41 8 THE METHODIST HYMN-BOOK ILLUSTRATED
He said in his last talks that the life after death is the cardinal point of Christianity. I believe that God reveals Him self in every individual soul ; and my idea of heaven is the perpetual ministry of one soul to another. A few hours before his death his doctor told him of a villager who was dying at the age of ninety, and pined to see his old bed-ridden wife. When they carried her to his room, he pressed his shrunken hand on hers, and said in a husky voice, Come soon. Tennyson mur mured, " True faith " : and the tears were in his voice. Suddenly he gathered himself together, and spoke one word about himself to the doctor, " Death ? " Dr. Dabbs bowed his head, and he said, " That s well." As he passed to meet his Pilot face to face his son spoke over him his own prayer, God accept him ! Christ receive him ! because he knew his father would have wished it.
Hymn 820. Who fathoms the eternal Thought? JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER (118).
From The Eternal Goodness, 1865.
The three verses preceding that with which this hymn opens show the poet s meditation
Friends ! with whom my feet have trod The quiet aisles of prayer,
Glad witness to your zeal for God And love of man I bear.
1 trace your line of argument ; Your logic linked and strong,
I weigh as one who dreads dissent, And fears a doubt as wrong.
But still my human hands are weak
To hold your iron creeds : Against the words ye bid me speak
My heart within me pleads.
John Bright described this as a poem which is worth a crowd of sermons which are spoken from the pulpits of our sects and churches, which I do not wish to undervalue. It is a great gift to mankind when a poet is raised up among us who devotes his great powers to the sublime purpose of spreading among men principles of mercy, and justice, and freedom.
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