"Jehovah, thou my Messenger[8]! 560 Son Ahman, thee I send; And one shall go thy face before,[9] While twelve thy steps attend. And many more on that far shore The pathway shall prepare, That I, the first, the last may come, And earth my glory share. "After and ere thy going down, An army shall descend-- The host of God, and house of him 570 Whom I have named my friend[10]. Through him, upon Idumea[11], Shall come, all life to leaven, The guileless ones, the sovereign sons, Throned on the heights of heaven. "Go forth, thou Chosen of the Gods, Whose strength shall in thee dwell! Go down betime and rescue earth, Dethroning death and hell. On thee alone man's fate depends, 580 The fate of beings all. Thou shalt not fail, though thou art free-- Free, but too great to fall. "By arm divine, both mine and thine, The lost thou shalt restore, And man, redeemed, with God shall be, As God forevermore. Return, and to the parent fold This wandering planet bring[12], And earth shall hail thee Conqueror, 590 And heaven proclaim thee King." 'Twas done. From congregation vast, Tumultuous murmurs rose; Waves of conflicting sound, as when Two meeting seas oppose. 'Twas finished. But the heavens wept; And still their annals tell How one was choice of Elohim, O'er one who fighting fell. --- A stranger star that came from far 600 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 Bare gifts of gold and frankincense, To greet the homeless King. O wondrous grace! Will gods go down Thus low that men may rise? Imprisoned here the Mighty One, 610 Who reigned in yonder skies? Hark to that chime!--What tongue sublime Now tells the hour of noon[13]? O dying world! art welcoming Life's life--Light's sun and moon[14]? Proclaim Him, prophet harbinger! Make plain the Mightier's way, Thou sharer of His martyrdom! Elias? Yea and Nay[15]. The crescent moon, that knew the Sun, 620 Ere stars had learned to shine[16]; The waning moon, that bathed in blood, Ere sank the Sun divine. "Glory to God!--good will to man!-- Peace, peace!"--triumphal tone. "Why peace?" Is discord then no more? Are earth and heaven as one? Peace to the soul that serveth Him, The monarch manger-born; There, ruler of unnumbered realms; 630 Here, throneless and forlorn. He wandered through the faithless world, A prince in shepherd guise; He called his scattered flock, but few The Voice did recognize; For minds upborne by hollow pride, Or dimmed by sordid lust, Ne'er look for kings in beggar's garb, For diamonds in the dust.