ELL me not, in mournful numbers,
"Life is but an empty dream!"
For the soul is dead that slumbers,
And things are not what they seem.
Life is real! Life is earnest !
And the grave is not its goal;
"Dust thou art, to dust returnest,"
Was not spoken of the soul.
Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is our destined end or way;
But to act, that each to-morrow
Find us farther than to-day.
Art is long, and Time is fleeting,
And our hearts, though stout and brave, Still, like muffled drums, are beating Funeral marches to the grave.
In the world's broad field of battle,
In the bivouac of Life,
Be not like dumb, driven cattle!
Be a hero in the strife!
Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant!
Let the dead Past bury its dead!
Act-act in the living Present!
Heart within, and God o'erhead!
Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time ;-
Footprints, that perhaps another,
Sailing o'er life's solemn main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again.
Let us, then, be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labour and to wait.
BROTHER, WE SHALL MEET AND REST.
HERE the faded flower shall freshen,
Freshen never more to fade;
Where the shaded sky shall brighten,
Brighten never more to shade;
Where the sun-blaze never scorches;
Where the star-beams cease to chill;
Where no tempest stirs the echoes
Of the wood, or wave, or hill :
Where the morn shall wake in gladness,
And the noon the joy prolong;
Where the daylight dies in fragrance,
'Mid the burst of holy song:
Brother, we shall meet and rest
'Mid the holy and the blest!
Brother, we shall meet and rest.
Where no shadow shall bewilder;
Where life's vain parade is o'er;
Where the sleep of sin is broken,
And the dreamer dreams no more:
Where no bond is ever sundered;
Partings, claspings, sob and moan,
Midnight waking, twilight weeping,
Heavy noontide,-all are done :
Where the child has found its mother;
Where the mother finds the child;
Where dear families are gathered
That were scattered on the wild:
Brother, we shall meet and rest
'Mid the holy and the blest!
Where the hidden wound is healed;
Where the blighted life re-blooms;
Where the smitten heart the freshness
Of its buoyant youth resumes:
Where the love that here we lavish
On the withering leaves of time,
Shall have fadeless flowers to fix on,
In an ever spring-bright clime:
Where we find the joy of loving
As we never loved before,
Loving on, unchilled, unhindered,
Loving once and evermore :
Brother, we shall meet and rest
'Mid the holy and the blest!
Where a blasted world shall brighten
Underneath a bluer sphere,
And a softer, gentler sunshine
Shed its healing splendour here: Where earth's barren vales shall blossom, Putting on their robe of green;
And a purer, fairer Eden
Be where only wastes have been : Where a King in kingly glory—
Such as earth hath never known—
Shall assume the righteous sceptre,
Claim and wear the holy crown:
Brother, we shall meet and rest
'Mid the holy and the blest!
A MIGHTY FORTRESS IS OUR GOD.
Luther's "Ein feste burg ist unser Gott."
MIGHTY fortress is our God,
A good defence and armour,
He helps us freely from our trouble,
Us assailing e'en to the present hour.
The old bad fiend now
Right zealously is plotting;
Great power and cunning
Are his cruel equipping;
On earth there's not his equal.
A Mighty Fortress is our God.
With our own might is nothing done;
Quite soon are we in misery cast down.
There fights for us the righteous Man
Whom God himself has chosen.
Askest thou who He is ?
His name is Jesus Christ,
The Lord of Sabaoth,
And none else is God;
The field He must maintain.
And though the world full of devils were,
And they would swallow us quite up,
Still would we not greatly fear-
Success shall yet be ours.
The Prince of this world,
How fierce soe'er his blows,
He against us still nothing does:
This is because he's judged;
A little word can fell him.
The word they have to let alone,
And no thanks have they therefore;
He is with us upon the plain,
With His Spirit and gifts;
Let them take from us bodily life,
Goods, honour, child, and wife;
Let them go hence,
They have nothing for their pains;
To us the Kingdom still remains.
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