He was ashamed to go on kneeling, ashamed to rise from his knees. At
last, as it were from his inmost heart, a still, small voice seemed to
breathe forth the words of the publican, "God be merciful to me a sinner!"
He repeated them over and over, clinging to them as for his life, and rose
from his knees comforted and humbled, and ready to face the whole world.
10. It was not needed: two other boys besides Arthur had already followed
his example, and he went down to the great school with a glimmering of
another lesson in his heart,--the lesson that he who has conquered his own
coward spirit has conquered the whole outward world; and that other one
which the old prophet learned in the cave at Mount Horeb, when he hid his
face, and the still, small voice asked, "What doest thou here,
Elijah?"--that however we may fancy ourselves alone on the side of good,
the King and Lord of men is nowhere without his witnesses; for in every
society, however seemingly corrupt and godless, there are those who have
not bowed the knee to Baal.
[Transcriber's Footnote: Baal--Various fertility and nature gods of the
ancient Semitic peoples considered to be false gods by the Hebrews.
Pages:
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240