OR ever the books were opened and right was known from wrong,

Or ever the cry of the nations went up "Oh Lord, how long?"

When earth was fair and spotless and knew nor death nor sin,

The Lord God planted a garden and set a man therein.

Who, seeing the fruit was pleasant, first uttered the ancient lie

"Changeless is human nature," and eating, was changed thereby,

Then the flaming sword awoke him and he spake to Eve, his wife,

"Thus the path of peace is guarded that leads to the tree of life."

So he taught his children's children, by the sweat of their brow they knew,

As they planted themselves a garden where the thorns and thistles grew,

"When we find the peace we pray for, give heed to our father's word,

Let the paths thereto be guarded with the edge of a flaming sword."

They sought for peace in their garden, but in sorrow they ate their bread,

For peace was long in coming, so they turned their hands instead

To making secure their strongholds, nation and land and home,

That the paths might be ready guarded when the Prince of Peace should come.

They wrought in mine and furnace, they toiled by land and sea,

By treaty and pact and promise, protecting the peace to be,

Till no man trusted his neighbour, but while his neighbour slept

Forged yet another safeguard, that the newest pact be kept.

They lifted their voice in the Senate, they strove and did not cease

Raising on high their ramparts to prison the Prince of Peace,

Till the very steps of His Temples were hedged about with care,

Custom and creed as sureties for such as worshipped there.

Then dawned a day in the garden, and oh! they craved for rest,

When a message flashed like lightning, shining from East to West,

"The Prince would come to His Kingdom, behold He is very nigh,

But - His paths be set with your safeguards and He cannot pass them by!"

Then each man sought his neighbour and spake in his neighbour's ear

"Thou hast blocked the road to the Kingdom, hasten and make it clear."

And each man's neighbour answered, "Send peace to thee and thine,

Clear thou the Prince's pathway, for why should the risk be mine?"

"Ye built when no man threatened, ye cried when no man came,

Ye nourished strife in the building, while ye built in the Prince's name!

Only by force to hold Him, binding with steel His Throne,

How shall I strip my bulwarks till thou hast stripped thine own?"

Then Temple, Mart and Senate sent forth a bitter cry,

"Bring peace, O Prince, to our garden or else our garden die."

"Scarcely," the Prince made answer, "do ye breathe the name I bear,

If ye trust not each his brother, then how shall a stranger fare?"

"Ye have built ere My Throne was 'stablished, to guard and gird My Home,

Ye would hold your Prince in bondage, or ever your Prince be come,

Mayhap He needs no safeguards and He cannot pass them by

But only His peace can save you, ere ye and your garden die."

Then they razed the toil of the ages, so sore was their distress,

Made straight the paths for His coming, the paths of righteousness,

And the Prince passed in to His people and they found the rest they sought,

That needs no other safeguard than the peace Himself had brought.

["The St. Martin's Review."