Chapters I, II. The Prologue. 43

underlies it is neither of the East nor of the West, but Lecture
world-wide. There are troubles in which we can best shew'^~~-i
our sympathy, best aid our friends, not by spoken words, but _,
by a silent sharing of their pain. We too can sometimes ,--'''
do little more than ' lift up our voices and weep ' and then sit "'
silent.
So far, my friends, we have studied word by word this
immortal story of sorrow and submission. We need not
wonder at the impression which it has made upon mankind.
Let us gather up, for one moment, the results to which it has
led us. Every word of the narrative after the first few verses
has tended in one direction, — to heighten the contrast, to widen
the gap, between Job's deserts, if I may use such a term, and
Job's destiny. The two were brought before us in the
opening verse of the first chapter as in entire and absolute
harmony; perfect human goodness was wedded to perfect
human happiness. But there came a moment, from which
they have parted company. At every step we have seen
them travel further apart, become more and more divergent.
