Poems (Kimball)/"The Communion of Saints"

by Harriet McEwen Kimball

"THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS."

SCATTERED through the holy Year
The Church's holy-days appear,
Sacred to the chief among
That innumerable throng
Of the blessed saints of God
Who the way of sorrows trod.
Sword-like flame and flame-like sword,
Ravening beast and blood outpoured,
Persecutions manifold,
More than page hath ever told,
For the love of Christ they bore
Who can suffer now no more,
But at rest in Paradise
Drink of endless victories.
Parted from our sight are they,
Yet a cloud of witnesses
Do they watch us on the way
Where our foes unnumbered press.
One with us, their words of cheer
Ever reach us struggling here;
One with us, their every name
Puts our laggard strife to shame.
While those names she still repeats
Year by year, the Church entreats:

Fight as they, forsaking all;
Rack nor cross could them appall.
Warfare or within, without,
In their ears was victory's shout;
Whatso treasure they possessed
Dross became through Christ confessed,
Poverty was wealth, and pain
Pledge of everlasting gain;
Bitterness was sweet to taste;
Torture slow was heavenly haste;
While their Captain glorious,
Over all victorious,
Fought with them, and in His strength
Made them conquerors at length.

Now, as then, the battle rages;
Christians still the Foe engages;
Though he colors change and name,
Is that deadly Foe the same.
Seven-fold the might he wields
O'er the victim soul that yields;
But with seven-fold armor clad,
Shall the true and valiant smite,
And put the evil powers to flight;
While the tidings, swift and glad,
Ring through all the realms of light
Where the Church's grand procession
From her holy ranks below
Daily swelled in calm possession
Waits the final overthrow
Of the fierce but doomèd Foe.

Not with open, loud assault
Draws the Adversary near;
Oft advancing seems to halt,
Now through flattery, now through fear;
Under cover of the night
Darkness makes he fair as light;
Now through pomp and now through pride
Lures he many a soul aside;
Now through ease he whispereth,
Every word a shaft of death;
Through the flesh unceasingly
Do his secret arrows fly;
In the heart he refuge takes,
And his strongest stronghold makes.

Watch and pray, the Church entreats,
And those chiefest names repeats
Of the Army of the Lord,
Us examples to afford.
Watch and pray, the Church entreats;
Stand ye fast and be ye strong;
Imitate my glorious throng.
They my firm foundations made,
Christ Himself the corner-stone;
Ye as living stones are laid,
Age by age and one by one,
Pledged the Faith to keep, thereon.
Joined together each and all
As a temple mystical,
Let your holy unity
Mirror each and each the whole,
While the waves that round you roll
Of unbelief and heresy
Vainly my foundations try.

Watch and pray, my children, saith
Holy Church. Be true till death
To the once-delivered Faith;
With each other one, and one
With the hosts whose toil is done,.
All my faithful souls and true
Who have passed beyond your sight!
Let their ardor quicken you
As ye press toward realms of light,
Where in Paradise they wait,
While the angel-guarded gate
Ceaseless swings, to usher in
Souls redeemed from death and sin.
Ever through that viewless door
One unbroken throng they pour,—
One unbroken, moving column
Through that entrance sweet and solemn,
Night and day, and day and night,
From the shadow to the light;
From the cross that each lays down
To the "passionless renown,"
Robe of white, and palm, and crown.
Night and day, and day and night,
Countless souls in grand procession,
One in Faith's sublime confession
With file lesser ranks below
Moving still against the Foe;
One in Hope no change can blight,
Linked in mutual intercession;
One in Love's eternal might,
Knit together each with all
In His Body mystical;
One in Christ the Living Head,
Of whose Life ye all partake,
By whose grace ye all are fed
And the one Communion make.
Ye my little ones and lowly;
Hid on earth in mean disguise,
One with all my martyrs holy,
Spotless robed in Paradise.
Ye who in fire thick of striving
Fight my battles undismayed,
By the proud world's proud contriving
Of no reputation made,
One with them, the virgin throng,
Singing now the Lamb's New Song.
Ye who suffer all temptation,
Sin's assaults and tribulation,
Overcoming all unseen,
One with my Confessors brave
Who have passed to realms serene.
Where the palms of victory wave.
There the first Apostles grand,
Chiefest-crowned, a glorious band,
There the angels bright that gather
All the saints of God around,
With the ever-blessed Mother
Over all my hosts renowned,
Welcome each and each the other
As the tide of souls rolls in,
And the songs anew begin
That forever shall resound:
Glory, honor, power, blessing,
Wisdom, might, and praise unceasing
To the King of kings addressing,
Toward whose Kingdom still increasing
Earth's remotest ends are pressing.