The Song of the Prophets
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Shall we, the saints of
These last days, not bend
Our ears—yea listen close
With hearts atuned unto God’s Word—
Spoken down thru ages past
Unto His faithful prophets old?
Who, singing out their message
As it were on ten-stringed harps
Like vibrant music, faint at first,
Comes humming, singing, carried on
By winds of time along
To us—upon whom the age
Doth end. ’Til now
The music swells into
A mighty orchestra of melodies,
A swelling chorus with
One single theme—Salvation for mankind!
That in ages still to come
God’s perfect will shall bless the earth
Thru Christ his Son—Redeemer—King.

—Alice M. Ripper, Poems of the Way, p. 127    

The Word of Truth
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The Word of Truth is like a stained-glass window rare,
    We stand outside and gaze, but see no beauty there,
No fair design, naught but confusion we behold;
    ’Tis only from within the glory will unfold,
And he who would drink in the rapture of the view
    Must climb the winding stair, the portal enter through.

The sacred door of Truth’s cathedral is most low,
    And all who fain would enter there the knee must bow
In deep humility. But once inside, the light
    Of day streams through and makes each color heavenly bright,
The Master’s great design we see, our hands we raise
    In reverent ecstasy of wonder, love, and praise!

—Poems of Dawn, p. 6          

The Oneness of the Family of God
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“How good and how pleasant for those of the Lord
   That together in unity dwell.”
There’s a oneness that’s sweet in the family of God
   Of which none but his children can tell.

For One is their Master, all brethren are they.
   One body, with Christ as their head.
Down the same narrow way do they go one by one,
   By the one Holy Spirit they’re led.

There’s no “Jew and no Greek,” nor yet bond-man nor free,
   All “one in Christ Jesus” are they.
Their faults are all hid ’neath his own righteous robe,
   And his one law of love they obey.

How precious indeed is this family of God,
   One faith, hope and baptism theirs.
They’ll be fed from one table, the Truth of his Word
   ’Til with them his blest Kingdom he shares.

Oh the rapture they’ll know, for their one Father, God
   Hath called them to be his Son’s bride.
On his throne they will sit by their one Saviour Lord,
   With their King they shall reign at his side.

There’ll be oneness in heaven and oneness on earth
   When the dead unto life they’ll restore.
Then the “Paradise lost” shall again be “regained”—
   Unto God they’ll sing praise evermore.

—Poems of the Way, p. 63     

Psalm 72 [selected verses]
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1.  O Lord, thy judgments give the king,
      His son thy righteousness.
 Thy people he shall justly judge;
      Thy poor with uprightness.

2.   The lofty mountains shall bring forth
      To all the people peace;
 The little hills shall also yield
      The same by righteousness.

4.  They shall thee fear while sun and moon
      Do last through ages all;
 He’ll come like rain on meadows mown,
      Or showers on earth that fall.

5.  The just shall flourish in his days,
      And prosper in his reign;
 And while the moon endures he shall
      Abundant peace maintain.

6.  His large and great dominion shall
      From sea to sea extend;
 It from the river shall reach forth
      To earth’s remotest end.

7.   They in the wilderness that dwell
      Bow down before him must;
 And they that are his enemies
      Shall lick the very dust.

9.  Yea, all the mighty kings on earth
      Before him down shall fall;
 And all the nations of the world
      Do service to him shall.

10.   For he the needy will set free,
      When he on him shall call;
 He’ll save the poor, and those for whom
     There is no help at all.

12.  Both from deceit and violence,
      Their souls he shall set free;
 And also in his sight their blood
      Shall very precious be.

18.   And blessed be his glorious name
      To all eternity:
 The whole earth let his glory fill.
      Amen, so let it be.

—Sweet Songs of Ancient Israel             
          

Carl Hagensick Obituary
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Carl Hagensick
Sept. 17, 1934 — May 23, 2008

Carl Hagensick has tirelessly devoted himself to serving Bible Students and others worldwide both in personal visits and his writings. He became a director of the Pastoral Bible Institute and the managing editor of this journal in 1992. At first he managed every issue and wrote many of the articles himself. When The Herald became theme oriented, Carl selected most of the themes.

Although paralyzed from the waist down for the last seventeen years, Carl acknowledged no limitations. He still travelled to Bible conferences and wrote extensively. Only at the end of his life when communication required him to point to letters on a chart to spell out words did he “slow down.”

His contributions to the Pastoral Bible Institute and specifically this publication have been extensive. We rejoice knowing that the limitations of his earthly body are now in the past and he is ready for what he has been anticipating during most of his life.