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6
THE 3I3LE ANT) VARIOUS TOTUTS OI POETRY
(Second in Series.)
MONG the Latins, the refined and
courtly Vergil, in his Eclogues,
following the model of Greek pre
decessors, has given beautiful and
melodious examples of pastoral
poetry. During the Middle Ages,
pastoral poetry was largely un
known; with the revival of the
classic spirit, however, the pas-
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toral soon reappears. England and Scotland
have given us fine examples of this simple
and charming element in poetic composition.
But nowhere shall we find this style of poetry
of a nobler character and of more enduring
fame than we find it in the Word of God.
Some Psalms of David sing themselves in the
soul with the song of the bird, the odor of the
flower, and the fragrance of the field as their
inseparable accompaniments. So long as culti
vated minds enjoy pastoral poetry, so long will
these sweet songs of Israel’s immortal singer
have their place on the page of the Bible and
in the memory of all its devoted students.
Not otherwise is it with lyric poetry. This
is a name given to songs which originally were
accompanied by the music of the lyre. This
species of poetry is closely related to the
thoughts, sentiments, and emotions of the com
poser’s own mind and heart. It is subjective,
in opposition to epic poetry, which necessarily
is chiefly objective. It, therefore, comes to be
marked by shorter productions than epics,
whose historic sweep necessarily lengthens the
poem itself. Lyric poems are songs of war,
of home, and of love; they are the songs, to a
remarkable degree, of the heart. And, as a
result, they have a great place in the thought of
simple as well as cultured minds in all ages and
in all parts of the world. In this poetry, the
Bible abounds and excels. Here we see the
heart abandoning itself, under the sway of
lofty emotion and divine inspiration, to its
fullest and noblest expression. We see the
poet clothing his own feelings and the feel
ings of others in glowing language, as the
feelings express themselves in lofty emotion.
In the Bible, we hear the very music of He
brew life, home, and love. We have lyrics
expressing gratitude in public worship, and
sweetness and tenderness in domestic affec
tion. We have lyrics commemorating heroic
victories, celebrating Jewish marriages, and
embodying profoundest grief. As we read these
BEAUTIFUL MESSAGE FROM BURTON A. HALL
' <4*MN**n*s*
MAKE it a part of my business, in
connection with my revivel work
to take subscriptions for The
Golden Age. And in this, I as
sure you, I take a special delight,
for I feel that it is the work of
God. I as much believe that God
calls newspaper editors as I be
lieve He calls men to preach. And
the uncharitable world is waking up to the
fact that the press is one of the greatest agents,
if not the greatest, in shaping and molding the
politics and religion of the world. And you
show me the trend of the politics and religion
of a people and I will prophesy to you the des
tiny to which that nation is -marching. One
year ago to-day I was in the Holy City of Je
rusalem, and much of the ignorance, poverty
and rags can be partly explained in the fact
that that great city of over 70,000 people has
but one newspaper; and it is struggling for
existence. When the clouds and mist have
rolled away, and we meet in that great judg
ment day, I am sure the righteous Judge will
give to many a Christian journalist a reward
equal to that of many of the earth’s greatest
preachers.
I take some six or eight papers, but The
Ey %obirt Stuart Mac Arthur, Minister of Calbary “Baptist Church, Nelv York City, Since May 15, iSjo.
The Golden Age for March 23, 1911.
stirring lyrics, we seem to hear the ancient
Hebrew lyre as its music echoes from harvest
fields, Jewish homes, and loathsome prisons,
as well as from the hillsides of the land and
the temple of God.
We also have in the Bible some of the very
best examples of elegiac poetry. In David’s
lament over the death of Saul and Jonathan
we have a blending of human sorrow and
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poetic beauty such as can scarcely be surpass
ed or even equalled by any other literature in
the world. This lamentation is a picture of
distress as tender as it is striking. Here a
great soul pours itself out in images of manly
love and in language of genuine poetic fervor.
It is almost impossible to read the noble
words without finding every word “swollen
with a sigh or broken with a sob.” This sub
lime lamentation deserves to have a conspicu
ous place on the page of literature wherever
tender sentiment, heroic courage, and poetic
beauty are admired.
We have not in the Bible any example of
epic poetry. Perhaps it is not to be expected
that this species of poetry should find a place
on the page of revelation. It refers, as has
Golden Age is always the most welcome vis
itor.
In securing my subscriptions, I always
promise my friends that they shall hear from
me through your columns. And to those dear
friends scattered over this great South land
where I have laboured in meetings, I send this
simple little message: “Be strong in the Lord
and in the power of His might.” If you be
tempted to do wrong, get busy doing right.
If your faith is growing weak exercise man
fully what little you have and you will soon
have more. If the load is becoming too heavy,
it is because you are getting too far away from
your partner (Christ). Are the clouds thick
and heavy? go on, for you may be just over
topping a mountain of blessing, and the de
scent will be both pleasant and victorious.
Have you about decided to quit the Church?
Don’t do that, for if you can scarcely hold out
with the Church to help you, what would you
do with out this help. Don’t you like your pas
tor? Just take him a good mess of something
to eat, kneel down by his side and have an
earnest prayer together, an earnest prayer and
a hearty cry will set you and the pastor all
right Have some of our new converted gone
astray? Don’t speak of it to any one—just go
already been hinted, chiefly to outward objects
for its subject. It finds its best embodiment in
such works as the “Iliad” and “Odyssey” of
Homer, the “AEneid” of Virgil, the “Jerusa
lem Delivered” of Tasso, Milton’s “Paradise
Lost,” and Dante’s “Divine Comedy.” Neither
do we find in the Bible the drama in its full
ness. It ought to be affirmed, however, that
in the Old Testament there are numerous in
stances of dramatic dialogue, as in the Book
of Job; and also of lyric poems, placed in
dramatic connections, in Solomon’s Song. But
the drama, in the strictly technical sense, we do
not find in Hebrew literature. It is to Greece
alone that we must look for the invention of
the drama in its perfection of poetical art and
human genius. We do not expect in the Bible
to find either a Euripides or a Shakespeare.
The most recent criticism, however, has fully
and satisfactorily shown that the song of Solo
mon contains many genuine dramatic features.
Solomon is a striking type of a sensual mon
arch. He has carried off to his harem a north
ern shepherd maiden. In the poem, she ap
pears surrounded by ladies of his court, who
endeavor to induce her to submit to the life
which awaits her in the palace. The king,
however, is unable to overcome the maiden’s
fervent attachment to her shepherd lover whom
she has left behind in the north country. Sov
ereign though he is, he is finally obliged to
retire from pressing his suit, and to acknowl
edge himself thwarted in his desire. The
poem closes with the triumph of pure and
loyal love in the happy union of these peasant
lovers. All through the history of the church
commentators have found that this beautiful
song was a song of love; but whether it was
earthly or spiritual love, was a question that
greatly perplexed Biblical critics. Many of
the interpretations are allegorical, the
Church and Christ appearing as the chief sub
jects of the poem; Christ being the beloved
bridegroom, and the believing and loving soul
being the Church, the bride. This allegorical
interpretation ought to be abandoned; but
whatever interpretation may be given, the
presence of the dramatic element in this Song
of Songs must be recognized, and it is recog
nized in the latter interpretations, which give
the poem a clear setting and make its move
ment strong in thought, clear in action, and in
spired in its results.
Calvary Study, New York City.
put your arms around them and love them back
into the blessed fellowship of the saints. One
loved back is worth forty turned out. Has
the death angel come into your home since I
saw you? Don’t be rebelious. It was for the
best. Don’t be selfish. God loves that one far
more than you were capable of loving it. He
wanted it with Him. Has your boy left the
old home and gone out into the wicked world?
Do you feel sad and lonely and almost for
saken? Dry away those tears —cheer up. If
you made mistakes in raising the boy, don’t
worry about that, God who once freely forgave
you and saved you will just as willingly for
give those errors. Make your confession to
the boy. Be prayerful and submissive; you
will lock arms with that boy and walk over
the flower gardens of God together some day.
Finally, my friends: Don’t worry too much
because you are not always bright and happy.
Remember that religion is not “feeling,” but
service humbly rendered to God and humanity.
After the storm is the calm,
After the tear the song,
After the trial the victory,
Afte. the cross the crown!
Leonard, Texas, March 13, 1911.
