| |
| FATHER! whose hard and cruel law | |
| Is part of thy compassion’s plan, | |
| Thy works presumptuously we scan | |
| For what the prophets say they saw. | |
| |
| Unbidden still, the awful slope | 5 |
| Walling us in, we climb to gain | |
| Assurance of the shining plain | |
| That faith has certified to hope. | |
| |
| In vain: beyond the circling hill | |
| The shadow and the cloud abide; | 10 |
| Subdue the doubt, our spirits guide | |
| To trust the Record and be still; | |
| |
| To trust it loyally as he | |
| Who, heedful of his high design, | |
| Ne’er raised a seeking eye to thine, | 15 |
| But wrought thy will unconsciously, | |
| |
| Disputing not of chance or fate, | |
| Nor questioning of cause or creed: | |
| For anything but duty’s deed | |
| Too simply wise, too humbly great. | 20 |
| |
| The cannon syllabled his name; | |
| His shadow shifted o’er the land, | |
| Portentous, as at his command | |
| Successive cities sprang to flame! | |
| |
| He fringed the continent with fire, | 25 |
| The rivers ran in lines of light! | |
| Thy will be done on earth—if right | |
| Or wrong he cared not to inquire. | |
| |
| His was the heavy hand, and his | |
| The service of the despot blade; | 30 |
| His the soft answer that allayed | |
| War’s giant animosities. | |
| |
| Let us have peace: our clouded eyes | |
| Fill, Father, with another light, | |
| That we may see with clearer sight | 35 |
| Thy servant’s soul in Paradise. | |
| |
