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Jerusalem

Improvement Era, vol. 12, no. 12, October 1909, pp. 971 to 972

Alder, Lydia D.

PEOPLE AND PLACES IN THE ORIENT. 971

Shanghai is certainly the coming city, from a commercial standpoint, for a huge slice of import as well as expert trade. It

is now the distributing center for a portion of South China, all of Central China, and most of North China. A railroad was opened to traffic in February, 1908, from Pekin to Hankow, and is now being extended to Canton, which, when finished, will make Shanghai the undisputed gateway to the Celestial empire. Shanghai, China.

JERUSALEM. On beholding the city from Jericho and the Dead Sea.

How beautiful art thou, Jerusalem, fair city of our God! Mount Zion, city of the Great King; how rejoiced I am to see thee once again.

In fancy I behold the temple grand Upon Moriah's noble brow; its dome Of glittering gold stands forth in splendor Against the sky; fills with admiration All who may wand' ring] see God's Israel; In the holy of holies see his face

Burn incense to his great, almighty Name. A God of war he champions them. A God Of peace encircleth them on every side. He hath triumphant made them kings of war, A gentle symphony, their vales of peace And in the vexing nations fear doth fall.

The scene is changed: God, thine anger turn Away! Forget thy people's sins; hear thou Their cries; their waila beside the senseless stones Worn smooth with fervent kisses and their tears. No Jewish foot does ever press the ground Above; where onse their temples proudly stood Shines now the crescent in the glistening sun, A challenge to the Cross. Jehovah dwells not there! O'er atranger altars Baal is God. In vain thy people raise their eyes to heav'n And supplicate. Until thou biddest them They may not come. Not always say thou "Nay!"

— ————

972 IMPRO VEMENT ERA .

Remember thou the name writ on thy hands The covenant that riseth from the dust. Let tears efface ; they have paid twice the wage Of sin; have suffered o'er and o'er. Heed him Who pleads, "Forgive!" Ere yet the crimson tide O'erflows, grant satisfied guilt's awful law.

Again the scene is changed. The Temple stands Grand as of yore. Gate Beautiful is there, That glistening sea of glass — like liquid gold Before Jehovah's throne — interpreter Of all the acts of men, the universe Declares, unfolds the secrets of the world, And he, who suffered death's pangs on the cross, Possessing power, all power in heaven and earth, Before his Father owneth them —none lost He gave him for his own out of the world. See every knee doth bow and tongue confess That Jesus is the Christ, Redeemer, God, Who was, and is and will be evermore.

Look once again: a glory not of earth Enwraps the scene. Eternal light hath come, Intensifying all the splendor known Transcending all the brilliance ever seen A glittering, burning, wond'rous glow, it rests Upon the temple's dome, and glorifies All things without, within. Now poesy And prophecy abound, and with the loud, Triumphant chant, "Hosanna to the King," Blend silvery notes of crystal lyre and harp, Amid the hallelujahs of the choir, And with the glorious strains they chant, "Worthy The Lamb! He lives again who once was slain." Exultant songs float o'er the heavenly way Through all the temples jeweled courts resound, The echoes swell, "Worthy, worthy the Lamb! Worthy the Lamb, forevermore. Amen!"

Lydia D. Alder. Salt Lake City, Utah.