Abashed, rebuked, the youth in silence stood, Musing; but what he mused divining, Paul, With gently reassuring speech resumed, Soon to the things unspoken in the heart Of Stephen spoke and said: "Abidest still Unsatisfied that anything from God, Though even through man, should less than perfect be, Or anywise other than incapable, Than utterly intolerant, of abuse To purposes profane? Consider this-- And lay thy hand upon thy mouth, nay, put Thou mouth into the dust, before the Lord-- That God Most High hath willed it thus to be, That thus Christ found it and pronounced it good. Who are we, Stephen, to be more wise than God, Who, to be holier than His Holy Son?"
"Amen! Amen! I needs must say, Amen!" In anguish of bewilderment the youth Cried out, almost with sobs of passionate Submission, from rebellion passionate Hardly to be distinguished; "yea, to God From man, ever amen, only amen, No other answer possible to Him!-- Who is the potter, in Whose hands the clay Are we, helpless and choiceless, to be formed And fashioned into vessels at His will!"
"Helpless, yea, Stephen," Paul said, "but choiceness not; We choose, nay, even, we cannot choose but choose-- The choice our freedom, our necessity: Free how to choose, we are to choose compelled. We choose with God, or else against Him choose. Which wilt thou, Stephen? Thou! With Him or against?"
A struggle of submission shuddered down To quiet in the bosom of the youth-- Strange contrast to the unperturbed repose, With rapture, of obedience, that meantime, And ever, safe within the heart of Paul Breathed as might breathe an infant folded fast To slumber in its mother's cradling arms! So had Paul learned to let the peace of Christ Rule in his heart, a fixed perpetual calm, Like the deep sleep of ocean at his core Of waters underneath the planes of storm. And Stephen answered: "Oh, with God, with God! And blesséd be His name that thus I choose!" "Yea, verily," Paul said, "for He sole it is Who worketh in us, both to will and work For the good pleasure of His holy will. As thou this fashion of obedience Obediently acceptest at His gift, So growest thou faithful mirror to reflect Clear to thyself, and just, the thought of God. Thus thou mayst hope to learn somewhat of true, Of high and deep and broad, concerning Him, Him and His ways inscrutable with us-- Of thy self emptied, for more room to be From God henceforth with all His fulness filled!