He almost didn’t make it -

The Reverend Billy Sedge,

An Aussie that could take it

Out past the normal edge.

His darlin’ mum had almost died

The day before salvation,

By a Bible sellers’ simple prayer

Close by Waroonga Station.

With booming voice as big as life

Eyes dark from their dilation

Preaching summer nights to those that came,

Of the beasts in Revelation.

They all, were just the home folk

From green Shenandoah’s vale,

And green to worldly ways that spoke

From Reverend Billy’s tale.

Of finger lickin’ mystery meat-

It’s better no one ask;

To dancing naked cannibals

And a walkabout’s tough task.

He’d done it all, his eyes afire,

On mission for Christ Jesus,

And from his own confessed desire

To do what heaven pleases.

There Joe sat, while Billy taught

And watched as horsemen rode:

First white, then red, then black, then pale,

In their Apocalyptic code.

Now, Joe had come there broken

Unloved, his heart was at a loss

You’d think instead of prophecy

This man might need the cross.

But as the beasts, and angel’s fire

Came thundering ‘cross the stage,

Some Spirit whispered Joe’s desire,

And healed him from his rage.

If God could find an Aussie lad

And save his mum from death,

Then maybe life was not so bad

As to yield one’s final breath.

And if heaven’s angels held one’s fate,

Within Divine prophetic hand;

Then maybe it was not too late,

To seek that Promised Land.

Reverend Billy never knew

The part that kept Joe listening,

His roving gaze thought naught askew

To note his eyes were glistening.

John’s apocalyptic visions

Have fostered needless fears,

For Joe might one day tell you

How they healed him through his tears.