Poems (Hoffman)/The Day of Justice

by Martha Lavinia Hoffman

THE DAY OF JUSTICE.

Not these gray mountains, falling old and grim,
Their rocks and boulders piling stone on stone,
Will hide the wicked from the face of Him
 Who sitteth on the throne.

Long was that face by clouds and mists obscure,
And men have been by sin and shame enticed;
Remembering not that each shall stand before
 The judgment-seat of Christ.

There shall the laurels fall from many a brow,
Then many deeds of valor none applaud;
Justice and judgment, aye, forever, now
 Belongeth unto God.

Then shall a clean and stainless life shine forth,
For God looks not on sin with tolerance;
There shall one lovely deed of love be worth
 More than long arguments.

These petty courts that through long centuries
Justice and judgments have dispensed to men,
These justice halls and penitentiaries
 Will not be needed then.

For, cast aside shall be these laws that play
With crimes, as cats with mice, to tantalize
One victim, while another hid away
 Mocks at stern Justice's eyes.

When sits the Judge of all the universe,
Up on His righteous throne—none shall distort
His laws—on sin shall fall sin's curse
 In that high court.

And to extort exorbitant demands
From human anguish, none shall plead God's laws;
And none with lifting of unholy hands
 Defend an unworthy cause.

Fear not, O Faith! 'tis here thy sight is dim;
He who could guide through this long, tortuous way,
Will keep the trust committed unto Him
 Against that day.

The wrong shall not forever do and dare,
God's mercy is long suffering, Christ hath died;
But not in vain in laboring and prayer
 Has earth for justice cried.

Angels may pity, none of vengeance dream,
When fails the feeble arm of human might,
And the great Judge o'er countless worlds supreme
 Makes all things right.