 of ,god1 as seen in his handywork1 and 
wondered at by the men of the time2 and 
all that is said concerning them has to 
do with their show of themselves to the 
eyes of men4 ,in what belongs to the    
deeper meanings of nature and her       
mediation between us and ,god1 the      
appearances of nature are the truths of 
nature1 far deeper than any scientific  
discoveries in and concerning them4 ,the
 show of things is that for which ,god  
cares most1 for their show is the face  
of far deeper things than they2 we see  
in them1 in a distant way1 as in a glass
 darkly1 the face of the unseen4 ,it is 
through their show1 not through their   
analysis1 that we enter into their      
deepest truths4 ,what they say to the   
childlike soul is the truest thing to be
 gathered of them4 ,to know a primrose  
is a higher thing than to know all the  
botany of it--just as to know ,christ is
 an infinitely higher thing than to know
 all theology1 all that is said about   
his person1 or babbled about his work4  

,the body of man does not exist for the 
sake of its hidden secrets2 its hidden  
secrets exist for the sake of its       
outside--for the face and the form in   
which dwells revelation3 its outside is 
the deepest of it4 ,so ,nature as well  
exists primarily for her face1 her look1
 her appeals to the heart and the       
imagination1 her simple service to human
 need1 and not for the secrets to be    
discovered in her and turned to man's   
farther use4 ,what in the name of ,god  
is our knowledge of the elements of the 
atmosphere to our knowledge of the      
elements of ,nature8 ,what are its      
oxygen1 its hydrogen1 its nitrogen1 its 
carbonic acid1 its ozone1 and all the   
possible rest1 to the blowing of the    
wind on our faces8 ,what is the analysis
 of water to the babble of a running    
stream8 ,what is any knowledge of things
 to the heart1 beside its child-play    
with the ,eternal6 ,and by an infinite  
decomposition we should know nothing    
more of what a thing really is1 for1 the

 moment we decompose it1 it ceases to   
be1 and all its meaning is vanished4    
,infinitely more than astronomy even1   
which destroys nothing1 can do for us1  
is done by the mere aspect and changes  
of the vault over our heads4 ,think for 
a moment what would be our idea of      
greatness1 of ,god1 of infinitude1 of   
aspiration1 if1 instead of a blue1 far  
withdrawn1 light-spangled firmament1 we 
were born and reared under a flat white 
ceiling6 ,i would not be supposed to    
depreciate the labours of science1 but  
,i say its discoveries are unspeakably  
less precious than the merest gifts of  
,nature1 those which1 from morning to   
night1 we take unthinking from her      
hands4 ,one day1 ,i trust1 we shall be  
able to enter into their secrets from   
within them--by natural contact between 
our heart and theirs4 ,when we are one  
with ,god we may well understand in an  
hour things that no man of science1     
prosecuting his investigations from the 
surface with all the aids that keenest  

human intellect can supply1 would reach 
in the longest lifetime4 ,whether such  
power will ever come to any man in this 
world1 or can come only in some state of
 existence beyond it1 matters nothing to
 me3 the question does not interest me2 
life is one1 and things will be then    
what they are now2 for ,god is one and  
the same there and here2 and ,i shall be
 the same there ,i am here1 however     
larger the life with which it may please
 the ,father of my being to endow me4   
,the argument implied1 not expressed1 in
 the poem1 seems to be this-- that ,job1
 seeing ,god so far before him in power1
 and his works so far beyond his        
understanding that they filled him with 
wonder and admiration--the vast might of
 the creation1 the times and the        
seasons1 the marvels of the heavens1 the
 springs of the sea1 and the gates of   
death2 the animals1 their generations   
and providing1 their beauties and       
instincts2 the strange and awful beasts 
excelling the rest1 behemoth on the     

land1 leviathan in the sea1 creatures1  
perhaps1 now vanished from the living   
world2--that ,job1 beholding these      
things1 ought to have reasoned that he  
who could work so grandly beyond his    
understanding1 must certainly use wisdom
 in things that touched him nearer1     
though they came no nearer his          
understanding3 'shall he that contendeth
 with the ,almighty instruct him8 he    
that reproveth ,god1 let him answer it4'
 ',wilt thou also disannul my judgment8 
wilt thou condemn me that thou mayest be
 righteous8' ,in this world power is no 
proof of righteousness2 but was it      
likely that he who could create should  
be unrighteous8 ,did not all he made    
move the delight of the beholding man8  
,did such things foreshadow injustice   
towards the creature he had made in his 
image8 ,if ,job could not search his    
understanding in these things1 why      
should he conclude his own case wrapt in
 the gloom of injustice8 ,did he        
understand his own being1 history1 and  

destiny8 ,should not ,god's ways in     
these also be beyond his understanding8 
,might he not trust him to do him       
justice8 ,in such high affairs as the   
rights of a live soul1 might not matters
 be involved too high for ,job8 ,the    
maker of ,job was so much greater than  
,job1 that his ways with him might well 
be beyond his comprehension6 ,god's     
thoughts were higher than his thoughts1 
as the heavens were higher than the     
earth6  ,the true child1 the righteous  
man1 will trust absolutely1 against all 
appearances1 the ,god who has created in
 him the love of righteousness4  ,god   
does not1 ,i say1 tell ,job why he had  
afflicted him3 he rouses his child-heart
 to trust4 ,all the rest of ,job's life 
on earth1 ,i imagine1 his slowly        
vanishing perplexities would yield him  
ever fresh meditations concerning ,god  
and his ways1 new opportunities of      
trusting him1 light upon many things    
concerning which he had not as yet begun
 to doubt1 added means of growing in all

 directions into the knowledge of ,god4 
,his perplexities would thus prove of   
divinest gift4 ,everything1 in truth1   
which we cannot understand1 is a closed 
book of larger knowledge and            
blessedness1 whose clasps the blessed   
perplexity urges us to open4 ,there is1 
there can be1 nothing which is not in   
itself a righteous                      
intelligibility--whether an             
intelligibility for us1 matters nothing4
 ,the awful thing would be1 that        
anything should be in its nature        
unintelligible3 that would be the same  
as no ,god4 ,that ,god knows is enough  
for me2 ,i shall know1 if ,i can know4  
,it would be death to think ,god did not
 know2 it would be as much as to        
conclude there was no ,god to know4     
,how much more than ,job are we bound1  
who know him in his ,son as ,love1 to   
trust ,god in all the troubling         
questions that force themselves upon us 
concerning the motions and results of   
things6 ,with all those about the lower 

animals1 with all those about such souls
 as seem never to wake from1 or seem    
again to fall into the sleep of death1  
we will trust him4  ,in the confusion of
 ,job's thoughts--how could they be     
other than confused1 in the presence of 
the awful contradiction of two such     
facts staring each other in the face1   
that ,god was just1 yet punishing a     
righteous man as if he were             
wicked8--while he was not yet able to   
generate1 or to receive the thought1    
that approving love itself might be     
inflicting or allowing the torture--that
 such suffering as his was granted only 
to a righteous man1 that he might be    
made perfect--,i can well imagine that  
at times1 as the one moment he doubted  
,god's righteousness1 and the next cried
 aloud1 ',though he slay me1 yet will ,i
 trust in him1' there must in the chaos 
have mingled some element of doubt as to
 the existence of ,god4 ,let not such   
doubt be supposed a yet further stage in
 unbelief4 ,to deny the existence of    

,god may1 paradoxical as the statement  
will at first seem to some1 involve less
 unbelief than the smallest yielding to 
doubt of his goodness4 ,i say yielding2 
for a man may be haunted with doubts1   
and only grow thereby in faith4 ,doubts 
are the messengers of the ,living ,one  
to rouse the honest4 ,they are the first
 knock at our door of things that are   
not yet1 but have to be1 understood2 and
 theirs in general is the inhospitable  
reception of angels that do not come in 
their own likeness4 ,doubt must precede 
every deeper assurance2 for             
uncertainties are what we first see when
 we look into a region hitherto unknown1
 unexplored1 unannexed4 ,in all ,job's  
begging and longing to see ,god1 then1  
may well be supposed to mingle the      
mighty desire to be assured of ,god's   
being4 ,to acknowledge is not to be sure
 of ,god4 ,one great point in the poem  
is--that when ,job hears the voice of   
,god1 though it utters no word of       
explanation1 it is enough to him to hear

 it3 he knows that ,god is1 and that he 
hears the cry of his creature4 ,that he 
is there1 knowing all about him1 and    
what had befallen him1 is enough2 he    
needs no more to reconcile seeming      
contradictions1 and the worst ills of   
outer life become endurable4 ,even if   
,job could not at first follow his      
argument of divine probability1 ,god    
settled everything for him when1 by     
answering him out of the whirlwind1 he  
showed him that he had not forsaken him4
 ,it is true that nothing but a far     
closer divine presence can ever make    
life a thing fit for a son of man--and  
that for the simplest of all reasons1   
that he is made in the image of ,god1   
and it is for him absolutely imperative 
that he should have in him the reality  
of which his being is the image3 while  
he has it not in him1 his being1 his    
conscious self1 is but a mask1 a        
spiritual emptiness2 but for the        
present1 ,job1 yielding to ,god1 was    
calmed and satisfied4 ,perhaps he came  

at length to see that1 if anything ,god 
could do to him would trouble him so as 
to make him doubt ,god--if he knew him  
so imperfectly who could do nothing ill1
 then it was time that he should be so  
troubled1 that the imperfection of his  
knowledge of ,god and his lack of faith 
in him should be revealed to him--that  
an earthquake of his being should       
disclose its hollowness1 and at the same
 time bring to the surface the gold of  
,god that was in him4 ,to know that our 
faith is weak is the first step towards 
its strengthening2 to be capable of     
distrusting is death2 to know that we   
are1 and cry out1 is to begin to        
live--to begin to be made such that we  
cannot distrust--such that ,god may do  
anything with us and we shall never     
doubt him4 ,until doubt is impossible1  
we are lacking in the true1 the         
childlike knowledge of ,god2 for either 
,god is such that one may distrust him1 
or he is such that to distrust him is   
the greatest injustice of which a man   

can be guilty4 ,if then we are able to  
distrust him1 either we know ,god       
imperfect1 or we do not know him4       
,perhaps ,job learned something like    
this2 anyhow1 the result of what he had 
had to endure was a greater nearness to 
,god4 ,but all that he was required to  
receive at the moment was the argument  
from ,god's loving wisdom in his power1 
to his loving wisdom in everything else4
 ,for power is a real and a good thing1 
giving an immediate impression that it  
proceeds from goodness4 ,nor1 however   
long it may last after goodness is gone1
 was it ever born of anything but       
goodness4 ,in a very deep sense1 power  
and goodness are one4 ,in the deepest   
fact they are one4  ,seeing ,god1 ,job  
forgets all he wanted to say1 all he    
thought he would say if he could but see
 him4 ,the close of the poem is grandly 
abrupt4 ,he had meant to order his cause
 before him2 he had longed to see him   
that he might speak and defend himself1 
imagining ,god as well as his righteous 

friends wrongfully accusing him2 but his
 speech is gone from him2 he has not a  
word to say4 ,to justify himself in the 
presence of ,him who is ,righteousness1 
seems to him what it is--foolishness and
 worthless labour4 ,if ,god do not see  
him righteous1 he is not righteous1 and 
may hold his peace4 ,if he is righteous1
 ,god knows it better than he does      
himself4 ,nay1 if ,god do not care to   
justify him1 ,job has lost his interest 
in justifying himself4 ,all the evils   
and imperfections of his nature rise up 
before him in the presence of the one   
pure1 the one who is right1 and has no  
selfishness in him4 ',behold1' he cries1
 ',i am vile2 what shall ,i answer thee8
 ,i will lay mine hand upon my mouth4   
,once have ,i spoken2 but ,i will not   
answer3 yea1 twice2 but ,i will proceed 
no further4' ,then again1 after ,god has
 called to witness for him behemoth and 
leviathan1 he replies1 ',i know that    
thou canst do everything1 and that no   
thought can be withholden from thee4    

,who is he that hideth counsel without  
knowledge8' ,this question was the word 
with which first ,god made his presence 
known to him2 and in the mouth of ,job  
now repeating the question1 it is the   
humble confession1 ',i am that foolish  
man4'--',therefore1' he goes on1 'have  
,i uttered that ,i understood not2      
things too wonderful for me1 which ,i   
knew not4' ,he had not knowledge enough 
to have a right to speak4 ',hear1 ,i    
beseech thee1 and ,i will speak3'--,in  
the time to come1 he will yet cry--to be
 taught1 not to justify himself4 ',i    
will demand of thee1 and declare thou   
unto me4'--,the more diligently yet will
 he seek to know the counsel of ,god4   
,that he cannot understand will no      
longer distress him2 it will only urge  
him to fresh endeavour after the        
knowledge of him who in all his doings  
is perfect4 ',i have heard of thee by   
the hearing of the ear3 but now mine eye
 seeth thee4 ,wherefore ,i abhor myself1
 and repent in dust and ashes4'  ,job   

had his desire3 he saw the face of      
,god--and abhorred himself in dust and  
ashes4 ,he sought justification2 he     
found self-abhorrence4 ,was this        
punishment8 ,the farthest from it       
possible4 ,it was the best thing--to    
begin with--that the face of ,god could 
do for him4 ,blessedest gift is         
self-contempt1 when the giver of it is  
the visible glory of the ,living ,one4  
,for there to see is to partake2 to be  
able to behold that glory is to live2 to
 turn from and against self is to begin 
to be pure of heart4 ,job was in the    
right when he said that he did not      
deserve to be in such wise punished for 
his sins3 neither did he deserve to see 
the face of ,god1 yet had he that crown 
of all gifts given him--and it was to   
see himself vile1 and abhor himself4 ,by
 very means of the sufferings against   
which he had cried out1 the living one  
came near to him1 and he was silent4 ,oh
 the divine generosity that will grant  
us to be abashed and self-condemned     

before the ,holy6--to come so nigh him  
as to see ourselves dark spots against  
his brightness6 ,verily we must be of   
his kind1 else no show of him could make
 us feel small and ugly and unclean6 ,oh
 the love of the ,father1 that he should
 give us to compare ourselves with him1 
and be buried in humility and shame6 ,to
 be rebuked before him is to be his4    
,good man as ,job was1 he had never yet 
been right near to ,god2 now ,god has   
come near to him1 has become very real  
to him2 he knows now in very deed that  
,god is he with whom he has to do4 ,he  
had laid all these troubles upon him    
that ,he might through them draw nigh to
 him1 and enable him to know him4  ,two 
things are clearly contained in1 and    
manifest from this poem3--that not every
 man deserves for his sins to be        
punished everlastingly from the presence
 of the ,lord2 and that the best of men1
 when he sees the face of ,god1 will    
know himself vile4 ,god is just1 and    
will never deal with the sinner as if he

 were capable of sinning the pure sin2  
yet if the best man be not delivered    
from himself1 that self will sink him   
into ,tophet4  ,any man may1 like ,job1 
plead his cause with ,god--though       
possibly it may not be to like          
justification3 he gives us liberty to   
speak1 and will hear with absolute      
fairness4 ,but1 blessed be ,god1 the one
 result for all who so draw nigh to him 
will be--to see him plainly1 surely     
right1 the perfect ,saviour1 the        
profoundest refuge even from the wrongs 
of their own being1 yea1 nearer to them 
always than any wrong they could commit2
 so seeing him1 they will abhor         
themselves1 and rejoice in him4 ,and1 as
 the poem indicates1 when we turn from  
ourselves to him1 becoming true1 that   
is1 being to ,god and to ourselves what 
we are1 he will turn again our          
captivity2 they that have sown in tears 
shall reap in joy2 they shall doubtless 
come again with rejoicing1 bringing     
their sheaves with them4 ,then will the 

waters that rise from ,god's fountains1 
run in ,god's channels4  ,for the       
prosperity that follows upon ,job's     
submission1 is the embodiment of a great
 truth4 ,although a man must do right if
 it send him to ,hades1 yea1 even were  
it to send him for ever to hell itself1 
yet1 while the ,lord liveth1 we need not
 fear3 all good things must grow out of 
and hang upon the one central good1 the 
one law of life-- the ,will1 the ,one   
,good4 ,to submit absolutely to him is  
the only reason3 circumstance as well as
 all being must then bud and blossom as 
the rose4 ,and it will6--what matter    
whether in this world or the next1 if   
one day ,i know my life as a perfect    
bliss1 having neither limitation nor    
hindrance nor pain nor sorrow more than 
it can dominate in peace and perfect    
assurance8  ,i care not whether the book
 of ,job be a history or a poem4 ,i     
think it is both--,i do not care how    
much relatively of each4 ,it was        
probably1 in the childlike days of the  

world1 a well-known story in the east1  
which some man1 whom ,god had made wise 
to understand his will and his ways1    
took up1 and told after the fashion of a
 poet4 ,what its age may be1 who can    
certainly tell6--it must have been      
before ,moses4 ,i would gladly throw out
 the part of ,elihu as an interpolation4
 ,one in whom1 of all men ,i have known1
 ,i put the greatest trust1 said to me  
once what amounted to this3 ',there is  
as much difference between the language 
of the rest of the poem and that of     
,elihu1 as between the language of      
,chaucer and that of ,shakspere4'  ,the 
poem is for many reasons difficult1 and 
in the original to me inaccessible2 but1
 through all the evident inadequacy of  
our translation1 who can fail to hear   
two souls1 that of the poet and that of 
,job1 crying aloud with an agonized hope
 that1 let the evil shows around them be
 what they may1 truth and righteousness 
are yet the heart of things4 ,the faith1
 even the hope of ,job seems at times on

 the point of giving way2 he struggles  
like a drowning man when the billow goes
 over him1 but with the rising of his   
head his courage revives4 ,christians we
 call ourselves6--what would not our    
faith be1 were it as much greater than  
,job's as the word from the mouth of    
,jesus is mightier than that he heard   
out of the whirlwind6 ,here is a book of
 faith indeed1 ere the law was given by 
,moses3 ,grace and ,truth have visited  
us--but where is our faith8  ,friends1  
our cross may be heavy1 and the via     
dolorosa rough2 but we have claims on   
,god1 yea the right to cry to him for   
help4 ,he has spent1 and is spending    
himself to give us our birthright1 which
 is righteousness4 ,though we shall not 
be condemned for our sins1 we cannot be 
saved but by leaving them2 though we    
shall not be condemned for the sins that
 are past1 we shall be condemned if we  
love the darkness rather than the light1
 and refuse to come to him that we may  
have life4 ,god is offering us the one  

thing we cannot live without--his own   
self3 we must make room for him2 we must
 cleanse our hearts that he may come in2
 we must do as the ,master tells us1 who
 knew all about the ,father and the way 
to him--we must deny ourselves1 and take
 up our cross daily1 and follow him4    
,,self-,,denial4   ',and he said unto   
all1 ,if any man would come after me1   
let him deny himself1 and take up his   
cross daily1 and follow me4 ,for        
whosoever would save his life shall lose
 it2 but whosoever shall lose his life  
for my sake1 the same shall save        
it4'--,st4 ,luke ix4 #bc1 #bd4  ,christ 
is the way out1 and the way in2 the way 
from slavery1 conscious or unconscious1 
into liberty2 the way from the          
unhomeliness of things to the home we   
desire but do not know2 the way from the
 stormy skirts of the ,father's garments
 to the peace of his bosom4 ,to picture 
him1 we need not only endless figures1  
but sometimes quite opposing figures3 he
 is not only the door of the sheepfold1 

but the shepherd of the sheep2 he is not
 only the way1 but the leader in the    
way1 the rock that followed1 and the    
captain of our salvation4 ,we must      
become as little children1 and ,christ  
must be born in us2 we must learn of    
him1 and the one lesson he has to give  
is himself3 he does first all he wants  
us to do2 he is first all he wants us to
 be4 ,we must not merely do as he did2  
we must see things as he saw them1      
regard them as he regarded them2 we must
 take the will of ,god as the very life 
of our being2 we must neither try to get
 our own way1 nor trouble ourselves as  
to what may be thought or said of us4   
,the world must be to us as nothing4  ,i
 would not be misunderstood if ,i may   
avoid it3 when ,i say the world1 ,i do  
not mean the world ,god makes and means1
 yet less the human hearts that live    
therein2 but the world man makes by     
choosing the perversion of his own      
nature--a world apart from and opposed  
to ,god's world4 ,by the world ,i mean  

all ways of judging1 regarding1 and     
thinking1 whether political1 economical1
 ecclesiastical1 social1 or individual1 
which are not divine1 which are not     
,god's ways of thinking1 regarding1 or  
judging2 which do not take ,god into    
account1 do not set his will supreme1 as
 the one only law of life2 which do not 
care for the truth of things1 but the   
customs of society1 or the practice of  
the trade2 which heed not what is right1
 but the usage of the time4 ,from       
everything that is against the teaching 
and thinking of ,jesus1 from the world  
in the heart of the best man in it1     
specially from the world in his own     
heart1 the disciple must turn to follow 
him4 ,the first thing in all progress is
 to leave something behind2 to follow   
him is to leave one's self behind4 ',if 
any man would come after me1 let him    
deny himself4'  ,some seem to take this 
to mean that the disciple must go       
against his likings because they are his
 likings2 must be unresponsive to the   

tendencies and directions and           
inclinations that are his1 because they 
are such1 and his2 they seem to think   
something is gained by abstinence from  
what is pleasant1 or by the doing of    
what is disagreeable--that to thwart the
 lower nature is in itself a good4 ,now 
,i will not dare say what a man may not 
get good from1 if the thing be done in  
simplicity and honesty4 ,i believe that 
when a man1 for the sake of doing the   
thing that is right1 does in mistake    
that which is not right1 ,god will take 
care that he be shown the better        
way--will perhaps use the very thing    
which is his mistake to reveal to him   
the mistake it is4 ,i will allow that   
the mere effort of will1 arbitrary and  
uninformed of duty1 partaking of the    
character of tyranny and even schism1   
may add to the man's power over his     
lower nature2 but in that very nature it
 is ,god who must rule and not the man1 
however well he may mean4 ,from a man's 
rule of himself1 in smallest opposition1

 however devout1 to the law of his      
being1 arises the huge danger of        
nourishing1 by the pride of             
self-conquest1 a far worse than even the
 unchained animal self--the demoniac    
self4 ,true victory over self is the    
victory of ,god in the man1 not of the  
man alone4 ,it is not subjugation that  
is enough1 but subjugation by ,god4 ,in 
whatever man does without ,god1 he must 
fail miserably--or succeed more         
miserably4 ,no portion of a man can rule
 another portion1 for ,god1 not the man1
 created it1 and the part is greater    
than the whole4 ,in effecting what ,god 
does not mean1 a man but falls into     
fresh ill conditions4 ,in crossing his  
natural1 therefore in themselves right  
inclinations1 a man may develop a       
self-satisfaction which in its very     
nature is a root of all sin4 ,doing the 
thing ,god does not require of him1 he  
puts himself in the place of ,god1      
becoming not a law but a law-giver to   
himself1 one who commands1 not one who  

obeys4 ,the diseased satisfaction which 
some minds feel in laying burdens on    
themselves1 is a pampering1 little as   
they may suspect it1 of the most        
dangerous appetite of that self which   
they think they are mortifying4 ,all the
 creatures of ,god are good1 received   
with thanksgiving2 then only can any one
 of them become evil1 when it is used in
 relations in which a higher law forbids
 it1 or when it is refused for the sake 
of self-discipline1 in relations in     
which no higher law forbids1 and ,god   
therefore allows it4 ,for a man to be   
his own schoolmaster1 is a right        
dangerous position2 the pupil cannot be 
expected to make progress--except1      
indeed1 in the wrong direction4 ,to     
enjoy heartily and thankfully1 and do   
cheerfully without1 when ,god wills we  
should1 is the way to live in regard to 
things of the lower nature2 these must  
nowise be confounded with the things of 
the world4 ,if any one say this is      
dangerous doctrine1 ,i answer1 ',the law

 of ,god is enough for me1 and for laws 
invented by man1 ,i will none of them4  
,they are false1 and come all of        
rebellion4 ,god and not man is our      
judge4'  ,verily it is not to thwart or 
tease the poor self ,jesus tells us4    
,that was not the purpose for which ,god
 gave it to us ,i ,he tells us we must  
leave it altogether--yield it1 deny it1 
refuse it1 lose it3 thus only shall we  
save it1 thus only have a share in our  
own being4 ,the self is given to us that
 we may sacrifice it2 it is ours that we
 like ,christ may have somewhat to      
offer--not that we should torment it1   
but that we should deny it2 not that we 
should cross it1 but that we should     
abandon it utterly3 then it can no more 
be vexed4  ',what can this mean8--we are
 not to thwart1 but to abandon8 ,how    
abandon1 without thwarting8'  ,it means 
this3--we must refuse1 abandon1 deny    
self altogether as a ruling1 or         
determining1 or originating element in  
us4 ,it is to be no longer the regent of

 our action4 ,we are no more to think1  
',what should ,i like to do8' but ',what
 would the ,living ,one have me do8' ,it
 is not selfish to take that which ,god 
has made us to desire2 neither are we   
very good to yield it--we should only be
 very bad not to do so1 when he would   
take it from us2 but to yield it        
heartily1 without a struggle or regret1 
is not merely to deny the ,self a thing 
it would like1 but to deny the ,self    
itself1 to refuse and abandon it4 ,the  
,self is ,god's making--only it must be 
the 'slave of ,christ1' that the ,son   
may make it also the free son of the    
same ,father2 it must receive all from  
him--not as from nowhere2 as well as the
 deeper soul1 it must follow him1 not   
its own desires4 ,it must not be its own
 law2 ,christ must be its law4 ,the time
 will come when it shall be so          
possessed1 so enlarged1 so idealized1 by
 the indwelling ,god1 who is its deeper1
 its deepest self1 that there will be no
 longer any enforced denial of it       

needful2 it has been finally denied and 
refused and sent into its own obedient  
place2 it has learned to receive with   
thankfulness1 to demand nothing2 to turn
 no more upon its own centre1 or any    
more think to minister to its own good4 
,god's eternal denial of himself1       
revealed in him who for our sakes in the
 flesh took up his cross daily1 will    
have been developed in the man2 his     
eternal rejoicing will be in ,god--and  
in his fellows1 before whom he will cast
 his glad self to be a carpet for their 
walk1 a footstool for their rest1 a     
stair for their climbing4  ,to deny     
oneself then1 is to act no more from the
 standing-ground of self2 to allow no   
private communication1 no passing       
influence between the self and the will2
 not to let the right hand know what the
 left hand doeth4 ,no grasping or       
seeking1 no hungering of the individual1
 shall give motion to the will2 no      
desire to be conscious of worthiness    
shall order the life2 no ambition       

whatever shall be a motive of action2 no
 wish to surpass another be allowed a   
moment's respite from death2 no longing 
after the praise of men influence a     
single throb of the heart4 ,to deny the 
self is to shrink from no dispraise or  
condemnation or contempt of the         
community1 or circle1 or country1 which 
is against the mind of the ,living one2 
for no love or entreaty of father or    
mother1 wife or child1 friend or lover1 
to turn aside from following him1 but   
forsake them all as any ruling or       
ordering power in our lives2 we must do 
nothing to please them that would not   
first be pleasing to him4 ,bight deeds1 
and not the judgment thereupon2 true    
words1 and not what reception they may  
have1 shall be our care4 ,not merely    
shall we not love money1 or trust in it1
 or seek it as the business of life1    
but1 whether we have it or have it not1 
we must never think of it as a windfall 
from the tree of event or the cloud of  
circumstance1 but as the gift of ,god4  

,we must draw our life1 by the          
uplooking1 acknowledging will1 every    
moment fresh from the living one1 the   
causing life1 not glory in the mere     
consciousness of health and being4 ,it  
is ,god feeds us1 warms us1 quenches our
 thirst4 ,the will of ,god must be to us
 all in all2 to our whole nature the    
life of the ,father must be the joy of  
the child2 we must know our very        
understanding his--that we live and feed
 on him every hour in the closest1      
veriest way3 to know these things in the
 depth of our knowing1 is to deny       
ourselves1 and take ,god instead4 ,to   
try after them is to begin the denial1  
to follow him who never sought his own4 
,so must we deny all anxieties and      
fears4 ,when young we must not mind what
 the world calls failure2 as we grow    
old1 we must not be vexed that we cannot
 remember1 must not regret that we      
cannot do1 must not be miserable because
 we grow weak or ill3 we must not mind  
anything4 ,we have to do with ,god who  

can1 not with ourselves where we cannot2
 we have to do with the ,will1 with the 
,eternal ,life of the ,father of our    
spirits1 and not with the being which we
 could not make1 and which is his care4 
,he is our care2 we are his2 our care is
 to will his will2 his care1 to give us 
all things4 ,this is to deny ourselves4 
',self1 ,i have not to consult you1 but 
him whose idea is the soul of you1 and  
of which as yet you are all unworthy4 ,i
 have to do1 not with you1 but with the 
source of you1 by whom it is that any   
moment you exist--the ,causing of you1  
not the caused you4 ,you may be my      
consciousness1 but you are not my being4
 ,if you were1 what a poor1 miserable1  
dingy1 weak wretch ,i should be6 but my 
life is hid with ,christ in ,god1 whence
 it came1 and whither it is             
returning--with you certainly1 but as an
 obedient servant1 not a master4        
,submit1 or ,i will cast you from me1   
and pray to have another consciousness  
given me4 ,for ,god is more to me than  

my consciousness of myself4 ,he is my   
life2 you are only so much of it as my  
poor half-made being can grasp--as much 
of it as ,i can now know at once4       
,because ,i have fooled and spoiled you1
 treated you as if you were indeed my   
own self1 you have dwindled yourself and
 have lessened me1 till ,i am ashamed of
 myself4 ,if ,i were to mind what you   
say1 ,i should soon be sick of you2 even
 now ,i am ever and anon disgusted with 
your paltry1 mean face1 which ,i meet at
 every turn4 ,no6 let me have the       
company of the ,perfect ,one1 not of    
you6 of my elder brother1 the ,living   
,one6 ,i will not make a friend of the  
mere shadow of my own being6 ,good-bye1 
,self6 ,i deny you1 and will do my best 
every day to leave you behind me4'  ,and
 in this regard we must not fail to see1
 or seeing ever forget1 that1 when      
,jesus tells us we must follow him1 we  
must come to him1 we must believe in    
him1 he speaks first and always as the  
,son of the ,father--and that in the    

active sense1 as the obedient ,god1 not 
merely as one who claims the sonship for
 the ground of being and so of further  
claim4 ,he is the ,son of the ,father as
 the ,son who obeys the ,father1 as the 
,son who came expressly and only to do  
the will of the ,father1 as the         
messenger whose delight it is to do the 
will of him that sent him4 ,at the      
moment he says ,follow me1 he is        
following the ,father2 his face is set  
homeward4 ,he would have us follow him  
because he is bent on the will of the   
,blessed4 ,it is nothing even thus to   
think of him1 except thus we believe in 
him--that is1 so do4 ,to believe in him 
is to do as he does1 to follow him where
 he goes4 ,we must believe in him       
practically--altogether practically1 as 
he believed in his ,father2 not as one  
concerning whom we have to hold         
something1 but as one whom we have to   
follow out of the body of this death    
into life eternal4 ,it is not to follow 
him to take him in any way              

theoretically1 to hold this or that     
theory about why he died1 or wherein lay
 his atonement3 such things can be      
revealed only to those who follow him in
 his active being and the principle of  
his life--who do as he did1 live as he  
lived4 ,there is no other following4 ,he
 is all for the ,father2 we must be all 
for the ,father too1 else are we not    
following him4 ,to follow him is to be  
learning of him1 to think his thoughts1 
to use his judgments1 to see things as  
he saw them1 to feel things as he felt  
them1 to be hearted1 souled1 minded1 as 
he was--that so also we may be of the   
same mind with his ,father4 ,this it is 
to deny self and go after him2 nothing  
less1 even if it be working miracles and
 casting out devils1 is to be his       
disciple4 ,busy from morning to night   
doing great things for him on any other 
road1 we should but earn the reception1 
',i never knew you4' ,when he says1     
',take my yoke upon you1' he does not   
mean a yoke which he would lay upon our 

shoulders2 it is his own yoke he tells  
us to take1 and to learn of him--it is  
the yoke he is himself carrying1 the    
yoke his perfect ,father had given him  
to carry4 ,the will of the ,father is   
the yoke he would have us take1 and bear
 also with him4 ,it is of this yoke that
 he says1 ,it is easy1 of this burden1  
,it is light4 ,he is not saying1 ',the  
yoke ,i lay upon you is easy1 the burden
 light2' what he says is1 ',the yoke ,i 
carry is easy1 the burden on my         
shoulders is light4' ,with the garden of
 ,gethsemane before him1 with the hour  
and the power of darkness waiting for   
him1 he declares his yoke easy1 his     
burden light4 ,there is no magnifying of
 himself4 ,he first denies himself1 and 
takes up his cross--then tells us to do 
the same4 ,the ,father magnifies the    
,son1 not the ,son himself2 the ,son    
magnifies the ,father4  ,we must be     
jealous for ,god against ourselves1 and 
look well to the cunning and deceitful  
,self--ever cunning and deceitful until 

it is informed of ,god--until it is     
thoroughly and utterly denied1 and ,god 
is to it also ,all-in-all--till we have 
left it quite empty of our will and our 
regard1 and ,god has come into it1 and  
made it--not indeed an adytum1 but a    
pylon for himself4 ,until then1 its very
 denials1 its very turnings from things 
dear to it for the sake of ,christ1 will
 tend to foster its self-regard1 and    
generate in it a yet deeper             
self-worship4 ,while it is not denied1  
only thwarted1 we may through           
satisfaction with conquered difficulty  
and supposed victory1 minister yet more 
to its self-gratulation4 ,the ,self1    
when it finds it cannot have honour     
because of its gifts1 because of the    
love lavished upon it1 because of its   
conquests1 and the 'golden opinions     
bought from all sorts of people1' will  
please itself with the thought of its   
abnegations1 of its unselfishness1 of   
its devotion to ,god1 of its forsakings 
for his sake4 ,it may not call itself1  

but it will soon feel itself a saint1 a 
superior creature1 looking down upon the
 foolish world and its ways1 walking on 
high 'above the smoke and stir of this  
dim spot2'--all the time dreaming a     
dream of utter folly1 worshipping itself
 with the more concentration that it has
 yielded the approbation of the world1  
and dismissed the regard of others3 even
 they are no longer necessary to its    
assurance of its own worths and merits6 
,in a thousand ways will ,self delude   
itself1 in a thousand ways befool its   
own slavish being4 ,christ sought not   
his own1 sought not anything but the    
will of his ,father3 we have to grow    
diamond-clear1 true as the white light  
of the morning4 ,hopeless task6--were it
 not that he offers to come himself1 and
 dwell in us4  ,i have wondered whether 
the word of the ,lord1 'take up his     
cross1' was a phrase in use at the time3
 when he used it first he had not yet   
told them that he would himself be      
crucified4 ,i can hardly believe this   

form of execution such a common thing   
that the figure of bearing the cross had
 come into ordinary speech4 ,as the     
,lord's idea was new to men1 so ,i think
 was the image in which he embodied it4 
,i grant it might1 being such a hateful 
thing in the eyes of the ,jews1 have    
come to represent the worst misery of a 
human being2 but would they be ready to 
use as a figure a fact which so sorely  
manifested their slavery8 ,i hardly     
think it4 ,certainly it had not come to 
represent the thing he was now teaching1
 that self-abnegation which he had but  
newly brought to light--nay1 hardly to  
the light yet--only the twilight2 and   
nothing less1 it seems to me1 can have  
suggested the terrible symbol6  ,but we 
must note that1 although the idea of the
 denial of self is an entire and        
absolute one1 yet the thing has to be   
done daily3 we must keep on denying4 ,it
 is a deeper and harder thing than any  
sole effort of most herculean will may  
finally effect4 ,for indeed the will    

itself is not pure1 is not free1 until  
the ,self is absolutely denied4 ,it     
takes long for the water of life that   
flows from the well within us1 to       
permeate every outlying portion of our  
spiritual frame1 subduing everything to 
itself1 making it all of the one kind1  
until at last1 reaching the outermost   
folds of our personality1 it casts out  
disease1 our bodies by indwelling       
righteousness are redeemed1 and the     
creation delivered from the bondage of  
corruption into the liberty of the glory
 of the children of ,god4 ,every day    
till then we have to take up our cross2 
every hour to see that we are carrying  
it4 ,a birthright may be lost for a mess
 of pottage1 and what ,satan calls a    
trifle must be a thing of eternal       
significance4  ,is there not many a     
,christian who1 having begun to deny    
himself1 yet spends much strength in the
 vain and evil endeavour to accommodate 
matters between ,christ and the dear    
,self--seeking to save that which so he 

must certainly lose--in how different a 
way from that in which the ,master would
 have him lose it6 ,it is one thing to  
have the loved self devoured of hell in 
hate and horror and disappointment2     
another to yield it to conscious        
possession by the living ,god himself1  
who will raise it then first and only to
 its true individuality1 freedom1 and   
life4 ,with its cause within it1 then1  
indeed1 it shall be saved6--how then    
should it but live6 ,here is the promise
 to those who will leave all and follow 
him3 ',whosoever shall lose his life1   
for my sake1 the same shall save        
it1'--in ,st4 ,matthew1 'find it4' ,what
 speech of men or angels will serve to  
shadow the dimly glorious hope6 ,to lose
 ourselves in the salvation of ,god's   
heart6 to be no longer any care to      
ourselves1 but know ,god taking divinest
 care of us1 his own6 to be and feel    
just a resting-place for the divine     
love--a branch of the tree of life for  
the dove to alight upon and fold its    

wings6 to be an open air of love1 a     
thoroughfare for the thoughts of ,god   
and all holy creatures6 to know one's   
self by the reflex action of endless    
brotherly presence--yearning after      
nothing from any1 but ever pouring out  
love by the natural motion of the       
spirit6 to revel in the hundredfold of  
everything good we may have had to leave
 for his sake--above all1 in the        
unsought love of those who love us as we
 love them--circling us round1 bathing  
us in bliss--never reached after1 ever  
received1 ever welcomed1 altogether and 
divinely precious6 to know that ,god and
 we mean the same thing1 that we are in 
the secret1 the child's secret of       
existence1 that we are pleasing in the  
eyes and to the heart of the ,father6 to
 live nestling at his knee1 climbing to 
his bosom1 blessed in the mere and      
simple being which is one with ,god1 and
 is the outgoing of his will1 justifying
 the being by the very facts of the     
being1 by its awareness of itself as    

bliss6--what a self is this to receive  
again from him for that we left1        
forsook1 refused6 ,we left it paltry1   
low1 mean2 he took up the poor cinder of
 a consciousness1 carried it back to the
 workshop of his spirit1 made it a true 
thing1 radiant1 clear1 fit for eternal  
companying and indwelling1 and restored 
it to our having and holding for ever6  
,all high things can be spoken only in  
figures2 these figures1 having to do    
with matters too high for them1 cannot  
fit intellectually2 they can be         
interpreted truly1 understood aright1   
only by such as have the spiritual fact 
in themselves4 ,when we speak of a man  
and his soul1 we imply a self and a     
self1 reacting on each other3 we cannot 
divide ourselves so2 the figure suits   
but imperfectly4 ,it was never the      
design of the ,lord to explain things to
 our understanding--nor would that in   
the least have helped our necessity2    
what we require is a means1 a word1     
whereby to think with ourselves of high 

things3 that is what a true figure1 for 
a figure may be true while far from     
perfect1 will always be to us4 ,but the 
imperfection of his figures cannot lie  
in excess4 ,be sure that1 in dealing    
with any truth1 its symbol1 however     
high1 must come short of the glorious   
meaning itself holds4 ,it is the low    
stupidity of an unspiritual nature that 
would interpret the ,lord's meaning as  
less than his symbols4 ,the true soul   
sees1 or will come to see1 that his     
words1 his figures always represent more
 than they are able to present2 for1 as 
the heavens are higher than the earth1  
so are the heavenly things higher than  
the earthly signs of them1 let the signs
 be good as ever sign may be4 ,there is 
no joy belonging to human nature1 as    
,god made it1 that shall not be enhanced
 a hundredfold to the man who gives up  
himself--though1 in so doing1 he may    
seem to be yielding the very essence of 
life4 ,to yield self is to give up      
grasping at things in their second      

causes1 as men call them1 but which are 
merely ,god's means1 and to receive them
 direct from their source--to take them 
seeing whence they come1 and not as if  
they came from nowhere1 because no one  
appears presenting them4 ,the careless  
soul receives the ,father's gifts as if 
it were a way things had of dropping    
into his hand4 ,he thus grants himself a
 slave1 dependent on chance and his own 
blundering endeavour--yet is he ever    
complaining1 as if some one were        
accountable for the checks which meet   
him at every turn4 ,for the good that   
comes to him1 he gives no thanks--who is
 there to thank8 at the disappointments 
that befall him he grumbles--there must 
be some one to blame6 ,he does not think
 to what ,power it could be of any      
consequence1 nay1 what power would not  
be worse than squandered1 to sustain him
 after his own fashion1 in his paltry1  
low-aimed existence6 ,how could a ,god  
pour out his being to uphold the merest 
waste of his creatures8 ,no world could 

ever be built or sustained on such an   
idea4 ,it is the children who shall     
inherit the earth2 such as will not be  
children1 cannot possess4 ,the hour is  
coming when all that art1 all that      
science1 all that nature1 all that      
animal nature1 in ennobling subjugation 
to the higher even as man is subject to 
the ,father1 can afford1 shall be the   
possession1 to the endless delight1 of  
the sons and daughters of ,god3 to him  
to whom he is all in all1 ,god is able  
to give these things2 to another he     
cannot give them1 for he is unable to   
receive them who is outside the truth of
 them4 ,assuredly we are not to love    
,god for the sake of what he can give   
us2 nay1 it is impossible to love him   
save because he is our ,god1 and        
altogether good and beautiful2 but      
neither may we forget what the ,lord    
does not forget1 that1 in the end1 when 
the truth is victorious1 ,god will      
answer his creature in the joy of his   
heart4 ,for what is joy but the harmony 

of the spirit6 ,the good ,father made   
his children to be joyful2 only1 ere    
they can enter into his joy1 they must  
be like himself1 ready to sacrifice joy 
to truth4 ,no promise of such joy is an 
appeal to selfishness4 ,every reward    
held out by ,christ is a pure thing2 nor
 can it enter the soul save as a death  
to selfishness4 ,the heaven of ,christ  
is a loving of all1 a forgetting of     
self1 a dwelling of each in all1 and all
 in each4 ,even in our nurseries1 a     
joyful child is rarely selfish1         
generally righteous4 ,it is not selfish 
to be joyful4 ,what power could prevent 
him who sees the face of ,god from being
 joyful8--that bliss is his which lies  
behind all other bliss1 without which no
 other bliss could ripen or last4 ,the  
one bliss of the universe is the        
presence of ,god--which is simply ,god  
being to the man1 and felt by the man as
 being1 that which in his own nature he 
is--the indwelling power of his life4   
,god must be to his creature what he is 

in himself1 for it is by his essential  
being alone1 that by which he is1 that  
he can create4 ,his presence is the     
unintermittent call and response of the 
creative to the created1 of the father  
to the child4 ,where can be the         
selfishness in being so made happy8 ,it 
may be deep selfishness to refuse to be 
happy4 ,is there selfishness in the     
,lord's seeing of the travail of his    
soul and being satisfied8 ,selfishness  
consists in taking the bliss from       
another2 to find one's bliss in the     
bliss of another is not selfishness4    
,joy is not selfishness2 and the greater
 the joy thus reaped1 the farther is    
that joy removed from selfishness4 ,the 
one bliss1 next to the love of ,god1 is 
the love of our neighbour4 ,if any say1 
',you love because it makes you         
blessed1' ,i deny it3 ',we are blessed1 
,i say1 because we love4' ,no one could 
attain to the bliss of loving his       
neighbour who was selfish and sought    
that bliss from love of himself4 ,love  

is unselfishness4 ,in the main we love  
because we cannot help it4 ,there is no 
merit in it3 how should there be in any 
love8--but neither is it selfish4 ,there
 are many who confound righteousness    
with merit1 and think there is nothing  
righteous where there is nothing        
meritorious4 ',if it makes you happy to 
love1' they say1 'where is your merit8  
,it is only selfishness6' ,there is no  
merit1 ,i reply1 yet the love that is   
born in us is our salvation from        
selfishness4 ,it is of the very essence 
of righteousness4 ,because a thing is   
joyful1 it does not follow that ,i do it
 for the joy of it2 yet when the joy is 
in others1 the joy is pure4 ,that       
certain joys should be joys1 is the very
 denial of selfishness4 ,the man would  
be a demoniacally selfish man1 whom love
 itself did not make joyful4 ,it is     
selfish to enjoy in content beholding   
others lack2 even in the highest        
spiritual bliss1 to sit careless of     
others would be selfishness1 and the    

higher the bliss1 the worse the         
selfishness2 but surely that bliss is   
right altogether of which a great part  
consists in labour that others may share
 it4 ,such1 ,i will not doubt--the      
labour to bring others in to share with 
us1 will be a great part of our heavenly
 content and gladness4 ,the making1 the 
redeeming ,father will find plenty of   
like work for his children to do4 ,dull 
are those1 little at least can they have
 of ,christian imagination1 who think   
that where all are good1 things must be 
dull4 ,it is because there is so little 
good yet in them1 that they know so     
little of the power or beauty of merest 
life divine4 ,let such make haste to be 
true4 ,interest will there be and       
variety enough1 not without pain1 in the
 ministration of help to those yet      
wearily toiling up the heights of       
truth--perhaps yet unwilling to part    
with miserable self1 which cherishing   
they are not yet worth being1 or capable
 of having4  ,some of the things a man  

may have to forsake in following        
,christ1 he has not to forsake because  
of what they are in themselves4 ,neither
 nature1 art1 science1 nor fit society1 
is of those things a man will lose in   
forsaking himself3 they are ,god's1 and 
have no part in the world of evil1 the  
false judgments1 low wishes1 and        
unrealities generally1 that make up the 
conscious life of the self which has to 
be denied3 such will never be restored  
to the man4 ,but in forsaking himself to
 do what ,god requires of him--his true 
work in the world1 that is1 a man may   
find he has to leave some of ,god's     
things--not to repudiate them1 but for  
the time to forsake them1 because they  
draw his mind from the absolute         
necessities of the true life in himself 
or in others4 ,he may have to deny      
himself in leaving them--not as bad     
things1 but as things for which there is
 not room until those of paramount claim
 have been so heeded1 that these will no
 longer impede but further them4 ,then  

he who knows ,god1 will find that       
knowledge open the door of his          
understanding to all things else4 ,he   
will become able to behold them from    
within1 instead of having to search     
wearily into them from without4 ,this   
gave to king ,david more understanding  
than had all his teachers4 ,then will   
the things he has had to leave1 be      
restored to him a hundred fold4 ,so will
 it be in the forsaking of friends4 ,to 
forsake them for ,christ1 is not to     
forsake them as evil4 ,it is not to     
cease to love them1 'for he that loveth 
not his brother whom he hath seen1 how  
can he love ,god whom he hath not seen8'
 it is--not to allow their love to cast 
even a shadow between us and our        
,master2 to be content to lose their    
approval1 their intercourse1 even their 
affection1 where the ,master says one   
thing and they another4 ,it is to learn 
to love them in a far higher1 deeper1   
tenderer1 truer way than before--a way  
which keeps all that was genuine in the 

former way1 and loses all that was      
false4 ,we shall love their selves1 and 
disregard our own4  ,i do not forget the
 word of the ,lord about hating father  
and mother3 ,i have a glimpse of the    
meaning of it1 but dare not attempt     
explaining it now4 ,it is all against   
the self--not against the father and    
mother4  ,there is another kind of      
forsaking that may fall to the lot of   
some1 and which they may find very      
difficult3 the forsaking of such notions
 of ,god and his ,christ as they were   
taught in their youth--which they held1 
nor could help holding1 at such time as 
they began to believe--of which they    
have begun to doubt the truth1 but to   
cast which away seems like parting with 
every assurance of safety4  ,there are  
so-called doctrines long accepted of    
good people1 which how any man can love 
,god and hold1 except indeed by fast    
closing of the spiritual eyes1 ,i find  
it hard to understand4 ,if a man care   
more for opinion than for life1 it is   

not worth any other man's while to      
persuade him to renounce the opinions he
 happens to entertain2 he would but put 
other opinions in the same place of     
honour--a place which can belong to no  
opinion whatever3 it matters nothing    
what such a man may or may not believe1 
for he is not a true man4 ,by holding   
with a school he supposes to be right1  
he but bolsters himself up with the     
worst of all unbelief--opinion calling  
itself faith--unbelief calling itself   
religion4 ,but for him who is in earnest
 about the will of ,god1 it is of       
endless consequence that he should think
 rightly of ,god4 ,he cannot come close 
to him1 cannot truly know his will1     
while his notion of him is in any point 
that of a false god4 ,the thing shows   
itself absurd4 ,if such a man seem to   
himself to be giving up even his former 
assurance of salvation1 in yielding such
 ideas of ,god as are unworthy of ,god1 
he must none the less1 if he will be    
true1 if he would enter into life1 take 

up that cross also4 ,he will come to see
 that he must follow no doctrine1 be it 
true as word of man could state it1 but 
the living ,truth1 the ,master himself4 
,good souls many will one day be        
horrified at the things they now believe
 of ,god4 ,if they have not thought     
about them1 but given themselves to     
obedience1 they may not have done them  
much harm as yet2 but they can make     
little progress in the knowledge of     
,god1 while1 if but passively1 holding  
evil things true of him4 ,if1 on the    
other hand1 they do think about them1   
and find in them no obstruction1 they   
must indeed be far from anything to be  
called a true knowledge of ,god4 ,but   
there are those who find them a terrible
 obstruction1 and yet imagine1 or at    
least fear them true3 such must take    
courage to forsake the false in any     
shape1 to deny their old selves in the  
most seemingly sacred of prejudices1 and
 follow ,jesus1 not as he is presented  
in the tradition of the elders1 but as  

he is presented by himself1 his         
apostles1 and the spirit of truth4      
,there are 'traditions of men' after    
,christ as well as before him1 and far  
worse1 as 'making of none effect' higher
 and better things2 and we have to look 
to it1 how we have learned ,christ4     
,,the ,,truth ,,in ,,jesus4   ',but ye  
did not so learn ,christ2 if so be that 
ye heard him1 and were taught in him1   
even as truth is in ,jesus3 that ye put 
away1 as concerning your former manner  
of life1 the old man1 which waxeth      
corrupt after the lusts of deceit4'     
,footnote3 ,that is1 'which is still    
going to ruin through the love of the   
lie4'--,eph4 iv4 #bj-bb4  ,how have we  
learned ,christ8 ,it ought to be a      
startling thought1 that we may have     
learned him wrong4 ,that must be far    
worse than not to have learned him at   
all3 his place is occupied by a false   
,christ1 hard to exorcise6 ,the point   
is1 whether we have learned ,christ as  
he taught himself1 or as men have taught

 him who thought they understood1 but   
did not understand him4 ,do we think we 
know him--with notions fleshly1 after   
low1 mean human fancies and             
explanations1 or do we indeed know      
him--after the spirit1 in our measure as
 ,god knows him8 ,the ,christian        
religion1 throughout its history1 has   
been open to more corrupt               
misrepresentation than ever the ,jewish 
could be1 for as it is higher and wider1
 so must it yield larger scope to       
corruption3--have we learned ,christ in 
false statements and corrupted lessons  
about him1 or have we learned himself8  
,nay1 true or false1 is only our brain  
full of things concerning him1 or does  
he dwell himself in our hearts1 a       
learnt1 and ever being learnt lesson1   
the power of our life8  ,i have been led
 to what ,i am about to say1 by a       
certain utterance of one in the front   
rank of those who assert that we can    
know nothing of the ',infinite and      
,eternal energy from which all things   

proceed2' and the utterance is this3--  
',the visiting on ,adam's descendants   
through hundreds of generations dreadful
 penalties for a small transgression    
which they did not commit2 the damning  
of all men who do not avail themselves  
of an alleged mode of obtaining         
forgiveness1 which most men have never  
heard of2 and the effecting a           
reconciliation by sacrificing a son who 
was perfectly innocent1 to satisfy the  
assumed necessity for a propitiatory    
victim2 are modes of action which1      
ascribed to a human ruler1 would call   
forth expressions of abhorrence2 and the
 ascription of them to the ,ultimate    
,cause of things1 even not felt to be   
full of difficulties1 must become       
impossible4'  ,i do not quote the       
passage with the design of opposing     
either clause of its statement1 for ,i  
entirely agree with it3 almost it feels 
an absurdity to say so4 ,neither do ,i  
propose addressing a word to the writer 
of it1 or to any who hold with him4 ,the

 passage bears out what ,i have often   
said--that ,i never yet heard a word    
from one of that way of thinking1 which 
even touched anything ,i hold4 ,one of  
my earliest recollections is of         
beginning to be at strife with the false
 system here assailed4 ,such paganism ,i
 scorn as heartily in the name of       
,christ1 as ,i scorn it in the name of  
righteousness4 ,rather than believe a   
single point involving its spirit1 even 
with the assurance thereby of such      
salvation as the system offers1 ,i would
 join the ranks of those who 'know      
nothing1' and set myself with hopeless  
heart to what ,i am now trying with an  
infinite hope in the help of the pure   
originating ,one-- to get rid of my     
miserable mean self1 comforted only by  
the chance that death would either leave
 me without thought more1 or reveal     
something of the ,ultimate ,cause which 
it would not be an insult to him1 or a  
dishonour to his creature1 to hold      
concerning him4 ,even such a chance     

alone might enable one to live4  ,i will
 not now enquire how it comes that the  
writer of the passage quoted seems to   
put forward these so-called beliefs as  
representing ,christianity1 or even the 
creed of those who call themselves      
,christians1 seeing so many1 and some of
 them of higher rank in literature than 
himself1 believing in ,christ with true 
hearts1 believe not one of such things  
as he has set down1 but hold them in at 
least as great abhorrence as he3 his    
answer would probably be1 that1 even had
 he been aware of such being the fact1  
what he had to deal with was the forming
 and ruling notions of religious        
society2--and that such are the things  
held by the bulk of both educated and   
uneducated calling themselves           
,christians1 however many of them may   
vainly think by an explanatory clause   
here and there to turn away the         
opprobrium of their falsehood1 while    
they remain virtually the same--that    
such are the things so held1 ,i am1     

alas6 unable to deny4 ,it helps nothing1
 ,i repeat1 that many1 thinking little  
on the matter1 use quasi mitigated forms
 to express their tenets1 and imagine   
that so they indicate a different class 
of ideas3 it would require but a brief  
examination to be convinced that they   
are not merely analogous--they are      
ultimately identical4  ,but had ,i to do
 with the writer1 ,i should ask how it  
comes that1 refusing these dogmas as    
abominable1 and in themselves plainly   
false1 yet knowing that they are        
attributed to men whose teaching has    
done more to civilize the world than    
that of any men besides--how it comes   
that1 seeing such teaching as this could
 not have done so1 he has not taken such
 pains of enquiry as must surely have   
satisfied a man of his faculty that such
 was not their teaching2 that it was    
indeed so different1 and so good1 that  
even the forced companionship of such   
horrible lies as those he has recounted1
 has been unable to destroy its         

regenerative power4 ,i suppose he will  
allow that there was a man named ,jesus1
 who died for the truth he taught3 can  
he believe he died for such alleged     
truth as that8 ,would it not be well1 ,i
 would ask him1 to enquire what he did  
really teach1 according to the primary  
sources of our knowledge of him8 ,if he 
answered that the question was          
uninteresting to him1 ,i should have no 
more to say2 nor did ,i now start to    
speak of him save with the object of    
making my position plain to those to    
whom ,i would speak--those1 namely1 who 
call themselves ,christians4  ,if of    
them ,i should ask1 ',how comes it that 
such opinions are held concerning the   
,holy ,one1 whose ways you take upon you
 to set forth8' ,i should be met by most
 with the answer1 ',those are the things
 he tells us himself in his word2 we    
have learned them from the ,scriptures2'
 by many with explanations which seem to
 them so to explain the things that they
 are no longer to be reprobated2 and by 

others with the remark that better      
ideas1 though largely held1 had not yet 
had time to show themselves as the      
belief of the thinkers of the nation4   
,of those whose presentation of         
,christian doctrine is represented in   
the quotation above1 there are two      
classes--such as are content it should  
be so1 and such to whom those things are
 grievous1 but who do not see how to get
 rid of them4 ,to the latter it may be  
some little comfort to have one who has 
studied the ,new ,testament for many    
years and loves it beyond the power of  
speech to express1 declare to them his  
conviction that there is not an atom of 
such teaching in the whole lovely1      
divine utterance2 that such things are  
all and altogether the invention of     
men--honest invention1 in part at least1
 ,i grant1 but yet not true4 ,thank     
,god1 we are nowise bound to accept any 
man's explanation of ,god's ways and    
,god's doings1 however good the man may 
be1 if it do not commend itself to our  

conscience4 ,the man's conscience may be
 a better conscience than ours1 and his 
judgment clearer2 nothing the more can  
we accept while we cannot see good3 to  
do so would be to sin4  ,but it is by no
 means my object to set forth what ,i   
believe or do not believe2 a time may   
come for that2 my design is now very    
different indeed4 ,i desire to address  
those who call themselves ,christians1  
and expostulate with them thus3--       
,whatever be your opinions on the       
greatest of all subjects1 is it well    
that the impression with regard to      
,christianity made upon your generation1
 should be that of your opinions1 and   
not of something beyond opinion8 ,is    
,christianity capable of being          
represented by opinion1 even the best8  
,if it were1 how many of us are such as 
,god would choose to represent his      
thoughts and intents by our opinions    
concerning them8 ,who is there of his   
friends whom any thoughtful man would   
depute to represent his thoughts to his 

fellows8 ,if you answer1 ',the opinions 
,i hold and by which ,i represent       
,christianity1 are those of the ,bible1'
 ,i reply1 that none can understand1    
still less represent1 the opinions of   
another1 but such as are of the same    
mind with him-- certainly none who      
mistake his whole scope and intent so   
far as in supposing opinion to be the   
object of any writer in the ,bible4 ,is 
,christianity a system of articles of   
belief1 let them be correct as language 
can give them8 ,never4 ,so far am ,i    
from believing it1 that ,i would rather 
have a man holding1 as numbers of you   
do1 what seem to me the most obnoxious  
untruths1 opinions the most irreverent  
and gross1 if at the same time he lived 
in the faith of the ,son of ,god1 that  
is1 trusted in ,god as the ,son of ,god 
trusted in him1 than ,i would have a man
 with every one of whose formulas of    
belief ,i utterly coincided1 but who    
knew nothing of a daily life and walk   
with ,god4 ,the one1 holding doctrines  

of devils1 is yet a child of ,god2 the  
other1 holding the doctrines of ,christ 
and his ,apostles1 is of the world1 yea1
 of the devil4  ',how6 a man hold the   
doctrine of devils1 and yet be of ,god8'
  ,yes2 for to hold a thing with the    
intellect1 is not to believe it4 ,a     
man's real belief is that which he lives
 by2 and that which the man ,i mean     
lives by1 is the love of ,god1 and      
obedience to his law1 so far as he has  
recognized it4 ,those hideous doctrines 
are outside of him2 he thinks they are  
inside1 but no matter2 they are not     
true1 and they cannot really be inside  
any good man4 ,they are sadly against   
him2 for he cannot love to dwell upon   
any of those supposed characteristics of
 his ,god2 he acts and lives            
nevertheless in a measure like the true 
,god4 ,what a man believes1 is the thing
 he does4 ,this man would shrink with   
loathing from actions such as he thinks 
,god justified in doing2 like ,god1 he  
loves and helps and saves4 ,will the    

living ,god let such a man's opinions   
damn him8 ,no more than he will let the 
correct opinions of another1 who lives  
for himself1 save him4 ,the best        
salvation even the latter could give    
would be but damnation4 ,what ,i come to
 and insist upon is1 that1 supposing    
your theories right1 and containing all 
that is to be believed1 yet those       
theories are not what makes you         
,christians1 if ,christians indeed you  
are4 ,on the contrary1 they are1 with   
not a few of you1 just what keeps you   
from being ,christians4 ,for when you   
say that1 to be saved1 a man must hold  
this or that1 then are you leaving the  
living ,god and his will1 and putting   
trust in some notion about him or his   
will4 ,to make my meaning clearer1--some
 of you say we must trust in the        
finished work of ,christ2 or again1 our 
faith must be in the merits of          
,christ--in the atonement he has        
made--in the blood he has shed3 all     
these statements are a simple           

repudiation of the living ,lord1 in whom
 we are told to believe1 who1 by his    
presence with and in us1 and our        
obedience to him1 lifts us out of       
darkness into light1 leads us from the  
kingdom of ,satan into the glorious     
liberty of the sons of ,god4 ,no manner 
or amount of belief about him is the    
faith of the ,new ,testament4 ,with such
 teaching ,i have had a lifelong        
acquaintance1 and declare it most       
miserably false4 ,but ,i do not now mean
 to dispute against it2 except the light
 of the knowledge of the glory of ,god  
in the face of ,christ ,jesus make a man
 sick of his opinions1 he may hold them 
to doomsday for me2 for no opinion1 ,i  
repeat1 is ,christianity1 and no        
preaching of any plan of salvation is   
the preaching of the glorious gospel of 
the living ,god4 ,even if your plan1    
your theories1 were absolutely true1 the
 holding of them with sincerity1 the    
trusting in this or that about ,christ1 
or in anything he did or could do1 the  

trusting in anything but himself1 his   
own living self1 is a delusion4 ,many   
will grant this heartily1 and yet the   
moment you come to talk with them1 you  
find they insist that to believe in     
,christ is to believe in the atonement1 
meaning by that only and altogether     
their special theory about the          
atonement2 and when you say we must     
believe in the atoning ,christ1 and     
cannot possibly believe in any theory   
concerning the atonement1 they go away  
and denounce you1 saying1 ',he does not 
believe in the atonement6' ,if ,i       
explain the atonement otherwise than    
they explain it1 they assert that ,i    
deny the atonement2 nor count it of any 
consequence that ,i say ,i believe in   
the atoner with my whole heart1 and     
soul1 and strength1 and mind4 ,this they
 call contending for the truth6 ,because
 ,i refuse an explanation which is not  
in the ,new ,testament1 though they     
believe it is1 because they can think of
 no other1 one which seems to me as     

false in logic as detestable in morals1 
not to say that there is no spirituality
 in it whatever1 therefore ,i am not a  
,christian6 ,what wonder men such as ,i 
have quoted refuse the ,christianity    
they suppose such 'believers' to        
represent6 ,i do not say that with this 
sad folly may not mingle a potent faith 
in the ,lord himself2 but ,i do say that
 the importance they place on theory is 
even more sadly obstructive to true     
faith than such theories themselves3    
while the mind is occupied in enquiring1
  ',do ,i believe or feel this thing    
right8'--the true question is forgotten3
 ',have ,i left all to follow him8' ,to 
the man who gives himself to the living 
,lord1 every belief will necessarily    
come right2 the ,lord himself will see  
that his disciple believe aright        
concerning him4 ,if a man cannot trust  
him for this1 what claim can he make to 
faith in him8 ,it is because he has     
little or no faith1 that he is left     
clinging to preposterous and            

dishonouring ideas1 the traditions of   
men concerning his ,father1 and neither 
his teaching nor that of his apostles4  
,the living ,christ is to them but a    
shadow2 the all but obliterated ,christ 
of their theories no soul can thoroughly
 believe in3 the disciple of such a     
,christ rests on his work1 or his       
merits1 or his atonement6  ,what ,i     
insist upon is1 that a man's faith shall
 be in the living1 loving1 ruling1      
helping ,christ1 devoted to us as much  
as ever he was1 and with all the powers 
of the ,godhead for the salvation of his
 brethren4 ,it is not faith that he did 
this1 that his work wrought that--it is 
faith in the man who did and is doing   
everything for us that will save him3   
without this he cannot work to heal     
spiritually1 any more than he would heal
 physically1 when he was present to the 
eyes of men4 ,do you ask1 ',what is     
faith in him8' ,i answer1 ,the leaving  
of your way1 your objects1 your self1   
and the taking of his and him2 the      

leaving of your trust in men1 in money1 
in opinion1 in character1 in atonement  
itself1 and doing as he tells you4 ,i   
can find no words strong enough to serve
 for the weight of this necessity--this 
obedience4 ,it is the one terrible      
heresy of the church1 that it has always
 been presenting something else than    
obedience as faith in ,christ4 ,the work
 of ,christ is not the ,working ,christ1
 any more than the clothing of ,christ  
is the body of ,christ4 ,if the woman   
who touched the hem of his garment had  
trusted in the garment and not in him   
who wore it1 would she have been healed8
 ,and the reason that so many who       
believe about ,christ rather than in    
him1 get the comfort they do1 is that1  
touching thus the mere hem of his       
garment1 they cannot help believing a   
little in the live man inside the       
garment4 ,it is not wonderful that such 
believers should so often be miserable2 
they lay themselves down to sleep with  
nothing but the skirt of his robe in    

their hand--a robe too1 ,i say1 that    
never was his1 only by them is supposed 
his--when they might sleep in peace with
 the living ,lord in their hearts4      
,instead of so knowing ,christ that they
 have him in them saving them1 they lie 
wasting themselves in soul-sickening    
self-examination as to whether they are 
believers1 whether they are really      
trusting in the atonement1 whether they 
are truly sorry for their sins--the way 
to madness of the brain1 and despair of 
the heart4 ,some even ponder the        
imponderable-- whether they are of the  
elect1 whether they have an interest in 
the blood shed for sin1 whether theirs  
is a saving faith--when all the time the
 man who died for them is waiting to    
begin to save them from every evil--and 
first from this self which is consuming 
them with trouble about its salvation2  
he will set them free1 and take them    
home to the bosom of the ,father--if    
only they will mind what he says to     
them--which is the beginning1 middle1   

and end of faith4 ,if1 instead of       
searching into the mysteries of         
corruption in their own charnel-houses1 
they would but awake and arise from the 
dead1 and come out into the light which 
,christ is waiting to give them1 he     
would begin at once to fill them with   
the fulness of ,god4  ',but ,i do not   
know how to awake and arise6'  ,i will  
tell you3--,get up1 and do something the
 master tells you2 so make yourself his 
disciple at once4 ,instead of asking    
yourself whether you believe or not1 ask
 yourself whether you have this day done
 one thing because he said1 ,do it1 or  
once abstained because he said1 ,do not 
do it4 ,it is simply absurd to say you  
believe1 or even want to believe in him1
 if you do not anything he tells you4   
,if you can think of nothing he ever    
said as having had an atom of influence 
on your doing or not doing1 you have too
 good ground to consider yourself no    
disciple of his4 ,do not1 ,i pray you1  
worse than waste your time in trying to 

convince yourself that you are his      
disciple notwithstanding--that for this 
reason or that you still have cause to  
think you believe in him4 ,what though  
you should succeed in persuading        
yourself to absolute certainty that you 
are his disciple1 if1 after all1 he say 
to you1 ',why did you not do the things 
,i told you8 ,depart from me2 ,i do not 
know you6' ,instead of trying to        
persuade yourself1 if the thing be true 
you can make it truer2 if it be not     
true1 you can begin at once to make it  
true1 to be a disciple of the ,living   
,one--by obeying him in the first thing 
you can think of in which you are not   
obeying him4 ,we must learn to obey him 
in everything1 and so must begin        
somewhere3 let it be at once1 and in the
 very next thing that lies at the door  
of our conscience6 ,oh fools and slow of
 heart1 if you think of nothing but     
,christ1 and do not set yourselves to do
 his words6 you but build your houses on
 the sand4 ,what have such teachers not 

to answer for who have turned your      
regard away from the direct words of the
 ,lord himself1 which are spirit and    
life1 to contemplate plans of salvation 
tortured out of the words of his        
apostles1 even were those plans as true 
as they are false6 ,there is but one    
plan of salvation1 and that is to       
believe in the ,lord ,jesus ,christ2    
that is1 to take him for what he is--our
 master1 and his words as if he meant   
them1 which assuredly he did4 ,to do his
 words is to enter into vital relation  
with him1 to obey him is the only way to
 be one with him4 ,the relation between 
him and us is an absolute one2 it can   
nohow begin to live but in obedience3 it
 is obedience4 ,there can be no truth1  
no reality1 in any initiation of        
atonement with him1 that is not         
obedience4 ,what6 have ,i the poorest   
notion of a ,god1 and dare think of     
entering into relations with him1 the   
very first of which is not that what he 
saith1 ,i will do8 ,the thing is        

eternally absurd1 and comes of the      
father of lies4 ,i know what he whispers
 to those to whom such teaching as this 
is distasteful3 ',it is the doctrine of 
works6' ,but one word of the ,lord      
humbly heard and received will suffice  
to send all the demons of false theology
 into the abyss4 ,he says the man that  
does not do the things he tells him1    
builds his house to fall in utter ruin4 
,he instructs his messengers to go and  
baptize all nations1 'teaching them to  
observe all things whatsoever ,i have   
commanded you4' ,tell me it is faith he 
requires3 do ,i not know it8 and is not 
faith the highest act of which the human
 mind is capable8 ,but faith in what8   
,faith in what he is1 in what he says--a
 faith which can have no existence      
except in obedience--a faith which is   
obedience4 ,to do what he wishes is to  
put forth faith in him4 ,for this the   
teaching of men has substituted this or 
that belief about him1 faith in this or 
that supposed design of his             

manifestation in the flesh4 ,it was     
himself1 and ,god in him that he        
manifested2 but faith in him and his    
father thus manifested1 they make       
altogether secondary to acceptance of   
the paltry contrivance of a juggling    
morality1 which they attribute to ,god  
and his ,christ1 imagining it the       
atonement1 and 'the plan of salvation4' 
',do you put faith in him1' ,i ask1 'or 
in the doctrines and commandments of    
men8' ,if you say ',in him1'--',is it   
then possible1' ,i return1 'that you do 
not see that1 above all things and all  
thoughts1 you are bound to obey him8'   
,do you not mourn that you cannot trust 
in him as you would1 that you find it   
too hard8 ,too hard it is for you1 and  
too hard it will remain1 while the      
things he tells you to do--the things   
you can do--even those you will not try6
 ,how should you be capable of trusting 
in the true one while you are nowise    
true to him8 ,how are you to believe he 
will do his part by you1 while you are  

not such as to do your part by him8 ,how
 are you to believe while you are not   
faithful8 ,how1 ,i say1 should you be   
capable of trusting in him8 ,the very   
thing to make you able to trust in him1 
and so receive all things from him1 you 
turn your back upon3 obedience you      
decline1 or at least neglect4 ,you say  
you do not refuse to obey him8 ,i care  
not whether you refuse or not1 while you
 do not obey4 ,remember the parable3 ',i
 go1 sir1 and went not4' ,what have you 
done this day because it was the will of
 ,christ8 ,have you dismissed1 once     
dismissed1 an anxious thought for the   
morrow8 ,have you ministered to any     
needy soul or body1 and kept your right 
hand from knowing what your left hand   
did8 ,have you begun to leave all and   
follow him8 ,did you set yourself to    
judge righteous judgment8 ,are you being
 ware of covetousness8 ,have you        
forgiven your enemy8 ,are you seeking   
the kingdom of ,god and his             
righteousness before all other things8  

,are you hungering and thirsting after  
righteousness8 ,have you given to some  
one that asked of you8 ,tell me         
something that you have done1 are doing1
 or are trying to do because he told    
you4 ,if you do nothing that he says1 it
 is no wonder that you cannot trust in  
him1 and are therefore driven to seek   
refuge in the atonement1 as if something
 he had done1 and not he himself in his 
doing were the atonement4 ,that is not  
as you understand it8 ,what does it     
matter how you understand1 or what you  
understand1 so long as you are not of   
one mind with the ,truth1 so long as you
 and ,god are not at one1 do not atone  
together8 ,how should you understand8   
,knowing that you do not heed his word1 
why should ,i heed your explanation of  
it8 ,you do not his will1 and so you    
cannot understand him2 you do not know  
him1 that is why you cannot trust in    
him4 ,you think your common sense enough
 to let you know what he means8 ,your   
common sense ought to be enough to know 

itself unequal to the task4 ,it is the  
heart of the child that alone can       
understand the ,father4 ,would you have 
me think you guilty of the sin against  
the ,holy ,ghost--that you understand   
,jesus ,christ and yet will not obey    
him8 ,that were too dreadful4 ,i believe
 you do not understand him4 ,no man can 
do yet what he tells him aright--but are
 you trying8 ,obedience is not          
perfection1 but trying4 ,you count him a
 hard master1 and will not stir4 ,do you
 suppose he ever gave a commandment     
knowing it was of no use for it could   
not be done8 ,he tells us a thing       
knowing that we must do it1 or be lost2 
that not his ,father himself could save 
us but by getting us at length to do    
everything he commands1 for not         
otherwise can we know life1 can we learn
 the holy secret of divine being4 ,he   
knows that you can try1 and that in your
 trying and failing he will be able to  
help you1 until at length you shall do  
the will of ,god even as he does it     

himself4 ,he takes the will in the      
imperfect deed1 and makes the deed at   
last perfect4 ,correctest notions       
without obedience are worthless4 ,the   
doing of the will of ,god is the way to 
oneness with ,god1 which alone is       
salvation4 ,sitting at the gate of      
heaven1 sitting on the footstool of the 
throne itself1 yea1 clasping the knees  
of the ,father1 you could not be at     
peace1 except in their every vital      
movement1 in every their smallest point 
of consciousness1 your heart1 your soul1
 your mind1 your brain1 your body1 were 
one with the living ,god4 ,if you had   
one brooding thought that was not a joy 
in him1 you would not be at peace2 if   
you had one desire you could not leave  
absolutely to his will you would not be 
at peace2 you would not be saved1       
therefore could not feel saved4 ,god1   
all and in all1 ours to the fulfilling  
of our very being1 is the religion of   
the perfect1 son-hearted ,lord ,christ4 
,well do ,i know it is faith that saves 

us--but not faith in any work of        
,god--it is faith in ,god himself4 ,if  
,i did not believe ,god as good as the  
tenderest human heart1 the fairest1 the 
purest1 the most unselfish human heart  
could imagine him1 yea1 an infinitude   
better1 higher than we as the heavens   
are higher than the earth--believe it1  
not as a proposition1 or even as a thing
 ,i was convinced of1 but with the      
responsive condition and being of my    
whole nature2 if ,i did not feel every  
fibre of heart and brain and body safe  
with him because he is the ,father who  
made me that ,i am--,i would not be     
saved1 for this faith is salvation2 it  
is ,god and the man one4 ,god and man   
together1 the vital energy flowing      
unchecked from the creator into his     
creature--that is the salvation of the  
creature4 ,but the poorest faith in the 
living ,god1 the ,god revealed in       
,christ ,jesus1 if it be vital1 true1   
that is obedient1 is the beginning of   
the way to know him1 and to know him is 

eternal life4 ,if you mean by faith     
anything of a different kind1 that faith
 will not save you4 ,a faith1 for       
instance1 that ,god does not forgive me 
because he loves me1 but because he     
loves ,jesus ,christ1 cannot save me1   
because it is a falsehood against ,god3 
if the thing were true1 such a gospel   
would be the preaching of a ,god that   
was not love1 therefore in whom was no  
salvation1 a ,god to know whom could not
 be eternal life4 ,such a faith would   
damn1 not save a man2 for it would bind 
him to a ,god who was anything but      
perfect4 ,such assertions going by the  
name of ,christianity1 are nothing but  
the poor remnants of paganism2 and it is
 only with that part of our nature not  
yet ,christian that we are able to      
believe them--so far indeed as it is    
possible a lie should be believed4 ,we  
must forsake all our fears and distrusts
 for ,christ4 ,we must receive his      
teaching heartily1 nor let the          
interpretation of it attributed to his  

apostles make us turn aside from it4 ,i 
say interpretation attributed to them2  
for what they teach is never against    
what ,christ taught1 though very often  
the exposition of it is--and that from  
no fault in the apostles1 but from the  
grievous fault of those who would       
understand1 and even explain1 rather    
than obey4 ,we may be sure of this1 that
 no man will be condemned for any sin   
that is past2 that1 if he be condemned1 
it will be because he would not come to 
the light when the light came to him2   
because he would not cease to do evil   
and learn to do well2 because he hid his
 unbelief in the garment of a false     
faith1 and would not obey2 because he   
imputed to himself a righteousness that 
was not his2 because he preferred       
imagining himself a worthy person1 to   
confessing himself everywhere in the    
wrong1 and repenting4 ,we may be sure   
also of this1 that1 if a man becomes the
 disciple of ,christ1 he will not leave 
him in ignorance as to what he has to   

believe2 he shall know the truth of     
everything it is needful for him to     
understand4 ,if we do what he tells us1 
his light will go up in our hearts4     
,till then we could not understand even 
if he explained to us4 ,if you cannot   
trust him to let you know what is right1
 but think you must hold this or that   
before you can come to him1 then ,i     
justify your doubts in what you call    
your worst times1 but which ,i suspect  
are your best times in which you come   
nearest to the truth--those1 namely1 in 
which you fear you have no faith4  ,so  
long as a man will not set himself to   
obey the word spoken1 the word written1 
the word printed1 the word read1 of the 
,lord ,christ1 ,i would not take the    
trouble to convince him concerning the  
most obnoxious doctrines that they were 
false as hell4 ,it is those who would   
fain believe1 but who by such doctrines 
are hindered1 whom ,i would help4       
,disputation about things but hides the 
living ,christ who alone can teach the  

truth1 who is the truth1 and the        
knowledge of whom is life2 ,i write for 
the sake of those whom the false        
teaching that claims before all to be   
true has driven away from ,god--as well 
it might1 for the ,god so taught is not 
a ,god worthy to be believed in4 ,a     
stick1 or a stone1 or a devil1 is all   
that some of our brethren of mankind    
have to believe in3 he who believes in a
 ,god not altogether unselfish and good1
 a ,god who does not do all he can for  
his creatures1 belongs to the same      
class2 his is not the ,god who made the 
heaven and the earth and the sea and the
 fountains of water--not the ,god       
revealed in ,christ4 ,if a man see in   
,god any darkness at all1 and especially
 if he defend that darkness1 attempting 
to justify it as one who respects the   
person of ,god1 ,i cannot but think his 
blindness must have followed his mockery
 of ',lord6 ,lord6' ,surely1 if he had  
been strenuously obeying ,jesus1 he     
would ere now have received the truth   

that ,god is light1 and in him is no    
darkness--a truth which is not          
acknowledged by calling the darkness    
attributed to him light1 and the candle 
of the ,lord in the soul of man         
darkness4 ,it is one thing to believe   
that ,god can do nothing wrong1 quite   
another to call whatever presumption may
 attribute to him right4  ,the whole    
secret of progress is the doing of the  
thing we know4 ,there is no other way of
 progress in the spiritual life2 no     
other way of progress in the            
understanding of that life3 only as we  
do1 can we know4  ,is there then        
anything you will not leave for ,christ8
 ,you cannot know him--and yet he is the
 ,truth1 the one thing alone that can be
 known6 ,do you not care to be          
imperfect8 would you rather keep this or
 that1 with imperfection1 than part with
 it to be perfect8 ,you cannot know     
,christ1 for the very principle of his  
life was the simple absolute relation of
 realities2 his one idea was to be a    

perfect child to his ,father4 ,he who   
will not part with all for ,christ1 is  
not worthy of him1 and cannot know him2 
and the ,lord is true1 and cannot       
acknowledge him3 how could he receive to
 his house1 as one of his kind1 a man   
who prefers something to his ,father2 a 
man who is not for ,god2 a man who will 
strike a bargain with ,god1 and say1 ',i
 will give up so much1 if thou wilt     
spare me'6 ,to yield all to him who has 
only made us and given us everything1   
yea his very self by life and by death1 
such a man counts too much4 ,his conduct
 says1 ',i never asked thee to do so    
much for me1 and ,i cannot make the     
return thou demandest4' ,the man will   
have to be left to himself4 ,he must    
find what it is to be without ,god6     
,those who know ,god1 or have but begun 
to catch a far-off glimmer of his       
gloriousness1 of what he is1 regard life
 as insupportable save ,god be the ,all 
in all1 the first and the last4  ,to let
 their light shine1 not to force on them

 their interpretations of ,god's        
designs1 is the duty of ,christians     
towards their fellows4 ,if you who set  
yourselves to explain the theory of     
,christianity1 had set yourselves       
instead to do the will of the ,master1  
the one object for which the ,gospel was
 preached to you1 how different would   
now be the condition of that portion of 
the world with which you come into      
contact6 ,had you given yourselves to   
the understanding of his word that you  
might do it1 and not to the quarrying   
from it of material wherewith to        
buttress your systems1 in many a heart  
by this time would the name of the ,lord
 be loved where now it remains unknown4 
,the word of life would then by you have
 been held out indeed4 ,men1 undeterred 
by your explanations of ,christianity1  
for you would not be forcing them on    
their acceptance1 and attracted by your 
behaviour1 would be saying to each      
other1 as ,moses said to himself when he
 saw the bush that burned with fire and 

was not consumed1 ',i will now turn     
aside and see this great sight6' they   
would be drawing nigh to behold how     
these ,christians loved one another1 and
 how just and fair they were to every   
one that had to do with them6 to note   
that their goods were the best1 their   
weight surest1 their prices most        
reasonable1 their word most certain6    
that in their families was neither      
jealousy nor emulation6 that mammon was 
not there worshipped6 that in their     
homes selfishness was neither the hidden
 nor the openly ruling principle2 that  
their children were as diligently taught
 to share1 as some are to save1 or to   
lay out only upon self--their mothers   
more anxious lest a child should hoard  
than lest he should squander2 that in no
 house of theirs was religion one thing1
 and the daily life another2 that the   
ecclesiastic did not think first of his 
church1 nor the peer of his privileges4 
,what do ,i hear you say8--',how then   
shall the world go on8' ,the ,lord's    

world will go on1 and that without you2 
the devil's world will go on1 and that  
with you4 ,the objection is but another 
and overwhelming proof of your unbelief4
 ,either you do not believe the word the
 ,lord spake-- that1 if we seek first   
the kingdom of ,god and his             
righteousness1 all things needful will  
be added to us2 or what he undertakes   
does not satisfy you2 it is not enough2 
you want more2 you prefer the offers of 
,mammon4 ,you are nowise anxious to be  
saved from the too-much that is a snare2
 you want what you call a fortune--the  
freedom of the world4 ,you would not    
live under such restrictions as the     
,lord might choose to lay upon you if he
 saw that something might be made of you
 precious in his sight6 ,you would      
inherit the earth1 and not by meekness2 
you would have the life of this world   
sweet1 come of the life eternal1 the    
life that ,god shares with you1 what    
may3 so much as that comes to1 you would
 gladly leave ,god to look after1 if    

only you might be sure of not sharing   
with the rich man when you die4 ,but you
 find that1 unable to trust him for this
 world1 neither can you trust him for   
the world to come4 ,refusing to obey him
 in your life1 how can you trust him for
 your life8 ,hence the various          
substitutes you seek for faith in him3  
you would hold him to his word1 bind him
 by his promises1 appeal to the         
atonement1 to the satisfaction made to  
his justice1 as you call it--while you  
will take no trouble to fulfil the      
absolutely reasonable and necessary     
condition1 yea1 morally and spiritually 
imperative condition--condition and     
means in one--on which he offers1 and   
through which alone he can offer you    
deliverance from the burden of life into
 the strength and glory of life--that   
you shall be true1 and to him obedient  
children4 ,you say ',christ has         
satisfied the law1' but you will not    
satisfy him6 ,he says1 ',come unto me1' 
and you will not rise and go to him4    

,you say1 ',lord ,i believe2 help mine  
unbelief1' but when he says1 ',leave    
everything behind you1 and be as ,i am  
towards ,god1 and you shall have peace  
and rest1' you turn away1 muttering     
about figurative language4 ,if you had  
been true1 had been living the life1 had
 been ,christians indeed1 you would1    
however little1 have drawn the world    
after you4 ,in your churches you would  
be receiving truest nourishment1 yea    
strength to live--thinking far less of  
serving ,god on the ,sunday1 and far    
more of serving your neighbour in the   
week4 ,the sociable vile1 the masterful 
rich1 the deceitful trader1 the         
ambitious poor1 whom you have attracted 
to your communities with the offer of a 
salvation other than deliverance from   
sin1 would not be lording it over them  
and dragging them down2 they would be   
the cleaner and the stronger for their  
absence2 while the publicans and the    
sinners would have been drawn instead1  
and turned into true men and women2 and 

the ,israelite indeed1 who is yet more  
repelled by your general worldliness    
than by your misrepresentations of ,god1
 showing him selfish like yourselves who
 is the purity of the creation-- the    
,israelite in whom is no guile would    
have hastened to the company of the     
loving men and true1 eager to learn what
 it was that made them so good1 so      
happy1 so unselfish1 so free of care1 so
 ready to die1 so willing to live1 so   
hopeful1 so helpful1 so careless to     
possess1 so undeferential to possession4
 ,finding you to hold1 from the         
traditional force of false teaching1    
such things as you do1 he would have    
said1 ',no6 such beliefs can never      
account for such mighty results6' ,you  
would have answered1 ',search the       
,scriptures and see4' ,he would have    
searched1 and found--not indeed the     
things you imagine there1 but things    
infinitely better and higher1 things    
that indeed account for the result he   
wondered at2 he would have found such   

truth as he who has found will hold for 
ever as the only gladness of his being4 
,there you would have had your reward   
for being true ,christians in spite of  
the evil doctrines you had been taught  
and teaching3 you would have been taught
 in return the truth of the matter by   
him whom your true ,christianity had    
enticed to itself1 and sent to the      
fountainhead free of the prejudices that
 disabled your judgment4 ,thus delivered
 from the false notions which could not 
fail to have stunted your growth        
hitherto1 how rapid would it not have   
become6  ,if any of you tell me my      
doctrine is presumptuous1 that it is    
contrary to what is taught in the ,new  
,testament1 and what the best of men    
have always believed1 ,i will not       
therefore proceed to defend even my     
beliefs1 the principles on which ,i try 
to live--how much less my opinions6 ,i  
appeal to you instead1 whether or not ,i
 have spoken the truth concerning our   
paramount obligation to do the word of  

,christ4 ,if you answer that ,i have    
not1 ,i have nothing more to say2 there 
is no other ground on which we can meet4
 ,but if you allow that it is a prime1  
even if you do not allow it the prime   
duty1 then what ,i insist upon is1 that 
you should do it1 so and not otherwise  
recommending the knowledge of him4 ,i do
 not attempt to change your opinions2 if
 they are wrong1 the obedience alone on 
which ,i insist can enable you to set   
them right2 ,i only pray you to obey1   
and assert that thus only can you fit   
yourselves for understanding the mind of
 ,christ4 ,i say none but he who does   
right1 can think right2 you cannot know 
,christ to be right until you do as he  
does1 as he tells you to do2 neither can
 you set him forth1 until you know him  
as he means himself to be known1 that   
is1 as he is4 ,if you are serving and   
trusting in ,mammon1 how can you know   
the living ,god who1 the source of life1
 is alone to be trusted in6 ,if you do  
not admit that it is the duty of a man  

to do the word of ,christ1 or if1       
admitting the duty1 you yet do not care 
to perform it1 why should ,i care to    
convince you that my doctrine is right8 
,what is it to any true man what you    
think of his doctrine8 ,what does it    
matter what you think of any doctrine8  
,if ,i could convince your judgment1    
your hearts remaining as they are1 ,i   
should but add to your condemnation4    
,the true heart must see at once1 that1 
however wrong ,i may or may not be in   
other things1 at least ,i am right in   
this1 that ,jesus must be obeyed1 and at
 once obeyed1 in the things he did say3 
it will not long imagine to obey him in 
things he did not say4 ,if a man do what
 is unpleasing to ,christ1 believing it 
his will1 he shall yet gain thereby1 for
 it gives the ,lord a hold of him1 which
 he will use2 but before he can reach   
liberty1 he must be delivered from that 
falsehood4 ,for him who does not choose 
to see that ,christ must be obeyed1 he  
must be left to the teaching of the     

,father1 who brings all that hear and   
learn of him to ,christ1 that they may  
learn what he is who has taught them and
 brought them4 ,he will leave no man to 
his own way1 however much he may prefer 
it4 ,the ,lord did not die to provide a 
man with the wretched heaven he may     
invent for himself1 or accept invented  
for him by others2 he died to give him  
life1 and bring him to the heaven of the
 ,father's peace2 the children must     
share in the essential bliss of the     
,father and the ,son4 ,this is and has  
been the ,father's work from the        
beginning--to bring us into the home of 
his heart1 where he shares the glories  
of life with the ,living ,one1 in whom  
was born life to light men back to the  
original life4 ,this is our destiny2 and
 however a man may refuse1 he will find 
it hard to fight with ,god--useless to  
kick against the goads of his love4 ,for
 the ,father is goading him1 or will    
goad him1 if needful1 into life by      
unrest and trouble2 hell-fire will have 

its turn if less will not do3 can any   
need it more than such as will neither  
enter the kingdom of heaven themselves1 
nor suffer them to enter it that would8 
,the old race of the ,pharisees is by no
 means extinct2 they were ,st ,paul's   
great trouble1 and are yet to be found  
in every religious community under the  
sun4  ,the one only thing truly to      
reconcile all differences is1 to walk in
 the light4 ,so ,st ,paul teaches us in 
his epistle to the ,philippians1 the    
third chapter and sixteenth verse4      
,after setting forth the loftiest idea  
of human endeavour in declaring the     
summit of his own aspiration1 he        
says--not1 ',this must be your endeavour
 also1 or you cannot be saved2' but1    
',if in anything ye be otherwise minded1
 ,god shall reveal even this unto you4  
,nevertheless whereto we have already   
attained1 let us walk by that same4'    
,observe what widest conceivable scope  
is given by the apostle to honest       
opinion1 even in things of grandest     

import6--the one only essential point   
with him is1 that whereto we have       
attained1 what we have seen to be true1 
we walk by that4 ,in such walking1 and  
in such walking only1 love will grow1   
truth will grow2 the soul1 then first in
 its genuine element and true relation  
towards ,god1 will see into reality that
 was before but a blank to it2 and he   
who has promised to teach1 will teach   
abundantly4 ,faster and faster will the 
glory of the ,lord dawn upon the hearts 
and minds of his people so walking--then
 his people indeed2 fast and far will   
the knowledge of him spread1 for truth  
of action1 both preceding and following 
truth of word1 will prepare the way     
before him4 ,the man walking in that    
whereto he has attained1 will be able to
 think aright2 the man who does not     
think right1 is unable because he has   
not been walking right2 only when he    
begins to do the thing he knows1 does he
 begin to be able to think aright2 then 
,god comes to him in a new and higher   

way1 and works along with the spirit he 
has created4 ,the soul1 without its     
heaven above its head1 without its      
life-breath around it1 without its      
love-treasure in its heart1 without its 
origin one with it and bound up in it1  
without its true self and originating   
life1 cannot think to any real purpose--
 nor ever would to all eternity4 ,when  
man joins with ,god1 then is all        
impotence and discord cast out4 ,until  
then1 there can be but jar2 ,god is in  
contest with the gates of hell that open
 in the man1 and can but hold his own2  
when the man joins him1 then is ,satan  
foiled4 ,for then first nature receives 
her necessity3 no such necessity has she
 as this law of all laws--that ,god and 
man are one4 ,until they begin to be one
 in the reality as in the divine idea1  
in the flower as in the root1 in the    
finishing as in the issuing creation1   
nothing can go right with the man1 and  
,god can have no rest from his labour in
 him4 ,as the greatest orbs in heaven   

are drawn by the least1 ,god himself    
must be held in divine disquiet until   
every one of his family be brought home 
to his heart1 to be one with him in a   
unity too absolute1 profound1           
far-reaching1 fine1 and intense1 to be  
understood by any but the ,god from whom
 it comes1 yet to be guessed at by the  
soul from the unspeakableness of its    
delight when at length it is with the   
only that can be its own1 the one that  
it can possess1 the one that can possess
 it4 ,for ,god is the heritage of the   
soul in the ownness of origin2 man is   
the offspring of his making will1 of his
 life2 ,god himself is his birth-place2 
,god is the self that makes the soul    
able to say ,i too1 ,i myself4 ,this    
absolute unspeakable bliss of the       
creature is that for which the ,son     
died1 for which the ,father suffered    
with him4 ,then only is life itself2    
then only is it right1 is it one2 then  
only is it as designed and necessitated 
by the eternal life-outgiving ,life4    

,whereto then we have attained let us   
walk by that same6                      
,,end ,,of ,,the ,,second ,,series4     
,,unspoken ,,sermons ,,series ,,three   
,,to ,,my ,,wife                        
,sun and wind and rain1 the ,lord       
,is to seed his ,father buried          
,for he is the living ,word1            
,and the quickening ,spirit4            
,,bordighera3                           
,may #c1 #ahhi4                         
,,the ,,creation ,,in ,,christ4         
,all things were made by him1 and       
without him was not anything    made    
that was made4 ,in him was life1 and the
 life was the    light of men4--,john i4
 #c1 #d4  ,it seems to me that any lover
 of the gospel given to thinking1 and   
especially one accustomed to the effort 
of uttering thought1 can hardly have    
failed to feel dissatisfaction1 more or 
less definite1 with the close of the    
third verse1 as here presented to       
,english readers4 ,it seems to me in its
 feebleness1 unlike1 and rhetorically   

unworthy of the rest4 ,that it is no    
worse than pleonastic1 that is1         
redundant1 therefore only unnecessary1  
can be no satisfaction to the man who   
would find perfection1 if he may1 in the
 words of him who was nearer the ,lord  
than any other4 ,the phrase 'that was   
made' seems1 from its uselessness1 weak 
even to foolishness after what precedes3
 ',all things were made by him1 and     
without him was not anything made that  
was made4'  ,my hope was therefore great
 when ,i saw1 in reading the ,greek1    
that the shifting of a period would rid 
me of the pleonasm4 ,if thereupon any   
precious result of meaning should       
follow1 the change would not merely be  
justifiable--seeing  that points are of 
no authority with anyone accustomed to  
the vagaries of scribes1 editors1 and   
printers--but one for which to give     
thanks to ,god4 ,and ,i found the change
 did unfold such a truth as showed the  
rhetoric itself in accordance with the  
highest thought of the apostle4 ,so glad

 was ,i1 that it added little to my     
satisfaction to find the change         
supported by the best manuscripts and   
versions4 ,it could add none to learn   
that the passage had been1 in respect of
 the two readings1 a cause of much      
disputation3 the ground of argument on  
the side of the common reading1 seemed  
to me worse than worthless4  ,let us    
then look at the passage as ,i think it 
ought to be translated1 and after that1 
seek the meaning for the sake of which  
it was written4 ,it is a meaning indeed 
by no means dependent for its revelation
 on this passage1 belonging as it does  
to the very truth as it is in ,jesus2   
but it is therein magnificently         
expressed by the apostle1 and           
differently from anywhere else--that is1
 if ,i am right in the interpretation   
which suggested itself the moment ,i saw
 the probable rhetorical relation of the
 words4  ',all things were made through 
him1 and without him was made not one   
thing4 ,that which was made in him was  

life1 and the life was the light of     
men4'  ,note the antithesis of the      
through and the in4  ,in this grand     
assertion seems to me to lie1 more than 
shadowed1 the germ of creation and      
redemption--of all the divine in its    
relation to all the human4  ,in         
attempting to set forth what ,i find in 
it1 ,i write with no desire to provoke  
controversy1 which ,i loathe1 but with  
some hope of presenting to the minds of 
such as have become capable of seeing   
it1 the glory of the truth of the       
,father and the ,son1 as uttered by this
 first of seers1 after the grandest     
fashion of his insight4 ,i am as        
indifferent to a reputation for         
orthodoxy as ,i despise the championship
 of novelty4 ,to the untrue1 the truth  
itself must seem unsound1 for the light 
that is in them is darkness4  ,i        
believe1 then1 that ,jesus ,christ is   
the eternal son of the eternal father2  
that from the first of firstness ,jesus 
is the son1 because ,god is the         

father--a statement imperfect and unfit 
because an attempt of human thought to  
represent that which it cannot grasp1   
yet which it so believes that it must   
try to utter it even in speech that     
cannot be right4 ,i believe therefore   
that the ,father is the greater1 that if
 the ,father had not been1 the ,son     
could not have been4 ,i will not apply  
logic to the thesis1 nor would ,i state 
it now but for the sake of what is to   
follow4 ,the true heart will remember   
the inadequacy of our speech1 and our   
thought also1 to the things that lie    
near the unknown roots of our existence4
 ,in saying what ,i do1 ,i only say what
 ,paul implies when he speaks of the    
,lord giving up the kingdom to his      
father1 that ,god may be all in all4 ,i 
worship the ,son as the human ,god1 the 
divine1 the only ,man1 deriving his     
being and power from the ,father1 equal 
with him as a son is the equal at once  
and the subject of his father--but      
making himself the equal of his father  

in what is most precious in ,godhead1   
namely1 ,love--which is1 indeed1 the    
essence of that statement of the        
evangelist with which ,i have now to    
do--a higher thing than the making of   
the worlds and the things in them1 which
 he did by the power of the ,father1 not
 by a self-existent power in himself1   
whence the apostle1 to whom the ,lord   
must have said things he did not say to 
the rest1 or who was better able to     
receive what he said to all1 says1 ',all
 things were made' not by1 but 'through 
him4'  ,we must not wonder things away  
into nonentity1 but try to present them 
to ourselves after what fashion we are  
able--our shadows of the heavenly4 ,for 
our very beings and understandings and  
consciousnesses1 though but shadows in  
regard to any perfection either of      
outline or operation1 are yet shadows of
 his being1 his understanding1 his      
consciousness1 and he has cast those    
shadows2 they are no more causally our  
own than his power of creation is ours4 

,in our shadow-speech then1 and         
following with my shadow-understanding  
as best ,i can the words of the         
evangelist1 ,i say1 ,the ,father1 in    
bringing out of the unseen the things   
that are seen1 made essential use of the
 ,son1 so that all that exists was      
created through him4 ,what the          
difference between the part in creation 
of the ,father and the part of the ,son 
may be1 who can understand8--but perhaps
 we may one day come to see into it a   
little2 for ,i dare hope that1 through  
our willed sonship1 we shall come far   
nearer ourselves to creating4 ,the word 
creation applied to the loftiest success
 of human genius1 seems to me a mockery 
of humanity1 itself in process of       
creation4  ,let us read the text again3 
',all things were made through him1 and 
without him was made not one thing4     
,that which was made in him was life4'  
,you begin to see it8 ,the power by     
which he created the worlds was given   
him by his father2 he had in himself a  

greater power than that by which he made
 the worlds4 ,there was something made1 
not through but in him2 something       
brought into being by himself4 ,here he 
creates in his grand way1 in himself1 as
 did the ,father4 ',that which was made 
in him was life'  ,what does this mean8 
,what is the life the apostle intends8  
,many forms of life have come to being  
through the ,son1 but those were        
results1 not forms of the life that was 
brought to existence in him4 ,he could  
not have been employed by the ,father in
 creating1 save in virtue of the life   
that was in him4  ,as to what the life  
of ,god is to himself1 we can only know 
that we cannot know it--even that not   
being absolute ignorance1 for no one can
 see that1 from its very nature1 he     
cannot understand a thing without       
therein approaching that thing in a most
 genuine manner4 ,as to what the life of
 ,god is in relation to us1 we know that
 it is the causing life of everything   
that we call life--of everything that   

is2 and in knowing this1 we know        
something of that life1 by the very     
forms of its force4 ,but the one        
interminable mystery1 for ,i presume the
 two make but one mystery--a mystery    
that must be a mystery to us for ever1  
not because ,god will not explain it1   
but because ,god himself could not make 
us understand it--is first1 how he can  
be self-existent1 and next1 how he can  
make other beings exist3 self-existence 
and creation no man will ever           
understand4 ,again1 regarding the matter
 from the side of the creature--the     
cause of his being is antecedent to that
 being2 he can therefore have no        
knowledge of his own creation2 neither  
could he understand that which he can do
 nothing like4 ,if we could make        
ourselves1 we should understand our     
creation1 but to do that we must be     
,god4 ,and of all ideas this--that1     
with the self-dissatisfied1 painfully   
circumscribed consciousness ,i possess1 
,i could in any way have caused myself1 

is the most dismal and hopeless4        
,nevertheless1 if ,i be a child of ,god1
 ,i must be like him1 like him even in  
the matter of this creative energy4     
,there must be something in me that     
corresponds in its childish way to the  
eternal might in him4 ,but ,i am        
forestalling4 ,the question now is3     
,what was that life1 the thing made in  
the ,son--made by him inside himself1   
not outside him--made not through but in
 him--the life that was his own1 as     
,god's is his own8  ,it was1 ,i answer1 
that act in him that corresponded in    
him1 as the son1 to the self-existence  
of his father4 ,now what is the deepest 
in ,god8 ,his power8 ,no1 for power     
could not make him what we mean when we 
say ,god4 ,evil could1 of course1 never 
create one atom2 but let us understand  
very plainly1 that a being whose essence
 was only power would be such a negation
 of the divine that no righteous worship
 could be offered him3 his service must 
be fear1 and fear only4 ,such a being1  

even were he righteous in judgment1 yet 
could not be ,god4 ,the ,god himself    
whom we love could not be righteous were
 he not something deeper and better     
still than we generally mean by the     
word--but1 alas1 how little can language
 say without seeming to say something   
wrong6 ,in one word1 ,god is ,love4     
,love is the deepest depth1 the essence 
of his nature1 at the root of all his   
being4 ,it is not merely that he could  
not be ,god1 if he had made no creatures
 to whom to be ,god2 but love is the    
heart and hand of his creation2 it is   
his right to create1 and his power to   
create as well4 ,the love that foresees 
creation is itself the power to create4 
,neither could he be righteous--that is1
 fair to his creatures--but that his    
love created them4 ,his perfection is   
his love4 ,all his divine rights rest   
upon his love4 ,ah1 he is not the great 
monarch6 ,the simplest peasant loving   
his cow1 is more divine than any monarch
 whose monarchy is his glory4 ,if ,god  

would not punish sin1 or if he did it   
for anything but love1 he would not be  
the father of ,jesus ,christ1 the ,god  
who works as ,jesus wrought4  ,what     
then1 ,i say once more1 is in ,christ   
correspondent to the creative power of  
,god8 ,it must be something that comes  
also of love2 and in the ,son the love  
must be to the already existent4        
,because of that eternal love which has 
no beginning1 the ,father must have the 
,son4 ,god could not love1 could not be 
love1 without making things to love3    
,jesus has ,god to love2 the love of the
 ,son is responsive to the love of the  
,father4 ,the response to self-existent 
love is self-abnegating love4 ,the      
refusal of himself is that in ,jesus    
which corresponds to the creation of    
,god4 ,his love takes action1 creates1  
in self-abjuration1 in the death of self
 as motive2 in the drowning of self in  
the life of ,god1 where it lives only as
 love4 ,what is life in a child8 ,is it 
not perfect response to his parents8    

thorough oneness with them8 ,a child at 
strife with his parents1 one in whom    
their will is not his1 is no child2 as a
 child he is dead1 and his death is     
manifest in rigidity and contortion4    
,his spiritual order is on the way to   
chaos4 ,disintegration has begun4 ,death
 is at work in him4 ,see the same child 
yielding to the will that is righteously
 above his own2 see the life begin to   
flow from the heart through the members2
 see the relaxing limbs2 see the light  
rise like a fountain in his eyes1 and   
flash from his face6 ,life has again its
 lordship6  ,the life of ,christ is     
this--negatively1 that he does nothing1 
cares for nothing for his own sake2     
positively1 that he cares with his whole
 soul for the will1 the pleasure of his 
father4 ,because his father is his      
father1 therefore he will be his child4 
,the truth in ,jesus is his relation to 
his father2 the righteousness of ,jesus 
is his fulfilment of that relation4     
,meeting this relation1 loving his      

father with his whole being1 he is not  
merely alive as born of ,god2 but1      
giving himself with perfect will to     
,god1 choosing to die to himself and    
live to ,god1 he therein creates in     
himself a new and higher life2 and1     
standing upon himself1 has gained the   
power to awake life1 the divine shadow  
of his own1 in the hearts of us his     
brothers and sisters1 who have come from
 the same birth-home as himself1 namely1
 the heart of his ,god and our ,god1 his
 father and our father1 but who1 without
 our elder brother to do it first1 would
 never have chosen that self-abjuration 
which is life1 never have become alive  
like him4 ,to will1 not from self1 but  
with the ,eternal1 is to live4  ,this   
choice of his own being1 in the full    
knowledge of what he did2 this active   
willing to be the ,son of the ,father1  
perfect in obedience--is that in ,jesus 
which responds and corresponds to the   
self-existence of ,god4 ,jesus rose at  
once to the height of his being1 set    

himself down on the throne of his       
nature1 in the act of subjecting himself
 to the will of the ,father as his only 
good1 the only reason of his existence4 
,when he died on the cross1 he did that1
 in the wild weather of his outlying    
provinces in the torture of the body of 
his revelation1 which he had done at    
home in glory and gladness4 ,from the   
infinite beginning--for here ,i can     
speak only by contradictions-he         
completed and held fast the eternal     
circle of his existence in saying1 ',thy
 will1 not mine1 be done6' ,he made     
himself what he is by deathing himself  
into the will of the eternal ,father1   
through which will he was the eternal   
,son--thus plunging into the fountain of
 his own life1 the everlasting          
,fatherhood1 and taking the ,godhead of 
the ,son4 ,this is the life that was    
made in ,jesus3 ',that which was made in
 him was life4' ,this life1 self-willed 
in ,jesus1 is the one thing that makes  
such life--the eternal life1 the true   

life1 possible--nay1 imperative1        
essential1 to every man1 woman1 and     
child1 whom the ,father has sent into   
the outer1 that he may go back into the 
inner world1 his heart4 ,as the         
self-existent life of the ,father has   
given us being1 so the willed devotion  
of ,jesus is his power to give us       
eternal life like his own--to enable us 
to do the same4 ,there is no life for   
any man1 other than the same kind that  
,jesus has2 his disciple must live by   
the same absolute devotion of his will  
to the ,father's2 then is his life one  
with the life of the ,father4  ,because 
we are come out of the divine nature1   
which chooses to be divine1 we must     
choose to be divine1 to be of ,god1 to  
be one with ,god1 loving and living as  
he loves and lives1 and so be partakers 
of the divine nature1 or we perish4 ,man
 cannot originate this life2 it must be 
shown him1 and he must choose it4 ,god  
is the father of ,jesus and of us--of   
every possibility of our being2 but     

while ,god is the father of his         
children1 ,jesus is the father of their 
sonship2 for in him is made the life    
which is sonship to the ,father--the    
recognition1 namely1 in fact and life1  
that the ,father has his claim upon his 
sons and daughters4 ,we are not and     
cannot become true sons without our will
 willing his will1 our doing following  
his making4 ,it was the will of ,jesus  
to be the thing ,god willed and meant   
him1 that made him the true son of ,god4
 ,he was not the son of ,god because he 
could not help it1 but because he willed
 to be in himself the son that he was in
 the divine idea4 ,so with us3 we must  
be the sons we are4 ,we are not made to 
be what we cannot help being2 sons and  
daughters are not after such fashion6   
,we are sons and daughters in ,god's    
claim2 we must be sons and daughters in 
our will4 ,and we can be sons and       
daughters1 saved into the original      
necessity and bliss of our being1 only  
by choosing ,god for the father he is1  

and doing his will--yielding ourselves  
true sons to the absolute ,father4      
,therein lies human bliss--only and     
essential4 ,the working out of this our 
salvation must be pain1 and the handing 
of it down to them that are below must  
ever be in pain2 but the eternal form of
 the will of ,god in and for us1 is     
intensity of bliss4  ',and the life was 
the light of men4'  ,the life of which  
,i have now spoken became light to men  
in the appearing of him in whom it came 
into being4 ,the life became light that 
men might see it1 and themselves live by
 choosing that life also1 by choosing so
 to live1 such to be4  ,there is always 
something deeper than anything          
said--something  of which all human1 all
 divine words1 figures1 pictures1       
motion-forms1 are but the outer laminar 
spheres through which the central       
reality shines more or less plainly4    
,light itself is but the poor outside   
form of a deeper1 better thing1 namely1 
life4 ,the life is ,christ4 ,the light  

too is ,christ1 but only the body of    
,christ4 ,the life is ,christ himself4  
,the light is what we see and shall see 
in him2 the life is what we may be in   
him4 ,the life 'is a light by abundant  
clarity invisible2' it is the           
unspeakable unknown2 it must become     
light such as men can see before men can
 know it4 ,therefore the obedient human 
,god appeared as the obedient divine    
man1 doing the works of his father--the 
things1 that is1 which his father       
did--doing them humbly before unfriendly
 brethren4 ,the ,son of the ,father must
 take his own form in the substance of  
flesh1 that he may be seen of men1 and  
so become the light of men--not that men
 may have light1 but that men may have  
life2--that1 seeing what they could not 
originate1 they may1 through the life   
that is in them1 begin to hunger after  
the life of which they are capable1 and 
which is essential to their being2--that
 the life in them may long for him who  
is their life1 and thirst for its own   

perfection1 even as root and stem may   
thirst for the flower for whose sake1   
and through whose presence in them1 they
 exist4 ,that the child of ,god may     
become the son of ,god by beholding the 
,son1 the life revealed in light2 that  
the radiant heart of the ,son of ,god   
may be the sunlight to his fellows2 that
 the idea may be drawn out by the       
presence and drawing of the ,ideal--that
 ,ideal1 the perfect ,son of the        
,father1 was sent to his brethren4  ,let
 us not forget that the devotion of the 
,son could never have been but for the  
devotion of the ,father1 who never seeks
 his own glory one atom more than does  
the ,son2 who is devoted to the ,son1   
and to all his sons and daughters1 with 
a devotion perfect and eternal1 with    
fathomless unselfishness4 ,the whole    
being and doing of ,jesus on earth is   
the same as his being and doing from all
 eternity1 that whereby he is the       
blessed son-,god of the father-,god2 it 
is the shining out of that life that men

 might see it4 ,it is a being like ,god1
 a doing of the will of ,god1 a working 
of the works of ,god1 therefore an      
unveiling of the ,father in the ,son1   
that men may know him4 ,it is the prayer
 of the ,son to the rest of the sons to 
come back to the ,father1 to be         
reconciled to the ,father1 to behave to 
the ,father as he does4 ,he seems to me 
to say3 ',i know your father1 for he is 
my father2 ,i know him because ,i have  
been with him from eternity4 ,you do not
 know him2 ,i have come to you to tell  
you that as ,i am1 such is he2 that he  
is just like me1 only greater and       
better4 ,he only is the true1 original  
good2 ,i am true because ,i seek nothing
 but his will4 ,he only is all in all2  
,i am not all in all1 but he is my      
father1 and ,i am the son in whom his   
heart of love is satisfied4 ,come home  
with me1 and sit with me on the throne  
of my obedience4 ,together we will do   
his will1 and be glad with him1 for his 
will is the only good4 ,you may do with 

me as you please2 ,i will not defend    
myself4 ,because ,i speak true1 my      
witness is unswerving2 ,i stand to it1  
come what may4 ,if ,i held my face to my
 testimony only till danger came close1 
and then prayed the ,father for twelve  
legions of angels to deliver me1 that   
would be to say the ,father would do    
anything for his children until it began
 to hurt him4 ,i bear witness that my   
father is such as ,i4 ,in the face of   
death ,i assert it1 and dare death to   
disprove it4 ,kill me2 do what you will 
and can against me2 my father is true1  
and ,i am true in saying that he is     
true4 ,danger or hurt cannot turn me    
aside from this my witness4 ,death can  
only kill my body2 he cannot make me his
 captive4 ,father1 thy will be done6    
,the pain will pass2 it will be but for 
a time6 ,gladly will ,i suffer that men 
may know that ,i live1 and that thou art
 my life4 ,be with me1 father1 that it  
may not be more than ,i can bear4'      
,friends1 if you think anything less    

than this could redeem the world1 or    
make blessed any child that ,god has    
created1 you know neither the ,son nor  
the ,father4  ,the bond of the universe1
 the chain that holds it together1 the  
one active unity1 the harmony of things1
 the negation of difference1 the        
reconciliation of all forms1 all shows1 
all wandering desires1 all returning    
loves2 the fact at the root of every    
vision1 revealing that 'love is the only
 good in the world1' and selfishness the
 one thing hateful1 in the city of the  
living ,god unutterable1 is the devotion
 of the ,son to the ,father4 ,it is the 
life of the universe4 ,it is not the    
fact that ,god created all things1 that 
makes the universe a whole2 but that he 
through whom he created them loves him  
perfectly1 is eternally content in his  
father1 is satisfied to be because his  
father is with him4 ,it is not the fact 
that ,god is all in all1 that unites the
 universe2 it is the love of the ,son to
 the ,father4 ,for of no onehood comes  

unity2 there can be no oneness where    
there is only one4 ,for the very        
beginnings of unity there must be two4  
,without ,christ1 therefore1 there could
 be no universe4 ,the reconciliation    
wrought by ,jesus is not the primary    
source of unity1 of safety to the world2
 that reconciliation was the necessary  
working out of the eternal antecedent   
fact1 the fact making itself potent upon
 the rest of the family--that ,god and  
,christ are one1 are father and son1 the
 ,father loving the ,son as only the    
,father can love1 the ,son loving the   
,father as only the ,son can love4 ,the 
prayer of the ,lord for unity between   
men and the ,father and himself1 springs
 from the eternal need of love4 ,the    
more ,i regard it1 the more ,i am lost  
in the wonder and glory of the thing4   
,but for the ,father and the ,son1 no   
two would care a jot the one for the    
other4 ,it might be the right way for   
creatures to love because of mere       
existence1 but what two creatures would 

ever have originated the loving8 ,i     
cannot for a moment believe it would    
have been ,i4 ,even had ,i come into    
being as now with an inclination to     
love1 selfishness would soon have       
overborne it4 ,but if the ,father loves 
the ,son1 if the very music that makes  
the harmony of life lies1 not in the    
theory of love in the heart of the      
,father1 but in the fact of it1 in the  
burning love in the hearts of ,father   
and ,son1 then glory be to the ,father  
and to the ,son1 and to the spirit of   
both1 the fatherhood of the ,father     
meeting and blending with the sonhood of
 the ,son1 and drawing us up into the   
glory of their joy1 to share in the     
thoughts of love that pass between them1
 in their thoughts of delight and rest  
in each other1 in their thoughts of joy 
in all the little ones4 ,the life of    
,jesus is the light of men1 revealing to
 them the ,father4  ,but light is not   
enough2 light is for the sake of life4  
,we too must have life in ourselves4 ,we

 too must1 like the ,life himself1 live4
 ,we can live in no way but that in     
which ,jesus lived1 in which life was   
made in him4 ,that way is1 to give up   
our life4 ,this is the one supreme      
action of life possible to us for the   
making of life in ourselves4 ,christ did
 it of himself1 and so became light to  
us1 that we might be able to do it in   
ourselves1 after him1 and through his   
originating act4 ,we must do it         
ourselves1 ,i say4 ,the help that he has
 given and gives1 the light and the     
spirit-working of the ,lord1 the spirit1
 in our hearts1 is all in order that we 
may1 as we must1 do it ourselves4 ,till 
then we are not alive2 life is not made 
in us4 ,the whole strife and labour and 
agony of the ,son with every man1 is to 
get him to die as he died4 ,all         
preaching that aims not at this1 is a   
building with wood and hay and stubble4 
,if ,i say not with whole heart1 ',my   
father1 do with me as thou wilt1 only   
help me against myself and for thee2' if

 ,i cannot say1 ',i am thy child1 the   
inheritor of thy spirit1 thy being1 a   
part of thyself1 glorious in thee1 but  
grown poor in me3 let me be thy dog1 thy
 horse1 thy anything thou willest2 let  
me be thine in any shape the love that  
is my ,father may please to have me2 let
 me be thine in any way1 and my own or  
another's in no way but thine2'--if we  
cannot1 fully as this1 give ourselves to
 the ,father1 then we have not yet laid 
hold upon that for which ,christ has    
laid hold upon us4 ,the faith that a man
 may1 nay1 must put in ,god1 reaches    
above earth and sky1 stretches beyond   
the farthest outlying star of the       
creatable universe4 ,the question is not
 at present1 however1 of removing       
mountains1 a thing that will one day be 
simple to us1 but of waking and rising  
from the dead now4  ,when a man truly   
and perfectly says with ,jesus1 and as  
,jesus said it1 ',thy will be done1' he 
closes the everlasting life-circle2 the 
life of the ,father and the ,son flows  

through him2 he is a part of the divine 
organism4 ,then is the prayer of the    
,lord in him fulfilled3 ',i in them and 
thou in me1 that they made be made      
perfect in one4' ,the ,christ in us1 is 
the spirit of the perfect child toward  
the perfect father4 ,the ,christ in us  
is our own true nature made blossom in  
us by the ,lord1 whose life is the light
 of men that it may become the life of  
men2 for our true nature is childhood to
 the ,father4  ,friends1 those of you   
who know1 or suspect1 that these things 
are true1 let us arise and live--arise  
even in the darkest moments of spiritual
 stupidity1 when hope itself sees       
nothing to hope for4 ,let us not trouble
 ourselves about the cause of our       
earthliness1 except we know it to be    
some unrighteousness in us1 but go at   
once to the ,life4 ,never1 never let us 
accept as consolation the poor          
suggestion1 that the cause of our       
deadness is physical4 ,can it be comfort
 to know that this body of ours1 because

 of the death in it1 is too much for the
 spirit--which ought not merely to      
triumph over it1 but to inspire it with 
subjection and obedience8 ,let us       
comfort ourselves in the thought of the 
,father and the ,son4 ,so long as there 
dwells harmony1 so long as the ,son     
loves the ,father with all the love the 
,father can welcome1 all is well with   
the little ones4 ,god is all right--why 
should we mind standing in the dark for 
a minute outside his window8 ,of course 
we miss the inness1 but there is a bliss
 of its own in waiting4 ,what if the    
rain be falling1 and the wind blowing2  
what if we stand alone1 or1 more painful
 still1 have some dear one beside us1   
sharing our outness2 what even if the   
window be not shining1 because of the   
curtains of good inscrutable drawn      
across it2 let us think to ourselves1 or
 say to our friend1 ',god is2 ,jesus is 
not dead2 nothing can be going wrong1   
however it may look so to hearts        
unfinished in childness4' ,let us say to

 the ,lord1 ',jesus1 art thou loving the
 ,father in there8 ,then we out here    
will do his will1 patiently waiting till
 he open the door4 ,we shall not mind   
the wind or the rain much4 ,perhaps thou
 art saying to the ,father1 ,thy little 
ones need some wind and rain3 their buds
 are hard2 the flowers do not come out4 
,i cannot get them made blessed without 
a little more winter-weather4 ,then     
perhaps the ,father will say1 ,comfort  
them1 my son ,jesus1 with the memory of 
thy patience when thou wast missing me4 
,comfort them that thou wast sure of me 
when everything about thee seemed so    
unlike me1 so unlike the place thou     
hadst left4' ,in a word1 let us be at   
peace1 because peace is at the heart of 
things--peace and utter satisfaction    
between the ,father and the ,son--in    
which peace they call us to share2 in   
which peace they promise that at length1
 when they have their good way with us1 
we shall share4  ,before us1 then1 lies 
a bliss unspeakable1 a bliss beyond the 

thought or invention of man1 to every   
child who will fall in with the perfect 
imagination of the ,father4 ,his        
imagination is one with his creative    
will4 ,the thing that ,god imagines1    
that thing exists4 ,when the created    
falls in with the will of him who 'loved
 him into being1' then all is well2     
thenceforward the mighty creation goes  
on in him upon higher and yet higher    
levels1 in more and yet more divine     
airs4 ,thy will1 ,o ,god1 be done6      
,nought else is other than loss1 than   
decay1 than corruption4 ,there is no    
life but that born of the life that the 
,word made in himself by doing thy will1
 which life is the light of men4        
,through that light is born the life of 
men--the same life in them that came    
first into being in ,jesus4 ,as he laid 
down his life1 so must men lay down     
their lives1 that as he liveth they may 
live also4 ,that which was made in him  
was life1 and the life is the light of  
men2 and yet his own1 to whom he was    

sent1 did not believe him4              
,,the ,,knowing ,,of ,,the ,,son4   ,ye 
have neither heard his voice at any     
time1 nor seen his shape4 ,and ye have  
not his word abiding in you2 for whom he
 hath sent1 him ye believe not4--,john  
v4 #cg1 #ch4  ,we shall know one day    
just how near we come in the ,new       
,testament to the very words of the     
,lord4 ,that we have them with a        
difference1 ,i cannot doubt4 ,for one   
thing1 ,i do not believe he spoke in    
,greek4 ,he was sent to the lost sheep  
of the house of ,israel1 and would speak
 their natural language1 not that which1
 at best1 they knew in secondary        
fashion4 ,that the thoughts of ,god     
would come out of the heart of ,jesus in
 anything but the mother-tongue of the  
simple men to whom he spoke1 ,i cannot  
think4 ,he may perhaps have spoken to   
the ,jews of ,jerusalem in ,greek1 for  
they were less simple2 but at present ,i
 do not see ground to believe he did4   
,again1 are we bound to believe that    

,john ,boanerges1 who indeed best1 and  
in some things alone1 understood him1   
was able1 after such a lapse of years1  
to give us in his gospel1 supposing the 
,lord to have spoken to his disciples in
 ,greek1 the very words in which he     
uttered the simplest profundities ever  
heard in the human world8 ,i do not say 
he was not able2 ,i say--,are we bound  
to believe he was able8 ,when the       
disciples became1 by the divine presence
 in their hearts1 capable of            
understanding the ,lord1 they remembered
 things he had said which they had      
forgotten2 possibly the very words in   
which he said them returned to their    
memories2 but must we believe the       
evangelists always precisely recorded   
his words8 ,the little differences      
between their records is answer enough4 
,the gospel of ,john is the outcome of  
years and years of remembering1         
recalling1 and pondering the words of   
the ,master1 one thing understood       
recalling another4 ,we cannot tell of   

how much the memory1 in best            
condition--that is1 with ,god in the    
man--may not be capable2 but ,i do not  
believe that ,john would have always    
given us the very words of the ,lord1   
even if1 as ,i do not think he did1 he  
had spoken them in ,greek4 ,god has not 
cared that we should anywhere have      
assurance of his very words2 and that   
not merely1 perhaps1 because of the     
tendency in his children to             
word-worship1 false logic1 and          
corruption of the truth1 but because he 
would not have them oppressed by words1 
seeing that words1 being human1         
therefore but partially capable1 could  
not absolutely contain or express what  
the ,lord meant1 and that even he must  
depend for being understood upon the    
spirit of his disciple4 ,seeing it could
 not give life1 the letter should not be
 throned with power to kill2 it should  
be but the handmaid to open the door of 
the truth to the mind that was of the   
truth4  ',then you believe in an        

individual inspiration to anyone who    
chooses to lay claim to it6'  ,yes--to  
everyone who claims it from ,god2 not to
 everyone who claims from men the       
recognition of his possessing it4 ,he   
who has a thing1 does not need to have  
it recognized4 ,if ,i did not believe in
 a special inspiration to every man who 
asks for the holy spirit1 the good thing
 of ,god1 ,i should have to throw aside 
the whole tale as an imposture2 for the 
,lord has1 according to that tale1      
promised such inspiration to those who  
ask it4 ,if an objector has not this    
spirit1 is not inspired with the truth1 
he knows nothing of the words that are  
spirit and life2 and his objection is   
less worth heeding than that of a savage
 to the assertion of a chemist4 ,his    
assent equally is but the blowing of an 
idle horn4  ',but how is one to tell    
whether it be in truth the spirit of    
,god that is speaking in a man8'  ,you  
are not called upon to tell4 ,the       
question for you is whether you have the

 spirit of ,christ yourself4 ,the       
question is for you to put to yourself1 
the question is for you to answer to    
yourself3 ,am ,i alive with the life of 
,christ8 ,is his spirit dwelling in me8 
,everyone who desires to follow the     
,master has the spirit of the ,master1  
and will receive more1 that he may      
follow closer1 nearer1 in his very      
footsteps4 ,he is not called upon to    
prove to this or that or any man that he
 has the light of ,jesus2 he has to let 
his light shine4 ,it does not follow    
that his work is to teach others1 or    
that he is able to speak large truths in
 true forms4 ,when the strength or the  
joy or the pity of the truth urges him1 
let him speak it out and not be         
afraid--content to be condemned for it2 
comforted that if he mistake1 the ,lord 
himself will condemn him1 and save him  
'as by fire4' ,the condemnation of his  
fellow men will not hurt him1 nor a whit
 the more that it be spoken in the name 
of ,christ4 ,if he speak true1 the ,lord

 will say ',i sent him4' ,for all truth 
is of him2 no man can see a true thing  
to be true but by the ,lord1 the spirit4
  ',how am ,i to know that a thing is   
true8'  ,by doing what you know to be   
true1 and calling nothing true until you
 see it to be true2 by shutting your    
mouth until the truth opens it4 ,are you
 meant to be silent8 ,then woe to you if
 you speak4  ',but if ,i do not take the
 words attributed to him by the         
evangelists1 for the certain1 absolute1 
very words of the ,master1 how am ,i to 
know that they represent his truth8'    
,by seeing in them what corresponds to  
the plainest truth he speaks1 and       
commends itself to the power that is    
working in you to make of you a true    
man2 by their appeal to your power of   
judging what is true2 by their rousing  
of your conscience4 ,if they do not seem
 to you true1 either they are not the   
words of the ,master1 or you are not    
true enough to understand them4 ,be     
certain of this1 that1 if any words that

 are his do not show their truth to you1
 you have not received his message in   
them2 they are not yet to you the word  
of ,god1 for they are not in you spirit 
and life4 ,they may be the nearest to   
the truth that words can come2 they may 
have served to bring many into contact  
with the heart of ,god2 but for you they
 remain as yet sealed4 ,if yours be a   
true heart1 it will revere them because 
of the probability that they are words  
with the meaning of the ,master behind  
them2 to you they are the rock in the   
desert before ,moses spoke to it4 ,if   
you wait1 your ignorance will not hurt  
you2 if you presume to reason from them1
 you are a blind man disputing of that  
you never saw4 ,to reason from a thing  
not understood1 is to walk straight into
 the mire4 ,to dare to reason of truth  
from words that do not show to us that  
they are true1 is the presumption of    
,pharisaical hypocrisy4 ,only they who  
are not true1 are capable of doing it4  
,humble mistake will not hurt us3 the   

truth is there1 and the ,lord will see  
that we come to know it4 ,we may think  
we know it when we have scarce a glimpse
 of it2 but the error of a true heart   
will not be allowed to ruin it4         
,certainly that heart would not have    
mistaken the truth except for the       
untruth yet remaining in it2 but he who 
casts out devils will cast out that     
devil4  ,in the saying before us1 ,i see
 enough to enable me to believe that its
 words embody the mind of ,christ4 ,if  
,i could not say this1 ,i should say1   
',the apostle has here put on record a  
saying of ,christ's2 ,i have not yet    
been able to recognise the mind of      
,christ in it2 therefore ,i conclude    
that ,i cannot have understood it1 for  
to understand what is true is to know it
 true4' ,i have yet seen no words       
credibly reported as the words of       
,jesus1 concerning which ,i dared to    
say1 ',his mind is not therein1         
therefore the words are not his4' ,the  
mind of man call receive any word only  

in proportion as it is the word of      
,christ1 and in proportion as he is one 
with ,christ4 ,to him who does verily   
receive his word1 it is a power1 not of 
argument1 but of life4 ,the words of the
 ,lord are not for the logic that deals 
with words as if they were things2 but  
for the spiritual logic that reasons    
from divine thought to divine thought1  
dealing with spiritual facts4  ,no      
thought1 human or divine1 can be        
conveyed from man to man save through   
the symbolism of the creation4 ,the     
heavens and the earth are around us that
 it may be possible for us to speak of  
the unseen by the seen2 for the         
outermost husk of creation has          
correspondence with the deepest things  
of the ,creator4 ,he is not a ,god that 
hideth himself1 but a ,god who made that
 he might reveal2 he is consistent and  
one throughout4 ,there are things with  
which an enemy hath meddled2 but there  
are more things with which no enemy     
could meddle1 and by which we may speak 

of ,god4 ,they may not have revealed him
 to us1 but at least when he is         
revealed1 they show themselves so much  
of his nature1 that we at once use them 
as spiritual tokens in the commerce of  
the spirit1 to help convey to other     
minds what we may have seen of the      
unseen4 ,belonging to this sort of      
mediation are the words of the ,lord ,i 
would now look into4  ',and the ,father 
himself which hath sent me1 hath borne  
witness of me4 ,ye have neither heard   
his voice at any time1 nor seen his     
shape4 ,and ye have not his word abiding
 in you3 for whom he hath sent1 him ye  
believe not4'  ,if ,jesus said these    
words1 he meant more1 not less1 than    
lies on their surface4 ,they cannot be  
mere assertion of what everybody knew2  
neither can their repetition of similar 
negations be tautological4 ,they were   
not intended to inform the ,jews of a   
fact they would not have dreamed of     
denying4 ,who among them would say he   
had ever heard ,god's voice1 or seen his

 shape8 ,john himself says ',no man hath
 seen ,god at any time4' ,what is the   
tone of the passage8 ,it is reproach4   
,then he reproaches them that they had  
not seen ,god1 when no man hath seen    
,god at any time1 and ,paul says no man 
can see him6 ,is there here any paradox8
 ,there cannot be the sophism3 ',no man 
hath seen ,god2 ye are to blame that ye 
have not seen ,god2 therefore all men   
are to blame that they have not seen    
,god6' ,if we read1 ',no man hath seen  
,god1 but some men ought to have seen   
him1' we do not reap such hope for the  
race as will give the aspect of a       
revelation to the assurance that not one
 of those capable of seeing him has ever
 seen him6  ,the one utterance is of    
,john2 the other of his master3 if there
 is any contradiction between them1 of  
course the words of ,john must be thrown
 away4 ,but there can hardly be         
contradiction1 since he who says the one
 thing1 is recorder of the other as said
 by his master1 him to whom he belonged1

 whose disciple he was1 whom he loved as
 never man loved man before4  ,the word 
see is used in one sense in the one     
statement1 and in another sense in the  
other4 ,in the one it means see with the
 eyes2 in the other1 with the soul4 ,the
 one statement is made of all men2 the  
other is made to certain of the ,jews of
 ,jerusalem concerning themselves4 ,it  
is true that no man hath seen ,god1 and 
true that some men ought to have seen   
him4 ,no man hath seen him with his     
bodily eyes2 these ,jews ought to have  
seen him with their spiritual eyes4  ,no
 man has ever seen ,god in any outward1 
visible1 close-fitting form of his own3 
he is revealed in no shape save that of 
his son4 ,but multitudes of men have    
with their mind's1 or rather their      
heart's eye1 seen more or less of ,god2 
and perhaps every man might have and    
ought to have seen something of him4 ,we
 cannot follow ,god into his            
infinitesimal intensities of spiritual  
operation1 any more than into the atomic

 life-potencies that lie deep beyond the
 eye of the microscope3 ,god may be     
working in the heart of a savage1 in a  
way that no wisdom of his wisest1       
humblest child can see1 or imagine that 
it sees4 ,many who have never beheld the
 face of ,god1 may yet have caught a    
glimpse of the hem of his garment2 many 
who have never seen his shape1 may yet  
have seen the vastness of his shadow2   
thousands who have never felt the warmth
 of its folds1 have yet been startled by
             ,no face3 only the sight   
,of a sweepy garment vast and white4    
,some have dreamed his hand laid upon   
them1 who never knew themselves gathered
 to his bosom4 ,the reproach in the     
words of the ,lord is the reproach of   
men who ought to have had an experience 
they had not had4 ,let us look a little 
nearer at his words4  ',ye have not     
heard his voice at any time1' might     
mean1 ',ye have never listened to his   
voice1' or ',ye have never obeyed his   
voice' but the following phrase1 'nor   

seen his shape1' keeps us rather to the 
primary sense of the word hear3 ',the   
sound of his voice is unknown to you2'  
',you have never heard his voice so as  
to know it for his4' ',you have not seen
 his shape2'--',you do not know what he 
is like4' ,plainly he implies1 ',you    
ought to know his voice2 you ought to   
know what he is like4' ',you have not   
his word abiding in you2'--',the word   
that is in you from the beginning1 the  
word of ,god in your conscience1 you    
have not kept with you1 it is not       
dwelling in you2 by yourselves accepted 
as the witness of ,moses1 the scripture 
in which you think you have eternal life
 does not abide with you1 is not at home
 in you4 ,it comes to you and goes from 
you4 ,you hear1 heed not1 and forget4   
,you do not dwell with it1 and brood    
upon it1 and obey it4 ,it finds no      
acquaintance in you4 ,you are not of its
 kind4 ,you are not of those to whom the
 word of ,god comes4 ,their ears are    
ready to hear2 they hunger after the    

word of the ,father4'  ,on what does the
 ,lord found this his accusation of     
them8 ,what is the sign in them of their
 ignorance of ,god8--,for whom he hath  
sent1 him ye believe not4'  ',how so8'  
the ,jews might answer4 ',have we not   
asked from thee a sign from heaven1 and 
hast thou not pointblank refused it8'   
,the argument of the ,lord was indeed of
 small weight with1 and of little use   
to1 those to whom it most applied1 for  
the more it applied1 the more incapable 
were they of seeing that it did apply2  
but it would be of great force upon some
 that stood listening1 their minds more 
or less open to the truth1 and their    
hearts drawn to the man before them4    
,his argument was this3 ',if ye had ever
 heard the ,father's voice2 if ye had   
ever known his call2 if you had ever    
imagined him1 or a ,god anything like   
him2 if you had cared for his will so   
that his word was at home in your       
hearts1 you would have known me when you
 saw me--known that ,i must come from   

him1 that ,i must be his messenger1 and 
would have listened to me4 ,the least   
acquaintance with ,god1 such as any true
 heart must have1 would have made you   
recognize that ,i came from the ,god of 
whom you knew that something4 ,you would
 have been capable of knowing me by the 
light of his word abiding in you2 by the
 shape you had beheld however vaguely2  
by the likeness of my face and my voice 
to those of my father4 ,you would have  
seen my father in me2 you would have    
known me by the little you knew of him4 
,the family-feeling would have been     
awake in you1 the holy instinct of the  
same spirit1 making you know your elder 
brother4 ,that you do not know me now1  
as ,i stand here speaking to you1 is    
that you do not know your own father1   
even my father2 that throughout your    
lives you have refused to do his will1  
and so have not heard his voice2 that   
you have shut your eyes from seeing him1
 and have thought of him only as a      
partisan of your ambitions4 ,if you had 

loved my father1 you would have known   
his son4' ,and ,i think he might have   
said1 ',if even you had loved your      
neighbour1 you would have known me1     
neighbour to the deepest and best in    
you4'  ,if the ,lord were to appear this
 day in ,england as once in ,palestine1 
he would not come in the halo of the    
painters1 or with that wintry shine of  
effeminate beauty1 of sweet weakness1 in
 which it is their helpless custom to   
represent him4 ,neither would he        
probably come as carpenter1 or mason1 or
 gardener4 ,he would come in such form  
and condition as might bear to the      
present ,england1 ,scotland1 and        
,ireland1 a relation like that which the
 form and condition he then came in1    
bore to the motley ,judea1 ,samaria1 and
 ,galilee4 ,if he came thus1 in form    
altogether unlooked for1 who would they 
be that recognized and received him8    
,the idea involves no absurdity4 ,he is 
not far from us at any moment--if the   
old story be indeed more than the best  

and strongest of the fables that possess
 the world4 ,he might at any moment     
appear3 who1 ,i ask1 would be the first 
to receive him8 ,now1 as then1 it would 
of course be the childlike in heart1 the
 truest1 the least selfish4 ,they would 
not be the highest in the estimation of 
any church1 for the childlike are not   
yet the many4 ,it might not even be     
those that knew most about the former   
visit of the ,master1 that had pondered 
every word of the ,greek ,testament4    
,the first to cry1 ',it is the ,lord6'  
would be neither 'good churchman' nor   
'good dissenter4' ,it would be no one   
with so little of the mind of ,christ as
 to imagine him caring about stupid     
outside matters4 ,it would not be the   
man that holds by the mooring-ring of   
the letter1 fast in the quay of what he 
calls theology1 and from his rotting    
deck abuses the presumption of those    
that go down to the sea in ships--lets  
the wind of the spirit blow where it    
listeth1 but never blow him out among   

its wonders in the deep4 ,it would not  
be he who1 obeying a command1 does not  
care to see reason in the command2 not  
he who1 from very barrenness of soul1   
cannot receive the meaning and will of  
the ,master1 and so fails to fulfil the 
letter of his word1 making it of none   
effect4 ,it would certainly1 if any1 be 
those who were likest the               
,master--those1 namely1 that did the    
will of their father and his father1    
that built their house on the rock by   
hearing and doing his sayings4 ,but are 
there any enough like him to know him at
 once by the sound of his voice1 by the 
look of his face4 ,there are multitudes 
who would at once be taken by a false   
,christ fashioned after their fancy1 and
 would at once reject the ,lord as a    
poor impostor4 ,one thing is certain3   
they who first recognized him would be  
those that most loved righteousness and 
hated iniquity4  ,but ,i would not      
forget that there are many in whom      
foolish forms cover a live heart1 warm  

toward everything human and divine2 for 
the worst-fitting and ugliest robe may  
hide the loveliest form4 ,every covering
 is not a clothing4 ,the grass clothes  
the fields2 the glory surpassing        
,solomon's clothes the grass2 but the   
traditions of the worthiest elders will 
not clothe any soul--how much less the  
traditions of the unworthy6 ,its true   
clothing must grow out of the live soul 
itself4 ,some naked souls need but the  
sight of truth to rush to it1 as ,dante 
says1 like a wild beast to his den2     
others1 heavily clad in the garments the
 scribes have left behind them1 and     
fearful of rending that which is fit    
only to be trodden underfoot1 right     
cautiously approach the truth1 go round 
and round it like a shy horse that fears
 a hidden enemy4 ,but let each be true  
after the fashion possible to him1 and  
he shall have the ,master's praise4  ,if
 the ,lord were to appear1 the many who 
take the common presentation of thing or
 person for the thing or person1 could  

never recognize the new vision as       
another form of the old3 the ,master has
 been so misrepresented by such as have 
claimed to present him1 and especially  
in the one eternal fact of facts--the   
relation between him and his            
father--that it is impossible they      
should see any likeness4 ,for my part1  
,i would believe in no ,god rather than 
in such a ,god as is generally offered  
for believing in4 ,how far those may be 
to blame who1 righteously disgusted1    
cast the idea from them1 nor make       
inquiry whether something in it may not 
be true1 though most must be false1     
neither grant it any claim to           
investigation on the chance that some   
that call themselves his prophets may   
have taken spiritual bribes             
,to mingle beauty with infirmities1     
,and pure perfection with impure        
defeature--   how far those may be to   
blame1 it is not my work to inquire4    
,some would grasp with gladness the hope
 that such chance might be proved a     

fact2 others would not care to discern  
upon the palimpsest1 covered but not    
obliterated1 a credible tale of a       
perfect man revealing a perfect ,god3   
they are not true enough to desire that 
to be fact which would immediately      
demand the modelling of their lives upon
 a perfect idea1 and the founding of    
their every hope upon the same4  ,but we
 all1 beholding the glory of the ,lord1 
are changed into the same image4        
,,the ,,mirrors ,,of ,,the ,,lord4      
,but we all1 with open face beholding as
 in a glass the glory of the ,lord1 are 
changed into the same image from glory  
to glory1 even as by the spirit of the  
,lord4--,,ii4 ,corinthians iii4 #ah4    
,we may see from this passage how the   
apostle ,paul received the ,lord1 and   
how he understands his life to be the   
light of men1 and so their life also4   
,of all writers ,i know1 ,paul seems to 
me the most plainly1 the most           
determinedly practical in his writing4  
,what has been called his mysticism is  

at one time the exercise of a power of  
seeing1 as by spiritual refraction1     
truths that had not1 perhaps have not   
yet1 risen above the human horizon2 at  
another1 the result of a wide-eyed habit
 of noting the analogies and            
correspondences between the concentric  
regions of creation2 it is the working  
of a poetic imagination divinely alive1 
whose part is to foresee and welcome    
approaching truth2 to discover the same 
principle in things that look unlike2 to
 embody things discovered1 in forms and 
symbols heretofore unused1 and so       
present to other minds the deeper truths
 to which those forms and symbols owe   
their being4  ,i find in ,paul's writing
 the same artistic fault1 with the same 
resulting difficulty1 that ,i find in   
,shakspere's--a fault that1 in each     
case1 springs from the admirable fact   
that the man is much more than the      
artist--the fault of trying to say too  
much at once1 of pouring out stintless  
the plethora of a soul swelling with    

life and its thought1 through the too   
narrow neck of human utterance4 ,thence 
it comes that we are at times bewildered
 between two or more meanings1 equally  
good in themselves1 but perplexing as to
 the right deduction1 as to the line of 
the thinker's reasoning4 ,the           
uncertainty1 however1 lies always in the
 intellectual region1 never in the      
practical4 ,what ,paul cares about is   
plain enough to the true heart1 however 
far from plain to the man whose desire  
to understand goes ahead of his         
obedience1 who starts with the notion   
that ,paul's design was to teach a      
system1 to explain instead of help to   
see ,god1 a ,god that can be revealed   
only to childlike insight1 never to     
keenest intellect4 ,the energy of the   
apostle1 like that of his master1 went  
forth to rouse men to seek the kingdom  
of ,god over them1 his righteousness in 
them2 to dismiss the lust of possession 
and passing pleasure2 to look upon the  
glory of the ,god and ,father1 and turn 

to him from all that he hates2 to       
recognize the brotherhood of men1 and   
the hideousness of what is unfair1      
unloving1 and self-exalting4 ,his design
 was not to teach any plan of salvation 
other than obedience to the ,lord of    
,life4 ,he knew nothing of the so-called
 ,christian systems that change the     
glory of the perfect ,god into the      
likeness of the low intellects and dull 
consciences of men--a worse corruption  
than the representing of him in human   
shape4 ,what kind of soul is it that    
would not choose the ,apollo of light1  
the high-walking ,hyperion1 to the      
notion of the dull1 self-cherishing     
monarch1 the law-dispensing magistrate1 
or the cruel martinet1 generated in the 
pagan arrogance of ,rome1 and accepted  
by the world in the church as the       
portrait of its ,god6 ,jesus ,christ is 
the only likeness of the living ,father4
  ,let us see then what ,paul teaches us
 in this passage about the life which is
 the light of men4 ,it is his form of   

bringing to bear upon men the truth     
announced by ,john4  ,when ,moses came  
out from speaking with ,god1 his face   
was radiant2 its shining was a wonder to
 the people1 and a power upon them4 ,but
 the radiance began at once to diminish 
and die away1 as was natural1 for it was
 not indigenous in ,moses4 ,therefore   
,moses put a veil upon his face that    
they might not see it fade4 ,as to      
whether this was right or wise1 opinion 
may differ3 it is not my business to    
discuss the question4 ,when he went     
again into the tabernacle1 he took off  
his veil1 talked with ,god with open    
face1 and again put on the veil when he 
came out4 ,paul says that the veil which
 obscured the face of ,moses lies now   
upon the hearts of the ,jews1 so that   
they cannot understand him1 but that    
when they turn to the ,lord1 go into the
 tabernacle with ,moses1 the veil shall 
be taken away1 and they shall see ,god4 
,then will they understand that the     
glory is indeed faded upon the face of  

,moses1 but by reason of the glory that 
excelleth1 the glory of ,jesus that     
overshines it4 ,here1 after all1 ,i can 
hardly help asking--,would not ,moses   
have done better to let them see that   
the glory of their leader was altogether
 dependent on the glory within the veil1
 whither they were not worthy to enter8 
,did that veil hide ,moses's face only8 
,did he not1 however unintentionally1   
lay it on their hearts8 ,did it not     
cling there1 and help to hide ,god from 
them1 so that they could not perceive   
that the greater than ,moses was come1  
and stormed at the idea that the glory  
of their prophet must yield8 ,might not 
the absence of that veil from his face  
have left them a little more able to    
realize that his glory was a glory that 
must pass1 a glory whose glory was that 
it prepared the way for a glory that    
must extinguish it8 ,moses had put the  
veil for ever from his face1 but they   
clutched it to their hearts1 and it     
blinded them--admirable symbol of the   

wilful blindness of old ,mosaist or     
modern ,wesleyan1 admitting no light    
that his ,moses or his ,wesley did not  
see1 and thus losing what of the light  
he saw and reflected4  ,paul says that  
the sight of the ,lord will take that   
veil from their hearts4 ,his light will 
burn it away4 ,his presence gives       
liberty4 ,where he is1 there is no more 
heaviness1 no more bondage1 no more     
wilderness or ,mount ,sinai4 ,the ,son  
makes free with sonship4  ,and now comes
 the passage whose import ,i desire to  
make more clear3  ',but we all1' having 
this presence and this liberty1 'with   
open face beholding as in a glass the   
glory of the ,lord1 are changed into the
 same image1' that of the ,lord1 'from  
glory to glory1 even as of the ,lord1   
the spirit4'  ',we need no ,moses1 no   
earthly mediator1 to come between us and
 the light1 and bring out for us a      
little of the glory4 ,we go into the    
presence of the ,son revealing the      
,father--into the presence of the ,light

 of men4 ,our mediator is the ,lord     
himself1 the spirit of light1 a mediator
 not sent by us to ,god to bring back   
his will1 but come from ,god to bring us
 himself4 ,we enter1 like ,moses1 into  
the presence of the visible1 radiant    
,god--only how much more visible1 more  
radiant6 ,as ,moses stood with uncovered
 face receiving the glory of ,god full  
upon it1 so with open1 with uncovered   
face1 full in the light of the glory of 
,god1 in the place of his presence1     
stand we--you and ,i1 ,corinthians4 ,it 
is no reflected light we see1 but the   
glory of ,god shining in1 shining out   
of1 shining in and from the face of     
,christ1 the glory of the ,father1 one  
with the ,son4 ,israel saw but the      
fading reflection of the glory of ,god  
on the face of ,moses2 we see the glory 
itself in the face of ,jesus4'  ,but in 
what follows1 it seems to me that the   
revised version misses the meaning      
almost as much as the authorized1 when1 
instead of 'beholding as in a glass1' it

 gives 'reflecting as a mirror4' ,the   
former is wrong2 the latter is far from 
right4 ,the idea1 with the figure1 is   
that of a poet1 not a man of science4   
,the poet deals with the outer show of  
things1 which outer show is infinitely  
deeper in its relation to truth1 as well
 as more practically useful1 than the   
analysis of the man of science4 ,paul   
never thought of the mirror as          
reflecting1 as throwing back the rays of
 light from its surface2 he thought of  
it as receiving1 taking into itself1 the
 things presented to it--here1 as       
filling its bosom with the glory it     
looks upon4 ,when ,i see the face of my 
friend in a mirror1 the mirror seems to 
hold it in itself1 to surround the      
visage with its liquid embrace4 ,the    
countenance is there--down there in the 
depth of the mirror4 ,true1 it shines   
radiant out of it1 but it is not the    
shining out of it that ,paul has in his 
thought2 it is the fact--the visual     
fact1 which1 according to ,wordsworth1  

the poet always seizes--of the mirror   
holding in it the face4  ,that this is  
the way poet or prophet--,paul was      
both--would think of the thing1         
especially in the age of the apostle1 ,i
 shall be able to make appear even more 
probable by directing your notice to the
 following passage from ,dante--whose   
time1 though so much farther from that  
of the apostle than our time from       
,dante's1 was in many respects much     
liker ,paul's than ours4  ,the passage  
is this3--,dell' ,inferno3 ,canto xxiii4
 #be-bg3             ,e quei3 ',s'io    
fossi d'impiombato vetro1               
,l'immagine di fuor tua non trarrei     
,piu tosto a me1 che quella dentro      
impetro4'   ,here ,virgil1 with         
reference to the power he had of reading
 the thoughts of his companion1 says to 
,dante3  ',if ,i were of leaded         
glass1'--meaning1 ',if ,i were glass    
covered at the back with lead1 so that  
,i was a mirror1'--',i should not draw  
thy outward image to me more readily    

than ,i gain thy inner one2'--meaning1  
'than now ,i know your thoughts4'  ,it  
seems1 then1 to me1 that the true simple
 word to represent the ,greek1 and the  
most literal as well by which to        
translate it1 is the verb mirror--when  
the sentence1 so far1 would run thus3   
',but we all1 with unveiled face1       
mirroring the glory of the ,lord1--4'   
,i must now go on to unfold the idea at 
work in the heart of the apostle4 ,for  
the mere correctness of a translation is
 nothing1 except it bring us something  
deeper1 or at least some fresher        
insight3 with him who cares for the     
words apart from what the writer meant  
them to convey1 ,i have nothing to do3  
he must cease to 'pass for a man' and   
begin to be a man indeed1 on the way to 
be a live soul1 before ,i can desire his
 intercourse4 ,the prophet-apostle seems
 to me1 then1 to say1 ',we all1 with    
clear vision of the ,lord1 mirroring in 
our hearts his glory1 even as a mirror  
would take into itself his face1 are    

thereby changed into his likeness1 his  
glory working our glory1 by the present 
power1 in our inmost being1 of the      
,lord1 the spirit4' ,our mirroring of   
,christ1 then1 is one with the presence 
of his spirit in us4 ,the idea1 you see1
 is not the reflection1 the radiating of
 the light of ,christ on others1 though 
that were a figure lawful enough2 but   
the taking into1 and having in us1 him  
working to the changing of us4  ,that   
the thing signified transcends the sign1
 outreaches the figure1 is no discovery2
 the thing figured always belongs to a  
higher stratum1 to which the simile     
serves but as a ladder2 when the climber
 has reached it1 'he then unto the      
ladder turns his back4' ,it is but      
according to the law of symbol1 that the
 thing symbolized by the mirror should  
have properties far beyond those of     
leaded glass or polished metal1 seeing  
it is a live soul understanding that    
which it takes into its deeps--holding  
it1 and conscious of what it holds4 ,it 

mirrors by its will to hold in its      
mirror4 ,unlike its symbol1 it can hold 
not merely the outward visual           
resemblance1 but the inward likeness of 
the person revealed by it2 it is open to
 the influences of that which it        
embraces1 and is capable of active      
co-operation with them3 the mirror and  
the thing mirrored are of one origin and
 nature1 and in closest relation to each
 other4 ,paul's idea is1 that when we   
take into our understanding1 our heart1 
our conscience1 our being1 the glory of 
,god1 namely ,jesus ,christ as he shows 
himself to our eyes1 our hearts1 our    
consciences1 he works upon us1 and will 
keep working1 till we are changed to the
 very likeness we have thus mirrored in 
us2 for with his likeness he comes      
himself1 and dwells in us4 ,he will work
 until the same likeness is wrought out 
and perfected in us1 the image1 namely1 
of the humanity of ,god1 in which image 
we were made at first1 but which could  
never be developed in us except by the  

indwelling of the perfect likeness4 ,by 
the power of ,christ thus received and  
at home in us1 we are changed--the glory
 in him becoming glory in us1 his glory 
changing us to glory4  ,but we must     
beware of receiving this or any symbol  
after the flesh1 beware of interpreting 
it in any fashion that partakes of the  
character of the mere physical1         
psychical1 or spirituo-mechanical4 ,the 
symbol deals with things far beyond the 
deepest region whence symbols can be    
drawn4 ,the indwelling of ,jesus in the 
soul of man1 who shall declare6 ,but let
 us note this1 that the dwelling of     
,jesus in us is the power of the spirit 
of ,god upon us2 for 'the ,lord is that 
spirit1' and that ,lord dwelling in us1 
we are changed 'even as from the ,lord  
the spirit4' ,when we think ,christ1    
,christ comes2 when we receive his image
 into our spiritual mirror1 he enters   
with it4 ,our thought is not cut off    
from his4 ,our open receiving thought is
 his door to come in4 ,when our hearts  

turn to him1 that is opening the door to
 him1 that is holding up our mirror to  
him2 then he comes in1 not by our       
thought only1 not in our idea only1 but 
he comes himself1 and of his own        
will--comes in as we could not take him1
 but as he can come and we receive      
him--enabled to receive by his very     
coming the one welcome guest of the     
whole universe4 ,thus the ,lord1 the    
spirit1 becomes the soul of our souls1  
becomes spiritually what he always was  
creatively2 and as our spirit informs1  
gives shape to our bodies1 in like      
manner his soul informs1 gives shape to 
our souls4 ,in this there is nothing    
unnatural1 nothing at conflict with our 
being4 ,it is but that the deeper soul  
that willed and wills our souls1 rises  
up1 the infinite ,life1 into the ,self  
we call ,i and me1 but which lives      
immediately from him1 and is his very   
own property and nature--unspeakably    
more his than ours3 this deeper creative
 soul1 working on and with his creation 

upon higher levels1 makes the ,i and me 
more and more his1 and himself more and 
more ours2 until at length the glory of 
our existence flashes upon us1 we face  
full to the sun that enlightens what it 
sent forth1 and know ourselves alive    
with an infinite life1 even the life of 
the ,father2 know that our existence is 
not the moonlight of a mere             
consciousness of being1 but the         
sun-glory of a life justified by having 
become one with its origin1 thinking and
 feeling with the primal ,sun of life1  
from whom it was dropped away that it   
might know and bethink itself1 and      
return to circle for ever in exultant   
harmony around him4 ,then indeed we are2
 then indeed we have life2 the life of  
,jesus has1 through light1 become life  
in us2 the glory of ,god in the face of 
,jesus1 mirrored in our hearts1 has made
 us alive2 we are one with ,god for ever
 and ever4  ,what less than such a      
splendour of hope would be worthy the   
revelation of ,jesus8 ,filled with the  

soul of their ,father1 men shall inherit
 the glory of their ,father2 filled with
 themselves1 they cast him out1 and rot4
 ,the company of the ,lord1 soul to     
soul1 is that which saves with life1 his
 life of ,god-devotion1 the souls of his
 brethren4 ,no other saving can save    
them4 ,they must receive the ,son1 and  
through the ,son the ,father4 ,what it  
cost the ,son to get so near to us that 
we could say ,come in1 is the story of  
his life4 ,he stands at the door and    
knocks1 and when we open to him he comes
 in1 and dwells with us1 and we are     
transformed to the same image of truth  
and purity and heavenly childhood4      
,where power dwells1 there is no force2 
where the spirit-,lord is1 there is     
liberty4 ,the ,lord ,jesus1 by free1    
potent communion with their inmost      
being1 will change his obedient brethren
 till in every thought and impulse they 
are good like him1 unselfish1           
neighbourly1 brotherly like him1 loving 
the ,father perfectly like him1 ready to

 die for the truth like him1 caring like
 him for nothing in the universe but the
 will of ,god1 which is love1 harmony1  
liberty1 beauty1 and joy4  ,i do not    
know if we may call this having life in 
ourselves2 but it is the waking up1 the 
perfecting in us of the divine life     
inherited from our ,father in heaven1   
who made us in his own image1 whose     
nature remains in us1 and makes it the  
deepest reproach to a man that he has   
neither heard his voice at any time1 nor
 seen his shape4 ,he who would thus live
 must1 as a mirror draws into its bosom 
an outward glory1 receive into his      
'heart of heart' the inward glory of    
,jesus ,christ1 the ,truth4             
,,the ,,truth4         ,i am the        
truth4--,john xiv4 #f  ,when the man of 
the five senses talks of truth1 he      
regards it but as a predicate of        
something historical or scientific      
proved a fact2 or1 if he allows that1   
for aught he knows1 there may be higher 
truth1 yet1 as he cannot obtain proof of

 it from without1 he acts as if under no
 conceivable obligation to seek any     
other satisfaction concerning it4       
,whatever appeal be made to the highest 
region of his nature1 such a one behaves
 as if it were the part of a wise man to
 pay it no heed1 because it does not    
come within the scope of the lower      
powers of that nature4 ,according to the
 word of the man1 however1 truth means  
more than fact1 more than relation of   
facts or persons1 more than loftiest    
abstraction of metaphysical             
entity--means being and life1 will and  
action2 for he says1 ',i am the truth4' 
,i desire to help those whom ,i may to  
understand more of what is meant by the 
truth1 not for the sake of definition1  
or logical discrimination1 but that1    
when they hear the word from the mouth  
of the ,lord1 the right idea may rise in
 their minds2 that the word may neither 
be to them a void sound1 nor call up    
either a vague or false notion of what  
he meant by it4 ,if he says1 ',i am the 

truth1' it must1 to say the least1 be   
well to know what he means by the word  
with whose idea he identifies himself4  
,and at once we may premise that he can 
mean nothing merely intellectual1 such  
as may be set forth and left there2 he  
means something vital1 so vital that the
 whole of its necessary relations are   
subject to it1 so vital that it includes
 everything else which1 in any lower    
plane1 may go or have gone by the same  
name4 ,let us endeavour to arrive at his
 meaning by a gently ascending stair4   
,a thing being so1 the word that says it
 is so1 is the truth4 ,but the fact may 
be of no value in itself1 and our       
knowledge of it of no value either4 ,of 
most facts it may be said that the truth
 concerning them is of no consequence4  
,for instance1 it cannot be in itself   
important whether on a certain morning  
,i took one side of the street or the   
other4 ,it may be of importance to some 
one to know which ,i took1 but in itself
 it is of none4 ,it would therefore be  

felt unfit if ,i said1 ',it is a truth  
that ,i walked on the sunny side4' ,the 
correct word would be a fact1 not a     
truth4 ,if the question arose whether a 
statement concerning the thing were     
correct1 we should still be in the      
region of fact or no fact2 but when we  
come to ask whether the statement was   
true or false1 then we are concerned    
with the matter as the assertion of a   
human being1 and ascend to another plane
 of things4 ,it may be of no consequence
 which side ,i was upon1 or it may be of
 consequence to some one to know which1 
but it is of vital importance to the    
witness and to any who love him1 whether
 or not he believes the statement he    
makes--whether the man himself is true  
or false4 ,concerning the thing it can  
be but a question of fact2 it remains a 
question of fact even whether the man   
has or has not spoken the truth2 but    
concerning the man it is a question of  
truth3 he is either a pure soul1 so far 
as this thing witnesses1 or a false     

soul1 capable and guilty of a lie4 ,in  
this relation it is of no consequence   
whether the man spoke the fact or not2  
if he meant to speak the fact1 he       
remains a true man4  ,here ,i would     
anticipate so far as to say that there  
are truths as well as facts1 and lies   
against truths as well as against facts4
 ,when the ,pharisees said ,corban1 they
 lied against the truth that a man must 
honour his father and mother4  ,let us  
go up now from the region of facts that 
seem casual1 to those facts that are    
invariable1 by us unchangeable1 which   
therefore involve what we call law4 ,it 
will be seen at once that the fact here 
is of more dignity1 and the truth or    
falsehood of a statement in this region 
of more consequence in itself4 ,it is a 
small matter whether the water in my jug
 was frozen on such a morning2 but it is
 a fact of great importance that at     
thirty-two degrees of ,fahrenheit water 
always freezes4 ,we rise a step here in 
the nature of the facts concerned3 are  

we come therefore into the region of    
truths8 ,is it a truth that water       
freezes at thirty-two degrees8 ,i think 
not4 ,there is no principle1 open to us1
 involved in the changeless fact4 ,the  
principle that lies at the root of it in
 the mind of ,god must be a truth1 but  
to the human mind the fact is as yet    
only a fact4 ,the word truth ought to be
 kept for higher things4 ,there are     
those that think such facts the highest 
that can be known2 they put therefore   
the highest word they know to the       
highest thing they know1 and call the   
facts of nature truths2 but to me it    
seems that1 however high you come in    
your generalization1 however wide you   
make your law---including1 for instance1
 all solidity under the law of          
freezing--you have not risen higher than
 the statement that such and such is an 
invariable fact4 ,call it a law if you  
will--a law of nature if you            
choose--that it always is so1 but not a 
truth4 ,it cannot be to us a truth until

 we descry the reason of its existence1 
its relation to mind and intent1 yea to 
self-existence4 ,tell us why it must be 
so1 and you state a truth4 ,when we come
 to see that a law is such1 because it  
is the embodiment of a certain eternal  
thought1 beheld by us in it1 a fact of  
the being of ,god1 the facts of which   
alone are truths1 then indeed it will be
 to us1 not a law merely1 but an        
embodied truth4 ,a law of ,god's nature 
is a way he would have us think of him2 
it is a necessary truth of all being4   
,when a law of ,nature makes us see     
this2 when we say1 ,i understand that   
law2 ,i see why it ought to be2 it is   
just like ,god2 then it rises1 not to   
the dignity of a truth in itself1 but to
 the truth of its own nature--namely1 a 
revelation of character1 nature1 and    
will in ,god4 ,it is a picture of       
something in ,god1 a word that tells a  
fact about ,god1 and is therefore far   
nearer being called a truth than        
anything below it4 ,as a simple         

illustration3 ,what notion should we    
have of the unchanging and unchangeable1
 without the solidity of matter8 ,if1   
such as we are1 we had nothing solid    
about us1 where would be our thinking   
about ,god and truth and law8  ,but     
there is a region perhaps not so high as
 this from the scientific point of view1
 where yet the word truth may begin to  
be rightly applied4 ,i believe that     
every fact in nature is a revelation of 
,god1 is there such as it is because    
,god is such as he is2 and ,i suspect   
that all its facts impress us so that we
 learn ,god unconsciously4 ,true1 we    
cannot think of any one fact thus1      
except as we find the soul of it--its   
fact of ,god2 but from the moment when  
first we come into contact with the     
world1 it is to us a revelation of ,god1
 his things seen1 by which we come to   
know the things unseen4 ,how should we  
imagine what we may of ,god1 without the
 firmament over our heads1 a visible    
sphere1 yet a formless infinitude6 ,what

 idea could we have of ,god without the 
sky8 ,the truth of the sky is what it   
makes us feel of the ,god that sent it  
out to our eyes4 ,if you say the sky    
could not but be so and such1 ,i grant  
it--with ,god at the root of it4 ,there 
is nothing for us to conceive in its    
stead--therefore indeed it must be so4  
,in its discovered laws1 light seems to 
me to be such because ,god is such4 ,its
 so-called laws are the waving of his   
garments1 waving so because he is       
thinking and loving and walking inside  
them4  ,we are here in a region far     
above that commonly claimed for science1
 open only to the heart of the child and
 the childlike man and woman--a region  
in which the poet is among his own      
things1 and to which he has often to go 
to fetch them4 ,for things as they are1 
not as science deals with them1 are the 
revelation of ,god to his children4 ,i  
would not be misunderstood3 there is no 
fact of science not yet incorporated in 
a law1 no law of science that has got   

beyond the hypothetic and tentative1    
that has not in it the will of ,god1 and
 therefore may not reveal ,god2 but     
neither fact nor law is there for the   
sake of fact or law2 each is but a mean 
to an end2 in the perfected end we find 
the intent1 and there ,god--not in the  
laws themselves1 save as his means4 ,for
 that same reason1 human science cannot 
discover ,god2 for human science is but 
the backward undoing of the tapestry-web
 of ,god's science1 works with its back 
to him1 and is always leaving him--his  
intent1 that is1 his perfected          
work--behind it1 always going farther   
and farther away from the point where   
his work culminates in revelation4      
,doubtless it thus makes some small     
intellectual approach to him1 but at    
best it can come only to his back2      
science will never find the face of     
,god2 while those who would reach his   
heart1 those who1 like ,dante1 are      
returning thither where they are1 will  
find also the spring-head of his        

science4 ,analysis is well1 as death is 
well2 analysis is death1 not life4 ,it  
discovers a little of the way ,god walks
 to his ends1 but in so doing it forgets
 and leaves the end itself behind4 ,i do
 not say the man of science does so1 but
 the very process of his work is such a 
leaving of ,god's ends behind4 ,it is a 
following back of his footsteps1 too    
often without appreciation of the result
 for which the feet took those steps4   
,to rise from the perfected work is the 
swifter and loftier ascent4 ,if the man 
could find out why ,god worked so1 then 
he would be discovering ,god2 but even  
then he would not be discovering the    
best and the deepest of ,god2 for his   
means cannot be so great as his ends4 ,i
 must make myself clearer4  ,ask a man  
of mere science1 what is the truth of a 
flower3 he will pull it to pieces1 show 
you its parts1 explain how they operate1
 how they minister each to the life of  
the flower2 he will tell you what       
changes are wrought in it by scientific 

cultivation2 where it lives originally1 
where it can live2 the effects upon it  
of another climate2 what part the       
insects bear in its varieties--and      
doubtless many more facts about it4 ,ask
 the poet what is the truth of the      
flower1 and he will answer3 ',why1 the  
flower itself1 the perfect flower1 and  
what it cannot help saying to him who   
has ears to hear it4' ,the truth of the 
flower is1 not the facts about it1 be   
they correct as ideal science itself1   
but the shining1 glowing1 gladdening1   
patient thing throned on its stalk--the 
compeller of smile and tear from child  
and prophet4 ,the man of science laughs 
at this1 because he is only a man of    
science1 and does not know what it      
means2 but the poet and the child care  
as little for his laughter as the birds 
of ,god1 as ,dante calls the angels1 for
 his treatise on aerostation4 ,the      
children of ,god must always be mocked  
by the children of the world1 whether in
 the church or out of it--children with 

sharp ears and eyes1 but dull hearts4   
,those that hold love the only good in  
the world1 understand and smile at the  
world's children1 and can do very well  
without anything they have got to tell  
them4 ,in the higher state to which     
their love is leading them1 they will   
speedily outstrip the men of science1   
for they have that which is at the root 
of science1 that for the revealing of   
which ,god's science exists4 ,what shall
 it profit a man to know all things1 and
 lose the bliss1 the consciousness of   
well-being1 which alone can give value  
to his knowledge8  ,god's science in the
 flower exists for the existence of the 
flower in its relation to his children4 
,if we understand1 if we are at one     
with1 if we love the flower1 we have    
that for which the science is there1    
that which alone can equip us for true  
search into the means and ways by which 
the divine idea of the flower was       
wrought out to be presented to us4 ,the 
idea of ,god is the flower2 his idea is 

not the botany of the flower4 ,its      
botany is but a thing of ways and       
means--of canvas and colour and brush in
 relation to the picture in the         
painter's brain4 ,the mere intellect can
 never find out that which owes its     
being to the heart supreme4 ,the        
relation of the intellect to that which 
is born of the heart is an unreal except
 it be a humble one4 ,the idea of ,god1 
,i repeat1 is the flower4 ,he thought   
it2 invented its means2 sent it1 a gift 
of himself1 to the eyes and hearts of   
his children4 ,when we see how they are 
loved by the ignorant and degraded1 we  
may well believe the flowers have a     
place in the history of the world1 as   
written for the archives of heaven1     
which we are yet a long way from        
understanding1 and which science could  
not1 to all eternity1 understand1 or    
enable to understand4 ,watch that child6
 ,he has found one of his silent and    
motionless brothers1 with ,god's        
clothing upon it1 ,god's thought in its 

face4 ,in what a smile breaks out the   
divine understanding between them6      
,watch his mother when he takes it home 
to her--no nearer understanding it than 
he6 ,it is no old association that      
brings those tears to her eyes1 powerful
 in that way as are flowers1 and things 
far inferior to flowers2 it is ,god's   
thought1 unrecognized as such1 holding  
communion with her4 ,she weeps with a   
delight inexplicable4 ,it is only a     
daisy6 only a primrose6 only a          
pheasant-eye-narcissus6 only a lily of  
the field6 only a snowdrop6 only a      
sweet-pea6 only a brave yellow crocus6  
,but here to her is no mere fact2 here  
is no law of nature2 here is a truth of 
nature1 the truth of a flower--a perfect
 thought from the heart of ,god--a truth
 of ,god6--not an intellectual truth1   
but a divine fact1 a dim revelation1 a  
movement of the creative soul6 ,who but 
a father could think the flowers for his
 little ones8 ,we are nigh the region   
now in which the ,lord's word is at     

home--',i am the truth4'  ,i will take  
an illustrative instance altogether to  
my mind and special purpose4 ,what1 ,i  
ask1 is the truth of water8 ,is it that 
it is formed of hydrogen and            
oxygen8--,that the chemist has now      
another mode of stating the fact of     
water1 will not affect my illustration4 
,his new mode will probably be one day  
yet more antiquated than mine is        
now4--,is it for the sake of the fact   
that hydrogen and oxygen combined form  
water1 that the precious thing exists8  
,is oxygen-and-hydrogen the divine idea 
of water8 ,or has ,god put the two      
together only that man might separate   
and find them out8 ,he allows his child 
to pull his toys to pieces2 but were    
they made that he might pull them to    
pieces8 ,he were a child not to be      
envied for whom his inglorious father   
would make toys to such an end6 ,a      
school-examiner might see therein the   
best use of a toy1 but not a father6    
,find for us what in the constitution of

 the two gases makes them fit and       
capable to be thus honoured in forming  
the lovely thing1 and you will give us a
 revelation about more than water1      
namely about the ,god who made oxygen   
and hydrogen4 ,there is no water in     
oxygen1 no water in hydrogen3 it comes  
bubbling fresh from the imagination of  
the living ,god1 rushing from under the 
great white throne of the glacier4 ,the 
very thought of it makes one gasp with  
an elemental joy no metaphysician can   
analyse4 ,the water itself1 that dances1
 and sings1 and slakes the wonderful    
thirst--symbol and picture of that      
draught for which the woman of ,samaria 
made her prayer to ,jesus--this lovely  
thing itself1 whose very wetness is a   
delight to every inch of the human body 
in its embrace--this live thing which1  
if ,i might1 ,i would have running      
through my room1 yea1 babbling along my 
table--this water is its own self its   
own truth1 and is therein a truth of    
,god4 ,let him who would know the love  

of the maker1 become sorely athirst1 and
 drink of the brook by the way--then    
lift up his heart--not at that moment to
 the maker of oxygen and hydrogen1 but  
to the inventor and mediator of thirst  
and water1 that man might foresee a     
little of what his soul may find in     
,god4 ,if he become not then as a hart  
panting for the water-brooks1 let him go
 back to his science and its husks3 they
 will at last make him thirsty as the   
victim in the dust-tower of the         
,persian4 ,as well may a man think to   
describe the joy of drinking by giving  
thirst and water for its analysis1 as   
imagine he has revealed anything about  
water by resolving it into its          
scientific elements4 ,let a man go to   
the hillside and let the brook sing to  
him till he loves it1 and he will find  
himself far nearer the fountain of truth
 than the triumphal car of the chemist  
will ever lead the shouting crew of his 
half-comprehending followers4 ,he will  
draw from the brook the water of joyous 

tears1 'and worship him that made       
heaven1 and earth1 and the sea1 and the 
fountains of waters4'  ,the truth of a  
thing1 then1 is the blossom of it1 the  
thing it is made for1 the topmost stone 
set on with rejoicing2 truth in a man's 
imagination is the power to recognize   
this truth of a thing2 and wherever1 in 
anything that ,god has made1 in the     
glory of it1 be it sky or flower or     
human face1 we see the glory of ,god1   
there a true imagination is beholding a 
truth of ,god4 ,and now we must advance 
to a yet higher plane4  ,we have seen   
that the moment whatever goes by the    
name of truth comes into connection with
 man2 the moment that1 instead of merely
 mirroring itself in his intellect as a 
thing outside of him1 it comes into     
contact with him as a being of action2  
the moment the knowledge of it affects  
or ought to affect his sense of duty1 it
 becomes a thing of far nobler import2  
the question of truth enters upon a     
higher phase1 looks out of a loftier    

window4 ,a fact which in itself is of no
 value1 becomes at once a matter of life
 and death--moral life and death1 when a
 man has the choice1 the imperative     
choice of being true or false concerning
 it4 ,when the truth1 the heart1 the    
summit1 the crown of a thing1 is        
perceived by a man1 he approaches the   
fountain of truth whence the thing came1
 and perceiving ,god by understanding   
what is1 becomes more of a man1 more of 
the being he was meant to be4 ,in virtue
 of this truth perceived1 he has        
relations with the universe undeveloped 
in him till then4 ,but far higher will  
the doing of the least1 the most        
insignificant duty raise him4 ,he begins
 thereby to be a true man4 ,a man may   
delight in the vision and glory of a    
truth1 and not himself be true4 ,the man
 whose vision is weak1 but who1 as far  
as he sees1 and desirous to see farther1
 does the thing he sees1 is a true man4 
,if a man knows what is1 and says it is 
not1 his knowing does not make him less 

than a liar4 ,the man who recognizes the
 truth of any human relation1 and       
neglects the duty involved1 is not a    
true man4 ,the man who knows the laws of
 nature1 and does not heed them1 the    
more he teaches them to others1 the less
 is he a true man4 ,but he may obey them
 all and be the falsest of men1 because 
of far higher and closer duties which he
 neglects4 ,the man who takes good care 
of himself and none of his brother and  
sister1 is false4 ,a man may be a poet1 
aware of the highest truth of a thing1  
of that beauty which is the final cause 
of its existence2 he may draw thence a  
notion of the creative loveliness that  
thought it out2 he may be a man who     
would not tell a lie1 or steal1 or      
slander--and yet he may not be a true   
man1 inasmuch as the essentials of      
manhood are not his aim3 having nowise  
come to the flower of his own being1    
nowise1 in his higher degree1 attained  
the truth of a thing--namely1 that for  
which he exists1 the creational notion  

of him--neither is he striving after the
 same4 ,there are relations closer than 
those of the facts around him1 plainer  
than those that seem to bring the maker 
nigh to him1 which he is failing to see1
 or seeing fails to acknowledge1 or     
acknowledging fails to fulfil4 ,man is  
man only in the doing of the truth1     
perfect man only in the doing of the    
highest truth1 which is the fulfilling  
of his relations to his origin4 ,but he 
has relations with his fellow man1      
closer infinitely than with any of the  
things around him1 and to many a man far
 plainer than his relations with ,god4  
,now the nearer is plainer that he may  
step on it1 and rise to the higher1 till
 then the less plain4 ,these relations  
make a large part of his being1 are     
essential to his very existence1 and    
spring from the very facts of the       
origination of his being4 ,they are the 
relation of thought to thought1 of being
 to being1 of duty to duty4 ,the very   
nature of a man depends upon or is one  

with these relations4 ,they are truths1 
and the man is a true man as he fulfils 
them4 ,fulfilling them perfectly1 he is 
himself a truth1 a living truth4 ,as    
regarded merely by the intellect1 these 
relations are facts of man's nature2 but
 that they are of man's nature makes    
them truths1 and the fulfilments of them
 are duties4 ,he is so constituted as to
 understand them at first more than he  
can love them1 with the resulting       
advantage of having thereby the         
opportunity of choosing them purely     
because they are true2 so doing he      
chooses to love them1 and is enabled to 
love them in the doing1 which alone can 
truly reveal them to him1 and make the  
loving of them possible4 ,then they     
cease to show themselves in the form of 
duties1 and appear as they more truly   
are1 absolute truths1 essential         
realities1 eternal delights4 ,the man is
 a true man who chooses duty2 he is a   
perfect man who at length never thinks  
of duty1 who forgets the name of it4    

,the duty of ,jesus was the doing in    
lower forms than the perfect that which 
he loved perfectly1 and did perfectly in
 the highest forms also4 ,thus he       
fulfilled all righteousness4 ,one who   
went to the truth by mere impulse1 would
 be a holy animal1 not a true man4      
,relations1 truths1 duties1 are shown to
 the man away beyond him1 that he may   
choose them1 and be a child of ,god1    
choosing righteousness like him4 ,hence 
the whole sad victorious human tale1 and
 the glory to be revealed6  ,the moral  
philosopher who regards duties only as  
facts of his system2 nay1 even the man  
who rewards them as truths1 essential   
realities of his humanity1 but goes no  
farther1 is essentially a liar1 a man of
 untruth4 ,he is a man indeed1 but not a
 true man4 ,he is a man in possibility1 
but not a real man yet4 ,the recognition
 of these things is the imperative      
obligation to fulfil them4 ,not         
fulfilling these relations1 the man is  
undoing the right of his own existence1 

destroying his raison d'etre1 making of 
himself a monster1 a live reason why he 
should not live1 for nothing on those   
terms could ever have begun to be4 ,his 
presence is a claim upon his creator for
 destruction4  ,the facts of human      
relation1 then1 are truths indeed1 and  
of awfullest import4 ',whosoever hateth 
his brother is a murderer2 and ye know  
that no murderer hath eternal life      
abiding in him6' ,the man who lives a   
hunter after pleasure1 not a labourer in
 the fields of duty1 who thinks of      
himself as if he were alone on the      
earth1 is in himself a lie4 ,instead of 
being the man he looks1 the man he was  
made to be1 he lives as the beasts seem 
to live--with this difference1 ,i trust1
 that they are rising1 while he1 so far 
as lies in himself1 is sinking4 ,but he 
cannot be allowed to sink beyond ,god's 
reach2 hence all the holy--that is1     
healing--miseries that come upon him1 of
 which he complains as so hard and      
unfair3 they are for the compelling of  

the truth he will not yield--a painful  
suasion to be himself1 to be a truth4   
,but suppose1 for the sake of my        
progressive unfolding1 that a man did   
everything required of him--fulfilled   
all the relations to his fellows of     
which ,i have been speaking1 was toward 
them at least1 a true man2 he would yet 
feel1 doubtless would feel it the more1 
that something was lacking to           
him--lacking to his necessary           
well-being4 ,like a live flower1 he     
would feel that he had not yet          
blossomed1 and could not tell what the  
blossom ought to be4 ,in this direction 
the words of the ,lord point1 when he   
says to the youth1 ',if thou wouldst be 
perfect4' ,the man whom ,i suppose1     
would feel that his existence was not   
yet justified to itself1 that the truth 
of his being and nature was not yet     
revealed to his consciousness4 ,he would
 remain unsatisfied2 and the cause would
 be that there was in him a relation1   
and that the deepest1 closest1 and      

strongest1 which had not yet come into  
live fact1 which had not yet become a   
truth in him1 toward which he was not   
true1 whereby his being remained untrue1
 he was not himself1 was not ripened    
into the divine idea1 which alone can   
content itself4 ,a child with a child's 
heart who does not even know that he has
 a father1 yet misses him--with his     
whole nature1 even if not with his      
consciousness4 ,this relation has not   
yet so far begun to be fulfilled in him1
 as that the coming blossom should send 
before it patience and hope enough to   
enable him to live by faith without     
sight4 ,when the flower begins to come1 
the human plant begins to rejoice in the
 glory of ,god not yet revealed1 the    
inheritance of the saints in light2 with
 uplifted stem and forward-leaning bud  
expects the hour when the lily of ,god's
 field shall know itself alive1 with    
,god himself for its heart and its      
atmosphere2 the hour when ,god and the  
man shall be one1 and all that ,god     

cares for shall be the man's4 ,but again
 ,i forget my progression4  ,the highest
 truth to the intellect1 the abstract   
truth1 is the relation in which man     
stands to the source of his being--his  
will to the will whence it became a     
will1 his love to the love that kindled 
his power to love1 his intellect to the 
intellect that lighted his4 ,if a man   
deal with these things only as things to
 be dealt with1 as objects of thought1  
as ideas to be analysed and arranged in 
their due order and right relation1 he  
treats them as facts and not as truths1 
and is no better1 probably much the     
worse1 for his converse with them1 for  
he knows in a measure1 and is false to  
all that is most worthy of his          
faithfulness4  ,but when the soul1 or   
heart1 or spirit1 or what you please to 
call that which is the man himself and  
not his body1 sooner or later becomes   
aware that he needs some one above him1 
whom to obey1 in whom to rest1 from whom
 to seek deliverance from what in       

himself is despicable1 disappointing1   
unworthy even of his own interest2 when 
he is aware of an opposition in him1    
which is not harmony2 that1 while he    
hates it1 there is yet present with him1
 and seeming to be himself1 what        
sometimes he calls the old ,adam1       
sometimes the flesh1 sometimes his lower
 nature1 sometimes his evil self2 and   
sometimes recognizes as simply that part
 of his being where ,god is not2 then   
indeed is the man in the region of      
truth1 and beginning to come true in    
himself4 ,nor will it be long ere he    
discover that there is no part in him   
with which he would be at strife1 so    
,god were there1 so that it were true1  
what it ought to be--in right relation  
to the whole2 for1 by whatever name     
called1 the old ,adam1 or antecedent    
horse1 or dog1 or tiger1 it would then  
fulfil its part holily1 intruding upon  
nothing1 subject utterly to the rule of 
the higher2 horse or dog or tiger1 it   
would be good horse1 good dog1 good     

tiger4  ,when the man bows down before a
 power that can account for him1 a power
 to whom he is no mystery as he is to   
himself2 a power that knows whence he   
came and whither he is going2 who knows 
why he loves this and hates that1 why   
and where he began to go wrong2 who can 
set him right1 longs indeed to set him  
right1 making of him a creature to look 
up to himself without shadow of doubt1  
anxiety or fear1 confident as a child   
whom his father is leading by the hand  
to the heights of happy-making truth1   
knowing that where he is wrong1 the     
father is right and will set him right2 
when the man feels his whole being in   
the embrace of self-responsible         
paternity--then the man is bursting into
 his flower2 then the truth of his      
being1 the eternal fact at the root of  
his new name1 his real nature1 his      
idea--born in ,god at first1 and        
responsive to the truth1 the being of   
,god1 his origin--begins to show itself2
 then his nature is almost in harmony   

with itself4 ,for1 obeying the will that
 is the cause of his being1 the cause of
 that which demands of itself to be     
true1 and that will being righteousness 
and love and truth1 he begins to stand  
on the apex of his being1 to know       
himself divine4 ,he begins to feel      
himself free4 ,the truth--not as known  
to his intellect1 but as revealed in his
 own sense of being true1 known by his  
essential consciousness of his divine   
condition1 without which his nature is  
neither his own nor ,god's--trueness has
 made him free4 ,not any abstract truth1
 not all abstract truth1 not truth its  
very metaphysical self1 held by purest  
insight into entity1 can make any man   
free2 but the truth done1 the truth     
loved1 the truth lived by the man2 the  
truth of and not merely in the man      
himself2 the honesty that makes the man 
himself a child of the honest ,god4     
,when a man is1 with his whole nature1  
loving and willing the truth1 he is then
 a live truth4 ,but this he has not     

originated in himself4 ,he has seen it  
and striven for it1 but not originated  
it4 ,the one originating1 living1       
visible truth1 embracing all truths in  
all relations1 is ,jesus ,christ4 ,he is
 true2 he is the live ,truth4 ,his      
truth1 chosen and willed by him1 the    
ripeness of his being1 the flower of his
 sonship which is his nature1 the crown 
of his one topmost perfect relation     
acknowledged and gloried in1 is his     
absolute obedience to his father4 ,the  
obedient ,jesus is ,jesus the ,truth4   
,he is true and the root of all truth   
and development of truth in men4 ,their 
very being1 however far from the true   
human1 is the undeveloped ,christ in    
them1 and his likeness to ,christ is the
 truth of a man1 even as the perfect    
meaning of a flower is the truth of a   
flower4 ,every man1 according to the    
divine idea of him1 must come to the    
truth of that idea2 and under every form
 of ,christ is the ,christ4 ,the truth  
of every man1 ,i say1 is the perfected  

,christ in him4 ,as ,christ is the      
blossom of humanity1 so the blossom of  
every man is the ,christ perfected in   
him4 ,the vital force of humanity       
working in him is ,christ2 he is his    
root--the generator and perfecter of his
 individuality4 ,the stronger the pure  
will of the man to be true2 the freer   
and more active his choice2 the more    
definite his individuality1 ever the    
more is the man and all that is his1    
,christ's4 ,without him he could not    
have been2 being1 he could not have     
become capable of truth2 capable of     
truth1 he could never have loved it2    
loving and desiring it1 he could not    
have attained to it4 ,nothing but the   
heart-presence1 the humanest sympathy1  
and whatever deeper thing else may be   
betwixt the creating ,truth and the     
responding soul1 could make a man go on 
hoping1 until at last he forget himself1
 and keep open house for ,god to come   
and go4 ,he gives us the will wherewith 
to will1 and the power to use it1 and   

the help needed to supplement the power1
 whatever in any case the need may be2  
but we ourselves must will the truth1   
and for that the ,lord is waiting1 for  
the victory of ,god his father in the   
heart of his child4 ,in this alone can  
he see of the travail of his soul1 in   
this alone be satisfied4 ,the work is   
his1 but we must take our willing share4
 ,when the blossom breaks forth in us1  
the more it is ours the more it is his1 
for the highest creation of the ,father1
 and that pre-eminently through the     
,son1 is the being that can1 like the   
,father and the ,son1 of his own self   
will what is right4 ,the groaning and   
travailing1 the blossom and the joy1 are
 the ,father's and the ,son's and ours4 
,the will1 the power of willing1 may be 
created1 but the willing is begotten4   
,because ,god wills first1 man wills    
also4  ,when my being is consciously and
 willedly in the hands of him who called
 it to live and think and suffer and be 
glad--given back to him by a perfect    

obedience--,i thenceforward breathe the 
breath1 share the life of ,god himself4 
,then ,i am free1 in that ,i am         
true--which means one with the ,father4 
,and freedom knows itself to be freedom4
 ,when a man is true1 if he were in hell
 he could not be miserable4 ,he is right
 with himself because right with him    
whence he came4 ,to be right with ,god  
is to be right with the universe2 one   
with the power1 the love1 the will of   
the mighty ,father1 the cherisher of    
joy1 the lord of laughter1 whose are all
 glories1 all hopes1 who loves          
everything1 and hates nothing but       
selfishness1 which he will not have in  
his kingdom4  ,christ then is the ,lord 
of life2 his life is the light of men2  
the light mirrored in them changes them 
into the image of him1 the ,truth2 and  
thus the truth1 who is the ,son1 makes  
them free4                              
,,freedom4    ,the ,truth shall make you
 free4444 ,whosoever committeth sin1 is 
the servant of sin4 ,and the servant    

abideth not in the house for ever3 but  
the ,son abideth ever4 ,if the ,son     
therefore shall make you free1 ye shall 
be free indeed4--,john viii4 #cb1       
#cd-cf4  ,as this passage stands1 ,i    
have not been able to make sense of it4 
,no man could be in the house of the    
,father in virtue of being the servant  
of sin2 yet this man is in the house as 
a servant1 and the house in which he    
serves is not the house of sin1 but the 
house of the ,father4 ,the utterance is 
confused at best1 and the reasoning     
faulty4 ,he must be in the house of the 
,father on some other ground than sin4  
,this1 had no help come1 would have been
 sufficient cause for leaving the       
passage alone1 as one where1 perhaps1   
the words of the ,lord were             
misrepresented--where1 at least1        
perceiving more than one fundamental    
truth involved in the passage1 ,i failed
 to follow the argument4 ,i do not see  
that ,i could ever have suggested where 
the corruption1 if any1 lay4 ,most      

difficulties of similar nature have     
originated1 like this1 ,i can hardly    
doubt1 with some scribe who1 desiring to
 explain what he did not understand1    
wrote his worthless gloss on the margin3
 the next copier took the words for an  
omission that ought to be replaced in   
the body of the text1 and inserting     
them1 falsified the utterance1 and      
greatly obscured its intention4 ,what do
 we not owe to the critics who have     
searched the scriptures1 and found what 
really was written6 ,in the present     
case1 ,dr4 ,westcott's notation gives us
 to understand that there is another    
with 'a reasonable probability of being 
the true reading4' ,the difference is   
indeed small to the eye1 but is great   
enough to give us fine gold instead of  
questionable ore4 ,in an alternative of 
the kind1 ,i must hope in what seems    
logical against what seems illogical2 in
 what seems radiant against what seems  
trite4  ,what ,i take for the true      
reading then1 ,i ,english thus3 ',every 

one committing sin is a slave4 ,but the 
slave does not remain in the house for  
ever2 the son remaineth for ever4 ,if   
then the son shall make you free1 you   
shall in reality be free4' ,the         
authorized version gives1 ',whosoever   
committeth sin1 is the servant of sin2  
'the revised version gives1 ',every one 
that committeth sin is the bondservant  
of sin2' both accepting the reading that
 has the words1 'of sin4' ,the statement
 is certainly in itself true1 but       
appears to me useless for the argument  
that follows4 ,and ,i think it may have 
been what ,i take to be the true        
reading1 that suggested to the apostle  
,paul what he says in the beginning of  
the fourth chapter of his ,epistle to   
the ,galatians--words of spirit and life
 from which has been mistakenly drawn   
the doctrine of adoption1 merest poison 
to the child-heart4 ,the words of the   
,lord here are not that he who sins is  
the slave of sin1 true utterly as that  
is2 but that he is a slave1 and the     

argument shows that he means a slave to 
,god4 ,the two are perfectly consistent4
 ,no amount of slavery to sin can keep a
 man from being as much the slave of    
,god as ,god chooses in his mercy to    
make him4 ,it is his sin makes him a    
slave instead of a child4 ,his slavery  
to sin is his ruin2 his slavery to ,god 
is his only hope4 ,god indeed does not  
love slavery2 he hates it2 he will have 
children1 not slaves2 but he may keep a 
slave in his house a long time in the   
hope of waking up the poor slavish      
nature to aspire to the sonship which   
belongs to him1 which is his birthright4
 ,but the slave is not to be in the     
house for ever4 ,the father is not bound
 to keep his son a slave because the    
foolish child prefers it4  ,whoever will
 not do what ,god desires of him1 is a  
slave whom ,god can compel to do it1    
however he may bear with him4 ,he who1  
knowing this1 or fearing punishment1    
obeys ,god1 is still a slave1 but a     
slave who comes within hearing of the   

voice of his master4 ,there are1        
however1 far higher than he1 who yet are
 but slaves4 ,those to whom ,god is not 
all in all1 are slaves4 ,they may not   
commit great sins2 they may be trying to
 do right2 but so long as they serve    
,god1 as they call it1 from duty1 and do
 not know him as their father1 the joy  
of their being1 they are slaves--good   
slaves1 but slaves4 ,if they did not try
 to do their duty1 they would be bad    
slaves4 ,they are by no means so slavish
 as those that serve from fear1 but they
 are slaves2 and because they are but   
slaves1 they can fulfil no              
righteousness1 can do no duty perfectly1
 but must ever be trying after it       
wearily and in pain1 knowing well that  
if they stop trying1 they are lost4     
,they are slaves indeed1 for they would 
be glad to be adopted by one who is     
their own father6 ,where then are the   
sons8 ,i know none1 ,i answer1 who are  
yet utterly and entirely sons or        
daughters4 ,there may be such--,god     

knows2 ,i have not known them2 or1      
knowing them1 have not been myself such 
as to be able to recognize them4 ,but ,i
 do know some who are enough sons and   
daughters to be at war with the slave in
 them1 who are not content to be slaves 
to their father4 ,nothing ,i have seen  
or known of sonship1 comes near the     
glory of the thing2 but there are       
thousands of sons and daughters1 though 
their number be yet only a remnant1 who 
are siding with the father of their     
spirits against themselves1 against all 
that divides them from him from whom    
they have come1 but out of whom they    
have never come1 seeing that in him they
 live and move and have their being4    
,such are not slaves2 they are true     
though not perfect children2 they are   
fighting along with ,god against the    
evil separation2 they are breaking at   
the middle wall of partition4 ,only the 
rings of their fetters are left1 and    
they are struggling to take them off4   
,they are children--with more or less of

 the dying slave in them2 they know it  
is there1 and what it is1 and hate the  
slavery in them1 and try to slay it4    
,the real slave is he who does not seek 
to be a child2 who does not desire to   
end his slavery2 who looks upon the     
claim of the child as presumption2 who  
cleaves to the traditional authorized   
service of forms and ceremonies1 and    
does not know the will of him who made  
the seven stars and ,orion1 much less   
cares to obey it2 who never lifts up his
 heart to cry ',father1 what wouldst    
thou have me to do8' ,such are          
continually betraying their slavery by  
their complaints4 ',do we not well to be
 angry8' they cry with ,jonah2 and1     
truly1 being slaves1 ,i do not know how 
they are to help it4 ,when they are sons
 and daughters1 they will no longer     
complain of the hardships1 and miseries1
 and troubles of life2 no longer grumble
 at their aches and pains1 at the       
pinching of their poverty1 at the hunger
 that assails them2 no longer be        

indignant at their rejection by what is 
called ,society4 ,those who believe in  
their own perfect father1 can ill blame 
him for anything they do not like4 ,ah1 
friend1 it may be you and ,i are slaves1
 but there are such sons and daughters  
as ,i speak of4  ,the slaves of sin     
rarely grumble at that slavery2 it is   
their slavery to ,god they grumble at2  
of that alone they complain--of the     
painful messengers he sends to deliver  
them from their slavery both to sin and 
to himself4 ,they must be sons or       
slaves4 ,they cannot rid themselves of  
their owner4 ,whether they deny ,god1 or
 mock him by acknowledging and not      
heeding him1 or treat him as an         
arbitrary1 formal monarch2 whether1     
taking no trouble to find out what      
pleases him1 they do dull things for his
 service he cares nothing about1 or try 
to propitiate him by assuming with      
strenuous effort some yoke the ,son     
never wore1 and never called on them to 
wear1 they are slaves1 and not the less 

slaves that they are slaves to ,god2    
they are so thoroughly slaves1 that they
 do not care to get out of their slavery
 by becoming sons and daughters1 by     
finding the good of life where alone it 
can or could lie4 ,could a creator make 
a creature whose well-being should not  
depend on himself8 ,and if he could1    
would the creature be the greater for   
that8 ,which1 the creature he made more1
 or the creature he made less dependent 
on himself1 would be the greater8 ,the  
slave in heart would immediately1 with  
,milton's ,satan1 reply1 that the       
farthest from him who made him must be  
the freest1 thus acknowledging his very 
existence a slavery1 and but two kinds  
in being--a creator1 and as many slaves 
as he pleases to make1 whose refusal to 
obey is their unknown protest against   
their own essence4 ,being itself must1  
for what they call liberty1 be          
repudiated6 ,creation itself1 to go by  
their lines of life1 is an injustice6   
,god had no right to create beings less 

than himself2 and as he could not create
 equal1 he ought not to have created6   
,but they do not complain of having been
 created2 they complain of being        
required to do justice4 ,they will not  
obey1 but1 his own handiwork1 ravish    
from his work every advantage they can6 
,they desire to be free with another    
kind of freedom than that with which    
,god is free2 unknowing1 they seek a    
more complete slavery4 ,there is1 in    
truth1 no mid way between absolute      
harmony with the ,father and the        
condition of slaves--submissive1 or     
rebellious4 ,if the latter1 their very  
rebellion is by the strength of the     
,father in them4 ,of divine essence1    
they thrust their existence in the face 
of their essence1 their own nature4     
,yet is their very rebellion in some    
sense but the rising in them of his     
spirit against their false notion of    
him--against the lies they hold         
concerning him4 ,they do not see that1  
if his work1 namely1 they themselves1   

are the chief joy to themselves1 much   
more might the life that works them be a
 glory and joy to them the              
work--inasmuch as it is nearer to them  
than they to themselves1 causing them to
 be1 and extends1 without breach of     
relation1 so infinitely above and beyond
 them4 ,for nothing can come so close as
 that which creates2 the nearest1       
strongest1 dearest relation possible is 
between creator and created4 ,where this
 is denied1 the schism is the widest2   
where it is acknowledged and fulfilled1 
the closeness is unspeakable4 ,but ever 
remains what cannot be said1 and ,i sink
 defeated4 ,the very protest of the     
rebel against slavery1 comes at once of 
the truth of ,god in him1 which he      
cannot all cast from him1 and of a      
slavery too low to love truth--a        
meanness that will take all and         
acknowledge nothing1 as if his very     
being was a disgrace to him4 ,the       
liberty of the ,god that would have his 
creature free1 is in contest with the   

slavery of the creature who would cut   
his own stem from his root that he might
 call it his own and love it2 who       
rejoices in his own consciousness1      
instead of the life of that             
consciousness2 who poises himself on the
 tottering wall of his own being1       
instead of the rock on which that being 
is built4 ,such a one regards his own   
dominion over himself--the rule of the  
greater by the less1 inasmuch as the    
conscious self is less than the self--as
 a freedom infinitely greater than the  
range of the universe of ,god's being4  
,if he says1 ',at least ,i have it my   
own way6' ,i answer1 ,you do not know   
what is your way and what is not4 ,you  
know nothing of whence your impulses1   
your desires1 your tendencies1 your     
likings come4 ,they may spring now from 
some chance1 as of nerves diseased2 now 
from some roar of a wandering bodiless  
devil2 now from some infant hate in your
 heart2 now from the greed or           
lawlessness of some ancestor you would  

be ashamed of if you knew him2 or it may
 be now from some far-piercing chord of 
a heavenly orchestra3 the moment it     
comes up into your consciousness1 you   
call it your own way1 and glory in it6  
,two devils amusing themselves with a   
duet of inspiration1 one at each ear1   
might soon make that lordly me you are  
so in love with1 rejoice in the freedom 
of willing the opposite each alternate  
moment2 and at length drive you mad at  
finding that you could not1 will as you 
would1 make choice of a way and its     
opposite simultaneously4 ,the whole     
question rests and turns on the relation
 of creative and created1 of which      
relation few seem to have the           
consciousness yet developed4 ,to live   
without the eternal creative life is an 
impossibility2 freedom from ,god can    
only mean an incapacity for seeing the  
facts of existence1 an incapability of  
understanding the glory of the creature 
who makes common cause with his creator 
in his creation of him1 who wills that  

the lovely will calling him into life   
and giving him choice1 should finish    
making him1 should draw him into the    
circle of the creative heart1 to joy    
that he lives by no poor power of his   
own will1 but is one with the causing   
life of his life1 in closest breathing  
and willing1 vital and claimant oneness 
with the life of all life4 ,such a      
creature knows the life of the infinite 
,father as the very flame of his life1  
and joys that nothing is done or will be
 done in the universe in which the      
,father will not make him all of a      
sharer that it is possible for perfect  
generosity to make him4 ,if you say this
 is irreverent1 ,i doubt if you have    
seen the ,god manifest in ,jesus4 ,but  
all will be well1 for the little god of 
your poor content will starve your soul 
to misery1 and the terror of the eternal
 death creeping upon you1 will compel   
you to seek a perfect father4 ,oh1 ye   
hide-bound ,christians1 the ,lord is not
 straitened1 but ye are straitened in   

your narrow unwilling souls6 ,some of   
you need to be shamed before yourselves2
 some of you need the fire4  ,but one   
who reads may call out1 in the agony and
 thirst of a child waking from a dream  
of endless seeking and no finding1 ',i  
am bound like ,lazarus in his           
grave-clothes6 what am ,i to do8' ,here 
is the answer1 drawn from this parable  
of our ,lord2 for the saying is much    
like a parable1 teaching more than it   
utters1 appealing to the conscience and 
heart1 not to the understanding3 ,you   
are a slave2 the slave has no hold on   
the house2 only the sons and daughters  
have an abiding rest in the home of     
their father4 ,god cannot have slaves   
about him always4 ,you must give up your
 slavery1 and be set free from it4 ,that
 is what ,i am here for4 ,if ,i make you
 free1 you shall be free indeed2 for ,i 
can make you free only by making you    
what you were meant to be1 sons like    
myself4 ,that is how alone the ,son can 
work4 ,but it is you who must become    

sons2 you must will it1 and ,i am here  
to help you4' ,it is as if he said1     
',you shall have the freedom of my      
father's universe2 for1 free from       
yourselves1 you will be free of his     
heart4 ,yourselves are your slavery4    
,that is the darkness which you have    
loved rather than the light4 ,you have  
given honour to yourselves1 and not to  
the ,father2 you have sought honour from
 men1 and not from the ,father6         
,therefore1 even in the house of your   
father1 you have been but sojourning    
slaves4 ,we in his family are all one2  
we have no party-spirit2 we have no     
self-seeking3 fall in with us1 and you  
shall be free as we are free4'  ,if then
 the poor starved child cry--',how1     
,lord8' the answer will depend on what  
he means by that how4 ,if he means1     
',what plan wilt thou adopt8 ,what is   
thy scheme for cutting my bonds and     
setting me free8' the answer may be a   
deepening of the darkness1 a tightening 
of the bonds4 ,but if he means1 ',lord1 

what wouldst thou have me to do8' the   
answer will not tarry4 ',give yourself  
to me to do what ,i tell you1 to        
understand what ,i say1 to be my good1  
obedient little brother1 and ,i will    
wake in you the heart that my father put
 in you1 the same kind of heart that ,i 
have1 and it will grow to love the      
,father1 altogether and absolutely1 as  
mine does1 till you are ready to be torn
 to pieces for him4 ,then you will know 
that you are at the heart of the        
universe1 at the heart of every         
secret--at the heart of the ,father4    
,not till then will you be free1 then   
free indeed6'  ,christ died to save us1 
not from suffering1 but from ourselves2 
not from injustice1 far less from       
justice1 but from being unjust4 ,he died
 that we might live--but live as he     
lives1 by dying as he died who died to  
himself that he might live unto ,god4   
,if we do not die to ourselves1 we      
cannot live to ,god1 and he that does   
not live to ,god1 is dead4 ',ye shall   

know the truth1' the ,lord says1 'and   
the truth shall make you free4 ,i am the
 truth1 and you shall be free as ,i am  
free4 ,to be free1 you must be sons like
 me4 ,to be free you must be that which 
you have to be1 that which you are      
created4 ,to be free you must give the  
answer of sons to the ,father who calls 
you4 ,to be free you must fear nothing  
but evil1 care for nothing but the will 
of the ,father1 hold to him in absolute 
confidence and infinite expectation4 ,he
 alone is to be trusted4' ,he has shown 
us the ,father not only by doing what   
the ,father does1 not only by loving his
 ,father's children even as the ,father 
loves them1 but by his perfect          
satisfaction with him1 his joy in him1  
his utter obedience to him4 ,he has     
shown us the ,father by the absolute    
devotion of a perfect son4 ,he is the   
,son of ,god because the ,father and he 
are one1 have one thought1 one mind1 one
 heart4 ,upon this truth--,i do not mean
 the dogma1 but the truth itself of     

,jesus to his father--hangs the         
universe2 and upon the recognition of   
this truth--that is1 upon their becoming
 thus true--hangs the freedom of the    
children1 the redemption of their whole 
world4 ',i and the ,father are one1' is 
the centre-truth of the ,universe2 and  
the circumfering truth is1 'that they   
also may be one in us4'  ,the only free 
man1 then1 is he who is a child of the  
,father4 ,he is a servant of all1 but   
can be made the slave of none3 he is a  
son of the lord of the universe4 ,he is 
in himself1 in virtue of his truth1     
free4 ,he is in himself a king4 ,for the
 ,son rests his claim to royalty on     
this1 that he was born and came into the
 world to bear witness to the truth4    
,,kingship4    ,art thou a king then8   
,jesus answered1 ,thou sayest that ,i am
 a king6 ,to this end was ,i born1 and  
for this cause came ,i into the world1  
that ,i should bear witness unto the    
truth3 every one that is of the truth   
heareth my voice4--,john xviii4 #cg4    

,pilate asks ,jesus if he is a king4    
,the question is called forth by what   
the ,lord had just said concerning his  
kingdom1 closing with the statement that
 it was not of this world4 ,he now      
answers ,pilate that he is a king       
indeed1 but shows him that his kingdom  
is of a very different kind from what is
 called kingdom in this world4 ,the rank
 and rule of this world are             
uninteresting to him4 ,he might have had
 them4 ,calling his disciples to follow 
him1 and his twelve legions of angels to
 help them1 he might soon have driven   
the ,romans into the abyss1 piling them 
on the heap of nations they had tumbled 
there before4 ,what easier for him than 
thus to have cleared the way1 and over  
the tributary world reigned the just    
monarch that was the dream of the ,jews1
 never seen in ,israel or elsewhere1 but
 haunting the hopes and longings of the 
poor and their helpers6 ,he might from  
,jerusalem have ruled the world1 not    
merely dispensing what men call justice1

 but compelling atonement4 ,he did not  
care for government4 ,no such kingdom   
would serve the ends of his father in   
heaven1 or comfort his own soul4 ,what  
was perfect empire to the ,son of ,god1 
while he might teach one human being to 
love his neighbour1 and be good like his
 father6 ,to be love-helper to one      
heart1 for its joy1 and the glory of his
 father1 was the beginning of true      
kingship6 ,the ,lord would rather wash  
the feet of his weary brothers1 than be 
the one only perfect monarch that ever  
ruled in the world4 ,it was empire he   
rejected when he ordered ,satan behind  
him like a dog to his heel4 ,government1
 ,i repeat1 was to him flat1 stale1     
unprofitable4  ,what then is the kingdom
 over which the ,lord cares to reign1   
for he says he came into the world to be
 a king8 ,i answer1 ,a kingdom of kings1
 and no other4 ,where every man is a    
king1 there and there only does the     
,lord care to reign1 in the name of his 
father4 ,as no king in ,europe would    

care to reign over a cannibal1 a savage1
 or an animal race1 so the ,lord cares  
for no kingdom over anything this world 
calls a nation4 ,a king must rule over  
his own kind4 ,jesus is a king in virtue
 of no conquest1 inheritance1 or        
election1 but in right of essential     
being2 and he cares for no subjects but 
such as are his subjects in the same    
right4 ,his subjects must be of his own 
kind1 in their very nature and essence  
kings4 ,to understand his answer to     
,pilate1 see wherein consists his       
kingship2 what it is that makes him a   
king2 what manifestation of his         
essential being gives him a claim to be 
king4 ,the ,lord's is a kingdom in which
 no man seeks to be above another3      
ambition is of the dirt of this world's 
kingdoms4 ,he says1 ',i am a king1 for  
,i was born for the purpose1 ,i came    
into the world with the object of       
bearing witness to the truth4 ,everyone 
that is of my kind1 that is of the      
truth1 hears my voice4 ,he is a king    

like me1 and makes one of my subjects4' 
,pilate thereupon--as would most        
,christians nowadays1 instead of setting
 about being true--requests a definition
 of truth1 a presentation to his        
intellect in set terms of what the word 
'truth' means2 but instantly1 whether   
confident of the uselessness of the     
inquiry1 or intending to resume it when 
he has set the ,lord at liberty1 goes   
out to the people to tell them he finds 
no fault in him4 ,whatever              
interpretation we put on his action     
here1 he must be far less worthy of     
blame than those ',christians' who1     
instead of setting themselves to be pure
 'even as he is pure1' to be their      
brother and sister's keeper1 and to     
serve ,god by being honourable in shop  
and counting-house and labour-market1   
proceed to 'serve' him1 some by going to
 church or chapel1 some by condemning   
the opinions of their neighbours1 some  
by teaching others what they do not     
themselves heed4 ,neither ,pilate nor   

they ask the one true question1 ',how am
 ,i to be a true man8 ,how am ,i to     
become a man worth being a man8' ,the   
,lord is a king because his life1 the   
life of his thoughts1 of his            
imagination1 of his will1 of every      
smallest action1 is true--true first to 
,god in that he is altogether his1 true 
to himself in that he forgets himself   
altogether1 and true to his fellows in  
that he will endure anything they do to 
him1 nor cease declaring himself the son
 and messenger and likeness of ,god4    
,they will kill him1 but it matters not3
 the truth is as he says6  ,jesus is a  
king because his business is to bear    
witness to the truth4 ,what truth8 ,all 
truth2 all verity of relation throughout
 the universe--first of all1 that his   
father is good1 perfectly good2 and that
 the crown and joy of life is to desire 
and do the will of the eternal source of
 will1 and of all life4 ,he deals thus  
the death-blow to the power of hell4    
,for the one principle of hell is--',i  

am my own4 ,i am my own king and my own 
subject4 ,i am the centre from which go 
out my thoughts2 ,i am the object and   
end of my thoughts2 back upon me as the 
alpha and omega of life1 my thoughts    
return4 ,my own glory is1 and ought to  
be1 my chief care2 my ambition1 to      
gather the regards of men to the one    
centre1 myself4 ,my pleasure is my      
pleasure4 ,my kingdom is--as many as ,i 
can bring to acknowledge my greatness   
over them4 ,my judgment is the faultless
 rule of things4 ,my right is--what ,i  
desire4 ,the more ,i am all in all to   
myself1 the greater ,i am4 ,the less ,i 
acknowledge debt or obligation to       
another2 the more ,i close my eyes to   
the fact that ,i did not make myself2   
the more self-sufficing ,i feel or      
imagine myself--the greater ,i am4 ,i   
will be free with the freedom that      
consists in doing whatever ,i am        
inclined to do1 from whatever quarter   
may come the inclination4 ,to do my own 
will so long as ,i feel anything to be  

my will1 is to be free1 is to live4 ,to 
all these principles of hell1 or of this
 world--they are the same thing1 and it 
matters nothing whether they are        
asserted or defended so long as they are
 acted upon--the ,lord1 the king1 gives 
the direct lie4 ,it is as if he         
said3--',i ought to know what ,i say1   
for ,i have been from all eternity the  
son of him from whom you issue1 and whom
 you call your father1 but whom you will
 not have your father3 ,i know all he   
thinks and is2 and ,i say this1 that my 
perfect freedom1 my pure individuality1 
rests on the fact that ,i have not      
another will than his4 ,my will is all  
for his will1 for his will is right4 ,he
 is righteousness itself4 ,his very     
being is love and equity and            
self-devotion1 and he will have his     
children such as himself--creatures of  
love1 of fairness1 of self-devotion to  
him and their fellows4 ,i was born to   
bear witness to the truth--in my own    
person to be the truth visible--the very

 likeness and manifestation of the ,god 
who is true4 ,my very being is his      
witness4 ,every fact of me witnesses    
him4 ,he is the truth1 and ,i am the    
truth4 ,kill me1 but while ,i live ,i   
say1 ,such as ,i am he is4 ,if ,i said  
,i did not know him1 ,i should be a     
liar4 ,i fear nothing you can do to me4 
,shall the king who comes to say what is
 true1 turn his back for fear of men8   
,my ,father is like me2 ,i know it1 and 
,i say it4 ,you do not like to hear it  
because you are not like him4 ,i am low 
in your eyes which measure things by    
their show2 therefore you say ,i        
blaspheme4 ,i should blaspheme if ,i    
said he was such as anything you are    
capable of imagining him1 for you love  
show1 and power1 and the praise of men4 
,i do not1 and ,god is like me4 ,i came 
into the world to show him4 ,i am a king
 because he sent me to bear witness to  
his truth1 and ,i bear it4 ,kill me1 and
 ,i will rise again4 ,you can kill me1  
but you cannot hold me dead4 ,death is  

my servant2 you are the slaves of ,death
 because you will not be true1 and let  
the truth make you free4 ,bound1 and in 
your hands1 ,i am free as ,god1 for ,god
 is my father4 ,i know ,i shall suffer1 
suffer unto death1 but if you knew my   
father1 you would not wonder that ,i am 
ready2 you would be ready too4 ,he is my
 strength4 ,my father is greater than   
,i4'  ,remember1 friends1 ,i said1 ',it 
is as if he said4' ,i am daring to      
present a shadow of the ,lord's         
witnessing1 a shadow surely cast by his 
deeds and his very words6 ,if ,i        
mistake1 he will forgive me4 ,i do not  
fear him2 ,i fear only lest1 able to see
 and write these things1 ,i should fail 
of witnessing1 and myself be1 after all1
 a castaway--no king1 but a talker2 no  
disciple of ,jesus1 ready to go with him
 to the death1 but an arguer about the  
truth2 a hater of the lies men speak for
 ,god1 and myself a truth-speaking liar1
 not a doer of the word4  ,we see1 then1
 that the ,lord bore his witness to the 

,truth1 to the one ,god1 by standing    
just what he was1 before the eyes and   
the lies of men4 ,the true king is the  
man who stands up a true man and speaks 
the truth1 and will die but not lie4    
,the robes of such a king may be rags or
 purple2 it matters neither way4 ,the   
rags are the more likely1 but neither   
better nor worse than the robes4 ,then  
was the ,lord dressed most royally when 
his robes were a jest1 a mockery1 a     
laughter4 ,of the men who before ,christ
 bare witness to the truth1 some were   
sawn asunder1 some subdued kingdoms2 it 
mattered nothing which3 they witnessed4 
,the truth is ,god2 the witness to the  
truth is ,jesus4 ,the kingdom of the    
truth is the hearts of men4 ,the bliss  
of men is the true ,god4 ,the thought of
 ,god is the truth of everything4 ,all  
well-being lies in true relation to     
,god4 ,the man who responds to this with
 his whole being1 is of the truth4 ,the 
man who knows these things1 and but     
knows them2 the man who sees them to be 

true1 and does not order life and       
action1 judgment and love by them1 is of
 the worst of lying2 with hand1 and     
foot1 and face he casts scorn upon that 
which his tongue confesses4  ,little    
thought the sons of ,zebedee and their  
ambitious mother what the earthly throne
 of ,christ's glory was which they and  
she begged they might share4 ,for the   
king crowned by his witnessing1         
witnessed then to the height of his     
uttermost argument1 when he hung upon   
the cross--like a sin1 as ,paul in his  
boldness expresses it4 ,when his witness
 is treated as a lie1 then most he      
witnesses1 for he gives it still4 ,high 
and lifted up on the throne of his      
witness1 on the cross of his torture1 he
 holds to it3 ',i and the ,father are   
one4' ,every mockery borne in           
witnessing1 is a witnessing afresh4     
,infinitely more than had he sat on the 
throne of the whole earth1 did ,jesus   
witness to the truth when ,pilate       
brought him out for the last time1 and  

perhaps made him sit on the             
judgment-seat in his mockery of kingly  
garments and royal insignia1 saying1    
',behold your king6' ,just because of   
those robes and that crown1 that sceptre
 and that throne of ridicule1 he was the
 only real king that ever sat on any    
throne4  ,is every ,christian expected  
to bear witness8 ,a man content to bear 
no witness to the truth is not in the   
kingdom of heaven4 ,one who believes    
must bear witness4 ,one who sees the    
truth1 must live witnessing to it4 ,is  
our life1 then1 a witnessing to the     
truth8 ,do we carry ourselves in bank1  
on farm1 in house or shop1 in study or  
chamber or workshop1 as the ,lord would1
 or as the ,lord would not8 ,are we     
careful to be true8 ,do we endeavour to 
live to the height of our ideas8 ,or are
 we mean1 self-serving1                 
world-flattering1 fawning slaves8 ,when 
contempt is cast on the truth1 do we    
smile8 ,wronged in our presence1 do we  
make no sign that we hold by it8 ,i do  

not say we are called upon to dispute1  
and defend with logic and argument1 but 
we are called upon to show that we are  
on the other side4 ,but when ,i say     
truth1 ,i do not mean opinion3 to treat 
opinion as if that were truth1 is       
grievously to wrong the truth4 ,the soul
 that loves the truth and tries to be   
true1 will know when to speak and when  
to be silent2 but the true man will     
never look as if he did not care4 ,we   
are not bound to say all we think1 but  
we are bound not even to look what we do
 not think4 ,the girl who said before a 
company of mocking companions1 ',i      
believe in ,jesus1' bore true witness to
 her ,master1 the ,truth4 ,david bore   
witness to ,god1 the ,truth1 when he    
said1 ',unto thee1 ,o ,lord1 belongeth  
mercy1 for thou renderest to every man  
according to his work4'                 
,,justice4    ,also unto thee1 ,o ,lord1
 belongeth mercy2 for thou renderest to 
every man according to his work4--,psalm
 lxii4 #ab4  ,some of the translators   

make it kindness and goodness2 but ,i   
presume there is no real difference     
among them as to the character of the   
word which here1 in the ,english ,bible1
 is translated mercy4  ,the religious   
mind1 however1 educated upon the        
theories yet prevailing in the so-called
 religious world1 must here recognize a 
departure from the presentation to which
 they have been accustomed3 to make the 
psalm speak according to prevalent      
theoretic modes1 the verse would have to
 be changed thus3--',to thee1 ,o ,lord1 
belongeth justice1 for thou renderest to
 every man according to his work4'  ,let
 the reason of my choosing this passage1
 so remarkable in itself1 for a motto to
 the sermon which follows1 remain for   
the present doubtful4 ,i need hardly say
 that ,i mean to found no logical       
argument upon it4  ,let us endeavour to 
see plainly what we mean when we use the
 word justice1 and whether we mean what 
we ought to mean when we use            
it--especially with reference to ,god4  

,let us come nearer to knowing what we  
ought to understand by justice1 that is1
 the justice of ,god2 for his justice is
 the live1 active justice1 giving       
existence to the idea of justice in our 
minds and hearts4 ,because he is just1  
we are capable of knowing justice2 it is
 because he is just1 that we have the   
idea of justice so deeply imbedded in   
us4  ,what do we oftenest mean by       
justice8 ,is it not the carrying out of 
the law1 the infliction of penalty      
assigned to offence8 ,by a just judge we
 mean a man who administers the law     
without prejudice1 without favour or    
dislike2 and where guilt is manifest1   
punishes as much as1 and no more than1  
the law has in the case laid down4 ,it  
may not be that justice has therefore   
been done4 ,the law itself may be       
unjust1 and the judge may mistake2 or1  
which is more likely1 the working of the
 law may be foiled by the parasites of  
law for their own gain4 ,but even if the
 law be good1 and thoroughly            

administered1 it does not necessarily   
follow that justice is done4  ,suppose  
my watch has been taken from my pocket2 
,i lay hold of the thief2 he is dragged 
before the magistrate1 proved guilty1   
and sentenced to a just imprisonment3   
must ,i walk home satisfied with the    
result8 ,have ,i had justice done me8   
,the thief may have had justice done    
him--but where is my watch8 ,that is    
gone1 and ,i remain a man wronged4 ,who 
has done me the wrong8 ,the thief4 ,who 
can set right the wrong8 ,the thief1 and
 only the thief2 nobody but the man that
 did the wrong4 ,god may be able to move
 the man to right the wrong1 but ,god   
himself cannot right it without the man4
 ,suppose my watch found and restored1  
is the account settled between me and   
the thief8 ,i may forgive him1 but is   
the wrong removed8 ,by no means4 ,but   
suppose the thief to bethink himself1 to
 repent4 ,he has1 we shall say1 put it  
out of his power to return the watch1   
but he comes to me and says he is sorry 

he stole it and begs me to accept for   
the present what little he is able to   
bring1 as a beginning of atonement3 how 
should ,i then regard the matter8       
,should ,i not feel that he had gone far
 to make atonement--done more to make up
 for the injury he had inflicted upon   
me1 than the mere restoration of the    
watch1 even by himself1 could reach to8 
,would there not lie1 in the thief's    
confession and submission and initial   
restoration1 an appeal to the divinest  
in me--to the eternal brotherhood8      
,would it not indeed amount to a        
sufficing atonement as between man and  
man8 ,if he offered to bear what ,i     
chose to lay upon him1 should ,i feel it
 necessary1 for the sake of justice1 to 
inflict some certain suffering as       
demanded by righteousness8 ,i should    
still have a claim upon him for my      
watch1 but should ,i not be apt to      
forget it8 ,he who commits the offence  
can make up for it--and he alone4  ,one 
thing must surely be plain--that the    

punishment of the wrong-doer makes no   
atonement for the wrong done4 ,how could
 it make up to me for the stealing of my
 watch that the man was punished8 ,the  
wrong would be there all the same4 ,i am
 not saying the man ought not to be     
punished--far from it2 ,i am only saying
 that the punishment nowise makes up to 
the man wronged4 ,suppose the man1 with 
the watch in his pocket1 were to inflict
 the severest flagellation on himself3  
would that lessen my sense of injury8   
,would it set anything right8 ,would it 
anyway atone8 ,would it give him a right
 to the watch8 ,punishment may do good  
to the man who does the wrong1 but that 
is a thing as different as important4   
,another thing plain is1 that1 even     
without the material rectification of   
the wrong where that is impossible1     
repentance removes the offence which no 
suffering could4 ,i at least should feel
 that ,i had no more quarrel with the   
man4 ,i should even feel that the gift  
he had made me1 giving into my heart a  

repentant brother1 was infinitely beyond
 the restitution of what he had taken   
from me4 ,true1 he owed me both himself 
and the watch1 but such a greater does  
more than include such a less4 ,if it be
 objected1 ',you may forgive1 but the   
man has sinned against ,god6'--,then it 
is not a part of the divine to be       
merciful1 ,i return1 and a man may be   
more merciful than his maker6 ,a man may
 do that which would be too merciful in 
,god6 ,then mercy is not a divine       
attribute1 for it may exceed and be too 
much2 it must not be infinite1 therefore
 cannot be ,god's own4  ',mercy may be  
against justice4' ,never--if you mean by
 justice what ,i mean by justice4 ,if   
anything be against justice1 it cannot  
be called mercy1 for it is cruelty4 ',to
 thee1 ,o ,lord1 belongeth mercy1 for   
thou renderest to every man according to
 his work4' ,there is no opposition1 no 
strife whatever1 between mercy and      
justice4 ,those who say justice means   
the punishing of sin1 and mercy the not 

punishing of sin1 and attribute both to 
,god1 would make a schism in the very   
idea of ,god4 ,and this brings me to the
 question1 ,what is meant by divine     
justice8  ,human justice may be a poor  
distortion of justice1 a mere shadow of 
it2 but the justice of ,god must be     
perfect4 ,we cannot frustrate it in its 
working2 are we just to it in our idea  
of it8 ,if you ask any ordinary ,sunday 
congregation in ,england1 what is meant 
by the justice of ,god1 would not       
nineteen out of twenty answer1 that it  
means his punishing of sin8 ,think for a
 moment what degree of justice it would 
indicate in a man--that he punished     
every wrong4 ,a ,roman emperor1 a       
,turkish cadi1 might do that1 and be the
 most unjust both of men and judges4    
,ahab might be just on the throne of    
punishment1 and in his garden the       
murderer of ,naboth4 ,in ,god shall we  
imagine a distinction of office and     
character8 ,god is one2 and the depth of
 foolishness is reached by that theology

 which talks of ,god as if he held      
different offices1 and differed in each4
 ,it sets a contradiction in the very   
nature of ,god himself4 ,it represents  
him1 for instance1 as having to do that 
as a magistrate which as a father he    
would not do6 ,the love of the father   
makes him desire to be unjust as a      
magistrate6 ,oh the folly of any mind   
that would explain ,god before obeying  
him6 that would map out the character of
 ,god1 instead of crying1 ,lord1 what   
wouldst thou have me to do8 ,god is no  
magistrate2 but1 if he were1 it would be
 a position to which his fatherhood     
alone gave him the right2 his rights as 
a father cover every right he can be    
analytically supposed to possess4 ,the  
justice of ,god is this1 that--to use a 
boyish phrase1 the best the language    
will now afford me because of misuse--he
 gives every man1 woman1 child1 and     
beast1 everything that has being1 fair  
play2 he renders to every man according 
to his work2 and therein lies his       

perfect mercy2 for nothing else could be
 merciful to the man1 and nothing but   
mercy could be fair to him4 ,god does   
nothing of which any just man1 the thing
 set fairly and fully before him so that
 he understood1 would not say1 ',that is
 fair4' ,who would1 ,i repeat1 say a man
 was a just man because he insisted on  
prosecuting every offender8 ,a scoundrel
 might do that4 ,yet the justice of     
,god1 forsooth1 is his punishment of    
sin6 ,a just man is one who cares1 and  
tries1 and always tries1 to give fair   
play to everyone in every thing4 ,when  
we speak of the justice of ,god1 let us 
see that we do mean justice6 ,punishment
 of the guilty may be involved in       
justice1 but it does not constitute the 
justice of ,god one atom more than it   
would constitute the justice of a man4  
',but no one ever doubts that ,god gives
 fair play6'  ',that may be--but does   
not go for much1 if you say that ,god   
does this or that which is not fair4'   
',if he does it1 you may be sure it is  

fair4'  ',doubtless1 or he could not be 
,god--except to devils4 ,but you say he 
does so and so1 and is just2 ,i say1 he 
does not do so and so1 and is just4 ,you
 say he does1 for the ,bible says so4 ,i
 say1 if the ,bible said so1 the ,bible 
would lie2 but the ,bible does not say  
so4 ,the lord of life complains of men  
for not judging right4 ,to say on the   
authority of the ,bible that ,god does a
 thing no honourable man would do1 is to
 lie against ,god2 to say that it is    
therefore right1 is to lie against the  
very spirit of ,god4 ,to uphold a lie   
for ,god's sake is to be against ,god1  
not for him4 ,god cannot be lied for4   
,he is the truth4 ,the truth alone is on
 his side4 ,while his child could not   
see the rectitude of a thing1 he would  
infinitely rather1 even if the thing    
were right1 have him say1 ,god could not
 do that thing1 than have him believe   
that he did it4 ,if the man were sure   
,god did it1 the thing he ought to say  
would be1 ',then there must be something

 about it ,i do not know1 which if ,i   
did know1 ,i should see the thing quite 
differently4' ,but where an evil thing  
is invented to explain and account for a
 good thing1 and a lover of ,god is     
called upon to believe the invention or 
be cast out1 he needs not mind being    
cast out1 for it is into the company of 
,jesus4 ,where there is no ground to    
believe that ,god does a thing except   
that men who would explain ,god have    
believed and taught it1 he is not a true
 man who accepts men against his own    
conscience of ,god4 ,i acknowledge no   
authority calling upon me to believe a  
thing of ,god1 which ,i could not be a  
man and believe right in my fellow-man4 
,i will accept no explanation of any way
 of ,god which explanation involves what
 ,i should scorn as false and unfair in 
a man4 ,if you say1 ,that may be right  
of ,god to do which it would not be     
right of man to do1 ,i answer1 ,yes1    
because the relation of the maker to his
 creatures is very different from the   

relation of one of those creatures to   
another1 and he has therefore duties    
toward his creatures requiring of him   
what no man would have the right to do  
to his fellow-man2 but he can have no   
duty that is not both just and merciful4
 ,more is required of the maker1 by his 
own act of creation1 than can be        
required of men4 ,more and higher       
justice and righteousness is required of
 him by himself1 the ,truth2--greater   
nobleness1 more penetrating sympathy2   
and nothing but what1 if an honest man  
understood it1 he would say was right4  
,if it be a thing man cannot understand1
 then man can say nothing as to whether 
it is right or wrong4 ,he cannot even   
know that ,god does it1 when the it is  
unintelligible to him4 ,what he calls it
 may be but the smallest facet of a     
composite action4 ,his part is silence4 
,if it be said by any that ,god does a  
thing1 and the thing seems to me unjust1
 then either ,i do not know what the    
thing is1 or ,god does not do it4 ,the  

saying cannot mean what it seems to     
mean1 or the saying is not true4 ,if1   
for instance1 it be said that ,god      
visits the sins of the fathers on the   
children1 a man who takes visits upon to
 mean punishes1 and the children to mean
 the innocent children1 ought to say1   
',either ,i do not understand the       
statement1 or the thing is not true1    
whoever says it4' ,god may do what seems
 to a man not right1 but it must so seem
 to him because ,god works on higher1 on
 divine1 on perfect principles1 too     
right for a selfish1 unfair1 or unloving
 man to understand4 ,but least of all   
must we accept some low notion of       
justice in a man1 and argue that ,god is
 just in doing after that notion4  ,the 
common idea1 then1 is1 that the justice 
of ,god consists in punishing sin3 it is
 in the hope of giving a larger idea of 
the justice of ,god in punishing sin    
that ,i ask1 ',why is ,god bound to     
punish sin8'  ',how could he be a just  
,god and not punish sin8'  ',mercy is a 

good and right thing1' ,i answer1 'and  
but for sin there could be no mercy4 ,we
 are enjoined to forgive1 to be         
merciful1 to be as our father in heaven4
 ,two rights cannot possibly be opposed 
to each other4 ,if ,god punish sin1 it  
must be merciful to punish sin2 and if  
,god forgive sin1 it must be just to    
forgive sin4 ,we are required to        
forgive1 with the argument that our     
father forgives4 ,it must1 ,i say1 be   
right to forgive4 ,every attribute of   
,god must be infinite as himself4 ,he   
cannot be sometimes merciful1 and not   
always merciful4 ,he cannot be just1 and
 not always just4 ,mercy belongs to him1
 and needs no contrivance of theologic  
chicanery to justify it4'  ',then you   
mean that it is wrong to punish sin1    
therefore ,god does not punish sin8'    
',by no means2 ,god does punish sin1 but
 there is no opposition between         
punishment and forgiveness4 ,the one may
 be essential to the possibility of the 
other4 ,why1 ,i repeat1 does ,god punish

 sin8 ,that is my point4'  ',because in 
itself sin deserves punishment4'  ',then
 how can he tell us to forgive it8'     
',he punishes1 and having punished he   
forgives8'  ',that will hardly do4 ,if  
sin demands punishment1 and the         
righteous punishment is given1 then the 
man is free4 ,why should he be          
forgiven8'  ',he needs forgiveness      
because no amount of punishment will    
meet his deserts4'  ,i avoid for the    
present1 as anyone may perceive1 the    
probable expansion of this reply4       
',then why not forgive him at once if   
the punishment is not essential-- if    
part can be pretermitted8 ,and again1   
can that be required which1 according to
 your showing1 is not adequate8 ,you    
will perhaps answer1 ',god may please to
 take what little he can have2' and this
 brings me to the fault in the whole    
idea4  ,punishment is nowise an offset  
to sin4 ,foolish people sometimes1 in a 
tone of self-gratulatory pity1 will say1
 ',if ,i have sinned ,i have suffered4' 

,yes1 verily1 but what of that8 ,what   
merit is there in it8 ,even had you laid
 the suffering upon yourself1 what did  
that do to make up for the wrong8 ,that 
you may have bettered by your suffering 
is well for you1 but what atonement is  
there in the suffering8 ,the notion is a
 false one altogether4 ,punishment1     
deserved suffering1 is no equipoise to  
sin4 ,it is no use laying it in the     
other scale4 ,it will not move it a     
hair's breadth4 ,suffering weighs       
nothing at all against sin4 ,it is not  
of the same kind1 not under the same    
laws1 any more than mind and matter4 ,we
 say a man deserves punishment2 but when
 we forgive and do not punish him1 we do
 not always feel that we have done      
wrong2 neither when we do punish him do 
we feel that any amends has been made   
for his wrongdoing4 ,if it were an      
offset to wrong1 then ,god would be     
bound to punish for the sake of the     
punishment2 but he cannot be1 for he    
forgives4 ,then it is not for the sake  

of the punishment1 as a thing that in   
itself ought to be done1 but for the    
sake of something else1 as a means to an
 end1 that ,god punishes4 ,it is not    
directly for justice1 else how could he 
show mercy1 for that would involve      
injustice8  ,primarily1 ,god is not     
bound to punish sin2 he is bound to     
destroy sin4 ,if he were not the ,maker1
 he might not be bound to destroy       
sin--,i do not know2 but seeing he has  
created creatures who have sinned1 and  
therefore sin has1 by the creating act  
of ,god1 come into the world1 ,god is1  
in his own righteousness1 bound to      
destroy sin4  ',but that is to have no  
mercy4'  ,you mistake4 ,god does destroy
 sin2 he is always destroying sin4 ,in  
him ,i trust that he is destroying sin  
in me4 ,he is always saving the sinner  
from his sins1 and that is destroying   
sin4 ,but vengeance on the sinner1 the  
law of a tooth for a tooth1 is not in   
the heart of ,god1 neither in his hand4 
,if the sinner and the sin in him1 are  

the concrete object of the divine wrath1
 then indeed there can be no mercy4     
,then indeed there will be an end put to
 sin by the destruction of the sin and  
the sinner together4 ,but thus would no 
atonement be wrought--nothing be done to
 make up for the wrong ,god has allowed 
to come into being by creating man4     
,there must be an atonement1 a          
making-up1 a bringing together--an      
atonement which1 ,i say1 cannot be made 
except by the man who has sinned4       
,punishment1 ,i repeat1 is not the thing
 required of ,god1 but the absolute     
destruction of sin4 ,what better is the 
world1 what better is the sinner1 what  
better is ,god1 what better is the      
truth1 that the sinner should           
suffer--continue suffering to all       
eternity8 ,would there be less sin in   
the universe8 ,would there be any       
making-up for sin8 ,would it show ,god  
justified in doing what he knew would   
bring sin into the world1 justified in  
making creatures who he knew would sin8 

,what setting-right would come of the   
sinner's suffering8 ,if justice demand  
it1 if suffering be the equivalent for  
sin1 then the sinner must suffer1 then  
,god is bound to exact his suffering1   
and not pardon2 and so the making of man
 was a tyrannical deed1 a creative      
cruelty4 ,but grant that the sinner has 
deserved to suffer1 no amount of        
suffering is any atonement for his sin4 
,to suffer to all eternity could not    
make up for one unjust word4 ,does that 
mean1 then1 that for an unjust word ,i  
deserve to suffer to all eternity8 ,the 
unjust word is an eternally evil thing2 
nothing but ,god in my heart can cleanse
 me from the evil that uttered it2 but  
does it follow that ,i saw the evil of  
what ,i did so perfectly1 that eternal  
punishment for it would be just8 ,sorrow
 and confession and self-abasing love   
will make up for the evil word2         
suffering will not4 ,for evil in the    
abstract1 nothing can be done4 ,it is   
eternally evil4 ,but ,i may be saved    

from it by learning to loathe it1 to    
hate it1 to shrink from it with an      
eternal avoidance4 ,the only vengeance  
worth having on sin is to make the      
sinner himself its executioner4 ,sin and
 punishment are in no antagonism to each
 other in man1 any more than pardon and 
punishment are in ,god2 they can        
perfectly co-exist4 ,the one naturally  
follows the other1 punishment being born
 of sin1 because evil exists only by the
 life of good1 and has no life of its   
own1 being in itself death4 ,sin and    
suffering are not natural opposites2 the
 opposite of evil is good1 not          
suffering2 the opposite of sin is not   
suffering1 but righteousness4 ,the path 
across the gulf that divides right from 
wrong is not the fire1 but repentance4  
,if my friend has wronged me1 will it   
console me to see him punished8 ,will   
that be a rendering to me of my due8    
,will his agony be a balm to my deep    
wound8 ,should ,i be fit for any        
friendship if that were possible even in

 regard to my enemy8 ,but would not the 
shadow of repentant grief1 the light of 
reviving love on his countenance1 heal  
it at once however deep8 ,take any of   
those wicked people in ,dante's hell1   
and ask wherein is justice served by    
their punishment4 ,mind1 ,i am not      
saying it is not right to punish them2  
,i am saying that justice is not1 never 
can be1 satisfied by suffering--nay1    
cannot have any satisfaction in or from 
suffering4 ,human resentment1 human     
revenge1 human hate may4 ,such justice  
as ,dante's keeps wickedness alive in   
its most terrible forms4 ,the life of   
,god goes forth to inform1 or at least  
give a home to victorious evil4 ,is he  
not defeated every time that one of     
those lost souls defies him8 ,all hell  
cannot make ,vanni ,fucci say ',i was   
wrong4' ,god is triumphantly defeated1  
,i say1 throughout the hell of his      
vengeance4 ,although against evil1 it is
 but the vain and wasted cruelty of a   
tyrant4 ,there is no destruction of evil

 thereby1 but an enhancing of its       
horrible power in the midst of the most 
agonizing and disgusting tortures a     
divine imagination can invent4 ,if sin  
must be kept alive1 then hell must be   
kept alive2 but while ,i regard the     
smallest sin as infinitely loathsome1 ,i
 do not believe that any being1 never   
good enough to see the essential        
ugliness of sin1 could sin so as to     
deserve such punishment4 ,i am not now1 
however1 dealing with the question of   
the duration of punishment1 but with the
 idea of punishment itself2 and would   
only say in passing1 that the notion    
that a creature born imperfect1 nay1    
born with impulses to evil not of his   
own generating1 and which he could not  
help having1 a creature to whom the true
 face of ,god was never presented1 and  
by whom it never could have been seen1  
should be thus condemned1 is as         
loathsome a lie against ,god as could   
find place in heart too undeveloped to  
understand what justice is1 and too low 

to look up into the face of ,jesus4 ,it 
never in truth found place in any heart1
 though in many a pettifogging brain4   
,there is but one thing lower than      
deliberately to believe such a lie1 and 
that is to worship the ,god of whom it  
is believed4 ,the one deepest1 highest1 
truest1 fittest1 most wholesome         
suffering must be generated in the      
wicked by a vision1 a true sight1 more  
or less adequate1 of the hideousness of 
their lives1 of the horror of the wrongs
 they have done4 ,physical suffering may
 be a factor in rousing this mental     
pain2 but ',i would ,i had never been   
born6' must be the cry of ,judas1 not   
because of the hell-fire around him1 but
 because he loathes the man that        
betrayed his friend1 the world's friend4
 ,when a man loathes himself1 he has    
begun to be saved4 ,punishment tends to 
this result4 ,not for its own sake1 not 
as a make-up for sin1 not for divine    
revenge--horrible word1 not for any     
satisfaction to justice1 can punishment 

exist4 ,punishment is for the sake of   
amendment and atonement4 ,god is bound  
by his love to punish sin in order to   
deliver his creature2 he is bound by his
 justice to destroy sin in his creation4
 ,love is justice--is the fulfilling of 
the law1 for ,god as well as for his    
children4 ,this is the reason of        
punishment2 this is why justice requires
 that the wicked shall not go           
unpunished--that they1 through the      
eye-opening power of pain1 may come to  
see and do justice1 may be brought to   
desire and make all possible amends1 and
 so become just4 ,such punishment       
concerns justice in the deepest degree4 
,for ,justice1 that is ,god1 is bound in
 himself to see justice done by his     
children--not in the mere outward act1  
but in their very being4 ,he is bound in
 himself to make up for wrong done by   
his children1 and he can do nothing to  
make up for wrong done but by bringing  
about the repentance of the wrong-doer4 
,when the man says1 ',i did wrong2 ,i   

hate myself and my deed2 ,i cannot      
endure to think that ,i did it6' then1  
,i say1 is atonement begun4 ,without    
that1 all that the ,lord did would be   
lost4 ,he would have made no atonement4 
,repentance1 restitution1 confession1   
prayer for forgiveness1 righteous       
dealing thereafter1 is the sole         
possible1 the only true make-up for sin4
 ,for nothing less than this did ,christ
 die4 ,when a man acknowledges the right
 he denied before2 when he says to the  
wrong1 ',i abjure1 ,i loathe you2 ,i see
 now what you are2 ,i could not see it  
before because ,i would not2 ,god       
forgive me2 make me clean1 or let me    
die6' then justice1 that is ,god1 has   
conquered--and not till then4  ',what   
atonement is there8'  ,every atonement  
that ,god cares for2 and the work of    
,jesus ,christ on earth was the creative
 atonement1 because it works atonement  
in every heart4 ,he brings and is       
bringing ,god and man1 and man and man1 
into perfect unity3 ',i in them and thou

 in me1 that they may be made perfect in
 one4'  ',that is a dangerous doctrine6'
  ,more dangerous than you think to many
 things--to every evil1 to every lie1   
and among the rest to every false trust 
in what ,christ did1 instead of in      
,christ himself4 ,paul glories in the   
cross of ,christ1 but he does not trust 
in the cross3 he trusts in the living   
,christ and his living father4  ,justice
 then requires that sin should be put an
 end to2 and not that only1 but that it 
should be atoned for2 and where         
punishment can do anything to this end1 
where it can help the sinner to know    
what he has been guilty of1 where it can
 soften his heart to see his pride and  
wrong and cruelty1 justice requires that
 punishment shall not be spared4 ,and   
the more we believe in ,god1 the surer  
we shall be that he will spare nothing  
that suffering can do to deliver his    
child from death4 ,if suffering cannot  
serve this end1 we need look for no more
 hell1 but for the destruction of sin by

 the destruction of the sinner4 ,that1  
however1 would1 it appears to me1 be for
 ,god to suffer defeat1 blameless       
indeed1 but defeat4  ,if ,god be        
defeated1 he must destroy--that is1 he  
must withdraw life4 ,how can he go on   
sending forth his life into             
irreclaimable souls1 to keep sin alive  
in them throughout the ages of eternity8
 ,but then1 ,i say1 no atonement would  
be made for the wrongs they have done2  
,god remains defeated1 for he has       
created that which sinned1 and which    
would not repent and make up for its    
sin4 ,but those who believe that ,god   
will thus be defeated by many souls1    
must surely be of those who do not      
believe he cares enough to do his very  
best for them4 ,he is their ,father2 he 
had power to make them out of himself1  
separate from himself1 and capable of   
being one with him3 surely he will      
somehow save and keep them6 ,not the    
power of sin itself can close all the   
channels between creating and created4  

,the notion of suffering as an offset   
for sin1 the foolish idea that a man by 
suffering borne may get out from under  
the hostile claim to which his          
wrong-doing has subjected him1 comes    
first of all1 ,i think1 from the        
satisfaction we feel when wrong comes to
 grief4 ,why do we feel this            
satisfaction8 ,because we hate wrong1   
but1 not being righteous ourselves1 more
 or less hate the wronger as well as his
 wrong1 hence are not only righteously  
pleased to behold the law's disapproval 
proclaimed in his punishment1 but       
unrighteously pleased with his          
suffering1 because of the impact upon us
 of his wrong4 ,in this way the inborn  
justice of our nature passes over to    
evil4 ,it is no pleasure to ,god1 as it 
so often is to us1 to see the wicked    
suffer4 ,to regard any suffering with   
satisfaction1 save it be sympathetically
 with its curative quality1 comes of    
evil1 is inhuman because undivine1 is a 
thing ,god is incapable of4 ,his nature 

is always to forgive1 and just because  
he forgives1 he punishes4 ,because ,god 
is so altogether alien to wrong1 because
 it is to him a heart-pain and trouble  
that one of his little ones should do   
the evil thing1 there is1 ,i believe1 no
 extreme of suffering to which1 for the 
sake of destroying the evil thing in    
them1 he would not subject them4 ,a man 
might flatter1 or bribe1 or coax a      
tyrant2 but there is no refuge from the 
love of ,god2 that love will1 for very  
love1 insist upon the uttermost         
farthing4  ',that is not the sort of    
love ,i care about6'  ,no2 how should   
you8 ,i well believe it6 ,you cannot    
care for it until you begin to know it4 
,but the eternal love will not be moved 
to yield you to the selfishness that is 
killing you4 ,what lover would yield his
 lady to her passion for morphia8 ,you  
may sneer at such love1 but the ,son of 
,god who took the weight of that love1  
and bore it through the world1 is       
content with it1 and so is everyone who 

knows it4 ,the love of the ,father is a 
radiant perfection4 ,love and not       
self-love is lord of the universe4      
,justice demands your punishment1       
because justice demands1 and will have1 
the destruction of sin4 ,justice demands
 your punishment because it demands that
 your father should do his best for you4
 ,god1 being the ,god of justice1 that  
is of fair-play1 and having made us what
 we are1 apt to fall and capable of     
being raised again1 is in himself bound 
to punish in order to deliver us--else  
is his relation to us poor beside that  
of an earthly father4 ',to thee1 ,o     
,lord1 belongeth mercy1 for thou        
renderest to every man according to his 
work4' ,a man's work is his character2  
and ,god in his mercy is not            
indifferent1 but treats him according to
 his work4  ,the notion that the        
salvation of ,jesus is a salvation from 
the consequences of our sins1 is a      
false1 mean1 low notion4 ,the salvation 
of ,christ is salvation from the        

smallest tendency or leaning to sin4 ,it
 is a deliverance into the pure air of  
,god's ways of thinking and feeling4 ,it
 is a salvation that makes the heart    
pure1 with the will and choice of the   
heart to be pure4 ,to such a heart1 sin 
is disgusting4 ,it sees a thing as it   
is1--that is1 as ,god sees it1 for ,god 
sees everything as it is4 ,the soul thus
 saved would rather sink into the flames
 of hell than steal into heaven and     
skulk there under the shadow of an      
imputed righteousness4 ,no soul is saved
 that would not prefer hell to sin4     
,jesus did not die to save us from      
punishment2 he was called ,jesus because
 he should save his people from their   
sins4  ,if punishment be no atonement1  
how does the fact bear on the popular   
theology accepted by every one of the   
opposers of what they call              
,christianity1 as representing its      
doctrines8 ,most of us have been more or
 less trained in it1 and not a few of us
 have thereby1 thank ,god1 learned what 

it is--an evil thing1 to be cast out of 
intellect and heart4 ,many imagine it   
dead and gone1 but in reality it lies at
 the root 7the intellectual root only1  
thank ,god7 of much the greater part of 
the teaching of ,christianity in the    
country2 and is believed in--so far as  
the false can be believed in--by many   
who think they have left it behind1 when
 they have merely omitted the truest1   
most offensive modes of expressing its  
doctrines4 ,it is humiliating to find   
how many comparatively honest people    
think they get rid of a falsehood by    
softening the statement of it1 by giving
 it the shape and placing it in the     
light in which it will least assert     
itself1 and so have a good chance of    
passing both with such as hold it       
thoroughly1 and such as might revolt    
against it more plainly uttered4  ,once 
for all ,i will ease my soul regarding  
the horrid phantasm4 ,i have passed     
through no change of opinion concerning 
it since first ,i began to write or     

speak2 but ,i have written little and   
spoken less about it1 because ,i would  
preach no mere negation4 ,my work was   
not to destroy the false1 except as it  
came in the way of building the true4   
,therefore ,i sought to speak but what  
,i believed1 saying little concerning   
what ,i did not believe2 trusting1 as   
now ,i trust1 in the true to cast out   
the false1 and shunning dispute4        
,neither will ,i now enter any          
theological lists to be the champion for
 or against mere doctrine4 ,i have no   
desire to change the opinion of man or  
woman4 ,let everyone for me hold what he
 pleases4 ,but ,i would do my utmost to 
disable such as think correct opinion   
essential to salvation from laying any  
other burden on the shoulders of true   
men and women than the yoke of their    
,master2 and such burden1 if already    
oppressing any1 ,i would gladly lift4   
,let the ,lord himself teach them1 ,i   
say4 ,a man who has not the mind of     
,christ--and no man has the mind of     

,christ except him who makes it his     
business to obey him--cannot have       
correct opinions concerning him2        
neither1 if he could1 would they be of  
any value to him3 he would be nothing   
the better1 he would be the worse for   
having them4 ,our business is not to    
think correctly1 but to live truly2 then
 first will there be a possibility of   
our thinking correctly4 ,one chief cause
 of the amount of unbelief in the world 
is1 that those who have seen something  
of the glory of ,christ1 set themselves 
to theorize concerning him rather than  
to obey him4 ,in teaching men1 they have
 not taught them ,christ1 but taught    
them about ,christ4 ,more eager after   
credible theory than after doing the    
truth1 they have speculated in a        
condition of heart in which it was      
impossible they should understand2 they 
have presumed to explain a ,christ whom 
years and years of obedience could alone
 have made them able to comprehend4     
,their teaching of him1 therefore1 has  

been repugnant to the common sense of   
many who had not half their privileges1 
but in whom1 as in ,nathanael1 there was
 no guile4 ,such1 naturally1 press their
 theories1 in general derived from them 
of old time1 upon others1 insisting on  
their thinking about ,christ as they    
think1 instead of urging them to go to  
,christ to be taught by him whatever he 
chooses to teach them4 ,they do their   
unintentional worst to stop all growth1 
all life4 ,from such and their false    
teaching ,i would gladly help to deliver
 the true-hearted4 ,let the dead bury   
their dead1 but ,i would do what ,i may 
to keep them from burying the living4   
,if there be no satisfaction to justice 
in the mere punishment of the           
wrong-doer1 what shall we say of the    
notion of satisfying justice by causing 
one to suffer who is not the wrong-doer8
 ,and what1 moreover1 shall we say to   
the notion that1 just because he is not 
the person who deserves to be punished1 
but is absolutely innocent1 his         

suffering gives perfect satisfaction to 
the perfect justice8 ,that the injustice
 be done with the consent of the person 
maltreated makes no difference3 it makes
 it even worse1 seeing1 as they say1    
that justice requires the punishment of 
the sinner1 and here is one far more    
than innocent4 ,they have shifted their 
ground2 it is no more punishment1 but   
mere suffering the law requires6 ,the   
thing gets worse and worse4 ,i declare  
my utter and absolute repudiation of the
 idea in any form whatever4 ,rather than
 believe in a justice--that is1 a       
,god--to whose righteousness1 abstract  
or concrete1 it could be any            
satisfaction for the wrong-doing of a   
man that a man who did no wrong should  
suffer1 ,i would be driven from among   
men1 and dwell with the wild beasts that
 have not reason enough to be           
unreasonable4 ,what6 ,god1 the father of
 ,jesus ,christ1 like that6 ,his justice
 contented with direst injustice6 ,the  
anger of him who will nowise clear the  

guilty1 appeased by the suffering of the
 innocent6 ,very ,god forbid6 ,observe3 
the evil fancy actually substitutes for 
punishment not mere suffering1 but that 
suffering which is farthest from        
punishment2 and this when1 as ,i have   
shown1 punishment1 the severest1 can be 
no satisfaction to justice6 ,how did it 
come ever to be imagined8 ,it sprang    
from the trustless dread that cannot    
believe in the forgiveness of the       
,father2 cannot believe that even ,god  
will do anything for nothing2 cannot    
trust him without a legal arrangement to
 bind him4 ,how many1 failing to trust  
,god1 fall back on a text1 as they call 
it6 ,it sprang from the pride that will 
understand what it cannot1 before it    
will obey what it sees4 ,he that will   
understand first will believe a lie--a  
lie from which obedience alone will at  
length deliver him4 ,if anyone say1     
',but ,i believe what you despise1' ,i  
answer1 ,to believe it is your          
punishment for being able to believe it2

 you may call it your reward1 if you    
will4 ,you ought not to be able to      
believe it4 ,it is the merest1 poorest1 
most shameless fiction1 invented without
 the perception that it was an          
invention--fit to satisfy the intellect1
 doubtless1 of the inventor1 else he    
could not have invented it4 ,it has     
seemed to satisfy also many a humble    
soul1 content to take what was given1   
and not think2 content that another     
should think for him1 and tell him what 
was the mind of his ,father in heaven4  
,again ,i say1 let the person who can be
 so satisfied be so satisfied2 ,i have  
not to trouble myself with him4 ,that he
 can be content with it1 argues him     
unready to receive better4 ,so long as  
he can believe false things concerning  
,god1 he is such as is capable of       
believing them--with how much or how    
little of blame1 ,god knows4 ,opinion1  
right or wrong1 will do nothing to save 
him4 ,i would that he thought no more   
about this or any other opinion1 but set

 himself to do the work of the ,master4 
,with his opinions1 true or false1 ,i   
have nothing to do4 ,it is because such 
as he force evil things upon their      
fellows--utter or imply them from the   
seat of authority or influence--to their
 agony1 their paralysation1 their       
unbelief1 their indignation1 their      
stumbling1 that ,i have any right to    
speak4 ,i would save my fellows from    
having what notion of ,god is possible  
to them blotted out by a lie4  ,if it be
 asked how1 if it be false1 the doctrine
 of substitution can have been permitted
 to remain so long an article of faith  
to so many1 ,i answer1 ,on the same     
principle on which ,god took up and made
 use of the sacrifices men had1 in their
 lack of faith1 invented as a way of    
pleasing him4 ,some children will tell  
lies to please the parents that hate    
lying4 ,they will even confess to having
 done a wrong they have not done1       
thinking their parents would like them  
to say they had done it1 because they   

teach them to confess4 ,god accepted    
men's sacrifices until he could get them
 to see--and with how many has he yet   
not succeeded1 in the church and out of 
it6--that he does not care for such     
things4  ',but1' again it may well be   
asked1 'whence then has sprung the      
undeniable potency of that teaching8'   
,i answer1 ,from its having in it a     
notion of ,god and his ,christ1 poor    
indeed and faint1 but1 by the very      
poverty and untruth in its presentation1
 fitted to the weakness and unbelief of 
men1 seeing it was by men invented to   
meet and ease the demand made upon their
 own weakness and unbelief4 ,thus the   
leaven spreads4 ,the truth is there4 ,it
 is ,christ the glory of ,god4 ,but the 
ideas that poor slavish souls breed     
concerning this glory the moment the    
darkness begins to disperse1 is quite   
another thing4 ,truth is indeed too good
 for men to believe2 they must dilute it
 before they can take it2 they must     
dilute it before they dare give it4     

,they must make it less true before they
 can believe it enough to get any good  
of it4 ,unable to believe in the love of
 the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 they invented
 a mediator in his mother1 and so were  
able to approach a little where else    
they had stood away2 unable to believe  
in the forgivingness of their father in 
heaven1 they invented a way to be       
forgiven that should not demand of him  
so much2 which might make it right for  
him to forgive2 which should save them  
from having to believe downright in the 
tenderness of his father-heart1 for that
 they found impossible4 ,they thought   
him bound to punish for the sake of     
punishing1 as an offset to their sin2   
they could not believe in clear         
forgiveness2 that did not seem divine2  
it needed itself to be justified2 so    
they invented for its justification a   
horrible injustice1 involving all that  
was bad in sacrifice1 even human        
sacrifice4 ,they invented a satisfaction
 for sin which was an insult to ,god4   

,he sought no satisfaction1 but an      
obedient return to the ,father4 ,what   
satisfaction was needed he made himself 
in what he did to cause them to turn    
from evil and go back to him4 ,the thing
 was too simple for complicated unbelief
 and the arguing spirit4 ,gladly would  
,i help their followers to loathe such  
thoughts of ,god2 but for that1 they    
themselves must grow better men and     
women4 ,while they are capable of being 
satisfied with them1 there would be no  
advantage in their becoming             
intellectually convinced that such      
thoughts were wrong4 ,i would not speak 
a word to persuade them of it4 ,success 
would be worthless4 ,they would but     
remain what they were--children capable 
of thinking meanly of their father4     
,when the heart recoils1 discovering how
 horrible it would be to have such an   
unreality for ,god1 it will begin to    
search about and see whether it must    
indeed accept such statements concerning
 ,god2 it will search after a real ,god 

by whom to hold fast1 a real ,god to    
deliver them from the terrible idol4 ,it
 is for those thus moved that ,i write1 
not at all for the sake of disputing    
with those who love the lie they may not
 be to blame for holding2 who1 like the 
,jews of old1 would cast out of their   
synagogue the man who doubts the        
genuineness of their moral caricature of
 ,god1 who doubts their travesty of the 
grandest truth in the universe1 the     
atonement of ,jesus ,christ4 ,of such a 
man they will unhesitatingly report that
 he does not believe in the atonement4  
,but a lie for ,god is against ,god1 and
 carries the sentence of death in       
itself4  ,instead of giving their energy
 to do the will of ,god1 men of power   
have given it to the construction of a  
system by which to explain why ,christ  
must die1 what were the necessities and 
designs of ,god in permitting his death2
 and men of power of our own day1 while 
casting from them not a little of the   
good in the teaching of the ,roman      

,church1 have clung to the morally and  
spiritually vulgar idea of justice and  
satisfaction held by pagan ,rome1       
buttressed by the ,jewish notion of     
sacrifice1 and in its very home1 alas1  
with the mother of all the western      
churches6 ,better the reformers had kept
 their belief in a purgatory1 and parted
 with what is called vicarious          
sacrifice6  ,their system is briefly    
this3 ,god is bound to punish sin1 and  
to punish it to the uttermost4 ,his     
justice requires that sin be punished4  
,but he loves man1 and does not want to 
punish him if he can help it4 ,jesus    
,christ says1 ',i will take his         
punishment upon me4' ,god accepts his   
offer1 and lets man go unpunished--upon 
a condition4 ,his justice is more than  
satisfied by the punishment of an       
infinite being instead of a world of    
worthless creatures4 ,the suffering of  
,jesus is of greater value than that of 
all the generations1 through endless    
ages1 because he is infinite1 pure1     

perfect in love and truth1 being ,god's 
own everlasting son4 ,god's condition   
with man is1 that he believe in         
,christ's atonement thus explained4 ,a  
man must say1 ',i have sinned1 and      
deserve to be tortured to all eternity4 
,but ,christ has paid my debts1 by being
 punished instead of me4 ,therefore he  
is my ,saviour4 ,i am now bound by      
gratitude to him to turn away from      
evil4' ,some would doubtless insist on  
his saying a good deal more1 but this is
 enough for my purpose4  ,as to the     
justice of ,god requiring the punishment
 of the sinner1 ,i have said enough4    
,that the mere suffering of the sinner  
can be no satisfaction to justice1 ,i   
have also tried to show4 ,if the        
suffering of the sinner be indeed       
required by the justice of ,god1 let it 
be administered4 ,but what shall we say 
adequate to confront the base           
representation that it is not           
punishment1 not the suffering of the    
sinner that is required1 but suffering6 

nay1 as if this were not depth enough of
 baseness to crown all heathenish       
representation of the ways of ,god1 that
 the suffering of the innocent is       
unspeakably preferable in his eyes to   
that of the wicked1 as a make-up for    
wrong done6 nay1 again1 'in the lowest  
deep a lower deep1' that the suffering  
of the holy1 the suffering of the       
loving1 the suffering of the eternally  
and perfectly good1 is supremely        
satisfactory to the pure justice of the 
,father of spirits6 ,not all the        
suffering that could be heaped upon the 
wicked could buy them a moment's        
respite1 so little is their suffering a 
counterpoise to their wrong2 in the     
working of this law of equivalents1 this
 lex talionis1 the suffering of millions
 of years could not equal the sin of a  
moment1 could not pay off one farthing  
of the deep debt4 ,but so much more     
valuable1 precious1 and dear1 is the    
suffering of the innocent1 so much more 
of a satisfaction--observe--to the      

justice of ,god1 that in return for that
 suffering another wrong is done3 the   
sinners who deserve and ought to be     
punished are set free4  ,i know the root
 of all that can be said on the subject2
 the notion is imbedded in the gray     
matter of my ,scotch brains2 and if ,i  
reject it1 ,i know what ,i reject4 ,for 
the love of ,god my heart rose early    
against the low invention4 ,strange that
 in a ,christian land it should need to 
be said1 that to punish the innocent and
 let the guilty go free is unjust6 ,it  
wrongs the innocent1 the guilty1 and    
,god himself4 ,it would be the worst of 
all wrongs to the guilty to treat them  
as innocent4 ,the whole device is a     
piece of spiritual charlatanry--fit only
 for a fraudulent jail-delivery4 ,if the
 wicked ought to be punished1 it were   
the worst possible perversion of justice
 to take a righteous being however      
strong1 and punish him instead of the   
sinner however weak4 ,to the poorest    
idea of justice in punishment1 it is    

essential that the sinner1 and no other 
than the sinner1 should receive the     
punishment4 ,the strong being that was  
willing to bear such punishment might   
well be regarded as worshipful1 but what
 of the ,god whose so-called justice he 
thus defeats8 ,if you say it is justice1
 not ,god that demands the suffering1 ,i
 say justice cannot demand that which is
 unjust1 and the whole thing is unjust4 
,god is absolutely just1 and there is no
 deliverance from his justice1 which is 
one with his mercy4 ,the device is an   
absurdity--a grotesquely deformed       
absurdity4 ,to represent the living ,god
 as a party to such a style of action1  
is to veil with a mask of cruelty and   
hypocrisy the face whose glory can be   
seen only in the face of ,jesus2 to put 
a tirade of vulgar ,roman legality into 
the mouth of the ,lord ,god merciful and
 gracious1 who will by no means clear   
the guilty4 ,rather than believe such   
ugly folly of him whose very name is    
enough to make those that know him heave

 the breath of the hart panting for the 
waterbrooks2 rather than think of him   
what in a man would make me avoid him at
 the risk of my life1 ,i would say1     
',there is no ,god2 let us neither eat  
nor drink1 that we may die6 ,for lo1    
this is not our ,god6 ,this is not he   
for whom we have waited6' ,but ,i have  
seen his face and heard his voice in the
 face and the voice of ,jesus ,christ2  
and ,i say this is our ,god1 the very   
one whose being the ,creator makes it an
 infinite gladness to be the created4 ,i
 will not have the ,god of the scribes  
and the pharisees whether ,jewish or    
,christian1 protestant1 ,roman1 or      
,greek1 but thy father1 ,o ,christ6 ,he 
is my ,god4 ,if you say1 ',that is our  
,god1 not yours6' ,i answer1 ',your     
portrait of your ,god is an evil        
caricature of the face of ,christ4'  ,to
 believe in a vicarious sacrifice1 is to
 think to take refuge with the ,son from
 the righteousness of the ,father2 to   
take refuge with his work instead of    

with the ,son himself2 to take refuge   
with a theory of that work instead of   
the work itself2 to shelter behind a    
false quirk of law instead of nestling  
in the eternal heart of the unchangeable
 and righteous ,father1 who is merciful 
in that he renders to every man         
according to his work1 and compels their
 obedience1 nor admits judicial quibble 
or subterfuge4 ,god will never let a man
 off with any fault4 ,he must have him  
clean4 ,he will excuse him to the very  
uttermost of truth1 but not a           
hair's-breadth beyond it2 he is his true
 father1 and will have his child true as
 his son ,jesus ,christ is true4 ,he    
will impute to him nothing that he has  
not1 will lose sight of no smallest good
 that he has2 will quench no smoking    
flax1 break no bruised reed1 but send   
forth judgment unto victory4 ,he is ,god
 beyond all that heart hungriest for    
love and righteousness could to eternity
 desire4  ,if you say the best of men   
have held the opinions ,i stigmatize1 ,i

 answer1 ',some of the best of men have 
indeed held these theories1 and of men  
who have held them ,i have loved and    
honoured some heartily and humbly--but  
because of what they were1 not because  
of what they thought2 and they were what
 they were in virtue of their obedient  
faith1 not of their opinion4 ,they were 
not better men because of holding these 
theories4 ,in virtue of knowing ,god by 
obeying his son1 they rose above the    
theories they had never looked in the   
face1 and so had never recognized as    
evil4 ,many have arrived1 in the natural
 progress of their sacred growth1 at the
 point where they must abandon them4    
,the man of whom ,i knew the most good  
gave them up gladly4 ,good to           
worshipfulness may be the man that holds
 them1 and ,i hate them the more        
therefore2 they are lies that1 working  
under cover of the truth mingled with   
them1 burrow as near the heart of the   
good man as they can go4 ,whoever1 from 
whatever reason of blindness1 may be the

 holder of a lie1 the thing is a lie1   
and no falsehood must mingle with the   
justice we mete out to it4 ,there is    
nothing for any lie but the pit of hell4
 ,yet until the man sees the thing to be
 a lie1 how shall he but hold it6 ,are  
there not mingled with it shadows of the
 best truth in the universe8 ,so long as
 a man is able to love a lie1 he is     
incapable of seeing it is a lie4 ,he who
 is true1 out and out1 will know at once
 an untruth2 and to that vision we must 
all come4 ,i do not write for the sake  
of those who either make or heartily    
accept any lie4 ,when they see the glory
 of ,god1 they will see the eternal     
difference between the false and the    
true1 and not till then4 ,i write for   
those whom such teaching as theirs has  
folded in a cloud through which they    
cannot see the stars of heaven1 so that 
some of them even doubt if there be any 
stars of heaven4 ,for the holy ones who 
believed and taught these things in days
 gone by1 all is well4 ,many of the     

holiest of them cast the lies from them 
long ere the present teachers of them   
were born4 ,many who would never have   
invented them for themselves1 yet       
receiving them with the seals affixed of
 so many good men1 took them in their   
humility as recognized truths1 instead  
of inventions of men2 and1 oppressed by 
authority1 the authority of men far     
inferior to themselves1 did not dare    
dispute them1 but proceeded to order    
their lives by what truths they found in
 their company1 and so had their reward1
 the reward of obedience1 in being by   
that obedience brought to know ,god1    
which knowledge broke for them the net  
of a presumptuous self-styled orthodoxy4
 ,every man who tries to obey the       
,master is my brother1 whether he counts
 me such or not1 and ,i revere him2 but 
dare ,i give quarter to what ,i see to  
be a lie1 because my brother believes   
it8 ,the lie is not of ,god1 whoever may
 hold it4  ',well1 then1' will many say1
 'if you thus unceremoniously cast to   

the winds the doctrine of vicarious     
sacrifice1 what theory do you propose to
 substitute in its stead8'  ',in the    
name of the truth1' ,i answer1 ,none4 ,i
 will send out no theory of mine to     
rouse afresh little whirlwinds of       
dialogistic dust mixed with dirt and    
straws and holy words1 hiding the       
,master in talk about him4 ,if ,i have  
any such1 ,i will not cast it on the    
road as ,i walk1 but present it on a    
fair patine to him to whom ,i may think 
it well to show it4 ,only eyes opened by
 the sun of righteousness1 and made     
single by obedience1 can judge even the 
poor moony pearl of formulated thought4 
,say if you will that ,i fear to show my
 opinion4 ,is the man a coward who will 
not fling his child to the wolves8 ,what
 faith in this kind ,i have1 ,i will    
have to myself before ,god1 till ,i see 
better reason for uttering it than ,i do
 now4  ',will you then take from me my  
faith1 and help me to no other8'  ,your 
faith6 ,god forbid4 ,your theory is not 

your faith1 nor anything like it4 ,your 
faith is your obedience2 your theory ,i 
know not what4 ,yes1 ,i will gladly     
leave you without any of what you call  
faith4 ,trust in ,god4 ,obey the        
word--every word of the ,master4 ,that  
is faith2 and so believing1 your opinion
 will grow out of your true life1 and be
 worthy of it4 ,peter says the ,lord    
gives the spirit to them that obey him3 
the spirit of the ,master1 and that     
alone1 can guide you to any theory that 
it will be of use to you to hold4 ,a    
theory arrived at any other way is not  
worth the time spent on it4 ,jesus is   
the creating and saving lord of our     
intellects as well as of our more       
precious hearts2 nothing that he does   
not think1 is worth thinking2 no man can
 think as he thinks1 except he be pure  
like him2 no man can be pure like him1  
except he go with him1 and learn from   
him4 ,to put off obeying him till we    
find a credible theory concerning him1  
is to set aside the potion we know it   

our duty to drink1 for the study of the 
various schools of therapy4 ,you know   
what ,christ requires of you is         
right--much of it at least you believe  
to be right1 and your duty to do1       
whether he said it or not3 do it4 ,if   
you do not do what you know of the      
truth1 ,i do not wonder that you seek it
 intellectually1 for that kind of search
 may well be1 as ,milton represents it1 
a solace even to the fallen angels4 ,but
 do not call anything that may be so    
gained1 ,the ,truth4 ,how can you1 not  
caring to be true1 judge concerning him 
whose life was to do for very love the  
things you confess your duty1 yet do    
them not8 ,obey the truth1 ,i say1 and  
let theory wait4 ,theory may spring from
 life1 but never life from theory4  ,i  
will not then tell you what ,i think1   
but ,i will tell any man who cares to   
hear it what ,i believe4 ,i will do it  
now4 ,of course what ,i say must partake
 thus much of the character of theory   
that ,i cannot prove it2 ,i can only    

endeavour to order my life by it4  ,i   
believe in ,jesus ,christ1 the eternal  
,son of ,god1 my elder brother1 my lord 
and master2 ,i believe that he has a    
right to my absolute obedience          
whereinsoever ,i know or shall come to  
know his will2 that to obey him is to   
ascend the pinnacle of my being2 that   
not to obey him would be to deny him4 ,i
 believe that he died that ,i might die 
like him--die to any ruling power in me 
but the will of ,god--live ready to be  
nailed to the cross as he was1 if ,god  
will it4 ,i believe that he is my       
,saviour from myself1 and from all that 
has come of loving myself1 from all that
 ,god does not love1 and would not have 
me love--all that is not worth loving2  
that he died that the justice1 the mercy
 of ,god1 might have its way with me1   
making me just as ,god is just1 merciful
 as he is merciful1 perfect as my father
 in heaven is perfect4 ,i believe and   
pray that he will give me what          
punishment ,i need to set me right1 or  

keep me from going wrong4 ,i believe    
that he died to deliver me from all     
meanness1 all pretence1 all falseness1  
all unfairness1 all poverty of spirit1  
all cowardice1 all fear1 all anxiety1   
all forms of self-love1 all trust or    
hope in possession2 to make me merry as 
a child1 the child of our father in     
heaven1 loving nothing but what is      
lovely1 desiring nothing ,i should be   
ashamed to let the universe of ,god see 
me desire4 ,i believe that ,god is just 
like ,jesus1 only greater yet1 for      
,jesus said so4 ,i believe that ,god is 
absolutely1 grandly beautiful1 even as  
the highest soul of man counts beauty1  
but infinitely beyond that soul's       
highest idea--with the beauty that      
creates beauty1 not merely shows it1 or 
itself exists beautiful4 ,i believe that
 ,god has always done1 is always doing  
his best for every man2 that no man is  
miserable because ,god is forgetting    
him2 that he is not a ,god to crouch    
before1 but our father1 to whom the     

child-heart cries exultant1 ',do with me
 as thou wilt4'  ,i believe that there  
is nothing good for me or for any man   
but ,god1 and more and more of ,god1 and
 that alone through knowing ,christ can 
we come nigh to him4  ,i believe that no
 man is ever condemned for any sin      
except one--that he will not leave his  
sins and come out of them1 and be the   
child of him who is his father4  ,i     
believe that justice and mercy are      
simply one and the same thing2 without  
justice to the full there can be no     
mercy1 and without mercy to the full    
there can be no justice2 that such is   
the mercy of ,god that he will hold his 
children in the consuming fire of his   
distance until they pay the uttermost   
farthing1 until they drop the purse of  
selfishness with all the dross that is  
in it1 and rush home to the ,father and 
the ,son1 and the many brethren--rush   
inside the centre of the life-giving    
fire whose outer circles burn4 ,i       
believe that no hell will be lacking    

which would help the just mercy of ,god 
to redeem his children4  ,i believe that
 to him who obeys1 and thus opens the   
doors of his heart to receive the       
eternal gift1 ,god gives the spirit of  
his son1 the spirit of himself1 to be in
 him1 and lead him to the understanding 
of all truth2 that the true disciple    
shall thus always know what he ought to 
do1 though not necessarily what another 
ought to do2 that the spirit of the     
father and the son enlightens by        
teaching righteousness4 ,i believe that 
no teacher should strive to make men    
think as he thinks1 but to lead them to 
the living ,truth1 to the ,master       
himself1 of whom alone they can learn   
anything1 who will make them in         
themselves know what is true by the very
 seeing of it4 ,i believe that the      
inspiration of the ,almighty alone gives
 understanding4 ,i believe that to be   
the disciple of ,christ is the end of   
being2 that to persuade men to be his   
disciples is the end of teaching4  ',the

 sum of all this is that you do not     
believe in the atonement8'  ,i believe  
in ,jesus ,christ4 ,nowhere am ,i       
requested to believe in any thing1 or in
 any statement1 but everywhere to       
believe in ,god and in ,jesus ,christ4  
,in what you call the atonement1 in what
 you mean by the word1 what ,i have     
already written must make it plain      
enough ,i do not believe4 ,god forbid ,i
 should1 for it would be to believe a   
lie1 and a lie which is to blame for    
much non-acceptance of the gospel in    
this and other lands4 ,but1 as the word 
was used by the best ,english writers at
 the time when the translation of the   
,bible was made--with all my heart1 and 
soul1 and strength1 and mind1 ,i believe
 in the atonement1 call it the          
a-tone-ment1 or the at-one-ment1 as you 
please4 ,i believe that ,jesus ,christ  
is our atonement2 that through him we   
are reconciled to1 made one with ,god4  
,there is not one word in the ,new      
,testament about reconciling ,god to us2

 it is we that have to be reconciled to 
,god4 ,i am not writing1 neither desire 
to write1 a treatise on the atonement1  
my business being to persuade men to be 
atoned to ,god2 but ,i will go so far to
 meet my questioner as to say--without  
the slightest expectation of satisfying 
him1 or the least care whether ,i do so 
or not1 for his opinion is of no value  
to me1 though his truth is of endless   
value to me and to the universe--that1  
even in the sense of the atonement being
 a making-up for the evil done by men   
toward ,god1 ,i believe in the          
atonement4 ,did not the ,lord cast      
himself into the eternal gulf of evil   
yawning between the children and the    
,father8 ,did he not bring the ,father  
to us1 let us look on our eternal ,sire 
in the face of his true son1 that we    
might have that in our hearts which     
alone could make us love him--a true    
sight of him8 ,did he not insist on the 
one truth of the universe1 the one      
saving truth1 that ,god was just what he

 was8 ,did he not hold to that assertion
 to the last1 in the face of            
contradiction and death8 ,did he not    
thus lay down his life persuading us to 
lay down ours at the feet of the        
,father8 ,has not his very life by which
 he died passed into those who have     
received him1 and re-created theirs1 so 
that now they live with the life which  
alone is life8 ,did he not foil and slay
 evil by letting all the waves and      
billows of its horrid sea break upon    
him1 go over him1 and die without       
rebound--spend their rage1 fall         
defeated1 and cease8 ,verily1 he made   
atonement6 ,we sacrifice to ,god6--it is
 ,god who has sacrificed his own son to 
us2 there was no way else of getting the
 gift of himself into our hearts4 ,jesus
 sacrificed himself to his father and   
the children to bring them together--all
 the love on the side of the ,father and
 the ,son1 all the selfishness on the   
side of the children4 ,if the joy that  
alone makes life worth living1 the joy  

that ,god is such as ,christ1 be a true 
thing in my heart1 how can ,i but       
believe in the atonement of ,jesus      
,christ8 ,i believe it heartily1 as ,god
 means it4  ,then again1 as the power   
that brings about a making-up for any   
wrong done by man to man1 ,i believe in 
the atonement4 ,who that believes in    
,jesus does not long to atone to his    
brother for the injury he has done him8 
,what repentant child1 feeling he has   
wronged his father1 does not desire to  
make atonement8 ,who is the mover1 the  
causer1 the persuader1 the creator of   
the repentance1 of the passion that     
restores fourfold8--,jesus1 our         
propitiation1 our atonement4 ,he is the 
head and leader1 the prince of the      
atonement4 ,he could not do it without  
us1 but he leads us up to the ,father's 
knee3 he makes us make atonement4       
,learning ,christ1 we are not only sorry
 for what we have done wrong1 we not    
only turn from it and hate it1 but we   
become able to serve both ,god and man  

with an infinitely high and true        
service1 a soul-service4 ,we are able to
 offer our whole being to ,god to whom  
by deepest right it belongs4 ,have ,i   
injured anyone8 ,with him to aid my     
justice1 new risen with him from the    
dead1 shall ,i not make good amends8    
,have ,i failed in love to my neighbour8
 ,shall ,i not now love him with an     
infinitely better love than was possible
 to me before8 ,that ,i will and can    
make atonement1 thanks be to him who is 
my atonement1 making me at one with ,god
 and my fellows6 ,he is my life1 my joy1
 my lord1 my owner1 the perfecter of my 
being by the perfection of his own4 ,i  
dare not say with ,paul that ,i am the  
slave of ,christ2 but my highest        
aspiration and desire is to be the slave
 of ,christ4  ',but you do not believe  
that the sufferings of ,christ1 as      
sufferings1 justified the supreme ruler 
in doing anything which he would not    
have been at liberty to do but for those
 sufferings8'  ,i do not4 ,i believe the

 notion as unworthy of man's belief1 as 
it is dishonouring to ,god4 ,it has its 
origin doubtless in a salutary sense of 
sin2 but sense of sin is not            
inspiration1 though it may lie not far  
from the temple-door4 ,it is indeed an  
opener of the eyes1 but upon            
home-defilement1 not upon heavenly      
truth2 it is not the revealer of        
secrets4 ,also there is another factor  
in the theory1 and that is              
unbelief--incapacity to accept the      
freedom of ,god's forgiveness2          
incapacity to believe that it is ,god's 
chosen nature to forgive1 that he is    
bound in his own divinely willed nature 
to forgive4 ,no atonement is necessary  
to him but that men should leave their  
sins and come back to his heart4 ,but   
men cannot believe in the forgiveness of
 ,god4 ,therefore they need1 therefore  
he has given them a mediator4 ,and yet  
they will not know him4 ,they think of  
the father of souls as if he had        
abdicated his fatherhood for their sins1

 and assumed the judge4 ,if he put off  
his fatherhood1 which he cannot do1 for 
it is an eternal fact1 he puts off with 
it all relation to us4 ,he cannot       
repudiate the essential and keep the    
resultant4 ,men cannot1 or will not1 or 
dare not see that nothing but his being 
our father gives him any right over     
us--that nothing but that could give him
 a perfect right4 ,they regard the      
father of their spirits as their        
governor6 ,they yield the idea of the   
,ancient of ,days1 'the glad creator1'  
and put in its stead a miserable1       
puritanical martinet of a ,god1 caring  
not for righteousness1 but for his      
rights2 not for the eternal purities1   
but the goody proprieties4 ,the prophets
 of such a ,god take all the glow1 all  
the hope1 all the colour1 all the worth1
 out of life on earth1 and offer you    
instead what they call eternal bliss--a 
pale1 tearless hell4 ,of all things1    
turn from a mean1 poverty stricken      
faith4 ,but1 if you ate straitened in   

your own mammon-worshipping soul1 how   
shall you believe in a ,god any greater 
than can stand up in that               
prison-chamber8  ,i desire to wake no   
dispute1 will myself dispute with no    
man1 but for the sake of those whom     
certain believers trouble1 ,i have      
spoken my mind4 ,i love the one ,god    
seen in the face of ,jesus ,christ4     
,from all copies of ,jonathan ,edwards's
 portrait of ,god1 however faded by     
time1 however softened by the use of    
less glaring pigments1 ,i turn with     
loathing4 ,not such a ,god is he        
concerning whom was the message ,john   
heard from ,jesus1 that he is light1 and
 in him is no darkness at all4          
,,light4         ,this then is the      
message which we have heard of him1 and 
declare unto you1 that ,god is light1   
and in him is no        darkness at     
all4--#a ,john i4 #e4        ,and this  
is the condemnation1 that light is come 
into the        world1 and men loved    
darkness rather than light2 because     

their deeds were evil4--,john iii4 #ai4 
,we call the story of ,jesus1 told so   
differently1 yet to my mind so          
consistently1 by four narrators1 the    
gospel4 ,what makes this tale the good  
news8 ,is everything in the story of    
,christ's life on earth good news8 ,is  
it good news that the one only good man 
was served by his fellow-men as ,jesus  
was served--cast out of the world in    
torture and shame8 ,is it good news that
 he came to his own1 and his own        
received him not8 ,what makes it fit1 ,i
 repeat1 to call the tale good news8 ,if
 we asked this or that theologian1 we   
should1 in so far as he was a true man1 
and answered from his own heart and not 
from the tradition of the elders1       
understand what he saw in it that made  
it good news to him1 though it might    
involve what would be anything but good 
news to some of us4 ,the deliverance it 
might seem to this or that man to bring1
 might be founded on such notions of    
,god as to not a few of us contain as   

little of good as of news4 ,to share in 
the deliverance which some men find in  
what they call the gospel--for all do   
not apply the word to the tale itself1  
but to certain deductions made from the 
epistles and their own consciousness of 
evil--we should have to believe such    
things of ,god as would be the opposite 
of an evangel to us--yea1 a message from
 hell itself2 we should have to imagine 
that whose possibility would be worse   
than any ill from which their 'good     
news' might offer us deliverance3 we    
must first believe in an unjust ,god1   
from whom we have to seek refuge4 ,true1
 they call him just1 but say he does    
that which seems to the best in me the  
essence of injustice4 ,they will tell me
 ,i judge after the flesh3 ,i answer1   
,is it then to the flesh the ,lord      
appeals when he says1 ',yea1 and why    
even of yourselves judge ye not what is 
right8' ,is he not the light that       
lighteth every man that cometh into the 
world8 ,they tell me ,i was born in sin1

 and ,i know it to be true2 they tell me
 also that ,i am judged with the same   
severity as if ,i had been born in      
righteousness1 and that ,i know to be   
false4 ,they make it a consequence of   
the purity and justice of ,god that he  
will judge us1 born in evil1 for which  
birth we were not accountable1 by our   
sinfulness1 instead of by our guilt4    
,they tell me1 or at least give me to   
understand1 that every wrong thing ,i   
have done makes me subject to be treated
 as if ,i had done that thing with the  
free will of one who had in him no taint
 of evil--when1 perhaps1 ,i did not at  
the time recognize the thing as evil1 or
 recognized it only in the vaguest      
fashion4 ,is there any gospel in telling
 me that ,god is unjust1 but that there 
is a way of deliverance from him8 ,show 
me my ,god unjust1 and you wake in me a 
damnation from which no power can       
deliver me--least of all ,god himself4  
,it may be good news to such as are     
content to have a ,god capable of       

unrighteousness1 if only he be on their 
side6  ,who would not rejoice to hear   
from ,matthew1 or ,mark1 or ,luke1 what1
 in a few words1 he meant by the word   
gospel--or rather1 what in the story of 
,jesus made him call it good news6 ,each
 would probably give a different answer 
to the question1 all the answers        
consistent1 and each a germ from which  
the others might be reasoned2 but in the
 case of ,john1 we have his answer to   
the question3 he gives us in one        
sentence of two members1 not indeed the 
gospel according to ,john1 but the      
gospel according to ,jesus ,christ      
himself4 ,he had often told the story of
 ,jesus1 the good news of what he was1  
and did1 and said3 what in it all did   
,john look upon as the essence of the   
goodness of its news8 ,in his gospel he 
gives us all about him1 the message     
concerning him2 now he tells us what in 
it makes it to himself and to us good   
news--tells us the very goodness of the 
good news4 ,it is not now his own       

message about ,jesus1 but the soul of   
that message--that which makes it       
gospel--the news ,jesus brought         
concerning the ,father1 and gave to the 
disciples as his message for them to    
deliver to men4 ,throughout the story1  
,jesus1 in all he does1 and is1 and     
says1 is telling the news concerning his
 father1 which he was sent to give to   
,john and his companions1 that they     
might hand it on to their brothers2 but 
here1 in so many words1 ,john tells us  
what he himself has heard from ,the     
,word--what in sum he has gathered from 
,jesus as the message he has to declare4
 ,he has received it in no systematic   
form2 it is what a life1 the life1 what 
a man1 the man1 has taught him4 ,the    
,word is the ,lord2 the ,lord is the    
gospel4 ,the good news is no fagot of   
sticks of a man's gathering on the      
,sabbath4  ,every man must read the     
,word for himself4 ,one may read it in  
one shape1 another in another3 all will 
be right if it be indeed the ,word they 

read1 and they read it by the lamp of   
obedience4 ,he who is willing to do the 
will of the ,father shall know the truth
 of the teaching of ,jesus4 ,the spirit 
is 'given to them that obey him4'  ,but 
let us hear how ,john reads the         
,word--near what is ,john's version of  
the gospel4  ',this then is the         
message1' he says1 'which we have heard 
of him1 and declare unto you1 that ,god 
is light1 and in him is no darkness at  
all4' ,ah1 my heart1 this is indeed the 
good news for thee6 ,this is a gospel6  
,if ,god be light1 what more1 what else 
can ,i seek than ,god1 than ,god        
himself6 ,away with your doctrines6     
,away with your salvation from the      
'justice' of a ,god whom it is a horror 
to imagine6 ,away with your iron cages  
of false metaphysics6 ,i am saved--for  
,god is light6 ,my ,god1 ,i come to     
thee4 ,that thou shouldst be thyself is 
enough for time and eternity1 for my    
soul and all its endless need4 ,whatever
 seems to me darkness1 that ,i will not 

believe of my ,god4 ,if ,i should       
mistake1 and call that darkness which is
 light1 will he not reveal the matter to
 me1 setting it in the light that       
lighteth every man1 showing me that ,i  
saw but the husk of the thing1 not the  
kernel8 ,will he not break open the     
shell for me1 and let the truth of it1  
his thought1 stream out upon me8 ,he    
will not let it hurt me to mistake the  
light for darkness1 while ,i take not   
the darkness for light4 ,the one comes  
from blindness of the intellect1 the    
other from blindness of heart and will4 
,i love the light1 and will not believe 
at the word of any man1 or upon the     
conviction of any man1 that that which  
seems to me darkness is in ,god4 ,where 
would the good news be if ,john said1   
',god is light1 but you cannot see his  
light2 you cannot tell1 you have no     
notion1 what light is2 what ,god means  
by light1 is not what you mean by light2
 what ,god calls light may be horrible  
darkness to you1 for you are of another 

nature from him6' ,where1 ,i say1 would 
be the good news of that8 ,it is true1  
the light of ,god may be so bright that 
we see nothing2 but that is not         
darkness1 it is infinite hope of light4 
,it is true also that to the wicked 'the
 day of the ,lord is darkness1 and not  
light2' but is that because the         
conscience of the wicked man judges of  
good and evil oppositely to the         
conscience of the good man8 ,when he    
says1 ',evil1 be thou my good1' he means
 by evil what ,god means by evil1 and by
 good he means pleasure4 ,he cannot make
 the meanings change places4 ,to say    
that what our deepest conscience calls  
darkness may be light to ,god1 is       
blasphemy2 to say light in ,god and     
light in man are of differing kinds1 is 
to speak against the spirit of light4   
,god is light far beyond what we can    
see1 but what we mean by light1 ,god    
means by light2 and what is light to    
,god is light to us1 or would be light  
to us if we saw it1 and will be light to

 us when we do see it4 ,god means us to 
be jubilant in the fact that he is      
light--that he is what his children1    
made in his image1 mean when they say   
light2 that what in him is dark to them1
 is dark by excellent glory1 by too much
 cause of jubilation2 that1 however dark
 it may be to their eyes1 it is light   
even as they mean it1 light for their   
eyes and souls and hearts to take in the
 moment they are enough of eyes1 enough 
of souls1 enough of hearts1 to receive  
it in its very being4 ,living ,light1   
thou wilt not have me believe anything  
dark of thee6 thou wilt have me so sure 
of thee as to dare to say that is not of
 ,god which ,i see dark1 see unlike the 
,master6 ,if ,i am not honest enough1 if
 the eye in me be not single enough to  
see thy light1 thou wilt punish me1 ,i  
thank thee1 and purge my eyes from their
 darkness1 that they may let the light  
in1 and so ,i become an inheritor1 with 
thy other children1 of that light which 
is thy ,godhead1 and makes thy creatures

 need to worship thee4 ',in thy light we
 shall see light4'  ,all man will not1  
in our present imperfection1 see the    
same light2 but light is light          
notwithstanding1 and what each does see1
 is his safety if he obeys it4 ,in      
proportion as we have the image of      
,christ mirrored in us1 we shall know   
what is and is not light4 ,but never    
will anything prove to be light that is 
not of the same kind with that which we 
mean by light1 with that in a thing     
which makes us call it light4 ,the      
darkness yet left in us makes us        
sometimes doubt of a thing whether it be
 light or darkness2 but when the eye is 
single1 the whole body will be full of  
light4  ,to fear the light is to be     
untrue1 or at least it comes of untruth4
 ,no being1 for himself or for another1 
needs fear the light of ,god4 ,nothing  
can be in light inimical to our nature1 
which is of ,god1 or to anything in us  
that is worthy4 ,all fear of the light1 
all dread lest there should be something

 dangerous in it1 comes of the darkness 
still in those of us who do not love the
 truth with all our hearts2 it will     
vanish as we are more and more          
interpenetrated with the light4 ,in a   
word1 there is no way of thought or     
action which we count admirable in man1 
in which ,god is not altogether         
adorable4 ,there is no loveliness1      
nothing that makes man dear to his      
brother man1 that is not in ,god1 only  
it is infinitely better in ,god4 ,he is 
,god our saviour4 ,jesus is our saviour 
because ,god is our saviour4 ,he is the 
,god of comfort and consolation4 ,he    
will soothe and satisfy his children    
better than any mother her infant4 ,the 
only thing he will not give them        
is--leave to stay in the dark4 ,if a    
child cry1 ',i want the darkness1' and  
complain that he will not give it1 yet  
he will not give it4 ,he gives what his 
child needs--often by refusing what he  
asks4 ,if his child say1 ',i will not be
 good2 ,i prefer to die2 let me die6'   

his dealing with that child will be as  
if he said--',no2 ,i have the right to  
content you1 not giving you your own    
will but mine1 which is your one good4  
,you shall not die2 you shall live to   
thank me that ,i would not hear your    
prayer4 ,you know what you ask1 but not 
what you refuse4' ,there are good things
 ,god must delay giving until his child 
has a pocket to hold them--till he gets 
his child to make that pocket4 ,he must 
first make him fit to receive and to    
have4 ,there is no part of our nature   
that shall not be satisfied--and that   
not by lessening it1 but by enlarging it
 to embrace an ever-enlarging enough4   
,come to ,god1 then1 my brother1 my     
sister1 with all thy desires and        
instincts1 all thy lofty ideals1 all thy
 longing for purity and unselfishness1  
all thy yearning to love and be true1   
all thy aspiration after                
self-forgetfulness and child-life in the
 breath of the ,father2 come to him with
 all thy weaknesses1 all thy shames1 all

 thy futilities2 with all thy           
helplessness over thy own thoughts2 with
 all thy failure1 yea1 with the sick    
sense of having missed the tide of true 
affairs2 come to him with all thy       
doubts1 fears1 dishonesties1 meannesses1
 paltrinesses1 misjudgments1            
wearinesses1 disappointments1 and       
stalenesses3 be sure he will take thee  
and all thy miserable brood1 whether of 
draggle-winged angels1 or covert-seeking
 snakes1 into his care1 the angels for  
life1 the snakes for death1 and thee for
 liberty in his limitless heart6 ,for he
 is light1 and in him is no darkness at 
all4 ,if he were a king1 a governor2 if 
the name that described him were ,the   
,almighty1 thou mightst well doubt      
whether there could be light enough in  
him for thee and thy darkness2 but he is
 thy father1 and more thy father than   
the word can mean in any lips but his   
who said1 'my father and your father1 my
 ,god and your ,god2' and such a father 
is light1 an infinite1 perfect light4   

,if he were any less or any other than  
he is1 and thou couldst yet go on       
growing1 thou must at length come to the
 point where thou wouldst be            
dissatisfied with him2 but he is light1 
and in him is no darkness at all4 ,if   
anything seem to be in him that you     
cannot be content with1 be sure that the
 ripening of thy love to thy fellows and
 to him1 the source of thy being1 will  
make thee at length know that anything  
else than just what he is would have    
been to thee an endless loss4 ,be not   
afraid to build upon the rock ,christ1  
as if thy holy imagination might build  
too high and heavy for that rock1 and it
 must give way and crumble beneath the  
weight of thy divine idea4 ,let no one  
persuade thee that there is in him a    
little darkness1 because of something he
 has said which his creature interprets 
into darkness4 ,the interpretation is   
the work of the enemy--a handful of     
tares of darkness sown in the light4    
,neither let thy cowardly conscience    

receive any word as light because       
another calls it light1 while it looks  
to thee dark4 ,say either the thing is  
not what it seems1 or ,god never said or
 did it4 ,but1 of all evils1 to         
misinterpret what ,god does1 and then   
say the thing as interpreted must be    
right because ,god does it1 is of the   
devil4 ,do not try to believe anything  
that affects thee as darkness4 ,even if 
thou mistake and refuse something true  
thereby1 thou wilt do less wrong to     
,christ by such a refusal than thou     
wouldst by accepting as his what thou   
canst see only as darkness4 ,it is      
impossible thou art seeing a true1 a    
real thing--seeing it as it is1 ,i      
mean--if it looks to thee darkness4 ,but
 let thy words be few1 lest thou say    
with thy tongue what thou wilt afterward
 repent with thy heart4 ,above all      
things believe in the light1 that it is 
what thou callest light1 though the     
darkness in thee may give thee cause at 
a time to doubt whether thou art verily 

seeing the light4  ',but there is       
another side to the matter3 ,god is     
light indeed1 but there is darkness2    
darkness is death1 and men are in it4'  
,yes2 darkness is death1 but not death  
to him that comes out of it4  ,it may   
sound paradoxical1 but no man is        
condemned for anything he has done2 he  
is condemned for continuing to do wrong4
 ,he is condemned for not coming out of 
the darkness1 for not coming to the     
light1 the living ,god1 who sent the    
light1 his son1 into the world to guide 
him home4 ,let us hear what ,john says  
about the darkness4  ,for here also we  
have1 ,i think1 the word of the apostle 
himself3 at the #acth verse he begins1  
,i think1 to speak in his own person4   
,in the #aith verse he says1 ',and this 
is the condemnation1'--not that men are 
sinners--not that they have done that   
which1 even at the moment1 they were    
ashamed of--not that they have committed
 murder1 not that they have betrayed man
 or woman1 not that they have ground the

 faces of the poor1 making money by the 
groans of their fellows--not for any    
hideous thing are they condemned1 but   
that they will not leave such doings    
behind1 and do them no more3 ',this is  
the condemnation1 that light is come    
into the world1 and men' would not come 
out of the darkness to the light1 but   
'loved darkness rather than light1      
because their deeds were evil4'         
,choosing evil1 clinging to evil1 loving
 the darkness because it suits with     
their deeds1 therefore turning their    
backs on the inbreaking light1 how can  
they but be condemned--if ,god be true1 
if he be light1 and darkness be alien to
 him6 ,whatever of honesty is in man1   
whatever of judgment is left in the     
world1 must allow that their            
condemnation is in the very nature of   
things1 that it must rest on them and   
abide4  ,but if one happens to utter    
some individual truth which another man 
has made into one of the cogs of his    
system1 he is in danger of being        

supposed to accept all the toothed      
wheels and their relations in that      
system4 ,i therefore go on to say that  
it does not follow1 because light has   
come into the world1 that it has fallen 
upon this or that man4 ,he has his      
portion of the light that lighteth every
 man1 but the revelation of ,god in     
,christ may not yet have reached him4 ,a
 man might see and pass the ,lord in a  
crowd1 nor be to blame like the ,jews of
 ,jerusalem for not knowing him4 ,a man 
like ,nathanael might have started and  
stopped at the merest glimpse of him1   
but all growing men are not yet like him
 without guile4 ,everyone who has not   
yet come to the light is not necessarily
 keeping his face turned away from it4  
,we dare not say that this or that man  
would not have come to the light had he 
seen it2 we do not know that he will not
 come to the light the moment he does   
see it4 ,god gives every man time4      
,there is a light that lightens sage and
 savage1 but the glory of ,god in the   

face of ,jesus may not have shined on   
this sage or that savage4 ,the          
condemnation is of those who1 having    
seen ,jesus1 refuse to come to him1 or  
pretend to come to him but do not the   
things he says4 ,they have all sorts of 
excuses at hand2 but as soon as a man   
begins to make excuse1 the time has come
 when he might be doing that from which 
he excuses himself4 ,how many are there 
not who1 believing there is something   
somewhere with the claim of light upon  
them1 go on and on to get more out of   
the darkness6 ,this consciousness1 all  
neglected by them1 gives broad ground   
for the expostulation of the ,lord--',ye
 will not come unto me that ye might    
have life6'  ',all manner of sin and    
blasphemy1' the ,lord said1 'shall be   
forgiven unto men2 but the blasphemy    
against the spirit shall not be         
forgiven4' ,god speaks1 as it were1 in  
this manner3 ',i forgive you everything4
 ,not a word more shall be said about   
your sins--only come out of them2 come  

out of the darkness of your exile2 come 
into the light of your home1 of your    
birthright1 and do evil no more4 ,lie no
 more2 cheat no more2 oppress no more2  
slander no more2 envy no more2 be       
neither greedy nor vain2 love your      
neighbour as ,i love you2 be my good    
child2 trust in your father4 ,i am      
light2 come to me1 and you shall see    
things as ,i see them1 and hate the evil
 thing4 ,i will make you love the thing 
which now you call good and love not4 ,i
 forgive all the past4'  ',i thank thee1
 ,lord1 for forgiving me1 but ,i prefer 
staying in the darkness3 forgive me that
 too4'  ',no2 that cannot be4 ,the one  
thing that cannot be forgiven is the sin
 of choosing to be evil1 of refusing    
deliverance4 ,it is impossible to       
forgive that sin4 ,it would be to take  
part in it4 ,to side with wrong against 
right1 with murder against life1 cannot 
be forgiven4 ,the thing that is past ,i 
pass1 but he who goes on doing the same1
 annihilates this my forgiveness1 makes 

it of no effect4 ,let a man have        
committed any sin whatever1 ,i forgive  
him2 but to choose to go on sinning--how
 can ,i forgive that8 ,it would be to   
nourish and cherish evil6 ,it would be  
to let my creation go to ruin4 ,shall ,i
 keep you alive to do things hateful in 
the sight of all true men8 ,if a man    
refuse to come out of his sin1 he must  
suffer the vengeance of a love that     
would be no love if it left him there4  
,shall ,i allow my creature to be the   
thing my soul hates8'  ,there is no     
excuse for this refusal4 ,if we were    
punished for every fault1 there would be
 no end1 no respite2 we should have no  
quiet wherein to repent2 but ,god passes
 by all he can4 ,he passes by and       
forgets a thousand sins1 yea1 tens of   
thousands1 forgiving them all--only we  
must begin to be good1 begin to do evil 
no more4 ,he who refuses must be        
punished and punished--punished through 
all the ages--punished until he gives   
way1 yields1 and comes to the light1    

that his deeds may be seen by himself to
 be what they are1 and be by himself    
reproved1 and the ,father at last have  
his child again4 ,for the man who in    
this world resists to the full1 there   
may be1 perhaps1 a whole age or era in  
the history of the universe during which
 his sin shall not be forgiven2 but     
never can it be forgiven until he       
repents4 ,how can they who will not     
repent be forgiven1 save in the sense   
that ,god does and will do all he can to
 make them repent8 ,who knows but such  
sin may need for its cure the continuous
 punishment of an aeon8  ,there are     
three conceivable kinds of              
punishment--first1 that of mere         
retribution1 which ,i take to be        
entirely and only human--therefore1     
indeed1 more properly inhuman1 for that 
which is not divine is not essential to 
humanity1 and is of evil1 and an        
intrusion upon the human2 second1 that  
which works repentance2 and third1 that 
which refines and purifies1 working for 

holiness4 ,but the punishment that falls
 on whom the ,lord loveth because they  
have repented1 is a very different thing
 from the punishment that falls on those
 whom he loveth in deed but cannot      
forgive because they hold fast by their 
sins4  ,there are also various ways in  
which the word forgive can be used4 ,a  
man might say to his son--',my boy1 ,i  
forgive you4 ,you did not know what you 
were doing4 ,i will say no more about   
it4' ,or he might say--',my boy1 ,i     
forgive you2 but ,i must punish you1 for
 you have done the same thing several   
times1 and ,i must make you remember4'  
,or1 again1 he might say--',i am        
seriously angry with you4 ,i cannot     
forgive you4 ,i must punish you         
severely4 ,the thing was too shameful6  
,i cannot pass it by4' ,or1 once more1  
he might say--',except you alter your   
ways entirely1 ,i shall have nothing    
more to do with you4 ,you need not come 
to me4 ,i will not take the             
responsibility of anything you do4 ,so  

far from answering for you1 ,i shall    
feel bound in honesty to warn my friends
 not to put confidence in you4 ,never1  
never1 till ,i see a greater difference 
in you than ,i dare hope to see in this 
world1 will ,i forgive you4 ,i can no   
more regard you as one of the family4 ,i
 would die to save you1 but ,i cannot   
forgive you4 ,there is nothing in you   
now on which to rest forgiveness4 ,to   
say1 ,i forgive you1 would be to say1   
,do anything you like2 ,i do not care   
what you do4' ,so ,god may forgive and  
punish2 and he may punish and not       
forgive1 that he may rescue4 ,to forgive
 the sin against the holy spirit would  
be to damn the universe to the pit of   
lies1 to render it impossible for the   
man so forgiven ever to be saved4 ,he   
cannot forgive the man who will not come
 to the light because his deeds are     
evil4 ,against that man his fatherly    
heart is moved with indignation4        
,,the ,,displeasure ,,of ,,jesus4       
,when ,jesus therefore saw her weeping1 

and the ,jews also        weeping which 
came with her1 he groaned in the spirit1
        and was troubled4--,john xi4    
#cc4  ,grimm1 in his lexicon to the ,new
 ,testament1 after giving as the        
equivalent of the word ,greek3          
embrimaomai in pagan use1 ',i am moved  
with anger1' ',i roar or growl1' ',i    
snort at1' ',i am vehemently angry or   
indignant with some one1' tells us that 
in ,mark i4 #dc1 and ,matthew ix4 #cj1  
it has a meaning different from that of 
the pagans1 namely1 ',i command with    
severe admonishment4' ,that he has any  
authority for saying so1 ,i do not      
imagine1 and believe the statement a    
blunder4 ,the ,translators and          
,revisers1 however1 have in those       
passages used the word similarly1 and in
 one place1 the passage before us1 where
 a true version is of yet more          
consequence1 have taken another liberty 
and rendered the word 'groaned4' ,the   
,revisers1 at the same time1 place in   
the margin what ,i cannot but believe   

its true meaning--'was moved with       
indignation4'  ,let us look at all the  
passages in which the word is used of   
the ,lord1 and so1 if we may1 learn     
something concerning him4 ,the only     
place in the gospel where it is used of 
any but the ,lord is ,mark xiv4 #e4     
,here both versions say of the disciples
 that they 'murmured at' the waste of   
the ointment by one of the women who    
anointed the ,lord4 ,with regard to this
 rendering ,i need only remark that     
surely 'murmured at' can hardly be      
strong enough1 especially seeing 'they  
had indignation among themselves' at the
 action4  ,it is indeed right and       
necessary to insist that many a word    
must differ in moral weight and colour  
as used of or by persons of different   
character4 ,the anger of a good man is a
 very different thing from the anger of 
a bad man2 the displeasure of ,jesus    
must be a very different thing from the 
displeasure of a tyrant4 ,but they are  
both anger1 both displeasure1           

nevertheless4 ,we have no right to      
change a root-meaning1 and say in one   
case that a word means he was indignant1
 in another that it means he straitly or
 strictly charged1 and in a third that  
it means he groaned4 ,surely not thus   
shall we arrive at the truth6 ,if any   
statement is made1 any word employed1   
that we feel unworthy of the ,lord1 let 
us refuse it2 let us say1 ',i do not    
believe that2' or1 ',there must be      
something there that ,i cannot see into3
 ,i must wait2 it cannot be what it     
looks to me1 and be true of the ,lord6' 
,but to accept the word as used of the  
,lord1 and say it means something quite 
different from what it means when used  
by the same writer of some one else1    
appears to me untruthful4  ,we shall    
take first the passage1 ,mark i4        
#dc--;in the authorized version1 ',and  
he straitly charged him2' in the        
revised1 ',and he strictly charged him1'
 with 'sternly' in the margin4          
,literally1 as it seems to me1 it reads1

 and ought to be read1 ',and being      
angry' or 'displeased' or 'vexed' 'with 
him1 he immediately dismissed him4'     
,there is even some dissatisfaction     
implied1 ,i think1 in the word ,i have  
translated 'dismissed4' ,the word in    
,john ix4 #cd1 'they cast him out1' is  
the same1 only a little intensified4    
,this adds something to the story1 and  
raises the question1 ,why should ,jesus 
have been angry8 ,if we can find no     
reason for his anger1 we must leave the 
thing as altogether obscure2 for ,i do  
not know where to find another meaning  
for the word1 except in the despair of a
 would-be interpreter4  ,jesus had cured
 the leper--not with his word only1     
which would have been enough for the    
mere cure1 but was not enough without   
the touch of his hand--the ,sinaitic    
version says 'his hands'--to satisfy the
 heart of ,jesus--a touch defiling him1 
in the notion of the ,jews1 but how     
cleansing to the sense of the leper6    
,the man1 however1 seems to have been   

unworthy of this delicacy of divine     
tenderness4 ,the ,lord1 who could read  
his heart1 saw that he made him no true 
response--that there was not awaked in  
him the faith he desired to rouse3 he   
had not drawn the soul of the man to    
his4 ,the leper was jubilant in the     
removal of his pain and isolating       
uncleanness1 in his deliverance from    
suffering and scorn2 he was probably    
elated with the pride of having had a   
miracle wrought for him4 ,in a word1 he 
was so full of himself that he did not  
think truly of his deliverer4  ,the     
,lord1 ,i say1 saw this1 or something of
 this kind1 and was not satisfied4 ,he  
had wanted to give the man something so 
much better than a pure skin1 and had   
only roused in him an unseemly delight  
in his own cleanness--unseemly1 for it  
was such that he paid no heed to the    
,lord1 but immediately disobeyed his    
positive command4 ,the moral position   
the man took was that which displeased  
the ,lord1 made him angry4 ,he saw in   

him positive and rampant self-will and  
disobedience1 an impertinent assurance  
and self-satisfaction4 ,filled1 not with
 pure delight1 or the child-like        
merriment that might well burst forth1  
mingled with tears1 at such deliverance2
 filled1 not with gratitude1 but        
gratification1 the keener that he had   
been so long an object of loathing to   
his people2 filled with arrogance       
because of the favour shown to him1 of  
all men1 by the great prophet1 and      
swelling with boast of the same1 he left
 the presence of the healer to thwart   
his will1 and1 commanded to tell no man1
 at once 'began'--the frothy1 volatile1 
talking soul--'to publish it much1 and  
to blaze abroad the matter1 insomuch    
that ,jesus could no more openly enter  
into a city1 but was without in desert  
places4'  ,let us next look at the      
account of the healing of the two blind 
men1 given in the ninth chapter of      
,matthew's gospel4 ,in both the versions
 the same phrases are used in           

translation of the word in question1 as 
in the story of the leper in ,mark's    
gospel--'straitly1' 'strictly1' 'sternly
 charged them4' ,i read the passage     
thus3 ',and ,jesus was displeased'--or1 
perhaps1 'much displeased'--'with them1 
saying1 ,see that no man know it4'      
',but they went forth1 and spread abroad
 his fame in all that land4' ,surely    
here we have light on the cause of      
,jesus' displeasure with the blind men6 
it was the same with them as with the   
leper3 they showed themselves bent on   
their own way1 and did not care for his4
 ,doubtless they were1 in part1 all of  
them moved by the desire to spread      
abroad his fame2 that may even have     
seemed to them the best acknowledgment  
they could render their deliverer4 ,they
 never suspected that a great man might 
desire to avoid fame1 laying no value   
upon it1 knowing it for a foolish thing4
 ,they did not understand that a man    
desirous of helping his fellows might   
yet avoid a crowd as obstructive to his 

object4 ',what is a prophet without     
honour8' such virtually ask1 nor        
understand the answer1 ',a man the more 
likely to prove a prophet4' ,these men  
would repay their healer with           
trumpeting1 not obedience4 ,by them he  
should have his right--but as they not  
be judged fit6 ,in his modesty he       
objected1 but they would take care he   
should not go without his reward6       
,through them he should reap the praises
 of men6 ',not tell6' they exclaim4     
',indeed1 we will tell6' ,they were too 
grateful not to rumour him1 not grateful
 enough to obey him4  ,we cannot surely 
be amazed at their self-sufficiency4    
,how many are there not who seem capable
 of anything for the sake of the church 
or ,christianity1 except the one thing  
its ,lord cares about--that they should 
do what he tells them6 ,he would deliver
 them from themselves into the liberty  
of the sons of ,god1 make them his      
brothers2 they leave him to vaunt their 
church4 ,his commandments are not       

grievous2 they invent commandments for  
him1 and lay them1 burdens grievous to  
be borne1 upon the necks of their       
brethren4 ,god would have us sharers in 
his bliss--in the very truth of         
existence2 they worship from afar1 and  
will not draw nigh4 ,it was not1 ,i     
think1 the obstruction to his work1 not 
the personal inconvenience it would     
cause him1 that made the ,lord angry1   
but that they would not be his friends1 
would not do what he told them1 would   
not be the children of his father1 and  
help him to save their brethren4 ,when  
,peter in his way next--much the same   
way as theirs--opposed the will of the  
,father1 saying1 ',that be far from     
thee1 ,lord6' he called him ,satan1 and 
ordered him behind him4  ,does it affect
 anyone to the lowering of his idea of  
the ,master that he should ever be      
angry8 ,if so1 ,i would ask him whether 
his whole conscious experience of anger 
be such1 that he knows but one kind of  
anger4 ,there is a good anger and a bad 

anger4 ,there is a wrath of ,god1 and   
there is a wrath of man that worketh not
 the righteousness of ,god4 ,anger may  
be as varied as the colour of the       
rainbow4 ,god's anger can be nothing but
 ,godlike1 therefore divinely beautiful1
 at one with his love1 helpful1 healing1
 restoring2 yet is it verily and truly  
what we call anger4 ,how different is   
the anger of one who loves1 from that of
 one who hates6 yet is anger anger4     
,there is the degraded human anger1 and 
the grand1 noble1 eternal anger4 ,our   
anger is in general degrading1 because  
it is in general impure4  ,it is to me  
an especially glad thought that the     
,lord came so near us as to be angry    
with us4 ,the more we think of ,jesus   
being angry with us1 the more we feel   
that we must get nearer and nearer to   
him--get within the circle of his wrath1
 out of the sin that makes him angry1   
and near to him where sin cannot come4  
,there is no quenching of his love in   
the anger of ,jesus4 ,the anger of      

,jesus is his recognition that we are to
 blame2 if we were not to blame1 ,jesus 
could never be angry with us2 we should 
not be of his kind1 therefore not       
subject to his blame4 ,to recognize that
 we are to blame1 is to say that we     
ought to be better1 that we are able to 
do right if we will4 ,we are able to    
turn our faces to the light1 and come   
out of the darkness2 the ,lord will see 
to our growth4  ,it is a serious thought
 that the disobedience of the men he had
 set free from blindness and leprosy    
should be able to hamper him in his work
 for his father4 ,but his best friends1 
his lovers did the same4 ,that he should
 be crucified was a horror to them2 they
 would have made him a king1 and ruined 
his father's work4 ,he preferred the    
cruelty of his enemies to the kindness  
of his friends4 ,the former with evil   
intent wrought his father's will2 the   
latter with good intent would have      
frustrated it4 ,his disciples troubled  
him with their unbelieving              

expostulations4 ,let us know that the   
poverty of our idea of ,jesus--how much 
more our disobedience to him6--thwarts  
his progress to victory1 delays the     
coming of the kingdom of heaven4 ,many a
 man valiant for ,christ1 but not       
understanding him1 and laying on himself
 and his fellows burdens against nature1
 has therein done will-worship and      
would-be service for which ,christ will 
give him little thanks1 which indeed may
 now be moving his holy anger4 ,where we
 do that we ought not1 and could have   
helped it1 be moved to anger against us1
 ,o ,christ6 do not treat us as if we   
were not worth being displeased with2   
let not our faults pass as if they were 
of no weight4 ,be angry with us1 holy   
brother1 wherein we are to blame2 where 
we do not understand1 have patience with
 us1 and open our eyes1 and give us     
strength to obey1 until at length we are
 the children of the ,father even as    
thou4 ,for though thou art lord and     
master and saviour of them that are     

growing1 thou art perfect lord only of  
the true and the safe and the free1 who 
live in thy light and are divinely glad3
 we keep thee back from thy perfect     
lordship4 ,make us able to be angry and 
not sin2 to be angry nor seek revenge   
the smallest2 to be angry and full of   
forgiveness4 ,we will not be content    
till our very anger is love4  ,the ,lord
 did not call the leprosy to return and 
seize again upon the man who disobeyed  
him4 ,he may have deserved it1 but the  
,lord did not do it4 ,he did not wrap   
the self-confident seeing men in the    
cloud of their old darkness because they
 wrapped themselves in the cloud of     
disobedience4 ,he let them go4 ,of      
course they failed of their well-being  
by it2 for to say a man might disobey   
and be none the worse1 would be to say  
that no may be yes1 and light sometimes 
darkness2 it would be to say that the   
will of ,god is not man's bliss4 ,but   
the ,lord did not directly punish them1 
any more than he does tens of thousands 

of wrongs in the world4 ,many wrongs    
punish themselves against the bosses of 
armed law2 many wrong-doers cut         
themselves1 like the priests of ,baal1  
with the knives of their own injustice2 
and it is his will it should be so2 but1
 whether he punish directly or          
indirectly1 he is always working to     
deliver4 ,i think sometimes his anger is
 followed1 yea1 accompanied by an       
astounding gift1 fresh from his heart of
 grace4 ,he knows what to do1 for he is 
love4 ,he is love when he gives1 and    
love when he withholds2 love when he    
heals1 and love when he slays4 ,lord1 if
 thus thou lookest upon men in thine    
anger1 what must a full gaze be from    
thine eyes of love6  ,let us now look at
 the last case in which this word       
,greek3 embrimaomai is used in the story
 of our ,lord--that form of it1 at      
least1 which we have down here1 for sure
 they have a fuller gospel in the       
,father's house1 and without spot of    
blunder in it3 let us so use that we    

have that we be allowed at length to    
look within the leaves of the other6    
,in the authorized version of the gospel
 of ,john1 the eleventh chapter1 the    
thirty-third verse1 we have the words3  
',when ,jesus therefore saw her weeping1
 and the ,jews also weeping which came  
with her1 he groaned in the spirit and  
was troubled2'--according to the margin 
of the revised version1 'he was moved   
with indignation in the spirit1 and     
troubled himself4' ,also in the         
thirty-eighth verse we read1 according  
to the margin of the revised version1   
',jesus therefore again being moved with
 indignation in himself cometh to the   
tomb4'  ,indignation--anger at the very 
tomb6 in the presence of hearts torn by 
the loss of a brother four days dead1   
whom also he loved6 ,yes1 verily1       
friends6 such indignation1 such anger   
as1 at such a time1 in such a place1 it 
was eternally right the heart of ,jesus 
should be moved withal4 ,i can hardly   
doubt that he is in like manner moved by

 what he sees now at the death-beds and 
graves of not a few who are not his     
enemies1 and yet in the presence of     
death seem no better than pagans4 ,what 
have such gained by being the           
,christians they say they are8 ,they fix
 their eyes on a grisly phantasm they   
call ,death1 and never lift them to the 
radiant ,christ standing by bed or      
grave6 ,for them ,christ has not        
conquered ,death3       ,thou art our   
king1 ,o ,death6 to thee we groan6      
,they would shudder at the thought of   
saying so in words2 they say it in the  
bitterness of their tears1 in their eyes
 of despair1 in their black garments1 in
 their instant retreat from the light of
 day to burrow in the bosom of darkness8
 ',what1 would you have us not weep8'   
,weep freely1 friends2 but let your     
tears be those of expectant ,christians1
 not hopeless pagans4 ,let us look at   
the story4  ,the ,lord had all this time
 been trying to teach his friends about 
his father--what a blessed and perfect  

father he was1 who had sent him that men
 might look on his very likeness1 and   
know him greater than any likeness could
 show him2 and all they had gained by it
 seemed not to amount to an atom of     
consolation when the touch of death     
came4 ,he had said hundreds of things to
 ,martha and ,mary that are not down in 
the few pages of our earthly gospel2 but
 the fact that ,god loves them1 and that
 ,god has ,lazarus1 seems nothing to    
them because they have not ,lazarus6    
,the ,lord himself1 for all he has been 
to them1 cannot console them1 even with 
his bodily presence1 for the bodily     
absence of their brother4 ,i do not mean
 that ,god would have even his closest  
presence make us forget or cease to     
desire that of our friend4 ,god forbid6 
,the love of ,god is the perfecting of  
every love4 ,he is not the ,god of      
oblivion1 but of eternal remembrance4   
,there is no past with him4 ,so far is  
he from such jealousy as we have all    
heard imputed to him1 his determination 

is that his sons and daughters shall    
love each other perfectly4 ,he gave us  
to each other to belong to each other   
for ever4 ,he does not give to take     
away2 with him is no variableness or    
shadow of turning4 ,but if my son or    
daughter be gone from me for a season1  
should not the coming of their mother   
comfort me8 ,is it nothing that he who  
is the life should be present1 assuring 
the well-being of the life that has     
vanished1 and the well-being of the love
 that misses it8 ,why should the ,lord  
have come to the world at all1 if these 
his friends were to take no more good of
 him than this8 ,having the elder       
brother1 could they not do for a little 
while without the younger8 ,must they be
 absolutely miserable without him8 ,all 
their cry was1 ',lord1 if thou hadst    
been here1 my brother had not died6'    
,you may say they did not know ,christ  
well enough yet4 ,that is plain--but    
,christ had expected more of them1 and  
was disappointed4 ,you may say1 ',how   

could that be1 seeing he knew what was  
in man8' ,i doubt if you think rightly  
how much the ,lord gave up in coming to 
us4 ,perhaps you have a poor idea of how
 much the ,son was able to part with1 or
 rather could let the ,father take from 
him1 without his sonship1 the eternal to
 the eternal1 being touched by it1 save 
to show it deeper and deeper1 closer and
 closer4 ,that he did not in this world 
know everything1 is plain from his own  
words1 and from signs as well3 ,i should
 scorn to imagine that ignorance        
touching his ,godhead1 that his ,godhead
 could be hurt by what enhances his     
devotion4 ,it enhances in my eyes the   
idea of his ,godhead4 ,here1 ,i repeat1 
,i cannot but think that he was         
disappointed with his friends ,martha   
and ,mary4 ,had he done no more for them
 than this8 ,was his father and their   
father no comfort to them8 ,was this the
 way his best friends treated his       
father1 who was doing everything for    
them possible for a father to do for his

 children6 ,he cared so dearly for their
 hearts that he could not endure to see 
them weeping so that they shut out his  
father4 ,his love was vexed with them   
that they would sit in ashes when they  
ought to be out in his father's sun and 
wind4 ,and all for a lie6--since the    
feeling in their hearts that made them  
so weep1 was a false one4 ,remember1 it 
was not their love1 but a false notion  
of loss4 ,were they no nearer the light 
of life than that8 ,to think they should
 believe in death and the grave1 not in 
him1 the ,life6 ,why should death       
trouble them8 ,why grudge the friendly  
elements their grasp on the body1       
restoring it whence it came1 because    
,lazarus was gone home to ,god1 and     
needed it no more8 ,i suspect that1     
looking into their hearts1 he saw them  
feeling and acting just as if ,lazarus  
had ceased to exist4  ',lord1 if thou   
hadst been here1 my brother had not     
died4 ,but ,i know1 that even now1      
whatsoever thou wilt ask of ,god1 ,god  

will give it thee4'  ',thy brother shall
 rise again4'  ',i know that he shall   
rise again in the resurrection at the   
last day4'  ',i am the resurrection1 and
 the life3 he that believeth in me1     
though he were dead1 yet shall he live4 
,and whosoever liveth1 and believeth in 
me1 shall never die4'  ,i will not now  
endeavour to disclose anything of the   
depth of this word of the ,lord4 ,it    
will suffice for my present object to   
say that the sisters must surely have   
known that he raised up the daughter of 
,jairus and the son of the widow of     
,nain2 and if the words he had just     
spoken1 ',thy brother shall rise again1'
 seemed to ,martha too good to be true  
in the sense that he was going to raise 
him now1 both she and ,mary believing he
 could raise him if he would1 might at  
least have known that if he did not1 it 
must be for reasons as lovely as any for
 which he might have done it4 ,if he    
could1 and did not1 must it not be as   
well as1 yes1 better than if he did8    

,martha had gone away1 for the moment at
 least1 a little comforted2 and now came
 ,mary1 who knew the ,lord better than  
her sister--alas1 with the same bitter  
tears flowing from her eyes1 and the    
same hopeless words1 almost of reproach1
 falling from her lips6 ,then it was--at
 the sight of her and the ,jews with her
 weeping1 that the spirit of the ,lord  
was moved with indignation4 ,they wept  
as those who believe in death1 not in   
life4 ,mary wept as if she had never    
seen with her eyes1 never handled with  
her hands the ,word of life6 ,he was    
troubled with their unbelief1 and       
troubled with their trouble4 ,what was  
to be done with his brothers and sisters
 who would be miserable1 who would not  
believe in his father6 ,what a life of  
pain was theirs6 ,how was he to comfort 
them8 ,they would not be comforted6     
,what a world was it that would go on   
thus--that would not free itself from   
the clutch of death1 even after death   
was dead1 but would weep and weep for   

thousands of years to come1 clasped to  
the bosom of dead ,death6 ,was          
existence1 the glorious out-gift of his 
father1 to be the most terrible of      
miseries1 because some must go home     
before others8 ,it was all so sad6--and 
all because they would not know his     
father6 ,then came the reaction from his
 indignation1 and the labouring heart of
 the ,lord found relief in tears4  ,the 
,lord was standing1 as it were1 on the  
watershed of life4 ,on one side of him  
lay what ,martha and ,mary called the   
world of life1 on the other what he and 
his father and ,lazarus called more     
abundant life4 ,the ,lord saw into both 
worlds--saw ,martha and ,mary on the one
 side weeping1 on the other ,lazarus    
waiting for them in peace4 ,he would do 
his best for them--for the sisters--not 
for ,lazarus6 ,it was hard on ,lazarus  
to be called back into the winding-sheet
 of the body1 a sacrifice to their      
faithlessness1 but it should be done6   
,lazarus should suffer for his sisters6 

,through him they should be compelled to
 believe in the ,father1 and so be      
delivered from bondage6 ,death should   
have no more dominion over them6  ,he   
was vexed with them1 ,i have said1 for  
not believing in ,god1 his and their    
father2 and at the same time was        
troubled with their trouble4 ,the cloud 
of his loving anger and disappointed    
sympathy broke in tears2 and the tears  
eased his heart of the weight of its    
divine grief4 ,he turned1 not to them1  
not to punish them for their unbelief1  
not even to chide them for their sorrow2
 he turned to his father to thank him4  
,he thanks him for hearing a prayer he  
had made--whether a moment before1 or   
ere he left the other side of the       
,jordan1 ,i cannot tell4 ,what was the  
prayer for having heard which he now    
thanks his father8 ,surely he had spoken
 about bringing ,lazarus back1 and his  
father had shown himself of one mind    
with him4 ',and ,i knew that thou       
hearest me always1 but because of the   

multitude which standeth around ,i said 
it1 that they may believe that thou     
didst send me4' ',i said it3' said what8
 ,he had said something for the sake of 
the multitude2 what was it8 ,the        
thanksgiving he had just uttered4 ,he   
was not in the way of thanking his      
father in formal words2 and now would   
not naturally have spoken his thanks    
aloud2 for he was always speaking to the
 ,father1 and the ,father was always    
hearing him2 but he had a reason for    
doing so1 and was now going to give his 
reason4 ,he had done the unusual thing  
for the sake of being heard do it1 and  
for holy honesty-sake he tells the fact1
 speaking to his father so as the people
 about him may hear1 and there be no    
shadow of undisclosed doubleness in the 
action--nothing covert1 however perfect 
in honesty4 ,his design in thus thanking
 aloud must be made patent6 ',i thank   
thee1 father1 for hearing me2 and ,i say
 it1 not as if ,i had had any doubt of  
thy hearing me1 but that the people may 

understand that ,i am not doing this    
thing of myself1 but as thy messenger4  
,it is thou1 father1 art going to do it2
 ,i am doing it as thy right            
hand4--,lazarus1 come forth4'  ,i have  
said the trouble of the ,lord was that  
his friends would not trust his father4 
,he did not want any reception of       
himself that was not a reception of his 
father4 ,it was his father1 not he1 that
 did the works6 ,from this              
disappointment came1 it seems to me1    
that sorrowful sigh1 ',nevertheless1    
when the son of man cometh1 shall he    
find faith on the earth8'  ,the thought 
of the ,lord in uttering this prayer is 
not his own justification1 but his      
father's reception by his children4 ,if 
ever the ,lord claims to be received as 
a true man1 it is for the sake of his   
father and his brethren1 that in the    
receiving of him1 he may be received who
 sent him4 ,had he now desired the      
justification of his own claim1 the     
thing he was about to do would have been

 powerful to that end2 but he must have 
them understand clearly that the ,father
 was one with him in it--that they were 
doing it together--that it was the will 
of the ,father--that he had sent him4   
,lazarus must come and help him with    
these sisters whom he could not get to  
believe6 ,lazarus had tasted of death1  
and knew what it was3 he must come and  
give his testimony6 ',they have lost    
sight of you1 ,lazarus1 and fancy you   
gone to the nowhere of their unbelief4  
,come forth2 come out of the unseen4 ,we
 will set them at rest4' ,it was hard1  
,i repeat1 upon ,lazarus2 he was better 
where he was2 but he must come and bear 
the ,lord company a little longer1 and  
then be left behind with his sisters1   
that they and millions more like them   
might know that ,god is the ,god of the 
living1 and not of the dead4  ,the ,jews
 said1 ',behold how he loved him6' but  
can any ,christian believe it was from  
love to ,lazarus that ,jesus wept8 ,it  
was from love to ,god1 and to ,martha   

and ,mary4 ,he had not lost ,lazarus2   
but ,martha and ,mary were astray from  
their father in heaven4 ',come1 my      
brother2 witness6' he cried2 and        
,lazarus came forth1 bound hand and     
foot4 ',loose him and let him go1' he   
said--a live truth walking about the    
world3 he had never been dead1 and was  
come forth2 he had not been lost1 and   
was restored6 ,it was a strange door he 
came through1 back to his own--a door   
seldom used1 known only to one--but     
there he was6 ,oh1 the hearts of ,martha
 and ,mary6 ,surely the ,lord had some  
recompense for his trouble1 beholding   
their joy6  ,any ,christian woman who   
has read thus far1 ,i now beg to reflect
 on what ,i am going to put before her4 
,lazarus had to die again1 and thanked  
,god1 we may be sure1 for the glad fact4
 ,did his sisters1 supposing them again 
left behind him in the world1 make the  
same lamentations over him as the former
 time he went8 ,if they did1 if they    
fell again into that passion of grief1  

lamenting and moaning and refusing to be
 comforted1 what would you say of them8 
,i imagine something to this effect3    
',it was most unworthy of them to be no 
better for such a favour shown them4 ,it
 was to behave like the naughtiest of   
faithless children4 ,did they not know  
that he was not lost8--that he was with 
the ,master1 who had himself seemed lost
 for a few days1 but came again8 ,he was
 no more lost now than the time he went 
before6 ,could they not trust that he   
who brought him back once would take    
care they should have him for ever at   
last6' ,would you not speak after some  
such fashion8 ,would you not remember   
that he who is the shepherd of the sheep
 will see that the sheep that love one  
another shall have their own again1 in  
whatever different pastures they may    
feed for a time8 ,would it not be hard  
to persuade you that they ever did so   
behave8 ,they must have felt that he was
 but 'gone for a minute 444 from this   
room into the next2' and that1 however  

they might miss him1 it would be a shame
 not to be patient when they knew there 
was nothing to fear4 ,it was all right  
with him1 and would soon be all right   
with them also6  ',yes1' ,i imagine you 
saying1 'that is just how they would    
feel6'  ',then1' ,i return1 'why are you
 so miserable8 ,or why is it but the    
cold frost of use and forgetting that   
makes you less miserable than you were a
 year ago8'  ',ah1' you answer1 'but ,i 
had no such miracle wrought for me6 ,ah1
 if ,i had such a miracle wrought for   
me1 you should see then6'  ',you mean   
that if your husband1 your son1 your    
father1 your brother1 your lover1 had   
been taken from you once and given to   
you again1 you would not1 when the time 
came that he must go once more1 dream of
 calling him a second time from the good
 heaven8 ,you would not be cruel enough 
for that6 ,you would not bemoan or      
lament6 ,you would not make the heart of
 the ,lord sad with your hopeless tears6
 ,ah1 how little you know yourself6 ,do 

you not see that1 so far as truth and   
reason are concerned1 you are now in    
precisely the position supposed--the    
position of those sisters after ,lazarus
 was taken from them the second time8   
,you know now all they knew then4 ,they 
had no more of a revelation by the      
recall of ,lazarus than you have4 ,for  
you profess to believe the story1 though
 you make that doubtful enough by your  
disregard of the very soul of it4 ,is it
 possible that1 so far as you are       
concerned1 ,lazarus might as well not   
have risen8 ,what difference is there   
between your position now and theirs8   
,lazarus was with ,god1 and they knew he
 had gone1 come back1 and gone again4   
,you know that he went1 came1 and went  
again4 ,your friend is gone as ,lazarus 
went twice1 and you behave as if you    
knew nothing of ,lazarus4 ,you make a   
lamentable ado1 vexing ,jesus that you  
will not be reasonable and trust his    
father6 ,when ,martha and ,mary behaved 
as you are doing1 they had not had      

,lazarus raised2 you have had ,lazarus  
raised1 yet you go on as they did then6 
',you give too good reason to think     
that1 if the same thing were done for   
you1 you would say he was only in a     
cataleptic fit1 and in truth was never  
raised from the dead4 ,or is there      
another way of understanding your       
behaviour3 you do not believe that ,god 
is unchangeable1 but think he acts one  
way one time and another way another    
time just from caprice8 ,he might give  
back a brother to sisters who were      
favourites with him1 but no such gift is
 to be counted upon8 ,why then1 ,i ask1 
do you worship such a ,god8'  ',but you 
know he does not do it6 ,that was a mere
 exceptional case4'  ',if it was1 it is 
worthless indeed--as worthless as your  
behaviour would make it4 ,but you are   
dull of heart1 as were ,martha and      
,mary4 ,do you not see that he is as    
continually restoring as taking         
away--that every bereavement is a       
restoration--that when you are weeping  

with void arms1 others1 who love as well
 as you1 are clasping in ecstasy of     
reunion8'  ',alas1 we know nothing about
 that6'  ',if you have learned no more  
,i must leave you1 having no ground in  
you upon which my words may fall4 ,you  
deceived me2 you called yourself a      
,christian4 ,you cannot have been doing 
the will of the ,father1 or you would   
not be as you are4'  ',ah1 you little   
know my loss6'  ',indeed it is great6 it
 seems to include ,god6 ,if you knew    
what he knows about death you would clap
 your listless hands4 ,but why should ,i
 seek in vain to comfort you8 ,you must 
be made miserable1 that you may wake    
from your sleep to know that you need   
,god4 ,if you do not find him1 endless  
life with the living whom you bemoan    
would become and remain to you          
unendurable4 ,the knowledge of your own 
heart will teach you this-- not the     
knowledge you have1 but the knowledge   
that is on its way to you through       
suffering4 ,then you will feel that     

existence itself is the prime of evils1 
without the righteousness which is of   
,god by faith4'                         
,,righteousness4   --that ,i may win    
,christ1 and be found in him1 not having
 mine own righteousness1 which is of the
 law1 but that which is through the     
faith of ,christ1 the righteousness     
which is of ,god by faith4--,ep4 to the 
,philippians iii4 #h1 #i4  ,what does   
the apostle mean by the righteousness   
that is of ,god by faith8 ,he means the 
same righteousness ,christ had by his   
faith in ,god1 the same righteousness   
,god himself has4  ,in his second       
epistle to the ,corinthians he says1    
',he hath made him to be sin for us who 
knew no sin1 that we might be made the  
righteousness of ,god in him2'--',he    
gave him to be treated like a sinner1   
killed and cast out of his own vineyard 
by his husbandmen1 that we might in him 
be made righteous like ,god4' ,as the   
antithesis stands it is rhetorically    
correct4 ,but if the former half means1 

'he made him to be treated as if he were
 a sinner1' then the latter half should1
 in logical precision1 mean1 'that we   
might be treated as if we were          
righteous4'  ',that is just what ,paul  
does mean1' insist not a few4 ',he means
 that ,jesus was treated by ,god as if  
he were a sinner1 our sins being imputed
 to him1 in order that we might be      
treated as if we were righteous1 his    
righteousness being imputed to us4'     
,that is1 that1 by a sort of legal      
fiction1 ,jesus was treated as what he  
was not1 in order that we might be      
treated as what we are not4 ,this is the
 best device1 according to the          
prevailing theology1 that the ,god of   
truth1 the ,god of mercy1 whose glory is
 that he is just to men by forgiving    
their sins1 could fall upon for saving  
his creatures6  ,i had thought that this
 most contemptible of false doctrines   
had nigh ceased to be presented1 though 
,i knew it must be long before it ceased
 to exercise baneful influence2 but1 to 

my astonishment1 ,i came upon it lately 
in quite a modern commentary which ,i   
happened to look into in a friend's     
house4 ,i say1 to my astonishment1 for  
the commentary was the work of one of   
the most liberal and lovely of          
,christians1 a dignitary high in the    
church of ,england1 a man whom ,i knew  
and love1 and hope ere long to meet     
where there are no churches4 ,in the    
comment that came under my eye1 he      
refers to the doctrine of imputed       
righteousness as the possible           
explanation of a certain passage--refers
 to it as to a doctrine concerning whose
 truth was no question4  ,it seems to me
 that1 seeing much duplicity exists in  
the body of ,christ1 every honest member
 of it should protest against any word  
tending to imply the existence of       
falsehood in the indwelling spirit of   
that body4 ,i now protest against this  
so-called doctrine1 counting it the     
rightful prey of the foolishest wind in 
the limbo of vanities1 whither ,i would 

gladly do my best to send it4 ,it is a  
mean1 nauseous invention1 false1 and    
productive of falsehood4 ,say it is a   
figure1 ,i answer it is not only a false
 figure but an embodiment of untruth2   
say it expresses a reality1 and ,i say  
it teaches the worst of lies2 say there 
is a shadow of truth in it1 and ,i      
answer it may be so1 but there is no    
truth touched in it that could not be   
taught infinitely better without it4 ,it
 is the meagre misshapen offspring of   
the legalism of a poverty-stricken      
mechanical fancy1 unlighted by a gleam  
of divine imagination4 ,no one who knows
 his ,new ,testament will dare to say   
that the figure is once used in it4  ,i 
have dealt already with the source of   
it4 ,they say first1 ,god must punish   
the sinner1 for justice requires it2    
then they say he does not punish the    
sinner1 but punishes a perfectly        
righteous man instead1 attributes his   
righteousness to the sinner1 and so     
continues just4 ,was there ever such a  

confusion1 such an inversion of right   
and wrong6 ,justice could not treat a   
righteous man as an unrighteous2        
neither1 if justice required the        
punishment of sin1 could justice let the
 sinner go unpunished4 ,to lay the pain 
upon the righteous in the name of       
justice is simply monstrous4 ,no wonder 
unbelief is rampant4 ,believe in ,moloch
 if you will1 but call him ,moloch1 not 
,justice4 ,be sure that the thing that  
,god gives1 the righteousness that is of
 ,god1 is a real thing1 and not a       
contemptible legalism4 ,pray ,god ,i    
have no righteousness imputed to me4    
,let me be regarded as the sinner ,i am2
 for nothing will serve my need but to  
be made a righteous man1 one that will  
no more sin4  ,we have the word imputed 
just once in the ,new ,testament4       
,whether the evil doctrine may have     
sprung from any possible                
misunderstanding of the passage where it
 occurs1 ,i hardly care to inquire4 ,the
 word as ,paul uses it1 and the whole of

 the thought whence his use of it       
springs1 appeals to my sense of right   
and justice as much as the common use of
 it arouses my abhorrence4 ,the apostle 
says that a certain thing was imputed to
 ,abraham for righteousness2 or1 as the 
revised version has it1 'reckoned unto  
him3' what was it that was thus imputed 
to ,abraham8 ,the righteousness of      
another8 ,god forbid6 ,it was his own   
faith4 ,the faith of ,abraham is        
reckoned to him for righteousness4 ,to  
impute the righteousness of one to      
another1 is simply to act a falsehood2  
to call the faith of a man his          
righteousness is simply to speak the    
truth4 ,was it not righteous in ,abraham
 to obey ,god8 ,the ,jews placed        
righteousness in keeping all the        
particulars of the law of ,moses3 ,paul 
says faith in ,god was counted          
righteousness before ,moses was born4   
,you may answer1 ,abraham was unjust in 
many things1 and by no means a righteous
 man4 ,true2 he was not a righteous man 

in any complete sense2 his righteousness
 would never have satisfied ,paul2      
neither1 you may be sure1 did it satisfy
 ,abraham2 but his faith was            
nevertheless righteousness1 and if it   
had not been counted to him for         
righteousness1 there would have been    
falsehood somewhere1 for such faith as  
,abraham's is righteousness4 ,it was no 
mere intellectual recognition of the    
existence of a ,god1 which is consistent
 with the deepest atheism2 it was that  
faith which is one with action3 ',he    
went out1 not knowing whither he went4' 
,the very act of believing in ,god after
 such fashion that1 when the time of    
action comes1 the man will obey ,god1 is
 the highest act1 the deepest1 loftiest 
righteousness of which man is capable1  
is at the root of all other             
righteousness1 and the spirit of it will
 work till the man is perfect4 ,if you  
define righteousness in the             
common-sense1 that is1 in the divine    
fashion--for religion is nothing if it  

be not the deepest common-sense--as a   
giving to everyone his due1 then        
certainly the first due is to him who   
makes us capable of owing1 that is1     
makes us responsible creatures4 ,you may
 say this is not one's first feeling of 
duty4 ,true2 but the first in reality is
 seldom the first perceived4 ,the first 
duty is too high and too deep to come   
first into consciousness4 ,if any one   
were born perfect1 which ,i count an    
eternal impossibility1 then the highest 
duty would come first into the          
consciousness4 ,as we are born1 it is   
the doing of1 or at least the honest    
trying to do many another duty1 that    
will at length lead a man to see that   
his duty to ,god is the first and       
deepest and highest of all1 including   
and requiring the performance of all    
other duties whatever4 ,a man might live
 a thousand years in neglect of duty1   
and never come to see that any          
obligation was upon him to put faith in 
,god and do what he told him--never have

 a glimpse of the fact that he owed him 
something4 ,i will allow that if ,god   
were what he thinks him he would indeed 
owe him little2 but he thinks him such  
in consequence of not doing what he     
knows he ought to do4 ,he has not come  
to the light4 ,he has deadened1 dulled1 
hardened his nature4 ,he has not been a 
man without guile1 has not been true and
 fair4  ,but while faith in ,god is the 
first duty1 and may therefore well be   
called righteousness in the man in whom 
it is operative1 even though it be      
imperfect1 there is more reason than    
this why it should be counted to a man  
for righteousness4 ,it is the one       
spiritual act which brings the man into 
contact with the original creative      
power1 able to help him in every        
endeavour after righteousness1 and      
ensure his progress to perfection4 ,the 
man who exercises it may therefore also 
well be called a righteous man1 however 
far from complete in righteousness4 ,we 
may call a woman beautiful who is not   

perfect in beauty2 in the ,bible men are
 constantly recognized as righteous men 
who are far from perfectly righteous4   
,the ,bible never deals with            
impossibilities1 never demands of any   
man at any given moment a righteousness 
of which at that moment he is incapable2
 neither does it lay upon any man any   
other law than that of perfect          
righteousness4 ,it demands of him       
righteousness2 when he yields that      
righteousness of which he is capable1   
content for the moment1 it goes on to   
demand more3 the common-sense of the    
,bible is lovely4  ,to the man who has  
no faith in ,god1 faith in ,god cannot  
look like righteousness2 neither can he 
know that it is creative of all other   
righteousness toward equal and inferior 
lives3 he cannot know that it is not    
merely the beginning of righteousness1  
but the germ of life1 the active potency
 whence life-righteousness grows4 ,it is
 not like some single separate act of   
righteousness2 it is the action of the  

whole man1 turning to good from         
evil--turning his back on all that is   
opposed to righteousness1 and starting  
on a road on which he cannot stop1 in   
which he must go on growing more and    
more righteous1 discovering more and    
more what righteousness is1 and more and
 more what is unrighteous in himself4   
,in the one act of believing in         
,god--that is1 of giving himself to do  
what he tells him--he abjures evil1 both
 what he knows and what he does not yet 
know in himself4 ,a man may indeed have 
turned to obey ,god1 and yet be capable 
of many an injustice to his neighbour   
which he has not yet discovered to be an
 injustice2 but as he goes on obeying1  
he will go on discovering4 ,not only    
will he grow more and more determined to
 be just1 but he will grow more and more
 sensitive to the idea of injustice--,i 
do not mean in others1 but in himself4  
,a man who continues capable of a known 
injustice to his neighbour1 cannot be   
believed to have turned to ,god4 ,at all

 events1 a man cannot be near ,god1 so  
as to be learning what is just toward   
,god1 and not be near his neighbour1 so 
as to be learning what is unfair to him2
 for his will1 which is the man1 lays   
hold of righteousness1 chooses to be    
righteous4 ,if a man is to be blamed for
 not choosing righteousness1 for not    
turning to the light1 for not coming out
 of the darkness1 then the man who does 
choose and turn and come out1 is to be  
justified in his deed1 and declared to  
be righteous4 ,he is not yet thoroughly 
righteous1 but is growing in and toward 
righteousness4 ,he needs creative ,god1 
and time for will and effort4 ,not yet  
quite righteous1 he cannot yet act quite
 righteously1 for only the man in whom  
the image of ,god is perfected can live 
perfectly4 ,born into the world without 
righteousness1 he cannot see1 he cannot 
know1 he is not in touch with perfect   
righteousness1 and it would be the      
deepest injustice to demand of him1 with
 a penalty1 at any given moment1 more   

than he knows how to yield2 but it is   
the highest lore constantly to demand of
 him perfect righteousness as what he   
must attain to4 ,with what life and     
possibility is in him1 he must keep     
turning to righteousness and abjuring   
iniquity1 ever aiming at the perfection 
of ,god4 ,such an obedient faith is most
 justly and fairly1 being all that ,god 
himself can require of the man1 called  
by ,god righteousness in the man4 ,it   
would not be enough for the             
righteousness of ,god1 or ,jesus1 or any
 perfected saint1 because they are      
capable of perfect righteousness1 and1  
knowing what is perfect righteousness1  
choose to be perfectly righteous2 but1  
in virtue of the life and growth in it1 
it is enough at a given moment for the  
disciple of the ,perfect4 ,the          
righteousness of ,abraham was not to    
compare with the righteousness of ,paul4
 ,he did not fight with himself for     
righteousness1 as did ,paul--not because
 he was better than ,paul and therefore 

did not need to fight1 but because his  
idea of what was required of him was not
 within sight of that of ,paul2 yet was 
he righteous in the same way as ,paul   
was righteous3 he had begun to be       
righteous1 and ,god called his          
righteousness righteousness1 for faith  
is righteousness4 ,his faith was an act 
recognizing ,god as his law1 and that is
 not a partial act1 but an all-embracing
 and all-determining action4 ,a single  
righteous deed toward one's fellow could
 hardly be imputed to a man as          
righteousness4 ,a man who is not trying 
after righteousness may yet do many a   
righteous act3 they will not be         
forgotten to him1 neither will they be  
imputed to him as righteousness4        
,abraham's action of obedient faith was 
righteousness none the less that his    
righteousness was far behind ,paul's4   
,abraham started at the beginning of the
 long1 slow1 disappointing preparation  
of the ,jewish people2 ,paul started at 
its close1 with the story of ,jesus     

behind him4 ,both believed1 obeying     
,god1 and therefore both were righteous4
 ,they were righteous because they gave 
themselves up to ,god to make them      
righteous2 and not to call such men     
righteous1 not to impute their faith to 
them for righteousness1 would be unjust4
 ,but ,god is utterly just1 and nowise  
resembles a legal-minded ,roman emperor1
 or a bad pope formulating the doctrine 
of vicarious sacrifice4  ,what1 then1 is
 the righteousness which is of ,god by  
faith8 ,it is simply the thing that ,god
 wants every man to be1 wrought out in  
him by constant obedient contact with   
,god himself4 ,it is not an attribute   
either of ,god or man1 but a fact of    
character in ,god and in man4 ,it is    
,god's righteousness wrought out in us1 
so that as he is righteous we too are   
righteous4 ,it does not consist in      
obeying this or that law2 not even the  
keeping of every law1 so that no        
hair's-breadth did we run counter to one
 of them1 would be righteousness4 ,to be

 righteous is to be such a heart1 soul1 
mind1 and will1 as1 without regard to   
law1 would recoil with horror from the  
lightest possible breach of any law4 ,it
 is to be so in love with what is fair  
and right as to make it impossible for a
 man to do anything that is less than   
absolutely righteous4 ,it is not the    
love of righteousness in the abstract   
that makes anyone righteous1 but such a 
love of fairplay toward everyone with   
whom we come into contact1 that anything
 less than the fulfilling1 with a clear 
joy1 of our divine relation to him or   
her1 is impossible4 ,for the            
righteousness of ,god goes far beyond   
mere deeds1 and requires of us love and 
helping mercy as our highest obligation 
and justice to our fellow men--those of 
them too who have done nothing for us1  
those even who have done us wrong4 ,our 
relations with others1 ,god first and   
then our neighbour in order and degree1 
must one day become1 as in true nature  
they are1 the gladness of our being2 and

 nothing then will ever appear good for 
us1 that is not in harmony with those   
blessed relations4 ,every thought will  
not merely be just1 but will be just    
because it is something more1 because it
 is live and true4 ,what heart in the   
kingdom of heaven would ever dream of   
constructing a metaphysical system of   
what we owed to ,god and why we owed it8
 ,the light of our life1 our sole1      
eternal1 and infinite joy1 is simply    
,god--,god--,god--nothing but ,god1 and 
all his creatures in him4 ,he is all and
 in all1 and the children of the kingdom
 know it4 ,he includes all things2 not  
to be true to anything he has made is to
 be untrue to him4 ,god is truth1 is    
life2 to be in ,god is to know him and  
need no law4 ,existence will be eternal 
,godness4  ,you would not like that way 
of it8 ,there is1 there can be1 no      
other2 but before you can judge of it1  
you must know at least a little of ,god 
as he is1 not as you imagine him4 ,i say
 as you imagine him1 because it cannot  

be that any creature should know him as 
he is and not desire him4 ,in proportion
 as we know him we must desire him1     
until at length we live in and for him  
with all our conscious heart4 ,that is  
why the ,jews did not like the ,lord3 he
 cared so simply for his father's will1 
and not for anything they called his    
will4  ,the righteousness which is of   
,god by faith in the source1 the prime  
of that righteousness1 is then just the 
same kind of thing as ,god's            
righteousness1 differing only as the    
created differs from the creating4 ,the 
righteousness of him who does the will  
of his father in heaven1 is the         
righteousness of ,jesus ,christ1 is     
,god's own righteousness4 ,the          
righteousness which is of ,god by faith 
in ,god1 is ,god's righteousness4 ,the  
man who has this righteousness1 thinks  
about things as ,god thinks about them1 
loves the things that ,god loves1 cares 
for nothing that ,god does not care     
about4 ,even while this righteousness is

 being born in him1 the man will say to 
himself1 ',why should ,i be troubled    
about this thing or that8 ,does ,god    
care about it8 ,no4 ,then why should ,i 
care8 ,i must not care4 ,i will not     
care6 ',if he does not know whether ,god
 cares about it or not1 he will say1    
',if ,god cares ,i should have my       
desire1 he will give it me2 if he does  
not care ,i should have it1 neither will
 ,i care4 ,in the meantime ,i will do my
 work4' ,the man with ,god's            
righteousness does not love a thing     
merely because it is right1 but loves   
the very rightness in it4 ,he not only  
loves a thought1 but he loves the man in
 his thinking that thought2 he loves the
 thought alive in the man4 ,he does not 
take his joy from himself4 ,he feels joy
 in himself1 but it comes to him from   
others1 not from himself--from ,god     
first1 and from somebody1 anybody1      
everybody next4 ,he would rather1 in the
 fulness of his content1 pass out of    
being1 rather himself cease to exist1   

than that another should4 ,he could do  
without knowing himself1 but he could   
not know himself and spare one of the   
brothers or sisters ,god had given him4 
,the man who really knows ,god1 is1 and 
always will be1 content with what ,god1 
who is the very self of his self1 shall 
choose for him2 he is entirely ,god's1  
and not at all his own4 ,his            
consciousness of himself is the reflex  
from those about him1 not the result of 
his own turning in of his regard upon   
himself4 ,it is not the contemplation of
 what ,god has made him1 it is the being
 what ,god has made him1 and the        
contemplation of what ,god himself is1  
and what he has made his fellows1 that  
gives him his joy4 ,he wants nothing1   
and feels that he has all things1 for he
 is in the bosom of his father1 and the 
thoughts of his father come to him4 ,he 
knows that if he needs anything1 it is  
his before he asks it2 for his father   
has willed him1 in the might and truth  
of his fatherhood1 to be one with       

himself4  ,this then1 or something like 
this1 for words are poor to tell the    
best things1 is the righteousness which 
is of ,god by faith--so far from being a
 thing built on the rubbish heap of     
legal fiction called vicarious          
sacrifice1 or its shadow called imputed 
righteousness1 that only the child with 
the child-heart1 so far ahead of and so 
different from the wise and prudent1 can
 understand it4 ,the wise and prudent   
interprets ,god by himself1 and does not
 understand him2 the child interprets   
,god by himself1 and does understand    
him4 ,the wise and prudent must make a  
system and arrange things to his mind   
before he can say1 ,i believe4 ,the     
child sees1 believes1 obeys--and knows  
he must be perfect as his father in     
heaven is perfect4 ,if an angel1 seeming
 to come from heaven1 told him that ,god
 had let him off1 that he did not       
require so much of him as that1 but     
would be content with less2 that he     
could not indeed allow him to be wicked1

 but would pass by a great deal1        
modifying his demands because it was so 
hard for him to be quite good1 and he   
loved him so dearly1 the child of ,god  
would at once recognize1 woven with the 
angel's starry brilliancy1 the flicker  
of the flames of hell1 and would say to 
the shining one1 ',get thee behind me1  
,satan4' ,nor would there be the        
slightest wonder or merit in his doing  
so1 for at the words of the deceiver1 if
 but for briefest moment imagined true1 
the shadow of a rising hell would gloom 
over the face of creation2 hope would   
vanish2 the eternal would be as the     
carcase of a dead man2 the glory would  
die out of the face of ,god--until the  
groan of a thunderous no burst from the 
caverns of the universe1 and the truth1 
flashing on his child's soul from the   
heart of the ,eternal1 ,immortal1       
,invisible1 withered up the lie of the  
messenger of darkness4  ',but how can   
,god bring this about in me8'  ,let him 
do it1 and perhaps you will know2 if you

 never know1 yet there it will be4 ,help
 him to do it1 or he cannot do it4 ,he  
originates the possibility of your being
 his son1 his daughter2 he makes you    
able to will it1 but you must will it4  
,if he is not doing it in you--that is1 
if you have as yet prevented him from   
beginning1 why should ,i tell you1 even 
if ,i knew the process1 how he would do 
what you will not let him do8 ,why      
should you know8 ,what claim have you to
 know8 ,but indeed how should you be    
able to know8 ,for it must deal with    
deeper and higher things than you can   
know anything of till the work is at    
least begun4 ,perhaps if you approved of
 the plans of the glad creator1 you     
would allow him to make of you something
 divine6 ,to teach your intellect what  
has to be learned by your whole being1  
what cannot be understood without the   
whole being1 what it would do you no    
good to understand save you understood  
it in your whole being--if this be the  
province of any man1 it is not mine4    

,let the dead bury their dead1 and the  
dead teach their dead2 for me1 ,i will  
try to wake them4 ,to those who are     
awake1 ,i cry1 ',for the sake of your   
father and the first-born among many    
brethren to whom we belong1 for the sake
 of those he has given us to love the   
most dearly1 let patience have her      
perfect work4 ,statue under the chisel  
of the sculptor1 stand steady to the    
blows of his mallet4 ,clay on the wheel1
 let the fingers of the divine potter   
model you at their will4 ,obey the      
,father's lightest word2 hear the       
,brother who knows you1 and died for    
you2 beat down your sin1 and trample it 
to death4  ,brother1 when thou sittest  
at home in thy house1 which is the      
temple of the ,lord1 open all thy       
windows to breathe the air of his       
approach2 set the watcher on thy turret1
 that he may listen out into the dark   
for the sound of his coming1 and thy    
hand be on the latch to open the door at
 his first knock4 ,shouldst thou open   

the door and not see him1 do not say he 
did not knock1 but understand that he is
 there1 and wants thee to go out to him4
 ,it may be he has something for thee to
 do for him4 ,go and do it1 and perhaps 
thou wilt return with a new prayer1 to  
find a new window in thy soul4  ,never  
wait for fitter time or place to talk to
 him4 ,to wait till thou go to church1  
or to thy closet1 is to make him wait4  
,he will listen as thou walkest in the  
lane or the crowded street1 on the      
common or in the place of shining       
concourse4  ,remember1 if indeed thou   
art able to know it1 that not in any    
church is the service done that he      
requires4 ,he will say to no man1 ',you 
never went to church3 depart from me2 ,i
 do not know you2' but1 ',inasmuch as   
you never helped one of my father's     
children1 you have done nothing for me4'
 ,church or chapel is not the place for 
divine service4 ,it is a place of       
prayer1 a place of praise1 a place to   
feed upon good things1 a place to learn 

of ,god1 as what place is not8 ,it is a 
place to look in the eyes of your       
neighbour1 and love ,god along with him4
 ,but the world in which you move1 the  
place of your living and loving and     
labour1 not the church you go to on your
 holiday1 is the place of divine        
service4 ,serve your neighbour1 and you 
serve him4  ,do not heed much if men    
mock you and speak lies of you1 or in   
goodwill defend you unworthily4 ,heed   
not much if even the righteous turn     
their backs upon you4 ,only take heed   
that you turn not from them4 ,take      
courage in the fact that there is       
nothing covered1 that shall not be      
revealed2 and hid1 that shall not be    
known4                                  
,,the ,,final ,,unmasking4   ,for there 
is nothing covered1 that shall not be   
revealed2 and hid1 that shall not be    
known4--,matthew x4 #bf2 ,luke xii4 #b4 
,god is not a ,god that hides1 but a    
,god that reveals4 ,his whole work in   
relation to the creatures he has        

made--and where else can lie his        
work8--is revelation--the giving them   
truth1 the showing of himself to them1  
that they may know him1 and come nearer 
and nearer to him1 and so he have his   
children more and more of companions to 
him4 ,that we are in the dark about     
anything is never because he hides it1  
but because we are not yet such that he 
is able to reveal that thing to us4     
,that ,god could not do the thing at    
once which he takes time to do1 we may  
surely say without irreverence4 ,his    
will cannot finally be thwarted2 where  
it is thwarted for a time1 the very     
thwarting subserves the working out of a
 higher part of his will4 ,he gave man  
the power to thwart his will1 that1 by  
means of that same power1 he might come 
at last to do his will in a higher kind 
and way than would otherwise have been  
possible to him4 ,god sacrifices his    
will to man that man may become such as 
himself1 and give all to the truth2 he  
makes man able to do wrong1 that he may 

choose and love righteousness4  ,the    
fact that all things are slowly coming  
into the light of the knowledge of      
men--so far as this may be possible to  
the created--is used in three different 
ways by the ,lord1 as reported by his   
evangelist4 ,in one case1 with which we 
will not now occupy ourselves--,mark iv4
 #bb2 ,luke viii4 #af--;he uses it to   
enforce the duty of those who have      
received light to let it shine3 they    
must do their part to bring all things  
out4 ,in ,luke xii4 #b1 is recorded how 
he brought it to bear on hypocrisy1     
showing its uselessness2 and1 in the    
case recorded in ,matthew x4 #be1 he    
uses the fact to enforce fearlessness as
 to the misinterpretation of our words  
and actions4  ,in whatever mode the     
,lord may intend that it shall be       
wrought out1 he gives us to understand1 
as an unalterable principle in the      
government of the universe1 that all    
such things as the unrighteous desire to
 conceal1 and such things as it is a    

pain to the righteous to have concealed1
 shall come out into the light4         
',beware of hypocrisy1' the ,lord says1 
'for there is nothing covered1 that     
shall not be revealed1 neither hid1 that
 shall not be known1' ,what is          
hypocrisy8 ,the desire to look better   
than you are2 the hiding of things you  
do1 because you would not be supposed to
 do them1 because you would be ashamed  
to have them known where you are known4 
,the doing of them is foul2 the hiding  
of them1 in order to appear better than 
you are1 is fouler still4 ,the man who  
does not live in his own consciousness  
as in the open heavens1 is a            
hypocrite--and for most of us the       
question is1 are we growing less or more
 of such hypocrites8 ,are we ashamed of 
not having been open and clear8 ,are we 
fighting the evil thing which is our    
temptation to hypocrisy8 ,the ,lord has 
not a thought in him to be ashamed of   
before ,god and his universe1 and he    
will not be content until he has us in  

the same liberty4 ,for our encouragement
 to fight on1 he tells us that those    
that hunger and thirst after            
righteousness shall be filled1 that they
 shall become as righteous as the spirit
 of the ,father and the ,son in them can
 make them desire4  ,the ,lord says     
also1 ',if they have called the master  
of the house ,beelzebub1 how much more  
shall they call them of his household6  
,fear them not therefore3 for there is  
nothing covered1 that shall not be      
revealed2 and hid1 that shall not be    
known4' ,to a man who loves             
righteousness and his fellow men1 it    
must always be painful to be            
misunderstood2 and misunderstanding is  
specially inevitable where he acts upon 
principles beyond the recognition of    
those around him1 who1 being but        
half-hearted ,christians1 count         
themselves the law-givers of            
righteousness1 and charge him with the  
very things it is the aim of his life to
 destroy4 ,the ,lord himself was accused

 of being a drunkard and a keeper of bad
 company--and perhaps would in the      
present day be so regarded by not a few 
calling themselves by his name1 and     
teaching temperance and virtue4 ,he     
lived upon a higher spiritual platform  
than they understand1 acted from a      
height of the virtues they would        
inculcate1 loftier than their eyes can  
scale4 ,his ,himalays are not visible   
from their sand-heaps4 ,the ,lord bore  
with their evil tongues1 and was neither
 dismayed nor troubled2 but from this   
experience of his own1 comforts those   
who1 being his messengers1 must fare as 
he4 ',if they have called the master of 
the house ,beelzebub1 how much more     
shall they call them of his             
household6'--',if they insult a man1 how
 much more will they not insult his     
servants6' ,while men count themselves  
,christians on any other ground than    
that they are slaves of ,jesus ,christ1 
the children of ,god1 and free from     
themselves1 so long will they use the   

servants of the ,master despitefully4   
',do not hesitate1' says the ,lord1 'to 
speak the truth that is in you2 never   
mind what they call you2 proclaim from  
the housetop2 fear nobody4'  ,he spoke  
the words to the men to whom he looked  
first to spread the news of the kingdom 
of heaven2 but they apply to all who    
obey him4 ,few who have endeavoured to  
do their duty1 have not been annoyed1   
disappointed1 enraged perhaps1 by the   
antagonism1 misunderstanding1 and false 
representation to which they have been  
subjected therein--issuing mainly from  
those and the friends of those who have 
benefited by their efforts to be        
neighbours to all4 ,the tales of        
heartlessness and ingratitude one must  
come across1 compel one to see more and 
more clearly that humanity1 without     
willed effort after righteousness1 is   
mean enough to sink to any depth of     
disgrace4 ,the judgments also of        
imagined superiority are hard to bear4  
,the rich man who will screw his workmen

 to the lowest penny1 will read his poor
 relation a solemn lecture on           
extravagance1 because of some humblest  
little act of generosity6 ,he takes the 
end of the beam sticking out of his eye 
to pick the mote from the eye of his    
brother withal6 ,if1 in the endeavour to
 lead a truer life1 a man merely lives  
otherwise than his neighbours1 strange  
motives will be invented to account for 
it4 ,to the honest soul it is a comfort 
to believe that the truth will one day  
be known1 that it will cease to be      
supposed that he was and did as dull    
heads and hearts reported of him4 ,still
 more satisfactory will be the unveiling
 where a man is misunderstood by those  
who ought to know him better--who1 not  
even understanding the point at issue1  
take it for granted he is about to do   
the wrong thing1 while he is crying for 
courage to heed neither himself nor his 
friends1 but only the ,lord4 ,how many  
hear and accept the words1 ',be not     
conformed to this world1' without once  

perceiving that what they call ,society 
and bow to as supreme1 is the ,world and
 nothing else1 or that those who mind   
what people think1 and what people will 
say1 are conformed to--that is1 take the
 shape of--the world4 ,the true man     
feels he has nothing to do with ,society
 as judge or lawgiver3 he is under the  
law of ,jesus ,christ1 and it sets him  
free from the law of the ,world4 ,let a 
man do right1 nor trouble himself about 
worthless opinion2 the less he heeds    
tongues1 the less difficult will he find
 it to love men4 ,let him comfort       
himself with the thought that the truth 
must out4 ,he will not have to pass     
through eternity with the brand of      
ignorant or malicious judgment upon him4
 ,he shall find his peers and be judged 
of them4  ,but1 thou who lookest for the
 justification of the light1 art thou   
verily prepared for thyself to encounter
 such exposure as the general unveiling 
of things must bring8 ,art thou willing 
for the truth whatever it be8 ,i nowise 

mean to ask1 ,have you a conscience so  
void of offence1 have you a heart so    
pure and clean1 that you fear no fullest
 exposure of what is in you to the gaze 
of men and angels8--as to ,god1 he knows
 it all now6 ,what ,i mean to ask is1   
,do you so love the truth and the right1
 that you welcome1 or at least submit   
willingly to the idea of an exposure of 
what in you is yet unknown to           
yourself--an exposure that may redound  
to the glory of the truth by making you 
ashamed and humble8 ,it may be1 for     
instance1 that you were wrong in regard 
to those1 for the righting of whose     
wrongs to you1 the great judgment of    
,god is now by you waited for with      
desire3 will you welcome any discovery1 
even if it work for the excuse of       
others1 that will make you more true1 by
 revealing what in you was false8 ,are  
you willing to be made glad that you    
were wrong when you thought others were 
wrong8 ,if you can with such submission 
face the revelation of things hid1 then 

you are of the truth1 and need not be   
afraid2 for1 whatever comes1 it will and
 can only make you more true and humble 
and pure4  ,does the ,lord mean that    
everything a man has ever done or       
thought must be laid bare to the        
universe8  ,so far1 ,i think1 as is     
necessary to the understanding of the   
man by those who have known1 or are     
concerned to know him4 ,for the time to 
come1 and for those who are yet to know 
him1 the man will henceforth1 if he is a
 true man1 be transparent to all that   
are capable of reading him4 ,a man may  
not then1 any more than now1 be         
intelligible to those beneath him1 but  
all things will be working toward       
revelation1 nothing toward concealment  
or misunderstanding4 ,who in the kingdom
 will desire concealment1 or be willing 
to misunderstand8 ,concealment is       
darkness2 misunderstanding is a fog4 ,a 
man will hold the door open for anyone  
to walk into his house1 for it is a     
temple of the living ,god--with some    

things worth looking at1 and nothing to 
hide4 ,the glory of the true world is1  
that there is nothing in it that needs  
to be covered1 while ever and ever there
 will be things uncovered4 ,every man's 
light will shine for the good and glory 
of his neighbour4  ',will all my        
weaknesses1 all my evil habits1 all my  
pettinesses1 all the wrong thoughts     
which ,i cannot help--will all be set   
out before the universe8'  ,yes1 if they
 so prevail as to constitute your       
character--that is1 if they are you4    
,but if you have come out of the        
darkness1 if you are fighting it1 if you
 are honestly trying to walk in the     
light1 you may hope in ,god your father 
that what he has cured1 what he is      
curing1 what he has forgiven1 will be   
heard of no more1 not now being a       
constituent part of you4 ,or if indeed  
some of your evil things must yet be    
seen1 the truth of them will be         
seen--that they are things you are at   
strife with1 not things you are         

cherishing and brooding over4 ,god will 
be fair to you--so fair6--fair with the 
fairness of a father loving his own--who
 will have you clean1 who will neither  
spare you any needful shame1 nor leave  
you exposed to any that is not needful4 
,the thing we have risen above1 is dead 
and forgotten1 or if remembered1 there  
is ,god to comfort us4 ',if any man sin1
 we have a comforter with the ,father4' 
,we may trust ,god with our past as     
heartily as with our future4 ,it will   
not hurt us so long as we do not try to 
hide things1 so long as we are ready to 
bow our heads in hearty shame where it  
is fit we should be ashamed4 ,for to be 
ashamed is a holy and blessed thing4    
,shame is a thing to shame only those   
who want to appear1 not those who want  
to be4 ,shame is to shame those who want
 to pass their examination1 not those   
who would get into the heart of things4 
,in the name of ,god let us henceforth  
have nothing to be ashamed of1 and be   
ready to meet any shame on its way to   

meet us4 ,for to be humbly ashamed is to
 be plunged in the cleansing bath of the
 truth4  ,as to the revelation of the   
ways of ,god1 ,i need not speak2 he has 
been always1 from the first1 revealing  
them to his prophet1 to his child1 and  
will go on doing so for ever4 ,but let  
me say a word about another kind of     
revelation--that of their own evil to   
the evil4  ,the only terrible1 or at    
least the supremely terrible revelation 
is that of a man to himself4 ,what a    
horror will it not be to a vile         
man--more than all to a man whose       
pleasure has been enhanced by the       
suffering of others--a man that knew    
himself such as men of ordinary morals  
would turn from with disgust1 but who   
has hitherto had no insight into what he
 is--what a horror will it not be to him
 when his eyes are opened to see himself
 as the pure see him1 as ,god sees him6 
,imagine such a man waking all at once1 
not only to see the eyes of the universe
 fixed upon him with loathing           

astonishment1 but to see himself at the 
same moment as those eyes see him6 ,what
 a waking6--into the full blaze of fact 
and consciousness1 of truth and         
violation6       ,to know my deed1      
'twere best not know myself6   ,or think
 what it must be for a man counting     
himself religious1 orthodox1 exemplary1 
to perceive suddenly that there was no  
religion in him1 only love of self2 no  
love of the right1 only a great love of 
being in the right6 ,what a             
discovery--that he was simply a         
hypocrite--one who loved to appear1 and 
was not6 ,the rich seem to be those     
among whom will occur hereafter the     
sharpest reverses1 if ,i understand     
aright the parable of the rich man and  
,lazarus4 ,who has not known the        
insolence of their meanness toward the  
poor1 all the time counting themselves  
of the very elect6 ,what riches and     
fancied religion1 with the              
self-sufficiency they generate between  
them1 can make man or woman capable of1 

is appalling4 ,mammon1 the most         
contemptible of deities1 is the most    
worshipped1 both outside and in the     
house of ,god3 to many of the religious 
rich in that day1 the great damning     
revelation will be their behaviour to   
the poor to whom they thought themselves
 very kind4 ',he flattereth himself in  
his own eyes until his iniquity is found
 to be hateful4' ,a man may loathe a    
thing in the abstract for years1 and    
find at last that all the time he has   
been1 in his own person1 guilty of it4  
,to carry a thing under our cloak       
caressingly1 hides from us its identity 
with something that stands before us on 
the public pillory4 ,many a man might   
read this and assent to it1 who cages in
 his own bosom a carrion-bird that he   
never knows for what it is1 because     
there are points of difference in its   
plumage from that of the bird he calls  
by an ugly name4  ,of all who will one  
day stand in dismay and sickness of     
heart1 with the consciousness that their

 very existence is a shame1 those will  
fare the worst who have been consciously
 false to their fellows2 who1 pretending
 friendship1 have used their neighbour  
to their own ends2 and especially those 
who1 pretending friendship1 have divided
 friends4 ,to such ,dante has given the 
lowest hell4 ,if there be one thing ,god
 hates1 it must be treachery4 ,do not   
imagine ,judas the only man of whom the 
,lord would say1 ',better were it for   
that man if he had never been born6'    
,did the ,lord speak out of personal    
indignation1 or did he utter a spiritual
 fact1 a live principle8 ,did he speak  
in anger at the treachery of his apostle
 to himself1 or in pity for the man that
 had better not have been born8 ,did the
 word spring from his knowledge of some 
fearful punishment awaiting ,judas1 or  
from his sense of the horror it was to  
be such a man8 ,beyond all things       
pitiful is it that a man should carry   
about with him the consciousness of     
being such a person--should know himself

 and not another that false one6 ',o    
,god1' we think1 'how terrible if it    
were ,i6' ,just so terrible is it that  
it should be ,judas6 ,and have ,i not   
done things with the same germ in them1 
a germ which1 brought to its evil       
perfection1 would have shown itself the 
canker-worm1 treachery8 ,except ,i love 
my neighbour as myself1 ,i may one day  
betray him6 ,let us therefore be        
compassionate and humble1 and hope for  
every man4  ,a man may sink by such slow
 degrees that1 long after he is a devil1
 he may go on being a good churchman or 
a good dissenter1 and thinking himself a
 good ,christian4 ,continuously repeated
 sin against the poorest consciousness  
of evil must have a dread rousing4      
,there are men who never wake to know   
how wicked they are1 till1 lo1 the gaze 
of the multitude is upon them6--the     
multitude staring with self-righteous   
eyes1 doing like things themselves1 but 
not yet found out2 sinning after another
 pattern1 therefore the hardest judges1 

thinking by condemnation to escape      
judgment4 ,but there is nothing covered 
that shall not be revealed4 ,what if the
 only thing to wake the treacherous1    
money-loving thief1 ,judas1 to a        
knowledge of himself1 was to let the    
thing go on to the end1 and his kiss    
betray the ,master8 ,judas did not hate 
the ,master when he kissed him1 but not 
being a true man1 his very love betrayed
 him4  ,the good man1 conscious of his  
own evil1 and desiring no refuge but the
 purifying light1 will chiefly rejoice  
that the exposure of evil makes for the 
victory of the truth1 the kingdom of    
,god and his ,christ4 ,he sees in the   
unmasking of the hypocrite1 in the      
unveiling of the covered1 in the        
exposure of the hidden1 ,god's          
interference1 for him and all the race1 
between them and the lie4  ,the only    
triumph the truth can ever have is its  
recognition by the heart of the liar4   
,its victory is in the man who1 not     
content with saying1 ',i was blind and  

now ,i see1' cries out1 ',lord ,god1    
just and true1 let me perish1 but endure
 thou6 ,let me live because thou livest1
 because thou savest me from the death  
in myself1 the untruth ,i have nourished
 in me1 and even called righteousness6  
,hallowed be thy name1 for thou only art
 true2 thou only lovest2 thou only art  
holy1 for thou only art humble6 ,thou   
only art unselfish2 thou only hast never
 sought thine own1 but the things of thy
 children6 ,yea1 ,o father1 be thou     
true1 and every man a liar6'  ,there is 
no satisfaction of revenge possible to  
the injured4 ,the severest punishment   
that can be inflicted upon the          
wrong-doer is simply to let him know    
what he is2 for his nature is of ,god1  
and the deepest in him is the divine4   
,neither can any other punishment than  
the sinner's being made to see the      
enormity of his injury1 give            
satisfaction to the injured4 ,while the 
wronger will admit no wrong1 while he   
mocks at the idea of amends1 or while1  

admitting the wrong1 he rejoices in     
having done it1 no suffering could      
satisfy revenge1 far less justice4 ,both
 would continually know themselves      
foiled4 ,therefore1 while a satisfied   
justice is an unavoidable eternal event1
 a satisfied revenge is an eternal      
impossibility4 ,for the moment that the 
sole adequate punishment1 a vision of   
himself1 begins to take true effect upon
 the sinner1 that moment the sinner has 
begun to grow a righteous man1 and the  
brother human whom he has offended has  
no choice1 has nothing left him but to  
take the offender to his bosom--the more
 tenderly that his brother is a         
repentant brother1 that he was dead and 
is alive again1 that he was lost and is 
found4 ,behold the meeting of the divine
 extremes--the extreme of punishment1   
the embrace of heaven6 ,they run        
together2 'the wheel is come full       
circle4' ,for1 ,i venture to think1     
there can be no such agony for created  
soul1 as to see itself vile--vile by its

 own action and choice4 ,also ,i venture
 to think there can be no delight for   
created soul--short1 that is1 of being  
one with the ,father--so deep as that of
 seeing the heaven of forgiveness open1 
and disclose the shining stair that     
leads to its own natural home1 where the
 eternal father has been all the time   
awaiting this return of his child4  ,so1
 friends1 how ever indignant we may be1 
however intensely and however justly we 
may feel our wrongs1 there is no revenge
 possible for us in the universe of the 
,father4 ,i may say to myself with      
heartiest vengeance1 ',i should just    
like to let that man see what a wretch  
he is--what all honest men at this      
moment think of him6' but1 the moment   
come1 the man will loathe himself       
tenfold more than any other man could1  
and that moment my heart will bury his  
sin4 ,its own ocean of pity will rush   
from the divine depths of its           
,god-origin to overwhelm it4 ,let us try
 to forethink1 to antedate our          

forgiveness4 ,dares any man suppose that
 ,jesus would have him hate the traitor 
through whom he came to the cross8 ,has 
he been pleased through all these ages  
with the manner in which those calling  
themselves by his name have treated1 and
 are still treating his nation8 ,we have
 not yet sounded the depths of          
forgiveness that are and will be        
required of such as would be his        
disciples6  ,our friends will know us   
then3 for their joy1 will it be1 or     
their sorrow8 ,will their hearts sink   
within them when they look on the real  
likeness of us8 ,or will they rejoice to
 find that we were not so much to be    
blamed as they thought1 in this thing or
 that which gave them trouble8  ,let us 
remember1 however1 that not evil only   
will be unveiled2 that many a masking   
misconception will uncover a face       
radiant with the loveliness of the      
truth4 ,and whatever disappointments may
 fall1 there is consolation for every   
true heart in the one sufficing         

joy--that it stands on the border of the
 kingdom1 about to enter into ever      
fuller1 ever-growing possession of the  
inheritance of the saints in light4     
,,the ,,inheritance4   ,giving thanks   
unto the ,father1 which hath made us    
meet to be partakers of the inheritance 
of the saints in light4--,ep4 to the    
,colossians i4 #ab4  ,to have a share in
 any earthly inheritance1 is to diminish
 the share of the other inheritors4 ,in 
the inheritance of the saints1 that     
which each has1 goes to increase the    
possession of the rest4 ,hear what      
,dante puts in the mouth of his guide1  
as they pass through ,purgatory3--      
,perche s'appuntano i vostri desiri     
,dove per compagnia parte si scema1     
,invidia muove il mantaco a' sospiri4   
,ma se l'amor della spera suprema       
,torcesse 'n suso 'l desiderio vostro1  
,non vi sarebbe al petto quella tema2   
,che per quanto si dice piu li nostro1  
,tanto possiede piu di ben ciascuno1    
,e piu di caritade arde in quel         

chiostro4       ,because you point and  
fix your longing eyes        ,on things 
where sharing lessens every share1      
,the human bellows heave with envious   
sighs4      ,but if the loftiest love   
that dwelleth there        ,up to the   
heaven of heavens your longing turn1    
,then from your heart will pass this    
fearing care3      ,the oftener there   
the word our they discern1        ,the  
more of good doth everyone possess1     
,the more of love doth in that cloister 
burn4   ,dante desires to know how it   
can be that a distributed good should   
make the receivers the richer the more  
of them there are2 and ,virgil answers--
                   ,perocche tu rificchi
        ,la mente pure alle cose        
terrene1        ,di vera luce tenebre   
dispicchi4      ,quello 'nfinito ed     
ineffabil bene1        ,che lassu e1    
cosi corre ad amore1        ,com' a     
lucido corpo raggio viene4      ,tanto  
si da1 quanto trova d' ardore3          
,si che quantunque carita si stende1    

,cresce sovr' essa l' eterno valore4    
,e quanta gente pin lassu s' intende1   
,piu v' e da bene amare1 e pin vi s'    
ama1        ,e come specchio1 l' uno    
all' altro rende4                       
,because thy mind doth stick        ,to 
earthly things1 and on them only brood1 
,from the true light thou dost but      
darkness pick4      ,that same ineffable
 and infinite ,good1        ,which      
dwells up there1 to ,love doth run as   
fleet        ,as sunrays to bright      
things1 for sisterhood4      ,it gives  
itself proportionate to the heat3       
,so that1 wherever ,love doth spread its
 reign1        ,the growing wealth of   
,god makes that its seat4      ,and the 
more people that up thither strain1     
,the more there are to love1 the more   
they love1        ,and like a mirror    
each doth give and gain4   ,in this     
inheritance then a man may desire and   
endeavour to obtain his share without   
selfish prejudice to others2 nay1 to    
fail of our share in it1 would be to    

deprive others of a portion of theirs4  
,let us look a little nearer1 and see in
 what the inheritance of the saints     
consists4  ,it might perhaps be to      
commit some small logical violence on   
the terms of the passage to say that    
'the inheritance of the saints in light'
 must mean purely and only 'the         
possession of light which is the        
inheritance of the saints4' ,at the same
 time the phrase is literally 'the      
inheritance of the saints in the light2'
 and this perhaps makes it the more     
likely that1 as ,i take it1 ,paul had in
 his mind the light as itself the       
inheritance of the saints--that he held 
the very substance of the inheritance to
 be the light4 ,and if we remember that 
,god is light2 also that the highest    
prayer of the ,lord for his friends was 
that they might be one in him and his   
father2 and recall what the apostle said
 to the ,ephesians1 that 'in him we live
 and move and have our being1' we may be
 prepared to agree that1 although he may

 not mean to include all possible phases
 of the inheritance of the saints in the
 one word light1 as ,i think he does1   
yet the idea is perfectly consistent    
with his teaching4 ,for the one only    
thing to make existence a good1 the one 
thing to make it worth having1 is just  
that there should be no film of         
separation between our life and the life
 of which ours is an outcome2 that we   
should not only know that ,god is our   
life1 but be aware1 in some grand       
consciousness beyond anything           
imagination can present to us1 of the   
presence of the making ,god1 in the very
 process of continuing us the live      
things he has made us4 ,this is only    
another way of saying that the very     
inheritance upon which1 as the          
twice-born sons of our father1 we have a
 claim--which claim his sole desire for 
us is that we should1 so to say1        
enforce--that this inheritance is simply
 the light1 ,god himself1 the ,light4   
,if you think of ten thousand things    

that are good and worth having1 what is 
it that makes them good or worth having 
but the ,god in them8 ,that the         
loveliness of the world has its origin  
in the making will of ,god1 would not   
content me2 ,i say1 the very loveliness 
of it is the loveliness of ,god1 for its
 loveliness is his own lovely thought1  
and must be a revelation of that which  
dwells and moves in himself4 ,nor is    
this all3 my interest in its loveliness 
would vanish1 ,i should feel that the   
soul was out of it1 if you could        
persuade me that ,god had ceased to care
 for the daisy1 and now cared for       
something else instead4 ,the faces of   
some flowers lead me back to the heart  
of ,god2 and1 as his child1 ,i hope ,i  
feel1 in my lowly degree1 what he felt  
when1 brooding over them1 he said1      
',they are good2' that is1 ',they are   
what ,i mean4'  ,the thing ,i am        
reasoning toward is this3 that1 if      
everything were thus seen in its        
derivation from ,god1 then the          

inheritance of the saints1 whatever the 
form of their possession1 would be seen 
to be light4 ,all things are ,god's1 not
 as being in his power--that of         
course--but as coming from him4 ,the    
darkness itself becomes light around him
 when we think that verily he hath      
created the darkness1 for there could   
have been no darkness but for the light 
,without ,god there would not even have 
been nothing2 there would not have      
existed the idea of nothing1 any more   
than any reality of nothing1 but that he
 exists and called something into being4
  ,nothingness owes its very name and   
nature to the being and reality of ,god4
 ,there is no word to represent that    
which is not ,god1 no word for the where
 without ,god in it2 for it is not1     
could not be4 ,so ,i think we may say   
that the inheritance of the saints is   
the share each has in the ,light4  ,but 
how can any share exist where all is    
open8  ,the true share1 in the heavenly 
kingdom throughout1 is not what you have

 to keep1 but what you have to give     
away4 ,the thing that is mine is the    
thing ,i have with the power to give it4
 ,the thing ,i have no power to give a  
share in1 is nowise mine2 the thing ,i  
cannot share with everyone1 cannot be   
essentially my own4 ,the cry of the     
thousand splendours which ,dante1 in the
 fifth canto of the ',paradiso1' tells  
us he saw gliding toward them in the    
planet ,mercury1 was--       ,ecco chi  
crescera li nostri amori6       ,lo1    
here comes one who will increase our    
loves6   ,all the light is ours4 ,god is
 all ours4 ,even that in ,god which we  
cannot understand is ours4 ,if there    
were anything in ,god that was not ours1
 then ,god would not be one ,god4 ,i do 
not say we must1 or can ever know all in
 ,god2 not throughout eternity shall we 
ever comprehend ,god1 but he is our     
father1 and must think of us with every 
part of him--so to speak in our poor    
speech2 he must know us1 and that in    
himself which we cannot know1 with the  

same thought1 for he is one4 ,we and    
that which we do not or cannot know1    
come together in his thought4 ,and this 
helps us to see how1 claiming all       
things1 we have yet shares4 ,for the    
infinitude of ,god can only begin and   
only go on to be revealed1 through his  
infinitely differing creatures--all     
capable of wondering at1 admiring1 and  
loving each other1 and so bound all in  
one in him1 each to the others revealing
 him4 ,for every human being is like a  
facet cut in the great diamond to which 
,i may dare liken the father of him who 
likens his kingdom to a pearl4 ,every   
man1 woman1 child--for the incomplete   
also is his1 and in its very            
incompleteness reveals him as a         
progressive worker in his creation--is a
 revealer of ,god4 ,i have my message of
 my great ,lord1 you have yours4 ,your  
dog1 your horse tells you about him who 
cares for all his creatures4 ,none of   
them came from his hands4 ,perhaps the  
precious things of the earth1 the coal  

and the diamonds1 the iron and clay and 
gold1 may be said to have come from his 
hands2 but the live things come from his
 heart--from near the same region whence
 ourselves we came4 ,how much my horse  
may1 in his own fashion--that is1 ,god's
 equine way--know of him1 ,i cannot     
tell1 because he cannot tell4 ,also1 we 
do not know what the horses know1       
because they are horses1 and we are at  
best1 in relation to them1 only         
horsemen4 ,the ways of ,god go down into
 microscopic depths1 as well as up into 
telescopic heights--and with more       
marvel1 for there lie the beginnings of 
life3 the immensities of stars and      
worlds all exist for the sake of less   
things than they4 ,so with mind2 the    
ways of ,god go into the depths yet     
unrevealed to us2 he knows his horses   
and dogs as we cannot know them1 because
 we are not yet pure sons of ,god4 ,when
 through our sonship1 as ,paul teaches1 
the redemption of these lower brothers  
and sisters shall have come1 then we    

shall understand each other better4 ,but
 now the lord of life has to look on at 
the wilful torture of multitudes of his 
creatures4 ,it must be that offences    
come1 but woe unto that man by whom they
 come6 ,the ,lord may seem not to heed1 
but he sees and knows4  ,i say1 then1   
that every one of us is something that  
the other is not1 and therefore knows   
some thing--it may be without knowing   
that he knows it--which no one else     
knows2 and that it is every one's       
business1 as one of the kingdom of      
light1 and inheritor in it all1 to give 
his portion to the rest2 for we are one 
family1 with ,god at the head and the   
heart of it1 and ,jesus ,christ1 our    
elder brother1 teaching us of the       
,father1 whom he only knows4  ,we may   
say1 then1 that whatever is the source  
of joy or love1 whatever is pure and    
strong1 whatever wakes aspiration1      
whatever lifts us out of selfishness1   
whatever is beautiful or admirable--in a
 word1 whatever is of the light---must  

make a part1 however small it may then  
prove to be in its proportion1 of the   
inheritance of the saints in the light2 
for1 as in the epistle of ,james1       
',every good gift1 and every perfect    
gift is from above1 and cometh down from
 the ,father of lights1 with whom is no 
variableness1 neither shadow of         
turning4'  ,children fear heaven1       
because of the dismal notions the       
unchildlike give them of it1 who1       
without imagination1 receive            
unquestioning what others1 as void of   
imagination as themselves1 represent    
concerning it4 ,i do not see that one   
should care to present an agreeable     
picture of it2 for1 suppose ,i could    
persuade a man that heaven was the      
perfection of all he could desire around
 him1 what would the man or the truth   
gain by it8 ,if he knows the ,lord1 he  
will not trouble himself about heaven2  
if he does not know him1 he will not be 
drawn to him by it4 ,i would not care to
 persuade the feeble ,christian that    

heaven was a place worth going to2 ,i   
would rather persuade him that no spot  
in space1 no hour in eternity is worth  
anything to one who remains such as he  
is4 ,but would that none presumed to    
teach the little ones what they know    
nothing of themselves6 ,what have not   
children suffered from strong endeavour 
to desire the things they could not     
love6 ,well do ,i remember the pain of  
the prospect--no1 the trouble at not    
being pleased with the prospect--of     
being made a pillar in the house of     
,god1 and going no more out6 ,those     
words were not spoken to the little     
ones4 ,yet are they1 literally taken1 a 
blessed promise compared with the notion
 of a continuous church-going6 ,perhaps 
no one teaches such a thing2 but somehow
 the children get the dreary fancy3     
there are ways of involuntary teaching  
more potent than words4 ,what boy1      
however fain to be a disciple of ,christ
 and a child of ,god1 would prefer a    
sermon to his glorious kite1 that       

divinest of toys1 with ,god himself for 
his playmate1 in the blue wind that     
tossed it hither and thither in the     
golden void6 ,he might be ready to part 
with kite and wind and sun1 and go down 
to the grave for his brothers--but      
surely not that they might be admitted  
to an everlasting prayer-meeting6 ,for  
my own part1 ,i rejoice to think that   
there will be neither church nor chapel 
in the high countries2 yea1 that there  
will be nothing there called religion1  
and no law but the perfect law of       
liberty4 ,for how should there be law or
 religion where every throb of the heart
 says ,god6 where every song-throat is  
eager with thanksgiving6 where such a   
tumult of glad waters is for ever       
bursting from beneath the throne of     
,god1 the tears of the gladness of the  
universe6 ,religion8 ,where will be the 
room for it1 when the essence of every  
thought must be ,god8 ,law8 ,what room  
will there be for law1 when everything  
upon which law could lay a shalt not    

will be too loathsome to think of8 ,what
 room for honesty1 where love fills full
 the law to overflowing--where a man    
would rather drop sheer into the abyss1 
than wrong his neighbour one            
hair's-breadth8  ,heaven will be        
continuous touch with ,god4 ,the very   
sense of being will in itself be bliss4 
,for the sense of true life1 there must 
be actual1 conscious contact with the   
source of the life2 therefore mere      
life--in itself1 in its very essence    
good--good as the life of ,god which is 
our life--must be such bliss as1 ,i     
think1 will need the mitigation of the  
loftiest joys of communion with our     
blessed fellows2 the mitigation of art  
in every shape1 and of all combinations 
of arts2 the mitigation of countless    
services to the incomplete1 and hard    
toil for those who do not yet know their
 neighbour or their ,father4 ,the bliss 
of pure being will1 ,i say1 need these  
mitigations to render the intensity of  
it endurable by heart and brain4  ,to   

those who care only for things1 and not 
for the souls of them1 for the truth1   
the reality of them1 the prospect of    
inheriting light can have nothing       
attractive1 and for their comfort--how  
false a comfort6--they may rest assured 
there is no danger of their being       
required to take up their inheritance at
 present4 ,perhaps they will be left to 
go on sucking things dry1 constantly    
missing the loveliness of them1 until   
they come at last to loathe the lovely  
husks1 turned to ugliness in their false
 imaginations4 ,loving but the body of  
,truth1 even here they come to call it a
 lie1 and break out in maudlin moaning  
over the illusions of life4 ,the soul of
 ,truth they have lost1 because they    
never loved her4 ,what may they not have
 to pass through1 what purifying fires1 
before they can even behold her6  ,the  
notions of ,christians1 so called1      
concerning the state into which they    
suppose their friends to have entered1  
and which they speak of as a place of   

blessedness1 are yet such as to justify 
the bitterness of their lamentation over
 them1 and the heathenish doubt whether 
they shall know them again4 ,verily it  
were a wonder if they did6 ,after a year
 or two of such a fate1 they might well 
be unrecognizable6 ,one is almost       
ashamed of writing about such follies4  
,the nirvana is grandeur contrasted with
 their heaven4 ,the early ,christians   
might now and then plague ,paul with a  
foolish question1 the answer to which   
plagues us to this day2 but was there   
ever one of them doubted he was going to
 find his friends again8 ,it is a mere  
form of ,protean unbelief4 ,they        
believe1 they say1 that ,god is love2   
but they cannot quite believe that he   
does not make the love in which we are  
most like him1 either a mockery or a    
torture4 ,little would any promise of   
heaven be to me if ,i might not hope to 
say1 ',i am sorry2 forgive me2 let what 
,i did in anger or in coldness be       
nothing1 in the name of ,god and        

,jesus6' ,many such words will pass1    
many a self-humiliation have place4 ,the
 man or woman who is not ready to       
confess1 who is not ready to pour out a 
heartful of regrets--can such a one be  
an inheritor of the light8 ,it is the   
joy of a true heart of an heir of light1
 of a child of that ,god who loves an   
open soul--the joy of any man who hates 
the wrong the more because he has done  
it1 to say1 ',i was wrong2 ,i am sorry4'
 ,oh1 the sweet winds of repentance and 
reconciliation and atonement1 that will 
blow from garden to garden of ,god1 in  
the tender twilights of his kingdom6    
,whatever the place be like1 one thing  
is certain1 that there will be endless1 
infinite atonement1 ever-growing love4  
,certain too it is that whatever the    
divinely human heart desires1 it shall  
not desire in vain4 ,the light which is 
,god1 and which is our inheritance      
because we are the children of ,god1    
insures these things4 ,for the heart    
which desires is made thus to desire4   

,god is2 let the earth be glad1 and the 
heaven1 and the heaven of heavens6      
,whatever a father can do to make his   
children blessed1 that will ,god do for 
his children4 ,let us1 then1 live in    
continual expectation1 looking for the  
good things that ,god will give to men1 
being their father and their everlasting
 saviour4 ,if the things ,i have here   
come from him1 and are so plainly but a 
beginning1 shall ,i not take them as an 
earnest of the better to follow8 ,how   
else can ,i regard them8 ,for never1 in 
the midst of the good things of this    
lovely world1 have ,i felt quite at home
 in it4 ,never has it shown me things   
lovely or grand enough to satisfy me4   
,it is not all ,i should like for a     
place to live in4 ,it may be that my    
unsatisfaction comes from not having    
eyes open enough1 or keen enough1 to see
 and understand what he has given2 but  
it matters little whether the cause lie 
in the world or in myself1 both being   
incomplete3 ,god is1 and all is well4   

,all that is needed to set the world    
right enough for me--and no empyrean    
heaven could be right for me without    
it--is1 that ,i care for ,god as he     
cares for me2 that my will and desires  
keep time and harmony with his music2   
that ,i have no thought that springs    
from myself apart from him2 that my     
individuality have the freedom that     
belongs to it as born of his            
individuality1 and be in no slavery to  
my body1 or my ancestry1 or my          
prejudices1 or any impulse whatever from
 region unknown2 that ,i be free by     
obedience to the law of my being1 the   
live and live-making will by which life 
is life1 and my life is myself4 ,what   
springs from myself and not from ,god1  
is evil2 it is a perversion of something
 of ,god's4 ,whatever is not of faith is
 sin2 it is a stream cut off--a stream  
that cuts itself off from its source1   
and thinks to run on without it4 ,but   
light is my inheritance through him     
whose life is the light of men1 to wake 

in them the life of their father in     
heaven4 ,loved be the ,lord who in      
himself generated that life which is the
 light of men6                          
,,end ,,of ,,the ,,third ,,series4