Contents -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

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

This Do in Remembrance of Me

Arthur Penrhyn Stanley (1815–1881)

WHEN the Paschal evening fell

Deep on Kedron’s hallowed dell,

When around the festal board

Sate the Apostles with their Lord,

Then His parting word He said,

Blessed the cup and brake the bread—

“This whene’er ye do or see

Evermore remember Me.”

Years have past: in every clime,

Changing with the changing time,

Varying thro’ a thousand forms,

Torn by factions, rock’d by storms,

Still the sacred table spread

Flowing cup and broken bread

With that parting word agree,

“Drink and eat. Remember Me.”

When by treason, doubt, unrest,

Sinks the soul dismay’d, opprest;

When the shadows of the tomb

Close us round with deepening gloom;

Then bethink us at this board

Of the sorrowing suffering Lord,

Who when tried and grieved as we,

Dying, said, “Remember Me.”

When thro’ all the scenes of life,

Hearths of peace and fields of strife,

Friends or foes together meet,

Now to part and now to greet,

Let those holy tokens tell

Of that sweet and sad farewell,

And in mingled grief or glee

Whisper still “Remember Me.”

When diverging creeds shall learn

Towards their central source to turn;

When contending churches tire

Of the earthquake, wind and fire;

Here let strife and clamour cease

At that still small voice of peace—

“May they all united be

In the Father and in Me.”

When as rolls the sacred year

Each fresh note of love we hear;

When the Babe, the Youth, the Man,

Full of grace Divine we scan,

When the mournful Way we tread

Where for us His blood He shed;

When on Easter morn we tell

How He conquer’d Death and Hell;

When we watch His spirit true

Heaven and earth transform anew;

Then with quicken’d sense we see

Why He said “Remember Me.”

When in this thanksgiving feast

We would give to God our best,

For the treasures of His might

Seeking life and love and light,

Then O friend of humankind

Make us true and firm of mind,

Pure of heart, in spirit free—

Then may we remember Thee.