Ere rose the Iron-Limbed[5], all conquering, Throned on the wreck of empires earlier born, Wrought well for Him the brazen loin of power, The pard-like phalanx, swift, invincible, 710 Spreading the glories of a sapient tongue, The wing whereon a higher wisdom flew, Till teemed, of Aryan clans, the Asian kin[6], Seedlings of Japheth, sire of the Gentile world. Soul-widening word, broad-sown by Grecia's hand, To blossom on a furrowed heathen ground. Servant, erstwhile, the silver-breasted realm, Kingdom of Kurush[7], shepherd of the King, Whose sword, that gave the Jew deliverance, To golden Babylon the guillotine. 720 Whoe'er hath swayed, or yet shall sway, the world, By tongue or pen, by sword or sceptered rule, Hath served, or yet shall serve, the sovereign aim Of Him who wills the welfare of mankind; For or against, promoting still His plan, Helping, not hindering, a conquering Cause. Gone the great Sun--set but to rise again, More glorious from a night of martyrdom; Set here to rise on realms and times untold; All worlds, God's lofty vineyards[8], visiting. 730 Linger the spirit Moon and speaking Stars[9], Crowning with light the Woman Wonderful[10]. Fair as the morn, though tearful as the eve; Risen as from the rocky sepulchre, Where slept betimes the body of her Lord; Clothed, crowned, and shod, with glory's symboling[11]; Ere winging to the vast invisible, Returning to the restful wilderness, She bides to hope, to labor, and endure, All depths, all heights, with Him inheriting. 740 Henceforth with her another Comforter, Vicegerent[12] of the vanished Majesty, Of heavenly Three, the unembodied One[13], Proceeding from the presence of the Sire, To manifest the meaning of the Son; Giver of gifts from Him, the glory-crowned, Fountain of memory and of prophecy. After and ere,[14] Messiah's Minister, Creative hand, omnific arm of God; Holder with Christ of resurrection's key, 750 The quickener of the living and the dead. Lamp of the worlds, life of the universe, Eternal spring of energy divine-- Life, Light, and Love, magnetic mystery, Whereby all things upheld and heavenward drawn. Prophet still pleading[15] in the wilderness, The promise of a perfect yet to come; Proclaimer of the heavenly commonweal, Kingdom upon and yet not of the earth, Whose portal none can enter, none can see, 760 Save born anew--born of a dual birth, By mystic fatherhood and motherhood Begotten sons and daughters unto God, Whose Spirit, omnipresent, immanent, Unwearied, strives by countless ministries, By might of word, by miracle of deed, Mankind to win, wooing while hope remains.