 | 'Twixt Kiss and Lip or Under the Sword. By the author of "Women Must Weep," [i.e. F. W. O. Ward] Third edition |  |
OUR SISTER.
Fair the Island, crowned with splendour,
Home of heroes and the bard,
Where the hearts are true and tender,
And but their religion hard;
Set in silver, like a jewel
Bright, which hand Almighty paints,
Now defaced by blotting cruel,
Though the Island once of saints;
Erin is it, and she reaches
Fond to us her fettered hands,
For the Book which mercy teaches,
Which alone can break her bands.
Home of heroes and the bard,
Where the hearts are true and tender,
And but their religion hard;
Set in silver, like a jewel
Bright, which hand Almighty paints,
Now defaced by blotting cruel,
Though the Island once of saints;
Erin is it, and she reaches
Fond to us her fettered hands,
For the Book which mercy teaches,
Which alone can break her bands.
And to us she sadly beckons,
Out of bondage and the night,
For the help on which she reckons,
Just to give the needed light;
Just to show her, with the danger
Born from hopelessness of sin,
What a welcome even the stranger,
Trusting, still from Christ may win;
Just to keep her steps from stumbling
Longer, and to shield from harms,
Guiding, through the wholesome humbling
Safe into the Saviour's arms.
Out of bondage and the night,
For the help on which she reckons,
Just to give the needed light;
Just to show her, with the danger
Born from hopelessness of sin,
What a welcome even the stranger,
Trusting, still from Christ may win;
Just to keep her steps from stumbling
Longer, and to shield from harms,
Guiding, through the wholesome humbling
Safe into the Saviour's arms.
Liberty she asks, to study
Truth, at present all unread,
Not from streamlets mean and muddy,
But the glorious fountain head;
Liberty for higher learning,
Earth itself may never give—
Earth that cannot slake the yearning,
Wakened by it, how to live;
When the kindling word is spoken,
Strong to flash the sunlight sweet,
Till with priestcraft's barrier broken,
Sinners and their Saviour meet.
Truth, at present all unread,
Not from streamlets mean and muddy,
But the glorious fountain head;
Liberty for higher learning,
Earth itself may never give—
Earth that cannot slake the yearning,
Wakened by it, how to live;
When the kindling word is spoken,
Strong to flash the sunlight sweet,
Till with priestcraft's barrier broken,
Sinners and their Saviour meet.
62
Yes, she wants the world-wide Charter,
Written large in sacred lines,
Birthright that her priests would barter,
For tradition that confines;
Title-deeds, that make a nation
Beautiful and rich and strong,
Blessed yoke of free salvation,
Not self-government in wrong;
Till the Gospel, pure and holy,
Brings them in the better yule,
Born again to service lowly,
Resting but in Christ's “Home Rule.”
Written large in sacred lines,
Birthright that her priests would barter,
For tradition that confines;
Title-deeds, that make a nation
Beautiful and rich and strong,
Blessed yoke of free salvation,
Not self-government in wrong;
Till the Gospel, pure and holy,
Brings them in the better yule,
Born again to service lowly,
Resting but in Christ's “Home Rule.”
| 'Twixt Kiss and Lip or Under the Sword. By the author of "Women Must Weep," [i.e. F. W. O. Ward] Third edition | |