"Thou art tempted then perhaps," gently said Paul, Yet with some gentle irony implied, "To doff the pupil's lowly attitude In which thou hadst learned so much; as if indeed Thou hadst learned enough to be a teacher now, And even a teacher to thy Teacher, God? Beware, my son, of these delusive thoughts; Love also has its specious counterfeits-- Whence that deep word of the apostle John, So frequent on his lips, his touchstone word-- More needed, as, to seeming, needed not-- To make us sure, when we suppose we love, Whether we love in truth: 'Herein we know That we God's children love, when we love God, And His commandments do.' For this is love Indeed of God, to do His holy will! A childlike humble spirit, the spirit of love, Contented to believe and to obey! The wiser that she seeks not to be wise, She wins her wisdom by obedience. "Does thy love puff thee up to challenge God Whether He be consistent with Himself? Suspect 'all-loving love' which moves to that! Love puffs not up--right love, love which is awe (As ever love inbreathed from Jesus is)-- To any pride of wisdom questioning God. Some specious counterfeit it is of love, Not love herself--who grows by meekness wise To meekness more, and more obedient faith-- Not love, nay, Stephen, but other spirit than love (Self-pity, self-indulgence, self-regard, Some spirit fixing for the center self), That sits in judgment on the ways of God To find Him sometimes wise or sometimes not. God was as wise when He inspired those psalms As when in Christ he bade us ever love, Love even our enemies and do them good. Submit thyself to God, my Stephen, and be Humble; for God resists the proud, but gives Grace to the humble still and grace for grace-- Grace given already, ground for added grace. Grow then in grace thus, and be meekly wise. I have spoken divining what thy meaning was, Perhaps amiss"--and Paul refrained from more.