Brilliancy pervaded everything, shone from everything. It was not the sun, there being no dazzle; it was not the moon, but a clearness as of noonday. The whole Temple shed forth a l.u.s.tre as if it were built of some celestial substance. The marble, the precious stones, the gold, seemed changed into light--light, pure, calm, and consolidated into form. It radiated from the throne, and from Him who sat upon it. "Around His head was as the colors of the rainbow, and under His feet was a paved work of pure gold in color like amber."
Hark! the music! How it fills the Temple, how it thrills the souls a.s.sembled. A thousand instruments blend in exquisite harmony, ten thousand voices join in the song:
"The earth hath travailed and brought forth her strength, And truth is established in her bowels; And the heavens have smiled upon her; And she is clothed with the glory of her G.o.d; For He stands in the midst of His people.
Glory, and honor, and power, and might Be ascribed to our G.o.d; for He is full of mercy, Justice, grace, and truth, and peace, Forever and ever, Amen."
PART FIFTH
The rise of man is endless. Be in hope.
All stars are gathered in his horoscope.
The brute man of the planet, he will pa.s.s, Blown out like forms of vapor on a gla.s.s.
And from this quaking pulp of life will rise The superman, child of the higher skies.
Immortal, he will break the ancient bars, Laugh and reach out his hands among the stars.
--_Edwin Markham._
I.
Old things have pa.s.sed away, all now are new; Its measure of creation Earth has filled; The law of a celestial kingdom it Has kept, transgressed not the law; Yea, notwithstanding it has died, it has Been quickened once again; and it abides The power by which that quick"ning has been done.
Wherefore, it now is sanctified from all Unrighteousness, and crowned with glory, e"en The presence of the Father and the Son.
Immortal Earth on wings of glory rolls, Shines like unto a crystal sea of gla.s.s And fire, whereon all things are manifest: Past, present, future,--all are clear to those Who live upon this glorious...o...b..of G.o.d.
Upon this globe, G.o.d"s children glorified Are no more strangers, wand"ring to and fro As weary pilgrims; now they have received Possessions everlasting on the Earth-- A portion of a glorified domain On which to build and multiply and spread-- A part of Earth to call always their own.
Eternal mansions may they now erect:
Make them of whatsoe"er their hearts" desire; For gold and silver, precious stones and woods, And fabrics rare, and stuffs of every hue, All plentiful in Nature"s store-house lie, For them to freely draw upon and use.
Masters of all the elements are they; And Nature"s forces are at their command.
The man and woman, in the Lord made one, Eternally are wedded man and wife.
These now together make their plans, and build A lovely, s.p.a.cious home wherein to dwell, A place for work, for rest, for new-found joys, A peaceful habitation, one beyond The power of evil ever to destroy.
II.
In their primeval childhood--first estate-- These once had lived within their Father"s home.
Out from that home they had been sent to Earth To have their spirit bodies clothed upon With element, to come in contact with Conditions which were needful for their growth, And learn the lessons of mortality.
There they had overcome temptation"s wiles, There had obeyed the gospel of their Lord And worked out their salvation by its power.
These two had met and mated, had fulfilled The first great law: "Give bodies clean and strong To Father"s spirit-children from above."
The time allotted they had lived on Earth, Had died the mortal death, had gone into The spirit world; from there they had come forth With resurrected bodies from the grave.
Thus they had kept their first and second estates, And now were counted worthy to receive Their portion "mong the exalted ones of G.o.d.
III.
Celestial man and woman now do live The perfect life; for every faculty Of heart and brain is put to highest use.
The appet.i.tes and pa.s.sions purged are From dross that fallen nature with them mixed.
The will is master now, and every sense Is under absolute control, and gives Perfected service to perfected souls.
These two have come into their very own.
They walk by sight; and yet the eye of faith Sweeps out to future time and distant s.p.a.ce And leads them on and on. They lay their plans And execute these plans to perfectness.
Eternal Glory-land is their abode, So beautifully clothed in Nature"s best, And basking in the pleasing smile of G.o.d; No need of light of sun or moon or stars; The glory of the Father and the Son Eclipses all such lights of lesser ray.
Although with G.o.dlike powers they rule and reign, Yet are they Father"s children, and to Him All loving honor and obedience give.
And then that Elder Brother who has done So much for all, He also here abides,-- The Savior of the world and souls of men, The Lord of lords, the King of all the Earth, Yet ever-present Comforter and Friend.
IV.
And now they learn the things they could not know On mortal earth. They learn the secrets of All things that are in s.p.a.ce above, or in The Earth beneath: the elements which form The air that man did breathe, and where obtained, And how composed. They learn of primal rocks, Foundations of the new-formed worlds in s.p.a.ce, And how these worlds evolve into abodes For man. The source of light and heat and power They find, and grasp the laws by which they may Be rightly used and perfectly controlled.
And then, most precious gift! they learn of life: What makes the gra.s.s to grow, what gives the flowers Their fragrance and their many-colored hues.
They comprehend all life in moving forms,-- In worm, in insect, fish, and bird, and beast; And knowing this, they have the power to draw Life from its store-house, and to make it serve The highest good in never-ending ways.
V.
The truth has made these holy beings free.
They having overcome all evil powers, Unfettered now they are and free to go Where"er they wish within the heavenly spheres.
They"re not alone on this perfected world, Here other children of the Father dwell, Who also have obeyed celestial law.
All these are of the Father"s household, and Are numbered with the just and true, of whom "Tis written, "They are G.o.d"s," and they shall dwell Forever in the presence of their G.o.d.
What bliss to mingle with such company!
To taste the joys of friendships perfected, And feel to fulness that sweet brother-love Which binds in one the n.o.ble race of G.o.ds!
And other worlds may now be visited; For end there"s none to matter and to s.p.a.ce.
Infinitude holds kingdoms, great and small,-- Worlds upon worlds, redeemed and glorified, And peopled with the children of our G.o.d, Who also have evolved from lower things.
What opening visions here for knowledge rare!
What sciences, what laws, what history!
What stories of G.o.d"s love in other worlds!
Exhaustless themes for poets" sweetest songs; For painters, sculptors, every science, art Has never-ending fields of pure delight.
To them "the universe its incense brings"-- Distilled from all the sweetness of the spheres.
VI.
Earth"s loveliest flow"r, the love "tween man and wife, Transplanted is to this most holy sphere.
Through all the toiling years of earth-life, it Had grown; and now, instead of dying with The mortal death, its roots are firmly fixed In the eternal soil of Glory-land.
And blessed man! now at his side there stands A woman, one of heaven"s queens, a wife, A mother to his children of the Earth, And yet to be a mother of a race.
Her beauty rare surpa.s.ses power of words.
Her purity, her sweetly gentle ways Rest as a crown of glory on her brow.
Her love transcendent fills his heart with joy, And now he fully realizes that "The woman is the glory of the man."
Here in thy Home, O Woman all divine, Thy measure of creation thou doest fill!
Intelligences come from out the womb Of Time, into thine own; thence are they born With spirit bodies, to thy loving care.
Now thou art Mother, and doest know in full A mother"s joy--a joy untinged by pain, And with thy Husband thou hast now become Creator, fellow worker with thy Lord.