' Look
back upon the Past--and look out upon the Present! Try to understand
the sufferings of the forsaken people!--the pain--the bewilderment--
the groping for life in death!--and come out with me! Come and
preach Christ as He lived and died, and WAS, and IS! COME OUT WITH
ME!"
The dreadful, dumb spell remained unbroken. The loom seemed invested
with a strange solemnity--the figures of the human beings in it were
like images frozen into rigidity--even Cardinal Bonpre appeared
stricken by this mental paralysis, and not a fold of his rich attire
stirred with so much as a pulsation of natural breath. Only Manuel
seemed truly alive--his slight boyish figure was instinct with
ardour--his face was radiant, and his eyes brilliant as stars. And
now, withdrawing himself a little from the motionless creature
seated stiffly on the Papal throne, with its deep, dark eyes alone
giving sign of life by their unwearied stare and feverish glitter,
he raised his head with a royal gesture of mingled appeal and
warning.
"Come out with me!" he exclaimed, "For there are wonderful things in
the world to-day!--wonderful, beautiful, and terrible! Take your
share in them, and find God in every glory! For with all the wisdom
and the splendour,--with all the flashing light of Heaven poured out
upon the darkness of the Sorrowful Star, its people are weary,--they
are lost in the confusion and clamour of their own desires--they
would fain serve God, but know not where to find Him, because a
thousand, aye a million churches stand in the way!--churches, which
are like a forest of dark trees, blocking out the radiance of the
Sun! God, who manifests His power and tenderness in the making of
the simplest leaf, the smallest bird, is lost to the understanding
and affection of humanity in the multitude of Creeds! Come out with
me,--simple and pure, gentle and strong! Tell all the lost and the
wandering that there never was, and never will be but one God
supreme and perfect, whose name is Love, whose work is Love!--and
whose Messenger, Christ, pronounced the New Commandment Love instead
of Hate! Come out with me while it is yet day, for the night cometh
when no man can work! Come and lift up the world by your very
coming! Stretch out your hands in benediction over kings and beggars
alike!--there are other roses to give than Golden ones to Queens!
There are poor women who share half they earn with those still
poorer--there are obscure lives which in their very obscurity, are
forming the angel-nature, and weaving the angel's crown!--look for
these in the world--give THEM your Golden Roses! Leave rulers and
governments alone, for you should be above and beyond all rulers and
governments! You should be the Herald of peace,--the Pardoner of
sin, the Rescuer of the fallen, and the Refuge of the distressed!
Come out with me, and be all this to the world, so that when the
Master comes He may truly find you working in His vineyard!"
Another dead pause ensued.
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