PS 1124 
 .B3 B4 
 1886 
 ^opy 1 
 
 BEYOND- THE -VEIh 
 
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Ann ~ 
 
BE YOND THE VEIL 
 
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 Alice Williams Brotherton 
 
 CHICAGO 
 
 CHARLES H. KERR & COMPANY 
 
 175 Dearborn Street 
 
 1886 
 
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 Copyridit by 
 Charles H. Kerr .V Compaxy 
 
 iS86 
 
 CLARK & LONGLEY. PRINTERS, CHICAGO 
 
Prelude. 
 
 The end is noi in the grave. 
 
 There is a time 
 To rest, as to conne and go 
 On God's errands, to and fro. — 
 
 Like a half-writ rhyirie 
 If my life nnust be laid by, 
 
 For a little space; 
 As the poet's soul is stirred 
 With new insight and the word 
 
 Speeds at length to its right place ; 
 So this life in^which I see 
 But half-nneanmgs, in the grave 
 
 Laid away, 
 In that Life whereto I tend — 
 
 Some day, some happy day, 
 Waking refreshed and calrri and brave, 
 I shall read clear, to its end. 
 
BEYOND THE VEIL. 
 
 One weary with much weeping slept and dreamed : — 
 
 A poor soul wandering in the outer gloom 
 Which lies beyond the portal of the tomb, 
 Felt a wild longing in its inmost breast 
 To look upon the City of the Blest. 
 And it arose and fled through shadows grey 
 With never guide except that wish alone, 
 Which drew it, half-resisting, ever on. 
 Communing sadly with itself alway : — 
 " It might have been— Woe, woe ! it might have 
 
 been 
 That I, too, through the gate had entered in, 
 And walked with the pure souls to whom the grace 
 Is given to look upon Jehovah's face, 
 And work His will (as once on earth) in heaven. 
 
6 BEYOND THE VEIL. 
 
 But now mine hour is passed. No place is given. 
 Though long with bitter weeping I have sought, 
 Wherein my expiation might be wrought : 
 My day is sinned away : too late, too late 
 Cometh repentance! 
 
 " Yet unto the gate 
 Of the fair city, New Jerusalem, 
 Whose rainbow tinted walls of carven gem 
 Proclaim unto God's children from afar 
 Their Father's home where many mansions are — 
 I fain would go ; to bend a single glance 
 Upon the glory of the place. Perchance, 
 (For I will plead so humbly !) it may be 
 The gracious Angel-guard will pity me 
 Nor wave me from the gate, but grant my prayer 
 To stand and gaze one little moment there, 
 Viewing the shining streets whereon have trod 
 The feet of those who journey up to God ! 
 Then, after that one look, I will retrace 
 Swiftly my steps to my appointed place." 
 
BEYOND THE VEIL. 
 
 So saying, swift advancing, on it passed, 
 Leaving the gloom behind it : till at last 
 It saw the City of the Blest appear : 
 Whose walls far reaching, as it drew more near, 
 Shone — even as the prophet has foretold — 
 With a great shining like transparent gold. 
 With beryl and with jacinth, jasper-stone, 
 Sardius and amethyst, emerald, chalcedon. 
 And myriad gems beside, whose marvellous sheen 
 Was such as never mortal eve hath seen. 
 
 But lo, the gates, when it had come thus far. 
 Stood open wide, with never bolt or bar : 
 Nor any warder with uplifted sword 
 And angry frown was there the place to guard. 
 Then the soul, listening, trembling — half with fear 
 Half with an awe-filled reverence — drew near 
 And looked into the city wistfully. 
 There was a sound of far-off melodv. 
 But all the streets were still, nor was there sight 
 Of any soul : only a wondrous light 
 Filled all the place. 
 
8 BEYOND THE VEIL. 
 
 And straight a wild desire 
 Seized on the soul to view the glory nigher. 
 " Perchance this hour the Angels all are gone 
 Deeper into the City where the throne 
 Must be," it said, " and so the streets are still. 
 Ah, if I might but venture ! Yea, I will. 
 Since none is here to hinder sure I may 
 Just enter in and go a little way !" 
 
 Thus saying, through the open gate it strayed. 
 At lirst wdth bated breath and sore afraid. 
 Then, since none did molest it, bolder grown. 
 With ever-quickening steps it hastened on. 
 Leaving the shining portals far behind ; 
 And knew it not, but wandered on to find 
 Fresh marvels and new beauties everywhere, — 
 Till, of a sudden pausing, it was 'ware 
 Of a bright Presence swiftly drawing near. 
 And fain it would have fled but that its fear 
 Forbade, nor was there any place to hide. 
 Then the swift Presence halting at its side 
 
BEYOND THE VEIE g 
 
 Looked it with piercino- glances through and 
 
 through 
 And queried : — " Soul, whence art thou ? " And it 
 
 knew 
 The Crucitied ; and dared not meet His frown, 
 But crying : — " Pity, Lord ! Forgive ! " fell down 
 Weeping and quaking at his feet. 
 
 Then He : — 
 " What have I to forgive ? " 
 
 So, falteringly, 
 There at the Master's feet with sob and wail 
 The stricken soul poured forth the whole sad tale — - 
 How it had been a sinner upon Earth, 
 And in the After-World amid the dearth 
 And chill and darkness lying there without, 
 Had wandered long, a prey to fear and doubt 
 And evil thoughts and wild despair : until — 
 Drawn by an impulse stronger than its will — 
 It rose and fled, nor paused until it stood. 
 Awe-filled, before the Citv of the Good. 
 
lo BEYOND THE VEIL. 
 
 Finding no warder at the outer gate, 
 
 No bolt or bar nor any hindrance set, 
 
 Nor seraphim with flaming dreadful sword ; 
 
 Tremblingly it had ventured hitherward 
 
 Into the city, led by a wild hope 
 
 To look upon the glory ; then to grope 
 
 Its way again unto its wonted place. 
 
 So paused, and looking up into His face 
 Wondered exceedingly to see no frown 
 Thereon, but only mild eyes looking down 
 Upon it, kneeling. And a voice said " Nay, 
 Why then depart when thou art free to stay ? " 
 " Master, O mock me not ! " the spirit cried, 
 " Pity me rather : sorely am I tried ! " 
 " Alas, poor soul ! " He said " Hast never heard 
 That which is written in the Holy Word : — 
 ' Whoso shall hear My voice and come to Me 
 I will in no wise cast out ' ? Child, for thee 
 The promise holds good also. Thou art here. 
 Do I reject thee ? Put away thy fear."' 
 
BEYOND THE VEIL. n 
 
 " Nay ", the soul faltered, " but I heard no voice. 
 Between the good and evil made no choice. 
 The time was passed. I only longed to flee 
 Out of the gloom, and hither come and see 
 The beauty and the glory forfeited 
 Bv mine own sinfulness ! "' 
 
 "Yea, child'*, He said' 
 " And that same louirlno was the Father's voice. 
 None Cometh unto me save of His choice. 
 Poor Soul ! And didst thou think that little space 
 Of time on Earth was all wherein the grace 
 Of God was open to thee ? — that the tomb 
 Sealed once for good or ill thy final doom r 
 And were that like to One whose tenderness 
 Is infinite as His iVlmightiness r 
 Didst thou not dream that, in the outmost part 
 Of all. His voice divine might reach the heart, 
 And draw thee, ever nearer, on and on 
 Unto Himself and Me r So hath He done. 
 Peace ! Though thou hast not chosen Me indeed. 
 Have I not chosen thee ? I know thv need 
 
12 BEYOXD THE VEIL. 
 
 Of Me, and bid thee ' Come, abide with me.' 
 
 Within the City there is room for thee. 
 
 And that thou well mayst know this thing is true 
 
 I give a sign, — What would'st thou I should do ? 
 
 What is thine inmost wish ? Look up and speak ! " 
 
 The awe-struck soul arose, and answered meek : — 
 
 " Master ! If I might touch thy garment's hem 
 
 And be made clean ! Thou didst thus unto them — 
 
 The loathly lepers once in Palestine, — 
 
 O, if Thou wouldst but lay Thy hand divine 
 
 Upon me now, this leprosv of sin. 
 
 This weight of pain and fear I bear within, 
 
 Would fall from off me like a garment vile ! " 
 
 " Lo, it is done ! '' He answered with a smile. 
 
 And straight it seemed as if from off its sight 
 The scales had fallen, for to left and right, 
 Near and afar it saw a gracious band 
 Of beautiful, tall, shining Angels stand, 
 Which had been with them from the first. Not strange 
 Their faces seemed, but, with some glorious change, 
 Like unto those of dear friends known and lost 
 
BEYOND THE VEIL. 13 
 
 On Earth. And there was none of all that host 
 But did rejoice with it exceedingly, 
 Making its joy their own : " Now glor}- be " 
 (They cried) " unto the Lord ! Without the gate 
 No wistful soul need trembling stand and wait. 
 No need to knock — the doors stand open wide, 
 Whoso doth seek shall lind the Crucified. 
 Sister ! we saw thee enter in, though thou 
 Couldst see us (for thine eyes were sealed), but now. 
 Come, thou beloved, with us — for there be 
 Full many here, have waited long for thee ! " 
 
 The Master gently bade : — " Soul, go thy ways 
 With these; and after, for our Father's praise — 
 To whose dear Name for aye all praise shall be ! — - 
 Some task there shall be given unto thee: 
 For there is need of service from us all. 
 Go now and rest until thou hear the call. 
 My peace be with thee, daughter ! '' 
 
 Then with eves 
 Lifted and filled with tears of glad surprise, 
 And smiling lips, and brow from whence was gone 
 
14 BEYOND THE VEIL. 
 
 All shade of sin, the pardoned soul passed on 
 Circled about by the rejoicing throng: 
 And a new voice was added to the song. 
 
 And zuith a start the sleeper^ hi the face 
 Of tJie glad sold tJiat entered into grace ^ 
 Of a sudden knezv — fier ozvn : and, zvaking^ zuent 
 Upon her zvax -filled zvith a great content. 
 
 Not here the end — not here ! 
 
 Infinite Tenderness 
 Hath infinite zuays^ we knozi\ 
 
 To save and bless. 
 
 JVor dooms to eternal zvoe 
 
 The soul that learns., — 
 Through Sifi [if it must he so!\ 
 
 Tfiat sears and I)urns. 
 
 Since all Shadozv comes from Light : 
 Having ceons to Inid and orozL\ 
 
 Surely Good from Sin, at fast. 
 Shall sprino; also. 
 
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