JT-52-A VISION,

A VISION, Representing a view of the different parties of religion,
and their conduct towards each other.

Ascending on a mountain high,
I saw the distant scene,
Extending onward to the sky,
Nor clouds to intervene.

Around the place I wond’ring stood
Arose a cooling spring,
Which ran along the shady wood,
Where birds wild anthems sing.

I tasted of the waters there,
And to my great surprise,
An instant banish’d all my care,
And quick’ned both my eyes!

I felt my inward strength increase,
And heal’d was ev’ry wound;
I felt a cure from all disease,
My sense was strong and sound.

I then beheld far off before,
A field extensive there;
I saw a thousand sheep, or more,
Along the brook repair.

I went toward that pleasant plain,
And on the margin stood,
I yet had felt no inward pain,
Nor thought of aught but good.

But here a thousand thoughts arose,
To make new pains arise;
I saw the cause of many woes--
The cause of weeping eyes.

I saw the cots and houses stand,
Thick crowded on the place,
There men abode, and gave command
To all the sheep-fold race.

A wall enclos’d this pleasant ground,
But broken look’d the wall--
’Twas first intended as the bound,
Of sheep and shepherds all.

I look’d within, and did behold,
An unsuspected scene:
Innumerous fences, new and old,
Cross to and fro the green.

In ev’ry field I saw some sheep,
And there a shepherd too;
His own he’d watch and try to keep,
And only this he’d do.

But most of all what pain’d my heart,
I heard the lambkins mourn,
In ev’ry fold there seem’d a smart,
A countenance forlorn.

They were one fold, all in one plain,
But were asunder driv’n;
And now they vent their grief and pain,
And mourn from morn till eve’n.

Tho’ separated by a fence,
They lov’d their likeness still,
They told their love by instinct sense,
And mourn’d their broken will.

I saw the sheep would often try,
To push the fences down,
That they might all together lie,
And all their sorrows drown.

But shepherds, constant watching there,
Would fright them soon away;
And strong their fences would repair,
Lest they should go astray.

Another cause of grief I saw,
The shepherds disagreed;
Each had a rule and sep’rate law,
His flock along to lead.

The shepherds clamor’d--often fought,
Alarm’d their flocks so tame;
The cause of this I serious thought,
And found it to their shame.

When lambs were yean’d in this one’s fold,
He’d sing the shepherds lay,
But that one then would be so bold,
He would steal the lambs away.

A sharp dispute would then ensue,
Sometimes a bloody fight,
The strongest would the theft pursue,
And boast his conquering might.

This one proclaims the wicked deed,
And shouts aloud his joy,
When he beholds his brother bleed,
Or can his peace destroy.

That one, tho’ vanquish’d, threats his foe,
Returns him all the pain,
From fold to fold each one would go,
To pilfer o’er the plain.

Each shepherd mark’d his tender lambs,
And taught them what to do;
The fold were known by different names,
And separate pastures knew.

I saw some pastures eaten bare,
The sheep were poor and lean;
Briers and burrs were plenty there,
No herbage to be seen.

They then would try to leave their bounds,
For better pastures try,
But shepherds guarding well their grounds,
Would chase them back to die.

Long time I look’d,--I sought to find,
If I could learn the cause,
Why shepherds did such burdens bind,
And urge such rigid laws.

I understood the shepherds were
Engag’d for wages high,
They gained their bread and raiment there,
And did their wants supply.

They’d shear their flocks and keep the fleece,
And sell it out for gain,
And thus their store they did increase--
Grew pompous, proud and vain.

No wonder then, thought I, for true,
The shepherds were so mean,
Why they should keep their flocks in two,
And why their flocks so lean.

For o’er the plain I heard a sound,
The shepherds were amaz’d--
A gen’ral clamor went around,
And I astonished gaz’d!

Some men had enter’d on the plain,
Their words around me run;
They sounded loud the melting strain:
"We’ve come to make you one."

These men appear’d in shepherd’s dress,
They bore the shepherd’s rod;
They wore the garb of righteousness,
And look’d like men of God.

Some had a torch of burning flame,
To burn each fence away,
The fire confus’d and put to shame
The hirelings all the day.

Some took the sword and soon began
To make the hirelings bleed--
The hirelings muster’d all their clan,
For once they all agreed!

They chose to fight against a few,
But soon they fled away;
They were unarm’d, and cowards too,
And trembled with dismay.

Those valiant men, like men of God,
Triumphant march’d along;
They burnt the fences far abroad,
Nor fear’d the threat’ning throng.

They sounded loud the message sweet,
The message from above:
"That ev’ry fold should quickly meet,
And dwell in peace and love."

The sheep from diff’rent folds began
To gather round the place,
Where they were taught to be but one,
And feed on richer grace.

A fold soon gather’d and was large,
At first the sheep were bare;
Those men, as shepherds, took the charge,
To nurse and feed them there.

The shepherds left their houses, lands,
And all on earth beside,
To tend upon this flock’s demands,
And for its wants provide.

They led the sheep thro’ frosts and snow,
O’er hill and dale they went,
Refresh’d them where sweet waters flow,
And thus their time they spent.

These men were often hungry, cold,
Grew weary, poor, and faint;
They took no fleece from off the fold,
Were silent in complaint.

This fold increas’d--spread o’er the green,
The sheep were fat and strong;
Then I beheld another scene,
Of something cruel, wrong.

The men who fed them shortly pin’d,
In poverty and pain,
They saw the sheep were not inclin’d,
To give them of their gain.

The faithful shepherds were but few,
The sheep would not obey;
They wanton’d on the shepherd’s due,
And thus they went astray.

Ah! cruel sheep, responded I,
Ungrateful and unkind,
To see your worthy shepherds die,
For them no raiment find.

They spent their time, and money, too,
To save you from your grief,
But now they find no love from you,
To give them blest relief.

Now give your shepherds what you owe,
And then they’ll lead you on;
Or else you’ll soon return to woe,
Be destitute--forlorn.