MEETING.
And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee.
And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat.—Exodus, xxv. 21, 22.
O, when a mother meets on high
The babe she lost in infancy,
Hath she not then for pains and fears,
The day of woe, the watchful night,
For all her sorrows, all her tears,
An over-payment of delight?
Southey.
O, ’tis one scene of parting here,
Love’s watchword is farewell!
And almost starts the following tear,
Ere dried the last that fell!
’Tis but to feel that one most dear
Is needful to the heart,
And straight a voice is muttering near,
Imperious, Ye must part!
But happiest he, whose gifted eye
Above this world can see,
And those diviner realms descry,
Where partings cannot be;
Who, with One changeless Friend on high,
Life’s various path has trod,
And soars to meet, beyond the sky,
The ransomed and their God.
Townshend.
Oh, what an all-glorious meeting,
In yonder bright world we shall know;
When glorified spirits are greeting
The friends they left mourning below.
Earth’s friendships renewed shall then heighten
The loud-rolling anthem of praise;
While each happy spirit shall brighten
At the feet of the ancient of days.
W. J. Brock.