St. Simon and St. Jude, Apostles.
“Grant, us so to be joined together in unity of spirit by their doctrine.”
—Collect for the Day.
“Now let us cleave the heavens with prayer
And call avenging fire-blasts down
To wither those who madly dare
Thus to profane Thine awful Crown!”
“Ye know not what your spirit is,”
The grave but gentle Mourner cried
Who left, to save a wicked world like this,
A Throne where He was glorified.
Impassion'd bursts of blinding zeal
Too often thus the wise betray;
And while we hope the Truth they feel,
Self-will pursues a sordid way!
Incorp'rate with the cause of heaven
Not seldom, but how secretly
Is found some harsh unholy leaven
That poisons what pure love should be!
Religion thus conceals a lie,
Her glory in our guilt is lost;
And, though like John false zealots cry,—
Blind self becomes their Holy Ghost.
But Christ Who was sublime of zeal
Instructs man with divinest lore
And bids His mystic Body feel
The holy flames He felt before.
Attemper'd thus, by prayer controll'd,
The vestal-fires of faith within
Will make the heart both meek and bold
To frustrate all the powers of Sin.
As harmony from blended tones
A force derives and draws a spell,
So Christ in His communion holds
Commingled hearts, which serve Him well.
Each with peculiar grace supplied
Distinctly formed to diff'rent key,—
Around that Cross where Jesu died
Can blend in perfect unity.
Who chose Apostles, two by two,
Co-heralds of Incarnate grace,
Empower'd them thus because He knew
How to attract our heedless race.
Head of the Church! in prayer, and praise,
In festival and fast divine,
To Thee we lift our pleading gaze
That love and zeal may both combine
By unity of chasten'd powers;
And so chastise the stubborn will
That all we have, as Thine, not ours,—
Shall more and more Thy law fulfil.
For faith contend!
Lord, grant we may,
But not for self, in that disguise;
Lest, what we call a heavenly way,—
May lead where endless ruin lies!
