Awake! thou hast slimbered long,
Now arm thee for the fight—
Be thy faith firm, thy courage strong
To brave a world of aggression and wrong
Where might o’ercometh right.
Arouse! thou hast
dreamed a dream;
Now waken to prove how vain
Was the current’s flow of that stream,
So unruffled and pure, that too bright a beam
Could tinge its breast with pain.
Up! up! thou hast work
to brave,
A task must yet be done,
<<594>>
Ere sinks the moon in her ocean cave,
Or the slimbering streamlet or turbulent wave
Is touched by morning’s sun.
Thou must con a bitter
task,
For thou hast yet to know
How some in fortune’s sunbeams bask,
Yet refuse the aid a brother may ask,
To shield his life from wo.
Thou must bind thee to
the wheel
Of the worldling’s car of pride;
There teach the wronged heart to feel
The weight of despair and the scourge of steel,
That a heartless world deride.
Go forth when thy task
is done,
Go, kiss the chastening rod,
And when thy weary race is run,
Then know that each
earth wound that goaded thee on
Hath brought thee nearer to God.
