42

A World without God.

O God! 't were more than life to mouldering

dust,

The hour that kindled men to thoughtful trust; That taught our hearts to seek thy righteous will,

And so with love thy wisdom's task fulfil.

Redeemed from fear, and washed from lustful blot,
By faith we then might rise above our lot;
And like thy chosen few, restored within,
By hearts as morning pure might conquer sin!

FOR FAITH AND REVERENCE.

STRONG Son of God, immortal Love, Whom we, that have not seen thy face, By faith, and faith alone, embrace, Believing where we cannot prove!

Thou wilt not leave us in the dust;
Thou madest man, he knows not why;
He thinks he was not made to die;
And thou hast made him: thou art just.

Thou seemest human and divine,

The highest, holiest manhood, thou: Our wills are ours, we know not how,Our wills are ours, to make them thine.

Our little systems have their day;

They have their day and cease to be; They are but broken lights of thee, And thou, O Lord, art more than they.

44

For Faith and Reverence.

We have but faith; we cannot know;
For knowledge is of things we see;
And yet we trust it comes from thee,
A beam in darkness -let it grow!

Let knowledge grow from more to more, But more of reverence in us dwell, That mind and soul, according well, May make one music, as before :

But vaster.

We are fools and slight; We mock thee when we do not fear; But help thy foolish ones to bear, Help thy vain worlds to bear thy light!

Reverence is the bond for man

With all of best his eyes discern ; Love teaches more than Doctrine can, And no pure Hope will vainly yearn.

But all from depths of mystery grows,
Which hide from us the root of things;
And good beyond what Science knows

To man his Faith's high reason brings.

CHRIST IN THE WORLD.

AMID the gay and noisy throng

Around me fluttering, wheeling, shining, My ears are filled with shout and song, But yet my soul is still repining,

Mid bounding joy, and passion's glow, Mid sportive bursts of mutual gladness, Thin shades arise from far below,

Where boils a secret gulf of madness.

A quivering cheek, a faltering glance,
One throb, one sigh, the whole revealing;
In all the flashing, whirling dance,
I see a world of shipwreck reeling.

And 't is the worst despair to know,
By pangs within my bosom aching,
How deep in each the root of woe,
How many a heart is slowly breaking.

46

Christ in the World.

But while my sad bewildered view
The wide confusion vainly traces,
One look I see serenely true,

Among the false and loveless faces.

Like yon blue sky, when first it shows
The storm-tost ship how Heaven hath pity;
Or some pure mountain-breeze that blows
Its healing o'er a plague-struck city.

A voice not loud, like wind or wave,

A look made low by conscious greatness, Where all is calm, and deep, and grave, With a full soul's mature sedateness.

By Him subdued to thought and peace,
The crowd no more in tumult wander;
The sounds of surging riot cease,

And hearts high swoln devoutly ponder.

By His mild glance and sober power
Renewed to tranquil aspiration,
My soul escapes the reckless hour,

And learns his spirit's pure elation.