THE STORY OF A BROKER HEART. "He is despised and rejected of men; a Man of Sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. &c.". ISA. liii. 3-6. "That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not." JOHN i. 9-11. "And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken Me? &c.". MATT. xxvii. 46-50, and MARK XV. 34-37. X. And Thy face was grave and anxious, As Thou thoughtest on the future, And the present, and the past; And the base and foul pollution XI. Then Thy spirit was down-stricken, And with stedfastness of purpose XII. For the awful fight with Satan, XIII. And while thus, Thy soul, O Jesu! To its broadest, utmost bound XIV. Viewed all the heathen darkness And Thy penetrating vision All the blackened prospect scanned; And when clustered to surround Thee Men in sin and sorrow's night, Taughtest Thou Thine eager hearers Thou wert this world's radiant Light. 쾌 THE STORY OF A BROKEN HEART. XV. And the while Thy heart, O Jesu! For each human heart that bled, XVI. Though Thyself wast oft an hungered, Towards each bird and fish and beast, XVII. Thus Thine heart and mind and spirit Of the total sin and suffering That from Adam's race had flowed. XVIII. And were there no gentle maidens Who beheld Thee wondrous fair, And with all their best affections Longed their lot with Thee to share; And desired to sit beside Thee, And to gaze on Thy loved face, Or with steps unwearied follow Thee, O Christ, from place to place? XIX. Ah! methinks I see thee, Jesu, And Thine own unmeasured worth, XX. And exhorting them from others Let their yearning hearts be fired— XXI. TILL be with me, precious Jesu, XXII. For, methinks, that could the sufferings Touch the sin-sick ears and eyes, XXIII. Whence then came, O precious Jesu, XXIV. Ah! I think I see before me Why was this great weight of woe, But which Thou, my Lord, endured'st When on earth with man below; 'Twas that when Thou hadst compassion On his fall'n and graceless lot, To Thine own in love thou camest "But Thine own received Thee not!" |