The Woodville Republican. [volume] (Woodville, Miss.) 1847-1853, 1850-09-17
WHERE HAST THOU CLEANED TODAY
BY NJ. G. SLEEPER

The clear, sweet harmony of the great
choral hymn filled all the courts of heaven.
The spirits went and came on their love.
fFaught errands, but when the voice of one
died in the distance, other tones came from
| alar, and other angels rejoined the mighty
| choir One of them was commissioned to
our earth. but he sang on until the sun dip
ped below the wave, and the twilight
glided past, scattering her manifold, soft
shadows.
As the stiffness deepened, he left his place
in the heavenly band More than once he
paused in his flight. More and more slow
ly he approached the earth, as if reluctant
TO commence his task.
Obedience" murmured he, at length.
"What if some reject my warning? What
if somt scorn my reproofl Did not men
hate my Master and am better than He ?"
So with his one question of deep signi6-
cance, he passed on, Noiseless, invisible,
yet everywhere recognized and understood,
he found no obstacle to his viewless course.
The barred cell of the criminal and the pal
aces of the kings, and the consecrated tenn
pie. the throng and the solitude, were alike
free to his footsteps.
He entered gorgeous mansion and nsk.
ed of its princely owner.
"Where hast thou cleaned to-day ?"
The Young man laughed lightly, as he re-
piled,
I'm the field of my own pleasure. Am
not master ofmyselff"
The angel bent over a little child, and
whispered,
"Where hast thou cleaned to-day" and
the child answered,
Il have been among the flowers. Imade
garlands Of the sweet-scented valley-ily,
and the honeysuckle that the bee loves so
well; and thanked the great father that he
made them grow and blossom" "
The angel entered the chamber of maid
en- who sat looking out at the moonlight,
and asked softly,
"Where hast thou cleaned to-day"
"Among the sick and the sorrowing," an.
swered she gladly; for our Saviour has said
1nasmuch as ye have done it unto one Of
the least of these my brethren, ye have done
it unto me. -
The angel stood in the wilderness, and
asked sternly there Of one hiding gold and
Jewels,
"Where hast thou cleaned to-day?
The man answered with frown,
"In the field of theft; get away with thy
bcding voice, threatening the vengeance Of
the Eternal! Away! awayv'
The angel paused amidst the graves, and
asked of bereaved mother,
"Where hast thou CLEANED to-day"
And the lone one answered,
"In the field of prayer and, behold, even
now have received blessing. Already is
my mourning turned to joy"
A scholar sat in vast library amidst the
gathered lore of departed centuries. But
the verse Of the poet, and the wisdom of the
sage were forgotten in the intense interest
awakened by the volume of divine truth
The angel looked moment OH his damp
brow and anxious eye, then gently whis.
pered,
"Where hast thou cleaned to-day ?"
The scholar sighed deeply, and said,
"In the field of endeavor, but alas! lean
not understand how man can be saved"
The heavenly visitant fingered yet awhile
for he knew the Holy Spirit had been there
and that he would not fail to perfect hi:
work.
The scholar wept and prayed, and soor
the book glowed 10 him with light, and he
exclaimed rap;urously, "God hath given hi:
salvation also unto me"
Quickly the swift pinions of the ange
beat the air. and rejoining the heavenly host
he proclaimed the glad tidings ofthe return
of another soul. The countless multitude
responded again, and yet again, and these
were the words of The chorus, Blessing, anc
honor, and glory and power, be unto hin
that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the
Lamb, forever and ever"