Elias.
by Orson F. Whitney.
FOREWORD
"Elias" was begun in the spring of 1900, and was first published in the autumn of 1904, when an edition de luxe, limited to one hundred and fifty copies, and two less pretentious editions, were subscribed for by friends of the author. He was hardly a party to the project, the initial step being taken without his knowledge. Prior to that time he had read the poem to select gatherings in private homes and in two of the leading church schools, but had no thought of printing it so early, until solicited by a committee of prominent citizens to allow them to undertake, in his behalf, its publication.
That committee consisted of Governor Heber M. Wells, Senator George Sutherland, President Anthon H. Lund, Major Richard W. Young, and Mr.
H. L. A. Culmer. These gentlemen, out of pure public spirit and a friendly feeling for the author, had a.s.sociated themselves together for this purpose. Though aware of many defects in his work, and anxious to mend them before facing the public and the critics, he nevertheless accepted gratefully the very generous offer. All the members of the committee gave to the enterprise their hearty support, and two of them, Major Young and Mr. Culmer, conducted most of the business necessary to putting the book through the press.
Since the original issuance the author has endeavored to bring the work into a more finished state, and the results are now before the reader. The poem is in twelve parts--a prelude, ten cantos, and an epilogue. Following these are explanatory notes, for the benefit of students; the introduction of the epic as a text book into the schools being one of the purposes for which it was written.
The character and scope of the work are partly indicated by the t.i.tle, "Elias--An Epic Of The Ages." It is an attempt to present, in verse form, historically, doctrinally, and prophetically, the vast theme comprehended in what the world terms "Mormonism."
THE AUTHOR.
DEDICATION
(SEE NOTE.)
This song to thee, friend, chieftain, sixth to rise From him, the foremost of a seeric line, Mock of the worldly, marvel of the wise,-- His martyred brother"s son! May light divine, Which "lumined them, forever on thee shine, Flooding with splendors new thy lineal fame; And ancient rays with modern beams combine To glorify a brow whose stalwart aim, To merit heaven"s high praise, nor fear a world"s false blame!
THEME
(SEE NOTE.)
"And if you will receive it, this is Elias, which was to come to gather together the tribes of Israel and restore all things."
ARGUMENT
The aim of this poem is to point out those manifestations of the Divine Mind and those impulsions from human enterprise which have contributed in all ages to the progress of the race toward perfection.
Thus it deals not only with man"s origin and destiny, with earth"s creation, redemption, and ultimate glorification, but with events and epochs leading up to and having those greater ends as their decreed consummation. The Christ theme, in its heavenly and earthly phases, is supplemented by the sacred and secular history of man upon both hemispheres. G.o.d"s direct dealings through prophets, apostles, and other inspired agents, and His indirect dealings through poets, painters, philosophers, inventors, discoverers, statesmen, kings, conquerors and the like, are indicated, and the experiences of the Church of Christ in various dispensations portrayed.
The t.i.tle "Elias," signifying restoration and preparation,--the lesser going before the greater with those objects in view,--is used to denote and personify the Genius of Progress, whose beneficent workings, under the guidance of the Infinite Spirit, through the aeons and the ages, behind the scenes and upon the stage of human action, are the warp and woof of the entire poem. The medial point is the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times, the era of rest.i.tution, when the House of G.o.d is to be set in order, and all things in Christ are to be gathered into one.
PRELUDE
(SEE NOTE.)
The work for Him I asked and aimed to do, Ere death should claim my dust, my spirit free,-- That, looking down from where the wise and true Inherit glory, gracious eyes might see A spark I kindled beaming endlessly, And lighting other wanderers to the goal Where blends the life that is with life to be;-- Now done, or well or ill, the lettered scroll Of what is writ on heart and mind I here unroll.
CANTO ONE
As From a Dream[1]
Youth"s morn was breaking, when I dreamed a dream, Splendid as springtime"s weft of wonders rare; Idyllic vision, beauteous, bright romance, Glory of love and glamor of renown.
I dreamed that fame held all of happiness, Save the sweet charm that lurked in woman"s smile.
Wealth wooed I not, nor power--to wear the sign And wave the symbol of authority; To speak, and have hosts tremble; or to frown, And find all pale and prostrate at my feet. 10 But oh! to sway, like swinging forest boughs In summer breeze, men"s yearning hearts and minds,-- Sway them in duty"s name, in virtue"s cause, By tongue of thunder or by pen of flame, Leaving some wise, sublime, benefic deed, Some word or work of merit and of might, To fix the fleeting gaze of centuries!
Glory and love--these were my guides divine, The planet pa.s.sions of my destiny, The Baal and Astoreth[2] to whom I bowed, 20 At human shrines a worldly worshiper, Adoring beauteous dust, my fellow clay, And coveting an earthly immortality.
And at the feet of these dear deities, Careless of great Jehovah"s smile or frown, In the fresh morning of my youth"s fair might, Slumbering I dreamed, till golden grew the dawn.
A strange and stern awakening--a sky, Pearl, gold, and sapphire, clear and calm till then, Cloud-curtained, grim, with anger audible, 30 Tortured and torn with swift-flung darts of fire; Booming and crashing, bolt on bolt descends; Earth, air, and heaven are wrapt in roaring flame.
And when the rifted storm has rolled away, And stillness reascends her solemn throne, Ruin looks forth from retrospection"s tower, And memory weeps where desolation reigns.
It was the end. Dispelled illusion"s dream.
Youth"s fond ideals, thunder-stricken, strewn, Lay level with the dust. But light had come! 40 My soul had cast its fetters and was free.
I slept and dreamed no more; I was awake!
And saw and heard with other eyes and ears, Which taught me things unseen, unheard, before; Things new yet old--old as eternity, Old e"en to time, though new and strange to me.
I talked with Truth on solemn mountain tops; I soared with winged thought the sunlit dome; Studied the midnight stars; and when anon The hurrying, far-flung legions of the storm 50 In supermortal might went forth to war, Would fain have charioted the charging plain, Or spurred the tempest as a battle steed, Grasping the volted lightnings as they flew, And thundering through the mists on things below.
Rejoicing in my new-found strength, I gave Glory to Him, the Source and Sire of all; That G.o.d whom I had neither loved nor feared, That G.o.d whom now I worshipt and adored.
Who girdled me with Light, truth"s triple key[3], 60 Unlocking what hath been, what yet shall be, Probing death"s gloom, life"s three-fold mystery, Solving the secret--Whither, Whence and Why.
Oh, wondrous transformation! when with wand Of wakening might, that all-uplifting power Waved o"er the cross where hung fond hopes impaled, Waved o"er the tomb where loved ambitions lay, Touched the strewn fragments of my shattered dream, Bidding the dead arise in bodies new, Building, on ruined hope, faith"s battlement, 70 Love"s palace, peace-domed, pinnacled in light, In glory greater than earth"s grandest dream, Than glittering fame"s most splendid spectacle; Ideal transcending ideality, Ideal made real past all reality!
Whose earth-dimmed eye could see what then I saw?
Whose earth-dulled ear such harmonies could hear?
When the all-searching Spirit tore the veil Of things that seem, and showed me things that are.
Beauty, both good and evil--lamp to heaven 80 Or lure-light o"er the marshes of despair.