Songs Old and New ... Collected Edition [by Elizabeth Charles] |
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| THE UNNAMED WOMEN. |
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 | Songs Old and New |  |
46
THE UNNAMED WOMEN.
I.
The hand that might have drawn aside
The veil, which from unloving sight
Those shrinking forms avails to hide,
With tender care has wrapped it tight.
The veil, which from unloving sight
Those shrinking forms avails to hide,
With tender care has wrapped it tight.
He would not have the sullied name
Once fondly spoken in a home,
A mark for strangers' righteous blame,
Branded through every age to come.
Once fondly spoken in a home,
A mark for strangers' righteous blame,
Branded through every age to come.
And thus we only speak of them
As those on whom His mercies meet,—
“She whom the Lord would not condemn,”
And “She who bathed with tears His feet.”
As those on whom His mercies meet,—
“She whom the Lord would not condemn,”
And “She who bathed with tears His feet.”
Trusted to no evangelist,
First heard where sins no more defile,
Read from the Book of Life of Christ,
And consecrated by His smile.
First heard where sins no more defile,
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And consecrated by His smile.
II.
“And stood at His feet behind Him weeping, and began to wash His feet with tears.”
She bathed His feet with many a tear,
Feet wearied then for us so oft;
She wiped them with her flowing hair,
Embalmed with reverent touches soft.
Feet wearied then for us so oft;
She wiped them with her flowing hair,
Embalmed with reverent touches soft.
She knew not of the bitter way
Those sacred feet had yet to tread,
Nor how the nails would pierce one day
Where now her costly balms were shed.
Those sacred feet had yet to tread,
Nor how the nails would pierce one day
Where now her costly balms were shed.
She read the pity in His eyes,
To peace transmuting her despair;
She could not read what agonies
Must cloud the heaven she gazed on there.
To peace transmuting her despair;
She could not read what agonies
Must cloud the heaven she gazed on there.
He praised her love, her sacrifice,
But breathed not what His own must be,
Nor hinted what must be the price
Which made her pardon flow so free.
But breathed not what His own must be,
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Which made her pardon flow so free.
Then if her love and gifts were such,
Who little knew the depths of His;
If then indeed she “loved” Him “much,”
How, since she knows Him as He is?
Who little knew the depths of His;
If then indeed she “loved” Him “much,”
How, since she knows Him as He is?
III.
“He turned to the woman.”
“He turned to her.” All eyes beside,—
All other eyes of righteous men,—
Avoided hers with virtuous pride,
Nor could she meet their gaze again.
All other eyes of righteous men,—
Avoided hers with virtuous pride,
Nor could she meet their gaze again.
Nor could she deem their coldness wrong;
That virtue of the Pharisee,
Only in its negations strong,
Ceasing to freeze might cease to be.
That virtue of the Pharisee,
Only in its negations strong,
Ceasing to freeze might cease to be.
And human virtues can but be
As tender flowers a touch may kill,
Scorched if winds breathe too fervently,
Nipped if they chance to blow too chill.
As tender flowers a touch may kill,
Scorched if winds breathe too fervently,
Nipped if they chance to blow too chill.
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But His were of another sphere
That never stain nor change could know,
No earth-born flowers, however fair,
But the pure light which made them grow;
That never stain nor change could know,
No earth-born flowers, however fair,
But the pure light which made them grow;
No ice pure only till it melt,
But streams most fresh in freest flow;
The living love, whose pureness dwelt
Not in its coldness but its glow.
But streams most fresh in freest flow;
The living love, whose pureness dwelt
Not in its coldness but its glow.
IV.
She hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her
head. . . . This woman, since the time I came in, hath not ceased to kiss my
feet. . . . Hath anointed my feet with ointment. . . . She loved much.”
He prized her love, He held it dear,
He felt each ministering touch,
He marked each gift she offered there,
He cared that she should love Him “much.”
He felt each ministering touch,
He marked each gift she offered there,
He cared that she should love Him “much.”
His pity was no careless alms
The happy to the wretched fling;
He prized her love, her tears, her balms,
Then life was yet a precious thing;
The happy to the wretched fling;
He prized her love, her tears, her balms,
Then life was yet a precious thing;
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Precious the love He held of price,
Precious each moment which might bring
Some privilege of sacrifice,
Some vase to break in offering.
Precious each moment which might bring
Some privilege of sacrifice,
Some vase to break in offering.
And God gives evermore like this,
Gives by His measure, not by ours;
By life means not mere being, but bliss,
Free exercise of joyful powers.
Gives by His measure, not by ours;
By life means not mere being, but bliss,
Free exercise of joyful powers.
The freedom with which He makes free
Is freedom of His home above;
Not merely liberty to be,
But liberty to serve and love.
Is freedom of His home above;
Not merely liberty to be,
But liberty to serve and love.
V.
“Thy sins are forgiven thee”
“Forgiveness may then yet be mine,
The sinless lips have said ‘Forgiven;’
Pardon is then a right Divine,
And love indeed the law of heaven.
The sinless lips have said ‘Forgiven;’
Pardon is then a right Divine,
And love indeed the law of heaven.
“But can the sullied snow grow white?
What spell can seal the memory fast?
What has been ever must have been,
The Almighty cannot change the past.
What spell can seal the memory fast?
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The Almighty cannot change the past.
“His eyes, though piercing as the light,
In pity may refuse to see;
But what can make my memory white?
What veil can hide myself from me?”
In pity may refuse to see;
But what can make my memory white?
What veil can hide myself from me?”
Oh! raise thy downcast eyes to His,
And read the blessed secret there;
The pardoning love from guilt that frees,
By loving thee shall make thee fair.
And read the blessed secret there;
The pardoning love from guilt that frees,
By loving thee shall make thee fair.
Love's deepest depth of saving woe
Has yet to be to thee revealed;
Blood from that tender heart must flow,
And thus thy bitter streams be healed.
Has yet to be to thee revealed;
Blood from that tender heart must flow,
And thus thy bitter streams be healed.
Thy guilt and shame on Him must lie:
Then search the past thy guilt to see;
Instead, this sight shall meet thine eye,—
Thy Saviour on the cross for thee!
Then search the past thy guilt to see;
Instead, this sight shall meet thine eye,—
Thy Saviour on the cross for thee!
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VI.
“Go in peace.”
He clothes thy soul in spotless dress,
In bridal raiment white and clean,
The spirit's bridal robe of peace,
Sign of the inward grace unseen.
In bridal raiment white and clean,
The spirit's bridal robe of peace,
Sign of the inward grace unseen.
The love that sweeps thy spirit o'er,
Effacing every stain of sin,
Flows through thy spirit evermore,
A well of heavenly life within.
Effacing every stain of sin,
Flows through thy spirit evermore,
A well of heavenly life within.
Thus, hallowed names, forgotten long,
Familiar names which once were thine,
With all the old attraction strong,
Embrace thy soul from lips Divine.
Familiar names which once were thine,
With all the old attraction strong,
Embrace thy soul from lips Divine.
Soft from a Father's house above
Floats down on thee the name of child,
From love beyond the mother's love
Which on thy guiltless childhood smiled.
Floats down on thee the name of child,
From love beyond the mother's love
Which on thy guiltless childhood smiled.
And when the age its circuit ends,
And the great marriage-day is there,
And from the heavens a Bride descends,
Thou, clothed in white, the bliss shalt share.
And the great marriage-day is there,
And from the heavens a Bride descends,
Thou, clothed in white, the bliss shalt share.
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