M E R I D I A N     M A G A Z I N E

The Soul's Captain

The media has quoted, repeatedly, from "Invictus" by William E. Henley because of Timothy McVeigh's choice to
use it as his final mission statement. If you are not familiar with it, you might be interested to read a response to Henley's poem written by a poet, Orson F. Whitney.

"The Soul's Captain"
by Orson F. Whitney*

Art thou in truth? Then what of Him
Who bought thee with His blood?
Who plunged into devouring seas
And snatched thee from the flood,

Who bore for all our fallen race
What none but Him could bear--
That God who died that man might live
And endless glory share.

Of what avail thy vaunted strength
Apart from His vast might?
Pray that His light may pierce the gloom
That thou mayest see aright.

Men are as bubbles on the wave,
As leaves upon the tree,
Thou, captain of thy soul! Forsooth,
Who gave that place to thee?

Free will is thine- free agency,
To wield for right or wrong;
But thou must answer unto Him
To whom all souls belong.

Bend to the dust that "head unbowed,"
Small part of life's great whole,
And see in Him and Him alone,
The captain of thy soul.

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* Orson F. Whitney was an early leader (1835) of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

(This reminder of Apostle Orson F. Whitney's words were contributed to Meridian by Romney Biddulph of Mendham, New Jersey who gives credit to Gil Gould of Brookside, New Jersey)

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