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Which erst in woe had lost all life and meaning;

       In everlasting life death found its goal,

       For thou art Death, and thou first mak’st us whole.

      Filled with joy, the singer went on to Indostan, his heart intoxicated with sweetest love, and poured it out in fiery songs under that tender sky, so that a thousand hearts bowed to him, and the good news sprang up with a thousand branches. Soon after the singer’s departure, his precious life was made a sacrifice for the deep fall of man. He died in his youth, torn away from his loved world, from his weeping mother, and his trembling friends. His lovely mouth emptied the dark cup of unspeakable wrongs. In horrible anguish the birth of the new world drew near. Hard he wrestled with the terrors of old Death; heavy lay the weight of the old world upon him. Yet once more he looked kindly at his mother; then came the releasing hand of the Love eternal, and he fell asleep. Only a few days hung a deep veil over the roaring sea, over the quaking land; countless tears wept his loved ones; the mystery was unsealed: heavenely spirits heaved the ancient stone from the gloomy grave. Angels sat by the sleeper, sweetly outbodied from his dreams; awaked in new Godlike glory, he clomb the apex of the new-born world, buried with his own hand the old corpse in the forsaken cavity, and with hand almighty laid upon it the stone which no power shall again upheave.

      Yet weep thy loved ones over thy grave tears of joy, tears of emotion, tears of endless thanksgiving; ever afresh, with joyous start, see thee rise again, and themselves with thee; behold thee weep with soft fervour on the blessed bosom of thy mother, walk in thoughtful communion with thy friends, uttering words plucked as from the tree of life; see thee hasten, full of longing, into thy father’s arms, bearing with thee youthful Humanity, and the inexhaustible cup of the golden Future. Soon the mother hastened after thee in heavenly triumph; she was the first with thee in the new home. Since then, long ages have flowed past, and in splendour ever increasing hath bestirred itself thy new creation, and thousands have, out of pangs and tortures, followed thee, filled with faith and longing and truth, and are walking about with thee and the heavenly virgin in the kingdom of Love, minister in the temple of heavenly Death, and are for ever thine.

      Uplifted is the stone,

       And all mankind is risen;

       We all remain thine own,

       And vanished is our prison.

       All troubles flee away

       Before thy golden cup;

       For Earth nor Life can stay

       When with our Lord we sup.

       To the marriage Death doth call;

       No virgin holdeth back;

       The lamps burn lustrous all;

       Of oil there is no lack.

       Would thy far feet were waking

       The echoes of our street!

       And that the stars were making

       Signal with voices sweet!

       To thee, O mother maiden,

       Ten thousand hearts aspire;

       In this life, sorrow-laden,

       Thee only they desire;

       In thee they hope for healing;

       In thee expect true rest,

       When thou, their safety sealing,

       Shalt clasp them to thy breast.

       With disappointment burning

       Who made in hell their bed,

       At last from this world turning

       To thee have looked and fled:

       Helpful thou hast appeared

       To us in many a pain:

       Now to thy home we’re neared,

       Not to go out again!

       Now at no grave are weeping

       Such as do love and pray;

       The gift that Love is keeping

       From none is taken away.

       To soothe and quiet our longing

       Night comes, and stills the smart;

       Heaven’s children round us thronging

       Now watch and ward our heart.

       Courage! for life is striding

       To endless life along;

       The Sense, in love abiding,

       Grows clearer and more strong.

       One day the stars, down dripping,

       Shall flow in golden wine:

       We, of that nectar sipping,

       As living stars shall shine!

       Free, from the tomb emerges

       Love, to die never more;

       Fulfilled, life heaves and surges

       A sea without a shore!

       All night! all blissful leisure!

       One jubilating ode!

       And the sun of all our pleasure

       The countenance of God!

       Table of Contents

       Table of Contents

      Into the bosom of the earth!

       Out of the Light’s dominions!

       Death’s pains are but the bursting forth

       Of glad Departure’s pinions!

       Swift in the narrow little boat,

       Swift to the heavenly shore we float!

       Blest be the everlasting Night,

       And blest the endless Slumber!

       We are heated with the day too bright,

       And withered up with cumber!

       We’re weary of that life abroad:

       Come, we will now go home to God!

       Why longer in this world abide?

       Why love and truth here cherish?

       That which is old is set aside—For

       us the new may perish!

       Alone he stands and sore downcast

       Who loves with pious warmth the Past.

       The Past where yet the human spirit

       In lofty flames did rise;

       Where men the Father did inherit,

       His countenance recognize;

       And, in simplicity made ripe,

       Many grew like their archetype.

       The Past wherin, still rich in bloom,

       Old stems did burgeon glorious;

       And children, for the world to come,

       Sought pain and death victorious;

       And, though both life and pleasure spake,

       Yet many a heart for love did break.

       The Past, where to the glow of youth

       God yet himself declared;

       And early death, in loving truth

       The young beheld, and dared—

       Anguish and torture patient bore

       To prove they loved him as of yore.

      

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