The rise of man is endless. Be in hope.
All stars are gathered in his horoscope.
The brute man of the planet, he will pass,
Blown out like forms of vapor on a glass.
And from this quaking pulp of life will rise
The superman, child of the higher skies.
Immortal, he will break the ancient bars,
Laugh and reach out his hands among the stars.
—Edwin Markham.
I.
Old things have passed away, all now are new;
Its measure of creation Earth has filled;
The law of a celestial kingdom it
Has kept, transgressed not the law;
Yea, notwithstanding it has died, it has
Been quickened once again; and it abides
The power by which that quick'ning has been done.
Wherefore, it now is sanctified from all
Unrighteousness, and crowned with glory, e'en
The presence of the Father and the Son.
Immortal Earth on wings of glory rolls,
Shines like unto a crystal sea of glass
And fire, whereon all things are manifest:
Past, present, future,—all are clear to those
Who live upon this glorious orb of God.
Upon this globe, God's children glorified
Are no more strangers, wand'ring to and fro
As weary pilgrims; now they have received
Possessions everlasting on the Earth—
A portion of a glorified domain
On which to build and multiply and spread—
A part of Earth to call always their own.
Eternal mansions may they now erect:
Make them of whatsoe'er their hearts' desire;
For gold and silver, precious stones and woods,
And fabrics rare, and stuffs of every hue,
All plentiful in Nature's store-house lie,
For them to freely draw upon and use.
Masters of all the elements are they;
And Nature's forces are at their command.
The man and woman, in the Lord made one,
Eternally are wedded man and wife.
These now together make their plans, and build
A lovely, spacious home wherein to dwell,
A place for work, for rest, for new-found joys,
A peaceful habitation, one beyond
The power of evil ever to destroy.
II.
In their primeval childhood—first estate—
These once had lived within their Father's home.
Out from that home they had been sent to Earth
To have their spirit bodies clothed upon
With element, to come in contact with
Conditions which were needful for their growth,
And learn the lessons of mortality.
There they had overcome temptation's wiles,
There had obeyed the gospel of their Lord
And worked out their salvation by its power.
These two had met and mated, had fulfilled
The first great law: "Give bodies clean and strong
To Father's spirit-children from above."
The time allotted they had lived on Earth,
Had died the mortal death, had gone into
The spirit world; from there they had come forth
With resurrected bodies from the grave.
Thus they had kept their first and second estates,
And now were counted worthy to receive
Their portion 'mong the exalted ones of God.
III.
Celestial man and woman now do live
The perfect life; for every faculty
Of heart and brain is put to highest use.
The appetites and passions purged are