ONWARD.

We shall not rue our choice,

Though strait our path and steep; We know that He who called us here His word shall ever keep.

Then follow, trusting; come,

And let each set his face

Toward yonder fair and blessed place,

Intent to reach our home.

The body and the house

Deck not, but deck the heart

With all your powers; we are but guests,

Ere long we must depart.

Ease brings disease; content
Howe'er his lot may fall,

A pilgrim bears and bows to all,
For soon the time is spent.

Come, children, let us go!

Our Father is our guide;

And when the way grows steep and dark,

He journeys at our side.

Our spirits He would cheer;

The sunshine of His love

Revives and helps us as we rove;

Ah, blest our lot e'en here !

Each hasten bravely on; Not yet our goal is near; Look to the fiery pillar oft,

That tells the Lord is here.

183

Onward your glances send,

Love beckons us, nor think

That they who following chance to sink Shall miss their journey's end.

Come, children, let us go!

We travel hand in hand;
Each in his brother finds his joy
In this wild stranger land.
As children let us be,

Nor by the way fall out;

The angels guard us round about, And help us brotherly.

The strong be quick to raise

The weaker when they fall;

Let love and peace and patience bloom

In ready help for all.

In love yet closer bound,

Each would be least, yet still

On love's fair path most pure from ill, Most loving, would be found.

Come, wander on with joy,
For shorter grows the way;
Each rising sun brings on the time.
When in the grave we lay

The body down; a while

Have truth and courage yet,

Your hopes above more fully set,

Careless of things more vile.

ONWARD.

It will not last for long;

A little farther roam;

It will not last much longer now
Ere we shall reach our home;

There shall we ever rest,

There with our Father dwell,

With all the saints who served Him well, There truly, deeply blest.

For this all things we dare,

'Tis worth the risk, I trow,— Renouncing all that clogs our course, Or weighs us down below.

O world, thou art too small;

We seek another, higher,

Whither Christ guides us ever nigher, Where God is all in all.

Friend of our perfect choice,

Thou Joy of all that live,

Being that know'st not chance or change,

What courage dost Thou give!

All beauty, Lord, we see,

All bliss and life and love,

In Him in whom we live and move,

And we are glad in Thee!

TERSTEEGEN.

185

I MARKED a rainbow in the north,
What time the wild autumnal sun

From his dark veil at noon looked forth,
As glorying in his course half done,
Flinging soft radiance far and wide
Over the dusky heaven and bleak hill-side.

It was a gleam to Memory dear;
And as I walk and muse apart,

GREAT FAITH.

187

When all seems faithless round and drear,

I would revive it in my heart,

And watch how light can find its way To regions farthest from the fount of day.

Light flashes in the gloomiest sky,

And Music in the dullest plain, For there the lark is soaring high

Over her flat and leafless reign,

And chanting in so blithe a tone,
It shames the weary heart to feel itself alone.

Brighter than rainbow in the north,

More cheery than the matin lark, Is the soft gleam of Christian worth

Which on some holy house we mark;

Dear to the pastor's aching heart

To think, where'er he looks, such gleam may have a part;

May dwell, unseen by all but Heaven,

Like diamond blazing in the mine; For ever, where such grace is given, It fears in open day to shine,

Lest the deep stain it owns within

Break out, and Faith be shamed by the believer's sin.

In silence and afar they wait,

To find a prayer their Lord may hear:

Voice of the poor and desolate,

You best may bring it to His ear.

Your grateful intercessions rise

With more than royal pomp, and pierce the skies.