THE SON OF MAN

As it ever was and vdll

As a thief in the night, silently and where you least expect,

Unleamed perhaps, without words, without arguments, "withont inâuential friends or money — ^leaning on himself alone—

Without aoGomplishments and grâces, without any liniments for your old doubts, or recipes for constructing new theological or philosophical Systems —

With just the whole look of himself in his eyes, —

The Son of Man shall — yes, shall — appear in your midst. O beating heart, your lover and your judge shall appear.

He will not bring a new révélation ; he will not at first make any reply to the eager questions about death and immortality ; he will présent no stainless perfection ;

But he will do better: he will présent something absolute, primai — the living rock — something necessary and at first-hand, and men will ding to him therefor ;

He will restore th.e true balance; he will not condemn, but he will be absolute in himself ;

He will be the terrible judge to whom every one will run;

He will be the lover and the judge in one. ^

For the moment, however, Democracy tarries ; sometimes it seems as one who sleeps enmeshed in dreams :

I see the stretched sleeping figure — waiting for the kiss and the reawakening.*

But its issue is predetermîned — even now it appears to be opening its eyes and peq)ing — and with it shall émerge faithfulness, self-reliance,

1 r. Z).. p. $1. • Ibid., p. s8.