The Man Born Blind.
WHEN, coming near His journey's end,
Jerusalem was nigh,
He, one day, saw a man, born blind,
As He was passing by.
And His disciples questioned Him:
"Master, whose sin hath done
Such evil as is this man's lot—
His parents' or his own?"
And Jesus answered: "Neither hath
His parents sinned nor he,
But that the works of God, in him,
Might be made plain to see.
"I must perform my Father's works
While it is day; the night
Is coming, when no man can work;
But I am the world's light,
"As long as I am in the world."
And when He thus did say
He spat upon the ground, and made
The spittle into clay;
And with it He anointed thick
The eyes that ne'er had seen,
Then said unto the man: "Go wash
In water pure and clean."
Then went the man obediently,
And washed his sightless eyes,
And instantly he saw all round,
With grateful, glad surprise.
The neighbors said: "Is this the man
Who begged, and could not see?"
Said others: "He is like to him."
But he said: "I am he."
They asked him how he gained his sight,
And he, with thankful voice,
Told all about the wondrous work
That made his heart rejoice.
And now unto the Pharisees
The happy man they brought;
And it was on the Sabbath day
This miracle was wrought.
Questioned by doubting Pharisees,
He did to them relate
The way by which he was relieved
From his unhappy state.
They said the man who gave him sight
A sinner, sure must be
Or He would not, on such a day,
Make a blind man to see.
Yet others said: "How can a man
Who is a sinner do
Such miracles?" The healed man said:
"He is a prophet true."
The Jews would not believe the man
Was ever blind at all;
And, to find out if it were so,
They did his parents call,
And asked them: "Is this man your son,
Who without sight was born?
How, then, doth he now see so well,
Yet blind until this morn?"
The parents said: "He is our son,
And was born blind, we know;
But know not how he gained his sight;
Himself the truth must show."
The Jews straightway recalled the man,
And said: "Give God the praise,
We know this man's a sinner, by
His Sabbath-breaking ways."
He answered them: "I know not if
This man a sinner be;
One thing I know, that whereas I
Was blind, yet now I see.
"We know that God regardeth not
A sinful man's appeal;
But to obedient worshippers
He will Himself reveal.
"Since first the world began can ye
Such wondrous power find
As that a mortal man could heal
The eyes of one born blind?
"And if this man were not of God,
Nor down from heaven came,
He could do nothing in my case—
All glory to His name!"
And then they answered, wrathfully:
"Thou, who believest thus,
Wast altogether born in sin,
And art thou teaching us?"
They cast him out; which Jesus heard,
And found him, when alone:
"Believ'st thou on the Son of God?"
He asked in gentle tone.
The man said: "Lord who is He, that
My faith to Him might bow?"
Said Jesus: "Thou beholdest Him,
He talketh with thee now."
Then he said: "Lord, I do believe,"
With fervent voice, and loud,
And bending forward to the earth,
In reverent worship bowed.
RETURN OF THE PRODIGAL SON.
St. Luke 15.15-32