Songs Old and New ... Collected Edition [by Elizabeth Charles] |
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 | Songs Old and New |  |
III.
“And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities,
Mary, called Magdalene, . . . . which ministered unto Him of their substance.”
He suffered her with Him to stay,—
This crowning joy was not denied,—
To hear His voice from day to day,
And tread this earth still by His side:
This crowning joy was not denied,—
To hear His voice from day to day,
And tread this earth still by His side:
Where, with a diadem of snow,
The white-walled cities crowned the rocks,
Or peasants' dwellings far below,
Couched round the fountains like their flocks.
The white-walled cities crowned the rocks,
Or peasants' dwellings far below,
Couched round the fountains like their flocks.
She saw the expressive glance of sight
The dulness of blind eyes replace;
When learning first the joy of light,
For the first sight they saw His face.
The dulness of blind eyes replace;
When learning first the joy of light,
For the first sight they saw His face.
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She heard the first clear accents pour
From dumb lips, uttering His name;
She saw men's homes from shore to shore
Break into sunshine where He came.
From dumb lips, uttering His name;
She saw men's homes from shore to shore
Break into sunshine where He came.
She saw the long possessed set free,
(She knew the anguish and the bliss!)
She saw the baffled Pharisee,
And felt, “Man never spake like this.”
(She knew the anguish and the bliss!)
She saw the baffled Pharisee,
And felt, “Man never spake like this.”
She heard reluctant fiends confess
The Godhead they had fain denied;
She saw the little children press
With fearless fondness to His side.
The Godhead they had fain denied;
She saw the little children press
With fearless fondness to His side.
She saw the speechless joy that day
Light up the widow's face at Nain;
She never saw one sent away,
She never heard one plead in vain.
Light up the widow's face at Nain;
She never saw one sent away,
She never heard one plead in vain.
She saw Him faint and wearied sore,
And toil those gracious eyes bedim,
Thirsting and hungered, homeless, poor,—
She saw and ministered to Him.
And toil those gracious eyes bedim,
Thirsting and hungered, homeless, poor,—
She saw and ministered to Him.
She saw His brow its light regain,
And strength reknit each wearied limb,
All to be spent for man again;—
A woman's service succoured Him!
And strength reknit each wearied limb,
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A woman's service succoured Him!
And are those days for ever o'er?
Must earth be of that joy bereft?—
The sights and sounds are here no more,
And yet the very best is left.
Must earth be of that joy bereft?—
The sights and sounds are here no more,
And yet the very best is left.
Still may we follow in His way,
And tread this earth as by His side;
May see Him work from day to day,
As in His presence we abide:
And tread this earth as by His side;
May see Him work from day to day,
As in His presence we abide:
See Him shed light on darkened eyes,
The bowed and fettered heart set free;
May succour, serve, and sacrifice,
And hear from heaven His “unto Me.”
The bowed and fettered heart set free;
May succour, serve, and sacrifice,
And hear from heaven His “unto Me.”
IV. —DURABLE RICHES.
The meanest creature of His care
Finds some soft nest to greet it made,
The hunted beast has yet its lair;—
He had not where to lay His head.
Finds some soft nest to greet it made,
The hunted beast has yet its lair;—
He had not where to lay His head.
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And scarce a little child that dies
But has its treasured things to share;
Its little store of legacies
Love hoards thenceforth with sacred care.
But has its treasured things to share;
Its little store of legacies
Love hoards thenceforth with sacred care.
He left no treasure to divide;
E'en the poor garments which He wore
Were shared by strangers ere He died,
For their own worth, and nothing more.
E'en the poor garments which He wore
Were shared by strangers ere He died,
For their own worth, and nothing more.
Yet when the first disciples trod
Vineyards and fields of other men,
Pilgrims beside the Son of God,
Had royal grants enriched them then?
Vineyards and fields of other men,
Pilgrims beside the Son of God,
Had royal grants enriched them then?
Or when, on His ascension day,
They stood once more on Olivet,
And town and village 'neath them lay,
Gems in their vines and olives set,—
They stood once more on Olivet,
And town and village 'neath them lay,
Gems in their vines and olives set,—
Nor vines or olives, house or lands,
They owned those hills or valleys o'er,
Yet, when Christ lifted up His hands
And bless'd them, were those Christians poor?
They owned those hills or valleys o'er,
Yet, when Christ lifted up His hands
And bless'd them, were those Christians poor?
If of that world which is His own,
Where every knee to Him shall bow,
Some special acres each had won,
Had they been richer then, or now?
Where every knee to Him shall bow,
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Had they been richer then, or now?
| Songs Old and New | |