WEIGHED IN THE BALANCE by Mrs. L. D. Avery-Stuttle

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Dec 9, 1897

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 23, No. 48.

WEIGHED IN THE BALANCE.

By Mrs. L. D. Avery-Stuttle

The lords were assembled, the gay lords assembled, The princes assembled in grandeur and might, While mighty Belshazzar, the great king Belshazzar, The gay king Belshazzar, did feast them that night.

“Bring forth all the vessels, the bright golden vessels, The fair, sacred vessels,” commanded the king, “Which were in the temple, the beautiful temple, The wonderful temple; go, haste ye and bring, “That I and my princes, my fair lords and princes, My ladies and princes, in them may drink wine; For who such great power can show for an hour— Such wonderful power as this power of mine?”

Then brought they the vessels, the fair, sacred vessels, And drank in the vessels and worshiped alone The idols of silver, of gold and of silver, Of brass and of silver and iron and stone.

Then in that same hour, that brief selfsame hour, That terrible hour most dreadful of all, Came forth a man's fingers,—came forth bloodless fingers,— Came white, livid fingers, and wrote on the wall.

Then in great consternation, in dread consternation, With awful sensation the word passed around: “Thou art weighed in the balance, Jehovah's dread balance, Jehovah's just balance, and wanting art found.”

Thus, while the world feasteth, in revelry feasteth, In carelessness feasteth, the summons will come: “The Bridegroom appeareth, his chariot-car neareth, The universe heareth; make haste to thy doom.”

But yet there is mercy, for sinners there's mercy, For all there is mercy while Jesus yet pleads; His blood still availeth, His prayer now prevaileth, His love never faileth, He still intercedes.

MRS. L. D. AVERY-STUTTLE.

Battle Creek, Mich.