The Lord of the Forest and his Vassals An Allegory [by C. F. Humphreys] |
 | THE LORD OF THE FOREST AND HIS VASSALS.
|
 | The Lord of the Forest and his Vassals |  |
THE LORD OF THE FOREST AND HIS VASSALS.
An Allegory.
9
[Through the forest-branches brightly]
Through the forest-branches brightly
Falls the light of summer days,
And the young leaves tremble lightly
In the sunbeam's silver rays.
Falls the light of summer days,
And the young leaves tremble lightly
In the sunbeam's silver rays.
And gay words of mirth and gladness
Make the forest-echoes ring:
Yet that joy shall turn to sadness,
That green life to withering.
Make the forest-echoes ring:
Yet that joy shall turn to sadness,
That green life to withering.
Winter chill shall wander hither,
Blighting all that summer brings:
Hark, we whisper, as they wither,
There are brighter, better things.
Blighting all that summer brings:
Hark, we whisper, as they wither,
There are brighter, better things.
Where the dark trees arching grimly,
In greenwood, make cloistral shade,
See, strange shadows, floating dimly,
Beckon down the solemn glade.
In greenwood, make cloistral shade,
See, strange shadows, floating dimly,
Beckon down the solemn glade.
And faint streaks of pale blue heaven,
Calm and pure look through the trees:
Praise to our Great King be given,
There are better things than these.
Calm and pure look through the trees:
Praise to our Great King be given,
There are better things than these.
16
[Trust not ye, that hope has found ye]
Trust not ye, that hope has found ye;Ye are sold to me anew.
Turn, and live where joys surround ye,
Mercy can do nought for you.
34
[O! gentle child, the heavenward path is fair]
O! gentle child, the heavenward path is fair,
And beautiful the shrine where good men meet,
Where each true Christian, as he kneels in prayer,
Holdeth with all Christ's Saints communion sweet;
And beautiful the shrine where good men meet,
Where each true Christian, as he kneels in prayer,
Holdeth with all Christ's Saints communion sweet;
Holdeth with all God's angels, high and holy,
A fellowship of love, mysterious, strong:
Couldst thou but see, O! ignorant and lowly,
What hosts of heavenly guardians round thee throng!
A fellowship of love, mysterious, strong:
Couldst thou but see, O! ignorant and lowly,
What hosts of heavenly guardians round thee throng!
Come, then, young Saint, Christ's soldier sworn to be,
Washed in His font, life's everlasting spring;
Thrice welcome to our glorious company,
Thrice welcome to the Church of our Great King!
Washed in His font, life's everlasting spring;
Thrice welcome to our glorious company,
Thrice welcome to the Church of our Great King!
43
[Child, whom Christian rite has blest]
Child, whom Christian rite has blest,In the clean white garment drest,
Still the Church's saints below
Meet, and foil her deadly foe;
Following on her Glorious Head,
Come, where duty bids thee tread.
Through the wild world's tangled maze,
Charmed bowers, and wicked ways,
By His holy Presence girt,
Walk untainted, walk unhurt.
50
[Child, in Christ's own cleansing tide]
Child, in Christ's own cleansing tideWashed once from earthly stain,
Sinful passion, wrath, or pride,
Must not fill thy soul again.
Christian, take thy banner up;
By the Cross, and by the Crown,
By the overflowing Cup,
Put thy evil nature down;
By the sign upon thy brow,
Hold thy birthright, keep thy vow.
51
[Thou that bearest on Thine arm]
Thou that bearest on Thine arm
Thy little lambs so tenderly,
Thou that leadest through all harm
Thy true saints to victory;
Thy little lambs so tenderly,
Thou that leadest through all harm
Thy true saints to victory;
For each well-contested fight,
For each duty bravely done,
By Thy grace, and in Thy might—
Praise to Thee, and Thee alone!
For each duty bravely done,
By Thy grace, and in Thy might—
Praise to Thee, and Thee alone!
57
[In the name of the Child Jesus]
In the name of the Child Jesus,
Who was once a babe like thee,
Thus I rock thy cradle, baby,
Thus I rock it tenderly.
Who was once a babe like thee,
Thus I rock thy cradle, baby,
Thus I rock it tenderly.
58
Sleep, poor little lamb, forsaken,
He hath shared thy poverty;
He was desolate, unaided,
And we tend Him, tending thee.
He hath shared thy poverty;
He was desolate, unaided,
And we tend Him, tending thee.
Sleep, child, sleep; He said, ‘Who giveth
To my least one, gives to Me:’
All around thy lowly cradle
Broodeth the great mystery.
To my least one, gives to Me:’
All around thy lowly cradle
Broodeth the great mystery.
And not one poor cup of water
Shall of Him unguerdoned be:
Sweetly slumber, Christian baby,
While I rock thee tenderly.
Shall of Him unguerdoned be:
Sweetly slumber, Christian baby,
While I rock thee tenderly.
67
[From the wild world's vanities]
From the wild world's vanities,Silken robe, and flashing sword,
From false joys, and painted lies,
Keep Thy little child, O Lord.
69
[He Who won the Christian's grace]
He Who won the Christian's graceWas a peasant maiden's son.
Pride of rank and lofty place,
Earthly honours hotly won,
These are things His children dear
May not love, or look for, here.
72
[Pride, and pomp, and vain delight]
Pride, and pomp, and vain delight,Soon will stain that spotless white.
Careful walk and lowly mien
Only keep that garment clean.
Child, in the baptismal tide
Washen pure as mountain snow,
Cast the glittering gauds aside,
Look not on the tempting show.
75
[Round thy Father's dwelling low]
Round thy Father's dwelling low,
The blue waters music make,
With a ceaseless ebb and flow,
Sweet as sounds that used to break
Round the Galilean lake,
When thy dear Lord walked below.
The blue waters music make,
With a ceaseless ebb and flow,
Sweet as sounds that used to break
Round the Galilean lake,
When thy dear Lord walked below.
In thine own appointed place,
With no high ambitious thought,
With no proud uplifted face,
Must thy plighted deeds be wrought,
Must thy daily fight be fought:
And the dear Lord give thee grace.
With no high ambitious thought,
With no proud uplifted face,
Must thy plighted deeds be wrought,
Must thy daily fight be fought:
And the dear Lord give thee grace.
82
[On the many-tinted fruit]
On the many-tinted fruitBlend the streaks of gold and red,
Bright as rosy gleams that shine
In the far east overhead;
And the juice delicious meets,
Fresh and cool, the pressing lip,
Richer far than flowery sweets,
Where the wild bee loves to sip.
[When the bright temptation lies]
When the bright temptation liesGlittering in thy dazzled eyes;
When the tempter's voice is near,
Whispering sweetly in thine ear;
Look not on the bright array,
Hear not the deceitful lay,
Christian, rise, and flee away.
88
[Beyond the sunset's golden gates]
Beyond the sunset's golden gates,
Beyond the mountain's purple height,
Are flowers that need no falling dew,
And sunless days that know not night.
Beyond the mountain's purple height,
Are flowers that need no falling dew,
And sunless days that know not night.
Within the forest's shadowy glades,
The white-robed people wander low,
For whom the flowers that never fade,
For whom the days eternal glow.
The white-robed people wander low,
For whom the flowers that never fade,
For whom the days eternal glow.
89
And nearer still, each rosy morn,
Each day that fades to softer even,
They draw to their eternal home,
The born anew, the heirs of Heaven.
Each day that fades to softer even,
They draw to their eternal home,
The born anew, the heirs of Heaven.
109
[Faithful found in trial's hour]
Faithful found in trial's hour,Victor, bleeding from the strife,
Sin and pain no more have power
O'er thy soul's immortal life.
Come where strains seraphic ring,
Where the “noble army” stands
Round about the Martyr's King;
Welcome to their glittering bands,
Welcome, for the pang is o'er;
The pure gold is purged from dross,
And Thy Lord hath died before,—
Take the crown, and leave the cross.
Finis.
| The Lord of the Forest and his Vassals | |