The Mountain Spring And Other Poems | Page 6

he heard aright??Oh, was the heavenly healer nigh,?He who could give the blind their sight??"Jesus, have mercy!" lo, he cried,?"Oh, son of David, pity me!"?And when the jeering crowd deride,?His accents form a clearer plea.?Jesus stood still. A kindly voice?Bade him good cheer--"He calleth thee."?Thus must his lonely heart rejoice,?"He thinks of me; yes, even me!"?Bartim?us found the Living Light?Who asked and granted his request.?His blinded eyes received their sight;?With joy he followed with the rest.?How oft when Jesus passes by,?The heart-blind hear but don't perceive,?Else how they would for mercy cry?Ere Christ their Lord should take his leave!?Like him of whom this story's told?They'd pray, "Lord Jesus, pity me!"?And find his power and love could fold?Them here and in eternity.
ZACCH?US
Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.--Luke 19:1-10.
City of palms! whose ancient name?Suggests a line of scarlet hue,?Type of thy glorious Guest who came?And passed with crowds thy borders through,?Did aught foretell that on that day,?The Lord of life would favor thee,?And centuries ring the novel way?A soul was made both glad and free?
Zacch?us knew that through thy gates?Came One he oft had longed to see;?Alas! how adverse were the fates--?So dense the throng, so small was he!?Considering, he ran before?And climbed into a wayside tree,?And ever since the sycamore?Is blended with his history.
While peering eagerly below,?Above the tumult of the town?That soothing voice to mortal woe?Bade him to hasten quickly down.?"Come," Jesus said, "I must abide?And tarry at thy house with thee."?Zacch?us the honor swift applied,?And entertained him joyfully.
The people frowned that Christ should dine?With a rich sinner publican,?Nor knew his act of grace would shine,?A star of hope, to fallen man.?Zacch?us assured his royal guest,?"Lord, half my goods I give the poor;?And if I falsely have opprest,?Fourfold I unto men restore."
His listener reads the human heart?And all its thoughts unerringly;?Alone such wisdom can impart?And judge of its sincerity.?Jesus received this sin-sick soul,?Salvation to his house was given;?And while time's cycles onward roll,?His faith and works will point toward heaven.
"I came," the Lord of glory said?(Nor did he count the pain and cost),?"To feed the hungry soul with bread,?To seek and save that which was lost."
APRIL
When April weeps, she wakes the flowers?That slept the winter through.?Oh, did they dream those frosty hours?That she would be untrue?And not awaken them in time?To smile their smiles of love,?To hear the robin's merry chime,?And gentle cooing dove?
And when they feel their mother's tears?So gently o'er them weep,?Will they tell her of their simple fears?And visions while asleep??And will they tell her that they dreamed,?Beneath their sheets of snow,?Such weary dreamings that it seemed?The winter ne'er would go?
They'll soon be wide-awake and up,?In dainty robes arrayed,?Blue violet, gold buttercup,?And quaker-lady staid.?Wild eglantine and clustering thorn?Will grace the byway lanes,?Whilst woodland flowers the dells adorn?And daisies cheer the plains.
The rippling streamlet soon will be?A crystal mirror bright?For waving branch and mint and tree?That nod in golden light?Of summer sunbeams glad'ning rays?Filling the heart with love,?While nature and earth, uniting, praise?The God who reigns above.
In lowly spots will lilies spring?And scent the summer breeze,?And on the earth there'll be no king?Arrayed like one of these.?So weeping April's tears will bring?Her children from the tomb,?Will dress the earth in robes of spring,?Brightened by fragrant bloom.
BETHLEHEM
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea.--Matthew 2:1.
Bethlehem, where Christ was born,?Bethlehem, the Christian's star!?Bethlehem's prophetic morn?Echoed ages from afar.?Where the shepherds heard the song?Heralding the holy birth,?Tidings that would right the wrong,?News of joy from heaven to earth.
This the song the angels sang:?"Peace on earth, good will to men."?Glory in the highest rang,?Glory now and glory then.?Christ, the king of earth and heaven,?Gave himself to cleanse our sin;?Through his blood we are forgiven?And eternal life may win.
Come to him with every woe;?He has said, "Come unto me."?Better refuge none can know?Whither to safely, gladly flee.?Well may hallelujahs ring?O'er God's gift from heaven above;?Yet, although the angels sing,?Angels cannot tell his love.
NATURE'S LESSON
We traveled by a mountain's edge,?It was September calm and bright,?Nature had decked its rocky ledge?With flowers of varied hue and height.?It seemed a miracle that they?Should flourish in that meager soil,?As noble spirits oftenest may?Gleam forth through poverty and toil.
Below were rippling, sparkling streams?Through meadows kissed by shadowy hills,?Reflecting autumn's peaceful dreams?Within those swift, translucent rills.?This lesson should these scenes impart?As on the road of life we go,?To do our duty and take heart,?As flowers bloom and streamlets flow.
Perhaps in ages yet to be?May flowers wave here e'en as today,?These streams still rush in merry glee?To cheer and charm who here may stray;?But we upon Time's rapid tide?Like morning mists will disappear;?But if by faith to Christ allied,?Heaven's glory is both sure and clear.
We look from Nature to her God;?We feel his presence from above;?We know that when the earth he trod,?He preached through her his wondrous love.?What