Daniel Faith

Front matter

A Story in Cantos

By

GENERAL EDGAR DUPREE, A.M.,Th.M.

CANTO I. Argument

One day I wandered o’er my chosen hill At morning time, when all anew Declares the glory of the day.

The dreamness of the night had left Mine eyes as ’mid the morning light I moved my feet on God’s enchanted ground.

It seemed that music fell from off the wings Of distant singing years; perchance It was a dream, but should man dream When years are crying out their great refrain? Or in amazement stand both deaf and dumb?

Or is it true that eyes are made to see And ears are made to hear?

There fell to earth from sunny wings of morn A great refrain, which wafted like a cloud,

And hurled itself in rhythmic ecstacy;

While melodies arose and fell and scattered far, And touched the toughened, stubborn,

Human heart with vibrant tones,

Effulgent in their blend—such music As would fall from Heaven’s throne.

But who should dare to speak a mystery?

Is everything on earth for man to know?

Has God decreed that man should conquer all ? God set no bounds for men, man makes his own— Man buries often all that God hath given! Omnipotence doth speak in mind’s decree— Heaven’s will doth call our stumbling minds To higher bounds, to greater truths.

As like a plato dreams in worlds of thought

Daniel Faith.

When truth doth seem to cry in agony;

So Error comes with all his mighty host That truth may weep but never have her say. There rises on yon far and distant sound A voice as though a greater Plato speaks again! Let Error crouch around the lightened door,

For truth shall rise on swifter, burning wings. God hath decreed a great eternal law,

That Truth shall overcome while Error fails.

Behold one standing on my morning path! Who can it be? For what errand come?

His face doth shine as one in fullest peace—

He stands in wait for my coming forth!

Ho, shall we dare encrouch to Squire his will,

Or know the motive of his coming here?

The right of solitude shall we molest In prying in the ’fairs of other men?

He beckons come—somewhat he has to say! Arise, my heart! whatever is the need,

Pulsate with quickened force—

Be not disturbed with every pulse’s change—

If argumept shall come, 0 stimulate My brain with vigorous force!

What is the need of fervent argument?

Shall I molest a mind with different thought Than is mine own? Indeed ’tis bold!

But still ’tis bold for man to question me!

Thus I shall meet him gladly to exchange My views for all his own. Who knoweth What new wisdom we may meet,

Or into what new trends our thoughts may turn ? With open mind I’ll hear his views set forth,

If he doth stand in wait for argument.

Daniel Faith.

I’ll hear him reason in high reason’s laws,

If these he knows to use in his discourse;

I ’ll tarry all this day if he doth speak In fluent words, or in poetic song.

My soul’s athirst to know philosophy And thinking of all thinking minds.

Let all the truth arise and live Through all eternal years; yea more,

While truth shall live, let error fail!

Let crumble every error with the false,

And may we live to join the song In vict’ry over Error’s power!

Forthwith I came To where the stranger stood.

In salutation of the morn I spake,

And with the same in smile he greeted me.

I saw no trace of all my questioning;

He stood serenely poised in dignity.

The morning seemed to fill his heart aglow With all the buoyancy of day.

Therewith I questioned him to further know Of how he fared and of life’s pilgrimage.

And as a lightning flash in summer’s night, When clouds are thick and deep on western wind, I saw his soul arise in quickened power,

And he did talk of greatest mysteries Concerning learned minds and wise philosophy. Such wisdom fell from his learned lips As never heard from mortal man.

Shall I dare who am the least of least To give you wisdom from a learned mind?

I bow my face submissive to the Holy One, Whose wisdom doth transcend all mortal men.

Daniel Faith.

I claim my portion of man*s weakness here,

In this life; I would not hide

Or turn from-out your sight one little fear;

But rather I would speak on greater themes—

Such themes that higher lift our feet

And further lift our eyes from natural things.

CANTO II. Argument

0 memory, in this mystic wandering,

When hope is thrown in every mortal stream, When faith is wrestling with each rising wind, When God would speak, but in our narrow fields We do not hear, we cannot comprehend,

Be true to all the discourse I have heard!

O Bard of yore, with ancient charming songs, Awake and sing! Let music charm Our thirsty, parching souls;

Let music lift us to a fuller path;

Let music drive our false deluded fears away, As morning drives away the dismal night!

0 Bard, we need thy songs; so sing again!

We need a song for searching, peering minds; We need a song on high exalted wings,

That falls from Heaven’s gate To deepest pits of mental agony.

The failures in our quest for truth,

And where ambitions fail,

0, sing to us the truth in song!

And may we hear the great enchanted strains Of music fall from thy melodies.

Daniel Faith.

O, teach us how to live and how to sing,

That we may join with Heaven in our song; Lift the shadows from our tender eyes;

Tear the veil of ignorance from our hearts;

And teach thy children in their wandering The secrets of the muses mind to sing!

Vouschafe that one in youthful years,

Whom men would say in years of tenderness, May sing with liberty before the throne Where Muses dwell in constant ecstacy.

0 Bard! Be thou my guide, keep thou my feet, And be my earthly company—

Walk with me by the rivers, o’er the hills,

At early morn and in the sunny eve,

And let me see as thou wouldst see,

Quicken every darkened isle of life,

While estuaries burst from dormant will Of brightest hope and sweetest song;

And may thy presence be a constant guide To vindicate thy song and mysteries!

Do t'hou recall the records of the past,

That memory may fully testify To him who set the argument in song,

And versed the cantos that I’ll here repeat:

‘ ‘ ’Tis my delight/ ’ forthwith he did reply— Daniel Faith, a man of many years—

‘ ‘ In great delight and greatest joy to me Concerning thoughts of life I often speak:

Of life’s pilgrimage and journeying,

And of our mortal life now in we live.

I find my life aglow with Heaven’s gift Of faith, angelic food, which seems to fall From Heaven’s high domain.

Daniel Faith.

No sweeter manna ever fell in ancient days When all the host of Israel dwelt In parching deserts in the wilderness.

Proclaim the joy on every wind of Heaven,

Ye Heavenly Host! May Wisdom speak! May wisdom everywhere arise to crown Our faith, the one eternal law Wherein we know that God doth speak to man. Resplendent in its light from Heaven’s throne, And as a nectar sweet from living streams,

Or as ambrosial food for hungering,

So is this faith whereof I speak.

“No restraint hath ever been imposed— God wills the best, the highest of all laws,

The fullest measures of His grace divine,

And perfect art in all its finished laws. Recount the beauty of your wandering!

But man in quest of light, whereof he failed And stands delusioned in his own behest,

In saddened awe and mystic garbs of fear, Shall never rise ’neath all his fancies here!

‘‘As a shepherd sounds his morning call, While the echoes bound from hill to. hill,

So God has sent one eternal sound,

That men are dying, dying everywhere.

Hear the echoes surging o’er life’s vail: Climbing, bounding, leaping—in their force, Ringing, chanting to another day,

As God had spoken early in this morn!

Men are bowing to the shocking call,

Frail, deluded, in their mighty fears,

Losing all the best that life doth hold,

To hold accounts against the inevitable.

Daniel Faith.

But who hath mind so keen and strong to change The laws of birth or human life!

Embryonic in his coming forth,

Man doth find himself a slave to natural laws, Helpless in his broken will to change The qualities of flesh and destiny.

But even in his days so quickly lived Wisdom breaks and gushes from man’s heart,

And shocking vibrant sounds from Heaven’s throne Falls upon his ears to guide his feet.

“Error’s force, in all its wild array,

Has broken with eternal laws of Heaven,

As man in vaunted pride and vain dismay Exploits the secret vaults of Heaven’s will.

Who shall dare again to prophesy!

To what avail to thee would singing be!

Why should I wear away this day in argument, Shall either bettered be when day is done!”

CANTO III. Argument

So finished Daniel Faith his first discourse,

In what did seem a moment of the day.

I did not comprehend the last he said,

And so I queered to further know his thought:

“Delight me with the thinking of your mind, Thy thought is trained and ready to command Attention in thy chosen thought; so speak Concerning what is uppermost to thee!

What is thy thought concerning faith in God! Shall man disprove it with wisdom of our day!”

Daniel Faith.

Therewith he did reply with quickened thought, With fuller accent in his sturdy voice,

While deep emotions seemed to hide themselves:

“Faith is a force that every man may prove! Heaven’s Son, yea God’s immortal love,

Did live a faith unquestioned in our day.

His faith was wide, such wideness never known,

And deep and high, as from the throne of God It fell to lift his weary feet.

He touched the sightless eyes that they might see, And drave away the deafness from men’s ears,

He healed the palsied from their trembling,

And stilled the wildest tempest on the sea.

How full, how great, how boundless in his love,

The infinite of infinite,

O wondrous Heaven’s gift! show forth Thy light, speak to us in our tears,

Declare Thy glory once again,

That men may ever know that Thou art God.

Our follies oft deny our richest thought;

Sometimes our theories lead us far amiss,

We backward track into the dark chaos And never find again the wasting light.

“A faith that falls from Heaven’s open gate Is strong enough to stem the darkest wave Arising from the bubbles of our mind.

Look up ye fainting hearts and hear anew

The grand decrees that soundeth forth from Heaven

Man has not perished in his wandering,

Though famished in his wild and lonely cries, Discouraged in his task and thoughtless course, ’Twould better be if failure full appeared.

But in this anguish from his lonely cries

Daniel Faith.

Appeareth strongly signs of change.

I wandered once across a desert wide,

Where shepherds watched their mighty host of sheep. I saw a flock all scattered o’er a field And crying in their lonely wandering.

No voice was there to lead or call them, ‘Come!’

And he with whom I rode to me explained That on the yesterday at early morn Their shepherd lost his life in daring fight With a vicious bull. Said he,

‘This flock will rove for many days,

Till one doth come to care for them,

And they have learned his voice’.

Man wanders now without a shepherd’s voice,

And so must find his way before his God.

Boldly he must come before the throne Of God Most High! and hear anew The will of God for man,

And see through all the learning of our day 1 hat Will is one eternal law.

That Will doth crown each natural law And so direct that every law obeys.

Everything obeisance pays to Will,

To man’s intelligence!

“ Faith is one eternal law Wherein we have an evidence of things not seen!

’Tis strong enough to stand the wildest storms, Enduring every tempest shock or strain;

And bearing with all false in patience—waits Until the fields deluded with man’s frivolity Shall clear away; then man shall see The errors of the past, the vain

Daniel Faith.

Deceits whereof he lived and served!

Truth doth never controvert this law,

Much less to bear disproof, or give A controversy to man’s faith.

Who dares to say that truth would wreck man’s faith! Each law of life is highest evidence That from all time intelligence did reign :

You cannot have a universe without intelligence!

‘ ‘ Faith will stand the light of every truth—

True faith as lived and taught by God’s own Son—

’Tis of God’s being and an attribute

Like truth, and love, and God’s omnipotence.

We need not tremble with our little fears When man doth boldly go in quest of proof;

But let us speak as is the high behest—

‘Go forth and have dominion over all!’ ”

CANTO IV. Argument

I questioned him to further speak, Concerning God’s decrees and high commands, And further he discoursed!

“In every life there is a dual force,

And like a magnet’s power both will draw.

Man returns from whence he came to dust,

And the spark of life that God implanted there, Within his heart, returns to God,

If man doth follow all desires of flesh.

But he who chooses Wisdom for his guide,

And God, and light, and faith to guide his feet, Shall never fail, but ever upward move!

Daniel Faith.

The narrow way is like the crystal light From Heaven falling in the night,

When plods a weary footman o’er the hills To find the slumbering wife and little babes Asleep, and in the peaceful night at rest In his humble home—the home he left With early sun that morn, to go into the valley Far below, on errand for his livelihood.

Along the narrow path there flows the stream Of immortal life, which is the balm Of soul, and heart, and mind. It heals The longing of the soul, and is elixir For poor thirsty man, who plods A weary life and never feeds His longing heart on Heaven’s gift—

The manna sent from God to feed His own,

That they might stronger grow along the way of life.

“This narrow way will hold our weary feet,

If we will walk with eyes turned up to Heaven, Praying as each step we daily take,

And beating down the weeds of fear,

Which thrive along life’s pathway.

Along this narrow pathway music falls;

It comes as though descending from God’s throne, And bringing in its melodies eternal sound Of harmonies, which man could never make.

The harmonies are mellow in their blend;

The tones are thrilling to the mortal ear;

They call as though eternities

Were whispering every day, yea more to speak,

The accent seems to quicken every step And leave immortal sounding in our ears.

And when we rise at day, though morn

Daniel Faith.

With new born sun, to take her daily flight From morn to eve, we take a step Which leaves us nearer life’s eternity.

“This narrow path leads by the fount of art, The fountain high, in highness to the heavens,

In deepness even deeper than the sea,

In width and breadth as wide as God’s eternity. And even at this fount there bubbles springs:

The spring of Youth, and Life’s eternal spring; One spring of Joy, one Gladness, one called Peace, And many others for the mortal race.

This fountain’s name, now should I dare to speak ? Remember when the burning bush appeared To Moses as lie tended sheep ?

What wondrous sight he turned aside to see?

God called to him and bade him take From off his feet his shoes,

Because the ground whereon he stood Was Holy ground. Here God revealed himself! This fount has filled the hearts of aged men With hope anew and strength for aged days,

And helped them walk in strong unfailing steps Toward the close of these their mortal days.

While at this fount doth many mothers stand With failing traces on their sunken cheeks;

But there are light gleams from their mortal eyes Which sparkle with the hope of life’s eternity.

We see a young man come to drink his fill Of living from this life’s immortal spring,

And life becomes a real and earnest life,

And years become his treasured diadems.

The effulgence of the glow from maidens’ cheeks

Daniel Faith.

Who drink of Living from this mighty fount, Bespeak the glory of their youthful life.

Another drinks and songs burst from his heart, His light heart bubbles out with melodies;

His songs are such with joy that all may sing Who dwell around this fountain great and grand! Another drinks and stands in wondrous gaze In dazzled brightness from eternal light.

Behold, another drinks, and there’s a gleam Of brightness on his face! We see him stand Upon the hilltop, with brush and canvass In his hands, and there he paints Life’s mysteries For men of hope and sight.

This fountain is the fount of Faith,

Where drank the mighty men of God,

The mighty men of old, with wondrous sight: Abraham, and Isaac, Jacob too,

Who saw the ladder up to Heaven’s door,

While angels climbed thereon; yea more,

He met the God of Israel one night,

And in the mighty struggle which ensued,

He went away in triumph, conquered Only by his God. and with a name to live Forever where dwells this God.

CANTO V. Argument

‘ ‘ The broader way has none the light of God, There is no fountain for immortal thirst,

There is no hill whereon the artist stands To see the light of endless years.

Daniel Faith.

There is no music for the soul upon this way,

There is no call to pray and rest your weary feet, There is no hill of light on which to climb And lay aside the burdens of your soul.

There is no spring of Joy, no spring of Peace,

There is no peering through this mortal mind,

There is no peering through the clouds of age And Time’s adversity.

“The way is broad and there are fixed no bounds, The way is wide and charming everywhere;

No standards in this way to trouble you—

You make your standards with your lustful wish; You live your life however mind desires!

Along this way a mighty throng doth move Of mad men in their sin’s desire:

Of murderers and men of every vice—

You see them walking down this magnet way.

Ho, wait and see the sight!

There goes a murderer with blood stains on his hands, Here comes a drunkard staggering down the way, Here goes a prostitute with fading cheeks;

How dread the scene, but stay and let us see!

A mother cometh, daughter in her steps;

A father staggering, and son behind;

A man and wife comes walking hand in hand;

There, many mothers in unchastity;

Unchaste maidens in their frivolity;

Frivolity in women, young and old,

Seeking only pleasure every day!

Here comes a host of men, no one could count,

With lying words and blasphemy upon their lips! They are deceiving maidens of the land;

They are blaspheming men and God of heaven.

Daniel Faith.

“Along this way there goes the skum of earth, There walketh men of earth of lowest state,

There walketh men whose hearts with hate are filled And brimming full of envy, hate and wrath.

How sad to see the aged and the young,

How sad to see the maidens and the fair,

How sad to see the mothers young and old Walking down this calling way.

How many of man’s races passed ?

God only knows, the books of Heaven tell!”

CANTO VI. Argument

I further spake to Daniel Faith,

And thus I did inquire—because it thrilled My soul to hear a traveler speak:

“If time thou hast to further speak,

I wish to ask thee how a Pilgrim fares?

How fare ye as a traveler to a land Of light and glory, to a land where dwelleth Angels fair? And further I would know Concerning vision here: is there a path,

A way which man may walk, in journey to God’s

Heaven ? ”

At once he did reply:

“Each day 'has purpose to me sir,

And every day, since to the land of light My pilgrimage began, I dream of Heaven,

And in the stilly night methinks I hear the voice of angels sing.

I dream of Heaven in my slumber here,

I sing of Heaven in the early morn,

Daniel Faith .

I lift my feet toward bright Heaven’s gate Every sunrise in these mortal years.

My heart is filled with Heaven’s melodies Each day, each hour, and all along my way.

I hear the singing of eternities;

Their days are lightly touching on my head;

The accent of Time’s melodies arise;

I see man bowing to the touch of years.

I live an heir to all God’s richest here—

The hills are His, the cattle and the vales,

The seas and all the Heaven’s wide,

The harvest of our yielding fields,

And all the treasures which the earth Doth hide; yea more! the boundless oceans Of eternal life. I speak no boast,

I only speak in truth! Now to thy queries Further I shall speak. There is a pathway To this land of light. The way is not by seeing Of the eyes; the way is not by hearing Of the ears; the way is not by lightning Calls, or quakes of earth, or thunder’s boisterous Sound; there is no flaming bush to beckon thee! God’s way is no compelling way or driving man. God gave to man a will to choose and serve,

He gave to man a likeness unto God,

He gave to man a soul which longs and yearns For Heaven, Its eternal home.

God made a bridge from earth to Heaven high, Whereon a man may walk in mortal life,

And keep his earthly steps secure;

Thus never falling in earth’s -wisdom pits.

This way is paved with prayers and highest hopes, This way is paved with God’s immortal love,

Daniel Faith .

This way is paved with greatest sacrifice;

This bridge in length: from deepest sea to Heaven. The bridge in name is Faith, the earthly path Whereon a man may walk and never fail! ”

CANTO VII. Argument

‘ ‘ Daniel Faith, can this be true,

That man may gain a mighty power?

Concerning this I’d like to hear thee speak.

How may man live and never doubt and fear? Some men doth speak of power little dreamed Coming down from Heaven above/’ Thus I to him addressed. Forthwith he prayed—

With glowing face, as comes a new born day;

Or as a lightning flash in darkest night,

He spake unfailing words, no doubt expressed. His eyes were beaming with some wondrous light, Which none but God or Heaven understands; His words were riven in the bonds of faith And knowledge of the living word to man.

I turned my eyes to shed an envious tear,

My soul was longing for eternal light.

How the heart of man doth yearn and sigh For fair Heaven’s love, the infinite!

For fair Heaven’s light, eternal light!

For the wisdom coming down from God to man; For the peace that comes to mortal men,

Lifting from earth’s sorrows and her fears— ‘‘O God of Host,

Eternal God most High! We look to Thee

Daniel Faith.

With hearts of love and praise,

We speak Thy name in reverence and love!

The worlds are Thine, the stars and all their host,

The sun and moon, the widest, deepest seas; all wisdom too,

The greatest and the small, as high as Heaven And its highest light. Thou knowest too Our little wisdom here: our thinking In our wise philosophy. How we must blush In shame to tell Thee of our great theology?

Men quibble here, 0 Lord, concerning Thee,

On love, and grace, and even charity!

Some leave the cross aside to never bear,

Some leave Thy Son aside to never hear.

Let blush with me all Heaven's host—

0 God, I pause to weep, what mortal men have done! Thou art a myth, some are so bold to say;

There's nothing like immortal life for mortal man; But man is only groping here as in the dark,

And little more than cattle of the field!

“0 God of Host!

Our God eternally! We have no wisdom Save it comes from Thee; we have no wisdom Lord Whereof to speak in our bubbled thoughts From mortal man. We cannot tell Thee how The seas were made; we cannot form or give The tender plant its growth; we cannot Fragrance give the rose!

We find the laws of nature obviously Before our eyes, and then we are amazed At dumbness of our minds and wisdom here.

The lightning flashes from the east to west,

We see it, but we do not understand.

Daniel Faith.

We count high Heaven’s host of stars,

And see the flashes in the darkest night;

We name them by our little thinking mind.

Our mortal minds are stamped upon the dust—

The labor of Thy hand, 0 Lord most High!

We peer this space, the infinite, and long for Thee. We fail to know, we cannot comprehend The mighty works and wisdom of Thy plan;

We have our souls encumbered in this clay Of dust; we live in Thine appointed day.

We have no life save of Thy will, 0 God!

We have no will save given Lord of Thee.

“I thank Thee for the shining path of faith,

I thank T'hee for the love of Him who died That we might have eternal life and light.

We pause at Heaven’s throne to wash our garments white

Of mortal fears, and tears, and weeping here;

We break the clodded grave and burst asunder All Death’s prison bars and all Death’s power.

And in the name of Jesus, Heaven’s doors Will open with the words from mortal lips—

Yes, through the name of Jesus, Heaven’s host Will bend their ears to hear our mortal cries.”

Thus Daniel prayed and then he spake to me:

“I have no power save high Heaven’s power,

I have no power which I call my own;

I walk the path of Faith from earth to Heaven. God’s grace is free to all who come to Him To do His will and hear His high command.

His love is flowing from Mt. Calvary

For all who come to Him. This fountain wide

Is flowing free to all; he bids t'hee come

Daniel Faith.

And drink and ever live in Heaven’s light.

“ Concerning men who never doubt or fear:

The work of God is wide before our eyes,

The way of Faith is peaceful to our heart;

Eternal love will burn if you will blow The spark which smoulders in your heart;

It was implanted there—this spark of light,

The living breath of God—to give Unfailing light unto your feet.

God answers when we call to Him in prayer,

God answers when we breathe his praise in song,

God hears us when we’re in the way of Faith,

Though poor and needy, helpless, weak or strong.”