 | The Land of Light and other Hymns of Faith and Hope |  |
107
GONE BEFORE
Thou art in heaven, and I am still on earth;
'Tis years, long years since we were parted here;
I still a wanderer, amid grief and fear,
And thou the tenant of a brighter sphere.
Yet still thou seemest near;
But yesterday it seems
Since the last clasp was given,
Since our lips met,
And our eyes looked into each other's depths.
'Tis years, long years since we were parted here;
I still a wanderer, amid grief and fear,
And thou the tenant of a brighter sphere.
Yet still thou seemest near;
But yesterday it seems
Since the last clasp was given,
Since our lips met,
And our eyes looked into each other's depths.
108
Thou art amid the deathless, I still here
Amid things mortal, in a land of graves,
A land o'er which the heavy-beating waves
Of changing time move on, a land where raves
The storm, which whoso braves
Must have his anchor fixed
Firmly within the veil:
So let my anchor be;
Such be my consolation and my hope!
Amid things mortal, in a land of graves,
A land o'er which the heavy-beating waves
Of changing time move on, a land where raves
The storm, which whoso braves
Must have his anchor fixed
Firmly within the veil:
So let my anchor be;
Such be my consolation and my hope!
109
Thou art amid the sorrowless, I here
Amid the sorrowing; and yet not long
Shall I remain 'mid sin, and fear, and wrong;
Soon shall I join you in your sinless song.
The day has come, not gone;
Thy sun has risen, not set;
Thy life is now beyond
The reach of death or change,
Not ended, but begun.
Such shall our life be soon;
And then,—the meeting day,
How full of light and joy!
All fear of change cast out,
All shadows passed away,
The union sealed for ever
Between us and our Lord.
Amid the sorrowing; and yet not long
Shall I remain 'mid sin, and fear, and wrong;
Soon shall I join you in your sinless song.
The day has come, not gone;
Thy sun has risen, not set;
Thy life is now beyond
The reach of death or change,
Not ended, but begun.
Such shall our life be soon;
And then,—the meeting day,
How full of light and joy!
All fear of change cast out,
All shadows passed away,
The union sealed for ever
Between us and our Lord.
| The Land of Light and other Hymns of Faith and Hope | |