Page:Redemption, a Poem.djvu/197

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REDEMPTION. 191

Nam receives its dead, to life restored, And Jairus' daughter 'scapes an early tomb. Now from his robes the healing virtue flows, And numbers simply touch him and are heal'd : Here, with a look, the wish'd for blessing gives, There, with a word, dispensing saving grace, And e'en a sigh, in secret whisper'd, hears.

Eve, brilliant hued, chatoyant tinged the sky, With shades dedalian, azure, carmine, gold, Wide spread her blushes o'er departing day, And fann'd with zephyrs Jesus' aching brow, As, press'd by peoples, and o'ercome with toil, He nearer drew Tiberias' placid shore. The place was desert, and their homes afar, Whose zeal refused to list to nature's needs, But still upon his footsteps eager hung, Three constant days and nights, with naught to eat. Fill'd with compassion for the frequent crowds, That fasting, now so long, had follow'd him, The Man of sorrows, pity'ing, tow'rds them yearns, Their temp'ral wants, with all-embracing love, As erst their spir'tual, freely to supply. Thus, graciously inclined, he to the Twelve :

" I have compassion on the multitude, Who now continue with me these three days, And have not what to eat ; nor will I send Them fasting on their way, lest they should faint, For some of them have come to me from far. Whence then shall we buy bread, that these may eat ? Or what provisions have ye now in store ?"

This said he, well advised what he would do ; For, prescient of his wonderful design,

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