Page:The New Penelope.djvu/293

Rh 'Tis for this that we seek the all-loving,

Whose nature is justice and pity;

And we'll find Him, wherever he's roving,

In country, in town, or in city.

He must show us his justice, who made us;

He must place sin where sin was conceived;

We must know if man's God will upbraid us

Because we both loved and believed.

We must know if man's riches and power,

His titles, crowns, sceptres and ermine,

Weigh with God against womanhood's dower,

Or whether man's guilt they determine.

It would seem that man's God should restrain him,

Or else should avenge our dishonor:

Shall the cries of the hopeless not pain him,

Or shall woman take all guilt upon her?

Let us challenge the maker that made us;

Let us cry to Christ, son of a woman;

We shall learn if, when man has betrayed us,

Heaven's justice accords with the human.

We must know if because we were lowly,

And kept in the place man assigned us,

He could seek us with passions unholy

And be free, while his penalties bind us.

We would ask if his gold buys exemption,

Or whether his manhood acquits him;

How it is that we scarce find redemption

For sins less than his self-law permits him.

Do we dare the Almighty to question?

Shall the clay to the potter appeal?

To whom else shall we go with suggestion?

Shall the vase not complain to the wheel?

God answered Job out of the groaning