aass_y251M^3 
 
 COPYRIGHT DEPOSITS 
 
ARMAGEDDON 
 
 BY 
 
 l/aleptipe Brou/9 
 
 PORTLAND, OREGON 
 
 1902 
 
THE LIfeKARY *F 
 
 CGNGRESS, 
 Two CoHics Receiver 
 
 MAY. 10 t902 
 
 OnPVR»»MT cNTRY 
 ^. ^^» '*?<? ^ 
 
 CLASS C3>XXo, Ne. 
 COPY B. 
 
 COPYRIGHT, 1902, 
 
 BY 
 
 VALENTINE BROWN. 
 
DEDICATED TO 
 
 JANE, MY HEART'S OWN HOME, MY WIFE- 
 
PRKFACK. 
 
 PRBFACK. 
 
 A poem without a publisher is like a boat without 
 the water. Bach may have graceful lines, and be paint- 
 ed in pleasing colors, but they refuse to carry their build- 
 er to the haven where he would be; and the sea of liter- 
 ature is much like the briny deep, for on both are calms 
 and stornis, reefs and bars, and many books as well as 
 boats find their haven at the first ebbing tide. 
 
 All of my literary boats are on land, except a few, and 
 they are fast in the mud; those few were launched about 
 a year ago, but they had unskillful pilots, tattered sails, 
 and before they left the little bay by which I dwell the 
 wind died out, so they drifted on the quicksands of that 
 estuary called oblivion. 
 
 This book may have a like fate; however, it is figura- 
 tively built and launched by my own arm; that is, I 
 wrote it, set the type, and gathered together enough 
 money to have it bound. I have no favors to ask, and 
 no regrets to write; and while it does not appear that 
 champagne was spilled on its sides, or that admirers 
 cheered as it first kissed its element, it glitters in the rip- 
 ples of my little home, and like the boy who carefully 
 pushes his unpiloted play boat from the shore, so will 
 I give my book one push, and say adieu. 
 
 The writing of Armageddon has been a source of pleas- 
 ure to me, but placing it in type was decidedly tedious, 
 
PREFACE, 
 
 for my only time for my book work is after work hours, 
 and a tired brain sometimes has to be driven to perform 
 uncongenial labor. I realized, however, it was a case of 
 publication in this manner, or of permitting the book to 
 remain in manuscript indefinitely. I have never desired 
 present notoriety, for very few of my verses have been 
 sent to periodicals, and I do not expect immediate re- 
 cognition of Armageddon, though it pleases me more 
 than anything by me written. The pleasure I derive 
 from my writings is suflScient reward for the time and 
 labor spent; and my main reason for placing my latest 
 productions in type is that it is a more concise and con- 
 venient way of preserving them. 
 
 The writing of Armageddon has taken me nearly ev- 
 ery evening for a year; when a few pages were written, 
 I placed them in type, and then wrote a few more pa- 
 ges. I did not follow any draft, and did not know before 
 a page was written what it would contain. Of course, 
 sometimes an idea was before me, but the writing of a 
 few lines so often changed it entirely, that I simply 
 wrote, and let the substance mold itself as it would. This 
 is the way I write everything; it saves time and worry, 
 and spare time is valuable. I have shown portions of 
 Armageddon to some of my acquaintances, but none of 
 them seemed to care for it; for this reason I think the 
 poem good — not poetry of an accepted style, perhaps; 
 for I see in myself the processes of evolution to a newer 
 poetry, which at present with me is in the ideal. 
 
 When my first book was being placed in type I was 
 not without expectation of financial remuneration; but 
 theory has given place to reality, and none of this edi- 
 tion is for sale. If any one who happens to be freely 
 favored with a copy of Armageddon, wishes to read this 
 
introduction, and then glance over the poem, well and 
 good; if not— well and good. lyife is too real for me to 
 worry about such things, though I think that my best 
 work, perhaps, is finished. 
 
 Armageddon is not an attempt to promulgate a philos- 
 ophy or religion, though I have my own views on these 
 subjects, which are as different from accepted dogmas, as 
 my ideas of poetry differ from current magazine poetry. 
 Be it as it may, I believe that there is as much to be 
 written as is the difference between the mind of man 
 and the All Wise; and by some one, somewhere, some- 
 time, all this has been written over again; and it is the 
 poet's duty to look up and read, that he may re- write 
 what he has learned. 
 
 This does not imply inspiration as it is taught, but the 
 evolution of soul unto planes where we dimly see what 
 sometime we will see face to face. Armageddon states 
 some of the graduations in the scale of soul, and its 
 theme is the battle of free-will beings striving for mas- 
 tery of the universe. The part of man in this battle is 
 described. 
 
 VAIvKNTINB BROWN. 
 
 PORlM/AND, ORKGON, 1902. 
 
ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 PROBM. 
 
 When he, Omniscience, the Eternal Mind, 
 Creation planned, and from existent mass 
 Did mold dominions of his own, and place 
 His throne therein, loud rang the praise 
 Of all the hosts, co-workers with himself, 
 A glad acclaim to his Omnipotence. 
 Triumphant echoes caught the wondrous strain 
 Re-echoing on the spheres, and bore it on 
 O'er bright ethereal vales, o'er waste and gloom, 
 Unto the chaos of the unmade worlds; 
 But, of that mighty host, with jealous gaze 
 Did some behold that majesty, and feel 
 Deep in their beings an intense resolve 
 To reign co-equal with their Iviege, or fall. 
 Antagonists of Light, untiring ones, 
 With all their cohorts into Chaos hurled, 
 Plan rapine on the Heavenly state, and wait 
 Impatient for the hour. In this, man's sphere. 
 And in the worlds less firmly held by God, 
 Dark henchmen of their will with sleepless zeal 
 A propaganda make, and every hour 
 
ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 Finds legions new in Hades, or in Hell ; 
 But, versus them, the Christ, no less alert 
 To well defend possessions conquest-gained, 
 Enlists in Books of Life his volunteers 
 Co-equal with the saints in battle tried, 
 While on the battlements of Heaven he holds 
 Reserved the hosts of Light. The Time and Times 
 Reel from the sun which speeds its onward course. 
 Until a sign provokes the Prince of Night, 
 And fiery tumult sweeps the Earth aside. 
 Of this, and else, my theme, relate, my soul. 
 And bid my hand no simple volume write. 
 Before thy mortal robe is changed, and thou 
 Dost hear the trump and in thy portion stand. 
 
ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 PART THE FIRST. 
 
 CONSPKCTUS. 
 
 The chant of the blessed In Heaven is wafted through the 
 skies, and caught up by the spheres. The chant is stilled by 
 the thunderings of the gates of Perdition, but is heard by 
 Beelzebub, the monarch of the First Kingdom of Perdition, 
 who is standing on Perdition's outmost battlements. He is 
 smitten by the chant, but, aroused by Perdition's capture of 
 a planetoid, he plunges from the height to battle with the 
 maddened elements, then sweeps around the outposts and 
 enters a gate of Perdition. Beelzebub is boldly resisted by 
 the portal guards, but on making himself known, receives 
 the laudation of the Legion. 
 
 He, the Eternal, Good of very Good, 
 
 Light of very Ivight, gazed on the waters ; 
 
 Ivike the moon on the ocean the waters 
 
 Shone with his splendor, 
 
 Like the sun in the heavens the blue deep 
 
 Glowed with his presence ; 
 
 The vv^alls of his citadels rose in minarets glorious, 
 
 And the battlements drank of his brightness, 
 
 As a mountain drinks of the morning. 
 
 A shout awoke, for the host of the blessed 
 Sang their laudation ; 
 
ARMAGKDDOISr. 
 
 The praises rose, and the heavens awakened, 
 
 Rang with rejoicing ; 
 
 For the spheres caught the anthems of Heaven, 
 
 And ethereal vales echoed with paeans 
 
 Rolling away — sounding forever — 
 
 Beating on walls of the Eons. 
 
 " Hail thee ! hail thee ! Light of very Light ! 
 
 Thou wilt penetrate the darkness ; 
 
 From the walls of the midnight thou buildest thy 
 
 dominions, 
 And thy glory will light the inhabitants ; 
 Thy right hand will hold the foundation, 
 And thy left hand will balance the minarets — 
 Ever, forever — falling not — crumbling not. 
 Thy kingdom is the universe, aud thy people will 
 
 praise thee — 
 Will hail thee Omnipotent." 
 
 The billows of praise sped over the ether. 
 
 And the round worlds chanted an echo; 
 
 The songs of the spheres were anthems of gladness 
 
 For the universe moved in a rhythm 
 
 Soft as the notes of a rivulet — sweet as a zephyr — 
 
 Changing as grand as the chorus 
 
 Around the white throne of Omniscience. 
 
 The universe moved in a rhythm, 
 
 Save, where the Darkness reared up its ramparts. 
 
 Guarding the realms of the demons. 
 
 Night, the Profound, encompassed Perdition, 
 
ARMAGEDDON. 5 
 
 Gloom of Despond encircled its ramparts, 
 
 Save, where the portals hurled their mad lightnings 
 
 Like sun mountains bursting asunder. 
 
 The chant of the host of the blessed 
 Was stilled in the thunderings sounding, 
 Where the jaws of those portals were gnashing, 
 And the lightning tongues darted their madness. 
 
 Prince of the Darkness, Beelzebub, 
 Over his kingdom the Absolute, 
 Ranged the dominions of demons ; 
 He, the dread ruler, sleepless, untiring. 
 Planned the grim warfare. 
 
 The fell defeat was a lesson. 
 And his battlements rose up restrengthened, 
 And a hatred undying did guide him. 
 Checked by his wisdom. 
 
 High on a cone of midnight Beelzebub 
 Looked from Perdition ; 
 He uttered a word, and the pillar arising. 
 Gloom and despond drank by the vapors 
 Leadened beneath him ; 
 
 Then he stood on that height of his forming, 
 And gazed on the lights in the heavens, 
 And the waves of the song of the blessed 
 Smote him — ay, smote him. 
 
 He cried : "O thou, Elohim, now I defy thee ! 
 Ever, forever, I, thy Antagonist, offer thee battle; 
 
ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 " Though thy own minions sing their glad praises, 
 Soon I will smite them — 
 Though thy dominions rise up all glorious, 
 Them I will conquer." 
 
 ' ' Thou shalt tremble before me, 
 Thou shalt bow to my mandate — 
 Ever, forever, I, thy Antagonist, 
 Dare thee — defy thee." 
 
 Changed was his mien, for a planetoid 
 
 Seemed an orb errant ; 
 
 Ivike a serpent charming a bird he gazed on its 
 
 movements, 
 L/ike a bird facinated it faltered, 
 Then swept to Perdition. 
 
 He cried : " Part of my own — of my own ! 
 
 Barest thou leave me ? 
 
 Wouldst thou, a star in the heavens. 
 
 Be a new battle field ? 
 
 Wouldst thou, a world in thy orbit. 
 
 Mock my dominion ? " 
 
 From the might of his will that matter 
 Reeled in its pathway, 
 
 From the power of his mind that planetoid 
 Rushed to destruction ; 
 
 Then it crashed on the walls of Perdition, 
 And the thunders on thunders resounded. 
 While the billows of flame rushing upward 
 
ARMAGEDDON. 7 
 
 Licked the high dome where Hell's monarch 
 
 standing, 
 Defied the Almighty. 
 
 He looked on that ocean of madness, 
 
 And sang of his triumph : 
 
 "Arouse, O slumbering worlds! Soon ye will 
 
 follow — 
 Ye mighty suns, behold this, thy portion ! 
 Ye planets and satalites, I will destroy thee ! 
 Ye very elements, behold me, thy ruler ! " 
 
 " Ye powers of matter, spirit and the mind. 
 Move at my mandate ! 
 
 The land, the sea, the waste — O minions mine, 
 Bow down as slaves ! ' ' 
 
 "Tremble, ye men, I am your sovereign ! 
 Ye gods and demi-gods, can ye defy me ? 
 God of all gods, thou, my Antagonist, I am " — 
 He paused : 
 
 Roused by the frenzy within him, 
 His wrath was the molder of hideousness ; 
 Madness proclaimed him Beelzebub, 
 And his bellow resounded in thunders. 
 
 Down in the elements he plunged and hurled them 
 
 asunder. 
 And the lightnings chilled in his pathway; 
 As leaves of the autumn depart from a tempest, 
 The vapors fled from his shriekings. 
 
ARMAGKDDON. 
 
 Cooled by a scorn for his foemen, 
 He changed not his form, but arising 
 The revengeful, the hideous, the awful, 
 Soared around the gloomy, great ramparts, 
 A monarch of horror. 
 
 Stemming the tide, he rushed on a portal 
 
 Like a monitor daring an enemy. 
 
 On the high cliffs the guardians, scorning the 
 
 stranger, 
 Mocked his approaching. 
 They cried : " We will quaff of thy pain and be 
 
 drunken. 
 Thou shalt drink of our plagues, and our gladness 
 Will mock thee — will taunt thee." 
 
 Rumbled a blast electric, and a meteor 
 Paled the bright lightnings ; 
 Fiercely the missile sped at the foeman, 
 And a thousand jets dazzled the vapors. 
 
 It burst at his side, but Beelzebub 
 Swerved not an instant ; 
 
 In the dread furnace he glode like a warship 
 Deigning no answer. 
 
 Then a stillness reigned on the ledges. 
 Till a hundred orbs shot through the vapors ; 
 The lightnings were black by the contrast, 
 And the thunders were stilled by the violence 
 Of the explosions. 
 
 Never Beelzebub swayed in the tempest 
 
ARMAGKDDON, 9 
 
 Raging around him ; 
 
 The ready guards paused in their mocking, 
 
 And the shouts of derision were silent ; 
 
 But a muttering rising — arising, 
 
 Told of the fury roused by the challenger. 
 
 Fury did mantle them — they in their frenzy 
 Raved as the missiles fell harmless. 
 Groaned as the stranger serenely 
 Passed by the battlements. 
 
 Moanings and rumblings blended with the madness, 
 Shriekings and curses mingled with the frenzy — 
 Clashings, surgings beat on the serried cliffs — 
 Rolled on the waste of Perdition. 
 
 Far in Perdition responses awakened, 
 
 As the sullen roll swept on the darkness ; 
 
 Like wolves in a forest the demons 
 
 Smelt the glad feasting, 
 
 Like blood scenting tigers the prisoners 
 
 Gnarled from their caverns ; 
 
 Like prowling hyenas the slaves in the vapors 
 
 Snarled a fierce answer, and hideousness 
 
 Made them defiant. 
 
 Pandemonium — pandemonium ruled the fell region, 
 While the multitudes, circling like vultures, 
 Gazed on the glare of the battle-heights, 
 And swept on the portal. 
 
 Like a flood-drunken torrent roaring and raging. 
 
ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 The swift wings beat on the vapors ; 
 Meeting and swirling like streams in a valley, 
 The demon lines rivered the darkness. 
 
 They swept in a luminous river, 
 And peopled the cliffs with the myriads ; 
 They fought for a place on the ledges, 
 And hurled in the furnace each other. 
 
 Orbs by the thousand rending the vapors 
 
 Shot from the battlements ; 
 
 Hearing the screamings, a million of demons 
 
 Stilled their mad clamors. 
 
 Orbs b}'^ the thousand bursting in meteors 
 
 Glared on that ocean of thunders — 
 
 Rolled in great billows of madness. 
 
 Like a mountainside battling a storm wind 
 
 Beelzebub breasted that tempest ; 
 
 As a cavern might drink up a river, 
 
 He drank of that fire and was gladdened. 
 
 Ah, what display pyrotechnic ! 
 Ah, what a glaring of colors ! 
 Rocket on rocket, meteor on meteor 
 Rushing and hissing — seething and bursting, 
 Flaming auroras, mountains of red fire. 
 Worlds of mad vapors swirling, surging, 
 Rent by explosions pictured Hell's portal. 
 
 Missiles of devils battled with lightnings, 
 Nature electric and demon in frenzy 
 
ARMAGEDDON. II 
 
 Madly were vieing — fiercely were striving 
 Down in the depths of the furnace. 
 
 Thunders on thunders, curses on curses, 
 Moanings, shriekings, deep detonations 
 Kchoed, re-echoed — clashed on the mountains, 
 Shook the great cliffs and rolled on Perdition. 
 
 Rage to astonishment changed as the demons 
 L/earned their futility. 
 
 Far on the heights the cautious ones clustered. 
 Deep in the clefts the timid ones, hiding. 
 Peered for the stranger ; 
 
 But a myriad upon the surge floated 
 Like ocean birds trailing a vessel, 
 And they felt not a fear, for they battled 
 Like screaming fierce eagles when feasting. 
 
 True to destruction, the Portal Guards 
 
 Valiantly struggled ; 
 
 Like hounds in a pack they closed on their master, 
 
 Like wolves in a horde they howled in their fury. 
 
 Over the heights of Perdition a red cloud arising, 
 
 Glowed its approaching ; 
 
 It changed to the form of a serpent. 
 
 It shone like a wake phosphorescent — 
 
 Nearer and nearer — swaying, swaying, 
 
 It rushed on that scene of confusion, 
 
 A bearer of vengeance. 
 
ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 ' ' Ishmael ! Ishmael ! ' ' 
 
 Shouted the fiends on the battlements ; 
 
 • ' Ishmael ! Ishmael ! ' ' 
 
 Answered the guards of the portal ; 
 
 The cursings and shriekings were heard not, 
 
 And the din of the battle was silent ; 
 
 But the craven horde fleeing did utter : 
 
 '* Fly the dread lashings ! " 
 
 Through the mad furnace the guards of Perdition 
 
 Swept to the conflict; 
 
 Through the long ages trained in the bivouac, 
 
 War was their portion. 
 
 They rushed to the front of the foeman, 
 
 They surged on his flanks, and defiant, 
 
 Waited the slogan — Perdition's great slogan, 
 
 ' • Beelzebub ! ' ' 
 
 Like flames from eruptions of a volcano, 
 
 Tier on tier of the Legion 
 
 Glowed on the battlements ; 
 
 On the dun ridges of cloud 4hey assembled. 
 
 On the red vapors they floated, they balanced. 
 
 Exhaling a rage like sheet lightnings 
 
 Flashing repeatedlj^ 
 
 Grand were the tiers of the theater 
 
 Circling their monarch ; 
 
 He was the star of that drama. 
 
 And his being was filled with a gladness 
 
 In the brief pause, ere the slogan resounded, 
 
 " Beelzebub, victor ! " 
 
ARMAGEDDON. I3 
 
 Harmony fit for the portal molded his being — 
 Horridness grandeur disguising proclaimed him a 
 
 stranger ; 
 He paused in the circle of demons, 
 He gazed on the tiers of the lyCgion, 
 And Ishmael, bold and undaunted, 
 Defied his intrusion. 
 
 He cried : ** Stranger and foeman, darest thou? 
 Barest thou our dominions ? 
 
 Leave the mad gate, or my Legion will bind thee, 
 Leave the red portal, or the Watch Dogs will rend 
 
 thee; 
 Leave us, or die as a foeman dies — 
 Bound by hallucinations — moaning forever — 
 Groaning forever — leave us, or die." 
 
 Firm was the voice of the dreaded archdemon , 
 
 Lord of the Legion, Fiend of the fiends 
 
 Guarding the battlements ; 
 
 And the host of the damned sustained him. 
 
 For a sound like a million snakes rattling, 
 
 Magnified, rolling, resounding. 
 
 Boldly made answer. 
 
 With a deep bellow which trembled the vapors, 
 
 Beelzebub taunted the challenger ; 
 
 Round his fell being a livid veil falling. 
 
 Clothed him with fire; 
 
 It burst with the madness of lightnings. 
 
 It flamed with the colors electric, 
 
 While the Legion, puzzled, dumfounded, 
 
 Gazed on their foeman. 
 
14 ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 "A prodigy ! a prodigy ! " 
 
 Shouted the host from the ledges ; 
 
 "A prodigy ! a prodigy ! " 
 
 Shrieked the wild fiends in the furnace. 
 
 Sounded, resounded — echoed, re-echoed 
 
 "A prodigy ! a prodigy ! " 
 
 Then all, save the guardians, quailing, 
 
 Muttered, "Beelzebub." 
 
 In the blue flame appeared the Awful One, 
 Majestic — terrible . 
 
 On the vast deep rolled the fierce slogan, 
 ' ' Beelzebub ! ' ' 
 
 Then Ishmael gave the glad signal, 
 And the lyegion shouted the answer ; 
 "Hail thee, our monarch. Prince of the Darkness- 
 Perdition victorious!" 
 
 In a mighty stream the Legion circled their ruler, 
 
 And sang in that hour of their gladness ; 
 
 " Where thou leadest we will follow, 
 
 We will battle and not falter. 
 
 And thy triumph is our triumph — 
 
 Thy glory is our glory." 
 
 ' ' Thy standards dare the tempest, 
 And thy warriors daunt the foemen — 
 Thy triumph is awaiting, 
 And our glory is returning." 
 
 " Thou art the Mighty One — the Awful One, 
 Thy kingdom is eternal — 
 
ARMAGEDDON. I5 
 
 Thou ever art the victor; 
 Where thou leadest we will follow, 
 We will battle and not falter — 
 We praise thee — we honor thee — 
 We hail thee, Beelzebub." 
 
 Swift as a thought Perdition's great monarch 
 
 Quit the mad portal ; 
 
 A demoniac laughter awakened 
 
 With the shriekings, moanings and curses. 
 
 As the craven hordes fled from the guardians 
 
 Unto the dens of Perdition. 
 
 But the Legion returned to their stations. 
 And the Portal Guards kept the strict vigil, 
 While Beelzebub, sleepless, untiring, 
 Longed for the grim Armageddon. 
 
l6 ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 PART THK SECOND. 
 
 CONSPECTUS. 
 
 Beelzebub, in Perdition's solitude meets Alastor and Az- 
 rael, arclidemons. Azrael relates his experience as spy on 
 the battlements of Heaven. Alastor in turn pictures the con- 
 dition of man on the Earth, and presents the signs of a 
 final complete submission to the hosts of Perdition. Then 
 Azrael relates his encounter with Ithuriel, an archangel, 
 and the angel's prediction of the things soon to happen on 
 the Earth. Beelzebub is enraged at the narrative, and orders 
 Alastor and Azrael to turn loose on the Earth the denizens of 
 Hades, that they further seduce man, and make the Earth 
 solely a dominion of Perdition. 
 
 Far in the waste of Perdition Beelzebub 
 Wandered in loneliness ; 
 In the deep solitude pondered the monarch, 
 Wrapped in the plans of the morrow. 
 
 He dwelt on the scenes of disaster, 
 He maneouvered his hosts for the struggle ; 
 But roused, for the gain of a planetoid 
 Flashed on his memory. 
 
 He cried : "Awake, my valiant hosts— 
 My chiefs, behold the victory ! 
 
ARMAGEDDON. l^ 
 
 Worlds are regained — are gained — forever mine, 
 The suns and stars yield at my bidding ! 
 Glow with my light, O 5^e mighty orbs ! 
 Shine with my glory, O thou universe ! 
 I am the Absolute — I am the Conquerer — 
 All shall obey!" 
 
 Ivike trees in a forest swayed by a night wind. 
 The forms of that solitude woke with his paean ; 
 Ivike a storm on an ocean moonless and maddened, 
 The praises rose on the stillness. 
 And sounded his triumph. 
 
 Then luminants glowed in the distance, 
 Like calcium lights on a mountain — 
 Like two red stars in the darkness, 
 They came to Beelzebub. 
 
 They were Alastor and Azrael, 
 
 They were archdemons, and the monarch 
 
 Waited their coming ; 
 
 Their forms were of beauty and passion, 
 
 Their voices were music and madness; 
 
 And their words were the words of the demons 
 
 Most faithful — most ardent. 
 
 Azrael, the fearless — the haughty, 
 Once the proud aid of Jehovah, 
 Made his obeisance. 
 He said : " I, in the past the angellic, 
 Came unto thee — battled for thee, 
 And the grim defeat was our portion ' ' 
 
l8 ARMAGKDDON. 
 
 ' ' When thou art sleepless I am untiring, 
 When thou art vigilant then I am watching, 
 Waiting the hour of thy triumph — my triumph, 
 For my lyiege will regain his dominion." 
 
 " Quickly thy legions will speed to the battle. 
 For the skirmish lines now are advancing ; 
 Soon will thy cohorts rush on the citadels, 
 For the walls of Blohim are falling." 
 
 *' Then thy hosts will abide at the portals. 
 And shout unto thee their laudation, 
 For thou art the monarch of Heaven 
 At the hour of the grim Armageddon." 
 
 He paused, and Alastor, the gloomy archdemon, 
 
 Made his obeisance. 
 
 He said : " I, in the past not angellic, 
 
 But dour as the realms of Abaddon, 
 
 Faithful have been unto thee, and I ever 
 
 Hail thee my Iviege." 
 
 Beelzebub listened, and the eulogies 
 
 Moved him to passion. 
 
 The fire of his being brightened, 
 
 And his voice seemed the rolling of surges 
 
 Answering rivulets. 
 
 He cried : "Call me not ruler of Heaven, 
 Kre the heights of Klohim are taken ; 
 Speak not of grim Armageddon, 
 When the gulf is uncrossed and unmastered." 
 
ARMAGKDDON. I9 
 
 '' The light of his gates is repulsive, 
 The glow of his walls is my darkness ; 
 Yet, them I will enter, and never 
 Jehovah Klohim can thwart me." 
 
 ' ' Have ye done well at my bidding ? 
 Have ye discovered his secret ? 
 Spies of my own — of my own, 
 Faithful, untiring — speak, I will listen — 
 Speak, I will hearken." 
 
 Azrael answered. "I stood on great suns in the 
 
 heavens, 
 And the planets circled around me; 
 I wandered on worlds which they governed, 
 And the inhabitants knew not my calling. ' ' 
 
 " I watched the universe move in a circle 
 Around the white walls of thy Enemy; 
 I saw the minarets shine with his glory, 
 And the portals glow with his splendor." 
 
 "The battlements, dread with a billowy brightness, 
 
 Dazzled me, yet, I would dare them; 
 
 The portals, mad with their lustrous surges, 
 
 Blinded me, still I defied them; 
 
 I rushed like a flame through the heavens— 
 
 Ivike a meteor winged with the lightnings 
 
 I moved on thy Enemy." 
 
 " Vainly — vainly my fearlessness battled that river 
 Sweeping upon me. 
 
20 ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 It lashed me with thongs of its auger, 
 It smote me with darts of its fury, 
 Till blinded, dumfounded and beaten, 
 I fled to sun for protection." 
 
 "I, cried: Thou, the Mighty God, once I, thy 
 
 messenger, 
 Dwelt in thy radiance, and drank of thy rivers, 
 As a lilly feeds on a dew drop. 
 As a wild rose drinks of the morning. 
 Am I defeated ? am I crestfallen ? 
 When the Hiearchy meet thee in battle, 
 So wilt thou be to their bulwarks." 
 
 " I clove the dread surges asunder, 
 I strove with the wrath of the rivers; 
 They beat me — they burned me — 
 Into my being they eat, yet, undaunted, 
 I struggled untiring." 
 
 "Nine times around the mighty ramparts 
 
 I circled unceasing; 
 
 Times I was ready to grasp them, 
 
 Times I was millions leagues distant, 
 
 Until on the swirl of an eddy 
 
 I fastened upon them." 
 
 "Never I thought of the searing eating my bosom, 
 Never I thought of the raging of the mad ocean; 
 Only my blindness — my blindness did move me. 
 For there I had dwelt in my glory." 
 
 *' Then I heard a voice, and its thunders 
 
ARMAGEDDON. 2 
 
 Rolled from the battlements; 
 
 ' The book from the throne has been taken, 
 
 The seals which have bound it are broken; 
 
 The censer is filled at the alter, 
 
 And the tempests are held by the angels." 
 
 ' ' Then an angel — even Ithuriel, 
 Cried unto me: 'Azrael, Azrael, 
 Think not I miss thee; 
 I am thy foeman — thou art my enemy — 
 Come up and listen." 
 
 ' ' I answered : I am thy foeman— thou art my en- 
 emy. 
 Speak, I will listen : 
 He replied : 'Azrael, Azrael, 
 Canst thou dwell in the brightness ? 
 Canst thou walk on the waters ? 
 Ivoosten thy hold, and be driven 
 Unto a sun for protection." 
 
 ' ' Was it my province to taunt him ? 
 
 Was it my place to defy him ? 
 
 Gently I answered: Noble Ithuriel, 
 
 I am a waif in my blindness — lost in thy glory — 
 
 Come down and help me." 
 
 " He cried : 'The seals of the book are broken 
 
 forever. 
 And the trump of the angel has sounded; 
 The servants of God are marked on the foreheads, 
 And thy minions are awaiting destruction." 
 
ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 " The winds of the Earth will be loosened, 
 The mountains will crumble before them; 
 And thou, and thy hosts shall be beaten, 
 For the Earth is alone for the blessed." 
 
 " He paused, and a song arose on the battlements- 
 ' Hail thee ! hail thee ! Light of very Light ! 
 Thou wilt penetrate the darkness; 
 From the walls of the midnight thou buildest thy 
 
 dominions, 
 And thy glory will light the inhabitants; 
 Thy right hand will hold the foundation, 
 And thy left hand will balance the minarets — 
 Ever, forever — falling not — crumbling not, 
 Thy kingdom is the universe, and thy people will 
 
 praise thee— 
 Will hail thee Omnipotent." 
 
 " I cried : Ithuriel, Ithuriel, 
 
 The winds of the Earth will be silent, 
 
 For the world will be rolled in a furnace; 
 
 Thou and thy hosts shall be beaten. 
 
 And the sealed of thy God know destruction." 
 
 " Thy rivers of light will be baffled. 
 And thy battlements vanish forever, 
 When the warriors of Heaven are fleeing 
 From the field of the fair Armageddon." 
 
 ' * Then our legions will drink of thy madness, 
 Our minions will feed on thy wailing; 
 My Liege will be monarch of Heaven, 
 
ARMAGKDDON. 23 
 
 And roam with his thunders of triumph." 
 
 " I paused, but the song from the battlements 
 
 Mocked not my being; 
 
 Upward I looked where Ithuriel standing, 
 
 Deigned me no answer; 
 
 Then I left that abode of my horror. 
 
 And fled from the billowy madness, 
 
 Until on a planet I rested — 
 
 Rested and pondered — then wandered 
 
 Unto that world which Ithuriel boasted of gaining." 
 
 He paused, and Beelzebub cried to the solitude: 
 ' * Sealed with his seal — marked with his mark — 
 Think ye that it can outwit me ? 
 Slaves ! knaves ! hyenas ! fools ! 
 Let the black dens receive thee. 
 Let the dark night swallow and spew thee contin- 
 uously." 
 
 " Flow ye mighty waves unto the open jaws. 
 Gnash, ye angry teeth — wail, O ye minions; 
 Framed in his image — vile things, I hate thee — 
 Down ! down ! Let the chasm open — 
 Ye are my own." 
 
 He ceased, and a moment's silence 
 Reigned in the solitude; 
 Then Alastor, the gloomy archdemon, 
 Spake to his ruler. 
 
 " Mighty Beelzebub, thou art the victor, 
 Thou art the conquerer; 
 
24 ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 Long I have strayed by the banks of the river 
 
 Flowing to Hades; 
 
 Long it has surged in great billows 
 
 Unto the realms of Abaddon." 
 
 "I have stood by the gates of Karth's cities, 
 And my workers have thrust in the sickle ; 
 I have looked on the battle and revel, 
 And my toilers gleaned for the garner." 
 
 " When the son of Ra, Osiris, rose in his glory, 
 
 On Earth I was watching; 
 
 When the fair Isis shone with her splendor, 
 
 On Earth I was waiting. 
 
 Guiding the souls unto Hades." 
 
 " The scepter of Dagon glanced on the mountains, 
 The bosom of Molech glowed in the valleys, 
 Where the good Allah reigns the sole master 
 Of hosts for Abaddon." 
 
 " Gone is the grandeur of Ormuzd, 
 
 Gone is the glory of Isis, 
 
 Yet, unto thee are one thousand 
 
 Where the fallen gods granted thee one." 
 
 "Where the wise Brama prayed for Nirvana 
 
 Thou art the ruler. 
 
 Where Jagatnatha mangled the myriads 
 
 Thou art dictator. 
 
 A million gods bow at thy mandate. 
 
 And a countless host pays to thee homage, 
 
ARMAGKDDON. 25 
 
 While a river of spirits — thy spirits, 
 Flows unto Hades." 
 
 "Though the bright flame glowing on Sainai 
 Hailed a Redeemer, 
 
 Though the fair signal shining on Hermon 
 Told the consumation, thou art triumphant, 
 For thy angels untiringly labor." 
 
 " The bright star is hid in thy vapors, 
 But thy myriad lights flash in the darkness; 
 And the mortals are flies on a compost. 
 And the Earth is a hill of corruption." 
 
 The grim demon paused, and was silent, 
 And Beelzebub laughed for an answer; 
 Ivike a molten sea drinking a river, 
 Ivike a fiery world hurled in an ocean. 
 It hissed, and that solitude wakened, 
 Moaned like a tempest lashed forest, 
 Shook like an earthquakened valley. 
 
 Azrael spake : "On a world mountain I stood 
 
 And gazed on the valleys, 
 
 And looked on the cities around me ; 
 
 The fair Earth turned, and the bright sun 
 
 Circled beneath me, 
 
 And the River of Souls unto Hades 
 
 Flowed through the heavens. ' ' 
 
 ' ' Was I in darkness, when the round Earth 
 
 Glowed with thy glory ? 
 
 Was I dejected, when the inhabitants 
 
26 ARMAGKDDON. 
 
 Worshipped thee only? " 
 
 " I sang : Awake, O ye waters, 
 For the bright star is upon thee ! 
 Sing in thy gladness, O mountains ! 
 Ring thy loud praises, O valleys ! " 
 
 " Thy inhabitants rejoice in their wickedness, 
 They commune with the spirits of Darkness; 
 For the Barth now is wedded with Hades, 
 And the children of Death are their offspring." 
 
 " Then I heard a voice, and the mountains 
 Woke with its thunders; 
 ' The seals of the book are broken forever. 
 And the censer is filled at the alter; 
 The blast of the Seventh will mock thee, 
 And the children of Hades shall perish." 
 
 There was Ithuriel — even Ithuriel, 
 
 Standing beneath me; 
 
 Quickly I answered : 'Angel, why art thou near me? 
 
 Is it thy province to taunt me in my dominion ? 
 
 Deigning me only his scorn, he did utter : 
 
 ' Thy dominion on Earth soon is ended." 
 
 " I replied : Think that thy portals now sear me? 
 
 Look on the world of my minions — 
 
 Would it not spot thee ? 
 
 Noble Ithuriel, flee to thy gates for protection." 
 
 " He answered : ' The thunders of God will re-echo 
 On the Earth mountains, 
 
ARMAGEDDON. 27 
 
 And the inhabitants hide in their caverns; 
 The vials of hate will be poured on the waters, 
 The wild tempests moan on the islands, 
 And the fiery volcanoes bursting, will tremble 
 Thy world, till it groans in its terror." 
 
 " Thy minions will pray to dumb mountains, 
 And thy demons will feed the mad furnace, 
 For they are enclosed in that ocean 
 Where the billows of God are the barriers." 
 
 " Then the host of saints on the sea of fire 
 
 Shout their hosanna; 
 
 Then the saved of Barth in their garments spotless, 
 
 Sing their redemption; 
 
 And the glorious chant of the blessed 
 
 Will roll in an ocean of gladness. 
 
 Where the notes from the lute strings are wavelets, 
 
 And the sweet sound of silver an echo." 
 
 " Leaving that mountain, I fled as a meteor 
 
 Speeds through the heavens; 
 
 On a great cliff overlooking the River of Spirit 
 
 I met with Alastor, 
 
 And we, ever faithful, now pray thee, 
 
 Prepare for the grini Armageddon." 
 
 Beelzebub gazed on the solitude 
 
 As a soul might look on the twilight, 
 
 Seeing some vision fixed on its memory; 
 
 He cried : "I will meet thee, Klohim Jehovah, 
 
 I will prove unto thee an Antagonist; 
 
 Thy world is my world, and my darkness 
 
28 ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 Will beam with the sun of my glory." 
 
 "Speed ye, messengers — open the portal of Hades, 
 That the myriads sweep to their portion; 
 Let the Earth overflow with their madness, 
 Let the dank air reek with their frenzies." 
 
 " Let the sea of fire imprison them, 
 What care I though the furnace 
 Sears them — eats them — They are my own, 
 And their agony makes them more faithful." 
 
 " May the sealed of their God bound by halluci- 
 nations, 
 
 Mock their own Master; 
 
 Choked by their anthems, may the saints of the 
 Highest 
 
 Curse the resurrection." 
 
 Think ye, millennium can be where my minions 
 
 mock it? 
 Think ye, saints can be rulers over my devils? 
 Fill the whole Earth with my myriads, 
 Drive them — lash them, 
 And I laugh at his government." 
 
 He laughed. A hiss on the solitude sounding. 
 Smote on the heights of that region; 
 The archdemons hastened to Hades, 
 While Beelzebub, moved unto frenzy. 
 Raged in Perdition. 
 
ARMAGKDDON. 29 
 
 PART THE THIRD. 
 
 CONSPECTUS. 
 
 The archdemons Alastor and Azrael proceed upon their 
 mission to Hades. They pass on the River of Spirit, which 
 flows from the Earth, and are admitted into Hades by Ahad- 
 don, the guard of its portal, whereupon, they pass to the re- 
 gion over which Asmodeus and Maya hold dominion. The 
 archdemons rouse the myriads of Hades and lead them to the 
 Earth. Mammon, monarch of the Third Kingdom of Perdi- 
 tion, comes with his cohorts, takes possession of the Earth, 
 and places Asmodeus and Maya in sole dominion thereof. 
 The multitudes from Hades, possessed of the Earth, begin 
 the ravage. 
 
 The universe moves in a rhythm 
 
 Around the white throne of the Mighty God, 
 
 Save, where the Darkness rears up its ramparts; 
 
 The myriad stars glide in their galaxies 
 
 Countless — unnumbered, save, to Infinitude, 
 
 And the bright suns shine in an ether 
 
 Un walled and unmeasured. 
 
 But extremes of the spirit are measured, 
 As the poles of the Earth are determined, 
 And midnight to Hell is midday to Heaven , 
 Unceasing — unclouded, 
 
30 ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 Lighting the home of the blessed. 
 
 Between the extremes is a State Intermediate 
 Guarded by vigilant sentries; 
 As sparks of a fire drift with a night wind 
 Whither it bloweth, 
 
 As springs of a mountain glide to the ocean 
 In channels unyielding, 
 
 So will the souls of the mortals speed to the portals- 
 Speed to the gates of Hereafter. 
 
 They will flow in a river of spirit, 
 Where like unto like is attracted; 
 The glow of the gate is the beacon. 
 And the light of their light is the magnet. 
 
 There is a State Intermediate, 
 
 And the glory of Heaven glimmers upon it — 
 
 There is Land Intermediate, 
 
 And the night of Perdition lowers around it; 
 
 But the River of Souls which is flowing 
 
 Unto the gates is divided, 
 
 To ripple in vales of Klysium, 
 
 Or gurgle in caverns of Hades. 
 
 Call the fair valleys a Paradise, 
 
 Call the dark region Purgation, 
 
 They are the homes of the souls of the mortals, 
 
 Till the hour of the souls' resurrection. 
 
 Alastor and Azrael, faithful and ardent, 
 Sped on their errand; 
 
ARMAGKDDON. 31 
 
 They passed through the thundering portals 
 Like vessels which glide on the billows — 
 Like condors on pinions untiring 
 They traversed the seas of the heavens. 
 
 Far away, far, the Earth in its orbit 
 Circled serenely; 
 
 Far away, far, like a thread on a zephyr. 
 Floated the path of the spirits. 
 The thread enlarged to a torrent. 
 And the torrent increased to a river 
 Eddying, swirling, moaning — 
 Flowing forever. 
 
 They passed with the spirits of mortals, 
 Like ocean birds floating with bubbles. 
 Till the river dividing would bear them 
 Unto the haven awaiting. 
 
 Deep was the tide which flowed to the portal of 
 
 Hades, 
 Mad was the surge, and it moaned like a storm 
 
 beaten ocean; 
 But the stream to the vales of Elysium, 
 Like phosphoresced wavelets at night time 
 Rippled and sparkled — 
 Babbled like brooks of a mountain — 
 Like notes of a zephyr feasting on blossoms, 
 It sang in its gladness. 
 
 The archdemons paused, for the portal of Paradise 
 Glimmered a far away rainbow; 
 
32 ARMAGKDDON. 
 
 Gold of the morning golden above it 
 Seemed a resurrection 
 Unseemly to demons of darkness. 
 
 Firm were tlie spirit-world cliffs of that river, yet, 
 
 firmer 
 Was the dread magnet luring the souls unto Hades; 
 Paradise was the repellant, 
 But Hades the lodestone attracting, 
 And swift as a thought they turned, and like eagles 
 Swooped on its portal. 
 
 Red was the beacon before them, 
 Lurid and leaden, a vapor bow o'er it 
 Arched the great portal; 
 They swept with the billows of spirit 
 Like hulks on the thread of a torrent, 
 Until the fell guardian, Abaddon, 
 Defied their intrusion. 
 
 From a huge pillar of rock adamantine 
 He glared on the river beneath him; 
 Through the red light the glow of his eyeballs 
 Seemed molten fire mad from a furnace. 
 
 As he called to his minions around him, 
 As he cursed the wan souls that were passing, 
 Over the swirl his voice was arising 
 Like the shriek of a tempest. 
 
 He saw the archdemons, and shouted : 
 
 '* Who are ye ? who are ye that dare my dominion ? 
 
ARMAGEDDON. 33 
 
 Would ye drink of my lethe? 
 Would ye be swallowed in darkness ? 
 Drift on the stream of the dreaming souls 
 Unto me — unto me." 
 
 His red eyes rolled, and his grisly paunch 
 Heaved like an ocean smote by an earthquake; 
 Downward he reached, and grasping his hands full 
 
 of spirits. 
 Drank them — ay, gulped them. 
 And a dread smile wrinkled his countenance. 
 
 The waves of that river awakened, 
 As they swept by the feet of Abaddon, 
 And moaned as if living, and knowing 
 That scene was a part of their future. 
 
 The fell demon shook, and his scaly arms 
 
 Knotted their sinues; 
 
 His great form reeled, and an av/ful frown 
 
 Furrowed his countenance; 
 
 The contents left his interior — 
 
 Poured with the force of a geyser 
 
 Into a cavern — in an abyss of the darkness. 
 
 Azrael shouted : "Abaddon, 
 In truth, there are realms of purgation; 
 Thou being of rapture — of wisdom. 
 Thou creature of honor — of power, 
 Spew them — ay, spew them." 
 
 Roused by the words of the demon, 
 
34 ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 He answered : " Thee I will eat — 
 My disgorging will find thee a cavern — 
 Come to thy portion." 
 
 Azrael cried with authority: 
 * ' Make way — make way for the messengers ! 
 The star has been hurled through the heavens — 
 The king of Perdition has cast it." 
 
 * ' Soon is the hour of thy vigilance over — 
 Hearest thou — hearest thou the mandate ? 
 Now is the time of the mad resurrection — 
 Beelzebub has spoken." 
 
 ' ' Hades has come to its portion. 
 
 Hades will sound with its frenzy; 
 
 For the joy of the damned is upon it, 
 
 And the feast of the ghouls is before them." 
 
 " Make way — make way for the messengers, 
 
 Hearest thou the greeting ? 
 
 Thou shalt be prince in dominions, 
 
 Thou shalt be regent of powers; 
 
 For the words of thy monarch are with us — 
 
 Beelzebub has spoken." 
 
 Abaddon cried : " It is over, 
 
 The Time and the Times are accomplished ; 
 
 I give unto thee my dominion. 
 
 For the hour of my vigil has ended." 
 
 The messengers passed on their mission, 
 
ARMAGEDDON. 35 
 
 And the mouths of the caverns, black in the vapors, 
 
 Ivoomed on their pathway; 
 
 But Alastor pursued the deep chasms 
 
 Like a mountaineer in a land trailless, 
 
 Till he uttered : "Azrael, beneath us 
 
 Behold the great hole of Delusion." 
 
 "There are Illusion and Delusion, 
 And there is the Heaven of Hades; 
 There is the home of the soulless. 
 And Asmodeus and Maya are rulers." 
 
 *' Its honey by sting is protected, 
 And a thorn in each flower is hiding; 
 Each joy is a will-o-wisp fleeing, 
 Each hope a mirage which is sinking." 
 
 " In the dank haunts on the ledges 
 
 Roam the incorrigible; 
 
 In the strange valleys, lonely, forsaken, 
 
 Wander the hypocrites; 
 
 Asmodeus will mix their nepenthe 
 
 With the vilest concoction of passion, 
 
 And Maya will mingle their lethe 
 
 With the cup overflowing with madness." 
 
 Downward they plunged, a million leagues down- 
 ward 
 Fell the archdemons; 
 
 Like the bellow of oxen carousals resounding 
 Filled that abyssm; 
 But the passion of harlots was palsied. 
 
36 ARMAGKDDON. 
 
 And the drunkards were sobered a moment, 
 While the hypocrites brayed, as if asses 
 Terrified, fleeing. 
 
 Azrael cried with authority, 
 
 And a thousand tongues echoed an answer. 
 
 " Wake, O waken, ye myriads in Hades ! 
 
 The table is spread for the feasting; 
 
 The ghouls of the Karth are awaiting, 
 
 And ye and thy like are companions." 
 
 "Gather' ye, gather ye, souls of the damned ! 
 For the hour is the hour of thy glory; 
 The blest are condemned in thy presence, 
 And the cursed are food for thy paunches." 
 
 "Rise up, ye minions of Hades ! 
 The wine has been poured for the drinking; 
 Arouse, and be mad for the feasting — 
 Rise up and be drunken." 
 
 In the mighty deep the archdemons circled, 
 
 And their passion lighted their pathway; 
 
 Like meteors trained in an orbit they rounded the 
 
 cavern. 
 And the multitudes rose up and followed. 
 
 Far away, far, from the outermost caverns. 
 
 Like blood sucking bats through black tunnels 
 
 whirring. 
 Came the roused multitudes. 
 The stream increased to a river, 
 
ARMAGKDDON. 37 
 
 And the river enlarged to an ocean, 
 
 Till a current of demons swifter and swifter 
 
 Followed their masters, 
 
 I^ike ocean loons trailing their leader. 
 
 Upward they flew, a million leagues upward 
 
 Shot the archdemons; 
 
 Filled with new madness, shrieking and howling, 
 
 Followed the myriads; 
 
 And Asmodeus, the Demon of Passion, 
 
 And Maya, the Witch of Delusion, 
 
 Passed with the horde on a mission 
 
 Of rapine and conquest. 
 
 Like a volcano mad with eruption the chasm 
 
 Purged its deep bosom; 
 
 Like a black vapor thrown from a mountain the 
 
 multitudes 
 Rose to their portion; 
 
 Then they swept through the gate of Abaddon, 
 They merged the black River of Spirit; 
 And the sun of the Earth was in darkness, 
 And the Karth by its God seemed forsaken. 
 
 Azrael cried : " Hail thee, the new world, 
 Won by our craftiness ! 
 
 Hail thee, O fair world ! Let thy inhabitants 
 Dwell in deliciousness." 
 
 "We have brought thee a king, and his glory 
 
 Will shine like a sun on the ocean; 
 
 Like the moon in the clouds will his splendor 
 
38 ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 Be unto thee — unto thee, 
 For thy light is Asmodeus." 
 
 " We have given thee a queen, and her beauty 
 Will glow like a star in the water; 
 Like the meeting of ripples her answer 
 Will be unto thee — unto thee, 
 For thy joy will be Maya.' ' 
 
 " Her bosom will seem as sweet flowers, 
 And her smile as the dropping of nectar; 
 Her caresses will be thy nepenthe. 
 When thou in her arms wilt be resting." 
 
 " Waken, thou mighty Karth — now thou art con- 
 quered ! 
 Groan, thou haughty world ! Couldst thou defy us? 
 The gold of thy king is thy blindness, 
 The bosom of flowers thy poison; 
 Thy nectar will feed thy delusion, 
 Thy nepenthe will bring thee destruction." 
 
 He paused : A flame arose in the heavens, 
 
 Ivike a train of sparks from a furnace 
 
 Glowing in darkness; 
 
 Like a nebulae vast and increasing. 
 
 It came — it came — for Mammon, a mighty chief, 
 
 Roamed on a mission. 
 
 The archdemons shouted : " Behold the consuma- 
 
 tion, 
 Waken, ye multitudes — bow down in worship! 
 
ARMAGEDDON. 39 
 
 Ye mortals, enrobe for the nuptuals, 
 Ye Locusts, abide at the wedding. 
 For Mammon has brought the endowment. 
 And the glory of gold is around him." 
 
 On the rolling Earth the roll of the thunders 
 
 Woke not an answer; 
 
 In the airy deep the sound of their voices 
 
 Roused not the myriads; 
 
 For the mortals were rich for the sowing, 
 
 And the Locusts were keen for the harvest; 
 
 The Earth was a dwelling of demons, 
 
 And a Hadean night was around it. 
 
 Then a shout arose, and the warriors of Mammon 
 
 Sang of the conquest : 
 
 " He who has gold will be bloated. 
 
 And he who has none will be shrunken; 
 
 For the stronger will throttle the weaker, 
 
 And the wailing be answered by madmen." 
 
 "The kingdoms will yield to Asmodeus, 
 And the princes will kneel at his coming; 
 But they who have gold will have greatness, 
 And the treasures of God will be poison." 
 
 " The sun of Perdition will shine on the Earth, 
 And the sun of the heavens be darkened; 
 The vapors of Hell will encompass the Earth, 
 And the moon and the stars shall be hidden." 
 
 " The glory of pride will glow with the splendor, 
 
40 ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 Of the clouds on an ocean of sunset; 
 
 And the presence of lust will beam with the luster 
 
 Of the beautiful star of the evening." 
 
 " War will be ever — war will be ever, 
 And the wail of a world will be heard not; 
 For the mortals will fly to delusion, 
 And manhood will seek prostitution." 
 
 " Hell will be ever — Hell will be ever. 
 For the Locusts are reaping the harvest; 
 The Barth by its God is forsaken. 
 And the world is a hold of Perdition." 
 
 Then the devils encircled their leader, 
 And shrieked in delirium of gladness. 
 Till an ocean of crimson was sweeping 
 With the roar of a legion of torrents. 
 
 The host in the spirit roused from their feasting, 
 
 Rushed to the turmoil; 
 
 The myriads streams of the demons, cursing and 
 
 howling, 
 Merged in an ocean exhultant. 
 
 A veriest scene of Perdition 
 On the Earth was the fiends' resurrection; 
 And a midnight to Earth was the madness 
 Of the demons that thronged to the triumph. 
 
 Mammon, the mighty chief, the great chief, 
 Gazed on that ocean; 
 
ARMAGEDDON. 4I 
 
 Crowned with an intellect fair unto grandeur, 
 Fell with a hatred undying, relentless, 
 He towered o'er the forms of his warriors 
 Ivike a giant tree topping a forest. 
 
 He cried : ' 'Come ye ! come ye ! 
 
 Maya and Asmodeus, unto thee 
 
 I give dominion. 
 
 Ivet the craven ones who serve thee 
 
 Dwell in deliciousness — 
 
 Bid the fearless ones who dare thee 
 
 Wail in their misery." 
 
 " L/et the kings of the Earth do battle, 
 And the priests in the temples uphold them; 
 Let gold be the voice of the prophet, 
 And falsehood seductive the mouthpiece." 
 
 '' Unto thee I have given dominion. 
 
 And the crowns of the kings are thy jewels; 
 
 Unto I have offered a kingdom. 
 
 And thy treasures are souls of the mortals." 
 
 " Hades has roused to its mission. 
 And man has awoke to his portion — 
 Hades has come to its glory. 
 And the Karth is thy own — and forever." 
 
 Order was formed from confusion when Mammon 
 Spake to the multitudes; 
 Then the forms of Asmodeus and Maya 
 Appeared at the feet of the monarch, 
 
42 ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 And the myriads of demons did answer, 
 " We serve them — obey them." 
 
 Around the great ruler the warriors 
 
 CircHng and surging, 
 
 Arose at the call of their leader; 
 
 They glowed in the skies like a comet, 
 
 lyike a nebulous haze they were seeming; 
 
 For Mammon was raiding dominions 
 
 Possessed by Jehovah. 
 
 The archdemons sped on an errand, 
 And the multitudes plunged to the orgie; 
 The Earth was a hill of corrupion. 
 And the mortals were flies on a compost- 
 
ARMAGEDDON. - 43 
 
 PART THK FOURTH. 
 
 CONSPECTUS. 
 
 Raphael and Ithuriel, archangels, arrive at the Earth. Ra- 
 phael collects together the mortals who are to be saved, and 
 Ithuriel empties the censer and breaks the vials of wrath up- 
 on the Earth. Gabriel comes with his angels, the mortals to 
 be saved are caught up to meet The Christ in the sJties, and 
 the host of the blessed pass to the outer portal of Heaven. 
 Azrael, the archdemon, beholding the pageant of Heaven, 
 proceeds to the Earth, and rousing the terrified myriads of 
 Hades, starts them anew on the ravage. Ithuriel returns to 
 the Earth and informs Azrael of the swift onslaught of the 
 warriors of Heaven, whereupon Azrael hurries to Perdition 
 to inform the Hiearchy, that it prepare for the emergency. 
 
 Swift on the trail of Mammon two fearless arch- 
 angels 
 Came in the heavens; 
 
 Like flames of a sun piercing a cloud their pinions 
 Shone with their glory. 
 
 They were Ithuriel and Raphael, 
 They from the sun-blinding battlements 
 Swept on a mission mighty and awful, 
 For the Lord of the Highest had sent them. 
 
44 ARMAGKDDON. 
 
 They stood in the sun, and the splendor 
 Of the bow of the clouds was around them; 
 And the fearful mankind, looking upward 
 Beheld in the heavens an omen. 
 
 Raphael encircled the Barth, and a new song 
 
 Rolled on the oceans — 
 
 " Sealed of the Father, fear not — fall not, 
 
 Soon will thy trials be over — 
 
 Soon will the battle be ended." 
 
 "The myriad of demons have stung thee, 
 And the Lancers of Mammon have smitten; 
 The armies of man have enclosed thee. 
 And Hades has come with a multitude." 
 
 ' ' But the trumpet will sound, and the cohorts of 
 
 Heaven 
 Haste to the rescue; 
 
 The shouts will arise when the numberless warriors 
 Flame in the darkness; 
 The sun will be black from their fury. 
 And the Barth be as crimson from slaughter; 
 But ye will be saved by the angels, 
 And lifted on wings of rejoicing." 
 
 "All tears will be wiped from thy eyes. 
 And sighing released from thy bosom; 
 For ye will be caught up by angels, 
 And thy joy will be known by the shouting. 
 
 Lulled was the roll of the song, and Ithuriel 
 
ARMAGKDDON. 45 
 
 Stood on the ocean; 
 Clothed in the might of dominion, 
 He, the impulsive, cried to the myriads, 
 And his voice was as thunder of waters. 
 
 '• Sealed unto Mammon, ye, the Barth-mighty, 
 
 Woe unto thee — unto thee; 
 
 Sealed of Perdition, ye, the multitudes, 
 
 Woe unto thee — unto thee. 
 
 The censer is filled at the alter. 
 
 And the fumes from the madness will choke thee, 
 
 When the oceans are boiling and frenzied, 
 
 And the mountains are bursting asunder." 
 
 "Nevermore will the notes of the harpers 
 
 Sound in the temples, 
 
 Nor of musicians in thy palaces; 
 
 Nevermore will the bride dance at the nuptuals. 
 
 Nor the bride groom sing at the wedding." 
 
 ' ' Thy robings of purple and scarlet 
 
 Will be unto thee but a mockery; 
 
 For thy gold will be kneaded and eaten. 
 
 And thy pearls will be melted for drinking." 
 
 "In an hour thy cities are desolate, 
 
 In an hour thy fields are forsaken; 
 
 For the armies of Magog are reaping, 
 
 And the hosts of the I^ocusts are gleaning." 
 
 ' ' They will flee — they will flee, for the cohorts 
 Of Heaven will chant their destruction; 
 
46 ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 They will fall — they will fall when the valleys 
 Of Esdraelon reek with the slaughter." 
 
 "Then the birds of the air will have feasting, 
 And the beasts of the wilds will have plenty; 
 Thy bones will be strewn on the mountains, 
 And thy souls will be cast in Perdition." 
 
 Still was the voice of Ithuriel, but the myriads 
 Mocked his prediction; 
 Up in the heavens he rose in his passion, 
 And the Earth did await desolation. 
 
 Raphael flew on a mission, and a new song 
 
 Greeted the faithful ones: 
 
 " The hour of thy trial is over. 
 
 The day of thy warfare is ended; 
 
 For ye stand where the mountains are holy, 
 
 And I, even I will protect thee." 
 
 Then he gathered his chosen together, 
 And cried to the angel awaiting; 
 " Let the censer be turned on the oceans. 
 And the vials of judgment be emptied." 
 
 Forth from his bosom Ithuriel taking the censer, 
 
 Poured on the oceans; 
 
 Over the valleys he flew, and the vials 
 
 Burst on the mountains. 
 
 The oceans became a great chaldron, 
 The mountains were furnaces blazing; 
 
ARMAGEDDON. 47 
 
 The vapors made night of the noonday, 
 And the Earth was in great desolation. 
 
 Then the blast of a trumpet sounded, 
 "Gabriel! Gabriel!" 
 Over the blast of the trumpet resounded, 
 ''Gabriel! Gabriel!" 
 
 ■The heavens were filled with a host of his warriors, 
 And the skies were ablaze with their glory. 
 
 Swift from the mountains the devil-guards 
 Fled to the valleys; 
 
 Swifter the demons rushed through the vapors, 
 And the fearful mankind in their agony 
 Hid in the caverns. 
 
 But the holy were guarded by Raphael, 
 And stood on their mountains of cleanliness; 
 They knew their redemption was nearing, 
 And thought of their glory awaiting. 
 
 The voice of a trumpet rang in the heavens, 
 And the shoutings of warriors were echoes; 
 Whirring of weapons seemed rumblings electric — 
 The roll of great thunders. 
 
 Ivike the burst of a world into atoms, 
 Parted the vapors of midnight; 
 Like the crash of a meeting of planets 
 Sounded the wrath of the warriors. 
 
 Then the cohorts of Gabriel rushed downward, 
 
48 ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 A flaming host filled that abyssm ; 
 And the columns resplendent extended 
 From Earth unto glory. 
 
 A song arose, for the host of the angels 
 
 Sang their rejoicing; 
 
 An answer awoke from the Earth, the faithful ones 
 
 Shouted their gladness; 
 
 For the Christ in the heavens was nearing, 
 
 And the saints in bright raiment were with him; 
 
 The Saviour in glory was waiting, 
 
 Till his chosen were caught up beside him. 
 
 Ivike snow on a mountain gold in a moment, 
 When the rising sun pierces a cloud rift, 
 The watching ones changed in an instant. 
 For the sun of their glory was on them. 
 
 Their robes were of brightness celestial, 
 Each countenance was radiant to splendor; 
 For the body was made incorruptible, 
 And the mortal was changed the immortal. 
 
 Like beams of the sun on a mountain, 
 The host of the angels descended, 
 And the noonday of Heaven was with them, 
 For the light of the Lord was upon them. 
 
 They encompassed the throngs which were watching^ 
 Waiting the signal ; 
 
 They grasped by the hands the immortals 
 Celestial in radiance; 
 
ARMAGEDDON. 49 
 
 But the saints in white raiment were silent, 
 And the warriors of Gabriel were heard not, 
 Till the Saviour cried : " Come ye, my chosen:" 
 Then the shout of the legions resounded. 
 
 Up through the portal the throng of the saved 
 
 Chanted their gladness; 
 
 Up to the heavens the warriors of Gabriel 
 
 Followed rejoicing. 
 
 The anthems were wafted beyond them, 
 
 Till they greeted the portals of Heaven; 
 
 And the shoutings were carried in billows, 
 
 Till Aidenn re-echoed with praises. 
 
 Rose the glad anthem of saints, 
 
 " Hail thee, our Master, our Saviour, 
 
 We honor thee — we praise thee; 
 
 When the fire in the furnace brightly was burning, 
 
 We feared not the ending; 
 
 When the jaws of the lions gnashing, smote us, 
 
 We were unterrified; 
 
 We stood at the gate of redemption, 
 We saw in the flames our salvation; 
 For the voices of angels were calling. 
 And angels' arms bore us to Aidenn." 
 
 "Thine is all honor and glory. 
 
 Thine is all wisdom and power; 
 
 Thine is a kindom forever, 
 
 And the universe shall acknowledge thee ruler. 
 
 The sealed of their God, rejoicing, 
 
50 ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 Sang the resurrection; 
 " Glory to him who walked on the Earth 
 That the world might be purified ever; 
 Praise unto him who offered his life 
 That the fallen behold their redemption." 
 
 " We have dwelt in thy teachings, our Master, 
 We have waited thy coming, our Saviour; 
 We have worked at thy bidding, and ever 
 Knew only thy words were enduring." 
 
 "We have toiled through the heat of the noonday, 
 We were cleansed, and our garments are spotless; 
 Thy glory shone round us and o'er us. 
 The light of thy love is upon us." 
 
 "The mortal has found immortality — 
 
 Hail thee, our Master ! 
 
 We are clothed in a robe incorruptible — 
 
 Hail thee. Redeemer ! 
 
 All tears have been wiped from our eyes, 
 
 And sighs from our bosom have vanished ; 
 
 Our songs will arise to thy glory. 
 
 Our praises will ring of thy triumph." 
 
 Then the host of the angels joined in the chorus, 
 
 And the skies empyrean were shakened; 
 
 ' ' Hail thee ! hail thee ! Light of very Light ! 
 
 The darkness will flee from thy presence; 
 
 From the walls of the midnight thou buildest thy 
 
 citadels, 
 And thy glory will shine on the battlements; 
 
ARMAGEDDON. 5 1 
 
 Th}' right hand will fall on thy enemies, 
 And thy left hand will gather thy chosen; 
 Ever, forever — fearing not — faltering not, 
 Thou art triumphant, and thy people will praise 
 
 thee — 
 Will hail thee Omnipotent. 
 
 The waves of the anthem rolling before them 
 
 Greeted the portals of Heaven; 
 
 The Saviour passed on unto Aidenn, 
 
 The saints and the saved were around him, 
 
 And the cohorts of Gabriel were thronging 
 
 The van and the flanks as an escort. 
 
 Grand was the pageant — since the morning stars 
 
 sang 
 None had been grander; 
 Great was the triumph — since Lucifer fell 
 None had been greater; 
 The harps of the harpers were still not. 
 And the anthems of angels were ringing; 
 The saved from the Earth were rejoicing, 
 And the mighty host passed into Aidenn. 
 
 From a sun mountain, Azrael, the watchful arch- 
 demon, 
 Gazed on the vista; 
 
 Swiftly he flew to the Earth, and his passion 
 Winged him with lightnings. 
 He rushed like a bolt through the vapors, 
 The whirr of his wings was as thunder; 
 And he cried with a voice which the mountains 
 
52 ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 Heard, and gave answer. 
 
 ' ' The Earth— the mighty Earth 
 Knows not redemption ! 
 The legions of Hades, triumphant. 
 Find a new kingdom." 
 
 " Guards of my own, awaken ! 
 
 Are ye crest-fallen? 
 
 Walls of Perdition soon will enclose thee. 
 
 Earth is thy own — rise up victorious." 
 
 "Esdraelon, Esdraelon, plain of all madness, 
 
 Where art thou ? 
 
 Maya and Asmodeus, thy sovereign is calling, 
 
 And mighty deeds await thee; 
 
 I see the hosts of the bear and the eagle. 
 
 And the dragons are circling above them; 
 
 On the billows of air the vessels are speeding, 
 
 And the roll of the blast is their laughter." 
 
 " Rise up, ye warriors mine ! 
 
 Rise up victorious ! 
 
 One hour and the Earth is thine ever, 
 
 One hour and ye are all glorious, 
 
 For the prince of Perdition hath called thee." 
 
 Nine times around the Earth he circled unceasing. 
 
 And his voice like the rushing of billows 
 
 Smote on the mountains; 
 
 Like an asteroid molten from madness, 
 
 He rushed in the vapors; 
 
ARMAGEDDON. 53 
 
 And Bsdraelon gazed through its vultures 
 For the Feast of the Slaughter. 
 
 Up from the Earth the devil-guards rising, 
 
 Followed their leader; 
 
 Out of the caves the demons emerging, 
 
 Thronged in the pathway; 
 
 The mortal world called unto demons, 
 
 And the Earth-banded spirit world answered; 
 
 While the legions of damned and of damning, 
 
 Sped unto Asdraelon — even grim Asdraelon, 
 
 The plain of all madness. 
 
 Azrael cried to the devil-guards, 
 
 " Plunge to the orgie! " 
 
 He called to the horde of his minions, 
 
 ' ' Speed to thy revel ! ' ' 
 
 The legions of fiends were divided 
 
 With the armies of man for the battle ; 
 
 And the bears were aroused to the feasting, 
 
 And the eagles screamed for the slaughter. 
 
 The archdemon gazed from an eminence 
 On the hosts which assembled for battle, 
 For the nations of Earth were collected, 
 And the myriads of Hades were with them. 
 
 As the rage of the foemen resounded, 
 He thought of the fair Armageddon, 
 To which was the scene but a skirmish. 
 And the battle a step unto triumph. 
 
 Though even the Earth was their own. 
 
54 ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 And the sealed of Blohim must perish, 
 Though worlds in the skies must be taken, 
 And Paradise emptied and blotted, 
 He dwelt in that hour of his glory 
 When the armies were Heaven investing; 
 And he thought of that moment of vengeance, 
 When the bulwarks of Heaven were falling. 
 
 He heard a voice in the heavens : 
 
 " Sealed unto Mammon, ye, the Karth-mighty, 
 
 Woe unto thee — unto thee. 
 
 Sealed of Perditon, ye, the multitudes, 
 
 Woe unto thee — unto thee. 
 
 On the ocean the censer was emptied. 
 
 And the vials have burst on the mountains: 
 
 Ye maddened ones, meet thy destruction — 
 
 The Earth shall be purified ever." 
 
 Startled, he looked, and the angel Ithuriel 
 
 Stood in his presence; 
 
 The archdemon cried : "Angel, 
 
 Barest thou me ? 
 
 In my dominion I will defy thee. 
 
 Flee to the sealed of th}^ God and encourage them, 
 
 Be thou their leader — I, thy antagonist. 
 
 On Bsdraelon meet thee." 
 
 Answered Ithuriel : 
 
 ' ' The sealed of my God have arisen, 
 
 And the warriors of Gabriel are with them; 
 
 The Earth is alone with thy legions, 
 
 And thy world is alone in its wailing." 
 
ARMAGKDDON. 55 
 
 "The warriors of Heaven will come, and thy min- 
 ions 
 
 Hide in their terror; 
 
 The whirring of weapons will sound and the mul- 
 titudes 
 
 Flee unto Hades; 
 
 But the flames of our madness will sear them, 
 
 And the wrath of our vengeance will smite them; 
 
 This world will be purified alway. 
 
 And this Earth be renewed and replenished." 
 
 He ceased : In an instant he vanished, 
 Like a star in a cloud disappearing; 
 For the haughty Azrael was angered. 
 And light to that world was a stranger. 
 
 The archdemon gazed on the battle, but the warring 
 
 Moved not his being; 
 
 He thought of the armies of Heaven returning. 
 
 Exultant with triumph; 
 
 Then he hastened away through the heavens, 
 
 Ivike an asteroid piercing the vapors 
 
 Through Perdition he ranged for his master, 
 
 Shouting, ' * the rescue. ' ' 
 
56 ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 PART THE FIFTH. 
 
 CONSPECTUS. 
 
 Beelzebub and Lucifer upon the outmost ramparts of Per- 
 dition receive the message of Azrael. The armies, already 
 mobilized, proceed in detachments to Hades upon the call of 
 Beelzebub. Lucifer leads the first division, consisting of his 
 Veterans from the Second Kingdom, the Lancers of Mammon 
 from the Third Kingdom, the Ghouls of Amamon from the 
 Fourth Kingdom, the Vampires of Molech from the Fifth 
 Kingdom, the Vultures of Belial from the Sixth Kingdom, 
 and the Portal Guards of Dagon and Legion of Samael from 
 the Ninth Kingdom. The squadrons of Ra from the Seventh 
 Kingdom, and the chariots of Osiris from the Eighth King- 
 dom form the second division. Beelzebub with his Dragons 
 from the First Kingdom follow. The armies proceed to 
 Hades, where the Hiearchy meets in council. 
 
 Over the walls of Perdition the wiliest of leaders 
 Wandered — and pondered, 
 For the great preparation had called him : 
 He, the wise chieftain — he, the tactician, 
 Gazed from the battlements, and Beelzebub 
 Awaited his counsel. 
 
 Once the bright star, Lucifer glorious, 
 Ivcd the fair angels; 
 
ARMAGEDDON. 57 
 
 Now the great devil, Lucifer fallen, 
 
 Ruled a fell kingdom. 
 
 Well he sustained his dominion, 
 
 For even Beelzebub sought him, 
 
 When the battle-heights sounded the warning. 
 
 And the skirmish lines made their advancing. 
 
 Often retreat was their portion, 
 
 But never — ah, never were conquered 
 
 The two from Perdition's walls scanning 
 
 The depths of the firmament. 
 
 Awful Beelzebub, Hell's greatest monarch, 
 
 Looked upon Lucifer, and Lucifer 
 
 Viewed the vast ocean of ether. 
 
 He viewed the great ocean, and uttered : 
 " Earth unto us is not little. 
 Though its gain be only a vantage, 
 And its loss but a spot on our luster." 
 
 " I look on the deep, and behold it 
 
 A valley of fury; 
 
 I look to the Earth, and will find it 
 
 Our hill of defiance. 
 
 There we will battle with Heaven, 
 
 I feel it — I know it — my colleague. 
 
 Await not the triumph of Hades — 
 
 Make ready for combat." 
 
 He paused, and Beelzebub answered : 
 " Even that world may be little, 
 But its loss will be leaven to hatred , 
 
58 ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 And wax till our legions have feasted 
 On moanings of angels." 
 
 Swiftly towards them the fearless Azrael 
 Came like a luminant piercing the vapors; 
 " The rescue ! the rescue ! " 
 Sounded the roll of the thunders; 
 ' ' The rescue ! the rescue ! ' ' 
 
 With the voice of an avalanche answered the moun- 
 tains. 
 
 Over the serried, bleak ramparts Beelzebub 
 
 Ranged like a planetoid errant and burning; 
 
 He cried : "Away to the rendezvous ! 
 
 Let the Hiearchy stand in its portion! 
 
 Hades will ring with our glory, 
 
 For the banners will stream on the mountains; 
 
 Paradise will fade from the blasting. 
 
 For the wrath of our legions will burn it." 
 
 " Hades will anthem our praises, 
 For there I will call the great council; 
 And the sun of my might in its orbit 
 Will frown on the bulwarks of Heaven." 
 
 "Away to the rendezvous — the rendezvous, 
 
 Hear ye the greeting ? 
 
 Robe ye with passion enduring, 
 
 Kise up, ye warriors, the mighty — 
 
 Ring out the slogan — Perdition victorious ! " 
 
 Like a message electric by telegraph wireless, 
 
ARMAGEDDON. 59 
 
 The thoughts of the Awful One smote on the moun- 
 tains, 
 And the signal-fiends caught up the signal. 
 They transmitted the sign to each other, 
 They messaged his words, and the multitudes 
 Clustered the battlements, and the garrisons 
 Lost their inhabitants. 
 
 Freed from his bivouac, Samael rose up expectant. 
 
 And the Legion exultant were with him; 
 
 Dagon, prince of the red gates, marshalled the 
 
 Portal Guards, 
 Godless Belial, from the Sixth Kingdom, 
 Came with his Vultures, and wrathfulness 
 Made the skies lurid. 
 
 From the Fifth Kingdom, Molech, 
 Forming his Vampires, 
 Rushed to the scene like a tempest 
 Sweeping an ocean. 
 
 Amamon, lord of the Fourth, 
 Burning with hatred came with his Ghouls, 
 And a mighty surge parted the vapors- 
 Mammon, glorious king, ruler of powers, 
 From his dominion. Third and enduring. 
 Rode with his Lancers, and the fiery host 
 Seemed thunderbolts attracted. 
 
 Troop by troop the myriads of devils 
 
 Passed by the battlements; 
 
 V/ave on wave rolled the divisions 
 
 J 
 
6o ARMAGEDDON, 
 
 Through the mad portals; 
 They thronged on the walls of Perdition, 
 They clustered on mountains of vapors, 
 They stood in the skies, and awaited 
 Expectant — exultant. 
 
 Fiercely the red gates belching their lightnings, 
 
 Rumbled their madness; 
 
 Loudly a clamor smote on the heavens. 
 
 As the devils saluted their chieftain; 
 
 Lucifer risen, king of the Second, 
 
 Prince in the powers, leader of armies, 
 
 Swept from a gate with his Veterans, 
 
 And his bannerols streamed in the vapors. 
 
 Grand was the pageant — grim were his warriors. 
 
 Bach was a veteran tried and found worthy — 
 
 Bach was a chieftain in prowess. 
 
 They uttered one shout and were silent, 
 
 But it smote on domains of Jehovah, 
 
 And angel guards cringed at the slogan, 
 
 ' ' Lucifer triumphant ! ' ' 
 
 Legion on legion caught up the war-cry, 
 Army on army rang out the answer; 
 Gonfalons waved on the battlements, 
 Insignias glowed in the heavens. 
 And great was that host's exultation. 
 For the lord of the battle was Lucifer. 
 
 Grandly his regiments swept in a circle, 
 Viewed by Perdition ; 
 
ARMAGKDDON. 6l 
 
 Grimly his warriors, trained in the ages, 
 Marshalled in phalanx. 
 
 lyoud were the cries of the fiends, as the mighty host 
 
 Formed in battalia; 
 
 Troop by troop detachments swooped from their 
 
 stations, 
 Molding divisions. 
 
 They encircled the walls of Perdition, 
 They traversed the Gulf of Damnation ; 
 They burned in the skies, and extended 
 From Hell unto Hades. 
 
 Think not Hell was deserted, for Ra and Osiris 
 
 Roused at the mandate ; 
 
 They were the lords of the chariots. 
 
 And the great-eyed vessels of lightnings. 
 
 They were the rulers of Kingdoms, 
 
 The Seventh and Eighth of Perdition. 
 
 The roll of the great orbs sounded 
 
 Over the wrath of the portals; 
 
 And the flames of their wings were the dust clouds 
 
 Moving before them. 
 
 Bumble, rumble and boom smote on the ramparts. 
 
 Flashing, blazing and fire shot in the heavens; 
 
 Then Osiris came on his chariot, 
 
 Ivike a sun in a cloud it was glowing; 
 
 And around it were moons which were flying 
 
 On swift moving pinions of lightnings. 
 
 Stately, swiftly and true they passed from the portal. 
 
62 ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 Swerving not, pausing not — onward, 
 
 They soared in the heavens; 
 
 The e5^es of each orb were the cannons 
 
 Which cast on all sides their mad glances; '* 
 
 The soul of each gun was a devil, 
 
 And the might of each gun was within it. 
 
 Louder and fiercer thunderings rolled from the 
 
 portal, 
 Bellow, roaring and peal shook the great bulwarks; 
 The chariots paled from the madness 
 Which shot from new forms swiftly moving. 
 For Ra, the great king of the Seventh, 
 Had come with his squadrons. 
 
 Ever before them an ocean was forming, 
 
 Seething and crimson; 
 
 Madly behind them surges were rolling, 
 
 Ivivid and hissing; 
 
 For the vessels were molding that ocean 
 
 From the life ever blazing within them. 
 
 And the billows of flames were reflections 
 
 Of the furnace like wings swiftly moving. 
 
 Monstrous — awfully, swiftly glided the vessels, 
 
 Passion, hatred and zeal glowed from their belting; 
 
 But the devils they bore were exultant, 
 
 For Ra was the admiral of ages; 
 
 And thunders to fiends were inspiring, 
 
 As they moved to maneuver for battle. 
 
 Think not Hell was deserted, 
 
 Howling and growling, moaning and gnashing, 
 
ARMAGEDDON. 63 
 
 Sounded in darkness; 
 
 Like prowling hyenas, the demon slaves barking, 
 
 Scented new feasting; 
 
 Like coromants famished, the hosts in the vapors 
 
 Battled for plunder. 
 
 They screamed in the dens from their passion, 
 
 They hissed from the cliffs at each other, 
 
 They surged on the heights, and bewildered, 
 
 Gazed on the armies. 
 
 From a high station Beelzebub, tempered to ecstacy, 
 Viewed his surroundings; 
 
 Sounded the wrath of the hordes, and fierce male- 
 dictions 
 Gladdened his being. 
 
 He cried " Howl, ye minions mine — ye slaves of 
 
 mine 
 
 Wait O ye angels — soon ye are with them ! 
 Here is thy home — the deep dens open. 
 The hyenas bark for companionship; 
 Here are thy dwellings — the black vapors roll, 
 And the vultures look for thy coming," 
 
 He looked where the army of Lucifer 
 "Wheeled in maneuver; 
 Changed was his mien, for his grandeur 
 Rose up before him. 
 
 He cried with the voice of a monarch, 
 " I am the I am — I will be Absolute ! 
 Jehovah Blohim, canst thou defy me ? 
 
64 ARMAGE^DDON. 
 
 Thou sbalt drink of my cup and be sickened, 
 Thy kingdom will crumble and perish; 
 And I — even I, Beelzebub, 
 Will be thy sole master. 
 
 He left his high station and hastened 
 
 Unto his kingdom, the First, and most mighty. 
 
 Where Alastor and Azrael awaited 
 
 To follow their monarch. 
 
 In the great First, where all of the wisdom of eons. 
 
 Devil collected, molded a dwelling place, standing 
 
 Vast and enduring as its great monarch. 
 
 Flame on flame — night on night — 
 
 Light on the darkness, formed the habitations 
 
 Of its inhabitants. 
 
 Shaft on shaft blazed in the vapors, 
 Column on- column crimsoned beneath them; 
 Far in the boiling, swirling-mad heavens 
 Rose the red minarets. 
 
 Wounding the jaws of the darkness gnashing to 
 rend them. 
 
 Streams of auroras, flanking the towers 
 Girt by deep channels of contrast, surged and re- 
 sounded 
 Ivike the rushing of whirlwinds; 
 The windows were suns which were blinded 
 By the swirl of the tempests auroral; 
 And the doors were as arches electric, 
 Sizzling fierce azure. 
 
ARMAGKDDON. 65 
 
 The streets were the banding of billows, 
 And they glowed with a war of reflections, 
 As they drank in the hues of the towers. 
 And seethed with the madness of caldrons. 
 
 Ivofty, stately and vast was the First Kingdom , 
 
 Myriad on myriad of fiends were the inhabitants; 
 
 But they differed as much from each other 
 
 As the colors composing the rainbow, 
 
 Though the sun of their life, the great monarch, 
 
 Did blend them, collect them, and hold them, 
 
 And make them his light, and his only. 
 
 Truly a monarch ruled in that kingdom that mo- 
 ment, 
 F or the streets of the cities were burning 
 With the whirring of messengers rushing; 
 And the field of review was an ocean 
 Where the swaying of legions were billows. 
 
 Beelzebub entered his kingdom 
 
 A monarch all glorious, 
 
 He swept where his army awaited 
 
 A chieftain triumphant; 
 
 Like the hiss of a myriad of serpents, 
 
 A welcome arose, and it loudened. 
 
 Tell it merged in a roar all exultant, 
 
 " Beelzebub victor ! " 
 
 Proud was the monarch — grand was his being, 
 All of his awfulness fled from the dignity 
 Molding him — clothing him — 
 
66 ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 He looked on that ocean of devils, 
 And thought of his glory awaiting, 
 When his own was the throne of Jehovah, 
 And his ever the crown of the Highest. 
 
 He stood on that field, and the billows 
 
 Stilled in his presence; 
 
 Over that sea, like signals electric. 
 
 Sped the commands, 
 
 And the army awaited expectant. 
 
 He cried : " Hearken, ye warriors mine ! 
 Ye chiefs of mine, hear my proclamation ! 
 Honor for thee — glory for thee. 
 Waits not the asking when thy triumph 
 Rolls on the battle field." 
 
 " Like stars in the firmament will the light of thy 
 
 radiance 
 Shine on the universe; 
 Like suns in the blue deep will the beams of thy 
 
 splendor 
 Glow from the battlements. 
 When the hosts of thy Foeman are vanquished." 
 
 " The angels of Heaven will call unto thee, 
 And thy mockery will answer them; 
 The lords of the universe will bow unto thee, 
 And the archangels kneel at thy mandate." " 
 
 " Thine is all honor and glory — 
 Would ye behold it ? 
 
ARMAGEDDON. 67 
 
 Thine is all wisdom and power — 
 
 Would ye obtain it ? 
 
 Follow me — follow me, my chosen — 
 
 Thy triumph will roll from the battle field; 
 
 And the dwellings of Heaven are ever 
 
 Thine ever — thine only." 
 
 He paused : A shout arose, for ministering devils 
 
 Sang their laudation : 
 
 " Hail thee, all powerful, peerless Beelzebub! 
 
 Hail thee, our master, ruler of the universe! 
 
 We will battle the hosts of thy Knemy, 
 
 And his minions will flee from our vengeance; 
 
 We will rush on the gates of thy Foeman, 
 
 And his ramparts will crumble before us. ' ' 
 
 * ' Nevermore the taunts of the victors will tell thy 
 
 defeat. 
 Nor Perdition await thy returning; 
 Nevermore will Heaven ring with its triumph, 
 Nor thy kingdom moan at thy anguish." 
 
 **Thy triumph alone is our triumph, 
 And thy glory is ever our glory ; 
 Thy combat is ours, and forever 
 We hail thee our leader. ' ' 
 
 Still was that sea, but the chant to Beelzebub 
 Told of defeat in the ages — 
 Told of his flight and dishonor; 
 
 Could he now stand before Michael, and his mighty 
 host 
 
68 ARMAGBDDON. 
 
 Battle the legions of Heaven? 
 
 He changed in an instant, and his warriors 
 Shrunk from his frenzy; 
 
 He cried : " Be thou, Alastor, vicegerent of Hell, 
 Till I make high Heaven my footstool; 
 Place on the watch-mountains sentries, — 
 Guard the red portals — lash my mad devils — 
 Well they shall know that I am their ruler, 
 Though battling with Heaven." 
 
 ' 'Away to the rendezvous — the rendezvous — 
 
 Hear ye the mandate ? 
 
 Ye Dragons mine, hear ye the greeting ? 
 
 Robe ye with passion enduring — 
 
 Kise up, ye legions, the mighty — 
 
 Sound the fierce slogan — Hell and devastation." 
 
 Upward he flew, and his great wings 
 
 Roared like an avalanche; 
 
 Upward his Dragons surged in an ocean 
 
 Moon mad and boundless. 
 
 They swept like great billows electric, 
 
 Blue with the volts of destruction; 
 
 And the fiends who were left in that kingdom 
 
 Ivike bats fled away to their dwellings. 
 
 Through the deep chasms of midnight, 
 
 On the red rivers of madness. 
 
 Passed the fierce Dragons; 
 
 They pierced the great mountains of vapors, 
 
 They swept on the furnace like oceans. 
 
ARMAGEDDON. 69 
 
 And the myriads of fiends in the Kingdoms 
 Hid away in the deep habitations. 
 
 Swift through the realms of Perdition 
 The mighty host passed on their mission; 
 Swifter they rushed from a portal, 
 And the lightnings fled from their pathway. 
 
 The whir of their pinions drowned the thunders, 
 
 But their war cries awakened the echoes; 
 
 And the heavens were rolled into mountains of 
 
 darkness. 
 As they channeled a river of azure. 
 
70 ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 PART THE SIXTH. 
 
 CONSPKCTUS. 
 
 Aidenn is described as surrounding the inner walls of 
 Heaven. It is sheltered by the outer battlements, and defend- 
 ed by the hosts of Light. The Messiah with the saints, the 
 saved from the Farth, the hosts of the angels, and the war- 
 riors of Gabriel, proceeds in triumph to the outer walls of 
 Heaven. They enter a portal, and the saved from the Earth 
 are guided to Aidenn. The pageant is reviewed, and the 
 Messiah places Michael in command of the armies of Heaven. 
 The armies are reviewed by Michael. Abdiel with his divis- 
 ion proceeds to the Earth. Gabriel and Raphael with the 
 main army hasten to defend Paradise. The reserves assemble 
 in bivouac on the battlements of Heaven. 
 
 Perdition is only a part of the universe, 
 For Heaven is in it — even within it, 
 Like a vast continent on the vs^ide ocean, 
 Firm and enduring, 
 Though tempests sweep madly upon it. 
 
 Though storm winds and surges rush on its bul- 
 warks. 
 It knows not destruction ; 
 
ARMAGEDDON. 7 1 
 
 Though tides roll ever against it, it raises new 
 
 ramparts, 
 Guarding bright fields for its dwellers. 
 
 Heaven is not a great continent. 
 But a dominion into the universe piercing, 
 Unto the homes of the mortals — unto that body- 
 Soon to be rifted, deserted, 
 Cast off for the homes of hereafter. 
 
 It is the home of all splendor, 
 
 It is the home of all beauty — 
 
 Fair unto loveliness, it is a dwelling for angels; 
 
 And its citadel, rising all glorious. 
 
 Stands on the adamant mount of eternity 
 
 Ever — forever. 
 
 There its great temple, God's inner circle, 
 Holiest of Holies, casts its own luster 
 Around it — upon it, 
 Barring all darkness and evil. 
 
 Think not we on the Earth may look on that Tem- 
 ple, 
 Think not quickly we enter the bright inner portals 
 Guarding the throne of Omnipotence; 
 But the valleys of Aidenn surround them. 
 Where the Rivers of Happiness wander — 
 Where the Hills of the Blessed are standing — 
 And that is the home of the angels. 
 
 That is our Heaven, and its battlements bright as 
 
72 ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 the sun, 
 
 Beam on the universe; 
 
 That is our Heaven, and its outer gates ope to re- 
 ceive us 
 
 When we are worthy to enter. 
 
 From the white portals stream the bright surges 
 Over the universe; 
 
 From the great battlements flow the glad anthems 
 Over creation. 
 
 We look as through fog for the luster, 
 We hear as through glass the sweet singing; 
 And as much as we see, or are hearing, 
 We belong to the Kingdom of Heaven. 
 
 Softly in Paradise beams that dominion of splendor, 
 
 Glows like the morn on the ocean — 
 
 Shines like the moon on a river; 
 
 Even on Earth glimmers the joy of that kingdom — 
 
 Gleams like a star on a lake — 
 
 Parting the shadows— casting a light in the dark- 
 
 Heaven is ever as sunshine lighting the valleys 
 
 ethereal, 
 Flecking the star-clouds with beauty — 
 Nourishing gardens of spirit, where the sweet 
 
 flowers 
 Grow on the Earth, that the seed may be garnered 
 
 in Paradise — 
 Blooming thereafter in Aidenn. 
 
ARMAGEDDON. 73 
 
 From the great battlements blazes that sunshine, 
 From the bright portals flow the sweet rivers; 
 The outer walls guard the fair valleys, 
 But a bivouac unceasing is on them, 
 For the sentries of Christ are untiring, 
 And the warriors of Heaven are ready. 
 
 Even as mountains arise o'er the valleys of Earth, 
 So on the valleys of Aidenn mountains are standing; 
 Even as mountains of Earth painted by sunrise 
 Glow with an orient splendor, 
 So will the Sun of all Heaven, fading not, setting 
 
 not, 
 Beam on the heights with a radiance unknown to 
 
 the mortal. 
 
 Radiance supernal — blinding not — blasting not. 
 Glows on the summits, 
 And the angels drink of the brightness, 
 As the mortals drink from the rivulets of a snow 
 mountain. 
 
 Even as men on the Earth are spirits unequal, 
 
 So within Aidenn are stations — angels of grandeur 
 
 Rule their demesne with a wonderful dream of 
 
 perfection — 
 Dream of perfection — the beautiful theme of the 
 
 universe. 
 
 Force is unknown, and law is never there — never, 
 Save, it be love — love, the unbreakable 
 Chain which is binding teacher and student — 
 
74 ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 Save, it be love — love, the unswerving 
 Sphere of all blessedness — encompassing each and 
 the total. 
 
 Call it perfection — it is the acme of acmes — 
 Glory of glories — splendor of splendors — rapture 
 
 of raptures, 
 Borne though the innermost portals; 
 Call it perfection — it is the height of all wisdom — 
 Life of his life — love of his love, 
 Bright from the throne of Omnipotence. 
 
 Think not angels unceasingly play 
 
 Harpischords golden ; 
 
 Think not thunders forever are speaking 
 
 Wrath of Omnipotence, 
 
 Nor that beasts are bowing before him. 
 
 He, the Omniscience, forever is present in spirit, 
 He, the Omnipotent, is alway unseen by the angels; 
 Bven as he is within thee thou wilt be like him — 
 Thou wilt be near to thy Heaven. 
 
 Heaven is spirit — spirit as real as a mountain. 
 Firmer than adamant, boundless as good is within it, 
 Rearing the spheres of its bulwarks further and 
 
 further 
 In the dominions of Darkness. 
 
 Love ever rules in the gardens of Aidenn, 
 Force ever governs in kingdoms of Darkness. 
 Darkness and sunshine strive for the mastery — 
 
ARMAGKDDON. 75 
 
 Darkness and sunshine of spirit are battling forever, 
 Battling for triumph, even in grim Armageddons 
 Through eons and eons. 
 
 Even as long as the spirit builds up its citadels, 
 Till knowledge proclaims good and evil, 
 Fierce Armageddons are nurtured down in the 
 
 Darkness — 
 Even forever. 
 
 Thus is the warfare unceasing — thus are the mili- 
 tant 
 Angels of Heaven battling, and ready to battle, 
 Guarding their spheres of defenses; 
 Thus are the outposts upraising — even as Earth 
 Now is a hill of defiance- 
 Even as Mars is a princedom fair unto beauty, 
 And Venus a region of slaughter. 
 
 Ye are to-day in the battle, O men, 
 
 Ye are a division of warriors; 
 
 Ever Beelzebub calls thee — 
 
 Ever the Christ would persuade thee — 
 
 Ye are in armor immortal — stand in thy portion. 
 
 Be it for good or for evil. 
 
 Wise are the leaders commanding the armies, 
 And great are the captains of legions; 
 True are the veterans tried and found worthy. 
 And brave are the warriors innumerable. 
 
 Be it thy portion Perdition, 
 Be it thy haven fair Aidenn, 
 
76 ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 One battle is thine ere the judgment — 
 Be not a craven. 
 
 Fair was the first resurrection, 
 
 When the saved from the Earth arose up rejoicing; 
 
 Glad vrere the songs of laudation, 
 
 As the mighty host swept unto Heaven. 
 
 The car of the L/ord was as moonstone 
 
 Drinking his radiance; 
 
 The wheels were as vapors of gold 
 
 Exhaling his glory. 
 
 And its veils were the halos around him. 
 
 It was drawn by cherubim fair unto loveliness, 
 And seraphim surrounded it; 
 It was followed by angels singing their praises. 
 And the saved from the Earth were among them. 
 
 On the flanks were the cohorts of Gabriel 
 Ivustrous with triumph. 
 In the van was the flower of his legions. 
 In the rear were illustrious warriors. 
 
 They passed on the River of Splendor, 
 Which flowed from a portal of Heaven, 
 And the battlements chanted laudation. 
 While the seraphim answered with triumph. 
 
 Rolled from the battlements : " Hail thee ! hail 
 
 thee ! 
 Counsellor, Conquerer, the Wonderful; 
 
ARMAGEDDON. 77 
 
 Unto the Karth thou goest and darkness doth leave 
 
 it, 
 Unto Heaven thou comest and radiance is on us; " 
 
 " The valleys of ether shine with thy glory, 
 And the round worlds with thy peerlessness; 
 The Power of Bvil flees from thy presence, 
 And thy greatness proclaims its dominion." 
 
 "Hail thee! hail thee ! Ivight of very Light ! 
 Thou wilt penetrate the Darkness; 
 The new worlds await their subduing. 
 And the old worlds abide thy returning; 
 For dominions of thine will be militant, 
 Till thy own is a universe glorious." 
 
 ' ' Death no more is a mystery 
 
 Unto the faithful — they are thy chosen; 
 
 Ivife no more is a secret 
 
 Unto the watching ones — thou art their being. 
 
 Thou goest with the might of dominion. 
 
 And they flee to thy bosom for shelter; 
 
 Thou comest in the car of thy glory. 
 
 And they sing with a rapture unceasing." 
 
 *' Hail thee ! hail thee, the Mighty Prince ! 
 
 Counsellor, Conquerer, the Wonderful; 
 
 From the walls of the midnight thou buildest thy 
 
 dominion. 
 And Heaven resounds with laudation. " 
 
 Answered the seraphim : ' ' Victory ! victory ! 
 
78 ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 Lo, the Conquerer comes — the Mighty Prince is 
 
 with us ! 
 IvO, the triumph rings, for his enemies have fallen I 
 Let the Rivers of Happiness sing a new song, 
 And the Hills of the Blessed re-echo it; 
 For the glory of the Lord has encompassed the 
 
 Earth, 
 And his warriors return from their triumph. " 
 
 " Lo, the Conquerer comes ! victory ! victory I 
 Lo, the Sun of the Universe advances — 
 Honor to him all glorious ! 
 Praise him, ye angels of Heaven, 
 Praise him, ye redeemed of the Earth; 
 Ring, O ye battlements 1 victory ! victory ! 
 Christ and the universe ! " 
 
 Vested with power, the Messiah, triumphant, 
 
 Passed the defenses; 
 
 Rank on rank, file on file, legion on legion, 
 
 Warriors of Heaven innumerable, 
 
 Formed in array, and the pageant 
 
 Proceeded between them. 
 
 The faithful ones passed unto Aidenn, 
 Awaiting when Earth was encradled; 
 The rapture of life was upon them, 
 And the glory of Heaven before them. 
 
 Where the vast walls refulgent with spiritul glory 
 Blazed on the universe, 
 
 Christ, the All Eminent, reviewed the array, 
 And great was that host's exultation. : 
 
ARMAGEDDON. 79 
 
 Then the saints and the chorus vSwept onward, 
 And the seraphim stilled their sweet singing; 
 But the armies encirled their sovereign, 
 And the chieftains awaited his mandate. 
 
 The lyord in a tone of authority 
 
 Called to his warriors. 
 
 '* Triumph is theirs who battle unceasing. 
 
 And conquer adversity. 
 
 Honor is theirs, who, faltering never, 
 
 Reach the fair summit. 
 
 And dwell in the glory around them." 
 
 " But the child must be lifted up gently, 
 The tyrants cast down by the mighty; 
 And ye are the mighty in casting. 
 But the angels are gentle in lifting. " 
 
 " Battle, and honor is thine, 
 
 And my glory is thy glory; 
 
 Conquer, reward is awaiting. 
 
 For a world is subdued for my children." 
 
 ' ' Will ye do well at my calling ? 
 Will ye bring gems to my cluster ? 
 Battle, and falter not — legions. 
 Win me the triumph." 
 
 Roused the mighty host, and the answer 
 
 Rolled from the battlements— swept o'er the oceans 
 
 of ether. 
 Till the round worlds awoke and resounded, 
 ** Christ and the universe ! " 
 
8o ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 Rank on rank, file on file, legion on legion, 
 
 Warriors of Heaven innumerable, 
 
 Passed in review by the battlements, 
 
 And the Mighty Prince looked on his armies. 
 
 By his side was the archangel Michael, 
 Gabriel and Raphael were near him. 
 And Abdiel, Ithuriel and Zephon, 
 Stood with the chosen of honor. 
 
 Fair unto radiance, the mighty host 
 Wheeled in divisions; 
 
 Bright unto splendor chieftains of powers 
 Led the bold legions. 
 
 Ah, what a pageant resplendent! 
 Ah, what dominion of glory ! 
 Mightily — awful to Darkness 
 Moved the vast armies of Heaven. 
 
 The Ivord in a tone of authority 
 
 Spake unto Michael : 
 
 "Come thou, archangel pre-eminent, 
 
 Unto thee I give dominion. 
 
 Even as my enemies hide from mj^ presence, 
 
 So shall they flee at thy coming; 
 
 Bven as rivers of Aidenn banish the darkness, 
 
 So will thy armies blast all thy foemen." 
 
 ' ' Unto thee I give dominion — 
 
 Thou art commander, my legions will speed at thy 
 
 bidding — 
 Thou art the sovereign of the battle, 
 
ARMAGEDDON. 8l 
 
 Thou art my right hand in the onslaught — 
 Behold thy high station." 
 
 He ceased : A chant from the battlements sounded, 
 *' Hail thee! hail thee ! Light of very Light ! 
 For the sun of thy glory advances, 
 And the morning bursts forth in thy presence." 
 
 ' * Thy chieftains will sweep on thy enemies, 
 And the warriors of Heaven be with them; 
 The lords of Perdition shall falter. 
 And their minions will find not a shelter." 
 
 *' Hail thee ! hail thee ! the Mighty Prince, 
 Counsellor, Conquerer, the Wonderful; 
 The dominions of thine will be militant, 
 Till thy own is a universe glorious." 
 
 Great was that host's exultation, 
 
 Fair was that moment in Aidenn, 
 
 As the warriors were thronging the battlements. 
 
 And the Christ passed the innermost portals. 
 
 On the white walls which blazed with a Heavenly 
 
 brightness, 
 Michael, commissioned commander of armies, 
 Stood with his chieftains. 
 
 Proud from his station, stern with experience, 
 Intellect beamed from his countenance. 
 And majesty encompassed his being. 
 
 He said : " Truly a battle is nearing, 
 
82 ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 Truly the Earth is a pivot 
 
 Where armies will wheel and maneuver, 
 
 And rush on each other." 
 
 " I, who have stood before Lucifer, 
 Know his sagacity; 
 Yet, I look far away and am viewing 
 The Plain of Exultation." 
 
 He paused : A messenger swiftly from Paradise 
 
 Swept to the battlements; 
 
 He cried to the chieftains of Heaven, 
 
 " The rescue ! the rescue ! 
 
 Hades is filled with the myriads of devils, 
 
 And the mighty ships circle around them; 
 
 Paradise, defenseless, awaits the assault — 
 
 Ivike the rolling of thunders the voice of the angel 
 Sounded, the shouts on the ramparts resounded, 
 And the armies of lyight by the message elated, 
 Prepared for the grim Armageddon. 
 
 At the call of Michael, Raphael gathered his hosts, 
 
 And Gabriel marshalled his army; 
 
 They swept o'er the valleys of ether. 
 
 And channeled a river of splendor; 
 
 They flamed in the skies, and their glory 
 
 Shone over the mountains of Paradise. 
 
 Then Abdiel swept with his warriors 
 Through the great portal; 
 
ARMACKDBON. 83 
 
 Ivike billows of flame bright unto noonday, 
 Shone the dread pageant. 
 They traversed the River of Splendor, 
 They swept to the Karth on a mission; 
 For the first was a stroke at the pivot, 
 And the Earth was the hub of maneuver. 
 
 Rang the glad chorus of angels, 
 
 ' ' Victory ! victory ! 
 
 Speed ye, militant servants ! 
 
 The Ivord of the Highest hath sent thee, 
 
 The power of Heaven is with thee." 
 
 " Like vapors which roll from a furnace. 
 Hades will flee from thy presence; 
 Like temples which yield to an earthquake. 
 Perdition will crumble before thee. 
 Victory ! victory ! 
 
 Sweep to thy portion — the onslaught — the on- 
 slaught — 
 Swift be thy triumph." 
 
84 ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 PART THE SKVKNTH. 
 
 CONSPECTUS. 
 
 The armies of eight Jiingdoms of Perdition in bivouac on 
 the mountains of Hades await Beelzebub and his Dragons. 
 They arrive, and the Hiearchy proceeds to the mountain of 
 council. The myriad demons of Hades, who had been given 
 possession of Earth, are seen re-entering the portal of Ab- 
 addon. The archdemen Azazel swoops upon Maya, the queen 
 of the myriads, and carries her to Beelzebub. Maya relates 
 the happenings on the Earth during her dominion thereon, 
 the battle of the nations aided by her minions, the descent 
 of the hosts of Abdiel, and the retreat. The Hiearchy enters 
 into council, and decide to retake the Earth. 
 
 On the high summits of Hades the bivouac flaming, 
 
 Seemed the mad fires on forest clad mountains 
 
 Blazing at night time; 
 
 Like the great trees enwrapped in the hissing, 
 
 Seething dread flames which devour them, 
 
 Rose the red signals of devils, as hosts of Perdition 
 
 Awaited Beelzebub. 
 
 The whir of the wings was like fire winds 
 Feeding a furnace; 
 
ARMAGKDDON. 85 
 
 The wrath of their cries like great branches crack- 
 ling, 
 Ivicked by the madness; 
 The call of the sentries resounded 
 Ivike flame-eaten trees in their falling — 
 Like the rushing of sparks fro m the compact 
 Was delirium of legions. 
 
 There the battalions of Lucifer assembled in bivouac, 
 There the fierce hosts of Perdition awaited the 
 
 council ; 
 The desolate summits of Hades, 
 By the wrath of the devils made lurid , 
 Arose like Earth's heights when invested 
 With the swirl of a great conflagration. 
 
 Far in the vapors a pale haze glimmered an instant, 
 Brighter and nearer — nearer and fiercer, 
 Through the fell night it was sweeping 
 Like a vast meeting of meteors. 
 
 There were Azazel and haughty Azrael, 
 And the archdemon bold Maccathiel; 
 There was the host of Beelzebub, 
 And Hell's greatest monarch was with them. 
 
 Nearer and swifter — fierce unto awfulness 
 
 Loomed up the Dragons; 
 
 They swept o'er the mountains of Hades, 
 
 They cut a wide swath through the vapors; 
 
 The lurid was changed unto livid, 
 
 And devil cries loudened to thunders. 
 
36 ARMAGKDDON. 
 
 Beelzebub shouted : " The council ! the council 1 
 
 Hear ye the greeting ? 
 
 Come to the circle of mighty kings ! 
 
 Come ye, conquerers of the universe ! " 
 
 " Rise, ye powers of Perdition ! 
 Rouse ye, heights of dominions ! 
 Heaven is awaiting the onslaught, 
 And Armageddon is upon it. " 
 
 Round the mighty host circled, and the Dragons 
 Roared their enjoyment; 
 
 Answered the multitudes thronging the summits, 
 And the valleys resounded with ecstacies. 
 
 Then the Hiearchy passed to the mountain 
 O'erlooking the Gulf Intermediate, 
 Where Abaddon had guarded the portal, 
 And the River of Spirit through ages and ages 
 Swept to its chasms. 
 
 It looked from the mountain, and pondered 
 On the signals which arose over Paradise; 
 Hell's monarchs well knew of the garrison. 
 And felt that Heaven's warriors were ready. 
 
 Prone to defiance, Beelzebub thundered : 
 *' Lords of the universe, peers of Jehovah, 
 Pride of Perdition, and terror of worlds and of 
 
 Heaven, 
 Here once again, ere the rage of the battle, 
 We look upon regions unconquered." 
 
ARMAGEDDON. 87 
 
 '* Hades is cauopied by clouds of our warriors, 
 
 Paradise garrisoned, glows a defiance 
 
 Fit for a challenge; 
 
 Shall we destroy it ? shall we embody it ? 
 
 Even as a comet merges a meteor. 
 
 Shall we devour it ? " 
 
 ' ' Take what is near and the further is nearer, 
 
 And the stroke is a step to the furthest; 
 
 There is a region seduced from us ever, 
 
 There is dominion mocking our presence; 
 
 What say ye? what say ye? Lords of the universe, 
 
 Let the fangs of our devils smite within Paradise, 
 
 That satiety await them soon after." 
 
 When Beelzebub paused his grandeur had left him, 
 
 But awfulness compassed his being; 
 
 Moved by his hatred and malice. 
 
 Thrilled by his courage and fierceness. 
 
 Shook his vast form, and his frenzy 
 
 Seemed a mad bull's, ere the bellow 
 
 And rush which must follow. 
 
 He cried : " Burn — burn — 
 
 Let the battlements of Heaven witness the confla- 
 gration ! 
 Slay — slay — utterly destroy — 
 
 That the hosts of Blohim behold this their portion ! 
 Peers of Beelzebub — pride of Perdition, 
 Speak — I will hearken, and Heaven 
 Shall crumble before us." 
 
 Mammon, peerless in wisdom, lord of the Third, 
 
88 ARMAGKDDON. 
 
 Rose to reply, and his majesty 
 
 Told the firm ruler. 
 
 He spake : " Now is hour of the council, 
 
 Now is the time when the Bons have finished 
 
 Perdition's high temple of honor." 
 
 " We, who have labored unceasingly, stand on the 
 
 pinnacle, 
 We, who have toiled for a purpose, reck its sustain- 
 
 ment; 
 Its massive sides look on the universe, 
 They glow on the walls of our Knemy; 
 Its day is our splendor forever. 
 Its night is our midnight of ages." 
 
 •' Even a stone, if misplaced, may crumble the 
 
 structure, 
 Bven a move, if unwise, may be our destruction; 
 I look upon Lucifer — behold him and heed him — 
 Hear him, and hearken." 
 
 Lucifer, proud, yet, sagacious. 
 
 Stern, yet, relenting — grandly majestic, 
 
 Like unto one beholding with thought, 
 
 Gazed on the Gulf Intermediate. 
 
 Ever unmoved by a frenzy, 
 
 Ever untaught by laudation, 
 
 He knew that the portent was warfare, 
 
 And his foe was the Lord of the Highest. 
 
 Soon there were others gazing afar on that ocean, 
 Soon the vast army of devils were roused, for a 
 moaning 
 
ARMAGEDDON. 89 
 
 Seemed a far storm which was nearing, — 
 Seemed a faint rumble of madness; 
 
 Nearer, nearer came the strange moaning upon 
 
 them, 
 Ivike the weird voice of a night wind in a dead forest 
 Sounded the portent; 
 Then a roll like a tempest in winter, 
 A swirl like the seething of waters, 
 Smote on the cliffs, and the portal unguarded, 
 Re-echoed the terror of myriads. 
 
 There was Asmodeus, the Demon of Passion, 
 Leading the rout unto Hades. 
 Sounded the braying of hypocrites, 
 Maniac laughter, moanings and curses, 
 Mingled with screamings of harlots, 
 Filled the abyssms, and chiefs of Perdition 
 Knew that the Earth was retaken. 
 
 Over the walls of the sentries, by army thronged 
 
 mountains, 
 Down underneath, through the caverns 
 Hastened the terrified; 
 
 Asmodeus, leading the van, beholding the bivouac, 
 Howled in his terror, and the myriads 
 Followed in consort. 
 
 All of the minions of Hades, swept from the Karth, 
 
 Rushed to their caverns; 
 
 Smitten by wrath of Abdiel, they fled from his 
 
 presence, 
 And the warriors of Heaven pursued them. 
 
90 ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 Soon a foeman anew was before them, 
 For the lords of Perdition were maddened; 
 And the legions of damned and of damning 
 Seemed like great hawks which were smiting 
 Frantic bats fleeing. 
 
 Then Maya, the Witch of Delusion, screaming. 
 
 Came through the portal ; 
 
 Azazel, watchful archdemon, perched on a summit, 
 
 Saw her his victim. 
 
 He swooped like an eagle upon her, 
 
 He fastened his talons within her, 
 
 And bore he^ away to his monarch. 
 
 The awful Beelzebub. 
 
 There was a word of command, and Samael 
 
 Marshalled his Legion; 
 
 Trained for the skirmish, the Watch Dogs of Dagon 
 
 Wheeled into column; 
 
 The skirmish lines swept through the portal, 
 
 The warriors of Heaven retreated; 
 
 And Paradise awaited the onslaught. 
 
 But the devil host Vv^aited the signal. 
 
 Maya, the queen of Delusion, knew not delusion, 
 
 For reality was upon her; 
 
 Sin, with its horridness, internal, unhidden, 
 
 Molded her form unto rottenness; 
 
 Like the undying worms of Gehenna, 
 
 The corruptions crawled in her being. 
 
 And her breasts were as boils oozing matter. 
 
 And her body as flesh full of maggots. 
 
A.RMAGKDDOK, 9^ 
 
 Gone was delusion — let the harlots of Earth 
 
 Look on their future; 
 
 Gone was illusion — let the sin eaten spirit 
 
 See its last body. 
 
 Canker, matter and filth moaned on that mountain, 
 
 Worms linked with worms, fleshless, undying, 
 
 Shaped her in hideousness. 
 
 Her spirit looked on her miser}*, 
 
 Her spirit moaned in its sadness; 
 
 For the glow of the harlot had left her, 
 
 And the hypocrite found not a hiding place. 
 
 Beelzebub roared at his victim, 
 
 " Speak — speak, or I blast thee ! 
 
 Why art thou faithless ? why art thou craven ? 
 
 Speak, or I slay thee ! " 
 
 Arising o'er terror, Ma3'a came to herself. 
 
 And the beauty of Hades was on her; 
 
 The glow of the worm in the twilight lit up her 
 
 being. 
 For the fire of Hades was in her. 
 
 She cried : " Hail thee, lords of Perdition ! 
 Hail thee, rescuers of the damned ! 
 Even a half of the universe looks unto thee — 
 Unto thee it gazes for succor." 
 
 On thy dominions of Earth we toiled, and thy man- 
 date. 
 Knew not antagonist; 
 
92 ARMAGKDDON, 
 
 Few were so bold to defy thee, 
 Many so longed for persuasion, 
 That the Barth was a hill of corruption, 
 And the air was the breath of the offal." 
 
 " Cities arose, and their battlements encompassed 
 
 the mountains. 
 Nations awoke, and great vessels rode on the waters ; 
 Mammon came king, and the world was merged in 
 
 a nation. 
 Corruption came lord, and the nation divided its 
 
 members." 
 
 "Then the battle ships rode in the heavens, 
 And the heart of the world was within them; 
 The multitudes ravaged the cities, 
 And the soul of the demons was with them." 
 
 "O the hour of that glad expectation ! 
 
 the time of that rapture of triumph ! 
 
 1 was a queen — I, a very queen — 
 lyooked from a mountain of glory. 
 
 And dominion of mine was beneath me." 
 
 "Then the blast of a trumpet sounded, 
 
 ' Gabriel ! Gabriel ! ' 
 
 Its roll through the heavens resounded, 
 
 ' Gabriel ! Gabriel ! ' 
 
 A host of his angels joined in the chorus. 
 
 And the Earth and the heavens were shakened." 
 
 "Came the third blast of the trumpet. 
 Came the fierce warriors of Heaven; 
 
ARMAGKDDON. 93 
 
 The sky was an ocean of madness, 
 And I fled to Karth's bosom for safety." 
 
 " Rolled through the heavens a voicing, 
 
 ' Esdraelon ! Bsdraelon ! Rise thou, my offspring ! 
 
 I see the hosts of the dragon and eagle, 
 
 And the bear is awaiting on Meddigo; 
 
 One hour and the Karth is thine ever, 
 
 One hour and ye are all glorious — 
 
 Rise thou, my chosen ! ' ' 
 
 " With the glad shout my terror had left me. 
 
 Up from Karth's bosom arising Hell's vulture, 
 
 I gazed on the vista. 
 
 There was the fearless Azrael, 
 
 There were my myriads in rapture; 
 
 The table was spread for the feasting, 
 
 And I plunged with my host to the orgie." 
 
 " What a mock battle for demons ! 
 What a real battle for mortals j 
 Raping, riot and ruin, 
 Slaughter — slaughter — slaughter. ' ' 
 
 " O the time of that glad consumation ! 
 O the hour of that rapture of living ! 
 When the demons of Hades were masters. 
 And the mortals were keen for the bidding." 
 
 '* Burn ! burn ! howled the mad demons. 
 And madder men rushed for the torches; 
 Slay ! slay ! shrieked the glad devils. 
 And man in his passion was blinded." 
 
94 ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 The valleys were covered with corses; 
 
 The armies of Earth were in battle, 
 
 And the Barth by thy hosts was encompassed." 
 
 " In the great ships were ni}- myriads. 
 B}- the dread guns were ni}- faithful; 
 They whispered a word to the mortals, 
 And they guided the missiles unendingly. " 
 
 " Under the sea the swift vessels rushing, 
 
 Knew not a mere}-; 
 
 Up in the skies the light vessels wheeling, 
 
 Roared in their anger. 
 
 The brother was turned against brother, 
 
 The sister was given to ravishment; 
 
 For each mortal was mad unto frenzy. 
 
 And a demon was howling beside him." 
 
 " Over the fields were the lines of the armies, 
 
 Over the lines were ni}^ myriad angels 
 
 Urging them onward; 
 
 Rank on rank — file on file — 
 
 Division on division. 
 
 Demons and mortals — mortals and demons, 
 
 Rushed on each other, howling, barking, shrieking, 
 
 Prone to be drunken." 
 
 "The thunders on thunders resounded. 
 The lightning bolts flashed in the heavens, 
 And the demons were laughing and mocking. 
 And the mortals were cursing and d3dng." 
 
ARMAGEDDON. 95 
 
 " What a delirium of gladness ! 
 What a prospective of Heaven 
 Arose in the vapors beneath me, 
 As I stood on my mountain of glory." 
 
 " Then a shout rang forth in the heavens, 
 
 'Abdiel ! Abdiel ! ' 
 
 It rolled o'er the rage of the battle, 
 
 'Abdiel ! Abdiel ! ' 
 
 The warriors of Heaven were on us, 
 
 And the skies were ablaze with their anger." 
 
 ' ' Could my weak minions sustain me ? 
 Could thy few devils uphold me ? 
 Vainly I battled — vainly I struggled. 
 For my minion host baffled — dumfounded, 
 Fled from their presence." 
 
 " Dread was the fight, for the warriors of Heaven 
 
 Knew not a mercy; 
 
 Blinded with madness, the nations collecting. 
 
 Battled like devils; 
 
 But the mortals born in the spirit 
 
 Beheld a new foeman before them, 
 
 And fled — ah, we fled unto Hades — 
 
 Our chasm of safety. ' ' 
 
 She ceased : Beelzebub shouted : ' ' Carrion — 
 
 carrion — 
 Symbol of Earth — scorn of my devils ! 
 Kven the slaves of Perdition would loathe thee, 
 Even the dens of Perdition would spew thee; 
 Thou and thy myriads — thou and thy cravens, 
 Go to thy judgment." 
 
96 ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 Swift from their stations two devils swooped on 
 
 their victim, 
 From the bleak mountain of council swifter they 
 
 bore her; 
 Down in the hole of Delusion madly they cast her — 
 Downward she fell to her kingdom. 
 
 Passed was the route of the minions of Hades, 
 Saving, lone stragglers quacking like cranes when 
 
 affrighted, 
 Rising away from their danger. 
 Back to their own was the army, 
 Back to themselves were the devils; 
 And the chiefs on the mountain of council 
 Roused to their portion. 
 
 Bold in oration, Belial spake his defiance : 
 
 " Kings of Perdition— builders of Hell — 
 
 Challengers of Heaven, hear my proposal : 
 
 Fair is the time I look on my foeman, 
 
 Dear is the hour my Vultures cling to his an gels j 
 
 Mine are no minions of Hades — 
 
 Mine are no hosts to be craven — 
 
 Bid me go forth, aud I wrestle 
 
 Earth from our enemy — I hold thine ever. ' ' 
 
 Soon the debating arose to confusion, 
 
 Soon on that mountain was pictured Perdition, 
 
 When devils enraged were unmastered. 
 
 Beelzebub shouted : ' ' Think ye Heaven is won ? 
 That words and not action can give us the triumph ? 
 Think ye the holds of Jehovah will fall at a bidding? 
 
ARMAGEDDON. 97 
 
 And his battlements crumble at glances ? 
 
 Vale, this mad vaunting ! 
 
 Vale, this confusion ! 
 
 Fight as my Dragons fight — strive as my Dragons 
 
 strive — 
 Hold what is gained and take what is nearest, 
 And Heaven is our own." 
 
 Changed was the scene, and Lucifer, 
 
 Once the great counsellor, now the war chieftain, 
 
 Rose to address, and his colleagues 
 
 Heard him in silence. 
 
 He said : "Lords of Perdition, peers of archangels. 
 
 Gone is the glamour of theory. 
 
 Passed has the glitter of promise ; 
 
 Fact is a mountain — a very high mountain, 
 
 And its summit, the crown of the universe, 
 
 Glows with the light of our longing." 
 
 *' Hell is a chasm. Hades a ledge on that mountain — 
 Heaven the summit, from which we would look 
 Over creation — over the universe — 
 Look on our glory, for we would be princes there 
 ever. ' ' 
 
 " We to attain that high station have plotted for 
 
 ages. 
 Often retreat was our portion. 
 Often defeat was before us; 
 Often frustrated, with zeal unabated we planned the 
 
 new struggle. 
 
98 ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 Building Perdition, a kingdom eternal, 
 Defying Almighty." 
 
 * ' Hate, undying hate molded its grandeur, 
 Zeal, intensest zeal builded that kingdom; 
 The ramparts which rise from Perdition 
 Are the steps up the mountain of Heaven; 
 And the Earth is a ledge to be taken. 
 Ere the rush to the summit." 
 
 " Let our mighty host together sweep on the Earth, 
 
 United in purpose; 
 
 Let the Earth be retaken, our cohorts retain it. 
 
 And ours is the triumph; 
 
 For Gabriel will rush through the heavens, 
 
 And Michael will come to his rescue; 
 
 Our hosts will encompass their warriors. 
 
 And our legions will follow and slay them." 
 
 " Forth with thy armies go to the battle, 
 
 And Lucifer is with thee; 
 
 Fight and retreat not — war to the uttermost, 
 
 And Beelzebub is beside thee. 
 
 Earth is our hill of defiance, 
 
 And fair is the hour of the battle; 
 
 We will fight — we will fight and retreat not — 
 
 Swear ye, my colleagues." 
 
 Ah, what an oath was then sworn? 'Twas as 
 
 thunders commingled. 
 Rolling with curses; 
 
 Ah, what a blasphemy ? Only arch devils could utter 
 Such execrations. 
 
ARMAGEDDON. 99 
 
 Boldest and loudest, Belial roared in his passion, 
 Fiercest, Amamon bellowed his deep maledictions; 
 Daring, vaunting and damning rolled from that 
 
 mountain — 
 Rolled on the heights, and the devil host 
 Cursed a glad answer. 
 
 Only proud Lucifer cursed not, but gazed on that 
 
 ocean, 
 Seeing some object fixed on his memory — 
 Hearing some taunting which filled him with hatred 
 Too deep for expression. 
 
 Lore. 
 
ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 PART THE EIGHTH. 
 
 CONSPKCTUS. 
 
 The forces of Perdition, excepting the divisions of Ra and 
 Osiris, leave Hades, and proceed to attack the Earth, which 
 is defended by angels under Abdiel and Zephon. The attack 
 is made and the devils are repulsed. The squadrons of Ra 
 and Osiris are sent for, and the armies of Perdition meet 
 them in the heavens. The squadrons attack the Earth, and 
 the devils attempt to cut off the retreat of the angels. The 
 defenses are pierced by the squadrons and the chariots sep- 
 arate the elements of the oceans and land; the elements 
 combine and the Earth, blovt'n to atoms, is dissolved in fiery 
 heat. 
 
 Formed in divisions, the host of Perdition 
 Waited the signal; 
 
 Marshalled in order swift through the portal 
 Swept the dread pageant. 
 
 The skirmish lines seemed as if meteors 
 Blazing innumerably; 
 
 The orb of the standards shone a bright circle, 
 As insignias flared in the heavens. 
 
ARMAGEDDON. lOI 
 
 Formed in battalia, the army of Lucifer 
 
 Chiselled a pathway of azure; 
 
 Flaming on red wings, the Lancers of Mammon 
 
 Glowed like a cloud at the night time, 
 
 Lit by a furnace. 
 
 Blue and electric, Beelzebub's Dragons 
 Like flaming bolts sizzled their anger; 
 Greenish from passion, appearing reflections. 
 Vultures, Ghouls and the Vampires, 
 Like cavalry moved on the picket. 
 
 Fiercely they swept on their mission, 
 Madly they rushed through the heavens; 
 But the sections of Ra and Osiris 
 Were reserved on the Gulf of Damnation. 
 
 Stars unto suns increased, and their satellites 
 Grew unto planets; 
 
 Suns unto stars diminished behind them , 
 And their planets hid in the distance. 
 
 Loud were the cries, as the worlds in their pathway 
 Glowed their dominion; 
 
 Deep were the oaths when a world in its purity 
 Flashed a defiance. 
 
 But the lost was the one to be taken, 
 And the lost was enclosed by defenses; 
 Like the clouds on the sea were the ramparts — 
 Like the sun in the clouds were their foemen. 
 
 Swift through the orbit of asteroids 
 
ARMAGKBDON. 
 
 Passed the great army; 
 
 Swifter away to the battlements 
 
 Swept the fell legions. 
 
 Vaster and brighter rose up the bulwarks before 
 
 them, 
 Fiercer and madder the devils passed to the conflict; 
 lyike an ocean drawn by a satellite 
 Surged the great army; 
 
 Like a tidal wave hurled by an earthquake, 
 Rolled the vast billows of warriors. 
 
 Lucifer looked on the orb of defenses 
 
 Resplendent with angels; 
 
 He gave a command, and a signal 
 
 Flashed in the heavens. 
 
 And the sections awaited the mandate. 
 
 Like a meteor bursting at midnight 
 Shone the bright signal. 
 Like the crash of an avalanche maddened, 
 Sounded the cries of the devils. 
 
 Then leaders were forming their cohorts, 
 And column was circling o'er column; 
 Their wrath was the mingling of thunders, 
 And the flash of their pinions as lightnings. 
 
 First to advance were the Watch Dogs of Dagon, 
 And Samael's Legion was near them; 
 Quickly the Vultures, Ghouls and the Vampires, 
 Screaming and hissing — frenzied, ah, frenzied, 
 Rushed to the battle. 
 
ARMAGKDDON. IO3 
 
 Ah, what a scene unto spirit was pictured that 
 
 moment, 
 Ah, what an act in the drama of spirit was opened; 
 For the myriads of devils rushed onward 
 With the force of an ocean of tempests. 
 Though the batteries thronging the battlements 
 Mutely were frowning. 
 
 Rolled from a height a crashing of thunders, 
 And thousands of crashings resounded; 
 Burst from that height great surges of madness, 
 Lustrous and burning. 
 
 Then rampart on rampart awakened, 
 And mountain on mountain re-echoed the thunders; 
 Shafts of white lightnings swept from the battle- 
 ments — 
 Bolts of dread vengeance rushed on the devils. 
 
 They smote on the ranks of the Watch Dogs, 
 They hurled the divisions asunder; 
 They pierced the great section of Molech, 
 And rent it, like mines, when exploding 
 Hurl the rock fragments. 
 
 Deep were the swaths the hissing flames 
 Cut in the chargers; 
 
 Swaying and drifting — conscious, yet, palsied, 
 Floated the devils smitten by foemen. 
 
 They moved in rotation of eddies, 
 
 They whirled in the swirls and recoilings; 
 
 They met a new blast, and were scattered — 
 
104 ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 Were blown from the struggle. 
 
 Though leagues by the hundreds were the detach- 
 ments 
 
 Hurled by explosions, 
 
 Back they returned leagues by the hundreds, 
 Nobly defiant. 
 
 Scattered, broken, maddened to frenzy, 
 Howling and shrieking, cursing and charging, 
 Devil struggled for angel, 
 And archdemon sought for archangel. 
 
 From the near vista. Mammon and Lucifer 
 Watched the fierce meeting; 
 Swiftly Beelzebub, doubly defiant, 
 Swept to their presence. 
 
 He cried : ' ' Burn ! burn ! let the Earth be des- 
 troyed, 
 That our enemies find not a shelter; 
 Shall it remain to defy us ? 
 Shall it stand forth in our presence ? 
 Let machines of Perdition cleave the straight line, 
 That the battlements fade in the blasting." 
 
 The wrathful triune were beholding 
 
 Repulse of their legions; 
 
 Masked in the vapors weapons strange to Perdition 
 
 Told a new story; 
 
 Invention must battle with knowledge. 
 
 And missile strive for the mastery ; 
 
ARMAGEDDON. IO5 
 
 Defeat be a teacher, and ever 
 Experience a path unto triumph. 
 
 Brief was the counsel of Mammon, 
 
 For Beelzebub had spoken; 
 
 Lucifer gave a command, and messengers 
 
 Sped to the Gulf of Damnation; 
 
 Then orders were racing with orders 
 
 On that vibrating ocean of spirit, 
 
 And devils, though battling, were hearing 
 
 The word of retreat unto safety. 
 
 Ah, what confusion of devils ! 
 Ah, what a rumble of madness ! 
 Shouting of orders — yelling of devils, 
 Whirring of pinions — crashing of missiles, 
 Rolled from that ocean of conflict — 
 Swept with the legions retreating. 
 
 Like billows of storm cloud lashed unto thunderings , 
 Surged the mad sections; 
 
 Like the roaring of maelstroms smote by a tempest, 
 Swirled the vast host on the ether. 
 
 Like fire of a sunset piercing red vapors, 
 
 Sallied the warriors of Heaven; 
 
 Like flaming sun mountains roused unto madness. 
 
 Shone the great ramparts above them; 
 
 The columns swept over the battlements 
 
 With the roll of a myriad of thunders; 
 
 With the blaze of an ocean of lightnings 
 
 They rushed on the devils retreating. 
 
Io6 ARMAGKDDON. 
 
 Beelzebub thundered : " Behold ! behold ! Think 
 
 they our warriors 
 Slaves to be lashed by a garrison ? 
 Think they our armies minions to flee at a challenge? 
 Let my fell Dragons smite them — eat them — 
 Ha, the fair moment !" 
 
 Madly he rushed where his Dragons 
 Waited the signal; 
 
 Fiercely he shouted : " The onslaught ! the on- 
 slaught ! 
 Hear ye, my chosen ? 
 Rouse ye, and we will have feasting. 
 Battle, and ye will have glory — 
 Hell and the slaughter ! " 
 
 Type of their master — roused unto rapture. 
 
 The Dragons roared at the bidding; 
 
 They whirled, and their fierceness blazed from their 
 
 beings. 
 They shot like blue bolts at their foemen. 
 
 On the mad charge the hosts of Perdition 
 Looked, and a mild admiration 
 Changed to a wild exultation. 
 
 From the bright ramparts sped to the strife rein- 
 forcements. 
 Unto the meeting rushed the great army of Dragons; 
 Flash on flash — flame on flame — 
 Bolts on their foemen shot from their glances, 
 And Heavens' s host answered in concert. 
 
 Ah, what a meeting of billows! 
 
ARMAGEDDON. lOy 
 
 Ah, what a surging of madness ! 
 Blue and electric, Beelzebub's army- 
 Seemed a great wedge in the heavens; 
 White unto splendor, the host of Abdiel 
 Nobly defiant, circled to wait the concussion ; 
 
 With the speed of a meteor passing, 
 
 The blue wedge sank in the circle; 
 
 With the swiftness of thought at the meeting, 
 
 The circle was parted asunder. 
 
 From devils retreating detachments recovering, 
 
 Formed in divisions; 
 
 Belial collected his Vultures, 
 
 And Amamon marshalled his Vampires, 
 
 While Dagon, Samael and Molech, 
 
 Gathered their fiends, and the mighty host 
 
 Howled their returning. 
 
 Where were the angels to combat Beelzebub's 
 
 chosen ? 
 Where the archangels to cope with the chiefs of 
 
 Perdition ? 
 They beheld the mad foes with defiance. 
 They met them, they faltered — outnumbered, 
 They fled to the battlements. 
 
 Then what a scene the pursuit by the devils did 
 
 picture; 
 Thrilled by the crash, the sections of Mammon and 
 
 Lucifer 
 Longed to be with them. 
 They yelled in delirium of gladness. 
 
Io8 ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 They followed the hosts which were fleeing, 
 Till the battlements awakened, and sounded 
 Protection and safety. 
 
 Warmed by the combat, the hosts of Perdition 
 
 Taunted the angels; 
 
 Frenzied by triumph, yelling and cursing, 
 
 They circled the ramparts; 
 
 Then forming again in divisions, 
 
 They followed the orb of the standards; 
 
 For the hosts of Perdition, collected. 
 
 Were speeding to Hades. 
 
 Bellow, crashing and peal rolled on the ether, 
 lyouder and fiercer thunderings roared in the 
 
 heavens; 
 The skies were ablaze with the madness 
 Which shot from the eyes of the squadrons; 
 For Ra, the great king of the Seventh, 
 Had come to the rescue. 
 
 Bumble, rumble and boom sounded behind him, 
 Flashing, madness and fire pierced the far ether; 
 For Osiris swept on with his chariots, 
 And the hosts of the Eighth were around him; 
 And the cars were as moons which were flying 
 On wings of sheet lightnings. 
 
 From the far distance the fiends of Perdition 
 Saw the great squadrons; 
 
 Swiftly upon them they bore, and their pinions 
 Roared with the thunders. 
 
ARMAGEDDON. IO9 
 
 They flew by the side of the vessels, 
 They soared o'er the wake of the chariots; 
 And the mad flaming seas were reflected 
 On the countless wings beating in rhythm. 
 
 Signals were answered by signals, and messengers 
 
 Sped on their missions; 
 
 Column was moving with column, and sections 
 
 Followed in order; 
 
 Though martial strains thrilled not the devils, 
 
 Though bugle notes sounded no mandate, 
 
 The thunders to fiends were inspiring. 
 
 And the angry flames moved them to passion. 
 
 High o'er the flying lines chieftains assembled, 
 
 Held a grim council; 
 
 For defenses of angels unbroken. 
 
 Were to fall, and the Earth was to follow; 
 
 And the vessels were cleared for the battle — 
 
 For Hell and destruction. 
 
 Soon through the orbit of asteroids 
 
 Swept the divisions; 
 
 Soon the white glow of the battlements 
 
 Rose up before them; 
 
 The squadrons paused not to maneuver, 
 
 But rushed in a wedge on the ramparts; 
 
 The chariots followed and battled, 
 
 And the devil host followed and waited. 
 
 They rushed and illumined with anger, 
 
 Their countless eyes streamed the dread lightnings; 
 
no ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 They hurled on the batteries missiles 
 Which exploded like mountains of lyddite. 
 
 Like hail from a storm cloud fell the great orbs, 
 
 Like oceans of thunders the answer 
 
 Rolled from the battlements; 
 
 Rivers of fire with sun blinding fierceness 
 
 Burst from the eyes of the squadrons — 
 
 Smote on the warriors of Heaven. 
 
 Fierce detonations crashed and resounded, 
 Deep reverberations rolled and re-echoed; 
 The ramparts were powdered with missiles, 
 The heavens were blazing like furnaces; 
 The squadrons closed in on their mission. 
 And the battlements fell at the blasting. 
 
 The chariots changed from moons unto suns, 
 And their wings were the streams of their anger; 
 They drank up the rivers and oceans. 
 And the elements changed in solution; 
 They burned up the mountains and valleys, 
 And the Barth was a molten volcano. 
 
 Gone were the lines of defenses, 
 Fled had the warriors of Heaven; 
 And Barth life forever was blotted, 
 For the mortal was swept in a furnace. 
 
 Through the dense vapors the squadrons forged, 
 And the cars of Osiris were with them; 
 Round the great furnace the devils exultant, 
 Rushed for the angels retreating. 
 
ARMAGEDDON. Ill 
 
 In a swift instant Karth was a molten- mad fire, 
 In a swift instant Earth was a gas separated: 
 And nature suspended, was waiting 
 The meeting, when nature was master; 
 And the ships of Perdition were speeding 
 Away from that scene of their vengeance. 
 
 Nature is fair unto devils, 
 
 And nature is gracious to angels; 
 
 Though she gives to man summer and winter, 
 
 Though she grants to man death for a promise, 
 
 Who solves her own secrets, will find her 
 
 A willing, unvarying slave. 
 
 When the squadrons of Ra had broken the ram- 
 parts. 
 And the ships of Osiris drank up the oceans, 
 Then like a planet of melinite charged and ex- 
 ploded, 
 Blazed the mad orb, and the elements parted, 
 Met, and their union caused the conflagration. 
 
 Ah, what a meeting of elements ! 
 
 Ah, what display in the heavens ! 
 
 For a brightness which blinded the sunlight 
 
 Burst over the skies, and the dwellers 
 
 Beyond the great suns must discover 
 
 A star which was new and uncharted. 
 
 Thus was destruction accomplished, and devils 
 
 Saw the conflagration; 
 
 Flash on flash — flame on flame — 
 
 Billow on billow of transcendent brightness 
 
ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 Surged in the heavens, and the star-suns 
 Beheld the illumination. 
 
 Thus was mortal life blotted, and the elements 
 
 Sounded their triumph ; 
 
 Peal on peal — crash on crash — 
 
 Fierce detonations — boomings — roarings, 
 
 Rolled in the skies, till a mighty blast 
 
 Drowned all else with its thunders. 
 
 Molten — vaporous — gaseous — boom went the Barth, 
 And the Karth was no more, but an ocean 
 I/ike the dread seas of Perdition surged on the 
 
 devils, 
 Who howled in their rapture. 
 
 The star of the east has a story. 
 The star of the west has a sequel, 
 To be told at the grim Amageddon, 
 When the Karth rolls away as a scroll. 
 
ARMAGEDDON. II 3 
 
 PART THK NINTH. 
 
 CONSPECTUS. 
 
 Paradise, over which Uriel is ruler, is described. Gabriel 
 and Raphael, with their armies, come to its defense. Gabriel 
 with his division, leaves Paradise, and proceeds to the Earth. 
 Michael comes from Heaven with innumerable warriors, 
 and his engines of wrath blaze in the skies. The contesting 
 armies meet in battle, and the hosts of Perdition are defeat- 
 ed. They retreat to Hades, pursued by the victorious and 
 exultant angels. 
 
 Over that State Intermediate, 
 Paradise, realm of sweet rest, 
 Guardian angels, brave and untiring, 
 Keep vigil to ward it from evil. 
 
 Where the bright River of Spirit from Earth 
 Flowed through the portal — 
 Flowed and repeated its anthems of gladness, 
 Uriel, worthy archangel, ruler of Paradise, 
 Stood on his station of honor. 
 
 Around him were angels rejoicing. 
 And cohorts of warriors ready for battle, 
 
114 ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 Waited the call of the sentries; 
 Over him arches illumined his station of splendor, 
 By him the River of Spirit babbled and rippled — 
 Flowed to the valleys beyond it. 
 
 In the fair valleys, fairer than Bden in story, 
 Rested the souls of the blessed — 
 Rested and waited the souls in that haven, 
 Till the hour when the angel would call them. 
 
 There like unto like is attracted, 
 
 And the sage with the sage holds communion; 
 
 The fair and the pure are companions. 
 
 And the child finds the children's enjoyment. 
 
 The singer's reward is the anthems, 
 And the artist's the beauty around him; 
 The poet's themes dwell in his being. 
 And the soul which is weary finds rest. 
 
 Yet, all are as students, who ever 
 Look up to a region of promise; 
 And all are as teachers, who alway 
 Reach downward to help up a brother. 
 
 Bright are the regions of Paradise, 
 
 And the skies, as if azure electric. 
 
 Light the dominions. 
 
 The mountain arise in fair colors, 
 
 And orange, vermillion and violet. 
 
 Pink the blue skies, yet, a blending celestial 
 
 Tones that pure region of spirit. 
 
ARMAGKDDON. 115 
 
 Golden, amethyst, purple and emerald, 
 Glitter the slopes and the hillsides; 
 And the streams are as waves of soft fire, 
 The oceans like opals inwoven; 
 And the foliage, like gems intermingled, 
 Sweetly embowered, breathes over Paradise fra- 
 grance. 
 
 Think not, O men, that spirit is formless and 
 changeless. 
 
 Think not, O men, that spirit is else than a sub- 
 stance ; 
 
 The eyes of the mortals behold it 
 
 But little in regions of mortals; 
 
 But the eyes of immortals shall see it 
 
 As real as is nature to nature. 
 
 Vigilant ever, Uriel stood by the portal, 
 And the cohorts of angels were near him; 
 He looked on the Gulf Intermediate, 
 Which parted his kingdom from Hades; 
 He saw that his scouts were untiring, 
 And the neutral deep ever was guarded. 
 
 When the minions of Hades swept to the Earth, 
 
 His sentries beheld them; 
 
 When signals of devils awaiting the council 
 
 Flared on the Gulf Intermediate, 
 
 He messaged their presence to Heaven. 
 
 Swift unto Paradise Gabriel and Raphael 
 
 Came to the rescue; 
 
 Fierce for the battle the warriors celestial 
 
1 16 ARMAGKDDON. 
 
 Swept on their mission. 
 
 lyike streamers of suns in the heavens, 
 The bright waves rolled from their radiance; 
 For they passed on an ocean of glory, 
 Which the splendor of angels illumined. 
 
 Glad were the shouts of the sentries. 
 When the mighty host swept upon Paradise; 
 Bright were the ramparts around it, 
 When thronged by the warriors of Heaven; 
 
 Council opposed unto council 
 Planned the grim battle; 
 Like telegrams on the vibrations of ether 
 Messages raced through the heavens. 
 
 From world unto world — star unto star, 
 Caught by the stations innumerable. 
 Sped the commands, and the answers 
 Swift as a thought were returning. 
 
 Scarcely less rapid messenger angels 
 
 Rushed on their errands; 
 
 Stronghold and outpost, regions fair unto Heaven, 
 
 Saw their bright pinions; 
 
 Then signal lights flashed from the stations, 
 
 "Abdiel! Abdiel ! 
 
 The Barth is retaken — the Earth is our own — 
 
 Christ and the universe ! " 
 
 What a great shouting arose from the ramparts 
 When the angel host read the glad signal ; 
 
ARMAGEDDON. II7 
 
 What a fierce rapture rolled over the universe, 
 When Heaven awoke with laudation. 
 
 For the Barth was that hour a pivot, 
 And the universe looked on its center; 
 Soon the legions of fiends were around it, 
 And Heaven's hosts speeding to meet them. 
 
 Then was destruction accomplished, and devils 
 Saw the conflagration; 
 
 Then was mortal life blotted, and the elements 
 Sounded their triumph. 
 
 O what a rapture of devils! 
 
 O what a change was before them ! 
 
 For the warriors of Gabriel were nearing, 
 
 And Michael swept forth with his army. 
 
 Through the mad heavens objects strange to Per- 
 dition 
 
 Came to the conflict; 
 
 They were as serpents leagues in extension, 
 
 Winged with great vans — such fierceness and 
 splendor 
 
 Shot from their movements. 
 
 That fiery seas fled their advancing. 
 
 Sinuous, slender, gliding with serpent like move- 
 ments, 
 
 Whirring their wings like wheels which were grind- 
 ing out lightnings. 
 
 Came the swift engines of Heaven — 
 
 Swept the creation of angels. 
 
Il8 AE.MAGEDDON. 
 
 Quickly behind them the heavens blazed, for Mich- 
 ael 
 Neared with his armies; 
 Like a great ocean of splendor his warriors 
 Surged to the battle, 
 And the chiefs of Perdition beheld them. 
 
 Signals were answered by signals, 
 And the armies of devils, defiant, 
 Sought the encounter; 
 
 Beelzebub shouted : " The onslaught! the on- 
 slaught ! 
 Now is the hour of the glad consumation — 
 Follow me — follow me — ring out the slogan, 
 Perdition victorious ! " 
 
 Section on section caught up the war cry, 
 
 Army on army resounded the answer; 
 
 Through the mad furnace they swept on the angels , 
 
 And the legions of Heaven beheld them. 
 
 The cohorts of Gabriel flamed in the skies, 
 And rushed on the flanks of the devils; 
 Swifter and fiercer, Abdiel, returning, 
 Closed on the rear, and his warriors 
 Awaited not order of battle. 
 
 Ah, what a mix up — the burst of a world into atoms, 
 
 Paled in the wrath of that battle; 
 
 Beelzebub struck at the front, and Lucifer 
 
 Came a close second. 
 
 Mammon wheeled upon Gabriel, 
 
 Dagon, Samael and Molech rushed to the rear. 
 
ARMAGEDDON. 1 19 
 
 And countered the host of Adiel ; 
 
 Godless Belial, vengeful Amamon, 
 Met with the archjingel Zephon; 
 Ra and Osiris in the mad furnace 
 Strove with the engines of Heaven. 
 
 Rang on the thunders of battle, 
 " Christ and the universe ! " 
 Answered the hosts of Perdition, 
 " Hell and the slaughter ! " 
 Then devil battled with angel, 
 Archdemon sought for archangel; 
 And lightnings rushed upon lightnings, 
 And explosions re-echoed explosions. 
 
 Ivike mighty suns battling each other, 
 
 Seemed the fierce meeting; 
 
 Like streamers of fire from the contact, 
 
 Surged the mad armies, 
 
 And the skies were ablaze from the battle. 
 
 Columns of devils wheeled, and encircling 
 
 Orbits of planets, frenzied, 
 
 Swooped on their foemen; 
 
 Angels in multitudes, from the high heavens 
 
 Fell in great streams on their enemies — 
 
 Beat in mad billows against them. 
 
 Angel and devil singly in combat 
 Raced with each other — chasing and fleeing — 
 Darting, turning, smiting, defending, 
 
ARMAGKDDON. 
 
 Soaring away in the heavens, like eagles 
 Karnest for slaughter. 
 
 Cohort with cohort wheeled and maneuvered; 
 Met and retreated, battled and struggled — 
 Swept through the orbits of planets. 
 Circled the great suns — 
 
 Seemingly drawn by a magnet unto the Gulf Inter- 
 mediate. 
 
 Kach weapon was might of their blasting, 
 Each missile the flame which was shooting 
 From intensified hate in their beings, 
 And lightnings would jet in the contrast. 
 
 Like mountains of lyddite hurled on defenses. 
 Bolts from the squadrons burst on the serpents; 
 Like melinite asteroids fiercely exploding, 
 Seemed the great orbs which the serpents hurled as 
 an answer. 
 
 Madly they closed with each other, 
 Swiftly they wheeled in encounter; 
 And doubly they sought for the single. 
 Though single, they knew not surrender. 
 
 Millions of leagues from the center of combat 
 
 Mammon battled with Gabriel; 
 
 It was not champion with champion. 
 
 It was not single with single; 
 
 But the rush of an army on army. 
 
 And the charge of a legion on legion. 
 
ARMAGEDDON. 121 
 
 Trained were the Lancers, and Hell's choicest war- 
 riors 
 Stood by their chieftain; 
 
 Brave were their foes, for the flower of Heaven, 
 Battled for Gabriel. 
 
 Around in great circles they swirled like a nebula 
 Torn by convulsions; 
 
 Rolled from their ranks a rage like an ocean 
 Swept in a furnace. 
 
 Shriekings of Ghouls, hissings of Vultures, 
 
 Howling of Watch Dogs, screaming of Vampires, 
 
 Compassed the host of their foes, as the multitudes 
 
 Closed in upon them. 
 
 There was not order of battle. 
 
 There was not else than a frenzy. 
 
 For the devils were thrilled by a promise, 
 
 And the angels upheld by a mission. 
 
 Michael, firm as a sun, in the fierce center 
 Held his vast army; 
 
 In the front was the pride of his warriors, 
 In the van were the greatest archangels; 
 And the massive assaults of the Dragons 
 Failed in their errand. 
 
 Sanguine, reliant, thrilled by the glory of triumph. 
 
 Earnest for battle, and peerless Jehovah 
 
 Slave at his beck, Beelzebub, leading his Dragons, 
 
 Surged on the center. 
 
 Beaten back, forming, returning. 
 
 Gaining new fury, they rushed in close wedges, 
 
ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 Rolled in great orbs on the rampart of angels. 
 
 Grim as the warriors who years by the score on des- 
 ert and mountain 
 Warred with the Indians, 
 
 lyucifer's Veterans strove at the side of the Dragons. 
 They had given one shout at the onslaught, 
 They had uttered one yell at the meeting; 
 And then in a tide unremitting, 
 Ate — ate — ate. 
 In that adamant rampart of foemen. 
 
 Ivucifer, keen for the triumph, 
 Like a great meteor shot in the heavens; 
 Stragglers beholding him fled from his presence, 
 As he looked on the grim Armageddon. 
 
 The heavens seemed seas meteoric, 
 
 And fierce blazing islands told where a section 
 
 Battled with section ; 
 
 Rivers of fire were darting on rivers. 
 
 Forming huge furnaces — 
 
 Shooting like jets in the heavens — 
 
 Falling, and striking each other — surging away, 
 
 Merging their foes like billows hemmed in a cavern. 
 
 Far away, far, engines contested with engines, 
 And furnace wrath rolled from the madness; 
 Over that spiritual ocean crashings resounded. 
 Drowned by the roar of the center — 
 The unbroken hub of the battle. 
 
 Like dust meteoric glowing at sunset, 
 
ARMAGKDDON. I23 
 
 Seemed the far rivers, where angels and devils 
 
 Blasted, palsied, collected, 
 
 Drifted away to their portion. 
 
 They drifted away where the river 
 
 Flowed unto the Gulf Intermediate; 
 
 The spirit world cliffs were their shelter, 
 
 And their haven the magnet which lured them. 
 
 Heat of Perdition is awful to angels, 
 Heat of fair Heaven is woeful to devils; 
 It meets at the Gulf Intermediate, 
 It meets at the grim Armageddons, 
 When hate, intensified, blazes 
 At the blasting of spirit by spirit. 
 
 In the fierce center, Beelzebub, army himself, 
 Led in the struggle; 
 
 All of his awfulness blazed from his being. 
 Hatred and vengeance shot from his glances; 
 Countless foes fell at his blasting, 
 Countless foes met him defiantly — 
 The scales of the universe balanced. 
 Awaiting the weight which was lacking. 
 
 Ivucifer looked on the conflict, 
 And his messengers thronged to his presence ; 
 He gave forth the word to the squadrons. 
 And the chariots withdrew at his signals. 
 
 Soon at the mandate the squadrons of Ra 
 
 Charged with new fury; 
 
 Quickly the cars of Osiris, blazing like suns 
 
124 ARMAGKDDON. 
 
 Swept on a mission; 
 They wheeled on the army of Gabriel, 
 They swept through the host of Abdiel; 
 They rushed on the rear guard of Michael, 
 And the armies of Heaven were broken. 
 
 Ah, what a view unto spirit was pictured that mom- 
 ent, 
 Ah, what a furrow the chariots cut in that ocean; 
 The armies of Heaven, though broken. 
 Thought not of defeat, for the slogan 
 ' ' Christ and the universe ! ' ' 
 Arose o'er the wrath of the battle. 
 
 Changed was the scene, for the squadrons of Ra 
 
 Fled the encounter; 
 
 Battered and weakened, in the great jaws of the 
 
 serpents 
 They met their destruction; 
 And Michael, who looked from his station, 
 Beheld it the omen of victors; 
 And Ivucifer, keen for the triumph, 
 Felt that his hosts were defeated. 
 
 Soon were the engines of Heaven darting and 
 
 wheeling. 
 Blazing mad fire — thundering missiles 
 On terrified devils; 
 Quickly they gathered together. 
 Fiercely they rushed on Osiris; 
 And the chariots, outclassed and outnumbered, 
 Fled to Perdition. 
 
ARMAGKDDON. I25 
 
 Then was a rout — triumphant archangels 
 
 Knew not a mercy; 
 
 Thoughtless of else than of safety, the hosts of 
 
 Perdition 
 Fled unto Hades. 
 
 The heavens seemed lightning charged vapors 
 Swept on by the beams of a noonday, 
 Where the flashes, unseen in the splendor, 
 Gave forth but rumblings of madness. 
 
 The ramparts of Hades were smitten 
 By the roar of the rout of the legions; 
 And the caverns of Hades were waiting 
 To gather the hosts to their bosoms. 
 
26 ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 PART THE TKNTH. 
 
 CONSPECTUS. 
 
 A remnant of the chiefs of Perdition meet in Hades and 
 hold a council. All, except Beelzebub and Lucifer, favor 
 retreat. Beelzebub decides to renew the battle alone; but the 
 rest, moved by his courage, collect their forces, and assault 
 Paradise. They are met by Gabriel and a host of archangels 
 and angels. Beelzebub forces Gabriel aside, and theatens to 
 enter the portal of Paradise. He is grasped by a serpent and 
 hurled into the Gulf of Damnation. The terrified devils flee 
 to Perdition. 
 
 On the bleak ramparts of Hades, Ivucifer 
 
 Stood in the gloom of his misery; 
 
 Like rolling of fog banks over the cliffs by the ocean 
 
 Eddied the billows of spirit, where devils were 
 floating, 
 
 Blasted by foemen — drifting away to Perdition. 
 
 Deep in the murky vast cursings and hissings re- 
 sounded, 
 In the fell vapors flashings of light were awakened, 
 Telling the rout, where madly the last of his army 
 Hurried away unto shelter. 
 
ARMAGEDDON. 1 27 
 
 Lucifer beaten, stood on the mountain of council, 
 And looked on the Gulf Intermediate; 
 Soon to his side Beelzebub, grim apparition 
 Of all of the wrath of Perdition, 
 Came, and the roll of his monster wings 
 Seemed a simoon of the midnight. 
 
 Silent, impassive, Lucifer looked on the vista; 
 Tempest-lashed, sullen, Beelzebub glared on his 
 
 colleague; 
 "For the Gulf Intermediate was peopled 
 With the engines of wrath which had conquered; 
 And the ramparts of Paradise, glorious. 
 Re-told the great triumph of Heaven. 
 
 Over the vapors sounded the chant of the angels, 
 * ' Hail thee ! hail thee ! Counsellor — Conquerer — 
 Hail thee, Ruler of the universe ! 
 From the walls of the midnight thou buildest thy 
 
 citadels. 
 And thy glory will light the deep places; 
 Thy right hand will crush all thy enemies, 
 Thy left hand protect thy own people — 
 Ever, forever — falling not — fearing not, 
 Thy hosts are triumphant, and thy kingdoms will 
 
 praise thee — 
 Will hail thee. All Glorious." 
 
 By the chant smitten, Beelzebub roused, and his 
 
 being 
 Blazed from his anger. 
 
 He cried : "O thou, Jehovah, still I defy thee ! 
 F)ver, forever, I, thy Antagonist, do thee the battle; 
 
128 ARMAGKDDON. 
 
 Am I defeated ? am I crest fallen ? 
 
 I will solve all thy secrets of battle, 
 
 I will build from thy engines perfection." 
 
 " Now may thy angels sing unto thee, 
 And thy legions proclaim thy great triumph ; 
 Now may thy serpents roam undisputed 
 Dominions I sometime will conquer." 
 
 " Thou shalt iind me thy Foe, and forever — 
 On defeat I will build up my glory; * 
 
 Thou shalt look for my coming, and tremble — 
 I hate thee — I hate thee." 
 
 On the black vapors sounded the beating of pinions, 
 
 Hopeless archdemons, and chieftains despondent, 
 
 Came to the mountain of council; 
 
 Gloom — gloom — gloom, 
 
 Save, the flames lurid from devils exhaling, 
 
 Compassed the walls, as the risen few 
 
 lyooked on the Gulf Intermediate. 
 
 Belial aroused, like a snarling hyena, 
 
 Driven from bones it was gnawing. 
 
 He said : "Builders of Hell, lords of Perdition, 
 
 Think ye that we are defeated ? 
 
 Though armies of Heaven wait not our returning, 
 
 In Hell we defy them." 
 
 " In our kingdoms we rule as sole masters. 
 And our legions shall follow our bidding; 
 We will reign — we will reign, and be glorious, 
 If we bide not in Hades." 
 
ARMAGEDDON. I29 
 
 ** I for defiance on heights of Perdition, 
 Make a proposal; 
 
 There I would daunt the archangels, 
 There I will dare even Michael, 
 And all of his warriors victorious." 
 
 " I for retreat am not ever, 
 I for an armistice think not; 
 But alway for furious defiance 
 In regions of safety." 
 
 He ceased : Mighty Amamon 
 
 Reared his huge wings on the vapors, 
 
 And his being blazed from his passion. 
 
 He cried : * ' We are defeated ; 
 
 Our forces are blasted and broken — 
 
 We have drank of the wrath of our enemy." 
 
 "Can we defy them in Hades? 
 Can we defeat them in battle ? 
 The omen of flight is propitious — 
 Perdition is safety." 
 
 Mammon came next. He of great wisdom. 
 
 Spake to his colleagues, and his eminence 
 
 Gave him a hearing. 
 
 He said : " Ivords of Perdition, 
 
 We, once again at the council 
 
 Speak for our welfare." 
 
 "Though a world has been lost to Blohim, 
 
 Are we defiant ? 
 
 Though half of a universe pays us a homage, 
 
I30 ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 Are we triumphant?" 
 
 " Truly our forces are broken, 
 
 Truly our strength has departed; 
 
 For our foes are encompassed with glory, 
 
 And we look unto night for our army." 
 
 " Lost is a day, but eternity is our dominion — 
 
 Hell is as firm as time is forever enduring; 
 
 Hate is as strong as the hour ere we fled from the 
 
 conflict — 
 Wisdom is greater, for experience is alway a teacher. 
 Let us retreat — Perdition will build up Perdition 
 Again to do battle." 
 
 Lucifer, lord of the armies. 
 
 Rose to his station; 
 
 He cried : "Princes of Hell, 
 
 Stars which would shine on a universe, 
 
 Stars which are dimmed by a bright sun 
 
 Blazing victorious upon us. 
 
 Be not dumfounded." 
 
 " Hades is still our dominion, 
 
 And the Gulf Intermediate, unmastered, 
 
 Tells that our foemen are fearful 
 
 To cross the dread portal." 
 
 " Though a defeat be before us, let us be valiant; 
 Though a retreat is awaiting, let us be martial. 
 We will enter the gates of Perdition 
 With a shout which will roll through the ages; 
 
ARMAGEDDON. 1 3I 
 
 Jehovah shall hear our defiance, 
 And his angels see the new signals." 
 
 " Gather our hosts, let the messengers shout. 
 The rendezvous ! 
 
 Marshall our legions — ring out the slogan. 
 Hell, and new battle ! " 
 
 ''Think not retreat till retreating. 
 Think not defeat till defeated; 
 Hades is ours — the gulf is unmastered — 
 And we are unconquered." 
 
 He ceased : Beelzebub came to himself. 
 
 And his bellow sounded in mockery. 
 
 " Hail thee ! hail thee ! Jehovah, Conquerer — 
 
 Hail thee, Elohim, I^ord of the universe ! 
 
 Hades groans at thy triumph. 
 
 And Perdition acknowledges thee master; 
 
 Beelzebub's Dragons are lambs for thy bidding. 
 
 And the wolf is alone on the mountain." 
 
 Sing thy glad songs, O ye angels, 
 Archangels, teach us new music; 
 Teach us the chants of laudation, 
 That we warble a praise to the Highest." 
 
 " Hail thee ! hail thee ! Jehovah, conquerer, 
 
 Damn thee, lord of the universe ! 
 
 Hail thee ! hail thee ! prince of the bright sun ! 
 
 Curse thee and thy victory ! 
 
 I, even I, Beelzebub, alone will defy thee — 
 
132 ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 I am thy Foemen, thou, my Antagonist, 
 Shalt tremble before me." 
 
 " Wait on the Gulf Intermediate, 
 
 And my Dragons will sally upon thee; 
 
 Cross over the seas of Damnation, 
 
 And my portals will belch out a greeting." 
 
 " I will follow thy trail through the heavens, 
 I will cling to the rear of thy armies; 
 On defeat I will build up my triumph — 
 I hate thee, Elohim." 
 
 Unto his colleagues he cried : 
 
 ' ' The rendezvous ! the rendezvous ! 
 
 Chieftains, hear ye the mandate ? 
 
 The rendezvous ! the rendezvous ! 
 
 Devils mine, hear ye the greeting ? 
 
 Marshal our warriors in order, 
 
 Fill up the ranks which are broken ; 
 
 Make ready — make ready for battle — 
 
 Beelzebub has spoken." 
 
 Faithful archdemons and devils unconquered 
 
 Caught up the slogan ; 
 
 Ivucifer hurried his messengers through the fell 
 
 vapors. 
 And mountains of Hades blazed, as his Veterans 
 Roused at the mandate. 
 
 Chiefs of Perdition, moved by example. 
 Gathered their warriors; 
 
ARMAGEDDON. I33 
 
 Awful Beelzebub o'er the abyssms 
 
 Circled and thundered ; 
 
 " Hades will ring with our glory, 
 
 For again we make ready for battle; 
 
 The gulf will resound with our rapture, 
 
 When we sweep on the portal of Paradise. " 
 
 " The rendezvous ! the rendezvous ! 
 Hear ye, my messengers? 
 The rendesvous ! the rendezvous ! 
 Rise up defiant, O Dragons." 
 
 " The sun of our glory has risen. 
 It will darken the bulwarks of Heaven 
 When paradise flees from our presence — 
 Rouse ye, my Dragons." 
 
 The signal lights flamed on the monntains, 
 Insignias flared out a madness; 
 And the swirl of a great conflagration 
 Seemed the wrath of the devils collecting. 
 
 Up from the heights the columns arising. 
 Formed in divisions; 
 
 Around in great circles they wheeled in maneuver > 
 And the vapors appeared as if thunder clouds 
 Meeting in anger. 
 
 Perdition looked to Beelzebub, 
 
 The Dragons led the procession; 
 
 And the remnant were moved to defiance , 
 
 As they swept to the battle of battles. 
 
134 ARMAGKDBON. 
 
 Soon the bright ramparts of Paradise flamed, 
 
 And the portal lights, blinding the devils, 
 
 Rivered their pathway ; 
 
 Over the Gulf Intermediate lines of the serpents 
 
 Moved in procession — 
 
 Moved as if warships guarding a haven 
 
 With vigil strict and enduring. 
 
 The chiefs of Perdition looked over 
 The swift moving lines of the serpents; 
 They faltered, they paused, and they pondered, 
 They thundered their fierce maledictions. 
 
 Paradise glowed with a brightness supernal. 
 And the lines of the serpents were parted; 
 In a swift billow of splendor Gabriel 
 Swept from a portal, 
 And the worthiest archangels were with him. 
 
 Warriors innumerable were near him. 
 And section on section, glorious. 
 Trained on the gulf— refulgence supernal 
 Rivered the skies, as the angel host 
 Swept to the conflict. 
 
 Beelzebub stood in the van of his Dragons, 
 Volts from his frenzy pent in his being 
 Shook his vast form, as furious. 
 He bellowed defiance . 
 
 He cried : "Come thou, Michael — come thou, 
 
 Gabriel- 
 Soon I will smite thee — soon I will blast thee; 
 
ARMAGEDDON. 135 
 
 Thy minions will flee from my glances, 
 They shall drink of the wrath of Beelzebub." 
 
 He turned to his Dragons and shouted : 
 " Hear ye Beelzebub? 
 One hour and we are victorious, 
 One hour and ye are all glorious; 
 Follow me — follow me, my chosen — 
 Hell, and the slaughter ! " 
 
 The angel host rushed on their enemies, 
 
 And the gulf was ablaze with the madness; 
 
 "Christ and the universe ! " 
 
 Rang over the crash of the conflict; 
 
 ' ' Perdition victorious ! " 
 
 Answered the faithful archdemons. 
 
 Fierce was the fight, and quickly the devil host 
 
 Broke in disorder; 
 
 Gabriel glorious, with his archangels 
 
 Struck at the Dragons. 
 
 Then like the crash of a billow 
 
 Which sounds o'er the roar of an ocean. 
 
 Arose the dread wrath when the princes 
 
 Of Heaven and Hell met in battle. 
 
 Archdemon sought for an enemy, 
 
 Archangel met him defiantly; 
 
 Beelzebub, firm as a mountain breasting a tempest, 
 
 Held to his own, and Lucifer battled beside him. 
 
 Azrael countered Ithuriel, 
 And Azazel strove with Uzzizel; 
 
136 ARMAGKDDON. 
 
 Mammon, never a craven, rushed to the front, 
 And his great form reeled in the struggle, 
 
 Zephon, a mighty archangel, sought him. 
 
 But was met by the bold Maccathiel ; 
 
 Dagon, prince of the red gates, 
 
 Samael, lord of the I^egion, 
 
 Belial, Amamon and Molech, roused unto courage, 
 
 Kntered the heat of the conflict. 
 
 Archangels fell at the blasting, 
 Archangels closed in upon them; 
 And else was forgotten, save frenzy. 
 And else was unknown, save defiance. 
 
 lyike the spring of a lion on lion, 
 
 The warring hosts met in encounter; 
 
 Like the rushing of eagles on eagles, 
 
 Over that chasm of hatred, shouting and fighting, 
 
 Whirled the mad foemen. 
 
 Firm to his purpose, Gabriel 
 
 Held the archangels; 
 
 Fiercer to conquer, Beelzebub 
 
 Closed on the battle line. 
 
 Lucifer battled beside him. 
 
 And their peerlessness knew not antagonist; 
 
 They clove a free line unto Mammon, 
 
 And pressed on to triumph. 
 
 Ithuriel fell from his station, 
 
 Sephon, smitten by Mammon, fell before Lucifer; 
 
 Gabriel forged to the front, and Beelzebub 
 
ARMACEDDON. 137 
 
 Faced him in battle. 
 
 The archangel cried : *' Fiend of all fiends ! 
 
 Darest thou Heaven ? 
 
 Back to thy den, or I smite thee ! 
 
 Back to thy Hell, or I crush thee ! 
 
 Fool in thy courage, canst thou defy the Almighty ? 
 
 Think not of else than thy portion — 
 
 Slave — slave at my call." 
 
 Beelzebub answered : " Minion of Heaven, 
 Darest thou speak to Beelzebub ? 
 Taunt me not ange] ! Fawn— fawn — 
 Beelzebub stands in thy presence." 
 
 He rushed upon Gabriel awaiting, 
 
 A battle of kings seemed before them; 
 
 And mighty flames flashed from their glances, 
 
 As they wrestled in dreadful encounter. 
 
 Fury anew then blazed from the struggle, 
 
 Chiefs of Perdition followed Hell's monarch; 
 
 Rang on the thunders of battle, 
 
 *' Beelzebub victor ! " 
 
 Answered the hosts of the angels, 
 
 " Gabriel triumphant ! " 
 
 Beelzebub, army himself, clove the straight channel. 
 Hurled from his station, Gabriel, compassed by 
 
 devils. 
 Found not his foeman; 
 The angel ranks quickly were broken 
 By the mighty assault of Perdition; 
 
138 ARMAGKDDON. 
 
 And Beelzebub, blinded by frenzy, 
 Rushed on a portal of Paradise. 
 
 Over the gulf a blazing line shot, and a serpent 
 
 Sought a new victim; 
 
 In its dread flaming jaws grasping Beelzebub, 
 
 Over the armies it hurried. 
 
 The devils were smitten with terror, 
 
 As it swept to the Guif of Damnation; 
 
 And Beelzebub, hurled in that ocean. 
 
 Fell to Perdition. 
 
 Rout — rout — rout. 
 
 The devil host followed their monarch; 
 
 Defeated, stoic, Irucifer 
 
 Looked on his foemen around him. 
 
 They shrunk from his gaze, as he muttered : 
 
 "Again we will meet thee — we meet thee." 
 
 Then he vanished; for Heaven was victor, 
 
 And Perdition alone was his solace. 
 
 Grim Armageddon was over. 
 
 Grim Armageddon was ended; 
 
 And the heavens awoke with the slogan, 
 
 " Christ and the universe." 
 
ARMAGKDDON. I39 
 
 PART THE EIvKVENTH. 
 
 CONSPECTUS. 
 
 The Messiah and innumerable angels from Heaven come to 
 taradise, and sit in judgment on thrones placed on the Gulf 
 Intermediate. The blessed in Paradise receiye the reward of 
 the faihful souls. The dwellers in Hades are brought forth 
 and hear the decree pronounced against them by the senate 
 of archangels. Christ modifies the decree, granting a way by 
 which all spirits in darkness may reach Paradise, and pre- 
 pare for the resurrection of the blessed. The glorious pa- 
 gaent, including the host of the blessed, proceeds in triumph 
 to Heaven. 
 
 The soul which is born in the human 
 Is a spark from the Infinite Being; 
 The soul in the beast is its brother, 
 And the soul in the flov^er its sister. 
 
 The sister and brother, like babies, 
 Sometime will attain greater stature; 
 But then they are souls in the human, 
 And babies alone in hereafter. 
 
HO ARMAGBDDON. 
 
 As we look on the beast and the flower, 
 So the spirits with eons of knowledge, 
 Look down on the souls in the human, 
 And call them a sister and brother. 
 
 There are links which are missing to mortals. 
 There are links which are missing to angels; 
 But they who have wisdom pre-eminent 
 Find naught which is missing or broken. 
 
 Man is a creature evolved to free will, 
 And seeks for the ripe fruit of knowledge; 
 Yet, he eats of the green, and experience 
 Has caused him to know indigestion. 
 
 The babe must be taught as to eating, 
 And the human has teachers around him; 
 We call the great teacher the Saviour, 
 And his Good of all Good we call Father. 
 
 Man is a creature evolved to free will, 
 
 And his tree now is budding with knowledge; 
 
 He must eat, though he eats of the fire — 
 
 He must drink, though he drinks of the poison. 
 
 For the tree is the universe total, 
 Sustained by the might of Omnipotence; 
 All manner of fruits are before him, 
 Yet, to know, he must fight Armageddon. 
 
 Angels celestial once were as creatures 
 
 Clothed in mortality; 
 
 Fiends of Perdition, grimly immortal, 
 
ARMAGEDDON. I4I 
 
 Sprang from the fire in our beings; 
 
 They have chosen — have eaten — accomplished; 
 
 They stand as our teachers for eons; 
 
 Ivook upward, choose quickly, fight boldly — 
 
 Be not a craven. 
 
 Fierce was the fight in the Gulf Intermediate, 
 And dread was pursuit by the victors; 
 Through the fell vapors of Hades, 
 Over the Gulf of Damnation, 
 Hastened the terrified devils — 
 Swept the mad hosts of avengers. 
 
 Wheeling of columns — darting of serpents — 
 Throngs upon throngs of warriors celestial. 
 Blazed in the skies like lightnings innumerable 
 Shooting through vapors of darkness; 
 But Perdition's host fled to Perdition, 
 A midnight had shielded a midnight; 
 And the warriors of Heaven, exultant. 
 Shouted their triumph. 
 
 Forth to the portal of Paradise 
 
 Hastened the victors; 
 
 Changed was the scene, for the Gulf Intermediate 
 
 Shone like an ocean of fire. 
 
 Wrought by the might of a word, tier upon tier, 
 
 Thousands on thousands of judgment seats 
 
 Stood by the radiant portal — 
 
 Formed a vast theater glorious. 
 
 Then spirit world cliffs resounded with echoes 
 Awakened from paeans triumphal; 
 
142 ARMAGKDDON. 
 
 Spirit world seas from a pageant resplendent, 
 Roiled in refrains of rejoicing. 
 
 For the Lord of the Highest was nearing, 
 Before him were cherubim radiant; 
 Beside him were seraphim singing, 
 And around him were angels innumerable. 
 
 Thousands on thousands of trumpeters swept in 
 
 the van, 
 And blasts from the instruments sounding, 
 Rolled in great thunders; 
 
 Countless of thousands of singers followed rejoicing, 
 And the harps of the harpers were still not. 
 
 Round the great theater the pageant glorious 
 Swept in procession; 
 
 Warriors of Heaven, rejoicing, rivered the skies, 
 And thronged on the ramparts of Paradise. 
 
 Up to the tiers of judgment seats 
 Moved the assemblage; 
 
 Christ in a halo of glor}^ passed to his throne. 
 And the seraphim radiant were with him. 
 Then the thrones upon thrones were peopled 
 With a senate of mighty archangels; 
 And the ocean of fire was encompassed 
 By the hosts of the angels collected. 
 
 Rolled from the battlements, 
 ' ' Hail to the king ! victory ! victory ! 
 Lo, the triumph rings, for the Might}^ Lord is 
 with us ! 
 
ARMAGl^DDON. 143 
 
 Waken, ye sons of God — rise up rejoicing ! 
 Chant O ye hosts his magnificience ! ' ' 
 
 " Praise him, dwellers on the round worlds — 
 Sing of his glory, O universe ! 
 For the Spirit of Night has departed. 
 And the Sun of all Splendor advances." 
 
 " The wrath of the lyord was his serpents. 
 And his thunders the roar of their pinions; 
 The strength of his arm is his angels, 
 And his right arm the mighty archangels." 
 
 " The Rivers of Happiness sing unto him. 
 And the Hills of the Blessed will praise him; 
 The valleys of Aidenn resound with their rapture. 
 For the Christ is the Ivord of the universe." 
 
 Answered the seraphim : ' ' Victory ! victory ! 
 Hail thee, militant servants ! 
 Victory ! victory ! 
 Heaven will chant thy laudation. 
 Forth ye will shine stars in the universe — 
 Forth ye will stand lights in the Temple of Tem- 
 ples." 
 
 *' Paradise is daughter of Heaven, 
 And Aidenn is groom at the wedding; 
 The bride will be led to her palace. 
 And the angels will witness the nuptuals. ' ' 
 
 "Shout in thy rapture, militant servants ! 
 For the beams of thy triumph have risen, 
 
144 armaCkddon". 
 
 And the sun of thy glory will set not. 
 
 Forth ye have gone flames in the cavern of darkness j 
 
 Forth ye will beam stars in the Holiest of Holies." 
 
 Stilled was the chant, and the Lord with authority 
 
 Spake to his angels; 
 
 Quickly the senate caught up his words, 
 
 And the mandate rolled in great thunders ; 
 
 "Open the books, and open the book, 
 
 For souls are the books to be opened ; 
 
 Their deeds are the one which is single, 
 
 And the judgment the words which are written." 
 
 Forth from their stations trumpeting angels 
 
 Passed on that ocean; 
 
 Through the bright gate in columns refulgent 
 
 They swept on a mission. 
 
 The mountains of Paradise echoed 
 
 The blasts of the trumpets resounding; 
 
 And the valleys were lit by the splendor 
 
 Of messenger angels innumerable. 
 
 With the blasts the dwellers in Paradise 
 Awoke from their twilight of glory; 
 For the morning of Aidenn was on them^ 
 And angels of Heaven were with them. 
 
 The past was forgot in their present, 
 Though Paradise still was around them; 
 For they saw alone glory transcendent, 
 And heard alone messengers calling. 
 
 Ivike beams of the sun on the water 
 
ARMAGEDDON. 145 
 
 The angels descended to meet them; 
 
 Like waters illumined by sunlight, 
 
 The blessed were clothed with a radiance. 
 
 Ah, what a rapture in Paradise angels did witness, 
 Hosts through the portal, exulting, hastened to meet 
 
 them; 
 They compassed the throngs of the blessed 
 Beholding the glad resurrection; 
 And then with the ringing of trumpets, 
 Swept away to the thrones of the judgment. 
 
 Through the bright portal the trumpeting angels 
 
 Sounded their instruments; 
 
 Thronging beside them, the risen from Paradise 
 
 Shouted their rapture. 
 
 They passed on the ocean of fire, 
 
 And radiance celestial did blind not; 
 
 For Paradise was daughter of Heaven, 
 
 And the glory of Aidenn their birthright. 
 
 Like the voice of the meeting of waters 
 
 Rolled from that senate imperial : 
 
 ''Come ye, chosen ones — come ye, faithful ones — 
 
 Blessed of the blessed, behold thy dominion. 
 
 Well ye have battled in darkness. 
 
 Well ye have toiled in thy portion; 
 
 Ye are as stars in the cluster — 
 
 Behold the consumation." 
 
 Rose the glad chant of the seraphim, 
 ' ' The mortal has come to its heritage — 
 
146 ARMAGKDDON. 
 
 We hail thee, Redeemer; 
 
 The immortal stands forth in its glory — 
 
 We name thee the Conquerer. 
 
 Thine is all honor and power, 
 
 And theirs is a kingdom forever; 
 
 Thine is a universe glorious, 
 
 And theirs is the triumph of triumphs." 
 
 " Their souls are the books which are opened, 
 And their deeds are the book which is single; 
 We look on the words which are written, 
 And we know that the pages are stainless." 
 
 "Where is the sting, when glory supernal 
 
 Shines in the countenance? 
 
 Where is the grave, when the spirit awakened. 
 
 Dwells in the promises? 
 
 Drink of the light, ye blessed of the blessed, 
 
 Drink of the rivers of rapture; 
 
 For death is engulfed by a victory, 
 
 And the gates of thy city are open." 
 
 The hosts of the angels joined in the chorus. 
 And the spheres caught the anthems reechoing : 
 " Hail thee ! hail thee ! Light of very Light ! 
 The Darkness will flee at thy coming; 
 From the walls of the midnight thou buildest thy 
 
 citadels, 
 And thy glory will shine from the battlements. ' ' 
 
 " Thy right hand will fall on thy enemies. 
 And thy left hand will gather thy chosen; 
 Ever, forever glorious — victorious, 
 
ARMAGEDDON. 147 
 
 Thou rulest the universe, and thy people will praise 
 
 thee — 
 Will hail thee Omnipotent." 
 
 Over that ocean the trumpets resounded, 
 And the glorified shouted with rapture; 
 Circling and singing, around the vast theater 
 Swept the bright angels innumerable. 
 
 Rolled from that senate imperial, 
 
 ' ' The judgment ! the judgment ! " 
 
 The wrath of the thunders resounded, 
 
 " The judgment ! the judgment ! 
 
 Open the books, and open the book. 
 
 For souls are the books to be opened; 
 
 Their deeds are the one which is single, 
 
 And the judgment the words therein written." 
 
 Forth to the ramparts of Paradise hastened the 
 
 multitudes. 
 Forth from the Gulf Intermediate the armies of 
 
 Heaven 
 Swept on a mission. 
 '* The judgment ! the judgment ! " 
 Sounded the caverns of Hades; 
 ' ' The judgment ! the judgment ! ' ' 
 Shook the deep pit of Delusion. 
 
 Blazed the fell vapors cloven by warriors celestial. 
 From the dread wrathfulness hastened the terrified 
 
 myriads; 
 The legions of demons were blinded 
 
148 ARMAGEDDON. 
 
 Ivike bats by the glare of a sunlight; 
 
 Like rats from their holes they were driven 
 
 By the lash of the angels relentless. 
 
 Moaning, shrieking, through the bleak portal of 
 
 Hades, 
 Over the ocean of fire fled the dark legions; 
 Only the lash which was driving, and angry flames 
 
 smiting. 
 Filled with their terrors the myriads 
 Calling for mercy — for mercy. 
 
 Where were the hypocrites? braying like asses 
 
 aflrighted; 
 Where the commercialists ? 
 
 They were like howling hyenas driven from hovels. 
 Where was the greatness of great men measured by 
 
 mammon ? 
 There with the harlots, liars, usurers, 
 Blinded — screaming — hissing — 
 Driven to judgment. 
 
 On the dread ocean of fire they hurried — 
 Hurried to judgment; 
 
 In the fell presence of mighty archangels 
 Soon they were gathered. 
 
 Rolled from the judgment seats billows of wrath 
 Eating like fire in their beings; 
 
 Fell on the hearers the words which were thundered, 
 And the demons were awed unto silence. 
 
 " Offal of worlds — curst in the universe, 
 
ARMAGKDDON. 149 
 
 Thine is the night of thy choosing; 
 
 Woe — woe — woe, 
 
 Thine is reward of iniquity." 
 
 "Were ye once thoughtful of needs of the orphan? 
 Did ye once cherish the weal of thy neighbor ? 
 Devils — ay, devils ye shall be ever. 
 Tortured — ay , tortured . ' ' 
 
 " Minions of Hell — slaves to be always walled in a 
 
 night of all nights, 
 Go to thy judgment; 
 Offal of worlds — slime of the universe, 
 Curst ye are ever." 
 
 "Fires which consume not, black as thy beings. 
 
 Shall burn thee eternally; 
 
 Hatred undying dwells in thy presence. 
 
 Self of all selfness clothes thee with madness; 
 
 Minions of evil — filth in the universe, 
 
 Go to thy judgment." 
 
 Then what a wailing arose from the myriads of 
 
 Hades s 
 Ah, what a pang of reality smote them, and uttered, 
 "Ye have been faithless : " 
 But the Christ looked down in his mercy, 
 And his words were a mandate unthundered ; 
 "They are babes — they are children untutored — 
 They are blinded, and spirits in prison." 
 
 ' ' Hades shall know my authority, 
 
 Even as worlds in the darkness shall know it; 
 
150 ARMAGKDDON. 
 
 Militant ser\rants down in its depths shall do battle, 
 Even as angels mine toil in the wilderness, 
 Raising up souls from mortality." 
 
 " Bridge the great Gulf Intermediate, 
 That Hades be led unto Paradise; 
 The time, and the times, when accomplished. 
 Shall signal the new resurrection." 
 
 * ' Hades shall mingle with Hades, 
 Perdition will dwell with Perdition; 
 But my mercy will light the deep chasms, 
 And my love will abide at the portals." 
 
 Rose the glad chant of the angels, 
 
 "Hail thee! hail thee ! the Mighty— the Merciful, 
 
 Thy servants will toil in the wilderness. 
 
 And thy glory will shine in the darkness; 
 
 Thy hosts will encompass thy enemies. 
 
 And thy mercy will enter the prisons — 
 
 Ever, forever — pausing not — faltering not, 
 
 Thy kingdom is advancing, and thy angels will 
 
 praise thee — 
 Will hail thee the Conquerer." 
 
 Swift from the radiant ocean the demon host 
 
 Fled from their blindness; 
 
 To the deep chasms of Hades they hurried, 
 
 Cursing and shrieking; 
 
 But a light like the gleam in a cavern, 
 
 Was placed at the bridge which was builded; 
 
 The bridge was the mandate of mercy, 
 
 And the light was the love of the Saviour. 
 
ARMAGKDDON. I5I 
 
 Forth on that ocean the armies of Heaven 
 
 Passed in procession; 
 
 Forth in the rear the pageant glorious 
 
 Followed rejoicing. 
 
 The hosts of the angels were singing, 
 
 And the harps of the harpers were still not; 
 
 For the blessed were led unto Aidenn, 
 
 And the bride was prepared for the wedding. 
 
MAY 1 C 
 
■'02 
 
 1 COPY Dl; 
 
 »' 10 -1902 
 
 Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process 
 Neutralizing agent: iVIagnesium Oxide 
 Treatment Date: Sept. 2009 
 
 PreservationTechnologies 
 
^99 895 A