Observations placeholder
Bailey, Philip James - from Festus I - On science
Identifier
018509
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
A description of the experience
God. What wouldst thou, Lucifer?
Lucifer. The world--apple
Shows dead ripe. It wants plucking. Touch it thou,
Or I, and lo! the poor perfection falls.
God. What may to thee seem perfect, here in heaven
Far other showeth.
Lucifer. Man through ignorance, first,
And need of knowing, fell. Now, grown so 'clever',
He thinks he lacketh nothing; no, not God.
Science so self--sufficient shows, she makes
Each day such vast advances through the world
Inly and outwardly, that even now she aims
Thee to dethrone; and miracles all disproven
As fabulous breaches of eternal law,
Not now nor ever possible, men to teach
Her own more marvellous worship, and thenceforth
Herself aye deify.
God. All things to know
Subordinate even to law, precludes not faith
Towards one who every law first made, first willed.
Lucifer. Faith I have missed from earth this many an age.
Faith! Is she here?
God. Faith is both there and here;
Participant of divine ubiquity.
Thy knowledge is defective. Still on earth
Are those who, knowing most, the most believe.