 | The walk with God |  |
17
THE WALK WITH GOD
“Oh! for a closer walk with God,
A calm and heavenly frame.”
—William Cooper.
A calm and heavenly frame.”
—William Cooper.
18
TO CERTAIN MISSIONARIES
Ye are they to whom Christ said,
“Give your service for my need,
Let your blood be fairly shed,
Where on blood my foes must feed.
“Give your service for my need,
Let your blood be fairly shed,
Where on blood my foes must feed.
“If the hand that guards the right
Or the eye, your fate require,
Yield your prowess, yield your sight
To the all avenging fire.”
Or the eye, your fate require,
Yield your prowess, yield your sight
To the all avenging fire.”
Now the scathing fire is quenched
And your bloom is withered too,
Torn and agonized and wrenched,
You your halting way pursue.
And your bloom is withered too,
Torn and agonized and wrenched,
You your halting way pursue.
But the Highest shall requite
All your faithfulness and love,
Spirit powers come for sight,
Angels' wings the lame man move.
All your faithfulness and love,
Spirit powers come for sight,
Angels' wings the lame man move.
31
THE APOSTLES
They pass from sight, those men of power,
The planted seed of God's dear field.
In martyrdom's consummate flower
A world-renewing crop they yield.
The planted seed of God's dear field.
In martyrdom's consummate flower
A world-renewing crop they yield.
From lowly trade, from hours sublime
In which they knew the Master's love,
From prison bonds and heathen crime,
Resistless in their calm they move.
In which they knew the Master's love,
From prison bonds and heathen crime,
Resistless in their calm they move.
The heart which ran its own wild way,
With knowledge of recorded good;
Which tarried for the poet's lay,
And loved, though wrong, the hero's mood,
With knowledge of recorded good;
Which tarried for the poet's lay,
And loved, though wrong, the hero's mood,
From all the songs of Greece and Rome,
The joys and woes of human souls,
Turns to the truths that overcome,
The sacred reason which controls.
The joys and woes of human souls,
Turns to the truths that overcome,
The sacred reason which controls.
Twelve lowly men, of little lore,
With human fault and human faith,
Still from their crownéd service pour
The light that triumphs over death.
With human fault and human faith,
Still from their crownéd service pour
The light that triumphs over death.
Oh! glory of man's true desert!
The wilderness is glad of them,
And Nature, healed of every hurt,
Bears up the New Jerusalem.
The wilderness is glad of them,
And Nature, healed of every hurt,
Bears up the New Jerusalem.
44
MEDITATION
Why should we thank for Day's decline
Who saw so glad the morning shine?
If Spring's fair promise brings us joy,
Doth not the Winter bliss destroy?
We welcome Life's unfolding breath,
How shall we sing the praise of Death?
Who saw so glad the morning shine?
If Spring's fair promise brings us joy,
Doth not the Winter bliss destroy?
We welcome Life's unfolding breath,
How shall we sing the praise of Death?
At morn we go, at eve we wait
To learn the mystery of Fate.
Must vanish all that doth appear,
Must darken all that shineth clear,
Must perish all that buds and grows,
From opening day to opening rose.
To learn the mystery of Fate.
Must vanish all that doth appear,
Must darken all that shineth clear,
Must perish all that buds and grows,
From opening day to opening rose.
For “onward ever” is the word
The earliest Creation heard,
Nature shall close her written years
With the same sentence in her ears,
From God to God doth onward roll
The teeming earth, the teeming soul
The earliest Creation heard,
Nature shall close her written years
With the same sentence in her ears,
From God to God doth onward roll
The teeming earth, the teeming soul
65
ALL SOULS
I pace along my lonely way,
Sedate, who once was wildly gay,
Ferocious in my sadness too,
As one whose pleasure Fate should do,
Sedate, who once was wildly gay,
Ferocious in my sadness too,
As one whose pleasure Fate should do,
The lessons of these many years
Resounding in unwilling ears.
My saints were visions in the clouds,
With haloes that no shadow shrouds.
Resounding in unwilling ears.
My saints were visions in the clouds,
With haloes that no shadow shrouds.
But I walk painfully and slow,
With many another child of woe,
And pass Thy palace gate before,
For judgment open evermore.
With many another child of woe,
And pass Thy palace gate before,
For judgment open evermore.
Here perfect truth shall guide the hand
By which the balance fine is spanned;
And here is known the deep intent
Of Love that never may repent.
By which the balance fine is spanned;
And here is known the deep intent
Of Love that never may repent.
Oh! at that broad ancestral hearth,
Renew the promise of our birth!
For goals that we have failed to reach,
For lessons that we could not teach,
Renew the promise of our birth!
For goals that we have failed to reach,
For lessons that we could not teach,
Give us the hope that never dies.
Let its calm sentence make us wise,
Redeemed from sorrow, freed from sin,
Let us, the erring, enter in!
Let its calm sentence make us wise,
Redeemed from sorrow, freed from sin,
Let us, the erring, enter in!
70
RETROSPECTS
Little wicked I
Once the Almighty's power did deny:
“Thou art from everlasting, that is longer,
But I am of to-day, and Youth is stronger.
Thine are the viewless depths of Night and Day;
This corner's mine, and I will have my way.”
Once the Almighty's power did deny:
“Thou art from everlasting, that is longer,
But I am of to-day, and Youth is stronger.
Thine are the viewless depths of Night and Day;
This corner's mine, and I will have my way.”
Little foolish I
Once on my own fool-wisdom would rely:
“The prayers and prophecies are grand, no doubt,
But I this problem have well reasoned out;
I apprehend Creation at a glance,
And take my time to flit and flirt, and dance.”
Once on my own fool-wisdom would rely:
“The prayers and prophecies are grand, no doubt,
But I this problem have well reasoned out;
I apprehend Creation at a glance,
And take my time to flit and flirt, and dance.”
Little puzzled I
Review my fooleries, and ask God why?
Why these sad, silly antics didst permit?
Why did I waste my seasons and my wit?
“To Me thy young rebellious heart did say:
‘This corner's mine, and I will have my way!’”
Review my fooleries, and ask God why?
Why these sad, silly antics didst permit?
Why did I waste my seasons and my wit?
“To Me thy young rebellious heart did say:
‘This corner's mine, and I will have my way!’”
73
AFTER THE WOMEN'S RALLY
September 15th
The blessed web that angels weave
Of love to God and love to man,
Let me therein some pattern leave
Ere rounds my life its little span.
Of love to God and love to man,
Let me therein some pattern leave
Ere rounds my life its little span.
The holy church that heroes build
With lofty thought and purpose sound,
Ere Time's last rays my sunset gild,
There let some stone of mine be found.
With lofty thought and purpose sound,
Ere Time's last rays my sunset gild,
There let some stone of mine be found.
The psalm where prayer and music meet,
In joy-floods, rolling from on high,
To such a rhythm, grand and sweet,
May my departing footsteps fly!
In joy-floods, rolling from on high,
To such a rhythm, grand and sweet,
May my departing footsteps fly!
74
TRINITY CHURCH, BOSTON
Christmas, 1891
I have tasted my Communion in a golden cup of joy,
Tho' I held it but a moment nought its comfort could destroy.
All the bitterness of living, all life's error, all its sin,
Was sublimed to rapturous sweetness, when it passed my cup within.
Tho' I held it but a moment nought its comfort could destroy.
All the bitterness of living, all life's error, all its sin,
Was sublimed to rapturous sweetness, when it passed my cup within.
To the Altar came a vision of the secret of the world,
Of the leaders God-inspired, of the starry flags unfurled,
Crownéd Saints and arméd sinners, walking in opposing ways,
Till the discords of the Ages met in mingled hymns of praise.
Of the leaders God-inspired, of the starry flags unfurled,
Crownéd Saints and arméd sinners, walking in opposing ways,
Till the discords of the Ages met in mingled hymns of praise.
Oh! how can He who rules the stars, whose will is perfect law,
Take note of us who idols make of stubble and of straw?
The heart of Christ and Moses, and this groveling heart of mine,
How can the mighty Alchemist for good and truth combine?
Take note of us who idols make of stubble and of straw?
The heart of Christ and Moses, and this groveling heart of mine,
How can the mighty Alchemist for good and truth combine?
75
“God save the king!” and yet the king to some false god doth bow,
To pleasure, wealth, or fashion, lights the rank that crowns his brow;
And on the throne or in the hut, or on the tented field,
Where God might look for seconding, despite is all the yield.
To pleasure, wealth, or fashion, lights the rank that crowns his brow;
And on the throne or in the hut, or on the tented field,
Where God might look for seconding, despite is all the yield.
The lamps were in bright circle hung, the waves of melody
In cadences majestical around them seemed to fly.
The lamps were like the light of thought, that shows the dark without,
But the hymn was like the bond of love that binds it all about.
In cadences majestical around them seemed to fly.
The lamps were like the light of thought, that shows the dark without,
But the hymn was like the bond of love that binds it all about.
My doubting heart no longer weighed the mischiefs of its past,
No longer in its struggle cried: “Oh, help me, God, at last!”
But thus it spake: “The solvent for all evil things is found,
And where offence of man abounds, God's grace doth more abound.”
No longer in its struggle cried: “Oh, help me, God, at last!”
But thus it spake: “The solvent for all evil things is found,
And where offence of man abounds, God's grace doth more abound.”
79
AT MILWAUKEE
The tulips on the border of the lake
A missal-like illumination make,
The waters spreading like a silver page,
Where the sun prints his text, from Age to Age,
A missal-like illumination make,
The waters spreading like a silver page,
Where the sun prints his text, from Age to Age,
Which the lake's heaving bosom doth efface,
Yet is its teaching steadfast with our race,
Message of splendor, never twice the same,
Sealing Creation's story with God's name.
Yet is its teaching steadfast with our race,
Message of splendor, never twice the same,
Sealing Creation's story with God's name.
As the rose leaves around the rose's heart,
The saints of God may gather round His throne;
But alien spirits, in far realms apart
The fellowship of Zion have not known.
The saints of God may gather round His throne;
But alien spirits, in far realms apart
The fellowship of Zion have not known.
Musing, I thought upon the holy band
Who ne'er the blessed sphere had passed outside:
Fondly to them I stretched the pleading hand,
To join their glorious ranks one moment cried.
Who ne'er the blessed sphere had passed outside:
Fondly to them I stretched the pleading hand,
To join their glorious ranks one moment cried.
But then from earth's dark corner I perceived
The coming of a mighty multitude,
For whom the Light supreme its course achieved,
Redeeming from the wild, accursed mood.
The coming of a mighty multitude,
For whom the Light supreme its course achieved,
Redeeming from the wild, accursed mood.
To these I prayed, “Oh! let me bring the news
Of what in nearer vision I have seen;
To serve their greater need my heart would choose
Above the heavenly city's sights serene.
Of what in nearer vision I have seen;
To serve their greater need my heart would choose
Above the heavenly city's sights serene.
80
“For to their painful progress should belong
My lessons of infirmity and sin,
And how world-problems of deceit and wrong
Are solved by some who late may enter in,
My lessons of infirmity and sin,
And how world-problems of deceit and wrong
Are solved by some who late may enter in,
“As left the Christ the sentence dear and deep
Of Love's great victory which all shall crown;
The heavenly Shepherd seeking other sheep
To be redeemed and folded as his own.”
Of Love's great victory which all shall crown;
The heavenly Shepherd seeking other sheep
To be redeemed and folded as his own.”
88
A SONG FOR THE YOUTH OF THE CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR SOCIETY
Phalanx of youth, so fair and brave,
Set your bright banner in the sky;
O'er minds ennobled let it wave,
O'er hearts to duty ever nigh.
Set your bright banner in the sky;
O'er minds ennobled let it wave,
O'er hearts to duty ever nigh.
The years that marshal gallant men,
Passing, withdraw them from the field;
Our leaders resolute of ken,
In turn to Death's stern challenge yield.
Passing, withdraw them from the field;
Our leaders resolute of ken,
In turn to Death's stern challenge yield.
Who shall uphold what valor gained,
When those who led the fight are gone,
When noble spirits, nobly trained,
Fall, from the contest, one by one?
When those who led the fight are gone,
When noble spirits, nobly trained,
Fall, from the contest, one by one?
Children who show their true descent
Fulfill the promise of their sires,
The faith unswerving and unbent,
The heart unstained by low desires.
Fulfill the promise of their sires,
The faith unswerving and unbent,
The heart unstained by low desires.
O valiant army that shall be,
Approach, and breathe the solemn vow
That binds to truth's high chivalry!
The time to enroll your names is now.
Approach, and breathe the solemn vow
That binds to truth's high chivalry!
The time to enroll your names is now.
In Heaven's own armory of light
Availing weapons you shall find;
Stronger than sword and cannon's might
The prayerful heart, the steadfast mind.
Availing weapons you shall find;
Stronger than sword and cannon's might
The prayerful heart, the steadfast mind.
89
The cross, with Love's own glory crowned,
The stripes and spangles of the free,
With these your watchword shall resound,
“Our country, God, and liberty.’
The stripes and spangles of the free,
With these your watchword shall resound,
“Our country, God, and liberty.’
From The Golden Rule.
94
THE LORD'S SUPPER
From the lips of Christ this goblet comes
That here you tender me,
From the lips whose summons woke the dead
In ancient Bethany.
That here you tender me,
From the lips whose summons woke the dead
In ancient Bethany.
The lips whose music thrills the world
With high beatitudes;
The lips that gave command to feed
The hungering multitudes.
With high beatitudes;
The lips that gave command to feed
The hungering multitudes.
Oh! bitter was the draught to him,
On the chill verge of death,
Who at the banquet gave this pledge
Of love surpassing faith.
On the chill verge of death,
Who at the banquet gave this pledge
Of love surpassing faith.
Put far from me the stains of earth,
My heart in twain be riven
For him who through the centuries saith,
“Thy sins be all forgiven.”
My heart in twain be riven
For him who through the centuries saith,
“Thy sins be all forgiven.”
107
THE CLOSED GENTIAN
Thou promise of a glory unfulfilled,
Enclosed as if some frost thy heart had chilled;
Thy blue is stolen from the vault above;
Surely, the golden secret of thy love
Is star-distilled, too precious for revealing
For mean delight's unconsecrated feeling.
Enclosed as if some frost thy heart had chilled;
Thy blue is stolen from the vault above;
Surely, the golden secret of thy love
Is star-distilled, too precious for revealing
For mean delight's unconsecrated feeling.
In my life's garden grow such flowers as these,
Unfolding not to sunshine nor to breeze,
Their outer semblance to the world fair shown,
Their inner beauty seen of God alone.
Unfolding not to sunshine nor to breeze,
Their outer semblance to the world fair shown,
Their inner beauty seen of God alone.
125
GOOD FRIDAY
Why is it good? This ever-mournful day
That saw the Saviour walk his deathward way,
The cruel cross upon his shoulders bound,
The robe to mock, the thorny crown to wound.
That saw the Saviour walk his deathward way,
The cruel cross upon his shoulders bound,
The robe to mock, the thorny crown to wound.
Was it not good, a guerdon past belief,
His loving message to the dying thief,
The pardon which the Heaven's high Majesty
Sealed to this wreckage of Humanity?
His loving message to the dying thief,
The pardon which the Heaven's high Majesty
Sealed to this wreckage of Humanity?
Methinks the anguish of that hour was paid
When the low wretch his supplication made,
And the meek King, divinely fair and wise,
Returned it with the gift of Paradise.
When the low wretch his supplication made,
And the meek King, divinely fair and wise,
Returned it with the gift of Paradise.
129
THE NEW HYMN
May 30, 1905
With echoes of a time long past,
With images that ne'er decay,
With grief in mold of glory cast,
Draws near our Decoration Day.
With images that ne'er decay,
With grief in mold of glory cast,
Draws near our Decoration Day.
Hushed be the hum of toil and thrift,
Unheard the boast of ease and wealth;
A distant music should uplift
The pulse of man's diviner health.
Unheard the boast of ease and wealth;
A distant music should uplift
The pulse of man's diviner health.
Sound, Bugle, but no more to call
The gathering legions to their task.
Flowers, bloom your brightest, though you fall
Where sculptured stones a burial mask.
The gathering legions to their task.
Flowers, bloom your brightest, though you fall
Where sculptured stones a burial mask.
With noiseless footsteps on they come,
With aspect solemn and severe,
As answering taps of muffled drum,
The Heroes of the Past appear.
With aspect solemn and severe,
As answering taps of muffled drum,
The Heroes of the Past appear.
Oh! silent Phalanx! did we heed
The deathless message that you bring,
Armed should we be for every need,
Trained for great Duties' marshaling.
The deathless message that you bring,
Armed should we be for every need,
Trained for great Duties' marshaling.
“We who our blooming manhood gave
To keep our Country's promise true,
Salute you; from each warrior grave,
Our pledge of brotherhood renew.
To keep our Country's promise true,
Salute you; from each warrior grave,
Our pledge of brotherhood renew.
130
“Never for empty sound of fame,
Never for heaps of sordid gold,
Never for popular acclaim
Be the Land's sacred birthright sold.
Never for heaps of sordid gold,
Never for popular acclaim
Be the Land's sacred birthright sold.
“Be this the lesson of our fight,
So plain that many reading, run:
Rise ever up for human right,
And rest in God when Right has won.”
So plain that many reading, run:
Rise ever up for human right,
And rest in God when Right has won.”
133
AT CHURCH
Within the many mansions
That God's dear love doth keep,
Where is the darksome closet
That hides the miser's heap?
That God's dear love doth keep,
Where is the darksome closet
That hides the miser's heap?
I saw the miser walking
With others, robed in white,
No frown upon his forehead,
His features all alight.
With others, robed in white,
No frown upon his forehead,
His features all alight.
“Oh, friend, where is thy treasure,
Gathered in many a year?”
“I'm richer far without it;
We want no money here.”
Gathered in many a year?”
“I'm richer far without it;
We want no money here.”
143
TO PHILOSOPHY
I have served thee like a slave,
Took whate'er thy right hand gave.
With thy holy robes of state
I my meanness did not mate,
Counterfeiting wise and great.
Took whate'er thy right hand gave.
With thy holy robes of state
I my meanness did not mate,
Counterfeiting wise and great.
But I might remove the dust
Gathered, and the mournful rust,
Where, unmarked of careless eye,
Thy neglected glories lie.
Gathered, and the mournful rust,
Where, unmarked of careless eye,
Thy neglected glories lie.
Once I saw a serving-maid
Dead, in goodly garb arrayed.
From her earnings she had saved
Gold, and these last splendors craved.
Dead, in goodly garb arrayed.
From her earnings she had saved
Gold, and these last splendors craved.
So when I am dead and gone,
Robe thou me, O holy one!
Let thy sacred livery
O'er my marble features lie;
Service in thy noble house
Fill my record, pay my vows.
Robe thou me, O holy one!
Let thy sacred livery
O'er my marble features lie;
Service in thy noble house
Fill my record, pay my vows.
145
MEDITATION
My temple has a lofty roof
Wherein all planets are at home:
My sight, which holds a world aloof,
Still fails to circumscribe its dome:
While verdure-covered pines and larches
Astounding columns rear, and arches.
Wherein all planets are at home:
My sight, which holds a world aloof,
Still fails to circumscribe its dome:
While verdure-covered pines and larches
Astounding columns rear, and arches.
The floor of emeralds, gold-embossed,
Is swept and garnished, free of cost,
Its music-pipes the birds supply,
Singing like angels as they fly.
Where is its altar's watch and ward?
Dear God! it is not veiled or barred.
Where'er a penitent shall kneel,
A contrite heart its burthen feel,
Or where pure spirits, glad and free,
Thrill with the touch of ecstasy,
Refuge of rapture or despair,
There waits true worship: God is there.
Is swept and garnished, free of cost,
Its music-pipes the birds supply,
Singing like angels as they fly.
Where is its altar's watch and ward?
Dear God! it is not veiled or barred.
Where'er a penitent shall kneel,
A contrite heart its burthen feel,
Or where pure spirits, glad and free,
Thrill with the touch of ecstasy,
Refuge of rapture or despair,
There waits true worship: God is there.
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