Matin Bells and Scarlet and Gold By "F. Harald Williams"[i.e. F. W. O. Ward]. First Edition |
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ECCLESIÆ SEMEN.
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 | Matin Bells and Scarlet and Gold |  |
ECCLESIÆ SEMEN.
[1895, China.]
“The blood of the Martyrs is the Seed of the Church.”
Fire not a volley,
Strike not a blow
Now for the martyrs! Warfare is folly,
Blood may not flow;
Let not the banner
Calling to strife
Wave for the Blessèd, who in Christ's manner
Offered their life;
Let not in thunder
Echo a shot
Over the harvest red with the plunder,
Shaming their lot.
Strike not a blow
Now for the martyrs! Warfare is folly,
Blood may not flow;
Let not the banner
Calling to strife
Wave for the Blessèd, who in Christ's manner
Offered their life;
Let not in thunder
Echo a shot
Over the harvest red with the plunder,
Shaming their lot.
This be their beauty,
This be their fame
Fighting for God, that death was their duty
Done without blame;
This be their merit
Down through the years,
Leaving a richer world to inherit,
Washed with their tears;
This be their glory
Far above price,
Witnessing truly, telling the story—
Love's sacrifice.
Here the requiting
Vengeance they ask,
Grace of forgiving wrongs beyond righting—
God's precious task;
Here for the blindness
Lost in the dark
Hope's retribution, hope's human kindness
Bringing the Ark;
Here is the paying
Meet for such debt,
More of our praises, more of our praying,
More giving yet.
This be their fame
Fighting for God, that death was their duty
Done without blame;
This be their merit
Down through the years,
Leaving a richer world to inherit,
Washed with their tears;
This be their glory
Far above price,
Witnessing truly, telling the story—
Love's sacrifice.
Here the requiting
Vengeance they ask,
325
God's precious task;
Here for the blindness
Lost in the dark
Hope's retribution, hope's human kindness
Bringing the Ark;
Here is the paying
Meet for such debt,
More of our praises, more of our praying,
More giving yet.
Leave all the sentence,
Not to mere man,
Only to Him who granting repentance
Sees the whole plan;
Leave all the madness,
Murder and need
Only to Him who ever in sadness
Soweth the seed;
Leave the dear Martyrs—
Breaking hard sod
Thus by their dying, winning us charters—
Safely with God.
Not to mere man,
Only to Him who granting repentance
Sees the whole plan;
Leave all the madness,
Murder and need
Only to Him who ever in sadness
Soweth the seed;
Leave the dear Martyrs—
Breaking hard sod
Thus by their dying, winning us charters—
Safely with God.
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