VII.
Over the House-Tops
_Above the house-tops of a big, modern city, with its skyscrapers and its factory chimneys, the vision passes across the clouds of the Wise Men on their way to Bethlehem._
Over the House-tops
God knew no wings were mine; I could not soar Into the unplumb'd heavens' ethereal vault. E'en could I climb the hills, the infinite more Of space above had left me still at fault. Yet hath He will'd that I should reach the light, Accepting steps let downward to my feet, That I should find His ladder in the night From shop and office, factory and street. Yea, when the heavy-headed toilers sleep-- Life from day's fret and fume awhile immune,-- When darkling shrouds of night their sentry keep, The heavens with the house-tops hold commune. Then am I one with all the quests of old, With all the wise ones whom the stars of night, No wandering waifs of space, their message told And crowned their heads with aureole of light. These loved not earth the less that she provides Foothold for souls whose gaze may pierce the skies; Time's many travailings and changing tides Made past and future equal in their eyes. And this the song that, soundless, thrills the air-- One with the voice of human hearts that beat Their living diapason to the prayer, One with snow peaks that soar, still waters at our feet:
(1)
Up to the house-tops of Faith, ye sons and daughters of Doubt, Up from the dungeons of Time, where sick and imprisoned ye lie! Out from your wilderment waken, Deem not the world God-forsaken! Come ye, for, piercing the night, see the star in the sky shining out, Splendid o'er mountain and moonlight, Faith's witness which none may deny. See, we are here, for your helping, your bodiless pilots of old, We whose example and aid all the world's patient pilgrims made bold. Slow Science has humbled her pride; She takes us and trusts as her guide; For we are the prophets and seers Who lead on the hesitant years; We follow the spirit's surmise, We hear the voices of night; Already there dawns on our prescient eyes The Sun of Eternity's morn, the kingdom of limitless light!
(2)
Up to the house-tops of Hope, ye downcast sons of Despair, Ye whom experience has cheated and left defeated and bare! Back to your childhood's fond dreaming-- Truer was this than your deeming! Up from the purlieus of earth where men stifle and struggle for air; Catch from the roof-tops the joy of the vision outshining our prayer! Lo, where we stand, we are yours, whom the world hath not shaken nor shocked, We who still hoped and went on, though the multitudes melted and mocked. Yet fainting hearts watched from afar And followed our beckoning star, For God made us Hope's pioneers, To hearten men out of their fears! While the myriads wander and stray In the mists of a starless night, We are steadfast and march on our forward way, On to Eternity's morn, to the kingdom of limitless light!
(3)
Up to the house-tops of Love, ye generations of Hate, Up from the man-made hells where ye struggle and slander and slay! Up from your loveless stagnation, Up from your hearts' slow starvation! Come, for humanity calls to the heights where all benisons wait, Speaking through stars of the night of the luminous earnest of day! See we are round you, your brothers, the soldiers and martyrs of Love, Who poured forth our souls like a river, and labored and suffered and strove! From the flame and the gallows-tree, From the life-long, slow agony, Oh, we climbed up our Calvary, So winning Love's victory. We followed the Lord of the Star, Who died to discover Love's might! God grant we may herald to men near and far The dawn of the kingdom of Love, the kingdom of limitless light!