An Unpublished Poem
The Era is favored with this interesting note from Elder A. Milton Musser:
Over fifty years ago, while with other elders I was waiting, at San Francisco, to secure transportation to Hindoostan, some one gave me the following song, composed by the immortal Parley P. Pratt, of blessed memory, which I copied into my journal. As I think it has never been published before, may I beg a place for it in the Era? where it may appear as a companion gem to the grand old song: “From Greenland’s Icy Mountains,” by the immortal Bishop Heber.
Yours, etc.,
A. Milton Musser
Where is the Kingdom of God?
Holy, happy, pure and free,
Blessed, indeed, and dear to me,
Are thy loved ones, Deseret,
Friends I never shall forget.
CHORUS.
While far off, while far off, my pilgrim
feet shall roam,
While far off, while far off, my pilgrim
feet shall roam.
Where, oh where is holy ground?
Where, oh where does truth abound?
Where on earth is freedom found,
Deseret, beyond thy bound?
Is it found on yonder shore
‘Mid the heaps of shining ore?
No; the sons of truth divine
Worship not at Mammon’s shrine.
Is it found on yonder isles,
Where eternal verdure smiles?
‘Mid the fields of evergreen,
‘Neath the beauteous skies serene?
Shall I turn to China’s coast,
Scan the ancient Breman’s host?
India’s spicy isles explore,
Search the Moslem records o’er?
‘Round the sphere to Europe turn?
Of the Christian Fathers learn?
Range the realms of Popery,
Searching still for “Peter’s key?”
Search the earth, explore the sea,
Who can solve the mystery?
Who, with keys of truth divine,
Bids the light in fulness shine?
Vain the search through every realm;
Deseret is at the helm;
There the kings majestic stand,
Holding keys for every land.
-Parley P. Pratt
[Improvement Era, 1907]
-End-