Devotional Verses Founded on and Illustrative of select Texts of Scripture [by Bernard Barton] |
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RETIREMENT AND PRAYER. |
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174
RETIREMENT AND PRAYER.
“And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.”
—Luke, v. 16.
If thus our Lord himself withdrew,
Stealing at times away,
E'en from the lov'd, the chosen few,
In solitude to pray,
How should his followers, frail and weak,
Such seasons of retirement seek.
Stealing at times away,
E'en from the lov'd, the chosen few,
In solitude to pray,
How should his followers, frail and weak,
Such seasons of retirement seek.
Seldom amid the strife and din
Of sublunary things,
Can spirits keep their watch within,
Or plume their heaven-ward wings;
He must dwell deep, indeed, whose heart
Can thus fulfil true wisdom's part.
Of sublunary things,
Can spirits keep their watch within,
Or plume their heaven-ward wings;
He must dwell deep, indeed, whose heart
Can thus fulfil true wisdom's part.
175
Not in our own spontaneous will
Can we the world shut out,—
Say to our passions, “Peace, be still!”
Or check each rising doubt;
Alone, by prayer, 'tis slowly won,
In the world's throng too rarely done.
Can we the world shut out,—
Say to our passions, “Peace, be still!”
Or check each rising doubt;
Alone, by prayer, 'tis slowly won,
In the world's throng too rarely done.
How needful is it, then, for man
From things of time to steal,
Those of eternity to scan,
Their magnitude to feel:—
The first are transitory, vain;
The last for ever will remain.
From things of time to steal,
Those of eternity to scan,
Their magnitude to feel:—
The first are transitory, vain;
The last for ever will remain.
Retirement must adjust the beam,
And prayer must poise the scales;
Our Guide, Example, Head supreme,
In neither lesson fails;
Oh, may we in remembrance bear,
He sought retirement,—practis'd prayer!
And prayer must poise the scales;
Our Guide, Example, Head supreme,
In neither lesson fails;
Oh, may we in remembrance bear,
He sought retirement,—practis'd prayer!
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