PART FIFTH

The rise of man is endless. Be in hope. All stars are gathered in his horoscope. The brute man of the planet, he will pass, Blown out like forms of vapor on a glass. And from this quaking pulp of life will rise The superman, child of the higher skies. Immortal, he will break the ancient bars, Laugh and reach out his hands among the stars. —Edwin Markham.

I.

Old things have passed away, all now are new; Its measure of creation Earth has filled; The law of a celestial kingdom it Has kept, transgressed not the law; Yea, notwithstanding it has died, it has Been quickened once again; and it abides The power by which that quick'ning has been done. Wherefore, it now is sanctified from all Unrighteousness, and crowned with glory, e'en The presence of the Father and the Son. Immortal Earth on wings of glory rolls, Shines like unto a crystal sea of glass And fire, whereon all things are manifest: Past, present, future,—all are clear to those Who live upon this glorious orb of God. Upon this globe, God's children glorified Are no more strangers, wand'ring to and fro As weary pilgrims; now they have received Possessions everlasting on the Earth— A portion of a glorified domain On which to build and multiply and spread— A part of Earth to call always their own. Eternal mansions may they now erect: Make them of whatsoe'er their hearts' desire; For gold and silver, precious stones and woods, And fabrics rare, and stuffs of every hue, All plentiful in Nature's store-house lie, For them to freely draw upon and use. Masters of all the elements are they; And Nature's forces are at their command. The man and woman, in the Lord made one, Eternally are wedded man and wife. These now together make their plans, and build A lovely, spacious home wherein to dwell, A place for work, for rest, for new-found joys, A peaceful habitation, one beyond The power of evil ever to destroy.

II.

In their primeval childhood—first estate— These once had lived within their Father's home. Out from that home they had been sent to Earth To have their spirit bodies clothed upon With element, to come in contact with Conditions which were needful for their growth, And learn the lessons of mortality. There they had overcome temptation's wiles, There had obeyed the gospel of their Lord And worked out their salvation by its power. These two had met and mated, had fulfilled The first great law: "Give bodies clean and strong To Father's spirit-children from above." The time allotted they had lived on Earth, Had died the mortal death, had gone into The spirit world; from there they had come forth With resurrected bodies from the grave. Thus they had kept their first and second estates, And now were counted worthy to receive Their portion 'mong the exalted ones of God.

III.

Celestial man and woman now do live

The perfect life; for every faculty

Of heart and brain is put to highest use.

The appetites and passions purged are

From dross that fallen nature with them mixed.

The will is master now, and every sense

Is under absolute control, and gives

Perfected service to perfected souls.

These two have come into their very own.

They walk by sight; and yet the eye of faith

Sweeps out to future time and distant space

And leads them on and on. They lay their plans

And execute these plans to perfectness.

Eternal Glory-land is their abode,

So beautifully clothed in Nature's best,

And basking in the pleasing smile of God;

No need of light of sun or moon or stars;

The glory of the Father and the Son

Eclipses all such lights of lesser ray.

Although with godlike powers they rule and reign,

Yet are they Father's children, and to Him

All loving honor and obedience give.

And then that Elder Brother who has done

So much for all, He also here abides,—

The Savior of the world and souls of men,

The Lord of lords, the King of all the Earth,

Yet ever-present Comforter and Friend.

IV.

And now they learn the things they could not know On mortal earth. They learn the secrets of All things that are in space above, or in The Earth beneath: the elements which form The air that man did breathe, and where obtained, And how composed. They learn of primal rocks, Foundations of the new-formed worlds in space, And how these worlds evolve into abodes For man. The source of light and heat and power They find, and grasp the laws by which they may Be rightly used and perfectly controlled. And then, most precious gift! they learn of life: What makes the grass to grow, what gives the flowers Their fragrance and their many-colored hues. They comprehend all life in moving forms,— In worm, in insect, fish, and bird, and beast; And knowing this, they have the power to draw Life from its store-house, and to make it serve The highest good in never-ending ways.

V.

The truth has made these holy beings free. They having overcome all evil powers, Unfettered now they are and free to go Where'er they wish within the heavenly spheres. They're not alone on this perfected world, Here other children of the Father dwell, Who also have obeyed celestial law. All these are of the Father's household, and Are numbered with the just and true, of whom 'Tis written, "They are God's," and they shall dwell Forever in the presence of their God. What bliss to mingle with such company! To taste the joys of friendships perfected, And feel to fulness that sweet brother-love Which binds in one the noble race of Gods! And other worlds may now be visited; For end there's none to matter and to space. Infinitude holds kingdoms, great and small,— Worlds upon worlds, redeemed and glorified, And peopled with the children of our God, Who also have evolved from lower things. What opening visions here for knowledge rare! What sciences, what laws, what history! What stories of God's love in other worlds! Exhaustless themes for poets' sweetest songs; For painters, sculptors, every science, art Has never-ending fields of pure delight. To them "the universe its incense brings"— Distilled from all the sweetness of the spheres.

VI.

Earth's loveliest flow'r, the love 'tween man and wife, Transplanted is to this most holy sphere. Through all the toiling years of earth-life, it Had grown; and now, instead of dying with The mortal death, its roots are firmly fixed In the eternal soil of Glory-land. And blessed man! now at his side there stands A woman, one of heaven's queens, a wife, A mother to his children of the Earth, And yet to be a mother of a race. Her beauty rare surpasses power of words. Her purity, her sweetly gentle ways Rest as a crown of glory on her brow. Her love transcendent fills his heart with joy, And now he fully realizes that "The woman is the glory of the man." Here in thy Home, O Woman all divine, Thy measure of creation thou doest fill! Intelligences come from out the womb Of Time, into thine own; thence are they born With spirit bodies, to thy loving care. Now thou art Mother, and doest know in full A mother's joy—a joy untinged by pain, And with thy Husband thou hast now become Creator, fellow worker with thy Lord. Celestial Father, Mother at the head Of parentage they stand, the perfect type Of that eternal principle of sex Found in all nature, making possible For every living thing to multiply And bring increase of being of its kind. In this celestial world, the fittest have Survived. To them alone the pow'r is given To propagate their kind. 'Twas wisely planned. The race of Gods must not deteriorate. Thus everlasting increase is denied To those who have not reached perfection's plane. Herein is justice, wisdom all-divine, That every child born into spirit world Has perfect parentage, thus equal chance Is given all to reach the highest goal, And win the race which runs up through the worlds. And children fill the household of these Two— And children bring perpetual youth, renew The tender sentiments, and firmly knit The heart of Father, Mother close in one. Thus do they work, and thus they follow in The footsteps of their Father; and they spread Out o'er the land of their inheritance. Masters of all, joint owners of the spheres, Eternal increase of eternal lives Is theirs; and this their work and glory is To bring to pass the immortality And life eternal to the race of men.

VII.

Time passes as an ever-flowing stream. The many mansions teem with offspring fair,— The spirit children of this heavenly world. Varied are they, as human beings are In form, in likes, in capabilities. Here love, combined with justice, rules; Here truth is taught, the right and wrong are shown; Yet agency is given all, and they May choose the way selected by desire. Thus some more faithful are than others, and Advance more rapidly along the great Highway that leads among the shining stars. Time passes,—and the time has fully come When spirits must be clothed upon with flesh, Must follow in the footsteps of their Sire, Must go to mortal earth and there work out Their soul's salvation in the self-same way That all perfected beings once have done. Far out in space where there is ample room And where primeval element abounds, This Father has been working, and still works, Fashioning a world on which to place His children. Without proper form, and void, In the beginning, this new world has passed From one stage to another, until now It rolls in space, an orb in beauty clad, A world on which a human race may dwell. This Father to his children thus doth speak: "The time has come for you to leave this home— This first estate, and take another step Along progression's path. A new-formed world Is ready to receive you, and to clothe You in another body. You will then Learn many things you cannot here receive. A veil will then be drawn before your eyes That you will be unable to look back To us. Alone you'll have to stand; be tried To see if faithful you will still remain. There's darkness in that world; and sin will come And pain and suffering such as now you know Not of. But these will only clearly show How good is righteousness, and how much more To be desired the light than darkness is. Yet, you shall not be wholly left alone; My ministering angels shall keep watch, And near you all the time my power shall be, To help you in your direst hours of need. My sons and daughters, as you now do live Within your Father's ever-watchful care, Know this that always shall his loving arm Extended be to you; the Father-heart And Mother-heart eternally do yearn And feel for you in sorrow or in pain. Where'er you are, you're still within my reach. If you'll but turn to me, I'll hear your cries And answer you in my good time and place. Go forth as you are called, the lessons learn Of earthly school; fear only sin; abide By law, nor seek to be a law unto Yourselves, for by eternal law the worlds Are formed, redeemed, and brought to perfectness, Together with all flesh which on them live. Go forth. Be worthy to come back again And be partakers of all heights and depths, Things present, things to come, yea, life or death, And it shall be my pleasure to bestow Upon you all there is eternally." Joy fills this Father's children, and with one United voice of gladness do they sing: "Thanks, Father, kind and good for what you've done; Thanks for the added blessings which you bring. O glorious, wond'rous truth that we have found: The course of Gods' is one eternal round!"