John, the Scribe, saith

St. John iii. 31-36.
St. John iv. 1-4.

XIII

Then John, that other John, the scribe who wrote :---
Needs must it be that Christ in all be first !
He cometh from above, and is above ;
No other hath ascended into heaven,
And brought us knowledge of the things of God,
Things He hath seen and heard ; yet none believes !
When any doth believe, opening his soul,
Such man sets seal to this, that God is true ;
For all that God hath through the ages promised
Perceives this man, with sudden joy, in Him
Who is sent of God, speaketh the words of God,
And on whom is the pouring out of the Spirit,
Without stint or measure, Esaias told of :
These be the signs by which we know Him,
Christ !
Such and so great the Father's love for the Son
That all things, life and death, and health and sickness,
Waters and winds, and all the souls of men,
And all ill demons that oppress men's souls,
And every other thing man's mind conceives, ---

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149

All these the Father into His hand hath given ; ---
And more, eternal life for who believes.
But if a man believe not, nor obey,
Seeing the brightness of the Father's glory,
How shall such a wretch escape the Father's wrath ?


When Jesus knew the Pharisees had heard
That multitudes, greater than those had sought
The baptism of John, now flocked to Him
To hear and be baptized, (though He  Himself
Baptized not, but His disciples), He left Judæa
(Tender o'er the grieved hearts that followed John) ?
And, journeying slow, as poor men must, on foot,
He trod sequestered paths and beaten way
(Ah, could we find that pilgrim path for our feet !)
Northward, towards Galilee, where He was reared :
Wherefore He must needs go through Samaria pass,
Hostile Samaria, south of Galilee.

by C. M. S. Mason