I saw God on His heights of holiness—
A vision of the almighty infinite;
Then on the earth I backward looked, saw sin,
And coming to the darkness dawning light.
That vision to make my own I had to rise,
To waken into being newly born,
Though pain and fires of suffering tempted sore,
And would have dimmed the radiance of the morn.
Through mighty birth throes, struggles hot and fierce,
I held my dawning vision day by day,
Through baptismals and purifying fires,
Until my feet were planted in Christ's way.
This way is holiness and blessed peace,
Not here self-glory, nor self-blame, nor praise;
All worldly joy is fleeting, transient dross—
I take the Master's path, leaving earth's ways.
In that Shekinah glory, light divine,
We but reflect the healing truth of Soul;
The perfect heaven and earth in joy appear—
Man and God's universe, complete and whole.
