The Ledger of Heaven

O, the wonderful ledger the angels keep!

And the watchful eyelids that never sleep,

And the tireless penmen that watch and weep

Over the words they write!

How oft are the hearts of the angels pained,

And how oft are the pages soiled and stained!

How much is lost and how little gained

In struggling for the right!

‘Tis thus I mused, in the twilight gray,

In the deep’ning gloom at the close of day,

Ere I rev’rently knelt by my couch to pray,

And laid me down to rest.

And I dreamed that a glorious angel fair

Had borne me away through the boundless air,

To the pearly gates of that city where

Dwelt the good and blest.

O, the peace I felt, as my mortal tongue

Joined in the songs that the seraphs sung,

As back were the massive portals flung

At the touch of the angel’s hand!

We stood on the banks of the river wide,

Which flows from the throne in a crystal tide,

And I safely followed my shining guide

Over that blissful land.

Still on through the ambient air we sped,

Till he laid his hand on my trembling head;

“Behold the ledger of heaven,” he said,

And quick on my wond’ring view

There seemed to flash, like a ray of light,

The mystic pen of an angel bright,

As he wrote in the ledger pure and white

The record of life—so true!

And every deed of my life was there—

The careless word and the honest prayer;

And some of the pages were white and fair,

And others were soiled with sin.

And the thoughts of my heart that were long concealed

Were written down and all revealed.

And, O, how I wished that the book were sealed,

And the record were hid within!

And my cheek was crimson as, one by one,

I read the record of deeds I’d done,

And of victories lost that I might have won,

In the hour of mortal strife,

And of gentle words that I might have said;

But, ah! There were hasty words instead;

And now were the golden moments fled,

And mine was a misspent life!

“O, had I but known!” in my grief I cried,

And weeping turned to the angel’s side.

“I bring thee hope,” said the angel guide,

“Thy Saviour has prayed for thee;

And thou shalt return to the earth again,

And dwell once more ‘mong the sons of men.

But, O, remember the angel’s pen!

Ah! What shall thy record be?”

With tears of joy at length I woke,

And rose from my couch, for the morn had broke.

“The Lord be praised!” were the words I spoke,

“For the beautiful lesson given.

I will guard my lips with a jealous care,

I will keep my heart from the tempter’s snare,

Lest sin be found on the pages fair

Of the record book of heaven.”

My soul, how oft have the angels wept

Over the shameful record kept,

While the daughters of Zion have idly slept,

Nor dreamed of their fearful doom!

O, haste, for the moments are passing fast,

Ere the summer is ended, the harvest past,

And the ledger of heaven is read at last,

And the King of kings shall come!

            - Mrs. L. D. Avery-Smith