Then the impulse came, And I poured out like water all my heart. "O! God!" I said, "be merciful to me A reprobate! I have blasphemed thy name. Abused thy patient love, and held from thee My heart and life; and now, in my extreme Of need and of despair, I come to thee. O! cast me not away, for here, at last, After a life of selfishness and sin, I yield my will to thine, and pledge my soul-- All that I am, all I can ever be-- Supremely to thy service. I renounce All worldly aims, all selfish enterprise. And dedicate the remnant of my power To thee and those thou lovest. Comfort me! O! come and comfort me, for I despair! Give me thy peace, for I am rent and tossed! Feed me with love, else I shall die of want! Behold! I empty out my worthlessncss, And beg thee to come in, and fill my soul With thy rich presence. I adore thy love; I seek for thy approval; I bow down, And worship thee, the Excellence Supreme. I've tasted of the sweetest that the world Can give to me; and human love and praise. And all of excellence within the scope Of my conception, and my power to reach And realize in highest forms of art, Have left me hungry, thirsty lor thyself. O! feed and fire me! Fill and furnish me! And if thou hast for me some humble task-- Some service for thyself, or for thy own-- Reveal it to thy sad, repentant child, Or use him as thy willing instrument. I ask it for the sake of Jesus Christ, Henceforth my Master!" Multitudes, it seemed, Responded with "Amen!" as if the word Were caught from mortal lips by swooping choirs Of spirits ministrant, and borne away In sweet reverberations into space. I raised my head at last, and met the eyes Bright with the light of death, and with the dawn Of opening heaven. The smile that overspread The fading features was the peaceful smile Of an immortal,--full of faith and love-- A satisfied, triumphant, shining smile, Lit by the heavenly glory. "Paul," she said, "My work is done; but you will live and work These many years. Your life is just begun, Too late, but well begun; and you are mine, Now and forevermore.... Dear Lord! my thanks For this thy crowning blessing!" Then she paused, And raised her eyes in a seraphic trance, And lifted her thin fingers, that were thrilled With tremulous motion, like the slender spray On which a throbbing song-bird clings, and pours His sweet incontinence of ecstasy, And then in broken whispers said to me: "Do you not hear them? They have caught the news, And all the sky is ringing with their song Of gladness and of welcome. '_Paul is saved_! _Paul is redeemed and saved!_' I hear them cry; And myriad voices catch the new delight, And carry the acclaim, till heaven itself Sends back the happy echo: '_Paul is saved._'"