The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-05-26
A BRILLIANT EPIC POEM

The author Is resident Of Utah,
Francis Everard Roche, well known as
man OF high scholarly attaInments and
fervent lover OF liberty for oil mankind
This work Is THE Exodus. an Epic on
Liberty" 1t is founded upon the Scrip
tural account Of the delverancc OF tho
Children Of Israel from the bondage OF
Egypt following the sacred narrative
closely, and In verso of wondrous power
with Imagery rich and apt, embolishing
all with II warmth OF Imagination and
wealth Of scholarly illusions and eS-
planatory notes tells the old story In
manner at once dcvout and noble
The theme Is that from the foundation
of the world, God intended men 10 be
froe, and that the Exodus was mighty
and typical step in tho unfolding of the
Divine Will toward that general purpose.
but illustrated in AN especially signal
manner in behalf of Jehovah's chosen
people, Israel The general argument OF
tho work Is thus stated:
The Fable opens ut that period of tho worlds
history whom the Israclitcs were gricYousy
oppressed by the Egyptians and primcSal lb-
erty almost ovorthrown or destined to be over
thrown In oil other lands The Almighty Is
deeply concerned for It's loss ond the consc-
quent woes OF mankind ana requests MS
tlon and prcSorvntIon Tho F1al Godhcnd
concurs and sends Gabriel TO Moses at Mount
sinai TO aid him in delivering the lsraclites
and alao TO instruct him IN tho nature OF Lib
erty and truce Its history in the past and
iutuTo and Impress upon him lts lnseporablo
connection with the scheme for the redemption
and happiness OF mankind. The Angel directs
and aids Moses In tho liberation OF his
brethren and thus the enduring Spark OF Free
"on lH rckndled and the way prepared Tor the
coming OF tho Messiah and the Christian dis
pensation In which slavery and oppression
have no place and universal and equal brother
mood Ia cnJolned on all men. Tho Fable there
toro assumes thot the Exodus from Egypt was
the true turning point I'm the life OF Liberty
and It's nnal triumph over the Ills OF slavery
and dcspotlsm. The period Of the poem IL
hNed sometime onteccdent to the Trojan war
and the action Is confined 10 IS days md part
or the miraculous three days and nights OF
continued darkness over tho land OF Egypt
There are twelve Books. each with its
separate theme. but the general topic
progressing continuously and in stately
measure from one TO the other. and
through all The first Book opens with
an invocation in the classical manner. in
these vigorous lines:
The gift divine, to mortala her below
Forever pregnant with their wcal or woe.
Lost Edcn,S boom. manklnd's high destiny,
That all alike arc equal born and free
Constrained from earth her presence 10 with
BY trcacherous arts and breach OF primal law.
Reotored once more by Heavens supreme de-
- muse tho triumph sing of LIBERTY
or rather, since breath thy goddess name.
dream OF Greece recording deeda OF fnme.
dispenser Great whose might cnn never fade.
true giVer OF all gifts. be Thou my oidl
The author then proceeds at once to
the development OF his theme. Prlmeval
liberty Is lost. the Almighty Is deeply
concerned. and calling his Son, rchearses
the wretched state OF mankind, denounces
the tyranny OF despots, and asks his Son
TO restore the former liberties of man
kind. This the Son undertakes to do,
and promises bis aid 10 the wretched
and oppressed for all the ages TO come
The Archangel Gabriel is commissioned
TO go TO the earth to seek out Moses and
explain the Divine purpose TO him The
archangel arrives in view of the Garth
about the break OF day on Mount Atlas,
md he pauses TO note the revolution OF
the planet. As its surface passes before
him. the continents and the seas unfold.
evoking from him apostrophes TO each.
when America appears. he communes
aloud upon this continent as the future
home or liberty TO mankind. One day is
supposed TO be taken for the unfolding
OF this book
The second book opens with an apos-
trophe to Mount Sinai; narrates the
meeting of Gabriel with Moses. whereup-
on the archangel unfolds the Divine
scheme to restore liberty lost. and the
poet thus closes the book;
AS Frecdom.s loss the Archanrcl thus ex-
once more the Seer his teuchtuI Guido od-
Thy words divine we'll picture TO my mind
The wrongs on Freedom wrought by past
While on my eyes lute purscd their finite
In hopeless bondage eorths wide empires ope.
Now further say. II Heavens Great Lord de-
niles
To scan lost Freedoms future destinles."
Nor this, tho Power bcnencicnt replied
Has Heavens Great King 20 the request de-
MED.
NY pleasing task assigned It is TO trace
Her chcckcred life IN every age and rnco
SO that enlightened men, through You may sco
How pregnant with thOlr fate is Liberty
In Book third the archangeI exnlaIns
the nature of freedom gives an outline Of
Its conditions in Egypt. PhocnIcia and
Greece. the predominance OF the latter
eliminating in these lines
The Seats whence Arts and Commerce shall
advance
An Intellect. a worlds Inheritance
Creating. shall the ages soul Inname
with wondering reverence for tho Grcclnn
name.
The dawn and extinction OF liberty in
Rome arc next depicted a pillar OF fire
descends upon Horcb. and 1t drawing
near, the archangel seats Moses upon IL.
and the Seer is transported to Egypt
Book ". abounds In splendid imagery.
The pillar or fire is anchored In Egypt
Gabriel points out the beauty of the land,
prophesies it's coming desolation. lncul-
Gates upon Moses the gravity and glory
of his mission. and In outline foretells the
events Immediately to come. He i'm
presses upon him the view that liberty Is
to me restored. that the law of Right,
associated with Justice, Morality. and |
Freedom, was we'll known OF old, and was
observed by tho patrIarchs. But mans |
had destroyed the old order. |
which, however, was now to be restored. |
AS true by nature to It's proper goal
The magnet scckg slf-taught, it's native pole |
II drawn by hostile elements aside.
Reluctant paths It's errlng motions ride,
But once released the foes disturbing fprcc
II springs cxultng to its primal course.
SO mans injustice TO his kind wlthdraWs
49,. N.- I~Nr.N