 | Voices from the Lakes, and Other Poems |  |
153
THE LAW OF LOVE.
“Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.”—
Gal. vi. 2.
“Bear ye one another's burdens,”
And fulfil Christ's law of love,
That divinest law which brought Him
From the spheres of light above.
And fulfil Christ's law of love,
That divinest law which brought Him
From the spheres of light above.
“Bear ye one another's burdens,”
Take up something of the load;
Seek to cheer a fainting brother,
Help him kindly on the road.
Take up something of the load;
Seek to cheer a fainting brother,
Help him kindly on the road.
Soothe the weary and the troubled,
As heart-sick they toil along;
Hush the bitter cry of sorrow,
Change its wailing to a song.
As heart-sick they toil along;
Hush the bitter cry of sorrow,
Change its wailing to a song.
As ye pass yourselves to heaven,
Pause to bind some bleeding wound;
And with words of grace and mercy
Lift the fallen from the ground.
Pause to bind some bleeding wound;
And with words of grace and mercy
Lift the fallen from the ground.
154
You can speak a word in season
In some sad and hopeless ear,
And revive the failing courage,
By inspiring hope for fear.
In some sad and hopeless ear,
And revive the failing courage,
By inspiring hope for fear.
You can dry the tear of sorrow,
From the lids of weeping eyes;
You can ease the burdened spirit,
Draw forth music from its sighs.
From the lids of weeping eyes;
You can ease the burdened spirit,
Draw forth music from its sighs.
You can watch the bed of sickness,
Take the fevered hand in thine;
Smooth the pillow, cheer the suffering,
With a cordial strong as wine.
Take the fevered hand in thine;
Smooth the pillow, cheer the suffering,
With a cordial strong as wine.
You can bring a gleam of sunshine
To some poor and lonely home,
And be welcomed as an angel
When across the door you come.
To some poor and lonely home,
And be welcomed as an angel
When across the door you come.
You can check the hasty answer,
Press the word beneath your breath,
So as not to hurt a brother
With what pierces sharp as death.
Press the word beneath your breath,
So as not to hurt a brother
With what pierces sharp as death.
155
You can share another's gladness,
With the weeping you can weep;
And if thus you sow in mercy,
You in mercy too shall reap.
With the weeping you can weep;
And if thus you sow in mercy,
You in mercy too shall reap.
Think of Him who came from Heaven,
Left God's bosom for the Cross;
Came in tears and nameless anguish,
To redeem us from our loss.
Left God's bosom for the Cross;
Came in tears and nameless anguish,
To redeem us from our loss.
Not with light and glory came He,
Not with pomp, and song, and state;
Not to courtly hall or palace,
Not to mansions of the great.
Not with pomp, and song, and state;
Not to courtly hall or palace,
Not to mansions of the great.
Not a voice was raised in welcome,
No one hailed Him at His birth;
Every door was closed against Him,
When love drew Him down to earth.
No one hailed Him at His birth;
Every door was closed against Him,
When love drew Him down to earth.
Oh, what goodness! Oh, what mercy!
He our burdens came to bear;
Drank the cup of God's sore anger,
Left no drop for us to share.
He our burdens came to bear;
Drank the cup of God's sore anger,
Left no drop for us to share.
156
Love of Christ, that law so noble,
Love so tender, so divine,
Law so Godlike, love so perfect;
Let that love be yours and mine.
Love so tender, so divine,
Law so Godlike, love so perfect;
Let that love be yours and mine.
Love of all laws is the greatest;
“Love fulfils the law,” Paul saith,—
Crowns her Queen of all the graces,
Thrones her 'bove both Hope and Faith.
“Love fulfils the law,” Paul saith,—
Crowns her Queen of all the graces,
Thrones her 'bove both Hope and Faith.
Love is duty's full completeness,
Substance of all goodness, Love;
Love is true, and only meetness
For the saintly life above.
Substance of all goodness, Love;
Love is true, and only meetness
For the saintly life above.
Then fulfil this law so Christ-like;
Nought is higher; nought is more;
Love will last when time has perished;
Law of Heaven for evermore.
Nought is higher; nought is more;
Love will last when time has perished;
Law of Heaven for evermore.
| Voices from the Lakes, and Other Poems | |