 | Sequences, Hymns, and Other Ecclesiastical Verses |  |
1
Prologue. IN DEAR MEMORY OF JOHN KEBLE:
WHO DEPARTED ON MAUNDY THURSDAY, 1866.
If they who fought themselves the fight,
If they who ran themselves the race,
Are circled with the crown of light,
And see their Master face to face;
If they who ran themselves the race,
Are circled with the crown of light,
And see their Master face to face;
What guerdon his, who others too
Arms, aids, encourages in strife?
Who keeps their Country in their view,
And points in midst of death to life?
Arms, aids, encourages in strife?
Who keeps their Country in their view,
And points in midst of death to life?
2
Such was thy task, O sweetest soul,
That ever joined Christ's minstrel band,
To make those broken-hearted whole,
Whom There thou stand'st with hand to hand.
That ever joined Christ's minstrel band,
To make those broken-hearted whole,
Whom There thou stand'st with hand to hand.
How many a thought of saintly act,
How many a bravely dashed-off tear,
Has strengthened into iron fact,
Or vanished, at the “Christian Year!”
How many a bravely dashed-off tear,
Has strengthened into iron fact,
Or vanished, at the “Christian Year!”
And those, the Saints to whom thy lay
Still hovered near, as birds their nest,—
Were they not at the last thy stay?
Did they not lead thee to thy rest?
Still hovered near, as birds their nest,—
Were they not at the last thy stay?
Did they not lead thee to thy rest?
Was it not, as in days of old,
With thee in thy departure so?
(As in thy legend it is told,
O loveliest Archipelago!)
With thee in thy departure so?
(As in thy legend it is told,
O loveliest Archipelago!)
3
A pilgrim sought some Martyr's shrine
For help against disease or ill:
For sure, Faith whispered, Love Divine
Hath pleasure in its Martyrs still.
For help against disease or ill:
For sure, Faith whispered, Love Divine
Hath pleasure in its Martyrs still.
Three days he knelt, three days he prayed,
And yet, no token sent from high
Gave promise of especial aid
Or sign God's Saints do wondrously.
And yet, no token sent from high
Gave promise of especial aid
Or sign God's Saints do wondrously.
But ere he left that distant strand
To tread once more his bootless way,
There flashed around on either hand
A light beyond the light of day.
To tread once more his bootless way,
There flashed around on either hand
A light beyond the light of day.
There stood the Martyr whom he sought
In all the glory of his arms,
His scars as fresh from battle fought,
His spear that now knew no alarms.
In all the glory of his arms,
His scars as fresh from battle fought,
His spear that now knew no alarms.
4
Thus spake the Athlete: “Know, to-day
Another Saint hath crossed Life's seas;
He, who best knew to build Christ's lay,
Our sweetest bard, Theophanes.
Another Saint hath crossed Life's seas;
He, who best knew to build Christ's lay,
Our sweetest bard, Theophanes.
“And I and all the Martyr throng
Went with him to the further Shore;
And Virgins sang the Unknown Song,
As conquerors to a conqueror.
Went with him to the further Shore;
And Virgins sang the Unknown Song,
As conquerors to a conqueror.
“We have but newly left him now,
Strains sweeter than his own to share,
Th' eternal song of heaven: do thou
Receive, through God's great power, thy prayer.”
Strains sweeter than his own to share,
Th' eternal song of heaven: do thou
Receive, through God's great power, thy prayer.”
O, glorious sight! in that thy need
When holiest fellow arts-men came,
Who to eternal years shall lead
The Song of Moses and the Lamb!
When holiest fellow arts-men came,
Who to eternal years shall lead
The Song of Moses and the Lamb!
5
He first who twined the mystic notes
Of Synagogue and Church in one;
And he, whose thrilling music floats
Adown the Peristephanôn!
Of Synagogue and Church in one;
And he, whose thrilling music floats
Adown the Peristephanôn!
He too, who watched from Alpine height
The samphire-gatherer, and with breath
Bated in terror, learnt to write—
“In midst of life we are in death.”
The samphire-gatherer, and with breath
Bated in terror, learnt to write—
“In midst of life we are in death.”
And Bernard, minstrel of the Cross;
And Bernard, who with home-sick view
Counting all other joys but loss,
Jerusalem the Golden drew.
And Bernard, who with home-sick view
Counting all other joys but loss,
Jerusalem the Golden drew.
From lowest up to highest peer
What scene on dying eyes to burst!
There Adam stands, my Master dear,
My dear and reverend Master, first:
What scene on dying eyes to burst!
There Adam stands, my Master dear,
My dear and reverend Master, first:
6
They also bring each Orient gift,
John, Art's great Doctor and her gem;
And Cosmas, he that loves to lift
The gentle soul to Bethlehem.
John, Art's great Doctor and her gem;
And Cosmas, he that loves to lift
The gentle soul to Bethlehem.
And last—but who should dare say least
Where every Prince-loved song is new?—
The bards who now in union feast
After mistakes they struggled through.
Where every Prince-loved song is new?—
The bards who now in union feast
After mistakes they struggled through.
Severed in nation and in more,
Their notes were harsh, sometimes were wrong;
But fully, nobly, all that o'er,
They keep the one-ness of their song.
Their notes were harsh, sometimes were wrong;
But fully, nobly, all that o'er,
They keep the one-ness of their song.
So him they lead to Courts of Day,
So him they lead to warless rest:
While we commit, for some short stay,
Our lark of sweetness to her nest.
So him they lead to warless rest:
While we commit, for some short stay,
Our lark of sweetness to her nest.
7
Oh, called of God to seize his lyre
With art, and love, and hope more dim;
So ask for that celestial fire,
That ye may say, and He inspire,
“And I too know to build the hymn.”
With art, and love, and hope more dim;
So ask for that celestial fire,
That ye may say, and He inspire,
“And I too know to build the hymn.”
| Sequences, Hymns, and Other Ecclesiastical Verses | |