A STRANGE STORY by Jessie F. Waggoner

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Apr 12, 1905

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 31, No. 15.

A STRANGE STORY.

By Jessie F. Waggoner

BY JESSIE F. WAGGONER.

A MADMAN with wild asses in the field, And fed with grass, like oxen, while his hair, Long grown like eagles' feathers, hangs unkempt Around his haggard face,—his nails like claws!

A sad, yet joyous, story his, more strange Than fiction, and more weird. Of royal birth, And learned in all the wisdom of the schools, At length crowned king of no mean realm, he rose Until, in time, a king of kings was he. As gold surpasses silver, brass, and iron, His realm surpassed succeeding realms in power. As flourishes a tree in midst of earth, Until in height it reaches unto heav'n And forms a shelter for all beasts and birds, And meat provides for every living thing, So he did grow until his greatness reached The skies, and his dominion unto earth's Remotest bounds.

Had he but thankful been, And recognized the Source of all his good, All had been well. But Pride, the hateful imp, Crept in and filled his heart with vanity. And then he fell, as every one will fall Who hearkens unto these sly whisperings Of hell.

Think not that he had ne'er been warned, When darkness wrapped the earth in swaddling bands, And quiet night wooed even kings to rest, A holy watcher sped from worlds on high, And paused not till he reached the monarch's bed. What scenes now burst upon his dazzled eyes! No wonder he was troubled and afraid, For there upon his chamber walls he saw Such pictures as he ne'er had seen before. He saw himself, a mighty tree, that reached Quite up to heaven, and over all the earth, That sheltered beast and fowl 'neath fairest leaves! And nourished, with its goodly fruits, all flesh. He saw a holy one come down from heav'n; With trembling heart, he heard him cry, "Hew down The tree! Cut off his boughs! Shake off his leaves! And scatter all his fruit! Let all the beasts Withdraw from under it, and fowls from off His boughs. But leave the stump [Blest ray of hope!] And let the dews of heaven water it. Give him his portion out among the beasts, And let his heart be changed from man's to beast's, Let seven times pass over him, to this Intent: that he and all who live may know That the Most High doth rule in earth as well As heaven, and giveth it to whom He will."

Had he now broken off his sins by right, His wrongs, by showing mercy to the poor, It might have lengthened his tranquility. But at the end of twelve short months, He walked upon his palace and o'erlooked His vast domain with thoughts of self alone. He spake, and said, "Is not this Babylon The great that I have built by my great pow'r, And for the honor of my name?" While yet The word was in the monarch's mouth, there fell

A voice from heaven which said, "Thy kingdom is Departed from thee, till thou learn to know That He who rules on earth is God alone." And that same hour was it fulfilled, and he Was driven out to live among the beasts!

O pride, how great thy fall! How deep the vale Of thy humility! But better learn The lesson thus, than not to learn at all. If plants refuse to grow in shine, then they Must grow in shade. And if the Spirit's fruits Refuse to grow 'neath sunny skies, then rain And storm-clouds needs must come; for Love can not Forsake one heart so long as there is hope.

And grow they did—the precious fruits,—in this Poor monarch's heart, for at the end of those Sad days, he lifted up his eyes and lo, His mind returned, and sweet Humility And Faith, with Love and Joy and Peace, were there! He praised and blessed and honored Him that lives And reigns forevermore, before whom all Who live on earth are naught, who doeth as He will in heaven and earth, and none can stay His hand, or say to Him, "What doest Thou?"

And now behold the goodness of the Lord! Not only did the monarch's mind return, But kingdom, honor, majesty as well, While all his counsellors and lords again Sought unto him. And Neb'chadnezzar praised, Extolled, and honored then the King of heav'n, "Whose works," he said, "are truth, and ways are just, And those that walk in pride He can abase!"

This story of God's wondrous works with him, He sent to all the earth, and you, that you May learn in shine, what he did learn in shade.