I.
Rich flow of life for her so dear,
The reaping for the sowing;
The large result of what, while here,
Alone was held worth knowing;
Not the least check to interfere
With the eternal growing.
II.
O, the pure gladness of that birth,
Into the scene that met her!
One moment 'mid the pangs of earth,
The next, burst every fetter;
And then, with Him who sums all worth!
This is indeed, " far better!"
III.
' Tis joy to think what must have been
The rapture of that meeting;
She whom He sought now welcomed in,
The One who saved her, greeting,
And her, just now released from sin,
In His own presence seating!
IV.
Heart, that so eagerly was spent,
With holy ardor moving-
Whose earnest thoughts were constant bent
To know His wondrous loving;
How fully now are all content,
Supreme enjoyment proving!
V.
O, how the soul springs up to hail
The thought of all this treasure!
The affluent love that cannot fail,
The joy beyond all measure;
The peace which naught can now assail,
The unrestrained pleasure!
VI.
The resting in His sure embrace,
The ever richer morrow;
The deep'ning transports that replace
The now forgotten sorrow;
The growing sweetness of His face,
Unmarred by line or furrow!
VII.
The multitude of things, below
Held in the midst of sinning,
With many questionings, which show,
We'd only the beginning-
Now, in His presence seen to grow
Into their proper meaning!
VIII.
And yet, beyond all these, must He
Be known now in His dearness '
With Him, in His own home, to be
Accustomed to His nearness!
Just " as He is " the Lord to see
In heaven's matchless clearness!
IX.
Knowing, by knowing Him, the sense
Of all things and their bearing;
The infinite pre-eminence
Of what He is preparing;
And, in His own calm confidence
Of what is coming, sharing.
X.
Himself, now seen the key of all
That God has ever spoken;
E'en from the earliest sin and fall,
Himself loves own sure token;
And, all through shame and sorrow's pall,
The pledge that can't be broken.
XI.
Not yet the glory that's to be!
Not yet the radiant blooming!
Though from this body ever free,
Not yet the new assuming;
But, in the Lord's own company,
Still waiting for the " coming!"
XII.
Life, joy and blessing, everywhere,
Was He while here sojourning;
And earth's new splendors shall declare
His presence, soon returning;
To be with such an One, how rare
The far-surpassing learning!
XIII
And there, no hindrance to His smile,
Mere glimpse, nor flitting glances;
No watchfulness 'gainst Satan's wile,
No fear of circumstances
That keep the soul from patience while
The grand event advances!
XIV.
O, to none else could we give up
The one whose death bereaves us:
But in no darkness do we grope,
No baseless dream deceives us;
We know, we stand upon this hope—
What God has said relieves us.
XV.
Ah, in the light of that glad word
Of " with the Lord forever,"
How all that's here we shall record
As worthless our endeavor;
And from the things not of the Lord
Give diligence to sever!
XVI.
Henceforth, be life in heav'nly mold,
Deaf to all reas'nings specious;
Simple and childlike, and controlled
By His own words so gracious;
That, there and here, alike, may hold
Christ only, only precious! T.