Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, CEILED HOUSES; A MESSAGE FOR THESE TIMES, by WILLIAM ARTHUR DUNKERLEY


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

CEILED HOUSES; A MESSAGE FOR THESE TIMES, by                    
First Line: What are these ceiled houses?'
Last Line: "your self-made gods or me!"
Alternate Author Name(s): Oxenham, John
Subject(s): Religion; Theology


(Two thousand five hundred years ago Haggai delivered this message. It has been on the way ever
since, and is as much needed to-day as it was then. Conditions alter. Facts and results
unfortunately remain the same. The world must bear its load until it learns its lesson.)

"What are these ceiled houses?"
Asked the Prophet coldly, --
His eyes like smouldering fires,
And the people answered boldly, --
"These be our houses, Man of God,
The houses where we dwell."

"And these half-builded walls?"
And they answered, timorous-boldly, --
"That is the Lord's house, waiting safer times
To finish building....
We have had so much to do ...
Our flocks to tend, our crops to rear,
Our wives and little ones to guard and cherish,
Our cities to repair, --
And all o'erburdenened with the care
Of foes against us everywhere."

Then flamed the God within him, --
"Is this a time to hap yourselves in comfort,
And the Lord's house still unbuilt?
Thus saith the Lord, --
Consider now your ways! --
Hard you have toiled and builded -- for yourselves,
Each man of you has toiled and builded -- for himself;
Early and late you toiled and builded -- for yourselves,
And yet you have not prospered.
Much have you sown -- and yet have little reaped,
Much have you eaten -- but were hungry still,
Much drunk -- yet were not filled,
Much clothing worn -- but yet were never warm,
And that you earned you put in bags with holes.
You looked for much, and little came of it. --
And why? --
Because of this Mine House left desolate!
Hard have you toiled -- but not for Me; --
Much have you cared -- but not for Me;
And so -- because you left Me out of it,
Lo, I have blown upon your work
And brought it all to nought.
Consider now your ways!"

Then did that people take God's word to heart
And turned again to Him;
And He abode with them and prospered them.

And unto us He says, --
"Ay, you have built to Me most wondrously,
But yet your hearts you turned away from Me,
And followed other gods.
And I have prospered you most bounteously,
But yet your hearts you turned away from Me,
And followed other gods.
Wealth, Pleasure, Power, Ease, -- and baser things, --
These were your gods.
And so I blew upon your work
And brought it low.
For I, God, am a jealous God;
Yea, I am very jealous for your good.
Ye cannot serve these other gods and Me;
Consider now your ways!
And choose this day whom ye will serve.
Your self-made gods or Me!"





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