Mike Fletcher by George Moore (ebook pc reader .txt) 📕

Tie Of Direct Intercourse Can Ever Bind Him To The Things He Hath Created,

Nor Can The Most Abstruse And Most Remote Allusions Of His Creatures Do

Justice To His Being. Through His World-Pervading Will He Hath Brought

Into Being All Created Things. He Is And Hath Ever Been Veiled In The

Ancient Eternity Of His Own Exalted And Indivisible Essence,  And Will

Everlastingly Continue To Remain Concealed In His Inaccessible Majesty And

Glory. All That Is In Heaven And All That Is In The Earth Have Come To

Exist At His Bidding,  And By His Will All Have Stepped Out Of Utter

Nothingness Into The Realm Of Being. How Can,  Therefore,  The Creature

Which The Word Of God Hath Fashioned Comprehend The Nature Of Him Who Is

The Ancient Of Days?

Should Any Man,  In This Day,  Arise And,  With Absolute Detachment From All

That Is In The Heavens And All That Is On The Earth,  Set His Affections On

Him Who Is The Day Spring Of God's Holy Revelation,  He Will,  Verily,  Be

Empowered To Subdue All Created Things,  Through The Potency Of One Of The

Names Of The Lord,  His God,  The All-Knowing,  The All-Wise. Know Thou Of A

Certainty That The Day Star Of Truth Hath,  In This Day,  Shed Upon The

World A Radiance,  The Like Of Which Bygone Ages Have Never Witnessed. Let

The Light Of His Glory,  O People,  Shine Upon You,  And Be Not Of The

Negligent.

Cl: When The Victory Arriveth,  Every Man Shall...

When The Victory Arriveth,  Every Man Shall Profess Himself As Believer And

Shall Hasten To The Shelter Of God's Faith. Happy Are They Who In The Days

Of World-Encompassing Trials Have Stood Fast In The Cause And Refused To

Swerve From Its Truth.

Cli: Release Yourselves,  O Nightingales Of God,...

Release Yourselves,  O Nightingales Of God,  From The Thorns And Brambles Of

Wretchedness And Misery,  And Wing Your Flight To The Rose-Garden Of

Unfading Splendor. O My Friends That Dwell Upon The Dust! Haste Forth Unto

Your Celestial Habitation. Announce Unto Yourselves The Joyful Tidings:

"He Who Is The Best-Beloved Is Come! He Hath Crowned Himself With The

Glory Of God's Revelation,  And Hath Unlocked To The Face Of Men The Doors

Of His Ancient Paradise." Let All Eyes Rejoice,  And Let Every Ear Be

Gladdened,  For Now Is The Time To Gaze On His Beauty,  Now Is The Fit Time

To Hearken To His Voice. Proclaim Unto Every Longing Lover: "Behold,  Your

Well-Beloved Hath Come Among Men!" And To The Messengers Of The Monarch Of

Love Impart The Tidings: "Lo,  The Adored One Hath Appeared Arrayed In The

FullY Light,  Taking Refuge In Some

Osier-Beds. And As He Looked Down Stream He Saw The Night Clouds

Dispersing In The Wind. He Pulled,  Making The Boat Shoot Through The

Water For About A Mile,  Then Touched By The Beauty Of The Landscape,

Paused To View It. Cattle Lay In The Long,  Moist Meadows,  Harmonizing

In Their Semi-Unconsciousness With The Large Gray Earth; Mist Hung In

The Sedges,  Floated Evanescent Upon The Surface Of The Water,  Within

Reach Of His Oars,  Floated And Went Out In The Sunshine. But On The

Verge Of An Oak Wood,  Amid Tangled And Tawny Masses Of Fern And

Grass,  A Hound Stopped And Looked Up. Then The Huntsman Appeared

Galloping Along The Upland,  And Turning In His Saddle,  He Blew A

Joyful Blast.

Mike Sat Still,  His Heart Close Shut,  The Beauty Of The Scene In Its

Quick And Core. Then Yielding Utterly He Drove The Boat Ashore,  And

Calling To The Nearest,  To One Who Had Stopped And Was Tightening His

Horse's Girths,  He Offered To Buy His Horse. A Hundred Pounds Was

Asked. "It Is Not Worth It," He Thought; "But I Must Spend My Four

Thousand A Year." The Desire To Do What Others Think Of Doing But

Don't Do Was Always Active In Mike. He Gave His Name And Address;

And,  Fearing To Miss Dealing On Such Advantageous Terms,  The Owner

Consented To Allow Mike To Try The Horse Then And There. But The

Hounds Had Got On The Scent Of A Fox. The Horn Was Heard Ringing In

The Seared Wood In The Crimson Morning,  And The Hounds Streamed

Across The Meadows.

"I Must Try Him Over Some Fences. Take My Boat And Row Up To Ash

Cottage; I'll Meet You There."

"I'll Do Nothing Of The Sort!" Roared The Man In Top-Boots.

"Then Walk Across The Fields," Cried Mike; And He Rode At The Hedge

And Rail,  Coming Down Heavily,  But Before The Owner Could Reach Him

He Had Mounted And Was Away.

Some Hours Later,  As He Approached The Cottage,  He Saw Frank And A

Man In Top-Boots Engaged In Deep Converse.

"Get Off My Horse Instantly!" Exclaimed The Latter.

"The Horse Is Mine," Said Mike,  Who Unfortunately Could Not Control

His Laughter.

"Your Horse! Certainly Not! Get Off My Horse,  Or I'll Pull You Off."

Mike Jumped Off.

"Since You Will Have It So,  I'll Not Dispute With You. There Is Your

Horse; Not A Bad Sort Of Animal--Capital Sport."

"Now Pay Me My Hundred Pounds!" Said The Owner,  Between His Clenched

Teeth.

"You Said Just Now That You Hadn't Sold Me The Horse. There Is Your

Horse,  And Here Is The Name Of My Solicitors,  If You Want To Go To

Law With Me."

"Law With You! I'll Give You Law!" And Letting Go The Horse,  That

Immediately Began To Browse,  He Rushed At Mike,  His Whip In The Air.

Mike Fought,  His Long Legs Wide Apart,  His Long Arms Going Like

Lightning,  Straight From The Shoulder,  Scattering Blood Over Necktie

And Collar; And Presently The Man Withdrew,  Cursing Mike For An Irish

Horse-Stealer.

"I Never Heard Of Such A Thing!" Said Frank. "You Got On His Horse

And Rode Away,  Leaving Him Standing On The Outside Of The Cover."

"Yes," Shouted Mike,  Delighted With His Exploit; "I Felt I Must Go

After The Hounds."

"Yes,  But To Go Away With The Man's Horse!"

"My Dear Fellow,  Why Not? Those Are The Things That Other Fellows

Think Of Doing But Don't Do. An Excitement Like That Is Worth

Anything."

While Waiting For Lily's Answer,  Mike Finished The Last Chapter Of

His Book,  And Handed The Manuscript To Frank. Between The Sentences

He Had Speculated On The State Of Soul His Letter Would Produce In

Her,  And Had Imagined Various Answers. "Darling,  How Good Of You! I

Did Not Know You Loved Me So Well." She Would Write,  "Your Letter

Surprised Me,  But Then You Always Surprise Me. I Can Promise You

Nothing; But You May Come And See Me Next Thursday." She Would Write

At Once,  Of That There Could Be No Doubt; Such Letters Were Always

Answered At Once. He Watched The Postman And The Clock; Every Double

Knock Made Tumult In His Heart; And In His Stimulated Perceptions He

Saw The Well-Remembered Writing As If It Lay Under His Eyes. And The

Many Communications Hledge. Be Ablaze As The Fire,  That Ye May Burn Away

The Veils Of Heedlessness And Set Aglow,  Through The Quickening Energies

Of The Love Of God,  The Chilled And Wayward Heart. Be Light And

Untrammeled As The Breeze,  That Ye May Obtain Admittance Into The

Precincts Of My Court,  My Inviolable Sanctuary.

Cliii: O Banished And Faithful Friend! Quench The...

O Banished And Faithful Friend! Quench The Thirst Of Heedlessness With The

Sanctified Waters Of My Grace,  And Chase The Gloom Of Remoteness Through

The Morning-Light Of My Divine Presence. Suffer Not The Habitation Wherein

Dwelleth My Undying Love For Thee To Be Destroyed Through The Tyranny Of

Covetous Desires,  And Overcloud Not The Beauty Of The Heavenly Youth With

The Dust Of Self And Passion. Clothe Thyself With The Essence Of

Righteousness,  And Let Thine Heart Be Afraid Of None Except God. Obstruct

Not The Luminous Spring Of Thy Soul With The Thorns And Brambles Of Vain

And Inordinate Affections,  And Impede Not The Flow Of The Living Waters

That Stream From The Fountain Of Thine Heart. Set All Thy Hope In God,  And

Cleave Tenaciously To His Unfailing Mercy. Who Else But Him Can Enrich The

Destitute,  And Deliver The Fallen From His Abasement?

O My Servants! Were Ye To Discover The Hidden,  The Shoreless Oceans Of My

Incorruptible Wealth,  Ye Would,  Of A Certainty,  Esteem As Nothing The

World,  Nay,  The Entire Creation. Let The Flame Of Search Burn With Such

Fierceness Within Your Hearts As To Enable You To Attain Your Supreme And

Most Exalted Goal--The Station At Which Ye Can Draw Nigh Unto,  And Be

United With,  Your Best-Beloved....

O My Servants! Let Not Your Vain Hopes And Idle Fancies Sap The

Foundations Of Your Belief In The All-Glorious God,  Inasmuch As Such

Imaginings Have Been Wholly Unprofitable Unto Men,  And Failed To Direct

Their Steps Unto The Straight Path. Think Ye,  O My Servants,  That The Hand

Of My All-Encompassing,  My Overshadowing,  And Transcendent Sovereignty Is

Chained Up,  That The Flow Of Mine Ancient,  My Ceaseless,  And All-Pervasive

Mercy Is Checked,  Or That The Clouds Of My Sublime And Unsurpassed Favors

Have Ceased To Rain Their Gifts Upon Men? Can Ye Imagine That The Wondrous

Works That Have Proclaimed My Divine And Resistless Power Are Withdrawn,

Or That The Potency Of My Will And Purpose Hath Been Deterred From

Directing The Destinies Of Mankind? If It Be Not So,  Wherefore,  Then,  Have

Ye Striven To Prevent The Deathless Beauty Of My Sacred And Gracious

Countenance From Being Unveiled To Men's Eyes? Why Have Ye Struggled To

Hinder The Manifestation Of The Almighty And All-Glorious Being From

Shedding The Radiance Of His Revelation Upon The Earth? Were Ye To Be Fair

In Your Judgment,  Ye Would Readily Recognize How The Realities Of All

Created Things Are Inebriated With The Joy Of This New And Wondrous

Revelation,  How All The Atoms Of The Earth Have Been Illuminated Through

The Brightness Of Its Glory. Vain And Wretched Is That Which Ye Have

Imagined And Still Imagine!

Retrace Your Steps,  O My Servants,  And Incline Your Hearts To Him Who Is

The Source Of Your Creation. Deliver Yourselves From Your Evil And Corrupt

Affections,  And Hasten To Embrace The Light Of The Undying Fire That

Gloweth On The Sinai Of This Mysterious And Transcendent Revelation.

Corrupt Not The Holy,  The All-Embracing,  And Primal Word Of God,  And Seek

Not To Profane Its Sanctity Or To Debase Its Exalted Character. O Heedless

Ones! Though The Wonders Of My Mercy Have Encompassed All Created Things,

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