Matin Bells and Scarlet and Gold By "F. Harald Williams"[i.e. F. W. O. Ward]. First Edition |
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THE CROSS.
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 | Matin Bells and Scarlet and Gold |  |
THE CROSS.
The Measure of Sin.
When the name that is known not in Heaven was heard
And the eyes of the angels grew dim,
While the River of Life in its fountain was stirred
Till the waters washed over their brim;
When the word that is nameless,
The word that is woe
For a season of night entered in;
When the thing that is shameless
And every one's foe
Threw a shadow on all and was Sin;
Then the breast of the Father was torn with a throe,
As He felt the downfallen akin.
And the eyes of the angels grew dim,
While the River of Life in its fountain was stirred
Till the waters washed over their brim;
When the word that is nameless,
The word that is woe
For a season of night entered in;
When the thing that is shameless
And every one's foe
Threw a shadow on all and was Sin;
Then the breast of the Father was torn with a throe,
As He felt the downfallen akin.
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Ah, the evil and erring was yet His own child
And begotten in beauty and joy,
Upon whom at His birth He had tenderly smil'd
And endowed with the earth as a toy;
But the root that is bitter,
The root that is bane
Now laid hold of humanity's heart,
And the glamour and glitter
Were turned into pain
And the pleasure no less had a smart;
But in all of the curse, with its sorrow and chain,
God Himself had a terrible part.
And begotten in beauty and joy,
Upon whom at His birth He had tenderly smil'd
And endowed with the earth as a toy;
But the root that is bitter,
The root that is bane
Now laid hold of humanity's heart,
And the glamour and glitter
Were turned into pain
And the pleasure no less had a smart;
But in all of the curse, with its sorrow and chain,
God Himself had a terrible part.
It was not that His playmate, His darling, His pride
And the crown of the blossoming years,
Now was blighted and wandered away from His side
And sought fellowship rather with tears;
But the wrong that is cruel,
The wrong that is grief
Had come home to the Father who gave,
And the bliss in His jewel
Was troubled and brief,
And between them lay death and the grave;
Though He knew what alone could redeem with relief,
And the hope that was mighty to save.
And the crown of the blossoming years,
Now was blighted and wandered away from His side
And sought fellowship rather with tears;
But the wrong that is cruel,
The wrong that is grief
Had come home to the Father who gave,
And the bliss in His jewel
Was troubled and brief,
And between them lay death and the grave;
Though He knew what alone could redeem with relief,
And the hope that was mighty to save.
Ah, the will of his creature so righteously plann'd,
And enriched with the exquisite flower
Of all possible tributes of sea and the land,
Was now set against Him and His dower;
And the cup that is broken,
The cup that is spilt
Had been chosen by man for his aid,
And the deed with its token
Of darkness and guilt
Fell in blight on foundations He laid;
And the temple to rise must in blood be rebuilt,
When the sentence of mercy was said.
And enriched with the exquisite flower
Of all possible tributes of sea and the land,
Was now set against Him and His dower;
And the cup that is broken,
The cup that is spilt
Had been chosen by man for his aid,
And the deed with its token
Of darkness and guilt
Fell in blight on foundations He laid;
And the temple to rise must in blood be rebuilt,
When the sentence of mercy was said.
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For the sin in its infinite compass cried out
For a Sacrifice that was no less,
When from earth in its bonds came the conquering shout
Of the wrong still defying redress;
And the light that is error,
The light that is dark,
Had dethroned the bright truth of the day,
And the shadow of terror
Had curtained the Ark,
And the leaders were farthest astray;
But they looked not above for the beaconing mark,
And they looked not below at the way.
For a Sacrifice that was no less,
When from earth in its bonds came the conquering shout
Of the wrong still defying redress;
And the light that is error,
The light that is dark,
Had dethroned the bright truth of the day,
And the shadow of terror
Had curtained the Ark,
And the leaders were farthest astray;
But they looked not above for the beaconing mark,
And they looked not below at the way.
So the counsels that are of Eternity bade
That the Highest must meekliest lie,
And the Blessèd who lived in the children He made
Must alone for their trespasses die;
And the One who is Holy,
The One who is kin
To all beauty must bear all the loss,
And be reckoned most lowly
And Himself become Sin,
That His children be purged from their dross;
But, behold, when He knocked they would scarce let Him in,
And then gave Him as Kingdom the Cross.
That the Highest must meekliest lie,
And the Blessèd who lived in the children He made
Must alone for their trespasses die;
And the One who is Holy,
The One who is kin
To all beauty must bear all the loss,
And be reckoned most lowly
And Himself become Sin,
That His children be purged from their dross;
But, behold, when He knocked they would scarce let Him in,
And then gave Him as Kingdom the Cross.
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