<h2><SPAN name="page44"></SPAN><span class="pagenum"></span>COMPASSION</h2>
<p class="poetry"><span class="smcap">He</span> was a failure,
and one day he died.<br/>
Across the border of the mapless land<br/>
He found himself among a sad-eyed band<br/>
Of disappointed souls; they, too, had tried<br/>
And missed their purpose. With one voice they cried<br/>
Unto the shining Angel in command:<br/>
‘Oh, lead us not before our Lord to stand,<br/>
For we are failures, failures! Let us hide.’</p>
<p class="poetry">Yet on the Angel fared, until they stood<br/>
Before the Master. (Even His holy place<br/>
The hideous noises of the earth assailed.)<br/>
Christ reached His arms out to the trembling brood,<br/>
With God’s vast sorrow in His listening
face.<br/>
Come unto Me,’ He said; ‘I, too, have
failed.’</p>
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