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84
THE FIRST RAINBOW
Compelled to punish for their sin
The stubborn children on His earth,
The Master called His angels in
From parks of melody and mirth,
The stubborn children on His earth,
The Master called His angels in
From parks of melody and mirth,
And charging them in faith to keep
Their Paradise with seriousness
Till He returned from out the deep,
He lifted up His hands to bless.
Their Paradise with seriousness
Till He returned from out the deep,
He lifted up His hands to bless.
As there they knelt, the Master showed
The mighty stature of His wings,
And, fronting the celestial road,
Flew earthward with His sorrowings.
The mighty stature of His wings,
And, fronting the celestial road,
Flew earthward with His sorrowings.
But when the swiftness of His pace
Had won for Him the half-way part,
There blossomed in His eyes a face,
And thoughts of Jesus touched His heart.
Had won for Him the half-way part,
There blossomed in His eyes a face,
And thoughts of Jesus touched His heart.
He turned, and, quicker far than light,
In homeward travel pierced the blue
Till towers and temples in His sight
From glory unto glory grew.
In homeward travel pierced the blue
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From glory unto glory grew.
The little Christ was held by dreams,
And neither felt beneath Him pressed
The hands, as soft as starry beams,
Nor knew the change from bed to breast.
And neither felt beneath Him pressed
The hands, as soft as starry beams,
Nor knew the change from bed to breast.
Companioned by the sleeping Child,
The Father in His splendour swept;
Whene'er He glimpsed the Babe, He smiled,
Whene'er He looked on earth, He wept.
The Father in His splendour swept;
Whene'er He glimpsed the Babe, He smiled,
Whene'er He looked on earth, He wept.
At length, where desolate mountains stood,
The Maker of the world descried
The bleakness of His angered mood
Expressed below in deepening tide.
The Maker of the world descried
The bleakness of His angered mood
Expressed below in deepening tide.
He warmed the harebells. On a blue
Expanse He laid His Son asleep
Before, to win a wider view,
He trod the fern along the steep;
Expanse He laid His Son asleep
Before, to win a wider view,
He trod the fern along the steep;
But ere He gained the topmost ground
His treasured Boy from slumber woke,
And, in amazement looking round,
Saw heath and harebells, pine and oak.
His treasured Boy from slumber woke,
And, in amazement looking round,
Saw heath and harebells, pine and oak.
Now when He glimpsed the dark and wild
Approach to Heaven, because of cloud
(His heart being melted in the Child),
The infant Saviour cried aloud.
Approach to Heaven, because of cloud
(His heart being melted in the Child),
The infant Saviour cried aloud.
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The Father, deep in thought above,
Made answer to His Son distressed,
And, with the lovely speed of love,
Him caught and cradled on His breast.
Made answer to His Son distressed,
And, with the lovely speed of love,
Him caught and cradled on His breast.
But Jesus, hardly yet assured
Of safety in those welcome arms,
His tears of dread continuous poured,
And felt afresh the first alarms.
Of safety in those welcome arms,
His tears of dread continuous poured,
And felt afresh the first alarms.
At length the Saviour raised His head,
And smiled to God in tremulous glee.
“Depth of My Depth,” the Father said,
“Behold the cloud that frightened Thee!”
And smiled to God in tremulous glee.
“Depth of My Depth,” the Father said,
“Behold the cloud that frightened Thee!”
He pointed. What the Child had feared
Redeemed the terror it had made.
Upon the darkling bank appeared
The Rainbow. Thus the debt was paid.
Redeemed the terror it had made.
Upon the darkling bank appeared
The Rainbow. Thus the debt was paid.
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