Class _^ Book. GopghtN". COPYRIGHT DEPOSrr THE TOILING OF FELIX it5^r^r.C THE TOILING OF FELIX BY HENRY VAN DYKE NEW YORK CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS 1913 Copyright 1900. 1 91 3 by Charles Scribner's Sons Illustrated Edition Published October, 1913 ©CI.A357679 I IN the rubbish heaps of the ancient city of Oxyrhynchus, near the River Nile, a party of Ejiglish explorers, in the winter of 1 897, discovered a fragment of a papyrus book, written in the second or third cen- tury, and hitherto unknown. This single leaf contained parts of seven short sen- tences of Christ, each introduced by the words, "Jesus says." It is to the fifth of these Sayings of Jesus that the follow- ing poem refers. HEAR a word that Jesus spake Eighteen hundred years ago, Where the crimson HHes blow Round the blue Tiberian lake: There the bread of life He brake. Through the fields of harvest walking With His lowly comrades, talking Of the secret thoughts that feed Weary souls in time of need. Art thou hungry? Come and take; Hear the word that Jesus spake! *Tis the sacrament of labour, bread and wine divinely blest; Friendship's food and sweet refreshment, strength and courage, joy and rest. BUT this word tlie Master said Long ago and far away, Silent and forgotten lay Buried with the silent dead, Where the sands of Egypt spread Sea-Hke, tawny billows heaping Over ancient cities sleeping. While the River Nile between Rolled its summer flood of green Rolled its autumn flood of red: There the word the Master said, Written on a frail papyrus, wrinkled, scorched by fire, and torn. Hidden in God's hand was waiting for its resurrection morn. Now at last the buried word By the delving spade is found, Sleeping in the quiet ground. Now the call of life is heard: Rise again, and like a bird. Fly abroad on wings of gladness Through the darkness and the sadness. Of the toiling age, and sing Sweeter than the voice of Spring, Till the hearts of men are stirred By the music of the word, — Gospel for the heavy-laden, answer to the labourer's cry: * 'Raise the stone, and thou shaltfind me; cleave the wood and there am I. " i I BROTHER-MEN who look for Jesus, long to see Him close and clear, Hearken to the tale of Felix, how he found the Master near. Born in Egypt, 'neath the shadow of the crumbling gods of night, He forsook the ancient darkness, turned his young heart toward the Light. 11 S^ {P>f9^- SEEKING CHRIST, in vain he waited for the vision of the Lord; Vainly pondered many volumes v^here the creeds of men were stored; Vainly shut himself in silence, keeping vigil night and day; Vainly haunted shrines and churches where the Christians came to pray. 12 J^^^ ^t ONE BY ONE he dropped the duties of the common Hfe of care, Broke the human ties that bound him, laid his spirit waste and bare. Hoping that the Lord would enter that deserted dwelling-place, And reward the loss of all things with the vision of His face. 13 »S J^^^ PEEKING CHRIST, in vain he A^ Waited for the vision of the Lord; Vainly pondered many volumes where the creeds of men were stored; STILL THE BLESSED vision tar- ried; still the light was unrevealed; Still the Master, dim and distant, kept His countenance concealed. Fainter grew the hope of finding, wearier grew the fruitless quest; Prayer and penitence and fasting gave no comfort, brought no rest. 17 EIGERING in the darkened temple, ere the lamp of faith went out, Felix knelt before the altar, lonely, sad, and full of doubt. "Hear me, O thou mighty Master," from the altar-step he cried, "Let my one desire be granted, let my hope be satisfied! 18 ONLY ONCE I long to see Thee, in the fulness of Thy grace: Break the clouds that now enfold Thee with the sunrise of Thy face! "All that men desire and treasure have I counted loss for Thee; Every hope have I forsaken, save this one, my Lord to see. 19 »^ S^^l^ "T OOSED the sacred bands of frlend- •L-i ship, sohtary stands my heart; Thou shall be my sole companion when I see Thee as Thou art. *'From Thy distant throne in glory, flash upon my inward sight, Fill the midnight of my spirit with the splendour of Thy light. 20 ••ALL THINE other gifts and bles- i *■ sings, common mercies, I disown; Separated from my brothers, I would see Thy face alone. "I have watched and I have waited as one watcheth for the morn: Still the veil is never lifted, still Thou leavest me forlorn. 21 ?^§^ row I SEEK THEE in the desert, where the holy hermits dwell; There, beside the saint Serapion, I will find a lonely cell. "There at last Thou wilt be gracious; there Thy presence, long-concealed. In the solitude and silence to my heart shall stand revealed. 22 Jf^^^ TI c ^HOU WILT COME, at dawn or twilight, o'er the rolling waves of sand; I shall see Thee close beside me, I shall touch Thy pierced hand. "Lo, Thy pilgrim kneels before Thee; bless my journey with a word; Tell me now that if I follow I shall find Thee, O my Lord!" 23 J)?^ «^ (^>m. FELIX LISTENED: through the darkness, like a murmur of the wind. Came a gentle sound of stillness: "Never faint, and thou shalt find." Long and toilsome was his journey through the heavy land of heat, Egypt's blazing sun above him, blistering sand beneath his feet. 24 Jf^i^ PATIENTLY he plodded onward, from the pathway never erred, Till he reached the river-fastness called the Mountain of the Bird. There the tribes of air assemble, once a year, their noisy flock. Then, departing, leave their sentinel perched upon the highest rock. 25 »^ 0»^1^ 'AR AWAY, on joyful pinions, A over land and sea they fly; But the watcher on the summit lonely stands against the sky. There the eremite Serapion in a cave had made his bed; There the faithful bands of pilgrims sought his blessing, brought him bread. 26 ^^^ >^' ^^^^^^^'^ /2v?^=«*,^?r