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38
THE VICTIM AND THE PRIEST.
When as a Lamb, harmless and undefiled,
He faced the High-priest's rage with patience mild,
Though words, like poisoned arrows, did not cease
To fly around Him, “Jesus held His peace.”
He faced the High-priest's rage with patience mild,
Though words, like poisoned arrows, did not cease
To fly around Him, “Jesus held His peace.”
When to His Judge, who bent a scornful look,
The Jews their bitter accusations took,
And Pilate probed the truth of what he heard
With questions—“He replied to ne'er a word.”
The Jews their bitter accusations took,
And Pilate probed the truth of what he heard
With questions—“He replied to ne'er a word.”
When before Herod and his warrior band,
Arrayed in gorgeous robe He takes His stand,
For all the vehement charges that they bring,
“He answered nothing” to the mocking king.
Arrayed in gorgeous robe He takes His stand,
For all the vehement charges that they bring,
“He answered nothing” to the mocking king.
39
Thus dumb He stood before His shearers all,
And, unresisting, let their fury fall;
No word of self-defence He deigned to wield,
But wore majestic silence as His shield.
And, unresisting, let their fury fall;
No word of self-defence He deigned to wield,
But wore majestic silence as His shield.
As Isaac on the altar speechless lay,
When the knife gleamed to take his life away,
So no excusing voice from Jesus broke
To avert His sorrow or to blunt its stroke.
When the knife gleamed to take his life away,
So no excusing voice from Jesus broke
To avert His sorrow or to blunt its stroke.
Long since have vanished priest, and judge, and king,
As troubled dreams at dawn of day take wing;
Their Victim now is on His priestly throne,
And mightiest princes His dominion own.
As troubled dreams at dawn of day take wing;
Their Victim now is on His priestly throne,
And mightiest princes His dominion own.
Silence now seals His gracious lips no more;
He ever lives prevailing words to pour
Into our Father's ear, for each and all
Who at His kingly feet believing fall.
He ever lives prevailing words to pour
Into our Father's ear, for each and all
Who at His kingly feet believing fall.
40
To save Himself no whisper stirred the air,
To save His Church He pours perpetual prayer,
And pleads aloud to yonder listening skies
The virtue of His silent Sacrifice!
To save His Church He pours perpetual prayer,
And pleads aloud to yonder listening skies
The virtue of His silent Sacrifice!
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