 | Songs Old and New |  |
IV. —THE CROSS.
“Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother.”
The strongest light casts deepest shade,
The dearest love makes dreariest loss;
And she His birth so blest had made
Stood by Him dying on the cross.
The dearest love makes dreariest loss;
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Stood by Him dying on the cross.
Yet, since not grief but joy shall last,
The day and not the night abide,
And all time's shadows, earthward cast,
Are lights upon the “other side;”
The day and not the night abide,
And all time's shadows, earthward cast,
Are lights upon the “other side;”
Through what long bliss that shall not fail,
That darkest hour shall brighten on!
Better than any angel's “Hail!”
The memory of “Behold thy Son!”
That darkest hour shall brighten on!
Better than any angel's “Hail!”
The memory of “Behold thy Son!”
Blest in thy lowly heart to store
The homage paid at Bethlehem,
But far more blessëd evermore
Thus to have shared the taunts and shame;
The homage paid at Bethlehem,
But far more blessëd evermore
Thus to have shared the taunts and shame;
Thus with thy pierced heart to have stood
'Mid mocking crowds, and owned Him thine;
True through a world's ingratitude,
And owned in death by lips Divine.
'Mid mocking crowds, and owned Him thine;
True through a world's ingratitude,
And owned in death by lips Divine.
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V. —THE CROWN.
Thou shalt be crowned, O mother blest!
Our hearts behold thee crowned e'en now;
The crown of motherhood, earth's best,
O'ershadowing thy maiden brow.
Our hearts behold thee crowned e'en now;
The crown of motherhood, earth's best,
O'ershadowing thy maiden brow.
Thou shalt be crowned! More fragrant bays
Than ever poet's brows entwine,
For thine immortal hymn of praise,
First Singer of the Church, are thine.
Than ever poet's brows entwine,
For thine immortal hymn of praise,
First Singer of the Church, are thine.
Thou shalt be crowned! All earth and heaven
Thy coronation pomp shall see;
The Hand by which thy crown is given
Shall be no stranger's hand to thee.
Thy coronation pomp shall see;
The Hand by which thy crown is given
Shall be no stranger's hand to thee.
Thou shalt be crowned! But not a queen;
A better triumph ends thy strife:
Heaven's bridal raiment, white and clean,
The victor's crown of fadeless life.
A better triumph ends thy strife:
Heaven's bridal raiment, white and clean,
The victor's crown of fadeless life.
Thou shalt be crowned! But not alone,
No lonely pomp shall weigh thee down;
Crowned with the myriads round His throne,
And casting at His feet thy crown.
No lonely pomp shall weigh thee down;
Crowned with the myriads round His throne,
And casting at His feet thy crown.
| Songs Old and New | |