迪文小说

第15部分（第2页）

‘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　fo