The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-01-25

of mist got into your spirits. You are
a child of the sun"
OF course l knew all that. down in
the cellars of my being; but upstairs,
all The Same | had this sense Of guilt
and expiration. this anxious doubt that
perhaps all that great. gloomy, mediae-
va business Of saints and nuns, and
bones and relies. and miracles and
icons. and calyaricS and cells, and cell
bacy and horSehair shirts. and blooH
and dirt and tears was true after all,
What if the world of beauty | had been
content to live in WAS Il satanic show.
and the real thing WAS that dead, topsy-
turvy world down there in the cold gray
lake under the reeking miSts? | sneaked
back into the house to see if the streak
hadn't dried vet; but no.. it doomed i'll
t%ell-tale @hastlin"ss. Il sort Of writing on
the wall, announcing the wrath aud
visitation Of heaven. ! went outside
again. and smoked miscrably on the
little bench. Gradually | began to feel
warmer; the mists seemed clearing; [
rose and stretched myself with IN ache
Of luxurious languor. Encouraged, I
stole within again to peep at the streak.
1t was dry-a virgin wall i%nnocently
white met my delighted gaze. l opened
the window: the dragging yapors were
~tIlI HIhS . t1l' IN III q liz SIIIS
in u mild warmth. | refiIled my pipe.
and plunged down the yet gray hill. |
strobe past the old sawInill. skirted the
Swampy border of the lake, came out
on the firm green. when, bling! Zim,
br-r-r, Il heavenly bolt of sunshine
smashed through the raw mistS. scatter
ing them like Il bomb to the horizons
ring. then with sovereign calm the sun
came out full. flooding hill and dale with
luminous joy: the lake shimmcred and
flashed into radiant life and gave back
4 great white cloud island N 4 stretch
of glorious blue; and all that golden
warmth stole into my veins like wine.
\. little goat came skipping along with
tinkling bell. Il horse ut grass threw up
its heels in ecstasy, an OK lowed. Il dog
barked. Tears Of exquisite emotion
came into my eyes: the beautiful, soft
warm light that lay over all the happy
valley seemed to get into them and melt
something. How unlike those tears Of
yesterday. Wrung out Of me as by some
serpent coiIpd round my ribs, Now my
ribs seemed eXpanding-to hold my heart
and all the divine joy Of existence
thrilled me to Il religious rapture. And
with the lifting of The miSts all that
CHASTITY mediaeyal nightmare was lifted
from my soul: in that sacred moment all
lllt iUIlh iIdSttlt ol TIE tGllc1lltJl NtllEISG
vanished and only Christ was left. the
simple fellowship with man and the
beast and nature. the love Of life. the
love of love, the love of God. And in
that yearning ecstasy my picture came
to me-The Joyous Comradc. Christ :
not the tortured God. but the joyous
comrale. the friend of all simple souls
the joyous cOmrade with the children
c~Iinging TO him and the peasants and
Shers listening to his chat; rot the
theologian spinning barren subtletips.
but the man Of genius protesting
against all forms and dOgmaS that would
replace the direct vision and the living
ecstasy: not the Mar Of Sorrows. loving
the ~hlankne~S of underground cells. and
|Scourged backs. and sexleSs skeletons.
but the lover Of warm life and warm
sunlight and all that is fresh and simple
and pure and beautiful"
Every man makes his God in his own
image | thought. too touched to lar
him by saying it aloud.
And s.. ever since. off and on. have
worked at this human picture of Him
The Joyous Comrade-to restore the
trnn Christ to the world.'
Which you hope to conyert:o