The Bread from Heaven.
THE next day, for the absent Lord,
The people searched around,
Near to the place where He had fed
Five thousand on the ground.
Then Jesus said: "Ye seek me not
In honor of my power,
But for the bread I brake to you
In hunger's helpless hour.
"Labor not so for earthly meat,
Which perisheth away,
But for that meat which shall endure
Through everlasting day."
And then He preached to them the words
Of saving, Gospel truth,
Of Bread that keeps the soul in strength
And in immortal youth.
He told them that He was the Bread
Which had been sent from heaven,
That Bread of everlasting life,
To all believers given.
And some went back, and walked no more
With Him—the Truth, the Way;
Then to the chosen twelve He said:
"Will ye, too, go away?"
Then Simon Peter answered Him:
"Lord, to whom shall we go?
Thou hast the words of endless life;
From Thee doth wisdom flow.
"And we believe, and we are sure
That Thou are Jesse's Rod;
The promised Christ of Israel—
Son of the living God."
Jesus said: "Have I not chosen
Twelve of you to believe,
And witness to a sinful world
The truth which ye receive;
"And one of you a devil is?"
He spoke of Judas vile,
Who should, by wicked treachery,
The bishopric defile.
Now, when around Capernaum
The Lord had done much good,
He rose and traveled forth, to where
Old Tyre and Sidon stood;
And entered in a house, that He
Might of the crowd be rid,
And rest in peace there for a day;
But He could not be hid.
For a woman, whose young daughter
Had an unclean spirit, heard
That He was that great prophet who
Could heal her with a word.
And, hast'ning to Him, she knelt down,
And bowed her weeping face,
Relating in His willing ear
Her daughter's grievous case.
But Jesus answered not a word;
The apostles wondered why,
And said to Him: "Send her away,
We're weary of her cry."
And then He said: "I am not sent
Save to the sheep astray
From Israel's fold—beloved of God—
To guide them in the way."
Now this poor woman was a Greek,
And of Phœnician birth;
But she believed great David's Son
Was Prince of all the earth;
And that He loved all human kind,
Of every degree;
So, drawing near, she worshipped Him
Exclaiming: "Lord, help me!"
Then He replied: "It is not meet
To take the children's bread
And cast it out to dogs, while they—
The children—are not fed."
But she said: "Yea, Lord, very true,
Yet dogs, Thou know'st, do eat
The crumbs that from the table fall,
Beneath the children's feet."
"O, woman," Jesus answered then,
"Great is thy trusting faith;
And be it unto thee, and thine,
Whatever thy heart saith."
And she went joyful to her house,
And found the devil fled,
And her fair daughter calm and well,
And laid upon her bed.