Like her it may return unblest, Like her again may soar, And still return and find no rest, No peaceful, happy sh.o.r.e.
But now once more she spreads her wings, And takes a bolder flight, And see! the olive-branch she brings, To bless her master"s sight.
And thus the heart renews its strength, Though spent and tempest-driven, And higher soars, and brings at length A pledge of peace with Heaven.
"THE SPIRIT GIVETH LIFE."
What was in the viewless wind, Wild rushing through the oak, Seemed to my listening, dreaming mind As though a spirit spoke?
What is it to the murmuring stream Doth give so sweet a song, That on its tide my thoughts do seem To pour themselves along?
What is it on the dizzy height, What in each glowing star, That speaks of things beyond the sight, And questions what they are?
What in the rolling thunder"s voice, What in the ocean"s roar, Hears the grand chorus, "O, rejoice!"
Echo from sh.o.r.e to sh.o.r.e?
What in the gentle moon doth see Pure thoughts and tender love, And hears delicious melody Around, below, above?
What bids the savage tempest speak Of terror and dismay, And wakes the agonizing shriek Of guilt that fears to pray?
It is this ever-living mind; This little throb of life Hears its own echoes in the wind, And in the tempest"s strife;
To all that"s sweet, and bright, and fair, Its own affections gives; Sees its own image everywhere, Through all creation lives.
It bids the everlasting hills Give back the solemn tone; This boundless arch of azure fills With accents all its own.
What is this life-inspiring mind, This omnipresent thought?
How shall it ever utterance find For all itself hath taught?
To Him who breathed the heavenly flame, Its mysteries are known; It seeks the source from whence it came, And rests in G.o.d alone.
WE NEVER PART FROM THEE.
G.o.d, who dwellest everywhere G.o.d, who makest all thy care, G.o.d, who hearest every prayer, Thou who see"st the heart;
Thou to whom we lift our eyes.
Father, help our souls to rise, And, beyond these narrow skies, See thee as thou art!
Let our anxious thoughts be still, Holy trust adore thy will, Holy love our bosoms fill, Let our songs ascend!
Dearest friends may parted be, All our earthly treasures flee, Yet we never part from thee, Our eternal Friend.
"I WILL ARISE AND GO TO MY FATHER."
Help me, O G.o.d, to trust in thee, Thou high and holy One!
And may my troubled spirit flee For rest to thee alone.
In thee alone the soul can find Secure and sweet repose; And thou canst bid the desert mind To blossom as the rose.
Let not this spirit, formed to rise Where angels claim their birth, Forsake its home beyond the skies, And cling to barren earth.
The bird of pa.s.sage knows the sign That warns him to depart; Shall I not heed the voice divine, That whispers in my heart,--
"Up! plume thy wings, soar far away!
No longer idly roam!
Fly to the realms of endless day; For this is not thy home."
This still, small voice, O, may I hear!
Ere clouds and darkness come, And thunders in my startled ear Proclaim my final doom.
Father! to thee my spirit cries!
Thy wandering child reclaim.
Speak! and my dying faith shall rise, And wake a deathless flame.
EVENING HYMN.
Thou, from whom we never part, Thou, whose love is everywhere, Thou who seest every heart, Listen to our evening prayer.
Father! fill our souls with love, Love unfailing, full, and free, Love no injury can move, Love that ever rests on thee.
Heavenly Father! through the night Keep us safe from every ill; Cheerful as the morning light, May we wake to do thy will.
AUTUMN.
Sweet Summer, with her flowers, has past, I hear her parting knell; I hear the moaning, fitful blast, Sighing a sad farewell.
But, while she fades and dies away, In rainbow hues she glows; Like the last smile of parting day, Still brightening as she goes.
The robin whistles clear and shrill; Sad is the cricket"s song; The wind, wild rushing o"er the hill, Bears the dead leaf along.
I love this sober, solemn time, This twilight of the year; To me, sweet Spring, in all her prime, Was never half so dear.
While death has set his changing seal On all that meets the eye, "Tis rapture, then, within to feel The soul that cannot die;--
To look far, far beyond this sky, To Him who changes never.
This earth, these heavens, shall change and die; G.o.d is the same for ever.
THE LORD"S DAY.
This is the day when Jesus woke From the deep slumbers of the tomb; This is the day the Saviour broke The bonds of fear and hopeless gloom.
This is indeed a holy day; No longer may we dread to die.
Let every fear be cast away, And tears be wiped from every eye.