The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1871-12-09
THE LEGEND BEAUTIFUL.
By HENRY W. LoNGFE11ow.

: Hadst thou stayed, / must have fledl''
That is what the Vision said.
In his chamber all alone,
kneeing on the floor of stone,
Prayed the Monk in deep contrition
For his sins of indecisiOn,
Prayed for greater Self-denial
In temptation and in trial;
1t was MONDAY by the dial,
And the Monk was all alone.
Suddenly. as if it lightened,
An unwOhted splendor frightened
All within him and without him
In that narrow cell of stone;
And he saw the Blessed Vision
or our IOrd, with light Elysian,
Like a Vesture wrapped around hlm,
Like a garment round him thrown.
Not as crucified 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-feld,
Halt and lame and blind ne healed,
When he walked in Galilee.
In an attitude imploring,
Hands upon his bosom crossed,
Wondering, worshiping, adoring,
Knelt the Monk in rapture lost,
Lord, he thought, in heaven that reigHeSt,
Who am 1, that Thou deignest
To reveal Thyself to me?
Who am /, that from the centre
OF 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,
A II the heggarS OF the street,
For their daily dole of food
Dealt them by the brotherhood;
And their almOner was he
Who. upon his bended knee,
Rapt in silent ecStacy
OF divinest self-surrender.
Saw the Vision and the Splendor.
Deep distress and hesitation
Mingled with his adOratIOn;
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 ViStaut celestial,
For crowd of ragged, bestial
Beggars at the convent gatef
Would the Vision there remain1
Would the Vision come againf
Then a voice within his breast
Whispered, audible and clear,
As if to the outward car:
- Do thy duty: that is best;
Leave unto thy Lord the rest"
And with longing look intent
On the Blessed Vision bent,
Slowly from his cell departed,
Slowly on his errand went.
At the gate theTpoor 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,
Aud of feet that pass them by;
Grown familiar with uIStaNOE,
Grown familiar with the SAVIOR !
OF the bread by which men diei
But to-day. they know not why,
Like the gates of Paradise,
Seemed the convent gates to rise,
Like a sacrament divine
Seemed 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 gee 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 Mel"
Unto Me! but had the Vision
Come to him in beggar clothing,
Come n mendica Mt implOring,
Would he then have knelt adoring,
Or have listened with derisiOn
Or have turned away with lOathing?
Thus his conscience put the question.
Full of trOu bleSOme suggestion.
As at length, with hurried pace.
toward MS cell ne turned MS tlCc,
And beheld the convent bright
With supernatural light,
Like q luminous cloud expanding
Over floor and wall and ceiling.
But he paused with awe-struck feeling
At the threshold OF his door.
For the Vision still was standing
Is he left it there before,
When the convent bell appalling,
From its belfTy 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 fedN'