every year than education and religion; all hope for the poor seemed
gone and lost, and they were ready to believe the men who tell them
that the land is over-peopled--that there are too many of us, too
many industrious hands, too many cunning brains, too many immortal
souls, too many of God's children upon God's earth, which God the
Father made, and God the Son redeemed, and God the Holy Spirit
teaches: then the Lord, the Prince of sufferers, He who knows your
every grief, and weeps with you tear for tear, He would come out of
His place to smite the haughty ones, and confound the cunning ones,
and silence the loud ones, and empty the full ones; to judge with
righteousness for the meek of the earth, to hearken to the prayer of
the poor, whose heart he has been preparing, and to help the
fatherless and needy to their right, that the man of the world may be
no more exalted against them.

In that day men will find out a wonder and miracle. They will see
many that are first last, and many that are last first. They will
find that there were poor who were the richest after all; the simple
who were wisest, and gentle who were bravest, and weak who were
strongest; that God's ways are not as men's ways, nor God's thoughts
as men's thoughts. Alas, who shall stand when God does this? At
least He who will do it is Jesus, who loved us to the death;
boundless love and gentleness, boundless generosity and pity; who was
tempted even as we are, who has felt our every weakness. In that
thought is utter comfort, that our Judge will be He who died and rose
again, and is praying for us even now, to His Father and our Father.
Therefore fear not, gentle souls, patient souls, pure consciences and
tender hearts. Fear not, you who are empty and hungry, who walk in
darkness and see no light; for though He fulfil once more, as He has
again and again, the awful prophecy before the text; though He tread