* *
I am that which hath laid thee low in pain and sorrow, rather than see thee run with blinded eyes on a path that was full unto shimmering softness with poisonous creeping things, that would have wound themselves about thy feet and so caused thee to stumble and fall face downward on their slippery bellies, so they might even devour thee and crawl into thee and take from thy heart its gold and from thy eye its beam and from thy brow its nobleness.
* *
I am that which hath had thee by the hand, when the smile of trust froze on thy lips, when the jewel of faith seemed to melt into nothing in thy heart, when the hand of unbelief in all humanity was near unto resting forever on thy brow. I held thy hand then and for a little I saw thee writhe and quiver and break and then My hand touched thy head and I breathed in thy soul My fragrance and lo, thy smile of trust again broke with tenfold beauty on thy moistened lips, the gem of faith lighted with tenfold power thy softened heart and a belief in all humanity came forth with a strength and radiance that could not have been, hadst thou not known that short span of barrenness! From each tear which hath fallen from thine eye, I have made a pearl and strung them on veins of gold and placed them about thy neck even as a priceless necklet. From each drop of blood that came from thine aching heart, I have made a bleeding ruby and placed it even as a girdle about thy heart, and for each kind thought, that hath gone out to those who have brought pain to thee I have made a fire-hearted gem of crystal and in a coronet placed them on thy brow which now gleam there in triple power.
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Now go forth and win thy sceptre and thy staff! They shall be crystalized of clearest jewels, which shall be made of which command of Mine which thou dost hear and obey.
* *
I am all these, My babe, and more. That am I which, when darkness seems near, suddenly bursts upon thy soul with a wondrous, indescribable light that illumines each crevice and crack of thy innermost understanding. I am that indefinable line which divides thee and holds thee ever from pain or grossness or misery.
* *
I am that path which is ever before thee, filled with rarest flowers and creeping vines and world-large happiness where the beings which thou canst feel, but not yet see, beckon thee ever and where thou too shalt come and be of the brightest among them.