The Raising of Lazarus.
OF Martha you've already heard,
Who entertained the Lord
When once He passed through Bethany,
And Mary heard His word.
They had a brother, Lazarus,
And Jesus loved the three,
And now the young man was brought low,
And very ill was he.
And his sisters sent a message
Unto the Lord, in haste:
"Behold, he whom Thou lovest well
Is sick and failing fast."
But Jesus said: "This sickness
Comes not that he must die,
But for God's glory, that His Son
Be glorified thereby.
"Our friend, Lazarus, sleepeth,"
Were the next words He spake:
"And I go hence that I may him
Out of his sleep awake."
Then said they: "Lord, if Laz'rus sleep
He surely shall do well"—
Thinking that it was natural rest
That o'er his eyelids fell.
Then He said, plainly: "Lazarus
Is cold and still in death.
But well, for your sakes, 'tis that I
Went not while he had breath.
"For so your faith shall be made bright,
That may be somewhat dim;
But now arise and leave this place,
That we may go to him."
Then Thomas said—called Didymus—
To the disciples all,
"Let's go, that we may die with Him,
If death should Him befall."
And now all hearts are sad and still,
And many throb with fear,
As Jesus and His followers
To Bethany draw near.
And those who meet Him tell the news
Of sorrow and of gloom,
That Lazarus has already lain
Three days within his tomb.
Now Bethany was very near
Unto Jerusalem;
And many to the sisters came,
To see, and comfort them.
And as they sat in silence,
Their hearts with grief bowed down,
The word was brought that Jesus
Was coming into town.
Then Martha went to meet the Christ,
And said unto Him: "Lord,
If Thou hadst been here, my brother
Had recovered by Thy word."
"Thy brother," thus the answer came,
"Shall rise again, I say."
"Yea, in the resurrection morn,"
She said, "at the last day."
"I am the resurrection, and
The Life," the Lord replied.
"He that upon my name believes
Shall live, though he had died."
"Oh, Lord," she answered fervently,
"I truly do believe
Thou art the Christ, the Son of God,
Whom this world should receive."
When Jesus saw the sisters' tears,
And tears of those around,
He groaned in spirit and was sad,
With troubled thoughts profound.
He said to them: "Where have ye laid
Your friend and mine to sleep?"
They say to Him: "Lord, come and see,"
Then all beheld Him weep.
And then they took away the stone
From where the dead was laid,
And Jesus lifted up His eyes,
And solemnly He said:
"Father I thank Thee that Thou hast
Heard my heart's secret prayer,
And I know that Thou dost always
Bow down to me Thine ear."
And when He thus had spoken,
He cried in accents loud:
"Lazarus, come forth," and the dead
Came forth, bound in his shroud,
And his face bound with a napkin;
His movements thus were slow;
But Jesus called out, with command:
"Loose him and let him go."
Then O, what deep and solemn joy
The sisters' hearts conceived!
While many of the Jews around
On Jesus Christ believed.