I think this song is about a soul going up to Heaven like missile shooting up from earth, traveling through the clouds, and for a moment sadly remembering the senses & sensations of being alive, then looking down and seeing the blue earth shining in patches (like lanterns of blue light) through the misty mirage of the clouds, and it cheers up the soul to see the beautiful earth below, as the soul's life on earth starts to become a faded memory, and a new stage of existence begins for the soul beyond the clouds ("heaven's clouds disappear") in the unknown:
"Unfolding enveloping missiles of soul
Recall senses sadly
Mirage like soft blue like lanterns below
To light the way gladly
Whether whistling heaven's clouds disappear
Where the wind withers memory"
Then a chorus describes the soul being purified before going to Heaven, whisking away the "soft shadows" of even the most minor sins the soul committed while alive, which feels like being purged as the white hot light of Holiness flows in, and the black sins flows out:
"Whether whiteness whisks soft shadows away
Feel flows (White hot glistening shadowy flows)
Feel goes (Black hot glistening shadowy flows)"
The next verse is about when the soul is judged according to the eternal tablets of Holy Law (as described in the Bible) before entering Heaven, with all of the soul's deeds and thoughts and yearnings "recorded" like an open book, but the soul isn't afraid because it trusts God will make a righteous Judgement, and the soul hopes and has faith that its good deeds were witnessed even though it didn't keep count, and the soul's "wondrous will" to make the right choices even when it was difficult proves the soul's goodness:
"Unbending never ending tablets of time
Record all the yearning
Unfearing all appearing message divine
Eases the burning
Whether willing witness waits at my mind
Whether hope dampens memory
Whether wondrous will stands tall at my side"
The next verse is about the soul being welcomed into the embrace of Heaven, where peacefulness and unity reign, divisions and "fences" are "retired" and don't exist anymore, and beautiful angelic harp music consoles and heals the soul for its beloved ("wholly heartened") life having faded away:
"Encasing all embracing wreath of repose
Engulfs all the senses
Imposing, unclosing thoughts that compose
Retire the fences
Whether wholly heartened life fades away
Whether harps heal the memory
Whether wholly heartened life fades away
Whether wondrous will stands tall at my side
Whether whiteness whisks soft shadows away"
The song ends by repeating the chorus, reminding souls still alive on earth that a white hot purging process is necessary before entering Heaven, so don't commit sins!
"White hot glistening shadowy flows
White hot glistening shadowy flows
White hot glistening shadowy flows"
I think this song is about a soul going up to Heaven like missile shooting up from earth, traveling through the clouds, and for a moment sadly remembering the senses & sensations of being alive, then looking down and seeing the blue earth shining in patches (like lanterns of blue light) through the misty mirage of the clouds, and it cheers up the soul to see the beautiful earth below, as the soul's life on earth starts to become a faded memory, and a new stage of existence begins for the soul beyond the clouds ("heaven's clouds disappear") in the unknown:
"Unfolding enveloping missiles of soul Recall senses sadly Mirage like soft blue like lanterns below To light the way gladly Whether whistling heaven's clouds disappear Where the wind withers memory"
Then a chorus describes the soul being purified before going to Heaven, whisking away the "soft shadows" of even the most minor sins the soul committed while alive, which feels like being purged as the white hot light of Holiness flows in, and the black sins flows out:
"Whether whiteness whisks soft shadows away Feel flows (White hot glistening shadowy flows) Feel goes (Black hot glistening shadowy flows)"
The next verse is about when the soul is judged according to the eternal tablets of Holy Law (as described in the Bible) before entering Heaven, with all of the soul's deeds and thoughts and yearnings "recorded" like an open book, but the soul isn't afraid because it trusts God will make a righteous Judgement, and the soul hopes and has faith that its good deeds were witnessed even though it didn't keep count, and the soul's "wondrous will" to make the right choices even when it was difficult proves the soul's goodness:
"Unbending never ending tablets of time Record all the yearning Unfearing all appearing message divine Eases the burning Whether willing witness waits at my mind Whether hope dampens memory Whether wondrous will stands tall at my side"
The next verse is about the soul being welcomed into the embrace of Heaven, where peacefulness and unity reign, divisions and "fences" are "retired" and don't exist anymore, and beautiful angelic harp music consoles and heals the soul for its beloved ("wholly heartened") life having faded away:
"Encasing all embracing wreath of repose Engulfs all the senses Imposing, unclosing thoughts that compose Retire the fences Whether wholly heartened life fades away Whether harps heal the memory Whether wholly heartened life fades away Whether wondrous will stands tall at my side Whether whiteness whisks soft shadows away"
The song ends by repeating the chorus, reminding souls still alive on earth that a white hot purging process is necessary before entering Heaven, so don't commit sins!
"White hot glistening shadowy flows White hot glistening shadowy flows White hot glistening shadowy flows"