Advent Hymn

Another mile—a year

Pass'd by for ever! And the warnings swell

From upper heaven to darkest depths of hell,—

   O we are drawing near!

   All through the waiting lands

Dim signs and tokens, if unheeded, throng;

We feel them thickening as we pass along,

   Holding out fearful hands.

   Light! which in love sent down

That tender gleam on Eden's darken'd bowers,

When sin had breathed the blight upon the flowers

   Whereof death made his crown:—

   Light! which did deign to stamp

The tables on that Arab mountain-crest;—

Light! which, in shrouded glory, once did rest

   On Israelitish camp:—

   O day! whose dawn was spread,

Golden and clear, on Judæa's terraced hills,—

O shining noon! whose waxèd beauty thrills

   Earth and her quick and dead:—

   Come to our hearts, we pray!

Through open doors let gracious gleams come in;

Fill us with light and life, and let the sin

   And darkness pass away.

   Lord, waken us who sleep,

Strengthen the feeble knees and weak hands now;

Teach us, with prayer and work, to measure how

   The stealthy minutes creep.

   Let not our lamp be dim

When in the night we hear the footsteps fall

Upon our threshold,—let death find us all

   Watching in peace for him.

   Let us lie down to rest

In surest hope of endless life in store,

With happy reverent hands, that strive no more.

   Folded across our breast.

   And when the angels come,

And the sharp echo of the herald's cry

Pierces the dark and stillness where we lie

   Cold in our sleep, and dumb,—

   May we arise, O King!

In bridal garments, beautiful and white;

And do Thou, coming in Thy godly might,

   Our crown of glory bring.