The Cry for Justice: An Anthology of the Literature of Social Protest / The writings of philosophers, poets, novelists, social reformers, and others who have voiced the struggle against social injustice; selected from twenty-five languages; covering a period of five thousand years

by Unknown

The Sign of the Son of Man

By Vida D. Scudder

(See page [289])

Thy Kingdom, Lord, we long for,

Where love shall find its own;

And brotherhood triumphant

Our years of pride disown.

Thy captive people languish

In mill and mart and mine;

We lift to Thee their anguish,

We wait Thy promised Sign!

Thy Kingdom, Lord, Thy Kingdom!

All secretly it grows;

In faithful hearts forever

His seed the Sower sows;

Yet ere its consummation

Must dawn a mighty doom;

For judgment and salvation

The Son of Man shall come.

If now perchance in tumult

His destined Sign appear,—

The rising of the people,—

Dispel our coward fear!

Let comforts that we cherish,

Let old traditions die,

Our wealth, our wisdom perish,

So that He draw but nigh!