Religious disputations -- Fiction; Short stories, Australian
The man who had been writing stopped, stretched his cramped fingers; and
Paul motioned another to his place: "Abhor that which is evil, cleave to
that which is good. In love of the brethren be tenderly affectioned one
to another.... patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer,
communicating to the necessities of the saints, given to hospitality.
Bless them that persecute you; bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them
that rejoice; weep with them that weep.... Be not wise in your own
conceits. Render unto no man evil for evil.... Let every soul be in
subjection to the higher powers: for there is no power but of God; and
the powers that be are ordained of God." I had sat listening to these
words of conviction until I felt numbed, yet I was not satisfied.
Paul also seemed to weary for a minute. The word "love" that seemed to
contain all their mystical creed fell again from his lips: "Thou shalt
love thy neighbour as thyself; Love worketh no ill to his neighbour;
Love therefore is the fulfilment of the law; and this knowing the
season, that now it is high time for you to awake out of sleep."
He ceased, rose and walked to the window, drew back the curtain, and
leaned out as if to cool his head. The sky was grey with dawn. From the
streets below came drunken voices of men and women, singing ribald
songs; and presently I heard the tramp of the armed guard. For a moment
Paul leaned there.
"The night is far spent," he said, "and the day is at hand; therefore
let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armour of light.
Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in revelling and drunkenness,
not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and jealousy. But put ye
on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh to fulfil
the lusts thereof."
He ceased, drew the curtain to again, and came towards me. Through his
incredible ugliness there shone a majesty of power, fascinating,
enchanting, wooing me with its strength and flame-like intensity. His
hands were cold from the ledge of the window, and as they took mine a
thrill ran through me. The other men looked at us quietly, as if they
were conscious of some crisis, and of some antagonism between us. Paul
looked at the manuscript upon my knees, and smiled.
"What are my words to you?" he asked.
"I have also thought of these things," I answered him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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