Page:The seven great hymns of the mediaeval church - 1902.djvu/69

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The Celeſtial Country.
39

Here they live in endleſs being;
Paſſingneſs hath paſſed away;
Here they bloom, they thrive, they flouriſh,
For decayed is all decay:
Laſting energy hath ſwallowed
Darkling death's malignant ſway.

Though each one's reſpective merit
Hath its varying palm aſſigned,
Love takes all as his poſſeſſion,
Where his power hath all combined;
So that all that each poſſeſſes
All partake in unconfined.

Christ, Thy ſoldiers' palm of honor,
Unto this Thy city free
Lead me when my warfare's girdle
I ſhall caſt away from me—
A partaker in Thy bounty
With Thy bleſſed ones to be.

Grant me vigor, while I labor
In the ceaſeleſs battle preſſed,
That Thou mayſt, the conflict over,
Grant me everlaſting reſt;
And I may at length inherit
Thee, my portion ever bleſt."

"Archdeacon Trench ſays very well, after referring to the Ode of Caſimir (the great Latin poet of Poland), Urit me Patriæ decor, that both 'turn upon the ſame theme, the heavenly home-ſickneſs; but with all the claſſical beauty of the Ode,