They shouted in the valley, "Canaan!" with joyous tone,Their leader up the pathway Of the mountains toiled alone. To see the promised country, With thousand charms outspread,— The land he sees with longing, The land he ne'er must tread! The plains, far out extending, All rich with corn and vines, And many a white stream, wending Through rich green meadows, shines. With milk and honey flowing As far as eye can span, All in the sunshine glowing From Beersheba to Dan. "Canaan, mine eyes have seen thee! Lord, call thy servant home!" Have lost their leader now! Upon the mountain brightening, Wood, field, and winding stream,And lo! above unfolding Heaven's golden portals gleam. FERDINAND FREILIGRATH (1810-1876). Translated by J. GOSTICK. "NO MAN KNOWETH HIS SEPULCHRE." WHEN he, who, from the scourge of wrong Aroused the Hebrew tribes to fly, Saw the fair region, promised long, And bowed him on the hills to die; God made his grave, to men unknown, Where Moab's rocks a vale infold, And laid the aged seer alone To slumber while the world grows old. Thus still, whene'er the good and just THE DEATH OF MOSES. Now Moses knew his hour of death was nigh; For the Most High commanded Sammael To fetch His servant's soul to Paradise Sammael, who, clothed in anger, grasped his sword To slay him, and would have slain but for the light Wherewith his face shone, while his hand went on Writing the Incommunicable Name. "What ails thee, Moses? Why art thou so pale? What evil hath befallen us?" Zipporah asked. And Moses said: "My hour of death is come!" "What! must a man who has spoken with God die thus? Thou, like a common man?" "I must, all must, The angels Michael, Gabriel, Israfel, God only is eternal, and dies not. Where are my children?" "They are put to sleep." "Wake them; for I must say farewell to them." Beside the children's bed she wept and moaned: "Wake, rise, and bid your father now farewell, Orphans! for this is his last day on earth!" They woke in terror. "Who will pity us When we are fatherless?" "Who will pity them When they are fatherless?" And Moses wept. Then God spake to him: "Dost thou fear to die? Or dost thou leave this earth reluctantly?" And Moses said: "I do not fear to die, Nor do I leave this earth reluctantly: But I lament these children of mine age, Who have their grandsire and their uncle lost, And who will lose their father, if 1 die." "In whom did she, thy mother, then confide, When thou by her wast in the bulrush ark Committed to the Nile?" "In Thee, O Lord!" "Who hardened Pharaoh's heart, and gave thee power Before him and his gods, and to thy hand A staff, to part the waters?" "Thou, O Lord!" "And fearest to trust thy children unto Me, Who am the Father of the fatherless? Go, take thy staff and over the sea once II. Within the walls of Jericho In stern indifference wait the foe. What care they for these haggard men Who have commenced their march again? How can they hope to overthrow, In such a way, proud Jericho? And so with a laugh and a scornful glance They join the wild mazes of the dance. And pass around the ruddy wine, The sounds of revelry rise high Beneath the glare of the noonday sky. III. Outside the walls of Jericho Six of the rounds are already past, Throughout those ranks no sound is heard, No merry jest, no cheering word. There rises up no other sound Now suddenly they turn about, Down fall the walls of Jericho, IV. Low lie the walls of Jericho, All hope for the city proud hath fled, For all her boasted host are dead; And the ringing pavement of the street Echoeth nought but the foeman's feet. Thus did firm faith in God's commands Prove mightier than human hands. Thus did the strong right arm of God Scatter the heathen hosts abroad. Thus did He great honor lay Upon the name of Joshua. V. In the long march of every life, And as the Israelites, of old, And had the patience to fulfill So we, if we with patience wait, Shall see the walls of error go FRANK FOXCROFT (1850-). THE DYING SOLDIER OF JOSHUA. A VETERAN of Joshua was breathing out his last, The crimson tide was flowing out and life was ebbing fast, And yet upon his dying face a look exultant shone As he heard shouts of victory upon the zephyrs blown; For tho he lay all helpless there beneath the tenting sky, His soul was filled with thankful joy suppressing every sigh. An hour before in fierce assault his strokes had counted well, His weapon wielding to the last; yea, fighting as he fell; And now, as he lay dying there upon the bloody field, His right hand clutched his weapon and the left his leathern shield. But who approaches? Who bends o'er the dying soldier's head? Is it a vile idolator to mock and strip the dead? No, no; but his dear soldier friend! Ah, this indeed is joy! For they had come from Egypt's land, when each was but a boy, And through the sea together went and on the other side Beheld their foul pursuers sink beneath the whelming tide; For God's winds swayed the Red Sca waves on that eventful morn, And Israel trod the causeway safe and Liberty was born! While Egypt's horse and rider sank, God's Israel passed o'er And sang their great deliverance upon the farther shore; And then the boys, through dreary lands, to Sinai trod the way Till reaching manhood's prime they fought, led on by Joshua. The boys had heard the wondrous tales of patriarchs of old, How Joseph down to Egypt's land was carried and there sold. And how he rose from slavery to stand before the king, Who robed him ruler of his realm and gave his signet ring; How Joseph for his father sent and all his father's band, And gave them pastures rich and fair in Goshen's favored land; How Jacob's household, seventy, with riches vast then came, Ten thousand numbered Jacob's flocks, a thousand men his train; And how the Israelites became a nation strong and great Till Rameses, the mighty king, enslaved them to his state; For Israel's friends, the shepherd kings, And then how Moses strangely saved How he was taught of Israel at his dear mother's knee, To visit his own people and from bondage set them free; But, forced to flee to Midian, he dwelt Yet he delivered Israel from sore oppression's rod And safely led them through the sea and to the mount of God; He guided them full forty years till every rebel died, Until their sons, as warriors true, became the nation's pride. And now the dying soldier lay exultant in his death; For would he not a victor die with his expiring breath? "Tell me, my comrade," murmured he, "before my life be spent ; Yea, tell me how the contest raged and how the battle went." His comrade kissed him 'mid his tears and then began his tale: "We chased them like a flock of goats, right over hill and dale; For tho the heathen faced our men to make a valiant stand, Yet at the voice of Joshua, as he gave us command, They fled like fearful, trembling sheep at sound of lion's roar, While we pursued and smote them hard until the fight was o'er; And when you fell with weapon broke to wield the sword no more, I smote the pagan to the dust and left him in his gore. Then how we scaled the city walls, and 'mid confusion dire, We smote the heathen on all sides and slew both son and sire! 'Tis true these seemed like sinful deeds, to fill the heart with shame, To cut down boys like you and me when we from Egypt came; But 'twas like smiting pois'nous asps and then in vengeful mood But little mercy showed we as we crushed the serpent's brood! For what could we with Sodomites or worshippers of Baal But rid the land of such vile hordes with few to tell the tale? And what could we with Moloch's friends, who worship at his shrine, And roast to death their girls and boys and call such rites divine? Yea, what with Ashtaroth's vile harlots steeped in lep'rous crime? Why, as we struck the wantons down, the stroke seemed half divine! The Lord of hosts was with us and the God of Jacob's aid Gave us the glor'ous victory and sharpened spear and blade! The land is ours! and nought can stay our march o'er the city wall! Nor bow, nor spear, nor pagan hordes prevent their utter fall! Yea, even those proud Jebusites shall fall beneath our rod, And strong Jerusalem become the city of our God! The splendor of our nation's sheen what prophet's tongue can tell? The glory of our people and the God of Israel? The stars above shall sparkle on, the pale moon shed her light, The sun shall rise in majesty, dispelling darkest night; Yea, earth and sky and all therein proclaim our Maker's grace, And glory, honor, power and praise shall come to Israel's race!" A veteran of Joshua was breathing out his last, The crimson tide was flowing out and life was ebbing fast, And yet upon his dying face a look exultant shone; As shouts of victory arose upon the zephyrs borne; And as his comrade kissed him there and closed his warrior tale A glow of life's departing flame lit up the face so pale: 'Twas like the candle's fitful glow, the last expiring gleam; The soldier raised his broken blade ere crossing death's cold stream: "Fight on!" he said, "my comrade true, the God of battles trust! The Lord of hosts be with you all, when I return to dust. The gates are lifted high." He ceased, his arm sank to his side. And with a ling'ring look of joy the Hebrew soldier died. ALEXANDER S. ARNOLD. WANTED: JOSHUA. WHEN God, whose courtlier crowns did wait The forehead of our Moses, drew His steps where Pisgah shot up straight For awe of its sublimities: And we turned instant unto you, (Calling you Joshua), to complete The meanings of the paths which grew So sharp to our unsandaled feet, I swear we thought the living soul Of that great prophet wrought afresh In you, like thunder, to control To sovereign ends Our drooping flesh. Were not you with us when God clave The Red Sea, with a blow, in twain? Were you not of us when he gave Manna, and quails, and blessed rain? And those tall pillars which he yoked For service-did you see them not? And all the alien blood that soaked The paths he hewed-is that forgot? When crested Sinai cracked in flame, And all the desert round about Shook with the dreadness of his Name Whose glory paled the sunlight out; Did not you tremble with the rest, When his imperatives blazed forth Along the tablets, to attest The Absolute unto the Earth? Whence when the Lord smote hip and thigh The Hittite and the AmelekiteDid you draw warrant to deny To him the issues of the fight? By what prerogative do you Defraud the heavens of those results Which ripened when we overthrew Hell's battering rams and catapults? I think you are not Joshua, but A poor vain idol, unto which, Reaching imploring arms, he caught A curse that burned like molten pitch, As symbol of his special Thought. |