"On the next Sunday, who knows! perhaps I shall rest in the graveyard!
Some one perhaps of yourselves, a lily broken untimely, Bow down his head to the earth; why delay I? the hour is accomplished, Warm is the heart;--I will! for to-day grows the harvest of heaven.
What I began accomplish I now; what failing therein is I, the old man, will answer to God and the reverend father.
Say to me only, ye children, ye denizens new-come in heaven, Are ye ready this day to eat of the bread of Atonement?
What it denoteth, that know ye full well, I have told it you often.
Of the new covenant symbol it is, of Atonement a token, Stablished between earth and heaven.Man by his sins and transgressions Far has wandered from God, from his essence.'T was in the beginning Fast by the Tree of Knowledge he fell, and it hangs its crown o'er the Fall to this day; in the Thought is the Fall; in the Heart the Atonement.
Infinite is the fall,--the Atonement infinite likewise.
See! behind me, as far as the old man remembers, and forward, Far as Hope in her flight can reach with her wearied pinions, Sin and Atonement incessant go through the lifetime of mortals.
Sin is brought forth full-grown; but Atonement sleeps in our bosoms Still as the cradled babe; and dreams of heaven and of angels, Cannot awake to sensation; is like the tones in the harp's strings, Spirits imprisoned, that wait evermore the deliverer's finger.
Therefore, ye children beloved, descended the Prince of Atonement, Woke the slumberer from sleep, and she stands now with eyes all resplendent.
Bright as the vault of the sky, and battles with Sin and o'ercomes her.
Downward to earth he came and, transfigured, thence reascended, Not from the heart in like wise, for there he still lives in the Spirit, Loves and atones evermore.So long as Time is, is Atonement.
Therefore with reverence take this day her visible token.
Tokens are dead if the things live not.The light everlasting Unto the blind is not, but is born of the eye that has vision.
Neither in bread nor in wine, but in the heart that is hallowed Lieth forgiveness enshrined; the intention alone of amendment Fruits of the earth ennobles to heavenly things, and removes all Sin and the guerdon of sin.Only Love with his arms wide extended, Penitence wee ping and praying; the Will that is tried, and whose gold flows Purified forth from the flames; in a word, mankind by Atonement Breaketh Atonement's bread, and drinketh Atonement's wine-cup.
But he who cometh up hither, unworthy, with hate in his bosom, Scoffing at men and at God, is guilty of Christ's blessed body, And the Redeemer's blood! To himself he eateth and drinketh Death and doom ! And from this, preserve us, thou heavenly Father!
Are ye ready, ye children, to eat of the bread of Atonement?
Thus with emotion he asked, and together answered the children, "Yes!" with deep sobs interrupted.Then read he the due supplications, Read the Form of Communion, and in chimed the organ and anthem:
"O Holy Lamb of God, who takest away our transgressions, Hear us! give us thy peace! have mercy, have mercy upon us!"Th' old man, with trembling hand, and heavenly pearls on his eyelids, Filled now the chalice and paten, and dealt round the mystical symbols.
Oh, then seemed it to me as if God, with the broad eye of midday, Clearer looked in at the windows, and all the trees in the church yard Bowed down their summits of green, and the grass on the graves 'gan to shiver But in the children (I noted it well ; I knew it) there ran a Tremor of holy rapture along through their ice-cold members.
Decked like an altar before them, there stood the green earth, and above it Heaven opened itself, as of old before Stephen; they saw there Radiant in glory the Father, and on his right hand the Redeemer.
Under them hear they the clang of harpstrings, and angels from gold clouds Beckon to them like brothers, and fan with their pinions of purple.
Closed was the Teacher's task, and with heaven in their hearts and their faces, Up rose the children all, and each bowed him, weeping full sorely, Downward to kiss that reverend hand, but all of them pressed he Moved to his bosom, and laid, with a prayer, his hands full of blessings, Now on the holy breast, and now on the innocent tresses.
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KING CHRISTIAN
A NATIONAL SONG OF DENMARK
King Christian stood by the lofty mast In mist and smoke;His sword was hammering so fast, Through Gothic helm and brain it passed;Then sank each hostile hulk and mast, In mist and smoke.
"Fly!" shouted they, "fly, he who can!
Who braves of Denmark's Christian The stroke?"Nils Juel gave heed to the tempest's roar, Now is the hour!
He hoisted his blood-red flag once more, And smote upon the foe full sore, And shouted Loud, through the tempest's roar, "Now is the hour!""Fly!" shouted they, "for shelter fly!
Of Denmark's Juel who can defy The power?"North Sea! a glimpse of Wessel rent Thy murky sky!
Then champions to thine arms were sent;
Terror and Death glared where he went;
From the waves was heard a wail, that rent Thy murky sky!
From Denmark, thunders Tordenskiol', Let each to Heaven commend his soul, And fly!
Path of the Dane to fame and might!
Dark-rolling wave!
Receive thy friend, who, scorning flight Goes to meet danger with despite, Proudly as thou the tempest's might Dark-rolling wave!
And amid pleasures and alarm;
And war and victory, be thine arms My grave!
THE ELECTED KNIGHT
Sir Oluf he rideth over the plain, Full seven miles broad and seven miles wide, But never, ah never can meet with the man A tilt with him dare ride.
He saw under the hillside A Knight full well equipped;His steed was black, his helm was barred;He was riding at full speed.
He wore upon his spurs Twelve little golden birds;Anon he spurred his steed with a clang, And there sat all the birds and sang.
He wore upon his mail Twelve little golden wheels;Anon in eddies the wild wind blew, And round and round the wheels they flew.
He wore before his breast A lance that was poised in rest;And it was sharper than diamond-stone, It made Sir Oluf's heart to groan.