Majesty
Ye blighting Breaths that creep o'er Nature's face--
Ye pestilential Airs, that fix your grasp
Upon earth's fairest spots, and rankle there--
Ye old Waste Places, who delight to hold
In sullen gloom your solitary reign--
Enjoy your cheerless work while yet you may;
For soon your places shall be known no more.
Ye hosts of Evil Passions, who have reigned,
Offspring of Sin, within the hearts of men--
A little space is left you yet, to rule;
To urge men on in wickedness; but lo,
Your days are numbered, and your tomb prepared.
In the great, final day, all these shall die
A death that has no hope of life again.
So will earth's Great Restorer renovate,
And overturn and purify, till not,
In all his wide domain, one lingering scar
Of Death's defacement stays, or mark of Sin;
They with their works forever, now, destroyed,
And in the universe renewed, for them
Will ne'er a secret lurking place be found.
Thus will at last, the dire effects, in full,
Of man's first disobedience, be repaired,
And all that then was lost, doubly restored;
God's great design fulfilled, that earth should be
The bright abode of man sinless and pure;--
For then will all, all the redeemed of men,
Through Christ the Son, to God be reconciled,
And never more, in word or act displease;
But crowned with songs, and everlasting joy
Upon their heads, reign with their glorious King;
For in his beauty, as he is, shall they
Behold him there, and to his glorious form,
Fashioned, be like him then. Corroding fear,
On perfect joy that every bosom swells,
Wages no war; for Peace, in heavenly garb,
Wide o'er the earth her holy wings shall spread.
Blood thirsts no more for blood, nor enemy,
Crouches to man in beast or serpent now.
The poisonous tooth and deadly sting, shall here
Be known no more; and on the aspic's den,
The infant child unharmed shall gleeful play.
Peace with her golden scepter rules the world:
The lamb fears not to see the wolf approach;
The leopard with the kid shall calm lie down;
The calf, the fatling, and the lion young,
Together; and a little harmless child
Shall lead them all; for naught shall there destroy
In all my holy mountain, saith the Lord.
Hail Earth renewed! Celestial Paradise!
Fit dwelling place, with all thy loveliness,
Thy long reproach forever wiped away,
And fairer now than when at first thy God
Pronounced thee good--fit dwelling place, so pure,
So beauteous, so adorned with smiling peace,
For all the saints, all the redeemed of men;
Who through thy gates, immortal City fair,
Thy gates of pearl, will freely enter in,
Where violence and riot never come,
And walk thy bright and dazzling streets of gold;
And to the stream of life, the crystal stream
Fast by the throne of God, have access free;
And from the tree of life, high arching o'er,
Pluck the eternal fruit and eat and live;
And in thy gladening smiles, O King of saints!
Glory unspeakable possess; for in
Thy presence bright, there fullness is of joy,
At thy right hand, pleasures forever more.
Lift up your heads, and shout aloud for joy!
Ye heirs of glory! Your redemption comes!
Your day of glorious triumph draweth nigh!
Ye on whose brow already care has worn
His furrows deep, fresh courage take; for soon,
A crown of life shall shed its lustre there.
Let hope spring up anew to cheer you on;
For you are taking now the last sad steps
Within this wilderness of darkness drear.
O Church of Philadelphia! Christ hath said,
Before thee have I set an open door,
And none can shut it; for thou yet hast left
A little strength, and thou hast kept my word
And not denied my name; lo I will make
Them of the synagogue of Satan, who
Profess that they are Jews, while they are not;
And they shall come and worship at thy feet.
And that thou hast my word of patience kept,
Therefore will I preserve thee from the hour,
The strong temptation hour, which soon shall come,
On all the world to try the sons of men.
Lo! I come quickly! Hold fast what thou hast
That no man take thy crown; for unto him
That overcometh, will I grant to be
A pillar in the temple of my God.
Then lift your voices loud and sing ye saints!
Sing honor, praise, and glory unto God,
Who gives us foretaste of the coming joy
To cheer our weary way; who grants so great,
So precious prize to crown so short a race.
Soon in the holy City shall we strike
Our golden harps, to glory's anthems tuned.
Earth's toil will then be done, earth's care all o'er.
Its woes, its griefs, its passions and its tears,
All gone and all forgotten; while we raise,
With seraphim and high arch-angel joined
In silver tones our hallelujahs, loud,
Wide o'er the fields of bliss; and Heaven shall ring
With high hosannas, and sweet notes of joy;
While we ascribe, glory, and power and might,
All power, all glory, and all majesty,
Blessing and honor to our God, and to
The Lamb, who hath redeemed us by his blood,
To reign with him in glory evermore
And share his blessing, ages without end.
1853 UrS, WVTP 110