In the closing hours of a long day I climbed a rugged path to a high
eminence whence I overlooked a beautiful valley and watched, with
increasing delight, the changing hues of earth and sky.

As the shadows of twilight were deepening each moment grew more strange
and mysterious until the waning day seemed to be transformed into the
dying of the century. Then I saw, as "through a glass darkly," the
whole panorama of human life, with its painful pictures of sadness and
sin, and its blessed scenes of peace and righteousness. I also heard
the unmistakable wails of a suffering humanity and the turmoils of
myriad contentions, all strangely mingling with the songs of glory and
the shouts of spiritual triumph.

In deep silence I continued looking upon these endless confusions of
the church and the world as they still played their perplexing parts
in the fitful drama before me. All of this so preyed upon my mind that
I involuntarily cried out, in the anguish of my soul: "When will
confusion come to an end, and sweet peace cover the earth as the waters
cover the sea?"

"Will you wait for the winds to answer, or shall I?" replied a voice
so passing strange that I was startled.

I turned to see in whose presence I was and, to my horror, I beheld
a dark creature unlike any mortal being. He was without definite form
and not cumbered with any garments. His indescribable face was set
with two bright eyes, softened in expression until a slight halo
revealed to me a countenance half beautiful and half terrible. "Who