 | Carmina crucis |  |
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“QUID DIXIT, MARIA?”
What said He, Mary, unto thee?
For it was thine His voice to hear,
When thou wert waiting in the gloom
Of twilight dawn, and by the tomb,
He talk'd with thee when none were near;
Oh, happy thus thy Lord to see!
What said He, Mary, unto thee?”
For it was thine His voice to hear,
When thou wert waiting in the gloom
Of twilight dawn, and by the tomb,
He talk'd with thee when none were near;
Oh, happy thus thy Lord to see!
What said He, Mary, unto thee?”
“Few words He said to me, I hide
Each word He said within my heart;
Fain had I won Him to abide,
Yet soon I knew that I must part
With Him, my Master, Lord, and Guide.
I met His eye, His voice I heard,
I saw His wounded hands and feet,
He call'd me by my name, no word
Was ever to my soul so sweet;
And by His tomb He bade me stay
Until the breaking of the day!”
Each word He said within my heart;
Fain had I won Him to abide,
Yet soon I knew that I must part
With Him, my Master, Lord, and Guide.
I met His eye, His voice I heard,
I saw His wounded hands and feet,
He call'd me by my name, no word
Was ever to my soul so sweet;
And by His tomb He bade me stay
Until the breaking of the day!”
“But see, the hills are all a-glow,
The sunrise cleaves its path of gold
Through many a darken'd valley low,
And fires the mountain summits cold.
What flowers unclose! what herbs of price!
What costly gums for sacrifice
Are dropping now!” “The hills are high,
I cannot reach them, lest I die;
And by His cross He bid me dwell
Until the evening shadows fell.”
The sunrise cleaves its path of gold
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And fires the mountain summits cold.
What flowers unclose! what herbs of price!
What costly gums for sacrifice
Are dropping now!” “The hills are high,
I cannot reach them, lest I die;
And by His cross He bid me dwell
Until the evening shadows fell.”
“Yet rise, thy Lord hath risen! Behold,
From Hades now He bears away
The gates, and snatches from the hold
Of death and sin a mighty prey;
His soul hath pass'd afar! to Him
The darkness shines as doth the day!
Why linger 'mid the shadows dim?
Why watch the place where Jesus lay?”
From Hades now He bears away
The gates, and snatches from the hold
Of death and sin a mighty prey;
His soul hath pass'd afar! to Him
The darkness shines as doth the day!
Why linger 'mid the shadows dim?
Why watch the place where Jesus lay?”
“Beside His tomb, beside His cross
He bade me rest! Ye speak in vain
Who have not known my gain nor loss;
The Master's words are kind and plain,
He calls the wounded not to pain,
The weary unto conflict sore;
He bids the wayworn not again
Retrace their fruitless wanderings o'er;
He led me to this place! He knew
My soul upon the burning plain
Where riseth from the earth no dew,
Where falleth from the heavens no rain;
He track'd my steps 'mid forests old
And tangled, where the flowers awake
In torrid midnight gloom, and hold
Death's revel in the jungle brake;
Yea! he hath known my soul in cold,
The deadly frost that none can bide,
The formless vapours, white and dim,
Became my shroud, and yet from Him
Conceal'd me not! whate'er betide
I clasp the cross! the earth is wide,
And drear, and old! the heavens are far!
For guide to me He gave no star,
But near His cross He bid me stay
Until the shadows fled away!
He bade me rest! Ye speak in vain
Who have not known my gain nor loss;
The Master's words are kind and plain,
He calls the wounded not to pain,
The weary unto conflict sore;
He bids the wayworn not again
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He led me to this place! He knew
My soul upon the burning plain
Where riseth from the earth no dew,
Where falleth from the heavens no rain;
He track'd my steps 'mid forests old
And tangled, where the flowers awake
In torrid midnight gloom, and hold
Death's revel in the jungle brake;
Yea! he hath known my soul in cold,
The deadly frost that none can bide,
The formless vapours, white and dim,
Became my shroud, and yet from Him
Conceal'd me not! whate'er betide
I clasp the cross! the earth is wide,
And drear, and old! the heavens are far!
For guide to me He gave no star,
But near His cross He bid me stay
Until the shadows fled away!
“To me He said not, ‘Thou shalt rise
With Me, thy risen Lord this day,
And be with Me in Paradise,’
Beside the cross He bade me stay;
He met me in the garden's gloom,
But to that garden, sweet and dim,
Or through its angel-guarded gate,
He sent me not! I wait for Him
Beside His cross, beside His tomb;
I wait for Him, my soul doth wait,
And by the cross I will abide,
And keep the word my Lord hath given.
Except the cross and Him who died
Upon it, now in earth or Heaven
What own I, claim I? now below
I seek no further, here is woe
Assuaged for ever; now above
I look no longer; here is love!
With Me, thy risen Lord this day,
And be with Me in Paradise,’
Beside the cross He bade me stay;
He met me in the garden's gloom,
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Or through its angel-guarded gate,
He sent me not! I wait for Him
Beside His cross, beside His tomb;
I wait for Him, my soul doth wait,
And by the cross I will abide,
And keep the word my Lord hath given.
Except the cross and Him who died
Upon it, now in earth or Heaven
What own I, claim I? now below
I seek no further, here is woe
Assuaged for ever; now above
I look no longer; here is love!
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