| |
ONCE a thing of woe and shame, | |
| Lo! the Cross now towers sublime; | |
| Gath’ring lustre to its name, | |
| In the onward march of TIME; | |
| Rais’d ’twixt malefactors twain, | 5 |
| “In the place call’d Calvary”; | |
| Who may gauge the deep disdain, | |
| Of men’s vengeful mockery? | |
| |
| Thorns—but grapes upon them blush; | |
| Gall—yet sweeter far than honey; | 10 |
| Thirst—and “living waters” gush; | |
| Poor—but rich beyond all money; | |
| Helpless all, in hands and feet, | |
| Yet saves one, the lion’s prey; | |
| Terrible—but oh, how sweet! | 15 |
| Darkness—and yet clearest Day. | |
| |
| Branded—and thrice glorious; | |
| Naked—yet the “white robe” weaves; | |
| Conquerèd—and victorious; | |
| Weak—yet the vast world upheaves; | 20 |
| Dead—and yet source of all life; | |
| Woe—but symbol of all bliss; | |
| Peace—and centre of all strife; | |
| Was e’er paradox like this? | |
| |
| Sin’s last trophy—and defeat; | 25 |
| Wrath—and heart of Love reveals; | |
| Law upheld—yet pardon meet; | |
| Justice, mercy, it unseals; | |
| Man condemned—and yet acquitted; | |
| Fix’d—yet round it all revolves; | 30 |
| “Bitter tree”—where WHITE DOVE flitted; | |
| Mystery—and all mystery solves. | |
| |
| Cross of Christ! in thee I boast, | |
| Bearing high THE CRUCIFIED; | |
| And my heart when anguish-tost, | 35 |
| Finds peace only by Thy side; | |
| Hold it up, ye men of God, | |
| Earth’s heart aches for your good news. | |
| Tell it out at home, abroad, | |
| Bid, accept it or refuse. | 40 |
| |
| Mighty conquests of the past, | |
| Shadow mightier to come; | |
| The Lord’s promise standeth fast, | |
| Drawing countless myriads home; | |
| Once a thing of woe and shame, | 45 |
| Lo! the Cross now stands sublime; | |
| Gath’ring lustre to its name, | |
| In the onward march of TIME. | |
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