 | Songs of Religion and Life |  |
1
Advent-Hymn.
Lo, He comes!—Messiah neareth,
Jesus comes;
Not with pomp the God appeareth,
Meek He comes.
Pride displays no blazoned banners,
Vanity no false, fair manners,
Where He comes.
Jesus comes;
Not with pomp the God appeareth,
Meek He comes.
Pride displays no blazoned banners,
Vanity no false, fair manners,
Where He comes.
Not with Conqueror's ring and rattle,
Wild war's glee,
Ushered by a bloody battle,
Cometh He.
As the West wind's gentle blowing
Wakes life's mystic power of growing,
Thus doth He.
Wild war's glee,
Ushered by a bloody battle,
Cometh He.
As the West wind's gentle blowing
Wakes life's mystic power of growing,
Thus doth He.
2
Cæsar, 'mid thy legions' thunder,
Dost thou hear?
Hark! from Heaven a hymn of wonder
Full and clear:—
‘Open wide the blissful portals,
Peace on Earth, good will to Mortals!’
Charms the ear!
Dost thou hear?
Hark! from Heaven a hymn of wonder
Full and clear:—
‘Open wide the blissful portals,
Peace on Earth, good will to Mortals!’
Charms the ear!
Rome, beneath thy glittering armour,
Grimly gored,
Iron Mother, bloody charmer,
Sheathe the sword!
Shall thy natal wolf still claim thee?
Lo! I send a power to tame thee,
Saith the Lord.
Grimly gored,
Iron Mother, bloody charmer,
Sheathe the sword!
Shall thy natal wolf still claim thee?
Lo! I send a power to tame thee,
Saith the Lord.
Forms of vain will-worship mumbling,
Priests, have done!
Creeds with creeds incongruous jumbling,
Know the one!
See the end of all confusion,
Common truth of all delusion,
In the Son!
Priests, have done!
Creeds with creeds incongruous jumbling,
Know the one!
3
Common truth of all delusion,
In the Son!
Vainly sundering walls thou raisest,
Pharisee!
Orthodox in vain thou praisest
Bound to thee!
Nought is isolated, single,
All in brothered rays do mingle
Under Me.
Pharisee!
Orthodox in vain thou praisest
Bound to thee!
Nought is isolated, single,
All in brothered rays do mingle
Under Me.
Subtle Doctors sagely fooling
Humankind,
With crude dogmas harshly schooling
Infant mind,
Kick the solemn architecture!
Vainly shall a blind director
Lead the blind.
Humankind,
With crude dogmas harshly schooling
Infant mind,
Kick the solemn architecture!
Vainly shall a blind director
Lead the blind.
4
Wise men, something still conceiving
Like the true,
Busy brains still idly weaving
Something new,
Like a star in strength upshooting,
I the end of all disputing
Show to you!
Like the true,
Busy brains still idly weaving
Something new,
Like a star in strength upshooting,
I the end of all disputing
Show to you!
Gape not! gaze not! I display not
Dazzling shows;
With loud logic I gainsay not
Wrangling foes.
Noiseless victories ye shall win you!
Seed Heaven-planted—look within you,
There it grows!
Dazzling shows;
With loud logic I gainsay not
Wrangling foes.
Noiseless victories ye shall win you!
Seed Heaven-planted—look within you,
There it grows!
Little seed! thy hidden virtue
Stirs Time's womb;
The bright promise thou art heir to
Lights the tomb:
Now the unvalued dust thee covers,
Soon, the sought of many lovers,
Thou shalt bloom.
Stirs Time's womb;
The bright promise thou art heir to
Lights the tomb:
5
Soon, the sought of many lovers,
Thou shalt bloom.
Simple Truth! while brilliant blunders
Fools achieve,
Thou thy quiet chain of wonders
Wisely weave:
Where strong hate to love surrenders,
From the strife that pride engenders,
Work reprieve.
Fools achieve,
Thou thy quiet chain of wonders
Wisely weave:
Where strong hate to love surrenders,
From the strife that pride engenders,
Work reprieve.
From the hard rock let the fountain
Blithely dart!
Cleave the foul mist, move the mountain,
Faithful heart!
Let the stony frozen regions
Blush with life by high religion's
Magic art!
Blithely dart!
Cleave the foul mist, move the mountain,
Faithful heart!
Let the stony frozen regions
Blush with life by high religion's
Magic art!
6
Kings shall own thee; knaves shall use thee;
Fools despise;
Babbling Doctors shall confuse thee,
Witless wise:
Rival sages shall, in duty,
On thy common web of beauty,
Stamp their dyes.
Fools despise;
Babbling Doctors shall confuse thee,
Witless wise:
Rival sages shall, in duty,
On thy common web of beauty,
Stamp their dyes.
Go! and, though my hope deceive me,
In thy plan
I will hope; I will believe thee
While I can.
Go and conquer!—If thou win not,
Earth may crack, and God will sin not
Cursing Man.
In thy plan
I will hope; I will believe thee
While I can.
Go and conquer!—If thou win not,
Earth may crack, and God will sin not
Cursing Man.
| Songs of Religion and Life | |