Latter-Day Psalms

¶10THE CITY

¶11I went into a city to see if there be God.

¶12The sun was hidden from my sight; the cityroared in my ears.

¶13The people hurried to and fro all the daylong; their eyes were unquiet.

¶14The half of them starved, and saw death dailybefore them. The half of them were sur-feited, and stirred up strange desires.

¶15Things of no moment were in their mindsall the day long. They fought one withanother, as monkeys over a straw.

¶16With ceremony they made believe to beholy; yet were they proud of apingthe wicked.

¶17The men whetted their lust upon the women;and the women were weary of mother-hood.

¶18The men and women were loathsome, for theyhad forgotten love.

¶19I said, " If there be God, has he made them so?What part had God in the founding ofthis city?"

¶20I saw that the children were marred evenin the womb; that God assailed themwith temptations while yet they wereweak.

¶21I saw that the good men of the city flourishednot. The city had not been founded forthem.

¶22But surely man and not God founded thecity. How shall I condemn God for theblunders of men?

¶23Yet God has permitted slaughter of theinnocents. Does the Most High Goddelight in a sacrifice of souls?

¶24I said in my pride, "If there be God, heshall be no God of mine. I will gomy way, and live according as my soulwills.

¶25I will make war upon thee, evil God. Thoughthou slay me, I will contrive justice andmercy against thy will."

¶26SPIRIT

¶27But behold, the heavens around me were verybeautiful. The multitude of stars smiledupon me.

¶28The lights of the city trembled beneath me asit were in sorrow; and her murmur wasmusic.

¶29Peace came upon me, and exaltation; and Imarvelled that I should be exalted.

¶30I was as though some spirit within me hadcertain knowledge of God, declaring, "Heis gentle. He is merciful."

¶31But I looked upon the city, and rejectedcomfort, saying, "Nay, thou foolishimagination."

¶32But the spirit would not be put down. Itgloried within me.

¶33And I saw that the spirit was excellent beyondall that I called good, and merciful beyondmy mercy.

¶34And I was amazed, and said, "Surely thou onlyart God who dwellest in my heart. Andthou rulest the stars."

¶35OMNIPOTENCE

¶36I went into an open place under the stars.The city lay beneath me, and her soundwas subdued.

¶37I saw that the hosts of heaven perform thatwhich was ordained in the beginning.The city was ordained in the beginningalso.

¶38I looked into the far place beyond the stars.I hearkened to a little wind of the earthwhispering among the grasses.

¶39And a great fear fell upon me out of theheavens, because of the majesty of God.

¶40I said, "How shall I call thee just or unjust?Thou art mighty, and I am very small.

¶41I am weary of myself because I am so small.I am contemptible in my own eyes be-cause thou hast ordained what I mustwill.

¶42Wherefore hast thou sickened this thy littleearth with a fever of life? Whereforehast thou made the swarms of men to fretupon her?

¶43Thou hast made the heavens for thy plaything.Thou breakest the heart of man like atoy."

¶44My spirit was dried up within me. I sat with-out meditation.

¶45WHO ART THOU?

¶46Who art thou that dwellest in the hearts ofmen; and speakest in my heart daily, sothat I call thee God?

¶47I feel thee excellent within me. I bowdown to thee in the secret place withinme.

¶48Thou hast made me a law, and I will keep it.

¶49I go amongst men, thinking of thee, saying, " Iwill be like to thee; they that are like tothee are men."

¶50Thou art beautiful, and abhorrest that whichis vile. Who art thou that hast madethyself beautiful out of the sorrow ofmen?

¶51Thou didst make the nations to toil, that theymight bring thee out of darkness intolight. Art thou God for whom thepeoples suffer?

¶52Thou art more beautiful from generation togeneration. Shall the peoples suffer forthee daily more and more?

¶53I rose up and cried against thee blasphemouslyin the world, saying, "I scorn thee, thoucruel God."

¶54But thou speakest within me: I am boweddown before thee.

¶55HUMANITY

¶56The Spirit that dwells in the hearts of menspoke within me, saying:

¶57Oh my children, ye in whom I live, ye thathave suffered for me to make me beautiful!

¶58Think ye that I have slain my children will-ingly? I am not God who has ordainedpain.

¶59I am the Spirit dwelling in your hearts. Yelive that I may be beautiful.

¶60Ye are of me, but I am greater than you. Iam the Soul of All Men.

¶61In the days of my darkness, when I knew notmyself, I was like a child, living in adream.

¶62Out of the lives of the ancient multitudes Ihave awakened and found myself. Andlo! I am beautiful, and yearn toward God.

¶63God has given me a law; and I will keep it.

¶64I will make myself perfect. I will be beauti-ful in the eyes of God.

¶65I will stand before him joyful as a bride. Iwill be for him a bride or a sacrifice accord-ing to his will.

¶66As for you, my children, my little ones, thesorrow that ye have suffered cannot beundone.

¶67But the sorrow that ye have suffered shall notbe wasted. Because ye have suffered,behold, I am.

¶68The lives of all the multitudes are gatheredin me. There shall no little soul be lost.

¶69When I stand before God, the sorrow and thejoy that ye have suffered for me shall bein my beauty. In my blessedness ye shallbe blessed.

¶70Therefore hearken unto me when I speak inyour hearts; for I know God.

¶71MEN

¶72Behold the sons of men, who sin, whose heartsare divine!

¶73In selfishness they heap up misery upon oneanother; yet for love they die.

¶74They are blown hither and thither like thedead leaves; yet for love they are stead-fast.

¶75They trample on their kindred for a littlebread; yet for a vision they forget them-selves.

¶76Scatter gold among them, and they fall uponone another in lust. Show them God, andbehold them sons of God.

¶77I went into the city to be with men, and tolearn their hearts.

¶78I met them in the streets and in the publicplaces, and the Spirit greeted me throughtheir eyes, even from behind their hardnessof heart.

¶79I was with them in their homes, and their heartsopened to me like roses, so that I amfilled with the fragrance that is in men'shearts.

¶80TIME

¶81Wherefore hast thou made the world that itshall die, and the heavens that they shallburn out like a flame?

¶82What wilt thou do when the stars are all ex-tinguished, and there is no place for life?

¶83The sons of men have builded for themselves ahouse of beauty. It is continually em-bellished.

¶84The last of the generations shall dwell thereinand die; and the beauty that was buildedshall be no more.

¶85A lover and his beloved have met together inthe evening. Evening shall return, butthey return not.

¶86The home that seemed eternal is broken upand scattered. The children rememberit; they die; it is no more.

¶87I am heavy of heart because of fleeting time,and because all things come to nought.

¶88GOD

¶89The voice of God spake out of his creation:

¶90I have made a law, that is my law of beauty.I have ordained my heavens that theyshall blossom and wither away.

¶91The flower shall die, but the seed shall flourish.Like a flower, the world shall perish,but the spirit that is born therein shalllive.

¶92If the spirit has need, shall I not make otheruniverses for her sake, to be etherealaccording to her necessity?

¶93As for you, oh Men, out of lifelessness I madeyou to live. Out of unconsciousness Igave you the glory of thought.

¶94Have ye fear that I will let you slip againinto nothingness? Do ye hunger aftereternity all your life long?

¶95Be sure that if ye die utterly, it is best thatye die; and if ye live for ever, it is bestthat ye live.

¶96For I have made you to fulfil my purpose.Nothing that is in you shall be lostfrom me.

¶97I have made you that ye shall create love andvictory. That which ye create I will notdestroy.

¶98That ye may be courageous, I have hidden thefuture from you. That ye may conceivethe light, I have laid my hand over youreyes and covered you in darkness.

¶99That ye may know hope and despair, I havetempted you with many ideals, even whileI resist all your striving for ever.

¶100Yea, that ye may excel in fortitude, I willharass you all the days of your life, andseem to defeat you for ever.

¶101That ye may love, I have tuned you togetherlike music, so that in loneliness ye fulfilnot yourselves.

¶102That ye may increase in love, I have givenyou the means to sacrifice; that ye maysacrifice to love, and know that love is best.

¶103That ye may know the peace of love, I have setin each of you the desire of a dear friend;that ye may look upon each other inwonder and delight, and be sufficient eachto another.

¶104That ye may know the glory of love, I havespoken to you in your friend's voice; and inthe eyes of your beloved ye have seen me.

¶105Thus shall ye join with all my creatures increating for me love. Its dearness and itssplendour ye shall make for me.

¶106Thus only shall ye come into the knowledge ofme. Thus shall ye love me.

¶107In each of my stars I have set a mighty spiritto increase in beauty. The peoples thatdwell upon the multitude of my stars arebeyond number.

¶108Exalted are they who look to Sirius and Alde-baran as ye look to the sun. There aregentle peoples who praise me out of themidst of the Pleiades.

¶109In every part of my heaven there is life livingtogether; and out of its loving a spirit isborn, to be the soul of each star.

¶110Behold, these are my ministers who do mypleasure; who yearn towards one anotheracross the great abyss;

¶111Who fill my heaven with song, as it were alittle room bursting with voices;

¶112Who shall draw near together and be one soul,creating for me my heart's desire.

¶113THE HEAVENS DECLARE

¶114Hast thou heard the song of the heavens, thechorus of innumerable stars?

¶115If thou lie out in the darkness on the bare heathwhen the music of the wind is at rest, andthe murmur of men is very far away; ifthou listen with all thy soul, thou shalt hearthe song of the heavens.

¶116Thou shalt know that thou art clinging to a littlestar that is like a mote flying on the storm.And the voices of the mighty shall be aboutthee.

¶117They shall be singing a great song. They shalloverwhelm thee with harmony.

¶118The Spirit of Man lifteth up her voice in thechorus. There were not harmony with-out her.

¶119Thou shalt hear her song rising beside thee as itwere the song of a child; but the voices ofthe mighty shall overwhelm thee even fromthe heavens that lie beyond thy sight.

¶120The purport of the singing thou shalt not under-stand; but thy soul shall be filled withmusic.

¶121Thy soul shall respond as it were a harp answer-ing to the wind. Thy soul shall be musicalaccording to her capacity.

¶122There shall no more of the harmony enterthee than thou canst bear; but thou shaltfeel glory round about thee.

¶123Thou shalt hear lamentation as of a passionatesorrow, that mourneth in all the regions ofheaven;

¶124The sorrow in which beauty shall be broughtforth; the terror of the darkness where thereshall be light.

¶125Thou shalt hear triumph as of one glorying inhis death; the triumph of spirit fulfilled.

¶126Thou shalt hear, as it were a melody exceedingsweet, the truth of that which thou callest love,when thou feelest it a little and art exalted.

¶127But what is thy loving to the loving of theheavens, whereby they are made one?

¶128Whereby the past liveth in the future; where-by the future and the past are one.

¶129The voice of Heaven is one voice, singing asong of praise.

¶130The voice of Heaven is one voice, singing asong of love.

¶131Heaven prepareth for her beloved. The be-loved of Heaven is God.

¶132MY CUP RUNNETH OVER

¶133Thou hast set me in the midst of beauty.What am I that I should be singled outfor joy?

¶134The trees clothe themselves in the green colourof spring; their branches are filled with thesong of many birds.

¶135By day the glory of the sun flows in my veins,filling me with content. By night the starscall out my spirit in worship, and I am lostamong them.

¶136In the setting of the sun and in men's works Isee beauty; in the storm and in the thrustof a spade.

¶137Thou hast made me to take delight in music,whereby my spirit ascends I know notwhither.

¶138Thou hast made me to take delight in thethoughts of the great, the heritage of thegenerations.

¶139Thou hast made me to take delight in men andwomen, and to seek the keys of theirhearts.

¶140Thou hast made me to love. Surely she is thydaughter whose home is my heart, for sheis like to thee.

¶141Wherefore hast thou blessed me thus beyondmeasure? What am I that I should besingled out for joy?

¶142I have no merit beyond my brother. Have Istolen my brother's blessing?

¶143He has no respite from labouring all the daylong, and the fruit of his labour he shallnot use.

¶144The fruit of his labour is my beatitude.Because of him I have leisure to seekbeauty.

¶145His eyes are blinded with toil. He is cursedbecause of me.

¶146Why dost thou not destroy me in anger? Hastthou no vengeance terrible enough for me?

¶147Dost thou lie in wait for me till the cup of joybe full; to dash it from me?

¶148Rather thou hast poisoned it with shameand self-despising. I drink to my soul'sdeath.

¶149Shall I renounce beauty? Shall I blind myselfthat I may be as my brother?

¶150Shall I withdraw me from pollution for my ownsoul's sake, and deny myself selfishly?

¶151Oh, rather let me bow the head humbly beforemy brother, and say, "I am thy servant,who would help thee to beauty.

¶152Because of thy toil I have known beauty.I will not rest until thou know heralso."

¶153THE REBEL

¶154Thus spake the oppressed:

¶155What have I to do with God? What has Goddone for me?

¶156He thrust me into the world hungry, and Icould get no food.

¶157He made others to surfeit, that my mouthmight water.

¶158He made me to desire pleasure and shun pain, andoverwhelmed me with heavy toil and grief.

¶159He made me to love, and to hunger for love;but what home for love have I?

¶160He made me to guess that there is beauty, andset his favoured ones to proclaim beautylest I should forget.

¶161But the door of his heaven he fixed ajar, that Imight hear and not enter.

¶162And ye speak to me of worship and the joy ofsacrifice! Wherefore should I sacrifice toyou and to your tyrant God?

¶163Mighty is your God, for he made the stars andenslaved the peoples. Loving he is not,for he made me.

¶164LABOUR

¶165I heard a voice of anger rising out of the city,the voice of many men:

¶166Where is the oppressor? Who is it that hasbound us to his will?

¶167We are like a man who would tread down fire,but it springs up behind him anew.

¶168Where is the oppressor, that we may throwhim down, and cast him into the hell thathe has made?

¶169We have risen against one, but he vows it isnot he; and against another, but he re-proaches us, saying, "Friends, I am yourfriend."

¶170Where is the oppressor, he that lurks in thedarkness to torment us?

¶171Is he more worthy than we, that we shouldbe his slaves? Or is he a god, that weshould be a sacrifice to him?

¶172Is it he that put weapons into the hands of thefirst men, that they might overcome thebeasts?

¶173Is it he that sweated to make the earth bringforth in the beginning, wrestling withtools against the wild?

¶174Did he pile up the wide, mouldering cities ofthe dead? Is it his blood that is uponthe pyramids?

¶175Did he lay himself down to die on the oldfrontiers, that there might be peace behindhim?

¶176Did he build roads and bridges with his hands?Did he make the corn to grow for in-numerable harvests?

¶177Did he cramp his back under the earth to bringup coal and all metals? Does he diedaily for our sakes?

¶178It is our backs that are bent. It is we thattoil from the beginning until the end ofthe world.

¶179It is we that hand down an increasing inherit-ance to all the generations, making theearth to be a pleasant home.

¶180We are mighty in labour. We have greatwork to do.

¶181Who dare hinder us? Who dare squanderwhat we have made?

¶182Where is the oppressor, the devourer, theaccurst?

¶183STRIFE

¶184Spirit rages against spirit. The sons of Godcontend together in long war.

¶185The storm breaks up the trees. The stormcasts down the strong trees gladly.

¶186The sea has no regard for ships. He devoursthe mariners like food.

¶187Plagues rot the peoples. The little creaturesof pestilence revel in the bodies of men.

¶188With mild eyes the stag beseeches the hunter;but the hunter will not understand.

¶189Warriors go forth from their homes, freshwith kisses. They go to destroy oneanother, made glad with the prayer ofnations.

¶190Each host calls the sun friend, and the starsgive heart to each on the night marches.

¶191They rush together in battle, calling on Godfor victory. Each cries, "God is on ourside."

¶192But the one conquers and the other is sweptaway. The deed of the one flourishes,but the other has striven in vain.

¶193The victor exults, saying, "The stars are jubi-lant for us." The vanquished mourns,"The stars weep because of our fall."

¶194For I am my universe. Out of my ownheaven I gather splendour, and weavethereof the desire of my heart.

¶195From the midst of myself I look out uponmy neighbour; but how shall I fathomwhat is beyond the stars?

¶196I cannot see his heaven. He strives for whatI scorn.

¶197We meet together without understanding ofone another, as it were two ships passingin the night. We are but as meteors inone another's sky.

¶198But if the desires of our hearts clash, ourworlds are shattered together. We rushinto conflict, crying, "God is on ourside."

¶199We gather our friends together, crying, "Helpto resist the Fiend, lest he tear the worldasunder, and Hell triumph."

¶200It is so with the selfish and the unselfish,the wise and the foolish, the lowly andthe mighty; with him who labours forhis children, and him who would savethe people.

¶201It is so with kings and priests, warriors and meekmen. It is so with the prophets of God.

¶202Spirit rages against spirit; the sons of Godcall upon God to destroy his sons.

¶203In the multitude there are innumerable long-ings. The desires of a people are like ahost of wings that clash together strivingto soar.

¶204A multitude of men is as a multitude ofworlds; and in the midst of each is aheart's desire.

¶205Who shall measure the span of the mindsof all the living; and the longings ofall the generations?

¶206Who shall count the sum of all strivingsince first there was desire; or tell thepain of all failing since the first heartbroke?

¶207The achievement of men is glorious as atower reaching up to heaven; but thedeeds that have had no fruit, and thestriving whose fruit is bitterness, cannotbe told.

¶208It has left no trace; yet is it great as thehost of the dead.

¶209Is it wasted and utterly lost? Or does it livein some good done without knowledge?

¶210Martyrs bear witness in the world. Theirzeal gives light.

¶211But what of him that strives in secret andprevails not? And of him whose heartis broken within him, and yet he mustmake merry?

¶212And what of the trees overthrown by thetempest, and the seed that is strewnupon the water?

¶213What of the mariners whose lives are cutshort; and the soldiers whose homes aredesolate?

¶214What of the peoples that have destroyed oneanother; and the peoples whose spirit hasnot lived?

¶215And what of the sacrifice that is rejected, andthe love that is driven away?

¶216Believe that these are of great worth! Doubtnot that their worth is everlasting!

¶217For spirit lives by energy and love. Out ofsuffering also blossoms the flower, spirit.

¶218Though we utterly die and cease, spirit diesnot. Wherefore do we live and die butthat spirit may be?

¶219Believe that spirit is eternal! Yea, though theworld a thousand times prove thee that itdies, believe, for it is cowardly to doubt.

¶220There is that within thee which compels thee tobelieve; so that thou shalt triumphantlyaffirm, "I know."

¶221Behold! The wrath of spirit against spirit isthe raging of wave against wave, whereinis the strength of the ocean.

¶222The diversity of spirit, which is infinite as theuniverse, is but the diversity of one soul.The diversity of spirit is God's joy.

¶223SALVATION

¶224"Save thy soul," saith the preacher. "Be thatthy one care."

¶225Is there then nothing more urgent for thee thanto save thy soul? Was it for that onlythat spirit was entrusted to thee?

¶226"Live rightly," saith the preacher, "that thoumayest have peace; and blessedness here-after."

¶227Is it for thine own comfort that thou wilt liverightly? With a little virtue wilt thoubargain for heaven?

¶228"God seeks thee," saith the preacher. "He im-plores thee to come to him. For very loveof thee he reaches out both hands to savethee."

¶229And wilt thou turn to God in the love of thy-self? And wilt thou love God to savethy soul?

¶230Is it for her soul's sake that a mother loves?Does she deny herself that she may beblessed hereafter?

¶231And what is thy soul that it is so preciousto thee, and thy salvation that thou mustcare for it?

¶232Thy soul is but one among the souls of men;and in the company of the great, what is it?

¶233And beside the Spirit it is less than a glow-wormshining against the sun. In the midst ofthe living heaven what art thou beside thesouls of stars?

¶234Thou and all things yearn after salvation. Ifthou save thyself alone, thou hast donenothing.

¶235Men, yea, and the stars, call upon thee for help.But thou broodest on thy soul.

¶236If indeed thou hast a soul, forget it. Come outfrom it, and enter into the hope and fearthat is greater than thou.

¶237Sacrifice even thy soul gladly if the world need.Or if thou canst save it, save it not to bethine, but to be God's.

¶238ATHENA

¶239Daughter of the Most High! Spirit thatreignest in the minds of men!

¶240Thou art that through which all living thingsare kin, even the highest with the lowest.

¶241In the beginning thou didst enter into thewaters; and there was life.

¶242Thou didst make for thyself creatures; andthou dwellest as a spirit in each.

¶243Thou didst lead the beasts towards wisdom,that there might be men.

¶244Thou wert in the minds of the first peopleswhen they wearied of brutishness, whenthey opened their eyes and saw beauty.

¶245Thou makest the peoples to conquer the earthand tame the lightning and understand thestars, that their spirits may be enlarged inwisdom and virtue.

¶246Thou wilt make of mankind a noble being,even Humanity thy minister.

¶247Thou dwellest in each of thy servants, to directhis ways.

¶248Thou makest thy men heroes; thy women arehigh-souled.

¶249In evil times thou enlightenest the mind withfortitude. Thou hast established thespirit in wisdom.

¶250Thou art not dismayed by the darkness ofheaven and the baseness of men. Thouunderstandest, and contrivest light.

¶251For thou art a sure truth in the mind, and asecurity against dismay.

¶252Thou art the peace whence comes faith, andthe blessedness that can accept all sorrow.

¶253Thou restrainest thine anger, because thouunderstandest.

¶254Thy love is calm and has few words; but itchanges not, for thou lovest with under-standing.

¶255Thou temperest joy from excess. A quietheart is thy home.

¶256Thou art the serene sky, and the wind of thehills. Thou dwellest behind steadfasteyes.

¶257Spirit, be with us lest we fall again into brutish-ness, lest we be scattered again into thedust.

¶258Take us to be thy ministers, that we mayspread thy good word.

¶259APOLLO

¶260Poet, whose song is the universe! Creator, whohast made the world as the expression ofthine art!

¶261Thou hast taken stars and space to be thy lan-guage. Life and death is the music of thylyre.

¶262From the hearts of men thou strikest thy richchords. Thou soundest a melody out ofeach man's life.

¶263Thy work is terrible and fair, for thou hast noaim but beauty.

¶264Thou hast set joy to shine forth against sor-row, as the blue sky in the midst of thestorm.

¶265Thou carest not for the happines of men. Forbeauty only hast thou care.

¶266Thou wilt not make sorrow to cease, for tragedyis beautiful.

¶267Therefore are hearts broken, even to fulfil thyharmony.

¶268Therefore are souls degraded into the pit. Yea,even souls are destroyed.

¶269Therefore are the nations crushed, and all thecreatures of life swept away.

¶270For thy universe is a great music; wherein isterror, darkness, and a singing melody ofjoy;

¶271Wherein is strife and victory; and a hauntingdespair;

¶272Wherein is love lyric, and love serene; whereinis love triumphant, and love overthrownby Time.

¶273Thou hast struck forth thy universe in an ecstasythat it may perfectly declare thy thought.

¶274Thou attainest the whole span of beauty, andthe harmony thereof is passing sweet andwild.

¶275Thy sign is the sun, which burns upon the seain his uprising, and emblazons the heavenwith fire;

¶276Which kindles all dark things into splendour,and exalts a man to cry, " Hail, God,my brother!"

¶277For all who create are thy kin; and all mencreate;

¶278Both the makers of song and music, and theythat speak through colour and form;

¶279They that contrive great books, and they thatlive fair lives;

¶280They that mould peoples, and they that bringup sons to be noble.

¶281Master! Breathe into us thy spirit, that we maycreate beauty every day;

¶282That our lives may be as a song, that is sung inharmony with thee.

¶283ARTEMIS

¶284Spirit! Who art purity on the white moun-tains, which inhabit the zenith with stead-fastness;

¶285Who art purity in the crescent moon, that risesin the dawn and is lost in the sun's light;

¶286Who art purity in the frosty sky; and in thelightning also;

¶287Who art purity in the soul, and lookest outfrom the eyes like morning.

¶288In a world that is spirit thou art spirit excel-lent. In a world that is divine thou artthe holy of holies.

¶289Where all is beauty thou art that for whichbeauty strives. Where all is love it isthou that are beloved.

¶290Creation aspires to thee. She exists for thyworship.

¶291As for man, when thou makest his mind thyholy place he knows thee, and his lifeprophesies thee.

¶292But thou dwellest apart from the multitude,and thy visitation is to the elect.

¶293To him that pleases thee thou hast stooped inhis slumber to kiss him; and his dream isof thee, and his desire is toward theehenceforth for ever.

¶294Thou hast stood in his path on the mountain,or in the starlight, and he has boweddown in terror and joy.

¶295For thou art terrible; and if thine elect errthou wilt destroy his soul.

¶296But if he keep him pure for thee and worshipthee with his whole heart, there is no joybeside his.

¶297Goddess, dwell in us! For it is better to bethine than our own.

¶298OUR LADY OF HEAVEN

¶299Mother, who art in all life; who art thesweetness wherein is strength;

¶300Who makest the maiden tender-hearted, andthe matron steadfast;

¶301Who fillest the mind with loving-kindness, andmakest the heart strong to protect;

¶302Who puttest into the trees the desire to bearfruit, and into the beasts joy in theiryoung.

¶303Thou didst make the round world to bringforth life, and yield her sweetness day byday.

¶304In the beginning thou didst conceive the livingfire of heaven; wherefore thou wilt notcease to give thanks.

¶305The stars are thy children. Thou watchestover them with loving pride.

¶306Thou art the present smiling upon all that isto come, glorying in the child that shallbe fulfilled.

¶307Thou art humanity our sweet mother, wholiveth in her children's joy.

¶308Thou art in every woman; and the hearts ofmen are not without thee.

¶309Thou art the mild influence of the eveningpersuading men to rest.

¶310Thou art the blue sky, that puts away oursorrow, as a mother laughing over herchild.

¶311Thou art a whisper that is everywhere saying"There is nothing to fear."

¶312Mother, dwell in thy daughters that they maybe like to thee; and in thy sons that theymay know thee and do thee service.

¶313JAWEH

¶314O God, whose law is upon the heavens; whoselaw is not broken;

¶315Who orderest the courses of the stars, anddirectest the rain drops;

¶316There is nothing that errs from thy direction;the obedience is exact.

¶317Thou settest thy creatures one against another,and awardest victory according to thypleasure.

¶318Thou commandest the oak tree to grow intomajesty, that thou mayest triumph in thylightning.

¶319Thou makest merry in the thunder; theearthquake is the stirring of thy hands.

¶320Thou hast made for thyself an enemy to warupon thee. Thou hast given him courageand a sword, that thou mayest glory inhis fortitude.

¶321Thou hast made man to labour; and if hiswork displease thee, thou scatterest it likechaff.

¶322Thou hast appeared to man in splendour, so thathe cannot forget.

¶323Thou hast set thy precept in his heart, and ifhe err therefrom he shall die.

¶324Thou hast given to one strength to keep thycommandment, and to another thou hastordained sin.

¶325To the one thou hast awarded peace even insorrow. For the other thou hast set afiery hell in his heart to torment him.

¶326O God, we cannot understand thy govern-ment. Thy justice is not ours.

¶327But what thou wilt, that is just. O God,conform our will to thine.

¶328SATAN

¶329Thou who rebellest against the Almighty inall his dominion, scorning to be a slaveeven under him;

¶330Who puttest bitterness into the cup of hisvictory, and laughest in his face out ofHell;

¶331Who art for ever overpowered and never con-quered; who hast no hope and desirest norespite.

¶332Who hast thine own wisdom, whereby thouhast laid bare the treachery of the Al-mighty; and thine own virtue, whichis to be true to the wisdom thou hastgained;

¶333Who art God unto thyself, preserving thyselfwith a strong will.

¶334It is thou that makest the uprooted tree tosprout, and the stag at bay to be terrible.

¶335It is thou that puttest wrath into a man amonghis enemies, and into him that stands upone against the world.

¶336Thou art the god of heroes, and of those whobattle against fate.

¶337Teach us thy wisdom that we may scorn theAlmighty; and thy fortitude that we maynot shrink to cast him off.

¶338We hail thee, thou God in Man! We mag-nify thee against God in Heaven.

¶339CHRIST

¶340Thou lovest all things. Thou sharest all hopeand fear.

¶341Thou bearest the pain of the whole world, andits joy also.

¶342Thou respectest the life of a gnat. Thoutreadest not upon the dwelling of the ants.

¶343Thou knowest well the strength of desire. Thouhast entered into the sins of all men.

¶344Thou sayest to him who hates himself " Friend ";and to him who has lost heart thou imputestcourage.

¶345Thou trustest him who will not trust himself.Thou hast taken him to be thy minister.

¶346Thou respectest the bitterness of him whosework is lost, and thou sheddest sweetnessover him.

¶347If any victor be puffed up, thou understandestand smilest at him. Thou openest hisheart, and his pride blows away.

¶348If any two contend, each calling his cause holy,thou exultest with both; but into the heartof each thou whisperest understanding ofthe other.

¶349Thou holdest out thy hand to the outcast; andthou drawest all the peoples together.

¶350Thou losest thyself in every man and woman.Thou hast forgotten thyself for ever in love.

¶351Thou hast reached beyond man's wisdom, andthou hast come again into the faith of achild.

¶352Thou understandest the wisdom of theAlmighty, and thou art gladly at onewith him.

¶353Oh thou pattern unto all men, who dwellest inthe heart of every man! Oh thou God inMan, who knowest thyself God in Heaven!

¶354BRAHMA

¶355Thou everlasting, thou all-pervading, in whomall things have their being!

¶356As we feel our bodies, so feelest thou earth andheaven. Even as our bodies are filledeach with a life, so heaven is alive withthee.

¶357Thou feelest the drifting of a mote in the air,and of light in the ether.

¶358Thou feelest the passion of two lovers, andthe dying of a star.

¶359As our spirits excel over our bodies, so over theheaven transcendest thou.

¶360The flesh is but a dream of the spirit, andcreation is one of thy thoughts.

¶361Thou art the only fact. The rest is thineimagining.

¶362Thou dwellest in thyself for ever. Thouknowest thy whole self through andthrough.

¶363The blossoming of this universe passeth notaway. For thee all time is now.

¶364Time is, because there is blossoming; whereinthou hast made beauty to be.

¶365The soul of a man extendeth beyond theheavens; for thou art his soul.

¶366The soul of a man containeth the whole past andthe whole future; for thou art his soul.

¶367The soul of a man containeth all souls; for thouart his soul.

¶368Thou hast confined thyself in each of us, thatthou mayest put on infinite diversity.

¶369Behold, we bring thee each the diversity thatthou hast willed. We long to enter intothee.

¶370WAR

¶371"Come forth, oh ye young men of all thenations, for the Fiend is risen against youto destroy! "

¶372Who is the Fiend that is risen against us, andwherefore wills he to destroy?

¶373" He is your brother, who aspires Godward;and he is in arms, lest ye overthrow himand destroy."

¶374Wherefore should we come forth against ourbrother? We will not overthrow theservant of the Most High.

¶375" Be ye then overthrown and made nothing,and be ye abolished from among theservants of the Most High! "

¶376God commanded peace, and we will preserve it.In the ways of peace we serve the MostHigh.

¶377" God is enshrined among you, and ye shallpreserve him. Ye shall not meekly watchhis temple be cast down."

¶378So also say our brethren whom the Fiendpossesses; yet seek we not their temple tocast down.

¶379" The Fiend is risen against you, is risen againstyou! Shall the holy place of the LordGod be defiled?

¶380For the land that bred you is the holy place ofGod; but the land also of the enemy isholy land."

¶381We will not defile the holy lands with blood,and lay before God an offering of de-struction.

¶382" Arise! And overthrow the oppressor, whomarshals your brethren against you tomake you slaves."

¶383The oppressor also marshals us. We will nothelp him to enslave.

¶384" Rise up, ye young men of all the nations andlearn war, that ye may overthrow the op-pressor from all his dominion!

¶385The Lord God commands you to war, that theflame of your spirit may be kindled, thatye may feel God.

¶386For the shrine of the Most High is defiledin you, and he will purge it withwar.

¶387Therefore put off the habit of peace, and throwaway self, and set aside your heart'sdesire.

¶388Come forth! oh ye young men! For the LordGod has ordained a sacrament of courage,that the spirit of his peoples may be bornagain."

¶389Behold, then, we come forth in our millions!Behold, we are gathered together in nationsof armed men!

¶390We have put off the habit of peace, andthrown away self, and set aside our heart'sdesire.

¶391We young men have parted from our beloved,whom we thought to wed.

¶392We newly wedded shall not meet again. Shethat loves shall be left alone desolate.

¶393Homes shall be rooted up. Children shall cryafter their fathers in vain.

¶394Mothers shall give up their sons. Fathers shallbe alone in their old age.

¶395The dead shall be a mighty host; and thereshall be agony, and horror, and grief im-measurable.

¶396The innocent shall be trampled under foot, andthe victor shall be debased with blood-thirstiness.

¶397But the peoples shall rise up, and the oppressorshall fall.

¶398War music is in the air like a summons, and theheart beats to the drum.

¶399Therefore let us go forth gladly even into theplace that is Hell. Surely we will gosinging even down into the pit.

¶400For the Most High God is within us, and himwe will preserve.

¶401PEACE

¶402I heard a voice calling out of the battle,"Peace! let us make peace!" And thearmed hosts answered and sighed, "Peace,give us Peace!"

¶403All men and women in all the earth longed alsofor peace; saying, "We are weary, we arechastened, let us love one another andadvance the spirit."

¶404Peace shall come again. May the peoples bemade one!

¶405We shall gather up the threads again, even thethreads that war cut.

¶406Many shall come home rejoicing. Many shallreceive back their beloved.

¶407The spirit shall be kindled again in all menand women, and they shall worshiptogether.

¶408They shall give thanks for the new age, and forthe victory of the dead.

¶409And the souls of the dead shall be gathered

¶410into the spirit; and the spirit shallflourish.

¶411There shall be a new heaven and a new earth,and joy shall be again. But the dead shallnot come back.

¶412 Printed by BALLANTYNE, HANSON & Co. at Paul's Work, Edinburgh