Page:Lazarus, a tale of the world's great miracle.djvu/234

222 all life for that,' the Spirit of Truth replied reproachfully. 'Now it is too late. Thou canst not do it till thou goest back to earth.' Then, thinking of the years I had misspent, how the Lord had bid me leave all and follow Him, I wept. But the Spirit of Truth consoled me. 'Weep not,' he said, 'for thou canst pray. This is denied to no one but Satan; he may not pray; oft great troubles, great adversities, and terrors come upon him and he fain would cry out to the Lord; but he knoweth that God heareth him not, and that prayer from him availeth nothing.'

"So then I knelt like a little child and prayed there where I stood, and, while I prayed, others too came round me and prayed also; and the sound of our voices rose like music on the air, and it was as if angels' voices, too, joined in with us and sang: 'Tell it to the Lord, tell it to the Lord!'

"And the Spirit of Truth prayed too; and, when we had all risen, he said to me: 'Prayer is the key to heaven, for with prayer there cometh faith, and faith leadeth on to heaven. Remember that when thou comest again on earth, and cease not to pray.'

"And I bowed my head, for I seemed not as a ruler; but the spirit of a little child had come upon me."