"As His, my goings forth are from of old: A minister to Earth from Eden's hour, Reopening the guarded heavenward way, Whereby the fallen Michael rose again[2]; Lifting to rest the city sanctified[3], Awaiting there my mandate to descend. "Wrought I through him whom Gods name Gabriel, 6020 The Noah of a world once water-doomed, By whom was earth besprent with life anew, Nor less with light from truth's rekindled flame, Still burning, though with error's incense dimmed, And fouled with alien fire[4] in many lands. "Wrought I through him whom men call Abraham, The root of Shiloh[5], righteous branch of Shem; Quarry of Israel, rock whence he was hewn; Blesser of races with believing blood[6], Sprinkler of spirits faithful o'er the world, 6030 Oceans of nations, fountainward that flow, As the soiled floods unto the filtering sea. "Led I when Israel cast Egypt's chain[7], And cleft the wave 'twixt bonds and liberty; As lead I shall when one the Shepherd loved Bringeth the sheep from long captivity[8]. Smote I by him who carved to Canaan's land, Whose sword[9] gave Israel his inheritance, Whose high behest e'en day and night obeyed, On Gibeon, in the vale of Ajalon. 6040 Blazed I through him who flamed as fire from heaven At Kishon's brook[10], where sunk the pride of Baal; Sealer, unsealer, of the sending skies, Renewer of the worship primal, pure. My hand in his, the anointed, named ere born[11], To sunder brazen-gated Babylon, Foreshadowing the great deliverance Wrought out by Him who died all worlds to win. "Then burst the long sealed canopy[12] o'er him Revealed to whom were holy Sire and Son, 6050 And angel guardian of the book of gold; That truth might vanquish error, and once more Be known to men the true and living God. "When spake the angels of authority, Mine was the hand that gave the Kingdom's keys[13], Lifting an ensign for the gathering; Beginning of an ending yet to be, When I a second time shall set my hand, Judah, with Joseph, joining to the fold, And long lost tribes and remnants ransoming. 6060 "The martyred Seer who gave up life to give The warning unto Ephraim, God's first born, Came I to him the Abrahamic keys[14], The Abrahamic covenant, to restore; That Jacob, to the end increasing still, Might be as sands and stars for multitude. "How tell the sum[15] of all my ministries? Wrought I through him who gave to East the West, Through him whose pen of fire proclaimed it free, Through him whose blade the blood-bought soil redeemed. 6070 Came I to thee, lone muser on the mount, My minstrel--I thy muse. Dost know me now? "All, all that make for freedom and for peace, That loose the captive, and the lost restore, That teach, in part or whole, eternal truth, By science, art, or might of melody;-- All these my ministers, who aid my aims. Elias I, their tasks Elias-given.