W. Garrett Horder, comp. The Poets’ Bible: New Testament. 1895.
Christ departing to pray
Joseph Anstice (18081836)‘And when He had sent them away, He departed into a mountain to pray.’—MARK VI. 46.
‘C
And rest a little while;’
So spake the Christ, when limbs and heart
Wax’d faint and sick through toil.
But, where he sought them, found
The restless crowd together brought,
And labour’s weary round.
Nor breath’d a word of blame;
He fed their souls with bread from Heaven,
Then stay’d their sinking frame.
To sleep fatigue away?
When on the desert sank the sun,
The Saviour wak’d to pray.
So strengthen us, that ne’er
Prayer keep us back from works of love,
Nor works of love from prayer.