 | At the beautiful gate and other songs of faith |  |
FOR LARGER LIVES.
In heaven, they say, is undisturbed and perfect peace; and yet
Along our heart-strings, even there, a tremor of regret
Must sometimes wander into pain, if memory survives,—
A grief, that in this good, great world we lived not larger lives.
Along our heart-strings, even there, a tremor of regret
Must sometimes wander into pain, if memory survives,—
A grief, that in this good, great world we lived not larger lives.
God moves our planet gloriously among His starry spheres;
And nobler movements for our souls through these our mortal years,
In widening orbits toward Himself eternally He planned:—
We creep and rust in treadmill grooves; we will not be made grand.
And nobler movements for our souls through these our mortal years,
In widening orbits toward Himself eternally He planned:—
We creep and rust in treadmill grooves; we will not be made grand.
He sent us forth, His children, of His inmost life a part;
His breath, His being; each a throb of His deep Father-heart;
He shaped us in His image, suns, to flood His worlds with day:—
Alas! we stifle down His light, and deaden into clay.
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He shaped us in His image, suns, to flood His worlds with day:—
Alas! we stifle down His light, and deaden into clay.
Meant to be living fountains,—not little stagnant pools,
Stirred aimlessly from shallow depths, walled round with petty rules,
Drying away to dust at last,—to Him we might ascend,
And with the River of His Life in crystal freshness blend.
Stirred aimlessly from shallow depths, walled round with petty rules,
Drying away to dust at last,—to Him we might ascend,
And with the River of His Life in crystal freshness blend.
To share His freedom—sons of God! There is no other aim
Can kindle any human hope to an immortal flame!
It is the keenest shame of these mean, fettered lives we lead,—
We choose the weights that drag us down, refusing to be freed.
Can kindle any human hope to an immortal flame!
It is the keenest shame of these mean, fettered lives we lead,—
We choose the weights that drag us down, refusing to be freed.
Yet souls that win immortal heights unclogged with self must move:
The only thing that we can take from earth to heaven is love.
To make us great like Thee, O God! Thy Spirit with us strives:—
Enlarge our hearts to take Thee in! O give us nobler lives!
The only thing that we can take from earth to heaven is love.
To make us great like Thee, O God! Thy Spirit with us strives:—
Enlarge our hearts to take Thee in! O give us nobler lives!
| At the beautiful gate and other songs of faith | |