Homeless a nursing nation, born e'en so—
Born in a day. O Day! and eyes of Night! 3010
Watch now the "little one" "a thousand"[5] grow,
As grows the torrent from the trickling height,
The blaze of noonday from the dawning light;—
The birth-throes of an empire, whose blest reign,
Bounding from lowliness, soars past the sight
Of all save prophecy, while cities twain[6]
Sceptre the universe, with foot on land and main!
Whose but a prophet's eye such end could see?
Whose but a prophet's tongue the issue tell?—
A modern march of ancient destiny, 3020
Another Exodus and Israel,
Bidding his bonds, his all, save hope, farewell;
Widening, 'mid alien wastes, true freedom's fame,
Where bondage, chained to darkness, fain would dwell[7];
And rearing temples to Jehovah's name,
Where looms the Aztec's altar[8], quenched of its ancient flame.
There bringing forth the promise of thy land,
O rare and wondrous West!—the prophecy
Of glittering cities strewn along thy strand,
O golden empire[9] of the sunset sea! 3030
God-gifted Seer, while gazing endlessly,
Sawest thou an Eden on the desert brine[10],
Begirt with desolation's mystery,
Ere gusht the riven rock with milk and wine,
Where all was treeless waste and sun-baked alkaline?
Sawest thou, O prophet! till the pioneer
Builded his eagle nest, and pure and brave
Homed on the white-helmed peak and crystal mere?
O matchless land—the home their valor gave,
Mighty in will to bless, in work to save, 3040
Redeemed, redeeming, all must own thy worth!
Slander may wound thee, tyranny enslave,
Still thou art mine, loved land of all the earth,
Land of the honey-bee[11], land of my mortal birth!
Land prest by footprint of my pilgrim sire[12];
Land visioned by my more than sire, whose soul
Swept the far future with a glance of fire,
Bade hope, as memory, her page unroll;
Beheld uplifting, as a parted scroll,
The curtain from a kingdom yet to be, 3050
Binding in one world-realms from pole to pole;
Saw monarchs bow, saw nations bend the knee,
Saw dead and risen time take on eternity.
"Hear me, my people[13]! I shall not be slain
While unfulfilled my mission? Then, like Him
Who holds my hand, linked in an endless chain,
Which cannot die, whose light can ne'er grow dim,
Must I return to Home and Elohim.
Though here I fain would linger—human choice!
If weal to friend or foe—ay, e'en to them, 3060
Might purchased be, with my poor life the price,
Welcome, thrice welcome death. I will the sacrifice.
"Nor marvel at my mood. Could you but gaze
Upon the wonders of the worlds of God,
Where burn, amid the universal blaze,
The Father's fullness and the Son's abode,
Won by their feet who walk the rightful road,
Nor weary in well-doing; 'twere alone
Reward for all that here hath been your load.
Forgive—leave all to heaven, whose highest Throne 3070
Made endless love to endless life the stepping stone.
"Hearken, O House of Joseph! Here must end
My mortal toil. Now, as from Nebo's height[14],
I see, like him of old, my day descend.
But looms afar upon my sinking sight
Another Canaan. Clothe for pilgrim flight.
A Joshua cometh! Him let Israel heed,
And loyal be unto that council's right
On whom the Kingdom rolls; for they must lead
To where privation's hand shall sow dominion's seed. 3080
"A glacier's might, your gathered strength shall stand,
Stalwart upon the mountains[15], and shall send
Swift messengers to sound o'er sea and land
Last warning to the nations. Hither wend
Awakening hosts, who eager hearing lend
While yet the voice of grace, the voice of God,
Summons the house of Abraham his friend;
Calls them the wave to cleave, the wild to plod,
On, on to that safe rest, ere falls the reckoning rod.
"For war shall wound[16] this nation—rend it wide, 3090
And trample nations all. Anon shall slaves
'Gainst masters rise, and anarchy o'erride
Till tyranny be trodden as the paves,
Till patriot might puts forth its hand and saves
The crimsoned land from chaos. Hearken, all!
When ruin's host the blood-red banner waves,
Who heeded first the Gospel's warning call
Shall be the last of realms to crumble and to fall.