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THE END.
I
Woe to the world, the sentenc'd world of man,The reign of Death and realm of Destiny.—
Yes; ere light was, or time itself began,
Within the archives of eternity,
The record lay of whatsoe'er shall be,
As in a chronicle—Jehovah's sight,
The all-eye centre of infinity,
Beholds alike the past and future bright.
II
There, it is written, in the words wherewithThe morning stars their hymns harmonious sing;
That on a day when life shall be a wreath
Of joys, like blossoms braided in the spring,
An Angel's trumpet shall a summons fling
Through the vast dome's blue concave of the air,
And from their syncope the buried bring,
While death-worms startled quit their task and fare.
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III
Then in the vale of that JehoshaphatTo which the living and the dead must go;
Awful sublime, and terrible and great,
Bright rob'd in truth the Judge of all will show
The heart-hid secrets that the guilty know,—
The clasped Book of Life he will unfold,
And all that mortals did or thought below,
To men and angels shall aloud be told.
IV
Nor need he tell in that austere assize,What penalties on different sins attend;
For in Creation's plan and mysteries
These are made manifest, and all portend.
Whate'er of ill, or woe, or pain descend,
In constant sequence to an action wrought,
Proclaim his law, and no device can bend,
That law which finds the action in the thought.
V
But for a moment will the inquest be,His sifting wisdom for an instant probe,
And then to Heav'n will rise the glorious free;—
The trembling doom'd remain upon the globe.
How shall the spirit in that crisis throb?
When lov'd and dear, stern Justice tears apart,
And seeming Innocence, stript of her robe,
Would hide the foul of her detected heart.
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VI
Back to the portals of His bright abodeThe King of Glory, see, triumphant ride,
With Hallelujahs to the Lord, the God—
The shouting seraphim, the sainted guide,
Millions of angels dawn on every side,
In chorus welcoming, behold they come,
Brighter than shines the splendour of noontide,
They come, they lead them to their happy home.
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