All Saints' Day.
“Thine Elect, in one communion and fellowship, in the mystical Body of Thy Son.”
—Collect for the Day.
Around the Church a spirit-band
Of God's elect in glory stand,
And faith upon each brow can see
The radiance of eternity.
The “dust of Jacob”
who can count?
Or measure its sublime amount,
That “goodly fellowship,” th' anointed host,—
The heroes of the Holy Ghost?
Giants in grace whose weapons were
A fearless will, and fast, and prayer,—
Valiant in fight, their course they run
By gazing on th' eternal Son.
Though stoned and mangled, sawn and slain,
They baffled, by enduring, pain;
And fiends and foes before them fell
Subdued by love's divinest spell.
Encompass'd by such living “cloud”
Of laurell'd Souls, who never bow'd
Under life's burden deep and dread,
But bore the cross, and meekly bled,—
“Hither, come up!”
a Voice to-day
We hear like choral thunders say
From white-robed saints, with palm and crown
Through open'd heaven now gazing down.—
Patterns they are, almighty Lord!
Who, moulded by Thy plastic word,
Form types and tokens pure as true
Of what victorious grace can do.
Yet, like ourselves, on earth they met
The pang, the fever, and the fret,—
The sorrowing waste and sinful wear
Of trials which thy children bear.
By passions keen as ours assail'd,
Heavenward they soar'd, and never fail'd
Through all their mounting track to see
A Saviour's eye of sympathy.
Awake! then ye who seem to tire,
And from our Feast some holy fire
Of martyr-love and mighty zeal
On this day learn to fan, and feel.
These Miracles of true renown
Who wield the palm and wear the crown,—
What had they from the Church of old
Faith cannot in our own behold?
Succour without, and strength within,
With grace to awe rebellious sin,
And eucharistic Manna given
Ourselves to feed with food of heaven,
Example, precept, promise,—all
For hearts which faint or dread to fall
The Spirit and the Church provide,
And give them in The Crucified.
Thus, dead or living, saints are one,
Incorp'rate through th' incarnate Son;
On earth below in heaven above
Communing by celestial love.
And they who choose the better part
Seem glorified in hope and heart;
And where Christ reigns aspire to be
Enshrined in peace and purity.
