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The Soul's Questioning Of The Universe, And Its Beginning
The simple rustic's soul
Will question, Whence is man?
And whence has come this perfect whole,
The world's majestic plan?
Will question, Whence is man?
And whence has come this perfect whole,
The world's majestic plan?
The plant, the grass, the tree,
The forms 'mid which we dwell;
Whence are they? When began to be?
He asks; but none can tell;
The forms 'mid which we dwell;
Whence are they? When began to be?
He asks; but none can tell;
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And the deep musing sage
Doth the same questions ask;
And spends his manhood and his age
To solve the mighty task.
Doth the same questions ask;
And spends his manhood and his age
To solve the mighty task.
But, without light from heaven,
In vain we seek to find
The answer; that, by faith,is given
To man's bewildered mind.
In vain we seek to find
The answer; that, by faith,is given
To man's bewildered mind.
Not timeless Nature's date,
As men believed of old;
But God did all things first create,
As in his Word is told.
As men believed of old;
But God did all things first create,
As in his Word is told.
The forms of earth and air,
The stars, the sun's bright flame,
Alike his majesty declare,
And magnify his name.
The stars, the sun's bright flame,
Alike his majesty declare,
And magnify his name.
And man himself he made
Godlike erect and free,
Made in the image it is said
Of his own deity!
Godlike erect and free,
Made in the image it is said
Of his own deity!
Not all things now to know
Our Maker placed us here,
But to walk humbly here below,
Walk in his love and fear.
Our Maker placed us here,
But to walk humbly here below,
Walk in his love and fear.
And these shall pass away,
Wax old and fade with age;
Created things must know decay,
Declares the sacred page.
Wax old and fade with age;
Created things must know decay,
Declares the sacred page.
Poem No. 563; c. 11 March 1865
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