Edward Cracroft Lefroy: His Life and Poems including a Reprint of Echoes from Theocritus: By Wilfred Austin Gill: With a Critical Estimate of the Sonnets by the late John Addington Symonds |
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“LORD, AND WHAT SHALL THIS
MAN DO?” |
 | Edward Cracroft Lefroy: His Life and Poems |  |
173
“LORD, AND WHAT SHALL THIS MAN DO?”
O Lord, Thy wisdom leads us best
To where our duties lie;
Thou giv'st without perturbing quest
The light to find them by.
To where our duties lie;
Thou giv'st without perturbing quest
The light to find them by.
And if our hearts would fain be told,
For self or dearest friend,
What doom in God's high book is scrolled,
What work His love shall send;
For self or dearest friend,
What doom in God's high book is scrolled,
What work His love shall send;
Let this thought be for comfort—not
To Peter, not to John,
Was told the fulness of the lot
That years were leading on.
To Peter, not to John,
Was told the fulness of the lot
That years were leading on.
To one a glimpse was given, no more,
In dark prophetic show,—
To one not then imperious, nor
Importunate to know.
In dark prophetic show,—
To one not then imperious, nor
Importunate to know.
And he to whom a little while
Would bring that vision fair,
Heard not as yet of Patmos' Isle,
And what should greet him there.
Would bring that vision fair,
Heard not as yet of Patmos' Isle,
And what should greet him there.
But feed My sheep, the Saviour said,
Disciple, follow Me!
In My pure footsteps meekly tread,—
The rest is not for thee!
Disciple, follow Me!
In My pure footsteps meekly tread,—
The rest is not for thee!
174
And so to us the warning comes,
When faith is tossed at sea,—
The simple word of trust which sums
True Love's philosophy.
When faith is tossed at sea,—
The simple word of trust which sums
True Love's philosophy.
Hereafter lies with God—enough!
Our path begins from here;
Our next step, be it smooth or rough,
Our Master maketh clear.
Our path begins from here;
Our next step, be it smooth or rough,
Our Master maketh clear.
No hearts with sacred love elate,
Whose lamps are burning still,
Can linger in such vexed estate
As not to know His will.
Whose lamps are burning still,
Can linger in such vexed estate
As not to know His will.
Our shades shall never lie so deep,
Our landscape grow so dim,
That we need fail to feed His sheep,
Or cease from following Him.
Our landscape grow so dim,
That we need fail to feed His sheep,
Or cease from following Him.
| Edward Cracroft Lefroy: His Life and Poems | |