To be near unto God - pagina 54

There

is language in nature and in the animal But human language is altogether different and far richer, even though no word is spoken.

world.

The countenance facial expression,

speaks; it speaks through the but particularly through and by

Through the eye, as a window of the body, we look into a man's soul. And through the eye he steps forth from his soul to look upon, examine and address us. Compared with the face the rest of the body is dumb and inanimate. Charms, indeed, are also effected by the hand. In Southern lands it is customary to accompany and emphasize every word with gesticulations. In moments of great excitement the whole body forsooth is tense and expressive of emotion. Ail this, however, does not deny that the farther one advances in culture and self-control, the more calm and composed the rest of the body remains in order that the face may speak. For thereby the expression of the countenance becomes far nobler and much finer, A rough fellow in the street speaks with both hands and feet. A king from his throne speaks with his look and majesty the eye.

of face.

From this it necessarily followed that in our speech regarding our relation to God, "the face of God" appeared in the foreground, and that distinctions were made in that face between what proceeded out of his mouth, what was expressed by his eyes, and what breathes in anger from his nose. In the nobler sense we disclose ourselves by meeting each other face to face. Hence of human fellowship with God it could not be said otherwise than that the highest form of it is to meet God face to

face.

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