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MAN’S MISSION.
- HUMAN lives are silent teaching,
- Be they earnest, mild, and true—
- Noble deeds are noblest preaching
- From the consecrated Few.
- Poet‐Priests their anthems singing,
- Hero‐sword on corslet ringing,
- When Truth’s banner is unfurled;
- Youthful preachers, genius‐gifted,
- Pouring forth their souls uplifted,
- Till their preaching stirs the world;
I.
- Each must work as God has given
- Hero hand or poet soul;
- Work is duty while we live in
- This weird world of sin and dole.
- Gentle spirits, lowly kneeling,
- Lift their white hands up appealing
- To the Throne of Heaven’s King—
- Stronger natures, culminating,
- In great actions incarnating
- What another can but sing.
II.
- Pure and meek‐eyed as an angel,
- We must strive—must agonise;
- We must preach the saints’ evangel
- Ere we claim the saintly prize.
- Work for all, for work is holy,
- We fulfil our mission solely
- When, like Heaven’s arch above,
- Blend our souls in one emblazon,
- And the social diapason
- Sounds the perfect chord of love.
III.
- Life is combat, life is striving,
- Such our destiny below;
- Like a scythéd chariot driving
- Through an onward pressing foe.
- Deepest sorrow, scorn, and trial
- Will but teach us self‐denial;
- Like the alchymists of old,
- Pass the ore through cleansing fire
- If our spirits would aspire
- To be God’s refinéd gold.
IV.
- We are struggling in the morning
- With the spirit of the night;
- But we trample on it scorning—
- Lo! the eastern sky is bright.
- We must watch. The day is breaking;
- Soon, like Memnon’s statue waking
- With the sunrise into sound,
- We shall raise our voice to Heaven,
- Chant a hymn for conquest given,
- Seize the palm, nor heed the wound.
V.
- We must bend our thoughts to earnest,
- Would we strike the idols down;
- With a purpose of the sternest
- Take the Cross, and wait the Crown.
- Sufferings human life can hallow,
- Sufferings lead to God’s Valhalla;
- Meekly bear, but nobly try,
- Like a man with soft tears flowing,
- Like a God with conquest glowing
- So to love, and work, and die!
VI.
