| |
| BROTHER! thou art gone before us, | |
| And thy saintly soul is flown, | |
| Where the tear is wiped away, | |
| And the sigh of grief unknown; | |
| From the burden of the flesh, | 5 |
| And from care and fear released, | |
| Where the wicked cease from troubling | |
| And the weary are at rest. | |
| |
| Thou hast trod the toilsome way, | |
| Thou hast borne the heavy load; | 10 |
| But the Christ has taught thy feet | |
| How to reach His blest abode; | |
| Now thou sleep’st like Lazarus | |
| Carried to his Father’s breast; | |
| Where the wicked cease from troubling, | 15 |
| And the weary are at rest. | |
| |
| Sin can never taint thee now, | |
| Doubt, no more thy faith assail; | |
| Nor thy trust in Jesus Christ | |
| And the Holy Spirit fail: | 20 |
| There thou’rt sure to meet the good | |
| Whom on earth thou loved’st the best, | |
| Where the wicked cease from troubling, | |
| And the weary are at rest. | |
| |
| “Earth to earth and dust to dust,” | 25 |
| Now the solemn priest has said; | |
| So we lay the turf above thee | |
| And we seal thy narrow bed; | |
| But thy spirit, brother, soareth, | |
| Free among the faithful blest, | 30 |
| Where the wicked cease from troubling, | |
| And the weary are at rest. | |
| |
| When the Lord shall summon us | |
| Here in sadness left behind, | |
| O may we,—as pure from evil,— | 35 |
| As secure a welcome find;— | |
| Each like thee depart in peace, | |
| There to be a glorious guest, | |
| Where the wicked cease from troubling, | |
| And the weary are at rest. | 40 |
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