 | Coffin's Poems with Ajax' Ordeals |  |
25
Spotless.
(James 1:21)
Spotless, spotless, spotless, spotless,
At the sounding of that word,
All my soul turned up to heaven,
All my heart within me stirred.
At the sounding of that word,
All my soul turned up to heaven,
All my heart within me stirred.
Would that I could stand out spotless,
Lord, I know that Thou hast died,
Thou hast stood for ages spotless
Bidding men come and abide.
Lord, I know that Thou hast died,
Thou hast stood for ages spotless
Bidding men come and abide.
Lord, build up for me a ladder,
Reaching into perfect day,
That my hopes this word may grapple,
Showing me the right of way.
Reaching into perfect day,
That my hopes this word may grapple,
Showing me the right of way.
Blooming flowers all seem spotless,
On the spotless hill and dell,
Oh, how beautiful they all are,
And how fragrant too they smell.
On the spotless hill and dell,
Oh, how beautiful they all are,
And how fragrant too they smell.
The spotless birds, they spring along,
And chirp the song of jubilee;
I like to hear their spotless songs,
They make my melancholy flee.
And chirp the song of jubilee;
I like to hear their spotless songs,
They make my melancholy flee.
26
I wish that I could so be found,
While traveling life's brief way,
A spotless light to every one,
Where'er my footsteps stray.
While traveling life's brief way,
A spotless light to every one,
Where'er my footsteps stray.
Once a woman tried to show me
Something spotless, bright and new,
And she pick'd for illustration
Objects of the dirtiest hue.
Something spotless, bright and new,
And she pick'd for illustration
Objects of the dirtiest hue.
“Lady” said I, eager, anxious,
“Why do you choose things so vile?”
“Just to show the cleansing process,”
Said the lady with a smile.
“Why do you choose things so vile?”
“Just to show the cleansing process,”
Said the lady with a smile.
Then she said “these dirty colors,
Hardest to remove of all,
Can be made by constant rubbing
White as snowflake in its fall.”
Hardest to remove of all,
Can be made by constant rubbing
White as snowflake in its fall.”
These words struck my heart with power,
Made my soul within me throb,
“Dirty colors”—“white as snowflake”
Can this woman? Cannot God?
Made my soul within me throb,
“Dirty colors”—“white as snowflake”
Can this woman? Cannot God?
Lord, I long to be made spotless,
What lack I to make me thine?
Not in name but spotless truly,
Would I have thy ways, not mine.
What lack I to make me thine?
Not in name but spotless truly,
Would I have thy ways, not mine.
27
Is there anything not spotless
That I cherish more than Thee,
Loved ones, money, fame or talent?
Lord reveal them now to me.
That I cherish more than Thee,
Loved ones, money, fame or talent?
Lord reveal them now to me.
Lord I think how Thou, though spotless,
Left thy Heavenly home on high,
Gave up all Thy spotless glory,
Came to earth for us, to die.
Left thy Heavenly home on high,
Gave up all Thy spotless glory,
Came to earth for us, to die.
Jesus spoke from out His mansion:
“Thou, as I, can spotless be,
Vilest hearts have been made precious,
Simply trust and follow me.”
“Thou, as I, can spotless be,
Vilest hearts have been made precious,
Simply trust and follow me.”
Then I cried, “O Jesus take me,
Give me spotless, crimson wings,
Stamp my name upon thy roll book,
Take it to the spotless King.”
Give me spotless, crimson wings,
Stamp my name upon thy roll book,
Take it to the spotless King.”
Oh, what spotless, rapturous music!
Heaven's gates seemed open wide,
And I stood there clear and spotless,
Near the Saviour's spotless side.
Heaven's gates seemed open wide,
And I stood there clear and spotless,
Near the Saviour's spotless side.
Spotless in God's spotless mansions!
Spotless in His spotless light!
God's own love, majestic, spotless,
Made me crimson, spotless white!
Spotless in His spotless light!
God's own love, majestic, spotless,
Made me crimson, spotless white!
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