The legend runs:
When men in ancient days
Did stated service in the temple courts,
And when their work was o'er, again came forth
Into the garish light of common ways,
Then on them blindness fell, nor did it lift
Until the half-forgotten homely tasks
Familiar grew, and earthly ministries
Once more revealed the world to holden eyes.
And ever thus it was, and passing strange:
Sight while they served within the temple court,
But blindness when they walked among their kind;
Nor could they hold that vision of the light
And render service midst their fellow-men.
And so it came to pass that he who served
Within the temple, seldom ventured forth
Among the common folk, lest he should lose
The power to see; and from that fear there grew
The thought that those alone could see the light
Who served within the temple. More and more
They sheltered closely in that sacred place,—
Fearing to venture forth lest light be lost;
Dreading lest some one bring the darkness in;
Until none passed the gate, nor from beyond
Did any enter, and all common speech
Had ceased between the people and the priests. The lesson of the legend:
Light is ours
In common with our fellows. If we strive
With selfish aim to bar the darkness out
And gather to ourselves the light, what gain?
We do but shut ourselves away from light.
For light is free; no wall can e'er be built
To close it in to dwell with selfishness.
Think ye the priests dwelt safely in the light?
Nay, for their fear had made the temple dim.
And their unwill that all the light should share
But rendered void the gift they grasped and claimed
As sole possessors. Were they blind because
They issued forth and shared the humble tasks
Of every day among their fellow-men?
Nay, but because they held the temple court
A holier place than were the lowly homes
Where mothers hushed their babes, or than the hills
Where dwelt the shepherds with their tender flocks;
Because they deemed themselves more highly placed
Than were their brethren who but labored on
At simple daily tasks. So they forgot
To love, save love of self and love of place.
And blindness seized them, though they knew it not.
Love only can have light, and God is Love;
In Him no darkness is.
Take heed, therefore;
The light in thee is darkness, save ye love.
And when ye love, ye serve. No temple court
Shall mark the bound of service. All the world
Must share the ministry of all who love.
Who truly loves and serves, sees far and near
The temple and the altar of our God;
Each loving heart that temple service shares;
Each service rendered consecrates a priest
Unto that living altar.
When or where
It matters naught, but how we serve is all;
That only can we measure as we see;
We see but as we love, for Love is light.
Yea. God is light; in Him no darkness is.
