 | Love's Last Labour Not Lost |  |
206
FAREWELL!
209
[Hope to the last!—Though Hope delay]
Hope to the last!—Though Hope delay,Do we lose by hoping? Nay,
Rather we a respite gain
From anxiety and pain,
One of that celestial Three,
Of whom the chief is Charity,
Let me to the very last,
Hope eternal! hold thee fast.
210
[Sleep in thy Father's clay-cold arms and breast]
Sleep in thy Father's clay-cold arms and breast
Till the Last Trumpet wake thee from thy rest.
Life's little day
Of innocence and joy hath passed away.
Till the Last Trumpet wake thee from thy rest.
Life's little day
Of innocence and joy hath passed away.
To thee was known one parent—only one—
Ere thy brief race began thy sire's was run—
In manhood's prime
His mission calmly closed with earth and time.
Ere thy brief race began thy sire's was run—
In manhood's prime
His mission calmly closed with earth and time.
Sin never sullied thee—without a stain
Thy spirit to thy God returns again.
What higher bliss
Hath Heaven in store for those it loves than this?
Thy spirit to thy God returns again.
What higher bliss
Hath Heaven in store for those it loves than this?
211
[Why, alas! of life so weary?]
Why, alas! of life so weary?
So dispirited, cast down?
Is thy path perplex'd and dreary?
Does upon thee fortune frown?
So dispirited, cast down?
Is thy path perplex'd and dreary?
Does upon thee fortune frown?
Or thy love look cold, and shun thee?
Or ingratitude's sharp fang
From the friend who has undone thee
Add to poverty its pang?
Or ingratitude's sharp fang
From the friend who has undone thee
Add to poverty its pang?
One above there is to bless thee,
(Think what sorrows here He bore!)
Who the more that wrongs oppress thee,
Only loves thee more and more.
(Think what sorrows here He bore!)
Who the more that wrongs oppress thee,
Only loves thee more and more.
212
[How I love the gates of Zion]
How I love the gates of Zion
Morn and eve to enter in,
With the Gospel to rely on
As a pardon for my sin.
Morn and eve to enter in,
With the Gospel to rely on
As a pardon for my sin.
How I lean on every sentence,
As it falls upon my ear,
Promising of true repentance
Pitying Heaven my vows will hear.
As it falls upon my ear,
Promising of true repentance
Pitying Heaven my vows will hear.
See, in silent adoration
Rich and poor together kneel,
Hark! what hymns of jubilation
From the full-toned organ peal.
Rich and poor together kneel,
Hark! what hymns of jubilation
From the full-toned organ peal.
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Every voice the chorus swelling!
Every eye uplifted, fired!
Every tongue of mercies telling!
Every bosom rapt, inspired!
Every eye uplifted, fired!
Every tongue of mercies telling!
Every bosom rapt, inspired!
Well may ye exalt your voices,
Heirs of glory! chosen sons!
Every ransomed saint rejoices
As his Christian course he runs.
Heirs of glory! chosen sons!
Every ransomed saint rejoices
As his Christian course he runs.
Pain and sorrow cannot move him,
Pressing on to his reward;
Death's dark terrors only prove him
Looking, longing for his Lord.
Pressing on to his reward;
Death's dark terrors only prove him
Looking, longing for his Lord.
[The Morning of the Intellect! as first in Adam seen]
The Morning of the Intellect! as first in Adam seen
In all its pristine purity, ah! what must it have been?
A Temple of the Living God! refulgent and refined;
An emanation glorious of the Eternal Mind!
In all its pristine purity, ah! what must it have been?
A Temple of the Living God! refulgent and refined;
An emanation glorious of the Eternal Mind!
214
The Morning of the Intellect! Ere horrid sin and death
Its innocence and beauty marr'd with their defiling breath;
Or time made it a mournful wreck, a ruin, just to tell
How low it has descended, and from what a height it fell!
Its innocence and beauty marr'd with their defiling breath;
Or time made it a mournful wreck, a ruin, just to tell
How low it has descended, and from what a height it fell!
The Morning of the Intellect! In these our latter days
If something noble still remain for wonder and for praise,
What is it but a relic rare of that Celestial Fane
To be restored when man shall his Lost Paradise regain?
If something noble still remain for wonder and for praise,
What is it but a relic rare of that Celestial Fane
To be restored when man shall his Lost Paradise regain?
[Lord! to praise Thee we appear]
Lord! to praise Thee we appear
In Thy Holy Temple here,
That Thou didst (the children's friend)
These our kind protectors send.
In Thy Holy Temple here,
That Thou didst (the children's friend)
These our kind protectors send.
215
But for them (inspired by Thee)
We should helpless outcasts be,
To the world an easy prey,
Scatter'd, tempted, cast away!
We should helpless outcasts be,
To the world an easy prey,
Scatter'd, tempted, cast away!
By their bounty clothed and fed,
By their counsel taught and led,
With Thy help we hope to steer
From the path of error clear.
By their counsel taught and led,
With Thy help we hope to steer
From the path of error clear.
Make us diligent and good,
Fill our hearts with gratitude,
Let our knowledge be to know
All we have to Thee we owe.
Fill our hearts with gratitude,
Let our knowledge be to know
All we have to Thee we owe.
Ever in our infant sight
Be Thy Son a pattern bright!
When, with so Divine a mien,
Was such early wisdom seen?
Be Thy Son a pattern bright!
When, with so Divine a mien,
Was such early wisdom seen?
Him to follow, Thee to praise
Humbly, truly, all our days,
To what service, holier, higher,
Lord, than this can we aspire?
Humbly, truly, all our days,
To what service, holier, higher,
Lord, than this can we aspire?
216
[Not until Thy work was done]
Not until Thy work was done,
Faithful servant of the Lord!
And thy Crown of Glory won,
(Self-devotion's sure reward!)
Faithful servant of the Lord!
And thy Crown of Glory won,
(Self-devotion's sure reward!)
Didst thou at the Master's feet
Lay thy crook, so meekly borne,
And (thy sleep of death how sweet!)
Wake to an Eternal Morn.
Lay thy crook, so meekly borne,
And (thy sleep of death how sweet!)
Wake to an Eternal Morn.
Now the blessed of thy fold
Thou hast heard with rapt surprise,
(Robed in white,) with harps of gold
Hail thy advent to the skies;
Thou hast heard with rapt surprise,
(Robed in white,) with harps of gold
Hail thy advent to the skies;
As before the Throne of Light
They beheld thee prostrate fall—
Faith and Hope confirm'd by sight,
And Christ the Saviour All in All!
They beheld thee prostrate fall—
Faith and Hope confirm'd by sight,
And Christ the Saviour All in All!
Though in sorrow we abide,
(Be the parting tear forgiven!)
We're not left without a guide
In our homeward path to Heaven.
(Be the parting tear forgiven!)
We're not left without a guide
In our homeward path to Heaven.
Thy example handed down
Is the star by which to steer,
If, like thee, to glory's crown
We would prove our title clear.
Is the star by which to steer,
If, like thee, to glory's crown
We would prove our title clear.
217
[Who has not in its splendour mild]
Who has not in its splendour mild
A golden sunset seen?
Or look'd upon a sleeping child,
And mark'd its brow serene?
A golden sunset seen?
Or look'd upon a sleeping child,
And mark'd its brow serene?
218
Or watch'd upon a summer's eve
(By tempests lash'd no more)
A rippling wave the billows leave,
To die upon the shore?
(By tempests lash'd no more)
A rippling wave the billows leave,
To die upon the shore?
And who has not the Christian view'd,
When life draws near its close,
His doubts and fears by faith subdued,
His spirit in repose?
When life draws near its close,
His doubts and fears by faith subdued,
His spirit in repose?
As sleeping childhood, sunset bright,
And the retiring wave,
So sweetly calm, with Heaven in sight,
He passes to the grave.
And the retiring wave,
So sweetly calm, with Heaven in sight,
He passes to the grave.
[Swift from earth (too glad to leave it!)]
Swift from earth (too glad to leave it!)
My enraptured spirit flies;
In Thy Bosom, Lord! receive it,
With a welcome to the skies.
My enraptured spirit flies;
In Thy Bosom, Lord! receive it,
With a welcome to the skies.
There to live with saints for ever
Under Thy celestial reign,
Where temptation, sorrow, never
Shall disturb its peace again.
Under Thy celestial reign,
Where temptation, sorrow, never
Shall disturb its peace again.
219
FAREWELL!
| Love's Last Labour Not Lost | |