friends.  His mouth of love emptied the dark cup of inexpressible affliction.  In fearful anguish approached the hour of the new world’s birth.  Deeply was he touched with the old world’s fearful death—­the weight of the old world fell heavily upon him.  Once more he gazed placidly upon the mother, then came the loosening hand of eternal love, and he slumbered.  Few days only hung a deep veil over the swelling sea, over the quaking land; the beloved ones wept countless tears; the mystery was unsealed:  the ancient stone heavenly spirits raised from the dark grave.  Angels sat beside the slumberer, tenderly formed out of his dreams.  Awakened in the new glory of a god, he ascended the height of the new-born world; and with his own hand buried within the deserted sepulchre the old one’s corpse, and with almighty hand placed over it the stone no power can raise.

Yet do thy dear ones weep rich tears of joy, tears of emotion, and of eternal gratitude beside thy grave; even yet, with glad alarm, do they behold thee rise, themselves with thee; behold thee weeping, with sweet feeling, on the happy bosom of thy mother, solemnly walking with thy friends, speaking words as if broken from the tree of life; see thee hasten, full of longing, to thy Father’s arms, bringing the young race of man, and the cup of a golden future, which shall never be exhausted.  The mother soon followed thee in heavenly triumph; she was the first to join thee in the new home.  Long ages have flown by since then, and ever in yet higher glory hath thy new creation grown, and thousands from out of pain and misery have, full of faith and longing, followed thee; roam with thee and the heavenly virgin in the realm of love, serve in the temple of heavenly Death, and are in eternity thine.

“Lifted is the stone,
   Manhood hath arisen: 
Still are we thine own,
   Unharmed by bond or prison. 
When earth—­life—­fade away
   In the last meal’s solemn gladness,
Around thy cup dare stray
   No trace of grief or sadness.

To the marriage, Death doth call,
   The brilliant lamps are lighted;
The virgins come, invited,
   And oil is with them all. 
Space now to space is telling
   How forth thy train hath gone,
The voice of stars is swelling
   With human tongue and tone!

To thee, Maria, hallowed,
   A thousand hearts are sent;
In this dark life and shadowed,
   On thee their thoughts are bent: 
The soul’s releasement seeing
   They, longing, seek its rest;
By thee pressed, holy being,
   Upon thy faithful breast.

How many who, once glowing,
   Earth’s bitterness have learned,
Their souls with grief o’erflowing,
   To thee have sadly turned;
Thou pitying hast appeared,
   In many an hour of pain;
We come to thee now, wearied,
   There ever to remain.

By no cold grave now weepeth
   A faithful love, forlorn;
Each still love’s sweet rights keepeth,
   From none will they be torn. 
To soften his sad longing
   Her fires doth Night impart;
From heaven cherubs thronging,
   Hold watch upon his heart.