Bees in Amber Part 11

FREE MEN OF G.o.d

Free men of G.o.d, the New Day breaks In golden gleams across the sky; The darkness of the night is past, This is the Day of Victory.

For this our fathers strove, In stern and fiery love-- That men to come should be Born into liberty-- That all should be--as we are--Free!

Free men of G.o.d, gird up your loins, And brace you for the final fight!

Strike home, strike home for Truth and Right!

--Yet bear yourselves as in His sight!

For this our fathers fought, This with their lives they bought-- That you and I should be Heirs of their liberty-- That all should be--as we are--Free!

Free men we are and so will be; We claim free access unto Him, Who widened all the bounds of life, And us from bondage did redeem.

Let no man intervene, Or draw a vail between Us and our G.o.d, for He Would have His people free,-- And we would be--as Thou art--Free.

Free men of G.o.d, your Birthright claim!

Our fathers won it with a price.

They paid in full to axe and flame, Nor counted up the sacrifice.

This is our heritage, And here we do engage, Each man unto his son Intact to pa.s.s it on.

So shall they be--as we are--Free!

Our Sure Defence, in times of stress, Thy gates stand open, wide and free, When men provoke and wrongs oppress, We seek Thy wider liberty.

With loftier mind and heart, Let each man bear his part!

So--to the final fight, And G.o.d defend the right!

We shall, we must, we will be--Free!

TREASURE-TROVE

Lord Christ, let me but hold Thy hand And all the rest may go.

For nothing is, but only seems, And life is full of idle dreams, Until Thyself we know.

The whole wide world is nought beside The wonder of Thy love.

And though my state be mean and strait, Give me but heart to work and wait, And I have Treasure-Trove.

THE GATE

"A little child shall lead them."

I trod an arduous way, but came at last To where the city walls rose fair and white Above the darkening plain,--a goodly sight.

And eagerly, while yet a great way off, My eyes did seek the Gates--the Great White Gates That close not ever, day or night, but stand Wide as the love of Christ that opened them.

But nought could I discern of gate or breach, The wall stood flawless far as eye could reach.

"But when I drew in closer to the wall, I saw a lowly portal, strait and small; So small, a man might hardly enter there, Low-browed and shadowed, and close-pressed to earth-- A very needle's eye--scarce visible.

I looked and wondered. Could this trivial way Be the sole entrance to the light of day?

And as I stood perplext, a clear voice cried,-- _Come! Enter in! The Gate is open wide_."

And while I stood in doubt, there came along One of earth's mighty ones--a conqueror Of Kings. He looked for gates that should swing wide To meet his high estate and welcome him.

He stood and gazed, then raised his voice and cried, "My work on earth is done. I would within,"

And from the City wall the voice replied,-- "_Come! Enter in! The Gate is open wide_."

He stood perplext, then set himself to wait, Till Might should help him to discern the Gate.

Another came,--a man of mind so rare, He scarce had breathed the common earthly air.

Knowledge was his, and wisdom so profound, All things he knew in heaven and earth. No bound To his accomplishment, until he sought The great wide-opened Gate,--and found it not.

He stood perplext, and then cried wearily, "Pray give me entrance. I am done with earth."

And from the City wall the clear voice cried,-- "_Come! Enter in! The Gate is open wide_."

He looked in vain, then set himself to wait, Till Wisdom should direct him to the gate.

I saw a woman come, n.o.ble and fair, And pure of heart, and in her goodly deeds More richly robed than Fashion's fairest queen.

And to myself I said,--"Surely for her A way will open that she may go in!"

She said no word, but stood and looked upon The shining walls, with eyes that answering shone.

And from the City wall the clear voice cried,-- "_Come! Enter in! The Gate is open wide_."

She looked in vain, then set herself to wait, Till Love should help her to discern the Gate.

And one there came, with clear keen face--a Judge Of men on earth, and famed for fearless truth.

His robes were stainless and his heart was clean.

"Entrance I crave," he cried, "to well-earned rest,-- And mercy-tempered justice and no more."

And from the City wall the clear voice cried,-- "_Come! Enter in! The Gate is open wide_."

He looked in vain, then set himself to wait Till Judgment should direct him to the Gate.

And one there came, sad-eyed, his brow still raw From pressure of an earthly crown. He too Sought glorious entrance through wide-opened gates, And stood perplext. He had borne well his part, And served his people and his G.o.d, and died The Martyr's death, and yet he found no gate.

"I fain would rest," he cried. "My life has been One ceaseless striving. I would enter in."

And from the City wall the clear voice cried,-- "_Come! Enter in! The Gate is open wide_."

Perplext he stood, then set himself to wait, Till Patient Waiting should discern the Gate.

And one who had had riches beyond most, And yet subserved them to his Master's good, Came searching for the heavenly gates, and stood Amazed to find no opening in the walls.

"I gave of all I had," he cried, "and held Nought as my own,--yet entrance is denied."

And from the City wall the clear voice cried,-- "_Come! Enter in! The Gate is open wide_."

He stood perplext, then set himself to wait Till Charity should point him to the Gate.

And many more there were who entrance craved, And sought the Great White Gates, and stood perplext.

And ever, from within, the clear voice cried,-- "_Come! Enter in! The Gate is open wide_."

They sought in vain, and set themselves to wait Till Light was given them to discern the Gate.

And then--a child in white came carolling Along the arduous road we all had trod.

He stopped and looked, then laughed with childish glee,-- "_Why wait ye here without? Come, follow me_!"-- And pa.s.sed, scarce bending, through the lowly door,-- We heard his singing,--him we saw no more.

The woman stooped and looked, with eyes that shone, Into the doorway where the child had gone; Then loosed her robes and dropped, and in a shift Of pure white samite, on her hands and knees She crept into the doorway and was gone, And we stood gazing at the way she went.

And, one by one, they followed. First the Judge Laid by his robes, and bowed him to the ground, And followed--where the little child had led.

And he whose brow had borne that weighty crown Bent low and followed,--where the little child had led.

And he who knew so much of earthly things Discarded them, and, on his hands and knees, Crept through the doorway,--where the little child had led.