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Fulfillment – 9 September 2006

Today, while leafing through an old book (published 1926) of religious poetry, I stopped to read a poem that I can’t remember ever hearing or reading before. The poem, Fulfillment, was written in 1826 by William Augustus Muhlenberg who was born in Philadelphia in 1796 to a German Lutheran family. In 1817 he was ordained an Episcopalian priest, and called himself an “Evangelical Catholic.” From what I was able to find out about him, he seems to have lived his faith and ministered to all social groups.

Here is his poem:

Fulfillment
William A. Muhlenberg
(1796-1877)

Oh, cease, my wandering soul,
On restless wing to roam:
All this wide world, to either pole,
Hath not for thee a home.

Behold the ark of God!
Behold the open door!
Oh, haste to gain that dear abode,
And rove, my soul, no more.

There safe shalt thou abide
There sweet shall be thy rest;
And every longing satisfied
With full salvation blest.

After reading this poem to Frank, he suggested that I explain, in my Blog, why I like it. Well – I find it comforting, because I can identify with what comes through as the writer’s dissatisfaction with this world. Although he was fairly young when he composed these words, he apparently was aware of the suffering and hardness of heart of those around him and tried to make this world a better place, before he could move on to eternal life with God. I also thought of the Bible verse in which Jesus tells us to be in the world, but not of the world.

I hope you like it, too.
 

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