The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-12-22
The Legend Beautiful.

mad'st thou stayed. must have fedl"
That is what the Vision said.
In his chamber all alone.
kneeling on the floor of stone
nrayed the Monk in deep contrition,
For his sins of indecision,
prayed for greater self-denial.
n temptation and in trial
IL was MONDAY by the dial,
ana the-Monk was all alone.
Suddenly. as if it lightened,
An unwonted splendor frightened
All within him and without him
In that narrow cell of stone;
And he saw the Blessed Vision
~ our Lord, with light Elysian
Like vesture wrapped about him
Like garment round him thrown.
Not as cruci6ed and slain.
Not in agonies of pain,
Not with bleeding hands and feet.
Did the Monk his Master see:
But as in the village street,
In the house or harvest field,
Halt and lame and blind he healed.
When he walked in Galilee.
In an attitude i'm ploring,
Hands upon his bosom crossed,
Wondering, worshiping, adoring,
knelt the Monk in rapture lost.
lord lord he thought; in heaven thou reignest,
w no am /. that thus thou deignest
10 reveal Thyself to me?
Who am |, that from the center
~ Thy glory, Thou shouldst enter
This poor cell. my guest to be?
Then amid his exaltation.
Loud the convent bell appalling.
From its belfry calling, calling,
Rang through court and corridor
With persistent iteration
He had never heard before
1t was now the appointed hour,
When alike, in shine or shower,
winters cold or summers heat,
TO the convent portals came
All the blind and halt and lame.
All the beggars of the street,
For their daily dole Of TODD
Dealt them by the Brotherhood;
And their almoner was he,
W no upon his Bonded knee,
Rapt in silent ecstasy
Of divinest self-surrender.
Saw the Vision and the Splendor,
Deep distress and hesitation
Mingled with his alteration.
Should he go. or should he stay?
Should he leave the poor to wait
hungry at the convent gate,
Till the Vision passed away?
Should he slight his heavenly guest.
Slight this Visitant celestial.
For crowd of ragged, bestial
Beggars at the convent gate?
Would the Vision there remain?
Would the Vision come again?
Then voice within his breast
Whispered. audible and clear:
- Do thy duty. that is best;
Leave unto thy Lord the rest!'
Straghtway to his feet he started,
And with a longing look intent
On the blessed Vision bent,
Slowly from his cell departed.
Slowly on his errand went.
At the gate the poor were waiting,
Looking through the iron grating
With that terror in the eye
That is only seen in those
Who amid their wants and woes
Hear the sound of doors that close,
And of feet that pass them by;
Grown familiar with disfavor.
Grown familiar with the SAVIOR
OF the bread by which men die
But to-day. they know not why,
Ike the gate of Paradise
seemed the convent gate to rise,
Like a sacrament divine
Seem ed TO them the bread and wine.
In his heart the Monk was praying,
Thinking of the homeless poor.
What they suffer and endure;
What we see not, what we see;
And the inward voice was saying:
" Whatsoever thing thou doest
To the least of mine and lowest,
That thou doest unto me-!
Unto me but had the Visien
Come to him in beggar's clothing,
Come a mendcant imPloring,
Would he then have knet adoring,
Or have listened with derison,
And have turned away with loathing?
Thus his conscience put the question,
Full of trOu blcSome suggestion,
As at length with hurried pace.
Toward his cell he turned his face,
And beheld the convent bright
With q supernatural light,
Like luminous cloud expanding
Over floor and wall and ceiling.
But he paused with we-struck feeling
At the threshold Of his door,
For the Vision still was standing
As he left it there before.
When the convent bell appalling,
From the belfry calling. calling.
Summoned him to feed the poor,
Through the long hour Intervening
1t had waited his return,
And he felt his bosom burn,
Comprehending all the meaning,
When the Blessed Vision said,
Hadst thou stayed, | must have fed ~
Atlantic for December.