Speech became low and constrained. Songs
ended abruptly, and laughter ceased. There were no audible sobs, neither
sighing. Bird and beast were stilled, as if the end had come, and
nothing more mattered. Then, in a little while, the tenseness relaxed,
and everything went on as before, though much subdued. The righteous in
the Paradise of God quietly gathered themselves together in their usual
places of worship. They clasped each other's hands, and looked with
trembling gladness into each other's faces. There was no fear here: they
were ready."
"And then His actual coming! That which had been fore-ordained from
before the foundation of the world was about to be fulfilled; that which
had been the theme of the prophets from the beginning was at the door;
that which the seers of all times and nations had beheld in vision was
now to be realized; that about which poets had sung; that for which
every pure heart had yearned; that for which the ages had waited, was
now here! A feeling of sweet peace filled the righteous, which expressed
itself in songs of praise and gladness.
Pages:
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197