 | Sacred Verses, with Pictures |  |
[THE WIDOW OF NAIN]
“HE WAS THE ONLY SON OF HIS MOTHER, AND SHE WAS
A WIDOW.”—Luke vii. 12.
“The whole tale of misery is told in a few words. The mother was a widow, and had
no hope of having children; she had no one upon whom she might look in the
place of him that was dead. To him alone she had given suck; he alone made
her home cheerful. All that is sweet and precious to a mother, was he alone to
her.”—St. Gregory Nyssen.
Who says the widow's heart must break,
The childless mother sink?—
A kinder, truer voice I hear,
Which even beside that mournful bier
Whence parents' eyes would hopeless shrink,
The childless mother sink?—
A kinder, truer voice I hear,
Which even beside that mournful bier
Whence parents' eyes would hopeless shrink,
Bids weep no more.—O heart bereft,
How strange to thee that sound!
A widow o'er her only son,
Feeling more bitterly alone
For friends that press officious round.
How strange to thee that sound!
A widow o'er her only son,
Feeling more bitterly alone
For friends that press officious round.
Yet is the voice of comfort heard,
For Christ hath touched the bier—
The bearers wait with wondering eye,
The swelling bosom dares not sigh,
But all is still, 'twixt hope and fear.
For Christ hath touched the bier—
The bearers wait with wondering eye,
The swelling bosom dares not sigh,
But all is still, 'twixt hope and fear.
Even such an awful soothing calm
We sometimes see alight
On Christian mourners, while they wait
In silence, by some churchyard-gate,
Their summons to the holy rite.
We sometimes see alight
On Christian mourners, while they wait
In silence, by some churchyard-gate,
Their summons to the holy rite.
And such the tones of love which break
The stillness of that hour,
Quelling th' embittered spirit's strife—
“The Resurrection and the Life
Am I: believe, and die no more.”
The stillness of that hour,
Quelling th' embittered spirit's strife—
“The Resurrection and the Life
Am I: believe, and die no more.”
Unchanged that voice—and though not yet
The dead sit up and speak,
Answering its call; we gladlier rest
Our darlings on earth's quiet breast,
And our hearts feel they must not break.
The dead sit up and speak,
Answering its call; we gladlier rest
Our darlings on earth's quiet breast,
And our hearts feel they must not break.
Far better they should sleep awhile
Within the church's shade,
Nor wake until new heaven, new earth,
Meet for their new immortal birth
For their abiding place be made,
Within the church's shade,
Nor wake until new heaven, new earth,
Meet for their new immortal birth
For their abiding place be made,
Than wander back to life, and lean
On our frail love once more.
'Tis sweet, as year by year we lose
Friends out of sight, in faith to muse
How grows in Paradise our store.
On our frail love once more.
'Tis sweet, as year by year we lose
Friends out of sight, in faith to muse
How grows in Paradise our store.
Then pass, ye mourners, cheerly on,
Through prayer unto the tomb,
Still, as ye watch life's falling leaf,
Gathering from every loss and grief
Hope of new spring and endless home.
Through prayer unto the tomb,
Still, as ye watch life's falling leaf,
Gathering from every loss and grief
Hope of new spring and endless home.
Then cheerly to your work again,
With hearts new braced and set
To run, untired, love's blessed race,
As meet for those who face to face
Over the grave their Lord have met.
With hearts new braced and set
To run, untired, love's blessed race,
As meet for those who face to face
Over the grave their Lord have met.
| Sacred Verses, with Pictures | |