Then wake, my soul, to high desires, Or, if she think, it is in scorn : "Where is your Lord?" she scornful asks: "Where is his hire? we know his tasks; "Sons of a king ye boast to be; "Let us your crowns and treasures see." We in the words of Truth reply, "Methinks your wisdom guides amiss, "To seek on earth a Christian's bliss ; "We watch not now the lifeless stone; “Our only Lord is risen and gone." Yet even the lifeless stone is dear For thoughts of Him who late lay here ; And the base world, now Christ hath died, Ennobled is and glorified. No more a charnel-house, to fence The relics of lost innocence, A vault of ruin and decay ; Th' imprisoning stone is roll'd away: 'Tis now a cell, where angels use To come and go with heavenly news, "Come see the place where Jesus lay :" 'Tis now a fane, where Love can find Christ every where embalm'd and shrin'd; Aye gathering up memorials sweet, Where'er she sets her duteous feet. When rous'd from weeping o'er his shroud, By his own calm, soul-soothing tone, Breathing her name, as still his own! K Joy to the faithful Three renew'd, So is it still to holy tears, In lonely hours, Christ risen appears : MONDAY IN EASTER WEEK. Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons; but in every nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted with him. Acts x. 34, 35. Go up and watch the new-born rill Just trickling from its mossy bed, Streaking the heath-clad hill With a bright emerald thread. Canst thou her bold career foretel, What rocks she shall o'erleap or rend, How far in Ocean's swell Her freshening billows send? Perchance that little brook shall flow Bear navies to and fro With monarchs at their helm. Or canst thou guess, how far away Some sister nymph, beside her urn Reclining night and day, Mid reeds and mountain fern, Nurses her store, with thine to blend When many a moor and glen are past, Then in the wide sea end Their spotless lives at last? Even so, the course of prayer who knows? It springs in silence where it will, Springs out of sight, and flows But streams shall meet it by and by From thousand sympathetic hearts, Together swelling high Their chant of many parts. Unheard by all but angel ears The while upon his terrac'd roof In silent thought aloof For heavenly vision soar'd. Far o'er the glowing western main The burnish'd water blaz'd. The saint beside the ocean pray'd, Seem'd sacred in that hour. |