Excerpt
THE ANSWER.
Spare me, dread angel of reproof,And let the sunshine weave to-dayIts gold-threads in the warp and woofOf life so poor and gray.
Spare me awhile; the flesh is weak.These lingering feet, that fain would strayAmong the flowers, shall some day seekThe strait and narrow way.
Take off thy ever-watchful eye,The awe of thy rebuking frown;The dullest slave at times must sighTo fling his burdens down;
To drop his galley's straining oar,And press, in summer warmth and calm,The lap of some enchanted shoreOf blossom and of balm.
Grudge not my life its hour of bloom,My heart its taste of long desire;This day be mine: be those to comeAs duty shall require.
The deep voice answered to my own,Smiting my selfish prayers away;"To-morrow is with God alone,And man hath but to-day.
"Say not, thy fond, vain heart within,The Father's arm shall still be wide,When from these pleasant ways of sinThou turn'st at eventide.
"'Cast thyself down,' the tempter saith,'And angels shall thy feet upbear.'He bids thee make a lie of faith,And blasphemy of prayer.
"Though God be good and free be heaven,No force divine can love compel;And, though the song of sins forgivenMay sound through lowest hell,
"The sweet persuasion of His voiceRespects thy sanctity of will.He giveth day: thou hast thy choiceTo walk in darkness still;
"As one who, turning from the light,Watches his own gray shadow fall,Doubting, upon his path of night,If there be day at all!
"No word of doom may shut thee out,No wind of wrath may downward whirl,No swords of fire keep watch aboutThe open gates of pearl;
"A tenderer light than moon or sun,Than song of earth a sweeter hymn,May shine and sound forever on,And thou be deaf and dim.
"Forever round the Mercy-seatThe guiding lights of Love shall burn;But what if, habit-bound, thy feetShall lack the will to turn?
"What if thine eye refuse to see,Thine ear of Heaven's free welcome fail,And thou a willing captive be,Thyself thy own dark jail?
"Oh, doom beyond the saddest guess,As the long years of God unroll,To make thy dreary selfishnessThe prison of a soul!
"To doubt the love that fain would breakThe fetters from thy self-bound limb;And dream that God can thee forsakeAs thou forsakest Him!"1863.
THE ETERNAL GOODNESS.O friends! with whom my feet have trodThe quiet aisles of prayer,Glad witness to your zeal for GodAnd love of man I bear.
I trace your lines of argument;Your logic linked and strongI weigh as one who dreads dissent,And fears a doubt as wrong.
But still my human hands are weakTo hold your iron creedsAgainst the words ye bid me speakMy heart within me pleads.
Who fathoms the Eternal Thought?Who talks of scheme and plan?The Lord is God! He needeth notThe poor device of man.
I walk with bare, hushed feet the groundYe tread with boldness shod;I dare not fix with mete and boundThe love and power of God.
Ye praise His justice; even suchHis pitying love I deemYe seek a king; I fain would touchThe robe that hath no seam....