By  whose  strength  ye  sweep  the  string.
He  hath  chosen  you,  to  lead

His  Hosannas  here  below  ; —
Mount,  and  claim  your  glorious  meed  ;

Linger  not  with  sin  and  woe.
But  if  ye  should  hold  your  peace.
Deem  not  that  the  song  would  cease —

Angels  round  His  glory-throne,

Stars,  His  guiding  hand  that  own,  20

Flowers,  that  grow  beneath  our  feet.
Stones  in  earth's  dark  womb  that  rest,
High  and  low  in  choir  shall  meet.
Ere  His  Name  shall  be  unblest.
Lord,  by  every  minstrel  tongue
Be  Thy  praise  so  duly  sung,
That  Thine  angels'  harps  may  ne'er
Fail  to  find  fit  echoing  here  :
We  the  while,  of  meaner  birth.
Who  in  that  diAdnest  spell  39

Dare  not  hope  to  join  on  earth.
Give  us  grace  to  listen  well.
But  should  thankless  silence  seal
Lips,  that  might  half  Heaven  reveal.
Should  bards  in  idol-hymns  profane
The  sacred  soul-enthralling  strain,
(As  in  this  bad  world  below

Noblest  things  find  vilest  using,)
Then,  Thy  power  and  mercy  show.
In  vile  things  noble  breath  infusing ;  40

Then  waken  into  sound  divine

The  very  pavement  of  Thy  shrine.
Till  we,  like  Heaven's  star-sprinkled  floor.
Faintly  give  back  what  we  adore  :


MONDAY  BEFORE  EASTER  61

Childlike  though  the  voices  be,

And  untunable  the  parts,
Thou  wilt  own  the  minstrelsy.
If  it  flow  from  childlike  hearts.  48


MONDAY  BEFORE  EASTER

Doubtless  Thou  art  our  Father,  though  Abraham  be  ignorant
cf  us,  and  Israel  acknowledge  us  not. — Isaiah  Ixiii.  16.
"  Father  to  me  Thou  art  and  Mother  dear,

"  And  Brother  too,  kind  Husband  of  my  heart  " —

So  speaks  Andromache  ^  in  boding  fear.
Ere  from  her  last  embrace  her  hero  part —

So  evermore,  by  Faith's  undying  glow.
