"THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN."

BEN. HAWORTH-BOOTH

It gleams as lightning in the lurid shade;
'Tis like the leaven that the housewife laid
Unseen among the meal, till all was made;
Like fisher's net, filled from the weltering deep
With bad and good, to cast aside or keep;
It comes in silence, thief-like, while we sleep;
Like the small mustard-seed, uncared, that fell
And grew the mightiest of the herbs, until
The birds of heaven upon her branches dwell;
'Tis like the king who for his marriage-feast
Called rich and poor, the peasant and the priest;
But all men made excuse, the greatest as the least.
Like the ten virgins that the scrolls record,
Who took their midnight lamps to meet their Lord,
And five had oil, and five no oil had stored;
'Tis like hid treasure that the swain hath found
Deep in the delved earth, then casteth round
To sell his heritage and buy the ground.

Seek ye such goodly pearls? This merchandise
Is safe from sordid hands and envious eyes:
Sell all ye have, to gain so great a prize.
There is no male nor female, bond nor free,
Nor Jew nor Greek henceforth remains for me,
For we are one with Christ in God's eternity.

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