THE LAMB OF THE PASSOVER 73 



And just as the Scapegoat stands symbol for the excess 

 of sin which somehow, somewhere must be borne away by 

 some living creature and hidden, so the Lamb without 

 blemish or spot represents the innocence which, though 

 man himself has it not, must yet be offered up upon the 

 altar to be seen, and known, and taken into account. 



Now, whether we accept this instinct for blood-sacrifice 

 as part of the divine order in man or not, whether we trace 

 it through all Time, all religions, or simply acknowledge it 

 in our own, it is impossible not to feel a pitiful awe in the 

 thought of the beasts that have perished to buy us peace of 

 mind. 



Whether needfully or needlessly matters not at all. 

 The fact remains that man has climbed from earth to 

 heaven by a ladder whose rungs are the bleeding throats of 

 those who have died to bring him a step nearer to his God ; 

 who have died to make our spiritual life possible. 



Even to this world what happiness has not their death 

 brought ? 



Relief instead of remorse, confidence instead of fear, 

 hope instead of despair ; for the whole aspect of life changes 

 when, instead of a wrathful Avenger, an appeased well-wisher 

 holds the reins of fate. 



And though man has risen beyond the belief that he 

 could bribe or hoodwink his Creator into passing him over, 

 instead of singling him out for spite or justice, he has not 

 yet set himself free from the conception of a God whose 

 nature can be changed. So blood, or the thought of it, still 

 comforts the many. 



Truly words fail us before the sober realisation of what 

 man's conscience owes to his fellow mortals. 



