God & the soul; a poem

Front matter

'acoD^

♦ SOUL

John L ancsLster Spalding

Introduction

THAT which is primary and essential in consciousness is feeling, and self-conscious being utters itself most intimately and most surely when it says, I am and God is — He is in me and I am in Him. God's presence in the soul of each one makes his world a world of truth, beauty, and goodness, which, since it is eternal and infinite, can never be wholly grasped, whether by thought or love, but must be forever sought and striven for with endless desire and patience. Religion, conduct, science, and art have as their end the establishment of a heavenly kingdom, wherein the soul, inspired by the love of God, illumines the all-pervading darkness of mystery and sin, and finds itself at home in realms where the Infinite Spirit gathers all things into everlasting harmony. If one should know all and see that God is not, the Universe would become for him a boundless mockery and lie, where none could hope or love, could have high thoughts or visions of celestial beauty. But once the soul is made conscious of God's immanence, it finds Him everywhere and in all : in prisons and in deserts, as in palaces and in golden fields of undulating grain ; in pain and sorrow, as in pleasure and delight. Of Him poets and orators sing and speak when their inspiration is deepest and purest. Of Him lovers think when they believe their love eternal. To Him mothers lift hearts of thankfulness and prayer when their gentle faces bend over their sleeping infants, or when disconsolate they are bowed over their graves. It is the feeling of kinship with Him that gives unity to the mind, steadfastness to the will, and aim and end to life. His Spirit clothes the Universe with splendor and fills hearts with sympathy and peace. Of Him we are aware, when the conquering dawn drives darkness afar and makes new worlds ; when the sun, gathering rich clouds of purple about him, brings the gloaming to beckon all weary workers to rest. Of His patience the stars remind us and the quiet earth; to His Eternity the mountains witness; [4]

of His power the ever-moving oceans tell ; of His beauty and loving-kindness the flowers and the eyes and voices of little children utter praise. Great priests and law-givers who with heroic souls have lifted peoples above their appetites into the realms of reason and of right have felt that they were called of God, and in His name they have commanded and decreed ; artists, still seeking and still despairing to fix the glory which forever flees, are lured by the light that encircles Him ; noblest warriors who have led armies to battle for their homes and their liberties, on their banners have inscribed His name ; and thinkers and students who never tire, when they have peered into all things from atoms to the brain of man, find Him or they find no life and truth, but only dust and death at the core of all. If science end not in Him, it ends in nothingness and despair; if possessions Hft not to His service and love, they harden and smother the soul until it dies ; if Fame center not in Him, it is but the shriek of ghosts within a charnel house ; if art lack the vision and the consecration which is Himself, it falls from the heavenly height and wallows foul and helpless in the sloughs of sense.

They who lose the power to believe in Him [ 5 ]

lose the power to hope and love, lose the power to admire worthily and to bear whatever may befall with hearts made strong and pure by suffering : but they who know Him, even now lead the immortal life of blessedness, though they wear a beggar's garb, scorned of men. In solitude. He is company ; in misery, solace ; in weakness, strength j in sickness, health ; in conflict and battle, peace and victory.

When young and virginal souls feel the touch of His divine presence they turn from all lures and delights that they may dwell with Him alone : when the old and forsaken remember Him, the springtime blooms about them, and thoughts fragrant with eternal bliss bring again the days when life was joy and love.

Where He is, seriousness is glad and toil is sweet : where He is not pleasure palls and there is a sob in the laughter of mirth.

He is the beginning and the end ; or, if not so, between the beginning and the end there is but a vain dream of phantoms which no substance own.

Peoria, July i, 1901.

Book First

Preludes. Page

Faith and a Heart, 17

The Dower of Wings, 19

Sursum Corda, 21

The Book.

Veni, Sancte Spiritus, 27

In Worlds Unseen, 28

On Bended Knees, ........ 29

The Pilgrims of the Sky, 30

The Starry Host, 31

The Vast Unknown, 32

God's Witnesses, 33

The Voice Within; 34

Religion and Poetry, 35

Omen of Good, 36

The Light of Love, 37

The Archetype, 38

In Conflux of Immensities, 39

Permanence in Midst of Change 40

Death's Grand Avenue, 41

A Fallen God, 42

The Soul's High- way, 43

Page

Science and Faith, 44

The Pure Eye, 45

Wisdom and Power, 46

Through Simplest Means, 47

Actus Purus, 48

Divine Purpose, 49

Mind and Matter, 50

The World as Will, 51

O Boastful Science, 52

A Mere Parasite, 53

The Thing in Itself, 54

Fate and Freedom, 55

God's Temple, 56

God's Scholar, 57

Aspiring Faith, 58

Faith and Conduct, 59

The Light of Souls, 60

Divine Knowledge, 61

Knowledge and Faith, 62

Beauty, 63

Immortal, 64

Transformation, 65

Et Mori Lucrum, 66

The Philosophic Mind, d']

God's Thrall, 68

Sole Refuge, 69

The Law of Contradiction, 70

Life's Rainbow, 71

Homeward, 72

Creative Love, 73

Mother Love, 74

Book Second

Preludes. Page

Immortal Task, o ... 77

Not Death but Life, 78

In Vain, 80

The Book.

The Higher Way, . 85

God's in His World, 86

God's and Nature's Guest, 87

Earth's Crammed With God, 88

The Spirit of Morning, 89

The Voice of Evening, 90

Visions of Childhood, 91

The Mellow, Hazy Days, 92

Beautiful Death, 93

Consoling Power of Beauty, 94

Life's Dewy Dawn, • 95

Beauty's Promise, 96

Life's Goodness, 97

The Bane of Possession, 98

The Essential Good, 99

Athirst for God, 100

A Strong Anchor, loi

The Void Between, 102

The Incommunicable Heart, 103

Disenchantment, 104

Sad Seekers, 105

The Soul's Magnetic Pole, io6

Infinite Hope, 107

Page

Infinite Yearning, io8

Infinite Mystery, 109

Alone with God, no

The Soul's Home, in

A Wanderer, 112

Death's Pilgrim, 113

Evanescence, 114

Oblivion, 115

Deepening Shadows, 116

God's Handiwork, 117

The Light of the Soul, 118

Appearance and Reality, 119

Irreparable Loss, 120

From Evil, Good, 121

The Price of Excellence, 122

Though but a Dream, 123

Eternal Hope, 124

Low-Bedded, 125

The Goal, 1 26

Strength and Love, 127

Death in Life, 128

The Soul's Delight, 129

Like to Like, 130

A Perpetual Feast, 131

BOOK THIRD. Preludes

Infinity, . 135

Death's Scorners and Lovers, 137

Seen and Unseen, 139

The Book. P

The Feast of Tongues, 145

Deathless Beauty, 146

Self-Restraint, 147

Aspiration, i^g

God and Thyself, iaq

World-Throwers, 1^0

The Soul of Joy, 151

Captives of Success, i{|2

The Chosen Few, ir^

Ideals of Youth, I r j.

Work and Happiness, ir^

Unto the End, 1^6

A Power Unused, 158

From the Fulness of the Heart, . . . .159

Having and Being, 160

Auri Sacra Fames, 161

Cursed Blessed Wealth, 162

Idle Fancy, 162

Inseparable Union, 164

Not all in Vain, . ^ 165

From Crowds Afar, 166

The Blessing of Solitude, 167

The Peace of the Humble, 168

Soul Affinities, i6q

Metamorphosis, 170

Life from Death, 171

From the Slime, 172

The New Dawn, 17^

At Rest, 17.

Page

The Praise of Men, . » . o . , , . 175 Unseen, But Felt as Near, . . . . . .176

Death of the Loved, 177

Endurance, 178

The Light Beyond the Bourn, 179

Death of the Innocent, 180

Sunset Skies, . »i8i

Contemplation, 182

From Darkness, Light, 183

Afield, 184

Sweet Idle Leisure, 185

O Soothest Sleep, 186

Wisdom and Purity, 187

Loveless Strength, 188

Self- Persistence, 189

Divine Gifts, 190

Inequality, 191

Loving Confidence, 192

Ascending Paths, 193

BOOK FOURTH. Preludes

Love and Innocence, 197

Bliss Everlasting, 198

The Chief Good, 201

Silence, 203

The Book.

Godward, . 207

Self-Satisfied, 208

Past and Present, 209

Page

The Source of Inspiration, 210

Forever Young, 211

The Creative Soul, . . 212

The Impotence of Art, o 213

As in a Dream, 214

The Great Mother, 215

Home, 216

Nonabel, 217

Truth and Love, 218

The Fount of Good, . . . . . . .219

Phantoms of Time and Space, 220

The Good of Sympathy, 221

Reunited in Higher Worlds, 222

At the Breaking of the Bread, 223

Divine Favor, 224

Duty's Stern Command, 225

Rest in My Love, 226

Life's Shadow, 227

Immortal Grief, 228

By Suffering Made Perfect, 229

The Wages of Sin, 230

Undeceived, 231

Blessings in Disguise, 232

In the Depths, 233

Sorrow- Crowned, 234

At the Ninth Hour, 235

Consummatum Est, 236

Obermann, 237

The Melancholy Tribe, 238

De Profundis, 239

Life's Witness, 240

[ '3]

Page

Resignation, 241

Life Eternal, 242

The Gift of Self, 243

In Self-defence, 244

A Twofold Love, 245

Self- Renouncement, 246

Spiritual Combat, 247

In Exitu, 248

Where Tyrants Perish, 249

Freedom's Fortress, 250

A Lowly Mind, 251

Nature's Permanence, 252

Ceaseless Quest, 253

Live Now Right Life, 254

Thy Will be Done, 255

Perchance, 256

PRELUDES TO BOOK FIRST

Faith and a Heart

WHAT can console for a dead world ? We tread on dust which once was life ; To nothingness all things are hurled : What meaning in a hopeless strife ? Time's awful storm Breaks but the form.

Whatever comes, whatever goes,

Still throbs the heart whereby we live ; The primal joys still lighten woes. And time which steals doth also give. Fear not, be brave : God can thee save.

The essential truth of life remains. Its goodness and its beauty too, Pure love's unutterable gains.

And hope which thrills us through and through ; God has not fled.

Souls are not dead.

Not in most ancient Palestine

Nor in the lightsome air of Greece,

[«7]

Were human struggles more divine,

More blessed with guerdon of increase. Take thou thy stand In the workers' band.

Hast then no faith ? Thine is the fault —

What prophets, heroes, sages, saints, Have loved, on thee still makes assault, Thee with immortal things acquaints. On life then seize ; Doubt is disease.

The Dower of Wings

THE youth, watching the eagle float Through heaven's ethereal blue, With sails out-spread like a fair boat,

Would gladly bid adieu To earth, and soar through boundless space. Contending in the tireless race.

The poet, too, in his high song,

Dreams of the lofty flight That bears the eagle swift along

Above the mountain height.

Sweeping still on with the glad sun, Whose godlike course is never run.

And lovers, when the heart is young.

Long for the dower of wings.

That they may dwell the stars among.

And taste the joy that springs When tender souls from crowds remote Together blend, to bliss devote.

And when sweet music softly steals. And trembling upward flies, [ '9 ]

The soul responsive yearning feels

To mingle with the skies ; And like harmonious viewless sound, To rise through the blue deep profound.

Ah blessedness lies not in space ;

And had we wings to soar, They could not bring us to God's face

Or make us love Him more : Within the living fountain springs Purer than skies cloven by wings.

Sursum Corda

UPRAISE thy heart and seek the highest thought Which can reflect itself in human soul ! Where ever-moving v^ings of time grow weak, And droop, and fall into eternity ; Where utmost bounds of all-embracing space Shrink to a point within the limitless, — There arms of the Infinite Spirit stretch, Upbear, and hold the Universal All. Upon His breast all men and angels rest; And the wide-gleaming seas of light and worlds Lie, like a glittering drop, within His hand. Amid the rush of countless spheres unmoved. In burning heat of myriad suns untouched. Through cycles myriad-fold of time unchanged. He looks in nature's vat of life and death — The seething and world-wide ferment that spawns All forms of living things and swallows them ; His eye rests on the ever-changing scene; The many pass, and He alone remains — Eternal, mighty, true, infinite God. The awful shadow of His too-great light

Is everywhere, and therefore everywhere

We feel His presence, though Himself unseen.

At farthest reach of thought, He says : " Believe ! "

Where highest beauty is, He cries : " Yet higher ! "

When all is won, whispers : " Thy all is nought ! "

Eternal, He makes longest time seem short;

Pure light. He darkens what is not Himself;

Infinite He, all else seems not to be ;

Essential life, where He is not is death ;

Truth absolute, all else but visionary ;

The one sole good, all other mixed with ill ;

The perfect, best, all-holy, all-fair God !

In black despair. He is the gleam of hope ;

When all is lost. He faithful still remains.

He is the light that lies on silent graves ;

That gleams through heaven when stars begem the

sky That clothes the earth with flowers in the glad

spring.

He is the harmony of the wide world. The music in all tender, loving souls. Which the whole earth attunes to sweet accord With their own happiness and deep delight. He is the joy that swells in childhood's heart ; He is the love that Hves in mother's breast ;

He is the gladness of all frolic things.

The rising sun is but His shadowed light,

The moon that leads the stars still dreams of Him,

And the abysmal heavens speak His name !

Up toward His throne the mountains lift their

heads, And oceans ever-moaning yearn for Him, All-beautiful, Omnipotent, sole God. He is the power that moves the human heart To higher faith and hope and larger life. To purer love and more unselfish ends ; The strength that lives in souls of men who die For truth, for justice, and for liberty. Trusting to Him that not in vain they die. His voice makes conscience the supreme of power — The echo of a will immutable, 'Gainst which the clamors of an universe Were idle as the waves that break on rocks. He is the centre of all suns, as they The centres are of the revolving planets ; They move in orbits that converge to Him, As thoughts of exiles ever homeward turn ; Bearing upon their glowing breasts all forms Of life and beauty, which are but His splendor ; And when their motions cease and time is dead

And all the worlds at last at rest in Him, In Him from whom their wanderings first began, Like children safe within a mother's arms, His calm, eternal mien shall comfort all ; And they who see shall ask for nothing more, But looking shall have endless life and love. And even now the eye that pierces through The veil, and in the effect beholds the cause. By contemplation may the height attain Where things material vanish utterly, And God comes forth, like face of one we love, Filling the soul and lighting all the earth.