⁠Sweet eye, so blue,
⁠So soft, so true!
Thou lookest at me lovingly,
⁠As if to say
⁠This toilsome day,
"Cheer up, O traveller, on thy way!"

⁠Blue eye, so clear,
⁠Methinks thy tear
Wells up towards me tenderly
⁠As down I bend;
⁠And straight doth send
Message — "E'en here thou hast a friend!"

⁠Blue eye, so bright,
⁠With heaven's own light
Mellowed, but beaming cheerily,
⁠Evangelist!
⁠Thou say'st, I wist,
"He cares who made: put trust in Christ!"

⁠Blue eye, so warm
⁠Midst cold and storm,
I hear thy silent homily —
⁠"Adversity
⁠May compass thee;
His love is constant who loves me!"

⁠Sweet mountain flower,
⁠In trouble's hour,
When I perhaps may wearily
⁠Lie lone and drear
⁠And needing cheer,
I'll think of all thou hast said here.

Were there no night we could not read the stars,
⁠The heavens would turn into a blinding glare;
Freedom is best seen through the prison bars,
⁠And rough seas make the haven passing fair.

We cannot measure joys but by their loss;
⁠When blessings fade away, we see them then;
Our richest clusters grow around the cross,
⁠And in the night-time angels sing to men.

The seed must first lie buried deep in earth,
⁠Before the lily opens to the sky;
So "light is sown," and gladness has its birth
⁠In the dark deeps where we can only cry.

"Life out of death" is heaven's unwritten law;
⁠Nay, it is written in a myriad forms;
The victor's palm grows on the fields of war,
⁠And strength and beauty are the fruit of storms.

Come then, my soul, be brave to do and bear;
⁠Thy life is bruised that it may be more sweet;
The cross will soon be left, the crown we'll wear —
⁠Nay, we will cast it at our Saviour's feet.

And up among the glories never told,
⁠Sweeter than music of the marriage bell,
Our hands will strike the vibrant harp of gold
⁠To the glad song, "He doeth all things well."

Arise and shine! The gold light
⁠Fair morning makes for thee —
A tender and untold light,
⁠Like music on the sea.

Light and music shining
⁠In melodious glory,
A rare and radiant shining
⁠On thy changing story.

To-day the golden sunlight
⁠Is full and broad and strong.
The glory of the One Light
⁠Must overflow in song —

Song that floweth ever,
⁠Sweeter every day;
Song whose echoes never,
⁠Never die away.

How shall the light be clearer
⁠That is so bright to-day?
How shall the hope be dearer
⁠That pours such joyous ray?

We are only waiting
⁠For the answer golden;
What faith is antedating
⁠Shall not be withholden.

Earth is our little island home,
⁠And Heaven the neighboring continent,
Whence winds to every inlet come,
⁠With balmiest scent.

And tenderest whispers thence we hear
⁠From those who lately sailed across;
They love us still; since Heaven is near,
⁠Death is not loss.

From mountain slopes of breeze and balm,
⁠What melodies arrest the oar;
What memories ripple through the calm!
⁠We'll keep near shore.