“Let There Be Light,” Thus Spake the Word

Let there be light

thus spake the Word;

The Word was God

and there was light;

Still the cre­at­ive voice is heard;

A day is born from ev­ery night.

And ev­ery night shall turn to day

While months

and years

and ag­es roll;

But we have seen a bright­er ray

Dawn on the cha­os of the soul.

Nor we alone; its wak­en­ing smiles

Have broke the gloom of pa­gan sleep:

The Word hath reached the ut­most isles

God’s Spir­it moves up­on the deep.

Already from the dust of death

Man in his mak­er’s im­age stands;

Once more in­hales im­mor­tal breath

And stretch­es forth to Heav’n his hands.

From day to day

be­fore our eyes

Glows and ex­tends the work be­gun;

When shall the new cre­ation rise

On ev­ery land be­neath the sun?

When

in the Sab­bath of His love

Shall God amidst His la­bors rest;

And

bend­ing from His throne ab­ove

Again pro­nounce His crea­tures blessed?