| |
| MEANWHILE before the Judge approving, | |
| Cheers me the thought of thee approved, | |
| Thee many a year thy consort loving, | |
| Thee, wife beloved! | |
| |
| Whom God Himself of late hath taken, | 5 |
| Cheers me the thought that blest art thou, | |
| Long-tried on earth, and, earth forsaken, | |
| How peaceful now! | |
| |
| Yes, holy peace hath thee received, | |
| Thy goal attain’d, thy warfare done; | 10 |
| Me wait new tasks, of thee bereaved, | |
| Beloved one! | |
| |
| My loss—be thy kind heart its measure! | |
| But hope survives for us to meet | |
| Before God’s face, in endless pleasure, | 15 |
| In joy complete: | |
| |
| Thee (for amid my heart’s fond yearning, | |
| I see thee to my fancy brought, | |
| As once thou wast, ev’n now returning, | |
| In silent thought): | 20 |
| |
| Thee daily in God’s volume reading | |
| To mark, in better times of old, | |
| What lesson to all time succeeding | |
| God’s matrons told: | |
| |
| God’s handmaid thee, His servants treating, | 25 |
| Like PHŒBE, with a sister’s due; | |
| Thee on Christ’s lips, like MARY, waiting; | |
| Like ANNA true. | |
| |
| Thee in church-rites and prayers partaking; | |
| Thee “of good works and alms-deeds” filled, | 30 |
| Like DORCAS, coats and garments making, | |
| The poor to shield; | |
| |
| Thee, as EUNICE, early rearing | |
| Thy race on holy lore to feed; | |
| Thy husband, like PRISCILLA, cheering | 35 |
| To holy deed; | |
| |
| Thee in primeval worship joining, | |
| Like faithful LYDIA, thee and thine, | |
| One faith with simple mode combining | |
| Of rite divine; | 40 |
| |
| Thee, like “the ELECTED LADY,” guiding | |
| Thy sons by Truth’s behests to move, | |
| In the right faith of Christ abiding | |
| With Christian love; | |
| |
| Like CHLOE, thee with thine eschewing | 45 |
| Discordant voice, dissentient mind, | |
| And unity by peace ensuing | |
| With will resigned; | |
| |
| Thee, like the lowly Virgin, saying, | |
| Blest mother of the Incarnate Word, | 50 |
| “Thy will be done! bent on obeying, | |
| Behold me, Lord!” | |
| |
| Thee pious, meek, kind, unaspiring, | |
| Submiss to bear God’s chastening will; | |
| Me, weak alas! but aye desiring | 55 |
| To follow still; | |
| |
| To follow still, as He shall call me, | |
| Obedient through life’s varied scene, | |
| Such harder tasks as may befall me, | |
| Or paths serene: | 60 |
| |
| Where on my steps His lamp is gleaming, | |
| (Too slightly mark’d) His Word divine, | |
| Till on His saints in glory beaming | |
| Himself shall shine. | |
| |
| Such home be mine, in deathless union | 65 |
| With parents, children, friends approved; | |
| Nor ever fail thy bland communion, | |
| Wife ever-loved! | |
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