 | 'Twixt Kiss and Lip or Under the Sword. By the author of "Women Must Weep," [i.e. F. W. O. Ward] Third edition |  |
A THREEFOLD CORD..
—July 10th, 1886
It was fashioned in courts of light,
It was formed by the angels' hands,
And the blessing that shone so fair and bright,
Was prepared in the holier lands,
And revealed to the maiden's wondering sight,
With the grace of its golden bands;
From the heaven it came,
Upon earth it fell,
And it whispered of joy that has no name,
That was bidden with her to dwell,
By the Father whose love abode the same,
And declared that it was well.
It was formed by the angels' hands,
And the blessing that shone so fair and bright,
Was prepared in the holier lands,
And revealed to the maiden's wondering sight,
With the grace of its golden bands;
From the heaven it came,
Upon earth it fell,
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That was bidden with her to dwell,
By the Father whose love abode the same,
And declared that it was well.
They were made not by human art,
Nor united in earthly plan,
All the tender wealth of a woman's heart,
And the ruder might of man—
They were never meant to thrive apart,
Since the ages first began;
For a woman's trust,
And a man's right arm,
Are the treasures that can take no rust,
And possess a secret charm,
To defy the shock of winter's gust,
And the shade of evil's harm.
Nor united in earthly plan,
All the tender wealth of a woman's heart,
And the ruder might of man—
They were never meant to thrive apart,
Since the ages first began;
For a woman's trust,
And a man's right arm,
Are the treasures that can take no rust,
And possess a secret charm,
To defy the shock of winter's gust,
And the shade of evil's harm.
From the bowers of Eden's bloom,
And the early summer skies;
To the depths of the last and longest gloom,
That on weary bosoms lies,
There is still a place in the darkest room,
For the faith that upward flies;
On the sweetest lawn
May the sunbeam set,
But the spirits once together drawn,
Shall be undivided yet,
And will shine in a fairer fuller Dawn,
Though the days to rise forget.
And the early summer skies;
To the depths of the last and longest gloom,
That on weary bosoms lies,
There is still a place in the darkest room,
For the faith that upward flies;
On the sweetest lawn
May the sunbeam set,
But the spirits once together drawn,
Shall be undivided yet,
And will shine in a fairer fuller Dawn,
Though the days to rise forget.
In the name of the gentle Lord,
Who is still at the marriage feast,
And will frame of your bond a “threefold cord,”
That can kingly make the least,
With the love that is stronger than the sword,
And enthroned from west to east;
To your duties go,
In the larger life,
That by will Divine was broadened so—
Not unequal to the strife,
If the billows toss you to and fro—
As anointed man and wife.
Who is still at the marriage feast,
And will frame of your bond a “threefold cord,”
That can kingly make the least,
With the love that is stronger than the sword,
And enthroned from west to east;
To your duties go,
In the larger life,
That by will Divine was broadened so—
Not unequal to the strife,
If the billows toss you to and fro—
As anointed man and wife.
| 'Twixt Kiss and Lip or Under the Sword. By the author of "Women Must Weep," [i.e. F. W. O. Ward] Third edition | |