Of daily tasteful use to each of us,
Salt! Worldwide now so easy to obtain;
How freely we avail the usefulness
Of that which comes with neither stress nor strain.
It was not so in centuries gone by;
Much toil and trouble surely was required
To come by salt: a trade commodity
It was back then, from sea and mine acquired.
And countries too, their taxes did impose,
For salt was needful for all life on earth;
Treaties were made, and empires too arose,
Oft based on salt, and whether glut or dearth.
But then we find it in the Word of life,
As that which speaks to us of holy grace:
God’s love — that precious love with grace so rife,
Yet seasoned with what suits God’s holy face.
Preserving too, that salt of life divine,
That we the salt of all the earth might be;
Putting on view that character of grace
Tempered with salt, as that which speaks of Thee.
But Thou, blest Savior, wast the blessed Salt
That brought the way of God before this world:
Supreme example — One without a fault,
Though men at Thee their vilest insults hurled.
Give us to learn, Lord Jesus, more of Thee;
Of all Thou wast before the Father’s face,
That we might grow, and more and more might be,
In word and deed, those who display Thy grace.
wjp