Alexander B. Grosart (1835-1899). Songs of Day and Night. IV. The Good Die Not. Alfred H. Miles, ed. 1907. The Sacred Poets of the Nineteenth Century

Alfred H. Miles, ed. The Sacred Poets of the Nineteenth Century. 1907.

Songs of Day and Night.
IV. The Good Die Not

By Alexander B. Grosart (1835–1899)


2 Cor. v. 4; St. John v. 24; Col. iii. 3. THE GOOD die not; they but undress
And lay them down to sleep;
They wake anon in blessedness,
Ev’n whilst for them we weep;
Let Faith ascend within the vail,	5
Nor as disconsolate still wail.

The good die not; He went before,
A mansion to prepare;
And if we only could thus soar,
We should not shed a tear;	10
Laying aside their chrysalis,
Bless’d are they in that Day of His.

The good die not; but disappear
For the Lord’s “little while”;
Let us now watch; the day draws near,	15
Shall close the brief exile;
In hope and patience let us wait;
Soon will unclose the Golden Gate.

The good die not; an ampler life
Is theirs where they have gone	20
No more of sin, or grief, or strife,
Can vex His haven’d one;
“Life more abundant” their reward;
Not lying dead ’neath daisied sward.

The good die not; they but undress	25
And lay them down to sleep;
They wake anon in blessedness,
Ev’n whilst for them we weep;
Let Faith ascend within the vail,
Nor as disconsolate still wail.	30