And he
flung himself down on the ground in a lonesome spot, and wept and
groaned in terror, for the time was coming fast when he must die.
flung himself down on the ground in a lonesome spot, and wept and
groaned in terror, for the time was coming fast when he must die.
Yeats
Who has ever seen God?
Who
has ever seen the soul? '
And the room was stirred with their laughter.
The priest stood up to answer them, but no word could he utter; all his
eloquence, all his powers of argument, had gone from him, and he could
do nothing but wring his hands and cry out--
'There is a God! there is a God! Lord, have mercy on my soul! '
And they all began to mock him, and repeat his own words that he had
taught them--
'Show him to us; show us your God. '
And he fled from them groaning with agony, for he saw that none
believed, and how then could his soul be saved?
But he thought next of his wife.
'She will believe,' he said to himself. 'Women never give up God. '
And he went to her; but she told him that she believed only what he
taught her, and that a good wife should believe in her husband first,
and before and above all things in heaven or earth.
Then despair came on him, and he rushed from the house and began to ask
every one he met if they believed. But the same answer came from one
and all: 'We believe only what you have taught us,' for his doctrines
had spread far and wide through the county.
Then he grew half mad with fear, for the hours were passing.
And he
flung himself down on the ground in a lonesome spot, and wept and
groaned in terror, for the time was coming fast when he must die.
Just then a little child came by.
'God save you kindly,' said the child to him.
The priest started up.
'Child, do you believe in God? ' he asked.
'I have come from a far country to learn about Him,' said the child.
'Will your honour direct me to the best school that they have in these
parts? '
'The best school and the best teacher is close by,' said the priest,
and he named himself.
'Oh, not to that man,' answered the child, 'for I am told he denies God
and Heaven and Hell, and even that man has a soul, because we can't see
it; but I would soon put him down. '
The priest looked at him earnestly. 'How? ' he inquired.
'Why,' said the child, 'I would ask him if he believed he had life to
show me his life. '
'But he could not do that, my child,' said the priest. 'Life cannot be
seen; we have it, but it is invisible.
has ever seen the soul? '
And the room was stirred with their laughter.
The priest stood up to answer them, but no word could he utter; all his
eloquence, all his powers of argument, had gone from him, and he could
do nothing but wring his hands and cry out--
'There is a God! there is a God! Lord, have mercy on my soul! '
And they all began to mock him, and repeat his own words that he had
taught them--
'Show him to us; show us your God. '
And he fled from them groaning with agony, for he saw that none
believed, and how then could his soul be saved?
But he thought next of his wife.
'She will believe,' he said to himself. 'Women never give up God. '
And he went to her; but she told him that she believed only what he
taught her, and that a good wife should believe in her husband first,
and before and above all things in heaven or earth.
Then despair came on him, and he rushed from the house and began to ask
every one he met if they believed. But the same answer came from one
and all: 'We believe only what you have taught us,' for his doctrines
had spread far and wide through the county.
Then he grew half mad with fear, for the hours were passing.
And he
flung himself down on the ground in a lonesome spot, and wept and
groaned in terror, for the time was coming fast when he must die.
Just then a little child came by.
'God save you kindly,' said the child to him.
The priest started up.
'Child, do you believe in God? ' he asked.
'I have come from a far country to learn about Him,' said the child.
'Will your honour direct me to the best school that they have in these
parts? '
'The best school and the best teacher is close by,' said the priest,
and he named himself.
'Oh, not to that man,' answered the child, 'for I am told he denies God
and Heaven and Hell, and even that man has a soul, because we can't see
it; but I would soon put him down. '
The priest looked at him earnestly. 'How? ' he inquired.
'Why,' said the child, 'I would ask him if he believed he had life to
show me his life. '
'But he could not do that, my child,' said the priest. 'Life cannot be
seen; we have it, but it is invisible.
