| |
| ALL through the long night’s mist and rain, | |
| In open sea or near the shore, | |
| They cast their nets, yet still in vain; | |
| They found but failure evermore. | |
| |
| ’Twas time to cleanse from tangled weed, | 5 |
| And lay them on the beach to dry: | |
| When lo! in hour of utmost need, | |
| They heard the voice of Jesus nigh. | |
| |
| They heard, and knew the gracious love | |
| That once had made their cold hearts burn, | 10 |
| That told them of their home above, | |
| And bade them to their Father turn. | |
| |
| They cast their nets again, and lo! | |
| So large the haul of fish they take, | |
| The meshes gape, and scarce they know | 15 |
| If they shall land them ere they break. | |
| |
| And then a chill of sudden fear, | |
| As though the veil of sense were rent, | |
| And they, frail men, were brought too near | |
| The scope of some divine intent. | 20 |
| |
| As if through midnight’s silent gloom | |
| Should flash the lightning’s sudden blaze, | |
| Or one who watch’d by dear friend’s tomb, | |
| See spectral form through mist and haze. | |
| |
| Oh, could they bear that Presence dread, | 25 |
| Before whose keen and piercing sight | |
| Lie bare the hearts of quick and dead, | |
| The world’s great Teacher, Light of Light? | |
| |
| What wonder if from pallid lips | |
| The cry bursts out, “Depart from me?” | 30 |
| Too bright that full apocalypse | |
| For man’s sin-darkened eyes to see. | |
| |
| “Sin-stained am I, and Thou art pure; | |
| Oh, turn Thy steps some other way; | |
| How shall I dare Thy gaze endure? | 35 |
| How in Thy stainless Presence stay?” | |
| |
| Yet chiefly when unlocked for gains | |
| Our skill-less, planless labours bless, | |
| And we, for weary labour’s pains, | |
| Reap the full harvest of success; | 40 |
| |
| We wonder at the draught we take, | |
| The latent powers that bud and grow; | |
| Ah, can we dare our work forsake, | |
| And follow where He bids us go? | |
| |
| “Yes, fear ye not,” so ran His speech; | 45 |
| “Fishers of men ye now must be, | |
| Where’er the world’s wide waters reach, | |
| By gliding stream or stormiest sea.” | |
| |
| So only can we hope restore, | |
| So only conquer shame and fear, | 50 |
| And welcome, from the eternal shore, | |
| The voice that tells “our Lord is near.” | |
| |
