seen what God is not. Show me God!” For he was not yet humble, and he called for God as rich men call for what they desire.

“Show you God? Where will you find Him but where you will not seek Him? Where will you seek Him but where God hides his face? Have you no money that you can buy the sight of God, nor power that can bring Him hither at your command?”

And the man knew that he was listening to the voice of one who knew deep things that he did not know.

“Tell me what I shall do to have the power that you speak of. To see the God that hides his face from me.”

“That,” answered the voice, “I will show unto you.”

And the rich man was taken with a great shaking as of one cold in his marrow, and no ground was under his feet, no light before his eyes. And all that he knew in that hour was that a hand of power of which there seemed no end was upon him, shaking him as the wind winnows out the chaff. And when he was set down again upon the earth, he looked at himself to see what was left of the man that had been he since his birth. But, behold, there was no man there at all, but a voice that cried, “I am all that liveth in thee. See thou Me.”

Then did the man see the voice put on a shape that was of a man; and as he looked, behold, he saw that the man was like unto himself.

“Receive thou Me,” spake the voice from out the form that was the man. “Receive thou Me. Deliver thyself into my keeping. Abandon thy treasures and find peace.”

But the rich man cried, “I shall never know peace until I find the God that hides His face from me. Show me that God.”

And the voice within laughed aloud with joy and cried, “Behold thy God.”

And the rich man was caught again by the great hand, but this time he was held and shaken not.