Siam: A Voyage - Fictional Book by Steven M. Webb

And was the holy Lamb of God
On England’s pleasant pastures seen?
And did the countenance divine
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here
Among those dark Satanic mills?

Bring me my bow of burning gold,
Bring me my arrows of desire!
Bring me my spear! Oh clouds unfold!
Bring me my chariot of fire.
I will not cease from mental fight,
Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand,
Till we have built Jerusalem
In England’s green and pleasant land!”

Who can show both anger and graciousness,
And absolve all the sins
Of suffering man.
Lord God, creator of heaven and earth,
Be mindful of our humiliation.”

Thomas Tallis (1505-1585) was master composer of the Chapel Royal for Henry VIII, Queen Mary I and then Queen Elizabeth I. Spem in alium (Placed my hope) was first performed about 1570 and was possibly written on two levels: first, from the soul to the Creator; second as a Catholic citizen to his Protestant sovereign, Elizabeth I, pleading for clemency toward persecuted Catholics. Tallis probably recognized the intelligence, if not the compassion of the Queen, and hoped she’d read between the Latin lines. However, Elizabeth I was the daughter of Protestant reformer Anne Boleyn and of impulsive, tyrannical King Henry VIII, who had confiscated the monasteries, executed many dissidents for treason and made himself head of the Church of England, for purposes of the Crown. Tallis may have found much more comfort with God. Consider Tallis’ understatement of ‘our humiliation’, and that of the many for whom he spoke. Also, consider Henry VIII’s post-life review.

When the soul is ready to address the meaning of events hidden from conscious recall there’s a pondering and revolving of feelings rather than words. Often the perspective is that of not knowing what to do or where to start. These choral pieces are representative of the process of moving through this state. Their tone expresses an appeal, a prayer for help in understanding the pain and regret for losses which can’t be articulated, where the mind isn’t yet able to fully admit to such enormities, or to a scope of creation beyond the present setting.

In confusion, the soul repeatedly reviews the feelings of injustice, seeks to blame God or others, cries out to heaven, claiming forgiveness of the perpetrator would be outrageous, yet senses neither revenge nor naiveté is acceptable. Where to turn now?

The apparently immovable intensity of blame, expressed in Siam through Leon Rose and Jim House, is worth pondering. Rote statements of forgiveness are not enough for a problem of this magnitude. The soul, by ignorant or determined free-will, has entered debased arenas and used allotments of divine energy (daily bread) in inverted usage to cut deep scars into its own holy substance, and that of others. Responsibility is personal. This damaged substance was whole at creation, in the realm of delight and adoration, and exists in a frequency spectrum above mental and ordinary emotional activity. It can’t be moved by reasoning or sympathy. Engrafting original fiery substance into dark wounds is the tender work of divine, cooperative healing. The repair process is by rapprochement between the soul and the Creator, who waits on the free-will of his creation to persistently ask for help. The need was anticipated.

Because the temporal personality is used to arguing and justification it hinders the intuition of the soul in responding to timeless commands from the highest authority. “Be ye perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect,” (a soul direction, often misunderstood by the temporary personality) and “Take dominion over the earth,” (the accumulated darkness of overt and covert mutiny, denying its own existence in self, church and state) are lost realizations of soul awareness that would be able to answer the question of where to turn. Seeing the long-term consequences of experiments in free-will, God sends the Comforter in many forms, including pure music. It’s a starting point for the injured, offering gradations of communion instead of fiats. Healing begins unnoticeably through the focused attention and continues on in maturing stages of an adoring partnership of many lifetimes, which by effort and Grace becomes that gradual, mystical marriage of creation and Creator: divinity expanding in form. Jesus said of this process: “Follow me.”

These choral pieces are representative of an anthem of the one continuous life of the soul, the prodigal son or daughter. Beginning with lament, the anthem chronicles the soul’s progress, moving gently, incrementally, repaying all debts, fulfilling all things, and by Grace ultimately becoming worthy of that marriage and higher service.