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The Past, 
 
 Present and Future. 
 
 A POEM, 
 
 IN THREE CANTOS, 
 
 BY 
 
 ALONZO D. CADWALLADER. 
 
 3 J 
 
 KALAMAZOO, MICH.: 
 
 Printed by Kalamazoo Publishing Co. 
 1875. 
 
A7 T 3 
 
 Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1875, 
 
 By ALONZO D. CADWALLADER, 
 
 in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C. 
 
A 
 
 r- 
 
 *\ 
 
 PROSPECTUS. 
 
 CANTO I. 
 
 The Past treats of the war in Heav'n, 
 And evil to damnation driv'n : 
 Trinity's explained: God and Sin 
 Is treated of from origin. 
 
 CANTO II. 
 
 The Present treats of fall of man, 
 And treats upon Bedemption's plan, 
 But in a universal way — 
 Admitting man's free agency. 
 
 CANTO III. 
 
 The Future treats upon man's state 
 Between his death and future fate, 
 And of Heav'n, and restoration 
 Of both Jew and Gentile nation.' 
 
TO THE PUBLIC. 
 
 It is the customary way 
 For authors of the present clay, 
 To write some kind of prelude to 
 The work destined for public view ; 
 Therefore I will address each man, 
 Who condescends this work to scan, 
 As though he was my neighbor, who 
 Has truth and courtesy in view. 
 If you should find that you, with me, 
 In views, somehow, could not agree, 
 Please be so kind as to concede 
 That honestly we disagreed, 
 As other people sometimes do 
 In their religious mental view. 
 
 Author. 
 
INTRODUCTION TO CANTO 
 FIRST. 
 
 Who e'er has thought of fearful storm, 
 When hearts of men beat high and warm, 
 As they, for battle, quickly form 
 
 In dreacFarray ? 
 Let him, who has, turn from ide'l, 
 And cast a glance upon the re'l, 
 Where flies^the shot, and clash the steel, 
 
 In some wild fray. 
 When moves, in battle, that fierce throng, 
 With fiendish yells which they prolong, 
 Death moves his magic wand along 
 
 In ghastly shape. 
 And when that fearful storm is o'er, 
 It leaves its victims in their gore, 
 And then, upon each household door, 
 
 It ties some crape. 
 
6 INTRODUCTORY. 
 
 He who has cast his eyes on re'l ; 
 Say, did you not then think and feel 
 That it exceeded your ide'l 
 
 Of battle's storm? 
 If battles fought by sons of men 
 Shall far exceed description's pen, 
 Can we conceive of battles, when 
 
 Celestials form ? 
 Such battles are, I think, and feel, 
 Too extensive and too real 
 For mortal spark of grand ide'l 
 
 To give aright. 
 Therefore we'll glance but at affray. 
 Upon that famed eventful day 
 When Satan marshaled his array. 
 
 To try his mie;ht. 
 
CONTENTS: 
 
 Battle in Heaven between the angels and the 
 legions of evil. Michael appears before the Lord 
 and describes the battle, and gives his theory 
 concerning the origin of evil. The Lord hears 
 Michael's story, and then communicates with the 
 Father. 
 
 God gives a history of himself, and explains 
 the mysteries of the Trinity. 
 
 He gives a history of evil. 
 
 The Son is then charged to cast evil from 
 heaven, which is speedily accomiDlished. 
 
CANTO FIRST. 
 
 THE PAST. 
 
 I. 
 
 In heaven, fair broke the morn, and still, 
 (But then, the atmosphere was chill,) 
 When Mich'el viewed, on distant hill, 
 
 A visage stern. 
 His form was clothed in somber brown ; 
 His brow was darker than his gown, 
 For on it sat a mighty frown 
 
 He could discern. 
 Michael shot a glance of fire 
 To penetrate his deep desire, 
 Which stirred at once his smothered ire, 
 
 And that alone. 
 Michael, then, in discontent, 
 A fiercer glance then quicker sent, 
 Which did not break, but only bent 
 
 His brow of stone. 
 
THE PAST. 
 
 Then distant form, upon the hill, 
 •Undid the visor of his will 
 And sent a glance so fraught with ill, 
 Treason was known. 
 
 II. 
 
 Then was proclaimed the martial law, 
 But all its terrors did not awe 
 The form that stood upon the hill, 
 And closed the visor of his will 
 As though he meant defiance, still, 
 
 To heaven's sway. 
 Then rustling wings and flaming blades, 
 And must'ring bands and fierce parades, 
 And ev'ry thing that tend' to awe 
 And to enforce the martial law, 
 That distant form then heard and saw. 
 
 And still did stay. 
 When the mustering had been passed, 
 They forward moved, both fierce and fast. 
 On rustling wings, with flaming blade 
 Then fully drawn and well arrayed, 
 But still that form looked undismayed 
 
 On their array. 
 
10 THE PAST. 
 
 That form now waves as in command 
 A blade he holds within his hand, 
 Which seems to them a magic wand, 
 For then a force that was immense, 
 And in a line both dark and dense, 
 
 Came quick to view. 
 Then came the clang of battlers shock, f 
 That shook the soil and rent the rock 
 Where they in strife did fiercely lock, 
 Upon that famed eventful day, 
 To try respective strength, which they 
 
 Together threw. 
 
 III. 
 
 After a time, the story ran, 
 
 When heaven's host, on Treason's van, 
 
 Had warred, with purpose fixed and true, 
 
 Satanic legions to subdue, 
 
 Michael left, while breathed his band, 
 
 With weary wing and nerveless hand, 
 
 Before his Lord to make complaint 
 
 In accents weary, low and faint. 
 
 t There was war in heaven, Rev. 12—7, 8, 9, and 2 Pe. 2. — ; 
 
THE PAST. lli 
 
 IV. 
 
 A castled palace, quaint and high, 
 Celestial vision could descry 
 Upon the central plain, afar, 
 Then fully manned, as if for war. 
 It had towers and turrets bright ; 
 Its walls were built of dazzling light; 
 Its warders, armed for instant fight, 
 Held vigil on the ramparts round. 
 It had its loop-holes by the scores, 
 Its barbicans and postern doors 
 And princely halls and golden floors ;; 
 Rich furnishings within were found. 
 Within the castled-palace halls, 
 Secured by bastions, moats and walls, 
 The Trinity, in regal state, 
 Did sway the sceptral wand of fate. 
 
 V. 
 
 Before that fortress of the land, 
 Reared thus, and thus by angels manned., 
 Michael, in weary plight, 
 Staid his wing mid rapid flight. 
 
12 THE PAST. 
 
 One glance he at the entrance threw, 
 
 From baldrick then his trump he drew. 
 
 And quickly then that trump he wound 
 
 And sent its wak'ning echos round. 
 
 Its tones were known to warders all ; 
 
 Therefore, responsive to its call, 
 
 Portcullis upward quickly flies : 
 
 Gates locked and barred make quick replies. 
 
 When Mich'el had the portal passed, 
 
 One glance behind he quickly cast, 
 
 Then hurried on through keep and hall 
 
 Until he passed the portals, all, 
 
 And entered presence of Divine — 
 
 The Son in heaven's royal line. 
 
 When Mich'el's glance was rearward thrown. 
 
 Down its celestial casement-stone, 
 
 With sullen jar and dismal groan, 
 
 Portcullis fell. Like lightning's flash, 
 
 The gates returned with mighty crash, 
 
 And bolts and bars that crossed like sash 
 
 Returned into the casement-stone, 
 
 As passed away the dismal groan. 
 
THE PAST. 1& 
 
 VI. 
 
 wt While we are resting weary wing, 
 
 The news I have presumed to bring 
 
 Of our success, in the turmoil, 
 
 That has so far rewarded toil. 
 
 We have warred hard, but can't defeat : 
 
 They ne'er will yield nor make retreat ; 
 
 For shields and armor, dark as night, 
 
 Clad those firm warriors in the fight, 
 
 And, in whispers, along their van 
 
 Like half-pent mutt'ring thunders ran 
 
 Their watchword, and the firm reply, 
 
 'Revenge or death,' did quickly fly. 
 
 Well skilled — in use they have been taught 
 
 To wield the weapons newly wrought 
 
 From substance I've not known before, 
 
 Or now can find, for I've looked o'er, 
 
 Carefully, mountain, hill and dale, 
 
 But must confess without avail ; 
 
 For I have tried and fused by fire, 
 
 With good intent and true desire, 
 
 All new metallics I have found 
 
 Upon the top, or under ground. 
 
14 THE PAST. 
 
 Success crowned not the trials made : 
 
 I could not fashion flaming blade 
 
 Like Treason's, neither could impart 
 
 That lurid hue unto the dart, 
 
 Which with strong arms they quickly drew, 
 
 Or shot from engines strange and new. 
 
 VII. 
 
 When we advanced upon the plain, 
 Upon our van began to rain 
 Peculiar darts of lurid hue, 
 That pierced our shields and armor through. 
 When we charged closer in the fight 
 To try their courage and their might, 
 We found both were, in time of need, 
 Hurled on our van with lightning speed. 
 
 VIII. 
 
 Their restless swords sprang from their sheath ; 
 Dark shields protected forms beneath ; 
 Those swords fell like a falling star; 
 Those shields received the sullen jar, 
 
 And turned aside our stroke. 
 Our blades no better could we wield, 
 Or stronger fence then make of shield, 
 
THE PAST. 15 
 
 Than they, who in the battle toiled, 
 And met our force, and purpose foiled, 
 E'en since the battle broke. 
 
 When the strife was loudly growing, 
 And their shields dark shadows throwing, 
 We found in vain the charge was tried, 
 For victory would not then ride 
 Our banners in the field. 
 
 But we prolonged our useless stay 
 And sterner made that fierce affray, 
 Ere we fell back upon the plain 
 And quit our grasp on terrors rein, 
 To rest our weary blade and shield. 
 
 IX. 
 
 When the order for retreat 
 Showed where rested the defeat, 
 A darker frown of anger ran 
 With lightning speed along our van, 
 And desperation came to aid 
 The energy of flagging blade, 
 Which nerved anew the weary arm 
 And filled our foes with fresh alarm ; 
 
16 THE PAST. 
 
 But short duration was the flow 
 Of valor, that was ebbing low — 
 Treason's ranks at first recoiled, 
 Then in turn our own were foiled. 
 
 X. 
 
 Dispirited, sullen and slow, 
 Retreating squadrons ne'er did know 
 Defeat, in its true phase and form, 
 Made practical in battle's storm, 
 Until they met, in battle's shock, 
 Foes that were firmer than the rock 
 Of adamant, that paved the street 
 And field whereon they met defeat. 
 
 XL 
 
 When we withdrew — our squadrons dense — 
 
 Our rear guards making good defence — 
 
 We saw Sin, Treason's only son — 
 
 So old he looked, they seemed as one, 
 
 Or rather, as 'tween each other, 
 
 Seemed like Treason's older brother. 
 
 XII. 
 I think that, in the book of truth, 
 The record of that wayward youth 
 
THE PAST. 17 
 
 I found, which clearly has revealed 
 
 What they so long have kept concealed. 
 
 The title-page I have forgot, 
 
 But truths and facts will alter not 
 
 Concerning this ungodly son, 
 
 Who, and his father, seems as one. 
 
 XIII. 
 
 Treason was born in stature great, 
 
 But what, in heav'n, did him create ? 
 
 It cannot be the loathsome elf 
 
 Did really beget himself? 
 
 Oh, no ! that would, upon my word, 
 
 Be something that is too absurd 
 
 To have existence in the re'l, 
 
 Or fancy, with her stretched ide'l. 
 
 XIV. 
 
 Then what I wish to know and ask, 
 And what I wish to now unmask, 
 Is, who might have been the father 
 Of celestial evil bother ? 
 Ha, ha !" the angel said, in fun, 
 " Re'ly you might have been the one, 
 9, 
 
IS THE PAST. 
 
 And, possibly, it might be me. 
 
 But neither one we'll both agree. 
 
 And then the mother, too — how strange, 
 
 Without the plan we thus arrange, 
 
 And call the father, mother, son, 
 
 Like our Godhead, all three in one. 
 
 XV. 
 
 It must be Satan, who begat 
 The strong impulsive little brat. 
 Who sits enthroned upon the mind, 
 Defying all the powers, combined, 
 In heaven, that can be arrayed 
 Against his kingdom newly made. 
 He was created by his will, 
 As penned by truth's recording quill, 
 When planning treason for your throne 
 And all the kingdom which you own. 
 
 XVI. 
 
 Thus, we find, one is made of two. 
 Yet one is father of the new. 
 And is father of half himself 
 By willing forth the little elf. 
 
THE PAST. 19 
 
 Treason, in mind, while there unseen, 
 Is working through the mere machine, — 
 Father, Satan, archangel once, 
 And still, but for the little dunce, 
 Would have maintained his place of trust, 
 And let his sword remain to rust, 
 Ere he had drawn it in a cause 
 That's so adverse to holy laws. 
 
 XVII. 
 
 When Treason was in secret made, 
 And was in secret garb arrayed, 
 He found he was in need of help, 
 So he begat a fierce young whelp 
 Whose given name is known as Sin, 
 Who was to help his father win 
 Realms of glory, and castled throne 
 From turret to foundation's stone. 
 
 XVIII. 
 
 This Sin was born and bred a knight, 
 And ready, ever, for the fight, 
 Since first the breath of life he drew, 
 And donned his mail of sable hue. 
 
20 THE PAST. 
 
 He was begat unlike his sire, 
 But like him had a will of fire, 
 Which, with the deeds of evil done, 
 Has proved him well a legal son. 
 
 XIX. 
 
 I will be brief in stating facts : 
 
 He was begat by overt acts 
 
 Of father, who conceived the sin 
 
 Of trying whether he could win 
 
 The realms celestial, and the throne, 
 
 By good, through evil, overthrown. 
 
 And then the would-be potentate 
 
 Did fast his views disseminate 
 
 Among remote and distant bands, 
 
 And trusted naught to other hands 
 
 Than his real keen and shrewd young son,, 
 
 Who, in the work, appeared as one 
 
 With Treason dark, who him begat 
 
 Before he knew what he was at. 
 
 XX. 
 
 When Treason had, with caution, flung 
 The subtle poison from his tongue 
 
THE PAST. 21 
 
 Among the credulous, and brave, 
 
 Where bannered aspirations wave, 
 
 The poison rapid warped the will, 
 
 Treason's squadrons began to fill 
 
 With those who wore an aspect dark. 
 
 Whose thoughts were aimed at royal mark — 
 
 The royal chieftain to overthrow, 
 
 On treason's chieftain to bestow 
 
 All taken, by one-another, 
 
 Prom one chieftain to the other. 
 
 XXI. 
 
 Their dismal ranks kept increasing 
 From our ranks that they were fleecing, 
 Till a third of all the legions 
 We could muster in these regions 
 Had violated Heaven's laws, 
 And entered into Treason's cause. 
 Of course, I can't presume to say 
 The number they'd have swept away 
 If secret vail had not been rent, 
 Whose folds surrounded their intent, 
 For all their plans and schemes were new, 
 And all their tongues were oily, too, 
 
22 THE PAST. 
 
 And were well versed in the black art, 
 Deceit, that wormwood of the heart. 
 
 XXII. 
 
 When Treason was exposed to view, 
 And Sin, in mail of sable hue, 
 Amazement tied each holy tongue, 
 And then the realm with armor rung. 
 Each warrior donned his harness bright 
 And buckled firm for stubborn fight ; 
 Then grasped his sword for the affray 
 And useless scabbard threw away; 
 Then took for fence the favored shield 
 And rushed toward the battle-field. 
 
 XXIII. 
 
 I, of a band of cherubim, 
 
 Did then inquire concerning him 
 
 Who had conspired with other ones, 
 
 And proselyted many sons 
 
 Of heav'n, who were as brave, I wot, 
 
 And loyal as the best we've got. 
 
 The captain of the cherubim 
 
 Assumed that I'd inquired of him, — 
 
THE PAST. 23 
 
 Gave his views concerning Treason, 
 And for views he gave his reason. 
 
 XXIV. 
 
 Slight need it is for me, I ween, 
 
 To tell the sights that Heaven seen, 
 
 Which first awoke in civil broil 
 
 Then wound along with the turmoil, 
 
 For all the news you might have gussed 
 
 Before my thoughts were half expressed, 
 
 E'en if you had not been aware 
 
 Of things existing as they are ; 
 
 But then, it so relieves to tell 
 
 Of the disaster that befell 
 
 Our sacred cause, while in the fight, 
 
 That you will judge presumption light ; 
 
 But then, I think I can forego, 
 
 And tell you only what I know 
 
 Concerning ill-begotten sire, 
 
 And all his darts of lurid fire, 
 
 And all his engines built to win, 
 
 And all concerning his son Sin. 
 
 XXV. 
 
 When we appeared upon the field, 
 Their lurid darts did pierce our shield 
 
24 THE PAST. 
 
 As we advanced in fierce parade, 
 Regardless of the fence we made. 
 And, I might add, the fiery hail 
 Did penetrate our coats of mail, 
 As it was show'red upon our van 
 Like lurid flash of lightnings ran. 
 
 XXVI. 
 
 Their warlike engines, strange and new, 
 
 For us, seemed fraught with terrors, too, 
 
 For, when they in the battle spoke, 
 
 The lurid fire and curling smoke 
 
 Did issue forth, and no wonder, 
 
 For their shot seemed linked with thunder, 
 
 As it was hurled against our van 
 
 With all the speed that lightning can, 
 
 Which broke our ranks, made chaos reign 
 
 Upon the wide tumultous plain, 
 
 Where rustling Wings and rapid feet, 
 
 While on the charge, or in retreat, 
 
 Told where warriors then were toiling 
 
 In defeat, or others foiling. 
 
THE PAST. 25 
 
 XXVII. 
 
 If spirits then could have been slain, 
 
 7 T would have relieved them from the pain 
 
 That they received, from fearful wounds, 
 
 Prom shots that overthrew platoons. 
 
 'T would have been better, far, I think, 
 
 While warring here on heaven's brink, 
 
 If some means you had provided 
 
 For those spirits now divided, 
 
 And will, of course, be mangled more, 
 
 Ere stubborn fight is fairly o'er. 
 
 As they are now, they cannot die, 
 
 Nor rapid, neither, can they fly, 
 
 So, in the battle, they're a curse, 
 
 And only can make matters worse. 
 
 I can't refuse, against their will, 
 
 Their place in battle, nor can fill 
 
 A single place, they'll not hear it, 
 
 By an able-bodied spirit; 
 
 For they argue, and with reason, 
 
 But quite out of place and season, 
 
 That they should not now be denied 
 
 Their place, because they could not ride 
 
26 THE PAST. 
 
 On the swiftest wing in battle, 
 And make offensive arm'r rattle, 
 As loud, or louder than before, 
 When first the battle's op'ning roar 
 Beheld the strength they had no more." 
 
 XXVIII. 
 
 u Cease ye !" said the Lord, commanding. 
 u This exceeds my understanding: 
 You only wished to give your view, 
 Or, rather, facts you claimed you knew; 
 But now I find you'r complaining 
 Of the strength of angels waning, 
 And what your master ought to do, 
 As present facts appear to you 
 With circumstances that are new.'' 
 
 XXIX. 
 
 The bearing of the Lord was stern ; 
 The angel's face did quickly turn, 
 When the Lord's reproof was spoken^ 
 And the look so confidential 
 Was exchanged for reverential, 
 Which we think a certain token 
 
THE PAST. 27 
 
 That his presumption, and his zeal. 
 Bent like a reed, and broke like steel. 
 Zeal was bent, presumption broken, 
 Which was seen in ev'ry feature 
 Like unto a mortal creature. 
 
 XXX. 
 
 As the pangs of just contrition 
 Then wrought upon the angel's zeal, 
 He, in token of submission, 
 And to show submission real, 
 Meekly knelt before our Savior 
 To excuse his bad behavior. 
 " Oh, Lord ! forgive if I've abused 
 My trust, by this idle cavil, 
 And, by misguided zeal I used 
 To this mystic thread unravel, 
 And in the future, I'll refrain, 
 And ne'er again will I complain." 
 
 XXXI. 
 
 " Then proceed, sir, with your story/' 
 Said the Lord of grace and glory : 
 His bearing, instead of wilder, 
 That pervaded Lordly features, 
 
28 THE PAST. 
 
 Through that petition quickly grew, 
 And o'er his visage quickly threw 
 A shade, in expression milder, 
 Like unto us finite creatures, 
 When the expression, as we say, 
 Shows mortal anger passed away. 
 
 XXXII. 
 
 " When, in retreat, we had withdrawn 
 
 Upon the fair celestial lawn, 
 
 To there improve our weaiy plight, 
 
 Ere we again renewed the fight, 
 
 Sin fast the seed of courage sowed, 
 
 As on the fleetest wing he rode 
 
 Along the line of their array 
 
 To form anew for the affray. 
 
 Their fear with our defeat had flown, 
 
 And hope, instead, had rapid grown ; 
 
 And they resolved their fate should bide 
 
 On one fierce wave of fortune's tide. 
 
 XXXIII. 
 
 We quickly formed our ranks anew, 
 And then celestial w r eapons drew 
 
THE PAST. 29- 
 
 To ward the evil, and the woe, 
 That fiercely sought our overthrow. 
 When we had formed, along our van 
 The din of battle rolled aga'n, 
 As though the toil in recent fight 
 Had not impaired the warrior's might. 
 
 XXXIV. 
 
 A lurid cloud of smoky hue 
 Then o'er the field of battle drew, 
 Which suited those in dark array 
 And hindered us in the affray ; 
 For it made Treason more obscure, 
 And made our willing blades less sure. 
 
 XXXV. 
 
 In stern resolve, then rising high, 
 We threw the mountains standing by 
 The field of battle, raging warm, 
 And fiercer than the fiercest storm. 
 But that warlike recreation 
 Shook from center to foundation 
 The realm, celestial, which was staid 
 By all the skill that wisdom made. 
 
30 THE PAST. 
 
 XXXVI. 
 
 Here, frank and free, I will confess 
 We were not crowned with the success 
 We had imagined, for they threw, 
 As well as we, the mountains, too. 
 But fiercer was the struggle made 
 Than when we used the flaming blade, 
 For task was greater, and the shock 
 Of flying mountains, and the rock, 
 Made heaven tremble with such jars 
 That ne'er aga'n will be in wars. 
 
 XXXVII. 
 
 The guards who held important posts 
 
 Along the line of distant coasts, 
 
 By that phenomenon, so queer, 
 
 Were wrapt in the profoundest fear. 
 
 To ascertain, their fleetest wing 
 
 Was charged with mission back to bring, 
 
 What he could of cause and reason, 
 
 And, to ascertain if Treason, 
 
 With cause, had anything to do, 
 
 That made results so strange and new. 
 
THE PAST. 31 
 
 XXXVIII. 
 
 As rapid flies electric thought, 
 Then he his blank commission brought 
 To battle-field, so fraught with ill 
 'T would more than one commission fill. 
 When, like a flash, he came to view, 
 One rapid glance around he threw, 
 And then one blast from trumpet rang 
 E'en louder than the battle's clang. 
 His blast for truce met no reply ; 
 Then through the dark celestial sky 
 He waved, like a meteor's flash, 
 A strip he tore from his white sash. 
 He found himself unheeded still, 
 And then impatient grew his will ; 
 But still the battle raged, amain, 
 Without a thought of peace, again, 
 Till victorious one should ride 
 Triumphant on good fortune's tide. 
 Upon his brow, impatience cloud 
 Then threw around her sable shroud, 
 As his voice rose, in tone quite clear, 
 But fraught with words of little cheer. 
 
32 THE PAST. 
 
 'Hold!' he cried, c this recreation 
 Has e'en shaken our foundation : 
 You may complete the overthrow 
 And raise the gates of lasting woe, 
 By one more surge of battle's tide : 
 Let reason now become your guide P 
 
 XXXIX. 
 
 Then Treason paused in doings dire ; 
 For Treason had then no desire 
 To render heaven desolate, 
 For he could not a new create. 
 We cared not, the heavenly land 
 To thus wantonly ruin, and 
 Neither cared, just for the winning, 
 To shake out the underpinning. 
 Then we mutually withdrew, 
 And I came quickly here to you 
 For good advice, a little aid, 
 For long hard fighting has not made 
 An impression, for either side, 
 For victory refused to ride." 
 
THE PAST. 33 
 
 XL. 
 
 Here the angel's story ended, 
 Of the battle well contended ; 
 His speculations, fraught with fear, 
 All, with his story, ended here. 
 
 XLI. 
 
 Then spoke the Lord, his eyes flashed fire, 
 As rapid rose his kindled ire, 
 To think of Satan's wayward course, 
 And his presumption and his force. 
 " You may return unto the field ; 
 Defend yourselves behind the shield ; 
 Delay, retreat, and clo not fight 
 Until I can instruct you right." 
 
 XLII. 
 
 The angel then in haste withdrew ; 
 
 The Lord then glanced the records through, 
 
 But found what he had wished revealed, 
 
 In mystery securely sealed. 
 
 The mystery the Lord did grasp ; 
 
 But stubborn was the double clasp ; 
 
34 THE PAST. 
 
 When one was broke, the other held, 
 
 And when released each clasp would weld, f 
 
 Of course, the Lord through reason knew, 
 
 To break that clasp, it needed two ; 
 
 Therefore, his honored father sought ; 
 
 The mysteries of course were brought. 
 
 When he came before his sire, 
 
 Milder grew his eyes of fire ; 
 
 Humiliation ne'er was seen 
 
 Like that which clothed his lordly mien. 
 
 Prostrate he fell, his sire before ; 
 
 Submission meek his visage wore, 
 
 As he petitioned for his grace 
 
 To find with him a biding place. 
 
 But through the scene a firmer grasp 
 
 Was fixed upon the mystic clasp ; 
 
 He seemed reluctant then to speak 
 
 Of needed aid he came to seek; 
 
 But silence long he ill could brook ; 
 
 He then revealed the mystic book, 
 
 And spoke of what it might contain, 
 
 Then asked his Father to explain. 
 
 t See Scott's "Lay of the Last Minstrel," canto 3— IX. 
 
THE PAST. 35 
 
 XLIII. 
 
 When Son entered, the Father bowed, 
 And from his brow then passed a cloud, 
 Which left his features all serene 
 That then expressed a placid mien. 
 And, when his Son's desire was known, 
 The mystic spell was overthrown, 
 Unlike before, the stubborn clasp 
 Flew open now within his grasp. 
 The Father spoke then to the Son ; 
 " Countless ages must backward run, 
 And in their long eternal laws 
 We'll find the germ of ev'ry cause. 
 Now to give, is my intention, 
 Eternity's vast dimension, 
 And all which to it may relate, 
 Contained within that book of fate. 
 
 XLIV. 
 
 Eternity beginning ? No. 
 The thing itself could not be so, 
 For it is that which is sublime 
 And far beyond the reach of time ; 
 
36 THE PAST. 
 
 And space's vast immensity, 
 In principle, propensity, 
 
 Is just the same as the other, 
 
 And's Eternity's twin brother. 
 
 XLV. 
 
 Eternity ending, sinning, 
 When it has had no beginning ? 
 (It surely would be sin to kill 
 Twin brother, space, and self, who fill 
 The hollow void that is sublime — 
 Outreaching far the bourn of time — ) 
 No ! such a thing it could not do, 
 It can't have one end without two. 
 
 XL VI. 
 
 Now many things there will be said, 
 
 Of the Trinity, or Godhead — 
 
 The Father, Holy Ghost and Son— 
 
 The One of Three, and Three in One. 
 
 And, by idle declaration, 
 
 Theory and speculation, 
 
 Some will, in their bold intrusion, 
 
 Arrive at a false conclusion 
 
THE PAST. 37 
 
 'Concerning me, and all the rest 
 Now in the kingdom of the blest, 
 Including Treason, in heav'n rife, 
 With all our principles of life. 
 
 XLVII. 
 
 Now turn to ninety-billionth age 
 And to its sixty-millionth page, 
 And, carefully, you may then note, 
 While from that mystic book I quote 
 Facts, eternal Truth's foundation, 
 And, without which, no creation 
 Can e'er be made, or thing exist, 
 For how then could we turn or twist 
 Without something twisting, turning, 
 Without heat, or with heat burning, 
 Or, something that is cold or warm, 
 Sufficiently to melt or form, 
 Or, something we can think or find 
 That is material or mind ; 
 But then, I think you will concur 
 That it is useless to refer 
 To matter, or tradition's elves, 
 For we are living truths ourselves. 
 
38 THE PAST. 
 
 XLVIII. 
 
 Just how, and from what, we are so, 
 Is what I now intend to show, 
 As I now thread the mystic maze 
 Of those eternal winding ways 
 Without beginning, or an end, 
 And which in complications blend. 
 Back, in eternal Hi story , 
 Is where we find the mystery 
 That we are trying to dissolve, 
 To rend the folds that truth involve. 
 
 XLIX. 
 
 Now, Matter, nothing did create, 
 Or its principle emanate : 
 It has always been existing, 
 And has always been a twisting, 
 Or been twisted, at any rate, 
 While existing in form or state. 
 Matter has principle oi life, 
 And, with it, always has been rife 
 That principle, which has twisted 
 That which always has existed. 
 
THE PAST. 39 
 
 That principle is Matter's God, 
 And rules it with the sceptral rod, 
 Will, that mental motive power 
 That is Heaven's choicest flower. 
 
 L. 
 
 The theory must be correct, 
 And, to support it, I expect 
 To just rely on reason's laws 
 To vindicate the truth and cause. 
 If otherwise, how would it be 
 With existence of you and me, 
 Who now incumber Heaven's throne 
 And rule the kingdom as our own ? 
 
 LI. 
 
 As sov'reign Gods, none will deny 
 Us our rights and claim, or defy 
 Us, except this cursed Treason, 
 Nor he, without valid reason. 
 
 LII. 
 
 If not just as I've related, 
 We, of course, have been created, 
 And are subject to dictation 
 Bv the author of creation. 
 
40 THE PAST. 
 
 If not subjects, we were fated 
 To be by ourselves created, 
 Which is a thing disputable, 
 And is, by facts immutable, 
 A thing impossible to do, 
 However much we try to screw 
 True principles of reason round, 
 And to a theory unsound. 
 
 LIIL 
 
 Eternity then could not be 
 Our age, I think you will agree, 
 If we were ourselves created, 
 For creation must have dated 
 From some fixed period in time — 
 The thought, itself, is not sublime. 
 
 LIV. 
 
 We are not Gods, if that is so, 
 
 For we are subject to that woe 
 
 Of death, that's by us called ending — 
 
 Something into nothing blending. 
 
 A thought, indeed, that is sublime ! — 
 
 A God, whose life is marked by time, 
 
THE PAST. 41 
 
 And, who was by chance created, 
 With a birth and death that's dated. 
 If not by chance, then by ourselves, 
 Or some imaginary elves, 
 Or Gods, which now are not our own, 
 Who into nothingness have flown. 
 There is a God that is sublime, 
 With age, Eternity, or Time, 
 And must be, if not the latter, 
 Co-extensive with all matter. 
 
 LV. 
 
 Now what, through reason, can we find 
 
 That can be God, except the mind — 
 
 It's repulsion and attraction. 
 
 And, to matter, life and action. 
 
 This mind is God, your father, son, 
 
 And will, its offspring, makes us one. 
 
 The issue, which has sprung from Mind 
 
 And Will, is of electric kind, 
 
 And is a principle of good — 
 
 The Holy Ghost — that's understood. 
 
 The Trinity is thus explained, 
 
 And all the secrets there contained ; 
 
42 THE PAST. 
 
 Although quite brief, I think my son 
 Now understands how three are one. 
 The Will originates in Mind, 
 Electric force from two, combined, 
 Thus making three, as it is said, 
 Father, Son, Holy Ghost — Godhead, t 
 
 LVI. 
 
 Back in eternity, ever, 
 
 The active principle never 
 
 Has been without its counterpart, 
 
 Arrayed in all its deadly art, 
 
 To foil, as well as counteract, 
 
 (Which is a grave eternal fact,) 
 
 The Will, action of the Matter,. 
 
 And inventive efforts scatter ; 
 
 For all improvements are opposed 
 
 To his kingdom, and are disposed 
 
 To materially limit 
 
 His jurisdiction, and in it, 
 
 To circumscribe the bounds of things 
 
 Which order out of chaos brings. 
 
 fSee appendix. 
 
THU PAST. 43 
 
 LVIL 
 
 This counterpart of matter's life 
 Has always mingled in the strife, 
 And has tried always to undo, 
 By inert action, or the screw, 
 And render negative, and lost, 
 Our greatest works at dearest cost. 
 This arch-fiend is king of terror, 
 And is lord of ev'ry error, 
 And many wicked little aids 
 He has, to prosecute his raids; — 
 They're faithful, too — with one accord, 
 And skilfully, they serve their lord. 
 
 Lvin. 
 
 Unlike us, quite, doth he create, 
 Nor e'en our works doth imitate, 
 But opposition form themselves, 
 E'en down unto the little elves ; 
 By inert action, not by art, 
 We find arrayed a counterpart. 
 And, seemingly, we doth bestow 
 The pow'r on them to overthrow 
 
-±4 THE PAST. 
 
 What we have made, by careful art, 
 Unless we act a sentry's part. 
 
 LIX. 
 
 Fierce and long were we contending; 
 I was willing and defending 
 Improvements, and he, to bring back 
 To chaos, made the fierce attack. 
 By constant use, and constant drill, 
 Matter's active principle, Will, 
 Was slowly strengthened and improved, 
 And, in progression, onward moved 
 With improvements of ev'ry kind, 
 Brought forth by Will pow'r of the Mind. 
 
 LX. 
 
 Now, heretofore, unknown to fame, 
 This evil has usurped our claim, 
 When there were none but me and you, 
 And Holy Ghost, to guard and do ; 
 Which you will find, by careful look 
 Through mystic records of that book. 
 The tale to tell I'll not assume, 
 But leave it for you to presume, 
 
N THE PAST. 4& 
 
 Or, if you should deem it a pleasure, 
 You can read it at your leisure. 
 
 LXI. 
 
 'Twas through neglect he scaled the wall, 
 
 And wrought the ruin and the fall 
 
 Of Heav'n's great and choicest warder, 
 
 Charged to keep our foreign border. 
 
 Through evil he was to repel, 
 
 That injudicious warder fell — 
 
 Unlawful parleys were the cause 
 
 That made him break o'er holy laws ; 
 
 But, heretofore, I knew it all — 
 
 I knew that angels were to fall, 
 
 And, according to conception, 
 
 I've prepared, for their reception, 
 
 A Hell, their heritage in fee, 
 
 And have ordained they shall, by thee. 
 
 Be invested, for that reason, 
 
 With the livery-of-seizin." 
 
 LXII. 
 
 When full' instructed in the law, 
 The Son from Father did withdraw. 
 
46 THE PAST. 
 
 To fill the mission of the mind. 
 Which, by the Father, was assigned. 
 When he withdrew, his rising ire 
 Again lit up his eyes with fire, 
 That prophesied of coming woes 
 That would beset the rebel foes. 
 
 LXIII. 
 
 The royal arsenal he sought; 
 
 Again a battle would be fought; 
 
 A royal soldier was to win, 
 
 And vanquished Treason and his Sin. 
 
 A crashing sound, then sullen jars, 
 
 Then incantation's locks and bars 
 
 Gave way, then open flew the door, 
 
 When arsenal he stood before. 
 
 Then quickly passed the main arch through, 
 
 Two agile steeds of brilliant hue 
 
 All harnessed ready for the fight 
 
 Unto a chariot of light, 
 
 In which there lay a coat of mail, 
 
 And arms with which he could prevail. 
 
 Those steeds were mettled well with ire, 
 
 And were caparisoned with fire — 
 
THE PAST. 47 
 
 Their hoofs struck flame at ev'ry dint, 
 E'en as the steel from hardest flint. 
 The chariot, uniquely made, 
 Was terrible in war-parade, 
 And it was, when set in action, 
 Both expansion and contraction. 
 Its wheels revolved in ev'ry way : 
 When it came forth for the affray, 
 Sounds of thunder, and flames of fire 
 Did issue from the char'ot's tire. 
 
 LXIV. 
 
 The royal warrior did prevail 
 In quickly donning coat of mail, 
 That far outshone his vesture bright, 
 With dazzling flames of changing light. 
 And the vision, and the reason 
 Of the warriors under Treason, 
 Would have been paralyzed and dim, 
 If they by chance had looked on him. 
 When fully harnessed for the fight, 
 The royal warrior — Heaven's knight — 
 Sprang in the char'ot, seized the rein', 
 And drove unto the battle-plain. 
 
48 THE PAST. 
 
 LXV. 
 
 The leag'ring lines of heaven swayed. 
 An op'ning wide their cohorts made, 
 And trembling stood, with downcast eyes,, 
 As past the lordly warrior flies, 
 While urging, then, in their career, 
 His steeds, one Terror, and one Fear, 
 Which were so blended as they came 
 Each one assumed the other's name. 
 
 LXVI. 
 
 When he had reached the battle-plain, 
 To Fate he then resigned the rein', 
 And drew his sword that upward curled, 
 While, with his other hand, he hurled 
 His thunder-bolts : In lurid glare, 
 They fiercely darted here and there, 
 Always in the jjroper season, 
 Always routing Sin and Treason. 
 
 LXVII. 
 
 Great confusion, and disorder, 
 Then ran riot on the border. 
 
THE PAST. 49 
 
 Demons howled, in desperation 
 Cursed the time of their creation, 
 And cursed the time their liege withdrew, 
 And then to heaven's ramparts flew. 
 
 LXVIII. 
 
 The heav'nly land contained a foe 
 Who quickly wrought their overthrow. 
 Through void without grim Chaos reigned ; 
 They knew not what that void contained. 
 When they again were sorely pressed, 1 
 They chose what seemed to them the best, 
 And sought their safety in a flight 
 Through space's black eternal night. 
 
 LXIX. 
 
 Slight need it is for pen to trace 
 Eventful things that then took place, 
 Or treat of evils that befell 
 The angels on their road to Hell. 
 Therefore I'll throw aside my quill, 
 And patiently will wait until 
 They are settled, in that domain, 
 Ere I shall take my quill again. 
 
 4 
 
INTRODUCTION TO CANTO 
 SECOND. 
 
 Once, the battle was celestial, 
 
 But it now will be terrestr'al, 
 
 And upon a different plan, 
 
 And for the weal and woe of man. 
 
 By force-of-arms has been the fight, 
 
 But now, through diplomatic might, 
 
 The struggle will be fiercely made 
 
 Through skill and cunning's grand parade. 
 
 One issue has been fought and tried ; 
 
 Another issue they'll decide, 
 
 And that is, who shall have the man, — 
 
 The greatest in creation's plan. 
 
 Now some there are, and Christians, too, 
 
 Who hold, and advocate the view, 
 
 That, in this diplomatic test, 
 
 Christ will come out the second best. 
 
 But I attribute more of skill 
 
 Unto the wisdom of the Will, 
 
 And I shall advocate, and claim, 
 
 Success will now advance his fame, 
 
 Through Redemption of wayward man, 
 
 Based on a universal plan. 
 
CONTENTS: 
 
 The creation of man slightly noticed. The 
 story of the fall of man. The author endeavors 
 to show by logical reasoning, that it was intended 
 from the beginning that man should partake of 
 the fruit of the forbidden tree, The free moral 
 agency of man is admitted, and, from Scripture 
 and reason, Universal Salvation is shown, that is, 
 all will be saved, after they have received a due 
 punishment for their sins. 
 
 The punishment for sin will be here, and 
 hereafter. The author does not attempt to show 
 its magnitude, or duration, only, that it will not 
 exceed what is due, and, that it will not endure 
 alwavs. 
 
CANTO SECOND. 
 
 THE PRESENT. 
 
 I. 
 
 In my first canto, I've relied 
 
 On reason, mostly, for my guide ; 
 
 But will soon enter fields of thought, 
 
 Where proofs, with reason, can be brought,, 
 
 That will sustain the author's view, 
 
 And safely lead the author through 
 
 The grand array of adverse views, 
 
 For strong, indeed, are sacred truths. 
 
 II. 
 
 Now when creation's dawn began, 
 Treason, who came to view the plan,, 
 Stood tiptoe on the morning mist, 
 And there resolved another twist, 
 Or turn, or battle, just for luck, 
 He then would hazard, for his pluck 
 Was just returning, and his fame 
 Then at stake, in desperate game 5 
 
THE PRESENT. 53 
 
 Throughout allthe fallen legions, 
 Throughout all the dismal regions, 
 Had then been ebbing rather low, 
 E'er since the craven's overthrow. 
 But then, c give devil all his due,' 
 Which rule, if authors heed it, too, 
 Doth bid me say that ebbing fame 
 Had slight reaction on his name, 
 When broken were the bars of hell, 
 For Satan did his duty well ; 
 So thought at least his varied imps, 
 Who, at the very slightest glimpse 
 Of any attributes of fame, 
 Would glorify their leader's name. 
 
 III. 
 
 Now praise, and glory, and renown, 
 Would all his evil efforts crown, 
 Should he succeed in unscrewing 
 All the architect was doing ; 
 And, besides, the consolation, 
 Counteracting all creation, 
 That his satanic self would feel 
 Through sweet revenge's goading zeal, 
 
5-t THE PRESEKT. 
 
 Would pay him well for what he did, 
 And, for that consolation's bid 
 In offering up the soul once more 
 That had been forfeited before. 
 
 IV. 
 
 When finished was the solar plan, 
 
 Our God commenced to form a man. 
 
 And then and there the war begun 
 
 Beneath the solar system's sun. 
 
 The Devil cared not for the Earth 
 
 Creation had just given birth, 
 
 Although the thoughts of the Avinning 
 
 Caused him to tilt the underpinning ; 
 
 But all was harmony again, 
 
 When its Creator did complain 
 
 That somewhere, somehow, something scratched,, 
 
 That everything had not been matched. 
 
 The Devil then kept mighty whist, 
 
 Dissolved himself in morning mist, 
 
 And skulked beneath the morning shade 
 
 As soon as that complaint was made. 
 
 And then, when everything grew still, 
 
 He ventured tiptoe on the hill, 
 
THE PRESENT. 55 
 
 For he surmised, from the whole plan, 
 
 That God would make that creature, man. 
 
 Better could he make him rue it, 
 
 If he'd only see him do it, 
 
 For, through kinks, and through his reason, 
 
 He could better worm his treason. 
 
 V. 
 
 When our Creator had began 
 
 To consummate his cherished plan, 
 
 The evil one then bolder grew 
 
 And near the scene of action drew; 
 
 His eyes upon the work were bent, 
 
 And his attention and intent 
 
 Was firmly fixed, by his strong will 
 
 That w T as in turn controlled by ill. 
 
 The Devil thought the work was new, 
 
 And could be best performed by two ; 
 
 But God gave him to understand 
 
 That he could make, what he had planned, 
 
 Without the aid of evil art 
 
 To form or fashion any part. 
 
56 THE PRESENT. 
 
 VI. 
 
 The Dev'l was, of course, at leisure, 
 
 And, like gentlemen of pleasure 
 
 Who've a fancy for that shirking 
 
 They assume in place of working, 
 
 Premeditated evil things, 
 
 Which Leisure and the Devil brings. 
 
 A look that was both strange and queer 
 
 That was between a frown and sneer, 
 
 Sat upon satanic features, 
 
 As God made his human creatures, 
 
 In a careful, and business way, 
 
 With hands in mortar formed from clay. 
 
 VII. 
 
 The Devil's observations led 
 
 To some suggestions he then said 
 
 Unto the workman of the soil, 
 
 Artistic'ly engaged in toil. 
 
 " Now look here, friend! I think that we 
 
 In views do slightly disagree, 
 
 Concerning proper way to fix 
 
 That gross material you mix. 
 
THE PRESENT. 57 
 
 I think, if I prepared that clay, 
 That I would mix some other way 
 The dust that was to form the man, 
 According to creation's plan. 
 In fact, I think it no great trick 
 To mix the mortar with a stick : 
 Of course, you'll do it as you please, 
 But then, a close observer sees 
 Just where you fail in your design, 
 Which would be perfected by mine. 
 If you'll follow my suggestion, 
 There '11 not be a chance to question 
 The sacred plan that you devised, 
 And I in friendship have revised. 
 And, of course, before the moulding, 
 Notwithstanding former scolding, 
 That is, if so you should desire, 
 I'll stir it for you free of hire." 
 
 VIII. 
 
 God was provoked — he raised his eyes 
 And viewed the Devil in surprise, 
 To think that he could thus command 
 His fears, when danger was at hand. 
 
58 THE PRESENT. 
 
 And through his eyes his anger shone 
 On him who had familiar grown, 
 In both his language, and his mien, 
 As he stood near that earthly scene. 
 The Devil, from that angry look, 
 A hint to leave then quickly took, 
 And thought advisable, of course, 
 To put that hint in active force. 
 
 IX. 
 
 There was no rest from toil begun, 
 And, long before the solar sun 
 Had faded with its liquid light 
 Behind the sable robes of night, 
 Man was made, endowed with reason. 
 And was like, to prowling Treason, 
 What e'er the mouse, or e'en the rat, 
 Appears unto the prowling cat 
 That holds its victim with its claw 
 Destined to lay within its maw, 
 With exception of the greeting 
 Of the after-part, called eating. 
 Better, far, if no exception 
 To the feline's gross conception 
 
THE PRESENT. 59 
 
 Had e'er been made, in case of man, 
 By the Devil, from catlike plan. 
 Better, far, when he had beaten, 
 The Dev'l had his victim eaten, 
 And left no trace of hide, or hair, 
 In Eden's garden anywhere, 
 Than fix the matter, as some tell, 
 To drag immortal souls to Hell. 
 
 X. 
 
 When God had made the human pair, 
 He did disdain to guard, with care, 
 Choice productions of his labor, 
 From encroachments of his neighbor. 
 He gave them both free morai views, 
 But did not post them on the news 
 From Heaven, or hint of danger 
 From a cunning evil stranger. 
 He only gave his dictation, 
 Shortly after their formation, 
 That all the fruits, and the fol'age, 
 Of the trees, except of knowledge, 
 Were, according to proposal, 
 Fully placed at their disposal. 
 
60 THE PRESENT. 
 
 But this knowledge, good and evil, 
 
 (Saying nothing of the devil,) 
 
 * You shall not taste, or you shall die, 
 
 And under evil curses lie.' 
 
 This was sixth day, next was seven', 
 
 When Creator went to Heaven 
 
 With his angels, every one, 
 
 To rest there from the labors done. 
 
 XL 
 
 Sweet the rest is, for the weary, 
 
 From those labors that are dreary, 
 
 When the week is slowly waning, 
 
 And the brain's o'er taxed, by planning, 
 
 For sure that rest revives, at length, 
 
 And vivifies the drooping strength 
 
 That otherwise would surely fall, 
 
 And then that strength, with health, and all, 
 
 By care and labor overthrown, 
 
 Would moulder in the grave, alone. 
 
 But that rest should be discarded 
 
 When our labor is unguarded, 
 
 When a foe, with great invention, 
 
 Hinting well at his intention 
 
THE PRESENT. 61 
 
 To take our profits for his spoil, 
 Is aiming well at honest toil. 
 
 XII. 
 
 I think that God was well aware 
 
 What would befall the human pair, 
 
 If, unguarded, he should leave them 
 
 So the Devil could deceive them ; 
 
 For, well accomplished in the art, 
 
 The Devil well could act his part, 
 
 And, in seduction's path, astray, 
 
 He well could lead the evil way, 
 
 Which had been proven, heretofore, 
 
 Upon the fair celestial shore. 
 
 The act is a strong suggestion 
 
 That it was his own intention 
 
 That, forbidden, man should do it, 
 
 And then make the Devil rue it, 
 
 Instead thereof the human pair, 
 
 Whose fate should be that toil and care, 
 
 Which all must share, life's journey through^ 
 
 To by degrees this world subdue. 
 
 If not so, God's grand intention, 
 
 Tell me why he did not mention 
 
62 THE PRESENT. 
 
 To human beings, unaware, 
 The Devil's complicated snare, 
 Or e'en instruct them how to foil 
 That Devil's complicated coil ? 
 
 XIII. 
 
 Now I'll beg the reader's pardon, 
 I'll return unto the garden, 
 And to that ancient human pair, 
 And visit them again, while there ; 
 For innocence, before the fall, 
 Is an important theme for all. 
 Now I think through hasty scanning 
 Of the scheming and the planning, 
 A wrong impression on the mind, 
 Unwarranted by what we find, 
 Has been made, in the conclusion — 
 It is nothing but illusion. 
 
 XIV. 
 
 Some re'ly think, and talk it, too, 
 That, ere man fell, he re'ly knew 
 As much as after, of the good, 
 And that he evil understood. 
 
THE PRESENT. 63 
 
 The Bible is their base of view, 
 
 And shall be that of author's, too ; 
 
 But, from that base, through reason's law, 
 
 The author now propose' to draw, 
 
 With materials he can find, 
 
 And of that conscientious kind, 
 
 A picture of a diff'rent shade, 
 
 And with the pencil reason made. 
 
 XV. 
 
 Before man ate, he was a tool, 
 
 In artful hands a moral fool ; f 
 
 For man then knew no wicked guile, 
 
 He did not dream of artful wile, 
 
 He did not know, to disobey 
 
 Would be a sin : Why then, I pray, 
 
 Should he receive a hell's extreme 
 
 For doing what he did not dream 
 
 Was wrong ? Now wrong, of course, is sin, 
 
 And it through eating did begin, 
 
 And, with the knowledge it conveyed, 
 
 They were aware they disobeyed 
 
 t Gen. 3—7-11-22. 
 
64 THE PRESENT. 
 
 Their Creator's express command : 
 
 They ne'er before did understand 
 
 Its import, so where's the wonder, 
 
 If the Devil drew them under 
 
 That famed tree's expansive fol'age, 
 
 And beguiled them with its knowledge^ 
 
 When cunning Devil could assume 
 
 What, unsuspecting, they'd presume 
 
 Was all right, and was true and fair, 
 
 And they, beneath his guard'an care 
 
 Would be secure ? They knew no harm — 
 
 Why then should they receive alarm, 
 
 From any cause, of any kind, 
 
 When unto sin they both were blind ? 
 
 They had the pow'r to let alone, 
 
 And would have done it, if they'd known 
 
 The consequences of the act, 
 
 When Satan made that famed attack, 
 
 If our God had not then blended 
 
 In the scheme what he intended. 
 
 XVI. 
 
 To die ! what knew they of that death 
 Caused by cessation of the breath ? 
 
THE PRESENT. 65 
 
 What knew they of that moral state 
 Where they would soon be dragged by fate ? 
 They knew nothing of the wicked ; f 
 They didn't know that they were naked ; J 
 They did not know, then, very much, 
 If not aware their state were such ? 
 Now I would ask, in reason's name, 
 Who can that ancient couple blame, 
 When left unguarded, and alone 
 With him w r ho battled for the throne 
 Of Heav'n, and would have won it, too, 
 For all that angels then could do ? 
 
 XVII. 
 
 Here, again, I think I'll mention 
 What I think was God's intention, 
 And part of the Creator's plan 
 Concerning ignoramus, man, 
 Who w r as unconscious, like a child : 
 He should with knowledge be beguiled 
 So that excuse w T ith him w r ould tend 
 To justify creation's end, 
 
 f Gen. &-22. By implication, there was no knowledge before 
 eating. J Gen. 2-25 and 3-11. 
 
 5 
 
66 THE PRESENT. 
 
 And his condemning to their fate, 
 The Dev'l, and those he did create. 
 The Devil should to hell return, 
 And man the arts and science' learn, 
 And then, when done with him below, 
 He would on him a life bestow 
 That was eternal, and sublime, 
 Somewhere beyond the shores of time. 
 
 XVIII. 
 
 When the Devil, unmistaken, 
 Saw that man had been forsaken, 
 He surmised machine had rusted, 
 Or, that God became disgusted 
 With the production he called man, 
 And, through him, with creation's plan. 
 Therefore, he thought, with zealous care 
 The new machine he would repair, 
 And put it in good working trim — 
 He then would run machine for him. 
 The Dev'l, then, who had been shirking 
 While Creator had been working, 
 Thought it was time for him to aid 
 Bv testing him whom God had made. 
 
THE PRESENT. 67 
 
 He had only been suggesting, 
 Otherwise he had been resting, 
 And preparing for his labor 
 With his young created neighbor. 
 
 XIX. 
 
 The Devil thought God was inclined 
 
 To be both selfish and unkind, 
 
 Or he'd have offered him a share, 
 
 When he had offered to be fair, 
 
 And court'ous, too, when man was made, 
 
 By his extending proffered aid. 
 
 The Dev ; l thought himself offended, 
 
 And that God had then intended 
 
 To mar tender kind of feelings, - 
 
 By his selfish kind of dealings, 
 
 Which caused the Devil's selfish ire 
 
 His tender feelings to retire, 
 
 And marshal forth his evil art, 
 
 Made perfect, now, in ev'ry part , 
 
 By long experience, and use, 
 
 With credulous, and its abuse. 
 
 XX. 
 
 The Devil's share ! he had, ere now, 
 Resolved to have it anyhow. 
 
68 THE PRESENT. 
 
 The DevTs work ! he did begin it. 
 In a way that he did win it. 
 I hardly think I need to tell 
 How honest Adam re'ly fell, 
 For the story has been going 
 And the evils have been flowing, 
 Ever since that moral grapple 
 When he ate the evil apple. 
 But I think that I'll relate it, 
 Give my reasons why he ate it ; 
 For I think some penlike scratching,, 
 Done by way of story-patching, 
 Is now essential — once begun — 
 All are aware how stories run. 
 
 XXI. 
 
 But, stop ! here the zealous preachers 
 May insist on right, as teachers, 
 To construe the Bible's meaning, 
 And do all the sacred gleaning 
 In the extensive field of thought, 
 From where opinions should be brought. 
 But I have often heard that they 
 Did twist some truths another way, 
 
THE PRESENT. 69 
 
 Iii their construction, than my mind, 
 Then conscientiously inclined, 
 •Could have construed, by my linking 
 Thereunto my dif rent thinking ; 
 Howe'er much I tried to do it, 
 And to reason fast to screw it. 
 
 XXII. 
 
 Sometimes I've thought, through the preacher, 
 
 The Dev'l was a zealous teacher, 
 
 For we find his subtle Treason 
 
 Worming through the human reason, 
 
 In ev'ry kind of form and phase, 
 
 From Judas' time to modern days. 
 
 Therefore, I think, sound discretion, 
 
 With respect for the profession, 
 
 Will warrant me in taking, too, 
 
 The Bible for my base of view. 
 
 XXIII. 
 
 If my views concerning Treason 
 
 Are not based on valid reason, 
 
 And if my doctrines, through and through, 
 
 Are not well based on Scriptures, too, 
 
70 THE PRESENT. 
 
 Then I'd advise — do not bother — 
 
 Do not read my writings farther, 
 
 Until I've written something new, 
 
 And something that is worthy, too. 
 
 If you'll follow my suggestion, 
 
 There ' 11 not be the slightest question 
 
 Of your loosing your salvation, 
 
 On account of my invasion 
 
 Of modern doctrines, faith and thought, 
 
 Which by our preachers have been taught. 
 
 XXIV. 
 
 When Creator left the garden, 
 And mankind without a warden, 
 Except a certain undefined 
 Unaided element of mind, 
 Called an agent, free and moral, 
 The Dev'l then renewed his quarrel 
 With the owner and Creator, 
 Acting as investigator 
 Of the production, God called man, — 
 I think the ancient story ran. 
 
THE PRESENT. 71 
 
 XXV. 
 
 He, sly and artful, cunning, shrewd, 
 That moral agent interviewed, 
 And found that agent was, I ween, 
 Quite uninstructed, soft and green; 
 For plainly then the sequel showed 
 The small amount that agent knowed. 
 
 XXVI. 
 
 Quite free he was to choose, of course ; 
 But arguments will loose their force, 
 And stamp on reason deep disgrace, 
 When freedom is the only base 
 For arguments that some advance 
 Concerning our uncertain chance 
 Of Heaven — that, through Adam's fall, 
 He and his children forfeits all, 
 Without hope in the Redemption, 
 Unless through some church convention, 
 And through the narrow modern views, 
 Which are like the evening dews 
 Compared with show'rs, that's full and free. 
 For the proportion, in degree, 
 
72 THE PRESENT. 
 
 Is similar, in relation 
 
 To the plan for our salvation. 
 
 XXVII. 
 
 Knowledge, with freedom, is required, 
 To give the force that is desired 
 To arguments that pen in hell, 
 All who through wayward Adam fell, 
 Where they would lock, at judgment clay, 
 And throw the fatal key away. 
 They knew neither good nor evil, 
 Ere acquaintance with the Devil — f 
 Moral eyes could not see through it 
 Till he showed them how to do it. J 
 The wayward act lacked the intent, 
 For then the knowledge was not lent, 
 Until he took it, as he should, 
 As God intended Adam would. 
 
 XXVIII. 
 
 Now God is just, so he prepared, 
 As Holy Scriptures have declared, 
 A sacrifice, ere foundation 
 Of the world, or its creation, * 
 
 t By implication see Gen. 3-22. J Gen. 3—7-22. 
 * 1 Pe. 1—18- 19-20. Rev. 13-8. 
 
THE PRESENT. 73 
 
 Which was, I think, to reinstate 
 The human race he did create. 
 
 XXIX. 
 
 The lack of knowledge has, in fact, 
 Excused that ancient way ward act 
 Of Adam, only, not his sons : 
 We now must find some other ones 
 To shield them from that dread extreme 
 That runs through the fanatic's dream. 
 That designing artful creature 
 Wove evT with our human nature, 
 And re'ly did, through Adam's fall, 
 Make Adam's cause the cause of all — 
 So much so, that an infant would 
 Receive the curse an older should 
 For transgression, if Redemption 
 Had not offered them salvation, f 
 
 XXX. 
 
 We all are, therefore, through the Lord, 
 And his Redemption, full' restored 
 To God's grace, and to his pardon, 
 As Adam was, in the garden, 
 
 f 1 Cor. 15—21-22. Rom. 5—11 to 21. 
 
74 THE PRESENT. 
 
 With this only altered feature 
 In the modern human creature : 
 We have knowledge, and its evil, 
 Which was woven by the Devil 
 In the nature of the mortal, 
 To close the celestial portal, 
 And thus to foil Creator's plan, 
 And work the ruin of the man. 
 But useless has the Devil toiled, 
 For the Creator was not foiled — 
 Redeemed has been the broken law — 
 All men the Lord will to him draw — f 
 When purified from mortal sin, 
 Through pearly gates they'll enter in. 
 
 XXXI. 
 
 I'll return to ancient story 
 That reveals the Devil's glory, 
 And his triumph, and his success, 
 Which anti- viewers must confess, 
 Who hold mankind was then undone, 
 Or single soul forever won. 
 
 t St. John 12-32. 
 
THE PRESENT. 75 
 
 XXXII. 
 
 At first, the Devil did assume 
 
 The guise of bird, with gaudy plume, 
 
 And softest notes that tend to cheer 
 
 The most accomplished critic's ear. 
 
 When thus arrayed, in nature's guise, 
 
 That evil spirit boldly flies, 
 
 Forward, on his evil mission, 
 
 To spy out the weak condition 
 
 Of tenants human of the soil, 
 
 To royal foe of Heaven foil. 
 
 XXXIII. 
 
 In tones melod'ous,rich and clear, 
 
 His song fell on the human ear, 
 
 And through it wove enchantment's spell 
 
 Around the heart of Eden's belle. 
 
 He marked results, and then he draws 
 
 Upon the thread of social laws, 
 
 And winds it on the warping-bars 
 
 Expressly made for faml'y jars/ 
 
 XXXIV. 
 
 Eve loved the song so fraught with cheer. 
 Which fell so softly on her ear, 
 
76 THE PRESENT. 
 
 And through her ear upon her heart, 
 
 Through the power of magic art. 
 
 The songster then she did address, 
 
 And did her feelings then express, 
 
 Which did, in turn, then carry cheer 
 
 Unto an evil anxious ear. 
 
 " I can but say, with deep regret. 
 
 That, heretofore, I never yet 
 
 Have heard a song that's half as sweet, 
 
 And where perfections fully meet. 
 
 Tell me why you merit favors 
 
 O'er your well accomplished neighbors, 
 
 And, in song, excel all others, 
 
 Even to the kin of brothers ?•" 
 
 XXXV. 
 
 u I have reasons for this favor 
 Over ev'ry stupid neighbor : 
 Perfection does abide with me 
 Because I sport through knowledge tree, 
 And feast on fruit that is Divine, 
 While others feast from that on vine. 
 The difference is, because Tve ate 
 That which controls the Gods of fate, 
 
THE PRESENT. 77/ 
 
 And renders subject to the will, 
 All which desire of mind can fill. 
 But why draw thus on fancy's view, 
 For on that fruit you've feasted, too, 
 And, certainly, you can, with me, 
 Bear testimony of that tree. 
 That fruit has sharpened up my wit, 
 I've rendered sweet my songs with it, 
 And 1 have changed, to please the eye, 
 My plumage to the deepest dye, 
 Which I will say, just to describe, 
 Now far excels the feathered tribe." 
 
 XXXVI. 
 
 Then Adam spoke, it's said that three 
 
 In conversation disagree, 
 
 Which rule established, was, I ween, 
 
 E'en then and there those three between. 
 
 " The song you said you loved to hear, 
 
 Did harshly grate upon my ear, 
 
 For reasons now I cannot tell, 
 
 Therefore I'll not on reasons dwell, 
 
 But I will bid this bird depart, 
 
 And use elsewhere his pleasing art." 
 
78 THE PRESENT. 
 
 His purpose to his features lent 
 The stamp of nature's stern intent, 
 As he cast his eyes to view it, 
 And mouth opened then to do it ; 
 But, ere 'twas done, the bird had floAvn 
 And left the human pair alone. 
 
 XXXVII. 
 
 When evil-magic spell was broke, 
 With Eve, resentment first awoke, 
 And then, to Adam, she again 
 Renewed her speech, and did complain. 
 " Pray tell me why you did offend 
 Our well accomplished feathered friend, 
 That stands without a rival here, 
 In the form of a feathered peer ? 
 I re'ly think you did intend 
 The well-skilled songster to offend, 
 And that, because of some vague whim, 
 You did intend to vend on him 
 The vag'ries you have heretofore 
 Well vended through pretended lore. 
 I, myself, now feel offended, 
 On account of what you ended, 
 
THE PRESENT. 79 
 
 And that, alone, because of thought, 
 Instead of what that songster wrought." 
 When these remarks she thus addressed, 
 A sigh and tear expressed the rest, 
 As then her bosom rose and fell 
 With feelings that were born in Hell. 
 
 XXXVIII. 
 
 Then Adam's conscience did condemn, 
 When he had heard and looked on them, 
 And for that sigh, and for that tear, 
 His lordship felt sensations queer 
 Thrill his being, begetting grief, 
 Which well did please satanic thief 
 Who robbed their pleasure, and with woe 
 The broken human soil did sow. 
 
 XXXIX. 
 
 Where's the man, whose strong emotion 
 
 Has surged onward, like an ocean 
 
 With its restless bosom heaving, 
 
 And, in agitation, weaving, 
 
 E'en all along its water line, 
 
 The fretting foam which there combine, 
 
80 THE PRESENT. 
 
 Who has not felt his feelings draw 
 Upon the reins of nature's law, 
 While then astride that old gray horse 
 That human beings term remorse. 
 According to our nature's law, 
 I think that nature's rein would draw 
 Hard on the bit of human grief, 
 Without a moment's short relief, 
 When evil goaded what, Divine, 
 Was born and bred in conscience line- 
 XL. 
 
 The Devil did not ride that horse : 
 He had no feeling like remorse, 
 Which requires a conscience feeder, 
 Acting as a moral leader, 
 And, that official being dead. 
 The horse, of course, was never fed. 
 That is the reason why, I think, 
 The Devil did his trouble link 
 Between that ancient human pair 
 With cable-chains of his despair. 
 He longed to plant, on human plain, 
 An inclination to complain, 
 
THE PRESENT. 81 
 
 And reckoned much on fruit from toil 
 On the productive human soil. 
 
 XLL 
 
 The Devil then desired to tell 
 Some story, with enchantment's spell, 
 Through pleasant visionary flight 
 Beneath the sable robes of night. 
 Therefore, beside Eve's couch and ear, 
 In whispered accents, soft and clear, 
 That eve the Devil did propose 
 To break upon her sweet repose ; 
 For she, more credulous inclined, 
 With less appliance to her mind, 
 Could be varied, in her slumber, 
 With his vision's plural number. 
 
 XLII. 
 
 Fancy is, without his master, 
 
 When turned loose in dreamland's pasture, 
 
 A thoughtless rover, wild and free, 
 
 And reckless as it e'er could be. 
 
 Fancy's master is our Reason 
 
 Pulling on the check in season ; 
 6 
 
82 THE PRESENT. 
 
 And that master, while in riding, 
 Takes no extra pains in hiding • 
 The fact he takes those extra pains 
 In skillful use of Fancy's reins. 
 But Reason, with us beings, sleep' ; 
 And Fancy, then, he tries to keep 
 Within the bounds of his domain, 
 With halter-strap to Fancy's rein. 
 
 XLIII. 
 
 First, he did as was intended ; 
 Kept his Fancy well defended ; 
 Kept him far from dreamland's border ; 
 Kept him well through reason's order. 
 But, one eve, when daylight faded 
 From the scenes that ev'ning shaded, 
 And Fancy, by his strap, was tied 
 To sleeping master Reason's side, 
 A pleasure seeker, if you please, 
 While strolling o'er the garden-leas 
 To recreate with what he saw, 
 According to the pleasure law, 
 Spied, in that celestial garden, 
 Fancy tied to sleeping warden. 
 
THE PRESENT. 83 
 
 XLIV. 
 
 The gentleman, to pleasure prone, 
 And e'en in pleasure reckless grown, 
 .Resolved that he would Fancy ride, 
 Although he had but slightly tried 
 When that Fancy's cautious master 
 Turned him loose in reason's pasture. 
 That gentleman, with cautious mien, 
 Stepped lightly o'er the garden-green, 
 And, reckless in satanic pride, 
 Stepped up to trembling Fancy's side 
 And seized the rein, cut the halter, 
 Mounted Fancy, who did falter 
 On account of nightly using, 
 And his willingness abusing. 
 But Fancy, freed from halter-strap, 
 Was brought to terms by Hell's satrap, 
 And yielded, willing, to the rein 
 Then drawn to guide, but not restrain. 
 
 XLV. 
 
 Away, on Fancy's rapid flight, 
 The Devil rode, with great delight, 
 
84 THE PRESENT. 
 
 Across the lawn, to that border 
 
 Where, in chaos and disorder, 
 
 Fancy feasted, as honored guest, 
 
 On dreamland's visionary best. 
 
 That quaint old realm he did explore ; 
 
 He gleaned the best of visions lore ; 
 
 He rev'led there in gay disorder 
 
 Through permission of its warder. 
 
 On forbidden fruit of knowledge 
 
 Fancy feasted, in that college 
 
 Where the fancy, and ideal, 
 
 Is oft blended with the real. 
 
 She ate the fruit, then plucked one more> 
 
 And passed through the celestial door 
 
 Where men of lore in circles round, 
 
 With diadem of Gods were crowned. 
 
 XL VI. 
 
 The Devil, riding free of hire, 
 Did not then wish to Fancy tire, 
 For he'd resolved that, by his side, 
 To-morrow, he'd invite, to ride, 
 Little verdant human-reason, 
 For he wished to take in season 
 
THE^ PRESENT. 85 
 
 The little germ of human mind, 
 And teach the wayward act designed. 
 Therefore, it was before the day 
 In dawning beauty chased away 
 Its rival, darkness, with the wand 
 That vivifies the drooping land, 
 The cunning Devil, in hot haste, 
 Beside his sleeping master placed 
 This wayworn Fancy of the mind, 
 That to fatigue was some inclined. 
 Then, weary Fancy to restore, 
 The Devil gave attention o'er 
 Unto that task, with true intent, 
 But what that Fancy underwent 
 Should not be written here, I ween, 
 But left through Fancy to be seen. 
 
 XLVII. 
 
 Ere morn unbarred the golden way 
 And ushered in approaching day, 
 And, ere the victims wakened yet, 
 The Devil's moral snares were set. 
 His evil coils around were flung ; 
 His traps were ready to be sprung ; 
 
86 THE PRESENT. 
 
 And, quite impatiently, I ween, 
 He greeted time that passed between 
 The completion of all his schemes, 
 And grand success to evil dreams. 
 
 XLVIIL 
 
 Now when the morning star had set. 
 
 But while the dewdrops lingered yet, 
 
 The evil being was aware 
 
 Eve strolled alone, to take the air, 
 
 To where the tree, the trees among, 
 
 With fruit forbidden richly hung 
 
 To charm the eye, and tempt the taste ; 
 
 Quick' this occasion was embraced 
 
 By wily Devil to allure, 
 
 And render schemes and victims sure. 
 
 XLIX. 
 
 He then assumes the serpent's form, 
 
 And then begins the moral storm, 
 
 By his attempting to deceive 
 
 Our unsuspecting mother, Eve, 
 
 Who was absorbed with varied thought 
 
 Which Fancy had from dreamland brought. 
 
THE PRESENT. 87 
 
 " If you desire, you now can take, 
 E'en for your own, and husband's sake, 
 The fruit that opens up the way, 
 And will admit, without delay, 
 Unto the mystic realm of lore, 
 And there reveal what, heretofore, 
 Lay sealed within the book of Fates, 
 By mystic spell that fruit creates." 
 Thus spoke that imp of high degree, 
 Then indicated where the tree 
 With forbidden fruit was growing, 
 Like unto a fountain flowing. 
 
 L. 
 
 Eve viewed the Devil in disguise 
 
 With looks then allied to surprise, 
 
 And she gave heed to what he said, 
 
 Or from some mystic book had read ; 
 
 For she thought some power, Divine, 
 
 Had fallen to the serpent- line. 
 
 " I think you are mistaken, sir, 
 
 If to that tree you do refer. 
 
 For Creator, in dictation, 
 
 When he gave mankind creation, 
 
88 THE PRESENT. 
 
 Expressly said, in terms quite plain, 
 We should not give our Fancy rein 
 In the direction of the tree 
 You indicated here to me." 
 
 LI. 
 
 " Yes, he placed you in the garden 
 
 As a petty under- warden, 
 
 And will, I ween, e'en keep you so, 
 
 Through his allusion to a woe 
 
 That is so vague and undefined, 
 
 It should weigh lightly on the mind, f 
 
 Now, ere creation gave you birth, 
 
 This tree had sprung from mother-earth, 
 
 To raise you, if you should aspire, 
 
 To the position you desire. 
 
 The Creator said to warden 
 
 He has placed within the garden, 
 
 You are privileged as you please, 
 
 Except the eating from all trees." 
 
 LII. 
 
 " You're correct in your expression ; 
 We can eat without transgression, 
 
 Gen. 2—17. See Canto 2d, XVI. 
 
THE PRESENT. 89 
 
 Of all the trees' rich production, 
 
 In accord with our instruction, 
 
 Except one tree, of that beware — * 
 
 Avoid that tree with cautious care, 
 
 For, if we touch that fruit, to try, 
 
 We on that day shall surely die." f 
 
 LIII. 
 
 ■" In the command that you received 
 
 I think you slightly were deceived, 
 
 For, from my knowledge, I deny 
 
 That when you eat the fruit you die ; 
 
 For I have eaten oft before, 
 
 And do intend to eat some more ; 
 
 For its rich flavor makes me seek 
 
 The fruit that strengthens well the weak : 
 
 Its many virtues, all combined, 
 
 E'en makes it as it was designed, 
 
 Of all the fruit, the best, by odds, 
 
 And makes it fit to feast the Gods : 
 
 Take the fruit : Some knowledge sever : 
 
 Be a God and live forever." J 
 
 t Gen. 2—16-17. 
 
 j See, man was elevated. Gen. 3—22. 
 
90 THE PRESENT. 
 
 LIV. 
 
 The fruit to Eve did re'ly seem 
 The same as that within her dream, 
 Which, temptingly, before her hung 
 The fairest of the fruit, among ; 
 The serpent's story did compare 
 Well, with her recent vision fair, 
 AVhen she through Fancy did explore 
 The sacred realm of iliystic lore ; 
 Therefore, she ceased to hesitate — 
 She saw the fruit — she plucked and ate. 
 AVhen she had eaten well her part, 
 She then through evil magic art, 
 Sought out her husband, to be fair, 
 By giving him an equal share. 
 When he saw her fallen state, 
 He yielded willing to his fate, 
 And did forbidden fruit receive 
 From his liberal-minded Eve ; 
 For, through the fall of better part, 
 Did Adam fall within his heart, 
 And only left the outward act 
 Of eating, to reveal the fact. 
 
THE PRESENT. 91 
 
 LV. . 
 
 Now then that story, as of old, 
 
 I have, like other authors, told, 
 
 With my version, like the latter, 
 
 Of that ancient human matter. 
 
 Man has eaten, — man is sinner, — 
 
 Adam was the first beginner ; 
 
 Now comes the question, full and square, 
 
 Who will be saved ? Let's meet it fair. 
 
 LVI. 
 
 I now, of course, will not retain 
 Old arguments to use again, 
 If premature they were in time, 
 And used in canto's early prime. 
 Therefore I'll hunt around, once more, 
 Through inspiration's varied store, 
 For arguments that can be found 
 Upon the subject, that are sound. 
 Suppose that man had not eaten ; 
 Who, I ask, would have been beaten ? 
 The Devil would, I here reply : 
 And, that he would, I don't deny; 
 
92 THE PRESENT. 
 
 But there were, in God's dominion, 
 Some one else, in my opinion, 
 Who, by not eating, would have lost 
 A great deal more than what it cost. 
 By refusing Devil's treating, 
 Man, himself, would have been beating 
 His destiny, as was ordained, f 
 And in that knowledge-tree contained. 
 And, I think I'll further venture, 
 Notwithstanding some may censure, 
 And will express a broader view : 
 Our God would have been beaten, too. 
 Devil beaten in designing ; 
 Mankind beaten by declining; 
 And our God, I think I'll mention, 
 Have been beaten in intention. 
 The Devil, by that moral foil, 
 Would have resumed his useless coil, 
 And deep chagrin, in revealing, 
 Would have marked that Devil's feeling, 
 
 t For poetical purposes, the word, ordained, is sometimes sub- 
 stituted for the word intended. What is ordained by God is estab- 
 lished by decree, irrevocably. What is intended, is not so estab- 
 lished, but is left discretionary; but surrounding circumstances 
 tend to influence the choice of man to conform with intention. 
 
THE PRESENT. 93 
 
 When, before his boasting legions 
 Throughout all the dismal regions, 
 He'd stood, with fate's disastrous stamp 
 Impressed upon the reckless scamp. 
 And mankind, by their refusing, 
 Would have re'ly been abusing 
 That noble gift of God, to man, 
 That was ordained to him by plan. 
 By Devil's failing then to do, 
 Our God would have been beaten, too, 
 And would have, in his creation, 
 Image, only, in formation 
 Of the God's, without the knowledge 
 Taught mankind in Devil's college. 
 
 LYII. 
 
 Man knew nothing of the evil, 
 Till he learned it through the Devil ; 
 And nothing of the good he knew, 
 Until he learned it through him, too. 
 But 'twas directly through the tree, 
 I will with others here agree ; 
 But the Devil led man to it, 
 Through the serpent caused him do it, 
 
94 THE PRESENT. 
 
 So what's the use of denying 
 
 The injustice of his dying, 
 
 Or, as our modern christians tell, 
 
 Receiving that eternal hell ? 
 
 Now, really, I don't see how 
 
 A jealous God will thus allow 
 
 The wasting of his human ware, 
 
 Which he has made through skill and care. 
 
 If there's one sees clearly through it, 
 
 Please explain just how you doit; 
 
 For it will many lead, I ween, 
 
 Through such a crooked kind of scene. 
 
 LVIII. 
 
 Why are views of christians changing, 
 And, in speculations, ranging, 
 If they're familiar with the plan 
 Linked with creation of the man ? 
 Why doctrine points of Bible screw 
 Different ways to meet their view', 
 Which have been changing, in their line, 
 Instead of Sacred Book, Divine ? 
 And then, again, pray tell what feeds 
 Their dif'rent views, and dif'rent creeds, 
 
THE PRESENT. 95 
 
 If not error in endeavor 
 To maneuver reason's lever, 
 To raise problem that is lying 
 5 Fore us human beings dying? 
 
 LIX 
 
 I wish it here well understood, 
 
 I am not aiming at the good, 
 
 But am aiming for the level 
 
 Erring modern human Devil. 
 
 The task is great, and, if I fail, 
 
 And do not in my task prevail, 
 
 I ought, as author, frame for use 
 
 Some kind of plausable excuse, 
 
 To fix attention, while, unseen, 
 
 I hide behind the flimsy screen, 
 
 And there remain to be forgot 
 
 As is such author's future lot. 
 
 Now the excuse I shall prepere 
 
 Is lighter than the upper air, 
 
 But is a better one, I ween, 
 
 Than some the public prints have seen. 
 
 I am, as author, now at sea, 
 
 With many breakers on the lee, 
 
96 THE PRESEXT. 
 
 And, e'en amid a waste of weeds, 
 
 The rocks I see are christian creeds, 
 
 And, on those rocks, this word, L beware,* 
 
 In bold relief stands ev'rywhere ; 
 
 But in my course I'll persevere, 
 
 And for those rocks I will not veer, 
 
 And, if my ship does not prevail 
 
 In riding well the coming gale, 
 
 I will not claim I did not see 
 
 The stubborn breakers on the lee ; 
 
 But will console myself with this, 
 
 Howe'er to some it seems amiss, 
 
 That other mortal men, before, 
 
 Have run their vessels wrecked ashore. 
 
 LX. 
 
 Now then, as author, I presume 
 I should again my course resume, 
 And man the helm, and strengthen sail 
 With cordage that will stand the gale ; 
 While, cautiously, I pass between 
 The rocks that on the lee are seen, 
 Which threaten every author — ship 
 That ventures on a fancy trip 
 
THE PRESENT. 97 
 
 Amid the shoals of christian views, 
 Where adverse winds the sailor rues. 
 
 LXI. 
 
 Can you blame one, if he don't know 
 The reason why a thing is so ? 
 Now, if you can, then is it fair? — 
 Do you pretend you're dealing square? 
 Let it be settled on the spot : 
 Is he to blame, or is he not? 
 If you blame, its for not trying 
 When the means are near him lying ; 
 Why then blame poor honest Adam, 
 And his confidential madam ? 
 Is not reason belief, of course, 
 Or common sense in active force ? 
 If you should banish reason, when 
 Knowledge was hid from human ken, 
 Could you believe what you had heard 
 Till you and reason had conferred ? 
 Please tell me what that reason's for, 
 If not to wage protracted war 
 With the absurd, — that vulgar thief 
 
 That tries to capture our belief. 
 
 7 
 
98 THE PRESENT. 
 
 LXIL 
 
 Now honest Adam did not know, 
 And neither could his reason show 
 What that death was, nor the sinning 
 Spoken of in the beginning. 
 God said eating was transgression ; 
 Devil said, with great profession, 
 That it was walking in the way 
 That all the Gods did love to stray. 
 
 LXIII. 
 
 Now whose advice should he receive, 
 And who, by nature, disbelieve ? 
 God's, of course, modern christians say, 
 But give your reason's why, that way, 
 A ready verdict you should find, 
 Without revolving in your mind 
 The question that is full and fair, 
 And that in reason will compare 
 In magnitude, with many more 
 With which you human beings bore. 
 
 LXIV. 
 If his reason had been level', 
 By God's hinting of the Devil, 
 
THE PRESENT. 99 
 
 Then I'd indorse the common view, 
 And turn my pen to thrashing, too ; 
 But as 'tis, I will be lending 
 Inspiration in defending 
 Honest Adam, when thus aware, 
 And treat my ancient father fair. 
 He proposed the apple trying, 
 Did not dream of Devil's lying ; 
 But thought that he was honest, too, 
 And that he would indorse his view. 
 
 LXV. 
 
 Now then, if reason is belief, 
 Why he suspect satanic thief, 
 Who, to steal our better morals 
 And revenge his former quarrels, 
 Came in deception's grand attire, 
 Professing naught but good desire ? 
 Now, then belief, from reason's view, 
 He like a vail around him threw, 
 Making him a godlike being 
 Through the mental way of seeing. 
 So the wrong in Adam lying, 
 Claimed to be in not denying 
 
100 THE PRESENT. 
 
 Evil being's foul aspersion, 
 
 'Stead of yielding through conversion. 
 
 Is mere assertion for a thing 
 
 They cannot valid reason bring 
 
 LXVI. 
 
 I do believe, as others can, 
 
 In moral agency of man, 
 
 And that, to act, I will agree, 
 
 He was created fully free. 
 
 Now does this prove advantage ground, 
 
 And render theory more sound 
 
 Concerning man's eventful fate 
 
 Linked unto God's eternal hate ? 
 
 If you say yes, I shall say no, 
 
 For I, in fact, can't see it so ; 
 
 And, of course, I have my reason, 
 
 Which I will assign in season ; 
 
 For a belief will never do, 
 
 Without it has its reasons, too. 
 
 XL VII. 
 
 Man, free to act and free to choose ! 
 And you insist he should refuse 
 
THE PRESENT. 101 
 
 The cunning Devil's logic, when 
 Knowledge and experience then 
 Was limited, to that degree 
 That he through knowledge could not see 
 The evil highway from th6 good, f 
 Nor through that knowledge understood 
 That he was naked, J- nor aware 
 Of cunning Devil or his snare? 
 
 LXVIIL 
 
 Take that man with locomotion 
 Upon that extensive ocean 
 Of ignorance' wide dominion, 
 Without guide for his opinion, 
 And he, I think you will agree, 
 Is like a ship that's far at sea 
 Without a guide in compass form, 
 When overtaken by a storm 
 Where many rocks and shoals abound. 
 Where many vessels run aground 
 In their endeavor to avert 
 The hidden rock and hidden dirt ; 
 
 t 2 Canto, XXVII, note t. 
 j Gen. 2— 25 and 3—11. 
 
102 THE PRESENT. 
 
 For sure that man, with freedom's choice. 
 Will veer opinion with that voice 
 That seems the fairest one, among, 
 And has deception's skill of tongue. 
 
 LXIX. 
 
 He was honest in his doing, 
 And not to blame for his viewing, 
 As he has done, with his dim sight, 
 The evil way instead of right ; 
 For he supposed they were the same 
 In all respects, except the name. 
 Man knew not evil from the good ; 
 Therefore he done as others would, 
 If circumstances did surround 
 The same as when the Devil found 
 Honest Adam, in the garden, 
 Unprotected by a warden, 
 Except the freedom of that choice. 
 To heed, or not to heed the voice 
 That in deception smooth did flow 
 To human beings overthrow. 
 
THE PRESENT. 103 
 
 LXX. 
 
 Take old Adam in his garden, 
 And I'll ask that man his pardon, 
 Who can convince, with reason's proof, 
 That God did hold himself aloof ; 
 Held back, rather, the intention, 
 Of which Bible makes no mention, 
 Of the schooling in that college 
 'Neath forbidden tree of knowledge. 
 Of course, Creator gave command ; 
 But Adam did not understand 
 Just where good ended, and the sin 
 With all its evils did begin. 
 He didn't know one from the other ; 
 Could not tell the which or whether ; 
 And, I think I need not mention, 
 He didn't sin with that intention. 
 
 LXXI. 
 
 Now thus I think it was with man, 
 Intended by the sacred plan : 
 He was to feast on fruit from tree, 
 And then held only in degree 
 
104 THE PRESEXT. 
 
 Responsible, for the sinning, 
 To his knowledge in beginning. 
 He had no knowledge then at all ; 
 Therefore the curse did lightly fall, 
 And, dating from eventful act, 
 Has proved a blessing, and, in fact, 
 Marked the era, and beginning 
 Of our God's successful winning. 
 The curse of serpent then foretold 
 The fate the future will unfold 
 Concerning Devil, when God's wrath 
 Shall then again pursue his path ; 
 For, like the serpent in the dust. 
 As humbly bow T that Devil must. 
 
 LXXII. 
 
 It was intended, and ordained. 
 As has been heretofore explained, 
 That cunning Devil, like a fool, 
 Should be the instrumental tool 
 To complete, then, by his doin\ 
 Work of God, instead of ruin ; 
 For it would harmonize, the same, 
 And beat the Devil at his game. 
 
THE PRESENT. 105 
 
 That gentleman, whose evil thopght 
 Supposed that he had evil wrought, 
 Did not then fully understand 
 Just how the thing had all been planned. 
 Or e'en suspect his loss of toil 
 Upon God's ancient human soil, 
 Till Redemption's mode of foiling 
 Slowly then began uncoiling. 
 And I surmise that deep chagrin, 
 When that uncoiling did begin, 
 The DevTs ieelings then did harrow, 
 Through the trouble he did borrow, 
 The same as feelings were of yore 
 When he was beaten once before. 
 
 LXXIII. 
 
 Sacrifice before foundation 
 
 Of the world, and its formation, f 
 
 Is plain proof of the intention 
 
 Of that knowledge-tree-convention, 
 
 If we take therewith the reason' 
 
 We have urged in early season. 
 
 t 2 Tim. 1—9. 1 Pe. 1—19-20. Eph. 1—4. 
 
108 THE PRESENT. 
 
 LXXIV. 
 
 Man fell, so says modern preaching, 
 And the doctrine it is teaching. 
 Did he fall up hill, or fall down ? 
 And did he make, or loose a crown ? 
 He didn't make, but only took it — 
 Examine truth — do not crook it — 
 You will find God planted knowledge, 
 Man as student entered college. 
 
 LXXV. 
 
 Man fell. I think that others w r ould, 
 If such a fall would do them good, 
 And render them, through regal lore, 
 Just like the Gods unlike before. £ 
 That fall, I will on venture say, 
 Made mortal then, immortal clay, * 
 And gave to Time the human breath 
 By giving body unto death. 
 That was the plan, that was the way, 
 For what did God wish of the clay ? 
 He wished nothing — I'll not hear it — 
 He wished educated spirit. 
 
 X Gen. 3—22. * Gen. 2—17 and 3—17-18-19. 
 
THE PRESENT. 107 
 
 LXXVI. 
 
 Then, if it was as God had planned, 
 That man should eat and understand, 
 I can't reason the assertion 
 And the doctrine to conversion, 
 That, eternal, man shall rue it, 
 When God wanted man to do it, f 
 If so, it would appear unjust, 
 And shake my confidential trust 
 In Him whose justice shall endure, 
 And work the problem safe and sure. 
 God, of course, is no respecter, 
 But is equal our protector 
 In this world, and, of course, in next, 
 According to familiar text, t 
 
 4- 
 
 LXXVII. 
 
 Let's now the common doctrine view ; 
 It should apply to heathen, too, 
 Who don't surmise, or e'en suspect 
 The doctrine orthodox respect. 
 
 f God is just Job 34—10 to 24. 
 
 t God is no respecter of persons, see 2 Sam. 14—14. Col. 8—25. 
 
108 THE PRESENT. 
 
 Are they saved through the Redemption i 
 Has Hell secured their exemption, 
 Through that misfortune's mighty ledge 
 Of ignorance' extensive hedge ? 
 Now will you damn ? There's some who can, 
 As they do infants of a span, 
 Who, through misfortune, not elect. 
 Did fail to die with God's respect. 
 Consider well, why not both damn i 
 There's no Salvation through the Lamb 
 But by repentance and that change 
 Our preachers represent so strange. 
 
 LXXV1IL 
 
 Now let us turn a little back 
 Until we find a dif 'rent track 
 And one that is, unto my view, 
 A better track for to pursue. 
 Adam sinned, and sinned unwilling ; 
 God has hinted not of killing 
 The soul, that grand immortal part. 
 But only killing of the heart, t 
 
 f Gen. 3—17-18-19. 
 
THE PRESENT. 109 
 
 LXXIX. 
 
 Hell is spoken of in preaching 
 
 The doctrine which some are teaching, 
 
 It's spoken of in Bible, too. 
 
 But there presents a dif'rent view. 
 
 Hell is on earth, Hell is in air, 
 
 And Hell, I think, is everywhere, 
 
 Where guilty conscience doth condemn, 
 
 And its remorse pours out on men. 
 
 Hell, remorse, leads to repentance, 
 
 Sorrow, then, suspends the sentence 
 
 When that remorse has purified. 
 
 As metals by the fire are tried. J 
 
 LXXX. 
 
 When a child has sinned, unwilling, 
 Does the father think of killing, 
 Or a little gentle basting 
 Just to teach that child, who's wasting 
 The moral seed that has been sown, 
 To let the Devil's seed alone ? 
 
 t 1 Cor. 3—15. 
 I 
 
110 THE PRESENT. 
 
 LXXXI. 
 
 These doctrine points I think are plain : 
 Man will be punished, and not slain, f 
 For all the sin that has been done 
 When soul and body were as one. J 
 Much better slain than as some tell 
 Concerning that eternal Hell, 
 Where fruitless work, and fruitless art, 
 Shall by God's wrath be cast apart, 
 As a soul without salvation, 
 To endure a Hell's damnation, 
 Where countless ages onward run 
 And make damnation just begun. 
 
 LXXXII. 
 
 I'll lay aside my pen and stand ; 
 I will now rest my weary hand 
 Ere inspiration's yet shall trill 
 On wav'ring flight of fancy's quill ; 
 
 t "Slain," for poetical purposes, is substituted for " eternal dam- 
 nation." 
 
 % Man will be punished for sin, not eternally, but, eventually, 
 will be saved, 1 Cor. 3—15. Col. 3—25. 2 Sam. 14—14. 1 Cor. 15—21- 
 22. St. John 12-32. Is. 53—5-6. 2 Tim 1-1-9. Job. 34—10-11-23. Rev 
 2—7, in connection see Rev. 22—2. Lu. 12—41 to 49. Is.57— 16. 
 
INTRODUCTORY. Ill 
 
 For recreation will, I find, 
 
 As well as hand, revive the mind. 
 
 INTRODUCTION TO CANTO 
 THIRD. 
 
 The wars are ended, and man's dead : 
 Conflicting views I've heard and read 
 Concerning where the man will go, 
 And what the future will bestow. 
 I am of the privileged kind 
 Who give their pen the thoughts of mind, 
 For all are privileged, if they choose, 
 To thus express their private views. 
 Are beings conscious after death 
 Has borne away our mortal breath, 
 Ere the blast from Gabriel's horn 
 Shall usher Resurrection-morn? 
 
112 INTRODUCTORY. 
 
 Now I, for one, cannot receive 
 
 A doctrine that I disbelieve ; 
 
 Therefore, I will now cast away 
 
 The doctrine of the present day, 
 
 Which makes the judgment day a farce. 
 
 And resurrection morn much worse. 
 
 Where, in the future, we shall dwell, 
 
 I also shall attempt to tell, 
 
 And veer a little from the wake, 
 
 Just for my own opinion's sake ; 
 
 No other motive, I am sure, 
 
 Could not the author thus allure 
 
 From well worn ways of human thought, 
 
 For nothing else in reason ought. 
 
CONTENTS: 
 
 Man has a future state of existence. He is un- 
 conscious between death and the Resurrection. His 
 future dwelling-place is upon the earth. Theory 
 in relation to other planets. The new Jerusalem 
 will be the future governmental seat. The tree 
 of Life. How the wicked are brought back to 
 Christ. — Views concerning the modern way of 
 teaching religion. Worldly amusement are not 
 wrong, in themselves, and should not be con- 
 sidered as evil, but, instead, where evil does be- 
 gin should be carefully pointed out. 
 
CANTO THIRD. 
 
 THE FUTURE. 
 
 I. 
 
 My mind was weary, and my hand, 
 
 When, heretofore, my pen and stand 
 
 I resigned, for recreation, 
 
 And left field of speculation. 
 
 My pen is better than before ; 
 
 My hand and mind revived ; therefore, 
 
 I'll now leave my recreation 
 
 And re-enter speculation, 
 
 For Death invites to that domain 
 
 The speculator's quill again. 
 
 II. 
 
 Man's dust, in Genesis, we learn, 
 And unto dust he shall return; 
 And Time has many victims brought 
 To prove the truth of what is taught. 
 We find reason there is ending, 
 And our thoughts to chaos tending; 
 
THE FUTURE. 115 
 
 For Time is fleet upon the wing, 
 And Death is sure with fatal sting. 
 And prophecies of priests do tell 
 To human beings of a Hell 
 That's eternal, always lasting, 
 Where, they say, Gocl will be casting 
 Immortal souls, instead of clay, 
 Upon eventful judgment day. 
 
 III. 
 
 Time was, and is, hurrying fast, 
 E'en like the bugle's battle-blast, 
 And all along its fading shore, 
 E'en like that battle-blast, it bore 
 The requiem, and the wailing — 
 Marking Death and his prevailing. 
 Therefore, pray tell why blank surprise 
 Should pass from human brain to eyes, 
 When we see this human hurry 
 Goaded on by mortal worry ? 
 
 IV. 
 
 Now when an ostrich is pursued, 
 That noble bird, with reason crude, 
 
116 THE FUTURE. 
 
 His head, alone, he will retire, 
 When in the chase he chance to tire. 
 Now, like the ostrich on the plain, 
 Some human beings do retain 
 As little sense, in endeavor 
 To maneuver reason's lever, 
 In prying up the stumbling block 
 The future holds with bar and lock. 
 
 V. 
 
 What is the destiny of man ? 
 
 Now raise that stumbling block, who can, 
 
 And let reason be unfolding 
 
 What the future now is holding. 
 
 Some through terror of the preaching, 
 
 And through crooked varied teaching, 
 
 Have committed ostrich error, 
 
 Yielded to the reign of Terror, 
 
 And hid their heads beneath the block, 
 
 When they've heard preached that Terror's shock. 
 
 VI. 
 
 Now, many of that foolish kind, 
 The author deems that he could find 
 
THE FUTURE. 117 
 
 In the field of speculation, 
 Holding, counter to creation, 
 There is no destiny for man, 
 Intended by creation's plan, 
 That reaches farther than the grave 
 Where darkly rolls obliv'on's wave. 
 
 VII. 
 
 He who has that mental seeing 
 
 Is a foolish human being, 
 
 Exercising little reason. 
 
 And, quite out of place and season, 
 
 He exercises what God gave 
 
 To rend his gyves, as human slave 
 
 Of ignorance, that human lot, 
 
 And thereby cancel that foul spot. 
 
 But then, to search and single out 
 
 Those dwelling on the road of doubt, 
 
 Is not author's now intention, 
 
 Only of the class, I'll mention. 
 
 As I have mentioned heretofore, 
 
 And will sustain through reason's lore. 
 
118 THE FUTURE. 
 
 VIII. 
 
 When one third of angel-legions 
 Satan drew from heav'nly regions, 
 When in the fight his troops were foiled 
 And 'fore the Son of God recoiled 
 Evil force, whose ranks were riven, 
 And o'er battlement's were driven 
 Disordered ranks, in sad dismay, 
 Upon the great eventful day, 
 An era marked, in spirit world, 
 By spirits to damnation hurled, 
 The architect began his work, 
 By aid of Son as acting clerk, 
 Of conception's grand formation 
 Into what was real creation. 
 
 IX. 
 
 Where is that man, or e'en that child. 
 With reason's power's runn'jig wild, 
 That e'er can run so far amiss 
 From theory so plain as this : 
 That an object in creation 
 Farther than the mere formation 
 
THE FUTURE. 119 
 
 Was intended, it was finer, 
 'Twas perfection by designer ; 
 'Twas intended that the creature, 
 Godlike made in form and feature, 
 Should fill destiny much higher 
 Than eat and drink, and then retire 
 From this stage of human action, 
 Where life's but an ill attraction ; 
 For human life is full of woes 
 Which from the seeds of sorrow grows, 
 Which have been sown through evil toil 
 Upon productive human soil. 
 
 X. 
 
 If there is not, beyond the grave, 
 A future, where obliv'on's wave 
 Cannot engulf the soul of man, 
 As on Time's precarious stran' 
 Where the mortal part is wasted, 
 Through forbidden fruit man tasted, 
 There was, to think I shall incline, 
 No re'l perfection in design. 
 
 XL 
 
 The noblest work of God, is man ; 
 Therefore, in keeping with the plan, 
 
120 THE FUTURE. 
 
 That noble work must re'ly tend 
 To some great good, or noble end. 
 That good, or end, on shores of Time, 
 (Allow me add this line for rhyme,) 
 Is not accomplished, you, with me. 
 Ought fully, I should think, agree ; 
 For, certainly, it is not so, 
 At least Time's record does not show 
 Accomplishments on earth so great, 
 By man, creation's potentate. 
 
 XII. 
 
 I, think, in fact, that, to fulfill 
 The full intention of the bill 
 Of creation, as God planned it, 
 Notwithstanding Satan damned it, 
 Man shall, in future, fill that place 
 Satanic angels did disgrace. 
 Only, though, in that relation 
 Which comprise both rank and station 
 Those spirits ancient did sustain — 
 I will except the dwelling plain. 
 
THE FUTURE. 121 
 
 XIII. 
 
 Now, if a future God has fixed, 
 Has he not placed a blank betwixt 
 That future, and the shores of Time, 
 For reasons equally sublime ? 
 I think he has, I think I see, 
 I think the reader will agree, 
 If he will read what he's begun 
 And meditate on what he's done. 
 
 XIV. 
 
 When the cessation of the breath, 
 Across that dismal river, Death, 
 Waft our souls where, until the morn 
 That's ushered in by Gabr'el's horn, 
 We rest from toil and labors done 
 In this career that is then run, 
 We occupy, through laws of fate, 
 What we will term unconscious state, f 
 
 f Rom. 5— L2. Eccl. 3—19-20-21, last verse is a question. Eocl. 9 — 
 5-10. Rev. 20—12-13, St. John 5—28-29 and 14—2-3 In Con', see I 
 Thes. 4— 13 to 18. Is. 26—19-21. Job 17—15-18 and 34—15. IV. 22—29 
 and 78— 50 and 146— 3-4. 1 Cor. 15 chap. Heb. 9— 27. St. . John 3—13 
 and 19—3(i and 20—17. Mat. 27—52-53. 
 
122 THE FUTURE. 
 
 XV. 
 
 Now, what rest is, for the weary, 
 'Cross that river, dark and dreary, 
 That fear mankind should thus betide, 
 While walking by that river's side ? 
 Beyond that bourn we cannot learn, 
 From travelers that did return, 
 Concerning what there is concealed 
 Beyond what Scriptures have revealed ; 
 Therefore, Scripture and our reason 
 Must hold livery-of-seizin, 
 When we attempt to base a view 
 Concerning what we never knew. 
 
 XVI. 
 
 Where is that rest ? Now, who can tell ? 
 Is it in Heav'n ? Is it in Hell ? 
 If Heav'n or Hell, then please locate, 
 Let reason's views discriminate 
 The place where either shall begin, 
 And time when spirits usher in? 
 The Scripture says, upon the morn 
 The blast is blown from Gabrel's horn. 
 
THE FUTURE. 123. 
 
 The Sea, and Death, and Hell, shall all 
 
 Send forth retainers to the call 
 
 For judgment: f Please state what is meant: 
 
 What is the Scripture's plain intent, 
 
 And, what ideas are conveyed 
 
 Through Inspiration thus arrayed, 
 
 Between Death and Resurrection ? 
 
 Give the Scripture close inspection, 
 
 And see what vieAvs it will create 
 
 Concerning an unconscious state 
 
 Of misfortune's human being, 
 
 As misfortune's mode of seeing 
 
 Only sees us human mortals 
 
 Who are tending to the portals 
 
 Of eternity, beginning, 
 
 When Death ends career of sinning. 
 
 XVII. 
 
 If man is conscious after Death 
 Has borne away our mortal breath, 
 Then, where does conscious spirit rest ? 
 In Hell ? Or is the spirit blessed, 
 
 fRev. 20— 13. Hell means the grave. Hell would not be cast in 
 hell. See 14th verse. 
 
124 THE FUTURE. 
 
 Instead of being there oppressed, 
 In some celestial place, afar, 
 That may exceed remotest star ? 
 
 XVIII. 
 
 Spirits must, I think, be either, 
 In Heaven, or Hell, or neither, 
 If God allows decrees of fate 
 To hold them in a conscious state. 
 
 XIX. 
 
 If a spirit is in Heaven, 
 
 Ere its judgment has been given, 
 
 It must appear without the wall, 
 
 Responsive to the judgment-call, 
 
 To ascertain, and bring to light 
 
 The claim it holds, by legal right, 
 
 To those joys it has been sharing 
 
 Through that right, or through its daring. 
 
 Is it to jeopardise, aga'n, 
 
 Through some defect in judgment's plan, 
 
 A Heaven that the spirit won 
 
 Through merit, or by gantlet run ? 
 
 No, such a course would be unjust, 
 
 And he un worth v of our trust 
 
THE FUTURE. 125 
 
 Who should a course like that ordain. 
 And throw us back on chance again. 
 
 XX. 
 
 Shall man hold, in Hell, probation, 
 Patching up his slim relation 
 To those works of virtuous kind 
 His fast relations left behind ? 
 Ere judgment day shall he redeem. 
 Beyond Time's dark and turbid stream. 
 Character, which was so moulded 
 That the evil was unfolded ? 
 Shall future punishment begin 
 Ere judgment rendered for the sin 
 Of a being, part celestial, 
 Here on this earth, terrestrial ? 
 No ! a course like that pursuing, 
 'Mong the deeds of reckless doing, 
 Would be discovered, from the first, 
 As wrong, unjust, and folly's worst. 
 
 XXI. 
 
 Is there built a half-way station, 
 Where the spirits, through dictation, 
 
126 THE FUTURE. 
 
 Shall pitch their tents, and there remain, 
 
 Upon that dreary half-way plain, 
 
 Until that future bugle-blast 
 
 Shall end the weary hours, at last, 
 
 And summon them unto the bar, 
 
 In waiting where their fortunes are ? 
 
 No ! there is no half-way station, 
 
 In or out of all creation 
 
 Where such spirits can be renting, 
 
 Or uncertainties contesting ; 
 
 For the building of such station, 
 
 Would, I think, be a creation, 
 
 Or extending limits, rather, 
 
 Of the Hell a little farther, 
 
 And would, I think, be putting in 
 
 Some spirits, not because of sin, 
 
 For Redemption's laws of pardon 
 
 Would, as heretofore in garden, 
 
 Reinstate them in God's favor, 
 
 Firmly, as before the waver 
 
 Of that ancient human being, 
 
 Who ate fruit for mental seeing. 
 
THE FUTURE. 127 
 
 XXII. 
 
 If not in Hell, through judgment's law, 
 Or in those limits that we draw, 
 Or in that place where joy retains 
 The happiness that pleasure gains, 
 Then they must be in there by chance, 
 Or by some misplaced circumstance 
 The judge will re-arrange, and then 
 His judgment pass on spirit men. 
 If they are there by judgment's law, 
 Then why, I pray, should they withdraw 
 Their presence, only to attend 
 A judge who shall them back re-send ? 
 
 XXIII. 
 
 Man's unconscious for said season, 
 
 Is, I think, sustained by reason, 
 And I contend that Scripture, too, 
 Supports the reason of that view; f 
 For judgment day is fixed for all, 
 Who shall respond to Gabr'el's call 
 
 t See 3d Canto XIV., reference to. 
 
128 THE FUTURE. 
 
 Upon that morn when Time shall end, J 
 And at the judgment day attend 
 With his records of the doing, 
 Of all those at judgment suing 
 For a heavenly relation, 
 Notwithstanding rank or station, 
 Pursuant to that fixed decree 
 Of him whose pr'ogative shall be, 
 To pass judgment on each spirit 
 'Cording to respective merit. 
 
 XXIV. 
 
 If man's conscious for said season, 
 Tell me then, oh, human reason! 
 Why has the Scripture plainly said 
 A Resurrection of the dead * 
 Should take place, when Gabriel's horn 
 Should usher that eventful morn, 
 An era marked, in relation 
 To the world, and its creation ? 
 Let reason run its course direct, 
 And it will find, to resurrect, 
 
 t Rev. 10—5-6. 2 Pe. 3—10. Rev. 20—11-12-13. 
 
 * Rev. 20—12-13. 1 Thes. 4—16-17. Is. 26—19-21. 1 Cor, 15 chap. 
 
THE FUTURE. 129 
 
 There must be death, at any rate, 
 There must be an unconscious state. 
 
 XXV. 
 
 There are, I think, some who proclaim 
 
 A theory they ought not name, 
 
 Because they have a dread for Truth 
 
 They did mislead in early youth, 
 
 In such a gross and shameful way, 
 
 And e'en so far from right, astray, 
 
 They dare not meet that youth aga'n, 
 
 And so deny the truthful plan. 
 
 And some, aga'n, through dread and fear 
 
 Of being held within their bier 
 
 Within the grave, so damp and chill, 
 
 Where they imagine ev'ry ill 
 
 In that vocabulary, woe, 
 
 Will in that grave its sorrow sow, 
 
 Have thus accordingly denied 
 
 That Death triumphantly shall ride, 
 
 Till eternity's to-morrow 
 
 Breaks the shaft and draws the arrow. 
 
 They do forget that time is brief, 
 
 (Though ages roll without relief,) 
 9 
 
130 THE FUTUKE. 
 
 That seemingly shall intervene, 
 
 Death and the judgment then between ; 
 
 For oblivion's sweeping wave 
 
 Shall roll triumphant o'er the grave, 
 
 And human memory deface, 
 
 Without remaining track, or trace 
 
 Of the bitter pangs of weeping 
 
 Of the beings who are sleeping, 
 
 Until that Resurrection-morn 
 
 That was ordained for mortals born. 
 
 XXVI. 
 
 The date on which that trump shall blow, 
 And Time and Death shall overthrow 7 , 
 Is, I think, beyond the seeing 
 Of the sharpest human being 
 With an inquisitive desire, 
 That sets the human brain on fire, 
 When the endeavor proves again 
 That all endeavors are in vain 
 To solve that mystery, concealed, 
 Amid the other truths revealed. 
 But certain is that morn to come, 
 When trumpet-blast, instead of drum, 
 
THE FUTURE. 
 
 131 
 
 Shall order Time no more to be, 
 And play that future reveille. 
 
 XXVII. 
 
 Now we will loosen Fancy's rein, 
 By our unchecking it again, 
 And see what reason it will bring 
 By granting it full freedom's wing. 
 Where is Heaven ? I think each mind, 
 To solve that problem, is inclined 
 To give question full attention, 
 Backed by human-brain-invention. 
 
 XXVIII. 
 
 Heaven ! of course, it must have been 
 Before creation did begin : 
 How, otherwise, exist the laws, 
 And government and holy cause 
 Of the planner of creation, 
 Executing by dictation 
 His multifarious decrees, 
 E'en in the manner that he please \ 
 But I think there was improvement, 
 Bv each turn in wisdom's movement, 
 
132 THE FUTURE. 
 
 Entered on the journal pages 
 Of the record of the ages 
 That have rolled around, forever, 
 As they shall roll, and will never 
 Pause, in eternity's career, 
 As long as duty shall appear. 
 
 XXIX. 
 
 That Heaven is, where Hell is not: 
 
 I think there is no half-way spot 
 
 Called neutral ground, where spirit's free, 
 
 Without restraint, in some degree, 
 
 For the power of attraction, 
 
 And that power's strong reaction 
 
 Will either draw, or drive away 
 
 A spirit that's inclined to stay 
 
 Outside boundery of either, 
 
 And inclined to enter neither 
 
 Jurisdiction, for a minute, 
 
 To receive that which is in it. 
 
 XXX. 
 
 The metes and bounds we cannot draw, 
 By any line of reason's law, 
 
THE FUTURE. 
 
 Of the Heaven that existed, 
 
 Ere attention was enlisted 
 
 In creation's important cause, 
 
 By the formation of her laws ; 
 
 For arrivals at the station 
 
 Last of all upon creation, 
 
 Make speculations less secure 
 
 By reason's failing to be sure. 
 
 Therefore, I think I will not try, 
 
 But leave that speculation lie 
 
 For my successors, who can draw, 
 
 To suit themselves, through reason's law, 
 
 Heaven's jurisdiction — limit, 
 
 And, through fancy, they can trim it, 
 
 As trimming fancy is inclined 
 
 To lead such speculator's mind. 
 
 XXXI. 
 
 The theory I shall advance 
 
 May prove unsound, but may, perchance, 
 
 Awaken in some mortal breast, 
 
 More competent than all the rest, 
 
 To solve the problem, a desire, 
 
 And kindle well ambition's fire. 
 
 133 
 
134 THE FUTUKE. 
 
 If I can pen some useful thought 
 That inspiration may have brought, 
 That shall prove to be beginning 
 Of successful future winning, 
 I shall be satisfied, so then, 
 I shall expect that mortal men 
 Who have a wish for such advance, 
 Will lend a thought, as well as glance. 
 
 XXXII. 
 
 The question that is most inclined 
 To agitate the human mind, 
 Is of that future which controls, 
 For weal, or w r oe, immortal souls. 
 We will, therefore, now begin it, 
 Try to circumscribe the limit 
 Of future Heaven, for the soul 
 That leaves that death-exacting toll. 
 Mortal part, where it's demanded, 
 Ere o'er river Death is handed 
 The spirit part of mortal man, 
 That is set free from mortal ban. 
 We shall endeavor now to draw 
 Those limits, by good reason's law> 
 
THE FUTURE. 135 
 
 And, by what light we can receive 
 From truth we cannot disbelieve. 
 
 XXXIII. 
 
 The future dwelling for the soul 
 
 That is obliged to pay Death toll, 
 
 Will, I think, be on the planet 
 
 Made as pure as when God ran it, f 
 
 Or made it, for that creature, man, 
 
 According to creation's plan. 
 
 And the Heaven that existed, 
 
 Heretofore, as we insisted, 
 
 E'en prior to creation's law 
 
 The architect saw fit to draw, 
 
 Shall be the center, we resolve, 
 
 Around which Heavens shall revolve : J 
 
 For e'en each planetary star, 
 
 Inhabited we think they are, 
 
 By beings similar in kind 
 
 To us, with intellect or mind, 
 
 Who will, of course, in that great end. 
 
 When with eternity shall blend 
 
 f 2 Pe. 3—7-10-12-13. "Rev. 21 — 1-2-8-4-24 and 22—2. 
 
 t See, more than one, 1 Kings 8—27. 2 Chr. 2—0 and (5— IS. Ts. 
 115—16. 
 
136 THE FUTURE. 
 
 Their spirits, grand immortal part, 
 
 When Death shall silence beating heart, 
 
 Want a dwelling like us mortals 
 
 When their souls pass through Death's portals. 
 
 But this is theory, alone, 
 
 For not a spark of light is thrown 
 
 Upon question, by the Scripture, 
 
 To illumine distant picture 
 
 That we attempted to portray 
 
 With naught but glim'ring reason's ray. 
 
 XXXIV. 
 
 Consistently we can't abide. 
 Alone, on planetary tide, 
 Mid myr'ads of revolving worlds 
 That nature's law harmon'ous hurls 
 Through space, so vast we cannot name, 
 With unverying speed the same 
 As earth : Some in speed are faster, 
 Some slower, and some are vaster 
 In proportion, some are smaller 
 Than the earth: Some have a taller, 
 And more comprehensive orbit, 
 As our science doth record it, 
 
THE FUTURE. 137 
 
 All which combined, I think, indeed, 
 Accounts in full for varied speed. 
 So perfect each and all appears, 
 That there is music of the spheres, 
 So grand and sweet, and so sublime, 
 That awed and spell-bound listens Time, 
 Who dare not interfere with plan 
 Of creation, but mortal man, 
 His works, and some in nature's school, 
 Must yield to Time's decaying rule. 
 
 XXXV. 
 
 From reason's realms we will depart, 
 We'll cease to use her wily art, 
 If, through that reason, one can show 
 What we through reason claim to know, 
 Is untrue — without foundation — 
 That no beings have relation 
 To what appears like myr'ad worlds, 
 Which, to our vision, God unfurls, 
 And lays before us, like a map, 
 Which science lays in reason's lap. 
 If not for beings of a kind 
 Endowed with intellect, or mind, 
 
13S THE FUTURE. 
 
 Then they for naught must have been made. 
 
 And vain is all the grand parade 
 
 Which the heavens do exhibit, 
 
 Of what nature did contribute, 
 
 As fruitless panoramic show 
 
 For us frail mortals here below; 
 
 For sure the architect could make, 
 
 If we alone were all at stake, 
 
 And with a less extensive plan, 
 
 Creation for the earthly man. 
 
 And then, again, when created, 
 
 Why leave worlds unpopulated, 
 
 When distant planets he could fill 
 
 By his creative pow'r of will. 
 
 XXXVI. 
 
 If this theory is correct, 
 We shall advance, and shall expect 
 To take from Truth's exhaustless store,, 
 And through that reason's artful lore, 
 Another theory, we find, 
 Resembling those of reason's kind. 
 If those myriad worlds, afar, 
 Comprising the remotest star, 
 
THE FUTURE. 
 
 Are all inhabited, what then ? 
 We shall insist they are, by men, 
 Inhabited, who, like our own, 
 Through evil wile are overthrown, 
 But on stage of action linger, 
 Until Time's decaying finger 
 Points out the victims, to make sure 
 Whom Death 's permitted to secure. 
 Why we think that they are mortal 
 And shall enter through Death's portal, 
 E'en like us beings here on earth, 
 Is for the reason that their birth 
 Was from the same creation's law, 
 That our Creator, God, did draw, 
 All which, alike, we do contend, 
 Were formed for that same noble end, 
 And, alike, through God's intention, 
 Through the knowledge-tree convention. 
 The Adam's, all, throughout the worlds, 
 Which our Creator, God, unfurls, 
 Did partake of fruit forbidden, 
 And glean knowledge that was hidden 
 Beneath the curse, that would attach 
 To him who yielded, and dispatch 
 
 139 
 
140 THE FUTURE. 
 
 Man, who thus was rendered mortal, 
 And drag spirit through Death's portal. 
 Now if my theory is sound, 
 What's true of earth, is true all round 
 Throughout the myr'ad worlds, afar, 
 That twinkles as the smallest star. 
 We'll lightly pull on Fancy's rein, 
 And draw the bridle-bit again, 
 Ere he shall tire in distant flight, 
 In drawing speculations right. 
 
 XXXVII. 
 
 The fact of man's unconscious sleep 
 Within grim Death's extensive keep, 
 Is proof sufficient, w r e might claim, 
 Without the aid of Scriptur'l fame, 
 To establish future Heaven 
 On the earth that God has given ; 
 For, if that Heaven was not here, 
 Unto my mind, it would appear 
 There would be no valid reason 
 For this waiting through that season, 
 Which we have argued, intervene, 
 Death and the judgment now between ; 
 
THE FUTURE. 
 
 For then each spirit, when set free 
 
 From mortal ban, appears to me, 
 
 Would pass direct, through judgments law, 
 
 Unto that future place God saw 
 
 Was then befitting soul of man, 
 
 Which had Death's gantlet then just ran. 
 
 XXXVIII. 
 
 If blindly this to some appear, 
 
 The Revelations will make clear 
 
 And will establish it throughout, 
 
 Beyond the reach of reason's doubt, 
 
 That future Heaven is on earth 
 
 When old to new has given birth ; f 
 
 For then we find the old retire, 
 
 (Me-thinks it's changed by purging fire,) 
 
 And in its stead, Scriptures agree, 
 
 The new appears without a sea, 
 
 To waste, or to encumber space 
 
 Upon its fair celestial face. 
 
 And Scripture further says that, then, 
 
 The Tabernacle shall, with men, 
 
 m 
 
 f Rev. '.1— 1-2-3-J-24 and 22—2. See 2 Pe. 3— 7-10-12-13. 
 
142 THE FUTURE. 
 
 Be established, and God shall reign 
 Upon the fair celestial plain. 
 All present things shall pass away, 
 And there will be one lasting day 
 Within God's city, where his light 
 Will backward drive approaching night, 
 And there God's saints shall not, again, 
 Hear of this weeping, Death or pain. 
 The new Jerusalem complete, 
 Shall be the governmental seat f 
 For ev'rything that earth contains 
 That may reward the ruler's pains. 
 
 XXXIX. 
 
 The river, life, that's crystal clear, 
 Through Revelations does appear, 
 From throne of God, and Lamb, will flow ; 
 And on that river's banks shall grow 
 The tree of life ; and it does seem 
 That tree shall grow within the stream ; 
 And I shall argue, and maintain, 
 That river will the tree sustain. 
 
 f Rev. 21 chapter. 
 
THE FUTURE. 
 
 On tree, twelve kinds of fruit appear 
 With monthly yielding through the year, 
 Which will then be for spirit men 
 That's justified, its leaves will then 
 Be for healing of the nations 
 Not sustaining close relations 
 To God, or unto the Savior, 
 By their moral good behavior. 
 And thus the Scripture has revealed 
 That all the nations shall be healed 
 Through the Redemption, God's great plan, 
 And through great love of God for man. 
 
 143 
 
 I. 
 
 Now we will prospect from the plan, 
 Which we will not take up aga'n, 
 For a little ride, or walking, 
 With a little social talking, 
 Can now be had, without offence, 
 Upon the plain of common sense. 
 
lii THE FUTURE. 
 
 I do not wish to ride alone, 
 For inspiration has just flown, 
 And left comprehension dreary, 
 And a pen that has grown weary. 
 Therefore I will invite to ride, 
 And to a seat that's by my side, 
 One who is of social pleasure, 
 And loves to ride, and has leisure. 
 My eyes, through fancy, falls upon 
 That ancient revelator, John, 
 Who has, through fancy, by my side, 
 Upon request for him to ride, 
 Taken seat, and o'er the heather, 
 Onward, then, we ride together, 
 As we fall in conversation 
 Of mankind, and his Salvation. 
 
 II. 
 
 " What think you, John, of mod'rn preachings 
 
 And the modern mode of teaching 
 
 Of the Christ, and his Salvation 
 
 To the Jew and Gentile nation ?" 
 
 u I John believe it is a fraud, 
 
 But then, your question is too broad : 
 
RELIGIOUS TEACHING. 
 
 Narrow down extensive limit, 
 
 To some points that are found in it." 
 
 " Well, concerning ways of teaching, 
 
 By our modern kind of preaching, — 
 
 Pushing, rather, o'er the border, 
 
 Human race to holy order ?" 
 
 "I think that is a grand mistake 
 
 Your modern preachers now do make, 
 
 By human souls thus preparing 
 
 Through their modern way of scaring. 
 
 Practice should, I think, be turning, 
 
 And the preaching more discerning, 
 
 For I do think, unto my mind, 
 
 Those souls had better travel blind, 
 
 Than be pushed, and to be hurried, 
 
 And, through fear of Hell, be worried 
 
 By leading men, acting teachers, 
 
 Who are known as modern preachers. 
 
 Now I should say that it was mean 
 
 To make a human soul so lean 
 
 That it can scarcely stand alone, 
 
 When it appears before the throne 
 
 For that judgment, where each spirit 
 
 Its reward receives through merit. 
 10 
 
 145 
 
146 RELIGIOUS TEACHING. 
 
 What 's the merit, and what reward 
 Will justice give through hand of Lord, 
 When he views that soul, contracted, 
 And the motive through which acted 
 That puny spirit, which, through fear, 
 A saint attempted to appear ? 
 The merit will, I think, be small, 
 And the reward be none at all, 
 Until Regeneration's laws, 
 Through love, has plead its holy cause. 
 God's love for man should be the theme, 
 And not that wild fanatic dream, 
 Which, at present, they are teaching, 
 And, at present, overreaching 
 Doctrine taught within the Scripture, 
 Through their fancy's vivid picture, 
 Which they place before the vision 
 To teach future long division 
 Between the wicked, who are thrust 
 Into an endless Hell, and just, 
 Who by good works and righteous deeds 
 Which are laid down in cherished creeds, 
 Wend their righteous souls, immortal, 
 Unto gate, and through the portal, 
 
RELIGIOUS TEACHING. 
 
 Where their righteous souls shall merit 
 What in Heaven they inherit. 
 Well, that is so, I think they do, 
 But still I think that very few, 
 Will, at first, that Heav'n inherit, 
 Through their crooked kind of merit. 
 If they depend on works, alone, 
 And not on love that Christ has shown, 
 Who, through that love, has died for all 
 Destined to die through Adam's fall, 
 They will come out, in race, behind 
 Those whom they think do travel blind ; f 
 For they, of course, must travel back 
 Upon their pet self-righteous track, 
 Ere they can run, or stroll, or stray, 
 Upon the fair celestial way. 
 Christ died for all, I think is plain, 
 None can by righteous deeds attain 
 That Heav'n, but can only merit, 
 Through God's love, what they inherit. 
 Now Scripture says, and says quite clear, 
 That God is no respecter here, 
 
 147 
 
 f Lu. 12—17-18. 
 
148 RELIGIOUS TEACHING. 
 
 Or hereafter, between mankind ; 
 Therefore, the difference, we find, 
 Is that of rightly starting first, 
 And that between the bad and worst. 
 This world is where God 's preparing 
 Children, for that future heiring, 
 And is not of fixed relation 
 They are teaching, of probation, 
 Where all the human beings seal 
 Their destiny, for woe or weal. 
 God loves mankind, and God is just, 
 And will not, for an error, thrust 
 Human beings into that woe 
 That preachers say eternal flow' ; 
 But, for those errors, God has laws 
 That fully deals with error's cause, 
 Like earthly father would his boy, 
 Justly punish but not destroy, f 
 If mankind would cease contending, 
 And try skill at comprehending 
 The Holy Writ, instead of creeds, 
 They would be finding human needs, 
 
 f See 2d Canto LXXXI, reference $ 
 
MORAL TEACHING. 149 
 
 And be finding how their spirit 
 Oould well reap reward of merit, 
 Through the love of Christ, their Savior, 
 And through moral good behavior." 
 
 III. 
 
 '" What think you, John, of that teaching, 
 Both in private, and by preaching, 
 Which take amusements from the young, 
 Which are in list of follies flung 
 To one side, by modern preachers, 
 Acting as oftr moral teachers ?" 
 u Ah, there, my friend, I think's the rub ! 
 Life is a wheel, and that's the hub 
 Which spokes and felloes do surround, 
 As wheel is turned on moral ground. m 
 Man, I think, should be in keeping 
 With his nature, and be reaping 
 The reward which mirth does merit, 
 Cultivating human spirit. 
 Man was created light of heart: 
 He loves amusement's gentle art, 
 Which with his nature does agree, 
 And renders happy, light and free, 
 
150 MORAL TEACHING. 
 
 The human heart, in ev'ry way 
 
 It renders human nature gay. 
 
 Are pleasures wrong ? Are pleasures sin ? 
 
 If thus they are, when did begin 
 
 The moral wrong that warps the heart, 
 
 By pleasure's light fantastic art? 
 
 It began, I think, in nature, 
 
 When God made the human creature. 
 
 It was woven in the being, 
 
 With God's wisdom then agreeing 
 
 That it was good for man to be 
 
 Thus made, in spirit, light and free. 
 
 Who shall assume the sceptral rod 
 
 That gives him right to question God, 
 
 Who always walks in wisdom's way 
 
 And in the light of reason's say ? 
 
 None, I think, but bold pretender 
 
 Will appear as the defender 
 
 Of human error, 'gainst the truth, 
 
 Concerning what is best for youth, 
 
 Who is prone to mental warping 
 
 Through the follies he is courting, 
 
 Or the follies of the teaching 
 
 By the parent or the preaching. 
 
MORAL TEACHING. 151 
 
 Olympic feats, and games called chance, 
 The strength and skill of youth advance ; 
 And I might here include the ball 
 That 's called the Devil's tourney hall, 
 By the preachers, Truth's defenders, 
 Who, on morals, issue tenders, 
 Like mailed champions, they must own, 
 For they've opinion's gauntlet thrown. 
 That challenge thrown, shall I take it? 
 Yes, I will, it 's what they make it, 
 By the wayward moral teaching, 
 Through the errors of their preaching. 
 The last in order, and the worst, 
 I think I'll undertake the first, 
 And will unfold for moral viewing 
 What the modern preacher 's doing 
 In common error's grand highway, 
 To ascertain how far, astray, 
 Shepherd's deputies are leading 
 Tender flocks that they are feeding, 
 Or driving, rather, I should say, 
 From Truth's green pastures, far away. 
 What harm, if any, if you knoAV, 
 In tripping light, fantastic toe, 
 
152 MORAL TEACHING. 
 
 And where originates the sin ? — 
 Please state where error does begin ? 
 Now, can it be the viol notes 
 That often through the ball-room floats, 
 That is the evil ? Then, I say, 
 Please throw the viols far away, 
 And let those viols be forgot, 
 And let the strings of viols rot ; 
 For instruments that are so base 
 Should nowhere find a resting place, 
 Free from moral's just displeasure, 
 Where, with freedom, and at leisure, 
 They can beguile the human heart, 
 Through their accomplished evil art. 
 There must be music, at the dance, 
 The step that 's measured to advance, 
 Or uncouth chaos would befall 
 The toes fantastic through the hall. 
 Therefore, we '11 search until we find 
 Some music that 's of proper kind, 
 And that will properly inspire — 
 We '11 take the organ from the choir, 
 For there 's no guile w T ithin its tone 
 The modern preachers ne'er will own, 
 
MORAL TEACHING. 153 
 
 For, if they do, I could here tell 
 A lengthy story suited well 
 To leaders, who have errors thrown 
 Into the church, when they have known. 
 There is no sin, I hear them say, 
 Please keep your viols, stay away, 
 And let church organs now alone — 
 There is no sin in viol's tone. 
 Very well, we '11 keep advancing: 
 What is in the act of dancing, 
 More than in good social talking, 
 Or in pleasure rides, or walking, 
 That should be sin within itself, 
 Or be related to that elf 
 Called evil, error, what you will ; 
 What was of yore the same is still 
 Good or evil, wiiat do you say? 
 You can make answer either way, 
 For I can prove by Scripture, sound, 
 That all the errors you have found, 
 Are naught but errors of your own 
 You have into the ball-room thrown. 
 With your sagacious human creeds 
 That you have drawn for human needs. 
 
154 MOKAL TEACHING. 
 
 As improvement o'er the Scripture, 
 Like a moral kind of picture. 
 To prove facts, and my assertion, 
 And to aid in your conversion, 
 I respectful'y request that you 
 Will take your Bible and turn to 
 Ecclesiastes, chapter third, 
 Turn then to Jeremiah's word, f 
 And to the Psalms. J If slow to yield 
 The full control of reason's field, 
 Your willful way I '11 not rebuke, 
 But will refer you unto Luke ; * 
 For there I think you '11 quickly learn, 
 That Christ, himself, did use the term, 
 In parable, to show the good, 
 And lead that erring man who would 
 Be lead, from error, unto truth, 
 As you would lead the wayward youth. 
 But then, it was mishap, perchance, 
 When he referred unto the dance : 
 Please show it so, and where it leads, 
 And I will yield unto your creeds. 
 Social games that are for pleasure, 
 To beguile our time and leisure, 
 
 f Jer. 31—4. % Ps. 30—11. * Lu. 15—25. 
 
MORAL TEACHING. 155 
 
 Are in order for dispersing 
 
 By approval, or by cursing. 
 
 And, cautiously, we should begin 
 
 To ferret out each hidden sin, 
 
 For I do think us mortals should 
 
 Retain what we can find of good, 
 
 And all the evil cast away, 
 
 To this, what does your reason say ? * 
 
 Amen! me-thinks I hear reply, 
 
 For, certainly, you can't deny 
 
 My proposition, as unfair, 
 
 And say that I 'm not dealing square. 
 
 Now games of chance, or games of skilly 
 
 Are all the same, deny who will, 
 
 As far as sin that 's in them found ; 
 
 Is not this proposition sound ? 
 
 If you say not, we will, once more. 
 
 Advance as we have heretofore, 
 
 And prove to you, what I've begun, 
 
 That all are good, or there are none. 
 
 Are chequers good? Are games of chess S 
 
 If they are good, then please confess 
 
 That games with cards will also do, 
 
 And pigeon-hole, and billiards, too. 
 
156 MORAL TEACHING. 
 
 You like one, some like the other, 
 You play yours, allow your brother 
 To play that which suits his pleasure, 
 When life's cares may grant him leisure. 
 With cautious care you move in draughts, 
 And, for the winning, lend your thoughts 
 To solve the problems, and, with zest, 
 Your mind maintains a fierce contest 
 For victory, when first begun, 
 And wages war until it 's won. 
 JSfow, on the other hand, let 's view 
 Your brother, artful, wield his cue, 
 For it appears his fancy falls 
 Upon the game that 's played with balls. 
 Now he, like you, is, with his mind, 
 But in a way that 's more defined, 
 Contending fairly for success. 
 It 's so in cards, it 's so in chess, 
 Or any -other game that 's used ; 
 There is no wrong but when abused, 
 And then the wrong is not the game, 
 But he who plays it is to blame. 
 The games are all, I think, inclined 
 To strengthen muscle, and the mind, 
 
MORAL TEACHING. 157 
 
 And I '11 venture this assertion, 
 They are good for youth's. diversion, f 
 If all the christian people would, 
 As I do think those people should, 
 Encourage fun, encourage mirth, 
 Around their own domestic hearth, 
 There 'd be less cause for the complaint 
 Of children breaking o'er restraint; 
 For, spirits, youthful, must have vent, — 
 If, like volcanic fires, are pent 
 Those spirits, when they do begin, 
 Are apt to burst in varid sin, 
 Which parents, cautious, preachers, too, 
 By over caution do undo. 
 This is truth, not speculation : 
 Youth will have its recreation, 
 All christians, doubtless^ are aware, 
 Who have applied their skill and care. 
 If you discard or cast away 
 A game you deem unfit for play, 
 You banish youth where you do it, 
 Which you pronounce to be unfit 
 For the good morals of mankind, 
 Without a reason well assigned. 
 
 f Prov. 17—22. 
 
15S MORAL TEACHING. 
 
 You. have erred in your profession : 
 You have left a wrong impression 
 Upon the rising minds of young, 
 By all the pastimes you have flung 
 Down upon that vulgar level 
 With that ancient erring Devil ; 
 For they 'r inclined to Devil's choice. 
 And harken unto Devil's voice, 
 Who says, ' take heed, all these are.mine, 
 Please follow me, and they are thine.' 
 Aghast, the modern christian* stands, 
 While holding up their righteous hands, 
 And, with long and solemn faces, 
 Yiew the Devil play his aces, 
 And his bowers, they have given, 
 By the pastimes they have driven 
 Unto that Devil, who makes bold 
 Those winning cards to skillful hold, 
 While professors, through abuses. 
 Can but hold the spots and deuces, f 
 In the great game of moral strife 
 Upon this active stage of life." 
 
 i Games, &c, least attractive, are here referred to, such as 
 croquet, dominos, authors, &c, which christian people have ad- 
 mitted to their homes, thereby admitting the necessity for youth- 
 ful recreation. 
 
 THE EXD. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 The base of the author's views concerning God's re- 
 lation to matter, and his theory concerning the Trinity, 
 can be found in Gen. 1—26-27 : " And God said, let us 
 make man in our image, after our likeness, &c." Now 
 let us see in what way this image of God was created, 
 after his likeness. Gen. 2 — 7: u And the Lord God 
 formed man of the dust of the ground." That was the 
 first step in the creation of man. A certain portion of 
 matter has been set apart and dedicated to the use of the 
 new creature God is creating after his likeness, which 
 shows that God has a like connection with the material. 
 As yet, the image of God has not been formed. 
 
 Is that lunip of clay just formed the image of God ? 
 No ! God is life. Ps. 36—9. John 14—6. Pr. 8—35. 
 He has a mentality capable of thought, &c, Is. 40 — 28. 
 1 Cor. 2—16. Job 23—13. Is. 55—89. After man had 
 been formed of the dust of the ground, the Lord God 
 " breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man 
 became a living soul." Gen. 2 — 7. Then the mentality 
 dawned, and was in the image of the Triune God. 
 Thus, man was made in God's image, 'and after his like- 
 ness. Now let us see if we cannot trace in this mental 
 image a close resemblance of the Trinity, according to 
 the author's theory of the Triune God. There are three 
 distinct yet inseperable elements that compose the intel- 
 lectual part of man. 
 
 1st. The mind, or a certain undefined principle 
 capable of innate originality. 
 
11 APPENDIX. 
 
 2d. A purpose, or will, formed or originating in the 
 mind, which is the natural result of the slightest action 
 of the mind or originating principle of intelligence. 
 
 3d. An electric or magnetic force that is given off 
 from the two elements to carry out the decrees of the 
 will power of the mind. 
 
 The first element of this image of the Triune God 
 resembles God the Father, or the first original principle 
 in the intellectual Godhead. 
 
 The second element of this image resembles God the 
 Son, who is the offspring of the Father, that first origin- 
 al principle in the intellectual Godhead. 
 
 The third element of this image resembles God the 
 Holy Ghost, which is the power through which the 
 Godhead accomplishes its works. Ro. 15 — 13-19. 2 Pe. 
 1—21. Ro. 13—1. Jer. 10—10-12. When God said, 
 " let us make man in our image, after our likeness,' ' it 
 must have been the Father addressing the other two 
 elements of the Godhead. 
 
 The first original principle originated, the purpose 
 or will was formed, and the work was accomplished 
 through the electric or magnetic force of the intellectual 
 Godhead. 
 
 It was the will or word of God the Father that came 
 into the world, clothed in mortal garb, as the Savior of 
 man. John 1 — 13-14. 
 
 Therefore, the Savior had power to lay down his 
 life, and to take it up again, (John 10 — 18) because the 
 will or word was inseperably associated with the first 
 original principle of life, (the mind,) and the element 
 of power, (the Holy Ghost,) in the Godhead. 
 
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