Page:A Christmas Faggot (1884, Gurney).djvu/92

 in the exercise of a prophetical gift, he speaks of Christ as Prayer.

It is needless to add that the sanctuary of the Eucharist is the school in which this truth is most eloquently taught and effectually learnt.

The following interpretation, which accompanied the poem on its first appearance, is retained for the sake of those who then welcomed it: —

Those who sing songs to children no less than they who tell them stories must be prepared for many questions, some of them difficult to answer. The two questions which recur most frequently are (1) 'Is it true?’ and (2) 'What does it mean?’

Questioned as to my little poem, I reply to the first question without hesitation,—'Yes, it is all true.’ But the second question is more difficult to deal with. If, however, an answer is insisted on, something like this is what I must say: —

God’s story has no end; it is more wonderful than anything