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Text extracted from opening pages of book: HE THAT COMETH A Sequel fo Teil John' bsing further essays on the Afgsftige of Jesus and Present Day Religion By GEOFFREY ALLEN FELLOW AND CHAPLAIN OF LINCOLN COLLEGE, OXMHtD Uto THE MACMILLAN COMPANY 1933 PREFACE IN a moment which we know not God reveals His Grace. . . . Where the way is prepared there will then come in an hour which we know not, and in a way which we cannot foretell, the baptism with the Holy Spirit of God. 5 Thus I wrote in Tell John, and the words were prophetic. They had the inevitable obscurity which belongs to the prophet, called to look and to point others forward toward a reality not yet clearly seen. As some of the critics discerned. Tell John was written in the spirit of the Baptist, and writ ten to call others to the Baptist's mood of penitent expectancy. Now it is possible for me to reaffirm its message by bearing witness that my hope is fulfilled. Where the way has been prepared, the living Christ does come, bringing forgiveness and liberation and the gift of His Spirit of joy and love. * John did no miracle; but all things that John spake of This Man were true. 5 PREFACE The coining of the Christ has meant, as always, that the writer was called out of a lonely individualism, into a deep fellowship of common need and common obedience with other disciples of the Christ. Much that follows has been learnt in fellowship with other disciples in the Oxford Group Move ment. My gratitude is due, where they would have it due, to the Christ who is using them to proclaim in these days His life changing love; as a mark of gratitude, the usual author's royalties for this book will be given to their work of Christianevangelism. GEOFFREY ALLEN. CONTENTS PACB I THE GUEST - 3 II A HOST 21 III As BABES - 4.7 IV STEWARDS - - - - - 71 V UNDER ORDERS - 95 VI THE GREAT ILLUSION - - - 117 VII SYMPTOM AND Snsr - 141 VIII THE SWORD OF LOVE - - 167 IX THE CHURCH - - - 189 I THE GUEST John said, * He that cometh after me is mightier than I 9 whose shoes I am not worthy to bear; he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost. 9 6 Behold I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice., and open the door, I will come in to him. 9 4 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers; for thereby some have entertained angels unawares* CHAPTER I THE GUEST WHEN first he came to the threshold of my soul I know not. This at least I know, that as I went to open the door it dawned on my dull mind that his knocking had been going on for some time, and that I had half heard it without heeding it. For all I know, he may have called often before and failed to make me hear. The first time he came, I asked him to come into my front room, and there sought to entertain him. My words came haltingly, for somehow I felt myself strangely diffident in his presence. Perhaps through nervous ness, I spoke much and let him speak little. Nevertheless the courtesy of his silence impressed me with the strange charm of his character; and I resolved to ask him to stay longer, if ever he should call again. 3 HE THAT COMETH Life after all was lonely, and any guest was welcome. The house wherein I dwelt was large and gaunt and bleak, and I lived there alone. I had inherited a spacious mansion, but it had proved far too large for me to manage its maintenance. Gradu ally whole wings of it had fallen into disuse, so that there were rooms which I had longsince ceased to enter, and rooms of whose very existence I had well-nigh forgotten. Some of the rooms seemed haunted, with their broken panes and rattling shutters, and I visited them from time to time, drawn by a fear which attracted while it repelled. Near the front where I dwelt there were rooms, gaunt and bare, into which I seldom went. The windows were closed and the doors locked; and on the rare occasions when I entered there struck my face the smell of dampness, and of paper rotted and moulder ing. It was sad; but I could not manage all, and I had gradually