Alfred H. Miles, ed. The Sacred Poets of the Nineteenth Century. 1907.

By The Sundial of Armoy (1847) (Selected Lyrics). IV. Faith Confirmed by Sense

Richard Mant (1776–1848)

O COME the day, the dark to brighten,

When, breaking on the distant view,

What faith believes shall sense enlighten,

And prove it true.

O come the day, in thought expected,

By tongue proclaim’d, when saints shall meet,

(Be mine such bliss) by God perfected,

In God’s own seat.

Such bliss for Him, O God most holy,

Whose gift and attribute it is,

To cheer the meek, exalt the lowly,

And mark for His:

Such bliss be mine, all-righteous Father,

All worthless I, save for His name,

Who comes His purchased flock to gather,

His own to claim.

Then be it mine, in glory seated,

Till time, and time, and times be old,

At length to feel in truth completed

The bliss foretold!

Suffice it now, by His high pleasure,

To hold the course He bids, and strain

The race to run, the mark to measure,

The prize to gain;

Still on his banner’d sign attending,

Still led and shielded by His might,

Till, like yon sun, at eve descending,

I sink in night:

Yet not of time to come unheeding,

When night shall fly the dawn divine,

And the true Light, no night succeeding,

Self-radiant shine.