"But Nature's face is changed to me, In funeral trappings clad; The more all other hearts are gay, Earth, in her winter-dress of gloom, Is welcome to my eye; But spare me all her pomp and glare "Oh, say not so, thou pilgrim pale, But muse and pray awhile; And so shall Nature's darkened face Resume its morning smile. "Look on her with the eye of faith, "We may not turn in gloom away, For One her ground has trod And left a glory round her path,— Our Master and our God. "And since that hour, this wondrous world Is but the outer shell Which wraps a world more wondrous still, Wherein His chosen dwell. "And He who framed that inner world With His creative breath, Has rent in twain the barrier stern "Alike on either side the tomb "The saints we see not gathered there Blend with the saints we see: One hidden life pervading all In mystic unity. "And in the fulness of the time, This outer world of sin Shall burst and shrivel and disclose "Then shall the sons of God no more Seem like to sons of clay; Their hidden sacramental life "And all the beauty that we see Clothing this outer earth, Is but the type, perchance the germ, Of her immortal birth. "Then shrink not from the gorgeous spring, For all the flowers are born Blest harbingers to herald forth The resurrection morn. "And dream of dreariness no more, But rouse thee, toil and pray; So thou in thine own lot may'st stand H Providence. E sendeth sun, He sendeth shower; To give the soul fit nourishment. Father, Thy will, not mine, be done! Can loving children e'er reprove With murmurs whom they trust and love? A trusting, loving child to Thee! Father, Thy will, not mine, be done! Oh, ne'er will I at life repine! Enough that Thou hast made it mine: Father, Thy will, not mine, be done! SARAH F. ADAMS. Here and There. "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him." "Was kein Ange hat geschen." THAT no human eye hath seen, W What no mortal ear hath heard, In its noblest flights conferred,— When the shaded pilgrim land Heavenly landscapes calmly bright, Lost to earth long time ago; Yes, mine own, lamented long, Many a joyful sight was given, Friendship's smile, affection's tear; These were shadows, sent in love, When upon my wearied ear Here were sweet and varied tones, Bird and breeze and fountain's fall, Yet creation's travail groans, Ever sadly sigh'd through all; There no discord jars the air, Harmony is perfect there. |