Paradise Restored

By C. W. Kaighin

 

(“Emphasize” last word each line)

 

THIS IS HOW PARADISE WAS RESTORED

 

Refrain:

I see my Saviour hang-ing now

In agony and pain

Blood streaming from his thorn crowned-brow

Striped o’er and o’er again,

Nailed to the cross who took His part,

They pierced his quiv’ring side,

Spare them, He cried, poor broken heart

He took my place and died

Spare them He cried, poor broken heart

He took my place and died.

 

I pray these verses may not be

In vain – Misunderstood,

Or prove of dull monotony,

But definite and good;

Each line to individualize,

To magnify God’s grace,

How real was He to so devise

The plan, that saves our race

 

To those who understand how great

The doom of death would be,

The Spirit warns e’er ‘tis too late,

That every soul should see

The light which Jesus died to give,

The way all might receive

Eternal life, in Heaven to live

If only we believe

 

He tells us that the world must know

How He has set them free,

The prophecies all failed to show

However this could be;

I often wondered how could men

Bring every nook and clime

The Gospel e’er He’d come again

But He’ll be here on time.

 

He stilled the waves of Galilee

And caused the winds to cease –

Created Electricity

To tell the world of peace,

Good will on Earth His radios spread

In heathen lands remote,

He’s waking all the spiritual dead

These other waves denote.

 

And He to whom we must repent

Has shown us how to live,

He bro’t us life—we’re free at last,

Tis ours, without a cent,

Believe, before your day has passed,

Please, brother, do repent;

Be safe, acknowledge Him today,

Right where you sit or stand,

Don’t fool Eternal life away,

Tis yours, and right at hand.

 

Just to “believe”, changed my sad plight,

My heart was so oppressed

All thru my life, until the night

“Belief” bro’t peace and rest;

To prove His love He suffered much

And gave His life for me,

Who could deny a friend with such

A genuine guarantee?

 

O Yes—I found Him—when I tried

Just as I’d often heard,

He touched my heart—I laughed and cried,

He verified His Word.

No more tobacco, booze or smoke,

Curses and lies thrown in,

He wiped them out—one powerful stroke,

Bro’t joy untold within.

 

I told Him all, He lifted me

Where I could look away

Beyond the clouds and plainly see

The golden dawn of day;

From dear old Jordan dark and deep,

Which forms the big divide,

O’er which all nations stop and weep

The curtain rolled aside

 

I see the clouds above the tomb

Roll off as I draw near,

Revealing Eden’s richest bloom,

Our loved ones reappear;

I hear that everlasting song,

Sweet, Heavenly refrain,

O praise His Name, it won’t be long

E’er we shall meet again.

 

My angel mother—near the shore

Is looking down this way,

And father, who went long before,

I wonder what he’d say,

And brother Ed. If I’d drop in

Just now and say “Hello”

And sister Mona, pale and thin,

I’m sure she’d like it so.

 

But we’ll all be together soon,

These partings past and gone,

December will be changed to June,

Dark night to glorious dawn;

With Jesus—over there to be.

That joyful day is near,

That everlasting jubilee

Will crown our glories here.

 

This indescribable delight,

This satisfying treat,

Alone with Jesus day and night

Has changed my life complete.

These raptured glories come before

The final summons given,

To lift us closer to the door,

The vestibule of Heaven.

 

‘Tis joy the whole world cannot give

Nor can it take away,

Without this peace—I wouldn’t live

Or die, it wouldn’t pay;

I’m telling you, I am your friend

I hate to see you lost,

Christ’s life should be a recommend

His blood paid all the cost.

 

He bro’t me Paradise again

And He now lives within,

Where neither sorrow, death nor pain

Can enter—either sin;

I walk and talk with Him all day

Thru Eden’s mystic aisles,

Song birds and sunshine all the way

And joy and praise and smiles.

 

I used to think that Adam’s fall

Destroyed this garden fair,

But no, there’s luxuries for all

Who come, and much to spare;
The old “Pacific garden” gate,
  A side door to this place,
I found and hadn’t long to wait
  Until he heard my case.

 

How glad I am I hit the trail,
  God took away my shame,
I walked up front, kneeled at the rail,
  Confessed, and took the blame;
Repented, asked Him to forgive,
  Believed, t’was then that He
Revealed His Promise – “Thou shalt live”
  Thru all Eternity.

 

I knew exactly what that meant
  When I walked out of there –
Sin, doubt, and death, and darkness went
  Relieving every care;
Van Buren on to Dearborn Street,
  To Jackson Boulevard,
O’er Adams to Monroe I beat
  The way – tho’ long and hard

 

Seemed very short, and smooth and light,
  As Madison I crossed,
On thru the darkness and the night
  In Glory I was lost;
Went on to Washington in haste
  I cared for nothing now,
Of God’s real Joy I had a taste,
  Got home, but don’t know how.

 

*     *     *

 

Jesus, allow me to relate,

How You appeared that night,

To me—that more appreciate

Your live and power and might;

While joyfully I sang and prayed

As I lay on my bed,

A crown descended thru the shade

And stopped above my head.

 

A rare adornment, jeweled set,

Richly embossed with gold—

Another vision, closer yet,

Beneath it I behold

My Saviour’s face—More VICTORY,

Another finished treat,

He knew my faith was weak so He

Convinced me thus complete.

 

No doubting now, I sure believe,

Jesus appeared to me

To prove how Satan can deceive

Those of uncertainty;

What else—beside the power of God

Could transform so complete,

As I—so full of sin and fraud—

Resigned, at Jesus’ feet

 

Consider, says His Holy Word,

The lily pure and white,

In bashful solitude unheard

This wonder and delight;

It toileth not, nor does it spin,

Yet Solomon of old

With it his glories all thrown in,

Could not compare, we’re told.

 

The black and muddy swamp is where

This fragrant beauty grows—

Perfumes and purifies the air,

And where it comes from, shows

That God can raise His children out

Of sin much worse than mud

And wash them white, turn them about,

Redeemed in Jesus’ blood.

 

So buckle up your armour tight,

Be bold, don’t hesitate,

Hold Jesus up, He is the light,

The entrance and the gate;

No time for guess-work, or suppose,

No time for, I don’t care,

No time to hold a grudge for those

Who may have been unfair.

 

No time at all, to lose, oh, Lord,

Impress Thy servants all,

To boast of Thee to spread Thy Word,

Lest we ourselves might fall;

So Christian, whether cold or hot,

Come, work, with double zeal,

Convince the sinner on the spot,

A splendid place to deal

 

With those who really do not know

That Jesus died to save

Them from Eternal death and woe,

To life beyond the grave;

Aboard the cars or on the walk

Are souls that may be lost,

The time is short, we’ve got to talk

No matter what the cost.

 

Be instant, show them the light

And help them if they fall,

Or you’ll explain to God your right

To disobey His call;

Be not deceived, God is not mocked,

This warning is for you,

So use your light where sin has blocked

The sun from shining thru.

 

The Word of God says He will spew

Out of His mouth all those

Who lag behind His faithful few,

As neither friends or foes;

Get busy now, the time is short,

God will not compromise—

White, black or yellow, every sort,

Don’t wait to specialize.

 

We all have precious souls to save

How serious and how sad,

If we should lose beyond the grave

That life we should have had;

Oh, that this story might persuade

The world to try God’s plan,

Our’s is the very highest grade,

Prepared alone for man.

 

To Adam, God had planned to give

Eternal Paradise,

With Eve forever more to live

But he took her advice

To disobey the Lord and do

Our entire race—a wrong

‘Twas disobedience, they knew,

So they were not there long.

 

As God and sin could not agree

Our paradise was lost,

Then came a dark Eternity

And death to pay the cost;

In sorrow then a plan God tried

Our heritage to save

Thru which His Son we crucified

And sent Him to the grave.

 

‘Twas just like this and Christmas Day

‘Til then had been unknown,

Back in the mountains far away

An angel came alone

To just a few of God’s own choice

With tidings showing where

A gift which made the world rejoice

Was born—God’s Son and Heir

 

His name was Jesus, full of love,

He told us to repent

And thus regain our home above

The Cross was our consent;

The Holy Spirit took His place,

Gave us another chance,

To save thru His redeeming grace

Our lost inheritance.

 

Thru Him, dear Lord, O guide me now,

I’m weak and prone to sin,

I know I must be kept, that’s how

I’ll ever enter in.

Dear Jesus, ‘twas Thy sacrifice

To purge me with Thy blood,

Thou hast restored my paradise,

I’m reconciled to God.

 

In olden times men lived to be

Nine hundred years or more,

God’s Son showed us in thirty-three

What we were living for;

Now three score years and ten are ours

And we may live ‘til 4—

Which only bring those longing hours

For those who’ve gone before.

 

Thy resurrection from the dead

Transformed the lonely tomb,

Drove out our sorrow, fear and dread,

And made the desert bloom;

So did’st Thou send Thy spirit down

To quicken us along—

To change us sooner for our crown

And Heaven, where we belong.

 

Our “Healer” too, the stripes You bore,

Relieve our every fear,

Of death or sickness there’s no more

Thru Thee they disappear;

So brother, try our Lord in prayer,

When you are sick or lame

To heal, to take your every care,

Remember, He’s the same.

 

The Hebrews say our Christ was good

Tho’ not the Son of God,

Now 50—50 never could

Be other than a fraud,

But as my Christ has shown His worth,

And filled His guarantee,

And blessed me with a brand new birth

He’s genuine, you see.

 

How wonderful of Him to raise

Us up thru faith and give

Us Heaven to spend our earthly days

‘Til we go there to live;

Unties our bandages of sin,

Our burial clothes we leave

Back in the grave, joy enters in

If only we believe.

 

I wasted many precious years

Before I understood

This great salvation, which appears

To all who try His blood;

Tho’ many who have been reproved

Shall be cut off without

A remedy and be removed

As stumbling blocks about.

 

Free moral agency is ours

To live without a frame,

To manifest thru us His powers,

To glorify His Name.

This risen Christ now waits for you

To just “believe” and live,

The countless ages to go thru

With Him, yes, He’ll forgive.

 

God wanted our companionship

For this we had to be

Developed, so He let us slip

To learn our A B C,

Capacity and great desire

We should appreciate,

He gave for Heaven and all things higher

And not as dogs to rate.

 

Now Jew, now Gentile, common sense

Will tell you which is right,

‘Tis not of dollars, pounds or pence,

But of His power and might;

He’ll raise you up, if you will trust

To Him your every care,

His Spirit manifested must

His reality declare.

 

Now sum this story up and see

Why God should work this way,

Two parts compose humanity

God’s breath and Adam’s clay;

Of all creation, man alone.

God tried His best to please

Inspired His earthy flesh and bone

With sense for power and ease.

 

Our life a vapor, God’s own breath,

Exclusively His own,

He shall reclaim, our mortal death

Dissolves the clay alone;

Like as a child may romp and play,

Happy and free from care,

Needs mama at the close of day

So does the soul compare.

 

That He might have it back again

Acceptable and pure,

With Him forever more to reign

He made it doubly sure;

Thru His Son Jesus Christ we learn

Just how to live and die,

His blood insured our safe return

For Judgment in the sky.

 

I’ve wondered if God sent His Son

Down here to serve His time

As inefficiency to run

His job would be a crime,

Just think the ruler over all,

Jesus, our coming King,

Up there to judge the great and small

Should know most everything.

 

A prince to leave His royal throne,

His object manifold,

To get experience of His own

Better than being told.

He suffered cruelties and worse

Of those He came to save,

His live unchanged—He took our curse,

But—left it in the grave.

 

Lived to an age that we might see

The average years of man,

The world dies every thirty-three

And proves His perfect plan;

He did not say, “Don’t do as I,

But do as I tell you”

He lived the life Himself, that’s why

He knew what we could do.

 

Oh, Saviour, open up the door

Of utterance that I might

Find language to persuade with more

Intelligence and light;

And speak Your mysteries so rich

Of how You died to save,

Showered us with gifts the best of which

Is life beyond the grave.

 

Where it is written in Thy Word

Eye hath not seen nor ear

Such glories shown to us or heard

As these when they appear;

And neither can there enter in

The things which God prepared

Man’s heart so small and prone to sin

Is not with God’s compared.

 

Dear Jesus, I can hardly wait

That rapturous jubilee,

For this I gladly consecrate

My life, my all, to Thee;

No sin, no sorrow, no decay,

No wickedness to mar,

This Heavenly atmosphere as they

Are left below too far.

 

Thy spendors to the seeking soul,

Tho’ far from friends alone,

Where clouds may gather, thunders roll,

Are shown to all Thine own;

Conception, born in worldly heart

Could ne’er present the real,

Delight or joy, which lives apart

In Thee, who doth reveal.

 

Who found me thus and loved me so

To help me in the way,

The clouds of night I left below

For everlasting day;

O grave, thou’st lost thy hopeless sting,

Thy mission now is love,

Behold, I rise as tho’ on wing

To realms of job above,

 

Thru Thee in Christ I soon shall reign

New Heavens and Earth to be

My Paradise, restored again,

Where? Is thy victory?

Above the world, thru faith I rise

Ascending into space,

Like as a marriage in the skies

I reach a Heavenly place.

 

I enter thru a massive gate

Its beauty charmed the sight,

While sweetest melodies vibrate

Enchantments of delight;

A grand triumphant arch o’er head—

Transparent as of glass

Thru which His children shall be led

I also have to pass.

 

Christ, who is Keystone of the arch,

The jewel of the sky,

Illuminates our line of march

To Heaven, our Home on high;

His loving kindness filled the air,

Also my wond’ring heart,

Love—was the motto everywhere—

Love ruled in every part.

 

I stop amazed, I now behold,

Above—beyond—below—

Of grandeur never can be told

By human tongue—and lo—

These words I read across the sky—

“Come unto Me all ye,

Who need a rest—your tears I’ll dry,

Eternal life is free.”

 

That loving invitation stands

Do large, so plain and clear,

That sinners have no “ifs or ands”

But drop their burdens here;

He knew about my burden, too,

He died, that He might take,

My heart of sin for one of new

Desires without an ache.

 

I hear glad tidings from above,

Melodious airs all ‘round,

How I enjoy this land of love

And peace which I have found;

This transformation seems too great,

My life was just a groove,

Hemmed in with sin until quite late

With nothing to approve.

 

I know my eyes were almost blind,

My ears were almost deaf,

Thank God, I wasn’t left behind

Tho’ tardy my relief.

I wander on thru pastures green

Like silken velvet soft,

Old Jordan here again is seen

In story told so oft.

 

It’s banks with verdure overgrown

Where roses droop and swing.

Such fragrance I had never known

The birds His praises sing;

I walk along these river banks

Far in the woodland shade,

In ecstacy of joy and thanks

Where little zephyrs played.

 

Those loving songs of Him who died

And sadly sweetly sung,

Of how our “Christ was crucified”

In supernatural tongue;

The grandeur of this paradise

No words can e’er define,

Our Saviour’s suffering was the price,

The glory is all mine.

 

I see my Saviour hanging now

In agony and pain,

Blood streaming from His thorn-crowned brow

Striped o’er and o’er again;

Nailed to the Cross who took His part

They pierced His quivering side,

Spare them, He cried—poor broken heart,

He took my place and died.

 

He’s now the Lord of Heaven, tho’ He

Was Servant to them all,

Plain, humble, He preferred to be,

Like Peter, John or Paul;

He washed His tired disciples’ feet—

Love seeketh not its own,

Love made our Saviour’s life complete

From manger to the throne.

 

I journey on neath shady boughs,

Festoons of rustling mirth,

Like whispering sweethearts making vows

Of love way back on earth;

Along old Jordan river brink

Again I wend my way,

I could not tarry, stop or think,

‘Twas such a happy day.

 

Ah, here’s a valley, still and calm,

‘Tis self-forgetfulness,

Again of love, that Heavenly balm,

I read—as on I press;

Besides old Jordan—long and wide

I searched with greatest care,

A way to reach the other side

So beautiful and fair.

 

But now I stop, ‘twas all in vain

In trying any more,

I tried to cross, give up again,

Alone, upon the shore;

Impatiently I waited ‘til

I felt His guiding hand,

‘Twas holding me against my will

‘Twas not as I had planned.

 

I tho’t of Moses’ wandering tribe

Lost in the wilderness,

A merry-go-round would describe

My pathway more or less;

I might be right in Egypt now,

That is, on selfish ground

And wilderness, as guessing how

Deliverance can be found.

 

To “Canaan Land,” yes, that’s the place

He told me then to go,

I didn’t know which way to face

I’d heard the plains were low;

But very fertile to produce

Just one big harvest field,

The help was short, I’d no excuse,

I couldn’t help but yield.

 

I also found a lower plane—

A humble attitude,

In spirit and in truth would gain

Among the multitude;

More confidence of those in need

Of His redeeming love,

I knew that no one else could lead

Me—like the One above.

 

‘Tis great to have a knowledge of

Art, music, science, and

Literature, but of God’s love

We’re slow to understand;

‘Tis excellency—Paul declares,

Of knowledge—separate—

Above the world where none compares

Or can they—imitate.

 

Himself He gave to ransom us,

Pure gold, His life, His blood,

We should in change present Him thus

With service—true and good;

Our gift upon the alter lay,

At peace with every man,

This is important to obey

To fill the victory plan.

 

I raised my head and asked the Lord

To guide me with His hand,

To victory—I could not afford

To lose—That’s “Canaan land;”

The “old man” in me—wasn’t dead

Too much I thought of self,

Until this little rapture—led

Me to the dusty shelf.

 

Took down my Bible—read a line

It pointed right to me,

As I had light I ought to shine

And thus let others see;

Religion, without love, you’ll find

Is like an empty cask,

Some day you may be left behind

So throw away your mask.

 

How wonderful I found His Word

It filled that empty space

With music saints alone have heard

And His redeeming grace;

It filled my heart so full of cheer

It fairly over run,

Another paradise right here

Forget old number one.

 

So now I’m going to admit,

I tho’t of “self” alone,

Also the only place I’d fit

Was for a corner stone;

I knew there should be something more,

Mine was a special case,

But some one else filled in before

My self-appointed place.

 

That Book reflected—my life size

To be so very small,

That only God’s all-seeing eyes

Could make me out at all,

And when I found how small I was

Myself so mean and low,

And great presumption was the cause

It did me good to know.

 

Nothing in self—No—I should say,

Oh, Jesus, teach me now

To follow in Thy humble way,

In reverence to bow;

To thank and praise Thee as I go,

‘Twill make my life so sweet,

Tis blessedness in keeping low,

Around my Saviour’s feet.

 

Back to that valley ‘mong the hills

Of self-forget so sweet,

‘Mid climbing roses, shady rills,

To lighten my defeat;

When to my joy and great surprise

I found the atmosphere,

Would soften the hearts and open eyes

With patient love to cheer.

 

The other fellow, who no doubt,

Thru sin had come to grief,

Might have been down and nearly out,

But here he found relief;

So looking carefully around—

The happy place—this was,

Another paradise—I found

Unselfishness the cause,

 

Controlled by love, and this I found

Beat all your modern laws.

 

So many happy faces—I

Had never seen before,

Just self-forgetfulness was why

I loved it all the more;

Unselfishness and sacrifice

Delivered us from sin,

Jesus restored this paradise

So brother, walk right in.

 

This lovely valley where I stay

Was once a desert land,

Now full of glory, far away,

From Satan and his brand;

The choicest trees are growing here—

Among the branches high,

Songsters from Heaven have come to cheer

And welcome you and I.

 

In charming melodies of Him

The burdened heart receives,

God’s messages from branch and limb,

And blessings from the leaves;

Our statuary here is fine—

All draped in purest white,

God chiseled them, they’re genuine

Emblems of truth and light.

 

The features of each saintly face

Show conscience clear and pure

 

 

 

The remainder of my copy of this piece is missing.  The last line was on page 17 of 24.

 

Submissions, corrections or suggestions kindly

received by the editor at kaighin@iname.com

Copyright 2004, 2005, Gregory D. Kaighin, All rights reserved