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From Babel to Brotherhood 
 

 BABEL 
 TO BROTHERHOOD 
 
 By 
 
 Frederick Henry Denman 
 
 NEW YORK: 
 
 The Thwing Company 
 1912 
 
Copyright, 1912 
 Frederick Henry Denman 
 
R5/534 
 
 Hi 3. 
 
 To the Memory 
 
 of 
 My Father 
 
 WILLIAM MILLER DENMAN 
 
 A Christian Gentleman 
 
 whose tender love, active charity, radiating 
 
 geniality and boundless enthusiasm in all 
 
 good works endeared him to all and made 
 
 him to me an inspiration and example 
 
 and my most intimate friend 
 
 I dedicate this zvork. 
 
 258655 
 
Argument 
 
 THE race of men inhabited the earth 
 enjoying all its fruits with unrestricted 
 liberty of action. Instead of using their 
 gifts, they abused them; and instead of devot 
 ing their lives to right living and the worship 
 of the Creator and Provider of their bene 
 fits, man forgot God, became licentious, vain 
 and debauched. Only one man, Noah, when 
 God spoke, listened to His voice. God instructed 
 Noah and then sent a devastating flood which, 
 excepting Noah s family, wiped out all living 
 beings from the earth. The race of man was then 
 renewed through this one man and his three sons, 
 upon whom God placed his hope. After a time 
 their issue had increased and stories of the Flood 
 disturbed their minds. They sought to build a 
 tower and thus thwart any like attempt to destroy 
 men by a flood. They argued, but at last were all 
 
agreed. They started work, and though God 
 warned them, they worked on. At last God sent 
 the Confusion of Tongues, and hatred for their 
 kind drove them apart. They wandered over all 
 the earth. Those staying nearest soonest began to 
 acquire some degree of culture. Time progressed, 
 nations rose and fell, hate dominated men in all 
 their relations. The Hebrew race was created by 
 God in order to exemplify the value of His law. 
 A Kedeemer was promised to this nation. They 
 kept the letter of the law but failed to see its 
 significance. Christ came and taught the Law of 
 Love. The people of His race were .his worst 
 enemies. A church grew out of those that ac 
 cepted His faith. It served its purpose for a time. 
 Europe s people came under its influence only to 
 rebel against its tyrannies and doctrines when the 
 Scriptures were revealed. Finally America was 
 discovered. Kepresentatives of every race went 
 there. They learned that cooperation with each 
 other was helpful. They brought the nations to 
 friendship, and finally the Law of Love, worked 
 out from economic uses and through a common 
 language, brought men as one again to worship 
 God. 
 
FROM "BABEL 
 TO BROTHERHOOD 
 
 DISOBEDIENCE 
 
 (~\F all God s children there was only one 
 
 Who sought to hear and mind his Father s voice 
 Upon the earth." Long time before man s birth 
 God had looked forth upon His mighty work 
 And in the beast, the plant, had found it good. 
 But all possessions that delight the sense 
 Failing to satisfy the father heart 
 He said "Let us make in our image man 
 That our dear child shall sweetly worship, love 
 And serve us, and that we shall evermore 
 Enjoy the savor of his gratitude 
 And dear affection." Thus the parental heart. 
 But like his offspring, disobedient man, 
 The Father came to feel a child s neglect, 
 Unthankfulness and wanton disregard. 
 Although in all things bountifully blessed 
 Our primal parents wanting nothing but, 
 
From Babel to 
 
 That more than worthless nothing thus removed 
 
 From them by God s inhibitive command, 
 
 Could not refrain from disobedient sin; 
 
 Thus for themselves provoking God s just wrath 
 
 And for their progeny a lasting curse. 
 
 Unable after this to reinstate 
 
 Themselves in the Deity s regard, 
 
 And listening only to their lustful thought, 
 
 Forgot their Maker and grew cold in love. 
 
 Only a few removed for God s own use 
 
 Still served Him and obeyed in deed and thought 
 
 The Father s just commands. The residue 
 
 Filthy and lewd, dishonored the fair form. 
 
 Offended at the horrid spectacle 
 
 The Almighty s spirit would not always strive 
 
 With men that would continually sin. 
 
 QNE man and one alone of all the Earth 
 
 Would listen when his Heavenly Father spoke, 
 So hopeful of a better race through him, 
 God showed to Noah the divine intent. 
 At last it seemed that one man would obey ; 
 The voice of God was heard at least by him. 
 Taunted and jeered at by his fellow men 
 This new selected father of the race 
 
 10 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 Worked by God s order and directed plan 
 Until at last was finished the great craft 
 That should contain each kind of creature life. 
 Through Adam s disobedience, sin had come; 
 Noah obeyed and hope grew out of this. 
 Dreadful the scourge that fell upon the Earth 
 As unremitting torrents drowned the land. 
 The helpless beast, all creeping things and man 
 Alike were overwhelmed, alike destroyed, 
 While Noah only with his little band 
 After the Flood s subsidence ever saw 
 The light of day. A landscape terrible; 
 Foul meadows soaked with filthy ooze 
 And steaming hillsides vaporous and bare 
 Flooding the rain soaked vales already full 
 With torrents that rushed on incessantly. 
 The stinking carcasses of man and beast 
 In loathly contact with their works reposed. 
 Then for encouragement and for a sign 
 The Almighty by the rainbow promised man 
 That not again should all the Earth be drowned 
 And by that emblem stimulated him 
 To efforts with assurances of hope. 
 Slowly again, but with their hope renewed, 
 The families worked and founded their new homes. 
 
 ii 
 
From Babel to 
 
 Courage succeeded faintness and despair 
 As added years saw increase multiply; 
 While generations with their long-lived sires 
 In leisurely employment prospering 
 Reared new communities in which to dwell. 
 But as before the Flood wrong had prevailed, 
 So now it was not wholly blotted out. 
 Noah, intemperate from his home-made wine, 
 Gave opportunity for that which caused 
 His son to be accursed, and all his seed 
 To be outcast of man except to serve. 
 Increasing numbers peopled now the Earth 
 Spreading abroad and making life again 
 Seem as it had before the chastening Flood 
 Whose mem ry, to the exclusion of God s word, 
 Continued to o ershadow all their thought. 
 Years passed away, cities were built and all 
 Had once more taken on the usual life; 
 But ever the sons of Noah talked with fear 
 Of future floods. At last their fear took form 
 And then a mighty enterprise was planned. 
 
 I> Y appointment to a designated place 
 
 From all abroad the people of the Earth 
 Came to confer upon the subject of 
 
 12 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 Their fearful dread and how they might provide 
 
 Means to escape again from a like fate. 
 
 The assembly of the Earth s progenitors 
 
 Obsessed as one race of a single thought, 
 
 The Earth s first parliament assembled then 
 
 Upon the plains of Shinar, there to scheme 
 
 Salvation, by some plan to be devised, 
 
 Against another chastisement of God. 
 
 Speaking one language, but unskilled in art 
 
 Of making laws, they crudely shaped rough rules 
 
 For carrying on in order their debate. 
 
 At last they came to indicate that all 
 
 The heads of families should alone be heard, 
 
 And these accordingly from all apart 
 
 With serious mien distinguished from the rest 
 
 Set forth their fears and for their safety planned. 
 
 Crafty and shrewd but eagerly intent 
 
 None wished the first initiative to take. 
 
 At last rose one more daring than the rest, 
 
 Mmrod, the hunter, chafing at delay 
 
 Forward in all things, first addressed his peers : 
 
 "Here have we come my brethren and friends 
 To urge each other by resource and skill 
 To work for our advantage and our sons . 
 
From Babel to 
 
 Far have I traveled up and down the earth 
 
 Hunting the beasts, and from their rocky nests 
 
 Shooting the eagle and the albatross. 
 
 But on the mountain summit and the plain 
 
 Alike are seen the visit of that flood 
 
 That overwhelmed the Earth and cursed our race. 
 
 Men that are strong should have their way 
 
 Nor let occasion, as it did before, swallow us up 
 
 Leaving to chance their fate. Are we not Gods 
 
 To govern all things else? Why not ourselves? 
 
 Who is to interfere?" 
 
 Thus Nimrod spoke, 
 
 And murmured approbation met his words. 
 Then up rose hoary Shem, old Noah s son : 
 
 "Well ask ye if we may not do our will? 
 Listen, and of my own remembrance I will tell 
 Of things I saw, nor understood till now. 
 My beard is gray, my strength is less than his 
 Whose words you now applaud. But in my youth 
 Full well I held my own with spear and bow; 
 Traveled I, too, throughout the bounteous land, 
 Climbing steep mounts and in the lowly plains 
 Visiting cities of great size and fair. 
 The farmer brought his kine from the lush fields 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 And sold them in the market place. Traders 
 
 Sold their wares, men came and went, and all 
 
 Seemed fair and joyous. Strong men there were, too, 
 
 Giants, to whom we would seem as naught. 
 
 The maidens danced with them; the elders looked 
 
 And sipped their wine, unheedful what all did 
 
 So it did please them. Visions have I seen 
 
 When riotous grew the dance from heady wine 
 
 That would astonish you were I to tell. 
 
 Thus spent their lives that lived before the Flood 
 
 Earth s children, whom I knew and lived among, 
 
 Answering some chiding of an ancient one 
 
 Are we not gods? Shall we not do our will? 
 
 One day, however, at the hour of dusk, 
 
 My father bringing back his pastured flock, 
 
 Showed by his visage that his mind was stirred. 
 
 Strangely at us around the board he looked, 
 
 And started when we asked him his concern. 
 
 Nothing he answered nor vouchsafed reply 
 
 Until one day I followed him apart, 
 
 And in a clefted rock I saw him kneel. 
 
 Startled, I stopped, for though alone, 
 
 He seemed to speak to some one. On his face 
 
 There shone a light that in that dark retreat 
 
 Was like the day. N er had I seen him thus. 
 
From Babel to 
 
 Fainting almost, with shaking hands I stood, 
 
 But while I could not hear could comprehend 
 
 A Presence. I seemed to thrill with strange 
 
 Sensations pulsing through my veins, until 
 
 It faded and my heart grew still with fear. 
 
 Then came my father forth and saw me there. 
 
 I hastened to him, asked him what it was? 
 
 To whom he spoke? Why did he look so strange? 
 
 Then sitting by me he unfolded there 
 
 That God (I wondered who he meant), had spoke 
 
 Had warned him of the dreadful sins of men. 
 
 How he had made the Earth and all besides, 
 
 Created beast, and bird, and at last man; 
 
 That God, through Adam s sin, had lost man s love 
 
 And now that Adam s race becoming vile 
 
 By their obscene and proud, offensive ways, 
 
 Determined Him to start the race anew. 
 
 That from a chosen seed in virgin soil 
 
 And nourished there the Earth might grow 
 
 With better life from this selected spear, 
 
 God had selected Noah that from him 
 
 Such men should spring, that when His Spirit spoke 
 
 They should obey His voice and not contend. 
 
 With bated breath I heard my father s words 
 
 Nor understood them. Who was this great God 
 
 16 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 That spoke without a sign, whose Spirit vast 
 
 We did not know? Was it perchance, (the thought 
 
 Came o er my mind), was it His Spirit that 
 
 When tempted to voluptuous dance and route, 
 
 Restrained me from the wanton act? Had I 
 
 Left in me something of that tender spark 
 
 Unrealized till then? The rest you know. 
 
 I only say Do what you will, but know 
 
 There is a God whom no one ever saw 
 
 With whom great things are small and weak ones great. 
 
 He will not tolerate unchastened pride; 
 
 Do what you will, but know you are not gods." 
 
 ^ SILENCE as of death was over all 
 
 As ancient Shem s experience was told, 
 Nor was that silence broken for a time 
 As each one in his thoughts could recollect 
 The knowledge that he too had sometime felt 
 Strange movements in his heart that chided him. 
 Then rose a young man dark of hair and skin 
 With sinewy form, Gush, eldest son of Ham. 
 
 "You listed well my friends to Shem s wierd tale, 
 And now you sit supine and dream again. 
 I know the story for I ve heard it oft 
 
From Babel to 
 
 From all my father s family many times. 
 You know me too, you know my father s curse 
 But what of that? Must we serve you and yours? 
 You cannot prosper but we share your good. 
 You have the care, we have our clothes and food 
 You find the means, our part we will not shirk." 
 
 Then answered Javan, skilled in building: "Hark 
 To my counsel. Much have we talked and long; 
 Why waste we longer time? I, like bold Cush, 
 Well know the story of this fabled God 
 Who comes to men in dreams. My square and plane 
 Have never found His place. Nor have my hands 
 With plummet or with axe discovered Him. 
 Strange fancies fill the minds of shepherds who 
 Alone beneath the vaulted blue sit quiet 
 And muse and count the stars or watch for signs. 
 Practical men who deal in facts not dreams 
 Construct not fancies filled with chambered ghosts; 
 We build of stern materials we can touch. 
 My counsel to you then is simply this : 
 The plain on which we now are met is fair, 
 High, level, spacious, with resources which 
 Will furnish all our requisite supplies. 
 
 Here let us then with well considered plan 
 
 i 
 
 18 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 Erect a tower, a tower so great and high 
 
 That it will hold innumerable store 
 
 Of all things useful to our utmost need ; 
 
 That it will hold us all and all our flocks 
 
 Alike provisioned for unlimited 
 
 Abode. Then if a flood again shall rise 
 
 We too may rise with it and stay above. 
 
 Shall we not with a single purpose work 
 
 Unitedly against some new calamity? 
 
 We shall do that that seemeth to us best 
 
 Nor any God o erthrow our cherished plan. 
 
 What say you? When shall we commence the work?" 
 
 Loud shouts of approbation met his words 
 Pledging their potent aid to Javan s work. 
 The men of Earth had now a leader and a plan 
 Nothing beyond this would they see or care. 
 
 BABEL 
 
 PROUD man, with reason blessed, now feels secure 
 
 Untaught by lessons past, dares God again. 
 Details are now made ready for the work, 
 Labors divided, while the skilled Javan 
 Directs his cohorts through their chosen heads 
 Then lays he out with calm precision there 
 
From Babel to 
 
 A plan enormous for the Tower s great base. 
 Bricks are prepared and trenches dug, while all 
 With utmost energy commence the work. 
 But as their work commences, suddenly 
 The thunder roars, a lightning flash above 
 Their very heads comes from the heavenly vault. 
 The earth shakes and the quivering plain 
 A moment seems to rock beneath their feet. 
 They stop and look about appalled, for naught 
 Gives evidence of a storm. Fearful they gaze 
 Until with threats and chiding they are urged 
 By Javan to take up again their work. 
 
 "Ts this the way men act who can control 
 
 All things? Are we not able to withstand a storm?" 
 No storm approached, but soon a mighty wind 
 Beat over all the plain, and still no cloud 
 Betrayed the presence. Then a sickening calm 
 When every sound of nature hushed, and all 
 Around a brooding silence seemed to hold 
 The voices of the field. This they endured, 
 And now contemptuously, with heads erect, 
 They waited long enough to understand 
 Their chiefs commands, indifferent to fear. 
 Progressed their work now with unbated zeal. 
 
 20 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 Laboring bands each pressed th appointed task 
 
 While caravans brought ample stores of food, 
 
 Apparel and necessities required 
 
 For maintenance. The toil went on apace. 
 
 An almost frantic energy replaced 
 
 The former idle, pleasure-seeking life, 
 
 And all mankind was restless to outdo 
 
 His fellow in this all consuming work. 
 
 The visible evidence of this labor now 
 
 Assumed a gratifying shape and size. 
 
 Kising above all neighboring heights, it stood 
 
 A prophecy of man s creative power. 
 
 All that were not assembled at the work 
 
 Were helping by some other means the end 
 
 Sought jointly by the new created race. 
 
 All Earth s inhabitants a common cause 
 
 Made of this plan to shame the Deity. 
 
 PROVOKED, again the indulgent Parent saw 
 
 The sons of Noah not alone defy, 
 But doubt His promise and His spoken word. 
 Kefusing homage, gratitude and love 
 And disobedient spite of benefits, 
 God s voice they would not hear, or hear it, heed. 
 Along this way rearing their mighty tower 
 
 21 
 
From Babel to 
 
 The race of man toiled patiently, each day 
 As misers hoarding gold they saw increase 
 The pile to monstrous size; but, miser-like, 
 Its greater size increased their lust for more. 
 
 in the work one day as heretofore 
 Great Javan with authoritative tone 
 Gave his directions in th ? accustomed way 
 To his assistant, Cush. The work had reached 
 A point requiring all their utmost skill. 
 What then was the surprise of Cush to hear 
 Such words from Javan s lips as n er before 
 His ears had heard or now could understand. 
 Amazed, he answered asking their intent, 
 While Javan fixed him with intolerant gaze. 
 A while they stood thus, then again essayed 
 To speak, but neither understanding other s words, 
 Till, smarting at what each supposed a jest, 
 They both sprang from their place of conference 
 Eeady with angry word to wreak revenge 
 Upon the others who could not resent 
 The chastisement of blame from either chief. 
 No sooner had their vision reached the work 
 Than anger turned to wonder when they saw 
 All work had stopped. Some men stood helpless ; 
 
 22 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 Some, running to and fro, made strange a scene 
 So lately pregnant with combined attempt. 
 Voices were raised, man screamed at man in vain 
 Trying to make each other understand. 
 Mad with their effort, a wild noise arose 
 Of all in different jargon, mad they yelled 
 While Gush and Javan, who would quell the noise, 
 Themselves became embroiled, and, like the rest, 
 Added their angry shouts to Babel s din. 
 Man could not understand his fellow man; 
 Brother his brother could not make to know 
 His meaning. None could comprehend a word. 
 Then fear took hold upon the trembling host; 
 Families assembled, separate each from each, 
 And tried in whispers now converse to hold. 
 Thus passed some days, but stranger it became 
 As men found their ability to speak 
 Grow less, and words gave place to awkward signs, 
 Till finally on them fell such great alarm 
 That some, assembling necessary goods 
 Started away they knew not where away 
 From sight and sound of things so full of dread. 
 As days went by, others departed too, 
 Unable to resist the impulsive fear, 
 Desiring naught, and loathing only man. 
 
From Babel to 
 
 Nor was it only at the tower the curse 
 
 Fell on mankind. It fell on all who worked 
 
 For the unholy cause. Thus everyone 
 
 Was in like manner cursed, for all had toiled, 
 
 Contributing in some way to the work; 
 
 Sinning alike in every industry; 
 
 Shepherd, farrier, farmer, tanner, all 
 
 Because contributing to the shameful deed. 
 
 The voice of God they would not understand 
 
 When in the past He spoke or gave them signs. 
 
 Vile rites before their idols gave them joy, 
 
 And filled them with that satisfaction which 
 
 Worship of some sort yields to God s offspring. 
 
 His pure word and that spiritual power 
 
 Of life, of truth, of love that from Him grow, 
 
 Served not the lustful uses of these men, 
 
 Now they lost every interest in the past, 
 
 Nor speech nor language could they understand. 
 
 Some stayed about the cursed, part-built tower, 
 
 But most of all Earth s people terrified, 
 
 Joined in the exodus to leave behind 
 
 The sight of things that would at all remind 
 
 Them of a work so fatal to their hope. 
 
 Too bruitish, most, to apprehend the cause, 
 
 Or that God s wrath administered this rebuke, 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 They only fled to leave behind their fear 
 
 Each effort to assuage which made it worse. 
 
 Words meant for consolation, fear provoked, 
 
 And frenzied horror froze their very lips. 
 
 Silent they went then, scattering everywhere, 
 
 Going as if pursued ; malign and dumb, 
 
 Avoiding all inhabited abodes; 
 
 Living upon the wild growths of the Earth, 
 
 And only stopping as their strength gave out, 
 
 Or as they thought themselves safe from pursuit. 
 
 Of time they lost all count, lost all regard 
 
 For former kinds of work. Their former thoughts 
 
 Seemed lost with loss of speech ; and all the arts 
 
 Had, with the one thing that distinguished them 
 
 From others of the Earth s creation, speech, 
 
 Passed from their minds. Man s second fall had come. 
 
 Nothing remained but that intuitive sense 
 
 That causes families to protect their young. 
 
 DISPERSION 
 
 I^HE sons of Japhet, sons of Shem and Ham 
 
 Took different courses and went various ways, 
 Again dividing into smaller groups, as on 
 They wandered in the World s first exodus. 
 Without design or knowledge of their path, 
 
From Babel to 
 
 Losing all culture, skill, and thoughts acquired 
 Through man s long residence upon the Earth, 
 They lived like beasts, nor sought a better life. 
 Except that instinct of the untamed beast 
 One only thing remained of memory : 
 The feeling that a Deity must be. 
 Years followed years as slowly trooped along 
 Earth s children. Hating each the other s sight 
 Stopping somewhere awhile, then going on, 
 Never content to stay in one place long. 
 South went the children of unhappy Ham 
 There to be separate, in a continent 
 But little likely to invite pursuit. 
 East journeyed such of Shem s descent 
 As stayed not near, with some of Japhet s sons, 
 The place of fatal sin. The other race 
 Westward took up its way, and slowly went 
 By devious routes to continents unknown. 
 Eeduced to savagery they kept no law, 
 They kept no record of the way they took. 
 They could not speak intelligible words, 
 Nor write, nor yet perform the simplest act 
 Of husbandry, mechanics, or of art. 
 All things must be learned anew by these, 
 The sons of men, who, by presumptuous sin, 
 
 26 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 Lost knowledge when they all defied its source. 
 "Are we not gods?" they said truly God s sons 
 Dependent on the Father for all things. 
 The Giver for their sin took back the gift, 
 And knowledge perishing, they perished too 
 In all save future possibilities. 
 Years multiplied, new generations born 
 Came into being mid environments 
 Kemote from former civilized restraints. 
 Forming in tribes which constantly kept small 
 By warfare, accident, and foul disease 
 Induced by enmity and ignorance. 
 O er all the earth they went by slow degrees 
 Remaining alien to each other tribe. 
 In physical characteristics they became 
 Unlike each other. So in rude acts too 
 They learned in different ways to maintain life 
 And slowly to construct some sort of speech 
 To assist though rudely needed intercourse. 
 Centuries passed and those that dwelt apart, 
 After a nomad life in different climes, 
 Became in face, in manner and in speech 
 Repulsive to all others of the race. 
 Instead of mutual interest, as before, 
 Now every man opposed each other, and 
 
 27 
 
From Babel to 
 
 Tribe was at war with tribe, and man with man. 
 Thus man s dispersion and his second fall, 
 Fruit of presumption and idolatry. 
 Failing to heed his Father s holy word, 
 He lost the good that from obedience flows. 
 
 C\ NWARD the Earth in its majestic course 
 
 Thro space fulfilled its great Creator s will. 
 Abundant life teemed round the lovely globe 
 While seasons passed in fruitful plenty filled. 
 Each Summer an increased luxuriance, 
 Made fecund by the force within itself, 
 Supported life new made from out the old, 
 Nor lost, but seemed to gain, as time went on, 
 From nothing but itself, from out itself. 
 Thus had it been, as from the hand of God, 
 He set it forward on its course complete, 
 Equipped and perfect by appointed plan, 
 Endowed with life and peopled o er with life. 
 Nothing but man had disobeyed God s word, 
 Tho through the ages some had changed their form. 
 But man s indomitable energy 
 Nourished by hope, and seeing life again 
 Assume somewhat its former character, 
 Began anew to build for permanence; 
 
 28 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 Building at first rude huts of mud and clay 
 And later, houses of a nobler sort, 
 Until at length, about their fated plain, 
 Fair Babylon, a city great took form. 
 Nor were the other wanderers of the earth, 
 In course of time, less skilful or alert. 
 Mnevah, Ur, and Egypt s fertile plains, 
 Kaised cities from the toil and skill of those, 
 Who, in these places, stayed their wanderings. 
 While subtle priests devised for craving hearts, 
 A multitude of suppositions gods. 
 
 by the Mle, which brought to Egypt s plain 
 The rich deposit, that, to them who dwelt 
 Along its banks, gave wealth and food, there rose 
 The beauteous Thebes. Statues and buildings fair, 
 Grand ways and stately temples, gardens broad, 
 Were wrought out in one vast impressive whole. 
 Proud of its beauty, there were gathered here 
 Sages and scholars, craftsmen, soldiers, priests, 
 To whom the king, his valor to proclaim, 
 Had published his intent to hold a feast 
 Of all most bountiful, of such extent 
 The world should wonder at his wealth and state. 
 The time brought with it, from afar and near, 
 
 29 
 
From Babel to 
 
 A multitude to praise him. All who would, 
 
 Were welcome here to view his awful power 
 
 And to partake his hospitality. 
 
 Among the groups that dined, or sat at ease, 
 
 Sipping their wine, and offering their praise, 
 
 The king walked unattended in his pride, 
 
 To listen to that sound, than none more sweet, 
 
 Which told his virtues or his valor sung. 
 
 This grateful homage soon began to cloy 
 
 As with excessive flattery, he felt 
 
 A loathing for the well-fed sycophant. 
 
 His wandering led him finally apart, 
 
 And by a tree he sat him down to rest. 
 
 Unnoticed, at the first, he caught the sound 
 
 Of nearby voices holding discourse grave. 
 
 He wondered if they talked of him and if, 
 
 Not knowing he were near, what they would say. 
 
 Closer he drew, but kept himself concealed, 
 
 And quick he recognized the speaker s voice, 
 
 As that of Haran, chief among his priests. 
 
 "How say you that our king is not a god? 
 
 Does he not triumph over all mankind, 
 
 And wring unwilling fealty from his foes?" 
 
 " ? Tis not alone his prowess" answered one 
 
 30 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 The king well knew for Menlik chief of seers, 
 
 "His deeds are great, as worthy Haran says, 
 
 And valor flows from him as flows the Nile, 
 
 But back of that, and stimulating all, 
 
 Are visions that come not to other men. 
 
 Is he not greater than ourselves, or you 
 
 Who scorn his wisdom, while you eat his food?" 
 
 The answer, made in measured tones, revealed 
 
 A stranger s voice : "My learned friends, give ear, 
 
 I honor your beloved king, and now 
 
 Confess myself astonished at his power. 
 
 Far from the East I came your place to see, 
 
 Which much surpasses in its elegance 
 
 All stories that have traveled o er the earth. 
 
 Here I find wondrous carvings, temples great, 
 
 And wealth untold. As in my country, too, 
 
 I find that you, give homage to your gods. 
 
 Amen and Ba, Osiris, Isis, Set 
 
 With you are worshipped. Other gods have we 
 
 Whose attributes and power, we deem most high. 
 
 Let us not quarrel over differences 
 
 Where faith gives comfort and our worship peace. 
 
 My argument denies that men are gods." 
 
 Thus spoke the stranger and with quiet reply 
 
From Babel to 
 
 The wiley Menlik said : "Why if the fish, 
 
 The cat, the moon or sun can typify 
 
 Spirits to our pure minds, then why not kings? 
 
 May there not dwell in certain living things 
 
 Some god who thus selects them for his use, 
 
 And place of choice abode? What higher place 
 
 Than that where now reposes sovereignty?" 
 
 "Hear me with patience," spoke the stranger s voice, 
 
 "Nor seek unfairly to construe my words. 
 
 Whether your gods exist, save in your thoughts, 
 
 Or dwell in animals, supposed or real, 
 
 I do not know. But everywhere I ve gone 
 
 Among mankind, one thing I ever find, 
 
 That man by impulse does a god require, 
 
 Some being high and greater than himself. 
 
 Why gods should choose to take the form of cats, 
 
 Or bulls, or should devise some hideous shape, 
 
 Performing deeds revolting, foul and base, 
 
 I know nor care not. Here your women live 
 
 In honor, love and happy chastity. 
 
 Your men are strong, intelligent and clean, 
 
 And in the breast of each, there is a cry 
 
 For some great spirit greater than himself. 
 
 Impulse demands a god more strong, more wise 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 Than we ourselves, spirits both good and bad 
 That help or mar the labors of mankind." 
 The stranger stopped as, fingers laid on lips, 
 The priest and seer arose, both bowing low, 
 Facing the king who walked up to the group. 
 
 "Resume your seats, my friends, and now forget 
 
 Our difference in rank while I discourse. 
 
 Your words refreshed my mind as all unknown, 
 
 I listened to your frank discourse of kings. 
 
 Sternly surrounded by a mighty state, 
 
 Authority and power within my hand, 
 
 The duties to my subjects do require 
 
 A god-like judgment and decision firm. 
 
 How often these same attributes conspire 
 
 To self-esteem and overweening pride, 
 
 You may not know. I know there comes at times, 
 
 A sense of weakness o er my spirit, such 
 
 As you and every meanest subject feels. 
 
 Thus as to friends and equals, I confess 
 
 Myself to you as merely man, nor now, 
 
 Nor through the whole remainder of my life, 
 
 Will I permit myself to be esteemed 
 
 Or worshipped as a god." The king arose, 
 
 Each rev renced low and went his several way, 
 
 33 
 
From Babel to 
 
 And for a time, worship of kings did cease. 
 
 O EMOTER Africa strange cities held 
 
 Till wasting fevers, helped by cruel wars, 
 Destroyed those who possessed the hope and skill, 
 And races perished as their cities fell. 
 Eastward, great hosts had traveled on for years, 
 Nor stopped to rest, or build a lasting home, 
 Except, from time to time, a following few 
 Finding none following them, withdrew 
 Not for the purpose of repose, but hate 
 And the underlying wish themselves to separate 
 And keep apart from others of mankind. 
 These built, as time went on and they increased 
 Their tribal numbers undisturbed. The rest 
 Kept on and on. Thus by such slow degrees 
 Came they by tedious routes and hardships great 
 To spread abroad. Some in Arabia stayed 
 Some stayed in India while still more went on 
 Peopling the Southern islands and the North. 
 China its quota held Japan, Ceylon 
 And even cold Siberia kept a few, 
 Tho many of the host that went that way 
 Held on and crossed the narrow straits to land 
 Unknown before to any race of man. 
 
 34 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 These by the pressure of their hate kept up 
 
 The pilgrimage till over all the world 
 
 In separate places and in different zones 
 
 New tribes arose which, tho from parent stock 
 
 Derived their life, their manners and their thoughts 
 
 Became by long environment and life 
 
 Apart from each, unlike each other in 
 
 Their mode of life, their language and their looks. 
 
 Throughout the world they ranged both East and West 
 
 Strangers through hatred. As the molten iron 
 
 That had been fused into a monstrous wheel 
 
 Burst suddenly into a million parts; 
 
 So had mankind by their Creator been 
 
 Formed into one great useful race to fill 
 
 The Earth and peacefully subdue all life. 
 
 But failing Him in love, their rev rence lost, 
 
 Becoming lewd and then defying God, 
 
 Had, like the iron, through hatred burst apart 
 
 Into a million fragments each as hard 
 
 And separated almost hopelessly. 
 
 Strange mem ? ries of the former times recurred 
 
 As tribes and races grew in different spots. 
 
 Thus in Peru as well as India 
 
 In North America and Africa 
 
 Men built them towers and mounds or homes in cliffs 
 
 35 
 
From Babel to 
 
 But stranger still some sentiment endured, 
 
 Tho crude expressed, that showed the same throughout; 
 
 Where e er they went, however far dispersed 
 
 What e er the climate, whether sea or mount, 
 
 Whether in nomad bands they lived alway 
 
 Without a settled home, or cities built; 
 
 Some form of worship was adopted which 
 
 Tho false and ignorant and often cruel, 
 
 With idols representing their ideas 
 
 Always included some idea of God, 
 
 Some Spirit, Power or Force Divine above 
 
 Their own creation. This adhered throughout; 
 
 Never forgot they their offended God. 
 
 The Earth which held the scattered wreck of man 
 
 Still fair remained neath ravages and wars. 
 
 passed and worked its great Creator s will 
 Through ages with obedient certainty. 
 Seasons of blossom followed winter s rest 
 Bank with increasing verdure undisturbed, 
 Save in such places as should live awhile, 
 A nation with enough strength to prevail 
 Against its enemies until at last 
 Internal weakness or a craftier foe 
 O erthrew their cities or destroyed their fields. 
 
 36 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 God s hand was not withdrawn from men s affairs 
 
 Nor were their sorrows without grief to Him. 
 
 A fearful lesson their fierce hatred held 
 
 That must be learned by suffering penalty. 
 
 Little the change through all the ages past 
 
 That marked the ever disobedient man; 
 
 The lustful Adam typified the race. 
 
 No sooner left in peace, their wants supplied, 
 
 Themselves surrounded by an opulent land 
 
 Where comforts gave surcease to hardest toil, 
 
 Than riotous luxury took the place of war 
 
 Reducing strength to weakness, till once more 
 
 Vileness like that before the Deluge overcame 
 
 The strong. A nation died. A savage tribe 
 
 Like patient vulture waiting for its prey 
 
 Struck at the carcass till it gorged itself 
 
 On stinking flesh made doubly sweet because 
 
 Their erstwhile hatred savoured the repast. 
 
 Thus self -destructive man was left to do 
 
 His will upon the Earth until at length 
 
 The Father caused the lesson of his faults 
 
 To be administered through other means. 
 
 A race must live according to God s law 
 
 That all should see and know that which was best. 
 
 A visible example should be set 
 
 37 
 
From Babel to 
 
 That by it should be learned the will of God 
 Which, if obeyed, would honor Him and bless 
 Those that should follow His divine command. 
 
 GAIN from all the race one chosen man, 
 A Abram, was called apart from land and home. 
 Out from a city with his wife and flocks 
 To open country separate from the rest 
 Where was revealed the purpose of his call. 
 His nephew, near in love, lost his belief 
 And sought a city where voluptuous sin 
 Was punished by consuming fire from God. 
 Abram apart was learning rapidly 
 From signs like these and from the voice of God. 
 The years passed on. A son was born to him 
 And this beloved child was made the test 
 Of his true faith which stood the dread ordeal. 
 Three generations passed. The incipient race 
 Kept true their faith in God until the fourth, 
 W^hen hatred in them burned a brother s love. 
 Still out of this was made the means to help 
 The great Design. The hated brother kept 
 True to his faith and pure amidst the foul, 
 Lewd people that attempted his downfall. 
 Visions and their interpretations came 
 
 38 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 With added grace to make complete the man. 
 Through him the family came again to love 
 Him and each other, and the new race grew 
 Unchanged by time, by habit or by place, 
 The shepherds reared their families in towns, 
 The sons of Abram learned with ease a life 
 Seductive of their hope to found a race, 
 Environed first with easy luxury 
 They fell a prey to ruinous conquerors 
 And were made slaves in fact. Here as before 
 False gods were raised to represent man s lust. 
 Nothing of comfort, enterprise and skill 
 There lacked to demonstrate man s power of mind; 
 Beauty and power walked hand in hand with sin 
 Showing the creature s weakness in his strength. 
 False gods indeed ! that gave, but giving, cursed 
 With gifts that lacked the spiritual truth, 
 The body perfect with an empty soul. 
 Mysterious providence intervened again 
 And from the Hebrew slaves brought forth a man 
 Kaised high in Egypt s power, learned and wise, 
 Moses, the Friend of God, the god-like man. 
 Him God addressed beside the burning bush. 
 He heard the Voice, but Egypt s king would not; 
 Nor budding rod, nor oft repeated pest 
 
 39 
 
From Babel to 
 
 Warned him to part with profitable slaves, 
 Until led forth across the parted wave 
 The waters joined above the following host 
 And Abram s race a separate life began. 
 Years in instruction from mankind apart 
 Were filled with disappointment and despair. 
 The slaves were slow to learn the perfect laws 
 But rather would return to fleshly ease. 
 The promised land, their leader s shining face, 
 The daily manna nor the following stream 
 Caused them to apprehend their part with God. 
 The weary leader viewed from Pisgah s top 
 The nation s home, while onward passed from sight 
 The generation slave-born, and their sons 
 Born in a new life, their new life to lead. 
 This people now their nation s life began, 
 Equipped with perfect laws, perfect in health 
 Through forced obedience over forty years. 
 Learning their lesson slowly but more sure 
 While all unconsciously through honest toil 
 And necessary abstinence they lost 
 The slave s lascivious weakness, and were men. 
 Men in their bodies, clean again and pure, 
 Untrained in mind, reliant still and slaves, 
 They faced the unknown future with weak heart 
 
 40 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 Almost afraid to follow Joshua s lead 
 Or fit to form a part of Gideon s band. 
 Slowly they pressed the people of the land 
 Back from the borders. Yet afraid they went, 
 Scarcely encouraged by a city s fall 
 Through sound of trumpet; or by halting sun. 
 The tabernacle s power, the priest s array 
 The Presence manifest in all their deeds 
 But slowly brought encouragement of mind 
 Or self-reliance through their faith in God. 
 Their self-reliance came to them at last; 
 Their kingdom under David seemed complete, 
 While that of David s son dazzled the World, 
 And Solomon excelled as Jewry s king. 
 Strictly their laws of health they always kept 
 With what results throughout all time appear. 
 Strictly with superstitious zeal they kept 
 The letter of the law as though to fail 
 In some particular observance would 
 Not dishonor God, but bring them harm. 
 Riches and power and self-reliance came; 
 The slaves were masters now, afraid of none. 
 God s chosen people for a chosen work 
 To show His perfect law exemplified; 
 To keep His word that all mankind should see 
 
From Babel to 
 
 The benefit to such as honor Him. 
 
 Thus was brought forth for all the World to see 
 
 A mighty nation from a single seed. 
 
 On its behalf amazing things were done 
 
 That all the Earth should wonder at their God. 
 
 Their prophets spoke and quick fulfilment came 
 
 Naught could withstand them when their Ark led on, 
 
 While proofs unnumbered showed the Mighty Arm 
 
 Keady to help them if they but kept faith. 
 
 Should not such evidence their foes convert 
 
 From Baal and false gods to the true faith? 
 
 How could it be expected when the race, 
 
 Chosen and led and brought to high estate, 
 
 Themselves grown arrogant from wealth and power, 
 
 Retained the forms but lost the saving truth? 
 
 Lustful and proud and over-confident, 
 
 Ignoring warnings from prophetic lips, 
 
 The Hebrew race increased but not in power. 
 
 To them had been committed sacred things 
 
 To be hereafter offered to mankind. 
 
 Conservators of sacred mysteries 
 
 To them revealed for universal use 
 
 Whereby thoughtful men amazed to see 
 
 Their mighty prowess should enquire its cause, 
 
 And, learning, seek themselves to know the truth. 
 
 42 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 No other nation ever had received 
 
 The help that to the Hebrews had been given. 
 
 Instruction in the mysteries of life 
 
 Accompanied by convincing proof from Heaven 
 
 Revealed God s purpose. He who ruled the Sun, 
 
 Who checked the river s flow, He spoke to them; 
 
 Called them His children and explained His law. 
 
 Told them from whence they came, their mission here 
 
 Unfolded the unseen, and raised the dark, 
 
 Impenetrable veil where ends this life, 
 
 Revealing everlasting joy beyond, 
 
 That hope should stimulate their faith and trust. 
 
 Promises rich in blessing they received 
 
 Conditioned only on their faithful care 
 
 Of sacred truth, conformance to His law 
 
 And tender love and duty to their God. 
 
 But slight return from those who could give naught 
 
 To God from whom came every gift in life. 
 
 Was the condition hard? The parent then 
 
 Found as before that as the child increased 
 
 The infant gratitude and filial love 
 
 Gave place to selfish chafings at restraint. 
 
 As wealth and power increased, unhealthy thoughts 
 
 Lascivious pleasures and increasing sins 
 
 Effaced their virtue and offended God. 
 
 43 
 
From Babel to 
 
 Unto the Jew a promise had been given 
 
 That through his race all mankind should be blessed. 
 
 A King was promised who should rule the earth, 
 
 A Saviour, Christ, the Lord, the Son of God. 
 
 They looked for Him but never understood. 
 
 Selfish and proud they failed to apprehend 
 
 Aught save the gratification of their pride. 
 
 Unfaithful to their trust, conceited, vain, 
 
 Awaiting Christ to punish enemies, 
 
 Thinking His power their recourse for increase. 
 
 The power was Love and thus the Holy King 
 
 Regarded equally all who chose to come 
 
 To Him as to a Saviour, not a King. 
 
 The Jew was honored but mistook his place; 
 
 He had committed unto him the charge 
 
 Of God s most holy word; and from his race 
 
 The Saviour was to come. Not of the Jew 
 
 Were these gifts separately to be availed, 
 
 But through him for the use of all mankind. 
 
 Self-blinded egotists they argued long 
 
 Who should possess exalted preference 
 
 When the new kingdom came and when they could 
 
 Look fondly down in scorn at gentile fear. 
 
 What wonder when the promise was fulfilled 
 
 They caused the Lord of Love be crucified? 
 
 44 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 The chosen people self-sufficient now, 
 Like all mankind that had preceded them, 
 Chose their own way to gratify their lusts 
 Instead of keeping pact. They listened not 
 To warnings of the present or the past. 
 Heedless alike of promised good or ill 
 As they obeyed or disobeyed their God 
 Their fall inevitably followed fast. 
 
 IT\ISPERSED and captive w r here they late had ruled 
 
 The Jews then realized their great mistake, 
 And sought return to Palestine again. 
 This they might do but never rule the land. 
 New nations grew and flourished for a time 
 With wealth and power but soulless and impure. 
 Virile while poor they overcame with force 
 Kepeating always what transpired before: 
 Strength, conquest, riches and a conquering lust 
 For weakening pleasure till their end should come. 
 If men were children, ignorant, untaught 
 Such constant failure might seem justified. 
 But hatred still impelled a course for each 
 That separated nations, as before 
 It separated individual men. 
 
 45 
 
From Babel to 
 
 I> OUGHLY the almost savage of the North 
 
 Pressed by the cold, unfavored by the soil 
 Worked out a living with uncultured toil. 
 Koughly he lived and toiled and roughly too 
 He fought his neighbors and the savage beasts. 
 Like others of the race, his chosen land 
 Had held him for some reason in the North. 
 Instead of seeking ease he chose a life 
 Eequiring labor for his heat and food. 
 Bruitish and fierce, the fair and lusty tribes 
 Developed strength, and of necessity 
 Became imbued with thrifty principles. 
 Neglectful of the finer arts of life 
 And warring constantly like bear and wolf 
 Their only virtue was their love of home. 
 They built no cities worthy of the name 
 But increased mid their wild environment 
 Till Northern Europe to Atlantic s shores 
 Held hardy tribes who fought, and worked, and grew. 
 Meanwhile great nations in the milder South 
 Came into the inheritance of time. 
 The Medes and Persians conquered Babylon, 
 Egypt was stripped of power by nomad tribes. 
 Greece came to life and with her birth 
 Commenced to grow the intellectual. 
 
 46 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 Fierce from the mountains and her wave-washed shores 
 
 Possessed of stern endurance and with minds 
 
 Opposed to luxury by reasoning sound 
 
 They practiced stoical endurance in 
 
 All their relations. Body thus and mind 
 
 Became the inspiration of the race. 
 
 They knew not God, but sought a god to know 
 
 As necessary to the logic of their life. 
 
 Their gods were multiplied to meet each thought 
 
 Kelating to their various affairs. 
 
 The sun was deified, the planets too, 
 
 The ocean had its god, and every brook 
 
 And wood was peopled by a nymph, or Pan, 
 
 Or satyr, gross or fair as fitted its 
 
 Relation to their hazards and life s scenes. 
 
 Wiser than any that preceded them 
 
 These earnest students took the better course 
 
 For finding happiness among themselves. 
 
 Rewards of honor pleased them more than gold, 
 
 Fame earned by eager labor was not sold. 
 
 Her men were warlike, brave, innured to toil, 
 
 Not shunning labor but despising sloth. 
 
 Great in the arts, in language marvelous 
 
 They conquered for all time the sons of men 
 
 By wonders thus accomplished, though by arms 
 
 47 
 
From Babel to 
 
 Their prowess failed before the strength of Kome. 
 
 TJ IGH over Athens rolled the golden car 
 
 Of glorious Phoebus who, on all beneath 
 At high medidian cast his ardent darts 
 Across the shore and wave. The sleeping sea 
 Old Neptune lulled, nor rocked the fleet 
 Of white winged vessels that its surface bore. 
 The mountains shimmered with a vaporous blue 
 While only torrents, flowing down their sides 
 Into the wooded valleys, spoke of life 
 Or waking nymphs. A rosy band of these 
 Brought to a noble grove their sweet incense, 
 Which cool and fresh, a shim ring pool received 
 And held awhile. A marble Pan near by 
 Looked on complacent at his merry friends, 
 Forgetting for the time those awful deeds 
 That killed with terror and consumed with fear. 
 Beside the brook that softly purred beneath 
 Umbrageous trees and near the reedy pool, 
 Two men reclined at ease and held converse. 
 n The time has come, said one, "when at this spot 
 Our comrades should with us unite, and tell 
 According to our well-considered plans, 
 The stories of their search for Truth. But hark! 
 
 48 
 
Brotherhood 
 Here comes Megasthenes with Xenephon." 
 
 "Welcome, my friends," said he who first had spoke, 
 "Your well-timed coming equals Phoebus own 
 Who daily and each year performs his task 
 Unbroken by divergence from routine." 
 "Withhold thy praise, good Nestor, for a cause 
 More worthy than our keeping word with thee 
 And pius Archon. For if Xenephon 
 And I are faithful so are you. Therefore 
 You praise yourselves or think us less than you." 
 "Befrain, refrain dear friends, from this debate 
 Until at leisure we shall each unfold 
 The weightier matters of our conference. 
 Then for amusement or our mutual good, 
 We may with sophistry, or logic play, 
 Sharpening the weapons of our intellect." 
 Thus answered Xenephon and all approved. 
 
 Archon, the eldest, then with brief address 
 Arranged the order of their dialogue. 
 "First let us briefly but with rev rent minds 
 Thank mighty Jove for his untiring care." 
 Each felt the just reproof, and each one bowed 
 Facing the holy mount on which reposed 
 
 49 
 
From Babel to 
 
 According to their thought, this deity. 
 Kestored to tranquil mind all then arose 
 While Archon called on Nestor to proceed. 
 
 "Ten times the snows of winter from the North 
 Have melted with the breath of tripping Spring; 
 Ten times Appollo from his highest seat, 
 Has now again with us appointment kept, 
 Since by our plan we severed here to meet 
 And here recount our search o er all the earth 
 For Truth. Each went a different way. I went 
 By lot assigned to China. Long the way, 
 Unspeakable the hardships I endured 
 Going and coming. These adventures may 
 However be detailed some other time. 
 Suffice, that finally I reached the land. 
 Strange were the habits, stranger still the speech 
 Tho both of them by daily use I learned 
 By slow degrees to conquer. This at first, 
 Delayed my progress but was well repaid 
 For in my studies, mixed I with the poor, 
 The rich, the noble everywhere. The cities 
 Thronged with tradesmen, gave no better aid 
 Than men on farms, or boats that side by side, 
 Sluggishly drifted on the yellow tide. 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 Strange people these. Honest, kind and quick, 
 
 But lacking somehow in that upward look 
 
 Which an aspiring intellect reveals. 
 
 By patient enquiry and deep research 
 
 I ascertained that in their niinds one thought 
 
 Held greatest prominence. Virtue they have 
 
 Nor will they tolerate the false nor weak, 
 
 Which of themselves would not alone suffice 
 
 To satisfy the mind. Another cause 
 
 I sought. Why do they not progress? And why 
 
 Tho pure, industrious and good as we, 
 
 Have they not nearer reached our country s fame? 
 
 One .answer only can I find for this. 
 
 Their chiefest thought is in the buried past, 
 
 In old traditions and ancestral law. 
 
 These fill their minds and satisfy their hope. 
 
 As if a man with twisted neck should walk 
 
 Seeing behind, not looking on ahead, 
 
 His pace is slow, uncertain, full of chance." 
 
 The traveler concluded thus his tale. 
 
 "Your words are few, dear Nestor, but your thought 
 Is clear as crystal. Possibly I may 
 Better succeed while fresh in mind I hold 
 Your lucid style." Megasthenes thus spoke. 
 
From Babel to 
 
 His comrades urged him on. "We have no thought 
 Of self," said aged Archon, "nor esteem 
 Aught but our mission of great consequence." 
 Encouraged thus Megasthenes went on 
 With quaint descriptions of his awful toil 
 In reaching India. There had the lot 
 Determined his remote and toilsome work. 
 
 "It seems almost incredible," he said, 
 
 "That men should live like these. Hungry and poor 
 
 Beyond description. Having but a rag 
 
 To cover a starved body. Some are rich, 
 
 But these have naught in common with the rest. 
 
 Caste rules their actions, chokes their enterprise, 
 
 Nor is the flinty rock less yielding to the wave 
 
 Than this destructive, artificial line. 
 
 One man I met who sought to stimulate 
 
 The energies of torpid minds. Buddha, 
 
 A noble man, philosopher and sage." 
 
 "Permit, Megasthenes, one question here," 
 
 Said Archon, "that your loving friends would ask 
 
 Were they, like I, ready to brave your wit. 
 
 The naked land like China feeds a race 
 
 More numerous than ours. What is this caste 
 
 And whence its awful power?" Megasthenes 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 Made courteous reply: "Keligion s laws 
 
 Have taught but one decree in India. 
 
 Society divided into parts 
 
 Makes separate each order from the rest. 
 
 First come the priests, next soldiers, then those men 
 
 That live by trade and deal in merchandise. 
 
 Below them in their order, is the slave, 
 
 Whose very shadow cast upon the food 
 
 Of one of higher caste, pollutes the dish. 
 
 Nothing in common have they, but as birds 
 
 Ordained by nature keep apart, the dove, 
 
 The eagle, chicken and the thieving crow, 
 
 Each feels repulsion for the other. So 
 
 In this enormous aggregate there dwells 
 
 No thought outside their own degree and kind. 
 
 The mind is starved ambition is not known." 
 
 "How strangely like, but from a different cause 
 Are they and those that I have visited," 
 Said Nestor. "Each has grown to fearful bulk, 
 Each as a child by fear and dread constrained, 
 One remains timid and the other chained." 
 "Now Xenephon, our critic, tis your turn 
 To unroll the covering of grimy soil 
 And show us there revealed, the tender shoot 
 
 53 
 
From Babel to 
 
 Of Hebrew lore." Thus urged by Archon, he 
 Who was required, replied with fervent speech: 
 
 "Well say you grimy soil and more beside, 
 
 Yet fascinating too. Something they have 
 
 I cannot well explain, that differs from 
 
 All that I ve heard, or seen here or abroad. 
 
 Their race in Babylon is captive now 
 
 And studying them is difficult and slow. 
 
 At first I sought their history to know 
 
 And in that quest included nations, which 
 
 By near association, helped me to 
 
 Best estimate and equally appraise 
 
 Fable and truth. All ancient records show 
 
 From parched Arabia, through Egypt to 
 
 Euphrates plains, some record of this race. 
 
 One God alone they worship and no form 
 
 This Spirit takes. No groves nor statues stand 
 
 To represent his likeness or abode. 
 
 Their race from wand ring shepherds raised, became 
 
 Great and exalted then alas, they fell. 
 
 But full of faith, tho scattered far from home, 
 
 They keep their faith. Their laws are wonderful. 
 
 Strangest of all, their hope for one they call 
 
 A Christ whom all the world, they say, will come 
 
 54 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 To worship as its King." "How mean you, friend," 
 
 Said Nestor, "that their laws provoke your praise 
 
 Above all others? Have we not devised 
 
 A system perfect and in form sublime?" 
 
 "Our laws are just, no doubt," the other said, 
 
 "But theirs contain, besides most wise decrees, 
 
 An inspiration that imparts ideas 
 
 Of more than satisfaction to the mind 
 
 And stimulates one s duty with a hope 
 
 Dynamic in its power. The race itself, 
 
 Tho mixed with other nations, still retains 
 
 Its separate worship and its high ideals. 
 
 The Jew can dwell in Mnevah or Tyre, 
 
 In Greece or Babylon for centuries, 
 
 It makes no difference he is still a Jew." 
 
 "From myths and legends you have sifted well 
 The kernel truth that underlies the whole 
 Design and fabric of each racial creed," 
 Commented Archon, sage and well-endowed 
 With critic skill. "Your nice distinctions show 
 With sweeping glance the one important thing 
 In each contained. Well may I do, if with 
 No greater speech, our own beliefs I bring 
 By nice discrimination into light." 
 
 55 
 
From Babel to 
 
 "Pray you proceed, dear Archon," Nestor said, 
 "With your comparisons in simple terms." 
 
 "As simple as I may and briefly too," 
 
 Replied the seer. "My earnest thought has been 
 
 To seek all motives every moving cause 
 
 That flows from inspiration, or grows out 
 
 Of custom. First, I find impulses form 
 
 Demands for something, answering the thought. 
 
 The sun, the earth, ourselves proclaim a god, 
 
 A moving cause or energy more great 
 
 Than human power. We deify the thought 
 
 Call the creator god. Impulses too 
 
 For love, for action, sensual or pure, 
 
 Require more gods for every demand 
 
 Or to one god the added attributes. 
 
 Evil and good exist, virtue alone 
 
 Is not sufficient for development. 
 
 Our stoic school falls short in this, as do 
 
 The less illumined races of the East." 
 
 "What think you then," Megasthenes replied, 
 "Of that the Hebrews teach?" 
 
 "I cannot tell," 
 56 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 Said Archon. "Possibilities exist 
 
 In their idea of god and in their scheme 
 
 Of doctrine so distinct, clear-cut and high, 
 
 Which separates their school and seems beyond 
 
 All others, that I fain would ponder o er 
 
 Their writings with the hope to learn the source." 
 
 "1FAIR Venus warns us that we trench upon 
 
 Her hour. The angry goddess will not hold 
 Us guiltless if in her despite we long 
 Consider other claims than hers. The day 
 Has faded while we talked and twilight now 
 In sable robes has wrapped the earth. Again 
 May we assemble many times to turn 
 The crystal Truth and catch the gleam therein." 
 
 Admonished thus by Xenephon, retired 
 These wise men to their several abodes. 
 Often again they met and Greece s past 
 Was made more glorious by their sacrifice. 
 Little men know of other men or tribes 
 Kemotely dwelling from their place apart, 
 Nor often sought they for close intercourse. 
 Strangers were suspected, foreign tribes 
 Were enemies while other nations were 
 
 57 
 
From Babel to 
 
 Antagonists to conquer, or who would, 
 
 Finding them weaker, conquer them in turn. 
 
 A constant warfare waged throughout the world, 
 
 Intolerant of peace, destructive, fierce, 
 
 Like untamed beasts devouring in their strength, 
 
 Were smitten by a stronger in their turn. 
 
 Not learning from examples, worse than beasts, 
 
 Endowed with minds pregnant with mighty thoughts, 
 
 The race of man debauched by conquered wealth 
 
 Allied itself to sin instead of good, 
 
 While hateful acts induced its own downfall. 
 
 Kome, mightiest of nations, in her time 
 
 Kose, conquered, dominated, fell. 
 
 On larger scale, with more intelligence, 
 
 Longer possessed of power, lawmaker, she 
 
 Met the inevitable end of all who live 
 
 By force of sword and arm and burly strength. 
 
 The conquests of this nation carried far, 
 
 Brought knowledge of the northern tribes to Eome 
 
 Where shown in public fetes, their manly forms 
 
 Caused wonder as blue-eyed and fair of face 
 
 They seemed as dwellers in another world. 
 
 Not once nor twice the Eoman legions strove 
 
 Against the fair barbarians of the north, 
 
 Till through defeat, they learned to hold their own; 
 
 58 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 The well-instructed slave his master beat 
 
 And from his conquerer learned himself to rule. 
 
 The separate tribes, dwelling apart till then, 
 
 Had of necessity made common cause 
 
 Against their common foe, and thus learned too 
 
 The power of friendly intercourse and help; 
 
 Not ready yet for cultivated life, 
 
 But fecund, lusty, strong, a virgin soil 
 
 Waiting the plowman and the fruitful seed. 
 
 lp LSEWHERE abroad great tribes to nations grew, 
 
 But in their lives of indolence and ease 
 Failed to fulfil the duties of mankind. 
 Creeping with lazy pace they tilled their fields 
 Or lived on swampy growths at less expense 
 Of thought or toil. So unmolested by 
 Another race, their race was not destroyed. 
 They suffered small occasion for alarm 
 With poverty to guard them from man s lust. 
 Narrow in life and mean in sentiment, 
 Such of them as had glimmerings of light 
 Spoke for instruction, but th illumined words 
 Fell on such sterile ground that naught but words, 
 Unmeaning forms and hazy thoughts remained. 
 With famished minds and bodies poorly fed 
 
 59 
 
From Babel to 
 
 Lethargic nations, enervated hosts, 
 
 By climate and environment unmanned, 
 
 Their races gained in numbers, not in MEN. 
 
 The past was worshipped to the future s harm, 
 
 Sickly stagnation bred enfeebled hosts. 
 
 Eurasia thus and Northern Africa 
 
 Held the known peoples of the world; 
 
 Nomadic tribes and northern savages 
 
 Always at war and strong in savage might. 
 
 The cultured nations had by slow increase 
 
 Conquered the arts by persevering pains. 
 
 The time was ripe for planting the new seed 
 
 Which God reserved from earliest time till now. 
 
 The earth, through conquering Kome and Grecian skill 
 
 Was better known, and peoples though remote, 
 
 Unfriendly, cruel, and engaged in war 
 
 Now met the common conqueror, and through him 
 
 To some extent each other met and knew. 
 
 The Hebrew soil from which the seed should spring 
 
 Maintained religion as by God ordained, 
 
 But lifeless forms failed to attract mankind. 
 
 The time had come, the Son of God was born, 
 
 Born of the Jew, each prophecy fulfilled; 
 
 They knew him not as Saviour of all men, 
 
 And crucified the promised King of Love. 
 
 60 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 Unfulfilled dreams and disappointed hopes 
 
 The world-wide mission raised their fiercest hate; 
 
 Jealous of others sharing in their good 
 
 They lost through error the Divine reward. 
 
 Christ came to men and bore the precious seed 
 
 Sent by the Father for His children s life. 
 
 The seed was planted in the breasts of men 
 
 Few and unknown, despised by Greek and Jew, 
 
 But it possessed the quality of life 
 
 And had God s promise to fill all the earth. 
 
 This seed was Love, man s love for God and man. 
 
 REVELATION OF LOVE 
 
 HP HE plans of God in simple majesty 
 
 Arranged, reveal His purposes, in that 
 The truth is simple and from error free. 
 The pride of life and lustful appetite, 
 The cankering weakness of a nation which, 
 Failing to know Him, thought with shortened gaze 
 The ultimate was pleasant selfishness, 
 Knew not the truth that giving makes us rich. 
 Kichly the sons of men had gathered from 
 The earth all things that made for opulent 
 Increase. Wisely they used and wiser grew 
 In use of arts material, but as 
 
 61 
 
From Babel to 
 
 At their dispersion, wisdom stopped at that. 
 Their little world was thickly sown with weeds 
 Rank with a heritage of hate, which choked 
 The thought for better things conquest by force 
 Was all the fruit that in this garden grew 
 When first was planted this new seed of Love. 
 How might the warring nations and the tribes 
 Of savage warriors, led by jealous kings, 
 Be brought through Love to realize that all 
 Mankind were brothers? In his complex mind 
 Man held self-interest as the spring of life. 
 How could the selfish instinct meet with Love 
 And love endure save in a feeble few, 
 Who counted all things lost if they lost Christ? 
 With yearning hearts the sad disciples saw 
 The risen Christ depart. His work was done 
 But theirs was just commenced, as now alone 
 They waited for a sign. How would they know 
 The Holy Spirit s voice that should reveal 
 God s presence and assurance of support? 
 Their mission was world-wide among all men 
 Of every sect, nation, language, speech. 
 Sadly they met but yet without despair, 
 Full of abiding faith with purpose firm, 
 Waiting the Comforter their promised guide. 
 
 62 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 The pentecostal blessing canie at last 
 
 With prophecy and hope unknown before, 
 
 Filling them with the Spirit s unctions power 
 
 That gave them consciousness of strength 
 
 Potential for the accomplishment of work 
 
 Surpassing any yet required of man. 
 
 The Spirit spoke, and all there understood, 
 
 Yet stranger still when they that heard gave voice 
 
 To that impelling message, all that heard 
 
 Could understand as though the words were spoke 
 
 To each one in his native mother tongue. 
 
 Hp HE pride of Kome exalted Emperor 
 
 Marcus Aurelius held within his grasp 
 The government and destiny it seemed 
 Of all the world. No worthier than he 
 Of all that followed or that went before, 
 Could have been chosen for so great a place. 
 He realized the ideals of a king 
 And bore his burden uncomplainingly. 
 No thought of self-aggrandisement alloyed 
 His purity of purpose. Not the least 
 Of his high attributes was constant work. 
 With willing heart he sacrificed himself 
 With cares of state, and in his leisure found 
 
 63 
 
From Babel to 
 
 Most pleasure in the research after Truth. 
 Seeking this light he left no place or means 
 Untried. "Fail not/ he said, "to let me know 
 Of anything however small or strange, 
 Nor fail to bring me word of any new 
 Philosophy or school." 
 
 Toward close of day, 
 When weary from official toil and tired, 
 One came to him with word that an appeal 
 To Caesar had been made. Some Jew, it seems, 
 Who suffered punishment for stirring up 
 A fomentation at a distant part, 
 Had claimed protection as a Koman born. 
 "Where is he now?" the Emperor enquired. 
 "Within the palace prison, sire," said one. 
 "Bring him to me." The Emperor was tired 
 And heavy lines impressed his kindly face. 
 "What seek you here? Why trouble you our state?" 
 Aurelius asked with roughness well assumed. 
 The kneeling man arose. With modest look 
 But unabashed replied with accent grave: 
 
 "Despise me not, great Caesar, nor prejudge 
 My cause from those that do accuse, unheard 
 
 64 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 Tho born a Jew and zealous for that faith, 
 
 Like Paul, I saw a light that changed my life. 
 
 For preaching Jesus as the Christ I now endure 
 
 The hatred of the Jews, and as with Paul 
 
 A century ago, am now accused 
 
 Most falsely by my race, of crimes against 
 
 Our glorious country and against yourself." 
 
 His grave composure pleased the Emperor. 
 
 Here was a chance to learn. To sift from one, 
 
 A willing sacrifice to faith, the seed 
 
 Of thought that governed and inspired a sect. 
 
 "You are a Christian then," Aurelius 
 
 Demanded of his visitor. "Yes, sire." 
 
 "And have you not," the Emperor went on, 
 
 "Of fearful punishment both heard and seen 
 
 Enough to satisfy your appetite for more? 
 
 Must you, a man of sense, invite a doom 
 
 Of worst devised torture, for your faith?" 
 
 The Jew looked down shuddered then raised his eyes. 
 
 "Truly, my Emperor, I fear the mentioned doom, 
 And would by every means avoid the pain 
 But for a greater fear that makes this less. 
 One died that all might live, and if I die 
 A flaming torch, or as a feast for lions, 
 
 65 
 
From Babel to 
 
 I die. But I shall live again. But if 
 
 I live by now recanting faith, I shall 
 
 Twice die. O Christ! sustain me in my need. 
 
 Forgive me, Sire, forgetful of respect 
 
 To thee. Pronounce my doom but first accept 
 
 As from a Koman born, submission true 
 
 To governmental rule. For that I came. 
 
 I am not guilty of th imputed crime 
 
 Of treason or revolt, but if to be 
 
 A Christian, I deserve a martyr s death, 
 
 So let it be." 
 
 The day had darkened fast. 
 "More would I know of thee but with fatigue 
 And care oppressed, refreshment now I seek. 
 Hither, without!" and as the Emperor called 
 The guards appeared. "Take this poor man away. 
 Entreat him kindly, let him rest and eat, 
 And at the hour of nine bring him to me 
 Within my private chamber. Have no fear, 
 Friend Christian, for thy life, but study how, 
 Within the limits of an hour to-night, 
 To skilfully unfold to me your creed." 
 
 At time appointed Jew and gaoler came 
 To the fair palace and Aurelius room. 
 
 66 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 First took the Emperor the Jew s parole 
 
 Discharging him from ward and surveillance. 
 
 Alone, he spoke as to a friend: "Sit thee 
 
 Upon this couch and listen first to me 
 
 Unfold the garnered wisdom of the past." 
 
 Swiftly he sketched with cogent word and apt 
 
 The errors of mankind. How epicures 
 
 And those who lived for pleasure suffered most 
 
 When age came on, or luxury no more 
 
 Could yield her perfume to the jaded sense. 
 
 "Control your body with exalted mind 
 
 Nor seek to pander to your appetite. 
 
 Be kind, complacent, strong, with courage high 
 
 Bearing a pain or suffering a slight 
 
 Without complaint. Do your full duty well 
 
 And walk with virtue ever by your side. 
 
 Work always and aspire to better deeds. 
 
 Do not disdain assistance nor compel 
 
 Keturn for favors done." Thus and much more 
 
 The stoic did unfold of wisdom s law. 
 
 "Now tell me, Jew or Christian, I should say 
 
 Wherein we differ. What it is that makes 
 
 Your sect so hateful to your fellow man, 
 
 For I have made examples of some few 
 
 Professors of your kind." 
 
From Babel to 
 
 "Eight well I know 
 
 That dreadful act," the Christian said, "for I 
 A brother and a sister lost by death. 
 Strange seems it to me that in comfort here 
 I speak with calmness and we talk as friends. 
 Your awful power, your wisdom, both should cause 
 Great dread and fear. But when I hear you speak 
 All fear is gone. I know you as a man 
 Who, not unlike, is greater than the rest. 
 Your words with pulsing life enrich the thought, 
 But as I follow, rather seem a code 
 Of conduct than a creed. My code includes 
 A faith. Not in a worldly King but in 
 A God, a Saviour, and a Spirit pure." 
 
 Then did the Jew with growing fervor tell 
 Redemption s plan the brotherhood in Love. 
 So ardent he became, Aurelius sat 
 With burning gaze devouring every word, 
 Until at length, with startled pause, the Jew 
 Fearing he gave offense, his pardon asked. 
 "I almost feel that Truth has come to light. 
 Enough to-night, friend Christian, I must think 
 Of all you spoke, for placid minds may not 
 Permit too suddenly a change of thought 
 
 68 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 To unbalance judgment or deceive the heart. 
 
 Would that I knew. You may be right. 
 
 I gave to slaughter others of your faith, 
 
 But not again shall any go un judged. 
 
 Love them that hate you! Tis a new concept 
 
 Of life. Your creed is strange. You may be right." 
 
 Forth from the palace walked the released Jew 
 
 To visit next a dying thief in jail. 
 
 Marcus Aurelius taper flickered out 
 
 And as his servant entered to renew 
 
 The flame, he heard him say, "He may be right." 
 
 THE RENAISSANCE 
 
 PROPHETIC miracle of the time to come! 
 
 When through one speech the nations of the Earth 
 Should, through the Holy Spirit, come to know 
 Each other by the ties of brotherhood. 
 Who but Omnipotence could reconcile 
 Contending opposites like these? He who 
 Could make the desert blossom as the rose. 
 None but a father with the tenderest love 
 For sons that disobeyed, and whose dear love 
 He sought, from willing hearts, would thus have toiled 
 To join them to each other and to Him. 
 
From Babel to 
 
 A s those that in their fancy voyage far 
 
 Among the worlds of light, speeding at will 
 From star to star, and visiting in thought 
 The inhabitants of radiant spheres that spread 
 Through boundless space, so in like manner men 
 In olden time, wondered what lay beyond 
 The near horizon of the hoary sea. 
 Their valor quailed before Atlantic s surge 
 And held them back, not from new worlds alone, 
 But from a knowledge of that continent 
 Which unknown then their new world was to be. 
 To those that would communicate afar, 
 Nothing of man s ingenious thought devised 
 Had yet surpassed small boats and willing steed. 
 The swifter, safer means of intercourse 
 Might not be until man should prove his right 
 To pass his narrow bounds and learn to know, 
 By pleasing God, more of the Eternal s ways. 
 Man must be right with God ere he be free. 
 
 A BRILLIANT period succeeded first 
 
 Our Saviour s birth. Then seven centuries 
 Of blackness seemed to fall on all mankind, 
 With but a little flickering light, so dim 
 That those who followed almost lost the way. 
 
 70 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 The seed was growing and its tiny shoots, 
 
 Tho trampled and pulled up, grew between stones 
 
 Or hid in crevice from destructive blasts. 
 
 Its leaves that were to be for healing all 
 
 The nations, now were noxious through misuse, 
 
 While vultures filled the branches meant for doves. 
 
 The cruel dominance of savage tribes 
 
 In place of nations, which though weak thro sin, 
 
 Had by experience learned some arts of peace, 
 
 Wrought fearfully upon the ancient works 
 
 Of learning and of culture. Temples fell, 
 
 And rifled graves and towns had yielded first 
 
 Their golden loot before they were destroyed. 
 
 By slow degrees, so slow, that, but to watch 
 
 The span of one life it would seem that all 
 
 Had stopped, by slow degrees a new life grew, 
 
 Something like nations taking form again. 
 
 The furious Northern tribes had mingled now 
 
 With remnants from the Southerly domain. 
 
 Merging with those whose land they occupied 
 
 They soon became a part of each new tribe 
 
 In which they joined, and having cast their lot 
 
 With strangers, themselves became as strangers 
 
 To their parent soil. Immigrants thus, 
 
 Changing the savage foemen of the North 
 
From Babel to 
 
 In all save hatred for the world at large. 
 
 New thoughts engendered by their conquerors 
 
 Gave impulse for improvement in all arts 
 
 That meant success in war and in defense. 
 
 Great buildings rose for garrison of troops, 
 
 Walled cities took the place of weak stockades. 
 
 All evidence of skill from foreign lands, 
 
 Brought by the races that were come to share 
 
 Their perils when they merged their lot. In all 
 
 The change, there still remained the sturdy strength 
 
 Which made these fair-haired North men without fear, 
 
 Meet their invaders overwhelming power. 
 
 Stern vigor formed by climate did its share 
 
 In shaping minds, that tho defeated oft, 
 
 Compelled surrender to their stubborn will. 
 
 Their home, their virtue and their love of law, 
 
 Kudely assailed by conquerors and those 
 
 Aliens that came to form part of their tribes, 
 
 Resisted all attacks, and still retained 
 
 The character that dominated all. 
 
 The victors fell before the virtuous shafts 
 
 Of homely thought and honesty of life. 
 
 Following conquest in their peaceful robes, 
 
 Eeligious soldiers bore the Cross of Christ 
 
 To utmost Albion and the frozen North, 
 
 72 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 Teaching their doctrine of a holy church, 
 
 Spreading the seed imperfectly mid weeds. 
 
 The restless missionary priest advanced 
 
 The church s claim. His aim to proselyte, 
 
 Enthusiastic at his own expense, 
 
 He spent himself without a thought of pride. 
 
 His Christ was church the institution ruled 
 
 His will, his action and his utmost hope. 
 
 By slow degrees it conquered pagan rites. 
 
 The priestcraft of a rude idolatry, 
 
 Degrading sacrifice and brutal forms 
 
 Were thus supplanted by the Church s rule. 
 
 Perhaps imperfect, rude as w r as the time, 
 
 Its work was potent with a ruder folk 
 
 To whom its mission came. The priest became 
 
 At first the center of a few who came 
 
 To use his learning. He dispensed his skill 
 
 With written words, became the clerk, and gave 
 
 Counsel from records none but he could read. 
 
 The monastery in its early life 
 
 Became the university, and round 
 
 It grew ofttimes a town, where intellect 
 
 By native strength attracted simple minds, 
 
 And exercised dominion through its power. 
 
 Slowly progressed these tribes in arts of peace, 
 
 73 
 
From" Babel to 
 
 Slowly small kingdoms merged with larger ones. 
 Joining to fight some common enemy, 
 They fought each other, when the outside fear 
 Gave respite. Slowly grew the better force 
 That sprung from teachings of a better life. 
 Mistaken ardor lead to fearful crimes, 
 Committed in the new religion s name, 
 By those who sought new converts with a sword 
 Nor knew, nor seemed to care, that it taught love. 
 New members added to the Church, through fear 
 Of slaughter, could not know the gentle words 
 Of peace on Earth, good will to all mankind. 
 Slowly the race progressed, because in spite 
 Of war, of slaughter and of ignorance, 
 By slow degrees a work was going on 
 That finally took form, though crudely poor; 
 And letters, government and all the arts, 
 With common impulse, seemed about to bud. 
 The Orient sent its builders toward the West 
 And architecture, new to this wild land, 
 Gave impulse to a nobler thought. The Moor 
 Who had from early times, preserved secrets 
 In leather, steel and stone, his knowledge gave 
 To Spain, from whence it came by slow degrees. 
 The renaissance gave painting, sculpture, books, 
 
 74 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 To France and Italy, while by slow means 
 The Northern countries eaine within the spell 
 That gave illumined thoughts and high ideals 
 To minds long darkened. Little wonder that 
 The change was slow; the only marvel was 
 It should have bloomed as fair when it did come. 
 The broad foundations were securely laid, 
 Deep trenched and massy, for the pond rous weight 
 Of civilization s best accomplishment. 
 The arts of war with peaceful arts kept pace; 
 Using the merchant ship for man-of-war, 
 Taking the plowhorse for its cavalry, 
 The farmer from his fields for soldier needs. 
 Nations took form as conquest subdued tribes, 
 Laws crude but manly, simulated those 
 Of ancient times. The new religion too, 
 Added adherents, though its light was pale. 
 Under religion s name the Church aroused 
 The willing warriors to a Holy War. 
 Already there had come to be a change 
 Wrought out by minds superior and pure. 
 A change from robbery and brutal might 
 Resulting in exalted chivalry. 
 Any high purpose or romantic tale 
 Sufficed to draw the armoured knight abroad 
 
 75 
 
From Babel to 
 
 To deeds of valor. At last the Church made use 
 Of this condition for its great Crusades. 
 The Saviour s tomb must from the Infidel 
 Be rescued. Sacred relics claimed and kept. 
 Hatred and slaughter in the cause of Christ 
 Were preached as needful to the "holy" end. 
 Each nation sent its valiant chivalry 
 In great array for conquest. None could stand 
 Against united strength such as possessed 
 These all undaunted soldiers of the Cross. 
 But unity they lacked, nor was it long 
 Before the jealous hatred, that at home 
 Most ruled their thoughts, caused them on this, 
 Their holy war, soon to fall out and break 
 Each from the other until, weak at last 
 From their internal strifes, their mutual foe 
 Helped by destructive climate drove them back. 
 Clearly it was not the Almighty s plan 
 That man should worship relics, but instead, 
 Should worship Him in spirit and in truth. 
 
 REVOLT AGAINST THE CHURCH 
 
 IT INGS ruled their peoples with the power of fear, 
 
 Nobles bore heavily on dependent swains, 
 Fathers made almost slaves of wife and child, 
 
 76 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 The Church ruled all through superstition s power. 
 
 Each made the other yield for his own use 
 
 By brutal weapons or the abuse of might. 
 
 Resentment at these fetters slowly grew 
 
 And found expression finally in acts. 
 
 The course of learning, slow at first but sure, 
 
 Through literature gave light to darkened lives. 
 
 The Word revealed for man s instruction, came 
 
 Unspoiled from out the rubbish of the past, 
 
 Fresh with the truth and Heaven s law of Love. 
 
 Its words translated shone as beacon lights 
 
 Amid the fogs of brutish helplessness. 
 
 To those who read, there came encouragement, 
 
 And as analysis succeeded hope, 
 
 Protests arose against the Church s rule. 
 
 The light of liberty shone through the woods 
 
 And slowly spread throughout the heavy gloom. 
 
 Useless the effort to suppress the flame 
 
 Through torture, bloodshed or the martyr s stake; 
 
 Useless the threats to ex-communicate 
 
 Those who would fealty give to God alone. 
 
 The darkened, cruel past its purpose served 
 
 But now the new day s gleam rose o er the world 
 
 And darkened councils, that before seemed fair, 
 
 Became abhorred. A quickened hope arose; 
 
 77 
 
From Babel to 
 
 Learning increased and then intolerance. 
 Slowly the root found moisture, slowly grew, 
 Less slowly but as sure, the stalk advanced 
 From the weak shoot to firm and woody strength. 
 Its leaves put forth, at first but small and few, 
 Increasing slowly gainst the bitter blasts, 
 Gained strength by warring with an envious foe. 
 
 by a spirit dominating far 
 Beyond the limits of his close retreat, 
 Attracted by his logic more than love, 
 Came one to try with Calvin, on behalf 
 Of hosts less daring, arguments of church. 
 A Eomish scholar, subtle, learned and deep, 
 The stranger neither wore the churchly air 
 Nor on the other hand revealed the rank 
 Of prince, that through his birthright in the House 
 Of Guise, bespoke him as a courtly enemy. 
 Long had Prince Stephen pondered on his plan, 
 Had thought out every detail of approach, 
 And carefully arranged his part to play 
 By introduction, costume and employ 
 Of favorable means. His object was 
 To meet the Church s enemy and his own, 
 Twist from the Protestant incautious words 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 And by discredit weaken the belief 
 
 Of many who had left the Komish Church. 
 
 All other means had thus far failed to stay 
 
 The growing alienation from the Church, 
 
 Especially amongst that middle class, 
 
 The "bourgeois" tradesmen, artisans and those 
 
 Most mean but thrifty, necessary streams 
 
 Whose contributions ceasing, caused to fall 
 
 Unwonted low the level reservoir. 
 
 The Inquisition, torture, and the stake, 
 
 No more withheld these men but added more. 
 
 Cunning might now effect, Prince Stephen thought, 
 
 Diversion from a course that seemed to him 
 
 No more than peurile or misunderstood. 
 
 With one attendant rode the Prince, and knocked 
 
 With gentle hand upon the humble door 
 
 That in Geneva sheltered the divine. 
 
 His entrance made and his credentials passed, 
 
 The crafty churchman spoke his secret foe: 
 
 "We of Eochelle desire to learn your will 
 Concerning sacraments whether the Host 
 Should be exalted and the holy sign 
 Marked with blessed water on the penitent? 
 
 79 
 
From Babel to 
 
 "What need of signs," Calvin replied, "to those 
 That hold the Truth within? As for the Host 
 He who broke bread instructed all to eat, 
 Not one for all." 
 
 "But," said Prince Stephen, "if 
 The precious emblems are partaken of, 
 Must there not be a priest to break the bread, 
 To pour the wine? And if a priest for that, 
 Must he not, therefore, be the priest for all? 
 The mediator twixt mankind and God?" 
 
 "Out upon priests. Who sent you here to prate 
 Of sickly forms?" In wrath the Sage spoke on. 
 "Make clean the inside, never mind the out. 
 No formal rites or intervening priest 
 Is needed for redemption of mankind." 
 
 "But," answered Stephen, "Shepherds were ordained 
 
 To teach the humble, and to lead and feed 
 
 Those that depend for guidance on their care. 
 
 Must there not be one head of all the flock, 
 
 And under him appointed ministers 
 
 Endued with power and with authority, 
 
 In their behoof to rule and mediate? 
 
 80 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 Spiritual fathers teaching doctrine, 
 Correcting faults, propitiating God, 
 Must intervene if man is to be saved." 
 
 Not for a moment had the Sage s eyes 
 
 Left Stephen s as he spoke, but now he turned 
 
 His gaze and murmured as if to himself 
 
 Alone : " The just shall live by faith. " Then quick 
 
 As if awaking from a dream, he turned 
 
 His flashing eye on the false minister. 
 
 "Throw off thy sheepskin, wolf! I m not deceived." 
 
 His voice was rough, and seemed his eye to pierce 
 
 Straight through the cover to the naked soul. 
 
 Shrunk back his visitor, and seemed to shrink 
 
 In size before this feeble-bodied giant 
 
 A giant of intellect. "Come you to me," 
 
 He cried, "to subtly find through enquiry, 
 
 And seeming interest in our noble faith, 
 
 Some weakened link or incomplete detail? 
 
 I know you now, sneaking within the fold 
 
 To steal my sheep or make them doubt my voice. 
 
 No! artful man, no priest nor Pope needs be 
 
 An intercessor twixt my God and me. 
 
 One priest alone, the sacrificial Lamb, 
 
 81 
 
From Babel to 
 
 Through whose dear means I m reconciled to God. 
 Are we God s sons? I hear my Father s voice 
 Speaking a warning against anti-Christ. 
 You are not of us nor can you conceal 
 Longer your true self underneath your mask/ 
 
 Darkly the prince s gaze kindled with wrath 
 Not at discovery but at the attacks 
 Upon his Church. With wounded pride he spoke 
 With hurried voice, intense and arrogant 
 
 "I will not stay to hear your blasphemy 
 
 Against the Holy Church. Our fathers raised 
 
 Their edifice upon the rock. Received 
 
 Authority to bind and loose, and hold 
 
 In right of ancient practices the power 
 
 To here administer all Christian rites. 
 
 By that authority the Church s head 
 
 Condemns you, who protest, to worse than death." 
 
 "Cease your weak tirade," Calvin said, "and learn 
 That your false claims and threats are no avail. 
 Assuming, though not provable, your Church 
 Possessed good title from divine command, 
 Misconduct has now forfeited its claims. 
 
 82 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 Your false interpretation of God s word 
 
 Misled the ignorant and you imposed 
 
 Upon credulity. This damns your claim 
 
 Of right to represent the works of Truth. 
 
 Moreover, lust for power has caused to grow 
 
 A rank and worldly edifice, so great 
 
 It threatens kingdoms and demands rebuke. 
 
 Built on the superstitions you create 
 
 It grinds the poor and terrifies the rich. 
 
 No progress can endure beneath the gloom 
 
 Of sickening shades and suffocating fogs. 
 
 Give men God s word in language of their own 
 
 And let the light divine dispel the foul 
 
 And miasmatic gloom! or let it fall 
 
 If it contain not power within itself. 
 
 Depart, young man. Hug your sad chains and die, 
 
 But learn this truth. Your Church cannot maintain 
 
 Its vicious rule. Its sway must end before 
 
 The march of progress. It has both betrayed 
 
 The Christian ethics and the revealed word. 
 
 Perverted truth by which the Spirit dies, 
 
 Built for an earthly not a Heavenly rule." 
 
 Angry, abashed, withdrew the crafty prince 
 Nor could he leave without a threat ning word. 
 
 83 
 
From Babel to 
 
 "Keserve thy threats," the Protestant replied , 
 
 "For those that fear the body s suffering. 
 
 Let loose your engines of iniquity; 
 
 Let flow the heart-blood of devoted men; 
 
 But know that every drop will fertilize 
 
 The arid soil, and each will be a seed 
 
 From whence a hundred others will be born." 
 
 The guest attended by his man, made haste 
 
 To leave the place. Defeated in his aim, 
 
 He carried nought that he could use against 
 
 This great apostle of terrific faith. 
 
 DLOOD flowed from hateful quarrels till the land 
 
 Was drenched with it. The Church and Protestant 
 Each used the bloody sword and poisoned cup. 
 Dissensions over faith not only split 
 The Church, but kingdoms, even homes, were rent 
 By differences of faith. Intolerance 
 Dominated all. The rule of iron 
 Insisted on its old prerogative; 
 Insisted on obedience to its will. 
 With equal bitterness the others fought 
 For freedom. Everywhere distrust and hate 
 Distorted visions, that lost sight of love, 
 And dreadful slaughter came instead of peace. 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 Learning increased and gave its devotees 
 
 New thoughts, new aspirations, new desires. 
 
 Under the tumult of the raging sword 
 
 The tree was pruned, and might have bled to death 
 
 But that its vigor needed this surcease. 
 
 The nations fought for conquest as before, 
 
 But learning made men more inquisitive 
 
 Of those things that lay still beyond their ken. 
 
 Little each nation knew of other lands, 
 
 Of other nations, or of distant tribes. 
 
 They mingled not except in enmity 
 
 And by destructive hatred kept apart. 
 
 THE RESERVED CONTINENT 
 
 HpHB time had in its fullness come at last, 
 
 When to the old world there should be revealed 
 The New. As thistle-down upon the wind 
 Blown far across the moor, alights and grows, 
 Planting its feeble seed in sterile soil, 
 So were the adventurous few who crossed the sea 
 To find another continent. They went 
 Not with the thought, for if twere ever known 
 By those that in the Old World had remained, 
 Its memory had been forgotten long. 
 
 85 
 
From Babel to 
 
 Along the wharf of Palos at midday, 
 
 A brave adventurer walked with a friend 
 
 Who gave him rapt attention. O er the bay 
 
 The rippling sunshine danced, nor seemed unsafe 
 
 For vessel of the lightest build. April 
 
 Was come with balmy breath and calm repose, 
 
 Making the rough Atlantic now seem calm, 
 
 Inviting and secure. The city streets 
 
 Were foul with old w T orld filth, decay and dirt, 
 
 Hidden neath structures noisesome, dark and wet. 
 
 The two companions gazing on the sea, 
 
 Forgot the rank unwholesomeness of land, 
 
 Kesting their ardent gaze upon a fleet 
 
 Of little ships that swung at anchor near. 
 
 "Shall you, my dear Columbus, undertake 
 The hazardous attempt of which you dream? 
 Frail are thy ships for awful enterprise 
 In unknown seas to undiscovered coasts." 
 
 "Bate not so meanly this accomplishment 
 That hath, dear friend, cost many fearful years 
 Of darkened disappointment and delay. 
 Long have I labored for this very hour, 
 Its slow fulfilment but now taking form. 
 
 86 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 Both ocean and the distant coast seem friends 
 Already known before I view them near. 
 Instead of apprehension or delay, 
 Exhiliration fills me with delight. 
 I see the world as if far off removed, 
 Bound as a sphere, with India beyond, 
 West of the strip of ocean lying here. 
 Thither we go to carry hope, and find 
 By easy intercourse, a wealthy land." 
 
 "But yes, dear Christopher," his friend replied, 
 "It sounds persuasive and one feels convinced 
 Of what you say in conversation sweet 
 Or earnest argument. But when away 
 From your convincing tongue, myself confess 
 To have misgivings, that like harpy ghosts, 
 I cannot lay with bravery or wit. 
 You say the earth is round and bring us tests 
 By ancient documents and seeming proofs. 
 I have accepted both your faith and you 
 And so admit conviction on this point 
 Though failing still to comprehend the power 
 That holds men to the outside of the globe. 
 Some must be standing with inverted heads 
 Their feet opposed to ours. While, furthermore, 
 
From Babel to 
 
 If one sails half around, then his return 
 Must of necessity be all up hill. 
 I like not such experiments, and wish 
 That you would be content to linger here, 
 Viewing as have our fathers from all time, 
 The hazy horizon from solid land." 
 
 "Wouldst thou dissuade me of my dearest wish 
 With threadbare arguments and puny fears? 
 Have not our fathers ventured far from land? 
 Better it is for me to take the step 
 Leading away toward paths as yet untrod, 
 Than live in sad regret. This ocean meets 
 The land at some remote and distant point. 
 Taking a Westward course by sea and land, 
 By steady travel will in course of time, 
 Return one to this very starting place." 
 
 "I fear, dear Christopher, but I believe," 
 
 Eeplied his friend, "My faith is pledged to thee 
 
 In golden guaranty. Thy life is thine 
 
 To offer in so perilous a voyage. 
 
 If through the trackless sea a path you make 
 
 To Eastern India, how frail the means. 
 
 Think on the raging flood, the awful storm 
 
 88 
 
Brotherhood 
 And on the slight protection of your craft." 
 
 "Desist! forbear such pallid, anxious thoughts 
 
 Which thou mightst use to fright a. boy withal. 
 
 Know thou my purpose is well fixed, my mind 
 
 Is turned to every vague contingency. 
 
 My ships now manned, provisioned and made fit 
 
 Await my word. Rejoice with me. Look out 
 
 Beyond the distant horizon and see 
 
 The wealthy coast, the teeming, fertile land, 
 
 Eich in its promises, ready to yield 
 
 Its gold and in return accept the Faith. 
 
 Scarce can I wait the morrow s dawn, to say 
 
 Hoist sail and anchor ! Forward ! Westward Ho P " 
 
 T ITTLB they realized, these early few 
 
 That saw the hither shores that lay beyond, 
 That conquest of the sea was made at last; 
 A goal was found beyond the watery waste 
 Which beckoned with its lure adventurers bold. 
 The time was pregnant. Everywhere the news 
 Awakened interest. Nations wanted land 
 To hold and govern in this paradise. 
 All sorts of men from every country went 
 To find what most they wished and lusted for 
 
 89 
 
From Babel to 
 
 The dreams of gold, of conquest or of peace, 
 
 Were thought to have fulfilment in that place. 
 
 Even the priest, not less intrepid than 
 
 The armoured warrior, braved the unknown sea, 
 
 And in the wilds amidst a savage tribe 
 
 Planted his Cross and preached the holy word. 
 
 Stern Protestants, intense with righteous thought, 
 
 Preferred the perils of this wild domain 
 
 If so they might avoid dominion, which 
 
 Refused their right to worship as they would. 
 
 Fantastic notions of the world s extent 
 
 Incited hopes to reach the distant East 
 
 By easy passage. Vague ideas restrained 
 
 At first the ardor, that grew into lust 
 
 For empire, as the New World became known. 
 
 Its worth, its treasure and its fruitful fields, 
 
 Were scarcely dreamt of, but enough was seen 
 
 To show a Paradise which like its type, 
 
 Must be hard bought by conquest and by toil. 
 
 With faithful toil small colonies arose 
 
 Which rooted firmly in a sterile soil 
 
 Started the earnest of a future state. 
 
 Intolerant of softness and of ease, 
 
 Alike intolerant of the Church, and all 
 
 Who differed with them in their stern beliefs, 
 
 90 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 These pilgrims of that sort that Europe feared 
 
 For conq ring zeal, ascetics, adamant, 
 
 They cut as diamonds through the hardest stone. 
 
 Untamed in courage, never losing hope, 
 
 Their spirit burned, fed by adversity. 
 
 Intense and zealous, serious and grim, 
 
 Fearless they met all dangers, and endured 
 
 So they should freely act and live within 
 
 Their own severe constraint. What wonder that 
 
 From such a stock should grow the type of men 
 
 That by their dominating will should mould 
 
 A people to their law, their speech, their thrift. 
 
 Others survived the pioneer, and they 
 
 Environed by a friendlier climate grew 
 
 In more luxuriant, not more wholesome soil. 
 
 GATHERING OF THE NATIONS 
 
 E hardy Dutch, daring, commercial, shrewd; 
 
 German and Flemish artisans, and French 
 Kefugees, posessed of matchless skill 
 In fabric-making arts; Scotland and Spain, 
 Switzerland and utmost Europe, sent 
 Envoys extraordinary to this land 
 To meet on common soil their hated foes. 
 
From Babel to 
 
 Long time these colonists kept separate 
 Each from his neighbor of another race, 
 Until by common dangers and assaults, 
 A common interest for their safety, raised 
 Community of help. Ingenious plans 
 Developed carefully by England, gave 
 To her preeminent control and rule 
 That grew with conquest in this vast domain. 
 Whipped from her shores, or leaving to escape 
 Eeligious tyrannies and foul constraints, 
 Europe s best manhood left its motherland. 
 A silent spirit animated all. 
 These emigrants were law-abiding men 
 Ready to give obedience to just rule, 
 But when fanatic churchmen and their King 
 Sought to compel against their conscience, then 
 Jaded beyond endurance they rebelled. 
 Each country had offended. Each had tried 
 Compulsion as a cure for that disease 
 As they esteemed it. Fatal was the cure, 
 For those condemned had seen a truer light. 
 Pure, undefiled religion spite of all 
 Increased with torture, ridicule and hate. 
 The nations bore their hatred each to each, 
 But each one hated more than rival throne 
 
 92 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 The enthusiast whose spirit would not yield. 
 Such men assembled on the New World s shore, 
 And formed the nucleus of a mighty state. 
 The old world s folly brought to pass at last 
 The breaking of the bud which held the flower. 
 
 TJNHAPPY at prosperity enjoyed 
 
 By her remote and hated colonists, 
 Despising but still seeking to control 
 For money s sake, the rulers over sea 
 With insult and embittered irony 
 Again this people sought to drive, 
 And by compulsion, force a heavy load 
 To carry for their far-off government. 
 Too late, the wiser ones now saw 
 Their distant kindred in another light. 
 Too late, they realized that sudden wrath 
 Toward either Church or State which should attempt 
 By delegated agent to enforce 
 Its distant mandates, would arouse a flame 
 That would spread finally throughout the world. 
 Driven from home to this last continent 
 Appropriate to their needs, their hopes and aims, 
 The sternest spirits of each different race 
 United in a cry for liberty. 
 
 93 
 
Prom Babel to 
 
 Little republics of the renaissance 
 
 Founded by cities separate, alone, 
 
 Had breathed the air of freedom for a while, 
 
 A while maintained an independent state, 
 
 But much too circumscribed to long endure. 
 
 Now in America there rose high thoughts 
 
 From humble homes. Why should we not be free? 
 
 Stern Puritans, with mem ries of the past, 
 
 Bead through their Bibles and on Cromwell thought; 
 
 Proud cavaliers remembered their descent. 
 
 Some mutterings heard by rulers over sea 
 
 Gave warning of a discontent, that grew 
 
 With threats. There is a spirit in a man 
 
 That needs but to be touched by divine flame 
 
 To multiply his strength. So was now fanned 
 
 The growing flame that soon would overcome 
 
 All prudence; that would raise men from the low 
 
 And homely walks of daily life, to lead 
 
 A ragged few against well ordered troops 
 
 To victory. That would sustain a poor 
 
 Devoted sailor in an ill-equipped, 
 
 Unhandy ship, to fight proud frigates and 
 
 Compel their rev rence to a new-born flag. 
 
 Strangely each nation looked on each to see 
 
 Its hated rival s children with its own 
 
 94 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 Shoulder to shoulder in confederacy 
 
 Against a common foe one of themselves. 
 
 A nation! Self-declared upon ideas 
 
 Of independence and equality. 
 
 In very truth the most absurd of all, 
 
 That all men were created equal. Here 
 
 Was a dream to fade away and leave 
 
 The lowly victors to awaken sad 
 
 And worse in fate than with paternal care. 
 
 The hand of God, in whom they placed their own, 
 
 Proved mightier far than earthly potentate s. 
 
 His spirit fired their zeal, sustained their hope 
 
 And prompted greatness in the common clay. 
 
 He who had breathed the breath of life at first, 
 
 Who raised the race of man from one man s loins; 
 
 Who raised a nation from a single seed; 
 
 Who led it by His spirit, would not now 
 
 Forsake those who should humbly trust in Him. 
 
 These followers of His Son who gave up wealth, 
 
 Or had forsaken well-secured domains 
 
 To serve their Lord in conscience-freedom, thus 
 
 Received the promised help. He ever keeps 
 
 His word. The Tree of Life was taking root. 
 
 95 
 
From Babel to 
 
 DEMOCRACY 
 
 \/l EN that were subjects once, now sovereign were, 
 
 And gave their thanks for God s deliverance. 
 Here might the nations take the healing leaves. 
 Hither they came but hate was not subdued. 
 A fertile soil where liberty might grow, 
 A fertile soil in which to nurture truth, 
 A fertile soil for eviPs mighty work 
 Fresh to the use of civilized mankind 
 To work his problems out: a virgin land, 
 A beauteous bride, a lovely mother now. 
 A mother s heart balanced twixt love and fear, 
 A bounteous bosom rich with nourishment, 
 Her sons in infancy must give their love, 
 Devotion and dear service. Here shall be 
 In their new world united all mankind. 
 
 JJ ITHEE shall come of all of Noah s sons 
 
 And meet each other in the bonds of peace. 
 But evil met them and intruded foul, 
 Unhealthy thoughts within their paradise. 
 Prompted by hope of gain they dealt in slaves 
 Who late had come to shake off tyranny; 
 Envious of each other, those that fled 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 From warring nations, now sought separate states. 
 
 A great convulsion followed the disease 
 
 Ere it was found that in the age s hope 
 
 Union with liberty must join their hands, 
 
 If men should freely mingle and advance. 
 
 This race must differ in its type and mind, 
 
 If it should be a blessing to mankind. 
 
 Self interest it must have if it progress, 
 
 But it must likewise rule with equal hand 
 
 Itself and all that to its shores would come. 
 
 Self interest in a new light then revealed 
 
 The need that, if a man should prosper, or 
 
 A state be strong within itself, there must 
 
 Exist a fair and equal duty each to each. 
 
 Thus the first lesson of our Saviour s law 
 
 "Thou shalt thy neighbor as thyself esteem," 
 
 Becomes revealed through stern necessity. 
 
 The first commandment still remains to be 
 
 More perfectly obeyed as wisdom grows, 
 
 And truth enlightens intellects, too dark 
 
 To know that God requires His children s love. 
 
 The fertile plains, the deep, expansive coast, 
 
 The wooded hills, the metal-loaded mounts, 
 
 The rivers, lakes and broad expanse of land 
 
 Proclaim an Eden to the rescued sons 
 
 97 
 
From Babel to 
 
 Of him, who from his Eden was cast out. 
 Unheard of wealth, the sov reignty of kings, 
 Kedeems the curse that labor cast on life; 
 Work becomes life, and sweetens its reward 
 When coupled with content and happiness. 
 Hither the nations sent from all the earth 
 Its children, good and bad, from every clime. 
 Nurtured in schools of hard economy, 
 Lured by the hope of wealth, enduring, strong, 
 They added to the country s native wealth 
 And they and it increased in rich rewards. 
 Here they found freedom, liberty, and law, 
 111 understood at first but fast to grow 
 A passion dear as life. Ground down at home 
 Beneath relentless power, they soon learned here 
 That they might join the rule and be the king. 
 
 COMMON LANGUAGE 
 
 ^ COMMON language spoke from sea to sea, 
 And up and down the mighty continent, 
 Made for the first time possible, since when 
 The curse of Babel, through confused tongues, 
 Caused men by language, without thought, to hate 
 Those of a different speech, to assemble now 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 And by one language to one race become. 
 
 Swift followed power to use the means of speed. 
 
 Withheld before in the Almighty s plan 
 
 Till ripe for use, swift means of intercourse 
 
 Had never been permitted. He that turned 
 
 The earth in fast revolving flight upon 
 
 Its even course through terrifying space, 
 
 That spoke from Heaven and twas done on earth, 
 
 Saved for His plan of peace man s use of speed. 
 
 Through all the ages of mankind on earth, 
 
 His learning, culture, skill, nor wisdom yet 
 
 Had taught of things more fleet than horse or sail. 
 
 But on a sudden now, there seemed to burst 
 
 Upon the world a marvellous thought. Man now 
 
 With safety sped across the sea and land, 
 
 Going where e er he would, nor pause to rest. 
 
 He spoke, his voice was heard a thousand miles, 
 
 His messages exchanged beneath the seas. 
 
 Throbbing, pulsating, healthful, happy life 
 
 Covered the new world now from sea to sea. 
 
 The nations sneered, but later marvelling, 
 
 Redoubled vigilance against this king 
 
 Among the mighty. Holding high a place 
 
 Between the West and Orient, they feared 
 
 They knew not what, but always they feared Power. 
 
 99 
 
From Babel to 
 
 Such power united in so great a host, 
 
 Resources boundless, energy and skill 
 
 Joined with a general learning far beyond 
 
 That ever seen in any land before, 
 
 Kebuked and terrified where hate endured. 
 
 The nations sent their quota to this land 
 
 Of all their best. The sturdy youth and maid 
 
 Celtic, Italian, German, Norse and Greek, 
 
 The Slav, the Pole, the Syrian and Turk, 
 
 With African and Mongol, brought their strength, 
 
 Their energy and hope, to the new w^orld. 
 
 They came for gain, excited by the lust 
 
 That always stimulates and never tires. 
 
 Some thought of liberty, but most of gold, 
 
 Their ways converged as similar in aim. 
 
 Whether in mine, or shop, or farm, or sea, 
 
 The hoped for fruits of labor seemed most fair, 
 
 Thither they went nor little cared at last 
 
 For race or creed. The promised land was theirs. 
 
 QNE speech they learned, and economic use 
 
 Proved this for government and learning, more 
 Useful than their own mixed tongues. So, too, 
 In labor, art and commerce grew the need 
 And reconciled the common tongue to all. 
 
 100 
 
V A : : : V K i -: : brotherhood 
 
 This land adopted for their several homes, 
 They found was theirs to govern and enjoy, 
 While Freedom in their new environment 
 Sweetly enticed their sacrifice and love. 
 Threatened rebellion or a foreign foe, 
 Brought every manly son of every race 
 Under one standard side by side to fight. 
 Government, law and all the arts of peace 
 Seduced their racial pride by slow degrees, 
 Till children native to the land, and schooled 
 Beneath an equitable law, grew up to feel 
 That their compatriots had a prior claim 
 To any that from heritage had come. 
 Eestless possessors of a mighty land 
 That lay between the oceans, and that knew 
 Neither the enervating tropic nor the cold 
 Of arctic regions. Here they came to work, 
 And here they found such stimulus of means, 
 Unlimited variety, ample scope, 
 That each place seemed a new discovered land. 
 Here was a flinty soil hard by a coast 
 Kich with the choicest fish. While here a port 
 Devised by nature for commercial power. 
 Beyond, great inland lakes and rivers broad, 
 That watered fertile prairies, and conveyed 
 
 101 
 
From Babelto ^ : 
 
 The grain and ore from farm and mine to mill. 
 
 A great back-bone of mountains north and south, 
 
 Loaded with wealth, and serving to unite 
 
 Instead of separating east from west, 
 
 Eose massive twixt two rich enormous plains. 
 
 Again beyond to westward, mountain chains 
 
 Dividing from the rest that land of flowers 
 
 Whose perfect climate, soil and products rare, 
 
 Margins the great Pacific. North and south 
 
 Throughout this wond rous land, conditions call 
 
 For labor, not for ease. Great flocks and herds 
 
 In safety, populate enormous tracts, 
 
 And labor here is offered a reward 
 
 Too great to be ignored by rich or poor. 
 
 What then! Shall man s course from this Eden drive 
 
 The sons of man? Shall labor always curse? 
 
 BROTHERHOOD 
 
 A WARM, pervasive atmosphere of hope, 
 
 The inspiration of each other s work, 
 With stimulating power lent to each one 
 An ardor and a zeal his work to do. 
 Here was the place where work was truly blessed, 
 For each a sovereign labored as a king 
 
 102 
 
His own estate to build. But all learned too 
 That all must prosper if himself would grow. 
 Slowly was learned this truth which underlies 
 The brotherhood of man a brother s love. 
 Work is not toil when love, instead of hate, 
 Compels the labor. So our fellows health, 
 Their education and prosperity, 
 Prompted perhaps by selfish motives, come 
 To give help based on economic good. 
 Each prospers best when each can bear a part; 
 Hatred destroys and ignorance is loss. 
 Far from the perfect thought by Christ instilled 
 That man s great duty, next to loving God, 
 Was toward his brother man. But int rest tends 
 To service which in time develops love. 
 Prompted by interest, progress inspires hope; 
 Tho gratitude returns but little thanks, 
 The blessing comes to him who freely gives. 
 The workers in this wondrous land, now bright 
 With hope, prosperity and new ideals, 
 Belated to each other by the ties 
 Of mutual interest and activity, 
 Spoke with one speech, nor ever thought to find 
 If he, with whom he worked was of his race. 
 Such prejudice as that which he had known, 
 
 103 
 
From BabekJo: s* sl ***** 5 .,!> r < 
 
 When severed by an alien tongue from those 
 Of joining lands, was quickly swept away 
 Upon the soil where common language held 
 Impartial sway. All understood all worked 
 And as the broader horizon appeared 
 Showing with duty, privilege and gain, 
 With sovereignty, new thoughts and high ideals, 
 All of this race, from all the races sprung, 
 Eevived man s knowledge of his fellow man. 
 
 ""Pms strange anomoly was not at first 
 
 Observed by those who helped to make it real, 
 Who in the war fought side by side with those 
 Of other nations late opposed. But soon, 
 Daughters and sons of alien sires espoused, 
 Merging their interest without thought of race. 
 All spoke one language here, nor thought to ask 
 Of those they loved, regarding ancestry. 
 Their friends at home could hardly understand, 
 But viewing wealth and happiness increase 
 Themselves awakened to enquire the cause. 
 Slowly their understanding of results 
 Began to stimulate their narrow thought. 
 Hither in larger numbers came mankind, 
 Here new conditions found which forced them all 
 
 104 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 To give their best if good they would receive. 
 
 But when they in their turn saw their old life 
 
 They wondered, and contempt expressed of those 
 
 Who lived in hatred, bigotry and sloth, 
 
 Fond of the blighting chains that held them fast 
 
 To a destructive prejudice, of those 
 
 Who spoke another language than their own. 
 
 Europe was waking, slowly seeing light 
 
 Keflected from her children s happiness. 
 
 Meantime no less than Europe, was the light 
 
 Sending its rays to farthest Orient. 
 
 This mighty land that broke the heaving swell 
 
 Of both great oceans, bridged the gulf between 
 
 The ancient laggard and the warring West. 
 
 A ray of light from here touched old Japan. 
 
 She woke, startled to find the world had sped 
 
 Long way beyond her. Quickly she arose 
 
 No laggard now, but eager to assume 
 
 Her place among the nations. Kindred too 
 
 Tho separated long, her pulses beat 
 
 When on congenial soil she met mankind 
 
 In utmost Occident. More quickly too 
 
 Was preached and learned at home, the gospel new, 
 
 Of man s dependence on his brother man. 
 
 Skilful in arts, though fatalist in faith, 
 
 105 
 
From Babel to 
 
 She knew not whence the inspiration, but 
 Putting in practice what she found of worth, 
 Exemplified the teaching of the Christ. 
 Care for each soldier s health helped victory; 
 A brother s welfare superseded fate. 
 
 THE NORMAL LIFE 
 
 ONWARD the surges roll through distant lands 
 Eevealing truth by contact with its works. 
 Slowly but certainly, the wave moves on 
 That bears the unspoken message of great joy. 
 Nations have learned that noble lives within 
 Have been to them as lost through ignorance. 
 One blessed with learning gives his country skill, 
 One blessed with health is worth a thousand ill. 
 One blessed with virtue bears his country s trust 
 One blessed with conscience loves where others lust. 
 Not by great numbers but by valiant men 
 Inspired by love of liberty and truth; 
 Not by a ruler s wealth or long descent 
 Have victories been won or prestige bought. 
 The simple workman banded with his kind 
 Possessed of high ideals and higher faith, 
 Has wrought by learning, health and virtues, all 
 
 106 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 And much more than the proudest potentate. 
 
 How blest a nation peopled with such sons. 
 
 How happy they who such a nation make. 
 
 If slowly shall the nations of the earth 
 
 Speaking one language, learn the vital truth, 
 
 Yet surely shall they come to apprehend 
 
 Its visible attainment and its cause. 
 
 Man s normal life demands activity, 
 
 His trend is upward toward a high ideal, 
 
 Unburdened by the overwhelming rule 
 
 Of artificial aristocracy. 
 
 A democratic freedom must exist 
 
 For hope s development. Labor is right 
 
 And equal opportunity, must aid 
 
 As inspiration for its highest aims. 
 
 Work, with the stimulus of good reward, 
 
 Will grow toward increase of accomplishment 
 
 And elevate all others with itself. 
 
 Truth is the key, by which shall be revealed 
 
 The best attainment for the general state. 
 
 Hence may arise not one, who far above 
 
 His fellows reaches high a pinnacle, 
 
 But all who come truth s power to realize, 
 
 Seize on new knowledge and appropriate 
 
 That which themselves and others will improve. 
 
 107 
 
From Babel to 
 
 He who most benefits his fellow man 
 
 Produces what man needs. Two spears of wheat 
 
 That grow where only one would grow before, 
 
 Is brought to pass by minds resembling that 
 
 Which brought from chaos order, beauty, form, 
 
 God s children with His spirit burning bright. 
 
 The pride of birth, of wealth, of sounding name, 
 
 Are in this land and age of slight avail. 
 
 But if with godly lives and honest toil 
 
 Their fathers wrought, great is the heritage, 
 
 Which added to their work, makes men more fit 
 
 To fill the places the new life demands. 
 
 To every man, a world within himself, 
 
 Is given to aid or hinder God s design, 
 
 And no man lives unto himself alone. 
 
 Our nature has not changed with all the years, 
 
 And only as our spirit, fed by God, 
 
 With our permission overcomes the flesh, 
 
 Shall we maintain in purity our hope. 
 
 Here has been found the opportunity 
 
 To realize our best ideals of life. 
 
 United in our interests and our hopes, 
 
 Viewing the future with calm confidence, 
 
 And knowing that with effort, purity, 
 
 And love, the world s best years are on ahead. 
 
 108 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 The fragments of the scattered sons of men 
 
 Are now becoming brothers through one speech, 
 
 One language, and their former hate has changed 
 
 As better understanding unifies 
 
 All races in a common interest. 
 
 The scattered fragments of the broken wheel, 
 
 Uniting as the magnet draws the steel, 
 
 In this the land reserved to them by God, 
 
 Finding the love of God made manifest 
 
 In simple lives devoted to His use, 
 
 Warmed by love of man for man as taught 
 
 By Christ, become a fused and welded whole. 
 
 Large are the prophecies, and great the hopes 
 
 That now appear before the sons of men. 
 
 No race is alien now nor none so low 
 
 In culture or in form of life, but shows 
 
 Response to love. The brotherhood of man 
 
 Encircling the fair earth has seen the light. 
 
 The dark and selfish past yields to the rays 
 
 That penetrate the utmost depths of gloom. 
 
 Each has a duty to perform. The rich 
 
 Responsible for much, must wisely use 
 
 The wealth entrusted to his care. The learned 
 
 Must not for selfish purposes retain 
 
 His wisdom for his own aggrandisement. 
 
 109 
 
From Babel to 
 
 The laborer may not with surly sloth 
 
 End his day s work and lay him down to sleep. 
 
 Each to the other so relates that all must do 
 
 For others what he d have them do for him. 
 
 The common good demands the use of wealth, 
 
 Of wisdom and of labor all combined, 
 
 But each must serve by personal good will, 
 
 Using not only his possessions, but 
 
 Adding to his gift himself as well. 
 
 Gifts weaken those receiving them, except 
 
 The spirit of a brother goes with each 
 
 And stimulates encouragement with love. 
 
 OBEDIENCE AND FILIAL LOVE 
 
 T HUS far the world has brought the human race 
 To find its way to know both man and God. 
 Knowing each other by swift intercourse 
 There is no longer distance or degree 
 That makes us strangers to the utmost bounds 
 Of this round earth. The hap nings of a day, 
 Each day are known wherever man has come 
 By progress and by educative means, 
 To adopt the arts and ways of modern life. 
 Once more is common speech throughout the world 
 
 1 10 
 
Brotherhood 
 
 By intercourse of nations in this land, 
 
 Where all commingle and where races merge, 
 
 Become the welding power of all mankind. 
 
 Fast grows the saving knowledge of that love 
 
 That holds the interests of his fellow man 
 
 As equal to his own. The health, the hope, 
 
 The liberty, well-being and increase 
 
 That make for greatness and a perfect whole, 
 
 While permeating through our busy lives, 
 
 Increases love for that dear Father, who 
 
 With utmost patience wrought the wondrous work, 
 
 Guiding our ways and leading us along 
 
 As children, through a kindly discipline, 
 
 To fuller knowledge of His thought and plan. 
 
 The utmost bounty lies on every hand 
 
 Within our reach. The consummation of 
 
 Its best enjoyment and its worthy use, 
 
 Now first requiring to be understood, 
 
 We raise with gratitude our loving hearts 
 
 To our dear Parent who has made the gift. 
 
 Children we are, imperfect, slow to learn, 
 
 Beginning as a race hundreds of years 
 
 To master poorly some most obvious truths. 
 
 But ripening time develops its sure work, 
 
 By which at last united in one song, 
 
 in 
 
From Babel to 
 
 Speaking again one language, all mankind 
 Will give their Father voluntary love, 
 Man s duty and the Father s recompense. 
 
 112 
 
Brotherhood 
 
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