W. Garrett Horder, comp. The Poets’ Bible: New Testament. 1895.

The Ordaining of the Twelve Apostles

Arthur Middlemore Morgan

‘He ordained twelve that they might be with Him.’—MARK III. 14.

HE might have stay’d above the starry skies,

He might have broke, without the war, our chain,

He might have washed, without the blood, our stain,

And brought us, angel-pure, to Paradise;

But since the Love would be self-sacrifice,

Will not a thousand be by One o’erthrown?

No clarion-summons from his camp need rise,

God in our manhood can make war alone.

Hark! on all winds the sounds of many voices;

Deep answers deep, “We come,” the “Follow Me;”

Vanguard the twelve, a mighty host rejoices,

Arrayed in Love’s own victor-panoply;

“From wealth, from trade, from sire, from all,” they cry,

“To fish for men, to farm the wealth on high.”