dren only, that you will find medicine for your healing and true wisdom for your teaching. There is poison in the counsels of the men of this world; the words they speak are all bitterness, 'the poison of the asps is under their lips,' but 'the sucking child shall play by the hole of the asp. There is death in the looks of men. Their eyes

2

4

are privily set against the poor; they are as the uncharmable serpent, the cockatrice, which slew by seeing. But the weaned child shall lay his hand on the cockatrice den.' 5 There is death in the steps of men: 'their feet are swift to shed blood; they have compassed us in our steps like the lion that is greedy of his prey, and the young lion lurking in secret places,' 6 but, in that kingdom, the wolf shall lie down with the lamb, and the fatling with the lion, and 'a little child shall lead them.'7 There is death in the thoughts of men: the world is one wide riddle to them, darker and darker as it draws to a close; but the secret of it is known to the child and the Lord of heaven and earth is most to be thanked in that 'He has hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and has revealed them unto babes.' 8 Yes, and there is death-infinitude of death in the principalities and powers of men. As far as the east

is from the west, so far our sins are not set from us, but multiplied around us: the Sun himself, think you he now 'rejoices' to run his course, when he plunges westward to the horizon, so widely red, not with clouds, but blood? And it will be red more widely yet. Whatever drought of the early and latter rain may be, there will be none of that

1 Asp: a deadly serpent common in Egypt. Romans iii. 13. 2 Isaiah xi. 8.

8 Psalms x. 8.

4 Cockatrice: a fabulous monster, part serpent, part bird; its look even was said to be fatal. 5 Isaiah xi. 6.

Psalms xvii. 12.

7 Isaiah xi. 6.

8 Matthew xi. 25.

red rain. You fortify yourselves, you arm yourselves against it in vain; the enemy and avenger will be upon you also, unless you learn that it is not out of the mouths of the needle gun, 1 or the rifle, but 'out of the mouths of babes and sucklings '2 that the strength is ordained, which shall still the enemy and avenger.' '3

1

1 Needle gun: an improved breech-loading gun has a needle-shaped point.

2 Matthew xxi. 16.

8 Psalms viii. 2.