John Owen (1836-1896). Verse Musings on Nature, Faith, and Freedom (1889). I. Faith. IV. What is Faith? Alfred H. Miles, ed. 1907. The Sacred Poets of the Nineteenth Century

Alfred H. Miles, ed. The Sacred Poets of the Nineteenth Century. 1907.

Verse Musings on Nature, Faith, and Freedom (1889).
I. Faith.
IV. What is Faith?

By John Owen (1836–1896)


FAITH is—not sight,
It boasts not of the sun at noonday bright,
While groping in the starlit haze of night.

—Nor Dogma proud,
Fierce vaunting of all Truth in accents loud,	5
Beguiling with bold words th’ unthinking crowd.

—Nor Science known,
Seated in queenly robes upon her throne,
Meting the boundless with her claspèd zone.

—Nor Certainty,	10
The overweening claim that Truth must be
What we forecast from what we hear and see. * * * * *
Faith does but muse
With heed upon the data she must use,
Nor Likelihood’s fair claim durst she refuse.	15

Faith does but think
That walking on the Infinite’s dread brink,
She dare not mete its chain by one small link.

Faith does but feel
That which she deems all dimly, may be real,	20
On her blind guess she will not set Truth’s seal.

Faith doth but hope
She shall see clear—whereas she doth but grope—
When earth’s dark vistas widen to heaven’s scope.

She doth but will	25
The healthful impulses she would instil
May, by heaven’s prospering, all good fulfil.

She can but trust
Her wistful craving for the True and Just,
Not only may be realised but must.	30