“O, what is the life of the soul,
But the life of the Infinite Whole?
For God and his creatures are One,
As the tide from the ocean of light,
Which sets through the day and the night,
Is the same in the star-beam or sun.
“He hath laid out the sea and the land;
He hath balanced the Heavens in his hand;
And the Earth, in that order sublime,
How greatly and grandly she rolls,
And casts off her harvests of souls,
In the boundless fruition of Time!
“We ask not his face to behold;
Of his glory we need not be told;
For the Word of his witness is near.
His Life is the Infinite Light,
Which quickens our blindness to sight;
And he speaks that his children may hear.
“He suffers and sins with them all;
He stands, or he falls when they fall;
For he is both substance and breath.
Their strength from his greatness they draw;
His wisdom and will are their law;
And he is their Saviour in death.
“When the depths of all hearts are unsealed
Shall the word of his truth be revealed,
That MAN is by NATURE DIVINE;
And faith in God’s presence within,
Shall strengthen the spirit to win
A peace which no tongue can define.”
Then the music floated upward,
Where the light of parting day,
With its gold and crimson glory,
On the mountain summits lay;
And it left me longing, praying,
And with quickened steps essaying
Swift the nearest hights to gain,
That my captivated being
Might unto a clearer seeing
Of those fading forms attain.
And ere long, with hands uplifted,
Kneeling on the mountain high,
Out into the listening silence
Did I send my pleading cry:—
“O thou beauteous land of Beulah,
Just beyond my longing sight!
O ye bright ones, loved and lovely,
Dwelling in celestial light!
Leave, O! leave me not behind you
With the darkness and the night!”
In the sunshine and the shadow,
Then I saw an open door;
And a voice cried, “Come up hither!
Life is yours forevermore.”
Gales of Araby around me
Seemed to wave their fragrant wings;
Strains of music, low and tender,
Thrilled along celestial strings.
Like a spotless lily, blending
Matchless bloom and breath divine,
Did my lost one, long lamented,
Lay her soft white hand in mine;
And uplifted,
Strangely gifted,
With a power unknown before,
Did my love and I together
Enter at the open door.
Lo! again those bright immortals,
As their fadeless flowers they wreathe,
Words of greeting oft repeating,
Celebrate this festive eve.
Listen to their tuneful message
For the hearts that joy or grieve:—
Song of the Ministering Spirits.
“Truth’s heralds bright,
With feet of light,
Upon Life’s mountains stand,
Sent to proclaim,
In God’s high name,
Glad tidings to the land.
With smiles of love
They wait above,
And, ‘Come up hither!’ cry.
When souls shall climb
Life’s hights sublime,
Then Death itself shall die.