Oft in sadness and in illness, I have watched thy current glide, Till the beauty of its stillness Overflowed me, like a tide. And in better hours and brighter, I have felt my heart beat lighter, Not for this alone I love thee, Nor because thy waves of blue From celestial seas above thee Take their own celestial hue. Where yon shadowy woodlands hide thee, Friends I love have dwelt beside thee, More than this ;- thy name reminds me Of three friends, all true and tried; And that name, like magic, binds me Closer, closer to thy side. Friends my soul with joy remembers! How like quivering flames they start, When I fan the living embers On the hearth-stone of my heart! 'Tis for this, thou Silent River! BLIND BARTIMEUS BL LIND Bartimeus at the gates He hears the crowd; - he hears a breath Say, "It is Christ of Nazareth!" The thronging multitudes increase; Θάρσει, ἔγειραι, φωνεῖ σε! Then saith the Christ, as silent stands The crowd, "What wilt thou at my hands?" And he replies, "O give me light! Rabbi, restore the blind man's sight!" And Jesus answers, "Yaye Ἡ πίστις σου σέσωκέ σε! Ye that have eyes, yet cannot see, Recall those mighty Voices Three, Θάρσει, ἔγειραι, ὕπαγε ! Ἡ πίστις σου σέσωκέ σε! THE GOBLET OF LIFE `ILLED is Life's goblet to the brim ; FILL And though my eyes with tears are dim, I see its sparkling bubbles swim, With solemn voice and slow. No purple flowers, no garlands green, This goblet, wrought with curious art, And as it mantling passes round, With fennel is it wreathed and crowned, Whose seed and foliage sun-imbrowned Are in its waters steeped and drowned, And give a bitter taste. Above the lowly plants it towers, It gave new strength, and fearless mood; Then in Life's goblet freely press, New light and strength they give! And he who has not learned to know He has not learned to live. The prayer of Ajax was for light; To see his foeman's face. Let our unceasing, earnest prayer O suffering, sad humanity! I pledge you in this cup of grief, The Battle of our Life is brief, The alarm, the struggle, the relief, Then sleep we side by side. |