CLXXVI.

Do not their souls, who neath the Altar wait

Until their second-birth,

The gift of patience need, as separate

From their first friends of earth?

Not that earth's blessings are not all outshone By Eden's Angel flame,

But that earth knows not yet, the Dead has won That crown, which was his aim.

For when he left it, 'twas a twilight scene

About his silent bier,

A breathless struggle, faith and sight between, And Hope and sacred Fear.

Fear startled at his pains and dreary end,

Hope raised her chalice high,

And the twin-sisters still his shade attend,
Viewed in the mourner's eye.

Y

So day by day for him from earth ascends,

As steam in summer-even,

The speechless intercession of his friends,

Toward the azure heaven.

Ah! dearest, with a word he could dispel
All questioning, and raise,

Our hearts to rapture, whispering all was well,
And turning prayer to praise.

And other secrets too he could declare,
By patterns all divine,

His earthly creed retouching here and there,
And deepening every line.

Dearest! he longs to speak, as I to know,
And yet we both refrain:

It were not good; a little doubt below,

And all will soon be plain.

J.

CLXXVII.

THE NEW JERUSALEM.*

"And I saw the Holy City, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband."

THE Holy Jerusalem

From highest heaven descending,

And crowned with a diadem

Of Angel bands attending, The Living City built on high, Bright with celestial jewelry!

She comes,

the Bride, from heaven gate,

In nuptial new Adorning,

To meet the Immaculate,

Like coming of the morning.

Her streets of purest gold are made,

Her walls a diamond palisade.

(* From the Paris Breviary, in Festo Dedicationis.)

There with pearls the gates are dight Upon that Holy Mountain;

And thither come both day and night,
Who in the Living Fountain

Have washed their robes from earthly stain,
And borne below Christ's lowly chain.

By the hand of the Unknown
The Living Stones are moulded

To a glorious Shrine, ALL ONE,
Full soon to be unfolded;
The building wherein God doth dwell,

The Holy Church Invisible.

Glory be to God, who layed

In heaven the foundation;

And to the Spirit who hath made

The walls of our salvation;

To Christ himself the Corner Stone,

Be glory! to the Three in One.

THE END.

?.

INDEX.

Page

. 56

. 205
215

And dare I say, "Welcome to me
And dare ye deem God's ire must cease
And shrink ye still?-He nearer draws,
And they who grudge the Omnipotent His praise 151
"And we too, Levites though we be

192

And where is now the Tishbite? Where is he 189
And wouldst thou reach, rash scholar mine,

. 100

"Are the gates sure?-is every bolt made fast? 213

Beautiful flowers round Wisdom's secret well 119
Behold your armoury!-sword, and lightning

"But Faith is cold, and wilful men are strong, 152

But louder yet the heavens shall ring,

But sadder strains, and direr bodings dark,
By your Lord's creative breath,

218

. 220

. 208

. 193

. 217