The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1873-06-28
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THE LEGEND BRAUTIFUL.
By HExRY W. LoxeFEiLow.

ThE L1uEhU bhAuTAkuL.
BY HENRY W. LoxGFEiLow.
iHadst thou stayed, must have Aed!n
That is what the Vision said.
In his chamber all alone,
Kneeling on the floor Of stone,
Prayed the Monk in deep contrihon
For his sins Of indecision,
Prayed for greater self.denial,
In temptation and in trial;
II was MONDAY by the dial,
And the Monk was all alone.
Suddenly, as IL il lightened,
An 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 crucified and slain,
Not in agonies Of pain,
Not with bleeding hands and feet,
did the Monk his Master see
Rot rs in the village street,
In the house or harvest.6eld,
Halt and lame and blind he healed,
When he walked in Galilee.
In On attitude imploring,
Hands upon his bosom crossed,
Wondering, worshipping, adoring,
Knelt the Monk in rapture lost.
Lord, he thought, in heaven that reignest,
Who am l, that thus thou deignest
To reveal thyselfto me2
Who am /, that from the center
OF thy glory, thou shouldest enter
This poor cell, my guest to be2
Then amid his exaltasion,
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 cams,
All the blind aud halt and lame,
hkl t1t UuLNMIh VI tic ctttty
For their daily dole of food
Dealt them by the brotherhood
And their almoner was he
Who upon his bended knee,
Wnpt in silent ecstasy
OF divinest selfsurrender,
Saw the Vision and the Splendor.
Deep distress and hesitation
Mingled with his alteration
Should he go, or should he stny2
Should he leave the poor to wait
Hungry at the convent gate,
Till the Vision passed away2
Should he slight his heavenly guest,
Slight this yisitant celestial,
For crowd Of ragged, bestial
BeEEsrs at the convent gate?
Would the Vision there remain?
Would the Vision come again?
'Then q voice within his breast
whispered, sudibly and clear,
AS ifto the outward ear;
abe thy duty that is best;
Lenne nnto thy Lord the rest ~
;Straisltway to his feet he started,
And with longing look iutont
,On the Blessed Vision bent,
Slowly from bis cell departed,
s9lpwlyDn 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
x,'.a. tba .oupd of dnora that close
AM, Of feet that pass them by;
Grow familiar with disfayor,
Crown familiar with the SAVIOR
or the h. -ead by which men die
But To- day !. they knew not why,
Like the gat of Paradise
Seemed he q, 1nyent gate 10 rise,
Seemed ~ them the bread and wine.
In his heart he 4. 'onk was praying,
Thinking Of the ho, eeless poor
What they suffer and endure
What We see not, what we see
And the inward voice ". S saying
'whatsoever thing thou doesI
To the least Of mine and lowest
That thou doest unto me-"
Unto me {? but had the Vision
Come to him in beggar's clothihN
Come q mendicant imploring,
Would he then have knelt adoring,
Or have listened with derision,
And have turned away with loathing!
Thus his conscience put the question,
Full of troublesome suggestion,
As at length, with hurried pace,
L.. Ill h.. t,.xtod his tnQp.