MOUNT TABOR.

On Tabor's height a glory came,

And, shrined in clouds of lambent flame,

The awestruck, hushed disciples saw

Christ and the prophets of the law.

Moses, whose grand and awful face

Of Sinai's thunder bore the trace,

And wise Elias,— in his eyes

The shade of Israel's prophecies, -

Stood in that wide, mysterious light,

Than Syrian noons more purely bright,

One on each hand, and high between

Shone forth the godlike Nazarene.

They bowed their heads in holy fright, -

No mortal eyes could bear the sight, -

And when they looked again, behold!

The fiery clouds had backward rolled,

And borne aloft in grandeur lonely,

Nothing was left “save Jesus only.”

Resplendent type of things to be!

We read its mystery to-day

With clearer eyes than even they,

The fisher-saints of Galilee.

We see the Christ stand out between

The ancient law and faith serene,

Spirit and letter; but above

Spirit and letter both was Love.

Led by the hand of Jacob's God,

Through wastes of eld a path was trod

By which the savage world could move

Upward through law and faith to love.

And there in Tabor's harmless flame

The crowning revelation came.

The old world knelt in homage due,

The prophets near in reverence drew,

Law ceased its mission to fulfil,

And Love was lord on Tabor's hill.

So now, while creeds perplex the mind

And wranglings load the weary wind,

When all the air is filled with words

And texts that wring like clashing swords,

Still, as for refuge, we may turn

Where Tabor's shining glories burn, -

The soul of antique Israel gone,

And nothing left but Christ alone.