Canadian Wild Flowers Part 25

Gentle breezes, balmy breezes, There is vigor in your breath, But ye cannot bring the roses To the leaden cheeks of death!

The soil that produces the rankest weeds would by proper care and cultivation produce the richest crops: so will the human heart when regenerated by grace and truth.

The violet cannot become the rose, the daisy cannot be the lily; and if they could all be the loveliest flower, earth would lose half its beauty. Without variety, a scene however fair within itself soon wearies us. Knowest thou the moral? Be content in thy proper sphere: then mayest be the violet or the daisy, but envy not the rose and the lily; all are beautiful when in their appointed place.

At morn the shadows slant toward the west, but toward the east at night: so when the sun of life declines the shadows stretch away toward the everlasting hills whence the eternal beams of day shall arise.

THE CRUCIFIED OF GALILEE.

Methought I stood, at close of day, Where soft the balmy breezes play, And bright beneath the Eastern skies The sacred hills of Canaan rise, And saw him on the shameful tree,-- The Crucified of Galilee!

I heard the mocking throng deride The anguish of the Crucified; I saw the brilliant sun grow dim; I heard creation shriek for him; I saw him die, and die for me,-- The Crucified of Galilee!

And then I saw the veil upraised From the eternal world, and gazed Upon the scene in deep surprise; One form alone could fix my eyes; I knew him, yes, indeed 'twas he,-- The Crucified of Galilee!

And though upon his lovely brow A beam of glory rested now; Though angels praised his holy name; Yet still I knew he was the same Who hung upon the shameful tree,-- The Crucified of Galilee!

I knew him by his tender air; I knew him by the fervent prayer He breathed for those for whom he died; I knew him by his wounded side; By these I knew that it was he,-- The Crucified of Galilee!

I knew him by the loving smile With which he welcomed sinners vile; I knew him, for he took a share In all his children's griefs and care; I knew him by his love for me,-- The Crucified of Galilee!

The vision faded from afar; But still 't is memory's guiding star, To cheer the night and point a way Unto an everlasting day, When I, with unveiled eyes, shall see The Crucified of Galilee!

THE ASCENSION.

A well-known group stood on the mountain side And in their midst appeared the Crucified.

Oft had they stood in that sequestered place, Their beaming eyes fixed on their Saviour's face; But never met on Olivet's fair brow With such emotions as they cherished now; And never with such eager spirits hung Upon the words that fell from Jesus' tongue; For never had their Master's voice before Sounded so sweet as when--his mission o'er,-- He gathered round him that devoted band, To give his blessing and his last command: "Go ye, and teach all nations in my name-- The Jew and Greek, the bond and free, the same; But first proclaim a Saviour's love to those Who thirsted for his blood, and mocked his woes, That they, believing, through his death may live, And know their risen Saviour can forgive.

Ye shall declare salvation's waters free, And bid all nations to the fountain flee; And though ye meet with perils dark and drear, And tribulation be your portion here,-- Though persecution, with uplifted sword, Shall call for blood, and your own blood be poured,-- Yet know that I, your Saviour and your friend, Will be with you till life itself shall end; And with all those who boldly shall proclaim To a lost world salvation through my name, In every land, in every age and clime, Till the last trump shall sound the knell of time."

The humble followers of the Nazarene In silent awe gazed on the wondrous scene; Beheld their Lord in power and glory rise Up the bright pathway of the parting skies; And while they strove with piercing eyes in vain To catch one glimpse of that dear form again, Two angels left the bright and heavenly sh.o.r.e, And messages of joy and love they bore.

Oh, glorious message to that faithful band, Who on the mountain's top bewildered stand!

Oh, glorious sound to every ransomed soul, From sea to sea, from spreading pole to pole In every age, oh, tell the tidings o'er-- "That very Jesus shall return once more!"

Hark! angel-voices rend the vaulted sky, In thrilling tones those s.h.i.+ning angels cry, "Why stand ye gazing on yon glistening dome?

Heaven has received your risen Master home!

The time will come, when, as ye saw him rise, He shall descend in power the parted skies."

THE HEBREW'S LAMENT.

Thou art the land of all my dreams,-- Thy wanderer's heart is thine, And oft he lingers by thy streams, O holy Palestine!

A stranger in a stranger's land O'er hill and vale I roam; But hope forever points her hand Towards my father's home.

They tell me that on Zion's hill The Cross and Crescent s.h.i.+ne: But oh, my heart is with thee still, Beloved Palestine.

I know that Israel's weary race Are scorned on every sh.o.r.e, And scarcely find a dwelling-place Where they were lords before.

Yet, 'mid the darkness and the gloom, A light begins to break; O Israel, from the dreary tomb Thy buried hopes awake,--

And lips that raise the fervent prayer, "How long, O Lord, how long?"

Shall change the wailings of despair To the triumphant song.

And I may live to see the hour-- The hour that must be near,-- When in his royalty and power Our s.h.i.+loh will appear.

Till then my prayers will rise for thee, Till then my heart be thine, O land beyond the stormy sea, O holy Palestine.

WHEN SHALL I RECEIVE MY DIPLOMA?

For many long years I have been in the school of affliction, and during that time how often I have asked the questions, When will my course be completed? when shall I receive my diploma? But let me first consider: Am I prepared for the grand examination in which angels are to be the spectators, and G.o.d himself judge? Here teachers and professors--however skilled in human wisdom, friends and relatives-- however anxious for my welfare, must step aside and leave me alone before the dread tribunal! In the presence of my fellow-creatures I might wear the robes of hypocrisy and appear in reality what I am not; but what would this avail me in the presence of Him who knows every thought even before it is formed, and whose searching eye can take in at a single glance the past, present, and future of my history?

O dreaded hour! who can wonder that timid mortals put it far in the distance, and even strive to shut their eyes to its stern reality?

What folly! Were the light of revelation quenched forever, there is that within every human breast which warns of a judgment to come and of a righteous retribution. Swift as the planets roll in their orbits around the sun, still swifter advances that terrible scene around which the hopes and fears, the joys and miseries of eternity cl.u.s.ter.

It is the great centre of attraction, not only for one age or one nation, but for all who have drawn the breath of life from the grand creation anthem of stars and angels (Job 38:4-7) till stars and angels again lift up their voices in concert, and swear that "Time shall be no longer." Yet the life, the heart of each individual there will be as closely examined as if the court of Heaven were sitting for him alone, and he the only person for whom the joys of Paradise or the pains of h.e.l.l were prepared by eternal Justice!

ALONE WITH JESUS.

Alone with Jesus! leave me here, Without a wish, without a fear,-- My pulse is weak and faint my breath But is He not the Lord of death?

And if I live, or if I die, 'T is all the same when He is nigh.

Alone with Jesus! ye who weep, And round my bed your vigils keep, My love was never half so strong, And yours--oh, I have proved it long, But when had earthly friend the power To comfort in a dying hour!

Alone with Jesus! oh, how sweet In health to wors.h.i.+p at his feet!

But sweeter far when day by day We droop, and pine, and waste away, To feel his arms around us close, And in his bosom find repose!

Alone with Jesus! how secure, Vile in myself, in him how pure; The tempests howl, the waters beat, They harm me not in my retreat; Night deepens--'mid its gloom and chill He draws me nearer to him still.

Alone with Jesus! what alarms The infant in its mother's arms?