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； and invested that testimonywith a matchless； unimpeachable authority。 Yes； he had heard it all his life； but it was only nowthat his ears were open to this sound that came from darkness； that could only e from darkness；that yet bore such sure witness to the glory of the light。 And now in this moaning； and so far fromany help； he heard it in himself—it rose from his bleeding； his cracked open heart。 It was a soundof rage and weeping which filled the grave； rage and weeping from time set free； but bound now iernity； rage that had no language； weeping with no voice—which yet spoke now； to John’sstartled soul； of boundless melancholy； of the bitterest patience； and the longest night； of thedeepest water； the strongest chains； the most cruel lash； of humility most wretched； the dungeonmost absolute； of love’s bed defiled； and birth dishonored； and most bloody； unspeakable； suddendeath。 Yes； the darkness hummed with murder： the body in the water； the body in the fire； the bodyon the tree。 John looked down the line of these armies of darkness； army upon army； and his soulwhispered： Who are these？ Who are they？ And wondered： Where shall I go？
There was no answer。 There was no help or healing in the grave； no answer in the darkness；no speech from all that pany。 They looked backward。 And John looked back； seeing nodeliverance。
I； John saw the future； way up in the middle of the air。
Were the lash； the dungeon； and the night for him？ And the sea for him？ And the grave forhim？
I； John saw a number； way in the middle of the air。
And he struggled to flee—out of this darkness； out of this pany—into the land of theliving； so high； so far away。 Fear was upon him； a more deadly fear than he had ever known； as heturned and turned in the darkness； as he moaned； and stumbled； and crawled through darkness；finding no hand； no voice； finding no door。 Who are these？ Who are they？ They were the despisedand rejected； the wretched and the spat upon； the earth’s offscouring； and he was in their pany；and they would swallow up his soul。 The stripes they had endured would scar his back； their punishment would be his； their portion his； his their humiliation； anguish； chains； their dungeonhis； their death his。 Thrice was I beaten with rods； once I was stoned； thrice I suffered shipwreck； anight and a day I have been in the deep。
And their dread testimony would be his！
In journeying often； in perils of waters； inn perils of robbers； in perils by mine owncountrymen； in perils by the heathen； in perils in the city； in perils in the wilderness； in perils inthe sea； in perils among false brethren。
And their desolation； his：
In weariness and painfulness； in watching often； in hunger and thirst； in fasting often； incold and nakedness。
And he began to shout for help； seeing before him the lash； the fire； and the depthlesswater； seeing his head bowed down for ever； he； John； the lowest among these lowly。 And helooked for his mother； but her eyes were fixed on this dark army—she was claimed by this army。
And his father would not help him； his father did not see him； and Roy lay dead。
Then he whispered； not knowing that he whispered： ‘Oh； Lord； have mercy on me。 Havemercy on me。’
And a voice； for the first time in all his terrible journey； spoke to John； through he rage andweeping； and fire； and darkness； and flood：
‘Yes；’ said the voice； ‘go through。 Go through。’
‘Lift me up；’ whispered John； ‘lift me up。 I can’t go through。’
‘Go through；’ said the voice； ‘go through。’
Then there was silence。 The murmuring ceased。 There was only this trebling beneath him。
And he knew there was a light somewhere。
‘Go through。’
‘Ask Him to take you through。’
But he could never go through this darkness； through this fire and this wrath。 He nevercould go through。 His strength was finished； and he could not move。 He belonged to the darkness—the darkness from which he had thought to flee had claimed him。 And he moaned again；weeping； and lifted up his hands。
‘Call on Him。 Call on Him。’
‘Ask Him to take you through。’
Dust rose again in his nostrils； sharp as the fumes of Hell。 And he turned again in thedarkness； trying to remember something he had heard； something he had read。
Jesus saves。
And he saw before him the fire； red and gold； and waiting for him—yellow； and red； andgold； and burning in a night eternal； and waiting for him。 He must go through this fire； and into thisnight。
Jesus saves。
Call on Him。
Ask Him to take you through。
He could not call； for his tongue would not unlock； and his heart was silent； and great withfear。 In the darkness； how to move？—with death’s ten thousand jaws agape； and waiting in thedarkness。 On any turning whatsoever the beast may spring—to move in the darkness is to moveinto the moving jaws of death。 And yet； it came to him that he must move； for there was a lightsomewhere； and life； and joy； and singing—somewhere； somewhere above him。
And he moaned again： ‘Oh； Lord； have mercy。 Have mercy； Lord。’
There came to him again the munion service at which Elisha had knelt at his father’sfeet。 Now this service was in a great； high room； a room made golden by the light of the sun； andthe room was filled with a multitude of people； all in long； white robes； the women with coveredheads。 They sat at a long； bare； wooden table。 They broke at this table flat； unsalted bread； whichwas the body of the Lord； and drank from a heavy silver cup the scarlet wine of His blood。 Then hesaw that they were barefoot； and that their feet were stained with this same blood。 And a sound ofweeping filled the room as they broke the bread and drank the wine。
Then they rose； to e together over a great basin filled with water。 And they divided intofour groups； two of women； and man before man； to watch each other’s feet。 But the blood wouldnot wash off； many washings only turned the crystal water red； and someone cried： ‘Have youbeen to the river？’
Then John saw the river； and the multitude was there。 And now they had undergone achange； their robes were ragged； and stained with the road they had traveled； and stained withunholy blood； the robes of some barely covered their nakedness； and some indeed were naked。
And some stumbled on the smooth stones at the river’s edge； for they were blind； and somecrawled with a terrible wailing； for they were lame； some did not cease to pluck at their flesh；which was rotten with running sores。 All struggled to get to the river； in a dreadful hardness ofheart： the strong struck down the weak； the ragged spat on the naked； the naked cursed the blind；the blind crawled over the lame。 And someone cried： ‘Sinner； do you love my Lord？’
Then John saw the Lord—for a moment only； and the darkness； for a moment only； wasfilled with a light he could not bear。 Then； in a moment； he was set free； his tears sprang as from afountain； his heart； like a fountain of waters； burst。 Then he cried： ‘Oh； blessed Jesus！ Oh； LordJesus！ Take me through！’
Of tears there was； yes； a very fountain—springing from a depth never sounded before；from depths John had not known were in him。 And he wanted to rise up； singing； singing in thatgreat morning； the morning of his new life。 Ah； how his tears ran down； how they blessed his soul！
—as he felt himself； out of the darkness； and the fire； and the terrors of death； rising upward tomeet the saints ‘Oh； yes！’ cried the voice of Elisha。 ‘Bless our God for ever！’
And a sweetness filled John as he heard this voice； and heard the sound of singing： thesinging was for him。 For his drifting soul was anchored in the love of God； in the rock that enduredfor ever。 The light and the darkness had kissed each other； and were married now； for ever； in thelife and the vision of John’s soul。
I； John； saw a city； way in the middle of the air；Waiting； waiting； waiting up there。
He opened his eyes on the morning； and found them； in the light of the morning； rejoicingfor him。 The trembling he had known in darkness had been the echo of their joyful feet—thesefeet； bloodstained for ever； and washed in many rivers—they moved on the bloody road for ever；with no continuing city； but seeking one to e： a city out of time； not made with hands； buteternal in the heavens。 No power could hold this army back； no water disperse them； no fireconsume them。 One day they would pel the earth to heave upward； and surrender the waitingdead。 They sang； where the darkness gathered； where the lion waited； where the fire cried； andwhere blood ran down：
My soul； don’t you be uneasy！
They wandered in the valley for ever； and they smote the rock； for ever； and the waterssprang； perpetually； in the perpetual desert。 They cried unto the Lord for ever； and lifted up theireyes for ever； they were cast down for ever； and He lifted them up for ever。 No； the fire could nothurt them； and yes； the lion’s jaws were stopped； the serpent was not their master； the grave wasnot their resting…place； the earth was not their home。 Job bore them witness； and Abraham wastheir father； Moses had elected to suffer with them rather that glory in sin for a season。 Shadrach；Meshach； and Abednego had gone before them into the fire； their grief had been sung by David；and Jeremiah had wept for them。 Ezekiel had prophesied upon them； these scattered bones； theseslain； and； in the fullness of time； the prophet； John； had e out of the wilderness； crying that thepromise was for them。 They were enpassed with a very cloud of witnesses： Judas； who hadbetrayed the Lord； Thomas； who had doubted Him； Peter； who had trembled at the crowing of acock； Stephen； who had been stoned； Paul； who had been bound； the blind man crying in the dustyroad； the dead man rising from the grave。 And they looked unto Jesus； the author and the finisherof their faith； running with patience the race He had set before them； they endured the cross； andthey despised the shame； and waited to join Him； one day； in glory； at the right hand of the Father。
My soul！ don’t you be uneasy！
Jesus going to make up my dying bed！
‘Rise up； rise up； Brother Johnny； and talk about the Lord’s deliverance。’
It was Elisha who had spoken； he stood just above John； smiling； and behind him were thesaints—Praying Mother Washington； and Sister McCandless； and Sister Price。 Behind these； hesaw his mother； and his aunt； his father； for the moment； was hidden from his view。
‘Amen！’ cried Sister McCandless； ‘rise up； and praise the Lord！’
He tried to speak； and could not； for the joy that rang in him this morning。 He smiled up toElisha； and his tears ran down； and Sister McCandless began to sing：
‘Lord； I ain’tNo stranger now！
‘Rise up； Johnny；’ said Elisha； again。 ‘Are you saved； boy？’
‘Yes；’ said John； ‘oh； yes！’ And the words came upward； it seemed； of themselves； in thenew voice God had given him。 Elisha stretched out his hand； and John took the hand； and stood—so suddenly； and so strangely； and with such wonder！—once more on his feet。
‘Lord； I ain’tNo stranger now！’
Yes； the night had passed； the powers of darkness had been beaten back。 He moved amongthe saints； he； John； who had e home； who was one of their pany now； weeping； he yetcould find no words to speak of his great gladness； and he scarcely knew how he moved； for hishands were new； and his feet were new； and he moved in a new and Heaven…bright air。 PrayingMother Washington took him in her arms； and kissed him； and their tears； his tears and the tears ofthe old； black woman； mingled。
‘God bless you； son。 Run on； honey； and don’t get weary！’
‘Lord； I been introduced；To the Father and the Son；And I ain’tNo stranger now！’
Yes； as he moved among them； their hands touching； and tears falling； and the music rising—as though he moved down a great hall； full of a splendid pany—something began to knockin that listening； astonished； newborn； and fragile heart of his； something recalling the terrors ofthe night； which were not finished； his heart seemed to say； which； in this pany； were now tobegin。 And； while his heart was speaking； he found himself before his mother。 Her face was full oftears； and for a long while they looked at each other； saying nothing。 And once again； he tried toread the mystery of that face—which； as it had never before been so bright and pained with love；had never seemed before so far from him； so wholly in munion with a life beyond his life。 He wanted to fort her； but the night had given him no language； no second sight； no power to seeinto the heart of any other。 He knew only—and now； looking at his mother； he knew that he couldnever tell it—that the heart was a fearful place。 She kissed him； and she said： ‘I’m mighty proud；Johnny。 You keep the faith。 I’m going to be praying for you till the Lord puts me in my grave。’
Then he stood before his father。 In the moment that he forced himself to raise his eyes andlook into his father’s face； he felt in himself a stiffening； and a panic and a blind rebellion； and ahope for peace。 The tears still on his face； and smiling still； he said： ‘Praise the Lord。’
‘Praise the Lord；’ said his father。