 | "Until the Day Break," |  |
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FRAGMENTS.
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HUMAN TEARS.
All have once wept; the eye was made for tears,
As the low cloud for rain; yes, all have wept,
Or yet shall weep ere life's remorseless years
Have o'er us with their storms and shadows swept.
As the low cloud for rain; yes, all have wept,
Or yet shall weep ere life's remorseless years
Have o'er us with their storms and shadows swept.
All have once wept; dry age and greenest prime,
The strong and weak, the foolish and the wise.
O ever-falling mists of shadowy time!
O endless tears, that drop from human eyes!
The strong and weak, the foolish and the wise.
O ever-falling mists of shadowy time!
O endless tears, that drop from human eyes!
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Some openly, as not ashamed to weep;
Some secretly, upon the lonesome bed,
When grief has battled with and conquered sleep,
And memories rise, like spectres from the dead.
Some secretly, upon the lonesome bed,
When grief has battled with and conquered sleep,
And memories rise, like spectres from the dead.
Some from a mighty grief that cries aloud,
And tells its tale with wailing unsubdued;
Some from a hidden wound, which unavowed
Aches secretly in lonely solitude.
And tells its tale with wailing unsubdued;
Some from a hidden wound, which unavowed
Aches secretly in lonely solitude.
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GONE BEFORE.
They go: we weep, yet dry our tears;
They die, yet die not; all is well.
They leave but feebleness and fears,
In immortality to dwell.
They die, yet die not; all is well.
They leave but feebleness and fears,
In immortality to dwell.
Farewell, we say. Why speak we thus?
Is it not well for ever there?
'Tis they should say farewell to us,
Still compassed here with sin and care.
Is it not well for ever there?
'Tis they should say farewell to us,
Still compassed here with sin and care.
They enter in; we trace their path;
We follow with our eyes afar,
Like one who watches as some cloud
Blots from his view some sparkling star.
We follow with our eyes afar,
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Blots from his view some sparkling star.
Now nearer seems the loved unseen,
Nearer the dawn for which we pray;
'Tis but a screen, a veil, a mist,
Between us and that glorious day.
Nearer the dawn for which we pray;
'Tis but a screen, a veil, a mist,
Between us and that glorious day.
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ON THE SUDDEN DEATH OF AN INFANT.
It was an undivided grief,
Not broken into parts, and spread
O'er long and weary months and years:
Mother! thy child is dead!
Not broken into parts, and spread
O'er long and weary months and years:
Mother! thy child is dead!
He did not dry up like the summer's brook
Beneath the sun's absorbing ray,
Which the eye watches in its slackening course,
Slow-ebbing in its current, day by day.
Beneath the sun's absorbing ray,
Which the eye watches in its slackening course,
Slow-ebbing in its current, day by day.
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The grief was sharp, but oh, how much was spared,
Even by the sharpness of the sudden blow!
No nights of watching, days of hope and fear,
Nor the sick weariness of lengthened woe.
Even by the sharpness of the sudden blow!
No nights of watching, days of hope and fear,
Nor the sick weariness of lengthened woe.
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THE MORNING OF JOY.
Out of the womb of the gloomy night
Thou bringest the gladsome day;
Out of the depths of the storm's dark night
Thou bringest the peaceful ray.
Thou bringest the gladsome day;
Out of the depths of the storm's dark night
Thou bringest the peaceful ray.
And what shall recall our earthly woe,
Or what shall our peace destroy,
When out of the sorrow at length shall flow
The long eternal joy;
Or what shall our peace destroy,
When out of the sorrow at length shall flow
The long eternal joy;
When tears shall cease, and the joyous smile
Shall begin these heavenly days,
And the hopes and fears of this little while
Shall end in the endless praise?
Shall begin these heavenly days,
And the hopes and fears of this little while
Shall end in the endless praise?
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SORROW.
Led onward by the joyous ray,
I thought not of the coming sorrow;
Amid the brightness of to-day
I dreamed not of the darker morrow.
I thought not of the coming sorrow;
Amid the brightness of to-day
I dreamed not of the darker morrow.
It was not till the tempest came
That I my bliss began to measure;
When burst the wasting thunder-flame,
'Twas then I knew my priceless treasure.
That I my bliss began to measure;
When burst the wasting thunder-flame,
'Twas then I knew my priceless treasure.
It smote into life's inmost core,
Each fibre of my being tearing;
Leaf-like, it tossed me o'er and o'er,
Then laid me down to die despairing.
Each fibre of my being tearing;
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Then laid me down to die despairing.
It turned my garden to a waste;
Each stem was crushed, each flower was broken,
Its fragments scattered to the blast,
Its beauty gone without one token.
Each stem was crushed, each flower was broken,
Its fragments scattered to the blast,
Its beauty gone without one token.
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THE TWO SEEKERS.
See, the lost one seeks the Shepherd,
And the Shepherd seeks the lost.
Blessèd seeking, blessèd finding,
After such a toil and cost!
Surely 'twas not meant for me;
Such a love could never be!
And the Shepherd seeks the lost.
Blessèd seeking, blessèd finding,
After such a toil and cost!
Surely 'twas not meant for me;
Such a love could never be!
Each the other now is seeking;
Must they, shall they, can they miss?
Shall the Father fail to meet him?
Shall the Son mistake that kiss?
Surely 'twas not meant for me;
Such a love could never be!
Must they, shall they, can they miss?
Shall the Father fail to meet him?
Shall the Son mistake that kiss?
Surely 'twas not meant for me;
Such a love could never be!
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Each the other now is finding;
Such a joy and such a love,
Such a seeking, such a finding,
Never known in heaven above.
Surely 'twas not meant for me;
Such a love could never be!
Such a joy and such a love,
Such a seeking, such a finding,
Never known in heaven above.
Surely 'twas not meant for me;
Such a love could never be!
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CONFESSION.
There never came an emptier soul to Thee,
Never, never!
All want, and weariness, and sin,
Evil without me and within.
To Thee, O Lord, I flee, I flee;
Wilt Thou say nay to me?
Never, never!
All want, and weariness, and sin,
Evil without me and within.
To Thee, O Lord, I flee, I flee;
Wilt Thou say nay to me?
There never came a darker soul to Thee,
Never, never!
'Tis night with me in every part,
The mind, the conscience, and the hear
O Light of life, to Thee I flee;
Canst thou say nay to me?
Never, never!
'Tis night with me in every part,
The mind, the conscience, and the hear
O Light of life, to Thee I flee;
Canst thou say nay to me?
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“ONCE OFFERED TO BEAR THE SINS OF MANY.”
Heb. ix. 28.
He died the death we should have died,
The death which only He could die
Who is the Holy and the Just,
The Christ, the Son of God most high.
O blessèd death, that won our life,
And brought us from a grave of sin;
O loving death, that opened wide
The gate, and drew us sweetly in;
O mighty death, that conquered death
And did for us the kingdom win!
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LIFE'S SHADOWS.
Ere life's last shadows lengthen out,
Ere thy fair sky grow dim,
Ere the dread darkness falls on thee,
Acquaint thyself with Him!
'Tis all thou needest, child of time,
To make a heaven of earth's low clime.
Ere thy fair sky grow dim,
Ere the dread darkness falls on thee,
Acquaint thyself with Him!
'Tis all thou needest, child of time,
To make a heaven of earth's low clime.
Nearer the setting sun thou art,
Nearer the silent brim
Of the lone stream which thou must cross:
Acquaint thyself with Him!
'Tis all thou needest, child of sin,
To make a heaven thy soul within.
Nearer the silent brim
Of the lone stream which thou must cross:
Acquaint thyself with Him!
'Tis all thou needest, child of sin,
To make a heaven thy soul within.
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ARISE, AND COME AWAY.
Cant. ii. 10-12.
He speaketh from the throne:
“Behold, I come!”
He speaketh to His own,
Long sleeping in the tomb:
“Arise, my love, my fair one;
Arise, and come away.”
“Behold, I come!”
He speaketh to His own,
Long sleeping in the tomb:
“Arise, my love, my fair one;
Arise, and come away.”
The winter now is past;
The spring is come;
The turtle's tender voice
Is now no longer dumb:
“Arise, my love, my fair one;
Arise, and come away.”
The spring is come;
The turtle's tender voice
Is now no longer dumb:
“Arise, my love, my fair one;
Arise, and come away.”
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PARAPHRASE OF ISAIAH LX. 19, 20.
That sun thou shalt not need,
Nor ask his light again;
The Lord shall be a light to thee,
Thy God thy glory then.
Nor ask his light again;
The Lord shall be a light to thee,
Thy God thy glory then.
Thy moon shall wane no more,
Nor shall thy sun descend;
Done all thy years of sighs and tears,
Thy mourning at an end.
Nor shall thy sun descend;
Done all thy years of sighs and tears,
Thy mourning at an end.
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THE FLIGHT OF TIME.
The stars are still above us,And the green earth below;
The mountains wear their helmets
Of everlasting snow;
But years are rushing past us,
Like storm across the main,
And the moments fall around us,
Like drops of morning rain.
Our summer dreams are over,
With their bewitching spells,
And autumn's fading foliage
A soberer lesson tells.
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A CHURCHYARD BY THE SEA.
Only the turf is green;
All round is wild and bare;
O life and resurrection, come,
To make all fair!
All round is wild and bare;
O life and resurrection, come,
To make all fair!
The wave sends up its spray
Upon the broken wall;
O Stiller of the breaking wave,
Speak when we call!
Upon the broken wall;
O Stiller of the breaking wave,
Speak when we call!
The long grass moves and bends,
As sighing o'er the dead;
No flower above the graves
Waves its luxuriant head.
As sighing o'er the dead;
No flower above the graves
Waves its luxuriant head.
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The white moss sheathes the stone,
Effacing each old line;
The nettle spreads its shade across;
The brambles intertwine.
Effacing each old line;
The nettle spreads its shade across;
The brambles intertwine.
Far round on every side
Spreads the low, level sand,
While inland far a mountain peak
Keeps sentry o'er the land.
Spreads the low, level sand,
While inland far a mountain peak
Keeps sentry o'er the land.
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SUNRISE.
The day came freshly up, and spread itself
In living loveliness o'er land and sea;
All summer's silver song was in the air,
The song of stream, and wood, and hill, and tree.
In living loveliness o'er land and sea;
All summer's silver song was in the air,
The song of stream, and wood, and hill, and tree.
My soul took in the music and the peace;
The beauty round me seemed to come from heaven;
The fragrance of the breathing air poured in
Like love from God Himself, all gladly given.
The beauty round me seemed to come from heaven;
The fragrance of the breathing air poured in
Like love from God Himself, all gladly given.
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SUNSET ON THE SEA.
Between the mainland and the isle
The quiet wavelets brightly gleam;
Above them shines the silken sky,
As tranquil as a happy dream.
With heavens all blue, and earth all green,
Oh, could there be a fairer scene?
The quiet wavelets brightly gleam;
Above them shines the silken sky,
As tranquil as a happy dream.
With heavens all blue, and earth all green,
Oh, could there be a fairer scene?
How peacefully along the wave,
How tranquilly beneath the blue,
Stealeth along the silent bark,
With its young, loving, smiling crew!
While from its twilight home afar
Comes slowly forth each autumn star.
How tranquilly beneath the blue,
Stealeth along the silent bark,
With its young, loving, smiling crew!
While from its twilight home afar
Comes slowly forth each autumn star.
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TO P. S. C. G.
The love that passeth knowledge,
The peace that never dies,
The life that hath no ending,
The joy beyond the skies;
The sun whose light is gladness,
And knoweth no decline,
The day that hath no sadness:
May these, my child, be thine!
The peace that never dies,
The life that hath no ending,
The joy beyond the skies;
The sun whose light is gladness,
And knoweth no decline,
The day that hath no sadness:
May these, my child, be thine!
On sea or land thy Keeper,
He who for thee hath died;
His loving arm around thee,
His brightness at thy side;
Beneath His cross to rest thee,
In His fair light to shine,
Upon His strength to lean thee:
All these, my child, be thine!
He who for thee hath died;
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His brightness at thy side;
Beneath His cross to rest thee,
In His fair light to shine,
Upon His strength to lean thee:
All these, my child, be thine!
June, 1874.
| "Until the Day Break," | |