"From henceforth thou shalt catch men."
Upon old Galilee's shore, Their toil of fishing o'er, Two brothers, leaving all, Followed the Master's call, No longer now to take Fish from their native lake, But on a stormier sea
Fishers of men to be.
Ye faithful ones, who sweep The world's tempestuous deep, Plying your holy craft,
Mankind your precious draught, While lasts the timely night, Ere breaks the morning light,
Watch for the favouring tide To scour the waters wide. See, every creek and bay Teems with the living prey, The wandering myriads wait The fisher's gathering net : Launch out into the deep, Throughly the waters sweep, Heed not the ocean's roar, But haul the net ashore.
We have travelled on so long together In sunshine and in stormy weather, Each other's joys and sorrows shared, Aye, and each other's dangers dared, We will not now, at this our age, When entering on life's latest stage, Our long companionship forsake, And each his separate journey take; Nay, let us still together bear Sorrow and joy, and danger dare, Till one or other's strength shall wane, And one is left, the other ta'en; Nor then shall we divided be,
Though neither may his brother see;
By contemplation, sighs, and prayers, By musings on the bygone years, By what communion still may be Of sweet and holy sympathy Betwixt the gross and carnal here And spirits in a heavenly sphere, We'll seem, as in the days of old, Converse of some sort still to hold, Till, both our pilgrimages o'er,
Each shall meet each to part no more.
THE PROMISE OF THE FATHER.
"The Holy Ghost fell on them."
A preacher to the people spake, How Jesus died for sinners' sake, How Jesus rose,
And pardoned those
Who leagued them with his mortal foes:
They heard, they heard,
They were not stirred
By the great word.
Till, coming from the Heavens above, The Holy Ghost, God's gift of love, Opened their ears,
Aroused their fears,
Showed them God's love, and drew their tears:
Then, when they heard,
Much were they stirred
By the great word.
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