Alas! no need to rouse them: long ago
They are gone forth to swell Messiah's show:
With glittering robes and garlands sweet
They strew the ground beneath His feet:
All but your hearts are there— O doomed to prove
The arrows winged in Heaven for Faith that will not love!
Meanwhile He paces through th' adoring crowd,
Calm as the march of some majestic cloud,
That o'er wild scenes of ocean-war
Holds its still course in Heaven afar:
E'en so, heart-searching Lord, as years roll on.
Thou keepest silent watch from Thy triumphal throne:
E'en so, the world is thronging round to gaze
On the dread vision of the latter days.
Constrained to own Thee, but in heart
Prepared to take Barabbas' part:
Hosanna " now, to-morrow Crucify,"
The changeful burden still of their rude lawless cry.
Yet in that throng of selfish hearts untrue
Thy sad eye rests upon Thy faithful few.
Children and childlike souls are there.
Blind Bartimeus' humble prayer.
And Lazarus wakened from his four days' sleep.
Enduring life again, that Passover to keep.
And fast beside the olive-bordered way
Stands the blessed home where Jesus deigned to stay,
The peaceful home, to Zeal sincere
And heavenly Contemplation dear.
Where Martha loved to wait with reverence meet.
And wiser Mary lingered at Thy sacred feet.
Still through decaying ages as they glide.
Thou lov'st Thy chosen remnant to divide;
Sprinkled along the waste of years
Full many a soft green isle appears:
Pause where we may upon the desert road.
Some shelter is in sight, some sacred safe abode.
When withering blasts of error swept the sky.
And Love's last flower seemed fain to droop and die.
How sweet, how lone the ray benign
On sheltered nooks of Palestine!
Page:The Christian Year 1887.djvu/21
This page needs to be proofread.
