The Poetical Works of Walter C. Smith ... Revised by the Author: Coll. ed. |
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 | The Poetical Works of Walter C. Smith |  |
[One thing I of the Lord desire—]
“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they
shall see God.”—Matt. v. 8.
One thing I of the Lord desire—
For all my way hath miry been—
Be it by water or by fire,
Oh, make me clean.
For all my way hath miry been—
Be it by water or by fire,
Oh, make me clean.
Erewhile I strove for perfect truth,
And thought it was a worthy strife;
But now I leave that aim of youth
For perfect life.
And thought it was a worthy strife;
But now I leave that aim of youth
For perfect life.
If clearer vision Thou impart,
Grateful and glad my soul shall be;
But yet to have a purer heart
Is more to me.
Grateful and glad my soul shall be;
But yet to have a purer heart
Is more to me.
Yea, only as the heart is clean
May larger vision yet be mine,
For mirrored in its depths are seen
The things divine.
May larger vision yet be mine,
For mirrored in its depths are seen
The things divine.
I watch to shun the miry way,
And stanch the spring of guilty thought;
But, watch and wrestle as I may,
Pure I am not.
And stanch the spring of guilty thought;
But, watch and wrestle as I may,
Pure I am not.
479
So wash Thou me without, within;
Or purge with fire, if that must be;
No matter how, if only sin
Die out in me.
Or purge with fire, if that must be;
No matter how, if only sin
Die out in me.
| The Poetical Works of Walter C. Smith | |