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XI.

THE SISTERS OF BETHANY AFTER THE DEATH OF

LAZARUS.

One grief, one faith, O sisters of the dead!

Was in your bosoms-thou, whose steps, made

fleet

By keen hope fluttering in the heart which bled,

Bore thee, as wings, the Lord of Life to greet;
And thou, that duteous in thy still retreat

Didst wait his summons-then with reverent love
Fall weeping at the blest Deliverer's feet,

Whom e'en to heavenly tears thy woe could move. And which to Him, the All Seeing and All Just Was loveliest, that quick zeal, or lowly trust? Oh! question not, and let no law be given

To those unveilings of its deepest shrine,

By the wrung spirit made in outward sign:

Free service from the heart is all in all to Heaven.

XII.

THE MEMORIAL OF MARY.

"Verily I say unto you, wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her."-Matthew, xxvi. 13.-See also John, xii. 3.

Thou hast thy record in the monarch's hall;
And on the waters of the far mid sea ;
And where the mighty mountain-shadows fall,
The alpine hamlet keeps a thought of thee:
Where'er, beneath some Oriental tree,

The Christian traveller rests-where'er the child
Looks upward from the English mother's knee,
With earnest eyes in wondering reverence mild,
There art thou known-where'er the Book of Light
Bears hope and healing, there, beyond all blight,

Is borne thy memory, and all praise above: Oh! say what deed so lifted thy sweet name, Mary! to that pure silent place of fame?

One lowly offering of exceeding love.

XIII.

THE WOMEN OF JERUSALEM AT THE CROSS.

Like those pale stars of tempest hours, whose gleam Waves calm and constant on the rocking mast, Such by the Cross doth your bright lingering seem, Daughters of Zion! faithful to the last!

Ye, through the darkness o'er the wide earth

cast

By the death-cloud within the Saviour's eye,

E'en till away the heavenly spirit pass'd, Stood in the shadow of his agony.

O blessed faith! a guiding lamp, that hour,

Was lit for woman's heart; to her, whose dower

Is all of love and suffering from her birth ;

Still hath your act a voice-through fear, through

strife,

Bidding her bind each tendril of her life,

To that which her deep soul hath prov'd of holiest

worth.

XIV.

MARY MAGDALENE AT THE SEPULCHRE.

Weeper! to thee how bright a morn was given
After thy long, long vigil of despair,

When that high voice which burial rocks had riven,
Thrilled with immortal tones the silent air!
Never did clarion's royal blast declare

Such tale of victory to a breathless crowd,

As the deep sweetness of one word could bear Into thy heart of hearts, O woman! bowed By strong affection's anguish!-one low word

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Mary!"—and all the triumph wrung from death

Was thus revealed! and thou, that so hadst err'd, So wept, and been forgiven, in trembling faith Didst cast thee down before th' all conquering Son, Awed by the mighty gift thy tears and love had won!

XV.

MARY MAGDALENE BEARING TIDINGS OF THE

RESURRECTION.

Then was a task of glory all thine own,

Nobler than e'er the still small voice assigned To lips, in awful music making known

The stormy splendours of some prophet's mind. "Christ is arisen!"-by thee, to wake mankind, First from the sepulchre those words were brought! Thou wert to send the mighty rushing wind First on its way, with those high tidings fraught— "Christ is arisen !"-Thou, thou, the sin enthralled,

Earth's outcast, Heaven's own ransomed one, wert

called

In human hearts to give that rapture birth :

Oh! raised from shame to brightness !—there doth

lie

The tenderest meaning of His ministry,

Whose undespairing love still owned the spirit's

worth.

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