The Cathedral, or the Catholic and Apostolic Church in England Second edition [by Isaac Williams] |
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FAST DAYS. |
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 | The Cathedral, or the Catholic and Apostolic Church in England |  |
72
FAST DAYS.
While to the tomb we tread this pilgrimage,
Sorrow will wait upon us, and be ours
E'en as our shadow, where on Life's dim stage
Falls the celestial light from Eden's bowers.
Sorrow will wait upon us, and be ours
E'en as our shadow, where on Life's dim stage
Falls the celestial light from Eden's bowers.
Then it were wise to win her for our friend,
Who must be our companion, so to gain
That she may help us to our journey's end,
So may we love her yoke, nor feel the chain.
Who must be our companion, so to gain
That she may help us to our journey's end,
So may we love her yoke, nor feel the chain.
Lest we should exile take for home of ease,
Shadows for truth, for shore the billow's breast,
Our trial for acceptance and release,
The vale of tears for mountain of our rest.
Shadows for truth, for shore the billow's breast,
Our trial for acceptance and release,
The vale of tears for mountain of our rest.
Such Sorrow is sent down by pitying Heaven,
The mantle which from Jesus fell below,
To his own chosen in His mercy given,
The last best boon He could on earth bestow.
The mantle which from Jesus fell below,
To his own chosen in His mercy given,
The last best boon He could on earth bestow.
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Nor wonder that the widow'd Church should sound
Of sadness: those are mourners Christ hath blest,
Who watch with her their annual, weekly, round,
And in obedience find the promis'd rest.
Of sadness: those are mourners Christ hath blest,
Who watch with her their annual, weekly, round,
And in obedience find the promis'd rest.
A shelter from ourselves her sacred call,
Lest the self-humbling soul might haply make
Her penance glory—lest her mourner's pall
Self-form'd, for trappings of her pride she take.
Lest the self-humbling soul might haply make
Her penance glory—lest her mourner's pall
Self-form'd, for trappings of her pride she take.
Nor deem such penance hard, nor fondly dream
Of Herod's ease in the imperial hall,
But seek the Baptist by the desert stream,
And thou shalt see the light on Jesus fall:
Of Herod's ease in the imperial hall,
But seek the Baptist by the desert stream,
And thou shalt see the light on Jesus fall:
Yea haply so be brought with Christ to pray
In His own secret mount—or in His word
Where Moses and Elias witness pay,
To watch, till Heav'n-reveal'd ye see the Lord.
In His own secret mount—or in His word
Where Moses and Elias witness pay,
To watch, till Heav'n-reveal'd ye see the Lord.
Nor deem such penance hard—thence from the soul
The cords of flesh are loos'd, and earthly woes
Lose half their power to harm, while self-controul
Learns that blest freedom which she only knows.
The cords of flesh are loos'd, and earthly woes
Lose half their power to harm, while self-controul
Learns that blest freedom which she only knows.
Thence is our hope to manlier aims subdued,
And purg'd from earthly mists the mental eye,
To gird herself with growing fortitude,
To see the gates of immortality,
And purg'd from earthly mists the mental eye,
To gird herself with growing fortitude,
To see the gates of immortality,
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Beyond the vale of woes; while far between,
In watchings and in fastings train'd of yore,
Martyrs and Saints, in glorious order seen,
Follow the Man of Sorrows gone before.
In watchings and in fastings train'd of yore,
Martyrs and Saints, in glorious order seen,
Follow the Man of Sorrows gone before.
Now sphered in orbs of light to us they call:
The eve precedes with penitential woes,
And ushers in the holier festival,
The shadow which their glory earthward throws.
The eve precedes with penitential woes,
And ushers in the holier festival,
The shadow which their glory earthward throws.
Many the gates of Hell, and every gate
Is but each vice which man's dark temper sways,
And Christ alone can raise our fallen state,
In fasting found, and prayer, and watchful ways.
Is but each vice which man's dark temper sways,
And Christ alone can raise our fallen state,
In fasting found, and prayer, and watchful ways.
| The Cathedral, or the Catholic and Apostolic Church in England | |