"And is it, brother," Rachel gently asked, "Indeed to thee so easy ever thus To lose the earthly in the heavenly thought, And in the symbol find the symbolized, That only, Saul? It is not so with me. I love the letter, and I cling to it-- A little; at least when it is so fair As I have found it in my motherhood. The spirit is far fairer, I suppose, But God has made this letter 'very good'!" Rachel spoke thus with deprecation sweet, The while a little liquid sparkle played Of loving humor in her eyes half turned Toward Stephen sitting nigh them but apart; He and Eunicé sat together there. "Cling to thy lovely letter," Paul replied, "'A little,' as thou sayest it, not too much-- The 'little,' as the 'not too much,' God's will For thee, my sister; and, a paradox! The little will be more when not too much. It is the spirit makes the letter dear, Or dearest, as it is itself more dear. We better love the earthly images Of things in heaven, when we those heavenly things Themselves more than their loveliest shadows love." "O brother," Rachel--suddenly her voice Sunk to a vibrant low intensity Of accent--said, hands clasped and eyes upturned To him, "O brother, when such things thou sayest, I tremble with unspeakable desire To be what one must be to think such things. But it is all too wonderful for me. That inspiration of the Holy Ghost Whereby thou knowest what else thou wouldst not know-- Perhaps that helps thee be, as well as know?" "Nay, sister," Paul replied, "it is not so. That inspiration is a gift to me For knowing only, not for being. Yea, And even my gift to know is not for me, More than for thee, my Rachel, and for all. It is that all may know, God makes _me_ know. I profit by my awful trust from God Of farther vision in His mysteries, Only as I a faithful steward am To part to others what I hold from Him: Freely I have received freely to give. But besides this there is a grace of God In Jesus by the Holy Spirit given, That comes alike to all obedient souls To help them in the life of holiness. The habit of the heavenly mind which thou Attributest to me in what thou askest, This I have learned, if it indeed be mine, By being to the Spirit teachable, Who teaches all as fast as each will learn. He could far faster teach us, and He would, If only we were teachable enough. Alas, we strangely hold the flood-gate down Not to let all the waiting fulness in. But what of holy willingness I have He gives, Who worketh in me both to will And work, for the good pleasure of His name." "Amen!" breathed Rachel, in devout accord With Paul's ascription of all good to Him.