Alfred H. Miles, ed. The Sacred Poets of the Nineteenth Century. 1907.
By Songs of Day and Night. VI. The CrossAlexander B. Grosart (18351899)
O
Lo! the Cross now towers sublime;
Gath’ring lustre to its name,
In the onward march of T
Rais’d ’twixt malefactors twain,
“In the place call’d Calvary”;
Who may gauge the deep disdain,
Of men’s vengeful mockery?
Gall—yet sweeter far than honey;
Thirst—and “living waters” gush;
Poor—but rich beyond all money;
Helpless all, in hands and feet,
Yet saves one, the lion’s prey;
Terrible—but oh, how sweet!
Darkness—and yet clearest Day.
Naked—yet the “white robe” weaves;
Conquerèd—and victorious;
Weak—yet the vast world upheaves;
Dead—and yet source of all life;
Woe—but symbol of all bliss;
Peace—and centre of all strife;
Was e’er paradox like this?
Wrath—and heart of Love reveals;
Law upheld—yet pardon meet;
Justice, mercy, it unseals;
Man condemned—and yet acquitted;
Fix’d—yet round it all revolves;
“Bitter tree”—where W
Mystery—and all mystery solves.
Bearing high T
And my heart when anguish-tost,
Finds peace only by Thy side;
Hold it up, ye men of God,
Earth’s heart aches for your good news.
Tell it out at home, abroad,
Bid, accept it or refuse.
Shadow mightier to come;
The Lord’s promise standeth fast,
Drawing countless myriads home;
Once a thing of woe and shame,
Lo! the Cross now stands sublime;
Gath’ring lustre to its name,
In the onward march of T