Before the altar Monk Elias knelt,
His soul poured out in prayer; for on him sore
Had fallen the weariness that sympathy
Sucks from the suffering it seeks to help,
And cannot, baulked by its own impotence.
His spirit sank within him at the thought
Of toil down-borne by sin, of high emprise
Come short of by the will's weak slackening,
And he was sick with longing after peace,
For the command to lay aside his sword,
Undo his armour, cease the endless strife.
Wherefore his cry to God was all for rest--
That rest remaining for God's chosen ones
Who hold their faith unfaltering to the end.
Before the altar as Elias knelt
He in a vision saw the heavens laid bare.
The fields of Paradise out-breathed strange calm.
No sound was there of conflict, nor the hum
That tells of toil: nought but a far-off hint
Of music, and of spirits that laughed and played.
Then sudden through the quiet clanged a Voice,
Saying:"Speak, Elias, all that's in thine heart,
And see how blessed in that rest thou seek'st."
Straight on the word Elias entered in.
He saw the tree of life its healing spread;
The river, with its placid tide, he marked;
The gates of pearl, the streets of gold, the light
That never waned, and owned no source but God.
"Mid jasper walls to right and left he passed
To where a mighty palace proud up-reared
Its massive front against the opal sky.
Beneath its peerless central dome, high-poised
On crystal stays, and woven of film of pearl
That seemed to float in mid-air motionless,
Elias blinded stood before a throne
Of blazing sapphire, whence that clangent
Voice Cried:"Who art thou that comest to destroy
Our rest?"
Elias, with creation's woe
Burning his heart out, prayed:"0 Lord, how long?“
“The heaven and earth are made, and all their host,
“ God answered. “It is now the seventh day.
This is my holy Sabbath, when I rest."
But still Elias prayed:"Give us, too, rest.
Earth's woe is very heavy, and sin and death
Ride prosperously on, and conquer all;
And we who keep Thy truth are sorely spent."
Then God:"There was no sin i' the world I made,
No death. I left it chained to golden laws
That would have held it spellbound to its course.
What man has marred, let man re-make. He's sinned;
Then let him suffer. As for Me, I rest,
Nor move a finger till Creation's morn
Rebreak. Then come......But then I'll need no prayers
To spill my wrath on those that have defiled
My earth, Till then....."
Despair dulled the monk's heart.
He turned to where the sad-eyed Christ sat mute
Upon His Father's footstool,motionless,
With folded, nail-pierced hands. "Oh Christ! "
He cried, "hast Thou, too, ceased to love our earth?
Thou who didst die for it, take Thy power, and reign."
But Christ with drear eyes gazed on him. "Oh man;
I too have looked upon earth's misery,
And thought to heal its wounds, I came,
I wrought, I suffered, and I died. In vain.
No triumph Mine. Sin was too strong. My death
Availeth but to keep the spark of life
Aflame i' the hearts of a few faithful ones.
Earth's salt, they keep't from putrifying wholly.
I can no more. My work is done. I wait."
The vision changed. Heaven vanished from his sight.
He stood alone beneath a starry sky,
Among the graves of men long turned to dust.
Then the earth oped, and down the rent he saw
A corpse with sightless eyes and fleshless hands;
And from its hollow throat he heard a voice
In dreadful monotone cry: “Monk Elias,
I, too, have felt the burden of the world,
And of the curbing of a sinful heart,
And longed for quittance. Lo. to me ‘tis come.
So now I lie, and watch the ranked years
In grim procession toil their fruitless way,
And hear the sob of all earth's misery,
But make nor move nor moan. I lie, and rot.
My limbs are worms and dust. That ancient yew
Is rooted in my breast. I am at peace.
To this rest thou shalt come, and, like me, lie
Till God awake, and bid His trumpet sound:' Arise!"
The dead voice ceased, and lo. once more
Elias was upon the altar stairs.
But now he prayed no more for rest from strife;
For, rising to his feet, by conscience stung,
He stretched his hands to heaven, and, with a shout
That rang through all the empty vastness round,
He cried: "Not rest, not rest, oh Lord! But strength--
Strength to take up Thy battle, and fight on,
Yea, to the last blood drop.
Then cracked his heart.
His clay fell prone before the crucifix;
His soul sprang up, its sword-arm free at last,
And flew to Armageddon with a cheer.
Editors note: Elias is the Greek spelling - presentation of the biblical prophet Elijah.