The Star in the West

THE OLD BOTTLE 157 The Lord's Day. The foolish bells with their discordant clang Summon the harlot -ridden Hell to pray : The vicar's snout is tuned ; the curates bray Long gabbled lessons , and their noisy twang Fills the foul worshippers with hate ; the fang Of boredom crushes out the holy day , Where whore and jobber sit and gloom , grown grey For hating of each other ; the hours hang .' And the pen of Crowley like that of Saladin , Swin burne , and Shelley , is but another douche of cold water to wake the frowsy sleepers of the night , and wash from their gluey eyes the nightmare of Christian Supremacy . In the earlier poems of Crowley , we find not only a reverential handling of the Christ idea , but an almost orthodox adoration for the Christ Himself . In the last two verses of “ Aceldama " this is strongly brought out . “ Thy love will stand while ocean winds en dure "; and again , “ Here I abandon all myself to thee .” ? In “ Songs of the Spirit ” we find this venera tion acutely portrayed , and the Christ as depicted in “ The Goad ” closely resembles the one as described in “ The Farewell of Paracelsus to Aprile .” Here is a passage from each : I contemplate the wound Stabbed in the flanks of my dear silver Christ . He hangs in anguish there ; the crown of thorns Pierces that palest brow ; the nails drip blood ; There is the wound ; no Mary by Him mourns , There is no John beside the cruel wood ; I am alone to kiss the silver lips ; I rend my clothing for the temple veil ; ? The Temple of the Holy Ghost , vol . I, p . 202 . 2 Aceldama , vol . i, p . 6.