Tf John Kendrick Bangs tells about a little boy who one night cried for the moon. So his father, who was a kind and generous as well as a wise man, gave it to him. "You may have the moon," said the father, " only you must not be selfish about it. The very best place to keep the moon is up there in the heaven, where it will give you light by night ; and of course you want it to give light to me and your mother and other people also. You may have the moon just as long as you are unselfish, but when you grow greedy then the moon will belong to some one else who will make better use of it." And one day when the lad wanted the ocean his father gave him that also on a similar condition. " You must not carry it away and bottle it up," he said. " It is yours, but you must not be selfish. Let other people bathe in your ocean and sail boats on your ocean. Indeed, it is very much better for you to have others using your ocean, for it would not be nearly so interesting without ships sailing up and down to all parts of the world to bring you and me and your mother tea and coffee and bananas, and other fishing boats going out to catch our fish for us." So when the lad wanted a great forest the father gave it to him, and when he asked for the mountains the father gave him the mountains also, until by and by he owned the whole universe, but always on condition that he would not be selfish but would let other people enjoy his moon and his ocean and his forest and his mountains with him.
476 THE SPIRIT OF A SON
It is not always easy to distinguish between the serious and the quizzical mood of Mr. Bangs, but I think in this instance he meant to read us a parable. All things are ours. The Great Father gave them to us, at the same time bestowing upon us the capacity to use and enjoy them. The forest belongs to the man who loves it, the mountain belongs to the man who loves it, and the crisp winter landscape belongs to the man who, to use Job's phrase, has " entered into the treasures of the snow." 1
(4) Readiness to Depart. For he knows very well what those ever-present words mean, "In my Father's house are many mansions." And, if the love of an unseen Father has been so sweet, what will it be to look in His face ?
T| Death is to Francis, the lover of all life, a dear and tender sister; to others of like mind, the mother of life, or a strong brother, angel of pity; and for St. Paul, to whom to live was Christ, to die was gain of Christ. Now, even I in my low measure begin to see my deep door as a gateway of fulfilment ; and I must turn my eyes away to my place in God on this side of the door, lest even I desire death too much.
I have no tormenting fear ; my door is mine alone, and beyond is my own place again. I know I have to dread no gloom which is not already mine ; but while I am still on earth I would learn more of the life of Paradise foreshadowed here, that in the greater light I may see the beauty which is of Avalon.
Therefore, for all this cause, although I share the optimism of the saints, I dare not long for death as they have longed ; in me nature groans and travails still. I look towards it only as a step in life which I hope that I shall gladly take when it comes before my waiting feet. I will call it a transfiguration towards my truth, and I will dread it only as I dread a truer vision of my truth.2
What if some morning when the stars were paling, And the dawn whitened, and the East was clear,
Strange peace and rest fell on me from the presence Of a benignant Spirit standing near;
And I should tell him, as he stood beside me,
"This is our Earth — most friendly Earth, and fair;
Daily its sea and shore through sun and shadow Faithful it turns, robed in its azure air :
F. 0. Hall, Soulaiid Body, 139. 2 " A Modern Mystic's Way."
ROMANS viii. 15 477
There is blest living here, loving and serving, And quest of truth and serene friendships dear:
But stay not, Spirit ! Earth has one destroyer — His name is Death : flee, lest he find thee here ! "
And what if then, while still the morning brightened, And freshened in the elm the summer's breath,
Should gravely smile on me the gentle angel,
And take my hand, and say, "My name is Death."1
1 E. Rowland Sill.
The Assurance of Sonship.
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LITERATURE.
Beet (J. Agar), The New Life in Christ, 72.
Davies (J. LI.), Spiritual Apprehension, 16.
Denio (F. B.), The Supreme Leader, 100.
Evans (E. D. P.), in Sermons by Unitarian Ministers, ii. 27.
Hull (E. L.), Sermons, i. 253.
Keble (J.), Sermons for the Christian Year, Ascension Day to Trinity