Part 36

But contemplation only My heart could not satisfy: I longed for the very presence The stars did prophesy,

And eagerly looked for a token Of heaven descended to earth, A manifestation to tell me The Prince had come to his birth--

The Prince to rule the nations, The blessed Prince of Peace, Through the scepter of whose kingdom Confusion and war shall cease.

And God to me has been gracious, Though one of his children the least, For I have seen his token All glorious in the east.

Yea, God to me has been gracious, And shown me the way of love, A revelation of goodness As fair as heaven above."

The kings sat down together, Communed in the breaking of bread, And each the heart of the other As an open volume read.

They felt the new force within them Through fellowship increase: The one he called it beauty, The other named it peace.

All through the silent night-tide Their thoughts one burden bore: There was a joy eternal Their longing souls before.

But still they waited, waited, They hardly knew what for. "What lack we yet, O Gaspar!" At length asked Melchior.

"Three lights in yonder heaven Wait on the polar star. Hast eyes to read the poem? Dost see how calm they are?

Three lights in yonder heaven Wait on the polar star; But we are two," said Gaspar. "Not two, but three we are,"

Belthazzar said, dismounting, Another king from far; "And we whom God hath chosen Follow a greater Star.

O, what are peace and beauty, Except they stir the soul And make the man a hero, To gain some happier goal?

O, what are peace and beauty That stop this side of God, Though infinite the distance Remaining to be trod?"

In haste, in haste they mounted, The kings in God's employ, And quickly peace and beauty Began to change to joy.

They left behind their kingdoms Whose lure was far too small, To keep them apart from the kingdom Of Him who is all in all.

They left behind their people, Of loving and loved a host, The first of the thronging Gentiles, To love the Redeemer most.

They left behind possessions, Their flocks in all their prime, In haste to greet the Shepherd Whose charge is the most sublime.

They passed through hostile regions; For fear they halted not; And weariness and hunger Were less than things forgot.

So on and on they hastened Where they never before had trod, And the flaming Guide that led them, Was ever the Glory of God.

By night in yonder heavens, Within their hearts by day, As of old the blessed Shekinah Along the Red Sea way.

And they have troubled Herod And left Jerusalem, The joy-giving Star before them, The Star of Bethlehem.

And they have seen and worshiped The Everlasting Child, In whom sweet Truth and Mercy Were never unreconciled.

They have kissed the Beauty of Heaven, Incarnate on the earth, The Babe in the lap of Mary, Of whom He came to his birth.

Their gifts of love they have rendered Unto the new-born King, Their gold and myrrh and frankincense, The best that they could bring.

And vanished the Star forever, When they turned from the Child away? Shone it not then in their bosoms, The light of Eternal Day?

They could not return to Herod-- Too precious for any swine, The pearls which they had gathered Out of the Sea Divine!

O Vision of the Redeemer, In which faith has struggled to sight! They carried it back to their country, And published it day and night.