The Call of the Christian
Not always as the whirlwind’s rush
On Horeb’s mount of fear,
Not always as the burning bush
To Midian’s shepherd seer,
Nor as the awful voice which came
To Israel’s prophet bards,
Nor as the tongues of cloven flame,
Nor gift of fearful words,—
Not always thus, with outward sign
Of fire or voice from Heaven,
The message of a truth divine,
The call of God is given!
Awaking in the human heart
Love for the true and right,—
Zeal for the Christian’s better part,
Strength for the Christian’s fight.
Nor unto manhood’s heart alone
The holy influence steals
Warm with a rapture not its own,
The heart of woman feels!
As she who by Samaria’s wall
The Saviour’s errand sought,—
As those who with the fervent Paul
And meek Aquila wrought:
Or those meek ones whose martyrdom
Rome’s gathered grandeur saw
Or those who in their Alpine home
Braved the Crusader’s war,
When the green Vaudois, trembling, heard,
Through all its vales of death,
The martyr’s song of triumph poured
From woman’s failing breath.
And gently, by a thousand things
Which o’er our spirits pass,
Like breezes o’er the harp’s fine strings,
Or vapors o’er a glass,
Leaving their token strange and new
Of music or of shade,
The summons to the right and true
And merciful is made.
Oh, then, if gleams of truth and light
Flash o’er thy waiting mind,
Unfolding to thy mental sight
The wants of human-kind;
If, brooding over human grief,
The earnest wish is known
To soothe and gladden with relief
An anguish not thine own;
Though heralded with naught of fear,
Or outward sign or show;
Though only to the inward ear
It whispers soft and low;
Though dropping, as the manna fell,
Unseen, yet from above,
Noiseless as dew-fall, heed it well,—-
Thy Father’s call of love!
