Page:The Christian Year 1887.djvu/54

 Twas but one little drop of sin We saw this morning enter in, And lo! at eventide the world is drowned.

See here the fruit of wandering eyes, Of worldly longings to be wise, Of Passion dwelling on forbidden sweets: Ye lawless glances, freely rove; Ruin below and wrath above Are all that now the wildering fancy meets.

Lord, when in some deep garden glade, Of Thee and of myself afraid. From thoughts like these among the bowers I hide, Nearest and loudest then of all I seem to hear the Judge's call:- "Where art thou, fallen man? come forth, and be thou tried."

Trembling before Thee as I stand, Where'er I gaze on either hand The sentence is gone forth, the ground is cursed: Yet mingled with the penal shower Some drops of balm in every bower Steal down like April dews, that softest fall and first.

If filial and maternal love Memorial of our guilt must prove, If sinful babes in sorrow must be born, Yet, to assuage her sharpest throes, The faithful mother surely knows, This was the way Thou cam'st to save the world forlorn.

If blessed wedlock may not bless Without some tinge of bitterness To dash her cup of joy, since Eden lost, Chaining to earth with strong desire Hearts that would highest else aspire, And o'er the tenderer sex usurping ever most;

Yet by the light of Christian lore 'Tis blind Idolatry no more, But a sweet help and pattern of true love, Showing how best the soul may cling To her immortal Spouse and King, How He should rule, and she with full desire approve.