Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1872-01-19
aHadst thou stayed, I must have fled !"
That is what the Vision said.

sHaQSL tnOu Stayeu, must nave ueU !!
That is what the Vision said.
In his chamber all alone,
Kneeling 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;
It was MONDAY by the dial,
And the Monk was all alone.
Suddenly, as if it lightened,
As .unwonted splendor frightened
All within him and without him
In that narrow cell of stone,
And he saw the Blessed Vision
OF 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.
al dil dttltuue lIHplOElug,
Hands upon his bosom crossed,
Wondering, worshipping, adoring,
Knelt the Monk in rapture lost.
Lord, he thought, in heaven that reignest;
Who am |, that thus 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 BET
Then amid his exaltation,
Loud the convent bell appalling,
From its belfry, calling,
Rang through court and corridor,
With persistent iteration
He had never heard before.
It was now the appointed hour
: When alike in shine and shower,
Winters cold or Summer heat,
To the convent portals came,
All the blind and half the lame,
All the beggars of the street,
For their daily dole of food
Dealt them by the brotherhood
And their almoner was he,
Who upon his bended knee,
Raped 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 q crowd of ragged, bestia1
Beggars at the convent gate?
Would the Vision there remain2
Would the Vision come again?
Then voice within his breast
Whispered audibly and clear,
As if to the outward ear
s'Do thy duty, that is best;
Leave unto thy Lord the rest 2"
Straightway to his feet he started
And with longing look intent
On the Blessed Vision bent,
Slowly from his cell departed,
Slowly on his errand went.
4t the gate the poor acere mating,
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 knew not who,
Like the gate of Paradise
Seemed the convent gate to rise,
Like 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 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 p'
Unto me | but had the Vision
Come to him in beggar's clothing,
. Come q mendicant imploring,
Would he then have kneit adoring,
Or have listened with derisiun,
And have turned away with loathing
Thus his conscience put the question,
Full Of troublesome suggestion,
AS at length with hurried pace,
Towards his cell he turned his face,
And beheld the convent bright
With supernatural light,
Like a luminous cloud expanding
Over floor and wall and ceiling.
But he paused with awe struck feeling
At the threshold of his door, a
For the Vision still was standing
As he left it there before,
When the convent bell appalling,
From its belfry calling, calling,
Summoned him TO feed the poor.
Through the long hour intervening
IIh2d waited bis return,
As he felt his bosom burn,
Ccmprehending ell the meaning,
When the Blessed Vision said,
"Hadst thou stsyed, must have fed -