| |
1864
AMIDST these glorious works of thine, | |
| The solemn minarets of the pine, | |
| And awful Shasta’s icy shrine,— | |
| |
| Where swell thy hymns from wave and gale, | |
| And organ-thunders never fail, | 5 |
| Behind the cataract’s silver veil,— | |
| |
| Our puny walls to thee we raise, | |
| Our poor reed-music sounds thy praise: | |
| Forgive, O Lord, our childish ways! | |
| |
| For, kneeling on these altar-stairs, | 10 |
| We urge thee not with selfish prayers, | |
| Nor murmur at our daily cares. | |
| |
| Before thee, in an evil day, | |
| Our country’s bleeding heart we lay, | |
| And dare not ask thy hand to stay; | 15 |
| |
| But, through the war-cloud, pray to thee | |
| For union, but a union free, | |
| With peace that comes of purity! | |
| |
| That thou wilt bare thy arm to save, | |
| And, smiting through this Red Sea wave, | 20 |
| Make broad a pathway for the slave! | |
| |
| For us, confessing all our need, | |
| We trust nor rite nor word nor deed, | |
| Nor yet the broken staff of creed. | |
| |
| Assured alone that thou art good | 25 |
| To each, as to the multitude, | |
| Eternal Love and Fatherhood,— | |
| |
| Weak, sinful, blind, to thee we kneel, | |
| Stretch dumbly forth our hands, and feel | |
| Our weakness is our strong appeal. | 30 |
| |
| So, by these Western gates of Even | |
| We wait to see with thy forgiven | |
| The opening Golden Gate of Heaven! | |
| |
| Suffice it now. In time to be | |
| Shall holier altars rise to thee,— | 35 |
| Thy Church our broad humanity! | |
| |
| White flowers of love its walls shall climb, | |
| Soft bells of peace shall ring its chime, | |
| Its days shall all be holy time. | |
| |
| A sweeter song shall then be heard,— | 40 |
| The music of the world’s accord | |
| Confessing Christ, the Inward Word! | |
| |
| That song shall swell from shore to shore, | |
| One hope, one faith, one love, restore | |
| The seamless robe that Jesus wore. | 45 |
| |
