Under her heart her sorrow, Under her heart her shame,-- And darker than death the morrow With the brand of the whole world’s blame.
Under her heart her glory,-- O rapture that knows no alloy! Blest Mary! thy travail’s sweet story Shall waken the whole world’s joy.
Pagan, Papist, Protestant! What is that to thee or me? Make not Heaven’s mercy scant With thy pampered bigotry.
Who made thee the judge to be Of thy brother’s destiny? Deem not that thy shibboleth Holds the keys of life and death.
Ah, that secret, sullen sign! Call it not decree divine; For a letter, more, or less, Measures not God’s tenderness.
“Other sheep I have,” said One Who was more than Mary’s son; Eyes as blind as thine shall see His amazing charity.
When it claims the judgment throne, What is creed but craft and cant? God will surely know his own-- Pagan, Papist, Protestant.
Majestic symbol of eternal power! Dread oracle of eons all unknown! Before thy presence Pomp and Passion cower,-- All men are equal at thy awful throne.
Abashed, the eager babble of the mart, To silence shamed, the vulgar greed for gain; No more ambition goads the weary heart, And Toil forgets its unrequited pain.
Stern type of Truth’s inexorable law! No room remains for envy or for pride; Here prince and pauper stand in common awe, Swayed by the spell of thy resistless tide.
A rushing, seething Sinai,--thou dost pour On sluggish consciences the solemn sense Of justice infinite: thy thunder’s roar Declares to Wrong relentless recompense.
Against our arrogance thy strength doth plead; Deep unto deep imperiously calls; Impartial annalist! the nations read Their transient glory on thy ageless walls.
Yet dost thou deign to dower the moment’s need,-- Our dreams exceeding by thy bounteous sway; With power unrivaled thy proud flood shall speed The New World’s progress toward Time’s perfect day.
O mighty monitor! O seer sublime! The soul’s surpassing grandeur thou dost show; The fountains of thy immemorial prime Through man’s immortal being freely flow.
Let in the light! The sky is bright, The air is flowing free; The mountains glow, The vale, below, Is holding jubilee.
Let in the light!-- Sad oversight To miss so sweet a morn; The vision flies, Awake! arise! Each dawn is life reborn.
