The Easter gift, a religious offering | ||
THE INFANT ST. JOHN.
“In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea,
“And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
“For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.”
Matthew iii. 1–3.“For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
“All these are the beginning of sorrows.
“For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
“Immediately after the tribulation of those days, shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.
“And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven; and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.”
Matthew xxiv. 7, 8, 27, 29, 30.With lofty hymn,
Calling on earth and heaven to rejoice
Along with him.
A spirit tone,
And he speaks out those words of hope and love
To prophets known.
Brings daylight in,
For he doth bring glad tidings from afar
To man and sin.
And at the word
Wait till the mountains kindle with the tread
Of Christ the Lord.
Meek and decried,
Bearing the weight of sorrow, sin, and shame,
And for us died.
Is in its birth,
When he shall come in glory, and in power,
To judge the earth.
But in his ire,
When earth shall be but as a mighty grave
In that red fire.
Which were foretold,
In holy writings and inspired lays,
Of prophets old?
Like the vexed sea.
And ancient thrones are from high places hurled,
Yet man not free.
Yet yield no aid
To all the sickness, want, the grief and strife
Which now pervade.
Of blood and tears,
When thou shalt call to dread account the crime
Of many years.
Who is all thine,
Who hath stood fast, amid iniquity,
In faith divine.
To look afar.
Let us not, like the foolish, call it peace
When there is war.
Has long declared,
And let thy second advent, gracious Lord,
Find us prepared.
The Easter gift, a religious offering | ||