With different colour glows each ray
That joins to feed the solar day.
Yet, each commingling as they pass,
They lose distinction in the mass,
Where Iris-hues, grown tintless quite,
Stand wondering at their own pure White.
Yet prove that White with sifting lens,
No more it cheats the dazzled sense;
But, re-transmuted to the view,
Beams back its red-or green-or blue.
Nor less, in every church gregarious,
Opinion’s colours are as various.
Nor less each hue with other locks,
To form the pure white Orthodox;
That scorns all other shade-sectarian!-
Plain Quaker-drab, or half-tint Arian.
But if-as philosophic use is-
We try Experimentum Crucis;
To find if what so whitely beams
Be, in good sooth, the thing it seems;
From moral lens, in varying streak,
How soon the lines diverge and break!
Observe how rule of faith refracts
From doctrine-here; and, there, from facts.
How many a lurking tinge comes out;
What intersecting lines of doubt.
And that broad stripe of scepticism,
See, how it flashes from the prism.
In prudence, now, we break the glass;
We must view churches but in mass.
Nor split too nicely at the focus
Opinions, jumbled hocus-pocus.
MORAL.
Churches! Churches! hence take heed;
And give the tolerance which ye need.
Your whitest orthodox effulgence
Worth no one ray-from wise indulgence.
(John Kenyon)
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Based on Topics: Sense & Perception Poems, Christianity Poems, Belief & Faith Poems, Doubt & Skepticism Poems, Facts Poems, Moderation & Temperance Poems, Morality Poems, Opinions Poems, Tolerance PoemsBased on Keywords: gregarious, diverge, intersecting, arian, crucis, hocus-pocus, scepticism, experimentum, refracts, iris-hues