Nathanael

JOHN A. C. FRASER

What of holy aspiration,
Simple duty, pure devotion
To thy fathers' God, Jehovah,
Guileless Israelite, Nathanael,
Held thee 'neath the fig tree's shade?

Was it heavenly inspiration
Caught in clearer contemplation
Of the infinite, Elohim,
Guileless Israelite, Nathanael,
Hallowing thy fig tree's shade?

What was there of revelation
In thy morning meditation
Of the long-expected Saviour,
Just "before that Philip called thee":
We have found the Galilean
Whom the prophets have foretold?

Ere the Christly salutation,
And prophetic explanation
Called forth all thy pure heart-homage
To the embodied Christ-ideal:
Rabbi, thou art the Messiah,
King of Israel, Son of God?

And thy ready acceptation
Of the Master's demonstration
Won for thee the precious promise
Of those greater signs unfolding:
Ye shall see the heaven open,
And the angels come from God?

In this age of demonstration
We can feel thy consecration;
Understand the Bible teaching
Through our Leader's sacred writings;
Find the eternal Christ, our Saviour,
Truth, revealed in Christian Science;
Share our Master's life and labors;
Prove the Word in Christian healing;
See again the heaven open,
Angels pass to man from God.