The Gospel Miracles In A Series of Poetical Sketches: With Illustrative Conversations. By Richard Mant |
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THE SYRO-PHENICIAN WOMAN. |
 | The Gospel Miracles |  |
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THE SYRO-PHENICIAN WOMAN.
“Lord, send her away, for she after us cries;”
The disciples in weariness say:
But naught to her crying the Saviour replies,
As he tranquilly moves on his way.
The disciples in weariness say:
But naught to her crying the Saviour replies,
As he tranquilly moves on his way.
Still on as he moves, from a woman distrest
Cries are heard, and compassion they crave:
“Lord, my child by a demon is sorely opprest;
Son of David, have mercy and save!”
Cries are heard, and compassion they crave:
“Lord, my child by a demon is sorely opprest;
Son of David, have mercy and save!”
And who is that woman? Of Israel's race,
To Israel's God does she bow?
Has she sought in his temple the pledges of grace?
To his truth has she plighted her vow?
To Israel's God does she bow?
Has she sought in his temple the pledges of grace?
To his truth has she plighted her vow?
That now from the depth of maternal distress
To the promis'd Redeemer she flies;
Calls on Israel's Prophet her daughter to bless,
And on Israel's Monarch relies!
To the promis'd Redeemer she flies;
Calls on Israel's Prophet her daughter to bless,
And on Israel's Monarch relies!
Ah, no! a sad outcast is she on the world;
Of that remnant of heathendom left,
When Joshua's banner, in triumph unfurl'd,
Of her princes had Palestine reft;
Of that remnant of heathendom left,
When Joshua's banner, in triumph unfurl'd,
Of her princes had Palestine reft;
And still in the land has that remnant indur'd,
By no hope, by no promises fed:
To the worship obscene of their fathers inur'd,
And their gods are the forms of the dead.
By no hope, by no promises fed:
To the worship obscene of their fathers inur'd,
And their gods are the forms of the dead.
Over these, on the borders of Lebanon strown,
Ancient Zidon her empire maintains:
And Tyrus, the daughter of Zidon, alone
Where a queen on her island she reigns.
Ancient Zidon her empire maintains:
And Tyrus, the daughter of Zidon, alone
Where a queen on her island she reigns.
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There vows from the grove on the time-hallow'd steep
To Baal and Ashtaroth rise:
And for Tammuz the maidens of Syria weep,
As wounded and bleeding he lies.
To Baal and Ashtaroth rise:
And for Tammuz the maidens of Syria weep,
As wounded and bleeding he lies.
But Galilee's Sun shall pour lustre on them,
Who are sitting gross darkness beneath;
And the Day-spring from high is beginning to gleam
On the lands of the shadow of death.
Who are sitting gross darkness beneath;
And the Day-spring from high is beginning to gleam
On the lands of the shadow of death.
Of the light, on the confines of night and of day,
All comfortless, hopeless, forlorn,
That woman has witness'd a glimmering ray,
And she hastens to welcome the morn.
All comfortless, hopeless, forlorn,
That woman has witness'd a glimmering ray,
And she hastens to welcome the morn.
By no terror dismay'd, by no doubting perplex'd,
She is speeding his blessing to crave:
“Lord, my child by a demon is grievously vex'd;
Son of David, release her and save!”
She is speeding his blessing to crave:
“Lord, my child by a demon is grievously vex'd;
Son of David, release her and save!”
Not a word, not a look, to her plaint he replies:
His disciples impatiently say,
“Lord, send her away; for she after us cries:”
But he tranquilly moves on his way.
His disciples impatiently say,
“Lord, send her away; for she after us cries:”
But he tranquilly moves on his way.
Not a word, not a look, as still onward he went,
Till this sentence forbidding he gave:
“The lost sheep of Israel alone am I sent
In their wanderings to seek and to save.”
Till this sentence forbidding he gave:
“The lost sheep of Israel alone am I sent
In their wanderings to seek and to save.”
He has enter'd the house: he is plac'd in his seat,
Not unnotic'd, a guest at the board:
Lo, again she is there: she is fall'n at his feet;
She has cried: but how keen is his word!
Not unnotic'd, a guest at the board:
Lo, again she is there: she is fall'n at his feet;
She has cried: but how keen is his word!
“'Twere not fitting to take from the children their bread,
And to dogs the choice nourishment throw.”—
“Truth, Lord: yet the dogs, when the children are fed
Eat the crumbs, their Lord's table below.”—
And to dogs the choice nourishment throw.”—
“Truth, Lord: yet the dogs, when the children are fed
Eat the crumbs, their Lord's table below.”—
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Thou hast conquer'd, O woman! the triumph is thine;
The triumph of faith and of pray'r!
No more with maternal inquietude pine;
To thy home, to thy daughter, repair!
The triumph of faith and of pray'r!
No more with maternal inquietude pine;
To thy home, to thy daughter, repair!
He hath prov'd thee in confidence earnest, sincere;
He hath prov'd thee submissive and meek;
He hath heard thee with fervour of heart persevere
His grace long withheld to bespeak.
He hath prov'd thee submissive and meek;
He hath heard thee with fervour of heart persevere
His grace long withheld to bespeak.
He hath promis'd the boon; he the promise hath seal'd;
On thy way he hath sent thee in peace:
“For this saying of thine, lo, thy daughter is heal'd:
Thy faith is thy daughter's release!”
On thy way he hath sent thee in peace:
“For this saying of thine, lo, thy daughter is heal'd:
Thy faith is thy daughter's release!”
O, first of thy race, of the Gentiles the first,
Who, estrang'd from the knowledge of God,
In the gloom of idolatrous worship immerst,
Had the courts of his house never trod;
Who, estrang'd from the knowledge of God,
In the gloom of idolatrous worship immerst,
Had the courts of his house never trod;
The first at the feet of Messiah to kneel,
And confess him almighty to save;
The first from his bounty the blessing to feel,
Which thou wert the foremost to crave:
And confess him almighty to save;
The first from his bounty the blessing to feel,
Which thou wert the foremost to crave:
Ah, hard on thy faith was the trial impos'd,
And painful and fearful thy part;
To thy plaint while the lips of the Saviour were clos'd,
And clos'd to all semblance his heart.
And painful and fearful thy part;
To thy plaint while the lips of the Saviour were clos'd,
And clos'd to all semblance his heart.
In semblance alone! No unkindness was there;
'Twas only thy breast to unfold,
Ere he gave thee, a stranger, an alien, to share
The blessings ordain'd for his fold.
'Twas only thy breast to unfold,
Ere he gave thee, a stranger, an alien, to share
The blessings ordain'd for his fold.
Of the grace, which can help from our spiritual foe,
Now the portal wide open is thrown:
Thither freely, who will, unrestricted may go,
One fold, and one Shepherd alone.
Now the portal wide open is thrown:
Thither freely, who will, unrestricted may go,
One fold, and one Shepherd alone.
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The flock of his pasture, the sheep of his hand,
Jew and Gentile together are met.
May they follow his steps! may they hear his command!
And, O! may they never forget,
Jew and Gentile together are met.
May they follow his steps! may they hear his command!
And, O! may they never forget,
Like thee, at the feet of Messiah to bow;
Like thee, his salvation to crave;
As faithful, as humble, as fervent as thou,
His name to solicit, their trust to avow;
“Son of David, have mercy and save!”
Like thee, his salvation to crave;
As faithful, as humble, as fervent as thou,
His name to solicit, their trust to avow;
“Son of David, have mercy and save!”
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