Bees in Amber Part 14

He greatly loved-- He greatly lived-- And died right mightily.

Like him he served, he would not turn aside; Nor home nor friends could his true heart divide; He served his Master, and naught else beside, Right faithfully wrought he.

Forth to the fight he fared, High things and great he dared, In His Master's might, to spread the Light, Right faithfully wrought he.

He greatly loved-- He greatly lived-- And died right mightily.

He pa.s.sed like light across the darkened land, And dying, left behind him this command, "The door is open! So let it ever stand!"

Full mightily wrought he.

Forth to the fight he fared, High things and great he dared, In His Master's might, to spread the Light, Right mightily wrought he.

He greatly loved-- He greatly lived-- And died right mightily.

LIVINGSTONE THE BUILDER

_With a will!

With a will!

With a will and surely!

Without fail, Drive each nail, Build we so, securely_!

The Pioneer,--the Undaunted One, Worn with long journeyings through the Great Dark Land, Rests for a season from his mighty labours, And seeks fresh vigour in a change of toil.

_Labour is sweet, When hands and hearts are willing,-- Who truly works Is G.o.d's own law fulfilling_.

With his own hands he helps to build a temple, Here, in the wilds, a temple to his G.o.d, Rough-hewn and roughly thatched, but still a house Of prayer, a holy place, and consecrate To Him whose n.o.blest temples are not built With hands, but in the opened hearts of men.

_The Master worked, With His own hands expressing His sure belief That therein lay G.o.d's blessing_.

Thus, as he toils, with axe, and nail, and hammer, His heart rejoices,--so the Master worked, And by His lowly toil for ever stamped True labour with its highest dignity.

_With a will!

With a will!

With a will and surely!

Without fail, Drive each nail, Build we so, securely_!

LIVINGSTONE'S SOLILOQUY

"My heart to-day Is strangely full of home!

How is it With the dear ones over there?

Five years!

Five long-drawn years!

And one short moment is enough To alter life's complexion for eternity!

Home! Home! Home!

How is it with you all At Home?

And you, my dearest one, Are ever nearer to me than the rest!

Your body lies Beneath the baobab In far Shapanga; But your soul is ever nearest When I need you most.

Where a man's treasure is His heart is.

And half my heart is buried there with you, And half works on for Africa.

Home! Home! Home!

Why should such thought of home Drag at my heart to-day?

Why should I longer roam?

Why should I not go home?

Five years of toilsome wanderings May claim a rest!

Nay! G.o.d knows best!

When He sees well He'll take me home and give me well-earned rest.

The work is not yet done.

This land of Night Is not yet fully opened to the Son And His fair Light.

But--when the work is done-- Ah--then!--how gladly will I go-- Home!--Home--Home!-- To rest!"

KAPIOLANI

Where the great green combers break in thunder on the barrier reefs,-- Where, unceasing, sounds the mighty diapason of the deep,-- Ringed in bursts of wild wave-laughter, ringed in leagues of flying foam,-- Long lagoons of softest azure, curving beaches white as snow, Lap in sweetness and in beauty all the isles of Owhyhee.

Land more lovely sun ne'er shone on than these isles of Owhyhee, Spendthrift Nature's wild profusion fas.h.i.+oned them like fairy bowers; Yet behind--below the sweetness,--underneath the pa.s.sion-flowers, Lurked grim deeds, and things of horror, grisly Deaths, and ceaseless Fears, Fears and Deaths that walked in Darkness, grisly Deaths and ceaseless Fears.

NOTE.--Kapiolani--p.r.o.nounced Kah-pee-o-lah-ny, with slight accent on second syllable.

Mauna Loa--Mona Lo-ah.

Kilauea--Kil-o-ee-ah.

Hale-Mau-Mau--Ha-lee-Mah-oo-Mah-oo.

On the slope of Mauna Loa, in the pit of Kilauea, In the lake of molten lava, in the sea of living fire, In the place of Ceaseless Burnings, in her home of Wrath and Terror, Dwelt the dreadful G.o.ddess Pele--Pele of the Lake of Fire; Pele of the place of torment, Pele of the Lake of Fire.

In the dim far-off beginnings, Pele flung the islands up From the bottom of the ocean, from the darksome underworld; Built them for a house to dwell in, built them for herself alone, So she claimed them and their people, claimed them as her very own, And they feared her, and they wors.h.i.+pped-- Pele, the Remorseless One.