Walking With The World
The Church and The World walked far apart
On the changing shore of time;
The world was singing a giddy song,
And the church a hymn sublime.
“Come give me your hand,” cried the merry world,
And walk with me this way;”
But the good church hid her snowy hands,
And solemnly answered, “nay:
I will not give you my hand at all,
And I will not walk with you;
Your way is the way of endless death;
Your words are all untrue.”
“Nay, walk with me but a little space,”
Said the world with a kindly air:
“The road I walk is a pleasant road,
And the sun shines always there.
Your path is thorny, and rough, and rude,
And mine is broad and plain;
My road is paved with flower and dews,
And yours with tears and pain.
The sky above me is always blue:
No want, no toil, I know:
The sky above you is always dark,
Your log is a lot of woe.
My path, you see, is a broad, fair one
And my gate is high and wide;
There is room enough for you
and for me to travel side by side.”
Half shyly the church approached the world,
And gave him her hand of snow;
The old world quick grasped it and walked along.
Saying in accents low;
“your dress is too simple to please my taste:
I will give you pearls to wear,
Rich velvets and silks for your graceful form,
And diamonds to deck your hair.”
The church looked down at her plain white robes
And then at eh dazzling world,
And blushed as she saw his handsome lip
With a smile contemptuous curled.
“I will change my dress for a costlier one,”
Said the church with a smile of grace:
Then the pure white garments drifted away,
And the world gave in their place
Beautiful silks and shining satins,
And roses, and gems and pearls,
And over her forehead her bright hair fell,
Crisped in a thousand curls.
“Your house is to plain,” said the proud old world;
“I’ll build you one like mine, -
Carpets of Brussels, and curtains of lace,
And furniture ever so fine.”
So he built her a costly and beautiful house,
Splendid it was to behold;
Her sons and her beautiful daughters dwelt there,
Gleaming in purple and gold;
And fairs and shows in the halls were held,
And the world and his children were there;
And laughter and music and feasts were heard
In the place that was meant for prayer.
She had cushioned pews for the rich and the great
To sit in their pomp and pride;
While the poor folk clad in their shabby suits,
Sat meekly down outside.
“You give to much to the poor,” said the world.
“far more than you ought to do;
If they are in need of shelter and food,
Why need it trouble you?
“Go, take your money and buy rich robes,
Buy houses and carriages fine
Buy pearls and jewels and dainty food,
Buy the rarest and costliest wine;
My children, they dote on all such things,
And if you their love would win
You must do as they do, and walk in the ways
That they are walking in.”
Then the church tightly the stings of her purse
And gracefully lowered her head,
And simpered, “I’ve given to much away;
I’ll do, sir, as you have said.”
So the poor were turned from her door in scorn,
And she heard not the orphan’s cry;
But she drew her beautiful robes aside,
As the widows wet weeping by.
Then the sons of the world
And the sons of the church walked
Walked closely hand in heart,
And only the master, who knoweth all,
Could tell the two apart.
Then the church sat down at her ease, and said,
“I am rich and in goods increased;
I have need of nothing, or naught to do,
But to laugh, and dance, and feast.”
To sly world heard, and he laughed in his sleeve,
And mockingly said, aside –
“the church is fallen, the beautiful church;
And her shame is her boast and her pride.
The angel of mercy flew over the church,
And whispered, “I know thy sin:”
Then the church looked back with a sigh,
And longed to gather her children in:
But some were off at the midnight ball,
And some were off at the play,
And some were drinking in a gay saloons,
So she quietly wet her way.
Then the sly world gallantly said to her:
“Your children mean no harm,
Merely indulging in innocent sports;”
So she leaned on his proffered arm.
And smiled and chatted and gathered flowers,
As she walked along with the world:
While millions and millions of sorrowing souls
In sin and death do wait.
“your preachers are all too old and ;lain,”
Said the world to the church with a sneer,
“they frighten my children with dreadful tales,
Which tells bars for them heaven.
They talk of brimstone and fire and pain
And the night when life shall end.
They talk of a place
Which may only be
Mentioned with bated breath.
I will send you some of the better stamp,
Brilliant and gay and fast,
Who will tell them that people may live as thy like
And go to heaven at last.
The father is merciful, great and good,
Tender and true and kind,
Do you think he would take one child to heaven
And leave the other behind?”
So hi filled her house with gay divines,
Gifted and great and learned,
And the plain old men that preached the cross were out of her pulpits turned.
The angel drew near to the mercy seat,
And whispered in sighs her name;
Then the loud anthems of rapture were hushed,
And heads were covered with shame;
And a voice was heard at last by the church
From Him who sat on the throne,
“I know thy works and how thou hast said,
“I am rich, and hast not known
That thou art naked, poor and blind,
And wretched before my face;
Therefore from my prescience cast I thee out,
And blot thy name from it place.
But there is one that can take from this to a place
The alternative that we should make;
and the change that comes, to the story that is told
Is a choice much better we make.
Then a voice came down thought the hush of heaven
From him who sat on the throne:
“I know thy works, and how thou hast said,
I am rich and hast not known
That you art naked, and poor, and blind,
And wretched before my face.
Unless thou repent I will cast thee out and blot thy name from it’s place.
I counsel thee to buy of me,
The gold that will make you rich;
And anoint your eyes with the heavenly salve
To discern your master’s wish.”
Then the awakened church with deep regret
From here worldly course returned;
She opened her heart to the knock of Christ
As his love in her bosom burned.
He gave her robes and forgave her sins,
And together they sat and supped;
His proffered throne he shared with her
For whom he had suffered much.
“O church of Christ, here the spirit’s voice
As he calls through the world today.
Would that every church throughout the realm
Would turn from the world away.
The world will be lost in eternal night
But the penitent saved for aye.
Author unknown
Matilda g Edwards
Spirit of Prophecy Research
and the underlined is mine Mykeyel Simon.