 | Poems of problems |  |
51
THINKING OF CHRIST
Thinking of Christ, and hearing what men say
Anent His second coming some near day;
Unto the me of Me, I turned to ask,
What can we do for Him, and by what task,
Or through what sacrifice, can we proclaim
Our mighty love, and glorify His name?
Anent His second coming some near day;
Unto the me of Me, I turned to ask,
What can we do for Him, and by what task,
Or through what sacrifice, can we proclaim
Our mighty love, and glorify His name?
Whereon myself replied (thinking of Christ):
Has not God's glory unto Him sufficed?
What need has He of temples that men raise?
What need has He of any songs of praise?
Not sacrifice nor offerings needs He.
(Thinking of Christ, so spake Myself to me.)
Has not God's glory unto Him sufficed?
What need has He of temples that men raise?
What need has He of any songs of praise?
Not sacrifice nor offerings needs He.
(Thinking of Christ, so spake Myself to me.)
The rivers from the mountain do not try
To feed the source from which they gain supply;
They pay their debt by flowing on and down,
And carrying comfort to the field and town.
They scatter joy and beauty on their course,
In gratitude to the Eternal Source.
To feed the source from which they gain supply;
They pay their debt by flowing on and down,
And carrying comfort to the field and town.
52
In gratitude to the Eternal Source.
And thus should we (thinking of Christ) bestow
The full sweet tides of love that through us flow
Upon earth's weaker creatures. To the less
Must flow the greater, would we lift and bless.
Christ is the mountain source; each heart a river;
The thirsting meadows need us, not the Giver.
The full sweet tides of love that through us flow
Upon earth's weaker creatures. To the less
Must flow the greater, would we lift and bless.
Christ is the mountain source; each heart a river;
The thirsting meadows need us, not the Giver.
Thinking of Christ, let us proclaim His worth
By gracious deeds to mortals on this earth:
And while we wait His coming, let us bring
Sweet love and pity to the humblest thing,
And show our voiceless kin of air and sod
The mercy of the Universal God.
By gracious deeds to mortals on this earth:
And while we wait His coming, let us bring
Sweet love and pity to the humblest thing,
And show our voiceless kin of air and sod
The mercy of the Universal God.
Not by long prayers, though prayers renew our grace—
Not by tall spires, though steeples have their place—
Not by our faith, though faith is glorious—
Can we prove Christ, but by the love in us.
Mercy and love and kindness—seek these three.
Thus (thinking of Christ) Myself said unto me.
Not by tall spires, though steeples have their place—
Not by our faith, though faith is glorious—
Can we prove Christ, but by the love in us.
Mercy and love and kindness—seek these three.
Thus (thinking of Christ) Myself said unto me.
| Poems of problems | |