Poems by Cecil Frances Alexander Edited, with a preface, by William Alexander |
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MOSES' CHOICE. |
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 | Poems by Cecil Frances Alexander |  |
MOSES' CHOICE.
“Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God,
than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.”—Heb. xi. 25.
He dwelt in glory, where the light
Fell soft by day in Pharaoh's halls;
And painted lamps the livelong night
Flung ghostly shadows on the walls.
Fell soft by day in Pharaoh's halls;
And painted lamps the livelong night
Flung ghostly shadows on the walls.
All sounds were there of love and sport,
Sweet song of lute, wild laughter ringing,
The splash of fountains in the court,
And birds in stately gardens singing.
Sweet song of lute, wild laughter ringing,
The splash of fountains in the court,
And birds in stately gardens singing.
And cups, that on their carven ledge
Bore shapes that seemed to hail with joy
The wine that bubbled to their edge,
Were proffered to the Hebrew boy.
Bore shapes that seemed to hail with joy
The wine that bubbled to their edge,
Were proffered to the Hebrew boy.
And wrinkled seers that hour by hour
Traced starry dreams on silent stone—
And wiser yet, to whom each power
Of Nature's secret things was known,—
Traced starry dreams on silent stone—
And wiser yet, to whom each power
Of Nature's secret things was known,—
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Came round him with their wisdom weird,
And bade his sharpened reason soar
Through shadowy realms, half known, half feared.
And taught him all Egyptian lore.
And bade his sharpened reason soar
Through shadowy realms, half known, half feared.
And taught him all Egyptian lore.
But more he loved the scanty fare,
The shepherd's toil by vale and hill,
The wandering in the desert bare
With one bright vision leading still.
The shepherd's toil by vale and hill,
The wandering in the desert bare
With one bright vision leading still.
And other music set on fire
His youthful soul, with cadence strong—
Such strains as rush'd from Miriam's lyre,
Winged with prophetic words of song.
His youthful soul, with cadence strong—
Such strains as rush'd from Miriam's lyre,
Winged with prophetic words of song.
Rather he chose to suffer woe
With God's own people in the wild,
Than wrapped around with regal show
To bear the name of Pharaoh's child.
With God's own people in the wild,
Than wrapped around with regal show
To bear the name of Pharaoh's child.
O, blessed choice! and such be ours—
For better far some quiet place,
Where simple men in lowly bowers
Love God's great Name and seek His face,
For better far some quiet place,
Where simple men in lowly bowers
Love God's great Name and seek His face,
Than joys mid hearts to folly given,
Where pleasure drives the hours away,
Without a thought of God or Heaven—
Or dream that lasts beyond to-day;
Where pleasure drives the hours away,
Without a thought of God or Heaven—
Or dream that lasts beyond to-day;
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Where world-wise men with scornful sneer,
Tell of high deed, and holy word,
O rather like that meek old seer,
Our choice be those who love the Lord.
Tell of high deed, and holy word,
O rather like that meek old seer,
Our choice be those who love the Lord.
| Poems by Cecil Frances Alexander | |