The New Epiphany
(Chant Royal.)
Awake, awake, nay, slumber not, nor sleep!
Forth from the dreamland and black dome of night,
From chaos and thick darkness, from the deep
Of formless being, comes a gracious light,
Gilding the crystal seas, and casting round
A golden glory on the enchanted ground;—
Awake, O souls of harmony, and ye
That greet the dayspring with your jubilee
Of lute and harp! Awake, awake, and bring
Your well-tuned cymbals, and go forth with glee,
Go forth, and welcome the eternal king.
Far o’er the hills have not the watchful sheep
Espied their shepherd, and with eager flight
Gone forth to meet him on the craggy steep;
Hasting the while his summoning notes invite
Where riper grasses and green herbs abound:—
But ye! your shepherd calls, thrice happy sound!
He comes, he comes, your shepherd king, ’tis he!
Oh, quit these close-cropped meads, and gladly flee
To him who makes once more new growths upspring;
Oh, quit your ancient glebes,—oh, joyfully
Go forth, and welcome the eternal king.
Too long ye till exhausted lands and reap
Thin crops that ne’er your weary toil requite:
Too long your laggard oxen labouring creep
Up the wide furrows, and full idly smite
The weed-encircled ridge, the rocky mound:
Will ye not quit these fields now barren found?
Ah! ye are old, yet not too old to be
Brave travellers o’er bald custom’s boundary;—
Then each, let each his robe around him fling,
And with his little one, his child, set free,
Go forth, and welcome the eternal king.
See, on the strand, watching the waves that sweep
Their creamy ripples up the sandy bight,
Your child waits, leaping as the wavelets leap,
The faery infant of the infinite!
Ah! happy child, with what new wonders crowned
He’ll turn to thee to fathom and expound;
Asking, enquiring, looking unto thee
To solve the universe, its destiny;—
And still unto thy vestment’s hem will cling,
Asking, enquiring,—whispering, may not we
Go forth, and welcome the eternal king.
Oh, linger not, no longer vainly weep
O’er vanished hopes, but with new strength unite;
Oh, linger not! But let your glad eyes keep
Watch on this guiding star that beams so bright
Around your brows be this phylacter bound,—
Let Truth be king and let his praise resound!
Oh, linger not! Let earth, and sky, and sea,
To sound his praises let all hearts agree;
Still loud, and louder, let your pæans ring,
Go forth, go forth, in glad exultancy
Go forth, and welcome the eternal king.
Envoy.
Thou art the king, O Truth! we bend the knee
To thee; we own thy wondrous sovranty;
And still thy praises in our songs we’ll sing,
Bidding all people with blithe minstrelsy
Go forth, and welcome the eternal king.
Samuel Waddington.