Peradventure; or, The Silence of GodKeable, Robert
Religion
Peradventure; or, The Silence of God
Keable, Robert
Church of England -- Fiction; Religion -- Fiction; Young men -- Fiction
A hymn again--the "Glory Song," by request--and Paul announced his
text, his farewell message, their last word to Lambeth Court for many
months. It was the kind of text which, in his mouth, took on that
irresistible logic that he loved, and which, in his own heart, glowed
and beat like the throb of an immense dynamo. "The Cross," so he
proclaimed, "is to them that are perishing foolishness, and to them
that are being saved the power of God." Telling anecdotes, however
commonplace, hammered in his points. It was not the Cross that was on
trial; it was his hearers who were then and there being judged by the
Cross. Was all this to them foolishness, or was it the power of God?
An easy question! Each one knew well enough for himself. And the
inevitable followed; indeed, in Paul's eager soul, could not be
gainsaid. His hearers to a man were being saved--the speaker's face
lit up with the honest joy of it;--or--or--_perishing_. The whispered
word reached the far corners of the Court. It even reached Reynolds.
He stirred uneasily, and wished he had more beer.
The boy on the chair announced that they would sing as a last hymn "God
be with you till we meet again." The haunting lilt, the genuine poetry
and life there is in it, overcame the crude composition, the tortured
air which was the best the old harmonium could do, the vulgar
surroundings, the banal words. At the third verse, Paul held up his
hand. A little hush fell on the whole Court, which deepened as he
spoke. Paul had not learnt the tricks that it was possible for him to
play with his oratorical power, but it was a naturally clever thing
that he did. The tone of his voice wholly changed. All hardness,
logic, conquest, argument, had gone from him, and it vibrated with
tenderness, was all but broken with honest emotion. He begged, by the
pity and gentleness of the Saviour, that they might meet at His feet.
They had, he said, all of them, to travel down the long roads of life;
none knew where such might lead; would that all their diverse ways
might at least lead home--home to the one safe shelter, home to the one
sure haven, home to Jesus' feet.
The little band moved off out of the Court, the loungers' eyes looking
curiously at Paul. He stopped again and again to shake hands, and, at
the Mission Hall, found the instrument, books, chair, and the rest of
the paraphernalia already put away. He said good-bye to one and
another. Edith held out her hand.
"Are you alone?" he asked. "May I see you home?"
"I don't like to trouble you," she said.
He smiled at her eagerly. "I believe you know I'm glad of the chance,"
he replied.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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