John Greenleaf Whittier (1807–1892). The Poetical Works in Four Volumes. 1892.
Religious PoemsHymn of the Dunkers
W
Above Ephrata’s eastern pines
The dawn is breaking, cool and calm.
Wake, sisters, wake to prayer and psalm
For toil by day, for rest by night!
Praised be His name who deigns to bless
Our Kedar of the wilderness!
Was heavy on our native land;
And freedom, to her children due,
The wolf and vulture only knew.
We owned Him when the stake blazed red;
We knew, whatever might befall,
His love and power were over all.
He led us forth from cruel harm;
Still, wheresoe’er our steps were bent,
His cloud and fire before us went!
We kept it then, we keep it yet.
At midnight, crow of cock, or noon,
He cometh sure, He cometh soon.
To purge the earth from sin’s alloy.
At last, at last shall all confess
His mercy as His righteousness.
The scarlet sin be white as wool;
No discord mar below, above,
The music of eternal love!
Lord God of hosts, make bare thine arm,
Fulfil this day our long desire,
Make sweet and clean the world with fire!
The lies of time; be swift to smite,
Sharp sword of God, all idols down,
Genevan creed and Roman crown.
The fanes of pride and priestcraft fall;
And lift thou up in place of them
Thy gates of pearl, Jerusalem!
Transfigured, glorious, yet the same,
Within the heavenly city’s bound
Our Kloster Kedar shall be found.
Or set of sun, He cometh soon.
Our prayers shall meet Him on His way;
Wake, sisters, wake! arise and pray!