Then John saw the river； and the multitude was there。 And now they had undergone achange； their robes were ragged； and stained with the road they had traveled； and stained withunholy blood； the robes of some barely covered their nakedness； and some indeed were naked。
And some stumbled on the smooth stones at the river’s edge； for they were blind； and somecrawled with a terrible wailing； for they were lame； some did not cease to pluck at their flesh；which was rotten with running sores。 All struggled to get to the river； in a dreadful hardness ofheart： the strong struck down the weak； the ragged spat on the naked； the naked cursed the blind；the blind crawled over the lame。 And someone cried： ‘Sinner； do you love my Lord？’
Then John saw the Lord—for a moment only； and the darkness； for a moment only； wasfilled with a light he could not bear。 Then； in a moment； he was set free； his tears sprang as from afountain； his heart； like a fountain of waters； burst。 Then he cried： ‘Oh； blessed Jesus！ Oh； LordJesus！ Take me through！’
Of tears there was； yes； a very fountain—springing from a depth never sounded before；from depths John had not known were in him。 And he wanted to rise up； singing； singing in thatgreat morning； the morning of his new life。 Ah； how his tears ran down； how they blessed his soul！
—as he felt himself； out of the darkness； and the fire； and the terrors of death； rising upward tomeet the saints ‘Oh； yes！’ cried the voice of Elisha。 ‘Bless our God for ever！’
And a sweetness filled John as he heard this voice； and heard the sound of singing： thesinging was for him。 For his drifting soul was anchored in the love of God； in the rock that enduredfor ever。 The light and the darkness had kissed each other； and were married now； for ever； in thelife and the vision of John’s soul。
I； John； saw a city； way in the middle of the air；Waiting； waiting； waiting up there。
He opened his eyes on the morning； and found them； in the light of the morning； rejoicingfor him。 The trembling he had known in darkness had been the echo of their joyful feet—thesefeet； bloodstained for ever； and washed in many rivers—they moved on the bloody road for ever；with no continuing city； but seeking one to e： a city out of time； not made with hands； buteternal in the heavens。 No power could hold this army back； no water disperse them； no fireconsume them。 One day they would pel the earth to heave upward； and surrender the waitingdead。 They sang； where the darkness gathered； where the lion waited； where the fire cried； andwhere blood ran down：
My soul； don’t you be uneasy！
They wandered in the valley for ever； and they smote the rock； for ever； and the waterssprang； perpetually； in the perpetual desert。 They cried unto the Lord for ever； and lifted up theireyes for ever； they were cast down for ever； and He lifted them up for ever。 No； the fire could nothurt them； and yes； the lion’s jaws were stopped； the serpent was not their master； the grave wasnot their resting…place； the earth was not their home。 Job bore them witness； and Abraham wastheir father； Moses had elected to suffer with them rather that glory in sin for a season。 Shadrach；Meshach； and Abednego had gone before them into the fire； their grief had been sung by David；and Jeremiah had wept for them。 Ezekiel had prophesied upon them； these scattered bones； theseslain； and； in the fullness of time； the prophet； John； had e out of the wilderness； crying that thepromise was for them。 They were enpassed with a very cloud of witnesses： Judas； who hadbetrayed the Lord； Thomas； who had doubted Him； Peter； who had trembled at the crowing of acock； Stephen； who had been stoned； Paul； who had been bound； the blind man crying in the dustyroad； the dead man rising from the grave。 And they looked unto Jesus； the author and the finisherof their faith； running with patience the race He had set before them； they endured the cross； andthey despised the shame； and waited to join Him； one day； in glory； at the right hand of the Father。
My soul！ don’t you be uneasy！
Jesus going to make up my dying bed！
‘Rise up； rise up； Brother Johnny； and talk about the Lord’s deliverance。’
It was Elisha who had spoken； he stood just above John； smiling； and behind him were thesaints—Praying Mother Washington； and Sister McCandless； and Sister Price。 Behind these； hesaw his mother； and his aunt； his father； for the moment； was hidden from his view。
‘Amen！’ cried Sister McCandless； ‘rise up； and praise the Lord！’
He tried to speak； and could not； for the joy that rang in him this morning。 He smiled up toElisha； and his tears ran down； and Sister McCandless began to sing：
‘Lord； I ain’tNo stranger now！
‘Rise up； Johnny；’ said Elisha； again。 ‘Are you saved； boy？’
‘Yes；’ said John； ‘oh； yes！’ And the words came upward； it seemed； of themselves； in thenew voice God had given him。 Elisha stretched out his hand； and John took the hand； and stood—so suddenly； and so strangely； and with such wonder！—once more on his feet。
‘Lord； I ain’tNo stranger now！’
Yes； the night had passed； the powers of darkness had been beaten back。 He moved amongthe saints； he； John； who had e home； who was one of their pany now； weeping； he yetcould find no words to speak of his great gladness； and he scarcely knew how he moved； for hishands were new； and his feet were new； and he moved in a new and Heaven…bright air。 PrayingMother Washington took him in her arms； and kissed him； and their tears； his tears and the tears ofthe old； black woman； mingled。
‘God bless you； son。 Run on； honey； and don’t get weary！’
‘Lord； I been introduced；To the Father and the Son；And I ain’tNo stranger now！’
Yes； as he moved among them； their hands touching； and tears falling； and the music rising—as though he moved down a great hall； full of a splendid pany—something began to knockin that listening； astonished； newborn； and fragile heart of his； something recalling the terrors ofthe night； which were not finished； his heart seemed to say； which； in this pany； were now tobegin。 And； while his heart was speaking； he found himself before his mother。 Her face was full oftears； and for a long while they looked at each other； saying nothing。 And once again； he tried toread the mystery of that face—which； as it had never before been so bright and pained with love；had never seemed before so far from him； so wholly in munion with a life beyond his life。 He wanted to fort her； but the night had given him no language； no second sight； no power to seeinto the heart of any other。 He knew only—and now； looking at his mother； he knew that he couldnever tell it—that the heart was a fearful place。 She kissed him； and she said： ‘I’m mighty proud；Johnny。 You keep the faith。 I’m going to be praying for you till the Lord puts me in my grave。’
Then he stood before his father。 In the moment that he forced himself to raise his eyes andlook into his father’s face； he felt in himself a stiffening； and a panic and a blind rebellion； and ahope for peace。 The tears still on his face； and smiling still； he said： ‘Praise the Lord。’
‘Praise the Lord；’ said his father。 He did not move to touch him； did not kiss him； did notsmile。 They stood before each other in silence； while the saints rejoiced； and John struggled tospeak the authoritative； the living word that would conquer the great division between his fatherand himself。 But it did not e； the living word； in the silence something died in John； andsomething came alive。 It came to him that he must testify： his tongue only could bear witness tothe wonders he had seen。 And he remembered； suddenly； the text of a sermon he had once heardhis father preach。 And he opened his mouth； feeling； as he watched his father； the darkness roarbehind him； and the very earth beneath him seem to shake； yet he gave to his father their montestimony。 ‘I’m saved；’ he said； ‘and I know I’m saved。’ And then； as his father did not speak； herepeated his father’s text： ‘My witness is in Heaven and my record is on high。’
‘It e from your mouth；’ said his father then。 ‘I want to see you live it。 It’s more than anotion；’
‘I’m going to pray God；’ said John—and his voice shook； whether with joy or grief hecould not say—‘to keep me； and make me strong … to stand … to stand against the enemy … andagainst everything and everybody … that wants to cut down my soul。’
Then his tears came down again； like a wall between him and his father。 His Aunt Florencecame and took him in her arms。 Her eyes were dry； and her face was old in the savage； morninglight。 But her voice； when she spoke； was gentler that he had ever known it to be before。
‘You fight the good fight；’ she said； ‘you hear？ Don’t you get weary； and don’t you getscared。 Because I know the Lord’s done laid His hands on you。’
‘Yes；’ he said； weeping； ‘yes。 I’m going to serve the Lord。’
‘Amen！’ cried Elisha。 ‘Bless our God！’
The filthy streets rang with the early…morning light as they came out of the temple。
They were all there； save young Ella Mae； who had departed while John was still on th