The Bands of Orion by Eliza H. Morton

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 22, 1914

The Bands of Orion

By Eliza H. Morton

ELIZA H. MORTON

Orion, king of constellations, fair, "O, who can loose thy bands?" O, who can stay Thy course? A group, a family, thou art, Bound by a chain invisible, and all Thy bands are strong. Pleiades knows them well. United stars! O mighty power in space! The puny arm of man cannot dissolve Thy rolling suns, nor start one little world From out its orbit path. 'Tis God, and God Alone, who holds the stars within their course, And he would also hold his church adown The path of time by influences sweet, And make its members shine as stars. The God Who cares for whirling suns will care for us.

"Deep calleth unto deep" within thy sky,— A cavern vast in space, a shining way, A nebula, an opening beyond, and depths The human mind can ne'er, no, ne'er explore, A corridor of glory bright, star-lined, Leading to where?—To God's own throne afar, Round which the circling suns revolve, through which God's voice shall sound when time shall be no more. O star-decked path of pearly light! The one, The very one, through which our Saviour swept When he ascended to his Father's throne, And angels sang, "Lift up your heads, O gates! O, be ye lifted up, ye doors, and let The King of glory in, the mighty Lord!" And back the question came, "The King, who is The King of glory, who?" And all the stars Replied, "The Lord of hosts, he is the King."

And in the days not far, that King will come Adown that corridor, in glory clad. Eternal radiance from the throne will gleam, And stars will wheel and shine and voices sing, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is Thy victory?" For all the dead in Christ Will rise, and with their Lord and living saints Ascend, straight up that shining way, into The palace of the King; while angels chant, "Lift up your heads, ye gates! O lift them up, Ye everlasting doors, and let the King Of glory in!" "Who is the King of glory, who?" And all the starry throng respond, "The Lord Of hosts, he is the King of glory. He Is strong and mighty. He is King of all."

And through Orion's starry depths of light To earth will come a city fair when all The years millennial above have closed, The thousand years by prophets long foretold. O, Jerusalem,—Jerusalem, with gates Of pearl and streets of gold,—our hearts cry out For thee. Thy glory shimmers even now Through nebula in space, and now we hear, Or seem to hear, the song that Christ is King. And he will be our King, if we obey His word. O Saviour, come! O, quickly come!