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'Not at all；' I returned。 'I was only thinking how to answer you。
They would be no worse after all than those who inherit property
and lead idle lives。'
'True； but they would be no better。 Would you be content that your
quondam poor should be no better off than the rich？ What would be
gained thereby？ Is there no truth in the words 〃Blessed are the
poor〃？ A deeper truth than most Christians dare to see。Did you
ever observe that there is not one word about the vices of the poor
in the Biblefrom beginning to end？'
'But they have their vices。'
'Indubitably。 I am only stating a fact。 The Bible is full enough
of the vices of the rich。 I make no comment。'
'But don't you care for their sufferings？'
'They are of secondary importance quite。 But if you had been as
much amongst them as I； perhaps you would be of my opinion； that the
poor are not； cannot possibly feel so wretched as they seem to us。
They live in a climate； as it were； which is their own； by natural
law comply with it； and find it not altogether unfriendly。 The
Laplander will prefer his wastes to the rich fields of England； not
merely from ignorance； but for the sake of certain blessings amongst
which he has been born and brought up。 The blessedness of life
depends far more on its interest than upon its comfort。 The need of
exertion and the doubt of success； renders life much more
interesting to the poor than it is to those who； unblessed with
anxiety for the bread that perisheth； waste their poor hearts about
rank and reputation。'
'I thought such anxiety was represented as an evil in the New
Testament。'
'Yes。 But it is a still greater evil to lose it in any other way
than by faith in God。 You would remove the anxiety by destroying its
cause： God would remove it by lifting them above it； by teaching
them to trust in him； and thus making them partakers of the divine
nature。 Poverty is a blessing when it makes a man look up。'
'But you cannot say it does so always。'
'I cannot determine when； where； and how much； but I am sure it
does。 And I am confident that to free those hearts from it by any
deed of yours would be to do them the greatest injury you could。
Probably their want of foresight would prove the natural remedy；
speedily reducing them to their former conditionnot however
without serious loss。'
'But will not this theory prove at last an an？sthetic rather than an
anodyne？ I mean that； although you may adopt it at first for refuge
from the misery the sight of their condition occasions you； there is
surely a danger of its rendering you at last indifferent to it。'
'Am I indifferent？ But you do not know me yet。 Pardon my egotism。
There may be such danger。 Every truth has its own danger or
shadow。 Assuredly I would have no less labour spent upon them。 But
there can be no true labour done； save in as far as we are
fellow…labourers with God。 We must work with him； not against him。
Every one who works without believing that God is doing the best；
the absolute good for them； is； must be； more or less； thwarting
God。 He would take the poor out of God's hands。 For others； as for
ourselves； we must trust him。 If we could thoroughly understand
anything； that would be enough to prove it undivine； and that which
is but one step beyond our understanding must be in some of its
relations as mysterious as if it were a hundred。 But through all
this darkness about the poor； at least I can see wonderful veins and
fields of light； and with the help of this partial vision； I trust
for the rest。 The only and the greatest thing man is capable of is
Trust in God。'
'What then is a man to do for the poor？ How is he to work with
God？' I asked。
'He must be a man amongst thema man breathing the air of a higher
life； and therefore in all natural ways fulfilling his endless human
relations to them。 Whatever you do for them； let your own being；
that is you in relation to them； be the background； that so you may
be a link between them and God； or rather I should say； between them
and the knowledge of God。'
While Falconer spoke； his face grew grander and grander； till at
last it absolutely shone。 I felt that I walked with a man whose
faith was his genius。
'Of one thing I am pretty sure；' he resumed； 'that the same recipe
Goethe gave for the enjoyment of life； applies equally to all work：
〃Do the thing that lies next you。〃 That is all our business。
Hurried results are worse than none。 We must force nothing； but be
partakers of the divine patience。 How long it took to make the
cradle！ and we fret that the baby Humanity is not reading Euclid and
Plato； even that it is not understanding the Gospel of St。 John！ If
there is one thing evident in the world's history； it is that God
hasteneth not。 All haste implies weakness。 Time is as cheap as
space and matter。 What they call the church militant is only at
drill yet； and a good many of the officers too not out of the
awkward squad。 I am sure I； for a private； am not。 In the drill a
man has to conquer himself； and move with the rest by individual
attention to his own duty： to what mighty battlefields the recruit
may yet be led； he does not know。 Meantime he has nearly enough to
do with his goose…step； while there is plenty of single combat；
skirmish； and light cavalry work generally； to get him ready for
whatever is to follow。 I beg your pardon： I am preaching。'
'Eloquently；' I answered。
Of some of the places into which Falconer led me that night I will
attempt no descriptionplaces blazing with lights and mirrors；
crowded with dancers； billowing with music； close and hot； and full
of the saddest of all sights； the uninteresting faces of commonplace
women。
'There is a passion；' I said； as we came out of one of these
dreadful places； 'that lingers about the heart like the odour of
violets； like a glimmering twilight on the borders of moonrise； and
there is a passion that wraps itself in the vapours of patchouli and
coffins； and streams from the eyes like gaslight from a tavern。 And
yet the line is ill to draw between them。 It is very dreadful。
These are women。'
'They are in God's hands；' answered Falconer。 'He hasn't done with
them yet。 Shall it take less time to make a woman than to make a
world？ Is not the woman the greater？ She may have her ages of
chaos； her centuries of crawling slime； yet rise a woman at last。'
'How much alike all those women were！'
'A family likeness； alas！ which always strikes you first。'
'Some of them looked quite modest。'
'There are great differences。 I do not know anything more touching
than to see how a woman will sometimes wrap around her the last
remnants of a soiled and ragged modesty。 It has moved me almost to
tears to see such a one hanging her head in shame during the singing
of a detestable song。 That poor thing's shame was precious in the
eyes of the Master；