But gaze from sinking unto soaring sun! Beyond the wave the conquering word hath won Past horrent hosts of Lucifer that rose, With wrath of man, the message to oppose. Vain strife, where fiends archangels would assail, Warring 'gainst mightiness that must prevail-- Prevail to save a periled ship. 'Tis done; The crisis past[21] with Albia stormed and won; 2860 East floweth West--"The Gathering" hath begun. And now, to fruitful lands, 'neath favoring skies, Befriended by the just[22], the brave, the wise, Till truth, too mighty for the common ken, Hath put a sword betwixt the souls of men, Fares garnered Ephraim, earliest offering[23] Of Israel's hope, Idumea's harvesting. Nations besprent with Abrahamic blood Meet there and mingle in that widening flood. Impelled by helping hand or hostile power, 2870 By friendly looks or frowns that darkly lower, Gathers the flock of faith from every land Where roving Ephraim mixt with Japheth's band; Philistia's shoulder bearing Israel's flight, That Japheth, too, may come to Zion's light, And Joseph be o'er all his brethren blest, A saviour in his Egypt of the West[24], Where corn and wine, 'mid famine, comfort life, Where peace and plenty shame a world at strife, And, bending from the ice-barred North, shall come-- 2880 As bent their stars in his, the dreamer's dome-- Assyria's long lost captives[25], wending home. Westward, far westward, chase the lingering night, Impelling Spirit! Angel of the Light! Westward, still westward, till the morn shall burn In high meridian glory; till shall turn Fate's restless tide, re-rolling o'er the East, Spoiling the spoiler, spreading freedom's feast, Foiling dark anarchy, thy fellest foe, Land, chosen land! stunned, staggering 'neath its blow; 2890 Rallying the loyal[26] in a common cause, Rending the eagle from the bear's red claws; Hurling invasion backward o'er the Isles, Building anew upon the olden piles, Beginnings of the crowning commonhood-- A modern Zion where the ancient stood. Backward, roll backward, river of the blood! Back to thy fountain, hurrying human flood-- To Adam's land, the far Edenic shore; For last is first and old is new once more, 2900 And nations rise where nations fell before! Joseph, uprisen from the grave-like mound, His ancient and inglorious battle ground[27], Retreads with modern step the painful path Where erst he fled[28], a fugitive from wrath; Fated to flee till ebbs that westward flow, Bearing from Japheth bitter curse and blow, While patient heaven holds off the woeful fate That cometh swift and layeth desolate The powers that prey on Jacob--all that hate 2910 The God of Joseph, and the just decree That builds him here a boundless destiny. Westward, burn westward, morn divinely bright! Morn of Jehovah, morn of Jacob's might! But stand thou still on Zion, glorious light! For there must dawn the day that knows no night.