 | Songs Old and New |  |
53
THE TWO ALABASTER BOXES.
I.
“A woman in the city, which was a sinner, brought an alabaster box of ointment,
and anointed His feet.”
“Being in Bethany, there came a woman, having an alabaster box of ointment
of spikenard, very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it
on His head.”
When Thou, in patient ministry,
Didst pass a stranger through Thy land,
Two costly gifts were offered Thee,
And each was from a woman's hand.
Didst pass a stranger through Thy land,
Two costly gifts were offered Thee,
And each was from a woman's hand.
To Thee, who madest all things fair,
Twice fair and precious things they bring;—
Pure sculptured alabaster clear,
Perfumes for earth's anointed King.
Twice fair and precious things they bring;—
Pure sculptured alabaster clear,
Perfumes for earth's anointed King.
Man's hasty lips would both reprove,—
One for the stain of too much sin,
One for the waste of too much love;
Yet both availed Thy smile to win.
One for the stain of too much sin,
54
Yet both availed Thy smile to win.
The saint who listened at Thy feet,
The sinner sinners scorned to touch,
Adoring in Thy presence meet,
Both pardoned and both loving much.
The sinner sinners scorned to touch,
Adoring in Thy presence meet,
Both pardoned and both loving much.
Thus evermore to all they teach,
Man's highest style is “much forgiven;”
And that earth's lowest yet may reach
The highest ministries of heaven.
Man's highest style is “much forgiven;”
And that earth's lowest yet may reach
The highest ministries of heaven.
They teach that gifts of costliest price
From hearts sin beggared yet may pour;
And that love's costliest sacrifice
Is worth the love, and nothing more.
From hearts sin beggared yet may pour;
And that love's costliest sacrifice
Is worth the love, and nothing more.
II.
Love is the true economist,
Her weights and measures pass in heaven;
What others lavish on the feast,
She to the Lord Himself hath given.
Her weights and measures pass in heaven;
What others lavish on the feast,
She to the Lord Himself hath given.
55
Love is the true economist,
She through all else to Him hath sped,
And unreproved His feet hath kissed,
And spent her ointments on His head.
She through all else to Him hath sped,
And unreproved His feet hath kissed,
And spent her ointments on His head.
Love is the true economist,
She breaks the box, and gives her all;
Yet not one precious drop is missed,
Since on His head and feet they fall.
She breaks the box, and gives her all;
Yet not one precious drop is missed,
Since on His head and feet they fall.
In all her fervent zeal no haste,
She at His feet sits glad and calm;
In all her lavish gifts no waste,—
The broken vase but frees the balm.
She at His feet sits glad and calm;
In all her lavish gifts no waste,—
The broken vase but frees the balm.
Love is the truest providence,
Since beyond time her gold is good;
Stamped for man's mean “three hundred pence,”
With Christ's “She hath done what she could.”
Since beyond time her gold is good;
Stamped for man's mean “three hundred pence,”
With Christ's “She hath done what she could.”
Love is the best economist
In what she sows and what she reaps;
She lavishes her all on Christ,
And in His all her being steeps.
In what she sows and what she reaps;
She lavishes her all on Christ,
And in His all her being steeps.
1858.
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