 | The walk with God |  |
79
AT MILWAUKEE
The tulips on the border of the lake
A missal-like illumination make,
The waters spreading like a silver page,
Where the sun prints his text, from Age to Age,
A missal-like illumination make,
The waters spreading like a silver page,
Where the sun prints his text, from Age to Age,
Which the lake's heaving bosom doth efface,
Yet is its teaching steadfast with our race,
Message of splendor, never twice the same,
Sealing Creation's story with God's name.
Yet is its teaching steadfast with our race,
Message of splendor, never twice the same,
Sealing Creation's story with God's name.
As the rose leaves around the rose's heart,
The saints of God may gather round His throne;
But alien spirits, in far realms apart
The fellowship of Zion have not known.
The saints of God may gather round His throne;
But alien spirits, in far realms apart
The fellowship of Zion have not known.
Musing, I thought upon the holy band
Who ne'er the blessed sphere had passed outside:
Fondly to them I stretched the pleading hand,
To join their glorious ranks one moment cried.
Who ne'er the blessed sphere had passed outside:
Fondly to them I stretched the pleading hand,
To join their glorious ranks one moment cried.
But then from earth's dark corner I perceived
The coming of a mighty multitude,
For whom the Light supreme its course achieved,
Redeeming from the wild, accursed mood.
The coming of a mighty multitude,
For whom the Light supreme its course achieved,
Redeeming from the wild, accursed mood.
To these I prayed, “Oh! let me bring the news
Of what in nearer vision I have seen;
To serve their greater need my heart would choose
Above the heavenly city's sights serene.
Of what in nearer vision I have seen;
To serve their greater need my heart would choose
Above the heavenly city's sights serene.
80
“For to their painful progress should belong
My lessons of infirmity and sin,
And how world-problems of deceit and wrong
Are solved by some who late may enter in,
My lessons of infirmity and sin,
And how world-problems of deceit and wrong
Are solved by some who late may enter in,
“As left the Christ the sentence dear and deep
Of Love's great victory which all shall crown;
The heavenly Shepherd seeking other sheep
To be redeemed and folded as his own.”
Of Love's great victory which all shall crown;
The heavenly Shepherd seeking other sheep
To be redeemed and folded as his own.”
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