“ Watchman, what of the night? The morning cometh.” Isa. 21:11-12.
“ Only a little longer,”—sound forth the joyful tidings,—
Spread the sweet message over land and sea;—
Let its glad echoes ring o’er vale and mountain,
Cheering the drooping heart—rousing the feeble knee.
“ Only a little longer,”—deeper the night gloom gathers—
More chill and keen we feel the night blasts blow—
We heed them not, for evermore within us,
The Spirit keeps each heart in living glow.
“ Only a little longer!”—thickens the darkness round us,
Brighter the day-star shines—’twill soon be day!
So speed we on while circling softly round us
Hear we His own sweet whisper,—” I am the way.”
Clearer, and yet clearer still its love-light shineth,
While the rapt heart within us needs must sing,
As deeper, and yet deeper, and evermore still deeper
Drink we the waters of the everlasting spring.
“ Only a little longer!” life’s pulse beats higher;
Richer life’s music thrills the answering chord—
While heart to heart responsive cadence waking,
Swells the glad chorus of hope and joy in God.
“ Only a little longer!” new light gleams round us,
Showing that Ones illumined footsteps through the gloom
Tread we more firmly in that blessed pathway
Which leadeth every moment nearer home.
“Only a little longer!” shout, shout the joyful tidings—
Let the wide world its glorious key-note hear—
Tell them the daylight cometh—morning breaketh—-
Tell them in warning voice, “ The Bridegroom’s near.”
“ Only a little longer”‘—win souls for Jesus!
Speak of His wondrous, tender, dying love,
Woo them and win them by thine heart’s own yearnings
Tell them how His heart beats in heaven above.
“ Only a little longer!”—eternity is nearing!
Tell them of pardon bought by Jesus blood—
Speak of that wondrous way by His own self provided,
The sinner’s only way right back to God.
“ Only a little longer!”—see, the moments lessen—
Call to the wandering one—”come home, come home!’
Toll of a Father’s joy to pardon, and restore them—
Tell how His tender heart yearns o’er those who roam.
“ Only a little longer!”—Comfort the mourner,—
Fill up life’s voids with tender, loving care—
Tell how His tender heart in sympathy untiring
Longs to receive them too, His joy to share.
“ Only a little longer!”—Speak it more gently,—
Breathe it more softly into childhood’s ear—
Tell to the lisping children that the Savior cometh—
Cometh to take them to the mansions fair.
“ Only a little longer!” then, Ο Lord, to see Thee!
How our hearts yearn, Lord Jesus, to behold Thy face
To see Thee in Thy beauty, all gloriously transcendent—
No cloud between to hide Thy peerless grace.
“ Only a little longer!”—then to be like Thee,
For evermore like Thine own self to be,
Through the glad days of never-ending ages
To find our Light, our Song, our Α11 in Thee.
St. Bees.