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    THE BLESSED HOPE

    O Blessed Hope! With immortality
    Replete; with joys celestial crowned; beyond
    The narrow grasp of human minds, its heights
    To comprehend or depths explore; and far
    Imagination’s stretch exceeding, all
    Its unseen glories to portray; that brings
    The coming One to view in all the bright,
    Celestial glory of his Father clad;
    With all the shining hosts of angels thronged:
    Who in his flaming chariot shall descend
    To take his ransomed ones to endless rest;
    When from the mighty bosom of the earth,
    The saints, long mingled with the dust, shall wake,
    And ocean’s bed its myriads restore
    With beauty clothed, with living saints redeemed,
    To meet him in the air, and on the sea
    Of crystal glass the glorious company
    Will joyful stand with glitt’ring crowns, and strike
    Their golden harps, to heaven’s strains attuned,
    In songs of victory; and through the gates,
    The pearly gates of New Jerusalem,
    The holy city enter, all whose streets Are paved with purest gold, and ever shine
    With dazzling lustre eye hath ne’er beheld;
    And from the tree of life, immortal fruit
    Shall pluck and eat; and from the crystal fount
    The living waters drink; where tears are dried,
    And sin and pain and death, no entrance find.
    HHHH 29.1

    When earth no more shall groan beneath the curse
    But with its withering lines effaced, shall bloom
    In its primeval beauty, and in robes
    Of universal peace shall smile, and o’er
    Its green and verdant fields, in union sweet,
    The saints may range, and in ambrosial bowers
    Repose; when birds light-winged, of plumage fair,
    Delight to warble forth their sweetest lays.
    And there within the kingdom of their God,
    Whose glories ever new will still unfold,
    Shall they as stars forever shine; his power
    Omnipotent adore, and all his works,
    With gratitude beholding, still admire.
    HHHH 30.1

    O Blessed Hope! That with undying ray
    Still burns within the breast to buoy us up amid life’s varying scenes of care and toil
    And strife, and with its bright, effulgent beams,
    That emanate from the eternal throne,
    Dispels the deep’ning shades that thicken round
    Our weary way, and guides our trembling feet
    Along the rough and narrow path that leads
    Where opes the portals of eternal day.
    HHHH 30.2

    Since first the realms of Paradise by sin
    Were lost, hast thou the christian’s solace been, And sure support in tribulations deep
    And scourgings sore. When by the sheeted flame
    Encircled, hast thou shed around his brow
    A halo of thy light benign; and while
    The vital spark remained has praise to God
    And the redeeming Lamb his lips employed.
    Thou hast the mourner’s grief assuaged, and from
    The grave its terror east and wide dispersed
    Its mantling gloom; and through its portals, dark,
    The promise lingers still to cheer the way,
    The promise of the resurrection morn,
    When o’er the just, the tyrant Death no more
    Shall reign; but from his grasp, on Love’s bright wing
    They rise to meet where parting is unknown.
    HHHH 30.3

    Time in his rapid flight has onward sped;
    And now far down the great prophetic chains,
    That present, past and future link, the signs
    Predicted in the word, presaging forth
    Its end, o’er nature’s face in mercy are
    Spread out, and brightly shine emblazoned on
    Its canopy. And inspiration’s page,
    Unsealed, with light unwonted shines for all
    The wise to know where on the sea of time
    They are; the beacon light decry, to guide
    Them safely o’er its trembling verge, and laud
    Them in the harbor of eternal rest.
    HHHH 31.1

    They loud the cry proclaimed to warn the world
    Of its approaching doom, and from the chill
    Of apathy to rouse a slumbering church
    To refuge seek from the impending storm;
    HHHH 31.2

    And while the wicked scoffed, a humble band,
    With joy their sails unfurling to the breeze,
    ‘Neath sunny skies, serene, borne on, prepared
    Their glorious King and Lord to meet in peace.
    HHHH 32.1

    But when by Disappointment’s chilling dart
    With anguish pierced, and gathering darkness vailed
    The vision from their view, their courage failed
    To stem the tide, and with the current thus
    They floated back where cold formality
    Has quenched the flame that once with zeal inspired.
    And many a bark, upon the raging waves
    Of error wildly tossed, is sadly driven
    Along enveloped deeply in its dark
    And misty fogs that intercept the light
    Divine, or dashed against the wreck strewn shore.
    HHHH 32.2

    A few, though clouds arise, and tempests round
    Them burst, with firm, unfaltering trust in him
    Who in the purpose of his will his word
    Fulfills, upon his promises rely,
    And with the eye of faith, unwavering, fixed
    Upon the golden prize, will onward in
    Truth’s even channel steer until the day
    Shall dawn, the sun of righteousness arise
    With his resplendent rays to ushur in
    The glorious morning of eternity,
    Succeeding time’s long night of fearful storm.
    HHHH 32.3

    So live in patient waiting for the Lord,
    That when he comes thou mayest not on rocks
    And mountains vainly call, that from his sight
    Thou may’st be hid, but his returning hail
    HHHH 32.4

    With raptured joy, and hear the welcome Come!
    Ye blessed of my Father, Come! Thy blest
    Inheritance receive, and join the bright,
    Seraphic host, in one harmonious voice,
    To swell the song of praises to the Lamb;
    And with the vast assembly share the full
    Fruition of thy hope forevermore.
    HHHH 33.1

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