Part 2

As the dove which found no rest For the sole of her foot, flew back To the ark her only nest And found safety there; Because Noah put forth his hand, Drew her in from ruin and wrack, And was more to her than the land And the air:

So my spirit, like that dove, Fleeth away to an ark Where dwelleth a Heart of Love, A Hand pierced to save, Tho’ the sun and the moon should fail, Tho’ the stars drop into the dark, And my body lay itself pale In a grave.

“Thou art fairer than the children of men.”

A rose, a lily, and the Face of Christ Have all our hearts sufficed: For He is Rose of Sharon nobly born, Our Rose without a thorn; And He is Lily of the Valley, He Most sweet in purity. But when we come to name Him as He is, Godhead, Perfection, Bliss, All tongues fall silent, while pure hearts alone Complete their orison.

“As the Apple Tree among the trees of the wood.”

As one red rose in a garden where all other roses are white Blossoms alone in its glory, crowned all alone In a solitude of own sweetness and fragrance of own delight, With loveliness not another’s and thorns its own; As one ruddy sun amid million orbs comely and colourless, Among all others, above all others is known; As it were alone in the garden, alone in the heavenly place, Chief and centre of all, in fellowship yet alone.

None other Lamb, none other Name, None other Hope in heaven or earth or sea, None other Hiding-place from guilt and shame, None beside Thee.

My faith burns low, my hope burns low, Only my heart’s desire cries out in me By the deep thunder of its want and woe, Cries out to Thee.

Lord, Thou art Life tho’ I be dead, Love’s Fire Thou art however cold I be: Nor heaven have I, nor place to lay my head, Nor home, but Thee.

“Thy friend and thy Father’s friend forget not.”

Friends, I commend to you the narrow way: Not because I, please God, will walk therein, But rather for the Love Feast of that day, The exceeding prize which whoso will may win. Earth is half spent and rotting at the core, Here hollow death’s heads mock us with a grin, Here heartiest laughter leaves us tired and sore. Men heap up pleasures and enlarge desire, Outlive desire, and famished evermore Consume themselves within the undying fire. Yet not for this God made us: not for this Christ sought us far and near to draw us nigher, Sought us and found and paid our penalties. If one could answer “Nay” to God’s command, Who shall say “Nay” when Christ pleads all He is For us, and holds us with a wounded Hand?

“Surely The bath borne our griefs.”

Christ’s Heart was wrung for me, if mine is sore; And if my feet are weary, His have bled; He had no place wherein to lay His Head; If I am burdened, He was burdened more. The cup I drink, He drank of long before; He felt the unuttered anguish which I dread; He hungered Who the hungry thousands fed, And thirsted Who the world’s refreshment bore.

If grief be such a looking-glass as shows Christ’s Face and man’s in some sort made alike, Then grief is pleasure with a subtle taste: Wherefore should any fret or faint or haste? Grief is not grievous to a soul that knows Christ comes,—and listens for that hour to strike.

“They toil not, neither do they spin.”

Clother of the lily, Feeder of the sparrow, Father of the fatherless, dear Lord, Tho’ Thou set me as a mark against Thine arrow, As a prey unto Thy sword, As a ploughed up field beneath Thy harrow, As a captive in Thy cord, [narrow] Let that cord be love; and someday make my Hallowed bed according to Thy Word. Amen.

Darkness and light are both alike to Thee: Therefore to Thee I lift my darkened face; Upward I look with eyes that fail to see, Athirst for future light and present grace. I trust the Hand of Love I scarcely trace. With breath that fails I cry, Remember me: Add breath to breath, so I may run my race That where Thou art there may Thy servant be. For Thou art gulf and fountain of my love, I unreturning torrent to Thy sea, Yea, Thou the measureless ocean for my rill: Seeking I find, and finding seek Thee still: And oh! that I had wings as hath a dove, Then would I flee away to rest with Thee.

“And now why tarriest thou?”

Lord, grant us grace to mount by steps of grace From grace to grace nearer, my God, to Thee; Not tarrying for tomorrow, Lest we lie down in sorrow And never see Unveiled Thy Face.

Life is a vapour vanishing in haste; Life is a day whose sun grows pale to set; Life is a stint and sorrow, One day and not the morrow; Precious, while yet It runs to waste.

Lord, strengthen us; lest fainting by the way We come not to Thee, we who come from far; Lord, bring us to that morrow Which makes an end of sorrow, Where all saints are On holyday.

Where all the saints rest who have heard Thy call, Have risen and striven and now rejoice in rest: Call us too home from sorrow To rest in Thee tomorrow; In Thee our Best, In Thee our All.

Have I not striven, my God, and watched and prayed? Have I not wrestled in mine agony? Wherefore still turn Thy Face of Grace from me? Is Thine Arm shortened that Thou canst not aid? Thy silence breaks my heart: speak tho’ to upbraid, For Thy rebuke yet bids us follow Thee. I grope and grasp not; gaze, but cannot see. When out of sight and reach my bed is made, And piteous men and women cease to blame Whispering and wistful of my gain or loss; Thou Who for my sake once didst feel the Cross, Lord, wilt Thou turn and look upon me then, And in Thy Glory bring to nought my shame, Confessing me to angels and to men?

“God is our Hope and Strength.”

Tempest and terror below; but Christ the Almighty above. Tho the depth of the deep overflow, tho’ fire run along on the ground, Tho’ all billows and flames make a noise,—and where is an Ark for the dove?— Tho’ sorrows rejoice against joys, and death and destruction abound: Yet Jesus abolisheth death, and Jesus Who loves us we love; His dead are renewed with a breath, His lost are the sought and the found. Thy wanderers call and recall, Thy dead men lift out of the ground; O Jesus, Who lovest us all, stoop low from Thy Glory above: Where sin hath abounded make grace to abound and to superabound, Till we gaze on Thee face unto Face, and respond to Thee love unto Love.

Day and night the Accuser makes no pause, Day and night protest the Righteous Laws, Good and Evil witness to man’s flaws; Man the culprit, man’s the ruined cause, Man midway to death’s devouring jaws And the worm that gnaws.

Day and night our Jesus makes no pause, Pleads His own fulfilment of all laws, Veils with His Perfections mortal flaws, Clears the culprit, pleads the desperate cause, Plucks the dead from death’s devouring jaws And the worm that gnaws.

O mine enemy Rejoice not over me! Jesus waiteth to be gracious: I will yet arise, Mounting free and far, Past sun and star, To a house prepared and spacious In the skies. Lord, for Thine own sake Kindle my heart and break; Make mine anguish efficacious Wedded to Thine own: Be not Thy dear pain, Thy Love in vain, Thou Who waitest to be gracious On Thy Throne.

Lord, dost Thou look on me, and will not I Launch out my heart to Heaven to look on Thee? Here if one loved me I should turn to see, And often think on him and often sigh, And by a tender friendship make reply To love gratuitous poured forth on me, And nurse a hope of happy days to be, And mean “until we meet” in each good-bye. Lord, Thou dost look and love is in Thine Eyes, Thy heart is set upon me day and night, Thou stoopest low to set me far above: O Lord, that I may love Thee make me wise; That I may see and love Thee grant me sight; And give me love that I may give Thee love.

“Peace I leave with you.”

Tumult and turmoil, trouble and toil, Yet peace withal in a painful heart; Never a grudge and never a broil, And ever the better part. O my King and my heart’s own choice, Stretch Thy Hand to Thy fluttering dove; Teach me, call to me with Thy Voice, Wrap me up in Thy Love.

O Christ our All in each, our All in all! Others have this or that, a love, a friend, A trusted teacher, a long worked for end: But what to me were Peter or were Paul Without Thee? fame or friend if such might be? Thee wholly will I love, Thee wholly seek, Follow Thy foot-track, hearken for Thy call. O Christ mine All in all, my flesh is weak, A trembling fawning tyrant unto me: Turn, look upon me, let me hear Thee speak: Tho’ bitter billows of Thine utmost sea Swathe me, and darkness build around its wall, Yet will I rise, Thou lifting when I fall, And if Thou hold me fast, yet cleave to Thee.

Because Thy Love hath sought me, All mine is Thine and Thine is mine: Because Thy Blood hath bought me, I will not be mine own but Thine.

I lift my heart to Thy Heart, Thy Heart sole resting-place for mine: Shall Thy Heart crave for my heart, And shall not mine crave back for Thine?

Thy fainting spouse, yet still Thy spouse; Thy trembling dove, yet still Thy dove; Thine own by mutual vows, By mutual love.

Recall Thy vows, if not her vows; Recall Thy Love, if not her love: For weak she is, Thy spouse, And tired, Thy dove.

“Life as the hart desireth the water brooks.”

My heart is yearning: Behold my yearning heart, And lean low to satisfy Its lonely beseeching cry, For Thou its fulness art.

Turn, as once turning Thou didst behold Thy Saint In deadly extremity; Didst look, and win back to Thee His will frighted and faint.

Kindle my burning From Thine unkindled Fire; Fill me with gifts and with grace That I may behold Thy Face, For Thee I desire.

My heart is yearning, Yearning and thrilling thro’ For Thy Love mine own of old, For Thy Love unknown, untold, Ever old, ever new.

“That where I am, there ye may be also.”

How know I that it looms lovely that land I have never seen, With morning-glories and heartsease and unexampled green, With neither heat nor cold in the balm-redolent air? Some of this, not all, I know; but this is so; Christ is there.

How know I that blessedness befalls who dwell in Paradise, The outwearied hearts refreshing, rekindling the worn-out eyes, All souls singing, seeing, rejoicing everywhere? Nay, much more than this I know; for this is so; Christ is there.

O Lord Christ, Whom having not seen I love and desire to love, O Lord Christ, Who lookest on me uncomely yet still Thy dove, Take me to Thee in Paradise, Thine own made fair; For whatever else I know, this thing is so; Thou art there.

“Judge not according to the appearance.”

Lord, purge our eyes to see Within the seed a tree, Within the glowing egg a bird, Within the shroud a butterfly:

Till taught by such, we see Beyond all creatures Thee, And hearken for Thy tender word, And hear it, “Fear not: it is I.”

My God, wilt Thou accept, and will not we Give aught to Thee? The kept we lose, the offered we retain Or find again. Yet if our gift were lost, we well might lose All for Thy use: Well lost for Thee, Whose love is all for us Gratuitous.

A chill blank world. Yet over the utmost sea The light of a coming dawn is rising to me, No more than a paler shade of darkness as yet; While I lift my heart, O Lord, my heart unto Thee Who hast not forgotten me, yea, Who wilt not forget. Forget not Thy sorrowful servant, O Lord my God, Weak as I cry, faint as I cry underneath Thy rod, Soon to lie dumb before Thee a body devoid of breath, Dust to dust, ashes to ashes, a sod to the sod: Forget not my life, O my Lord, forget not my death.

“The Chiefest among ten thousand.”

O Jesu, better than Thy gifts Art Thou Thine only Self to us! Palm branch its triumph, harp uplifts Its triumph-note melodious: But what are such to such as we? O Jesu, better than Thy saints Art Thou Thine only Self to us! The heart faints and the spirit faints For only Thee all-Glorious, For Thee, O only Lord, for Thee.

SOME FEASTS AND FASTS.

ADVENT SUNDAY.

Behold, the Bridegroom cometh: go ye out With lighted lamps and garlands round about To meet Him in a rapture with a shout.

It may be at the midnight, black as pitch, Earth shall cast up her poor, cast up her rich.

It may be at the crowing of the cock Earth shall upheave her depth, uproot her rock.

For lo, the Bridegroom fetcheth home the Bride: His Hands are Hands she knows, she knows His Side.

Like pure Rebekah at the appointed place, Veiled, she unveils her face to meet His Face.

Like great Queen Esther in her triumphing, She triumphs in the Presence of her King.

His Eyes are as a Dove’s, and she’s Dove-eyed; He knows His lovely mirror, sister, Bride.

He speaks with Dove-voice of exceeding love, And she with love-voice of an answering Dove.

Behold, the Bridegroom cometh: go we out With lamps ablaze and garlands round about To meet Him in a rapture with a shout.

ADVENT.

Earth grown old, yet still so green, Deep beneath her crust of cold Nurses fire unfelt, unseen: Earth grown old.

We who live are quickly told: Millions more lie hid between Inner swathings of her fold.

When will fire break up her screen? When will life burst thro’ her mould? Earth, earth, earth, thy cold is keen, Earth grown old.

Sooner or later: yet at last The Jordan must be past;

It may be he will overflow His banks the day we go;

It may be that his cloven deep Will stand up on a heap.

Sooner or later: yet one day We all must pass that way;

Each man, each woman, humbled, pale, Pass veiled within the veil;

Child, parent, bride, companion, Alone, alone, alone.

For none a ransom can be paid, A suretyship be made:

I, bent by mine own burden, must Enter my house of dust;

I, rated to the full amount, Must render mine account.

When earth and sea shall empty all Their graves of great and small;

When earth wrapped in a fiery flood Shall no more hide her blood;

When mysteries shall be revealed; All secrets be unsealed;

When things of night, when things of shame, Shall find at last a name,

Pealed for a hissing and a curse Throughout the universe:

Then Awful Judge, most Awful God, Then cause to bud Thy rod,

To bloom with blossoms, and to give Almonds; yea, bid us live.

I plead Thyself with Thee, I plead Thee in our utter need:

Jesus, most Merciful of Men, Show mercy on us then;

Lord God of Mercy and of men, Show mercy on us then.

CHRISTMAS EVE.

Christmas hath a darkness Brighter than the blazing noon, Christmas hath a chillness Warmer than the heat of June, Christmas hath a beauty Lovelier than the world can show: For Christmas bringeth Jesus, Brought for us so low.

Earth, strike up your music, Birds that sing and bells that ring; Heaven hath answering music For all Angels soon to sing: Earth, put on your whitest Bridal robe of spotless snow: For Christmas bringeth Jesus, Brought for us so low.

CHRISTMAS DAY.

A baby is a harmless thing And wins our hearts with one accord, And Flower of Babies was their King, Jesus Christ our Lord: Lily of lilies He Upon His Mother’s knee; Rose of roses, soon to be Crowned with thorns on leafless tree.

A lamb is innocent and mild And merry on the soft green sod; And Jesus Christ, the Undefiled, Is the Lamb of God: Only spotless He Upon His Mother’s knee; White and ruddy, soon to be Sacrificed for you and me.

Nay, lamb is not so sweet a word, Nor lily half so pure a name; Another name our hearts hath stirred, Kindling them to flame: “Jesus” certainly Is music and melody: Heart with heart in harmony Carol we and worship we.

CHRISTMASTIDE.

Love came down at Christmas, Love all lovely, Love Divine; Love was born at Christmas, Star and Angels gave the sign.

Worship we the Godhead, Love Incarnate, Love Divine; Worship we our Jesus: But wherewith for sacred sign?

Love shall be our token, Love be yours and love be mine, Love to God and all men, Love for plea and gift and sign.

ST. JOHN, APOSTLE.

Earth cannot bar flame from ascending, Hell cannot bind light from descending, Death cannot finish life never ending.

Eagle and sun gaze at each other, Eagle at sun, brother at Brother, Loving in peace and joy one another.

O St. John, with chains for thy wages, Strong thy rock where the storm-blast rages, Rock of refuge, the Rock of Ages.

Rome hath passed with her awful voice, Earth is passing with all her joys, Heaven shall pass away with a noise.

So from us all follies that please us, So from us all falsehoods that ease us,— Only all saints abide with their Jesus.

Jesus, in love looking down hither, Jesus, by love draw us up thither, That we in Thee may abide together.

“Beloved, let us love one another,” says St. John, Eagle of eagles calling from above: Words of strong nourishment for life to feed upon, “Beloved, let us love.”

Voice of an eagle, yea, Voice of the Dove: If we may love, winter is past and gone; Publish we, praise we, for lo! it is enough.

More sunny than sunshine that ever yet shone, Sweetener of the bitter, smoother of the rough, Highest lesson of all lessons for all to con, “Beloved, let us love.”

HOLY INNOCENTS.

They scarcely waked before they slept, They scarcely wept before they laughed; They drank indeed death’s bitter draught, But all its bitterest dregs were kept And drained by Mothers while they wept. From Heaven the speechless Infants speak: Weep not (they say), our Mothers dear, For swords nor sorrows come not here. Now we are strong who were so weak, And all is ours we could not seek.

We bloom among the blooming flowers, We sing among the singing birds; Wisdom we have who wanted words: Here morning knows not evening hours, All’s rainbow here without the showers.

And softer than our Mother’s breast, And closer than our Mother’s arm, Is here the Love that keeps us warm And broods above our happy nest. Dear Mothers, come: for Heaven is best.

Unspotted lambs to follow the one Lamb, Unspotted doves to wait on the one Dove; To whom Love saith, “Be with Me where I am,” And lo! their answer unto Love is love.

For tho’ I know not any note they know, Nor know one word of all their song above, I know Love speaks to them, and even so I know the answer unto Love is love.

EPIPHANY.

“Lord Babe, if Thou art He We sought for patiently, Where is Thy court? Hither may prophecy and star resort; Men heed not their report.”— “Bow down and worship, righteous man: This Infant of a span Is He man sought for since the world began!”— “Then, Lord, accept my gold, too base a thing For Thee, of all kings King.”—

“Lord Babe, despite Thy youth I hold Thee of a truth Both Good and Great: But wherefore dost Thou keep so mean a state, Low-lying desolate?”— “Bow down and worship, righteous seer: The Lord our God is here Approachable, Who bids us all draw near.”— “Wherefore to Thee I offer frankincense, Thou Sole Omnipotence.”—

“But I have only brought Myrrh; no wise afterthought Instructed me To gather pearls or gems, or choice to see Coral or ivory.”— “Not least thine offering proves thee wise: For myrrh means sacrifice, And He that lives, this Same is He that dies.”— “Then here is myrrh: alas! yea, woe is me That myrrh befitteth Thee.”—

Myrrh, frankincense, and gold: And lo! from wintry fold Good-will doth bring A Lamb, the innocent likeness of this King Whom stars and seraphs sing: And lo! the bird of love, a Dove Flutters and coos above: And Dove and Lamb and Babe agree in love:— Come all mankind, come all creation hither, Come, worship Christ together.

EPIPHANYTIDE.

Trembling before Thee we fall down to adore Thee, Shamefaced and trembling we lift our eyes to Thee: O First and with the last! annul our ruined past, Rebuild us to Thy glory, set us free From sin and from sorrow to fall down and worship Thee.

Full of pity view us, stretch Thy sceptre to us, Bid us live that we may give ourselves to Thee: O faithful Lord and True! stand up for us and do, Make us lovely, make us new, set us free— Heart and soul and spirit—to bring all and worship Thee.

SEPTUAGESIMA.

“So run that ye may obtain.”

One step more, and the race is ended; One word more, and the lesson’s done; One toil more, and a long rest follows At set of sun.

Who would fail, for one step withholden? Who would fail, for one word unsaid? Who would fail, for a pause too early? Sound sleep the dead.

One step more, and the goal receives us; One word more, and life’s task is done; One toil more, and the Cross is carried And sets the sun.

SEXAGESIMA.

“Cursed is the ground for thy sake.”

Yet earth was very good in days of old, And earth is lovely still: Still for the sacred flock she spreads the fold, For Sion rears the hill.

Mother she is, and cradle of our race, A depth where treasures lie, The broad foundation of a holy place, Man’s step to scale the sky.

She spreads the harvest-field which Angels reap, And lo! the crop is white; She spreads God’s Acre where the happy sleep All night that is not night.

Earth may not pass till heaven shall pass away, Nor heaven may be renewed Except with earth: and once more in that day Earth shall be very good.

That Eden of earth’s sunrise cannot vie With Paradise beyond her sunset sky Hidden on high.

Four rivers watered Eden in her bliss, But Paradise hath One which perfect is In sweetnesses.

Eden had gold, but Paradise hath gold Like unto glass of splendours manifold Tongue hath not told.

Eden had sun and moon to make her bright; But Paradise hath God and Lamb for light, And hath no night.

Unspotted innocence was Eden’s best; Great Paradise shows God’s fulfilled behest, Triumph and rest.

Hail, Eve and Adam, source of death and shame! New life has sprung from death, and Jesu’s Name Clothes you with fame.

Hail Adam, and hail Eve! your children rise And call you blessed, in their glad surmise Of Paradise.

QUINQUAGESIMA.

Love is alone the worthy law of love: All other laws have presupposed a taint: Love is the law from kindled saint to saint, From lamb to lamb, from dove to answering dove. Love is the motive of all things that move Harmonious by free will without constraint: Love learns and teaches: love shall man acquaint With all he lacks, which all his lack is love. Because Love is the fountain, I discern The stream as love: for what but love should flow From fountain Love? not bitter from the sweet! I ignorant, have I laid claim to know? Oh, teach me, Love, such knowledge as is meet For one to know who is fain to love and learn.

Piteous my rhyme is What while I muse of love and pain, Of love misspent, of love in vain, Of love that is not loved again: And is this all then? As long as time is, Love loveth. Time is but a span, The dalliance space of dying man: And is this all immortals can? The gain were small then.

Love loves for ever, And finds a sort of joy in pain, And gives with nought to take again, And loves too well to end in vain: Is the gain small then? Love laughs at “never,” Outlives our life, exceeds the span Appointed to mere mortal man: All which love is and does and can Is all in all then.

ASH WEDNESDAY.

My God, my God, have mercy on my sin, For it is great; and if I should begin To tell it all, the day would be too small To tell it in.

My God, Thou wilt have mercy on my sin For Thy Love’s sake: yea, if I should begin To tell This all, the day would be too small To tell it in.

Good Lord, to-day I scarce find breath to say: Scourge, but receive me. For stripes are hard to bear, but worse Thy intolerable curse; So do not leave me.

Good Lord, lean down In pity, tho’ Thou frown; Smite, but retrieve me: For so Thou hold me up to stand And kiss Thy smiting hand, It less will grieve me.

LENT.

It is good to be last not first, Pending the present distress; It is good to hunger and thirst, So it be for righteousness. It is good to spend and be spent, It is good to watch and to pray: Life and Death make a goodly Lent So it leads us to Easter Day.

EMBERTIDE.

I saw a Saint.—How canst thou tell that he Thou sawest was a Saint?— I saw one like to Christ so luminously By patient deeds of love, his mortal taint Seemed made his groundwork for humility.