 | Sermons and songs of the Christian life |  |
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IDEALS.
O bright Ideals! how ye shine,
Aloft in realms of air!
Ye pour your streams of light divine
Above our low despair.
Aloft in realms of air!
Ye pour your streams of light divine
Above our low despair.
I've climbed and climbed these weary years
To come your glories nigh;
I'm tired of climbing, and in tears
Here on the earth I lie.
To come your glories nigh;
I'm tired of climbing, and in tears
Here on the earth I lie.
As a weak child all vainly tries
To pluck the evening star,
So vain have been my life-long cries
To reach up where ye are.
To pluck the evening star,
So vain have been my life-long cries
To reach up where ye are.
Shine on, shine on through earth's dark night,
Nor let your glories pale!
Some stronger soul may win the height
Where weaker ones must fail.
Nor let your glories pale!
Some stronger soul may win the height
Where weaker ones must fail.
And this one thought of hope and trust
Comes with its soothing balm,
As here I lay my brow in dust,
And breathe my lowly psalm,—
Comes with its soothing balm,
As here I lay my brow in dust,
And breathe my lowly psalm,—
That not for heights of victory won,
But those I tried to gain,
Will come my gracious Lord's “Well done,”
And sweet effacing rain.
But those I tried to gain,
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And sweet effacing rain.
Then on your awful heights of blue,
Shine on, forever shine;—
I come! I'll climb, I'll fly to you,
For endless years are mine.
Shine on, forever shine;—
I come! I'll climb, I'll fly to you,
For endless years are mine.
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