a whole that, changing ever, is yet eternally the same."

I bowed my head--I could not speak, for I was afraid.

"Faithfully hast thou served Me, O my son," went on the low sweet Voice;
"greatly thou hast longed to be brought face to face with Me here in
Amenti; and greatly hast thou dared to accomplish thy desire. For it is
no small thing to cast off the tabernacle of the Flesh and before the
appointed time, if only for an hour, put on the raiment of the Spirit.
And greatly, O my servant and my son, have I, too, desired to look on
thee there where I am. For the Gods love those who love them, but with a
wider and deeper love, and under One who is as far from Me as I am from
thee, mortal, I am a God of Gods. Therefore I have caused thee to be
brought hither, Harmachis; and therefore I speak to thee, my son, and
bid thee commune with Me now face to face, as thou didst commune that
night upon the temple towers of Abouthis. For I was there with thee,
Harmachis, as I was in ten thousand other worlds. It was I, O Harmachis,
who laid the lotus in thy hand, giving thee the sign which thou didst
seek. For thou art of the kingly blood of my children who served Me from
age to age. And if thou dost not fail thou shalt sit upon that kingly
throne and restore my ancient worship in its purity, and sweep my
temples from their defilements. But if thou dost fail, then shall the
eternal Spirit Isis become but a memory in Egypt."

The Voice paused; and, gathering up my strength, at length I spoke
aloud:

"Tell me, O Holy," I said, "shall I then fail?"

"Ask Me not," answered the Voice, "that which it is not lawful that I
should answer thee. Perchance I can read that which shall befall thee,
perchance it doth not please Me so to read. What can it profit the
Divine, that hath all time wherein to await the issues, to be eager to
look upon the blossom that is not blown, but which, lying a seed in the
bosom of the earth, shall blow in its season? Know, Harmachis, that I
do not shape the Future; the Future is to thee and not to Me; for it is
born of Law and of the rule ordained of the Invisible. Yet thou art free
to act therein, and thou shalt win or thou shalt fail according to thy
strength and the measure of thy heart's purity. Thine be the burden,
Harmachis, as thine in the event shall be the glory or the shame. Little
do I reck of the issue, I who am but the Minister of what is written.
Now hear me: I will always be with thee, my son,