Would surely meet him in a deadly fray,
And tho' at first his victory was real,

Yet if he only crushed His foeman's heel
What were the use if Eve's Son yet should be
The Victor o'er the fell adversary!

He shrank from something-what he did not know-
But ever on his mind a sense of woe-

Vengeance was on his track nor would forego
At any moment now may come fell blow-
Should he be unto Nothingness then hurled
Like as in former ages his own World-
Should there be ending to his swelling thought—
Blankness in Soul and every sense be wrought-
Nonentity-what meant the words CHRIST said:
"Thou shalt bruise heel—but He shall crush thy head!"

And on that night-when Eve and Adam fell-
Was there on earth a revelry of Hell-
Venom of hate like wine was deeply quaffed—
After centuries of Silence Satan laughed.
Before that hour how dreary was thy fate
Dreary mid millions, lone and desolate,
Nothing to do but wait, and wait, and wait,
Nothing to do but hate, and hate, and hate,
When suddenly this new world sprang to view-
Thy hate to such a swelling torment grew
It seemed as if there must be found some way
To give thy hate an outlet-give thee prey—
And evil take carnival holiday!

Ah, what wild madness when they feet once more
Trod thy old home (tho' changed the sea and shore)
Didst thou torment the fish, the birds, the beasts
Making each savage, cruel in its feasts,
Changed them to monsters with mad fury blind-
Creatures once peaceful eating their own kind-
What ghastly horrors in the world that night
For myriad demons trooping came in flight
Like Birds of Carrion-the world around
Shivered and shuddered at your croaking sound!
Surely poor Eve and Adam shrank afraid
In thicket crouched, confounded and dismayed,
So had not elect Angels held the keep

Their weary eyes had lost the boon of sleep;
Surely some wicked spirit in fell spite
Had slain them e'er the passing of the night-
But Michael's Hosts beat back the rebel van
To hold intact the crushed and trembling man.

And then were ye astonished not to see
A young world wrecked in dire contumely,
The rather that a promise given to man.
That CHRIST Would not be foiled in this new plan.

And then astonishment came on apace

The Beings new of fructifying race

With sons and daughters fair born to the twain,
So hope of their disaster all in vain.

The Mystery was not thine to unravel-
And tho' proud Lucifer may fume and cavil
Before God's Throne, declaring that for sin
GOD must destroy the world and all therein-

Demanding simple justice, that the blow

Of God should send The Human to fell woe!
For hidden was The Mystery of grace-
Then Satan knew behind GOD's smiling face
There was a plan of Righteousness to meet-
The curse of sin not victory complete.

A hint in the shed Blood-at first a hint
But GOD was hiding yet His Great intent
Redemption by HIS CHRIST-Who yet should be
Redeemer of The Race on Calvary!

Didst thou see Cain and Abel in the field One bringing Lamb-the other bringing yield Of his own toiling, he would pay THE LORD— While Abel would be beggar at GOD's board!—

Lo, When THE PRESENCE came of THE I Aм— When fell His fire accepting the Slain Lamb, And Cain all sullen at his altar stood,

Full of rich fruit, but not a splash of blood,
Unnoticed was the labor of his hands-

The Presence Passing-and unblessed He stands—
Didst thou see Satan creeping then anear-
First breath of murder in the human ear—
And then the stealthy, subtle murderer's tread,
The first fell blow-at his feet Abel dead-
And then a cry of bitterness apace!
When on cold form a woman hid her face
And raised the bitter cry that shall not cease
'Til Comes again the Blessed Prince of Peace!

The world Before The Flood-you saw it all
Its cities-Art Museums-princely palace wall-
Science, and Art, and Poesy, were supreme
Our present knowledge like Barbarian dream
Compared to that—which was man's golden Prime.
Had not they seen the Man who saw GOD's face?
Therefore, to this day noblest of our Race,
With intellects that were not yet impaired
Fresh yet as 'twere from very hands of GOD,
Marred not, not yet disfigured by sin's rod,
Still to their eyes the lights of Eden flared-
Strongest of intellect, brawniest of brain,
Earth has not seen the like since-nor again

Until THE LORD CHRIST CLEANSE the World of Sin,
And GOD comes back one more to dwell with men.
Yet were the minds of men as if a slime
Of wickedness all thick on heart and tongue,
When ever song defiance to GOD sung:
Science, and Art, and Power took delight
To crown all wrong-when Avarice was Right-
When not one Law of GOD but held absurd-
When Satan hovered a vile Carrion Bird
Brooding in wickedness and fell desire

To breed in man as 'twere a blazing fire
Of Hate to GOD-and rose to Heaven a stench
That only a Destructive Flood could quench!

And then that awful Day when suddenly The Rain rushed down as loosed the upper sea, When earth's foundations 'neath men's feet gave wayLo, water-water-Universal sway

Swept men as flies before its roaring tide-
All lost-except who in the Ark abide.
The hissing, foaming waters in mad whirl

Sucked man and beast in such wild maelstrom swirl
That none had strength to help its kith or kin,
The feet no time a mountain top to win-
Man could not cry to man-creature to kind—

For such a mighty rushing of the wind

Was never heard-and men will hear no more-
For God let loose the sea upon the shore-
The ban upon its bounds was lifted then-
The hissing, mighty Oceans rushing in

Throttled the earth-and swallowed it from sight-
Above the billows not a mountain height

For Gravitation in that lawless hour

Grew wanton in its movements-lost its power-
Struck between wind and water by such force
The Earth had surely shifted in its course-
For buffeted it lay a helpless thing-
Shivering and shaking in its suffering!

Great Horror thine-was it from a star
You watched Destruction's Battle from afar—
And watching-wonder how the Ark would ride
Amid the ice floes-and the shifting tide.

Or did you hover near-not to alight

For Heavenly Host were guarding through long night
When never sun broke on the icy flood

Like something stagnant-then the waters stood
Chill and still chiller-waxing strength each day
One sheet of Ice across the whole world lay-