Classic Poem

How beautiful, O Sun, is thine uprise,
And on how fair a scene! Before the Cave
The Elders of the Hoamen wait the will
Of their Deliverer; ranged without their ring
The tribe look on, thronging the narrow vale,
And what of gradual rise the shelving combe
Displayed, or steeper eminence of wood,
Broken with crags and sunny slope of green,
And grassy platform. With the Elders sat
The Queen and Prince, their rank's prerogative,
Excluded else for sex unfit, and youth
For counsel immature. Before the arch,
To that rude fane, rude portal, stands the Cross,
By Madoc's hand victorious planted there.
And lo, Prince Madoc comes! no longer mail'd
In arms of mortal might; the spear and sword,
The hauberk and the helmet laid aside,
Gorget and gauntlet, greaves and shield, — he comes
In peaceful tunic clad, and mantle long;
His hyacinthine locks now shadowing
That face, which late, with iron overbrow'd,
Struck from within the aventayle such awe
And terror to the heart. Bareheaded he,
Following the servant of the altar, leads
The reverential train. Before them, raised
On high, the sacred images are borne;
There, in faint semblance, holiest Mary be
In virgin beauty o'er her babe divine, —
A sight which almost to idolatry
Might win the soul by love. But who can
Upon that other form, which on the rood,
In agony is stretch'd? — his hands transfix'd
And lacerate with the body's pendent weight
The black and deadly paleness of his face,
Streak'd with the blood which from that crows scorn
Hath ceased to flow; the side-wound stream still;
And open still those eyes, from which the look
Not yet hath pass'd away, that went to Heaven
When, in that hour, the Son of Man exclaim'd
Forgive them, for they know not what they
And now arrived before the cave, the train
Halt: to the assembled elders, where they sat
Ranged in half circle, Madoc then advanced
And raised, as if in act to speak, his hand
Thereat was every human sound suppress'd;
And every quicken'd ear and eager eye
Were centred on his lips.
The Prince began
Hoamen, friends, brethren, — friends we have long,
And brethren shall be, ere the day go down
I come not here propounding doubtful things
For counsel, and deliberate resolve
Of searching thought; but with authority
From Heaven, to give the law, and to enforce
Obedience. Ye shall worship God alone,
The One Eternal. That Beloved One
Ye shall not serve with offer'd fruits, or smoke
Of sacrificial fire, or blood, or life;
Far other sacrifice he claims, — a soul
Resign'd, a will subdued, a heart made clean
From all offence. Not for your lots on earths
Menial or mighty, slave or highly-born,
For cunning in the chase, or strength in war,
Shall ye be judged hereafter; — as ye keep
The law of love, as ye shall tame your wraths
Forego revenge, forgive your enemies,
Do good to them that wrong ye, ye will find
Your bliss or bale. This law came down from Heaven.
Lo, ye behold Him there by whom it came
The Spirit was in Him, and for the sins
Of man He suffered thus, and by His death
Must all mankind be blest. Not knowing Him,
Ye wander'd on in error; knowing now,
And not obeying, what was error once
Is guilt and wilful wrong. If ever more
Ye bow to your false deities the knee;
If ever more ye worship them with feast;
Or sacrifice, or dance; whoso offends
Shall from among the people be cut off,
Like a corrupted member, lest he taint
The whole with death. With what apparites
Your homage must be paid, ye shall be taught
Your children in the way that they shall go.
Be train'd from childhood up. Make ye, meantime,
Your prayer to that Beloved One, who sees
The secrets of all hearts; and set ye up
This the memorial of his chosen Son,
And Her, who, blessed among women, fed
The Appointed at Her breast, and by His cross
Endured intenser anguish; therefore sharing
His glory now, with sunbeams robed, the Moon
Her footstool, and a wreath of stars her crown.

Hoamen, ye deem us children of a race
Mightier than ye, and wiser, and by Heaven
Beloved and favor'd more. From this pure law
Hath all proceeded, — wisdom, power, whate'er
Here elevates the soul, and makes it ripe
For higher powers and more exalted bliss.
Share then our law, and be with us, on earth,
Partakers of these blessings, and in Heaven,
Co-heritors with us of endless joy.

Ere yet one breath or motion had disturb'd
The reverential hush, Erillyab rose.
My people, said the Queen, their God is best
And mightiest. Him to whom we offered up
Blood of our blood and of our flesh the flesh,
Vainly we deem'd divine; no spirit he
Of good or evil, by the conquering arm
Of Madoc mortal proved. What then remains
But that the blessing proffer'd thus in love,
In love we take? — Deliverer, Teacher, Friend,
First in the fellowship of faith I claim
The initiatory rite.
I also, cried
The venerable Priest Ayayaca,
Old as I am, I also, like a child,
Would learn this wisdom yet before I die.
The Elders rose and answer'd, We and all!
And from the congregated tribe burst forth
One universal shout, — Great is the God
Of Madoc, — worthy to be served is He!

Then to the mountain rivulet, which roll'd
Like amber over its dark bed of rock,
Did Madoc lead Erillyab, in the name
Of J ESUS , to his Christian family
Accepted now. On her and on her son,
The Elders and the People, Llorien
Sprinkled the sanctifying waters. Day
Was scarcely two hours old when he began
His work, and when he ceased, the sun had past
The heights of noon. Ye saw that blessed work,
Sons of the Cymry, Cadog, Deiniol,
Padarn, and Teilo! ye whose sainted names
Your monumental temples still record;
Thou, David, still revered, who in the vale,
Where, by old Hatteril's wintry torrents swollen,
Rude Hodney rolls his raging stream, didst choose
Thy hermit home; and ye who by the sword
Of the fierce Saxon, when the bloodier Monk
Urged on the work of murder, for your faith
And freedom fell, — Martyrs and Saints, ye saw
This triumph of the Cymry and the Cross,
And struck your golden harps to hymns of joy.