The Awakening Of Immortality
Through the midnight heavens an angel flew,
And a soft low song sang he,
And the moon and the stars and the rolling clouds
Heard that holy melody.
He sang of the bliss of sinless souls
‘Neath the tents of Eden-bowers;
Of God—the Great One—he sang; and unfeigned
Was his praise of Jehovah’s powers.
A little babe in his arms he bore,
For this world of woe and tears;
And the sound of his song in the soul of the child
Kept ringing, though wordless, for years.
And long languished she on this earth below,
With a wondrous longing filled,
But the world’s harsh songs could not change for her
The notes which that angel trilled.
—M. Y. Lermontov.
Two Angels Note The Deeds Of Men
They have a saying in the East:—
Two angels note the deeds of men,
And one is first, and one is least.
When men do right, one takes his pen
And magnifies the deed to ten.
This angel is at God’s right hand,
And holds the other in command.
He says to him when men do wrong,
“The man was weak, temptation strong,—
Write not the record down to-day;
To-morrow he may grieve and pray.”
It may be myth; but this is sooth—
No ruth is lasting as God’s ruth;
The strongest is the tenderest;
He who best knows us loves us best.
—M. R. Knight.
Alternate Reading: Matthew 13:1-21.