THE BEST ROBE.

85

THE BEST ROBE.

"BRING forth the best robe !" Was it truly I heard?
And is it for me, too-the best for the worst?
O merciful Father! O wonderful word!

That, freely forgiven, this last should be first!
Nor, only forgiven :-accepted, approved,
Delighted in, glorified, made a dear child,
And chosen of old, and eternally loved,

The sinner redeemed, and the foe reconciled!

"Bring forth the best robe!" My LORD, it is thine,—
The seamless, the spotless, thy vesture of light,
So humanly pure, and so brightly divine,

This true wedding-garment of heavenly white :
It hides all my rags of self-righteousness here,
It covers up self with its shame and its sin,
And in it I stand before God without fear,

Clothed-on by my Saviour, and glorious within.

"Bring forth the best robe!" Ah, prodigal son, Repentant !—this gift is thine own, for always; Thy good elder brother might not put it on,

No angel is clad in this garment of praise; But Adam's lost race, newly found, newly blest, And ransomed through mercy to glory above, May robe in God's righteousness, highest and best, The vesture of Christ, for the sons of His love!

THE WATER AND THE WINE.

CHILD of GOD, His son or daughter!
Heed this word, obeying Him;
"Fill the waterpots with water,—
And they fill'd them to the brim :"

Till, when fill'd to overflowing,
Lo! that miracle divine,—
For the LORD, His glory showing,
Changed the water into wine.

So, GOD's child, His son or daughter! When thy hope is faint and dim, Pour out prayers though weak as water, Pour them till they pass the brim,—

Then shall He, the All-bestowing,
Work in thee His wondrous sign,
For thy poor prayers overflowing

Shall stream out love's richest wine.

THE ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH.

WORLD! what a wonder is this,

Grandly and simply sublime,—

All the Atlantic abyss

Leapt in a nothing of time!

THE ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH.

87

Even the steeds of the sun

Half a day panting behind, In the flat race that is run,

Won by a flash of the Mind!

Lo! on this sensitive link—

It is one link, not a chain-
Man with his brother can think
Spurning the breadth of the Main;
Man to his brother can speak

Swift as the bolt from a cloud,
And where its thunders were weak
There his least whisper is loud!

Yea; for as Providence wills,
Now doth intelligent Man
Conquer material ills,

Wrestling them down as he can,—

And by one weak little coil

Under the width of the waves,

Distance and Time are his spoil,
Fetter'd as Caliban-slaves!

Ariel

right through the sea

We can fly swift as in air; Puck?-forty minutes shall be

Sloth to the bow that we bear:

Here is Earth's girdle indeed,

Just a thought-circlet of fire,— Delicate Ariel freed,

Sings, as she flies, on a wire!

Courage, O servants of light,

For you are safe to succeed; Lo! you are helping the Right,

deed;

And shall be blest in your
Lo! you shall bind in one band,

Joining the nations as one,
Brethren of every land,

Blessing them under the sun!

This is Earth's pulse of high health
Thrilling with vigour and heat,
Brotherhood, wisdom, and wealth,
Throbbing in every beat;

But

you must watch in good sooth Lest to false fever it swerve,— Touch it with tenderest truth

As the world's exquisite nerve!

Let the first Message across—
High-hearted Commerce, give heed-

Not be of profit or loss,

But one electric indeed :

Praise to the Giver be given,

For that HE giveth man skill,

Glory to God in the Heaven!

"Peace upon Earth, and Goodwill!"

THE FIRST MESSAGE.

89

THE FIRST MESSAGE.

(STROPHE.)

POOR World! that in wickedness liest
Enthrall'd by the powers of ill,

And, groaning and travailing, sighest
For better and happier still,-
Lo! here is a chance

For helping the right,

And forcing advance

In the enemy's sight,

By godly confession and brotherly love;
By owning on Whom thou reliest,
And openly trusting the Ruler above;
By bidding the very first thrill

On the nerve of this telegraph wire
Be-nothing of science, or profit and loss;

But, flashing electrical deeper and higher,
Let the first heart-stirring message across-
(O Message! rejoice as thou fliest,
All saints and all angels who fill
Infinity farthest and nighest)—
Be-"Glory to GOD in the Highest!
Peace upon Earth, and Goodwill!"

(ANTISTROPHE.)

Ay, Man! who with energy triest

To conquer by strength or by skill,