troduction, he had caught
a glimpse of infinite stretches and light unapproachable, and it seemed
no marvel that a man, if he would enter that kingdom, _must be born
into it_! Marvel, indeed, it might be, that such a birth were
possible, but not that it was needful. For how could he transgress the
boundaries of the human sphere into which he had been born, and lift
himself into the higher? It was impossible. No, that life must
somehow come forth to him. He must be "born from above."

As he read on into the book, still bearing in mind the character
ascribed to Jesus Christ in its beginning, he could not wonder that He
spoke with such authority. Not "Thus saith the Lord," but "Verily,
verily, I say unto you," the new Prophet declared. What wonder, if He
were such a Being as described, that He should offer living water to
the Samaritan woman, since "in Him was life," nor that "the work of
God" for obtaining eternal life should be narrowed down to a belief
in--a committal unto--Himself?

As he considered these things, the emphasis shifted from "believe" to
the Person in whom to believe; and it seemed to him that the teaching
must be not so much that faith was in itself a way of salvation, as
that it was a simple necessity to the taking of the Way--the One sent
forth from God; in short, that its own value was purely relative to the
One believed in. This seemed to settle a very important question, and
drew the sceptic's attention away from his own capabilities of belief
to the claims of the proposed object of his faith. He read His words
with an interest that was painfully intense, and almost groaned his
prayerful longing to know if they were true.

"After all," thought he, "be a man credulous or doubting, absolute
knowledge waits upon revelation--upon demonstration."

"O God," he cried finally, "if Thou art, and if Jesus Christ is, and is
such an One as described here, give me evidence! Let me know Him and
Thee."

He lifted his book again, and this time he read:

"If any man is willing to do his will, he shall know of the teaching,
whether it be of God, or whether I speak from myself."

If a voice had spoken aloud the words it would not have conveyed the
message more directly to his heart. He paused, as before a pivotal
moment of destiny.

"'Willing to do His will!'"

His face whitened. The agony of the night before was upon him. The
way of the cross--the picture of the Man who like no other had done