LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 
 
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 Shelf -014- 1 4 
 
 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 
 
IDYLS OF ISRAEL 
 
 AND 
 
 OTHER POEMS. 
 
 D. J. DONAHOE. 
 
 0^ 3H888 '))> 
 
 '"'^SHinGTO^' 
 
 NEW YORK : 
 
 JOHN B. ALDEN, PUBLISHER. 
 
f4$* 
 
 Copyright, 1888, 
 
 BY 
 
 D. J. DON A HOE. 
 
 *Y 
 
 - 
 
 ARGYLE PRESS, 
 
 Printing and Bookbinding, 
 
 R ST..N. Y. 
 
 J 
 
DEDICATION. 
 
 TO P. V. BURNETT, M. D. 
 
 "With trembling heart I launch my little skiff 
 Upon the billows of a dangerous sea, 
 Freighted for distant ports with messages 
 Of faith and hope and love. I fondly search 
 The heavens for favoring airs to waft her on 
 To sheltering havens, where the surge and 
 
 rock, 
 Being overpast, shall threaten her no more. 
 
 O winds, that o'er the glowing ocean go, 
 Carelessly sporting with the sounding waves, 
 Fill these white sails and bear the little boat 
 Lightly above the dangers of the deep. 
 O restless ocean, on thy swelling tide 
 Take the weak vessel, and in peace and joy 
 Let her glide onward o'er thy passionate way; 
 For she, perchance, some store cf good may 
 bear. 
 
 And thou, O Friend ! whose favoring voice I 
 
 claim, 
 Thy kindly gaze shall follow her away 
 O'er the w ; de water on her voyage bold; 
 For I have faith, whate'er her fate may be, 
 Thy dearest prayers shall tend her evermore. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Page. 
 
 Dedication 5 
 
 Idyls of Israel 7 
 
 I. The Angel's Message 9 
 
 II. The Babe at Hebron 28 
 
 in. The Babe at Bethlehem 46 
 
 iy. The Baptist 64 
 
 v. The Christ 80 
 
 vi. The Passing of the Baptist 98 
 
 vii. The Transfiguration 116 
 
 viii. The Resurrection 133 
 
 Saved 155 
 
 Born 158 
 
 O, Arawane! 160 
 
 Down along the Stream 162 
 
 Time soars on Tireless Pinions 164 
 
 Out of the Darkness 166 
 
 Two Valleys 169 
 
 In God we Trust 173 
 
 Wilt Thou not answer? 176 
 
 To the Bobolink 179 
 
 The Vision., 183 
 
 To the Wood-Thrush 188 
 
 Courage 191 
 
 Summer Rain ... 195 
 
 The Spirit of the Child 198 
 
 C5) 
 
vi. Contents. 
 
 To the Robin 200 
 
 Lord, lead us on! 203 
 
 The New Year.. 205 
 
 Gethsemane 209 
 
 May Song , 211 
 
 To a Thrush 212 
 
 The Weeping-Willow Tree 215 
 
 When the Sun goes down 217 
 
 Sleep, Baby, Sleep 219 
 
 Ambrose, the Hermit M 222 
 
IDYLS OF ISRAEL. 
 
IDYLS OF ISRAEL. 
 
 I. 
 
 THE ANGEL'S MESSAGE. 
 
 'Twas in that season when the silver 
 
 dew- 
 Sparkles at morning on the budding 
 
 flowers, 
 And all the fields, rejoicing in the 
 
 sun, 
 Put on sweet-scented garments, and 
 
 the trees 
 Ring merrily to the music of the 
 
 birds, 
 That Mary at her cottage -window 
 
 stood 
 
10 The Angel's Message. 
 
 Musingly gazing o'er the broad fair 
 
 vale, 
 
 Where flocks were feeding. Here a 
 shepherd boy 
 
 Lay piping in the shade where the 
 cool stream 
 
 Flowed at his feet; a group of chil- 
 dren there 
 
 "With laughing voices, light as any 
 lark's, 
 
 Went gathering flowers; and over- 
 head the sky, 
 
 Cloudless and deep and dark in its 
 clear blue, 
 
 Was filled with balm and breezy hap- 
 piness. 
 
 Fair was the maiden; for her years 
 had reached 
 
The Angel's Message. 11 
 
 The time when girlhood blooms to 
 
 womanhood. 
 The loosened locks in golden clusters 
 
 fell, 
 Half-hiding from the eje her swan- 
 
 like throat ; 
 On either cheek a damask rose-hue 
 
 slept, 
 Sweet as when moistened by the dews 
 
 of morn ; 
 And round her eyes a holy mildness 
 
 hung, 
 "Where shone the beauty of heaven's 
 
 stainless blue. 
 
 Divine serenity upon her face 
 Rested, while o'er the lilied fields her 
 gaze 
 
12 The Angel's Message. 
 
 Went forth, with wordless musings 
 lighted tip. 
 
 Her heart was fluttering with a name- 
 less joy, 
 
 A sacred happiness, whereof the cause 
 
 She knew not, for the feeling had its 
 birth 
 
 Unconscious in her soul. She gloried 
 not, 
 
 As maidens glory, that her heart had 
 been 
 
 Plighted to Joseph, of the royal house 
 
 Of David; for indeed she rather 
 grieved 
 
 To think upon the change from child- 
 hood's ways. 
 
 But now o'erpowered with joy, her 
 voice went out 
 
 In unpremeditated song to Heaven :— - 
 
The AngeVs Message, 13 
 
 "How beautiful, Father, are the 
 things 
 
 Thy hand has shaped ! How fall of 
 light and love ! 
 
 Now comes the sweet Spring clothed 
 in robes of green, 
 
 Bearing the scented blossoms in her 
 arms, 
 
 Glad with the song of bird and mur- 
 muring 
 
 Of crystal rill that laughs ad own the 
 vale 
 
 Where happy shepherd tends his feed- 
 ing flocks ; 
 
 And soon the harvest hurries with 
 rich hand, 
 
 With vineyards bending 'neath the 
 clustering grape, 
 
14 The Angel's Message. 
 
 With orchards laden with the mellow 
 fruit, 
 
 And all the garners, filled with golden 
 grain, 
 
 Blessing the labors of the husband- 
 man. 
 
 How beautiful, O Father, are the 
 things 
 
 Thy hand has finished, and how full 
 of love I " 
 
 And now she turned and to her cham- 
 ber went 
 
 Through which a window opened to 
 the west, 
 
 And the rich radiance of the setting 
 sun 
 
 Came flooding in upon the shining 
 floor. 
 
The Angel's Message. 15 
 
 And Mary bowed her head in humble 
 prayer, — 
 
 For 'twas the hour of evening sacri- 
 fice; 
 
 And while she prayed a glory round 
 her fell 
 
 Brighter than were the rich rays of 
 the sun, 
 
 Yet soft and mellow as the moon of 
 summer ; 
 
 And all the room with heavenly odors 
 sweet 
 
 Was filled, as perfumed by a thousand 
 censers ; 
 
 And lifting up her eyes, behold, a man 
 
 Clothed all in golden garments beau- 
 tiful 
 
 Stood in the chamber. 
 
16 Tlie Angel' s Message. 
 
 " Hail, O, full of grace ! 
 The Lord is with thee." Pleasanter 
 
 that voice 
 Than the deep breathing of a flute at 
 
 eve; 
 For 'twas the voice of Gabriel, whom 
 
 God 
 Charged with the sacred message to 
 
 the maid, 
 That she was chosen the Yirgin of 
 
 the Lord 
 To bring the Son Emanuel to the 
 
 world. 
 
 A feeling more of wonder than of 
 
 fear 
 Possessed her soul; and much she 
 
 marveled what 
 
The Angef s Message. 17 
 
 The salutation and fair presence 
 
 meant ; 
 When thus the Angel; "Fear not, 
 
 holy maid, 
 For thou hast favor found with God ; 
 
 and lo ! 
 Thou shalt conceive and bear a Son, 
 
 whose name 
 Shall be called Jesus, Son of the Most 
 
 High. 
 His father David's throne he shall 
 
 possess ; 
 Over the land of Jacob he shall reign; 
 And of his kingdom there shall be no 
 
 end." 
 
 Then meekly answered Mary, while a 
 doubt 
 
18 The Angel's Message. 
 
 She scarce could quell upsprang with- 
 in her heart, 
 
 11 Nay, how can this thing be ? I know 
 not man." 
 
 But mild the Angel answering said -to 
 her, — 
 
 "To thee the Holy Spirit shall de- 
 scend, 
 
 And in the Father's power o'ersh ado w 
 thee, 
 
 And holy is the fruit fore verm ore. 
 
 And lo ! thy kinswoman Elizabeth, 
 
 "Who was called barren, blesseth now 
 the Lord 
 
 For that a great soul liveth in her 
 bosom." 
 
 Then Mary humbly bowing down her 
 face 
 
The AngeVs Message. 19 
 
 Felt her soul kindled, and she answer- 
 ing said, 
 "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; 
 
 to me 
 Let it be done according to the word." 
 And lifting up her eyes, she was alone, 
 And the pale moon was hanging in the 
 sky. 
 
 And long she stood in wonder, gazing 
 out 
 
 Into the West where hung that cres- 
 cent moon 
 
 And one bright star below it.. Scarce 
 her soul 
 
 Could grasp the grandeur of the sacred 
 truth 
 
 The glorious Angel uttered. But 
 through all 
 
20 The AngeVs Message. 
 
 A ray of heavenly hope illumed her 
 
 mind, 
 And burned into her heart with fer- 
 vent love, 
 Which shone again reflective from 
 
 her eyes. 
 "The Angel of Elizabeth spake," she 
 
 said, 
 "Saying a son shall unto her be born. 
 Therefore to Hebron I, at morn's first 
 
 hour, 
 And with the joy of her that barren 
 
 was, 
 Unite my happier voice in praise to 
 
 God. 
 For though from Heaven with more 
 
 than manna fed, 
 Yet nry soul hungers, and would fain 
 
 be filled." 
 
Hie Anger s Message. 21 
 
 So in the morning while the stars 
 
 were still 
 Bright in the sky, and all the lawns 
 
 and glades 
 Were damp with the cold dew, the 
 
 Virgin rose, 
 And with light footstep from her 
 
 chamber hieing, 
 Journeyed into the South from Naza- 
 reth. 
 Tireless and fearless o'er the rugged 
 
 way, 
 O'er hill and valley went she forth 
 
 alone ; 
 And on the Sabbath at Jerusalem-, 
 Within the Temple walls, she stayed 
 
 to pray; 
 And on the tenth day, when the sun 
 
 was hi eh, 
 
22 The AngePs Message 
 
 She came unto the house of Eliza- 
 beth, 
 And saying, "Peace be with you," 
 
 entered in. 
 Elizabeth no sooner heard the voice 
 Than leaped the unborn babe; and 
 
 rising up, 
 Enkindled with the spirit of prophesy, 
 She spake to Mary : — 
 
 " Blest 'mong women thou, 
 And blest the fruit that cometh from 
 
 thy womb ! 
 And whence is so great favor to me 
 
 shown 
 That my Lord's mother should come 
 
 unto me? 
 For lo! the babe within me hailed thy 
 
 voice 
 
The AngeVs Message. 28 
 
 In jo j, for that he knew his Lord 
 
 was come. 
 And blest is she who hath believed 
 
 the word ; 
 For what the Lord hath spoken shall 
 
 be done." 
 
 Then Mary's countenance was lifted 
 
 up, 
 And shone with a soft radiance out 
 
 of Heaven; 
 Such light as falls upon a summer 
 
 eve 
 From the moon soaring through a 
 
 cloudless sky, 
 And with her hands upon her bosom 
 
 folded, 
 She sang : — 
 
24 The Angel's Message. 
 
 " My soul doth magaif y the 
 
 Lord; 
 My spirit hath rejoiced in God my 
 
 Saviour ; 
 For. He. upon his handmaid's low es- 
 tate 
 Hath kindly looked; and down the 
 
 steep of time 
 All men shall call me blest ; for God 
 
 hath done 
 Great deeds to me, and holy is His 
 
 name. 
 His mercy upon them that fear him 
 
 falls 
 From generation unto generation. 
 His arm is strong ; He scattereth the 
 
 proud ; 
 The princes from their thrones He 
 
 hath put down $ 
 
TTie Angel's Message. 25 
 
 And them of low degree hath lifted 
 
 up. 
 He hath the hungry filled ; and sent 
 
 the rich 
 Empty away; His servant Israel 
 He hath accepted, as to Abraham 
 He promised, and unto his seed for- 
 
 The soft, clear tones still lingered in 
 
 the ear, 
 Sweetening the silence, as through 
 
 rocky glen, 
 At dewy eve, the echoing music flows 
 From shepherd's reed when all the 
 
 air is calm. 
 And long the Yirgin with up-raised 
 
 eyes, 
 
26 The Angel* s Message. 
 
 And bands upon her bosom folded 
 stood, 
 
 Until she seemed the blossomed hope 
 to see 
 
 Expanded to the fulness of the har- 
 vest. 
 
 And Mary dwelt at Hebron till the 
 
 moon 
 Had three times formed a crescent in 
 
 the west; 
 Till all the flowers were gone and all 
 
 the fields 
 Lay brown and parched beneath the 
 
 fervid sun ; 
 And till the babe, by Angel heralded, 
 Eejoiced the home of glad Elizabeth. 
 Then back she hied alone to Galilee, 
 
The Angefs Message. 27 
 
 And as she went her heart outspake 
 in prayer, 
 
 And oft in lonely places rose her 
 voice, 
 
 Sweet as the linnet's and as innocent. 
 
 In hymns of unpremeditated praise. 
 
 And on the Sabbath at Jerusalem 
 
 She tarried in the Temple there to 
 pray. 
 
 And on the tenth day from her jour- 
 ney forth 
 
 She came unto her home at Nazareth, 
 
IT. 
 THE BABE AT HEBRON. 
 
 When men were in the vineyards la- 
 boring 
 
 Where scented grapes were purple, and 
 the fields 
 
 Smiled in the fulness of the ripening 
 year, 
 
 The aged Zachary, whose whitened 
 beard 
 
 And bended head bespoke the lowli- 
 ness 
 
 Of wisdom, and the knowledge of the 
 Law, 
 
 Strode from his pleasant home among 
 the hills 
 28 
 
The Babe at Hebron. 29 
 
 Of Hebron, in the morning's earliest 
 
 beams, 
 Upon bis journey to the Holy City. 
 
 'Twas twice a score of years si ace in 
 
 the Temple 
 He stood before the Council, and was 
 
 first 
 Clothed in the priestly garb. Upon 
 
 his cheek 
 The down was darkening to the man- 
 lier beard, 
 And his heart beat with, all the jovs 
 
 of youth. 
 And long before the sprinkled silver 
 
 shone 
 A warning on his brow of time's swift 
 
 wings, 
 
SO Tlte Bale at Hebron. 
 
 lie took unto his home Elizabeth, 
 Mild as the eve and as the wild-rose 
 
 sweet. 
 Her father came of him who was the 
 
 first 
 To wear the mitre of the golden 
 
 crown — 
 He that on Ilor sleeps where his two- 
 fold top 
 Looks highest o'er the hated Edomite. 
 Years since had passed, and still each 
 
 fleeting j r ear 
 Left their sad bosoms childless. 
 
 Many an hour 
 In tearful prayer the woman bowed 
 
 and cried : — 
 
 " Turn not from me, Holy One, who 
 givest 
 
The Babe at Hebron, 31 
 
 Wings to the seed to spread the har- 
 vest wide. 
 
 Thy mercy oft hath made the barren 
 woman 
 
 A joyful mother. Grant it thus to me 
 
 And bless my womb with issue, or I 
 die," 
 
 Thus did she- pray, and with her hus- 
 band joined 
 
 In prayer day after day for many a 
 weary year. 
 
 And filled with musings of his child- 
 less house 
 
 The old man journeyed on through 
 pleasant fields, 
 
 And heard the merry songs of youths 
 and maids [glebe, 
 
 Among the clustering vines, or on the 
 
32 The Babe at Hebron. 
 
 Or in the flower y pastures, where the 
 sheep 
 
 Nibbled demurely while the young 
 lambs played. 
 
 And ere the sun of noon began to pour 
 
 His warmer rays, he reached Jerusa- 
 lem, 
 
 And reverently sought the Holy 
 Place. 
 
 And lots were cast, and it was his to 
 
 burn 
 The incense at the altar ; and while 
 
 rose 
 The incense, 'mid his prayers, the 
 
 memory came 
 Of his lone house and childless age ; 
 
 and forth 
 In supplication deep his spirit broke : — ■ 
 
The Babe at Hebron. 83 
 
 "Out of the volume of Thy memory, 
 
 Lord, 
 Blot the transgressions of Thy chosen 
 
 ones ; 
 And from our hands accept the lamb 
 
 that we 
 Here in atonement on Thy altar burn ; 
 And Israel's consolation and his hope 
 Delay no longer, for onr need is great. 
 Nor look, Lord, on Thy servant's 
 
 worthlessness ; 
 But hear the wish that speaketh in 
 
 the lie art ; 
 Long have I waited, and Elizabeth, 
 Now silver grown in years, has waited 
 
 long. 
 Lord, if Thou wilt Thou canst. Thy 
 
 quickening hand 
 
34 The Babe at Hebron. 
 
 Can change our sorrow to exulting 
 
 joy." 
 
 Now near the altar burst a living 
 
 light 
 And stood an Angel of the Lord, who 
 
 spake : — 
 "Fear not, O Zachary; thy prayer is 
 
 heard. 
 Thy wife Elizabeth shall bear a son 
 And thou shalt call him John. His 
 
 birth shall bring 
 Gladness to many; for he shall be 
 
 great 
 In the Lord's sight; and he shall go 
 
 before 
 The Anointed, ministering in the 
 
 power 
 
The Babe at Hebron. 35 
 
 And spirit of Elias; and shall shine 
 A lamp amid the darkness of the 
 
 land." 
 Then Zachary, "Whereby shall I 
 
 know this ? 
 For I'm an old man and my wife is 
 
 old."— 
 "Gabriel am I, that in God's presence 
 
 stand ; 
 And for that thou has not believed 
 
 the word, 
 Lo! thou art dumb till it shall be ful- 
 filled." 
 The Angel thus, and while the priest 
 
 yet gazed 
 The glorious presence melted from bis 
 
 view. 
 
36 The Babe at Hebron. 
 
 Long at the altar pondering he de- 
 layed, 
 
 And the throng waiting, marveled at 
 his stay. 
 
 And when he came from out the 
 Sanctuary 
 
 A soft light shone about his counte- 
 nance, 
 
 And they who saw him knew he had 
 beholden 
 
 A vision of the Lord. And rising up 
 
 He beckoned to the wondering multi- 
 tude, 
 
 But could not speak the blessing, 
 being dumb. 
 
 Then homeward through the ripened 
 fields he hied ; 
 
The Babe at Hebron, 37 
 
 On every side the luscious grape gave 
 out 
 
 Its perfumes on the air ; and all the 
 hills, 
 
 Garden o'er garden rising to the tops, 
 
 Smiled in the golden wealth of har- 
 vest-time. 
 
 The breeze from out the olives wooed 
 his senses, 
 
 And fanned his features with its pleas- 
 ant wings ; 
 
 And his heart leaped with gladness as 
 he went 
 
 Through hamlets on the hillsides, 
 where the cots 
 
 Eose flat-roofed, looking down upon 
 the vales 
 
 Each over other, all along the way. 
 
38 The Babe at Hebron. 
 
 And thus, though dumb his tongue, 
 
 his bounding soul 
 In silence praising sang : — 
 
 "Blest be Thy name 
 Forevermore, O God of peace and 
 
 love ! 
 Who lookest on the latest with as 
 
 sweet 
 And tender mercies as upon the first. 
 Praise God, ye men among the orchard 
 
 boughs ; 
 Praise Him, ye toilers on the vine- 
 clad hills ; 
 Praise Him, ye shepherds on the 
 
 mountain sides, 
 And you, ye dwellers in the city's 
 
 walls. 
 Praise God whose power is seen from 
 
 pole to pole ; 
 
The Babe at Hebron. 39 
 
 Seen in the golden fulness cf the har- 
 vest, 
 
 Seen in the living glory of the sun, 
 
 And in the mellow beauty of the 
 moon. 
 
 Praise God, my soul ; a joyful witness 
 thou 
 
 Of his enduring and eternal love. 
 
 Praise Him, whose wisdom, tender- 
 ness, and might 
 
 Eemain among His people evermore." 
 
 And when the sunset burned along 
 
 the sky 
 He entered Hebron's hilly streets, and 
 
 found 
 His wife Elizabeth upon the way 
 To meet him; for a whisper, as she 
 
 prayed 
 
4:0 The Babe at Hebron. 
 
 In pleading tones to Heaven, fell on 
 
 her ear 
 Saying, " Even as thou prayest it 
 
 shall be." 
 And so r as if her years were young 
 
 again,. 
 Joyful she met him saying, " It shall 
 
 bel 
 God r s love awakes to us, and it shall 
 
 be."' 
 And with his eyes and hands that old 
 
 man dumb 
 Answered in joy and said, "Yea, it 
 
 shall be." 
 And seeing his face soft clothed in 
 
 light, she knew 
 He saw the vision, and she sang in 
 
 joy;— 
 
The Babe at Hebron. 41 
 
 " No more shall men look cold upon 
 
 me now 
 And call me curst, for Thou, Lord, in 
 
 Thy love 
 Hast heard my cry and blessed my 
 
 womb with life. 
 Sing out, sun and moon ; sing out, 
 
 ye stars, 
 Sing out, O earth, and bless the Lord 
 
 your God, 
 For His right hand is full of might 
 
 and love. 
 Sing out to Him, my soul, in endless 
 
 praise, 
 For He hath looked upon thy wear- 
 ing sorrow, 
 And thrilled thy senses unto leaping 
 
 joy." 
 
42 The Babe at Hebron. 
 
 Now when the roses fainted in the 
 
 sun, 
 And flocks for shadow fled unto the 
 
 copse, 
 A dimpled babe with angel eyes was 
 
 born 
 To the glad mother, and his name 
 
 was John. 
 And the priest's tongue being loosed 
 
 again, he spoke 
 Aloud in praises and in prophesy : — 
 
 " Blest be the Lord the God of Israel, 
 Who for the Anointed hath this lamp 
 
 prepared ! 
 Thou, art a Prophet, Child of the 
 
 Most High ; 
 The Herald of the Christ. Thou 
 
 shalt arise 
 
The Babe at Hebron. 43 
 
 To give them light that in the dark- 
 ness sit, 
 
 And in Death's shadow; and our 
 steps shalt guide 
 
 Into the sweet and balmy ways of 
 peace." 
 
 His gaze was fixed upon the midmost 
 
 heaven, 
 "Where the bright sun looked down 
 
 but blinded not 
 That eye prophetic ; and his hands 
 
 upon 
 His heart were folded, whilst his long 
 
 white beard, 
 Parted upon the throat, waved in the 
 
 breeze. 
 Anon his eyes went o'er Judea's hills 
 
44 The Babe at Hebron. 
 
 And rested oo the distant walls of 
 
 Sion. 
 Then in the spirit of the mellow time 
 Whose lustrous wings of gold and 
 
 emerald 
 Shall shadow all the world in holy- 
 light 
 Mild darkened from the presence of 
 
 the Lord, 
 He cried with ecstacy : — 
 
 " O happy world, 
 When man in man the sacred sign 
 
 shall see 
 Which shows each soul to the Creator 
 
 kin, 
 And feel the influence drawing ever 
 
 up 
 And closer to the heart of the Most 
 
 High! 
 
The Babe at Hebron. 45 
 
 O happy earth ! the golden dawn is 
 
 near 
 When the chill night of sorrow shall 
 
 be spent, 
 And the great San of Love shall warm 
 
 the world." 
 
III. 
 
 THE BABE AT BETHLEHEM. 
 
 The land, sore- thirsting from the har- 
 vest heat, 
 Was waked to gladness by the later 
 
 showers, 
 And all the hills of Galilee again 
 Put on new robes of verdure, and the 
 
 vales 
 Were sweet with grasses and the 
 
 breath of flowers. 
 And when the clouds broke, scattering 
 
 from the day, 
 In pale confusion to the mountain 
 
 tops, 
 It seemed the Spring in tender care 
 
 had come 
 46 
 
Tfte Bale at Bethlehem. 47 
 
 And thrown her mantle o'er the smil- 
 ing scene. 
 
 And out of Nazareth as the sun up- 
 rose, 
 
 Gilding the villages with level rays, 
 
 The Yirgin, seated on a lowly beast, 
 
 And gray-haired Joseph walking at 
 her side, 
 
 Down the hill-slope went forth, while 
 yet the dew 
 
 Twinkled with changing lustre on the 
 green ; 
 
 And from the orchard and the shadowy 
 grove 
 
 A thousand birds sent up their morn- 
 ing-song. 
 
 Alone they journeyed on ; for out of 
 Eome 
 
48 The Babe at Bethlehem. 
 
 Came the decree that all should be 
 enrolled — 
 
 Each in the city of his own house en- 
 rolled ; 
 
 And they of David's house to Bethle- 
 hem 
 
 Hastened obedient to the high decree. 
 
 And down across the plain of Esdrae- 
 
 lon, 
 Through smiling fields and pleasant 
 
 villages, 
 And watery dells with herbs exhaling 
 
 sweet. 
 And olive-groves where the mild dove 
 
 was heard, 
 And many a warbler, flitting in the 
 
 shade * 
 
The Babe at Bethlehem. 49 
 
 Sang merrily out, all day their way 
 
 they held, 
 Till the red sunset faded from the 
 
 West 
 And one by one their moving guard 
 
 the stars, 
 Uhdimmed by any moon, set in the 
 
 s ^y, 
 
 Cold- sparkling in the silent walk of 
 Night. 
 
 The second day rose cloudless, and 
 they went 
 
 Along the land of the Samaritans 
 
 Whose city thje proud Edomite, who 
 sat 
 
 Profane on David's throne, had late 
 adorned 
 
 With boundless riches and magnifi- 
 cence, 
 
50 Tlte Babe at Bethlehem. 
 
 And honored with the mighty Caesar's 
 
 name. 
 On the third day the scorpion-haunted 
 
 hills 
 Guarding Judea from the Assyrian 
 
 crew 
 That lorded o'er the land of Ephraim 
 They passed ere yet $n hour of sun- 
 light shone. 
 And all day long through places sacred 
 
 made 
 By memories of eld they wended 
 
 on — 
 Through Shiloh, where the Ark of 
 
 God remained 
 Till Eli's faithless sons profaned the 
 
 Law ; 
 Along the tearful Baca's vale, now 
 
 sweet 
 
 . 
 
The Babe at Bethlehem. 51 
 
 With verdure freshened by the show- 
 ery skies ; 
 
 Through Bethel's venerable walls, 
 where erst 
 
 Jacob in dreams beheld the vision 
 fair 
 
 Of angels and the glory of God ; and 
 past 
 
 Rama, high-seated, where the prophet 
 saw 
 
 Rachel in sorrow for her children 
 weeping; 
 
 Into the gates of fair Jerusalem, 
 
 Where pausing on the way as even- 
 ing fell, 
 
 They sought the Temple, there to call 
 on God. 
 
 And when the stars shone brightest in 
 the blue, 
 
52 Ttte Bale at Bethlehem. 
 
 And Night with sable pall enwrapped 
 
 the world, 
 With weary steps up the steep hill 
 
 they hied, 
 And reached their journey's end at 
 
 Bethlehem. 
 
 Now, Sacred Spirit, fire my tongue to 
 sing 
 
 In seemly words the Saviour's humble 
 birth ; 
 
 How in the lowly cave at midnight 
 hour, 
 
 Of stainless Virgin born, to earth He 
 came, 
 
 None present but that guardian angel- 
 taught, 
 
 Worthy of David's house and heart ; 
 and clad 
 
The Babe at Bethlehem, 53 
 
 In swaddling clothes, was in rude 
 
 manger cradled, 
 An Infant God ! the Ruler of the 
 
 Spheres ! 
 Put on Humanity for love of Man I 
 
 And Joseph seeing, bowed his face to 
 
 earth 
 In adoration of the Incarnate Word ; 
 Whilst light mild-darkened from the 
 
 throne of God 
 Illumed the cave, and heavenly harp- 
 
 ings sweet 
 Tinkling resounded as the old man 
 
 sang : — 
 
 "Rejoice, Sion's daughter 1 Shout 
 for joy, 
 
54 The Babe at Bethlehem. 
 
 O daughter of Jerusalem ! Thy King 
 Liveth, and the Anointed One of God 
 Hath taken His abode in Israel. 
 Kejoice, O Israel ! for the promises 
 To Abraham and the fathers made of 
 
 yore 
 Our God hath kept, and in this Babe 
 
 fulfilled. 
 A light hath dawned upon the world 
 
 whose rays 
 Shall pierce the centre of remotest 
 
 time, 
 And ripen unto mellow fruit 'the hope 
 In man's soul budding through the 
 
 bounds of earth. 
 And tremble, thou,0 ruthless Edomite, 
 That in the Holy Place set'st impious 
 
 foot! 
 
The Babe at Bethlehem. 55 
 
 For the just vengeance of the living 
 
 God, 
 Who visiteth His own in gentle peace, 
 Pursueth the wicked with a sword of 
 
 fire." 
 
 And round the Virgin's face hung 
 
 wreathing rays, 
 Soft as the moon's from dewy welkin 
 
 falling, 
 Her eyes fond lingering on the tender 
 
 Babe; 
 And bowing down, her heart went out 
 
 to Him 
 Who riding on the whirlwind melts 
 
 in mercy ; 
 And in low tones of ravishment she 
 
 sang, 
 
56 The Babe at Bethlehem. 
 
 As all unconscious that her words had 
 shape ; — 
 
 " Our Hope is come, and shall nob si- 
 lence keep, 
 
 As by the prophet king of Juda 
 spake ; 
 
 A fire shall burn before Him, and 
 around 
 
 About Him shall a mighty tempest 
 be; 
 
 Gather together, all ye saints, for lo! 
 
 The heavens declare His justice; and 
 our Judge 
 
 Hath found His Israel worthy of His 
 love." 
 
 How the stars blazed at that calm 
 midnight hour ! 
 
The Babe at Bethlehem. 57 
 
 Seemed they to gaze upon the lowly 
 
 cave, 
 Where their dread ruler as a smiling 
 
 babe, 
 Type of his own eternal gentleness — 
 O, wondrous thought! — lay cradled 
 
 in a manger. 
 
 And there were Shepherds near to 
 
 Bethlehem, 
 Tending their flocks upon the shadowy 
 
 lawn, 
 And keeping the slow watches of the 
 
 night. 
 And while their eyes explored the 
 
 azure deeps, 
 And marked the icy spheres seem 
 
 starting forth - 
 
58 The Babe at Bethlehem. 
 
 Out of the restless firmament, they 
 
 spake 
 Together, wondering at the unwonted 
 
 sight. 
 Seemed as the heavens, to solemn 
 
 .grandeur moved, . . . 
 Bowed listening down unto the silent 
 
 earth, 
 While brooded awful calm o'er all 
 
 the world. 
 
 Kow from the zenith rays of golden 
 
 glory 
 On every side in slanting streamers 
 
 fell, 
 And in rich radiance clothed, an 
 
 Angel came 
 Bearing a harp with olive-leaves 
 
 adorned, 
 
The Babe at Bethlehem. 59 
 
 And mighty fear the Shepherds' bo- 
 soms shook. : 
 
 But calm the Angel spake — "Be not 
 afraid; 
 
 I bring to you good tidings of great 
 
 joy; 
 
 For unto you is come this day a 
 
 Saviour, 
 The Christ, our Lord ! an infant 
 
 lowly born, 
 In swaddling clothes he lieth in a 
 
 manger." 
 
 Then suddenly a thousand mellow 
 
 sounds 
 Fell from the skies, and all the air 
 
 rang out 
 With heavenly harmony that thrilled 
 
 the soul .4 
 
60 The Babe at Bethlehem. 
 
 To piercing rapture sweet; and the 
 high dome 
 
 Was oped, and a celestial choir ap- 
 peared 
 
 All glory-robed, and lovelier than the 
 morning, 
 
 Harping on golden lyres, and sweetly 
 singing, 
 
 " Glory to God on high and peace to 
 men." 
 
 Soon all the radiance vanished and 
 the night 
 
 With silent darkness and the blazing 
 stars 
 
 Returned ; and sore amazed the Shep- 
 herds stood 
 
 Mute- gazing heavenward where the 
 vision was, 
 
27te Babe at Bethlehem. 61 
 
 The cadence echoing still along the 
 sky, 
 
 " Glory to God on high and peace to 
 men." 
 
 Then eager o'er the hill to Bethle- 
 hem 
 
 They hurried, burning to behold the 
 Word; 
 
 And on the slope that stoops towards 
 Sion's walls 
 
 They found the manger where the 
 Sacred Babe 
 
 In purest loveliness was slumbering. 
 
 On either side the humble crib re- 
 clined 
 
 That spotless Virgin- Mother and her 
 spouse, 
 
62 The Babe at Bethlehem. 
 
 Silently pondering the deep mys- 
 tery, 
 
 And in the fulness of the Word re- 
 joicing. 
 
 And seeing, in one voice the Shep- 
 herds sang, 
 
 While from the east the purple morn- 
 ing broke, 
 
 And Night with all her shadows 
 swept away ; 
 
 Loud in one voice the simple Shep- 
 herds sang : — 
 
 " Praise God, my tongue, praise Him 
 
 foreverrnore, 
 For all the miseries of the world are 
 
 o'er, 
 And the Eedeemer liveth in the 
 
 land. 
 
The Babe at Bethlehem. G3 
 
 Praise God, my soul, for from thy 
 
 bondage freed, 
 The new-born Infant bringeth life 
 
 indeed, 
 And thy Redeemer liveth in the 
 
 land. 
 Praise God, ye Powers, for all your 
 
 strife hath end ; 
 Here is the rich man's hope, the poor 
 
 man's friend, 
 And your Redeemer liveth in the 
 
 land. 
 Praise God, O sun and moon ; praise 
 
 Him ye skies ; 
 For from His presence every shadow 
 
 flies, 
 And our Redeemer liveth in the 
 
 land." 
 
IV. 
 THE BAPTIST. 
 
 In a gray hollow 'neath a beetling 
 
 cliff 
 Whose rugged form uprose amid the 
 
 clouds, 
 Naked of herbage, dazzling in the sun, 
 And frowning o'er the barren hills 
 
 and dells 
 That slowly settled to the Dead Sea's 
 
 edge, 
 Sate, in sad musings rapt, that Naza- 
 
 rite 
 "Whose coming of the Angel was fore- 
 told, 
 The herald of the Anointed One of 
 
 God, 
 64 
 
The Baptist. Go 
 
 To go before his face and all his ways 
 Prepare. Silent he sate, and motionless, 
 Leaning against the damp walls of the 
 
 cave. 
 The clustering hair o'er his broad 
 
 shoulders hung ; 
 His beard was parted at the throat, 
 
 and fell 
 Profuse on either side ; his bold, black 
 
 eyes 
 Were fixed upon the tumbling clouds 
 
 that rolled 
 Up from the sea with angry thunder 
 
 laden ; 
 And his strong features, touched with 
 
 sorrow, like 
 The tearful glory of the rainbow shone. 
 Reflecting all the loveliness within. 
 3 
 
66 Tke Baptist. 
 
 The hungry vulture and the barking 
 
 fox 
 Unheeding and unheeded passed him 
 
 by; 
 
 The deadly viper glided at his feet 
 
 Unnoticed; and amid the straggling 
 brush 
 
 The gold- winged songsters, with me- 
 lodious note, 
 
 From morn till evening sang. Dark- 
 blue the sea, 
 
 Unruffled by the curling of a wave, 
 
 Lay in the distance ; and a wearying 
 glare 
 
 Oppressive dwelt upon the hills and 
 dells. 
 
 Adown the clefts the swollen moun- 
 tain brooks, 
 
lite Baptist. 67 
 
 Hoarsely resounding o'er their myriad 
 falls, 
 
 Bushed under cavernous hollows, and 
 again 
 
 Spread glittering in the sun, or strug- 
 gled forth 
 
 Through shrivelling verdure to the 
 silent sea. 
 
 The -joys of home and self-indulgent 
 
 ease, 
 And decent honor as a priest of Grod, 
 He set behind him, and in solitude 
 Communion night and day held with 
 
 the Lord. 
 
 Now rising from his rocky seat he 
 drew 
 
68 The Baptist. 
 
 His leathern girdle tighter, arid let fail 
 In heavy folds his robe of camel's 
 
 hair, 
 And with his eyes still on the swell- 
 ing clouds, 
 He lifted rip his voice to God and sang 
 In deep and mellow tones that floated 
 
 far 
 Aclown the sleepy hollows of the hills, 
 In sorrow echoing from cliff to cliff, 
 And rousing all the hundred eremites 
 "Who dwelt amid the mountains. 
 
 Thus he sang : — 
 " O doomed land ! how has thy faith- 
 ful city 
 Become the throne of idols ! how thy 
 
 gardens 
 The nests of venomous vipers! Thy 
 good grapes 
 
The Baptist. 69 
 
 In watered vineyards fostered, render 
 
 vines 
 That only wild-grapes yield. Thy 
 
 tender lambs 
 That trustful in thy grassy pastures 
 
 ran 
 Are fallen to hungry wolves. And 
 
 nought remains 
 Of all thy glory and thy godliness. 
 And all thy strength grown weak 
 
 avails thee nought ; 
 For where thy wisdom, hope, and 
 
 beauty bloomed 
 Are desolation, mockery, and despair. 
 
 " But Thy throne is forever, God of 
 
 Hosts. 
 Thy glory still endureth. Tn Thy 
 palm 
 
70 The Baptist. 
 
 Thou hold'st the thunderbolt; and 
 
 with Thy hand 
 Guidest the stars along their circling 
 
 way. 
 Thou takest from the briny sea sweet 
 
 rain 
 To make the earth rejoice, and from 
 
 the mould 
 Send forth the living green. But 
 
 Lord, Thy love 
 Is boundless as Thy might, and Thou 
 
 wilt show 
 Mercy to him that humbly seeketh 
 
 Thee. 
 Therefore, O Israel, repent, repent ! 
 Look on thy soul and dread the wrath 
 
 to come I 
 Do penance crying to thy God for 
 
 'mercy, 
 
The Baptist. 71 
 
 And seek His favor ere it be too 
 
 late." 
 
 He ceased, for sorrow weighed upon 
 
 his heart. 
 His strong lips quivered, and his head 
 
 bowed low 
 Upon his bosom ; for his soul beheld 
 The sins of Sodom in the land of 
 
 God. 
 
 And they who dwelt among the 
 
 gloomy caves 
 In the deep wilderness, waked by the 
 
 voice, 
 Came forth and mutely gazed upon 
 
 the man. 
 Then girding up his loins he strode 
 
 away 
 
72 The Baptist, 
 
 Northward along the sea towards 
 
 Jordan's wave; 
 And they, God-fearing, followed after 
 
 him 
 Saying, "Behold the Prophet of the 
 
 Lord." 
 
 And now the sun was blotted from 
 the sky 
 
 And distant mntterings of thunder 
 told 
 
 The coming of the rain. The light- 
 ning flash 
 
 Glanced on the whitened rocks, and 
 the great drops 
 
 Pattered upon the thirsting earth. 
 The sea 
 
 Rolled up in leaden billows, and the 
 shore 
 
The Baptist. 73 
 
 Besounded to the dashing of the 
 wave. 
 
 And they who followed, hanging on 
 the words 
 
 The Baptist uttered as he hurried 
 forth, 
 
 Now unto sheltering caves in pallid 
 fear 
 
 Betook themselves. But he with 
 steady step, 
 
 Unmindful of the darting lightning- 
 flash, 
 
 Unmindful of the crashing thunder- 
 clap, 
 
 Or rushing rain that down the moun- 
 tain sides 
 
 Sent angry torrents, kept upon his 
 way. 
 
74 The Baptist 
 
 And when black night o'er-powered 
 the trembling earth, 
 
 And held the stars imprisoned, and 
 the roar 
 
 Of unseen cataracts in the mountains 
 came 
 
 Threatening the deafened ear, a friend- 
 ly cave 
 
 Afforded shelter till the morning 
 time 
 
 Sent him with safer foot upon his 
 way. 
 
 And whilst along the wilderness he 
 
 went, 
 Crying "Repent, and bring forth 
 
 worthy fruit ; 
 For lo! the day of God is near at 
 
 hand!" 
 
The Baptist. 16 
 
 His voice aroused the wondering mul- 
 titudes ; 
 
 And all Jerusalem came out to him, 
 
 And all Judea, and the region round 
 
 The Jordan; and they knew he came 
 of God, 
 
 And spake with tongue touched by 
 the fire of truth. 
 
 And many at Bethabara, coming 
 down 
 
 And entering the Jordan, were bap- 
 tized, 
 
 And grieving wept confessing all 
 their sins. 
 
 But 'mid the throngs upon the river's 
 
 banks 
 The Baptist saw the oily hypocrites 
 
76 The Baptist. 
 
 And smiling scoffers of the word of 
 
 God, 
 And calling out to them, he cried 
 
 aloud : — 
 
 "Ye brood of vipers ! wherefore do 
 
 ye flee 
 From the impending wrath? Be 
 
 penitent, 
 And do the good that lieth in your 
 
 power. 
 And flatter not yourselves for that ye 
 
 have 
 Abraham for your father; for the 
 
 Lord 
 Can in his might of these vile pebbles 
 
 m ate 
 Children of Abraham. Turn while 
 
 ye may, 
 
The Baptist. 77 
 
 And seek in mercy Him that mercy 
 gives." 
 
 And many wondering said, "Lo, this 
 
 must be 
 The Christ that cometh to redeem the 
 
 world." 
 But answered John; "Nay, I indeed 
 
 baptize 
 "With water: but there cometh One 
 
 whose shoes 
 Not worthy I to carry. He with Fire 
 And with the Spirit shall baptize. 
 
 His fan 
 Is in His hand to cleanse His thresh- 
 ing-floor, 
 And gather up the wheat into His 
 
 garner." 
 
78 The Baptist. 
 
 And Jesus came from Xazareth to 
 John, 
 
 To be baptized, and meek before hirn 
 stood 
 
 In Jordan's water. 
 
 But the Prophet's soul 
 
 Knew his Redeemer ; and with hum- 
 ble heart 
 
 Bowed down, he said, " And comest 
 Thou to me ? 
 
 JSTay, I have need to be of Thee bap- 
 tized, 
 
 O Son of Man." But Jesus answering 
 said 
 
 In accents meek, " 'Tis well that 
 righteousness 
 
 Should be fulfilled;" and stooping 
 was baptized. 
 
The Baptist. 79 
 
 Then loud unto the throng the Bap- 
 tist spake ;— 
 
 " Behold the Lamb of God ! behold 
 the Lamb 
 
 Who taketh from the world its weight 
 of sin ! 
 
 Behold the Lamb who bringeth joy 
 to man! " 
 
 And Jesus coming up, lo, all the skies 
 Were cloven, and the Holy Spirit 
 
 came 
 Down-soaring like a clove ; and the 
 
 pale heavens 
 Eang with the awful voice of God, 
 
 "My Son 
 Beloved art Thou; in Thee am I well 
 
 pleased." 
 
V. 
 THE CHRIST. 
 
 "He left tlie throng and hath, not 
 
 since appeared. 
 None knoweth where He went. For 
 
 when He rose 
 From prayer, the dove-like Spirit 
 
 having risen 
 And vanished in the highest vault of 
 
 heaven, 
 And the load voice of God proclaim- 
 ing Him 
 The Son beloved being hushed and 
 
 heard no more, 
 He left the throng and no man saw 
 
 Him go, 
 (SO) 
 
The Christ. 81 
 
 And none liath seen Him since. 
 
 "The new moon then 
 Ilung peaceful in the west beside the 
 
 star 
 Of evening; but that moon hath 
 
 waxed and waned, 
 And now the second moon is past the 
 
 full. 
 While yesterday John at the Jordan 
 
 preached, 
 Came priests and Levites from Jerus- 
 alem 
 Asking 'Art thou the Christ?' and 
 
 he replied, 
 c Neither the Christ nor yet Elias I, 
 Nor any prophet, but the voice of one 
 Crying in the wilderness, ' Make 
 
 straight the way, 
 
82 The Christ. 
 
 For the Lord cometli to baptize with 
 
 lire! 
 Even now, indeed, He liveth in your 
 
 land, 
 And you have known Him not.' 
 
 " Thus answered John, 
 'Yet oft with straining vision have I 
 
 sought 
 The wondrous man whose clear, calm 
 
 eyes did burn 
 Into my inmost soul with holy power, 
 But I have found Him not.' " 
 
 " 'T would please me well 
 To see this strange and holy man of 
 
 whom 
 Thou speakest, brother." 
 
 Thus did Andrew say, 
 And thus his brother Simon made 
 
 reply: 
 
The Christ, 83 
 
 The rising moon looked over fields of 
 flowers 
 
 That nodded to the passing breeze, 
 and gave 
 
 Their sweetest perfumes forth. And 
 all the hills 
 
 Robed in rich green and crowned 
 with odorous groves 
 
 Slept softly in the silver dewy light, 
 
 Or listened to the singing nightin- 
 gales. 
 
 And now came John the son of Zeb- 
 
 edee, 
 Who oft with Andrew sought amid 
 
 the crowds 
 To find the Holy One they once had 
 
 seen, 
 
84 The Christ 
 
 To gaze into tlie eyes that held them 
 
 still, 
 And yet evaded still their constant 
 
 search — 
 Came John bar-Zebedee, who said, 
 
 " Behold 
 I go unto the Jordan once again. 
 My soul is hungering to see the man 
 And hear his voice. I know he will 
 
 return 
 And speak to us. Say, will ye go 
 
 along 
 With me, my brothers ? " " Yea," 
 
 said Andrew, " I 
 "Will seek him with thee to the ends 
 
 of earth." 
 "And I," quoth Simon, "when ye 
 
 find the man, 
 
The Christ. 85 
 
 Will follow after you. But now my 
 
 work 
 Presses me to the duty of the hour, 
 Which must not be denied." 
 
 And he repaired 
 Unto the Sea of Galilee, and they 
 Hastened along the Jordan to the 
 
 place 
 Where preached the Baptist to the 
 
 multitudes. 
 
 And Jesus from the wilderness, where 
 long 
 
 'Mong savage beasts he dwelt, far 
 from the haunts 
 
 Of man, and smote his flesh with tire- 
 less fasting, 
 
 And sought the Father's ear in end- 
 less prayer 
 
85 • The Christ 
 
 And holy meditation, and overcame 
 
 The Evil Power by vanquishing the 
 clay, 
 
 Returned ; and on the morrow stood 
 beside 
 
 The Jordan where the Baptist taught. 
 And he 
 
 Seeing cried out: " Behold the Lamb 
 of God ! 
 
 Behold the One on whom the heav- 
 enly dove 
 
 Came from the Father, showing the 
 world the Son." 
 
 Now they of Galilee with fluttering 
 hearts 
 
 Eejoicing, and with longing souls, be- 
 held 
 
The Christ. 87 
 
 The Holy One ; and following after 
 
 him 
 To bathe their spirits in his sacred 
 
 voice 
 They meekly said, " Eabbi, where 
 
 dwellest thou?" 
 And Jesus answered them in gentle 
 
 words 
 " Follow and see. 5 ' And glad they 
 
 went with him 
 Unto a place upon the hillside, where 
 The wild grape blossoms from the 
 
 clustering vines, 
 That gave sweet shadow in the sun 
 
 of noon, 
 Sent richest fragrance out upon the 
 
 breeze. 
 The murmuring of the Jordan, mov- 
 ing swift 
 
88 The Christ 
 
 Along his pebbly bed, came from 
 
 below, 
 And from above, among the vines 
 
 and trees, 
 A thousand melodies of singing birds.. 
 
 Here on the turf with moistened ver- 
 dure cool — 
 
 The dew-drops lingering still amid 
 the shade — 
 
 The Saviour sate him down and also 
 they. 
 
 Then first he spake saying, " Where- ' 
 fore seek ye me ? " 
 
 And they both answering said, " Thou 
 art the Truth, 
 
 In seeking Thee we sought the Life 
 and Truth." 
 
The Christ 89 
 
 Then Jesus answered them with tender 
 
 voice : — . 
 "The soul that seeketh me shall never 
 
 w r alk 
 In darkness; nor jet shall the daz- 
 zling light 
 His eyeballs overcome. For though 
 
 the truth 
 Is terrible to angels, it shall be 
 Through me made mellow to the 
 
 weaker flesh. 
 The Father veiled his features in a 
 
 'cloud 
 On Sinai, lest the people seeing should 
 
 die. 
 But ye behold the Father and the Son 
 In equal power, and yet your eye not 
 
 aches. 
 
90 The Christ. ' 
 
 For then the law of love was incom« 
 
 plete 
 Through, human stain. Now Love 
 
 itself is law 
 Made perfect by Divinity in man. 
 The world has wept for waiting long 
 
 the day 
 When the "Word promised should be 
 
 man. And now 
 The weeping world knows not the 
 
 "Word it sees. 
 But ye who seek shall see and under- 
 stand. 
 Blessed is he that seeketh for the 
 
 Word, 
 For his eyes shall be opened to the 
 
 glory." 
 
The Christ 91 
 
 Then turning to the sun that o'er the 
 
 hill 
 Hung westering on a pillow of white 
 
 cloud 
 That grew from the horizon, widening 
 And rising up in silver flame, he 
 
 said : — 
 
 " You gaze upon the sun, your eye is 
 dazed ; 
 
 And seeing no beauty there you turn 
 away. 
 
 But on the moon at night you lean 
 your eye 
 
 In rapture and exclaim, 'How beauti- 
 ful!' 
 
 Yet in the barren hills and waterless 
 
 Ka vines, you see no beauty but the 
 light 
 
92 The Christ 
 
 Thrown back upon you mildly from 
 
 the sun. 
 So through the flesh the glory and the 
 
 light, 
 Divine and radiant as in Heaven's 
 
 halls, 
 Come lovingly and sweetly to the 
 
 soul." 
 
 And seeing in a tree among the 
 
 "blooms 
 A little linnet toiling at his nest, 
 And pausing oft amid his toil to sing, 
 As if with song to cheer his russet 
 
 mate ; 
 Pleased with the work and song the 
 
 Master said : — 
 
The Christ. 93 
 
 "Behold the linnet how he labors 
 
 here. 
 He buildeth well, rejoicing at his toil; 
 Nor thinketh he of others, how thej 
 
 build, 
 Or worse or better. And he singeth 
 
 well, 
 Giving in joy that which he hath to 
 
 give, 
 Nor grieves for that he hath not. So 
 
 be it 
 With you, my brothers; for the 
 
 Father hath 
 Good "use for every one, both great 
 
 and small. 
 And he that giveth joyfully giveth 
 
 well. 
 Nor look upon the faults of other 
 
 men ; 
 
94 The Christ 
 
 But on your own. For he who seek- 
 
 eth out 
 The faults of others, laboreth in vain, 
 And doe tli wrong ; but whoso humbly 
 
 seeks 
 His ovm, doth w r ell and shall be thrice 
 
 rejDaid." 
 
 And thus all the long lovely after- 
 noon, 
 
 Until the sun beneath the flushing 
 west 
 
 Sank, and the radiant purple clouds 
 burned out 
 
 With darkening splendor, rapt to 
 silence they 
 
 Hung listening on sweet words of 
 Jesus, spake 
 
Hie Christ. 95 
 
 As ne'er man spake before. And 
 
 evening fell 
 Ere yet they were aware, and left them 
 
 there 
 Sorrowing ; for the Master, going 
 
 forth 
 Alone into the wilderness to pray, 
 Bade them not follow. 
 
 With unwilling steps 
 Returning to the sea of Galilee 
 All the long night they travelled, in a 
 
 stream 
 Of vapory moonlight bathed, their 
 
 sandaled feet 
 Wet with the dew-drops sparkling on 
 
 the green. 
 And still upon the words they dwelt, 
 
 and each 
 
96 The Christ. 
 
 Repeating ever some sweet utterance 
 
 made 
 The tedious journey brief and pleasant 
 
 seem. 
 
 Now on the morrow, when the rising 
 
 sun 
 Made ruddy with his level rays the 
 
 sea, 
 Mending his nets beside the shore, 
 
 they found 
 Simon in fretful mood, for that his 
 
 toil 
 Through the long night brought forth 
 
 but little fruit. 
 But they soon joining in the work, 
 
 told all 
 The holy words they heard the Sav- 
 iour speak ; 
 
The Christ. 97 
 
 And listening with enraptured ear, 
 
 lie sate 
 Undmindful of his toil, and longed to 
 
 see 
 The man whose words sank burning 
 
 in his soul. 
 
 And soon they were aware of Jesus 
 
 near 
 Upon the sea-shore, and he said to 
 
 them, 
 u Follow me and be fishers of men's 
 
 souls." 
 And coming to the shore they followed 
 
 Him. 
 
VI. 
 
 THE PASSING OF THE BAPTIST. 
 
 "Wrapped in Night's starry mantle, 
 on the slope 
 
 Of Jordan where the meadows blos- 
 somed, sate 
 
 The JSTazarite, who late among the 
 throng 
 
 Proclaimed the Lamb to an unbeliev- 
 ing world. 
 
 To heaven's farthest deeps he bent his 
 gaze, 
 
 And seemed beyond the smallest stars 
 to see 
 
 Rich realms of love and rest and loveli- 
 ness 
 (98) 
 
The Passing of the Baptist. 99 
 
 Where sin dare enter not and sorrows 
 
 cease. 
 
 Long in the calm, amid the falling 
 
 dew, 
 With ravished eye upturned, he sate, 
 
 and soon, 
 Borne from the world upon the wings 
 
 of love, 
 He seemed to soar with Angels near 
 
 the Throne. 
 Then loud, in tones that rang aclown 
 
 the stream, 
 And roused the echoes through the 
 
 rocky dell, 
 He joined the Prophet-King of old 
 
 and sang : — 
 "The dead can praise Thee not, 
 
 Lord, nor they 
 
100 The Passing of the Baptist. 
 
 That are gone down into the shadowy 
 
 vale; 
 But we who live shall sing in hymns 
 
 Thy praise 
 From now forever to the end of time. 
 
 " From when the Sun comes thro' his 
 
 amber gate 
 Till on his fiery -curtained couch he 
 
 sleeps 
 Thy name is worthy of all praise, 
 
 Lord, 
 From now forever to the end of time. 
 
 " Thy mercy lives, nor is Thy word 
 
 forsworn. 
 And in the promise shall the Gentile 
 
 hope; 
 
The Passing of the Baptist. 101 
 
 From pole to pole Thy mighty name 
 
 shall ring 
 From now forever to the end of time. 
 
 "For who is like the Holy One ; whose 
 
 hand 
 Hath raised the needy up to stand 
 
 with Kings ? 
 Before His face the godless horde 
 
 shall fly 
 From now forever to the end of time." 
 
 He ceased; but long the silence of the 
 
 place 
 Swelled as with sounds of harmony; 
 
 and now 
 The nightingale within a bower of 
 
102 The Passing of the Uaptist. 
 
 Took up the strain, and with, his 
 liquid voice 
 
 Trilled rapturous music forth upon 
 the night. 
 
 Then foot-steps falling lightly on his 
 ear 
 
 Aroused the Prophet from hisrevery, 
 
 And turning he beheld one who out- 
 spake 
 
 In breathless haste : — - 
 
 " Fly, Master, for behold ! 
 
 In glittering raiment clad and bearing 
 arms 
 
 Soldiers from Herod come in search 
 of thee/' — 
 
 "Nay; whoso placeth in the Lord 
 his trust 
 
 Feareth not any man. Then where- 
 fore fly ?" 
 
The Passing of the Baptist. 103 
 
 And now in sounding armor came the 
 
 troop 
 From Herod's impious son, that Anti- 
 pas 
 Who with Herodias lived in double 
 
 crime, 
 His niece and brother's wife. The 
 
 nightingale 
 Broke frightened midway in his 
 
 melody 
 And flitted to a distant tree. "We 
 
 come," 
 Quoth one, " from good Prince Herod, 
 
 seeking him 
 Men call the Baptist. Eabbi, art 
 
 thou he?"— 
 " Yea ! whither would ye have me 
 
 go, and why?" — 
 
104 The Passing of the Baptist. 
 
 " The King desires thy presence, come 
 
 away. 
 We join him at Machasrus." — With. 
 
 rude hand 
 
 Laid on the shoulder of the godly 
 man 
 
 They bade him tarry not ; and rising 
 up 
 
 With, fearless step he followed, hurry- 
 ing forth 
 
 All the chill night along the rugged 
 way 
 
 From Jordan's shore to Makor's 
 gloomy hold. 
 
 And now of all the crowds who came 
 
 to him, 
 And drank with open hearts his 
 
 thrilling words. 
 
The Passing of the Baptist. 105 
 
 But one remained, who clung unto 
 
 the priest, 
 And followed him with sobs and 
 
 bitter tears. 
 For only yesterday at Salem came 
 Disciples chafing from a late dispute 
 Concerning Jesus, and to John ex- 
 claimed : — 
 "Rabbi, that man to whom beyond 
 
 the Jordan 
 Baptizing thou borest witness, lo ! he 
 
 now 
 Baptizeth and the people flock to 
 
 him." 
 But John, uplifting in glad tones his 
 
 yoice : — ■ 
 " The bride-groom's friend and not the 
 
 bridegroom I ; 
 
106 Tlie Passing of the Baptist. 
 
 Even now my soul rejoiceth in his 
 
 word 
 That soundeth through the land. His 
 
 star shall grow, 
 But mine shall wane and vanish in 
 
 the light, 
 That comes to flood the world." Thus 
 
 John ; and they 
 Who deemed him until now the 
 
 greater prophet, 
 Disheartened, turned and left him. 
 
 Only one 
 Eemained, who now in sobs and tears 
 Followed the Baptist. Faithful Man- 
 
 aen he, 
 That foster-brother of vile Antipas, 
 "Who later into Antioch did take 
 The saving story of the Son of God. 
 
The Passing of the Baptist. 107 
 
 And Herod's machinations well he 
 
 knew 
 To hurt the Baptist for imagined 
 
 wrongs ; 
 And knew the power that bold Hero- 
 
 dias held 
 Over the spirit of her cowardly lord, 
 And her black malice toward the holy 
 
 man. 
 
 For late the prince came unto Enon's 
 fount 
 
 And heard the fiery preacher pro- 
 phecy 
 
 The coming of the Kingdom ; and he 
 sought 
 
 With feigned humility the way to 
 peace : — 
 
108 Tlie Passing of the Baptist 
 
 "First put away thy brother Philip's 
 
 wife ; 
 The law commands it," spake with 
 
 fearless voice 
 The man of God. Mute terror struck 
 
 the king, 
 Who turning left. And now with fell 
 
 design, 
 Fearing his thrilling words among the 
 
 people, 
 He brings the Nazarite to black Mach- 
 
 serus. 
 
 Red morning rose o'er Arnon's roar- 
 ing flood 
 
 Lighting the dew-drops on the grassy 
 plain, 
 
 And waking birds to gladsome melody, 
 
The Passing of the Baptist. 109 
 
 What time they reached the palace ; 
 and the doors 
 
 Of the dark dungeon underneath flew 
 ope, 
 
 And grating closed upon God's mes- 
 senger. 
 
 Day after day, day after day he sat 
 
 In that damp hold, shut in by mouldy 
 walls 
 
 That robbed his eyes of sunlight. He 
 who dwelt 
 
 Free as the antlered stag from boy- 
 hood's hours 
 
 Amid the mountains, pleased by song 
 of bird, 
 
 And the wild gambols of the swift 
 gazelle ; 
 
110 lite Passing of the Baptist. 
 
 Who watched the sun ride 'mong his 
 varying clouds, 
 
 And the calm moon with her sea-mir- 
 rored face 
 
 Soar through her stars on dew-be- 
 sprinkling wings, 
 
 Lay now imprisoned in a blighting 
 tomb, 
 
 From every pleasant sight and sound 
 confined. 
 
 And thrice the tyrant in his princely 
 state 
 
 Seated beside Tlerodias, fair and sin- 
 ful, 
 
 Brought forth the prophet to the sump- 
 tuous halls 
 
 And asked, " Lo, gayest thou still I 
 break the law ? " 
 
TJie Passing of the Baptist. Ill 
 
 But with, unyielding soul the man of 
 
 God, 
 " The law forbids thee keep thy 
 
 brother's wife." 
 And the proud woman, with a brazen 
 
 frown, 
 Each time cried out in crimson rage, 
 
 "0 King! 
 Wherefore this patience ? Hast thou 
 
 not a slave 
 Can bear a sword? Go, strike the 
 
 traitor dead." 
 But fear restrained the willing hand, 
 
 and still 
 Within the dungeon lay God's mes- 
 senger. 
 Yet the adulterous queen, relenting 
 
 not, 
 
112 The Passing of the Baptist. 
 
 Daily did urge the murderous deed, 
 
 and lie 
 Dreading the people, feared to strike 
 
 the blow. 
 
 Now Herod on a summer day pro- 
 claimed 
 A feast; and all his nobles at the 
 
 word 
 Came to Machaerus; and the tables 
 
 groaned 
 "With richest viands, and the mellow 
 
 wine 
 Went round; and all the palace rang 
 
 with sound 
 Of song and revelry j and when the 
 
 lights 
 Illumed the gorgeous halls, and An- 
 
 tipas 
 
The Passing of the Baptist. 113 
 
 Sat drinking with, tlie merry-making 
 
 throng 
 Came Salome, his daughter, beautiful 
 With her black eyes, her tresses like 
 
 the night, 
 And rounded limbs, as ever maiden 
 
 seemed, 
 And danced before the King. A 
 
 nymph she looked 
 Born of a goddess in some Grecian 
 
 dell. 
 Loud rang the halls with praise, and 
 
 dashing down 
 His drained cap upon the marble 
 
 floor 
 The king up-rose exclaiming, "Noble 
 
 girl ! 
 Ask what thou wilt — ere asked I 
 
 swear it thine." 
 
114 Tlie Passing of the Baptist. 
 
 And she, more cruel-cold thanbeauti- 
 
 fiil, 
 Taught by her wicked dam, said, 
 
 "Give me here 
 Upon this platter the Baptizer's head." 
 And now the tyrant down the lighted 
 
 hall 
 Saw the fierce eyes of bold Herodias, 
 And sinking on his couch in guilty 
 
 shame 
 Gave trembling to his slaves the 
 
 bloody word. 
 Proud rose the queen, and loud her 
 
 cruel laugh 
 Greeted with scorn the gory sight. 
 
 " Fling o'er 
 The walls the boaster's body! Let 
 
 the dogs 
 
The Passing of the Bcqrtist. 115 
 
 Feast till they gorge ! Ah, what avails 
 thee now 
 
 O preacher, all thy prophesy and 
 law?" 
 
 Thus heartless cried the fierce adul- 
 teress, 
 
 And glancing at the prince with sneer- 
 ing lip 
 
 Took her bad daughter's hand and 
 left the hall. 
 
 Mute arid appalled the revellers be- 
 held 
 
 The accursed sight ; and rising to go 
 forth, 
 
 Lo ! in an instant all the lights were 
 gone, 
 
 And the black palace lay in deadly 
 gloom. 
 
VTL 
 
 THE TRANSFIGURATION. 
 
 The sunset flame that burned o'er 
 
 Lebanon 
 Had faded out to ashes, and the moon 
 Broke from the forest -bearded hills, 
 
 and rose 
 A disembodied spirit in the sky. 
 And white the snow on Hermon's 
 
 lofty spurs 
 Sparkled against the stars ; while down 
 
 his sides 
 The green, soft grasses, moistening in 
 
 the dew, 
 Gave welcome to the Saviour's weary 
 
 feet. 
 (116) 
 
The Transfiguration* 117 
 
 And pleased He looked upon the 
 
 peaceful slope; 
 For late through Tyre and Sidon, seek- 
 ing rest, 
 And through the land of the Deca- 
 
 polis 
 lie joumej-ed ; hut no hour of rest he 
 
 found ; 
 For everywhere the lame, the blind, 
 
 the weak, 
 In multitudes came following after 
 
 Him, 
 Begging for mercy ; and He made 
 
 them whole. 
 Then passing o'er the silver wave at 
 
 night 
 He came in secret unto Magadan 
 To find a quiet time for prayer and 
 
 sleep. 
 
118 77ie Transfiguration. 
 
 But lo ! with evil purpose dogging 
 him, 
 
 Eager to find him failing in dispute, 
 
 Chief priests and rabbis deep-read in 
 the law, 
 
 The smooth-tongued Pharisees with 
 tainted souls, 
 
 The haughty unbelieving Sadducees, 
 
 And the first men of Herod's worldly 
 crew, 
 
 Each bearing lasting hate of deadly 
 sort 
 
 Against the other, each one evermore 
 
 Watching the other with suspicions 
 dark, 
 
 Came out against Him now at Maga- 
 dan. 
 
 And all their mutual hatred and mis- 
 trust 
 
The Transfiguration, 119 
 
 Forgot, they joined in foul conspiracy 
 To hurt the Son of Man. His lowly 
 
 mien, 
 His gentle life and kindly deeds, His 
 
 words, 
 Caim-spoken, but burning from the 
 
 soul, as man 
 Ne'er spoke, were to their chilling, 
 
 earthy souls 
 But cause of grief and anger. And 
 
 they came 
 Thronging to Him in mock humility, 
 And asked a sign whereby to know 
 
 the Christ. 
 They who had seen in Him God's 
 
 very hand, 
 They who beheld the lame rise up and 
 
 walk, 
 
120 The Transfiguration. 
 
 The blind go forth in day-light bless- 
 ing God, 
 
 The deaf and speechless hear and 
 answer back, 
 
 And every demon fly His face in fear, 
 
 Nay, even the dead their cerements 
 cast away 
 
 And burst the conquered tomb — these 
 witnesses 
 
 Came now and asked a sign. 
 
 And Jesus rose 
 
 With burning ire and sorrow-burdened 
 soul, 
 
 And looking on the evil crowd ex- 
 claimed ; — 
 
 " O perverse brood ! generation foul ! 
 
 Ye who have heard the gospel with 
 the poor I 
 
The Transfiguration. 121 
 
 Why ask of Me a sign ? ye know the 
 
 heavens, 
 "When that they promise rain or 
 
 drouth or heat ; 
 Ye know what mean the stars, the 
 
 skies, the winds, 
 Yet hearing Me, and having seen 
 
 My deeds, 
 Ye ask a sign. Ye shall receive the 
 
 sign 
 Of Jonah: After three days from 
 
 the depths 
 The Son of Man shall rise." 
 
 And going down 
 Unto the sea with woeful countenance 
 He took his chosen twelve and left the 
 land. 
 
122 The Transfiguration. 
 
 That night they slept in Philip's 
 
 Tetrarchy, 
 Near Bethsaida, that late the servile 
 
 king 
 Rebuilding, named for Caesar's fated 
 
 child. 
 But with the morning's earliest beam 
 
 they rose, 
 And having bathed in Jordan's cool- 
 ing stream 
 Northward along his banks they held 
 
 their way ; 
 Past Merom's wave, where Joshua of 
 
 old 
 Routed the warlike Canaanites, and 
 
 broke 
 Their power,- and past the tower of 
 
 Lebanon 
 
The Transfiguration. 123 
 
 That still looked toward Damascus, 
 
 till they came 
 Even to the cave where Jordan rose ; 
 
 and now 
 At nightfall weary stood at Hermon's 
 
 foot. 
 
 And taking with him three — the Man 
 of Bock 
 
 And the two Sons of Thunder — Jesus 
 clomb 
 
 High up the mountain side, where the 
 sweet air 
 
 Cooled by the snows above, but odor- 
 winged, 
 
 [Refreshing came and wooed their 
 throbbing brows. 
 
 And Jesus went a little way apart 
 
124 The Transfiguration. 
 
 And standing with bared head against 
 
 the sky, 
 Long time alone, with burning words, 
 
 that flowed 
 In deep-toned harmony upon the night 
 Where moon and stars stood listening, 
 
 he remained 
 Communing with the co-eternal Sire. 
 
 But they with weeping spirits stayed 
 
 behind, 
 And standing close together, prayed 
 
 aloud, 
 But prayed in doubt and fear. For 
 
 oft of late 
 He spake of evil days that soon 
 
 should fall ; 
 He spake to them of deep disgrace, of 
 
 death, 
 
T7ie Transfiguration. 125 
 
 Of suffering and of sorrow for man's 
 
 sake. 
 And though of vanquished death and 
 
 rising up 
 He also spake, they understood Him 
 
 not. 
 And oft with sighs from grave heart- 
 questionings, 
 Up-welling, with sad whisperings 
 
 mingled, each 
 Sought from another what the words 
 
 might mean. 
 The words so plain that Jesus spake to 
 
 tli em, 
 So woeful to their souls, were dark 
 
 indeed. 
 
 !N"ow wearied with the long day's 
 journeying, 
 
126 The Transfiguration. 
 
 And heavy-eyed, they wrapped their 
 
 abbas round them, 
 And on the pleasant greensward 
 
 lying down, 
 Though pressed with care, soon slept 
 
 beneath the moon. 
 
 How long they slept they knew not ; 
 but their ears 
 
 Were pleased in sleep with sounds of 
 holy joy, 
 
 Of hymning voices and of harpings 
 sweet 
 
 That in full diapason o'er them 
 swelled, 
 
 Flooding the world with holy peace 
 and love. 
 
 Then soothing radiance on their eye- 
 lids falling 
 
The Tra?isfiguratio?u 127 
 
 Boused them from slumber. Lo ! on 
 every side 
 
 What blessed vision meets their wak- 
 ing sight ! 
 
 What rays of heavenly splendor fall 
 around ! 
 
 Above them in the air the Christ 
 
 In raiment whiter than Mount Her- 
 mon's snows ; 
 
 The light that from His naming fea- 
 tures shines 
 
 Is brighter than the sun, but dazzles 
 not, 
 
 So pleasantly it falls. Upon His 
 right 
 
 The Giver of the Law is seen, who 
 sleeps 
 
128 The Transfiguration. 
 
 By angels buried in a vale of Moab; 
 Upon His left, the sacred Seer whom 
 
 God, 
 In "burning chariot drawn of fiery 
 
 steeds, 
 'Mid whirling tempest, rapt to Para- 
 
 adise. 
 And with the living glory over- 
 thrown, 
 The Sons of Thunder and the Man of 
 
 Eqc'k 
 Fell down upon their faces to the 
 
 ground, 
 In silent adoration and in fear. 
 And while they prostrate bowed amid 
 
 the glory, 
 Lo ! the eternal visitants were heard 
 In thrilling voices speaking with the 
 
 Christ ; 
 
The Transfiguration. 129 
 
 Speaking of the departure, of the 
 doom, 
 
 The death, disgrace, and glorious vic- 
 tory 
 
 To be accomplished at Jerusalem. 
 
 Then Peter in a trance of joy upris- 
 ing, 
 
 Looking with mortal eyes upon the 
 Light, 
 
 Cried out ; — " 'Tis good for us, O 
 Lord, to be 
 
 Here in Thy presence! Let this joy 
 remain 1 
 
 Let us live ever in the mountain 
 here ; 
 
 And Ave shall raise three tabernacles, 
 Lord, 
 5 
 
130 The Transfiguration. 
 
 To Tliee one, unto Moses one, and one 
 
 Unto Elias." Then a cloud of flame 
 
 Golden and mild as morning's waking 
 beam, 
 
 Down from the zenith, hovered o'er 
 the Christ, 
 
 And lrorn its bosom spake the living 
 God, 
 
 In tones that shook the world, pro- 
 claiming Him 
 
 The Son beloved pleasing to the Sire. 
 
 Longtime the voice resounded through 
 
 the skies ; 
 And they long time in fear upon the 
 
 earth, 
 In holy love and fear upon the earth, 
 With faces down in silent adoration 
 
9 
 
 The Transfiguration. 131 
 
 Remained. At length, touched by a 
 
 gentle hand, 
 They, raised their eyes, and lo ! the 
 
 meek-browed Christ 
 With kindly gaze alone before them 
 
 stood : — 
 " Arise, be not afraid." Their trem- 
 bling limbs 
 AY ere strengthened by the sound of 
 
 His dear voice, 
 And fearless they arose. Then Jesus 
 
 said — 
 " Tell not the vision till the Son of 
 
 Man, 
 Being crucified, is risen from the 
 
 dead." 
 
 And with unhidden joy they followed 
 Him, 
 
132 The Transfiguration. 
 
 While tlie sweet light that now lived 
 
 in their souls 
 Aroused them unto prayer and holy 
 
 song; 
 And as they journeyed down the 
 
 grassy slope 
 The stars of morning faded from the 
 
 sky, 
 And waking birds rejoiced in every 
 
 tree. 
 
VIII. 
 THE RESURRECTION. 
 
 "With tearful eyes and sorrow- bur- 
 dened soul, 
 At morning's earliest beam, the 
 
 Magdalene, 
 Whom love had saved from crimson 
 
 sin and shame, 
 Hastened with spices to the Saviour's 
 
 tomb. 
 The linnet, roused by the sweet breath 
 
 of morn, 
 Twittered among the olives, and the 
 
 lark 
 Rose from the meadow, fragrant of 
 
 the Spring, 
 
 (133) 
 
134 The Resurrection. 
 
 And sang against the skies. But 
 
 Mary's heart, 
 Filled with the thought of Jesus 
 
 crucified, 
 Swelled as if bursting by the force of 
 
 woe, 
 And joyed not in the sweetness of the 
 
 hour; 
 Nay, rather, the glad bird-songs pained 
 
 her ear, 
 And the mild air but stirred to deeper 
 
 grief 
 The throbbing of her bosom. But 
 
 her feet 
 Were winged with love; and soon 
 
 beside the tomb 
 She stood; and lo! the great stone 
 
 from its face 
 
The Resurrection. 135 
 
 "W as rolled away ; and looking in she 
 
 saw 
 The linen cerements folded on the 
 
 floor; 
 But nowhere found the Saviour whom 
 
 she sought. 
 
 For when the agony upon the cross 
 Was over, and the soul of fallen man 
 From death and pain, by pain and 
 
 death redeemed, 
 The mourning followers laid the 
 
 Sacred Corse, 
 In grave-clothes "bandaged, in the 
 
 lonely tomb, 
 And went away in tears. Their eyes 
 
 were still 
 Blind to the light that round about 
 
 them shone; 
 
136 The Resurrection. 
 
 And so with aching hearts that sank 
 
 in doubt, 
 And bitter tears, they gave Him to 
 
 the grave. 
 
 But Christ went down among the 
 blessed shades 
 
 To raise them up in joy. They hurry- 
 ing came, 
 
 And like the bending of high forest 
 tops 
 
 In the wild breathing of the hurricane, 
 
 Bowed clown before Him, singing 
 hymns of praise. 
 
 The songs in ringing unison arose 
 
 In tones that through the dusky dales, 
 and groves 
 
 Tenebrious, swelled like sounding 
 floods among 
 
The Resurrection. 137 
 
 Measureless caverns down steep moan- 
 tain-sides. 
 
 The builders of the ancient world, the 
 men 
 
 Who wrought for justice 'gainst the 
 giant sons 
 
 Of Cain's ignoble city, and the tribes 
 
 Who loved the Father, and whose 
 souls the hope 
 
 Of man's redemption in the Son made 
 strong, 
 
 Came now with spiritual canticles of 
 
 In voices that for ages had been 
 
 And hailed the conqueror of Death 
 and Sin. 
 
138 The Resurrection. 
 
 First, with wide-floating beard and 
 
 waving locks 
 That fell like snow, the father of the 
 
 race, 
 With many thousands thronging 
 
 round him came, 
 And bowing down before the Victor 
 
 cried : — 
 "All hail, Saviour! Hail Thou 
 
 promised Seed 
 That hath the serpent crushed ! This 
 
 joyful day 
 Shall greater blessings bring upon 
 
 mankind 
 Than e'er my evil deed did evils bring. 
 Far above praise Thy name, whose 
 
 presence here 
 Hath raised these wandering souls to 
 
 speechless joy ! " 
 
The Resurrection. 189 
 
 And they that followed stooping sang, 
 "All hail l v 
 
 Next he who saved the remnant of 
 
 the world 
 From watery death, and out of Ararat 
 Planted anew the vineyard of the 
 
 Lord, 
 . "With tens of thousands following after 
 
 him, 
 Came kneeling to the Son, and sang 
 
 aloud : — 
 " Hail King of Souls ! Thou Saviour 
 
 of mankind ! 
 Long time among these shadows have 
 
 we walked 
 Waiting Thy presence; watching for 
 
 the light. 
 
140 The Resurrection. 
 
 To thrill this darkness into rainbow 
 
 hues. 
 O happy earth, from whose fair face 
 
 is cleansed 
 The stains of soiling sin by blood di- 
 vine! 
 Then sing, ye joyful spirits, sing 
 
 aloud, 
 And bless tlie Saviour with unceasing 
 
 song!" 
 And. through the groves a mighty 
 
 sound of praise 
 Swelled in loud thunder from the 
 
 m altitudes. 
 
 Now Abraham, surrounded by the host 
 Of Israelites that in the desert died, 
 And they that sank in bondage, and 
 the men 
 
The Resurrection, 141 
 
 That bled in battle for the Promised 
 
 Laud 
 With Joshua of old — upon his right, 
 lie who from Sinai's thunders brought 
 
 the law, 
 And on his left the priest whose body 
 
 On Edom's two-fold mountain — bow- 
 ing low, 
 
 Came with glad greetings to the Lamb, 
 and sang: — 
 
 "O wondrous Sacrifice! O perfect 
 Priest 
 
 How through, the ages shall Thy 
 sacred name 
 
 Resound, and make each, knee bend 
 low in love ! 
 
 But how shall man in his small span 
 of life 
 
142 The Resurrection. 
 
 Repay in love Thy bounteous love 
 
 for man, 
 That gave Thyself to death his life to 
 
 .. save? 
 O ye, whose life such infinite love 
 
 redeems, 
 Sing out in seemly words your 
 
 thanksgiving!" 
 And lo ! from out the countless host 
 
 arose 
 Such sounds of spiritual jubilee and 
 
 love 
 As made the ambient ether swell 
 
 with music. 
 
 Then came the Shepherd-King, and 
 
 with him walked 
 The Seer who sat at Rama when the 
 
 Lord 
 
The Resurrection. 143 
 
 Bade him go down to Bethlehem to 
 
 find 
 A ruler for the people. Round them 
 
 surged 
 Innumerable multitudes who bowed 
 Before the sovereign Son of the Most 
 
 High 
 While Israel's royal minstrel sweetly 
 
 sang ;— 
 " Long time, O Holy One, with voices 
 
 mute, 
 Amid this amber gloom we walked 
 
 in tears, 
 Waiting this Sabbath of the Passover. 
 Now raise the note of praise to God 
 
 our King I 
 O sing to Him, ye shades, with 
 
 loosened ton erne : 
 
144 The Resurrection. 
 
 Sing out to Him whose mercy hath 
 no bounds ! 
 
 Praise God oar King, whose sacrific- 
 ing love 
 
 Hath vanquished cruel death, and 
 broke the chains 
 
 That held his little ones in voiceless 
 gloom." 
 
 And from the gathering throng the 
 deep refrain 
 
 Bang out in joyous tones, " Praise 
 God, our King 1 " 
 
 And last of all came the bold Kaz- 
 arite 
 
 Whose thrilling words along the Jor- 
 dan's shore 
 
 Proclaimed the coming of the Son of 
 Man. 
 
The Resurrection. 145 
 
 Around him played the thousand 
 
 innocent babes 
 Whom the foul Edomite, in ghastly 
 
 fear, 
 Slew with the sword to strike the In- 
 fant King. 
 And in glad voice he greeted thus 
 
 his Lord :— 
 " Hail, Holy Sacrifice ! Hail, Lamb 
 
 of Gocl, 
 Who takest from the world its 
 
 weight of sin ! 
 Oh, who among the ransomed hosts 
 
 can sing 
 In seemly words Thy praise ? Hail, 
 
 Lamb of God!" 
 
 And Jesus, standing 'mid the beaute- 
 ous babes, 
 
146 The Resurrection. 
 
 In joy embraced the Baptist as he 
 
 spake ; 
 And lifting up his voice exclaimed: — 
 
 " Ye souls 
 No longer sorrowful, behold the day 
 When brooding darkness flieth from 
 
 the light, 
 And sin shall hold my little ones no 
 
 more ! " 
 And as he ceased the infant voices 
 
 sang 
 In answering hymns, hosannas to the 
 
 King. 
 
 So Jesus walked among the blessed 
 
 Shades 
 Until the sun of the third morn began 
 To throw his shafts against the east- 
 ern sky, 
 
Tlte Resurrection. 147 
 
 Where the pale day-star fainted. 
 
 Then He hied 
 Unto the tomb where, in its cere- 
 ments, lay 
 The Sacred Corse ; and myriad angels 
 
 came, 
 "Waiting his high command. They 
 
 rolled away 
 With thunderbolts, the great stone 
 
 from the grave; 
 And they that stood as sentinels to 
 
 guard 
 The sepulchre, beheld the wondrous 
 
 sight, 
 And struck with blinding terror nigh 
 
 to death, 
 In breathless haste fled headlong from 
 
 the place. 
 
148 TJte Resurrection. 
 
 And tlie Messiah, entering again 
 The tenement of clay, did raise it up, 
 And turning from the vanquished 
 
 tomb came forth 
 True God! true Man! and walked 
 
 upon the earth. 
 
 Then loud the messengers of Heaven 
 
 outsang : — 
 " Hosanna to the King ! Hosanna, 
 
 Lord! 
 Hosanna, Son of God and Son of Man ! 
 Lord of the earth and Ruler of the 
 
 skies ! 
 Thrice blessed is he that comet h in 
 
 Thy name ! 
 
 So when the Magdalene came to the 
 tomb 
 
The Resurrection. 149 
 
 She saw the stone rolled from its face 
 
 away 
 And nought within save, folded on the 
 
 floor, 
 The linen grave-clothes ; and she 
 
 weeping cried, 
 "Ah! who hath done this d.eed? 
 
 Ah, who hath come 
 And taken hence my Lord, the Holy 
 
 One? " 
 
 And wild with grief she fled away to 
 
 where 
 The sad disciples sat, and told the tale 
 How that the Lord was taken from 
 
 the tomb. 
 Then back she came, while yet the 
 
 day was new, 
 
150 The Resurrection. 
 
 Seeking the Saviour in the lonesome 
 
 place 
 But nowhere found Him. And while 
 
 weeping there, 
 With face bowed down upon the 
 
 grassy turf, 
 Out of the sepulchre a mellow voice 
 Said softly, " Woman, wherefore weep- 
 
 est thou? " 
 " Alas ! " she cried, " my Lord is 
 
 taken hence ; 
 I know not where they laid Him." 
 
 And behold ! 
 As she looked up, two Angels like the 
 
 sun 
 In dazzling robes stood in the sepul- 
 chre, 
 
The Resurrection. 151 
 
 Saying, "Lo! Jesus liveth, who was 
 
 dead." 
 She understood not then the Angels' 
 
 words ; 
 And tearful turned away, and bowed 
 
 again 
 In grief among the flowers. But near 
 
 her stood 
 One, saying, " Woman, wherefore 
 
 weepest thou? " 
 " Alas ! " she sighed, " where hast 
 
 thou laid my Lord? " 
 Her face still bowed in grief among 
 
 the flowers. 
 Then in a tone of soothing gentle- 
 ness 
 The risen Saviour spake her name. 
 
 She knew 
 
152 TJie Resurrection. 
 
 The voice ; and rising up in ecstasy, 
 
 "Eabboni! O, my Master ! " she ex- 
 claimed, 
 
 Her wordless sorrow turned to rap- 
 turous joy, 
 
 And falling at His sacred feet adored, 
 
OCCASIONAL POEMS. 
 
OCCASIONAL POEMS. 
 
 SAVED. 
 
 She sat in her room at midnight 
 
 'Mid the window draperies gay, 
 And she saw where the lights of the 
 city 
 
 Made shadows along the way ; 
 And in through the darkened window 
 
 A shadow fell on the floor 
 Where her rustling robes were lying 
 
 Which she wore but an hour be- 
 fore. 
 
 For sunken in soul and weary 
 Of her false life's hollow tone 
 
 She had left sin's gilded palace, 
 And sat in her room alone. 
 (155) 
 
156 Saved. 
 
 And she gazed on the moving shadow, 
 Which seemed like a ghost in 
 crime, 
 
 And her mind was filled with musings 
 And thoughts of a former time. 
 
 Again she ran in the meadows 
 
 Among sweet flowers at play ; 
 And she heard the voice of the wood- 
 thrush 
 
 As he sang to the dying day ; 
 She lived her school-life over 
 
 And was pleased with the blissful 
 years; 
 But again she saw the destroyer, 
 
 And wept with a flood of tears. 
 
 O, beautiful tears of repentance ! 
 
Saved. 157 
 
 How they lift the clouds from the 
 soul, 
 And bathe the sin-wounded bosom 
 
 With balm that maketh.it whole! 
 " Dear God ! " she cried through her 
 weeping 
 "I have wandered far from Thy 
 love — 
 Oh, take from the terrible tempest 
 Thy meek returning dove! " 
 
 She rose in her room at midnight, 
 
 And spurning the rustling gown, 
 She donned her simplest raiment 
 
 And fled from the pitiless town. 
 Oh! now in her home so peaceful, 
 
 Untroubled by sordid strife, 
 She worketh the will of the Father, 
 
 And his saving love is her life. 
 
BORN. 
 
 There was mirth in the lowly dwell- 
 ing, 
 Though the walls were poor and 
 bare ; 
 For the Angel of Love came down 
 from above 
 And left a new life there. 
 And the narrow rooms resounded 
 
 With laughter and with joy; 
 The mother smiled on the sweet 
 young child, 
 And the father blessed his boy. 
 
 But round the home on the hill-side 
 
 Hung heavy gloom that day; 
 For the Angel of Love came down 
 from above 
 (158) 
 
Born. 159 
 
 And took one life away. 
 And the weeping sire was silent, 
 
 His heart-strings rent in twain ; 
 And the mother's tears, 'mid doubts 
 and fears, 
 
 Fell like the summer rain. 
 
 Yet the world was rich in beauty, 
 
 The world in life was strong ; 
 The orchard trees were fall of bees, 
 
 And birds were loud with song ; 
 For one was born an angel, 
 
 And one was born a man ; 
 And the boundless love still flowed 
 from above 
 
 As when the world began. 
 
O ARAWANE ! 
 
 Arawane! loved Arawanef 
 My soul returns to thee; 
 
 Beside thy silvery stream again 
 I wander light and free. 
 
 1 seem again as young and gay 
 As in those happy hours, 
 
 When, listening to the robin's lay, 
 I lingered 'neath. thy bowers; 
 
 When by the side of her whom still 
 In sorrowing dreams I see, 
 
 I listened with a rapturous thrill 
 To the songs she sang to me ; 
 
 I listened to her tender themes 
 In beaming smiles or tears — 
 
 Even now her gentle accent seems 
 
 Deep-ringing in mine ears. 
 (160) 
 
Arawane! 1G1 
 
 O Arawane! sweet Arawane! 
 
 Upon thy flowery bray 
 Beside a lonely grave I fain 
 
 Would breathe my soul away! 
 For many, many a happy dream 
 
 Is turned to dreary pain ; 
 Still dear to me thy silvery stream 
 
 Sweet, purling Arawane ! 
 
DOWN ALONG THE STREAM. 
 
 Down along the stream we glide, 
 Drifting with the dimpled tide, 
 O'er the waters sweetly dyed 
 
 With the day's last beam ; 
 From the chains of labor freed 
 Float we by the scented mead, 
 Where the mirrored rush and reed 
 
 Fringe the silver stream. 
 
 As we move along the shore 
 Drops are falling from the oar, 
 Making circles evermore 
 
 Widening in the wave. 
 Oh, our pleasures, may they be 
 Like the circles which we see, 
 Widening thus to you and me 
 
 Till we pass the grave I 
 (162) 
 
Down along the Stream. 163 
 
 Slowly onward still we go, 
 
 Where the trees their shadows throw, 
 
 Trees above and trees below, 
 
 Doubled in the tide. 
 Such a glass our lives shall be, 
 Doubling all that's sweet to see, 
 All that's good, and fair, and free, 
 
 "While through life we glide. 
 
 And when Eve her bells will ring, 
 Only purple clouds she'll bring, 
 Time shall have no bitter sting 
 
 For a life like ours ; 
 And along our tinted way 
 We shall glide with spirits gay, 
 'Neath the sweet and softening ray 
 
 Unto happier bowers. 
 
TIME SOARS ON TIRELESS PIN- 
 IONS. 
 
 Time soars on tireless pinions 
 And bears the years away ; 
 
 Silent and slow we feel them go 
 In beautiful array. 
 
 The Spring with fragrant blossoms, 
 "With verdure soft and rare, 
 
 In mirth and song the days prolong, 
 And sweetness fills the air. 
 
 Then comes the gorgeous Summer 
 
 With vigor-giving sun, 
 "With light and love drawn from 
 above 
 
 Bearing the season on. 
 
 Next falls in fall fruition 
 (164) 
 
Time soars on Tireless Pinions. 165 
 
 The year's autumnal prime, 
 Crowning with gold and wealth untold 
 The labor of the time. 
 
 And last the stainless Winter, 
 
 In robes of virgin white, 
 Brings to the breast the needful rest, 
 
 The blessings of the night. 
 
 And what, if cloud or tempest 
 For a brief time may come? 
 
 The sky 's more fair, more sweet the 
 air 
 After the passing gloom. 
 
 For there's no lasting sorrow, 
 
 Despair, or sad decay 
 To him that lives where Beauty gives 
 
 The brightness of her day. 
 
OUT OF THE DARKNESS. 
 
 From the gloom of the slumbering 
 city 
 At midnight I hurried away, 
 For my bosom was burdened with 
 
 pity 
 
 Of woes I had witnessed all day ; 
 O, the want and the woe of the city ! 
 
 The vulture of wealth and his 
 prey, 
 Roused ire in my bosom and pity, 
 
 And swiftly I hurried away. 
 
 And I came to the glen where the 
 
 roses 
 Sleep sweet in the moon's dewy 
 
 light, 
 Where the verdurous clover reposes, 
 
 (166) 
 
Out of the Darkness. 167 
 
 And whippoorwill whistles all 
 night ; 
 Where the river runs under the roses, 
 And sweet-brier perfumes delight ; 
 And I flung myself down with the 
 roses, 
 To the moon and the breeze and 
 the night. 
 
 And the moon and the night and the 
 breezes 
 
 Came soothingly over my soul ; 
 And soon all the sorrow that freezes 
 
 The current that flows in life's bowl, 
 The sorrow so frigid that freezes, 
 
 Flew out like a blast to the pole, 
 And the moon and the stars and the 
 breezes 
 
 "Waked wonderful joy in my soul. 
 
168 Out of the Dai'kness. 
 
 And I thought of life's beauty and 
 pleasure, 
 The roses that cover the thorn ; 
 O, I thought of sweet Love's holy 
 treasure 
 That smiles the world's glory to 
 scorn ; 
 Of the sweetness of Love's holy 
 treasure 
 That cometh on angel-wings borne; 
 And with soul full of rapture and 
 pleasure, 
 I rose and — behold, it was morn. 
 
TWO VALLEYS. 
 
 I came through the Valley of Sor- 
 row — 
 No light dug a faint ray of hope, 
 And my soul through that Valley of 
 Sorrow 
 Walked dismally down the slope. 
 'Twas night in the Valley of Sorrow, 
 
 No star in th' ethereal cope — 
 I had surely despaired of the mor- 
 row 
 But for that faint vision of hope. 
 
 And the River of Life rushed down- 
 ward 
 With ominous murmuring sound — ■ 
 I could hear the dark river roll on- 
 ward 
 
 f!69) 
 
170 Two Valleys. 
 
 With noises deep down under* 
 ground ; 
 And ever its waters went downward, 
 And the echoes that answered 
 around, 
 "Were as wild and as weird, rushing 
 onward, 
 As the noises deep down under- 
 ground. 
 
 And my spirit was startled and 
 weary, 
 And fain from the place I would 
 
 fly; 
 
 And the night was so dismal and 
 dreary, 
 And the pall was so black in the 
 sky, 
 
Two Valleys. 171 
 
 And the echoing noises so dreary 
 Of the mad river hurrying by, 
 
 That my spirit was lonely and weary, 
 And fain from the place I would 
 
 fly- 
 
 Still onward I groped toward the 
 glimmer 
 Alone on my dangerous way ; 
 Then methought e'en that faint ray 
 grew dimmer, 
 And I eagerly longed for the clay ; 
 And my eye ever strained to the 
 glimmer, 
 So loudly my worn soul did pray, 
 That the noises were hushed, and the 
 glimmer 
 Grew broad in the dawning of clay. 
 
172 Two Valleys. 
 
 Then the radiance, all purple and 
 golden, 
 Came down from the fair moun- 
 tain's slope 
 To a beautiful valley enfolden 
 
 In lustre and glory and hope; 
 From the dark valley into the golden 
 I had passed, and the luminous 
 cope 
 A beautiful world had unfolclen 
 In the fulness of joy and of hope. 
 
IN GOD WE TRUST. 
 
 O, where shall we look for comfort, 
 
 Sweet Lord where place our trust, 
 As we drearily moil in thankless 
 toil, 
 
 With our faces down in the dust ? 
 These hovels that line the alley 
 
 In tottering, bleak decay, 
 Are swarming with lives — O honey- 
 less hives ! — 
 
 Of the workers of to-day. 
 
 But yonder stands a mansion, 
 With gleam of shining gold, 
 
 With airy halls and pictured walls 
 And store of wealth untold. 
 
 And the haughty, scornful tenant 
 Ever meets us with a frown ; 
 (173) 
 
174 In God We Trust. 
 
 For unsated still he works bis will 
 And grinds our faces down. 
 
 But what have we done, O Saviour ! 
 
 To merit this fatal doom ? 
 Is this our pay for the sweating day 
 
 At the anvil, spade, and loom? 
 Or look we still for the evil 
 
 That binds us into the dust, 
 While the idler drives o'er our wearied 
 lives ! 
 
 Ah ! where shall we place our 
 trust ? 
 
 Dear Lord, Thy hand is mighty , 
 
 Dear God, Thy will is sure; 
 Thou still wilt keep Thy starving 
 sheep ; 
 
In God We Trust. 175 
 
 Thou still wilt save the poor I 
 Even now the morn is breaking ; 
 
 Her radiant beams we see ; 
 The sweet reward Thou wilt bring, O 
 Lord ; 
 
 "We rest our faith in Thee. 
 
WILT THOU NOT ANSWER ? 
 
 Wilt thou not answer to my constant 
 calling 
 
 sweet one, whom my soul's eyes 
 
 long to see, 
 Watching from when the early dews 
 
 are falling, 
 Until the dawn wakes birds in every 
 
 tree, 
 And through the toilsome, weary- 
 
 dragging day, 
 While rides the red sun on his fervid 
 
 way ? 
 
 Methinks at times I see thee beckon 
 to me, 
 Fleeting before me on thy path of 
 air ; 
 (176) 
 
Wilt Thou not Answer? 177 
 
 And oft in blissful dreams thy sweet 
 
 eyes woo me ; 
 But waking thoughts bring back a 
 
 world of care, 
 "Whence thou, with all the ethereal 
 
 perfumes shed 
 From thy ambrosial, breezy robes art 
 
 fled. 
 
 Speak to my soul ! her longing never 
 ceases, 
 But still impatient grows to hear 
 thy voice ; 
 Speak to my soul ! and like the sum- 
 mer breezes 
 That come from skies of eve, bid 
 her rejoice ; 
 
178 Wilt TJiou not Answer? 
 
 Speak to my soul! her dearest hopes 
 
 on thee 
 Of blessed living rest, sweet Poesy! 
 
 Wilt thou not answer, and my soul is 
 calling, 
 Ever with burning longings calling 
 thee? 
 
 Waiting from when the early dews 
 are falling 
 Until the song-birds wake in every 
 tree ; 
 
 Waiting and listening, with impatient 
 ear, 
 
 Thy voice, my heart's loved har- 
 mony to hear. 
 
TO THE BOBOLINK. 
 
 Sweet bird I greet thee ! 0, that 
 merry lay 
 I've longed these many moons to 
 hear again ; 
 And since the bluet oped I've come 
 each day 
 Out to these meads and listened for 
 thy strain. 
 
 Who taught thee how in poesy divine 
 To utter forth thy soul? What 
 boundless joy 
 Impels that ringing, thrilling note of 
 thine ? 
 What pleasures findest thou that 
 never cloy ? 
 
 (179) 
 
180 To the Bobolink. 
 
 What airy spirit in the apple tree 
 Among the tinted blooms incites 
 thy lay? 
 And makes thee, singing, soar in 
 tremulous glee, 
 As thou wert trilling thy dear heart 
 away ? 
 
 Oh, could I sing, sweet bird, oh, could 
 I sing 
 In words as true, in music rich as 
 thine, 
 So would I make the listening planet 
 ring, 
 And force dull Care to cease his 
 needless whine. 
 
 Thy toil to thee is happiness supreme, 
 
To the Bobolink. 181 
 
 Thy sweetest songs amid thy labor 
 
 sound ; 
 I listen to the singiug and I seem 
 To stand with aQgels upon holy 
 
 ground . 
 
 But day leaves day; and soon thy 
 friends, the flowers, 
 Will lie in the moist grave ; then 
 wilt thou wing 
 Thy hurrying flight away to warmer 
 bowers, 
 And I shall come in vain to hear 
 thee sing. 
 
 But wilt thou carry to the distant 
 clime, 
 
182 To the Bobolink. 
 
 To soothe man's soul, thy mission- 
 ary strain ? 
 Or yield, alas! unto an evil time, 
 
 And sink to vulgar revelry and 
 pain ? 
 
 Oh, sing, sing on! that note should 
 
 never die I 
 "Within my brain the living sound 
 
 shall dwell ! 
 Born to the beautiful of earth and 
 
 sky, 
 
 Still to the rude world of all beauty 
 tell. 
 
THE VISION. 
 
 I know not whether I slept and the 
 vision came to me sleeping, 
 Or whether my soul while awake 
 did wing her aerial flight 
 Away to the fields of bliss, where the 
 angels have in their keeping 
 The heavenly flowers that shine like 
 stars in the Yalley of Light. 
 
 I but know that the beautiful things 
 I saw in that glorious vision, 
 And the wonderful songs I heard 
 forever shall dwell in my soul; 
 For an Angel of light came down, all 
 robed in raiment elysian, 
 And beckoning led me away 
 (183) 
 
184 The Vision. 
 
 through, the realms where the 
 
 planets roll. 
 And I passed through a gloomy tarn 
 
 that was haunted with noises 
 
 unholy, 
 Arid came to a billowless sea all 
 
 silvery, silent, and sad ; 
 And down in the purple west like the 
 
 star of eve moved slowly 
 A Cross of luminous gold whose 
 
 radiance made me glad. 
 
 Aod I saw in the lurid glare weird be- 
 ings glide o'er the ocean, 
 All hastening toward the place 
 where the Golden Cross de- 
 clined ; 
 
 And some with uplifted eyes were 
 
Hie Vision. 185 
 
 swift as if winged in their mo- 
 tion; 
 But many went down in the wave 
 and left not a ripple behind. 
 
 And eagerly toward the place I ran 
 where the Light was burning, 
 And over the motionless sea full 
 swiftly I sped away ; 
 And the tide never bent to my feet 
 and my soul never thought of 
 returning, 
 And soon I was standing among the 
 glorious Gardens of Day. 
 
 And mountains and valleys and hills 
 all bright in those regions su- 
 pernal 
 
186 The Vision. 
 
 As far as the eye could see stretched 
 wondrously green and fair, 
 And the happy beings I saw rejoiced 
 in joj^s eternal. 
 
 Their radiant brows so smooth 
 showing never a line of qare. 
 
 And the sweet melodious songs, and 
 the thrilling music resounding 
 Adown the odorous vales were ever 
 of praise and love ; 
 And over the hills I saw a wonderful 
 host surrounding 
 The Golden Light that hung in the 
 amber air above. 
 
 And I saw the dear ones gone, their 
 beautiful voices ringing 
 
The Vision. 187 
 
 In musical tones among that num- 
 berless praising throng ! 
 And oh, if I could but sing the song 
 that I heard them singing ! 
 The melody clings to my soul, but 
 man cannot utter the song ! 
 
TO THE WOOD-THRUSH. 
 
 Bird of the fading day, thy liquid 
 melody gliding 
 Into my heart, awakes the spirit 
 of childhood hours ! 
 Was it from Angel choirs, down 
 roseate vistas sliding, 
 Came that sweet song to thee, that 
 seemeth the breath of flowers ? 
 
 Hast thou beheld afar in the amber 
 welkin yonder 
 Form of ethereal beauty harping 
 on flaming lyre, 
 While through the noiseless air some 
 straying tones of wonder 
 Fell on thy listening ear and set 
 thy soul on fire ? 
 (188) 
 
To The Wood- Thrush. 189 
 
 Here by the bubbling spring on couch 
 of blossoming clover 
 Leaning, I drink the words of thy 
 loud and lulling lay ; 
 Kinging the grove repeats the music 
 over and over, 
 Drunk with the soothing sound, the 
 requiem of the day. 
 
 Oh, how my bosom swells with mem- 
 ories sweetly wakiDg, 
 While to the sunken sun thou tell- 
 est thy sad farewell ! 
 Then from my soul all clouds of 
 passion and sorrow breaking, 
 Nought but the blue remains — 
 with beauty and peace I dwell. 
 
190 To The Wood-Thrush. 
 
 Where hast thou been these months ? 
 
 What odorous trees delightful 
 
 Welcomed thy heavenly tongue, 
 
 and tempted so long thy stay? 
 
 Ah ! how the chilling frost, that 
 
 cruel spirit and spiteful, 
 
 Out of thy favorite forest banished 
 
 thee far away. 
 
 Yea ! and again when the red leaves 
 answer the breezes in sorrow 
 So must thou fly, sweet bird, some 
 happier grove to rejoice; 
 But I have heard thee sing ! no 
 trouble that earth may borrow 
 Can from my memory drive the 
 melody of thy voice. 
 
COURAGE. 
 
 I HAD passed through the night's 
 gloomy portal 
 And stood on the mountain's cold 
 brow, 
 While the sun, like a radiant immor- 
 tal, 
 Rose out of the ocean below — 
 From the boisterous ocean below, 
 Where the currents resistlessly 
 flow — 
 And the sun, like a glorious immortal, 
 Illumed all the world with his 
 glow. 
 
 And with wings to the winds of the 
 ocean 
 
 (191) 
 
192 Courage. 
 
 "White ships sped away with the 
 gale, 
 And they baffled the billows' commo- 
 tion, 
 
 And bowed with their burden of 
 sail , 
 
 Oh, they bowed as with hearts that 
 would quail, 
 
 That would flinch, to the fury and 
 fail- 
 But they fought through the billows' 
 commotion, 
 
 And gallantly sped with the gale. 
 
 And the surges high over them dash- 
 ing 
 Had scourged the sea-green into 
 
 gray; 
 
Courage. 1 93 
 
 But the hulls in the merciless lashing 
 Kode proudly along on their way; 
 Rode along ou their dangerous way, 
 And with canvas all reefed for the 
 fray, 
 Game safe through the merciless lash- 
 ing, 
 And entered the harboring bay. 
 
 And I, with dark sorrow nigh broken, 
 
 Gazed long on the beautiful sight; 
 And I blessed the dear Lord for the 
 token, 
 And soon my sad spirit grew light; 
 Oh, the woes of my bosom grew 
 
 light, 
 And the shadows that live in the 
 night 
 7 
 
194 Courage. 
 
 Fled away from mv soul with tlie 
 token, 
 And I stood blessing God in Lis 
 might. 
 
SUMMER RAIN. 
 
 Lo ! the rain cometli, and the grass 
 looks up 
 Glad in the freshening drops ; a 
 
 richer green 
 Glows on the hillsides and the 
 meads between, 
 
 Where nod the daisy and the butter- 
 cup; 
 
 The trees, where breezes murmured 
 all night long, 
 
 Smile to the showers, and utter a 
 sweet song. 
 
 And down the valley how the rivulet 
 runs ! 
 Drinking the fragrant waters on the 
 way, 
 
 (195) 
 
196 Summer Rain. 
 
 Glancing among the sedges as in 
 
 play, 
 And purling ever to the answering 
 
 stones 
 That rattle in the channel, a sweet 
 
 tune 
 Born of soft skies and groves and 
 
 flowery June. 
 
 The husbandman from out his trel- 
 lises 
 Looks o'er his lands and sees the 
 
 growing grain 
 Thrive in the showers, and thank- 
 ful for the rain 
 That giveth rich increase, sits at his 
 ease, 
 
Summer Rain. 197 
 
 And hears the merry sounds around 
 
 him ringing 
 Of water-drops and brooks and sweet 
 
 birds singing. 
 
 0, beautiful and balmy Summer Bain, 
 How soothing to the thirsting earth 
 
 thou art ! 
 Xiike answered prayer that riseth 
 
 from the heart 
 And full of blessings cometh back 
 
 again ; 
 So from the troubled sea, uprising 
 
 thou 
 Fall'st with rich blessings on the 
 
 world below. 
 
THE SPIRIT OF THE CHILD. 
 
 The soft and healing hand of May- 
 Was laid upon the earth, 
 
 And flowerets fair and grasses gay 
 Upsprung in smiling birth ; 
 
 The sweet-brier scented all the lea, 
 Green moss was on the brays, 
 
 And birds in every budding tree 
 Were loud with joyful lays. 
 
 And where the silvery streamlet runs 
 
 Adown the wooded dell, 
 I loitered with my little ones 
 
 As evening twilight fell. 
 And while they plucked in laughing 
 glee 
 
 The blue and golden flowers, 
 A gentle spirit came to me — 
 
 The soul of childhood hours, 
 (198) 
 
The Spirit of the Child. 199 
 
 And looking on that spirit face 
 
 My eyes grew dim with tears ; 
 For soon I saw in little space 
 
 Life's toils and cares and fears, 
 And all the joy and all the woe 
 
 I felt since boyhood days ; 
 Until meth ought a saddened glow 
 
 Came o'er the angel-face. 
 
 I turned in melancholy mood 
 
 With cruel thoughts oppressed — ■ 
 But sweet the stream hummed down 
 the wood, 
 
 The moon was in the west, 
 Loud sang the robin overhead, 
 
 The children ran in play — 
 The child- soul lives, I calmly said, 
 
 And dashed the tears away. 
 
TO THE ROBIN. 
 
 Sweet minstrel of the orchard, now 
 thy lay 
 Wakes with its ringing tones the 
 drowsy morn ; 
 The sun up-rising drives tlie shades 
 away 
 And drinks thy voice upon the 
 west- wind borne. 
 
 Glad in the morning dews thy fervid 
 breast 
 Thou bathes t, rejoicing still in gur- 
 gling song; 
 
 And when the clay is dying in the 
 west 
 (200) 
 
To the Robin. 201 
 
 Thy sad farewell is heard the lawns 
 along. 
 
 And from the shadows of the bloom- 
 ing trees 
 In varying mood all day thou 
 sway est my soul ; 
 Now rapturous trills, and now calm 
 cadences, 
 Thou hast a tone each passion to 
 control. 
 
 If sorrow, born of memory, over- 
 power 
 My mind, I hear thy music and re- 
 joice ; 
 If vain ambition fret, or anger sour, 
 Then to my soul how soothing is 
 thy voice! 
 
202 To the Robin. 
 
 The world were sad without thee! O 
 my frieDd, 
 Sing still your love so sweet, your 
 joy so calm ; 
 To every care thy warbling gives an 
 end, 
 To every wound of woe 'tis healing 
 balm. 
 
LORD, LEAD US ON. 
 
 Lord, lead us on ! our weary hearts 
 are failing, 
 Toilsome the way and dreary is the 
 night, 
 O'er the dark waste the lonesome 
 winds are wailing ; 
 Show to our eyes the beauty of Thy 
 Light. 
 Keep Thou our steps until the night 
 
 is gone, 
 "Without Thy aid we fall ; Lord, lead 
 us on ! 
 Lord, lead us on [ Lord, lead us on ! 
 Through the dark way of earth 
 
 Lord, lead us on ! 
 
 Lord, lead us on! though weak and 
 pressed with sorrow, 
 
 (203) 
 
204 Lord, Lead us on. 
 
 We shall not faint if but we feel 
 Thy arm; 
 Through the bleak night unto a smil- 
 ing morrow 
 Keep Thou our souls from danger 
 and from harm. 
 Lord, through the gloom we seek the 
 
 glorious dawn ; 
 Oh, leave us not alone ! Lord, lead us 
 on ! 
 Lord, lead us on! Lord, lead us on! 
 O'er the dark paths of earth 
 
 Lord, lead us on I 
 
THE NEW YEAR. 
 
 The New Year blithely comes to- 
 night 
 In golden gown and mantle white — 
 Sing, happy world, from pole to 
 pole! 
 For lo ! he bringeth love and light 
 And joy to many a weary soul. 
 
 I walk abroad beneath the sky 
 And hear his footfalls drawing nigh ; 
 With stately tread they sound 
 afar; 
 The Old departs with heaving sigh 
 And moaning heard by moon and 
 star. 
 
 Nought recks the youth of sigh or 
 moan, 
 
 (205) 
 
208 The New Year. 
 
 He comes to claim the vacant throne, 
 And snatch the world from grief 
 and gloom, 
 His loins enrobed with purple zone, 
 His brows with wreaths of apple- 
 bloom. 
 
 With fragrance of sweet promises 
 Like incense floating on the breeze, 
 
 He stalks across the crusted snow ; 
 And from his face with trembling 
 knees 
 The Old Year hastens, bowed in 
 woe. 
 
 Ah ! once he, too, in happy state 
 And triumph through the orient gate 
 Came bearing joy and love and 
 light; 
 
The New' Year. 207 
 
 Now crushed beneath a weary weight 
 Of broken hopes he dies to-night. 
 
 Yet dear he is to me, although 
 So much of failure and of woe 
 
 Were mingled with the joys he 
 brought ; 
 He ruled as best be knew, I trow — 
 
 I leave him with a loving thought. 
 
 And thou, young Prince, whose glit- 
 tering gown 
 Is rustling on the breezy down, 
 
 We rest our dearest hopes in thee; 
 0, wear in perfect faith thy crown I 
 
 O, be the king thou seem'st to be! 
 
 So when the blooms from off thy 
 brow 
 
208 The New Year. 
 
 Shall fall, and, like this old man, 
 thou 
 Goest forth into the realms of 
 gloom, 
 A loving world will prayerful bow 
 And watch and weep beside thy 
 tomb. 
 
GETHSEMANE. 
 
 Ye tired world- workers, rise ! and for 
 
 a space 
 Watch with the Master in this lonely 
 
 place, 
 This bleak and sorrowful Geth- 
 
 semane ; 
 For lo! the darkness deepens, and the 
 
 light 
 Of every star is banished from the 
 
 night, 
 And through the trees the wind 
 
 moans wearily. 
 
 Ah ! louder than the wind, a mournful 
 
 mean, 
 A sound of woe and want, an awful 
 
 groan 
 
 (209) 
 
210 Gethsemane. 
 
 Up-welleth from the world so 
 drearily ! 
 Oh, hush, poor world, that sound of 
 
 wild despair ! 
 The night is dark indeed, but sweetly 
 prayer 
 Wakes from the heart of sad Geth- 
 semane. 
 
 And sleep not now, though weary 
 
 nigh to death ; 
 For see the Master how He suffereth! 
 Yet near at hand His hour of 
 
 strength must be, 
 And see ye not the Angels with the 
 
 cup? 
 Oh, sleep not — lift your fainting 
 
 spirits up ! 
 See, love and hope rise from Geth- 
 
MAY SONG. 
 
 Once more from sleep awaking 
 
 Sweet Nature smiles serene, 
 And decks each kill and valley 
 
 In robes of richest green. 
 Along the singing streamlet 
 
 The modest violet blows ; 
 But nevermore my lost one 
 
 Shall linger where it grows. 
 
 Adown the blooming meadow 
 
 I come as oft before ; 
 But by my side my loved one 
 
 Comes never — never more. 
 Yet deep within my bosom 
 
 Her sweet voice speaks to me ,* 
 And in each smile of Nature 
 
 Her loving face I see. 
 
 (211) 
 
TO A THRUSH. 
 
 O, sweet-tongued warbler, how thy 
 early lay 
 Thrills on my heart, with mournful 
 watching weary. 
 
 As o'er the fields I hasten ere the 
 day 
 Lights with red rays the lonely 
 eagle's eirie; 
 
 While the black shade that lingers in 
 the wood 
 
 Trembles and pales before the crim- 
 son flood. 
 
 With feet bedewed in meadow-grasses 
 sweet 
 Where budding flowers and balmy 
 herbs are breathing 
 (212) 
 
To a Thrush. 213 
 
 I pause and hear thee with rich music 
 
 greet 
 The purple clouds that round the 
 
 dawn are wreathing ; 
 And while thy song is rising on the 
 
 morn, 
 I ask my soul whereof such joy is 
 
 born? 
 
 Say canst thou hear along the silver 
 dawm 
 The circling stars their dewy ma- 
 tins singing ? 
 
 Or from thy vision is the veil with- 
 drawn 
 That hides ihe Angels, burning- 
 censers swinging ? 
 
 That so thou singest with such heav- 
 enly fire 
 
214 To a Thrush. 
 
 As fills the soul with, sacred, pure 
 desire. 
 
 Thy voice knows nouglit of sorrow ; 
 thy dear mate 
 Hears with rapt ear, her callow nest- 
 lings keeping ; 
 
 Ah! song of mine shall soothe nor 
 soon nor late 
 My soul's lost love that in the 
 grave lies sleeping. 
 
 Entranced I hear thee ; but thy glad 
 refrain 
 
 Thrills my torn heart with sweeter, 
 sharper pain. 
 
THE WEEPING-WILLOW TREE. 
 
 The place I loved so dearly is sweet 
 to me no more, 
 
 The river in the valley and the willow 
 on its shore ; 
 
 The spot is lovely still, but the heart, 
 so true to me, 
 
 Sleeps in the grave 'neath the weep- 
 ing-willow tree. 
 
 Here oft we walked together when 
 the evening air was still, 
 
 And listened in the meadows to hear 
 the whippoorwili ; 
 
 But now I come alone and the sounds 
 are sad to me, 
 
 Sad, for my love lies beneath, the wil- 
 low tree. 
 
 (215) 
 
216 The Weeping- Willow Tree. 
 
 At morning when the robin sang wel- 
 come to the dawn 
 
 I loitered with my darling along the 
 dewy lawn ; 
 
 Oh, now I go alone, and the bird still 
 sings to me, 
 
 Sings of my love 'neath the weeping- 
 willow tree. 
 
 Oh, sometimes when the twilight is 
 
 falling cool and gray, 
 I hear my lost one singing, singing 
 
 sweetly far away ; 
 But soon the noisy world steals the 
 
 sweet sounds from me, 
 And leaves me to grieve 'neath the 
 
 weeping- willow tree. 
 
WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN. 
 
 When the sun goes down and the 
 cows are coming home, 
 And the robin whistles in the tree, 
 In the rosy light to the meadow-lands 
 I come, 
 And the thronging thoughts are 
 sweet to me. 
 Oh, my youth is fled, and my weary 
 step is slow, 
 And my locks are silver, once so 
 brown, 
 But I live once more in the pleasant 
 long ago, 
 In the meadow when the sun goes 
 down. 
 
 (217) 
 
218 When the Sim goes Dowru 
 
 O, the brook runs by as it ran in days 
 of old, 
 "When I plucked sweet flowers on 
 its shore, 
 And the flowers still smile in their 
 purple hues and gold ; 
 But the friends I loved are here no 
 more. 
 Oh, mj j^outh is fled, and mj weary 
 step is slow, 
 And my locks are silver, once so 
 brown ; 
 But I walk once more with the friends 
 of long ago, 
 In the meadow when the sun goes 
 down. 
 
SLEEP, BABY, SLEEP. 
 
 Sleep, baby, sleep ! the sighing winds 
 are dreary, 
 Father is far upon the rolling sea ; 
 Sleep, baby, sleep ! tho' lonesome, 
 now, and weary, 
 Mother will sing in merry voice to 
 thee ; 
 Father's frail bark is tossed upon the 
 
 deep, 
 Far from his darling one ; sleep, baby, 
 sleep ! 
 Sleep, baby, sleep ! Sleep, baby, 
 sleep ! 
 Mother will keep thee safe ; 
 
 Sleep, baby, sleep ! 
 (219) 
 
220 Sleep, Baby, 
 
 Sleep, baby, sleep ! what knowest 
 tliou of sorrow ? 
 Wby should a tear-drop dim thy 
 radiant eye ? 
 Soon, ah, too soon with manhood 
 comes the morrow 
 With its gray mist to mar thy beau- 
 teous sky ! 
 While in her breast thy mother still 
 
 can keep 
 Thee from all dangers safe, sleep, 
 baby, sleep ! 
 Sleep, baby, sleep! Sleep, baby, 
 sleep ! 
 Mother will keep thee safe, 
 
 Sleep, baby, sleep! 
 
 Sleep, baby, sleep ! tho' dashed upon 
 the billow, 
 
Sleep, Baby, Sleep. 221 
 
 Father's frail bark is struggling to 
 the shore, 
 Mother shall calmly smooth thy rest- 
 less pillow ; 
 Thou in sweet dreams shalt smile 
 and weep no more ; 
 While wooed by dreams, oh I let thy 
 
 mother weep, 
 Sorrow must have its will, sleep, baby, 
 sleep ! 
 Sleep, baby, sleep [ Sleep, baby, 
 sleep ! 
 Sorrow must have its will, 
 
 Sleep, baby, sleep. 
 
AMBROSE, THE HERMIT. 
 
 Ambrose tlie hermit, at his midday 
 
 meal 
 Of simple herbs and water from the 
 
 brook, 
 Sat in the twilight of his mountain 
 
 cave 
 A summer day. The streamlet rush- 
 ing down 
 The rocky bed, in foamy whiteness, 
 
 sang 
 Its melody of restlessness and change; 
 And on a spray before the cave a 
 
 thrush 
 Warbled in peaceful joy. The place 
 
 was sweet 
 With all the sounds and odors of the 
 
 wood. 
 (222) 
 
Ambrose the Hermit. 223 
 
 Here, moist beneatli the shade, brown 
 
 leaves were strewn, 
 And there, where thro' the glade the 
 
 sunlight fell, 
 Blossomed blue flowers and golden, 
 
 and the bees 
 Hummed in their bosoms, toiling all 
 
 the day. 
 
 From early manhood here the her- 
 mit dwelt, 
 
 In prayer and meditation ; for he 
 saw, 
 
 Grieving, the wrongs and sufferings 
 of the world ; ■ 
 
 The strife and the deceit that racked 
 men's hearts, 
 
 And drove them wandering from the 
 face of God : 
 
224 Ambrose the Hermit. 
 
 The misery, the poverty, the crime, 
 That hurried others to despair, and 
 
 forced 
 Them from the way of truth. " Alas," 
 
 he cried, 
 " If erring man would only pause and 
 
 hear 
 The angelic voice of justice, how the 
 
 world 
 Would ring from end to end with 
 
 holy joy!" 
 
 But from young manhood no one came 
 to him ; 
 
 And though he often left his moun- 
 tain cave 
 
 And walked among the fields and 
 thro' the town 
 
Ambrose the Hermit. 225 
 
 Calling on men to love as "brothers 
 should, 
 
 The poor in their wild struggle, heard 
 him not, 
 
 While wealthy idlers laughed his 
 words to scorn 
 
 With ribald jest. So want and hun- 
 ger still 
 
 Oppressed the one, and one in gilded 
 halls 
 
 Drank the red wine and slept in beds 
 of down. 
 
 So Ambrose sat at mid-day in his 
 
 cave, 
 And heard the streamlet rushing, and 
 
 the bird 
 Singing among the branches ; and his 
 
 mind 
 15 
 
226 Ambrose the Hermit. 
 
 Dwelt on the wrongs and sufferings 
 
 of the poor, 
 Till tears came to his eyes; and with 
 
 sad voice 
 He prayed to Heaven for power to 
 
 ease their woe. 
 And whilst he prayed came to the 
 
 cave a boy, 
 Beautiful with blue eyes, and yellow 
 
 hair, 
 And cheeks as pink as roses ; and he 
 
 called, 
 "Father, I pray thy aid! a moment 
 
 since 
 • A noble huntsman from the mountain 
 
 fell; 
 His steel-gray steed is mangled unto 
 
 death, 
 
Ambrose the Hermit. 227 
 
 And he, unconscious, lieth on the 
 
 sward." 
 The pious hermit rose and with the 
 
 Hastened to where the injured hunts- 
 man lay. 
 
 For proud Rinaldo in the morn went 
 forth 
 
 With steed in silver trappings gaily 
 dight, 
 
 To chase the deer along the mountain 
 side. 
 
 And as he rode across his broad do- 
 mains 
 
 With all his fawning followers, the 
 serfs 
 
 Who labored in his fields looked after 
 him 
 
228 Ambrose the Hermit. 
 
 And cursed him for his cruelty and 
 
 For little recked Rinaldo of the poor. 
 
 His days he spent in sports and selfish, 
 ease, 
 
 His nights in wassail and unholy 
 love; 
 
 The poor he deemed but soulless crea- 
 tures made 
 
 To labor for his gain; so now they 
 raised 
 
 Their eyes and cursed him as he hur- 
 ried by. 
 
 The blaring horns and deep-mouthed 
 
 hounds awaked 
 The echoes in the mountain ; and the 
 
 deer 
 
Ambrose the Hermit. 229 
 
 Bounded with nimble stride o'er fell 
 
 and brake. 
 Far in the lead Einaldo rode, his 
 
 steed 
 Flying along the rugged path, till 
 
 soon 
 The sounds of hound and horn died 
 
 on his ear. 
 Then turned the stag, and darting 
 
 down the slope 
 Was lost among the trees ; and the 
 
 brave horse 
 Following, missed his footing and 
 
 was hurled 
 Down the steep mountain side to 
 
 mangled death. 
 
 So the sweet boy came to the hermit's 
 cave 
 
230 Ambrose the Hermit 
 
 Asking for aid ; and with tlie holy 
 
 man 
 Bore the hurt huntsman to the lowly 
 
 place, 
 And dressed his wounds and nursed 
 
 him tenderly 
 Day after clay. But when with wak- 
 ing strength 
 Came consciousness, the boy was seen 
 
 no more. 
 Still Ambrose tended all Rinaldo's 
 
 wants, 
 And went upon his errands, and with 
 
 herbs, 
 Whose healing virtues he had learned 
 
 from use, 
 Wooed the weak body back to ruddy 
 
 health, 
 
Ambrose the Hermit. 231 
 
 One morn while near the cave Ei= 
 
 naldo slept 
 Dreaming of home, the old man stood 
 
 apart, 
 And sang with voice that echoed 
 
 down the hills 
 Like organ tones in a cathedral 
 
 aisle : — 
 
 " How long, O Lord, how long shall 
 
 strife and greed 
 Oppress Thy sons, and leave them in 
 
 their need 
 Bowed under weariness, weak slaves 
 
 of might ? 
 Too long, O Lord, too long hath sav- 
 ing Love 
 Denied his warming radiance from 
 
 above ! 
 
232 Ambrose the Hermit. 
 
 No longer, Lord, deny the living 
 light ! 
 
 li O speed the welcome signal through 
 
 the skies ! 
 Out of the waking east let the sun 
 
 rise 
 Upon a land to Truth and Love 
 
 new-born ! 
 O haste the golden dawn too long 
 
 delayed, 
 Show forth Thy face, dear God, and 
 
 every shade 
 Of wrong shall fly, as darkness flies 
 
 the morn." 
 
 And as he sang he seemed at his right 
 hand 
 
Ambrose the Hermit. 233 
 
 To feel the presence of the beauteous 
 
 But saw him not. Rinaldo from his 
 
 dream 
 "Waked, and with rapt ear, listened to 
 
 the song 
 In holy awe. His careless, cruel life ; 
 His haughty bearing to the suffering 
 
 serfs 
 That labored in his fields'; the wasted 
 
 wealth 
 They made in want and he in riot 
 
 lavished ; 
 His harsh demands and slighting of 
 
 their woes 
 "Who looked to him through tearful 
 
 eyes for pity, 
 Crowded upon his mind and bowed 
 
 his soul 
 
234 Ambrose the Hermit. 
 
 With sorrow and repentance. Rising 
 up, 
 
 He went and kneeled before the rev- 
 erend man, 
 
 And said, with faltering voice and 
 swelling heart, 
 
 " Father, thy blessing and thy prayers 
 I crave." 
 
 While Ambrose spake the blessing 
 and the prayer, 
 
 With upturned eyes, a golden lustre 
 shone 
 
 As out of Heave a round his counte- 
 nance. 
 
 Rinaldo rose in silence, and with head 
 
 Bowed on his bosom, left the lowly 
 place. 
 
Ambrose the Hermit. 235 
 
 He counted to the poor his ill- got 
 
 wealth ; 
 His nights and days he gave unto the 
 
 Lord ; 
 And through the country travelled, 
 
 preaching love. 
 Thousands came eagerly to hear his 
 
 words ; 
 And soon the land smiled in new 
 
 laws, and strife 
 Was sweetened in the holy light of 
 
 love. 
 
 Then Ambrose knew in the fair blue- 
 eyed boy 
 
 A guardian Angel, and he blessed the 
 Lord. 
 
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