{
 "id": "henry-van-dyke-jr/a-legend-of-service",
 "title": "A Legend of Service",
 "ordinal": null,
 "subtitle": null,
 "poet": "Henry van Dyke Jr.",
 "poet_slug": "henry-van-dyke-jr",
 "language": "en",
 "book": "The Poems of Henry Van Dyke",
 "book_slug": "poems",
 "book_kind": "volume",
 "sequence": 30,
 "container": null,
 "epigraph": null,
 "first_published": {
  "year": 1920,
  "venue": "The Poems of Henry Van Dyke (1920)",
  "note": "Taken from the 1920 collected edition. That is the printing this text comes from, not the poem's first appearance: the volume gathers work published from 1897 onward, and which earlier book or magazine printed this poem first has not been established here.",
  "uncertain": true,
  "sources": [
   "https://archive.org/details/poemsofhenryvand00vandrich"
  ]
 },
 "source": {
  "kind": "standard-ebooks",
  "repo": "standardebooks/henry-van-dyke-jr_poetry",
  "file": "poetry.xhtml",
  "upstream": [
   "https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/16229",
   "https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/16134",
   "https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/10679",
   "https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/3525",
   "https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/9372",
   "https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/29314",
   "https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/43094",
   "https://archive.org/details/poemsofhenryvand00vandrich",
   "https://archive.org/details/buildersotherpoe00vandrich",
   "https://archive.org/details/toilingoffelixan00vandiala",
   "https://archive.org/details/musicotherpoems0000henr_c7v6",
   "https://archive.org/details/poemsnowfirstcol00vanduoft",
   "https://archive.org/details/songsoutofdoors0000vand",
   "https://archive.org/details/thyseaisgreatour00vandiala",
   "https://archive.org/details/chosenpoems0000vand"
  ],
  "rights": "public domain (SE dedication; underlying text pre-1931)"
 },
 "verification": {
  "level": "structural-only",
  "last_checked": "2026-08-20"
 },
 "stats": {
  "n_lines": 104,
  "n_stanzas": 5,
  "n_parts": 0,
  "longest_line_chars": 53,
  "max_indent": 0
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 "stanzas": [
  [
   {
    "text": "It pleased the Lord of Angels (praise His name!)",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To hear, one day, report from those who came",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "With pitying sorrow, or exultant joy,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To tell of earthly tasks in His employ.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "For some were grieved because they saw how slow",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The stream of heavenly love on earth must flow;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And some were glad because their eyes had seen,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Along its banks, fresh flowers and living green.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "At last, before the whiteness of the throne",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The youngest angel, Asmiel, stood alone;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Nor glad, nor sad, but full of earnest thought,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And thus his tidings to the Master brought",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "“Lord, in the city Lupon I have found",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Three servants of thy holy name, renowned",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Above their fellows. One is very wise,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "With thoughts that ever range beyond the skies;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And one is gifted with the golden speech",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "That makes men gladly hear when he will teach;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And one, with no rare gift or grace endued,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Has won the people’s love by doing good.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "With three such saints Lupon is trebly blest;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "But, Lord, I fain would know, which loves Thee best?”",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Then spake the Lord of Angels, to whose look",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The hearts of all are like an open book:",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "“In every soul the secret thought I read,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And well I know who loves me best indeed.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "But every life has pages vacant still,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Whereon a man may write the thing he will;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Therefore I read the record, day by day,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And wait for hearts untaught to learn my way.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "But thou shalt go to Lupon, to the three",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Who serve me there, and take this word from me:",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Tell each of them his Master bids him go",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Alone to Spiran’s huts, across the snow;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "There he shall find a certain task for me:",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "But what, I do not tell to them nor thee.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Give thou the message, make my word the test,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And crown for me the one who loves me best.”",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Silent the angel stood, with folded hands,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To take the imprint of his Lord’s commands;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Then drew one breath, obedient and elate,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And passed the self-same hour, through Lupon’s gate.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "First to the Temple door he made his way;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And there, because it was a holy-day,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "He saw the folk in thousands thronging, stirred",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "By ardent thirst to hear the preacher’s word.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Then, while the people whispered Bernol’s name,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Through aisles that hushed behind him Bernol came;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Strung to the keenest pitch of conscious might,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "With lips prepared and firm, and eyes alight.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "One moment at the pulpit step he knelt",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "In silent prayer, and on his shoulder felt",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The angel’s hand:⁠—“The Master bids thee go",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Alone to Spiran’s huts, across the snow,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To serve Him there.” Then Bernol’s hidden face",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Went white as death, and for about the space",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Of ten slow heart-beats there was no reply;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Till Bernol looked around and whispered, “Why?”",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "But answer to his question came there none;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The angel sighed, and with a sigh was gone.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Within the humble house where Malvin spent",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "His studious years, on holy things intent,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Sweet stillness reigned; and there the angel found",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The saintly sage immersed in thought profound,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Weaving with patient toil and willing care",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "A web of wisdom, wonderful and fair:",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "A seamless robe for Truth’s great bridal meet,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And needing but one thread to be complete.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Then Asmiel touched his hand, and broke the thread",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Of fine-spun thought, and very gently said,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "“The One of whom thou thinkest bids thee go",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Alone to Spiran’s huts, across the snow,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To serve Him there.” With sorrow and surprise",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Malvin looked up, reluctance in his eyes.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The broken thought, the strangeness of the call,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The perilous passage of the mountain-wall,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The solitary journey, and the length",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Of ways unknown, too great for his frail strength,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Appalled him. With a doubtful brow",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "He scanned the doubtful task, and muttered “How?”",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "But Asmiel answered, as he turned to go,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "With cold, disheartened voice, “I do not know.”",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Now as he went, with fading hope, to seek",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The third and last to whom God bade him speak,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Scarce twenty steps away whom should he meet",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "But Fermor, hurrying cheerful down the street,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "With ready heart that faced his work like play,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And joyed to find it greater every day!",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The angel stopped him with uplifted hand,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And gave without delay his Lord’s command:",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "“He whom thou servest here would have thee go",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Alone to Spiran’s huts, across the snow,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To serve Him there.” Ere Asmiel breathed again",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The eager answer leaped to meet him, “When?”",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "The angel’s face with inward joy grew bright,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And all his figure glowed with heavenly light;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "He took the golden circlet from his brow",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And gave the crown to Fermor, answering, “Now!",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "For thou hast met the Master’s hidden test,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And I have found the man who loves Him best.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Not thine, nor mine, to question or reply",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "When He commands us, asking ‘how?’ or ‘why?’",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "He knows the cause; His ways are wise and just;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Who serves the King must serve with perfect trust.”",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ]
 ]
}