The Parents' Review

A Monthly Magazine of Home-Training and Culture

In the Light.

"How fair thou art, O soul! how still a grace
Mantles thy face!
What pure cool chambers do thine eyes reveal!
Sure dwells in thee some luminous mystery?"
"As yon dull orb that yet so shines to thee,
I do but stand
In the Light."

"What seest thou, O soul, where thou dost stand?"
"A shifting sand
Where vile things stir and live--pride, envy, strife,
Malice and anger, all that preys on love--
Lo, this within me doth the Light reprove!
Yet, fain, I stand
In the Light."

"O soul, poor soul, how bearest thou such sight?
How sad a plight!"
"Aye, sad, but there is help beside the pain;
Help in a word; I do but say to One,
'Lord, I am vile! and, lo, the ill is gone!--
Blameless, I stand
In the Light."

"Seest thou no more?" "I see a foe, who stands
With ordered bands
Surrounding me; and from his hand each hurls
A dart to wound." "Poor soul, how 'scapest thou?"
"One bears a shield: no scathe shall He allow
To reach who stand
In the Light."

"This the whole cheer, poor soul, light brings to Thee?"
"Nay, One I see--
In heaven, in earth, but One: none may rehearse,
Nor any comprehend, save them who see,
The healing of the Vision: He shines on me--
Wherefore I stand
In the Light!"

"Hast any more to tell?" "I see the way,
The devious way
My feet must tread, mark'd out all fair for me;
A path I ne'er had found, nor finding, kept,
Save for the Day: in the past night I slept;
But now do walk
In the Light.

And more: I see all souls about me shine:
In Light divine
Fair do they glow; the Light doth shine on all.
Though not all know; and, ah, this heart would throw
The arms of brotherhood round all, that so,
Assured, we stand
In the Light!"

"O soul, help me! I, too, would feel His beam,
But, ah, I seem
Too vile to meet the Day!" "Brother, e'en now
He shines on thee: thy very fear doth prove
The darkness vanish'd; who confess and love,
Are they who stand
In the Light!"

Typed by happi April, 2021