The Lamb of God

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The Lamb of God

BY ORSON F. WHITNEY

| Reprinted from "Elias," the great epic poem of the Lat- ter-day Saints, a new, popular and annotative edition of which will shortly be printed in book form. ] -

A stranger Star that came frcm far To fling its silver ray Where, cradled in a lowly cave, A lowlier Infant lay; And led by soft sidereal light, The Orient sages bring Rare gifts of gold and frankincense, To greet the hcmeless King. O wondrcus grace! Will Gods go down Thus low that men may rise? Imprisoned here the Mighty One. Who reigned in yender skies? Hark to that chime!— What tongue sublime Now tells the hcur cf neon? O dying world, art welcoming Life's life — Light's sun and moon? Proclaim him, prophet harbinger! Make plain the Mightier's way, Thcu sharer of his martyrdom! Elias? Yea and Nay. The crescent Mcon, that knew the Sun Ere Stars had learned to shine; The waning Mcon, that bathed in blood Ere sank the Sun divine.

"Gkry to Grd, geed will to man! Peace, peace!" triumphal tone. Why peace? Is discord then no more? Are Earth and Heaven as one? Peace to the scul that serveth him, The Monarch manger-bcrn; There, ruler of unnumbered realms; Here, thrcneless and forlorn.

He wandered through the faithless world, A Prince in shepherd guise; He called his scattered fleck, but -few The Voice did reccgnize; Fcr minds upberne by hcllow pride, Or dimmed by sordid lust, Ne'er lcok for kings in beggar's garb, For diamends in the dust.

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w ^1 Wept he above a city doomed, Her temple, walls, and towers, O'er palaces where recreant priests Usurped unhallowed powers. "I am the Way, the Life, the Light!" Alas! 'twas heeded not. Ignored— nay, mocked; Gcd seemed by man! And spurned the truth he taught.

O bane of damning unbelief! When, when till now, so rife? lhou stumbling stcne, thou barrier 'thwart The gates of endless life! O love of self, and mammon lust, Twin portals to despair, Where bigotry, the blinded bat, Flaps through the midnight air!

Through these gleom-wrapt Gethsemane! Thy glens cf guilty shade Grieved e'er the sinless Sen of God, By gold-bought kiss betrayed; Beheld him unresisting dragged, Frrsaken, friendless, lene, To halls where dark-brewed hatred sat On judgment's lofty thrcne. As sheep before his shearers, dumb, Those patient lips were mute; The clamorous charge of taunting tongues He deigned not to dispute. They smote with cruel palm a face Which felt yet bore the sting; Then crowned with thorns his quivering brew, And, mocking, hailed him "King!"

Transfixt he hung — O crime cf crimes! The God whem worlds adore. "Father forgive them!" Drained the dregs; — Immanuei no more. No more where thunders sheck the earth, Where lightnings tore the glocm, Saw that unconquered Spirit spurn The shackles of the tomb.

Far-flaming light, a swerd of might, A falchion frcm its sheath, It cleftthe realms of darkness, and Dissolved the bands of Death; Hell'sdungeons burst, wide open swung The everlasting bars. Whereby the ranscmed soul shall win Those heights beyond the Stars.

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