Henry Charles Beeching, ed. (1859–1919). Lyra Sacra: A Book of Religious Verse. 1903.
By John Keble (1792–1866)Holy Baptism
| O HAPPY arms where cradled lies, | |
| And ready for the Lord’s embrace, | |
| That precious sacrifice, | |
| The darling of His grace! | |
| Blest eyes, that see the smiling gleam | 5 |
| Upon the slumbering features glow, | |
| When the life-giving stream | |
| Touches the tender brow. | |
| Or, when the holy cross is sign’d | |
| And the young soldier duly sworn, | 10 |
| With true and fearless mind, | |
| To serve the Virgin-born. | |
| But happiest ye, who, sealed and blest, | |
| Back to your arms your treasure take, | |
| With Jesus’ mark impressed, | 15 |
| To nurse for Jesus’ sake. | |
| By whom Love’s daily touch is seen, | |
| In strengthening form and freshening hue, | |
| In the fix’d brow serene, | |
| The deep yet eager view. | 20 |
| O tender gem, and full of heaven! | |
| Not in the twilight stars on high, | |
| Not in moist flowers at even, | |
| See we our God so nigh. | |