REST. Not long, not long !—The spirit-wasting fever Earth's joys are but a dream; its destiny Is but decay and death. Its fairest form Sunshine and shadow mixed. Its brightest day A rainbow braided on the wreaths of storm. Yet there is blessedness that changeth not; A home with Christ, a heritage on high. Hope for the hopeless, for the weary rest, Homes for the desolate in yonder heaven! The tempest makes returning calm more dear; Shall be the past, remembered from afar. Then welcome change and death! Since these alone A PILGRIM'S SONG. A FEW more years shall roll, A few more seasons come; Then, O my Lord, prepare My soul for that great day; O wash me in thy precious blood, A few more suns shall set O'er these dark hills of time; And we shall be where suns are not, A far serener clime. Then, O my Lord, prepare My soul for that blest day; O wash me in thy precious blood, A few more storms shall beat And we shall be where tempests cease, My soul for that calm day; A few more struggles here, A few more toils, a few more tears, Then, O my Lord, prepare My soul for that blest day; O wash me in thy precious blood, And take my sins away. A few more Sabbaths here Shall cheer us on our way; And we shall reach the endless rest, The eternal Sabbath-day.* Then, O my Lord, prepare My soul for that sweet day; O wash me in thy precious blood, "Tis but a little while And He shall come again, Who died that we might live, who lives That we with Him may reign. Then, O my Lord, prepare My soul for that glad day; O wash me in thy precious blood, * The old Latin hymn expresses this well : "Illic nec sabbato Succedit sabbatum, Perpes lætitia Sabbatizantium. QUIS SEPARABIT. 'Tis thus they press the hand and part, Thus have they bid farewell again; Yet still they commune, heart with heart, Linked by a never-broken chain. Still one in life and one in death, Yet must they part, and parting, weep; What else has earth for them in store? These farewell pangs, how sharp and deep, These farewell words, how sad and sore! Yet shall they meet again in peace, To sing the song of festal joy, Where none shall bid their gladness cease, And none their fellowship destroy. |