Page:The Homes of the New World- Vol. II.djvu/438

Rh products of Africa and the advantage which free African labour must have over slave-labour, together with the increasing resources of Liberia, he presented a poetically beautiful view of the possible future of the Ethiopic race in its mother country, this hot, mystic, Africa.

I had followed the preacher with the deepest interest. His concluding remarks awoke a vision within my soul.

I beheld that “hot, mystic Africa,” with its Mountains of the Moon, its Nile, its pyramids, and its tropical forests swarming with animal life and the luxuriance of the vegetable kingdom, awake to a new existence. I beheld Asia, with its old, primeval wisdom, its old, half-petrified kingdoms; Europe with its manifold kingdoms and people stamped with their living peculiarities of character; I beheld America, the youngest, but ere long the most powerful, of earth's grown up daughters, with her new men born from the morning dew of a new life; I beheld Australia, with its colonies of prodigal but forgiven sons again received into the father's house. I beheld them all raise themselves anew, in the name of the Prince of Peace, and all unite, as never before on the face of the earth, in songs of praise at the Divine Nativity, “Glory to God in the Highest; on earth peace and good-will to man!”

A stream of melodious sound burst through the church, bearing with it the words of the song of praise. I recognised that mighty, magnificent chorus. I had heard it before, but I knew not where. It seemed to me that it was the soul of every song of praise on earth.

It was that Swedish Mass, “Praise and thank the Lord,” &c., which was sung by the choir of the church. I had to thank a countryman of mine, the director of the choir of this church, for this pleasure. When the congregation arose and sang Hallelujah in the song of my native land, sang it for my people, and for all people on earth, it was glorious!—But I then could not sing.