Angel hosts the silence of the midnight hour surprise.
But a greater glory waits the shepherds' wondering eyes.

As a Babe in swaddling bands the world's Creator lies.
Though the angels haste to feast on Him their holy eyes.

Steeps in blood of helpless innocents his ruthless sword.
Egypt's land for God's Beloved a shelter doth afford.

Down to infant weakness, brought thus wonderfully near;
Seeking from our wayward hearts to banish guilty fear.

The Temptation.

Meet the "strong man armed" in faith's great struggle hand to hand.
Met the vision as it roamed o'er weary wastes of sand.

Every testing circumstance which smote His tender heart.
On the Word of God, which strength and courage can impart.

Met, and bound with fetters in the lonesome wilderness.
God's unfailing care for Him as Son of man express.

Ministry.

Man the willing captive of the devil to reclaim.
Vanish every demon at the mention of His name!

Hushed is, for He healeth all the broken-hearted quite.
Morning dawns for eyes long closed in solitary night.

Power and grace divine in that one tender touch he felt.
From His lips, who ever in the Father's bosom dwelt.

But, alas, the darkness still refuses to depart.
Found its joyous way to many a heavy-laden heart.

Seeks with tears of penitence the Holy One of God.
Drew her from the haunts of sin her feet so long had trod.

Spoke such words as stilled the mighty tempest of her grief;
Of the murmuring hypocrite who needed not relief.

Tempt Him with their unbelief and base ingratitude.
'Stead of bowing to the Son are thirsting for His blood.

And like whited sepulchre the Pharisee appears;
Will not have the harlot and the publican their peers.

On Thy blessed face, and caused the floods of tears Thou'st shed!
But the Son of Man hath not a place to lay His head.

His Transfiguration.

Heavy on His heart, who would the heart of man have won.
No one but the Father knows the mystery of the Son.

Him the glory excellent descendeth to embrace.
Glisters all His raiment, while like noonday sun His face.

From the cloud of glory, "This is my beloved Son."
He that will not hear Him must for ever be undone.

In that radiant sphere is told, so strange for such a scene
Darkly on the vision are the curse and cross between.

His Betrayal.

Night of bitter anguish to the holy Son of God!
Gloom from the abyss on mind of mortal shed abroad!

Mercy's hand, which held in check the wickedness, withdrawn.
Hating light, agree to quench the only light that shone.

In the fogs of hopeless night this miserable world;
Unopposed might reign when forth the rightful Heir was hurled.

Night of wrong, unparalled since night and day began,
Sought that much oppressed and sore afflicted Son of Man.

Black with sin's just judgment and abandonment of God!
Reaches Abba's ear amid strong crying tears and blood.

That dark chalice on His soul, brimful of death and wrath
Take it, drink it to the dregs, than swerve from duty's path.

But no friend to watch one hour with Him can now be found.
He alone must meet the foe on that dread battle-ground.

Glare of torch, and weapon clang, and shout of multitude!
As upon the solitude of Jesus they intrude.

Like the icy serpent's chill and treacherous embrace!
Hatred in the bosom lurking, friendship in the face.

Find the lamb devoted to their eager thirst for blood;
Jesus unresistingly amid His captors stood.

Than the tongue of lightning from the angry thunder-cloud.
His one arm of flesh against that evil-minded crowd.

And in power and grace divine makes good the damage done.
Unto hearts which not by God's great goodness would be won.

His Condemnation.

One who would have sheltered thee from all that could have harmed.
Words and works like His have proved thy heart could not be charmed.

And the gracious wooings of the Saviour thou hast spurned;
To be left in darkness where no lamp of heaven burned.

Hearts of all revealing as in glare of noonday sun.
Darkest deed of violence by fallen creature done.

O'er the face of Judah's land the cloak of sable hue;
Earth's broad bosom, with their floods of sorrow-laden dew.

Superstitious zeal allied with thoughts malevolent;
By the lip of falsehood to condemn the Innocent.

With those wretched men, dare not their foul demand deny.
Righteous blood, their emnity alone to satisfy.

Loud that mighty multitude with voice of one accord,
They release the murderer and crucify the Lord.

Worse with their ingratitude and blasphemy than blows.
God's great love come down to banish hence his cares and woes.

Follows in the distance to the palace of the priest.
That the One despised by them he knows not in the least.

Unresistingly goes forth to suffering and shame;
Waited on the brow of heaven to smite the earth with flame.

Had one supplication to the Father been expressed,
Puissant to execute their Sovereign's behest.

Nor a cloak of apathy hadst Thou at all put on;
Insult and reproach for all the grace that Thou hadst shown.

All its fiercest fury the rebellious human will;
Full of bitter death, were Thine, blest Lord, on Calvary's hill.

In the rich man's sepulchre His holy body lay;
Peaceful let the murderers keep their holy Sabbath day.

His Resurrection.

Lo, a mighty messenger descending from the skies
Rolls the stone back from the grave before their wondering eyes.

That void grave the witness of his kingdom overthrown.
Say, while slept the soldiers He was stolen by His own.

Streaming forth like wintry rain from sad and sleepless eyes,
Came His loved ones, saw, and fled in terror and surprise.

By the empty rocky cave, in which her Lord had lain.
Where lay every blessed hope that she had cherished slain?

From which never creature arm had might to set her free.
Now within his dungeon keep, and woe her lot must be.

Rapturous festivity, had but the truth been known.
When from heaven light of life in death's dark cavern shone?

Called with Shepherd voice the broken-hearted by her name.
Had from Godhead glory stooped to die a death of shame.

In the arid desert, smites the weary wanderer's ear,
Deep the limpid water, finds refreshment, strength and cheer:

By her living Saviour, drove the dark cloud from her brow.
Hope within her bosom spoke of deathless union now.

That high glory into which His work His own hath brought.
Than an earthly kingdom, His disciples' highest thought.

Stript of bolt and bar, lies robbed of all its power to harm;
With the dreadful sense of sin's unconquerable charm.

All His own, the Spirit comes, God's Spirit from above.
Pouring out into our hearts His everlasting love.

Caused to shine in word, and work, and cross, and death, and grave.
Light and love are leading all to Him who died to save.

Binding all together in one fellowship of life;
Terminating enmity, discordancy and strife.

Heaven was now their home, and He would come to bring them there.
Held it dearer than their lives, that meeting in the air.

Patiently within our souls that prospect fair and bright!
And the fire of love burned low, and heaven was lost to sight.

Light went out, and darkness reigned, and banners blue were furled;
Faithlessly coquetting with the gay voluptuous world.

Soon became a hold for every vile and hateful thing;
When the midnight held them fast asleep beneath its wing.

To the centre of the soul the foolish and the wise.
Hasten forth with well-trimmed lamp and gladness in their eyes.

In the ears of all who have been calling Jesus Lord;
That an oil-less lamp can never heavenly light afford.

The Rapture.

Shout and voice and trump unheard by this poor world below.
Watch throughout the only night that they shall ever know.

In the thrill of heavenly joy, and shout of victory.
Wiped away by that pierced hand man fastened to the tree.

Sheep long scattered gathered home by Him who knows them all;
From the humble hovel and the proud palatial hall.

From the grasp of death, and brings them forth all glorified;
With her murderous story, to the last saint who had died.

Bound and burned in fires, or thrown to savage beasts of prey;
Slain they were in thousands while the world kept holiday.

Till welled up the crimson in the blushing face of heaven;
Muttering her dread blasphemies, reeled on her moutains seven.

And the weltering whore hears not upon the cloud His tread,
And nor death nor hades holds one saint alive or dead.

Are no more remembered for the joy of meeting Him.
That blessed brow once crowned with thorns, those eyes with tears once dim!

The Tribulation.

Of His own, has gathered them to meet Him in the air;
Sinks at His denial to a wild wail of despair.

Spued as nauseous from the mouth of Jesus, they will go
Buries them, to rise no more, in Babel's overthrow.

Scorners of the truth shall now the blackest lie believe;
On their own Messiah, must the Antichrist receive.

Comes to earth to stir the passions fierce of evil men;
Such as never have been known, nor shall be known again.

Men tormented, seeking death, and death not to be found;
Pestilences, earthquakes, famines, fire, and sword, abound.

Dragon, Beast, and Prophet, bound in trinity of hell,
Chaos, murder, woe, and wrath, and curse, and darkness fell.

Girt with circling emerald bow, is set a glorious throne.
Creatures their Creator praise, and priests do homage prone.

From the hand of Him who sits upon the throne, that book,
Nor on earth was creature found worthy thereon to look.

To a world that would not hear the Saviour come to bless;
With rebellious man, by blows, the cause of righteousness.

Mid the roar of judgment, mercy He doth not forget.
Now has come, the time that He, in counsel deep had set.

Wrath's almighty thunders mid the roar of human strife,
Some of Judah's scattered ones for everlasting life.

These go with the banner of the coming Christ unfurled;
Soon the gracious message is proclaimed throughout the world.

In the heart of Jesus and in her's for whom he died,
To the Lamb in marriage bond His fair and spotless bride.

His Appearing.

Angel hosts, in flaming fire, the heedless world surprise;
Led by David's Son and Lord thro' thunder-clouded skies.

Faultless in their righteousness, that raiment pure and white.
Brighter and more glorious than the angels of His might.

Lo, He stands on Olivet, His sword drawn forth in ire;
Dark and deep Gehenna, the devouring lake of fire.

Who to death stood faithful when the Antichrist held sway.
Who like lions turn upon their enemies and slay.

Sink in blood the horsemen and the horses which they ride;
"Gather to the supper of the mighty God" is cried.

Discipline and order from their struggling ranks depart.
Only when the sword of each is driven thro' each heart.

Till the sweltering warhorse dips his bridle in the gore.
Fall on Zion's mountains slain, to rise again no more.

Is the fiend who led them, to the bottomless abyss;
Hearts of innocence, whence sprang a harvest such as this.

At the awful splendour of His majesty and power;
Flames of everlasting fire His enemies devour.

Upside-down the earth, and leaving nothing foul within;
To the holiness of Him who cannot suffer sin.

At the hands of wickedness shall ever know again.
Bless the loyal subject, for the Prince of peace shall reign.

From their land, long lost among the nations of the earth,
Back with songs of victory and everlasting mirth.

Hushed is, for He healeth all the broken-hearted quite.
Morning dawns for eyes long closed in solitary night.

For the darkness fleeth from the glory of His face;
Sheds among the nations of the earth her healing grace.

Righteousness and peace beneath the sceptre of the Son.
And the Father's will on earth as in the heavens done.

Floods of springing waters in the thirsty desert flow.
And the barren wilderness doth blossom like the rose.

And a little child shall lead them both with tiny hand;
So the mercy of the Lord shall cover every land.

Only when the sinner hath Jehovah's name reviled;
Though an hundred years of age, is counted but a child.

Underneath His sceptre, man in every clime from harm;
Binds the gloomy world within its grief-dispelling charm.

Make the welkin ring throughout the thousand golden years.
Stalks the earth, to break the heart and blind the eyes with tears.

That dread moment when is loosed his leader from his chains:
War declaring in their rage against the Christ who reigns.

Is the instant answer the insulted heavens send.
Is, in its rebellion and its guilt, brought to an end.

The Judgment of the Dead.

Recompence to all the dead, on that great throne and white;
As things guilty far from justice refuge seek in flight.

As like solemn thunder they the voice of Jesus hear;
And from death and hades king and peasant must appear.

In which none are sheltered by the precious blood of Christ;
Prince and peasant, high and low, the people and the priest.

But no soul can by his works to righteousness aspire.
In the book of life, all pass into the lake of fire.

Of the rebel creature is in all its blackness shown;
Of the righteous Judge who sits upon the great white throne.

From the grasp of Satan and the scarlet stain of sin.
Spite of matchless mercy, and the love that longs to win.

From the loins of Adam, foul, polluting where it goes,
Till into the dead sea of eternal wrath it flows.

Stooped to rescue many from the overwhelming flood!
Washed us whiter than the snow in His most precious blood!

The Glory of God.

Day of bliss, on which no cloud of night shall ever fall.
Love, the light of every heart; and love, the life of all.

Gone with all its wretchedness, sin, sorrow, death, and pain:
Like a viper crushed, no more to lift its head again.

Heaven and earth resplendent in the golden light of God.
Home of righteousness and love with every blessing strawed.

Than the purest light that ever gladdened creatures' eyes,
Earth-refused, despised, rejected Sovereign of the skies.

Lighting up creation with its beatific blaze.
With the glory of His changeless love's immortal rays.

Girds the earth, and thrills through all the courts of highest heaven:
Unto God and to the Lamb be adoration given.

Told in Jesu's journey from the cradle to the grave;
Told when o'er His head went roaring wrath's devouring wave;

Told in darkness, cross, and curse upon Golgotha's tree;
God's great love to guilty rebel creatures such as we.

Help us to the weary heart the tale of love to bring.
Tidings which shall make the heavy hearted sinner sing.

Bid Thy servants carry it in heavenly grace and might.
Stumble in the encircling gloom, Oh, say, "Let there be light."

From the cords of worldliness and from the fear of men,
Till with hallelujahs glad the welkin rings again;

Hears the heavenly music of the mercy of the Lord;
Till the powers of hell fall back before the living Word;

Where the prince of darkness hath his banner black unfurled;
Till the wild winds waft it to the limits of the world;

Till the echoes send it back from dreary death's domain;
Leaps from star to star, and creatures all take up the strain;

Till there's not one left with conscience, heart, or soul to hear;
Heaven is rent, and glory-crowned, Thou shalt in might appear;

Melody immortal thrills the universe abroad;
Tells the glory-story back into the ear of God.