Slaves trusted by their masters to convey Letters of import out of lands remote To Rome or out of Rome abroad; with those, Idlers and loiterers sauntering without aim, Vomit from Rome or current thither sucked, Freemen, but of the dregs of populace And shameless feeders at the public crib. Beholding all this various spectacle Of life lived wholly without God, and vain, Paul sighed in spirit and thought: 'The world, the world! How vast and dreadful, overshadowing all! How strong and dreadful, dominating all! Kingdom and usurpation in the earth! What power shall overthrow thee, so enthroned As thou art at the center of all things In Rome, and wielding, thou unshaken there, Thence wielding all the shaken universe Implement in thy hand to wreak thy will? Appalling! Yea, yet am I not appalled. "Be of good cheer," said Jesus, then when He Seemed to be sinking vanquished by the world, Even then, "Be of good cheer," said He, "lo, I Have overcome the world." O, hollow show And mockery of power browbeating me! Browbeaten am I not, though in myself Nothing, nay, less than nothing, vanity. There is One in me who is mightier far Than is that mighty who is in the world. Not carnal are the weapons of my war; But potent through my God they yet shall prove Unto the pulling down of all strong holds, And false imaginations of the minds Of men, with every overweening high Thing that exalts itself against the Lord! 'But, O, the streams of men that blinded go, One secular procession perishing, Endlessly on and on, from age to age, In every race and clime--that blinded go In sadness or with madcap songs of mirth Frightfully toward the brink and precipice Beetling sheer over the abyss profound Of hopeless utter last despair and death-- For whom Christ died! Shall He have died in vain? Forbid it God! Was it not promised Him That he should of the travail of His soul See and be satisfied? My soul with His Travails in infinite desire to save; Give Thou me children in my bonds at Rome! O God, my God, hear me herein I pray!'