 | Sequences, Hymns, and Other Ecclesiastical Verses |  |
27
Sequence for All Saints.
Rear the column, high and stately,—
set it up to crown the steep;
That from Europe's southern headland
it may tell the Atlantic deep;
set it up to crown the steep;
That from Europe's southern headland
it may tell the Atlantic deep;
“Crushed is now the Arch-deceiver;
Christ is but a word of shame;
And the ‘execrable madness’
is a history and a name.
Christ is but a word of shame;
And the ‘execrable madness’
is a history and a name.
For the Cæsars, on whose footsteps
Rome's eternal guardians wait,
Pious, Victors, Ay-Augusti,
stamped its doom and sealed its fate.”
Rome's eternal guardians wait,
Pious, Victors, Ay-Augusti,
stamped its doom and sealed its fate.”
28
Ranks of Martyrs, nobly falling
in your several fields of fight,
Ranks of Martyrs, brightly glittering
in your various rings of light;
in your several fields of fight,
Ranks of Martyrs, brightly glittering
in your various rings of light;
As from earth's tumultuous voices
swelled the fierce impulsive strain,
“Let us break their bonds asunder,
let us cast away their chain.”
swelled the fierce impulsive strain,
“Let us break their bonds asunder,
let us cast away their chain.”
Joined ye not that voice of triumph
to the throne of glory sent:
“He shall reign, shall reign for ever,
King and Lord Omnipotent?”
to the throne of glory sent:
“He shall reign, shall reign for ever,
King and Lord Omnipotent?”
Bishops, whose illustrious Mitre
was a heavy Crown of Thorns,
Priests, with whose brave words and actions
Holy Church her page adorns;
was a heavy Crown of Thorns,
Priests, with whose brave words and actions
Holy Church her page adorns;
29
Virgins who, in spotless pureness,
held your lilies to the close,
Joined with such as, highlier favoured,
blent those lilies with the rose;
held your lilies to the close,
Joined with such as, highlier favoured,
blent those lilies with the rose;
Teach us all to learn the lesson
that ye learnt so long ago;
Teach us of the self-same battle,
teach us of the self-same foe;
that ye learnt so long ago;
Teach us of the self-same battle,
teach us of the self-same foe;
Yea, and teach us, teach us rather,
how to see Him, eye to eye,
Who shed forth your Martyr-graces
from the Hill of Calvary.
how to see Him, eye to eye,
Who shed forth your Martyr-graces
from the Hill of Calvary.
| Sequences, Hymns, and Other Ecclesiastical Verses | |