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Article THE DOOM OF ADMAH. ← Page 2 of 3 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Doom Of Admah.
his arm , and raising him , hurried him onward ; while a voice whispered in his ear— " Fear not ! darkness hath no terrors , nor hath the fire or the water power over him , whose trust is in the hand that shaped them . " At length they arrived at what appeared to be a wall , barring all farther progress . The dark , opaque stones became transparent at her touch , revealing the interior of a large illuminated chamber . Its walls were covered with hieroglyphical figures ; its roof was a representation of the
firmament of heaven , in the centre of which burned a star of dazzling lustre ; the flooring was inlaid with mosaic work of exquisite workmanship , and in the east , south , and west , were three pillars of polished marble , inscribed with the names of Wisdom , Strength , ancl Beauty .
A great number of persons were walking with measured steps around an altar of pure white marble , situated in the centre of the building , on which was written in letters of gold— " Love to Gocl , goodwill towards men . " At length they halted , ancl approaching the altar , they one by one threw incense upon the fire burning thereon ; they then joined their hands , and raising them to heaven , exclaimed , " As the smoke of this incense , O Lord , ascends unto the clouds , ancl becomes even as they , so teach our spirits to assimilate unto thy divine love . " And she saicl unto him
, "What thinkest thou , son of man ? what thinkest thou ?" And he said , " It is a goodly sight . " " It is a goodly sight , " she answered , " to him who seeth but with the eye of human knowledge : but to that gaze which searcheth the heart , it is as the painted sepulchre , which hideth the reeking carcass of corruption . Look again , " she cried , and as she spoke she placed her hand upon his eyes . When she again withdrew it , they were withered as a piece of vellum in the flame . " His eyes were darkened , yet still he saw . The men were still standing
around the altar ; one eye of each was closed , their tongues were lolling out of their mouths , and each placed his forefinger to his nose , while a derisive laugh burst from all , and echoed through the building . Ha ! Ha ! All then became indistinct : gradually the heterogenous mass again arranged itself into form , and displayed the interior of the same chamber . Close to the altar was a group of statuary of the highest art ; so beautifully wrought , that the eye would have hesitated ere it pronounced as to its material : the lifeless marble seemed so instinct with
life . The tableau was of three figures , grouped around a something which had the appearance of the human form , but whose intense brightness rendered it too dazzling for the senses to discern its true shape or substance . One of the figures grasping a cross , appeared to gaze with
the confidence of a child upon a triangle in a circle ; such implicit trust was depicted in its features , it seemed an embodyment of human faith clinging to the promises of the Eternal Deity . The second , leaning upon an anchor , lifted its eyes from earth and fixed them with an eternal gaze on heaven . The third , still more beautiful , with an aspect even more confiding , more hopeful , had an expression of kindness so mild , so loving , you would have deemed some sculpture-poet had given his dream of divine love a local habitation , and fixed the living stamp of
genius upon the lifeless marble . Scarcely hacl be uttered an exclamation of delight , ere the crowd of noisy revellers again appeared . Awhile they danced with frantic gestures around the figures , and then seizing them , pulled them from their pedestal , and threw them into a corner of the chamber . Again they rushed out , and returned , bearing three other figures , which they set up in the place of those they had removed . Like the former , they were of exquisite workmanship , and the lifelike expression thus imparted , tended the more strongly to increase the
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Doom Of Admah.
his arm , and raising him , hurried him onward ; while a voice whispered in his ear— " Fear not ! darkness hath no terrors , nor hath the fire or the water power over him , whose trust is in the hand that shaped them . " At length they arrived at what appeared to be a wall , barring all farther progress . The dark , opaque stones became transparent at her touch , revealing the interior of a large illuminated chamber . Its walls were covered with hieroglyphical figures ; its roof was a representation of the
firmament of heaven , in the centre of which burned a star of dazzling lustre ; the flooring was inlaid with mosaic work of exquisite workmanship , and in the east , south , and west , were three pillars of polished marble , inscribed with the names of Wisdom , Strength , ancl Beauty .
A great number of persons were walking with measured steps around an altar of pure white marble , situated in the centre of the building , on which was written in letters of gold— " Love to Gocl , goodwill towards men . " At length they halted , ancl approaching the altar , they one by one threw incense upon the fire burning thereon ; they then joined their hands , and raising them to heaven , exclaimed , " As the smoke of this incense , O Lord , ascends unto the clouds , ancl becomes even as they , so teach our spirits to assimilate unto thy divine love . " And she saicl unto him
, "What thinkest thou , son of man ? what thinkest thou ?" And he said , " It is a goodly sight . " " It is a goodly sight , " she answered , " to him who seeth but with the eye of human knowledge : but to that gaze which searcheth the heart , it is as the painted sepulchre , which hideth the reeking carcass of corruption . Look again , " she cried , and as she spoke she placed her hand upon his eyes . When she again withdrew it , they were withered as a piece of vellum in the flame . " His eyes were darkened , yet still he saw . The men were still standing
around the altar ; one eye of each was closed , their tongues were lolling out of their mouths , and each placed his forefinger to his nose , while a derisive laugh burst from all , and echoed through the building . Ha ! Ha ! All then became indistinct : gradually the heterogenous mass again arranged itself into form , and displayed the interior of the same chamber . Close to the altar was a group of statuary of the highest art ; so beautifully wrought , that the eye would have hesitated ere it pronounced as to its material : the lifeless marble seemed so instinct with
life . The tableau was of three figures , grouped around a something which had the appearance of the human form , but whose intense brightness rendered it too dazzling for the senses to discern its true shape or substance . One of the figures grasping a cross , appeared to gaze with
the confidence of a child upon a triangle in a circle ; such implicit trust was depicted in its features , it seemed an embodyment of human faith clinging to the promises of the Eternal Deity . The second , leaning upon an anchor , lifted its eyes from earth and fixed them with an eternal gaze on heaven . The third , still more beautiful , with an aspect even more confiding , more hopeful , had an expression of kindness so mild , so loving , you would have deemed some sculpture-poet had given his dream of divine love a local habitation , and fixed the living stamp of
genius upon the lifeless marble . Scarcely hacl be uttered an exclamation of delight , ere the crowd of noisy revellers again appeared . Awhile they danced with frantic gestures around the figures , and then seizing them , pulled them from their pedestal , and threw them into a corner of the chamber . Again they rushed out , and returned , bearing three other figures , which they set up in the place of those they had removed . Like the former , they were of exquisite workmanship , and the lifelike expression thus imparted , tended the more strongly to increase the