"A paradox divine of love and pity-- God sparing not His own coequal Son, But, last impossible proof of love to men, Giving Him freely up to suffer so, The just for the unjust, if haply He Might bring us unto God! His father's heart Of tenderness toward His obedient Son Breaking, while He that Son delivered up-- Father and Son together overcome With love and pity toward a wretched race Apostate, disobedient, rebel, lost! Well spake that Savior Son while yet He lived A heavenly exile here on earth--He now About to suffer at the hands of whom He came to save--making the sum of sin Consist in not believing upon Him. Not to believe on such as Jesus Christ Seen living, the exemplar of all good, That, that, was sin indeed. Yet greater sin, Yea, sin inclusive and conclusive, this-- Not to believe on Christ raised from the dead!" Paul interrupted his discourse with pause. He eased the pressure on his heart with prayer, While Krishna slowly, softly, sadly said: 'Sin as transgression of a law supreme; Law as expression of a living Will; Nay, the existence of a living Will Sovereign over an ordered universe; Much more, a Heart behind the Will to feel Pity and love, such pity and such love, Not idle passion but at work to save, Save at vicarious cost so great--these thoughts, Ill canst thou know how new they are to me, How strange! Sin, sin--and sinner I, for this, That I do not believe on him! "But thou, Tell me, What is it to believe on him? I willingly believe that he was good, Was wise, was gentle, gracious, merciful." "Believe that he was what he claimed to be," Said Paul, "absolute lord of life and thought To all men, and to thee. Acknowledge Him Thy Lord; believing is obeying here. To whom He Master is, to them is He Also a Savior; trust thyself to Him." "A fearful act of self-surrender thou, O Paul," said Krishna, "thus proposest to me. Take Jesus for my lord in life and thought, Absolute lord as thou hast strongly said it, That might be, for what were it but exchange Of masters, Buddha left for Jesus; true, Never such claim of mastership made he, Our Buddha, as thou sayest thy Jesus makes-- But to commit myself into the hands Of any, whosoever he may be, To be saved--saved from what, to what, how saved?"-- With sudden turn on Paul, Krishna thus spoke, The gentleness which was his manner, now To almost fierceness changed, so vehement Was the revulsion and revolt expressed. "Am I so lost I cannot save myself?" He added, when he could command his tones To speak with full becoming courtesy-- An inexpugnable repulsion yet Shown of the answer that he thus invoked.